Hey guys, so I'm back with another update for PCJJ. So in this chapter Joey meets someone new and Rick makes a return. Quick side note, I didn't realize that Cyndaquil couldn't learn Headbutt... so yeah we're just gonna pretend that he was using Tackle the whole time. I don't know why, but I thought for sure I saw Ash's Cyndaquil use Headbutt somewhere in the anime. Same with Totodile, I'm switching the Headbutt attack from the first chapter to Scratch. I swear I've seen both of them use Headbutt.

Anyways, I don't own Pokemon. Enjoy.

Joey woke up to a knock on the door. Before he answered it he looked around the room to see that June and Eddie were still sleeping. He then looked at the clock that said 7:27. "I need to stop waking up so early," he yawned. He walked over to the door to open it. "Hello?" he found Nurse Joy smiling at him.

"Hi Joey, you have a call from Professor Elm."

"Okay," Joey replied and started walking to the TV phone in his pajamas.

What he saw was completely unexpected. On the screen was Professor Elm, whose hair was all greasy and in a mess, his shirt and lab coat were full of dirt and his glasses were uneven.

"Joey!" The professor exclaimed.

"Hi Professor Elm," he greeted.

"Quick are you in Violet City?"

"Um yeah, I just got my first Gym Badge yesterday."

"That's great Joey. Listen, do you know how I've been all out of sorts lately?"

"Yeah." He started to recall every time he had run into Professor Elm since his tenth birthday. Every time he seemed to be stressed.

"Well the reason I've been so stressed lately is because someone stole the Totodile that you were going to choose on your tenth birthday."

"What?!" this received some weird looks from the few people who were up at this time and stared at Joey who seemed to be the only one in his pajamas. "Who would steal a Pokemon?"

"That's what I thought. Anyways, I've been been hearing reports about a boy with red hair in a black track suit with a young Totodile stealing things like money, food wallets, and IDs. The last report was in Violet City, Joey I want you to keep a lookout for him. Turn him in to the police before this gets too out of hand."

"I will Professor. Goodbye."

"Goodbye Joey, good luck."

With that Joey hung up the call and walked back to his room to get ready for the day.

"Is everyone ready?" Joey asked the group as they walked out of door.

"Yep. Where are we going anyway," Eddie asked.

"Sprout Tower. We all need to train anyway. I figured this would be a great place."

"Who says I need to train," June stated. "My Pokemon have already saved your life and I've helped you with almost all your battles."

"Wait Joey, what is she talking about?" Eddie questioned.

"It's a long story."

Someone walking by caught Joey's eye, the spiked up dirty blonde hair, the black vest with the red undershirt, it had to be him, Rick.

"Rick!"

He turned around and saw Joey and his friends heading towards him. Wonder what they want, he thought.

"Hey."

"Where are you headed, Rick?"

"The Sprout Tower, I hear the monks in there are tough, a lot tougher than someone like you."

Joey tightened his fist. "I told you to stop calling me weak."

"I'll stop calling you weak once you prove to me you're not."

"Does this prove anything?" Joey showed Rick his Zephyr Badge, grinning.

"Oh, you got one too?" he showed Joey his badge. "How many tries did it take you to get that badge, 3?"

"No, I beat Falkner my first try with the Cyndaquil and Hoothoot you called weak."

"Then you must have battled his beginning team. I defeated his Pidgeot with Croconaw here," he replied and let out his starter Pokemon. It was no longer the small arrogant little blue alligator anymore. It was now a more intimidating creature that was bigger taller and had spikes on its tail.

Forgetting what Rick had just said he pulled out his Pokedex. "Crocanaw, the Big Jaw Pokemon. Water type. The tips of its fangs are slanted backward. Once those fangs clamp down, the prey has no hope of escape."

Rick then started walking away. "Hey wait up," Joey had called up with him.

"What do you want now?"

"Why don't we go to the Sprout Tower together?"

"I'd prefer not."

"Well too bad, today you're stuck with us," June chimed.

"Great."

When they arrived at the Sprout Tower, they were greeted by four monks.

"Hello." One of the monks greeted.

"Uh hi," Joey started. "We heard that we could train here."

"You heard correctly but to enter you must all defeat us."

"Okay," Joey was about to release Cyndaquil when Rick stepped in front of him.

"I'm going first," he stated.

"Fine then."

One of the monks stepped forward and released a Bellsprout.

"I've never seen this Pokemon before," Joey said as he pulled out his Pokedex.

"Bellsprout, the Flower Pokemon. Dual Grass and Poison types. Even though its body is extremely skinny, it is blindingly fast when catching its prey."

"This should be simple. Heracross go," Rick tossed out his pokeball and huge, blue flying beetle appeared in front of him.

"When did Rick get this Pokemon?" Again Joey pulled out his Pokedex and scanned Heracross.

"Heracross, the Single Horn Pokemon. Dual Bug and Fighting types. This powerful Pokémon thrusts its prized horn under the enemies' bellies then lifts and throws them."

"Bellsprout use Vine Whip," the monk ordered.

"Heracross catch it," Rick ordered. Heracross followed orders and grabbed the vine. "Now use Seismic Toss." Heracross tossed Bellsprout back and forth onto the ground. "Now let go and use Megahorn." Heracross let go of Bellsprout's vine and charged its opponent with its horn glowing. When it made contact Bellsprout was tossed into the air. When it landed it had swirls in its eyes indicating it was knocked out.

The monk returned Bellsprout, "You have defeated me. You may continue."

"Thank you," was all Rick said. He then started walking into the tower.

"Hey Rick," Joey shouted and Rick turned to face him. "Aren't you going to wait for us?"

"Why would I?" he then started walking back into the tower.

Joey stood there and watched Rick walk away. He tightened his fists when he all he was staring at was now the empty space where Rick was standing. What a jerk, I was just trying to be friends with him and then he blows me off like that, he thought. He was broken out of his trance when one of the monks spoke to him.

"Excuse me, but you cannot enter the tower until you defeat one of us," he stated.

"Okay then, I challenge you to a battle."

"Bellsprout, go," the monk released the Flower Pokemon in front of him.

"Cyndaquil come on out, and use Ember," Joey tossed Cyndaquil's pokeball out in front of him.

"Quil!" Cyndaquil spewed flames out of his mouth. The flames engulfed the Grass Type and knocked it out.

"Congratulations. You may now enter the tower," the monk said as he returned his Pokemon.

"Thank you, but I think I'll wait for my friends to gain entry."

"Joey, you don't wait for us. Go catch up to Rick. Reach the top of the tower," Eddie said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, now go," June encouraged.

"Okay, thanks guys," Joey said as he ran into the tower.

"Now Hoothoot use Peck," Hoothoot pecked its opponent again and again furiously. His opponent fell to the ground with swirls in its eyes.

"Bellsprout return, you may now reach the top floor," the monk said as he returned his Pokemon.

"Thanks. I'll be on my way," Joey said as he was going to the stairs two people yelled his name.

"Joey!" Eddie and June yelled in unison.

"Hey you guys made it."

"Yep, we'll try to make this battle quick," Eddie said as he pulled out Bulbasaur's pokeball.

"STOP!"

"Who was that?" Joey asked.

"That sounded like Master," the monk said worriedly.

"Come on, let's go!" Joey said as he started to run upstairs. As Joey got to the top of the stairs he ran into someone. He looked up to see Rick glaring daggers at him.

"What are you doing? Do you not now to look where you're going?"

"Sorry, I wanted to see what was going on. Do you know?"

"I just got here about five minutes ago and all I've seen is that red-haired kid yelling at the master," he pointed to a red-head boy wearing a black track suit who was standing by a Totodile, "he keeps asking about a TM."

"Hey that's gotta be the kid Professor Elm was telling me about. Wait, what's a TM?"

Rick sighed, "I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer."

"Hey, seriously what is it?"

"TM stands for Technical Machine. It's an object that can teach a Pokemon a new move," June answered. "Now what did the professor tell you?"

Joey told his friends and Rick about his conversation with Professor Elm earlier in the morning.

"So you're saying that that kid stole a starter Pokemon from the professor's lab?" Eddie asked.

Joey nodded. "We have to stop him."

"Haha! I've got it!" this got the attention of the group. The boy was holding to what seemed to be a CD. "Come on Totodile. Let's get out of here."

Joey, his friends and Rick all blocked the stairway from the boy.

"Stop!" Joey yelled.

The boy and Totodile stopped in front of them. Totodile stared Joey in the eyes with hatred. It charged at Joey with its claws glowing. Oh no, Joey thought. Totodile connected its Scratch attack and knocked Joey on his behind. "Yep that's definitely the one from the lab."

Before the boy and Totodile could continue Eddie got in front of them where Joey was standing before.

"Fine then," the boy said, "I'll make my own exit." He ran over to a pole and grabbed a rope out of his bag. "Totodile return," he returned his Pokemon and charged the window.

"What is he doing?" Rick yelled.

The boy broke through the window still holding onto the rope. Joey stood up and ran over to the now broken window to see what the boy was doing. The boy slid down the rope and landed in front of the entrance of the tower.

"Hurry up, Shane!" a familiar voice shouted at the boy. Joey looked to where the voice came from. He gasped when he saw Cassidy, Botch, and two other figures waiting by a black car with a red "R" on the side of it.

"Cassidy and Biff from Team Rocket," Joey growled in anger. "I should've known that this kid would be with Team Rocket."

"Joey, aren't those the two people who tried to kill you?" June asked.

Joey nodded. "I'm going after them," Joey grabbed onto the rope and slid down. He started running towards the road. Within his peripheral vision he saw a figure to the right of him. He looked to see Rick running beside him. "Rick? What are you doing?"

"Come on, even I'm not that cold-hearted to stop a criminal," he smiled.

Joey nodded. "Okay."

As Joey and Rick charged the road, the boy, recently discovered that his name was Shane, entered the car. As soon as they reached the sidewalk the car sped down the street.

"They got away," Joey sighed.

"Joey! Rick!" both boys turned around to see June, Eddie, and the master ran through the doorway.

"Where are they?" June asked.

"They got away," Joey put his head down.

Joey then felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see the Sage Master smiling at him. "Don't worry son, you did fine. All the sages want to thank you for trying to protect the tower. Here both of you please take these as a thank you," he held out to TM's in front of Joey and Rick. "It's the TM for Flash."

"Thank you," Joey and Rick said in unison. Although Joey had no clue what he would use Flash for, he was still grateful for the gift.

Joey turned his head to look at the now turning pink sky. "I think it's time to head back to the Pokemon Center," he said to June and Eddie.

"I'm going to head to Azalea Town now," Rick said. "I guess that's why I'll always be one step ahead of you," he said as walked away from the tower.

Joey and his friends walked away from the tower after saying good bye to the Sage Master.

"So who were those people?" Eddie asked as they walked towards the Pokemon Center.

"The kid is a thief who stole a Totodile from Professor Elm's lab," Joey answered.

"The blonde haired girl and the green haired guys are the people I saved Joey from," June added.

"I could've handled that myself," Joey said to June.

"You were on the ground almost passed out, and Cyndaquil, your only Pokemon at the time, was unconscious. There was no way you were going to get out of there alive without me," June snapped back. Joey just growled in anger.

"Um, okay. But who were the other two people?" Eddie furthered his question.

"No clue. All we know is that they're all a part of this evil gang called Team Rocket," Joey answered.

"Joey, what made you decide to call?"

"Hi Professor Elm. I wanted to tell you that I saw the red-haired kid today at the Sprout Tower," Joey answered.

"I saw the reports about that, but I didn't know you were there."

"Yep, he had Totodile and everything. We didn't find out much about him, but we did find out his name."

"Well, what was it?" Elm was almost standing on his chair trying to get the answer.

"His name is Shane and he's a part of Team Rocket."

"Well that proves he's a thief if he's from Team Rocket. But you didn't get a last name?"

"Sorry, that's all I've got."

"Well it's better than nothing. Goodnight Joey."

"Goodnight Professor."

And that concludes Chapter 8. I bet you didn't think I was gonna include Silver in this did you. The other two Rockets will be named later. In the next chapter Joey and friends will start their way towards Azalea Town.

Just to let you know, OCs are still open. Just check the first 2 chapters and I think the layout's in chapter 3.

I'm out, see ya.