Seeking Gastly

Maria continued to explore the cave giggling as Spinarak's feelers tickled her head. Nao had leap off her shoulder sniffing around curiously her ears twitching and tail wagging.

Like SPinark a lot of the pokemon down ehre had seen very little human activity and were all curious about ehr a few mis drevious floated about curiously.

Maria smiled warmly at all the Pokemon not used to so much attention from Pokemon or otherwise. Maria despite her cheerful nature could be very shy at times. Especially around boys but she had gotten better at dealing at her insecurities as of late. Nao greeted all the Pokemon excitedly her tail wagging a mile a minute. "Eevee..ee!" Maria was very glad she had gone down here, she was beginning to find her fear of the dark silly.

Jusst becuase it was dark didnt mean the creatures here were unfrenglt there were even a few Zubat hangiung from the ceiling sleeping.

"Having fun I see" Reox said with a smile as he watched ehr from the doorway from the carvern.

Maria turns to Reox nodding. "Yeah this place is great all the Pokemon are so friendly and I caught a Gastly and this Spinarak decided to use my head as a bed but its fine.." She giggles as she pets Nao who nuzzles her hand playfully. "Nao likes it here don't you?" Nao nods ears twitching as she smiles.

"Yeah most people are put off by the name buut its fun down here...however its gettign late and the pokemon centre will be closed soon if you want to rest there for the night"

Maria yawned. "Yeah I am getting pretty tired and Nao had a pretty rough battle and Gastly needs to recover as well." Nao yawned ears flickering jumping onto Maria's shoulder and curling up in a little ball."

"COme on then I think tis time we all left" Reox said softly before he turned and started to leave fully accustand to the darkness of the well.

Maria nods. "Okay! It has been a really long day for me, thanks for helping me out I am still getting used to this whole trainer business but I love it, I can't back out I'm doing this for my brother." She was determined to make her brother proud and donate the money she earned in battles to pay for the house.

"Your welcome it isnt often I get to help rookie trianers" he said with a smile "Im usually busty beating the more experianced ones"

Maria stops dead her red eyes going wide. "Wait! you are the Dusk City Gym leader are'nt you?" She knew from what people in Dodge City that Dusk's Gym leader was a master of Dark Type Pokemon and had a Houndoom.

Reox paused and smirked at that "Huh? you mean you only just figured it out?" He said with a blinked before he chuckled "Yeah that's right I'm Reox" He said with a smile finding her reaction rather amusing; he couldn't blame the girl though; he had quite a rep for being harsh in pokemon battles and his badges were one of the hardest to obtain.

Maria blushed rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "Well I was a little focused on looking for a Gastly." She giggled smiling. "Its nice to meet you I'm Maria Alley!" Maria was well aware how tough of a gym leader Reox was, his reputation was well known in Dodge City.

"Well its nice to meet you Maria...and it seems your walking away with more then a gastly" He said with a grin as Spinarak peeked open and Eye clicked its feelers then went back to sleep. Houndour let his flame die once they reached outside and Reo pet the demon dog gently "Great work Houndoom, Hunter go have a rest now" He said the two pokemon nodded before heading back to the mansion.

Maria giggled patting the little spider on his head. "Yeah this little guy seemed to get REALLY attached to me I got two for the price of one." She walked behind Reox. "If it was'nt for Haunter and Houndoom me and Nao would've been wandering around all night."

Reox chuckeld softly at that "Well Im glad you didnt get lost or spooked out it can be scary down ther eif you dont expect it" He said simply "Im sure you'll fo just fine now" He said amused.

Maria nodded. "Yeah tell me about it that would have been pretty bad if I got lost down there." Maria blinks. "Ya think so? well if a gym leader as strong as you says that I can't help but believe it." She said with a grin.

"You have to have faith in yourself after all you and other trainers your age are the future, I expect to see you back here one day ready to challenge me" He said with a smile "And if you do that I'm sure...you'll have a lot of fun meeting im older brother in the elite four, its a long hard journey but...I have a feeling you'll make it somehow"

"My brother told me to never lose sight of my dream to be the best Pokemon Master in the Terra region one day, I will be back to take you on for that badge one day hopefully sooner rather then later." She said smiling with determination. "I know it be tough but I got confidence I'll pull through it all but growing an unbreakable bond with my Pokemon is the most important thing I want on my journey."

Reox nodded at that "Keep that determination and grow that bind and you'll go far" He said simply "The Pokemon center is that way the first house on your left you better catch it before it closes" he said softly "Good look Marie" He said before he turned and headed back to the mansion.

Maria smiles as he walks back to manison. "Thank you Reox, I will never lose my determination and my bond to my Pokemon mark my words." She then dashed off as fast as her feet could carry her to the Pokemon Center to rest before moving on in her journey. Knowing one day soon she would be back to battle Reox for his badge. But she still had a long way to go and many other badges to earn before the Dark Badge.

Reos chuckeld as he headed inside the mansion "I hope not kiddo I hope not" He muttered to himself; Maire had a lot fo promise for a trainer and it was obvious with Spinark beign comfortabel around ehr that she could bond quickly with Pokemon.

SPinark woke up when they got inside a pokemon centre; hes neevr seen a birgth building before.

Maria smiled when she felt Spinarak shift on her head. "I see somebody is awake, I know this is your first time out of that cave. Don't be scared.." Nao was still asleep on her shoulder ears twitching in her sleep, cuddling into Maria's neck. She walked to the front desk and asked with a smile. "Is it alright if me and my Pokemon spend the night.

The nurse smield at that "Of course it is" she said with a smile "We have a room free and we;ll happily look after your pookemon" She said with a smile Soinark clikced its feelers and crlowed off Marie to go have a looka round; it didnt need healing liek Gastly did.

Maria smiled as Spinarak explored he was a cute little Pokemon. "Okay thank you so much!" Maria was lucky they had made it inside somewhere. She really did not want to camp in the darkness. She may of somewhat gotten used to the dark but she was not yet brave enough to camp in it. She handed the Nurse Gastly's Pokeball to get him back to full health. Nao woke up yawning looking around a bit as she got used to her surroundings. Nao was a bit hurt from her fight with Gastly but nothing major. Maria patted her head. "Nao why don't you let the nurse check you out? I want you to behave no biting.." Nao nodded Maria was trying to break Nao of her biting habit Nao was not that trusting sometimes it was just her nature.