Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me it belongs to the geniuses at Nintendo.
Damn you Mike why are you so hard to write for? I never feel like I do him justice.
"Connor…that is a really really sad sight." Connor looked up from his burger to the 'sad sight' his darling brother was pointing out.
"I don't see anything wrong with it." Mike just leaned down from his perch on the boulder to look questioningly at Connor.
"You don't see anything wrong with it? He's a third of her size!" Connor shrugged, taking another huge bite as in front of them the sad sight continued to play out. Rico, Connor's Nidorino was desperately trying to get Mike's Nidoqueen, Rica's attention. Currently Rico was on attempt number five: present object of affection with flowers. It didn't seem to be going too well. Rica was more interested in her food than Rico at the present and yes, Rico's size was not helping matters. Compared to the tall Nidoqueen, Rico barely came up to her knee. So when he trotted proudly over to present her with the white wildflowers he had gathered, it wasn't too much of a surprise when Rica, swinging her tail around as she enjoyed her meal, ended up whacking Rico a good one. Sending him tumbling backward with spirals in his eyes, Rica didn't even seem to notice her would be suitor's appearance and subsequent disappearance as well.
"It wouldn't be so bad if you'd just evolve him already. I mean give the guy a chance this is getting painful to watch!" Rico was back on his feet and valiantly trying for attempt number six: present love with pretty stones, which ended in much the same way as the first five attempts had. Connor didn't say anything, chewing slowly on his food. His brother however saw the faint blush spreading across his cheeks and leaned in closer. "Or is it that you can't find a moonstone?" Mike sat back and snorted with disbelief. "Out of all of us, you spend the most time in Kanto. How can you not have found a moonstone by now?" Connor jumped to his feet so that he and Mike were on the same level.
"I have a freakin' moonstone, thankyouverymuch!" He spat out. "Just because I want to level Rico up before turning him into a giant purple rabbit on steroids doesn't mean I don't actually have a moonstone! Some of us like to bulk up our Pokémon first! Hey! Are you even listening to me?!" Mike popped out one of his headphones.
"Sorry. You say something?" He asked nonchalantly, twisting the ear-bud in his fingers. Connor folded his arms and stamped his foot, the picture of an angry child.
"You always do that!" Mike sighed and made to pop the ear-bud back in but a sight that wasn't a love struck Nidorino getting knocked around by his oblivious flame stopped him. He titled his head, ignoring Connor's ranting. Maybe he should inform his brother that a Pokémon was making off with his fries. "Is it too much to ask that-"
"Connor."
"You're my own brother! At the very least-"
"Connor."
"All I want is just a little bit of-"
"CONNOR!!!"
"Respect! WHAT?!" Connor's head whipped up to glare at Mike. Mike calmly gestured behind Connor, where he had left his food.
"Ya might wanna check on that."
"Check on wha" Connor spun around and caught sight of the thief. The Pokémon froze in the act of stuffing Connor's french fries, the last of his food, into his sack. Connor and the red bird locked eyes the world around them fell silent. The two combatants tried to stare each other down, Connor narrowed his eyes as the red feathered food stealing menace narrowed its eyes. Mike just shook his head, going to back to his own food and music while the stalemate continued. The silence remained for a few more seconds; the thieving bird was the first to break. It let out a terrified squawk, shoved the fries into its sack as Connor lunged toward it with an angry yell and dashed back into the forest. Connor scrambled to his feet, digging up bits of turf in his haste.
"Rico! Come on! We're not letting this insult to the fast food industry and, more importantly, my stomach go!" He shouted as he raced after the disappearing bird. Rico looked between Rica and his trainer's back several times before sighing and trotting off at a fast clip after Connor. Rica happened to notice Connor's departure and by extension Rico's. She sat back on her haunches, watching as the two rapidly faded from view. Scratching idly at her stomach she turned back to look at her own trainer. Mike was ignoring all and sundry with his ear-buds back in, reclining on the rock and munching on his own fries. Rica remained staring at him. Finally he glanced up, met her gaze and sighed.
"No, I'm not going after him." Rica didn't even twitch. "He's a big boy he can take care of himself." She didn't blink. "I just bought these pants, I'm not messing them up." If anything her stare got more accusing. Mike sighed irritably. "Fine! I'll go after him to make sure he doesn't get his dumbass lost…or killed. But if my pants get ruined he's SO paying for them." Rica grumbled happily, shaking herself loose as her trainer gathered all his and his brother's things. "Just like that moron to go running off and forget all his stuff. Alright let's go, shouldn't be too hard to follow, he left a trail a mile wide."
---^__^----
"Whoa!" Ben shot upright as one of his Pokémon, his Arctic bird Pokémon, dropped from places un-know to land violently on his stomach. The landing knocked the wind out of him, causing him to jackknife into a sitting position and totally ruin his nap. But he forgave instantly, Santabag looked pretty scared. He patted the frantic pokemon the head soothingly as he coughed trying to regain his breath. Santabag would not be soothed though and instead continued squawking loudly, flapping his flipper-like wings around wildly.
"Okay Santabag. What's got you worked up eh?" Ben asked his pokemon playfully. Before the pokemon could answer, a male figure burst through the foliage with a medium sized purple and pink pokemon following at his feet. The boy only took a few seconds to get his bearings before whipping out an arm to point dramatically at Ben and his pokemon.
"You!" Ben blinked in surprise. He had no idea how this guy had found him. Santabag had stiffened and gone strangely quiet. "You stole my french fries! Rico sludge bomb!" Ben jumped to his feet, Santabag dropped to the ground in front of him unceremoniously.
"Whoa! Wait a second!" But the purple rabbit was already attacking, a ball of noxious mud and fumes hurtling through the air toward them.
"Blizzard!" Santabag reacted instantly, puffing up his bright red and white chest feathers and letting out a powerful stream of icy wind with snowballs mixed in. The sludge bomb was quickly frozen and dropped to shatter on the ground. "Now why the heck are" Ben was quickly cut off.
"Double kick Rico! We can't let up!"
"Aerial Ace Santabag!" The two pokemon sped toward each other on a collision course.
----^__^-----
Mike stumbled into the clearing several minutes later, kicking his foot to free it from the clinging underbrush. He was prevented from falling and landing hard by Rica. Following along beside her trainer, listening to him grumble and complain about the forest was in the perfect position to grab his failing arm, keeping him upright. Mike brushed his arms and pants off, patting Rica on the shoulder in thanks. Suddenly Rica grabbed him around the waist and wrenched him into the air, a second split-second later Rico crashes into the ground where Mike had been standing. Mike and Rica stared at the pile of purple twitching limbs wide-eyed. The temporarily downed Nidorino gave a deep grunt and was back on his feet, shaking his head to clear it, huge ears flopping around.
"Confusion!" And Rico jumped back into the fray. Rica carefully set her trainer back on the ground. Mike absently clutched at her upper arm. Both watched surprised and more than a little confused as Rico's confusion forced the same pokemon that his brother chased, into the ground with a crash. But soon the bird was back on his feet as his trainer, a tubby brown haired kid whose expression was one of absolute confusion, ordered a strong ice shard counter-attack.
"Uh oh." Mike dove out of the way and Rica curled into a protective ball as the ice shard that Rico dodged around ripped up the turf where they had been standing. "What the hell?" Mike grouched sitting back up and then having to immediately jump into a tuck and roll to get out of the way as a red bundle of feathers crashed into the ground not two inches from where he was. The pokemon climbed to his feet and heeded an order to use blizzard. Mike pulled out of his roll and sprinted madly away as Rico dashed in his general direction to attack with double kick. Rica had managed to escape the worst of the wild battle by taking shelter near a huge tree and because it seemed that Mike had inadvertently drawn the worse of the battle his way. He weighed his options before another near miss with blizzard had him sprinting, ducking and weaving toward Rica. Her bulk would be enough to protect him from further side attacks.
Finally safe at Rica's side Mike could examine the battle now that he wasn't running for his life. He winced as Rico attempted another reckless double kick attack and got slammed by a powerful ice shard counter. When Connor got angry, which admittedly wasn't that often, he got upset, yes but angry? Hardly ever. Either way, when Connor was this angry he tended to abandon his careful battle style and went straight for the throat so to speak. Unfortunately, Rico, his one pokemon who could go straight for the throat had no effective moves against this pokemon. And pure rage was not a battle style Connor did well. The other trainer seemed to sense this and was making full use of Connor's short-sightedness. Rico was not holding up well against the other pokemon's onslaught. He was too tired out to keep moving fast enough and the thieving bird was out classing him drastically. It wouldn't be long now.
"Santabag! Water pulse!" The three strong rings of water rocketed at the tried out Nidorino. With had no ability left to dodge the three rings struck him squarely in the chest, sending the poor pokemon tumbling across the clearing. Connor recalled Rico and reached for a second pokeball on his belt. Mike was not about to let that happen, he did not want to know what an out of control poison powder or confuse ray would do to him.
"Connor leave it alone." Mike said coldly, tapping a finger against his folded arm, dirt and tears littered across his clothing. Connor pointed at Santabag and by extension Ben, spluttering.
"But-but he-he"
"He what? I've nearly been stabbed by a giant shard of ice, used as a landing pad for both pokemon and barely dodged being the target of several wayward attacks! If your food is that important to you, I'll let you have my freakin french fries!" Mike shook the half-empty fry container that Rica had been holding along with Connor and his's bags and squinted at it as he amended his previous statement. "Or what's left of mine."
Connor had turned his full attention on his brother, Rica as well started with surprise. Mike looked up and caught the incredulous looks from both brother and pokemon. "Oh don't look at me like that!" Connor's mouth had dropped open. "It's not so surprising that I would offer an idiot in need my food." His eyes were almost the size of saucers. "Stop that! You're making me feel bad." Silence prevailed in the clearing. "Just take the damn food already and cut that out!" Finally Connor deemed it necessary to speak.
"You never, ever give food away…to-to anyone!"
"Well maybe I just feel like being charitable today?"
"You're never charitable without a reason!" Ben looked back and forth between the two brothers. He felt the strong need to clarify a few points.
"Yeah well this time I just want the insanity and threat to my person to stop!"
"Ummm…excuse me? Is that what this whole thing is about? A box of french fries?" Connor whipped his back to glare intensely at Ben. Santabag stepped back under the force of the glare.
"Not just 'a box of french fries' kid." Connor spat out. "MY box of french fries. Your pokemon stole them!" Ben looked down at Santabag who timidly produce the coveted item from the brown bag and shook his head in fond exasperation.
"I'm sorry, he does that all the time. Bad habit." Ben looked down at Santabag. "Well? Go give them back to him." The pokemon hopped forward, waddling across the expanse to Connor. He proffered the french fries back to Connor with a flipper-like wing. Connor eyed him suspiciously, snatching the fries back quickly. Connor narrowed his eyes at Ben and Santabag before stalking back the way he had come, quickly disappearing into the gloom. Mike pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head, he was so going to kill his brother later.
Catching Ben's eyes, he gave him a thankful nod, following Connor's trail back into the forest with a 'sorry about that' tossed over his shoulder Rica trailing after him, flexing her claws. Ben looked back down at Santabag and patted him tiredly on the head. "Next time, don't get caught." Santabag nodded firmly, sighing in relief as the two trainers and the large pokemon vanished from sight.
Author's Notes:
-Who's That Pokémon: Boom is an Electrode.
-For those of you who love Tess, and wanted to see her this week, fear not! For I have lent her out to CherryDolls for the story Vence's Journey: The Five Badge Challenge. So be sure to head over there, check it out and let CherryDolls know how well s/he did! Because I've read it and it was awesome!
-Special Thanks goes out to: Belhotte, Legendary Fairy, Fire Drastar and Bronze Barometer. Who collectively rule my reviews page. I don't ask for reviews so the fact that you guys take the time to review every time I submit something new(or almost every time) gives me all kinds of warm fuzzies. You guys are the best! Honorable mention goes to Totalpotato for sending some really helpful reviews as well. I always try to answer all of my reviews and you all make it worthwhile to keep writing. Thanks for the continued support!
-There is a poll in my profile go vote!
-Ben and his team are the creation of Belhotte and yes this is his second appearance. Some of the other ocs will get second go rounds as well.