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Alex and Morgan were on route to their next gym in Circhester, Morgan making most of the conversation while Alex happily listened.
"And when you used your Gyrados to deliver a hyper beam right to the face, it was beautiful!"
"Well, Gyrados was being grappled…"
"Yeah, but I totally thought you were going to lose. I had no idea that Gyrados had been generating a hyper beam!"
"That's the trick - if Gyrados can hold it under their tongue, no one can see it coming."
"It was amazing! Not to mention what your Houndoom accomplished…"
Alex smiled to themselves as they listened. They enjoyed a great many things about Morgan, but their enthusiasm for their battles and the cadre of their voice as they celebrated Alex's victories was definitely up there on the list.
"The only thing is, I still don't know how you go around looking like that, and everyone just treats you like a normal trainer," Morgan said.
Alex, who was actually a Mewtwo, smirked. "It's pretty easy mental manipulation, actually. People prefer to only see other trainers moving about freely - I just elevate that natural desire and use their mind to fill in the illusion."
"It didn't work on me," Morgan said proudly.
"Yeah, that still mystifies me," Alex said, rubbing the back of their head. "I know I had that ability on when I met you and so far, you're the one it's failed on."
"Must be I'm special," Morgan said with a smirk.
'Absolutely,' Alex thought to themselves. 'If only I was human too; I'd take you out to dinner and show you just how much.'
—
When they reached Circhester, a poster on the door made Morgan blanch.
"Nope," Morgan said, "Nope, nope, nope, I'm not going in there."
"What's wrong?" Alex asked.
"You remember how I said that my family ran this gym, but my parents left my siblings in charge because they wanted to try out for the Elite Four?"
"Yeah, no, I see. Your mom's returned?"
"Yeah, and she's using the gym with my brother! I guess Diego moved on."
"Don't worry, they'll be too focused on me to go after you."
Morgan shook their head. "Heck no! I am absolutely not going in there, those two are insufferable!"
"But who's going to cheer me on?!"
"I don't know, but I am not risking seeing Chad or my mom. C'mon, Ohio and Barnaby," Morgan said, addressing the Growlithe and Rookidee that followed them around everywhere. "Have fun, Alex!"
Alex frowned after Morgan and then cricked their neck.
Time to take out their frustration on Morgan's family.
—-
"Morgan, you need to take a break," Ohio said in poke speak, once they were back in the woods.
"No I don't."
"Yes, you do!" Ohio insisted.
Barnaby piped up and said, "D-don't you have a l-limit on how l-long you c-can hold the illusion?"
To anyone listening, it would have sounded like "Gr-Growlithe grow," with some whimpers mixed in.
"We're right outside my parent's city. There is no way I'm going to go without my illusion until we're well away from here."
A familiar voice interrupted: "Are you talking to your pokemon?"
"No, of course not!" Morgan said, turning to face Chad. Their tail flickered out behind them in their shock.
"Huh…well, whatever. The Chad came out here looking for strong trainers to fight and you seem like you'd be an excellent challenge."
"Oh no," Morgan said. "I'd make a terrible challenge actually, I don't even have a badge…"
"Come now, don't be shy! I need to fight trainers at all levels as a gym leader - I'll even give you some pointers!"
Morgan's tail twitched. 'If I leave now, he'll catch on,' they thought to themself. 'I gotta stall and try to fix the illusion.'
'Well, if you insist… '
Unfortunately, Chad was a rock type gym leader, and Morgan didn't have anyone except Ohio and Barnaby.
They almost regretted rejecting Alex's constant nagging to put together a proper team.
"C'mon," Alex had said, "you can't just journey around with your starter and the injured Rookidee you picked up!"
"Why not?" Morgan had said. "I like who I've got. We don't all need an elite team like you."
Well, Morgan regretted that now.
Chad and his Rhydon took out Ohio with a couple well aimed Rock Throws.
"Try a type that's not weak to rock!" Chad called out helpfully.
"Yeah, F you too," Morgan muttered.
"M-Morgan…," Barnaby said.
Unfortunately, their tail was still an issue.
"Go on, Barnaby, I'm counting on you!"
Morgan started off with multiple Abilities, lining up to do a hit and run technique with Bite - unfortunately, Chad saw that coming.
"That's excellent strategy!" Chad called out. "Now observe how I take your Growlithe out! Earthquake!"
It was a critical hit against Growlithe, but what was worse was that the attack landed Morgan right on their tail - the illusion vanished, revealing a shiny Zorua.
"Morgan…?" Chad said in shock. "I'm definitely not letting you go away again! Return!"
Morgan growled and swatted away the pokeball.
"Rhydon, Earthquake!" Chad called out.
Morgan valiantly struggled, refusing to leave Ohio or Barnaby behind, but the Rhydon quickly overpowered them.
'I don't want… to go back…,' was their last thought, as the red light consumed them.