Chapter 9

Their time in the Digglett Cave proved uneventful and fruitless. They found a colony of Zubat inside the Cave, but Aizen did not take a liking to any of them.

Leaf had stayed outside with Anira, training her Bellsprout. So it was just him and Misty. And now they were heading back.

"What are you looking for in a Zubat?" Misty curiously asked.

Aizen smiled at the question. He knew it was coming, but Misty had held on her curiosity when they were exploring the Cave.

"Curiosity, mischief, and bravery."

Misty snorted at his reply.

"You really have high expectations."

He just shrugged at that. He did have high expectations of his future Team. After all, it was important for him to live up to the name of Orayen.

"Your Golduck is well-trained, and he holds a lot of respect for you." He changed the topic.

Misty blushed when he praised her Pokemon.

"He has been in the family since I was born. I officially became his Trainer when I received my License, so if anyone deserves the credit for his training, it should be my Dad." She was not embarrassed to reveal the truth to him.

"Well, I will make sure to bring this up to him when I see him." He stretched his arms lazily over his head and sighed. "You got a Squirtle as a starter, right?"

"Came 3rd in my batch. A-Class License. Chose the Squirtle." Misty admitted. "But my first Pokemon was my cute little Magikarp. Now she is a giant sea-serpent." She giggled.

"Gyarados, eh." He was impressed. "They are not easy to befriend."

"I am a William!" She proudly smirked. "Nyla just always loved me. And after she evolved, she became very protective of me." She fondly smiled.

Aizen nodded to her and smiled as well.

"Lucky you."

She stuck out her tongue her tongue at him over his comment.

"You know," She quietly spoke, "I grew scared of Gyarados after an incident at Gym when I was only three. It was my father's Pokemon. I just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"What happened?"

"I think she was upset about losing to another Gyarados. After she was back in her reserved pool, she let out her frustration by roaring, and well, she also threw a Hyper Beam in the sky." She sighed. "Trust me, being so close to Hyper Beam when you are only three-years-old is beyond terrifying. Add in the menacing look on Gyarados' face, and there I was, fainted by the side of the pool."

She turned quiet after recalling that incident.

"I had nightmares after that day about Gyarados, and they did not go away for the next one year."

"Something good must have happened that year." He guessed.

"Yes!" Misty smiled at him. "My father took me fishing, and I caught Nyla. She was so cute, sparking red under the sun. We were supposed to let go of the Pokemon after catching them, but I begged my Dad to keep Nyla for me." She giggled. "Now that I remember, he did have an amused smile on his face when I wanted to keep her."

"Heh..." Aizen chuckled as he realized why that was so. "You didn't know that Magikarp evolved into Gyarados, right?"

"I was four!" Misty pouted but then laugh along. "Mhm... Imagine my surprise when I learned what Nyla would evolve into. I was truly conflicted. Part of me back then wanted her to forvever stay a Magikarp, but the eventful day finally came." She glanced at him and blushed a little. "I was standing there shell-shocked, not knowing how to take it, but then when I felt that Nyla was worried about me being upset or sad, I collected my thoughts and took a better look at her. Gyarados or not, she was still my Nyla, and I think I was the happiest on that day in my life."

"I would love to meet her."

"You will." Misty promised.

"What other Pokemon do you have?" He asked curiously.

"I have a Golduck, Wartortle, Starmie, and a Poliwrath. Add in Gyarados, and that is a total of 5."

"Well, you have quite the powerhouses on your Team."

"You are the one to talk when you have such a cute powerhouse sleeping on your shoulder right now?" Misty teasingly shot back.

Aizen laughed at that and simple nodded. Rinko was a powerhouse, no doubt.

"Seriously though, how can he sleep as if he has no care in the world?" Misty curiously asked. "He didn't even wake up in noise and commotion back in the Forest."

Aizen did not answer her for a few seconds and then he looked at her and smiled.

"He's a cute little lazy fox." He said. "And I make sure that his sleep is not disturbed."

Misty confusedly looked at him.

"How?"

To her dismay, the answer she received, or rather saw, was not what she would have ever expected.

Aizen drew his hand to the floor of the cave, and all the pebbles there started rising from the ground and floated around the two of them before settling down, soundlessly.

"I use my Psychic Power to cover up his ears. And so, he can not hear when he sleeps on my shoulder."

Misty just kept staring at him, and there was a frown on her face.

"What's your name?" She asked rather sternly.

"So you know..." Aizen smiled at her.

"My father used to tell me stories about people who could use Psychic and Aura Powers. And he did mention a few Familes with heritage of these Powers." She admitted.

"You are right." He nodded. "My Powers are hereditary."

Aizen stepped a little closer to her. He was several inches taller than her, and so she had to look up in his eyes, trying her best to control her blush.

She panicked a little when he leaned in, but to her relief, he leaned near her ear.

"Hello, Misty. I am Aizen Sin Orayen. You can call me Professor Sin." He whispered like a devil.

Misty had a full blown blush now, and she lowered her head. Her mind was racing out of control, so was her heartbeat. She heard him laugh heartedly at her reaction and felt even more embarrassed.

She recalled how last night she was enthusiastically chatting with Leaf and Anira about how much of a 'Fan' she was of the sensational Professor Sin. She even admitted that she had a celebrity crush on him. And he was there! He listened to everything!

"You are mean! Hmph!" She pouted and started brisking her way out of the cave.

Aizen laughed some more before following after her.

By the time he arrived outside, Misty was glaring daggers at Anira and Leaf, who were trying their best to control their laughter.

"You could have warned me!" She complained to them, but both the girls only laughed some more at her plight.

"Not their fault, Misty." Aizen approached them, and she lowered her eyes, not daring to look at him. "I told Leaf to not reveal to anyone that I am Professor Sin. Didn't want to see the news get out in the region. I just don't appreciate unnecessary attention." He gently told her.

Misty was not really mad at them. She was just too embarrassed. And she did not know how to look him in the eyes. However, she braved herself and turned to face him before nodding with a flushed face.

"I will forgive you if you apologise." She tried her best to sound serious.

"Nah... not happening." He just waved his hand and laughed before walking away. "Come, ladies! We are camping here for the night."

'Damn,you!' She stomped on the ground angrily but followed Anira and Leaf as they started setting up their camp. At least, she was no longer embarrassed after his blunt refusal to apologise to her for making fun of her.