Ooc: ITS YA BOI

"I'm so sorry, sir. I was just distracted by something. I didn't mean to bump into you. I'll be on my way.", Nikki dusted herself off as she didn't even bother to look at the man she had bumped into. This was just another mistake that Nikki had made. She couldn't help, but fuck up. That was what her whole life was: a fuck up. Nikki turned to leave, but felt a hand on her shoulder from the man she had bumped into. "Naw kid, I asked if you're ok. Cause you don't look it. Why don't you tell ya boi Guzma all about it. Why were you crying?", Nikki blinked at the man's words. Did he really say that he was Guzma? The legendary Guzma that had made a name for himself in Alola? THAT Guzma. Nikki did not believe it. She had heard the stories about him, but here he was standing in the flesh. Now she was really embarrassed as she had bumped into the Alola legend and his famous Golisopod. Nikki just felt like she was trapped in a cycle of suck and embarrassment. First, she found out that JJ wished she was dead and now this. Things had went from bad to worse.

"Uhh it is nothing. I just got into a fight with a friend. It was pretty bad so I just needed to get away for a few minutes.", Nikki lied. She was running away. She just wanted to get away from it all. Everything that the poor eighteen year old had been through now weighed heavily on her. Of course she was going to burden the legendary trainer with telling him the truth. Heck, she didn't even know what the truth was anymore. Her mind was so warped by everything that she didn't know anything at this point. She stared at Guzma who seemed not to believe her as his eyebrows were raised and he just stared at her. Nikki gulped, "so yeah I had better head back to my hotel and go back to my friends." She turned to go away, but her escape was blocked by his Golisopod. The bug like creature just stared at her and Nikki had to admit that she was intimidated by this whole experience. Of course she wondered what the leader of Team Skull was doing in Avantura. If Team Skull was here on top of The Righteous already being a force in Avantura then things could get really bad. Now Nikki couldn't even ditch Guzma as he was blocking her path. She felt his hand land on her shoulder. To her surprise it wasn't to intimidate her.

"Kid, I know when I am being lied to. I used to do it for a living. I think we need to go talk.", Nikki gulped. She had no idea what was going to happen. She felt like she was in trouble. But the white haired Guzma just smiled as he nodded at his Golisopod who seemed to smile a bit at Nikki too. "Kid, we have a mutual friend. One that has wanted to talk to you for a while. That's why he called me and others to see if we could help find you. Come with me.", now Nikki was really scared. She was scared so much that Junior, her beloved Gible, popped out of his pokeball. He could sense that his mom needed him more than ever. Junior, who had grown even larger looked around and saw the giant bug Pokémon. "Gible Gible!", he shouted at the creature. The ground and dragon type stood in front of his trainer in order to protect his mom. He was so protective of Nikki because she had raised him. The Golisopod and Guzma just continued to smile at Nikki and the Gible. "Oh that's a nice Pokémon you got there. Very cool, kid. But I am not here to hurt you or your Pokémon. So come on. Let's get going my friend isn't going to want to wait.", Guzma wrapped his right arm around Nikki as would lead her and Junior away.

Nikki wondered if Franz had sent Guzma. That would make sense since Guzma's reputation was not good to say the least. He was the leader of Team Skull, a lesser version of The Righteous. So of course Nikki didn't trust where Guzma was leading her as they walked down a path in between two restaurants. Nikki kept Junior close to her chest. Junior would fight for her if he had to. Of course whenever Nikki looked at Junior, all she could think about was JJ. Nikki loved JJ, not in a romantic sense, but rather as a sister. They had done everything together. Had talked about life, relationships, raising Pokémon, etc. Yet now Nikki now knew how JJ really felt. The pink haired bombshell was still hurt by JJ's words. JJ had said that maybe Nikki should have died at Dexter's that really stung. So there was a part of Nikki that hoped that she would disappear so she wouldn't be a burden to JJ anymore. This was why she had been pushing JJ away because she didn't want her best friend to get anymore entangled in her bullshit. So Nikki hoped that she would just disappear. She followed the former Team Skull leader down what appeared to be a shady side street. Wherever Guzma was taking her was well hidden.

"Don't worry, kid we are almost there.", Guzma said cockily. Nikki nodded. She could feel Junior was nervously squirming in her arms. The Gible was terrified as was Nikki. Guzma walked in front of them as the Golisopod followed in the rear. So they couldn't even leave if they wanted to even though Nikki was starting to feel nervous as well. They continued to walk in the side street as the lights started to dim. Finally Guzma stopped in front of what appeared to be a run down shack. The sight of the building just screamed sketchy to Nikki. She was ready to get Echo out if she needed to. Strangely, his mega stone was not glowing it usually did when Nikki was in danger or Echo felt a threat to his trainer. So Echo did not seem to be worried about where they were or Guzma. This was strange given his reputation from Alola. Guzma knocked again this time with more force. Finally the door to the shack started to crack open. Nikki was finally going to see who this 'mutual friend' that Guzma said they had in common was. She hoped it was not her godfather or even her brother. She didn't want to see either one at this point.

"Kommo-O", the pseudo legendary opened the door to the shack. Nikki had only seen one Kommo-O in her life and it was Dexter's. This couldn't be Klaus, Dexter's Kommo-O right? The creature was staring at Nikki like it knew her which just added to the intrigue. Junior squirmed in Nikki's arms and jumped out of Nikki's arms as he walked over to the Kommo-O was. Junior poked the much bigger pseudo legendary Pokémon who looked down at the little Gible. "Gible gib?", Junior tilted his head at the Kommo-O who just nodded at Junior and pointed at Nikki. "Kommoooo", Nikki didn't like the sound that the Kommo-O was making. Yet Junior walked over to Nikki and tugged at her pajama pants. He pleaded with her that it was ok and that she should come in. Guzma and his Golisopod had already walked past Nikki and the Kommo-O, he looked back at Nikki and Junior. "You coming Nikki or are you just going to stand there looking like a idiot?", the pink haired female was now really convinced that Guzma was working for Franz now. She had t told him her name so how in Arceus' name did Guzma know it. She placed a hand on Echo's pokeball just in case she needed her mega Noivern to take out whatever was going on.

Guzma, Junior, the Kommo-O, and the Golisopod led Nikki down a hall inside the shack. She was surprised that the hall was so long. "How long?", Nikki called. She didn't know what was going on and it scared her. There was no answer from Guzma or any of the Pokémon which made this even weirder. They were headed towards a blinding light which caused Nikki to shield her eyes as they got even closer to the light. When Nikki had pulled her arm down she was stunned at what she saw. There was a large common room modern area. It had wooden floors, several large screen TVs, an upstairs where apparently Pokémon training occurred based on the signs on the walls. There were couches scattered about and a full fledge modern kitchen. This just added to her confusion even more than before. The Golisopod and Kommo-O would lead Junior to a room where the Pokémon stayed. Nikki continued to take everything in as she just stared at everything in the room. "Honey, we're here! Come on down and say hi to our guest.", this made Nikki reach towards Echo's pokeball. If this was Franz she was going to kill him with Echo.

A man came out of the room on Nikki's left side. He wore a red polo and black jeans. He had long shaggy blonde hair and his blonde beard had grown even more since he had disappeared. Nikki gasped as her hazel eyes widened at the realization of who this man was, "DEXTER?" The last time she had seen him had been months ago when he talked about his sister. She hadn't seen him since as he had "gone underground", but here he was. The former champion of Avantura smiled at Nikki as he rubbed his scraggly hair that he had grown out to hide his appearance. "Hello, Nicole. Long time no see, I hope my associate here didn't hurt you. Guzma has a tendency to not use tact when I need him too.", Guzma shot Dexter a middle finger as Dexter just laughed. Dexter would flop into the couch as Guzma went into the refrigerator and started to dig around for something. Nikki was a little disturbed by what Dexter had just said. He had just called Guzma an associate, Guzma had supposedly terrorized the Alola Islands with Team Skull. If Guzma was an associate did this mean Dexter was in Team Skull. She felt really uneasy about everything that was going on, "wait so Dexter were you in Team Skull? I mean if Guzma was an associate and he ran that organization then that means." Nikki was cut off by a fit of laughter from Guzma.

"I wish. He was too much of a goody goody. Wanted to toe the line especially when he was champion.", Guzma returned with three beers as he sat in a chair across from the couch Dexter was on. He motioned for Nikki to take a seat which the pink haired girl did. She looked at Guzma then back at Dexter for a clarification. Nikki knew that Dexter wouldn't hurt her, Ava would track him down and murder him if he did, so she was sure that she was safe. Now she was interested in how Guzma and Dexter actually knew each other. How did Guzma know Dexter exactly? Of course Guzma would tell the story as Dexter and Nikki both took a beer. "I had heard all about this great champion from Avantura and what a badass he was. This was of course before he had Klaus, so I decided to invite him down to Alola to fight me. He accepted and we had a draw.", Dexter rolled his eyes at the draw portion as he sipped his beer. Guzma decided to ignore Dexter's antics as he continued on. "So anyways, then after the draw, Mr. goody tissues here decided to go looking for a Kommo-O in the caves. I was a little too busy dealing with that crazy blonde bimbo to accompany him. Next thing I know the great champion is high tailing it out of Alola to get back home with a Kommo-O.", Nikki was stupefied by all of this. So that was how he was able to get Klaus. But that didn't explain why Dexter had called Guzma an associate. But Guzma was not finished.

"A year later, I get a phone call from Dexter here asking me to leave Alola for a bit and help him find his sister. Because I am a great guy, I decided to come up here, out of my own kindness, to help him. Been in Avantura ever since. Mostly on Rajski ever since.", Guzma sipped more of his beer. Dexter must have sensed that Nikki needed filling in. She had that utter baffled look on her face as she knew Guzma hadn't told her the whole story. Dexter would do the pink haired female a favor and help her understand better to put the pieces into place. "I also offered Guzma money and a chance to put his stamp on the region which some would say he has. Anyways, you see Nikki, my parents sold my sister off to The Righteous. They had to fuel their habits and the money I was giving them wasn't enough. So they sold Melody to them without telling me. I begged the Institute to step in and give me a teaching position so I could buy Melody from them and keep her safe, but your godfather denied my request multiple times. I was extremely close to her and so losing her devastated me. I needed someone that could help me track her down, someone that knew how the sketchy parts of the Pokémon underworld operated. There is no one better than ya boi Guzma over here to do that. So we've been working together ever since.", Guzma gave a faux how at his introduction.

Now things started to make sense to Nikki at least from the how Guzma and Dexter had met perspective, but what did they want from her? Junior had come out of the Pokémon room and was now pulling on Nikki to pick him up which she did. Dexter stared at the Gible with a smile on his face. He had a plan. "So why did you send Guzma to find me, Dexter? I don't understand why I am important to you finding your sister.", Ava probably would have been better than Nikki. Afterall Ava knew Dexter better than Nikki. Nikki had suspected that Ava had a little crush on Dexter the way she always talked about him. So how would Nikki be able to help him and Guzma? The confusion on her face was clear as day. Guzma and Dexter both looked at each other and nodded. Whatever they had planned, it involved Nikki which made the eighteen year old even more suspicious about what exactly was going on.

"Ava told me about your situation.", Dexter began. Nikki began to feel very uncomfortable. So this did involve her and what she had found out before she came on vacation. Nikki lowered her head and shifted in her chair uncomfortably. "I believe we can help you. I have a proposal for you Ms. Allaire. I have a task for you. Something that can help you and me both. There's a certain Pokémon that is widely considered to be the scourge of the islands. It's extremely strong and powerful . I believe that if you were to catch it then it would help you immensely. Of course it'll be a difficult task and only the best trainers can take this mon down. Take it down and you'll be ready for anything.", that didn't seem too hard for Nikki. All she needed to do was beat this Pokémon. She could use Echo then easily defeat the Pokémon that Dexter wanted her to capture. Of course he wasn't going to make it that easy. "Oh and you have to use the Gible. That is part of your training. This whole thing is a test of sorts. I want you to go and catch that particular Pokémon and if you succeed then we will train you.", this was a hell of a proposal. She looked at Junior, she had never really battled with him before, but this proposal was a game changer.

Guzma decided to speak up as well, "we do these odd jobs from time to time. You know keep the lights on. The tourist bureau here doesn't want this Pokémon around. So we were asked to take care of them. Then Dexter heard about your situation and came up with this offer. Which is why I went to look for you once we heard you were here." Now it started to make sense a bit. They knew that Nikki and everyone were here because Ava must have told Dexter. The proposal was very interesting as Nikki would consider it. Adding a very strong Pokémon to her team would be interesting. It did sound dangerous, but Nikki really wasn't worried about her own health at this point. "If you do catch this Pokémon, Dexter and I will do a highly very intensive training until you return to The Institute. Of course you have to know that you won't be the same after it. It'll break you physically and mentally. That is if you do end up catching the Pokémon.", Guzma smiled cockily. Yes, Nikki had no idea what she would be stepping into until she dealt with this other Pokémon. "The Pokémon is a steel and dark type. I will be coming with you so you don't die.", the former Team Skull leader said.

Nikki took this all in. It would be a risk, but she was willing to do it. Sure the training did not sound fun, but Nikki didn't care. She wanted to be ready to take down the people that had screwed her. That had lied and manipulated her for years and years. The only thing that gave her pause was the words about the fact that she wouldn't be the same after the training. She liked being the Nikki that she was now. But then she thought about the words that JJ had said to her before Nikki stormed off. That Nikki was a selfish bitch. That JJ had sort of wished that Nikki had died that night that had changed all of their lives. Nikki had several flaws in her character that needed to be changed. If those characteristics could be changed by Guzma and Dexter then Nikki would do it. She had to grow stronger in order to take down Franz. She also wanted to show JJ that she wasn't this weak, selfish Nikki she had been. Nikki looked at Junior who was staring back at his mother with an eagerness. He wanted to fight and prove himself to be a stronger Pokémon than she thought he was. Nikki looked at Guzma and Dexter, "we're in."

"I'm a fucking bitch", JJ was balling her eyes out as she was curled into a ball on the hotel penthouse floor, Not even Amber, her Cynaquil, could cheer her up. Jessica Walkmen was severely damaged and had been lashing out in several ways. She knew that everything her uncle had told her about The Institute had rocked her world. Since then, JJ had done nothing, but hook up with dudes and drink. Even Pokémon training had taken a back seat to sex and alcohol. She was covering up the fact that she had been so damaged by everything she had learned. Then there was the fact that Bunny had given her the note Alex had wrote for her. He had essentially caused her to drink some more. She had become so close to him and he was her mentor so this letter had really hurt her too. But the worst was what she had said to her best friend. She had told Nikki that she wished she was dead. She really didn't wish it, in fact she would have been devastated if her best friend died, yet she said it. Had wished it upon the girl that had meant so much to JJ. Then there was the look on Nikki's face and it was so pained. Nikki looked like JJ had just stuck a knife in her heart. "What a cunt I am. What the fuck is wrong with me? How can I do that?", Amber was really trying to get her trainer to be cheerful, but JJ couldn't look up at her.

JJ grabbed her Pokédex phone and tried calling Alex, but there was no answer. He would at least listen to her. He would have helped her. Yet JJ could not reach him since they talked earlier so she knew he was alive. "Cyn!", Amber was clawing at JJ's long legs to try and cheer JJ up. JJ put a limp hand on her new fire type. "I don't deserve you Amber, you Arthur all of you don't deserve someone that would crush her best friend like I just did. I know I have been ignoring you guys too. It's just I have been going through some stuff. And now I hurt Nikki real bad.", the beautiful model like brunette just hung her head in shame. This was supposed to be a vacation to get away from everything, but I just couldn't do it. This trip has sucked and what I did was the worst.", JJ shook as everything was coming out from JJ. Amber continued to rub against her trainer as JJ continued to mourn the loss of her best friend and the Jessica Walkmen she once was. JJ hated how damaged she had become and she blamed this stupid school for causing it.

"JJ! What Happened!", James, Jer, Andy, and Royce had come into the room. All four males looked worried about what they were seeing. JJ was crying and there was no trace of Nikki. JJ could not bear to look at any of them. She had seen them looking at her careless behavior with drinks and strange men and they judged her. Now they would really hate JJ now for what she had done to Nikki. JJ was supposed to be helping Nikki, but she had chased her off. The brunette turned her face letting her hair cover her shame. James, the oldest of the group, walked over to JJ and out a hand on her shoulder which she brushed away. She didn't need any sympathy from any of them. They wouldn't understand what she had just done. How she had broken Nikki without a care in the world. Just like the bitch she was. "JJ, Andy and Royce saw Nikki running towards the ocean. She was crying. Did you two get into a fight?", JJ looked up at James. Now she was worried, if Nikki was running towards the water did that mean she wanted to drawn herself? JJ would truly hate herself even more if Nikki did something really stupid. JJ had to find her.

The brunette got up and picked up Amber. She barreled through the four males who chased after her. JJ ran outside and looked. She would stop a few people who said they had seen a pink haired girl down towards the beach. 'Oh Arceus what have I done? Please Nikki don't do anything dumb, please!", JJ felt a pit in her stomach. She wanted to throw up. No she couldn't and would not believe that the pink haired girl would do anything like this. Still JJ ran down towards the beach. She hoped that she wouldn't see anything to signal that Nikki had done anything dumb. So JJ hurried down towards the beach. She could hear the four others trailing after her, but that didn't matter. JJ had to try and find Nikki. Try to apologize. JJ had been such a selfish idiot. She hadn't seen how much pain that Nikki was really in. All JJ could think about was her shit and not the concerns about her best friend. Well JJ was a terrible best friend amd she had to make it up to Nikki somehow.

JJ finally reached the beach in a huff. She looked around and did not see Nikki. This made JJ more nervous. Luckily she didn't see any sign of a abandoned pokebelt or something like that. There were no ribbons washed up on the shore so JJ was relieved. But then she would see a sight that made her sick. There was a red head a few yards down that was cackling. Her Gengar was pulling a rather large shark like Pokémon that remained JJ of a hammerhead. The Gengar was just firing shadow balls after shadow ball into the limp beached body of the Pokémon. The creature was grey and black and had chains Coming from its main fin. JJ knew that laugh and Gengar very well. She had seen it at Dexter's. This was the leader of the grunts that had destroyed Dexter's. JJ had enough of this bullshit as she could feel the rage boiling up in her. She was so sick of everything that had happened. Franz, the righteous, everything, Jessica was done. She was going to end this all now. She had pure hate for the fe,ale she was watching.

"Arthur go!", JJ tossed her pokeball out as the Skarmory's eyes went blue as did JJ's. The battle bonded Skarmory charged at the Gengar.

Ooc: Ok Guzma has been my favorite character in a Pokémon game. I love that villain. Again I thought the Alola anime, as a whole was shit and unwatchable, did him wrong. You will see Guzma in his glory in this arc. Also again I will have a Avantura Pokédex, but it takes a long time. Just a side note: I am sure there are some JJ-Nikki shippers out there lol, but they both will have different partners that you will see later.