Chapter 26

Clair and Her Dragonair

I pulled on Arcanine's mane, bringing him to a stop outside of the pokecenter. He kneeled down, letting me and Pichu off as I took my cane. "Thanks bud." I said, scratching behind his ear as I recalled him to his pokeball. I know there wasn't any real reason to recall him, I mean, I am going to keep him in my party.

I spun around on my heel, limping on my cane as I walked through the door, Pichu on my shoulder. The lights were dim, and it took a second for my eyes to adjust, but when they did I saw Nurse Joy was behind the counter, looking at me with a very hateful look.

Oh yeah… I thought to myself as I remembered those harsh words I said to her only moments ago. "Well, looks like healing my pokemon is out of the question."

"Darn right it is!" She screamed. "You loud mouthed hoodlum!"

"Okay, fine." I waved my hand, brushing her off as I sat down at the PC system. Now, lets think. I put my hand to my chin. All I know about this gym leader is that they are a dragon trainer. Dragonite would have a great advantage, but also be at a disadvantage because dragon is weak against dragon. Most dragons are flying or water types, so an electric pokemon would be good. I turned my head around, looking at Pichu. He was rummaging through my book bag with his butt up in the air and his head buried deep down inside the bag. Well, I guess that's a possibility. I turned back to the computer. Better yet, it is the only advantage I am going to have in this match.

I reached into my pockets, belt, and book bag, moving Pichu out of the way. Then I deposited all my pokemon except Arcanine, Pichu, Dragonite, Primeape, Kabutops, and Scizors.

"Hmph." I smiled. "I sure bet Oak is going to be surprised to see an Articuno at his place when the transfer goes through." I stood up, taking my cane as Pichu jumped in my book bag, still digging around for something. I walked out of the pokecenter, took the pokeball from my necklace and released Arcanine. "Well, you ready boy?" I asked with a pat on his side as he laid down.

"Woof!" He barked as I climbed on. But when I did I saw his ears twitch. His head turned to the sky in the north-west. For a moment it was silent, but then I heard it too. This low humming noise coming from over the mountains, and it kept getting louder, and louder. Eventually I saw this massive air ship peak its way over the cliffs. The metal contraption was bigger than any plane or boat I had ever seen, even bigger than the S.S. Anne. I watched as it came down, really fast. The thing was going in too fast. It passed over us, and decreased altitude rapidly, but not speed. Arcanine, Pichu and I watched as the ship touched down, skidding around on the desert floor and came to a stop probably a half-mile away from where it first landed.

Arcanine tilted his head and looked at me, almost like he was asking what we should do.

"Ahh…" I groaned. "I just hope that wasn't Bill's 'amazing flying skills'." I patted Arcanine on the side. "Come on boy, let's go check it out."

"Arf!" With that we took off, heading the way of the downed ship.

***_-Scene Change-_***

By the time we got there the dust had already settled, and we could see the full extent of the damage. The ground had a large indention where the ship had touched down that stretched nearly half a mile. The ship, though it looked like it had been through the ringer a couple times, did still seem to be intact.

We rode around to the side of it, looking at all the dents and scratches that covered the paint, body, and frame. In bright red paint, visible under the cover of dust, was a giant "R" painted on the side. Painted over that, however, in what looked like blue spray paint was a line under the "R" connecting the two legs together, forming a "B" shape. Painted as an extension to that I saw the letters "ILL".

"Oh great." I said, shaking my head. "Bill."

"You rang?" A voice echoed from above. I looked up and saw Bill sitting on the edge of the airship's wing, nearly one hundred feet up. "Hey, Kyle. I am… um… kinda…"

"Stuck?" I finished the sentence. "Just hang on, I'll get you down." I reached down for my belt, pulling off Dragonite's pokeball. "Come on out, girl!" I tossed out the ball as Dragonite flew into the air and landed beside me.

"Draaaa." She almost purred, rubbing her head against my face.

"Its nice to see you too." I said with a smile. I then pointed up to Bill on the air ship. "Could you go get him down for me?"

"Dra!" She took off into the air, flying up to the wing of the ship in lighting speed. I think she actually surprised Bill with her speed, because I saw him jump when she landed beside him. Bill climbed on her back slowly and she brought him back down, letting him off before I recalled her.

"So," I asked, putting Dragonite's ball back on my belt. "Was that your idea of being a 'good flyer'?"

"I know it looks a little sloppy," Bill started. "But hear me out. That type of air ship was made to land in water."

"Yeah, that doesn't make me feel any better." I offered my hand to him from Arcanine's back. He took it, and climbed on as we took off back into the city.

"Trust me, nothing was damaged when I landed it." Bill said, trying to soften the mood. "But hey, that was my first time, I know I can do it the next time."

"Well, forgive me if I bring Dragonite with me on the flight." I said, watching as the town began to come into focus on the horizon. "Just in case you're flying skills aren't as good as your hacking."

"So…" Bill paused. "Where are we going?"

"I need to get my gym badge."

"But I've been gone for almost two and a half hours. What have you done in that time?"

I smiled. "Do you want the long version, or the short?"

"I guess I'll take the easy version." Bill said with a groan.

"Alright, got back my pokemon, scared some tourists, got the Nurse Joy here to hate me, and a deli man is probably going to sue me if I go back into town."

Bill looked at me jaw dropped. "Wow. You never stay out of trouble do you?"

"What's the fun in that?" I laughed.

Taking the alternate route we made it to the gym in minutes. When we arrived Arcanine lowered down, letting me and Bill off. I took my cane as Pichu hopped on my left shoulder. Bill, oddly enough, started digging through his book bag. I watched for a moment before recalling Arcanine.

"Well," I said, limping up to the gym. "I'm going on in. You have fun."

"Oh, good luck." Bill said, without looking up from his computer. "I'm just checking the schematics for the airship's landing gears."

I paused for a second, then shook off the thought. If I think about this anymore I'll back out of letting him fly me and never get to the league in time. The doors opened automatically as I walked up to them. Inside the gym I noticed that it didn't just look big from the outside, the inside was massive as well.

The building was two stories tall, with at least four stories underground, and all of them were open roofed, so it was like one giant room. The ground levels were divided by walls, separating the boiling water, which was colored red, either to represent blood or lava. These walls also had railings and some kind of mathematical gears which seemed to move and form a puzzle maze type thing.

I glanced up, looking at the other end of the massive room. "There." I saw her. The gym leader. On the far side of the gym sat a very tall lady with blue hair, pulled back in a ponytail. She was sitting on a throne made of stone in the shape of a mound of Dragonair. Two Dragonair heads made the armrests as three circled around the top of it, forming a halo crown with their wings and necks.

I then looked back down. This gym is nothing but a big maze. I watched as trainer after trainer tried to figure out the combinations of the floor, but with each try, the floor shifted and turned, sending them back further than they were before. I stood there for about fifteen minutes, watching the movements of the walkways. I was good at these things, not so much with memory games, but I was good at figuring out patterns. That's how I always won those stupid slot machines in Kanto, and why I always got kicked out for winning too much. But, this isn't fair. Within those few minutes of watching I figured out the little maze. I glanced back up to the gym leader, and reached for Dragonite's pokeball around my belt. I threw it on the ground, releasing her and putting the ball back.

"Come on." I said, hopping on her back. "Go over there." I then pointed to the gym leader. Dragonite took off, flying straight at the woman, and came to an instant stop when we were within feet of her. The woman raised an eyebrow at us as Dragonite lowered down, letting me off. "You!" I said to her. "I challenge you to a gym battle."

"I am sorry, Mr. Gray." She spoke calmly as she crossed her legs, put an elbow on her armrest, and shoved her chin into her palm. "But if you wish to fight me you must first figure out the riddle in my 'puzzling maze'."

"I did figure it out, and I think that is a low down lousy trick." I pulled my sunglasses off of my regular glasses as I spoke. "There is no way to win that maze puzzle, or whatever you called it. No matter what combination you choose you will always end up right back where you started. You can never get to the final walkway, which leads to you."

"Bravo…" She said, clapping. "Congratulations Mr. Gray, you are the first one today that has figured that out." She then looked over my shoulder to this kid and his Bayleaf. "That poor child has been at it for hours, too. I could have sworn he would be the next one to figure it out. But, no matter." She stood and walked over to the Dragonite statue beside the throne. "If you don't mind, Mr. Gray, please follow me." She pulled down one of its arms, and like in the movies, the throne, and the wall behind it, moved out of the way showing an open room. This room was laid out like all the other gyms I had been in; field in the center, benches around like an arena, and lights that beamed down. Actually, this feels more like when I was back in the League, fighting for a chance at the Elite Four. Most gyms don't have all of this.

I watched as the gym leader walked over to a microphone stationed on her side of the arena, as well as another throne just like the previous one. She sat down, grabbing the microphone and calling out over the entire gym.

"A challenger has just solved the 'Puzzling Maze'!" The words echoed through the gym. "All trainers who wish to challenge me, and are in the gym, must report to the Arena Area, post haste! If you do not show, you will be disqualified from receiving a Rising Badge, which if you do not know, will also disqualify you from attending the Johto Pokemon League!" With that she turned off the microphone and stood up. "So, Mr. Gray, I take it you are used to an audience?"

"Yes I am." I said as I watched people start to pile in from the side doors to the benches. There were a lot more people in there then I'd thought, about 20 or so.

"Let me introduce myself." The woman bowed as both our podiums rose up above the ground about fifteen feet or so. "I am Clair, 'Dragon Trainer Extraordinaire'."

"Well, I would tell you my name, but you seem to already know it." I said as I stared at her. "How?"

"So, how is my spoiled cousin, Mr. Gray?" She asked, ignoring my question.

"I'm sorry, but-"

"You don't know who he is?" She cut me off. "Its understandable. The only thing we share in common is our title, the title that was originally mine." She then turned her head and looked away. "Lance was always such a spoiled 'perfect' child. Whatever Lance wanted Lance got, because father loved his brother's son more than his own daughter."

"Um… I'm… sorry?"

"He tricked me." She said, slamming her hand down on her raised throne as she sat. "I went easy on him, giving him a sporting chance and letting him beat me. Little did I know that he had the media right outside of the gates, watching the whole time. I was the one that was in the running for the Elite Four, but when they saw I was defeated by a him, they booted me out, said he showed more, 'potential'." She stood up again. "And now here I am, stuck! In this gym! Fighting trainers that know nothing of the hardships it takes to become and defend the title of the most powerful trainer in the Elite Four!"

"Look, I'm sorry for your… unresolved father issue things, but I'll be sure to beat your cousin for his title again this year after I beat you, okay?"

"You will not be fighting him in the Elite Four this year, I am afraid." She then sat back down, trying to calm herself. "The fool dumped it all. He dropped out of the Elite Four, and entered as a trainer in the Johto League."

"What?" I asked confused. "Why?"

"Tell me, Mr. Gray, have you been hearing anything of my cousin?"

"No, not at all." I shook my head.

"He dropped the most elite group of pokemon trainers so he could fight you in the preliminaries." She smiled. "Smiting you down before you even got to the Elite Four."

"Well, I guess that's good for me." I smiled. "That means I won't have to listen to his annoying bickering next time during the final match."

"If you make it that far." I saw her smile. "You see, he stripped my titled from me on that fateful day, but it is on this day that I gain it back. By defeating the person that plowed him into the ground!" She then began to laugh. "What a marvelous day this will be! They might even let me replace him in the Elite Four!" She then reached for the microphone, pulling it down to her face and turning it on. "This will be a three on three match for a Rising Badge!" Her voice echoed over the speakers. "Challenger, Kyle Gray, has the option of the first move."

I smiled. I know that trick, trying to see what I choose first for the type advantage. Thanks but no thanks. "Please, ladies first." I said, holding my hand out offering the move to her.

"As you wish." She took a pokeball off her throne. When she did I felt the ground under the podium shake. A vent opened up, and before long the lower bottom half of the gym was covered in water. She threw the pokeball out, and into the water went a large Kingdra. The sea dragon dove and swam, soon vanishing under the rippling water. "Well, Mr. Gray, you haven't got all day do you? The League is only a week away after all!"

Lets see. Kingdra, Kingdra. Evolves from Seadra, is an excellent swimmer, and is not weak to electric, though it is effective, just not as effective, which means the only type advantage I would have is… I reached for the pokeball I just pulled off moments ago. "Go, Dragonite!" I threw the pokeball into the air as she flew out, flapping her wings and staying above the water.

"I knew you would use your Dragonite eventually, but I thought you might save it for last." She motioned her hand as she gave her order. "Kingdra, use Dragon Pulse."

"Dragonite! Dodge left and charge your energy!"

Kingdra leaped out of the water and took a deep breath as Dragonite stood her ground, focusing her energy. Kingdra began to flap its little wing like fins, keeping it above the water as it released a powerful wave of sky blue energy that looked almost like shock waves. The attack moved fast at Dragonite, but at the last second she dodged left.

"Now!" I screamed. "Hyper Beam!"

"Agility!" Clair screamed.

Dragonite opened her mouth releasing all the stored up energy she had collected during the last turn, forming it into a powerful beam that shot at Kingdra. Kingdra, in the air, tried to use agility, but its little fins were not meant to be used as wings. It was able to dodge the most of it, but was hit in the lower half, spinning it around and slamming it back into the water.

"Kingdra!" Clair called out. "Blizzard!"

"Oh crap!" If Dragonite gets hit with that, she's done for. I got to think of something fast. She can't dodge that! I watched and saw the water in the pool began to have ice form on it. "That's it! Dragonite!" I pointed to the water. "Use Twister on yourself!"

In a nick of time Dragonite formed a twister of water around her. Kingdra jumped out of the water and began blowing ice in all directions, creating a frozen mist, which covered everything. The water in the gym turned to ice, and the twister as well. But when the attack was over Kingdra had nowhere else to go. It fell down, sliding on the ice as Clair stood up from her throne. "Looks like you are down one." Clair laughed.

"And it looks like you're just as foolish as your cousin." I said with a smile. "Overlooking everything and not bothering to train water pokemon on land. Dragonite!" When I called out for her there was a short silence, then the frozen twister in the middle of the gym began to crack. The crack ran down the side, chipping and shattering the twister as pieces of ice began to fall around it. When the frozen ruble stopped, there floated Dragonite, a little frozen up from the move, but still ready to fight.

"But how!" Clair screamed. "That should have frozen everything!"

"Now, Dragonite!" I called out. "End this with Dragon Rush!"

Dragonite began flapping her wings violently as she worked on building up the attack. She took off, like a bullet, heading straight for the flopping Kingdra, which laid on the icy pool. She lifted her arm, claws extended as she delivered the final blow, shattering the ice under Kingdra, as well as knocking it out. After that Dragonite flew back to my side of the now icy ring and perched on the guardrail of my podium.

"Whoa! Yeah! WoooHooo!" The crowd screamed and clapped.

"Ha!" Clair laughed. "You think that scares me? You think I am worried? I am not a fool like my cousin! Kingdra was my newest addition, and the weakest one in my party. I assure you, the rest will be more of a challenge."

"I hope so." I yawned. "Because if they're not you might as well just give me the badge now."

"Ooooooo!" I heard the crowd call out.

I saw Clair's face turn red in anger as she mumbled something under her breath. She then threw out her next pokemon. The ball landed on the ice, and out came something that made me think, déjà vu. A Gyarados slithered on the ice, inspecting the frozen plane as it glanced at Dragonite.

"Alright." I nodded to her again. "You're still in there, girl."

"Dra!" Dragonite flew down, landing on the ice hard enough to shake down the remainder of any ice on her wings.

"Lets end this fast." Clair said. "Thunderbolt!"

"Dragonite! Hyper Beam!" But she didn't have enough time to build up the power.

Gyarados opened its mouth, letting out a beam of lighting like I had never seen before. The beam looked almost like a cannon. It struck as Dragonite was ready to release her attack. The Hyper Beam shot out, but fizzled away in the power of the massive Thunderbolt. When the attack was over Dragonite fell to her knees, breathing hard but still in the game, barely.

"What a surprise." Clair chuckled. "Seems like you trained that thing better than I gave you credit for. Gyarados, turn that back into a water field for me."

"What?" I watched as her Gyarados opened its mouth, this time letting out a Flamethrower attack that began to melt away at the icy gym. All the ice is melting fast, and I know that Dragonite isn't going to make it through much more. I reached for her pokeball as I recalled her.

"So, are you giving up?" Clair barked.

"Not a chance." I smiled, putting down my book bag. "I still haven't lost a single pokemon in this battle, and you are only down to two. My next choice is…" I put down my cane as I began to dig through my bag. "Come on…" I groaned. "Where are you? Ah! There you are." I smiled, pulling out Pichu who had a snack cake in his paws, and chocolate all over his face.

"Pi?"

"Aw!" I heard the audience coo, but Clair didn't have the same reaction.

"That?" She and her Gyarados both began to laugh. "That! That is what you traded out your Dragonite for? You would have been better off fighting me with it, but no you choose a mouse! Haha!"

"Pi…" Pichu huffed in anger as he squirmed to get free.

"Hold it." I whispered. "Listen to me. That Gyarados is big, but one good Volt Tackle will take it down. What I want you to do is Double Team as soon as you get down there and hide somewhere. No matter what I say, when the time is right give it all you got and Volt Tackle it."

"Pi?" Pichu tilted his head at me.

"Come on, don't do me that way." I chuckled. "I'm counting on you. Help me Pichu, you are my only hope."

"Pi!" Pichu's eyes lit up as he remembered that line from one of his favorite movies. "Pi! Pichu!" He put his little paw to his chocolate covered face in a salute.

"That's my little bud." I ruffled up his hair. "Now, remember, give it your all when you get the chance."

"Pi!"

"There is no need to whisper!" Clair yelled as she wiped a tear away from her eye. "Well, better yet, go a head and scheme, its not like the wannabe rat could do anything anyway!" She began to laugh again.

"Oh yeah?" I spat. "We'll show you." I looked down at Pichu who was standing on edge of the new pool. I nodded to him as he nodded to me, then I saw him vanish. Soon his old position was replaced with an illusion of his self. Perfect, just like we planned. Man, I hope this works.

"Please! Let the little 'Mighty Mouse' go first!" Clair laughed.

"Alright." I nodded with a smile. "Pichu! Quick Attack!"

I watched as the illusion of Pichu took off, running and ramming itself into Gyarados. It hit, bounced off, and then tried it again, and again, it bounced off. Gyarados looked confused. If I were to guess it would be because it is an illusion and Gyarados didn't feel anything at all, it was like it never happened. But Clair didn't catch on to this. She was on her throne laughing the entire time.

"That! That!" She laughed so hard she couldn't get it out. "That little thing didn't even- That- That- It just bounced off! Haha!"

I watched as Gyarados turned its head, watching as the fake Pichu ran up the side of a wall and stood there, defying gravity. Gyarados tilted its head, watching as the Pichu stuck out its tongue and pulled down its eyelid. Right then, the real Pichu emerged from under Clair's pedestal, ramming into Gyarados with a full throttle Volt Tackle that even sizzled the railings, shocking both me and Clair, making us jump.

Clair ran to the side, looking over the railing to see her Gyarados floating lifelessly in the water. Pichu, however, was gone, hiding out somewhere as his decoy was still standing in the same spot as before, seemingly defying gravity.

I slapped my head. Nice Pichu. Yeah, you knocked the thing out, but now you have your dummy standing on the side of a wall.

"How…" Clair looked at the mouse as it began to run around the walls. It ran to the corner, onto the other wall and right up to Clair, who jumped back on her throne. "S-stay away from me!" She screamed. Pichu's illusion just looked at her for a while, then smiled and jumped on her.

"Ahhh!" She screamed and closed her eyes. "I hate mice! Get it-… huh?" When she opened her eyes, Pichu was gone. She ran over to the edge and looked down. There, standing on the water, walls, and even playing tag were about seventy or eighty Pichu, all running around.

"Oh… I see." Clair glared. "I see what this is. You are trying to make me look like a fool in my own gym! You are toying with me! Using cheap tricks to fool me!" She screamed, reaching for her next pokeball. "Well I am not playing anymore. This is my most powerful Pokemon, and it will see through any kind of illusion you can dish out! Go, Dragonair!"

The pokeball flew out and the dragon serpent slithered into the water, passing straight through about ten Pichus, making them vanish on contact.

"Dragonair!" She called out. "Dragon Rage!"

I saw the water began to bubble as the Dragonair leaped up, out of the depths of the shallow water. It began to spiral in the air as it pulsed out blue flames that twirled and covered the entire gym. Soon, one by one, all the Pichu's began to vanish, leaving not a single one. But the real Pichu, was nowhere to be found. Dragonair sunk down into the water, and slithered up to the surface, scanning the field for any signs of the little mouse. I watched as Dragonair turned its head, and Pichu made his move. He launched himself, from under my pedestal this time, covered in electricity. He ran on the wall, jumping and throwing himself at Dragonair. I saw Dragonair's head turn; it got sight of Pichu flying at it. It opened its mouth, turned its body and caught Pichu in midair. The discharge went through its body, hurting it, but it bit down hard on Pichu.

"Piii!" Pichu cried out.

"So that's where it was?" Clair spat. "Use Slam and end this."

"Pichu! Thunderbolt!"

Pichu was able to get in one last thunder attack before Dragonair punched him through the wall, knocking him out instantly, but also doing damage to itself. I dug out his pokeball, returning him from the pool's edge.

"You did great little bud." I said, putting him in my pocket. "But Clair, this battle is far from over. Come on back out!" I threw out the pokeball as Dragonite entered the field yet again. She was badly hurt and barely flying, but so was the Dragonair. They both look like they couldn't go on for another minute.

"Please, again? Was it not enough that my weak Gyarados beat it? Now you want my most powerful one to take a shot at it?" She waved her hand. "Fine, have it your way."

"Dragonite! Dragon Rush!"

"Dragonair! Blizzard!"

I watched as Dragonite took off after Dragonair. Both pokemon released their attacks. Dragonite's hit first, but she was soon frozen solid by Dragonair's attack. Dragonair took the Dragon Rush attack, spun around, but was still able to freeze everything in the gym once more.

I lifted the pokeball, recalling Dragonite. "I'm sorry." I said, under my breath to her. "I'm sorry I sacrificed you, but I had no other choice, I needed the rest of this battle to be on solid ground." I put her pokeball away as I reached for my last pick. "Go, Kabutops!"

I heard the crowd go silent as the prehistoric pokemon appeared on the stage. He tilted his head around, looking at the people, and then looked back at the Dragonair. Dragonair looked right back at him, but in a way that didn't catch his attention very much. "Bu!" He smiled, turning back to the people in the audience as he began to do a little dance. Hopping on one foot, swinging his sword like arms around, then hopping on the other foot and doing the same thing. During this dance he also started singing. "Ka-Bu-Tops! Bu-bu- bu TOPS! Ka-bu-Tops! Bu-bu-bu- TOPS!"

"What is this, a circus act?" Clair demanded.

"Kabutops!" I screamed.

"Bu?" He then lifted his head to look at me. "Buuuuu!" He smiled.

"Hey look at that Dragonair." I pointed as Kabutops turned to look. "It is really sad. Do you think you could cheer it up?"

"Bu?" He turned to look at me as his black beady little eyes began to get big. "Bu! Bu-TOPS!"

In speed as quick as a Quick Attack, Kabutops made it over to Dragonair and opened its arms wide. Dragonair, shocked and not sure what to do, slithered away as he closed his arms around the chunk of ice that was behind it. The miniature iceberg was then sliced in half by Kabutops big bear hug. Kabutops opened his eyes, looked at the ice, and then turned around, unsure of what happened to Dragonair.

"Dragonair!" Clair called out. "Use Ice Beam on that… thing."

When Dragonair came out to attack, Kabutops was able to target it again. "Bu! Tops! Tops!" Kabutops ran after Dragonair as it opened its mouth and blew an Ice Beam, which covered Kabutop's chest and arms, turning them to ice. Both Clair and Dragonair however, looked surprised when they saw that Kabutops wasn't going to stop! Kabutops ran up to Dragonair, locking it into a big bear hug and smacking it hard with the frozen ice that was on his swords and chest. Dragonair, being weak to ice, was knocked out before the ice on Kabutops arms shattered under the pressure of the hug, The blades came down, cut into Dragonair's thick skin and made it whine, before Clair recalled it.

"Bu?" Kabutops said, looking up to her as I recalled him too.

Clair didn't say anything to me. I watched as she dropped the pokeballs down at her throne and pushed a button, draining the water and lowering our pedestals. I picked up my book bag, grabbed my cane, and limped over to her once the water and ice were gone. On my way over to her I saw the trainers leave, through the doors they came out of.

"Hey, nice match." I said, offering my hand to her in a friendly shake.

She didn't say anything, just glared at me and slammed a badge in my hand. "The exit is over there." She said, pointing her thumb over her shoulder as she walked away. I shrugged putting the pin in my pocket and walked out of the back exit.

The sun was bright, and it took me a minute to realize my sunglasses weren't on. So, I put them back over my glasses. I was in the back, behind the gym, next to the base of a large mountain.

"Now this is a pickle." I said to myself as I limped around to the other side of the building where Bill was waiting on me. "Dragonite and Pichu really need to be healed, but the Joy here hates me."

For a person who limped, I moved pretty fast. It wasn't but a minute or two that I made it around to the other side of the building, where Bill still sat on the bench. "Hey." I said, walking up to him.

"Oh, hey Kyle. How did you do?" He asked.

"I guess the best that a crippled person could do in a situation like this." I laughed.

"So I take it you won?"

I reached in my pocket, pulling out the badge and showing it to him. "The last one. Now we just need to make it up there."

"Yeah… about that." Bill paused. "I did some math… and…"

"And what?"

"Well, with the max speed of that ship it will take us about 9 hours to get there."

"Okay, how is that a problem?"

Bill paused. "Kyle, I'm hungry, okay? I have ate nothing but hospital food for four days! It sucks!"

"You're telling me that there isn't a kitchen somewhere on that jumbo thing you call a ship?"

"How the heck am I supposed to know? It took me thirty minutes to find the cockpit!"

"Okay, fine." I said, calming him down. "We'll get some food, and I'll cook us up something on the way."

"Are you sure?" Bill asked questionably. "How are you going to cook without a kitchen? That is, if we can't find one on there."

"I have cooked without a kitchen for years, I can do that no problem." I stood up, grabbing the pokeball around my neck and releasing Arcanine. "Hey, Bill? Would you mind doing me a favor?"

"What is it?" He replied as we rode on Arcanine.

"You know how I said I got the Nurse Joy here mad at me?"

"Yes?"

"Well, do you think you could run in there and give them my pokemon to heal? Its only two."

Bill didn't say anything for a while. "Eh…" He finally spoke up. "I suppose."

"Thanks Bill, you're a life saver."

***_-Scene Change-_***

After Bill got Joy to heal my pokemon I went in and replaced Kabutops with Pidgeot. You know, incase something did happen when we were flying I would have a pokemon to carry Bill and one to carry me. After that we got on Arcanine and headed back to the 'Billmobile', as Bill called it.

When we got there he explained that the only way in was through the passenger door above the left wing of the ship. Which explains how he got up there to begin with. I used Pidgeot while he used Dragonite to take us up to the door. Once inside I recalled them both and Bill took the drivers seat. I, not really wanting to die without seeing what killed me, stayed up front with him in the passenger seat. He turned the key, pushed a series of buttons, and then turned a few knobs. The ship began to shake, rattle, and ding.

"U-u-u-m-m-m- -B-B-B-i-i-i-l-l-l-l-l-l…" I said as the ship rattled.

"Y-y-y-e-e-e-s-s-s-?"

"D-d-d-o-o-o –y-y-y-o-o-o-u-u- -k-k-k-n-n-n-o-o-o-w-w-w -w-w-w-h-h-h-a-a-a-t-t-t- -y-y-y-o-o-o-u-u-r-r-r-e-e-e …"

"N-n-n-o-o-o-p-p-p-e-e-e!" He screamed as he pushed a pedal and pulled up on the throttle. The ship took off, skidding the sandy ground as it traveled, but not picking up from the ground. The rattling did stop, however, but it was only masked by the terror in our voices as we screamed.

We were picking up speed, but were not gaining any lift. Up ahead, only about a mile or so, a cliff. The waterfall that I had visited earlier had dug away at the mountains, creating a cavern that dropped at least a thousand feet, and there we were, heading over the edge.

"Pull up! Pull up!" I screamed.

"I'm trying!" Bill screamed back. "I'm following the online tutorial perfectly!"

"What?" I screamed. "You are flying based on a tutorial you found online?" It was right then that I realized it."I'm so dead."

We hit the edge of the cliff, but to my surprise, we didn't fall. Instead, we did the opposite. The ship rose, rose up high in the sky, above the town, above the mountains, and even up in the clouds.

I unstrapped myself from the seat and looked out the window. I could see New Bark Town from here, and even the beach I rolled up on. I could see everything.

"Crrrrtt!" The intercom rang as Bill picked up the walky-talky on the pilots chair. "Passengers of the 'Billmobile', this is your captain speaking. We are now flying at 30,000 feet and I would request that you keep both arms, and legs inside the ship at all times. Because being hit by a bug going this fast would cause you to go into a coma." Bill then turned around in his chair, found a Team Rocket Captain's hat and put it on. "For your entertainment we will be playing elevator music that is pre-"

"NO!" I screamed.

"Scratch that passengers."

I rolled my eyes. "You love this don't you?"

"Of course." Bill said with a laugh as he hung the walky-talky back up on its holster. "Haven't you ever wanted to be a captain of a ship?"

"No." I said bluntly. "Now, I have had a long day. I'm going to find the kitchen and cook us something to eat."

"That sounds great! What are you fixing?"

"I don't know. I have to find the kitchen first." As I walked back through the ship I looked out the window. Fearow were flying under us, forming patterns and flying around each other as other Fearow joined the game. "Hmm." I smiled, looking to the sky. "How many friends I have had." I then looked back to the place I just left at the far end of the ship. The door to the cockpit was still open, and Bill was pretending he was in some kind of WWII action film, or something. "For someone that never loses, I sure have lost a lot." I felt a tug on my heart as I thought of Shonna. Then I felt the knife wound in my back pulse. "Ahhh…" I groaned. "Bill… I just wonder how long it will be before you turn on me too."