Disclaimer: Pokemon does not belong to me. Last I checked, Pokemon belonged to Satoshi Tajiri. The only things I claim ownership to are the own characters in this story.

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DUNNE DAYS

Part 9: Result

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* * * 09:20 - Sunday 8th June 2004 * * *

"Team Shi and Team Palm… they are both major organisations currently active in Kanto. Whilst Team Palm is really all about money, Team Shi generally has more sinister motives."

"Such as?" Jordan asked.

"Do you remember the Cinnabar Volcano eruption two years ago?" the bartender, conveniently named Barras, asked.

"Come on! We were only eight!" Jordan groaned.

"Yeah…" Brown muttered.

"You do?" Jordan asked, surprised.

"Mum makes me watch the news… the day that happened… was the first time I realised that the world was an unhappy place… the first time I realised I wanted to do something about it… and… moreover… the first time I asked my mum about dad…"

"… Ouch… who says "moreover" these days?"

"Well, some say that Team Shi started that eruption, and that they've been keeping the volcano alive ever since, for energy." Barras continued, oblivious to Brown and Jordan's conversation.

"But volcanoes provide plenty of energy… why would they still need to collect it after two years?" Brown asked.

"Yeah, what? Are they making a doomsday device or something?" Jordan laughed.

"…" Barras's face set to stone, and Jordan stared at him blankly. "I was… right?"

"Twelve grams of Bellum were stolen from the Kanto Power Plant the other day. Twelve grams of Bellum heated to magma temperatures would be enough to destroy an entire solar system."

"Oh Arceus…" Brown muttered. "These guys are the real deal…"

"Yeah, hardcore stealing deadly materials…"

"This is why," Barras nodded, "I have devoted my entire life to catching and defeating these villainous teams."

Jordan clenched his fist, "Us too! We can't let them get away with something like this!"

Barras smiled, and the two boys shook hands as they agreed.

* * * 10:45 - 8 June 2004 * * *

"So, how about it?"

Brown nodded happily, "Sure! Let's do it!"

Jordan raised an eyebrow, "Eh… fine, okay…"

"Okay, go Farfetch'd!"

The bird with the stick cawed as it soared from Sal's head. "Farfetch'd!"

"I'm counting on you, Drowzee!" Strom yelled.

As the Drowsing Pokémon appeared, Jordan turned to Brown. "You still want to battle?"

Brown looked back at Jordan, "Yeah, why?"

"Think about it! Bulbasaur is a Grass and Poison type Pokémon… the Poison type has a weakness to Psychic types, like Drowzee, and the Grass type has a weakness to Flying types, like Farfetch'd! Bulbasaur is doomed!"

"Maybe…" Brown nodded. "But I have faith in my Pokémon!"

"Hey, what are you waiting for?" Strom asked. "Send out your Pokémon!"

Jordan nodded, "Spurt! You're up!"

"Squirtle!"

"Germinator, I choose you!" Brown yelled.

"Bulbasaur!" the Pokémon grinned, taking the stage.

* * * 11:02 - 8 June 2004 * * *

"Good luck and take care!"

"… Thanks…" Brown said, dejectedly, as the Nurse handed him his only Pokémon back.

"Saur…" the Bulbasaur mumbled sadly, as Brown bowed his head.

" Germinator, I'm sorry…" Brown sighed. "I've failed you as a Trainer."

The boy and the Seed Pokémon sat on a bench outside Viridian City Pokémon Centre.

Unbeknownst to them, a figure was approaching.

"Oh! Brown!" Karp said. "Fancy meeting you here!"

"Hey Karp…"

"Bulba…"

Karp sat next to Brown, "What's wrong?"

Brown sighed, "We lost."

"Who against?" Karp asked, putting a consoling hand on Brown's shoulder.

"Sal and Strom…" Brown muttered.

"Double battle? What happened to Jordan?" Karp asked.

"As far as I know? He's still battling…"

"And you left him, huh?"

"He told me to heal Bulbasaur… I didn't have any Revives…"

"It can't be helped I suppose…" Karp nodded. "So let's go find him. Come on, into the forest."

* * * 11:29 - 8 June 2004 * * *

"So, was it somewhere near here?"

Brown nodded; "The clearing's just ahead."

They pushed a bush aside, finding two children sat talking and laughing while another stood to the side, leaning against a tree trunk with her arms folded.

"Brown! Welcome back!" Jordan smiled warmly, seeing the duo enter the clearing. "Oh! Hey Karp!" he added as he saw the adult.

"Hello Jordan," Karp nodded, "And I'm guessing you are Sal and Strom?"

Strom nodded, and Sal glanced in their direction to acknowledge their presence, then turned back towards the ground.

"Wow! You're that Pokémon Master!" Strom exclaimed, and Karp nodded, shoving Brown towards Jordan as he went to talk to Strom.

"We're sorry for losing," Brown sighed, fingering Germinator's Poke Ball.

"It's fine!" Jordan laughed. "Rookies make mistakes. It was my first battle so I had beginner's luck on my side."

Brown smiled and nodded, and Jordan checked his wrist, "Hm… it's twenty five to twelve…we still have plenty of time to get the Boulder Badge and be at the Pokémon Centre by seven…"

"By seven?" Brown asked. "Is something happening?"

"Eh? Oh, it's nothing," Jordan laughed. "There's just this program on tonight I want to watch…"

Brown nodded again, and Karp, Strom and Sal approached.

"Are you guys headed out of Viridian Forest then?" Strom asked.

"Yep," Jordan grinned, "We're headed to Pewter now… I think I'm ready to get that Boulder Badge!"

"You only have one Pokémon though." Karp pointed out. "It's going to be very challenging for you unless you catch another."

"Hey, hey!" Jordan laughed, "I've got to prove myself to be able to cope with challenges or else I'll never be a Pokémon Master."

"Besides, we only really need one for now," Brown said.

Strom scratched the back of his head, "Well, anyway, if you're just going to Pewter City, me and Sal could go with you… we need to stock up on items anyway."

"Sure! The more the merrier, right Brown?"

"Yeah."

…

Author's Note: Okay, chapter 9. In which we learn a story behind Team Shi, Brown suffers his first loss and yet more characters are introduced.

Alright, first order of business… I would have made Barras tell them more but… as we're not seeing things from Barras's perspective, I'd like to say this for him: "They're just kids, the rest can wait." or something like that anyway. Yes there's a lot more that Barras knows that he's not telling them, but they will learn it over time.

Second is… Uh… the battle! Okay, I was very lazy by not focusing on the battle but you can imagine how it went I hope. Drowzee and Farfetch'd focusing their attacks on Bulbasaur who was quickly knocked out. In the meantime, Squirtle manages to just defeat its two distracted opponents. Yeah, see how lazy I am?

The introductions were also laziness on my part. I skipped a good part of the morning where Brown and Jordan woke up… but all they were doing is morning stuff and there'll be plenty of time for me to write more morning stuff over the rest of the very long story. Uh, yet more back story behind Brown I guess but meh. The Cinnabar volcano eruption that was mentioned IS the same as the one that destroyed the Cinnabar Gym during the events of Generations I/III and Generations II/IV by the way. But the whole chronology of things in Dunne Days is really quite messed up so… yeah. Strom and Sal will reappear later. If I remember correctly the next time they appear is in… Hoenn. I don't think I've slated them to appear for Johto but that could change. And who knows? I might change my mind and get them to appear again in Kanto?

That was a pretty long chapter. Or it is with this font on Word anyway but meh. What else is there to talk about?

Oh right! Next chapter is about double the length of this one so yeah. Anyway, it'll be a lot more action-packed, believe me. And isn't it about time Brown got a Gym Badge? I mean, this is what? Chapter 9? Gosh.

Oh wow this was a long Author's Note… Please review, favourite, whatever floats your boat but please give me some indication that my efforts aren't all for naught.