Haro tossed a Poke ball. "Raichu, go!"

When the ball opened, a yellowish-brown mouse with yellow cheeks, long ears, and a lightning bolt-shaped tail appeared. Davin analyzed it with his Pokedex.

"Raichu, the Mouse Pokemon. Raichu is the evolved form of Pikachu. If it stores too much electricity, its behavior turns aggressive. To avoid this, it occasionally discharges excess energy and calms itself down."

"So, you evolved your Pikachu?" Davin asked with little surprise.

"Of course. When I had it learn all the moves I wanted it to use, I used a Thunderstone to make it more powerful. And now, you're about to get a taste of it! Raichu, get ready!"

"Rai Rai!" It got down on all fours and snarled as electricity crackled across its cheeks.

"Hmm... If I continue with Halo, no doubt it'll lose to Raichu's electric attacks. So in that case..." Davin held up a Poke ball and recalled his Beautifly. "I'll use the next best thing! Ros, it's time to battle!" A single throw of the ball released the Swampert from its confinement.

"I should've known he'd do that!" Haro scolded himself. "Oh, well. Raichu, use Brick Break!" Raichu jumped and dived down towards Ros, pulling back its fist for a punch.

"Ros, block with Hammer Arm!" The Swampert's fist glowed white and it collided with Raichu's. However, Ros got the upper hand and knocked Raichu back to Haro's side.

"Now, Mud Shot!" A blast of mud shot out of its mouth, hitting Raichu in the center of its body.

Haro grunted. "Double Team!" At the call, Raichu stood and made illusionary clones of itself that spread across the battlefield.

"Like that'll help. Use Muddy Water to get rid of them!" The mud tidal wave was summoned and it crashed down on all of them, resulting in the fakes disappearing and the real one getting hit.

"Raichu!" Haro cried.

"All right! Mud Shot, one more time!" The mud was fired again and Raichu took the hit, causing it to faint when it fell.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Haro screamed in anger. "THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!"

Davin was taken aback by this. "What's with him? He never freaked out like that when his Pokemon fainted before."

Haro recalled Raichu. "I refuse to lose! Not here, NOT EVER! Vulpix, let's go!" The cute Fox Pokemon materialized on to the field. "Use Flamethrower, NOW!" A stream of flames shot towards Ros.

"Muddy Water!" The second mud tidal wave destroyed Flamethrower upon contact and Vulpix was soaked by it, causing it to faint immediately.

"ALL RIGHT! I DID IT! I WON!" Davin cheered. "Ros, you did great!"

"Swampert!" Ros smiled at Davin.

Haro was speechless; he tried to speak, but he couldn't get the words out. He dropped his head and recalled his fallen Pokemon.

"This... is... not... RIIIIIIIGHT!" He suddenly ran across the battlefield and past Davin towards the door.

"Haro, wait!' Davin turned around and called after him. Haro stopped on his command, then he turned around and threw something at him. Davin caught it and opened his palm to see a small object that was shaped like three raindrops formed together into a triangle.

"Take your stupid badge! I don't even care anymore!" He opened the door and slammed it as he rushed out.

"What is up with him?" Davin asked as he took a few steps forward.

Right then, he looked at the ground and noticed that there was something wet on the floor. He kneeled down and dipped his finger into it to hold it to his face. "Where'd this water come from? It was right where Haro was standing a few seconds ag-" Davin gasped with wide eyes when he realized what the water was: Haro was crying and the water was his tears.

"Oh my... Haro? No way..." Davin turned to his Swampert. "Ros, we need to hurry and catch Haro! Something has got to be wrong with him."

"Swamp!" It nodded as it followed Davin out the door.


"Haro! Where are you?!" Davin shouted in a vacant part of town.

"Swamp! Swampert!" Ros shouted along with him.

Davin looked around for a few seconds and sighed. "I can't find him anywhere. I guess we'll just have to go to the Pokemon Center for the time being and heal everyone."

"Swamp..." Ros lowered his head in disappointment.

Davin and Ros arrived at the designated location soon afterward. "I hope I can find where he is..." Davin sighed.

As if his wish came true, the automatic doors to the Pokemon Center opened and Haro exited through them with his head down.

"Haro!" Davin shouted. As soon he looked up, Haro took off running to the east. "Haro, wait!"

"Leave me alone!" He shouted as he ran. Davin and Ros followed his trail as they tried to catch up with him.


A while later, they continued running, which led them to a grassy mountainside coast near the ocean.

"Haro! Stop! I just want to talk!"

"I told you to go away!" he shouted.

"Come on!"

"Go awa-" As he said that, he tripped on a rock and landed on his face in the grass. He slowly started to rise as Davin and Ros caught up to him, the former offering a hand. "Haro, please..."

"GO AWAY!" He tried to run, but Davin grabbed his arm so that he couldn't. "Let go!"

"Not until you tell me what's making you act like this! This isn't like you; what's your problem?"

Haro tried to struggle free as he spoke. "You're the one with the problem! You always win when I expect you to lose! Your cockiness and happy attitude has driven me over the edge!"

"Stop trying to hide the truth! There's something going on with you and I want to know!"

"No, there isn't!"

"Yes, there is!"

"No, there ISN'T!"

"Yes, there IS!"

"NO, THERE ISN'T!"

"YES, THERE IS AND YOU AND I BOTH KNOW IT!"

"SHUT UP, YOU FREAKIN' MOROOOOOOOO-"

That did it. At that moment, Haro received a slap to his face before he could finish. He fell to the ground with Davin's slap visible on his left cheek.

"Listen to me! I don't know what's going on with you, but I do know that this isn't the way to solve it! Haro, you're a great trainer. I mean you've beaten me like 3 times already, so how come this battle was so important to you? Obviously, there's something wrong because this isn't the Haro I've come to know." Haro just lied there with his mouth open, his eyes not focused on Davin.

"Haro..." Davin knelt down to him. "I know you hate me, but deny it or not, you need help and I'm the only one who's willing to help you. It's clear that you've been keeping this to yourself for a long time, so why not just get it off your chest?" Haro turned his eyes toward Davin as he offered his hand again.

"Haro, please... Tell me what's bothering you... I may not be the one who you want help from, but you've got to take a risk and sometimes confide in someone you dislike rather than someone you like. Come on, Haro... It's better to have friends than enemies... You can trust me."

Haro stared at Davin for quite awhile.

He then spoke softly, "Will you... listen...?"

Davin nodded. "I will. Please..."

Haro stared for a few more seconds and took Davin's head. "Alright... I'll tell you..."