Taming the Beast

Alex stood just within the mouth of Union Cave at the eastern entrance. Fiddling with her hair a bit, she managed to pull it into a ponytail. With a wide tooth hair clip, she flipped the ponytail up and clipped it in place to keep it off her shoulders. It frayed out a bit as it came to rest over its holdings, looking almost like a fountain spout from the back.

Blowing the strays from her face, she brushed the hairs not quite long enough to clip behind her ears. The air in the cave might have been somewhat cool compared to outside, but it was still humid. Alex guessed it was probably from some underground pool of water.

A few steps in, Alex noticed quickly that many of the Pokemon in the cave were rock or ground type Pokemon. It sent shivers up her spine when she quickly realized that neither Cyndaquil nor Rotom were suited for such encounters. She stopped a bit for a rest, and also to contemplate her options. Cyndaquil looked up at her worriedly as she slumped against the cavern walls.

"Alex, what's wrong? You look like you have a cold," Cyndaquil said, still quite naive. "Do you need to go to the Pokemon Center and get some medicine?" he asked, again looking up at her with those eyes.

Alex merely placed a hand on his head, feigning a smile to appease him. "No Cyndaquil, I'm fine," Alex replied gently. "It's just that I don't want to pit you against Pokemon with a blatant type advantage, and the only Pokemon we have to help right now is Chikorita..."

"Oh..." A further explanation wasn't needed, as Cyndaquil understood very well. Chikorita was amoral and hotheaded, Alex had yet to work with him as well. It wasn't really her fault or failure as a trainer, not after how she had met Chikorita. In fact, Alex was quite scared that Chikorita might turn on her the moment she released her from the capsule.

Alex unhooked the second capsule, staring through the translucent lid to the shiny Chikorita within. She sighed softly, rubbing her thumb over the glossy orb as she lowered her head shamefully. She wanted to be a world class breeder some day, but couldn't even handle one little Pokemon? No, she couldn't accept that. She rose to her feet, eyes looking fiery and determined.

"But you know what, Cyndaquil? You were right, and so was that sage. I need to spend time with all my Pokemon," the young woman clutched the ball tightly in her fist. Cyndaquil's eyes widened a bit, worried remembering how badly he'd been beaten by Chikorita. Alex smiled, this time more comfortingly, "Don't worry, Cyndaquil. You're way stronger now!"

[Training: Chikorita]

Alex tossed Chikorita's ball onto the ground, the capsule bursting open into a light that manifested Chikorita. The shiny stretched out his leaf, rotating his neck from side to side before he caught Alex in his gaze. With sharp eyes he growled out his name, preparing to tackle her!

Cyndaquil rushed in front, flames ablaze. "Don't you dare, I'm stronger now and I can take you down easily!" the fire shrew stated boldly. He really did believe whatever Alex told him, and she scratched her head a bit.

Chikorita went ahead with the attack anyway, doubting Cyndaquil had gained any power at all. He rushed forward, lunging to hit Alex with his Tackle, consider it payback for capturing him. Cyndaquil was quick to intercept though, hitting back with his quick attack, which sent Chikorita reeling back.

He stared wide eyed at the freak and his trainer, had they really grown so powerful since they battled? "Chi-chika?" he peeped, astonished and more than confused.

"That's right, Chikorita. We've been training, and now it's your turn. You're going to listen to me, right?" Alex asked, Cyndaquil standing by her side with a stern expression. It was quite intimidating, and Chikorita nodded slowly, still stunned at the turnaround the trainer had made. She had been such an idiot, and so weak the day they met, what happened?!

"Good, then let's begin," Alex said calmly, pulling out her pokedex. She knew Chikorita had some special moves he had been born with, so she used it to scan and check up on him. Scrolling through the moves, she decided most would be dangerous to try out in the cave. "Alright then,. start off using your tackle on that rock!"

Following Alex's finger. Chikorita could see the boulder she was speaking of. He doubted it would feel the greatest to smash against it. but was still somewhat intimidated by Cyndaquil. He had to get stronger than that abomination, and if this was the way, he would play along for now.

He worked himself up mentally, before rushing for the boulder. His tiny feet padded along the packed dirt and rock floor, lunging just before the boulder. With a headlong attack, he struck the rock with his shoulder, recoiling off it sorely. It was definitely harder than it looked, but Chikorita believed he could break it still.

Before he could prepare another attack, Alex interrupted him. "Use ingrain!"The trainer commanded, Chikorita grimacing at her voice. He was used to doing things his way, but now he had to listen to this irritating human? He grunted, clearly upset by the thought of it all.

Still, he sank his roots into the ground and limited his mobility. However, the roots began to glow as he slowly started recovering from both Cyndaquil's attack, and from smashing into the rock. He supposed maybe she wasn't too bad for having him heal, but he still didn't like her!

"Now, use Razor Leaf!" the command came, Chikorita getting excited to use his specialty moves. Whipping his head around, the leaf on his head followed. He created a flurry of razor sharp leaves that flew at the rock, scratching its surface in several places as it weakened the integrity of its structure.

"Good job, now one last attack! I want you to use your Ancient Power!" This was the move Chikorita had used against Cyndaquil, a powerful rock type attack. Even Cyndaquil flinched a bit hearing the attack called, remembering those super effective blows pelting him.

With a devious smirk, Chikorita began. The bead like collar of buds around his neck began to glow brightly. Several orbs of energy appeared around him, circling him before shooting out at the stone. With a powerful barrage, the stone cracked under the pressure.

Laughing with a bit of excitement, Alex ran up to Chikorita. Feeling a sense of accomplishment, she went to give him a hug out of habit with Cyndaquil. "Great job, Chikorita!" she began, thinking that perhaps she had bonded with the stubborn beast. However, when Chikorita laashed her sharp leaf at Alex and left a cut across her cheek,. the girl reeled back.

[End Training]

Alex was a bit stunned, looking at Chikorita. She should have known one little training session wouldn't change the creature's entire disposition. With a sigh, she returned Chikorita to his ball, hoping he would at least help out should they need him in a battle. With that, Alex and Cyndaquil went on toward Azalea Town, Alex digging out her first aid kit to sterilize the cut before placing some medical tape over it.

As the training progressed, the Chikorita's skills seemed to have a pretty steady growth. It seemed the grass type even glistened more than usual, as its level increased all the way to Level 18! {5 experience were left over} Not only that, but the Chikorita also learned Reflect!

As Alex was walking, there was a light-brown fluffy tail seen from around the corner. A close inspection would reveal that this Pokémon is actually an Eevee!

Alex walked on through the cave, Cyndaquil's flames lighting the way. Moving on, she finally saw the light from the exit! Azalea Town, this was it! She picked up her pace, Cyndaquil having to revert to all fours to keep up with Alex's strides. However, as she approached the western mouth, she noticed something from the corner of her eye.

A brown and cream puffball, sniffing about curiously. Quickly darting behind a boulder, Alex pressed her back to the wall. Noticing Cyndaquil hadn't followed, she reached over and snagged him up, pulling him close to her. She placed a finger against her lips, silently hushing him as he nodded slowly in recognition. Peeking around the corner once more, her suspicions were confirmed. It was an Eevee!

What luck, running into an Eevee just like that! Especially right after that strange man had appeared! The thought actually made Alex suspicious, it almost seemed too convenient. Still, she was always taught not to look a gift horse in the mouth! Feeling the excitement well inside her, she got butterflies. A real wild Eevee, she never thought she'd see the day!

Calmly, she took a breath to regain composure as she stepped out from behind the wall. She didn't want to scare it with an all-on assault, so she approached it the way she normally would. Even though it had gotten her attacked in the past, Alex was still a bit set in her ways.

"Hey there, Eevee," Alex said calmly, using her sweetest voice that could be mustered. She slowly took a couple steps toward the small canine like Pokemon. Stopping several feet away, Alex slowly slid her bag from her shoulder to reach for the PokeChow she'd made. It was a relatively fresh batch, having obtained the ingredients back in Violet City so she hoped it would be alright.

Cyndaquil stayed close to Alex, still worried and somewhat unsure of the approach. Normally he would have been supportive, but their experience with Chikorita had taken a toll on his trust. Not to mention the creepy guy back on Route 32. He was especially suspicious of the Eevee because of that. Still, he had to trust his partner, right? He would just be ready in case the Eevee should attack.

The Eevee didn't appear to be very timid toward Alex. In fact, the Eevee looked her straight in the eye, and actually seemed to greet her. "Eevee!" It was, however, more likely a personality trait on the Eevee's part than diplomatic skill on Alex's. When she saw the PokéChow, the Eevee looked at it Quizzically for a moment. She sniffed at the food for a rather thorough inspection. She nibbled at some of it, and let a cry of amazement. She liked the food!

The Eevee saw the Cyndaquil, and she jumped back, a sudden gleam in her eyes. All about her body suddenly began glowing white. She was evolving! A moment after, the light faded, and it was thus revealed that the Eevee suddenly became a Jolteon. "Joolti~!" She looked up to Alex and then to Cyndaquil. The Pokémon was in a competitive stance. It seemed, however, that the Eevee was asking to fight more than she was demanding it.

Alex was beyond relieved when Eevee didn't attack her. In fact, she seemed pretty personable! She hummed lightly, smiling as Eevee nibbled the food with enthusiasm. It was already a much warmer experience than Chikorita. Could this be it? Could this be the Pokémon that doesn't cause her trouble? The excitement welled within her.

Cyndaquil peeked his head out, Eevee taking quick notice. "Huh?" he hummed, bemused as Eevee jumped back suddenly. The look in her eye was unmistakable, the twinkle of a Pokémon who loved battle! However, that was hardly what really threw him off. In fact, it was when Eevee began to glow brightly that he became frightened and unsure!

"J-Jolteon? You...evolved?" she wondered if there had been a thunderstone nearby to induce the evolution. It was kind of disappointing though, as she had really needed to Eevee to get her reward! Humming in contemplation, Alex stood up and took a step back. Deciding that she could always breed Jolteon for an Eevee, she settled her mind.

"You want a battle? Alright then! Cyndaquil, I choose you!" Alex exclaimed, pumped up for the battle. If Jolteon wanted to battle, so be it. But Alex wouldn't hesitate to capture her. She felt like every fiber of her being was buzzing in anticipation. "Alright Cyndaquil, start off with Ember, then Quick Attack!"

Alex was using similar tactics to those employed against Falkner. Realizing this quickly, Cyndaquil understood just what to do. Blazing the flames on his back, he was like a torch in the dimly lit cavern. Fire swirled in his mouth as he spit a burst of flames, quickly dashing through it to attempt an early strike on the foe!

Items
Cyndaquil - Charcoal

The Jolteon voiced her glee when both Alex and Cyndaquil both assumed competitive stances. She watched the Ember and the Quick Attack. She watched it come, but did not dodge it. Instead, she braced herself for the impact. The Quick Attack hit her shoulder with the additional force of the Ember.

The Jolteon stumbled, but used the force of the blow to whirl herself around, in a favourable position to use her hind legs, as the pumped out toward the Cyndaquil. Jolteon her Double Kick!

Cyndaquil's move struck, filling the Pokémon with some pride. He had never witnessed a Pokémon evolve before, so he had been afraid that she would be harder to hit. Still, he wasn't expecting what came next. His abdomen was greeted by Jolteon's hind paws, each striking him in turn. He went tumbling back to Alex's feet, grimacing as he got back to his feet.

Alex seemed worried, stunned even as Cyndaquil winced in pain. "Are you alright, Cyndaquil?!" she panicked, worrying for her partner. She was ready to recall him, and end the battle there if he said so. Still, she knew her partner wasn't going to back down so easily.

Shaking his head, Cyndaquil responded. "I'm alright, Alex. She's stronger than she looks," he said, staring down the opponent. Something was off about her, but he wasn't sure what just yet. "Come on, Alex! I said I'm fine!" Cyndaquil insisted, noticing his trainer's hesitance.

"Right," Alex said, shaking her head to get back in the game. "Alright then, go! Use your Extrasensory!" Alex commanded, standing strong again. She thrust her finger at the Jolteon, as though it would help Cyndaquil somehow.

Cyndaquil responded swiftly, preparing the move. His eyes opened wide, beginning to glow a bright golden hue. Opening his mouth, he shot forth a mysterious power. The multicolored beam launched at Jolteon, swirling with lights and crescent shapes. It was Cyndaquil's Extrasensory!

The Jolteon was hit by the Extrasensory. It had plenty of force, and, even with her claws dug into the stone floors, she was swept across the ground, and fell over. The Jolteon was quite quick, however, and she jumped back to her feet, with as much vigour as before. "Jool!" She shouted. Rather than grimace in pain, it seemed she admired the power the Cyndaquil had.

The Jolteon once again put itself into an offensive stance. It lunged forward with Quick Attack! However, the Quick Attack did not connect, and, instead, when she decided she was close enough, the Jolteon's jaws crackled with electricity as she attempted to bite the Cyndaquil. It was Thunder Fang.

Cyndaquil smirked as Jolteon was sent tumbling, proud of his own power. However, the lightning Pokémon was quick to retaliate! Lurching back at Cyndaquil, it took off in a blur that not even Cyndaquil could follow! By the time he saw her, it was too late, and her jaws sank into him with a shocking force!

Crying out, Cyndaquil flailed and jumped back. This battle was already taking a toll on him, yet the Jolteon still seemed to be full of energy! "Is she really that strong?" Alex muttered to herself, astonished at the display. "Hm, right then. Cyndaquil, return!" Alex said, returning Cyndaquil to his capsule before he could argue. Retrieving another, she sent it out hoping her plan would work.

The ball arced toward the battlefield, bursting open at the height of its trajectory. The strange light emitted formed a familiar face. The yellow sheen, and leaf atop his head were unmistakable, as Chikorita took the field. He quickly sized up his opponent, head held high in confidence. That twerp of a Cyndaquil had failed, and now it was his turn to shine!

"Alright Chikorita, Razor Leaf!" Alex called out, smiling as she pointed to the Jolteon. However, Chikorita had his own plans. Rolling his eyes, he said a few choice words in defiance before his collar began to glow. Releasing an Ancient Power, orbs of energy were flung at Jolteon! "Ch-Chikorita, hey!" Alex stuttered, wondering what had happened to the compliant Pokémon she had trained.

The Jolteon was a bit shocked (no pun intended) when the Cyndaquil suddenly disappeared into the Pokéball. Clearly, this Pokémon had never seen a Pokéball before, and was a bit confused when when out popped another Pokémon, a Chikorita. Nevertheless, she took it as an additional challenge, and stood on the defensive.

The Jolteon wasn't able to to move quickly enough to avoid the next attack. The poor Pokémon was buried under an avalanche of rocks. It was a super effective hit! Yet, the Jolteon still dug her way out. She leapt back to even ground, and suddenly her body began yet again. Evolution? The light was shined even greater than the shiny Pokémon it were up against. When the light subsided, a red-orange Pokémon was revealed. Jolteon had just become Flareon! "Flaaar!" it shouted, stretching.

Alex watched as Jolteon took the super effective hit, yet managed still to stand. She wasn't sure what was with this Pokémon, but it seemed ridiculously tough! Just when she thought there were no more surprises to be had, Jolteon began to glow! Evolution? But- as Alex knew, Jolteon doesn't have an evolved form! When the light faded, and the red and orange-cream fire type was revealed, she stepped back.

This Pokémon just shifted evolution to another one of its potential forms. This in and of itself was enough to render Alex speechless. She just stood there and stared wide eyed and gape jawed. Chikorita on the other hand was not amused. Though Flareon had a type advantage, she knew well enough she had moves to take on such opponents.

"Chi-chika!" the shiny barked out, unafraid of the newly evolved foe. He still saw himself as mightier, holding his head high with a regal air to him. Unafraid, Chikorita again prepared his Ancient Power, the buds around the base of his neck glowing brightly. Orbs of energy revolved around him before shooting at the Flareon!

The Flareon, seeing this attack for the second time, managed to dodge every single rock that was flung its way! Apparently sensing the Chikorita's overly prideful nature to where it disobeyed its trainer's orders, the Flareon even leaped onto one the thrown rocks and stuck its tongue out the Chikorita. Afterwards, it then seemed to wink rather cutely at Alex.

The Flareon then emitted an orange energy from its mouth. It then started running in circles as it blew out fire, hoping to trap the Chikorita in it. Flareon used Fire Spin!

Chikorita was taken back by Flareon's graceful dodge, but more so by the face she made while doing so. Hissing through his teeth, probably curse words, Chikorita barked angrily. "Chi- Chiiikaaa!" he was about to make another move when the flames encircled him. "Kaaa!" he cried out, the flames lapping out at him viciously. He was trapped by the vortex!

Alex was even more amazed as Jolteon- now Flareon showed off her excellent skills. Alongside battling, she would probably make a great Contest partner! She was graceful, and people would always be wowed by her ability to change forms. Alex buzzed with excitement, wanting more than ever to add the rarity to her team roster. However, when Chikorita cried out, Alex cringed. He might have been an asshole, but he was still her Pokémon!

"Chikorita, you need to listen to me. Use ingrain, then razor leaf!" Alex called out, only hoping his stubborn pride would allow her to take control. She frowned slightly as she thought about it, Chikorita had been her first capture. Still he was the most disobedient on her team. Even more so than the trouble maker of a Rotom!

"Ch...Ch'ka..." Chikorita hissed to himself, wincing as the fiery cage kept sapping his energy. It looked like he would have to bite his tongue on this one. It would keep him from being switched out, but at least by rooting himself he would be able to continuously heal himself.

Allowing his roots to take place, they sunk into the soil and began to absorb nutrients slowly. Chikorita raised his head, sharp eyes glaring at Flareon. Rearing his head back, he whipped his head around and forward. The leaf atop his head did likewise, spinning around as Chikorita released a flurry of razor sharp leaves at the foe!

The attack hit hit its mark! For the first time, it seemed the Flareon actually stumbled a little. Was she finally becoming warn out? Regardless, it seemed the Flareon still wasn't lacking in speed. The Flareon dashed for the Chikorita, regardless of the surrounding flames. She was a fire type, after all, and the fire, already weakening without a medium, did little damage to her.

Afterward, it was difficult for the flames to keep going on the stone of the cave floor, so the flames soon subsided.

Chikorita was struck by Flareon, tumbling out of the flames as they dissipated. Alex was watching closely though, and noticed the falter. Was this it, was this her chance? She shifted her foot. Hand wandering back to the mesh ball pouch. She fished out the shiny red sphere, the Cherish Ball. She would wait another move or two before her attempt, though. This Pokémon was tough, after all!

Chikorita climbed back to his feet, looking scuffed up from the flames and blows he'd taken. Still, his stubbornness reigned. He continued to absorb nutrients from the roots which reached up from the ground beneath. It was what was keeping him on his feet currently, and he again glared at the Flareon.

"Chikorita, use Ancient Power, then Reflect!" Alex called out, hoping her Pokémon would again follow commands. Shockingly enough, Chikorita did as told. First he launched the energy orbs, quickly pulling up a mystical defensive veil afterward.

The Flareon did its best to avoid the attack this time, but a single boulder had impacted on her shoulder. The Flareon's claws scraped the cave floors audibly as it were pushed. The Pokémon seemed to be tiring a little. Yet, rather than being irritated, the Pokémon was a rather good sport. She kept a positive spirit about her.

Once again, the glowing happened. It seemed that the Flareon was evolving again. As the light faded, it seemed that the Flareon had become a Jolteon once again. "Joltee~!" Perhaps, no longer being a fire type, Chikorita was no longer at a disadvantage?

Alex witnessed the strange evolution once more, smirking as she was unable to contain it. Such an amazing specimen she'd come across, how was she supposed to resist attempting a capture on it?! She clocked the button at the center of the cherish ball, letting it expand into her palm to the size of a baseball.

"Chikorita, tackle!" Alex commanded, preparing herself. Chikorita just looked forward to the opportunity to hit the now-Jolteon. He really didn't like her, his pride feeling a bit battered from her onslaught. He was using this as a redeeming moment, to prove he was better than all these freaks! He charged toward Jolteon, lunging in attempt to tackle her to the ground!

Alex wound her arm back, carefully taking aim as Chikorita attacked. She tried watching to see where Jolteon would land, be it from dodging or taking the hit. She tried to time her throw perfectly, throwing the red ball overhand as she followed through. It rolled from her fingertips, hurtling through the air toward the strange Jolteon. Alex held her breath nervously, hoping this would work.

The Jolteon was hit by the Tackle. The yellow Pokémon backed away to what she deemed a safe range from the Chikorita. Afterwards, she prepared an attack. Then the Pokémon used Pin Missile! It was directly after the attack that a red orb was sent toward its way. It caught her by surprise as it hit her forehead, and she faltered back. The Cherish Ball then spun on the ground. The Jolteon looked at it quizzically. After a moment, the ball opened, apparently having been delayed, and the Jolteon was absorbed into the red ball, and it began to wiggle.

It seemed like a whole minute had gone by, and the Pokéball was still shaking on the ground. Eventually, the movement stopped, and the audible click showed that the capture was a success! Unfortunately, there was little time to celebrate this achievement, for another hand picked it up. It was the old man from the stall outside the Union Cave!

"Excuse me, I'll be taking this!" The man said, and, apparently more fit than he seemed, the old man made a mad dash from the cave toward Azalea Town.

The pin missile struck Chikorita, the Pokémon squealing as each pin struck. He was about to retaliate when the red orb struck Jolteon dead in the forehead. He too looked at it, mildly confused at first. When it absorbed Jolteon, he let out a very verbal disapproval, practically throwing a fit that he wasn't able to keep attacking. Alex on the other hand watched in anticipation as the ball seemed to wiggle and struggle for an extended period of time.

It finally came to rest, her heart skipping a beat as a smile crossed her face. She was about to jump for joy when a strange figure appeared from the darkness, snatching her cherish ball! "H-hey! What gives?!" she barked, quickly recognizing the man from the odd stand back on route 32. However, just as quickly as he'd arrived, he was off again!

Not wanting to lose him or her newest team mate, Alex quickly returned Chikorita to his ball. She hissed angrily, quickly taking off in a sprint after the man. She darted out of the mouth of the cave, quickly looking around for him. He was fast! She caught a glimpse of the tail end of him, headed toward Slowpoke Well and Azalea town. Without further hesitation, she took off after him frantically. The anger pulsed in her, her own darkness starting to overwhelm. She was gonna beat this guy to a bloody pulp when she got her hands on him!

Finally reaching town, she darted her eyes around quickly, looking for any sign of him. Body shaking angrily, her hands balled up into tightly clenched fists, one of which was slammed into the "Welcome to Azalea Town" sign. She had lost him! This couldn't be! She felt helpless, distraught...angry. It really was about the only emotion she knew how to show. The negativity of the situation felt like a weight on her, hand slowly and shakily opening up as she placed her palm against the wooden post.

Knuckles bloodied, it was clear she hadn't restrained much from that punch. Her teeth were clenched, grinding a bit as she felt flutters in her stomach. Not the good kind though, the kind where you felt nauseated and upset. She huffed, breathing heavily through her nose as she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself. She would go to the Pokémon Center, and report the crime. Then she would hunt down the bastard and kill him.

She headed to the Pokémon Center, irate and distraught over what had transpired. Still, her Pokémon needed tending to. While there, she could report the crime and ask around about the man. Perhaps someone had seen him, and if so she would possibly be able to track him down!

The nurse at the counter of the Pokémon Centre took Alex's Pokémon into a back room for healing. It wasn't long before the Pokémon were returned completely completely renewed. When Alex told the nurse of the crime, she seemed a bit stunned at first. "Aye, I'll report it to an officer as soon as I can," the nurse said, smiling sympathetically.

When Alex left the Pokémon Centre, the nurse watched her closely and waited for the sliding doors to close before picking up the phone by her desk. She spoke in a less-than-tender fashion. "It's me. Our plans may not run as smoothly as we thought."

Outside the Pokémon Centre, there was a boy, about just in his teen years, who came up to Alex. "Um..." He looked back warily at two men clad in black. It seemed he was being forced to say something. "I... um.. I heard that you were.. looking for a man.. I think he may be near the gym.." As he said that, the two men in black began to walk away.

Alex found it somewhat strange that the nurse attending didn't seem to be related to the Nurse Joys of Cherrygrove, Violet, and even Goldenrod. Thinking about it for a moment longer though, she found it more odd that so many of the nurses were related. She hung out in the waiting room for just a bit until her Pokémon were returned to her. She didn't want to waste any time in hunting down the strange old man, after all!

Upon exiting the facility, she was quickly approached by a youth, Alex pinning him around 12 or 13 years old at first glance. Then again, she could be very bad at guessing the age of people. At one of her old jobs she rather consistently ID'd people well into their 40's for liquor purchases. She followed the boy's glance to the strange men, humming lightly to herself in curiosity.

Upon the boys words, Alex's attention was snapped back to him. "The gym? Are you sure?!" Alex asked, feeling a sliver of hope begin in her. For some reason, the premise that she might have found him overwhelmed her suspicions. "Thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed, quickly turning and taking off deeper into town.

She found herself soon approaching the large glass dome that was Azalea Town's Gym. It was constructed like a large greenhouse, the inside being a very natural environment. It was well forested, though the battle field was still mostly clear for challengers. Such was reasonable considering Bugsy used bug-type Pokémon, that way they would feel more at home even during cool weather. Alex quickly began looking around for any suspicious persons.

Alex would likely hear the commotion inside the Pokémon Gym. If she were to go inside, she would find yet another man in black, pinning Bugsy, who appeared to be little more than a child, against the wall. "No! That's my final answer," he said. "Gym Leaders are responsible for protecting the town! I won't go along with what you say."

The man holding him seemed quite irritated with this response. "Listen, you. We have a lot we need to do, and very little time to do it. Now, do as I say, and I promise you'll come out of this alive."

Alex found herself at the doors to the Gym, disheartened to not see anybody around there. However, she soon heard a ruckus from inside. She sneaked in, trying to be quiet as she eavesdropped on the strangers. From what she could gather, the boy with the dark purple hair was Bugsy, the Azalea Town Gym Leader. It explained his garb, looking an awful lot like an entomologist or field researcher.

The man clad in black however was still undefined. Taking a second glance though, he was wearing garb extremely similar to those other two men. Had they set a trap for her?! She grimaced a bit, resisting a hiss through her bared teeth as she quickly thought of a plan. If they had been trying to set a trap for her, they must work for that man. Looks like this trap was delayed, and not quite working out as they had planned, though.

Swallowing hard, Alex quickly decided on action. She stepped from behind the tree she was hiding, making her presence known with a hard foot to the ground beneath. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?!" Alex shouted, Cyndaquil's pokeball in hand and readied. She immediately regretted her choice of words, finding them a bit cheesy. Still, she held her ground, sternly staring down the man in black.

Tossing up Cyndaquil's pokeball, it burst open to summon him to the field. "What's wrong, not so tough when you aren't picking on a little kid?!" Alex continued, trying to sound confident and tough. Cyndaquil quickly realized something was not right about the situation, looking to the man. He could smell trouble, and with a cry ignited the flames on his back.

"Now let him go!" Alex demanded, now with Cyndaquil appearing to be more than battle ready. She kept her stance firm, but wasn't intending to get caught flat footed. She wanted to capture him for some intel. After saving Bugsy, of course. "Who do you work for?!"

The black-clothed man heard Alex's voice, and eyes shot toward her before his head seemed to snap to her direction. He looked at Bugsy once more. "You'll regret defying me," he said, dropping Bugsy. The gym leader fell on his rump, and had to move away before he got back up.

"It isn't any of your business who we are," the man said. He pulled out his own Pokéball. For a moment, it seemed the man eyed Alex's Cyndaquil quite suspiciously.

Bugsy took the opportunity of the man being distracted. "This guy is part of Team Rocket. He'll take your Pokémon if you aren't careful!" Instantly, the man looked back at Bugsy, a flame in his eyes, and then back at Alex.

"I'll deal with you later," the thug said to Bugsy. "Go! Koffing!" Out he threw his Pokéball, and a living purple orb covered with craters appeared. On its belly was what looked like the warning label for poison on a jar - with good reason, of course!

Male Koffing Lv. 16

Alex hissed through her teeth as she heard Bugsy's proclamation. Team Rocket, their activity had waned over the years. It seemed that though Giovanni had dissolved the main branch, new ones sprouted up here or there. Not surprising, since there would always be bad people out to exploit others for their own gain.

"If he wants to steal my Pokemon he's gonna have to try damn well hard! I wont be letting mine go without a fight, you'd have to pry them from my cold, dead fingers!" Alex exclaimed, shifting her attention from Bugsy to the Rocket grunt.

Upon his release of Koffing, Alex was hardly worried. She knew they could spew out toxic gases, and that she would have to be careful. Still, the rage building inside her was more than enough to erase any fear or doubt from her mind. Her eyes swirled hazel and grey, sharp and cold as they pierced into the grunt. She wasn't playing around like all the kids around the area, seemed they picked the wrong trainer to mess with!

"Alright Cyndaquil, you ready?" Alex asked, apparently just as fired up as her Pokemon. If not, she was more so made clear by the energetic stance she took. "Go Cyndaquil, hit it with your Extrasensory!" Alex quickly commanded, swiping one hand out to point to the Koffing. She wasn't stupid, and knew well enough her type match-ups. She didn't go to school for such a long time just to let the information all fly away, after all!

"I'm ready!" Cyndaquil announced, taking aim at Koffing. He stayed light on his feet, ready to dodge to either side should he need to. At the command, his eyes began to glow gold. The psychic power itself was unseen, but the multicolored beam that swirled and shot from Cyndaquil's mouth was anything but! A powerful psychic attack, Alex knew she had the advantage here.

Items
Cyndaquil - Charcoal