Author's Note:

Hello all, we're back with another chapter, and this time it's not after two years! Progress! Anyway, not much to say, so sit back, relax, and please enjoy chapter 35!

Chapter 35: A Rematch Reroute

Bonnie glanced uncertainly in the distance, back towards the desert and the ruins they had searched so thoroughly the day before. They had found no sign of Sadie since she had disappeared, and worse, they now suspected Team Archaic had gotten their hands on yet another powerful Pokemon. Returning to Mauville City at this time didn't seem right, yet that's what they were doing, encouraged by the Winstrates that they would handle matters from here.

"There isn't much you can do, dear," Vicky told Bonnie as she stood at the edge of their property with the departing travellers. "We've informed Officer Jenny. They'll investigate, and they'll keep an eye out for your friend, too. Although from what you've told me I suspect she was simply eager to head off and find another Pokemon."

"I think she'll be okay, Bonnie," Vivi said, bouncing a little from excitement as she shouldered her backpack. She would be joining Bonnie and the others on the trip to Mauville City, eager to see Bonnie's rematch at the gym.

"We'll be back here soon enough anyway," Clyde pointed out. "We need to pass through here when you're going to Lavaridge Town for your fourth badge."

Roxanne nodded, patting Bonnie on the shoulder consolingly. "It'll be all right, Bonnie. For now, just focus on your gym battle. It's a big one!"

Bonnie finally cracked a smile at that. She couldn't deny that she was excited about getting another chance at battling Wattson, especially now that she had a powerful new weapon at her disposal. She would still need continue to train hard as they headed back towards Mauville City, but just that morning she'd had her first training session with Trapinch as part of her team. Dedenne and Wingull were still likely her most reliable partners, but Bonnie could tell that Trapinch's raw power was in a league of its own. He was still wary of her, though, and they would need to sort that out before the battle.

"You're right. We still need to move forward. Besides, what better way to prepare for a fight against Team Archaic than to get my next badge!" Bonnie turned her head to Dedenne, seeing him pump his fist in excitement at the declaration.

"I can't wait to see it!" Vivi exclaimed. "You're sure it's no problem for me to go, grandma?"

"Of course not!" Vicky said. "You deserve to have some fun, dear. Just don't get in Bonnie's way, and listen to Roxanne."

Vivi pouted at that, but nodded. "Yeah, I'll be good. Don't worry."

"Zzt! In that case, we should be setting off!" Rotom announced, turning and floating forward. "We have a long way to go!"

With that, the group said their final goodbyes to Vicky and began to make their way towards Route 111. Although still a little uneasy about Sadie and Team Archaic, Bonnie did feel good as they got on their way. Of course, no one was more excited than Vivi, who seemed to have put all the events of the previous day behind her, ready for her first real taste of adventure.

All in all, it wasn't a very eventful trip back to Mauville City, however. The most exciting events of each day were Bonnie's training sessions, everyone eager to see how much progress Trapinch could make as part of the team leading up to his gym debut. Unfortunately, he wasn't the most willing of participants, often staring at Bonnie suspiciously as she went over the various things she wanted the team to work on and even refusing some of her commands outright.

"Trapinch, how about you show us your Dig attack?" Bonnie asked during one training session, excitedly looking to her newest catch. "I bet it will come in handy against Wattson!"

"Pinch trapinch..." the Ant Pit Pokemon responded, turning his head away.

Bonnie frowned at him, unsure of what to make of this development. Sure, Torchic had ignored her a few times out of excitement, Zigzagoon had been too scared to battle and Wingull had even snapped and used a Water Gun on her in frustration, but none of them had been like this. Trapinch almost seemed like he had no interest in being part of the team.

But that's not totally true, Bonnie told herself, thinking back to the trip to the Desert Ruins. Trapinch hadn't been enthusiastic, but he did help them when they were searching for the ruins. There was a part of him that was willing. There just seemed to be some kind of barrier between him and Bonnie at the moment.

"Sometimes it takes time to get a Pokemon used to you," Roxanne told Bonnie, watching the scene in interest. "Trapinch could be waiting for you to prove yourself in some way."

"Didn't I prove myself by beating him?" Bonnie asked, frustration creeping into her voice.

"Pinch..."

Bonnie narrowed her eyes, turning to the Ant Pit Pokemon who was peering back at her the same way. Apparently he did not agree with that statement. "I caught you, Trapinch. Me and Wingull won that battle fair and square."

"Gull! Wingull!" Wingull cried in agreement, flapping his wings from where he and Zigzagoon had been sparring.

"Tra trapinch," Trapinch muttered in response, turning away again.

Bonnie clenched her fists, wanting to scream in frustration at that response. After all the hard work to chase this pesky Pokemon down and beat him, he didn't even consider it legitimate somehow? What else was she supposed to do? Beat him again? She grinned as that thought crossed her mind.

"All right, Trapinch? You want to battle again? Then fine, we'll-"

"Bonnie you can't just fight your own Pokemon," Roxanne warned. "Besides, if Trapinch is stubborn about accepting that you beat him once, what's to stop him from feeling the same way if it happens again. And you don't want to ruin his confidence." Her eyes went to Zigzagoon as she said that, and Bonnie's shoulders sagged in disappointment.

Unfortunately, no more progress in her relationship with Trapinch seemed to come in that training session or the subsequent ones. He did sometimes participate, but largely in his own way. Trapinch did seem motivated to get stronger, so he wasn't going to slack off, but listening to Bonnie was another story at the moment.

And then, finally, the group made it back to Mauville City, Vivi leading the way into the city as they reached the entrance. It was a little busier than usual that day, and Bonnie almost wondered if some kind of festival was happening. She didn't see any signs for anything, though, and just assumed it felt busier after their time in the desert.

Since they and their Pokemon were pretty tired after the long journey, they all decided the first destination should be the Pokemon Centre. It was fairly easy to get there, everyone but Vivi having been there recently, so the route being fresh in their minds. So, before too long, they noticed the building up ahead and quickly rushed towards it. Before they entered, though, they all came to a sudden stop, noticing something out front that was quite familiar. Or rather...someone.

"Sadie!" Bonnie shouted in surprise, seeing the ginger-haired girl looking at some kind of sign out front of the Pokemon Centre, before she turned around in surprise.

"Oh! Bonnie! Hey!" Sadie grinned, apparently not realizing she'd had their group worried sick the last few days. "How's Trapinch?"

"Sadie...where did you go? What happened? We thought you'd gotten lost!" Clyde cut in, eyes wide with surprise as he stared at her.

Sadie blushed, noticing the concern in everyone's faces. "Oh man...sorry, guys. I didn't mean to make you worry. I just...I saw Bonnie was gonna win, and then I noticed a Pokemon and went after it. I didn't want to distract you, so I just took off. Sorry..." She bowed her head in shame.

Roxanne was the first to speak, smiling kindly as Sadie started to look up. "We're just glad you're safe. I'm not sure if you're aware, but it seems as though Team Archaic was in the area."

"Team Archaic?" Sadie blinked in surprise. "What would they be after?"

"Zzt! It appears they were in the Desert Ruins!" Rotom informed her. "Searching for Regirock, the legendary rock titan!"

Sadie's eyes widened. "Regirock?" She was silent a moment, appearing uneasy. "Well...good thing I didn't run into them, I guess."

Bonnie rolled her eyes as she noticed Clyde going misty-eyed. "W-Well," he said, cheeks reddening, "I'm sure...you would've been able to handle them."

Sadie smiled at that, shrugging. "Maybe." She then shook her head, turning to Bonnie suddenly. "So anyway, how's Trapinch? Are you using him in your gym battle?"

Bonnie grinned, holding up her Ultra Ball that contained the Ant Pit Pokemon. "He's doing all right," she said, before casting her eyes downward, thinking of his attitude towards her thus far. "He's...um...a bit stubborn. It might be a difficult battle, but I know he's strong enough."

Sadie looked curious, but didn't press Bonnie further. "Well, you'll have some time to train," she said. "I heard Wattson is out of town a few days. He got called out for some business with...what was it...New Mauville?"

Bonnie's eyes widened. "What?! He's not here?!"

Vivi seemed just as disappointed. "So Bonnie can't battle?"

Sadie gave them a sympathetic smile. "Yeah, sorry," she murmured. "Sounds like he left just this morning."

"Awww man," Bonnie muttered, shoulders sagging in disappointment. "How am I ever going to catch up to you and Max at this rate?"

"I'm not competing in a gym battle next anyway," Sadie said, grinning as Bonnie glanced curiously at her. Her rival pointed to the sign she'd been looking at when they'd arrived. "That's where I'm heading next."

Bonnie moved forward to get a better look, her friends joining her. As she read the sign, though, she began to grow excited. Perhaps it wasn't so bad that Wattson wasn't available after all. In fact, this might just be the opportunity she needed to get her team into shape for the rematch. What better way to show Trapinch that she was strong than this?

"A tournament!" she said excitedly. "Where's Verdanturf Town?" she asked, seeing that the location was not actually in Mauville City.

"It's a town just west of here," Sadie explained. "It's nothing like the League, but it should still be a good tournament. Seems like a lot of trainers are expected to be there."

"What do you guys say?" Bonnie turned to her friends. "We should enter, right? All of us!"

"Even me?" Clyde asked. "I don't know. I'm not really a battler."

"Oh, what does it matter, Clyde?" Roxanne said encouragingly. "I'm sure it'll be fun. Besides, look, it only requires a minimum of two Pokemon. You can enter with Treecko and Aron."

"Huh? Two Pokemon?" Vivi rushed towards the sign, her face right up against it as she inspected it. "Oh no!"

Bonnie immediately felt guilty, forgetting that Vivi only had Marill. She thought for a moment, though, glancing down at her collection of pokeballs. "Well, you can enter using one of mine," she suggested. "I'm sure they'd be willing to help out."

Vivi clenched her fists and turned around quickly. "No! I can't do that! It has to be my own!"

The others all took a quick step back at her quick and overenthusiastic response, but Bonnie merely smiled, completely understanding. Besides, she had answered the same way when Clyde had offered Treecko's services against Roxanne. It really wasn't the same if you weren't using your own Pokemon.

"The tournament is still a few days away," Sadie pointed out. "You can still catch one if you want to enter. There's lots of Pokemon between here and Verdanturf Town anyway. I might still be looking for one myself."

"That's a good idea!" Vivi said. "Okay, then I'll-"

"Vivi, don't you think you should talk to your family about going to Verdanturf Town?" Roxanne said. "You've only told them about going to Mauville City."

Vivi looked a little disappointed upon hearing that, but Clyde lifted her spirits a moment later. "Just give them a call inside. Come on, let's get our Pokemon taken care of. Have you been inside yet, Sadie?"

"No, not yet. I got distracted by the sign," Sadie laughed out. "Let's go!"

Their group now another one larger, then headed inside, Vivi quickly deciding to rush over to the phones and call home. It seemed as though the city was mostly busy due to the excitement surrounding the upcoming events in Verdanturf Town. While Bonnie and her friends were waiting for their Pokemon to be taken care of, they heard that not only was there going to be a tournament, but also a Pokemon Contest. Since Mauville City was the nearest large city, it made sense that most people planning on seeing either event would be staying here while waiting.

"That reminds me, Bonnie," Sadie said, as they watched a small news clip about the upcoming Contest, "I saw that you competed in a Contest recently. What was it like?"

"Oh, you saw that?" Bonnie murmured, somewhat embarrassed. "Well, it was fun. I think It showed me and Torchic that we're more interested in battling right now, though."

"Right now?" Sadie tilted her head curiously. "So you might want to be a Coordinator in the future?"

"Well...not completely." Bonnie could feel her friends' eyes on her, and she shuffled her feet uncomfortably. "It's just...I challenged my brother and my friends a long time ago that I'd beat them all one day. My brother is a gym leader in Kalos, and Ash is always challenging leagues, so I'll need to battle them to beat them, but my other friend, Serena, is a Performer and she also came here to challenge Contests. To beat her, I'll need to train for those, too."

"It's not a bad way to increase your standard battle skills, either," Roxanne pointed out. "Remember how May's and Lisia's Pokemon moved. Even a skilled battler would have a difficult time defeating them."

"Wonder if I should try one..." Sadie said thoughtfully. "Might be kind of fun."

"You guys competing in the Verdanturf Contest?" a voice suddenly spoke up, getting the group's attention. It was another trainer waiting for their Pokemon from Nurse Joy.

"More likely the tournament, but maybe," Sadie answered.

"Well either way," the trainer said, pointing in the general direction of Verdanturf Town, "you'll want to watch out on the way. There's a nasty Pokemon at the edge of town. A few people have tried to catch it, but it's making things difficult to get out of here. Just keep an eye out for it."

"What is it?" Roxanne asked curiously.

"Not sure," the trainer muttered, looking a little irritated. "I got attacked from out of the bushes. Didn't have any idea what was happening before my Kecleon was knocked out. He was camouflaged, too, so whatever it is, it's smart."

"Well thanks for the warning," Roxanne said. "We'll keep an eye out for it."

The trainer nodded, and then headed off to continue waiting for his Kecleon. Roxanne looked a little worried about his warning, as did Clyde, but of course, Bonnie, Sadie and Vivi all looked at each other in excitement.

"We've got to try and catch it!" they all said in unison.

"Really, guys?" Clyde said in exasperation. "Don't you think we should actually listen to what that guy said?"

Vivi shook her head. She was extra excited, having received her permission to join them. "Don't you see, Clyde? This is my chance! I can get the second Pokemon I need to enter the tournament!"

Clyde nodded, apparently understanding. "Well, I suppose we have to risk it anyway if we're set on going to Verdanturf Town."

That logic resonated with everyone, so once Nurse Joy had returned their Pokemon and they'd restocked their supplies, the now group of five trainers all headed off to Route 117. With Bonnie, Sadie and Vivi all eager to get to Verdanturf Town, and also see this mysterious Pokemon, they didn't see the point in waiting in Mauville City too long. And for Bonnie, if she wasn't going to get her gym battle, she wanted to look ahead to the challenge of the tournament instead.

Once they reached the route, the crowds thinned out, and before too long they were in a small forest, the sights and sounds of the city long behind them. Bonnie was relieved to be in a forest again. The desert heat was gone and a cool breeze was blowing. The sounds of Pokemon in the distance were the only thing they could hear. It was exactly what travelling should be like in her opinion.

"No sign of that Pokemon that guy was talking about," Sadie pointed out, hands behind her head as she looked around. "Maybe it's moved on."

"I hope not," Vivi said, eyes peeled for any movement. "I need to catch a Pokemon!"

"Well there are still lots around," Sadie said, grinning and pointing out a Taillow flying up above. "You'll get a chance."

"Zzt! By my calculations, we have an eighty-six point four percent chance of an encounter!" Rotom announced, floating ahead with Dedenne, who was scouting ahead. "Route 117 holds quite a variety of Pokemon, including-"

Bonnie nearly missed it, having been watching the Taillow that Sadie had pointed out. However, out of the corner of her eye she saw the bolt of electricity strike Rotom, sending him flying backwards. She quickly jumped to the side, catching the PokeDex, who had an upset face on his screen.

"Zzt! I was attacked!" Rotom cried out. "Zzt! Why did Dedenne attack..." He paused, a question mark appearing on his screen. "Loading...no, that attack was not from Dedenne!"

Bonnie looked up, watching her Antenna Pokemon, seeing that he wasn't even listening to Rotom. He was focused, his cheeks sparking as he looked to each side of the path. It was a good thing he was focused, too, as suddenly, another bolt of electricity shot out, this time from the other side of the path. Bonnie's eyes widened, noticing that unlike Pikachu's and Dedenne's attacks, this electricity was blue.

"Miiiin!" came the cry from the bushes, the bolt striking the ground in front of Dedenne as he jumped back.

That wasn't it, though, as another bolt came from the other side. "Pluuuussss!"

"What's going on?!" Clyde said in alarm, the whole group now on alert.

"Guess we've found our pesky Pokemon," Sadie muttered, eyes narrowed as she glanced at each side of the path. "Two of them in fact."

Bonnie nodded, seeing that she was right. Rotom confirmed it a moment later, floating up from her arms, now apparently recovered. "Zzt! Plusle and Minun, the Cheering Pokemon. They always support their teammates, sending out electric sparks when they do well."

"Plus!"

"Min!"

Bonnie watched closely as the bushes rustled, seeing the two electric types emerge from each side. They were small, rabbit-like Pokemon. One had blue markings, while the other had red markings. Similar to Dedenne, they had electric sacks on their cheeks, the red one, Plusle, having plus marks, while the blue one, Minun, had minus marks. The two of them had fairly nasty grins on their faces, although they did appear to be wary of Dedenne.

"We can take them!" Bonnie said confidently. "Right, Dedenne?"

"Nene!" he answered, cheeks sparking as he prepared to fight.

"Wait!"

They all jumped a little at the sudden shout from Vivi. Even Plusle and Minun looked a little alarmed, watching the girl as she rushed forward, Marill's pokeball in one hand, and two, presumably empty, pokeballs in the other. Bonnie exchanged a quick look with Sadie, and they both nodded. It was only fair that they give Vivi this chance.

"Go get 'em, Vivi!" Bonnie said, giving her friend a thumbs up. "Dedenne, let's leave it to Vivi and Marill!"

"Nene!" he confirmed, hopping back, much to the confusion of Plusle and Minun.

"Be careful," Roxanne warned. "Not only will electric attacks be more effective against Marill, but Plusle and Minun are known for working very well together."

"I know," Vivi said, "but I can work even better with Marill!" With that, she threw her pokeball forward, Marill emerging with a happy cry. "Let's catch ourselves a Plusle and Minun, Marill!"

"Marrr!" Marill shouted, nodding and clenching her fists.

Before Vivi or Marill could get the battle going, though, Plusle and Minun acted first. The two of them exchanged a fairly evil looking grin and immediately hopped so that they were standing side by side. They tapped their paws together, a blue and red glow emitting from where they touched and surrounding them both. Bonnie didn't need Rotom's announcement to know they'd both used Helping Hand to increase their attack power.

Vivi didn't waver, though, merely grinning and thrusting her arm forward. "Marill, use Water Gun!"

"Marrrrillll!" the Aqua Mouse cried out, unleashing the stream of water, aiming right for where the two electric types held one another.

Bonnie smiled, impressed by Vivi's idea. Immediately, Plusle and Minun separated, each jumping to either side of the path. Vivi jumped on that opportunity, pointing to Plusle and ordering Marill's next attack. "Quick, Marill! Ice Punch!"

Marill nodded, already on the move. She charged forward as quick as she could, surprising the Cheering Pokemon with her desperation. She slammed her icy fist into its chest with all her might, causing its eyes to bulge as it was sent flying back. Bonnie could even see ice forming where Marill had struck.

Unfortunately, Minun was on the move, seeing its ally in danger. "Miiiin!" it cried, unleashing an orb of electricity in Marill's direction with impressive speed.

"Defence Curl!" Vivi ordered quickly, looking as though she expected this.

Marill quickly rolled up into a ball, just as the Electro-Ball struck. Bonnie could see that this Electro-Ball was nowhere near as powerful as Pikachu's had been, but it was strong nonetheless, and despite the defensive move, it was still very effective. It exploded against Marill, sending her into the air in a sparking ball. She cried out from the attack, clearly affected. Fortunately, though, she managed to land on her feet, grimacing, but still ready to fight.

"Maybe we should help you out, Vivi," Sadie suggested. "Two against one is-"

"No! Marill can do this!" Vivi interrupted. "We can do this."

"Marill!" Marill cried in agreement.

By now, Plusle had recovered from the Ice Punch, now up and ready to fight as well. It still had a patch of ice on its chest, however, and Bonnie could see it was a little slower than its companion. That didn't stop it from making the next move, though. "Plus! Plusle!" it cried, its whole body becoming engulfed in electricity.

"Zzt! Oh no!" Rotom cried in alarm. "A Spark attack."

Vivi didn't panic, though, immediately calling for another Defence Curl from Marill. The Aqua Mouse Pokemon didn't hesitate, curling herself in a ball once again as yet another electric attack came her way. She cried out once again as she was struck, but this time, she stayed in her ball, spinning along the ground and picking up speed.

"Now, Rollout!" Vivi cried, surprising Bonnie with the order, although Roxanne laughed.

"She learned that from Geodude in our battle," the gym leader said in amusement. "I've seen her practising it the last few days."

Bonnie grinned as well, seeing that the hard work had paid off. Marill's Rollout struck true, hitting Plusle again and sending it flying back. Minun tried to use another Electro-Ball to get Marill off balance before it could be hit as well, but by then the water type had too much momentum, striking the second member of the duo as well.

"Keep it up, Marill!" Vivi shouted, sensing the momentum on her side. "Ice Punch on Minun!"

By now, Plusle was up again, although it was panting hard from being hit by two attacks. It charged up another Spark in preparation to intercept, but the ice on its chest seemed to slow it down too much. As Marill charged in to strike Minun, Plusle missed with its Spark by a good two or three feet. As a result, Minun, too, was struck hard by Ice Punch, and sent hard into a tree, ice forming on its side.

"All right, now let's finish this up, Marill!" Vivi cried out confidently. "Marill, use-"

"Pluuuus!"

"Miiiin!"

"Don't count them out, yet," Sadie murmured, somewhat ominously.

Of course, Vivi could see that, watching nervously as both Plusle and Minun's bodies were engulfed in electricity. A Discharge attack from each direction was sent towards Marill. She tried to dodge one, but that put her firmly in the direction of the other. She cried out as her body was struck by the blue electricity. She staggered a few moments, before falling over, wincing as her opponents cheered.

"Marill!" Vivi shouted in concern.

"Plus plus plus!"

"Min min min!"

Bonnie bit her lip nervously, seeing the two electric types laughing. She could see they were low on energy, though, the ice still on them from the Ice Punch they each had taken. If Marill could get back up, there was still a chance.

"M-M-Marrr," the Aqua Mouse Pokemon weakly called out, managing to rise back up. She glared across at her opponents, and Bonnie was glad to see them both looking somewhat uneasy now.

"We're going to have to finish this quickly, Marill!" Vivi then said. "Let's do another Rollout!"

"Marill!"

"Plus!"

"Min!"

The two Cheering Pokemon were apparently ready, both of their bodies becoming engulfed in electricity. And then, a moment later, all three Pokemon charged. Bonnie clenched her fists nervously, knowing that the odds were against Marill with two Spark attacks coming her way. However, Vivi looked confident, grinning as Marill rolled forward with all the speed and power she could muster.

The three attacks met with a loud explosion, the shock wave causing all the trainers to stagger back a couple of feet. When they recovered, they could see Marill, Plusle and Minun all locked in a stalemate, Marill's body sparking while Plusle and Minun weakly hung on, their bodies still weakened by the ice. Bonnie knew that this was Vivi's best chance, and Vivi seemed to know it, too.

"Marill! Double Ice Punch!"

"Marrrillll!" the water type cried, both fists suddenly forming ice as she grinned at her two opponents. "Marill!" She stepped back, causing the two electric types to stumble forward. As they looked up in panic, they were both struck hard by an icy fist, their eyes bulging with surprise from the force of the attack. Each went flying up in the air, before falling hard to the ground.

"Now, pokeballs go!" Vivi shouted, tossing both pokeballs towards the downed electric types.

The group watched in fascination as both Plusle and Minun were struck by the capture devices and pulled within. The pokeballs shook in unison, and with each shake, Bonnie could feel the tension emanating from Vivi and Marill. Once, twice, and then finally, they both froze. A soft ding was heard to signal the successful double capture.

"YAY!" their entire group cheered save for Vivi and Marill, who were both merely watching in stunned silence.

"You did it, Vivi!" Bonnie shouted happily, running up to her friend. "You got Plusle and Minun!"

"Y-Yeah..." Vivi laughed weakly. "I...I actually did it. I'm really...a Pokemon trainer." With that, she closed her eyes a moment, before suddenly jumping into the air. Marill, despite being tired, joined her. "HOORAY!" The two of them took off to the two pokeballs lying ahead. Bonnie and the others followed a moment later.

"Zzt! Pokemon Trainer Vivi will now be very difficult to defeat in a double battle," Rotom said. "Pokemon Trainer Bonnie will have less than a-"

"Nene!"

"Zzt!"

Bonnie ignored Rotom as he darted around in frustration, complaining about Dedenne's attack. Instead, she watched as Vivi clicked open the two pokeballs with her two new Pokemon. With a flash of light, both Plusle and Minun emerged, each looking tired and also a little nervous.

Vivi gave them each a kind smile. "Plusle and Minun," she said, taking a deep breath, "my name is Vivi, and this is my partner, Marill. We would really like it if you two became our friends. I'm sure...I'm sure we could all be a great team."

Plusle and Minun watched their opponents from minutes before, each appearing curious. A moment later, though, they each exchanged a smile, before nodding and holding out a paw. Vivi and Marill both put out a fist as well, bumping against the two Cheering Pokemon's.

"Plus!"

"Min!"

At Bonnie's side, she heard Sadie laughing quietly, and she turned, looking at the girl curiously. Sadie saw her looking and grinned back. "We've got another," she said, pumping her fist.

"Another what?" Bonnie asked.

"Another rival!"

Author's Note:

And Vivi begins building a team! Just as Sadie said, Bonnie's got another rival now. Originally Vivi was going to be much more minor in this story, but I've kind of enjoyed her role, so it's been expanded a bit...more than a bit. And as for the tournament, there's lots to look forward to there. Bonnie was probably saved another rough outing against Wattson with his absence in this chapter. She's still got some work to do with her Pokemon, especially Trapinch. The tournament should be a good opportunity, though. Hope you enjoy it!

Before signing off, though, I would just like to once again ask you to please leave a review or comment when finished reading. I really can't know if it's worth continuing to write if so few people are interacting. I know there's a decent chunk of you reading even after all the time off, so it would be much appreciated if you'd take a few seconds to give your thoughts.

See you all next time.