A/N: Okay I hope to get some more action this time 'round. A battle or two should do. I need more battles, perhaps one every chapter or so? Who knows? Not me though I probably should.
Let me ask you guys something. Just a simple question, really. In fact it's downright simple. When you have a half-baked moment in the middle of the night involving someone in the same room as you, do you bring it up to them the next morning? Especially if they have a temper?
No. No you do not.
Because it results in an argument that is entirely pointless over your own libido and fantasies that don't really exist much. At least the latter. That argument leads into a rant about how you, yourself, are not, in fact, fantasising and insisting that it actually happened. That leads to the person in your room getting in your face while she's in her under shirt and panties yelling at you. That, in turn, leads to you getting kicked out and sitting on your tired ass in the chilly morning air on uncomfortable, low concrete sidewalks.
"So that's what happened." I finished elaborating to the motel manager, who was standing there groggily as he had gotten complaints about the noise. I was dressed, I just needed my bag and such. The manager was an older guy, roughly his forties, with salt and pepper hair and tired grey eyes. His face was young-ish but had the various lines of someone who enjoyed social interaction at reasonable parts of the day with reasonable people. Listening to a story from some kid sitting on the ground was not a part of that criteria.
"Okay." He said, rubbing his eyes which were obviously not awake along with the rest of him. "Just keep it down."
"No worries, we'll be out of here lickety split." I reassured him. "Barring any unforeseen issues. But who can predict those?" I asked, a chuckle in my voice. The manager simply made a face that said yeah, sure and walked off to his office. I nodded to him as he departed to be nice. I had to, since Thalia ruined the peace and quiet of early morning motel goers. I had to give us the image of two normal people who, on occasion, argue over mundane things. Otherwise we might not seem normal.
And that's the last thing we need.
"Great." I muttered as I leaned back against the door, looking up. Nice sky this morning, hopefully it won't rain or have a freak weather shift. I certainly hope it doesn't happen. My day's started off bad enough, last thing I need is to- whoa! I fell back as the door was opened and noticed an irritated Thalia looking down at me. In her one hand was a green bag, my green bag. She dropped it on my chest as she walked over me and outside. I quickly sat up, clutching my green bag and looking back into the room. Everything was as we left it, slightly disheveled but that's what housekeeping is for. I had my PokeNav in my pocket and everything was in my bag. I stood and shouldered my bag before closing the door and locking it before returning the key to the tired manager. After that business, Thalia and I were on our way.
Oh sweet Arceus please don't let her kill me.
The winds whipped through the desert at incredible speeds, hurtling sand in every direction at fast speeds. From within the sand filled air, the desert seemed endless. A far more vast, infinite plane of deadly sands and heat where few could travel, let alone make a living. Perhaps people could live in caves, sure, but it would be difficult.
Those thoughts crossed Terra's mind as he walked through the desert, his goggles and uniform providing good protection from the sands. He walked through a particular part of the desert, known for the many stone spires that inhabited it. They supposedly formed a crossroads that no one was able to explain and it had become a popular site for tourists able to get there in the first place. Few did, but Terra was slowly walking through one of the paths that lead to the crossroads. The spires looked, to him, like many swords embedded in the ground after a battle. Perhaps that's what happened at some point with Rock Pokemon, he wasn't sure. The one thing he was sure of was that Team Aqua's member, Aqua, was around the area and he was to fight her.
"Where could she be?" Terra muttered aloud, his voice carried away by the winds so even he could barely hear it. He looked around, hoping to spy the girl in the spires or somewhere. But no luck… wait. Terra spotted something a short distance away. Something large. He kept his pace slow as he pulled a Pokeball from his waist, ready for an attack. However, as he approached the large creature, it began dissolving, the image being whipped up into particles carried by the wind until nothing remained of it but three rock spires sticking out at odd angles in the ground. To either side of him, Terra saw two other paths. He had reached the middle. And the path just ahead…
She stood there, a Pokeball in her hand. She wore thick blue clothes with a hood over her head and goggles, almost the mirror opposite of Terra. In fact her outfit was basically a blue Magma outfit, something Terra found interesting. Under her hood, Terra spied blue hair moving about from the wind in this desert. She hefted her Pokeball, ready to open its contents. Terra mirrored the action, showing he was ready. Out of Team Aqua, this girl was the only one to prove a distinct challenge for him, though he hadn't faced the higher ups like Archie or the other admins.
Aqua readied her arm to throw the ball and Terra did the same. They stood there, eyeing one another for several seconds as the sands whipped around them furiously, as if it was angry they hadn't begun, or that they were there at all.
Aqua threw her Pokeball, letting out the creature.
Terra threw his, letting out his own.
And the battle commenced.
"So what you're saying is" I summarised "You didn't sneak into my bed in the middle of the night?" I looked to Thalia as she nodded.
"Yes, I was in my own bed, being comfortable. I had no reason to sneak into your bed." Thalia closed her argument. We'd been talking the past hour about it and Thalia made her big case. It sounded convincing so I simply accepted it. Partly because I didn't want to argue with her all the way to Mauville and mostly because that whole thing was so surreal and in the middle of the night that I wasn't sure if it was real to begin with.
"All right. I believe you." I finished, earning a nod of approval from Thalia. I swear she was all over the place. "Question is, how much longer till we get to Mauville?"
"Well." Thalia looked to our right, causing me to look, and my eyes came upon a very wide river or a very large lake. Above this body of water, on top of strips of land, was a huge, newfangled bridge where I saw specks moving back and forth upon its mighty surface. "We're getting close."
"What is that?" I asked suddenly. "Could we have crossed that earlier!? Where was the entrance?" I looked to Thalia, who held a hand up to my face.
"Shut up." She ordered. "The entrance was just a bit ago and it's for bike riders only."
"Bike riders?" I asked, a frown forming on my face. Thalia rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Yes. People who own bikes have the exclusive privilege to ride upon Hoenn's bike path." Thalia commented as we walked. "We're at a small coast and the path was built to make travelling over the water literally over the water, and a faster option to simply walking under." Thalia pointed to an entrance that lead to the strip of land that, as I now saw, wasn't holding the bike path up at all. "However we will have to walk under so that means we'll have to deal with any trainers that lurk there."
"Trainers are under there?" I wondered why they'd be there.
"It's good practice before Wattson, I hear." Thalia elaborated. "And also they want to push themselves or something. Who knows?" she shrugged as we came up to where the path veered off. The right held the way to under the bridge, the left held a path that I wasn't aware of, and before us was a house of unknown proportions.
"Whose house?" I asked.
"No one I know." Thalia shrugged. "Honestly I'm just giving you basic landmark information, you know, since you're a foreigner."
"Oh. Right." I sighed, remembered that I really wasn't from here. This was all new to me. Then again I'd be in Thalia's position if she were on a trip to Johto and I pointed out the various landmarks.
"Yeah. That path to the left" Thalia pointed "leads to some water that actually takes you back to Oldale town, if I remember right."
"Oh yeah!" I exclaimed, remembering the route that lead up from Oldale town, the body of water to the right of it. "That's where it leads then."
"Mhm." Thalia made the noise as she turned and headed to the path to the right. "Come on, it'll be a little while."
"You sure?" I asked, jogging to catch up to her.
"Preeeeeeeeeeeeeeetty sure." She spoke, the sarcasm in her voice prevalent. "Bike path's pretty long and the low path is just as long but we don't have bikes so this will be quite the test of our patience."
"I can't wait." I responded with a false chipper attitude. "It sure will be fun, don't you think?" I asked, all smiles.
"Shut up." Was Thalia's curt response as we marched on. And truth be told it was boring. Scenery was nice, the water was clear and reflected the sunlight quite beautifully as well as the big, puffy clouds that passed by on the surface of the water and in the sky itself. Unfortunately there was nothing but tall grass and the occasional Pokemon that scurried about. I saw a couple of Electrike running around but Pokemon populations became scarcer that farther away from solid land we were. We hit the first turn a few minutes in but ahead was a long trek that seemed to go on for quite some bit. It was here that I learned just how weird girls can get.
"Well, well!" I heard ahead of us. I looked yet I saw nothing. There was quite literally nothing before us. Then I blinked. It was then that, out of nowhere, that a girl appeared. She wore a sort of loose navy blue one piece with red trim at the collar. Her hair was lavender with a round cut and a lock sticking straight up. She wore sandals as well. In her hand she held… no wait, she wasn't holding her Pokeball, it was levitating in her hand.
"Um" I pointed to her hand "What are you doing?"
"A psychic." Thalia elaborated beside me. "Cocky buggers in my opinion." The Psychic girl gave Thalia a glance, but nothing more. If anything she smiled.
"Say about us what you will, but we possess the great mental capacity for psychic abilities." The girls said, tossing her ball into the air and catching it with her hind before it hit her hand. "My name is Edward." She introduced herself. Edward? Isn't that- "a boys name?" Edward looked at me with this sardonic grin that gave me the shivers. "Yes, Brendan, it is, generally. But much how boys can be called Leslie and the like, my parents named me Edward."
"Okay first off-" I began, but I was cut off.
"She's a Psychic, Brendan." Thalia elaborated. "She can read your mind, though it's a limited ability I believe."
"Correct!" Edward's face made it look as if she was going to give Thalia the slow clap of sarcastic congratulations. "I can pick some information up but I'm not as honed as any Psychic Pokemon."
"Well then, this will be a nice challenge." I pulled Aron's ball. If anyone could withstand some Psychic Pokemon, it was Aron.
"Oh good! You accept." Edward kept that mirthless grin on her face. "But please, call me Ed. And not it's not because I'm flat up here." She patted her incredibly modest chest, though it wasn't me that was thinking it.
"Oh shut up!" Thalia let out. I looked to her. If she got my head exploded over her thoughts, I was going to have some serious words.
"Relax Brendan, I'm not going to make your head explode. Frankly I'm not even sure an Alakazam could but I wouldn't know." She shrugged as Thalia leaned in.
"Listen, I've faced a couple of these before, just try and keep a lock on your thoughts. Even a normal person like you…" she stopped and eyed me. "Well a pervert like you-"
"Hey!" I protested before she plowed on.
"-can keep a lock on your thoughts against her. Also try to think as little as possible, make your orders in your head when you think of them as fast as you can. Like I said, their powers are very limited, generally." Thalia patted me on the back. "I'm sure you can do it."
"Thanks." I readied Aron's ball. "Let's do this!" I called.
"Sure thing!" Ed called back as she held her ball before her. In a video game, this is where the generic battle music would start. Her Pokeball opened and unleashed the creature within in a burst of white light. "Abra!" Before me, sitting in the grass, was a sort of fox-creature I guess. It looked asleep, sitting with its legs spread and hands crossed in front of it. It was yellow but for tis chest and shoulders, which looked like it had brown armour on. The rest of it was yellow. It just sat there, without moving. Was it even awake? Whatever. I tossed my ball.
"Aron!" out of the Pokeball came little Aron, who called out when he arrived with a hearty
"brrrrrrrrrrrrrrew!"
"Okay Aron." I prepared myself, taking a deep breath. Then another, hoping to get Aron to synchronise with me. It worked, sort of. It'd have to do. "Tackle!" I called and Aron ran forward as I pulled my PokeDex to figure out this Abra. I watched as Aron closed in, ready to hit this thing full- what!? As Aron neared the Abra he suddenly stopped and was flung away, flipping over himself several times before he landed and got back up. "What in the-" I found my PokeDex and scanned the Abra.
Abra, the Psi Pokemon. A Pokémon that sleeps 18 hours a day. Observation revealed that it uses Teleport to change its location once every hour. Well that didn't help much. I looked to this tiny little guy. Shouldn't really say tiny, he was double Aron's height sitting on his ass. I had to try something. Maybe…
"Aron, Iron Head!" I called, getting ready to make the switch at the last second. Maybe it'd work. I took a breath to lock my thoughts down as Aron neared Abra. "Mud Slap!" I called and Aron jumped and landed, sending more or less semi-wet dirt into Abra's face. Whatever prevented Aron from hitting Abra didn't stop the mud as it hit Abra at a decent speed. However he wasn't fazed by it much. Time to try again, head on. "Iron Head!" I called and Aron surged forward, his proximity to Abra being a good factor.
"Reflect." I heard whispered by Ed and suddenly Aron was propelled back, landing hard in the dirt. I gritted my teeth. This wasn't going good already. I looked to Abra as dirt slid off its head. What the hell could I do to combat it? This move, Reflect, must push back Aron's physical moves as Mud Slap went in fine. Hm…
"Mud Slap!" I ordered and Aron hit some more dirt at the Abra.
"Light Screen." I heard and suddenly the dirt hit an invisible wall. Okay. Reflect pushed back Aron's physical attacks and Light Screen stopped his distance attacks. One for each, but not both. I bit my lip. Obvious route would be… and I stopped. I didn't want Ed to learn of my plan, and I hoped it would work.
"Okay Aron." I readied myself, closing my eyes and concentrating on my breathing. I took long, deep breaths. I focused and began hearing Aron's breathing being to synchronise with my own. Maybe… I hope it works otherwise I'll have to switch. I opened my eyes. "Tackle!" I called and Aron ran forward, ready to give Abra a full body attack. I waited, hoping to see the distance where Reflect took effect. He kept going until he hit about a foot away, when he was pushed back by the Reflect. Okay, about a foot away. "Aron, back up." I ordered and he did so. He was raring to go, the little guy. I guess he really wanted to prove himself a bit.
"Confusion." I heard.
"What?" but then Abra shifted its head, as if it was trying to get a look at Aron. The suddenly this… otherworldly blue glow began surrounding Abra. Suddenly Aron started stumbling from his still position. "Aron?" I asked and he kept stumbling around, as if he were trying to keep his balance. I looked and saw Ed smiling. Damn it. I opened my PokeDex and flipped through moves Abra could know. The list was limited but I found Confusion. It read that it simply made a Pokemon confused and could do some damage. Great. I looked at Aron, stumbling around. "Aron, look at me." I ordered. Aron struggled to turn around but he finally managed it, his eyes were looking everywhere. "Aron I said look at me." I knelt down and kept my voice firm, hoping it could reach him. It somewhat did. His eyes, though still wobbling around, managed to get a somewhat firm look at me. "Remember, focus on me." I said, forcefully. "I'm your rock, just focus and you'll be fine. Okay?" Aron managed to nod and I nodded back. "Okay. Now Tackle!" I ordered and Aron, surprisingly, managed to run forward.
"Confusion." Ed ordered.
"Keep pushing." I ordered, doing my best to keep my breathing even. Aron stumbled a bit but kept pushing forward. Soon he was closing in on a couple feet.
"Reflect." I heard.
"Mud Slap!" I called, causing Aron to slam his little legs into the ground, sending dirt into Abra's face.
"Light Screen." Ed ordered and the dirt hit the invisible wall just as I called out
"Iron Head!" Aron lunged forward, pushing past the Light Screen and headfirst into Abra, knocking the Psychic type off its rump and sending it sprawling into the grass behind Ed.
"Abra!" she spoke, her voice still soft.
"Tackle!" I called, seeing Abra trying to get up. Aron rushed forward but as soon as he reached Abra, the Psychic type was absorbed in red light into Ed's Pokeball.
"huh?" I wondered aloud and Ed smiled.
"I saw I was going to lose." She elaborated simply. "Best not to have Abra go through more than it has to." She gave me a less sardonic smile and a kinder one. "I'll give you this victory." She said, walking towards me and passing me. "You're an interesting case, Brendan. I'll be sure to watch your progress intently." And she left, walking past us and to the path Thalia and I had just trekked.
"Well she was weird." Thalia commented as Aron ran up to me.
"We did it!" I gave the guy a hug and he bayed happily.
"Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeew!" he said before I returned him. I stood and I looked to Thalia.
"So you wanna start going or…" I nodded my head in the direction before us, which was ahead.
"Yeah, sure." She said, and we did. Admittedly it was a boring trek forward. An hour's walk, roughly, before we encountered a turn to the left. By now it was nearing time for lunch and the corner was a nice spot with a good view. We sat and, once more, ate some granola bars. There was a slight elevation above the water, enough that allowed us to let out legs dangle off just an inch above the water.
"This is nice." Thalia commented as she munched her bar.
"It is. Almost worthy of a painting." I observed. "If anything, it probably has been the subject of a painting."
"Probably." Thalia responded.
"Meh. It's a good view. I enjoy it." I took a bite.
"Didn't say you weren't able to." Thalia commented idly. She seemed to be a bit lost, staring out at the water as it moved in small waves due to the breeze. I didn't pay it much mind as I finished up my bar. I ate a second one as Thalia leaned back on her hands and enjoyed the nice weather today. If anything that made me more suspicious about another freak weather accident. I had a bad habit of doing that and Ethan always joked that it was ever since I stole Victoria's panties. She got psychological when she wanted to and she'd driven at least one girl to near suicide. Wasn't a pretty week of secondary school, let me tell you.
"Say, lemme ask you something." I turned to Thalia as I slowly ate, drawing her half attentive gaze.
"Huh?" she raised an eyebrow at me.
"Why are girls so…" I struggled to find the word. "Cruel to each other?" There it was. Because if Victoria embodied any word that wasn't cunt or bitch, it was cruel.
"Now that…" Thalia mused as she looked back out over the water "is a toughie."
"Well, while we talk." I reached pulled Gyarados's Pokeball and opened it up, letting him out into the water. He wound up beneath the waves but soon emerged in a showy upward surge, spraying water everywhere as he roared. "Have a bit of fun! Swim around, get some exercise!" I called. As Gyarados began swimming off.
"Well I know one theory." Thalia got my attention once more. "I've heard, and I also believe, it's an alpha bitch sorta thing."
"What?" I scoffed, earning a glare. "You can't be serious."
"I dare you to find a group of girls who are friends and see which one is the leader. There's almost always a leader that the others defer to. If there isn't, then the struggle will happen eventually. Sometimes the group slits into two or three or five, depending on how many want to be on top."
"I'll ignore the obvious joke." I commented.
"And you should." Thalia threatened before continuing. "Anyway girls generally want to be the head of the pack and conflicting suitors fight and split and form their own. There they nurse a grudge that leads them to bullying, fights, and other things."
"Like driving each other to suicide systematically and deliberately?" I asked.
"Exactly." Thalia snapped her fingers. "I've seen it done."
"So have I. Almost."
"Care to elaborate?" Thalia grinned and I shrugged.
"Basically in secondary school Victoria got cross with some girl who was saying she was the smartest in the class because her grades were the best. Victoria then became friends with the girl, who was all too happy to have someone as popular as Victoria as a friend. About a week later the girl was heard of talking about how her parents never loved her and that their divorce, at the time, was because of her. Victoria was never pinned and the girl got therapy after but she ever did achieve above average after that." I finished the last of my granola bar and tucked the wrapper in my bag as Thalia had an eyebrow raised.
"Arceus, she's a psychopath from what you tell me."
"It's the only time she did something so drastic and it was because her top spot was threatened." I chuckled. "Territorial would be the word."
"Yeah, I guess. I saw girls getting driven to near suicide a few times at my school."
"A few times?" I asked as Gyarados crashed around in the lake.
"I had more than a few girls who acted like Victoria that were far crueler. At least she only wanted you to get suspended or something. Too many girls who I went to school with just wanted everyone else to follow or just kill themselves." Thalia smirked. "Most of them got arrested later after one girl went to the cops. Was hilarious if I do say so."
"That couldn't have been your entire high school experience." I wondered aloud.
"Oh, Arceus, no. I had fun in school. Just those few groups got on everyone's nerves. And when we didn't respond they got drastic. It was a bad while." Thalia shrugged. "But no one died so that's fine in my book."
"I see." Was my response as I looked back out to the water. This got dark, fast. "Ready to go?" I asked, beginning to stand.
"Yeah, sure." Thalia stood and I pulled my Pokeball, seeing Gyarados surge up, I returned him to his ball before I hefted my bag and we headed out, going left this time. It was, to say the least, an uneventful walk. A couple Pokemon here and there but nothing that I felt like catching. I dunno, I like what I have right now. Maybe another one later. This section only took a bit, perhaps forty five minutes? I wasn't paying attention. By the time we hit the turn and I checked my PokeNav, it was half past one. I forgot completely what time we left the Motel along with how long we'd spent walking and sitting.
"Hey!" Thalia nudged me and I jerked out of my thoughts as I almost walked into the barrier that prevented me from falling into the water.
"Oh." I put my PokeNav into my pocket and turned to see someone way down the line. I felt an immediate sense of dread. I dunno, it's the best way I can describe what I felt when I saw the figure.
"You see something you like?" Thalia jeered at me and I had to, once more, shake myself from the realm of my head.
"I dunno. We'll see when we get there." I responded as I started walking. Thalia quickly followed as I made my way.
"You all right?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I shrugged the question off. If my hunch was right, then the person ahead was someone I would have to face.
Courtney hummed a little tune to herself as she examined her tablet. Her target was Brendan, the boy that, according to sources, was being sought by Team Aqua Admin Shelly. Shelly, in Courtney's humble opinion, was a conniver. Too strategic for her own good, too invested. Courtney never had much interest in anything aside from her team goals and keeping tabs on Maxie's strategies that he asked her to look at.
But this Brendan was interesting. His school records showed overall above average grades but nothing truly noteworthy aside from Pokemon battling, where he accelerated at a shocking rate. In fact he rarely ever dropped from top score. When asked about it, his records showed he just enjoyed Pokemon battling and he found formulating strategies and counter strategies stimulating. His records also showed various infractions regarding the female populace of his school but nothing extreme enough to warrant more than a detention.
"So that would be why Shelly is using that girl." Courtney muttered as she scrolled through the information. Her source had said Courtney was using a girl to seduce Brendan into the team. A smart strategy, in Courtney's opinion, but flawed. If Brendan found out before Shelly intended then he would react in an unwanted manner. Courtney had an unintentional plant in Brendan's group of friends: Thalia.
Thalia was already a friend of Brendan's due to a mistake made by her partner, Davis. But Davis was never the smartest. He was a good brawler, sure, but never a good strategist. Why Maxie listened to him was beyond Courtney except he was paranoid about Archie beating him. That was likely why. A shame that such a smart man could be beaten by mere paranoia. Regardless, she focused back onto Brendan.
Apparently he had more than a few encounters with a girl named Victoria, with each conflict going one way or the other, never a definite victor. Generally the conflicts started with Victoria but her wealthy status proved to be useful in bribing the school into letting her off easy, according to Brendan and his friends at least. Of course the officials denied any favouritism in regards to money but around the time of Victoria's infractions, donations of various size were made to the school.
"Curiouser and Curiouser." Courtney muttered as she spied a Magma grunt walking up to her, saluting before he addressed her.
"Ma'am!"
"Go ahead." Courtney approved, disinterestedly.
"Ma'am we're nearing our location!" he called as Courtney looked out of the helicopter window. They were nearing Lillycove. It was a large city so their appearance would be masked once Courtney changed.
"Good. Now leave." She ordered and the grunt left as she scrolled through Brendan's records again.
She found them simply fascinating.
"So what exactly are you doing here?" I asked May as she grinned at me. She was back to her old clothes, green bandana and all. It was a better change, in my personal opinion, from her contest clothes.
"What? Can't I come and see how my friend is doing?" she asked, a playful grin on her face. My own expression was one of dry contempt. At least I hope it was, I don't have a mirror.
"Look" I sighed "It's not that in the slightest. I'm just confused as to your real motives. Because, let's face it, your motives are never clear and are vague at best." I shrugged as May let my words sink in.
"Dude, don't get so melodramatic." She chuckled.
"What?" It was my turn to be confused. "What do you mean 'melodramatic'!?" Seriously. "I'm far from melodramatic!"
"Well you over react a decent bit." Thalia provided her colourful commentary on the side. I turned on her.
"Oh don't you start."
"What?" she shrugged. "Not my fault you get too into things."
"How about I get into you?" I forced the question out, causing Thalia to frown.
"Try it and see what happens." She threatened before May stepped in.
"Listen, Brendan, I was just curious to see if you wanted a battle." She offered, shaking me from my attempt to dig my own grave.
"Battle?" Did May battle anymore? Was she going to much? "I thought you were in contests."
"Oh my…" May rolled her eyes and smiled at me in a manner similar to that of a mother who simply can't process the things her children would do. "I can still battle you dolt!" she started laughing at me. "I'm just focusing primarily on contests since it's what I've wanted to do for a while."
"Really?" I raised an eyebrow. It suddenly dawned on me as May opened her mouth that I barely knew much about my friend/sexual tension partner.
"Yeah, ever since I was a young girl. Contests just looked more fun than battling though I enjoy battling as much as the next trainer." May explained. "Plus if I can annoy you in some way, shape, or form it's a bonus for me."
"Of course, there's always a catch." I sighed deeply as Thalia chuckled.
"I like your style." She complimented May, who winked at her. I was going to say she shouldn't encourage Thalia lest she find Thalia on top or on bottom. However I still didn't want to dig my own grave just yet.
"Fantastic." I interrupted, turning to May. "So you want to battle?"
"Of course!" she replied perkily. "And should you win I'll give you a nice reward!"
"What would that be?" Thalia snorted. "Your panties? A blowjob? Those are the only things he'd really go for."
"Well you got the first part right." May smiled a smug, knowing smile. Thalia immediately shot her gaze over to me. Meanwhile my pants beginning to get a bit too tight.
"Well first, define panties." I said. "And explain what I'd be paying should I lose." I wasn't about to agree to something where I wasn't aware of the consequences to my person. Even if May's underwear was on the line.
"Well if you lose then I get to have some time with Thalia." May explained, her eyes moving of to my compatriot.
"I'm sorry?" she asked, frowning.
"You and me have some girl bonding time, so to speak, while Brendan…" May looked to me and thought for a second. "Brendan must sit with his back to us with his hands and feet tied so that way he can't really enjoy it much."
"What?" I asked suddenly while Thalia just looked at May, dumbstruck.
"I… I don't even…" she stuttered. Then May walked up to Thalia and stood on her tippy toes, since Thalia was a good head above her, and whispered something into Thalia's ear. I watched Thalia's expression go from a frown slowly to realisation before she broke out into a grin that became an intimidating, evil smile that would be worthy of the campiest of Saturday morning cartoon villains. "Oh yes." She finally said when May was done. "I can do that."
"Good." May smiled at her and walked back past me and in the way of my path towards the gate that, if I was right, lead right into Mauville city. Behind it I saw a few tall buildings. "Okay Brendan!" she called, grabbing my attention once more. "If you win this you get the panties that I'm wearing right now, under these shorts." She pointed to her tight shorts, where, even from this little bit of distance, I was able to spot the panty lines.
"so uh…" I started. "You sure they're…"
"Ugh, they're clean!" May groaned. "Believe it or not we keep our panties relatively clean."
"You sure?" I asked, genuinely curious. "I've seen girls bathrooms."
"I've only wore them today while I was walking around." May elaborated. "I haven't even gone to the bathroom yet. Speaking of, I'll have to once this battle's finished!"
"But not before the panties!" I exclaimed. I wanted them fresh from her body, they had a bit more worth, any pervert with his salt would argue that.
"Fine! Now let's get it on!" May called as she tossed a Pokeball. "Shroomish!" she called as her Pokeball let out a small, plump, plant-like creature before me. It was short, roughly Aron's height. Speaking of, Aron had a fight, it was time for him to make a return.
"Aron!" I called as I tossed his ball out, reaching for my PokeDex with my other hand. As Aron emerged I scanned the Shroomish.
Shroomish, the Mushroom Pokemon. It loves to eat damp, composted soil in forests. If you enter a forest after a long rain, you can see many Shroomish feasting on composted soil. Not too appealing in my opinion but it didn't look atrocious.
"Stun Spore!" May called right away, startling me back into reality. I saw Shroomish start to shake its body as little spores appeared around it and headed towards Aron.
"Aron, run out of the way!" I ordered, our breathing exercise interrupted. Aron moved out of the way of the spores headed towards him but Shroomish had a sort of aura of spores around it. A cloud, if you will. Aron kept a distance from Shroomish, obviously aware of the spores. May had a sadistic grin on her face. This would be slightly harder than I anticipated. I watched the spores as I tried to formulate a plan. Aron was a very physical guy, I'd need someone with more distance attacks. With Shroomish having that little cloud of stun spores around it, no physical attacker could get in before it got paralyzed and dropped, making them immobile and a loss. Hm… I pulled Aron's Pokeball and aimed it. "Return!" he was pulled back into the ball in a show of light as I reached for someone else. Perhaps not the best choice but I needed it. I tossed the Pokeball. "Totodile!" out of the ball my scarred little blue friend popped out with his usual flashy show. He landed with a soft thud and stood ready to fight.
"Shroomish, Tackle!" May ordered and Shroomish, still covered in spores, charged Totodile as fast as its little legs could carry it, which wasn't very fast. This was easy.
"Water Gun!" I called and Totodile fired a powerful stream of water that knocked Shroomish back on its back. It was a top heavy little thing so it was easy to knock over. Shroomish struggled to get up as I noticed the spores were now gone. Oh yeah! I remembered learning in school that water could stop spores. It was one advantage Water Pokemon had over Grass types. Add that to spores being a far better type of move for Pokemon that could fly, other wise it generally floated around like a cloud.
"Smart!" May called. "Come on Shroomish, get up!" she called as Shroomish rolled around, trying to get up. She rolled her eyes and then said "Rollout!"
"Rollout?" I wondered aloud when Shroomish somehow began rolling fast towards Totodile. I saw it tuck its legs in and begin rolling until it was near Totodile. "Jump!" I ordered and Totodile jumped over the rolling Shroomish who managed to turn on a fucking dime and rocketed towards Totodile at a speed that was even faster than I thought and it snuck up on my reptilian friend. "Watch out!" I called as Totodile turned just in time to take a Rollout to the face, knocking him over and into the ground hard. Shroomish hit Totodile's left side and I noticed, as he tried to get up, his left arm was twitching as if he were trying to move it. Son of a bitch, the thing had spores on its body!
"I can plan things too, Brendan!" May called and I suddenly got the urge to shove a victory in her smug face. I looked to Totodile as he managed to get up on his feet.
"Totodile!" I called, my voice more firm. "Blast that thing into the water!" I pointed at Shroomish, who was rolling towards Totodile even faster. Totodile aimed with his one eye and fired a good blast of water at Shroomish, which didn't even slow it down much as it plowed right through the blast of water. "Dodge!" I called when Shroomish got too close for comfort. Totodile managed to roll out of the way of Shroomish rolled past him and managed turn once more, but less sharp. If it kept going faster then it'd have a harder time turning? "Blast it!" I called and Totodile fired another blast of water that Shroomish tanked as it rolled. "Dodge!" called and Totodile managed to dodge again, his left arm and, I presume, side giving surprisingly little trouble. For now.
"Shroomish, finish Totodile off!" May ordered and Shroomish began to make a wider turn and I saw my chance.
"Totodile, blast the ground beneath it!" I ordered and Totodile shot water at the dirt beneath Shroomish and just ahead of it, turning it into mud and dirt chunks. Shroomish hit the turn and skidded out. It literally flung itself over Totodile and, as it stopped rolling in mid-air, face first into the dirt behind Totodile.
"Good job!" May called as she watched Shroomish, who wasn't moving around. She pulled her Pokeball and returned the Shroomish as Totodile collapsed, breathing heavily. I pulled his Pokeball and returned him.
"You did good." I spoke to the small sphere as May pulled another Pokeball. She threw it.
"Numel!" she called, releasing her little fire camel. When it appeared, it looked at me with those derpy, dopey eyes of his. I reached for Aron again. Probably a bad idea but I had a few ideas. I hoped.
"Aron!" I released him as he stared defiantly into the half-asleep eyes of Numel. Aron was raring to go after I pulled him from Shroomish. He was also probably riding the high off of his victory against Abra.
"Odd choice!" May commented as she grinned that little grin of hers. "Numel, use Ember!" Numel shot a small flurry of little embers towards Aron, who quickly dodged out of the way as the embers charred the grass where Aron was standing.
"Mud Slap!" I ordered and Aron slapped the mud beneath him, sending it at Numel who managed to get out of the way as the mud hit he dirt beside him harmlessly. He simply kept looking at Aron with that dopey fucking look on his face. Some girls might find it cute, perhaps. But it was serving to irritate me at present.
"Tackle!" May called and Numel charged forward, his head aimed at Aron. I almost let it happen before I remembered that May was crafty with move combining. Perhaps a skill from Contest, who knows.
"Aron, Mud Slap!" I ordered and Aron did the thing and sent some mud right into Numel's dopey face, causing it to turn wildly and trip, crashing into the ground face first. I was tempted to laugh but the last time I had one of May's Pokemon on the ropes, she pulled the rug from underneath me. "Back up, now! Get some distance!" I ordered and Aron backed up a good distance, which was good. Or so I thought. I looked to May and saw her grin.
"Numel! Flamethrower!" she ordered. Flamethrower?
"Flamethrower!?" I exclaimed as Numel, whose face was still covered in mud and dirt, opened its mouth and, in a random fashion, began spewing a massive blast of fire. I had to duck the thing when it sailed above my head. However I was so concerned with my own well-being in that few precious seconds that I completely missed it hitting Aron until he cried out. "Aron!" I called and when Numel's fiery storm ended, I saw Aron. His metal body was glowing from the heat given off by the flamethrower. He was shaking, not looking well. I didn't know what to do until I decided that water would be useful. I quickly grabbed my bottle and ran over to Aron, emptying the contents onto Aron, creating a hiss and a cloud of steam that emanated from him. Once it cleaned Aron looked a bit better, but he was still shaky. I could still feel the heat from the flamethrower attack emanating off of him. Oh Arceus.
"Numel!" May started and I hissed to Aron.
"Okay little guy, I need you to pull off one Iron Head, just one. Can you do it?" I asked and Aron seemed to nod. I took it as a yes for now. "Okay then."
"Flamethrower!" May called.
"Iron Head!" I ordered. Aron shot forward as Numel had to take a deep breath to prepare the Flamethrower, which gave Aron enough time to hit Numel head on and full force. In fact, Aron knocked the camel off its feet and into the waters on the side.
"Numel!" May called as she pulled her Pokeball and returned him as quick as possible. Aron, who was really shaking now, stood as victorious as he could.
"You did good Aron!" I complimented him as I pulled his Pokeball. "Have a good rest." I said as I returned him, placing his ball on my waist as I pulled Combusken's ball. I readied to throw it as May readied her last. I still had Gyarados but… I wasn't sure of how much I could control him in a battle just yet. Sure I helped him with the Sharpedo but I still wasn't sure about him.
"Go, Marshtomp!" May called.
"Combusken!" I let out my favourite little bird. Combusken landed on his feet, cawing loudly and flexing his arms to intimidate the creature before him. The creature, Marshtomp, was an odd one. Being primarily blue, it had orange cheeks with a wide smile on its face. The orange cheeks had little spines coming from them. There was a navy blue crest on its head like a Mohawk or a horsehair plume on a helmet. Its belly was also orange, a round circle, with flat, flipper-like hand and stocky legs and feet with two navy blue fins behind it. I pulled my PokeDex and scanned it.
Marshtomp, the Mudfish Pokemon. Evolved form of Mudkip. Its toughened hind legs enable it to stand upright. Because it weakens if its skin dries out, it replenishes fluids by playing in mud.
"So you managed to evolve Mudkip, I see." I commented as May finished scanning Combusken.
"I can say the same. He was a feisty little guy." She said, eyeing Combusken. "Seems he still is."
"Some things never change, even with age." I joked as Combusken looked to me. I raised an eyebrow at him, confused as to whether or not he was truly aware of his cockiness or not. Regardless of that, I had to prepare for a battle against this Marshtomp. "You ready?" I asked Combusken, who cawed loudly at Marshtomp. Marshtomp looked, at best, immovable. He simply stood there, smiling.
"Ready?" May asked Marshtomp, who finally moved by flapping his arms and making a sort of noise. May smiled. "Good, Water Gun!" she ordered and Marshtomp fired a shot of water right at Combusken.
"Dodge!" I called as Combusken was, himself, jumping out of the way. He rolled to another spot beside me. "Ember!" I ordered and Combusken shot out a flurry of the little glowing embers that quickly traveled to Marshtomp, who simply took the little things out by firing a wide arc of a Water Gun. I gritted my teeth. I should've expected this. Still, I had to try something else. "Double Kick!" I ordered, sending Combusken after Marshtomp physically since it could knock any fire attack out of the air before it reached it.
"Mud Shot!" May ordered. Mud Shot? Marshtomp suddenly looked like it was going to throw up, albeit still staring blankly as he did. It was then that Combusken reached him and kicked once and then twice, doubling Marshtomp over. Combusken back stepped a few times just as Marshtomp suddenly raised its head and opened its mouth and let out a large ball of what I hoped was mud at a good speed straight for Combusken.
Com "Dodge!" I called, causing Combusken to jump to the side as the ball of mud hit the ground and exploded, sending the stuff everywhere. Combusken barely managed to avoid it as Marshtomp was taking aim.
"Water Gun!" May ordered and Marshtomp fired another blast of water towards Combusken, who barely rolled out of the way.
"Double Kick!" I ordered once more. Combusken got up and ran towards Marshtomp, only to back step when he fired a shot of water at Combusken's feet. "Go again!" I ordered and Combusken tried once more, only for Marshtomp to fire another blast at his feet. I bit my lip. Combusken was just unable to get to get at Marshtomp either from a distance with fire attacks or up close with his kicks. Marshtomp was a standing fortress at present. Unable to be touched by Combusken. At least at first. I needed a strategy. Marshtomp took the Double Kick before the Mud Shot but I wonder how much damage that did. Maybe I could juke Marshtomp and May somehow, forcing them to take more Double Kicks. Or… "Double Kick!" I ordered again, with Combusken running at Marshtomp, who prepared himself for another Water Gun when I suddenly shouted "Ember!" Combusken suddenly shot out a flurry of embers right into Marshtomp's face, disrupting its Water Gun and making it recoil.
"What!?" May exclaimed as I unleashed my next attack.
"Double Kick, now!" I ordered, with Combusken delivering two hard kicks to Marshtomp's considerable gut, making it double over. "Again!" I ordered, watching Combusken deal another two kicks to Marshtomp's head. "Again!" Combusken delivered another couple of kicks to Marshtomp's head and body. Combusken finished his combo and stood there as Marshtomp stumbled around, trying to stay up before he finally stopped and fell backwards with a thud, unconscious. May's face was one of surprise.
"What?" she said again, as if she hadn't processed what just happened. I didn't do anything just yet so I stood there, watching Marshtomp intently, waiting for it to get back up and blast Combusken in the face with some water. However, I watched as May pull a Pokeball and return Marshtomp to her. It was then that I cheered.
"YES!" I exclaimed, causing Combusken to start cawing once more. May sighed at my display and behind me I heard Thalia groan with disappointment. Whatever it was they had planned aside from teasing me was now dead in the water.
"Okay. You won." May sighed as she walked up to me.
"You're right." I said, a grin on my face as I returned Combusken. Sure I'd beaten a couple trainers but May was a challenge, someone I had lost to once before. "Now it's time to pay up."
"You sure we can't just tie him up yet?" Thalia asked behind me. "I mean I'm right here."
"No, he won fair and square." May sighed as I got ready to get my prize. I heard Thalia groan behind me and I was acutely aware of what could happen should she and May decide to go through with it. In fact May looked around to make sure the three of us were the only ones here. Then she grabbed her tight shorts and pulled them down and off of her legs.
"Well now." I heard Thalia behind me. I continued to watch as May slid her shoes and shorts off before she grabbed her simple white panties and pulled them down and off her legs before handing them to me. I slid them into my bag as May got herself dressed again.
"There you go." May said, her shorts now tight against her lower body.
"You sure Brendan needs them?" Thalia asked. "'cause I'll take em if you want."
"Just eat her out now why don't you?" I jokingly asked.
"I'm tempted." Thalia responded. I rolled my eyes. And she called me the pervert.
"Well, Now what?" May asked me.
"Well now" I began walking towards the gate "We head into Mauville.
A/N: There we go, some battles. Something well needed I think.