New chapter time! This is a pretty big one. A lot has to happen for things to move forward!

The chapter is, as ever, named after a cocktail - of sorts. I'd be interested if anyone knew more about this particular name.




Show-Off
-XXXVII-
Gaby Scanlon



After stowing away aboard a train bound for Blackthorn City, Milo and Jake had an uncomfortable journey, but managed to stay discreet until the train arrived at their destination late that evening. Waiting until everyone had left the carriages, Milo had Medicham teleport the boys off the carriage before anyone could spot them.

Luckily, Medicham knew Blackthorn City well, as did Milo. From a young age, Michael and Meredith Mitchelson insisted their children attended the prestigious Blackthorn Academy, a boarding school with an incredibly rich heritage.

Milo would spent the week studying at the school and staying in the dormitories, and on weekends he would be flown back to his home in the Whirl Islands, though this precious time would often involve sparring sessions with his mentor, Chuck.

When William died, and Milo was given the Medicham his brother had recently captured, Michael felt it important Medicham grow close to Milo, and Milo was allowed to bring her to Blackthorn when he studied. It was here that they began to grow close as a pair, through grief over their shared loss and a number of occasions when Milo found a useful way to deploy his new Pokemon's telekinetic abilities.

The city had grown significantly over the years, and was considered one of the more refined and cultured in the Johto region. The affluence and wealth meant a number of high-end designers were based here, with Milo's mum being particularly fond of Isabella Dent's expensive dresses. Five-star restaurants and hotels lined the historic Fangsland Road, and the property prices meant that only the truly wealthy could live here.

Medicham teleported the boys to a handsome red brick house south of the city, one they were both very familiar with. Jake seemed keen to look around the city, but Milo reminded him they were not stopping in Blackthorn long. The Viridian Contest – Milo's last chance to be eligible for the Grand Festival – was dangerously close, and they still had a journey ahead of them.

Milo knocked on the door, and took a step back. He could smell something delicious as he heard shuffling around inside. Suddenly, the door opened, and a friendly face beamed at him.

“Milo!”

“Hi Gary,” Milo said, smiling.

“How's it going?” he said. “What are you doing here?”

“Er, well, we're stopping off here on the way to Viridian City, actually,” Milo said. “I was wondering -”

“Of course you can stay here!” Gary said. “Come in, come in! And who is your friend?”

“Oh! This is Jake,” Milo said. “Jake, this is Gary Oak.”

“My dad's famous,” Gary said, shaking Jake's hand. “Nice to meet you!”

“Right!” Jake said brightly, looking exasperated.

The two were led into Gary's house, which was neat and homely; there was a large sheepskin rug in the open-plan living room, and in the kitchen, it looked like he was preparing a stew; the house was filled with mouth-watering smells.

As Milo and Jake took their shoes off and had a seat, Gary got a bottle of wine from a rack and began uncorking it, inviting the boys to leave their belongings at the bottom of the stairs. Jake looked impressed.

“So what's new?” Gary said, sauntering through with the glasses of wine in his hand. “What are you doing with yourself?”

“Oh, well, I'm heading to Viridian to compete in a Pokemon Contest there,” Milo said. Gary's eyes lit up. “I'm actually pretty good.”

“Of course you are!” Gary said, patting him on the shoulder. “Dhaaling. I bet you're just super.”

“He is!” Jake said. “Milo's nearly eligible for the Grand Festival!”

“Jesus Milo,” Gary said, “You were one of the best battlers at our school! And you came a respectful second in the Johto League. That's an achievement in itself -”

“I lost to Gary, at the league,” Milo muttered to Jake.

“You have to pursue that strength, and keep on that track, petering off in different directions isn't going to help you.”

“It's not easy,” Milo said. “And it's making me a better battler because of it.”

“Isn't your sister a coordinator?” Gary asked.

“Yes,” Milo said. “She's competing in the Grand Festival.”

“Milo Mitchelson... a coordinator,” Gary said, smirking again. “Honestly, you crack me up.”

“So er what do you do, Gary? I like your house,” Jake chimed in.

“Thank you,” Gary said, nodding. “You know Milo, your father has fallen out with me.”

Milo took a gulp of wine and nearly choked on it; his father? What was Gary doing with his father? Milo thought of the altercation on Route 34, with Eusine and Krystal and the death of the legendary Pokemon Raikou. Was Gary another agent, like Morty and Jasmine?

“He wanted me to head to Cianwood City and look after the gym,” Gary said, rolling his eyes. “That Eusine guy is sick. Really sick.”

“H-He is?” Milo asked, trying to sound nonchalant, and trying to ignore the gunshot wound the man sustained earlier that day.

“I reckon cancer,” Gary said, taking a sip of wine. “Those Weezing he hangs around with, they can't be good for him, can they?”

“No, probably not,” Milo said. “But, you're not going to Cianwood?”

“It's way too far,” Gary said. “And, well, I have a pretty exciting business development going on at the moment.”

“What is it?” Milo asked, intrigued.

“In Kanto,” Gary added. “I wouldn't even think about taking a gym here. The league in Johto is a right mess at the moment. I hear they finally convinced Whitney to start battling again after she was robbed, but Karen at Ecruteak wants to quit and move back to Hoenn, Falkner hasn't been seen for nearly two months... honestly, it's bewildering.”

“Been a bad year, hasn't it,” Milo said, despite knowing full well the fates of all the absent gym leaders.

“They did the Reclassification to kick-start the league, and all they've done is drive it into the ground!” Gary said. “Kanto is where it's at. Turns out the gym in Virdian was being used as a crystal meth lab, so they've evacuated it. I've got an assessment there this week.”

“You'd be a great gym leader,” Milo told him. “Jake, Gary has a brilliant team.”

“Oh it's expanded since you last saw me,” Gary replied. “I've gone for a new approach – the 10-Strong Strategy. It's popular in Kanto. Instead of having a team of six covering all your bases, you have a wider pool of ten intensely-trained Pokemon that you can use to assimilate a six-strong team for a variety of different occasions.”

Milo suddenly realised that was what Mia had done with her coordinating Pokemon – she had a large roster and moved them around to suit the situation. She had holidayed in the Seafoam Islands – was this where she picked it up from? Milo considered his own five Pokemon (and Houndour, recovering from surgery) and felt small by comparison.

Gary explained that he would be driving over to Viridian City tomorrow night, and if the two wanted to get a free ride, they would have to wait until then. Milo realised that would get him there in time for the contest the day after, but he would have to spend tomorrow undertaking a serious training regime if he wanted to get his Pokemon ready.

Once the last of the wine had been drunk, and the last dregs of stew mopped up with crusty bread, Gary got out sleeping bags and spare mattresses so Milo and Jake could sleep in the living room. Once he had gone upstairs, Milo thought about his old friend's attitude to coordinating, and how, initially, he had been reluctant to tell Morty he was a coordinator.

It wasn't something to shy away from, but the stigma was that it was an incredibly un-masculine thing to do. The jocks all trained to take on Gyms, like Milo had done the year previously. But to them, the idea of being a coordinator meant you were somehow trading in part of your identity.

As he felt himself drift off, Milo decided he knew a way to tackle Gary's misconceptions about coordinating. He'd use his team to take on the cocky trainer during training tomorrow.

*

Milo was unsurprised when Gary woke them early the next day. He was off for a morning run, and looked surprised when Milo declined the offer to join him. As Gary headed off round the neighbourhood, Milo poured himself some cereal, and began thinking about his strategy.

“The thing is, just because my Pokemon appeal that doesn't mean they can't battle,” he said. “Having said that, when I let Ruby battle a Tauros she got bloodied up pretty bad.”

“Medicham is an obvious choice,” said Jake, who was rifling through the magazines on Gary's coffee table. “What about Magnezone? You should totally try him out.”

“Good idea,” Milo said.

Gary was only away for about half an hour, and came back looking incredibly pleased with himself. Though his face was blotchy and he looked exhausted, the boy had the unmistakable look of someone who was in very good shape. Jake looked particularly interested as Gary took his t-shirt off, showing an impressive, toned stomach, before tossing his shirt in the laundry hamper and heading upstairs to take a shower.

“I feel like I should run more,” Milo said. “Jake, remind me to go for a run tomorrow.”

“You need to start running? I need to start running,” he moaned. “And have you seen this guys fridge? He eats so healthily. All we do is drink booze and eat junk food.”

“That's not true, I had an omelette in Cherrygrove,” Milo muttered.

Once Gary had showered, he shouted down for the boys to meet him at the front of the Blackthorn Gym. Shrugging, Milo and Jake got ready and headed out Gary's house; the gym was only a short walk away. It was foggy today, but being at such a high altitude, and away from the capital city, Blackthorn's air had a crispness to it. They were close to nature without feeling rural – it was clear why the city was so popular.

On the way to the gym, Milo's attention was caught by a large, handsome bird perching on Gary's letterbox; he ignored it, thinking the Pidgeot probably belonged to Gary, and walked through the city with Jake. He kept pointing out places to his friend, showing him the bar where he had his first beer, the park where they used to spend sunny afternoons studying for exams, and even the expensive looking shop where Mia was given a baby Snubbull from her parents as a graduation present.

“It is nice being back here,” Milo admitted, looking at the familiar shops and cafes. The sign for Belvedere Road, pristine if not for a small chip in the corner – Milo remembered causing that chip when Medicham failed to re-direct a swift attack from a schoolboy's Aipom.

“That Pidgeot is following us,” Jake said, jerking his thumb behind him. Milo turned to see the bird walking (awkwardly, it has to be said) towards them, but freezing as soon as they made eye contact.

“Maybe it's a spy,” Milo said quietly. He spied a pebble nearby, “should I throw this?”

“No, Milo,” Jake replied. “But it definitely wants something.”

Milo turned around and looked at the bird; it was certainly handsome, with glossy plumage slightly longer than usual, while the normally rough tail feathers were also more elongated and less spiky. It looked preened, that was it, Milo said, studying it. It also looked much less fierce than wild birds often did.

“Do you want something?” he asked. The Pidgeot flapped up and crooned. “What does that mean?!”

“Catch it,” Jake said.

“Do I have to?” Milo asked. “Hey! Fuck off! We don't have any food.”

“It doesn't look hungry,” Jake noted. “In fact, it looks really healthy. Like it has a trainer.”

Milo fumbled on his belt for a Pokeball, and in a flash, Medicham materialised at his side. Pidgeot didn't seem to mind this, keeping his mind focused and his gaze locked on Milo.

“Listen,” Milo said to Medicham. “Scan it with psywave. See what it's thinking, or what it wants.”

Nodding, Medicham held her hand out and tried to tap into the psyche of the persistent bird. However, as she did so, Pidgeot bolted up into the air with one single flap; Milo gasped as he saw the bird shoot up and survey them from afar, flapping his wings, staring. Medicham tried again, but it was all too easy for Pidgeot to evade, this time pulling into a steep dive and skirting the ground. Dust whipped up around him as his big, muscular wings took him all around the skies at the slightest beat.

“Okay, okay,” Milo said, asking Medicham to stop and looking at Pidgeot. “You don't want to battle. Right?”

Seeing Medicham step back seemed to calm the bird, who landed in front of Milo again and took a tentative step towards him. In a flash, Medicham teleported away from Milo's side and re-appeared behind the bird; before he could react, she held her hand out and rooted him to the spot with a strong psychic attack.

“Subdue him,” Milo said, “then use your clairsentience to read his mind.”

Medicham nodded, walking slowly towards the bird that lay, pressed, against the earth. Milo knew it looked cruel, but this bird was being persistent, and he wanted to know why that was so. Crouching next to the bird, Medicham reached her fingers out and touched his plumage; Pidgeot's eyes drooped shut as he tried to fight back, but he was no match for Medicham's psychic powers.

“Anything?” Milo said, wandering over. Medicham beckoned him quicker, and once he approached, grabbed his hand with one of her own; with a squeeze, Milo felt a sudden urge in his head and his senses began to meld together. He felt the familiar chill of goosebumps, even though the day was perfectly pleasant. The memories were not clear, but Milo felt a sweeping fondness for someone, and the familiarity to it made him suspect that he knew this person in Pidgeot's mind.

Then, a voice. Milo recognised Falkner issuing a command. He opened his eyes and told Medicham to step back; Pidgeot turned to look at him weakly.

“Do you belong to Falkner?” Milo asked. Pidgeotto nodded.

“You saw that?” Jake asked. “Falkner?”

“Kind of,” Milo said. “I felt something for Falkner, and it kind of helped the memory solidify. It's complex.”

Medicham gripped his hand harder, and Milo suddenly felt a sharp muscular pain across his body; it felt like he was being stretched. Trying to probe into the memory, he saw countless trees and a number of cities. The pain lessened into a dull ache, and Milo then saw the surface of a lake, perhaps the Lake of Rage?

“I think this Pidgeot has recently evolved,” Milo murmured. He had felt the pain Pidgeot was feeling, and wondered if, through his long journey flying here, he had built the stamina and core strength to evolve.

“Did Falkner send him?” Jake said.

“I think so,” Milo said, asking Medicham to let go. She leapt back gracefully, and Pidgeot widened his eyes in relief. Jake immediately released his Parasect, and asked if he could release some soothing spores to help Pidgeot's pain. Nodding, the bug scuttled over and sneezed, covering the bird in a speckled, peppermint coloured spore.

“It'll make him a little drowsy, but that's good,” Jake said. “We can take him to a Pokemoncenter.”

At the Blackthorn City Pokemoncenter, Milo and Jake sat in the waiting room as the nurses did a number of tests on the Pidgeot to determine who he belonged to or where he came from. Milo massaged his temples, trying to remember the images and sensations from the clairsentience. Pidgeot had been travelling... the bronze-coloured leaves in the trees reminded him of Ecruteak City, while the lake may indeed have been the one north of Mahogany. Had Pidgeotto been sent to find him, on Falkner's orders?

“Milo?” said a voice. Milo got up as the Nurse came over.

“Hi,” she said sweetly. “We've run some tests; this Pokemon is fine, but he's exhausted, he has been flying for several days, we think.”

“Does he have a trainer ID?” Jake asked.

“He does, and you're correct; he belongs to Falkner,” the nurse explained. “However, Falkner's profile has a note asking that, in the event of the creature being brought to a Pokemoncenter, that ownership be transferred to Milo Mitchelson.”

“What?” Milo asked.

“Hmm, Falkner has asked the creature to be removed from his care,” she said. “So you're free to capture the bird, if you wish.”

Milo pulled a sour face, and turned away from the counter. What was Falkner playing at, just handing over a Pokemon like this? Was he trying to say something, was this bird supposed to be emergency transport for Milo, or a carrier bird to deliver messages? He remembered the note Falkner left them before they left Violet City; before he went to find out more about his father's murder, he explained he couldn't carry a mobile phone as he didn't wish to be easily found.

“You can't not catch him, Milo,” Jake said.

“Why not?” Milo asked.

“This Pidgeot came all the way here for you,” Jake said. “He isn't native to this area, you can't just leave him in the wild, he won't survive.”

Milo remembered the Skarmory and Fearow that lived outside Blackthorn and had to agree. Pidgeot needed lush, greener habitats, so it did seem cruel choosing not to take Pidgeot with him. Milo finally made a decision, and told the nurse he would be happy to take Pidgeot on. She happily got out a Pokeball from the counter – it was a run-of-the-mill red Pokeball, no expenses spared – and registered the bird in Milo's name.

*

With Pidgeot now in his possession, Milo had a full team, but knew that certain members needed more training than others. Before he left the Pokemoncenter, he called his mother, and asked if she would mind sending Houndour over to him. Meredith obliged, explaining that the dog had recovered exceptionally since the brutal attack from Oscar's Scizor. Realising he needed to take someone off his team for the moment, Milo sent Scizor to his home. He had fought hard in the Lake of Rage and Violet City contests. He needed a rest.

Milo and Jake went to the front of the Blackthorn Gym to wait for Gary, but he was nowhere to be seen, and they were already pretty late themselves. It wasn't a pleasant day at all, so waiting outside was horrible. After a while, they decided just go enter the gym and see Gary there.

“Pryce said Clair was being kept on,” Milo said, reaching for the huge, iron knocker on the gym door. It looked exactly how he remembered it; large, dark, carved from stone and incredibly intimidating. Blackthorn Gym sat on the edge of a vast lake, and it was rumoured that Clair trained in the dangerous caverns on the other side.

The gym itself was a large body of water, with roughly hewn stone arenas where trainers and Gym apprentices pitted their Pokemon against each other. Narrow wooden walkways joined all the arenas together, forming a path; when Milo had battled here a year or so ago, you had to follow the path around and fight all the trainers before being allowed to challenge the Gym Leader. In the middle of the gym, on a small stone platform, was a heavy wooden trapdoor.

Milo could see a Dragonair wrapping its slender body around a Lickitung, while at the back of the gym there was a Nidorino trying to joust its horn into a Nidorina. The blue Pokemon leapt left and right, avoiding each strike, hissing loudly.

“Where is the leader?” Jake asked. Milo pointed to the trapdoor, and led Jake along the first walkway that would eventually take them there. Beneath this floor was Clair, on her private arena set high above a large pit. As they walked onto the first arena, Milo swiftly made his way to the next walkway, but the trainer, a stocky blonde guy, stepped forward.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” he said. “Where do you think you're going?”

“To see Claire,” Milo said.

“You need to battle on all four arenas before you can go down there,” he said dismissively. Milo saw him pull a green Pokeball from his belt.

“No, I'm not here to challenge her,” Milo said. “I'm here to see her. Anyway, I have the Rising Badge, I've beaten her before.”

“Can I see it?” he asked.

“Well I don't have it on me,” Milo snapped.

“How unfortunate,” the boy replied, holding the Pokeball out.

“Come on dude, be cool,” Milo said.

“Sorry dude,” he replied.

“One on one,” came a voice; Milo turned and saw Jake had taken his place on the arena and hurled a Pokeball into the air. The burst of bright white light illuminated the dark gym, and his large, lumbering Ursaring emerged, ready to fight.

“That's more like it!” the trainer said, throwing a ball through the air.

“Jake, are you sure?” Milo said. “You just caught -”

“We'll be fine,” Jake said, as the opponent's Pokemon, a Golem, gave a long roar. It was a small but incredibly heavy creature, with a body hewn from a similar rock to the arena. Milo took a few steps back to observe.

“Easy! Golem, rollout!” the boy said. Nodding, the boulder leapt into the air, tucking his arms in and bowling along the arena to Ursaring. It wasn't a large arena, so there wasn't a lot of room for avoiding it.

Ursaring extended his claws, preparing a counter strike, but when Golem connected with him he was thrown through the air and slammed into the ground. The arena trembled as Ursaring landed, and Golem span back around to his trainer. As Ursaring got to his feet, Milo realised that the Blackthorn Gym, which, must specialise in attack, had arenas designed to invoke direct contact.

Jake looked composed, asking Ursaring to get up as Golem geared up for another strike. He sped through the air, faster then before, but this time Ursaring leapt high into the air, avoiding the hit. Thankfully, Golem's weight meant it couldn't propel itself up after Ursaring, something which smaller Pokemon were able to do when using Rollout. Ursaring landed and let off a loud snarl; it echoed off the walls of the gym, and even got the attention of some other trainers practicing.

“Ursaring!” Jake said, stepping back to the edge of the arena. He was observing the arena, taking mental notes. Milo had no idea what he was thinking. “Go in for a metal claw!”

“Finally attacking!” the apprentice cackled. “About time, in the attack gym!”

“Just because you specialise in attack, that doesn't mean I should,” Jake countered.

Ursaring's claws sparkled silver and he raced along the arena at Golem, who leapt into a third rollout. Again, Golem was too fast and too heavy to come out of the clash worse; as he slammed into Ursaring, the bear was hurtled back, the sheen fading from his claws.

“You can't overpower him Jake!” Milo said from the sidelines.

“I'm not trying to!” Jake snapped, and Milo wondered if this was it felt like to not be clued in on things. Golem was speeding around so much now he was a mere blur, but he navigated the arena brilliantly, building momentum up before going to strike Ursaring for the fourth time.

“Golem, go for the fourth!” said the apprentice.

“Hammer arm!” Jake said. “Into the opposite corner!”

Golem tucked his arms into his body again but, on the opposite corner of the arena, Ursaring flexed his arms and held one back. With incredible power, he slammed it down into the stone; the sheer force caused the arena to tip into the water; Milo, standing nearby, held onto the walkway as his legs buckled and water washed over his feet.

Opposite them, the downward force on the arena caused Golem's side to spring up; Golem was launched into the air and, with the force built up from his rollouts, he arched right over Ursaring's head and into the water, disappearing completely.

“GOLEM!” the apprentice cried.

“He's so heavy that even if he could swim he wouldn't get far,” Jake said. “Recall him.”

The trainer held the ball out and shot it down into the water several times; he was so panicked, so thrown by Jake's technique that he wasn't aiming well, but eventually he managed to bring his Pokemon back. Milo was dumbfounded; how did Jake know the arena was so easy to manipulate? How had he thought to use Golem's weight and speed to propel himself?

“It was pretty easy,” Jake said, as a couple of apprentices and trainers gathered round. “The arena isn't made from stone as thick as the stuff in the gym. I noticed that when I looked over the edge. We're just floating, so any force applied to one end of the arena will cause its buoyancy to tip.”

“That was good,” said one apprentice, in a navy sports top. “Come to the next arena, give me a go.”

Jake nodded and walked along the walkway, Ursaring recalled into his ball. Milo quickly followed, reaching in his pocket for a Pokeball.

“Wait, I want to try!” he said, getting Jake's attention.

“Oh, yeah,” Jake said. “We came here together, so we'll take you on together.”

“That's not in the rules,” said the second trainer, who seemed slightly older and much less brash. “You have to beat four of us to see the leader.”

“I can beat you all,” Jake said, “And we have a badge from this gym. We're just amusing you. So let Milo take you on.”

“Fine,” the trainer said, shooting Milo a look. “One on one again.”

“Good luck!” Jake said, taking his place on the sidelines.

“Medicham!” Milo said, releasing the monkey onto the arena. She looked around briefly; recognising her surroundings, and lifting one leg up to her chin. The trainer nodded, releasing a Kingler onto the arena.

Milo had trained a Kingler before, and it currently lived back home, the father to several hundred small crustaceans on his family's island. Medicham knew this, too, and he could tell she was glad they were facing a species they knew so well. Kingler raised its incredibly large claw and it snapped three times; the echoing sound resembled a judge's gavel.

“This won't be a problem,” Milo muttered. “Medicham, go for a dynamicpunch!”

Medicham raced along the arena, a fist held back, glowing with white-hot energy. Kingler scuttled left and right, anticipating where Medicham would strike; she pounced up into the air and flew down, sweeping her fist down to connect with his body.

But Kingler raised his claw, turning it so it covered most of his body; Medicham's fist connected and she recoiled in pain, staggering back and letting off a howl. The claw had protected him. As she nursed her fist, Kingler swept his claw outwards, swatting Medicham and throwing her off the arena.

“Teleport!”

With a pop, she appeared back at Milo's side. Kingler moved the claw from his mouth and spewed a jet of frothy water; it peppered Medicham's torso, but bothered her more than it did damage her. Milo saw Kingler spewing mouthfuls of froth into the water, causing it to bubble and swell around the stone arena.

“Try once more,” Milo said, thinking that if it failed, he'd simply change tactics. “Fling it off the arena with psychic!”

Nodding, Medicham held a hand out and gave it a lazy flick; a psychic force bowled Kingler off the arena and into the sud-filled water; he disappeared from view entirely, and Milo realised that all the foam and bubbles now provided an excellent cloak for him.

“Fine by us,” said the apprentice. “Crabhammer!”

Milo pulled a confused expression, only to see the arena shake. From under the floating stone, Kingler smashed his large claw into the exact spot Medicham stood at; the force caused the arena to buckle and for her to tumble off her feet completely. Before Milo could issue an attack (and what would he do, anyway?) Kingler flew out the foam on a torpedo of water, before holding his claw forward and shooting a hydro pump out at Medicham.

The attack hit her head on, and she was forced back by the hydraulic jet of ice cold water. Skidding along the arena, she looked hurt, and Milo was left in awe at the trainer's clever strategy. Kingler landed, shaking brine from his little legs, and gave what Milo could only describe as a guffaw.

“We're still in this!” Milo said. “Hidden power, electric!”

Nodding, Medicham summoned a glass-like orb in one hand and flexed her fingers. The orb glowed bright blue, and cycled through shades of red, green, purple, silver and finally settled on a vivid yellow. As it did, sparks jolted off it as Medicham held it out at Kingler. With thudding pulses, Medicham fired off small balls of sparks that flew through the air like machine-gun fire.

Kingler held his claw over his face, but as it was soaked from using hydro pump, his wet body conducted the electricity brilliantly. Milo recalled Mia doing a similar thing when they were trying to open a Cloyster in Olivine City, and wondered if his sister would be proud that he borrowed the technique. As Kingler shuddered, Medicham held both hands and, with all the force she could muster, threw him into the air with a telekinetic grip.

Kingler was spewing bubbles everywhere in self defence as sparks rattled his body, but Medicham pounced up into the air after him and, fist glowing, unleashed a dynamic punch into his side, the side not supported by a giant claw. Kingler flew back to the ground, landing with a crunch, as Medicham teleported to the ground next to him.

“Hmph!” the trainer said, getting out the ball to recall him. “Type advantages suck. How did you get your Medicham to learn all the hidden powers?”

“Meditation,” Milo said, before thanking her for her work. She had been exceptional, but she did look tired. Milo recalled her as Jake applauded excitedly.

“Nice work!” he said. “That Kingler was pretty good, huh?”

“He had a good technique,” Milo said, as they walked along the next walkway and found themselves facing a dark-haired girl. This girl had been commanding the Lickitung earlier, and Milo had seen her watching Jake battle earlier.

“You two are doing well for yourselves,” she said, staring glumly at a Pokeball in her palm.

“I've done this before,” Milo pointed out.

“You battled at the Dragon Gym; this is the Attack Gym now,” the girl replied. “Why do you think we all have new Pokemon? This is the final hurdle for anyone who wants to get into the Pokemon league. And while learning about speed, defence, statuses, flight and everything else is fine and dandy, you'll get nowhere without a solid attack.”

“I'll take this one,” Jake said to Milo, pulling out what Milo recognised as his Park Ball. The girl looked impressed at Jake's assertiveness, and fished a Pokeball out from her own pocket.

“Okay,” she said, throwing her ball forward. “Go, Cacturne!”

Forming from the white light was a thick, stumpy figure that sprouted long, lance-like spikes from all over his body. Milo watched as the Cacturne stared across the field, giving a low cackle from his tiny little mouth. The hat on his head cast shadows across his face, and his thick, club-like arms hung heavily at his side.

“Jake,” Milo said urgently, worried the boy would come into trouble. “Watch out. Cacturne haven't got great defences but they're armed with those spikes.”

“We'll be fine,” Jake said, arching the ball over his head. In a flash, Parasect emerged onto the arena, clicking his pincers and staring at Cacturne from beneath the heavy mushroom on his back. It looked like a good match up; Parasect had poison and bug attacks that would help here.

“Cacturne!” the girl shrieked. “Pin missile!”

Running along the arena with his arms out at his side, Cacturne caused the spiky protrusions to glow and extend into long, spindly lances. As he ran towards Parasect, he started twisting his body and spinning on the spot, firing off glass-like pins through the air. Parasect tucked his head down and protected his face from the barrage with his claws.

“No problem,” Jake said, smiling.

“Needle arm!”

Though the onslaught was doing little to Parasect, Cacturne leapt up and threw his body around; the force of both his arms smashed into Parasect's body, causing him to skid back along the arena. Jake looked surprised at the nimble Pokemon's strategy; to keep Parasect stationary with a barrage so he could get close and deal a physical blow.

“Bullet seed!”

A frenzied mouthful of seeds were blasted from Parasect's mouth; they peppered Cacturne's torso, but he crossed his thick arms over his head, protecting his face and much of his torso. He then threw both arms at the ground with a huge thud; the tremor sent Parasect up in the air, and in a flash, Cacturne leapt along the arena and punched the bug in the stomach.

“This thing is fast!” Milo shouted.

“I used to be a coordinator, you know,” the girl said from across the arena. “But I came here and realised my true passion was battling. Cacturne deals heavy damage and looks gorgeous doing so. Can you even keep up?”

Cacturne landed at his trainer's side and laughed, but as he did, he fell to his knees with a cry; he looked pained. Parasect landed, and Milo saw a scattering of spores around the arena. Dark purple spores he often associated with toxins.

“Use Parasect as a punching bag all you want,” Jake said. “But his Effect Spore means you're going to come off pretty bad.”

“Maybe, but Parasect doesn't have good defences,” the girl said. “It won't take much to bring him down.”

“Bullet seed again!” Jake said. “Aim for the lesions on his body!”

Where the spores riddled Cacturne's body, he had scratches and sores from the irritation. Parasect spewed more hard seeds that snapped and cracked against Cacturne's sore skin. Undeterred, the cactus leapt into the air and span rapidly, showering the arena with white-hot spikes.

Jake looked calm and Milo wondered if it was because Parasect wasn't known for manoeuvring around a lot. Being still meant he wouldn't be irritated by spikes. At the same time, Jake didn't seem to have a strategy for taking this Pokemon down, instead using snap judgements to combat individual attacks.

“Parasect, get in close and use slash!” Jake said. Leaping up, Parasect landed by Cacturne's feet and snapped at his legs with his pincers. Cacturne dodged left and right, even managing to swing a kick and strike the large mushroom in the face.

“Hit him with another needle arm!” the girl said. “Needle X!”

Crossing his arms, Cacturne slammed both into Parasect again, and from the applause around the trainer, it seemed this was one of her signature attacks. Milo was impressed at the increase in power, but also noticed Parasect releasing more spores from his body in self-defence. A horrible grey smoke filtered across the arena, causing Cacturne to moan in agony. This was the tear-gas Jake had developed with his beloved bug, and it was affecting Parasect's vision.

“Now, hit him with an X-Scissor!” Jake said. Crossing his pincers into an X, Parasect dealt a devastating blow to the Pokemon's body, and Cacturne tumbled backwards along the arena. As the trainer looked ready to issue an attack, Jake cut in.

“Giga drain!”

Leaping on top of Cacturne, Parasect throbbed green as tendrils of energy burst from his claws and ensnared Cacturne's body. However, just as it looked like he was about to be drained of his remaining energy, Cacturne swung an arm up and smashed it into Parasect, throwing him off. As steam hissed from his pores, Cacturne leapt to his feet.

“Revenge!”

Another heavy thud sent Parasect reeling, the strength being built off the damage Parasect had dealt in the first place. Struggling to compose himself, Parasect looked up at Cacturne, who leapt high into the air, a leg extended...

“That's mega kick!” Milo shouted.

“Surround yourself with a sleep powder!” Jake said.

“Spin!” the girl yelled. Tucking his foot back in, Cacturne landed on the arena, stuck his arms out and span on the spot. His spikes extended and soon he caused a twister of wind to whip up around him; as Parasect released spores into the arena, they were swept up by the air currents encasing Cacturne and soared high into the upper rafters of the gym.

“Parasect, he'll need a second to come out that spinning attack,” Jake said. “Now, -”

“Sucker punch!”

A sweeping, ghostly mass of energy formed into a fist, bursting from the cyclone of air and thumping Parasect, knocking him out. As the mushroom collapsed, Cacturne let off a long cackling moan as he joined his trainers side. Jake was distraught, kneeling down and checking his Pokemon was OK.

“No strategy at all,” the girl said derisively. “You can't rely on spores. They're irritants, but that Parasect has a terrible attack stat.”

“Lay off him.” Milo said, pulling out his Great Ball. “Jake, I'll take over, show her Houndour's good attack.”

“Oh no you don't!” the girl said. “This is the attack gym, you burning a grass type with a fire Pokemon doesn't mean shit. You'll have to do better than that.”

Milo instinctively thought of his new Magnezone, but the girl's comment stung slightly, and instead he picked out a glittering metal Pokeball from his pocket. Jake saw this, and looked shocked at Milo's choice, recalling Parasect and standing on the side.

“Croconaw!” Milo said, releasing him. The alligator gave a snarl as he landed on the arena, looking at his opponent. “Look, we'll take you on with a water type.”

“Armed with ice attacks, I'll bet,” said the girl, with a dramatic yawn. “Cacturne, sucker punch!”

Croconaw clenched his fists, but wasn't able to avoid the first attack; the sweeping, ghostly punch smashed into his stomach and threw him off his feet. With a thud, he hit the ground, but Milo ordered an aqua jet right away.

Bursting off the ground, encased in a torpedo of water, Croconaw sailed through the air towards Cacturne, who span wildly, releasing a pin missile. The swarm of sharp pins slashed through the aqua jet, hurting Croconaw and knocking him to the ground easily.

Milo felt frustrated; Croconaw hadn't been used in a serious battle for quite some time. Nevertheless, as the alligator got to his feet, Milo realised that, like Kingler, he needed to take advantage of the water surrounding him.

“Go for an aqua tail!” Milo said. Leaping into the air, Croconaw swung his tail around, and a thick blade of ice-cold water slammed into Cacturne's stomach; before he had time to retaliate, Croconaw went into an aqua jet and sped towards him, encased in water.

“Now, metal claw!” Milo said. Leaping out the protection of the water, Croconaw's claws sparkled Silver and he slashed away at Cacturne's torso. The grass-type blocked his face with one arm, but Croconaw easily raked his long, sparkling claws across the foe's legs, causing him to wince in pain.

“Needle arm!”

Nodding, Cacturne let out a cackle and threw the weight of his arm down on Croconaw. However, Croconaw ducked down and swung his tail up, countering the attack and throwing Cacturne off-balance. On Milo's command, Croconaw then grabbed the foe and launched himself into the water.

“DROWNING?” the girl shouted. “Really?”

As Croconaw and Cacturne fell beneath the battlefield, Croconaw clutching tightly onto Cacturne (and trying to avoid the spikes), Milo ordered an aqua jet, and Croconaw boosted out of the pool in a thick jet. Cacturne was held to his chest, distressed and, presumably, unable to breathe.

“Throw him!” Milo said. In mid-air, Croconaw span around and hurled Cacturne down to the ground. Wailing like a banshee, Cactune spat a bullet seed through the air, though it flew in every direction but Croconaw's as the cactus hit the ground with a heavy thud.

“Hmph,” the girl said, as her Pokemon's tongue lolled out the side of his mouth. She recalled him, but looked unimpressed. “I don't think that was a very good fight.”

“Well your Pokemon lost,” Milo said.

“You used two!” she said, referring to Parasect.

“Don't worry!” came a voice from the next arena. “Send them over here.”

“Fine,” she said. “Piss off, the pair of you.”

Milo recalled Croconaw, and he and Jake walked along the walkway to the fourth arena, where another girl waited for them. She had short black hair, and wore the same sports jacket as the rest of the trainers.

“You guys aren't good enough to beat Claire, but you're not here to do that,” she said. “So that's not a problem. But you are pretty good in battle.”

“Thanks, I guess,” Milo said. As they walked along, Milo realised the trapdoor leading down to Claire was in fact set into this arena. This one was bigger than the others and, looking around, he could see the entire Gym was now watching them.

“One Pokemon each,” she said, maximising a ball. “Which of you will fight me?”

“You do it,” Jake said. “I don't think I have any other trump cards.”

“Fair enough,” Milo said. He felt for a Pokeball on his belt as the trainer summoned her Pokemon.

A purple, spiked creature floated above the ground; it was Gengar. He had big red eyes and a wide grin, spinning lightly on the spot as the trainers in the gym cheered. Milo hadn't expected a ghost. Nevertheless, he threw a Pokeball onto the arena.

“Go Magnezone!”

This was the creatures first proper battle since his evolution and as he formed, Milo was taken aback by his sheer size. He had forgotten, but compared to Magneton, Magnezone was larger, stockier, and he let off a deep, crinkling bleep.

“Good idea!” Jake called. Milo nodded.

“Magnezone has twelve resistances,” he told the trainer. “So do you worst.”

He ordered a thunderbolt; Magnezone blasted a huge, jagged bolt of lightning from his central body. It whooshed through the air towards Gengar, but with a twist and a pop, he teleported out of the way, leaving the electric attack to char the stone floor.

“Fine,” Milo said. He was prepared to do things differently. “Charge, then agility.”

“Gengar, get ready to retaliate!” the trainer yelled.

Magnezone's magnets shuddered and began to glow yellow. A cracking energy started to build across his body, but instead of letting it get stronger, Magnezone obeyed his command and swept across the arena.

Gengar instinctively popped out of the way, but if he thought his opponent was trying to attack him, he was wrong. Magnezone focused on his speed as he darted around the large arena; he zipped to the high ceiling, swept low across the arena and even skimmed the surface of the water, crackling and beeping and whirring with a dull coat of sparks.

“Increasing your speed?” mocked the trainer. “It won't help you against pure power. Gengar! Launch a Dark Pulse!”

Nodding, Gengar swirled around in mid-air and floated along the arena towards Magnezone, who was still emitting a low crackle. Milo turned to see Jake watching the arena intently, struggling to piece together what Milo was trying to accomplish.

As Gengar got nearer to Magnezone, he threw his hands together in a gigantic clapping motion – Milo thought he even saw the ghosts hands enlarge before impact – and a huge orb of swirling dark energy hurtled through the air like a projectile.

“Now, Magnezone!” Milo said. “FULL POWER!”

Magnezone was concentrating so hard his magnet appendages were physically twisting around; on Milo's command he shuddered, and with a huge roar every positively charged ion in the atmosphere came to life with a brilliant golden glow. Suddenly, the arena was laced with a complex web of sparks, and the Dark Pulse was torn apart in a flash.

The trainers looked around as the complex, barbed web of electricity wound around the entire arena. Gengar's jaw was slack; he stared nervously as the intricate coil of electricity fizzed dangerously close to his left leg, and the other tendril that shot across mere inches in front of him.

Milo couldn't let his loss against Kasper be for nothing, and borrowing the trick his Dragonite used against a coordinators Drifblim had been a smart move, especially given Magnezone's exceptionally powerful electric attacks. Jake was whooping from behind him, finally aware of his plan.

“Very pretty, coordinator,” the trainer began, but Milo interrupted.

“Now! Shock wave!”

Magnezone unleashed a burst of electricity that conducted through the intricate web buzzing across the arena. Gengar was hit by the onslaught; his body shuddered, his eyes screwed up and he let off a chilling roar that filled every dusty corner of the Blackthorn Gym. Milo watched closely. If his plan worked, then Gengar's muscles would cramp, and he'd find it harder to teleport or phase.

Gengar's body was flashing bright white as he suffered the agonising electrical attack, but he staggered across the arena in slow, painful steps, his face still screwed up as he tried to escape his confines. Finally, the sparks began to dissipate, and Gengar's body tingled with volts. He gasped for air.

“Magnet bomb!” Milo shouted. Magnezone let off a noise like a cannon, and a shockwave shuddered across the arena. As it sped through the air, molten metal began to form around the air in silk-like strands until a smooth, heavy lump of metal solidified.

“Phase out!” came the trainer's order. Gengar clenched his fists, but it only caused sparks to race across his body, rooting him to the spot. Milo grinned as the magnet bomb connected with Gengar, exploding in a magnificent silvery shower and throwing him through the air.

He landed on the very edge of the arena, by the water. Magnezone hovered over him, watching the ghost curiously.

“You're pretty clever,” the girl said. “Do you have a ghost-type yourself?”

“I do,” Milo replied.

“Restricting a ghost from achieving their gas-like state is a clever way to battle them,” she said, admiring her manicured nails. “But Gengar is still a gas, whether he's solid or not.”

Milo said nothing.

“As the resident Special Attack expert at this gym, I trained my Gengar to use all types of attacks,” she said, clicking her fingers. On command, Gengar clapped his hands together, sending a shower of sparks shooting up into the air.

“He can do electricity, and ice -” Gengar's fists crystallised into a sheet of frost, and he swung a few impressive punches. “But neither of those are any good against you.”

Milo thought he knew where this was going.

“Gengar's aptitude towards fire, however, is one of his strengths. Do you know why?”

“Is it because it's cold in here, and Clair doesn't want to pay the heating bills?” Milo asked. The girl mock-laughed.

“It is not.”

Gengar clapped his hands together and both his fists erupted in flames; huge, thick, unruly tendrils of fire that licked up into the air. The fire illuminated his red eyes, and cast dark shadows across the rest of his body.

“Gengar is a natural gas,” the girl continued. “And fire requires gas to burn. So when Gengar summons his fire...”

Milo watched as the light from the flames continued to highlight Gengar's dark skin; it burned so bright that he was practically lilac-coloured. Milo could see the flames trailing down the creature's arms. He was becoming engulfed in the fire.

The trainer gave another click and Gengar let off a cackling howl. Soon his entire skin was now a violent blue colour, and Milo realised what she was talking about. Gengar was using his entire body to fuel the fire attack, so that, right before their eyes, he was turning into a living, breathing, burning body of pure fire.

He rose off the ground slowly, his body now the faint curls of flame. The spikes atop his head were rippling scarlet and yellow; his fists no more distinguishable than the two balls of fire that he had initially summoned.

“Gengar!” the girl said. “Fire punch!”

Milo was shaken out of his stupor. This ghost was now pure fire, and could destroy Magnezone at a moment's notice. As Gengar sped through the air, flames trailed behind him like he were a comet. He threw fistfuls of fire towards Magnezone; poorly aimed, it must be said, but they exploded against the stone arena and hissed to their death. It was intimidating and barbaric.

“Go high!” Milo said. “Thunderbolt!”

From between his two front magnets, Magnezone blasted a jagged bolt down across the arena. Focusing, he steered it towards Gengar, who threw more fire up into the air. As the thunderbolt met the fire, there was a huge bang, and smoke began to curl up into the air.

Leaping through the smoke, Gengar threw a hand forward and an incredible jet of flame shot through the air, striking Magnezone and scorching his left side. Gengar controlled fire as fluidly as Milo's Croconaw did water, and the resulting carnage was almost terrifying. Milo realised, though, that if their reactions were good enough, they could use Magnezone's Mirror Coat here. But, like his technique against Kasper, he didn't want to give the game away too quickly.

“Go to the edges of the arena!” Milo said, pointing to the water. “Use sonicboom!”

Nodding, Magnezone began firing off a whoosh of air, directing it at the still water. As he scooted around the perimeter of the arena, the gout of the sonicboom forced water up into the air, and Magnezone was veiled by the channel of water as he shot about.

“Gengar, Will-O-Wisp!” the trainer yelled. Gengar's long, flaming claws crackled and began to burn bright until they took on a blue and purple hue. Whipping his hand down, he caused balls of eerie fire to shoot towards Magnezone, but the magnet's impressive speed helped him out-manoeuvre them with ease.

“Chase him!”

Magnezone let off a bleep as he sped around the arena, trying to throw as much water up into the air as he could. Gengar gave chase, throwing his hands out into long tendrils of silky fire, whipping Magnezone's back and scorching his body. Milo winced. He could tell this was hurting Magnezone.

Against his orders, Magnezone started charging electricity across his body. Milo wondered if it was a form of self defence, like a hound raising his hackles. He thought back to the Lake Of Rage contest and the trainer who had his Jolteon leap across the lake surface. The charge from the creature, coupled with his speed, helped charge ions around the lake surface, so when he released a shock wave, the attack bounced around the pockets of concentrated energy.

“Stay low, sweep right around the water's edge!” Milo said. “And stay charging.”

Magnezone nodded and took a tight turn around the edge of the battlefield. The trainers observing the match watched on excitedly as Gengar's trainer pulled a face.

“Lash him! Spin your limbs and go into a fire spin!”

Gengar's long, flaming body stopped whipping his limbs out at Magnezone, and began spinning on the spot. His body twisted into a hideous shape, his appendages turning to seared, flaming blades. Soon, the only thing recognisable from the ghost was his intense, red eyes, and the horns and spiked ridge that ran along his back.

Magnezone completed his lap; Milo couldn't quite make out any sparks near the surface of the water, but this was OK; he hadn't noticed it when Jolteon did it, either. Magnezone floated back to Milo, only to be struck by a huge, flaming jet of fire from Gengar's mouth. The fire engulfed him, and Milo could see his Pokemon's metal body glowing white-hot in the heat. It must have been excruciating.

“Deliver another blow,” the trainer said, as Gengar leapt up and sped through the air. The big, burning ball of gas was illuminating the dark gym, zoning in on Milo's Pokemon. Magnezone saw balls of fire soar through the air like canonballs and used his two magnets to blast a huge bolt of electricity through the air.

“Now this is an attack gym,” came a voice. Jake turned and saw a tall, beautiful lady had appeared behind him. She had vivid blue hair and Jake knew, from her appearance, and the reaction from the students, that this must be Claire, the Blackthorn Gym Leader. Milo hadn't noticed.

The electricity and fire kept coming; streams of fire torn to burning shreds by a bolt of lightning, or a deluge of sparks cast alight by Gengar's darker fires. This kept going on; Gengar would hurl a sizzling ribbon of fire through the air, only for Magnezone to whip up a sonicboom that blasted the fire into the stone arena. Magnezone would fire a ball of sparks, only for Gengar to dance out of the way.

“No more long-range! Go for a fire punch!” the trainer said. Milo's eyes lit up. This was his chance.

“Magnezone get out the way! Head to the water!”

“Oh please!” the girl cried. “Again?”

Magnezone sped along the water surrounding the arena; already Milo saw the odd spark flicker on the surface of the water, excited by Magnezone's strong charge. Gengar, burning bright, flew after Magnezone, cackling as he hurled more fire.

“Start charging, gently,” Milo began, though he quickly realised doing anything 'slow' wasn't an option as Magnezone took two hits. “OK now! Shock wave! As you go!”

Magnezone throbbed suddenly, and sparks rattled across his body with fervour. As he zoomed along, the charged particles on the surface of the water burst into light, and the whole body of water burst into a brilliant shower of golden sparks, igniting in Magnezone's wake like a mexican wave.

Gengar's instinct was to pull up, away from the water, but Magnezone unleashed his full power, and an incredible web of electricity shot up, zapping the ghost and stunning him in mid-air. Magnezone kept going, around the far corner, back along the home stretch to Milo, unleashing more and more electricity.

“The gym hasn't been this bright for centuries!” someone called out, as light filled the room. Soon, the columns of electricity from opposite ends of the arena were sharing the same, charged space, and jumping arcs of electricity leapt through the air. Milo watched in awe as the entire arena was domed by fizzing, juddering, wild and frenzied power.

The trainer looked exactly how Milo felt when Scizor had felt the surge of amplified power from Kasper's Dragonite. Confused, impressed, crestfallen.

“One last go!” she cried. “Fire blast!”

Gengar ducked beneath the sparks and held both hands out; he cupped them together and unleashed a huge, roaring jet of fire that whooshed as it twisted and sinewed towards Magnezone. The creature's back magnet was lifted up, wagging like a dog's tail. Milo knew he had to give the order a mere second before it hit.

“Now!” Milo said. “Mirror Coat!”

“Oh snap!” Jake cried.

Magnezone flickered briefly as a mirror-like sheen hit his body. The fire engulfed him, feeding off his steel body and cloaking him in scarlet and gold, but he concentrated, focused, endured the burning sensation flooding through his body.

As the heat died down, Magnezone was now shimmering gold. Milo pointed and the creature unleashed a huge beam of light through the air; molten gold and silver that was streaked like fire.

The attack hit Gengar – pure power condensed, amplified and fired back – and the ghost thudded into the ground, his fire burning out, slowly turning purple again.

Milo couldn't believe how much noise the electricity was still making, but as he turned, he realised that it was in fact the trainers of the gym clapping enthusiastically, including Claire, the gym leader. Jake was whistling with his fingers, and Magnezone was letting off a particularly satisfying chirp.

“Incredible work,” Claire said, walking forward.

“Thanks,” Milo said. “That flaming Gengar was... interesting.”

“Your strategy was impeccable,” Claire said. “The way you used the arena on Gengar, the way you fought Magnezone's weakness. I can see you've gotten stronger since you won a badge off me.”

“I'm actually coordinating,” Milo said. Claire gave a nod.

“I can see flair in the way you battled. It wasn't just Pokemon beating each other up. There was grace, measure, but still impeccable technique. Well done.”

As if on cue, two of the trainers ran to the middle of the arena,where the impressive wooden trapdoor lay. They heaved it open, slowly, for it was very large. Claire walked over to it, and began descending a set of spiral stone steps.

“Come with me,” she said.

Milo and Jake followed her down a tight, stone staircase. Torch brackets fixed onto the wall bathed the steps in a golden glow. Claire explained, off-handedly, that she employed one apprentice just to make sure the torches were lit. Milo knew Claire's arena was down here, and followed her keenly.

Every time they passed a bracket, Milo saw the flames illuminate the sharp lines on Claire's face. She was not unattractive, Milo thought, but she had a sternness to her – a combination of her sharp jaw and her icy blue eyes. She was also a broad woman, and tall, too. There were rumours she could drink anyone under the table at her favourite pub in Blackthorn, the Ram And Horn.

As a young boy at Blackthorn's prestigious boarding school, Milo always thought Claire was cool, owning powerful dragon Pokemon at the gym. Her younger cousin, Lance, was in Milo's year. He was intelligent, sharp-minded and very handsome, but emotionally distant. Milo could only count a handful of conversations he'd ever had with the boy.

They reached the bottom of the staircase, which opened out onto a larger stone arena than the one above. Instead of water surrounding it, this one had an empty moat around the perimeter; as they crossed a walkway onto the battlefield Milo peered down and saw stone shelves jutting out at different angles.

“Pretty far down,” he said to Jake, who nodded.

“But you could get back out of that,” Jake said. “Pokemon could climb and jump onto the arena.”

“Or continue the melee in the darkened depths,” Claire said, without turning around.

They crossed the entire arena, and made their way across another walkway towards another room. There was no doorway this time, but a cavernous opening.

“This gym must get freezing during the winter,” Jake said to Claire. “Why isn't it heated?”

“You sound just like the Board Of Governers,” Claire said dryly. “Health and Safety checks, general maintenance. It's supposed to be a gym carved from the devilish fire of dragons, not some cotton-wooled play pen.”

“To answer your question,” she said. “When the Reclassification was introduced, this gym was deemed too unsafe for people, and we were assigned a very beige, sterile Gym south of town. That's the gym we're supposed to use, but I like it here, so I just kept coming back here, instead. We use the new gym when we know inspectors are coming.”

“Oh, wait a second,” Jake said. “Gary said he'd meet us at the front of the gym...”

“That's probably where he is,” Milo finished for him. “In the new one. Fucking hell.”

“Don't worry,” Claire said.

They walked through the cavern, down a set of bigger, thicker stone steps which opened out on the back of the gym, onto the fresh afternoon. This part of the cave had engravings; crude drawings of serpents with horns. As they reached the edge of the cave, Milo stared down and saw a huge drop towards a rock-strewn shoreline. The waves crashed against the back of the gym, soaking the stone, spraying salt-air up.

They were staring across a giant lake that had mountain ridges running entirely along its shores; it wasn't visible from anywhere in the city. Above them, Milo could see the twisted stone spires of Blackthorn Gym.

“Why is there a huge opening at the back of the gym?” Milo asked. As he said that, he saw a shape forming in the distance. Sitting on the back of a colossal beast was Gary, cross-legged, beaming.

“That cave in the distance?” Claire said, pointing ahead, “Is the Dragons Den. It's where the original Gym Council was founded. Years and years ago, Blackthorn wasn't an official gym, but a governing gym looking over the other ones in the country. Dragons were considered the holiest species of Pokemon, you see. And my family descended from that council.”

Milo saw Gary get closer, and, judging from the huge canons either side of him, he was riding on his Blastoise. The blue creature was barely visible as he swam through the water.

“The lake is blocked off by the mountains on almost all sides – it's near impossible to get to, never mind get across. This gym passage provides safe access for me.”

“But who is there now?” Milo asked. “In the Den?”

“Old members of the Dragon Society,” Claire said, thinking. “Monks practice their studies there. And my cousin, Lance.”

“Lance goes there?” Milo asked, alarmed.

“He lives there, now,” Claire said, biting her lip. “Lance doesn't like to leave the Den.”

Eventually Gary and Blastoise got to the end of the lake, several feet below where Milo, Jake and Claire stood. Gripping his creature's rough shell, he held on as the Blastoise propelled two jets of water and blasted up into the air like a rocket. Everyone took a step back as Gary landed flawlessly into the opening of the cave. He was soaking wet, but didn't seem to mind.

“So this is where you are,” Gary said, in a mock-fatigued tone.

“Yeah, sorry, we came here, we didn't know about the new gym,” Milo said.

“It's fine,” Gary said. “I thought you'd wait outside, I didn't think you'd end up down here.”

“Claire's trainers made us fight them,” Milo said. “And even though I'm just a coordinator I managed to thump them pretty good.”

“Milo and Jake were impressive,” said Claire. Gary nodded, looking surprised.

“I thought your team would fall apart against these trainers, they're pretty solid,” he said. “Fair play, Milo.”

Milo happily took the compliment; he had often felt sidelined since he took up coordinating, even though these battles were tougher than most of his league matches. He remembered Kasper's Dragnonite, Mia and her Gallade, even Dior and his Bayleef and Sneasel. Winning a contest wasn't about physical strength – it relied a cool logic. He wondered how he would fare against Claire or Gary with his team. Granted, many of them were exhausted now, but beating them was perfectly manageable.

“I know what you're thinking,” Gary said. He had been staring at Milo all this time. “But we're going to have to cut it short. Viridian got in touch with me. They've moved my examination forward. If you want to come with me over the border, then we'll need to make our way soon.”

“Now?” Milo asked.

“Yeah. It's going to be a long drive,” he said.

“So, you're still going,” Claire said coldly.

“Claire...” Gary said.

“No, it's fine,” she said, folding her arms.

“I've always wanted my own gym,” Gary said. “You know that.”

“You had one, you were offered one in Cianwood,” Claire said. “Last year, before the Reclassification -”

“I took that offer and he replaced me with Eusine!” Gary snapped. Milo hadn't realised Eusine replaced Gary. He always thought Gary turned Cianwood down, as he had.

“And you've been offered it since,” Claire pointed out. “You heard Michael. Eusine is ill, he can't run the gym anymore. Michael wouldn't offer it to you unless he was serious, and here you are being stubborn.”

“I'm not!” Gary shouted. His voice rang off the stone walls, so it sounded like ten Gary's were yelling. “Why would I want to live at Cianwood? It's a fucking rock in the middle of nowhere.”

“And Viridian is...”

“It's in Kanto. I'm from Kanto. My Grandfather would be horrified if I became a Gym Leader in Johto. It doesn't look right.”

“So this is about him?” Claire asked. Milo shared a quick glance with Jake, who looked uncomfortable.

“I can't disown him like that; the Oak family are a big part of Kanto. I need to be there.”

“If you get offered it,” Claire said coldly. “You might not. You are, after all, a former champion.”

“That's enough,” Gary said. “I have a good team.”

“Oh but they hate that ten-type team thing you're so fond of,” Claire said. “They'll want you using six, covering all your bases. Big teams aren't cool across the border.”

“Why can't you be happy for me?” Gary asked. “You helped train me, I learned everything from you growing up. If I could work here I would but I am more than just an apprentice now. I am ready to take on a gym.”

“Just don't get your hopes up,” Claire snapped.

“Why,” Gary asked quietly. “What do you mean?”

“I'm just -”

“You know something,” Gary replied. “What do you know.”

“I know nothing,” she said, but Gary wouldn't take that.

“Don't get my hopes up?” he snapped. “Why? Have they chosen someone? They can't chose someone, they have to screen all the potential applicants. Don't try and put me off!”

“They haven't chosen anyone,” Claire began.

“Then what?” Gary said. “Spit it out!”

“There is... a summit being held in a week's time,” said Claire slowly. “They do it every year before the league. An evaluation, a look at how things are going...”

She could see this was too slow an explanation and that Gary grew irritated with each passing second, so she got to the point a little quicker.

“They're discussing whether to merge the Johto and Kanto leagues.”

“Jesus,” Milo gasped.

“Merging them?” Gary said.

“Johto doesn't pull in any money, it's a tiny little region. Look at Unova and Hoenn. They want to form a single league between Johto and Kanto, and if they do that, then they won't need 16 gyms. They'll be closing a lot of them down.”

Milo thought of Oscar, who was driven to do reckless things when he lost the Azalea Gym, convincing the Apricorn Guild to use their powers to try and overthrow the League. Morty suffered a depression, and focused his energy on running a suspicious nightclub beneath Ecruteak City. And Chuck... Milo had no idea what Chuck was doing now, but Milo had seen him the same day he decided to go into coordinating.

“H-how many?” Gary asked.

“They won't close all of them,” Claire said. “They'll want to give people the option to traverse both parts of the continent. But at least four will go, I think.”

Gary said nothing.

“It's very much in discussion,” Claire said. “It's not confirmed. That's why I didn't want to tell you...”

“I'm glad you finally did,” Gary said in a low voice. “They'll surely keep Viridian, though... it's right on the border.”

“It's not far to Pewter, or Blackthorn,” Claire pointed out. “The league will do what saves money. Viridian doesn't have the tourism of Saffron or Goldenrod City. It's a low populated area.”

Suddenly Gary walked along the corridor to the water's edge.

“Milo,” he said, “Jake. We need to get going.”

“Right,” Milo said, nodding.

“I want to leave in an hour,” Gary said, leaping from the edge and landing in the water below. Milo ran to the edge and saw Gary emerge from the water on Blastoise's back, and he began to sail off again.

“Sounds like you need to be off,” Claire said absently.

“Yeah...” Milo said. “It was good to see you, Claire.”

“Good luck with everything,” she said, still watching Gary bob across the water. “And if you ever want to get back to straight-up battles... we could always do with a new apprentice.

It's a nice offer, Milo thought, as he and Jake left the gym. But what kind of league will I return to when I'm finished with coordinating?

*

Their Pokemon were healed up and Milo and Jake both changed their clothes. The drive would take some time; south of Blackthorn for a few hours, before heading east and skirting beneath the ridge that forms Mount Silver and, at the top, the venue for the Grand Festival. Once they reached Route 28, that would take them over the border and into Kanto, and then they would descend on Viridian City.

Jake sat up front with Gary as they departed Blackthorn; Milo sat in the back with Medicham, looking at the city he grew up in as they drove. He would have liked to spend more time here; drink in the pubs, visit the little shops he used to spend his allowance in, and even see if any of his old classmates were still around. Perhaps he could have even looked around the old Academy, and said hello to his old teachers...

Gary said little during the journey; he seemed chewed up about Claire's remarks regarding the league. It was disheartening that his prospects as a gym leader were thrown into turmoil, but Milo said nothing. He was surprised that Gary refused the Cianwood Gym title, but he was proud. Eusine sounded like he had been seriously injured following the attack in the woods and the hunt for Raikou. Milo bit his lip anxiously.

He had read up on the rules for the Viridian Contest again and again. A single appeal, with the semi-finals involving a single battle followed by a double. Milo was going over his options in the car; he wanted Medicham for the battles; she was powerful, graceful, but crucially her psychic abilities meant she could tap into Milo's thoughts and perform exactly as he requested.

For the double battle... he recalled the contest battle against Mia and her combination of Ninetales and Gallade. He needed to pair up a Pokemon that had wide-ranging attacks and one that focused on close-up combat; that would help him cover his bases. Croconaw had performed well with Medicham in Cherrygrove, but what about Houndour? Milo had only just got the creature back on his team but Medicham's psychic and Houndour's fire would make a formidable mix.

That just left the appeal. And since he had been used so sparingly recently, Milo felt it was only right that Croconaw did the honours.

“Who knows when we'll next get the chance,” Milo muttered.

“You'll be great,” Jake assured him. “You'll get the ribbon and then we can head to the Grand Festival. You could have the Ribbon Cup within a week!”

Milo let that thought sit with him for much of the journey. He could be the champion within a week.

*

Across the continent in Goldenrod City, Michael Mitchelson was returning to his desk after a day of intensive meetings. He had received word that he would have to be present at a Pokemon League conference next week; all the board members would vote and discuss the merits of a potential merge between Johto and Kanto.

Now in his office, located high up in the Mitchelson Enterprises building, he had Bill look through his plans for the week ahead. Downstairs, Chuck was working with Lorelei and their Ditto, who had taken the guise of Deoxys. The 'Deoxys' was proving competent, and Ditto's transformation had allowed the usually small, weak creature an overwhelming sense of power.

Unlike the real thing, though, they could train this creature to work with them. As a result Chuck was suffering endless injuries as the Deoxys clone threw him across the room, read his thoughts and even resisted Lorelei's signature 'ice cuff' technique.

“Ditto are known to turn violent when they transform,” Lorelei had told him, as she attempted to glue several clumps of hair back onto her scalp. “They are a weak, incredibly tasty meal and their ability to turn into bigger, stronger creatures means they unleash a primal side.”

“Michael?” Bill said. “You have a call coming through.”

“Anything interesting?” Michael asked.

“It's from Hoenn, definitely south-east,” Bill said. Michael knew what he was implying; they had just come back from Hoenn to discuss potentially getting the real Deoxys from Mr White.

“Record it, and put me through,” he said.

Bill nodded.

“Hello?” Michael asked.

“Michael Mitchelson?” came a voice he recognised. “It's me, Roxanne. From the Space Center.”

“Hello,” he said calmly. “I'm surprised to hear from you.”

“Yes, well,” Roxanne sounded nervous. “I wanted to speak to you because... I need your help.”

“My help?” he said. “From our meeting I got the impression you didn't want me at all.”

“I... things have changed, sort of,” she replied. “I... Stephen Stone has people working at Mossdeep. He visited me last night. He wants Deoxys kept away from people, because its too dangerous. He's planning on letting Deoxys kill someone here so Mr White is scared into shutting the creature away.”

Michael looked across at Bill, mouth wide open. Stone knew about Deoxys. And he wanted Deoxys to kill someone, all so the creature would be sanctioned. Alive, but never seen. Would Stone use this creature to kill someone who was proving problematic to him?

“That is worrying,” Michael said.

“He has threatened me,” Roxanne said. “And now I want out. With Deoxys if possible. You have to help me.”

“How are you supposed to get Deoxys away from that place?” Michael asked. “It's full of people, many more senior than you. And who is Stone's inside man?”

“He has... several,” Roxanne said, again with a strain in her voice. “Including me.”

“You?”

“I have fed him information, nothing more!” she protested. “I have been his eyes and ears but I'm not a criminal. I thought I was the only one, but he told me there are many more. That I am indispensable.”

“He wants you to provoke Deoxys,” Michael surmised. “I see.”

“He said he'll know if I don't do it... because I'll still be alive,” Roxanne said. “What should I do?”

Michael chose his words carefully.

“I'd find a more reputable employer,” Michael said. “Look. I appreciate you calling me, Roxanne, but this all sounds very suspicious.”

“Su-suspicious? No!” Roxanne said. “No I need your help!”

“You've told me you're one of Stone's insiders,” Michael admitted. “And surely you know he uses his Porygon-Z to monitor phone calls?”

“He....wha?”

Roxanne's voice cracked; she sounded heartbroken.

“No! I...”

“I can't help you, Roxanne, this just isn't washing with me,” Michael said, hanging up the phone.

“That was intense,” said Bill, who had been listening on a handset.

“She rings because Stone wants to sacrifice her to prevent Deoxys' exposure,” Michael said, getting up and walking across his office. It was a dark and stormy night outside, which he could see through the arched glass french doors leading onto his roof garden.

“She says Stone is done with her, he wants to dispose of her easily,” he added. “But she must know he can tap into calls. She must.”

“It sounds dubious,” Bill agreed.

“We can't get involved in that,” Michael said. “I've been thinking about when we start to take him down.”

“Oh?”

“It has to be next week, when I go to the League conference,” Michael said. “Stone will be there; he is, though illegitimately, funding the league through his business, as am I.”

“I'll call everyone in for a de-brief in the morning,” Bill replied. Michael was on the cusp of saying something when he was drawn to the roof patio. Among the potted plant life whipping in the wind, there was something else. Something ominous.

Michael subconsciously tilted his head, and Kazaar materialised at his side. His son's psychic Pokemon held a hand out and opened the handle on the door, forcing it open against the fierce storm.

“Someone's out there,” Michael said to Bill, who got up and followed him.

He walked across the patio, Kazaar with him, staring ahead. Between two ferns there was a bulky figure, dark and shapeless.

“Stop what you're doing!” Michael called. Kazaar held a finger forward but, as he felt for a presence, used his other hand to keep Michael away.

“Mr Mitchelson?”

Michael saw the figure walk forward slowly. He looked bigger because he was wearing several coats and layers, but they couldn't hide his unmistakable weight loss.

“Morty?” Michael said, as the blonde boy got nearer.

His hair was longer, shaggier, nearly at his shoulders now, while his eyes looked sunken and grey. Morty looked cheery as he stood on the roof garden, beaming at Michael.

“I tried teleporting, but I remembered you have that security system,” Morty said, blushing. “I got electrocuted last time.”

“What are you doing here? Are you okay?” Michael asked.

“I'm more than okay,” Morty replied. The air rippled and Morty's Gengar appeared by his side, bobbing in the air and grinning. “You told me... in Ecruteak... when I was ready to come back to work for you... you'd be here. Well, I'm here.”

“Morty...” Michael said. “It's been no time since Jasmine's death. Do you not want more time to grieve?”

“I'm done grieving,” he insisted. “I'm okay. I've been training, focusing and learning so I can help you. I know I got cold feet and disappeared -”

“Don't put yourself down,” Michael said. “You did nothing wrong.”

“I know I can help you get revenge, and put Stephen Stone down for good,” Morty said.

“You do?” Michael said. “Well, I'm glad to hear it.”

Morty smiled.

“You don't just need to hear it from me, Mr Mitchelson,” he said. “I want to show you what I mean, too.”

“What?” the man said. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

“Step back,” Morty said, as his Gengar rose from the ground. “Do you know anything about ghost-Pokemon reproduction?”

“No,” Michael said slowly.

“Gaseous Pokemon like Gengar have no solid structure, it fluctuates, like a gas,” Morty said. “That means they have no reproductive organs. As a gas, they reproduce and multiply in the correct temperature. When they come of age, Gengar learn to use attacks like Haze to drop the temperature around them, and make a suitable environment for them to breed.”

Michael looked up at the dark, violent sky as Morty spoke.

“I trained Gengar to reproduce in the coldest temperatures,” Morty said. Gengar spiralled up into the sky and Michael watched as he seemingly melted into the fluffy clouds curling across the city. “He's now got quite a family.”

The more Michael stared, he could see flickering red eyes, spiked ridges and stubby, clawed hands everywhere. This was no storm at all, this was a flock – for lack of a better word – of Gengar. There must be have been hundreds of them, sweeping through the skies, their smoke-like bodies trailing behind them. Some screamed, some flickered a navy blue, a deep plum, some a vivid bright purple.

“They are all technically wild, but they obey me,” Morty said proudly, looking up at his Gengar. “Uno!”

On his command, there was a sudden rumble, like the very earth's belly was furious. Michael watched as bolts of lightning flew from from the haggard purple clouds; striking the radio tower, dissipating into the air and crackling. He was literally commanding a storm.

“I've come back because I'm ready to help you fight Stone,” Morty said, amid the noise. “And I have my own army. What more could you want?”

Michael stared, aghast, at the sea of ghosts that had bred in the skies. Morty watched proudly, his own Gengar bobbing by his side like an animated shadow, but Michael felt a chill down his spine that he wasn't sure had anything to do with the temperature.



Next Time
After the much-publicised Lake Of Rage contest, Milo arrives in Viridian City to find he has garnered the interest of the national press, who eagerly attend to see if Milo is able to win his fifth ribbon. Meanwhile, Michael grows increasingly concerned for Morty after an assignment goes wrong.


NOTES
-So this was a big chapter. It took ages. But post-Kasper I wanted Milo to really knuckle down and do some fighting. Also, I loved being able to do Jake stuff. That guy has become a pretty strong trainer.

- I also wanted to incorporate some new strategies Milo had, namely ones he borrowed from Kasper. In the contest you'll see him really focus on imitating Mia's battle style which I think all goes toward showing that Milo is quickly becoming someone to watch out for.

-Milo now also has Pidgeot. Falkner did release his Pidgeotto ages ago during a big fight scene where it was him and Chuck VS Silver, so I liked that Pidgeotto managed to find Milo (and evolved along the way).

-Milo also switched Houndour in for Scizor, since the metal guy needs a little break. Houndour will come into his own.

-I liked writing gym stuff but wanted Blackthorn to be brief, as Milo is focused on going to Viridian. Early drafts focused on Gary and Claire a bit more, and even the slightly weird Lance, but ultimately some stuff didn't make the cut.

-We'll see Gary a little more in future chapters.

-As for Michael & Co, that might be made into the next bit of the Mimic Arc, depending on how long the chapter gets.

Let me know what you think guys!