First of all, thank you very much for the reviews!! smiles

Second, I hope you enjoy reading the next chapter as well!!

Chapter 9 - The burning flowers of Petalburg

Joyce wakes up and goes to sit up straight. She sees the car smoking… "Now what happened?" she asks Nahïm irritated. Nahïm calmly responds: "Well… We were smoothly driving on our way to… Well… I don't know where, actually… And now the car broke down…" A sweat drop appears on his face. Joyce sighs and says: "Great… Maybe you should use one of your pokémon to see where we're going!!" Now a sweat drop appears on her face. Nahïm nods and says: "Sounds like a plan!" Nahïm throws a pokéball into the air and shouts: "Go Taillow! You go search for a town or something!" Taillow pops out of the pokéball, chirping: "Taillowww!!"

Joyce picks up Mudkip and straightens her ribbon. She jumps out of the car while holding Mudkip. When Joyce looks at the car, where all the smoke is coming from she coughs. "Bleh! Lots of smoke all right… Are you sure Torchic didn't set fire on it?" Nahïm responds irritated: "And WHY would my pokémon blast our getaway car?" Joyce lifts her shoulders and eagerly responds: "I don't know… Maybe it got mad or something?" Nahïm pays no attention to Joyce, or the car, and searches the sky for Taillow. He mumbles in himself: "Wich reminds me… We're still on the run. So we can't stay here…" Joyce sighs and responds: "Aren't we always on the run?" A sweat drop appears on her face.

She's surprised when Nahïm actually gives her an answer: "Nope, not quite…" Joyce sighs: "Whatever!" and starts walking down the road. She pets Mudkip every now and then. Nahïm switches back to the previous subject: "And if my Torchic would be in a stage of rage, I'd let him use you or Mudkip as target for his attacks!" he yells. Joyce waves: "Whatever!!" and walks on. Nahïm: "Hey, wait up!" He starts running after Joyce. Taillow comes flying back at Nahïm. "So, Taillow… Did you find a city?" Nahïm asks. Taillow chirps and points in the direction of the city. "All right!" Nahïm shouts. He puts Taillow back in its pokéball. The couple continues walking in the direction of the city.

While she's walking, Joyce looks at the flower beds on her left and right side. "Hmm, what's with all the flowers…?" she wonders herself. Mudkip jumps out of her arms and starts sniffing at the flowers. Nahïm interrupts: "Hey wimp, if I were you… I wouldn't smell at those flowers…" Anger markings appear on Mudkips face. "Mud, mud mud!" she angrily responds. Nahïm points and shouts: "Look over there!!" Joyce starts peeking around. "Where?" she asks when she doesn't spot anything. Nahïm hyperactively points at a Vileplume.

Mudkip ignores Joyce and Nahïm talking. She lets herself fall down, so she can smell the flowers better. She drowsily says: "Mud mud…" Joyce turns to Mudkip and says with caution: "Erm, Mudkip… Come here please…" Mudkip ignores her trainer, and goes on with sniffing the flowers. Joyce walks to Mudkip. When she's one meter away, she hears Mudkip snoring. Joyce gets a sweat drop on her face: "Great…" She picks up Mudkip and turns to Nahïm. He lifts up his shoulders and says: "Serves him right…" Nahïm starts walking in the direction of the city. Joyce runs after him, shouting: "Hey, wait!"

Nahïm abruptly stops and says: "Let's see… Oh, there's a sign!" Joyce looks around, forgets to brake and bumps into Nahïm. "Where?" she asks. Nahïm reads the sign: "Petalburg City -- 1 Mile. Straight ahead" Joyce shouts: "A MILE?!" and then faints. Nahïm thinks out loud: "Hmm, explains why there are so many flowers around here…" In the meanwhile Mudkip is slapping Joyce, trying to make her snap out of it. Joyce is still KO'd and mumbles a bit: "A mile… A whole mile… Noooo" A sweat drop appears on Mudkips face. Nahïm looks at Joyce and says with ignorance: "Oh quit it! I feel sorry for Mudkip, you know! With such a wimpy trainer it won't grow very strong…"

Mudkip punches Nahïms leg, then punches Joyce in the face. Joyce snaps out of it right away and drowsily says: "Huhn?" Mudkip shoots her water gun into Nahïms face. Joyce shakes her head: "I don't think Mudkip agrees with you…" Mudkip goes back to Joyce and nods. Nahïm folds his arms together and ignorant says: "Who cares? I know I'm right… So…" Joyce interrupts him: "I don't, obvious… Though you're the one who's soaking wet right now!" She giggles. Nahïm lifts his shoulders and says: "That can be solved…" Nahïm jumps into a nearby bush. When Joyce tries to peek, Nahïm throws a pokéball at her. "Hey!! Make her sorry for that Torchic! Use your ember!"

Joyce gets a sweat drop on her burnt face. "Okay…." she says when fainting. Mudkip looks at her trainer and gets angry at Torchic. She starts shooting off water guns. Nahïm peeks trough the bushes and whispers: "So, a battle it is then…" Torchic and Mudkip keep on firing embers and water guns at each other. When Nahïm shouts: "You go Torchic, scratch that wimp to death!" Torchic faints because of the multiple water guns, shot by Mudkip. Mudkip turns her attention back to Joyce and starts slapping her again. Nahïm shakes his head when petting Torchic: "Typical behaviour for such weak pokémon…"

When Joyce opens her eyes, Mudkip gives her a hug. "Mud, mud!!" she says softly, burying her head in Joyce's shirt. Nahïm puts Torchic down, he falls to the ground again. Nahïm gets annoyed: "Torchic, get up… NOW!!" Torchic tries to get up in despair. Joyce pets Mudkip and gets to her feet. She starts walking towards town again. Mudkip leans backwards and sticks out her tongue at Torchic. Anger markings appear on Torchics face. It seems it's very angry. He releases a giant stream of fire. Mudkips face is covered with sweat drops. She starts shouting and poking Joyce: "Mud, mud, mudddd!!" Joyce looks over her shoulder and sees the fire coming near. She starts running while yelling: "Aaaaaack!!"

Mudkip fires her water gun to make the fire disappear. The attacks meet each other and resolve into steam. When Mudkip spots Torchic coming closer through the steam, she fires another water gun. In the meanwhile, Joyce has set foot in Petalburg. She sighs: "Phew!" Torchic looks annoyed and releases another stream of fire. The entire towns flowers get burnt by it. Joyce looks at the flowers and gets a sweat drop on her face. "Great job Nahïm…" she shakes her head.

A girl comes running out of one of the houses in the village and starts screaming: "OMG!! The flowers!!" She runs towards Joyce and when in front, she shouts: "You did this, didn't you!!"

A sweat drop appears on Joyce's face when looking at Nahïm. She sees him laughing. Then she turns to the girl. "Sorry… Team Rocket…" she winks and runs off. Nahïm laughs even more: "Oh, this feels so good!! But hey, those attacks… Those weren't usual ember attacks… It looks more like a Fire Spin!" Joyce slowly comes back. In the meanwhile the girl runs back to the house and shouts: "MOMMY!!" Joyce turns to Nahïm and responds: "Mm, yes actually they did… Did Torchic level up?" Nahïm lifts his shoulders: "Maybe so… That means he's close to evolution! So I'm off…" Joyce winks: "Good for you!"

Out of the house a huge woman appears. The big momma starts yelling at Joyce: "Why you insolent little…" Joyce's face is covered with sweat drops. She is scared to death… "Oops…" is all she can say. Nahïm looks at the huge woman coming towards Joyce. "Now I'm DEFENETLY off!!" he shouts and starts running. His Torchic follows. The mother shouts: "I'll make you PAY!!" She throws a pokéball. Joyce giggles: "You wanna fight? Go ahead! Go Mudkip!! I choose you!!" A Vulpix appears out of the mothers pokéball. Nahïm peeks at Joyce and slowly walks back. He wouldn't want to miss this!! Joyce smiles and says with evil: "Mudkip you're in advantage, use water gun!" Mudkip fires a big stream of water and the Vulpix smashes against the house behind them.

Unfortunately, it stands right up again… Nahïm shakes his head: "Told you so… That Vulpix is WAY stronger than Mudkip…" Joyce gets annoyed and shouts: "You stay out of this! Mudkip, keep using your water gun!" This time, Vulpix avoids it. Joyce gets even more annoyed and Belossoms pokéball. "Attack girl!!" Belossom and Mudkip start attacking the Vulpix. Vulpix uses Protect, when its trainer tells to do so. Joyce gets a sweat drop on her face and shouts: "FINE!! Belossom, use your Sleep Powder!!" This time, the attack works. Vulpix falls asleep and gets KO'd by Mudkips water gun. "Grr… Vulpix, come back! Gastrodon… Your turn!!" the woman shouts. Nahïm nods happily: "Now that's my partner in crime…!"

When he sees the Gastrodon he shouts: "All right! A new challenger!! Joyce, let me take on this one!" Joyce steps aside and nods: "All right, but let Belossom help you!" She turns her attention to Belossom and says: "Charge Solarbeam!" Nahïm nods and throws one of his pokéballs. "Go Gyarados!" he yells. Belossom charges and fires her Solarbeam when ready. Unfortunately, Gastrodon uses Recover… "To bad… All the work for nothing…" mumbles Nahïm. Joyce gets annoyed and yells: "Belossom, try again!" Nahïm jumps in: "Gyarados, charge Hyper Beam!!" Both of the pokémon start charging their attack. Then, they combine the attacks together. A deadly combo is made; Gastrodon got KO'd. Nahïm laughs: "Yes!! Go, Snag Ball!!"

A black pokéball steals Gastrodon from the woman. The woman is getting desperate and yells: "Noooo! My dear Gastrodon!! Vulpix, go get her back!!" She throws Vulpix's pokéball once more, and there it is again. To tired to fight though, so Mudkip fires her water gun. Now its Joyce who throws a Snag ball. The black ball steals Vulpix and Joyce starts dancing with Mudkip. The mother cries out loud: "Noooo! THIEVES!!" Nahïm sticks out his tongue and then shouts: "That's what you get if you mess with team Rocket!! We're out of here! Follow me!" Joyce nods: "Right you are!" Nahïm starts running, and so does Joyce.

After running for a while, they arrive at Petalburg harbour. "This way for the next ferry!!" Nahïm shouts. Joyce follows and says: "Okay!" They stop running when they see the announcement of Petalburg harbour. "Stop! In name of the law!!" Joyce and Nahïm turn around. Nahïm says: "Oi, police!" Joyce gets a sweat drop on her face: "Great…" She runs towards some bushes and jumps in. She pulls out her tent and starts putting it up. When she's done putting it up, she hides inside together with Mudkip. Nahïm shouts: "I'll create a diversion, but I need Mudkip for that… So, GET OUT OF THAT TENT!! NOW!! And Joyce, please put it away… And head towards the ferry…"

Joyce sticks her head outside the tent, unsure what to do. Mudkip takes a peek too. Joyce pushes her out of the tent and gets out herself as well. "Okay, okay… Fine!" she mumbles as she starts wrapping it clumsy. Nahïm nods: "Okay Torchic and Mudkip, now's the moment to work together…" Joyce is busy stuffing the tent back into her bag, though it's not exactly working. A sweat drop appears on her face as she is looking at the lost cause. She gets annoyed and starts pushing it harder into the bag. Still, no luck… Anger markings appear on Joyce's face as she starts jumping on it. FINALLY! She got it into the bag. Joyce sighs and lets herself drop to the floor.

In the meanwhile, the cops are getting closer. Nahïm laughs devilish: "Well, officer Jenny… I don't have time for the likes of you…!" He looks at Mudkip and Torchic. They all nod, they know what to do. Just to make sure, Nahïm shouts: "Torchic, use Fire Spin!! Mudkip, use Water Gun!! Make the attacks blend into each other!!" Mudkip and Torchic use their attacks together. Nahïm looks behind him, there he sees Joyce peeking at him. She quickly runs off to the ferry then. Nahïm shakes his head and when he turns around, he sees the attacks have crashed. A giant cloud of steam is made. Nahïm picks up Torchic and starts running towards the ferry.

"Mudkip, come here!!" Joyce yells as she bumps off the boatman into the water. The man uses foul words as Mudkip jumps into Joyce's arms. Nahïm makes Torchic go back into his pokéball and jumps onto the boat. Joyce sticks out her tongue at the boatman in the water and starts wielding the boat herself. She thinks out loud: "Right… That way!!" She pushes a button and the boat starts rumbling. After lifting and pushing some levers, the boat starts to move. Nahïm pulls in the walking plank and laughs when he sees the cops at the shore. "Come back here this instant!!" officer Jenny shouts as team Rocket gets away… Mudkip goes to stand next to Nahïm. Together they stick out their tongue as they sail away on the boat…

Well, that's it for chapter 9!

More to come!!

Don't forget to review please!!