"Let's go!" Lutari suggested to her friends, though she began rushing toward the forest without waiting for a reply.

Inside of the forest, trainers were gathered around a large tree, watching in fear as a young trainer's Pokemon struggled, covered in a mysterious white entanglement. "What happened?" Lutari shoved her way through the crowd and approached the frightened trainer.

"My Weedle got captured in this disgusting web! It's hurting my Pokemon and I don't know what to do!" She cried, and Lutari noticed that the Pokemon was surrounded in a silky white web, suffocating it as it struggled to escape the binding tangle.

"Were you trying to catch a wild Pokemon?"

"No, Weedle and I were just walking through the grass when it got caught!" A bright green Pokemon that resembled a spider was scittering toward it, it's shiny red pinchers threatening all who approached. Tenko, who had arrived just a few seconds after Lutari, took the Pokedex from her rucksack and held it up to the spider like Pokemon.

"Spinarak, the String Spit Pokemon."

"Eew!" Tenko commented.

"Spinarak has the ability to make a sticky web, and then waits patiently until prey becomes ensnared." Said the Pokedex. "Spinarak will then prepare to devour the prey. Spinarak can also-"

"It's going to eat my Weedle!" The girl exclaimed, interrupting the Pokedex. This new information had only made the girl panic more, as she had brought her hands to her mouth and was rocking back and foreth.

"Not if I can help it! Mudkip, use water gun!" Lutari shouted as she released Mudkip from it's Pokeball.

Mudkip rushed toward the Spinarak, hurling a stream of strong water from its mouth. The Spinarak moved out of the way, but not quick enough. The water gun caused it to flop onto it's back and it struggled to get up. "Ha! It's a lot weaker than it looks!"

"Lutari, Bug Pokemon aren't weak against Water Pokemon! You won't have a chance of beating it with your Mudkip!" Tenko reminded her, as the Spinarak already got onto it's legs again. This time it was ready for a battle.

The Spinarak was moving at lightning speed toward Mudkip, and injected the little Water Pokemon with a needle on the top of it's head. Mudkip wailed in pain. "That's a poison sting attack!" Tenko shouted, as purple bubbles appeared at Mudkip's mouth. "Lutari, return your Mudkip. It's poisoned!"

Lutari quickly returned Mudkip into it's Pokeball. "What are we going to do?"

"Leave it to me," Tenko tossed Elecktrike's Pokeball onto the field. "Elecktrike, Thundershock!"

Sparks rippled up and down Elecktrike's skinny green body, and a huge flash of lightning emerged. The electric attack rushed toward the Spinarak, blowing right through the Spider Web attack it had just launched. The Spinarak was slightly scorched, and it spat angrily as it shook ashes from its dark green skin. "Now, use thunder wave and finish it off with a tackle!" Tenko ordered.

"Elecktrike!" The Pokemon acknowledged, its fur sparking like embers crackling about a fire.

Another wave of lightning shocked the Spinarak, but this time, the Spinarak seemed paralyzed. It couldn't move, it was layed out on its back, perfectly vulnerable to a tackle. Elecktrike pounced on the Spinarak with such force, it was immediately KOed. "Now it's your turn. Lutari, capture it!"

A little confused, Lutari took the Pokeball that Tenko just handed her. It was time to catch her first Pokemon! But how could she catch a Pokemon that Tenko had defeated for her? It wouldn't be right; Tenko deserved the Pokemon. "Tenko, I-"

"Lutari, hurry before it wakes up!"

"O-okay! Pokeball, go!" Lutari tossed the Pokeball at the Spinarak, and a blue beam enveloped the Spinarak before the Pokeball swallowed it inside. "I did it!"

"No, not yet. Look!" The Pokeball was rocking back and foreth, the white button in the center glowing red, as if reflecting the rage the Spinarak felt. The Pokemon was struggling to escape. But just as quickly as it had been caught in the Pokeball, the Spinarak stopped struggling and gave up. Spinarak was captured!

The crowd of students who had been observing the battle broke into loud cries of approval, and the trainer who's Pokemon had been hurt had a grateful look on her face. "Oh, thank you!" She weeped, rushing over to her Weedle; a pale orange Pokemon that resembled a large caterpillar. The girl picked it up in her arms and sprayed its wounds with a strange looking potion she retrieved from her backpack. "How can I ever repay you?"

Lutari was about to answer, but the trainer was not looking at her. Instead she was staring at Tenko, who appeared flustered. Her cheeks were red as apples. "I-oh, you really don't need to repay me. Just make sure your Weedle gets better!" Tenko said, and she turned to Lutari. "What's wrong?" She asked.

Lutari was looking at Tenko with a hostile glance, feeling a pang of jealousy and regret. Why couldn't she ever win a battle? Tenko had beat the Pokemon for her. There was no way she could train the Spinarak without feeling uneasy about it, and Tenko did deserve the Spinarak more so than she did. Lutari had tried her best the help the troubled trainer, but even so, it was Tenko who should own the Pokemon.

Lutari bent over to pick up the newly caught Spinarak, which was sitting quietly in its Pokeball, no longer trying to escape. She forced it into Tenko's hand. "You beat it, you take it."

Tenko stared at her with a green eyed glare, which was unexpectedly angry. "You caught it, you take it."

"I only caught it because you told me to!" Lutari's mouth was twisted up as if she was tasting something bitter.

Tenko was about to retort, before realizing that the horde of people had not yet departed and were staring at them with pricked interest. "Back off!" She screamed at them, causing even Lutari to jump with surprise. The words were carried so fiercly toward the unexpecting crowd that it was like a knife slicing through hot bread. Lutari didn't know Tenko could be so callous, or even had the ability to scream with such an abhorrence in her voice. The crowd immediately vanished, muttering nasty things. Tenko ignored them, and turned back to Lutari, her eyes flickering like flames. "You should be more grateful. I helped you catch your Pokemon!"

"I wouldn't consider that helping. You completely took over!"

"That's because your Mudkip was poisoned!"

"I didn't mean that in an insulting way. I mean, you beat the Pokemon, why should I take ownership of it?"

Tenko's tense shoulders reclined, but the fierce aggravation that had built up in her eyes was still there. The glare dissipated abruptly, and Tenko looked up as a familiar figure approached. It was Sage. "Where have you been?" She asked, sounding like an impatient mother yelling at a child who had stayed out past it's curfew.

Sage looked slightly surprised before his calm gaze reappeared. "I've been here the whole time, but there were so many people I couldn't find you." There was an awkward silence; the only thing that made noise was the chirping of cicadas, hidden somewhere in the leaves. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing."

Lutari and Sage exchanged a concerned glance. Lutari had no clue what she had done wrong by offering Tenko the Pokemon that she deserved. She was even becoming slightly unsure of letting Tenko into her party. Lutari realized with dismay that her friend was too unpredictable to be trusted.

"I'm leaving, I have things to do." Tenko shoved past the two, and pushed through the tangle of twigs and tree branches blocking her path.

"Isn't what you're doing right now a 'thing'?" Lutari commented under her breath.

The moment her presence had disappeared, Sage looked down at Lutari with his cold white gaze. "Aren't you going to tell me what happened?" Sage asked, though it sounded more like a command then a question.

Lutari confided in him, her voice a hushed whisper. Sage seemed surprised. "People say strange things when they get angry; it happens."

"But I didn't do anything wrong. I wanted to give her the Spinarak back, because when she told me bug Pokemon aren't weak against water, I-"

"She told you that?" Sage looked down at Lutari with concern. Lutari just nodded dumbly, wondering why Sage seemed so worried. "You know, bug Pokemon are actually really weak against water."

"T-they are? Then why did she tell me that Mudkip couldn't beat Spinarak?"

"I don't know," Sage looked thoughtful. "Did she happen to do anything else suspicious?"

"Well, Tenko took the Pokeballs, the lemonade, and the antidotes with her. Now Mudkip is in its Pokeball, intoxicated."

"Mudkip was poisoned?"

Lutari nodded.

"It needs to see Nurse Joy right away then." He said hurriedly. Lutari hesitated, unnerved. What if Mudkip was already dead? "Come on!" Sage knocked her back to her senses, and the two rushed toward the Pokemon Center in silence through the forest.

Mudkip was sent to the ER, and Lutari had crumpled to the floor in tears. "What was I thinking?!" She choked guiltily. Sage was sitting beside her. The two were in the Pokemon Center, and although night had already fallen over Sunbreak Town, they would wait until Mudkip was healthy again. "Mudkip is going to die, and all because of my irresponsibility." She looked up at Sage, her eyes clouded with grief. "Were they all right? Am I really too harebrained to have a Pokemon?"

Sage had a look of compassion on his face, but it was only empathy. He was more knowledged, and knew for a fact that Pokemon who were poisoned should be given an antidote as soon as possible. So why hadn't Tenko told her that? Sage leaned over and placed his warm hand on Lutari's shoulder. "Relax. Mudkip'll be fine."

Lutari looked away. She couldn't bare for him to see her looking so pathetic. "Why are you waiting here with me? You should be angry with me; I-"

"Shh, quiet. You're just worried," Sage said. "I'm sure Mudkip will be happy to know that you're so concerned about it."

Lutari sniffed loudly, wiping her wet cheeks on her tangerine orange shirt. "Really?" She stood up, though her legs were trembling. Suddenly, she felt a whole lot better.

"Have you called your mother?"

Lutari quickly bolted upright. "Shoot, I forgot! She's probably worried sick!" Lutari scrabbled toward the video-phone in the corner of the Pokemon Center, set up on a gray desk with a blue cushioned chair in front

Lutari plopped down on the chair and dialed her home phone, fingers moving quickly. Lutari's mother appeared on the screen on just the first ring, an outraged look on her face. Although her picture was just a grainy, staticky image, she still managed to look absolutely furious. "Mom! I am so sorry, I have an explanation."

"Explain up, then."

"My Mudkip was poisoned and it had to be taken to the emergency room. Sage and I are going to wait here for it to get better."

"Your Mudkip is already... I haven't even seen the poor thing yet!"

"I know, I was trying to play the hero and my Mudkip ended up paying for it. Is it okay if we stay here for the night?"

"Who is 'we'?"

"Sage and I."

There was a short silence. "And who is Sage?"

"It's a boy from my class, he's my frie-"

"A boy?! You plan on spending the night with a boy? Absolutely not!"

"Mother! That's not at all what this is about. I don't have time to worry about those petty little things; Sage is here to support me and if he wants to stay with me, he can!"

"Listen, young lady, I-" Lutari's finger was moving toward the "off" button. "Don't you dare hang up on me! Don't you-" Click. The image of Lutari's mother had vanished off the screen, and her shrill voice had disappeared after a wave of static filled Lutari's ears.

Lutari stood up from the desk, and made her way back over to Sage who was waiting patiently. He seemed to be gazing at her, but more closely observed, Sage's eyes were staring at something that only he could see. "How about we rent a room here?" Lutari suggested lightly. A rumble of thunder outside confirmed her question.

It had been a long, exhausting day, but Lutari couldn't close her eyes for more than second before Mudkip appeared underneath her eyelids. She remembered the purple foam secreting at Mudkip's mouth after it had been attacked; how could she have been so stupid? It should have been obvious that Mudkip needed urgent care, yet for some reason Tenko didn't tell her. Even if Tenko really didn't like Lutari, that was no reason to put an innocent Pokemon's life in danger.

Lutari rolled over, having trouble finding a comfortable position on the springy bed they had rented at the Pokemon Center. She gazed boredly at the window, rain sloshing down the side. Sage was on the right side of her, and the two had tried to spread out as far as possible. Lutari was nearly on the edge of the bed, finding it rather embarrassing to share a bed with a boy.

Sitting up in the bed, Lutari brushed her bangs from her face and sighed. She was still dressed in the clothes she been wearing all day; a long, orange shirt, the color of the setting sun, the collar flipped upwards against her thin neck. A maroon miniskirt hung a few inches above her thighs, revealing her knobby knees. Lutari climbed out of the bed, trying not to awake Sage, and exited the room. She moved quietly toward the main room in the Pokemon Center, hoping to see her Mudkip completely cured, waiting for her in its Pokeball. Instead, she heard voices; a kind, gentle voice belonged to Nurse Joy, but the other was unknown to her. It was a female, no question, but Lutari couldn't recognize it.

"--can't be serious, Officer. Bark Town has always been known for it's peaceful atmosphere." Said Nurse Joy, her voice full of worry.

"I know. Sadly, it won't hold such a reputation for long." Replied the stranger. Lutari could hear that she was pacing about the room.

"How many Pokemon was it?"

"Four. It's a wonder that the thieves haven't been caught yet. You don't think I'm losing my touch, do you?"

Nurse Joy gave a forced laugh. "Officer Jenny, you and your sisters have never been sharper. But as they say, you can't win them all."

"Maybe we can't, but we'll sure as heck try. Keep an eye out, Nurse Joy. I'll be on my way back to Bark Town at dawn."

"Do you plan on rooming here for the night?" Nurse Joy offered kindly. "We have plenty of rooms left over, and it's a nasty storm outside."

"Sounds good to me!"

"I'll take you upstairs."

Hearing their footsteps approaching, Lutari quickly rushed into the nearest room she could find, which was luckily a female bathroom. The moment Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny passed by, Lutari came out, and Nurse Joy cocked her head to the side to see who was behind her. "Oh, Lutari. Having trouble sleeping?"

"I'm afraid so. I've been worried about Mudkip all night." That was completely true; luckily they didn't deduce the fact that she had listened to their secretive conversation. But perhaps it would have been more logical if Officer Jenny reduced her rather loud tone of voice.

Officer Jenny turned around, her pointy turquoise hair drooping over her shoulders. It appeared as if she had just came in from the raging storm outside, as her navy blue uniform was soaked, and forming a small puddle beneath her black pumps. "What's wrong with your Pokemon? It didn't get stolen, did it?" She seemed anxious, though more excited than concerned.

Lutari flashed her an offended glance; officer or not, she wouldn't tolerate her rudeness. "No, it was poisoned in a battle, and was rushed to the Emergency Room."

Officer Jenny looked disappointed, and adjusted the navy blue cap on her head as an excuse to avoid Lutari's irritated gaze. Nurse Joy placed a comforting hand on Lutari's shoulder. "There's nothing to worry about, dear. Your Mudkip has been given a strong antidote and is currently resting. It should be good as new by sunrise."

Lutari's thin lips began to turn upward at the ends. "Really? That's great news, Nurse Joy. Thanks again for taking care of it." Lutari bobbed her head in a quick bow, and hurried past the two professionals to get some sleep.

Almost forgetting that someone else was in the bed, Lutari flopped onto the sheeted mattress and let out a sigh of relief. "What're you doing?" Came Sage's voice, groggy with sleep. He blinked into wakeness, sitting up in the bed.

"Oops, sorry," Lutari apologized quickly. "I just went downstairs to talk to Nurse Joy. She said Mudkip would be fine!"

"Well, what'd I tell you?"

Lutari smiled. "You told me just what Nurse Joy did. Are you sure there's no wise old man living inside your head?" She teased. Sage's only response was a wide yawn, and following he flopped back onto the bed and turned his back to her.

Lutari wasn't upset by his bad mood. She was just happy that Mudkip would be all right.

"Goodnight!" Lutari plopped her head down on the feathery pillow, and sleep overcame her instantly. She was now convinced that everything would be all right.