~ Chapter 11 ~

"We set out from Jubilife the day after the Team Galactic incident. Our next stop was Oreburgh City, and my first Gym Battle. I planned to practice long and hard to prepare.

Niya and Jeremy helped me to prepare, and even Alyssandra joined in, hoping to improve her battling skills for her next Pokémon Contest. We practiced like this once a day—but don't get the wrong idea, just because we devoted most of our time to practice didn't mean that we weren't without our distractions or adventures.

You will soon come to learn—if you haven't already that is—that our adventures through the years have always tended to lead us into very…interesting situations."

Sam's Staravia took Niya's Roserade down with a swift Wing Attack.

"Good job!" cheered Niya. "Your Pokémon are almost at Gym battle potential."

"Almost?" complained Sam as he returned his Staravia to his Poké Ball.

"I'm holding you to the standards necessary to beat my Aunt Fantina. I know she's a lot higher up in the gym leader roster than Roark, but it's better to train yourself to be better than the opponent you're going up against."

Sam threw himself down on a nearby stump. "Fair enough. Can I take a break at least? If not for me, for my Pokémon; they're still tired from battling that Turtwig I caught yesterday."

Niya waved a hand. "All right, take a break. It'll give my Pokémon a chance to rest as well, plus I'm hungry. You and Jeremy can keep training your Pokémon after lunch."

Sam felt the strength come back into his legs and the two made their way down the path back towards where they had been camped.

"Are we going to keep teaching Staravia and Luxio those moves you've been telling me about?" asked Sam.

"Of course. Your Pokémon need a lot more work on them if you want them ready to use for your Gym Battle."

Sam raised a fist in the air. "I'll do whatever it takes. Staravia and Luxio may be at a disadvantage type wise, but with these secret weapons, I'll be able to even the playing field."

"Not to mention you'll have the element of surprise," added Niya. "That is the key to gaining the upper hand against your opponent in both contests and battles."

Sam beamed. "If I haven't said this before, I love that you're on this adventure with us."

"You could stand to mention it more," joked Niya. "But like I said with Lyss, I'm more than happy to help you guys out and pass on my knowledge. I've been where you guys are, and I had help when I needed it, so it's only fair I do the same for you guys."

The training spot was only ten minutes from the main camp, and the duo had returned quickly.

Sam announced their approach, and Alyssandra came out from the girls' tent to greet them. The three of them set down around a smouldering campfire.

"How'd training go today?" asked Alyssandra.

"It's going well," answered Niya. "Sam's starting to look like a real trainer and not just some kid with a Pokémon."

"Very funny," said Sam, rolling his eyes. "I take back what I said about enjoying you being here."

"That's all right. I don't enjoy your company either."

Sam gave Niya a playful shove. "So, what have you guys been doing all day since we've been gone?"

"Actually, Jeremy has been preparing lunch, and I have been scouring the nearby forest for a Buneary," answered Alyssandra.

"A Buneary?" asked Sam.

"I've always wanted one! Valentina had one when she was still travelling around Sinnoh; it's with my brother on his travels now."

"Any luck?" Sam took a healthy swig from his water canteen.

"Nope, none," said Alyssandra. The frustration was clear on her face. "I've looked everywhere, but no luck. Which is weird because this forest is nicknamed the Buneary Playground. It's supposed to be overflowing in them."

"Maybe they've migrated somewhere else because of food or weather," suggested Niya.

"Or maybe they're all in hiding," joked Sam. "They took one look at a scary girl with a Poké Ball and dove into their little warrens."

Alyssandra shot Sam a glare. "I'm going to go out and try again after lunch. I just hope I find one today, I don't want to hold up our journey."

"Hang in there," said Niya supportively. "I'm sure you'll find one. If it's worth fighting for the it's worth waiting for."

"So, what's for lunch?" asked Sam, as he looked over to the small tent where Jeremy had set up the cooking fire.

"Why isn't Jeremy using this fire here?" asked Niya.

Alyssandra's face lit up. "He's making his mother's famous smoked chicken. I've been sitting here in hungry agony for the last twenty minutes."

Sam could feel the saliva pooling in his mouth, sloshing over his gums and very nearly leaking down his front.

Jeremy exited the tent, smoke billowing from the opened flap and a covered dish in his hands. He placed the dish down on a nearby rock, and smiled at Sam. "Perfect timing, I'd say."

"I had forgotten food could smell this good. Your mother was always an amazing cook; I've had dreams about her chicken since I moved away," said Niya. She hadn't had Jeremy's mother's cooking in years, and while Jeremy's food was no substitute for the real thing—by his own admission—anything that got close was just fine with her.

"My mother's family found a way," said Jeremy as he opened the pot and showed the glazed, delicious chicken legs and breasts that lay in the pot. "The secret is to do all three at once. You need to cook it in a small, airtight windowless room, and then build up a lot of smoke. This smokes the chicken, and while it smokes you want to grill it over a flame on a grill or barbecue. Then, after it's grilled, you dip it into the family's secret glaze, and voila! It's finished!"

Jeremy placed the covered dish just to the side of the smouldering fire between the group. "The rice is just finishing up now. Give me a few minutes, I'll be back with it."

He trotted back off to the tent, disappearing into a puff of smoke once more.

It was all Niya, Sam and Alyssandra could do to prevent themselves from tearing into the chicken now while Jeremy's back was turned. Rice be damned, it smelled too good to wait—though they knew Jeremy would have their heads if they didn't.

Jeremy stuck his head out from the tent flap. "Hey, Sam, can you bring me some of the coriander from the supply bag? I forgot it out there. And bring me a carrot too!"

"Coming!"

Sam rummaged through the bag for a carrot and the small bag of coriander. When he grabbed what he was looking for, he dashed off towards the cooking tent, only to be stopped by a sudden furry foot to his face. Sam's grabbed his nose, dropped the food, and tumbled to the ground with a loud shout.

Something small, brown and furry grabbed the carrot, and dashed off towards the edge of the camp. Everyone looked at the thing that had attacked Sam and stolen the carrot, and to Alyssandra's surprise and happiness, it was a Buneary.

"It's mine!" shouted Alyssandra.

In her excitement to get a Poké Ball and catch the rabbit Pokémon, she had scared it off, and the creature hopped off into the depths of the surrounding forest. But Alyssandra would not be deterred. She grabbed her bag and as many empty Poké Balls as she could fit in her pockets and ran off after the creature.

"I'll be back in a bit! Keep the food warm!"

"You better come back here with that carrot too! Or don't bother coming back at all!" Jeremy shouted after her. He was very serious about his cooking.

Sam sat up, tasting dust and blood. His nose was gushing like a fountain and the back of his head ached where it had hit the ground. His head felt like it was going to split open, and his brain had surely rattled around inside his head during the fall. He rubbed his temples to try and ease the pain as Niya helped him off the group.

Sam spat a glob of bloody spit onto the ground and attempted to staunch the bleeding with a handkerchief. His nose in the air, his hands pinching down hard, all Sam managed to do was drain the blood into his throat and make his nose sound congested. "Ip she cadges dat Buneary, she bon't hab a pro'lem durin' da battle po'tion ob her contess."

Niya shrugged. "You up for some more training while we wait?"

Sam shot Niya a look.

Alyssandra ran through the forest as fast as she could. The Buneary was fast, but Lyss wasn't giving up so easily. She could feel her throat tightening, her lungs burning, her knees ached, and her legs cried out for mercy before they gave up on her, but she refused to listen. Huffing, puffing, breathing as much as she could, Alyssandra chased that Buneary down to a small clearing, where it promptly disappeared.

"Hey, where'd you go?"

Alyssandra felt a sharp pain in the back of her head as Buneary's foot connected with her neck and skull, knocking her to the ground from behind.

Alyssandra swore.

Buneary landed in front of Alyssandra, bouncing from leg to leg. It stopped, cried out defiantly, and placed its hands on its hips.

Alyssandra stood up. "That wasn't very nice. But you're probably feeling threatened with me standing in your territory like this huh?"

The Buneary cried out again. Its face was not pleased.

"Well, I'll just have to battle you then. If I want to catch you that is—" Alyssandra threw her Poké Ball quickly. "—Go, Piplup!"

Piplup burst from the beam of light, proud as ever.

"Piplup, use Peck attack!"

Piplup zeroed in on Buneary, but the opponent was too quick, and jumped as Piplup came at it, then jumped off Piplup's head and into the air. Buneary spun around, with its foot pointing straight down at Piplup. Even with Alyssandra's urging, Piplup was too slow to dodge, and Buneary landed its attack on target, sending Piplup to the ground. Buneary bounced off Piplup and jumped back a few steps, preparing for its next attack.

"Piplup are you okay?!"

Piplup nodded and stumbled, but still managed to stand through the daze and confusion.

"Can you keep going Piplup?"

Her Piplup nodded vigorously, refusing to back down.

"All right then Piplup. Let's keep our distance then, since Buneary seems to prefer counter attacks and close combat, try a Bubble attack!"

Buneary dodged the attack again and hopped towards Piplup.

"Piplup, it's prepping for a Jump Kick again! I want you to hold you ground, understand? Don't move until I tell you to!"

Piplup held strong as it was told and waited for Buneary to get closer. As Buneary jumped into the air and prepared to Jump Kick Piplup, Alyssandra took that moment to strike.

"Now, Piplup, use Peck, but hold still and let Buneary come to you!"

Piplup, once again, did as asked and Buneary came in for the attack, but the attack didn't land, as Buneary's foot struck Piplup's glowing, beak. The Buneary jumped back in pain and hopped on one foot.

"Now's our chance, Piplup!" shouted Alyssandra. "Use Bubble and knock the Buneary down!"

Piplup shot several bubbles from its mouth, which struck Buneary and sent it flying back. But the Buneary did not go down, and was back on its feet, angry and defiant as ever.

The Buneary charged towards Piplup once more, readying a Dizzy Punch, its ears glowing in preparation for the attack.

Alyssandra acted on instinct and did the first thing that came to mind. "Charge it, Piplup and use Peck!"

The two Pokémon rushed at each other, with both of their attacks ready to land, but neither of them knew who the victor would be, only that this would be the strike that would win the match.

Sam, Jeremy and Niya eyed the dish of food that sat in the fire while they waited for Alyssandra. They had been waiting for almost an hour while Alyssandra was out chasing and battling the Buneary that had stolen the carrot.

After twenty minutes Jeremy gave up on her, and got another carrot instead, but still everyone refused to eat without her.

Finally, after Jeremy was about to begin handing out food and throw caution to the wind, Alyssandra returned to camp, a large smile on her face and a Poké Ball in her hand.

"I did it!" she cheered. "I caught the Buneary!"

"Congratulations!" shouted Jeremy. "Can we eat now?"

Alyssandra nodded and took a seat. She picked up her plate and cutlery.

Jeremy quickly handed food out to everyone, and then hungrily began to dig into it himself.

"So," said Sam between bites of chicken. "How'd you do it?"

"Well, it wasn't easy," explained Alyssandra. "They took powerful shots at each other—my Piplup and the Buneary—and just when I thought I had it beat, the Buneary struck with a Dizzy Punch before my Piplup's charging Peck could land, and my Piplup fainted."

"So, it ran away, and you kept chasing?" asked Jeremy. "Is that why it took so long?"

"No, not quite," said Alyssandra as she bit into her chicken. "I wasn't going to let it run away again, so I quickly recalled my Piplup and then sent out my Shinx. It was another long, tough battle, but just as it seemed my Shinx was about to collapse, it let out a final burst of lightning, and the Buneary fell to its knee. So, I threw my Poké Ball and managed to catch the Buneary!"

"You know," started Niya as she finished her rice. "I just was saying to Sam, some Pokémon can't be caught by just knocking them out and catching them, sometimes you need to make the Pokémon acknowledge your strength as a trainer before it submits to being caught."

"Niya's right," said Sam. "And other times it's just a stroke of sheer dumb luck."

"And then there are the times when you catch a Pokémon and it still won't submit after being caught," noted Niya. "My Buizel was very much like that when I first caught it. It refused to listen to a single command I gave it. I never used to use it in battle or contests because it just wouldn't listen to me; ugh it was so frustrating, and at the same time it made me worry if I was doing something wrong."

"So how did you get it to listen?" asked Alyssandra. "Just in case my Buneary starts to give me problems."

Niya paused between bites and thought for a minute. "You know I don't really know, but I kept at it, no matter how many times I was told to release it. Eventually, it grew to trust me and respect me as a trainer, and now we get along famously. In fact, it was thanks to Buizel's strength that I won the battle portion of the finals in the Sinnoh Grand Festival two years ago, and it also won me the appeal portion of the semi-finals in the Wallace Cup.

"Time will tell what kind of Pokémon Buneary turns out to be," said Alyssandra, shovelling seconds on to her plate. "It's definitely a wild one, I'll give it that."