Chapter 97. Lavender City

Words : 1608 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

In the following weeks, Elara began documenting her technology for her replacement. Now that everything had been set up, it would require minimal maintenance to keep things running smoothly. On a sudden whim, Kaia stepped up and took over the hydroponics farm from Elara. She was free most of the time because of the Skiddo, so she figured that adding basic engineering to her repertoire would be a productive use of her extra time. Meanwhile, Maris handed over her managerial responsibilities to Nyx, who had Rotom and a massive server at her disposal. Nyx developed an accounting software to manage the farm's finances and connections, which not only impressed Maris but also led her to request a copy for her own business. Lyra, on the other hand, continued her training under Alex—not just in handling her Pokémon but also in basic self-defense, especially to protect herself from opportunistic threats. Vera stayed on as usual, focusing on her studies while helping Lina and Mira care for the Pokémon. Lina and Mira were shocked by the news that three of the girls were leaving, but they understood the need for some of them to pursue greener pastures. They, however, were perfectly content staying. It was their dream job: a quiet farm where they could do what they loved, all while being paid far more handsomely than anywhere else. Sex, men, and relationships were the last things on their minds, given their history. They still had nightmares, after all, and had been asking Togekiss to visit them while they slept. Dream Eater wasn't just a killing move—it was therapeutic. Meanwhile, Alex had just turned eighteen. He stood at 5'10", with little chance of growing any taller—his potential had run its course, and he was stuck at his current height for the foreseeable future. He had spent the last six weeks on standby at the farm, waiting for retaliation from the Thornhart family, who were apparently quite well-off. Alex had Nyx do some digging and learned that their patriarch was a former Champion—one of the lucky few who rose to the title after Red stepped down and the scientific study of official battles had gone mainstream. The Thornhart patriarch was a Sunny Day user, known for running speed-and-bulk-focused teams, not unlike Erika's strategy against Alex. The key difference was that his approach was far more modern. While most competitors at the time still relied on Toxic stall and Baton Pass strategies, he swept through the scene by combining both styles and layering in Sunny Day tactics. His lead was a Drought Ninetales holding a Focus Sash, typically opening with Nasty Plot to set up. Against Belly Drum users, it would use Psych Up, then Baton Pass into a Chlorophyll-boosted sweeper like Scovillain. His reign didn't last long—he was replaced within a few months—but by then, he had already cashed in on the title and secured a future for himself and his family. The Thornhart family didn't have any known ties to the Underworld and had kept a low profile over the years. But their little angel, Briar, could probably do no wrong in their eyes—so a grudge wasn't out of the question. Alex was fairly certain Briar held one against him. So he waited for retaliation… but none ever came. In any case, his time was up. It was time to head to Lavender City and earn his third badge. His trip to Lavender City took a full day on Hydreigon, flying at top speed with only minor disturbances from local Pokémon—nothing the flying team couldn't handle. Upon arrival, Alex was met with the sight of what looked like an oversized town. A few high-rise buildings dotted the landscape, but the majority of structures remained two-story homes, preserving the area's residential charm despite ongoing expansion. Lavender Town had officially become a city after opening up its eastern side to build a harbor, enabling trade with Cerulean City, Fuchsia City, and Cinnabar Island. The harbor brought a surge of migrants seeking business opportunities, prompting growth—but the locals remained firm on preserving the town's traditional structure. Rather than rise into a dense skyline of apartment towers like other metropolises, Lavender City chose to sprawl outward. This decision limited its vertical expansion and, by extension, its capacity to house more residents—effectively capping its own growth. When questioned, the mayor explained that the town's identity as a peaceful resting place for Pokémon took precedence over modern development. Though its size qualified it as a city, its layout and space usage made it feel more like a town clinging to its past. Alex stayed the night in a modest hotel room—the city had none that truly catered to his needs. By morning, he was at the gym, located right next to the famous cemetery that housed the remains of countless Pokémon once bonded to trainers. All gyms were standardized to have five floors and followed roughly the same layout. In the case of Agatha's Ghost Gym, the first floor was a spiritual training ground—an eerie, sacred space where those with the talent could tap into their spiritual senses and attempt to commune with the dead. Not much was known about the practice, except that the dead were notoriously picky about who they spoke to. Even the most talented spiritualists could go their whole lives without ever hearing a single word in return. A spiritualist's most important role wasn't battling—it was maintaining spiritual order. Spiritualists worked to keep the dead calm, asleep, and within their boundaries. Without these protections, ghost-type Pokémon would flood the streets, snatching souls away in the dead of night. As Alex walked through the first floor, he passed glowing ritual circles surrounded by candles and cryptic markings. Ghost-types drifted through the air like mischievous children, causing minor chaos—but notably, they avoided him entirely. They didn't hiss or react. They simply floated away as if they hadn't noticed him at all. 'Strange,' Alex thought. 'Is this because of my Dark-type affinity?' He reached the second floor, a conventional training ground for gym trainers, and ascended again to the third floor. The third floor mimicked a cemetery. Trainers meditated in silence at their designated battle arenas. The layout was an open maze, with tombstones acting as makeshift walls—though the entire floor was clearly visible from any angle. "You'll need to reach the Gym Leader however you can," said the floor coordinator, positioning herself behind Alex. "But if a gym trainer calls out to you, you must accept their challenge. I'll referee any battles that occur." Alex blinked, puzzled. The whole place was open—everyone could see each other. Why go through the pretense of a maze if there was no mystery or concealment? Still, he plotted his course, weaving through winding paths between tombstones, doing his best to avoid eye contact. He could have jumped over the tombstones to take shortcuts, but doing so felt disrespectful—especially with everyone watching. As he moved, Alex noticed no one looked at him. The trainers remained still, eyes closed or unfocused, lost in deep meditation. Only the floor coordinator behind him acknowledged his presence. Without a single challenge, Alex reached the far end of the floor—Agatha's battlegrounds. Perplexed but composed, he stepped forward and offered a polite greeting, his expression a mixture of confusion and curiosity. "Hello, my name is Alex, and I'd like to challenge Gym Leader Agatha," Alex said politely. "Oh?" Agatha murmured, opening her eyes to get a better look at him. "You carry quite the affinity for darkness." Alex tilted his head. "Why do you say that?" "Because you walked through the maze without issue," she replied, her gaze sharp. "For those without your talents, it's nothing but a fog-covered floor. They stumble around for hours, battling my trainers over and over, never reaching me before their time runs out." She stood slowly, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "But no matter. Come—we'll see if your strength holds up in battle." With a subtle motion, she tossed out a Poké Ball. A Drifblim emerged, floating ominously above the floor. Alex gave a nod and sent out one of his Crobat in response. Since Raticate and Arcanine had been promoted to Elite status, Alex couldn't register them for Gym battles anymore—not unless he wanted to make things harder for himself. So, he planned to go in with his weakest team members, keeping Kommo-o in reserve just in case. "Singles battle, 6-on-6! Gym Leader Agatha versus Challenger Alex!" the referee announced. "Begin!" "Tailwind." "Taunt." Drifblim tried to whip up a Tailwind, but Crobat's Taunt landed first, shutting it down before it could begin. "Very good," Agatha commented. "Never let Ghost-types use status moves. Thunderbolt." "Acrobatics." Crackling with electricity, Drifblim began charging power—only for Crobat to dive in, weaving through the air with sharp precision. As the two collided, Drifblim unleashed Thunderbolt, while Crobat's claws raked across its form. Both took damage in the exchange. "Again!" both trainers ordered in unison. Drifblim tried to repeat the trick, but it was too slow. Crobat twisted midair and struck again, this time clean and decisive. Drifblim didn't even have time to spark before it was taken out. As Crobat landed, Drifblim burst like a balloon, releasing a shockwave of damage. Crobat winced, dropping to a quarter of its health. "Aftermath," Alex muttered. "Figures." "Well done," Agatha said with a smile, already tossing out her next Poké Ball. "Keep this up, and the badge will be yours." ----- Support me on Patreon patreon/babywrath

Chapter 97. Lavender City

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