A/N: Sorry this took so long. -_- Seems like I've been saying that with each update. In any case, here's the next chapter. 8D; Things pick right up, as maybe a sort of apology for all the lack of action.
There are going to be two direct quotes from the game, see if you can pick 'em out. C:
Also, I know that Pelipper is more like a pelican than a seagull, but Wingull is the seagull Pokémon; and for the most part the evolutions keep the tag don't they? Pikachu and Raichu are both mouse pokemon... And all of Charmander's evolutions are referred to as lizard Pokémon, right? ;_;
Part 7:
What Makes a Team!
Kiba couldn't remember ever feeling angrier than he did now. Hackles rising, he stalked forward feeling fire build in his chest.
"You wanna say that again?" he snarled at Gengar, fur bristling. "Go ahead- say it again. Give me an excuse to kick your ass."
The ghost Pokèmon looked appropriately alarmed and backed up a step before remembering himself- and the crowd they'd gathered, there in the center of the Square. "What's it to you, Growlithe?" he sneered, eyeing Kiba warily.
Kiba bared his badge proudly. "I'm a member of Team Blue. She's my captain." He crouched slightly, and cackled inwardly when Gengar flinched. Such a coward. "Don't insult her where I can hear it."
"Aww, defending my honor, Puppy?"
Kiba whipped around, ears perking up as Kai and Akira pushed their way through the crowd to him. "Shut up, Akira," he said cheerfully, moving to join them where they stood across from Gengar and his team. "You have Kai for that. I'm defending my team's honor." Kai gave him a dry look that made him grin, and he continued accusingly, "This guy here says all the natural disasters are your fault. Can I roast him?"
"Since when has violence ever been the answer?" Akira smiled and patted his head, and he picked up her unhappiness in an instant. "No, Kiba, best leave this to Kai. He's our diplomat after all."
Kai shook his head and ignored them both, moving forward a little. "Gengar, what's going on now? Haven't you caused enough problems for us lately?"
"Poor Kai," the purple Pokémon sneered. "You got caught up in all this. You should've stayed away from the strange Pikachu instead of making friends with it." When Kai's scarlet eyes narrowed dangerously, Gengar continued, "I followed you to the Hill of the Ancients- I heard everything Xatu said."
Kiba felt Akira tense next to him, and with everything he had he hated Gengar. Kai said quietly, "Really? Everything? Or just what you wanted to hear?"
Gengar turned to the rest of the Pokémon gathered there, and called, "You all know of the legend- a human abandoned his Pokémon, who gave its life to save him, and was cursed by Ninetails for his greed." Gengar turned to look past Kai at Akira, who stood staring at him with her brilliant silver eyes.
"You were the human cursed into a Pokémon, weren't you?" he accused. "None of these disasters started until you arrived! So getting rid of you should solve everything!"
Lombre glanced at Akira in horror. "Is that true?"
The Pikachu didn't say anything, only stared straight ahead at Gengar, who cackled as Pokémon moved past him towards her. Kiba wanted to chomp her ear off for not defending herself against the accusations- Kai had it right, there was no way it was her- but crowded in close to her instead, serving as a physical reminder that whoever wanted to get to his captain had to go through him first.
Someone lunged and he turned towards them with a snarl, but a very familiar cat Pokémon got there first; slashing out with wicked claws, and sending the Machop down with a face-full of blood.
"You should get movin'," Kite drawled, tail whipping behind him as he eyed the oncoming crowd with glittering eyes. "Your friends here aren't actin' all that friendly."
"He's right," Kai said, backing up to join them. He touched Akira's arm and gave her a fierce look. "It's time to go."
Akira's eyes were distant when she nodded; Kai threw Kiba a look over her head as he tugged her back towards the bridge. Kiba had no idea what it was supposed to mean, but started to follow anyway, before stopping abruptly and spinning back around. Kite was crouched, hissing at an approaching Cubone and Charmeleon, his fur bristled; Kiba ran back and grabbed him by the scruff, hauling him out of harm's way and rushing after the rest of their team.
"What're you doin'?" Kite managed to sound only mildly ruffled, and given the circumstances Kiba had to give him a few points for that. He dropped him to the ground, and was gratified to see the Meowth fall into step with him as they ran down the beaten path.
"You don't have your badge yet, but you're still a member of the team," he explained without looking at him. "I wasn't going to leave you to fend for yourself."
A beat of silence preceded a thoughtful, "I see," and Kite let it go at that.
Kiba was glad for it, and continued, "That being said, we'll need to pick up the pace a little. They'll try to leave us behind."
Kite laughed dryly. "Should've figured that."
Kai and Kite sat against the mailbox as Akira and Kiba had their heated argument. Kai was tying a navy blue scarf around Kite's neck, as the cat Pokémon swished his tail good-naturedly.
"Any particular reason you don't want us comin' along?" the Meowth asked, pitching his voice to be heard against the others' raised voices.
"Personally, I think you'll be in just as much trouble if you stay, especially since the rest of them saw you helping us," Kai said, pinning Blue's silver badge onto the cloth. "But the trip will be dangerous- really dangerous- and Akira doesn't want to get you two that deeply involved. It'll break her heart if you come to hate her for it."
Kite watched him with slitted eyes. "But you're going with her."
Kai smiled defiantly. "Always."
A grin curled across Kite's face and he murmured, "So that's how it is. Loyal to a fault, aren't you, co-captain?" That grin widened when Kai flushed and muttered under his breath. "Modesty becomes you. Nevertheless, she knows it's futile, right? We're comin' with you."
The Squirtle sighed, resting his chin in his paw and watching the Pikachu in question spark in agitation at their stubborn Growlithe. "She'll figure it out soon enough."
"I hope we're not interrupting," a sudden grave voice said, and immediately the yelling broke off and Kai and Kite were on their feet.
Alazakam, Charizard and Tyranitar were moving towards them from the direction of the Square. Kiba crouched defensively, eyeing the bigger Pokémon warily.
It was Kite who spoke up, sauntering up next to his new team to face Alakazam down fearlessly. "I suppose you decided to step up and call a vote, right?"
A moment of silence followed the Meowth's query, and then Alakazam conceded with a nod.
Kai folded his arms. "And those poor panicked Pokémon who think they have a solution voted to kick us out."
"No," Tyranitar rumbled. "They voted to bring you down."
Kiba showed his teeth, giving his opinion loud and clear, and Kite murmured, "My, my." Akira glanced uneasily at Kai, who gripped her paw.
"You know you'll have to fight us all to get to her," he told them quietly. "And don't you dare write us off, we fought Zapdos and won."
"You'll have to tell me that story sometime," Kite whispered to Kiba, who grinned.
Alakazam was watching them closely, face aged and wise and unyielding. After what seemed like an eternity, when Kiba was twitchy and ready to snap at any sudden move, the psychic Pokémon stepped back.
"We can buy you some time," Charizard said, sensitive to his leader's moods, and perceptive to his thoughts. "So get going."
"Wha... really?" Kiba straightened; it seemed almost anticlimactic, but he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Alakazam nodded to them, a gesture of concession, and told them gravely, "Against all odds, you must run. Run, run...and survive." He glanced towards Akira, who stood strong, and then looked at Team Blue's newest additions. "You have a good team- but is it wise to drag them into your problems?"
The Pikachu took a deep breath. "It's as much my problem now as it is theirs; they wouldn't butt out if you paid them." Kite closed his eyes in that cat-like expression of contentment; Kiba howled gleefully, and Kai smiled.
"Very well." Alazakam turned to go, and Charizard and Tyranitar turned to follow. "I wish you luck."
The four Pokémon watched them go, then glanced at each other. "This is it," Akira said with a sigh. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry in advance when you're cold and hungry and rained on and realize it's all my fault you're not safe and sound back home."
"Apology accepted," Kite murmured with a sly smile. "Now if we could get a move on?"
"Look," Kiba said suddenly, squinting into the sky. "It's Pelipper!"
The seagull Pokémon swooped low enough to drop an envelope, as it would when it delivered the newspaper or the occasional job request- and then winged off silently, without a word. Kite stretched up on his hind legs and caught the envelope in his teeth, offering it to Kai.
His team leaned in around him as he withdrew the letter.
"'Take care! It's farewell, but only for now,'" Kai read aloud. "'Until the day I can deliver mail to you again, I will be waiting. Signed, the wandering postal carrier, Pelipper.'"
