Once again, thanks for comments!

This might be mildly amusing: I used to think Union Cave was called Onion Cave. I dunno why, but it makes me crack up since I've been calling it that until a year ago. lol

And it might be just me... but Bugsy seems to be trying to break the fourth wall, huh?

Chapter 21
Mystery & Double Battle!

Marina sat stiffly at the bank of a small stream, a luminous sunlight blurring her surroundings with a brilliant radiance. A small, clear river sparkled at her feet, but no matter how deeply she peered at her reflection, the clean water failed to clearly mimic her. Dulled by a fatigue, she staggered in dizziness. In the lush forest of cherry blossom trees, the vague figures of animals watched her, and she could hear their soft greetings from afar.

A heavy shadow overtook the heavenly rays that shone upon her, and she turned. The tall being standing beside her gently moved down to her level, and its crimson-burgundy hair nearly flipped into her face. A pair of silver-colored eyes stared directly into hers.

"Here," a mature voice spoke.

Staring in awe at the creature, Marina caught the old, green-white sphere in her hands. She glanced down at it, at the item resembling a Poké Ball; at the light yellow N carved into the smooth surface.

"...is called a Neo Ball," he told her, but she was unable to make out what he had said completely. "Keep it with you...It contains your guardian that...cannot see it."

Still staring into those deep, bright eyes, Marina could do nothing but nod even as the said Neo Ball glittered in her grasp—and a beautiful voice fluttered into her mind.

"Are… you…Maya…?"

Marina then woke up with a start, puzzled by such an odd dream.

The early sun had already risen over Azalea Town, where some of its citizens were strolling about the dirt streets or working in their yards. They looked around their seemingly peaceful town, as if self-conscious or concerned about some unspoken worry. Such a thing would be unnoticeable to Azalea's visitors such as Marina, who stepped out of the Pokémon Center with a carefree yawn. She took a glance around, grinning, and stretched as far as she could reach the sky.

"Alright," Marina said, smiling. "Let's see if I can win my badge too!"

Sporting her pink backpack, she skipped down the street, making a beeline down the path she had seen Bugsy take to his Gym. The sleepy summer warmth slipped passed her without causing her the slightest bit of discomfort. On her stroll, she passed by a young girl who surveyed the ground.

"Slowpoke? Slowpooooke?" she called.

At this, Marina looked over her shoulder, watching the silly child turn a corner out of her sight. "…A Slowpoke?" She tilted her head.

Is she looking for one? How can you lose a Slowpoke? They're not very fast. Shrugging off the thought, Marina continued toward the dome-shaped Pokémon Gym. She eyed the great glass roof and the many windows as she made it to the front, entering through the door.

A thick layer of humidity slapped her face like a wet blanket. She blinked in surprise and proceeded to take off her jacket and tie it around her waist, looking around at the vines that painted the walls with a fresh green hue. Vividly-colored flowers grew in pots lining the walls, and a large oak tree grew at the very center of the greenhouse.

But when gazing at the tree, she also spotted a group of Trainers, many she had seen the day before. They appeared unhappy, pouting at the older boy that had his back to Marina. At the same time she recognized his long crimson hair, he turned to her wearing his all too typical glower.

"Silver! What are you doing here?" asked Marina as she walked further inside.

"What do you think? I'm waiting," the boy replied impatiently, "I defeated these wimps again, and I still end up waiting for the Gym Leader... I hate having to wait." He added the last sentence sharply in his spite.

Marina's eyebrows rose. 'Again'? Does that mean Jackson wasn't here yesterday? Then again, he didn't brag about getting a Gym Badge.

She again questioned him, "So you battled Bugsy yesterday?"

"Obviously," he muttered. His eyes shifted attentively over her shoulder. Marina, blinking, looked behind her just as the glass door clicked and creaked open.

Two men cloaked in black uniforms shuffled inside sneakily despite all the eyes that stared upon their entry. A bright red "R" prominently displayed on their shirts, which they seemed to take every opportunity to show off. The shady pair snickered at the young children before them.

Silver's scowl deepened.

"Just a couple of brats?" one murmured, loudly without concealing his disappointed voice.

"Not that it makes any difference," the other replied with a dark frown, "Looks like the Leader's M.I.A."

After taking a look at the Gym again, the first man sighed and twisted his face in a comical manner. "Come on! There's no reason to come here if the Gym Leader's gonna pop up and catch us by surprise!"

"He needs to do his job better." His partner turned to the young Pokémon Trainers, specifically Marina and Silver, who were the tallest of the bunch. His gloved hand slickly reached for one of the Poké Balls attached to his gray belt, and a wicked smile struck his face. "Don'tcha think so too, kiddies?"

Marina faced them as she heard the frightened, hushed murmurs of the children behind her. Managing a fearless frown, she put her hands on her hips. "What do you think you're doing?"

The two callous men stared at her silently at first, but then burst out in hoarse laughter in mockery of her actions, making her courageous face falter.

"Hahaha! Acting all tough, pipsqueak?"

"Who are you guys?" she asked, raising her unsteady voice.

Releasing a cocky chuckle, the younger man followed suit in his partner's gesture. "You don't know who we are, you pigtailed brat?" With a flick of his wrist, he gripped his Poké Ball and advanced toward her, laughing again as Marina took a skittish step back. "You've got some nerve!"

What are these guys after? Bugsy? Why? Marina quickly fiddled with her own Poké Ball containing her Quilava, squeezing it tight. Her free hand quivered, and she stood frozen on the spot. What should I do? They look shady…are they robbers?

A flicker of long crimson strands whipped in the corner of her eye, and before she could blink the red-haired boy shielded her from the sight of the two threatening men.

Marina jolted with a start, staring at his back. "Silver?"

"Get back," he muttered quietly, reaching into his jacket pocket.

"H...huh? W-What did you say?" Marina stuttered before she could catch herself.

Scowling in irritation that she didn't hear him, Silver shot her a fierce glare. Marina's false impression of confidence gave way and she looked back at him, fragments of fear shimmering in her eyes. Silver's reticent stare lessened in intensity, but he still wore a serious scowl.

"I said stand back. Don't get in my way."

Speechless, Marina nodded and retreated, joining the group of little Trainers that stared with wide eyes. She still held King's Poké Ball as she too watched on with concern. As soon as she stepped back, Silver turned back to the two men.

"Humph. Don't tell me, you're from Team Rocket?" he asked, nearly in a growl.

One of them grinned. "Sweet, someone remembers us!" However, his bright expression vanished the instant his conspirator sent him a disproving look. He rubbed the back of his neck as his eyes shifted the other way. "I'm glad someone remembers after three years of being disbanded..."

"Nonetheless," the other snapped, "We're going to take control of this Gym. You'd be wise to cooperate; else we can't guarantee the safety of you or those brats over there." He smirked at Marina, who flinched in discomfort but glared back the best she could, causing him to snicker.

"Tch. As if you could be strong enough to even defeat me in the first place," Silver spat in disgust. "All of you are so weak that it makes me sick."

"What'd you say, you little...!"

"What's going on here?"

Everyone once again whirled to the front door, which was now propped open. Azalea's purple-haired Gym Leader stood behind the men in black uniform, his arms crossed. He wore a demanding stare that seemed out of place on his youthful face. Beside him, his agile Scyther had slid into its stealthy fighting pose.

The shady men leaped in their surprise, and Silver sneered as he saw them scramble and manage a pair of sketchy smiles.

"Nah, nothing's happening at all, Mr. Gym Leader! Nope! No Gym takeover happening here! So we're gonna go now! Hehe!"

"You idiot, you're making it too obvious! Just shut up and run!" At that, they tumbled after each other as they fled outside. Bugsy merely watched them leave, even when they vanished from sight.

Marina smiled, and her pent-up anxiety was alleviated. Sighing, she rushed past Silver to reach the violet-haired boy. "Bugsy!"

Turning to her, he raised his eyebrows, and his dark expression melted away. "Oh, you're here? Nice to see you again. Are you all right?"

"Mm hm! I'm so glad you chased those bad guys out of here!"

"I didn't even do anything though," the boy laughed. "But don't worry about that.

"Since you're here, are you challenging me already?" He turned to her with a positive air, unfolding his arms and making his usual friendly smile. His eyes shifted to Silver, who glared at him with a simple annoyance. "The both of you?"

"Yup," answered Marina, nodding.

"Sorry for making you wait, again," he added the "again" in Silver's direction, "We hardly have challengers this early."

"Bugsy! Bugsy!" The children called as they ran toward him in a similar fashion that Marina had, encircling him in a swarm.

"What is it?"

"Shoot, you saw! Those crazy guys wearing those black clothes!" exclaimed a young boy clinging to his bamboo net.

"They came again, being all scary!" another youngster said, exasperated.

"...Again?" Bugsy frowned.

"Don't you remember? It happened last week! I really think they wanna take over the Gym!"

"It was scary!" the twins cried out simultaneously.

"That's silly." Bugsy reassured them with a light grin. "They won't take over the Gym, and I'll be here to stop it if they do. Now your Pokémon need to be healed, right?"

The children were placated by his words, nodding faithfully. One by one they filed out of the Gym, clinging onto their Poké Balls as they left toward the Pokémon Center. Bugsy saw them off and closed the door once they were gone.

He turned around and seemed amused by the two young Pokémon Trainers left before him; there was azure-haired Marina who smiled at him cheerfully, and redheaded Silver who glared at him impatiently.

"Let's get back to the challenge, shall we?" Bugsy announced.

"Finally," uttered Silver.

Marina held her hands behind her, sighing to release the rest of her previous anxiety. She looked back at the redhead. "So who goes first?"

"If you want, the two of you can battle me at the same time," said Bugsy, trailing toward the middle of the building with his Scyther. Marina, though puzzled, followed him alongside Silver, who showed not a hint of interest.

"How do we do that?" she asked.

"Simple. You two can use one Pokémon and I'll use two," Bugsy explained with informative optimism, "You and Silver can work together to defeat me. It's called Double Battling."

"Double Battling?" Marina tilted her head, but snapped her fingers the instant she recalled the phrase. "I remember hearing about that a few times! I heard it's popular in the Hoenn and Sinnoh regions!"

"Never heard of it," Silver said flatly.

"Oh," she turned to him, "But it'll be so much quicker!"

"Rivals," his sharp silver eyes slid toward her, "don't work together."

"Rivals?" Bugsy repeated the word and slowed to a stop. "You two are rivals?"

Glancing at Silver, who rolled his eyes, Marina turned to the purple-haired Gym Leader and made a lighthearted shrug. "I guess so?"

"Yes," answered the redhead in a grumble. "Unfortunately."

"Wait, so we really are?" She returned her gaze to him, staring in surprise that turned into joy. "I guess it makes sense. Wow, I've already got a rival!"

Silver only glared at the Gym's foliage and asked, "When are we going to start the battle already?"

"Right now, if you're ready." Bugsy pointed toward the large rectangular battle area, which, much like in Violet's Gym, was outlined cleanly in white paint. Unlike it, however, this field was filled with a layer of ankle-high grass with the giant oak at the very middle. "You two can take this side of the arena, and I'll take the other."

"Alright!" confirmed Marina with a swift, comprehending nod. "This'll be fun! I've never battled like this before!"

"Hold it." Silver turned to her, who faced him happily. "I never said that—."

The girl silenced him by grabbing his arm and dragging him along. When they arrived at the closest end of the battlefield, she let go and began pondering a strategy, oblivious to her rival's vexed stare. She looked down and prodded three of the Poké Balls on her belt.

I guess King and Kenya are the best choices for this battle... and I trained everyone best I could while we trained in Ilex Forest, she pondered, But I haven't used Misdreavus in a real battle yet, so maybe I should give her a chance?

Making a decisive nod, the girl grasped Misdreavus's glossy Poké Balland removed it with care. She grinned and held it firmly in her palm before pressing the button at its center to enlarge it.

This'll be a good battle, Misdreavus! We'll make Chris proud!

"Hey, Silver." Marina turned, smiling slightly as she asked, "Which Pokémon are you going to use?"

Silver looked up from his own Poké Ball that he held. Irritation still gleamed in his irises, though the girl Trainer stared back without corrupting her innocent expression. It seemed obvious to her now that scowling was Silver's default expression, so it did not bother her as much as it once had.

"Not like it matters, it'll win as long as your weak Pokémon doesn't screw up," he claimed arrogantly.

"Geez." She exaggerated a brief sigh, putting her hands on her hips. "I'll have you know that my Pokémon aren't weak; you've seen it for yourself! You are my rival, after all."

"Humph."

Marina giggled silently. Movement in the corner of her eye caused her to face the field, where two of the Gym Leader's Pokémon spread out around the tree. One was Bugsy's Scyther, while the other was a large, yellow bee that hovered through the humid air.

Silver swiftly threw his Poké Ball, and Marina followed suit. Appearing beside the proper ghost Pokémon was a small black Pokémon resembling a lean Doberman pup. It bared its intimidating set of canines, adding onto the many bones that could also be seen protruding purposefully from its back, ankles, and forehead.

Curiosity and excitement shimmered in Marina voice as she exclaimed, "Wow, a Houndour!"

But both it and her Misdreavus looked at Bugsy's Pokémon and then each other. With four Pokémon total in the arena, they appeared perplexed at the situation.

Silver crossed his arms begrudgingly. "What a pain... Houndour, for now, work with that Misdreavus," he informed, quite bitter.

"And the same goes for you, Misdreavus! Beedrill and Scyther are your enemies over there!" Marina added toward Misdreavus, who nodded in agreement, as the girl reached into her backpack to retrieve her Pokédex.

"That again?" Silver asked, glancing.

"Yup. I do it every time I see a Pokémon I haven't seen yet." Marina grinned as she opened the protective covers of the electronic encyclopedia and faced it toward both Houndour and then Beedrill. Reviving from its sleep, the crimson device recited information flawlessly.

"Houndour, the Dark Pokémon. Type: Dark/Fire
Houndour uses different kinds of roars for communicating with others of its kind for pursuing prey and checking each other's location. Around dawn, its ominous howl can be heard echoing through the area to announce its territory.

"Beedrill, the Poison Bee Pokémon. Type: Bug/Poison
Beedrill has three poison barbs, enabling it to take down any opponent with its powerful poison stingers. The large barb on its tail secretes the most powerful poison. Beware: Beedrill sometimes attack in swarms."

"Oh! I forgot to check Misdreavus's data too!" Marina caught herself before putting her Pokédex away, pointing it at Misdreavus. She laughed at Silver, who rolled his eyes as it again spoke.

"Misdreavus, the Screech Pokémon. Type: Ghost
Misdreavus is a mischievous Pokémon; it loves to scare people. It plays tricks such as bite and yank people's hair, wailing loudly, or appearing suddenly just to see their shocked reactions."

My Misdreavus isn't like that at all, is she? Marina reflected, looking at her Pokémon that floated with a content and serious stare. She has a totally different personality.

"Okay then, let's start," Bugsy stated as Marina put away the red device. "Drill, Scythe, both of you use Fury Cutter! Avoid close contact with Houndour!"

The Beedrill and Scyther took off into the air, erupting in an incessant buzzing sound. Marina and Silver's Pokémon cautiously watched and listened as their Trainers called out their orders.

"Misdreavus, dodge it!"

"Ember on both of them!"

Houndour barked and shot fireballs at the bug Pokémon. At once, the Beedrill sputtered and fell when the Ember attack struck it, the barrage barely scorching Misdreavus as she and Scyther ascended.

"Hey, don't hit Misdreavus too!" Marina exclaimed.

Silver snorted. "I told you not to get in the way."

"But we're on the same side!"

Trying not to notice their bickering, Bugsy looked back and forth between his Pokémon; his Scyther was avoiding Misdreavus's multi-colored rays of energy—Psybeam—with relative ease, while his desperate Beedrill flew about with steam spilling from its burn wounds.

"Drill, fire Poison Sting on Houndour! Scythe, Fury Cutter on Misdreavus!" he ordered.

Silver immediately turned his attention back onto the battle. "Ember whatever's in your path!"

His Houndour shuffled in the grass, dodging and taking a couple of hits from the poison daggers that the Beedrill fired from its stingers. It fought back with another blazing flurry of fire, which its opponent was quick to flee from only to be again caught in the blaze. Houndour continued its attack relentlessly until the sputtering, smoking bee dropped to the ground.

Bugsy grimaced slightly, but was quick to recall his Beedrill. "Return, Drill!" His crimson eyes darted upward at his aerial Scyther. "Change direction, Scythe! Fury Cutter on Houndour!"

"Misdreavus, Psybeam!" Marina called to Misdreavus.

"Muu!" Misdreavus's shining eyes spout out another ray of energy at Scyther, again missing her target at Scyther's extreme agility. It dove and turned into a buzzing green blur as it slashed its sickles at Houndour, knocking the canine off its feet.

"Ember!" Silver commanded.

Houndour ducked and narrowly avoided another slice from its opponent. Snarling, it huffed and fired its attack even as Scyther twisted and maneuvered every fragment of fire.

Marina watched this with a frown, and turned to Misdreavus, who did the same. "Misdreavus, try to use another Psybeam!"

The little ghost Pokémon glanced at her with a skeptical eye, unmoving. She suddenly dived, her string of crimson pearls clacking as she fluttered in front of Houndour in time to brace a sharp strike from Scyther.

Marina gasped, calling out, "Misdreavus!"

A light murmur escaped Misdreavus, and she glared spitefully with a flickering power emanating from her. Scyther halted when it caught onto the glower, shivering, but it proceeded to fly across the Gym agile as ever.

"Muu," Misdreavus muttered. She turned to Silver's Houndour, murmuring quietly in its spiked ear. Houndour eyed her strangely, but at its nod, she took to the air again.

Silver raised a disapproving eyebrow. Beside him, Marina blinked in confusion. Noticing this, the red-haired boy merely sighed a "humph" and crossed his arms.

"Um...Misdreavus, Psybeam!" Marina ordered, though somewhat uncertainly. At once, Psybeams flew from Misdreavus, who darted in pursuit of Scyther; the girl smiled in return.

"Ignore it! Finish off Houndour with Fury Cutter!" Bugsy exclaimed soon afterward.

Scyther, nimbly evading most of the multi-colored rays, lurched downward and cut through the air once again, outrunning Misdreavus. The black and brown puppy faced the green bug Pokémon, fiercely bearing its teeth.

"Don't stand there! Ember it to a crisp!" snapped Silver.

Houndour twitched at the command and dug its claws into the earth. The grass ripped beneath its feet, and it broke into a run across the field. Scyther took a sharp turn to follow, but Misdreavus cut in its path, flashing a violet ray of light from her eyes. The shrieking Scyther fumbled to a stop, its pupils shrunken in panicked disarray.

"Oh, that was a Confuse Ray!" Marina called out, surprised.

"Muu!" Her Misdreavus nodded toward her canine comrade. In turn, Houndour lowered its brown muzzle, kindling heat in its breath as Misdreavus charged a Psybeam in Scyther's direction. The Mantis Pokémon, wobbling cumbersome steps and shifting its eyes in a dizzy and unfocused manner.

"Return, Scythe!"

The preparations of the Pokémon's attacks halted prematurely before launch, when the confused green Pokémon dissipated in the warm red glow.

Bugsy, smiling in satisfaction, lowered the Poké Ball that consumed his Scyther. "That's enough. I think the two of you already won!" he called to the Trainers from across the Gym.

"Really?" Marina asked him, a little astonished. Beside her, Silver stared at the Gym Leader, skeptical and perhaps a little disappointed.

"Sure!" Walking across the grassy plain, Bugsy continued, "I can tell that the battle was over; my Scyther was close to fainting."

"Wow! That was almost easy!" The blue-haired girl cast a quick, bubbly glance at Silver. "Your Houndour was pretty strong. But my Misdreavus didn't get in the way, either! She's clever, huh?"

With a giggle, she skipped toward the ghost, who watched with blatant indifference as Marina grabbed the Pokémon in a tight embrace. "Good job, Misdreavus!"

"Congrats," praised Bugsy with a grin once he got close enough to her. "You both worked great!"

"Thanks!" Marina exclaimed. "I got Misdreavus from my brother, so I knew she'd do well!"

"Muu," uttered Misdreavus, wriggling in her grip.

Bugsy's crimson eyes glistened at the girl's radiating enthusiasm. Amiably, he nodded. "I thought so, Aur..." Then, after a pause, he seemed to flinch and then added with haste, "You have a lot of faith in your Pokémon, I mean! It seems I have much to learn still, about my bug Pokémon."

Laughing, Marina nodded too. "Mmhm! Your Scyther is still so amazing, though! It must've been hard keeping track of two of your Pokémon at once."

"Well," the boy shrugged cheerfully, "That's what makes Double Battles interesting."

Silver glowered at them both and returned his Houndour as swiftly as he had released it. With a tilt of his head, he flicked a lock of his long scarlet hair out of his eyes. "Sure, the stupid Misdreavus didn't get in the way," he muttered under his breath, "but she did. Even her Pokémon saw that."

With reluctance, he trudged over to them. Marina looked over her shoulder and smiled widely in excitement of their victory, but Bugsy glanced at him with a peculiar expression. An odd millisecond of silence passed, and Bugsy reached into the chest pocket of his vest. From it, he pulled out two red, round badges dotted with black spots reminiscent of ladybugs. He handed one to each Trainer before him.

"Here, this is the Hive Badge of Azalea, proof that you've beaten Azalea's Gym Leader. You definitely deserve it!" he said.

"Whatever," Silver remarked as he snatched the pin from him. He took out a chrome case from his jacket pocket and placed it inside, snapping the lid shut.

Marina, in the meantime, pinned her Hive Badge to her jacket collar beside the Zephyr Badge of Violet City. A warm grin continued to tug at her cheeks. Giving another thanks to Misdreavus before recalling her, Marina turned back to Bugsy. "Thank you!"

Shaking his head, Bugsy corrected, "You've earned it, really. I suppose you're going to Goldenrod City next?"

"Yup, I am."

"That's good..." Bugsy trailed off, looking at the large oak tree behind him. Suddenly, he held up a green PokéGear. "Would you like my PokéGear number? I work part-time in the Ruins of Alph, and I discover a lot of interesting things there."

"Really? That's so cool! I haven't had the chance to go there yet, but my brother got really into that stuff when he became a Trainer." At once, Marina grabbed her own PokéGear. "I don't mind if we trade numbers. I'll tell you if I see any interesting Bug-type Pokémon!"

"Alright then, it's a trade." The young Gym Leader waited and, after a few beeps, he quickly put his portable phone away.

Marina stared down at her own PokéGear, letting it dangle from her neck. A memory of the dream she had that morning suddenly teased her mind. She turned to Silver, who was heading toward the exit. She stared at his shoulder-length crimson hair before speaking up.

"Hey, Silver!" she called out. Silver stopped, though it took him a second longer to turn around, throwing another impatient glare her way.

"What?" he demanded.

Marina took off her backpack, impulsively replying; "Hold on!" as she opened the smallest front pocket of the pink back. Her gentle hand reached inside, and she made her way over to him. Though a little hesitant at first, she held out her hand and opened it, revealing the pastel green Neo Ball.

"Have you seen this Poké Ball before?" she asked.

Silver scrutinized it silently for a good ten seconds; whether in curiosity or just plain staring, Marina couldn't tell. "No, I haven't. What of it?"

"Oh. Well..." She lowered her arm, pulling the ball back to her. Shaking her head and smiling, she turned and stuffed it back into her knapsack. "It's nothing, I was just wondering," she laughed.

Silver's eyes bore into her back, but only for a moment. He shrugged. "Whatever," he uttered as he turned and left, the glass door closing with a snap.

Zipping up her bag, Marina put it back on and looked at Bugsy. "I'll be going now."

The boy stared at her peculiarly, his eyes somewhat wide, but he was quick to recover. "Yeah. All right."

"...What is it?"

"I think I...uh..." Bugsy smiled, suddenly turning away from her. "Actually, I just remembered that I have something to do. Bug Pokémon research and all that. So, good luck, okay?"

"Um, okay. Thanks again!" Marina cocked her head, but, shrugging, proceeded toward the exit of the Gym. The sticky mugginess of the gym formed beads of sweat on her forehead, which she wiped off with a sigh. Just as she grabbed hold of the door handle, she halted.

Wait...Could he have known something about the Neo Ball?

Looking over her shoulder one last time, she searched the unlimited shades of the greenhouse's earthy tones. Bugsy was already gone.

The girl stared still, lightly putting a fist to her head. "Maybe you're just imagining things again, Marina," she said and smiled. "I guess I'll ask him later."

With that she quickly left, letting the door close rather harshly and sending a muffled echo throughout the empty Pokémon Gym.

"What?!" Jackson exclaimed, his jaw dropping. "You already got your badge? Without me?"

"So you really didn't get yours yet?" Marina replied, innocently stunned. After leaving the Azalea Gym and picking a couple items at the town's Poké Mart, Marina returned to the Pokémon Center, where Jackson was wide awake and waiting eagerly. Right off the bat, Marina told him about a certain new red Gym Badge, much to her friend's disbelief.

"No, I was looking for you all day yesterday," Jackson replied, "And I heard the Gym Leader was out somewhere."

"Oh, oh yeah..." Marina clapped her hands together, simpering. "I'm sorry; I should've called or something. I'll remember to ask next time!"

"Apology accepted," said Jackson, grinning broadly.

Unmoving from her position, Marina looked at him with a bashful hint to her voice. "Would you mind if I went ahead? There's nothing to really do here, but Goldenrod City has tons of things, and a Gym Leader too. So can I go?"

Jackson shut his eyes and crossed his arms. But a smile crept to his face, and he wagged his finger at her. "Of course you can go. I'd never be a burden to you, Marina, don't even think of it! Go to Goldenrod City, and I'll catch up with you!"

Her hopeful stare relieved, Marina relaxed. "Or we could just call each other," she suggested.

"That's a great idea! You're so smart, Marina," he complimented her happily.

Marina giggled. "Okay then," she double-checked her Pokémon around her waist, "I'll be going now, since it's still light out. I can't wait to see the city!"

"Tell me about it when you get there! But be careful in that forest," Jackson patted her shoulder.

"Right," Marina said with a nod. The girl turned and waved as she bound through the lobby, smiling freely. "Good luck battling against Bugsy! Bye!"

"Later, Marina!" Jackson called, watching even as the automatic glass doors swished to a close, and Marina's figure out of his sight. Heaving a sigh, he sat down on the closest bench, glancing at his Pokédex that he held in his hand.

"There's always next time. Yeah...I'll get Gym Badges on my own," he encouraged himself. A spark ignited in his will, and he stood back up with gusto. "I'll get so strong that she'll want me to travel with her! Yes! That's exactly how it'll go!"

Satisfied and laughing in confidence of his—supposedly full-proof—theory, Jackson marched through a few people curiously staring at him and headed back to his room.