A/N: Hello everyone, I am back with chapter ten of this story. Here, Growlithe and Rapidash take their next step as does Dario.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon
It was the next morning at the Laramie Ranch. Lara and Dario where still the same "loving" couple and none of the Laramie family realized Dario's deception. As they had breakfast, Growlithe and Rapidash met.
"Okay, so last night didn't go as planned." began Rapidash.
"You can say that again." huffed Growlithe.
Rapidash took a deep breath.
"However, now we must focus on Lara." said Rapidash.
"Right!" agreed Growlithe determined.
"We need to convince Lara to see Dario for what he truly is." said Rapidash.
"But, we both agreed she'd believe us." noted Growlithe.
"Except we have no evidence." stated Rapidash.
"Dang it!" snapped Growlithe.
Growlithe thought for a moment.
"What are we going to do?" asked Growlithe.
Rapidash thought for a minute.
"We have to expose Dario." answered Rapidash.
"Easier said than done." mused Growlithe.
Rapidash let out a sigh.
"That's not very reassuring." replied Growlithe.
"I understand." admitted Rapidash.
Rapidash shook its head.
"We have to fight for Lara!" declared Rapidash.
Growlithe nodded its head in agreement.
"So, what do we do?" asked Growlithe.
Rapidash took a minute to think.
"We tell Lara everything." answered Rapidash.
"What...if she doesn't believe us?" asked Growlithe.
"She will." answered Rapidash.
"But..." began Growlithe.
"No!" cried Rapidash.
Growlithe was surprised by this outburst.
"We cannot let Dario get to us." said Rapidash.
Growlithe thought this over.
"Divide and conquer. It's a tactic as old as time." explained Rapidash .
"Yeah. I guess you're right." deduced Growlithe.
"We have to stick together and not let Dario drive a wedge between us." stated Rapidash.
"Right." agreed Growlithe.
Both Pokemon nodded their heads.
"So, what do we do?" asked Growlithe.
"We just tell Lara the truth." answered Rapidash.
"She's known us since we were born." noted Growlithe.
"Exactly." replied Rapidash.
"She has to believe us." said Growlithe.
"Lara will." said Rapidash.
"Yeah." said Rapidash.
"When do we make our move?" asked Growlithe.
Rapidash thought for a moment.
"After breakfast. It's important we get to her soon." answered Rapidash.
"Understood." replied Growlithe.
Growlithe waited for a moment.
"Do you really think this will work?" asked Growlithe.
Rapidash sighed.
"It has to." answered Rapidash.
Rapidash and Growlithe waited. Their patience was thin, but the two of them couldn't push it. They waited and waited for what seemed like forever. Finally, Rapidash heard Lara whistle and galloped off. Rapidash and Lara performed their daily routine before Rapidash told Lara they needed to talk. Rapidash led Lara back to the barn where Growlithe was.
"Hello Lara." said Growlithe nervously.
"Howdy." replied Lara.
Lara dismounted from Rapidash.
"What do ya need to talk about?" asked Lara.
Growlithe and Rapidash shared a glance.
"Dario hasn't change a bit." answered Rapidash.
Lara clearly did not expect this answer.
"He's working with Team Rocket to smuggle heroin into Fuchsia." revealed Rapidash.
"Okay." said Lara, processing this.
Lara rubbed her temples.
"How did you find this out?" asked Lara.
"I overheard him on his phone." answered Rapidash.
Lara raised her eyebrow.
"I know, but it is the truth." replied Rapidash.
"Lara, I will vouch for Rapidash." added Growlithe.
Lara took a moment.
"Do you have evidence?" asked Lara.
Rapidash flinched at this.
"Not physical." answered Rapidash.
"So, your case is circumstantial." noted Lara.
"I understand, but Rapidash isn't lying." said Growlithe.
Lara remained silent as she thought.
"So Lara..." began Rapidash.
Lara let out a sad chuckle.
Rapidash and Growlithe looked at each other.
"I can't believe you!" declared Lara.
Rapidash and Growlithe where both stunned by this.
"Lara..." began Rapidash.
"I thought you had gotten passed this!" cried Lara.
"I did." replied Rapidash defensively.
"Obviously you didn't!" cried Lara.
Rapidash was left speechless.
"Lara, we gave Dario a second chance, but he didn't change." said Growlithe.
"You where more accepting and I expected better from you." stated Lara.
"I didn't believe it either." began Growlithe, "But Rapidash..."
"That makes sense." mused Lara.
Growlithe wasn't sure what to make of this.
"Rapidash fooled you!" declared Lara.
"I would never do that!" exclaimed Rapidash.
"Clearly you did." spat Lara.
"I heard him with my own ears." noted Rapidash.
"But you can't prove it." noted Lara bitterly.
"Lara, you have to believe us." said Rapidash.
"How can I?" asked Lara coldly.
"You've known us since we where born." answered Rapidash.
"Which is why I'm so disgusted by this!" snapped Lara.
"Okay. Let's stay calm." said Growlithe.
Lara let out a sigh.
"You two need to stay away from me and Dario right now." said Lara coldly.
Lara turned and walked off.
"Lara!" cried Rapidash.
"Let it go." said Growlithe sadly.
Lara stormed away leaving an emotionally broken Rapidash and Growlithe behind.
"I can't believe it." said Rapidash flatly.
"Are...you okay?" asked Growlithe worried.
"I don't known." answered Rapidash honestly.
Rapidash had a horrified expression on its face.
"I can't believe Lara didn't believe us." stated Rapidash.
"Neither can I." admitted Growlithe.
Rapidash's face became more distraught.
"He was right." confessed Rapidash.
Growlithe was curious about this.
"Lara didn't believe us just like Dario said." noted Rapidash.
Growlithe sadly shook its head.
"Unfortunately so." said Growlithe.
Rapidash worriedly looked at Growlithe.
"Tell me what's wrong." requested Growlithe.
Rapidash let out a nervous sigh.
"Do you still believe me?" asked Rapidash.
"Yes." answered Growlithe.
Rapidash let out a soft laugh.
"Thank you. That means so much to me." said Rapidash.
"No problem." replied Growlithe.
A minute of total silence passed.
"What do we do now?" asked Growlithe.
Rapidash remained silent.
"We can tell Lara's parents." proposed Growlithe.
Rapidash shook its head sadly.
"I don't know. I just don't know." said Rapidash sadly.
Meanwhile, Lara had stormed back inside after her argument. Lara's parents clearly noticed her behavior and tried to talk to her. Both of her parents tried to talk to her, but Lara rejected it as politely as she could given her current mood. Upon finding out Lara was upset, Dario quickly went to talk with his girlfriend. Lara didn't reject him and they sat on her bed together.
"Lara, what's wrong?" asked Dario.
Lara pulled her cigarettes and lighter out of her drawer.
"It's Rapidash and Growlithe." answered Lara.
Dario clenched his fists worriedly.
"Oh." replied Dario.
Lara lite the cigarette and took a long drag.
"They've never changed." sighed Lara.
Dario bit his lower lip subtly.
"What do you mean?" asked Dario.
Lara took another long drag on her cigarette.
"They claimed you where working with Team Rocket to smuggle heroin in Fuchsia City." answered Lara.
Dario felt his stomach drop.
"I can't believe that." said Dario, trying to hide his concern.
Lara took a drag on her cigarette.
"Neither can I." sighed Lara.
Dario gulped unsure.
"I don't understand why they'd lie like that." mused Dario.
Lara took a drag on her cigarette.
"It's so horrible. I never thought they'd lie like that." sighed Lara.
Dario relaxed hearing this.
"I've still got her." thought Dario confidently.
Dario wrapped his arm around Lara's shoulders.
"I'm so sorry. said Dario.
"Thank you." said Lara gratefully.
Lara took another drag of her cigarette.
"I'm so lucky to have you." said Lara.
"Damn right you are." thought Dario.
Dario took a moment to clear his throat.
"Well, I have good news." said Dario.
Lara took another long drag of her cigarette.
"What is it?" asked Lara innocently.
"My grandmother's injury wasn't as bad as the doctors previously thought and she's already headed home." answered Dario.
"That's great." sighed Lara relieved.
"I still wanted to see her, but granny insisted I still work. She wouldn't have it any other way." continued Dario.
"So...you're staying then?" asked Lara hopeful.
"Yup. So I was thinking we could go to Fuchsia for a dinner date next week." proposed Dario.
"That's great!" declared Lara, hugging Dario.
As she hugged Dario, Lara couldn't see the smug look on his face.
A/N: That is where we'll end this chapter. I hope you liked it. Next time, we pick up onward as the plot continues to thicken. Please review.