((Quick Recap: Malik challenged and defeated Winona. After receiving the Feather Badge, the group got back on the road))
We had been through a lot in the past few days so we decided it was time for a day off. We set up camp on Route 120. Tyler was fixing everybody something to eat, Taylor was grooming the Pokemon, and as for me...
"Ma? Mawile?" Mawile mumbled as she pinched my cheek
I was fast asleep on the ground and pushed my partner's hand away "Five more minutes..."
"Wile" Mawile called Manectric over
When the hound came over, Mawile instructed him to shock me awake. Manectric shrugged and used Discharge on me
"AHHHHHHH!"
"Well, sounds like Malik's up" Tyler said
"Plus" Plusle nodded
"What did I do..?" I whimpered
All of my Pokemon laughed
"Awww, it's like children rebelling against the father" Taylor smiled
"This isn't rebelling, it's a revolution!" I snarled
The twins laughed. I looked at my team and saw the looks in their eyes
"So that's how it is, huh? Alright then, let's go!" I challenged
My Pokemon rushed me and I started wrestling with them. Taylor walked around us and noticed something with Tyler's meal. She told him that he was cooking it wrong. The brother laughed and said she didn't know what she was talking about. That sparked an argument between the two
"What makes you think you know?!" Tyler growled
"I know more than you!" Taylor replied
"You always do this! You always think you're a better at anything! Especially with me!" Tyler complained
"I'm not better at everything, just most things" Taylor smirked
The two argued some more and stomped off in different directions with their individual Pokemon
I had finally gotten loose from my team and looked around "Hey, where'd they go?"
My Pokemon shrugged and rushed me again
"Gah!"
Taylor was grumbling to herself as she walked through the woods "Stupid Tyler. I was just tryna help"
Minun, Kirlia and Skitty tried to make their trainer feel better but she was beyond reasoning. Luckily, a quiet walk was enough to get Taylor to quit muttering to herself. When she decided to head back, she came to a bad realization
"I'm lost..." Taylor mumbled "Do you guys know which way camp was?"
Taylor's Pokemon shook their heads. Taylor's group wandered aimlessly, hoping to spot something that looked familiar but every tree looked the same to them. The group got tired and took a break near a boulder
"I can't believe this... Ugh! I'm never gonna hear the end of this!" Taylor groaned
"Zan..." a voice winced
Taylor noticed the sound and stood up "Huh?"
Some creature resembling a cat of some kind with red zig-zag markings and large black claws crawled out from behind a bush. The Pokemon was heavily injured, like it just got in an intense brawl with strong opponent
"Are you okay?!" Taylor gasped and ran over to the Pokemon
"Zan... Zan..!" the creature swung it's claws but just collapsed a second later
"It's okay... I'm not gonna hurt you, alright?" Taylor said softly and slowly walking forward
The Pokemon had no energy and acccepted it's possible fate, passing out just as Taylor stepped up to it. When the Pokemon woke up, it felt way better
"Hi. How you feling?" Taylor asked
The Pokemon looked at it's body. Parts of it's fur were damp and smelled like fruit. The Pokemon nodded
Taylor smiled "That's good. I used some of the berries from around here to make a medicine. I don't much about it but I know enough. Good thing, huh?"
Taylor's Pokemon gathered around their new friend and the cat smiled back at them. At this moment, Taylor wished she had a Pokedex so she could figure out what kind of Pokemon she just met
"I could swear I've seen a Pokemon like you somewhere before but I can't put my finger on it" Taylor said, scratching the Pokemon under the chin "It'll come to me"
"Zan" the cat purred
"Hey, how would you like to come along with me?" Taylor offered with a smile
The cat creature sat there for a moment then nodded. Taylor took out a Pokeball and held it out. The Pokemon tapped the ball and was sucked inside, being caught. Taylor was so happy at gaining a new friend that she wasn't mad anymore. In fact, she decided that she'd apolgize to her brother the first chance she got. With that, she got back to finding her way back to camp. When she finally got back, Tyler, Mawile and I were there
"There you are!" Tyler called out and ran over
"You're not mad anymore?" Taylor asked
"I was worried sick!" Tyler replied
Taylor nodded "Oh, my bad. Listen, Tyler, uhh..."
"I'm sorry!" both twins said at the same time "What?! No, I'm the one that's sorry! Stop that! I'm serious! Cut it out!"
"I hate it when they do that" I sighed
Tyler laughed "Anyway, glad's that's over"
"Yeah" Taylor smiled and took out a Pokeball "Oh, I almost forgot. I caught a new Pokemon!"
I rushed up and pushed Tyler out of the way, excited "Really?!"
"Yup. Actually, I was hoping I could borrow your Pokedex, Malik" Taylor said
"Sure" I instantly took out my Pokedex
"Let's go!" Taylor threw the ball in the air
The cat came out and looked at us
"Zangoose?" Tyler thought
"Zangoose, the Cat Ferret Pokemon. To threaten those it encounters, it fans out the claws on it's front paws"
"Zangoose! That's right. That name definitely rings a bell but I know there's still something missing, I just know it" Taylor mumbled before hugging Zangoose "But whatever, I'll figure it out later. I got a Zangoose!"
Tyler walked up "Where did you..."
"I got lost and came across Zangoose. Poor thing was hurt so I fixed him up and now we're friends" Taylor explained
"Now I get it..." Tyler gulped
"Get what?" I asked as I noticed one of the Pokeballs on Tyler belt was shaking "Huh?"
The ball popped open and a large snake with a blade-tail came into view "Viper!"
Zangoose glared at the snake and they instantly started attacking each other
"What?!" I gasped, jumping out of the way
"Zangoose! Stop, please!" Taylor begged
"They won't!" Tyler hollered
"Tyler, what's going on?!" I yelled
"Seviper, hey!" Tyler called out
"Seviper? That name..." Taylor thought
Zangoose and Seviper were mercilessly attacking one another
"Stop it! Both of you!" I demanded
I jumped in the middle of the brawl and tried to keep the two separated. It wasn't easy and I was getting pretty hurt myself
"Ah..! Ow! Stop!" I winced
"Malik!" Taylor gasped
Mawile swooped in a threw Seviper to the side with her horns and blew Zangoose away with Fairy Wind. The two came running back a second later
"Taylor call Zangoose back to it's Pokeball!" Tyler ordered
"R-Right!" Taylor held up Zangoose's ball "Zangoose, return!"
The cat was called back and Seviper calmed down. I fell down the second I wasn't getting attacked anymore
"Oh man..." I groaned
Taylor teared up "I... I don't understand..."
"I have a theory, but not now! Help me out!" Tyler said helping me off the ground
The twins nursed me back to health. While I rested, Tyler explained the situation. He said that he returned to camp not long before Taylor did. Before that he explained that after he stormed off, he ran into Seviper, but it was really hurt. After healing it, he caught it. Taylor said that was the same thing happened to her, except with Zangoose
"I still don't understand why they attacked each other like that" Taylor frowned
"Because they attacked each other before" Tyler mumbled
"Huh?" the sister gasped
"Seviper and Zangoose fought each other before we ran into them" Tyler commented
"How do you know that?" Taylor glared
"It's a known fact that those two Pokemon specifically are born hating one another. Like that story. Remember? Mom and Dad told us that old bedtime story about the warriors, Zangoose and Seviper" Tyler smirked
Taylor gasped as she remembered where she heard about Zangoose before. The twins' parents used to tell them about two samurai, a Zangoose and a Seviper. The two warriors fought each other for decades. Each duel was always on sight. No talking, no insulting, always just straight to the point
"I remember that now. It had such a sad beginning..." Taylor said
"But an awesome ending!" I smiled "I remember that story too!"
"You were awake this whole time?!" the twins growled
"Yeah" I laughed
"Mawile?" Mawile spoke up
"The ending? Well the story ended when Zangoose and Seviper met a Dusknoir, who was actually more of a jerk than either of them" I spoke "Zangoose and Seviper always fought each other but never messed with anyone else. So when Dusknoir came along and started attacking innocent Pokemon, Zangoose and Seviper decided they had a common enemy and defeated Dusknoir together. After that, the two were no longer enemies. In fact, they became great friends. The point of the story is that even the worst of enemies can become friends. It was awesome!"
"It doesn't matter how great the story is, it is still just a story. Zangoose and Seviper are genetically built to be rivals. Their hatred for each other is actually IN their DNA" Tyler explained
I just realized that I hadn't yet checked out Seviper so I took out my Pokedex again
"Seviper, the Fang Snake Pokemon. Constant polishing makes the edge of the blade on it's tail extremely sharp"
"What are we gonna do? I don't what a fight to break out everytime we let our Pokemon out" Taylor worried
"Should... Should one of us release Zangoose or Seviper?" Tyler gulped
"What?! No!" Taylor glared
"How 'bout a battle?" I suggested
"Seriously?" the twins deadpanned
"Sure. I grow a respect for everyone I've ever battled" I told them
"Really? Even Maxie and Archie?" Tyler questioned
"Eh... I mean, I still hate 'em, just in a respectable way" I shrugged
"It's worth a shot. Besides, I don't hear either of you thinking of anything better" I said
They agreed and decided to try out my idea. Tyler and Seviper went to one side and Taylor went to the other. She called Zangoose back out and to no one's surprise automactically went for Seviper. I had Mawile use Fairy Wind to keep them apart
"Easy, you two! Listen, you're gonna have a Pokemon battle and learn to respect each other, like family should, okay?" I asked
The two Pokemon just glared at each other
"Okay, how about this? Either go with my plan... or deal with her" I deadpanned and pointed to Mawile who was grinning
Zangoose and Seviper thought back to how easily Mawile swept them earlier and calmed down a little
"That's what I thought" I smirked and stood on the side of the field "Alright! This is a one-on-one battle between Tyler and Taylor! The battle will be over when either Seviper or Zangoose is unable to continue! Battle begin! Hey, refereeing's pretty fun"
"Ma" Mawile nodded
"Zangoose, Quick Attack!" Taylor instructed
"Seviper, Night Slash!" Tyler countered
Zangoose rushed ahead as Seviper's sharp tail gave off a dark-purple energy. The two attacks collided and cancelled each other out
"Poison Fang!"
"Shadow Claw!"
Seviper's vicious fangs glowed and Zangoose's claws erupted in shadows. Just like before, they attacks blew both Pokemon back
"Wring Out, quick!" Tyler called out
Seviper quickly wrapped around Zangoose and squeezed tightly
"Zangoose, Iron Tail!" Taylor hollered
Zangoose managed to nail the snake on the head and was able to get free. The two battled but they weren't being as ferocious as I expected. It looked like they were running on fumes then I remembered that they've been fighting all day and must've been exhausted by now
"Let's end this! Seviper, Poison Tail!" Tyler ordered
"Zangoose, full-power Crush Claw!" Taylor followed up
Zangoose's claws glowed white with added static while Seviper's tail glowed bright-purple. The two Pokemon rushed in with their signature moves. This collision was different from the others. When the strikes made contact, instead of canceling out one another, Zangoose and Seviper proceeded to try and push each other back. When neither of them won the grudge match, an explosion went off. When the smoke cleared, both Zangoose and Seviper were out cold
TYLER VS. TAYLOR! OUTCOME: DRAW!
The twins walked up and returned them to their Pokeballs
"So... what have we learned?" I asked
"Nothing we didn't already know" Tyler shrugged "Those two hate each other"
I nodded "True, but..."
"But what?" Taylor wondered
"True they were fighting at first, but when you started telling them what to do, they forgot most of that to battle with you. We still have work to do... but I have good feeling about this two" I said
Tyler and Taylor looked at each other and smiled
"Let's get started" I smiled
((Trust me, I've got something planned for our new friends. Next time, a little haunting never hurt anyone. Questions, comments, and concerns are expected and accepted. Thanks for reading!))
