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DISCLAIMER: I Do NOT own Pokémon.

Chapter 5: Mysterious Helper

September 1st Mid-afternoon

After grabbing a quick bite to eat, Sapphire checked on Momo at the pokemon center. According to Nurse Joy, there was nothing too serious. A short session in the healing machine returned the Minccino to her usual cheeky self. Momo grinned happily at her trainer to show that she was okay. Finally, it was time to head out once again.

Sapphire travelled north towards Violet City where her first gym was located. She planned to get there before nightfall. On the way, she trained Moro in the field so she could warm up for the impending battle. With eagerness to catch up with Toro and Momo, the Mareep worked really hard and managed to pick up new moves. It was because of her docile nature that made her learn so quickly.

The route to the next city was filled with trainer battles as well as Apricorn trees. After dealing with the fights, Sapphire decided to gather some more of the Johto-native fruits. Since she still had three slots to fill in her team, she thought they would be useful after they were crafted into pokeballs. Momo, however, was unhappy with what her trainer was doing. While Sapphire was plucking the apricorns from the trees, the red-eyed chinchilla just sat farther away and complained.

"Momo, I know ya have a grudge against apricorns, but that has nothin' to do with me." Sapphire spoke up with a hint of sarcasm. After collecting a couple more, she jumped down from the tree and stuffed them into her bag. A quick glance showed that the Johto berries were getting harder to pack.

"Hey, Momo. Help me organize my bag, will ya?" Sapphire called for her Minccino who grumbled a bit but came over nonetheless. Momo adjusted her glasses and inspected the pack. It was messy alright but that was where the finicky pokemon's expertise came in.

Momo quickly organized the bag and arranged Sapphire's belongings. The apricorns, however, were a problem. Whenever the Minccino laid eyes on them, she felt the horrible memory rush to her and she began fuming again. With aggravation reaching its pinnacle, she growled with exasperation and threw out all of the infernal berries, making Sapphire as furious.

"Momo, ya little-!" Sapphire grabbed her again before she could throw away the last apricorn. With an irritated expression, the blue-eyed teen looked at the scattered fruits, before turning her head to the Minccino. "Well? What do ya have ta say for yerself?"

Tossing away the remaining apricorn, Momo crossed her arms and turned her head in defiance. There was no use in scolding the rebellious chinchilla. As punishment, Sapphire just dropped her unexpectedly and completely ignored her. Momo landed on the hard ground with a soft thud. Her fur managed to lessen the impact of the landing but her nose was sore.

Sapphire scratched her head and wondered if there was an easy way to carry the apricorns. Nothing came to mind. She decided to gather them up and think of an alternative later. But when she turned to the scattered fruits, they were gone. All than remain was a white and yellow basket.

Sapphire looked around but saw no one. She came over to the mysterious container and opened it. Inside were the apricorns she had picked packed, arranged and well-organized. It was odd. Sapphire closed the box and shifted her attention from side to side again. Even with her keen senses, she couldn't detect anyone near her.

Curious about the thing her trainer was inspecting, Momo came over but with a sense of caution, in case Sapphire was still mad. She quietly came up from behind and tugged on her clothes. "Minccino?"

Sapphire turned towards her and asked, "Momo, did ya see the person who left this here?"

"…Mi?" Momo tilted her head in confusion. Sapphire guessed she was just as clueless as her. With no name labelled on the box and no person nearby, there was nothing more she could do. But at least now, she had a container to place her apricorns. Sapphire traveled further. According to her map, Violet City was not far ahead. She didn't feel tired at all. In fact, she felt even more eager to reach the city. Momo, on the other hand, was exhausted. She she hitched a ride on her trainer's shoulder to avoid more walking.

By the time the sun began to set, Sapphire arrived. It was a tranquil-looking city in the middle of wide acres of forests. The vivid orange hue of the dusk contrasted with the deep shade of the violet roofs as well as the verdant woods that grew all around. The buildings around her still retained the traditional style even the pokemon center's colors were changed to blend in with the place. One of the major sights that caught her clear blue eyes was the tall pagoda that stood proudly in front of a pristine lake.

It was truly a beautiful sight. If Ruby was there, he sure would have uttered those words over and over. But he wasn't. Sapphire could feel a slight pain in her chest as she wandered around the city. A little while later, she came across the gym. The sign outside read, "Falkner: The Elegant Master of Flying Pokémon."

Momo leaned from Sapphire's shoulder for a closer inspection. Sapphire got out Toro and Moro's pokeballs so they could have a look as well. After short moment to take it all in, Sapphire spoke up, "Tomorrow, we'll be getting our first badge. Ya guys do yer best, okay?"

Toro and Moro nodded in their pokeballs while Momo grinned and raised a thumbs up. They seemed as eager as the girl was. Sapphire took another moment to gaze at the building before walking away. It was time to rest. A big battle awaited them ahead.

Sapphire went to the pokemon center to heal her pokemon up as well as have dinner. She updated her father and friends on her journey. The communication device made it possible for them to see each other through a monitor as well. The ones she contacted were senior Red, senior Blue, Crystal and Platina. Red and the others were amazed how quickly Sapphire reached the city while Gold was surprised by the outfit his junior was wearing. He wasn't there at Pallet town with the others to send her off so he didn't get the chance to see it till now.

The golden-eyed Breeder was laughing his ass off. He never predicted the tough fanged wild girl would wear such girly colored clothes. Sapphire glared at her senior and told him that he'd better pray they wouldn't meet along the way because if they did, Sapphire would have kicked that ass off for him.

After the call, the blue-eyed trainer retrieved her pokemon from Nurse Joy and headed out the door, much to Momo's confusion. When Sapphire was about to exit, Momo stood in front of the door and intervened. "Mincci-Minccino…"

"Momo, we're not sleeping in the pokemon center. I already planned ta sleep outside."

"MI!? Minccino!" Momo protested. She recalled the times she tagged along with Sapphire in some of her camp outs. The cold hard dirt and the creepy sounds of bugs couldn't even begin to compare to the comfort of staying indoors with a nice soft bed and warm blankets. She extended her arms and waved them frantically in an effort to convince her trainer to stay.

Sapphire was not about to let the Minccino have her way all the time. She opened the door and walked across her. "Ya can stay here if ya want. Just don't go cryin' ta me if ya feel lonely."

"MI!?" Momo was faced with a hard decision. She looked back at the other trainers in the center with their pokemon. They were all staring at her strangely. There was no choice. She couldn't stay with a bunch of strangers. Momo bounded outside to catch up with Sapphire.

In a forest clearing, Sapphire was making campfire with Toro's help. Moro and Momo were gathering whatever twigs and branches that they could find. After collecting enough, they sat around and warmed themselves.

The starry sky above glistened like a Butterfree's Silverwind. The Hoothoots and Spinaraks were active in the nocturnal environment. Sapphire could hear their constant chattering in the shadows but she wasn't afraid. It was the opposite. The nature sounds of the night were like a lullaby to her. She stretched her arms and took out a hammock and a thick blanket.

After hanging it securely between two trees, she laid down and wrapped herself in the warm covers. The two balls of fluff got on the hammock as well, with the Blaziken's help. Toro leaned on the tree beside them and dozed off while watching the fire slowly die down to embers.

September 2

The pale golden sun began to rise above the horizon. The nightly sounds were replaced with the morning calls of the day pokemon. Fresh dew formed on the leaves and the flowers were gradually opening up. Their smells filled up the atmosphere.

Sapphire took a deep breath as she emerged from her slumber. Moro was already up when the girl opened her eyes. Her yellow orb flickered as it swayed from left to right on her tail. "Maa…"

"G'morning Moro." Sapphire rubbed her eyes and glanced at her other sleeping companion. Momo was still curled up like a ball and the look on her face seemed like she was having a nice dream. The shiny Mareep nudged her friend to wake up but the Minccino just brushed her away with her tail.

"Hey, Momo. Time ta get up!" Sapphire poked her sleeping pokemon's cheek. The same manner she does to wake Ruby up or at least annoy him. It had become a habit. Momo still didn't get up. But before Sapphire could do it again, a delectable aroma shifted her attention as well as Moro's. Momo also got a whiff and opened her eyes to find out what it was and where it came from.

They turned their heads to the origin and saw a small pot on top of the campfire they had set last night. Inside was a mouth-watering soup filled with various ingredients. There were also bowls and utensils at the side. It was another odd event and just like last time, there was no one around.

Moro and Momo jumped down from the hammock and sat in front of the pot to await their food. Sapphire glanced at her Blaziken who was still sleeping against the tree. "Hey Toro, did ya see anyone come by?"

The blaze pokemon woke up and stared at her trainer and then the pot where the delicious aroma was coming from. She stood up and shook her head at Sapphire. There were no answers yet again. Toro could have easily sensed anyone who came close but she didn't. Whoever gave her the basket and cooked the food was really good at hiding.

"Mincci!" Momo called out to Sapphire to come and eat. That was when the azure-eyed girl remembered. There was no time to find out who the mystery person was; today was her first gym battle.

Sapphire carefully inspected the contents. Her keen sense of smell didn't detect any poison. Seeing that it was safe, she filled each bowl and handed them to her three pokemon. The trio sounded in thanks and proceeded to dig in. Sapphire also ate her share. The food was delicious. The stranger was definitely a great cook.

After breakfast, Sapphire bathed in a nearby lake and got changed. Toro stood guard for her while Momo and Moro cleaned up the campsite. The pots and plates were washed and arranged. Sapphire returned and left a note for the person, telling him/her thanks.

Now it was time for her gym battle. Toro and Moro were returned to their pokeballs, and Momo hopped back on Sapphire's shoulder. They made their way to the Violet City gym and entered. The place was bigger than it looked. The brown-haired gym challenger stared at the battle arena situated on a platform high above her. Momo tilted her head upwards and almost flipped over.

"Welcome to the Violet City Gym." The referee greeted. He was man in the mid-forties. His hair was slightly bald and he wore glasses on his face. "Have you come to challenge Falkner?"

"Ya betcha!" Sapphire replied with fiery determination.

"Very well then."

All of a sudden the floor space that they stood on shook and began to slowly rise upwards. Momo stared down at the ground that was slowly getting father away. Her eyes widened as they got higher and higher. She held on tightly to Sapphire in case she would fall off.

"This gym used to belong to Master Walker, Falkner's father. But he hated staying in a single place too long. The man is just like the bird pokemon; always wanting to fly freely. His son inherited the place after he passed the Gym leader's qualification test. He has done a splendid job." The referee explained.

Hearing that Falkner was the previous gym leader's son made Sapphire remember Ruby again. She wondered if in the future Ruby would also become a gym leader like his dad or a contest coordinator like his master Wallace. Then again, Wallace is a top coordinator, a gym leader as well as the current Hoenn Champion.

When they reached the top, a young man greeted the Hoenn girl. He had violet blue hair and eyes, and wore a Haori and knee-length hakama in shades of blue. "Welcome, challenger. I am Falkner, the gym leader."

"Nice ta meet ya." Sapphire positioned herself at one side of the arena while Falkner stood at the opposite side. The surrounding walls of the gym were open and the cerulean sky was in plain view. The battle ground was wide and made of soft soil which made the brunette wonder why.

"It will be a two on two battle. Each side can switch their pokemon freely. The side whose pokemon faints first will lose." The referee announced.

"Are you ready?" Falkner raised a pokeball in his hand. Sapphire nodded and did the same.

"BEGIN!"

"Go Pidgeot!" Falkner threw the pokeball in the air and a large avian pokemon with a long saffron crest emerged.

"Alright, Moro. This is it," Sapphire whispered to the Mareep before she sent her out into the arena. The peach-colored sheep stood firmly as she eyed the flying pokemon with unwavering courage. Her tail light up brightly and sparks flew out.

"An electric pokemon. A pink one too -How cute." Even though it wasn't his style, Falkner couldn't help but chuckle. Sapphire clenched her fists. The femininity of her current appearance and team was completely not her fault but she doubted anyone would believe her especially when Momo was going to emphasize it further.

"Minccino!" Momo got out her fluffy pink pompoms and enthusiastically cheered for her friend.

Sapphire shrugged off the embarrassment and turned her full attention to the battle. "Moro, Use Electro Ball!"

The Mareep's tail quickly began to release multiple sparks, creating a golden yellow sphere of electrical energy.

"You really think just because of the type advantage that you will win?" Falkner grinned cunningly. "I'll show you the true magnificence of flying pokemon."

Moro fired the first attack but the bird pokemon gracefully dodged it. The Pidgeot circled around the arena with great speed as its eyes became fixated on the little sheep.

"Pidgeot, Double team!" The Gym leader commanded. The Avian pokemon's movements hastened and soon copies of it surrounded the Mareep in a circle, but Moro stood her ground and tried to find the real one.

Sapphire wasn't about to let that get in their way. "Moro, quickly use Discharge."

On cue, the shiny Mareep wrapped itself in blue electrical energy and released several bolts all around the arena. One by one, the copies of the Pidgeot began disappearing as they were hit with the attack. Finally one bolt struck the original, knocking the bird pokemon back and consequently erasing the remaining copies.

"Not bad. How about this?" Falkner signaled his bird pokemon. The Pidgeot understood and rapidly dove down towards the battlefield.

Sapphire sensed something was up. "Moro! Cotton Guard!"

The bird pokemon was fast as struck the ground with its claw and subsequently kicked clumps of mud at the electrical sheep, but Moro managed to put up a woolly defensive wall, shielding most of the super-effective blows. Sadly, that was not the end of it.

"Pidgeot, Whirlwind and follow up with a Wing attack!" Falkner exclaimed.

The bird pokemon blew away the Mareep's defenses, including the sheep pokemon itself. Then the Pidgeot followed its trainer's instructions and dealt the second attack, knocking the Mareep back even further. Both Sapphire and Momo called out to Moro with concern. Thankfully, the pink Mareep was still able to stand, but her fleece was covered in mud stains.

"Mincci!" Momo was furious. She threw away all her accessories and demanded that Sapphire should switch Moro with her. The girl had to agree with the Minccino this time. She returned Moro to her pokeball and Momo leaped unto the battlefield.

Falkner also recalled his Pidgeot and sent out his Skarmory. The armored bird sent out a screeching call as it ascended to the top of the battlefield. The circumstances looked bad. The bird was a steel-type and Momo was a normal-type. Still the red-eyed Minccino looked as if she didn't have any intention of backing down.

"Skarmory! Show them the true strength of bird pokemon." Falkner gestured to his second pokemon. With its beak glowing white, the steel bird zoomed down towards the Minccino.

"Momo, dodge!"

Sapphire carefully observed the on-going battle and busily devised a plan while the Skarmory let loose a barrage of Fury attacks against the furry gray chinchilla. Time was running but luckily Momo was quick on her feet as well as her wits. She evaded the attacks nimbly and agilely but there were plenty of close calls especially when the Skarmory's big metal beak struck the ground and scattered dirt in the air, making it hard to see.

Sapphire finally thought of a plan but she needed Falkner to switch back his Pidgeot. She will just have Momo do something in order for the Skarmory to be unfit to battle properly. "Momo, use Swagger!"

Momo turned around and winked at her trainer. That was when Sapphire noticed the Skarmory's eyes were already red and it continued thrashing about. The Minccino had already accomplished the attack during the struggle.

Sapphire smiled. "Okay Momo, follow up with yer specialty!"

"Skarmory! Get it together!" Falkner yelled but it was a moment too late. By the time the red glow in the metal bird's eyes faded, pink hearts showered all around with another charming wink from Momo. Now the steel avian was infatuated with the Minccino.

Seeing the state his pokemon was in, Falkner recalled his Skarmory and sent out his Pidgeot again. Momo scampered back to Sapphire's side as the teen sent out her Mareep.

"This again?" Falkner couldn't believe the challenger was going to use the little pink sheep for another time after the damage it received. But it was no time to dwell on his opponent's tactics. It was an opportune time to finish things. "Pidgeot! Use Gust."

Nothing happened. Falkner turned to his bird pokemon and realized it was paralyzed. "When did that—"

"During the Wing attack when it struck Moro." Sapphire answered before he could finish his question.

Falkner remembered the Static ability of the electrical type. He cursed under his breath for his carelessness. He had an option to switch it back with Skarmory or hope that it could force through the paralysis. But there was no time to choose anymore.

"Moro, give it all ya've got! Electro ball! Sapphire shouted and Moro conjured up the biggest ball of yellow lightning that it could muster and flung it towards the opponent. The Pidgeot couldn't evade it and was struck with the full blast of the attack, knocking it unconscious.

"The winner is the challenger, Sapphire Birch from Hoenn." The referee announced.

Momo picked up her pompoms again and cheered happily. Sapphire bounded towards Moro and gave her a big hug. "Ya won yer first ever gym battle. Isn't that awesome, Moro?"

"Maa!" Moro baaed and her tail lit up, consequently shocking Sapphire for the second time and making her hair messy. The wild girl was too happy to worry about it, unlike Momo who charged at the two with brushes in both paws instead of pompoms.

After Momo finished with Sapphire, she proceeded to clean Moro but with caution and care as to not end up like her trainer. While the two fluff balls were taking their time, Falkner came over from his side and handed Sapphire the Zephyr badge.

"Congratulations."

Sapphire gladly accepted it and stared at her first Johto league badge. It was white and shaped like a pair of wings. Part of her was overjoyed but the other part was wishing that Ruby was there to see her at that moment. She forced a smile so that Falkner wouldn't wonder why she looked sad. "Thanks. That was a great battle."

"Yes, it definitely was. I wish you well on your journey." Falkner smiled back.

An hour later, Sapphire came out of the pokemon center after getting Moro and Momo healed. It was onward to the next gym located in Azalea Town but according the Falkner, Sapphire still had to drop by the Bellsprout Tower and get the TM Flash. She predicted that she'd have to battle some more but that was no problem.

Sapphire along with Moro and Momo trailing at either side, entered the violet-roofed pagoda. The tall structure was made of wood and the middle stood a large pillar that swayed from side to side, making the fuzzy duo dizzy. The pink Mareep followed the movement and accidentally tipped over on her side while Momo fainted due to the lightness in her head.

Sapphire puffed air out her nostrils and gave a small giggle. She returned Moro back to her feet and carried Momo in her arms. The two already did their share of battling. The Hoenn lass thought that Toro was enough to handle the rest.

But before she could climb up to the second floor, a monk called out to her. "Excuse me; if you are looking to battle the people here for the TM, there is no need."

The monk's words made Sapphire confused. "Why's that?"

"All of the monks have just been recently defeated. They are now resting their pokemon. And seeing that Zephyr badge on your bag means you are already quite a strong trainer." The Monk pointed out as he handed the Technical Machine to the girl.

"Defeated? By who?"

"I apologize but I didn't see who it was. I was outside cleaning the grounds. I was only told to give the TM for the time-being."

Sapphire was disappointed that there were no more battles but at least it gave her more time to get to the next town. It was another strange occurrence in her favor. Somehow a mysterious stranger keeps helping her out but the reason as to why was completely unknown.

After teaching Moro the TM Flash and returning her to the pokeball, Sapphire headed out towards the south and saw groups of scientists investigating an area. One of them looked really familiar. Sapphire followed them and came across a system of ruins. The brunette wandered around a bit and saw the person that she was looking for.

"Senior Crystal!" Sapphire called out as she ran towards her.

The twin-tailed girl turned around and was surprised to see her junior. "Sapphire? What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way ta Azalea when I thought I saw ya. I wanted to drop by and see what's up." Sapphire replied.

"I see. You're heading to Azalea. That means you got your first badge." Crystal's face flickered with expectation to see the badge.

"Ya betch'a!" Sapphire turned around and flashed the white winged object attached on her bag.

Crystal felt thrilled about her junior's accomplishments. Yesterday, the Hoenn teen was just starting out and now she was on her way to get the second badge. "That Mareep must have been a real help."

"Moro was great!" Sapphire beamed with pride.

"Mincci!" Momo raised a paw and spoke up from behind Sapphire's shoulder. She was beginning to think that her trainer was leaving out her contribution to the battle.

"Yeah Momo, ya did great too." Sapphire admitted as she patted the Minccino's head.

"Since you're here Sapphire, why don't you help me with my work at that ruin over there?" Crystal gestured to a structure that almost seemed like a cavern except for the brick entrance and weird-looking carvings. Wanting to assist her senior as well as satisfy her own curiosity, Sapphire agreed.

The ruins were very old. The cracks on the walls and the weeds growing everywhere made it obvious; not to mention the smell. Momo hopped down from her trainer and covered her nose. The place was dusty and absolutely filthy in her opinion. The two dexholders gazed at the strange hieroglyphics etched on the sides of the place.

Sapphire was somehow regretting in helping out. Crystal said that the Unown Alphabet was much like the regular one but still the wild girl couldn't make out a single word. Reading normal writing was hard enough though Ruby tutored her frequently in that subject; she was still getting the hang of it.

Crystal was deeply engrossed in dusting off some of the ancient lettering and writing down what words she could decipher. Sapphire looked around to find something else she could help out with. That was when she found Momo brushing the dirt off of some flat rocks that she found lying around in the middle of the area.

Sapphire came over and crouched down beside her Minccino. At least, Momo's being useful, she thought. The girl gave a heavy sigh, seeing that she was no use in situations like these. Momo picked up the strange stones and gave them a good sweep before placing them in cavities that seem to fit the slates together like a puzzle piece.

After a few minutes, she was down to the last fragment. But there was a slight problem. It belonged on the top portion and the Minccino was too small to reach even when she tried mimicking a Sentret by balancing on its tail; it was no use.

Frustrated, Momo gave up trying and pestered Sapphire to put it up for her. She handed the piece over and gestured to the very top of the wall. The brunette gave a small smile as she placed the stone on its proper position. Even if it was a really small job, she was glad that she could help.

*rumble*

All of a sudden the ruins began to shake.

"Hey what's happenin'?" Sapphire tried to keep her balance as she tried to figure out why the place was trembling.

Crystal turned to Sapphire and Momo. That was when she saw that they pieced together a puzzle that resembled a Kabuto. "Sapphire!"

The Hoenn dexholder turned to her senior and in a split-second, the rumbling stopped.

*click*

"Mi?"

"Eh?"

The floors opened up from below Sapphire and Momo and the two fell down into the dark hole.

End of Chapter 5

A Minccino's moves are so damn limited! Dx

It just hit me that I need to make Seven more gym battles. *O*

Anyway tell me what you guys think so far...

I wanted Moro to stay a Mareep for a while longer or else it would be too fast.

Mystery person! Stalker much? ehehe..

Anyway Review! I'd love to hear what you guys think of the fanfic.

Dead Bones Sam: Thanks for reviewing!

Facelessclocks: You'll find out in the next chapters. I'll just include Ruby in the character lists so it would be easier for people to encounter the fanfic. =D