Disclaimer: See chapters 1 and 2 for most of it. Craig himself technically does and doesn't belong to me, so no stealing, please. His pokémon nicknames do belong to me, and while I'm on the subject, I may as well say that all of the nicknames in general belong to me. Whoo! No more disclaimers needed!
While in Goldenrod, the two girls visited all the attractions: the Radio Tower, the Gym, the Game Corner, and the Bike Shop.
They checked in on Bill's house and showed him their Espeons and Umbreon – the evolutions of abandoned Eevees he had left in their care.
Inevitably, they went to the shops, and, just outside the city, they paused and smiled at a Dratini sunning itself by a pool in the garden of the breeding centre.
They had a swift trip on the Magnet Train to Saffron City, where they visited Copycat's house, who was pleased to see them both again, as, it turned out, they had both searched for a doll of hers that she kept losing. Then they biked through to Celadon, and compared the Game Corner there to Goldenrod's, as well as the shopping centre and the prices, of course.
They visited the mansion and surfed across the pond to the blocked off house as well as visiting Erika and her grass pokémon, much to the Leader's delight at seeing them both again. Then, both leaving with an extra Berry in their packs, they cycled up to the Cycling Road, and Jill, with a laugh, challenged Claire to a freewheeling race down, which she accepted with a smile.
Jill's Umbreon sprinted alongside them, joining in the race, while the five psychics either glided down serenely but swiftly, or simply teleported to the end to judge the winner, while Fury rode on Canth's back, the Dragonite easily keeping pace with the two girls, and meaning to dart ahead at the bottom of the slope. But the race was halted in its tracks, as another trainer caught sight of them flying past, laughing, and both girls suddenly slammed on their brakes when he called out to them.
"Hey!"
Jill and Claire exchanged a glance, and Jill started to smile.
"You called?" She asked, cycling slowly back up the slope.
The black haired boy nodded. "Give you a battle," he said.
Jill glanced at Claire, her smile growing.
"With which one of us?"
The boy shrugged. "Either. Which of you's better?"
Claire made a face and immediately pointed at Jill, who had a sudden and mysterious coughing fit before saying, "I'm not better than she is. My pokémon are… different, that's all."
Claire doubled up, one hand covering her mouth as she fought laughter. Jill's smile grew larger, and her eyes danced as she refused to laugh.
The boy frowned. "What? I'll fight you then!"
He pointed at Jill again, who shrugged and nodded, and blinked slowly.
Mewtwo, Mew, Ankh and Sunshine, Alakazam, come back up here for a moment, please. My pretty Mewtwo and Mew, a little invisibility would be appreciated as well.
Two Espeons glided up, making a pretence of walking as they kept their psychic abilities masked for the moment, in common agreement with their trainers. Alakazam appeared behind Claire and Jill smiled as she realised that both Mew and Mewtwo had teleported in behind her.
"You wanted a battle, I think."
The boy nodded.
"All six pokémon?" Jill asked politely.
"Yeah, let's get started."
Claire stood back, and watched with interest as the boy released his Charizard, which roared and shot a blast of flame into the sky, before stamping the ground and glaring at Jill, who laughed and gestured for her Umbreon to step forwards. She grinned slowly as Pawa took up a defensive stance, keeping his head low, but staring straight at the Charizard.
"Flamethrower!" Came the yell.
"Roll! Quick Attack!"
The blast of flame narrowly missed Pawa, as he rolled out of the way, and bounded up and shot for the Charizard, using his Quick Attack.
"Slash!"
"Bite!"
The two cries came almost at the same time, and the pokémon reacted swiftly. Pawa dived forwards and clamped his teeth down on the Charizard's thick tail, and the Flame type swung the Umbreon forwards, clawing viciously at the Dark pokémon. Pawa released the Charizard's tail and rolled away, jumping back up with injuries.
"Bite again!"
The boy countered swiftly. "Fly!"
Pawa bounded forwards, throwing himself at the Charizard, but hitting the ground and rolling instead. The Charizard hovered overhead.
"Flamethrower! Don't let it get away!"
The Charizard circled above Pawa, then started flaming the Umbreon as it tried to escape, following in the air above.
"Moonlight!"
The sky above turned dark and a spotlight seemed to snap on, trained on Pawa. The Umbreon struggled up to his feet. He stood, basking in the moonlight and becoming stronger again. The sky turned back to day.
"Flamethrower again!"
Jill clenched her fists. "Dodge it! Jump and Bite!"
Pawa dived out of the way of the Flamethrower, and then paused. When the Charizard came down for another attack, Pawa leapt up high, catching its leg with his Bite attack. The boy's Charizard used Slash, knocking the Umbreon off. As Pawa fell back to the ground, it used Flamethrower, and the Umbreon only just managed to get back up. The Charizard landed smugly, as Pawa staggered upright.
"Take Down." Jill muttered.
"Ember!"
Pawa took off as the Charizard powered up an Ember to finish him off. He raced over, then leapt at the Charizard, using his Take Down. The Charizard stumbled backwards, as Pawa was hit with recoil. Both pokémon staggered slightly, watched each other for a moment, then keeled over. There was a moment of shocked silence as Jill suppressed a giggle at the sight, putting Pawa back into his pokéball to rest, and watching the boy do the same. The expression on his face! The boy then brought out a Blastoise. Jill paused for a moment, then called Canth forward.
The Dragonite fluttered his wings, and waited patiently. Jill folded her arms behind her back.
"Hyper Beam, if you'd be so good."
Canth powered it up, and the boy narrowed his eyes.
"Hydro Pump!"
The Hyper Beam lanced out before the Blastoise could strike, and the water type was knocked head over heels. He stayed down. The boy put him back in his pokéball, and let out his Venusaur.
"Um… Razor Leaf!"
Canth couldn't dodge it in time, and staggered backwards. Jill wrinkled her nose.
"Okay there Canth? Another Hyper Beam?"
The Dragonite nodded, and started powering up. The Venusaur struck with another Razor Leaf, and Canth fell over backwards. He tried to get up again, but couldn't. Jill put him back in his pokéball.
"Very well. Ankh. Your turn. A Venusaur is no problem."
The Espeon trotted calmly forwards, and the boy winced.
"Aw no… A psychic? Sorry, Ven. Leech seed, quick as you can!"
Jill idly stared at her fingernails.
"Ankh, sweetheart, a nice easy Psychic."
The Espeon tensed, and hit the Venusaur with a bolt of psychic flames. The grass and poison type staggered, then collapsed. The boy sighed, and returned him to his pokéball.
"Erm… Highflier! Fly!"
The Pidgeot shot out of its pokéball and into the sky, wheeling swiftly to dodge an attack. None came. Jill smiled slowly, and Ankh crouched low, watching. There was a long pause, and the two trainers locked gazes. He frowned slightly, and she grinned, waving.
"A-ankh," she sang out, "another Psychic please!"
The Espeon complied swiftly.
"Highflier, dodge it! Circle round and Wing Attack!"
Ankh dodged the first strike, but the bird was fast, and knocked her sideways with its other wing.
"Catch it now, and use Whirlwind!"
"Ankh! Confusion!"
As Ankh turned to leap back into the fight, the air swirled around, and she was caught in the Pidgeot's attack. Already weakened by the earlier blows, she tried a Confusion attack, but it was swept apart by the whirlwind, and never reached the bird. She came flying out of the spinning dust and air, and would have landed heavily had Jill not caught her. She wriggled slightly, willing to get back into the fight, but Jill smiled.
"Sit it out, friend of mine. Let the reserves take over."
Ankh consented to sit on the sidelines, and Jill paused for a moment as the boy and his Pidgeot waited.
"I think… that…"
Mewtwo, please…
The psychic stepped forwards to the battle, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. The boy frowned.
"What the… Highflier, Fly and Whirlwind!"
Jill inclined her head slightly.
"Swift."
Mewtwo raised a hand, and the Pidgeot was hit by a flurry of golden stars. It fell out of the air, but the boy put it back in its pokéball before it hit the ground. Jill danced slightly from one foot to the other.
"Next up?"
The boy with the black hair threw another pokéball angrily.
"Come on Genie! Night Shade!"
Jill straightened up sharply.
"Block it and Psychic!"
Mewtwo did as he was asked, sending the Gengar hurtling backwards from the force of his attack. The Ghost pokémon fainted quickly, and the boy replaced it with an Alakazam, his last pokémon. Jill smiled slightly.
"Metronome!"
Mewtwo paused for a short moment, casually blocking the Psybeam that the Alakazam sent, and then raised both hands. Flames poured out, and the Alakazam staggered and fell. Jill's eyes were wide.
"Oooh… Flamethrower… Well done indeed, my Mewtwo!"
The boy stared, and finally replaced the psychic in his pokéball. He pulled out his pokédex, and slowly pointed it at Mewtwo. It bleeped loudly.
"Error! No data!"
The boy looked up, and stared at Jill and Claire.
"What is that thing?"
Jill raised her eyebrows. "Meet Mewtwo, friend. The most powerful psychic in existence. Excepting Mew, of course." Right on cue, Mew appeared, and smiled brightly at the boy. Jill smiled. "Not a bad battle. What's your name?"
The boy blinked. "Craig."
Jill nodded. "Travelling alone?"
He nodded in return.
"How'd you like to travel with us?" Came Jill's next question.
Claire looked almost as surprised as Craig, who paused slightly before answering.
"Uh… Yeah! If you're going to the gyms, and Johto League too."
Jill grinned. "Well, that's sorted then. Fuchsia first?"
Craig nodded. "I was on my way there before. I thought I'd let my lot warm up first."
Jill grinned, and Claire chuckled. "Let's just say 'Oops' and leave it at that, then. On to Fuchsia!"
The three of them got back on their bikes, and resumed the speedy descent. Jill glanced at Mewtwo on the way down, as he teleported in small jumps to keep up with them.
Another one?
Another one, Trainer Jill.
Great! How many others are there?
Only two more.
Even better. Oh, and Mewtwo?
Yes?
What have I said about the "Trainer Jill" thing?
To be continued…
A.N.
Okay, that took far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far, far too long to do. And I'm very, very, very SOOOOOOOORRY and so on. There shouldn't be as big a gap as that again, especially seeing as I have a little more time these days.
Grateful thanks to everyone who reviewed, and cookies to anyone who comes back!
Bait? Er… No, no, of course not!
Oh, yes, and I edited the first two slightly, getting rid of a few errors I missed the first times round. _ Forgive me…
