"And thank you all for choosing Sinnoh Cruise Lines."

The Captain's voice echoed over the loud speakers while the gang was getting of the boat.

"Ah, home-sweet-home." Even said, while inhaling a deep-breathe of air.

"It is a truly beautiful town." Jeremy said, nodding. "Ok, who wants a to go to the Pokémon Center and get rooms for later?"

"Are you kidding me, Jeremy?" Raven shouted. "I want to battle Volkner now!"

"Must we, Raven?"

"Yeah, I've been training really hard, and I want you guys to see it."

"You douche-bags do whatever you want, I'm going to my house." Even snapped at

them.

"Don't you see your family enough?" Raven asked him.

"Raven. I have twelve sisters and a brother. I don't think I've even met all of my family." Even replied, before he ran off.

"Hey, Jeremy. Did you read that article I showed you?" Maxy asked him.

"Oh, yeah. Hey, I saw this funny typo." Jeremy began, before he was interrupted.

"Jeremy, how come every-time I try to show you something I think you'd find interesting, you have to nitpick and ignore the point."

"Ya know, guys, they say that Volkner is the most powerful gym leader in Sinnoh. You think your ready?" Jeremy asked them as the headed into the gym.

"Absolutely!"

"I never loose."

"Always ready."

Responded Lys, Tori and Raven, respectively.

"Well, they're definitely confident." Jeremy told Maxy.

"Confident? More like arrogant. " Maxy replied.

"Excuse me, are we going to battle, or are you just going to bicker?"

The gang was surprised to see that Volkner was staring at them, tapping his foot impatiently. The gym was larger then the others they had been in, and Neon lights flickered on the walls. Instead of a referee, there was a robot, who appeared to fulfill the same duty.

"Welcome, I am Volkner, and this is my gym. If you wish to challenge me, please step forward."

"I'm ready." Raven said enthusiastically.

"So be it, newcomer. Please try to make this interesting."

"Leonard Even McGuire, never again go that long without calling home, do you understand?"

"Yeah, awesome to see you, too, Mom. Have you seen Nelson around?"

"Yes, He's in the back."

Even hurried outback to where Nelson was fighting his friend with his Pokémon.

"You go it, Sudowoodo, finish him off with Hammer Arm!"

Nelson's Sudowoodo hit a crushing blow-on his foes Glameow, knocking it unconscious.

"Excellent battle, Juan. You scored a hit on me this time, and thats a start."

"Hey Nelson! I see your Bonsly evolved."

"Even. What a surprise seeing you. Yes Bonsly evolved and is more powerful then ever."

"Yeah, but if you sugar-coat crap, its still crap."

"Hmm. I see your travels haven't taught you manners. Well forget that, I saw you in a Contest on Tv. Was that your third ribbon?"

"Fourth. One more and I qualify for the Grand Festival, Not like it matters, though."

"Well then. How 'bout we just get on with why your here. Care for a battle?"

"I'm a lover, not a fighter."

"Even, we both know thats not true."

"Ok fine. Lets do this, Bro."

"Alright, Mudkip, I choose you!" Raven said energetically.

"Let's do this, Jolteon." Volkner said with a yawn.

"Mudkip, start thing's off with Mud-Slap!"

Mudkip pounded its fist on the ground to send shockwaves rippling towards Jolteon.

"Dodge it, Jolteon. Then counter with Charge Beam."

Jolteon jumped high over Mudkip's attack, then used Charge Beam, and hurled a powerful electric sphere at Mudkip, who was knocked unto its back.

"Errr, Mudkip return!" Raven cried. "Your In-Charge, Eevee!"

Eevee emerged from its Poke'ball and held its nose high in the air.

"Jolteon, Charge Beam."

"Eevee, Sand-Attack!

As Jolteon was creating its attack, Eevee pushed its feet into the sand and hurled it into Jolteon's eyes, causing it to loose focus and fire its attack completely off target.

"Jolteon, don't mess around. Double Kick."

"Eevee, Tackle!"

The two Pokémon charged at each other. Eevee ran head first and jolted-up to hit Jolteon, but Jolteon easily dodged the attack, and hit Eevee with two powerful kicks, sending it flying backwards.

"Eevee, Bite!"

Eevee sprinted towards Jolteon and opened its mouth, but Jolteon easily dodged that attack, and shot a Charge Beam right into Eevee's stomach.

Eevee lay on the floor and moaned, before slowly lifting itself to its feet.

"This isn't going to end well." Jeremy told Maxy.

"Yeah, obviously Jolteon is way too much for Eevee to handle. Just another example of Raven jumping recklessly into things."

"Jolteon, Quick Attack!"

Jolteon quickly absorbed energy, and that pounced at Eevee.

"Eevee, Sand Attack!"

As Jolteon was inches away , Eevee kicked-up sand into its eyes, and Jolteon tripped face first into the dirt.

"Now, Eevee, Bite!"

As Jolteon jumped back on his feet, Eevee snapped its jaws onto him, and refused to let go.

"Yeah! Hold-on, Eevee!" Raven commanded.

"Eevee's in the perfect position." Volkner told Jolteon. "Pin Missle."

Jolteon's coat began glowing, and he shot missiles in all directions from his fir, blasting Eevee several times with direct hits.

"Eevee is unable to battle." The robot informed the crowd.

"Aw. No, no no!" Raven shouted. "Fine, I can still do this. Eevee return! Finish him off, Shinx!"

Volkner saw his opponents Pokemon and smirked.

"Don't you ever evolve your Pokemon?" he asked Raven.

"Hey! They'll evolve eventually!" Raven said back, angrily.

"Yes, they will, but not today, and not tomorrow and not the next day."

Raven grew infuriated, and his fist tightened.

"Shinx, Ice Fang!"

Shinx's fangs froze solid, and he sprinted at Jolteon.

"Jolteon, Charge Beam."

Jolteon charged-up an electric sphere and hurled it at Shinx. Shinx panicked as he saw the attack, and stopped moving, before he collided with the attack and was hurled into the wall.

In another part of town, Even's battle with Nelson was just underway.

"Togetic, come-on out."

"Hmm, your Togetic evolved. Does he still only know two moves? Eh, No matter though. Go, Sudowooodo."

"Togetic, Quick Attack."

"Sudowoodo, Low Kick."

Togetic absorbed power and zapped towards Sudowoodo. Sudowoodo calmly ducked and stuck his feet in the air, smacking Togetic out of the sky. Togetic crashed down on the ground, and then shook his head furiously, before flapping his wings and leaping back to the skies.

"Alright, Togetic, Ember."

"Block it and use, Double Edge, Sudowoodo."

Togetoc took a deep breathe and spat flames at Sudowoodo, who crossed his arms and essentially absorbed the attack. Then, Sudowoodo charged full power at Togetic. The two collided and Togetic was sent flying out of the battle field. As Even watched, Togetic tumbled through the skies and crashed somewhere else in the town.

"Ah shit, Togetic."

"Shinx, come-on, Bite."

"Double-Kick, Jolteon."

Shinx attempted to hatch his jaws onto Jolteon's leg, but was smacked twice in the nose and collapsed in the sand.

"Shinx is unable to battle."

"Geeze! Has Raven even landed a hit?" Jeremy asked rhetorically.

"Want me to hit him? 'Cause I will!"

"Donavon, when did you get here?" Maxy asked.

"I've been following you guys this whole time, haven't you noticed?"

"I did, but when I was about to say something, my old boss, Bob, from the "Pie Store", walked by, and I had to hide." Announced Pepe.

"Mudkip, your all thats left, you can do it!' Raven didn't sound as confident as he wanted to, and rightfully so. Volkner was beating him to a pulp.

"Mudkip, Muddy Water!"

"Jolteon, Charge Beam."

Mudkip sent a wave of mucky-water and the attack was met mid-air by Charge Beam, creating an explosion in the center of the battlefield.

"Alright, Mudkip, show'em how we do it, Hoenn style! Double Team!"

Mudkip focused its energy and created a circle of decoys of itself around Jolteon.

"Ah, good move. Raven can't beat him with power, so he'll have to outsmart him." Jeremy told Lys.

"Not likely." She whispered back.

"I for one thinks thats not nice. Just sayin." Pepe told her. "You know what? I don't like you. I've had to carry one of your bags to your room twice. Twice! And you never offered me a sandwich."

"Get a life, kid." Lys told him.

"Weavile, don't let me down." Even said, while sending his disobedient Pokemon out to battle.

"Now, Metal Claw."

Weavile stood still, arms crossed as Nelson shouted-out his own command.

"Sudowoodo, Hammer Arm."

"Oh, no. Weavile, you have to listen to me. Dodge it. Dodge it!"

Weavile stood stubbornly still, and Sudowoodo's glowing fist came crashing down on him, leaving him unable to battle.

Even let-out a sigh, before recalling his Weavile and sending-out his next Pokemon.

"Buizel, go get'em."

Volkner's Jolteon was surrounded by Mudkips. It watched them patiently, knowing that eventually, the real Mudkip would make a move. Mudkip was injured, so Jolteon scanned the circle, then in a blink, saw one of the Mudkip's flinch just slightly.

"There he is, Jolteon. 9'O'Clock. Charge Beam." Volkner commanded.

Jolteon formed a sphere and hurled it at the Mudkip. When the attack hit Mudkip, the decoy's disappeared and Mudkip was sent flying into the wall. Mudkip's lay flat on his stomach, and the "Robot Ref" deemed him unable to battle.

"Please do come again. But next time, don't waste my time. Wheres my next challenger?" Volkner said, while shooing Raven from the battlefield.

"Lys, your-up." Tori told her.

The stakes had been raised. After what they just witnessed, they finally realized the true power of Volkner. He was, by far, their toughest opponent yet.