Chapter 11

The next morning, when Scarlet got up, she noticed that Maria hadn't entered their room and taken the lower bunk during the night.

"Well, I guess she must still be at the Gym or something," Scarlet muttered, rolling out of bed.

In no time, she had managed to get herself prepared for the day, and she left the Pokemon Center and made her way to the Gym. When she got there, Lucas was standing nervously in front of the entrance.

"Morning, Lucas," Scarlet said, nodding in greeting.

Lucas looked over. "Morning," he replied weakly.

"Is something wrong?"

The Trainer nodded. "I accidentally dropped my PokeDex."

Scarlet blinked, then shrugged. "I can help you look around for it, if that's what you need help with."

"It's not that." Lucas took off his hat, revealing midnight blue hair, and started to twist it nervously. "I know where it is."

"Then why don't you go get it?"

"Because Team Galalctic has it!"

Scarlet's eyebrows shot up at the sudden outburst. She had thought that Lucas was a quiet guy when she had met him yesterday, and hadn't expected him to lose his cool suddenly like that.

Lucas sighed and put his hat back on. "I was going to ask Maria for help, but she's battling the Gym Leader right now. When she gets out, could you ask her to meet me by the warehouses?"

Scarlet nodded. "Yeah, sure. I can do that."

"'K. Thanks, Scarlet. I've gotta go." With that, Lucas turned and ran off.

A moment later, Maria stepped out of the Gym, looking refreshed. "Morning, Scarlet."

"Morning." Scarlet motioned with her head towards the Galactic HQ. "Lucas was standing out here a minute earlier. He wants us to meet him by that warehouse we saw on our way in."

"Why?" Maria asked, frowning.

"Team Galactic has his PokeDex, and he wants our help getting it back."

Maria's frown deepened. "O.K. I'm going to make a run to the Pokemon Center. Maylene managed to faint three of my Pokemon with Lucario alone." She pulled out her bike and pedaled off. Scarlet followed after her, since the Pokemon Center was on the way to the warehouse, and waited for Maria's Pokemon to heal up before going the rest of the way. Lucas, as he had promised, was waiting for them.

"Hey, Maria," Lucas said nervously. "Team Galactic has my PokeDex, and they won't give it back. Will you help me take these two on?"

Maria grinned. "Sure. Anything that involves beating them to a pulp."

"And we're definitely not letting these guys get away with anything," Scarlet agreed, grinning.

The following battle ended with both of the grunts getting trounced by Lucas' Clefairy and Monferno, and Maria's Prinplup and Roselia.

"This stinks!" one of the grunts complained as he returned his Stunky. "We should get new Pokemon from Headquarters."

"Who care about some PokeDex, anyway?" the other one muttered. "Team Galactic's gonna rule the world...no, the universe. Take your PokeDex back!"

"All the stuff's been moved to Pastoria, anyway," the first grunt said. "So, we'll just say 'You'll get yours!' and run like the grunts we are."

With that, the two goons ram off.

"What is going on?" Lucas asked himself. "Why is Team Galactic out on the streets like they own the place?" He looked at Maria. "Thanks for helping me get my PokeDex back. If Professor Rowan found out...man, I don't even want to think about that!"

"So, where are you planning on heading next?" Maria asked. "I'm heading to Pastoria. There's a Pokemon Gym there, and I want to go there before I take on Fantina in Harthome."

"I'm heading to Pastoria, too," Lucas said. "The Great Marsh is the best place to look for Pokemon. Why don't we travel together?"

"Nah, I'd probably slow you down by battling every single Trainer en route. You go on ahead; I'll meet you there."

"All right, then. See ya!" With that, Lucas ran to the Pokemon Center.

Maria turned and grinned at Scarlet. "Now, let's see what's in that warehouse!"

Scarlet grinned. "I'm all for looting the enemy."

The two of them ran into the storage facility and started digging around in the crates that were lying scattered around in there.

"Looks like most of these are empty!" Scarlet called over to Maria.

"Yeah, I noticed that, too," Maria agreed. "But there's always something that gets left behind...jackpot! HM02!" She held up the disk, grinning. "Now I can teach Star Fly, and she can get me to places that we've been to already!"

Scarlet's ears perked up in interest. "Really? That sounds a lot like Soaring, but we aren't restrained just by places we've been."

Maria hummed at that as she put the HM in her backpack. "I kinda wish we were allowed to do that, but there are some things we're restricted by. Trainers aren't supposed to have journeys that are entirely easy, you know. Come on; let's head back to the Pokemon Center. I want to make sure my team's all right before we go and check out that Galactic Building."

Scarlet's ears seemed to straighten even higher at that, and she grinned widely. "Perfect."

One quick trip to the Pokemon Center later, and Maria and Scarlet were standing in front of the very building that Scarlet had escaped from days ago.

Scarlet clenched her fists. "Let's go."

Maria nodded in agreement. "Right."

The two of them started walking into the building...only for Maria to suddenly stop short and grip Scarlet's shoulder tightly.

Scarlet turned sharply to face Maria. "Hey! What are you-" She stopped short when she saw the look on Maria's face. It was almost as though she had been slapped.

"Maria?" Scarlet frowned. "What's going on with you?"

Maria blinked at Scarlet's voice, then shook her head. She still looked shaken, but not as much as she had before. "Nothing."

"Then why'd you stop?"

Maria was about to answer when a pair of Galactic goons started coming out of the building. Scarlet suddenly found herself dragged behind one of the satellite dishes as the grunts walked past, talking to each other.

Well, more like complaining.

"What do you think of the warp panel system our Leader set up?" one asked.

"I find it ridiculous," the other replied. "I mean, we have to memorize where all the panels lead. What's wrong with stairs, for Pidgot's sake?"

Maria waited until the two goons were out of earshot to let out a loud groan. "Warp panels. Of all the things that they had to do to mimic the other evil teams, it just had to be warp panels." She dropped her head into her hands and muttered what sounded like a stream of half-growls, half curses. "Arceus knows they probably have doors that need keys, too."

Scarlet frowned. "So?"

"So, it means that they're ready for a frontal assault!" Maria frowned at Scarlet. "Which means I won't be able to attack it until I have at least seven Badges under my belt, and a stronger team. I'm sorry, Scarlet, but we won't be raiding this dungeon today."

Scarlet's frown deepened, and she let out an irritated sigh in response. "All right; fine. Let's just get you stronger and get you back here as soon as possible. Where to next?"

Maria blinked at Scarlet's statement, then gained a determined expression. "Pastoria. Come on!" She ran out from behind the dish and towards Veilstone's south gate. Scarlet followed after her a moment later, keeping up with Maria easily. In no time, they were out of Veilstone and dodging Trainer battles and Pokemon left and right.

"Whoo!" Maria laughed as the path below their feet switched from dirt to stone. "I didn't think I'd end up getting so many challengers like that!"

"No kidding," Scarlet muttered in agreement, pulling grass out of her fur. "How much farther until Pastoria?"

"Not far, I don't think. We just have to get through this resort and go up the beach a little." Maria looked at the building they were coming up on. "Hey, that's a restaurant! I wonder if they do Pokemon battles-" She saw the look that came over Scarlet's face and sighed. "All right; I'll come back here later."

Scarlet gave a curt nod, then zipped out of sight before anyone else could catch sight of her.

The duo soon left the resort area and made their way up a beach - just as Maria had said they would - before they entered Pastoria.

"This place doesn't really look like a place for a Gym," Scarlet remarked, looking around. "This town is pretty much just a forest clearing."

"But they do have a Safari Zone." Maria inspected a sign, frowning. "Great Marsh, huh? Sounds like there might be some rare Pokemon hiding in there."

Scarlet raised an eyebrow. "You're not seriously thinking of going in there, are you?"

"Well, why not?" Maria grinned. "There could be some Pokemon in there who would be able to help me out against other Gym Leaders. It's only 5000 Poke, so I should be fine."

"Five thousand?" Scarlet stared, aghast. "Just how much money do you have?!"

Maria laughed. "More than enough! Go to the Pokemon Center and get us a room, will you? I get the feeling that I'm going to want to take a shower later."

Time Break

Scarlet rolled her eyes as Maria came out of the bathroom wearing jeans, a white shirt, and a yellow jacket. "How it is that you got yourself covered from head to toe in mud, I don't think I'll ever want to know."

Maria snickered in response. "Still, it was pretty fun. I heard a couple Trainers talking in there about looking for Pokemon that were strong against Water-Types; that must be what this Gym Leader's strength is. And I've definitely got good Pokemon who can take him on." She grinned. "This is going to be fun."

Scarlet wasn't entirely sure what Maria's definition of "fun" was. They had only been together a few days, and she was already sure that Maria was probably one of the more eccentric Trainers out there.

Well, she had to be, considering that she was able to take on three Teams all by herself.