Disclaimer: Ok people, time to use your brain skills. Why would this be a disclaimer? Ohhhh, and the light bulb is clicked on!

Always Competing

Chapter 3

Birthday Blues Flashback

By: Ele

Emily plopped down on a bench on Cobblestone Avenue, the main street of the town. The Orange Elite Pokemon Competition was in a week, and she still haven't found a partner yet. Sighing, Emily looked at the pretty stone that dangled around her neck. It was a Moon Stone. No, it wasn't the Moon Stone that Ralph had given her, it was the one that Mary's father had given her.

~ Flashback to a week ago ~

"Uncle Henry!" Emily shouted, running down the stairs.

"Emily, my favorite little niece!" Henry Wendolph (Ele: OK, they're not really uncle and niece, but that's what they call each other, k?) said, eloping Emily into a tight hug.

"Hello Aunt Lisa," Emily said happily, hugging Lisa Wendolph as well.

"Hello dear, Happy Birthday!" Lisa said, hugging Emily back.

Emily turned to Mary, who had been standing in the doorway, a smirk on her face. Emily scowled. "Hello Mary," she said politely.

"Emily," Mary acknowledged with a nod of her head.

Obviously, Henry and Lisa sensed the hostility between the two girls, because Henry chose that moment to say, "Emily, isn't your friend Ralph coming?"

Emily's face grew pale. "He's not coming today," she said stiffly.

Lisa coughed. "Emily dear, why don't you open your presents?" she said, motioning to the large stack of presents in the living room.

"Sure," Emily said, forcing a smile on her face.

30 minutes later, Emily came across a small box. "It's from us," Lisa said, beaming at Emily. Emily slowly opened the small jewelry box and gasped. Inside, on a silver chain, hung a small Moon Stone.

"It's a Moon Stone," Emily said quietly.

"Well, Mary told us that you had a Nidorina, so we thought that you might like it," Lisa said nervously. "Don't you like it?"

"Of course! I love it!" Emily beamed, putting the necklace on. Then, when Lisa and Henry weren't looking, Emily shot a murderous look at Mary. How dare she trick Ralph! Emily thought.

"You know Emmie, if you ever need any evolution stones, you can always ask me," Henry said, winking at Emily.

Mary gasped. "Dad!" she said nervously.

Henry frowned at his daughter. He didn't know where she got her snotty attitude. "Emily, did you check under the necklace when it was in the box?" he asked, ignoring his daughter.

Emily gently picked up the box and opened it. Puzzled, she sweatdropped. "There's nothing there," she said, confused.

Lisa laughed, then picked up the jewelry box. Lifting a secret flap up, she showed Emily what was inside. A silver chain glittered in the dim light and attached to it was a –

"Sun Stone?!" Mary screeched, standing up and glaring at her dad. "Dad, I thought you didn't find any!"

"Mary," Henry said firmly, "you sit down right now! My workers found this small Sun Stone, and I thought that Emily should have it, and that's final!"

Mary scowled. That Sun Stone is the only thing I don't have, she thought. Drat. "I'm so out of here," she said, walking out of the door.

Lisa and Henry frowned. "I'm sorry Emmie dear, I was hoping Mary would behave herself today, but I guess not. Well, we better go fetch her. Happy Birthday Emmie," Lisa said as she walked out the door.

"Well Emmie, hate to run," Harry said apologetically, "but your parents should be back soon from Mandarin Island soon. If you need anything, call me, k?"

"Uh huh," Emily said dully.

Emily sighed, remembering how that had been the worst birthday ever. Sure, she had gotten a mountain of presents, but she was truly alone. Looking at the 7 bags littered around her, she frowned. Didn't I have 8 bags? She wondered. Oh well. Picking up her 7 bags, she headed for home. Yet again, her parents were away. Emily wondered if she should eat dinner or skip it. While she was debating this, she wasn't watching where she was going and walked straight into someone.

"Ouch!" Emily cried, startled. She accidentally let go of her bags and they all crashed down on top of the person.

"You're saying ouch?" the person said, sitting up and rubbing his head.

Emily gasped. "Is that really you?" she asked.

Ele: I love cliffhangers! Well actually I love them when I'm writing them. *Sigh* Can you guess who Emily walked into? Hehe, no spoilers. You'll see in the next chapter….or will you? Ah, and the plot thickens ^_^. Yeah, so Ralph was tricked by Mary. See, Mary knew that Ralph wouldn't have taken the offer unless Nidorina could evolve too, and she also knew that her parents were going to get Emily a Moon Stone for her birthday…does that make sense? If it doesn't, e-mail me, and I'll try to clarify things with you. Send questions, comments, flames, whatever to misty102588@yahoo.com .