"How long do I have to wear this around here? I'm not a spy and not really visiting?" Mr. Sap nervously complained. Snap had woke him up for a sort of "meeting". She blind folded him and lead him by his chain leash out of her cavern to the tunnel leading to the more larger one.
"Mega King wants to see you and see what we can do with you. You're a Psychic type and the Earth Bounds are pretty terratorial. The best way out of this is by challenge. You might have to fight to stay." she explained as they entered the main cavern.
"And the worst way out?" he asked regretibly.
"By challenge." she spoke blandly, Mr. Sap could tell she was hiding the pity in her voice but he felt it ratiate from her. The main cavern was surprisingly quiet though it was all but empty. Even with the colth over his eyes, he felt everyone else's. Snap stopped pulling on his chain and he sat. The chain she held rattled as it hit the ground.
"This is the trail of the new comer Psychic!" Guardian's voice sounded from ahead. "Whether this Espeon, stays or is cast off will be in the total and only judgment of Mega King!" At the end of his announcment, a soft rumbling came from in front of Mr. Sap. It was distant but grew stronger as Mega King approuched the main cavern. Silence fell, as did Mr. Sap tail as he felt a much larger Pokemon stare down at him.
"Look up at me Psychic." his voice was deep with power and age. "No blindfold is needed at your hearing." Mr. Sap slowly pulled his hanckerchif down with his paw, he looked up to see a massive Steelex looking down at him. He shallowed hard, keeping his red-eyed gaze. The Steelex hummed as he studied the smaller pink Pokemon. Mr. Sap looked around, the cavern was tall enough for Steelex to stretch up and large enough for what seemed like every Pokemon who lived here. The crowd was a mixture of rock, steel and ground types. From Geodudes to Marowaks, Pupitars to Hipowdons and Sheldons to Beldums. Tunnels were scattered on the walls, no doubtly leading to small caverns/rooms. Torches lined the walls and gave an orange glow to every stone. Over to Mr. Sap's far left was the sound of rushing water, yet the Espeon has felt he had seen enough and didn't want to bend the freedom of sight too far.
"Where are you from Espeon?" Mega King asked thoughtfully.
"I found him in Rustboro city." Snap cut in. Mr. Sap turned to see she stood not too far away from him. Mega King sight was fixed on him though, giving no notice to Snap.
"I'm from Fortree City, that's where my trainer raised me." Mr. Sap tried his hardest not to studder.
"Trainer? A human?!" one Pokemon questioned.
"Humans haven't been seen here for weeks!" answered another skeptically.
"He's lying! He's a spy that the little big mouth brought to our home!" an uproar of accusations seemed to be underway.
"But that was before all this happened! I was keep in my Pokeball for days and got released in Rustboro!" Mr. Sap defended himself and his friend. Mega King dropped his tail on the ground causing a thunderous shake.
"Enough! Psychic have you been completly aware of our situation that has come upon the Hoenn region?" he asked looking hard at Mr. Sap.
"I just know this isn't the same world I left. I was thrown into all of this." Mr. Sap explained.
"Snap, do you know his level?" The massive head move toward the Mawile.
"He's only level 9." she answered softly.
"You must've had a great bond with your trainer." Mega King turned back to Mr. Sap. "To evolve so early. You could not have come from the Supernaturalites. Your story seems true for now until proven otherwise."
"He'll be another mouth to feed!" another angry riot was begining.
"You're not saying he's staying are you?!"
"What gives him the right to stay! We should kick him off to the Supernaturalites!"
"Challenge!" at the sound of the word, Mr. Sap's ears fell to a roar of approval. King Mega looked out to the crowd.
"Very well!" he called for silence. "If the Psychic wins, he is given right of passage until the next Convergence! He will work for his own food like Snap and will make residence with her. If he loses yet lives, he will be cast off." He turned back to Mr. Sap, "Will you accept any challenger put forth?"
"I will." Mr. Sap answered with no easy choice even. He knew he needed a place to stay to find Jessica. Or for now, to even survive in this cruel world.
"Wait! He is one of the Collasped!" Snap warned.
"It matters little. Skill in battle is always more vital than power." Mega King answered thoughtfully. He then turned to scan the crowd of Pokemon. Mr. Sap did the same, seeing battle hungry eyes. Pokemon wanting to be the ones to rid their home of this intruder. Yet only one steps forward. A tall grey body upon powerful hind legs and a pointed blue dome on its head. It's red eyes locked onto Mr. Sap but quickly looked up at Mega King. Mr. Sap did the same, seeing the leading Pokemon nod his large head.
"Ram! Ram! Ram!" the crowd of Pokemon chanted. Ram the Rampardos scraped at the ground in the same fashion as Crush, Mr. Sap groaned. Ram let out a roar and launched off his feet. He moved with twice the speed of Crush, causing Mr. Sap to act quickly. Teleporting behind him, Mr. Sap turned to see Ram run head first into the wall of the cavern.
"Here's my chance..." Mr. Sap assured himself and launched at Ram, believing he was stuck into the wall the same way Crush would be. Ram stepped back and turned to the attacking Espeon. Mr. Sap slowed in shock, a clear round impact was shown in the wall. Ram launched back at him at full speed. Mr. Sap quickly stepped to the side, narrowly avoiding his pointed dome. Mr. Sap's eyes glowed a lavender shade forming a lavender outline around Ram. They both seemed to pause for an instant, until the air between them distorted into a blast knocking over Ram.
After flipping over onto the ground into a slide, Ram got back to his feet. Mr. Sap stood with a sly look but it quickly faded to his oppoent's roar. Ram's blue dome glowed and seemed to be slightly bigger surrounded by blue static. He charged once more, Mr. Sap turned and ran away.
"Stop running and fight!" Snap called from the crowd of cheering Pokemon.
"Sorry! I didn't feel like dying today!" he snapped back. "He's stronger than me!"
"Who cares! The rule about being a Psychic is?"
"Be the smartest one in battle..." he answered to himself. He looked behind him at the chasing Rampardos. His Zen Headbutt could easily end the match and was stronger than Mr. Sap's Confusion. Ram was like Crush in the charging aspect but his dome avoided being stuck and he had incredibly speed. Could his aglility be at fault? He slide on the ground before he stood back up, even his powerful legs couldn't catch him.
"Breaks!" Mr. Sap called. Coming to a hault and launching his body backwards yet to the side. Ram watched and turned his body, sliding his feet against the rocky ground, but his balance gave way to the force of turning. He fell to his side before hitting the cavern wall. Mr. Sap sat watching, smacking his lips with a look of mocking pity.
"I'll drive you into the ground!" Ram threatened while standing up. He charged at Mr. Sap at an enraged speed, his dome turned to a light staticy blue once more. Ram thrusted into the sitting Espeon but found himself in a lalic mist. Ram looked around fiecely with frustration, shaking his head. Sand had attacked his eyes and irratated him with every blink. The cheering from the crowd grew quieter.
"Hey!" Mr. Sap called. Ram looked over to see Mr. Sap sitting not too far. Shaking his head, Ram charged again but completely missed him. Mr. Sap's eyes glowed forming another outline around Ram, knocking him over next to the wall.
"Confusion and Sand Attacks won't save you." Ram seemed more tired and stood up sluggishly. "You, you think you can confuse me?!" Mr. Sap blanky and innocently stared at him, while forming another outline around Ram as he stood there. Forcing him into the wall several times, Mr. Sap finally released the weary Rampardos who fell to the ground. Mr. Sap turned to the crowd of Pokemon, all of which were staring in disbelief. He looked over at Mega King sitting with Gaurdian. The Aagron stood up and walked over toward Mr. Sap. He moved his claw over to Mr. Sap who cringed, waiting to be grabbed or attacked but he felt a soft rub between his ears. Mr. Sap opened his eyes to see Gaurdian face the crowd of Pokemon.
"Winner by knock out, Mr. Sap!" Gaurdian held up his other claw into a fist and the crowd cheered.
"Mr. Sap! Mr. Sap! Mr. Sap!" they roared. Mr. Sap couldn't help but close his eyes and beam at his praise. He felt he had rightfuly earned his stay. Then something smashed into his side, knocking his sore body over. He looked wide-eyed to see Snap clinging to him.
"You wonderful moron! I knew you could do it!" she squeezed him.
"Why thank you Snap but if you could let me breath that'd be fantastic!" he struggled.
"How'd you beat him though? He's a level 25?!" asked an approuching Sandshew.
"He's aglility made it easy to upset his balance and make quickly timed attacks. Add in some blindness, weariness and false confusion; you can make his speed and size his own fault." Mr. Sap answered matter-of-factly.
"Confusion isn't that strong though, and against a Rock type? A faint is a shocker!" spoke a Lairon.
"Oh? He's not knocked out. He's just worn out." Mr. Sap moved over to Ram and patted his head with his paw. Ram's eyes opened, he stood up, bowed and walked away slowly. After seeing him off, Mr. Sap continued, "Confusion and Psychic damage effects are from the blast, whatever he actually hit afterward has its own damage anyway. It -"
"Blah blah blah..!" Snap interrupted. "You won anyway! Come on Pokemon show's over, let the Collasped breathe!" she shooed everyone away.
"I'm fine, Snap!" he assured her, wishing to fufill the eager Earth Bounds' questions. " I think the Storage Sickness is losing... its..." She turned to find Mr. Sap laying on the floor.
"Great job Mr. Sap, you managed to knock out yourself rather than Ram." She moved over to his tail, and dragged him away.
The sore Espeon opened his eyes. He was sitting on a dirt path with his head hung. In front of him were a pair of red sneakers. He looked up to see a figure crouch down to him.
"Jessica?!" Mr. Sap regconized her as she petted between his ears. She pulled a strand of brown hair hanging down and looped it behind her ear. She beamed at him.
"You did great Espeon." she spoke with sweet gratitude. "You remembered to learn how to use your moves for any opponent." she looked at him with deep jade green eyes. "What's the rule about being a Psychic?"
"Be the smartest one in battle." he answered with a hint of surprising sorrow.
"Come on." she stood up and turned away, "We're almost there to our first gym!" she walked away but Mr. Sap couldn't move. The dream faded.