Ichigo succeeded in winning his fourth badge. Now, our heroes are heading for Tenken City so he can win his fifth badge. At the moment, they stopped for a break in the woods.

"Here you go." Orihime said as she gave some food to Roselia and Sylveon. "You two have to be in shape for when we compete again."

"We still need to find where the next talent star competition." Rukia said. While all of them were talking, something was watching them in the woods.

"Lunch is just about ready." Ichigo said.

"Great. I'm hungry." Orihime said, but she heard something move through the bushes. "Guys, I think I hear something in there." All of them had guard up for whatever trouble they are about to get into.

Pokémon!
It's a battle, win or lose
It's the friends you make, it's the road you choose
You've got the right stuff
So make your mind up
Find the courage inside of you
If you're strong you'll survive
And you'll keep your dream alive
Let the battle begin
Pokémon!
Be the best you can be
And find your destiny
It's the master plan
The power's in your hand
Pokémon!

(Orihime's voice) It's a Marill Fail

All of them kept their eyes on the bushes for whatever might come out of it. It was a pleasant surprise when they saw it was nothing more than a Marill.

"Marill!"

"Cute!" Orihime said as she had stars in her eyes from seeing one. "It's so cute. Please tell me who that little cutie is."

"It's just a Marill. Though, you are right. It certainly is a cute pokemon." Rukia said. Marill walked up to them and it seemed like a normal pokemon. All of them wondered what it wanted until they heard a growling sound coming from it.

"It seems to be hungry." Chad said. Orihime went right to the food and grabbed a sandwich.

"Here you go." Orihime said as she handed Marill a sandwich. Marill accepted it and feast on it. "You like it?"

"Marill!" Marill certainly seemed to be a happy little pokemon and Orihime was acting like it was in love with it. Sylveon walked over and shared some of her food with Marill.

"That's nice of you to share, Sylveon." Orihime said.

"Makes sense. Marill are fairy and water-types like Sylveon is a fairy-type." Rukia said. Orihime took a look at Marill and was having a big idea.

'With a cute pokemon like this Marill, I know I can win the next Pokemon Talent Star.' Orihime thought as she was reaching for a pokeball. Before she had the chance to do anything, a blast of electricity came out of nowhere and nearly hit all of them. Marill took cover behind Orihime.

"What was that?" Ichigo asked.

"That looked like a Thunderbolt attack." Rukia said.

"Get back." All of them looked ahead of them and met a girl that had blonde hair, jean shorts, a white blouse, and wore white open toed heels. She also had a Zebstrika with her. "Get away from that Marill. That Marill is mine."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know this Marill belonged to a trainer." Orihime said.

"It doesn't, but it's about to be. That little cutie is about to be mine. Now get out of my way or do I need Zebstrika to zap you out of the way."

"Zebstrika."

"Who are you exactly?" Rukia said as she was already annoyed with her tone. The girl sounded like a snobby superstar.

"I am the fabulous, one and only, Viviana. Now give me that Marill." She demanded. Orihime looked down at Marill, but Marill looked scared of it.

"I don't know. This Marill seems scared and it doesn't seem it wants to go to you." Orihime said.

"Does that matter to me?" Viviana said.

"How about you change the attitude and maybe we'll consider it?" Ichigo said as they were all getting annoyed with her.

"I don't have time for you losers." Viviana said. "Give me that Marill now." They didn't have time to argue about it because Viviana saw Marill was running off. "Zebstrika, get after Marill."

"Zebstrika!" Zebstrika nearly ran Orihime and the others over as it ran through them with Viviana going after it.

"What's her problem?" Ichigo said. Orihime didn't like this at all and needed to do something.

"Roselia and Sylveon, return." Orihime said as she got the two back in their pokeballs and went after Viviana once she grabbed her stuff.

"Orihime, where are you going?" Ichigo said.

"I don't think I like where this is going. I've got to help that Marill." Orihime said and they all agreed to that. They gathered all their stuff and went after Viviana.

…

Marill

Marill kept running as it didn't want to be captured by Viviana. Viviana didn't seem to get that and continued to chase after Marill.

"Zebstrika use your Flame Charge and get that Marill." Viviana said. Zebstrika covered itself in flames and went on the attack. Marill saw it coming and battled back. Marill jumped up and shot out a Bubble Beam attack and stopped the attack. "Don't just take that. Use your Thunderbolt."

"Zebstrika!" Zebstrika unleashed the electrical attack and blasted Marill. Marill hit a tree and slid down it.

"Nice job." Viviana said as she pulled out a pokeball and ready to catch it.

"Hold it." Orihime arrived and all of them stood in Vivian's way.

"Not you again. What do you think you're doing?" Vivian said.

"That's something we should be asking you." Rukia said.

"It looks to us you're terrorizing poor Marill." Ichigo said. "It seems pretty obvious that Marill doesn't want to go with you."

"Who cares? Now get out of my way before things have to get ugly." Vivian said.

"I say it already did with that attitude of yours." Rukia said and Vivian took a high offense to that.

"That does it. Zebstrika, strike them down if you have to with Flame Charge." Vivian said. Zebstrika charged at all of them, but they were all able to move out of the way in time. "Now for that Marill." She was about to get it, but saw Marill was gone. "Where'd it go? Thanks a lot. Come, Zebstrika."

"Zebstrika." Vivian and her Zebstrika took off to continue finding that Marill.

"It's all clear. You can come out, Absol." Ichigo said. Absol came out from hiding and was protecting Marill the entire time.

"You poor thing. That mean girl has been hunting, hasn't she?" Orihime said as she held Marill.

"That was really bold of you, Orihime." Chad said.

"Chad's right with the way you just stepped up and get in Viviana's way." Rukia said.

"I probably shouldn't have, but I couldn't stand watching a sweet pokemon get captured by someone so mean." Orihime said.

"No. I think you did the right thing." Ichigo said. "No pokemon should belong to someone that's as rotten as that girl. Let's help Marill with its injuries. I think there's a pokemon center near."

"Right." Orihime said. All of them were caring for Marill as Orihime carried it. However, they didn't get to go very far as the Zebstrika came down and cut them off.

"You've got to be kidding me." Ichigo said and Viviana got in the way.

"Nice try. Now give me that Marill." Viviana said.

"Why do you want this Marill so badly?" Orihime said.

"Simple. It's cute and adorable and I want it for myself." Viviana said.

"Sorry, but I think its clear Marill doesn't want to go with you. So how about you just go find some different pokemon? Not that one would want to go with you." Ichigo said.

"No because I always get what I want and I want that Marill." Viviana said. "Zebstrika, get me that Marill." Zebstrika obliged and went to get Marill. Marill jumped out of Orihime's arms and used an Iron Tail attack on Zebstrika. Then, Marill shot it with a Water Gun. "Still feisty I see."

"It doesn't want to go with you so just leave it alone." Orihime said.

"Stay out of this. Zebstrika use Thunderbolt." Viviana said and Zebstrika unleashed the electric attack, but all of them avoided it.

"I've got to do something." Orihime said as she pulled out her pokeball. "Sylveon, stop them with Fairy Wind."

"Sylveon!" Sylveon came out and shot a sparkling gust of wind and hit Zebstrika.

"I told you to move out of the way." Vivian said. "Zebstrika use Flame Charge and then use Double Kick." Zebstrika charged in flames and slammed against Sylveon. Then, Zebstrika turned around and gave Sylveon a powerful kick twice. "Why are you even getting in my way?"

"Because Marill obviously doesn't want to go with you, but you don't seem to care what it wants." Orihime said. "I can't let Marill go with someone like you. Sylveon use Moonblast."

"Sylveon!" Sylveon unleashed the pink blast and hit Zebstrika.

"I keep telling you to get out of the way. Zebstrika use Thunderbolt again." Vivian said. Zebstrika unleashed the attack again and blasted Sylveon and Sylveon seemed to have taken a hard hit as it was taken down.

"Oh no! Sylveon!" Orihime said as she was concerned Sylveon was hurt.

"Now for that Marill." Vivian said, but she noticed that it was gone again. "Now where did it go? Stop getting in my way. Let's go, Zebstrika."

"Zebstrika." The two of them ran off and left the group worried for Sylveon and Marill.

"Is Sylveon okay?" Chad asked.

"Perhaps, but let's get to that pokemon center." Rukia said. Ichigo noticed that Orihime still seemed pretty upset.

"Orihime, Sylveon will be fine." Ichigo said.

"It's not just that." Orihime said. "I feel so bad for that Marill. Vivian just won't leave it alone."

"I know you hate it, but I doubt that girl is going to quit and we can't keep getting in her way." Rukia said. "We'll just have to hope for the best." Orihime didn't like it, but she gets it. Orihime reached for her bag, but she felt something was different.

"That's strange. My bag feels heavier." Orihime said. She opened it up and saw Marill was right inside.

"Marill!"

"Marill! Did you hide in there while I was battling?" Orihime said.

"Orihime, Marill seems to like you. If you want to keep Marill safe, why not just have Marill as your own pokemon?" Ichigo said and Orihime thought that was a great idea.

"Do you want to come with us Marill?" Orihime asked.

"Marill!"

"Yay!" Orihime said as she hugged her new Marill. "I have a Marill!"

With a kind and considerate heart, Orihime has won the affections of a Marill. With a new addition to her team, perhaps Marill will be a great use to her as the journey continues.

To Be Continued…