Chapter 7

"Thanks for saving us!"

Aizen chuckled when he heard the boy say that for the fourth time as he gobbled up his share of dinner.

"No problem."

"Leaf," Ash smiled at his acquaintance. "Show me your Bulbasaur!" He said as soon as they were finished with dinner.

"I didn't get it."

"What?" He seemed confused. "You always wanted it. Why did you choose another starter?" He frowned. "Gary showed me his Squirtle, and he told me Ritchie took the Charmander. It only leaves out Bulbasaur." He was genuinely confused right now.

"It was not me who took it. Some other Trainer got it." Leaf did not want to talk about it, but she knew that Ash was only curious.

"Then which one did you get?"

"Flabebe." She smiled at him.

"What?" He confusedly asked.

He had never heard of such a Pokemon. So, Ash voiced the name to his Pokedex but it showed no results.

"It's not from Kanto or Jhoto," Misty informed him. "If I remember right, Flabebe are native to Kalos Region. How did you get such a Pokemon for a Starter?"

"Umm..." She looked at Aizen and Anira before choosing her words. "I got Sponsored by Blanc Island. And they gave me the Pokemon."

"What?!" Misty nearly screamed. She was just so shocked at her words. "How?!"

"It just happened..." Leaf embarrassedly lowered her head under Misty's heated gaze.

"Did you get to meet Professor Grisha?" Misty eagerly asked.

"No. It was Professor Sin that sponsored me."

As soon as she said that, she found Misty's hands on her shoulder before she was dragged to the side.

Aizen and Anira chuckled as they saw the two girls whispering, and every time Leaf looked at them for help, they just chuckled some more.

Anira had told her that Aizen did not want to expose himself as Professor Sin. It could attract unnecessary attention to them as they travel. And that was why Leaf was having a hard time answering Misty's persistent questions.

"What's up with them? And who is Professor Sin?"

Aizen nearly spat the juice he was sipping.

For some reason, he was elated that there was someone who did not know Professor Sin, but he was just as surprised that there was someone who did not know that name.

"You don't know?" Anira asked the boy curiously.

Ash felt like he was stupid, but he nodded his head.

"He's the one who discovered the new Eeveelutions. He is also the Assistant to Professor Grisha Orayen and helped her and Professor Oak with updating the Pokedex with known Movesets of all Pokemon. However, he's famously known for his research on the Evolutions of various Pokemon. He has helped Professor Augustine Sycamore to set up the list of all known Mega Evolutions and is also a part of the famous Arcane Creed." Anira proudly counted the achievements of her brother.

She kept personal information about him and only revealed the knowledge that the general public, mostly Trainers, possessed.

"Woah!" Ash excitedly got up. "Isn't Arcane Creed the Order that is responsible for keeping peace in all Regions?"

"Mhm..." Anira nodded.

There was more to the Arcane Creed that only some people outside of it knew. Things that should not be revealed to anyone who does not have an S-Class License and, at least, Silver Privileges on it.

"He sounds like a cool guy. I hope I get to meet him." He was excited.

"He is. And he is the youngest Researcher to be awarded the honor of being entitled as a Professor."

"How old is he?" Ash was surprised.

"16."

Now he was shocked.

"Wait... Aren't all Trainers required to participate in regional Tournaments within 7 years of acquiring their License? I never heard of him." He frowned.

"He hasn't participated in tournaments yet." Anira nodded to him.

"Does that mean that I might face him at some point in a Tournament?!" His excitement was back.

"Yeah... It is possible." Anira readily nodded her head.

Aizen could not help but shake his head at his sister's playfulness. He knew that she deliberately pumped up Ash. The boy was so easy to read. He was all about Pokemon and Battles.

Misty and Leaf joined the group again and the girls engaged in a talk all about the famous Professor Sin. Ash joined them as well as he wanted to learn more about his future 'Rival'. They continued chatting for a couple of hours before they called it a day and everyone went off to a peaceful sleep.

Aizen stayed up late as he was working on a little project that his Grandma handed him over the call. But he was the first one to wake up in the morning.

After a gruelling training session for Leaf that he joined her in, they finished their breakfast and decided to set off for the day.

"Are you guys excited about challenging Pewter Gym?" Ash asked him with a bright smile.

"We are, but we won't be challenging Gyms for a few more weeks," Aizen replied to him.

"Why?" Ash confusedly asked.

"I only have Eevee on me. Leaf has two Pokemon. A Trainer needs three Registered Pokemon to challenge a gym." He said. "We need to find some Pokemon and then train as well."

"You did not catch anything in the Forest?"

"Found nothing to my liking." Aizen shrugged and replied.

"Man, you are picky." Ash seemed unimpressed. "I have caught three Pokemon so far, and with Pikachu, I now have four."

Aizen only nodded to his proud comment, but Misty sighed and shook her head.

"Ash. You are not yet ready to challenge Pewter Gym." She advised him again.

"I will be fine." He smiled at her confidently.

"How will you be fine?!" Misty shouted at him. It ticked her off that this boy was so carefree. "You have a Pikachu, a Pidgeotto, an angry Spearow who doesn't listen to you, and then a Caterpie!"

Ash looked at her confusedly. He did not understand what she was getting at.

"I will work things out with Spearow. That guy is a tough fellow."

"That's not what it's about!" Misty sighed.

"Pewter Gym is a Rock Type Gym. You have two Flying, a Bug, and an Electric. You should know that those Rock Pokemon are most likely to be Ground Type as well. Which means that all your Pokemon are at Type Disadvantage!" She explained to him. "And all of them are untrained as well."

"Don't worry, Misty. We will be fine. You never know the result unless you try. And Professor Oak always said that Type Advantage does not decide the result."

His words not only ticked off Misty but also Leaf. However, Leaf stayed silent as she did not want to argue with someone who was not ready to listen.

"We will only get stronger with experience and battles. And Gyms are the best for that. Right, Pikachu?"

"Pika!" The yellow mouse excitedly nodded.

The group exited the Forest after a three-hour Journey. With the help of Anira who guided them with her PokeNav, they took the shortest route out.

To the relief of Misty, they did not encounter any Bug Type Pokemon...

"Scyther!"

Suddenly, a green bipedal mantis Pokémon appeared in front of them. Its eyes were glaring daggers at the group as if they owed him some food. And then he raised his bladed arm challengingly at the group.

"Woah, a Scyther!" Ash exclaimed after he scanned the Pokemon with his Dex. "I am calling dibs!" He stepped forward and turned his cap backwards, getting ready for the battle.

"Sure."

Leaf wanted to argue with him, but Aizen cut her off. He was interested in the Scyther. And he knew that Ash could not catch this one.

Misty did not seem as put off at seeing Scyther, which was a surprise to them since all of them knew by now that she disliked Bugs.

"My father has one as well. And I just never found it creepy." She told them.

"Go, Pikachu!" Ash chose his Pokemon.

Aizen was not interested in their battle as he was working on his Log of Scyther species. He found the challenging nature of this Scyther quite peculiar, but it was not unheard of. Scyther were known for their warrior-like nature.

Misty was intrigued at how Aizen kept informing Leaf about the nature of Scyther species. The little girl absorbed all the information like a sponge and understood why Scyther challenged them.

"So you believe that this Scyther left its herd to challenge wild Pokémon, but since there aren't any strong wild Pokemon in the Forest, he is now challenging young Trainers?" Misty asked.

"Yes." Aizen nodded to her. "They are intelligent, and they know who to challenge. He only showed himself because he saw a Pikacu and my Eevee. Had he seen a Pokemon more Powerful than him in Evolution, he wouldn't have challenged us. They are warriors who battle stronger Pokemon, but not the battles that can't be won."

"Interesting..." Misty was thoughtful and impressed by his words.

Pikachu was at Type Advantage against it, but Scyther preserved and prevailed in the battle.

"Scyther!"

The wild Pokemon then raised his scythe-like arm and pointed to Aizen, challenging his Eevee.

"Are you sure?" Aizen smirked at him. "I will capture you after I defeat you. I want you on my Team."

"Scy... Scyther!"

"I am glad that you are so brave." Aizen approached the Pokemon. "Anira, I need Bliss to heal him."

"Yes, Brother."

Scyther was surprised when he saw Bliss approach him. He was wary of any foul play, but Blissey assured him and convinced him to let her heal him.

"Didn't want you to feel dissatisfied at your loss." Aizen smiled and woke up the sleeping Fox on his shoulder. "Let's go, Rinko. We found a friend for our Team."

The little fox perked at that and cutely yawned.

"Veevee." It looked at the green mantis and yelped happily, but then its eyes turned severe, surprising Ash, Misty, and Leaf.

"What's up with Rinko?" Leaf voiced the question in her mind.

"He's like that. Doesn't like battling much, but when he gets into a battle, he is ruthless." Anira told them.

"Ready?" Aizen smirked and asked Scyther.

Scyther sensed the crisis and did not wait for its opponent.

"Isn't that Sword Dance?!" Misty looked at the Wild Pokemon in disbelief.

"Yup. Rare for a Wild Pokemon to learn on its own." Anira nodded, she was surprised as well.

"Rinko, Growl!" Aizen did not allow Scyther to get a full boost on his attacks. "Agility, and then Quick Attack."

The boost in Eevee's speed took Scyther by surprise, but the Wild Pokemon was still faster, it dodged the attack and unleashed its own Fury Cutter.

Eevee, however, managed to dodge them all by taking advantage of its size and unpredictable movements.

"Look for a chance and shove him off." Aizen gave his command.

"Vee!" Eevee tackled Scyther right on its chest and pushed him several feet away. Not needing Aizen to help him, Rinko immediately used Baby-Doll Eyes, making Scyther lower his guard.

"Good Job! Now go for it. Take-Down!"

The attack landed squarely, and Eevee winced in pain as well.

"Get away!" Aizen commanded when he saw Scyther use Slash.

Eevee evaded the attack, but Scyther was ready for that. It hit the little fox with its Wing Attack that sent it rolling back on the ground.

"Scyther!" It proudly shouted.

"Rinko, Wish!"

Aizen knew that Eevee had taken some damage from Take Down and now the Wing Attack. He had to recover some energy and relieve the existing pain now or the next attack would not be successful.

Eevee seemed a little better after using its Wish, and then it started circling Scyther.

Scyther once again went for Sword Dance and sent out Air Slashes in all directions, but Eevee was not a newbie. It had been in tougher battles.

As soon as Scyther was done with his attack, Aizen steeled his heart and gave the command.

"Double-Edge!"

It pained him to see Eevee in pain right after the attack, but Scyther was the one in the most pain.

"Scyther!" It angrily looked at the fox as it panted.

"Don't give him time. Go for it." Aizen ruthlessly smiled. "Last Resort."

"Vee!"

Eevee was soon covered in a blue light and hit Scyther squarely in the chest like a bullet.

The mantis Pokemon was in no position to dodge, and it went unconscious as soon as it was hit.

Rinko put up a brave front as it panted but kept himself steady on its feet.

"Vee.." It called out.

Aizen quickly approached his little fox and scooped it in his arms.

"Well done!" He praised the little fox and earned a few licks on his cheek. "Rest now." He handed the fox to Blissey before walking up to the unconscious Scyther.

He plucked a Luxury Ball from his belt and activated it before kneeling down and lightly tapping it on Scyther's head. He let go of the ball as soon as the catching mechanism started.

The ball blinked twice before he heard the ping, notifying them of the successful capture.

"Welcome to the Team." Aizen whispered as he picked up the ball.

"Yes!" Anira came running up to him and lunged in his brace. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you!" He laughed together with her.