Barry tried to run and was frozen in place.

"Who are you?" He spat.

"Oh, I'm Paul." The man handwaved Barry. "Give me your Bulbasaur."

"Well, I can't really move," Barry said. "Also, I'll never give you Bulbasaur!"

"Why not?" Paul asked. "You're not gonna get any use out of it, you'll just get it killed."

"What?"

"That's right, if you try to take on the pokemon league, you're just gonna get your Bulbasaur killed."

"No, I won't!" Barry shot back. Paul walked up to him, shaking his head.

"You haven't seen the news yesterday, have you?" Paul asked. Barry didn't answer. "The first gym battle was broadcasted on channel 1."

Paul crossed his arms, looking away.

"Someone got to Oreburgh already?" Barry asked.

"Kid with a Buizel, his Buizel was killed."

"What?" Barry stared at Paul. Paul didn't respond for a moment.

"My friend and I decided we would intervene with the challengers, stop anyone we could."

"By taking pokemon?"

"Yeah, if I take your pokemon, you won't get it killed."

Barry furrowed his brow.

"You don't have that right!" He yelled. Paul groaned. "You don't get to choose what risks someone takes!"

"Whatever," Paul waved Barry off. "Let him go, Kadabra."

Barry, suddenly able to move, stumbled forward. He quickly regained his footing and turned to Paul.

"Here's an offer," Paul said as he returned Kadabra. He pocketed the Pokeball and revealed another one. "If you can beat my Piplup with your Bulbasaur, I'll let you keep it."

"Wow." Barry put his hands on his hips. "You're actually changing your mind?"

"I'm not changing my mind!" Paul snapped. Barry snorted, taking out Bulbasaur's Pokeball.

"There's no way me and Bulbasaur will lose to a Piplup," Barry said. Paul sent out his Piplup and Barry sent out Bulbasaur.

THE ASSISTANTS 2

"I haven't seen him in a while," Misty said. Rowan wiped his brow, raising his head to the sky. "I'm pretty sure it was that way."

The two of them had made their way back onto Route 201. They were headed in the direction they'd seen Barry flying around in the sky.

"I assume that's Lake Verity," Rowan said. "Let's hurry."

"Not so fast, you two," Someone spoke up from behind them. "I imagine the two of you are challenging the league?"

Rowan and Misty turned to face the man. He was wearing a gray coat and pants. His hair was bright red and he had a pair of glasses.

"I'm Roark," The man said. "How do you do?"

"We're looking for our friends," Rowan said.

"I'm still not sure if I'm gonna challenge the—" Misty started.

"Rampardos!" Roark yelled, throwing a Pokeball. A Rampardos appeared, landing in front of Rowan and Misty.

"What are you doing?" Misty shouted. She and Rowan started backing up. Rampardos growled, stomping towards them.

Roark simply crossed his arms, frowning at them.

"You don't happen to have a pokemon do you?" Rowan asked.

"Golduck!" Misty sent out a Golduck. "Keep it back!" Golduck fired a stream of bubbles at Rampardos. The bubbles pushed it back a few inches, yet didn't seem to bother it.

"Come on, now," Roark said. "Rampardos, shake them up!" Rampardos stomped its foot and the earth rumbled.

The road split, several rocks jutting from the ground. Rowan fell backward, narrowly avoiding one.

Golduck was knocked off its feet by a rock. Rampardos charged.

"Run!" Misty yelled. She returned Golduck and started running. Rampardos trampled through the rocks, roaring.

Misty and Rowan split up, running in separate directions.

"You two aren't capable of challenging the league!" Roark called out. "You're just going to hurt yourselves!"

Rowan tripped and fell with a grunt. Rampardos paused, looming over him.

"Give up your pokemon!" Roark ordered.

"Starmie!" Misty sent out a Starmie. "Protect the professor!" Starmie fired a beam of water, hitting Rampardos in the back. Rampardos fell onto its side.

"Hey!" Roark yelled. "Cut that out!" Rampardos struggled to get up.

"Run, Rowan!" Misty waved her arms at him. Rowan groaned, crawling away. "Get up!"

Rampardos spun on the ground, its head slammed into Starmie sending it flying. Starmie hit Misty, throwing her backward.

Rowan ducked, narrowly avoiding Rampardos' tail.

"Whoa!" Roark yelled. "Rampardos, calm down!" Rampardos managed to get up, roaring again. It turned on Rowan, growling.

A yellow blur appeared from the nearby woods, crackling with electricity. Pikachu landed on Rampardos' head. Waves of electricity passed over Rampardos.

Rampardos screeched, staggering around. Pikachu clung to its head, sending more electricity.

"It's Ash's Pikachu!" Misty yelled. "Where's Ash?" Rampardos slammed its head against the ground a few times. Pikachu fell off, landing unconscious near Rowan.

Rampardos glared at Pikachu, it raised its head for another attack. Rowan grabbed Pikachu and rolled away, out of the way of Rampardos' headbutt.

"Quit trying to kill them!" Roark yelled. "I'm talking to you!" Rampardos ignored him, stomping after Rowan and Pikachu. "Seriously?"

"Return it!" Rowan shouted. "You can't control your own pokemon!"

"Oh shut up!" Roark snapped back. "Rampardos, get over here!" Rampardos kicked a rock, sending it flying at Roark.

Roark dove out of the way. He got a glimpse of a blue pokemon attacking Rampardos as he hit the ground.

Rampardos fell backward with a growl.

Swampert landed beside Rowan, on all fours.

"Oh, finally," Rowan grunted. He sat up, setting Pikachu down. Dawn walked out of the nearby woods, helping him to his feet.

"Are you alright, Professor?" She asked.

"I'll be fine," he said. Rampardos started getting up. Roark groaned on the ground. Misty was healing her Starmie with a potion.

"Swampert!" Dawn ordered. "Let's make this quick."

X

"Your Bulbasaur hardly listens to you," Paul said.

Piplup was standing a few feet away from Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur was panting.

Barry ignored Paul's remark.

"Piplup, attack!"

Piplup lunged, slapping Bulbasaur with its fins.

"Vines! Use your vines!" Barry ordered. Bulbasaur lunged, trying to headbutt Piplup. Piplup easily hopped out of Bulbasaur's range. "Come on!"

"I told you already," Paul said. Piplup rushed in again, pecking Bulbasaur's face. Bulbasaur recoiled in pain. "You and Bulbasaur simply aren't able. Just accept that fact and give up!"

"Bulbasaur, listen to me!" Barry ordered. Bulbasaur glanced at him. Piplup immediately started pecking it again. "Vines!" Bulbasaur lashed out, wrapping its vines around Piplup.

"Really?"

"Hold onto Piplup!" Barry ordered. Piplup pecked at the vines, struggling to get free.

"Why do you keep struggling like this?" Paul asked. "It's not worth it!"

"What else can we do?" Barry racked his mind. Bulbasaur shook Piplup around, unsure what to do.

"Forget this." Paul sent out Kadabra.

"Hey, wait!" Kadabra created a ball of purple energy and flung it at Bulbasaur. The ball exploded on impact, knocking Bulbasaur out.

"No!"

Barry ran to Bulbasaur's side. Piplup fell to the ground. Kadabra approached Barry. Barry clutched Bulbasaur, glaring at Kadabra.

"Stay back!"

"The gym leaders won't fight fair!" Paul yelled. "You can't win!"

"I don't care!" Tears were filling Barry's eyes. Kadabra's spoon started to glow.

"Hey!" Someone yelled. Barry and Paul turned their heads.

At the edge of the lakefront, Ash and Lou had appeared. Lou was wearing her glasses.

"What are you doing?" Ash yelled. Lou broke into a run. Her Chimchar was running beside her.

"Oh, I was going to go after you two next," Paul said.

Lou pointed at Kadabra. Chimchar leaped into the air, landing on Kadabra. Chimchar knocked Kadabra to the ground and started kicking it.

"Get rid of it!" Paul yelled. Lou got close, grabbing a handful of Paul's hair and shoving him to the ground.

Chimchar flew into the air, landing nearby. Kadabra was up, lunging at Lou.

Ash's Chimchar fired Several small fireballs, knocking Kadabra off track.

Ash and his Chimchar were getting closer. Lou knelt beside Barry.

"You saved me," Barry said. "Thank you." Lou just smiled at him.

"Seriously?" Paul got up. Lou's Chimchar hopped over, joining her by Barry. "Don't you understand?"

Lou looked at Paul, adjusting her glasses.

"You can't win, you'll just get yourselves hurt." Lou rolled her eyes. She picked up her Chimchar.

"What's this guy's deal?" Ash asked.

"He's trying to steal our pokemon," Barry said. He returned Bulbasaur and got to his feet.

"Why would you do that?" Ash asked.

Paul got up, looking the group over.

"There you guys are," Lucas said. He and Brock emerged from the woods. "What did we miss?"

"We need to separate them again," Paul muttered.

"Paul!" It was Roark now. He was being led along by Dawn, Rowan, and Misty. Dawn's Swampert was walking with them. Misty was carrying Pikachu.

"Pikachu!" Ash ran for them.

"Roark?" Paul started for the group.

"It's over," Roark said. "We shouldn't have tried this."

"No shit," Dawn remarked. "Yeesh."

The group gathered together, sharing their stories.

"I saw you," Misty said, laughing. "You just kept going up and down."

"I know!" Barry shouted. "It was scary!"

"We just kind of walked to the lake," Lucas said. "I didn't think we were being attacked or anything." He shrugged his shoulders. Brock chuckled.

"I'm so glad Pikachu is alright," Ash held Pikachu close to him.

"That Pikachu saved us," Rowan said. "That idiot's Rampardos nearly killed me." The group collectively sneered in Roark's direction.

Roark and Paul were standing nearby.

Lou signed a few comments, pointing a finger at Ash. Ash smiled nervously. Lou eventually cracked a smile, finishing her tirade. She jabbed Barry in the side and nodded at Ash.

"She um, said thanks," Barry said. "Mostly."

"I'll take it," Ash grinned.

"Can we please move on?" Dawn asked. "I really want to get to the city before we have to camp out again."

"Yes please!" Lucas joined in. "Let's get a move on!" '

"What about them?" Misty asked. She stuck her chin out at Roark and Paul.

"Who cares." Dawn crossed her arms.

"We can't do much to them," Rowan said. "Let's leave them be." The group started for Route 201.

"Wait!" Roark hurried after them. Paul kept his distance. Barry and Rowan stopped, the rest of them kept going.

"What is it?" Rowan asked.

"I'm sorry for our actions," Roark said.

"I'm sure you are," Rowan said. He turned and walked away.

Barry glanced at Paul. Paul averted his eyes. He turned and followed the others.