I couldn't hide my excitement as we reached the city.

It wasn't really the city that was important, but rather what we would be doing while there. We would be soon pitted against both strangers and friends to fight for the top spot. It was an open tournament so there was really no way to tell who we would encounter or how strong they would be. We would just have to hope we were stronger or were lucky enough to dodge attacks long enough to deliver enough of our own for it to actually make a difference.

Though, driving through the city to where Brent would drop us off at, it was the last thing on my mind. I was more focused on the familiar buildings that surrounded us as we drove down the highway. Well, the buildings that weren't factories anyway. Despite that, it was still a welcome sight from the forest areas we'd been traveling past the last couple days. We'd stopped enough to do some decent training and to have been given enough time to catch all that we probably would from the area, but I didn't think so.

I had been too focused on training the two pokemon I had with me to catch any others. Specially since they wouldn't even get along with each other, turning every spar into a full out battle was becoming a hassle, but I decided to just let them go, hoping their hate would turn to respect somehow. I even tried to get Ario use his newly caught Kricketot to help me quell them with some soothing music, but no such luck. I remembered him saying that he never really had an interest in Kricketot before, but while he was out gathering supplies to cook with at one of the rest stops he'd heard its soothing sounds and was too mesmerized to not catch it, but apparently when it comes to my pokemon, not even music can sooth the savage beast.

Nate was too engrossed in his own training to really be of much help, but the difference was his training was producing results. Even as I adjusted in my seat, finding a more comfortable position in the passenger side of the truck, I couldn't help but recall how perfect some of those fire attacks Tepig was practicing had become. They were small, but focused. I wouldn't doubt that it could go toe to toe with even a fully evolved grass type with Nate as its trainer. Even Ander had made great leaps in his training of his new Seviper from what I'd noticed between breaks of my own training, or attempted training at least. His style changing almost completely from pokemon to pokemon, his Nosepass acting as a set cannon in battles from what I've noticed, while Seviper was always actively slithering around the field, always launching attacks when its opponent was weakest or most vulnerable.

I could have went all day listing every small thing that was setting everyone apart from me at that point, but it was once again Nate that had pissed me off the most. We'd both taken a small break from training and had gone to help Ario get supplies, unluckily we'd encountered a rather vicious pokemon that was out doing the same - Ursaring. They weren't uncommon in woodland areas, yet the three of us were dumbfounded, shocked expressions frozen on our faces as we and the pokemon just stared at each other.

It didn't last too long.

The ursaring was the first to react, its expression quickly changing to anger as it raised its paws high into the air, I had to literally push Nate out of the way as he marveled at it, the beast's paws hitting the ground where we once stood as its eyes trailed after us, the rest of it soon following as it gave chase. Nate had been so focused on getting his camera focused on it before anything else, while me and Ario were strictly focused on escaping to see another day. It was when we dared to look over our shoulder to see it preparing a ball of yellow energy in its mouth that things took a turn to our favor, however, Ironic that may seem.

"Mirror Move!" I heard Nate command as he dropped Chatot's ball, stopping as me and Ario kept running for a few steps, finally stopping once we realized that Nate had. The multicolored bird had prepared its own ball of yellow energy in its beak rather quickly seeing as the two pokemon released the attacks at the same time, the collision of the two sending a shock wave over the area similar to a very strong gust of wind. I actually had to cover my eyes to avoid getting leaves and small pieces of dirt in them.

Ario and I were sure that he would return Chatot to its ball and run while it was recharging, but once again, Nate proved to be thinking ahead of all of us.

Tepig had been released into the fray and commanded to launch several Flame Charges at it, the attack basically inflicting damage while boosting its speed, ultimately letting it deal more damage than any other attack could while it recharged. However, it wasn't beaten, in fact, it was only angrier. Ario and I were just speechless, watching Ursaring smash the ground where Tepig once stood. It always failed to hit it due to its increased speed, but in a blind rage it continued to try all the same. It was a powerful pokemon, I had to give it that.

Tired from its senseless fighting, it had been a simple effort to hit it with several attacks at that point, but it refused to go down. In a move that surprised us all, it landed a blow on Tepig, sending it flying into Chatot, essentially knocking them both to the ground. Nate just held the camera, his face one of surprise as the pokemon reached him, standing over him, towering over him more like, its eyes glaring at him as Nate's eyes shifted over to Chatot which was currently struggling to get out from under the fainted Tepig. I exchanged a nod with Ario, we had to act.

Treecko, Starly, Kricketot, and Munchlax were out in a second.

Treecko and Starly using Quick Attack to push it back a little, while Munchlax with its confusing nickname used Toxic, hitting it directly, Kricktetot just growling at it. I couldn't help but groan, the little bug type had the ability to growl, but it was the farthest thing from intimidating. I had thought we'd done some good damage, but apparently from Nate's worried expression, most ursaring have the ability Guts. Judging from the aura surrounding it as it roared with what sounded like renewed power, it did as well.

"Fuck." I remember cursing. A curse that Chatot repeated as it finally worked its way back into the fray. It really didn't get too eventful after that, our pokemon managing to dodge many of its attacks while delivering their own. Near the end of the fight I remember trying to convince Nate to recall his team and run for it with us, but he refused, his eyes filled with determination as he gripped a third pokeball. He wouldn't. After another Mirror Move from Chatot at Ursaring's second attempt at Hyper Beam, me and Ario looked on with worry as we both realized he would.

He did it too, bastard.

"Still bummed Nate caught Ursaring?" Brent asked, as if he could see into my mind and tell I was reliving it.

"Pretty much. I have no chance to beat him now. Type advantages plus a hulking Ursaring that can take on an army isn't exactly favorable odds." I explained. "The only upside is that Ursaring doesn't listen to him. Least not yet." I added bitterly.

"Ya really thinking too much into this," Brent said, his eyes never leaving the road. "Ya don't think about a battle, least not the ones between friends. Ya just battle, have fun, test some theories, and if you win you just enjoy it." Once again, he was right. "It's this tournament that you wanna be focusing on right now. That or the gym battle coming up."

"The closest gym is in the same city as the tournament. A grass gym if I'm not mistaken."

"Ya ain't." Brent confirmed. "I wouldn't even be surprised if this tournament is being used as a kind of kick-off for the League this year. I mean, it is the same city as the Gym that many trainers start with."

"Well Nate wouldn't have a problem. Molly either. Ander I'm sure would be good, same as Scott." I listed.

"Don't worry about them. Worry about ya own battle." He advised. "I don't really have to worry about you though, I've watched ya pout about something, only for you to get out the truck at the rest stop and do exactly what you were worried about as if it were natural to ya. It's just ya nerves." He finished as we pulled into a Walmart parking lot.

"Walmart? Really?" I asked as he stopped the truck near the back of the lot.

"What? I got something I wanna buy." He answered defensively as he climbed out the truck to open the back for the others. "I'm afraid this is as far as we go Mel."

"Only for the moment I'm sure," Mrs. McCarty replied sweetly. "It's always different being around you." Brent had apparently heard that before because he wasn't phased by the words at all, in fact, he chuckled. I couldn't help but agree with her though, he was just odd, but it was kind of redeeming about him.

"I'll probably stay here for the rest of the day, so don't be afraid to call the back of the truck home for a little while longer." He explained before turning to walk towards Walmart, having to sidestep to avoid Scott who was currently losing his lunch on the ground behind him. Several of the girls stepping back while the rest just looked away with disgusted looks.

"Poor Scott, he won't get a girl from class if they keep relating him to this image," Ben said, walking up beside me. "I think this is like his third time doing this! Least he makes it out of the truck first though."

"He'll be fine!" Vildus chimed in. "He just needs a little iron in his diet!" It had been intended as a joke, but it just wasn't funny to anyone besides Ben. "Well he got it," Vildus stated as he clapped him on the shoulder.

"We should get moving. We have three days until the tournament and we have yet to register!"

"I thought we had to walk to the city still?" Chevano asked, his Absol out beside him. "I remember someone saying that he would only be able to get us to the state."

"Well that was true originally, but thankfully he managed to work it out so he could take us to the city itself." Mrs. McCarty explained. "He always was able to better than what he originally predicts. Part of what got him surprisingly far when we were your age."

"That and the fact his delivery on Friday is to a company run by a buddy of his off the books so he can really just be as late as he wants to be." I explained. One of the many joys of having been seated in the passenger seat far longer than intended because of how much Brent told the Teacher he liked my company.

"Well I'll go check into a hotel room for us all if anyone would like to come, otherwise stay here by the truck and once I get back we will head to the Center and register."

I just watched as she left with Ario and Chevano. Ario having went to make sure the place had good food, while Chevano I'm sure just went for a change in scenery. We'd all pretty much decided to just sit back and relax, the sun was pretty high in the sky, and no one could see a cloud in it. No one really knew how long they would take so everyone had pretty much just decided that it wasn't worth it to start training and get interrupted, so we all sat down somewhere and chilled.

Least until that got boring.

"I'm gonna go explore the place." I explained as I stood up, eager to finally stretch my legs. "Who wants to come?"

"What about Teacher telling us to stay put?" Nate asked. I knew he would, just like he knew what my response would be.

"Tell her I went into Walmart to find Brent and call me. I won't go too far." I answered dismissively, walking away from everyone.

I didn't really have a destination in mind, but if I managed to find the Gym as I walked I wouldn't have complained in the slightest. All I did was follow the street down, careful to make it so I couldn't get lost when I would inevitably get the call saying I would have to hurry back, but even so, I managed to find the Pokemon Center. Yet a rather large crowd was gathering in the front of it. My interest captured, I decided to get closer and see what was going on, only for me to see a man standing on a barrel with a bullhorn in his hands, I was more focused on the fact that he dressed like a knight, just like the four people who stood behind him, a large blue 'P' on each of their clothes.

"You really think Pokemon want to be with trainers? That they want to enslaved to follow your commands in battle?" He asked, the crowd murmuring amongst themselves about it. From what I could tell, they had been here speaking for a good bit of time, and from what I could judge, they were some sort of radical group.

"They are our friends!" Someone shouted from the crowd as I managed to sneak my way to its center. "We care for each other like family!"

"LIES!" He bellowed from the bullhorn, his green eyes wide to emphasize the point, his hair hidden under his helmet. "You only believe that so you can blind yourself to the truth of the matter! You are the sole reason for your pokemon not being with its original family right now, living out a peaceful life where it doesn't have to fight for your enjoyment!"

"Then what do you suppose we do?" Another voice asked, one almost eerily close to me.

"We of Team Plasma suggest that trainers liberate their pokemon so Lord Ghetsis can realize his vision! So we all can realize the vision of a perfect world where everyone is equal with that of Pokemon!" I couldn't lie that they were saying all the right things to convince people, but my bet is that half of the people in the crowd if not all, were never trainers. They could only look in on the feelings that trainers have for their pokemon and make the choice if its right or wrong. They talk about liberation and perfect worlds, but everything they were saying struck me as fishy.

"What of those people who don't wish to liberate their pokemon?" Someone asked. Of course they would, but have they not seen a movie? Asking a question like that to a radical group with a crowd leaning towards their beliefs is like playing Russian Roulette with a Automatic. It wouldn't end good.

"That, my friend, is why Team Plasma have decided to wait until our purpose is finished before we release all of ours - so we can liberate them forcibly from the hands of unfitting trainers!" The crowd went into an uproar. Not the uproar of disgust that would have settled my stomach, but one of agreement, one that sent chills down my spine because as that time I found myself a trainer smack in the middle of the crowd.

"We have a trainer right here!" Several of them called. I had a bad feeling, but as I noticed everyone turn to me, I knew it wasn't just a feeling anymore. It was defiantly bad.

"Ah, my dear lad, do you wish to be a good sport and help the world reach its perfect state?" He asked, no longer using the bullhorn, instead passing it to one of the people standing behind him as he got off the barrel and began to walk towards me. The crowd parting to let him reach me.

"No." I had apparently offended the crowd, but the man just smiled.

"You are here to attend the tournament correct?" I nodded. "Well have you ever wondered if your pokemon don't want to fight for you? What if its the pokeball that is making them loyal to you and not their own feelings?" I shook my head. I mean, I wasn't going to lie to them. I wasn't going to let them intimidate me either.

"Have you ever wondered why the police are never around when you need them?" I asked, a joking tone to cover up the seriousness.

"That would be simply because we are employing the freedom of free speech and assembly. No laws are being broken, we are all behaving like the adults we are. We are guilty of having an enlightened discussion at most." He circled me, as if daring me to try to poke another hole into his idea, into their idea.

"I see you have media coverage though." I noted as a camera man began to make it through the crowd to catch the exchange.

"I invited them. We have nothing to hide."

"Nothing? You just said to forcibly remove pokemon from the care of their trainers!" I exclaimed.

"You really should listen better. I said to remove them from the care of unfitting trainers. We are doing a public service to pokemon being abused by fighting in battles that they needn't have to." This guy was good. I don't know whether it was because the camera was there or not, but I kind of regret saying what I said next.

"Then why not fight in the tournament and show us what a pokemon that actually wants to fight for its trainer looks like? I bet you can't because you're spouting a bunch of hot air." I wanted to cuss so badly, but I didn't know if it was local news or not so I couldn't risk my parents seeing it. He was taken aback by the question but quickly recovered, offering a small smile.

"I think we'll be keeping our eye on you."

"Miles." I offered with a cocky smirk. I mean, they would have found out from the tournament anyway.

"Miles, huh? Well Miles, I'd train up, you've made yourself some powerful enemies." He whispered to me, careful that the camera didn't catch it. Like I fucking care who they were.

"We are done here!" He called, his four friends beginning to walk away. "Oh and Miles, I never could control the actions of the crowd." He cryptically warned. As soon as the words were out of his mouth the crowd went crazy, each of them pushing past each other to try to reach me as I ran down the quickly closing gap made for the Plasma member's escape. I felt bad for the camera guy, caught in the raging crowd was never something someone wakes up wishing to have happen to them.

"Son of a bitch!" I yelled as I ran, barely able to escape from the middle of the crowd, but still a long way from being able to escape them chasing me. I had managed to turn down an ally, effectively losing them. I couldn't tell you how happy I felt watching them all run past where I actually was. Then how trapped I felt when I heard my phone ringing and someone stopped and pointed me out. "God damn it Nate!"

It was a stand off, my back to the chain link fence at the end of the alley, and the angry crowd that just stood there, watching me at the other.

"What are you waiting for? Your new master's command?"

"Actually yes," The familiar voice of the man stated, I looked up to see him standing atop the building to my right, his Kadabra standing beside him. It didn't take much to line the pieces of how he'd gotten there up. "What loyal followers would they be if they didn't wait for my command?"

"Your exactly like I thought you were when the camera isn't on you." I explained, allowing my smirk to remain on my face.

"Powerful? In charge? Commanding?" He offered smugly.

"Assholish." He did take offensive to that.

"I did tell you to train hard, but it appears in the end you were unprepared. I was hoping you'd be more than just a mouth." He explained with a shrug. "Get him."

"I really hate the city!"

The nearest man moved to punch me, but the sound of the fence being moved alerted me to someone hopping it at the same instant. The fist was caught in the hand of the new arrival to our little party, a lollipop sticking out of his mouth as he struggled to keep the shocked man at bay. My savior was in my class, I knew that much, the grey hoodie and lolly was something that wouldn't miss my vision, but the fact that he was five foot eleven and had brown eyes with black hair kept in a buzz cut was something I had regrettably failed to notice until he was right in front of me, doing something that kind of forced my attention to fall on him.

"I knew you'd get me into trouble someday." He explained to me, his eyes still on the man that stood before him, struggling to drive his fist through his grip and into my face as originally intended.

"I'm sorry. This is a bad time, but who are you? I've never heard your name."

"Matthew Williams." He answered. "And as much as I would like to stay here and hold this guy off from you. Elekid here really wants to go to sleep." He explained sarcastically. I hadn't even noticed the Elekid before that stood below him, but as it readied a punch, its fist covered in electricity, it became very clear that the guy trying to punch me hadn't either. The yellow and black pokemon jabbed its fist into the guys stomach, his eyes going wide as the electricity flowed into his body shortly before he was spent flying backwards into the stunned crowd of people. I hoped they would decided to leave now after that display, but the man on the roof just wouldn't have any of it.

"Don't you see? They are not satisfied from forcing their pokemon to fight other pokemon, so now they turn their attention to us! They are unfit!"

"You see what I've had to fucking deal with?" I complained as the crowd started chanting, its members getting riled up again.

"We caught bits of it on the news." He nodded.

"Attack him! Put an end to this madness!"

"Enough!" I heard a familiar voice bellow. A strong electric attack capturing my attention as it was fired from the top of the building to my left towards the man on the roof of the building to my right. The attack missed by inches from what I could tell, but it seemed to just be a warning shot. "I've had enough of this foolishness." Mrs. McCarty explained as she stepped into view on the edge of the buildings roof, her Luxray standing beside her. "The next shot won't miss." She was kind of scary.

"I see I should do as my followers and admit this one a loss." He admitted, his green eyes looking down towards the crowd in front of us, once standing strong and proud in their belief, currently running in fear in the opposite direction. "We will meet again." With that he was gone. Mrs. McCarty shook her head in irritation before berated me.

"I told you to stay put!" I couldn't even offer her any lies or excuses, I just sat their and took her words in. I had bigger things to be worried about now. Least for the moment, I wouldn't let it get me down for too long. "I have half a mind to suspend you from taking part in the tournament!" She exclaimed as we were in the Center registering. It was my turn to walk up and register when she had said it so I paused.

"I have to do this! I can't just let them win knowing that I backed out because of that! I'm not letting them get that satisfaction! I'm joining, and I'm winning!" I told her, looking to Nate who gave a smirk of challenge in response. I didn't see the Teacher's smirk as I walked up and handed the nurse my ID, but I knew she had one. It was just how she was I guess.

"Here you go. Don't lose it." The nurse advised as she handed me an ID card. "You're registered for both the tournament and the League. That ID will act as your training license. You will be required to present it at the Gym's and at your matches in the tournament." I nodded and took the information in. My mind really only focused on the training I would become engrossed in over the next couple days. Looking down though, all of it was pushed further into my mind, and for a little while, I just looked in awe.

I just stared at my picture, a smile on my face despite all that had happened that day, because it was still only beginning, and even if the end was in sight, I wasn't going to go quietly.


Authors Note: And another chapter out. This one I decided to make pretty eventful in the interest of plot. Team Plasma is back everyone! They aren't the only ones either though just so you know cause I figured if America is a big melting pot, why not having some of the regions gangs be migrated over to try to claim more followers? Anyway not much to say because I've been sick, and a little out of it, but I'm starting to get back to 100% so I should be updating again pretty soon.

I hope there isn't anything wrong with this, but if there is I will mostly be pointed to it and will edit it soon after that.

I did manage to introduce a new character! Pretty memorable introduction if I do say so myself. We learn about what has happened to some of the others in passing. Even though none of the other characters will really be given as much time as Nate and Miles in the spot light, I'm confidant that the time they will get in the near future will be equal if not better than theirs. So bear with me a little bit.

Anyway, read, review, favorite, follow, pass along to friends to do exactly that. Later.