A/N: I left y'all at a cliffhanger, and you hate it, I know. Yes, I know what I'm doing, and no worries, you WON'T be disappointed!

R&R!

Wizard: Well, unless you're one of those people who're disappointed in EVERYTHING…

Rage: I don't think they count as People, Wiz.

Wizard: So… You don't count as a person?

Rage: Exact – Wait a minute. I am NOT disappointed in everything! X(

Wizard: Suuuuure your not… (rolls eyes)

"Talking"

"Pokémon Talking"

Thinking

"PokéDex Talking"

"PokéGaze Talking"

"Egg-Reader Information"

Chapter Eleven

Silence reined supreme amongst the Tricksters as they made their way back to New Bark. Even the Pokémon, allowed out along the way, were solemn, sensing their Trainer's moods. Alysha and Pirate stayed close, but for once didn't let one snide remark slip. Natasha remained at Ric's side instead of running around pell-mell, as was her usual way. Web was cuddled close to Lyn's chest, dozing quietly as the worried girl unconsciously stroked the wiry hairs on his back. Thad's Chikorita, Chiggy, padded at his side, blue eyes bright and watchful, tossing the leaf/grass-like blade on his head in aggressive irritation.

Sounds filtered around them, ignored for the most part: The call of Pidgey's, mocking one another playfully. The rustling of the high grass as Pokémon searched for one another and food. The rattling of branches, lush green leaves already changing to the colors of fall, as Sentret's swung from branches and twirled up and down tree-trunks, chittering at each other. And, growing steadily closer, the shouts of teenage boys as a battle went on up ahead. Thad unconsciously moved closer to Harry and the others, Chiggy growling and pressing comfortingly against his Trainer's leg, eyes narrowing.

But none of them made a sound, otherwise.

As they rounded the corner, and saw the six-or-seven boys bawling and catcalling, they paused as Harry stopped, green eyes cold and dark, to observe. The largest of the boys, who looked like he could be a linebacker on a football team, was setting his Rattata against a smaller boy's Pidgey, and looked like he was winning, as the bird-Pokémon was constantly slammed into, again and again, the Rattata and his Trainer obviously ignoring the Pokémon's Trainer's cries of Stop, Please!

"Pirate, Alysha," Harry said, voice hard and cold. Both Pokémon nodded, and launched themselves forward, entering the battle. Pirate slammed into the Rattata, sending it squealing into a roll. Rising up onto his tail, the Sentret growled, keeping himself between the nearly unconscious Pidgey and the dark purple Pokémon. Slysha let out a hissing battlecry, and dove at the Pokémon as it staggered to its feet. Her talons locked onto the fur of it's scruff and lower-back, and, struggling slightly, she lifted a good twenty feet into the air.

"Hey!" The big teen cried, his face flushed darkly in anger and outrage. Harry walked past the shouting and shocked boys who'd been cheering him on, and stopping in front of the downed Pidgey and its worried Trainer, face blank and cold. Slouching back slightly, nonchalant, hands in his pants-pockets, he knew he looked disinterested and bored. He couldn't help but be viciously reminded of his brutal bully-of-a-cousin, Dudley, as he stared at the furious, muscle-bound teen.

"Drop off," Harry intoned coldly; Alysha dropped her struggling burden, and, without having to be told, Pirate launched himself into the air as if spring-loaded, slammed into the falling Rattata, and sent it flying into its Trainer. The boy staggered, and, with a testosterone-filled snarl, recalled his unconscious Pokémon. Alysha and Pirate returned to their Trainer, eyes bright with anger as they hissed/growled at the bigger boy. Alysha perched, for once, on Harry's shoulder, without any of the usual aggression or derision.

"Who do you think you are, runt?" The teen snarled, his buddies swarming like cockroaches behind him, hands reaching for their pokeballs. Harry's own friends did the same, forming a barrier between the boys and their victim, who was staring at them with awed relief, and confusion.

"We're the ones who stop idiots like you," Lyn called.

"We're the ones who defend victims from bullies like you," Ric said from his sister's side, glaring darkly.

"You're all" Lyn said,

"Nothing but" Ric added,

"Pathetic cowards!" They both finished; Natasha snarled, ears quivering furiously, while Web chittered creepily, eyes glinting darkly. Thad shifted slightly, face hard.

"You think you're so bad," he sneered, "going after those who you know won't be able to properly defend themselves. You wouldn't know what a real challenge was if it bit you on your flabby ass!" The leader sneered nastily.

"If it isn't Too-Bad-Thad, brother to the Legless-Wonder." He smiled cruelly. "Where's ol' Hotwheels now, eh, baby boy? Is big Brover too scawed of lil' ol' me?" He mocked in a baby-voice, making his cronies laugh derisively behind him, egging him on. Harry set a hand on Thad's shoulder when the boy would have stepped forward, hands clenched into fists. The taller boy glanced into the psychic's eerie green, and nodded silently, stepping back slightly. Harry turned his attention to the boys, and rolled his shoulders, and pulled his Go-Goggles over his eyes.

"Talk is for those who can't trust their actions to be enough," he said in a cold, emotionless tone. "It's for those who would never be able to uphold their promise, and it's a flimsy shield one uses to distract a bigger predator, so that the slimy little weakling behind it can search for an escape." He smiled, then, one of his dad's scary-smiles, and cocked his head challengingly. "Let's settle this like Trainer's, shall we?" A flash of uncertainty slid through the leader's eyes, and was gone again in a wash of eager, bloodthirsty cruelty.

"You heard the pipsqueak, boys," he cajoled, pulling a second pokeball from his belt. "They wanna fight, let's fight!" Hoots and shouts of boasting, teenage excitement spilled from the eight teens, and they were all soon tossing out their Pokémon. Red lights flashed continuously for several seconds, before six Rattata's, a single female Nidoran, two Pidgey's, and a Pikachu waited fifteen feet away.

"I can help!" A voice blurted, and Harry glanced back to see the Trainer who'd been battling before scrabble to his feet, having recalled his injured Pidgey. He pulled out another pokeball, and hit the button. Instantly, the red light flashed, leaving a behind a yellow armadillo, who sneezed and scratched its neck. Harry blinked at the Sandshrew, and nodded as the scrawny boy, a year or two older then Harry himself, stepped up to Thad's side, nervous but determined. The Sandshrew, however, stared at him in uninterested contempt when he tried to get it to join him, turned his back, and settled down to sleep. The boy flushed.

"I can see why you didn't call it out beforehand," Lyn observed; the boy looked away.

"He was a gift from my mom," he told them sheepishly. "I don't think he trusts me to be a good Trainer." Harry nodded silently.

"I'd try to help you out," he told the older boy, "but we've run out of time." The teen nodded, and Harry focused on the Pokémon across from them. "Let's work together, everyone, and no matter what, don't let them win," his voice, hard and frigid, and so not like what they were used to, made his friends and Pokémon shiver slightly, but settle determinedly.

"To hell and back, Harry," The twins said in unison, in finality, and with feral grins. "We'd follow you, boss, no matter what!" Thad nodded, settling his weight as Chiggy tossed his leaf-blade aggressively.

"Me too, Harry," the blond declared; Harry's mouth twitched up into a small smile, and then disappeared.

"Let's do this then," he murmured, touching his Harmony Locket once, briefly.

"Let's kick their scrawny asses, boys!" The Dudley-like leader bawled; a cheer went up, filled with jeers, leers, and catcalls. All their Pokémon launched themselves forward: the Pikachu and four Rattata's using Quick Attack, the Nidoran and remaining Rattata's using Tackle, and the Pidgey's flying into the air, likely to dive-bomb the patiently waiting Trickster Pokémon. Sandshrew continued feigning sleep.

"Web, use String Shot on the Pokémon using Quick Attack!" Lyn cried; the Spinarak chittered, and shot thick, silken threads of his namesake. It tangled around the legs of three Rattata's, sending them tumbling and sliding into one another. It glanced off the side of the other Rattata, and missed the Pikachu all together. Natasha, without being told by Ric, slammed into the on-coming mouse-Pokémon, and they went rolling, breaking apart and growling at one another.

"Pirate," Harry said simply; the Sentret launched forward without any more, eating up the ground with the speed and energy squirrels showed in their acrobatic stunts in the trees. He feinted at the two Rattata's, making them trip and flinch, and then slammed into the Nidoran, making her squeal as she went tumbling. Alysha shrieked and took to the air when one of the opposing Pidgey's tackled the Sentret from behind. Instantly, both enemy birds were after her as she led them away, the instinctive vying for territory overruling, temporarily, their own Trainers commands as they chased her.

"Chiggy, use tackle!" Thad called; the Chikorita let out a high-pitched battle cry and ran forward to meet the two Rattata who'd meant to Tackle. It looks like a battlefield, Harry thought as Pokémon slammed into one another, rolling and hitting, and their battle cries mixed with shrieks and cries of pain and outrage. His stomach rolled queasily, but he shoved it aside. He had started this, and he'd damn well finish it.

It's what Giovanni's did, after all.

"Sandshrew, come on!" The teen they'd rescued pleaded; the yellow armadillo ignored him, and Harry shook his head and touched the boys shoulder, spitting his attention between the Pokémon and his friends.

"Leave him," he said quietly. "He's entitled to choose his battles." The teen looked near tears.

"But everyone else is helping!" He cried; Harry gave him a small smile.

"It's fine," he said gently, kindly. "He's just scared, after all. It's perfectly natural," he turned the boy so he couldn't see the Sandshrew stiffen, head jerking up. "I mean, they have more Pokémon then we do, so he's probably just worried. Don't worry," he smiled at the teen, knowing his manipulation of the ground-type would work. "All of us have our cowardly moments. It's just hard to move past them at times." The teen nodded uncertainly, and returned to Thad's side. Harry returned his attention forward, lips curled slightly as he sensed the yellow armadillo-Pokémon's outrage.

"Alysha," he called out, "use Sand-Attack. Pirate, use Defense Curl." The Pidgey gay a cry and dived towards the ground, closely followed by her pursuers. Pirated curled into a tiny ball and rolled into the charge of the Nidoran, sending her sprawling. Alysha, swooped up abruptly, a foot away from the ground, and her velocity sent loose dirt, twigs, leaves, and grass flying through the air.

"Pikachu," the bully leader called, face flushed as Rattata's and the Nidoran scrabbled at their watering eyes. "Use Lightning Bolt on that stupid bird!" The yellow mouse nodded, zigzagged around Natasha, and ran forward, static sparking from its cheeks and fur.

"Pikachuuuuu!" It cried, leaping up and curling into itself; electricity erupted from it in a yellow burst, and flew directly towards Alysha, whose eyes widened in alarm as she back-winged desperately.

"Alysha!" Harry cried; a thick rope of web flew through the air and wrapped around the Pidgey securely, making her fall abruptly. The Lightning attack slammed into her two pursuers, sending them to the ground, unconscious and badly burnt. Pirate caught his falling comrade, using his thick tail and circular body to break her fall, both tumbling away with only some bruises. Web gave a battle cry of triumph, and reared into the air, horn glowing, before dozens of glowing needles shot from the small spider and peppered three Rattata's, missing the intended target when Pikachu leaped out of the way. The Spinarak chittered and skittered over to the wrapped Alysha, and neatly began removing the String Shot, wadding it into balls and having Pirate throw them at the enemy Pokémon.

"Look out, Natasha!" Ric cried as the Pikachu used Quick Attack.

"What?" the distracted Nidoran asked, looking up from where she and the other Nidoran had been circling; the yellow mouse slammed into her, sending her sprawling, dazed. Electricity sparked along her skin, making her twitch and shudder, eyes rolling as she was paralyzed.

"Natasha!" Ric cried as the enemy Nidoran charged with a cry towards the fallen Pokémon. Suddenly, though, the ground between Harry's legs was raised as whatever burrowed, mole-like, under it made a beeline for the injured Pokémon. "What the-" Ric sputtered, eyes huge, as the moving mound circled between the injured Natasha and the oncoming Pokémon.

Sandshrew burst from the ground in a ball, using Defense Curl even as he flew through the air. His hard, armored body slammed into the Nidoran, sending her flying, unconscious. He bounced, once, and uncurled in midair, landing protectively between Natasha and the other Pokémon, eyes narrowed in irritation.

"I am no coward," he growled, glancing back to send his dark look in Harry's direction. Harry smiled slightly, and nodded, once, in gratitude and understanding.

"Go Sandshrew!" the Pokémon's Trainer cried, overjoyed; the ground-type glanced at him, and was met by a beaming grin and joy. Silently, Sandshrew once more focused on the battle at hand. Alysha, finally freed from the String Shot, lifted into the air and landed at his side, giving him a nod, before glaring at the other Pokémon.

"Let's give them hell, shall we?" she asked; Sandshrew chuckled darkly.

"After you, my dear," he purred in a matter fitting of Giovanni himself; she gave a laughing cry, and launched into the air, wing-muscles burning as she built up speed. Ducking her head, she slammed into a Rattata, sending it into one of its comrades, sending both into sprawling unconsciousness.

"Very nice," Sandshrew murmured, smirking, before he lunged forward, clawed fingers digging with blurring speed. In seconds, he'd disappeared, leaving only a hole behind. Web promptly covered the opening in String Shot, chittering cheerfully. Natasha slowly, painfully, got up, ears pinning as she strained against her paralysis. Sides heaving, static zipping up and down her sides, she shivered and managed to take two jerking steps forward, before she fell still, twitching. Chiggy appeared at her side, leaf-blade comfortingly draped over her small shoulders. Harry nodded at Thad, who flushed and smiled.

"Chiggy!" The blond called; the Chikorita glanced back at him. "Use Tackle on one of the Rattata!" Chiggy nodded, nudged Natasha gently with his head, and ran forward. As he did, Alysha circled around, and sent a fresh cloud of dirt and debris flying after him, like a wall. As Chiggy slammed into one of the remaining Pokémon, Pikachu leaped through the air, out of the debris cloud, and landed with a roll…

Which ended abruptly when it fell into the String Shot covered hole left by Sandshrew.

"Pika!" It cried as it disappeared, unable to get out as the sticky web wrapped around its arms and tail, thickly cocooning the electric type. Web immediately skittered down into the hole after it, chittering cheerfully. After a few seconds, Pikachu began yelling, loudly, in alarm.

"Spider!" Its cried, voice male, but high-pitch from hysteria. "Spider! Big Spider! Squish it, squish it, squi-Ack!" The yelling suddenly became muffled and quiet. After a few seconds, Web reappeared, still chittering as a thick trail of String Shot, which ended in a large, struggling, and Pikachu-shaped cocoon, which continued to shriek and scream in muffled hysteria as the spider-Pokémon dragged his captive out of the hole. He swiftly bit through the string attaching him to the cocoon, and once more covered the hole with web. Alysha flew over and laughed gleefully.

"Serves you right, Vermin!" she cried, doing a neat little flip. Sandshrew erupted from the ground, slamming into one of the remaining four Rattata's. It slammed into two of it's comrades, sending them staggering, and the dirt under their combined weight fell away, sending them screeching into a deep hole. Padding to the lip of the hole, Sandshrew peered down at them, eyes glinting in dark amusement.

"It puts the lotion on its skin, or else it gets the hose again," he called calmly (A/N: I couldn't resist, okay It HAD to be said, lolz!). Pirate appeared at his side and thunked him on the back with his tail.

"Nice one, Sandshrew!" He declared, and then leapt nimbly over the pit, rushing at the single, remaining Rattata, who was backing away, eyes wide, as the Sentret and Chiggy ran at him.

The two converging Pokémon met the others eyes from the corner of their own, and held a silent conversation. Nodding, they continued forward, with Chiggy taking the lead. When they were mere feet from the wide-eyed Pokémon, Chiggy tossed back his head, and Pirate grabbed the leaf-blade, which the Chikorita the spun forward like a whip, sending the Sentret slashing forward at a speed they couldn't have achieved by just running.

With a cry of delight, the squirrel-like Pokémon slammed into the Rattata, and held on to him, using him a bit like a sled as momentum kept the moving, sliding across the ground. When they came to a stop, Pirate leaped up with a hoot, running around in circles with loud chitters' of excitement as the adrenalin worked its way out. The teens groaned and quickly recalled their Pokémon, furious.

"We don't need our Pokémon to beat you, pipsqueak!" The leader cried, furious. "My name is Dawson Midge, don't you forget it!" Blue eyes bulging, blond hair ruffled, he turned and shoved his cronies, and the pack of teens disappeared. Everyone went to their Pokémon, congratulating and taking care of them. Pirate swirled up Harry's body to his right shoulder, while Alysha landed on his left.

"You were both wonderful," he murmured lovingly, stroking each one with reverent fingers; Pirate cooed and cuddled close, nuzzling his cheek, while Alysha cooed as well, and went to preening Harry's spiked hair.

"Harry," Lyn called; Harry turned to her, and she smiled. "That was brilliant." Ric, Thad, and the other boy nodded. Harry blinked.

"It was," he replied, and then looked up at the sky. "We're nearly to Cherry Grove, and the we'll be one our way back to New Bark to check on the Elm's." Lyn suddenly looked like she was about to cry.

"D-do you think Derek's okay?" She asked uncertainly; Ric wrapped his arm around her waist, putting Natasha's pokeball away with his other. "He's just a little kid, Harry, and someone set a building on fire while he was in it! Who could do that to him?" She began to cry and Web cooed, nuzzling into her neck as she buried her face in her Twin's shoulder, where he murmured to her and hugged her quietly, rubbing her back comfortingly.

"I don't know, Lyn," Harry said with quiet seriousness. "But right now, what we do know is that Professor Elm called us for help, and we're bloody well going to give it to him." Straightening, he nodded at his friends. "We need to go now." He turned to the boy they'd rescued. "It was nice to meet you…" He blinked, and the boy pushed blue hair from his face with a sheepish smile, dark green eyes warm and worried.

"Usna," he said, pronouncing it as ooshna. "My dad likes Celtic names," he said with a sheepish grin; Harry blinked, shrugged, and held out a hand.

"I'm Harry, their Ric and Lyn," he pointed to the twins, "and he's Thad." Thad waved, distracted as he carefully checked over Chiggy's leaf-blade, making sure that Pirate hadn't damaged it when he'd used it as a sling-shot.

"Thanks for your help, all of you," Usna told them, and then gestured at Harry's PokéGear. "Give me that and I'll put in my phone number, okay? I'll call you once in a while, deal?" Smiling thinly, Harry handed the PokéGear over.

"Deal, Usna," he replied; after the blue-haired teen finished, he knelt down and wrapped his arms around Sandshrew.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered, kissing the Pokémon on the head. Sandshrew huffed and pat him on the head, rolling his eyes.

"Strange little child," he murmured, then nodded once at Harry. "Well played with that Coward thing, psychic," he said, eyes narrowing. "Next time, just ask." Harry gave him a bow.

"As you wish, Master Sandshrew," he replied, then smiled. "Nice job with the pit, by the way." Sandshrew nodded, and Harry turned, took three steps, and the ground under his feet gave way. With a yelp, he fell just far enough for only his head to be sticking out. Blinking, he found himself staring up at Sandshrew when the ground-type stepped forward. Alysha and Pirate watched from a safe-distance, both amused. Harry gave the Pokémon wide, puppy-dog eyes, and he snorted, and jabbed on sharp claw at Harry's face.

"Never call me a coward, child," he ordered, eyes narrowed darkly. He bent and put his face next to Harry's. "I will not be as nice next time, understand?" Harry nodded, and gave him a small smile.

"Nicely played, Sandshrew," he said, before his eyes glowed totally green, psychic energy surrounding him. Gently, he lifted into the air, and stood in the exact same position he'd held when talking to Dawson before the battle, slouched back and hands in his pockets, mouth quirked sardonically as his eyes continued to glow. Sandshrew snorted, turned, padded back to his Trainer, and poked his own pokeball, recalling himself. Harry set down on the ground with grace and started walking, his friends following him, as well as his Pokémon, who caught up with ease.

"Traitors," he told them with no heat; Pirate grinned at him smugly.

"Pirate here, luv," he replied cheerfully; Harry snorted as Alysha flew forward and turned to face her Trainer, eyes glinting merrily.

"I rather like that Sandshrew, Harry," she told him simply, as if that answered it all.

And maybe it does, Harry thought, bemused. And maybe it does…

A/N: that was a Battle of Epicness and Awesomeness! WHOOT! R&R plz!