Preparations
Ladies and Gentlemen, Trainers all! I have an announcement to make!" All the student trainers turned to the teacher as he gained everybody's attention."Final Exams begin in one week!" A loud groan could be heard from around the room. " Now, now. Don't fret! Since you all are the oldest trainers in the school your challenge takes place in another region! It will be a two-on-two race to the Pokémon League of said region after collecting all 8 badges of said region. The region will be announced on the day the exam begins as will the final rules to the competition. The list for partners is on the wall. Everybody is now dismissed for the day as I'm sure this will take a week to prepare for." Everybody ran to the wall to see who they were pairred with. All except for two. Selena and Krestner knew better than to look. They already knew they were partnered together. And as of now they didn't care. After that battle they had become best friends and didn't mind spending time together. Mr. Ralt on the other hand, had regretted the decision he made. They'd become the troublemakers of the school. He'd even stopped giving them detentions anymore because they just added more paperwork. The two trainers left the schoolyard before everybody else, their two fox-like pokémon following behind them.
"What region do you think we're going to?",Selena asked.
"Well, I doubt it's this one. Everybody knows their way around Taso. It's not Fiore. No Gyms there."
Don't forget, the Orre Region. Too many shadow pokémon. Ghost chipped in.
"That leaves Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh." Selena looked up at Krestner. It was amazing how calm he seemed to be at all times."Anyway, who's house we going to, yours or mine?"
"Definetely not mine, but nice try." Selena had never seen where Krestner lived at ,but he'd seen her home many times before. "Let's go." The day grew longer as they walked down the road, until they reached a small house on the outskirts of town.
"Home Sweet Home" Selena said as they walked up the steps and into the house. They took off their shoes and went upstairs, while Artik and Ghost ran into the kitchen. A man was in the kitchen, standing over a large pot of food. He saw the two pokémon run in and he sighed. Ever since Krestner and Selena became friends, Krestner and Ghost had become regular guests. He'd been making dinner for them for the past twelve months. Why should tonight be any different?
UPSTAIRS...
Krestner was sitting on the bed, while Selena threw clothes into a bag.
"You sure you're gonna need all of that?"
"I'm not sure what I'm gonna need. We don't know the region we're going to for the final so I'll pack what I think I'll need." She disappeared into the closet and threw out another stack of clothes. "Do you think I should bring any extra Pokéballs? I mean, I don't plan on catching any new pokémon, but you know just in case."
"Go ahead, I don't really care. Besides, catching new pokémon is fun. I plan on catching at least five or so. Anyway I doubt you're gonna carry all of that."
" Yeah you're right I'm not. You are."
"HAHAHAHAHA...No" Krestner got up from the bed and walked over to the closet. Selena was emptying a pile of shoes into the bag. He sighed. Selena really wasn't about to listen to reason. She never did. "I hope we go to Sinnoh."
"Why?" Selena looked up at her best friend.
"Because there are a lot of Sinnoh pokémon I don't have."
"DINNER"S READY!!!!" Selena's dad yelled from downstairs. He heard footsteps going down the stairs and went into the hall to see who it was. Selena walked down the stairs, alone. stood confused.
"Wasn't there two of you up there? He scratched his head and looked back into the kitchen, to find Krestner spooning the steaming stew into everybody's plate.
"Dinner's served." he said without looking up. Both Krats began to stutter.
"Weren't you...but how did.. huh?" Krestner sat down and waited for them to stop before he ate. Artik and Ghost could be heard laughing as they chomped on PokéChow. Finally the other two sat down.
"So what's new with school?" Mr. Krat asked shakily.
"Finals begin in a week and they're in a different region. Don't know which one it is though." Krestner muttered. He finishewd his stew and placed his bowl in the sink. He washed it, dried it and sat back down at the table before the Krats began their food. Selena dug into her food, eager to get back to packing. Her father ate slower, trying to savor the taste. Krestner grew impatient waiting for the two.
"Why does it take you two so long to eat all the time?"
Because they actually savor the taste. Ghost said looking up from his bowl. Krestner shot him an icy look, and Ghost stared back at him unblinkingly. Krestner blinked and turned away, silently noting that he'd one day beat the Dark-type. Dinner went on for another twenty minutes before Selena went back upstairs to finish packing. Krestner bid farewell to the family and Ghost followed suit. They walked down the lane, when suddenly Krestner stopped.
"Let's go home" he said and Ghost engulfed them both in white light and disappeared. A couple seconds after they had left a figure walked out of the darkness. It stared at the empty space where Krestner stood. And he began to laugh. It wasn't the "that's funny laugh" but more of that evil laugh that lasts several minutes. He stopped laughing and pulled out a phone.
"Sir, we've found him."
"Good, we'll be waiting." The line went dead as the figure began to laugh again.
"I've found you Riosu" His laughing faded as he walked down the lane.
HARVEST MOON ISLAND
Krestner and Ghost reappeared in the cavern of Harvest Moon Island. Ghost ran off into one of the tunnels as Krestner walked towards his new hammock. He'd let Quake keep the other one. Besides after what he did to the last one Krestner didn't really want it afterward. He began to pack up some clothes and supplies in a bag when a Staraptor flew through the opening in the ceiling. It landed on a stalagmite and held out its leg. Krestner walked over to it. What does he want now?, Krestner thought to himself. There was a note attached to the pokémon's leg. He took it and the Staraptor flew off into the distance. Krestner looked at the note. A few minutes later, he exploded. (No, not literally people)
"You've got to be kidding me!" He looked at the note again and committed it to memory. The note burned in his hand and in seconds it was nothing but ash. "I can't believe he would do this. I swear if I even see him, there's gonna be problems!" Ghost teleported into the room.
Could you quiet down. Terra just put the baby pokemon to sleep and now she's on the warpath to find out who's using Hyper Voice.
"Read my mind, Ghost."
A Few Seconds Later...
You have got to be kidding me! What is he thinking!
"He's not. Now I have to go repack. My goodness!" Krestner stomped off into the next room and Ghost see clothes fly and hit the opposite wall.
Guess he's not playing the ocarina tonight Ghost said to himself as he hopped up onto Krestner's hammock and went to sleep.
One Week Later...
Selena and Krestner walked out into the field outside the school. Everybody was gathered outside. Krestner wore a black t-shirt and a black jacket with faded jeans and sneakers. Selena wore a blue shirt and black hat with a jean skirt and sneakers. Their bags were slung over their shoulders. Selena walked off to go talk to some friends and Krestner wandered around.
"Krestner!" A voice behind him made him stop and turn around. A boy about his height and build ran up to him. He wore a simple green shirt and blue jeans and had his bag on his back.
"Kyle King, nice of you to show up. And here I thought the only competition I had was Selena. Or maybe your sister. She does happen to be stronger than you."
"You're funny. I didn't think with your grades you make it this far."
"No teacher could stop me if they tried."
"I see. So they say which region yet?"
"Nah. Knowing these teachers they won't say anything for another few minutes. Try to build what little suspense there is."
"You sound as if you already know what region it is."
I do , Krestner's mind said "That's ridiculous! How would I know?", his mouth said.
"Hey, did your egg hatch yet?" Krestner took the egg he'd received so long ago out of his bag and showed it to Kyle.
"Does it look like it did?" Right then, Selena and her friends walked over. A larger kid walked over to them too.
"Hey, looks like the gang's all here." The large kid said in a husky voice.
"What up Tyler?" Kyle said.
"Nuthin much. Yo sis back off him, can't you see we're are trying to have a conversation here?" One of the girls backed away from Kyle.
"Leave her alone man. He didn't mean anything by it Kaitlyn." Kyle said as he hugged her.
"Whipped" Krestner said concealing it as a cough. Selena and the other girl began to laugh.
"Shut up sis and you to Selena." Kyle said to the girls.
"Make me."
"Don't start with me Madison." Right before the screaming began a teacher called for everyone's attention.
"Ladies and Gentleman, Trainers all here are the official rules to the exams. But first the region!!!!!!" A bunch of people started cheering. "THe region we are picking is.....SINNOH!" Just as he said it Krestner mouthed the word which caught the attention of Kyle.
"What was that?" he whispered. Krestner didn't answer. The teacher continued.
"Rule 1: We know that you have to cross Mt. Coronet to get to the other half of Sinnoh. But, as Rule 1 states no participant is allowed to climb or try and find Spear Pillar. This may be the most important rule.
Rule 2: Each trainer must receive all eight of the Sinnoh badges.
Rule 3: You can only bring one Pokémon with you to start the journey.
Rule 4: It can only be the Pokémon you started with.
Rule 5: When you reach Sandgem Town, you will receive a starter pokemon from any region. You must have one to compete.
"Rule 6: Have fun
"Rule 7: Any pokémon you catch and have with you at the end of the race portion you must use in the Pokémon League.
And the last rule is to respect any other trainers you meet as well as the trainers you see before you. Failure to comply with these rules will result in immediate removal from the region and a transfer to the Youngster Level." He made a motion to get off the stage, stopped as if suddenly remembering something and walked back up front. " Oh, I forgot. The two-on-two matchups have been changed to three-on-three matchups and there will be only one group of four. Sheets are on the tables. When everyone is situated we will make are way to the boat to Sinnoh."
A stampede of trainers got up and ran to the tables and to the phones to send their pokêmon around. Krestner(being the only trainer who didn't bring a team of six) walked over to the table picked up his sheet assignment and walked back to the group, who upon hearing Rule 3 & 4 had gone and changed their teams. Kyle held his sheet assignment and was staring at it.
"Who are you stuck with?" Krestner asked him. Kyle showed him the paper. It read:
Kyle King
Tyler Montauge
Ricard Rolo.
"Well at least you got your best friend." Krestner said.
"Yea, but that Ricard kid is weird. You ever see him battle?"
Yea, didn't that kid he beat stop battling forever and go on to Professor School?"
"Yup. Anway who you stuck with?"
"I don't know. I haven't even checked." Everybody got up and looked and looked at the paper. It read:
Krestner Stratos
Selena Krat
Madison King
Kaitlyn Montauge
"Well at least you're stuck with your best friend" Kyle said.
"And your girlfriend, sister and Tyler's sister too. What do you think they were thinking?"
"Don't know. Oh well. Since we' re gonna be in different groups that makes us rivals, Krestner."
"Fine, but when I win the League don't go crying to your mother. Oh, wait your sister can do it for you." Krestner got sideswiped by a mallet that appeared out of nowhere. He was knocked down hard.
"What did you say!?" Madison stood over him the mallet still there.
"Nothing." Krestner ran and hid behind Selena. "That's the last time I mess with her." he whispered.
"The boat is ready everybody aboard now or you fail!" The teacher yelled from the boat deck and the stampede started again. This time everybody ran towards the boat and when everyone got inside, the boat took off faster than the human eye could see toward Sinnoh
"Sir, we are on course to Sinnoh. What are your orders?"
"Lay low and bring him to us. Like I said we'll be waiting."