A/N: Hey everyone! Another chapter for you!!

Rage: Spoiled brats...

Wizard: (Whacks her over the head.) Don't insult the readers, Rage.

Rage: ^Pouts^

Harry: Just get on with it already! (Eats a chocolate chip pancake)

"Talking"

"Pokemon Talking"

Thoughts

"PokeDex"

Chapter Ten

~*~

Harry stared at the building in front of him curiously. Giovanni had taken him to a small house after finding that the Brock wasn't at the Gym because one of his sisters had gotten sick. Harry self-consciously fiddled with the hem of his shirt as Giovanni knocked on the door. Persian pressed against him in gentle reassurance.

A tall man with a dark tan, spiky black hair, and serious black eyebrows answered the door. There was laughter and yelling behind him, and Harry shifted closer to Persian at the sudden noise, startled and nervous. He still wasn't used to people, especially loud people. Giovanni smiled at Brock, but it was one of those indifferent and tight smiles that you gave people you didn't really like but didn't really hate, either.

"Giovanni?" The man asked, frowning slightly in confusion. "What are you doing here? Come in," he stepped aside and Giovanni stepped in neatly. Harry followed him cautiously, head ducked shyly as he dragged his fingers through Persians fur to calm himself down.

"Brock, how are you?" Giovanni asked calmly; Brock shrugged, barely glancing Harry's way.

"As well as I can be," he answered as he led them into the living room. Harry was startled by the sheer number of children in there. There were at least a dozen, give or take a few. They all looked up curiously when Brock reentered with his guests. Harry ducked behind Giovanni, much to the older mans amusement.

"Come now, Harry! No need to be shy." Harry peeked out from behind him shyly. Some of the older kids smiled encouragingly, while one of the braver younger ones ran over, and beamed up at him.

"Hi!" She cried, and Harry smiled shyly. "You've got pretty eyes!" Harry flushed brightly and ducked his head again, but the little girl grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the other kids. "Come play!" He smiled slightly, because the girl reminded him so much of Mary.

"Who's the kid, Giovanni?" Brock asked, watching as Harry was taken under the second oldest boys' wing immediately and was cooed at by the older girls for having such beautiful eyes.

"He's an orphan who my little sister is considering adopting," Giovanni murmured, watching Harry with soft eyes and a gentle smile. "Kid kind of grows on you. He's why we're here." He turned to Brock his expression shifting back to politeness. "He wants to challenge you to a battle, but we heard that one of your sister's had gotten ill, and he wanted to come by and see if she was alright and if you needed anything from town." Giovanni frowned slightly at that. "The boy's a bleeding heart, but he's a natural at Pokemon. Persian considers him a cub." Said Pokemon was watching the children with rapt attention, eyes narrowed slightly as the pulled Harry into a game of tag.

"Interesting." Brock looked thoughtful for a minute. "Very well, we'll have the battle out back, and the others can watch. We'll do it in a little while, though. They're having too much fun." Giovanni nodded, smiling, as Harry dodged and wove his way around the cluttered room, easily dodging the other kids and laughing the entire time, his bright eyes gleaming with joy.

The next two hours were some of the funnest Harry had ever had. He had fun with the eleven children, and even got to meet the sick one. Her name was Alice, and she was eight. There were Tony, Mark Sam, and John, who were sixteen, fourteen, twelve, and eleven. Then there was Joyce, Mary, Sarah, and Molly, who were fifteen, ten, nine, and seven. Adam and Amanda were twins, and were six. And the youngest, Suzie, was four-and-three-quarters, she adamantly told Harry.

All in all, they were the most interesting, entertaining, and all together fun kids he'd ever met. He even talked for Brock, who wanted to be a Pokemon Breeder, he discovered, and asked him questions on what Pokemon should eat and healthy mixes of Pokemon Food that made sure the eaters got all of the nutrients they needed.

"Why do you want to battle me for, Harry? Why do you want the Boulder Badge?" Brock asked him as they all sat around in the backyard and ate hotdog's. "Do you want it so you can be the next Pokemon Champion? Or a Pokemon Master?" Harry looked at him, bewildered. It sounded like Brock was used to Trainers wanting those things, if the tone he used was any indication.

"Not at all," Harry told him after swallowing a mouthful of food. Brock looked surprised, and Harry shrugged. "I want to get my Pokemon stronger, so that they can protect themselves better, and keep safe and healthy." He took another bite of hotdog, watching a butterfly flutter around. Finishing his food, he carefully made his way over to the flowers the butterfly was flying around. He lunged, trying to catch it, but it got away. Instead, he found himself face-to-face with a Rattata. He blinked at it, and it blinked back. It had darker fur then Harmony, but it's eyes were a bright purple.

"Hello there," Harry said cautiously, careful not to move to fast as he sat up. "My name's Harry." He noticed that the Pokemon had a wound on its' shoulder, and frowned worriedly. "Oh dear, what happened to your shoulder?" He leaned closer to peer at it from a better angle, and the Rattata let him, too tired to really run anyways.

"Stupid Spearrows," he heard it, a boy by the sound of its' voice, mutter. "It's not like the meadow's small, or anything. They can share it!" Harry nodded his head in agreement.

"Yes, I've heard Spearrows are very territorial." The Rattata looked up at him, startled. "Come here, and I'll get that fixed up for you in a jiffy." The Rattata hesitated. "I'm not going to catch you unless you want me to," he reassured it. "I prefer asking Pokemon to forcing them. But sometimes they can be so enraged or scared that they're beyond reason." The Wild Rattata nodded, letting Harry lift him carefully into his arms. The ten-year-old carefully carried the injured Pokemon over to the adults.

"Mr. Giovanni? Mr. Brock?" They looked up, and stared at the Pokemon, who'd buried his head hi Harrys' chest, afraid. "He's injured. Do you have any potions?" Brock nodded, staring, before getting up and going inside. "It's okay, little guy," Harry murmured gently, rubbing the Rattatas' ears comfortingly. "We'll get you fixed up and on your way in a minute, promise." He continued murmuring soothing words to the Rattata until Brock returned with a small purple spray bottle. "Thank you," Harry said, then went over to a table and set the mouse-like Pokemon down carefully. Suzie ran over, curious. She gasped slightly, eyes wide, when she saw the Rattata.

"It's so cute!" She said, climbing onto a chair in order to see the Pokemon better. "Can I pet it?" Harry hesitated.

"I'm not sure if he'll let you, kiddo," he finally said, looking at the Rattata. "He's a Wild Pokemon, after all. And he's hurt, which means he's scared, too." The Rattata looked up at him with wide eyes, then looked at Suzie, who held out a hand slowly, just in case he wanted to bite. The Rattata sniffed her hand, then gave it a tentative lick. Suzie giggled, beaming. The Pokemon let her pet him on the head before Harry told her to move her hand so he could take care of its injury.

"You know what," Harry told the Pokemon as he carefully sprayed his wounds. "I think I'll call you Sneak, because you got this from trying to sneak past the Spearrows." The Rattata cooed at him, and gave his hand a lick as its' wound healed. "There you go, Sneak! Lets get you on your way." Sneak let Suzie give him one more pat before Harry picked him up and carried him back towards the garden. The others watched as he set the Pokemon down and waved as it ran back into the trees.

"Why didn't you catch it?" Brock asked curiously; Harry shrugged.

"Well, I already have a Rattata, and she might get jealous," Harry half lied, because he wasn't sure if he wanted anyone to know the real truth. He didn't want to be made fun of. Brock and Giovanni both accepted this, and everyone finished eating.

"Are you ready to battle?" Brock asked him, and Harry nodded his head happily. As much as he liked Brock and didn't want to hurt his Pokemon, he want his Pokemon to get strong so they'd be safe, more. They faced off with twenty feet between them. Even Alice watched, though from the window. The other kids found seats and ate potato chips, curious as to the outcome.

"Geodude, go!" Brock cried, throwing his pokeball. A small, round rock-like Pokemon with muscular arms and no legs erupted from it, growling. Curious, Harry pulled out his PokeDex.

"Geodude, a rock-type Pokemon. Found mostly in rocky areas and mountains. People trip over these creatures when not paying attention in these areas, often causing a rock slide of angry Pokemon. Weakness: Water attacks. Nodding, Harry put the PokeDex back in his pocket and pulled a pokeball from his belt.

"Come on out Harmony!" He unleashed the lavender Rattata, who automatically leaped into his arms, cooing and nuzzling his chin. Harry laughed, hugging her briefly.

"Come on, girl, we've got a battle to win!" The Pokemon nodded, leaping to the ground and taking a battle stance. "Ready girl?" She nodded with a bark-like noise.

"Geodude, tackle." The rock-type pokemon nodded, and rushed forward.

"Harmony, dodge!" The mouse-like pokemon dove to the right, avoiding the attack. "Use scratch!" She dove forward, racking her claws against the rough surface of her opponents body. It barely noticed, shrugging it off. Harry frowned, trying to think of something. Maybe...

"Geodude, headbut." The pokemon dove at Harmony, attempting to slam its' head into her, but she jumped over it and ran a little ways, putting some distance between them. "Again." The Geodude kept up the attack, doing it again and again, and Harmony barely managed to doge each attack.

"Harmony! Remember that battle earlier? That attack I told you to use?" The Rattata nodded, dodging the other Pokemon once more and running over to Harry. "Think you can do it again, and add a headbut of your own at the end?" Again she nodded, whirling to face her opponent. "Ready?" Her answer was the lifting of her tail, ready to run.

"Geodude, tackle." Brock frowned as he looked at Harry and his Pokemon, neither of which was moving...

"Now Harmony! Quick-Bite headbut!" Instantly, the Rattata launched forward in blurring zig-zags before diving at the on rushing Geodude, using its' momentum against it, and biting it with a bone-crushing strength. Before the other Pokemon could regain its senses and balance, she immediately launched herself forward and slammed her head into it, sending the now unconscious Pokemon flying through the air to land at Brocks' feet. Brock recalled it, shocked, while Harmony shook her head, and ran back to a cheering Harry.

"That was awesome, Harmony!" He cried, scooping the happy Pokemon up into his arms and holding her aloft while spinning in a circle, making her coo happily. Laughing, he pulled her in for a firm hug and a kiss on the head before recalling her into her pokeball.

"That was good," Brock told him calmly, pulling out another pokeball. "Now, meet my other Pokemon. Onix!" A huge snake-like Pokemon made entirely of large boulders erupted from the ball. It shook it's giant head and gave a mighty roar.

"Finally!" the Onix said, focusing on Harry. "I've been in there way too long. I love a good battle. It makes the heart pound." Harry smiled at it nervously, and called out Havoc. The Eevee strode forward, stance stiff, ready for a fight and growling. Harry worriedly watched his Pokemon, wondering how a Pokemon so small could even think about beating one so bad. Oh well, we'll just have to try our best! He thought with conviction, already thinking of a battle plan.

"Onix, tackle!" Brock shouted, and Harry countered his order with one of his own.

"Havoc, Quick-Dodge!" The small fox blurred, dodging the larger pokemon with ease. Harry saw that a creature as large as the Onix could still be fast and deadly, but had a slower attack-recovery. "Havoc, get behind it, but watch out for its' tail!" The fox nodded, zig-zagging as it ran behind the bigger Pokemon.

"Come on, you overgrown pebble!" the Eevee provoked. "Follow the little foxy!" Onix, though smart, also had a very short temper, which made it much more prone to provocation, which meant it would make more mistakes.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME, RODENT?!?!" it roared, turning its body and lunging at Havoc, who easily leaped up onto its back and over.

"No, I called you an over grown pebble, but Rodent will do as well," Havoc laughed, dodging another infuriated lunge. Brock was frowning, trying to get Onix to use Bind, but the Pokemon was too incensed to obey.

"I will crush you into dust and blow your remains over the ocean!" it hissed, twisting and lunging and curling under itself to try and get the fox. Havoc snickered at it.

"And then your big head will over balance you so that you fall in. But I have no doubt that your hollow skull will allow you to float." He finally stopped and sat down, simply looking at the Onix, who lunged at him, stopping barely an foot away.

"What?!" It twisted its large head around to find what had stopped it. So focused on attacking the Eevee, the Onix had fallen right into Harrys' trap, and had tied itself into a knot. It struggled and roared and rolled, desperate to get untied, but it was impossible. Finally, exhausted, it collapsed. Brock called it back, and Harry cheered, jumping up and throwing a fist in the air. Havoc leaped around him, laughing and happy, spinning in circles.

"We did it, Havoc! Good job!" He fell to his knees and hugged the Eevee firmly, overjoyed.

"That was well done, Harry," Giovanni announced, clapping with the rest of Brocks siblings. Brock walked over, and clapped as well, smiling slightly.

"An interesting strategy, Harry. I think you diserve this more then some Trainers who beat me." He held out something shiny, and Harry took it. It was the Boulder Badge. Harry hooted and spun around in a circle with Suzie when the girl leaped at him, both laughing until they got too dizzy and fell onto the ground. Harry had gotten his first badge, and made quite a few new friends in the process.

A/N: Ta-da! His first badge! YAY HARRY! (Applauds) Now, R&R!!