"Eevy. It’s getting colder," Sooney shook and pulled her coat tighter.

"Yeah, I know," Eevy zippered up her jacket.

"Eevy. When does it usually start snowing here in Hokubu?" Medira questioned as she prepared to sneeze.

"Right after the League Championships. Somehow it always manages to hold off till after the battles. Everybody says it’s Articuno holding off the cold weather. I just call it lucky."

"Mizu," Yuu-Yuu shakily faced her friend, "How much farther to Scythe City?"

"It shouldn’t be much farther," Mizu moaned, "There," she shakily pointed a finger, "See it?"

"Yep," Sooney grunted.

"Uh huh," Yuu-Yuu nodded.

"And I see a Game Corner!" Medira suddenly perked up, "Whoa! We gotta check that out!"

She snatched Eevy’s wrist and went bombarding down the route. She zipped straight into town and calmed after she was about a block from the Game Corner to pant and regain her breath.

"Calm down, Medi-" Eevy stopped as she noticed a familiar car parked outside the Game Corner, "I don’t believe it," she growled and stomped to the door, "I do not believe it."

"Eevy," Medira looked at her as the others caught up, "What’s up?"

Eevy clenched her fists and slammed the door to the Game Corner open, "Where are you?!" she screamed, "Come out and face me!"

"What’s she up to?" Sooney looked totally lost.

"Come on! Out with it! Where are you hiding?" she scanned the room, "There you are," she stomped over to a group playing cards and snatched one by the collar, "Eusine, you promised me!"

"Uh," Eusine swallowed hard, "Promises were meant to be broken?"

"I can break you!" she stood him up, "You’re flat broke again aren’t you?"

"Not just yet," his slight snickers turned to whimpers, "Please don’t hurt me."

"Eusine, you disappoint me," she stepped back and shook her head, "You promised me, Eusine. You swore to me."

"I know, I just-"

"Don’t even go into it," she cut him off, "I’ve heard all your excuses before."

"But I-"

"No, Eusine!" she put her hands over her ears, "I don’t want to hear it! I know exactly what you’ll say. You’ll say this is the first time in months when I know for a fact that’s a lie because I just saw you not that long ago. Then you’ll pull your "there’s nothing at stake" routine when I can see the pot sitting in front of my eyes. Eusine, this has got to stop. This has got to end, here and now."

"You just don’t end addictions, Eevy. It takes time."

"Eusine, you’ve had ten years!" Eevy burst, halting almost everyone in the room, "How much more time do you want?"

Mizu, Sooney and Yuu-Yuu stood watching Eevy flip out on her cousin. He had sworn not to get into gambling when he had supposedly left for Celadon City. Instead he came to Scythe City for more of his usual bull. The others at the game stood and walked away, leaving Eevy to stare dead into Eusine’s eyes.

"I’m sorry, Eevy."

"No you’re not," she snapped, "That’s just a cheap excuse to try and get me off your back. Well, guess what. It isn’t working. Give me your wallet."

"My wallet? Why?"

"Just give it to me!"

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his navy blue wallet, "What are you going to do?"

"I’ll tell you what I’m going to do," she snapped it out of his hand and turned it upside down, dumping everything out, "I’m taking this," she took most of his money, "this," she took his game coins, "and this," she finished with his ID, "Now you have almost no money to bet, not enough to buy more coins and no ID to prove your age. Let’s see you gamble like that."

"Eevy!" he freaked, "I need some money!"

"You’ve got enough there to get back to Celadon City. This stuff is mine. I’ll send it to Ellen and Eric."

"Eevy, please don’t do this. I know I need help, but-"

"That’s right, Eusine. You do need help. I’m not going to give it to you but I will tell you how to find it. Go home."

"Why go home? There’s a Game Corner there too," that was a mistake.

She backhanded him right across the face, "Don’t you even think about it," she hissed between clenched teeth, "Don’t you dare."

He rubbed his face and pushed her back, "Don’t you hit me like that again!"

"Oh man," Medira cringed, "He’s gonna get it."

"You have no right to touch me!" Eevy shoved him back, "Anyone as addicted to anything as you are to gambling has no right to my life. Get out, Eusine. Get out of my life."

Eusine couldn’t breathe, "What? You don’t mean that. You’re my cousin. I love you like a sister."

"If you did you wouldn’t have lied to me."

"I told you, Eevy. Things take time."

"And the more you give in the longer it will take."

"Can we break this up please?" a woman snorted from beside them, "You’re scaring away our customers. Take it outside if you want to keep going but don’t kill our business."

"Fine. Eusine, take your stuff and take a long, one way hike," Eevy turned and walked out, slamming the door behind her.

Eusine watched his feet until a pair of bright blue shoes caught his attention, "You going to be alright?" Mizu asked carefully.

"I’ll be fine," he whispered, "Just fine."

"I understand what you’re going through. My father had a drinking problem for years. Now he never drinks. You can do it, Eusine, if you just try."

"I do try, but not hard enough I guess."

"I guess not," she slightly smiled and flicked his nose, "Just keep at it. Good luck," she turned and followed Sooney and Yuu-Yuu out as they went to calm the dragon burning in Eevy.

Medira didn’t follow them. She watched Eusine gather the things Eevy had tossed back to him right before she left and waited for him to walk out. She snuck around very slowly and finally saw the door she’d been looking for. The door leading behind the scenes of this place. That girl that stopped Eevy’s fight with Eusine looked awfully familiar. Almost too familiar. She ducked behind the counter as another woman walked through the door. She looked left and right and ran through the door. Watching for cameras, she proceeded down the hall. She heard shrill laughter and decided to follow it as best she could. She found the source not too long after that.

"This is so sweet!" Jen laughed, "All of us working together should get this job done perfect-o!"

"Don’t get a big head there, Jen," Cassidy snorted, "Remember what happened at the Pokemon Party?"

"Yes. We can’t forget that," Persian scolded.

"Shut up, fur ball!" Jen smacked Persian in the head.

"I wonder where the boys are," Jessie whined.

"It’s Team Rocket," Medira said in a very light whisper.

At the sudden hand over her mouth, Medira let out a muffled scream. She pulled and squirmed, but three guys and a Meowth were just too powerful for her. She reached to her belt for her Poke’Balls and remembered she had given them to Yuu-Yuu before they walked out and had her take them to the Pokemon Center. Butch, James, Meowth and the new member, Mondo, pushed her into the room, much to the girls’ surprise.

"That’s one of them from the Party!" Cassidy shouted, "She was one of them who was with the girl who stole the Poke’Dex back from us!"

"Now she’s playing spy!" Mondo snorted.

"Buzz off, ya’ little dork!" Medira snapped in Mondo’s face.

"Ooh," James laughed, "She’s funny!"

Medira crossed her legs, scowling at Butch who was eyeing her very closely, "What are you lookin’ at, grass-head?" she snorted at the color of his hair.

"This is aqua not green!" he blared in her face.

"If you say so," she shrugged.

"She’s a good one," Jen said, "Ever been interested in joining Team Rocket?"

"In a word, no."

"Come on," Jessie coaxed, "You’d love it. All the stylish clothes you could ever want and money to your hearts content."

"I’ve seen kettles that look better," Medira joked.

"Why you little!"

*^~^**^~^*

A high pitched shriek whipped around the underground of the Game Corner. Jason shot up in his chair. Lance, Luri and Will looked at him in alarm.

"Jason, are you alright?" Will stood up.

"I don’t know," he ran his hands over the entire stretch of his body, like he was checking to make sure it was all still there, "I really don’t know."

*^~^**^~^*

"Any of you guys seen Medira?" Eevy asked as she got her Poke’Balls from Nurse Joy.

"Yeah. She said she was going to hang out at the Game Corner for a little bit and gave me her Poke’Balls," Yuu-Yuu answered.

"Oh no," Eevy shook her head, "I’m going after her. I don’t want a relative and a friend addicted to gambling."

"Alright," Mizu said, "Let me get my Poke’Balls."

The girls gathered their things and set back to the Game Corner to find Eusine still getting things ready to leave. He ducked at the sight of Eevy. She just shook her head and went in the door. The group looked around for about half an hour with no sign of her anywhere. They resorted to having the speakers announce they were looking for her, but she still didn’t come. Eevy released Vovo who sniffed around and pointed down a set of stairs leading to the Game Corner underground.

"Oh man!" Sooney shouted, "She could be anywhere down there!"

"Let’s go find her," Eevy picked up her and Medira’s packs and headed out, "I’ll be right back," she ran outside, "Eusine! We need your help!"

"You? After what you just said to me?"

Mizu ran up behind Eevy, "Please, Eusine? Medira’s missing."

"Alright," Eusine grabbed his pack and cape, "Let’s go."

The group stepped carefully down the stairs. There were three ways to go. Eevy took one alone. Sooney and Yuu-Yuu took one and Eusine and Mizu took the last one. Eevy got the joy of the darkest tunnel, Sooney and Yuu-Yuu’s was the one with the most turns and Eusine and Mizu got the one with the most traps. Eevy fell flat on her face, scurrying back behind a corner on her hands and knees to keep from being seen. Sooney and Yuu-Yuu were getting sick from all the turns. Mizu was just about to take a step when Eusine stopped her and pointed to the floor. An Electrode sparked away in an almost invisible pit. She sighed and performed the now familiar ritual of inching past with her back against the wall. Eusine followed and tripped a bit. She caught his coat and pulled him back up. His heel caught on the edge of the pit, sending him flying down on top of her.

"Hey!" she said in a loud whisper, "Watch your footing!"

"It was an accident. Sorry."

Mizu secretly slipped her finger into his belt loop. She didn’t even realize she did it; like it wasn’t really her commanding her hand to move. Actually…It wasn’t. As he went to stand, he simply thumped back down.

"What the heck is going on here?"

"This is no accident," someone said to him.

"Huh?" he looked back at her as he still tried to stand up.

His dark crimson eyes stared through her bright blue ones. Suicune was playing games with them, fooling with the next Minor Mistress of Water and Minor Master of Mixture.

"Come on, Mizu," Suicune snickered in her head as she thought of how stupid the two of them looked, "This is meant to be and can be. Let it happen."

He leaned down and she leaned up, meeting dead in the center. She let go of his belt loop; she didn’t need to hold it anymore. Suicune was laughing like a hyena at how the Electrode in the pit behind them turned around and blushed. Mizu pulled away and Eusine just kind of gagged for air. Just as they were about to go back for more, the clicking of heels alerted them that this love-fest would have to wait. He jumped up and grabbed her wrist, pulling her around a corner. Jessie walked by and turned in the opposite direction, not even noticing they were there. Mizu loosened up and returned her eyes to Eusine.

"Did you here that voice before?" she asked.

"You mean that eerie woman’s voice right before she came around the corner?"

"I guess you did. Did you recognize it too?"

"It was Suicune, if I’m correct."

"Yes, I think you are. Let’s keep going. We’ve got to find Medira."

"Hey," he paused her, "What about-"

"Later," she looked back at him, smiling crazily, "If you help me find my friend…" she started walking again.

"Wait for me!" he bounded along behind her as she rounded the corner.

Eevy peeked around a corner. Seeing no one, she stepped out. She took a couple of steps and looked around another corner she had already come to. Just as she was about to step out, Vovo grabbed her pant leg with his mouth, pulling her back and hissing.

"What? What’s up there?" Eevy asked as she turned to volume of her Poke’Dex down.

"I’m not sure, but whatever it is it’s bad."

"How’d you learn ta’ talk?" Meowth asked as he walked along beside Persian.

"My old master taught me how when I was still a Meowth. Then he abandoned me. Told me teaching me just took up all his free time and left me," Persian walked along with his head dropped.

"I never had a master. I learned on ma’ own. My first word was rocket. Dat’ explains why I joined dis’ lossa’ group."

"You have a very odd way of speaking. You annunciation is off by miles."

"It’s Meowth and Persian," Eevy whispered, "And they’re coming this way. Get ready to battle. Go, Yovo."

"Hey, Eevy! What’s up, dog?" Yovo shook off, "Where are we?"

"Stay quiet and prepare to battle."

"Me? I get to battle with dad? Sweet!"

"Shut up!" Vovo slapped him in the back of the head, "There are a Persian and Meowth coming. Get ready."

"Hey," Meowth stopped, "My cattily ears pick up an intruder."

"I can see a slight shadow at the end of the hall," Persian stopped beside him, "A woman, I’m sure of it."

"Hey, you crummy cats!" Eevy jumped out, "Come get me!"

"’Dere she is! Get ‘er!" Meowth launched, "Try a Scratch attack!"

"How ‘bout you trying a Tackle attack?" Vovo lunged, slamming into Meowth’s stomach.

"Why you little mutt Pokemon!" Persian turned and jumped, "Slash attack!"

"Faint Attack, now!" Eevy commanded.

Yovo jumped and came flying back down on top of Persian’s head, slapping him to the ground, "Take that ya’ overgrown kitten!"

"Eevy!" Vovo was hit with a Take Down attack.

"Vovo, retaliate with a Bite attack!"

"Yeow!" Meowth sprang into the air as Vovo chomped down on his tail, "I can Bite you too!" he turned and bit down on Vovo’s tail.

Vovo and Meowth ran in a circle, each with the other’s tail in his mouth. Persian pushed Yovo aside and jumped at Eevy.

"Fury Swipes attack!" he growled.

"Help me!" Eevy backed up a step, but was caught in a corner.

"Eevy! Umbreon Special Crunch attack!" Yovo launched into the air, latching onto Persian’s ear.

"Get off of me!" Persian shouted as he fell to the ground beside Eevy, "Get off me! Get off! Let go of my ear!"

"No!" Yovo said with his teeth still embedded into Persian’s right ear, "You were gonna hurt my master! I’ll eat your ear if I have to!"

Meowth lifted a paw to Vovo, but Yovo finally released Persian as he ricocheted off his side and flew towards Meowth. He landed on Meowth’s head, smiled down at him, then bit down on his left ear.

"Yow, ow, yow, yow!" Meowth jumped around with Yovo clinging to his head, "Get off a’ me!"

"No! I don’t want to!" Yovo held on as Meowth flailed around.

Vovo took Persian out with a Quick Attack/Agility combo. Yovo held onto Meowth until Eevy took a swing and cracked him the back of the head, knocking him out. Eevy stood proudly and hoisted Persian over her shoulders while Yovo drug Meowth down the hall with his tail in his mouth.

*^~^**^~^*

"Sooney," Yuu-Yuu whined, "If I go around one more corner I’m going to lose my lunch."

"So be it," Sooney commented, "We’ve got to find Medira and you hacking up a hair ball isn’t going to stop us."

"Well thanks!"

"You’ll live. Hey, do you hear that?"

There was a slight echoing scream whirling around the tunnels. Vovo heard it and alerted Eevy and Eusine just barely caught it, telling Mizu. Each group ran faster, heading towards the scream. Eevy skidded to a stop as she saw Sooney and Yuu-Yuu at the opposite end of the hall she was in. She motioned to be quiet and stepped towards an open door. Sooney and Yuu-Yuu got up beside her and inched closer as well.

"Keep your nasty self away from me!" Medira shrieked as Butch kept eyeing her, closer and closer each time.

Butch made a nasty face, but the appearance of two feline bodies that had been flung in the door halted that intention fairly quickly, "Persian!" Jen flipped.

"Meowth!" Jessie and James yelled together, "What happened?"

"That’s what you get for attacking our master," Yovo and Vovo snapped.

"Don’t ever fool with me," Eevy stepped between them, "They can get very mad."

"Leave my Sooney alone!" Bayleef cracked.

"And don’t you get near Yuu-Yuu!" Marowak growled.

"It’s part of the bimbo brigade!" Jen snorted, "Where’s your other gooney girlfriend?"

"Peek-a-boo," Mizu waved from the rafter.

"And how do you do?" Eusine and Alakazam teleported in.

"Ah!" Mondo shouted, "There’s more of them!"

"Yeah!" Kingler said as he balanced next to Mizu, "There sure are!"

"So what?" Butch grunted, "We can take them!"

"Let’s go! I want the purple princess!" Jen said nastily, "Go, Weepinbell!"

"I’ll take the grass girl," Jessie stepped up, "Arbok and Wobbuffet!"

"I’ll attack the Marowak," James walked over, "Victreebel and Weezing!"

"It’s you an me, girly," Butch looked up at Mizu, "Go, Sandslash!"

"I’ll take the caped crusader," Cassidy laughed at Eusine, "Go, Parasect!"

"What about me?" Mondo whined.

"I’m free," Medira coaxed.

"You got it! Go, Muk!"

"Purple princess?" Eevy steamed, "Yovo go!"

"Grass girl?" Sooney grunted, "Go Bayleef!"

"Marowak can take you!" Yuu-Yuu snorted, "Get ‘em Marowak!"

"Girly?" Mizu hissed, "Kingler go!"

"Take ‘em out, Alakazam!" Eusine shouted.

"Let’s get him, Inferno!"

"A Houndoom?!" all the Rockets whined.

"Inferno, go!" Medira called.

The whole underground shook like a leaf as Inferno jumped forward, "Pyrotechnic play time!" he grinned wide and laughed with a howl of pleasure, "Let’s play!"

"Ah!" Persian awoke and saw the Houndoom, "A dog!"

"A cat!" Inferno said happily, "Come here, kitty!"

"Inferno, stop it and attack the Muk with a Fire Blast!"

"Bayleef, use Solar Beam!"

"Marowak, Bonemerang!"

"Kingler, Bubblebeam!"

"Alakazam, Psychic!"

"Yovo, Umbreon Crunch attack, now!" everyone looked at Eevy funny at that, "I know, isn’t it cool?"

"Fire Blast!"

"Solar Beam!"

"Bonemerang!"

"Bubblebeam!"

"Psychic!"

"Umbreon Special Crunch!"

By the time all the powers had passed Team Rocket, Pokemon and people, were toasted, scraped, cut, bruised, wet, dizzy and had teeth marks all over them.

"Now Vovo! Shadow Ball attack, now!"

"Bye-bye!" Vovo laughed as he launched his attack into Team Rocket.

The whole group tore a hole in the ceiling, ripping right up through the casino and into the air, "Wow," Meowth moaned, "What a wild ride."

"I don’t think there’s ever been one quite like it," James added.

"I wonder if we’ll get a video of our ride at the end," Persian said dizzily.

"Do you think it goes fast?" Jessie asked.

"I sure bet it does," Jen groaned.

"There is one thing I’m sure of," Cassidy pointed out.

"Yes, me too and that is," Butch stopped.

"Team Rocket’s blasting off all together!" the group cried with the addition of, "Wobbuffet!"

"Good riddens!" Eevy cried, "Thanks for helping Yovo learn Umbreon Crunch!

"Medira’s OK!" Yuu-Yuu latched onto Medira’s waist.

"Thank you," Medira gagged, "And thank you for bringing my Poke’Balls. Inferno, you were great."

"Naturally," he sat down and wrapped his oddly tipped tail around himself.

Eusine was looking up though the hole Team Rocket had torn in the ceiling/floor. Mizu wandered up to his left and snatched his hand with hers. He looked down, wearing a dopier than dopey grin, winked, and kissed her again.

"I’m still not too happy with you, Eusine," Eevy turned and looked at him, "Though I see someone is."

Eusine stepped away from Mizu, "It was Suicune."

"She told us," Mizu nodded, "You mind?"

"No," Eevy shook her head, "Maybe you can get through to his thick head."

*^~^**^~^*

"Did it work?" Entei sat down behind Suicune, "Did Mizu meet her match?"

"Yes, the next Minor Mistress of Water has met him. Perfectly too," Suicune snickered, "I am so much better at this than you."

"Excuse me?" Entei asked as she stood up, "You’re just like Luri."

"And you," she walked through the wall then poked her head back in, "are just like Jason."

"What?!" Entei stood up, "I’ll get you for that!"

He jumped at the wall. Suicune heard a large crash as he slammed into the book case face first and toppled down.

"Was that good for you?" she snickered as she looked down on him with her head through the wall.

"Just lovely," he groaned, "Utterly lovely."

*^~^**^~^*

"You’re sure you don’t mind, Eevy?" Eusine asked as he picked up his bag.

"No! This way I can keep an eye on you and Mizu won’t whine as much!" Eevy slightly laughed when Mizu scowled at her.

"Thanks," Mizu snorted.

"I was kidding!"

"I know. Just think, we could be related someday."

"If you can stand him that long," Eevy started laughing even harder.

"Not funny," Eusine flicked her ear.

"Let’s go you guys!" Sooney shouted, "We’re off to Shrapnel City and the next badge!"

"OK! Let’s go Mizu, Eusine!" Eevy ran out of the Pokemon Center just as the Pidgey landed.

"I got my letter first!" Medira laughed.

"And I’ve got mine!" Eevy picked hers up.

"Who’s that from?" Eusine leaned over Eevy’s shoulder, "Do you have a boyfriend I don’t know about?"

"No!" she slapped him away, "It’s just from a friend!"

"A guy?"

"Well…yes."

"Then he’s your boyfriend!"

"He’s a guy friend you dolt, now back off!"

"Let me see it!"

"Forget it!"

"Let me see!"

"No! Go away!"

Eevy ran away down Route 73, reading as she ran…

~~~
Dear Eevy,
Where does she get off saying you can’t be a Flower Princess?! JP told me about what Konohana said. ‘Little wretch’ he calls her now. I think you can do it. I know you can do it. You and Medira get out there and pound her down! Sorry…I got carried away. Don’t let anybody insult you. There’s nothing about you to insult. I noticed those guys wouldn’t cross the Moss Bogs. Big babies. I don’t even remember how I crossed it was so long ago. I think I walked it like you, but I know I didn’t see any golden Grimer. I’m trying to work my schedule into being able to get to Dart but it isn’t going well, I’m sorry to say. I want to see you in the Flower Princess awards, I really do! I’ll try my best, that’s all I can say. Congratulations with the Orange Badge, by the way. Thanks for wishing I were there, but don’t cry over it. See you soon, I hope.

Love,
Dragon
~~~

"Give me that!" Eusine shouted as he went to grab at the letter.

"No!" Eevy jumped away, "Leave me alone!"

"If it’s not a love letter why can’t I see it?"

"Because I said so!"

"That’s a lame excuse!"

"Those two are really weird," Sooney commented.

"I’ll get him, Eevy!" Mizu ran after them.

"No, Mizu!" Eusine tried to duck as she jumped, but she took him right to the ground, "Ah! No fair!"

Yuu-Yuu and Sooney didn’t notice Medira lagging behind to read her letter. Neither did Eusine, because he would have bothered her too…

~~~
Dear Medira,
Never be Flower Princesses?! Personally speaking, I think you’re all millions of times prettier than she is. I’m calm. Just a bit worked up. I’m going to fight to get to Dart. I’ll keel over if I don’t make it! I think I may anyway. I’ll try to knot that into one of my chats with Dragon, no guarantee he’ll catch on, but you never know. I really am at a loss for words, as nothing good is happening here. Phantom, Starla and I all saw Dragon with another girl. We flipped out on him until he explained she was his sister. Jumping to conclusions is a very bad thing, I know now. I will be in Dart is if kills me! Congrats to Eevy on the badge, by the way. I think I’m just going to go sulk now…

Love,
JP
~~~

"What a weird man," she mumbled to herself, "Definitely weird."

Dark Hound Days

Look at all the fun stuff in the new chapter! *runs around being weirder than usual* Right now, I’m watching Tremors 2: Aftershocks on Sci-Fi, awaiting the premier of Tremors 3: Back To Perfection. I’ll shut up now and let you ponder this chapter a bit. Bye for now!

*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*

Comments would be most appreciated! Please send them to:

proeeveebreeder@pokemonarena.net