CHAPTER 6

This is done because I'm an attention whore.

Messa own nuttin'

The Eevee evolution glared at Ben and Ben glared right back. Kit and Pest stood at his sides, each ready to be called forth to battle for their trainer. Ben glanced down at the pair and called Pest into action. The Rattata charged forwards and slammed the orange pokemon in a full bodied tackle, pushing it back a few feet, but not truly knocking it down. The orange pokemon responded with a stream of fire that burned the ground where the purple rat monster had stood moments ago. Pest was already on the offence, racing in a tight spiral, inches away from the fire pokemon's flames and advancing on it's opposition quickly.

Ben waited until Pest was in close before stringing a combination of an old favourite and his partner's latest move "Pest – QUICK ATTACK!" Pest accelerated and shot across the last few feet to slam bodily into his opponent, the fire type dug in it's claws to brace against the impact and Ben grinned "Pest – BITE!" The Rattata bit down on the blond mane and clung there. Ben hoped his partner's teeth were long enough to gain purchase through the dense fur around the fire type's neck. The orange pokemon thrashed and tried to dislodge the smaller purple one, but the tenacious rat monster clung on and the bigger fire type began to slow.

Then the tides turned, the fire type rolled, crushing Pest beneath its weight, then crashed into a stump and forced the rat monster to let go. Pest struggled to his feet, but the blow had clearly rattled him and Ben called him back to his poke-ball. Ben looked down at the Eevee next to him "Looks like it's your time to shine Kit. Go get him!" the Eevee charged forwards and squared up to the bigger monster, as with Pest he would have to use speed and cunning to have any chance against the fire type.

The orange monster drew in a breath and scorching flame leapt towards Kit leaving charred grass in its wake. Ben waited until the last moment before ordering a quick attack, the Eevee didn't run, it didn't jump, it simply disappeared and reappeared in front of the fire type fractions of a second before slamming the bigger monster backwards. Kit may have been small like Pest, but he weighed almost twice as much and was moving at a much greater speed. Ben yelled to Kit to stay on the offensive, calling for a sand attack, followed by another quick attack. The Eevee slammed the blinded fire type and skidded to a halt just outside its attack range.

The orange monster gasped as it tried to recover its breath and Ben realised that now was his chance, he reached back and plucked one of the small red and white balls off his belt, thumbing the button to expand it in his hand. Ben took aim and launched the ball, it sailed true and hit the fire monster in the nose, blood spurted and dematerialized into energy before being dragged back into the ball.

Cory laughed and Ben turned to glare at him "That is the first time I've seen somebody take a blood sample in such a way! You should send that to Professor Oak!" Ben snorted ant turned back to the fire type, he threw another ball and hit the monster on the head, this time things went according to plan and the monster itself was drawn into the ball. The ball bounced and wobbled as the pokemon fought to burst free. Ben Cory and Kit watched the ball as it was battered by the monster, waiting to see the outcome.

…...

Stephanie grinned as the ball pinged and the light dimmed, the Eevee was hers, such a cute little monster it was too, she looked around and spotted Ben and Cory standing some distance away and headed over towards them, the pair were watching a poke-ball as it bounced about the ground. Stephanie quietly moved behind Cory and whispered in his ear "What is it?" Cory nodded at the poke-ball and muttered "No idea, but it has been doing that for nearly five minutes" Stephanie looked back at the ball and breathed "What a stubborn pokemon" Cory nodded and grinned. Stephanie caught a glimpse of Ben's face "It's the fire type. Ben has been battling the Fire type pokemon that was leading the Eevees and who'd have thought he could get such a thing down to capture levels with just two pokemon..." Cory nodded towards Ben's Eevee "...he must have spent hours with them" Finally the ball pinged and the light dimmed yet Ben remained riveted to the spot. Stephanie and Cory stared at him, but Ben didn't move, Stephanie poked him "Uhh Ben?" Stephanie poked him again and Ben Whipped around, caught her in a hug and squeezed her tight.

"I have no idea what it is but I got 'em!" Ben released a blushing Stephanie and started what could only be called a tribal dance, until Ben began singing 'Can't touch this'. Stephanie and Cory nervously glanced about to make sure no civilised person could possibly bear witness to the wrongness of this act. Ben's Eevee, Kit, didn't seem overly impressed with the display either. The exhausted Pokemon lowered its ears and cringed.

…...

Ben cursed and Stephanie punched him then Cory cursed and Stephanie punched him too. The rain lashed against their little cave in the cliff that they had used as their first base sending mud cascading over the entrance, everyone was restless, the walk back to the cave had been so uneventful compared to the wee hours of the morning that everyone felt like they had tonnes of energy that needed to be burned off. Ben picked up the fire pokemon's ball for the umpteenth time and looked at it "Ben, either give that thing a name or put it down and stop fidgeting" Stephanie warned, Ben cursed again and again Stephanie hit him.

Cory stood up "This is getting old, I need to do...something"

Stephanie yawned "Like what? It's raining cats and dogs out there and there's not enough room in here to do much"

"Strip poker?" Ben suggested.

Stephanie pulled her arm back to thump him again and paused "You brought cards?" she glared at him "Why did you not mention this before?"

Ben grinned "Because two years ago you declared you'd never to play me again"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, but I'm not playing for clothes, you'd definitely cheat" to emphasise her point Stephanie pulled a cardigan out of her bag and pulled it over the top of her leather duster. Then sat down across from Ben as he dragged a flat-ish rock between them. Ben shuffled the deck of cards and gave them to Stephanie to cut and deal "Why did you bring cards if you doubted either of us would want to play your cheating ass anyway" she enquired.

Ben grinned "Not everyone in Kanto knows about my fast hands" he waved his hands in a flourish and presented Stephanie with a small blue flower "I figured a second source of income might prove a good idea." Stephanie chuckled as she took the flower and put it in her hair, it clashed horribly but her smile felt genuine. Stephanie cut the deck again for good measure and began dealing.

…...

Cory dragged his knuckles across the back of the cave, sandstone if his memory and geology classes ever came together at the same time. He pulled a pocket knife from his well...pocket and dug it into the rock face, despite being only two inches long the blade drove through the rock face and pulled a bit extra clear as Cory pulled it out. Cory dug the blade in again and opened the hole further then stepped back and kicked the wall. The thin membrane of earth collapsed sending dirt flying towards the cave entrance and showering Stephanie and Ben who glared daggers at Cory. Not one to be bothered by feelings of irritation or anger Cory ignored both of them and pulled his cigarette lighter from one of the many sets of pockets that graced his pants and lit it.

The dim light barely penetrated the gloom but Ben, Stephanie and Cory could all see enough to know it warranted exploring. Sophie grabbed a stick that the three had been planning to use for a fire. Ben grabbed several more and roped them together with one of his jumpers. Stephanie and Cory made several attempts to light the torch, Ben just rolled his eyes and pulled a small bottle of bourbon from his bag and drenched the tip of the torch which burned merrily when touched with a flame.

…...

"The best I can tell this seems to be a natural cave" Cory mused "Not made by pokemon or people...possibly wind or water, but it had to have been blocked suddenly otherwise that sandstone wall would have been washed out like this area." The tunnel was more of a featureless wash-hole than any kind of exciting cavern. The three wandered along in silence wondering what they'd find at the end. Ben believed Cory was right and there was probably a boulder or something similar, but the scent of rain began to touch his nostrils.

The rock that barred the way was indeed the reason that the wash-hole had dried out but the earth that had fallen on top of it had become loose over the years. Cory and Ben grabbed a vine that seemed to have grown through the soil and pulled. Dirt and rocks tumbled as the root moved, slowly pulling an opening. Despite the dirt that was quickly becoming mud Stephanie clambered up to peek out of the wash-hole. As Stephanie reached the top a groan erupted from the rock causing Ben and Cory to drop the root and fall back. Stephanie froze but it was already too late, water sprayed past the rock in a fine mist before the whole structure gave way. Water blasted past the rock sending Stephanie flying back towards the boys where she hit the ground and tumbled. Ben hauled her to her feet as she shouted "RUN! IT'S ABOUT TO GO THREE PIN BOWLING WITH US!". The three turned and ran, their feet slowed by the muddy water that was quickly reaching ankle height.

Cory scanned the walls, looking for any way to duck out of the imminent path of danger, but the smooth washed walls barely had a nook big enough to hold a coin let alone three eighteen year olds and their stuff. They'd barely reached halfway when a loud crunch sounded from the boulder followed by the grumbling roar of it gathering momentum.

Cory and Ben screamed as they tried to get speed from their aching legs, their gear, the water and the fact that neither of them had run further than the the toilet in over a year seriously hampering their progress. Stephanie while shorter than both Ben and Cory had legs that made up most of her height and was easily pulling ahead of the lazy alcoholic and smoker with his ruined lungs, but even she had only made three quarters of the tunnel. The roar of the rolling boulder told her in no uncertain terms that it wouldn't be enough.

…...