Hello everyone,

I have been playing a lot of Pokemon Go lately, just in time for the Pokemon Go Fest. It was a lot of fun, not gonna lie. Caught some legendaries, including Mewtwo. Naturally, it was a bittersweet catch. This fic has made me dislike a lot of people's favorite legendary.

Anyway, enough about me. Here is the chapter.

Reminder of pokemon and names:

Hashi - Hariyama.

Minato - Hypno.

Madara - Growlithe.

Shika - Absol.

Asuma - Teddiursa

Tobirama - Gyarados

Follow me on instagram at wtmcdonaldauthor!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

When I walked down the steps, the day after Tobi took his beatdown from Oak's dragonite, it was to the sound of yelling in the kitchen.

"He's a fucking three badge trainer!"

Immediately I recognized the voice of Daisy Oak. She had disappeared from the ranch two weeks ago to do Ace Trainer things. Apparently there was some trouble in Viridian Forest.

"Watch how you talk to me!"

Professor Oak was pissed. He was using his champion's voice again. Rarely had I heard it, although I would never forget it. Nor would I forget the look in his eyes when he donned that persona. I truly believed he was an old dragon in a man's skin.

"Why?! Why should I respect you if you won't respect me!?" Daisy did not back down. A part of me decided she was suicidal. Another part gained a notch of respect.

I thought about staying out of the conversation for a moment. In the end, I decided that I was already a part of the conversation. There was only one 'three badge trainer' on the ranch right now.

Their head turned to me at the sound of my footsteps. Both of them were livid, and their demeanor reflected that. I stared back at them. The pieces started to fall into place into my mind. Oak was using me and Hashi as a guinea pig for mega evolution when Daisy had obviously wanted that honor. I knew that she already had at least two pokemon that were capable of mega evolution.

"We both know he is not a three badge trainer." Oak said a little more calmly now that I was in the room. I took the compliment with a smile.

Daisy didn't look the least bit ashamed at being caught talking about me. Why should she? I was just some trainer with a lot of potential that had come in and taken the spot beside her grandfather she wanted. I didn't blame her for being angry one bit.

"And I'm your granddaughter!" Daisy returned, in full on rage mode.

"Exactly." Oak's tone had changed from the champion to the grandfather again. It was fascinating to see someone do it so efficiently.

Daisy turned to me when Oak said that. "You know he's just using you right?" Daisy asked, trying to drive a wedge between Oak and I.

"Yes." I told her calmly, immediately. "And I don't fault him for it."

Daisy looked at me incredulously. "Wha.." She responded intelligently.

"I'm not saying I would do the same things in his shoes…" I told her truthfully. "...but I can't blame the man for trying to protect his granddaughter. If we pull this off, then we'll be thrust into a position that is unprecedented. We're immediately a deterrent. You know what they use deterrents for?" I asked to cap off my explanation.

"Peace." Daisy said as if she had already figured it out. She was so confident.

I couldn't help but laugh slightly. It pissed her off even more. "No. That is the deterrents ultimate goal but first we'll have to prove ourselves. We'll be used to destroy, to kill, to inspire the fear our region needs."

I didn't even let her retort that statement, and I turned to Oak himself. "But you have no right to take this choice from her. She's an adult, and a damn good trainer. Number five contender right now?" I asked rhetorically.

A contender was a new term for me. It was used for trainers that had successfully attained eight gym badges. It basically meant that outside of the Champion, Elite Four, and Gym Leaders, she stood five spots away. The upper echelon of trainers in the region. The top five trainers are typically looked at when a position comes available for an Elite Four member, or a Gym Leader. Daisy Oak was number five contender for the Indigo Plateau, a league that boasted two different regions. She was a fucking beast.

I do my homework.

"I have every right." Oak retorted to me. "It is my research."

"You're biased, Professor. Everyone has the right to make their own way in this world. She deserves a chance to make the mistakes that drive us to greatness." I don't know where it was coming from, but I couldn't help but side with Daisy on this one. She was obviously prepared for the harsh lifestyle that being a trainer provided. Not only was she prepared, but she excelled. "Give her a fair shot."

Oak stood up abruptly, and moved quickly through the kitchen and outside onto the porch. Daisy and I watched him go apprehensively. I had never seen Oak storm out on anything. Once I looked outside I knew why exactly it was that he moved to the porch.

Two pokemon stood outside. One was his arcanine, and the other was one that rarely made an appearance this close to the house.

Nidoking.

It stood at around ten feet tall. It's purple scale-like armor fit snugly around his frame. I had become accustomed to seeing an arcanine, dragonite, and an alakazam around the ranch, but it was the first time I had seen this beast of a pokemon.

I stared slack-jawed at the pokemon. Oak and the nidoking were having a conversation, mentally it looked like. The nidoking was pissed, if the grunts and growls it gave off were any indication.

Daisy and I said nothing, as Oak stared at the pokemon. This continued on for another ten minutes. I busied myself with making a cup of coffee. I really didn't need it, considering my blood had been pumping since I stepped into the conversation. It was more so that I wouldn't sit there and overthink what I had just done. I had just chastised an ex-champion… who you could argue was in the right the whole time.

Not to mention all that he had done for me.

"Thanks." Daisy mumbled to me from her position at the table. She currently had her head in her hands.

"Don't mention it." I said, more out of habit than anything.

"Why you?" Daisy asked as she raised her head and looked at me.

"I have been asking myself that question for the past two weeks." I told her honestly.

"Gary captured one of his newer batch of nidoran." Oak said as he stalked back into the kitchen.

I looked back outside to see the purple hide of the nidoking retreat into the treeline at the end of a pasture. Daisy sighed, as if she couldn't believe her brother was so stupid and still alive. That conversation couldn't even continue, because Oak's alakazam teleported into the kitchen.

Floating in front of it was another mega evolution stone, different than both Hashi's and it's own. It was blue in color.

"I had Steven acquire this for me some time ago." Oak said as we realized what it was. "It is for an altaria."

So he does have the resources to get mega stones...

The alakazam teleported out abruptly.

"I've already done all the tests I can on both of your stones. It won't be a problem to add another person, so tomorrow we'll start the real tests." Oak said abruptly.

It didn't hit Daisy that he had given her what she wanted immediately. It took her a few seconds. Then her face lit up, and she stood up before almost tackling her grandfather. Oak smiled slightly, but I could tell it was a pained smile.

"It won't be easy, Daisy. The tests are the easy part." Oak said before letting her go. Oak turned to where he could address both of us. "Sycamore believes a 'catalyst' is necessary. After my tests, I believe the same thing. The most obvious and natural deduction is that the trainer must be that catalyst."

Finally, my theory was confirmed. I was very close to being absolutely positive that I was right, but this world loved to throw me curveballs.

"It'll be trial and error, then?" I asked, jumping to conclusions.

Unfortunately, my guess was correct. Oak nodded. "I know roundabout percentages of how to distribute the energy amongst the two of you, but I have a feeling it will have to be exact. So we only have one option, tests."

Once again, we fell into silence as all of us contemplated the information. It quickly became apparent that there was nothing else to talk about, so I moved to the back porch where I could teleport to the lake and train some more.

"Where are you going?" Daisy asked.

"To train."

The next day came quickly, and I found myself dressed in only a tight pair of underwear as one of Oak's assistants took tests of my body. Height, weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc.

Eventually I was led to a machine that looked very close to an MRI machine, although I would be standing up in it. As I approached I couldn't help but glance towards where Daisy was.

Her normal attire was not the most modest clothing I had ever seen on a trainer. But now, she was wearing something that could barely be called a bikini. It left very little to the imagination. I had to look away, for fear of my heart rate picking up and blood rushing to another part of my body. I don't know if I could handle that embarrassment.

A clefable stood near the machine, prepared to add her fairy type energy into the mix. Apparently our machines couldn't quite grasp the fairy type energy yet, so a source was needed. I had no idea what her true purpose was.

I quickly found out.

Once I was strapped into the machine, the assistant closed the door. The worst part about all of it was that it was another five minutes before I heard or felt anything happen. It was torture.

"Test number one." Professor Oak said. I expected a lot more dialogue that would catalogue the experiment. I was wrong.

The machine booted up.

My heart rate increased immediately, and I could tell it was because of an external source. I clenched my fist as something flooded my system. It felt like what I imagined pure adrenaline would feel.

I strained against my bindings and what felt like every muscle in my body clenched. I felt invincible.

My anger spiked randomly, and then it fell without warning.

One thing that didn't change, was the fact that my heart rate continued to rise. And then a pain in the center of my chest, along with a pressure around it.

I heard a beeping outside of my 'tank'. I suddenly got extremely tired, and my eyes threatened to close. I wanted nothing more than to just rest. The darkness seemed enticing.

The next time I opened my eyes, it was to the site of Oak's face. Daisy stood over his shoulder with an intense look on her face. A small pink hand, connected to a pink arm was touching my chest. There was a visible pink glow emanating from where it was touching me.

Suddenly, I was aware of my heart beating again. It was obnoxiously loud in my ears.

I sat up quickly as my mind caught up to what was happening. I took in the deepest breath I had ever even thought about taking. Oak's hands slammed me back on the floor, with surprising amounts of force. I was too busy coughing to notice.

And then, I felt an abundance of a weird energy in my body once again.

Everything returned back to 'normal'.

Suddenly I could hear, smell, and see properly. My heart started to beat in a regular pattern. The same pattern it had been my whole life.

"Holy fucking shit!"

"Heart attack, followed by full heart failure."

I stared at Oak. He read off the report as if it was the morning news. He met my stare with his own passive one.

"The good news is that there is no recovery period because of the clefable. The only reason you were 'under' for so long was because Daisy had a much more severe reaction to the combination of fairy and dragon energy caused by the mega stone. I never considered it's typing would change to fairy." Oak said thoughtfully.

I had no idea what to say to that. So I distracted myself by asking questions.

"No recovery time?" I asked incredulously. Wasn't a heart attack, and basically dying, supposed to be hard as fuck on the body.

"None. Fairy types are miracle workers." Oak answered with a smile. "There is a reason I had her brought to the ranch."

Holy shit I might have to get one of those. Maybe go the eevee route?

"Well thanks I guess. What energy did I receive?" I asked, curious if Hashi's type would change. It was something I had considered.

"Pure fighting type." Oak answered quickly.

That actually made sense. I couldn't ever think of another typing he would receive. The closest I thought of was ground. But even that didn't seem to fit. I was happy with pure fighting. I couldn't help but wonder what physical changes he would undergo.

"How much could I take?" I rattled off the questions to ignore the fact that I had died for almost thirty seconds.

"Twenty-five percent was full cardiac failure. Your heart just gave out." Oak answered. I suspected he was obliging me so I wouldn't have another panic attack.

"Is that good?" I wondered. It sounded like a surprising amount of energy to take on.

"Yes, amazing actually. I think we only needed about twelve percent. My calculations say we need somewhere between ten and twelve." Oak revealed.

"And you gave me twenty five!?" I yelled, surprised. The old bastard intentionally killed me.

"Best to get your limits out of the way now, and move forward from here. Now I know it's possible, and I know we won't kill you next time." Oak explained. It made sense when he put it like that, but I was still angry at him.

My heart jumped as my anger did and my hand clenched. That was something I hadn't told the professor yet. I think I was developing anger problems. Everything seemed to set me off.

I calmed myself quickly.

"Now what?" I wondered. Oak was talking like he had everything figured out.

"Now my assistants comb through two weeks worth of data. There is still a lot to be done, but now we know it's possible." Oak said.

"And that is half the battle."

I wasn't kicked off of the ranch, but it was heavily implied that Oak didn't want to be bothered while they unpacked all of the data they had received. Daisy had already left again. Her duties kept her busy.

So with my down time, I figured it was time I challenged some gyms. I already had plans of getting two gyms out of the way quickly. Most of the time, that would be a ridiculously cocky thing to say. But I was very confident that I could knock them out.

That's what led me to hopping off of the back of a Pidgeot right in front of the Celadon City Gym.

Immediately I walked into the gym. Apparently, I had been doing this whole gym thing wrong the entire time. It was entirely possible to look up the schedule of the gyms on the pokenet. You could even schedule a time slot online. Really, you applied for three slots, and they assigned you one based on trainer level and pokemon.

But this meant there would be no surprise waiting times for Brawly anymore.

"How can I help you?" A plump girl at the receptionist desk asked me as I walked up to it.

I had to actively try not to cover my nose at the aroma emanating from the gym. I saw some people heading into the gym wearing actual masks because of it. I considered getting one for a moment before deciding that I would tough it out.

"I am here for the 2:30 time slot. Brawly." I told her as I pulled out my trainer I.D.

The girl nodded to me and went to typing, as was normal.

I looked to the clock on the wall out of habit.

'2:27'

I couldn't help but smile at my stellar timing.

"Ok, everything seems to be in order. Julie!" The plump girl screamed, making me jump slightly.

A, not so attractive, eighteen year old girl ran around the corner quickly. The receptionist didn't even let her respond. "Challenger is ready!"

The girl named Julie shot the receptionist a look that told me she had contemplated murdering the receptionist before turning to me.

"Follow me please." Julie said and turned around.

I did as I was told and followed her. I couldn't help but be nosy. "Demanding, isn't she?" I asked, trying to make light of the situation.

Julie smiled wickedly. "She's just mad I fucked her boyfriend last month. Fat bitch."

Whatever I thought I was expecting, it was not that. I stopped walking for a moment, I was so surprised. Immediately I judged the girl in front of me, the receptionist, and the boyfriend. I was glad I was above petty shit like that. I was so busy with my team and life, I hadn't even considered that things like that happened in this life.

It was not unheard of that trainers were promiscuous, it was natural considering the danger our profession posed, but this was the first time I had encountered it. I didn't even respond to the girl, and followed her into the trainer booth. I was so lost in my thoughts that I missed studying the stadium around me.

When I was raised onto the platform, I became aware of the surprisingly full stadium. I remembered that it was indeed a Saturday, and the local population would be here on their day off.

"This will be a three on three match between Gym Leader Erika, and challenger Brawly. One versus one style. Best of three." The proctor announced as Erika herself was revealed on the opposite platform.

Switching up the battle rules slightly.

She wore an elegant kimono of green and maroon. Her hair was put in a tight bun that finished the look off. She looked to be about thirty-two or so. Somewhere in her prime for sure.

"I have heard about you, Brawly. I think I will adjust for those rumors, if you don't mind." Erika said as she released her first pokemon.

It was a fucking venusaur.

It was fucking massive. I had already seen one on Oak's ranch, but I hadn't expected her to lead with that for a three badge challenger. It didn't change my plans in any way actually.

I released Madara onto the field. "I hoped you would take it easy on me." I joked with her.

Erika smiled, but didn't respond.

"Begin."

I gave Madara a command via the link we had with Minato and he obeyed with pause.

He opened his mouth and sent out a stream of fire. It was one of his newly perfected moves, Flamethrower.

Erika never gave her pokemon a command, at least it wasn't an audible one. Right before the flamethrower reached the venusaur, it stomped it's left leg on the ground. A slab of the grassy terrain rose in front of it.

When Madara stopped the stream of fire, the grass had been burned away from the earth and was blackened.

I was not expecting the same piece of earth to break off suddenly and be tossed right towards Madara. He didn't need to be told to get out of there. The air around his body waved as he moved into flame wheel and charged around the piece of earth flying towards him.

The venusaur didn't feel threatened by the charging ball of flame and sent an ocean of leaves towards Madara. I didn't see a good way of getting around the attack, so I sent him a fairly risky command.

Madara jumped straight into the razor sharp leaves, moving at least twenty miles an hour. He took aim at the venusaur and sent another flamethrower at it. At the distance, I didn't think it would be able to react in time.

I was wrong. Madara's flamethrower punched a hole through the wall of leaves in front of him, which he flew through, only to land on another slab of the earth that the venusaur rose.

I sent commands just in time, because the slab of rock cracked and was sent flying. Luckily, Madara blurred into a quick attack to the side of the venusaur. Madara landed ten feet away and immediately launched another flamethrower at the massive plant pokemon.

I was expecting the next earth power that was used for defensive purposes. As soon as it rose, Madara blurred into another quick attack.

I had been having him keep his distance from the animal for most of the match but I quickly realized that it wouldn't be so simple. Erika must have thought I would stick to the same strategy because the venusaur didn't expect Madara to appear in front of him.

The venusaur sent out vines, reacting to the threat and trying to get distance. I went a little unorthodox. I needed something that would power through those vines.

So instead of a fire fang, or something else that was super effective, Madara smacked through the vines with a steel coated tail and impacted the chin of the venusaur.

Naturally, the tanky pokemon moved with the blow, and it jumped into the air, higher than its weight should allow it. I saw an opportunity I didn't think I would get.

Most trainers would go straight into a flamethrower at this range, but a slab of the earth was already rising to protect it. I gave a different order.

Electricity sparked around Madara's form, and he blurred forward again. When the slab of earth did rise out of the ground, it propelled him into the airborne venusaur.

The wild charge impacted the belly of the venusaur, and the pokemon seized up from the electricity immediately as paralysis set in. I knew that I got extremely lucky with that considering venusaur was resistant towards electrical attacks, but I didn't let it distract me.

Madara sent a flamethrower from close range that didn't impact.

The venusaur turned into a beam of red light as Erika forfeited the pokemon.

"Venusaur is forfeited. Ten seconds until the next fight."

It was an easy decision to keep Madara in for the next fight. He had the type effectiveness for the gym, and I needed him to get the experience. So he returned to our side of the field quickly.

Erika sent out a tangrowth quickly.

The proctor looked towards me questioningly. I didn't move, and she got the hint.

"Begin."

Madara sent another flamethrower towards the tangrowths direction. I knew they were very weak in the special defense area, and I wanted to take advantage of that.

Instead of an earth power, it was a massive rock that blocked the attack. But it was shot right towards Madara, and three more followed it. It was rock tomb.

Madara was not very good with ground or rock attacks, so I had him avoid the attack.

He couldn't get another attack off, because there was a wave of earth that was heading towards him.

He jumped instinctively, before I could tell him another plan, right into another storm of rocks, courtesy of Ancient Power.

Madara was smacked by the rocks, and sent back towards the wall with a yelp. It did a lot of damage, but I couldn't let him take a breather. I had him jump to his feet quickly because another bulldoze was heading his direction. Now that he was close to the wall, the counter was found quickly.

Madara started running towards his right, and just as the wave of earth reached him, he jumped and his feet hit the side of the stadium for a moment. He used that to propel himself away from the ancient power that was sent towards him.

This cycle repeated itself for a couple more times, but each time, Madara got closer to the tangrowth. And then Erika made a mistake.

The tangrowth paused to make distance again, and that pause allowed Madara to blur into a quick attack that smacked the tangrowth to the side.

I got slightly clever and had Madara jump, while firing a flamethrower off at the tangrowth. The rock tomb it sent absorbed the first bit of flamethrower and would have impacted Madara's close range, had he not been in the air and moving.

Instead, the rock tomb absorbed the first bit of flamethrower, and then left it defenseless. It took a good two seconds of a flamethrower, before it was returned.

"Tangrowth has been forfeited. Brawly has defeated Gym Leader Erika." The proctor announced.

I smiled, happy at the outcome of the match and looked to Erika. Her face was scrunched up and her eyes flicked between me and Madara consistently as if trying to solve a puzzle. I think I knew why.

I was way too advanced for a three-badge, now four-badge trainer.

I was winning consistently, against fully evolved pokemon, with a growlithe. Granted, Madara was extremely well trained, and very powerful for his kind, but he shouldn't be in the hands of a three badge trainer. I was figuring out that the Gym Leaders were actually going harder on me because of my father, and I had yet to lose a challenge.

The tactics I employed, while also having really well trained pokemon was throwing my opponents for a loop. I loved it.

It was the roar of the crowd that broke me out of my thoughts. I returned Madara and turned to leave.

I smiled and sent the crowd a wave before I stepped off the platform.

"That was impressive." Julie, the same trainer from earlier said. This time, she looked at me like I was a piece of meat for her to devour.

I started back towards the entrance to the gym. "Thanks." I told her, a little disgusted by her.

"Wait, Erika wants to see you." The girl said. I stopped and looked at her. She waved for me to follow, so I obeyed.

She led me through two hallways, and the whole time she tried to make conversation with me. I gave very polite, short answers. It seemed that she didn't get the hint that I wasn't interested.

When we arrived in the room that Erika used as her office, I was relieved that she left. Even if she did wink at me before leaving.

"Brawly, sorry for bothering you." Erika said as I walked in. She was already typing away at something on her computer.

"I don't mind. It's not everyday you get invited to a Gym Leaders office." I replied, trying to be nice.

"For most trainers that would be true." Erika quipped. I realized she was right. I could visit my dad's office anytime I wanted. Perks of privilege I suppose. I smiled at her and nodded.

"I wanted to ask if you had any interest in becoming a gym trainer in the future." Erika said, getting to the point. "It's a great stepping stone. Steady income while you train your pokemon too."

I shook my head at her. "Sorry, dad has called dibs on me." I lied to make the conversation easier.

It wouldn't be a good fit. I didn't have any grass type pokemon. But that was not a requirement to be a trainer at a gym to be honest. Erika was right, it was a really good opportunity for most trainers. The real problem I had with her gym was the drama I knew I would be walking into with Julie and that receptionist from earlier. I couldn't think of anything I would rather do less than work at this gym while those two were also employed there.

"I assumed as much." Erika said with a light laugh. "The offer is on the table if you change your mind."

"I may take you up on it. Thank you for the opportunity." I told her and turned to leave.

"I have to ask." Erika said, interrupting me. "Why are you only a four badge trainer?"

It seemed that Erika could be blunt if she needed to be. I was actually a little put off by her question and didn't answer right away.

"The way you battle is very unique. Most trainers don't utilize such advanced tactics until their sixth, seventh, or eighth badge. You look to be about twenty years old, making me think you've been at it for a couple of years already." Erika said, more thinking out loud than anything else.

"Actually, I'm sixteen." I told her, cutting her assumptions away.

Erika's head tilted cutely, a lot like a dogs would. Then she turned back to her screen and started scrolling on what I assumed would be my trainer page. When she found what she wanted, her eyes widened.

"Shut the front door."

A/N: Boom!

Sorry for the missed chapter yesterday on Courage. I went out of town to visit family last minute.

Anyway… Brawly died there for a second. What do we think about that? Oak was already looking into mega evolutions for Daisy, just in case. Brawly got his fourth gym badge, although he had to really work for it. Madara was close to losing in both the first and second match. Erika can't believe that Brawly is only sixteen.

I have a reason for that, and it will be revealed later I promise.

Let's talk in the reviews!