A QUICK NOTE ON POKEMON CAPITALIZATION

I want to say that I don't want to be a part of the small war that's happening in the community. I've decided to capitalize the way that I want to. I own countless official Pokémon storybooks that I read to kids, and they capitalize Pokémon names and certain establishments, i.e. Pokémon Centers. I don't care if you do or don't. I don't care if it's wrong or right. Don't waste your time reviewing that aspect of my story. However, feel free to review my comma usage, any improper punctuation, and areas that could make do with more description, as I want to become a better writer and am always open to constructive criticism. Debating over something as arbitrary as whether or not to capitalize Jigglypuff isn't gonna do that. Thank you!


The Outlaws of Orre

CHAPTER 1 - PART 1 - Yuma the Ace


ORRE

It was silent in Orre's desert. The caw of a wild Mandibuzz echoed throughout the vast empty space as the creature stalked its dying prey. It would soon devour on the flesh of the Sandshrew if it happened to get to it first.

Then, breaking the silence, there was an explosion that ricocheted throughout eastern Orre. The Mandibuzz flew away in surprise while the Sandshrew found some relief. It looked up to find its stalker gone from the sky, and it smiled. But, it's peace was quickly interrupted as the sound of an engine roared. The Sandshrew looked towards the noise, noticing that a red machine was nearing. With every second, the revving got louder and the machine got closer. It wasn't slowing down, so the Sandshrew did what it did best and dug deep into the desert's ground, narrowly avoiding the sand bike.

The rider of the bike looked back, and once he noticed that Sandshrew was still moving, he turned and focused on his destination. In the sidecar of his bike sat his two Pokémon, enjoying the wind as it blew through their fur.

TWO HOURS LATER

"One more," the boy called out while he held up his glass. He had been relaxing at the stand since he arrived, and he sat near the back where he was away from the regular customers who were at the counter. He watched the desert horizon from a window as he messed with the device on his arm with a screwdriver.

"Here," the waiter said as he dropped off the boy's drink. He was a burly man with grease stains on his white apron, but he was a good cook. "You need help with that?"

"I'm fine."

"You're using a slotted head, but it needs a cross slot."

"I know, but I don't have a cross-slot. You have a cross-slot?"

"Yeah. I gots one."

"Can I borrow it?"

"Sure. Be right back."

The waiter walked away to the back of the stand while the boy stopped messing with the device. With his free hand, he took a bite of his half eaten cheeseburger and then wiped his fingers on the napkin haphazardly before returning to his arm with the wrong screwdriver.

"Bre," his Pokémon with the dark fur muttered.

"I wiped my fingers," the boy replied.

"Espe," the purple Pokémon cooed.

The boy sighed before he grabbed a clean napkin from the dispenser to wipe his fingers on.

"There. Stop judgin' me."

Soon enough the waiter returned, handed over the cross-slot screwdriver, and the boy was able to tighten the machine around his arm, and it hissed, releasing air as it locked in place.

"Some kind of fancy cast?" the waiter asked. "Didn't know you broke yer arm."

"Not exactly."

"I don't really get fashion then."

"Thanks," the boy said as he held out the screwdriver.

"You can keep it, Yuma. We got five. Add it to your collection. It might come in handy for that bike of yers."

He nodded before taking both of the screwdrivers and sticking them in the inside pocket of his dark blue jacket.

The cook walked back to the counter where he could interact with the other customers. Yuma recognized some of them because of the time that he spent at the stand. Most of them were divorced, elderly men who either came into the stand to get over their hangovers or to get their sad nights started.

Yuma took a swig of his drink. No matter how shady the stand was, the cook always refused to give Yuma alcohol, even with how much he begged. He reached into his bag and pulled out a map and laid it out on the table, making sure to avoid getting his greasy fingers on it. He wouldn't want to upset his Pokémon.

"We got a full tank of gas and some cash that'll be good for another week or so," he said. "If we keep riding east and don't stop, we're bound to reach Unova in a couple of days."

"Bre."

"Espe."

"Of course, you two don't gotta go with me. If you want to stay in Orre, I won't force you to leave."

The two Pokémon looked at one another. While they were both raised in Orre and were acclimated to the weather, they didn't see a life without Yuma around.

"When we get to Unova, I'm not sure what there's to do next," Yuma exclaimed. "I'm thinking I can work in Castelia City at a bike shop or somethin'."

The two Pokémon nodded.

Before Yuma could continue with his plan, the television suddenly let out a loud jingle, interrupting the regular western drama that the cook loved so much. A well dressed woman appeared on the television, and she spoke into the microphone, "Authorities have made a stunning announcement on the mysterious building that exploded in Eclo Canyon. It was Team Snagem's hideout."

"Ha! Those fools got what they deserved! They're probably playin' with fire or sometin' like dat!" one of the drunkards exclaimed loudly.

"Team Snagem is a gang of Pokémon abductors who have already been marked for arrest. The hideout was discovered only as a result of the explosion. By the time the police arrived, the ruined building had already been abandoned. The cause of the explosion is under investigation. It should become apparent eventually. We'll now return you back to your regularly scheduled programming."

"Team Snagem deserve whatever they had comin' to 'em! Those bastards stole my sweet little Pachirisu!" the drunkard exclaimed. The drunkard put his head down on the table and wept. "It was my little girl's Pokémon too."

The small stand became quiet again. Only the sound of the television and the rough wind from outside could be heard. Yuma continued to chew on his burger and keep an eye out towards the horizon.

"Your check," the cook said while he put down a greasy piece of paper on Yuma's table. "Unless you want anything else. I got chocolate cake."

"No thank you," Yuma said. He put down some cash onto the table and let the cook take it. "Keep the change."

"Wasn't plannin' on givin' it back!" the cook said in jest. He looked out the window and squinted his eyes. "We got more customers. Lookin' like more biker folks."

In the distance, there was smoke and dust being kicked into the air, looking similar to that of a storm. Yuma knew better though. He had been in a few dust storms in his day.

The sounds of engines radiated from the distance. Sure enough, the group were a bunch of bikers. Yuma recognized the noise that they made. They were weak engines. But more importantly, they were familiar.

"Team Snagem," Yuma said before stuffing the rest of his burger into his mouth. "Nokomis, Intina, let's get."

Yuma put his blue leather jacket on, finding it difficult to put his right arm through the sleeve. The three quickly exited from the stand and raced for his bike. Umbreon and Espeon got into the sidecar while Yuma revved the engine. He waved to the cook before taking off. He was going to miss the man's cooking and odd sense of humor, but he knew that he had to leave Orre if he wanted to be safe.

He had put a lot of work into his bike. It was a mechanical marvel, being a mix of both old and new vehicular technology. To make it easy for him to turn, he kept the front wheel while modifying the back to make it float off the ground. The engines rocketed him forward, and he used the sidecar as not only a convenience for his two Pokémon, but also to keep the bike balanced as it blasted throughout Orre.

Team Snagem's bikes were equipped with the levitation devices, which ultimately slowed them down. Team Snagem put all of their money into the snag machine development, so grunts had to put their own cash into upgrading their bikes. Only Yuma had ever chosen to do so, which allowed him to make perfect getaways whenever necessary.

Team Snagem were coming from the east, which meant that Yuma would have to be patient for a little while longer before going that way. For all he knew, they could have been waiting on that end with a trap set up. He didn't want to risk it.

"We're going to Phenac," he said to his two Pokémon. They couldn't hear him over the engines, but they nodded along anyways. The three headed west through the desert, where they would soon arrive in Orre's largest city.

Phenac City was known to be the cleanest area in all of Orre. In a region full of known scoundrels and hustlers, Phenac offered a place for those who weren't rough and tough but still loved the land and didn't want to leave. It was built around a spring that was treasured by the inhabitants of the land centuries ago, which provided the town with crystal clear water. The richest in all of Orre made Phenac City their home, and it was considered the capital city. Anyone who made it big in the region could find a home there.

Yuma spit on the ground as soon as he entered the city. His Pokémon followed him, making sure to avoid where he spat. Yuma looked around, finding a squeaky clean Pokémon Center. Although it was outside and prone to being hit by the weather, it looked polished and brand new. He hated it, but at the moment, it may have been the safest place for the three to stay. There was no way that Team Snagem would make their presence known in Phenac City.

He stretched out his arms above his head and looked around. He considered going to the Pokémon Center, as a regular hotel would be expensive, but he didn't want to have to talk with a Nurse Joy and deal with their pseudo politeness.

Two teenage boys were nearing Yuma and his Pokémon. They held a brown sack between then. It looked like it had been a sack that would normally hold potatoes, but it was squirming violently, making it difficult for the teenagers to keep hold. Yuma had heard of jumping beans, but never jumping potatoes. He assumed that whoever it was in the sack probably deserved it. The two teenagers looked as though they were in a gang sorts by the way they dressed. The person in the sack likely owed them money or was a snitch. Either way, Yuma agreed that they deserved what they had coming to them.

"Move!" one of the boys shouted when they got close to Yuma. His voice was gruff, but Yuma could tell that he was strained by the weight of the person in the sack.

Yuma didn't move though. He never budged for anyone, so if the two wanted by, they'd have to move for him. The other teenager took notice of Yuma's unwavering stance and nodded his head. He was much more mousey than his partner, and he walked to the side, forcing the two to move out of Yuma's way.

"Snitch?" Yuma asked.

The two didn't respond. They both just continued to grunt as they walked by.

"Help! Is there somebody out there?! I'm being kidnapped!" the sack screamed.

"We told you to stay quiet!" the gruffer of the two shouted. "I thought I told you to put tape over her mouth!"

"I did, but she said that she couldn't breathe, so I took it off!" the mousier one replied.

"If you put tape over her mouth, then she shouldn't have been able to say anything, you dolt!"

"If she's dead, then she's no use to us!"

"Wait," Yuma said. He rolled his eyes and sighed. He didn't want to play the hero today, but it sounded like the person in the sack may have not actually deserved it. "That's no way to treat a lady."

"This ain't no lady, bucko! This is a freak! She can see things you wouldn't believe!" the gruffer one shouted.

"She's a witch."

"Put the bag of potatoes down," Yuma said. His two Pokémon stepped in front of him and prepared to fight. "Or you'll get hurt."

The two boys looked at one another, laughed, and then dropped the sack. Yuma looked at the two of them closely. The one with the gruffer voice had a blonde fauxhawk that was dyed red at the tips. He had on a blue tank top and brown cargo pants. On his left arm was a blue tattoo. Surely, he was a part of a gang. The mousier one had longer hair. He had on a black long-sleeved shirt, an orange vest, and the same cargo pants, which was sure to be a hot combination in Orre's climate. They wore matching sunglasses, blue and red respectively.

"You both look dumb," Yuma said. "Like, real dumb. What gang are you with?"

"Folly, he's calling us dumb," the mousier one said. "Beat him up!"

"You got it, Trudly!" the gruffer one responded. "Whismur, go!"

He tossed two Poké Balls into the air, and two of the same Pokémon emerged. Unlike their trainer, they both appeared timid and sensitive to every noise of the city. They looked at Yuma's Pokémon and panicked.

"Uproar!" Folly commanded while pointing out at Umbreon and Espeon.

Yuma and his Pokémon remained still while the two Whismur started their attack. They began to screech, sending sound waves across the white concrete. Umbreon and Espeon absorbed the attack, but neither one of them flinched. When the Whismur stopped screeching, Yuma dug his pinky into his ear and cringed.

"That was annoying," he said. "Let's silence those Whismur. Nokomis, Intina, use Dark Pulse and Psybeam!"

Yuma's Pokémon were swift. They dashed across the concrete and then jumped into the air. Umbreon formed a ball of dark energy in his mouth before plunging it downwards, and Espeon unleashed a straight beam of light from the jewel on her forehead. The attacks struck the two Whismur and exploded into smoke. The two Pokémon landed back on the ground and then sat down, watching as the smoke faded away and it became clear that the Whismur had fainted.

"You-you suck!" Folly screamed. Yuma wasn't sure if he was talking to his Pokémon or to Yuma. He couldn't help but laugh either way.

"What do we do?" Trudly asked.

"We tell the boss! There's a new punk in town!" Folly exclaimed while withdrawing the two Whismur.

And with that, the two ran away, running past the Pokémon Center and the fountain. When they were out of sight, Yuma sighed and then popped his neck. He looked down at the squirming sack, which Espeon was now examining with her nose.

"Let me out of here! It's dark, and hot, and smells like feet!" the voice from inside cried out.

Yuma looked back towards the desert. He thought over his odds of just leaving the girl and trying to get to Unova. He was afraid that if he opened up the sack and let the girl out she'd become his problem, and he wasn't ready for that.

"Is anybody there?" the girl asked.

Yuma put his finger to his lips to shush his Pokémon, but Espeon wasn't having any of it.

"Espe!" she snapped.

He stamped his feet. "Fine! Fine! You brat." He walked over to the sack and knelt down. "Stop squirming. I'm trying to let you free."

He untied the top of the sack and opened the top, letting in air. The girl on the inside was covered in sweat. She had cherry blonde hair that was pulled into pigtails on the top of her head. She had on a jean jacket, which might have contributed to the sweat, a purple midriff, a white skirt, and pink boots. She pulled herself out of the sack and then laid down on the concrete for a moment.

"Thank you," she said, out of breath. "I thought I was gonna die!"

"Yeah, well, you didn't. Cool. I'll see you later."

"Wait!" the girl said before standing up. "I have to know your name! You saved me!"

Yuma thought for a moment. He didn't want to teach anyone his real name. He had a small bounty on his head from a multitude of people, and for all he knew, this girl could have been from one of the many families that he stole from.

"I'm Saharah! And you are?" she said while holding her hand out.

Back when Yuma was a part of Team Snagem, a couple of hours ago, he was considered one of the top members of the group. When the boss needed something done, he'd go straight to Yuma if he thought that no one else could get the job finished successfully. This accountability and one-hundred percent success rate earned him a nickname. It was only a nickname that Team Snagem knew him by, and as much as he disliked the group and what they did, he loved the nickname.

"Ace. My name is Ace."

"Ace?" Saharah said suspiciously. She looked at Yuma in the eyes. Her eyes were dark blue and kind of large for her cute face. "Okay! I like it! Nice to meet you, Ace! Thank you so much for saving me!"

"No problem. I should really get going though. I got a-"

"We need to go to the mayor's house immediately!" Saharah exclaimed, cutting Yuma off. "Those thugs tried to kidnap me! Had they had their way with me, who knows what would have happened! Will you go to the mayor's with me?"

"Uh. No."

"What?! How can you say 'no'?! I'm in danger! I'm wanted by those thugs! As soon as you leave, they're probably gonna pop out again and put me in another sack!" she yelled, drawing attention to the two of them.

Yuma put his hand against her mouth. "Shut up. If you shut up, I'll consider going with you." He removed his hand.

"Alright! Well, even if you don't want to go with me, I'm going with you!"

"Where?"

"Wherever you go! As long as we're in Phenac City, I can't be alone."

Yuma looked out at the desert once more. It was beginning to look a lot more appealing to him. Even if Team Snagem caught him, there was nothing that they would do that would annoy him more than this girl was going to.

"I'll go with you to the mayor's house, but once we're there, I'm out. You're on your own. Got it?"

"That works for me!" she exclaimed. She looked down at Yuma's Pokémon. Umbreon remained cool and collected, but Espeon smiled back at Saharah. "They're cute!"

Phenac City didn't allow motor vehicles in the city. Even public transportation like buses and trains weren't allowed. Everyone either got around on foot or by the aqua train. The train was powered by water, and it used Phenac City's local waterways to move around. It made Yuma sick to his stomach to ride the train, but Saharah appeared okay. She even teased Yuma for looking green in the face, which made the urge to leave even stronger.

Saharah knew the path to the mayor's house, and they arrived within thirty minutes. She offered water to Yuma, but he rejected it, having had enough water from the ride there. She knocked on the door of the mayor's house, but there was no response. She knocked again.

"Maybe he's not home. He could be out talking to his constituents and kissin' babies or something,'' Yuma suggested. "We're here though, so is it okay if I go?"

Before Saharah could answer, the door slid open. Three teenagers dressed in what appeared to be battle armor walked out. One of them was in bright blue, another in green, and the third in red. They looked at Yuma and Sahara and then at each other, and without a word, they walked away.

"Must be some kind of geeky convention in town," Yuma said.

Saharah stared intently at the three as they walked down the white concrete path. And then, she simply entered the mayor's house. Seeing as the door was unlocked, she saw no more reason to wait.

"Don't go in there!" Yuma yelled. He reached out and tried to grab her to pull her back, but she was surprisingly strong and pulled him along. He wasn't sure how those two thugs managed to stuff her into that sack.

Upon walking into the mayor's house, they were blasted with loud music. It was a kind of genre that Yuma had never heard before. He wasn't sure if it was a sort of disco or Latin pop, but he loved it; he hated that he loved it, but he still loved it.

Saharah's already big eyes widened when she found three people in the mayor's house. None of them were the mayor, but what surprised her wasn't who they weren't but rather who they were.

"That's the guy!" Folly yelled.

"He beat up Folly's Pokémon and made him look like a chump," the mousy boy added.

The third member of their group stood out a lot more than the other two. He was extraordinarily tall and lanky. He wore a bright yellow suit that had been fitted to his form, which would have been enough to make him stand out in any crowd. But what made him stick out even farther was his half white, half red afro, only adding another foot to his already tall stature.

"Stop," the man said while sticking one hand into the air and snapping his fingers," the music! Wassup, darlin'? Who ya be?"

"Huh?" Saharah wondered.

"I wasn't talkin' to you. I was talkin' to him!" the man said while pointing at Yuma and snapping his fingers again. "You fightin' with my boys, and I don't appreciate it."

Yuma groaned. "You got a problem or something?"

"He's real strong, boss. You wouldn't believe it," Folly said.

"I don't!" the man said. "I believe that I could whoop him all the way from here to Pyrite Town with my hands tied behind my back!" He turned and smiled at Yuma and Saharah. They couldn't tell how genuine the smile was, as he wore thick white sunglasses that prevented them from seeing his eyes. "Darlin', what did you say your name was?"

"I didn't."

"Well, I'll be!" the man exclaimed. "I'm Miror B. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance! I don't want to be sayin' this, but we're not at liberty to keep your little lady at liberty. That sweet young thang, she can see things that ordinary people can't. Look at those buggy-ole eyes and tell me that she normal. You can't!"

Saharah looked at Yuma. "The Pokémon that they use have a weird aura to them!"

Yuma shrugged. He wasn't exactly sure he followed what she was saying, but he did agree with Miror B. that Saharah's eyes were unnaturally big.

"Now, her little eye problem simply won't do for what we're planning, ya see? I recommend not getting involved with her unless you like pain. Keep your nose out of places it needn't be, okay darlin'?"

Yuma remained stone-faced, continuing to glare at Miror B. and his lackeys.

Miror B. sighed before snapping his fingers, making the music come back on once again. "Let the music spin! Folly, Trudly, I'm gonna let you handle this one, like I asked you. I'll make my return to Pyrite Town where I'll be waitin' for you to return! No failures this time around, got it?"

"Got it!" the two declared.

Miror B. started to dance, and he jived right past Yuma and Saharah. He shot a glance at Yuma. Now that the two were up close, Yuma could see Miror B's. light blue eyes. There was an evil look to them, something that Yuma was familiar with.

"Let's get it on!" he shouted before he disappeared, slamming the mayor's door closed.

"Can I leave now?" Yuma asked.

Folly and Trudly both took in deep breaths and then started to play rock-paper-scissors to decide which one would battle.

"Ace, I don't have any Pokémon that I can use!" Saharah exclaimed. "Can you fight on my behalf? Just this once!"

Yuma's jaw tightened. He wanted to yell at the girl and tell her to get bit, but he kept his composure. He knew that if he continued to help the girl, it would lead to a never-ending cycle. But he saw no choice right now. The mayor wasn't around like they had anticipated, and he knew that it'd only take a matter of minutes to beat both of the lackeys. At best, he would beat the two and then never see them or Saharah ever again. At worst, they would lose the fight, and Saharah would get kidnapped, but would that really be Yuma's problem?

The two decided, and it was Trudly that had to step forward. He reached inside of his bright orange vest and drew out a Poké Ball. Yuma had to make a decision now, because between best and worst, there were a thousand more ways that his story could go.

"Miror B. gave us a mission, and we're gonna see it through to completion," Trudly said, his voice shaking with uncertainty.

Saharah looked to Yuma, her eyes wider than before. She was trying to appear cute and make Yuma feel guilty, but it instead just freaked him out.

"Fine," Yuma muttered. He pulled out a black and gold Poké Ball and then threw it. It opened in mid-air, and Nokomis materialized on the soft carpet. The Umbreon looked around, confused by the setting, which was not a proper place for a Pokémon battle. It glanced back at Yuma, getting reaffirmation that he was indeed supposed to battle.

"Duskull, let's go!" Trudly shouted, releasing his Pokémon. It appeared to be a gaseous Pokémon that wore the front end part of a skull as a mask. A ghostly blue light flickered between the eyeholes, giving the Pokémon a bit of life.

Yuma was very familiar with the Pokémon. He knew that this would also be a short battle, like the one with Folly. He waited patiently for Trudly to make the first command, although the thug appeared shy.

"Duskull, use Night Shade! Bring it down!" Trudly commanded. He pointed out onto the small battlefield before bringing his hand back to his chest and gripping his wrist tightly.

"We're not going to wait around this time," Yuma said. "Nokomis, use Dark Pulse!"

As Duskull started to prepare to strike, Umbreon leaped into the air. He quickly formed the ball of black energy, launching it downward at Duskull. It exploded, sending a pulse of energy across the room, knocking picture frames from the walls and sending hundreds of papers into the air.

"Oh no!" Saharah screeched. "Be careful!"

"Do you want me to be careful, or do you want me to win?!" he yelled back.

This was enough of a distraction for Trudly and his Duskull. The Ghost-type weaved through the dark energy, managing to escape through the pulse. It then pointed out its small arms at Umbreon, making him a target. Shadows from various areas in the room creeped out from where they were and wrapped themselves around Umbreon before sucking away his energy.

"Nokomis, no!" Yuma shouted.

The shadows dissipated, returning back to their original place while Trudly and his Duskull laughed, thinking that they already had the battle won.

"Mean Look!" Yuma ordered.

Umbreon's eyes started to glow red, and the lights in the room flickered. Duskull looked on in terror, pausing in the middle of the air. Even its gaseous body ceased any movement, appearing as still as a picture in a frame.

"It can't escape," Yuma said with a grin. "Now, Dark Pulse!"

"Duskull, use-use- Duskull!" Trudly stammered. But even if he would have managed to give a command, it wouldn't have done much.

Umbreon unleashed the ball of black energy once again, causing more damage to the mayor's living room. This time, it knocked over some of the chairs and shattered a couple of lamps. But most importantly, it finished off Duskull, who sunk down to the ground, his skull hitting the carpet with a sudden thud.

"No!" Trudly screeched, now less mousey than before. "Folly, what do we do?! I only have one Pokémon left, and it's-and it's-"

"Use it!" Folly commanded. "We have to. We guaranteed Miror B. that we'd bring back the bug-eyed chick."

"Are they referring to me?" Saharah wondered.

Trudly took his time. He withdrew Duskull and tucked its Poké Ball away in his vest. Then, he pulled out another Poké Ball.

"Oh no," Saharah said once she saw the Poké Ball.

"Go, Makuhita!" Trudly yelled, tossing the Poké Ball forward. A plump Pokémon with grey mitts for hands appeared. It snickered and then looked at Umbreon with killer intent.

Yuma was also familiar with Makuhita. Although he had faith in Umbreon's ability to battle, he didn't want to risk going up against a Pokémon that he had a type-disadvantage to. He let the red light from his Luxury Ball absorb Umbreon, but before he could switch to Espeon, Saharah began shouting.

"Ace! It's that one! Those jerks captured me because I saw that Pokémon! I can see a dark aura coming from it. They must have done something to that Pokémon!" Saharah exclaimed.

Yuma examined the Makuhita closely. There was nothing particularly off about the Pokémon, besides the fact that it had an interesting smile. But all Pokémon were different, so he assumed that it was just a quirk from this particular Makuhita. He shook his head and then reached for Espeon's ball again.

But then suddenly, Makuhita dashed across the room. He crossed his arms and snapped forward, striking Yuma directly in the stomach. Yuma's feet dragged against the carpet, and his eyes widened from the sudden pain that surged through his body. He had never been hit directly or purposely by a Pokémon before. He had never even been punched in the gut by a human. This was a different and unexpected kind of pain. Upon second thought, he was glad that Team Snagem hadn't caught him yet.

"This Pokémon isn't afraid to attack people!" Saharah yelled, which irritated Yuma because actions spoke much louder than words. "Like I said, they did something to it!"

Yuma collected himself and finally was able to pull out Espeon's Luxury Ball. He didn't bother throwing it forward, instead opting to let the Pokémon out by pushing the button on the ball. Espeon materialized in front of him and hissed at Makuhita, knowing full well what just went down.

A Pokémon that's not afraid to attack people? And she keeps saying that there's something off about it. It's got some kind of aura, Yuma thought.

"Makuhita, don't give them any time! Use Cross Chop!"

"Hita!" the Pokémon cried out. It repeated its motions from before, dashing across the room with his arms crossed.

"Psybeam, Intina!" Yuma ordered.

Espeon released the multi-colored beam from the jewel on her forehead. It shot straight across the room, hitting Makuhita directly in the face and putting a stop to his attack. He rolled backward, immediately finding himself standing. But now, he looked irritated, the mischievous smile missing.

"Alright, then!" Trudly yelled. He had been jumping up and down, unable to control his body as it was filled with adrenaline. "If I got a shadow Pokémon, then I better use it to the best of my abilities! Shadow Rush!"

"Psybeam!" Yuma repeated.

Espeon did the same attack from before, but this time, Makuhita rushed straight through it. The Fighting-type charged through the psychic energy with no regard for his safety, and then he crashed his doughy body into Espeon, flinging her backward. She was ultimately fine, but it looked as though Makuhita was standing on his last legs.

Shadow Rush? Maybe this is what the boss was talking about. I thought that he was just blowing smoke up my ass, but no, shadow Pokémon are real. That's some real immense power, Yuma thought. He looked at his right arm and at the snag machine. He sneered at Trudly and Folly. I could use power like that.

"What are you thinking about?" Folly shouted. "You're giving me weird looks!"

Yuma was a master at what he was about to do next. He swiftly reached for his belt, grabbing an empty Poké Ball and holding it outwards with his right arm. The machine around his arm surged with blue energy, giving the Poké Ball a power unlike anything Saharah or the two lackeys had ever seen. Yuma took aim, and without warning, threw the Poké Ball forward. It collided with Makuhita and then took into the air, pausing momentarily.

Any time that someone would try to catch another person's Pokémon, it was next to impossible. A caught Pokémon's DNA is connected to their Poké Ball permanently, unless the trainer opts to release the Pokémon, in which case, the Poké Ball becomes useless. In any other case, when someone would try to catch another person's Pokémon, it would fail instantly.

But this was not any other case. Makuhita was absorbed completely by Yuma's Poké Ball. The ball hit the carpet and began to rock back and forth, sending out a loud hissing noise every time that it moved. Trudly looked down to his Poké Ball, the one that had housed Makuhita. And each time that the new Poké Ball rocked, Trudly's Poké Ball cracked.

And then, with a soft ding from the middle of the carpet, Trudly's Poké Ball snapped in half, smoke coming from the inside.

"No!" Trudly yelled. "No! No! No! What did you just do?!"

"What did you just do?" Saharah asked.

Yuma held out his hand, allowing for the magnet of his snag machine to pull the Poké Ball in. He caught it and pointed the glowing blue button at Trudly.

"I just snagged your Pokémon."


UPDATING DATA...

SNAGGED POKEMON:

Makuhita - Known moves: Cross Chop and Shadow Rush - Ability: Guts

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I've actually wanted to write this story for years now, and now I'm finally getting into it. I don't plan on updating this story nearly as often as the others, maybe monthly (if that). I want to take my time with this because it won't be nearly as long as my other stories, and I don't want to pressure myself by giving it a schedule. I've been wanting to write a western novel of sorts (I'm trying to develop a new genre actually), and I think this will help me practice/prepare for that.

As you can tell, this story takes from Pokémon Colosseum. It is my all-time favorite video game, so I wanted to write a story based on it. However, I won't be strictly sticking to that story. You'll see what I mean in Chapter 1 - Part 2. I plan to develop an interesting story!

Rated T because of language, alcohol and drug references, sexual innuendo, and fantasy violence.