We don't own Pokémon or anything related to it; it belongs to Satoshi Tajiri.
The other characters however were created by Naoko and me.
We hope you enjoy Journeys Intertwined
A/N: Hey hey! So, when you're finished reading this 'last' chapter, please take a look at our profile for it shall explain everything you want to know about this story. It's not the end yet, it's still just the beginning.
---Violet City: Pokémon Center (4:30 P.M.)---
Kage and Anemoné had both given their Pokémon to Nurse Joy for a check-up and were currently lounging around in the waiting room.
They were both sitting at a table facing each other in silence until Anemoné decides to break the silence.
"So..." Anemoné said making Kage look at her blinking.
"So...?" Kage repeated confused with a bored look on her face.
"How did you start out with a Pichu instead of one of the three Johto starters like me?" Anemoné asked with a cute confused look on her face.
Kage smiled a bit and stared into space reminiscing the past. "From my older brother. He gave me a Pokémon Egg which later hatched into Raikiri and Professor Elm sent me a Pokédex along with some Pokéballs since he already knew that I had a starter."
"Ohhh. Wait. Older brother?" Anemoné asked looking at the tomboy.
"Yeah. His name's Yami. He already started his journey though. I think he's in the Orre Region right now." Kage explained looking out the window, voice excited but eyes distant.
Anemoné blinked a bit before smiling and looking outside the window near them. "He sounds like a cool big brother."
"Yeah." Kage mumbled before snapping out of her trance and grinning over to the berry lover. "So what about you?"
"Huh? What about me?" The girl asked confused before sweat dropping at how big Kage was grinning.
"I meant: How did you get Lucifer? And all that other stuff, ya know?" Kage said as her grin became a lazy smile and as she rested her head on her left palm while waving her right hand around.
"Oh! Well it's really simple. I went to New Bark Town where Professor Elm resides and, well, he basically gave me Lucifer. Oh and before I forget, he gave me Atsuko too!" Anemoné chirped happily.
"Atsuko?" Kage questioned raising her head with a confused look in her eyes. "Your other Pokémon?"
Anemoné nodded smiling. "Atsuko's the Eevee I received from Professor Elm."
"Awesome! Eevee's an extremely rare Pokémon!" Kage said gaping at the girl in awe.
"Yeah. I know." Anemoné said blushing slightly before smiling at the still gaping girl. "So what about your other Pokémon, Kage?"
Kage closed her mouth before smirking. "His name's Zensoku. He's a Sentret."
"Cool. So anyw-HOLY FIREY MOLTRES!!" Anemoné exclaimed before jumping out of her seat and getting a closer look at Kage's head. "OH MY GOSH KAGE! THAT'S SO COOL!!"
Meanwhile, Kage blinked completely confused by the berry girl's action. "Huh? What's up? What's cool?"
Anemoné grinned at her with sparkly eyes. "I didn't know you wore cat ears before! Can I try them on? Please?"
Kage blinked a bit before sweat dropping and leaning a bit backwards from the girl. "Err... I kind of can't."
Anemoné blinked a bit confused. "Eh? Why not?"
"Etto..." Kage mumbled blushing a bit embarrassed while rubbing the tip of her nose. "Maybe 'cause they're real?"
Anemoné gaped at the tomboy. "Really?" Kage nodded a bit as her blush began to fade away. "Awesome! Oh, oh! Can I touch it? Please"
Before Kage could say anything, the berry gardener was already kneeling on the table petting and stroking the black cat ears on Kage's head making her... ... Purr.
Anemoné blinked a bit before giving a small grin and laugh. "Looks like I found your weak point!" She said in a song-song voice.
Kage snapped out of it before scowling playfully and saying sarcastically. "Har har har. Very funny."
"Your Pokémon are all ready to go, you two!" Nurse Joy said walking towards the counter with two treys that held their Pokéballs.
The two girls blinked and stopped playing around before walking up to the pink haired nurse.
"Here you go." Nurse Joy said smiling slightly whilst handing them their Pokéballs.
Their Pokéballs were easily distinguished between one another since Kage's Pokéballs had a sticker on top of each (one had a lightning bolt sticker and the other had a white rhombus sticker) and Anemoné's Pokéballs had her initials carved on it (A.P.).
"Thank you, Nurse Joy!" The two girls chorused as Nurse Joy smiles at them. "It's no problem. After all it is my job."
"Hm. . . It's starting to get late." Nurse Joy said looking outside where the sun was beginning to set. "You two had best stay the night. I'll bring you to your rooms, okay?"
"Sure/Okay." Kage and Anemoné said as they both replied to her question.
"Great then! Please follow me then." The young woman said turning and walking up a flight of stairs as the two girls followed.
"Here you go." Nurse Joy said stopping in front of two doors labeled "1" and "3" before turning towards the girls and handing them a key with the same numbering. "Good night then."
"Good night Nurse Joy!" With that the two girls walked into their rooms and turned in for the night.
---Next Morning (8 A.M.)---
The next morning in room 1, Anemoné opened her eyes and looked around the room, adjusting to the new surroundings.
The room she was in was pretty small, with just the twin sized bed, a large window with dark green curtains, and a small desk with all of her stuff on top of it.
Anemoné yawned a bit and sat up, rubbing her eyes before checking her PokéNav which read 8:02 A.M.
"-Sigh- I guess we better get going. I wonder if Kage's awake yet." Anemoné said aloud, as she slipped out of bed and changed into her outfit.
---Room 3---
In Kage's room, Raikiri has already woken up and bounced over to Kage's bed.
"Pichu. Pichu, pichu. Pichu? (Hey. Kage wake up. Kage?)" Said Raikiri as she tries to wake Kage up.
Kage flipped over, sending the blanket and Raikiri over the edge.
"Nngh. One more minute plzzzz-. . ." Kage mumbled, hugging her pillow tightly.
"Pichu…-.- (Kage...)"
Raikiri climbed up the blanket and started to head butt her.
No effect whatsoever.
Raikiri then decided to use Spark. Electrical currents started to burst out of Raikiri's cheeks and zapping Kage right on the spot.
"Pichu, chu! Pi... cha? o.o (Hey Kage! Ka... ge? o.o)"
Unfortunately that didn't go as planned either.
"Pi, pi, pichu! ( . ) (Wake up already! Geez.)"
Raikiri then sat on top of Kage and began to think when an idea popped up.
"Pi. . . Chu!!! (Thunder. . . shock!!!)"
Meanwhile, in Anemoné's room, bright flashes and sparks were seen flying making her tilt her head to the side slightly with a confused look on her face.
Back in room 3 and after Raikiri was done shocking Kage. . . THUMP! "Owie. . ."
"Pichu pi. . . Pi cha. Pichu pichu pi pi chu. -.- (She finally woke up. . . 'Bout time too. Man, talk about a heavy sleeper. -.-)"
Anemoné, who had happened to hear the commotion, walked over to Kage's room and knocked on the door.
"Hey Kage are you alright?"
"Huh? Uh. . . Oh! Um yeah! I'm alright Anemoné!" Kage said as she gets back up on her feet.
"Alright then. I'll be in the main bathroom getting ready so I'll meet you there?" Anemoné asked through the door.
"Uh y-yeah, I'll meet you there." said Kage as she hurries to get ready after pouting at Raikiri for shocking her.
---At the Main Bathroom---
"Hey, you're here." Anemoné said as she finished tying her hair.
"Y-Y-Yeawn!" Kage half said, half yawned while covering her mouth. "Heh, sorry."
"It's alright." Anemoné said while sweat dropping as Kage began her morning ritual acting a bit like a redead.
---Outside (9:25 A.M.)---
"Ah! I feel much better now!" Kage said as Raikiri nodded in agreement.
"Ahahaha. Well, you certainly look better." Anemoné said teasingly before walking in front of the other girl.
"Meh. Anyways. . ." Kage said after shrugging and before grinning.
"Eh?" Anemoné said confused before turning around.
Sweat drop.
"Etto. . . Kage?" Anemoné mumbled wide-eyed looking at her new friends who was currently. . . exercising?!
"Ichi, ni. Ichi, ni. Ichi, ni, san, shi! (-)"
"Pichu, pi. Pichu, pi. Pichu, pi, chu, cha! (--)"
Anemoné's sweat drop seemed to have multiplied as both the silver-eyed tomboy and the small yellow-mouse Pokémon chanted and stretched in every-which-way.
"Kage."
"Ichi, ni. Ichi, ni. Ichi, ni, san, shi!"
"Kage. . ."
"Come on, Anemoné! Join in! Ichi, ni. Ichi, ni. Ichi, ni, san, shi!"
". . . -Twitch, twitch, twitch- . . ."
"Ichi, ni. Ichi, ni! Ichi, ni, san, sh-ow!" Kage yelped while rubbing a newly formed bump on her head, "Mou, what was that for, Anemoné-chan?"
". . . People were starting to stare. . ."
"Huh? Oh. Oh! Oops. Heh heh heh?" Kage said after she looked around before sweat dropping and laughing sheepishly.
Anemoné just sighed before smiling at her, "Oh well. Now that you're done-you are done, aren't you?"
Kage grinned at her, after waving the rest of the people (who were still staring) off, "Yuppers! I'm definitely done now."
"Good!" The blue-violet girl said happily, "Let's get going now!"
"Right! . . . Err. . ." Kage mumbled making Anemoné stop.
"Huh? What's up, Kage?" She asked giving the tomboy a confused look.
"Where exactly are we going?" Kage questioned giving her the same confused look.
". . . Um. . ." Anemoné mumbled before sweat dropping.
Kage sighed a bit, ". . . Let's plan what we're gonna do over food, ne?"
"Okay. . ." The other girl mumbled a bit dejected as Kage patted her on the back.
"It's alright. All that exercising was making me hungry anyways."
". . . But we just ate ten minutes ago." Anemoné pointed out making the other girl sweat drop.
"Ack-well-um. . . Oh, look! This looks like a good place to eat at!" Kage said "excitedly" as she ignored the previous statement and ran off.
"Kage. . ." The other girl mumbled sighing before chasing after her along with Raikiri and Lucifer.
---At the Pokémon Café---
The two young Pokémon trainers sat at an outside table as their Pokémon sat on the table.
"So. . ." Kage said, drinking her blueberry smoothie as Raikiri and Zensoku ate some of the chocolate cake. "Now what?"
"Hm. . . How about. . . you tell me where you're going!" Anemoné said, eating some of her vanilla pudding before giving some to Lucifer and Atsuko.
"Me? Hm. . . Um. . . Oh! Wait." Kage said as she pulled out her silver and black Poké-Gear.
Anemoné and the Pokémon watched as Kage happily pressed some buttons before. . . "Ah-Hah!"
They blinked as Kage turned and showed them the map on the screen of the device.
"We're in Violet City, as you can see and probably already know, right?"
Everyone nodded.
"From what my big brother had told me, there should be a Pokémon Gym somewhere in this place!" Kage finished as she closed her Pok é-Gear.
"Alrighty then! Let's get going!" Anemoné exclaimed happily as she punched the air along with the other Pokémon.
"Uh-huh!" Kage nodded as they paid for their food and set off towards the way that they believed the gym would be.
---Several Moments Later---
"Are we there yet?" Kage asked while gazing at the clouds overhead.
"Pichu pichu. (I don't know, Kage.)" Raikiri responded with a bored look on her face before both of them sighed as their head dropped down.
"Hey you guys!" Anemoné shouted to the two lagging behind, "I think I see it!"
As soon as she finished that sentence, Kage and Raikiri had popped up next to her almost making Lucifer, who was sitting on Anemoné's shoulder, fall off.
". . . Wow. . ." Kage mumbled staring at it.
The Violet City Pokémon Gym had the appearance of a HUGE dojo with statues of various bird Pokémon on the sides of the road leading to the front door.
After several seconds of admiring the building, both trainers and their Pokémon began to walk towards the door.
". . . Um. . . Should we knock first?" Anemoné asked out loud while staring at the sliding doors.
". . ." Kage didn't reply and had, instead, slid open the door and walked inside.
"O-Oi! Kage, wait up!" Anemoné said before running after the tomboy.
Walking a bit further into the gym, the two girls entered a normal-type battle arena.
"Um. Hello?" Anemoné called out confused. "That's weird. No one's here."
"Odd." Kage mumbled. "Did we go to the wrong place?"
Anemoné shrugged a bit while looking around before. . .
"AHAHAHAHA!!!"
Both girls and their Pokémon jumped a bit before looking upwards to see. . . three Pidgey's?
"Um. . . What the-" Anemoné started as Kage finished with a suggested, "Cheesecake?"
Anemoné blinked as she looked at the girl next to her with half-lidded eyes, "Not what I was going to say but, meh, okay."
"Pichu pichu chu pi pi, pichu? (Who let the loonies out, Kage?)" Raikiri asked as Kage shrugged. "Beats me."
"Hey! Don't you call me a loony!" The smallest "Pidgey" shouted annoyed as a few feathers fell.
"Cynda!? Cynda cyndaquil!? (Huh?! What the-it talked human-language!?)" Lucifer exclaimed confused as he waved his arms around franticly.
"Well, of course I speak human! I, unlike you, am extremely intelligent and-ow! What was that for?!" The small "Pidgey" squawked angrily.
The middle-sized "Pidgey" ignored the smaller one and looked towards the two trainers, "What are you two runts doing in our Gym?"
"Your Gym??? O.O" Both girls questioned wide-eyed. "But you're a Pidgey! Or at least, you look like one. . ."
The biggest one's feathers ruffled angrily towards the middle-sized one, "I told you that we shouldn't have worn these stupid outfits!"
"Hey! I just thought that we might fit into the position more with these outfits!" The medium one squawked back.
"Why don't we just take them off already?!" The small one shouted annoyed with the bickering only to get dragged into a newly-formed anime dust fight.
Meanwhile, the two girls and their Pokémon look on whilst sweat dropping.
"Should we stop them?" Anemoné questioned.
". . . Dunno. . ." Kage replied before sitting down. "But we might as well sit back and relax for now."
"Pichu pichu. (That we should.)" Raikiri agreed plopping onto Kage's lap while eating popcorn that appeared out of nowhere. "Pichu pi? (Want some?)"
"Cynda cyn! (Yuppers!)" Lucifer said happily as he sat on Anemoné's lap after she sat down next to Kage.
". . . How'd ya get popcorn?" Kage asked Raikiri wide-eyed.
"Pichu pi. . . (Somewhere. . .)" Raikiri replied while doing the anime shifty-eyes.
Back with the three "Pidgey's", they had abruptly stopped fighting while staying in a tangled pose as they looked towards the four relaxing beings.
"Hey. Aren't we supposed to battle them since they're trainers?" The big one asked out loud.
"Yeah! We are!" The medium one exclaimed as all three of them jumped away from each other.
"Hey twerps! Aren't you two here for a Gym Battle?!" The small one asked, annoyed that they were relaxing.
Kage smirked, showing her sharp canines, "We were merely waiting for you three to stop acting childish."
Anemoné sweat dropped, "Kage, we aren't suppose to anger them. . ."
Meanwhile, the three "Pidgey's" each gained an anime vein as well as an extra one as they spoke.
"Three. . ." The big one started.
"Acting. . ." The medium one continued.
"Childish?!" The small one finished.
"Why you little maggots!" Big "Pidgey" said as medium "Pidgey" finished. "We'll teach you to say that to us!"
"For we're-" All three started as they grabbed their outfits and tore them off. "The Awesome Rocket Trio!!!"
"The Awesome Rocket Trio?" Kage questioned with an amused look on her face as Anemoné snickered behind her hand.
Now that their outfits were off, the medium "Pidgey" was revealed as a teenage girl with violet hair and blue eyes, "Hey! Don't make fun of us!"
The big "Pidgey", who was actually a teenage boy with orange hair and brown eyes, nodded in agreement, "It's a good name!"
"Yup! That it is!" The small "Pidgey" said.
Silence.
". . ."
Shock.
". . ."
Surprised.
"What the-?" Kage mumbled staring wide-eyed at the last one.
"Pichu? (Fudgecake?)" Raikiri finished also staring wide-eyed at the last.
"A Kecleon?" Anemoné whispered, shocked.
"Cyndaquil. . . (He really can talk. . .)" Lucifer mumbled while sweat dropping a waterfall.
There, in all it's chameleon glory, was a green Kecleon who spoke human language.
"Heh heh heh. I told you I'm much more intelligent if I can speak hu-ow! Karin! Kyle! What was that for?!" Kecleon grumbled annoyed while holding his head.
Karin, as the female was called, scowled at the Pokémon, "We're here to battle 'membered?"
Kecleon blinked before realization dawned on him, "Oh yeah."
The male named Kyle sighed before turning to the shocked girls, "You're here for the Gym Badge, right?"
Kage and Anemoné both nodded as they still stared at Kecleon shocked.
Kyle's right eyebrow twitched in annoyance, "Don't ignore me!"
The two girls blinked before sweat dropping, "Oops?"
Karin turned to the girls with a smirk on her face, "Very well then. You'll be fighting us in a double battle!"
Both girls smirked back at them, "Bring it on."
"Pichu/Cynda! (Let's go!)" Raikiri and Lucifer added jumping onto the arena.
Karin took out a Pokéball and tossed it into the air, "Pidgey! I choose you!"
A flash of white light.
"Pidgey! (A battle!)"
"My turn." Kyle said smirking, "Go! HootHoot!"
"Hoo? Hoothoot? Hoot! (Oh? A battle? Alright!)"
---Gym Battle: Start!---
"Raikiri! Let's go! Use Thunder Wave!" Kage commanded.
Raikiri ran towards the male HootHoot as sparks of blue lightning flew from her cheeks.
"Pi. . . chu! (Thunder. . . Wave!)"
A direct hit towards HootHoot which caused him to become paralyzed.
"HootHoot! Try to shake it off!" Kyle shouted to the owl Pokémon but it was no use.
"Alright! Come on Raikiri! Use Thundershock now!" Kage said grinning a bit.
"Pichu pi! (Got it!)"
Raikiri began dash towards the motionless HootHoot when Pidgey used Tackle on her.
"Pichu. . . (Owie. . .)" "Raikiri! Are you alright?" "Pichu chu! (I'm fine!)"
"Hah! Bet you forgot that this was a double battle huh!" Karin said smirking at Kage who scowled in return.
"I think it's you who forgot it was a double battle! Lucifer! Use Ember now!"
"Cynda. . . quil! (Em. . . ber!)"
A jet of hot red flames engulfed Pidgey before dying down.
"Pid. . . gey. . . pid. . . (That. . . burns. . . literally. . .)"
"Pidgey!" Karin exclaimed before sighing and returning the Pokémon to her Pokéball dejected.
"Thanks Anemoné! We'll take care of the rest now! Raikiri use Thundershock!"
"Pichu chu! Pichu! (Payback time! Thundershock!)"
Golden electricity flew from Raikiri's pink cheeks landing a direct hit on HootHoot.
"Ack! HootHoot! Return!"
"Hoot. . . Hoot. . . (Ow. . . Pain. . .)" The Pokémon mumbled before a red light engulfed him and he disappeared.
---Gym Battle: End!---
"Hah! Alright!" Kage exclaimed excitedly as the two girls high-fived each other.
Anemoné grinned widely at Kage for a moment before it faded, "But that was easy for a Gym Battle. . . maybe a bit too easy."
Kage stopped celebrating at that comment and look at Raikiri who looked back at her, both thinking back to a previous statement that the trio made.
"For we're-" All three started as they grabbed their outfits and tore them off. "The Awesome Rocket Trio!!!"
"'The Awesome Rocket Trio'. . ." Kage mumbled as Anemoné's eyes widen making the tomboy look at her in confusion. "Eh? What's up?"
"My mom once told me to watch out for a group called Team 'Rocket' before." Anemoné replied before she paled slightly as the trio began laughing. . . manically.
"Fufufufu! You're correct, little girl! We are part of the infamous Team Rocket!" Karin cackled.
All four tensed up before stepping slightly closer to each other just in case.
"If you're Team Rocket then where are the real Gym Leaders?!" Anemoné questioned a bit nervous.
"Hah! Do you actually think we'll tell it to you twerps? I don't think so!" Kecleon retorted after staying quiet for quite some time now.
"Nngh. . ." Kage let out a bit nervous as Raikiri stood in front of her trainer protectively.
"Pichu pichu pi pichu pi! (You're an idiot for joining up with those loonies!)" Raikiri scolded as sparks flew from her cheeks.
"Hah! I think that you're the loonie for not!" Kecleon replied with a smug smile.
"Cyndaquil cydaquil quil! (Hey guys, let's teach them a lesson! )" Lucifer growled also standing protectively in front of his trainer.
Anemoné glanced at Kage who nodded back, "Yes. Let's."
"Huh? E-Eh? A-And w-what are you going to do?" Kyle asked as he started to become nervous at their glare.
"Why don't we show you?" Anemoné said stepping towards them a bit as Kage now wore an evil smirk.
"H-Huh?"
"Lucifer!"
"Raikiri!"
"Use Ember/Thundershock!!!"
"Cyndaquil!! (Ember!!)"
"Pi. . . chu!!! (Thunder. . . shock!!!)"
Hot red flames with Thundershock spiraling around it had hit a direct hit at Team Rocket which made them drop the two Pokéballs and. . .
"TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT!!!" Ding.
Kage let out a soft whistle as she shaded her eyes with her right hand just in time to see the small star and hear the light "ding" of it.
"They flew pretty far didn't they?" Anemoné asked out loud as Kage nodded.
"Pichu pichu chu! (Hey Kage! Look!)" Raikiri piped up while pointing to the fallen Pokéballs.
Lucifer picked them up and brought them towards the girls.
"Thanks Lucifer." Anemoné said patting him on the head as she took them.
"Cyndaquil quil! (No problem Anemoné!)"
"Hey! Over here! It came from this way!" An unknown voice said from outside the "Gym".
"Hm?" The two girls let out confused as they turned around just in time to see the sliding door open to reveal a teenage male with dark teal hair that covers his right eye along with several other trainers.
"Oro?" Kage mumbled tilting her head to the side. "Who's that?"
"Um. . . I don't know?" Anemoné replied.
"Hey did you two girls see Team Rocket here?" The male questioned.
Both girls nodded.
"Great! Can you tell me where they went?"
Both girls pointed to where Team Rocket had "dinged" making the male look at them in confusion.
"Where?"
Kage sighed a bit before starting to explain, "We battled them thinking that they were the Gym Leaders but when they revealed to us that they weren't. . ."
"We kind of went out of control and they went 'blasting off' and that's the last of them that we saw." Anemoné finished with a slightly nervous look.
The male sighed rubbing the back of his head, "Darn. They stole a couple of the Pokémon that I was training and I need them back."
Anemoné blinked a bit, "By any chance, would it be a Pidgey and a HootHoot?"
The male blinked before nodding, "Actually, yeah, they are. How'd you know?"
Kage took the Pokéballs that Anemoné was holding and tossed them to him, "Team Rocket used those Pokémon against us but when we made them 'blast off' they dropped 'em."
The male looked a bit surprised before flashing the girls a quick smile, "Thank you. . . um, what are your names?"
"Only if you'll tell us your first." Kage replied a bit cautious now.
"Ahahaha. I guess you would be a bit suspicious now wouldn't you. But, anyways, my name's Falkner. The true Gym Leader of Violet City."
"EH?!" Both girls let out shocked. "YOU'RE THE GYM LEADER?!"
Falkner laughed slightly, "Why don't we talk at the real Gym?"
---Violet Gym---
Both girls stood gaping at the tall, spiral-shaped building that stood in the middle of the city.
"And we missed this building, how, exactly?!" Anemoné questioned whilst annoyed.
"Eheheheheh?" Kage let out nervously as she rubbed the back of her head. "I don't know?"
Anemoné sighed a bit while shaking her head before following Falkner, who had already began to walk inside, as Kage did the same.
Inside one of the many rooms of the Gym, Falkner sat on a cushion seat as the two girls did the same facing him (the other trainers that were with him sat on the side).
Raikiri and Lucifer sat on the table eating some PokéSnacks put out for them.
"First of all, thank you again for saving the Pokémon whether or not it was intentional." Falkner started.
"No problemo." Anemoné chirped happily as Kage gave a faint smile making Anemoné look at her slightly confused but shrugged it off.
"Second of all, sorry about the mix-up with the real Gym and the fake one and with Team Rocket."
"It's alright. No real harm done." Anemoné answered.
"Third of all, I'm taking a guess that you want a battle now for the Zephrbadge?"
"Yes please!" Anemoné said happily making Falkner raise an eyebrow. "Err. Oops?"
The male leader just shook his head smiling before getting up, "Very well then. Let's go to the arena."
---On the way to the Arena---
"Hey Kage?" Anemoné whispered to the tomboy. "You alright?"
Kage blinked a bit before smiling at her, "Yeah, why?"
"You've been a bit. . . quiet." Anemoné said slowly trying not to offend the other girl.
"Really?" Kage asked blinking before sweat dropping as Anemoné nodded. "Oh. Heh heh. I guess I'm just nervous, ya know?"
Anemoné nodded a bit before smiling weakly, "Now that I think about it, I'm a bit nervous too."
Kage blinked once more before giving her a big grin, "Well then, don't think!"
"Kage! You can't not think!" Anemoné scolded lightly but Kage just brushed it off laughing a bit before the two ran to catch up to Falkner, starting Pokémon in tow.
---At the Arena---
"Since I only have two Pokémon, I'll split it between you two, alright?" Falkner asked.
"Sure/No prob." Anemoné and Kage replied.
"Alright then. Who will I be battling first?" Falkner questioned as he took his place on the opposite side.
"I'll go first!" Anemoné said as she stepped up making him nod.
The Official Pokémon Judge of the Gym took his place on the sides as Kage sat next to him.
"This Official Gym Battle between Falkner of the Violet City Gym and Anemoné Phoenix of Cherrygrove City will only allow one Pokémon each with no time limit. Now begin!!!"
---Pokémon Gym Battle: Start!---
"I choose you! Pidgey!" Falkner called out as he tossed his Pokéball into the air.
"Pidgey! (Let's go!)"
"Hey Lucifer, I'll start with Atsuko this time, 'kay?" Anemoné said to her Cyndaquil.
"Cyndaquil quil! (No prob! I'm a bit tired anyways!)" Lucifer replied before plopping himself next to Kage.
"Alrighty then! Atsuko! I choose you!" Anemoné said throwing her Pokéball into the air.
"Eevee! Eev! (Alright! My turn!)"
In the background, whispers of awe were heard since Eevee's are extremely rare Pokémon.
"An Eevee, eh? No matter. My bird Pokémon will prevail! Pidgey! Use gust attack now!" Falkner commanded.
Pidgey flapped his wings several times slowly before it gradually became faster and strong enough to create a tornado-like attack.
"Pidgey pidge! (Gust!)"
The attack started after Atsuko who tried to run from it but failed and was swooped up from it.
"Atsuko!" Anemoné shouted worried as the attack stopped dropping the Eevee to the floor injured. "Can you get up?"
Atsuko slowly got to her feet before shaking off the pain from the last attack.
"Alright! Atsuko use Tackle Attack! Let's go!" Anemoné commanded.
"Eevee eev! (Got'cha!)"
Atsuko ran towards the bird Pokémon but Pidgey dodged out of the way making Falkner smirk. "Looks like you miss."
Anemoné smirked right back at him, "Oh really? Atsuko use Sand Attack!"
"Eev! (Hah!)" Atsuko kicked up dirt and sand into Pidgey's eyes blinding him.
"Ah! Pidgey!" Falkner shouted as he watched the bird Pokémon land on the ground trying to clear up his sight.
"Alright! Now Atsuko! Tackle it!" Anemoné ordered as the chance appeared.
"Eevee! (Tackle!)" Atsuko ran towards the defenseless Pokémon and landed a direct hit on him knocking him out.
---Pokémon Gym Battle: End!---
"Pidgey can no longer battle and the match goes to Anemoné Phoenix of Cherrygrove City!" The announcer declared.
"Alright! Great job Atsuko!" Anemoné exclaimed happily as she hugged her Eevee twirling around a bit.
Lucifer ran up to his trainer and fellow Pokémon congratulating them as well. "Cyndaquil quil cynda cynda! (That was as awesome battle, Atsuko!)
"Eevee eev! Vee vee eevee eev! (Ahaha! Thanks Lucifer! It was really tough though!)" Atsuko replied.
"Great job Anemoné!" Kage said patting her friend on the back as Pichu nodded. "Pichu pichu cha! (Really great for a first timer!)"
"Well Anemoné after that battle, I know that you deserve this." Falkner said from behind the berry lover.
"Huh? Oh wow! Thank you Falkner!" Anemoné exclaimed bowing to the Gym leader as she received the Zephrbadge.
"No problem. Besides, you deserve it." Falkner said before turning to Kage. "Now I believe that it is our battle now. Right, Kage?"
"Yup." Kage said smirking at him before turning to Raikiri. "I'll go with Zensoku for this one since he haven't been battling as much, 'kay?"
"Pichu pichu! (No problemo!)" Raikiri said happily but stayed perched on Kage's right shoulder.
Both trainers then took their place on the arena as the Judge spoke once more.
"And now! The battle between the Violet City Gym Leader, Falkner and Kage Kuroi from New Bark Town will start with one Pokémon each and no time limit! Ready? Begin!"
---Pokémon Gym Battle: Start!---
"You do know that you'll be going against a tougher opponent now, right Kage? I won't make the same mistake as I did with Anemoné!" Falkner said to the tomboy.
"Heh. It doesn't matter. 'Cause either way, bring it on!" Kage said smirking as she tossed the Pokéball with a white rhombus sticker on it into the air. "Zensoku! I choose you!"
"Sentret sen! (Alright! A battle!)"
"A Sentret eh? Too bad." Falkner mused before throwing a Pokéball into the air. "Go! Pidgeotto!"
"Pidgeotto! (Time to fly!)"
Meanwhile, Anemoné was panicking a bit, "What?! A Pidgeotto! That's way harder than the Pidgey I fought! Man, I hope Kage will be alright. . ."
"Feh. Evolved or not. It doesn't matter. Right, Zensoku?"
"Sentret! (That's right!)"
"Confident, aren't ya? Very well, then. Pidgeotto! Quick Attack!" Falkner ordered.
"Pidgeott! Pidgeooott!! (Let's see you dodge this!)"
"Heh. Two can play at that game. Zensoku! Use Quick Attack now!" Kage commanded.
"Sen! (Right!)"
Zensoku disappeared right when Pidgeotto appeared to attack it before Zensoku appeared behind him about to counter-attack when the bird Pokémon dodged it.
"Pidgeotto! Blow that scout away with Gust!"
"Pidgeott-ott-ott!!! (Gust!!!)"
The massive flying-type attack nearly sent Zensoku flying but he managed to hang on.
"Sentret! (Meep!)"
"Ah! Zensoku use Defense Curl!"
Zensoku curled up into a ball as the attack sent Zensoku rolling around but luckily not over the rooftop.
Soon the attack died down, and Zensoku uncurled to reveal that he wasn't injured as much as he would've been if he didn't curl up.
"Alright! Now use Quick Attack!"
"Sentret! (Right!)"
Sentret disappeared and reappeared behind Pidgeotto and slammed into him making the bird Pokémon hit the ground.
"No Pidgeotto! Get up!"
"Great job! Now finish it off with Scratch Attack!"
"Sentret! (Gotcha!)"
Zensoku attacked the Pidgeotto with his claws once and that finished the fight.
---Pokémon Gym Battle: End!---
"And Pidgeotto is unable to battle! Kage and Zensoku wins!"
"Awesome job Zensoku!" Kage exclaimed picking the scout Pokémon up and hugging him.
"Sentret sen. . . (Aw you're making me blush. . .)"
Kage laughed a bit as Raikiri jumped down from Kage's shoulder, "Pichu pichu! Chu? Pichu pichu pi cha! (That was great, Zensoku! Eh? Holy-You're actually blushing!)"
"Sentret sen! (Hey! Quit laughing!)"
Kage and Raikiri were now rolling on the floor laughing as Zensoku seemed to have turned a dark red color.
The three soon calmed down, though, as Anemoné, Lucifer, and Atsuko ran up to them.
"Great job Kage!" Anemoné chirped happily as she hugged her. "I was really worried at first though."
Kage grinned a bit rubbing the tip of her nose, "Heh heh. Thanks Anemoné."
"Cyndaquil! Cyndaquil quil! (Great job Zensoku!)" Lucifer praised.
"Sentret sen! Sentret tret sen sen sentret sen? (Thanks! But who are you and how'd ya know my name?)" Zensoku asked confused.
"Eevee? Eev vee vee eevee eev! (Did you forget? We all met at the café!)" Atsuko piped up.
"Pichu pichu pi chu chu pi pichu pichu! (I bet Zenny here totally forgot since he was too busy eating!)" Raikiri teased lightly before laughing at Zensoku's comical-angry face.
"Sentret sen! Sentret sentret, tret!? (It's not my fault! I was really hungry, okay!?)" Zensoku retorted before sulking a bit.
"Cynda. Cynda quil quil. (It's okay. Don't mind the evil ones over there.)" Lucifer said patting the male sentret on the back.
"PICHU/EEVEE!?!?!?!?!? (EVIL ONES!?!?!?!?!?)" Both female Pokémon's shouted annoyed. "PICHU PICHU/EEVEE EEV!!!!! (WE'LL SHOW YOU EVIL!!!)"
"SENTRET/CYNDA!!! (MEEP IT!!!)" The male Pokémon's squeaked before taking off as the other two chased after them.
Meanwhile, Falkner had walked up to Kage with the Zephrbadge.
"That was an awesome battle, Kage. Even if I did lose." Falkner praised a bit.
"Heh heh. Thanks but it was really hard. At first I thought that we were done for when you sent out Pidgeotto." Kage replied a bit embarrassed while rubbing the back of her neck.
"Well, I thought that I would win for sure but I guess I was wrong. Anyways, congratulations on winning the Zephrbadge!" Falkner said before handing Kage, her first Gym badge.
"Awesome!" Kage chirped happily before picking up both Pokémon (who just happened to run by her) and twirled them around. "And I couldn't have done it without you guys so. . . Thank you!"
"Pi pichu chu! (No problemo!)" "Sentret sen! (You're welcome!)"
As Kage and her Pokémon were bonding, Anemoné had also picked up her Pokémon and hugged them. "I never did say 'thank you' before. So! Thank you, you guys!"
"Cyndaquil! (No prob!)" "Eevee eev! (It was fun!)"
Meanwhile, Falkner and the trainers with him smiled at the rather heart-warming scene before. . .
Cue sound of record stopping.
"CUT!!" Kage suddenly shouted. "CUT! CUT! CUT! CUT! CUT!"
". . . Um Kage? What are you doing?" Anemoné asked while Falkner and the trainers sweat dropped.
"This is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too mushy and gushy sooo let's skip it!" Kage said after sticking out her tongue and making a face.
"Pichu pichu! (Right so let's move it peoples!)" Raikiri piped up from Kage's right shoulder.
"Sentret sentret sen sen. . . (Way to ruin the moment, guys. . .)" Zensoku mumbled from Kage's left shoulder making Rakiri stick her tongue at him.
---And so we skip to the part where Kage and Anemoné say good-bye to Falkner and the rest of Violet City---
"Well, this is good-bye for now, eh?" Kage said to Falkner who nodded back at her. "Great! So the next time we meet up again we battle, right? Right? R-"
Kage was abruptly cut off as Anemoné began to push her towards exit of the town, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm sure you will. By the way, see ya Falkner!"
"Bye! And try not to get yourself in trouble, you two!" Falkner shouted back as the two began to "fade into the horizon".
---Route---
"Hey. . "
"Hm? What is it?"
"I just noticed. . ."
"Noticed what?"
"Why are we still together?"
". . ."
"Anemoné?"
". . . That sounded wrong somehow. . ."
"Huh? What do you -pauses to think back on what she said beforehand several times before- oooooh. Oh. Oh! Ack! I meant-"
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Relax! Sheesh. Anyways. . . Um. . . Err. . . I don't know?"
"Well, if you don't know and I don't know, then who does?"
"-Pauses- Hm. . ."
"Eh? -Sees Anemoné looking at her Cyndaquil and Raikiri- Oh. . ."
"Pichu pichu? (Huh? What's up?)"
"Neh. Neh. Why are we still traveling together, Raikiri?"
"Pichu pichu chu?! (How should I know?!)"
"Err Lucifer?"
"Cyndaquil? Cynda quil quil. . . ('Cause you are? I don't know. . .)"
". . ."
". . ."
"Yeah. Let's go with that."
"Sure."
And that, my friends and readers, is how Anemoné and Kage (along with their Pokémon friends) finally decided to travel along with each other all across the Johto region and perhaps, just perhaps, through every other region as well.