Hey a couple things. One I have an intensive course so I'm going to try and get two chapters out this week for you guys since I missed so many weeks while I was studying.

And two, new poll on my page this one is about the next story so have a look!

Chapter 9

/R.B/

Blue was sitting on Bill's couch flipping channels as a Vulpix lounged next to him exposing his belly in the hope of getting it scratched, an Eevee lay in the nearby window's sill. Blue had been enjoying the satellite TV that Bill got since bringing the older boy back to his house, out in the country they didn't get much more then the basic free to air channels.

"Breaking news!" Blue stopped breaking news was always interesting. The pretty little news caster cleared her throat before speaking. "A bomb went off in the main shopping area of Vermillion city. It seemed to have gone off at the bank building of Skyway Avenue."

A bomb?

"Bill get in here!" Blue yelled and the other brunette raced in.

"Wha-" Blue shushed him with a gesture turning back to the screen.

"The bomb went off at two pm today" when Blue had been dragging Bill home after out running Bruno during the night. "This seems to be more than just an explosion though since the nearby area has been sealed off for the time being. We will be bringing you more up to date news as it happens" the boys looked at each other.

"It's the formula ain't it?" Bill almost looked defeated, before Blue could speak his phone rang.

"Yeah'llo?"

"A cryptic message that could be summed up with "call me" really?"Blue had to smirk; pissing off Erik had just become a regular part of his job. "Just explain"

So Blue did explaining everything he had found at the Viridian Research Centre including the fact Fire had been moved.

"Blue… Fire contacted me she's alright" Blue froze completely for a moment he could tell Bill was trying to read his expression. Blue calmed himself before replying. She had contacted Erik first.

"Good…" was all he could get out though.

"Blue I want you to stick with Bill for the moment; I need him looking into what the Elite Four had him working on"

"What about her?" there was silence for a moment

"I'm handling it" Blue didn't exactly like that.

/L.G/

Meeting back up with Ace the two headed to the Vermillion city gym. The place was no longer used for the gym challenge but instead as a base for the gym leaders to work from if necessary.

"Champion!" one of the woman called seeing Leaf, he waved her off. After finding Ace he had rushed to the gym. The explosion and loss of lives…

It was sick but as horrible as that was he was also aware that the moment the media knew he was in town he'd never get the chance make this call.

If Erik was reliable for anything it was the fact you knew he'd pick up the phone, anytime any place.

"Leaf? Ace?" Leaf noticed that Erik was dressed casually something he didn't think he'd ever seen before and was obviously packing.

"Are you going on a trip?" the older boy nodded he seemed to think about what he was going to say.

"Yeah I'm going to be checking in on something… is this about the bomb?"

"Yes" partly Leaf added in his head.

"I guessed that…" Erik looked down and soon a pair of blue vines appeared with a shoe. "You are calling from Vermillion after all…"

Leaf really didn't know how to start or what to say. Thing was he didn't need to Ace spoke first.

"I was nearby" they both gave their full attention to the third boy. "I saw this guy talk to an old woman. They seemed suspicious so I followed him after the woman just flat out disappeared into a puff of smoke. A girl then leaped out at me and explained how there was now two Team Rockets the old one and a new one called White Rockets… they were the ones who did the bombing"

"Fantastic" Erik sighed; Leaf could relate. More Rockets did sound just fantastic.

"Umm…" Ace seemed to pause for a moment "well the thing is… After the bomb the girl said something about a poison and after that she fell over coughing and died" there was a pause, Erik ran his hand through his hair.

"…oh…" he took a deep breath and Leaf could tell he was only just holding his composure. "that explains a lot. Did it affect Pokémon?" Ace shook his head.

"Why wouldn't it affect Pokémon?" Leaf asked

"I got a call from Blue. He had found Bill, it seems that the Elite Four had him working on a way to make some poison that Chrome Yellow" Leaf frowned, Erik almost spat the name "had created not affect Pokémon"

"Chrome? That explains why it didn't hurt me! Chrome injected me with something a long time ago. I was sick for a month but after that when he injected me again and I was fine" Ace seemed thoughtful.

Leaf and Erik just stared at him both thinking how the hell someone could convince someone else to let them do that.

"If the Elite Four is involved I guess that explains something else… I was up where Draty's statue is and I met Lance" Leaf shrugged "maybe he was there to oversee everything" the Grass Gym leader shook his head.

"I doubt it… I'd say the old woman Ace saw has a good chance of being Agatha a Ghost trainer and member of the Elite Four. It's possible Leaf he knew you were coming"

For me? What have some champion heart to heart? The thought crossed Leaf's mind but he hadn't liked it.

"If that's it you two I'm sorry but I need to finish packing" Erik looked about ready to end the call when Leaf shook his head.

"Ace I need to talk to Erik about something" Ace nodded and left though looked as if he wanted to listen in. Erik returned to his packing anyway obviously in a hurry.

"So what's the question?"

"Did I actually beat Fire at the Pokémon League?" Erik stopped and looked at the screen shocked.

"Who…?" Leaf's stomach started to sink.

"Lance said she bowed out… It makes sense in the beginning her head wasn't even in the game. Her heart never was…" Leaf balled his hand into a fist

"Calm down Leaf" Erik said returning to the screen. "You don't understand…"

"Understand? That's just it I never do apparently! I'm always about five steps behind Blue and Fire! The one thing I had doesn't even belo-"

"Enough!" Erik ended his ranting "you want to talk about how life is unfair? Fine but do it with someone else! I'm sorry Leaf you have the right to be angry with me after all it was my plan… Out of the three of you the only person who was clean enough to take the title was you" that wording seemed wrong to Leaf.

"What do you mean by clean?"

"That's something you have to talk about with Blue and Fire but the thing is… there's things about them that could ruin their reputation as champion but you… there isn't anything" the older boy almost looked at him in pity "yes that's stupid but even then I never forced Fire to do anything, she believed the same thing. She believes you are most suited to being champion Leaf! So stop talking about how unfair this all is and start doing your job" Erik paused for a moment seeing that Leaf didn't wish to speak he changed the subject. "Also I wasn't sure when to bring this up but… We found Fire"

"You didn't want to start with that!" Leaf yelled "how is she? What happened?"

"As I said I wasn't sure if I should bring it up… that kind of leads into your other questions. As far as I can tell she isn't seriously wounded physically but mentally… I think you should talk to her at some point about it" Erik went back to packing and there was silence for a while.

"That's where you are going?" Erik nodded his back turned as he folded a pair of jeans.

"She has something she apparently needs to do… I want to keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't go disappearing again" Leaf smirked at the protective tone in the older boy's voice.

"How very cool of you Erik" Erik stared at the screen eye brow raised.

"You sounded way to much like Blue with that sarcastic tone of yours" there was another moment of silence. "Leaf I know I shouldn't be asking things of you but can you head to the Viridian Research Centre? That's where Blue found Bill and probably the most likely base for the Elite Four"

Leaf took a moment to think about it, he was angry with Erik for what he had done but if it was a base for the Elite Four there was a possibility of seeing Lance there… He thought back to how the young adult had treated him at Draty's statue and the numb way he talked about all the lives the bomb took…

"Ace and I will head that way right away"

And remember folks don't flame unless you have an extinguisher!