Timothy Carlow was a forty-one year old, self made billionaire. He owned a chain of profitable Pokémon related stores, and made thousands daily on the various merchandise his company produced. While his wealth was miniscule in comparison to juggernauts like "Sliph Co.", Tim had, as he had described in an interview only a few years ago, "it pretty good". Tim owned yachts, penthouses, even an airship and miniscule submarine which he took on trips to the ocean floor with friends, family and investors. This year, however, to celebrate his forty-second birthday, and his achievement with getting the Hoenn Civil Council to approve his building of a large Pokémon "Super-Center" - which supported contests, tournaments and even living for trainers and their Pokémon with multiple "zones" set up for different styled trainers, and a fast-ship to a large Pokémon themed resort he had built only two years ago – he was holding a huge celebration at his mansion, on his personal island.
This was all located on a few islands between Ever Grande City and the Battle Frontier, and, on a much smaller island, closer to Ever Grande City than the other islands, was Timothy Carlow's private mansion. His forty-second birthday was selected to take place here, where he would open the doors to select invitees and members of the Pokémon community who either had eight badges from a single region or were well recognized in the Battle Frontier and Contest scene. It was for this reason that several particular people were able to get into his party that evening. These people had no interest in his fortune, or his career. They wanted one thing – and it lay within a vault beneath his home.
[-|-]
Heist
{vv}
There was a loud blast that echoed around the crater based city as one of the local gyms walls were breached and turned to flying rubble. A radiant light shimmered on the walls of the Sootopolis Gym, reflected by the ice. Juan, the Sootopolis Gym Leader, smirked at the beauty of his Milotic in the shining light. Milotic gave off the beautiful light of a subtle pink hue in the glistening air. Chips of ice and wall fell across the ice. Milotic let out a cry to signal to her trainer that she was still wounded. Moments ago, a powerful Fire Blast had made contact with her, and had burned a good portion of her middle body. Juan had her retaliate in the direction of the blast with Mirror Coat, a move that turned "Special Attacks" back at their users with a powerful Psychic force.
As evident from the hole in the wall but lack of blood or trauma to anything living, the retaliation had missed.
There was the sound of coughing as a shadow appeared in the dust of the former wall. The shadow moved out from behind one of the broken hunks of ice that had fallen from the ceiling during the blast. As the dust cleared, Milotic let out another loud call and focused on the shadow. If not for her trainer moving beside her and placing a calm hand on her "neck", she'd have unleashed a powerful Ice Beam at the potential target.
"You do know how to be tactful in combat, there is no doubt about that," Juan said coyly to the shadow.
He was replied to with only more coughing as a smaller shadow emerged from the top of the first, and dropped off behind it.
"Extreme Speed has probably saved my ass more times than I can remember, John."
"Come now, be civil in the presence of a lady," Juan said, patting Milotic who shuddered and let out a happy call. "And my name is pronounced "Wha-nn".
"Yeah, whatever you say, Wayne," the smaller shadow said, coming along the side of the larger. The dust finally had begun to fully clear, and the rough outline of the man became visible in the spectacular reflected light of the gym. As the cloud dispersed, Juan could once again make out the large dog-like Pokémon that had launched the fiery attack at his Milotic. It had a mostly brown coat with streaks of black and large puffs of crème colored fur coming off of its legs and neck – this fur also formed the dog's fur.
Juan couldn't help but marvel at how fast the large canine must have been to avoid his Milotics blast. He took a strong stance and narrowed his eyes as the dust lowered enough to reveal the Arcanine's trainer: A tall young man in his early twenties with short cut brown hair and tan skin. His eyes were a fierce yet calming bright shade of green. He stood there in a loose maroon tee-shirt with an open dark brown zipper vest. His jeans had tears from the battle, and his leather brown boots seemed to be beaten and old. The trainer stood strong, regardless of his average height and weight. He looked scrawny at a distance, but Juan could tell the muscle mass was there that likely made him physically strong as well.
"Welp, the way I sees it," the trainer said as he dusted off his clothes and hair, "Is that you're either gonna' hand me my badge now, or alternatively, you and the lady can take the ass kicking I'm about to give you guys if you don't."
"Surely you are joking! You have yet to even faze my Milotic!" Juan called as he sprayed a "Full Restore" on her wounds.
"Miloooooooo!"
"Yes, I do believe the lady agrees. But you may surrender of course."
The trainer frowned and took a few steps back.
"That isn't gonna' happen."
"Then by all means – DRAW!"
Milotic pitched her head back and positioned herself like a snake about to strike, her mouth opening to reveal a gathering blue light.
"Blaze, Fire Blast!"
As the large canine built up an intense ball of fire in its mouth, Milotics Ice Beam had already fired and was about to make contact just before Blaze unleashed the heated star of fire.
The two attacks met in midair and caused a small shockwave of steam and they collided and dissipated.
"Extreme Speed!"
Blaze leapt forward into a dash and then sped up until it turned to a shadow, and then to a barely visible blur.
"Milotic, protect and follow up with a Hydro Pump!"
Milotic let out a loud cry as a veil of green, shimmering light came up between it and a suddenly stopped attacker.
Blaze's head made contact with the barrier and let out a loud snarl as it stumbled back in pain, its eyes shut and nose wrinkled.
It did not have a chance to even see the large torrent of water coming at it.
The trainer called out Blaze's name as it slid across the gym floor before hitting a block of ice.
Damnit!,he thought, we're both down to our last Pokémon and if Blaze goes down I'll have to not only swim my sorry ass back to the shore and heal up, but I'll just have to come back here and waste another day I can't afford to loose...
He ran to his Pokémon, who lay panting and whimpering on the ground, removing a spray bottle from his messenger bag. "Here, baby girl, here you go. It'll be okay. . ."
He sprayed the purple colored fluid on the Arcanine's wounds. It shuddered and clenched its teeth from the sting, but calmed down as the pain faded and was replaced by a soothing numbness. It moved one of its large eyes to look at its trainer.
His trainer, looking relieved, lean towards the large dogs' ear and whispered; "We need that badge. Bad. I want you to use Double Team, move so fast they can't even pretend to know where you'll be, then, use Extreme Speed to vent some fire in a bunch of different areas. Try to keep them confused. When Milotic tries to attack, evade it, and then bite right into that snake's neck."
Arcanine seemed to consider the orders, but then determinedly stood back up – much to Juan's chagrin.
"I admire you and your Pokémon's spirit! You have brought everything you've had with you here today. But this battle has gone on long enough. No matter what trickery you impose here, you will not win, and you will never challenge the league."
"I don't want the damn league."
"What?"
"I don't want to challenge your little league. The Hoenn Elite Council can suck it. I just need that badge you have."
"For what reason?"
"Does it really matter? I need it."
"Without knowing your intent, I'm not sure I should relinquish this ba-"
"Blaze, end this."
Juan pointed forward towards the large canine as it sped back and forth quickly, the shadow of where it once was appearing to be another. Milotic fired an Ice Beam at where Juan pointed, but there was nothing there. The blast kept going until it hit a wall, which quickly froze. The Arcanine lept forward into a run and disappeared to the naked eye.
"Protect, Milady!"
Milotic threw up another defensive barrier but to no avail – no attack came. Instead, burst of flame kept appearing all across the Gym floor, giving the appearance that the air itself was beginning to catch fire.
"Miloooooooooooooooooooo," Milotic cried, unleashing an un-commanded blast of Ice, shifting its aim to try and hit the multiple bursts of flame.
"Blaze, snap that bitches neck with a Crunch!"
As Milotic's Ice Beam finished and it began to close its mouth, Blaze the Arcanine came out from hiding behind her, jaws wide open, slobber trailing in the air behind it.
Juan's eyes widened in horror, unable to react in time – and he would have lost his Milotic, had a Hydro Pump from beyond the frozen arena knocked the Arcanine aside like a ragdoll in midair.
The trainer looked up at the source of the Hydro Pump with rage but then was silent when he saw a man with light blue hair and a long white cape flowing behind him, his own Milotic "standing" beautifully in the light of the Gym.
"That," Wallace said, marching forward across the ice and snow, his Milotic trailing behind him, "is enough. I am Wallace, the former Sootopolis Gym Leader, and current reigning Champion of the Hoenn Elite Four."
Juan knelt and bowed his head a little before looking back up and recalling his Milotic.
"Wallace, my protégé! It is good to see you again. Thank you."
Wallace approached the middle of the floor between Juan and the trainer. He took a questioning glance at the young man before turning to his former master, smiling.
"It has been a while, Juan! I am glad to see you have not lost your talent for battling. I bet the hole in the wall there is your work," said Wallace, gesturing a hand towards the gaping hole.
"Yes, it is. Sorry, Milotic's Mirror Coat doubles special attacks power, as you know, and, well, that trainer there had attacked with a particularly powerful Fire Blast."
Wallace turned back to the challenger, his face forming another suspicious look and scowl. The challenger looked somewhat frightened, but more so of Wallace's Milotic than him. Wallace determined keeping Milotic out was pointless. He'd kept her out in the even this man had been a "Team" operative, trying to kill a Gym Leaders Pokémon. But if that were true, then the man standing before Wallace would no doubt be much more frightened and fearful of what Wallace would do to him, than his Milotic. As Teams Aqua and Magma had learned in recent times, becoming more violent themselves the past few months, had forced the H.E.C's hand. Wallace's coat had become notorious among "Team" Admins for being quite absorbent with blood.
"Milotic, return. Trainer, you'd do best do the same with your Pokémon. Milotic held nothing back and I wouldn't be surprised your much weaker Pokémon cracked a few ribs.
The trainer immediately bolted for his Pokémon, removing a hardened syringe from his bag and a bottle of dark blue fluid. He stabbed the syringe into the side and pulled in as much of the liquid as it'd take, and then injected the substance into his Pokémon's sternum. His Arcanine roared and curled up as its trainer called it back into its Poke ball.
Juan stood and tossed a small metal badge at the caring trainer.
"You would have won, there. Baroque as you were, you would have won. Take that badge and leave here."
Wallace toke a step towards the trainer and narrowed his eyes.
"Before you leave, trainer, tell me . . . who are you?"
The young man clipped the ball to his belt and looked back at Wallace.
"Call me Miller."