A/N: Okay, remember when I promised an update? Well, I had to wait till my friend/beta Anicrazy wrote his version of the chapter first, so here it is! Updates will soon follow. By the way, some of the character's Pokemon changed, so if you read this already, you might want to read it again. No, it's not just you. The chap got longer. (Like I said, it was edited by Anicrazy)

Disclaimer: The first half of the chapter is Anicrazy's version. The second half is mine and the original. (well, part of it)

Chapter 10: Combee-ware

Previously:

"Catch the egg!" I shouted when I put the pieces of the puzzle together and realized that the precious Pokemon egg was about to break if it fell. And believe me, there are no refunds for broken Pokemon eggs. (Alexis' PoV)

Normal PoV:

As the egg fell towards the hard, unyielding ground, time itself seemed to slow down.

"AERIAL ACE!!"

With absolutely no forewarning, a Staravia descended from the heavens at a blinding velocity, on an intercept course with the falling egg. The Staravia managed to catch up with the egg when it was no more than a foot off the ground. Seizing it in its talons, the Staravia shot up to the sky with its prize.

Alexis, June and David blinked.

Then, as one, the trio turned their heads to pinpoint the source of the voice that had called out the super speedy Flying attack.

What they saw was a teenage boy, around six feet tall, with jet black hair and eyes and wheatish skin. He was wearing a slightly tight, black shirt and grey shorts, the kind that are usually worn by runners, as well as black sports shoes. He also had a pretty massive haversack slung across his shoulders.

The boy wasn't muscular, but he did look pretty big and stocky.

The Staravia flapped its way towards the trainer and dropped the egg in his outstretched hand.

"Thanks," said the stranger. "Return." The Staravia disappeared in a flash of red.

With that word, the boy turned on his heel and began to walk away.

The three stood staring at each other for a moment. Finally, before the guy left, Alexis found her voice and called out to him.

"Hey!"

The boy stopped in his tracks. Sighing heavily, he turned around.

"Can I help you?" he asked, brushing a lock of his too-large hair out of his eyes.

Alexis took a step forward and opened her mouth to speak, but her breath caught in her chest as she took in all of his features. Is it me, or is he cute?

"Ahem," she managed to say, shaking her head to clear.

"Right," nodded the guy. "Well, if that's all, I'll be on my way."

"No, that's not all!" David seemed to have recovered his voice too. "Whoever you are, you are stealing my girlfriend's Pokemon egg, one which I had specifically gotten for her from a famous Pokemon breeder for her birthday."

"Who the ─" June began to say, but was interrupted by the thief.

"I'm aware of that fact," he said coolly. "I'll also have you know that having stolen your girlfriend's Pokemon egg, I have to deliver it to the Thief Guild, so if you don't mind, I'll be on my way." The last five words were spoken with unmistakable menace. David flushed.

"I am NOT his girlfriend!" yelled June, unaware of the sudden hostility.

The thief turned his attention to her. "Good," he said. "You look like you deserve better."

David glared at the mysterious boy. "Yeah, and you deserve a beating!"

The boy made an adroit movement with his right hand and a Pokeball appeared in it. "I can't turn down a challenge like that."

David made no reply. He instead readied himself with his own chosen fighter.

The thief hurled his Pokeball. "Elekid, I choose you!"

"Roselia!" David called upon his own combatant.

The thief smirked. "Let's make this quick. Elekid, Flash!"

The Elekid grinned and gleamed brightly. The yellow light emanating from him blinded both Roselia and her trainer.

"Ice Punch!"

"What!" exclaimed Alexis, astounded. "But Elekids can't learn Ice Punch!"

"Shows what you know," said the thief gruffly.

Elekid bounded over to its temporarily sightless opponent, its fist glowing white. It powerfully thrust its arm into the Grass Pokemon's torso, brutally knocking it back while simultaneously encasing it in a block of ice.

David was busily rubbing his eyes. He opened them to behold his defeated Pokemon and victorious adversary.

"Elekids learn Ice Punch as an egg move," said the thief matter-of-factly, recalling his grinning electric type. He once more turned away to leave.

"Wait!" Alexis moved forward and grabbed his arm.

The thief turned his head back towards Alexis. For a split second, as he looked at her, all thoughts of leaving and Pokemon eggs were wiped clean from his head.

"You can't just leave with my friend's egg," Alexis snapped at him, causing the thoughts of leaving and of eggs to return.

"Watch me," he said, extricating his arm from her grip. He sent out his Staravia again and prepared to fly off.

Just as his Staravia cleared off the ground, the thief turned around for a last look at Alexis.

"Call me Craig," he yelled. And then he was gone.

3 seconds later:

"You know, you have NO RIGHT in this planet to call me your GIRLFRIEND!" June blasted at David, yelling the hell out of him.

"But I do in other planets, no? And this would be another planet in my mind." He replied, flicking back his short hair. "Just can't believe that idiot stole my present to you."

"Well, Mister, if you would've told me, I would've taken better care of it!"

David jerked his head sharply around to say something, then shook his head. "You wouldn't have believed me anyways," he said softly, looking at the ground.

June's eyes widened at the comment, then blinked hard. "Hey, help me out here, Lexy!"

The brunette didn't respond, and only continued to look toward the distance where the thief had disappeared.

"Um, earth to Lexy?"

"Huh? What?" Alexis turned her head to face her friend.

The blonde raised her eyebrow, but said, "Nothing."

"Look," David began to say. "Are we still going to Eterna?"

"Whoa, hold up a minute, partner," June said in a slight Solaceon accent that Alexis was surprised to hear. (A/N: You know in the game, there are a bunch of cowboys and cowgirls, and they're all in Solaceon Town?) "Was it something in my ear, or did 'ya just say 'we'?"

"No, I said 'we'."

June stared at him with questioning cerulean eyes, waiting for an answer.

He smiled sheepishly, "Well, I have to protect you from thieves and whatnot, right?"

The blonde arched her eyebrow. She did not buy his answer. Behind them, Alexis rolled her eyes. He did not know how to talk to a girl.

"Or, you could rot in Eterna Forest with all the Combees," David added quickly.

"That's it, we're going," June said, grabbing hold of David's arm as she walked ahead. "I am not going to spend the rest of my life in a forest full of stupid Combees."

"Since when was she scared of a yellow bee?" Alexis asked herself, tilting her head, and then ran forward when she saw that they were way ahead. "Hey, wait up!"

In Eterna Forest:

"Combeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

A swarm of Combee could be heard as they flew from the sweet-smelling brown tree out of Eterna Forest.

"Kiiirliiia!!" (And don't come back!)"

"Woman, what is wrong with you?" David cried as June clutched onto his arm even tighter. He looked at the skin beneath it, which was as red as a Razzberry. Maybe even redder…

"Y-y-you never knew I hated bugs?" she stammered, shrieking when she saw a Cascoon hanging on a leaf nearby.

David rolled his eyes. "You're like a leech…"

June let go of her tight grasp for a second to swat him with her hand, but he quickly clutched by the wrist just it in time. Their eyes locked for a while, then he let go of her hand.

"Come on, we have to go," he said, reaching for June's hand. To his surprise, she wasn't there anymore. Did she disappear? He thought, until he spotted a blurry figure behind him.

"There you are!" he said breathlessly, taking hold of the figure's hand. "I thought I lost you!"

"Gardevoir?!??!!!" it said, startled.

A/N: Forgot to mention this earlier, thanks everyone for the 100 reviews! (Should we try for 200:

Vitovitali (anon.): 99th reviewer

AlexisRPokegirl: 100th reviewer

Duckiegoesqwack: 101st reviewer

♥ Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

(on a second note, everyone who reviewed this chapter will get a preview.)