A screen flickered to life in a dark room. The light revealed a crouching figure on a Starmie.
The crouched figure smirked. "Ah, Pokemon Hunter J… I've heard so much about you…"
The infamous Pokemon hunter face appeared on the screen. She held an emotionless expression and nodded. "I have heard much about you also… Saque Sird… Terrorist."
Sird just giggled. "Oh please… I've committed greater crimes than terrorism… just Sird will do."
J quickly grew impatient. "Any reason why you contacted me? I'm assuming it isn't for pointless banter."
Sird smirked. "Of course not. I have a job for you."
"A job?"
Sird smiled menacingly. "Tell me… what do you know about the Pokémon Mew?"
'Ya want some popcorn?' Rylte asked no one in particular as he loudly munched away.
"What? Where did you get popcorn?" Jean whipped around, tearing away from the banister he had been passively leaning on and staring off into space moments ago, "I didn't see any concession stand anywhere!"
'I found it,' Rylte shrugged casually in response.
"WELCOME ONE AND ALL! THE TOURNAMENT IS READY TO BEGIN! ARE YOU READY?" a loud voice boomed as it broke through all of the chattering.
Leaf glanced away from her friends' conversations, old and new alike, to face the center of the ring. She could hardly hold back a gasp, "What? Is that… the Pokéstalker?"
"Pokéstalker?" Mallori looked alarmed.
"You mean there's a dude who stalks Pokémon? Quick! Hide Rylte!" Jean cried.
"Chill out, mate!" Willow looked annoyed, "Sure, the name's weird, but the bloke just gives advice on Gym battles! You've seen him before, don't you remember?"
"Oh… right… the sunglasses man…" Mallori recalled after she paused to take a good look at him.
"AND NOW, A WORD FROM QUEEN ILENE!" Pokéstalker cried.
Above him, upon a regal balcony, an elegant, blonde woman spread her arms grandly, "Thank you all for coming! Today we honor Sir Aaron! It is in his memory that we hold this Festival! Everyone! Please do your best in the Tournament! I wish you all the best of luck today!" She delivered an impressive speech, and she didn't even need a microphone like the Pokéstalker did.
'Whoa! Look! It's Princess Zelda!' Rylte clapped appreciatively, dropping his remaining popcorn all over the place in the process.
"And there you have it!" the Pokéstalker grinned, "Now, let's get this Tournament started! First up! Yoshi and… Miles!"
Instead of the green dinosaur and yellow, two-tailed, mutant fox that everyone had expected, two average looking young trainers made their way to the arena.
"Now remember, folks! These are only one on one battles, so the Trainers will have to pin all their hopes on one Pokémon and hope for the best!" the Pokéstalker explained, "And now, let the battle BEEEEGINNNN!"
"Mmm! Popcorn is good!" Toby nodded as he ate the popcorn that had fallen onto his shoulder. Clearly, watching Pokémon battles wasn't his idea of a good time.
"You're not the only one who likes it…" Mallori indicated the Pidgey that were flocking this way, clearly hungry.
'Aaah! Quick! Eat up all the popcorn before they come and burn up all of the food and save the rum!' Rylte shrieked.
The Pidgey wasted no time swooping down and hungrily attacking all of the fallen popcorn!
"This all your fault, Rylte!" Willow cursed, sending out a stream of expletives as the number of frantic and hunger-crazed Pidgey increased by the second.
"No need to get upset," Riley said smoothly, attempting to shoo the Pidgey away by waving his hat at them, "They're only hungry…"
"No need to get upset?" Willow roared, "We're going to get covered in Pidgey sh-!"
"Haha! Hey look! The people on my right here are getting assaulted by Pidgey! That's not something you see every day, folks!" the Pokéstalker paused in his commentary of the ongoing battle to acknowledge their plight.
"You think this is funny?" Willow whirled around to face the Pokéstalker. He had half a mind to pull out his Aura pistol right now!
Luckily, as soon as the Pidgey had eaten every last bit of popcorn, they flew off, probably to go assault more helpless pieces of food.
'Fare thee well, my dear pupils!' Rylte waved elegantly at the horde of retreating Pidgey.
"Man, and here I thought Pidgey were cute…" Mallori looked horrified. She had only just managed to get away from them in time, "Now I know better…"
"Poor Knuckles…" Leaf went over to pat him comfortingly. The poor Lucario had been covered in fallen popcorn; therefore, the Pidgey had pecked him like mad!
Rylte giggled. 'Dah Pidgeys liekz Lucario!'
Knuckles snarled at his Pre-evolution, the only thing that stopped him from attacking the little demon was the powerful aura he felt emanating from the small Pokemon's body. Rylte was a lot stronger than he let on.
"Look! Toby have new bird!" Toby said happily, holding out his Pokéball holding his newest capture.
"Dude! You're stupid! That thing's just going to eat your other Pokémon alive!" Jean exclaimed, pointing at Knuckles for emphasis, "Just look at that Lucario! !"
"AAAAAANNNND! NEXT UP WE HAAAVVVEE…! !" the Pokéstalker screamed, holding out the suspense as long as he could muster. Apparently, the battle between Miles and Yoshi was now over, "Willow and Toby! Come on down!"
The crowd hooted and cheered as Willow casually jumped down from the stands, still looking rather angry. He gave the Pokéstalker a vicious glare as he took his position.
Toby entered the arena from the correct opening and smiled at Willow.
Willow gave him a passive nod and withdrew a Pokéball from his belt. Toby mimicked the action.
"AAAAAAANNND! BEGIN!" Pokéstalker screamed causing Willow's eyebrow to twitch in frustration.
Toby swayed his body as if he was about to dance, causing the audience to look at him in strangely. "Grovyle! Win Toby battle!"
At the same time Willow tossed his Pokéball onto the field. As both devices made contact with the ground they exploded in a burst of white light.
On Willow's side stood an Electivire, it cracked its knuckles in anticipation.
On Toby's his Grovyle crouched down ready to pounce. It eyed his opponent with a predatory gaze.
Toby quickly sprang into action. "Grovyle! Leaf Blade!"
Willow smirked. "Volte, ThunderPunch."
The large Yellow and black striped being brought back its fist and flung it forward just as Toby's Grovyle threw its bladed arms to strike.
The two attacks caught each other and for a few moments both Pokémon struggled to push the other back.
"Volte, use your other arm." Willow commanded.
Toby's eyes widened in horror, "Grovyle! Back! Back!"
It was too late Volte had already slammed his free arm into the green reptile, throwing it like a ragdoll across the arena. Volte stood up proudly and laughed.
"Grovyle! Get up! We still win!" Toby called to his downed Pokemon.
The Grovyle grunted and dragged itself to its feet. It gave a determined nod to its trainer before turning back to its laughing opponent.
"Wow…" Leaf commented seeing Willow's Electivire smash the Grovyle across the arena. "Willow's tough…"
Rylte danced happily. 'Let's have some fun this beat is sick I wanna party on my moon base this afternoon! Don't stop make it rock, the party don't stop NOOOOES!'
Riley nodded ignoring the Riolu's strange behaviour. "Willow's always been a tough trainer, even back when I first met him four years ago, he gave me quite a battle."
Mallori chuckled. "Of course Willow's good! He taught me and Jean a lot!" She announced proudly. "He's the best trainer I've ever met!"
Jean raised an eyebrow. "Of course you'd say that, you're completely in love with him."
"I DO NOT!" Mallori blushed slightly and glared daggers at her companion. "We've discussed this Jean… remember what happened the last time?"
Jean's face paled and turned back to the battle. This strange behaviour caught Leaf and Riley's attention.
"Grovyle! Brick Break!" Toby cheered.
Willow clicked his fingers. "Use your Brick Break to counter."
The two Pokémon clashed, swinging their arms fiercely. The two jumped back, then back at each other again. The air clanged, as the attacks continued to meet, like the swords of fencers.
Eventually the injured Grovyle faltered, and seeing his opportunity Volte slammed his opponent back once more.
Willow smirked. "Finish it! Thunderbolt!"
The Thunder Pokémon released an enormous discharge of electric energy at the Grovyle, it shrieked in pain as the electricity coursed through its body. Volte stopped his attack, and the Grovyle toppled to the ground with a thump.
"BATTLE OVEEEEEEERRRRRR!" Pokéstalker screamed. "WHAT AN IMPRESSSIVE FIGHT!"
Willow grit his teeth in frustration. "SHUT UP! We can all hear you! You've got a microphone so you don't need to yell. Why do you think you were given one? To make you look cool?" Willow folded his arms and grunted. "Moron."
Pokéstalker flinched and hung his head in shame. "SOOOOOORRY!" He screamed.
Willow facepalmed. 'Why is everyone I meet an idiot?'
Willow turned to face Toby who was crouched over his injured Grovyle. "Hey, Toby."
Toby looked up at Willow.
"Good fight; you're definitely Riley's cousin."
Toby gave a wide grin and made to exit through his gate.
"Well, Willow won…" Leaf muttered, disappointed that her companion had been defeated.
Mallori smiled to her. "Oh relax, it's just for fun, it's not like we're fighting several legendary Pokémon all under the control of criminal organisations trying to kill us…"
Leaf gave Mallori a look of shock and surprise. "I guess…" She really didn't know how to reply to a comment like that.
Jean rolled his eyes. "Yeah, we totally did that…" He gave a subtle wink to Rylte.
As Willow wandered down his corridor he noticed some movement in his peripheral vision. He snapped around quickly with a Pokéball in hand, his other hand gripped his Aura Pistol. Willow scanned the area for a few moments before deciding he had just imagined it.
Willow glanced down at his weapon, which he had concealed in his jacket. The 'Aura Pistol', as Willow called it, was a weapon he had come across in Snowpoint City. The Device resembled a revolver except with a broader barrel. The weapon couldn't kill, but was effective in knocking out, both People and Pokémon alike. Willow couldn't help but chuckle at his luck at finding such a rare artifact; the weapon was, without a doubt made by the Aura Guardians at the zenith of their power. Sadly such devices had been lost to history, along with the fabled Order of Guardians who had once protected the land.
Willow sighed and continued to wander back to the stands, unaware of the spectral figure gazing after him.
