Chapter Ten

Out from behind a tree stepped a guy with spiky, flaming red hair. He wore black cargo pants and a black t-shirt that had a picture of a Riachu and said "I'm not gonna Riachu a love song". Colby about laughed out loud at that shirt on him… He had a smug smile on his face, like one of the flirty guys always displayed when around girls. In his hand, he had a black Poke Ball…which Colby had to admit, looked pretty cool.

"Wait…what?" Ellis laughed, amused by the stranger.

The guy's smug smile suddenly changed into a frown when he saw Ellis. His eyes glanced him over, like someone would look at a rotten watermelon. Colby had a bad feeling that these two weren't going to like each other…

"I said, that I challenge these two to a double battle," the guy glanced at Colby and Amanda with a smile, "and if I win… I get a date with both of them."

The guy smiled and folded his arms across his chest, studying the three of them. It was like he was waiting for something, and it seemed like a really awkward moment. Colby and Amanda exchanged looks…this guy was messed up in the head or something.

He still had the smug smile on his face, and Colby was really starting to not like him for some reason. She really wanted smack that grin off.

"What's your name?" Ellis asked, a bit perturbed by red head's motives.

"My name is Riley Giaden. Do I earn the privilege of knowing these two beauties names?" Riley asked, practically down on one knee begging.

"Uh…I'm Amanda," she said, looking uncomfortable.

Colby wasn't a bit phased by his flirting, and shot him one of her signature glares.

"I'm Colby," She said blandly.

Riley's eyes practically turned to hearts, and Colby glanced at Ellis. He looked bemused by this behavior and shot her a look of sympathy. It seemed as if Colby and Amanda were on their own for this one.

"Alright, Riley, we will battle you," Colby said with a snap behind it.

She had nothing to fear, because she knew that they would win. Riley seemed like a big bag of fluff and they could surely beat him. Riley smirked, "You'd better start deciding where we are going for dinner ladies."

Colby rolled her eyes and glanced at Amanda, who looked horrified at the idea.

"Let's show this fluff bag what a real battle is," Colby whispered to Amanda. "Nicksy! Prepare for battle," She said anxiously to him.

Nicksy took up his position in front of Colby, facing Riley. Amanda sat Zero down from her shoulders.

"Zero! Let's go," She called.

Zero stepped up beside Nicksy and they met eyes, before looking towards the challenger with determination in their gazes. Riley threw his Poke Ball high in the air and it momentarily disappeared in the sun's rays from Colby's gaze. It came down and popped open with a crack. Out of the Poke Ball, a Growlithe exploded.

"Grow! Growlithe!" He snarled, ready for battle.

Riley threw the other Poke Ball into an arc in the air, and a Riolu landed easily beside Growlithe.

"Riolu!" It called.

"Let's get this party started," Colby whispered to Amanda.

Amanda smiled, and twisted her cap sideways. They were ready for battle. "Zero! Feint attack, now!" Amanda hollered, beginning the battle.

"Nicksy, quick attack!" Colby commanded.

"Riolu, force palm. Growlithe, bite!" Riley countered.

Zero took on Riolu, and Nicksy was stuck with Growlithe. Nicksy evaded the bite as best he could, while landing quick attack blows on Growlithe's side. Zero got hit by force palm, and doubled back, shaking off the paralysis. He regained his composure and threw himself back into the heat of battle, with some fierce feint attacks against Riolu.

"Amanda! Ember! Training, remember? Now!" Colby shouted at Amanda.

Something flashed in her eyes and she seemed to get it.

"Nicksy, Ember!" Colby shouted.

"Zero, ember!"

Both of the Pokémon fell back a little, and stepped in line beside each other. Colby got a glimpse of Riley's battle hungry eyes, before everything went up in flames. Fire exploded everywhere, from Nicksy and Zero's mouths. They really were a powerful team.

"Growlithe! Ember!" Riley called, barely audible over the roaring flames.

This wasn't such a good decision on Riley's part. Colby saw Riolu running around like a mad Pokémon, waiting for orders, while Growlithe was fighting off a huge fireball with his own ember.

Like a repeat of the training battle, a fireball was gaining power and heat as they fought over dominance of it. Nicksy and Zero seemed to be holding their ground fairly well, but Growlithe looked a bit strained as the fireball was getting closer and closer to him.

Colby met eyes with Amanda, "Zero! Agility, then feint attack!"

"Nic, quick attack on Riolu!"

Just like before, the fireball went up in a cloud of smoke, and Growlithe was left confused. Riley had a look of shock upon his face as Zero' burst through the middle of the fireball, and hit the confused Growlithe right on target. Growlithe looked dazed and walked around in circles for a bit, before collapsing.

On the other side of the field, Riolu was fighting off Nicky's quick attacks with its own quick attack. Nicksy landed a solid blow and knocked Riolu off of balance.

"Nic! Ember, quickly!" Colby called.

A wisp of flame curled at Nicky's mouth and he let loose on the Riolu. Still a bit dazed, the Riolu didn't see it coming and became toast. The fire subsided and Riolu was cooked, and out like a light. Colby gave Amanda a high five and glanced at Riley who looked extremely angry.

Dust was everywhere from the ending of the battle, and as the smoke cleared, Colby, Amanda, and Riley starred each other down.

"Mister Giaden, I believe we have won. So, if you'll kindly let us pass, we won't have any more issues," Colby stated bluntly.

Nicksy was winded from the battle, and for the first time, Colby withdrew him into the simple red Poke Ball that Ellis had given her. Amanda did the same with Zero and they grabbed their packs. Ellis came out from hiding behind the tree…since he didn't want to get scorched by ember.

Colby looked across the field at Riley, who looked furious.

"Fine! You win this time…but don't worry ladies, we will eventually have a date!" He called as he disappeared into the tall grass.


Colby looked at Amanda and they both bust out laughing.

"Date, with us?" Amanda laughed.

Ellis rolled his eyes, "He seems like a total loser."

Colby agreed, "Does anyone else get the feeling we haven't seen the last of that pest?"

"Yeah…I don't think he's going to give up. After all he did say that we won this time." Amanda added.

"That was just really weird…but at least you two won your first battle!" Ellis said excitedly.

"Yeah! Maybe we can get you into a battle sometime soon, because you have to practice if you want to beat Josh," Colby told him.

"What are we standing around here taking it about it? Let's go beat him ourselves!" Amanda smiled, starting to walk toward the bridge.

"Yeah! Let's go," Ellis seconded, following her.

Colby caught up to the two and passed the tree where their red headed roadblock had impeded their progress onward. She ran through the gist of the battle in her head, and smiled to herself. Her team had just won their first trainer battle, together. It also felt really good to beat their apparently new rival, Riley Giaden.

Colby glanced at the progress they had made toward the bridge, and it seemed a bit closer. Progress was slow going, but eventually they would make it. Ellis and Amanda chatted as they went on, about nothing particularly important. Colby mostly stayed silent, and enjoyed the quiet company of her thoughts. The only topic of interest they had covered was happening right at the moment. Colby pulled out of her thoughts for a while, and listened.

"Do you have any siblings Amanda?" Ellis asked.

Amanda shook her head, "No…I don't even have a family really… I just stayed in the foster program and bounced around. I don't know my mother, but they did say I have a father that is extremely busy and doesn't get to visit…"

At least she had one parent… But the sad thing was that he was too busy to even spend time with her.

"I'm sorry…" Ellis trailed off.

Amanda brightened, "It's perfectly alright…At least I have Zero."

Ellis smiled, "Yeah, Pokémon are family in themselves… I often miss my mom and Rosie, but Emmera keeps me going till the day I see them again."

After that…Colby returned to her thoughts. As they came nearer and nearer, the bridge got bigger.

By now, salt spray was prominent smell that enveloped the air. Colby breathed in the air deeply and watched as the bridge came into full view. The dirt path that they were walking on now turned to cobblestone as a dock area came into view. Various people were walking around and the area seemed to get busier.

Boats were docked at the vast expanse of aquamarine blue ocean that stretched as far as Colby could see. Fishermen were busy unloading cargo from their ships and packing up to leave on a new journey. The bridge in itself was massive. Solely the biggest thing Colby had ever seen.

It was supported by huge steel beams that zigzagged across to the other side and green land.

"It's huge!" Amanda gasped, marveling at the magnificence.

"Ready to cross?" Ellis asked with a smile.

"Of course!" Amanda said happily.

They took their first steps on the bridge, passing people, Pokémon, and trainers. Colby let her hand slide on the side of the bridge as they walked out over the clear blue water. Everyone stopped about a fourth of the way, and leaned on the rail.

Colby looked down at the blue water, and figured they were at least fifty feet up. She could see a bunch of Tentacruel swimming around below her in the water.

"It's amazing all the Pokémon…" Amanda trailed off.

"I know…so many!" Ellis agreed.

Colby gave them one final look, and continued forward on the bridge. The others followed behind her and she occasionally gazed out over the vast expanse of ocean.

"Hey! There's the land, on the other side!" Ellis said, pointing towards the end of the bridge.

Colby looked up and sure enough, after twenty minutes of walking, they could see the end of the bridge about two hundred yards away. Colby smiled and started to walk a bit faster, eager to get back on land. When they crossed this bridge that would mean only another day's walk or so to Ft. Jonova! Then they would get to battle Josh, and continue on their journey to best the Elite.

"I can't believe we are actually almost to our first gym!" Ellis said excitedly. They had just crossed over the bridge, and were on the road towards Ft. Jonova. Colby couldn't believe they had mad it so far in just a few days. Just thinking about becoming a trainer as good as the Elite, blew her mind. They had passed a docking area on the other side of the bridge, and were now on a forest prone path towards Ft. Jonova.

Trees shot up on either side of the large road (which was paved to Colby's happiness) and kept them shaded from the afternoon sun.

"I know! This is going to be such a great journey!" Colby smiled.

As they walked on, the breeze kept Colby a bit cool…but for some reason she just had an odd feeling. It was like a feeling of being watched… Maybe she was just being paranoid again.

"Hey…um, guys…do you get the feeling that your being…watched?" Amanda stuttered, looking around nervously.

Amanda felt it to!

Colby nodded, "Yeah…that's what I was just going to say…but I thought that maybe I was just being paranoid-"

Colby was cut off by a cry. She whipped her head to the side where the noise had come from, and saw something struggling on the ground. Ellis had wide eyes, and Amanda looked surprised. At first, Colby didn't know what it was… The creature rolled over and looked up at them. Colby then realized, it was a guy and he had fell out of a tree to the right of them.

"Are you okay, sir?" Amanda asked, helping the guy up.

He looked shaken and confused as his shaking hands picked up some little round glasses off of the grass. He put them on, blinked a few times and his eyes widened. He was wearing a long white lab coat with a black and green speckled tie, to match his dark hair. Colby guess he was about twenty-five or so…but he was extremely short and thin.

Ellis looked surprised, "What's wrong sir?"

He looked a bit frightened, and grabbed a bag that he dropped. Picking up the various contents, he nervously stuck it over his shoulder.

"I-I…" He stuttered.

"You don't need to be afraid…we aren't going to hurt you," Colby assured him.

"I…I know that miss….you…well," He said, a bit shaken still.

The man cleared his throat and pushed his glassed up on his face.

"I-I've been looking for you three…"

Ellis looked surprised, "Really? Why?"

Colby was also a bit surprised…they had just met this little man who fell out of a tree…and now he said he had been looking for them. What for?

"Not you three in general…but a suitable three..." He answered, looking at his feet again.

"What do you need three for?" Colby asked, interested now.

"W-well…for the Professor's special project, miss," he responded.

"Special project?" Amanda echoed.

"Yes…it's a rather important project you see…the Professor had an innovation one night. He wondered how he could make his dream, a reality. After years of careful work, planning, and many cups of coffee, it was born," he explained.

Colby was pretty confused…what kind of project was this? Who was the Professor?

"What kind of idea is this?" Ellis asked.

The man once again, looked uncomfortable, and hesitated.

"He has been looking for a suitable three for a very long time… and I was sent to find these suitable three. You three give me a positive vibe, and out of all of the trainers that have crossed this path, you stick out as being the ones. Please, how about I just show you?" The man asked.

Colby looked at Ellis and Amanda, who seemed interested and confused beyond belief at the same time. Still…their adventure was about taking chances, living, and exploring new thing, so why not? Colby nodded towards Ellis and Amanda, who returned the gesture.

"Alright…we will go with you," Colby answered.

The man looked elated, and pasted a smile onto his face.

"Oh! W-well I can't thank you enough! Y-you won't be disappointed…I promise," He stuttered.

Colby inferred that this guy had a stuttering problem…nervous or not. She found it a bit amusing and gave him a smile.

"My name is Mason Stockholm…I'm the Professor's assistant," Mason told them.

"One question…we are heading toward Ft. Jonova so we can challenge Leader Josh…are we going that way to see your project?" Amanda asked.

Mason pushed up his glasses, "Oh yes, miss. The Professor's lab is in Ft. Jonova…we will be going that way."

Colby and Ellis exchanged grins. She was actually pretty excited to see what the 'innovation' was.

"Oh! By the way, I'm Colby, this is Amanda, and that's Ellis," Colby said, introducing the three.

Mason smiled, "Pleasure to meet you three."

They were the suitable three, according to Mason, so what exactly did that entitle?

"W-well, we best get going," Mason said, gathering up his stuff, "wouldn't want to keep the Professor waiting any longer, because he is quite eager to meet the three." Colby nodded, and they followed the little man, as he walked rather quickly in front of them. Colby almost had to walk fast in order to keep up. For a little guy, he could sure move quickly!

"Do you mind if we ask you some questions, Mason?" Ellis asked, looking between Colby and Amanda.

They wanted to know more to, so hopefully he would agree.

"Depends on the question, mister Ellis," Mason responded, turning around to briefly look at him.

Ellis paused, and kept walking, before finally saying something.

"Who is the Professor? What does he do?"

Mason didn't at first answer, but took a deep breath. He kept walking at his fast paced speed.

"The P-Professor, is the Pokémon Professor of the Aurora Region. He studies the species of Pokémon in the area, population density of the species, a-and the legendaries," Mason explained, "He also does a variety of other things to."

Ellis nodded, and Colby's eyes got wide at the mention of legendaries… Could…could it have anything to do with her vision and the Pokémon that formed the Dragon Trio?

"Aurora has legendaries?" Colby asked.

Mason looked back at her, "Yes, miss. Aurora is the home to the infamous Dragon Trio…"

"You know what that is, right Colby? Sorry, Mason, she arrived from Hecate," Ellis told Mason.

Colby's eyes went wide and when she tried to speak, nothing came out. She snapped her mouth shut, and looked at the ground. So her vision was true…it was all true… She was a bit worried, and a bit fascinated at the same time.

She decided, that she couldn't wait for the next vision. She had so many questions for Faye!

"Yeah…" Colby finally answered.

Ellis and Amanda gave her an odd look, but seemed to think nothing of it. "Well…this isn't really my place to tell you…a-after all, it is the Professor's research, not mine," Mason said.

"Its alright…we can ask him though, right?" Amanda asked.

"Oh yes. I think he would be delighted to answer your questions. He has a great respect for young trainers like you… He to, once started out at the bottom, just like you three," Mason said.

Colby nodded in agreement. The Professor seemed like a pretty good guy, from what Mason said.

"Hey look, everyone! Ft. Jonova is only five miles!" Ellis laughed, pointing to a sign beside the road that gauged miles.

Mason nodded, and Amanda smirked at Ellis.

"To pass the time…I'll tell some jokes!" Ellis exclaimed.

Colby had a bad feeling about this…

"Name a low fat Pokémon…"

Amanda looked confused, "Uh…"

"Butterfree!" Ellis shouted.

Colby sighed; this was going to be along five miles.


Authors Note: Ha ha XD Butterfree…sorry. Ellis is famous for his horribly bad jokes…so bad, that a character later in the story makes fun of him constantly! Its okay, we still love you Ellis :) Happy reading guys, and leave your comments in a review. That would make me SUPER SUPER HAPPY :P Enjoy!

-colbyjackchz

OH! Amanda's outfit wasn't quite right in the sixth chapter, so it has been changed. If you are interested in looking, just go ahead :D Thankies!