Hello New York! Ahem, I mean, readers! I have barely anything to say except thank you for the Chapter 1 reviewers, Tempest86, Burning Moon of the Sky and Mew Musica for reviewing!

Evan's current Pokemon on hand
Cyndaquil Level 6: Tackle, Leer, SmokeScreen

With Professor Oak
None

"We've finally reached Cherrygrove City!" Evan said enthusiastically, only to get knocked down by a strong punch from Crystal.

"It's your fault! You kept wanting to battle the wild Pokemon on the way!" Crystal said angrily. Urgh, this girl is even more violent than Jade! Evan got back up.

"I just want to train my Pokemon! Anything wrong with that?" Evan argued.

"Come on guys, stop arguing," Matt decided to be the peacemaker for once. "The sun is going to set soon and I would like to report back to Professor Elm before the next day, if possible."

"Fine," Evan gave Crystal a hard frown. Crystal did the same, before the two continued towards the exit of Cherrygrove, with Evan healing up his Cyndaquil at the Pokemon Center along the way. The Pokemon Center in Johto were no different from the ones in Kanto, Evan realised.

"I thought that Mr. Pokemon's house was in Cherrygrove?" Evan asked, turning back as they passed through the exit of Cherrygrove. He hadn't even had any time to explore the city.

"To be more precise, it's near Cherrygrove," Crystal replied, narrowly avoiding the tall grass lest another Pokemon jumped out and distracted Evan. Soon, they had reached Mr. Pokemon's house, to Crystal's relief, without any wild Pokemon distractions whatsoever. Crystal knocked on the door of the house.

"Hello? Mr. Pokemon!" Crystal yelled at the top of her voice. After a few seconds, a middle-aged man in a hat and suit came out.

"Ah, Crystal! I haven't seen you in so long. And who are these companions of yours? Oh, how could I have forgotten my manners. Please, come in." Mr Pokemon stepped aside, allowing the trio to enter. Evan, Matt and Crystal sat on the wooden chairs. Evan studied the chair nervously. All of the legs seemed to be capable of snapping off any minute. He looked up, as Crystal introduced him and Matt to Mr. Pokemon, and flashed the man a weak smile.

"So you are here for the egg, huh?" Mr. Pokemon walked away into one of the rooms and came out with an egg that he clutched tightly in his hands. Both Evan and Matt looked at the egg curiously as Mr. Pokemon handed the egg to Crystal. He stopped Crystal as she started to put the egg in her backpack. "I think it would be safer to hold it in your arms." Crystal nodded, and hugged the egg in the same way Mr. Pokemon had did earlier.

After saying goodbye to Mr. Pokemon, Evan, Matt and Crystal walked out of the house and back towards Cherrygrove City, Crystal holding the egg tightly in her arms. As they entered Cherrygrove City, Evan's Pokegear started ringing.

"Huh?" Evan stopped the other two as he took out his Pokegear and answered the call. "Hello?"

"E-Evan?" Professor Elm's voice replied nervously.

"Professor Elm?" Evan asked. "How did you get my number?"

"From Professor Oak." The nervousity in Elm's voice grew with each word. "Have you got the egg?"

"Yes, Crystal has it."

"I need you to rush back to my lap ASAP!" With that, Professor Elm's voice increased in volume. "Something terrible has happened!"

"Something terrible?" Evan asked, but Professor Elm had cut the call. "Strange," Evan said, keeping his Pokegear. He turned to Matt and Crystal. "I think we'd better be getting back to the lab." The other two nodded and they progressed on, but as they were about to take the road from Cherrygrove leading to New Bark Town, they were stopped by a boy at around Crystal's age. His red, long hair was quite notable.

"So you got a Pokemon from the lab," the mysterious boy muttered under his breath.

"Excuse me?" Evan asked, but the boy simply looked up and regarded him with an expressionless look.

"A battle. Now," the boy demanded.

"But-" Evan stopped as the boy sent out his Pokemon, a Totodile. He looked at Matt and Crystal, who were staring at the boy with a surprised look. Then, Crystal spoke up.

"I'm sorry, but he has no time for you. We need to rush back to New Bark Town," Crystal said.

"Silence!" The red-haired boy said sternly. He looked back at Evan. "So, will you battle?"

"Cyndaquil, go! Tackle!" Evan threw Cyndaquil's Pokeball into the air, watching as Cyndaquil charge at Totodile. However, the Big Jaw Pokemon jumped to the side. Cyndaquil lunged at Totodile again, but Totodile was too fast.

"Evan!" Crystal said angrily. "You remember what the Professor said. We have to get back to his lab ASAP!"

"I never was one to pass up a battle," Evan replied simply. Matt was too engrossed in the battle to comment. "Cyndaquil, SmokeScreen!"

"What's this? Smoke?" The boy's tone was one of annoyance. "Totodile, Scratch!" Totodile attempted to attack Cyndaquil, but due to the smoke, was unable to. "Damn! Work, you stupid thing!"

Evan was shocked by the boy's choice of words. "That is not a thing. It is a Pokemon."

"Heh, no one asked for your comments," sneered the boy. "Totodile, Scratch!" Totodile used Scratch again, this time hitting Cyndaquil. The smoke soon cleared and Cyndaquil was lying on the ground, having been hit by Totodile's Scratch. "That Cyndaquil is weak," chuckled the boy. "This is a waste of my time."

"What did you say?" Evan was getting angered now. "Cyndaquil, use Tackle and give it all you've got!" Cyndaquil got back up, the flame on it's back burning hotter than ever. Soon, Cyndaquil had managed a powerful Tackle that knocked Totodile down onto the ground.

"Get it off! Scratch!" The redhead shouted.

"Jump into the air and use Leer!" Cyndaquil jumped off Totodile swiftly and leered down Totodile, lowering it's defense. "Tackle!" Cyndaquil rushed at Totodile, ending the battle in Evan's favour with a strong Tackle attack. Totodile flew back and lay still on the ground, defeated.

"Urgh, you worthless piece of trash," the boy recalled Totodile.

"Stop insulting your Totodile!" Evan yelled. He had won, but hadn't felt the sense of victory, only pity for the mysterious boy's Pokemon. "I won't let you insult your Pokemon and get away with it!"

"Yeah? And what can you do about it?" The redhead snapped. "My name is Bryan. I'm going to be the best Trainer ever here in Johto, so back off, trash." Bryan walked past the trio and into Cherrygrove City.

"Hey! The name's Evan, y'hear!" Evan yelled after him.

"Seems to me like you've gained a new rival," Matt walked over to Evan. "But his ways with his Pokemon makes me... uncomfortable."

"Yeah... Even Arthur wasn't that bad..." Evan's memory of his former rival stayed fresh in his mind. He wondered how Arthur was doing now back in the Kanto region.

"Alright guys, come on! We have to get back to the lab!" Crystal yelled in a leader-like tone. Quickly, the three sprinted towards the direction of New Bark Town.

Wonder who that Bryan guy was? Why did Professor Elm want them back at his lab ASAP? Generation II players and Generation IV(HeartGoold and SoulSilver) players... you don't need to answer that. Anyway, the next chapter may either be tomorrow or on Friday. The good news is that the school holidays are coming soon, and during that period I might be able to upload more than usual. The bad news is that my school holidays only last a week. Yeah, tough luck. That's why I hate the school system in Singapore. Kook, signing off with my cookies.