Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or its characters and place names, but in the spirit of fanfiction I own this story and the characters I created around it.
This story is rated teen since they should be responsible enough not to look at my other stories.
Who Could Bug Tabitha?
Tabitha was restless. Yesterday she had a big win over Whitney, the Goldenrod Gym Leader. She was looking at a bulletin board showing posters of various events in the area.
"Look at that!" shouted Tabitha as she pointed to a poster advertising for a bug catching contest in the park.
"Do you want another bug Pokémon?" asked Sammy.
"I doubt any other bug can be as special as my Catty," mused Tabitha. "But the first prize is going to be a King's Rock and I can use it to evolve Pokey."
"I guess it'd be a good chance to work with Farfetch'd," thought Sammy.
"So let's go!" declared Tabitha as she dragged her brother down the street.
Just before the park entrance came into view, Sammy felt anxious of the impending crowds. Tabitha felt that there was something more than random crowds that caused Sammy to be uncomfortable. There was a special kind of crowd present: paparazzi.
"They can't be for us," declared Tabitha in hopes of calming her brother.
"I know," he thought.
They grew up sheltered from the prying eyes of the public. There were a few official viewings of the heirs to the Saffron Throne, but little about their lives were made public. In addition, Sabrina had instructed them to avoid the media. So the pair pulled their caps low to shield their eyes and dashed inside the building.
Once inside they were given a quick lecture about the rules as they registered. Tabitha chose her Riolu as her partner; Sammy picked Farfetch'd. They turned in their other Pokeballs and followed a small group of trainers outside.
As they waited for the start of the contest, Sammy asked, "Why did you pick Louie?"
"Because he can read auras and find strong Pokémon hiding in the tall grass," she explained. "Why did you pick Farfetch'd, instead of Natu?"
"He has more experience in Johto than Natu," replied Sammy.
Farfetch'd turned towards the young siblings and tapped his head with his leek.
Tabitha let out a low growl that startled Farfetch'd. "Umeki," she added.
"That explains the paparazzi," sighed Sammy.
Umeki Ketchem: the redhead, tomboy, rising star, daughter of Indigo League Champion Ash Ketchem and Misty Ketchem the gym leader.
"Maybe she won't notice us," thought Sammy.
"She always finds me," mentally replied Tabitha.
"Fetch'd?" asked Sammy's Pokémon as it pointed to the sky. They looked up and saw a Jumpluff shaped balloon.
"It probably has a camera crew, since a camera crew in here would interfere with the contest," conclude Sammy.
"Hi, I'm Umeki," greeted the trainer to Tabitha's back.
"I know who you are," replied Tabitha as she turned to avoid the flying camera.
"Tabs? What are you doing in Johto?"
"You don't recognize a Picnic Girl uniform?" asked Tabitha. Mentally she joked to her brother, "People think that I'm dense…"
Sammy found it hard not to snicker.
"Um, hi?" asked a narrow eyed girl with long brown hair.
"Sammy, Tabitha, this is Sandy."
"Hi."
"Hello."
"Her parents are Brock, the former Pewter City Gym Leader and Duplia, the Imite House Gym Leader."
"Breeding," thought Tabitha, "Why is she always pointing that out?"
"I hope you're ready to settle for a Weedle Tabs, because I'm going to catch me a great, big Scyther," boasted Umeki.
"Well a level two Scyther may be big for you, but I'm not settling for anything less than level twenty," retorted Tabs.
"You couldn't count to twenty, even if you took your shoes off."
"You can't even catch Pokémon; you just borrow one of your dad's."
"The contest just started," announced Sandy in a quiet voice.
"You bet I'm just getting started," replied Umeki as she rolled up her sleeves.
Riolu barked.
Tabitha looked around and noticed that she and Umeki were the only ones left in the assembly area. "Come on Louie, we can't waste time on Pickle-hair!"
"I'll show you, you psy-witch!" retorted Umeki as she ran in a different direction.
Elsewhere, Sandy followed Sammy through the high grass and said, "I don't remember Umeki mentioning Tabitha before."
Sammy shrugged. "Tabitha doesn't talk about it much either. When we watched the Indigo League Championship Tabitha said something like, 'Better luck next year; maybe you'll come in second after me.'"
"Ouch."
They stopped as they heard a rustle in the grass. A Scyther flew by in panic as it was pursued by a fiery-eyed Tabitha.
"When did they become rivals?" asked Sandy, after she recovered her wits.
"Umeki was enrolled at our gym for preschool classes. She was older than Tabitha, but Tabs knew more about ghosts and psychics," replied Sammy.
"So that's why she didn't want to catch one," concluded Sandy.
Sammy looked in the older girl's mind to fill in the gaps: Umeki had a chance to catch a Drowzee and passed it up. She also refused to go into the Slowpoke Well.
"Far?"
"It's nothing," replied Sammy under his breath to his Pokémon's embarrassing question.
"What?" asked Sandy sweetly.
Sammy nervously replied, "Nothing: No sign of any bugs."
"I went to Cerulean Gym for preschool," offered Sandy.
"We did too. The rivalry between Tabs and Umeki got worse," sighed Sammy. "I think our parents let it to make them stronger trainers."
"Don't they ever get along?"
"Sometimes they would trade a fist-bump, but then it would become a fist fight."
Sandy giggled, "That's funny."
Sammy stopped and thought.
"Don't you think it's funny?" asked Sandy.
"I got a black eye trying to break up the fight," replied Sammy with a shrug. He glanced at Farfetch'd who was sitting on his shoulder. Sammy tried to sense the world through his Pokémon then add his own senses. Sammy turned sharply and pushed his way into the deeper grass.
"You're not getting away!" declared Tabitha as she launched an Aura Sphere at the fleeing Scyther. The bug was hit in the wing and tumbled. It was about to pull out of its dive when Riolu appeared and hit it with a Force Palm. Scyther crashed and was hit by a Sport Ball. "Great job Louie! Ha! Beat that Umeki." Tabitha scanned the skies for the balloon with the camera. "Let's go show Umeki how great we are!" announced Tabitha as she charged after the balloon.
There was a small crowd watching Umeki and her Charizard finish off and capture a Scyther. Umeki noticed Tabitha in the distance and shouted, "You're too late!"
"I already caught one!" replied Tabitha as she walked across the clearing.
"Probably just a hatchling."
Tabs used her Poketch and read out loud, "Level 19."
"I thought you were going to get a level twenty. You do know that twenty comes after nineteen," Umeki smugly replied.
"As long as I beat you, I don't care if I do catch a Weedle."
Umeki used her own Poketch and gritted her teeth as she saw the result. Tabitha smiled. Umeki fired back, "It's a really high level 19. This was just a warm-up." She jumped onto Charizard's back and laughed, "Try to keep up." Charizard leapt into the air and flew off for a new target.
"Louie?"
Riolu and Tabitha focused all their senses to seek out the aura and mind of a strong Pokémon. They found something in the distance and dashed off.
Sammy and company entered a mossy clearing. Farfetch'd quickly spotted a feeding Beedrill, jumped off of Sammy's shoulder and stood ready to battle. "Be careful of its poison," warned Sandy.
The Beedrill charged with its Twinneedles. Farfetch'd dodged and turned the momentum into a Sword's Dance. When the Sword Dance stopped, he beckoned Beedrill for another charge. Beedrill retaliated with a volley of Pin Missiles. Farfetch'd deftly knocked all the missiles from the air.
Beedrill was angry; his stingers dripped with venom. Farfetch'd scuffed his feet in the dirt to get a better footing. Beedrill's beating wings drowned out the wind powered staccato of the grasses.
Wham! "Sorry!" shouted Tabitha as she leapt out of the clearing. Riolu raced past on top of the grass.
Beedrill buzzed and moaned in anger. There was a muddy footprint on his back.
"Was that your sister?" asked Sandy.
Sammy tossed his Sport Ball at the fallen bug. "Yeah," he sighed.
"She reminds me of Umeki as she just crashes through things," commented Sandy as she shook her head.
Charizard flew past; the down draft from her wings flattened the grass into a long, winding path.
"Like that?" asked Sammy.
"Yup."
"Something has really sparked the 'Kanto Kid'," commented the female reported in the balloon. "Have you ever seen that person before?"
The cameraman replied, "I can't even see her now; she moves too fast."
"Oh you're worthless," scolded the reported before she ducked for cover in the basket.
Charizard and Umeki flew up past the balloon. At the top of their climb Charizard entered a slow circle. Umeki used her Poketch to scan her Sport Ball. "Level 32," she read to her Charizard.
Charizard spotted a pair of figures dashing in and out of the tall grass. What was left of the tall grass that is. Most of it was mowed down by Umeki in her mad search for a strong Scyther. Umeki surveyed the park as Charizard drifted on the breeze. Tabitha was moving with incredible speed towards the central fountain and the bamboo grove beyond it.
"After her!"
Charizard dived with enthusiasm that matched her trainer.
Riolu ventured a moment's concentration behind him. He barked to his trainer that a Charizard was diving at them.
"Let's see that fat Pokémon fit through here," laughed Tabitha as she entered the bamboo grove.
Charizard turned upward and flew over the soft, green sea that was the tops of the bamboo.
Riolu barked and turned. Tabitha followed. They sensed a strong Pokémon.
"We've got two minutes left," declared Tabitha. "We'll give him the one-two."
They burst into a clearing. Riolu hit the towering figure with his Force Palm. Tabitha directed an Aura Sphere into the creature's side. Riolu jumped clear as Tabitha decided whether she would release her Scyther for this Pokémon. 'This Pokémon' was a Pinsir; A very big and angry Pinsir. After a quick scan of its aura, Riolu announced that it was stronger than Tabitha's Scyther. Tabitha emptied her Sport Ball and Scyther fled at the sight of the Big Boss Bug.
Pinsir looked at the pair before him. He'd seen trainers before, but they never attacked him directly. This little blue Pokémon was also a new sight.
Tabitha readied another Aura Sphere. Riolu jumped between Pinsir and his mistress as he barked that the Pinsir was too strong. Reflexively, Tabitha's sphere changed from blue to pink. Riolu tackled Pinsir's stout legs, as Tabitha hit Pinsir in the face with Mist Ball. The great bug staggered. Riolu pulled its legs out from Pinsir and toppled the giant.
Pinsir wasn't going to give up. Riolu locked his fists together as he grappled with Pinsir's legs.
"SLEEP!" Tabitha mentally ordered. The command had all the subtlety, and effectiveness, as a mallet blow to the head. Pinsir passed out, as did Riolu and a Kakuna that fell from the bamboo canopy. Tabitha tossed the Sport Ball. Just after the ball stopped shaking, there was a distant buzz that announced the end of the contest.
Riolu was recalled to his Pokeball and Tabitha stumbled back to the park entrance. As she walked, the adrenaline drained away. She was sleep walking when she was met by a contest official and helped along.
When she regained consciousness, Tabitha was leaning on her brother. "They are about to announce the winners," he said.
On a little stage, the contest judge announced, "In third place, we have Josh who caught a wriggling Weedle."
"I can do better than that," thought Tabitha.
"In second place, we have Sally who caught a writhing Butterfree."
"Pfft," hissed Umeki who was standing in front of Tabitha.
"In first place, we have Sandy who caught a whopping Caterpie!"
Sandy was brought up onto a small stage to receive her prize.
"What?" asked Tabitha in disbelief.
"How can a Caterpie be stronger than a Scyther?" grumped Umeki.
"Didn't I catch Pinsir in time?" Tabitha asked of her brother.
"I'm getting to the bottom of this," announced Umeki.
The crowd drifted toward the exits and past posters showing the rankings of each trainer and their Pokémon.
Umeki was reading though the listings when she said, "Second to last? With a footnote?"
A contest official spotted Umeki and said, "Congratulations, you set a record to the highest level Scyther ever caught."
"But why didn't it win?"
"Your Scyther suffered burns and is very low on health," explained the official.
"But you have to weaken a Pokémon before you can catch it," argued Umeki.
Sammy and Tabitha had followed Umeki. Sammy explained, "The winner is the strongest bug Pokémon at the time of judging, so damage and burns count against your score."
"Oh," replied Umeki and Tabitha together.
"How did Sandy catch her Caterpie?" asked Tabitha.
"With a poffin," answered Sammy.
The trio followed the crowd to collect their other Pokémon. Sandy met them inside. "I can't believe that I won," she gushed.
"Great job Sandy."
"You must be a great cook," commented Tabitha.
"The best," praised Umeki.
As Tabitha waited for the attendant to return her other Pokémon, an official asked, "Did you catch this Pinsir inside the park?"
"I was in the bamboo grove," replied Tabitha. "I don't remember leaving the park."
"Would you show us where?"
"Sure," replied Tabitha. She turned to lead the way, but stumbled. Umeki caught her.
"If you get in trouble, I want to be there to watch," whispered Umeki.
"I don't need daddy's Pokémon to beat you," Tabs whispered back.
Outside Umeki helped Tabitha onto an electric cart. The official drove off following directions from both girls.
"What's that about?" asked Sandy. As she watched the girls leave.
Sammy released his Natu and mentally told it to follow his sister. Sammy sighed and asked, "Do you have a little sister?"
"I have an older brother, six little sisters and five little brothers. Daddy calls me the 'The Baker and the Dozen'."
Sammy let himself a little laugh, until his mind tried to grasp the thought of four more little sisters. "I don't feel so good," moaned Sammy.
Ten minutes later Tabitha and Umeki were lost. They had passed a "danger keep out" sign, which Tabitha never noticed the first time. "Maybe Pinsir knows," speculated Tabitha as she released the bug. It laid on the ground and snored.
Umeki sighed then took a Full Restore from her bag and sprayed the massive bug.
"Pins?" asked the groggy Pokémon.
"Do you remember where I caught you?" asked Tabitha.
Pinsir realized that he wasn't dreaming and nodded in defeat.
"Please show us where," asked the park official.
Pinsir sulked off, bending the thick bamboo out of the way. A few minutes later he stopped and pointed a spot on the ground near a wide burrow. "This looks about right," added Tabitha.
The park official checked his Pokenav and declared, "We are still inside the park."
"So she's not in trouble?" asked Umeki with a hint of disappointment in her voice.
"We didn't think that there was a Pinsir so strong in the park," admitted the official.
"I didn't smuggle him in," announced Tabitha. "My Riolu sensed the strong aura of a Pokémon, so we came here, battled Pinsir and caught him. The buzzer went off after I made the catch."
Pinsir turned away from the burrow and returned to his Pokeball.
"Just how strong is that Pinsir?" asked Umeki.
"Level 46," replied the official as he read from a little notepad.
"I don't believe it."
"We checked and double checked," recalled the official. "We couldn't find any evidence that she cheated. This was the last thing we needed to check."
"So she's the winner instead of Sandy?"
"We weren't going to take away Miss Sandy's win. We'll probably declare Tabitha the Grand Prize Winner."
"Figures," huffed Umeki. She turned to 'congratulate' Tabitha, but Tabitha wasn't there. "Hey Tabs! Where are you?"
A muffled reply came from the burrow, "I'm in here."
"What are you doing in there?"
"…" The response was too muffled to make out. Moments later Tabitha crawled out of the burrow; her usually green Picnic Girl uniform was brown with dirt. "Am I officially the winner?" she asked.
The man shrugged then nodded.
"Can I have a King's Rock?"
"Just a King's Rock?" asked the official.
"Yes please."
"That can be arranged."
"Good." She opened the Pokeball and let out Pinsir. "Pinsir, I release you."
Jaws dropped.
Pinsir had a confused but hopeful look in his eyes.
"I went into your home," explained Tabitha, "I can't take you away from them."
The massive Pokémon held back his tears. Tabitha gave him a hug. "You need to be tougher than that you big softie," she teased.
Pinsir hugged her back then released her.
Tabitha turned away and declared, "I need to go wash up." She spotted her brother's Natu and followed it out of the bamboo grove.
The other two caught up to Tabitha at the golf cart. "What's going on in your head this time?" asked Umeki.
"Could you two keep this a secret? Pinsir has a family to raise."
"That's what you found in his burrow?" asked the official.
"There were little Pinsirs and eggs that hadn't hatched."
"I'll make a note to change the signs to Keep Out: Off Limits, and put up a fence."
"Does this means that Tabitha is in trouble?" asked Umeki.
Tabitha replied, "He said I officially won," and punctuated it by sticking her tongue out at Umeki.
"Well you won't be able to gloat for long if you want it kept secret," replied Umeki with a sneer.
Tabitha sat in the cart, said, "Whatever," and fell asleep. Natu landed on Tabitha's shoulder and watched the humans.
As Sandy and Sammy waited, Sandy asked, "Why do you call her 'Tabs'?"
"As her big brother I was told to, 'Keep tabs on your sister', so I started calling her Tabs."
"That's cute."
Defensively Sammy added, "Since she spends money like it was free, I also keep her allowance. Since she goes over budget, she's running a tab."
The pun didn't work in distracting Sandy. Sammy found that puns rarely worked on anyone younger than twenty. He sighed. Farfetch'd stopped in his training and looked on his trainer's plight. "Far," he said while slyly cocking his head towards Sandy's Camerupt.
"Um, what are those things on Camerupt?" said Sammy to make conversation.
"This my cooking gear," announced Sandy. She gave Sammy a tour that was as well practiced as an infomercial. "This part can be used as an oven. I can place a wok here, or fold out this shelf and use a frying pan. The oven can also be used as a smoker. When Umeki-chan said she was going to Johto, I just had to come along. They call Goldenrod City the 'Kitchen of Johto' because of all the styles of food they cook here."
Sammy stayed aware of the conversation just enough to keep Sandy talking and distracted.
"Lightweight… titanium… dry ice… Ice Pokemon someday…"
When Tabitha and Umeki returned, Sandy had already smoked some small fish and fresh vegetables. Tabitha woke for a moment, ate the food that Sammy was holding, and fell asleep again.
"That was rude," declared Umeki.
"I'm used to it," replied Sammy. He took a Pokeball from his sister's belt and released her Porygon2. He put his sister on the Pokémon's back and it levitated with Magnet Rise. "I better take her back to the Pokémon Center so she can get some sleep. It was nice to meet you Sandy. Take care Umeki." Tabitha just snored away.
Author's Note: It is so much easier to write a story about a rival person than to have a rival in the abstract.
I realized that a pink haired girl named Sakura is so common that it is almost cliché, so at the last minute I changed the rival's name to Umeki, which means plum tree. This is more in line with the Ash and Oaks from Pallet Town.
