Me: Sorry about not updating for so long, but I've had a lot to deal with.

Vurso & Firethroat: *Whistle innocently. *

Me: And, of course, my muses haven't been doing their job… *Glares at the two dragons. *

Both: Eep.

Me: *Sighs. * Okay, in this chapter, Hope will gain two more Pokemon for her team. And no more suggestions for disabled Pokemon. I already have the team planned out. And Gary fans are so gonna kill me after this chapter…

Firethroat: I think you would know by now that we don't own Pokemon. If we did, I would have a swimming pool full of ice cream! *Drools. *

Vurso: *Sweatdrops. * He just keeps getting weirder and weirder…

Me: Yep.

Vurso: Anyways, on with the fic.

*********************

Hope stopped for a moment to stretch her aching arms before continuing down the dusty path people actually called a route. She was on her way to Pewter City, and, as she didn't plan on challenging the gym, she found no reason to hurry. Besides, the faster she completed her journey, the sooner she would arrive back at Pallet Town. She shuddered when she though of what her father would do when he caught her.

She looked down at the two pokeballs hanging from her side. Vurso and Pyro had opted to rest for a while, and she didn't mind all that much. After all, sometimes a girl needed time to think.

Hope gently placed a hand on the two Pokeballs and whispered, "I just hope you two will be able to protect me when we get back…" She doubted it though. Her father had been a Pokemon trainer when younger, and he still had some of his old Pokemon. And she knew that they were strong. Stronger than Vurso and Firethroat combined.

Her father had been the Pokemon Master for a short amount of time, before her father's rival defeated him. As far as she knew, her father's rival hadn't been defeated yet, and his two best friends had become part of the Elite Four.

Hope was startled out of her thoughts by someone saying, "I'm Max Johnson (A/N: Sorry if anyone out there has this name. I was just picking names out of thin air.) from Pewter City! And I challenge you to a match!"

Hope looked up to see a twelve-year-old boy blocking the path ahead.

"Uh… sorry, but I…" It was at this point that one of her Pokeballs burst open, and Pyro appeared in a flash of white light.

*Accept. * He told her.

"Wha? I can't!"

*Of course you can. I can still battle, and I miss it. Besides, we do need to battle to get stronger if we're going to defeat the League. *

"Just who said we were gonna try?"

*We did, now accept! * The Charizard growled.

"Fine, fine… " Hope muttered. She then raised her voice for her next words. "I am Hope Oak, from Pallet Town, and I accept your challenge!"

Max, who had looked confused up till now, grinned. "Great. A two on two match. I choose Pikachu!" He tossed a Pokeball out onto the path.

The Pokeball split open to reveal a scruffy looking Pikachu, that looked around, confused.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Pyro…" Hope muttered before beckoning Pyro forward. The Charizard had a grin on his face as he stepped forward to face his opponent.

The Pikachu gulped, and started shaking where it was standing.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

For some reason, though, the Pikachu didn't move.

"Come on, Pikachu, do something! Thundershock, Tackle, anything!" Max yelled.

"Um… Pyro… what attacks do you know?" Hope whispered.

*Everything up to Fire Spin. * The Charizard whispered back.

"Okay… um…" Hope thought back to the battles that she had seen her father have when he used his Arcanine. "Flamethrower!"

The Pikachu looked up to see a pillar of flame headed straight at it.

"Pikachu, dodge!" Max yelled. But it didn't move.

*Roast Pikachu, anyone? * Pyro commented as Max recalled the scorched Pokemon.

The boy clenched his fists, before unhooking another Pokeball from his belt. "Scyther!"

The white light faded to reveal an old, battleworn Scyther. There were small chips on the edges of its wings and blades, and gray starting to show on its muzzle. Its eyes had a tired, pained look.

"Pyro, go easy on it. It looks like it's at the end of its rope." Hope whispered. The Charizard nodded.

"Scyther, Skull Bash!" Max called. The Scyther slowly got into the position necessary to use the attack, and each movement looked painful.

"Flame Wheel!" Hope called. The Scyther didn't even get a chance to launch its attack, as Pyro easily put it out of commission.

"We actually won?" Hope whispered to herself. She actually didn't know all that much about directing a Pokemon in battle. All the knowledge she had she got from watching other trainers battle over the years, and that was nothing compared to actually doing it yourself.

Pyro roared in triumph, shooting a flamethrower into the air before turning back to Hope. Smiling, the 16-year-old gently took his large head in her hands and rubbed behind his horns.

"Why did you tell me you were so strong?" She chided gently, happier than she had been for a long time. Maybe, just maybe, Pyro would be strong enough to protect her.

Pyro was about to reply, when they heard a loud crack, and a cry of pain. They turned to see something that no one should ever have to witness, or experience.

Max was standing there with a whip in his hand, looming over the cowering Scyther and Pikachu. "I'll teach you to loose!" The whip came down, opening a wound on the Pikachu's back.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Hope asked, horrified.

"Teaching these two a lesson. Maybe then they won't loose a battle for me again." The boy growled, and brought the lash down on the Scyther's back, earning a cry of pain.

"Scyyyyy…" Tears started leaking from the poor Pokemon's eyes.

Hope winced in sympathy. She knew how much it hurt. It wasn't just the physical pain… it was receiving it from someone that was supposed to love, and protect you.

Suddenly, a rage filled the girl, the likes of which she had never felt. Pyro gulped in fear at the fire that burned in his trainer's hazel eyes.

A few strides, and she was yanking the whip out of the boy's hand, and waving it threateningly above her head. "WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE TO BEAT YOUR POKEMON! IT WASN'T THEIR FAULT THEY LOST! I SHOULD GIVE YOU A FEW WHACKS WITH THIS, TO SEE HOW YOU LIKE IT!"

Max made a strangled cry, and decided it would be safer if he ran for his life. Which he did, leaving his two Pokemon behind.

Hope's anger slowly faded, to be replaced by a drained feeling. Her hand dropped to her side, and the whip fell from her fingers.

*Pewter City is only about half a mile away… we should take these two to the Pokemon center for some treatment. * Pyro murmured, indicating the two Pokemon that lay gasping by Hope's feet.

She slowly nodded, her brain not quick to comprehend things, and gently picked the Pikachu up. It shuddered in her arms, and she gently rubbed it behind its ears to try to soothe it. "It's okay. We're gonna get you healed up." It didn't acknowledge her words.

Pyro carefully picked up the Scyther, making sure to not hurt himself or it.

They started their walk to Pewter City, knowing that two lives rested in their hands.

*********************

Me: Cliffie… kinda. Yes, I know, I'm bad at cliffhangers.

Firethroat: Oh, and we've noticed that we haven't given a description of Hope yet, so I might as well right now.

Height: 5'6"

Weight: 102 lbs.

Hair: Light reddish brown.

Eyes: Hazel, with flecks of blue and gold in them.

Clothes: Old, worn, comfortable jeans with a couple small tears in them, battered old sneakers, a worn jean jacket a size or two too large, and a white T-shirt.

General Appearance: Her hair is medium length, and kept in a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck. She has lightly tanned skin, with a few freckles across her nose. She's too thin, and her baggyish clothes make her look smaller than she actually is. She has high cheekbones, and looks kinda like a female, prettier version of Gary. Thankfully, she doesn't act like him.

Vurso: And for those of you that haven't figured it out yet, Gary Oak is Hope's father. *Ducks things thrown by Gary fans. *

Me: Please review, if only to flame us about making Gary Hope's dad. And sorry for this being late. Like I said, my muses haven't been doing their job.

Both: *Decide it would be safer to leave. *

Firethroat: Please review.