AntiAsh Superstar

Kerel: 2 stamps for sheer weirdness, I swear you get more surreal each time. =P
Shadow Djinn: That was a rather interesting and well thought out plot there, I'll be interested to see how things develop between Zane and his ex-friends after this. Have twelve stamps for a really engaging story.
Chris: Whoa, dude, whaddya mean you doubt your story isn't any good? That was cool (and I'm not just impressed by the almost disturbing level of attention you've obviously been paying). Don't expect 'Valerie' to actually remember anything about her childhood any time soon tho. The Jumpluff at the start was kinda scary, too. And yes, the extension means you can write your full quota of battles for this scenario so you can get cracking on that second battle. Nine stamps for now. ^_^

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Lady Vulpix

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Knight of the I.N.D.E.E.D. after waiting for about 3 years to get a reply.
And how did this forum get into my sig?

AntiAsh Superstar

Thanks for the praise, now if I could try to be that efficient at everything else I do online you wouldn't have to worry about maintaining your own archives. The mass archives do have recent additions saved atm, so I am getting on top of things, they're just waiting for me to sit down for an hour or two and HTML-alayze everything. ^^;;

Anyways, I for one would love to read your intro.

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Lady Vulpix

Great! Are you at work now? (I'm asking because I see you post but I don't see you on AIM). Now that I know at least one person wants to read it, I'm posting it. ^_^

ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸, ø¤º°`°º¤ø ,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø

<Gabi's POV>

It was a hard time for all of us. The war had exploded around us before we knew it, and our efforts to contain it seemed almost worthless. But we kept going, doing our best and trying to keep our lives going because we knew it'd be even worse without us. Pidgeot knew it. That was probably what kept him alive at the Pokemon Center, even after everything he had been through, emotionally more than physically. I was shocked when he told me what he saw, and then what happened between him and the Rocket Alakazam. After checking him out, I decided to take my team to the Eevee House for a stress relief. There, he faced Water Angel at the pool and I could tell it wasn't easy for them even though I was too far to hear their conversation, but then I saw her leaning on Pidgeot, and him hugging her with his wings, and I knew at least one thing was finally right.

As for the store the Crimson Blades Dragonair had trashed, the owner almost fainted when she saw the mess. I told her what had happened and she thanked my pokemon for their help. She said that if we wanted to pick an item from what was left, we could have it, but then I told her about the accident with the Psycho Boost TM and he accepted that as our reward with a sad look in her face. It turns out she'd won that TM in a special event and was planning to sell it for a good price. There wasn't much I could do about it myself, aside from helping put things in order so that the store could be open again once the proper repairs were made, but then I remembered the time when we did something similar at the Selenian Pokemon Center, and I thought they wouldn't mind helping someone who was in the same situation as they had been before, so I contacted Nurse Joy from Selenia, and she said she'd be glad to send some TMs to help the lady restock. It made me feel better to know that at least someone would be able to recover from an attack by the Crimson Blades, and that I'd been able to do something to help, even if it wasn't as much as Amber and Caledor had done.

Then came the meeting... the Dragon's Guild hadn't called the Dragon Tamers for a meeting for over 2 years, so I couldn't help but be suspicious about it. The man who talk to us was unknown to me, yet for some reason he creeped me out. Still, I did my best to stay calm and reflect on his words. I didn't know what to make of them. Why were they suddenly sending us into a mission when they'd spent the last year trying to stop us from getting involved in anything aside from our everyday activities? The Guild was an immense mystery to me. I hoped I'd be able to figure it out someday.

Lady Ninetales intercepted me on my way out. She said she needed to talk to me about my current project. I followed her to her office, and was about to turn away when he said it was approved, but then she said the most puzzling thing I'd ever heard from her.
"Please be careful. Don't stray from the path."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, whenever it is that you decide to go on your research trip... stay with the Ponytas. Or go to the stadium if you want, but don't try to explore the unknown sections of the mountain. They're unknown for a reason. Some have fallen, you know."
"I'm not sure if I know what you're talking about, but I know the basics of mountain climbing, and I'm not going anywhere without knowing for sure that I can get a good grip."
"I don't know how to say it without causing you to rebel against me and do the exact opposite, but..."
"Wait, I'm not a rebel without a cause. I only confront you when you tell me not to do what I've already decided to do, but if you were able to provide a reason for once, things would be different."
"I can't... Not a full, certified reason, but..."
"Then I guess we have nothing to talk about."
"Just listen to me just this once. Do you remember Scott McHenry?"
"How could I possibly forget about him? He's the reason I came here in the first place."
"Then please don't be like him."
"What do you mean?"
"I can't go much into details because nothing is certain, but I must ask you to be cautious. You must remember how he kept going on solo missions against all odds, and well... sometimes the most likely thing does happen. Don't make the same mistake."
"I won't. If that's what's worrying you, I'm not going anywhere alone. Still, I never thought you'd care about what happened to me."
"Then you are spending too much time away from the Guild. I'm on your side, Lady Vulpix, not against you."
"I'll meditate about that once this crisis is over. So, do you know anything about Scott?"
"I personally don't have any information about his current location or status."
"'I don't know anything' would have worked, but that's ok, if it's really true. Do other Guild members know?"
"Most probably, yes. They don't mention him in everyday conversations anymore. I hope I have proved that I'm reliable."
"I'll tell you next time we talk. But if you really want to help, you can tell me what you know about Lord Absol and the mission he has for us."
"Well, he rarely shows up on this wing, and I haven't even seen his working place, so we really haven't talked much. I've heard he works on cold cases or something like that, things the rest of the Guild is no longer working on. Now this whole thing came up, and we were all debating between asking for help from the Dragon Tamers or sorting it out on our own, and then he decided to talk to you all personally. As for what his reasons are, my guess is as good as yours."
"I think we'd be able to work together a lot more if everyone here were more open. I bet the Guild itself would benefit a lot from it. But then again, it's been this way since forever, hasn't it?"
"Not exactly this way, but... yes, I know what you mean."
"Do you think there's a chance this all could change sometime?"
"I don't know... maybe in a millenium or so. Unless there's a serious renewal of the Guild members."
"How long has it been since the last members were recruited?"
"Well, Golden Growlithe was admitted last year after going through some tests, but other than him... a year or two, I think... Let me check."

Lady Ninetales opened a file and began to browse the folders in it. Then she took one out, opened it and looked inside it.
"Oh, my! There hasn't been a call for new members since 2001!"
Even I was stunned by the news.
"It's been THAT long?!"
"Yes, I think we ought to change that. The Guild could really use some new blood. I'll talk to the others about this. If it goes through, would you be willing to organize it?"
"Me?!"
"It was your idea after all."
"I think it was yours, actually."
"No, you asked me when we'd last recruited new members. It was your idea, and right now you're the only one who can put it in motion, because as you can see, the rest of the Guild is extremely busy right now. Don't worry, you'll get an extension for your current project."
"You really want to keep me busy, don't you?"
"You can always say 'no' and leave it as it is. I thought you were the one who wanted things to change."
"Alright," I sighed. "I get the point. Can I at least get some help with this?"
"If one of your fellow Dragon Tamers is willing to help you, that'll be alright. You can even have them share your rank an all, not that it means much anymore. I'm sure Golden Growlithe wouldn't mind helping either, even though he'll be busy reading about 'Ponytas in high places'."
"Please don't mock me. You called at a bad time, that was all I could come up with on such a short notice."
"Well, I have a feeling you're hiding something, but I'll let you be. You're a Guild member after all, if you don't keep a secret, you don't really belong in here."
"That means you're keeping secrets as well."
"Who in their right mind would be completely open to everyone around here?"
"Good point. Is there something else you'd like to tell me?"
"Nothing that comes to my mind right now."
"Ok, then I'll be on my way. I'll stay in touch."
"I stand corrected. You're nothing like Mr. McHenry."
I laughed at her comment, then left the Dragon's Guild head quarters. I'd have to reflect on everything I'd heard, see if I could find hidden meanings in any of the phrases, but especially I'd have to decide what to do with both the new information and the new tasks at hand. At least a check with Lagi let me know Lady Ninetales had been honest, even if she'd felt nervous around me. Whatever the future held, many things were bound to change.

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Knight of the I.N.D.E.E.D. after waiting for about 3 years to get a reply.
And how did this forum get into my sig?

Lady Vulpix

I'm so sorry for missing your battle earlier, Ade! But you must know it was great! Though I'm still wondering what 'Legosi', 'yowamisu' and 'igi' mean. Take 24 stamps! ¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢

__________________

Knight of the I.N.D.E.E.D. after waiting for about 3 years to get a reply.
And how did this forum get into my sig?

Kerel

10 o' clock am more or less - sewage

Bruce: This place stinks, would you care to get me into a pokeball at least for some time.

Kerel: If I have to do it, you have to do it.

Bruce: I'll tell the pokemon protection agency about this.

Kerel: Yeah, yeah, you do that and I'll show them those pics from that last party where you...

Bruce: Deal.

The place was humid, smelly and creepy, the walls were covered by an unknown substance which was probably moss some years ago.

It was dark and we couldn't see much, noises similar to loud whinings could be heard.

Waiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiill!!!!!!!!!!!!

K: Ah!!!!! Bruce attack!!

Bruce hit me.

K:Auch. what are you doing bunnyhead?

B: What you told me.

K: hah (being of course ironic).

We walked some more and got to see that there was something reaally big blocking the way.

K: Bruce, it's the banana guy again!
B: Oh my god, is he following us?

I got close to him and examined him, he seemed to have passed out.

K: Well, lets go on, I don't really care for what happened to this guy.

Bruce: Do you think that raging Tauros who's coming after us had something to do with it?

Kerel: What, let's run!!!


After that we ran through many paths and lost the Tauros, and heard that noise again.

Waaaaillllmeeeerrrr!!!!

so... we followed it.

And then we saw something blocking the way.

K: Theresa!!

Theresa out of continuity: Hey, what do you mean blocking? are you comparing me to that whale of yours?

Kerel out of continuity: Ahhh...ahhh... ehhhh...no?

Theresa used her Freezing glare at Kerel....It's super effective.

Kerel out of shock: Heh, let me go on with the story okey?

Theresa still interrupting: Ok, I forgive you, after all seeing the look on your face was worth it.

Back to our timeline:

Kerel: Hey, what are you doing here?

Theresa: I wouldn't miss this story.

Kerel: A Wailmer in the sewers?

Theresa: No, a detective trying to unstick it from the pipes in order to pass.

Kerel: Hey that's easy, pokeball go!!!

Bruce: Too many cartoons Kerel.

The pokeball I threw hit the Wailmer, but just bounced back.

Bruce: Maybe it's too stuck or maybe you're supposed to fight it first.

Kerel: I don't fight stuck whales. it'd be unfair.

Bruce: For you probably, I'll try talking to it.

Bruce talked to him for a whale and I couldn't understand a word he said.

After a while Bruce translated from pokemon language: No but don't worry, I know he can seem stubon or stupid sometimes but he's a good guy, and he might even eventually remember to give you some food by himself, but I can take care of that, besides you don't seem quite comfortable there, being thrown through a toilet inside your pokeball must have been very traumatic, but that's something all of us have to go through eventually...well maybe not but, well...will you come with us?...good).

Bruce: He'll join us, throw that ball again.

K: Good.

After we captured the wallmer...well he was blocking the way, wasn't he?
I wanted to name him Wailord but I was told it was already taken....maybe whale lord, sounds good, like mmmm...something good.

Well, we opened a way into something none of us would have ever belived if we hadn't heard it before from a drunk guy at the bar.

"The Underground Spanish Community's City in the sewers".

12:04 pm - The Underground Spanish Community's City in the sewers:

It was amazing, we could see a whole tiny town, the floor was made of earth and up you could see a light that looked almost as the sun. There where many houses and a market, there were a lot of people, many of them were wearing some strange and big hats, and they came straight to us and tried to sell us stuff.

Seller 1: Hola amigo, quiere algunos tamales, talvez unos burritos?
<Hello friend, do you want some Tamales, maybe some burritos?>

K:Errr...No, lo siento, no recuerdo donde queda el baño.
<Err...no, sorry, I don't remember where the rest room is>

Seller 1: Well if you look for the rest room you can go to the inn over there. Care for some Tacos sir?

K: I don't know, I've never tried food from Spain before.

Seller 1: But it is not from Spain, it was made right here.

K: Look I don't have much time, I'm looking for a fat guy, named Big Fat Dumbledoor I heard he was seen over here.

Seller 1: No tengo idea de lo que habla, my english ain't that good, maybe if you talked to the alcalde he can tell you about ese tipo gordo.

Kerel: Theresa, let's go and find this alcalde guy.

Theresa: That would be the mayor.

Kerel: So you know him?

Theresa: Ah...Kerel...better leave the spanish to me ok, I'm Colombian, remember?

Kerel: So you can take advantage of your Colombian powers and talk, with me not understanding a thing, and setting me another gay date, forget it, you can translate if you want but I'll do the talking.

12:35 pm -Mayor's house:

We were at a very elegant place and big house, you could see a lot of Flowerpots with Cacti in them, more of those weird hats on the walls and you could hear boleros all the time, for some strange reason a music called "Mexico tierra adorada" was being playd by some singers dressed as Mariachi. It was not a time to wonder about the kind of music the mayor liked, it would be better to go and talk to him, so we did.

Mayor Gonzalez: Buenos Dias amigos, eh oido que sacaron la Ballena que impedía salir al exterior, por eso estoy muy agradecido.

<Hello friends, I've heard you removed the whale that would not allow us to get to the exterior, for that I'm grateful>

Theresa to Kerel: Hi, you removed the Whale, thanks.

Kerel: I heard you know about a guy called big fat Dumbledoor, do you know where he is?

Mayor: Me llamó gordo?
<did he call me fat?>

Theresa: No.

Kerel: Yes yes a fat guy, gordo.

Mayor: Lo dijo denuevo, I'm not gordo.
<he said it again, I'm not Fat>

Theresa: No... what he meant was...

Mayor: I'm not telling you anything. No les digo nada, vayanse, leave.

So we left.

Theresa: Mejor busquemos informacion por separado.

Kerel: What?

Theresa: Oh sorry, let's look for info, I'll go that way, you ask around here.

Kerel: Okie.

A guy who was at the Mayor's mannor, aproached me.

Guy: Hola, mi nombre es Guy.

K: Hi.

Guy: So you looking for big fat, right?

K: yeah, you got the info?

G: Yes but...

K: But it will cost me, I know, look, you guys are from Spain, you like the "Corridas de Toros" right?

Guy: But we ain't from spain we're from MEX...

K: If I can get a Tauros here so you can play that game where you run from the raging bulls you like so much, will you tell me the info?

Guy: Sure sir.

Kerel: Ok, then it's settled guy, I'll be back with a Tauros.

classy_cat18

May I have another RBG for my L6 Kecleon, Bandit? I want it to be from the Free Range Corral. *pays 7 stamps*

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Lady Vulpix

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Knight of the I.N.D.E.E.D. after waiting for about 3 years to get a reply.
And how did this forum get into my sig?

Charizard04621

My POV:

The Garden of the Gods… So this was their playground. I gazed in awe over the magnificent red slopes. As the light of the sunset cast a mysterious glow upon the earthly bodies, I received a sense of their power. Gazing into the magic of the Earth gave me a taste of forever.

What brought us here to such an enchanted sanctuary? How was it that we even dared to set foot upon this sacred place?

I knew nothing but that a higher power had planned this for us. A vision of this land came to me in my dreams, and when I awoke, spellbound, I could still see the mountains as clearly as if I were still asleep. The dragon on my amulet felt warm to the touch; his eyes gleamed steadily red through the fissures of my enclosing fingers.

Children of nature… We were all blessed with that title. I no longer thought of how we got here, or why; I only was grateful that we had such a privilege. Out here there was no blackness of civilization, no destruction and dark thoughts that I wished would go away. There was no envy, no hate, no greed – only the sanctity of the greatest children of Earth. The only fighting here was against the West Wind himself, and the cold and the thinness of air.

The harsh squeal of my phone shattered the silence. I started, half afraid that I had angered the gods who had welcomed me here. But if they heard, they understood and did not punish me. When I answered I had trouble finding my voice.

“Hello?” I said, in almost a whisper. The words that met my ears brought a grim frown to my face. “I’ll be there immediately.”

“Godspeed, Gwaihir,” I wished him. “Fly with Ho-oh’s wings.”


I did not like what greeted my ears. Civil war? The Rockets and the Crimson Blades? Certainly, no good could come of this. Chaos…

For the entire Dragon Tamer Staff meeting, I couldn’t bring myself to focus. My mind was already on the battles that were to come. How would I stop the damage? Who would be the best for the job? My thoughts shifted to Ryu: dependable, powerful, with a big heart full of courage. But he couldn’t do the job alone… Lune was injured, so he couldn’t help; Rúthruin would want to tend to him. My Charmander twins and Gwaihir were not as seasoned in battle as some of the others, and Kalazeth, brave though he was, could not fight effectively on land. Mandragora was out of the question; Nimrodel did not enjoy battle. That left only Switchblade, Evenstar, and Elwing – all trustworthy choices, Evenstar and Switch more so, as my first pokémon. But… Who was prepared for battle? I didn’t doubt their courage, but would they be able to handle – not just the emotional – but the physical challenge as well? Were they strong enough? I wavered.

The only pokémon I was confident could take care of himself at this point was Ryu. The rest… Some experienced, yes, but less training-intensive; battling was not their purpose in life, nor the goal to get stronger. For Ryu, it was why he lived. I caught the Vibrava’s eye, trying to hide my worried gaze but unable to do so. He sensed my ill ease.

“We can do this,” he assured me. “I’ll make sure nobody gets hurt.”

I nodded. “I know, Ryu, but the fact remains that… I’m not sure if the others are ready. You’ll need help; I just don’t know – who –”

“Evenstar? …Elwing?”

“I can’t choose between them. I don’t want to put more pokémon at risk than I have to.”

“Then choose the one that first volunteers. She who hesitates for less time will be readier to fight.”

I knew whom that would be even before asking; Ryu probably did too. I wondered about him sometimes… That look in his eye, that little flame of hope – he had not given up on her, even if he had said goodbye. I only wasn’t sure whether he knew this himself.

Without question, Elwing would take the challenge first; Evenstar was a wonderful Sneasel, but sometimes she acted against her own wishes to do the right thing, the responsible thing. I knew she wasn’t fond of violence.

“Elwing it is, then.” We now stood facing the city; the other Dragon Tamers had set off long ago. “To war, to war we go,” I whispered, dread filling my heart. “So on with never-failing hearts, or we shall be the first to fall.”


My dragon amulet flared angrily in the unnatural light. Its blood-red eyes would not let me rest. “I’m running, I’m running!” I cried, feeling the warmth burn into my skin. Make haste, make haste, it told me; I could go no other way.

“Are you all right?” Ryu asked me, in concern. “Is that thing bothering you again? Maybe you should take it off.”

“No, no, it’s right,” I answered. “I’ve been hesitating for too long, delayed too much. Any more and we’ll be too late.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to try carrying you? I know we have to keep low to be able to find signs of trouble more easily, but I’m not Gwaihir; I have a smaller wingspan. We can stay close to the ground.”

I guess he heard my panting breaths. My body raced frantically. I couldn’t stop; the burning was too bright. “I have to run. I don’t know why! I just have to.” I smirked ironically. “How do you like this, Ryu? We’re running in search of trouble.”

“Seems like we always are.”

Ahead loomed in front of us the remnants of a once glorious marble fountain. A man in gray lay with his head in the ground, a coiled-up Arbok and Crobat unconscious beside him. Behind the rubble stood a terrible sight: the fearsome uniform of a Crimson Blade, the grim face of its officer, moving in for the kill, and two pokémon whose eyes seemed as empty as their souls. I shuddered as their gazes pierced me. The cold gleam of the Girafarig, the glassy deep blue of the Linoone… If pokémon could really become evil, these were chilling examples. I glared hatefully at their trainer. What did you do to them?

When he saw us, he immediately pointed a finger, and the Girafarig’s attention focused directly upon me. Act first, ask questions later. Awesome.

I felt myself rising into the air; I could catch a barely perceptible blue glow about my body, and as much as I struggled to fight my captor’s will, I found that she was stronger. My arm felt as if it would bend behind my back and twist… Then the pain stopped, and Ryu caught me before I fell to the ground. A quick glance towards the Girafarig showed that Ryu had knocked her down with a Quick Attack, breaking her concentration.

“Strike!” The streamlined shadow of the Linoone emerged from behind his master.

Ryu shouldn’t have to fight two-on-one. I tapped Elwing’s pokéball urgently. I didn’t have to wait long. She darted out in a flash of light right when I called, intercepting the attacker and curling herself around his body. The concentrated sparks that followed seized his muscles with immediate paralysis.


The two rolled behind a heap of rubble as they grappled; I saw Ryu ready to go after them when a throbbing ball of shadow erupted upon him, imploding on contact and sucking away his breath.

“Get rid of him, Oracle! Get rid of them all! The Rockets are next.”


“Careful, Ryu,” I warned. “Focus on Oracle; Elwing can handle herself.”

I wasn’t sure if he’d heard my last bits of advice, but I would just have to trust him. I looked to Elwing, who had come back into sight.

“Ryu”, the male Vibrava’s POV:

It is over; I won’t let you win. Oracle’s mind pushed against mine, threatening to break in, but I would not let her. I could feel her frustration, her anger, her threats, pounding on my conscience. Damn you, let me in, I could hear her think. I smirked. Oh, no, I won’t let you win.

At that moment I fanned the air with my wing, stirring up the debris that lay on the ground. I circled the confused Girafarig continuously, until she realized that she had no solid ground to stand on – that I had dug an early grave for her. No, she wouldn’t die, but she would be trapped. I smiled, satisfied, as her knees gave and she fell with a cry into the pit below.

Oracle’s eyes began to glow again, the cold, sapphire glow that heralded the entrance of her Psychic attack. I prepared myself to fight her grasp once more, but this time she had not planned a mental battle. I realized that she was only trying to raise herself out of the pit; well, I would give her a hard time, then.

I flew at the Girafarig with a burst of speed, knocking her down into the hole. When I sank my teeth into her neck, searing her fur with seething darkness, a blood-curdling scream pierced my conscience. It was not her own.

“Elwing!” I cried, flying out from the sand pit. I saw him on top of her, not allowing her to escape. She struggled fiercely but it was no use; he had her where he wanted her, and he was making her pay for it.

“Get off of me!” she squealed, trying to shock the paws that assaulted her, but it was no use; he felt nearly nothing with a coat of mud to protect him. He wouldn’t let her reach him with any other attack. He had her head underneath a paw, forced in a direction that gave her no angle to aim a Flamethrower.

Tongues of turquoise flame gathered in me, ready to burst forth and force her assailant to let her be. I took aim, not wanting to hit her, and prepared to fire… The weight of a barreling Girafarig smashed into my body, dispelling the flames immediately. All at once, I could hear the screams, the warnings, “Elwing will get out of this! Focus on your own opponent!” I flinched as I faced Oracle once more. The surprise attack had struck my right wing hard; I wasn’t sure if I would be able to fly properly. I landed on the ground for now.

I’ll get you yet, she threatened.

“Try me.”

The atmosphere around me began to change; colors swirled into a big mess, cacophonous sounds filled the air, objects crashed into each other, exploding, confusing; I wasn’t sure which was real and which make-believe. It took me almost too long to realize that Oracle was subjecting me to Confusion.

Closing my eyes, I countered the only way I knew how: concentration. Karin was right; I needed to fight my own battle. It was just that… Elwing… I still worried about her. I’d been denying it to myself, but I knew it was true. I could never stop caring for her, and I didn’t have the heart to try. She was just too special in my eyes. Even if she didn’t think the same way about me. So it is that I shall suffer in silence.

I burst out of my meditative trance, completely focused now on the situation. I’d drowned out any outside disturbances; I could not even hear Elwing’s voice. When I first saw her, I’d admired her for her strength; I needed to learn that she still had it. Oracle was my only target.

“You won’t get away with attacking me while I’m distracted any more,” I hissed at her. “From now on, it’s just you and me.”

Elwing Starspray, the female Dratini’s POV:

I saw Ryu trying to help me, and I realized, what was I, weak? To scream so pitifully that I drew his attention away from his own battle, and let my opponent get away with what he was doing to me? No, I decided, I am strong. I won’t run away from pain.

Strike’s eyes widened when he saw what I prepared to do. “What, are you insane? You’ll hurt yourself more than you hurt me!” But then the roar of the tornado drowned out his voice, and I felt myself thrown about in the furious wind, a dragon’s fury. The energy tore at my body but I did not care; I was free, free without help, free because I had made myself this opportunity to escape. Despite fear. Despite pain.

The Twister flung my opponent far away from me. It was enough. I did not heal my wounds to ease the pain. I ignored the soreness on my body, the bleeding, my scars. They were of no consequence. Inside me a power rose like a priming volcano, an innate strength, the gift I had been born with: the spirit of my father. Strike did not escape the fury of my blast. The scorching flames roared over him, destroying the very essence of his fur, his heart. I put into the fire all the pain he had caused me, all the blows and scars we had exchanged, the tricks and the ice and the wrong he had done. “Go; join the others you have tortured,” I hissed. “You deserve the pain and the fear.” Strike, unconscious, did not answer.

Elwing won!
Elwing grew to LV22!
Elwing learned Dragon Rage!

“Ryu,” the male Vibrava’s POV:

Oracle was tiring. I could feel it. Her mind had been put to work so much in such a short time. She needed to rest it – but I doubt that she knew that. She’d been relying on mental attacks from the start. Undoubtedly she’d encountered weaker opponents before this.

I needed to drive the Girafarig over the edge; once her mind was too tired to battle effectively against mine, I would have the advantage, as a physical attacker. It was for this reason that, when she attempted another Psychic assault, I allowed her to take over my body freely without too much of a struggle. I felt her telekinetic grip crushing in my body, and yet, it was weaker than I’d expected. Perfect; she’s exhausted.

As soon as she let me go, I latched myself to her back and began draining her from the neck. “Doesn’t this feel nice?” She apparently hated the vacuuming feeling, because I felt her whole body shudder when I started to suck harder. I wasn’t planning on releasing her, but I felt her frantic mental grapple trying to get me off. She had fallen right into my trap.

This time I fought back with such force that she completely stopped trying for a moment; then she renewed her effort, further draining herself, tiring her mind. This was what I’d been aiming for, to lure her into a sense of security; for, surely, since she’d gotten me so easily before, she should be able to do it again. Finally Oracle gave up, exhausted to the point of collapse.

“You’re vulnerable now,” I informed her, lifting carefully off her back. My right wing had been injured further from the Psychic attack I let her perform; I didn’t feel up to Quick Attacks, nor did I want to introduce any more darkness. I wanted to end this quickly.

The green shade cast a shadow upon her slumping body. It engulfed her swiftly, swallowing her with its insect-like claws, giving her a quick journey to the realm of unconsciousness.

“Ryu” won!
“Ryu” grew to LV37!

My POV:

They had done it, prevented death. I looked at the gray lump on the ground, sighing at its irony. This Rocket had been saved by the courage and perseverance of two pokémon in allegiance to the Dragon Tamers. He would continue to serve his own cause, cursing the organization, creating havoc, never realizing that if it were not for the ones he hated so, he would not still be there to sleep in peace.

I stared off into the distance, barely able to trace the path that the Crimson Blade had taken. He was far away now, loose, free to wreak havoc once again. His two pokémon lay abandoned, unconscious on the ground. Why would you leave them here? I thought. Because they failed you?

I picked up the broken bodies and put them onto Gwaihir’s back. They would be hospitalized, and, with time, learn to forget their trainer’s bloody cause. I would make sure they’d find a good home.

__________________

Charizard04621

XD Kerel! Take 5 Stamps for that. It was very funny. ^_^; I understood all the Spanish, too. (Yay!) I think the Corridas de Toros is absolutely frightening; I wouldn't want to be within a mile of stampeding bulls running in the streets. Heheh... Anyway, you have a weird but funny sense of humor.

Intriguing, Gabi, can't wait for more! 5 Stamps for the intro. ^_^

__________________

Lady Vulpix

Nice one, Karin! Take 16 stamps! ¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢¢
The future's bound to be hard for Strike and Oracle, but who knows how things will turn out?
That pendant of yours is intriguing. And I like your writing style, as usual. It was nice to read a new story by you.

Now we all have to decide what we will do for the current scenario. Maybe we should talk a little on AIM.

Oh, and thanks for the stamps which I've only just seen.

__________________

Knight of the I.N.D.E.E.D. after waiting for about 3 years to get a reply.
And how did this forum get into my sig?

Kerel

Thanks Charizard04621 !

SilverMachop

Here's the Random Battle I requested for my Tyrogue in the old DT Battle Range. It was against a lvl. 8 Machop.

***

*Jar Jar Binks Tyrogue’s POV*

"Mesa lukin’ fur a job. Do yousa want one?”
I received that look from the man behind the counter, that look. I’m so sick of that treatment, being observed as if I was something foul tracked into the building.
“No, we don’t,” replied the man, quite haughty. “None for you, at least.”
“Yousa lucky wesa not in a duel, human,” I snarled. “Or mesa wood kick yoursa arse.”
“Out! Get out,” he bellowed, pointing at the door. I made a rude gesture with my arms at him before leaving. Sulking out of the building, I kicked at the ground in frustration.
“Dis es nuts-a,” I said to myself. “Howsa can mesa help when no one wants mesa ta help? Mesa thought that thee Dragon Tamers were nicer than this...”
“Hey, orange boy!”
The voice was recognizable, and I turned to face Murray, the dark/ghost Pokémon of our team. I was actually surprised to see that he was soaking wet. Mercury, the young Psyduck of our team, was standing next to him, looking worn out.
“What happens to yousa?”
“I’ll tell you what happened,” shouted Murray, shaking his little fists into the air. “That cheating, stinky, spaghetti-face put me to sleep and beat me up while I was snoozing! How unfair! How unjust! I demand evil retribution!”
As Murray continued ranting, Mercury said to me, “We lost a duel at the Battle Tower, and he’s quite bitter.”
“Maybe hesa shood ask Seung Mina,” I suggested. “Shesa lobe fighting, and shesa bery gud at it!”
Murray must have heard this, for he stopped ranting, and his impish face lit up. “That’s it! Seung Mina! She will take care of them, oh yes she will! Jar Jar, I’d kiss you, but that would be disgusting and I might turn orange as well. Bye!”

***5 minutes later***

“Lousy, good-for-nothing bum! You couldn’t support your weight in a battle if your life depended on it!”
“Oh, yeah Seung Mina? Well thanks to you, we lost! Yeah, thanks to you!”
“You’re welcome, you pompous little Casper-wannabe!”
Sighing, I walked away from the bickering couple, as Mercury did her best to calm them down. I headed towards the Dragon Tamers Adoption Center. Maybe there, I could find something to do.
Nobody was inside when I entered. I decided to go my old home, the Professional Sports Breeding Center.
The Sports Center was filled with Fighting-types and Rock-types, all training to their hearts content. There were tread mills, barbells, mini-running tracks, and other exercise devices. The place smelt of sweat and stuffy air, but it was a nostalgic feeling for me.
< Whoa, check out the orange Tyrogue, > exclaimed a nearby Mankey. He was pointing at me, looking between me and his pack of Fighting-type friends. The others were either snickering, or staring impolitely at me. I was starting to feel uncomfortable, so I walked away without saying a word.
< Some Pokémon can be so impolite, huh? > said a nearby female voice in Machopisan.
“Yeah, mesa know,” I replied, then looked around. Standing there nearby me was a very, VERY cute Machop. She had an emerald-green headband on, with the straps dangling all the way down to the back of her knees.
“Uh... buh... mesa... dinking...,” I stammered, lost in her sapphire eyes. They were like sirens, calling to me. When she giggled, I would’ve guided my ship into the rocks if I were sailing.
< Have you already been adopted? > she asked, smiling while tapping her chin. < Because the Adoption Center humans rarely ever dye the adoptees. >
“Yes, mesa adopted. ... In a way.”
< What do you mean? >
“Mesa trainer missin’ in action. Mysa friends and mesa started a guild to find him.”
< Oh, I’m so sorry. >
“We will find himsa one dayse, mesa purty sure of.”
< I wish you luck, > she extended her hand. < My name’s Mastar, what’s yours? >
“Mesa called Jar Jar Binks.”
< HEY, FREAK! >
The sudden interruption made me jump, as a gruff, dark-skinned Machop shoved Mastar aside, glaring at me.
< You keep away from her, she’s MY girl! > he snarled. This Machop was a good deal bigger than most Machops, and his skin color was more charcoal than gray.
< I am not your girl, you big cretin! > shouted Mastar. < You leave Jar Jar out of this! >
< Jar Jar? As in Binks? > laughed the big Machop. < What kind of freak names himself after an even-bigger freak? >
I growled. “Yousa are pushing yoursa luck big bombad time!”
The Pokémon of the Sports Center were gathering around, anxious for a fight. Their eyes almost chanted, ‘Fight fight fight.’
< Don’t start anything now- > Mastar grabbed the male Machop’s arm, and he shoved her to the floor. Hard.
“Oh it is ON now, yousa big bully!” I shouted, pointing at him threateningly.


The male Machop flexed his muscles, chuckling to himself. < Yousa freak, hehe. Larry, jump him! > He pointed to someone behind me. When I turned around to see who was ambushing me, none of the Pokémon made a move. Then the Machop’s fist hammered into the side of my face, sending me flying across the room. I slammed into the crowd members, knocking down a bunch of them with me; however, it did soften the landing since I fell on a fuzzy Mankey.
The Machop was laughing his head off, and I was cursing at myself mentally. How could I have fallen for the oldest trick in the book?
The other Pokémon were helping me get to my feet. < Come on, Jar Jar, don’t let him get the better of you, > said a female Meditite. < Kick his arrogant butt! >
I nodded at her, then leapt into the air. Coming down with of my weight on my foot, I missed him with my Hi Jump Kick by a few inches as he jumped back. But I didn’t stop there, and Tackled him right after landing. He took a few steps back, but regained his balance.
< Nice try, freak, > he retorted. < But it’s going to take more than that to beat me! >
He charged at me and lashed out at my knees with his foot. I jumped in the air to dodge it, and he punched me square in the face again. Falling backwards, I grabbed onto a treadmill for support. It had been left on, for the belt was still moving.
When the big, bad and nasty Machop came after me, I leapt onto the treadmill. “Yousa come an’ get mesa,” I shouted.
< Oh I will! And when I do, nothing will be left of you! > He leapt onto the treadmill and punched out at me, but I jogged up the treadmill to keep away from him.
The treadmill was for someone about human size but even so, he was going to catch up with me. So I jumped up and hit the “Speed Up” button. The treadmill increased in speed, and it was obvious that my opponent did not like that. He growled in anger and lunged at me again, but missed. His bulky size was not fit for running, it would seem.
Leaping up again, I pressed the “Speed Up” button again. The third jump, I practically entered morse code into it; I tapped it repeatedly like a Gamecube controller button on a Mario Party game.
The speed of the treadmill was incredible now, it had to be racing over twenty miles an hour now. The big, bad and nasty Machop behind me was panting, sweating and cursing at me. He was showing some definite signs of fatigue there.
Letting out my traditional Gungan battle cry (which sounds “A-WOO-WOO-YAA-HAAAAAA!), I Tackled him again. He fell back on the treadmill, and the belt deposited him headfirst onto the floor.
Leaping into the air again, I performed Hi Jump Kick better than I ever did before. Landing right on his stomach with my outstretched foot, the hit could not have been more perfect. He let out a gasp for air, then collapsed on the floor.
“Yousa all broken now,” I said to my vanquished enemy.


The crowd burst into cheers, loudest of all was Mastar. She ran over to me and threw her arms around my neck.
< My hero, > she giggled, and planted a kiss on my cheek. Unfortunately, it was right where the big, bad and nasty Machop had hit me first, so it made me flinch.
< Oh sorry, I forgot about that. >
“Mesa no mind,” I said. My orange skin was becoming a deeper shade of red, looking like the inside of a blood orange. Mastar laughed and said, “Yousa bombad, Jar Jar.”
“Thank yousa!”

__________________
- "There's a dwarf named after me in World of Warcraft! HOORAY!! ... And suddenly I have the urge to go drink ale."

classy_cat18

*yawns*

Bandit’s POV

Life started to be really good as soon as I quit the gang (or Lily quit for me). Shonta adopted me as soon as I was well enough to be adopted, which was quick because the bones broken had only hairline fractures. Everyone was surprised that she would let a guy on the team.

Despite my warnings, she moved from her former home in Selenia to Sector Alpha, very close to a couple of famous Dragon Tamers. It seems like she was confident that she would find the income to pay for the place. After all, she was a mercenary and the conflicts between Team Rocket and the Crimson Blades were getting worse.

So we jump to when I first came to my new home from the adoption center. As soon as Shonta opened the doors, there was a shout from the girls I would be training with. Above them was a banner that read “Welcome Home Bandit” in green letters. The Heracross that was called Moriko was waving a flag with my picture on it. So that was what she was doing with that camera.

“Welcome to your new home, Bandit. Fresh food, warm and soft sleeping places, and no psychotic Houndoom,” Shonta announced as we walked inside.

“Although we can get a little crazy ourselves,” Moriko joked.

I climbed down from Shonta’s shoulder and walked to the female Pokemon. Beacon, Lily, and Moriko I already knew but the others were a mystery. I looked at the Starmie and waved. “What’s your name?” I asked it/her.

<Jewel,> it/her answered.

“Do you consider yourself female?”

She said nothing, but her jewel started to blink quickly. Beacon put herself between Jewel and me. “Don’t question Jewel’s gender. Just refer to her as a she,” she said.

“Ookay,” I said slowly and backed away from Jewel. The blinking must’ve meant that she was angry. I turned to a Ninetales that looked familiar. Familiar and hot. “Hello, angel. I seemed to have lost my name. Can I have yours?” I bowed.

The Ninetales gave me a look that said “don’t mess with me”. “And the Academy Award for Best Death Scene goes to…” she growled.

Lily was the one that stopped me from being attacked this time. “This is Trinity. She’s a little grouchy this morning.”

That’s two I have to watch out for. I glanced over at the Mankey. She looked familiar too. “I know! I met you at the Pokemon Center! You were the one that kept telling me not to scratch my bandages!”

She smiled warmly. “Yes, I was. Call me Athena.” She bowed.

“Hi, Athena.” Nothing wrong with that one. I walked to the end of the lineup. A Slakoth smiled at me sleepily. She looked denser than the city of Tokyo. “My name’s Bandit.” She didn’t look at me; she looked through me. It was if her mind was somewhere else, like another galaxy. “Hello? Earth to…whoever you are!” I waved my hand in front of her face.

She finally blinked, snapping out of it. “Oh, I’m sorry. My name’s Nama. It’s nice to meet you.” She held out a claw and I shook it.

“Ookay,” I said again. I climbed back up to Shonta’s shoulder. “Colorful bunch you have here.”

“That’s not all. We’ve got you a present,” Shonta said. She pulled out a TM box. “It’s Ember.”

My eyes went wide with surprise. “Wait a minute. I can use fire attacks!?!”

“Yep! We checked!” Lily chirped.

Shonta set me down and gave me the TM. “Open that baby and you’ll scare that Houndoom ex-boss of yours to death.” I opened the box and closed my eyes from the flash. “Okay, you’ve met your teammates and received your welcome home present. Let’s see where you’re going to sleep.” She walked out of the foyer and to one of the bedrooms. Large pillows and blankets were strewn about the floor. Only one of them didn’t look like it had been slept on. “Now, if you don’t like to sleep outside of a pokeball…”

“This is fine! The pillow is fine!” I blurted out. I curled up in the pillow to emphasize my point.

“Good. If you need extra blankets, just step outside the room and look in the next door on the right. My room’s through the door beyond that. Bathrooms are on the left.” She stepped out of the room. “Dinner will be served soon so work up an appetite.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~

“Bandit…I need you, Bandit…”

I snapped awake. Everybody was fast asleep. “Who was calling me?” I quietly asked myself. I was shivering violently although I was only a little cold. “It couldn’t be…could it?” I looked around the room. It was dark and quiet, not the way I like it.

I peeked down the empty hall. I couldn’t see anything on either end. I cautiously stepped out and looked in the closet. Sure enough, there were extra blankets, probably enough for each member of the team to have three. I pulled out a blue blanket and turned around to go back inside but froze. I couple of red eyes were staring at me. It was Diablo! I ran back inside the room, screaming. I threw the blankets over my head and shivered as I heard paws getting closer and closer.

A paw poked me and a voice called out to me, but it wasn’t Diablo. “What’s wrong, Bandit?” Trinity asked me.

My head poked out from under the blankets. I laughed nervously. “Would you believe that I thought you were a psychotic Houndoom?”

To my surprise she laughed. “Don’t worry, Bandit. People tend to get scared when red eyes appear in the darkness. I’m surprised that you didn’t wake anybody up. Beacon can be a light sleeper.”

Trinity’s attitude confused me. “Why are you being so nice to me? Earlier you were threatening to kill me.”

“Yeah, but then I remembered that you already have someone threatening to kill you. I need to be a nicer Pokemon anyway. So relax and go to sleep. If that nasty Diablo comes to kill you, just remember this: you have six girls ready to fight for you.” She slightly nudged me and went back to her pillow.

I yawned. That’s right. I have a family now, and I have confidence in my own battling skills. I shouldn’t be scared of him. But as I drifted off to sleep, my mind was still stuck on that voice.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~

I woke up, refreshed and ready to fight a whole army of Pokemon. I found Nama still asleep on her pillow. The others were already gone from the room. I walked past the closet and into Shonta’s room. Lily greeted me as soon as I walked in. “Hi, Bandit! How was your first night here?”

“A little rough, but otherwise fine. I just had a little nightmare.”

“Can’t top what Shonta dreamed about. Pennywise the clown.”

“Pennywise the clown? What’s he from?”

“Stephen King’s book It. ‘They float. They all float!’” she laughed evily.

I blinked. “Oh. What’s Shonta doing?”

“Checking her e-mail. It’s part of her little morning ritual.” She giggled. “She rarely gets anything, though.”

Suddenly Shonta shot up from her chair, her eyes wide and her mouth open. “Oh man! I got something!” she said in a high pitched voice.

Lily’s leaves stood on end. “Let me see!” She jumped in the chair that Shonta had been sitting in and looked at the computer screen. “Dragon’s Guild? What do they want with us?”

I was puzzled. It was as if they were talking in some secret code. “What’s this Dragon’s Guild?” I asked them.

“The Dragon’s Guild is in charge of the Dragon Tamers. They’re like our bosses,” Shonta answered. “But we never hear from any of them except Lady Vulpix.”

“I wonder what they want with us,” I thought out loud. Lily and I followed Shonta out the bedroom door. “Listen, you’re gonna need protection. Diablo still wants to kill you. Lily and I should be more than enough for that Houndoom.”

“If I want protection, I’ll bring Jewel along. But I don’t so that’s why I’m letting you follow me. Trinity, get off the couch,” she said as she walked through the living room. Trinity groaned and jumped off.

Moriko walked up with a book bag hanging off of her shoulder. “Hey, where ya going with the new guy? Training, perhaps?”

“Just to a meeting. You know we try not getting into any training battles without you, Moriko.”

“I know. Just in case, though, I should come with you guys. You just don’t cheer loud enough.”

“Cheer? Are you a cheerleader?” I asked her.

“She likes to think she is,” Lily said cheerfully.

“But she’s a Fighting type. What is she doing being a cheerleader?”

“Don’t ask. Athena’s the same way, but I don’t question her. She has a violent side to her.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~

I climbed up Shonta and clung to her shoulder as we waited for the meeting to start. “So what do you do as a Dragon Tamer?” I asked out of curiosity. “I know stopping punks like that Dixie girl is one of the things you do, but what else?”

“In short, whatever the bigwigs tell me to do. It’s a little dangerous, but it pays the bills.” She rubbed my head. “It also gives me an excuse to just pack up and travel.”

“You get to travel? I would like to get out of this city myself.” And get away from the threat that is Diablo, I added in my head.

“Why do you insist on riding my shoulder?”

“Oh, come on! I’m travel size for your convenience!”

Several people around us hushed us as a thin man entirely clad in black entered the room. His eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses. He spoke in a calm, collected voice and introduced himself as Lord Absol. It seemed that there was a new assignment for the Dragon Tamers. He wanted some of them to go to a lab at the Unicorn Gate and investigate. The others he wanted to stay here and try to stop some assault on Sector Alpha. As if I didn’t feel nervous enough, he added that some of the Crimson Blades had been juiced up, so they now possess super speed and strength. Even psychic powers! How crazy is that?

“He looks so familiar,” Shonta whispered, breaking me out of my concentration.

How could someone so gothic remind her of someone? I looked down at Lily and Moriko. It looked like they were thinking the same thing. “Hey Shonta, have you seen this Lord Absol before?” I asked her quietly.

She shook her head. “He just looks like someone I know.”

The meeting was adjourned. Shonta rose from her seat and walked up to Lord Absol, looking determined. She looked up at his sunglasses. “Excuse me, but can I ask you a question?”

“Is it about the mission?” he asked her.

“No. I wanted to know if you have any brothers.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Why do you want to know that?”

At that time someone decided to walk up and tap Shonta on the shoulder. Although Shonta didn’t see him coming I did. Like Lord Absol, the guy was covered in black. But he wasn’t wearing sunglasses and his hair was done up in a ponytail. He stood over and behind Shonta with a small smile on her face.

Shonta looked over her shoulder. Her face changed from neutral to surprised to angry. “Arrest him!” she roared at Lord Absol. “Arrest him right now!”

Both eyebrows raised on Lord Absol’s face. “Why?”

“Because she’s a Rocket grunt!

Moriko chuckled. “Shonta, he’s not a Rocket Grunt!”

“Of course he is! He tried to take my Oddish and Mareep a few months back and a few weeks back he tried to take my Starmie!”

“No, I didn’t,” the guy said, not sounded a bit worried.

“No, he didn’t,” Lily said.

“Listen…what’s your name?” Lord Absol asked me.

“Shonta,” my trainer answered.

“Shonta, this person is a Dragon Tamer.”

“No, he’s not!” She took a good look at the accused. “He’s not!”

“I am,” the defendant said to her.

“You’re not! You’re not! I refuse to be wrong!”

“You’re wrong.”

“I’m right, I’m right, I’m…wrong. I’m wrong!”

“Told you,” Moriko said smugly.

Shonta looked at me. “Bandit, what’s the Japanese word for ‘stupid’?”

“Baka,” I answered.

“Oh yeah. Baka, baka, baka!” she screamed, slapping her forehead with each “baka”.

I looked around and saw that Shonta was starting to get stares from the other Tamers. I sighed. “If anyone asks, I don’t know you.” But I stayed on her shoulder, not really meaning what I was saying. What can I say? Someone takes you off the street, and it’s hard to say you don’t know them and mean it.

Shonta looked up at the guy with apologetic eyes. “I am SO sorry.”

“Apology accepted.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~

“So how long have you been a Dragon Tamer?” Shonta asked the guy whose name turned out to be Daisuke. We were now sitting at one of the fountains at Millennium Park, one of the many parks of Sector Alpha. “And how long have you been dressing up like Lord Absol?”

“I’ve been at this longer than you have, and Lord Absol and I just seemed to have the same sense of style.”

“Which is none,” I said softly and snickered at my wisecrack. I walked over to Lily, who was speaking to a couple of Wartortle. “You know these guys?”

“Yeah. I battled them when they were Squirtle. They were my first opponents as a trained Pokemon. Meet Kame and Turtle.”

“Doesn’t Kame mean ‘turtle’?” One of the Wartortle nodded. “So, technically that means that you two have the same name.” He nodded again.

I looked over at Daisuke’s other Pokemon, a Lunatone and a Solrock. I waved to them. “Any of you want a practice battle?” They ignored me. “Fine then.” I went back to Shonta’s shoulder. “I think some of Daisuke’s Pokemon need some manners.”

“Solar and Lunar are just a little cold towards everyone,” Daisuke said to me.

“Speaking of your Pokemon, why did you corner me into a battle when we first met?” Shonta asked Daisuke.

He rolled his eyes. “How could you not tell that I wasn’t a Rocket Grunt? If I was, then I would have Lily and Beacon with me right now.”

Shonta blushed slightly. “I guess.” She recovered and pointed at Daisuke. “How about another battle? My Kecleon Bandit against any of your Pokemon.”

He nodded with a sly smile. “I just got this Skitty. He can battle her.”

“A Skitty!?! Why not any of your other Pokemon? Like Lunar or Solar? Or at least Kame and Turtle!” I blurted out.

“Those Pokemon are too powerful for you. Skitty, however, should be just right,” Shonta explained. She winked at Daisuke. “Okay, you got yourself a battle.” She and Daisuke sprang up at the same time. “Go, Bandit!”

I jumped off of Shonta’s shoulder. “I guess I shouldn’t underestimate the Skitty. After all, I was nearly beaten by a wild Eevee last time.”

“Go, Venus!” Daisuke shouted, tossing a pokeball into the air. The Skitty materialized and meowed.

Instantly I felt something come over me. My knees became shaky and weak. My heart pounded in my chest. I tried to trash talk Venus, but no real words came out. I was infatuated.


“I’m in trouble,” I whimpered as Venus charged for me. I wobbled out of the way, but Venus just turned and tackled me to the ground while my back was turned to her. I squirmed out from under her and stuck my tongue out to lick her. But when it was almost to her face, it froze. I couldn’t attack her!

“What’s wrong, Bandit?” Shonta asked me.

“Aah caah ahack hair,” I said with my tongue still stuck out.

“Well, put your tongue back in your mouth and shake it off!”

I stuck my tongue back in my mouth, turned invisible, and hid in a patch of tall grass. I racked my brain trying to think of a way to beat Venus while I was head over heels in love with her. Maybe if I can’t see her face, then I won’t get that feeling. That means I’ll have to fight a little dirty. I waited until Venus’s back was turned. When it was, I burst out of the grass and plowed into her at top speed. “It worked!” I shouted happily as I dove back into the grass.

“Go, Bandit! Show that Skitty who’s boss!” Moriko cheered.

I peeked out of the grass and noticed that she was waving the flag with my face on it. How did she get that? It couldn’t have been in that bag she was carrying? My head went back in the grass as I waited for Venus to turn her back on me again. Instead she walked casually to the patch of grass that I was hiding in and sat. Instantly the feeling got stronger. I was frozen in place. My brain wouldn’t work straight. “I-I…Can I have your phone number?” I asked stupidly.

“If you let me defeat you,” she replied sweetly.

I was about to nod my head when I saw Lily standing next to Shonta, anxiety on her face. She wanted me to win. So did Moriko and Shonta. I couldn’t let them down! Plus I would be so embarrassed if I lost to a Skitty that probably didn’t even know any powerful moves. The feeling of love sickness was temporarily replaced by one of determination. “Sorry, but I have other plans!” I raised a clawed hand and raked it across Venus’s face. She howled in pain and ran out of the clump of grass.

“That’ll show her not to look so sexy,” I mumbled to myself. I felt a certain warmness in my stomach for having briefly overcome my infatuation. I stepped out of the grass and got quite a shock. It looked like Venus did have powerful attacks. A blast of water raced through the air and hit me right in the face. I sailed through the air and felt powerful bursts of something other than the water hitting my face. I landed on my back on concrete with a hard “oomph”.

Lily ran over to where I was. “Are you okay?” she asked me.

“If by okay you mean alive, then yeah.”

“Can you get up? Venus thinks she’s won with that Water Pulse of hers.”

So that’s what a Water Pulse is. No wonder I got hit by those invisible things in the water. They must’ve been the pulses. I pulled myself to her feet. Everything was doubled. There were two Venuses, two Shontas, two Lilies…well, you get the idea. Great, now I’m confused too. But they soon went back to being only one each.

Venus had her back towards me, but now she was looking at me. The feeling of love sickness came back to me at full force. I furiously shook my head to rid myself of the feeling (I hated the feeling), but it wouldn’t go away. I was once more glued to the floor. “I’ll…I’ll…take you to the movies,” I said, drool dripping from my stuck out tongue.

“After I beat you, sweetie!” Venus said happily. She dashed towards me, hoping for a full-speed tackle. All I could do was stand out there with my tongue sticking out like a brain-dead idiot. And that’s what she crashed into: my tongue. She accidentally rubbed against it and paralyzed herself.

“That was…awkward,” Shonta commented.

“Way to go, Bandit!” Moriko cheered.

Time to finish this. I started taking deep breaths, feeling the warm feeling in my stomach grow hotter and hotter. When it was too hot to bear, I breathed out and released the flames on Venus. Her face blackened and she fell to the ground, twitching. But I wasn't done yet. I took a couple steps back, turned invisible, ran forward and kicked her as hard as I could. That did it.


Daisuke sighed and returned Venus. “I guess your Kecleon was too much for Venus,” he told Shonta.

“Yeah, Bandit’s a handful,” she agreed. “But you know what? That’s what I like most about him.”

I smiled at that comment. But I wondered why she didn’t say the same thing about Trinity.

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