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Tales of the Braven Region: Generation V

Academy Saga

Chapter 5: Crossed Paths: The Second Exam!

Chad set the small box on a bench, and Eevee jumped on top of it, as if guarding its contents.

"These are your Starter Pokemon," He explained. "I had them all in order to give to the correct person, but they got mixed up when I dropped it. So you're probably not going to get the right Pokemon you were supposed to. Doesn't matter, though." The six simply stared at him, confounded by his actions and little speech. Chad paid it no mind. "Anyways, I'm not supposed to say this, but there's a little announcement to make before I pass out these Pokemon. I took a look at your test scores, and it looks like two of you failed the first part of the exam."

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I may not have done as well on that test as I thought I did… Vinny thought, nearly breaking into a cold sweat. But if that's the case, all I need to do is pass the other two. Catching a Pokemon may not be too hard, but… He looked over towards the other five. I wouldn't stand a chance in a battle against Kelsey, Ronald, or Thomas. So I just have to hope I go against Allison or Derek… No, I probably won't be able to beat Derek either. Dammit…

"Anyways…" Chad walked over to the box, and Eevee jumped out of the way before he threw the lid aside. "Catch." He grabbed a Pokeball. He tossed one over towards Thomas, who caught it with ease. He then tossed one to each of the group. When Vinny finally caught his, he noticed a strange mark on his. On the red and white surface, he saw a deep scratch on the front of his, stretching down, barely entering the white half. What's more, it looked like the red color was faded. Compared to the others' Pokeballs, which looked shiny and brand new, this one looked so old the paint was chipping off.

"That's not fair!" Vinny complained. "Why do I get the crappy Pokeball?" Everyone looked the old Pokeball, Ronald and Alli nearly gasping at the sight. He took a sharp glance over at Chad, who replied with a simple smirk.

Damn it! He ended up blindsiding me! He could assure that the Pokeball was given out due to random selection, instead of going through the normal jargon… Maybe he thinks this is a smart move, but he has no idea just how dumb a move he really made…

"Stop complaining," Ronald replied, regaining his cool and looking back over towards Vinny. "You just happen to get the crappy Pokeball," As Ronald predicted, Vinny didn't calm down.

"And it just happened to be me, huh?" He replied. "Sheesh, I just seem to be the bearer of bad luck or something…" Ronald retorted with a snort.

"Well, if you feel so strongly about it, how about we trade our Pokemon. Since they were pretty much given out at random, then I'm sure there'd be no complaints if we swapped quickly before we even knew what Pokemon was inside. Besides, they say that a damaged Pokeball is an ill omen for Trainers," And it's a damn good thing I'm not superstitious. He looked over at Chad to confirm his opinion. Though he was disgruntled at it, he had no choice than to nod approval.

"Hey, if we can trade, what do you say trading with me?" Thomas then asked out of the blue. "I've never heard of that superstition, and if you're first Pokeball ever you ever get is like that, there's gotta be some kind of mystery behind it!" At that time, Ronald wanted to strangle Thomas and his ignorant kindness. Vinny nodded in approval of Thomas's statement.

"Never really thought about it like that!" He replied happily. "I guess I'll keep it and see what kind of Pokemon's inside!" Apparently proud that he solved Vinny's dilemma, Thomas gave a grin and a slight laugh. Meanwhile, Chad had to fight off the urge to breathe a sigh of relief. Kelsey noticed the quick glances Ronald and Chad gave each other, and remembered their private discussion from yesterday. She seriously wanted to know what was going on. Alli, on the other hand, couldn't take her eyes off the Pokeball Vinny was holding.

I'm not completely sure, but isn't that the Pokeball those five men that invaded the school were after? At least that's what Ronald said…

"The bitching aside…" Chad then stated. "We all know that tomorrow you'll be fighting one another for the third exam. I've thought up the proper match-ups that would give best entertainment to compensate for me taking this stupid job in the first place." The six sweatdropped when Chad finished his sentence.

"Anyways, here's how it's going to be! In the first match, will be that long-haired guy versus the big guy!" Thomas and Derek looked at each other, and both gave a quick grin. "The next match will be between the little girl and the little boy!" Ronald gave an angry grunt. Alli and Ronald were going to be in the next match. This also meant that the only two left to battle were Kelsey and Vinny. "And I don't think I have to name the other two, do I?"

Like you could name us, anyway… Kelsey thought with a hint of bitterness. But if I'm facing Vinny, then unless he has some sort of giant monsters of Pokemon, I should be able to take him.

Great… The person I wanted to avoid fighting the most… Vinny thought, wanting to curse out loud. But I have to find a way to beat her, regardless! I'm gonna pass this exam!

"Anyways, I suggest you not reveal your starter Pokemon to any of your teammates," Chad stated. "After all, it would be troublesome if they plotted against you because they knew what was coming,"

As soon as Chad finished, Derek and Thomas gave out a slight chuckle, and pressed the button on their Pokeballs. In a flash of white light, two beings appeared in front of their respective trainers.

"Growlithe! Growl!" In front of Thomas was a red-orange dog with black stripes and a yellowish-white underbelly. The dog Pokemon wagged his tail, looking around at his surroundings. He stretched his legs, and sniffed for the human that held his Pokeball. Trotting right in front of him, he simply sat and stared at him silently.

In front of Derek appeared a blue amphibian creature with a large fin on top of his head and tail. He also contained orange fins on his cheeks, and had rather short legs. "Kip?" He simply asked, looking right up towards Derek. He looked up at the rather large person, and gave a bright smile. Vinny looked over towards Kelsey, and she grunted.

"The Fire type Growlithe; an extremely loyal puppy Pokemon with an incredible sense of smell and sense of loyalty," Kelsey started. "They tend to be very territorial, and they almost never forget a scent. Because of these qualities, they tend to be very dependable Pokemon to serve the Police. Their incredible endurance and vicious strength are what makes them a top quality Pokemon."

"What are you, and human Pokedex?" Chad blurted out. Kelsey gave him an annoyed look.

"Shut up, I'm trying to explain this to a certain idiot!" She continued her analysis. "Mudkip is an amphibian mud fish Water and Ground type Pokemon, known for its sensitive senses by using its fin and its incredible physical strength."

"So it looks like I've got the disadvantage!" Thomas said without losing his grin. "Oh well! I guess I'll have to think of something!"

"So… Anyone else want to reveal their hands to their opponent?" Chad asked impatiently. "Surprisingly, I have better things to do than hang around here, so if you'll excuse me…" Chad simply started walking away, but stopped. "Oh, and I don't have any empty Pokeballs for you, so if you're going to capture a Pokemon, you'd best get your own."

That's… gonna be a problem… Vinny thought. Checking his pockets, he found nothing but a few coins and a piece of lint. That's gonna be a BIG problem…

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Four hours and one ransacked hut later, Vinny found himself in a bit of a pickle.

"I thought that I'd be given a Pokeball, not that I'd have to scrounge around and try to get the money to pay for one myself…" He muttered. "And the total amount of change I managed to dig was… zero dollars and zero cents…" He lay down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Hey, maybe I could sell my bed or something. After all, if I'm going off on a journey, I really wouldn't need it…" He heard the screeching sound of wheels from outside his little hut. Rushing outside to see what it was, he saw a white limousine with smoke coming from the wheels stop relatively close by. A man that Vinny recognized as Frank or Wetherbee came out, quickly walking out to the door at the end, but before he could reach it, Alli came out before the butler could open it for her. She stepped back, and the butler closed the door, gave a quick bow, and practically ran back into the driver's seat.

"Umm… thank you…" Alli said right as he went speeding away. Instead of the usual attire, she wore a sleeveless tan and white-striped shirt, a sleeveless hooded yellow jacket left unzipped, and thin khaki shorts reaching down right above her knee. Her normal pigtails were pulled up and covered in a dark brown headband.

"I think you should really try thanking people before they leave," Vinny teased, startling her just the same.

"Oh! Uh… I… Uh…" She stammered.

"I'm not a social expert, but I believe you start by saying, 'hi'," He responded, a slight smirk on his face.

"Oh, uh… hi…" She replied after thirty seconds of stammering. Vinny shook his head for a second.

This is certainly awkward… He muttered, before finally saying, "So what's up? Kelsey send you to spy on me, or something?" Alli shook her head.

"No, she said she wouldn't even bother coming up with a strategy against you…" As she finished, Vinny's eye twitched in irritation. "Oh, sorry! I wasn't supposed to tell you that…!" She covered her mouth. Vinny was getting more and more annoyed by the second.

"Apology accepted…" Vinny replied coldly. "Assuming you didn't come just to bother me, why exactly are you here?" She seemed to be constantly thrown off by Vinny's confrontational behavior. This was quite odd, considering she was Kelsey's friend.

"Well, you don't have a Pokeball, right?" She pulled out a small red and white orb, pressed the button on it, and it opened up with a flash of light. It revealed furry blue-furred, four-legged creature. Other than its neck, the entire front of its body was a royal blue. There were yellow stripes surrounding both of its front paws. Except for the paws, behind the waist was a darker shade of blue, with a yellow star at the end a thin tail. The inside of its round ears was formed into a lightning bolt-shape, and it had a mess of fur pointing out of its forehead.

"Shi-Shinx!" He cried out, yawning while unintentionally letting out several sparks as his tail began to glow.

"This is Shinx, my starter Pokemon!" She said, crouching down to pet the Electric Pokemon. When she touched him, she immediately jerked her hand back as she was shocked by the static. "We're still getting acquainted… Wrong Pokeball, anyways…" She recalled her Pokemon into her Pokeball, and pulled out another Pokeball. "Anyways, I thought that since you probably couldn't afford to get one yourself, I should give you one…" She walked closer, and handed him the Pokeball. Vinny took it warily.

"Um… Thanks," He gratefully accepted it, but something bothered him. She let out a sigh of relief when he said it. "Anyways, have you caught your Pokemon, yet? If your driver drove off like that, it means he really hates you, or you're planning on sticking around for awhile."

"Well… I also really wanted to talk to you about the Pokeball you got…"

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Trying to be as stealthy as possible, Kelsey tried to sneak into the house without being detected. Unfortunately, it was to no avail.

"KEEEEEEEELSEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" Toppling to the floor, she promptly threw her sister off of her, and stood back up. Before Kelly could counterattack, Kelsey held her head so she couldn't get close.

"Can't you be a little less annoying!?" She replied, heading towards the stairs and towards her room. She then heard something else coming towards her.

"KEEEEEEEELSEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" She was once again toppled over, this time by much larger figures.

"No wonder Kelly acts the way she does…" She sighed as she patted her parents on the head. "Okay, time to let me get up now…" She said impatiently, yet as calmly as possible. The three stood up.

Like Kelly, Kelsey mostly took after her mother, Katherine. Other than the age apparent on the face, the only difference between the two was that Kelsey's mother had a lighter shade of brown hair. They were even the same height. Though she knew was about the average height for her age, she wished she would grow just a bit taller before she stopped. Kelsey could also tell that her mother had been reading, for her reading glasses were still on.

Kelsey's father, Karl, was the oddball in the family. He was just an inch taller than Kelsey, and had short dark brown hair. Like her mother, Kelsey's father also wore rather large eyeglasses, though these were prescribed.

"So…" They said in unison, leaning forward to pressure to Kelsey.

"'So'?" Kelsey repeated, wondering what they wanted. "Oh, that…" She grabbed a Pokeball off of her belt, and quickly released it. Right in between the two stood a mouse Pokemon with dark blue fur on top, and a beige fur on the bottom. Its eyes were narrow slits, and thus it gave off an impression that it was somewhat happy. Its nose was stretched out to a snout, and it shook up and down as she sniffed her surroundings.

"Quil?" The Fire type said in a high-pitched tone, almost sounding timid.

"Cyndaquil… the fire mouse Pokemon…" Karl exclaimed. "A rather reserved and introverted Pokemon, they often…" Upon hearing an analysis of herself, she immediately curled herself into a ball. "Do that…"

"Oh, how cute!" Kelly picked up the Cyndaquil and raised her up as high as she could. Unable to curl into a ball, the Cyndaquil started shaking.

"Also, when they're extremely startled or nervous, they'll…" Katherine added. Cyndaquil shot out a burst of flames from her back, causing Kelly to nearly drop the fire mouse Pokemon. "Often do that."

"Oh, she's really warm," Kelly exclaimed. "But she's hard to snuggle with because her back's on fire…" She carefully placed the Cyndaquil back down on the floor. When finally grounded, Cyndaquil began to calm down a bit and ceased the flame.

I really don't like it when people talk about me… She thought as she looked up at the three and a half giants surrounding her.

"If you can get past the timidity…" Kelsey started, getting the attention from the others. "Cyndaquil is known for its impressive speed and evasive capabilities, as well as its incredible special attack." Karl and Katherine looked at each other and bowed their heads in disappointment. They frowned upon Kelsey's battle-only analysis.

"What about the other Pokemon you were supposed to capture?" Katherine asked, pointing towards the dirt on the Cyndaquil's feet. "Somehow, I don't think you make your Pokemon run around for no good reason." Kelsey nodded, and pulled out another Pokeball. She recalled her Cyndaquil, before unleashing her other one. This Pokemon was a red and white worm, with a yellow point on its forehead, and two yellow spikes on the end of its rear.

"Wurmple…" She said, glaring at the others around him. She didn't give a gentle feeling at all.

"This is just some weaker Pokemon I caught so I could pass the second exam," She explained. This set off the Bug and Poison Pokemon.

"Bitch, who are you callin' weak?" She snapped back, not realizing no one could understand her. "I've got enough venom to take down twelve Wailords in my stinger, and I'll be glad to pump each ounce into your puny human body!" Because they couldn't understand, no one called her bluff. Honestly, you're busy sleeping in the woods, and a mouse comes out of freakin' nowhere and tackles and shoots you with a bunch of flame? What the hell kind of fair fight is that? I demand a rematch!

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"This is pretty annoying…" Derek said, slumping down under a tree in the forest. "There's nothing here but a bunch of weaker Bug types and Grass types…" The complaining out loud wasn't necessary, but he wanted to make sure the blue Pokemon beside him heard it.

Still, I guess this session is an important lesson… He thought, his eyes darkening as he narrowed his eyes into an almost intimidating glare.

From what I can surmise about Chad Ian, it's likely we'll have to use the Pokemon we caught in battle, whether it is a two stock or double battle I'm still unsure. It would be easier just to capture the first Pokemon I see, but if it's too weak it'll be almost useless in the next exam, but if I go for one that's stronger, I'll risk hurting Mudkip to the point where he won't be at full strength tomorrow. That's also true of the wild Pokemon as well. If I weaken it too much it won't be able to participate in battle, but not weakening it enough would risk wasting the one Pokeball my father gave to me. Then again…

"Mudkip?" The Water and Ground Pokemon started to nudge Derek's leg. Though he was unused to this stranger, like all Academy Pokemon he was taught by his Breeder to be obedient to whoever held his Pokeball. Currently it was this large guy that seemed to be glaring at a nearby oak tree. Does this guy really hate trees that much? The Mudkip thought, wondering what could possibly spark off this hate. While staring at the tree himself, he noticed rustling in the trees. Jumping down to the ground, the creature made a perfect landing, giving off a fierce glare at the human and Mudkip.

Light green in color, this Grass Pokemon had a red belly, going all the way up to his chin. Its thick dark green tail smacked the ground, and yellow eyes moved about to analyze the two creatures that stood before him. "This is MY tree, and eye contact without paying the fee will not go unpunished!!!" He cried out in a language that only Derek was unable to understand. The mud fish Pokemon was taken aback by the sudden outburst. This Pokemon was none other than Treecko, the Grass type wood gecko Pokemon.

"Fee?" Mudkip asked, beginning to stand his ground in case the Treecko attacked. Derek's gaze shifted to the Grass Pokemon standing before him, not looking at all pleased.

"Yes! One million Sitrus Berries, ten million Oran Berries, and five million Leppa Berries! Go out now and fulfill these tasks, and once you have returned I shall bestow upon you my blessing and allow you full access to have this tree in your vision!" He stretched his arm outward as he said this, and he spoke in a very dramatic way. Instead of appreciating his dramatics, Mudkip nearly face-faulted at the ridiculous proposition.

"A Treecko?" Derek asked, standing up. It was then that the Grass type noticed the size of the human. Grass types are pretty much devastating for Mudkip, and with that Pokemon's speed, I'm sure he'll be able to get off an attack or two. Even so… Though he had no idea what the Treecko was saying, he was able to get a general idea of his speech patterns and demeanor. He could tell that the Treecko was quite arrogant, and wanted the two of them to go away for no decent reason at all. Walking away from this guy would register to him as us running with our tails between our legs.

He wasn't able to explain it, but Derek was always able to have a general understanding of what Pokemon were thinking if he concentrated. Whether it was psychic readings or incredible intuition he wasn't sure, but it instinctive for him not to let this trait of his to not be wasted. So while wanting to help Vinny and his other friends was the trigger, this was the pull that truly drove him.

"Mudkip," He finally said, looking down at his ally. "I can tell you're slightly annoyed by this Treecko. How about we work together to shut him up?" Somewhat surprised that Derek was able to understand his thoughts, Mudkip hesitated in shock before quickly nodding.

"Ha! You foolish city commoners would dare challenge King Geck, lord of the Treecko Forest?" "King Geck" resisted the urge to laugh, and it quickly turned to anger. "You shall pay for your insolence!" He charged at an impressive speed right towards Mudkip, but before he could make contact, he saw a tiny red and white orb drop towards the Mudkip. This gave him a slight pause, and that was all Derek needed. Scooping the Grass type in his arms, Derek held him tightly, despite "King" Geck's struggles. The Mudkip caught the orb, pressed a button to enhance its size, and then slapped the Pokeball right towards the Treecko with his tail fin.

"Wait, the human is making contact, while the Pokemon does the capturing? Isn't it supposed to be the other way around!?" In his confusion, He was smacked in the head by the Pokeball. The orb opened, and Treecko was suddenly transformed into a red light and sucked right into the Pokeball. Falling to the ground, the ball shook several times before making a pleasant "ding" sound and resting. Derek picked the Pokeball up, unsure of wanting to keep it.

"You know, you'd think you'd be more excited on catching your very first Pokemon, but if your first Pokemon's THIS guy, I wonder…"

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Though the school was nearly empty at these hours, the woods behind it were open to almost anyway. Through the trees, the sky was a nice orange, typical of a sunset.

"So this is some kind of special Pokemon?" Vinny asked, holding the damaged orb in his hand. "If those guys from the other day would invade the school just to get it… Must be some kind of powerful or special Pokemon inside, like the legendary Rayquaza, or Suicune, or maybe a really powerful Salamence!"

This guy only listens to half of what you say… Alli thought, holding a smile despite being irritated. "Or… could it be a dangerous Pokemon that needs to stay in a Pokeball instead of being released into the wild?" She suggested, trying to hint something. But Vinny didn't seem to get it.

"Well, there's only one way to find out!" He cried out, tossing the Pokeball high into the air, pressing the button.

I swear, he's one of the densest people... Alli thought as the Pokeball opened up. "I don't think that is a very good idea…" Instead of the normal white light, it gave off a fierce orange flash. Vinny and Alli started suddenly felt an incredible sense of rage, as if the Pandora's Box itself had been opened yet again.

"I have a really bad feeling about this…" Alli said as the light and the feeling started to die down.

"I can't wait to get a sight on my very own…" The light vanished, but a puff of smoke covered the area. "What the heck? What's with the sudden suspense?"

"Ugh… Bulba… saur, saur, saur, saur…" The smoke quickly dissipated, and Alli noticed that the source of the smoke was coming from the old Pokeball. The two looked upon the light blue Pokemon with a green bud on its back. Instead of usual dark spots all over its body, these dark spots seemed more fierce and jagged in shape. He had his eyes closed shut, and he stretched near every part of his body, cracking every joint he could.

"Congratulations… You now have a Bulbasaur!" Alli commented sarcastically, then covering her mouth when she finished. Oh crap! Did I say that out loud!?

"Shut it…" Vinny replied, kneeling down to get closer to the seed Pokemon's height. "Hi there, Bulbasaur. Looks like I'm gonna be your Trainer from now on." If he heard it, he didn't show it. The Bulbasaur cracked his neck for a second before glaring at Vinny with fierce orange eyes.

"Saur."

"Umm… I don't quite understand what you're saying… YOW!" A vine suddenly shot out and smacked him across the face.

"I've been cramped up in that Pokeball for over ten years, dammit! What part of "sore" don't you fuckin' understand!?"

"Oh." Vinny said while lying on his back, the talking Bulbasaur thing not quite kicking in yet. "My bad."

He looked at the boy lying on the ground, then towards the girl who seemed to be staring at him in shock.

"So who's the unlucky son of a bitch that released me?" He asked, tapping the broken Pokeball with his vine.

"That would be me," Vinny said, immediately sitting up when he heard it. Though there was a red mark where he was struck, Vinny didn't show any signs of pain. Sorry buddy, but compared to a certain girl's punches, your attacks are nothing! Bulbasaur stared at Vinny for a minute without blinking.

"No," He simply stated.

"What?"

"No," He repeated. "You look like an idiot, and an ass. I'll take her." He walked over right in front of Alli. "She looks like an idiot too, but though it may not be much now, in a couple of years I'll have something to look forward to whenever I come out of my Pokeball." Alli's face immediately became red with embarrassment. "Wait, that's considered a compliment in this day and age, right?"

"Actually, I think that's considered sexual harassment in any day and age…" Vinny retorted, standing up and taking the Pokeball. "Feel free to kick him, Allison. As his Trainer, I don't mind."

"Hey, I just said that you're NOT going to be my Trainer!" the Bulbasaur yelled back.

"Yeah, yeah, just shut up and get back into your Pokeball…" Vinny said, pressing the button to recall the Bulbasaur. Unfortunately, all it did was release a puff of smoke. The Bulbasaur gave and evil grin, then laughed. Vinny shook the Pokeball a couple times. "Come on, dammit, work!" He gave it a light punch, and it suddenly shot out and engulfed Bulbasaur in the same fierce orange light.

"Well, shit…" He said right before being sucked in by the Pokeball device. Vinny gave a huge sigh, and held his head. "This sorta sucks… how am I gonna catch a Pokemon when my partner's this guy?" Before Alli could answer, a scream was heard from nearby. Come running into view was someone who looked somewhat familiar.

"H-h-help meeeee!" He cried, something large zooming up behind him. A long blue horn scooped the person up, and threw him clear past Vinny and Alli. He landed face first into a tree, sliding down towards the ground. Alli ran up to the person, while Vinny couldn't help but think about who that person was.

I've definitely seen this person before. Wait… "Hey, you're that bastard from the Pinsir incident!" Vinny finally yelled out, the excitement for being able to remember the face rather than the joy to see him. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"And more importantly, are you okay?" Alli asked, crouching down to examine the person. He sat up for a second, nodding to her.

"I came here searching for the Pokemon that broke that Pinsir's horn in the first place!" He replied, pointing a trembling finger at the blue horn. It came closer, along with the blue figure it was attached to. With a capsule-shaped body, its arms were incredibly thin above the elbow joint. The arm below became much thicker, with jagged sides and two white claws on each hand. Its legs were fairly muscular, and had a sharp and jagged claw on the tip of its feet. The most noticeable thing, however, was the yellow mess around its mouth. It looked like the bark of honey.

"I-I-I figured that it would be off guard the most when eating, but when I sent my Pokemon to attack, he batted my poor Starly away and chased me this far!"

"That's a Heracross!" Alli exclaimed. Heracross looked at the two newcomers, and looked ready to stand his ground and take them all down. He was caught off guard when Vinny went up to the person he chased off earlier by the shirt.

"You attacked that monstrosity… with a little bird…?" Vinny replied, confounded by the person's dumbness.

"Heracross is dual type Pokemon of the Bug and Fighting type, so it would be natural to use a Flying type Pokemon against him, but…" Alli was trying to explain, but Vinny got the idea.

"That armor looks really thick," Vinny then commented with a bright face. "And he looks so cool, with the cool horn, the jagged appearance, and all the claws!" The other trainer joined in on the excitement, a face just as bright as Vinny's.

"Doesn't he, though? That's why I wanted to catch him so badly!" Alli looked at the two's ridiculous reaction.

Is this a guy thing… or an idiot thing? Maybe it's both… Meanwhile, the Heracross seemed to have the same feelings as Alli had.

Is this a human thing, or an idiot thing? Maybe it's both…

"So… how are we gonna deal with this thing?" Vinny then asked, looking at the other guy. He shrugged as a response. Then the two of them got an idea, and immediately turned around. "Self preservation comes first. RUN!!!" The two bolted right past Alli, at speeds she was quite impressed with.

"Uhh… wait up for me…!" She said, turning around and following them. Making sure they were actually running, two flaps on Heracross's back opened up, and wings began buzzing. He started to float into the air, and he charged at impressive speeds for his size. He lowered his horn to prevent himself from debris from the front, and was thus unable to see his horns were heading straight for Alli's back.

From behind! The words seemed to pop up in her mind, and before she knew it, she stopped and pivoted around to dodge the horn. She then crossed her arms in front of her just as Heracross's body rammed right into them. The impact sent her flying, and she eventually landed right on her back. The Heracross stopped when he felt the impact, and walked over towards Alli, his shadow from the sunset completely towering over her.

"Oh dear, I did not see you there, dear miss. I did not mean to harm you. Are you alright? I completely apologize for my reckless actions!" Heracross said in Pokemon tongue, though to the human is seemed like slightly aggressive grunts.

"Hey, pick on someone your own… or at least somewhat closer to your size!" Vinny suddenly cried out, holding the other guy by his hair.

"Lemme go lemme go lemme go lemme go!" He repeated again and again, but no one seemed to notice him. Vinny gave a grin in apology. Alli stood up, and quickly ran over to them.

"Sorry, but I sorta got caught up in the moment and completely forgot you were there!" He let go of the guy's hair, and pulled out the damaged Pokeball. "You stay here and watch this battle! I may not be a Trainer just yet, but I'll definitely show you up!" The other guy did as instructed, surprised at the sudden wave of confidence.

"Okay Bulbasaur, let's do this!" He threw out the Pokeball, and oddly enough, it opened just as scheduled. In a burst of orange light, Bulbasaur's form emerged, and he stood before the Heracross.

"A battle, huh?" The Bulbasaur asked with a grin full of sharp teeth. "Well, even if my Trainer's an idiot, I can't resist a good brawl! Okay, who's the unlucky… oh shit…" he looked up at the giant and turned around and walked right in front of Vinny. He spoke rather quietly. "I gotta talk to you for a second…" Vinny bent down to hear. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING BY SENDING ME OUT TO FIGHT THIS BIG THING!?!?!?!?" Vinny shook from the shockwaves of the screaming, and stood up straight, picking at his ears.

"Don't worry, I know just how to deal with big guys like these!" He said with a confident smile. "Just follow my advice and we'll be sure to win! I've got a plan!"

"You do!?" Alli, Bulbasaur, and the other guy exclaimed in unison.

"Shut up, all of you…" He muttered, confidence slightly shaken.

"I'm afraid I don't know the whole of the situation, but seeing a Trainer send off a Pokemon against me means you wish to battle. And though I do enjoy an occasional battle, I'm afraid I must get back to my dinner." The Heracross stated, causing Bulbasaur to turn around.

"What did he say?" Vinny asked.

"He said it's time to either put up or shut up," He translated. He looked up towards Vinny. "Fine, I'll help you out. The way this guy talks really pisses me off!" Vinny nodded in approval, and Bulbasaur ran back to the battlegrounds.

"Then let's get ready!" Vinny said in excitement. This is my first time actually using a Pokemon to battle. But I'm not gonna lose! "Okay, Bulbasaur, let's take this guy down!"

"Bring it!" Bulbasaur yelled out towards the Heracross. The Bug and Fighting type lowered his horn, hovered into the air, and charged straight at the smaller Grass type.

"Roll out of the way!" Vinny cried out. Bulbasaur responded by running to the side, and ducking under the blow. The bulb on his back was blown back and forth from the current of air around the speeding Heracross.

"Don't ever tell a Pokemon with a precious plant on his back to roll on top of it!" Bulbasaur yelled back.

"Take him down with any long range attack you have!" Vinny yelled back, apparently ignoring his Pokemon's statement.

"Let's see… this one will do!" Bulbasaur arched his back, pointing the bulb on his back towards Heracross. "Bullet Seed!" He fired the many glowing bright green orbs right at the Heracross. However, the Heracross wasn't going to be taken down so easily in his own woods. He flew right behind a tree, the attack blasting off some of the bark.

"Dammit! You just made me blast a tree!" The plant-sympathizing Bulbasaur yelled out in anger. He didn't notice Heracross making his move right at him again.

"Look out!" Vinny yelled, but Bulbasaur couldn't react in time. Taking a hit from the massive Heracross's Horn Attack, he was sent flying up into the air. Heracross wasn't going to let it end, however. He chased the helpless Bulbasaur in midair, ready to end the battle in one more blow. Vinny took a quick glance at the surroundings, and yelled out, "Vine Whip! Pull yourself away!"

"I was already about to do that!" He yelled out, sending out a vine and wrapping it around a tree's branch. He managed to pull himself out of Heracross's way, but his large opponent wasn't giving up. Taking a bit of time to stop, he gradually turned around to give chase. However, Bulbasaur was long since grounded and ready for Heracross.

"He can fly, but he can't stop very well," Alli suddenly stated. "And he can't make very sharp turns."

"That, and he can't see what he's attacking because his head has to be pointed down to attack with his horn," Vinny added, Ronald and Chad's explanation of the Pinsir incident. He tried to put the three pieces together. "And if Heracross used the trees to help him in the battle, then so will I! Bulbasaur! Use your Vine Whip to swing around in circles around a tree, and make sure that Heracross knows where you're going!" Bulbasaur looked at Vinny like he was crazy, and when he saw a crazy grin on his face, he sighed.

"I don't know why I'm listening to him…" He said, wrapping a vine around a tree trunk, and pulling himself around in circles, several times over. The Heracross managed to predict Bulbasaur's path of movement, and charged right in. Vinny smirked when he realized that he getting lucky.

"Okay, he's heading your way! Make sure you get him!" Bulbasaur released his grip, heading towards Heracross. The single horn Pokemon thought it was odd that he didn't feel any impact, but he didn't realize that the Bulbasaur's back was just inches away from his own at that exact moment.

"Let's try this again! Bullet Seed!" He fired the attack right into Heracross's wings, taking a direct hit in the back. As if a fighter jet was shot down, Heracross spiraled around the air, gradually descending. He crashed into a smaller tree, and smashed right through it. Afterwards, he rolled around on the ground and stopped when he smashed into a bush.

"Take that, you big piece of shit!" Bulbasaur yelled out, not realizing the tree right ahead of him. Though he didn't quite smash right through it, he faced a similar crash when he tumbled to the ground. "That's… sorta ironic…" As said as he watched the birds fly around his head.

"Looks like the plan worked!" Vinny cried out proudly. "I got Bulbasaur to shut up, and I took down that Heracross as well… okay…" He stopped talking when he saw Alli and the other guy's continuing glare of disbelief. "Fine, I was just lucky…" He walked over towards Bulbasaur, scooping him up in his arms.

"Hiya, mommy…" The Grass type babbled. "Did you get the license truck of the plate that hit me?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Vinny replied, then walking over towards the fallen Heracross. Setting Bulbasaur down for a second, he pulled out the empty Pokeball Alli gave to him, and threw it at Heracross. Absorbed by the device, it struggled for awhile. The red button on the center was a fierce red, and then finally stopped shaking. "You're mine, Heracross!" Suddenly, the Pokeball started moving again. The Heracross burst out of the Pokeball, shattering it completely.

"That's not very polite of you!" He yelled out, truly angry. He lowered his head, and charged straight towards the young one with the Bulbasaur.

"Not cool!" Vinny cried out, ducking down to the ground while covering his head. Heracross flew right past him, smashing his horn right into a large tree. The impact caused even Heracross to stop in his tracks, watching as the tree cracked through completely and crashed right on top of the large insect. By the time Vinny looked around, he saw the Heracross completely under a fallen tree. "I guess I'm… very lucky!" He yelled out, reaching through his pocket for a Pokeball, but finding nothing. "That's right… I'm out… well… shit." He scratched his head, unsure of what to do next. "Bulbasaur's hurt, and I sorta just feel like I've beaten the crap out of a wild Pokemon and wrecked half the forest for nothing…" A Pokeball flew right past him, and engulfed the Heracross once again. The tree crashed down when Heracross was taken by the Pokeball. After a few shakes, the Pokeball stopped, and made the precious ding. Alli walked to it and picked up the Pokeball.

"Hey! No fair! I did all the work and you're just gonna backstab… me?" She walked closer and held it out to him. "Okay, thanks…" He grabbed the Pokeball, and she immediately stepped back, looking a little sad. "Hey, we've got a little bit of time, so if you have another Pokeball…" She shook her head, cutting him off.

"I don't…" She spoke softly. "But it's perfectly fine! I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to beat Ronald, anyway. And… I… I was only able to finish half of the test, so it's impossible for me to have passed the first portion, and I know I'll fail the third, so I might as well give u- OW!" She held her nose after Vinny flicked it.

"Get some damn self-confidence," He replied. "There were two people that failed the test, and I'm pretty sure that I'm the other one, and I know that I'll probably lose against Kelsey tomorrow!" He looked towards the Bulbasaur whose head was still spinning. "Both Bulbasaur and Heracross are beat up, and I'm not sure they'll be able to go all against whatever Kelsey brings tomorrow. But I don't give up easily, either. All I need is to pass this second portion, and defeat an opponent I've never been able to beat before. We still have some time left, so we can use it to catch another Pokemon. Besides, I already know where to get another Pokeball! All you need to do is ask a Trainer!"

"I've got a better idea!" The two heard the other guy cry out, his face completely red with embarrassment. He pulled out a Pokeball, and handed it to them. "I just realized… I used my last Pokeball on a Starly I caught this morning… I've never even used it before… so…"

"I thought you said your Starly got beaten up by the Heracross," Vinny answered skeptically. The other guy smirked, and pulled out four more Pokeballs and released them. Four gray and black Starly appeared in the sky, circling them.

"My name… Is Star Lee!" He said proudly. "And to live up to my name, I shall become a great Trainer by using a bunch of Starly! I decided to catch that Heracross because, well…"

"Your Starly won't actually stand a chance against most opponents?"

"Yeah… that's pretty much it…" Star replied nervously. The four birds in the sky overheard this, and immediately attacked their Trainer. Star dropped the Pokeball he was holding and ran off, being pecked to death by his own Pokemon. "Ow! Ow! Sorry! You're not weak! You're not weeeeeeeeeak!" Alli and Vinny simply stared at him as he ran off, then Vinny picked up the Starly Pokeball and tossed it to Alli.

"Well, looks like we both passed the second exam!" He said with a smile. "Isn't that right, Allison?"

"It's Alli," She said after nodding in agreement.

"Yay… power of friendship!" Bulbasaur muttered out, still uttering nonsense due to head injury.

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Preview:

Vinny: This is it! Derek versus Thomas! Alli versus Ronald! And Me versus Kelsey!

Ronald: Twenty bucks on Kelsey.

Derek: Me too!

Bulbasaur: Me three! Easiest twenty bucks ever made… especially since I'll be fighting…

Vinny: I tell ya, with friends like these…

Derek: Next time on Generation V: The Final Exam: Real Battle!

Alli: Please look forward to it!

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Author's Notes: Well, Chapter 5 is up much faster than expected. Actually, I wanted to make the chapter longer, but I make sure 12 pages (Arial, 10 pt font) is around my max. In hindsight, maybe I should have made this a two-parter. Anyways, here are the new levels!

Vinny:

Bulbasaur – Lvl 12

Heracross – Lvl 15

Kelsey:

Cyndaquil – Lvl 12

Wurmple – Lvl 5

Derek:

Mudkip – Lvl 12

Treecko – Lvl 9

Alli:

Shinx – Lvl 12

Starly – Lvl 3

Ronald:

??? – Lvl 12?

Thomas:

Growlithe – Lvl 12

Chad:

Eevee – Lvl IT'S OVER NIIIINE THOUSAAAAAAAAAND!!!!!!! Maybe less.

If you're reading this, please feel free to read and review. I'm not going to discontinue the story if no one reviews, but they'll certainly make me feel better… Besides, I like to reply to questions and such. Right now, I'm the self-proclaimed King of Free Time. As for when the next Chapter's gonna come… Well, no clue, actually. I'm either quick with writing battle chapters or not.

Seeya next chapter!