xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Malie City, Ula'Ula Island, 8:54 a.m. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Back in the city was Anik as she was sitting in a chair inside a store for electronic and appliance repair. With her leg shaking nervously, she continually looked around at the different appliances with a lack of patience until an employee came out from behind the curtain, causing Anik to stand up and approach the counter.
"How is it?" Anik asked with concern.
"It's all good." The store employee said as he placed Rotoms phone body in front of her on the counter. "The screen was cracked, and the battery was dislodged but the internals were largely intact. Be more careful though with phones in the woods, that's an easy place to lose them or worse." He continued before walking away.
"Yeah, thanks for the advice." Anik said with a sarcastic tone. "Don't think getting attacked by hostile alien Pokémon are a common way to break phones though... Just hope Rotom is okay." She thought as she picked up the phone.
Pressing down on the touchscreen, Anik tried to turn on the phone to no avail until she tilted the phone to find an on switch. Holding down on it, the phone started to flash a series of lights until Rotoms face appeared on the screen, its eyes blinking until the phone Pokémon was revived and floated into the air.
"What the heck, zzzzt?!" Rotom screamed angrily, startling Anik and the others in the electronics store. "Using "Zzzzteel Wing" on me?! I'll kick you- huh?" It continued until it looked around and saw it wasn't in the woods anymore and then looked at Anik. "Anik?" Rotom questioned.
"Thank goodness, you're alright. How you doing?" Anik said as Rotom floated over to the astronomy enthusiast.
"Better if I wasn't zzzzmacked by a Pokémon who can use "Steel Wing" with no wings." Rotom said with a disgruntled tone.
"Well Keats should be happy." Anik thought with a relieved smile.
"Where are we, zzzzt?" Rotom said as the phone Pokémon looked around.
"A repair shop in Malie City, I brought you here to get you fixed." Anik said as Rotom raised an eyebrow.
"Where's Keatzzzz?" Rotom questioned.
"He's back at the clearing where we fought Beheeyem." Anik replied. "Come on, we better hurry." She said as she proceeded to walk towards the exit, Rotom following behind her.
"What happened to Beheeyem, zzzzt?" Rotom said as Anik stopped as they went outside.
"Keats is watching it with his Pokémon... And a Vigoroth." Anik said as she looked at Rotom.
"...A Vigoroth, zzzzt?" Rotom said, confused.
"Yeah, if it wasn't for that Vigoroth that knocked out Beheeyem, we'd be dead." Anik said as Rotom started to check Keats' trainer card.
"I don't have a Vigoroth registered to Keats' PokéDex..." Rotom thought. "...Lead the way, zzzzt." The phone Pokémon asked as Anik nodded and started to walk in the direction of Route 10.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Route 10, Ula'Ula Island, 9:23 a.m. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Standing around was Keats, his Druddigon and Diglett and the wild Vigoroth that saved him and Anik the night prior. Currently on the ground with its arms and legs tied up with zip ties was the Beheeyem owned by Imani Snagem.
"Beheeee..." Beheeyem said as its body glowed with a blue aura for a brief moment until it disappeared from the extraterrestrial Pokémon's body.
"Nice try, you ain't using "Psychic" anymore. You're too weakened now for it." Keats said as Druddigon, Diglett and the wild Vigoroth looked down at it.
"Druddidrudd-gon." Druddigon said towards Keats as he turned towards his Dragon type Pokémon.
"Uh-huh." Keats said towards Druddigon.
"Diglettedig." Diglett said as Keats turned towards his Ground and Steel type Pokémon.
"Mmhmmm." Keats muttered.
"Vigorothoth." The wild Vigoroth said with its arms folded.
"Ahhh I see." Keats said as all three of the Pokémon looked at him. "Yeah, I can't understand a word any of you are saying." He said as Vigoroth, Druddigon and Diglett made confused and surprised faces. "Really am hoping Anik got Rotom fixed." Keats thought with a shake of his head.
"Behee." Beheeyem muttered as everyone looked at the extraterrestrial Pokémon.
"Huh?" Keats mumbled. "You saying something?" He said with his eyes squinting at Beheeyem. "Why do I get the feeling this bastard just insulted me..." Keats thought.
"Beheehehehheeee-yemyem." Beheeyem said with a look of disdain on its face towards Keats.
"The heck you just say to me?!" Keats shouted angrily as Vigoroth, Druddigon and Diglett made surprised expressions from his reaction.
"Beheehee." Beheeyem muttered.
"You think you can talk to me like that? You have any idea I've been going through because of your stupid trainer and all of her "pretend" family members?!" Keats exclaimed as he walked closer to Beheeyem.
"Beheehee-yem." Beheeyem said with a malicious tone as Keats grabbed Beheeyem around its torso and lifted it up.
"The hell you just say?!" Keats shouted. "You think you're better than me?! Think you're better?! I outta knock you senseless and send you back to the moon or wherever they hell you came from, where did you come from?!" He asked in a frantic manner as Vigoroth raised an eyebrow at Keats' odd behavior as Diglett and Druddigon approached to try and calm him down.
"Beehee-heeheeeyem." Beheeyem said as Keats pulled the extraterrestrial Pokémon close to hear it clearly.
"Oh! So now you want to start something, huh?! Now you want start?! Come on, say it in the "alien" language I know that you know you can speak! Just like those foreign people I pass by on the streets back home speaking stuff about me and not using language I can understand, and I bet they're using curse words! Because they're the only ones who know those curse words!" Keats ranted like an insane person as he held Beheeyem against a tree.
In the midst of Keats' unusual babbling, Beheeyem shifted its hands through the zip ties to the surprise of everyone. No longer restrained, the Psychic type had now started to swing its arms at Keats, smacking him multiple times in the face.
"Blurgh! Lurkrgh! Prgha!" Keats grunted from being smacked. "Why you little! Come here!" He screamed in anger as he turned around the Psychic type Pokémon in his hands and put it in a headlock, trying to choke it.
"Druddigon!" Druddigon exclaimed as he quickly rushed to try and separate Keats and Beheeyem.
"Diglettediglette!" Diglett said as she rushed over to help Druddigon.
"Vigoroth?" The wild Vigoroth said as it scratched his head with its left claw as Druddigon pulled apart Keats and Beheeyem, holding the malicious and weakened Psychic type in his arms as Keats started reaching into his messenger bags.
"Hold that bastard still! Keep it steady!" Keats shouted in anger as he pulled out a small folding chair, holding it in both hands as Anik and Rotom finally returned to the clearing.
"Hey!" Anik exclaimed as Keats turned his head in the direction of his returning companions, the astronomy enthusiast carrying two to-go cups of coffee.
"Rotom!" Keats said loudly as he looked at the floating phone, a large smile on his face and the chair in his hands falling onto the ground.
"Mizzzzzzzz me?" Rotom said with a happy tone.
"No!" Keats said with smile still on his face as Rotom's face turned into an exasperated frown.
"Beheeheee!" Beheeyem muttered as it thrashed about in Druddigon's arms.
"Druddigon, throw that thing onto the ground!" Keats angrily said Druddigon grabbed Beheeyem's oblong head and slammed Beheeyem onto the ground. "And you, whatever your name is, be on standby with that dark claw thing you did!" He said as he pointed at the wild Vigoroth as it approached Beheeyem.
"Let me read Vigoroth'zzzz PokéDex entry." Rotom said as it scanned Vigoroth. '"Vigoroth, the Wild Monkey Pokémon, a Normal type. Its heart beats at a tenfold tempo, so it cannot sit still even for a moment. This Pokémon's stress level rises if it can't be moving constantly."' It said as it read off the information on Vigoroth.
"Guess that explains why it was awake in the dead of night." Anik said as she offered Keats one of the coffees.
"This for me?" Keats asked as he took the cup.
"Had a little bit left over from the money you gave me to get Rotom fixed." Anik said with a smile as Keats started to drink it.
"Thanks for this. I've not slept in two days." Keats said towards Anik.
"Welcome to the nightmarish part of being a stargazer. I've gone four whole days without sleep." Anik said as she took off her glasses and pulled on one of her eyes to show how red her eyes were under the lids.
"Yikes..." Keats muttered in slight disgust as Rotom approached.
"What'zzzz the story with Beheeyem?" Rotom questioned as Keats and Anik looked at the floating phone.
"We think Imani sent it." Anik said towards Rotom as the phone Pokémon made a surprised expression on its screen.
"But I can't understand a damn thing it's saying with all the "beeees" and "heeeees."' Keats said as he glared at Beheeyem.
"Beheee..." Beheeyem muttered in pain as Druddigon was still holding it down with Diglett and Vigoroth watching it with cautious eyes.
"Let me zzzzee if I can get some information." Rotom said with a serious face as it floated over to Beheeyem. "Remember me, zzzzt?" The phone Pokémon said with an agitated tone as Anik poked Keats on the shoulder.
"You know..." Anik said as Keats looked at her.
"What?" Keats replied.
"We didn't really do a good job beating that thing..." Anik said with a bothered tone.
"How do you figure?" Keats said as he sipped his coffee.
"No coordination in our attacks, my Kingler couldn't do a dang thing to hit it, half of your team getting knocked out." Anik said as Keats turned towards her.
"Hate to admit it... But she's right. I have a ton of Pokémon now and all of them aren't ready to fight Imani if she's got Pokémon this tough that aren't just Sableye." Keats thought with a face full of disappointment.
"I need to get my team stronger, too... And now that I have Minior, my time is going to be just as preoccupied with my constellation work." Anik said as she looked at the ground in a contemplative manner.
"Hmmmmm... Oh!" Keats mumbled until he realized something. "This might help you out then." He said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the Moon Stone he had on him.
"A Moon Stone?" Anik said with surprise as she took it from Keats hand. "You're giving me this?" She said with confusion.
"Sure, consider it a trade for the coffee." Keats said as he looked over at Rotom interrogating Beheeyem.
"But... It's yours. You should use it on one of your own Pokémon that can evolve with it." Anik replied said as she tried to give it back to Keats.
"I don't got any Pokémon that can evolve with one of those. Use it on your Cleffa when she becomes a Clefairy and help it become a Clefable." Keats said, suggesting Anik use it as she blushed at the kind gesture.
"That's... Awfully sweet of you." Anik said as she took the Moon Stone and put it in the pocket of her lab coat.
"Most people think I'm a jackass." Keats said with a smirk as he finished his coffee, throwing the cup away into the bushes.
"Well when you litter like that, I can see why." Anik said sheepishly as she finished her coffee as well but still held it in her hands.
"Okay, zzzzt." Rotom said as it floated over to the pair of trainers. "I've got some intel out of Beheeyem, when it's not just zzzzwearing at me." The phone Pokémon said.
"I knew it was cursing!" Keats exclaimed in a tone of self-satisfaction on being correct.
"You really don't want to know what wordzzzz it was using." Rotom said towards Keats.
"Regardless, were our suspicions correct? Does it belong to this Imani person you've been looking for?" Anik asked.
"Correct, zzzzt." Rotom said. "And I managed to get an idea where she izzzz." The phone Pokémon continued.
"Great! Let's go find her and threaten her with wood!" Keats said with a furrowed brows and smile on his face.
'"Wood?"' Anik and Rotom questioned as Druddigon, Diglett and the wild Vigoroth looked at Keats with confused faces.
Noticing the attention taken off it, Beheeyem charged up what energy it had left in it and proceeded to glow with a blue aura of psychic energy. Suddenly, the malicious extraterrestrial Pokémon let loose a blast of "Psychic" that forced Druddigon and Vigoroth to be pushed back and Diglett proceeding to go underground to avoid being struck.
"Behee!" Beheeyem exclaimed as it floated into the air.
"Oh no!" Anik exclaimed as Keats and Rotom looked up.
"Beee... Hee!" Beheeyem said as it looked around at everyone before floating away, dashing through the air to escape the group.
"Hey! Get back here!" Keats screamed as he watched Beheeyem fly away as Rotom got in front of Keats.
"Leave it Keatzzzz. It'zzzz not like we can hold it captive in a Pokéball." Rotom explained as Keats and Anik looked at the floating phone, the knocked over Pokémon getting back up behind them.
"But it's going back to Imani, shouldn't we chase after it?" Anik questioned as Keats shook his head in agreement.
"Bazzzzed on what Anik told me, you guys didn't do so well fighting Beheeyem... So that wouldn't be the best idea to go in without a plan." Rotom said as Anik and Keats looked at each other.
"Yeaaahhh... I spilled the beans on how badly we did." Anik said as she twiddled her thumbs in embarrassment.
"Thaaaaanks..." Keats said with a disgruntled face towards Anik. "Some idiot with a flute, a space alien, a wild "super genius" who doesn't respect me. I'm just finding more and more reasons to hate this place." He complained some more about the Alola region.
"Yeah, to be fair, I'm not that huge into the- wait... "Idiot with a flute?"' Anik said until she stopped to question about a certain individual Keats encountered.
"Yeah, a guy named Bevin who is zzzzcamming people in the region by pretending to move massive Pokémon like a Turtanator and-" Rotom explained until Anik cut him off.
"A Snorlax?" Anik asked with a serious look on her face.
"Yeah?" Keats replied.
"Green hair all to the side? No shirt but he wore a vest? Flute with a Pokéball design on the end?" Anik said as Keats nodded in response, her closing her eyes and shaking her head in disbelief.
"What?" Keats asked.
"I fell for that guy's scam!" Anik exclaimed in agitation as Keats raised an eyebrow.
"Ouch..." Keats replied as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Ugh! I can't believe this!" Anik screamed as she threw her coffee cup at a nearby tree.
"And you were making comments about me littering?" Keats said as he pulled out Druddigon's Ultra Ball and Digletts Pokéball. "Return, both of you." He said as he recalled both of his Pokémon. "Let's get back on track. Rotom, what'd you find out from the freaky Psychic type?" Keats asked.
"Amidzzzzt the swearing, Beheeyem squealed on Imani's whereabouts. She's on a houseboat somewhere in-between Melemele Island and Ula'Ula Island." Rotom explained.
'"A houseboat in-between-..." Oh crap..." Keats said until stopping as he realized something, putting his hands on his head in frustration. "I saw that place in my spyglass back on Melemele! That's where Oranguru was pointing, not here!" He exclaimed as he realized that the group completely missed where Imani was.
"Bingo, zzzzt." Rotom said.
"God damn it!" Keats shouted as he paced around in annoyance.
"Hey, don't beat yourself up about it. You know where to look now." Anik said towards Keats in a reassuring tone.
"Yeah, yeah..." Keats said with a headshake. "Thanks "Ms. Bean-spiller," that's super useful..." He thought.
"I alzzzzo found out that that Imani owns a certain Bruxish." Rotom said as Anik and Keats looked at the floating phone.
"That weird red and green one!?" Keats exclaimed in a surprised manner.
"Correct, zzzzt." Rotom said.
"Wait... That flute bastard who left us to die from the Bruxish... He's in with Imani! Oh crap, this is some conspiracy garbage! It's like that episode of "Columbi" I saw three years ago!" Keats said as he looked at Rotom and then at Anik.
"The episode with the guy blowing up the cars with Voltorbs or the one with the scientist covering up the experiments on Magnemites?" Anik said as she recognized the show Keats was referring to.
"No, the episode with the guy who robbed an armored truck with a Rhyperior that was blocking a street for the whole episode. The hostage one?" Keats said as he pointed at Anik.
"Ohhh, now I remember that episode. That was before the kid with Natu showed up right?" Anik said as she remembered the episode as Vigoroth approached the group.
"Rothroth?" Vigoroth said in confusion.
"Oh thank goodness you're online, can you please tell us what this guy is saying?" Keats said towards Rotom as he pointed at Vigoroth.
"Of courzzzze. Vigoroth said it's waiting for a "thank you."' Rotom translated.
"Oh yeah, we didn't really say thanks for saving us." Anik said as she bent down to meet Vigoroth at eye level. "Thank you, Vigoroth." She said with a smile as Vigoroth blushed at the sight of Anik's smile.
"Rothroth-vig!" Vigoroth said with its arms raised.
"And that was?" Keats asked towards Rotom.
"Vigoroth wantzzzz to go with Anik." Rotom said as Keats and Anik looked at one another.
"Whoa, really?" Anik said in surprise.
"I think this Vigoroth just thinks your cute. Hehehe." Keats said with a chuckle as Vigoroth made an awkward expression. "Course, I think you're cute too so that's nothing too surprising." He said as Anik blushed.
"Uh..." Anik muttered with a sheepish tone as she scratched her face. "You really have no shame, do you?" She said towards Keats.
"Eh, don't care. I'm a grown man." Keats said with a shrug as he walked over to Vigoroth and put his hands on its shoulders from behind.
"More like "man-child."' Rotom thought as it looked at Keats.
"Take a ball out and catch this guy." Keats said as Anik reached into one of her pockets.
Pulling out a different than usual Pokéball that had an all-white color scheme with a red line around the center, Anik lightly tossed it at Vigoroth. Digitizing into the ball, it shook slightly in the air before falling to the ground and shaking once before the seal went off, signifying a capture.
"Alright! I caught a Minior and a Vigoroth!" Anik said with a happy tone as she picked up the ball off the ground.
"What ball is that?" Keats questioned as Anik put it away.
"It's called a Premier Ball. It's usually a gift from PokéMarts when you buy ten Pokéballs in a single purchase." Anik explained as Keats went wide-eyed.
"What?!" Keats exclaimed as he pointed at Rotom. "Why didn't you tell me this?!" He said in frustration.
"They have them pozzzzted up on advertisements in stores!" Rotom shouted back.
"God damn it! I bought all my balls in separate purchases on different cards that didn't equal ten total balls in both buys!" Keats shouted angrily. "And I didn't keep the receipt!" He thought as she scratched his head furiously.
"To be fair, they don't work any better than a normal Pokéball." Anik said as Keats sighed.
"Whatever..." Keats said in a disgruntled tone. "I'm heading back into town to get supplies. You?" He said as he looked at the city and then at Anik.
"Huh?" Anik muttered in response. "I might just join them on the trek back." She thought as she looked towards the town.
"We need to think up a plan too, zzzzt." Rotom said towards Keats as he shook his head.
"Great, new stimuli that's going to push stuff out of my skull." Keats thought. "Like where I hide my emergency wheel of cheese at home." He said aloud as the others looked at him with confusion.
"...What are you talking about?" Anik questioned.
"...I think I said what was in my head inadvertently." Keats muttered as he scratched his beard.
"...Uh-huh, zzzzt..." Rotom said with an unimpressed gaze.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Malie City, Ula'Ula Island, 10:33 a.m. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Finished with searching for a Minior, Anik and Keats exited the town Pokémon Center with their teams now restored to full health. Walking together with Rotom following, the duo proceeded to stop at a nearby basketball court that wasn't being utilized as Anik pulled out the ball containing her Minior.
"Now let's see." Anik said with a smile as she opened up the ball and out came her recently caught Rock and Flying type Pokémon.
"Miniorrrr!" Minior said in its shell form as it rotated through the air.
"This is so cool!" Anik said with an ecstatic facial expression as she pulled out her notebook and a pen. "Minior, tell me. Is one of the constellations of the night sky a Kingler or a Crawdaunt?" She said with an invested tone.
"Minior?" Minior said in confusion.
"I think you zzzzhould save the questioning for when it's actually nighttime." Rotom said as it approached Anik.
"Auuughhh, but I want to know now!" Anik said, impatiently.
"I got something I want to know. What was with those images in the PokéDex for Minior with the different colors?" Keats asked as the group stood in the center of the court.
"Minior hazzzz two forms; "Meteor Form," which is what you currently see here." Rotom said as it shifted towards Minior. "And then there's itzzzz "Core Form."' The phone Pokémon continued as it showed an image of the seven different colored forms.
"That's what it looks like under the rocky exterior." Anik explained towards Keats as she pointed at Minior.
"And when its shell breaks, it's got twenty-four hours before it disintegrates?" Keats asked. "Damn, this is one complicated Pokémon." He thought as he looked at Minior.
"Correct, zzzzt." Rotom said. "The only way to find out what's inside is to crack Minior's shell." It said as Keats rubbed his chin before reaching into one of his messenger bags.
"Oh I want to see it so badly! But I'm not about to crack Minior's shell and risk-" Anik thought until she stopped and noticed Keats approaching her Minior.
Holding a mallet in his right hand, Keats lifted his arm up and he lightly slammed it against Miniors shell to the shock and dismay of his companions. Cracking, Minior's outer layer broke as it started to fall to the ground into many pieces, revealing Minior's Core Form with white eyes and a green body.
"Ahh!" Anik exclaimed.
"Keatzzzz?! Why'd you do that?!" Rotom shouted angrily at Keats as he still was holding the mallet.
"Minior!" Minior said happily as it was now floating around with a happy expression from feeling lighter with no shell containing its core.
"Only way to find out." Keats said, nonchalantly. "Besides, the other option to getting its shell exposed was to battle and I doubt you want Minior to fight currently, yeah?" He continued as he looked at Anik.
"Y-yeah but..." Anik muttered, unsure of what to say. "I didn't think he'd actually smack my Minior with a hammer." She thought as she adjusted her glasses as she looked at her green core Minior.
"If anything, at least it looks cool." Keats said with a dopey smile as he looked at Minior floating around. "And you have its ball to recall it and its shell to keep it from disintegrating will reform, yeah?" He said towards the astronomy enthusiast.
"...Riiiight..." Anik muttered as she took out her Pokéball and recalled her Minior.
"I zzzzay we- huh?" Rotom said until it was suddenly cut off by the sound of someone rapping.
'"The wounded world is ready to crash!"' A unison of two male voices and one female voice exclaimed as Keats and Anik turned their attention to a corner of the court that was blocked by chain-link fencing as a trio of people approached.
Moving in unison while shifting their clenched fists left to right was a trio of unusually dressed young adults. The two males were dressed in the same manner with black shorts and sleeveless black shirts with white belts and shoes and the female wore a similar outfit but with white shorts. On their heads was white beanies with skull designs, covering the blue hair and brown hair of the two males and the pink hair of the female one, respectively, and sporting bandannas around their mouths.
'"Time to clean the house and take out the trash!"' The unusually dressed trio said as they walked over to the entrance to the basketball court as Keats, Rotom and Anik stared.
"Uh! Uh!" The blue haired male muttered as he turned in the direction of Keats, Rotom and Anik. "Yeah, break it down, yo!" He said as he locked eyes with Keats, who raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Stir it up!" The shorter brown-haired male said.
"Tear it down, mix it up!" The pink haired female said as the group started to walk in unison onto the court.
"Oh no, not these guys..." Anik thought as she recognized the trios' outfits.
"Where have I heard this before?" Keats thought as the rap the group was doing sounded vaguely familiar to him.
'"Yeah! Yeah! Yooo!"' The trio said as they stood a few feet from Keats and Anik.
"Okay, I'll bite. Who are these weirdos?" Keats whispered towards Anik.
"Team Skull. They're just a bunch of odd hoodlums who do a bunch of petty crimes." Anik explained quietly so the trio couldn't hear her as Rotom turned towards Keats with a judgmental expression.
"Don't look at me, you damn phone!" Keats thought with an agitated expression.
"Yo, clear out nerds!" The blue haired male Team Skull member muttered. "This here's our spot!" He exclaimed in a threatening tone.
"Public area." Keats said, nonchalantly.
"You looking to start something, pal!?" The short brown haired male Team Skull member exclaimed.
"I got into a fist fight today with an alien and I'm running on zero hours of sleep. I already had my share of crap today, thank you very much." Keats said with squinted eyes.
"Whoa, Keats. Let's just move." Anik suggested as the trio of Team Skull members stood in front of the exit.
"Ain't going anywhere, blondie." The blue haired male Team Skull member said.
"Tubby here needs to learn some manners." The pink haired female Team Skull member said.
"Oh come on! I'm not fatter than that guy!" Keats angrily said as he pointed at the short brown haired male member of Team Skull.
"I ain't fat, yo! I'm big boned!" The short brown haired male Team Skull member said in an offended tone.
"That's what I tell people and they don't believe me!" Keats replied in anger.
"It'zzzz really not that big of a deal." Rotom said towards Keats as he ignored the phone.
"You a trainer, big guy?!" The blue haired male Team Skull member said as he pulled out a Pokéball.
"Yeah, what of it?!" Keats screamed angrily as a small crowd was starting to form, looking through the chain-link fences around the basketball court.
"Then bring it on!" The pink haired female Team Skull member said as she pointed at Keats.
"And when we beat your ass, we're gonna take a couple of your Pokémon!" The short brown haired male member of Team Skull muttered.
"Oh, wanna take my Pokémon, eh!?" Keats said in a confrontational tone. "Then let's go!" He said as he pulled out one of his Pokéballs. "Thank goodness, I moved my team around!" Keats thought.
"Oh no..." Anik said as she put her hand on her forehead.
"Let me go first!" The pink haired female Team Skull member said as she got in front of her male companions.
With the small crowd looking on with interest at the battle, Anik and Rotom proceeded to go to one end and the male Team Skull members shifted to the other end, behind their respective companions they were supporting. Locking eyes, the female Team Skull member pulled out a ball.
"Zubat, come out and play!" The pink haired female Team Skull member exclaimed as out came a small blue, bat-like creature with no eyes or legs.
"Zuzuzuzu!" Zubat said as it flapped its wings.
"I'll scan it, zzzzt." Rotom said as it looked for information on Zubat. '"Zubat, the Bat Pokémon, a Poison and Flying type. While flying, it constantly emits ultrasonic waves from its mouth to check its surroundings. It has neither eyes nor a nose."' The phone Pokémon said as Keats looked at the flying bat-like creature.
'"Zubatizard 2! Only in theat-" Damn it, no more of that stupid franchise!" Keats thought while shaking his head as he opened the ball in his hand. "Antivir- I mean, Porygon! You're on call!" He shouted as the floating polygonal creature emerged.
"Poooooor." Porygon said as it floated above the ground.
"Bring it! Zubat, use "Leech Life!"' The pink haired female Team Skull member exclaimed as her Zubat's fangs glowed with a green tint.
"Dodge! Then use "Tackle!"' Keats ordered in response.
Flapping its wings, Zubat dashed towards Keats' Porygon as the polygonal creature floated higher into the air to avoid being struck. Turning around, Porygon twisted in the air and struck Zubat in the side of its body, causing it to fall to the basketball courts surface.
"Ah! Zubat!" The pink haired female Team Skull member exclaimed in surprise.
"Use "Psybeam!"' Keats said as Porygon readied an orb of energy.
Launching a laser beam attack of multiple colors at the downed Zubat, a smoke cloud appeared around the battlefield as Zubat now seemed unconscious, unable to move. Looking on, the crowd, Anik and Rotom watched in surprise at how fast the battle was over.
"Z-Zubat!" The pink haired female Team Skull member shouted.
"That was... Easy..." Keats thought, slightly bewildered as Porygon floated over to him. "Good work." He said with a thumbs up and smile towards Porygon.
"Poooooor." Porygon said with eyes of contentment.
"Knew I should have gone first." The blue haired male Team Skull member said as he moved his female comrade out of the way. "Get to the back of the line!" He said towards the female member.
"Don't you go yelling at me when you ain't no better!" The pink haired female Team Skull member shouted towards her comrade as the blue haired male Team Skull member took out a Pokéball.
"Salandit, get out here!" The blue haired male Team Skull member said as he opened up the ball, revealing his Pokémon to be a familiar black and grey salamander-like creature.
"Salaalalal!" Salandit exclaimed as it emerged from the light and landed on the ground.
"Great, one of these again." Keats muttered in annoyance as Anik and Rotom looked on. "Porygon, stay in." He said towards the artificial Pokémon.
"Poooooor." Porygon muttered as it floated over to the battlefield.
"Use "Fire Fang," Salandit!" The blue haired male Team Skull member ordered as fire appeared inside the mouth of the salamander-like Pokémon.
"Use "Thunder Shock" to block that attack!" Keats instructed as Porygon let loose a small series of electric shocks.
Dodging around the small blasts of electricity, Salandit jumped into the air and bit down on Porygon's head with its Fire type attack. Shifting left and right, Porygon threw off Salandit back onto its trainer's side of the battlefield.
"Aww yeah! How's that work for you, punk?" The blue haired male Team Skull member said, gloating.
"Porygon, use "Psybeam!"' Keats ordered as Porygon charged up another glowing orb of energy.
"Pooooor!" Porygon exclaimed as it fired another multicolored laser attack in the direction of Salandit.
"Salala!" Salandit screamed as it was hit by the "Psybeam," a cloud of dust appearing around its body.
"No! Salandit!" The blue haired Team Skull member said in shock as the dust dissipated and his Salandit was unconscious with its eyes swirling.
"...One hit..." Keats thought as he and Porygon made expressions of bewilderment.
"Either Keats is stronger than he looks..." Anik said with a raised eyebrow.
"Or thezzzze guys are really weak." Rotom said with similar amazement at what was transpiring as the crowd started to make disinterested faces at the battles occurring and dispersed.
"Oh come on!" The blue haired male Team Skull member said as he recalled his unconscious Poison and Fire type.
"You both been slacking!" The short brown haired male Team Skull member said as he scolded his companions.
"Not our faults you got the only fully evolved Pokémon among us!" The pink haired female Team Skull member replied in her defense.
"Return, Porygon!" Keats said as he recalled his artificial Pokémon back into its ball.
"You're not going to stick with Porygon?" Anik questioned.
"I felt like using a different Pokémon." Keats said as he looked at the astronomy enthusiast. "Normally I'd be okay with battles being this easy but... I don't know, this is too easy..." He thought as he reached into his pocket and pulled a Timer Ball. "Surskit, you're on call!" Keats exclaimed as he opened up the Timer Ball and out came his Surskit.
"Surskit!" Surskit exclaimed as she eyed down the Team Skull members with furrowed brows.
"That Bug type's looking at us like it wants to eat us!" The pink haired female Team Skull member said with a fearful tone.
"Reminds me of one of the bosses Pokémon." The blue haired male Team Skull member said as he looked at Surskit.
"Don't matter to me! It's still going down! Come on out, Garbodor!" The short brown haired male Team Skull member exclaimed as he took out a ball and opened it.
Emerging from the light was a creature made entirely out of garbage. It's head and skull shaped liked a trash bag, its grey body filled with junk and its arms appearing like steel pipes covered in waste.
"Garbodor!" Garbodor shrieked.
"...To quote a very annoying man I once met; "dirty."' Keats said as Rotom scanned his opponent's Pokémon.
'"Garbodor, the Trash Heap Pokémon, a Poison type and the evolved form of Trubbish. It clenches opponents with its left arm and finishes them off with foul smelling poison gas belched from its mouth."' Rotom explained as it read off the PokéDex.
"Oh I remember Trubbish, those living bags of garbage who let me bunk with them in that dumpster." Keats thought as he recalled the Poison type Pokémon from Unova.
"Use "Gunk Shot!"' The short brown haired male Team Skull member ordered as his Garbodor put its pipe-like hands together.
Forming in-between the Poison type Pokémon's two hands was an orb of purple energy, taking the form of a filled trash bag. Lifting it overhead, Garbodor proceeded to chuck it in the direction of Keats' Surskit.
"Dodge it!" Keats shouted as Surskit proceeded to slide along the ground, ducking under the "Gunk Shot" attack. "Now use "Sweet Scent!" Followed by "Bubblebeam!"' He said as Surskit shook her body.
"Sursursurs!" Surskit exclaimed as her body let loose a clear pinkish mist towards Garbodor.
Coating Garbodor in the mist, the trash-like Pokémon made uncaring eyes and started to sway left and right, its evasiveness lowered by the inhalation of "Sweet Scent." Opening her mouth, Surskit fired a myriad of bubbles at the large garbage creature, exploding on contact with its body.
"Garbo!" Garbodor exclaimed as it was knocked back slightly by the Water type attack.
"Argh! Garbodor, use "Take Down!"' The short brown haired male Team Skull member commanded as his Garbodor proceeded to run at Surskit.
"Surskit, use "Quick Attack!"' Keats ordered as Surskit disappeared.
"Garbo?" Garbodor said as it stopped mid-run to notice its opponent had vanished into thin air.
Reappearing in front of Garbodor, Surskit jumped into the air and slammed her body against the face of the living pile of garbage. Falling backwards, Garbodor's eyes turned into swirls as it was now unconscious as Surskit stood on top of it, triumphantly.
"Surskitkit!" Surskit said with a tone of superiority.
"And that makes three wins." Anik said with her arms folded and a smile.
"Hey, nice work Surskit!" Keats said as he approached his Water and Bug type.
Turning towards Keats with the same furrowed brow look she had the whole time, the Pokémon locked eyes with Keats as he raised his hand for a high-five. Cocking back her thin and long front right leg, Surskit answered Keats' gesture by stabbing him in the palm with it.
"Gyyaaaaooooww!" Keats screamed in pain as he grabbed his wrist in pain from the feeling of his nerve being poked.
"Sursursursursursurs!" Surskit laughed at the sight of her trainer's injury.
"Ju-just come back to your ball!" Keats angrily said as he pulled out Surskit's Timer Ball and recalled her.
"You okay, zzzzt?" Rotom asked as it and Anik approached Keats.
"Obnoxious little sadist! Either of you have a bandage?" Keats said as he looked at his companions. "At least she listened to me in the battle... Ow..." He thought as he tried to hold back from wanting to tear up from the pain of being jabbed in his palm.
"Return..." The short brown haired male Team Skull member said as he recalled his Garbodor.
"Zero and three, yo..." The pink haired female Team Skull member said as the blue haired male Team Skull member put his hand on his face before walking over towards Keats.
"Hey!" The blue haired male Team Skull member said as he approached Keats, catching his and his companion's attention. "Don't act cocky just because you beat us! Team Skull ain't never giving up when it comes to beating down posers! Next time: we'll take your Pokémon, your wallet, your gear and your dignity!" He said while swinging his arms around in a hip manner.
"Can I ask a question?" Keats said towards the three Team Skull members.
"What? You gonna brag?" The short brown haired male Team Skull member said with a confrontational tone.
"That rap you guys were singing." Keat said as the three hoodlums raised their eyebrows.
"What about it, yo?" The pink haired female Team Skull member said, confused.
"Was the next line: "solid steel, break the seal?"' Keats asked as the three Team Skull members, Anik and Rotom made surprised expressions.
"It-it is, why you ask?" The blue haired male Team Skull member said, hesitantly. "You've heard the song?" He asked.
"Yeah, actually." Keats said as he motioned for Rotom to float over to him as he grabbed the floating phone Pokémon. "I downloaded a mixtape from some guy called "DJ Kneecap" on PokéTunes the other week. Pretty solid work." He said with a smile as he showed an image of an album with a guy dressed similarly to the Team Skull members as Anik raised an eyebrow.
'"DJ Kneecap?"' Anik thought with confusion.
"Yooo!" The blue haired male Team Skull member said as the other two Team Skull members looked at the husky framed trainer. "DJ Kneecap is our homie! You downloaded his tracks?!" He said with a friendly tone as Rotom floated out of Keats' hand.
"Yeah, I recognized the song you guys were chanting on the way onto the court! "Solid steel, break the seal!"' Keats said as he waved his arms in the same manner the Team Skull members were doing when they first arrived.
'"Do the deal! Make it real!"' The trio of Team Skull members sang in unison.
'"Full power, turn it up, blue sky, full cup! No one calls it like the team that knows what's up!"' Keats and the three Team Skull members chanted simultaneously.
"A street gang threatened him and now he's getting chummy with them... This is the guy that asked me out a night ago..." Anik thought as she looked on, bewildered by Keats' actions.
"He goes by Okazaki but he's hoping "DJ Kneecap" sticks." The short brown haired male Team Skull member said.
"I hope it does, the guy's got bars." Keats said casually as he was starting to get along with the local street gang.
"You should have said something before we challenged you man! Had we known you were down with our bro, we wouldn't have threatened you or your chum over there." The blue haired male Team Skull member said as he looked at Anik, the astronomy enthusiast making a cautious expression in response.
"You free and wanna roll with us?" The pink haired female Team Skull member said to Keats.
"Sure!" Keats said with a smile as Anik and Rotom looked at him.
'"Huh?!"' Rotom and Anik exclaimed in shock.
"You alright man! You alright!" The blue haired male Team Skull member said as he put his arm around Keats' shoulder.
"Thanks for the compliment- actually..." Keats said as an idea formed in his head. "You guys' mind doing me and my friend a solid?" He said as he looked at Anik as she looked at him with confusion.
"Uhhh..." Anik muttered. "What's he doing?" She thought.
"Shoot." The pink haired female Team Skull member said towards Keats.
"First things first, I'm Keaton but most call me "Keats."' Keats said before pointing at Rotom and Anik. "The floating phone is Rotom and the pretty lady in the lab coat is Anik." He said, introducing his companions.
"H-hi..." Anik said nervously. "And now they know my name..." She thought with annoyance.
"Ho-how do you do, zzzzt." Rotom said with similar anxiousness. "Did he really have to introduce us, too?" The phone Pokémon thought with frustration.
"Tupp." The blue haired male Team Skull member said as he introduced himself.
"Rapp." The pink haired female Team Skull member said as she introduced herself.
"Zipp." The short brown haired male Team Skull member said, introducing himself last.
"Cool, so about that favor. Let's go find somewhere to grab a bite to eat. I'm starving." Keats said as he started walking as the Team Skull members followed behind him.
"Any idea where thizzzz is going?" Rotom asked towards Anik.
"Not a clue..." Anik replied as she started walking.
The wounded world is ready to crash! Time to clean the house and take out the trash! Break it down, stir it up, tear it down, mix it up! Solid steel, break the seal, do the deal, make it real! Full power, turn it up, blue sky, full cup! No one ever calls it like the team that knows what's up! Put your hands together, let me hear you say uh. "What's up?!" Uh! Yeeahah! Woo! Chills! I got chills! That was awesome! Aw yeah- I just got a cease and desist for that rap... I gotta go...
Keats' Pokémon (on-hand):
1. Pineco. Gender: Female. Ability: Sturdy. Moves: "Spikes," "Explosion," "Rapid Spin," "Bug Buzz."
2. Porygon. Genderless. Ability: Download. Moves: "Tackle," "Thunder Shock," "Psybeam," "Recycle."
3. Dragalge. Gender: Male. Ability: Poison Point. Moves: "Poison Tail," "Toxic Spikes," "Double Team," "Water Pulse."
4. Raichu - Alolan Form. Gender: Male. Ability: Surge Surfer. Moves: "Psychic," "Spark," "Light Screen," "Quick Attack."
5. Swalot. Gender: Male. Ability: Liquid Ooze. Moves: "Sludge Bomb," "Stockpile," "Swallow," "Bodyslam."
6. Surskit. Gender: Female. Ability: Swift Swim. Moves "Quick Attack," "Leech Life, "Sweet Scent," "Bubblebeam."
Keats' Pokémon (in rotation):
1. Stunky. Gender: Male. Ability: Aftermath. Moves: "Fury Swipes," "Poison Gas," "Smokescreen," "Focus Energy."
2. Venonat. Gender: Female. Ability: Tinted Lens. Moves: "Tackle," "Poison Powder," "Bug Buzz," "Sleep Powder."
3. Diglett - Alolan Form. Gender: Female. Ability: Tangling Hair. Moves: "Sand Attack," "Iron Head," "Mud Shot," "Bulldoze."
4. Cloyster. Gender: Female. Ability: Shell Armor. Moves: "Take Down," "Aurora Beam," "Supersonic," "Iron Defense."
5. Timburr. Gender: Male. Ability: Guts. Moves: "Poison Jab," "Smack Down," "Focus Energy," "Scary Face."
6. Druddigon. Gender: Male. Ability: Rough Skin. Moves: "Bite," "Hone Claws," "Flash Cannon," "Dragon Tail."
Anik's Pokémon:
1. Kingler. Gender: Male. Ability: Hyper Cutter. Moves: "Guillotine," "Harden," "Swords Dance," "Crabhammer."
2. Cleffa. Gender: Female. Ability: Magic Guard. Moves: "Splash," "Pound."
3. Oricorio - Baile Style. Gender: Female. Ability: Dancer. Moves: "Air Cutter," "Revelation Dance," "Calm Mind," "Helping Hand."
4. Minior - Green Core. Genderless. Ability: Shields Down. Moves: "Swift," "Confuse Ray," "Defense Curl," "Tackle."
5. Vigoroth. Gender: Male. Ability: Vital Spirit. Moves: "Shadow Claw," "Slash," "Endure," "Counter."