<Tun... tun... tun... nun... nun!>The bell rang loudly.
"Alright trainer Kalem, trainer Kira, your Pokemons are fully healed!" Nurse Joy uttered with a smile and gave back our Pokemons.
<Mawile! Maw!>The Pokemon beamed with satisfaction and dignity.
"You look great Mawile!" I uttered with a large smile while playing with Mawile's hair.
"Your Pokemons look cheerful and happy, it is a sign of a strong bond between a trainer and a Pokemon!" Kira giggled and smiled at me and my Pokemons.
"Thanks Kira, the truth is, most of my Pokemons belong to other trainers."
"Belong to other trainers? Were they abandoned?"
"Yup, Scyther... Treecko... Gardevoir... and Shuppet... Some of them lost their trainer, some of them are left behind. I made the decision to adopt them so that they could experience happiness again."
"The world is truly a cruel place, a lot of people hunt down Pokemons and sell them to black markets just like your Mawile. If only the world would know how the Pokemon feels about them."
"I wish the same thing, but you can't force them to change, that's why I adopt abandoned Pokemons instead."
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"Look! I can see the Pokemon center!" Camellia beamed with excitement as she pointed her finger to the pink building with a Pokeball on top across the street.
"Calm down Camellia, don't get too excited," Glade uttered with a pleasant smile.
"Excuse me, young children..." A tall man with a feathered Fedora walked closer to them.
"Oh, it's Murdock!" Zhery beamed with joy as she looked behind.
"I'm looking for this boy. His name is Kalem Ketsueki. Have you seen him?" Murdock queried and showed a small picture of me.
"Of course we do, he's our friend! He actually came here to challenge you." Glade explained.
"I know, that's why I'm looking for him. I heard that he's a strong trainer. Stronger than the world champion perhaps."
"Kalem? Stronger than the world champion? Impossible..." Zhery declined.
"Well, he defeated Zedrick, he's top one and he got defeated by a ten year old kid."
"Wait, so the rumors are true! Kalem did defeat Zedrick!" Glade uttered with shock.
"Follow us, Murdock, we know where Kalem is," Camellia instructed with respect while pointing at the Pokemon center.
Murdock, and the three of my friends crossed the road to get to the other side, joke! They crossed the road to reach the Pokemon center of course.
Through the translucent windows, they took a nice little glimpse to see if I was still there, who knows? Maybe I went out to explore the city.
"So, Zhery... is Kalem there? Do I have to call him?" Camellia queried.
"Oh Kalem? He's there alright... but you're not going to like this Camellia..." Zhery giggled while taking a peek.
"Like what? What's happening inside?" Camellia queried.
"Oh nothing much, except for the fact that Kalem's not alone."
"Not alone!?" Glade uttered with shock.
"Yeah, he's just talking to a girl about the same age as him..." Zhery uttered with a teasing voice.
"What!?" Camellia uttered with shock and took a peek at the window.
"See? Told you!" Zhery uttered softly.
"Hmph! That's it!" Camellia uttered with frustration and entered the Pokemon center.
"It seems to me your friend is frustrated," Murdock uttered with a slight surprise.
"That's Camellia, she's always like that," Glade sighed and facepalmed.
"Aulmurus city?"
"Yes, that's where I'm headed next. You should go there too Kalem." Kira suggested.
"Sure, after this gym... I'll go to Aulmurus city! Who's the gym leader there anyways?"
"Her name is Thalia, and she's the youngest of the eight gym leaders in this region," Kira explained while pointing on the map.
"Hi Kalem!" Camellia ran between me and Kira. Mawile got scared and hid behind my legs.
"Oh, Camellia... You're back, is Zhery and Glade there?" I smiled and queried.
"Of course they are, who's your new friend over here, hmmm?" Camellia faced Kira and queried with frustration.
"Hi there, my name is Kira. Nice to meet you." Kira introduced and smiled pleasantly.
"Well yeah? My name is Camellia!" Camellia introduced but with frustration and anger. She blocked my view from Kira.
"Oh, is Kalem your ?"
"Soon, hopefully," Camellia uttered with a lower tone.
"Oh, I didn't mean to make you jealous." Kira apologized.
"Jealous? Jealous about what?" I queried with confusion.
"Umm, it's nothing. hehe!" Camellia smiled as a small sweat tear fell off her.
"I'm Kalem's cousin, that's all." Kira smiled and explained.
"Wait, you have a cousin, and you didn't tell me?"
"I didn't even know she's my cousin. She just told me she was my cousin and she was able to prove it."
"Oh... sorry for getting frustrated Kira." Camellia apologized with an embarrassed face.
"No problem Camellia..."
"...after all, you and Kalem look perfect for each other!" Kira whispered softly in Camellia's ear.
"What are you two talking about?" I queried with confusion.
"Nothing, it's a girl's talk, you won't understand it," Kira explained.
"Hey Kalem!" Zhery and Glade called from a distance. They were running towards me with Murdock walking from behind.
"Oh, hey Zhery, hey Glade!"
"So it's true you really won against Zedrick." Zhery uttered with shock.
"Yup, and I want you to meet my cousin, Kira!"
"Hi there... my name is Kira Ketsueki, I'm Kalem's cousin." Kira winked and waved her hands.
"Oh, I guess Camellia got overprotective again." Zhery teased.
"Overprotective, what do you mean?" I queried.
"I told you Kalem, you won't understand." Kira giggled with a pleasant look on her face.
"So, you're the boy who defeated the world's strongest trainer? Or did he make you win?" Murdock uttered with his Dracula accent while walking towards me.
"Oh, hey Murdock! Long time no see!" Kira smiled and giggled.
"Oh Kira, nice to see you again. It looks to me that your cousin is pumped up!" Murdock hunched.
"Pumped up!? Of course, I am!"
"Then what are you doing here!? I've been waiting for you in my gym for the past two hours!"
"Sorry Murdock, I went sightseeing today," I uttered with an embarrassed tone.
"I'll be the one to adjust, Kalem, I challenge you to battle me! Murdock, the gym leader of Fantasma city!"
"Sure Murdock, we can battle tomorrow! I also heard about Arc's battle. He lost."
"That champion didn't battle like a champion, I wonder why Leon lost to him," Camellia uttered.
"Arc is currently training! Why won't you challenge me now? Are you scared of my looks? I may sound like Dracula but I'm not a vampire." Murdock smiled and teased.
"Alright then Murdock, I'll challenge you today! I'll go to the towers tomorrow instead."
"That's the spirit young boy! It's off to the tower of blessings!" Murdock uttered with his accent.
"Oh Kalem, can I watch your battle? Before I leave?" Kira begged.
"Sure Kira, you can watch with my friends, I also want all of you to meet my new Pokemon!" I beamed with excitement.
"Your new Pokemon?" Glade queried.
"Yup, come here Mawile, these are my friends." I grabbed Mawile's gentle buddy and held her in my hands.
"A Mawile!?" Zhery uttered with shock.
"It's not just a Mawile, it's a shiny one as well!" Camellia uttered with shock.
"Yes it is! This is the proof that I won against Zedrick!"
<Mawile!>The Pokemon smiled and waved her hands.
Later, I'll be challenging a strong gym leader named Murdock. Only time will tell if I will win or lose, what Pokemons will he use? What strategies does he have? Only time will tell as the journey continues!