Here it is everyone. Chapter 9, finally, sorry for the wait, just started school again and all, senior year, which is awesome. Well enjoy.

Chapter 9

Everyone jumped as an Elekid walked out. "This one is mine!" Brandt said and jumped over Sledge's body and ran toward the Elekid.

It looked up as Brandt slid to a stop. "Elekid I challenge you to a pokemon battle right here right now!" He yelled.

The electric pokemon shot off a few sparks and got into a battle position. Brandt grinned and turned to the others. "Sledge get ov-" He started to say before Striker stepped forward. "Well, I guess you want to fight this battle Striker?" He asked.

Striker nodded and growled at the Elekid. Ember watched intently and then looked over to see Nina watching closely as well. He could see that she was hoping Striker will impress them.

"Okay Striker, quickly use slash on the Elekid!" Brandt ordered.

Striker ran at the yellow pokemon and slashed at it with his claws. The Elekid jumped back and used a thundershock on Striker. It hit Striker and he flinched as he was electrocuted.

"Striker shake it off then use a flamethrower on it!" Brandt yelled.

Striker opened his mouth and let loose a flamethrower which was the same size when Ember and him had trained their flamethrower attacks. The Elekid tried to dodge but was hit in the leg and got burned badly.

"Now quickly Striker, use another slash and finish this!" Brandt yelled. Striker raised his claws and ran towards the Elekid. Right before he hit it the Elekid quickly used a thunder wave which paralyzed Striker.

Striker grunted and gritted his teeth as he felt the electricity run through his body. He tried to continue his attack but couldn't move. "Striker, do you want to come back now?" Brandt asked.

Striker struggled and shook his head as he continued to try and finish the attack. They all watched in wonder as Striker took another step forward toward the Elekid. Even the electric pokemon was surprised by Striker's determination.

Soon Striker forced his attack forward and he struck the Elekid and it went flying against a tree. When it slid down it had fainted. "Pokeball go!" Brandt yelled and threw a pokeball.

The Elekid disappeared in a red light and the ball hit the ground. It rolled around and blinked for a few seconds before it finally dinged. Brandt walked over and picked the ball up. He smiled and turned to everyone. "Now I'm ready." He said. He then walked over to Striker who was still paralyzed. "Damn! I don't have any parlyz heals!" He cursed.

Grady opened his satchel and dug around. "Me neither! Kia you got any?" He asked.

Kia stuck her head in her bag and pulled it out shaking. "No, sorry, maybe there's some cheri berries around somewhere." She said.

Grady turned to his pokemon. "Guys go look for some cheri berries somewhere! Hurry, we need to help Striker!" He ordered.

They all nodded and ran off into the forest to look for them. Ember looked through dozens of bushes but only saw Oran berries and pecha berries. "Hmmm… where could some be?" He asked himself as he found another bush of Oran berries. Soon he saw the Cheri berries and ran to them. He grabbed as many as he could and ran back to camp. When he got there he saw Nin landing with her arms full of Cheri berries and give them to Grady. He ran up and dropped his down.

"Good boy." Grady commented and patted Ember's head. He turned around to Brandt and asked. "Can Striker open his mouth at all?"

Brandt shook his head. "No he can't. We'll need to mash the berries up and give them to him that way."

Kia brought over a bowl and a little wooden spoon. "Give the berries to me, I can mash them up, then you two pour it down his throat." She told them and took the berries Grady handed her.

Ember sat and watched them all get to work. Soon Grady turned to him and said. "Go find Flare, Pidge and Snow."

Ember nodded and ran off to look for the three females. He didn't have to search long before he found Pidge flying overhead. "Hey Pidge get back to camp! Grady's orders!" He yelled up to her. She nodded and flapped her wings and flew to camp. He continued on through the forest looking for that Vulpix and that Eevee.

He soon found them talking by the river. "Hey girls, time to go back to camp. Me and Nina got enough berries for Striker." He told them.

Flare looked up and nodded. Snow got up and walked over to Ember. Flare followed. He turned around and walked back down the path he had come.

He heard them start chatting again as they walked back to camp. "Hey Ember, do you have a mate?" He heard Snow ask.

He shook his head. "No I do not. And I don't want one yet." He told her. He heard Flare sigh and kept walking.

"Well, Flare told me about how you and her mated when you were an Eevee. Why didn't you become mates with her?" Snow asked.

"Because I don't love her the way I would for my mate. I only love her like a sister." He explained.

Snow nodded and looked over at Flare who had her head down. "Oh, that's why."

Flare nodded and they kept silent until they entered camp. Ember walked over to Grady who was getting lunch ready. He helped light the fire to cook the food. Flare and Snow walked over to Pidge and Nina and they all started to gossip.

Ember looked around and saw Striker lying down and Brandt and Kia sitting by him and talking. "He'll be alright, he's just going to need a good rest." He turned to Grady who was still mixing some spices up. Grady looked down at him and nodded.

"That's good. Did Nina look worried about him?" Ember asked as a smirk grew on his face.

Grady smiled. "You would not believe." He told him. "She was so close to him that Brandt and I had to push her away so Kia could pour those mashed berries down his throat. Though when he got unparalyzed she backed off and acted like she didn't care. He didn't notice anything and when he went to sleep she pointed at each of us and growled that we better not tell him." He laughed.

Ember laughed as well. That is funny. He already knew that Striker was almost in love with Nina. And he figured she felt the same way after she saw his flamethrower attack. If they didn't become mates in the future, then he was a crying Gyrados.

He looked around and soon saw a man walking down the path they had come. He turned and saw them and smiled. "Are any of you by any chance trainers?" He asked.

Grady and Brandt looked at each other and raised their hands. "We are sir." Grady said.

"Might either of you like to have a battle with me?" He asked taking out a poke ball.

Grady immediately stood up. "I would, I need some practice. Hey Snow, Flare, Pidge come over here!" He said.

The three female pokemon came over. "OK Snow, I want to battle with you right now." He said.

Snow walked up and walked past Ember and stood in front of the man. The other trainer pulled out a poke ball. "How about a best two out of three match?" The man asked. Grady nodded. "Alright, an Eevee, then I'll use a machop! GO!" He yelled and threw his poke ball.

In a burst of white light a muscle like pokemon appeared. Ember and Grady both exchanged looks with each other as did Pidge and Flare. They were all thinking the same thing. Snow was in trouble.

"Machop, use a low kick now!" The man ordered. Machop ran at Snow and swiped its foot under her.

"Snow dodge quickly then use tail whip!" Grady ordered.

Snow jumped out of the Machop's kick and wrapped her tail around its fist. She accidentally moved over and brought its fist right into its face. Ember almost snorted as he held back a laugh.

He looked up at who was holding a laugh back as well. "Or use your tail to smash its fist into its face." He forced out.

Ember looked over at Flare and Pidge and saw them giggling as well. He looked back at Snow who was smiling a little. "I guess that's one of your special moves isn't it?!" He yelled out.

Snow smiled and giggled. The man frowned. "Machop get back up and use mega punch!" The machop jumped up and ran at Snow with its fist raised.

"Snow use quick attack to dodge it and then tackle it!" Grady ordered.

Snow sped up fast and dodged the Machop and then tackled it. The machop skidded across the ground. "Machop, get up and use a mega kick on that Eevee!" The man ordered. Ember could hear the frustration in his voice.

Snow bunched up her muscles as she got ready to dodge again. "Snow, you know what to do girl!" Grady said.

When the Machop raised its leg toward her she dodged it, but the man was ready for that. "Machop body slam now!" he yelled. The machop quickly slammed against Snow and she yelped as she went flying.

"Snow quickly, get your balance back and use another quick attack!" Grady yelled.

Snow twisted her body around and landed on all fours. She quickly used her most powerful quick attack and tackled the Machop. When the fighting pokemon struggled to get back up, it then fell and fainted.

"Machop return!" the man said and the machop returned to its poke ball as the red beam hit it.

Grady cheered and picked up Snow. He then hugged her and cheered. "Good job girl!" He cheered.

The man dug around on his belt and pulled another poke ball out. "Go Pinsir!" He yelled and threw the ball. After the flash of white, a brown bug pokemon stood there with two grey teeth on top of its head.

"Snow, you watch this time, Flare go on girl!" Grady said. Flare nodded and walked out. This time she had an advantage.

"Flare use ember!" Grady yelled.

Flare opened her mouth and blew a blast of embers out and they hit the Pinsir doing big damage.

"Pinsir use harden!" The man yelled. The Pinsir put its arms in front of its body and its body started to get harder as its defense went up.

"Flare keep it up! Don't let it go!" Grady told her.

Flare nodded and kept her ember attack going. "Pinsir use dig now!" The man yelled. Pinsir uncrossed its arms and dived underground.

"Be careful Flare, that Steelix Ember fought used the same attack!" Grady cautioned.

Flare nodded and spread her paws apart. She could feel that pokemon tunneling underground somewhere under her. She waited at last moment and dodged to the side right as it burst out of the ground.

"Flare quickly, use ember now!" Grady yelled. Flare opened her mouth and let a flurry of embers go out and cover the bug pokemon. When the Pinsir hit the ground it fell and fainted.

"Yeah two in a row! Great job Flare!" He cheered as he hugged her.

The man returned his Pinsir. He then brought out a wallet and dug around and pulled some paper bills and coins out. He gave them to Grady then. "Good job young man, that Eevee of yours is very powerful. So is your Vulpix. Best of luck to you in your future gym battles." He said and walked away down the road.

Grady walked back over to the food and sat down by Brandt and Kia. "Whoo! That was a good battle!" He said.

Snow and Flare walked over and lay on either side of him. He patted and rubbed both of their heads between their heads. "Good girls. But next time, Ember and Pidge will fight."

Brandt nodded then lifted the lid of the pot and sniffed. "Mmm, smells good." He commented with a smile on his face.

Grady smiled then got some bowls and spoons out. He then ladled each bowl with the same amount of stew. "Help yourself. Dig in everybody!" He said and then everyone started eating.

Ember noticed that Striker was awake now and was sitting by Nina as he ate. He ate as well and couldn't wait for the next day for when he would get to battle a trainer.

How was it? Tell me please. Also, shout out to Eeveeinheat for giving this idea since she won the last quiestion. Next one will be later on.
Ember: Oh gosh, I'm a mommy.

Yep, and now we need to throw a shower for you.

Ember: Don't you dare.