"I thought I said I never wanted to see this place again." Leo groaned.
"Oh come on. This is where our adventure started. Ah, memories." Nina spun around in a circle. "I was a little Snorunt back then..."
"... Nina. We weren't here very long ago." Lian commented.
Nina glared at him.
"How long's it been since Leo left, anyway?" Sandy asked.
"Uh. Well. Let's see... 3 months?" Leo shrugged.
"Fair enough." Salty said. "Now can we hurry up and get to Oreburgh?"
"Did sssssssomebody ssssay Oreburgh?"
"... Who said that?" Sapphire whirled her head around, growling. "Show yourself!"
"... Wait. ONLY ONE PERSON SAYS S'S LIKE THAT." Leo cried. He ran in the direction of the voice and dragged out Arbok.
"Arrboookkk." He cuddled his snakey friend.
"Ssso it'ssss true, Leo. You evolved?" The snake asked, wrapping his tail around the weasel.
"Ye- Wait a minute. How did you know?" The Floatzel asked, breaking away.
"Sssimple. You're becoming quite famoussss."
"AW REALLY? SWEET!"
Sapphire raised a brow. "More friends of yours?"
Lian nodded. "Yeah. They weren't friendly at first. But they helped us out with a little Honchkrow problem... Speaking of which, where is the bird brain?"
"Lyal left to sssstart hisss life over sssssomplace elsssse." Arbok answered, slithering over to the group. "And I heard about what happened in Oreburgh Mine. Me and my Ekans wish to asssssist you."
The other snakes arrived, forming a circle around the pokemon.
"We do need all the help we can g- Where did the Buizel go?" Lian asked, looking around.
Sandy, Salty, and Blanca were cowering in a tree.
Leo rolled his eyes. "Come on guys, you wanted to come with us."
"Yeahbut.... Not with giant snakes." Salty said, quivering.
Leo dragged the trio down and dragged them half the way through the mountains.
"One boat to Pal Park, please."
"Okay, come with me Miss..."
"Alexa."
"Alexa. Okay, the boat's over here."
The trainer followed the man. Her hair was an odd shade of purple. Probably dye or something. Hopefully dye. How would someone get purple hair? Magic? Anyway...
Alexa boarded the boat. She was alone, and the weather was nice. No problems getting to Pal Park.
"Okayokay. Um. What's the boat called, Potato?"
"Pota!"
"Nono. Uhh." A boy with dirty blonde hair dressed in cargo pants, a plain tan T-shirt, and gloves looked worriedly around the harbor. He was holding a very bored looking Hippopotas.
Alexa raised a brow.
"Uh... Potato, we're going to miss our boat!" He cried, picking up the hippo.
"Why won't you help me?" The trainer began shaking the small pokemon, who opened his mouth and yawned a bubble.
It popped on the boy's face.
He blinked for a few seconds, then fell asleep.
Alexa stiffled laughter as the Hippopotas... Or Potato as he called him climbed ontop of the boy and fell asleep.
She walked off the boat and looked at the ticket the sleeping trainer held. It was identical to her ticket.
Alexa prodded the boy with a stick until he woke up.
"Wuh... Huh... UWAA. AAAHH GET AWAY FROM ME. I KNOW KARATE KINDANOTREALLY." He was at his feet, knocking Potato off him.
Alexa sighed. "Relax, you're going to miss your boat. Come on." She grabbed his hand and dragged him onto the boat.
A few minutes later, they were off, the trainer shivering in a corner.
"So, wh-"
"DON'T TALK TO ME CREEPY LADY."
"..."
"YEAH YOU BETTER KEEP QUIET."
"... What's your name?" Alexa asked, slowly becoming irritated.
"Uh. Kaij."
"... Cage? C-A-G-E cage?"
"No. K-A-I-J."
"... What kind of dumb name is that?"
"WELL WHAT'S YOUR NAME?"
"Alexa."
"Ha! How do you spell it... Q-V-J-O-P or something?"
"... No."
"Oh."
The two became silent.
Alexa grabbed her two pokeballs on her belt and released her pokemon.
Kaij backed away as a Granbull and Dunsparce appeared.
"Agh! What are those?"
Alexa raised an eyebrow. "My pokemon. Hector the Granbull and Philly the Dunsparce."
"Oh."
More silence.
"Why are you going to Pal Park anyway?" Kaij asked, hugging Potato, who yawned.
"To reclaim my pokemon."
"What happened to her?"
"She was sent away from being too weak. I'm a former Magma Excutive and-"
"AHH. CRIMINAL. FLEE POTATO. FLLEEE." He threw the Hippopotas overboard and jumped in the water.
Alexa blinked slightly as Hector fished them both out quickly.
Kaij flopped onto the deck, shivering. Potato yawned and fell asleep.
"... I said former."
"YEAHBUT."
"FORMER."
"ok."
She crossed his arms and ignored him the rest of the way.
"Oreburgh City!... Again." Leo lost all enthusiasm as the mining town appeared before the group.
Looked the same.
'Cept a lot worse.
Most of the people didn't smile.
Okay none of them did.
"OH NO. EVERYONE IN OREBURGH BECAME EMO. NOOOO." Leo cried, sinking to his knees.
"You moron. The mine in Oreburgh is the city's pride. Now it's gone." Nina said, crossing her arms.
"But look. They all look so... I can't explain it." Lian shook his head.
"They look blank." Blanca declared.
"Blank? That's the-" Salty started.
"No, she's right. They look blank and expressionless." Agreed Lian.
"Oh. Well in that case. EVERYONE IN OREBURGH ARE ZOMBIES. EVERYBODY HIDE." Leo screeched and ran around in circles.
The others rolled thier eyes.
"The ssssooner we get to the mine the better." Arbok said, slithering through the town.
The group followed the snake.
An Arbok and about fifty Ekans, one Floatzel, one Froslass, one Gallade, one Mightyena, one Skitty, and 3 Buizel. The oddest group you would ever see in a city.
But no one even glanced at them.
One time, a kid almost tripped over Hank.
"Watch it, buddy or I'll... I'll. GET BACK HERE I'M NOT DONE YELLING AT YOU."
The kid kept on walking.
"Zommmbbbbiiieess." Leo whispered in Hank's ear.
Sapphire kicked him.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S NO MIGHTYENA HERE. I NEVER REALEASED HER, SHE CAN'T BE CAPTURED." Alexa yelled, slamming her hands on the counter.
The woman behind the counter took a step back.
"Uh. She could have escaped..."
Alexa sighed, walking back to her chair and slouching in it.
"Uh..." Kaij started to say.
Alexa glared at him. "Why are you still here?"
"I have nowhere to go."
Alexa rolled her eyes. "Fair enough."
"And in other news, a thief Mightyena in Sandgem Town." The TV above the waiting room was showing the news.
Alexa leaned forward, listening intently to the news reporter.
"A Mightyena broke into Proffessor Rowan's lab and swiped a Dawn Stone that was about to be experimented. It then escaped, no one is sure where. We have a picture of the incident. If you've seen this Mightyena-" A picture appeared on the screen. "Call 555-5555. It's not that hard to remember. Really."
Alexa's eyes widened. No doubt about it, that was Sapphire. She leaped out of her chair and grabbed Kaij, who was about to get a taco.
"Come on, whe're going to Sandgem Town."
"Buh Buh. I want a tac-"
"WE'LL GET YOU A TACO SOME OTHER TIME."
"okaythen."
"Wow."
"I agree. Wow."
Hank and Sapphire stared at was once Oreburgh Mine.
A crumble of rocks. Harsh.
"Who could have done this?" Blanca asked, shaking slightly.
"Whoever it wassss, they're definately sssssstrong." An Ekans hissed.
"In other words. WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE." Leo cried, running around.
Nina slapped him.
"Well, who did it then?" Lian asked.
Sapphire sniffed the air. "They're nearby." She said.
The group barely had time to duck before a small figure fell from the sky and tried to tackle them.
"The heck was that?" Nina cried, whirling around.
The creature floated down, showing itself to the group.
"Woah. It's... It's." Lian tried to say.
"MESPRIT. WHAT THE HECK." Leo yelled.
Mesprit laughed. "Do I know you?" She asked.
"YOU BOOB." Leo screeched.
"... Boob?" Hank asked.
"I'm not a boob. You're a boob." Mesprit said, crossing her arms.
"NO. YOU'RE A BOOB."
"You're the boob."
"I'm no boob!"
"Yes you are."
"Boob."
"Well-"
"WOULD BOTH OF YOU BOOBS SHUT UP." Nina yelled.
"And that's not Mesprit, Leo." Lian said.
"Mesprit"'s fur was shaggy, and two pointy teeth stuck out of her mouth. Instead of four appendages, this Mesprit had four horns. Her tails lacked the jewel in the center, instead, twin horns were where the jewels would be.
Mesprit laughed. "Have you come to challenge me?"
"No." Salty said quickly.
"YES, BOOB, AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE YOU D- AGH." Leo couldn't finish his sentence before he was lifted into the air and blown back into the wall.
The others became silent.
"Anyone else?" Mesprit asked, smiling.
Sandy raised his paw.
"Yes?" The legendary asked.
"Can I go home?" The Buizel asked.
"No."
He was thrown against the wall and landed on top of Leo.
"Oh poo." Nina said.
"Yeah, we're doomed." Sapphire agreed.
She lifted her head up to the sky and roared.
The others shivered, but Mesprit seemed unfazed.
She flew towards the canine, attempting to ram into her. But Sapphire leaped out of the way and tried to slam her ironized tail against the legendary. Mesprit quickly formed a barrier around her. She looked at Sapphire and her eyes flashed for a moment. Sapphire growled and lept onto the sprite, sinking her teeth into one of her tails. Mesprit flicked her off. Moments later, the Mightyena was hit by a sudden blast of psychic energy. Sapphire flew back and landed against the same wall as Leo and Sandy.
"Wwwooah. Future Sight." Leo said. He lept to his feet and ran over to join the others in battle, Sapphire standing up and following him.
The battle began.
Lian charged, trying to slash Mesprit his Leaf Blade move. It made contact, but she was quick and picked the Gallade up and threw him aside.
Leo fired a Water gun at her, followed by the trio of Buizel, but she put up a barrier and effortlessly blocked all he attacks. At that moment, Lian charged, breaking through the barrier and slashing her with his Fient move.
Mesprit flew back and opened her mouth. A Hyber Beam caught them all off guard, knocking most of them backwards.
Arbok began stockpiling energy while his Ekans hurled Mud Bombs at the legendary. She dodged all of them, but was then tackled by Hank. The small cat lept out of the way as Arbok let loose an energy blast, hitting Mesprit dead on.
She fell to the ground.
"Woo! We did it!" Leo yelled.
Then Mesprit healed herself with Recover.
"Aw man." Salty moaned and was hit by an incoming Shock Wave, along with the other three Buizel, knocking them all out.
Nina narrowed her eyes, stirring up and wind and firing it at the sprite. She flew out of the way and tried to ram into the Froslass.
But not before she was slapped aside by Nina.
"Oh man. SLAPPY FIGHT." Leo yelled.
And that's when Hank lept in and whirled around, slapping Mesprit with his tail, Nina continuing to work her slapping magic.
The others stared. They took this moment to start charging their attacks.
When Mesprit broke away from Hank and Nina, the others were ready.
Leo had collected Moisture and fired a Water Pulse, Lian let loose a Dark Pulse, Arbok and his Ekans had Stockpiled and Spit Up their energy (ew), and Sapphire fired a Shadow Ball.
Mesprit formed a barrier and protected herself from all of them.
Her eyes glowed for a second, and electricity began charging around her body.
When they had finished all their attacks, Mesprit stopped her barrier, electricity was jumping off her body. The pokemon could sense that Future Sight was coming.
"Nina?" Leo asked.
"Yes, Leo?" She replied.
"Future Sight and Protect are cheap moves." He said.
"Yes. Yes they are." Nina agreed.
"Poomuffins." Hank said.
And then Future Sight hit and Mesprit let loose her Thunder attack.
The place exploded.
Mesprit smirked as she surveyed her opponents, all unconcious except for Leo.
"I must say, you almost got me. Almost." She said smiling.
And then a Dragon Claw sliced her across the face.
"Wh- What the heck?"
Leo was able to see two pokemon appear in front of him before he lost conciousness.
"I've been looking forward to a battle." Wanizame said.
"Me too." Rhino agreed.