Heya! Been a bit, but heres the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy!
At the top of the Sliph co building, Red had just finished fighting a successful battle against his rival. "Good job Quina!" He cheered, to which the Snorlax slapped his belly proudly.
"Tch, yeah, you seem ready for Boss Rocket. Not bad, but you lucked out" The trainer said, returning his pokemon.
"Sure, whatever you say Blue." Red grinned.
"Well I would let you bask in my glory, but I have places to be. Smell ya Later!" He waved Red off as he teleported on the panel.
"Ugh, what a smug trainer." Kirin scoffed.
Nouva, readjusting his scarf, nodded in agreement. "For real"
"By the way, you did great out there Nouva." She added, blushing slightly.
Nouva scratched the back of his head, blushing as well. "T-thanks, u-uh you too" He grinned. "You showed Blue a thing or two!" He playfully punched her side. She then giggled as she playfully slapped him with her tail.
"Oh my god, they are so cute!" Queenie silently squealed, shaking Voltaro.
"Oi! I get it! I'm not a beverage, stop shaking me!"
"They will get together in due time I believe." Quina laughed.
Red began healing all his pokemon with potions when a scientist approached him.
"Please don't tell me you want to battle right now" Red groaned, annoyed.
The Scientist waved his hands "No no no! I saw you battling that other trainer and it just dawned on me that you are the one storming through Sliph to take out team rocket. I think you would make a good trainer for a pokemon that I have."
Red raised an eyebrow "What Pokemon would that be?"
A Lapras came sliding beside the Scientist and looked at the trainer and his Pokemon.
"Lapras... she is in need of a trainer and I think you would be a better trainer to her than I could. She needs to get out and experience the world."
Red's eyes widened as he realized what the man was asking "Are you sure?"
He nodded. "Yes, she needs this." As he handed Red Lapras' pokeball.
Red took it and nodded "I'll give her a name... Lazuli!"
"A fine name you gave her!" The Scientist beamed.
Lapras beamed as she liked her new name.
"I can't believe I have a new name!"
Nouva walked up to her and held his hand out. "I'm Nouva, pleased to meet you." He said with a stoic face.
"Well hi there, cutie." She winked.
Nouva deadpanned and stopped shaking her fin. "Flattering." He said in a sarcastic tone.
Kirin growled under her breath "Who do she think she is?!"
Voltaro and Queenie gulped as Kirin isn't usually the one to get easily tilted. Queenie decided to defuel the situation and introduce herself. "I'm Queenie! Nice to meet ya"
Voltaro, eccentric as ever, did a few poses. "I'm Voltaro! The quickest of the quick! Light in the darkness! The Fire on the Ice! The-"
Nouva growled "Oh for fucks sake Voltaro we get it!" He facepalmed.
"Wow." Lazuli's eyes widened.
"I'm Quina." The Snorlax bowed. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Lazuli turned to Kirin "And what about you?" she asked. "What's your name?"
Kirin reluctantly told her name. "Kirin." She simply said.
"I see quite the team here. Anyway I can't wait to see the outside world!"
"Alright team! Now that everyone is healed up, we take on Giovanni!"
Nouva and Lazuli were talking up ahead of the others and Kirin's face saddened.
"Kirin, what's wrong?" Queenie asked.
Kirin sighed "W-well I-I uh" She stuttered.
Voltaro was about to make a joke; only to notice how upset she was becoming as she failed to form the words. Instead, he decided to take a more serious approach (for once in his life.) "Is it because you like Nouva?"
"N-no! I mean I-"
Queenie patted her back "Hey it's fine to have feelings for someone... So just tell us what's wrong?"
"You can always talk to us about anything," Quina said.
"I-" She sighed "I like Nouva! There I said it! I didn't want to believe it at first. He's there for me and I enjoy every second with him. When I'm worried about anything he's always there to talk with me and he's really cute. Remember the safari zone? I was so scared about telling my parents what I wanted to do. Nouva gave me kind words and had my back. He's done so much for me even though he didn't have to. The Rocket Grunts, the Casino, and my family dilemma. I'm just kinda worried Lazuli might mess things up."
"Well to be fair I know for sure Nouva wouldn't fall for her. You pretty much have him wrapped around your fingers," Queenie then shook her head since she realized Kirin had no fingers, let alone hands, and corrected herself. "I mean, tail."
Kirin perked up "Y-you think so?!"
Quina laughed "Of course you do. You didn't notice him returning your flirtation back to you earlier?"
Kirin giggled as she remembered Nouva's playful banter.
Nouva, kind of growing annoyed by Lazuli's ramblings, slowed down to join the others and gave a thumbs up at Kirin who blushed.
Lazuli joined the others and chuckled "Well what was your trainer doing here when Team rocket was taking this place over?"
They all chuckled "Team rocket themselves are incompetent." Voltaro laughed.
"However, the boss himself, Giovanni. He's a tough cookie. And that's who we're after. " Queenie said.
Lazuli then grinned "I'm excited to be traveling with you guys now! I can't wait to sock it to this Giovanni"
...
They then reached the final floor and turned into the doorway to see Giovanni with the President.
Giovanni grinned menacingly "Well Well Well. If it isn't Red"
"Giovanni!" Red growled. "What are you doing here!?"
Giovanni laughed as he stood up from his seat. "Me and the President are discussing important stuff. Kids like you shouldn't stick your nose into an adult's business."
The President then yelled "Trainer! Please help me!"
Red was about to order Nouva to take lead but Giovanni glared and threw all his pokeballs out. "Alright team... murder his pokemon... and then take out the Trainer" He ordered to his pokemon, Nidorino, Nidoqueen, Onix, Rhyhorn, and Persain. They all charged at Red's pokemon without hesitation.
"Fine then! Everyone, fight back all at once!"
The Nidoqueen glares at Queenie who does the same. They headbutt each other, trying to overpower one another.
Onix charged towards Nouva who swiftly dodged. Kirin decided to help Nouva and got on his back. "Kirin?" He questioned.
"C'mon Nouva! Let's show this overgrown rock chain who's boss!"
Nouva grinned and nodded.
The Nidorino was headbutting Voltaro who dodged them all. "You're too slow!" He taunted running in place with his arms behind his back.
Nidorino shot a poison sting at Voltaro, which landed directly on his butt. "Owowowo! My butt hurts now!"
Persian headed straight for Quina, the latter grabbing the former and suplexing it using body slam. "Take that!" He yelled.
Ryhorn charged Lazuli and she just laughed, spitting just a tiny bit of water at the Rhyhorn who took major damage and crashed into the table. She turned away, only to get socked in the jaw by Giovanni's Nidoqueen.
Queenie then grabbed the Nidoqueen from behind and used body slam on her. The Nidoqueen got up and then threw her against the wall and gut punched her. Queenie coughed up blood as she was then dragged across the wall, only to be saved by Voltaro who quick attacked the opposing Nidoqueen.
"T-thanks Voltaro" Queenie coughed.
Voltaro wagged a finger. "No one hurts my team mates and gets away with it"
Giovanni's Persian suddenly leapt at Voltaro, scaring him. Nouva used Iron Tail and slammed it into the Persian. "Voltaro less talking, more fighting!"
Kirin tried to use surf on Onix but it dug a hole. Kirin looked around as she felt the ground rumble. The Onix headbutted her as it came out of the ground and it coiled around her, using bind. She cried out in pain from the attack.
"Kirin!" Nouva yelled trying to get to her. He got sucker punched by the opposing Nidoqueen.
Kirin began bleeding from her mouth as the Onix tightened his grip on her.
Nouva, noticing this, threw the Nidoqueen away from him and bolted for the Onix. He grabbed the Onix by the head and flew him toward the roof, releasing a flurry of Dragon Claws in mid air. "You son of a bitch!" Nouva growled. Kirin fell on the ground as well; tears welling in her eyes as she stood up. The Rhyhorn and Nidorino glare at her. Voltaro and Quina stood in front of her.
"Don't mess with my crew, mothafuckas!" Voltaro grinned.
Quina, agitated, yells "Mess with one team member, you mess with the whole squad!"
The two pokemon charge at them and Voltaro winked at Quina who nods.
Voltaro then jumped with his back into the Snorlax's stomach. Quina then launched Voltaro, who covered himself in sparks while squealing "Cannonball!"
The two pokemon tried to move out of the way, but Voltaro managed to hit them.
"Strike!" Voltaro laughed.
Kirin just stared at the two before looking at Lazuli tossing the Frozen Persian into the wall. She began tearing up even more but jumped as Nouva came crashing down through the roof, slamming Onix into the floor. "You think you're tough shit!? Huh!?" He yelled at the Onix who lay on the ground, fainted. Then Giovanni's Nidoqueen grabbed Nouva's tail and he grabbed hers. He flinched due to Poison Point and began feeling the poison spread throughout his body. She headbutted him and he fell to the ground as she began stomping on his back. "GAH" He coughed.
Kirin saw this and muttered "Stop!" She kept watching and yelled angrily "STOP" Catching everyone's attention. Catching the opposing Nidoqueen off guard, she wrapped her tail around her neck and then slammed the Nidoqueen into the floor repeatedly and threw her in the direction of Queenie. The two Nidoqueens collide with one another, tumbling backwards. When they stand up, everyone looks at them.
"Uuuuh" Lazuli started, wide eyed. "Which one is our Nidoqueen?"
"Oh come on!" Voltaro screamed "We seriously can't be doing 'which one is which' shtick!"
"V-Voltaro," Nouva coughed. "Queenie is shorter than that Nidoqueen."
"Get the faker!" Voltaro grinned.
Everyone jumped the Nidoqueen. Voltaro used Quick Attack while Quina followed up with Shadow Ball. Lazuli also used Surf, knocking out the Nidoqueen.
"I must admit your pokemon are well trained..." Giovanni grinned. "They would make perfect pokemon to sell... but I won't spare them for the trouble they caused me"
Red sweat nervously as he saw his Pokemon doing well, but he wasn't sure if they would be able to last much longer.
Persian let out a shrill cry as it used slash and slashed Voltaro's back, sending him flying into a couch that the President was hiding behind. "Twinkle Twinkle little star" Voltaro fell over and fainted.
"N-Nouva? Are you alright?" Kirin asked frantically.
Nouva stood up, huffing. "I'm just glad you're alright..." He then noticed her crying. "W-what's wrong?"
Before she could say anything the Rhyhorn and Nidorino tried to tackle them both. Nouva and Kirin both managed to dodge quickly.
Quina stepped in and grabbed both of them by the neck and started spinning in place. Making them dizzy, he forcefully smashed their heads together, making them faint. The three turn to see Persian looming over the fainted Lazuli, Voltaro, and Queenie. Nouva was quick to realize that it was about to try and actually kill them. "No! Don't you dare!" Nouva yelled as he flew toward the Persian that dodged his flamethrower. Nouva guarded his fallen friends while adjusting his scarf. "Dirty move there, you're not done yet..."
Quina glared. "He's right you deal with us now"
Kirin just sighed and Nouva noticed this which threw him off. The Persian then blitzed past Nouva, who countered the slash with his dragon claw.
Kirin then tries to help Nouva but Persian jumped off Nouva's back. Kirin tried to use Ice Beam but it nimbly dodged and then bit her in the neck.
"Kirin!" Nouva and Quina yelled.
Persian then threw Kirin against the wall and she was crying even more now and Persian scratched her face which was bleeding.
Nouva growled, looking at Kirin in pain he started flaring, with flames spewing from his mouth and around him even making Quina gasp in shock. He grabbed the Persain and choke slammed him, following up with a flamethrower making the Persian pant and put distance between himself and the Charizard. "Kirin, are you alright?" He asked, quickly turning his head away.
She nodded, not saying a word.
"Alright, but, I know something's up... I don't like seeing you so sad. Talk to me after this fight is over"
He then turned his head back to see Persian faint from Quina sitting on him. "Hey" The snorlax simply said.
"Well well, it seems your pokemon are quite the force to be reckoned with Red." Giovanni returned all his pokemon to their pokeballs "I'll leave but the next time we meet, you won't be so lucky." He walked away, chuckling.
Red just glared at him as he left the room. The President finally emerged from his hiding spot and vigorously shook Red's hand. "Thank you so much! My word your pokemon are tough!"
Red sweatdropped and then realized the damage done by the battle. "O-oh uh sorry about the damage!"
The president waved his hands in dismissal. "No no no no! Don't worry about it! I'm just glad I was saved! Don't worry about it, really! In fact, I want to give you something for your appreciation!" He shoved a purple pokeball into Red's hands. "This is the masterball. It catches any Pokemon without fail!"
Red just sweat even more. "Oh uh thanks?"
The police then came in and then their jaws dropped in awestruck at the damage. "Alright! I'm gonna question everyone here as to what the hell happened!" Officer Jenny spoke.
As the police began questioning everyone... Red was healing his Pokemon at the same time and Kirin just sulked away from everyone who looked on in worry. Even Red was worried, but as he began to walk over to her, Nouva went ahead instead. Red decided to let Nouva do the comforting.
"Kirin, why are you sad? I don't like seeing you like this." He frowned.
Kirin just started to tear up. "I'm just a liability to this whole damn team!" She shrieked. Making the others wince from the pain in her voice.
Nouva looked down at her. "No you aren't."
"I can barely hold my own against anyone! That damn Weezing I fought in the gym I didn't even knock it out, it had to blow itself up for me to even do anything!" Kirin buried her face in her tail. "I'm always getting bailed out by you and the others! I'm not strong, that fight proved it, I didn't do anything at ALL!" She slammed her tail into the ground, crying even harder and making everyone's hearts drop. Nouva stood there before her not knowing how to react or even comfort her.
"W-what about with Quina?"
She hiccuped "Y-yeah, sure, if I didn't e-evolve I wouldn't have p-p-pulled that out of nowhere. I want to be strong like you guys, I don't wanna fear a battle. Every time I do battle, I always freeze up. It's not fair to you guys. You all put in effort. Hell, even Lazuli did more work than I ever did when I first j-joined! I'm nothing but just a weakling and I always end up being a f-freeloader!" She stuttered. "Dammit! Why do I stutter?!"
Nouva sighed and pulled her in for a hug which caught everyone by surprise. "Hey, listen to me... I need you to calm down, alright."
She was so shocked she even stopped the waterworks for a second.
"You are not weak... there's more to being strong. You have to have a good will and a good heart. You have both. It doesn't matter if you can't battle well, we are all working together as a team. You are strong in your own ways. You just need to believe in yourself. So what if you didn't do well in that battle. That was a whole mess in itself to begin. You've amazed me and the others with what you have pulled off even if it's something small. I've seen improvement in you Kirin."
She teared up at his words.
"Now, I want you to not be so hard on yourself. You don't have to carry any burdens by yourself. Me, Quina, Voltaro, Queenie, and Lazuli have your back. You mean alot to me- a-and the team!" He quickly corrected himself, blushing. "By the way, your stuttering... I for one think it's adorable." He gave a genuine wide smile for once.
Kirin blushed and whispered. "N-Nouva... you really think I'm not a liability?"
"Of course not! I'm so happy to have you on the team! I even-" He was caught off by Kirin kissing him on the cheek. He flinched and went wide eyed with his face turning red.
Everyone, including Red, gasped.
"Aaaawww" The Police officers cooed.
"Thank you Nouva for being so nice to me and trying to make me feel better." She smiled, drying her tears with her tail.
"U-uh w-well," He then recomposed himself. "D-don't worry about it. I'm here for you if you ever need me! I'll even train you!"
"I'd like that!" She smiled and then the two released their hug and she slithered her way over to the others. Nouva then internally screamed. 'H-holy shit she kissed my cheek. Why? Why do I feel so... infatuated by it. Surely I can't be falling for her this hard. Though the kiss was kinda nice. M-maybe I do actually have feelings for her. How would I tell her, how would she react? Did that kiss come from her actually liking me or was it just a kind gesture? Shit.'. He decided to brush it off for now and join Kirin and the others.