Chapter 7: Getting to know the Materias and Blitzball

The whole team has finally come out of the temple, and got Hatsuharu with Yuki and Kyo. But, there is a mystery about finding out to where they actually came from. Jack was wondering if they know the secret of the zodiacs.

"Tell me a good reason why we did this job?" Ask Joey.

"Cousin, Haru will have to be with you though." Said Jack.

"For what?" Ask Pikachu.

"I don't know." Jack replied.

When the whole team is ready to get back to the airship, they heard voices coming from the stands.

"Huh?" Ask Amy.

There are two people that are selling rare spheres.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the one the only time to get rare Materias!" Said the man, wearing the suit.

"Come buy one, come buy them all!" Said the woman.

"Selling Rare Materias?" Ask Amy, surprised.

"Come get to buy purple, red, pink, orange, and yellow Materias!" Said the woman. "If you buy one before the rest, you'll never see them all!"

"Excuse me." Said Jena, interrupting, "But what are you doing?"

"Just selling Materias." The woman replied.

"Wait a minute." Said Yo-Yo Man, sensing something. "Do you even have real Materias like the Red Materia?"

"Like this?" Ask the man, giving Yo-Yo Man a red small sphere. Yo-Yo Man looks at the red sphere, thinking this might be a trick.

"So what summoning Materia is it?" The man and the woman started to turn around and whispers. Everyone listens to what they're whispering, but Jack was confusing.

"If they find out about the fake Materias we're selling," The woman whispered to the man.

"They'll find out everything and we're out of the business." The man whispered to the woman.

They turn back around and said, "So, how about it?"

"I say…you're lying!" Said Joey, serious.

"Who are you?" Ask Yo-Yo Man. The woman and the man revealed each other, wearing a uniform suit with an R symbol, and happen to be "Team Rocket".

"Prepare for trouble." Said the woman.

"And make it double." Said the man, and they begin to do their motto.

"To destroy the world devastation."

"To Ignite people all over the population."

"To announce the evil of conquer and conquest."

"To reach to the star way above."

"Jennese."

"Jocken."

"Team Rocket, blasting at the meteor of light."

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meouth! That's right." Said the cat pok'emon, Meouth. However, doing the entire motto, the team was just ignoring their motto and plays a game of "Go Magikarp."

"You got any threes, cousin?" Ask Jack.

"Go Magikarp, Jack." Joey replied, and Jack draws a card. "You got any sevens?"

"Go Magikarp." Jack replied, and Joey draws a card.

"HEY!" Jennese shouted, "Don't just ignore us like we're invisible!"

"You either fight or give up your pok'emon!" Jocken shouted.

"I don't think so!" Yo-Yo Man called, performing some kind of a magic attack. "Fire Snake!" Yo-Yo Man had summoned a fiery snake out of nowhere, "Burn to hell!" It attacks Team Rocket, burning their uniforms and their pok'emon.

"AGH!"

"Surprise?" Ask Yo-Yo Man. "I learned that technique ever since we came to this dungeon. You imposters, using fake Materias as a scam, I don't think so."

"Never mess with my dad!" Said Jena, cheering.

"Alright, Sensei." Said Joey, enjoying the battle.

"Now Treagle! Go!" Yo-Yo Man called, commanding his pok'emon. His giant green bird flies up in the air, and swipes through Team Rocket.

"HEY! That's Not Nice!" Said Team Rocket, attacked.

"KOFF!" Said Koffing, attacked. And now Koffing falls to the ground, unconscious.

"AGH! KOFFING!" Jocken shouted, shocked. And he returns Koffing back into the pok'e ball, pinned down.

"Hey! That's not nice!" Said Jennese. "Do you think you would win that fast?"

"No, but how about this?" Ask Jena, attacking with her sword. She then slashes Jennese with all her strength, and slices her.

"AGH!"

Jennese becomes unconscious on the ground, and Ekans is now pinned down to the ground. "Go! Glaceon!" Glaceon the evolving ice pok'emon charges at Meouth, and then slams it on the face. Meouth was attacked, and falls unconscious.

"Joey." Said Yo-Yo Man, "How would you like to finish them?"

Joey starts to crack his knuckles, smirking at the unconscious Team Rocket, and said, "I would be honor to finish them." With just his mighty fist, he punches all three with Lucario to punch the Team Rocket Pok'emon, and send all five flying in the air.

"Unbelievable." Said Jennese, upset, "I came so close earning all the gold I wanted and they ruin everything!"

"I always hated this." Said Jocken, "Don't you think it's our gold!"

"Nope." Said Meouth, "There's one thing to say."

And then all three said together, flying away, "Looks like Team Rocket is blasting off again!" BOOM! They had sudden run over a mountain of the lion. "Ouch!"

"Yeah!" Said Jena, cheering, "We won!"

"You guys get to fight, and we couldn't." Said Jack. As the whole team was fighting Team Rocket, Haru the cow came out of the doors, and return back to the team. It seems that Hatsuharu was taking cover from the fight.

"…What were those thugs?" Ask Haru, confused.

"Team Rocket." Joey replied, crossing his arms. "They keep doing this ever since they try and steal our pok'emon."

"But now, they try to scam everyone with fake Materias." Said Amy. "I can tell they're fake because I know my own Materias."

"Great!" Said Kyo, smirking, "I can't wait to do to them if I see them again."

"…I don't think you're a Danto, Kyo." Said Jack. "Only those who are Dantos can use Materias only."

"Hmph! I'm an Orre." Said Joey.

"And I'm a Crystal." Said Jena, and she points at her father. "He's a Crystal too."

"Actually, you and Joey are 'Non-Dantos'." Said Jack. Jena and Joey find it offended. "It's okay, because you can use some of the Materias like half, and Dantos can use full."

"Whatever." Said Jena.

Jack and Pikachu saw something on the ground Team Rocket just left behind. It looks like some kind of yellow small sphere containing Mako energy from the Lifestream. Jack picks it up, and looks at it closely.

"My kind of Materia." Said Jack. "I wonder…" Everyone has a feeling that Jack is about to use the Materia, and equipped it to his Electric Guitar. They backs away from Jack, and Jack gets into his stance of holding his Electric Guitar.

"Watch." Said Yo-Yo Man.

Jack is prepared, and holds his Electric Guitar like holding a big sword's handle. He pulls it back, and acts like he's slashing a foe with three swings. "Ha! Ta! YA!"

"Nice!" Said Joey. "I've got to get myself one of those."

Jack decided to remove the Materia out of the Electric Guitar and keep it in his pocket. "How about I keep it until I feel like I'm ready to use it?" Jack said, wondering. "It should buy me some time for training."

"Really?" Ask Yo-Yo Man, taking a green Materia. "I wonder about the 'Fire Materia'." He then holds the green Materia, and aims at the sky. Yo-Yo Man concentrates his Mystic to the Fire Materia, and then blazing fire came out of Materia like a fireball.

"Awesome." Said Joey. "When I get to use the Materia, I'll be invincible!"

"Cousin?" Said Jack, and Joey got his cousin's attention, "You can only use some of the Materias."

"That reminds me." Said Yo-Yo Man, getting both Jack and Joey's attention. "I'm going to ask you boys the questions, and I will decide your fate."

"Huh?" Ask Joey, confused. "Why?"

"Because, I will be training you and Jack." Yo-Yo Man replied. "With it, you will become more better then usual.

"First question; what do you concentrate the most? Do you concentrate on being aggressive and attack head on, concentrate on using the mind and soul, or concentrate on being mischievous?" Jack and Joey decided to put some thought on it.

"I'm more of the aggressive type." Joey replied.

"I concentrate on the mind and soul." Said Jack.

Yo-Yo Man thinks on the next question and asks the next question. "Okay, next question. When you encounter a tough foe, what do you do? Do you charge head on, get into a defense stance to defend yourself, or hide to take cover with a sneak attack?" Now that's tricky. Jack and Joey think about the question while Jena and Amy started to chat.

"Joey?" Ask Lucario, looking at his owner. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm more of the charging type." Joey replied, "I rather attack my opponents head on."

"Jack?" Ask Pikachu.

Jack replies and said, "If I try to defend myself, I would be defeated. I would be thinking of a strategy before moving on, but I could go with the sneak attack."

Yo-Yo Man thinks again, getting them closer and closer to the last question. "Here's your last question: Which do you prefer in battle? Going invisible on your opponents as a shadow, going offensive and defensive, or use your wits and your intellects?" Joey and Jack put a lot of thought of it, trying to figure out what Yo-Yo Man is asking.

"Hmm…I'm more of a offensive and defensive type." Joey replied.

"Me too." Said Jack, "But I would go with using my wits and my intellects."

Yo-Yo Man put a lot of thought of it, and looks at Joey. "Joey Marshall, I have seen your fate. For being this much like the tough guy, but for having a defense, I have seen that you have a 'Crusader' on your side."

"A Crusader?" Ask Joey, and he said, "Awesome!"

"Congratulations, Joey." Said Lucario.

"Thank you." Said Joey.

Yo-Yo Man looks at Jack and said, "And as for you, Jack. I had developed your type for thinking about hiding and perform a sneak attack, but for thinking about your wits and your intellects…you are a 'Swordsage'." Jack and Pikachu were surprised. "I have never guessed to have another student to act like me."

"…Thank you, sensei." Said Jack, amazed. "I have never become a Swordsage before."

"So, are you done?" Ask Jena.

"Yep." Joey replied.

"Come on, let's get to the Airship." Said Jack. He goes up to the sphere, and touches it.

Inside the airship, everyone in the whole team must make of a new plan to get to the next zodiac. There are some tougher fiends just like the Ox Dungeon and the Rat Dungeon. The only problem is that there are only ten dungeons to get through, and to get the rest of the zodiacs out.

"Joey, be nice!" Said Jena.

"Why, because of this stupid cat?" Ask Joey, teasing Kyo.

"What'd you say to me you dumb dog?" Ask Kyo, shouting at Joey.

"What'd you call me?" Joey shouted, getting into Kyo's face.

It seems that everyone is staring at both Joey and Kyo, having to have a Dog and Cat attack.

"Do they always do this?" Ask Haru.

"Well, sometimes." Jack replied.

"Figures." Said Haru.

"Just ignore them." Said Yuki, "They always hate each other."

"Well, never get a house cat and a demon dog to each other." Said Amy. Both Joey and Kyo are now growling at each other, like they're ready to fight. And then at the end, they stop growling and turn away. They decided to walk away from each other.

"Dumb Cat." Said Joey.

"Smelly Dog." Said Kyo.

When they came to halt, they both turn around and shouted to each other, "What'd you call me?"

"OH! SO I SUPPOSE I'M THE SMELLY DOG IN THE INU FAMILY?" Joey shouted louder.

"AND I'M SOME KIND OF STUIPD CAT?" Kyo shouted loudly.

"WELL, IF YOU HADN'T COME ALONG, I WOULD BE IN MY BED!"

"EVEN IF I DIDN'T COME ALONG, I DON'T HAVE TO SEE YOUR UGLY FACE YOU UGLY!"

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME YOU STUPID CAT?"

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME YOU DUMD DOG!"

"THAT'S IT! I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE BEATIN' OF YOUR LIFE!"

"NOT IF I HAVE TO KILL YOU, YOU UGLY DOG!"

"THAT'S IT! YOU'RE DEAD NOW!"

Now Joey and Kyo got into a fight! Everyone was watching them clawing each other, punching each other, tackling, and kicking each other.

"HOW ABOUT THIS, YOU DUMB CAT?" Joey squashed Kyo on the ground.

"CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE?" Kyo then grabbed Joey's tongue, and pulls it hard. Amy felt a big red boil, and begins shout.

"KYO! JOEY! SIT!" Amy shouted.

Joey was pulled by gravity, and face-fault to the ground, taking Kyo with him. Joey is now on top of Kyo, but pulled to the ground hard.

Jack begins to sigh and said, "I'd just wish they would learn how to get along." He looks at Yuki and said, "Do you and Kyo get along?"

"Just a little." Yuki replied.

"Oh well." Said Haru. "I guess some will have to learn the hard way. Meanwhile, I have heard that you got three out. But you only have ten more to go. How are you guys going to find the other zodiacs without being lazy?"

"I don't know." Jack replied.

"Well, no offense or anything, but you're a cow." Said Jena.

"I already find that an offense." Said Haru. He looks at the rat, "Yuki, are you sure you could trust them?"

"This boy got me out." Yuki replied. "And the rest got you out of your dungeon."

"Well, that's one way to put it." Said Jack, and he searches through his shirt. Everyone was looking at Jack, confused.

"Jack, what are you doing?" Ask Jena, "You're searching through your shirt." Jack just pulled out some kind of paper.

"Tada!" Said Jack, "The Blitzball Tournament Flyers!"

"…Blitzball Tournament?" Ask Joey, confused.

"What's Blitzball?" Ask Lucario, "And what's with the tournament?"

"It's a sport game Jack played." Yo-Yo Man replied. "Except you play the ball underwater."

"Come again?" Ask Amy, afraid.

"Well, it's just a sport game underwater." Said Jack, "I was hoping to have some of the team to enter, but you must have enough experience to play Blitzball."

Joey thinks about Blitzball and said, "Hmm…that could be fun. I have to try it out myself!"

"Looks like we have ourselves a volunteer!" Said Jack, excited. "Cousin, we'll sign up soon."

"But when does the Blitzball tournament start?" Ask Jena.

"Yes, when?" Ask Haru. "I'm just a cow, and I can't swim underwater as a cow."

"Don't worry." Said Jack, "Just to those who know how to swim can come." But then, Jack thought of something else, "But first. Jena?"

"Yes?" Ask Jena, getting Jack's attention.

"Who's Tohru?" Ask Jack. "Ever since you said it to Yuki and Kyo, they were still worried if that person will come." Kyo the cat and Yuki the rat stares at Jack, confused.

"Oh, she's the girl that knows the zodiacs." Jena replied, explaining too fast. "She's a teenage girl who have no parents since they her mom was killed by an accident, and she found out about the Zodiacs." Some however understood what she said; however others don't care.

"…Okay." Said Jack. "How about we get to our next mission?"

"Wait, Jack." Said Jena, interrupting Jack, "When's the tournament?"

"Oh!" Jack looks at the flyers and replied back, "It doesn't start until a week."

"…So that's seven days." Said Jena.

"That's enough days to enter the tournament." Said Yo-Yo Man.

"I can't wait to enter inside the Blitzball Game!" Said Joey. "Fine, I'll compete, if you could show me the ropes."

"Maybe for later." Jack replied. "Let's get the next zodiac, shall we?" Amy looks happy to know who's next. "Our next one is to get the Tiger out of its dungeon out of Red City."

"We should get there in no time." Said Jena, excited.

Jack calls back there, "Brother! Can you set course to Red City?"

"Nukan!" Said Brother, speaking Al Bhed. "Haqd cdub, 'Nat Ledo!' Ryhk uh dekrd!"

"What did he say?" Ask Joey, confused.

"I think you better hang on to something." Said Amy, "Because he's going to go too fast."

"I'm ganna need to practice my Al Bhed Language too." Said Jack. "Let's go!"

"Nukan!" Brother called.

Brother did work for the whole team during the Empire World. He has a little bit of spiky yellow hair but just half bold, wearing an Al Bhed suit of black pants and blue orange shirt, and brown shoes. He even has spiral green eyes.

The Airship started to move very fast like how Joey turns into a colossal dog to fly somewhere. Everyone was hanging on tight when the Airship when very fast like a jet! After the speed of the flying airship, underneath the airship is a metropolis city known as Red City. Everyone came down from the Airship, and end up on the longest bridge to Red City.

"Great. Not this place again." Jack thought. "I really hate coming to Red City ever since Red City believes we're the traitors who had killed a Measter. They even believe that it was my team who had tried to ruin the wedding ever since Seymour had kidnapped my sister here, and making Yo-Yo Man and Shrio married." Jack looks very anxious, and very mad.

"Jack?" Ask Pikachu, looking at Jack, confused. "Are you okay?"

"I never wanted to come here!" Said Jack.

"Why?" Ask Jena.

"Because, during the Empire World," Jack said, explaining, "Red City believed we're the traitors! They said that my team had crashed the wedding, and killed a Measter!"

"Well, it's your fault you got them mad." Said Jena, "You're just ganna have to tell them that…"

"Dang you, Jena Aunti!" Jack shouted, "Do you honestly believe you'll be on the real traitor's side? It's not like we're the ones who have killed Yo-Yo Man's wife! Because it was Seymour's fault from the beginning!"

"Whatever." Said Jena, turning away.

"Jena, don't you even recognize?" Ask Joey. "Jack is telling that there really is a traitor in Red City. I can sense it. He's inside."

"That's my cousin!" Said Jack, "Now let's get the traitor!" Jack and Pikachu took off with Joey and Lucario. As for Yuki and Kyo, they stay on Jack's head and his left shoulder. But Haru sticks with Joey as the rest of the team follows them. Until then, Joey spotted something on the pillars.

"Huh? What are you lookin' at?" Ask Joey, staring at the figure. The figure was watching the whole team.

"Cousin?" Ask Jack, coming to a halt. "What's wrong?"

"Look!" Said Joey, stopping and pointing at the figure. Everyone came to a halt and looks at what Joey was pointing at. However, there was nothing on top of the pillar. "Nothing!"

"You must be seeing things." Said Jena.

"I swear I saw someone!" Said Joey.

"It's no use, Joey." Said Lucario. "Let's get moving."

"I'm right behind you, cousin!" Said Jack, and then everyone rushed inside the palace to find the real traitor.