Chapter 2

Zeta laughed loudly. Bolt and Conan were very quiet. After all, they were sitting in the EPF building with one of their heroes. How could they not sit there with their jaws (Or in Conan's case beak) dropped? Sphealy(Yes, they named the Spheal "Sphealy", being new to the world, didn't care who Zeta was and was happily chowing down on poffins.

"So, you two want to be EPF?" Zeta asked still laughing.

Pyro spoke up. "Sir, if I may so. These two aren't exactly the best choices for the EPF. They're troublemakers and I've had to drag them home far more than once."

"Oh shush, Pyro. I remember your gym days. You caused the gyms a whole mess of trouble in the day. I remember having to go to your team more 'far more than once' to tell you to stop causing trouble!"

"Sir, I was beating the gy-"

"Of course you were!" Zeta interrupted and laughed again. He fell off his chair continuing to laugh. Sphealy hopped down from his seat and started to laugh with him. Zeta stopped laughing for a moment. "But seriously, you want to be EPF?"

Bolt and Conan were still just staring in awe. They nodded slowly. "Yes, sir," Bolt said slowly.

Zeta narrowed his eyes at Pyro. "And you didn't reference them?" he asked.

Pyro's face twisted into confusion. "Sir, I already told you why I didn't-"

"Excuses, excuses, Pyro. Of course I'll give these two references. Why not give these two references?" Zeta floated. He made poses as he spoke. "They wish to protect. (Superman pose) Serve! (One arm held high), and AID! (Both arms in air and head back)"

Pyro rolled his eyes and put a hand to his face. "Sir, please quit embarrassing me in front of these idiots. You're setting a bad example."

"So epic," Bolt muttered with wide eyes.

"A true hero," Conan said with the same expression.

"So cool!" Sphealy said with sparkly eyes.

Pyro groaned. If a superior officer like Zeta wanted to give two annoying kids permission to fight the gyms then it was done. Pyro couldn't argue or he'd run the risk of getting court-martialed.

Zeta laughed. "In fact, I'll give clearance for all three of them!"

Sphealy's eyes sparkled even more. "I can get clearance? Whatever that means…"

Pyro put his hand to his face again. "Yes, Professor, same question. HE can get clearance?"

Zeta put his arms behind his back. "No time to better to start training than from level 1?"

"Sir, he needs to go to Solaceon and wait for awhile. He has no parents. The EPF can't just…"

Zeta narrowed his eyes again. "Quit being such a downer, Pyro. He can travel with Bolt and Conan! Judging by how old they are and how long they've been friends, they'll evolve soon and be able to protect Sphealy better. And Sphealy will be able to protect himself sooner than you think!"

Sphealy jumped on Pyro's head. "YEAH!" he shouted angrily. "I'm with the crazy guy!"

"I give up," Pyro sighed and walked out of the room.

"So epic."

"A true hero."

Eterna Forest was dark no matter what time of day it was, and nobody knew that better Malice, a female Mawile who had lived there most her life. She lay in the grass sound asleep without a care in the world until a berry hit her in the face. Her reaction was instantaneous. She picked up the berry and got to her feet.

"Who threw that at me?" She shouted. Some Wurmple a few meters away laughed hysterically. She immediately rushed over to them at loomed over them. "Which of you brats threw this at me?" she asked with a scream that sent some eavesdropping Starly to the skies.

The Wurmple continued to laugh. "It wasn't any of us, Malice," the youngest one said. He motioned over to a Beautifly. "It was her."

Malice was at the Beautifly in a second. "You threw this at me?"

The Beautifly closed its eyes in delight and flew a little higher just out of Malice's reach. "What are you going to do about it? If you could evolve maybe you could reach me? But, no. Poor Malice is short forever."

Malice's trapjaw dropped. "Short? GET DOWN HERE AND FACE ME LIKE A POKEMON!"

The Beautifly flew circles above Malice. "No thanks!"

Malice looked at the berry in her hand and Beautifly flying around happily. She flung the berry at Beautifly and Beautifly fell to the ground. Malice then proceeded to use Vicegrip on the poor thing and didn't let go. "Short? Can't evolve?" She squeezed tighter causing Beautifly to tear up. "I will personally.."

"Let her go, Malice," Vanessa the Gardevoir said quietly from Malice's current blind spot.

"She said I couldn't evolve."

Vanessa sighed. "Psychic…" Malice went flying into the grass. Vanessa helped Beautifly up. "My apologies, Miss. Malice doesn't know how to act her age.

Malice was back on her feet. She waved her hand at Vanessa. "I HEARD THAT VANESSA!"

Beautifly whimpered and flew off. Vanessa turned to Malice. "Malice, please. That's the fifth time this week."

"This one deserved it!"

Vanessa knelt down to Malice's height. "That's what you always say. Can't you be a little considerate every now and then."

"Impossible!" Malice crossed her arms and made a pouty face. "No one's nice to me, so why should I be considerate?"

"Yeah?" Yuki the Frosslass said in her accent from behind Malice floating upside down. "Why should Malice be considerate? After all, she's Malice. We can't change her."

Malice, Vanessa, and Yuki: the three were a group friends living in the forest. Malice was the youngest but she had a foul temper and was sensitive that she couldn't evolve. To make matters worse, she was tired of being trapped in the forest. Vanessa didn't let her leave because she was afraid Malice would cause harm to civilization.

Vanessa was trio's voice of reason. She always came to a Pokemon's aid, and she always seemed to be there when Malice was acting up. She often went to Eterna city to get decent food for the three to eat. Vanessa and Yuki didn't care what they ate but Malice was a picky eater.

Yuki didn't really care for anyone but herself. She believed that people who didn't know her were missing out. She was also glad that she was "very beautiful like no one else" and "so glad I'm not a Glalie." To this Malice just rolled her eyes and went back to her juice.

They were the oddest group anywhere in the forest, everyone agreed. "Who hangs out with a pokemon like Malice?" some of the Caterpie asked. "What about Yuki? She's just as bad, prancing around the forest like she owns the place?" "How can Vanessa stand them?" The question was a valid one.

But it was unlike Vanessa's nature to hate anyone. The forest elders and the Eterna City EPF admired Vanessa's ability to put up with those two idiots. Malice didn't think it was possible for Vanessa to hate. When she asked Yuki what she thought, Yuki gave half an answer then changed the subject to her "beautiful skin".

Malice's expression changed to that of annoyance. "Nobody asked you, Yuki."

"You're just mad that you don't have my brilliant skin." She put her arm in Malice's face. "Look at it. "Have you ever seen such a shine?"

"Yes. Yesterday when you ASKED ME THE SAME THING!"

"Hmph. You're just not as beautiful!"

"At least I was never an ugly Snorunt."

Yuki began banging her head on a tree. Or at least she tried since after all, she was a ghost. "You're right. I'm so ashamed. How could I ever have been that ugly? I was a freaking cone! Who has a cone as a daughter? Who, I ask, who?"

Malice grinned. "Then there's always the fact that you're father was a Glalie."

"AGGH!" Yuki shouted. "You're right again! How could I have come from such ugly parents?"

"That was cruel," Vanessa said.

"Compliment accepted," Malice said walking past Vanessa. "I'm going back to sleep. When the princess is done with her tantrum , let me know."