Chapter 10

The harbour was dark when the trio headed outside. Veronica's injuries and healed and she could so short walks but needed plenty of rest. Blake was scanning the area for ghosts. Darius was trying to explain to him that ghost pokémon didn't appear here, but the experience at the burnt tower had left him with one too many nightmares. Darius was being more overprotective than ever, keeping his eyes peeled. The pokémon centre was packed with trainers tonight and Darius wanted to remain hidden today, so they were searching for a place to stay the night. Veronica looked out at the ocean and smiled.

"It's been a while since I came near the ocean," she whispered. Darius chuckled a little.

"Yeah, too long I think," he agreed. Blake jogged over to them and shook his head.

"No hotel has any vacancies. We might have to camp out unless you want to head back to the pokémon centre,"

"I don't think the pokémon centre is a good idea. But what about your friend, Darius?" Veronica looked at her brother. He shrugged.

"We could try, but she rarely accepts visitors," he warned.

"Who is she?" Blake asked.

"The gym leader, Jasmine," Darius answered.

"You know the gym leader?" Blake gasped.

"I helped her Steelix when it was ill. Then when I bet her for my badge, I helped her take her pokémon to a pokémon centre," he explained. He headed towards the gym.

"Is she tough?" Veronica asked.

"When she has taken out your water and fire types, yeah," Darius replied. He spotted the female gym leader locking up the gym for the night. "Jasmine," he called. She spun around to look at him. She smiled softly.

"Darius Yuniko. Long time no see," she walked over to him and his group. "I heard you had come back to Johto, but when they found your carriage empty and the window open they thought you were kidnapped, until trainers said they saw you in Ecruteak,"

"Yeah, I got a call from my sister and I jumped out the window and onto Charizard and flew to where she was,"

"There was a very disappointed trainer there. He had managed to snake his way past the guards and was ready to greet you when you stepped off the train, but when you didn't appear he looked completely heartbroken."

"Must've been Sam," she sighed. "He is an ex- pokémon trainer and a breeder now,"

"The trainer you were talking about? Geez, he's obsessive,"

"That's what I said," she grinned.

"And you are?" Jasmine asked

"I'm Veronica, Darius's sister,"

"Little, annoying, manages to get kidnapped by an unknown source sister," Darius corrected. Veronica growled and punched his arm. Jasmine giggled.

"Yep, you are siblings alright." She turned to Blake. "And you?"

"Blake Evola," he greeted. Jasmine blinked as she shook his hand.

"Evola? As in the Evola Company?" she asked.

"My father is the president," he smiled. She beamed.

"Oh my gosh! I love Evola's books, pokéballs and toys!" she squealed happily. Darius laughed.

"Of course, I forgot Evola had started making different designs of pokeball," Darius grinned.

"Thank my baby sister, Sissy. She was drawing on some old pokéballs of mine and dad got the idea of making different designs," Blake smiled.

"I love the steel flower design," Jasmine smiled.

"Of course you would," Darius joked. Eevee – who was sleeping in Veronica's bag – poked her head out and blinked sleepily.

"Sorry honey, did we wake you?" Veronica whispered.

"Eevee," she answered before snuggling down on her shoulder. Jasmine smiled.

"Do you need a quiet place to stay?" she asked. Darius nodded. "You can stay in my house for the night, I have some pokeball designs I would like to suggest too," she giggled a little. "And you have to tell me about your Hoenn journey," Darius smiled a little before following the gym leader to her home.

The house was a beautiful building, flowers filled her gardens, and her home was made of pale grey, almost white, bricks. Jasmine showed them inside and led them to her living room. Stories started up about Darius and his Hoenn journey and between Blake and any journeys, he had done. Veronica didn't say much, she was happy with her pokémon. Draco was looking around as a curious little dragon would, Firefly was sleeping, and Eevee was curled up inside her bag with her egg. Houndour was sleeping soundly beside the bag. Amber was safe in her pokeball. Veronica picked up Draco and smiled. He wagged his tail and nudged her with his head. She giggled and rubbed his head.

"So that's why you are back in Johto," Jasmine smiled. She looked at Veronica. "I'm sorry, but I cannot help. A blue pokémon slightly bigger than an Eevee?"

"Well thanks anyway," Darius sighed and looked at Veronica. Veronica blinked and looked over.

"What?" she asked. Draco cried out a little and nuzzled her, asking for more attention. She rolled her eyes and rubbed his head.

"We're just wondering, Veronica. Maybe that egg has something to with this," Blake suggested.

"An egg is an egg. That's all," Veronica defended.

"Egg?" Jasmine echoed.

"We found an egg in the Burnt Tower. Veronica is holding onto it," Darius told her.

"Listen, whatever is in this egg probably has no idea what is going on," Veronica scowled. Darius shrugged.

"At this stage, we can't take chances,"

"I'm going for a walk," she snapped. She picked up her bag and her pokémon chased after her. Darius shook his head.

"Don't get lost," he warned. Veronica sighed.

"I have Houndour to help," she left the house and onto the street.

The night was peaceful. Unlike in Viridian, you could see many stars. Veronica walked down the harbour with her pokémon trotting happily beside her. She soon found a ramp that lead to the beach. She smiled and walked down it. Firefly and Draco happily jumped into the ocean. Houndour curled up beside Veronica's feet. Eevee woke up and rushed over to play with the two pokémon in the ocean.

"I guess, coming here had its advantages. If I hadn't have come here, I wouldn't have found you guys," she looked at Houndour and smiled. He nuzzled her hand and wagged his tail. There was a sudden rumbling sound. Veronica stood up and looked around. She faced the ocean just as a large geyser like pillar of water erupted from the water. Firefly, Draco and Eevee were sent flying into the beach.

"Draco! Firefly! Eevee!" she cried. She rushed over to her pokémon.

"Chou," Firefly whimpered.

"Eevee," Eevee stood up and shook herself.

"Dra," Draco growled and glared at the ocean. Veronica looked over also. A large Gyarados roared loudly. Veronica stood up from where she had knelt down at her pokémon.

"Can you guys fight?" she asked. Firefly stood up and shook himself. He sparked in reply. Eevee was growling with Draco. Houndour was ready to fight also. "Houndour, you're weak against water type pokémon," Houndour barked and continued to snarl at the pokémon.

"And what do we have here?" asked a voice. She looked further up to beach and gasped. She saw Savern, a slight grin on his face.

"What do you want?" she demanded. Houndour snarled more.

"Why, I came to take you home,"

"You still sticking with that story?" she mocked. He growled slightly before clicking his fingers. The Gyarados fired a hydro pump. Veronica's pokémon dodged easy however, Veronica was slower. She was pinned against the sand while fighting to hold her breath. When the water attack stopped, she gasped for air. Her pokémon rushed over to her. Amber burst out from her pokeball and snorted at Savern.

"You are making this more difficult than it needs to be," Savern told her.

"I never did things easy," she panted. She glared and stood up shakily, hanging onto Amber to keep steady.

"Very well then. Gyarados," he looked at the water pokémon. Gyarados roared and fired another Hydro Pump. Houndour and Amber fired powerful flamethrowers, while Firefly launched a Thunder Bolt, Draco opened fire with a Dragon Rage attack. Eevee powered up a powerful shadow ball and threw it at the on coming attack. The combined attacks cancelled out the Hydro Pump. Savern growled a little. Gyarados fired a Hyper Beam attack.

"Scatter!" Veronica yelled.

She held onto Amber as she galloped off. Her other pokémon leapt out the way. Houndour snarled and charged at Gyarados. He dodged several Dragon rage attacks and jumped onto Gyarados before biting it hard. Gyarados cried out in pain before trying to shake the dog off it. Houndour held on tightly, refusing to let go. Amber threw a flamethrower at the Gyarados. Draco dived back into the ocean with Firefly, before both opened out attacks on the pokémon. Gyarados soon got angry and roared before managing to throw Houndour into Amber and stranding Firefly and Draco on shore. Eevee was powering up more shadow ball attacks. Dawn broke over the horizon.

Gyarados opened out with a hyper beam attack. All the pokémon jumped out the way. Veronica however was busy yelling at Savern to notice the attack coming right at her. She turned and screamed. Eevee turned back to see her trainer in danger. She raced over but she was too slow. She cried out as a white aura enveloped her. Veronica turned sharply to her Eevee. She saw her change her shape, becoming larger and her tail becoming longer. Before the aura disappeared, a powerful multi-coloured beam shot out and hit the hyper beam. The blast knocked Veronica down but she was uninjured. She turned to her partner. Instead of the cute little fox pokémon, there stood a noble looking purple cat. A red gem glowed on her forehead. Espeon looked at the Gyarados before Veronica watched as it was lifted out the water and thrown onto shore hard.

"Veronica!" yelled a clearly worried voice. She looked up as Darius raced down from the harbour to her. Jasmine glared and grabbed a pokeball.

"Steelix!" she threw the pokeball out. The steel snake like pokémon appeared. "Iron Tail!" the end of Steelix's tail started to glow. Before Gyarados knew it, it was hit with the attack and thrown backwards. Savern had to duck to avoid the pokémon hitting him.

"Glaceon, use ice beam!" Blake ordered. The blue pokémon appeared out its pokeball and launched the pale blue beam. She hit Savern's legs and froze him to the spot. Savern struggled to free his legs. He released the Growlithe.

"Oh no you don't! Firefly, water gun!" Veronica ordered. Firefly hurled the water attack at the Growlithe before it could use any fire attacks. Savern growled before recalling his Gyarados and Growlithe. Suddenly Firefly was hit with a Razor Leaf attack. They turned to see Savern's goons appearing and throwing swarms of pokémon at them. Jasmine and Darius looked at each other before nodding.

"Charizard!" Darius threw the pokeball. The flying fire pokémon appeared.

"Steelix, use Rock Throw!" she ordered. Steelix slammed the ground and rocks appeared.

"Charizard, Fire Spin!" Darius commanded. Charizard used the fire attack and turned the rocks into fiery balls of rock. Men scattered and pokémon were hit. Veronica looked over at Savern only to see him free and fleeing.

"Darius!" she warned. He looked over and growled.

"Let him go! We'll get him next time," he concentrated on the goons. Veronica looked at her new Espeon.

"Can you use psychic attacks?" she asked. Espeon nodded. "Can you use one now? To direct the rocks onto attacking pokémon," Espeon nodded and closed her eyes. The gem glowed and Veronica saw rocks moving in odd movements and landing close to attacking pokémon, sending them flying and knocking them out. The trainers were forced to call back the pokémon and flee. Jasmine, Blake and Darius checked their pokémon before looking at Veronica.

"We can't let you out our sights for half an hour, can we?" Darius snapped. Veronica winced and looked down. Espeon glared and stood in front of her. Blake blinked.

"Eevee evolved?" he knelt down at the Espeon. Veronica nodded.

"Yeah," she said gloomily. Darius glare slowly turned into a guilty look.

"Sorry, I saw the Hyper Beam and you in its path and…" Darius shook his head. Jasmine pushed him out the way.

"What he means is he was being an overprotective idiot," she grinned. Veronica giggled softly.

"That makes more sense," She checked her pokémon carefully.

"C'mon, let's go back. I think all of you could do with a nice long sleep and a hot meal," Jasmine smiled.

"That sounds good," Blake licked his lips slightly. Veronica burst out laughing.

"Oh god! And I thought Darius was bad!" Veronica grinned. Darius pouted a little.

"I'm not that bad," he complained. Veronica rolled her eyes before calling back her pokémon. She swiftly opened her bag to check on her egg. It was undamaged. She sighed in relief. She lifted her bag onto her shoulders before following the gym leader, her friend and her brother back to Jasmine's house. A hot meal and some sleep did sound nice.