Not as much time to write as I used to have, so Chapters will be coming at a slower rate. Nothing I can do about it.
Chapter 26: The Pokemon Battle Academy
"Listen Jennifer, I can't help it! Believe me, I've tried to get help!"
"Well, I can't sleep because of your snoring, my big ears could probably hear you from outside of town!"
Isaac and Jennifer sat alone at one of the cafeterias tables, Jennifer was eating some cold cereal, Isaac didn't have anything to eat and was focused entirely on their conversation.
"My dad took me to a doctor once, and nothing helped, no machines or pills or anything!"
"So what should we do then? I'm not going to be able to sleep in the same room with you as long as your snoring so loud."
Isaac didn't say anything for a while. "Maybe... We could get you earplugs or something?"
"That would never work, my hearing is way too good and your way too loud."
"Then... I don't know... Let me think about it."
Isaac got up and walked out of the cafeteria, going back to Team Valiants room. Jennifer finished her breakfast and eventually went back too.
---
Isaac opened the door of their room, inside he saw Regal trying to set up some large, complicated looking machine. There was parts of the machine, bits of packaging, and several instruction manuals spread across the area around Regal.
"Insert battery into slot 3... Where's the battery?" Regal said to himself, not noticing Isaac come in.
"Umm, Regal? What's all this?"
"Oh!" He said, looking around as if it was the first time he notice the mess he had made. "This is something I bought for the egg of course, a state of the art incubator! Put the egg inside and the incubator keeps it nice and warm twenty four seven!"
Isaac looked beside Regals bed and saw numerous shopping bags. "And what's all this?"
"Oh, lots of things, stuff to clean the egg, baby food for when it hatches, toys and books to read to it, and a manual that I hoped to use to find out what pokemon might hatch from it, but that ended up being a waste of money as the egg wasn't in it at all."
Isaac looked at the egg. "Color reminds me of Lloyd... Maybe it's a Patchu... Or whatever the name of his pre-evolution is."
"Perhaps, wouldn't it be funny if this was his unhatched great, great uncle or something? Oh well, we can see when it hatches right?"
Isaac was about to say, "Yeah, I guess." When suddenly Jennifer burst in, startling both Isaac and Regal. She was on the ground, face planted into the floor.
"Owwwww..." She moaned, Isaac went over to help her up.
"Did you trip or something?"
"Well duh!" Said Jennifer angrily, she held her nose. "Owch, I think its broken..."
Regal went past them into the hall and picked up what Jennifer must have tripped on. "Aha! Here's the battery!" He crawled past them both again, but as he passed by, Jennifer shortened his trip back to the incubator with a swift kick, sending him flying.
"Tell Lloyd and Rita we can't go with them on today's mission, we need to get this nose looked at." Isaac escorted Jennifer out of the room, protecting her as if her entire body was broken in the fall.
Regal beside the incubator, slightly stunned by the sudden kick across the room. "Not my fault she can't watch where she walks..."
He got up, picked up the battery that he had lost, and put it in a slot on the side of the machine. Instantly it came to life, making a quiet humming sound. Regal crawled up to the device, and poked his head inside it, his head just over top of where the egg was supposed to go. "Ah, nice and warm, perfect!" He crawled over to where he put the egg, it laid on top of Regals bed, wrapped tightly with one of his blankets, he uncovered it and placed it inside, then shut the transparent door that covered the egg sized hole.
Regal looked inside, the egg was perfectly safe, the incubator would keep it warm until it was finally ready to hatch.
He stared inside for almost an hour, admiring it like it was gigantic jewel shining in the sunlight. Regal always had a fascination and love of eggs, he loved to take care of the tiny life inside, even if it eventually hatched into a whining, crying trouble maker. The egg made no noise, and demanded nothing of him, a nice change from a life of being bossed around all the time.
---
"So what did we get in the mail?" Asked Rita as Lloyd reached inside Team Valiants cubby hole.
"Just a sec..." He pulled two letters. "Ones obviously our next mission..." He looked at both and gave one too Rita. "This is from your mom."
"Really?" She grabbed it and opened it excitedly, there wasn't just a letter inside, there was also one small platinum coin, which fell out and dropped to the floor.
Dear Rita
I know it must be a hard life out there, so I'm sending you a weekly allowance from now on. Unfortunately I cant spare much as a lot is needed to repair the castle after the attack, as well as other things that Noah seemed to have neglected during his rule.
I hope Regal isn't complaining too much, while he was always loyal and efficient, he never did seem to stay quiet for very long.
I'll send you another letter soon, make sure to write to me as well.
Love, your mother
"Cool! I'm gonna go spend this next time we go shopping!"
"Rita, you still need to buy us a new radio remember, you destroyed the other."
"Oh yeah..." Rita sighed. "What's our mission?"
Lloyd opened the envelope and pulled out the letter.
Team Valiant
My name is Edward, I run a school known as the Pokemon Battle Academy, a place where pokemon come to learn how to fight at a very advanced level.
We heard of your accomplishments and wish to ask for your help. In a nearby cave just north of us, there is rumored to be a very dangerous wild pokemon living in the farthest depths of the cave. These rumors were recently confirmed when one of our students was kidnapped and taken inside the cave by the very creature who lives there. We wish for you to go and rescue the child, if she is still all right, and defeat the monster so this doesn't happen again.
We would go there ourselves, but unfortunately all the teacher are very busy with their lessons, the final exam for our senior students is only three weeks away and every day is vital.
The reward will be 20,000 poke, paid as soon as that monster is either dead or in your custody.
(At the bottom is a stamped logo of the Pokemon Battle Academy.)
"I know someone from that place!" Shouted Rita
"You do?"
"Yeah, from a few years back, before she went to this school, a Vulpix named Sakura. We separated a while ago because she and her brother wanted to go to the school, and I wanted to just explore the wasteland, looking for treasure and such."
"How long exactly was that?"
"Um... Roughly ten years ago."
"Ten years?!" Said Lloyd, surprised. "And she's still there?"
"Yeah, but not for long I'm sure, if I remember correctly, students graduate on their tenth year if they did well."
"This is pretty cool then, huh?" Said Lloyd. "You get to see your friend after ten years, you must be happy about that huh?"
"... I guess." She didn't sound happy to Lloyd at all. But before he could quiz her about it, she pushed past towards the door. "Come on, we better get going now."
She left without waiting for him to follow. "Did I say something wrong?" He asked nobody is particular. Then grabbed their mail and followed her out and back to their room.
---
"What do you mean they left?" Asked Rita, who was packing things, taking random things and throwing them in one of their bags.
"I'm sorry... One of them, the Buneary, she fell over and hurt herself. Serves her right for being so careless!"
"Ok, fine, whatever, come on Regal we're going now." She threw the now fully packed bag at him, expecting him to carry it.
"But... The Egg..."
"Its fine, now come!" Rita gave him an angry look.
"Um, yes my lady, whatever you say." He grabbed the bag and hauled it to the door, passing Lloyd who was leaning in the doorway. He could hear him mutter something to himself as he passed by.
"Well at least he isn't crying to himself." He walked over to Rita. "What's wrong Rita? You've been in a bad mood since you found out about the mission, shouldn't you be happy to see your friend after so long?"
"You wouldn't understand Lloyd, just leave me alone!" She pushed passed him for the second time, but didn't stop to say anything and kept on going out the door.
---
"Is she ok? Is she gonna die?" Isaac was totally panicked over Jennifer's injury. He couldn't sit still so he kept walking back and forth, even when he talked.
"Isaac, she broke her nose, she didn't get blown up or anything, calm down!" Isaac had no idea where the doctor was, so he brought her to Ewan, he decided to look at her nose since there wasn't an actual doctor in the city. "Listen, one of my team members is looking after her, just go do something and we'll send her back to your room when she's ready to leave."
Suddenly Rita poked her head inside and spotted the two of them. "Their you are! Come on Isaac, grab Jennifer and lets go!"
"I'm sorry Rita." Said Ewan. "I'm afraid Jennifers gotta stay here for the day, last thing we need is her bumping into something and breaking her nose again, its very..."
"Fine, fine, Isaac, come on!" Rita didn't bother letting Ewan finish."
"But I wanted to wait for..."
"NOW!"
"Just go." Said Ewan. "I'll tell Jennifer that you left for the mission, it'll be fine!"
"Ok I guess, I'm coming Rit..." But she already left. Regal and Lloyd passed in front of the door, following her. "Uh, I'll see you Ewan, and thanks!" He ran out to join the others.
"It's no problem Isaac, good luck to you all!"
---
Rita never stopped for a single moment, not to speak or anything. The entire team had to move quick to catch up.
Regal, who despite being the smallest, lacking legs and carrying Ritas bag, was having the least trouble keeping up. He crawled along side Rita in order to be able to speak with her, which was difficult as he had to dodge the occasional Brotherhood member going in the opposite direction down the hallway.
"Excuse me, lady Rita! What is it that drives you to such haste?"
"Don't worry about it." She said, plain and simple.
"Are you mad about something?"
"Don't worry about it!" She said again, this time with a hint of anger in her voice.
"Please, lady Rita, I'm only trying to..."
Rita stopped, and kicked Regal, sending him flying towards the others. He landed at the feet of Lloyd and Isaac, the bag he was carrying fell right on top of him a second later.
Lloyd picked up the bag, letting Regal get up. "I think its best we don't try to talk with her." Said Lloyd. "It's none of our business anyways." Regal nodded, and got back up. Everyone continued to follow Rita all the way out to Havok City.
Just outside the HQ, Rita went over and took the bag from Lloyd, pulled out the map, and looked at it briefly.
"It's not far, just two hour walk south. Lets go there, get the job done and get out." She rolled up the map and put it back in the bag, then gave it to Lloyd. "Lets go then Team Valiant, hop to it!" And then, once again, began to march away quickly and without a word.
"I have a feeling we're not going to enjoy this trip." Said Isaac, sighing afterwards.
"Lady Rita has certainly got something on her mind."
"When did you figure that out Regal?" Asked Lloyd. "Before or after she booted you?"
Regal didn't say anything.
"Lets just go guys, this will all be over by the end of the day I'm sure."
Everyone began to move, trying to catch up to Rita, but everyone stopped when they heard a yell come from behind, coming from the HQ.
"Waaaaaait!" It yelled. Everyone stopped, including Rita, to see who was calling them.
It was a Charmander, he ran towards them, huffing and puffing as he went. When he finally caught up, he was completely out of breath. "Rit... Rita..." He tried to say.
"Wait a sec..." Said Rita, getting a good look at the Charmander. "Your from that other team... Alistair right?"
Still out of breath, Alistair could only nod in response.
"Well? What is it?" Rita said impatiently.
"I... Marie... Ivan..." Still unable to speak properly, he inhaled and exhaled over and over, as deep as he could muster. "Whew... It's my teammates, Marie and Ivan, have you seen them?"
"No, we haven't." Said Rita. "Why would we know anyways? We're not their babysitters!"
Alistair back away slightly, as if he was preparing to run away from Rita if she suddenly attacked or something. He nibbled on the tip of one of his claws nervously.
"I... Sorry, I can't find them anywhere they just disappeared."
"Then go tell Ewan about it!"
"Rita please!" Lloyd stepped in. "We're sorry Alistair, we haven't seen them."
"Well, if you do, could you tell them I'm looking for them? Marie is an Eevee, she's kinda mean most of the time, and Ivan is a Bulbasaur, he talks funny."
"All right then." Said Lloyd. "If we see them, we'll tell them."
"Thanks... What's your name?"
"Lloyd."
"Thanks Lloyd, I'm gonna go back to our room and wait until they come back." He ran off, back inside the HQ.
"This is such a waste of time!" Said Rita, sounding very annoyed. "Lets go now before anyone else comes and delays us."
Everyone obeyed, and began their march towards the academy, all wanting to know what was making Rita so moody all of the sudden.
---
Earlier that day, in an alley somewhere in Havoc City, Marie and Ivan waited.
"You sure about this? Doesn't seem safe, we should go, now is good."
"Oh, quiet Ivan, the reason I left Alistair behind is because all he would do is whine, this is our second chance at getting rich and I don't want either of you screwing it up."
"Fine, fine, but don't blame me if anything happens. Your fault, not mine, not... AUGH!"
Marie looked behind her to see what was the matter with Ivan, but he had disappeared. She stood in the middle of the dark alley, suddenly felling very vulnerable and scared. "Who's there?" She called out.
Suddenly, she could sense something behind her, much bigger and probably tougher then herself. She turned around and saw a Prinplup, holding a large brown sack in one hand. "You two outta make good bait. Now, come nice and quiet, and I won't have to hurt you."
Marie was scared stiff, the Prinplup scooped her up inside the bag, then threw her beside a second which contained Ivan.
He picked up a radio and spoke into it. "Boss, its Maverick. I've captured two members of the Brotherhood, tomorrow I'll send a ransom note to another of their team, and demand that he bring us Lloyd."
"Good work Maverick, now even if Lloyd manages to escape the Academy, we've got the perfect Plan B. Hide out until tomorrow, I'll call you if our other operative fails her mission."
"Right, I'll be waiting." The radio went dead.
He walked over to the bags containing Marie and Ivan, and picked them up. Both squirmed inside, futilely trying to escape. "You both better behave, I only need one of you."