Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon

This chapter is a bit longer then the last one and it skips parts of Brendan's journey you probably wanted to see but me and my coauthor agreed we would try to make this story only twenty chapters. Thank you for following us this far.

May's POV

"Taillow, Taillow, Taillow," I muttered to myself, pushing aside yet another patch of grass with a Wurmple in it. I had been looking for a Taillow for an hour now, and had yet to find one.

The Petalburg Woods were thick and wide. It was difficult to walk through it without coming across yet another Bug Pokémon. I really wanted a Taillow, which I would train into a strong Swellow and take my revenge on my lovely neighbor. But so far, luck was NOT on my side.

As I made my way to the next patch of grass, I heard a voice. It was a man, muttering away to himself. I looked up and saw a scientist (he was dressed in a white lab coat) ahead. He had thick glasses and was looking around for a Pokémon.

I just stood there and stared at him. I wanted to ask him what his deal was, but he was kinda creeping me out. Before I could do anything else, he spotted me and made his way up to me.

"Hello," he said, smiling to reveal a crooked set of teeth. "Have you seen any Pokémon called Shroomish around here?"

I don't think I even knew what a Shroomiah was. Before I could tell him that a man with a blue bandana and blue striped shirt appeared.

He looked like a pirate, minus the whole eyepatch and skull thing. Well, I wasn't one to judge. A lot of people are into anime and cosplay and stuff, so he was probably dressed like someone from that pirate show.

But then he opened his mouth and proved me wrong. "I was going to ambush you, but you had to dawdle in Petalburg Woods forever, didn't you?" he told the scientist. "I got sick of waiting, so here I am!"

Ambush? What the hell?

" Poochyena, come out of your PokéBall so you can make the scientist give us what we want."

The pirate guy looked like trouble. What was the scientist up to? What was he thinking, associating himself with creeps like that? And what did the pirate want with him, anyway?

"You! Devon researcher! Hand over those papers!"

I wasn't one to idly sit around and watch the pirate guy attack this poor, harmless guy. It was my duty as the daughter of one to protect all scientists from devastation.

The man laughed loudly. "No one who crosses Team Aqua gets any mercy, not even a kid! Come on and battle me!"

Team Aqua was probably the name of his pirate crew. Without a second thought, I released Mudkip.

"Mudkip, Water Gun!" I commanded. Thankfully, Mudkip moved first and the Poochyena was hit with a blast of water.

The man ordered Poochyena to Bite Mudkip again.. Oh no. No on my watch. "Mudkip, Water Gun again, go!"

Within minutes, the battle was over. "Grrr!" The pirate reject growled, returning his Pokémon back inside its ball. "You've got some nerve, messing with Team Aqua! Come battle me again -" he stopped suddenly, "is what I would be saying, but I'm all out of Pokémon. Anyway, I'm after something in Rustboro. I'll let you go for today." He quickly disappeared into the woods.

The scientist was happy I saved him from that pirate. He shook my hands really fast. I couldn't even see my hands by how fast he was shaking them.

"My papers are saved...thanks to you," he said, sighing with relief. "Here. You can have this ask my thanks."

He handed me a small device. I recognized it immediately - it was an Exp. Share. My Dad would sometimes bring them over to the lab and study them. I was never allowed to touch it, but I had always wondered what it would be like to use one. "Thanks!" I replied happily.

I nodded. If people like that Team Aqua guy were causing problems like this, I needed to make sure the scientist and everyone else were safe.

"Ah! Didn't that thug say he was after something in Rustboro? I need to get going!" He quickly ran out of the woods.

I first needed to catch a new Pokemon. It was almost making me jeer how I only had Mudkip.

Hours later, I entered Rustboro City, covered in sweat and dirt. I hadn't been able to find the Pokémon I wanted, but I did catch a Shroomish, which was pretty cool. I was about to make my way to the Pokémon Center, when I came across - guess who?

Yep. That's right. Mr. "Pokémon-faint-when-they-are-defeated" just got out of the Pokémon Mart and was staring at me. And before I knew it, I was making a beeline for him.

" I'm going to challenge the Rustboro City Gym. I can make time to challenge you to a battle."

To my disappointment, Brendan shook his head.

"Uh. No. Don't get me wrong, I'd gladly kick your ass a second time, but I can't right now. I'm on my way to challenge the Gym Leader to a battle."

My mouth fell open. Gym Leader? Brendan was going to battle Roxanne? But...surely he couldn't be strong enough to beat her yet, right? I mean, he just started his journey!

I smirked at him. "I was going to give you some pointers during the battle to help you with the Gym Leader, but if you're so arrogant as to battle her without help, then go ahead. I can't wait to see you get knocked down."

(For the record, I had no intention of helping him.)

Brendan just rolled his eyes and walked away. Things were going to get a lot more fun.

And thus I began my wait to watch Brendan get the floor wiped with him. To kill time, I explored Rustboro City. It had been a while since I had last been here, and the city had gotten a lot bigger since then. I visited the Trainer's School, the Cutter's house and the Devon Corporation (where I wasn't allowed in DESPITE being the person who saved them from Team Aqua). I know I should have been preparing for my upcoming match against Roxanne, but I was too excited about seeing Brendan finally lose that I couldn't train.

I stalked the Gym for a while, waiting to see if Brendan would come out soon. A considerable amount of time had passed since he had been there, which was not a good sign. It meant that he was doing well. Which was bad. Real bad.

Finally, he emerged out of the Gym door, looking extremely tired. I quickly made my way to him. Hopefully, Roxanne had thought him a good enough lesson to keep his ego down for a while. But that's when I saw it: the shiny, brown badge glinting on his chest.

Nothing I said now would not make me look like an idiot since he won but...he actually won a badge? Well maybe I could ask how many Pokémon he used so I could beat him with less Pokémon.

"Wipe that smirk off your face," I snapped. "And don't wear your badge on your clothes. People might challenge you, thinking you're actually strong."

He grinned at me, the same stupid smirk still plastered on his face. "This coming from the girl without a badge?"

I took a moment this time to think about what I was going to say before saying it. " I am challenged by people who think I will be the next Pokémon Champion."

Brendan pulled at his ear, pretending like he couldn't hear me. "Hmm? What's that? I couldn't hear you over the sound of MY NEW BADGE being all shiny and awesome."

Oh god. I totally wanted to punch the lights out of him right there, but I kept my temper in check. The last thing I needed was a lecture from my dad for assaulting this stupid punk.

Just then, a man in a familiar blue and white pirate costume zipped past us. "Out of the way! Move it!" He pushed a Trainer aside and ran out of the city.

He was rude and something about him made me think he was trying to escape from someone. Turns out he was when a man in a brown suit wearing an English brown hat chased him...moving a little too slow.

"Wait!" cried the man in the brown suit. "Please! Don't take those parts!"

I bristled with anger. Looks like Team Aqua were harassing Devon Corp again. Not if I could help it they weren't.

Without a second thought, I followed the man to the edge of the city.

I saw him run into a cave. He was trying to hide, jokes on him because people in this town know that cave has a wall blocking people from leaving it except where they came in by. I smiled to myself. I had him cornered now. Time to finish what started in Petalburg Woods.

An old man standing outside the cave stopped me before I entered. "Peeko!" he moaned loudly, grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me. "They took my darling Peeko! Those thugs!"

Carefully, I peeled the man's arms off me. Team Aqua just loved to cause trouble everywhere they went, didn't they? "I'll get Peeko back for you," I promised, even though I had no idea who or what Peeko was.

I was barely inside the cave and I spotted the pirate with a Wingull held by the pirates black finger gloves. I approached the man slowly, careful not to frighten the Wingull. That was probably Peeko.

"What?" the pirate dude threatened me. "Are you coming? Come and get some, then!"

I growled. "You better not be sexually harassing me, mister."

"Grah, keelhaul it all!" he cried, releasing yet another - you guessed it - Poochyena at me.

"Come on, Shroomish!" I cried, releasing my newly caught Pokémon. Shroomish appeared before me with a loud wail. "Stun Spore!"

Within seconds, the little Poochyena was paralyzed on the ground.

Leech Seed slowly begin to sap away at the Pokémon's HP. I was so proud of my little Shroomish. It was doing so well, with minimal training. It would do just fine against Roxanne.

If only Brendan could see me now.

"Finish it off with Tackle!" I commanded. With a loud cry, Shroomish slammed into the Poochyena, knocking it unconscious.

" No!" The pirate returned his Pokemon into his Pokéball. He then showed me he was in rage. " Team Aqua will get you for this!"

He shoved the parts in my hand and left the scared little Wingull there and ran past me.

What a loser. What were these thugs thinking, messing around like that? I'm glad I showed them.

I picked up Peeko and made my way to the exit. The old man was waiting there. He jumped in delight when he saw Peeko. "Oh! My darling Peeko! I missed you so much!"

It was touching seeing this old man reunite with his Pokémon. Thank goodness he only kept one of them or I'd be looking much longer for Wingull's.

"Thank you, child," he smiled at me. "These criminals...they said they were called Team Aqua, weren't they? You defeated one of them, but I'm sure there are many of them still out there. And they will all be stronger than the grunt you fought."

I nodded at him. His name was Mr Briney, and he was a sailor who lived outside Petalburg City. He invited me to sail on his boat if I ever needed to go anywhere. I thanked him and made my way back to Rustboro.

I had no doubt that Team Aqua was a criminal organization, and they would do just about anything to achieve their goals. I had already seen them steal from Devon Corp and hold Pokémon hostage. And sure, I had defeated them twice, but I still wasn't strong enough to take them down yet - I didn't even have my first badge!

I decided, right then, that I would get stronger. I would collect all the Gym Badges, become Champion, and defeat Team Aqua - before Brendan. I was going to show him, once and for all, who the real champ was!