VT: Well, not much to say, but this has turned into a tribute chapter of sorts, for the lady dealing with Pocky belongs to Digital Skitty as the girl named Pocky. So she is owned by DS. I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

Saffron Misgivings

The group of our trainers and friends has finally gotten to the right gate house that was reserved for the trainers and after them being verified that they were indeed trainers they were let into the trainer area of the town; already a wall was separating the trainer part of the two sections of the city, along with Sliph Co, which was located in the trainer section of Saffron City. From the other part of the town, in effect splitting the town in half now, to the north they knew that a magnate train was now operating taking people to Goldenrod City all the way in the Johto region. But due to all big towns they soon were lost but not as much as those that may have been before the wall constructions, at least they were only lost in the trainer section of the town

But like anyone else in a new town you can most likely guess what was the first thing that occurred to them in this new town, they got good and buried deep lost. That was about an hour ago and it seemed that they were always following a road that would end right at a wall, indicating that once the road had gone on further, but with a wall in front of them… they couldn't go any father, as such they would turn around and go down another street trying always to find the main street and then the Pokemon Center, but the roads were a maze were some even ended at the side of a building that didn't even have a door, and the shops that did have doors were closed at the moment, which meant that like the sun, it was approaching night time already.

"We have been walking for hours now… when will we find the main road?" Ethan whined, they had come close but they were blocked due to road construction, of course the site was empty for the evening, but their was an Arcanine that was guarding the grounds and it wouldn't let them pass, nor give them any direction as well, he actually had the nerve to insult them as dumb humans that should have stayed home where they wouldn't get so lost for so long, and to stop exaggerating.

Matthew was about to answer when they all saw it, the neon sign rising above a one story home that was attached to what appeared to be another specialty shop, just for grass types, but still between two, two story buildings was a one story building and over the room of this building could be seen the neon Pokeball. They looked at each other and began to walk down the road until they could get to either a path or street that went in the direction of the center. Finally they got on the main road, which happened to be the next road anyway, but still they crossed the street and were on the side with the Pokemon Center, they then walked for about three more minutes and got to the center just as the sun finished rising and a full moon rose above the building, Ethan looked around longingly but still he entered the Center with plans on changing his photo to match his new look…. Well… his human look that is.

"Yes?" Nurse Joy asked as she stood behind the counter of the Center as she saw the three trainers entered the Center, however, she wasn't the only one that saw them enter and take an interest in them, two others looked at them, a male and a female, both of which didn't realize that their was another watching their entrance.

"Err… May I have my picture retaken? I have changed my clothing and well…." He stopped when the Nurse looked at his picture that he gave on his Pokedex and the boy in front of her. She then smiled.

"There is no need to worry, I can tell that you are the same in your picture but why is your hair straight and black and not red and curly?" The nurse seemed curious at this.

"I did it." Matthew responded, "I prank him by dying his hair and straightening his hair, and now he is afraid that people will not let him through or such since he is different then his picture.

"Oh my, there is no need to fear, you are just fine, everyone either dyes their hair by either accident or on purpose, either way, even due to a prank to hair color will one day return to normal." She then smiled and returned the Pokedex with a smile and then offered to heal their Pokemon at the moment and for them to take a seat and wait till she was done.

The female that had seen them enter the Center got up from her seat and walked over to where the three trainers had just sat down, she smiled and held out a box, "Pocky?" She asked and all three turned to look at her surprise on their face.

"What?" Matthew asked in confusion as he looked at the box of Yogurt flavored Pocky in front of him.

"Pocky, do you want some Pocky?" She asked him again, ignoring the looks from Becky and Ethan. Matthew looked at the box that was in her hand and nodded his head not speaking.

The girl smiled and set the box down, "Take the whole box… I have plenty more where it came from. She smiled a disarming smile at the three.

Matt was sitting at the feet of Matthew and looked at the girl with the strange clothing, she had a black satin choker with a dark red heart in the middle of her throat, he also was curious as to why her bangs were dark Purple while the rest of her hair is a silver color, along with the strangest shirt he has seen to date, a light pink tank top that had the words LOVE with a darker shade of pink that made the shape of a heart above the word. She also is wearing a light blue skirt that had a tilted black belt as well as some black boots, then his eyes noticed something on her right arm, it looked to be like a brown sleeve thing, but he couldn't see it attached to anything thing else… she was indeed a strange girl in Matt's eyes.

"Pocky? What's Pocky?" Matt asked with a baffled look on his muzzle as he sniffed the air trying to get a scent of the Pocky.

The lady smiled and said, "It's a biscuit stick dipped in Chocolate, of course there are other flavors as well." She smiled and then looked perplexed at the look she received, "What?"

Ethan being the one that usually asks the questions that were a tad intrusive spoke up, "How did you know they were asking about Pocky? I mean they could be asking anything else."

"How did you know if I was talking to them or you?" She asked back with an elusive smile on her face.

"Because none of us asked what it was… in fact, I know what it is as well." Ethan shot back looking angry that she would be accusing him of understanding Pokemon speech.

"Oh…. This." She pointed to her chocker with the heart on it, "I made this, allows me to understand Pokemon speech." She smiled once again.

"Ma'am…. What's your name?" Matthew asked mainly so he could thank her by name.

"Do you want some Pocky?" She asked Becky ignoring Matthew's Question. Becky only blinks in bewilderment and surprise.

"What?" She asked in shock, "Do I want some Pocky?" her face took a look of seriousness, "My friend asked you a question, didn't you hear that?" She asked her.

She only turned to Ethan and asked him, "Do you want any Pocky?" She once again seemed not to hear the question.

Ethan not paying much attention now only blinked in confusion before shrugging, "Sure… got any Chocolate Pocky?" He seemed a little hopeful, "I don't get to the Hoenn market that often to get Pocky, but I like them." He smiled when she gave him a whole box, but he then asked another question, "Err… is this alright? Giving away a full box?"

"Of course," She said with a smile, "I've got plenty more still." She then moved off smiling before any of them could ask her another question.

"That was…. Weird." Matthew said with a look of wonderment and curiosity, "She avoided our question point blank…. I guess she keeps her name hidden or something." The other two only nod their head in agreement.

Alas, they were not able to have a minute more of peace before the second person walked forward and introduced himself to the group.

"Hi, I am Riku Silvermoon, and I hereby challenge you to a Pokemon Battle, in the battle park if you don't mind, you look like a worthy person to try my best at." He was talking to Matthew and for the moment ignoring the other two.

Matthew looked at the new comer with a look of bewilderment and he felt trapped, first of all he noticed that he stands at six foot even, and in this weather, a tad chilly now, still wears red shorts, and a red T-shirt with a red plain Baseball cap. He also could tell, being part Pokemon, that even though he looked a tad skinny, most of it was muscle and not skin or fat. "Me? But I just got here…. Don't you think you should challenge someone else?" He didn't want a battle, not now nor anytime soon… he wanted to get to the gym…. But when he looked at his clock… he noticed that the gym was now must likely lock and closed for the night… so he nodded his head. "Let me guess, I will have no success of convincing you to not battle me?" He asked his voice telling plainly he didn't want a battle at the moment.

"I thought Pokemon rules state that you must except a battle from a trainer, besides the only other one that I have challenged had a press card, and politely refused, something about waiting for a story to break here… said he had a hunch that with the wall being built that a story will come sooner or later." He then smiled, "I am not one to battle all the time, know what I mean? But I want to train my team mates against something that isn't going to be predictable, something that would keep both I and my friends on our toes. So, what do you say? A friendly battle, oh say, in half an hour?" He smiled and waited.

Matthew only smirked, "Okay… half an hour in the battle park… outside the Poke center, at the Gazebo." He smiles and with that Riku leaves a look of happiness on his face.

"We seem to always get busy whenever we sit down, eh?" Becky asked with a look of mirth and a little touch of glee. Along with a humor in her voice, showing that she was getting just a tad tired of not having a change on sitting down and just…. Well…. Sitting and relaxing.

Meanwhile in another part of the town, well two different parts of the town two totally different phone calls are taking place between two different bosses that had two totally different goals in mind.

"Report agent, what is the situation of the subjects." A man that had shadows covering his face asked the girl who had given the Pocky to the threesome.

She smiled and held a box of chocolate covered Pocky up, "Operation Pocky drop is a success." She then winked before a Wooper jumped onto her shoulder, "Phase two should be beginning soon, and I hope to intercept them before they reach the gym."

"Good, that should be excellent, the days of Project Dark Mirror's absence will be over and we can get back our other hybrids…. I still don't understand why she rebelled; we lost fifty percent of Hybrid division in that defect… but no fears…. However, I must tell you that your mission once over here will proceed directly to your other objective, hopefully with fully obedient Ninetales." Giovanni only laughed before the hand held video link went dead and silent, the girl only smiled, this being almost the only life she has left.

Riku Silvermoon looked around himself before opening a link that is on his wrist that feed directly to a secure location.

"Hey boss, I've challenged the subjects to a battle, just want to make sure they are strong enough to take on Sabrina… I have my hunches…."

'Enough with your hunches Riku," The man on the other side of the link interrupted with a sigh, "I know what you think, but our agents haven't been able to find anything concrete. I assure you, that the G-Force team is very reliable with information gathering, so just do your job and challenge then and make sure you go easy on them…. I want them in ship shape when they challenge Sabrina." The man dressed in a cape with a uniform that seemed tad different then normal police officers.

"Yes Lance… I'll make the G-Force proud, you can count on me." With those words he closes the signal and drifted into the park that would hold the battle in a short time, failing to notice the other trainer with a Wooper training as well.

A half hour passed with Riku training and waiting for the person he challenged to come to the park to fulfill a promise, for a Pokemon Trainer's word on a future battle is usually a bound that is very hard to break, of course with Team Rocket attacks on the up beat, their have been a few forfeits due to Rockets stealing the trainers Pokemon, and at times, not only do the Pokemon disappear, but the Trainers as well. That was what worried Riku but his outward appearance didn't show that, he was worried for those that he was told to watch, if they were successfully captured by Team Rocket, they would have a powerful weapon that would allow them to probably capture even more trainers or even do away with all the serums and DNA splicing that they used at the moment to create their monstrosities of science.

Soon the time that was appointed for the battle arrived and with a strange punctual sense, the moment Riku's watch hit the time… around a tree walked Matthew Vixen, Becky Sparks, and Ethan Vixen. Our group of three adventurers had a look of those that were expecting an ambush or to be jumped at any moment, Becky and Ethan both fanned out to flank the area and were looking like body guards for Matthew. Matt and Firestorm both eyed the trainer with some suspension, but not as much as when they got a good look at the lady from before, something hadn't jibbed with them and now they felt even more threatened, but they didn't tell their trainer, he had enough to worry about at this moment in time. Like, who was he going to use in this battle of trainer against trainer.

"Okay… if you don't mind… I will pick first, since I challenged you, I think it would be the fair thing to do. Come on out Tyron." He shouted as a Growlithe trotted out from behind him and took a battle position. "Now… your turn Mr.?" He stopped and blinked.

"Call me Matthew, but I warn you never call me Matt, you will be very sorry if you did." Matthew Vixen said with a smirk as he fingered a Pokeball, knowing what the next words would be from this trainer.

"Thanks, but I think I can handle the consequences if I call you Matt, Matt." Riku said in a voice that said that he truly believed this sentence. But he didn't see the look he was getting from the male Vulpix.

"Okay, Matt… show what Matt means, let's just show why we insist on the full name, and is that okay for you Matt?" Becky said with a grin as she was able to finally show someone just what she had to live with the entire time and the horror of shortening Matthew's name.

"Why do you refer to the trainer in front of… wait… what's your Vulpix doing? He is coming this way…. Is this the Pokmeon you wish to choose to battle me Matt?" Riku asked with a look that showed he was a tad over the level of mild confusion.

"You wish to battle against the opponent called Matt… so you are going to battle against Matt, or are you going to stay with your challenge of Matthew." Ethan asked merriment on his darkening skin and face, eyes now hidden from a pair of sunglasses he had found in the street, after someone threw them away, he had tried to give them back to him, but he had ignored them completely, so…. Ethan had put them on and looked a tad intimidating in them, like some government agent.

"What… you mean…. You called your Vulpix after yourself? You don't look to be that vain in yourself." Riku asked in a tone that made it more of statement that would destroy what he had just learned.

Matthew only laughed, "Please… why should I call a Pokemon after myself? I mean it would cause confusion all the way to Rayquaza's roost. I'm sorry to burst your detective work, but Matt took the name himself and treated it like it was his given name the entire time, so don't lecture me about my ego… I assure you, with my life… I can't afford the cost of maintaining such an inflated ego." Matthew Vixen looked flustered and ready to walk off.

"My apologies Matthew, you see, I was only testing to see what would happen if I called you Matt, I thought that you would be all angry at such a shortening of a name…. But I see that it is for everyone's safety of mind, so I now formally challenge you, Matthew Vixen to a Pokemon Battle, I already picked my battle partner, now pick yours unless you wish to use Matt." Riku had then taken a few steps back and awaited, in the dimming light of the sky, the park would be soon eliminated by the moon along with street lamps and the occasional battle lantern.

"I do not chose Matt, I choose Flame, Come on out and make us proud." With those words Matthew Vixen sent out his fifth and so far last Pokemon to team up with him, a previous member of Team Magma, along with having a tad problem with a temper that Matthew had worked with him on, along with a playful mood when it came to food.

"A Flareon is going to battle for you? How interesting that you have three fire types in your team… a tad unbalanced if you ask me, but whatever floats your boat…. Let's begin shall we?" with those words and not waiting for an answer back Riku Silvermoon ordered his male Growlithe to charge forward in a Bite attack.

Matthew didn't say a word and suddenly the Flareon dodged to the left and avoided the Growlithe's Attack. Flare then charged forward with a Quick Attack that connected with the Growlithe but Tyron didn't even flinch, only turn right around and used Bite, this time it connected.

Both trainers only smiled at each other and nodded as complimenting each other's attack; even though no words were exchanged both of them knew that they were complementing each other's battle strategies.

However at that moment a wave of water hits the two Pokemon along with both Riku and Matthew Vixen. The rest of his friends along with Matt and Firestorm were both thankfully out of the way of the water.

Matthew visible winches from the sudden burst of water upon him even though his Ninetales side was at a high level… so was this move as well, meaning he was smarting badly.

As for the two Pokemon that were fighting, they both snarl and turn to face the person that had did this attack at them, their standing behind a Wooper was the same lady that had given them each a box of Pocky.

"What was that for?" Matthew snapped, his voice sounding more like a growl that was approaching the tone that was unable to be reproduced by a human. Matthew was not, however, concerned about that at the moment he was very upset, so much so that his eyes were turning reddish in color.

The lady only smirked, and in a calm and laughing tone of voice spoke, she was focused on Matthew Vixen. "Come now, don't you like my prank? I mean, how else would I get your attention for a battle? I mean, I could wait but that would be boring. Like it?" The way she said "like it?" was referring to her prank.

Riku stepped forward and in a controlled tone of voice water dripping off his clothing indicating that it was waterproof, but his hat was soaked. "I don't think that was a very nice prank, I don't like it at all, you see we were battling using fire Pokemon, and as such… water is very hurtful for them. Now…"

She laughed and only shook her finger at the interrupting man, "Now, now, didn't your mother tell you that it is impolite to interrupt a conversation being held by adults?" she then turned back and waited for Matthew to respond totally ignoring Riku's protests.

Matthew saw that she was not going to do a thing until he had given her a response and so he gave her one. "I will show you what I thought of that… Stripes let's get going." Matthew Vixen shouted out as he tossed the Pokeball containing one of his valued team mates, he then turned to talk to Flare, "Flare, fall back, we'll need to conserve our strength, let's regroup." Matt had at this moment forgotten about Riku.

Riku however had other plans, "Drako, let's help them out, come on out." He had tossed his own Pokeball as well, and out appeared a Dragonite, who roared in a semi soft mummer, like a muffled fog horn.

The lady only smiled and laughed, "Please… you think two puny Pokemon could protect you? I don't think so." She snapped her fingers together and a shiny Wooper walks into view and a Venomoth flies into the field both are as battle ready as the normal colored Wooper that sent the first attack. She then nods as if giving off either a well rehearsed battle plan or telling something to them physically.

Matthew Vixen only shook his head, "Please…. You have no idea on what you are doing… what are you doing anyway? I mean, we are having a friendly Pokemon fight, unless you are with those anti-trainer clubs, which I must say can be hypocrites on their teaching, using Pokemon to terrorize trainers into their way of thinking." Matthew would have said more but a Hyper Beam from the Dragonite launched forward and slammed into the Venomoth.

"So, Riku, I see my reports about you are correct, you will rush into the battle without thinking." She then smirked as she directed her head in Matthew's direction by this time more people and Pokemon had joined Matthew's side. Mainly the teammates that reside with both Becky as well as those that reside with Ethan, A Murkrow, Charmeleon, Pikachu, Umbreon, Pidgeotto, and finally a fully grown Arcinine.

The two Wooper's sent off a blast of water which resulted in a two pronged surf attack, however, Riku had his Dragonite take the blast of water along with his second Pokemon that he released, a Vaporeon. The Vaporeon right away sent out a Hydro Pump at the Venomoth.

"Well, I wouldn't have expected any less from the trainer in the top ten of the Hoann league championship that was just held." The lady, who no one had yet to figure out a name as such, and frankly Matthew was just trying to make it easier on himself, he didn't want to call the lady… lady, so finally he called out in something that fitted her so well, after all she did boast of having a bunch more back home.

"Look here Miss. Pocky, I don't know what you have against me… but you must stop… I suffer from PPW, I don't know how, but I fear it was passing on by a blood donation. The trigger is a water attack from a Pokemon so watch where those attacks hit, okay?" Matthew was hoping to bank on something that most trainers nor scientist don't dare talk about, it's the PPW, or Pokemon Passable Weakness. As far as anyone can tell, it is transmitted by blood and from blood of a Pokemon at that, but it has to be in a high quantity, in the old days before proper screening, a Pokemon Center having to do emergency blood transfusion would make mistakes and use Pokemon blood instead of Human, only their was one side effect, the PPW, and so far, if you have it, by golly you avoided those attacks at all costs, someone who isn't crazy and try and work against it would be as susceptible as a new born against a fully evolved member that is part of that Weakness.

The Lady only shook her head, "Oh, Please Dark Mirror zero, zero one, you have nothing like that, you are the real McCoy, you are a Pokemon in human form… now please hand yourself over and I will make sure you don't suffer, refuse and I will be forced to bring you in fainted, now what will it be?" she still was ignoring any attempt to have a name placed on her, but her voice showed herself to be calm and collected, as if talking in a class room and she was tad board.

During all this Riku had been using hand signals to communicate what to do and how to execute it, but at the moment, he seemed to be having a small problem, it seemed that the Venomoth and the two Woopers were easily evading it, and one had continually using a altered Ice Punch, instead of using arms, which a Wooper doesn't have, it was kicking the Dragonite with the move, and Matt, the Vulpix laughed and mentally called it an Ice Kick.

Matthew Vixen only shook his head, "So be it, I will fight you… Come on everyone; let's take this up a notch." Flare on hearing this used a Quick Attack on the shiny Wooper, while Matt and Firestorm both used a Fire Spin to trap the Venomoth… what was making Matthew wonder now was how the lady he dubbed Pocky hadn't said a single word to her Pokemon… he had seen once a over confident Physic trainer that had went a single battle without issuing a single word of command and this was looking a lot like it, only it was female and not a male that wasn't talking.

Matthew smirked as his own Pokemon had done what he had hoped that they would do, it had come to a point where they could tell what Matthew was thinking a few moments after he had cemented it in his head.

However the two Fire Spin attacks were stopped by a Water gun from the Wooper that had taken a break from kicking the Dragonite who had just fainted, Riku was not looking like was like this… for the Venomoth had now taken a liking to his Vaporeon who was fending off both the moth Pokemon along with two other Woopers, she fell soon after but not before dealing some hefty blows to her three.

Suddenly a strange lull had come upon the battle field for the three Pokemon had stopped attacking the Growlithe, even a powerful on at that, but ganged up on… it was not a fair fight, they had been beaten here and their from the Dark Mirror group as that was what the lady had called them, but now she was looking at the east entrance of the park and then she melted back into the shadows and Riku looking made dashes off after her having still three more Pokeball spaces filled with fresh teammates, waiting for a good time to introduce them… he was as Matthew saw, luring the other opponent into a false sense of winning… where he had shown his full force right from the beginning, he was reserving his strong members… besides the Growlithe by looks of thing, for last. But right now, all eyes, both human and Pokemon were fixated on the east entrance. Soon a figure is seen taking shape from the darkness now that has fallen upon the city, and the shadows cast from the lamp posts make what would have been normal everyday items look menacing and ready to strike at any moment, so that was why they were tense when the shape was taking form of a person. Then the person stepped into the light and they saw a person dressed in a smart red business suit designed for women, for that was who she was, a women, straight black hair shoulder length as well as looking like a uniformed design, plain but a sense of order to it, her eyes showed a sharp look of cold commanding authority, but at the moment a look of distain and disgust.

All eyes were now upon the new arrival, one that looked to be in command of the situation even though she had not said a word nor a command, yet she held an air that one needed to respect her as well and not cross her. The same exact question was on everyone's mind but one, who is she? However, the one, a certain purple Rattata was thinking how she reminded him of a bright red apple and that he wanted one at that moment.