Section Four

With concern filling her brown eyes, Casey watched as Georgio splashed around in the water below her. Casey had purple hair, topped off with an Electabuzz baseball cap. The rest of her clothes showed her to be an Electabuzz fan as well.

Once Georgio got ahold of himself, he swam to a nearby dock to get out of the water. His blue t-shirt and scarf were dripping wet, as was his light brown hair.

Casey was relieved for a moment, but then she turned her attention to Bianca, who was busy standing back up. Her eyes narrowed. "What's the big idea, pushing Georgio off the bridge like that? That's like throwing a beanball!"

"I'm so sorry!" Bianca pleaded. "Sorry, sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to run into you. It's just, I'm looking for my Pignite—some guy just stole it, and..."

Casey suddenly grew concerned for Bianca. "Someone stole your Pokémon? What did he look like?"

"His hair was dark, and it went down to about here," Bianca said, gesturing to just below her shoulders. "His eyes were dark too, and he was riding a motorcycle."

"Let's get searching, then!" Casey said. Bianca was surprised by how generous she was all of a sudden.

Casey pulled out a Poké Ball and opened it up to reveal a Pokémon that looked like a giant bee. It had sharp spikes as hands and ruby red eyes. According to Bianca's Pokédex, it was a Beedrill, and "its best attack involves flying around at high speed, striking with poison needles, then flying off."

"You heard everything, right, Beedrill?" Casey asked. "Find that guy!"

The Beedrill let out a buzz, gave what looked like a salute, and flew off.

"Oh, thank you so much," Bianca told Casey, holding out her hand. "My name's Bianca. And you are...?"

"The name's Casey," she replied with pride, shaking her hand. "I'm the number one Electabuzz fan around—I came all the way here from the Johto region."

"The Johto region, huh?" Bianca said, surprised. "There are so many places to go..."

"The world's amazing, right?" Casey asked.

Right then, Georgio reappeared, ringing out his wet shirt and then putting it back on. As Casey watched him, she introduced him to Bianca. "And the guy you knocked out of the park is named Georgio. He's the number two Electabuzz fan. We met in the Kanto region not long ago. Georgio, this is Bianca."

"Nice... to meet you," he said, feeling a bit awkward.

"I'm so sorry again for knocking you down!" Bianca said. "And anyway, I wanna tell the police that my Pignite was stolen so they can start searching too."

Before Bianca could start zooming down the street, though, Casey's Beedrill returned.

"Hey, you're back already," she said. "Did you find the guy?"

Beedrill nodded, and then it started to fly down the road.

"Let's follow it!" Casey told everyone.

With a mix of anxiety, excitement, and a little relief, Bianca followed Georgio and Casey as they followed Beedrill. She hoped she would reunite with Pignite soon. While they were running, Casey filled Georgio in on what was happening with Bianca.

Suddenly, Beedrill turned down a dark alley. Casey and the others followed it, and there stood a man with long, dark hair dressed professionally—like a receptionist. And he was standing by a motorcycle.

"There you are!" Bianca shouted, her anger overtaking her. "Give Pignite back, right now!"

The man froze, shocked that he was found in such a large, crowded city. At first, he tried to play dumb. "What are you talking about? I just dropped Pignite off at the Pokémon Center. Just like you asked."

"Wait, you did?" Bianca asked.

"Don't buy it!" Casey barked, hands balled up like fists. "You're lying, and we know it!"

The man froze again for a second, and that confirmed everything they needed to know. Bianca felt ashamed that she almost fell for such an obvious lie. The man started to move back towards his motorcycle.

"Oh no you don't!" Casey shouted. "Beedrill, Toxic Spikes!"

With that, the bug Pokémon laid out a bunch of poison spikes, blocking the man from his motorcycle. He swore under his breath.

"If that's how you wanna play," he said," then come on out, Wobbuffet!"

Out of his Poké Ball came a light blue, punching bag-like Pokémon. It had thin eyes on its face, but big, round ones on its black tail. "Wobbuffet, the Patient Pokémon," Bianca's Pokédex said. "Wobbuffet like to live in dark areas so they can keep their pitch black tail concealed."

"Let me help out!" Georgio insisted as he pulled a Poké Ball off his belt. Casey gave him an approving nod and a smile, glad that he was always so willing to help. "Delcatty, come on out!"

And out it came, a tan, cat-like Pokémon with big, purple ears and some purple fur that it wore like a scarf. As usual, Bianca's Pokédex spoke up: "Delcatty, the Prim Pokémon. It is highly popular among female Trainers for its sublime fur. It does not keep a nest."

"Of course," Casey said, nudging Georgio, "that doesn't mean boys can't like it too, right?"

"Right!" he said, blushing. "It's a strong Pokémon."

"Quit yapping and start battling!" the poacher shouted. For a moment, Bianca wondered why he didn't just launch the first attack himself.

"Okay, Delcatty!" Georgio called out. "Try Iron Tail!"

Delcatty's long, majestic tail took on a steel texture, and then it lunged at the Wobbuffet, intending to smack it.

"Counter that, Wobbuffet!" the man shouted.

A light brown barrier formed around Wobbuffet, and when Delcatty came into contact with it, it yowled in pain and flew off.

As the battle raged on, Bianca could do nothing but watch. Without Pignite, she was powerless. And she didn't even understand what just happened: was Counter a defensive move or something?

"Hang in there, Georgio!" Casey called out.

Georgio thought for a moment as the poacher looked at him with a wily grin on his face. Suddenly, it hit him. "Delcatty, get right in Wobbuffet's face!" Instantly, the cat Pokémon jumped in front of its opponent. "Now use Ice Beam!"

The man called out, "Use Mirr—!" But it was too late. The beam of ice left Wobbuffet frozen solid.

"All right, Delcatty, we did it!" Georgio called. "Good job."

Delcatty gave a happy meow to its trainer, and then it returned its attention to the poacher. The man reluctantly called Wobbuffet back, and then he looked around for some way to escape—there was none.

"Now," Georgio said, "if you don't give that Pokémon back, you'll be the one frozen next. Got it?"

Casey, not used to hearing Georgio sound so tough, nearly giggled.

The man stood there, glaring at the group of trainers for a moment.

Georgio was growing impatient. "Fine, have it your way. Delcatty, use Ice—"

"Here ya go!" the man shouted, throwing a Poké Ball Bianca's way. She opened it up right away and found a hurting—but relieved—Pignite. She got down on her knees and gave it a hug.

"I'm so glad you're safe," she said, wiping her tears away. "I wish I could be the trainer you deserve to have."

Using what strength it had left, Pignite gave Bianca a consoling pat on the back.

Watching the scene unfold, Georgio and Casey smiled at each other. But then they returned their attention to the poacher.

"Now, what are we gonna do about you?" Casey asked.

"Nothing," the man replied. He then made a break for his motorcycle because the Toxic Spikes around it had worn off. Revving up real fast, he made one heck of a getaway. Georgio tried having Delcatty use Ice Beam again, but he was too far away by the time everything had registered for him.

"He got away," Georgio mumbled.

"Well, at least we got Pignite back, right?" Casey said.

"Thank you both so much," Bianca said, tearing up some more.

"No problem. Let's get it to the Pokémon Center."