To Be All I Can Be
Part 8
By: EmeraldDragon

Discalmer: I don't own pokemon, yada yad yad, blah blah blah you know that; but 
Volcanine, Solestya, and Thundar from the last chapter are of my cration.



Officer Jenny landed the boat at a small dock on the main land of Johto. To 
Moon's surprise there was not a building or house in site.
"I thought you were going to take me to New Bark Town, Officer Jenny?" Moon 
asked.
"This is as close as I can take you, the town is about an hours walk north of here, 
if you don't stray from the path to explore that is." She said with a slight smile, "So for 
you it will take two or three." Moon rolled her eyes heaven ward. 
"Thanks Officer Jenny." She replied with a bit of sarcasm as she headed into the 
woods.
Moon heard the boat roar back out to sea as the trees counseled her from view.  
Next she proceeded to examine her surroundings.  The woods were fairly old, made 
mostly of pines, oaks, and birches. The ground flora consisted of vines, berry bushes, and 
small flowering plants. Around her Moon could hear a number of birds and pokemon. 
Despite her peaceful surroundings Moon couldn't help feeling that something was 
watching her. To keep her company, or perhaps to ease her own discomfort, Moon 
released Arcanine. 
"So were to now Moon?" Arcanine asked laying down to let Moon on her back.
"On ward to the north!" Moon answered sarcastically as she mounted. Arcanine 
headed north at a fast trot.  The ground fell away quickly under Arcanine's quick pace. 
With Arcanine to protect her and the thickening woods Moon felt her discomfort wane. It 
wasn't until Arcanine came to an abrupt stop in a small clearing, sending Moon flying 
head over heels to the ground, that the feeling returned.
"Moon, do you hear something?" Arcanine asked standing over her protectively, 
her fur visibly bristling.
"No." Moon replied as she stood and dusted her self off.
"Exactly. No birds, No bugs, No pokemon. Nothing!" Moon perked up her ears 
and listened. Arcanine was right; the woods around them were completely silent.  
"What does this mean?" Moon asked, feeling her discomfort turn to fear.
"We are being hunted." Arcanine said nosing the air, "There is a pack, 10 to 12 
members. Defiantly pokemon; there are two kinds, probably evolved and unevolved. But 
I have never smelled anything like them before, we should prepare for the worst." 
Moon clumsily tried to unsnap her other pokeballs when a pair of demonic red 
eyes in the bushes caught her attention. Moon quickly scrambled backwards into 
Arcanine. All around them animals emerged from the bushes. They were black and dog 
like. The smaller ones reminded her of small rottwielers with metal striped across their 
backs and around their ankles. A metal plate shaped like a skull adorned their heads. The 
larger animals looked like large Dobermens. They shared the stripes on their back and 
ankles, but the skull plate had moved to the chest and the docked tail was now long and 
spear like. Moon fumbled for her pokedex and pointed it at the new pokemon.   
"Beep: Houndour and it's evolved form Houndoom. These two pokemon are from 
the new type of Dark Pokemon. No Other information. Beep"
The Houndoom that appeared to be in charge gave off a body signal and the pack 
began to close in around them. Arcanine retaliated with a Flamethrower that sent the 
attackers back a few steps. The leader of the pack shot out it's own fire at it's intended 
prey. Arcanine shielded Moon with her body. Suddenly a Houndour leaped from the pack 
to Arcanine's back and locked it's jaws on. Arcanine reached up and ripped it from her 
back, shook it violently before throwing it in to a tree. It was then that all hell broke 
loose. Arcanine was buried under the pack of dog pokemon. Fire, fur, and blood flew 
everywhere. Arcanine fought for all she was worth and did a good job, occasionally 
throwing one of the attackers into the woods; but what the smaller dogs lacked in size and 
strength they made up for in numbers and ferocity.
 As Arcanine began to fall to the power of the pack something strange began to 
happen; a white light incased her body and she grew larger. When the light cleared the 
animal that had replaced Arcanine was a giant. She towered at 8' 6" at the shoulder, her 
fur was the color of pitch with blood red stripes and the white fur of her ankles, mane, 
and muzzle seemed to glistens. Her eyes were deep red.
With lightning speed this new pokemon latched on to the leader of the Houndoom 
pack and shook him violently before throwing him like a rag doll. The rest of the pack 
scattered into the woods. Moon pointed her pokedex at this new pokemon with a shaking 
hand.
"Beep: Volcanine: this pokemon is said to appear only once every 1000 years. It 
is one of the rarest pokemon in the world, but can be highly volatile. Beep"
"Volcanine?" Moon asked with a slight tremble in her voice, the story of her 
father's Charizard prodding mind.
"It's ok Moon, I haven't changed to the point of forgetting you." She said with a 
slightly deeper, but equally friendly voice. Suddenly her ears perked and a growl crossed 
her lips again as a soft whimper came through the trees.
"Shhhh. I hear it too. It might be hurt and easily caught." Moon instructed. As 
Moon pushed the bushes aside she saw a badly hurt Houndour. This one, unlike it's 
companions, lacked the brown on it's belly, muzzle, and paws; instead it was completely 
black, so black in fact that it seemed to have a dark purple gleam to it. The hellhound 
whimpered piteously at the site of Volcanine, it's whole body trembling in fear. With a 
flick of her wrist Moon tossed an empty pokeball at the injured dog; the ball pinged close 
with out even a struggle.
With the crises passed Volcanine collapsed to the forest floor in exhaustion. 
Despite her pokemon's exhaustion Moon was reluctant to recall her. The fear of the pack 
retuning was finally over ruled by the fact that not only was her pokemon exhausted but 
also she had Artico, a pokemon that could easily out run any pokemon or animal alive. 
**************************************************************
Artico slowed to a walk as they entered the small town. The town was unlike any 
she had ever seen. The houses were of the old English style with thatched roofs and stone 
walk ways. There were only a handful of houses with yards that abruptly changed from 
groomed lawns to dense woods with out any sort of fade. One on the houses caught her 
eye. 
It was by far the biggest building in the area, but it wasn't a pokecenter or a police 
station. Moon directed Artico over to the front door of it. A Large sign over the door read 
'New Bark Town Pokemon Lab'. Returning her pokemon to his pokeball she headed 
inside. Inside a middle-aged man with a lab coat greeted her a mop of graying brown hair 
plastered to his head.
"If you are one of the new trainers here for your first pokemon you are a day early 
and will just have to come back tomorrow." he said in a mock professional voice.
"No sir, I just came from Kanto and I was wondering were the pokecenter was."
"I'm sorry," He said dropping his air of professionalism, "there is no center in this 
town, but I have a healer here at my lab. It's this way." He pointed towards a room in the 
back of the lab. After finishing the machine Moon turned her attention to the 10 glass 
cages containing a variety of pokemon, though only 5 different types. Two waters, 
Totodile and Squirtle; Two fires, Cindaquil and charmander; Two electrics, Pichu and 
Mareep; two grass, Bulbasaur and Chikorita; and two normals, Cleffa and Igglybuff  
"They are for the new trainers." The Professor said behind her, "My name is Prof. 
Elm. What is your name and is there any thing else I can do for you?"
"Hello Prof. Elm, My name is Moon Star and a place to stay for the night would 
be nice." She said smiling.
"I have an extra room up stairs, but if you stay you have to help me with the new 
trainers tomorrow." 
"Ok." Moon said, "One more thing, can you look at one of my pokemon and tell 
me what you know about it?"
"Absolutely!" he said excitedly, "I love learning about new pokemon! Bring it out 
let's see it!" 
Moon couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm; she complied by releasing 
Volcanine. As the towering pokemon emerged from it's pokeball the professor's look of 
enthusiasm faded into one of shock and disbelief.
"My pokedex called her a Volcanine, she evolved this afternoon when we were 
attacked by a pack of Houndoom and Houndour."
"Th…that…that is…Oh My God!" was all he managed, "I'll…I'll…I'll 
look…look…into it." Moon returned her pokemon and followed the shaking professor to 
an upstairs room. 
In the room was a bed a phone and a computer. Moon placed her stuff on the floor 
and released her now healed Houndour to examine her more closely. The solid black coat 
intrigued Moon to no end.
"Why do you lack the brown marks on your paws, belly, and muzzle?" Moon 
asked more to herself then the pokemon.
"I was born that way stupid!" Houndour snapped distastefully from her place on 
the foot of the bed.
"I take it you are not happy about being caught." Moon replied coolly.
"You better believe it! You trainers are all the same! You beat up weaker 
pokemon, catch them in tiny balls, fight them until they can't fight any more, then you 
throw them away!" the pup growled.
"Well I don't know who you've talked to but I have never thrown a pokemon 
away; if you don't want to fight I'm not going to make you; and if I hadn't caught you, 
you would have bled to death." Moon said with a hint of curtness in her voice.
"'Better dead then trained' my mama always said." She huffed. Moon looked at 
the dog with patience.
"You know I have some other pokemon with me that I got after they were seized 
from an abusive trainer. I'm sure they will vouch for my training still."
"And what still is that?" the hound spat.
"I ask that all my pokemon give there best as companions, and if they feel that 
they want to fight then I ask they give that there all as well."
"Humph" was Houndour's only response. Moon watched her for another moment 
before reaching into her pack and with drawing a can of Brock's Brand Pokemon chow.
"Are you hungry?" Moon asked emptying the can into a bowl on the floor.
"Why so you can brain wash me?" the pokemon growled.
"Eat it if you want, don't if you don't." Moon said as she prepared the food for 
her other pokemon.
"You aren't going to let that monster out are you?" The hound was now visibly 
shaking.
"Who Volcanine? Well…yes, she has to eat too." Moon said reaching for her 
other pokemon.
"Yeah, she'll eat me!"
"No she won't. The only reason she hurt you and your pack in the first place was 
because you were trying to eat me." 
"It was nothing personal, we kill or try to kill any trainer that passes that way." 
Moon stopped.
"Why?"
"Brute and most of the older members were once trained. Told us stories of when 
they were trained, if you want to call it that."
"What do you mean by that?" Moon's curiosity growing.
"They were hit and kicked by the people who were supposed to be caring for 
them." the dog's fury returning.
"They were probably raised during the 5 years before my time when a lot of 
trainers were losing their license because of their abusive methods. No one is sure why 
this happened during that time, but it was a definite tragedy, a lot of pokemon died or 
suffered permanent damage. Obviously the repercussion of this are still being felt; wild 
pokemon are less trusting and it is much harder to become a trainer." Moon said calmly.
"So if I don't do what you say are you going to send one of your other pokemon 
on me to cover it up?"
"Nope, but if you don't mind I'm going to feed my other pokemon now." Moon 
said releasing her other five pokemon. They each went to their individual bowls.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Artico asked exuberantly.
"No, I'd rather starve then accept brain wash food." The dog snapped.
"Brain wash? Moon? Never!" Espeon said between bites.
"And I'm not going to let her beat me either!"
"Moon has never raised a hand to any of her pokemon." Bulbasaur tried to 
reassure their new companion.
"Oh really, then were did you get those scares?" Houndour spat.
"A trainer I had before Moon found me." She replied calmly.
"Humph!" Houndour snorted.
"You should be grateful that you weren't left to die after your pack attacked us 
today!" Volcanine snapped.
"Well I'm not. What are you going to do about it, kill me?"
"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Volcanine growled.
"No fighting guys!" Moon said from the computer. "I'm ready for bed. Houndour 
I'll leave your food out. Every one get comfy and get some sleep." Moon instructed.
Houndour curled up in the farthest corner of the room, everyone else lay down 
around the bed.       
************************************************************
The morning was bright and sunny. Prof. Elm had made her a breakfast of bisects, 
eggs, and bacon. He told her that he had not found any thing about Volcanine that the 
pokedex had not told her. There wasn't much prep work to do for the new trainers except 
feed the pokemon.
Moon was happy to see that Houndour had eaten during the night and that she 
was asleep just on the out side of the group.
The new trainers started to gather in the lobby at about 7 and by 7:30 they had all 
arrived. Prof. Elm showed them into the lab and gave them a memorized speech about the 
trials and triumphs of pokemon training. He allowed Moon to talk about her experience 
with the pack of Houndoom and some other details of her training. Then he explained 
that they would choose by order of the grades from their tests taken a few days before.
They had just handed out the last pokemon when the doors to the lab burst open to 
reveal two people in black rocket uniforms. The girl was, to say the least, a large girl. She 
stood about 5'4" and was as wide a line backer. She had a Hispanic look about her, but 
her eyes had thick lids with only a slip of eyes showing. Her lips were also strange 
because they were just barely there. Her black uniform strained to restrain her bulging 
weight. Her male companion was identifiable at a glance.
"What are you doing here Steven?" Moon spat.
"Do I know you? How do you know my name?" He spat back.
"I have my connections. I thought you were in jail."
"I was until Team Rocket gave me an offer I couldn't refuse."
"Enough talk! Hand over your Pokemon Now! Or feel our wrath!" The girl cut in.
"Right you are Linda. Hand them over Now!"
"You want my pokemon? You're going to have to take them." Moon growled
"Fine Go Victoreebel, Razor leaf!" Steven yelled
"Go Kadabra, Psybeam!" Linda chimed in.
"Go Espeon and Artico!" Moon said, the realization that she was the only one in 
the room with pokemon that were strong enough for this battle. "Espeon Bite the 
Kadabra! Artico use Ice Beam on that plant!"
Moon guessed that these pokemon had been given to the duo because they 
couldn't have had time to train them to these levels, this aside from the fact that no 
pokemon Steven trained would look that healthy.
The leaves on the plant pokemon's side sharpened before shooting towards Artico 
at full speed. Artico's indomitable speed allowed him to dodge the main part of the leaves 
and only get a small cut along his flank; unfortunately for the plant Artico's Ice Beam 
was dead on and highly effective, the plant was frozen to the floor though not out of the 
fight.
Espeon was not as not as evasive as Artico and took the Psybeam square in the 
chest, but her resistance to the attack held up. In the next instant she had leaped from her 
spot on the floor and latched onto Kadabra's neck. The psychic pokemon quickly feel to 
the dark type attack.
"Kadabra return!" Linda said angrily. 
"Victoreebel quick use your Wrap attack to restrain that horse!" Steven said with 
a confident smile.
"Artico quick use Blizzard!" Moon came back.
Victoreebel was faster. It's vine quickly wrapped around the horse pokemon's 
legs, neck, torso, and muzzle. What Steven hadn't counted on was the ice flames of 
Artico's mane; Victoeebel's vines began to freeze from the wrap into the main part of the 
plant then froze it solid.
"Victoreebel Return! Come on Linda let's get out of here. We'll see you again!" 
Steven threatened. There was a flash of light and when it cleared the two team rocket 
members had vanished.
"Espeon, Artico return." Moon said calmly before turning back to the new trainers 
and Prof. Elm. Many of the new trainers had their mouths hung open. 
"I challenge you to a pokemon battle!" The trainer who had chosen Chikorita said 
nervously. Moon poured over this in her mind, most of her pokemon were at higher 
levels then all their pokemon combined. Then Moon remembered her newer pokemon.
"Ok I accept your challenge. Go Caterpie! String shot and Tackle!"
"Go Chikorita! Tackle it!" the boy shouted.
Caterpie shot a thick web like string at Chikorita that slowed her down 
significantly, then the two pokemon charged each other in tackle attacks.
"Chikorita vine whip!"
"Caterpie Tackle again!"
The string shot slowed Chikorita to the point that Caterpie was able to get two hits 
in before it could dislodge its vines. The vines cracked as they came down across 
Caterpie's back. Both pokemon looked tied.
"Caterpie finish it with one more Tackle!"
"Chikorita razor leaf!"
Again Caterpie was faster, with a flash of green Chikorita was taken down and the 
battle was over.
"I don't get it!" The boy exclaimed, leaning over his fallen pokemon, "I used the 
stronger moves why didn't I win?"
"What's your name kid?"
"Jake." He sniffled.
"Well Jake," Moon said, bending down to help him with his pokemon, "Battles 
aren't just about who has the stronger moves or the stronger pokemon, it's about who has 
the better strategy."
"I don't understand."
"You will." Moon replied.
"Ok new trainers it's time to get going!" Prof. Elm said.
***********************************************************
It was noon before Moon had made it to Cherrygrove City. The trip had been 
uneventful, no trainers and the only pokemon she saw were low level Pidgey, rattata, and 
sentret, but it did give her lower level pokemon some practice; with Bulbasaur becoming 
Ivysaur and Caterpie becoming Metapod. 
Cherrygrove wasn't much of a city compared to Pewter, Cerulean, or Vermilion 
City but it was bigger then New Bark. She found the pokecenter in the northern part of 
town next to the pokemart. With her and her pokemon fed she started to look for the local 
gym.
"Nurse Joy could you tell me were I could find the gym?" Moon asked as she was 
handed her pokemon.
"Cherrygrove doesn't have a gym. The closest one is in Violet City." The Nurse 
piped cheerfully. 
"Ok were can I find Violet City?"
"It's to the north of here."
"Thanks Nurse Joy!" Moon said as she left the center. 
The path north was thickly forested with lots of grass for ground cover, ideal for 
pokemon to hide in. Moon released her new Houndour. The dark type had grown on her 
and grown to like her. 
"Hey Houndour, what made you change your mind about me?" Moon asked as 
the dog searched the grass a few feet ahead.
"Espeon and I had a long talk last night." She said without lifting her head, "She 
made me realize I was being silly. Hey what's this?" Moon walked up behind her to see a 
small spider like pokemon and pointed her pokedex at it.
"Beep: Spinark: This spider like pokemon makes a silk that is strong enough to 
hold up a large I beam. It also has poison tipped mandibles. Beep"
"Ok Houndour ember!" Houndour nodded and shot a tiny fireball at the spider. 
That was all it took to prepare the pokemon for capture. Moon tossed an empty pokeball 
for an easy capture, that went strait to Prof. Tracy.
"Hey you! That was My Spinark!" a kid with a bug net over his shoulder.
"If was yours then I wouldn't have been able to catch it." Moon stated simply.
"I challenge you to a battle!" the kid yelled.
"Ok, but you'll lose." Moon still said coolly.
"If you're so sure then lets battle for that Spinark."
"Fine, but what do I get if I win?"
"You can have this pokemon I just found. Go Beedrill, Pin Missile!"
"Ok Houndour Flame thrower!" 
The needles on the bee's forelegs and abdominal shot off towards the hellhound, 
scoring a direct but ineffective hit. Houndour countered with a column of flames that was 
much more effective. 
"Beedrill return! Go Butterfree, Psybeam!"
"Houndour Flame Bite!" Moon said with a smirk. The brilliantly colored 
Psybeam made a direct hit but was not very effective. Houndour got a look on her face 
that looked very much like a smile as flames began to like at her lips. Suddenly she 
sprung forward biting down on the butterfly pokemon with the fire still in her mouth.
"Butterfree Return! Here's your stupid prize!" the kid spat as he walked off in a 
huff, throwing the pokeball.
"Good job Houndour!" Moon congratulated as she picked up the pokeball. Before 
she could see what she won the ball flashed away. Moon frowned. "Oh well, it was 
probably just some bug pokemon."
The rest of the trip to Violet City was uneventful. Moon battled mostly Bug type 
trainers, giving a lot of experience points to Artico, Metapod (now a Butterfree), and 
Houndour.  They decided to camp out side of town for the night. Moon built a campfire 
and fed everyone and herself.
"So what's next?" Artico asked in his usual exuberance.
"Well" Moon answered as she crawled into her sleeping bag, "tomorrow we will 
explore the city and go to the gym for our fifth badge."
"Gym Battle? Isn't that were we fight against a certain type for a piece of metal?" 
Houndour asked.
"Yeah, it is." Moon replied.
"What type is it this time?" Volcanine yawned as she stretched.
"I'm not sure. I didn't look much into Johto because I wasn't expecting to come 
here so soon." Moon stretched as she replied lazily
"So who do you plane to use?" Espeon asked.
"I'm not sure yet." Moon said as she drifted off to sleep.
"What is a Gym battle like?" Houndour asked the other pokemon.
"I've never been in one." Artico replied in hush as not to wake Moon.
"Me neither." Butterfree replied.
"Don't look at me." Ivysaur said.
"I was in one once," Espeon replied, "I lost and my old master, Steven, beat me 
something awful. But that was back when I was just and eevee and very young."
"I was in one when I was a growlithe." Volcanine said but it was so long ago it's 
hard to remember.
"So only two out of six of us have been in a gym battle. I hope we will be ok." 
Houndour said sleepily laying her head down on her paws.
"We'll be fine." Volcanine reassured them, "Moon knows what she is doing." 
With that they fell into a silent sleep.
*******************************************************
The next morning, after feeding everyone, Moon headed into Violet City. The city 
was bigger then ether of its predecessors, but still lacked the large buildings of Kanto. 
The biggest building in the town was the Sprout Tower. When Moon entered it 
was all she could do to make it to the center pillar of the tower. Tourists were 
everywhere, taking pictures, reading about the tower, and taking tours.  Moon looked up 
at the huge swaying tower in awe. A small plack next to it read: This pillar sways like the body 
of a Bellsprout from which it was designed.  
"Huh. Designing a tower after a pokemon. Interesting." Moon said.
"Are you pokemon trainer Moon Star?" a man in a monk outfit asked.
"Yes sir." Moon replied.
"Would you follow me please." He stated in a calm voice. Moon quietly followed 
the monk up several floors before they spoke again.
"Were are you taking me?" Moon finally asked.
"To see Sage Lee." He replied shortly.
"Why?"
"It is mine of obey not to question." He answered with finality. Moon fell silent as 
they continued upward. On the way they passed my other monks and sages, some were 
working, some praying, and some had pokemon out, mostly Bellsprout. "We have 
arrived." The monk broke her thoughts suddenly. They were now on the upper most level 
standing in front of a pair of large wooded doors. Moon turned to thank the monk but he 
was already hurrying off down the corridor to some other duty.
Moon turned back to the doors and pushed them open. Inside was a medium 
height man sitting in the lotus position, head bowed, and eyes closed. He was dressed in a 
red-brown monk habit with a white rope belt and a shaved head. He had a distinct look 
about him but she couldn't place it.
"Welcome my child." He said in a misty calm voice, not even moving a muscle  
"Umm…hi. You wanted to see me?" Moon's voice revealed her confusion.
"Be at peace my child. I since that you have traveled far, and collected many 
pokemon." He said still with out moving.
"Yes sir. How did you know I was here, and why did you want to see me?" 
Moon's voice was still a little on edge.
"Patience my child, all will be revealed in due time. There is still a long way for 
you go on your journey and many challenges lie ahead." Still he didn't move.
"I knew that. But if you are going to try and hurt be advised I have many strong 
pokemon that will defined me." Moon replied gripping a random pokeball.
"Be at peace my child, I am not here to hurt you. I am here to test the bond 
between you and your pokemon." He said looking up for the first time.
"How do you plan to do that?" Moon said beginning to relax.
"A two on two pokemon battle."
"Ok you're on!"
"Bellsprout Go. Vine whip." His voice still misty and calm
"Go Artico! Icy Wind!" Moon's voice took on the thrill of battle as she released 
the pokeball. Bellsprout came out fighting; it shot thin vines from its mouth that left thin 
whelps on Moon's Ice horse. Artico reared up in surprise; when it came down it released 
an artic cold blast of air from its throat. The blast of air sent the plant tumbling.
"Bellsprout Growth and Razor Leaf." The sage said with out changing his voice.
"Artico Powdered Snow!" Moon said in victory. Bellsprout took a stance much 
like that of its master as it glowed a soft green color. Artico took advantage of his 
opponent's distraction and shot off a devastating barrage of razor sharp snow flacks. The 
attack put an end to the first round of the battle.
"Bellsprout return. Go Hoothoot. Sunny Day and confusion." The sages voice still 
was calm.
"Ok Artico, Give it an Ice Beam and rampage!" Moon said.
Hoothoot looked up and suddenly the room grow very bright and quit warm. 
Artico whipped his head forward and shot of his Ice beam, but the heat from the Sunny 
day made it so weak that it did little damage. The heat was also having the effect of 
melting the thin coat of ice on Artico fur. In what seemed to be a last ditch effort from her 
horse pokemon, Artico charged the tiny owl. Just before Artico ran it over the Hoothoot 
released a confusion attack that sent Artico off course into a wall. Despite Artico's 
obvious willingness to continue battling, the puddles of water that had been left on the 
floor were ever he had stood told Moon it was time to change.
"Artico Return!" Moon called. She reached for her next pokemon, but hesitated. 
Who should she use; Volcanine would be over kill; Butterfree wouldn't stand a chance 
against a flying type; Ivysaur would also be at a disadvantage; Espeon might work; 
Houndour would be able to take advantage of the Sunny Day. "Go Houndour! Flame 
thrower!"
"Hoothoot another confusion." Came the calm voiced sage.
Hoothoot shot a purple beam strait at Houndour, scoring a direct but weak hit. 
Houndour opened her solid black muzzle and released a mammoth volley of white-hot 
flames that left the bird pokemon roasted.
"Hoothoot return." The sage said calmly, "You have proven the bond between 
you and your pokemon is strong. Please except this as a token of your victory." He 
extended his hand to reveal a scroll tied with a blue silk ribbon. Moon took the scroll and 
unrolled it to see it was a map of Johto.
"Thanks Sage Lee." Moon said putting the map into her pack, "Houndour retu…" 
Moon's voice was lost as she turned to see that her Houndour was encased in a white 
light. Her body grew taller and more streamline, her tail extended and formed a spearhead 
on the end; the skull plate on her head was moved to her chest and was replaced by two 
metal horn like ears. When the light cleared the pokemon that stood before them was a 
Houndoom with solid black fur with glistening white metal decorating its body.
"Houndoom return!" Moon said with a smile on her face.
************************************************************
The outside of the gym looked like a giant birdcage; there were large metal bars 
with glass in-between each bar. Moon entered to find that the inside was a bird sanctuary. 
T her immediate right was a forested area, to her immediate left was a grassy area, to her 
upper right was a shrubby area, and to her upper left was a jungle area. Each area was 
surrounded by glass with a locked glass door on each.
The jungle area intrigued Moon the most. Inside were many birds and pokemon 
she had never seen before. One pokemon was a bird about 8inches tall; its feathers were 
vering shades of Dark red, green and crowned with a black crest; it had a small curved 
beak of a yellow-orange color that matched its sharply taloned feet; its tail was about half 
the length of its body, stiff and fanned; it was the birds eyes that really caught Moon's 
attention, they were a beautiful orange color and seemed to stare at her with an equal 
amount of interest. Moon must have been staring pretty intensely because she jumped at 
the reflection of a boy in the glass.
"Do you like her?" the boy asked
"Yes she's beautiful." Moon replied looking back to the bird.
"To tell you the truth she is hell on wings." The boy replied
"What do you mean?" Moon said looking back at him.
"She was brought here by my dad when he found her hurt. She is a very powerful 
pokemon that would do better with a trainer then in here, but I have yet to see any 
trainers pass this way that could control her."
"A pokemon? I thought she was just some sort of tropical bird."
"Nope. Her species is called Solestya. If you can beat, prove your power as a 
trainer, and she is willing to accept you, then she is yours."
"I guess that means you are the gym leader."
"That is correct. My name is Falkner."
"Wait, my dad battled Falkner when he was my age. So how can you be the same 
person?"
"You must be from Kanto. In Johto the name of the gym leader is passed down 
from one leader to the next. The only exception to this rule is if the new gym leader is the 
opposite gender then the former leader. If you will follow me the arena is this way." He 
said turning to walk down the hall. Moon followed obediently.
The arena was flat and covered in sand and mud with an open roof and several 
trees. 
"Ok this will be a two on two battle."
"Ok go Artico! Icy wind!"
"Go Pidgeotto sky attack!"
Artico reared back and shot forward with an artic blast that caused icicles to form 
on the bird's wings. The now slower Pidgeotto shot for the sky and collides into Artico 
with a sharp blow that made him jump to the side.
"OK Artico Blizzard!"
"Pidgeotto Double Team and Mud Slap!"
With a cry of its name Pidgeotto split into three, landed and began to scoop up 
mud. While this was happening Artico had built up a huge amount of snow and ice. 
Suddenly the two pokemon released their attacks simultaneously. The two attacks meet in 
the middle, the mud was frozen on contact and the power of the wind behind the blizzard 
caused it change direction and head back towards Pidgeotto. The blizzard took out the 
two copies and did great damage to the real Pidgeotto. The final blow came when the 
frozen mud slammed into Pidgeotto's gut.
"Return Pidgeotto! Go Fearow use your Drill Peck!"
"Keep it up Artico, Ice Beam!"
Fearow flew high up into the sky and dove in a spiraling nosedive headed strait 
for Artico. The ice horse shot a light blue beam at the diving bird, sending it off coarse 
and causing it to only hit with a glancing blow.
"Fearow Hyper Beam!"
"Artico use your Blizzard!"
Fearow touched the tips of its wings to its beak and sent a fire red, orange, and 
yellow beam at the ice type. The beam struck Artico dead on. When the flash cleared 
Artico stood on shacking legs breathing hard. Moon started to recall her pokemon when 
his head shot up and released the powerful ice attack. The blizzard did its job, Fearow 
was frozen rock solid and unable to battle.
"Fearow Return!"
"Artico Return!"
"I give you my up most complements. That was an excellent battle to be using a 
unevloved pokemon. You have earned Solestya, if she will accept you." Falkner 
complemented. "If you will follow me we will see what she thinks of you."
************************************************
They stepped into the glass jungle aviary. There were many exotic birds, macaws, 
birds of paradise, and allsorts of others. Solestya sat silently on a branch about ten feet 
away. The bird sat perfectly still staring at the pair of humans with those thoughtful, 
intense, orange eyes.
"Hi Solestya." Moon said moving in slowly as not to scare the pokemon, Falkner 
hung at the door. The bird didn't move or speak. "My name is Moon."
"What do you want!" the bird said in a razor edged voice, as a tough fire licked at 
her beak.
"I just want to be your trainer." Moon said calmly.
"I do not want a trainer! I want out of here! It is too crowed and noisy for a bird of 
my status!"
"Well you don't have to be trained. You can stay with my other pokemon. They 
stay in a wide open space in a warm area south-east of here." Moon said. Solestya's 
expiation didn't change, but she did cock her head and appear to consider this offer.
"Ok I will go. But if it doesn't suit me you will never see me again!" She finally 
said. Moon tossed a pokeball that captured the arrogant bird. As soon as the ball stopped 
it flashed away.
"Again my complements." Falkner said, "I have tried more times then I can count 
to get her to out of here, but she usually just flames me. By the way here is your badge." 
He handed her the badge that looked a pair of wings.
"Thanks." Moon said as she put the badge into her pack.