Chapter 96: Catharsis

Chapter 96: Catharsis

Scyther parried the blow, and Shin, making sure not to over-commit, brought his second blade into play. I watched their exchange closely with a camera positioned on a tripod in front of me. For minor technique pointers, it made a world of difference to be able to highlight moments where my pokemon had done something right or wrong.

I was able to film at least two minutes of fighting before I noticed something.

Hold! I shouted. Shin and Scyther stopped, both of their blades ready to arc towards each other.

Scythers eyes flickered around for what I had noticed and Shin dropped into a relaxed pose. He bowed to Scyther and tapped the rock that he was now next to. I nodded and walked up.

Shins right Scyther, hes got you positioned in a bad spot. But not just because of the rock that hell be able to flick at you with his next sweep but because there is a gouge in the ground behind you that will trip you up when you take another step back.

Ka! Kabu! said Shin as he pointed out another advantage he had. I hummed and reached down to the ground, my fingers running across the pebbles judgingly.

I stood and dusted my hands. Hmmm, Im going to have to disagree. The ground being slightly flaky might not have played into your favour. I looked up to Scyther.

Were you aware of it? Scyther shook his head and I glanced up as Shin perked up. Alright, if you knew he didnt know, it would have worked as a surprise. I inspected Scythers facial alignment and stood in his position before nodding.

Scyther buzzed his wings angrily. And I rubbed his head. Hey, calm down you lasted two minutes in a melee which is great! In physical strength, youre doing great. Youve really been working well with the gravity drills! Your form is enough that I think we should reduce the amount working on the skill with your blades and instead work on your energy pool and endurance as much as possible.

Scyther gave me a shocked look and I rubbed his head. Hey, hey remember that your weapon of choice is going to change so well need to reteach you if you adopt too many techniques with a longer blade. You have the groundwork and a great understanding for when you face pokemon with swords. I gestured to him and Shin who were the original sword pokemon.

Remember there are going to be a lot of sword pokemon. Bisharp, Gallade, Zacian, Sirfetchd, Aegislash, were just some of the pokemon that came to mind. Scythers training would see him be a wonderful counter against those on skill alone.

When we get enough of the augrite Scyther, were going to have to learn all you can against as many humanoid pokemon as possible. Your axes will give you a lot of advantages. I have a friend I made on my journey that owes me.

Scyther perked up. Scyther?

Shes the fighting type specialist I met in Hoenn that I lent Hypnotoad to. She made a lot of money on fighting matches while using Hypnotoad to spar with her own pokemon. Shell send over some fighting types for you to practise against.

Scyther! Scyther bounced from foot to foot in a much more upbeat mood.

I pat him on the head and moved over to the other training area where Titan was sliding and repositioning while Bertha, Knight and Selene fired rocks and various energy attacks. Onix rested to the side watching carefully. I was having him and Sanchez rest up as I planned to use them in an Ace match alongside a few others from my Elite team.

Yesterday, Id spent most of the day locked in meetings with the gym trainers. Rocko and the others had been stunned when I announced Daniels status as a traitor. Apparently, Rachel had held onto that until the meeting. Shed merely sat to the side chewing her lips.

Id had to lay out new rosters, and changes in who did what on which days to make sure things flowed. The usual things that happened when a trainer was sick or had a long-term duty to perform. Id Id honestly prepared this earlier in the year with Daniel in mind for when His fake child arrived.

Helen was gone when Id gotten back to the gym. I had shot Joy a brief message to see if she needed anything from me. A statement or otherwise and shed merely replied asking if I wanted to do anything.

My gut had roiled and clenched with the idea of pursuing anything that Id have to squint and turn my head to consider just or fair in any sense of the word. Any money she got would be hers to keep but Id not pay a pokecent more.

I decided to wipe my hands of it and leave her be.

It was just money.

And that was that.

It was someone elses problem to deal with in a few simple messages.

It almost felt far too quick and clean. I wasnt sure what to think of that honestly, so I focussed on other things.

Daniel, I had been told, was continuing to cooperate. Only some of the methods of getting to him had recently changed. Sabrina had informed me that she would be remaining close to him for the next few days. Apparently, there were too many unknown faces that happened to start sniffing around the League headquarters, mapping out the land instead of blindly rushing in.

Instead, of inviting an attack at Headquarters and kicking a Beedrill nest with the media. Lance had relocated to a secure facility that only a few people knew of.

I accepted it. When Id asked about her Ralts shed chewed her lip and hung up. Id been shocked when she didnt bring Ralts over but instead left Ralts with her mother with careful instructions.

Sabrina had confessed that it was due to my dark energies possibly harming Ralts. That had made entirely too much sense despite my desire for her to look to me for these sorts of things. Then again I was busy as well and it probably would have fallen to Yolanda. Who would have enjoyed it as Terra seemed to delight in having another young pokemon to play with, but Ralts just didnt share that sentiment.

Id also slipped some questions to Agatha and Koga about the Viridian facility only for them to remind me not to approach it and to let them handle it when Team Rocket relaxed their guard.

Other than that, the gym had been cleared out of any trace Daniel had been there. Yesterday afternoon Id walked around with Rocko and two of the three porygon Id owned working out if there were any hidden microphones or cameras that might have been planted.

When we didnt find any, I had a long period of paranoia. I was considering sending for Janine before I stopped. Id realised then that I might have just foiled any attempt to plant surveillance in my Gym by having Janine around for as long as I did.

So I no longer had Daniel, or Helen, or nebulous Rocket threats to worry about. I simply had Gym matters to deal with such as facing off against challengers and training my pokemon.

Youre pokemon are strong, said a gravelly voice.

I held in the urge to sigh.

And also deal with my Flint situation. I glanced over my shoulder to find Flint hovering a bit behind me.

Yeah, weve been working hard. I left it at that, turning to watch as Titan ducked under a rock then slide to the side under a wave of mud Bertha unleashed on him only to have a rock that Selene had been controlling be placed under his foot. She then ripped it out as he tried to place his foot on it, which caused him to stumble.

He took three hits quickly after that that he would have been able to evade. Berthas mudshot to his eyes was particularly petty. I whistled to Shrek to clean him off and my Swampert swaggered up and gently rinsed his friend off.

Titan shook himself off and shot Bertha an unamused look which she responded to by bonking her head.

What is she doing? Flint asked as Bertha acted all cutesy.

I chuckled. When I started travelling with her I let her and a lot of my pokemon watch television when we were staying in lodgings. She always liked watching those magical pokegirl cartoons.

Bertha had also demanded that Sabrina sit with her and watch them. Sabrina had preferred to watch quiz shows that Selene eventually picked up on. Bertha had continued with her selections when it was her turn and when shed eventually become bipedal as a Rhydon shed adopted some of the mannerisms.

Oh, alright then. His eyes turned towards Shrek and Titan who were conversing.

Shrek must have said something particularly funny asTtitan threw his head back and laughed. Ty! Ty! Ty!

I snorted, which drew the two pokemons attention. I waved them off.

Flint decided to keep talking. Your water-type pokemon are really strong! You know, your mother favour

I dont care, I said, cutting off the conversation. I didnt catch them because of her. Theyre my team. If they happen to be water types then they are water types. They could have been fire types and one was before he asked to be released. The fact that I have so many water-type pokemon is just circumstances playing out for us to meet and grow closer. It has nothing to do with her.

Brock He shifted and I heard the pebbles crunch as he readjusted.

Leave it, I said.

You must have picked up some good things from her to have he once more trailed off but this time it was because I was looking at him.

Leave. It, I said, biting the words out as my insides became dark as the deepest of caverns under the earth.

I was mostly annoyed that it was true. I did have an easier time training and using rock and water types. I had come across her notes on training water types when Id moved my family out of the old Gym.

Shed written Well it was sort of a travelogue. She appeared to have written prolifically in it and about all sorts of things. Her meals for the day, her mood, any strange dreams shed had, but most of all about her pokemon and how she trained them. She wrote a lot about how to train her water pokemon and how she made them bore through rock for a fight or how you used certain moves for greater agility. How you trained pokemon to put out fires or create safe drinking water.

Thered been a few sections that I hadnt been able to read. Something about filling pans up in corners of streets and watching them for ripples. Another heavily scratched-out section had only had one part of it legible with her describing how hard it was to clean her pokemon which struck me as odd.

Id wanted to burn the book when I first read it. There had been no mention of her family, which struck me as deeply insulting. Just her mood, her meals, who she talked to, where she went in vague detail, and then her pokemon.

I had seriously thought about it before realising how that would put me in the same group as certain other notable book burners. People that hadnt liked what others wrote.

It wasnt even what shed written that annoyed me, but what shed not written about. Upon reflection, it really wasnt a surprise to understand why I had so much ease calling up dark energies. I had more than enough fuel to ponder on after all.

It wasnt until I was copying out a training plan to use that I came across a date that marked the diary at five years before my birth. So my feelings on that had been misplaced.

So Flint complimenting my water types wasnt wrong. I had used her teachings to make them stronger. But she didnt own good training ideas. She hadnt given them to me. Id had to drag them from her leavings while ignoring the annoyance that came with reading her old journals.

Flint stared at me and slumped once more becoming a shell. He pushed a stone around and glanced up ready to say hed leave me be. I could see it in how he was turning away from me.

I grit my teeth and offered an oran branch.

See those rocks Scyther is playing with? I said, putting aside my musings.

Flint perked up. Hmm? Yes? Thats augurite, a variation of Augite.

A what now? I asked.

It's a rock that contains samples of titanium, aluminium, sodium and other trace elements It can be found in formerly volcanic areas or areas with still active volcanoes with iron deposits close to them.

Huh, interesting. Ive noticed that Scyther has been collecting a lot of that sort of rock. Think you can point me where to find some more locally?

I could show you? he offered and I shifted from foot to foot. Or point it out on a map. I think I have a good enough idea of the local geology for that, he said hurriedly.

A silence grew when I nodded and I struggled for what to say. I didnt want to go hiking with him. He apparently wanted to obviously but. I shook that off and cast around for something else to say.

Forrests Onix looked good, I might let him use it for the first badge fights if wants to try it out.

Flint snorted and I frowned. What? Whats wrong with letting him use it there?

He doesnt want to hold back Brock. Hes going to take his pokemon to the battle courts not fight for the Gym. It would also be bad for his starter to get used to the idea of losing like that.

He was right. I hadnt considered that. I nodded and grunted to show I accepted that reason.

I Flint began. I also have noticed that when he talks of the gym he feels rather constrained. He mentioned quite a bit that he has been annoyed with having to hold back.

I snorted. Forrest is currently getting to fight any trainers up to a fourth badge level. He knows a lot of techniques and good matchups. I havent given him any of the stronger gym pokemon thats true, but hes got a way to go before he bridges that gap. He needed to have more fights and in different settings to truly make that leap however.

I scratched my head. I have noticed hes been disinterested in some of the duties around here or with the lower badge fights though. I shrugged, thats just part of being a gym trainer though. You have to hold back against the rookies. Were not about crushing them but teaching them.

Hmmm, Flint said.

I worked my jaw. Hmmm? I mirrored back to him, questioning what he meant by that.

Its just that Is Forrest being a Gym trainer what he wants?

We spoke. Hes my second. If I were to step over hed be first up to take over. He said he wanted that. I paused after that. Something Id just said rang false. Why was that?

Brock, did he ever say that? Flint said carefully.

I nodded slowly but felt less sure. Wed had that talk on Mt Moon that felt so long ago. Had he said what he wanted? Hed wanted to be the Gym Leader but that was a memory of a cartoon wasnt it? Was I associating and projecting what I knew he wanted? That had been a much older Forrest.

And it had been a cartoon Forrest.

They werent the same. Id messed up by knowing what he wanted. Anticipating a desire that hadnt ever occurred to him but had seemed locked in for me. Id thought Id been helping him.

I clicked my teeth. I should probably talk with him. Id already decided that I wasnt going to wander off with Ash. I couldnt leave my family and Gym with Flint and dumping it in Forrests lap wasnt a good idea. Id long since worked that much out.

What did it mean for Forrest? What did that mean for Ash? What did it mean for the world? Or for me?

Id been bouncing between event after event for so long that I hadnt stopped in gotten my breath back in a while. Id been barreling ahead like an avalanche caught up in my own momentum.

I clicked my jaw together. Damn, Daniel getting caught was doing me a lot of favours.

He should be getting ready to go on a journey honestly.

I blinked and looked at Flint. With you having just gotten back? Thats a bit harsh, I said scathingly.

Flint flinched. He doesnt need me holding his hand. He needs some time on his own.

But he wants you in his life, just like all of my siblings do! I snapped. Sending him off for a journey when youve just gotten home wouldnt be smart. He wants time with his father damn it, Flint!

Flint blinked at that and the traces of a smile appeared before vanishing. Youre right. But I also think he should consider the journey. Maybe next year? If he still wants to spend time with me he can drop in and out.

I hummed. Next year would be a better year. This years circuit is crazy tough. Just making to the conference showing will be a sign youre a good trainer.

We stood there with not much else to say. It was still awkward. I decided to end it. Wed spoken and that had been good? It was like walking a path with lots of rocks on it. You knew you were going to step on a geodude eventually. You just had to hope where you were going was worth the hassle of having to fight all those annoyed geodude.

I should get back to training my pokemon. Can you handle breakfast? Cindy will want a fruit platter. Also, the twins lunchboxes have their names on them and are stacked by height. If they cant reach them, then theyre trying to grab the wrong lunch box. Also, dont let Eevee out of the house with you. I got a message that she followed the kids to school and disrupted their classes.

Ah right Flint said intelligently. Sorry!

I huffed, about to ask that he stop saying he was sorry and start doing but I bit it off deciding not to hash on with that again and instead walk away. Right, thanks for the talk. Tide, Shrek are you both ready to fight today? Weve got an Ace coming in, and I suspect theyre going to be coming in strong!

I hummed and inspected Tide. Hed taken a bad hit there and was a bit scuffed up. Despite that, I decided to keep him out. Frank stared at me as he shifted his hand about, eventually he grabbed a pokeball and tossed out another pokemon. The lights of the emerging pokemon announced a big pokemon, and I drew in a breath when I saw the revealed Steelix.

There was a silence in the gym as people realised that this had to be a taunt. I snapped my eyes to Frank and spotted the smirk. I gave him a quick once over and relaxed when I noted no gem bracelet or necklace on him or the Steelix. If hed had a Megastone Id have been much more worried. I rolled my eyes at him, and instead braced for the next exchange.

Surf, I said to Tide causing him to sweep his flippers forward and slide backwards slightly as a giant wave was drawn up from the moat around the arena.

Frank growled in annoyance. Dig under it! he ordered and his Steelix dove into the ground.

I smirked as my pokemon swept forward on the wave. It took a few seconds but soon enough Tide was on the other side of the much wetter arena. He spun about in time to watch as Steelix was pushed out of the tunnel.

In the games, it was possible to use Dig to evade Surf but when you swept the water over the tunnel some usually was drawn into it creating a trap for the digging pokemon. Unless you were very, very quick about it.

Steelix, use Hyperbeam! commanded Frank making me hiss in surprise.

Damn it, Tide had used Protect only a little while ago. I cursed as my mind raced to find another option. I decided to roll the dice. It was that or try and match with an Ice Beam and I wasnt that confident that Tide, in his tired state could do it. If this had been when he first came out? Certainly. Not now though.

Protect, I ordered. Tide locked eyes with the Steelix and formed up his best hope.

Steelix unleashed his attack.

It lanced into Tides dome of hexagons.

For a moment I wanted to believe, but then the shell cracked and collapsed, causing Tide to be knocked back. He fell onto his side and cried out. I raised my pokeball and returned him before he took any more abuse.

The Hyperbeam carved a furrow. Jackson raised a flag in Franks direction. Gym Leader Brock has used a withdraw on his pokemon. It is no longer available for this match and Frank takes the knock out!

I held up a hand to Frank. I wasnt about to let him just take a beating to prove he could. Hell be sore tomorrow regardless, no need to have him stuck in the pokecenter for a few days.

Frank shrugged. Eh, good call, I suppose.

I rolled my eyes at him. I didnt need him to tell me that. I knew it was, and I hoped most of the crowd understood it.

Come on Brock! shouted one member of the quiet crowd. With the lull in fighting, they realised they could be heard and the started calling out their support. I waved to them with one hand while grabbing a pokeball with the other. Hmmm, yeah shed work.

I hurled out my choice and Hypnotoad emerged, bouncing from foot to foot. Frank eyed my Poliwrath and shook his head. Return Steelix, he said.

I hummed. Make your belly dance girl, I said giving a coded order. On her stomach her spiral began to spin and she wiggled from side to side in a dance that had a lot of people in the stands confused. I smirked. That wasnt the status effect I was going for but it was amusing.

I otherwise noted that Frank had used two withdrawals now. He selected another pokeball and revealed a Medicham. That pokemon had not been on his pokenet page. And Id noted that it had only been updated last week. Not that it was the most reliable but I had noted that he had very few psychic types available to him.

I wanted to suspect William for this, but it was possible this wasnt a plant to feel out my rosters depths.

On paper, it was a good match up.

Medicham use Eh? he said as his Medicham suddenly faced my pokemon only for waves of pink energy to radiate out of Hypnotoads belly.

Eh!? Whats going on?! he shouted.

I shrugged, not willing to give away the trick. It was rather obvious in truth but I didnt need to confirm it for him and any others watching on.

It was known Poliwag were able to use Hypnosis. As it evolved it was thought to lose access to that move but with some careful training that hadnt been the case for my pokemon.

I liked having access to that move as a surprise too much to give it up. Was it cheap? Not as cheap as buffing up your pokemon and then unleashing it on the first pokemon you faced.

Return! shouted Frank as he pulled his pokemon back. He grabbed another pokeball and tossed it out to reveal a Xatu.

Hypno, DL, I said firmly. Hypnotoad perked up and spread her arms wide as energy built up across her form. Then she sprinted forward.

Xatu Teleport!

Catch it! I shouted only for Hypno to leap and only close around empty air. I searched the field. Five Oclock! I said causing Hypnotoad to whirl about with a scowl, her swirls twitching in agitation.

Frank breathed a sigh of relief ,and I assessed the moment.

Future sight, he said causing his pokemons eyes to glow.

Hydro Pump, I said.

Teleport, said Frank with his smirk back in place.

The move was dodged, and I clicked my tongue, assessing the state of the field. It was well and truely churned up now having endured a variety of powerful moves. The boulders were practically nonexistent but still I had options. Frank himself looked slightly more relaxed at this and a suspicion about Xatu wormed its way into my mind. Xata had an ability about sleep didnt it? An early riser or ability that made it not effective?

Not that it would matter I had other options. Rock Tomb, hold, I said.

Teleport! said Frank again only this time the attack was held back. The delay order coming through to Hypnotoad. When Xatu re-emerged it did so with rocks rising out to snap around it. I nodded. Thats it Hypno! I said glad to get a hit in.

Frank hissed as I punched forward. Use Hydro Pump while theyre reeling!

Psychic! commanded Frank. Around the blast of water, a blue energy formed and stopped the Hydro Pump changing it to psychic typed and therefore extra deadly to Hypnotad.

Hypno charge through it with DL!

Xatu prepare your follow up with future sight after we knock it back! commanded Frank.

Hypnotoad once more charged forward. This time Frank didnt order his pokemon to move and I planned to make him pay for that. The Hydro Pump turned Psychic was weathered and set Hypnotoad back a step but she charged on.

Side step and then lunge forward! I said suddenly. Hypnotoad lunged to the side before rocketing towards Xatu.

The future sight that Frank was expecting to use to knock her out materialised in the space where she had been charging if shed remained on a straight intercept course. It still clipped Hypnotoad and sent her spinning, but she was close enough to swing a fist full of dark energy into Xatus face.

Both pokemon slammed into the ground and didnt rise.

I grimaced. That had not been a good showing for her, and I knew the issue.

It was me.

I was rusty with her. How she moved, how she fought, how she acted. I felt like there was a lot of room to tighten up on how and where I used her skills and I vowed I would spend some more time with her. She was skilled. No one expected her to know Hypnosis and her move Darkest Lariat? No one had ever seen a Poliwrath perform that move before today.

That had been something shed picked up from sitting in on training sessions with Titan and myself. It made her quite the ace up my sleeve. Sadly, she was one that I had blunted from lack of use. She herself was still sharp but I felt I should have been smoother in my orders.

I looked up and locked eyes with Frank. Hed used three of his pokemon now. His Rhydon had taken a solid hit, his Medicham was asleep and his Steelix hed drawn back due to not wanting to match it against Hypnotoad.

On my side of things, Tide and Hypnotoad were down for the count and Onix for all intents and purposes was the same. Shrek was probably still tired as well. So somewhat even although he didnt know what I still had in reserve while I knew his whole roster now.

I smirked and he glowered. I selected a pokeball deciding to back one of my pokemon instead of drawing out another. Frank hesitated as I hurled out my choice.

Go Shrek! I said making Frank scramble for his pokemon as my pokemon was revealed still looking tired.

Go Steelix! Theyre tired, you got this! I wanted to chuckle, hed hesitated to bring out a pokemon as he was anxious about what I was going to bring out. With Shrek out and tired from the rapid depletion of energy from the Giga Impact he needed to throw something out quickly.

Not that he had a lot of great options.

Steelix go for Iron Tail!

Hop back, I said to my pokemon trusting that even the few extra moments had been enough. Shrek watched the iron tail descend on him. Then, right at the last moment he hopped backwards and out of danger. He skidded across the still frozen arena floor and his colour returned to a deeper blue as his energy came back. Swampert! he croaked.

I grinned. Hydro Pump!

Steelix, use Earthquake!

The earth rocked and Shrek was knocked about, but he still shot off two powerful bursts of water that caused Steelix to go down. When Frank clicked his teeth together as he withdrew his pokemon before throwing out his Medicham, I knew I had this in the bag.

Giga Impact, I said to the shock of the crowd. Shrek smirked and unleashed another powerful attack to end any hopes of Franks that his pokemon would awaken. I felt my smile gain some teeth.

Frank eyed my now wheezing pokemon as he selected his last pokemon. Go Rhydon! This ones all yours!

Return, I said simply, not willing to play things out like he hoped. I selected another pokeball and tossed it out.

Go! Go! Go! Go-lem!~ shouted Sanchez as he appeared finally.

Frank clicked his tongue but still had a smirk. I whistled to get Golems attention. They stole Onixs big reveal buddy. Time to get back at em.

Sanchez adopted a stern pose at that news.

Rhydon use Surf! said Frank with glee. I laughed.

Dig! I said without a hint of fear as Sanchez threw himself into the ground. Then, like a professional tunneller, he dug a shallow arc beneath the oncoming wave, only to tunnel up behind it tightly. He shot out the back like a surfer diving under a wave they didnt want and appeared at the back.

Rhydon was just turning around when I ordered Sanchez to use Earthquake. Rhydon was tossed down and like that the match was over.

Ace Trainer Frank is out of pokemon! Gym Leader Brock is victorious! announced Jackson as the screens above us flashed with my face and highlight the pokemon that I still had active. I drew in a breath and exhaled all the tension. That hadnt been how Id hoped things would go but damn it felt good.

The podiums dropped and I walked across the field, ignoring Sanchez as he knelt in front of a section of the crowd and either professed his ding love for them or rectified poetry. It wouldnt have mattered, they adored him for it either way.

I shook hands with Frank. Cheap move juicing before the match. I said out the side of my mouth.

Frank didnt bother looking ashamed. He just shrugged. Plenty of Ace matches have to deal with it. Reckon you needed your cage rattled a bit, cause youre too used to getting matches with kids gloves.

I snorted in disbelief at him. He obviously had never trained at a Gym if thats how he thought. I sent him on his way and waved to the crowd before heading out. The media in the crowd tried to surge to the front and call out questions but I ignored them. This was just the first match I had for today.

I entered the medical wing and deposited my pokemon. Sanchez sat on the edge of his bench with a grin, kicking his legs up at the victory and his part in it. Shrek lay weezing. Hypnotoad was still knocked out, as was Tide. Chansey worked over them all thoroughly and when I released Onix the pokemon glanced around before falling onto the bed and morosely moaning.

I pat him on the head. Hey, Im not disappointed with you. You did fantastic taking that hit. No one else on the team would have tanked through and still gotten a hit off like you did. You set us up more than you realise, alright?

Onix groaned something and I shook my head. Don't be sad. Im happy how things went. We can keep working on this. It wasnt the showing I wanted, but thats pokemon battles for you.

Sanchez hopped off his bench and began patting onix. Then he started regaling Onix with the last parts of the fight. Onix seemed very happy to hear that Rhydon was taken down like a chump.

Missy bustled in just as Chansey was finished with Tide. She tapped him and made happy noises before bustling on to her next patient.

I glanced up at her arrival. You get close to them?

Missy nodded with an annoyed expression. It was like you thought. They were recording and documenting what pokemon moves and abilities your pokemon had. They know Tide doesnt heal from being in the water with the Rain Dance not healing him up. They think hes resistant to critical hits instead? She said with a tilt of her head.

She shrugged her shoulders when I shot her a questioning look. They had a small argument about what the reports said regarding Lapras?

She dug out a notepad and flicked through it with a pensive expression. They think Shrek heals when in water or rain though?

I nodded. Hiding my amusement. I knew Shrek had Torrent as his ability which made water moves all the stronger when he was fighting on his last legs. Missy reported some other observations, such as how surprised they were that Sanchez had been able to use Dig to evade Surf. I smirked, finding myself well and truly relaxing.

My alarm buzzed, and I glanced at it. I had five minutes to make it back up to the raised trainer area in the arena before my next match. Thankfully merely a first badge match. I stood, thanks for doing that Missy, its sneaky stuff but good to have confirmed. I could probably try and lip-read them with the cameras but this is easier.

Missy nodded, tucking her notepad away. Oh! No problem Brock, it was interesting. So theyre obviously Ace trainers looking to challenge you but what gives with all the sneaking around?

I hummed. Theyre, or at least one of them, is going to challenge me soon. Theyre going to make a big deal out of it. I tilted my head. Have you been watching Battlecast lately? Theres an Ace trainer working her way through the Gyms in Johto with Ace challenges and shes rising through the ranks. I waved in the direction of the stands. Our person of interest is someone I think that is going to be doing the same.

Oh theyre going for the top ten in the Ace Rankings to get the big sponsorship deals!? she said.

I paused, surprised by that answer but realising that she wasnt used to thinking on the same scale as I was discussing. I shook my head. No Missy, theyre thinking of making a run for the Elite Four or Champion position.

Missy gasped. Really?! You know that?!

I nodded. I know as much for Karen. I have my suspicions about this Will.

How come hes waiting to challenge you? Is he waiting to get the right team set up? she asked as she walked along with me.

I hummed. Yes But I think its more that hes waiting for a dramatic moment. Karen is making her own drama by stirring up people and fighting anyone and everyone that she can in the Ace circuit. William? I think he wants to announce himself to Indigo with flare.

From there the rest of the day passed without any incidents that I was aware off. A few trainers got heated out on the battlecourts but Missy and Dennis handled it by having the trainers, surprise surprise, fight each other to bleed out the tension.

The conversation with Flint earlier in the morning had stuck with me though. So I sought out Forrest. Id assumed that I knew what he wanted.

It was time for me to stop doing that. I needed to ask.