A/N: Finally, to the rival battle! The twist is coming up soon...

Chapter 3: Route 30/Cherrygrove/New Bark Town

"Mr. Pokémon's house? It's a bit farther ahead."

Kris nods, grateful. "Thank you for your help." He nods back, and the passerby walks farther up the route, leaving Kris. She eyes the pokéball in her hand – Chikorita was nibbling at the grass by her feet. Chikorita pauses, nuzzling her master's ankles, who is looking around pensively. "Hmm...I wish the mart wasn't sold out of pokéballs."

Chikorita bristles; surely his master didn't think she could find any pokémon better than him. He was a top percentage upon top percentage Chikorita.

Kris is squinting, looking out into the distance. "Hey...that guy getting harassed by the guy with the pink roof...I think I know him."

Indeed, she did. She waves, trying to catch his attention. "Heyyyy! Gold!"

The boy in the cap looks up towards her, and waves back. He jogs up to her, smiling a bit. "Hey Kris! The professor said I might see you here..."

"So he's made you his bitch too, huh?" Kris asks.

"Yeah."

"Sucks."

Gold has joined your party!

-#-#-#-

Lyra knocks ever so politely on her residential professor's door, before becoming bored of waiting and deciding to force her way in. "I'm here to get a pokémon!" she exclaims.

The aid adjusts his glasses, frowning, and Elm laughs sheepishly, walking up to her. "You certainly know how to make an entrance..." he muses. He holds up one pokéball – "I'm afraid this one is all we have left, Lyra. But you're welcome to have her, I know you'll treat her well."

"Ooh, what is it?" Lyra asks, nearly bouncing in excitement, eyes glued to the pokéball.

"A Totodile!"

"ZOMG BADASS." She swipes the ball and throws it up in the air, and the capsule opens.

Except, well, nothing comes out.

"...Didn't I do it right?" Lyra asks, confused. Elm and the aid only stare, a horrified expression on their faces.

"Someone stole the pokémon!" Elm cries out.

-#-#-#-

"Yes, yes, we all know it is an amusing last name, now take your damn egg."

Kris and Gold quit giggling like little girls long enough to accept the egg from Mr. Pokémon. Gold volunteers to hold it, since he was obviously the one with the most maternal love and natural womanly sweetness in him. "Awww, wookit da widdle baby eggu," he coos, tickling its shell.

"About as manly as a Square Enix character," Kris snickers. "And thanks for the pokédexes, Professor Oak...I mean, P. Wood."

He waves, returning to his radio station, rapping for his listener's...enjoyment. Reach out to all the young and hip trainers, he said he was doing. Kris just said he sounded like he was having multiple on-air strokes.

The second the duo step outside, Kris's phone blares off urgently. She grimaces, knowing damn well it could either be her mother harassing her about what time it was or Elm just plain harassing her. "Yes? Hello?"

"KRIS EVERYTHING I KNOW IS A LIIIIIIE!"

"WHAT QUIT SCREAMING WHAT," Kris yells into the phone. Gold glares at her, telling her to be quiet as the little baby slept, and Kris just stuck her tongue out at him. "What is it, Professor Elm?"

"It's a disaster! Uh, um, it's just terrible! What should I do? It... Oh, no... Please get back here now!"

"Why, Professor Elm? What happened?"

"I'm very upset right now... We had a pokémon stolen from here... How could anyone do that...? Ah, the police are here..."

"Stolen? Wait, Professor, don't hang –!"

Click!

Kris sighs, putting her phone away. "What is this I don't even..."

"What's wrong?" Gold asks, sounding concerned and hugging the egg protectively.

Kris scratches her head, frustrated. "Someone stole a pokémon from Professor Elm...!"

Gold's eyes widen. "That's terrible...!"

"Tell me about it...he told us to come back immediately."

Frowning, Gold lets Kris lead them back. Their walk back is quick and silent, and they head into the pokémon center to recover their pokémon. "I wonder who did it..." Gold thinks aloud. Kris only shrugs.

They leave, heading towards Route 29. Kris squints, though – she swears that she sees something. "You're just a paranoid crazy person," Gold tells her. She curses at him, and tells him that she is not a paranoid crazy person, you little manwhore.

"If you're through bickering, get out of my way."

They both look up, both gasp, and both point – "Violent hot guy!" they both say. The redheaded boy looks confused as Gold and Kris stare at each other. "You met him too?"

"Stop talking in unison, you freaks!" he cries out. He glances at the pokéballs at their waists, then huffs. "I see you both got those pokémon at the lab. They're wasted on wimps like you."

"Pssh, and you?" Gold asks.

He grins evilly. "The pokémon I took will have a much better time. Now move!" He pushes through the both of them. Kris demands he stops, chasing after him, but he's too quick and Kris doesn't feel like running today.

"Hey, he dropped his trainer card!" Gold says. He walks up to Kris, examining it.

"Lemme see," Krys insists, reading over his shoulder.

"Says his name is Silver. And he's an organ donor. And...is a founder of four charities...and that he helps orphans..."

"...What a nice guy...!" Kris and Gold both shed a manly tear.

-#-#-#-

"Oh, and Lyra...you can still get a pokémon," the aide says, having brought her aside as the professor speaks to the policeman.

Her eyes widen. "Oh...thanks! I know it's not a good time to press for that, but thank–"

He hands her a pokéball, telling her a Marill is inside. She grimaces, knowing she got the way short end of the stick.

A/N: Feedback appreciated of course. Also, the reason I keep changing characters? BECAUSE ALL OF THEM ARE THERE AHA (shot)