Okay, really long chapter. Have fun!

Chapter 11: Ace

My day of training with Red was going well. The schedule was pretty slow and allowed lots of time to simply play with the Pokémon, because as Red put it, "You need to bond with them, not just order them around all the time." Now, he was playing with his Pikachu, and I was supposed to be doing the same with Mareep. But, I didn't know what to do with it. I could try petting it like a lapdog, maybe? I reached out for its fluffy wool body as Red turned, spotted me and shouted "Stop!"

Too late, my hand had touched. I was shocked by all the electricity in the wool, and lay cringing on the ground for my foolishness.

"Wow. That was pretty dumb of you, you know?"

"No, I didn't know until you shouted a second too late and I got electrocuted!"

"Heheh, sorry, I didn't even think to mention it." He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.

"Well, the next time you give out a Pokémon to someone, maybe you should warn them of things like that first!"

"I really am sorry, but thankfully Mareep tried to protect you as best it could. That shock was pretty weak coming from an electric powerhouse like it."

I looked over and Mareep looked very sad that it had failed even a little bit. "Thanks for doing your very best!" It lightened up a bit. "Now tell me," I said, turning back to Red, "How am I supposed to play with my Mareep if I can't even touch it?"

"I guess you could play fetch, or maybe pet its head without touching the wool." He shrugged. "I've never had a Mareep before. You'd have to ask another trainer."

"Would you like to play fetch?" I asked Mareep, pulling a stick toward me with the Force.

It jumped around happily with a smile. I took it as a yes, then threw it gently. It caught it, then bounded over and dropped the stick. "Haha, you're already good! Now how about if I throw in something unexpected?"

Mareep cocked its head, then crouched into position as I raised the stick. I threw it just like before, then pushed on it with the Force, so it sailed much farther than before. Mareep jumped up to catch it when it should have fallen, but it kept on going, powered by my push. My stubborn little Mareep stumbled and raced after it, and after going in loops for a little while, I let it catch the sitck.

"Not a fair player are you, young Jedi?"

I jumped up, and Mareep growled quietly, dropping the stick. Yep, definitely not Red's voice. Where had he gone? "What do you want with me?"

He stepped into the light, clothed in black. It kind of reminded me of our boy's uniforms: nice shirt and pants, but black and dirty instead of pure white. He had a cloak, ripped across the hood to exposed a burned, blackened mess of a face. I think he grinned, but I couldn't be sure. With that kind of face, how did anyone know? "Little Jedi girl," he rasped, "I want you."

Well, that was unexpected. He laughed at the shock on my face. "No worries, I won't hurt you, little Jedi… unless you resist."

"And just where would I be going?" I asked, raising my left hand like I was a student waiting to be called on.

"Now, now, if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"

I smiled. "Oh, I'm not the type who likes surprises, are you?" I pointed my finger at him playfully.

"Um… I guess so?" It was pretty clear he'd never had a normal childhood. Just then Mareep brushed its wool against his clothing.

"Signal beam!" Mareep's mouth opened and out came a weak flashing light. The man was down with electricity coursing through his body.

"Not bad." Red was standing in the shadows behind me. "But why did you need to use the signal beam attack? He wouldn't have been any trouble on the ground."

I grinned at him. "Now that wouldn't be any fun, and I wouldn't learn why he was here." He still looked confused, so I continued. "Signal beam can confuse the target. He might leak information that he wouldn't otherwise say."

"That's genius! You remind me of Green."

"Who's Green? Why are you all named after colors?"

"Never mind. And that's just what our parents named us."

The guy was starting to wake up, so I turned my attention to him. He staggered to his feet, then laughed crazily. "Give me the baby princess, cowards!"

Fire shot from his palms and feet, throwing Mareep back. I returned it to its Pokéball and hid behind a tree. I really hoped Red could do something about that crazy guy, because I didn't want to risk Mareep's safety again. Thankfully, I spotted him in a safe spot. He opened a Pokéball, and out popped a round blue thing with arms and legs. "Poli, put the fire out and hold the guy down."

Water shot out of its mouth (at least I think it was its mouth) like a fire hose and soon the flames were gone, and the blue Pokémon had restrained the fiery guy's arms and legs.

"All right, it's safe!" Red walked right out to the guy, but I had really gotten attached to my safe spot out of range of the fire, so I just stepped out from behind the tree.

"Emperor, please, I didn't mean to offend you! I thought the village was useless, the princess wasn't even there!" The guy screamed in terror. "Please master! I have always been loyal!"

"He's reliving memories." Red said. "Do you have any idea what's happening?"

"No." I lied, but with that guy there, I didn't want to say the truth. I'd tell him later. "Get to a safe spot, then return the Pokémon. I can deal with him."

He looked at me suspiciously, but shrugged and ran off. Seconds later, a light flashed, and Poli returned. I lifted my hands, focusing, and lifted him above the trees with the Force. I waited until he was just high enough, then yelled, "Which way has the least civilization?"

"Umm…. Your left! I think…"

Well, I didn't have time for 'I think'. So I threw him as hard as I could to the left. He could catch up with us pretty quickly, but at least he'd have to work at it.

I turned to Red. "We need to get moving. Like right now."

He jumped down from a tree. "Okay, I can lead you to where we're going next, but was that really necessary?"

"What? The hands, no. I can use the Force without them, but they help me concentrate."

"No, I meant flinging him out there. He's obviously from your world, and won't know where to go."

"Seriously? You're worried about that guy? I'd be more worried about us. He could catch up to us in about two hours, so if we move now, we're good for a while. I'm sure he could too. He was able to find me."

"Do you know him?"

"No, but I think I know of him. If he's who I think he is, we need to get going now."

I started running away from where I threw the guy, and a yellow and brown Pokémon with a short trunk popped out in front of me. I skidded to a halt. Red caught up with me on a bike. "Hey, why don't you try to catch it?"

"Catch it? I don't know how to catch it!"

"Just weaken it a little, then throw this Pokéball at it." He handed me a little ball like Mareep's, but without its smiling face inside.

"Okay, Mareep go! Use signal beam!" I threw its ball in front of me so Mareep might be out of that Pokémon's range.

Mareep responded quickly, but its signal beam was cut off suddenly. It swayed, then dropped to the ground.

"Ah! What happened?"

"Ace, be careful! Mareep's not fainted, but Drowzee put it to sleep! Just wake it up!"

"Yeah, you make it sound so simple…" I muttered. "Wait a second…"

I threw a pebble at the Drowzee, not enough to hurt it, just to get it annoyed. It turned, and I hit it again using the Force to hit it from different angles, so the poor thing turned round and round in circles, trying to find its assailant. I willed my hands still, so it never suspected me. When it was sufficiently dizzy, I turned my attention to Mareep, shaking it gently with the Force, so I wouldn't accidentally be electrocuted. From time to time, I'd also keep Drowzee busy with my pebble. "Come on…" Then I got a better idea. I pulled the pebble over to Mareep, and rubbed it in its fur with the Force. Charged with electricity, it ran straight into the Drowsee, effectively paralyzing it.

I threw the Pokéball towards it and aimed with the Force. 'Sheesh, I'm getting pretty dependent on that, aren't I?'

With a flash of light, the Drowsee disappeared.

"Good job."

I whirled around to face Red, who was leaning against a tree behind me. He motioned me forward. "Go ahead, it's yours now. Treat it well."

I walked forward and picked the little ball up.

"Now how about a little impromptu training and playing? You've got to gain this guy's trust before we go anywhere."

I stared at him. "Do you really want to face the fiery guy again? We've got to keep moving!"

He held his hands up in mock defeat. "Fine, but when we get to where we're going, we stop and train. You'll be far behind the others if you don't, and I won't have Blue making fun of me for your stubbornness."

My eyes narrowed. "We will keep moving even then."

"It wasn't a question, student, it was an order. You'll obey my orders because I am your teacher, though I'm not even ten years older, okay? Besides, the next stop is mandatory for your training, and we'll be there early, so we'll have to stay anyway."

"WHAT?! I don't know about you, but I don't want to die today!"

"But you want to complete your training, don't you? You'll do as I say." With that, he turned and began to bike away.

"I think you're underestimating how dangerous he is!" I called as I Force-jumped.

I barely heard his laugh, but his words were clear: "I probably am!"

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