The day after our fourth Gym battle victory, the pets and I began to make our way towards Driftveil City, eager to win our fifth Gym Badge; right now, we were on Route 6.

"How much longer until we get to Driftveil City?" Pepper the newly-evolved Flaaffy bleated.

"We're getting close," I replied as I looked down at my Town Map. "I'd say we'll arrive in about ten minutes if we keep this pace."

"It feels like we've been forever-bever walking-talking-Christmas-stocking..." Buttercream whined, using her tail to push herself forward.

"What?" Vinnie said, raising an eyebrow.

"What?" The Aqua Mouse Pokémon began tapping her foot rapidly, creating a yellow blur, and she twitched her ears and inflated her tail. She relaxed with a sigh and her tail deflated back into its normal size. "Anywho... I'm just so tired and wired."

"I sense something coming," Sunil suddenly barked with closed eyes and raised appendages. "And it's angry."

As soon as the Emanation Pokémon finished his sentence, an orange dog-like Pokémon with black stripes and a pale-orange mane, muzzle, and tail leaped out. It snarled at us furiously.

"Who's that?" I asked. I pulled out my Pokédex to learn more about the hostile Pokémon before us.

"Arcanine, the Legendary Pokémon, and the evolved form of Growlithe," it said. "The sight of it running over 6,200 miles in a single day and night has captivated many people."

"Does that Arcanine have a Trainer?" Vinnie whimpered.

"It looks more like it's trying to defend its territory," Russell commented.

"What territory?" Pepper retorted. "Don't Growlithe and Arcanine make their territory in the Virbank Complex? At least that's what Elesa's Flaaffy told me after our battle."

"Arrrr..." Arcanine snarled, as if warning or threatening us.

"What did it say?" I asked, wishing I could understand the Legendary Pokémon.

"It said it's gonna attack us for what we did to the little one," Sunil replied nervously.

"It must think we're a member of Team Plasma," Vinnie guessed.

"We're not your enemy, Arcanine," I said gently as I stepped forward. "We can help you if you need it."

Suddenly, the Legendary Pokémon leaped at me and widened its mouth, its white fangs igniting into flames. I was quickly pulled out of its attack by two thin vines.

"You wanna battle, huh?" Pepper growled, stepping forward and charging electricity through her wool.

"Pepper, stop," I ordered sharply. "It's only defending its territory. It was obviously attacked, or the young one it speaks of."

Russell walked forward and pushed Pepper behind him, then looked up at Arcanine, not even trembling as the intimidating Pokémon towered over him. "We speak the truth, Arcanine. We are not your enemies, and we are not here to cause trouble. As Blythe says, we can help you if you need it, or your young one."

"Ar! Arcan!" Arcanine barked furiously, its eyes narrowed in fury. I could tell it wasn't sure whether it could trust the Mouse Pokémon or not; it was clearly angry, but it also seemed desperate for help.

A tiny yip sounded from the bushes and Arcanine immediately leaped into the undergrowth. Curious, I looked over and past the brambles and saw Arcanine laying down next to a smaller orange dog Pokémon with a few black stripes and a pale muzzle, chest, and tail. I pulled out my Pokédex again.

"Growlithe, the Puppy Pokémon," it said. "Extremely loyal to its Trainer, it will bark at those who approach the Trainer unexpectedly and run them out of town."

Arcanine looked up to the sound of my Pokédex, and I expected it to snarl at me or even launch an attack, but it only looked at me, its face expressionless. It looked back down at Growlithe and I saw it was shivering, as if it were cold. I looked closer and saw some bruises on it.

"That must be the Growlithe who was attacked by Team Plasma," I whispered. I sighed, then stood up, which made Arcanine look back up at me. "I promise, Arcanine. We're not here to hurt you or Growlithe. We're here to help... if you want it."

The Legendary Pokémon continued looking at me. It's wondering if it can trust me, I guess.

Finally it nodded once, slowly, and watched as the pets and I made our way through the shrubbery. I knelt down to the shivering pre-evolved Pokémon and carefully reached a hand forward, half expecting Arcanine to bark at me or attack; it didn't, so I placed my hand gently on Growlithe's head and began to pet it. It made a desperate whine, obviously scared.

"How could Team Plasma be some meany-pa-teeny to hurt-bert-red-alert a youngling?" Buttercream asked, her tail laying on the ground when it was usually up in the air.

"Why don't you ask them?" Sunil whimpered, pointing out to three Team Plasma Grunts walking down the path.

"Hide!" I hissed quietly, shoving the pets into the bush and diving in after them. I watched as they stopped and looked at the Arcanine, who was snarling and protecting Growlithe.

"Look at that big strong Arcanine, man!" one of them exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh, how I would love to have myself one of those," another one said.

"Shut up, you two!" the third - a female Grunt - snapped. "The Lord just told us to get to HQ immediately! Something about the Wand of Authenticity."

Wand of Authenticity? I wriggled a little closer, careful not to rustle the leaves in the bushes.

"The Wand of what?" One of the male Grunts raised an eyebrow at the female, who huffed.

"Duh! The Wand of Authenticity, the powerful wand that determines truth and reality! If we're lucky, the Wand of Authenticity will tell the Lord that he's destined to capture Xerneas and Yveltal."

"Who are Xerneas and Yveltal?" I asked aloud, but not loud enough for the Grunts to hear.

"But aren't Xerneas and Yveltal in some other region?" a male Grunt asked with a confused tone in his voice.

"That doesn't matter. What matters is that he can just possibly capture those two Legendary Pokémon! And once he has them, Team Plasma can finally release all Pokémon from their Trainers! And we can take over the world!"

"So that's what this whole Team Plasma play is about!" I heard Russell growl.

"Okay, I understand, but if we want to be strong enough to get Xerneas and Yveltal, shouldn't we get that strong Arcanine just sitting over there, waiting for us to claim it?" The male Grunts looked at Arcanine again, who snarled.

"For once, you actually have a point," the female said, pulling out a Pokéball. "Let's get it."

"You will not harm Arcanine or Growlithe!" I exclaimed, leaping out of the bush and confronting the three Grunts, followed by my five Pokémon.

"Who are you?" a male Grunt gasped.

"The question is: who are you to plan on capturing Xerneas and Yveltal so you can take over the world?" I retaliated angrily. I just barely heard Pepper mutter, "Whoever they are..."

"Aw, man, it's that kid Albert and Cody were talking about!" the second male Grunt gasped. "You know, the one who always got in their way as they tried to capture a Herdier, Mareep, and Riolu!" Pepper and Sunil narrowed their eyes in hatred.

"Step aside, shrimp!" the female Grunt shouted, ignoring her partner's comment. "A little Trainer like you will never stop Team Plasma!"

"You're right; I can't stop you," I replied. "That's why I have my friends here to help me!" I gestured to the five pets, who then began to snarl at the Grunts.

"Pokémon and people can never be friends!" The Grunt threw out her Pokéball. "Go, Aerodactyl!"

The capsule opened and a large pterodactyl Pokémon flew out, screeching loudly. I pulled out my Pokédex to learn more.

"Aerodactyl, the Fossil Pokémon. A Pokémon that roamed the skies in the dinosaur era. Its teeth are like saw blades."

"Looks like the best matchups for Aerodactyl are, well, all of you," I said, surprised. "But we'll go with Vinnie this time."

"Awesome!" the Grass Snake Pokémon exclaimed.

"Be careful, for Aerodactyl is a Flying-type as well as a Rock-type," Sunil warned.

"Got it!" Vinnie ran out, ready for my first command.

"Aerodactyl, use Fire Fang!" the Grunt commanded before I could speak. Aerodactyl swooped down with outstretched jaws, its glistening white teeth now burning in an inferno.

"Jump up in the air with Vine Whip!" I shouted quickly, and the vines lashed out of Vinnie's collar and propelled him into the air by pressing down on the ground.

Aerodactyl flew up again to try for another Fire Fang, but Vinnie's vines slapped its jaws shut and he held on as the Fossil Pokémon thrashed around.

"Get those jaws open!" the Grunt snapped. I recoiled a little at her harsh tone.

With a final push, Aerodactyl finally got its jaws open, and, at the Grunts command, dug its sharp ice-cold teeth into Vinnie's vines, using Ice Fang.

The Grass Snake Pokémon cried out, but couldn't retract his vines. Aerodactyl suddenly let him go and snapped its jaws down on his tail with Ice Fang. The attack quickly turned into Fire Fang, then into Thunder Fang, then back to Ice Fang.

"Vinnie, no!" I heard Pepper cry out as watched the Fossil Pokémon continuously switching between attacks on the Grass Snake Pokémon.

At hearing my voice, Vinnie began to vigorously thrash around, but Aerodactyl kept its grip. It finally tossed him away as if he were a piece of garbage, and watched as he bounced hard off a tree.

The Grass Snake Pokémon struggled to stand back up on his feet and managed to stumble out of the way of Aerodactyl's Bite attack.

"Vinnie Binnie needs help!" Buttercream cried out. She bounced out, but I held her back. "He's too smiddly-small compared to Aerodactyl!"

"Trust me, Buttercream. He'll be fine," I reassured the Aqua Mouse Pokémon.

"What happened to, 'Oh, no, Vinnie, no!'?" Pepper grunted, imitating my voice poorly. She fell silent when Russell glared at her.

"But-!" For once, Buttercream had nothing else to say. She just backed away and watched anxiously.

I looked back and saw Vinnie had finally climbed to his feet, panting from the effort. He saw Aerodactyl swoop in after him with a screech and leaped out of the way, just quick enough to dodge its Fire Fang by a hair-length.

"Vinnie, use Leaf Tornado!" I commanded. The Grass Snake Pokémon created a vortex of leaves and threw it towards Aerodactyl, who was caught and flung into the ground.

Suddenly, Vinnie began to glow. He's the one evolving this time!

The Pokémon grew taller in height and he grew ears along the back of his head. His collar grew out a little longer, his arms became shorter, and two leaves appeared square down his back.

"Servine!" the newly-evolved Pokémon cried out. I pulled out my Pokédex, not taking my eyes off the taller Pokémon.

"Servine, the Grass Snake Pokémon, and the evolved form of Snivy," it said. "When it gets dirty, its leaves can't be used in photosynthesis, so it always keeps itself clean."

"You're a Servine now!" I exclaimed. "Now, why don't you show them a little of your newly-evolved power?"

"You read my mind," Vinnie shouted back with new strength and confidence even heard in his voice. He ran at Aerodactyl, vines outstretched, and lashed out, slapping the Fossil Pokémon across the face hard. Aerodactyl retaliated and snapped its jaws down on his vines and yanked him forward, and Vinnie used this opportunity to use Tackle. Aerodactyl fell back and didn't get back up.

The female Grunt huffed in exasperation and retreated Aerodactyl and was getting ready to send out another, but Vinnie's vines slapped the Pokéball out of her hands.

You punk!" The Grunt lashed out, trying to grab the Grass Snake Pokémon's vines, and once she grabbed them, she began yanking Vinnie towards her. Her anger was fueling her strength, for he couldn't wriggle out of her grasp.

I heard a roar behind me and saw Arcanine leaping over me and the pets majestically and tackling the Grunt to the ground, forcing her to release Vinnie's vines. Arcanine's fangs crackled with electricity as it snarled.

"Get away from her, you beast!" one of the male Grunts exclaimed, but he immediately ran away, followed by the other Grunt, when Arcanine turned its head and snarled at them.

The female Grunt somehow managed to escape and was running after them, but not before turning back to us. "You won't have your way forever! Team Plasma will have Xerneas and Yveltal, as well as the Wand of Authenticity! And then the Master will have every last one of your pathetic Pokémon!"

"Let's see if you can talk as fast as you run!" I snapped, my patience running dry. "Buttercream, use BubbleBeam! Pepper, use ThunderShock!"

The Aqua Mouse and Wool Pokémon prepared to use the ordered attacks, but the Grunt ran off before they had a chance to let them loose.

"Chicken..." Buttercream grunted.

"Man, when you said it wouldn't be the last time we would see them you weren't kidding," Vinnie commented with some surprise in his voice.

"And it sure doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell that they will be back here ruffling our nerves," Russell added.

"Or in your case, 'russelling' your nerves," Pepper laughed.

I made a tiny gasp when I saw Arcanine looking at me, but I saw no fury in its bright eyes. It looks more like gratitude.

"Arrrr," the Legendary Pokémon growled.

"Arcanine is giving its thanks to us for driving away Team Plasma before they could capture it or Growlithe," Sunil said happily.

"You're more than welcome, Arcanine," I replied. "Now, we have to go to the next town."

"We've got a Gym Leader to challenge!" Vinnie shouted.

After giving our final farewells, we all began to walk down the path that led to Driftveil City.

Arcanine and Growlithe watched us leave, and once we were out of sight, Arcanine crawled back through the bushes, but Growlithe was still watching after us. It suddenly gasped.

"Was that Blythe...?"