“And next up… the prize for effort! The Pokemon that failed the most…" Nick made a face. Why would you even award anyone for failing? That’s like spitting in their face. “Nicolas’s Brave!”

Oh Arceus. That’s just embarrassing.

“With all the bonus points handed out, let’s count our totals from today’s three events!” The color coordinated scoreboards rose slowly as points were added on to initial scores. The boards would stop three times, once for each event.

In the end Nick sighed. Third place wasn’t all that bad for a first try but he did definitely need some practice. Also he needed to focus more. The foreign girl, Gwen, didn’t help that… The medal was awarded to the second contestant, confetti was launched and showered the winner. Cheering died out as the athletes left the field for the lockers. Nick took a quick shower and changed back into his usual clothes. Outside of the lockers he found Kairi, looking a bit upset.

“H-hey.. it’s nothing to worry about… it’s o-”

“I lost Simon… can’t believe that!”

Oh. Simon again. Nick sighed. He was worried about Simon as much as Simon’s mother was but when it came Kairi it seemed like the only thing on her mind half of the time any more.

“Oh…” he awkwardly rubbed his arm, waiting for her to say something. To acknowledge him. But that never came. He felt so dishearten. As soon as she learned Black jumped him she paid attention but now?

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Gwen smiled, walking up to the duo. Nick jumped, startled by the foreign trainer.

“O-oh, hey…” Gwen reached into her coat pocket and presented the pair with her pokedex.

“I was informed if I came to Johto it would be in my best interests to travel with a boy by the name of Nicolas Sakati and Kairi Miller.”

“Who told ya that….?”

“Professor Oak of course,” Gwen smiled. “I think it would be beneficial if we traveled together.” Kairi shrugged, she saw nothing wrong with the girl. She seemed to be in good shape, thus obviously a good trainer (according to her books at least.) and she was professor recommended and trusted.

“Well, I don’t have a problem, what about ya Nick?” he blinks. Now he matters? He sighs, shrugging slightly.

“I… I don’t have a problem with it I guess. Professor Oak is a reliable man. He wouldn’t hand out something as important as a pokedex to anyone.”

“Than it’s settled! Ya get to travel with us!”

“Great,” Gwen smiled, looking pleased.

“Ah, my dear Suicune, soon! Soon I, the great mystery man Eusine, shall free you and your brethren from your stone prisons!” the tuxedo clad man preached with enthusiasm about how he was going to free the pokemon. Not far off someone eavesdropped. They eyed down to the knife in their hand before glancing back to Eusine with a bored look.

What an idiot… he hated that he had to waste time dealing with him but he could not afford the return of the legendary beast trio. The figure moved, his feet lightly scuffled against the floor and it was enough to alert the tuxedo clad man. He reached for a pokeball but a sharp stab to his wrist stopped him. His assailant moved quick, slitting his throat.

The Suicune enthusiast fell to the ground, making some sort of noise on the floor.

“What a waste of my time.”

Today, at five am, the gym leader of Ecruteak was doing his usual rounds in the burned Brass Tower when a body was found in the basement level of the tower. Despite the damage and mutilation to the body, the body has been identified as Eusine of Celadon City. There’s no clear answer who did it, but the body has a ‘R’ carved into it, a sign of a Team Rocket kill.

Has Team Rocket truly returned after all these years or is this just a copycat kill, trying to scare innocent people?

Kairi turned off the TV. Well, that was a fine and dandy way to start the day… she sighed. The blond rancher looked between the top bunk bed and single bed, both Gwen and Nick were still asleep. She decided it would not hurt to take a small look around the city. Kairi left the room to shower and dress before leaving the center.

She chose to visit the Kimono Dance Theater, it was not far away from the center and after her previous two encounters maybe she should visit them. They seemed to know about her but she knew nothing about them…

She entered the dance studio to be greeted with an… interesting sight. A Rocket grunt was on stage, grabbing at the kimono girl on stage despite her protests. It was an uncomfortable sight for everyone there to witness it. Kairi grew angry, she ran up the stairs, up on stage and clonked the Rocket square in the jaw. The man let go of the red and orange clad kimono girl, who quickly took refuge behind Kairi, to cradle his jaw. He seemed surprised that Kairi could hit that hard. He scowled.

“The hell you think you doing bitch?”

“Ya harassing that poor gal! I ain’t gonna stand here and do nothin’!”

“You think you can take me punk?!”

“I’ve beaten a lot of ya!” Kairi let Apollo take the stage. The man stared at the determined egg pokemon before laughing like a mad man.

“You going to try and fight me with that litt-” he had no change to finish his sentence. Apollo had thrown his self at the man with a headbutt, his spiked head slammed into the man’s stomach, knocking the air out of him. The man stumbled back and Kairi jumped forward to knock him square in the face once more. The man was knocked out, laying uselessly on the floor. The crowed, which Kairi noted to be composed of young kids, elderly adults and young ladies, cheered for her.

Kairi turned back to the kimono girl. The young lady looked near in tears but utterly relieved that someone came to her aid.

“That was excellent… every kind and strong… you are very good at raising pokemon too.” she giggled to herself. “That person does know what to look for in people…” Kairi raised a brow. “Oh no, oh no, don’t mind me. That was just me talking to myself.”

“Of you say so…”

Well, she wasn’t either of the Kimono girls encountered before but just as strange as them. The young lady excused herself to clean up before continuing her show. Kairi glanced back to the grunt with a sigh. She should probably call the cops on this loser. On her way out an old man handed her an HM 3; Surf as a thank you for saving the poor kimono girl. She gratefully accepted the item with a smiled.

Kairi returned to the pokecenter after reporting and watching the struggling grunt get taken away by the proper authorities. She noted Nick talking to someone with Gwen at his side. The guy he was talking to seemed to be pleased, as she came closer she could hear something like ‘you remind me of a friend’. The young man waved goodbye and walked off.

“Gee Nick, what was that about?”

“That guy… he’s Bill! The maker of the Pokemon Storage system! A-and he had found an Eevee, it had no trainer or anything and he didn’t need it, so I asked for it and he gave it to me!”

“Golly, that’s super lucky Nick! Eevees are super rare and expensive to get!”

“I know!” he beamed with joy, a first time in a while. Kairi smiled on the outside but she was fuming. It was all Black’s fault Nick was so depressed an upset lately. She was gonna beat that jerk in the face when she got the chance!

“Are ya ready for yer battle today Nick?”

“Ah… after the news report I wanted… to wait a little while. I think the leader should have some time to grieve his friend before being thrust back into battle.”

“That’s awfully kind of ya Nick.” the boy smiled and scratched his neck.

“It’s a respectable thing to do… seeing someone you love… dead is painful.” Kairi frowned. Simon had once mentioned Ms. Locke wasn’t Nick’s real mom. His real mother passed away when he was about six or so and he had picked up her maiden name as his last name when she died and his father never returned home. Ms. Locke had decided to take care of him, which was when his and Simon’s bond first formed.

Kairi pat her friend on his head with a smiled. The moment came to a sudden halt as Gwen gasped. Her Kirlia had freed itself from it’s pokeball and it’s pink horn was glowing. Gwen and her emotion pokemon took off running, startled Kairi followed and Nick trailed behind all the way to Brass Tower, otherwise known as Burned Tower

The tower had suffered sever fire damage a hundred and fifty years ago and only the first floor and the basement remained as a result. A gaping hole in the group provided some light if one was to visit the basement down below. Pieces of burned ruble and beams of wood lay strewn about here and there and the floor creaked ever so often.

“Brass Tower…? Why would Gwen come ’ere?”

“I don’t know but she had this look on her face…”

“A look?”

“She was… very serious about something…”

“Serious huh… well, I’m gonna ‘elp her! We’re friends afta all!” Kairi once more rushes off with Nick perusing her. Dianna’s glowing horn acted as a beacon for the friends, they rushed to pokemon and trainer to find that they were not alone. Gwen had confronted Black. Kairi forced herself in front o Black while tightly clutching a pokeball. She pointed an angry finger at her rival.

“Black! Ya finally show yer face once more!” he raised a brow.

“You’re eager to see me for once. What a surprise…”

“Only cause I’m gonna make ya pay for stabbin’ Nicky in the leg! No one hurts ma friends!”

“Stab in the leg? I never-” Black rasied a brow as it took a moment to sink in what he was being accused of now. “Stab in the leg? Really? That’s what you-” he was interrupted as Kairi let Apollo fly, once more headbutting the enemy in the stomach. “Oof! What the hell you bitch?! Did you throw a freaking football at me!?”

“Shut ya mouth! It’s time to pay!”

“Jesus. Of all the weaklings to get as a rival I get a fucking psycho like you.” Black muttered, letting his Houndoom out. The devil dog hissed, crouching down and ready to pounce. The dog did not strike fear into Apollo. The egg pokemon waited for a command, Kairi whipped her arm into the air and Apollo attacked with a yawn that was followed with a headbutt.

“Who the hell said I was ya rival? I don’t want any thin’ to with ya!”

“Kinda too late for that bitch.” Kairi scowled, swapping Apollo for Mona, a Smeargle she acquired on her return trip from Azalea Town. “Houndoom, use that loser pokemon as a chew toy with fire fang!” Kairi drew an X into the air, Mona nodded. Jumping directly into the line of fire of the Houndoom to take the brute of the attack. Black raised a brow for a mere second before it hit him what Kairi had planned. Smeargle were painter pokemon, they could observe any attack and replicate it. “Nice trick Kairi, but it will be a pointless effort! Crunch!” Kairi waved her arm and the Houndoom was smacked with an iron tail before it could ruthlessly bite down on Mona. The dog was downed with a direct attack to it’s head. Black begrudgingly returned the pokemon and replaced it with his Breloom.

As the battle waged fury rose once more in Black. Ridiculous tact, ridiculous bitch, ridiculous pokemon. So why the hell was she winning?! She was the loser! She was the weakling! So why the fuck was she winning?!

With his last pokemon down Black snapped. He pulled his switchblade from his jacket pocket and rushed for the girl. Dianna moved without a command, knowing this was a friend of her master that was about to be attacked, and disarmed Black by shooting him with a psychic attack.

“Didja… didja just try to attack me?” Kairi took a step backwards. The floorboards creaked and suddenly gave away under her feet, taking Gwen and Nick with her. The trio let out a yell as the plummeted to the floor below. The redhead scoffed, stowing away his fallen knife.

“What are you doing falling into a hole? Some genius you are! Serves you right!”