Maxie's Real Plan

Disclaimer: We don't own Pokémon or any possible songs mentioned in here, okay?

Mal and Karania continued running through the hollow caverns of the Cave of Origin. The two were becoming exhausted, and Kyo was clutching on to Mal's back for dear life.

"How much longer do you think we have to go?" Mal asked while panting.

Karania didn't answer, but continued running. Finally, she spoke up. "We have about half of a mile before we reach the central chamber," She said. "If we keep running at this pace and don't stop, we'll make it in about five minutes." She said, then sped up her pace.

Mal followed quickly, her light weight making her fast and agile. Eventually, the two both made it to the central chamber, their lungs inhaling as much air as they could get.

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Maxie turned from the treasure he was staring at so he was facing Karania. He put on a smug face while staring at the two.

"You again...? So you think you can stop me? And why do you, the one with the black hair, seem so familiar....?" He asked.

"Maxie....." Karania hissed angrily. "You remember me...."

"Why, it's Karania!" Maxie exclaimed with sarcasm. "I'm so......frightened. Look at you, you couldn't stop me if you tried."

"For your information, I'm the Pokémon League Champion!" Karania cried.

Maxie seemed to be surprised. "Oh really? The little pest became powerful...... Big deal, you won't be able to stop me this time!" He said, then turned around to claim his prize, but only to be knocked out of the way by a head-strong Skull Bash from Kyarorain.

"Yeah! Great job, Kyo!" Mal cheered, then grinned.

Karania looked at Mal. "Let me deal with this, he's pretty strong. Do you have any other Pokémon besides your Wartortle?"

Mal frowned and looked at her feet. "No..." She answered is a melancholy tone, then turned away.

Karania was oblivious to this. "Maxie, I'll beat you!" She cried, then threw an Ultra Ball, and a large yellow, black striped, cat-like Pokémon appeared, and then roared. "Raikou, start with Rain Dance!" Karania yelled, and thunder clouds suddenly appeared in the cavern, and rain began to pour on everyone.

"Camerupt, go, and use Earthquake!" Maxie replied, but his Camerupt's attack didn't do much damage to Raikou.

Mal looked at the electric tiger in awe. "Wow...." She muttered, and continued to watch the battle.

"Now, Raikou, use Crunch!" Karania commanded.

Raikou leaped over Camerupt, then clamped into his flesh, watching as blood began to flow freely from Camerupt's wound. Maxie bit his lip and scowled. "Another Earthquake!" He ordered, but yet again, the attck didn't have much effect.

Now, with one final Crunch from Raikou, Camerupt fainted.

"Great job, Raikou." Karania praised. "Now I'll use Suicune!" She then tossed a Fast Ball on to the field.

"Mightyena." Maxie mumbled, then let a Great Ball drop to the floor. A large black dog formed, who then snarled.

"Mightyena, Giga Drain!" Maxie shouted, and Mightyena became surrounded by a green aurora. Suicune's energy began draining, but Suicune shook it off, then used Ice Beam on Mightyena. Mightyena couldn't take the hit, and fainted.

"Too easy...." Karania muttered. "Now, go Celebi!" She cried, and the legendary Ilex Forest guardian appeared.

"Bi!" Celebi cried.

"Crobat, go!" Maxie threw his bladed bat's Poké Ball. "Use Air Cutter to weaken Celebi!"

"Celebi, Psychic!" Karania replied hastily, and Celibi took down Crobat with his mighty strength.

Maxie gasped as he withdrew his bat. "Holy christmas! What the heck happened!? How could I lose?!" He exclaimed.

"I've trained for years now, Maxie." Karania said, and smirked. "You think you could've beaten me?" She added, then withdrew Celebi.

Maxie gritted his teeth. "Still, you can't stop me from claiming the Soul Dew!" He yelled, and lunged for the treasure, only to be stopped once more by Kyarorain's Skull Bash.

Maxie stood up, clutching his side. "I'll get my hands on the Soul Dew eventually, I simply let my guard down! You haven't seen the last of me, farewell!" He said, then dissapeard in a cloud of smoke.

"We lost him...." Mal said sadly.

"I have to pursue him!" Karania cried. Mal stopped her. "Wait! I can help you!" She said.

Karania calmed herself, then looked at Mal. "I suppose so, but what could somebody like you do?"

"I know how to navigate many areas, my dad, who lives in Kanto, was in the war, he taught me that kind of stuff. I can cook, and I'm able to run pretty fast, but I'm just not that great of a trainer....." She cried, then mumbled the last few words.

Karania frowned. "I suppose I should let you come....it would be helpful if you did....." She muttered. "I'll tell you what, pack everything you need, then meet me in Mossdeep City tomorrow morning." Karania said.

"But I don't have any Pokémon who could get me there fast enough, just Kyo, but it would take us a while to get there...."

Karania handed Mal a Great Ball. "This is Articuno, use her to Fly to Mossdeep, okay?" She said, then began her way out of the cavern.

"Okay." Mal said, then ran after her.

Mal returned to the Gym, and told her uncle about the trip she would be taking with Karania.

"Karania? You mean the Hoenn League Champion?"

"Yeah, her." Mal replied.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt....pack everything you need, then go to bed, you'll have to arrive at dawn, I presume?" Wallace asked, and Mal nodded.

Mal rushed to her room, then took out her backpack from her closet, then dumped everything out that was in there. She packed a few sets of clothes, her mapping tools, some gloves, a sweater, a spare headband, a couple of books, her sleeping bag, a first-aid kit, her sketchbook, drawing supplies, a few Hyper Potions, some Poké Balls and Ultra Balls, a Red Flute, her ocarina, and soem Mystic Water. She saved enough room to put some food in, then took out her guitar, hooked the strap on to it, then sat it against the wall.

"Gotta be sure to bring that!" Mal said, and smiled. She then dressed into her nightclothes, and crawled into bed, waiting for her journey to begin. Kyo walked into the room, then got up on her stool and flipped the lights off, then walked to the rug, sat down, then withdrew herself inside her shell, waiting for her own adventure. Mal opened one eye and set the alarm clock, then smiled at Kyo and drifted off to sleep.

............Let the quest begin for them, but what adventures await them?