Chapter Eighteen: Sibling Revelry One for the Honey…
(C'mon… the old title's getting old… I had to think of something new, at least…)
A trickle of sweat ran down Sapph's cheek as he stood on his end of the street, the hot sun burning the back of his neck.
Rubin calmly called out, "Since you're a greenhorn, I'll use one of my most recent captures to at least give you a chance."
Producing a fresh pokéball from out of his jacket, he twirled it on his finger and said, "I'll go first, alright?" Not waiting for an answer, he threw it forward with a fashionable twirl and said softly, "You're up, Sakura!"
What looked like a large flower with two small red spheres above its eyes materialized on the field before Sapph, its eyes were currently closed on its face which was the center of the flower from which pink petals radiated from. A burst of pink petals fluttered in the breeze as she pirouetted into battle, giving a stunning display of beauty as it landed on one dainty yellow foot.
What the heck is that thing? Sapph thought, staring at the Grass Pokémon that stood before him.
"Meet Sakura, the ballerina Cherrim!" Rubin announced with flair.
"What the…'ballerina'?! Urgh, talk about girlie!" Sapph gasped, retching.
OK, from its entrance, I can tell Cherrim's a Grass type, so almost anything I have on me should beat her! Sapph thought proudly. Sapph pulled a pokéball and said loudly so that all in the crowd could hear, "Yo, Rubin, this ain't no Contest battle! If you're gonna beat me, you'll have to do it with all you've got!"
With an incredulous smirk, Rubin retorted, "You're kidding… right, Sapphire? I won't need even ten percent of Sakura's full power to send you to the cleaners."
A vein popped out on Sapph's head and throbbed as Sapph lost it.
"ARRRGH, DON"T CALL ME THAT! Let's do this! C'mon out… Crimson!" Sapph yelled, releasing his faithful Ledian into battle. "Let's show this girlie-pants how to battle!"
Ready! Crimson nodded, dropping into his Vale Tudo stance.
Honestly, Sakura said in a haughty voice. What an uninspirational, ugly entrance!
Eh? Say what? Crimson started, thrown off balance by the Blossom Pokémon's snide remark.
I said, your entrance had no attractive factor whatsoever in it, Sakura explained with the air of explaining that the sky was blue to some dense Taillow.
Crimson looked dumbfoundedly at the Cherrim and then at Sapph, who smiled and said "No problem! An entry shows nothing of the Pokémon's power! Let's go, Crimson! Full power Tackle attack!"
Rubin smirked and said "Let's put on a show they'll never forget! Petal Dance!"
***
Meanwhile, across town, Haley and Kamren faced each other across the field that spread out before the red building in which Carla was performing for her ribbon.
"All right," Kamren said, clapping his hands and rubbing them together gleefully. "How shall we do this?"
"Three on three, no time limit," Haley snarled, enlarging her first choice's pokéball.
"Fine with me, we need a workout," Kamren sneered. "Ciela!" he called, letting his first pokéball roll off his fingertips as he sent it sailing skywards.
Kamren's vermillion and gold feathered Zwi-tail broke out of the split pokéball and took to the sky, flew once around the field's perimeter before flaring out to a halt before her trainer, ready to battle.
"Typical," Haley snorted. "Not a single change in lineup. This should be a breeze… for Blitzkrieg!" she shouted, throwing her Electric Newt Pokémon into the fray.
Blitzkrieg burst free from his pokéball and flashed yellow as electricity coursed through him. Smiling in his trademark detached, vacantly joyous way, Blitzkrieg bounced on the balls of his webbed feet, swinging his arms in a wide arc.
"Hmm, looks like you'll give me a bigger challenge than that loser of a boyfriend of yours," Kamren said thoughtfully. Grinning wickedly, he added," NOT!"
"Well, let's see you top this! Blitzkrieg, use Water Gun!" Haley yelled, pointing at Ciela to emphasize where he should aim.
The Sparkewt, upon finally noticing the Noble Crow Pokémon, puffed out his cheeks and shot a tremendous volume of water straight at his opponent. Ciela looped it expertly and swooped in without an order from Kamren, nailing Blitzkrieg on the forehead with a blazing Quick Attack. The force of the attack sent Haley's Pokémon cartwheeling backwards landing with a loud thud on his back.
OWIE! Blitzkrieg cried out in his childish accent.
"Don't take that Blitzkrieg! Try Water Gun again!" Haley coached her Pokémon.
While still on his back, Blitzkrieg shot another stream of water straight up with tremendous pressure.
Kamren saw this and said with a cold laugh, "Hope you packed an umbrella, Sis." He looked up into the fierce yellow eye of his shiny Zwi-tail, who nodded and beat her wings quickly ascending straight up, the Water Gun right behind (uh, I mean under) her.
In a matter of wing beats, the Zwi-tail soon cleared the range of the watery assault leaving it nowhere to go but where gravity sends all things: straight back down.
Haley, noticing this let out a shriek as the water fell as a torrential rain, soaking her to the skin. Blitzkrieg didn't seem to mind as he playfully jumped in a puddle his Water Gun had created.
What a loopy Pokémon, Kamren thought, shaking his head slightly at his opponent's theatrics. Aloud, he called to Haley," Take a note, Sis, 'if an attack didn't work once, don't be fool enough to think it ever will!'"
Raising his thumb towards the air, he suddenly turned his wrist so that it formed a 'thumbs down' gesture. Ciela noticed and understood her orders. Rearing back a few flaps, the Noble Crow dived straight for the ground.
Haley, noticing and reading her adversary's movement, thought Hey! That's Air Cutter! She then hollered "Blitzkrieg! Get your head back in the game and brace yourself!"
Blitzkrieg stopped playing and locked his eyes on the attacking Zwi-tail, who'd pulled out of her dive sharply and shot towards her prey a spare foot from the ground, her wings forming a V as she raced closer towards her opponent. The ground seemed to split in her wake as the gap between them closed nearly instantaneously. Blitzkrieg raised his arms in front of himself and spread his feet wider to get a better footing.
The two collided with frightful force, sending Blitzkrieg skidding backwards a few feet, leaving a couple yards of smoking skid marks tracing the path he had travelled.
"Game, set and match, Sis!" Kamren yelled triumphantly.
Haley smirked as she said "You think so?"
Kamren, noticing her odd facial expression, suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. Finally noticing something was wrong, he gasped, "Hey, where'd Ciela go?!"
Haley's smile broadened as she said, "Why don't we show 'im, Blitzkrieg? Vital Throw!"
Blitzkrieg nodded happily and swung around sharply showing Kamren where his precious Pokémon had wound up (in his hands) and then proceeded to show him where she was going to wind up, which was being swung around all over the place, each time connecting with the ground with a violent SMACK! When Blitzkrieg tired of this, he swung his arm around in a quick pinwheel and throwing Ciela back into the air dizzily.
"Quick, Blitzkrieg! Follow her up with Water Gun!" Haley cheered.
"Ciela! Get a grip!" Karmen ordered frantically.
Blizkrieg pointed his head down as he inhaled quickly and expelled a frightfully powerful Water Gun at the ground, sending himself shooting high into the air after the Zwi-tail, who'd just recovered from the man- (or bird-) handling she'd received only to see the Electric Newt Pokémon shoot past her into the air. Looking up, her eyes widened horrified as she saw lightning gather around Blitzkrieg's fist as he fell back to earth.
"OH, CRAP! LOOK OUT, CIELA!" Kamren roared.
"Too slow! Blitzkrieg, Thunderpunch!" Haley yelled, watching as her Pokémon nodded and pile-drivered his lightning-charged fist straight into Ciela's back. The two fell back to earth with a crash, Ciela pinned to the ground by Blitzkrieg's discharging fist and completely out cold.
"How's that?" Haley smirked dangerously, as Blitzkrieg jumped off his opponent's back towards Haley's end of the field.
"Not bad, Sis," Kamren admitted, returning his defeated Flying type in a flash of red. "Looks like you have some skills after all. Now it looks like I can get serious," he added with a vicious smile on his face as he enlarged his second pokéball.
***
Somewhere else in town, a boy with dark blue hair and glasses rode up the street on a white pony. What was unique about his steed was that its mane and tail where made up of a reddish flame that seemed to miraculously not hurt him.
"Whoa, Epona!" the boy said softly, bringing the Ponyta to a halt. Leaping down off his mount, he petted the horse's muzzle as he reached into his blue jacket for a red and white pokéball.
Recalling it in a flash of red light, he said kindly, "Good work, girl. Come on back."
Flapping his white Pokémon league T-shirt to cool himself off, he returned the pokéball to his vest and hollered out loud.
"Roley! ROLEY!" the boy cried out, turning on the Fire Horse Pokémon's neck as he looked around the deserted town square.
Now where'd he go? The boy thought nervously, looking around and running up a side street towards the sweet Honey store, hoping beyond hope his Pokémon was there.
***
"SILVER! Get up, buddy!" Sapph coaxed his Pokémon, hoping that it wasn't all she wrote for the Magnet Pokémon.
The big X that had replaced the Magnemite's eye showed it was no good, Sapph had lost the round, but good.
"And that was three," Rubin said expressionlessly. His Cherrim stood before him, still ready to fight and looking not the slightest bit out of breath. Pink flower petals drifted filled the air as Sakura competed another pirouette, returning to its graceful stance.
Sapph looked over at his brother and his Pokémon in a horrified manner as he returned his Pokémon.
This can't be happening, Sapph thought horrified. He used a Grass Pokémon to beat Crimson, Ace and Silver! And to make matters look worse, it doesn't look the slightest bit out of breath! What am I gonna do now?
Rubin called out, "Haven't I proven you're no match for me, Sapphire?" Rubin said coldly. "Now I really must dash, or I'll be truly late…"
Catching what he thought was an arrogant tone in his brother's voice, Sapph lost all traces of worry to utter crazed fury. "Don't bullshit me, Rubin! We're finishing this four-on-four now! Go, Anuvi!" he roared, throwing his last pokéball down.
The Leaf Squirrel popped out and stretched, working the kinks out of his back as he readied himself for combat.
"'Finishing it now'?" Rubin repeated, cold laughter in his voice. "Very well. Sakura, Leech Seed!"
But of course, the Blossom Pokémon chirped as a deadly seed flew from her mouth straight for the Mongle.
"Dodge it," Sapph roared, "and use Razor Leaf!"
I'm on it! Anuvi agreed leaping forward to the left to avoid the dangerous projectile and launching a strafe of his own at the apparently helpless Grass Pokémon.
Not missing a beat, Rubin called out, "Sakura, defend with Petal Dance!"
In one perfectly fluid motion, the Cherrim turned on one dainty foot, whipping up a flurry of cherry blossom petals at such a speed that Anuvi's Razor Leaf attack became shredded on contact.
Wha? Anuvi gasped astonished.
"Sakura, Tackle!" Rubin called out.
Keeping the petals wrapped around her, Sakura spun closer and closer to her target, creating a pink whirlwind as she drew nearer to a stunned Anuvi.
"LEAF BLADE!" Sapph yelled in retaliation.
OK! Anuvi agreed, waiting for the Cherrim to get nearer, his tail leaf glowing a vibrant, neon green as he prepared to spring forward and bring it down hard.
"Increase the torque, Sakura!" Rubin commanded calmly, watching the Mongle closely.
However, something terribly odd happened then as Sakura increased her spin speed. Just as Anuvi was about to leap forward, he was pulled off his feet straight into the deadly tornado of petals.
"Anuvi! NO!" Sapph screamed as he watched his first Pokémon lose control of his Leaf Blade as the shock of Rubin's Cherrim's tactic. Anuvi couldn't be seen amongst the flurrying petals but his screams sure could be heard over the violent winds.
A loud smacking noise could then be heard as the Mongle was sent flying out, landing painfully on his head from ten feet in the air. Anuvi shakily rose to his feet, a pale yellow aura surrounding him.
Crap… Sapph, we're in trou… he moaned as the last of his strength left him. His knees gave way completely as he ran out of steam, passing out.
"Anuvi! What's wrong? What happ... oh, no…" Sapph said as he rushed to check up on his Pokémon and saw a small, brown seed with soft green tendrils beginning to sprout from it all over the Leaf Squirrel Pokémon's body.
Glaring at Rubin in hatred all he asked was, "When?"
"When he was drawn into the Petal Dance," Rubin answered, recalling his Cherrim. "Sakura's been trained to release Sweet Scent when she spins. That dulls the opponent's senses long enough for my Cherrim to get in an extra hit." He turned to walk off briskly with a maddeningly patient "Later."
Sapph dropped to his knees in horror at his total defeat as he watched his brother walk away, pink cherry blossoms wafting in the late afternoon breeze.
That's just plain unreal, Sapph thought miserably. All four of my Pokémon lost to one of his? And three of them had the advantage! Is there really that much difference in our skills?
***
Two cloaked figures watched the coordinator from Johto walk swiftly up the street. A gust of wind blew a lock of wild green hair from out of the hood of the shorter one who turned to her counterpart and muttered, "Think it's him?"
In response to Green Hair's question, the taller cloaked figure muttered, "Strongest Pokémon a Grass type… seems to match Atlas's description… that's him."
"Shall we, then?" Green Hair said spritely, already proceeding to hop from one rooftop to another.
"Let's," her companion mumbled, following suit.
***
"Don't give up, Pixy! Give that Ember all you've got!" Haley cheered.
"Don't back down, Volt! Up the power!" Kamren retorted.
Upon their trainers' words, Haley's Vulpix and Kamren's new Jolteon let out frustrated cries and let loose their attacks in even greater proportions, Pixy firing blazing red fireballs the size of hailstones from her mouth into the Jolteon's furiously sparkling Thunderbolt which flew from the Electric Pokémon's forehead. The two attacks met halfway and pushed hard against each other, battling for supremacy.
The Kent siblings girt their teeth impulsively as they watched the match between fire and lightning escalate. Coordinators who watched the battle whilst waiting for their seeds to be called together with those who had lost in their matches stood a good distance back as this sort of battle had been waged since Volt had handily defeated Blitzkrieg a few minutes earlier with a series of well-timed, long range lightning attacks.
"Uh, oh!" A random coordinator yelled. "Like, it's gonna blow… again!"
True to his word, a massive explosion erupted from the center of the attacks' point on contact, sending the pair flying backwards, scorched by the flames of the blast.
"PIXY!" Haley screamed from behind her arms which she'd used to shield herself from the detonation.
"VOLT! You OK?!" Kamren yelled as well, looking (for the first time) worried about his Pokémon's safety.
A tremendous smacking noise could be heard from within the smoke cloud after which both Pokémon skidded backwards, paws dug in deep, trying to deny their owners from going back any further. Both bruised and battered severely, Pixy and Volt stared at one another fierce, panting in a ragged manner. Their legs wobbled fiercely, yet seemed to possess a will of their own that refused the Fox and Pokémon from falling.
"Dude, I'm surprised they're both still standing!" One spectator whispered to his friend.
"Yah, that was, like, the fourth explosion! Talk about top-notch competitors!" his friend agreed, watching on.
As the two Pokémon panted through gritted teeth, their eyes never leaving the other for about half a minute longer before both winced and the last of their strength left them, collapsing in two clouds of dirt.
"PIXY!" Haley screamed, rushing forward to scoop up her defeated Fire Pokémon.
Sorry, Haley, Pixy mumbled in a barely audible whisper. I didn't win…"
Haley silenced her Pokémon with a soft hushing sound, smiled as she shook her head slightly and returned it without a sound.
Kamren had refrained from showing any further signs of affection, but returned the Jolteon silently.
Don't beat yourself up, Volt, Kamren thought silently with his eyes closed. You did well… considering it was our first battle…
Aloud, he said, "You've got spunk, Sis… I'll give ya that… but now you've forced me down to one, there's no going back."
Haley said nothing; she only glared at her brother as she raised her third choice Pokémon's pokéball, which was pure white with a blue line separating the two halves, a blue teardrop on the top half.
"I'm warning you now, Sis... best forfeit whilst your Pokémon's still in good shape," Kamren said softly, raising a white pokéball of his own, with a red equatorial line and a red fireball emblem tattooed on the top half.
Haley's silver eyes narrowed dangerously and without a word threw down her third choice, which burst out in a flash of blue light which bounced around a bit before hitting the ground and forming her faithful Aquala.
Kamren sighed, knowing he couldn't back out now as he watched his sister catch the wayward pokéball from which Bubbles had emerged and threw his down as well.
Burner the Therline exploded onto the pitch in a bright, burning orange blast, his black-striped pelt bristling at the sight of his next opponent. His eyes narrowed into a sneer as he recognized the blue Water Hare before him.
Well… well. If it isn't baby Bubbles, Burner cooed, flames licking the corners of his savagely-toothed maw.
Well, well! Like, look what the cat-catcher dragged through the mud, Bubbles said coolly, in a tone that matched Burner's to a tee.
Haley and Kamren both felt the tension between the two Pokémon escalate and knew this was going to be tough. Silence reigned in their surroundings. Even the spectators knew there was an explosive battle coming; not one dared to blink as the wind blew through the field, ruffling both starters' fur as they edged closer.
All of a sudden, Burner's ham-like front paw slid over a dry twig and the resulting snap, magnified tenfold in the silence caused both the Pokémon and their trainers' pupils to dilate furiously and move into action as one.
"WATER GUN!"
"FLAMETHROWER!"
Bubbles shot forth a jet of water as Burner unleashed a tremendous stream of fire that Pixy's Ember couldn't dream to compete with at the same instance. Both attacks collided as Pixy's and Volt's had earlier, but the Water Gun was being forced back by the sheer tremendous power of the Flamethrower attack. Haley and Bubbles dropped as one and rolled aside to avoid the vicious onslaught that missed searing them by inches. Without an order, Bubbles sent a second shot of Water Gun streaking towards the Fire Tiger Pokémon, striking it in the muzzle.
"Burner, don't let that get to you! Use Flamethrower again!" Kamren yelled.
"Water Gun, Bubbles! Full pressure!" Haley countered.
Both Pokémon repeated their attacks, only this time Bubbles poured out her maximum volume of the water attack so that upon contact, the jets of blue and red crashed with equal force and dissipated into a thick mist.
Now! Haley thought quickly.
"Bubbles! Take Down!" Haley yelled into the fog that blanketed the field.
"Stay sharp, Burner!" Kamren yelled, plainly at the disadvantage.
Burner swiped blindly at the condensation surrounding him, struggling to strike the cerulean rabbit whom he couldn't see or smell due to the artificial Mist attack. Bubbles, who was in the meantime racing in a few feet away in the range of his blind spot, golden streaks trailing her, slammed into the Therline with devastating force in a rugby tackle that sent the pair of them rolling painfully over and over each other. The duo suddenly flew out of the cloud, rolling one last time with the Water type firmly lodged on top of the Fire type.
Got him! Haley cheered as Burner let out an anguished and horrifyingly load roar.
Smiling victoriously, Bubbles prepared a Water Gun attack, to strike, Burner at point blank range without an order. Burner, however, got a hit in first… or three, combining two rapid-fire Metal Claws to the face with a quick blast of fire that caught Bubbles full in the face and forced her off the Fire Tiger and five feet into the air, landing painfully on her head.
Uh, oh… not good! Haley lamented mentally.
Clasping his fists together and raising them high, he slammed them into the ground, causing the ground to shake as a shock wave snaked along the ground swiftly and knocked Bubbles, as she rose shakily to her feet, for a loop.
"It knows Earthquake?!" Haley screeched in unflattering disbelief.
"And that's not all, dearest sister," Kamren replied softly, folding his arms. "There's a new attack borne from much practice!"
Haley could only gape in horror.
"Allow us to demonstrate… Burner, show 'em your Metal Rush!" Kamren added, a proud glint in his silvery eye.
The Therline nodded as his body glowed silvery white. With a roar, he rushed forwards with his uncanny ability, closing the gap between them in less that a heartbeat.
"Bubbles! Quickly, stop him with Water Gun!" Haley yelled frantically.
"Too slow!" Kamren jeered.
Haley's Aquala inhaled quickly but gagged a split second later on a clot of blood that lodged itself in her throat as Burner walloped her in the gut with a lightning fast Metal Claw, causing her eyes to slide out of focus briefly as she soundlessly flew twelve feet back into a barrel roll which went on for another few feet before she crashed into a tree nearby, spitting out the clot as she hacked and wheezed for breath, her whole body shaking as though feverish.
Smirking in a self-satisfied way, Burner turned away back towards his trainer…
… when an icy cold jet smashed into the back of his head, sending him flying face-first into a puddle of muck.
Burner's face shot out of the mud as the crowd let out a gasp. His head swung around sharply and his eyes snapped on the Water Hare Pokémon, who met his livid stare with a look of defiance, a trickle of quickly-congealing blood running from one corner of her mouth down to her chin.
You're… DEAD! Burner screamed in fury as his eyes glowed in a sinister fashion. He vanished from sight, moving too quickly for Bubbles, Haley or Kamren to follow. A microsecond later found Bubbles pinned to the tree so forcefully, a shower of fruit cascaded down on her and Burner, who had her neck in a pincer-like grip that tightened as his claws contracted on her throat.
"Bubbles! NO!" Haley screamed in terror. "Fight back! Use Water Gun!"
Bubbles however had trouble breathing altogether, making counterattacking altogether impossible. Her feet flailed helplessly about four inches off the ground as Burner dragged her head roughly up the bark of the tree, his grip tightening all the while.
Uh, oh! Burner's snapped! Kamren noticed with a spasm of fear. Fumbling for his pokéball, Haley and the crowd watched aghast as Burner stretched his claws out to their full, terrifying eight inch length and proceeded to slash at Bubbles face unrelentingly, holding fast her throat so hard she couldn't scream.
"Burner, stop! ENOUGH!" Kamren roared in a panic. "YOU'VE WON, ALREADY! LEAVE BUBBLES ALONE!"
The only sign that showed Burner had heard his trainer at all was to keep slashing at every bit of Bubbles his knifelike claws could reach, a truly demented look in his eyes. Just as he raised his silvery white claws to deal a final, fatal blow, the Therline glowed orange red. Letting out a fierce roar as he struggled against the force drawing him away from his kill, he turned and unleashed a Flamethrower at Kamren which never reached its intended target as the pokéball overpowered its owner, drawing the Fire Tiger back into his pokéball and leaving Bubbles to slide down the tree's trunk barely alive.
"Bubbles…" Haley whispered, her hands over her mouth, petrified by the brutality Burner had displayed. She barely registered Kamren who had in the meantime returned Burner and run up to her Aquala to check on it quickly.
As he reached into his hip pouch for a yellow medicinal crystal, Haley began to come to her senses and ran forward, smacking her brother across the face as she gathered her first Pokémon into her arms.
Kamren fell backwards and watched the scene with wide eyes. Averting his eyes from anyone else's, he tossed the Revive at Haley together with a pink spray bottle with a white nozzle and said, "Use these, and get her to a Pokémon Center now."
Haley stared at the items and then up at her brother with astonished eyes, hardly believing what he was doing. Kamren rose to his feet slowly and turned away to walk into the Contest Hall.
Stopping at the entrance, he looked back and shot an angry stare at Haley, who stayed rooted to the spot and yelled angrily "What are you waiting for? You want your Aquala to die?! HUNH?! LEAVE NOW!"
Haley took the message and scooped up the items and ran in the direction of the Pokémon Center, her sobs loud enough to reach even Kamren's ears.
Turning back to the Contest Hall's double doors, he closed his eyes briefly and thought, Sorry, Sis.
He looked down at Burner's pokéball which still lay clenched in his hand and tightened his grip as his eyes narrowed and his free fist clenched tighter.
I promise you that before this is over, I will control you, he swore, staring at the pokéball as though he were looking straight into the eye of the tiger he'd just recalled.
***
"Don't worry, Mr. Manson. Your Pokémon will be just fine!" the local Nurse Joy reassured him spritely, taking his four defeated Pokémon and handing them over to the local Pokémon matron, a large Blissey.
"Thanks, Nurse Joy," Sapph replied heavily. Looking down at his feet, he silently reflected on the fact that he'd lost his last two battles in a row. True, the first had been on a technicality he had not foreseen, but the other was lost due to his impatient nature.
I mean, Sapph thought dejectedly, who was I kidding? Rubin's been with Pokémon for two whole years already and the difference in our levels is bound to be worlds apart… seems the only thing I'm learning this year is how to get my can kicked…
"Oh, yes! Prof. Yew left a message for you, Mr. Manson," Nurse Joy said suddenly, snapping her fingers as she turned to face the downcast trainer. "It seems he… uh, what was it again? Oh, yes! He wanted you to call him back after one o'clock in the afternoon."
Sapph came out of his reverie sharply. "He did?!" he asked in surprise. If Prof. Yew wanted to talk to him, the boy figured it must be about…
"It's about getting to two now," he mused, hitching up his sleeve and staring at the digital face of his PokéGear watch. "I'd better call him n-," Sapph began, turning towards the videophones that lined the far wall and almost colliding with a large green coloured frog that had been standing right beside him for Arceus knew how long. The creature had yellow tipped fingers and toes and a large yellow underbelly which was interrupted by a large green swirl design.
"WHOA! Careful there, buddy! Are you lost or something?" Sapph addressed the large bipedal amphibian that for some weird reason seemed to just stare at Sapph with a happy expression plastered firmly on his already smiley face. It shook its head slightly, its grin broadening.
"OK, so that's a no," Sapph said curiously, glancing around to see if its trainer was anywhere around in the center. Seeing that they were alone (with the obvious exception of the nurses), Sapph turned to the Politoed and said, with a stab of cheeriness, "Well, then, uh… if you'd excuse me, I have a call to make…"
The Politoed nodded and stood aside for Sapph to pass freely to the payphones.
Weird, Sapph thought as he walked over to the nearest videophone and sat on the chair in front of it, staring at the grinning Politoed's reflection in the video screen as he dialed the Yew Observatory's number. It's almost as if it knows me…
"Hello, Sapph!" Professor Yew's cheerful voice came over loud and clear as an image of the bespectacled researcher came on the screen. "How're you doing?"
"I've been better," Sapph replied drily.
"I see… well, defeat comes to the best of trainers, Sapph. And no champion I've known has ever not lost a match," the professor told Sapph evenly, a slight frown creasing his brow.
Sapph, noticing this worked his face into a smile and said, "Thanks, Professor. How's Zen?"
"He's in perfect health, and all tests on his arm came out negative," the professor said, taking a small square of pale blue cloth and cleaning his spectacles with it.
Sapph's worries weren't totally alleviated by this remark. In an uncertain voice, he echoed "Negative?"
"Meaning Zen's bionic arm is a simple prosthetic that has no additional function whatsoever," Professor Yew said hastily, noting the panic in his correspondent's voice. "You may use him for any official matches after he's served his two gym match ban… which should be after Appleburn City's gym."
"Really? That's great!" Sapph said joyfully.
The scientist smiled and said, "Just tell me where you are right now and I'll send him over."
"Green Hill Pokémon Center," Sapph answered.
The older man nodded and turning to a device had seen once before on the day he'd received Anuvi as his starter, and placing a solitary pokéball on a hollowed out groove and pressing a few buttons on the console made the orb glow bright blue before fading out into nothingness.
"He should be there now," the researcher informed Sapph.
"Thanks a lot, professor," Sapph said graciously, rising to go.
"Wait a moment, Sapph. There's something I need to tell you about the new constitution," Prof. Yew called out.
Suddenly feeling much gloomier upon hearing words that reminded him of Clyff Endlethorn, Sapph sat down again to face the professor.
"While it's true you can't face Clyff again until next season, it doesn't mean your journey's over because you failed to earn all eight badges," the researcher began.
Puzzled, Sapph asked sharply, "Hunh? What d'you mean by that, Professor Yew?"
"I believe you have already earned the proficiency badges of the Entover and Nightspark City gyms, correct?" the professor said cryptically.
Sapph wasn't taking the tension very well. "Yeah…" Sapph said slowly. "But I still don't follow…"
"Meaning," Professor Yew said brightly. "That according to the new constitution, all league hopefuls require a minimum of six badges to qualify. Long story short, all you need are at least four more badges to qualify!"
Sapph almost dropped the receiver in shock.
"H-h-honest?!" the boy from Johto stammered in surprise.
"Honest," Professor Yew smiled, watching Sapph's look of shocked surprise turn slowly to one of elation. Continuing sternly he added, "However, that is no reason not to give your all in the next five battles!"
Sapph smiled as he said confidently, "I know, professor. Thanks for the info!"
Forgetting all about hanging up, Sapph almost skipped around to the reception to pick up his Taebrawl and almost collided with the Politoed who'd been standing right behind him, still grinning as he gave off a happy croak and promptly glomped him.
"Ah, looks like you have a new team mate, Sapph!" the professor smiled from the video screen, watching the hilarity of the moment with tears of laughter in his eyes.
"Oh, no, professor," Sapph said quickly, wrestling the huge Frog Pokémon off him. "This Politoed isn't mine. I dunno where it came from, it just turned up…"
"Roley! There you are, dude, we've been looking all over for you!" a loud male voice rang out as the door swished shut behind the new arrival.
Sapph looked up and stared. The boy's dark blue hair (which was combed back into a short ponytail behind his head) may had grown since the last time he'd seen him but his brown eyes (which had widened behind his wire-rimmed spectacles as they fell upon the boy trainer) looked exactly like…
"C-could it possibly… T-t-Tony?!" Sapph spluttered, staring at the boy.
"S-sa-Sapph? Is it really you?!" The youth stammered in an identical voice.
"TONY! Where the hell've you been?!" Sapph roared delightedly as the two jumped into a firm handshake.
"Sapph! I must concur that it's simply phenomenal to see you again!" Tony replied, returning the gesture, a broad grin on his face.
His Politoed let out another happy croak as it slapped his hands together.
***
"So how'd you know I was in Corei?" Sapph asked his friend in an impatient voice that could hardly conceal his joy.
Sapph could hardly believe which way his day was going. Haley called him 'Honey', he lost big time to his brother, had been told his Taebrawl was officially cleared to compete in official matches and had met up with his best friend growing up after about a year apart.
Man this day, keeps getting wilder and wilder, Sapph thought as he waited for his laid back friend to answer his question.
"I didn't, to tell you the truth," Tony admitted, straightening up and leaning back on the bench outside the Pokémon Center's back door, where he'd released all of his Pokémon which excluding his happy-go-lucky Politoed for a meal. The group sat, floated or lay before their food dishes together with Roley the Politoed and Zen, who'd been let out of his pokéball for some food and fresh air, as well as to interact with Tony's Pokémon, although he wasn't really doing much of the last, preferring to sit a short distance away and chew his food meditatively.
"I'm here on… uh, an assignment," he went on evasively. "I guess you've heard of Orre?"
"Hunh? The place where Cipher were rumoured to exist?" Sapph queried in a mystified voice.
"Yeah," Tony agreed. "Y'see, after they fell apart, many of their valuable test subjects became 'orphans', so to speak. Seems Cipher abandoned them after their experiments…"
Sapph said nothing. His eyes narrowed as he thought about how much the thought sickened him.
"… and I was called in by my superiors to find a good location and kind trainers to take them in. Saffron was one of them," he added, gesturing to his Jolteon, who lay close to Tony's ankle as far away as Sapph as possible.
"Oh. Hey, Saffron!" Sapph said cheerfully, reaching down towards the Electric Pokémon.
Saffron's eyes widened as Sapph's hand drew nearer and the next thing anyone knew, Saffron had sent a bolt of lightning straight at it.
"YOW!" Sapph yelled, staring at the Lightning Pokémon that was presently baring its teeth at the trainer and growling viciously, its eyes locked on Sapph, daring him to try that again.
"Easy, Saffron! You OK, Sapph?" Tony asked Sapph as he bent down to scratch behind the Jolteon's ear. It stopped growling, although its beady eyes never left Sapph's for a second.
"What's wrong with him?!" Sapph asked in shocked surprise.
"Trauma," Tony replied grimly. "Team Cipher aren't exactly known to be benevolent to their test subjects. You should have seen the mess he made of the first Pokémon Centre we were at. I'm the only human he's allowed near him since he was rescued from the lab. So how about it?"
Staring at the bespectacled boy, Sapph asked "So… how about what?"
"Will you adopt a Pokémon? Don't let Saffron throw you, the rest of them are really sweet," Tony reassured him with a smile.
"Oh… right," Sapph said, drawing his eyes away from the crackling yellow Pokémon and turning to look at Tony who'd brought three pokéballs out of his bag.
"They're all Eevee," Tony explained, setting the capsules before Sapph. "Seems Cipher wanted to delve more into the evolution of Pokémon… possibly a joint venture with Galactic of Sinnoh…"
"You're joking, right?" Sapph said feebly. "Eevee?! They're like one of the rarest Pokémon… ever!"
"That's true," Tony agreed.
"So why don't you raise them all?" Sapph asked incredulously.
"My… erm, supervisor didn't want them all together," Tony said in his evasive mutter. He went on in a loud voice, "Besides, I've already got Saffron! What more could I need? Right, boy?"
His other Pokémon let out various noises of indignation at this remark.
"Oops! Sorry, Roley… Verdant… Epona… Oni… Genghis," Tony apologized, a sweat drop forming on the back of his head.
"Well, only if you insist," Sapph grinned, a sweat drop also somewhere near his temple. He reached over a picked a pokéball off the bench. Releasing its contents in a blast of white light, a small brown Pokémon took form on Sapph's lap, curled up asleep. Predominantly brown in colour, it bore a ruff of white fur around its neck and similarly coloured fur near the tip of its paintbrush tail. Yawning slightly, it blearily opened its coffee brown eyes and rubbed them with its small fore paw.
"Hey there… uhhh," Sapph's smile faltered as he couldn't think of a nickname for his newest team mate.
He looked around at Tony, who shrugged and said "Hey, she's yours now. Remember?"
"Yeah, you're right," Sapph mumbled. Looking down at the Evolution Pokémon, he frowned as he thought up a nickname.
Uhm… mister? The Eevee said uncertainly, unsure how Sapph'd react to her speaking out of turn.
Opening one of his eyes, Sapph looked down at the Eevee and said, "Sorry, girl. What's up?"
I-I… ummm… the Eevee stuttered.
Get on with it, Zen snapped.
"Zen!" Sapph said in his best scolding voice. "Knock it off!"
The Taebrawl grunted and said, Whatever.
Fixing the Eevee with a kindly eye, Sapph addressed the Eevee and prompted "Well?"
I- uhm, wanted to be a-an… an Espeon… when I evolved, you know, she finally got out. Blushing faintly, she looked away and said, But I bet you would want an Umbreon… or Leafeon… or…
"Deal," Sapph said.
H-hunh? the little Pokémon gasped, unsure she heard right.
"You want to be an Espeon?" Sapph mused, mulling the thought over. "That's fine! In fact, it makes giving you a nickname easier! How about… hmmm, Lavender?" He grinned.
The Eevee's dull eyes seemed to sparkle as her ears stuck up. She happily nodded her assent at the choice of the name.
Zen cast the pair an askance stare before muttering Revolting.
"Great! Then it's settled!" Tony smiled.
"Well, that wasn't so hard! So, Tony," Sapph said with a smile as he turned to his best friend as he finished returning his Pokémon to their pokéballs and the unadopted Eevees back into his knapsack. "Now I have more than one Pokémon out of treatment… how about a battle to put Lavender and Zen through their paces?"
Tony smiled back, "I suppose… only if you can keep up!"
The duo walked in to check on Sapph's Pokémon just as Haley came in through the sliding glass door of the Pokémon Centre, looking dejected.
"Hey, Haley! Hey, Tony, this is Haley Kent, a friend of mine," Sapph said as the girl trainer drew closer. "Haley, Tony was my best friend growing up in Cherrygrove… Haley, what's up?" He asked, his smile faltering as he saw the look on Haley's face. Talking quickly so as not to get clobbered too quickly, he went on, "Is it about the Honey? 'cuz I'll get some tomorrow, I pro-"
"Sapph, it's OK," Haley said with a small smile. "Forget it." She then proceeded to hand over Bubbles, Blitzkrieg and Pixy's pokéballs over to Nurse Joy.
"What happened to these Pokémon?" Nurse Joy asked aghast. "I've never seen Pokémon this beat up before!"
Sapph grabbed Haley and asked angrily, "Was it Kamren?"
Unable to meet Sapph's furious glare, she nodded.
Snatching up his pokéballs from the tray the Nurse Blissey had just brought out of recovery and fastening them to his belt, Sapph snarled "That arse… he must have some balls messing with his little sister… when I find him, I'll…"
Horrified, Haley grabbed his arms and with a pleading look in her silver eyes said quickly, "Sapph, leave it, OK?"
"Why should I?" Sapph asked half angry, half amazed. "He can't get away with stuff like this!"
"Because… it could have been worse, OK? Just let it go, promise?" Haley pleaded.
Sapph stared at Haley for a while longer, trying and failing to avoid her eyes. After a while, Sapph exhaled heavily and said, "OK, you win."
Haley, temporarily unable to find adequate words to thank him threw her arms around his neck and could only whisper "Thank you, Sapph."
Sapph was not ready for that kind of gratitude as his face quickly turned Tamato-berry red.
Truly revolting, Zen scoffed as he watched the affecting scene.
Haley broke away and sniffing, turned to Nurse Joy and asked if her Pokémon would be OK. After the matron's reassurance that all they needed was a night in the recovery ward, she bade Sapph and Tony good night and turned in.
"But, Haley," Sapph said surprised at this remark. "It's only six thirty… in June!"
Haley only smiled and walked towards the sleeping quarters.
"Kent… she's not the daughter of Damian Kent, the researcher, is she?" Tony asked in surprise.
"Dunno… all I know about her dad is that she's looking for him," Sapph said, his mind solely fixed on how weirdly Haley was acting these past few days.
"I see," Tony said thoughtfully.
"What… you know something about him?" Sapph asked.
"Maybe, but we'll discuss it later. Don't you have a battle to lose?" Tony said with a smirk.
"I doubt that," Sapph laughed, back to his regular jovial self.
The friends marched out of the sliding doors that lead out back behind the Pokémon Centre for their catching up session.
***
Rubin came out of the Contest Hall, his hands in the pockets of his green jacket and not in the best of moods.
"That twit Sapphire… thanks to him, I was late for my seed," he chuntered under his breath. "Oh, well, guess I've got to wait around a while…"
"Excuse me," a soft female voice said behind him.
Rubin turned around to see a tall woman with long, jet black hair with red highlights that fell across half her face standing behind him. She wore a long red flamenco dress and a red rose adorned her hair. It Rubin were more interested in girls, he'd have thought her extremely attractive. However giving his current ill disposition, Rubin was far from tolerant at the time.
"What is it?" Rubin said shortly.
"You're Sapphire Manson, aren't you?" the woman asked, giving him a seductive look as she drew nearer.
"Stupid," Rubin spat softly. "Do I look like that- ow! What the…?" Rubin's eyes suddenly rolled up into his head as he fell forward, a small dart sticking out of the back of his neck.
"Bull's eye!" another girl with heavily tanned skin whooped as she leapt nimbly from the low roof of the Contest Hall, a bamboo blowpipe in her hand. She stood up straight as the other girl approached the pair of them. She seemed, however to have jumped out of a tree instead as her entire attire (which wasn't much) seemed to be made of leaves. What she wore barely covered up her short yet curvy frame and her yellowish eyes seemed to glow in the oncoming twilight.
"There really was no need to go that far, Zula," the black haired woman chided softly.
"What were you gonna do, Vulca? Kiss 'im 'til he passed out?" Zula said drily, her hands on her scantily covered hips as she smiled a sharp-toothed grin.
"It may have been fun, at least," Vulca said in a calm tone as she and Zula stood over their prey. "Who'd have guessed he'd look so hot for an eleven year old?"
Zula just shook her head as she reached for an earpiece that was tucked down her bra. Fitting it over her ear, she spoke clearly, "Zula to Trident, mission accomplished."
"One question, Zula," Vulca muttered as the shorter girl heaved Rubin's limp form over her bare shoulder and proceeded after Vulca up the backstreet.
"What?" the nature girl grunted, shifting Rubin's weight slightly to make him easier to carry.
"He seemed to be muttering something when you tranquilized him," Vulca went on in her bored mumble. "Something about not looking like Sapphire. You don't think he's not him, do you?"
"Don't be daft," Zula grumbled. "I mean, it's not like this dope has a twin, is it?"