Chapter 32

"I can't wait for my first Gym battle!" Leaf excitedly said as she sat on her chair at the breakfast table.

Aizen, Anira, and Misty smiled at the confidence of their friend. It was the same girl who was nervous at the thought of participating in the Indigo Conference a few weeks ago.

"Have you decided which Pokemon you will be using?" Misty smiled and asked.

"Yes!" Leaf nodded her head after she gulped down the juice. "Fiona, Weepinbell, and Exeggutor."

"Two Grass-Type and a Fairy who is proficient in Grass-Type Moves." Misty playfully looked at her. "Not taking any chances, are you?"

"Of course not! There is no need to take any risks." Leaf crossed her arms on her chest and pouted. "Pidgeotto is more than ready for a Gym Battle, and Gloom has worked hard as well. I don't think I will be using Gloom, but if situation demands it, I can always count of Pidgeotto. Pichu and Nidoran are still not ready for Gym Battles."

"So you have a back-up plan as well." Aizen smiled at her. "Goodluck!"

"Thank you!" Leaf grinned at him. "Which Pokemon do you plan on using against Mr. Edric?"

Misty perked up her ears at Leaf's question. She wanted to know what Aizen was planning. Since none of his Pokemon had Type Advantage in a Water Gym, she was a little worried for him. Her father was not going to go easy on him.

"I won't be using Nidoran, Golbat, and Growlithe. I will decide on a game plan on the spot after seeing his first Pokemon."

"Why not Golbat?" Leaf curiously asked. "You have trained him well since he evolved. I thought you were preparing him for the battle."

"He doesn't have the right moveset yet." Aizen shook his head.

"You don't have a Grass-Type or an Electric-Type Pokemon on your Team." Misty looked him in the eyes. "We can still take another week off and search for something suitable. We already know about the Exeggutor colony..."

"It's alright, Misty." Aizen smiled at her. "I will be fine."

He did not want to tell her that they were short on time. Bill had already left the Lighthouse to meet up with his Father and Lance. The plans were being formed, and sooner or later he would be called up for a mission.

Aizen didn't want to terrify Leaf and Misty by telling them that he will be hunting a criminal organization on their journey. So he had not informed them about Team Doom and the formation of an Action Team by Arcane Creed.

After the night with Progenitor Dragonite, he and the girls decided to Train their Pokemon for a week. They would then use Dexter to Teleport directly to Cerulean City, saving them a week's time to travel back there. And now, there were exactly 286 days left before the Indigo Conference starts.

"I won't be ignorant and say that Type-Advantage does not matter, but Scyther and Wartortle are pumped up for the battle. I know I can count on them." Aizen assured Leaf and Misty.

"You know, I can tell you which Pokemon he will use..." Misty lowered her head and said while blushing.

"That would take away all the fun!" Leaf replied before he could and so he nodded to her words.

"Don't worry about the Gym Battle. I am actually more worried about Lapras." Anira reminded all of them. "We are leaving now. And if he does not want to come with us, he will be all alone here." She sadly spoke.

"Have more faith in the food you prepare. He already loves what you make for him." Aizen leaned in and planted a kiss on her head. "Besides, Rinko and Archie have become great friends with Lapras. I am confident that he will choose to come with us."

"I hope so..." Anira nodded and got back to her breakfast.

All packed and set to go, the four of them assembled at the porch and looked at their Pokemon that were playing around.

The time they spent here was memorable. They were a little unwillingly to leave this place, but they had to.

"Had fun at night?" Aizen smiled at the big bat that left the shade it was hanging on and started circling around him.

"Gol..."

"Time to leave." He smiled as he took out its Pokeball and recalled it.

"Gather up, everyone!" Anira waved her hands and called out to all the Pokemon.

It took them a few minutes to recall everyone back in their Pokeballs. And then the four of them walked up to the west end of the beach where Eevee, Growlithe, and Lapras were playing around.

The Water Pokemon was creating ice sculptures of the silver fox, who was making different poses, and the Fire dog was barking happily and running circles around each artwork.

"You are awesome, Lapras!" Anira clapped happily and lunged at him, wrapping her arms around its long neck.

"Eeeuuuu" Lapras cried out and embarrassedly lowered its head at the praise.

"Vee vee!" Rinko jumped on Aizen's shoulder and started licking his cheek.

"Yup. Time to go." He caressed its soft ears and smiled.

"Woof!" Archie circled around him and looked at him in anticipation.

"Yes.. yes.." Aizen chuckled and crouched down before giving the orange dog pats until it was satisfied. "Time for you to rest." He took out his Pokeball.

"Woof!" Growlithe turned to look at Lapras and then back at its Trainer. "Woof Woof..."

Aizen light smiled at what it was saying.

"Hey, Lapras." He called called out to the siren Pokemon, who was enjoying Anira's caresses. "Want to come with us?" He straightforwardly asked looking right in its eyes.

Lapras glanced at all of them, and then at Eevee and Growlithe.

"Vee!"

"Woof!"

"Eeeeeuuu!" Lapras happily called out and agreed.

"Welcome to the Team!" Aizen took out an empty Luxury Ball and drew his hand forward.

"Eeeuu.." Lapras tapped its horn on the ball, and the catching mechanism activated.

"Yay!" Anira hugged him tightly when the ping sounded out.

"Vee!"

"Yes, you deserve the credit!" Anira giggled and took the little fox in her hands before hugging it with all her love.

"Woof!"

"Yes, you too!" She happily shared her love with the orange puppy.

"Congratulations!" Leaf smiled at Aizen.

"You didn't even ask me if I wanted him..." Misty pouted and crossed her arms on her chest. Even though she complained, her eyes were still smiling.

"We will find you another one. Lapras already feels close to Rinko and Archie. Better to have him on the same Team." He smirked at her.

"Yeah, right. Just admit it that you wanted it from the beginning." She did not buy into his excuses.

"Well... They are one of my favorite species." He smiled lightly and took out his Dex to scan the Pokeball.

"Lapras is a large sea Pokémon that can learn to read minds. It has a blue hide with darker blue spots and a cream-colored underside. It has large brown eyes, a short horn on its forehead, and tightly curled ears. It has a long neck and four flippers. The foremost flippers are larger than the hind. On its back is a heavy, gray shell covered in blunt knobs.

Lapras is a gentle, helpful Pokémon that enjoys ferrying people across bodies of water. Despite not having Psychic Type, Lapras has a talent for learning Psychic-Type moves such as Telepathy."

"This Lapras is Male."

"Ability: Water Absorb."

"Moves known: Sing, Water Pulse, Brine, Mist, Confusion Ray, Body Slam, Rain Dance, Perish Song, Sheer Cold, Freeze-Dry and Ice Beam."

"That's awesome!" Leaf eyes were widened in surprise at the variety of moves Lapras knew.

"Mhm." Misty was impressed as well. "Water Absorb makes it invincible to all Water-Type attacks. What's surprising is that it already knows Ice Beam and Freeze-Dry, but not Waterfall and Hydro Pump. Must be naturally talented in Ice-Type Moves."

"We will need to start on his Psychic Training. It will learn Waterfall and Hydro Pump on his own with time." Anira already started formulating plans for Lapras.

"Give it a rest for now." Aizen patted his little sister's head. "There's no rush. And I will be making him the strongest Lapras ever." He promised her.

"I will take him away if you don't." She playfully stuck her tongue at him. "What's yours is mine anyway."

Aizen chuckled at her words but did not refute. He would gladly give her anything if she asked for it. But he knew that Anira would never just take away something from him. There was nothing that mattered to her more than him.

"Time to go." He looked at the Sky and took a deep breath. "Dexter." He called out right after recalling Growlithe in its Pokeball.

"Meta..." The Psychic-Tank appeard right behind him and answered his call.

"Cerulean City."

It's red eyes shined briefly as it locked on the coordinates of the city. Aizen used his Psychic ability to share the exact location to its mind. And with a pop, all of them disappeared from the beach that had been their home for a week and a half.