Three Months Later
Taurus wrangling was by far Amber's favorite chore.
"Stone Edge!" Amber yelled, throwing Tyrunt's Pokeball from the back of her Taurus.
Tyrunt landed yards in front of the the herd and opened its jaw. Jagged grey stones erupted from the ground, forcing the lead Taurus to swerve, bringing the herd with him. But the stones kept appearing in front of the Taurus until their was a circle surrounding them, closing them in.
"Ee-yah!" She yelled just for fun. She had been working on that move for a month, and they had finally accomplished it!
"Nice moves, shorty!"
Amber looked down. Running toward her, out of breath, was Braedon.
"Brae!" Amber slid down from her Taurus and ran to meet him.
They hugged. "What're you doing here?" Amber asked.
"What was that all about?" Braedon breathlessly asked at the same time.
"You first." Amber said.
Braedon grinned wildly. "I wanted to surprise you. So my dad let me get take a plane to Vaniville instead of Lumoise, then I walked here. This is our journey. We should start it together."
Amber couldn't help but look down. That was one of the sweetest things she had ever heard.
"Now, are you gonna tell me what you're doing?"
Amber's eyes widened. "Oh no!" she cried. "I forgot about Taurus! Help me!"
Amber fished some Pokeballs out of her backpack and handed them to Braedon. They ran to the Taurus and returned them all.
"Normally we let them run free." Amber explained to Braedon once they finished. "But today is their monthly check up. So I had to round them up and return them so they can see the vet today."
"Nice. So, any other chores I can help with?"
Amber led him through her daily routine. She laughed when they went to change the bird feeders and he fell off of the ladder when a Fletchinder pecked him. He returned the favor when she got spit on by a Numel that didn't want to eat it's breakfast.
All in all, it was a good morning.
Amber led Braedon inside, realizing as she did that her best friend was going to meet her parents and brother. Crap.
Amber pulled him aside when they reached the door. "Okay. I need to tell you something. My parents... They don't exactly... I'm not sure how to say this. They don't really, um-"
"Like me?" Braedon asked. She nodded. "Well, that's hardly fair. They've met me twice."
The first time was on family visit day at their school, in which Braedon stole her uncle's wallet and filled it with pictures of himself before returning it. The second time was when both of them had been called into the office because Braedon filled Nicole Richardson's locker Jelly after she pulled Amber's shorts down in gym. Needless to say, they didn't exactly view Braedon as a good influence on their niece.
"It doesn't matter." Amber said frantically. "The point is that they hate you! If you do anything- anything at all- they might not let me go."
Braedon rolled his eyes. "Amber, you leave today. They can't possibly-"
"Let's not chance it." Amber interrupted. "Promise me you'll be good."
He did a salut. "Scout's honor."
"You were a Boy scout?" Amber asked.
"Yeah. I got kicked out for stealing my scout leader's clothes one day. ."
"I thought you liked guys." Amber said.
"But I have standards, Am." Braedon replied. He shuddered. "I regret it now. He looked terrible naked."
Amber laughed, unsure of whether or not he was telling the truth, and opened the door.
Inside, Aunt Lynn was cooking lunch. "Amber! You're back! How did the Taurus wrangling go?" She stepped into the living room.
"Alright." Amber answered. "Braedon helped me a little."
"Braedon?" She asked. Braedon stepped inside. "Oh! You have a guest. What a pleasant surprise!" She walked back into the kitchen.
Braedon smiled at Amber and mouthed "Taurus Shit." Amber covered her mouth to hide her giggles.
Amber led Braedon on a tour of the house, showing him her room ("Seriously? That's a lot of pictures. Do you even have a wall?"), her parents room ("Look! It's where you were made!"), Jeremy's room ("Wow. This place smells worse than the rest of the house. How is that possible?"), and the rest of the house. By the time they were done, it was lunch time.
Aunt Lynn laid sandwiches down on a plate for the two, smiling extra wide as she put down Braedon's.
Right as she set down Amber's plate, Uncle Jim walked in. "Sweetie, is Dinner ready yet?"
He walked into the kitchen and did a double take when he saw Braedon.
"Look who decided to join us!" Aunt Lynn said in an overly cheery voice. "Amber's friend Braedon."
Braedon grinned at him. "I'm glad I did. These sandwiches are spectacular."
Amber kicked him, but he didn't react.
Uncle Jim sat down next to Amber. "I bet they are. My wife puts her heart and soul into making them."
"Dad, they're sandwiches, not famous artwork." Jeremy said as he sauntered in then sat down, pointedly ignoring Braedon. Aunt Lynn must have got to him while he was doing his chores and told him to be civil.
Braedon gave Jeremy his most serious look, then leaned in close. "Food is art." He whispered.
Jeremy jumped about a foot in the air.
Amber mentally face palmed. It was going to be a long day.
The route to Vaniville Town was devoid of Pokemon, (not counting domesticated 'Mons) which made Amber nervous. She wasn't used to not being surrounded by Pokemon or People. But now she was alone, except for Braedon, Tyrunt , and Braedon's partner Sableye.
Her parents had cried when she got out of the car and insisted on hugging her over and over again. Even Jeremy hugged her once.
And now here they were. Walking to Vaniville, where they would meet Argent and Professor Sycamore.
"So," Braedon said after a few seconds of silence. Amber knew that he hated silence. "Wanna battle?"
Amber raised an eyebrow. "In the middle of Route 23?"
Braedon nodded, then grabbed her arm and pulled her off the path to a clearing. "C'mon! Please?"
Amber couldn't say no to that face.
So here they were, Sableye vs. Tyrunt, in a fierce battle of wits.
"Ha! Can't hit me, can you?" Braedon spit out his tongue as Sableye used Shadow Sneak to turn into a shadow just as Tyrunt used Stomp to crush Sableye. The Sableye appeared behind him, but Tyrunt turned around and stomped again. The two began to repeat the same moves- Sableye turning into a shadow before Tyrunt could stomp him, Tyrunt Stomping before Sableye could rise and attack.
Amber groaned. "I'm done with this!" She declared. "Circle Stone Edge, Tyrunt!"
A circle of giant stones appeared around Tyrunt, launching Sableye into the air. "Sable!" Sableye cried as he fell.
"Now, Ancient Power!" Amber cried. The stones broke into pieces and began to shoot towards Sableye.
"Shadow Sneak, then Scratch!" Braedon yelled. Sableye turned into a shadow right before the rocks hit, then slivered towards Tyrunt."
"Dodge, then bite!" Amber yelled. Tyrunt jumped to the side as Sableye jumped into the air and turned back into his solid form, narrowly missing Sableye's claws. Tyrunt then turned and bit Sableye on the arm.
"Sableye!" Braedon cried. "Night Shade!"
The gems Sableye used for eyes turned black. Out of his free hand he shot a beam of black light at Tyrunt, hitting him square in the eyes. Tyrunt let go and stumbled back.
"Now, Zen Headbutt!" Braedon yelled. Sableye whole body became shrouded in a pink aura as he rammed into Tyrunt.
"Ty!" Tyrunt screamed as he flew backwards. He didn't get up.
"Yeah!" Braedon yelled. He grabbed Sableye and squeezed him tightly. "
Amber returned Tyrunt. "Nice job. "
Braedon put an arm around her. "Don't worry too much about it. You'll beat me next time."
"I'm not-"
"Sure you're not." Braedon grinned. "Race you to Vaniville." And with that, he took off.
"Wait!" Amber yelled after him. She ran to catch up to the boy. "Cheater!"
Whatever Argent had been expecting, Amber and braedon weren't it.
It didn't help that when he met them they were tired and sweaty from running the whole way there.
"You...Must be Argent." the boy said, panting. "I'm...Braedon."
"Am...Ber." Amber gasped. She at least seemed to be embarrassed, from the way she was avoiding Argent's eye. "Nice to... Meet you."
Argent didn't want to, but he dutifully shook the delinquents hands. They were outside the Pokemon Center, waiting for Professor Sycamore.
"Where's the Professor?" Braedon asked, finally catching his breath. "Is he late?"
"It would appear so." Argent said boredly. "We will have to wait."
He inspected the duo. The girl was a blonde, her hair in a ponytail, with a yellow blouse and jeans tucked into cowboy boots. The boy wore a sleeveless hoodie over a violet t-shirt, jeans, and high tops.
"That's okay." Braedon said. "We can use the time to get to know each other."
Amber stared at the ground. "Sure, Braedon."
Braedon grinned. "Okay. Well, I'm Braedon, and this is my best friend Amber. I'm a Pisces who specializes in Dark Types."
Argent raised an eyebrow. "I don't see what your birthsign has to do with anything, but I too specialize in a Type. I specialize in Steel Types." Argent really didn't feel like talking to them, but he figured that he had to at least try to be civil. They were going to spend the next year in each others company. "I find them the most dependable of the types."
"Amber uses any type." Braedon said, slinging an arm around her. "She just can't commit to one."
Argent looked at the girl, who was rubbing her arm uncomfortably. "Why doesn't she speak for herself?"
Amber turned bright red. "I-uh- I'm sorry- I just-"
She was saved by the arrival of Professor Sycamore, who decided then to show up.
Argent nearly gasped. The man was, in a word, stunning. Argent had seen pictures before, but they didn't do him justice.
"You must be my new victims- I mean proteges." He said, chuckling at his own joke.
All three of them bowed.
"Such polite children!" Sycamore exclaimed. "You don't see that everyday. Now, down to business. I trust you've all read the letters I sent you?"
They all nodded. "Nice, nice. Let's go sit down in the Center, and I'll go over what I want from you."
Professor Sycamore led them inside, pausing only to wink nurse Joy, who rolled her eyes but smiled anyway.
Sycamore led them to a booth in the center and sat down. "Okay. So you all know what you have to do. Catch and catalog every Pokemon originally native to Kalos. That's approximately 112 Pokemon. Each of you were selected because you have talents beyond that of a normal trainer."
Argent looked at Amber and Braedon. Talent beyond that of a normal trainer?" These two?
"So, to aid you in your goal, I'm entrusting you with these."
He put his brief case on the table and opened it. Inside were three rectangular devices, each with a a Pokeball design in the center.
"Thank you," Argent said. "But I have a Pokedex."
"You don't have this one." Sycamore said. "These are the latest models. Or prototypes of them, rather. Given to me by Cassius himself, these allow for trading over long distances, communication via the Holocaster network, twenty-four seven internet access, and of course the regular features of a Pokedex. They also allow you to send Pokemon straight to locations when caught, so you don't have to go to the Pokemon Center to send me your Pokemon. "
Braedon whistled. "And their ours?"
He nodded. "Cassius needs someone to test out his new trading system. Something about it being more comfortable for the Pokemon, I'm not sure. He doesn't like to talk much. I usually go through his assistant, but she wasn't available at the time. In fact..."
"What's wrong, Professor?" Amber asked, speaking up for the first time.
"Nothing..." he said. "It's just that... Cassius' assistant was supposed to be here to help me present these."
"Is that why you were late?" Argent asked. "To look for her?"
Sycamore nodded. "After this, I'm going to call her. Perhaps she got lost... She's always been a bit ditzy. Oh well. No use worrying over it now. Why don't you three try out your new Pokedexes?"
Not entirely reassured, Argent took the Pokedex out of tge case anyway. It certainly looked better than his own model. He pressed the button in the center and a holographic question matk appeared.
"No Pokemon available on device. Sixteen Pokemon in the immeadiate vicinity."
"Cool!" Braedon said. He grabbed one and pulled a Pokeball from his belt. He scanned it.
"Sableye, The Darkness Pokemon. Sableye hides in the darkness of caves. Its diet of gems has transformed its eyes into gemstones. Level 22. Moves known: Shadow Sneak, Scratch, Zen Headbutt, and Mean Look. Ability:Prankster."
"Prankster?" Argent muttered. "That's rare for a Sableye."
Braedon nodded. "Yeah. I actually-"
A girl ran into the Pokemon Center, looking exhausted and worse for wear.
"Marina!" Sycamore yelled, standing up. "What happened?"
The girl stumbled over to him. "My Pokemon..."
"Marina, what happened to your Pokemon?" Sycamore asked her. He grabbed her shoulders.
"My Pokemon..." she whispered. "He stole them..."
Marina fainted.
A/N: Two chapters, two days in a row! Better enjoy it now, because I doubt this is gonna be a common thing.
Also, Marina's here! Those of you who've read my other story know her already, and should see the connection. Probably.
And you should review/comment, because I dislike the latter half of this chapter and I need someone to tell me what all is wrong with it, because I can't figure it out.
