Vulpixtrainer: Okay, now, on with the chapter, but first I have one review to deal with.

Negrek: Thanks, I will try and work on my descriptions from now on.

Eve: VulpixTrainer owns nothing of the Pokemon world; it belongs to Nintendo and Game Freaks, Inc. He does own the characters and plot.

Watch Out for That First Gym

(Next Morning)

"I can't thank you enough for letting us use half of your camp. Are you sure it wasn't an inconvenience?" Matt asked as he packed up the blue tent that he carried around for camping.

"None at all," Lindsey said, still keeping an eye on Mandarb. She had tried to provoke Matt into a battle earlier. "I'm also so sorry about Mandarb's behaviour; she usually is so well behaved," Lindsey said.

"That is quite understandable. I think, though, that she is itching for a battle. Unfortunately, I have no level one hundreds. I do have a fifty-five, but that is still not a close match. Maybe after the league?" Matt was trying everything to get Mandarb to stop and not blow his cover. How would she react? I mean, I have never met her in my life and I don't know nor want to find out her reaction to my "condition." Matt, during his thinking, had finished packing his tent and had gone over to help Lindsey finish breaking camp on her side.

"Thank you, but I can get it on my own," Lindsey said as Matt came over.

"Okay, but I advise that you leave before us or after. Otherwise, they may go after you, too," Matt said in a warning voice as he looked around at the trees that surrounded the camp, broken only by a small path, manmade, that led over the small ridge that made this camp into a small valley big enough for a campsite and forest covering.

"Actually, I was planning on flying out," Lindsey said. She then turned to Becky. "Can the boys use Flyer while we use Zeus?" Lindsey asked very directly, throwing Matt and Becky for a small loop.

"That sounds fun," Ethan said, still not fully grasping the danger that the suggestion could lead all of them into. But a few minutes later, Matt decided as well; after all, they were looking for one Pidgeotto, not a Salamence and a Pidgeotto.

"I think that is a good plan. We may just send those grunts for a loop," Matt said, sealing the deal and soon everyone was in their respective Pokeballs except for Matt, Firestorm, Ruth (who had gotten this attitude of staying out of her Pokeball from Matt and Firestorm,) and finally Eve.

"Now, Becky, just sit like this and you will be just fine." Lindsey was showing Rebecca and Sparks the proper way of riding "shotgun" on a Salamence. After that was done, she got up in front of Becky and whispered into Zeus's ear, "Okay, let's go to the Pewter City Pokecenter for them, okay?" She smirked at how she was going against what they had asked about being dropped off at the Mount Moon Pokecentre.

"Okay, just follow me." And with those words, Lindsey took off into the wide, barely blue sky of morning.

(Ranger Rick's Office)

"What do you mean, they just vanished?" Giovanni was furious. This is their tenth attempt at taking out the two, no, three experiments, number six four five, six four four, and finally six five five. He looked right at the Executive that had posed as Ranger Rick, who is right now under a heavy sleep powder in the back room, and ordered something he hated. "I don't want anyone to attack him, unless it's Violet and Garth. Those two are not to be informed as to why they are tracking the threesome." Giovanni then smirked a very small bit before continuing in his cold, emotionless voice, "Better yet, tell them I want that Flareon. After the failed grab attempt by Shadow Moon, I am really interested in what Magma is doing. And those Vulpix as well; they will make great bargaining chips in time." Giovanni then gave off one of his cruel laughs before ending the transmission.

"You heard the boss! We are to fall back and let the experiments continue on with their badge collection," The Executive ordered, frustration clear in his voice. Minutes later, black jeeps and vans left the park from a concealed location, and soon Ranger Rick awakened, completely unaware of what happened.

Walking into his office and holding his head because of a headache, he saw a note on his desk and, as he sat down, he looked out his window, which framed the peak of Mount Moon. Around the base was a lush green forest which you could see the top up until the peak of Mount Moon, where it becomes jagged and only climbable by experienced hikers. Smiling, he then looked at the note and his smile faded.

Boss,

I quit. The teens are too much to handle, and Matt stopped by.

Grant

That is the third one this year. I must say that I really need to find a rock-solid second to handle those teens; it is getting out of hand.

(Mid-Flight near Pewter City)

"I still think it is risky to do this, Lindsey," Becky said as she got over the shock of them flying not towards Mount Moon but towards Pewter.

"I just think that I need to show you some sort of an apology for how Mandarb treated you last night," Lindsey said as they approached the Centre. "Anyway, I thought this would be easier on your travels," Lindsey said as Zeus started to make his descent to land in front of the Pokemon Centre. He was followed by Flyer, who was carrying Matt, Matt, Firestorm, Eve, and Ethan.

"Pidge pidgeotto pidgeot, pidgeotto." (Please wait until I come to a complete stop before disembarking, and thank you for flying Flyer Airways.) This broke everyone up into a fit of laughter, including Zeus. Becky, amazingly, kept a straight face.

"What is so funny?" Lindsey said after they had landed in front of the Pokemon Centre, the front being a one-story building with a Pokeball on it.

"Don't mind those two, they are always coming up with strange jokes that very few people understand." Smiling, Becky pulled out Flyer's Pokeball. "Flyer, return," she commanded as Flyer turned into red energy, causing Matt and Ethan to fall to the ground. This made Becky laugh; she was joined by Zeus and soon by Matt, Ethan, and Lindsey.

"Thank you again for the unexpected help to Pewter, Lindsey," Matt said as he shook hands goodbye with Lindsey. "Please remember that the cave system can be a little tricky, so have an escape rope handy. You can find them lying around the entrance from those who have left them behind." With this last bit of advice, he turned to go inside

"Wait," Lindsey said, making Matt stop. Becky and Ethan had gone in to heal their teams already. "Just watch out for the first Gym. It can be tougher then you think." Lindsey then hopped onto her Salamence and flew off into the wild blue yonder.

Matt, looking on until Lindsey and Zeus were no more then a dot in the sky, just smiled and, turning around, entered the Pokemon Centre.

Upon entering the centre he looked around it. The main area in front of the desk had a group of blue couches gathered around a circular table. This was off to his left. On his right was a wall with four video phones, two of which were in use. Straight ahead was the front desk with its always present, always cheerful Nurse Joy.

Matt walked up to the Nurse Joy and handed her his three Pokeballs while he lifted up Matt and then Firestorm onto the counter. Nurse Joy then took them into the back to heal them. Looking around, he saw a kid with a red baseball cap and a Pikachu talking on a video phone. The next two were empty, and the last one had a woman in a large black coat. Matt then saw Becky and Ethan sitting in the dining area. Seeing Matt, they waved at him to come over. Looking back at the counter, he saw Nurse Joy come out with his Pokemon. After gathering them he headed over to eat and plan an attack strategy for the Boulder Badge.

VulpixTrainer: Okay, I am done with Chapter 26 and I hope to see you all for Chapter 27.