Eevy was thrilled with herself. She’d successfully beaten Konohana and gotten through Sickle City with LOADS of new stuff. Medira was too busy showing off her new boots to say anything and Sooney’s new necklaces were holding her attention like glue. Mizu kept squeezing the Kingler doll she bought and Yuu-Yuu was packing away sweets like a steam engine blows smoke. There was one thing bothering both Medira and Eevy. They were getting odd feelings from around them. Odd feelings like they were being watched and the covering of their arms with things not there wasn’t helping it all that much. Eevy stopped at the sight of an explosion in the distance.

"What was that?" Mizu shouted, clinging to her doll.

"I believe that was Slice City," Medira answered, throwing out her Poke’Ball, "Flamedance! I’ll go on ahead. Prepare for some fire fighting. See the smoke?"

Eevy looked ahead and did get a whiff of smoke and could see a little billow of sooty ash in the air, "Go," she almost commanded and reached for her Rain Ball, "Novo, we need you."

"Flamedance, move it! Towards the smoke!"

Eevy’s now familiar high pitched whistle went out through the trees, calling a Fearow, "The three of you make it on your own time. Novo, we have to go."

Eevy took off, leaving Mizu, Yuu-Yuu and Sooney behind, "What’s going on with them?" Sooney asked quietly as they began to run, "They keep acting like all-knowing, all-seeing Mistresses."

*^~^**^~^*

"We’re getting closer!" Medira called from Flamedance.

"The smoke’s killing my breathing!" Eevy hacked, "From up here it’s even worse."

"Don’t breathe in too much of it, you’ll suffocate."

"Look!" someone in Slice City shouted, "Mistresses!"

"No!" Medira called, "We’re not Mistresses. Simply trainers. What’s happening?"

"There was an explosion at the Gym!"

"The Gym," Eevy mused, "I wonder how. Fearow, go towards the smoke!"

"Where’s the Gym?" Medira asked.

"Down there!"

"Go, Flamedance, go!"

"Novo, use Water Gun!" Novo fired a blast of water down from Fearow’s back, flowing it straight into the fire.

"Go, Wavemaker! Use Hydro Pump!" the Blastoise continued charging the fire with water as Mizu panted up behind them.

"Seel, Azumarill, Psyduck, Kingler, Cloyster and Seadra," Mizu gagged, "We need all of you!"

"Qwilfish, try to help!" Sooney released hers as well.

"Seaking, Waterfall!" Yuu-Yuu sent out hers.

Eevy manned the air, sending shot after shot of water down onto the Gym. Sooney and three of Mizu’s Pokemon watched the buildings to the sides of the Gym. The remaining Pokemon washed the lower part of the Gym with gushes of Hydro Pumps and Water Guns. A few people rushed from the Gym and some others attempted to help. Those remaining halted those trying to lend a hand for fear they would be hurt. A few kept calling things like, "Let the Mistresses handle it," or, "Let the League save its Gym." Medira and Eevy kept replying with, "We’re not Mistresses," and, "We don’t belong to the League," but no one would listen. After a long and blackening joust with the heat and flames, the fire was done and withered away. Eevy choked a bit as the Fearow she was on slowly landed. She slipped off and pulled Novo down with her, sending Fearow on his way. A few people approached the group.

"Oh, Mistress, thank you!" someone called.

"For the last time," Medira shouted, "we are not Mistresses!"

"Are you sure?" someone asked, leaning in to study them.

"I can tell you whether they’re Mistresses or not," someone said as he stood in front of the Gym, "It’s easy to tell."

"Oh really?" Medira snorted half sarcastically, "And just how would you know?"

"Simple," he turned and walked over, smirking wildly at Mizu who just about gagged, "I just have to look at you and I can tell."

"Alright then," Eevy huffed, "Judge away, oh knowing moron."

"Funny," he spat and started studying Medira’s face, "You, I’m going to say, are not a Mistress and you want to be a Gym Leader. Am I right?"

"How’d you do that?" Medira mused loudly.

"Talent," he turned to Eevy and studied every inch of her, "You, you’re different. You’re a Mistress, aren’t you?"

Eevy smirked nastily, "No. Looks like your little ‘talent’ failed."

"That’s weird," he thought, "I’ve never messed up before."

"Losin’ ya’ edge now, huh?" another someone said from in front of the Gym, "Wake up there, sonny boy. It’s easy to tell she ain’t no Mistress."

Eevy’s fists balled up and she fought killing whoever said that, "Oh really?" she cracked like Medira had, "Well, just who said that?"

"That would be me, girly. Lieutenant Eric Surge of Vermilion City Pokemon Gym."

"He’s enormous," Yuu-Yuu whimpered, "Absolutely enormous."

"Call me girly one more time and I won’t care how big you are because I’ll be more than happy to cut you down to size."

"Eevy," Medira cautioned, "Don’t get into a fight with this guy. He could stomp Dragon Master Lance into the ground."

"Doubtful," Eevy growled, "I’m no push-over, Surge. Show me to the Gym Leader here and he’d better be a challenge."

"Now how do you expect to battle me when my Gym’s gone up in fumes?" the one who had been testing them said.

"You?!" Eevy flipped, "You’re the Gym Leader?!"

"We can always battle out here, but my Pokemon may blow something up."

"That’s what happened to the Gym. He blew it up when he was battling!" Sooney stated the unbearably obvious.

"Not battling," he laughed, "Practicing with my father here," he pointed to Surge.

"Enough!" Eevy burst, "I’ll battle you here, there, anywhere as long as I get to turn you to pulp!"

"OK then, how about a four on four with the chance for a sudden death?"

"Fine then. I accept your rules."

The Gym Leader jumped at her calm, easy speech, "Good," he very slightly choked, "Then we will battle."

*^~^**^~^*

"Move back! Move back! Give the challengers some air!" Medira ordered as she shoved some people from the designated arena outside the front of the Gym, "I said move!"

A few of the people stepped back, but Medira was forced to imbed her heel in some feet to get a couple of them to move. The loud speaker started going off, asking for quiet. After a while, everyone was silent.

"Thank you," the town loud speaker said, "We will now begin the battle. The challenger is Evangelina Hikoboshi of Rose Town, Nanka with five Nanka Badges and one Hokubu Badge. The defendant is Slice City Pokemon Gym Leader Hoover Surge. This will be a four on four Pokemon battle with the chance of a sudden death match. The Yellow Badge at stake with no time limit."

"Talk about a speech," Sooney whispered to Yuu-Yuu who nodded agreeably.

"Let the match begin!"

"Go, Raichu! Show no mercy!" Hoover released his father’s Raichu which was handed over to him when he got his Gym.

"A Raichu," Eevy was analyzing out-lout, "Impressive choice. High stats but from what Ash Ketchum told me he’s incredibly slow."

"Ash Ketchum?" Lt. Surge asked a bit surprised, "The baby?"

"Ash is no baby. An idiot, at times, but no baby. In light of this Pokemon, I will choose Lovo."

"Jolt, jolt, jolteon!" Lovo sparked nastily and nodded to Eevy who pulled out her Poke’Dex, "Let’s kick some Raichu rear!"

"How’s it talking?" Hoover jumped back.

"It’s called a Poke’Dex," Mizu snapped, "You should know that, Mr. Minor Master."

Hoover growled a bit, but at the loud laugh from his father, scowled back at the Jolteon, "Go, Raichu! Use your Thunderbolt!"

"Lovo, absorb it!"

"I’m on it like an ant to a picnic!" Lovo was a smartalic, that was plain to see, as he simply charged his own attack with that of Raichu, "Pretty weenie attack you got there. Come on! Charge me up!"

"That Jolteon’s got a big mouth," Hoover snapped, "Raichu, no more electric attacks till it’s weak! Use your Slam!"

"Lovo, retaliate with a Quick Attack!"

"Tearin’ it up! Here’s a Quick Attack headin’ your way!" Lovo powered forward, slapping into Raichu as he aimed to Slam down on top of him, "Now try a Pin Missile!"

Lovo used the same trick he had in one of their previous Gym Battles, slamming an electric Pin Missile into Raichu’s stomach, slashing him into the air. Raichu came flying back down, almost hitting Lovo but he took off to the side. He landed hard, right in front of Lovo. Lt. Surge started flipping out.

"How’d she beat ma’ Raichu!?" he freaked, "She’s just a kid! A kid!"

"How dare you insult my father’s Pokemon in such a way! Raichu, return!" everyone could see the pure annoyance and partial fear on Hoover’s face, "Go, Electrode!"

"An Electrode," Eevy straightened, "A good choice. Good choice indeed. Go on out, Sovo!"

"You don’t stand a chance against me with an Espeon!"

"Maybe so," again she surprised him, "but I shall try my best. Sovo, Psybeam attack!"

"Electrode, use Light Screen attack!"

"Let me eat him alive, Eevy!" Sovo hissed, "I feel like a game of soccer!"

"No, you may not. Use a Physical attack. Use Quick Attack!"

"No fun, but I’m gonna get you!" Sovo ran forward, aiming for the Electrode.

Sovo plowed Electrode dead on, but it hardly seemed to faze it. It simply rolled back and retaliated with a Sonic Boom. Sovo toppled backward.

"You overgrown golf ball!" Sovo hissed and went back at it again with a hefty Swift attack, "Take this one!"

"Get back at that Espeon with your own Swift attack!"

The gold stars shot from each Pokemon collided with small explosions in the middle of the arena. One star from Electrode slipped past, smacking Sovo off balance. He seized his fire as he fell over, enabling Electrode to attack his unprotected stomach with a shocking Thunderbolt.

"No!" Sovo shrieked and tried to move, "I can’t…do it," he fell face first to the ground, "I tried."

"I don’t blame you," Eevy recalled him to the Sun Ball, "I blame him," she pointed to Hoover, "And him," she then pointed to Surge, "You don’t understand just what your Pokemon are."

"Really?" Hoover and Surge snorted at the same time, "What are they other than warriors?"

"Friends. Companions. Partners. Teammates. Fighters with you and for you not because of you. For my next Pokemon, I will choose Zovo."

"A Fire- type?" Hoover questioned, "Why not a Ground or Rock against Electric?"

"For one reason, I do not bear any Pokemon such as those. Even if I did, I trust Zovo. You don’t trust anything but power."

"That’s a lie! I show total confidence in my Pokemon!"

"You are the one lying. You may show trust, but that doesn’t mean it’s there and true."

Hoover growled and Surge looked a bit puzzled, "I choose Electabuzz!"

"Eevy," Zovo turned and pouted, "That Electabuzz is too fast for me."

"No he isn’t. Try your best and do what you can. Your brothers, father and I are all behind you."

"Don’t forget us, Zovo!" Yuu-Yuu called, "Kick that yellow blob’s butt!"

"You go, Zovo!" Mizu shouted.

"Take him out, Zovo! Take him right to the ground!" Sooney cheered.

"Make the Fire- types proud!" Medira added.

"I’ll bring them to their knees!" Zovo took his position, "I’m ready, what about you, antenna-head?"

"I’m ready to tear through you like a hot knife through butter," Electabuzz growled, "Bring it on, little boy."

"Go, Electabuzz! Use Light Screen!"

"He’s focusing on raising his Special Defense. If I use a Special attack, it won’t even phase him," Eevy was silent as the Electabuzz formed its barrier, "Zovo, Leer attack!"

"Now Leer it back!"

"Keep Leering it!"

"Now move in for a Thunderpunch!"

Electabuzz spiraled forward, removing his eyes from Zovo’s to block the Leer. He pelted Zovo dead in the stomach, sending him flying back. He stood up and hissed.

"I’ve caught your strategy, Eevy," Zovo nodded, "And I’ll use it! Take another Leer attack!"

"How did it live through that?" Surge shouted, "Thunderpunch should have toasted it after that Leer attack!"

"You have no clue of the mistake you’ve both just made and I’m not about to point it out. Zovo, keep Leering away!"

"What’s she doing?" Sooney looked to Medira.

"I know. I get it now," Medira nodded, "Very good."

"Electabuzz, Thunderbolt!"

"Zovo, move out! Take Down attack!"

"I am SO going to kill you!" Zovo charged right through the Thunderbolt, "Try this one on for size! This one’s for Sovo!"

There was an angry cry as Electabuzz toppled over backward. He slammed onto his back with immense power, growling and grunting in absolute astonishment and pain. Hoover and Surge both went loony trying to decipher that.

"How?! How?!" Hoover cried, "How did it do that?! What did I do wrong?!"

"When the match is finished I will reveal your mistakes. Until then, we battle knowing what we know and nothing more. This next switch belongs to you."

"Electabuzz, get back here! Go, Thunder Ball!"

"Go, Star Ball!"

"I’ve been waiting a while for my next Gym match," Vovo licked his lips, "This should be a pretty one."

"Don’t get a big head there, Vovo," Eevy scolded, "This will be a strong opponent."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…"

"Go!" Hoover’s Thunder Ball broke open revealing the highest evolutionary state for a Mareep.

"An Ampharos!" Yuu-Yuu reinforced the totally clear.

"No doying," Medira commented, "I think we can see the hulking yellow and black Lanturn Pokemon, Yuu-Yuu."

"Buh dum bum, ching," Yuu-Yuu snorted.

Vovo stepped back, "Big Pokemon," he moaned, "Eevy…"

"I know, Vovo. He looks tough, but we can take him."

He turned and swallowed, "Yeah…Yeah! I can take you! Let’s go, bubble-bee butt!"

"Excuse me?" the Ampharos cracked, "What was that, puny puppy?"

"Puny puppy?! Well, you’re off my Christmas card list. Oh wait! You’ve already got one of the tree ornaments on the end of your tail there! Better get it before I shatter it upside your head!"

Even Surge held in laughter at that, "That little thing ain’t so bad!"

"Little?" Vovo scowled, "Who you callin’ little?"

"Let’s get on with it!" Hoover snapped, "Go Ampharos, use your Cotton Spore!"

"Vovo, try to avoid it!"

Vovo was dodging quite well until one huge puff of powder caught him in the eyes. He stood yowling in pain. The powder was stinging the scars still present from his helpless bout with Daemeon so long before. He pawed at his eye and ear, shrieking like mad. The pain in Eevy’s eye was so unbearable even she let out a yelp and slapped her hand to her eye. When he finally succeeded at getting the powder from around himself with Tail Spin, Eevy pulled her hand away and looked up at Hoover with ice cold eyes.

"Vovo, run away!"

Vovo took a flying leap into the air, landing behind the Ampharos, who spun around trying to see him. He was thoroughly enraged now, eyes glowing bright and tail as rigid as floor boards. He did just as he said he would do and clunked the Ampharos in the side of his head with the end of his own tail. The Ampharos tipped around, but regained his balance relatively quickly.

"Ampharos, Thunder Wave!"

"Vovo!"

Vovo dropped to his stomach screeching, "Eevy! Help me!"

Eevy couldn’t stand it and had no choice, "Vovo, return!"

"What?!" Hoover snorted, "What are you doing? Are you chickening out on me?"

"No. I’ve won twice and you’ve won twice. Now it’s sudden death time," Eevy’s eyes narrowed.

"Fine then! Be that way! I’m sticking with Ampharos!"

"This may look stupid, but I consider it incredibly smart," Eevy put her hand behind her back, brushing her shirt from her Poke’Balls, "I trust this Pokemon with my life," she felt along her belt, finding the coldest one, "Go!" ripping it off her belt, enlarging it and throwing it out all in one swift movement.

"Alright, Eevy!" came from the shining Pokemon in front of them, "I’m back and better than ever!"

"Now that was utterly stupid," Hoover started laughing with Surge almost falling over, "That-that-that can’t beat-beat me!"

"We’ll just see about that! Compared to your father you look like a shaved bird!" Novo cracked, "Let’s go. For what you’ve done to master, brother and father, I will rip you apart."

Medira stepped back, "That’s one angry Vaporeon."

"OK, Novo! Let’s win this. Go!"

"Forget their dumb jokes, Ampharos! Go! Thunderpunch!"

"Stop, drop and roll away!"

Novo flew to lay. As the Thunderpunch whipped over his head, he rolled to his side to get away. Ampharos went flying to his stomach, surprised for having missed his target. Novo stood waiting for orders, but somehow he knew just what Eevy was waiting for. He sat down and waited; actually sat and waited for Ampharos to stand up before he took off again, leading it around like a monkey after a banana.

"Novo, blast off for an aerial Acid Armor!"

Novo put his finned tail on the ground and pushed off into the air, "Now you see me!" he laughed, "And now I’m gone!" he melted away in midair using his enhanced Acid Armor, "Come on! Find me! Maybe I’m here!" he bit Ampharos’s tail, "Or maybe here!" he stomped down on his foot.

"Come on, Ampharos! Find it!" Hoover looked around for any faint sign of Novo, "Fill the entire arena up with Thunder attack!"

"Novo!"

A huge rip of thunder shot down from the clouds and traveled in spirals around the arena, leaving shock spots in various places. The largest spiral, starting at Ampharos and looping out, caught Novo as he ran, throwing him out in the open and to the ground.

"Get up, Novo!" Eevy commanded, "Get up now! Come on and get up!"

"Get going, Novo!" Medira cried, "Move it! Get up!"

"I will keep going," Novo shakily stood up, "Because I’m a winner not a quitter. Eevy, I feel weird."

"Good."

"Eevy!" Sooney yelled, "He’s hurt, help him!"

"No. He’s not hurt."

"Eevy," Novo looked around at the crowd, "I feel different. I feel like I could burst."

"Then do it!" Medira attracted Sooney, Mizu and Yuu-Yuu’s attention, "What?"

"This, this for my brothers!" Novo whacked Ampharos straight across the face with his tail, "This one’s for my father!" he chomped down on its ear, "And this, this is for Eevy! Hydro Pump!"

He released a huge spurt of water straight at the Ampharos, standing in one spot as he continued gushing gallon after gallon of ice cold water into Ampharos’s side. He sent another deep breath into his shot, causing it to speed up and travel twice as powerful. He moved straight up Ampharos’s front, heading for his face. He caught the gem on its forehead, sending it into a tipsy tumble. The gem on Ampharos’s head is like a cat’s tail; it helps them balance. With his gem getting plummeted with water, he was knocked completely off balance. Novo seized fire and toppled backwards when the water pressure released. Ampharos started to attack, but just fell over face first to the ground.

"What?! No!" Hoover shrieked, "How could it beat Ampharos?"

"Hand over your badge and I’ll let you in on your mess-ups," Eevy walked up and held out her hand demandingly, "Let’s go. Hand it over."

"No! I demand to know how you beat me!"

"Give her da’ badge," Surge walked up behind him and snatched the Yellow Badge from his pocket, "Never refuse ta’ give up ya’ badge when da’ trainer has rightfully earned it. That shoulda’ been da’ first thing you learned as a Gym Leader."

"Thank you, Lt. Surge," Eevy took the badge and made a nasty face to Hoover, "Do you still want to know what you did wrong?"

"I suppose," he mumbled.

"Light Screen ups Special Defense. Leer drops Plain Defense. When you used Light Screen you were only protected from Special Attacks. When I used Leer, I dropped the Plain Defense you had been ignoring. By whittling down your Plain Defense, then attacking with Normal- type attacks like Quick Attack and Take Down, I totally crammed you. Plus, by using your own Leer, you dropped my Plain Defense and Electric- type attacks are Special Attacks."

"Eh," Hoover turned bright red in utter embarrassment, "Ah! And I call myself a Gym Leader!"

Eevy slightly laughed, "Don’t worry about it. Now, before I throw myself off, I must perform the ritual," she turned and cleared her throat, "We won the Yellow Badge!"

"All right!" Novo shouted and jumped up along her side.

"Are you sure you aren’t a Mistress?" that same girl asked again.

Don’t even ask. Seriously, don’t ask. I wrote this chapter as it came to me. I like it, but the battle could have been better. Like I said, I can’t describe battles that well. Poor me. Just kidding ^.^ This next chapter looks interesting, no? I’m not giving away too much, sorry! Jenae’s character is the center of it all! Lucky, yet so unlucky, Medira! I told you Hokubu would be weirder and harder. What could be weirder than this? Actually, it gets a lot weirder. Just…hang tight.

*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*

Comments would be most appreciated! Please send them to:

proeeveebreeder@pokemonarena.net