Ariana followed closely behind while Azura was still ignoring Ellie. Ellie smiled a bit and told herself to make sure she gave Azura special treatment later. Lyra was ahead doing her best to hurry up and get out of the damp cave. Ellie took her time, occasionally using Nila to dispatch any Geodude around. However Ellie had to fight Nila and Azura both to make sure they stayed out of the water that was around. Both of them didn't appreciate this and they went around have water races to see who could get across faster. They would both wait for Ellie on the other side who took the longer roundabout way on land with Ariana.
"Flaafy~" the cry came from Ariana as Nila splashed the two of them with water. Ellie stifled a giggle and walked onwards with a disgruntled Flaafy. She noticed that Lyra was no where to be found which pleased her. Eventually they came to the end much to the disappointment to Nila and Azura. Ellie nearly ran outside to experience fresh air and let out a startled cry as she was soon plummeted with rain. Ariana stuck her head out only to run back into the cave with Ellie. Ellie returned all of her pokemon knowing she could run faster without waiting for the two of them.
Ellie quickly darted out of the cave and run all the way until the rain subsided. She grumbled at being wet but got over it and walked onwards wondering how the hell it was pouring down rain there and sunny as could be over here on the outskirts of Azalea. She kept walking and was surprise to be nearly ran over by an old man heading for the well. She shook her head and kept walking even as Lyra ran past her heading in the same direction.
Ellie looked back wondering what was going on but walked to Azalea town. She immediately squeaked at the sight of Team Rocket members. She quickly ran off to the Pokecenter and walked in.
"What is going on out there!" She said, only to come face to face with a Team Rocket member.
"Hand over your pokemon!" the grunt said, a bag on his back. Ellie noticed the trainers in near tears.
"Uh sorry I have no plans for that," she said releasing Ariana. "Flash now!" She commanded. Ariana complied and let out a blinding light and Ellie quickly made her escape with Ariana closely behind.
Sure she felt bad for those other trainers but she had to look out for herself. She didn't play hero. It just wasn't what she did. She quickly avoided over Team Rocket members by having Ariana stun them with electric attacks. She ran back to the outskirts of town and released Nila asking the two pokemon to stand guard. She had ran out so quick she didn't even notice the lack of Slowpoke in the Slowpoke obsessed town. She stayed like that for a long time constantly on edge. Eventually some people dressed in black started to come out of the well seemingly retreating.
Ariana and Nila both tensed up as a man in front came closer even Ellie felt uncomfortable as the man came closer although she would normally laugh at the man's funny light blue hair. He looked over her and her pokemon before mumbling,
"Weakling, hiding away out here are we?" Ellie looked up glaring.
"At least I don't use dirty tricks," she said. She tried to stop her hands from trembling but with no avail. The man looked at her in disgust before walking onwards taking the grunts with him. Two grunts remained with pokeballs raised.
The grunts weren't a match for Ariana and Nila who quickly dispatched the Zubats and Rattatas they sent out without a problem. They quickly ran after the blue haired man and Lyra exited the well with the old man from earlier.
"What was that all about?" Ellie asked.
"They were cutting of the Slowpoke's tails! To sell!" Lyra said, horrified. Ellie thought back to the weird man in the pokecenter by Union Cave.
"How awful," she replied. She returned both Ariana and Nila and walked back to Azalea cautiously. She was pleased to see that all of the Team Rocket members had left.
"Hey! Don't you wanna know how awesome I was! I totally took them all down by my self!" Lyra said chasing after Ellie.
"Not really," Ellie replied walking into the pokecenter. She ignored Lyra as Lyra went on about how she was going to challenge the gym leader tomorrow. Ellie didn't say so but she had the same idea so she could get moving along. Lyra eventually gave up trying to talk to Ellie and went off to her room. Ellie had the Nurse heal her pokemon and was surprised when a reporter stuck a microphone in her face along with a camera.
"Tell me how you felt that Team Rocket was right here in Azalea!" the women said.
"Disgusted," Ellie replied.
"By Team Rocket and their actions?" the reporter asked. Ellie looked straight into her eyes and the camera zoomed in.
"No, by you and your media garbage," Ellie replied. The reporter looked astonished as Ellie took her pokeballs and turn to leave.
"If you feel that way then I challenge you to a battle!" the reporter said. Ellie noticed that the camera was still rolling. Ellie sighed and agreed. She was lead to an arena inside of the Pokecenter. She quickly sent out Ariana.
"Ariana, these annoying people need a lesson," she said. The reporter sent out what looked to be a multicolored bird with a music note on it's head.
"Ariana use Thundershock and get it over with," Ellie said.
"Mirror Move, Chatot," the reporter ordered. Ariana let loose a Thundershock which landed a direct hit. Ellie however was not expecting the Chatot to let loose it's own Thundershock.
"Flaaffyyy!" Ariana cried.
"That can not be normal!" Ellie said, as Ariana shook off the pain.
"That's the beauty of Mirror Move. It can copy any attack as long as you let the attack hit you first," the reporter said, sickeningly smiling into the camera.
"Ugh, I don't care. Your Chatot or whatever it's called can't keep getting hit by Thundershocks and my Ariana can endure them! Ariana,Thundershock again!" Ellie said, annoyed. Ariana complied and let loose another Thundershock which did more considerable damage to the bird pokemon. The Chatot let loose another Thundershock at the prompting of it's trainer.
"Thunder Shock to end this. I'm getting bored, Ariana," Ellie said. Ariana let loose another Thundershock and the bird pokemon fainted.
The reporter recalled her pokemon and admitted defeat. She came up and put her arm around Ellie.
"Good battle, your Flaafy is really strong!" she said.
Ellie would have wrenched herself free if the reporter hadn't called cut and quickly let go.
"Here is your prize money. Since we are going to be showing that battle on tv, it is quite a lot!" the reporter said handing her a wad of bills. Ellie quickly counted it.
"I forbid you to put that on tv," Ellie said, quickly.
"Too bad! According to Johto laws...we don't need your permission!" the reporter said. The reporter laughed as she walked away with the camera man. Ellie looked down at Ariana to see that she hadn't been hurt much if at all by the battle. Ellie quickly administered a potion and returned Ariana to her pokeball to rest. She silently cursed to herself at being filmed. She got a room and walked up with key at hand ready to face the day tomorrow.
Author's Note: Early chapter because I can. Tomorrow is the day my new character is introduced!
Also... this is the last time Lyra appears directly for quite a while.
Pure Gamer: Thank you for the review! I know the beginning is a bit confusing...I really want to go back and rewrite it but I don't think I will!