All right, I'm back for another chapter! Oh, and by the way, thanks to SSJ4 Aragorn for being the first reviewer and for pointing out the mistake, I forgot about that. Also I put "Red and Charizard" instead of Jack and Charizard. I'll be more careful in future. Well, no point waiting. Read on!
Chapter 1: The Invitation
Jack had rewarded his Pokemon team for winning in his own way, or rather, Laura's: giving them a workout. His Pokemon were in top condition, according to Nurse Joy, but all the same, Laura told him this at any possible moment.
"They may be fit, but all the same, don't let it go to waste." She reminded him for about the millionth time in a week.
"What, you think I'm gonna just feed them on chips and soda, do you? Not that I am!." He added hastily when Laura raised an eyebrow. "I have an idea though." He pulled out a bright red PokeNav with a flame sticker on the top. It opened and Jack pressed the red button that led to Match Call. In it were the Gym Leader numbers, some cool trainers, youngsters and the Elite Four and Dan. "I'm going to call them, one at a time, so we can have a rematch. That should keep you satisfied." Laura had an air of satisfaction around her at these words (you know what air I'm talking about, right?) and peered down the list.
"Giovanni's not on there for obvious reasons." Laura noted. "Oh, I forgot! There's auditions for the title of Viridian Gym Leader today, isn't there?" Jack nodded.
"You know, that could be the workout you've been bugging me for." He said, suddenly realising. Laura paused all of a sudden.
"What's that?" She whispered. It was a stampede of footsteps coming to the house. Jack knew what this meant all too well.
"That would be my fan club." He said in mock calmness.
"You have your own fan club?" Laura said incredulously.
"Technically, they're the unofficial fan club." Jack replied. "I think I'll let my Pokemon join in the FUN." He added, with venomous emphasis on the last word. He pulled out the Pokeballs and threw them into the air. Out came Charizard, Pikachu, Poliwrath, Pidgeot, Eevee and Dratini, who was zooming about the place with Extremespeed (I got the idea for this from Crystal, where you can get a Dratini with Extremespeed).
"Ready guys?" They nodded, Dratini ready to speed, Charizard crouched low, Poliwrath preparing to run a marathon.
"Three, two, one, GO!" They rocketed out the door into a gaggle of screaming girls and grabbing hands. Some only got close but didn't touch, one grabbed Pikachu's tail and got a jolt as a consequence, another grabbed Dratini, who panicked and sped off, leaving the girl in the dust. The dragon wrapped itself around Jack's shoulders looking a lot like a fox-fur scarf that kept squeaking, "Tini! Tini! Dra-tini!". The run continued, but Jack and the Pokemon, bar Pidgeot and Charizard who were in the sky, were getting tired. Time for the easy way out.
"Poliwrath, Psychic!" Jack gasped. Poliwrath skidded to a halt and faced the club just as it's eyes glowed blue. The girls stopped and glowed with a blue aura. They had wandered what was going on, then Poliwrath thrust it's hands forward. The girls went tumbling down Route 1.
"Thanks, Poliwrath." Jack said, breathing heavily. Poliwrath gave Jack the thumbs-up… and then fell down out of exhaustion. Jack laughed softly.
"Guess we need a break don't we?" He asked. Poliwrath nodded.
"Come on. Viridian's not that far." He jerked his head to the city. Looking disbelievingly at it's trainer, Poliwrath got up and started to walk. The other's followed, looking slightly more eager than the Water/Fighting Type.
They arrived at last in Viridian City. There was the Pokemon Center, Pokemon Mart, the Trainer's house and the gym. Last time Jack had seen it, it looked like it wouldn't be out of place in Roman times. Now, though, the place looked different. Time seemed to have brought it forward as the place looked modern, as though Viridian were getting a special screening of the future. The doors were mechanical and not guarded by soldiers anymore, with glass walls showing the inside. Glass spherical lifts showed trainers ready for a battle, conveyor belts, strategy boards, a lounge, a giant Water Pokemon tank with Gyarados, Seaking, Corsola and more floating in it's deep denizens and a training area. How this had been done so quickly was a mystery to Jack.
"Amazing, isn't it?" said a voice behind him. Jack turned and jumped to see Laura standing beside him, with Butterfree on her shoulder.
"Wait, who's guarding the house?" Jack asked.
"Arcanine." Laura replied, with something of grim satisfaction on her face, as though she was dissecting a particularly large worm. "If they get through, they'll regret it. Um, I think Poliwrath's dehydrated." She added, her eyes pointing downward.
"But that's im-" Jack began, then saw that Poliwrath was lying face down on the ground. Jack sweatdropped.
"OK, Poliwrath, we're going to the Pokemon Center." Jack said reassuringly. Poliwrath got up weakly and trudged along with it's trainer. Jack put his Pokeballs on the counter and said for Nurse Joy to do it quickly, as the auditions were in half an hour. Joy nodded and put the Pokeballs in the healing machine. There was time to grab a bite, so Jack got a slice of cheese pizza and Laura got a salad and a carton of blue Pokeblock juice for Butterfree. When they finished, Nurse Joy came over.
"Here are your Pokemon, ready to go." Jack took them, said "Thanks." and walked out towards the Gym. The siblings sat in the waiting lounge, but were assaulted once again by the fan club, now equipped with banners saying "GO JACK!" and "I HEART JACK!".
"Auditions had better start soon," Jack said angrily, "or I'm gonna…"
"No need to do so. The auditions are beginning now." said a voice. Jack turned with a jolt and saw Agatha from the Elite Four standing by a couch with a Misdreavus hovering over her shoulder.
"Oh. Um, thanks Agatha." Jack said, embarrassed.
"Good luck." Laura said softly, Butterfree's wings flapping as though it was waving. She got off to the Spectator's Zone.
"Come this way please Jack." said Agatha, gesturing to a conveyor belt. Jack stepped on it and was taken into the arena. Other trainers were ready to go.
"Welcome trainers!" Agatha's voice boomed over the arena, "Today the auditions for Viridian Gym Leader will kick off hopefully to tremendous effect! Trainers, are you ready?"
"READY!" The trainers roared in unison.
"Then let's go!" Jack was first up against a brown-haired boy with blond streaks.
"Go Rocky!" He cried, releasing an Onix. Jack pulled out Poliwrath. The battle ended a bit too quick. Poliwrath had used Water Pulse but Rocky dodged it and used Rock Tomb. Poliwrath broke out with Earthquake and used a Mind Reader and Dynamicpunch combo, sending Rocky out of the ring. Next battle was against a Tauros named Minotaur. Jack would have used Poliwrath again, but he had to use a different Pokemon every round, so he pulled out Pidgeot. One Featherdance and Aerial Ace later, and Minotaur was out. The battles went like this; Eevee against Magus (Alakazam), Charizard vs. Polaris (Magneton) and Pikachu against Basilisk (Arbok). The final battle was against an Arcanine called Nova. It's trainer had a black shirt with a Pokeball imprint on the chest, jeans and a Pokeball watch.
"Name's Ben Serling, by the way." He added.
"Jack Cameron, at your service." Jack called. "Go, Dratini!" The Pokeball opened revealing Dratini. Agatha called over the microphone again.
"This is a one-on-one battle between Jack's Dratini and Ben's Arcanine. There is no time limit. Ready? GO!"
"Dratini, Thunder Wave!" Jack called. Dratini launched a bolt of lightning at Nova.
"Nova, Extremespeed!" Ben cried. Nova dashed right into the Thunder Wave but came out unscathed right at Dratini.
"Dratini, use your Extremespeed!" Dratini sped at Nova. Unfortunately, it bounced off the Fire-Type and into the wall.
"Dratini, are you okay?" Jack called. Dratini nodded. "Okay, use Dragonbreath!" Dratini launched a bright flame at Nova.
"Nova, Protect!" A blue aurora appeared around Nova. The Dragonbreath hit the aurora but didn't do anything else. "Now use Fire Blast!" Nova fired a large star made of flame at Dratini. It hit the dragon, kicking up a large cloud of smoke. When the smoke cleared, Dratini was gone. In it's place was a longer dragon, with electric-blue skin, a white horn, small wings on it's head and a blue ball under it's head.
"Whoa, Dratini evolved into Dragonair." Jack whispered. The others seemed amazed as well, but they were brought back to Earth by, "Nova, Extremespeed!" Jack came to his senses and saw the orange blur coming towards Dragonair.
"Dragonair, get up into the sky!" Jack called. Dragonair's wings lifted it off the ground just before Nova came any closer. The Arcanine skidded to a halt just to see Dragonair floating up into an attack pose.
"Nova, Crunch!" Nova leapt up at the dragon, it's fangs bared.
"Dragonair, Thunderbolt!" Dragonair let out a bolt of lightning that struck Nova!
"Now finish this off with Dragonbreath!" Dragonair launched the dragon flame again, this time striking the Arcanine. It fell to the floor and fainted.
"Arcanine is unable to battle. Dragonair wins!" Now Jack had two titles: Kanto Champion and Viridian Gym Leader. Agatha had come to Jack's side of the arena.
"Here's your certificate of merit and occupation, we'll fill that it in later, and your supply of Earth Badges." She held out a unsigned certificate and a small crate, the Earth Badge encrusted into the lid. Jack smiled.
"Thanks, but no thanks. I'm not good enough to be a Gym Leader, I lack-" he faced Laura who was still in the stands, Butterfree still drinking it's juice. "-focus." He grinned at his sister, who blushed and turned away. He then walked out of the arena to amazed looks, particularly pleased to see the Fan Club crestfallen, and nodded to Dan, who was leaning on a wall next to his Scyther. Before the Fan Club could swarm him, Jack got onto Dragonair with Laura and took off toward Pallet Town, leaving them in the dust.
Dragonair's travelling pattern was interrupted by Jack and Laura's mum, Lily. She had ran out right in the middle of the street and nearly got pummelled. The dragon reared up, causing Jack to slip off with Laura holding Butterfree's wings in an attempt to stop it from flying into the wall.
"Sorry kids," Lily called, "but, well, I would have come to Viridian but I had to put the shopping away- oh, look for yourself!" She held out two envelopes each bearing the same symbol; a blue and white Pokeball on top of three smaller ones. Jack broke the seal and read;
Dear Mr Jack Cameron,
Because of your recent success in the Pokemon League, you have been chosen, along with your sister, to represent the Kanto region at the Battle Frontier Tournament. This is for trainers who have come as far as being in the top eight of a league and is a challenge for all. Here we offer state-of-the-art training equipment, wild outdoor areas containing Pokemon (with some newly discovered ones as well), shops and a grand hotel. We also have move tutors who can teach Pokemon new moves so it's well worth visiting. Newly added as well are contests. Despite our title, we are equally focused on contests and offer top berry blending equipment for Pokeblocks. The Frontier is in the Hoenn region, off the coast of Ever Grande City. We hope you can make it.
Signed,
The Battle Frontier Board of Directors
This was it, Jack thought. A way to break the ice AND the boredom. Enclosed were tickets for the Seagallop ferry. He turned to Laura.
"Well.." He asked. "What are you going for?" But he knew the answer. Laura brushing Ninetales, avidly picking Berries and buying Pokeblocks, cases and cartons of Pokeblock juice; she was going for…
"Contests! They only do those in Hoenn, this could be my shot!" Lily was smiling but she knew she wasn't going to see them for a while. But they were teenagers now and could take care of themselves.
"You're leaving in four days and at 10:45, according to your tickets." She pointed out.
"Well, that's gonna be plenty of time to train." Jack said happily. "C'mon, let's get practising. We can go to the Gyms." Jack swung his bag over his shoulders and climbed on Dragonair.
"You go. I'm staying here. Working on my appeals, you know." Laura said. She called out her Pokemon (Venusaur, Ninetales, Jigglypuff, Nidoqueen and Starmie) and went to the garden. Lightly kicking the sides of Dragonair, Jack launched toward Pewter City.
And that's the second chapter! R&R please!