Here is Chapter Twelve. Ok, I just wanted to say that updates will still be happening, though I am going away on vacation to a place with no internet, I will be relying on my dad's hotspot to post.

(Not really sure how well that's going to work)

Though then again I have hours to write, and that is really what I love to do, so I may be posting more often. :D

Hope that is the case.

Enjoy!

Chapter Twelve:

Paul swung around, Gary was right behind him. Audrey and Emily were smirking at them, leaning against a tree.

"Nice to see you again," she said, walking towards them. "Feeling ok? You look a bit peaky. Haven't been eating much? You haven't been at lunch in ages."

Gary froze at this. Did she know what was going on? How was Paul going to react-

"Why don't you just mind your own business?" Paul snapped back. His posture was misleading, indicating that he had full confidence in this conversation, had nothing to hide…. In truth, he wanted to throw up.

"I don't feel like it," she says coolly, stepping into his personal space. He flinches at this, taking a step back. "Anyway, you can't tell me what to do, Shinji."

Gary decided that this is where he was going to step in. "I agree Audrey. Why don't you just mind your own business and get the hell out of here."

"Why should I? You two weren't up to anything…. weird were you?" she raises an eyebrow, looking at Paul before smiling creepily and crossing her arms over her chest, closing her eyes. "what are you going to do about it anyway?"

Gary grabbed Paul's arm angrily, pulling him away from Audrey. "Let's get out of here…" He didn't expect them to follow. They had one on each side and from what he could tell, they were trying to separate Paul and isolate him. He stopped right where he was, pulling Paul to his side, his arm around him protectively. Paul allowed this, glaring angrily at the bullies.

Realizing that they weren't going to get Paul alone, they growled quietly before trying once more.

"Did you get Torterra back yet? Not sure if you deserved it, you were a bad boy after all, did little Paulie get a spanking? Brandon didn't seem too happy with you…"

"Yes. I did get him back." Paul growled back.

"Then why don't we have a little battle right now?" she looks at Gary, smirking. "Let's let your overprotective friend play too. Double?"

Paul is about to say no, but Gary stepped in before he could. "We accept. Let's get started." He reached for his belt, releasing Blastoise. He raised an eyebrow at Paul, expecting him to send out Torterra. Nervous at the sudden fight in the air, he complied. His enormous pokemon looked overjoyed to see him, and though it usually would have held that inside, quickly greeted its trainer, rubbing its head against his leg. He patted it on the head softly, allowing it this kind of attention. He had missed it as well.

"Come on out, Arcanine." She says smirking. Emily beside her releases a Pidgeot. They move to either sides of the clearing quickly preparing themselves for battle. "You can have the first move." She says sneering.

"Torterra, Giga drain."

"Blastoise use hydro pump!" Gary glanced over at Paul. He seemed more focused now, not the same as before, but still focused. He smiled. If this battle would help him recover, then he would do it thousands of times if it would help.

The battle continued, and for a while Gary thought that Paul might finally start relaxing, except for the comments that Audrey and Emily kept making…

Then, they crossed the line.

"Had an exciting weekend so far Paul? We saw you getting in the car with Mr. Faulk…. Did you two have some…. Fun at his house on Friday?" Audrey smirked.

Paul froze, but Torterra didn't. It was filled with anger at the way the other trainer had spoken to his. Without a command, it launched an incredibly powerful hyper beam at the opponent, hitting both of them hard, knocking them out. Shocked at this, they both returned their pokemon without a single word.

Gary was the next one to react.

"Leave him alone." He glanced towards the other trainer, wondering if he was ok. He was still frozen, holding one fist up to his chest. It was clenched tightly.

He was not lucky enough for Audrey or Emily listen to him. They remain where they are. Then they start moving towards them. "You didn't like that did you Torterra?" she whispers, "Why? Was it true?" They both laughed, almost jokingly.

Gary glanced to see the look on Paul's face. It was anything but a joke. He must have told Torterra what was going on, and the turtle pokemon had reacted to the news of its trainer's issue getting worse, with extreme rage.

"We won, now we're going to leave." Gary said, steering Paul away gently. They heard the footsteps of the two trainers following. Paul returned Torterra and picked up the pace slightly. They could hear laughing behind them and Gary took that they had schemed up something else to say.

"Hey Paul, did you scream when he-AAAAAAAhhhhhhh!" at that moment, Piplup came flying into Audrey's head. Hitting her over and over again. Dawn was right behind it, Ash holding her arm tightly in a desperate attempt to keep her from attacking Audrey and Emily.

"Shut up!" she shouted angrily, "You're such a-" Ash covered her mouth. She shoved him away. "Did you hear that conversation? I'm not just going to stand here and let those kinds of stupid rumors be spread!"

"Call the penguin off!" Audrey shrieked.

"Not until you apologize!" she shouted back. She broke free from Ash though made no move to attack her. She turned to Paul and Gary. "You feeling ok? Don't take anything she says to heart, no one actually believes her." Gary tried to smile but Paul was so stiff next to him, he couldn't bring himself to try and lighten the mood. He just shrugged.

Audrey and Emily had taken off down the road, shouting 'sorry' over and over again, desperate to get away from the furious pokemon. It stopped, standing in the center of the path, arms crossed across its chest. "Plup."

It ran up to its trainer, who picked it up. Ash glanced towards Paul and Gary. Gary had his arm firmly around Paul, and he was whispering in Paul's ear quietly, rubbing his arm comfortingly.

"Paul, you ok?" Dawn said softly.

"Yeah… I'm fine…." He brushed his long bangs out of his eyes. "I'm…. fine…" He rested his head on Gary's arm. "Fine…" His hand still clenched Torterra's pokeball tightly, his fingers were white. Gary took it from the trainer gently, placing it back on his belt calmly. He then looked up to greet his friends.

"Hey, thanks for that back there…"

"No problem." Dawn said, her frown remained plain on her face. "Is he ok?"

"Yeah, fine." Gary swallowed. "What are you two doing here anyway?"

"Looking for you actually." She smiles a little. "I wanted to see if you could come to a sleepover at my house tonight. Paul's invited as well if he wants to come."

Gary thought for a moment. He glanced down at Paul quickly. "Wanna go? It will take your mind off… everything." They could see him considering the idea, his teeth once again biting his lip.

"Only if Dawn is sure that she wants me to come-"

"Of course! It starts at three thirty if that's ok." She says enthusiastically. He nods quietly, giving her a half smile. "Great! See you then!"