The Ghost Specialist

Sam couldn't take credit for Primeape's latest attack. Rock Slide was Redi's idea, as she suggested it to deal with flying Pokémon at a range. For her team, Porygon could accurately track even the speediest of Pokémon with its beam attacks, but Ursaring might as well have been a sitting duck. Hyper Beam was one thing, but he didn’t have Porygon’s accuracy nor did he have a way to bypass the need for a recharge. Rock Slide, however, was a quick-to-use rain of stones that was painful to experience, and that rain was heavy enough to make its targets flinch.

It took a single night for both Primeape and Ursaring to learn Rock Slide, but it wasn’t due to Sam’s assistance or even Redi’s. The real reason those two Pokémon were able to figure it out was each other. Primeape and Ursaring still had their rivalry, and it had been growing for some time. However, ever since the Ruins of Alph, their rivalry had evolved into something less hostile but still extremely competitive.

When trying to learn Rock Slide, if Primeape ever figured something out, Ursaring would try even harder to surpass the Fighting Type next to him. Then, when Primeape noticed Ursaring succeeding where he wasn’t, he was forced to adapt his strategy to not fall behind. All of this was aided by the Pressure of Morty's Dusclops, which provided benefits that couldn’t be understated. A Gym Leader’s Pokémon was a veteran of hundreds, if not, thousands of battles. Dusclops manipulated its Pressure with scalpel-like accuracy, forcing its target to constantly work through the resistance if they didn’t want to be rendered helpless.

Undeniably, that extra effort was what let Primeape and Ursaring learn Rock Slide so quickly, but their natural stubbornness probably helped with figuring out base Rock Type energy, too. As for everyone else, Dusclops’s Pressure led to other developments.

Inspired by her experience with Will-O-Wisp and Incinerate, Quilava could press the motes of her Ember together to form a beginner's Flamethrower. Not dissimilarly, Haunter could gather up “loose” shadows and compress them into the start of a Shadow Ball. Misdreavus, the Pokémon who needed to learn the most, only figured out one thing, but it was a doozy:

Nasty Plot.

She didn’t practice her attacks. She didn’t practice fighting against Pressure’s weight. She instead forced herself to use Dark Type energy to fuel her thoughts, coming up with cruel plans that guided her special moves with improved effectiveness.

Apparently, she had been inspired by watching Sam.

There were a few other new moves, as the few days' training provided a steady progression of growth spread throughout the team. However, the attacks were only technically battle-ready, as while they could deal damage, they'd only just been learned and still came out slow.

But Sam wasn’t worried. With their current pace, they weren’t in a rush. It wasn't like they could go anywhere with Redi's ankle still healing. With modern medicine, it'd still be a few days until she could walk without needing to wear a boot. So, since they were stuck in the Pokémon Center anyway, Sam finally got around to something he’d been promising Redi for a long time.

“The thing about Ghost Type moves is that unless they involve an esoteric effect, they’re probably going to involve the manipulation of shadows,” Sam said to the seated Redi, speaking as he marched back and forth. “Ghost Types can directly interact with shadows despite shadows being an absence of light rather than a material object. That influence lets them dive into darkness or gather it up into an attack. In Ursaring's case, that would mean gathering shadows around his claws, and in Porygon's case, it means taking them and compressing them into a sphere.”

Sam briefly stopped marching to see if Redi was listening. She was, and she had an open journal in her lap, but she wasn’t actively taking notes.

“So that’s how the moves work, but then how do we do that?” she asked.

“Easy. It’s the same way Electric Types manipulate electricity, or how Water Types manipulate water. You have your Pokémon use Ghost Type energy,” Sam said. “If you can get your Pokémon to figure that out, you’ll be able to get them to interact with shadows. The problem is that it’s slippery, or at least my Pokémon tell me it is. All of this boils down to practice, practice, practice.”

Sam had a lot of insights into Ghost Type energy, obtained mostly from observing his team and talking to them as they worked on their attacks. It took a lot of charades to figure out how Ghost Type energy worked for them, but he was getting a handle on the intricacies of the Type.

Haunter could only manipulate shadows that already existed, whereas Misdreavus could create patches of darkness. In the case of Quilava and Primeape’s Curse, they weren’t doing anything with shadows. They were instead causing pure Ghost Type energy to course through them and fuel further attacks.

Sam wasn’t a Pokémon. He didn’t personally understand how they could manipulate energy to form their moves. It was something instinctual to Pokémon in general, but for what he understood about Curse, it was somewhat similar to how water moved through the filter of a fish tank.

Lost in his thoughts, Sam idly glanced to the side to watch his team practice. Quilava worked on building up flames for Flamethrower, Primeape bounced on his toes as he carefully breathed in and out, Misdreavus paid close attention to how Porygon repeatedly used Psybeam to train its stamina, and Haunter was...

Sam looked down.

Haunter was in his shadow, actively resting after working on Shadow Ball for so long.

“Any questions so far?” Sam asked, turning back around.

Redi looked up at him. She still hadn’t been doing anything in her journal, but she had pulled out the recently delivered Pokégear and was playing around with its functions.

“Oh! Uh, sorry. I just got curious. This didn’t come with any of its expansion cards, so all it can do is show our position on a map and make calls. I was trying to see if there was something more hidden to it. You weren’t talking anymore, so...”

Sam sent her a flat look. He might have drifted off, but part of his reasoning was to give Redi a chance to think about what he said. He’d wanted her to take notes, but she wasn’t. Recognizing his bemusement, Redi started to hurriedly write as much as she could down.

He waited a few seconds before walking over and flopping down on the bench, next to her. It’d been a few days since his team’s fight against Dusclops, and Sam was still trying his best to catch up. His Pokémon had been training, he’d been developing his strategies, and Redi had gone out of her way to ask him to teach her more about, well, as much as possible. She couldn’t create new plans if she lacked information.

“I know it’s been a while since you asked me to help you with a Ghost Type move, but I don't think I could have helped you until now,” Sam mused, leaning back to stare up at the pocket of open sky between the buildings that surrounded them.

“Why’s that?”

“I hadn't met Misdreavus. Really met her, I mean. The only actual Ghost Type I could learn from was Haunter, so I didn’t know much about it except what I could glean from him.”

Personality and physical differences aside, there were so many differences just between those two. A big part of that stemmed from their Type; Haunter was dual Ghost and Poison, whereas Misdreavus was only Ghost.

“If I had to describe them...” Sam hummed. “I’d say Haunter is like a gas given form, but Misdreavus is more like a spirit who likes to stay solid. That’s reflected in their different Types, but it's also in their mindset and their skills.”

“You wanna give me an example?”

Redi still held a pencil.

“Haunter likes to drift around and dive in my shadow to rest. Misdreavus doesn’t head into shadows as often and likes to more directly interact with any Pokémon she’s speaking to. And when Haunter battles, he’s more sneaky—almost insidious—about how he uses his moves. Misdreavus is more obsessive in that she always chases a hit.”

“...Haunter? Insidious? Really?” Redi asked.

Sam kicked up his feet, demonstrating that the Ghost Type had left his shadow without her noticing. Haunter had already crept over to where Ursaring was failing to learn Shadow Claw, and he was keeping himself quiet so he could scare him before jumping back into his practice.

“And, y'know, his Hypnosis,” Sam pointed out.

“Alright, maybe you have a point,” Redi said with a huff.

Sam didn’t consider himself a perfect expert on the Ghost Type just yet, but he was definitely more educated on it than most other trainers. His experience was limited to Haunter and Misdreavus, but he’d gain two more species to observe once Quilava and Primeape evolved.

He also had a lot of questions about what they’d be like in their final forms. Evolution usually came with changes, and they weren't always physical. Sam had heard horror stories of evolved Pokémon suddenly disobeying their trainers, and he’d even technically seen something similar in person, with Ursaring becoming more arrogant after he evolved.

Yet, in a way, Ursaring had always been like that, and when Quilava, Haunter, and Primeape evolved, the only thing that happened was that they became more... them.

But none of them changed Types. Teddiursa to Ursaring was the only evolution that came with a significant difference with his change in size. But when it comes to what’s next, both Quilava and Primeape won’t be the same. They’re going to gain entirely new Types.

Both of them were aware and knew they’d become part Ghost and were aware of how that might affect them, but Sam wouldn’t know how they’d change until he witnessed their evolutions for himself.

Lost in thought, Sam hummed, not really following any tune but just making random noises. Next to him, Redi furiously scribbled, but any semblance of notetaking had given way to a doodle of a giant Ursaring slashing Sprout Tower in half.

Unpleasant.

Sam tried to not think about it, but he couldn’t help himself. Petrel was still out there, and they were still stuck in the Pokémon Center.

How much longer are we going to be trapped here? I have errands I want to run.

Currently, there was a lull in their training—while high level, Dusclops couldn’t keep up Pressure forever. Sam was incredibly thankful for its help, but he wasn’t going to strain the Pokémon Center’s primary defender just to train his team.

He was tempted to pull out his journal and write down a few thoughts to reflect on later, but he stopped when the doors to the Pokémon Center opened up. Nurse Joy’s shifts usually saw her on duty in the late afternoon or night, so he was surprised to see her awake this early, walking out and heading straight their way.

Nurse Joy was frowning. She was trying to hide it, of course, but she failed to suppress the slight furrow of her brow or how the corners of her mouth pulled down. There was a sense of purpose to her steps as she walked over. Sam found himself sitting up straighter, and a few other trainers turned their way.

A nurse leaving the Pokémon Center looking like that never meant good news.

“Hello,” Nurse Joy said, bowing her head for a polite greeting. “How has your training been going?”

Sam and Redi exchanged a suspicious look.

“...Is something wrong?” Sam asked.

Nurse Joy bit her lip and shifted her weight between her feet. Hesitating, when she finally spoke, she kept her voice quiet enough to prevent anyone else from listening in.

“How much do you want to see Petrel captured?” Nurse Joy asked.

Sam leaned forward, but it was Redi who had a growl leave her throat.

“Very,” she said.

Nurse Joy finally let the frown cross her face. Her gaze flicked between Sam and Redi, seeming to appraise the two of them, as if she needed to still come to a decision. However, she had come here for a purpose, and she didn’t look to change her mind.

Nurse Joy rubbed her head. “We might need your help tomorrow,” she said slowly. “The Pokémon League needs your help, specifically. The search has not found him yet. Morty wants to use you two as bait.”

Sam leaned back, relaxing.

“Oh, that’s it? I can do that,” Redi said.

“What's the plan?” Sam asked.

Nurse Joy stuttered before catching herself, wiping her uniform free of wrinkles in an unconscious reaction.

“You two aren't supposed to accept so easily!” she huffed. “This is dangerous! You shouldn't have to be involved.”

“So, what, did you want us to say no so you can tell Morty to change his plans?” Sam asked.

The silence was telling.

“I broke my ankle ‘cause of him,” Redi said quietly. “Petrel’s a thief. A poacher. Who cares if we’re in danger? Every second he’s not in jail is another second he could steal someone else’s Pokémon.”

Nurse Joy’s grimace deepened, and it was like Redi’s words were the last blow to her hope. That same reluctant acceptance from when she first handed over Tibia and Fibula overtook her once more.

“Morty wants you to leave the city tomorrow,” she said. “On your own—just you two and my Gastly. He’s going to try to force Petrel into an ambush, and timing your exit on the same day might see him go after you two, giving us an obvious location to catch him when he shows up.”

Sam frowned.

“I mean, we’ll do it, but I thought we’d have more time in Violet City? Winning a tournament was one thing, but we haven't finished training all of our moves before taking on the Gym. Redi has it worse than me, since she has a huge list of goals she wants to—”

“It’s okay, Sam,” Redi interrupted. “I can head out. The only thing holding me back is my foot, but I can ride Ursaring if the pain starts back up again.”

Nurse Joy really didn't like that. She had been the one to tell Redi to not put pressure on her injured foot while it was still healing. It had definitely gotten better, and she could walk on it if needed, but there were still a few more days to go until she was back in perfect health.

“I’m sorry,” Nurse Joy said, briefly pinching the bridge of her nose. “Young trainers like you shouldn’t be caught up in the League’s business. This is a job for Ace Trainers, but we don’t have a choice. It’s our only way to lure Petrel out.”

“It’s fine,” Sam said. “I’m not worried about Petrel. I have plans for him. It’s more like...”

He hesitated before turning Redi’s way.

“I’m not challenging the Gym,” she answered before he could ask. “I will, but I don’t plan to just yet.”

Sam wanted to ask why, but Redi sat up straighter, eyes locking onto Nurse Joy’s own. Her posture spoke not of defeat but of sharp confidence.

“What’s our compensation?” Redi suddenly asked.

Sam blinked at Redi. Nurse Joy took a moment to recover from the surprise question.

“Excuse me?”

“We’re being rushed out of a city when we thought we could stay. We’re being used to capture a dangerous criminal even though we have no training for that. We’re going to be participating, duh, but if the League wants our help, we need something to make up for our sudden change in plans.”

Nurse Joy looked as though she had just eaten something sour, but she kept quiet instead. Sam rapidly looked between the nurse and Redi. Redi looked like a predator who had just caught its prey.

“I want a TM,” Redi stated. “And I want to be able to schedule a single ride to and from Violet City.”

“You want to be able to come back?” Nurse Joy asked.

Redi briefly closed her eyes.

“I’ll need to come back to challenge the Gym, but I don't want to have to backtrack a bunch because some jerk decided to go after us. We were supposed to follow an easy loop. If I had a few more days, I would earn my next Gym Badge, but I can't do that now, can I?”

This wasn't like Ecruteak, Sam realized. Redi wasn't putting off the Gym due to a lack of confidence, she was recognizing that she needed a bit more time to prepare and was trying to organize the short delay.

At that realization, Sam couldn't stop the feeling of pride that swelled up in his chest. Instead of jumping right into something, Redi was stepping back and making a plan.

“I... I can make that work,” Nurse Joy said hesitantly. “The League already knows that I don't want you two involved, and I can use that to argue for payment. As for your TM—”

“Teleport,” Redi interrupted.

“TMs for Teleport are expensive,” Nurse Joy countered.

“Which would the League rather have, help with capturing a criminal, or a single TM they can easily afford?”

Redi once more locked eyes with the nurse, not giving the older woman a single inch. Sam was pretty sure that in negotiation, you were supposed to name a high price before working down to what you actually wanted, but Redi was effectively declaring that she wouldn’t budge.

“Fine,” Nurse Joy said. “I’ll do my best to get you your TM. But while a decent number of Pokémon can learn Teleport via TM, you should know that if you want to cross long distances, only a Psychic Type will be able to bring you that far.”

“Oh, that won’t be an issue. I already have a Psychic Type on my team.”

Nurse Joy looked befuddled. Redi sat back, not worried for even a second.

I see.

Sam understood her plan.

Porygon could learn Teleport, but in most situations, it wouldn’t be able to move around more than a few feet. However, with how Conversion could allow it to change Type, Porygon could temporarily gain the boost needed to jump across the region.

Teleport needed its user to picture the place its user wanted to return to. However, with Porygon’s computer-like mind, this one TM would allow Redi to return anywhere she’d been.

Sam sat back and stared at her in awe.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Redi snapped, glancing at Sam out of the corner of her eye.

“No reason. Just happy you’re using your brain for once.”

“You calling me dumb?”

“Nope,” Sam said cheerfully. “It’s just nice to see all of our tutoring sessions have been paying off.”

He laughed when she punched him in the arm.

“I’ll also be requesting that the League provides a tutor for the use of Teleport,” Nurse Joy continued. “Even if you have a solution for the Psychic Type issue, it’s better if you receive the training you need to travel long distances safely.”

“Thank you,” Redi said quietly.

“And you know, this is a good thing, too,” Sam said, speaking up. “If the League tries to push back on this, you can argue that teaching Porygon Teleport means they’d be able to flash away if they’re ever captured.”

Nurse Joy hummed consideringly, and Redi unconsciously adjusted her position. Sam smirked at her shifty reaction.

She didn’t even think of that, did she?

After giving it a moment, Nurse Joy nodded once to confirm.

“And you, Sam?”

“...What do you mean, ‘and me?’” he asked.

“Redi told me what she wants in compensation. What do you want for yourself?”

He opened and closed his mouth. In his mind, Redi’s request would benefit them both, especially with how much region-wide mobility Teleport would offer. He thought Nurse Joy had been hesitating because they were asking a lot for the entire team.

No.

Turns out, Nurse Joy thought Redi wanted all of that for herself.

“I...” Sam struggled. Nothing came to mind. “Can I ask for a favor to cash in at a later date?”

A pause.

“You want a favor from the Pokémon League,” Nurse Joy said flatly.

“...Yes,” Sam said slowly, giving it a few seconds of thought. “Yeah! I don’t have anything else I want. An open favor would be nice if I want something else down the line.”

He could have asked to visit the Sinjoh Ruins early, but he already had Dr. Hale’s recommendation in the works. Going there was a matter of time—there was no “if” about it. It didn’t make sense to ask to be allowed to visit when he and Quilava were already going to be visiting soon enough.

No, an open favor worked better for him, and Nurse Joy went quiet, staying like that for a long time. She stared at Sam and only Sam. The silence was more than just a quick consideration, she was clearly giving this an extreme level of thought.

Isn’t this a little much of a reaction? All I’m asking for is to get paid later instead of right now.

“I might be able to do that,” she said slowly. “Morty likes you. If he helps me argue on your behalf, you might be able to get that favor you’re asking for.”

Sam sent Redi a subtle glance to see if she understood why Nurse Joy took so long, but she just lightly shrugged and shook her head. The nurse let out one final sigh before looking between the two of them for the last time.

“I called earlier. There are multiple openings in today’s schedule for the Gym’s battles,” she said. “You should have no problems walking in. Just in case, I’ll tell them you’re coming, but if you want to earn your Gym Badge before leaving town, I highly recommend going sooner rather than later.”

Sam bowed his head.

“Thank you,” he said.

“Thank you!” Redi added.

Nurse Joy silently turned around.

“Please, don’t thank me for this. Just keep training and stay on high alert. Be prepared for tomorrow. You’ll get more details before you leave.”

She walked back to the Pokémon Center, disappearing through its back doors. As Redi had said she planned to delay her challenge, Sam shifted his focus towards his team.

Their schedule had suddenly been pushed up. They didn’t have time to perfect their moves within Violet City. With a Gym Battle imminent, if they wanted to win, Sam needed to work with his team to narrow down which strategy they wanted to use.

Sam entered the Gym less than two hours later. He made sure his Pokémon got a vitamin-rich lunch and plenty of time to rest. The Gym’s front lobby was much thinner than he expected, but it was empty of other trainers, giving him the chance to talk to the receptionist right away. The trainer had him wait only a single minute to give the Gym time to prepare before encouraging him inside.

He climbed a staircase to reach the battlefield of the Gym.

There was no dedicated room for the main battlefield. Rather, the interior of the Gym stretched the entire height of the tower. The entire central column was a massive, empty shaft open to the sky. Bird Pokémon flew in and out from above, and center-facing balconies lined the higher sections of the walls, likely letting Gym Trainers train their teams in what was effectively open air.

This was by far the largest space Sam had ever seen inside a Gym, and he paused as he stepped inside. He genuinely needed a moment to take it all in, but he was quickly interrupted by a shout from not too far away.

“Over here!”

The Gym Trainer smiled at him. A coverall-wearing man stood at the other end of the field, and a referee in a sky-blue sweatshirt stood on a metal plate off to the side.

“Sam, right?” the Gym Trainer said. “I'm Rod. I'll be your opponent for this match.”

Rod’s trainer box was a foot away from the field rather than directly connected to it. It, as well as the challenger’s trainer box, were also metal plates. A thin gap surrounded them and the treated wood field. There was no compacted dirt to be seen.

“Hi. Sorry. This place is huge,” Sam said, walking over.

Rod laughed.

“Yeah. We get that a lot. And you know what they say about size—”

A dirty look from the referee cut him off.

Sam carefully walked over to the challenger’s trainer box. His footsteps echoed as if the ground was hollow underneath the metal.

“Please grab the railings once they’re properly extended, and remain holding on until the platform stops moving,” the referee said.

“...Moving?”

Openings appeared in the ground, and metal bars extended upwards. Once fully out, more bars stretched out of their sides to form a railing not unlike a metal fence. Nervous, Sam immediately grabbed onto the part that looked the most stable, and Rod looked over to the corner of the room to give what was likely a camera a big thumbs up.

The world shook. Sam felt dizzy. There was a lurch and the noisy whirring of an engine, and the entire battlefield as well the metal plates started to rise.

All three humans were brought into the air, rising higher and higher into the tower alongside the battlefield. For a full minute, they increased in elevation, until one final jerk marked their stop.

“You know, when Walker fights, this platform goes all the way to the top,” Rod said.

“Really?”

“Yup! You can see the entire city around you. The view stretches for miles and miles. If you look closely, I’m pretty sure you can see Goldenrod!”

Sam chose not to picture it. Just the basic idea of that made him nauseous.

The referee gave him a moment to stabilize himself before lifting her hands.

“Trainers! Are you ready?” she shouted.

“Yes.”

“Yup!”

She cleared her throat before going over the rules. Sam paid careful attention—this was going to be his fifth Gym Badge, after all. A win here would mark him as above average. He’d even match his mother’s record, too.

“This match will be a single battle between Challenger Samuel and Gym Trainer Rod,” the referee called out, her voice echoing around Sam. “Each trainer will use five Pokémon, with no limits on switches. The standard rules apply, and—”

She continued, going over the general rules and the expectations for the match. However, Sam immediately caught onto a specific point.

“Hold on, how many switches did you say we have?” he asked, interrupting her.

The referee turned his way, curiously raising an eyebrow.

“As many as you want. There is no limit on switching,” she said. “Walker insists on this rule—or lack of one—to promote both freedom and mobility in these fights.”

Sam could barely hold back his laughter. He knew his team was prepared for a Gym Battle, but he had never expected something like this. Restrictions on switching were prevalent in official matches, as otherwise, battles turned into competitions where trainers focused less on their Pokémon’s skill and more on maintaining a favorable matchup. While Sam didn’t plan to rely on a strategy like that, he and his entire team had trained around the idea of synergy and setting one another up.

He genuinely couldn’t think of a more “fair” way to rig this Gym Battle in his favor.

As the referee called for the two trainers to send out their Pokémon, Sam quickly forced a serious expression back onto his face and grabbed Quilava’s Pokéball. His opponent sent out a mid-stage Pidgeotto, and he sent out his starter. Sam did his best to look focused, but he already knew how this was going to end.

No limits on switching, huh? Walker really is something else. With a lack of a restriction like that, we don’t even need to worry about losing.

We’ve already won this match. What matters right now is determining how we’re going to win.