After taking care of the situation at the well and letting the Slowpoke free the pokemon got help for the old man and brought him home. Two days passed before he demanded the presents of both Kairi and Nick, leading the two pre-teens to where they currently are. Inside Kurt’s house with the old man bowing deeply before the two of them.

“I thank you again for your assistance miss,” Kairi scratched her cheek awkwardly. “if it was not for you we would still be in trouble. You’ve saved us.”

“It was no problem sir, I only did what was right.” Kurt reached under his table to a basket full of pokeballs. They were all types she had never seen before, some blue, some pink and even green. The old man offered a white ball decorated with black and red to the girl.

“It’s a fast ball. You see, I make pokeballs from apricorns! If you give me one I can make a pokeball in a day or two. I am glad to give you my service! ” Kairi let out a shriek of glee, she pulled the two apricorns from her bag, holding them out to the old man. He accepted the tough skinned fruits and turned to Nick. “And thank you for taking care of my granddaughter.”

“It was no problem…” Nick cracked a smile, rubbing the back of his neck. He climbed to his feet, dusted his pants off and bowed. “Now, if you excuse me. I need to see if the gym leader is in.”

“I should go too, so you can work.” She jotted down the man’s number in a small journal, she then bid the two a farewell and skipped out the house to the pokecenter to inform the professor about the hatched egg.

—

Nick understood that gym leaders had free reign on how to design their gyms but this was just crazy. Ignoring the trees and grass growing in the building there were giant pits which could only be crossed with giant spider like vehicles. This wouldn’t be a problem if it wasn’t for the fact that there were several of these spiders total. Which ones lead to Bugsy was beyond him.

With a sigh, Nick climbed onto the nearest giant green spider. He pressed a button with his foot and the spider inched forward at a rather slow pace. Nick groaned. This was going to take forever.

But, at least forever was only an hour long. After multiple spider rides and switching leavers Nick stumbled before the gym leader. He was probably older than Nick but with his height it was hard to determine. His purple hair was messy and short cut. The young man was dressed in what seemed to be green explore gear and shorts, a yellow ascot around his neck, attached to his waist was a bag full of books and a magnifying glass. White knee high socks and brown loafers. The young man grinned.

“Finally a battle! I’ve been sick for days, when I finally get better I’m told the Team Rocket scoundrels are already gone. You wouldn’t happen to be the one who took care of that would you?” Nick let out a deadpan sigh.

“Actually, that was my friend Kairi…”

“I see, well, I guess we all can’t be heroes all at once!” The two trainers let out their pokemon, a green cocooned Metapod on Bugsy’s side and a Pidgey on Nick’s side of the field. The challenger commanded a peck attack. The small bird flew up into the air and swooped down, jabbing it’s beak at the soft Metapod before it had a chance to fully harden it’s self. With a frown Bugsy let out his next pokemon, a Kakuna.

“Kakuna, use poison sting!” the yellow cocoon pointed it’s tail at the target and fired. It was a direct hit on the bird. Nick felt bad for his pokemon as it hit the ground with a thud. Nick switched out his starter, which had evolved to it’s next form, Croconaw, thinking that Pidgey would fare better in his pokeball for the time being. The big jaw pokemon crouched down, awaiting orders.

“Okay Blaster, use bite!” Blaster pounced, grabbing the Kakuna in it’s jaw. He failed its pray around as if it was a toy before throwing it aside and into a nearby tree.

“Down to my last pokemon then…” Bugsy shook his head. “No way you’ll beat my partner Scyther!” A green pray mantis appeared on the field. The pokemon rubbed its scythe like forearms together in anticipation. Nick glanced to the pokeball of his poisoned pokemon. Inside the pokeball the poison was slowed, maybe, if he was quick enough his Pidgey could take down Scyther and then take him to the pokecenter before it got any worst.

“Okay Brave, use gust!” the tired and weak bird complied, flapping it’s wings at a rapid pace causing the trees to shake and lose leaves fly but Scyther was unaffected. The bug pokemon jumped into the air and slammed it’s bladed arm against the bird, as if he was a professional baksetball player and slam dunking a ball into the hoop.

Nick winced in the place of his pokemon. Scyther was a bug pokemon so why had the peck attack hardly phase him? He reached into his bag and flipped open his PokéDex. He pointed the device to the giant bug pokemon across the field. The device scanned the Scyther, once completed, it supplied Nick with basic information ranging from natural habitat, size, weight and even type.

Much to his surprise the bug was a dual type, bug AND flying. Well, that explained why flying types were not that much if a great choice. He snapped close his PokéDex and sent Piaki out to replace Brave.

“Okay, start off with tackle!” Piaki threw herself into the abdomen of the giant bug. Needless to say it was not pleased and delivered the same treatment to her as it gave Brave. Thankfully Piaki was able to handle it and she returned with a volt tackle. That was enough to take down the bug type. Bugsy let out a sigh then cracked a smile as he returned his pokemon to its pokeball.

“Wow, you’re pretty good! It seems my research isn’t complete, take this badge. You earned it!” the purple haired male placed a badge in Nick’s hand. It was a red circle with black dots, much like a Ledyba. He grinned. One step closer to becoming champion!

—

Kairi was rocking on her heels when Nick rushed up to the nurse. She happily accepted his pokemon and he let out a sigh. The blond strolled over to her friend with a bucktooth smile on her freckled face.

“Well howdy Nick, tough battle?”

“A bit,” he sighed. “Did you get all the supplies? You know, before that Rocket thing at the well? I forgot to ask about it and Brave got poisoned.”

“That’s misfortunate partner…” Kairi reached into her bag and pulled out white plastic bag full of of goods from the store. “Yer share is in the bag Nick.”

“Thanks Kairi.” he smiled, stowing the items away in his bag.

“Nick Sakati,” Nurse Joy called. The boy took back his pokemon and the two exited the pokecenter. Nick although was lost in thought. Was this how Black knew his name? Was he hanging around in a pokecenter without his knowledge and heard the nurse call his name? Should he even tell Kairi that Black harassed him yesterday outside the gym?

“Kairi…” she turned to him with a smile. He opened his mouth to speak but he couldn’t find the words. His friend tilted her head.

“What’s wrong Nick?”

“No, nothing. Nevermind.” he sighed.

“If ya say so…” she suddenly scowled. Nick went tense. Was she mad at him? “Ah geez! What are ya doing here jerk?”

“I heard Team Rocket was taken down by some kid…” Nick nearly shrieked, jumping to his friend’s side. What the hell was up with Black and sneaking up on him?! Was this creep stalking them or something? Kairi noticed the pokeball in Black’s hand was clenched rather tightly.“You wouldn’t happen to be the one that took them down Kairi.” Black shook his head before she could answer. “No, of course not… a weak bitch like you-”

“Excuse ya, but fer ya information I did beat Team Rocket. If yer gonna waste ya time tryin’ to insult me ya should move them skinny legs and leave now.”

“Are you kidding me?!” Black demanded with an incredulous tone. “Team Rocket was taken down by a weakling like you?!”

“What'cha talkin’ about? I beat ya in our first battle!” Black breathed heavily through his nose. The noise and scowl on his face quite clearly expressed his anger at the situation. Why was beyond her. Maybe he wanted to prove himself better than them? Good luck with that.

Black threw the pokeball in his hand, unleashing his own Quilava. The mouse like pokemon spewed flames at Kairi and Nick’s feet.

“Watch your aim you useless shit,” Black growled.

“Ya should watch yer mouth!” Kairi barked, letting Mitten’s take the field. “That’s ya pokemon! Ya should treat ‘em with more respect!” The cow mooed and took a defensive stance. Kairi swung her arm across the horizon and Mittens brought her hoof onto the back of the Quilava. Black blinked. That was strange. She swung her arm down vertically during their last battle. He was sure of that.

It was moments like this that Black found himself fascinated and infuriated with Kairi at the same time. She never spoke in battle, never uttered a single command. All she had to do was wave her arm and her pokemon got the message, that stupid Miltank, 'Mittens’, understood the signs better than any other pokemon she owned making it obvious she was well immersed in these tactics.

But it was these same interesting tactics that angered him, it made her unpredictable, much like her personality, and she changed what the motions mean every once in a while. He could be anticipating one attack but get another instead. What an infuriating woman.

So strong and yet utterly weak and pathetic.

Black glared down at his defeated Houndour. With a scowl he returned the pokemon to it’s pokeball.

“Pathetic. You’re such a weakling… you only lucked out Kairi…” Black turned on his heel and excused himself from the sight of the two trainers, who glanced to each other.

“We should get goin’.”

“Yeah… let’s go.”