Reinterpretation of Pokemon White

Believable and acceptable. I think so. Very psychological and well written. Yes to that too. Seriously, this is really good Valin. Ria's Pokemon aren't the only ones who are excited watching her grow, I am too and you certainly don't disappoint. Every chapter fleshes her character out a little more causing her to develop and learn. I also always love hearing the Pokemon's side of the story, even if it was only from N's translation this time around.

Ah, Ralts may one day be a Gallade from the sound of it.

I have to say, I like the way you made Ria seem the opposite to N, unlike in the game in which N is more fond of the player character. You showed how a human can become so entrenched in the current culture, they can disregard the safety of other living beings. I enjoyed the conversations between the Pokemon, but couldn't Ralts have tried to beam some thoughts into their heads using telepathy, or is he too weak?

Overall, I wonder if Ria will come to see N's ways and release her Pokemon. At the very least, I want to see her do a Fiore/Almia type thing and have multiple Pokemon friends.

I arrive back at the Pokemon Center at about late noon, handing in Dewott and Ralts to be healed from the battles out in the forest.

After they get completely revitalized, we will head over to the museum, check out the exhibits, and I will at least try to express an interest. Hey, who knows? I might actually find myself being interested for real. After all, the last time I was at a museum was during a field trip to a tiny one in Striaton City when I was an eighth-grader, who liked sports... and little else, and especially hated educational stuff, toiling to at least maintain a C-average because dad, who was not yet working abroad, was a real tyrant when it came to grades and had very little tolerance for bad daughters who slack off in their studies. However, I'd been pretty diligent in learning the ins and outs of Pokemon training, if I do say so myself, and every new day has been another lesson, and I'll admit, learning all of it firsthand has been pretty fun. So hey, maybe another miracle will happen at the museum.

I wait for Dewott and Ralts to fully recover, and I had all the good fortune to arrive at the Center right after a group of trainers just had a mass training session, and their Pokemon need to be healed first, with mine pending. I was told I'd have to wait about forty minutes. Ter-freaking-riffic...

All I have to do in the meantime is release Rufflet for a little company, and the two of us sit on a couch somewhere in the Center's lobby and watch whatever's on the public TV set on one of the upper walls. Not surprisingly, it's tuned in to the local news.

I'd never really watched TV, at least in a channel-surfing sense, all that much, mainly using the one in my now-wartime aftermath of a bedroom for DVDs and the occasional video game.

The few timed I'd watched the local news, most of the halfway-interesting stuff had always gone down in the same places: Castelia City, Nimbasa City, and Opelucid City, the major urban areas of Unova. Hardly anything worth mentioning happens on the Unova peninsula or the Unova proper countryside.

The current report is no different, though I do decide to pay attention, because A, doing otherwise would just make me bored, and B, it's in Castelia City, which I'm practically on the doorstep of.

A reporter, a woman, probably around the Professor's age, with short hair and wire-framed glasses, discusses what's going on in Castelia City nowadays, “In Castelia City news, the recent string of robberies continues. Since last night, police have received their twenty-seventh report of Pokemon being stolen from fledgling trainers. It is believed that these incidents have been the work of Team Plasma, a criminal organization that had recently been reported to at least attempt the pilfering of Pokemon from trainers, claiming it's for the good of all Pokemon. Police have claimed to have been searching non-stop for a potential hideout, but so far, there are yet to be any reports claiming success. All trainers in Castelia City are warned to stay out of alleyways and other non-public areas, and to decline any offers from strangers for Pokemon battles.”

Team Plasma... I think back to when Bianca and I had that run-in with the two Team Plasma members in the Dreamyard, abusing that poor Munna. It looks like little had changed about them since. Still, why are they trying to force people to give up their Pokemon? Ghetsis's speech is the only Team Plasma-related thing that actually made me turn, so why not find more guys like him, have them set up some public assemblies, and preach 'Pokemon Liberation,' or whatever?

I sigh as I realize I actually know the answer to the question I just asked myself. Cheren was troubled by what Ghetsis said back in Accumula Town as well, but he did bring up one very good point: a speech will not change thousands of years worth of tradition. Pokemon and humans have coexisted for a very long time, and, putting the moral questions aside, mainly good has come from it. It would be impossible to convince humanity as a whole to just up and release their Pokemon, no matter how persuasive or charismatic their speakers are. Of course, when words fail, force just seems like the natural solution, doesn't it? People won't listen to words and they oppose force. It's a lose-lose situation. These guys must truly believe in what they're doing if they're still keeping at it.

I shake my head, dismissing my current line of thought. Whatever. I don't care. Any credibility I thought Team Plasma had evaporated when I saw those guys kicking that Munna and then trying to steal my Pokemon and Bianca's.

The news cuts to some commercials. The first one has this blonde, blue-eyed, super-thin model, dressed in black and yellow, who I'd seen in countless ads lately, advertising a new type of Pokeball, created by the Silph Company's Unova branch, and just generally making Pokemon training out to look like it's a drop-dead-sexy career choice. I roll my eyes. Are guys really so shallow enough to buy into this? However, Rufflet can't take his eyes off the TV screen. Sigh... What a typical male... though his eyes were equally glued to the TV during the news report, so maybe I'm being too quick to judge. After all, how often can you watch TV in the wild? Being my Pokemon has opened the door to a whole bunch of experiences, hasn't it?

There's a tone, indicating that someone has opened the door to the outside. For whatever reason, I glance to see who it is, look away, and then do a double-take. Two people enter the Center: Cheren and Bianca. Bianca is still dressed up in her disguise clothes and dark makeup, but has her hat-wig off, probably because she knows she wouldn't be fooling anyone in the Pokemon Center's staff, as her trainer's license, which trainers have to flash to receive a Center's free services, has her undisguised picture on it.

I rise out of the couch and call out to my friends, “Hey! Guys!”

Cheren and Bianca look in my direction. Bianca looks at me with a wide smile, while Cheren, who, for one reason or another, looks kinda beat, raises just one of his cheekbones.

“Hey! Ria!” calls out Bianca.

I rush over to my friends.

“Long time no see!” I greet. I notice both Cheren and Bianca have badges pinned to their shirts, with Cheren having won the Trio Badge in addition to the one he won at Nacrene Gym, and Bianca just having the Trio Badge, like me. It looks like all three of us have officially closed the book on Striaton Gym.

“'Long time?'” questions Cheren, “I saw you yesterday.”

“Me too,” says Bianca.

I jolt as I realize they're right. It has only been yesterday when I last saw them, wasn't it? With training Ralts, the dark-type attack, and the run-in with N, things have felt longer.

“You're right,” I say, “but things have been kinda crazy lately, and it feels like it's been weeks.”

“Tell me about it...” Cheren sighs. Life's been pretty busy for him too, by the looks of it.

“Cheren,” says Bianca, “You told me you'd help me out with the Pokemon Transfer System.”

“Of course...” Cheren sighs again.

The Pokemon Transfer System is a service offered at Pokemon Centers, where trainers can send and receive Pokemon, via teleportation, to and from Pokemon ranches or other places they keep the Pokemon they are not currently using. However, it's really only needed for trainers who have more than six Pokemon.

I look at Cheren's belt. It looks like he hadn't caught anything new since last time. He still has three Pokeballs with colors representing Servine, Sawk, and his Ralts.

However, something is different about Bianca's lineup. Last time I saw her, she just had Tepig and Munna, but now there are four Pokeballs on her belt! Other than the ones I'm already aware of, the third Pokeball is a standard with a white center, representing a normal-type, and fourth capsule is a Great Ball with a brown center, representing a ground-type. Still, she doesn't have more than six Pokemon, so why would she need the Pokemon Transfer System?

“The Transfer System?” I say, “What's up?”

Cheren explains, “Bianca and I were at the Pokemon Sale at the daycare earlier today. A new 'Ultra Rare Pokemon' had been added since we took their last two Ralts. It was an Eevee, a normal-type. We took a picture of it with our Pokedexes to learn more about it, and no sooner did we do that when my Xtransciever started beeping. It was Professor Juniper, requesting that we purchase the Eevee and transfer it to her lab so she can do some research on it, though from the way she was talking, you'd think she was giving us an order. I mentioned its cost of 5,500 credits, but the Professor said that she'd pay us back the next time we met in person. Thanks to our winnings from Striaton Gym, as well as some trainers we encountered along Route 3 beforehand, and beat, we had enough money between us...” Cheren pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose, “I told Bianca to take it, since I'm still busy raising Ralts.”

Bianca adds, “Professor Juniper did teach us a lot of what we now know about Pokemon training, so if she wants us to send her a Pokemon she wants to research, it's the least we can do in return...”

“Fair enough,” I say, “So, Bianca, it looks like you also caught a ground-type.”

“Oh, yes,” says Bianca, “Not long after the Pokemon Sale, we came across a member of Team Plasma stealing a Pokeball from a small girl...” Bianca adds a somewhat dynamic edge to her tone, “We sprung into action! We chased him to a cave a little ways off the road. There, there were a couple other Team Plasma members, and they sent out their Pokemon. However, our Pokemon were too strong for them, they gave up the little girl's Pokemon, and ran. On our way out of the cave, we noticed a Pokemon that kinda looked like a mole, with long sharp claws. My Pokedex identified it as a Drilbur. Anyway, it looked like a pretty tough Pokemon, and since Munna had gotten pretty strong, Tepig had evolved into Pignite, and I'd be sending Eevee to the Professor anyway, I figured it was time to capture a new Pokemon, so I wore it down with Munna, and captured it.”

“You ran into Team Plasma again?” I ask.

“Yeah,” says Bianca, “There was just one guy, so I thought Cheren and I could team up against him, but we were led into a trap. Still, it turned out alright in the end, didn't it, Cheren?”

“Sure...” Cheren groans. Somehow, I get the feeling he wasn't as enthusiastic about trying to be a hero...

“Anyway,” I say, “you said Tepig evolved into Pignite? That's awesome, Bianca! Congratulations!”

“Yeah,” says Bianca, “He evolved not long after you left, actually. He was at a type disadvantage, and was knocked out eventually, but his power still helped out a lot in beating Cress.”

Cheren, who had not been contributing a whole lot to the conversation, adds something of his own, “As for me, Sawk proved very helpful. You see, he doesn't evolve at all, but with training, he can still compete on fairly even ground with fully-evolved Pokemon, so his strength was well above that of the Pokemon Chili sent out, overpowering them easily.” I notice a slight grin cross his face, and I can only imagine the look Chili might have given when he lost to Cheren.

I grin, “Alright! Score one for fighting-types...” I suddenly remember that Pignite is, in addition to being a fire-type, also part-Fighter. Geez, I can't believe I forgot that! “Actually, make that two.”

Bianca and I share a light laugh, while Cheren walks past us, and over to a computer console situated next to the front desk. Its monitor and keyboard are elevated, so people can use it while standing up. To the right of the keyboard is a mousepad and to the left left is a small tray, just big enough to fit a Pokeball in.

Cheren says, “Bianca, all you need to do is enter your Trainer ID, and I will take care of the rest.”

“Okay!” Bianca takes her license card out of her pocket, walks over to the computer, looks at her ID number written on the back of her license, types in the seven digits, and presses the 'Enter' key. Bianca steps aside for Cheren, “It's all yours!”

Cheren takes Bianca's place at the computer, while Bianca and I watch over his shoulders.

The Professor taught us on how to use the Pokemon Transfer System before, but I'm not a very computer-literate person, and neither is Bianca, so most of it flew over our heads. I pretty much made an unspoken vow to myself to not capture Pokemon anymore after I get six, so I won't ever have to figure this thing out.

Luckily, Cheren knows his way around a computer, and he explains what's going on as he works, “When a trainer catches more than six Pokemon, the seventh automatically gets transferred to a Pokemon ranch nearest to a trainer's home. In our case, it's a ranch located somewhere off Route 2. However, since Professor Juniper requested Eevee, I will redirect the transfer to her lab, and since Eevee is Bianca's Pokemon, I'm using her account...” On the monitor, the mouse's cursor goes every which way, clicking stuff. Cheren occasionally types stuff in, and despite his explanation, I'm kinda lost. Finally, he holds out his left hand, saying, “Hand me Eevee's Pokeball, Bianca.” Bianca does as instructed and Cheren places the Pokeball in the tray. He types in some more stuff, clicks something, and finally, the Pokeball vanishes with a white flash. Cheren logs out of Bianca's account, and says, “Done. Eevee is now at Professor Juniper's lab.”

“Thanks for your help,” says Bianca, “Still, I hope I'll get Eevee back...”

“You probably will,” says Cheren, “right after Professor Juniper is done with her research.”

Bianca and Cheren then proceed to hand in their Pokemon to the front desk so they can be healed. After doing that, Bianca unnecessarily announces, “Well, I gotta use the little girl's room! I'll be right back!” She walks away in search of the Pokemon Center's bathroom.

Cheren plops down in one of the lobby's upholstered chairs and sighs, “Bianca... she's getting to be a handful...”

Rufflet, who I guess had just gotten his fair share of TV, flies over to me. I recall him back to his Pokeball and sit down in a chair next to Cheren's, “Really?”

Cheren explains, “It was the encounter with the Team Plasma member. When Bianca said that we sprung into action, she was the really the only one who did the springing, and I had to chase after her to keep her from doing something foolish. Bianca was right when she said that things ended well, but if they went any worse, our Pokemon would have been stolen too. I don't remember her being so reckless...”

“She surprised me before too...” I say, and then briefly explain that when we were in the Dreamyard, and we heard Munna being beaten on by those Team Plasma guys, Bianca was the one who took the initiative.

“I see,” says Cheren, “I'm not saying she isn't doing good things, but her rushing in every time she sees Team Plasma doing something bad... This can't lead to anything good...”

“Did you want to help?” I ask.

“Part of me certainly did, and maybe I'm even thankful that she dragged me in. After all, as a trainer, I know I wouldn't want my Pokemon to be stolen, and if I were in that little girl's position, I'd certainly reach out to the aid of fellow trainers as well. It was a good feeling to use my talents to do some good, plus such opportunities truly put my Pokemon's power to the test, but still, this new tendency for Bianca to blindly rush into danger, heedless of the possible consequences, worries me. I wonder where it came from...”

“Good question,” I say, “It's sure a far cry from the timid, subservient-to-her-father Bianca we know...” An idea occurs to me, “Do you think it might have something to do with proving herself?”

Cheren shrugs, “Who knows?”

“Hey, guys!” Bianca comes rushing back to us.

“Welcome back,” I say.

“Are you about to challenge Nacrene Gym?” Bianca asks me.

“Maybe tomorrow,” I say, “Today, I'm planning on just going to the Gym, which also happens to be a museum, and checking out the exhibits with my Pokemon.”

“Since when have you been interested in museums, Ria?” asks Cheren, with a hint of surprise in his voice.

“Since I felt that my Pokemon could stand to take a little break from all the training I put them through and do something new for a change of pace,” I answer.

Bianca considers this, “... Well, I think I might have been putting my Pokemon through a lot of training too, so you might have the right idea, Ria.”

Cheren shrugs, “It was nothing but business the last time I was here, so maybe a little distraction is what's needed before I head to Castelia City.”

“Sweet,” I say, “How about we go together, then? I... well, I guess you could say I established a certain connection that might get us in at a discount. We'll head there as soon as our Pokemon are done healing.”

Bianca and Cheren nod at me in agreement.

---

Meanwhile, in Castelia City...

N stares out at the vast expanse of grass, dotted here and there with trees. Human architecture is certainly a treat for the eyes, but nothing says tranquil like a grassy field with a calm breeze.

Since he left the Pinwheel Forest, he had taken his first-ever ride on a bus, which took him across the Skyarrow Bridge and into the big city. He had never rode on a bus before, and it was quite a thrill to be moving so fast. The makers of the bus were considerate enough to make the windows very wide, so much of the city's grandeur would be visible to its passengers. It was a lot of fun, though N couldn't quite understand why so many other humans had gotten off the bus every time it stopped at certain locations; Weren't they having fun too? The only unpleasant parts of the trip for him were when passengers were offered to be dropped off at a Pokemon Center, one place of many N had rather stay away from, as it's a place made specifically for trainers (the appalling number of passengers who got off at that location didn't help either) and the end of the line, at the far north end of the city, where he was the only remaining passenger and was forced off, despite his insisting on riding some more.

From there, he found a large park. For all of humanity's faults, N had to say this for them: as obsessed as they can be about urbanization, they were at least considerate enough to leave some of the most beautiful places nature had to offer mostly alone. Such acts remind him that humans are not fundamentally bad people, but they had been misled in their ways, and Pokemon are suffering for it.

Sitting on a bench in the park, off to the side of a narrow stone path, N watches two people walk by: An adult female and a male child, holding hands; Another mother and her son. N had never known his mother, and wonders what it might have been like to have one. It might be a pleasant thing. After all, as things stand, N could count on one hand the amount of people, outside of Pokemon, he knows love him. Did his mother love him too?

Several yards away, N sees two male teenagers having a Pokemon battle, with an Ekans on one end and a Patrat on the other, and that sight makes N's mind wander to less decent things that had transpired only a couple hours earlier.

Ria... She's a trainer who uses Pokemon for her own gain. She's no different than any of the others... so why does N feel so... so... It's a feeling N is unaccustomed to, but all he knows is that it's uncomfortable, and makes him feel bad. Thinking back to his vocabulary lessons, the closest term he believes he can place to how he feels would be “guilty;” like he had done something terrible, and wants to see Ria again so he can apologize to her.

N shakes his head, as if doing so would force his current line of thinking away. Apologize? For what? Telling the truth? He was absolutely right! Ria is just another selfish trainer, who hides behind her Pokemon, having them get hurt because of her own cowardice... So why does he feel like he was the bad guy?

N lets out a long sigh. Ria's Pokemon... They stood up for her. They could have freely said any number of nasty things about her, with Ria being none the wiser, and they chose to rise in her defense. Why? He went out of his way to reveal Ria's true colors to them, and they still claim to like her!

The battle N watches across the way ends, with the Patrat being knocked out by the Ekans, though not without the Patrat getting in some lucky strikes beforehand. With Patrat laying bruised and bleeding on the ground, its trainer recalls it to its Pokeball.

While Pokemon battling is an activity N had participated in out of necessity, he can't help but wonder why humans had let such a thing happen. Both of those Pokemon had gotten hurt for no reason better than their human trainers' own entertainment.

The Patrat's trainer says to the Pokeball he had just recalled the Pokemon to, “Nice try, Patrat. Let's head back to the Center and get you fixed up.”

At the same time, Ekans's trainer says to his Pokemon, “Nice work! You've earned a good long rest!”

“Ek! Ekansssssss!” Ekans responds happily as its trainer recalls it to its Pokeball.

The Ekans had thanked her trainer and said that being his Pokemon is her life's honor. N stares at the ground as he wonders how that Ekans could say such a thing; how Ria's Pokemon could say such things...

An idea occurs to N that those Pokemon say things to honor their trainers, because they had accepted their fates of being their trainers' servants, don't believe that they will ever be free again, and therefore, try to convince themselves that they are happy, because the alternative would be many long years of despair and hopelessness, but at the same time, N knows deep down that, rather than trying to figure out what's going on in those Pokemon's heads, he's trying to convince himself of it, but if that's not really the case, then what is?

N thinks back to the many memories he'd had, which had always solidified his resolve: years of stories, stretching well into the night, his Pokemon friends had told him about the countless cruelties humans had performed on them. The Pokemon used by Ria and other such trainers must surely be suffering... so why is N feeling so confused right now?

N hears a beeping sound. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a Xtranciever. He opens it, and on the screen appears a young woman in her mid-twenties, though she looks somewhat younger, with golden hair tied back in a long braid. Despite his confusion, N smiles at the sight of her; what man wouldn't at the sight of such a beauty? However, N is smiling for a different reason: she is one of the few humans N knows loves him. He knows many humans that respect him; if not for them, he'd think all humans were evil people who exploited Pokemon, but only three he is certain who love him: This young woman, her sister, and his father. She'd always taken care of him, ever since they were both children, and whenever N tried to visualize what his mother may have looked like, he usually finds himself picturing what this woman would probably look like in ten to fifteen years.

The young woman bows and greets, “Good afternoon, young master.”

N greets back, “Good afternoon, Concordia.”

“It's been over a week since you departed,” says Concordia with a consistent tone and straight face, “You've just begun walking upon the world you have only heard about up until now. Is it what you have expected?”

N wonders if he should tell Concordia what's on his mind, but then asks himself why he is considering against it. After all, he had always shared his concerns and worries with her, so why stop now?

N shakes his head, and answers, “Not really...” He explains the behavior he had witnessed from the Pokemon, and his bafflement, “... They can't possibly be happy. The Pokemon are used exactly the way my friends and Father had described, but they talk like they think the world of their trainers. Why are they acting that way, Concordia?”

After a brief pause, Concordia answers, “That, I do not know, young master. However, you are new to the world's culture. Perhaps, with some observation, you can see a bigger picture. Perhaps the world isn't all your friends and father had described it to be...”

“But my friends don't lie to me, and Father is a genius,” protests N, “They can't possibly be wrong.”

“My apologies,” says Concordia, knowing how much N respects his father, “Perhaps your father had only described to you what his own personal experiences told him. Maybe you should see what your own journey reveals to you and decide how you should go about your plans. Are you having second thoughts, young master?”

“Of course not!” says N in a tone slightly louder than he meant to use, “I'm just caught off-guard by what I have witnessed so far, but I will never give up! This is what I'd been preparing for!” N calms his voice to almost a whisper, “I will do exactly what I have set out to do, but there is clearly more to what's going on than I had known. I shall do as you suggest, Concordia, and see what I can learn from this journey.”

“Take care, young master,” says Concordia, “Know that Anthea and I miss you, and we await your safe and successful return. Good luck on your quest.”

“Thank you,” says N, “I miss you too.”

The transmission ends.

---

Once our Pokemon are fully recovered, we head up the road to the museum-slash-Gym. I tell Bianca and Cheren about my run-in with those dark-types last night. Both of them react with shock. Bianca asks if I'm okay, clearly having not forgotten about the days I'd practically clung to her after I was injured by that dark-type five years ago, while Cheren, being the logical one, but totally not someone to run to with an illogical problem, asks what the heck I was thinking when I decided to continue trekking after it got pitch-black out. He lightens up once I explain how thoroughly I'd learned my lesson, adding the Professor's suspension scare for good measure.

We arrive at the museum, which is a large white stone building, with stairs leading up to it, and some of those extravagant, but really awesome, marble pillars thrown in for good measure. Above the entrance, it clearly says: “Nacrene Museum and Gym,” showing that this Gym has been around longer than the one in Striaton City, as this one doesn't need a barely-visible little sign to announce it's a Gym.

However, there is also something else about the museum when we arrive: smoke pouring out of the museum's open doorway, and the distant sound of an old-fashioned fire alarm coming from within. There's a handful of people who arrived at the scene before us, and the little crowd is buzzing.

“What happened here?”

“Is it a fire?”

Bianca takes a guess, “Well... this is a Pokemon Gym, so... maybe someone used a fire-type, and things got a little out of hand?” She gasps, “If this place doesn't burn down, I'd better tell Pignite to take it easy when I battle the Leader!”

Cheren shakes his head, “I'd already fought the Leader here, and the surroundings in the arena were made up of marble, glass, and other things that aren't flammable. Whatever it is, I doubt it was caused by a Pokemon battle.”

Someone in the crowd announces, “Hey! People are coming out!”

Sure enough, a bunch of people rush out of the smoky cloud and down the stairs. The crowd splits, making way for the escapees. At the head of the group is woman, probably in her late thirties, with dark skin and a large, dark, and poofy hairstyle, dressed in a long skirt and an official-looking white button-up shirt. After coughing out some smoke she no doubt inhaled, she asks someone else, a plain-looking brown-haired man in a white coat-like uniform and thick plastic-framed glasses, “Honey, are all the visitors accounted for?

The man looks back at the crowd for several seconds, and answers, “Yes. Nine visitors were accounted for, and that's the number I count.”

“Good.”

I blink a couple times. 'Honey?' Are those two married, or something? An outgoing-looking woman, and an indoorsy-looking man... Well, that's the most unlikely couple I'd ever seen...

Cheren whispers to us, “That woman with the big hair... That's Lenora, the museum's director and  Gym Leader. The man she was talking to is her husband, Hawes. He's the the vice-director.”

“What happened in there?” a man in the crowd asks Lenora.

“Was it a fire?” asks a random woman.

Lenora shakes her head, “No. Team Plasma had invaded the museum, stealing a skull from the skeleton of an ancient Pokemon. They used smoke bombs to cover their escape...” Lenora raises her voice to address the entire crowd, “Did anyone see a group of Team Plasma members, about five in number, retreating, carrying a large Pokemon skull, about two minutes ago? If so, which direction did they head?”

A man in the crowd speaks up, “I saw them! They ran past me, going this way!” He points up the road.

“I see...” says Lenora, lowering her voice, audible only to her husband and other people nearby, like Bianca, Cheren, and me, “That's the direction of Pinwheel Forest. They might be planning to escape to Castelia City. If I gather my Pokemon, I could stop them, but I have to have them transferred over at the Pokemon Center, and that would take several minutes. As time passes, they will get further away... If only...” She looks around the crowd. Her gaze passes over us, but then returns and locks on Cheren. At the sight of him, she quickly walks over to us, “Hey, I remember you! Aren't you that trainer who challenged my Gym the other day?”

“I am,” says Cheren, “I'm here with my friends, who are trainers too. We only came to see the museum, but...”

“This is perfect!” exclaims Lenora, “I'm sorry to ask, but could you go after Team Plasma and at least stall them until I can gather my Pokemon and catch up? I know it might be dangerous, but I'll come as quickly as I can to help, and I'll see to it that you are rewarded for your trouble. Please?”

“Let me get this straight,” I say, “You want us to go after Team Plasma? I mean, we could, as we'd fought with them before, but... this time they stole some dead Pokemon's skull? That's it? No living Pokemon that belong to other trainers, or anything?”

“That is correct, but what do you mean by 'that's it?'” Lenora half-yells, “Do you have any idea how much work it took to find that Pokemon's remains and to excavate it?”

I glance at Cheren questioningly. Lenora obviously needs our help, but it's not like anyone's Pokemon were stolen, so I'm not exactly feeling a pressing need to help out.

Cheren shakes his head in response.

I nod in response. He's right. I know it sounds terrible, but it's not like we owe the museum anything, and this just isn't worth the risk of having our Pokemon stolen...

As I'm about to apologize and respectfully decline, however, Bianca's voice cuts me off. “Don't worry! We'll get that skull back for you!” With that, Bianca dashes in the direction the members of Team Plasma were said to be running. Damn it! Cheren was right about Bianca having developed a reckless streak!

Great, Bianca might end up having her Pokemon stolen if we let her do this alone, and besides, she said we will get the skull back, keyword being 'we.' I glance at Cheren again, only to see him pushing through the crowd and taking off, running after Bianca as fast as his limited athleticism can propel him. Well, it's official: We've been drafted. I go sprinting after Bianca and Cheren. All I gotta say now is that the reward Lenora promised had better be worth it!

“Thank you so much!” calls Lenora after us, “I will come and help as soon as I can!”

Seconds after I catch up with Cheren, he says through the strain his body is experiencing, “Ria... send out Rufflet!”

“Why?”

Cheren lives me a disgruntled look, obviously not wanting to explain while he's already working hard to run, but manages to anyway, “It can get a birds-eye view of the area... As a bird of prey... it probably has superior vision... and see Team Plasma from a distance... It can guide us...”

“Oh! Good thinking!” Despite being every bit as reluctant as me to rescue the remains of a long-dead Pokemon from Team Plasma, it seems Cheren is on top of things already. Following Cheren's advice, I toss Rufflet's Pokeball and the Eaglet Pokemon appears. We run past him, and he catches up, flying. I say, “Rufflet! Take flight and look for five guys, all dressed in white and gray, hauling some Pokemon's skull around! Show us which way they're going!”

“Flet!” Rufflet ascends high above our heads. After several seconds of looking, he yells down, “Ruuuuuuff!” and flies ahead. What I wouldn't give to have that kinda eyesight...

“Good going!” I yell back, “After this, we will go to the museum! For real!”

“Ruff ruff...” Rufflet says. Well, he was the least enthused of my Pokemon to spend part of a day looking at exhibits...

As we near the forest, there is a loud buzz, and then we see a helicopter fly out. What the heck? Does it belong to Team Plasma? Regardless, we do what we can and continue in the direction we're going. Rufflet is still guiding us in the direction Team Plasma should be going, and that direction isn't up, according to how we're being led.

I'll say this for Team Plasma: despite the humid summer heat, they can still move fast for a bunch of overdressed guys. Despite their couple-minute head start, I was hoping that we'd catch up with them before they left the city's limits, but luck isn't exactly with us...

We enter the Pinwheel Forest area when we finally encounter the members of Team Plasma... and by 'members,' I mean a singular member, without the other four guys, nor the skull, around, and that one Team Plasma guy is already busy with someone, with their Pokemon in combat. That 'someone' is towering over all of us, human and Pokemon alike, and I instantly recognize him: Burgh.

The Team Plasma guy's Pokemon is an eleven-and-a-half foot long purple cobra-like Pokemon, with a sinister face-like pattern on its hood, which my Pokedex analyzes as Arbok, while Burgh's Pokemon is his Scizor from last night. When the three of us arrive, Scizor had just knocked out the Arbok with a powerful slash with its claws.

“Curse it all!” exclaims the Team Plasma guy as he recalls Arbok, “You're a tough opponent, but it doesn't matter! I bought my teammates time! You will never get that skull back!” With those words, he turns and starts running away, past Burgh and up the road in the direction of Castelia City.

“Hey! Get back here!” Cheren yells as he grabs one of his Pokeballs and rears back to throw it.

“There's no need to waste your Pokemon's energy on him,” says Burgh, “he clearly didn't have any potions to heal his Pokemon with, and I'd bet some police had been stationed at the checkpoint between the forest and the Skyarrow Bridge. He won't be a threat. Anyway...” Burgh turns his attention toward me, “How good it is to see you again, Ria. Are these your friends?”

“Hey there, Burgh,” I say, “Yeah. These are Bianca and Cheren.”

“Ria, do you know him?” asks Bianca.

“Isn't it obvious?” I ask, “I did mention the Castelia Gym Leader saving my life last night, didn't I? Well, this is him.”

“... You're the Leader of Castelia Gym?” Cheren asks Burgh.

“Guilty as charged,” answers Burgh, “Anyway, you three came here in quite a hurry. Does it have anything to do with Team Plasma?”

“Yeah,” answers Bianca, “Lenora sent us so we can stall them while she picks up her Pokemon from the Center. She said there were five members, though. Where are the other four, and the Pokemon skull they stole?”

Rufflet descends from above, landing close to a nearby trail; the same one we traveled along earlier. He points one of his wings toward it and calls out, “Flet! Flet!”

“About that,” begins Burgh, “I was in the forest, capturing some more lovely bug Pokemon. I was on my way out when a loud sound caught my attention. I looked and saw a helicopter descending on the middle of the road, and five Team Plasma members running toward it, carrying the skull. Lenora is a close friend of mine, and I'd visited her museum several times, so I recognized it as belonging to one of her exhibits. Those Team Plasma people were clearly up to no good, so I intervened, sending out Scizor. That clearly spooked the helicopter people, since they took off at the first sign of trouble. With their means of escape gone, they decided to make a run for it, into the forest, with one of them deciding to be a hero and buying time. His Arbok was no match for Scizor, however, and that brings us to the present.”

“So, they ran into the forest?” asks Cheren, “How long ago was that?”

“That fellow's Arbok played defensively for the whole battle, dragging it out for about a few minutes,” explains Burgh, “That's how much of a head start they got.”

“Shoot!”

Instead of sharing in Cheren's frustration, however, Burgh just grins, “Hey, have no fear; Burgh is here! I wander around this forest at least once every week, and I know it, pardon the cliché, like the back of my hand! The trail they ran away on eventually splits in two direction: the first loops around near the checkpoint leading to the Skyarrow Bridge...”

“Great!” exclaims Bianca, “You said there are police waiting there!”

Burgh shakes his head, “My exact words were that I'd bet there were police waiting there. I could be wrong, and even if there were, the other four members' Pokemon are perfectly healthy, and they could potentially break through. Anyway, the other path leads to a clearing at the top of a cliff, which gives a simply breathtaking view of the bridge and big city. Anyway, seeing as Lenora in entrusting you three with stalling Team Plasma, keep chasing them. As for me, I'll go on ahead and head them off. With this trail and the one by the checkpoint cut off, the only way to go from there is to the cliff, and that's where we'll trap them!”

I nod, “Okay! Sounds like a plan!”

Burgh runs up the road, followed by his Scizor, his long legs causing him to cover a great deal of ground in no time at all. As for Bianca, Cheren, and I, we dash into the forest. Rufflet takes to the sky again to keep an eye on the Team Plasma guys from afar. He seems willing to attack them himself, but I instruct him to hold off on that until we catch up, as if he attacks, and their Pokemon knock him out, they'd steal him, and that would suck, to say the least...

As we run, Bianca says, after she barely avoids tripping over a tree's root, “So... that was the Castelia Gym Leader? Seems like quite the character. He also seems to like bugs. Is that the type he specializes in?”

“I'd say so,” I answer, “Anyway, less talk, more running, you guys! Team Plasma got a big head start, and we gotta catch up!”

Talking stops, and we focus on getting a move on, but it becomes quickly apparent that I'm the only one getting anywhere quickly. Cheren and Bianca, clearly worn out by the initial run, are even worse off now, making slow and clumsy progress, and the summer heat sure isn't helping, as we're all sweating like crazy. If I knew this would happen, I would have brought a ton of bottled water with me from the Center. Live and learn...

Cheren, fully aware of how he and Bianca are slowing me down as I try to keep apace with them, calls out, “Ria, you go on ahead! Bianca and I will catch up... eventually...”

“Yeah,” adds Bianca, “We'll never reach them if you slow down for us...”

“Okay,” I respond, “But I'm counting on you two to back me up, got it?” With that, I quicken my pace, making much faster progress. Still, it doesn't take much longer for me to start feeling a tad under the weather too. Dang... I had been neglecting exercise lately... Without a sport to keep me active, I usually find myself unmotivated. Still, while I'd always been middle-tier when it came to sports, my ability to run has consistently been my main redeeming factor. I'd never been the fastest in school, but not the slowest, either, and I have enough endurance to hang in there. Even though I'd been out of practice for a little while, the staying power hadn't left me yet and I manage to persevere.

I realize that the Pinwheel Forest is actually a lot smaller than I originally realized. Within about seven minutes of hard running, I'm passing the pond where I fought N earlier. On the other hand, at the time, my Pokemon and I had intentionally been going slow, as we were searching for wild Pokemon for my guys to practice on.

Still, I just gotta be catching up to Team Plasma! With all the stuff they're wearing, they gotta get worn out from all the heat and start slowing down sooner or later.

“Rufflet!” I call out, “Are they close? Say 'Ruff,' if that's a yes!”

After a second's pause, Rufflet calls down, “Ruff!”

“Okay, good!” With a burst of willpower, I pick up my pace a little, weaving around rocks and jumping over roots. However, my tension is rising. I mean, I gotta be crazy to be doing this! Team Plasma is a bunch of criminals. If I lose, my Pokemon will be stolen! Sure, Bianca and I had fought members of that syndicate before, and won, but can I count on all of them being that weak? I can't help but feel we lucked out that time, as well as earlier today, when Bianca and Cheren fought a few members. Geez, what was Bianca thinking, being so willing to pick a fight with them? I just hope Burgh is making quick progress through the forest, and can back me up soon if my worries amount to something. At least the knowledge that I have a Gym Leader on my side reassures me that I'm not on some suicide mission.

It takes another four minutes when I finally find the members of Team Plasma, most of whom are leaning against trees, panting hard and sweating heavily. I also notice the trail is branching off in two directions, one looping around to a trail parallel to mine, and the other going straight ahead. This must be the fork Burgh was talking about.

I also see the skull. I didn't know exactly what to expect about how it looked, but I visualized something about the size of a human adult's head or smaller. However, the actual object is huge, about twice the size of a 16-pound bowling ball, and maybe about as heavy, with a snout and a spike protruding from its head! Befittingly, the largest Team Plasma member, an orange-haired guy with bulging muscles, definitely a gym rat, is the one to carry it. However, I only see three Team Plasma guys. Where's the forth?

I consider hiding behind a tree, seeing what they do, waiting for Burgh to arrive, and then launching a surprise attack, but I decide that a second too late, as they spot me.

“Who are you?” demands a brown-haired Team Plasma woman.

Instead of giving them a straight answer, I say, as I reassure myself that I have backup coming, and Rufflet is high above if I need him, “Stealing Pokemon from people is not enough, so now you're stealing the remains of dead Pokemon from museums? Wow, you guys have seriously sunk to a new low. Anyways, I was sent to get that skull back. How about just being on your way and leaving it behind? It's not like that Pokemon cares whether it's free or not.”

The third Team Plasma guy speaks up, and on close inspection, I recognize him! It's that red-haired 'justice'-preaching dude from the Dreamyard! Sure enough, his words don't disappoint, “Be silent, enslaver of the innocent...” Great, a new title “... We are claiming this fossil in the name of divine justice!” 'Divine justice' involves stealing some bones? Talk about glorifying something... “Interferers must be purged!”

“Guuuuuys!” The formerly-missing forth member of Team Plasma comes running from the trail parallel to mine (presumably leading to the checkpoint) in a panic, “Hey! We can't go this way! I ran into that tall guy from before, and his really strong red bug-type! I tried fighting it, but it knocked out my Pokemon easily!”

I manage a grin, “The Castelia Gym Leader is coming from the other trail! You won't get away!”

“Damn it!” curses the large Team Plasma guy holding the skull.

'Mr. Justice,' as I like to call him raises his voice, “Keeping the skull from being taken back is our top priority! Make a run for it, comrades! I will hold them here the best I can!”

“We're very grateful,” says the dark-haired Team Plasma woman, “You heard him, you guys! Let's get outta here!” With that, the three Team Plasma members retreat along the trail which should lead to the cliff, while Mr. Justice stays.

“Are you gonna send out your attack sheep again?” I ask.

“Ha-ha!” Mr. Justice exclaims haughtily, “This mission is far more important than the one in the Dreamyard! As such, the Sages entrusted much stronger Pokemon to me!” He pulls two Pokeballs out of his armor, “An amateur trainer like you stands no chance against these soldiers of Pokemon Liberation!” He sends out two Pokemon. One is a massive red and purple centipede Pokemon, more than eight feet long, while the other is a red lizard-like Pokemon, standing at a height of four and a half feet, with sharp claws and a flame blazing from the tip of its tail. I recognize the big bug as a Scolipede, as it was a Pokemon an escort on Route 1 used to protect Bianca, Cheren, and me on the night before we became trainers, while I recognize the big lizard as a Charmeleon, as I'd learned some stuff about Charizard, and this is the form it has before evolving into one. A bug-type and a fire-type, obviously. Still, I know that Rufflet is strong against bug-types, even really big ones like Scolipede, while Dewott is strong against fire-types. We can do this!

“Rufflet!” I yell. Rufflet must have known it's showtime, because a split second after I call his name, he's diving down from above, slamming his wing down hard on Scolipede's head. Steam rises from the place Scolipede was hit as it staggers back, roaring loudly.

I grab Dewott's Pokeball, intending for him to back up Rufflet, but at the same time, Charmeleon spits a flurry of sparks from its mouth, which blindsides and scorches the Eaglet Pokemon.

“Rufflet!” I yell.

“You're weak!” taunts Mr. Justice, “When all your Pokemon are down, I will claim them in the name of justice!” Damn it, I am not losing to this guy, of all people!

“Go! Dewott!” I yell as I throw the Discipline Pokemon's Pokeball. Dewott takes to the field, as I glance at Rufflet. He has some burns, but he's still standing. Still, he seems tired, no doubt a result of flying for so long, and if I can make it past Mr. Justice, it probably won't be my last battle of the day. I recall Rufflet, figuring I'll need his strength later, and send out Ralts in his place, though I make sure she-- er, he is a good distance away from Scolipede, the big centipede being a bug-type, and all.

“Dewott!” I yell, “Take Charmeleon down with Razor Shell! Ralts! Keep your distance and bombard Scolipede with Confusion attacks! Aim for the head!”

Dewott draws his scallops as they start emitting blue auras, and leaps toward Charmeleon, poised to strike, while Ralts jumps several feet away from Scolipede, and starts firing psychic bolts from his horn, aiming for the big bug's head. However, Scolipede, being surprisingly fast for something so massive, quickly raises its hind end, blocking the bolts. I notice wisps of steam rising from the little charred areas where the Confusion attacks hit. Is Scolipede weak to psychic attacks? No other bug-types were affected that way earlier. The Pokedex tells me that Scolipede, the Megapede Pokemon, is a bug/poison-type. Well, if the bug-type didn't factor into the weakness, did the poison-type? A new lesson is learned.

Unfortunately, aside from the steam and some wincing from Scolipede, Ralts's attacks didn't seem to do much. Is their power difference so great that it didn't really matter if Ralts nailed its weakness? Dang...

“Weak!” yells Mr. Justice, “Scolipede! Bulldoze attack!”

“Scol!” Scolipede responds with a deep voice as it slams its hind end hard against the ground. A shockwave violently vibrates the ground, and I struggle to maintain my footing, as do everyone else, human and Pokemon alike.

“Now! Poison Tail!” commands Mr. Justice, regaining his footing as the vibration dies down. Scolipede sweeps its huge tail into the stunned Ralts, sending him rocketing through the air, in my general direction.

“Ralts!” I charge forward and catch the Feeling Pokemon, though my timing of my catch could have been better, because when he reaches me, it's not into my arms, but square into my gut, knocking the wind out of me. The force sends me flying back a couple feet and landing on my butt, right on my wallet, no less. Cheerleader, adviser, commander, strategist, and now, human cushion. My responsibilities as a trainer have no end...

I cough a couple times, wheeze for air, and ask Ralts, “You alright?”

“Ral...” Ralts weakly nods. That attack looks like it hurt a lot, but thanks to me, a decisive blow by impact was avoided, it seems...

Meanwhile, Dewott and Charmeleon are locked in combat. Dewott got in a decent Razor Shell attack, but the fire lizard still has plenty of fight left in it. Dewott attempts some follow-up swipes, but Charmeleon manages to retreat out of the range of those, and then lunges forward, slashing Dewott with its claws, stunning him, and following that up by slamming the Discipline Pokemon with its tail. Dewott staggers back and slams back-first against a tree.

“Dewo--” I call out Dewott's name, but am suddenly cut off by the feeling of Ralts being yanked out of my arms. It was Scolipede, tucking the Feeling Pokemon between the two spikes on its tail.

Scolipede looks at me with hostility, but Mr. Justice says, “Don't bother with the girl, Scolipede; this battle isn't over yet, but keep a hold on Ralts. In the name of justice, we will free it from this trainer's oppression!”

“Ralts!” I yell. I notice Ralts is being held with his back to Scolipede, so he can't launch Confusion attacks to free himself.

“Raaaal!” Ralts yells back. He tries to break Scolipede's grip on him, but the Megapede Pokemon is too strong. At the same time, Charmeleon is advancing on Dewott, no doubt planning to deliver the finishing blow. However, Ralts, ever the little trooper, turns his head, and fires some Confusion bolts toward Charmeleon, one of which slams it in the back, which momentarily turns the fire-type's attention away from my water-type.

I grab Rufflet's Pokeball from my belt. I was hoping to let him get some rest, but I totally need him right now to attack Scolipede and free Ralts! Just as I'm about to throw his Pokeball however, a red streak zips from the trail parallel to the one I was on, and over to Scolipede, inflicting a steaming scar on it, making the Megapede Pokemon cry out in pain, dropping Ralts in its shock. The streak stops, revealing it to be Scizor, most likely Burgh's, though its trainer isn't nearby. The Gym Leader probably had it scout ahead, confident in its ability to fight for itself. I should consider doing that with my Pokemon if the need ever arises again, once I have complete confidence in their power, at least.

“I-interloper!” yells Mr. Justice, obviously trying to be brave, though he's putting on a paper-thin act, as the Gym Leader's Pokemon had arrived, the battle's flow will turn against him real fast, “Charmeleon! Take out that Pokemon!” Charmeleon turns its attention toward Scizor, but that allows Dewott enough time to get back to his feet. Dewott Aqua Jets past Charmeleon, delivering a run-slash to the fire-type's back with his shell, and then, while Charmeleon is stunned, he rebounds with the momentum he gathered, delivering a finishing blow with Razor Shell. The lizard Pokemon collapses.

“No!” yells Mr. Justice.

“Alright!” I say, “Dewott! Ralts! Finish Scolipede off!” Ralts bombards Scolipede with Confusion bolts, while Dewott, soon joined in by Scizor, shells and claws glowing sky-blue, respectively, jump toward the Megapede Pokemon and deliver a two-way Aerial Ace attack. With steam rising from most of its body, Scolipede goes down with a crash that makes the ground vibrate.

Mr. Justice recalls his two Pokemon, crying, “But... we are justice! We can't lose!”

“Oh, shut up,” I say, “You're not justice. You're a thief.”

A squeaky voice from the trail Scizor came from says, backing me up, “The last time I checked, 'justice' is a relative term. It's not very becoming to use that word so freely, you know?” Burgh walks into view.

Obviously not taking Burgh's advice to heart, Mr. Justice declares, “The sword of justice may have been parried once again, but the duel will be won yet! Team Plasma will prevail!” He turns and runs away in the direction his companions went.

Burgh glances at Scizor, “Scizor, will you?”

“Sciiiizor!” Scizor bolts after Mr. Justice, reaches him, and lightly taps the back of his head with the blunt end of one of its claws, before the Team Plasma man could realize what happened. He falls to the ground, unconscious.

“He won't be going anywhere,” says Burgh, “Anywho, you made it here first. What happened?”

“Same as what happened to you,” I say, “I ran into the group, but they ran, with that justice-maniac staying behind to stall me. He tried running in the direction the others went.”

Burgh grins, “Good! Everything is going according to plan! It isn't much further to the cliff.”

“Ria!” Bianca and Cheren arrive, panting heavily.

“Have a good workout?” I ask, as I recall Dewott and Ralts to their Pokeballs.

“Honestly, Ria...” wheezes Cheren, hunched over, sweating, and using a tree for support, “How on earth... can you live the way you do?”

With sweat causing her tanned makeup to run, totally ruining her disguise, Bianca says, “We... got here as... fast as we could...”

“Well, I just had a jolly old time with one of those Team Plasma fellows,” I say sarcastically, “Remember that pretentious 'we are justice' dude from the Dreamyard, who was kicking Munna around, Bianca? Anyway, everyone else ran away on the trail ahead, and it's a good thing they did. If I had to fight all four at once, I doubt I would have won, considering how tough justice guy's Pokemon were. Anyway, two down and three to go.”

“And we'll get them all at once at the cliff,” says Burgh, “With my Pokemon backing yours up, our victory is guaranteed!”

“Um... Couldn't they just take another route?” asks Bianca, “I mean, there's not exactly a beaten path, but...”

“I doubt it,” says Burgh, “If they trample on the bugs' homes off the trail, the wild Pokemon will more than do our job for us. We can just take our time from here. They aren't going anywhere.”

“Okay,” says Cheren, “That's good to know, but we still have to hurry. There was a helicopter, after all, plus you said there is a clearing at the cliff. It sounds like an ideal pick-up point to me.”

Burgh's body jolts, “Yikes! I forgot about that! In that case, you're absolutely right! We have to hurry!”

“Alright!” I say, “Let's get a move on!”

(Continued next post)

Last edited by Valin on Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

(Continued from last post)

We make our way along the pah toward the cliff. Burgh leads, and while not exactly looking like the athletic type, his long legs allow him to outdistance me easily. Scizor, in the back, has its arms wrapped around Cheren and Bianca, carrying them, hovering a few feet off the ground as it flaps its wings, my friends seeming to burden it as much as a feather would.

Within three minutes of running as fast as we can, along a straight path, we begin hearing a buzzing sound which grows louder and louder as we keep moving, as well as a wind blowing against us, which gradually becomes more powerful. With a pretty good idea of what those things mean, we double-time it, and eventually emerge into a grassy clearing, and beyond that, a cliff's edge with a guard rail, a couple park benches, and a magnificent view of the Skyarrow Bridge, a suspension bridge spanning the width of a wide river, as well as a pretty good view of the equally grand Castelia City, which it leads into.

There, we see the three remaining members of Team Plasma, and our guess was right about the buzzing. Above, a small gray helicopter, with the Team Plasma insignia (The letter P and a zigzag) painted on its tail, clearly not planning to stick around for long, slowly descends. The door on its side is open, and looking out of it, alongside a couple other Team Plasma guys, is an ornately-dressed aged man with a goatee. I have no idea who he is, but he looks important, and kinda reminds me of Ghetsis.

The big Team Plasma man is holding up the skull, and it will be mere seconds until it's within reach of the helicopter. Crap! It looks like we're too late!

Cheren yells something, but his voice is drowned out by the sound of the helicopter. I don't think “Hold it right there, you thieving scumbags!” would have been a stretch, though.

As I'm about to send out Rufflet, hoping to cripple the helicopter somehow, a large orange beam fires down at the chopper from above, grazing its tail. I'd seen that attack used by Pokemon at least a hundred times in televised Pokemon League battles: Hyper Beam! I look at the Pokemon that performed it: a blue bird-like Pokemon, a swallow, specifically, with white and red markings, and long tail feathers. My Pokedex identifies it as 'Swellow.' Not far from Swellow, I see something else in the sky: a Fearow, and riding on its back is Lenora! It looks like she made it!

Clearly more concerned with the obvious warning shot from Swellow and the possibility of being shot down, as opposed to retrieving the skull or flying the Team Plasma guys to safety, the helicopter ascends and flies away. Gradually, things become audible again.

With a Xtranciever out, the brown-haired Team Plasma woman yells, “No! Please come back! Don't leave us here, Sage Gorm!”

“What about the skull?” adds the big guy.

A calm voice on the other end says, “We'll handle things later. As for the skull, it's expendable.”

“What?” yells the third Team Plasma guy, “But... but isn't it that Legendary Pokemon? Weren't we gonna clone it, and...?”

The voice says, “I never said such a thing. No doubt, it's an ancient and powerful Pokemon that would greatly benefit our great cause, but it's not the Legendary Pokemon we seek.”

“Crap...” moans the woman, “All that work for...”

Lenora descends from above, saying, “Well, well. It looks like you three have reached the end of the line. Would you like to surrender quietly, or battle against two Gym Leaders and three trainers, one of whom I know is extremely skilled.” No doubt, she's referring to Cheren. I'm looking forward to battling her and proving I have skills too.

“Two Gym Leaders?” exclaims the third Team Plasma guy, “We can't win, you guys!”

“Don't jinx us,” says the woman, “Perhaps it's futile, but a true knight of Team Plasma never surrenders without a fight!”

“Um... Alright,” says the big guy, putting down the skull. As soon as he takes his attention off it, though, Lenora's Swellow swoops down and grabs it with its talons.

“Good work, Swellow,” says Lenora, “Now, take it back to the museum.”

“Swell!” Swellow flies away with the skull in tow. I let out a faint sigh of relief. For a while, I thought we were gonna have to carry it back with us, and I'd rather not touch that thing.

Lenora hops off her Fearow, joining us, “Thank you for your aid. Burgh, I wasn't expecting you to help too.”

“Anything to help my longtime friend out,” says Burgh, “I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

“Good to hear,” says Lenora, “At any rate, it looks like these Team Plasma grunts won't give up. It looks like we'll have quite a finale, though I highly doubt it will be a challenge.”

The Team Plasma guys pull handfuls of Pokeballs out of their armor. I guess there's more than one Pokemon each, but it's still five trainers against three.

The Team Plasma guys send out a diverse team of Pokemon, and I have my Pokedex at the ready to identify all of them. A giant rock snake, Onix; a black and white-colored wolf-like Pokemon, Mightyena; a rock-covered turtle-like Pokemon, Golem; a tree-ish Pokemon with white hair and a long nose, Shiftry; a one-eyed gray Pokemon, Dusclops; and a few others. As I'm about to send out my Pokemon, I'm cut short by a smell filling the air, reeking something awful, like garbage made up mostly of rotten food. My eyes search the group of Pokemon the Team Plasma guys sent out, and find a Pokemon that looks like it has a burst-open garbage bag with eyes for a head, and the rest of its body, which includes a couple long arms and short legs, all looking like it's made up of a bunch of fused-together nastage! Ugh, it's like looking at and smelling something someone regurgitated: it makes my own food want to come up. My Pokedex identifies it as Garbodor, a poison-type. If bad smells could be considered poison...

To assist Fearow, Lenora sends out a white cat-like Pokemon called Persian, while Burgh uses Scizor and Ninjask.

I send out Dewott, Rufflet, and Ralts. Bianca sends out Munna, a portly orange humanoid pig-like Pokemon, which I know is Pignite, and a mole-like Pokemon with black and blue stripes, and long claws, which cave inward like little shovels, no doubt the Drilbur she mentioned capturing earlier today. As for Cheren, he sends out Sawk, his Ralts, and Servine, which, since evolution, really didn't change in looks as much as Oshawott and Tepig did. For the most part, it just looks like a bigger Snivy.

The battle begins. The Gym Leaders' Pokemon make pretty quick work out of any Team Plasma Pokemon they engage, though they leave enough opponents for me and my friends' Pokemon, if only to see how strong they are, which I have no problem with, since I kinda want to know, myself.

I command Ralts to attack Garbodor, while it's busy spitting a glob of purple slime in the direction of Lenora's Persian, as the smell is really getting to me. Apparently, I'm not the only one bothered by the smell, as Munna and Cheren's Ralts soon follow suit, quickly overwhelming the poison-type with psychic attacks. It goes down, the smell leaves the air, and a scalding stew of previously-eaten food lowers from my throat's midpoint, back to my stomach.

Elsewhere on the battlefield, Dewott charges at Onix. Still, can my Pokemon do it? Onix is the biggest Pokemon I'd seen yet, being almost nine meters long! Onix sweeps its tail at the water-type, which Dewott leaps over, and then his scallops radiate blue light and he delivers a slash with his Razor Shell attack. However, something weird happens: If a Pokemon takes an attack it's weak against, normally steam pours out of the wound inflicted, but in this case, Dewott opens a gash on Onix, and out of it pours what I can only describe as blue fire! I consult my Pokedex, and the result that comes up is “Critical Weakness.” It explains that if a Pokemon has two types, and it gets hit by an attack which both of those types are weak against, it takes immense damage, illustrated by a 'flame' effect. Apparently, Onix is a rock/ground-type. I guess both of those are weak to water. With that single attack, Onix goes down in a heap. Well, size isn't everything, I guess.

Nearby, Cheren's Servine engages Team Plasma's Golem, which is apparently the same types as Onix. Servine delivers a Vine Whip attack, which inflicts a gash as well, with green fire pouring out. More things to learn. What an educational battle this is turning out to be! Anyway, Golem goes down just as easily as Onix.

The battle lasts only a couple minutes, if you could even call it a battle; 'beatdown' is more like it. Even though the Gym Leaders' Pokemon were by far the strongest, the Pokemon belonging to Bianca, Cheren, and me all get in some good hits on Team Plasma's guys. I have to admit, I'm pretty envious of Burgh and Lenora's power. Their Pokemon's strength seems unreal, compared to the Pokemon belonging to me and my friends, and I wonder if my guys will become just as powerful someday. If so, I really look forward to it!

The last of Team Plasma's Pokemon faint, and, without anyplace to run, the three of them surrender. Team Plasma had been defeated and the skull had been successfully retrieved. Things looked tense for a while, but in the end, we won...

---

Lenora stays behind at the cliff clearing to hold the three Team Plasma guys until the police arrive. She tells us that as thanks for our help, we can check out the museum for free. Oh gee, we risk getting our Pokemon stolen to get some bones back, and our prize is free admission to a museum. How swell is that?

Burgh walks back with us, but he stays behind with the still-unconscious Mr. Justice to see to it that he gets arrested as well. Before we part ways, Burgh says that after his business in Pinwheel Forest is concluded, he will be returning to Castelia City, awaiting our challenges, though he still insists on us taking it easy on him. It makes sense, seeing as Burgh is clearly a powerful trainer, and having to hold back enough to be defeated by newbie trainers has got to be a frustrating experience, not that we'd take him up on that request, though the thought does occur to me to throw at least one Gym Battle with him, just to pay him back for what I owe him, but I think that would be inadequate payback, not to mention unfair to my Pokemon.

With the two Gym Leaders staying behind, Bianca, Cheren, and I are left to walk back through the forest, en route to Necrene City's Pokemon Center to get our Pokemon healed, before we finally take them to the museum! Do I always have to expect distractions like this as a trainer, or is my luck just that bad?

While there are things I, and no doubt, Cheren, would like to talk to Bianca about, regarding the ordeal we'd just experienced, it seems none of us really have the energy to do it. After all, seeing as I'm tired from all the running, I can only imagine how my two friends are holding up, plus I have a headache, I'm slightly dizzy, and part of the inside of my mouth is feeling a tad dry, no doubt the early signs of dehydration, and why not, seeing as my clothes are drenched with my sweat.

The walk back to Nacrene City and the Pokemon Center had been silent the whole way. When we get back, we hand in our Pokemon to be recovered, plop down on a couch, gradually recover our strength, and drink no fewer than five bottles of Fresh Water each. H2O had never tasted so good...

Finally, we're in the mood to talk again. Of course, Bianca isn't bitter at all about the risk we took, just to get some dead Pokemon's remains back. Smiling cheerily, she says, “Well, that was quite the adventure, wasn't it?”

“Speak for yourself,” I say in a measured tone, “You weren't the one who had to fight that justice-maniac again, almost getting her Ralts taken away in the process...”

“Seriously,” agrees Cheren, “As a fellow trainer, I would understand taking that kind of chance to get back another trainer's Pokemon, if someone was attempting to steal them, but this was different. We took a risk, just to retrieve an object. What were you thinking, Bianca?”

Bianca's cheerful demeanor softens, “I... I just... well... I thought we could help...”

I sigh, “Look, Bianca. That was very thoughtful of you, and all, but if Burgh hadn't been around, things probably wouldn't have gone as smoothly as they did.”

Cheren says, “Bianca, when we were here earlier, Ria and I were discussing your tendency to charge right in whenever a matter involving Team Plasma is at hand. This is a completely different side to you. Where did it come from?”

I add, half-jokingly, “Don't tell me it had something to do with that brief thrill we got after saving Munna.”

“No...” says Bianca, hesitantly, “It's... like I said: I thought we could help. Whenever Team Plasma shows up, they're up to no good, and since we beat them before, I thought we could do it again. I mean, we're at least somewhat strong as Pokemon trainers, right? We have the power to help people.”

Cheren shakes his head, “Bianca, so far you'd won a single badge, which is a big step in your career, but that's a feat almost all trainers can accomplish. You can consider yourself 'decent' if you win two badges, and if you can win your third, you can rightly call yourself 'strong.' Until then, I highly suggest you pick your fights wisely. Also, whenever you charge in, Ria and I, as your friends, have had to back you up. Say we lost, and all of our Pokemon were stolen as a result of your recklessness. What could you say for yourself, then?”

Bianca takes a sudden interest in part of the wooden floor at the foot of the couch, and says nothing. Cheren's words obviously hit home. Still, was he being a bit too harsh?

I try to soften the blow Cheren dealt, “Hey now, Bianca. It's really great that you would put yourself on the line to help people. That's not something Cheren or I would readily do at a moment's notice, and it's awesome to see how brave you've become on this journey, but Cheren is right. I mean, if you want to help people, help people, but try to consider what you'd be getting yourself, and us, into if you do, alright?”

Bianca looks at me, forcing a tearful smile, “I... I'll try...”

Cheren smiles wryly, “Honestly... you spoil her sometimes, Ria...”

“We've been friends longer,” I say. Even though I'd never admit it, I'd always been extremely thankful to Bianca for being there for me when I was living in fear of another dark-type attack, and I find it hard to get angry at Bianca, no matter what she does. Sometimes I envy Cheren for being able to speak so freely to his friends about exactly what's on his mind, even if he knows we won't like it, or even be hurt by it.

With the three of us starting to feel as if we're walking among the living again, we all take early showers, and changing out of our stinky clothes. With me, I brought two pairs of jeans-shorts, three sleeveless plain white shirts, and just as many changes of underwear. It'll be time to throw my clothes into the washing machine before long. I'd been wearing the same clothes for a few days at a time. Not very ladylike, I know, but mom always said that with the way I live, it's almost a shame I was born a girl. I can't help but smile ironically when I see my friends' supply bags, both bigger than mine, Bianca's being the largest, no doubt having the most clothes, with Cheren's being a little smaller, but still putting mine to shame. Who's the man of our trio again?

After our showers, we get our Pokemon back from the front desk (sans Rufflet, who, as usual, I patched up with a potion). I apologize to my guys about taking them out into a big battle when I promised I'd take them to the museum. Honestly, I wasn't expecting my Pokemon to object, and they don't, but I still feel it's my responsibility to say I'm sorry anyway, and then add that this time, we'll be headed to the museum for real, or so I hope. I can't help but have a sneaking fear that when we arrive, smoke will be pouring out of the museum, and we'd have to chase down Team Plasma again...

---

… Luckily, it doesn't come to that. Bianca, Cheren, and I arrive at the museum at about 5:30PM, this time without the smoke pouring out of the place.

At the entrance, the hallway splits off in two directions, the first corridor being marked with a slightly worn copper label on the wall, “Visitors,” and the other marked, “Challengers.”

We first walk a little ways up the “Challengers” corridor to look at something engraved on a nearby wall, mostly out of curiosity: A very long list of people's names, numbering well over a hundred, maybe even a thousand, all under the heading, “Qualified Trainers,” listing the people who had defeated Lenora, and whatever Gym Leaders came before her. Gee, do all Gym Leaders lose to this many people? I know Burgh said so, but this list totally puts it into perspective. No wonder he wanted a break...

Sure enough, toward the end of the list is “Cheren (1),” saying that Cheren beat Lenora, and won his first badge. Also, a couple names under Cheren's is the latest name on the list: “N (2),” saying that N won his second badge here. Considering the time frame after running into Cheren at the Daycare, and before encountering N in the Pinwheel Forest, I'd say he'd probably won his badge mere hours, or even less time than that, before I showed up.

Having gotten our fill of Lenora's bad days as a Gym Leader, we head down the “Visitors” hallway, and eventually reach the front desk, which had already been informed of our aid, and lets us in to see the exhibits.

Beyond the desk is a wide open circular area, with a well-waxed tan-and-white-tiled floor, primarily lit up with a huge skylight above, with many archeological exhibits ringing the room. It's quite the sight. In the middle of the room, there is a velvet rope encircling a round grate of glass on the floor, with no mosaics or anything to decorate it, looking down at the lower level, which has a bunch of bookcases. The point of this, I have no clue...

Bianca, Cheren, and I are the only visitors here, which I guess makes sense, considering earlier. We send out our Pokemon, heeding a sign we saw on the way in, saying that Pokemon under a height of five feet are permitted to roam freely around the museum, just as long as they don't go ballistic and start trashing the exhibits. Between me and my friends, all our Pokemon fit the size limit, and they're obedient enough. I guess the latter point means we'd been doing something right as trainers.

It doesn't take us long to find the skull Team Plasma stole, back in its rightful place, on the shoulders of a large, ten-foot-tall skeleton of a creature with a long tail and a moderately wide wingspan. A nearby description says that it's the fossil of an ancient Pokemon that had supposedly flew around the world. It must have been quite the Pokemon to do something like that. That thought makes me recall something I heard the Team Plasma guys say at the cliff, about them thinking it was some Legendary Pokemon they're looking for.

While humans generally catch and train Pokemon, there are a few in the world that humans actually respect, fear, and in some cases, worship, as they'd been celebrated in legends which speak of their incredible power. People generally refer to these Pokemon as 'Legendary Pokemon.' Most of them are powerful one-of-a-kind creatures that wander the planet, only so much as glanced at by a lucky few individuals, while others are hidden away somewhere, but said to possess powers that make people see them as deities. Such Pokemon include Dialga, the Pokemon of time, Palkia, the Pokemon of space, Giratina, the Pokemon of matter and antimatter, Groudon, the Pokemon of the earth, Kyogre, the Pokemon of the sea, Rayquaza, the Pokemon of the sky, and, of course, the Pokemon said to have created the universe: The Alpha Pokemon, Arceus.

Sure, Team Plasma was told by whoever it was they were talking to via Xtransceiver that it wasn't the Legendary Pokemon they were searching for, but... they're searching for a Legendary Pokemon? If they get something so powerful, they'd be... well, quite the opponent, to say the very least...

I voice my latest worry to Cheren, but he reacts unconcerned, “Ria, Legendary Pokemon have been said to appear before people they consider worthy. That said, there is no way one would show itself to a bunch of self-righteous crooks like them. They're just gripping at some grand hope, because they know they have no chance of changing the world, otherwise.”

I nod, “You're probably right, Cheren.”

“Well, if it isn't the heroes of the day. Without your help, we'd be looking upon a headless Pokemon right now, which would be embarrassing, to say the least.” Hawes, the museum's vice-director, and Lenora's unlikely husband, approaches us.

“Thank you, Hawes,” says Cheren, “It was not an easy task, but we managed to succeed in taking it back from Team Plasma.” Cheren doesn't let on that he was reluctant to get the skull back, which is a good move, seeing that Hawes's appreciation is practically filling the room..

“Since you three are the guest of honor,” says Hawes, “I'll be more than happy to show you the exhibits.”

“Awesome! Thank you so much!” says Bianca with a bright smile.

Cheren says, referring to the skeleton, “Considering the shape, this Pokemon looks strangely like a Dragonite. However, it's too big to be one. Do you know what Pokemon it was?”

Hawes answers, “Oh, it might have been a Dragonite, after all, albeit an exceptional one. Some Pokemon have been known to grow well over their normal size, in very rare cases.”

“How do you know it flew around the world?” asks Bianca.

“Ah, a very good question,” says Hawes, “Well you see...” Lenora's hubby moves into a long explanation, which quickly becomes a big, unintelligible mess of techno-babble. I hate techno-babble.

Since I kinda want my head to remain in one piece, I wander off to look at the other exhibits, not that Hawes notices this.

Most of the other exhibits are fossils; the stuck-to-a-slab-of-rock variety. I see one with the remains of a semi-humanoid Pokemon with a very slender frame and a couple sickles for hands, labeled “Kabutops.” I almost feel sad looking at it. It looks so badass, and totally a Pokemon I'd train... It's such a shame it's dead. However, another exhibit talks about cloning and the revival of prehistoric Pokemon, exclusively under Pokemon trainers and researchers that find their fossils. Well, I guess I shouldn't totally give up hope of owning a Pokemon like that someday. Hey, I could steal Kabutops's fossil from the museum, and have it cloned somewhere... but then, I'd be no different than Team Plasma. Oh well, it's nice to dream.

Another fossil I notice is of a five-foot-tall bug-like Pokemon, with a human-shaped figure, not unlike Scizor, though instead of lobster-like claws, it has just small spikes for hands, as well as an oval-shaped head and large eye sockets. Apparently, there isn't a name matched up for this one, like there was for Kabutops, unless “Unknown” counts as a name...

All around, our Pokemon are doing their own thing. Dewott, Sawk, Drilbur, and Munna are just wandering around, glancing at this and that, Rufflet and Pignite, clearly not intrigued at all, are taking a nap, and Servine is examining fossils, as if it's a connoisseur of fine artwork. Finally, I see my Ralts and Cheren's staring at one exhibit in particular: A round shiny black rock, about the size of a baseball... and that's about it...

“Hey! Hawes!” I call out, cutting off his explanation about the skeleton, which is most likely good for my friends' mental health. I point at the round shiny black rock, “What's this thing?”

“It's a round shiny black rock,” answers Hawes, as if he were reading my mind.

“... and?”

“Well, we found it during an excavation of some ruins we found in the desert south of Nimbasa City. We don't know what it is, exactly, and as such, it has hardly any monetary value, but it's pretty and we had space to fill, so here it is!”

“Intriguing...” I say. Apparently, Hawes isn't very good at detecting sarcasm, since he just smiles at my response.

“Ah, so our heroes are here!” Lenora enters the room, carrying a white suitcase, “How are you enjoying my museum?”

“It's very interesting,” answers Bianca, “I'm learning lots.”

“Good,” says Lenora. Then, as if she's as gifted at reading my mind as her husband, she adds, “It occurred to me that free admission to the museum alone would be an inadequate reward for your help from earlier, so I came with some gifts...”

“Really?” says Bianca.

Lenora approaches Bianca, Cheren, and Hawes. She says to her husband, “Well, honey, it seems you're being quite the helpful tour guide, as usual.”

“Yes,” responds Hawes, “I was just explaining how certain subtle disturbances in the earth's surface had led us to believe that this Pokemon had, in fact, encircled the world.”

Lenora lowers her voice to a purr, “That's just like you, darling. You're so smart.”

“And lucky,” adds Hawes, smiling brightly, “How else can someone describe a man who has the loveliest wife in the world?”

Lenora grins seductively, “Oh, aren't you the smooth talker?”

Having gotten more than my fill of watching Lenora and Hawes flirt like a couple of teenagers, I'm about to cut in, but Bianca beats me to it, “Um... So, what were you gonna give us, Miss Lenora?”

Lenora snaps back to reality, “Yes... They're right here...” She sets her suitcase on the floor and opens it up. I rush over to everyone next to the skeleton to look at what's inside: three rocks. Two of them are turquoise-colored, while the other is a shiny silver. Lenora explains, “During an excavation, it's not unusual to find rare stones, buried deep in the earth. Having been an archeologist for most of my life, I'd found many throughout the course of my career. Most of those stones possess a strange energy which evolves certain Pokemon they come in contact with. Having seen which Pokemon you own, I found three stones you might find useful.” She takes the silver stone out of the suitcase and holds it out to Bianca, “This is a Moon Stone.”

Bianca takes it excitedly, “A Moon Stone? Great! This is used to evolve Munna!”

“Muuun?” Munna floats over to Bianca's side.

“It's a Moon Stone,” says Bianca, “With this, you can evolve! In fact, if you want, you can evolve right--”

“I'd hold off,” Lenora interrupts.

“Why?” questions Bianca.

“You might want to talk to your professor first,” says Lenora, “Sometimes, there are some things to be aware of when using a stone to evolve a Pokemon.”

“Okay...” says Bianca, sounding somewhat disappointed.

“What are the other two?” asks Cheren, referring to the two turquoise-colored stones.

“They are called Dawn Stones,” answers Lenora, “It's another evolution stone that I'm sure you and your lady-friend there will find helpful.” She hands one Dawn Stone to Cheren, and then the other to me.

I snap a picture of the Dawn Stone with my Pokedex, and the entry says, “Dawn Stone: A stone radiating a power that evolves certain Pokemon. Used to evolve a male Kirlia into Gallade, and a female Snorunt into Froslass.”

Kirlia, Gallade, Snorunt, Froslass... I don't know what any of those Pokemon are, but since Lenora seemed confident that they'd prove helpful to Cheren and me, I decide to just accept my gift, no questions asked, and just be confident that I will find out what a Kirlia or Snorunt is someday.

Lenora closes her suitcase and rises. She says to Cheren, “I know your name is Cheren, but... who are your friends?”

“Ria,” I answer.

“I'm Bianca,” Bianca introduces.

Lenora smiles, “Ria and Bianca... You two seem to be skilled trainers. I take it you'll be challenging me soon? I look forward to it.” With those words, she leaves the room, followed by Hawes.

I smile back, thinking, Yeah, I look forward to challenging you, Lenora. Having seen from you and Burgh how powerful a trainer can be, I look forward to my Pokemon becoming that strong too, and winning my next badge will be a step toward that!


Sorry for the long delay. Work had gotten stressful recently (the end of the school year can be like that for staff members), and whenever I sat down to write, I just wasn't feeling it. However, I now have a two-month break, and I plan to spend much of it working on this story! Anyway, I hope this latest installment was worth the wait!

Ah, it seems N has been having some doubts! This ought to be interesting to see continue. Ria's Pokemon could simply have some version of Stockholm Syndrome after all.

As for the Eevee, I forsee a bunch of exclamations about its rarity and potential and such. Eevee can be very useful.

Yes! We see Elesa, my favorite Unova Gym Leader. She's a model with publicly visible substance.

With all the action, danger, excitement, and unscheduled exercise of yesterday, I sleep like an Abra, through the snoring of the other trainers and the relative discomfort of the old-fashioned beds provided by the Nacrene City Pokemon Center.

Apparently, I'd been sleeping more heavily than usual, because when I wake up, it's to the nudging of a hand on my shoulder, and a female voice, saying, “Ria! Wake up! It's eleven o' clock in the morning!”

Slowly opening my eyes, as if I'm Alice, headed out of Wonderland, the first thing I see of this brand-new day is Bianca, in her disguise, looking down at me with a light to her back.

“... Bianca?”

Bianca smiles, which is more than I can manage, as I'm annoyed that she woke me up (hey, I said I don't easily get angry at her. It doesn't mean she doesn't do some things that annoy me from time to time), “So, Ria... Do you notice anything different about me?” She steps away from my bed and strikes a pose, her arms extended off to her sides a little.

With my head resting sideways on my bed's pillow, I move my eyes right and left, scanning Bianca up and down, my recently-awakened mind processing stuff as quickly as a Slowpoke's. Finally, my eyes stop on the left side of Bianca's shirt, which now has two badges.

Finally, I smile, “You won your second badge...?”

“I sure did!” answers Bianca, grinning ear to ear, “This morning, while you were sleeping. I was hoping you could've seen it, but I didn't wanna wake you... at least at the time.”

“Good going,” I say.

“Are you gonna challenge Lenora too?” asks Bianca, “You know... today?”

With my mind now totally with the world of the waking, I answer, “Planning on it...”

Cheren enters the room and looks down on me with Bianca, “She's finally awake, I see. You must have had a pleasant dream.”

“If I did, I don't remember it,” I say, “I was just tired from yesterday, speaking of which, what are you two doing up before me? You were more worn out than me.”

“Not all of us can be heavy sleepers,” answers Cheren.

“Whatever,” I say, dismissively.

“Rise and shine,” says Bianca, brightly, “It looks like you've got another big day ahead of you!”

---

After I get out of bed and gather my stuff, we get some brunch from the Pokemon Center's food stands, though by 'we,' I mean just me, seeing as Bianca and Cheren already ate.

As we're sitting around a table in the lobby, with the sound of the TV and various conversations among other trainers going on in the background, with me gradually whittling away at a huge bowl of Moomoo Milk and corn flakes, I ask Bianca and Cheren, “So, since you guys both won your badges here, what are you gonna do? Watch me battle Lenora?”

Cheren shakes his head, “No. Bianca and I are planning on taking the next bus across the Skyarrow Bridge to Castelia City.”

Bianca adds, “I'm planning on spending the day checking out the big city!”

Cheren, ever the business-type, says, “As for me, I'm going to challenge Burgh. With my third badge, I will be considered an intermediate trainer, with skills above most casual trainers.”

“Good luck with that,” I say. I'm a little disappointed that my friends won't stick around to watch me fight Lenora, but whatever. It's not like I was around to watch them win any of their badges. Besides, they have their own agendas, and my personal plans wouldn't get me to Castelia City until late today, at the earliest, “As for me, I'm gonna spend the day training, maybe challenging a couple other trainers to battles, and taking on Lenora in the late afternoon. When I win, I'll join you guys in the big city.”

Cheren smiles slyly, “Ria, in your case, it's not a matter of 'when you'll win;' It's a matter of 'if you'll win.' Bianca has Pignite and I have Sawk, both of which are fighting-types, which gave us the edge we needed against Lenora's normal-types, but in your case, Ria, as the only one among us who doesn't have a fighting-type, your battle will likely be much harder than ours.”

“Thanks for reminding me about the whole fighting-type thing,” I groan. I recall that N defeated Lenora as well, but he probably had that Timburr with him, at the time.

Bianca tries to reassure me, “It's not so bad, Ria. I mean, normal-types don't have the edge against anything, so it'll probably be a matter of whose Pokemon are stronger and which trainer is more skilled, right?”

“True enough, Bianca,” says Cheren, “It's just that having a type of Pokemon which gives you an edge usually makes all the difference in a battle, but still, I'd say Ria has a good shot at defeating Lenora... just not as good as ours.”

“Oh well,” I say, “At least Dewott knows a fighting-type attack, so I hope that will be enough...”

“While I doubt it will be enough, this isn't a zero-badge battle, but should help, nonetheless. Ultimately, it will depend on your skill.”

I finish my cereal and demonstrate my elegant table manners by gulping down the leftover milk straight from the bowl and wiping my lips and chin clean with my arm, “Thanks, you guys. I'll keep that advice in mind. Well, I'm gonna get to training...”

“Good luck,” says Bianca, “I hope you win.”

I grin, “If it isn't today, it'll be some other day.”

“Good plan,” says Cheren, “If you can't beat Lenora now, I suggest you manage to obtain a fighting-type and coming back later.”

“Sure thing,” I say, “I was planning on training a Fighter, anyway, so I don't object to that, but I sure hope I'll win today. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy Castelia City, and I'll join you over there sooner or later!”

With that, we part ways. We leave the Pokemon Center, with Cheren and Bianca headed off in the direction of Pinwheel Forest, no doubt to wait at a bus stop I remember just outside that general location, while I decide to train my Pokemon and challenge other trainers on Route 3.

---

When I set foot on Route 3, I feel uneasy. This is the place where I almost died at the claws of those Liepards, after all. Luckily, that's all I feel: uneasy. It's not like five years ago, when I got panic attacks whenever I traveled along Route 1, en route to school and back, with Bianca trying to calm me down by keeping an arm around me the entire time.

I try to reassure myself that it's currently broad daylight, and fewer dark-types come out during that time, plus I'd learned my lesson not to have Ralts use Flash in the middle of the night. I know I have nothing to worry about anymore, but still, I don't stray far from the Route 3-Nacrene City checkpoint, and I sometimes find myself stuttering whenever I'm giving my Pokemon orders or challenging trainers to battles, as well as my hands occasionally having those anxiety-driven shakes. Yup, real smooth, Ria...

In spite of my uneasiness, however, I often get my mind off it as I think about how the battle with Lenora will go. Normal-types... For a while, it was one of those types I had a tendency to look down on. I mean, when I think of normal-types, I think, well, normal... bland... Yeah, Cheren did point out at the Pokemon Sale that Rufflet is part normal-type, but to me, he's a flying-type first and a normal-type second. Anyway, I'd thought of that particular Pokemon type as something that has no special powers, at least not in the same way others do, but Cheren also said that it is a Pokemon type, the same way fighting-types and fire-types are.

Thinking back on it, my dismissal of normal-types was probably some biased perspective thing, as I'm a fan of fighting-types, and they're weak to Fighters... but while that's true, the fact is, they're only weak to Fighters, and have a decent use against most other Pokemon types, sans a few. I guess my thoughts started to change when I saw Lenora battle, and there was very little she had to warn her Pokemon of. It then occurred to me that in a diverse team of Pokemon types, with various strengths and weaknesses, a normal-type would be the one to balance the whole group out.

Most of the time, my Pokemon are sparring. Ralts is definitely improving, little by little, but he's still nowhere near the same level of battle strength as Dewott and Rufflet. I wonder how much stronger he'll have to become in order to evolve.

As the hours fly by, about thirteen, or so, trainers pass through, headed to or from Nacrene City. Out of them, nine fellow Pokemon trainers accept my challenges, with the other four either not being interested or having so many more badges (I made it a point only to challenge trainers who had zero to two badges), I don't bother. I lost to a couple, due to my Pokemon already having been worn down a little from sparring, but since then, I'd been taking them to the Pokemon Center, healing them, and taking them back to Route 3, and since I made a habit of that, I'm regularly winning Pokemon battles, and it feels good. Overall, out of the nine battles, I have seven wins and two losses, and I gradually get my cash-flow situation back on track with the prize money I win. I promise my Pokemon that if we beat Lenora, I'll get us a pizza. No other sentence boosts my Pokemon's morale more, especially Rufflet's.

---

It's about four in the afternoon when I have my Pokemon recovered at the Center one last time, and I head to the museum-slash-Gym again, this time interested in the 'Gym' part.

After I head through the door, I walk down the 'Challengers' corridor, glancing at the list of qualified trainers as I go. Sure enough, the latest entry to the list, right under N and some random other dude named Valin is “Bianca (2).” Well, if this goes well, “Ria (2)” will be right under Bianca as the newest victor.

As I continue down the corridor, I see Hawes headed in the opposite direction. “Oh! Ria!” he says, “My wife was wondering when you were going to make an appearance, seeing as your friend, Bianca, showed up this morning.”

“Well, the wait is over,” I say.

“Very good,” responds Hawes, “Lenora has been looking forward to your challenge. At the end of this hallway is an elevator. Take it down, and you be where the Gym Leader awaits.”

“Good to know,” I say, “I'd ask you to wish me luck, but I guess you'd rather Lenora win, she being your wife, and all.”

Hawes smiles, “I try to remain neutral to all challengers, as it's important for them to advance as trainers, but I always like to see Lenora win too, so it's very tough to take sides, so I won't wish you good luck, but I won't wish bad luck on you, either.”

I walk ahead, “Well, thanks for the directions...”

The corridor is longer than I was expecting, plus it loops around and downward, slightly, but I eventually reach the elevator. Other than the corridor having a bathroom partway, however, it never branched off, so the directions I received were more of a show of good faith than anything particularly helpful. Still, I guess I should be thankful.

I enter the elevator, which is a pretty old-fashioned thing, complete with the grated inner door. I go down one floor (actually, that was the only floor it could go to. If I could find them, I would've just taken the stairs), and emerge into a big maze of packed bookcases. Wow, and here I was expecting an open arena with Lenora waiting on the other end. Cheren said that there was nothing flammable in the arena, but right now, I'm seeing a bunch of stuff that could catch fire easily. I make my way through the maze, occasionally glancing at the books, most of which are very thick and most likely difficult to read. Man, how much can a person write about some ancient ruins, or whatever, anyway?

For whatever reason, I glance up, seeing the other side that glass grating in the middle of the museum floor I couldn't quite put my finger on yesterday about its existence, and I still don't understand why people would want to look down on a bunch of bookcases. The ceiling is surprisingly high, though...

After a few minutes, I successfully navigate my way through the maze, and see Lenora at the wall opposite from where I entered, sitting in a simple metal and plastic chair, reading a thick book, not unlike the countless others I saw coming in.

Since Lenora is pretty much detached from reality right now, not even glancing in my direction, though I thought my footsteps were audible enough, I call out, “Hey! Lenora! You've got a challenger!”

Lenora snaps out of her own little world, “So, you're finally here, Ria.”

“Yup,” I say, “My friends have already beaten you, and I'm feeling a little left out, so here I am!”

Lenora snaps her book shut and sets it aside, “Well, I was waiting...” She turns toward something behind her: a compartment, not unlike the ones the Striaton Gym trio used to get their Pokemon. Sure enough, Lenora grabs three Pokeballs from it, and attaches them to her belt: all white-centered, “Needless to say, I accept your challenge. We will each use three Pokemon in a one-badge Gym battle, singles, with no switch-outs. If you win, you will obtain the Basic Badge.

The Basic Badge... so that's what that narrow purple and yellow badge I'd seen on Cheren, N, and Bianca is called. However, one thing suddenly comes to my mind, “Wait! Hold on! Are we gonna fight now? I mean, you don't want the books to get damaged, do you?”

“There is nothing to worry about,” Lenora stomps on a nearby tile, and the entire room starts to vibrate. Slowly, the bookcases lower into the ground. Once they're below the surface of the floor, the holes slide shut with tile hatches. Without the bookcases, the room is now a great deal more spacious. If not for some marble support pillars in two lines of three across the room, I'd say it would even be as wide-open as a gymnasium! So this is the arena after all. Looking up, I see a few people looking down through the glass grate. I get it... it's meant for spectators...

I walk to the other side of the big room to take my position. As I go, Lenora calls after me, “Since all my precious literature is now below the floor, I'd be happy if your Pokemon didn't use any ground-type attacks that would tear the floor apart... not that there is a rule against it.”

“Did you see me send out any ground-types yesterday?” I ask over my shoulder.

“No,” answers Lenora, “but that doesn't mean they can't perform any such techniques.”

“True enough.”

After walking for what seemed like forever, I'm finally back by the elevator from where I entered, opposite to Lenora's location.

Lenora says, grabbing one of her Pokeballs, “Choose which Pokemon will go first, Ria, and we'll get started!”

I wonder which Pokemon will be the best choice. Dewott, with his Revenge attack, will no doubt be the MVP for this particular battle, but like last time, against Cilan, I figure it's best to weaken Lenora's Pokemon as much as I can with Rufflet and Ralts, before sending him out. So... which one should I start with? I decide it will probably be best to test the proverbial waters with Ralts, and go from there.

With my first Pokemon decided, the battle begins.

“I choose you! Ralts!”

“Go! Raticate!”

Ralts appears on my end, while on Lenora's appears an ugly, two-and-a-half-foot-tall, yellow, rat-like Pokemon, standing on its short hind legs, with long whiskers, and some mean-looking teeth. Since I already know full well which type Lenora specializes in, I figure it would be a waste of time to use my Pokedex. Still... 'Raticate,' or whatever it's called, looks pretty tough, and seeing as I have one badge, meaning Lenora is using Pokemon stronger than Cilan's when I fought him, it isn't hard to imagine that it might be the evolved form of something. If so, Ralts, while not at a type disadvantage, is probably at a big power disadvantage. Still, something I learned from my battles earlier today, is that unless Ralts's opponent is a poison-type or fighting-type, it's best not to have him charge in, firing off psychic blasts, and rely more on technique.

Lenora grins, “You can take this one quickly, Raticate! Hyper Fang!”

“Ralts! Double Team!” I command at the same time.

Raticate charges across the arena, leaps several feet into the air, and descends on the psychic-type, snapping its jaws shut. At that exact moment, however, Ralts suddenly splits into several illusory images of himself, about five in total, which appear in various places around the arena. Of those five, one is the real Ralts, and the one Raticate just attacked wasn't it, as it finds itself passing through the psychic-type, and biting empty air. For better or worse, not even I know which Ralts is the real one.

“They're only delaying the inevitable!” Lenora encourages Raticate, “Quick Attack! Keep attacking until you find the real one!”

“Cate!” Despite its hefty build, Raticate starts zipping around the arena, moving as a yellow blur, trying to slam the Ralts spread around.

Shoot! At the rate it's going, it won't be long until Raticate nails the real one, and from there, we're probably screwed.

“Ralts!” I yell, “Use Double Team again!”

“Ral!” Ralts splits into several illusions again, this time ten in total, surrounding Raticate.

“Rat...” Raticate glances around at all the Ralts, not looking happy.

“They can't stay on the defensive forever!” shouts Lenora. Well, she's totally right; we can't. Sooner or later, we're gonna have to attack, and unfortunately, Double Team has a big drawback: Only the real Pokemon can attack. Granted, the illusions can move around and try to throw off the opponent, but as soon as we actually attack, the true Ralts will be revealed, but at the same time, what else can we do? Keep running? “Again! Quick Attack!”

Raticate resumes its lightning-quick charge. It passes through three of the illusions, without any luck, and all the while, I'm trying to think. Using Double Team again will just drag this thing out! We have to go on the offensive! Finally, I say, “Ralts! When Raticate is close, attack with Confusion!”

Ralts stays still, not doing anything. Raticate passes through four more illusions. However, as soon as the inertia of its Quick Attack momentarily immobilizes the rat Pokemon, Ralts, just a few feet away, fires a Confusion bolt, which hits the normal-type square in the side of the head. The normal-type staggers, shaking its head, while Ralts's illusions vanish, not that it matters anymore, since Raticate is confused, now with the illusions being in its own head! Success!

Raticate paces around, trying to make sense of what it's feeling. At the same time, Lenora doesn't look so confident anymore. Raticate charges headfirst into a pillar, leaving a small dent in it, and lets out a yell.

“Way to go!” I cheer, “Now! Magical Leaf!”

Several glowing leaves appear around Ralts, and he launches them at Raticate. The rat Pokemon lets out another yell as the sharp projectiles tear through it.

Growling in frustration, Raticate rushes over to and headbutts another marble pillar, and shakes its head violently. Finally, Raticate charges again... but this time, it's straight toward the real Ralts!

Damn! Those impacts must have brought Raticate back to its senses!

Ralts tries to counter with another Confusion bolt, but it only hits the middle of the normal-type's body, inflicting some damage, but not slowing it down much.

Okay... It's time to go on the defensive again! “Ralts!” I yell, “Double T--” I'm too late, however. Raticate breaks into a Quick Attack, slamming into the psychic-type before either of us can react. Raticate then grabs Ralts with its short arms.

“Whew...” sighs Lenora, “That was a close one... Now, finish it with Hyper Fang!”

Raticate sinks its teeth deep into Ralts's body, creating a large red stain on the psychic-type's white body. Ralts slumps to the ground, defeated.

“Nice job,” I say, “Return!” I recall Ralts. However, I'm not too worried. Raticate is wincing and breathing quickly. It won't take much to even the score.

“Well, that surprised me,” says Lenora, “I didn't think Ralts stood even the slightest chance against Raticate. You've raised it well, and you're more clever than you look.”

“Oh gee, thanks,” I says sarcastically.

Lenora grins, “I hope your next two Pokemon are just as fun!”

“You'll see!” I grab Rufflet's Pokeball, “Go! Rufflet!” The Eaglet Pokemon appears on my end. I can't help but chuckle a little at the irony. Raticate is bigger and more menacing than Rufflet, and yet, my Pokemon is the bird of prey. Well, time to show it who's higher on the food chain.

“Quick Attack!” Raticate zips into yet another lightning-quick charge, but it's clearly not as energetic as it once was, as even I notice it's slower... and so does Rufflet, apparently, as he manages to quickly jump over the rat Pokemon, dodging the attack. In midair, Rufflet whirls around and flies toward Raticate as it skids to a stop, and then performs an aerial forward flip, and raking his talons on the normal-type's back with a Slash attack.

Raticate stands, stunned, as Rufflet's wings glow sky-blue. The Eaglet Pokemon descends and slams his right wing into the back of the normal-type's head, knocking it out cold.

“Raticate!” Lenora runs across the arena until she's within range to recall Raticate, and then does so, “Good job, Raticate. Take a rest now.” The Gym Leader runs back to her position.

I look up at the glass grating. The spectators, getting their birds-eye view of the arena, are sure getting into this battle... and so am I!

Lenora smiles, “You're doing well, Ria, but we still have two Pokemon each. This is still anyone's battle.”

“Yup. I'll totally make sure it's mine in the end, though!”

Lenora grabs her next Pokeball, “I hope, for your sake, that your last two Pokemon can back that up...” She throws it into the field, “You're up! Persian!”

On Lenora's end, a three-foot-long cat-like Pokemon with white fur, black ears, a small red jewel on its forehead, and long whiskers, not unlike Raticate's, appears. I'd seen Lenora use this Pokemon to battle Team Plasma yesterday, but I doubt that Persian and the one I'm looking at right now are the same Pokemon, as I'd figure the one from yesterday was too strong for the level of the Gym Battle we're having.

Persian slowly walks sideways, eying Rufflet, who just stands there coolly.

Finally, Persian attacks, springing toward Rufflet and slashing with its claws. Rufflet leaps back, dodging the attack, but just barely. Persian is just slightly slower than Raticate when it was using Quick Attack! Unbelievable!

Rufflet tries slashing back with Wing Attack, but Persian quickly retreats out of its range.

“Go all out!” says Lenora, “Fury Swipes!”

Persian bolts toward Rufflet again, with its claws blazing in front of it, and like before, Rufflet manages to dodge the attack, but only the initial strike, as this time, Persian presses the assault, slashing wildly. Rufflet manages to dodge a few swipes, but others hit, resulting in a few more scars for the Eaglet Pokemon to enjoy (good thing his scars heal quickly on their own, otherwise, he'd practically be unrecognizable from when I first caught him).

I command Rufflet to counterattack, “Rufflet! Fight back with Fury Attack!”

Rufflet comes out, thrusting his beak again and again. From there, it's practically a different kind of sword fight, with Rufflet's beak and Persian's claws colliding repeatedly, with attacks occasionally getting through either Pokemon's defenses, resulting in some light damage.

Unfortunately, Lenora is the first trainer to issue a command to claim the upper hand, “Persian! Faint Attack!” With that order, Persian suddenly vanishes with a blur, dodging one of Rufflet's pecks. In a movement, which my eyes can just barely follow, Persian circles around Rufflet, and, with its claws emitting a gray aura, delivers a slash from behind, sending the Eaglet Pokemon staggering forward, letting out a pained caw, but whirling around to face its opponent again.

“Deliver the finishing blow!” commands Lenora.

I counter-command, “Rufflet! Take flight! Hurry!”

Persian springs toward Rufflet, with its sharp claws bared, but at that moment, Rufflet leaps up and flaps his wings, flying high above the cat Pokemon. Rufflet's the flying-type. As long as he's airborne, he has the advantage!

“Persian! Aerial Ace!” Persian jumps over to one of the marble pillars, kicks off it and over to another pillar, kicking off that, and finally nearing Rufflet's airspace. With its claws glowing sky-blue, Persian swipes at Rufflet, but the Eaglet Pokemon pulls up just in the nick of time, and performs a swift somersault, swinging his talons downward, countering with a Slash attack, and spiking Persian straight down to the floor, the impact creating a dent in the marble tile. Yowch!

I grin. That attack must have hurt a lot. Persian, demonstrating that amazing fortitude Pokemon have and gets back to its feet, but the pain is registering on its face.

Rufflet lowers his altitude by a few feet, inviting Persian to try another Aerial Ace attack, no doubt knowing what to do in response. Yes! We've got this one!

However, my grin disappears when I notice Lenora's reaction to the situation. She doesn't look the least bit worried. In fact, she practically looks amused. What I wouldn't give to read minds and find out what she's thinking...

“It's time for our secret weapon!” says Lenora with a smirk spread across her face, “Thunderbolt!”

“What?”

Persian looks up at Rufflet with very visible electricity emitting from its fur. Finally, it fires a large bolt of lightning from the jewel on its forehead, which quickly closes in on Rufflet. My flying-type manages to dodge, but just barely, the lightning just singing his right wing, causing a steady stream of steam to rise from it, and Rufflet reacting with an expression as startled as my own.

Rufflet avoided the full force of the attack, but with his wing injured, he's having trouble keeping afloat, and I doubt he'll be fast enough to dodge another Thunderbolt.

I grit my teeth. I wasn't expecting this! Not only is Rufflet weak to electric attacks, but Dewott too!

As I try to think of a way out of our current jam, Lenora gives another command, and it's the exact one I'd expect her to make, considering the circumstances: “One more, Persian! Thunderbolt!”

“Perrrrr!” Persian screeches as electricity surges through its fur again, and releases another bolt of lightning up at Rufflet, this time, the attack scoring a direct hit.

“Ru-u-u-uff!” Rufflet cries out. With steam now rising from his entire body, Rufflet plummets to the floor, and he's clearly not up for another round.

“Return...” I hold out Rufflet's Pokeball and recall him.

“We're now down two to one,” Lenora announces, “Let's see your last Pokemon.”

I grab Dewott's Pokeball, but hesitate in sending him out. I knew from the start that he'd be my last and best hope if Ralts and Rufflet couldn't end the battle beforehand, and he still is, with his fighting-type technique, but Persian's Thunderbolt attack is gonna be a big problem, and after the cat Pokemon, Lenora still has one more Pokemon left. Yeah, like I'm not a tad worried...

“What's the matter, Ria?” asks Lenora, smiling a little too sweetly.

I try to think some optimistic thoughts but I'm really forcing myself. I just remind myself of Dewott's secret weapon, and know there is still a chance, even if things aren't looking good right now.

“Go! Dewott!” I send out the Discipline Pokemon.

Lenora smiles, knowing her advantage, and I feel like she might have cheated a little, since she saw my Pokemon yesterday when we fought Team Plasma, and knew which Pokemon to choose, but without strong evidence to back that up, I restrain myself from calling her out on it. At least her command is predictable, “We'll end this right now, Persian! Thunderbolt!”

I do some quick reminiscing, and notice something: There's a brief charge-up period before Persian releases a Thunderbolt attack. That's the reason why Rufflet managed to avoid the full force of the first one, or so I'm guessing anyway. Even now, Persian's fur is crackling with electricity. I realize we can, in fact, take advantage of this!

I hurriedly command Dewott, knowing Persian will release its electric-type attack within a second, “Aquajetnowquick!”

Dewott rapidly zips across the arena, leaving watery footprints in his wake, and he's onto Persian in a split second. The water-type slams Persian with an inertia-powered Tackle attack, which sends the cat Pokemon flying back, and its Thunderbolt is misfired at the ceiling, causing a small shower of rocky debris and dust to fall.

With the tables having turned again, I'm the one who's smirking, and Lenora is the one who looks worried.

“Siiiiii!” With a snarl, Persian, obviously knowing that Thunderbolt is a long-range move, ill-suited for melee situations, slashes with its claws, but Dewott blocks the attack with one of his scallops.

“End this, Dewott!” I yell, “Revenge!”

Dewott's free scallop glows reddish-brown, and he delivers a devastating slash. With a steaming gash, Persian is sent rocketing through the air, and it collides with one of the pillars. It tumbles to the ground, not having the will to attempt trying to stand again.

With a sigh, Lenora recalls Persian to its Pokeball, “Hmph. I thought for sure we'd win this round, but you once again prove to be quite the quick-witted young lady, Ria. You no doubt have to potential to make it far as a Pokemon trainer.”

“Um... Thanks...” I respond, my face feeling slightly warm. I think back to the night Cheren told me I had talent. However, in this case, I'm sure Lenora completely meant it. I'm kinda speechless.

Of course, with my heart soaring right now, Lenora is practically required to say something to get me back with the program, “However, that doesn't mean you've won this battle, and in turn, the Basic Badge, Ria. Let's see if your Dewott can overcome my last Pokemon!” Lenora grabs her last Pokeball and throws it into the field, “Herdier!”

On Lenora's end, a dog-like Pokemon appears, and hey, why not? A rat, a cat, and now, a dog. We're just working our way up the chain of command, aren't we? Anyway, it's face is mostly covered with tan fur with the rst of the fur, as well as its legs, being light brown, but its body is covered in black fur. It doesn't look like the kinda Pokemon I'd train for battle, personally, but it does look like something I'd want to take home as a pet. Daydreaming aside, however, 'Herdier,' or whatever Lenora called it, starts growling at Dewott, and it doesn't look very pet-like anymore...

Dewott managed to defeat Persian without taking any damage, so right now, both Pokemon are dead even, and this is anyone's battle once again, neither side with the advantage or disadvantage. Still, it's the final round, so yeah, no pressure there.

After seeing Persian use Thunderbolt, I'm not about to take anything for granted, so I decide to hold off on commanding Dewott to attack, and watch what Herdier does first.

The otter and dog Pokemon sidestep in a circular motion, facing off.

Finally, Lenora is the one to break the silence, “Herdier! Take Down!” The second the order is given, Herdier bolts toward Dewott with a powerful charge.

“Block, then use Revenge!” I counter-command.

Dewott seemed poised to try to dodge the attack, but at my order, he positions one of his scallops to absorb the force of Herdier's charge, and the other to counterattack.

The two Pokemon clash, but to soon becomes apparent which Pokemon has the power advantage. While Dewott blocks a direct collision, it doesn't matter since Herdier is coming on strong, and the Discipline Pokemon is being forced back, no matter how hard he tries to hold his ground. Finally, Dewott is slammed back-first into one of the ever-present pillars. He attempts to counterattack with Revenge, swinging his scallop as it glows reddish-brown, but Herdier sways out of its path, just getting grazed.

“Thunder Fang!” commands Lenora, and I can tell just by the name of the attack that what's coming isn't gonna make me feel all jolly.

Herdier jumps up on Dewott and it sinks its fangs into his right arm.

“Wo-o-o-ott!” There is a loud buzz as Dewott's entire body twitches as electricity courses through him, and I can only imagine how much that hurts.

Still, Dewott makes the most of of his free arm, and, with his scallop glowing reddish-brown once again, he thrusts it into Herdier. The dog Pokemon, with a deep steaming cut on its body, flies across the room and slams against the pillar on the opposite end. “Herrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!” it howls.

Dewott's right arm hangs limply at his side. There are several steaming gashes on it, as Herdier didn't exactly let go when it was forced off him, and therefore, took some of Dewott's flesh with it, plus the electricity probably paralyzed it.

Still, Thunder Fang... Like Persian had a long-range electric attack, Herdier has a short-ranged one, and unfortunately, Dewott is best when a battle is up-close-and-personal. Right now, though, it's best that Herdier doesn't get anywhere near him.

Of course, Lenora has other ideas, “Again! Take Down, then Thunder Fang!” Herdier gets back to its feet, then charges across the arena again at Dewott, who glances at me questioningly, obviously wondering if he should block again.

I don't need to think on it, “Avoid this one, then retreat with Aqua Jet!” Dewott leaps over Herdier, a split second before there would have been a collision, and then rapidly zips away from the normal-type, putting distance between them.

Instead of crashing into the pillar Dewott's back was to, like I was hoping, Herdier uses the inertia it gathered to run up it a few feet, and then leap off, landing like a cat. It turns to face Dewott.

Dewott's long-range capabilities are limited, but not non-existent, and I command him to use an attack I hadn't told him to use once since he evolved from Oshawott, “Dewott! Water Gun!”

Without having to get closer to the target, Dewott fires a high-pressure stream of water from his mouth at Herdier, which now has a lot more range and power than it did when he was the Sea Otter Pokemon. Herdier manages to sidestep the attack, but whatever; We've got it at bay.

Dewott sends a few more blasts Herdier's way, with one hitting, but the others missing. Finally, as Dewott is preparing another powerful spray, Lenora speaks up, “Herdier! Catch the attack with Thunder Fang!”

With an guess about what Lenora has in mind, I yell, “Dewott! Wai--” I'm too late, however. Dewott sends his streaming blast at Herdier, while the dog Pokemon grits its teeth, which are glowing bright yellow and crackling with electricity.

The Water Gun attack slams into Herdier's face, while electricity surges through the stream of water, and shocks Dewott. The Discipline Pokemon's body twitches while Herdier is trying to endure the powerful blast. Finally, the two attacks end, and both Pokemon are knocked to the ground. Silence fills the room as both of them slowly try to get back to their feet. One Pokemon succeeds in doing that, while the other collapses with a thud: that Pokemon turns out being the Discipline Pokemon, Dewott. It doesn't seem like he's gonna get up.

Lenora recalls Herdier, while I stand, speechless. I lost? For real? I'd had close battles before, but I managed to win those... I guess I shouldn't have expected to win 'em all...

With my mind preoccupied with the final stages of the battle, I recall Dewott, murmuring, “Return.”

After several seconds of silence, Lenora finally lets out a laugh, “Well, that was fun! It's battles like this that make being a trainer worth it, don't you think so, Ria?”

“I guess,” I say, my mind still far away.

Lenora walks across the arena and puts a reassuring hand on my shoulder, “Hey, don't let it get you down. I just got lucky this time. Once you train your Pokemon a bit more, and we battle again, I doubt I'll win.”

I think about that. Sure, I'm disappointed that I lost, but Lenora's right. It all came down to which Pokemon could recover, and which couldn't, and Lenora lucked out that time. The battle could have just as easily been mine.

Finally, I nod and force a slight smile, “Y-yeah. The battle won't end this way twice!”

---

Since I lost the Gym Battle, I owed Lenora 300 credits, which is pocket change, compared to the money I got fighting those trainers earlier. Either she's letting me off easy, or it had something to do with how the battle went. When I lost to Cilan, I lost badly, and owed a ton of money, but since the battle with Lenora was about as close as a battle can possibly get, maybe I don't owe as much. Either way, I'm thankful.

Since I still have enough money left over, I take my Pokemon out for a pizza dinner anyway, after fixing them up at the Pokemon Center, since they clearly gave it 100% in that Gym. They seemed pretty bummed about losing too, but the dinner and my reassurances cheer them up quite a bit.

I consider staying in Nacrene City a little longer, training my guys some more, challenging Lenora again, and hopefully winning, but I ultimately decide against it, as my friends had already moved on to Castelia City, and besides, with Rufflet and Dewott's Aerial Ace attack, I've got the edge against Burgh's bug-types, so I imagine I'll have better luck battling him. I'll come back to Nacrene City sometime after I get a fighting-type.

It's about sunset when my Pokemon and I finish our pizza dinner. From there, I recall them and head to a bus stop on the edge of Pinwheel Forest I'd noticed the various times I went to and from there. The bus stop is basically a couple benches and a nearby telephone pole with the arrival times posted on it. I wait alongside a couple other people for the last bus of the day. In fifteen minutes, it arrives, and we get on board, with me having more than enough leftover credits to pay for the ride.

The bus is pretty unique as buses go. The windows are huge! They, including the windshield, are wide, with few partitions, and extend from ceiling to floor. Whoever designed it, s/he definitely wants the passengers to look outside.

I find a seat and the bus starts moving. It heads up the road cutting through Pinwheel Forest, and passes through the checkpoint. Finally, I see why the bus's windows are so big: so the passengers can get a full view of the magnificent sight as they head along the Skyarrow Bridge and approach Castelia City. The sun had set and it is now twilight. The lights along the bridge's arches and suspension cables light up, giving it a dazzling look. If there's anything I'd learned about Unovian architecture, it's that people love them their bridges. Up ahead, the city's skyscrapers are lit up, adding to the magnificence gracing my vision.

Seeing that there are only five other passengers on the bus right now, I send out my three Pokemon, because I don't want them to miss this great sightseeing opportunity. Oh yeah! Castelia City and Unova proper, here we come!

A few minutes later, the bus clears the bridge and rolls into the city. There are very few other vehicles on the road, mostly limited to just cargo trucks and other buses. Some people own cars, but they're a rare sight. That's because public transportation is so accessible in Unova, and really, most other regions as well. It costs about as much to cross from one side of the region to the other, via bus and subway, as it costs for a high-end dinner.

Pokemon trainers can even cross the region for free if they train a flying-type to its fully-evolved form, as they are big and strong enough to carry even a full-grown human man through the air with ease. Owning a flying-type, I feel pretty excited about this, if maybe a tad nervous, having never flown on anything other than an airplane twice, on my trip to Sinnoh and back.

Since it seems my Pokemon have gotten their fair share of the sights, plus, as the bus stops from place to place throughout the city, more passengers get on, so I recall them, but linger for a few seconds before calling Rufflet back. I wonder how much longer it will take for him to evolve...

I stare at the window, watching the city's many shops and other businesses pass by, but my attention is mostly trained on my reflection off the glass, and, more specifically, my vest, which still has a single badge on it. Sigh... It sure would have been nice to have added a second badge today. I guess this is karma for underestimating normal-types...

I daydream (or nightdream) about how my rematch with Lenora might go when I am jolted from my reverie by a beeping sound from my pocket. It's my Xtransceiver. I check who's calling, and find out it's Bianca. She normally had her Xtransceiver off, so she could make her trail harder to track, but it's on, and she's trying to get a hold of me. It must be urgent...

I open my communicator and greet, “Hey, Bianca! How's it going?”

“Ria...” Bianca sounds troubled... and, despite barely being visible on the tiny screen, she looks troubled too. The outlines of her eyes are pink, as if she had been... crying? I wonder what happened.

“What's wrong?” I ask.

“Where are you?” asks Bianca, with an almost pleading tone.

“I'm in Castelia City,” I answer, “I'm on the bus.”

Bianca looks slightly relieved, but still upset, “Good. Could you meet Cheren and me at the Pokemon Center?”

“Um... sure,” I say, “I'm headed there anyway, but what's up, Bianca?”

“I...” Bianca tries to say more, but whatever thoughts are entering her mind seem to be too much, and a tear runs down her cheek.

Okay, now I really wanna find out what's eating Bianca, but I know better than to press the issue right now, “... You don't have to say anything. I'll be at the Center pretty soon anyway. Just hang tough until then, alright?”

“Thank you...” Bianca chokes out, and the transmission ends.

I lean back in my seat, waiting for the bus driver to announce the bus's arrival at the Castelia City Pokemon Center. As cliché as it sounds, I have a bad feeling about this...


And that concludes the Nacrene arc. I ended up changing a few things from how I originally planned it. For example, I was planning on Ralts evolving after the big battle with Team Plasma, but then I figured that by this point, Ria had only had him for over a day, and I just figured it would have been too soon.

I originally planned for Ria to win the battle against Lenora, as I was thinking of having her beating the Gym Leaders in the order that was in the game, while her friends beat them in a different order, but I ultimately decided otherwise, as it's a less predictable outcome, and it accommodates some ideas I had for later in the story.

Anyway, I hope this latest installment was to your liking, and that you're looking forward to what's to come.

Last edited by Valin on Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

...and some random other dude named Valin...

Smoooth, Valin. Maybe you'll meet yourself. XD
Nice chapter though. I wasn't expecting Electric-type attacks... or not challenging the Gym again. Anyway, I look forward to the next installment. =D

Ah, I reread your previous chapter and forgot to comment--if strangers aren't supposed to accept battles from one another, the little economy they have will be damaged. Besides, isn't battling new people the point of the exploration (besides catching Pokemon)? Being warned not to shows how strong the threat is.

As for this chapter, it was fine. I've always liked the exploration of routes more than the gym leader battles, as it goes further into one's imagination than the already detailed gyms. Nevertheless, I found the use of Water Gun quite interesting, though I'm curious--as the Attack stat increases in that line, will the relative power of the Special Water Gun lessen in your canon?

While losing to Lenora wasn't exactly the way I wanted my day to go, things didn't exactly go any better for Bianca and Cheren.

Cheren challenged Burgh, but he ended up losing much worse than I did against Lenora, with Servine and Ralts getting KO'd by Burgh's first Pokemon alone, before finally taking it down with Sawk. However, Cheren's fighting-type didn't stand a chance against Burgh's second Pokemon. Needless to say, Cheren wasn't very thrilled about that.

As bad as Cheren's day was, however, it was nothing compared to Bianca's. She was out and about throughout today, taking in Castelia's sights and landmarks like the small town girl she is. However, as the sun was beginning to set, and Bianca was on her way back to the Pokemon Center to call it a night, she took a detour through a park she took a liking to. At this point, it was mostly clear of other people, except two: a young girl and some man in a business suit. The two of them were having a Pokemon battle, with Bianca watching from far away, well beyond notice. The battle ended and the girl recalled her beaten Pokemon, but suddenly the man turned his creature on the girl. She let out a scream, which was within Bianca's earshot, and my friend came dashing to the rescue. The girl, not wanting to die, obviously, handed her Pokemon over to the man, but that's when Bianca sent out Pignite, who knocked the jerk business man's Pokemon out. Bianca demanded that the guy return the girl's Pokemon, but that's when a couple the bad guy's buddies came out of hiding behind some nearby trees, and it turned into an ambush. They sent out their Pokemon, which overwhelmed Bianca's, as strong as they were. Now, with my friend defenseless as well, they stole her Pokemon and ran off.

Bianca finishes her story, her grief easily visible, “... The girl thanked me for trying and left, saying she was gonna come back to her parents and tell the police what happened.” She lets out a long sigh, “I know I should too, but... they'll probably find out who I really am...”

“What makes you think that?” I ask.

“I'm to blame for this one,” says Cheren, “I explained to Bianca how the whole process would work: We go to a police station or the police come to us... Either way, they will need to see Bianca's trainer card, which, as I'm sure we all know, has every last aspect of her true identity written on it, right down to her undisguised picture.”

I nod, “I see...” I take a deep breath, knowing Bianca won't like what I'm about to say, “Well... why not give yourself up, Bianca? I mean, between maintaining your cover and getting your Pokemon back, safe and sound, which do you think is more important?”

“My Pokemon, of course,” answers Bianca, seeming almost offended, “I'm... I'm just wondering if... if there's a way to report my stolen Pokemon and keep my cover...”

“They will need to verify that you're a trainer, and know that the Pokemon that were stolen are really yours,” says Cheren, “Sorry, Bianca, but it's inevitable.”

Bianca leans forward in her chair and stares at the well-waxed pink and red tiles on the floor of Castelia City's Pokemon Center lobby, “... I guess you're right, Cheren. I wanted to wait until I had three badges, but I can't do it if I have no Pokemon, and making sure they're safe is more important than trying to show daddy that I can take care of myself... Still, I wonder what will happen when the police find out.”

I put my hand on Bianca's shoulder, trying to reassure her, “Don't worry. Cheren and I will be with you.”

Cheren, as blunt as ever, adds, “I'm not sure our presence will help things, but we'll make you feel safe, at least.”

Bianca forces a smile, “Thanks, guys...”

Cheren takes his Xtransceiver out of his pocket and says, “Bianca, if you want, I'll contact the police and tell them the situation. They will still need your trainer card, but I'm sure it will be easier if I get things started.”

“Okay,” says Bianca.

Without another word, Cheren dials 211 on his Xtransceiver. From there, he's pacing around us as he speaks with a representative from Castelia City's police department. However, with at least sixty other trainers around the lobby, the din of the surrounding crowd makes it hard to hear what's on the police department's end. As such, we can only hear Cheren, “... … Hello. My name is Cheren. I have a friend whose Pokemon had been stolen... … If I recall correctly, they were a Pignite, a Munna, and a Drilbur... … That's right... … We'll be waiting in the lobby of Castelia City's Pokemon Center... … Okay. Thank you...” With that, the conversation ends. Cheren explains the situation, “The police will be coming here. They'll know it's us, because they have my picture from the Xtransceiver conversation.”

“I see,” says Bianca.

“It looks like all we have to do now is wait,” I say.

And wait we do. Castelia City is a magnificent place, so it's only right that its Pokemon Center is just as grand, as the lobby is huge and filled with comfortable furniture. Also, one wall is taken up completely by a giant TV screen, which I swear someone could go blind by looking at for too long. I hadn't seen the living quarters yet, but seeing as this Center isn't a two or three-floor structure like the others I'd been to, and is a smaller skyscraper instead, it looks like there might be individual rooms this time, instead of having to share one with everyone else. This place feels more like a hotel than a Pokemon Center.

After a long moment of silence, Cheren says to Bianca, “You know, Bianca, you could have avoided this whole scenario. Did you forget what I told you about picking your fights wisely?”

“I did not!” Bianca respond defensively, “It was just one guy! His Pokemon already fought, so I thought mine could beat them easily! It's not like I went after a bunch of guys stealing a skull, or something! I wasn't expecting those other two bad guys to come out and ambush me! What would you have expected, Cheren?”

To my amazement, Bianca actually managed to outwit Cheren, since he says nothing in return.

The silence continues. Since Bianca will be baring her soul to the cops in a matter of minutes, she isn't very cheerful. With no words between us, we pass the time watching whatever's on the TV wall. Soon, a news report starts up, and it's an update on the one I watched back in Nacrene City, about the string of thefts going on in Castelia City. Apparently, the number of incidents had risen from twenty-seven to thirty-six. I know two of the victims are Bianca and the girl she helped.

“Thirty-six...” mumbles Cheren. I wonder what's on his mind.

A few minutes later, we hear the tone that sounds when the door to the outside of the Center opens. We look, and sure enough, two cops in gray uniforms, one male and one female, enter the Pokemon Center. They look back and forth at the various people throughout the lobby. Cheren stands up, raising his hand, which soon catches their attention, and they walk over.

Bianca now has her hat-wig off, though she's still wearing her tanned makeup and reddish-brown contact lenses, but the resemblance between her and the girl from the “MISSING” poster I'd seen outside the Center is pretty clear.

The two officers look at Bianca, pause for a minute, but then go about their business. “We're here about the Pokemon that were stolen,” says the female cop, sounding all businesslike, “Which one of you is the victim?”

“I am...” says Bianca, eyes downcast.

“Excuse me,” says the male cop, “but... you wouldn't happen to be that girl from Accumula Town, who went missing, would you? You look a lot like her.”

After hesitating for several seconds, Bianca answers, no doubt having accepted the situation, “I am. I was wearing a disguise to avoid being found, but... it's more important that my Pokemon are returned to me, and I know I need to show you my trainers license, so there's no point in hiding anymore...” With that, Bianca pulls her trainer card out of her pocket and hands it to the female cop, who is closer to wear she's sitting.

The female cop looks over Bianca's license card, hand it back to her, and then smiles, “I see. You're doing a very noble thing for the sake of your Pokemon. However, I'm afraid we are going to have to take you back with us to the station for some questioning, regarding your disappearance.”

“Um...” Bianca glances at me and Cheren pleadingly.

“You don't have anything to be concerned about,” says the male cop, “We are just going to ask a few questions about why you disappeared, and decide what will happen from there...” He gives a slight grin, “We're not going to lock you up, if that's what you're worried about.”

“We can go with you, if you want,” I tell Bianca.

“If you do,” says the female cop, “then you'll have to wait in the lobby. The questioning is strictly between her and us.”

“It's alright...” says Bianca, “... I knew this had to happen sooner or later...”

“Are you sure?” I ask.

“Yeah...” Bianca nods, and rises from her chair.

The cops walk away with Bianca obediently following them. However, Cheren speaks up, causing them to pause, “Excuse me! Before you go, would you mind if I asked some questions about the stolen Pokemon?”

“Most of that information is confidential,” says the male cop, “but not all of it. What did you want to ask?”

“How close are you to finding the thieves' hideout, exactly?” asks Cheren, “We just watched a report, saying that there had been thirty-six incidents. Obviously, with that many major crimes going on in such a short period, it's natural to assume there's a hideout somewhere in the city, or somewhere close by. There's no doubt the Castelia City Police Department will be using most of its resources to find it, but even so, you don't seem to be having any success. I don't understand.”

The male cop looks impressed, and frankly, so am I, “Wow, you're pretty sharp, aren't you? Yes, the CCPD is sparing no effort in finding the stolen Pokemon and their thieves; The chief of police had even taken on the role of head investigator. As such, he'd given us all the possible locations of a potential hideout, and have been searching them up and down. We're yet to come up with any results, but we will no doubt find it soon.”

“Define 'possible locations,'” says Cheren inquisitively.

“No can do,” says the cap, “That information is not meant for civilians. Look, we'll find the hideout and get your friend's Pokemon back soon.”

“Thank you,” says Cheren, “I understand.”

The police officers walk away again, without any interruptions. Bianca looks back at Cheren and me, forces a smile, and follows the cops out of the Center.

“Good luck, Bianca,” I whisper. It sucks being helpless to do anything for her.

About a minute of silence passes with neither me, nor Cheren, saying a word.

Finally getting creeped out by the lack of dialogue, I try to start up a conversation, “I sure hope everything goes alright for Bianca.”

“It probably will,” says Cheren, “Bianca is a certified Pokemon trainer, which means she can legally leave home. If she does get some sort of punishment for running away, it will probably be from her father, and not the police.”

“That's good news,” I say. Now that I'm reassured about Bianca's situation, I decide to change the subject, “Anyway, I'm impressed, Cheren, about those questions you asked, regarding the investigation. If this Pokemon League Champion thing doesn't work out, you just might be able to make it as a detective.”

Cheren manages a slight smile, “Pokemon training material were not the only things I'd read, growing up. Not long before we became friends, I'd been addicted to detective novels. I guess some things just clicked in time. Anyway...” Cheren's face turns deadly serious, “I'm starting to wonder if the police will ever find the hideout.”

“What makes you think they won't?” I ask.

Cheren pauses, and then says, “The reports said that it's believed Team Plasma is behind the thefts. Those officers said that the chief of police is at the head of the investigation...”

Not exactly following Cheren's logic, I say, “Yeah? So?”

Cheren pauses again, and then says “This is pure conjecture on my part, but it might be possible the chief, or some other high-ranking police officer, is in with Team Plasma.”

“Dude!” I exclaim in exasperation, “Team Plasma is a bunch of criminals! Why would a cop be one of them?”

Cheren explains, “While I don't like Team Plasma, it isn't hard to figure most of them out. They steal Pokemon because they feel they are oppressed by their trainers. That reasoning is sound, if somewhat naïve, and while they are criminals, I seriously doubt that they, themselves, are consciously aware of that; They think they are the good guys, doing the world a favor. As such, I don't think it's a stretch to think a cop or two might join up with them. How else can you explain why the police have been dedicating so many of their resources to finding the hideout, and yet, there have been no results? Castelia City is big, but not that big.”

I find what Cheren is saying to be pretty crazy, but at the same time the only things I can come up with to try and disprove him are pretty weak, compared to the argument he just gave. What I wouldn't give to have a brain like his.

I jokingly say, “Okay, so... what? We go to the station and try to convince the chief, or whoever, to arrest himself, or something?”

Cheren shakes his head, clearly taking my attempt at humor seriously, “No. As I said, this is just conjecture; I have no solid evidence that any of the cops have something to do with the Pokemon thefts.”

“Alright, so what then? Do you have any ideas, or do you to just wait things out... not that anything will come of it, if your crooked cop theory is correct.”

Cheren grins, and I can just tell that he thinks he'd just come up with the scheme of the century, “We take finding the hideout into our own hands.”

I nod slowly, “Riiiiight... Seeing as the cops hadn't found it, what makes you think a couple small-town teens can do it?”

“You remember what Bianca said, didn't you, Ria? She told us that girl she rushed in to save was challenged to a Pokemon battle, with the intention of the challenger stealing her Pokemon. Now, removing Bianca from the scenario, I'd guess that if the girl had lost the battle, fine. The challenger would then turn his Pokemon on her and steal the Pokemon; That's what happened, after all. Now, if the girl were to win, that's when those two other guys would have come in to overwhelm the girl's Pokemon, and then steal it...”

I bring up something else, “Bianca said that the thieves wore business suits. The news said that it's believed Team Plasma might be behind it, but if so, they weren't in their weird white LARPing garb uniforms.”

“It makes sense they weren't,” says Cheren, “Castelia City has been nicknamed, 'The Urban Center That Never Slumbers,' after all. That means no matter what time it is, day or night, there are people around. It makes sense Team Plasma would disguise themselves here.”

“True,” I say, “Those white uniforms may be a lot of things, but 'inconspicuous' sure isn't one of them.”

Cheren nods, “I'm eighty percent sure this is Team Plasma's handiwork. After all, there had never been Pokemon thefts at this magnitude, at least in Unova, before Team Plasma showed up. Still, if they are going around, dressed as ordinary people, that makes our task more difficult...”

“So, what is 'our task?'” I say.

Cheren says, straight-faced, “Team Plasma set up that girl, so we are going to set up them. What I'm thinking...” Cheren lowers his voice, explaining his idea.

When he's finished, I yell, outraged, my fingernails digging into my chair's fabric, “What? You can't be serious, Cheren!” Several heads throughout the Pokemon Center lobby whirl in our direction. I'm not a person who angers easily, but what Cheren proposes sure pushes my limit.

Cheren's plan: We would head out to a park, as at this time of day, there would be the fewest witnesses, and therefore, invites thieves to try to steal Pokemon from unwitting trainers wandering through the area. As bait, Cheren would walk out in the open, while I lay low. I would keep two of Cheren's Pokemon with me, while he has the third on him. If he gets challenged to a battle, he would accept. Win or lose, assuming the challenger is with Team Plasma, s/he would then steal Cheren's Pokemon and make a run for it. That's when I would have Rufflet, putting his wings and eyes to good use again, follow the thief to the hideout. Once he finds out where it is, Rufflet would come back and lead Cheren and me there.

Now, while I don't deny that the plan itself might work, it's what Cheren has to do that set me off, “You would willingly have your Pokemon stolen? You would actually use them like that? That's exactly what Team Plasma thinks its preventing! If you do that, you'll only be proving them right!”

Cheren thinks about what I said for a second. He definitely seems troubled. After all, as much as I hate Team Plasma, Cheren appears to hate them more, and I know the last thing he would want to do is show they were right all along. Finally, Cheren says, “Okay, Ria. What's your plan, then?”

I'm taken aback, “M-my plan?”

“Yes. If you think my plan is so terrible, I'm hoping you have a better idea. I'm sure you want Bianca and all the other trainers to get their Pokemon back.”

I stammer, “W-well, I don't think you plan is bad, per se. I just object to how you'll use your Pokemon. I mean, having them stolen is one thing, but having them stolen on purpose? You're just using them as a means to an end! You care about your Pokemon, don't you? Don't do this!”

“It shouldn't be a big deal,” says Cheren, clearly struggling to maintain a stoic exterior, “My Pokemon will presumably be in a Pokeball while it's being stolen. It shouldn't know what's happening. Besides, if we find the hideout and inform the authorities, I'll get my Pokemon back, as will everyone else.”

“That's not the point, Cheren.”

Cheren's eyes bore into me, “Look, Ria. I know what you're saying, but if this ultimately gets everyone's Pokemon back, wouldn't the ends justify the means?”

Once again, I can't deny what Cheren is saying, but this time, I really wish I could. I hate it, but he's right. I want Bianca to get her Pokemon back, and I know if my Pokemon were stolen, I'd be desperate too, but desperate enough to agree to Cheren's plan? I don't know, and frankly, I don't want to know...

Finally, I cave in, “Okay, Cheren... you win. We'll try your plan out... I just hope you can face your Pokemon again, after you'd used them like some cheap tool.”

---

After Cheren grabs some dinner at the Center (not me, since I already ate), we head out. Cheren gets a free map of the city by the Pokemon Center's entrance, and we locate the nearest park, presumably the one Bianca had her Pokemon stolen at. We then head there.

The park is a wide-open area, made up mostly off a grassy field, dotted with trees, stone pathways, with benches here and there, and the obligatory playground. With Rufflet's help, I manage to hoist myself into one of the park's trees, hiding among the branches and leaves, well out of anyone's sight in the night's darkness, while I watch Cheren walk around the park, and wonder just how morally squeamish he's feeling right now. I have the Pokeballs containing Cheren's Servine and Sawk, while he has Ralts on him.

I'd played war games with Cheren before, and he'd always win, usually with ruthless or underhanded tactics, but this is real life, and I never thought he'd apply the same strategies; I thought he was a better man. I'm not thinking of ending my friendship with him, or anything, but let's just say that the remote chance of him becoming my husband someday has just totally dropped to zero; I'll never look at him the same way again. It would be no different than him letting me get kidnapped, just as long as it produces results.

I glance at Rufflet nearby, perched on a branch, and then look down at Dewott and Ralts Pokeballs, even though it's too dark to see anything. These guys have been my companions, being there for me and fighting hard for me, be it to protect me or to battle. In the short time I'd known them, it's like they'd become an indispensable part of my life. The last thing I'd want, or want any other trainer, to do to them is treat them like objects. Doesn't Cheren think the same way of his Pokemon? How on earth can he go through with this?

For a while, Cheren walks around the park, illuminated in the night's darkness by the lampposts, though he makes sure he never leaves my sight. After getting tired of walking, he sits on a bench, then, to my relative amusement, considering the circumstances, he makes use of the swing set on the playground. After that, he strolls around again, all while I'm rotting in this tree, with branches digging into my back. Cheren seriously needs to learn how to treat a lady...

One hour passes, then two. During that time, only two other people come by, neither of them challenging Cheren to a Pokemon battle. Well, good, I think, maybe Cheren will get tired of waiting here, and we'd head back to the Pokemon Center, get some sleep, and maybe he'll will finally come to his senses, and think of a less exploitative plan.

I wonder how Bianca is doing. Is she being driven back to Accumula Town, or something, or will she be allowed to stay in Castelia City until she gets her Pokemon back? Bianca has totally gotten braver, if somewhat reckless, on this journey, but can she face her dad?

I check my watch: 9PM. Nearby, Rufflet had found a patch of branches and leaves to take a nap in. I wish I could be as comfy in this tree.

I see a third person walking along the stone path cutting through the park. From the distance I'm at, I can't make out the figure's features, exactly, but from the pink business suit and the knee-length skirt, I can tell it's a woman. If this passerby turns out being just another random person, I'm totally gonna drop down from this tree, and tell Cheren to call it a night.

However, as Cheren 'casually' passes the woman, I hear her speak, though all I can make out is the pitch, and not the exact words. Cheren says something back, and they back up to stand a few meters apart. It looks like a Pokemon battle is about to start. Sigh... It's showtime...

Cheren reaches into his supply bag and pulls out what is no doubt Ralts's Pokeball... Wait a minute... 'his supply bag?' He usually keeps his Pokeballs on his belt. Some people do keep their Pokemon in their bags, but it's ill-advised, as it causes trainers to take longer to respond if a wild Pokemon shows up.

Cheren sends out Ralts, while the businesswoman sends out a brown beetle-like Pokemon with long arms and a pair of pincers on its head. I take a picture with my Pokedex. Since I'm at a long distance away and it's dark out, the results take longer to load, but eventually, “Pokemon: Pinsir” shows up. It's a bug-type. Well, if I had to predict the outcome, based on type, I'd say Cheren's gonna lose this battle...

… and lose he does. In a single devastating attack by Pinsir, Ralts goes down, and Cheren recalls his Pokemon. He returns Ralts's Pokeball to his supply bag, and I'm starting to think that the trainer he just fought is just any old trainer, when suddenly Pinsir rushes forward, grabs Cheren with its long arms, and pulls him toward it, positioning his neck in between its pincers. Those things don't look they need much pressure to break his neck.

Even though recent events have put me at odds with Cheren, I don't want to watch him die, and just as I'm about to yell his name and drop out of the tree, he reaches into his bag again, pulls out Ralts's Pokeball, and hands it to the woman. I wonder how I'd react in that situation. I love my Pokemon, of course, but if I had to surrender them or die, which would I choose? I think of being in Cheren's situation, and my hands start to tremble. I don't want to think about it. At all.

The Pinsir lifts Cheren high over its head, and then throws him several feet away, my friend landing flat on his back. The woman recalls Pinsir, and sends out another Pokemon: a brown Pokemon that looks like a three-headed ostrich. As much as I want to snap a shot with my Pokedex and find what that Pokemon is, I instead start nudging Rufflet until he wakes up. From there, I tell him to follow the woman, find out where she's going, come back, and lead me and Cheren there.

The woman hops on the 'ostrich's' back and rides it away, accelerating fast. Rufflet takes flight to follow them from a distance.

I scan what area I can for any other guys that would have backed the woman up in case Cheren won, but if there is someone, it's too dark to see them.

I wait a for a few seconds until I'm sure there's no one else around, and drop out of the tree. I run over to Cheren, who is still on his back after being thrown. I guess he hit the ground pretty hard.

“Cheren, are you alright?” I ask.

Cheren sits up, and slowly gets to his feet, “Ugh... I'll be fine...”

Since I now know Cheren is okay, I immediately switch gears, and flatly say, giving him a sideways glance, “Well, in that case, your Ralts has been kidnapped, just as you planned, and Rufflet is following that trainer as we speak. I hope you're proud of yourself, Cheren.”

Cheren gives me a look of surprise, “Ralts was kidnapped? Really?”

I instantly switch back to 'concerned' mode, “Dude, did you hit your head, or something?”

Cheren reaches into his bag and pulls out a Pokeball, “Do you mean this Ralts?” He throws it, and Ralts appears, albeit wounded from its previous battle with Pinsir, but totally there.

Baffled, I take a step back and exclaim, “What? Where? When?”

Cheren slyly smiles as he kneels next to Ralts and sprays its wound with a potion. After it's healed, he recalls the psychic-type, and says, “You were absolutely right, Ria. I couldn't face my Pokemon if I let one of them be kidnapped on purpose, so I came up with another plan. Before we left the Pokemon Center, I borrowed a pink marker from one of the other trainers, and colored the center of an empty Pokeball pink, as a decoy for Ralts's Pokeball. I kept Ralts in my bag so that woman wouldn't see me make the switch.”

“W-why didn't you tell me?” I ask in exasperation.

Cheren's smile widens, “I just wanted to see what face you'd make, Ria.”

Pouting, I respond, “... Jerk.”

“At any rate,” says Cheren, “Assuming that trainer doesn't catch on to my plan, hopefully she's headed to where all the other stolen Pokemon had been taken, and Rufflet should lead us there afterward. For now, all we have to do is wait...”

I return Servine and Sawk to Cheren. From there, we head over to the swingset and sit in adjacent swings. No matter how old or big you get, that's one thing you never completely outgrow.

I'm still a little peeved that Cheren had the presence of mind to intentionally have his Pokemon stolen from him, even though it didn't come to that, but I gradually let it go. Besides, there's something else plaguing me, “Hey.”

Cheren glances at me, “Yeah?”

“Weren't you scared?” I ask, “I mean, when that Pinsir held you above it and put its pincers to your neck? It could have killed you easily. How did you feel?”

Cheren looks up at the clear, starry sky, “Who wouldn't be frightened? However, I kept reminding myself that the Pinsir's trainer wasn't going to tell it to kill me.”

“What made you think she wouldn't?”

“What would be gained from it? She just wanted my Pokemon, after all. Besides, if every trainer Team Plasma had stolen Pokemon from was killed, I would think the murders would overshadow the thefts in the news reports.”

“Good point.”

“Why do you ask?”

“W-well...” For a moment back there, I felt as if I were Cheren at that Pinsir's mercy, and I keep wondering how I might have felt. The thought of it gives me the shakes once again.

Cheren, seeming to notice my state, says, “Never mind, Ria.”

I take several deep breaths. Within a few minutes, I start to settle down.

---

Ten minutes later, Rufflet comes flying back, “Ruff rufflet ruff!”

“Did you find where she was headed?” I ask.

Rufflet nods, “Ruff.”

“Awesome work!” I say, giving a thumbs-up, “Lead on, then. You're totally getting a pizza for this!”

“Rufflet!” Rufflet excitedly exclaims as he takes flight, with Cheren and I following.

It takes close to a half-hour of running after Rufflet, not including when Cheren stops to catch his breath, or when Rufflet momentarily pauses, and then takes to the high ground to presumably get his bearings.

Finally, we're directed through a lengthy back alley, where we run into a couple sleazy-looking biker dudes who try to hit on me, telling me to 'ditch that four-eyed chump and hang out with some real men.' Cheren handles the situation by sending out Sawk and telling them to step aside or experience some serious pain. In response, they each send out a Pokemon, which my Pokedex identifies as a bug/poison-type called Beedrill and a poison-type called Weezing. Sawk and Rufflet make very quick work of them, though, and the bikers run past us and away, clearing our path. Rufflet takes the high ground again, while Cheren recalls Sawk, and we move on.

Finally, we reach the other end of the alleyway, emerging into an out-of-the-way lot. With dim streetlights barely illuminating the area, and litter all over the ground, with the place stinking of dumpsters that probably hadn't been cleaned out in eons (I even hear some faint, but creepy, voices from them, “Truuuubish...” “Griiiimer...”), I have to say that not every part of the “Grand City of Castelia” is exactly “grand.” At least the graffiti art is decent...

Geez, I heard about areas in cities like these, but I never thought I'd be setting foot in one. Why did I agree to take Cheren up on his plan again? I feel like some deranged psycho with a knife is gonna leap out of the shadows and turn me into a mangled cadaver.

In the middle of the lot is a twenty-or-so-floor rickety building, decorated up and down with graffiti. It looks pretty much uninhabited, seeing as most of windows are completely black on the inside, but a few of them are dimly lit up. I can't see the light sources, exactly, but it's definitely not electrical lighting; most likely either candles or lanterns. At a scene like this, I'd expect some heavy metal music playing from the building at full blast, but instead, I hear, at a moderate volume, some triumphant-sound marching music, made up mostly of trumpets and drums. I'd be laughing at the irony, if Cheren and I weren't trying to avoid being seen right now.

As soon as we're out of the alley, Cheren and I see a car parked just a couple feet away from us, with two of its wheels on the curb. Its tires are flat and it's rusted in several places, so it's obviously abandoned.  Still, we come in low and duck beside it, outside of the dim light illuminating the area. It's the only car here, which is not surprising as it's not a very popular vehicle in today's world.

“This area certainly doesn't receive much attention,” says Cheren, “An ideal place for a hideout.” He takes his map of the city out of his pocket. I can barely see it, as we're out of the light of a lamps, but what little light there is makes it at least somewhat visible. Cheren traces the roads with his finger, starting at the park, and goes along the route we took, until he reaches our current location. Finally, he moves his finger to a nearby symbol, about four blocks away: a 'G.' “This area is too close to the Gym for comfort. Living near one of the most powerful trainers in the city is not a move most people would expect, but I read once that a stupid move can ultimately amount to a smart one, as it's unpredictable...”

“So... this is the hideout?” I ask, “As in, case solved? Please say yes. I want out of this pit, like, now.”

Cheren shakes his head, “No...” Figures, “... Rufflet followed that woman to this place, but we should confirm with our own eyes that Team Plasma is indeed here.”

“You mean... go inside?”

Cheren shakes his head, “No. Too dangerous. We'll just hide here and see who comes out. If we see some people in their Team Plasma uniforms, we'll know for sure this is their hideout, and our 'mission' will be complete.”

“So, we lay low...” I say, “Doesn't sound too hard. How do you know they'll be wearing their Team Plasma uniforms here, when they hadn't when committing their crimes?”

“They seem attached to their uniforms; wearing them with pride,” says Cheren flatly, “They did wear their uniforms when stealing the skull, after all. Since this is obviously a private location, I think it's possible they change into them here.”

I shrug, “Eh. Fair enough.”

Cheren and I watch the building for several minutes. In that time, nobody comes or goes, much to my frustration, as the odor from the dumpsters is starting to become very reminiscent of Garbodor's stench. Hanging out in a crappy building, in a foul-smelling hole like this... Don't these Team Plasma guys have any pride at all?

I try looking at the windows on the building, trying to make out some white uniforms, but it's too dim in the building, and said windows are too small. There are some voices over the marching music, sounding pretty self-satisfied, but we're too far away to make anything out. With the happy music and cheerful voices, I'd say Team Plasma, if it's really Team Plasma, is celebrating another day well done. I know they successfully stole Pokemon from at least two trainers, after all.

Cheren and I suddenly hear a familiar buzzing sound overhead. As we look up to confirm our guesses, we're suddenly blinded by a very bright light. It's a helicopter, which is a promising sign, since we know Team Plasma owns at least one. Its bright headlights shine down illuminating the area, as we watch it head toward the building's roof. Definitely not a place we'd expect any old helicopter to go.

However, any time to discuss the latest development is suddenly cut short when, no sooner do our eyes stop hurting, when our ears start to. A loud, unexpected screech sounds from ahead and above us, “Towwwwwwwwwwwwwwwl!”

“What the heck?” I yell, then I cover my mouth, knowing I raised my voice too much, not that it matters, since we were obviously spotted by something when the helicopter's light shone on us. That 'something' is a shape descending from the top of the building and then straight toward us! It passes through the light of a streetlamp in front of the building, and we find out what it is: a large owl-like Pokemon, with features of varying shades of brown, light-yellow horns, and a belly covered with black triangle shapes.

“Ruuuuuuff!” At that moment, however, Rufflet swoops down from a building he was perched on behind us, and intercepts the owl Pokemon, slashing it with his talons.

I take that moment to analyze our attacker with my Pokedex: Noctowl, a normal/flying-type.

Noctowl staggers back, but recovers quickly, and then bolts forward, slamming into Rufflet, sending him stumbling back a few feet. The Eaglet Pokemon is still up for more, however, and is rearing back to deliver another attack to the Owl Pokemon when Noctowl's eyes suddenly start to glow a pink color. “R... ruff... ruf...” Rufflet pauses, and I notice his flapping gradually slowing down more and more until he's no longer afloat.

“Rufflet!” I yell, “What's wrong?”

“R...uff...” Rufflet tumbles onto the abandoned car, his body creating a large dent in the roof.

“Rufflet!”

“Noctowl used Hypnosis,” says Cheren, “It's asleep.”

“What?” Sure enough, Rufflet, despite the impact, looks kinda peaceful, with his eyes shut, and snoring lightly. No sooner do I notice this, however, when Rufflet suddenly disappears from his resting place on the car.

We look up and see that Noctowl had swooped down, grabbing the sleeping Rufflet in its talons. The Owl Pokemon flies back in the direction of the building. Noctowl is stealing Rufflet!

A memory flashes through my mind: N's words from yesterday, “I just wanted to see how you would react. As a trainer, do you not have a responsibility to protect your Pokemon from harm?”
“You had every right to step in and protect your Ralts from harm, be it calling him back to his Pokeball, or simply pulling him out of Fearow's reach, and yet, you did neither of those things. I wonder why that is.”

“No!” I yell. I stand straight up. I'm not gonna fail my Pokemon again! I grab Rufflet's Pokeball from my belt and run to the front of the car, step up to the bumper, and onto the hood. As Professor Juniper had taught us, the maximum distance in which a Pokemon can be recalled to a Pokeball is twelve feet, and it's not gonna be long until Noctowl is out of that range!

I run up the hood and the windshield, and onto the roof. From there, I launch myself as hard as I can from the edge of the roof, in Noctowl's direction. As soon as I'm as close as I can possibly get, I hold out the Pokeball toward Rufflet, who I hope is close enough, and yell, “Return!” With that, Rufflet vanishes from Noctowl's claws with a flash. I did it!

Of course, what comes up, as they say, must come down. With the forward momentum that was gathered when I jumped, I'm quickly off my feet when I hit the ground, and am tumbling across the pavement. “Owwww...” I ended up scraping my knee, and I stare for a couple of seconds at the blood oozing out. Still, I saved Rufflet, so it was worth the pain.

Unfortunately, with its cargo gone, Noctowl decides to turn its attention on me. It lands and charges forward, just as I'm back on my feet. It thrusts its beak, and I stumble backward, narrowly avoiding the attack, my back connecting with the abandoned car. With me no longer being able to retreat, Noctowl advances again.

“Ria!” yells Cheren. At that moment, I see a Pokeball fall from above and onto the ground between me and the Owl Pokemon. With a flash, Sawk appears, the presence of which stops Noctowl in its tracks.

“Karate Chop!” commands Cheren. Sawk lunges forward and slams its hand down hard on Noctowl's head, smashing it face-first into the pavement. The Owl Pokemon is knocked out cold.

“Th-thanks...” I stutter, but my mind is now elsewhere as my breathing increases, my heart starts to pound violently, and my anxiety rises. Noctowl... it... it almost...

“Ria!” Cheren screams, snapping me back to reality. I notice what has Cheren suddenly so frenzied: guys are pouring out of the building, no doubt alerted by all the noise we made. Sure enough, some of them are wearing Team Plasma uniforms.

“Mission accomplished!” yells Cheren, “Now, let's get the heck outta here!”

“Y-yeah...” I'll have time to worry later. If Team Plasma catches us, I doubt they'll just steal our Pokemon, seeing as we'd located their hideout.

Cheren runs back toward the alleyway. I dash around the car and follow him, while Sawk simply jumps over it entirely and follows suit. We dash through the alley as fast as we can.

Cheren yells, “Since we'd found their hideout, and they know it, Team Plasma might now try to abandon it, taking the stolen Pokemon with them, assuming they're kept there!”

“'Mission accomplished?' Sound more like a 'mission failed...'” I groan.

“Not yet!” says Cheren, “We gotta get to Castelia Gym and tell Burgh what we saw!”

“Okay!”

We exit the alleyway, and emerge back into a civilized sector of the city, though I can still hear the yells of the Team Plasma guys behind us, so we're not in the clear yet! I was expecting to just run to the Gym, but, as it turns out, whatever Legendary Pokemon represents luck is smiling down on us tonight. As soon as we're out of the alley, we see a bus at a bus stop, with the last of its passengers getting on board. Cheren recalls Sawk and sprints like a jackal toward it. Even I'm having trouble matching his pace.

Partway there, he pulls his wallet out of his pocket and I do the same. We practically dive into the bus, just as its doors slide shut. The driver and the bus's three passengers stare at us, wide-eyed. Oh, those crazy small-town kids, they're probably thinking.

Cheren pulls a handful of credits out of his wallet, definitely much more than what's required for a ride, and shoves the load toward the driver. I find myself doing the same. Cheren shouts, “Go! If you floor it and take us straight to Castelia Gym, you can keep the change!”

“R-right!” The bus driver, obviously not one to refuse a huge tip, floors the gas petal. The tires screech and the bus takes off at an amazing speed. The passengers let out loud exclamations.

No time to waste! We gotta defeat Team Plasma now!


I had a little trouble with this one. Days ago, I had this installment all written and proofread, but something still didn't feel right about it. If there was anything I'd learned about the "Reply #15" incident, it was not to post a new installment until I was certain it was ready, so I thought about what was so off about it, and realized that it really didn't go well with the rest of the story, I had either written or planned out. I had a basic outline planned for every story arc to come... except for the Castelia arc, which I know is kinda ironic, seeing as it is a pretty early point in the storyline, but I just hadn't given it quite as much thought as the others.

Just out of curiosity, how do you think the characterization is coming along? I mean, does anyone come off as over-idealized, or something to that effect? It's just something that I'd been wondering about, so I wanted to know what you guys thought.

Last edited by Valin on Thu Jun 16, 2011 4:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I think the characterization is going well, but Cheren is still a little...flat. Sure, he's got his intelligence and logic going for him, but only a little concern is shown over his Pokemon, such as the empty Pokeball. Perhaps he should debate with N sometime.

Speaking of N, I am happy that something got through Ria's skull. The recall distance was a nice touch, adding a bit more realism.

As for the stench of the street, I now want to moan "Trrrruuuubiiiiish..." It just sounds so fun!

I wonder what a Garbodor smells like.

Perfume Secad, it smells like perfume...

I wonder why I never commented on this before, perhaps it is just mere laziness... or I am internally jealous of your writings, because you put my interpretation of SoA to shame. I better put that behind me, because I´m reading now and enjoying, and learning a little bit too.

Personally, I disagree with Secad´s statement about Cheren being flat. He strikes to be one of those characters with a troubled childhood that hardened him into one of pure rational thought because his humanity was a fatal flaw, like numerous characters that often fill secondary roles in animes and mangas. Usually, these characters are slowly opened to show the "weak" person that they buried underneath years of rationality and cold-heartedness. I personally see such a predicament happening to Cheren in later chapters, although I´m not sure how exactly you plan to intergrate this with the main storyline, I am interested to see how this happens though, if it happens...

Cheren proved to be very amusing this chapter as he started with his logical ends justifies the means way of thinking but then gets haunted by emotion and comes up with a less risky and just as logical strategy. Like Brendan said, that is something that makes Cheren a much rounder character with limitless potential for development. Ria's development is coming along quite nicely as well with how she was willing to put herself in harms way to protect Rufflet.

Castelia is my favorite city in Unova so I look forward to what else you have planned for this arc Valin. Just out of curiosity, will Liberty Garden be visited or mentioned as that is a Team Plasma hotspot?

With the bus rocketing through the now-mostly empty streets, it takes three minutes, if not less, for Cheren and I to arrive at Castelia Gym.

The Gym is, in spite of all the tall structures throughout the city, just a one-floor building, and its aesthetic has 'Burgh' written all over it, colored mostly light-green, dotted with variously colored silhouettes of different kinds of bug-type Pokemon all over it. Above the entrance, there's a sign, written in multi-colored letters: “BURGH'S GALLERY AND GYM! COME ONE, COME ALL!” At least it's not hard to spot, as this is the least subtle Gym yet.

Since it's almost 10:00PM, I'm worried that Burgh wouldn't be present, but it appears Gyms are open pretty late, as the lights are still on.

Cheren and I enter the building, and after walking up a short corridor, we reach a huge circular room. The outer wall is lined with various paintings, ranging from abstracts, to landscapes, to portraits, mostly of bug Pokemon. What Burgh finds so appealing about them, I have no clue. The art itself is decent, but nothing I imagine would fetch for 1,000,000+ credits in an auction.

The middle of the room has a large cage, made of thick glass, not unlike the arena at Striaton Gym, and we instantly see that it's the arena here too, as there is a Pokemon battle going on inside it. Burgh is one of the trainers, obviously, while the other is a young male trainer, possibly Sinnonian, judging by his pale skin tone.

Burgh's Pokemon is a small caterpillar-ish creature with leaves attached to its body, which my Pokedex identifies as Sewaddle, while the challenger's is a red fox-like Pokemon with six tails, called Vulpix. Sewaddle is a bug/grass-type, while Vulpix is a fire-type, and I can tell things aren't looking good for Burgh.

I glance behind me at one section of the outer wall, which has the list of trainers who defeated Burgh. Sure enough, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of names on it, most of them with a “(1)” after them, meaning tons of trainers had beaten Burgh for their first badge. No wonder he wanted a break...

I guess there's a microphone inside the arena, as the trainers' voices echo throughout the entire building.

Burgh, obviously forcing his tone to sound in control of the battle, most likely for the benefit of his Pokemon, commands, “Sewaddle! Tackle attack!”

The challenger yells, “Vulpix! Ember!”

Sewaddle charges directly at Vulpix, which sends a flurry of sparks the bug-type's way. Sewaddle stops in its tracks and falls onto its side, with crimson flames bursting from where they hit; a critical weakness, I guess.

Apparently, the round we just witnessed is the end of the entire battle, because after the trainers recall their Pokemon, Burgh walks over and hands a badge over to the challenger, giving a “good job” speech, which sounds like he'd recited it hundreds of time, and probably did, judging by how polished it sounds.

The challenger leaves the Gym, and Burgh turns his attention to Cheren and me, “Bah! Beaten again! Honestly, don't new trainers believe in choosing grass-types as their starters anymore? That's why I like you Cheren; starting with Snivy... you're one in a million!”

“I... suppose...” says Cheren, not sounding exactly thrilled about Burgh's praise.

I decide to keep the fact that Cheren started with Snivy by chance to myself.

“At any rate,” says Burgh as he exits the arena, “What brings you here? Seeing as I defeated you mere hours ago, it's quite a surprise to see you again so soon, Cheren... Or maybe you're here to challenge me, Ria?”

“I wish,” I say, “Actually, we're not here to battle.”

“You see...” Cheren summarizes the events that led us to Team Plasma's hideout.

However, the first person to respond to the news is not Burgh, nor me. Instead, a completely unexpected voice, a high-pitched female tone, excitedly yells from behind a door between two nearby paintings, “What? Someone found Team Plasma's lair? Awesome!” The door bursts open and out jumps a girl, looking about fourteen, with dark skin, wearing a white and pink shirt and skirt, both of which look a little big on her. The main thing I notice about her, however, is her purple hair, which looks like it hadn't been cut once since the day she was born, extending down to her ankles, tied together at the end, and braided into two elevated clumps on her head. It must take her hours to wash and dry all that...

“Why hello, there, Iris,” greets Burgh.

“Hiya, Mr. Bug!” greets 'Iris' as she rushes over to us, and I can tell she has a little too much energy. I never met anyone so hyper at this Arceus-forsaken hour. She runs up to Cheren, “Hey! Mr. Four-eyes! Where did you say the lair is?”

Cheren steps back from Iris, clearly not getting a good first impression of this strange girl, “What did you just call me, you little--”

“Don't be offended,” Burgh cuts in, “It's not an insult. Iris always calls people by nicknames she comes up with.”

“Tell me!” Iris persists.

“I'm not telling you anything until I know who you are,” says Cheren firmly. There wouldn't be anything to lose by just telling her, but I guess he is just trying to spite her for the 'Mr. Four-eyes' thing.

Iris pouts, “You know what? You're kinda handsome, but you'll never get a woman if keep acting that way.”

Cheren clenches a fist, and I can tell it's all he can do to not to wring this girl's neck, although he's blushing slightly too. I guess not a lot of girls compliment his looks, “Just introduce yourself.”

Still pouting, Iris says, “Fine! I'm Iris, the Vice-Leader of Opelucid Gym. I train super-strong dragon Pokemon!”

“What's a 'Vice-Leader?'” I ask.

Burgh explains, “A Vice-Leader is a Gym's secondary Leader. The Leader of Opelucid Gym is Drayden, but he's also the mayor of Opelucid City. As such, he is a very busy man, and cannot always accept challengers.”

Iris continues, “Mr. Drayden is my teacher! I take over as Gym Leader if he's too busy to battle people.”

“So... this over-caffeinated girl is a Gym Leader?” I ask, “At least part of the time?”

Iris glares at me, “You think you're real clever, don't you? From now on, I'm calling you Miss Smart-mouth!”

I shrug, “Yeah, whatever.” Considering how she labeled Cheren, I guess there's worse things I could be called...

Iris turns her attention back to Cheren, “Alright, Mr. Four-eyes! Are you done asking questions? Now tell me where the lair is, so my dragons can start beating up Team Plasma guys!”

“Fine...” Cheren lays his map on the floor, points at the location of the Gym, and then moves his finger to where we found Team Plasma's hideout, “This is where it is. I hope you can read this thing.”

Iris pouts, “Hey! I'm not stupid! I know how to read a map!”

“Sure could've fooled me...” mumbles Cheren.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

Iris snatches the map off the floor and announces, “Well, I'm off! When I come back, Team Plasma will not cause trouble anymore!”

Iris turns to leave the Gym when Burgh calls out, “Hold it right there, Iris!”

“Aw... what do you want, Mr. Bug?” moans Iris.

“Do not attack Team Plasma directly,” says Burgh, looking deadly serious for once, “Cheren mentioned a helicopter, so just attack that. Without it, they will have a much harder time escaping with the stolen Pokemon.”

Iris, despite being told not to attack Team Plasma, still looks cheerful, “Oh! Can I blow up the helicopter? Pleeeeease?”

Burgh shakes his head, “No, you cannot. You could kill people if you do that, and that is something trainers, and people in general, are expressly forbidden from doing.”

“Awww...”

“Just destroy the propeller and tail, so it won't fly again, and then come back here.”

“But that's boring!” whines Iris, “Why can't I fight Team Plasma! I can take all of them!”

“We don't know their numbers,” says Burgh.

“So?” questions Iris, “I bet they're all weak!”

“They might not be. Besides, unless we know how many there are,” says Burgh, “we will expect no limit to both their numbers and power. Do as I say, Iris, and just incapacitate the helicopter, otherwise, I will tell Drayden, and I'm sure your punishment won't be pleasant.”

Iris suddenly looks so frightened, I feel sorry for her, “No! Anything but that! I'll be good, I swear!”

“Glad to hear it,” says Burgh with a toothy grin, “Happy hunting, Iris.” With that, Iris rushes out of the Gym.

As soon as Iris is out of earshot, Cheren says, “Are you sure you should let her go off on her own?”

“Everything will be just fine,” says Burgh, “Iris may be a tad immature...” 'A 'tad' immature?' Talk about your all time understatements, “... but she's a smart kid and an amazing trainer. As long as she's given specific instructions, she'll follow them down to the letter.”

“It's because you pulled the 'Drayden' card on her,” I observe, “That must be one scary dude...”

“Oh, he's a good fellow,” says Burgh, “After all, he did take Iris in as his adopted daughter and taught her everything he knows about dragon-type Pokemon. He's just known to be very harsh in punishing people.”

“What brought her all the way here from Opelucid City?” I ask.

“The reason you came here tonight,” answers Burgh, “With all those Pokemon being stolen in such a short period of time, it was decided that the culprits are too numerous in number to be dealt with by the police. So, the Pokemon League decided to address the matter, and asked for either Drayden or Iris to help out here, as they are the strongest of Unova's Gym Leaders. As usual, Drayden was too busy, so he sent Iris here...” Gym Leader, mayor, and adopted dad of a totally-in-need-of-medication hyperactive girl... Was he really to busy to come, or just bedridden from a stress-inflicted illness? “From there, it was just waiting for the police... or someone else, as it turned out, to find Team Plasma's hideout.”

“Anyway,” says Cheren, “What's the plan? You said we should expect no limit to how many Team Plasma members are in that hideout.”

“That's right,” says Burgh, “If we don't know what we're up against, exactly, we might as well go all out!”

“So, what do you have in mind?” I ask.

Burgh explains, “When Iris cripples the helicopter, I doubt they'll be able to escape to anywhere fast. There are some strong trainers, former challengers of mine, who I keep in touch with. Not long ago, I told them I could use their help to stop Team Plasma and to be prepared, so I'll contact them, and it won't take long for them to arrive. Together, we'll storm the hideout and take Team Plasma down...” Burgh stares at Cheren and me for a few seconds, “... and speaking of strong trainers, how would you two like to join in? We could use your help. Don't worry, with me and Iris backing you up, we can't lose.”

I think about it, but I'm already tempted. After all, with Burgh talking up my skills as a trainer, who would I be to turn him down? Besides, this will get Bianca her Pokemon back, and seeing as Burgh already helped me twice, payback is overdue. I nod, “Sure. Count me in.”

Cheren smiles and shakes his head, “Honestly, Ria. You're not giving me much choice... however, after being told I'm strong, I'm certainly willing to show it... and to help Bianca.”

Burgh claps his hands, “Marvelous! Splendid! Spectacular! Well, everyone should be assembled within a couple hours. Since your Pokemon got into a bit of a scuffle, take them back to the Pokemon Center and get them patched up, then come right back here. Don't worry, the buses run 24/7, so you can get anywhere, anytime!”

“We'll do that,” says Cheren.

---

Castelia's public transportation sure is efficient, because Cheren and I only wait a couple minutes before the next bus arrives. With the roads cleared of cargo vehicles and the occasional car for the night, we make it to the Pokemon Center in record time.

Cheren hands in Sawk and Ralts to be healed. At this point, the Center is not really busy with trainers anymore, and Cheren's Pokemon are the only ones on the waiting list, so it looks like he'll get them back very soon.

I release Rufflet from his Pokeball. He's still sleeping like a Slaking (and I'm seriously running out of sleep-personified Pokemon to reference rest with). I decide to cradle him in my arms until he wakes up.

It suddenly occurs to me that I hadn't heard anything about Bianca since she was taken to the station. Is she still there, was she taken home, or...?

I ask the front desk if Bianca is staying at the Center, and to my amazement, she is, in room 2724 on the twenty-seventh floor.

Cheren and I ride the elevator up to the twenty-seventh floor, and walk through a corridor lined with rooms, with a bathroom at the middle point. Wow, this place really is like a hotel...

Finally, we find room 2724 and enter it. As it turns out, the door's unlocked. We see the interior of the room: four beds, a lamp, a window with a pretty good view of the city, and little else. I was expecting a bathroom, or something, but there's nothing here. I guess the one we passed on the way is shared by everyone on this floor. I take it back; this Center is more like a college dorm than a hotel.

To our surprise, the light is still on inside. I was expecting Bianca, who is the only occupant of this room, apparently, to be sleeping, but instead, she's wide awake, laying on her bed and staring at the ceiling. With her true identity exposed, she's ditched the makeup and contacts, and is back to wearing her green cap and orange and white clothes. It's kinda refreshing to she her that way again. She turns her head to look at us, “Oh! Ria... Cheren...” She sure looks bummed, not that I blame her...

“How's it going?” I ask, “How was the thing with the police?”

“They asked some questions about why I ran away,” says Bianca, “It wasn't too bad. You were right, by the way, Cheren. Since I am a Pokemon trainer, and am allowed to travel, the police didn't punish me, or anything, but they did call daddy. He told them that he'd come here himself, but to keep me from leaving the city, so it looks this is the end of the line. He'll probably arrive tomorrow to take me home...”

“That's too bad,” I say, “We do have some good news, though, regarding your Pokemon.”

Bianca's face brightens up at that news, “Really? What?”

Cheren and I explain our search for Team Plasma's hideout, and our upcoming participation in storming it with Burgh, Iris, and whoever else they can find.

Cheren pushes his glasses to his face, “This will be a long night, to say the least. However, you can rest easy, Bianca. By tomorrow morning, the Pokemon stolen by Team Plasma will be recovered, assuming all goes well.”

“'Rest easy?'” asks Bianca, jumping off her bed, “I'm coming with you!”

“Thanks for the thought,” I say, “but it's a little hard to battle the Pokemon Team Plasma will no doubt sic on us without Pokemon of your own. I guess you could wake up Professor Juniper and ask her to send over Eevee, but since you hadn't trained it yet, I kinda doubt it has the fighting strength to take them on...”

“Not to battle,” says Bianca, “I... I just wanna be there when my Pokemon, and everyone else's, are gotten back. I just... can't sleep, knowing they are out there, kidnapped.”

“Fair enough,” I say, “Alright, when Cheren's Pokemon are healed, we'll head to Castelia Gym together.”

As if on cue, the intercom gives its jingle and announcement, “Ping ping ping-ping-ping~ Cheren from Accumula Town, your Pokemon have been healed. Please retrieve them at the front desk. I repeat, Cheren from Accumula Town...”

“Well, speak of the devil,” I say, “Let's go!”

---

We get Cheren's Pokemon from the front desk and the three of us take the next bus back to Castelia Gym. During the trip, Rufflet finally wakes up, and I tell him what's coming. As expected, he's looking forward to another big battle. Whatever makes him stronger so he can finally evolve, I guess... and another reason for me to buy him a pizza. I'm starting to feel like I'm being taken advantage of...

We arrive back at the Gym. Burgh is still there, and it looks like Iris has returned, but no one else is around.

“Where is everyone?” I ask Burgh.

“Oh, they'll be here,” says Burgh, “They told me they had to decide which of their Pokemon will be best suited for storming the hideout, and they still need to ride or fly here. At any rate, Iris had successfully rendered the helicopter unable to fly.”

“Hey! Hey! Who are you?” Iris asks Bianca.

Bianca introduces herself, “Oh, my name is Bianca. I'm a Pokemon trainer, but Team Plasma stole my Pokemon, so I just came here to--”

“I knew it!” Iris interrupts, “You look pretty tough, so I bet Team Plasma took them by ganging up on you, the cowards!” 'Tough?' Based on what? I mean, Bianca is a really good trainer, and all, but I didn't think her appearance suggested it. I guess there's something that Iris can see in her that I can't...

At a loss for words, Bianca says, “W-well, that is true...”

Iris smiles and introduces herself, “I'm Iris, the Vice-Leader of Opelucid Gym. Well, Miss Bianca. I think your skills could come in handy for beating up Team Plasma, so I'll let you borrow one of my Pokemon!” 'Miss Bianca?' Why doesn't Iris call her by some nickname too? Also, how the heck does Iris know Bianca has skills as a trainer? I mean, she does, but it's not like the Opelucid Vice-Leader had seen her battle, or anything...

Bianca seems just about as lost as me about why Iris is suddenly talking her up, but Bianca graciously accepts the offer anyway, “Y-you would do that... Iris? Really?”

Iris nods, “Really. My Pokemon are unstoppable, so those Team Plasma goons won't stand a chance with one of my dragons helping you out.”

“Great!” says Bianca, “What Pokemon is it?”

Iris pulls a Pokeball from her belt with a dark-blue center. She throws it, and a six-foot-tall reptilian  Pokemon appears. It is black, covered with yellow armor-like scales, and has a long neck and tail. Something else I notice is that is has two curved tusks protruding from the sides of its mouth, making its head look kinda like an axe. Whatever this Pokemon is, it looks pretty strong.

Iris grins and runs her hand along the Pokemon's armored side as if she's petting it, “Miss Bianca, meet Haxorus!” She then gestures at Bianca, “Haxy, meet Miss Bianca! She's my friend, and she needs your help for a little while, so I want you to obey her commands as if she's me. Can you do that?”

“Hax!” Haxorus nods.

'Friend?' Iris hadn't even known Bianca for two minutes yet, but she seems to have really taken a shine to her, for some reason. Bianca seems to be taken aback by this, but she doesn't say anything to deny it.

“Alrighty!” says Iris, “Can you come with me to the arena? You need to know what Haxorus can do, Miss Bianca...”

Bianca nods, “Okay! Thank you... Iris.”

As the three of them enter the arena, Cheren, Burgh, and I watch on. Finally, Cheren shrugs, “Okay, I give up. Why is Iris suddenly so nice to Bianca?”

Burgh chuckles and says, “Oh, Iris is a very good judge of character, and seems to have a sixth sense for finding powerful trainers. She really likes such people, and tries to be friends with them. It looks like your friends has fit that bill.”

“I don't understand,” says Cheren, “I mean, Bianca is a good trainer, but she isn't any more powerful than Ria or myself, so why did Iris take such a shine to her, but not us?”

I sigh, “Does that mean Iris doesn't think me and Cheren are powerful trainers? Well, that's mildly discouraging...”

Burgh smiles, “Iris is usually right in her assumptions, but don't read too much into it. There are a lot of people who Iris doesn't outwardly approve of, but they are just as capable of becoming Pokemon League material.”

I nod, “Good to know...”

Inside the arena, Iris sends out a blue reptilian Pokemon with a red head and spikes all over its arms, which my Pokedex identifies as Druddigon, the Cave Pokemon, a dragon-type. From there, it and the Haxorus Iris loaned Bianca spar. With every round, Bianca gradually gets the hang of commanding the powerful dragon-type, memorizing what techniques it's capable of. All the while, Iris makes some quips, and Bianca either smiles or laughs, and I can tell that the friendship Iris had attempted to make with Bianca is no longer one-sided. In fact, I'm almost feeling upset that Iris might be replacing me as her best friend, even in this short period...

---

It takes twenty minutes for the posse Burgh announced to arrive via a wide variety of flying-types, including one of them on a Noctowl, which is a Pokemon I'd rather not look at, considering previous events. There are four total. Two of them are a boy and a girl, about my age, looking alike with both having green hair, the girl's tied into two long curls. The other two are a man and a woman, both middle-aged, wearing dark coats. Burgh introduces the two green-hairs as David and Cathy, twin siblings who challenged Burgh a few months back, while the two dark-coats, Tiffany and Martel, were challengers of his from a couple years ago. The green-haired siblings have six badges each, while the dark-coats have nine, identifying them as Pokemon League-level trainers, which might be even stronger than a Gym Leader. Well, I don't care how tough the Team Plasma guys are, not how many; they don't stand a chance, like, at all.

We take a bus through the city, until we reach the general location of the hideout. We head through the alleyway again, and the ruffians are back, but with the nine of us marching through, they don't bother us at all, though I notice them eying Bianca. Ick.

We approach the end of the alleyway, and there is a police officer standing in wait. As it turns out, Burgh contacted the cops as well. The police, who train Pokemon, but generally aren't as powerful as people who do it as a career, had been keeping an eye on the hideout. We're told no one has left.

As we enter the lot in front of the building, Iris whistles loudly, and soon, two winged dragon Pokemon, which she calls Dragonite and Salamence descend from above. Burgh explains that Iris had them circle the area, to give Team Plasma the impression that trainers are laying in wait for them, to keep them from leaving. Well, I'm pretty impressed. It seems she really is as smart as Burgh claims she is, though I'd rather she acted that way too...

As we approach the building, several Team Plasma members, some in their white garbs and some in business suits, pour out. Overall, I count twelve, which outnumbers us, but I doubt it overpowers us, considering all the serious talent that Iris, Burgh, and the trainers he called in represent.

Burgh instructs all of us to choose an opponent, defeat whatever Pokemon they send out, and break through.

All of us, friend and foe alike, send out a Pokemon, with me choosing Dewott. Team Plasma's Pokemon charge at each of us, followed by their trainers. All around me, my friends' and allies' Pokemon engage Team Plasma's, and a bunch of separate battles begin, with Iris and one of Burgh's buddies sending out more Pokemon to battle multiple Team Plasma trainers (or whatever Team Plasma calls themselves in regards of people who train Pokemon) at once.

A large, gray, rhinoceros-like Pokemon, my Pokedex identifies at Rhyhorn, charges straight at Dewott. The two Pokemon clash, horn against scallops. Dewott is pushed back a few feet before regaining his footing. As the two Pokemon are deadlocked, the Team Plasma guy in charge of the Rhyhorn, a large man, dredded in a business suit, with a permanent scowl, approaches.

“You! Do you know who I am?” asks the Team Plasma guy. Around me, I hear the din of similar conversations between trainers, as Pokemon battle. Do these Team Plasma guys like hearing the sounds of their own voices, or something?

Not really interested in chatting things up, I just shrug and respond, “Dunno, don't care.”

Despite my response, the Team Plasma guy continues, “I am Castelia City's chief of police!” I actually find this tidbit to be interesting. Cheren did guess at it, after all; I guess he was right. The 'chief,' loving the sound of his voice as much as as his compatriots, continues, “Thanks to me, the police never found this hideout, and our mission of freeing Pokemon from trainers has gone on, uninterrupted... at least until now...”

I nod mockingly, “So, you're a cop turned criminal. Great job setting an example for all the police out there.”

“It's trainers that are the criminals!” yells the 'chief,' “You steal the freedom of innocent Pokemon! Every last one of you should be locked up!”

“You know, I could spend hours debating with you,” I say, “but frankly, I think getting you outta my way is a lot more 'interesting' than anything we could discuss, so let's just do this, alright?”

“I'll make you pay!” declares the 'chief.' He commands his Pokemon, “Again, Rhyhorn! Take Down!” Rhyhorn disengages Dewott, leaps back, jumping surprisingly high for something that looks so heavy, and lands several feet away, giving the ground a slight tremor. As Rhyhorn prepares to charge again, I check the rest of the info about it on my Pokedex, and find out it's a rock/ground-type, just like that Onix from yesterday.

I smirk as Rhyhorn dashes toward Dewott, “Sorry, chief, but you picked the wrong girl to mess with! Dewott! Razor Shell!”

Dewott runs toward Rhyhorn, with his scallops glowing blue. In an acrobatic maneuver, the water-type leaps over the rhino Pokemon, slashing it from above at the same time. Blue flames erupt out of Rhyhorn's back and it goes down instantly.

“Damn it!” curses the chief as he recalls the rock/ground-type. He pulls out another Pokeball and throws it. What appears is a reptilian Pokemon (geez, I'm seeing a lot of those today) on four legs, with greenish-blue skin and the bud of a flower growing out of its back. My Pokedex identifies it as Ivysaur, the Seed Pokemon, a grass/poison-type. Alright... it has a type advantage, but Dewott has the moves to handle it.

“Vine Whip!” commands the 'chief.'

“Aerial Ace!” I counter-command, kinda feeling nostalgic about my Striaton Gym battle.

From the base of Ivysaur's bud, two vines extend. The end of one of those vines lashes down at Dewott, who leaps off the ground and toward the grass/poison-type, causing it to narrowly miss. As Dewott approaches Ivysaur with its scallops glowing sky-blue, the Seed Pokemon counters with the other vine, but Dewott quickly swings one of his scallops, severing it. It's like Cilan all over again.

Dewott lands next to Ivysaur and delivers a powerful slash, which inflicts a steaming scar. Ivysaur staggers back, wailing loudly.

The 'chief' growls and pulls out another Pokeball, “I'm not losing to an amateur like you!” He throws it, and a second Pokemon appears to assist Ivysaur: a gray humanoid Pokemon, which had seriously overdosed on steroids. I quickly recognize it as Machoke, a fighting-type.

Well, I knew this wasn't exactly a formal Pokemon battle, but I guess I should have known better than to think a member of Team Plasma would play by the rules. Still, this doesn't makes things any worse, since both of my other Pokemon have a type advantage over Ivysaur and Machoke.

Since Rufflet had seen his fair share of action for today, I send out Ralts.

“Ral!”

“Machoke! Crush that thing!” commands the 'chief,' referring to my psychic-type.

I smile slyly, “It's a Fighter. You know what to do, Ralts.”

Machoke charges at Ralts, leaps up, and swings its arm down with a Karate Chop attack, but at that moment, Ralts performs Double Team, splitting into five images of himself, and the fighting-type slams nothing but concrete, creating a crack in the ground. Ralts, the real one being behind Machoke, fires a volley of Confusion bolts, which bombards the fighting-type. It falls face-first, defeated.

At the same time, Ivysaur horizontally swings its good vine at Dewott, who swiftly ducks under the attack and dashes in with his scallops glowing light-green. He delivers an X-Scissor attack, swiftly slashing Ivysaur twice. Ivysaur staggers back again, though its scars aren't steaming. I'm guessing its poison-type is strong against bug-type moves, and neutralized the attack. Another Pokemon-type lesson of the day.

Ralts, having already defeated Machoke, backs Dewott up by firing a few more psychic bolts at Ivysaur, which connect, and take down the grass/poison-type.

The 'chief' lets out a primal yell of frustration as he recalls his two Pokemon. Around me, everyone else's battles are being wrapped up as well, without a single defeat on our side. So far, so good, I'd say.

Once it's clear that Team Plasma no longer has any Pokemon that are in fighting condition, a group of cops swarms in from the alleyway, while Burgh, Iris, and the four trainers Burgh summoned run ahead to the building. Bianca, Cheren, and I make our way to the building as well, accompanied by Dewott, Ralts, Servine, Sawk, and Haxorus.

Bianca is shaking a little, “That was... scary. There were so many... I thought we didn't stand a chance...”

Cheren looks ahead to the building, “Luckily, it turned out to not be a problem. Team Plasma's Pokemon were reasonably strong; it's not hard to imagine they could best novice trainers throughout the city, but their trainers are amateurish at best. It makes sense for a group against Pokemon training to not be very good at it.”

I chuckle at Cheren's observation, “Pretty good point. By the way, Cheren, the Team Plasma guy I ended up battling was the chief of police, so your theory was totally right.”

“I'm not sure how happy I should be about that,” says Cheren, “It just shows how anyone can be swayed to join with Team Plasma. They no doubt have a lot of members...”

“That's a pretty scary thought,” says Bianca.

“Anti-Pokemon training sentiment is nothing new,” says Cheren, “but only now, it's getting to be an issue...”

I look back at the Team Plasma grunt-slash-chief of Castelia City's police force screaming for the cops to stand down and to not touch him. Obviously, they have no idea how to respond to this awkward situation. Ah well, not my problem.

“Let's go,” I say, “Everyone else is in the building, and we should miss out.”

Bianca and Cheren nod, and we approach the building until I'm stopped by a voice coming from a few feet behind us, “Ral...”

I glance back, and see Ralts standing in place, not following us toward the building.

I step over to my psychic-type, “Hey! Ralts, what's up?”

“Ral...” Ralts says softly, but then his voice increases in intensity, “Ral! Ral! Raaaaaaalts!” Suddenly, Ralts's body starts to glow bright pink.

“Huh?”

With Bianca and Cheren looking back at Ralts and me, Cheren announces, “It's evolving!”

Sure enough, Ralts is starting to change shape, starting by growing a little taller to a height of two and a half feet. From there, his “helmet,” changes shape, extending down the middle of his face, as well as outward, reaching down to his shoulders, causing it to look more like green hair. Ironically, his eyes are now much more visible. His horn splits into two horns and his “dress” shortens upward to the point where it resembles at tutu, with thin green legs extending from under it. As much trouble as I had thinking of Ralts as a guy before, this new form makes it ten times harder, as it looks even more  feminine. Again, I find myself mentally repeating the word, “boy,” just to solidify in my mind that this new Pokemon is, in fact, male.

I snap a picture of the new Pokemon with my Pokedex, and find out that the Pokemon Ralts had evolved into is called Kirlia, the Emotion Pokemon, a psychic-type.

Ralts, or rather, Kirlia gives me a bright smile, “Lia!”

I smile back, “This is awesome! Congratulations... Kirlia! It looks like all that training has paid off, huh?”

“Kir! Kir!”

A thought crosses my mind. Kirlia... why does that name sound so familiar?

Kirlia and I run over to rejoin Bianca and Cheren, who smile, but don't say anything regarding Ralts's evolution. As much as I want to celebrate the fact that Ralts has evolved, the fact remains that we still have things to take care of, and we can't exactly dilly-dally right now.

From inside the hideout, we hear the faint sounds of Pokemon cries, crashes, and trainers loudly and frantically shouting commands. It looks like some battles have started.

“Let's go,” says Cheren.

Bianca, Cheren, and I recall our respective Pokemon and we dash into the building.

The inside of the building is just as one would expect an abandoned building to look: worn down and murky from years of neglect and exposure to the elements, with the wooden floor half-rotted in some places; It looks like Castelia City's powers that be sure didn't have much use for this place after it was abandoned.

The lights of the streetlamps and building outside provide some illumination through the windows, but it's very hard to see, regardless. Still, since we're not out in the wild to inadvertently tell hungry dark-types to eat us, I don't see any reason to not have a Pokemon light the area up. I send out Kirlia and command him to use Flash. The place quickly becomes so bright, it's almost like the electrical lighting had been restored.

The four of us make our way up the floors, the sounds of battle getting closer. To my surprise, the area on each floor is pretty wide open. When I was only seeing the place from the outside, my first guess was that it was originally an abandoned apartment, and when we came in, I was expecting narrow corridors, lined with doors, like the Castelia Pokemon Center, but it seems that wasn't the case at all. The original use of the place, I have no clue, nor does it matter.

Finally, we ascend a floor with a lantern dangling from the ceiling. There, we see David, one of the trainers Burgh called in, battling two Team Plasma guys. I get the urge to help out, but it seems his Pokemon have the situation under control.

David glances back at us, and says, “Hey! You're late. Don't worry about me. I got this! You guys go on ahead! Everyone else is chasing after a couple guys who might be at the head of this thing! They had a lot of grunts backing 'em up!”

“Okay!” says Cheren.

“Good luck!” says Bianca.

We run ahead, before one of the Team Plasma guys yells, “They're going after Sages Rood and Bronius! I won't let them!”

While David's Pokemon are busy with the ones Team Plasma sent out, one of the grunts pulls a Pokeball out of his uniform and throws it in an arc through the air, with it landing in front of us. A  yellow and black gator-like Pokemon, my Pokedex identifies it as 'Krokorok,' appears to head us off.

According to my Pokedex, Krokorok is a ground/dark-type, and I know exactly how to counter it.

I send out Dewott, and at my command, he bolts forward with Aqua Jet, catching the gator Pokemon off-guard, and then tears into it with Razor Shell, resulting in a super-effective hit, though Krokorok is still on his feet. However, Cheren then sends out Servine, who assists with an aerial Vine Whip attack, smacking Krokorok across the face. The gator goes down, and the grunt who sent it out demonstrates some of the more 'colorful' words in his vocab, as we recall our Pokemon, sans Kirlia, and hurry out of the room.

We continue ascending the floors, and along the way, we find the three other trainers Burgh summoned, on separate floors, busy with small groups of Team Plasma members, but they are having just as much, if not more, success battling their Pokemon as David is on the floor below, and we continue on.

Looking at it from the outside, I estimated the building as having twenty floors, but if that's really the case, I don't know, as I hadn't really bothered to keep count as we ascend the structure, and with the exception of the four floors we find one of Burgh's buddies battling Team Plasma guys on, it's a matter of running up the stairs, running across a short expanse of floor, which may or may not have some old furniture laying about, like a table, crate, or chair, reaching another set of stairs, rinse and repeat.

After an unknown number of floors, we finally reach something different: instead of a new staircase on the other end of a room, we see a metal latter instead, leading up to a trap door on the ceiling. Above us, we hear the all-too-familiar sound of an intense Pokemon battle going on. Since we hadn't seen Burgh or Iris on our way up, it isn't hard to guess which of our allies are involved in it.

“I'm not sure if they need our help, seeing as while there are a lot of Team Plasma guys here, none of them have come off as particularly challenging,” says Cheren, “So far, a small group had been easily fought off by just one of the trainers Burgh called in.”

“True enough,” I say, “but we're here too, so what are we gonna do? Sit around? Anybody bring a deck of cards, or something?”

Bianca, clearly not cracked up by my sarcastic remark (though Kirlia seems to be), declares, “No way! Iris didn't lend me her Pokemon, just so I could do nothing! I gotta do something to help defeat Team Plasma!”

“Chill, Bianca,” I say, “It was a joke. I was just trying to lighten things up. Seriously, though, it looks like everyone else has everything taken care of, but the least we can do is see how it concludes, right?”

“That may be,” says Cheren, “I imagine the roof is above us. Let's check it out.”

Bianca, Cheren, and I climb the latter, squeeze through the trap door, and sure enough, we're on the roof. Since the building we're on is actually one of the smaller ones in the city, there isn't much of a view, other than the lot surrounding it, with the much taller structures beyond rising up around us. In the center of the area, there's the helicopter, or what I assume is the helicopter, as its pieces are scattered all over the place, with the main body now being a flaming husk, probably a result of Iris's attack earlier and the battle going on now.

The Gym Leaders are close to where Bianca, Cheren, and I emerge from the trap door, while the Team Plasma guys are at the other end of the roof. In the middle of it all, around the remains of the helicopter, Pokemon are going all-out.

The guys Burgh and Iris are fighting are two ornately-dressed aging men, one in a blue cloak and hat and the other in brown, backed up by three Team Plasma grunts. I'm guessing the old guys, being dressed completely different than everyone else we'd seen in Team Plasma so far, are the ones in charge here.

I recognize Scizor and Ninjask as Burgh's Pokemon, and Druddigon as Iris's, as well as an orange winged Pokemon, which I remember as the Dragonite from before.

The Gym Leaders' Pokemon are up against an opposition of six, and I get out my Pokedex to identify them: a five-foot-tall brown and yellow humanoid Pokemon carrying two spoons, Alakazam; a blue and yellow Pokemon, a little shorter than Alakazam, with flames erupting from its neck, Typhlosion; a purple bat Pokemon with four wings, Crobat; a four-foot-tall blue amphibian Pokemon with large hands and a white and black swirl shape on its belly, Poliwrath; a tree-like Pokemon with two legs, but no arms, with three 'coconuts' on it, each with faces, Exeggutor; and finally, a four-by-four foot Pokemon, that looks like a giant Pokeball, with one end red, and the other white, only with a face of two beady eyes and a toothy grin, Electrode.

None of the trainers, Gym Leader or Team Plasma, take notice of me and my friends. Instead, they are completely focused on the battle.

“Ninjask!” yells Burgh, “Take Exeggutor down! X-Scissor!”

In response, Ninjask, rapidly zipping around Pokemon, friend and foe alike, approaches Exeggutor, and tears through it with its claws. The tree-like Pokemon collapses with light-green flames erupting out of an X-shaped scar on its belly. It gets recalled by one of the grunts, who doesn't send out anything to replace it, so I guess he's fresh out of Pokemon. Unfortunately, one of the other grunts does. The Pokemon that appears to take Exeggutor's place is something that kinda looks like an elephant, albeit being much smaller, at a length of three-and-a-half feet, being mostly gray, with dark armor covering its back. My Pokedex identifies it as Donphan.

With Exeggutor down, Burgh calls out, “Good job, Ninjask! Now focus on Alakazam!”

The Team Plasma old guy in brown says calmly, “The speed of Ninjask is a problem, Alakazam. Prevent its movements with Thunder Wave!”

As Ninjask charges headlong at Alakazam, the humanoid Pokemon extends one of its spoons, and a transparent yellow wave of sparks appears and engulfs the bug-type, causing it to drop to the ground, struggling to move. With it now helpless, the Crobat, on the orders of one of the Team Plasma grunts, swoops down, slashing it with one of its wings. With a steaming cut, Ninjask doesn't struggle anymore. With a discouraged grunt, Burgh runs forward until he's within twelve feet of Ninjask.

At the same time, at the command of the old guy in blue, Typhlosion blows flames at Scizor. The bug-type gets engulfed by both regular flames and critical weakness crimson fire, and it faints as well. Burgh recall it, along with Ninjask, and runs back to Iris, yelling, “All my Pokemon are down! Sorry, Iris, but your dragons are on your own!” I'm taken aback. Burgh is a Gym Leader! How could all his Pokemon have been defeated by these guys?

“Fine,” says Iris, trying unsuccessfully to conceal a tremor in her voice, “My dragons can't lose! They... they are the strongest...”

The old guy in blue monologues, “Gym Leaders... supposed elites among trainers... but there is a well-known saying that no matter how powerful one becomes, there is always someone stronger. Your arrogance caused your downfall, just as much as the weakness of your Pokemon.”

The old guy in brown adds, “After your inevitable defeat, you will be taken prisoner by Team Plasma as an example to other trainers of the futility of attempting to oppose us.”

By now, it's obvious that things are not going as well for Burgh and Iris as we had thought or hoped, and I speak up, “Burgh! Iris!”

Iris gives us a glance and nods, but then gets back to focusing on the battle, while Burgh gives us his full attention, “Ria! Cheren! Bianca! It's great that you're here! Where is everyone else?”

“They are still busy with the grunts on the lower floors,” says Cheren, “We saw them, but they told us to move on.”

“You guys are losing?” I ask, “Wow! These guys are something else!”

Iris momentarily shifts her attention from the battle to snap, “Shut up, Miss Smart-mouth! My dragons are all we need!”

One of the Team Plasma grunts commands, “Electrode! Thunder attack! Take down that dragon!”

“Electrode!” Electrode crackles with electricity, which it releases diagonally skyward to an area of the sky above Dragonite, while it's distracted by Typhlosion. A large yellow pillar of electricity shoots down from the sky, engulfing the dragon Pokemon and stunning it.

Smirking, another grunt commands, “Poliwrath. Finish Dragonite with a double Ice Punch!” Poliwrath leaps toward the paralyzed Dragonite with its fists radiating  light-blue auras. It throws a powerful haymaker, which slams into the dragon's side, leaving a bruise encircled by light-blue flames, followed by a second blow with the same effect. Dragonite struggles to stay standing, but finally, its strength gives out and collapses. Iris recalls it, growling in frustration.

“... You were saying?” I smugly remark to Iris.

“That was luck!” yells Iris. She turns to Bianca, “Miss Bianca! Send out Haxorus and help me out!” Clearly, she knows her pride isn't amounting to much.

“O-okay!” Bianca runs up next to Iris, and sends out the Haxorus she was loaned. It joins Iris's Druddigon in the fray.

Burgh says to Cheren and me, “We need your help too!”

“Of course, but they beat all your Pokemon, and you're a Gym Leader!” Cheren says, “I find our chances to be questionable...”

Burgh explains, “The Pokemon that belong to those two... older gentlemen, Typhlosion and Alakazam... Your Pokemon need to stay clear of them, as they are too strong, but I believe they do, however, stand a chance against the ones the grunts are using, which only did as much damage as they had because our Pokemon were weakened enough by the Pokemon those old men are using.” Geez, those old guys are tougher trainers than they look. How could they be so strong? I guess they had a lifetime of Pokemon training, but if that's the case, why try to put a stop to it?

“Well, if you think we can do it,” I say, “Sure thing.”

“Good,” says Burgh, “I know enough about most of the Pokemon Team Plasma is using right now, so I'll advise you.”

Cheren nods, “Very well, then.”

Cheren and I take our positions alongside Bianca and Iris.

The old guy in brown says, “So, reinforcements have arrived, have they? Still, they are nothing more than regular trainers... easily crushed.”

Knowing Rufflet wants a piece of the action, I send him out, along with Dewott, while I tell Kirlia to stand by. It's not hard to understand why everyone isn't using more than one or two Pokemon at a time: multiple Pokemon are difficult to keep track of and command, and besides, with more Pokemon on standby, the more Pokemon that can fill in for the ones rendered unable to keep battling.

While I send out my Pokemon, Cheren sends out Servine and Sawk.

Iris tells Bianca, “Miss Bianca! Let's focus on taking out Alakazam and Typhlosion! Mr. Four-eyes and Miss Smart-mouth can take care of the others!”

“O-okay,” says Bianca, clearly not comfortable with the situation she's just gotten into.

“Good,” Burgh says to Cheren and me, “If they can keep those two distracted, things should be easier for you two.”

“Anything we should take down quickly?” asks Cheren.

“Yes,” says Burgh, “You saw Poliwrath use Ice Punch, hadn't you? Dragon-types are weak to ice-type attacks, so it will be nothing but trouble for Haxorus and Druddigon if it remains in the battle...” I make a mental note of 'ice attacks > dragon Pokemon.' As I win badges, I'll no doubt have to battle Iris or that Drayden guy someday, so advice on how to beat dragon-types is totally welcome, “... Also, try to take care of Electrode, as both of Ria's current Pokemon are weak to electric-type attacks.”

“I analyzed Poliwrath,” says Cheren, “It's a water/fighting-type. My Pokemon can handle it easily.” In response to Cheren's observation, Servine and Sawk advance on Poliwrath.

“I'd previously gotten some ideas on how to counter certain electric attacks,” I say, “We can take Electrode!” Dewott hears me and turns his attention toward Electrode. However, Rufflet, as hasty as ever, had already picked a fight, high above the rest of the action, with Crobat, so he's busy.

One of the Team Plasma grunts gestures toward Dewott and yells, “Electrode! Take it down with Thunder!”

“Trode!” Electrode's entire body crackles with electricity, and it fires all of it upward, to the sky above Dewott, where it gathers. I'd seen this attack once before, and while it looks powerful, it also looks like it can be dodged by anyone that knows what they're doing.

“Aqua Jet!” I command. Dewott instantly bolts toward Electrode.

While all that was going on, Crobat slammed Rufflet away from it with two of its wings, and then turned its attention on Dewott and swooped down. That's the moment that Dewott zipped away with Aqua Jet however, and the powerful electric beam shoots down on Dewott's original location, which Crobat now occupies. The bat Pokemon gets caught in it and goes down with steam rising from its entire body. I didn't exactly anticipate this, but it turned out to be one heck of a lucky break.

Dewott is onto Electrode quickly, and delivers a Razor Shell attack, followed by an X-Scissor. The spherical Pokemon faints, and the respective grunts in charge of Electrode and Crobat recall their Pokemon.

Meanwhile, Cheren's Sawk charges straight at Poliwrath, which tries to counter with a powerful punch, but the Karate Pokemon manages to block it. At that moment, Servine jumps onto Sawk's shoulders, and from there, over Poliwrath, performing an aerial front flip with its tail extending for a Vine Whip attack. The tail catches Poliwrath in the back, leaving a steaming gash. While the water/fighting-type is stunned, Sawk breaks into a spin and hits Poliwrath with two swift roundhouse kicks. It goes down, and is recalled. Since none of the grunts send out more Pokemon, there is only one left, aside from Typhlosion and Alakazam, on their end.

Donphan, jumping amazingly high for something so hefty, approaches Rufflet from below, breaking into a spin. The Eaglet Pokemon tries to counter by slashing with his talons, but they just skim the elephant Pokemon armored hide and he gets caught in the attack, with Donphan slamming into him, stream rising from where he was hit, and then getting above and forcing Rufflet to the ground, finishing the combo by sandwiching him between the ground and itself. Rufflet lets out a sharp cry, and it doesn't look like he's up for more.

I recall Rufflet, and analyze Donphan further with my Pokedex, finding out it's a ground-type. Alrighty then!

I say, extending my hand toward Donphan, “Your turn, Kirlia! Magical Leaf!” Kirlia takes to the field. Dewott, Servine, and Sawk are all ready to take on Donphan, but the ground-type focuses on Kirlia first, charging straight at it. Several glowing leaves materialize around the Emotion Pokemon, and he (as much as I want to say “she”) launches them at Donphan. They tear through it, leaving several steaming scars, but the ground-type is still standing.

Cheren and I tell Dewott and Servine, respectively, to attack Donphan. Dewott zips over with Aqua Jet, and blindsides it with Razor Shell, while Servine leaps up, slamming its elongated tail down on it from above. Defeated, Donphan collapses.

Meanwhile, Haxorus and Druddigon are busy with Typhlosion and Alakazam.

Haxorus charges straight at Typhlosion, which responds by blowing flames. Haxorus easily resists that attack, however, plowing through it and closes in.

“Haxorus! Outrage!” commands Bianca.

Haxorus, with its entire body enveloped in a dark-blue aura, starts attacking wildly with its claws, tail, and even its axe-shaped head, giving Typhsion no quarter. The combo concludes with a powerful slam of the dragon-type's tail, which sends Typhlosion flying away by several feet and landing hard on its back. The aura around Haxorus disappears, and it starts breathing fast. That 'Outrage' move must take a lot out of it...

The old guy in brown says, “Alakazam! Defeat Druddigon with Psychic attack!”

“Alaaaa!” Alakazam extends both of its hands toward Iris's Druddigon.

Iris counter-commands, “Druddigon! Night Slash!”

Alakazam fires a large pink blast of psychic energy at the dragon-type, but at that moment, Druddigon's claws glow dark gray, and delivers a slash, which cuts through Alakazam's blast, dispelling it. Druddigon then lunges forward, and slashes Alakazam with its other claw, leaving three rows of steamy scars on the psychic Pokemon's body. It collapses and the old guy in brown recalls it.

The old guy in brown looks around, at the now-mostly clear field, “Hm... Not bad... Clearly, it was us that underestimated our opponents this time. However, I still have Pokemon capable of fighting...” He pulls a Pokeball out of his robe and tosses it. A Scolipede appears, and at the same time, Typhlosion, surprisingly not done in by Haxorus's attack, slowly gets back to its feet.

“Damn it...” I mutter, “There's no end to this...”

“There will be soon,” says Burgh, “Their Pokemon are now outnumbered. Victory is ours.”

However, before the battle can continue, we hear a buzzing sound, like that of a helicopter, only multiplied. We look and see three helicopters approaching.

(continued next post)

Last edited by Valin on Tue Oct 30, 2012 12:19 pm, edited 2 times in total.

(continued from last post)

The old guy in blue gloats, “It would appear reinforcements have arrived. You have fought most valiantly, but victory comes to the side of righteousness.” 

“This could be bad...” says Burgh.

Suddenly, the copters stop midway on their approach toward the building, and just hover in place. The door on the side of one of them opens, and a... shape flies out and toward us.

“What is that?” asks Bianca.

“Can't tell from here,” says Iris, “but if it's not a machine, it's a Pokemon, and I'm not gonna let it get over here!” She pulls a Pokeball from her belt and tosses it, “Go! Salamence!”

A four-legged dragon Pokemon on four legs, with blue skin and large red wings, measuring at a length of five feet, appears. I remember seeing it before the battle outside the hideout began. It looks tough, and I bet whatever's on its way over will have trouble with this one.

Salamence flies toward the mysterious Pokemon. At that moment, however, a purple beam shoots from the mysterious creature, and it slams into the dragon Pokemon, causing it to rocket back to the building's roof, into the blazing remains of the helicopter, with a steaming burn on its body.

“Salamence!” yells Iris.

“Sa... la...” Salamence tries to get up, but its strength gives out and it collapses.

Iris recalls Salamence, saying, “Whatever that thing is, it beat Salamence with a single attack! This is crazy! Just what the heck kinda Pokemon do Team Plasma have?”

“Took the words right outta my mouth...” I mutter, though I'm pretty shocked too. After encountering so many mediocre trainers in Team Plasma, we've been fighting guys, old guys, no less, with Pokemon that could match those used by Gym Leaders, and now, whatever Pokemon is headed for us, it easily defeated a strong-looking Pokemon Iris sent out. Didn't Burgh say that she and that Drayden guy are the strongest Gym Leaders in Unova? This is bad. Really, really bad...

The mysterious Pokemon comes closer, and we can finally make out its features: a six-foot-tall black dragon-like Pokemon with three heads, the middle one bigger than the two others, all with glowing red eyes, flying with six large wings. It looks as dangerous as it proved itself to be, and I start getting the shakes...

… Of course, the feeling isn't mutual, as the two old guys and the three Team Plasma grunts faces all light up at the same time.

“Hydreigon...” says the old guy in blue, “Sage Ghetsis has arrived to help us! With him, we can't lose!”

I can't help but look quizzical. 'Ghetsis,' as in that guy who gave the speech in Accumula Town?

A look of terror crosses Iris's face, “Hydreigon?”

“What's that?” asks Bianca.

“A dark/dragon-type,” says Iris, “Not even Mr. Drayden had successfully trained one. Whoever's in charge of it must be an insanely powerful trainer!”

“We could be in trouble,” says Cheren.

The Hydreigon lands in the middle of the roof, and it turns out it had a rider, since a man hops off its back. The long green hair, the blue and yellow cloak, the red-tinted monocle... It's Ghetsis.

“Thank you for coming, Sage Ghetsis,” says the old guy in blue, “We've been battling this defiant group of trainers, but the tide is turning against us. With you by our side, however, we can win. We plan to capture the two Gym Leaders among them, and...”

“I'm not here to aid you,” says Ghetsis, “Quite the contrary, actually. I'm here to order you to stand down.”

“What are you saying?” asks the old guy in brown, “Now that you're here, we can--”

Before the old guy in brown can continue, Ghetsis gestures toward Typhlosion and Scolipede. Hydreigon directs its two smaller heads in their direction, and they fire a pair of purple beams, which pierce through the two Pokemon, knocking them out instantly and simultaneously. Suddenly, everyone on Team Plasma's end isn't looking so chipper anymore.

“Huh? What's going on?” I ask, not expecting an answer, “Isn't Ghetsis part of Team Plasma too?”

“So, that's Ghetsis, as in the guy you saw in Accumula Town?” asks Bianca.

“The very one,” mutters Cheren, “It looks like we're witnessing a lovers' quarrel.”

“Sage Ghestis!” shouts the old guy in brown, “What is the meaning of this?”

“I should be asking you the same thing, Sage Rood," says Ghetsis, "Had I not warned you what would happen if you continued along this path?”

“We are aware of what you said,” says the old guy in blue, “but your way won't cause Team Plasma's goals to come to fruition! You may be a man of great charisma, but that alone accomplishes nothing! Millenia ago, regions had proven their superiority through military might, and altered the course of history as a result. We seek to do something similar.”

Ghetsis spreads his arms, “In that case, you've certainly outdone yourself, haven't you, Sage Bronius? Look at where you now stand. You're beaten.”

“Not if you help us,” says the old guy Ghetsis called 'Sage Rood.'

“Very true,” says Ghetsis, starting to pace in front of the Team Plasma guys, “I imagine my Pokemon are powerful enough to see you through to victory, but you are missing the point of my presence here. Your actions have earned Team Plasma the enmity of countless trainers throughout Unova, and word of it has even spread to regions beyond. If everyone despises us, who would listen to our teachings? I have come here to put a stop to your foolishness, and fix whatever damage you might have caused our great organization.”

'Sage Bronius' speaks up, “... B-but...”

Ghestis glances at Bronius, “Who stands at the head of the Seven Sages, Bronius? You or me?”

Bronius bows his head, “You, Sage Ghetsis.”

“That is correct. Now, I want you to surrender, and return the Pokemon you stole.”

“But we can...”

“Do it!”

“Y-yes...” Rood bows his head and says to us, “We surrender. We will do as you want and return the Pokemon to their trainers.” He and Bronius recall Typhlosion and Scolipede.

Since it's now pretty clear the threat has passed, Bianca recalls Haxorus, but Cheren and Iris, clearly not exactly trusting, hesitate before recalling their own Pokemon. I hesitate too, but only because Ghetsis's Hydreigon looks like it's about ready to lunge at me, and reduce my body to an unrecognizable slab of meat and bone; However, when he recalls the dark/dragon-type, I recall my Pokemon as well.

Ghetsis says to Burgh, “Castelia Gym Leader... I apologize for the actions of our organization. We will return the Pokemon immediately.”

“Thank you kindly,” says Burgh, “I heard one of your lectures a week ago. I didn't agree to release my Pokemon, of course, but it made me realize that trainers have taken them for granted. For that, I thank you.”

Ghetsis nods, “I am honored. However, in exchange for returning the Pokemon, I would like to ask you to let my men go.”

After some consideration, Burgh says, “Okay. Getting back the stolen Pokemon was the reason we came here, not to see to it that every member of Team Plasma is punished.”

“What are you saying?” Iris asks Burgh, “You can't do that!”

Ghetsis says calmly, “Our soldiers only did what they had done, because Rood and Bronius ordered it of them. It's not their fault they are in this situation.”

Burgh says, “Sorry, Iris, but since I'm Castelia City's Gym Leader, it's my call to make. It would be up to you or Drayden if we were in Opelucid City.”

Iris puffs up her cheeks, “Hmph!”

Ghetsis looks back at Rood, Bronius, and the three grunts, “You five... show where you are keeping the stolen Pokemon.”

“Yes...” says Rood, “Follow us...” The five members of Team Plasma, sans Ghetsis, head to the trap door. Burgh follows them, as does Cheren, who I guess doesn't really trust Ghetsis, in spite of what just happened. I admit, it's pretty tough to do now.

Still, even though Ghetsis is part of Team Plasma, I don't really hate him, and it was because of his speech that I came to similar realizations as Burgh claimed to. Without it, I might have taken my Pokemon for granted as well, using them primarily as the means of protection N accused me of doing.

With only me, Bianca, and Iris still on the roof, Ghetsis says, “Allow me to apologize again for Team Plasma's recent actions. Our organization was built upon the belief that humans and Pokemon can realize their true potential of they lived equally, not to wage war on those who train Pokemon. It is our dearest wish that Pokemon are released one day, but the use of force is only good for making enemies. Unfortunately, not all the Sages agree with me.”

I wonder about what to say to Ghetsis. While it could have cost me Oshawott and my career as a trainer, I'm happy I heard what he said in Accumula Town, and it just might have brought me closer with my Pokemon, but Burgh pretty much took the words out of my mouth on that one. Finally, I think of a question to ask, based on something I'd observed in the last few minutes, “You addressed each other as 'Sage,' but who are you guys?”

Ghetsis explains, “Team Plasma is made up of our king, seven Sages, which includes myself, and our numerous followers. The Seven Sages are men renowned for their wisdom, and it was believed that through our cooperation, we could find a way to successfully liberate the Pokemon. Unfortunately, I never imagined men so wise could be so foolish. They believe that in this world, where the power of one's Pokemon determines one's worth, it's only natural to show that we are strong enough to make everyone bend to our will.”

Bianca speaks up, “Um... Ghetsis... sir?”

“What is it, young lady?” asks Ghetsis in a gentle voice.

“Um... My Pokemon were stolen by Team Plasma. I know you want people to release their Pokemon, and all, but I care about them, like they're my friends, and I was really sad when they were taken.” Bianca lowers her voice a tad, “I... I still hate Team Plasma for what they did, but... thank you. It's thanks to you that I'll get them back.”

Iris shrugs, “Well, if Miss Bianca is willing to accept you, I'll trust you for now. Still, I'm not taking my eyes off Team Plasma for a second, got it?”

Ghetsis nods, “I understand, Vice-Leader of Opelucid Gym,” he turns his attention to Bianca, “As for you, young lady, it's understandable that you hate Team Plasma, but you might not want to thank me. After all, while I don't agree with the methods of the other Sages, it is my sincerest wish to see trainers part with their Pokemon.”

Bianca looks at the ground, “I know... but still, I'm happy I'll see my Pokemon again...”

“So...” I begin, “can I take this as a sign that Team Plasma won't be pulling crap anymore? I mean, I'd been to three cities so far, and I had to put up with Team Plasma's shenanigans in every single one of them. It would be nice if I didn't get caught up in every last thing they do, and just travel, train Pokemon, and challenge Gyms like a normal person... not that it's what you want me to do, but still.”

“I apologize for the inconvenience we'd caused you,” says Ghetsis, “I will see what I can do. Unfortunately, very few of my fellow Sages are of a like mind as mine, and I cannot control what they do behind my back. I highly suggest you take caution from here on.”

I bite my lower lip and nod, “Okay. Great...”

Ghetsis turns toward the trap door, “I will see to it that the Pokemon are safely returned. It's understandable if you happen to disdain Team Plasma, but do consider our goal, and try to understand how your Pokemon feel. I bid you good evening.” With that, he disappears into the building.

Iris looks out at the surrounding skyscrapers, “I never thought Team Plasma could have such powerful trainers. This is the first time my Salamence had lost so badly...”

“Yeah, it's pretty disturbing,” I say, “Oh well, all the more reason to keep training. Besides, it seems not everyone in Team Plasma is all that bad...”

“It looks that way,” says Bianca, “I'll train my Pokemon even harder from here on, so I won't be unprepared next time!”

“Will there be a 'next time?'” I ask, “Your dad's coming tomorrow to take you back to Accumula Town.”

Bianca gives me a look I'd never seen her make, not once in all the years I'd known her: Solemn... determined. Her fists are shaking, but her face remains unchanged, “Yes, there will be a next time, Ria. I will make him see! He can yell at me as much as he wants, but I will convince him to let me continue my journey!”


TEAM UPDATE:


Whew, an all-out, multi-'mon Pokemon battle sure is hard to write.
The four trainers Burgh called in are actually based on miscellaneous trainers fought on Victory Road in the game, so I still followed my personal rule of game characters only. At any rate, I hope you enjoyed this latest installment.

Last edited by Valin on Fri Jun 24, 2011 6:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

I'm not usually fond of Pokefics, but this one caught my interest. I am captivated by the way you tell your story and am thrilled by every word. Keep up the great work and consider your fic stalked. =P

Awesome! Those battles were magnificent! And the way you demonstrated the power of the Sage by having them one shot Gym Leaders was fantastic! The action this chapter(s) was amazing! Poor Kirlia is even more gender-bent now XD  I wonder how long it will take Ria to figure out that Kirlia is compatible with that Dawn Stone she got. Anyway, keep up the good work Valin!

Even after the battle with Team Plasma, the night just went on and on. A bunch of crates, all filled with Pokeballs, had been arranged in front of the building, and Team Plasma left via the three helicopters Ghetsis arrived with.

From there, the police, using handheld devices, determined which Pokeballs had been registered to what trainers, and arranged them as such, and we had to wait a while for Bianca's to finally turn up.

However, it wasn't all waiting around. It's nothing new for Pokemon trainers to aid the police in matters, such as the Team Plasma incident, where the cops alone are not up for the task. As a result, the police are always prepared to award trainers for their trouble, and Bianca, Cheren, myself, Burgh, Iris, and Burgh's four buddies were each awarded with a huge sum of money: 12,000 credits! Cha-ching!

With the memories of the night, the realization that some people in Team Plasma are, in fact, crazy powerful trainers, Ralts's evolution to Kirlia (at least in my case), and the fact that we're all now 12,000 credits richer hanging over us, we return to the Pokemon Center, totally wiped. We hand in our Pokemon, to be healed, as that's a responsibility all trainers can't put off, no matter how fatigued they are, but we sit around too tired to do anything else, which includes taking a shower. As soon as we get our Pokemon back, we head up to Bianca's room and go straight to bed. I'm in Dreamland, battling Team Plasma's Pokemon again, alongside this pink Jigglypuff-ish thing, who sucks bad guys up and steals their powers, before my head even touches my pillow.

When I wake up, the first thing I do is check the clock on the nearby wall: Noon. As heavy a sleeper as I can be sometimes, I'd never slept this late before. Around me, there are two other people in the room. Bianca is awake, staring out the window. The third person, however, isn't Cheren; He's no where to be seen. Instead, it's Iris, who, seeming to be inseparable from Bianca, followed us back to the Center last night. She's still sleeping, and I'm amazed I could sleep too, since she snores like a Rhyperior.

Take a place next to Bianca, I say, “Hey, good morning... good noon, or whatever.”

Bianca forces a smile, “Morning, Ria. It looks like you slept well.”

“Amazingly so,” I say, “How about you?”

“It took a while for me to sleep,” says Bianca, “and even so, I was only out for a few hours.”

I point back at Iris with my thumb, “Because of Miss Opelucid Vice-Leader, I bet. I'm surprised she hadn't woken up everyone in this building with her snoring.”

Bianca shakes her head, “It's not that. There's just a lot on my mind. Dad'll be here any minute. I know what I said last night, about convincing him to let me continue my journey, but I don't know what I'm gonna say at all. I felt so self-assured then, but now, I feel scared all over...”

I shrug, “Just outright tell him how you've felt about this journey so far.”

“I know,” says Bianca, “I'm just anxious, that's all. I just want him to arrive, so I can get this over with, whether I continue this journey or not...”

“By the way,” I say, changing the subject, “Do you know where Cheren went?”

“Apparently, he's gonna put last night's reward to good use. He told me he's taking a bus back to Striaton City, so his Pokemon can learn new moves at Fennel's TM lab, then head to the Daycare, and see if they have any Pokemon at the sale that can give him an edge against Burgh's bug-types.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I say, “Maybe I'll do the same thing, but first, I'll be here with you, Bianca, so you won't be as scared. I mean, I totally get you on being nervous about confronting your dad. My mom had always been a little over-lenient with me, but my dad was quick to raise his voice when I screwed up my schoolwork, so I struggled to do better, so he wouldn't yell at me. He's now abroad in Kanto, so I hardly ever see him, but I hadn't forgotten what it was like. Totally disobeying your dad, though? You're way braver than I ever thought you could be.”

Bianca smiles slightly, “Yeah, I've surprised myself too. This journey had made me a stronger person, and that's why I don't want it to end now.” She lowers her voice to a conspiratorial tone, “Besides, even if dad takes me home, he can't keep me from running off again, right?”

“You could,” I say, “but I wouldn't be too keen on hiding from the cops again.”

Bianca stares out the window at the city for a few second, before responding, “Yeah...”

---

I head to the cafeteria to get several bag fulls of apples and bananas as brunch for Bianca, me, Iris, if she ever wakes up, and our Pokemon. After eating, it's back to keeping each other company as we stare out at the city. It's a beautiful sight, and a far cry from the view outside my window back at home.

It's 1:30 when the Pokemon Center's intercom crackles to life, and gives the fated announcement, “Bianca from Accumula Town. You have a visitor. I repeat, Bianca from Accumula Town...”

“It's probably your dad,” I say, “Well, let's do this.”

Bianca nods without a word.

With Bianca's rising tension, the ride on the elevator feels even longer. Finally, we're at the lobby, and we're not even three steps out of the elevator when Bianca's dad, with his sandy-brown hair and chilly blue eyes, comes rushing over to us, “Bianca!”

Bianca, instead of looking at her dad, performs her usual habit of looking downward whenever she feels any less than jolly, “Hi, dad...”

With the obligatory reunion greeting out of the way, Bianca's dad gets down to business, “What were you thinking, Bianca? It was bad enough that you became a trainer, but now you've wandered out into this dangerous world without my permission? I know I raised you better than that!”

Bianca says nothing in responses, unless a dramatic pause counts.

With Bianca giving him the silent treatment, her dad then turns on me, and it feels like my own dad is verbally kicking my butt, “And you, Ria! You lied to me! Bianca was with you the whole time, wasn't she?”

I give a pause of my own, but then respond, “Yeah, she was.”

Bianca's dad shakes his head in disdain, “Unbelievable. I'm certain you talked her into running away. My daughter is an obedient child, who would never--”

Bianca interrupts, “No, dad! I ran away on my own! I lied to Ria and Cheren at first, telling them you let me go on a Pokemon journey, but I finally told the truth!”

Bianca's dad reacts, speechless, but finally says, “How could you do that? I gave you very good reasons why you shouldn't go! This world is a dangerous place!”

To my surprise, Bianca talks back to her dad, “So you think the world is a dangerous place? That sounds more like a reason why I should go! Maybe I could do something to make it safer. Even if it's as bad as you say, I bet it's a heck of a lot better than you trying to teach me to live in fear of things I'd never even experienced! What do you want me to do? Hide in Accumula Town for the rest of my life?” Bianca gestures toward me, “Ria was given reasons to fear the Pokemon of the world, but she became a trainer anyway! Why shouldn't I do the same?”

“Don't you dare talk to me that way!” Bianca's dad scolds, “You are not your friends, and our family does things our own way. If everyone else wants to needlessly risk their life in this dangerous world, it's their choice, but as for me, I protect my family. You are our only child! Think about your mother, Bianca! She would be devastated if she were to lose you!”

Bianca gives another look I'd never seen her make. An expression of smugness, “Oh yeah? Last time I checked, Mom was okay with me going on a Pokemon journey, telling me to see the world, make new friends, and become a stronger person. You're the only one in our family that was against it, but for some reason, you think you matter the most out of the three of us. Who died and made you Arceus?”

Bianca's dad's face turns bright red, and he snaps, “Don't take that tone with me, young lady! I'm your father!”

Bianca, whose uneasiness had clearly caught up with her, looks at the ground again, “... You don't own me.”

Before the daughter-father argument can continue, however, the elevator door opens, and out walks Iris, rubbing some sleep out of her eyes, “Oh... there you are, Miss Bianca. That was mean, y'know, leaving me in that room...”

“Who are you?” asks Bianca's dad.

Iris glances at Bianca's dad, “Um... Who are you, Mr. Old Guy?”

Bianca's dad steps back, “'Mr. Old Guy?' I'll have you know that I'm only 47!”

Iris's eyes widen, “Wow... that's really, really old.”

Bianca's dad looks even angrier now, but he decides not to wander too far off-course, “Are you a friend of Bianca's? I am her father.”

Iris smiles, “Oh, why didn't you say so? I'm Iris, Miss Bianca's best friend in the whole wide world.” I roll my eyes at that. Says who? Still, she'd definitely take Bianca's side in the argument, so I keep quiet.

Bianca's dad's demeanor lightens, “Oh, so you've been making new friends? That's very good, Bianca...” His expression hardens again, “But anyway, you've gone far enough. I am going to take you back to Accumula Town with me! This world is too dangerous for you, and sooner or later, you're going to get hurt, or worse!”

“I'm not going to--”

Before Bianca can continue, Iris cuts in, “Hey now! You may be Miss Bianca's old man, but no daddy would insult his daughter like that.”

Bianca's dad looks taken aback, “I-insult her? I am doing no such thing! I am stating a fact!”

Iris's eyes narrow, “Oh, you're insulting her. You know what Miss Bianca is, Mr. Old Guy? She's a Pokemon trainer, and a really, really good one, too! Did you look at her clothes, and notice the two badges she's wearing? Two badges, and I promise those won't be the last ones she earns! If you think she'll get hurt out there, you're calling her a bad trainer with weak Pokemon, so you're insulting them too, and that's the worst insult trainers and Pokemon can get! Her Pokemon are strong, and she loves them, and they definitely love her back, and will protect her from getting hurt out there.”

Bianca's dad's stance loosens considerably, “I... I didn't mean to...”

Taking Iris up on her suggestion, Bianca sends out Pignite, Munna, and Drilbur, “You see these three, daddy? They are my friends. They will keep growing stronger and help me whenever I need it. Right?”

“Nite!”

“Muun!”

“Dril!” All three of Bianca's Pokemon nod.

Bianca continues, “With them by my side, there is nothing in this world for me to be afraid of! I promise that I won't get hurt on my journey.”

Bianca's dad is at a loss for words, “I... I...”

Iris speaks up again, “If you don't believe us, maybe you'd like to see how strong they are for yourself?”

Still staggering, Bianca's dad responds, “I... I guess...”

Iris claps her hands together, “Awesome! Bianca, would you like to prove your Pokemon's loyalty and strength by battling me?”

Bianca nods, “Sure thing. Thank you, Iris.”

Iris grins, “Alrighty then. I, Iris, the Vice-Leader of Opelucid Gym, accept your challenge. We will take two hours to prepare, and then meet in the city square. Are you cool with that?”

Bianca nods, “Yeah, sure.”

“Okay!” says Iris, smiling brightly, “I'm looking forward to it!” With that, she runs off to the computer by the front desk, no doubt to use the Transfer System.

I blink a couple times, trying to process something Iris said: 'I, Iris, the Vice-Leader of Opelucid Gym, accept your challenge.' She didn't just give a simple okay. Finally an idea dawns on me. “Um... Bianca, Iris might not be challenging you to just any old Pokemon battle. It sounds to me like she's challenging you to a Gym battle.”

Bianca's eyes widen, “You think so, Ria? But... we're not at Opelucid Gym...”

I shrug, “Who says a Gym battle has to be in a Gym?”

Bianca considers this for a second, and then says, “Okay. What better way is there to show what my Pokemon can do?” She turns her attention toward her Pokemon, “Guys, it's kind of sudden, but we have a Gym battle coming up in a couple hours. Are you up for it?”

Pignite, Munna, and Drilbur nod in response.

“Thank you.” Bianca recalls her Pokemon, and then turns her attention to her dad, who seems to still be lost in thought, “Well, daddy? Will this help? If you watch how me and my Pokemon battle, will you let me continue my journey if you're happy with what you see?”

Bianca's dad sighs, “We'll see, Bianca.”

Bianca shrugs, “I guess that's a good enough answer.”

I tell Bianca, “I'm sure you know this, but Iris uses dragon-types. I know they're weak to ice-type attacks, so do your Pokemon know any?”

Bianca shakes her head, “No, they don't.”

I say, “In that case, we gotta find out as much about dragon-types as we can in the two hours we'd been given.”

Bianca nods in response, and then turns to her dad, “I'm gonna prepare for my battle with Iris. I'll see you in the city square, okay?”

Bianca's dad says, “Okay. I will be there.” With that, he walks off.

---

Bianca and I leave the Center, and head along the sidewalk, surrounded by foot-traffic, with no particular destination in mind. Since Cheren knows so much about Pokemon types, we decide to ask him for advice.

Bianca activates her Xtransciever, probably now for good, and enters Cheren's frequency. After a few beeps, he answers, his face appearing on the screen, “Hello, Bianca.”

“Hey, Cheren,” says Bianca, “Um, this is kinda sudden, but I have a Gym battle with Iris in a couple hours...”

Cheren raises an eyebrow, “A field Gym battle? That's certainly rare.”

“Yeah. Anyway, I want to know what you know about dragon-types, like their weaknesses, and what they're strong against.”

“I see. Dragon-types have only two weaknesses: ice-type attacks and, as it turns out, they are also weak against dragon-type attacks.”

“That's weird,” I remark.

Cheren continues, “Dragon-type attacks are strong against only dragon-types, but steel-types are the only Pokemon that can resist them. Still, since you are about to fight a two-badge Gym battle, Bianca, you should expect other attack types from Iris's Pokemon. Pignite is at somewhat of a disadvantage, as dragons are strong against fire-type attacks.”

“Well, that sucks,” I say.

“Not really,” says Cheren, “If you focus on Pignite's fighting-type capabilities, you should be fine. Overall, in terms of type, it should be a pretty even battle. Still, Bianca, you may want to put your reward from last night to good use, and go to the TM lab, so your Pokemon can learn some techniques that can give you an edge.”

Bianca nods, “Okay! Thank you, Cheren. By the way, how is your trip back to Striaton City going?”

“Very well,” says Cheren, “I made it to the last day of the Pokemon Sale, and got a Pokemon that should help a lot against Burgh's bug-types, once I train it a bit. I'm about to go to Fennel's TM lab.”

“Well, good luck,” says Bianca.

“You too,” says Cheren, and the transmission ends.

“Well, you heard the man,” I say, “Let's head to the TM lab. If you could, I'd say join Cheren in Striaton City, and go to Fennel, but we don't exactly have time on our side right now. I don't know how I can help, but I can try to give you advice if I can.”

Bianca shakes her head, “No, Ria. I need to figure this out by myself. I have to show daddy that I can do this on my own.”

“I understand,” I say, “Well, I'll be at the city square in a couple. Good luck, and stuff.”

Bianca nods, “Thank you, Ria... for being such a good friend. I sure hope I'll impress daddy.”

“I hope so too,” I say, “I think you just need to show how strong you are, which doesn't really mean you have to win the battle, so keep that in mind.”

“The thought crossed my mind,” says Bianca, who then gives a slight smile, “but when you have a Pokemon battle, you play to win, right?”

I smile back, “Right. Oh, what have you done with the old Bianca?”

---

Bianca walks away toward a nearby bus stop. As for me, I head back toward the Pokemon Center.

My thoughts shift to when Ralts evolved into Kirlia. We were busy at the time, so I didn't have a chance to think about it, but the name, 'Kirlia,' sounds so familiar. I know I heard it somewhere, and not long ago, but where? I decide to figure it out by doing a step-by-step recollection of recent events.

In Nacrene City, I was training my Pokemon in Pinwheel Forest, where I had a battle with N. He questioned my love for my Pokemon, but they, and the Professor, helped me out. Afterward, I went back to the Pokemon Center, and met up with Bianca and Cheren. We went to the museum together, only to find out that Team Plasma had stolen the skull. We chased them, and, with Burgh and Lenora's help, got it back. We went to the museum, and got to see the exhibits for free. Lenora showed up and rewarded us with...

I reach into my bag, and pull out the Dawn Stone I was given by Lenora as a reward for helping out with getting the skull back. I recall analyzing it, but not having any of the Pokemon it could be used on to evolve them. However...

I analyze the Dawn Stone again. Sure enough, it says it can evolve a Kirlia... and a male one, at that, which is what my Emotion Pokemon is. Still, when Bianca was considering evolving her Munna with the rock she'd been given, Lenora told her to hold off, and talk to Professor Juniper about it. IIRC, Lenora said that Munna wouldn't learn new techniques on its own, if Bianca evolved it too quickly. Would that be the case for Kirlia too?

As I walk through the front door of the Pokemon Center, I start punching in the Professor's frequency on my Xtransciever, when I'm suddenly cut short by the sight of someone in a chair near the entrance. To my complete surprise, it's Professor Juniper herself! With her, she has a small white bag, no doubt used to carry equipment around.

“Professor!” I call out.

Professor Juniper smiles, “Hello there, Ria. Just the young lady I wanted to see.”

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Two reasons,” answers the Professor, “One, to pay Bianca and Cheren back for buying Eevee. My research is going well, and I will return him to Bianca very soon.”

“Cool,” I say, “Well, you missed them. Bianca's probably on a bus to the TM lab, as we speak, and Cheren's in Striaton City.”

The Professor sighs, “So, I passed Cheren on my way over? It figures he'd give a lady the big runaround. I wish him some much-needed luck in getting married someday...”

“So, what's the other thing?” I ask, suppressing a smile at the Professor's quip, “You said I was 'just the young lady you wanted to see,' after all.”

“Yes,” says Professor Juniper, “I was looking at the pictures you took with you Pokedex, your photography skills aren't as good as they used to be, by the way, and I saw something I was waiting for, ever since you and Cheren bought those Ralts at the Pokemon Sale.”

I venture a guess, “Does it have anything to do with my Ralts evolving into Kirlia?”

“That it does,” says the Professor, “An recent picture you took was of a Dawn Stone. I don't know if you got to take it with you, but...”

“You mean this?” I ask, pulling the Dawn Stone out of my supply bag.

The Professor's face lights up instantaneously, “Yes! Yes! That's it!”

“Apparently, Kirlia can evolve with this,” I say, “However, Bianca had held off on using the rock she could evolve Munna with, so...”

“Oh, in your case, Ria, the sooner, the better,” says Professor Juniper, “A colleague of mine, Professor Rowan from Sinnoh, discovered this particular evolution, and I wanted to see it for myself. When I found out that you got a male Ralts, and then you took a picture of that Dawn Stone, I was just holding my breath, waiting for it to evolve!”

“Well, the wait is over,” I say, “I was actually about to call you about this. So, you want me to use this Dawn Stone to evolve Kirlia, is that right?”

The Professor nods, “You got it.”

“Well, alright...” I grab Kirlia's Pokeball and send him out.

“Kir kir! Lia!”

Professor Juniper says, her cheerful demeanor turning serious, “Now, Ria... when Pokemon evolve on their own, it's their choice, and that should be the case with using an evolution stone, as well. You must ask the Pokemon's permission. Don't force it on them, otherwise, you can expect them to not take kindly to it.”

“O-okay...” I kneel next to Kirlia and hold the Dawn Stone in plain sight of the psychic-type, “Hey... Kirlia... This is a Dawn Stone. Apparently, it can evolve you to your next form. Now, um... I know you just recently evolved, but do you wanna do it again? I bet you'll become super-tough if you do... um, not that you aren't already tough, or anything...” And the great and charismatic Ria gives yet another stunning pep talk...

For some reason, I was expecting Kirlia to refuse, but his response surprises me. The psychic-type nods repeatedly, “Kirlia! Kir kir! Kirli!”

I nod, “Awesome.” I glance at Professor Juniper, “Um... Professor? How do I use an evolution stone, exactly?”

“Just have Kirlia get in contact with it,” explains the Professor, “All it and the Dawn Stone have to do is touch.”

“Ok-- wha?” Before I can reach forward with the Dawn Stone, Kirlia grabs it out of my hands. Well, he is certainly more eager than I was expecting.

The light leaves the Dawn Stone, and flows into and engulfs Kirlia's entire body, causing him to become a turquoise silhouette. The stone drops to the ground, now looking like nothing more than a plain old gray rock.

After a couple seconds, Kirlia's silhouette changes shape, growing almost twice as tall, to the point of being just a half-foot shorter than me. The 'tutu' gets swallowed up as the mid-section takes on an oval-shape. The thin legs become thick and full, though there don't seem to be any feet, as much as just stumps. His arms change shape, with the area between the shoulders and elbows being thin, almost twiggy, but the forearms are much larger; This will be an interesting Pokemon, to say the least... Finally, the head becomes rounder, with a thick curved shape extending from the top.

Finally, the light clears. The new Pokemon's lower body is white, while the upper body is green. His red horn-thing is no longer on his head, but rather, now through his chest, like it's impaling him. His white face has a couple spike-things protruding from the sides. Lastly, this Pokemon actually looks like a guy!

“Gall gallade!” The new Pokemon holds out his right arm at an L-shaped angle, and suddenly, a shape, resembling the blade of a sword, extends from his elbow. Holy Arceus... I like this new Pokemon already.

I smile, “Hey, Kirlia... you look good.”

The Pokemon grins, “Galla!”

I take a picture with my Pokedex. It's called Gallade, the Blade Pokemon, and it's...

A grin spreads across my face. It's a psychic/fighting-type. A fighting-type... My very own Fighter, plus being half-psychic. It's perfect! Now, all I need to do is find a fire-type somewhere, and I'll have all the types I want.

“Gallade...” says Professor Juniper, “It will no doubt be a powerful Pokemon.”

“Totally,” I say, smiling. I turn my attention back to Gallade, “Well... Gallade, I'll totally be counting on you!”

Gallade nods, “Gall galla gallade!”

I hold out Gallade's Pokeball, “Return!” The Blade Pokemon vanishes.

“Too awesome...” I mutter. I turn back to the Professor, “Hey... Cheren got a Ralts too, as well as a Dawn Stone. Does that mean his will evolve into Gallade too?”

The Professor shakes her head, “No. I checked, but Cheren's Ralts is female. Only a male Kirlia can evolve into Gallade.”

“I see... so what then?”

The Professor pulls a thin device with a screen out of her white bag and holds it out, “It will evolve into another Pokemon. It's the only thing a female Kirlia can evolve into, and also if a Dawn Stone is never used on a male...” The Pokemon that appears on the screen, like Gallade, is white and green, has a horn through its torso, and has spikes extending from the side of its face, but the similarities end there. From its waist down, it's wearing something I can only describe as a ballroom gown, and its green hair extends back in two curls. As much trouble as I had thinking of Ralts and Kirlia as male, if he evolved into this, it would be impossible for me to think of him as anything, but female.

“Um... What the heck is that?” I ask dumbly.

“It's called Gardevoir,” answers the Professor.

“So... you're saying 'Gar-duh-vwar,' here can be a guy?”

Professor Juniper nods, “Yes. In fact the picture you're looking at is of a male Gardevoir.”

I shake my head, “No, it isn't. I'll tell you for a fact that that Pokemon is 100% woman. Nothing male could possibly look like that.”

The Professor laughs, “A common reaction.”

“No kidding,” I say, relieved that my Kirlia didn't evolve into nature's cross-dresser, “Anyway, it's only right Cheren's female Ralts evolves into a Gardevoir, but what about his Dawn Stone?”

“He doesn't have a need for it,” says the Professor, “At least not for now. Maybe he'll find a Pokemon that can be evolved with it during his journey.”

“Hopefully,” I say, deciding to keep the fact that Cheren just might have helped out in getting the skull back, only for a reward of diddly-squat from him, at least for now.

“So, what are you up to right now?” asks Professor Juniper, changing the subject.

“Bianca was found out,” I say. I explain the circumstances revolving around how her Pokemon were stolen, what we did to get that back, her father's appearance, and Iris's challenge.

The Professor looks surprised, “Wow... you three certainly got more than you bargained for, didn't you? I would advise against any entanglements with Team Plasma, but it's good you've had Gym Leaders to help you. It's great that Bianca revealed herself up for the sake of her Pokemon. It's the sign of a respectable trainer.”

I nod, “I'd say so. Anyway, her match against Iris is in less than two hours.”

“Hm... It's unusual for a trainer to battle an Opelucid City Gym Leader so early in a journey,” says the Professor, “but it should be an interesting battle, and I wonder how Bianca will prepare. I suppose I'll watch too. I'm still yet to pay Bianca and Cheren back anyway.”

“Alright,” I say, “I bet it'll be one epic match!”

---

The Professor and I basically lounge about the Pokemon Center for the next hour-and-a-half, before we take a bus to the city square. We were hoping Cheren would get back in time, but considering the trip back from Striaton City would probably take a few hours, we should have known better.

The square is a wide-open area, with a surface of white stone, with a fountain in the middle.

At the far end of the area, there is a rectangular asphalt space, slightly bigger than a tennis court, surrounded on all sides with thick glass, very much like the arenas in Cilan and Burgh's Gyms, with rectangle lines on both ends, a line through the middle, and a large circle in the dead center, with a much smaller circle inside that, making that part roughly resemble a Pokeball. Throughout it, there are cracks and potholes covered with tar. This is called a 'battlefield,' and it's a place in a civilized area designated for Pokemon battles. Theoretically, people could have battle in any open area of a town or city, but it's generally more smiled upon if a battlefield is used, as anywhere else could result in collateral damage, if a high-level match were to occur.

Among the wandering crowd of the city, the Professor and I see Iris sitting at the edge of the fountain, no doubt in wait for Bianca. She spots me among everyone, and runs over, “Hey! Miss Smart-mouth! Where's Miss Bianca? Why isn't she with you?”

“She went off on her own to prepare for the battle,” I say, “She'll probably be here on her own pretty soon. Unfortunately, she's not always punctual...”

“I dunno what 'punctual' means, Miss Smart-mouth,” says Iris, and I feel a twinge of smugness for proving I have a superior vocabulary, “but I hope she arrives soon! I'm looking forward to battling Miss Bianca!”

“So, you're Iris,” says Professor Juniper, “we've never met before, but I hear you are quite the accomplished trainer for someone so young. I am Professor Juniper. I mentored Bianca, as well as Cheren and 'Miss Smart-mouth,' here.”

“See if I ask you for advice again...” I mutter under my breath.

“So, you're Miss Bianca's teacher?” asks Iris, “That's cool! You sure know how to pick your students. Mr. Drayden is my teacher. He's the best trainer ever! Also...” Iris stares up at the Professor for several seconds, practically mesmerized, “you're really, really pretty. Please tell me your secret, Miss Pretty Teacher.”

Professor Juniper grins, “Well, aren't you the sweetest thing. I suppose if I had to give you some advice, first, I'd say--”

“Heeeeey!” Bianca maneuvers through the crowd and runs over to us, “Sorry I'm late... Huh? Professor? Why are you here?”

“It looks like you made it,” says Professor Juniper, “I have my reasons, but first, I'd like to see your battle. It's not everyday I see a Gym battle outside a Gym, after all.”

Bianca hesitantly nods, “Okay...”

“Alright,” says Iris, “Let's get this show on the road!”

We head over to the battlefield. Bianca and Iris enter it through a clear door, while the Professor and I stay outside. Around us, a bunch of people, among the world's thousands of battle fans, look into the arena, anticipating a great battle. Sure enough, I spot Bianca's dad in the growing crowd, as well.

The glass wall surrounding the battlefield is about nine feet high, but there isn't anything to cover the top, so Iris's voice can be heard clearly enough, as she shouts, “Hey there, everyone! I'm Iris, the Vice-Leader of Opelucid Gym, and all of you are about the witness a field Gym battle...” In response to that, the crowd lets out a someone-ought-to-burst-an-eardrum-type cheer.

(Continued next post...)

Last edited by Valin on Tue Jun 28, 2011 7:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

(Continued from last post...)

Iris gestures to Bianca, who, looking a bit nervous as she has spectators, takes her position at one side of the battlefield, “This is my good friend, Miss Bianca! She's my opponent today. This will be a two-badge Gym battle, three Pokemon used by each trainer. As a handicap, Miss Bianca is also allowed one switch-out!” So, Bianca can recall one Pokemon, without it fainting first, and send out another in its place, only once in this battle.

Iris says to Bianca, as she take her position on the other end of the battlefield, “Well, are you ready to battle, Bianca.”

After a second of nervous hesitation, Bianca nods, “Y-yeah.”

“Then let's get started!” Iris grabs a Pokeball from her belt, as does Bianca. I notice that Iris has five Pokeballs with her. I wonder what the other two are for...

They send out their Pokemon, “Drilbur! Go!”

“It's battle time, Gabite!”

On Bianca's end, Drilbur appears, while on Iris's, what appears is a blue Pokemon, that looks half-dragon and half-semi-humanoid shark, with a red underbelly, and fins on its arms, back, and tail.

I'm about to get out my Pokedex, when Professor Juniper explains, as if I were analyzing Iris's Pokemon, “Gabite, also known as the Cave Pokemon... Besides being a dragon-type, it's also a ground-type. Still, it looks like a pretty even match-up.”

With the Professor's observation out of the way, the battle begins.

Iris extends her arm, and says, “Alright, Gabite! Let's start things off with your Slash attack!”

“Gab!” Gabite suddenly bolts forward at an impressive speed, and is onto Drilbur before Bianca can even give a counter-command. The Cave Pokemon swings one of its arm-fins at Bianca's ground-type, which just barely manages to block it with its claws, resulting in a deadlock. The two Pokemon try to overpower one another, with Gabite gradually gaining the upper hand.

Surprisingly, Bianca doesn't look worried at all. She's definitely up to something. She extends her arm, and shouts, “This is nothing! Drilbur! Sword Dance!”

The technique may be called 'Sword Dance,' but it doesn't really involve any swords, nor dancing. Instead, Drilbur's arms and claws radiate a bright red color, and suddenly, the mole Pokemon starts getting the upper hand in the deadlock. With Gabite completely overpowered, Drilbur pushes the shark-like Pokemon back, throwing it off-balance, and then bolting forward, delivering a powerful slash with its claws. The force of the attack sends Gabite flying back across the arena, past Iris, and against the back wall, causing the triple-layered glass to crack.

Iris looks surprised, then kinda happy, “Just what I'd expect, Miss Bianca. I thought you might find a way outta that.”

Bianca, looking a tad embarrassed at the praise she just got, just smiles, blushes, and gives a slight laugh.

Iris then says, “Still, we're not through yet!” She glances back at Gabite, “Let's even things out, Gabite! Even if Drilbur is now stronger, you're still faster! Double-Edge!”

Gabite bolts forward again, this time gliding above the ground.

Drilbur leaps toward Gabite, swinging its claws, but the ground/dragon-type tilts to the side, narrowly dodging the strike. Gabite reaches the other end of the arena and turns around, its feet pressed against the wall, and it then launches itself as Drilbur's back is still turned. It delivers a powerful slash to the mole Pokemon as it passes.

“Driiiiiil!”

Gabite returns to Iris's end of the arena, and again, launches itself off the wall and toward Drilbur again, who dives under the ground-dragon-type, but it doesn't end there as it keep kicking off the edges of the arena, using the inertia from each previous movement to go faster on the next. It doesn't take long for Gabite to become nothing but a blue streak moving back and forth, performing slashes as it passes Drilbur's location, some hitting, and others missing, but it's moving so fast, the Mole Pokemon cannot get in a counterattack anywhere.

Bianca, no doubt aware that the situation is growing increasingly hopeless, commands, “Alright, Drilbur! Dig! Quick!”

Drilbur dives under one of Gabite's passes, and then starts clawing away at the arena's asphalt, breaking through it in a split-second, and making it below the earth's surface as Gabite delivers another attack, narrowly missing. The ground/dragon-type, no longer having a target to hit, gradually slows down, stops, and returns to the ground.

“Not bad,” says Iris, “That's one way to avoid it. However, two Pokemon can play at that game! Go after it, Gabite!”

“Gab gabite!” Gabite dives into the hole Drilbur dug, cutting away at its edges to make it wider.

For a while, there is nothing but silence. A few seconds later, however, the faint sounds of the Pokemon's voices can be heard from the hole, both becoming increasingly more aggressive.

“Dril dril...”

“Bite gabite!”

“Driiiiiiilbur driiiil!

“Biiiiiiite!”

Following the voices, the sounds of clashing can be heard, but only the Pokemon themselves know exactly what going on down there. Without Bianca, nor Iris, knowing where the situation stands underneath the earth's surface, it's solely up to Drilbur and Gabite's own skills.

After about a minute, a piece of the arena's concrete shoots up as a cracked dome. From there, the sounds of repeated impacts can be heard, with said dome bulging with each one. Finally, it shatters, and Gabite bursts from it, skyward, with Drilbur jumping up after it.

Iris looks shocked, “H-how...?”

Bianca smiles, “Gabite may be fast above ground, but from watching him train, I found out Drilbur is really quick underground. That, along with Sword Dance, and I was pretty sure Drilbur had the advantage!”

“Gabite! Brick Break!” commands Iris. With its arm-fin glowing reddish-brown, Gabite swings down at Drilbur, but the mole Pokemon rotates its body, dodging the attack, and rises above the Cave Pokemon.

“Finish it, Drilbur!” Bianca shouts, “Slash!”

“Driiiiiiiil!” Drilbur swings its claws downward. Gabite quickly spins, facing upward to block Drilbur's attack with its arm-fin, but with the Mole Pokemon's heightened power, its defenses are broken through, and it performs another Slash, spiking it downward. Gabite slams into the concrete so hard, the ground lets out a small tremor.

“Gabite!” yells Iris.

“Gab...” Gabite tries to get up, as Drilbur lands next to it, looking at the ready, in case the dragon/ground-type were to recover. However, it doesn't come to that, as Gabite's strength gives out, and it collapses.

With Drilbur winning the first round, Iris recalls Gabite, “You were wonderful out there, Gabite. Take a nap now, 'kay?” She turns her attention to Bianca, “That was awesome, Miss Bianca! If that didn't convince Mr. Old Guy that you kick all kinds of butt as a trainer, I dunno what would...”

I look over that Bianca's dad. I'm hoping for a shocked, or even thrilled expression, but instead, he has a neutral look on his face. Still, I take it as a good sign, as that might mean he's contemplative. After a battle like that, there's no denying that Bianca's Pokemon have at least some skill, after all.

I notice Bianca glancing at her father as well, but she quickly gets back to focusing on the battle. Iris still has two Pokemon left, after all.

“Still, you have lots and lots more chances to show you're tough,” continues Iris, as she takes another Pokeball from her belt. She tosses it into the field, “Let's do this! Druddigon!” On Iris's end, a Druddigon appears. However, like I doubted the Persian Lenora fought me with a Nacrene Gym was the same one she used to battle Team Plasma with, I don't think this Druddigon is the same one from yesterday, as Bianca has only two badges, so this isn't exactly a very high level Gym battle.

I look at Drilbur's condition: It's hunched over slightly, and breathing fast. I don't have to guess too hard to predict which Pokemon will come out on top in this round...

“Take it down, Druddigon!” yells Iris, “Dragon Claw!” Druddigon charges at Drilbur.

Bianca extends her arm, “Go!” With that exclamation, The two Pokemon dash headlong at one another.

The ground-type and dragon-type are just seconds away from colliding. Druddigon's claws glowing dark-blue, and it's poised to strike. However, Bianca then commands, “Alright, Drilbur! Underground! Let's go!” Drilbur dives forward a couple feet, and then burrows into the earth once again, narrowly avoiding Druddion's slash.

Iris half-smiles, “Not half-bad...”

Bianca yells loudly, so Drilbur can hear her, “Okay, Drilbur! Poison Jab!”

Drilbur bursts out of the ground behind Druddigon, clings to the dragon-type with its claws glowing purple, and then sinks them into its back. The dragon-type lets out a pained roar, but at the same time, Drilbur drops off, with several parts of its body now bleeding, and it staggers back, letting out a pained groan, “Drillll...”

“Huh? Drilbur? What's wrong?” asks Bianca.

Iris states, “Druddigon's ability, Rough Skin. If a Pokemon's attack touches it, it probably won't get away without taking some damage too.”

“Dril...” Drilbur struggles to keep standing, but finally, it falls onto its back, and doesn't get back up.

Bianca recalls the Mole Pokemon, saying, “Great job, Drilbur. Take a rest.”

I notice that Druddigon has started breathing a harder, as well is sweating a lot.

Professor Juniper observes, “I see... I'm not sure if this was Bianca's plan, but since Druddigon is now poisoned, whichever Pokemon she sends out next will have the advantage.”

“I... see...” I say. Suddenly, I start feeling inferior. Bianca might have planned ahead on that one, and I'm not sure if I would have done the same. Before I left Striaton City, Bianca said that she felt like she didn't measure up to me or Cheren, but right now, I feel she might be the most powerful out of the three of us. She really has grown on this journey. I focus on the battle a bit more, realizing that I might learn some stuff if I pay attention to how my friend battles from here on.

Bianca takes a moment to consider which Pokemon to send out next, then makes her choice, “Go! Munna!” Munna appears on Bianca's end.

“Smart move,” says the Professor, “Munna is primarily a long-range fighter, so it shouldn't have to worry about Druddigon's Rough Skin, plus, seeing as it is rather slow, Druddigon should have a little trouble approaching Munna.” Maybe Bianca and I aren't too different, after all. After all, when Dewott was battling Lenora's Herdier, I had him fight from a distance to avoid the Thunder Fang attack... not that it worked out in the end, but still.

“No worries, Druddigon!” Iris calls out, “As long as you can reach it, you win!”

“Druuud!”

Iris extends her arm, “Charge, then chomp down with Crunch!”

Druddigon takes a couple deep breaths, grits its teeth, then, obviously trying to endure its poisoning, charges toward Munna.

“Charge Beam!” Bianca commands.

“Muuun!' Munna fires an electric beam at Druddigon, but it manages to shrug it off and keep moving, without losing much speed. Dang... it looks like Cheren forgot to mention some of the other attacks dragon-types are strong against...

“Um...” For the first time in this battle, Biacna looks unsure, “Use... Energy Ball!”

A green orb, about the size of the average dodge ball, appears in front of Munna, and it flies toward Druddigon, who, once again, breaks through it, and it's onto Munna. The psychic-type tries to back away, rising higher into the air, but the dragon-type leaps up, reaching out with its long arms, and grabs Munna, a little pink ball in its hands. With its fangs radiating gray energy, Druddigon bites down hard on Munna.

“Muuuuuuuuun!” Munna wails, as steam rises from its bite marks. It tries to break loose of Druddigon's grasp, but the dragon-type is too strong.

“Finish it!” yells Iris, “with another Crunch att--!”

“Return!” Bianca suddenly shouts, holding out Munna's Pokeball. Munna vanishes with a flash as Druddigon chomps its fangs down on nothing but empty air.

“Good move,” says Iris, “but you're only allowed to recall a Pokemon once, y'know.”

“Yeah, I know,” says Bianca, “but I'm sure I picked the right time.” Not bad. I make a mental note to recall a Pokemon at a dire situation, like the one Munna was in, if I'm allowed to.

Bianca grabs her last Pokeball and tosses it into the field, “You're up, now! Pignite!” Pignite appears in close proximity to Druddigon.

“Niiiite!” Pignite shouts out.

Iris commands, “You can beat this one! Dragon Claw!”

“Pignite! Arm Thrust!”

With its claws glowing dark-blue again, Druddigon rears back to deliver a slash, but suddenly it winces, pausing in its attack at the same time. The poison is clearly running its course.

Pignite, taking full and immediate advantage of Druddigon's hesitation, lunges in close, and delivers several palm strikes to the dragon-type's gut in rapid succession, with the dragon-type letting out several sharp exhalations of breath. Pignite completes its combo by delivering an upward strike to Druddigon's jaw, followed by a full-body slam, which sends the dragon-type flying back, and landing at Iris's feet.

“Drud... i...” Druddigon gets back to its feet, but it looks like crap, hunched over more than usual, and definitely about to fall over.

“Druddigon, can you still fight?” asks Iris.

“Drud... drud...” Druddigon pants. If that was a 'yes,' I sure wouldn't interpret it that way.

Obviously, Iris understands Druddigon a lot better than I can, and she nods, “I understand,” She recalls the dragon-type, announcing, “Druddigon can't keep fighting the way it is, so we'll call that a faint.”

Bianca nods, “Okay.”

“Alright!” I say, “The battle is now two-to-one, with Pignite and Munna still standing. It looks like Bianca's got this.”

“I'm not so sure on that,” says the Professor, “Look at Pignite.”

I do as I'm told, and the sight is ironic, as even though Druddigon didn't get in any attacks on Pignite, the fire/fighting-type looks as though it just had one heck of a battle anyway, with it wincing, and blood dripping from its hands. Oh crap, that's right! The Rough Skin ability! Every strike Pignite got in hurt it too!

Smiling, Iris says to Bianca, “If I were your dad, I'd be proud right now. I know I am. Still, it's not like I'm throwing this battle! Are you ready for my last Pokemon?”

“Um... yeah,” says Bianca, clearly already having experienced a lot of action already.

“Alrighty, then!” Iris tosses her third Pokeball into the field, “Altaria!”

With a flash, a three-and-a-half foot long blue bird-like Pokemon, with a couple long feathers extending from its head, and its talons and tail peeking out of some cloud-like fluff that makes up its body and wings, appears. It sure doesn't look as dragon-esque as Gabite and Druddigon, but, sure enough, it is a dragon-type; a dragon/flying-type, according to my Pokedex, and I know things aren't looking up for Pignite right now, seeing as it's part fighting-type.

Altaria takes to the sky, flying quickly, and out of Pignite's immediate reach.

Bianca pauses, most like to consider her moves, and then commands, “Pignite! Ember attack!”

“Nite!” Pignite spits a cloud of burning sparks skyward, but they're not very fast, and Altaria dodges it easily, not that it would have done much good, if Cheren was right.

“Altaria! DragonBreath!” Iris shouts up at the dragon/flying-type. Altaria shoots down a stream of dark-blue energy, but with the amount of distance between them, Pignite dodges the attack with little trouble.

By now, it's obvious that a game of keep away will go nowhere, and Iris knows it, as she gives Altaria its next command, “Alright, Altaria! Dive!”

“Taria!” Altaria dives headlong toward Pignite.

“Again!” yells Bianca, “Ember!” Pignite spits another cloud of sparks up at Altaria, which, unsurprisingly, doesn't warrant a wince from it. Altaria counters with another DragonBreath attack, which slams into Pignite, stunning it. Altaria passes over Pignite, as it levels itself out, then does a quick U-turn and slashes its back and head with its talons, leaving gashes with steam rising out of them.

“Pig...” Pignite, with some difficulty, manages to stay on its feet. Altaria does another U-turn and advances on the Fire Pig again.

“Alright, Altaria,” says Iris, “One more Aerial Ace attack ought to do it!”

Bianca takes a moment, probably to consider her next move, and then commands, “Pignite! Stone Edge! Now!”

“What?” Iris reacts, wide-eyed.

As Altaria flies toward Pignite, the fire/fighting-type leaps at the dragon/flying-type with its fist glowing dull-gray.

Pignite's fist slams a little off the center of Altaria's body. However, Altaria uses the force from that attack to whirl around, attacking with its tail and talons. Both attacks leave steaming marks on the opposing Pokemon's body. However, Pignite is the only one who goes down, though Altaria's definitely hurting a lot.

“It looks like a certain student of mine has made a smart choice at the TM lab,” observes Professor Juniper, “That Stone Edge attack covered Pignite's weakness to flying-types.”

“Totally,” I say, “I thought Pignite was screwed for sure on that one. Well, it's not like Pignite won, or anything, but...”

“I know what you're tying to say,” says the Professor, “Hopefully Munna's rested enough to win this.”

“Yeah.” Since I now have a fighting-type of my own, I should follow Bianca's example.

Bianca recalls Pignite, and then tosses Munna's Pokeball back into the field, “Okay! Let's win this, Munna!”

“Muun!” Munna appears. Well, it sure looks a lot more lively than it was in Druddigon's grip, getting chomped down on, but that isn't saying much. Seriously, though, despite the punctures from Druddigon's fangs still releasing wisps of steam, Munna seems ready for another round or two.

Altaria flaps its wings, while Munna increases its altitude, and both Pokemon take to the sky.

“DragonBreath!”

“Charge Beam!”

Altaria fires a steam of dark-blue energy at Munna, who dodges to the side, and then counters with an electric beam, but the dragon/flying-type succeeds in dodging that as well. The two Pokemon are about thirty or so feet apart in the air, and it's immediately obvious that as long as they are that far apart, they can dodge each other's moves without much trouble.

“Munna! Get in a little closer!” Bianca yells up to the psychic-type.

“Muun!” Munna floats toward Altaria, narrowing the gap between them.

Smirking, Iris commands, “Now's a good time to use Aerial Ace!”

“Alt!” Altaria bolts toward Munna, approaching quickly.

“Not the best of moves,” observes Professor Juniper. “Some Pokemon, like Munna, can float through the air, but their aerial skills are nowhere near those of flying-types...”

Munna tries to counter with a Charge Beam, but Altaria sways to the side, narrowly dodging it. From there, Altaria flies past Munna, but before the psychic-type can look, Altaria had already performed a U-turn, and flies over Munna, raking it with its talons. Altaria turns again before Munna can recover, delivering  second slash, and finally, the dragon/flying-type flies high above the Dream Eater Pokemon, then comes down hard with a dropping kick, which sends Munna rocketing back to the ground.

“Muuuuuuuun!” Munna slams the ground hard, forming some cracks in the concrete on impact.

“Munna!” yells Bianca.

“Muuuuuun...” Munna, with some effort, manages to get back to its feet, and hovers a couple inches off the ground, but it's clear the psychic-type can't take a whole lot more of that kind of abuse.

“Well, that Pokemon's sure is a fighter,” says Iris, “You must be really proud of it, Miss Bianca. Still, it's time to finish this match! Altaria! Take Down!”

“Tariaaaaaaaa!” Altaria dives toward Munna, gradually accelerating.

At first, Bianca looks worried, but suddenly, her face lights up, like she thought of something, “Munna! Now is the time! Use Charge Beam, and keep them coming! Give it everything you got!”

“Muuuuuna!” Munna aims its head in the rapidly-approaching Altaria's direction, and starts firing off electric beam after electric beam. Altaria manages to dodge the first few, but as the distance between it and the Dream Eater Pokemon narrows, the harder it becomes to dodge. Finally, the beams start hitting its body several times, and then its right wing.

“Alta?” Altaria'a right wing drops limply at its side, paralyzed, and it comes spiraling down, out of control. Finally, the dragon/flying-type veers off-course, and misses Munna, instead slamming into the arena floor, and skidding across the ground for several feet, upturning the concrete (whoever has to fix this battleground sure has his work cut out for him...), finally stopping as it gets stuck in one of the holes Drilbur dug earlier.

“Awesome job, Munna!” Bianca congratulates, “Now end this battle!”

“Munna!” Munna floats toward the downed Altaria. The dragon/flying-type manages to turn around to face the Dream Eater Pokemon, and fire another dark-blue energy stream, but it seems Munna easily predicted it with Altaria's slow, fatigued movements, and floats to the side, avoiding it. The psychic-type then counterattacks by firing a volley of Psybeams at the dragon/flying-type.

“Taaariaaa!” Altaria cries out as it gets bombarded. Finally, it can't take it anymore, and it falls to its side. Munna pauses to check if Altaria will get back up, but that doesn't happen.

After a brief pause, Iris recalls Altaria, smiles brightly, and announces, “We have a winner: The challenger, Miss Bianca!”

The crowd lets out another big cheer, and I practically go deaf, the Professor ecstatically yelling and screeching above everyone else. Still, it was a great battle, and I'm both happy and surprised to see Bianca handle herself like that.

As for Bianca, she's clearly at a loss for words as she recalls Munna and tries to hide her blush. I see her mouth move, but her voice is easily drowned out by the noisy crowd.

It take a couple minutes, but the cheering eventually ends, and everyone there moves along in their respective lives... that is, except Bianca, me, the Professor, Iris, and Bianca's dad.

Bianca leaves the battlefield, and faces her dad.

For a while, the two of them don't say anything. Finally, Bianca's dad awkwardly says, “You... fought really well, Bianca...”

Also seeming at a loss for words, Bianca responds, “Thank you.” She pauses for a few seconds, and then adds, “Um... So... do you think I'll be able to handle myself in this 'dangerous' world?”

“I don't know, Bianca... I just...”

Professor Juniper steps forward, “A Pokemon journey is a big step toward adulthood. Surely you've seen the signs; In the short time since she journeyed out, Bianca had grown up quite a bit and has become a stronger person. Yes, this world can be dangerous, but facing it is all a part of growing, and seeing and experiencing the things the world has to offer is a way for people to decide what they want to do with their lives. As a father, surely you wouldn't deny your daughter that, would you?”

“I...”

“That's right,” I say, “Take it from me. She'd done some very brave things during her journey (though maybe reckless at times, not that I'm gonna mention that). Can you say she'd be that way if she hadn't left home?”

Bianca's dad looks at the ground. What the Professor and I said surely hit home, but it seems he's reluctant to admit he was wrong.

Bianca says, “I know what you're trying to do, daddy, and it makes me happy that you care so much about me, but... but I can't just stay as your little girl forever. Sooner or later, I have to get by on my own, and not rely on you or mom to protect me; That's why I left. Please... let me keep journeying... just for a little longer. I'll be fine. I'll be home when the summer's over.”

Finally, Bianca's dad relents, “I suppose... you were right, Bianca... and I was wrong. I can't say I approve of your running away, but it was selfish of me to try to keep you from journeying out and growing up. You... you can continue your journey. Please, just try to be safe. I wasn't lying when I said your mother would be devastated if she lost you, and so would I...”

“Daddy!” Bianca happily exclaims. She and her dad share a hug.

“Well, I guess that's that,” I say to the Professor.

Professor Juniper nods, and says, “It's a hard thing for any parent to accept. I tried to tell him the same thing after Bianca left with you and Cheren, but it's only now that he seems to understand.”

Iris approaches Bianca and her dad, “Um... I dunno if this is the best time, but... since you beat me, and stuff, Miss Bianca, I'm supposed to give you the Legend Badge.”

Bianca pulls away from her dad and exclaims, “Oh! Right! I almost forgot!”

“The thing is,” says Iris, “I don't have any with me. That means we're gonna have to head to Opelucid Gym.”

“Okay,” says Bianca, “I'm sure I'll get there sooner or later. I'll stop by when I do.”

Iris shakes her head, “No. Trainers are supposed to get their badge right after they beat a Gym Leader. If they don't, they can't challenge another Gym until they do,” she then grins, “Luckily, I came prepared!” Iris pulls the last two Pokeballs from her belt and throws them. Her Dragonite and Salamence appear, “We can ride these two, and we'll get to Opelucid City in no time!” She glances over at the two dragon-types, “Are you two okay with that?”

“Nite!”

“Mence!” Dragonite and Salamence nod.

Bianca looks nervous, “Ride them... like... flying? I'd never done that before.”

“That's great!” exclaims Iris, ironically enough, “It's always the best time! Sure, it's kinda scary at first, but you'll get used to it, and it'll be the funnest thing ever! They'll make sure you don't fall!” Iris winks, “Plus, it's all a part of growing up, right?”

Bianca nods, “Okay. I'll give it a try. If I ever catch a flying-type, it's probably gonna come up sooner or later...” She turns to her dad, “I'm gotta go now, but please don't worry. As long as I have my Pokemon with me, I'll be fine.”

“I see,” says Bianca's dad, “Still, please take care out there... and good luck.”

“Thank you...”

Iris hops on Dragonite's back, while Bianca climbs onto Salamence. “Let's go!” yells Iris, “We're going back to Opelucid City, so head due north!”

With Bianca clinging to Salamence's back tightly, the two dragon Pokemon take flight, and then take off. My friend lets out a surprised yell, which echos as the two Pokemon an their riders become specks in the sky. We watch them until they are no longer in sight.

Without a word, Bianca's dad goes and sits on a bench by the square's fountain, hunched forward. I run over to him, followed by the Professor, “Hey... are you feeling alright?”

Bianca's dad sighs, “I went on a Pokemon journey once myself. Somehow, I managed to win one badge, but eventually, my starter, Budew, and I were teamed up on by a group of wild Pokemon. My Pokemon managed to fend them off, but it was close, and I even received a couple injuries. It was at that point that I realized just how dangerous the world really is, and I quit, later vowing that if I ever had a child, I wouldn't ever expose him or her to that sort of danger, but... you were absolutely right, Professor Juniper. Bianca had grown up so much, and I... I just gave up. I hadn't grown at all. Perhaps a part of me envied my daughter for accomplishing more as a trainer than I ever could. I'm a complete failure, as both a trainer and a father...”

“That's not true,” says Professor Juniper, “you were only trying to protect your daughter. That's something any good parent would do. There just comes a time when a parents have to let their children stand on their own two feet.”

“Do you have any children?” Bianca's dad asks the Professor, “Do you know what it's like?”

Professor Juniper shakes her head, “No, but I'd seen enough parents worried as their children become old enough to take the trainer's test,” She glances at me, “The same went with your mother, Ria.”

“Really?” I ask, “She seemed pretty chill with it...”

Professor Juniper explains, “When you came to me with Cheren and Bianca, about wanting to become Pokemon trainers, I spoke with your parents, so they could accept it and be prepared.” She turns back to Bianca's dad, “You know, it's never too late to try again as a trainer.”

“I might do that,” says Bianca's dad, “but first, I want to see how much more Bianca has grown when she returns.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” says the Professor.

“I've got to get going. Thank you, Professor Juniper... Ria...” With that, Bianca's dad rises and walks away.

With it now unoccupied, the Professor and I sit on the bench. The Professor Juniper says, “It seems Bianca's father had had experiences like yours, Ria.”

“Sounds that way,” I say, “The only difference is that I didn't head home...”

“Why didn't you?” asks the Professor.

I can tell the Professor is asking me that question to test me, rather than satisfy her curiosity, but I really don't have a clear answer. Why didn't I quit when I almost got killed by those dark-types that night on Route 3? It was frightening, but the thought of just stopping didn't even cross my mind.

“I dunno,” I say, “I hadn't thought much about it.”

“I'm fully aware of how you were traumatized five years ago, due to a dark-type's unexpected attack,” says the Professor, “I heard about it from your mother when I agreed to help you, Cheren, and Bianca become Pokemon trainers. You took mood medication for a couple years since and you spoke to a councilor about it. I know you made a recovery, but... to what extent, exactly?”

“I thought I was 100% cured,” I say, “but now, I'm not so sure. Ever since that night on Route 3, which I now seriously regret not following your lessons on, Professor Juniper, those feeling I felt since that attack five years ago have just come rushing back. I never got hurt by any Pokemon, or anything, but I just feel myself getting the shakes whenever one tries to attack me...”

“You told me the other day that you were afraid you were using Pokemon to protect yourself from harm,” says Professor Juniper, “but... might it be possible that you are continuing your journey because you don't want to be afraid anymore?”

I never thought of it that way, but at the same time, it makes a ton of sense, “Yeah... yeah, you might be right about that, Professor.”

The Professor rises from the bench, “Like Bianca, you have some growing up to do too, Ria... and your journey just might be what you need.”

“Maybe...”

Professor Juniper pulls a Pokeball out of her white bag, tosses it, and a silver metallic bird Pokemon, with feathers like blades on its wings, appears, “I wish you luck, and that you'll find what you need. Also, Cheren told me that you're competing with him to become Champion.”

“Well, that's the plan,” I say.

“Well, since Bianca now has as many badges as you and Cheren combined, it just might be something she'll consider pursuing as well.”

“Cheery,” I say, “Well, I did tell her that I'd accept her as a rival, so the more there merrier, I guess. Also, speaking of Bianca and Cheren, didn't you say you came to pay them back for Eevee?”

The Professor's body jolts. She gives a dumbfounded smile and lightly taps her head with her knuckles, “Oh, silly me. That what I get for getting so caught up in other things.” She takes a seat on the back of the metal bird, “Well, I'm sure I'll have another chance. Okay, Skarmory! Let's head back to the lab! Head due southeast!”

“Skaaaaaar!” With a screech, the bird flaps its wings and takes to the sky with Professor Juniper in tow.

Once the Professor's clear out of sight, I consider what she said about Bianca having as many badges as me and Cheren. Sure enough, Bianca has three badges now, Cheren has two, and I only have one.

With my next objective as clear as ever, I send out Dewott, Rufflet, and Gallade, and say, “Hey, you guys! We're gonna have a rematch with Nacrene Gym, and then take on Castelia Gym, so we're gonna spend the next few days training really hard! Are you ready?”

“Wott!”

“Ruff!”

“Gall!” All three of my Pokemon nod.


TEAM UPDATE


Yeah, in this story, the scene with Bianca and her dad happens one arc early, and doesn't involve Elesa, but I really hope the part after the battle was a scene worthy of having "Emotion" playing in the background, still.

Seeing as people were surprised that Cheren got the Basic Badge before the Trio Badge, it might have come off as a stretch for Bianca's third badge to be the Legend Badge, but I had the one-badge, two-badge, etc. Gym battle system in place, so that the Gym Leaders could theoretically be taken on in any order.

I kinda wonder if Bianca might come off as too strong a trainer, compared to her game counterpart, but I always thought of her as someone who sold herself a little short, as she does manage to beat the Gyms Cheren and the player character do.

I try to make the Pokemon battles in this be as exciting and well-choreographed as I can, but sometimes I wonder if there are too many in rapid succession, and if it might be tiring to the reader...

Also, the story has now reached 235 pages. Wow...

Last edited by Valin on Mon Jul 04, 2011 8:10 am, edited 1 time in total.

Very nice. Now we have a reason why Bianca's father doesn't want her to train. I wonder if he still has the Budew as well.

As for Iris, I would guess that due to her 'wild' nature she wouldn't pay too much attention to schooling. I don't know why I was surprised that she didn't know what punctual meant, however.

Edit: Oh, yes, I nearly forgot. I loved the part "Who died and made you Arceus?" XD So Pokemon snarky.

Last edited by Secad on Wed Jun 29, 2011 5:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Yeah, in this story, the scene with Bianca and her dad happens one arc early, and doesn't involve Elesa, but I really hope the part after the battle was a scene worthy of having "Emotion" playing in the background, still.

Seeing as people were surprised that Cheren got the Basic Badge before the Trio Badge, it might have come off as a stretch for Bianca's third badge to be the Legend Badge, but I had the one-badge, two-badge, etc. Gym battle system in place, so that the Gym Leaders could theoretically be taken on in any order.

I kinda wonder if Bianca might come off as too strong a trainer, compared to her game counterpart, but I always thought of her as someone who sold herself a little short, as she does manage to beat the Gyms Cheren and the player character do.

I try to make the Pokemon battles in this be as exciting and well-choreographed as I can, but sometimes I wonder if there are too many in rapid succession, and if it might be tiring to the reader...

Also, the story has now reached 235 pages. Wow...

Brilliant chapter, keep it up! I thought I might answer some of the above queries (or at least comment on them) from my perspective.

Firstly, I think that the scene happening one arc early makes the story more different from that of the games, and it (of course) fits with the storyline. Overall, I'd say that the more different you're storyline is, the better it'll be to read even having played the games - but keeping the story close to what happens in the games makes it more enjoyable; this is still a retelling of that, after all.
(Also, I'd think it is worthy of having that play in the background, it'd make it more atmospheric - although I'm not familiar with the song "Emotion" - I can take a guess at what song you mean though  )

Secondly. Again with my above comment on your story being different from the games - this is your take on how the world works, and looking at it I think it's acceptable, and I like it.

Thirdly, I never thought that Bianca came off as too strong. She is very strong though, moreso than in the games, and while that's not a bad thing I'd agree with Ria:

...Bianca said that she felt like she didn't measure up to me or Cheren, but right now, I feel she might be the most powerful out of the three of us right now.

I'd wonder how Ria would perform in a battle with Bianca right now. That said, I prefer Bianca's personality now to before.

Lastly, I like the battles, they're well done and there's a good number of them. Don't cut back - battling is a main part of this world, and it's nice to read =D I don't really see there as being too many.

And congratulations on 235 pages, I guess! On the forum, it doesn't look that.
And now, I leave again.

whoa that was deeep