Japanese Title: Round One Begin! Gossip Before Marci!
Translation: Ichiban Ichi Hajimaru! Goshippu Izen Eikou!
By: Pro_V
"Alright, Zovo! Great hit!" Eevy clapped wildly as her Flareon took out another of his targets at the Trainer Hall, "Good job!"
"Woo!" Medira shouted, "You go, Zovo!"
"Thanks, guys!" Zovo cheered and spiraled around Eevy's ankles, "We're gonna do great!"
"Yeah!" Novo added, "We'll beat anybody they throw at us!"
"Uh huh!" Sovo snickered, "Nobody can get through us!"
"That's the spirit!" Eevy smiled wide.
"Ah, so that's her," an evil smile crossed a shadowed figure's face, "That's the one the "Beasts chose" to take the chair as Champion. Pish posh. Let her take the place, she'll just have to have a little accident afterwards. Maybe a playful then deadly accident," his red, snaky eyes narrowed nastily with a lick of his lips, "Be careful, supposed angel, I'm watching," he turned and disappeared into the shadows of the corridor, never even leaving the slightest trace of ever being there.
"Eevy! Hey, Eevy!" Sooney came running from the entrance hall where the shadow watcher had just been, but was no longer, "Hey, I've got some news!"
"What about?" Eevy stopped and turned with her Pokemon stepping up beside her, "Anything interesting?"
"Oh, yeah!" Sooney stopped in front of her, "I just got word that your opponent, Marci, is going to use an Electric- type Pokemon!"
"You've been listening to the City gossip, haven't you? Sooney, never believe that blabber! It's never true!"
"But I know it's true! I heard it from a whole bunch of different people! So many it just has to be true!"
"No matter how many people speak a lie it doesn't make it truth," Vovo suddenly pushed in.
"Very philosophical," Eevy noted in a surprised tone, "Wherever did you hear that?"
"Actually, I made it up."
Eevy smiled wide, "Good for you," she scratched his chin and checked her watch, "Wow. I had no idea it was already two."
"You were training like mad here yesterday and all morning today. Let's take a break and get some lunch," Sooney took her wrist.
"What do you mean let's? You haven't trained with us at all!" Eevy asked as Sooney dragged her along, "Come on, Medira!"
"Coming!" Medira jumped the fence between her chair and the training area and started down the corridor, "Woah," she paused, "When did it get so cold?" she shivered.
"Another one?" the figure leaned his head out of the shadowed corner he was in, "She'll be a problem too. I'll have to care for both of these lovely ladies, not just the angel girl. Medira and Eevy, hmm? I'll have to remember that for future reference. I'd love to…play with those two," he laughed evilly and stepped back to his corner, "Open your eyes, ladies. I'll be keeping an eye on the both of you."
*^~^**^~^*
"Hey!" Yuu-Yuu walked up to Sooney, Eevy and Medira, dragging Skiff behind her, "Have you heard the news?"
"Now what?" Eevy asked with a slouch.
"I just heard that Marci's going to use a Grass- type Pokemon in your match."
"See what I mean?" Eevy pointed between Sooney and Yuu-Yuu, "Never trust gossip! One of you is telling me Electric while the other's telling me Grass!"
"No way," Skiff pushed in, "I heard she was going with a Poison- type."
Morty strolled up from behind, "Poison? Grass? Electric?" he starting laughing wildly, "You're all wrong! Everybody told me Flying."
"Oh geez!" Eevy slammed her head on the table, "Knock it off! No one but Marci knows what she's using tomorrow, so just lay off!"
"I'm telling you, it's a Grass."
"It is not! It's an Electric!"
"You're both wrong! She's using Poison!"
"No! Flying- type! I'm sure of it!"
"Oh brother," Medira sighed, "They could be going for hours."
"Knock it off, you guys," Eevy pulled them away from their verbal bout, "I'll use who I use on my own time and I'll develop my strategy and tactics when I come to the need for them."
"Good decision," someone caught their attention from their side.
"Yikes!" Lisle, who had been standing behind Morty and who had their visitor suddenly pop up behind her, soared into the air, "Don't do that."
"Sorry, didn't mean that."
Eevy inhaled a short, gagging breath, "Wow. Cool."
"What?" Medira turned to see who was there, "Woah!"
"Hey, whoa!" Yuu-Yuu's jaw dropped.
"Am I really that incredibly exciting?"
"Yeah! You better believe it!" Skiff flipped, "Wow! I never thought I'd get to actually talk to you!"
"Well, better have higher hopes then, I'd say."
"Don't worry! After this, my hopes will soar!"
"What can we help you with, Master Logos?" Eevy whimpered, "Anything. You name it, we'll do it."
"I wouldn't go as far as anything," Will snickered, "Actually, I overheard your conversation about your battle. I believe it to be incredibly wise of you to follow instincts instead of hearsay."
"Th-th-thank you," Eevy stammered.
"May I please speak with the challenger alone?"
The group stood up and stepped away, chattering with each other about this sudden visitor from beyond Spectral Stadium, "What is it you wish to speak to me about, Master Logos?"
Will sat down, making sure to sit on the opposite side of the table to protect himself from snoopy media and Lance, not to mention that psychotic Luri and any connection that could suddenly appear between their minds, "The girl, Marci, she's been in the competition before."
"Master Logos, I want no hints, not even from you."
"No hints," he shook his head, "And please, call me Will."
Eevy's jaw slammed the table, "Alright, as long as you're not trying to find something to cheat me out of the competition with."
"Wouldn't dream of such a thing. Actually, I would rather enjoy the chance to battle you."
"Excuse me, Master Will?"
"Not Master Will, just Will," he motioned his hands across the table to symbolize the flat use of just Will, "Anyway, I've seen the way you battle and I've seen you training. You are an exceptional strategist and an amazing breeder of overly strong Pokemon. It would be a great honor to battle someone with such an intricate way of battle."
Eevy just stared at him for a minute with her eyes and mouth wide open, "You have? I am? It would? Wow."
"I've clicked an embarrassment switch, haven't I?" he snickered.
"Uh, in a way, yes. And a very large one, I might add. I did not expect such an amazing honor as speaking to and accepting what I'm taking as compliments from the third Elite. I just didn't believe I would ever even get to see you in person, let alone talk to you."
Will smiled wide, "She hasn't the faintest who she's speaking to," he laughed silently to himself, "Just wait until she realizes who she's actually chattering away with. As long as she doesn't recognize her bond with Phantom, I'm safe," he finally noticed the odd look she was giving him for being silent, "Well then. Those Pokemon of yours offer a well-rounded team. A well balanced and well connected one as well. Having a team of related Pokemon is a good advantage in battle."
"Why is that?"
"They understand each other better. Pokemon caught in different areas and regions that are then brought together as a team are usually separate even when together. Do you understand what I mean?"
"Yes, I do. You mean they won't be able to share quite as strong a link as brothers, sisters and such could."
"Exactly. You're quite smart. Now, with a team as well connected as yours, you'd have a great deal of an overlay on your opponent. But, there's another strong bond. You and your Pokemon are very close, bonded together by a lot of heart. That gives you even more of an advantage."
"Th-th-thank you, Will, " she felt overly odd calling a Master by his first name.
"Before I have to run, I'd like to remind you to always go with your gut, not gossip, alright?"
"Yes," she nodded, "Absolutely."
"Where'd those friends of yours get to?"
"Who knows," she laughed, "You probably turned them to petrified rock and someone probably put them in a garden somewhere."
He laughed ever so slightly, "Funny, smart and exceptionally pretty. No wonder that Cain boy likes you so much."
"You saw that battle? Oh my," she reddened, "I never would have thought the Elite would watch me."
"You'd be surprised," he looked over her shoulder, "Your friends are coming. Guess they must have shed their hard shells," he stood and took her hands, laying a kiss on each one, "Good day, Ms. Hikoboshi," he turned and walked away, leaving Eevy stone cold for a moment.
"Good bye, Will," she choked out.
"Will? Since when can we can him that?" Yuu-Yuu slumped down next to her.
"You can't," she snickered, "But I can."
"Wha?" Morty gagged, "He actually gave you permission to call him by his first name?!"
"Woah, girl!" Sooney jumped, "You're lucky!"
"What was he like?" Mizu pushed in, "What'd you talk about? What'd he say? Tell us! Come on!"
"He was very nice about it. He actually paid me more compliments than I even spoke. He kept saying how much of an honor it would be to battle me and that I shouldn't listen to the stupid gossip you strange people keep throwing at me."
"He complimented you?!" Eusine flailed, "You lucky dog! I didn't even get to see him and he actually sat here and probably paid you every comment humanly possible!"
"Hardly," Eevy rolled her eyes, "Not even close. He simply told me I had good Pokemon, good strategies, a good sense of humor, a good intellect and good looks."
"Good looks?!" everyone echoed.
"He actually called you pretty?!" Medira buzzed, "You've got to be kidding!"
Eevy shook her head, "Not kidding. He actually offered me information and tips."
"Woah," Lisle drooped, "You've got to be the luckiest person I know!"
"The only time I got to talk to Master Logos was when I battled him and lost," Morty snickered, "And I really didn't talk to him."
"He said I was right in saying enough is enough to rumors like the ones you goons are pelting me with."
"I was only trying to help," Skiff, Sooney, Yuu-Yuu and Morty said together.
*^~^**^~^*
"Eevy's gonna battle, Eevy's gonna battle!" Lance trotted down the hall of Spectral Stadium, heading for his viewing box, "Ha, ha, ha! Eevy's gonna battle! Hey, Will! What's up?"
"By the way you're talking, I'd say you," Will stopped and watched him pass, "You're nuts, aren't you?"
"Yes! I'm nuts over that girl and she's actually here!" he stopped and turned to the door, "Here! In my Stadium! Trying to battle me!"
"I think he's blasted into orbit," Luri whispered behind Will, "Either that or he just came out of it."
"I think you're right," Will answered, watching Lance as he laughed his way in the door and locked it behind him, "No, I know you're right."
"She's in the Stadium! She's in the Stadium!" Jason shoved past them, "Look at that! She's in the Stadium!"
"Lu. Na. Tic. Lunatic," Will leaned away as Jason continued down the hall, "Uh huh."
"Are you going to your own viewing box or are you sharing mine?" Luri smiled wide at him.
"Well," he smirked and put his arms around her, "That all depends, doesn't it?"
"Depends on what?" she put her arms around his neck.
"How much you're going to distract me."
"I promise I won't do it on purpose," she pouted.
"Well, that's no fun. I like being distracted."
She shook her head and pulled away, "If you can beat me there, you can come with me!" she spit her tongue out at him and ran down the circular hall, heading to the opposite side of the Spectral Stadium to get to her viewing box.
He simply turned and walked in the other direction, stopping in front of her door as she skidded around the arc, "Did you forget this hall wraps all the way around?"
"No," she shoved him through the door, "Trust me, I remembered."
*^~^**^~^*
"I'm scared!" Eevy whimpered, "This is too much for me!"
"It is not," Morty took her shoulders, "You will be fine!"
"You'd better be right."
The loud speaker over head went off, "All participants in this year's League Championships please come to the eastern or western Spectral Stadium entrance now."
"That's me," she stood up and turned around, releasing Vovo and turning toward Morty, "Wish me luck."
"Good luck," they hugged for the first time in years, "You'll do great and we'll all be watching."
"Uh huh. See you!" she ran out the door with Vovo trotting along behind her.
"Come on," Morty spun to the group, "We've got to get good seats for this."
"All right!" the group echoed and ran out the door, "Go! Eevy!"
*^~^**^~^*
Eevy stopped in front of the western entrance, spotting Ash and Gary in the line-up, "Ash! Gary!" she called to them, catching their attention, "You made it!"
"Sure did!" Ash ran up to her.
"It took Ash longer," Gary coaxed.
"Don't start," Eevy scolded, "Hello, Pikachu!"
"Pika pika!" Pikachu squeezed her ankle, "Pika pi, pika cha."
"Cute," she scratched Pikachu's ear, "My little Pika-pal!"
"Line-up please!" someone called from the gate, "Three to a line!"
"Wanna go together?" Eevy turned Gary and Ash red.
"Uh huh!" Gary bolted up beside her, "What about you, Ashy-boy?"
"You bet!" he and Pikachu zipped up beside her, "Let's go!"
The rows filed in the entrance. Gary, Eevy, Vovo, Ash and Pikachu were about in the middle of the group and walked in waving. Morty and Eevy's group flipped out from their front row seats. Morty had fought for those and was going to make the best of them. Lance slammed his head on the window, steaming it up with his breath as he watched her walk. Each three-person row stepped to the platform and was introduced one by one.
"In this group we have Marci Antoni of Cinnabar Island, Rhea Gaia of Celadon City and Jacob Lakefield of Cerulean City!"
Minor Grass Mistress of Kanto Erika Gaia flew into the air, waving and screaming to her younger sister, Rhea, "Come on, Rhea! You can do it!"
"Erika has a sister?" Brock looked to Tracey.
"I guess so," Tracey answered.
"In this group we have Gary Oak of Pallet Town, Evangelina Hikoboshi of Rose Town and Ashura Ketchum of Pallet Town!"
"Come on, Eevy!" Morty flailed, "Go, Eevy!"
"Sit down! You're blocking our view!" Lisle pulled him back, "Go, Eevy!"
"Come on, Ash! Come on, Eevy!" Misty waved, "You'll both do great!"
"Let's go, Eevy, let's go! Let's go, Eevy, let's go!" Sooney clapped with Yuu-Yuu mimicking her, "Let's go, Eevy, let's go!"
"Come on, Eevy!" Mizu and Eusine shouted together, "Go!"
"You're gonna win this, Eevy! Go get 'em!" Medira cried.
"Good luck, Eevy!" Skiff called, "You can do it!"
Eevy, Gary and Ash bowed politely and stepped off to the side. Vovo and Pikachu followed obediently behind. They stood and waited for the rest of the group to finish up with their introductions. Up in his box, Lance had his eyes officially locked on Eevy and around the corner, Jason was drooling as he tried desperately to look over the edge of the windowsill to see Medira. The loud speaker interrupted their stare-a-thon.
"Trainers Ash Ketchum and Tai Li to the Fire Field. Trainers Gary Oak and Roy Yasdek to the Rock Field. Trainers Rhea Gaia and Jennifer Star to the Sand Field. Trainers Evangelina Hikoboshi and Marci Antoni to the Water Field."
"Let's go, boys," Eevy smirked toward the brightening faces of Ash and Gary.
*^~^**^~^*
"Welcome to the annual Rainbow League Competition! We'd like to wish all of our trainers, new and returning, the most luck they could have! Starting out the excitement this year on the Fire Field are Pallet Town Trainer Ash Ketchum and Talon Town Trainer Tai Li. On the Rock Field we have Pallet Town Trainer Gary Oak and Tulip Town Trainer Roy Yasdek. On the Sand Field are Celadon City Trainer Rhea Gaia and Goldenrod City Trainer Jennifer Star. On the Water Field we can find Rose Town Trainer Evangelina Hikoboshi and Cinnabar Island Trainer Marci Antoni," the loud speaker was almost deafening to those in the top rows and almost impossible to hear on the bottom, "Each trainer will use only one Pokemon. Trainers, please prepare for battle!"
"OK! Cyndaquil! I choose you!" Ash sent out his Pokemon.
"Alright! Doduo, I choose you!" Tai released his as well.
"Go, Machoke!" Roy was next.
"Get out there, Eevee!" Gary let out his.
"I choose you, Lanturn!" Marci laughed and let out her Pokemon.
"Well, I was half right," Sooney shrugged.
"A Lanturn. This I did not expect. If I use Novo it'll electrocute him easy. If I use Lovo it'll only absorb the thunder. Zovo and Vovo can't really compete with that," Eevy mused, "I choose!" she took a black and grey ball from the second clip on her right, "You! Moon Ball!"
"Ketchum will battle with a Cyndaquil, Li with Doduo, Yasdek with Machoke, Oak with Eevee, Antoni with Lanturn and Hikoboshi with an Umbreon. Now, let's lead off the Rainbow League Championships! Begin your battles now!"
"Let's get 'em Cyndaquil!"
"Move out! Doduo!"
"Get out there, Machoke!"
"Go on and take it down, Eevee!"
"Come on, Lanturn!"
"Lead off, Yovo!"
"Cyndaquil!" Ash started.
"Eevee!" Gary shouted.
"Yovo!" Eevy called.
"Tackle attack!" they looked at each other and laughed as they called the same attack.
Ash's Cyndaquil Tackled towards Doduo. The slippery bird jumped into the air with Cyndaquil dashing under it. Doduo came slamming down on top of Cyndaquil's back, pushing it to the ground.
"Ah! Cyndaquil, fire up your heat and throw it off!"
Cyndaquil shot his fiery back into Doduo's stomach, pushing him into the air, "Doduo, Peck attack, now!"
"Cyndaquil, spin in and Take Down its legs!"
Cyndaquil dodged well, slipping past Doduo's flying beak. He rammed Doduo's knees, sending him toppling to the ground. He skidded and turned, baking the Doduo to a crisp with a roaring Flamethrower.
"Ahhh!" Tai flipped, "I lost!"
"We did it!" Ash cheered, "Woohoo!"
"An impressive victory by Pallet Town Trainer Ash Ketchum on the Fire Field! Congratulations, you're moving on!"
"Yes!" Ash cheered, "Yeah!"
"Congrats, Ash!" Eevy called, "OK, Yovo! Let's move it!"
"Get going, Eevee! Double Team!"
Gary's Eevee tore around Roy's Machoke. The bulky human-shape Pokemon watched it as best as he could, but didn't have much luck. His eyes eventually went to spirals, sending him into a tipsy tumble.
"Machoke! Straighten up and attack with a Karate Chop!"
Machoke shook himself straight, jumping at Eevee, "Eevee! Sand Attack, now!"
Eevee scuffed a flip of sand into Machoke's eyes. The Machoke came down, blinded by sand, slamming his hulking hand down to Eevee's left. Eevee jumped away, retaliating into Machoke's stomach with a Skull Bash. Machoke fell, shaking the sand from his eyes. He swung, with his vision still blurred, but Eevee jumped it, hopping time and again to avoid the swinging arm.
"Machoke! Seismic Toss!"
"Eevee, Take Down!"
Eevee ran forward, slamming into Machoke's head with tremendous thrust. The Machoke tipped over backwards, flipping head over feet and falling flat out with his eyes as Xs.
"Oh NO!" Roy bugged, "No, no, NO!"
"Yes!" Gary cheered, "Another win for the great Gary Oak!"
"Good job, Gary!" Eevy called, "Real good!"
"Another Pallet Town pulverizer takes out his opponent as Gary Oak defeats his challenger on the Rock Field! Congrats to you too, you're also moving on! Only a few seconds after, Miss Rhea Gaia has also defeated her challenger on the Sand Field! Good luck to you three! Now let's watch the Water Field battle commence."
"Alright then, Marci! Let's battle!" Eevy sneered as Ash and Gary ran up behind her to watch the battle, "Let's go!"
"OK! Lanturn, go! Use your Thunder Wave!"
"Yovo, jump and avoid!"
Yovo leapt into the air, just avoiding the wave of electricity that passed under him. He landed and growled nastily with the Lanturn swimming in circles around the 5 by 6 circular platform Yovo was standing on. Eevy and Marci were leaning over the bars of their 3 by 4 stands, trying to get a better scan of the area.
"Lanturn! Get that Umbreon where we want it! Push him into the water!"
"Look out, Yovo!"
Lanturn swam to Marci's side of the arena. It positioned itself just right and jumped, flying at Yovo. Yovo tried to dodge, but Lanturn's bulky body caught his back leg, sending him into a splash down into the water.
"Oh no! Yovo! You've got to get out!"
"Come on, Yovo!" Lisle cried.
"Swim! Swim!" Skiff called.
"Get out of the water!" Yuu-Yuu shouted.
"Hurry!" Misty yelled, "Get on the platform!"
"We've got it now!" Marci cheered as Yovo surfaced near Eevy, "Thunder!"
"Yovo! Go under! Go under!" Eevy called.
Something in Yovo told him exactly what to do. He dove under the water while Lanturn charged up. With a loud cry, Lanturn shot an explosion of electricity down at the water, flooding the whole arena with sparks and electric currents.
"No!" Morty jumped up, "Why'd she do that?!"
The smoke billowed around the water floor. From within the fumes came an incredibly annoyed cry. The smoke cleared and a funnel cloud of water broke from Eevy's side.
"I'm back, baby!" Yovo shook the excess water from his shining black fur coat, "And here's a Take Down!"
He ripped forward, slapping into the yellow sphere at Lanturn's head. With the spinning of its balancing object, Lanturn couldn't stay straight and flopped backwards into the water.
"How'd it survive that?! Thunder does twice as much when it's wet!" Lance pressed his face up against the glass even more.
"When Marci had Lanturn shoot the Thunder towards the water, Eevy told Yovo to dive under," Brock explained, "Not only under the water, but under the platform as well. Yovo pushed himself up, into the open bottom of the battle stand and held himself there. The rock of the landing protected him from the Thunder as it flowed through the water. He simply kept himself inside the stone and waited for it to dissipate. Once it was gone, he dropped back into the water and swam up again."
"Wow," Luri slouched, "She's amazing."
"That was great," Jason whimpered, "I am in so much trouble."
"She's good. Maybe I should work on new designs for my arena," Will twitched.
"Wow," Lance drooled, "Wow. She's great."
"Alright! You want to play smart, so can I! Go, Lanturn! Hydro Pump!"
"Nobody plays as smart as Eevy!" Yovo ran forward, "Take this!"
Yovo plowed Lanturn head on, sending it into the air. He jumped from the platform to Marci's edge of the arena and ricocheted off, coming back as Lanturn fell and slamming it with his back. Lanturn plopped down onto the platform with a splash as the Hydro Pump lashed out and simply trickled down into the water. Lanturn flopped over and slopped to the edge.
Just as it was about to dive in, "Yovo! Pursuit attack, now!"
"You got it!" Yovo launched from the edge of Marci's platform this time, ramming Lanturn into a toppling twist.
"Ah! Lanturn! Get up!"
Lanturn wasn't moving, but its eyes sure were twisting around, "Congratulations to Rose Town Trainer Evangelina Hikoboshi, Pallet Town Trainer Ash Ketchum, Pallet Town Trainer Gary Oak and Celadon City Trainer Rhea Gaia! You're all moving on to round two of the Rainbow League Competition!"
"All right!" the groups stood and cheered, "Great job!"
"We did it!" Eevy turned and jumped excitedly, "We all did it!"
"We did, didn't we? Great job, Ash," Gary was actually being polite, "You did great."
"Thanks, Gary. You too," Ash shook his hand.
"What about me? Didn't I do good?" Eevy questioned.
"You sure did!" Morty grabbed her from behind, "My baby sister!"
"Hey! I'm no baby! I won!" she turned and grabbed him back, "I won, I won, I won!"
"Great job, Ash!" Misty came from one of the entrances, hugging and kissing him profusely, "You did it!"
"I sure did!" he mumbled between kisses.
"You were very good," Marci muttered, "I congratulate you, Eevy. You are a very good trainer."
"Thank you, Marci. You would have done great if I hadn't had Yovo hide like that."
"Yeah," Yovo stopped between them and shook off.
"Hey!" Eevy held up her hands to keep the spritzes of water away, "Quit it!"
"I believe our first round winners have a visitor on the field," the announcer sounded overly surprised, "Please welcome one of our four Masters, the Elite Third, Psychic Master William Logos."
The roar around Spectral Stadium doubled, if not tripled, as Will approached from the staircase on the northeast side of the Stadium. Eevy and the group stopped and turned, bowing slightly as he stopped in front of them.
"Welcome, Master Logos," most said.
"Hello, Will," Eevy caught them by surprise.
"Hello," Will nodded, "You've all done very well in these first rounds. Please let me remind you that the second round will be even harder. I trust you are all well prepared and I would like to thank you all for the entertainment you've just filled the beginning of our day with."
"I'd like to say thank you for starting off our League with a huge bang this year," Luri's voice came over a speaker, "You certainly did lead us off with a spark of real Championship spirit."
"It's going to be a good year, I can see that already," Jason's hit another, "Absolutely beautiful battles from the very beginning. I can only imagine how the next few rounds will turn out."
"Please, keep your battles as good as this one," Lance's voice brought up wave after wave of shrieks and giggly laughter, "You show the very essence, the soul, of what our League really is."
"Wow," the group turned and moaned at each other in unison, "Cool."
Will shook Ash's hand, "Good battle, Ketchum."
"Thank you, Master Logos."
"You did well, even if you didn't win," he shook Tai's hand.
"Thank you. I'll be back."
"Make sure you come back next year," Will moved to Roy.
"Thank you. I will."
"Well done, Oak. You're grandfather's probably very proud."
"It's an honor. Thank you, Master Logos."
"Good job, Gaia. Your sister's going nuts."
"Thank you very much, Master."
"It's too bad you lost, but good job none the less," Will nodded to Jennifer.
"Thank you infinitely, Master Logos, sir."
"That Lanturn of yours is very strong. Keep coming back."
"Don't worry, Master Logos. I will."
"Ah, Ms. Hikoboshi. I knew you'd succeed. Very, very good battle and well strategized."
"I thank you very much, Will," Eevy bowed her head, "It means a lot."
"Hey, good job there!" Lance called down, "Well done!"
Eevy's face went bright red as she looked up at the box where Lance was sitting against the window smiling like crazy and waving, "Tell him thank you when you see him," she whimpered to Will.
"I will. Good luck and good afternoon," he bowed low, turned and left with another bellow of cheers.
"You know something, guys?" Eevy turned, "I know we're all going to do our best!"
"Yeah!" Gary added, "And in doing so we'll all do great. Even you, Ash."
"Sure!" Ash shouted, ignoring the fact that was probably meant as an insult, "Can't do any better than that!"
"I look forward to battling you, if I do," Rhea whispered from beside them, "I'm sure it would be an exciting row."
"I'm sure," Eevy, Ash and Gary said together.
"Come on, everybody. Let's go get some dinner!" Ash caused everyone to facefault as the cheers grew louder and louder.
*^~^**^~^*
"That was some good food!" Ash yawned as the entire group headed for the League Pokemon Center, "Not as good as my mom's or Eevy's mom's, but still good."
"Yeah!" Sooney stretched, "Real good!"
"Let's go get our next opponents while we're at it, huh guys?" Eevy turned to Gary and Ash.
"Sounds good to me. Let's go," Gary, Ash and Eevy ran ahead through the doors.
"Hello, again!" the Nurse Joy smiled and waved, "I saw each of your matches. They were very good and I have each of your choice tests ready."
"Thanks!" the three of them said together.
"All I need each of you to do is hit one of these three buttons," she pushed out three key pads, "Whichever one will do. The red, green or blue button will choose your opponent."
"I'll take green," Gary hit his.
"I'll get the red on mine!" Ash said happily.
"I'll take blue to be different," Eevy chose hers.
"Alright then. Gary Oak's next opponent is…Fredrick Balzeda of Cianwood City, Johto. Ash Ketchum's next opponent is…Ralph Baker of Violet City, Johto. Evangelina Hikoboshi's next opponent is…Rhea Gaia of Celadon City, Kanto."
Eevy choked at that name, "Rhe-Rhe-Rhea G-G-Gaia?"
"Well," Ash commented as Gary tried to get her to breathe again, "At least we'll get to find out if she was right about how the battle would be."
The Next Chronicle:
Traitorous Tatsu
Notes
Gee...Only 9 more chapters to post...Whee...
*^~^*Pro_V*^~^* -=O~Her Many Pokemon~O=-