The ninth chapter:

Testing the Rough Waters!

Ranee's POV

Did Misty just ask me what I think she asked me? She did. I stood there, weighing my opinions. Absol was snarling at Misty and Absol brushed up against me. It was enough to start a Dimensional Scream. I saw Misty pushing me, I fell into the river, and Misty then tripped on a rock and fell in after me. I shook myself out of it and saw Absol protecting me. Being the disaster Pokémon, it could predict when something bad was about to happen. I could see why it was protecting me.

I smiled at Absol and told Misty, "I must respectfully decline your offer." Misty snapped and asked, "What? Why? Are you afraid that I'll beat you?" I shook my head and answered, "No but I don't think that you should be challenging me during an important tournament. I need to focus on my matches and any respectful trainer and/or gym leader can understand that." I recalled my three Pokémon and headed off. At that moment, Misty put her hand on my shoulder and she pushed me.

Like I predicted, I went into the river. Like I also predicted, Misty tripped on a rock and fell in after me. I grabbed a poke ball out of my pouch and threw it into the water. Within a flash of light, my Gorebyss appeared. But, mine was a different color. It was a beautiful gold color. I yelled, "Gorebyss help me!" Gorebyss did as it told and swam over to me. Gorebyss tried its hardest to get to shore but the current was too strong.

I saw Misty out of the corner out of my eye. I saw that she and Corsola were also having trouble against the strong current. Just then, I went under the water because the current was too strong for me to fight. I tried to fight against the current to get back up to the surface but couldn't. My lungs felt like they were going to pop. My eyes started to close and eventually my world went dark.

Misty's POV

Ranee was forced down to the bottom of the fast moving river. Gorebyss dived in after her. 'Good, that takes care of the garbage. Wait, what am I thinking? She's in trouble and rival or not…she needs my help.' I thought to myself. At that moment, I decided to put my rivalry and hated for her aside. I decided to save her. I turned to Corsola and yelled, "Corsola, Dive!" Corsola nodded and did as it was told. We got down to the bottom where I saw Gorebyss and Ranee. Gorebyss used its Psychic and lifted Ranee up. I grabbed her and kicked myself up to the surface. I got to a slower moving part of the river and pulled Ranee to safety.

Gorebyss slithered up to its master, clearly worried. As I was catching my breath, I checked Ranee over. I felt her neck. Her pulse was there but it was weak. "Oh, no. Tell me that I didn't…" Just when I was about to cry, Ranee started to cough. I asked, "Ranee, are you okay?" Gorebyss asked, "Gore?" Ranee coughed some more and finally answered, "Yeah, I'm okay." She turned to her shiny Gorebyss and added, "Thanks for your help, Gorebyss." Gorebyss smiled and nodded. Ranee recalled back her south sea Pokémon. I turned to Corsola and told it, "You were great, too." Corsola said, "Corsola!" I recalled my coral Pokémon.

I turned to Ranee and apologized, "I'm sorry that I pushed you into the river." Ranee smiled at me and responded, "It's no big deal. We're both okay as are our Pokémon and that's what counts." I slowly smiled back as she made a great point. I saw her locket was opened and saw her as a nine year old kid. I saw a young boy there too. He looked a lot like…. Ranee noticed that her locket was open and closed it before I could find out who it was. She changed the subject on me and added, "Thanks for saving my life, Misty." I turned to her and said, "No problem." Technically, I didn't want to but I wasn't going to let her die like that….

Ranee checked her Pokétch and yelled, "Geeze, I got a half an hour to get to my match!" I perked up and saw that I had no idea where we were. I told her, "Uh, Ranee. This may sound like a dumb question but….do you know where we are?" Ranee perked up too and noticed that we were hopelessly lost. She smiled and told me, "No need to worry, Misty!" I perked up and stated, jokily, "You have been hanging around Dawn too much." With a flick of her wrist, her Fearow appeared.

She told her flying type, "Fearow, can you find the stadium?" Fearow nodded and flew off. Ranee yelled after it left, "I'm counting on you!" With those words, I felt like I was walking down memory lane. Ash always encouraged his Pokémon in the same way. Ranee was a lot like Ash. Maybe that's why….

I turned to Ranee as we were walking through the forest and asked, "Uh, Ranee? Do you think that there are bugs in this forest?" Ranee answered, "There might be. She turned to me and asked, "Why?" Just before I could answer, a large bee appeared in front of us. It wasn't a Beedrill. It was…. Ranee yelled, "Vespiquen!" With that, we yelled and ran away from it with me leading the charge.

Ranee's POV

We were running away from the Vespiquen. We had obviously disturbed it in some way. Misty was a lot faster than me, probably because she was afraid of bugs…. I decided to do something about it. Since Misty saved me, I should return the favor. I threw a ball and out came my newly caught Snover. I commanded, "Snover, Ice Shard!" Snover did as he was told and hit Vespiquen pretty hard.

It was enough to make the beehive Pokémon fly in the other direction. Misty and I breathed a sigh of relief as I turned to my frosted tree Pokémon. I told it, "Great work, Snover." Snover said, "Snow!" With that, it hugged me. It was a cold hug but I had learned to love it. Misty came over to me and said, "Looks like Snover is quite affectionate with you." I responded, "Yeah. It's like Ash and Bayleef." I recalled Snover as I heard Fearow screeching.

I asked, "Did you find the stadium?" Fearow nodded as I turned to Misty. I said, "Come on, let's get on out here!" Misty nodded in agreement as we followed Fearow. Misty told me, "Thanks for saving me from the Vespiquen." I smiled and responded, "Well, now we're even."

'Considering….' I thought to myself but a suction sound made me think otherwise as Fearow had gotten sucked up. I yelled, "Fearow!" Then, I asked, "What's going on here?" I heard some evil cackling and quickly knew that I was going to seriously regret asking that question.

Normal POV

Team Rocket's balloon came up over the horizon with a patch up robot which had Fearow. After hearing that Ranee had asked what was going on, Team Rocket went right into their motto:

Jessie: Listen, is that a voice I hear?

James: It speaks to me loud and clear.

Jessie: On the wind!

James: Past the stars!

Meowth: In your ear!

Jessie: Bringing chaos at a fast break pace.

James: Dashing all hope and putting fear in its place.

Jessie: A rose by any other name is smell as sweet.

James: When everything is worse, our work is complete.

Jessie: Jessie!

James: James!

Meowth: Meowth, now that's a name!

Jessie: Putting the do gooders in their place.

James: We're Team Rocket!

All: In your face!

Wobbuffet: Wobba!

Mime Jr.: Mime, mime!

Both girls yelled in unison, "Team Rocket!" Ranee yelled, "Give me back Fearow, you thieves!" Jessie answered, "Sure as soon as you stop being twerps. Go, Seviper!" She threw a poke ball and out popped Seviper. James yelled, "Let's go, Carnvine!" He also threw a poke ball and out popped Carnvine. It did a u-turn and bit James on the head. He yelled, "Not me, them!" Both girls looked at one other and nodded. They thought it would be best that they should work together. They both got a poke ball ready and threw them.

Misty yelled, "Misty calls Golduck!" Within a flash of light, the water/psychic type appeared. Ranee yelled, "Ampharos, debut time!" Within another flash of light, the electric type appeared. Jessie commanded, "Seviper, Poison Tail!" Seviper came at Golduck and Ranee decided to protect it. Ranee commanded, "Ampharos, Thunder!" Thunder saved Golduck in the nick of time. James commanded, "Carnvine, Bullet Seed!" The Bullet Seed came at Ampharos and Misty decided to protect it. Misty commanded, "Golduck, Psychic!" Psychic saved Ampharos in the nick of time. Both girls smiled at one other.

Ranee was glad that Misty had put their "rivalry" behind and they were working together like there was nothing wrong. Misty was glad that Ranee was a good friend and soon as the tournament was over, she would congratulate Ash and Ranee. Ranee commanded, "Ampharos Signal Beam!" Misty commanded, "Golduck, Water Pulse!" The two moves hit Seviper and Carnvine dead center. It also hit Team Rocket, freed Fearow, and the thieves were blasted off. Ranee and Misty shouted in victory and high fived one other.

Fearow screeched, catching the attention of the two girls. Ranee looked at her Pokétch and said, panicked, "Ah, we only got ten minutes to get to the stadium!" Misty perked up and said, "Then, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" With that, the two girls ran off for the stadium and Ranee made it just in time. Misty turned to Ranee and said, "Good luck, Ranee." Ranee smiled back at her and responded, "Thanks!"

Ranee's POV

My opponent's Cacturne went down and the referee called, "Cacturne is unable to battle! Infernape wins! The victor of this match is Ranee Katina!" I yelled, at the top of my lungs, "We did it!" Infernape jumped up and yelled, "Infernape!" The announcer said, "Well, it's decided! Ranee Katina from Veilstone City and Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town will be facing off against each other in the finals! Be here, the day after tomorrow! For it will be an exciting match!"

I said to Infernape, "He has no idea. Right, Infernape?" Infernape nodded and responded, "Infernape!" We headed out of the stadium and met up to Misty. I asked her, "Hey, I was wondering if that Golduck of yours is the same Psyduck Ash was telling me about?" Misty nodded and answered, "Yeah and your Gorebyss is gorgeous." I smiled and responded, "Thanks." We shook hands as it was again enough to start a Dimensional Scream. I saw how she met Ash and everything.

I shook myself out of it, smiled, and said, "Thanks again for saving my life again." Misty smiled back at me and responded, "No problem and thanks for saving my life." We stopped shaking hands as I headed off. At that moment, I knew that things were going to go smoothly from here out in.

Announcer: And so, with the finals finally decided, Ranee and Ash will finally go head-to-head. Who will emerge victorious: Ranee Katina or Ash Ketchum?