Notes:
A couple of mistakes in the last chapter, oops! M43's name is Alberio. M42 was the grunt who complained to Maxie that M3 had drawn her, not M3.
M25 is older than the boys (18) but she looks about 16.
Part 2
A couple of days later, M43 had gotten over his embarrassment and was eager to train up Aventurine again. He was outside the volcano, helping M5 and M6 collect up ash so that they could take it to the Glass Workshop and have the chap there make flutes for Team Magma's Pokemon.
"I can't wait to go up to Route 113 when we're done here", M43 said to the other lads. "I bet there's tough Pokemon up there for Aventurine to battle".
Aventurine looked up from where he was digging and meowed in agreement.
"Look", M6 snuffled, holding up a sack. Even though the ash set his hay fever off worse, he had insisted on going with M5 and helping. "It's nearly full. How are you guys doing?"
"Mine's almost full too", said M5.
"And mine", said M43. He checked his watch. "Say, it's only just after midday. If we finish soon, you reckon we'll be allowed to go today?"
"Hmm, I don't see why not", said M5. "We can go and ask the Boss in a few minutes".
M43 resumed his gathering, eager to finish so they could visit Route 113. He had a splendid image in his head of Aventurine defeating tons of powerful wild Pokemon and M5 and M6 standing there, overawed. It would be excellent!
Perhaps he could even catch some Pokemon too. M5 and M6 still only had their original Pokemon. M43 longed to have more then one, so he could show off in front of the lads. But Aventurine was and would always be his favourite.
Five minutes later, the boys had finished and they set off for Maxie's office to deliver the soot sacks to him. However, they met him coming out of the Mysterious Round Purple Room, carrying a sheaf of papers under his arm.
"Ah, hello boys", said Maxie. "I see that your soot sacks are really full. Well done, you must have all worked very quickly. Would you like some tea and scones?"
"Oooh, yes please", said M6.
"Oh no, no, remember!" said M43, nudging him. "Route 113. Wild Pokemon!"
"Wild Pokemon?" Maxie enquired.
"Yeah, we wanna take the ash to the Glass Workshop please Boss", said M43 eagerly. "Can we?"
"Hmm". Maxie looked thoughtful. "Well, I don't see why not..."
M43 grinned in delight at the other two and they smiled back.
"But you three can't go alone", Maxie continued. "The Pokemon up there are of a higher level than your Pokemon and it would be dangerous".
"Awwww!" protested M43. "But we wanna train up our Pokemon and oof!" M5 (worried that Maxie wouldn't let them go if M43 threw a wobble), covered up his mouth.
"Um, will come with us then Boss?" M5 asked.
"I can't, I'm sorry", said Maxie. "I have all this paperwork to do and it will take ages. But Tabitha isn't very busy at the moment. I'll go and ask him to accompany you".
"That's great, thanks!" said M5 and M6 snuffled and nodded. M43 (still with his mouth covered) made a groaning noise and rolled his eyes.
"M43, stop being such a big whinge-bag", M5 grumbled. "Maxie's only been gone 30 seconds and you've used up about a zillion kilos of oxygen with your moaning so far".
"Is oxygen measured in kilos?" M6 asked.
"It's not FAIR!" M43 whined. "I feel like a baby now".
"Oh give it a rest", said M5. "You're just sore that you had to say sorry to Tabitha the other day for cheeking him".
"It's not that at all", M43 pouted. "Me and Aventurine don't wanna be babysitted by that fat plonker!"
"You're so rude!" M5 exclaimed. "If me and M6 were tattletales, we'd tell the Boss what you said and then you wouldn't be allowed to go".
"And you'd have to apologise to Tabitha again", M6 said.
"And the Boss would film it this time", M5 added.
"Yeah and post it onto the internet so EVERYBODY would see!"
"You guys are mean" huffed M43. He leaned against the wall and folded his arms. He sighed a couple of times but M5 and M6 ignored him.
After a minute, M43 looked up. He had lost his scowl and seemed a little brighter.
"OK, you guys are right", he said. "I'm gonna stop moaning and just look forward to the trip".
"Good", said M5, sounding pleased.
"Um..." M43 shuffled his boots. "I think I'll just go and get some Potions from my room. You know, in case Aventurine needs them".
"Yeah, sure", said M5. "That's a good idea, M43".
"Shall we wait for you here or come and get you?" M6 asked.
"Uhm, just wait for me, I won't be long", said M43.
"Ok then", said M6 and M5 gave him the thumbs up.
M43 grinned and set off, swinging his soot sack over his shoulder.
Ten minutes later, Tabitha, M5 and M6 were waiting outside the Mysterious Round Purple Room for M43. Tabitha was wondering if he asked nicely, whether Maxie would let him have a go with his new Teasmade. M5 and M6 were fooling about because they were bored.
"I'm Archie, leader of Team Aqua", said M5. He grabbed M6 in a hug and kissed him. "I love you M6, let's get married".
"Ewwwwwww!" M6 cried. He wiped his cheek, then wiped it on Tabitha's jacket. "Jab, barleys!"
"Huh?" said Tabitha, coming out of his daydream.
"Archie just kissed me!" said M6.
"Um...OK?" said Tabitha. He checked his watch and sighed.
"What's keeping M43? Are you guys sure he said to meet him back here?"
"Yeah, definitely", said M5. "He said wait for him and he wouldn't be long".
"Well, he's sure taking his time", Tabitha said.
"Shall we go and find him?" M6 offered.
"Yeah, you had better", said Tabitha. "We can't wait here all day".
M5 and M6 set off down the corridor. They passed, the Tea Room, the Computer Games Room and a storeroom. As they rounded the corner, they nearly ran into M25, who was studying a photo with her head down.
"Oops, sorry M25!" the boys said.
"Uh, that's OK", said M25. "Run along now".
"Say, is that a photo of Maxie?" M5 asked.
"Nope, no, not at all", said M25, hiding the photo behind her back. "Off you go guys!"
"Oh, wait!" said M5. "Have you seen M43? We're going to Route 113 with him but he went to get some Potions and hasn't come back".
"M43? The new guy with dark blue hair? Yep, sure. I saw him five minutes ago, leaving the volcano. He had a soot sack with him and seemed pretty excited about something".
M5 and M6 gasped. M25 shuffled away furtively, trying to keep the photo hidden from them.
M5 and M6 stared at each other.
"Oh shit!" said M5.