"You’re sure you don’t want to take my car?" Eusine asked as he walked along next to Mizu, "It’d be a lot quicker."

"Yeah," Yuu-Yuu said, hoping to get Eevy to turn back, "The quicker we get to Shrapnel the quicker you earn your badge!"

"Reason number one. We all could use the exercise. Number two. The way he drives, we’d all be dead and number three. I’m ‘lending’ your car to Officer Jenny," Eevy laughed at Eusine’s drooped face.

"You what?" he questioned with an odd face, "You what?"

Even Mizu had to laugh at that, "Officer Jenny needs it more than we do," she said as she walked ahead a few steps.

"You’re turning on me too, huh?" Eusine pouted, "I love my car."

"Too bad," Medira shrugged.

"Look," Sooney pointed, "We’re already with sight of Shrapnel City and we didn’t even walk an hour. What a relief!"

"How so?" Eusine asked as he kept walking and pouting.

"We usually end up walking for hours on end and taking almost an entire day to get from city to city," Medira answered, "This is like a blessing."

Eusine just shook his head, "I suppose you’ll be heading for the Gym."

"Yeah!" Eevy shouted, "I’m gonna get this badge and head straight through to Trident Town tonight!"

"I don’t think so!" Yuu-Yuu shouted, "We’ll spend the night here, then move on tomorrow."

"Besides, have you forgotten the Hokubu Safari Zone sits between here and Trident?" Mizu asked.

"Actually," Eevy said thoughtfully, "I must admit I did."

They passed under the arch leading into town. Yuu-Yuu and Sooney were sent out on the find the Pokemon Center trip and Medira went out in search of a store to buy Potions and such. Mizu, Eevy and Eusine looked for the Gym. All of them met in the center of town to find a circle of buildings. One was the Gym, one was a somewhat large Poke’Mart and one was the Pokemon Center. They stopped in the Pokemon Center first, but Medira trotted off to the Poke’Mart. She had officially been named Potion mistress and was told to buy anything she thought necessary. She opened the door and collided with someone in black.

"Geez," she stood up and grabbed her Poke’Balls, "Watch where you’re going!" she snapped at him.

"Sorry," he mumbled before looking up, "Real sorry. You want some help?"

"I can do just fine alone, thank you very much," she snorted and shoved past him.

He watched her walk by, "There’s a spicy little lover for you," he mused and shook himself straight.

He turned and walked out, passing across the street and into the Gym, being greeted by, "Hello, Master Grahaem," from about six other people.

"Something wrong, Grahaem?" a younger girl asked.

"Huh?" he looked over at her, "Oh! Nothing, Chel. Just daydreaming."

"You sure?" his little sister asked again.

"Yes, I’m sure. But I have the oddest feeling I’ll be getting a challenge soon."

*^~^**^~^*

"Hey, Medira!" Eevy shouted as Medira burst through the Pokemon Center door, "What’s wrong with you?"

"Some teasing little vixen in the Poke’Mart just about got his head popped off his shoulders is all," she slumped down in a chair, "Slammed into me then sat there playing cutesy with me."

"You’ll survive. We probably won’t see him again anyway. Let’s get to the Gym," Eevy stood up and pulled Eusine from Mizu’s side, "You’re coming too. I’m not taking any chances."

The group walked across the street. Grahaem leaned out the third story window of his Gym and peered down onto the street.

"There she is," he drooled, "That cutie from the store is headed this way," he stepped away from the window and plowed his way down the stairs, "Come on. Into the Gym, you alluring little heartthrob."

He slipped around the stair banister as Eevy opened the door. He frowned, as it hadn’t been who he was hoping for, but perked straight up when she pushed in behind her friend.

"I’ve come for a challenge!" Eevy shouted, again causing him to frown.

"A challenge, huh?" Chel asked as she stood up from her chair, "Hey, Grahaem! Somebody here wants a battle!"

"I can see that, Chel," Grahaem gave her a nasty face, "Hello again," he smiled and waved at Medira.

"Oh no! Not you again!" Medira stepped away, "Go get your affection elsewhere."

"That’s the guy who slammed into you?" Sooney asked as she eyed him, "Looks like an older Ash."

He was quite similar to an older Ash. His crazy black hair was flopped down over his right eye, completely blacking-out that half of his face. It was too dark to tell his eye color, though they looked to be a very dark, deep blue. He was in pure black jeans and a very dark silver sweater with a gold trimmed yellow star on the front. He waved them in and turned to let them pass, ‘accidentally’ letting his hand run down Medira’s arm. Medira, in turn, swung and slapped him in the stomach, causing a huge cough to escape him and triggering loud laughter from Chel.

"Touch me and I’ll bop your eyes right out of their sockets," Medira spat at him as she stepped behind Eusine.

Eusine moved in front of her, causing Grahaem to frown even more, "Sorry," he shrugged, "My last girlfriend liked that."

Medira growled deep in her throat and Mizu slightly snickered yet scowled. Eevy eyed Grahaem carefully, making sure he wasn’t attempting to put anymore moves on Medira or anyone else. She could tell just by the manner of dress and the state of the Gym that this was a Dark- type Gym. Most likely it would be brimming with evil looking Pokemon and maybe even the occasional pessimistic trainer too. Grahaem offered her his arm to walk her to her spot, but she shoved him away and walked on her own. Grahaem frowned yet again and walked to his side of the Gym.

"How do you battle here? What’s your angle?" Eevy asked as she kept looking back on Medira who was scratching vigorously at where Grahaem had touched her.

"Five on five battle. Best three of five wins the match," Grahaem took out a black and silver Poke’Ball, "That OK with you?"

"Fine," Eevy enunciated coldly, taking out one of her Poke’Balls, "I choose you!"

"I choose you!" Grahaem released his as well.

"Let’s get ‘em, Eevy!" there was a slight slam as Yovo slammed to the ground, "I feel like Gym Leader stew!"

"That’s funny," a hissing voice said, "’Cause I want Nanka girl soup!" an Umbreon landed across from them and drug his foot.

"An Umbreon!" Medira choked, "Eevy, how are you going to tell them apart?"

"Easily. Yovo, get ready."

"Umbreon, get set."

"This is a five on five battle with no time limit. The Black Badge of Shrapnel City Pokemon Gym is at stake. The challenger, Evangelina Hikoboshi, beginning with an Umbreon. The Gym Leader, Grahaem Twilight, also beginning with an Umbreon. Let the match begin!" Chel signaled the beginning of the match.

"OK, Yovo, let’s move out!"

"I’m on it!"

"Go, Umbreon, get out there!"

"Let’s go!"

"Yovo, show them your Agility!"

"Here we go, ladies and gents! Watch me go!" Yovo ran forward, zipping from side to side, "Come on Umbreon-Amigo!"

"Umbreon, Quick Attack!"

Yovo spun on his right front leg and just avoided the Umbreon’s quick attack. He swung back down and kicked him in the back of the head. Umbreon retaliated by swinging his own back legs up and cracking Yovo in the side. Yovo tumbled off, but shook it off. Umbreon stood up panting.

"You’re pretty good for an old timer," Yovo panted as he realized how old the Umbreon was.

"Who you callin’ old timer, baby?" Umbreon said back, as he wasn’t really that old, but Yovo was actually still a baby.

"Quit talking and start attacking. Umbreon, Bite attack!"

"Yovo, Take Down!"

Yovo ran as fast as he could, straight at the Umbreon who was approaching him with his mouth opened and teeth bared, "Coming through!" he shouted as he slammed into him, jamming his forehead in the Umbreon’s mouth, "Ouchy."

"This is messed up," Grahaem said as he saw Yovo slam his head into Umbreon’s open mouth, "Call it back!"

"No way! You attacked first!" Eevy snorted, "You call it back!"

"Uh, Eevy!" Yovo called, "Slight problem!" they looked to see Umbreon and Yovo staring to fall over, "I’ve got an idea!"

He leaned hard to his right, pulling the still biting Umbreon with him. He rolled and just kept going until Umbreon was finally pulled free. He stood up and shook the Umbreon slobber from his fur.

"Gross!" he gagged, "I need a bath!"

"Yovo, hurry! Use Umbreon Crunch!"

"You got it!"

"Umbreon, hit it away with your tail!"

"Yovo, skid and spin!"

Yovo sat down while running and slipped along, spinning like an out of control Pokemon-shaped top. He spun right around Umbreon’s tail and knocked him flying. Umbreon flailed to land on his feet, but couldn’t do it quite quick enough. He landed with a hard clunk on the top of his head, sitting like that for a bit and then toppling over to his left.

"Ouch," he grunted, "That hurt."

"Ah! Umbreon, return!"

"I rule! I am the greatest!" Yovo shimmied left and right, "I go!"

"Great, Yovo!" Eevy held out her arms, "Come here!"

"Eevy!" he stopped his odd doggy-dance and ran to her, "I won and I really need a bath!"

"You’ll get one, but for now return! You choose first."

"Yeah, I know…Go, Heavy Ball!"

"Go, Rain Ball!"

"That little thing expects to face up against me?" the Tyranitar chuckled at Novo, "It’s puny!"

"Don’t push your luck, you giant Jell-O mold," Novo spat, "Ugly blob."

"Tyranitar, go! Use Earthquake attack!"

"Novo, use Water Gun to get into the air!"

Novo fired his Water Gun straight at the ground, flying into the air. The Earthquake completely missed him. He laughed at the face the Tyranitar was making as he fell.

"Tyranitar! Hyperbeam!"

"No, Novo! Look out!"

Novo cried long and hard as the Hyperbeam hit him and propelled him back into a wall, "Eevy," he moaned.

"Novo, return!"

"No!" Novo jumped up and ran from the beam of the Rain Ball, "I’m going to win this!"

"But you’re hurt! Return!"

"No! Hydro Pump!" Novo launched it at Tyranitar’s face. Cracking him in the chin with a gush of water slamming his neck.

"Hey! Stop that, ya’ little water rat!" Tyranitar growled, "I need time to charge!"

"Too bad!" Eevy suddenly burst, "Hydro Pump it again!"

"Take this!" Novo released the water into his face again, sending it backwards three or four steps, "And this!" he jumped up and slashed his tail across Tyranitar’s neck, "And that!" he fell and used Bubblebeam at the now completely vulnerable and soaking neck.

"Stop it! Stop it now!" Tyranitar shrieked as Novo seized his fire, "I can’t do it," he fell over with his throat beat red from the water and slams he’d taken.

"Return, Tyranitar!" Grahaem recalled him and threw the ball to Chel, "Take him right to the Pokemon Center. Hurry up!"

Chel jumped up and ran out, "Well," Eevy said, "And Pokemon number three will be what?"

"Go, Quill Ball!"

"Go, Flame Ball!"

"Hey, ya’ little pyro. What’s shakin’?" Murkrow asked as he shook his head.

"You, I think. Ya’ look scared," Zovo simply scratched at his ear.

"Not in the slightest."

"We’ll see."

"Go, Murkrow! Peck attack now!"

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!" Zovo ran around the room while Murkrow mercilessly Pecked away at his head, tail and back, "Now stop that!" he whined when Murkrow finally stopped, "That was mean," he pulled his tail up and looked at its now furless tip, "My beloved fur."

"Are you going to let him get away with that?" Medira stood up, "Get out there and get him back!"

Zovo turned and looked at Medira and then back to Grahaem, "You’re right! Flamethrower!"

"Murkrow, Pursuit attack!"

Murkrow took off into the air, totally avoiding Zovo’s Flamethrower. He spiraled back down, nose first, slamming straight into Zovo, knocking him back. Zovo did manage to catch Murkrow in the wing with an Ember before he flew out of range, but it wasn’t enough. Zovo toppled over to his side and Murkrow simply landed on Grahaem’s shoulder.

"Zovo, no!" Eevy ran and picked him up, "Return, my friend. You did great."

"Now it’s your switch," Grahaem boasted.

"Shut up, dork," Medira snapped.

"Go! Jolt Ball!"

"Go, Fast Ball!"

"Hello there!" Lovo hissed as he sprang from the ball, "Electric surge to battle!"

"Well, hidee ho!" a Sneasel broke from the Fast Ball, "Let’s duel!"

"A Sneasel!" Medira almost fell over, "Eevy, be careful."

"You can beat him!" Sooney called, "Get that badge!"

"You can do it!" Yuu-Yuu jumped up, "Go get ‘em!"

"Come on, Eevy!" Mizu waved, "Beat him down and get the Black Badge!"

"You’ll do it, Eevy!" Eusine shouted, "Snatch the victory!"

"Yeah!" Eevy yelled to Lovo, "You can do it! Go, Lovo! Quick Attack, now!"

"Quick Attack it back!"

Both Pokemon ran forward, slamming head first into each other. They continued with the ramming contest for a few seconds before Sneasel whipped Lovo in the stomach with a well aimed Slash attack.

"Ouch! That hurt!" Lovo stumbled onto his back.

"Sneasel, Faint Attack!"

"Here I come!" Sneasel shot into the air, aiming down at Lovo’s stomach as the Jolteon strained to get up.

"Lovo! Thunder!"

The Thunder knocked Sneasel off course, and he landed to Lovo’s side as he finally managed to stand and shook off, "That was a bit painful," Sneasel looked at and flexed his claws, "But they still work."

"Sneasel, Metal Claw!"

"Lovo, run away!"

Lovo was still too stunned to get away quick enough and Sneasel swung with, literally, an iron fist right across his jaw. Lovo spun to his side and flew to the ground with a slam and a puff of dirt from the floor. He fought to stand, but toppled back down.

"Lovo, return!" Eevy called nastily, "You battled very well."

Grahaem laughed as he recalled Sneasel, "Again it is your switch. The winner of this battle wins the best three of five. Think you can do it?"

"I know I can. I choose," Eevy raised the ball above her head, "You!"

"I choose you!"

"This is going to be fun," Sovo melted from the ball, "Dark Gym or not, I will prevail!"

"Oh really?" the evil looking dog that broke from the ball asked sarcastically, "We’ll just see."

"A Houndoom! Eevy, you’ll never do it!" Medira shouted, "Houndoom is the best of the Dark- types! Sovo can’t beat him!"

"I will beat him!" Sovo snapped, "Never doubt me!"

"Sovo. You’re the last Pokemon. No Psychic attacks. They’d be a waist. Go!"

"Go, Houndoom! Bite attack!"

"Sovo, Quick Attack!"

Sovo ran under Houndoom’s legs and tackled his back-left leg. Houndoom was knocked off balance for a moment, but regained it quickly, latching onto Sovo’s tail with a tough Bite attack.

"Yeow!" Sovo sprang into the air, "Ouch!" he turned to blow on his burning tail, "Oh man, that hurt."

"Sovo, look out! It’s preparing a Faint Attack!"

Sovo turned and saw it coming, "Ahhh!" he ran to the edge of the arena, "Come on, ugly, get me!"

"You’ve got it!" Houndoom ran at Sovo, but he ducked and ran to the side, "Yiyee!" Houndoom flailed on one foot to stay inside the arena and flopped when he was finally able to stay inside the ring, "That was close."

"Look out below!" Sovo skidded under his stomach and jumped into him with a Headbutt to the gut.

"Ouch!" Houndoom tumbled back, but stood up, "Hardly phased me," he commented.

"Houndoom, Flamethrower now!"

"Sovo, look out!"

"Oh sugar," Sovo dropped his ears then ducked and put his from paws over his head as the fire roared towards him.

When the fire cleared, Sovo’s lovely purple/pink fur was covered in soot with little portions smoking and some burning. Eevy cried out, but Sovo stood up and shook off.

"Hey," he snickered, "Light Screen really works!"

"You little wretch!" Houndoom burst, "I’ll get you yet! Crunch attack!"

"Sovo, hurry! Run away!" Eevy didn’t have to say it twice.

"Leave me! Leave me alone!" Sovo shouted as he ran away, "Ah! Watch it, dog breath!"

"Come on, Sovo!" Medira stood up again, "Get ‘em!"

Sovo looked to her while he ran, then looked to Eevy and then to Grahaem, "I hear you, Eevy," he thought silently.

"And I hear you, Sovo."

"You bothered my master’s friend!" Sovo jumped into the air, "Never mess with my friends! Psychic attack!"

Sovo’s eyes stared burning red and the arena started trembling. Eevy stood unmoving as Sovo used his first Psychic. The arena in front of Grahaem was literally ripped up and pulled into the air.

"Never mess with me!" Sovo hissed, "Psychic won’t work on Dark- types, but rock sure will!"

Sovo landed, eyes burning rapidly. The rocks and gravel he had pulled from the Gym floor tore through the air, slapping into Houndoom, one after another. Houndoom tried to block them, but there was just too many. They just flew through his Flamethrower and stopped him from using any other attacks. Sovo was tiring quickly and was starting to lose the force in his throw.

"Eevy," he thought, "I’m losing it. I’m getting tired."

"It’s OK, Sovo. You can do this, I know you can."

Medira watched Eevy’s fists trembling every now and then as she watched her Pokemon battling, "Eevy, what’s wrong?" she finally asked.

"Nothing," Eevy grunted, "Sovo! Stop and use a Tackle attack!"

"Here I come!" Sovo blared as he ran straight for Houndoom’s head.

"What?" Houndoom looked up just in time to see a purple/pink flash slam into his forehead.

"Houndoom, no!"

"Great job, Sovo!"

Houndoom sidestepped a few times before falling over, "How could I lose?" he moaned, "How?"

"We did it!" Eevy jumped up and released Vovo, "Hey boy, you’d better be proud of him. He just defeated Houndoom."

Vovo just kind of eyed Sovo a bit, "I suppose."

"I won! I won! I won! I told you I’d win and I won!"

Grahaem recalled Houndoom and stood growling at the Poke’Ball, "I lost. I don’t believe I lost."

"Grahaem lost," Chel said slowly as she returned from the Pokemon Center, "I can’t believe he lost."

"Hand over the badge, dork," Medira huffed over and held out her hand, "I’ll give it to her and you can keep your distance."

"Here," he dug inside his pocket and pulled out a black crescent moon pin, "The Black Badge."

"Thank you," she snatched it from his hand, "Here Eevy!" she threw it into the air.

"I’ve got it!" Eevy grabbed it from the air, "We won the Black Badge!"

"Alright!" Sovo hopped up beside her, "We did it!"

*^~^**^~^*

Sovo laughed hysterically as he trotted down Route 72 beside Eevy, "I won a Gym Battle in Hokubu! Woohoo!"

Eevy shook her head, "Yes, but they only get stronger from here on in. Can you do it?"

"You bet!" Zovo smirked, "We can do it!"

"I still need that bath," Yovo commented, "I’ve got drool all over me."

Lovo laughed at him, "I didn’t notice it. It all looks the same to me."

"Not funny," Yovo snorted.

"I can give you that bath," Novo smirked and sent a bubble into his brother’s face.

"No thank you," Yovo brushed it away.

"I’ll give you all a bath later," Eevy waved her hand at them, "You’ll live until then, I’m sure."

"I don’t like baths," Zovo whined.

"You’ll survive. Just because you’re a Fire- type doesn’t mean you can’t take baths," Sovo giggled.

"The whole lot of you need a good scrubbing," Vovo commented from Eevy’s shoulder.

"You don’t honestly think I’d leave you out, do you?" Eevy looked to her right shoulder to see him stiffen and topple off.

"They really make a good team," Sooney commented, "They’re all weird."

"I don’t think they’re weird," Yuu-Yuu said.

"Hey! No fair!" Eevy shouted as her Pokemon piled onto her shoulders and head, "I’m no car! Get off!"

"Well…" Yuu-Yuu corrected herself, "Maybe just a little weird."

Medira hung back a little bit, noticing an odd scent in the air, "Hey," she commented quickly, "Do you guys smell that?"

Eevy stopped and shoved the Pokemon from her shoulders and head, "Yeah," she noticed, "It smells like berries."

"I think you’re both nuts," Eusine said as he looked between the two of them.

"I smell it too," Mizu looked from side to side, "It’s probably nothing."

"I’m sure," Sooney shrugged, "Probably just a Berry tree in the Safari Zone."

"Probably," Yuu-Yuu shrugged, "That reminds me, are we stopping in the Safari Zone?"

"You don’t ‘stop’ in the Safari Zone. You pass through it. Either way we’ve got to go in and who knows who or what we’ll run into."

Notes
Wow! Is this Pro_V with nothing to say? *gasp* The only thing I really have to say, which will be of no interest to you whatso ever, would be that it's April and I finally got the Pokemon Christmas Bash CD and I'm sitting here listening to it. I dunno...It just sounded like a good idea...

*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*

http://GertanRin.cjb.net/
http://www.rainflower.net
http://KawaiiRoketto.cjb.net/
http://PokettoMonsutaa.cjb.net/
http://SparkleSqueak.cjb.net/

Comments would be most appreciated! Send them to:
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