I do not own Pokemon, all rights go to the creator. I do not own any refs I throw in this story either.
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A Shade of Grey
Chapter Two
Hilbert gritted his teeth as Cheren called out his next command.
"Finish it with tackle Oshawott!"
"Dodge it SCB," Hilbert called from his side.
SCB nodded and ran away from the incoming Oshawott. When the two were mere inches from each other, SCB took a sharp right and skidded on the wet grass.
Oshawott yelped as he tried to follow and fell on his face. "Osha!"
"Tackle!" Hilbert cried and SCB obliged, the wet grass increasing his speed.
Oshawott let out a cry of surprise as the fire type rammed into his back.
"Tackle Oshawott!" Cheren called from across Hilbert.
Oshawott got up and spun on his heel, preparing to tackle SCB when he fell to his face again.
"Ossshhhaaaa…" Oshawott said as he fell unconscious.
"The winner is SCB and the victory goes to Hilbert!" Bianca declared. "That is still a horrible name Hilbert."
"Give it a rest Bianca," Hilbert snapped. He crouched down as SCB ran towards him.
"Tepig! Te! Te tepig!" SCB cheered.
Bianca huffed before looking at her watch. "I have to be going now; I'll see you guys at Prof. Juniper's lab then?"
"If Hilbert and I aren't there in an hour, it's because I'm burying Hilbert's body." White called from her bedroom. She poked her head out the window and looked at them.
Cheren adjusted his bag's flaps. "I'll just go and heal Oshawott then," he turned away and walked towards the fence.
"Wait for me!" Bianca called, running after him.
Hilbert looked up towards White. "Are you coming down White? We've got an hour to kill."
White put her head back inside before giving her answer. "I need to pack! I don't have an hour to kill." She closed the window and Hilbert sighed.
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White turned around. "Inferno, what are you doing?"
"Packing Mistress!" Inferno answered before throwing another shirt out of White's dresser.
White glanced around the mess that was her room. "This is going to be a long day," she groaned as one of her bras flew passed her.
White picked up the bra; she glanced back over to Inferno and called. "Inferno, stop that. That isn't how you pack."
Inferno paused, holding a vest. "But… don't you need clothes?" She asked, looking up at White.
White walked over to the closet. "Yes, I need clothes; however, I need to get a bag first."
Inferno climbed down from the dresser and ran over to White. "We're really going?" Inferno asked, climbing on to White's shoulder.
"I already said we were," White answered, pulling out a pink messenger bag.
"I know… still seems a bit unreal Mistress. By the way, Does Venus have to come?"
White straightened. "Inferno, we can't leave her behind. She's a part of this team as much as you are."
"Yeah right," Inferno grumbled. "I still think it'll be better to leave her here."
White looked at her. "I don't see what you have against her coming with us Inferno." She walked over to her dresser and placed the bag on top of it.
"She's… weird. She's going to hold us back," Inferno complained. She climbed up the dresser.
White paused and looked at the fire type. "Just because Venus acts differently doesn't mean she's weird. Or that she's weak. Sometimes the stranger the pokémon acts, the stronger they are."
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Bianca looked at her reflection; her green eyes stared back. She sighed and ran a hand through her blonde locks.
"You can do this Bianca Janet Smith," she said. "You made a promise seven years ago and a Smith never breaks their promises."
Bianca inhale sharply and forced her hands to still. She turned around to face her window, the tree outside taunting her. Bianca bit her lip and glanced towards the closed door. Her parents were in the kitchen, if she hurried... she could get to Prof. Juniper's without them knowing.
But, her mind argued, once you don't come down for good-byes, they'll realize that you went on a journey.
Bianca trembled slightly as she took an uneasy step towards her bed. Could she really defy her parents so wantonly?
"But," she reminded herself. "They never expressly forbade you, Bianca."
"Sni?" Snivy asked from her bed. He stood up and stared at her.
"Come on Snivy, we got to be getting down to Prof. Juniper's soon!" Bianca told him. Her mind hatching a plan as she looked around the room.
"Bianca! Did you find the paperwork?" Bianca heard her mom call.
"Yeah!" Bianca yelled back, "I'll be down in a minute!"
"Ok then. Your father and I have a going away gift for you."
Bianca smiled. "Alright Snivy, return." She pocketed the pokeball and turned to her desk, grabbing the paperwork and running out the door.
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Cheren tapped his foot as he looked at his watch. It was 9:36 am, the others were late. Again.
He glanced at the pathway to see Bianca running towards him.
"HIDE MEEEE!" she hollered. Cheren pointed to a nearby bush and Bianca threw herself behind it.
"Ow," Bianca groaned.
"Didn't your parents agree to you going on a journey?" Cheren asked her, looking at his watch.
"Yes…"
"Then, please, enlighten me on why exactly you're hiding."
There was a short silence before Bianca replied. "They think I'm going back to CUA," she whispered.
Cheren's eyebrows rose. "You lied?"
"Not exactly..." Bianca explained. "More of I didn't outright tell them I was going on a journey and not to CUA."
"But why would you do that Bianca?" Hilbert asked, walking up to them. "Didn't they have to consent for you to become a field aide?"
Bianca retreated deeper into the bush. "Don't talk to me! I don't want them to know I'm here!"
Hilbert and Cheren shared a look.
"Well, as soon as White shows up we can get our pokedexes," Hilbert mentioned. He adjusted his bag's straps.
Bianca peeked out from behind the bush. "There's White!" she whispered.
Hilbert waved at White's approaching form. "C'mon White! Hurry up!"
White scowled at him as she reached them. "Yeah, yeah. Let's get on with it."
Cheren opened the door to the lab. "Come on, our future awaits!"
Alright. Next chapter we meet Prof. Juniper and start towards Accumula Town. Any flamers will be deleted and banned. Open to fair critiques and any questions will be answer via PM (so make sure you are logged in when you review) thanks!
CUA = Castelia University of the Arts