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My eyes opened once before closing, not particularly eager to be awake. The thin curtains that covered the bedroom window did little to block the light, even with my eyes shut, so turning on my side seemed like the best option...

Till I realized there was a weight on my chest preventing the action.

Frowning, I opened one eye half way, trying to squint without letting the light blind me. There, on my chest, was Fara's head. She was pressed between my side and the wall, her nine tails creating a cream colored blanket that draped lightly over my lower body. Warm, but not uncomfortably so, I could feel her heart beating against the arm she was laying on, the way her chest fell and rose against mine. Unwilling to disturb her, I turned my head rather than my body, closing my eye again to go back to sleep.

That was, till a thought struck me like a Pin Missile attack.

Turning my head so fast the other way I almost got whiplash, I was surprised for the second time in nine hours. Rather than an Absol twitching on energy drinks she'd "miraculously" found with the room sporting fresh doodles of herself, myself, and various scenes of our journey in crayon that stretched from ground level to the ceiling (I knew Nurse Joy shouldn't have those within Pokemon reach!), I found Katherine sleeping contently on May's bed. More shocking than that, May's arms were wrapped around Kat, her head resting on Kat's fur in a way that blended the brown and the white as May used Katherine much like a pillow.

Not that I'd tell Kat that.

A small snort of air brought my attention back to Fara, her eyes now open, alert, and laughing.

~Good morning, Master.~ Her voice stroked along my mind like a cool cloth on a summer day, a hint of fatigue at the edges the only sign she might still be tired. ~Did slumber treat you kindly?~

"Yes." I moved a hand to stroke the fine hairs along her head, stopping to play with one of her silken ears. "And you?"

She gave a small inclination of her head, her mouth opening into a wide yawn as her hot breath heated my face. Her front toes wiggling, the motion passing along her forelimbs and down her spine, causing her to stretch and lift her tails. The chill struck unexpectedly, making me wonder how I hadn't awoke to sweat from her body heat.

...then again, I suppose it might be because I'd drained all my fluids last night and had nothing left to sweat.

Moving in one quick motion, I rose to a sitting position even as I swung to kick my legs off over the bed. The sound of my feet, while faint, must have been enough to rouse my Absol from slumber. She blinked once, seeing me going to stand, and pulled forward to jump from the bed only to find herself stuck. Head cocked, she turned to see May still sleeping on her side.

I opened my mouth to issue a command, to forbid her from attacking, but Katherine gave a soft smile so I stopped myself.

...only to watch as Katherine's smile deepened to show her fangs, a gleam in her eyes, the only warning given before she smacked May's head with the blunt side of her horn.

"Wake up, sleepy-head!"

If the smack didn't do it, the yell certainly did. May was up and scrambling, falling over backwards onto the bed as she scuttled back, only pausing when she heard Kat's laughter.

"What did you do that for?!" May squawked, her cheeks puffing out as she rubbed the red spot on her forehead from Kat's horn.

Kat only kept laughing in response.

I kept my smile hidden as I moved to my backpack for a change of clothes, secretly pleased that things hadn't changed too drastically overnight. I mean, it had taken me months to get Kat comfortable with me to the point she wasn't trying to attack or run away, the least May could do was suffer a few days...

Okay, maybe that's a little mean but let me tell you, you haven't experienced suffering till you're trying to explain to Big Bubba why your Absol decided to try driving his big mac into a ditch or why she was wearing his hat.

May was getting it easy.

Picking the clothes I needed, I watched Fara glide off the bed, silent save for the bells that jingled and brushed my side in her passing. She gave another, smaller yawn, and then turned her attention to May and Kat, the two still bickering on the bed. I might have watched more myself, but my stomach decided to give a Snorlax like grumble, indicating its desire for food.

"I'm going to get dressed and grab some food. Did you want me to get you something?"

"Why don't we eat in the cafeteria?" May suggested, "That way you're not carrying so much."

"He's strong enough, he could do it!" Kat slapped her right forepaw against the mattress to emphasis her feelings on the matter.

"I never said he couldn't, Kat! It's called consideration!" May's hands went to her hips briefly before lifting a hand and waving it at the Absol. "You could stand to learn some!"

Katherine made a small "Tch!" sound before lifting her nose in the air and hoping off the bed. "I'll go with you, Master. Least you know how to treat a 'Mon."

I bit back a groan before nodding, bundling my clothes up and heading to the bathroom to change, shutting the door just before a fuzzy white head tried to pop in.

"Hey!"

Laughing a little to myself, I worked on getting changed.

=*=*=

The restaurant was... well, kind of like a fast food joint mixed with a hospital, if I had to be honest. Small white and black tiles, just big enough to fit a coin, decorated the floor while black plastic cushions were standard for the booths. Thankfully, there were tables with chairs (though they also had the same plastic material on them) and I was able to find an empty one to sit and wait for May to get cleaned up.

"Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes!" Katherine chanted, her head bobbing as she all but sang the word.

"You don't need pancakes, Kat." I closed my eyes, trying not to recall the memory of white fur soaked Bluk and Razz Berry syrup from the last PokeCenter stay. "Some Nanab Berries and cereal would be better for you."

"You always feed me that crap!" She gave me an intense frown and I was thankful she didn't know Glare. "I want pancakes!"

"Kat, keep your voice down!" Thankfully, with the sound of tableware and chatter, her voice so far had been masked.

"I bet May would give me pancakes, if I asked."

The Taunt failed to do anything but make me answer her dryly. "That's because May doesn't know better." I tapped her ball lightly, the threat silent but obvious. "Pick something else... or," I decided to offer leniency at the last minute. "No syrup."

While Katherine sullenly mulled over her choices, I felt Fara brush my mind softly, trying to draw my attention to something. My eyes lifted, focusing on something pink weaving its way amongst the tables. Fara's light mental poking let up enough for me to recognize the pink shape as Nurse Joy, before drawing my attention to the tray Nurse Joy was carrying.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, her words a little breathless. "I tried to get your attention when you walked by the desk, but you must not have heard me..." She held the tray outward. "I just received this letter for you and this item for your friend."

"Thanks." I felt a little guilty that she'd had to deliver them in person, certain either Fara's mental conversation along the way or Katherine's vocal one had been the reason I hadn't heard her.

Selecting the letter first, I frowned when I noticed the object for May.

"Are you sure this is right?" I lifted the black colored pokeball with a pink looking feather painted along the top. "May has all of her Pokemon."

Nurse Joy frowned then pulled out a small scanner from her pocket, about the size of a pen. Waving the device over the pokeball, a virtual screen projected upward, showing May's registered trainer picture and several other bits of information I didn't get to read as the nurse nodded and clicked the screen off.

"Yes. This Pokemon is registered to May Birch." She gave a small smile. "I hope you'll be able to deliver it to her."

"...sure." As the nurse departed, I examined the orb closer. I guess it could be a Pokemon from her father, something for her to research. In retrospect, I probably should have asked Joy who it was from. I bet if I hurried, I could catch up to her...

Pocketing the extra ball for now, I thought of going after her when a sudden sharpness pricked into the back of my brain, making me jerk upright with pain, turning as the sensation indicated I should.

A young man was behind me, his hand outreached as though to have touched my shoulder. Fara and Kat flanked my sides, Kat muttering under her breath in words I couldn't hear while Fara's mental spike pulled back, nervous prickles running like Caterpie feet against my head.

A quick glance didn't leave much of an impression on me. His brown hair was long, glasses almost obscuring the blue of his eyes. The white coat he had made me wonder if the Professor had sent him (as he sometimes would send his aides to me with requests or items he considered too valuable to be left to chance) but the initials on the left pocket "PPh" dismissed that idea. Before I could ask Fara what about this guy made her so apprehensive, he inclined his head and gave a slow, wide smile that instantly had my guard up.

"Excuse me..." His voice slid up and down like a slide whistle, his words projecting over the sounds of the cafeteria as his hand turned to make it seem as though he'd meant to offer a handshake rather than grab my shoulder. "Excuse me," he repeated, the smile growing a little sharper. "Are you really Zachary Stone?"

A hush settled around the cafeteria before the whispers started.

"I'm sorry." Rather than sitting back down, I opted to push my chair in. Kat would have to get her pancakes elsewhere. "You have me mistaken."

"Oh, no." The "oh" started high then dropped into the longer, deeper "no." "I don't think that's the case at all." His lips finally covered his teeth, making him look less like a hungry Feraligator and more like one lying in wait. "I'm quite certain... in fact." His out stretch hand rotated, fingers wiggling before a card appeared between his index and middle finger. "My card?"

I made no move to take it, but I could read the name from the angle I was at.

"Alexander King, Pokemon Pharmaceuticals." I read it aloud primarily for Kat and Fara's benefit. "Pokemon Research Expert and Registered Psychic."

Great. He's a Psychic. Worse yet, a sponsored Psychic, which meant he could pull more stupid shit then the normal ones and get away with it. Whether by mutation or evolution, ones like this guy have been popping up, either born to the ability or developing their supposed hidden potential, granting them the ability to read minds, move objects, or even do astral projection.

I didn't trust any of the motherfuckers.

"Isn't it illegal to go prying into people's thoughts?" I kept my voice tight but quiet, not intending for others to overhear more than they should.

His smile spread as he gave a sweeping bow, his fingers wiggling again to make the card vanish from his fingers. "Apologies. I had felt a strong, Psychic presence coming from you and assumed you to be Psychic, like myself. I gleaned the information after the fact."

The curse I made inside my head was echoed by the sentiments of Fara. Typically, I didn't have this sort of problem, my natural resistance and personal training enough to frustrate and block out most Psychics. Unfortunately, it appeared that in becoming more accepting to Fara, I may have left my mind open to others as well.

Something that would be corrected.

"I was wondering if we might battle, Zachary."

Katherine's tail slapped against the back of my leg, her enthusiasm mimicking mine. Battling is fun regardless of the opponent... but the opportunity to utterly annihilate this asshole and his Pokemon lightened the foul mood he'd put me in.

"Sure." I ignored the grin on his face and the hand he offered to shake on the matter. "We can meet North of town, noon."

He didn't seem too bothered when I didn't take his hand, only giving a slight shrug. "Very well. We'll also need a judge-"

"I have one in mind." I cut him off, wanting to keep this short. The atmosphere in the rest of the room was making me restless, like a Meowth surrounded by Growlithes. If I moved wrong, spoke wrong, I had the feeling I would be overwhelmed. "Noon," I repeated, waiting for his confirmation.

"Of course... I should have expected, Zachary Stone to have a judge at his disposal."

At his nod, I decided it was best to leave now before anyone else decided to approach or I decided he'd look a hell of a lot better without his teeth. As I was leaving, his voice rose in pitch, a hint of mockery in his tone.

"Please be sure to bring your 'A' game, Mr. Stone. I have always wanted to battle a skilled opponent."

Kat stiffed by my side and I gave a subtle shake of my head. As much as I agreed with her, we'd pummel him on the battlefield, not in the PokeCenter cafeteria. Fara's own mental displeasure was like Gyarados gnashing his teeth and I could feel her contained restraint, her head held higher than normal as she walked beside me. Upon leaving, the doors shutting behind us, I closed my eyes as the excited talking rose like a swell behind us.

I bet we'd have a larger crowd this time.

~We would have been better off declining.~ The tightness in Fara's mental voice expressed her displeasure at the idea, even as she suggested it.

"Then they'd be talking about 'Of course, he's Zachary Stone! Otherwise, he would have fought!' as opposed to, 'Of course, he's Zachary Stone! Otherwise, he wouldn't have fought." I shook my head, waving them on, thinking to myself that we'd have to find May and get food elsewhere. "It was a losing situation."

"Any situation where I get to kick a Psychic's ass ain't losing!" Kat objected, a bounce in her step as she all but skipped along beside me.

I chuckled at her statement, personally agreeing even as Fara sighed along my mind.

~I shall work on tightening our connection, Master, so that this oversight on my part won't happen again. It may take time, with the bond so new, though.~

"It's as much my fault as it is yours." I gave her a smile, lightly resting my hand on her head. "But thank you, Fara, I'd appreciate it."

Petting her once, I recalled something in my bag that might be of use in this upcoming battle. Slipping one arm out of the backpack strap, I slung it around to gain access through the top, the item I was seeking right on top. I'd bought it in the market place before the battle with May, thinking it would come in handy. The portly vendor who sold it mentioned it being a "good luck charm" for any Normal types, but I had a hunch about the true nature of the item. Along my journey, I've found certain items (like Manic's magnet) will boost the power or abilities of Pokemon. While the silken texture of the white colored scarf did little for me, I had high hopes Katherine might find some use out of it.

After all, Kat's Razor Wind and Slash attacks were impressive... but an extra boost wouldn't hurt.

=*=*=

"It's amazing how I can't leave you alone for ten minutes without you picking a fight, Zack," May sighed. I had spotted her on the way to the cafeteria and a short explanation along with a quick breakfast at a nearby vendor stand had her shaking her head. "Couldn't you have ignored him?"

I scoffed. "He was a jerk, May. Besides, I didn't start this. He did." Continuing along the street, I already was scouting for the lab coat or brown hair of the Psychic. "And I can't ignore a direct challenge like that, not when I'm striving for my Master title."

"Master isn't about to let some brainy bastard walk over him without due recourse!" Katherine said, her voice clipped as her own language coated her human speech, making it more guttural and raspy sounding, like an array of growls and barks. She was already displaying her new scarf, the cloth almost hidden against her fur save for when a sudden twist or breeze made the material flutter. "We'll pound his brainy ass into the ground!"

Trying to hide a chuckle, knowing I shouldn't be encouraging her swearing, I watched May give a small frown. My thumb absently ran along my belt as I watched May thinking, my small digit grazing the homes of my other teammates, including Fara's. She'd been asked to be excused after breakfast, intent on mediating and working on reducing what she called the "aura" extending around our newly formed bond. With hope, she would still be able to speak with me on a mental level while making it less "eye catching" to any Psychics.

"I can't believe I'm being double-teamed by a boy and his bratty Pokemon," May finally muttered, apparently unable to come up with a strong enough argument to counter with. Before either Kat or I could comment, she gave a shrug and loud sigh. "Though, it was rude of him to say those things." Her eyes narrowed, her frown deepening into a dark scowl that pinched along her lips. "You got where you are by training hard! For him to have inferred otherwise... oooooh!" She gave a hard stomp of her foot that made me laugh quietly, glad for her understanding.

Katherine, on the other hand, seemed perplexed.

"Where did Master come from?" Her tone was quiet, for once, thoughtful. She looked up at me before turning her head to May, as if expecting she would answer before I would. "And what's with this 'Stone' thing he keeps calling Master?" Kat gave a loud snort. "Master isn't a Rock Pokemon... even a Psychic should know better than that!"

May shot me a quick glance over Katherine's head, one I easily interpreted as "you haven't told her yet?" which I replied to with a very small twist of my head to the left. The raised eyebrow and the frown came in as "well, why not?" which I gave a shrug to and an "I just didn't get around to it" motion with my hands. The soft shake of her own shoulders and the bland look easily translated to "well, now's your chance."

"Hey!" Kat's voice came out as a loud bark. "Stop that!"

"Stop what, Kat?" I asked, looking away from May and down to her.

She growled at me before turning her attention to May and back again. "That thing you two were doing!"

"Sorry, Kat." I chanced to put my hand on her head, ruffling her hair a little. She seemed to accept the pet more than the apology, leaning against my leg for more. "I'll tell you."

Pressing my fingers deeper into her fur, scratching lightly at her skin as I kept walking, I decided just to start with the "Stone thing," as she put it.

"Humans have two names, Kat." I watched as the stone street gave way to grass, considering the best way to describe it. "We have a first name which defines 'us' and a last name that defines our family... like how you're an Absol, Fara's a Ninetales, and Celia's a Flygon."

"So... you're Zack Human?" she offered, turning her head enough to look at me.

As cute as it was, the subject matter we were discussing didn't even allow me a smile.

"No, Katherine..." I took in a deep breath through my nose and tried again. "There's too many humans for that to work. Instead, we all have different last name." I gestured to May, her head bowed as she tried to keep her gaze away. I appreciated the privacy she was trying to provide me in my explanation... but it was a little silly when she was walking right along us. "May's last name is Birch, May Birch. Her father is..." I actually paused then, having never really heard her father's first name. He was always "Professor Birch."

Glancing at May, she met my eye and gave a shrug.

"Don't look at me, I just call him 'Dad.'"

Sighing, I went back to my explanation.

"Anyway, her father has the same last name and her brother, Max, also has the last name Birch. It lets everyone know they're related." At Kat's slow nod of understanding, I pulled my hand away from her head to point to myself. "My name is Zack or Zachary Stone, son of Devon Stone."

"Oh." There were two solid seconds of silence before Kat's lips formed a tight line and she asked, "Soooo... does that make me Kat Stone?"

May's sputter managed to get a tiny smile to tug at my lips, though it didn't survive very long.

"We would have to be married, Katherine," I explained gently, not intending to hurt her feelings or enrage her. "A ceremony would take place where my name would be joined to yours, or May's, or whomever." When she only seemed to grow more thoughtful, I decided to turn the subject back towards her original question before she could come up with thirty more. "Anyway, Kat, my father..." My words twisted in my throat and I coughed, trying again. "My father is a very rich man. He started a small company several years back, invested in making inventions like the PokeNav, Medicines, and Running Shoes"

May did break in there with a soft grumble. "Some instructions for those shoes." She gestured to her own. " 'Press the "B" Button?' I mean," she shook her foot, frowning at the shoe. "Why do we even need instructions for that? Everyone knoooows that pressing the 'B' Button on the sides allows the shoes to activate, drawing on excess energy our Pokemon have to convert it to a form we can use to run faster without getting tired!"

"May," I interrupted, watching her face flush. For as long as I've known her, it's been a pet peeve of hers. "Not everyone is as smart as you are... some people need it spelled out for them or they'll never understand it."

"I suppose," she muttered, looking away and leaving me to go back to my story.

"He's done some other things, like specialized pokeballs and, more recently, he's been studying fossils to have ancient Pokemon resurrected."

Katherine's eyes grew wider at that. "Like... the ones in the museum?" Her head lifted, her gaze skyward as if expecting to see an Aerodactyl skimming across the sky. "That... doesn't sound like such a good idea..."

"Well, nothing's come of it yet, Kat." I gave her a pat on her back, watching as she almost jumped out of her fur. "Don't worry about it, I mean, even he can't do the impossible."

Kat gave a small nod, shooting a quick look at the sky again before turning her attention solely on me. "What's wrong with that Psychic calling you 'Stone' then?" She grinned up at me, using a paw to lightly bump my leg. "It's got power behind it!"

I suppose I shouldn't have expected her to understand, even humans didn't get it, but I found myself disappointed anyway. The expression must have shown because her smile faded instantly, her tail dropping half a mark.

"That's just it, Kat. The power behind the name Stone... it's not mine. That's all my dad." The bitterness and anger in my words was as foul as a Muk on my tongue. "I'm 'the rich kid' only in the league because 'my father's money allowed me in.'"

"That's not true!" The reverberation in her words clearly expressed her own rage. "We worked for that!"

I nodded, my smile tight. "Exactly, Kat... but most professional trainers do have either rich parents or good sponsors." The words had since lost their flavor, bland as white rice, with as often as I'd heard them and repeated them to myself, but they were true. "I had both, so long as I wore that stupid Devon Corp jacket during the televised events." I hated the thing, long sleeves with patches on the front and back, like I was some kind of racecar! "I decided I'd rather make my living on the commissions of my winnings, rather than the company or my father paying for it... but most people don't think that." I ran a hand through my hair, shaking it as if to shake off the feeling of anger. The most I could admit was, "I probably wouldn't believe it either, if the situation was reversed."

"I see..." Her tail was possibly lower than before, the expression on her face a mix of thoughtfulness and concern.

"That's why we have to fight our hardest," I offered, hoping to draw on her fighter's spirit to chase away the burden of what I'd just shared with her. "Same as always, Kat. I'm not going to run home with my tail between my legs just because of what people think. I'm going to prove them wrong..." I smiled at her, brushing her cheek with the back of my hand. "But I need you're help, everyone's help, to get the championship and show them that." Her eyes met mine, flashing like a Moltres' flame, her tail up and wagging. Feeling my own spirit rising, I grinned at her. "We'll win this one and bring our rank one step closer to the top! The higher we are, the better chance we'll get invited to the Master's tournament. After that, it's just a hop, skip, and a jump to glory!"

Kat jumped as high as my hip before giving a series of smaller jumps. "HELL YEAH!"

It seemed my history lesson did more than just inform, from the wiggle in her hips and the way her head was lifted, Katherine had all but deemed it her duty to kick ass. A side glance at May, above the Absol's proudly raised head, allowed her to send me a soft smile, showing her pleasure at how I'd lightened the mood.

Feeling my own chest puff out with a sense of pride, all that remained to end this day on a good note was to unleash some Absol fury on a Psychic who didn't realize what he was getting in to.

=*=*=

A grassy field near the entrance to Cycling Road proved to be the meeting point for our Psychic event (I refuse to use the word "challenge"), Alexander already there with a crowd of onlookers. I tried to make out individuals in the crowd, testing my memory to see who might be here from the PokeCenter, but it was impossible to tell. Not, mind you, that my memory was poor, but because there were so damn many! Above us, along the ramp which formed Cycling Road, helmeted heads could be seen peering down. Under the ramp, sitting in the shade on the grass, people sat on blankets like it was a holiday, some even having picnic baskets while others threw Frisbees, stopping only as they saw us.

Alex, himself, was on the field, his glasses off as he cleaned them on his coat, raising them to inspect, then cleaning them again before putting them on.

"Mr. Stone..." His voice still did the annoying slide between high and low tones, his voice quieting the swell of people around us. "I had thought you to be late... Perhaps picking up a girl along your way was not such a fortuitous endeavor when the time could have been spent..." His eyes glanced down May's frame before up again and back at me. "Far more wisely."

I didn't say anything.

...primarily because May was already storming towards him, intent on saying it all.

"My name," she emphasized, "is May Birch." Apparently, Alex had some sense of preservation because sweat was forming along his brow, perhaps due to the Absol like growl in her voice or the fact that he must be picking up on some serious "kill" vibes. "I," she snapped, pulling her Judge Identification Card so quickly from her pant pocket it was a blur of motion, "am a level one judge." He jerked back, just avoiding what could have been a broken nose if May had put enough force into it. Her arm stopped short of actually hitting him, however, just holding her badge up to his face. "I am more than qualified to preside over official field battles." He didn't even look at the card, really, just stared at her as if considering the option of fleeing before the battle even began. "Present your trainer card, sir."

The sheer chill in her voice would have made a Piloswine shiver.

Fumbling, he reached into his pocket and presented his card. May made a bigger show of inspecting his card, holding it up to the sky, turning it front and back, checking the varying seals and small marks of identification put on each device. Her brows frowned, a displeased expression on her face, as though she'd been hoping he was an illegal trainer.

"Very well." The glare she gave him made it apparent that if she could find fault with his battling technique, she would. "Trainer Alexander, please head to your side of the field."

He just gave a nod and moved so quickly his lab coat flapped like a tent sheet behind him.

As May approached, I pulled my own card out, knowing she'd need it. As she accepted it, she shot a look over her shoulder before looking down at Kat, the Absol sitting at my feet, grinning at the show she'd just witnessed.

"Tear him a new one, Kat," she muttered, turning aside before anyone might think she was spending just a little too much time with me.

From the way the grin deepened on Kat's face and her claws shifted against the ground, she was not only intending too, but was very eager to be carrying out the order.

"I guess she can get pissy from time to time, huh, Master?"

I gave her a slight nudge with my leg, expressing my long standing command that she shouldn't be speaking in front of other humans. She gave a huff before turning her head towards me, using my body to hide her face from the crowd on my side as her voice spoke on a quieter level.

"Fine... but I reserve the right to gloat in this guy's face once I batter his silly little Pokemon into submission."

I rolled my eyes but gave a nod, hoping she'd forget about it before then, and turned my attention back to May.

May had made it off field, at the center marker, and had pulled the League-issued reader from her bag. This device not only provided the transfer of funds from one trainer's account to another when a battle was done, it was also the electronic way to confirm a trainer was legit. She put mine in first, on the left side of the machine (to match the side of the field I was on) and the light on front turned green, indicating (of course) that I was a legitimate trainer and league recognized. Next, she slipped Alex's card into the machine, the light flashing green just as quickly as mine. With a firm nod, she moved her hand in a wide sweep, all attention focusing on her.

"This battle will be an official single Pokemon knockout match between Zachary and Alexander." I hid a smile, reminding myself to thank May later for excluding our last names in her announcement. "The victor of this battle will not only receive a forfeit of funds from his opponent, but also rank points!"

An excited murmur rippled along the crowd, hushed whispers suddenly breaking off into scattered cheers of my name or Alex's. Certainly, it made the battle more exciting. The more rank points my team and I gained, the better our chance of getting chosen for the tournament, provided, of course, you have at least eight badges. Also, for those with sponsorships, such as Mr. I-R-Psychic, the better the pay out.

Me? I'd settle for taking his money and kicking his ass.

"Trainers!" May's voice rose up again over the crowd. "Call out the Pokemon you will be using in battle!"

I didn't raise my voice, having no intention of pandering towards the crowd. So long as Kat could hear me, no one else mattered. "Katherine... you're up."

Her tail gave a wave before she leapt into the arena, the scarf I'd given her waving once before settling against her fur.

"A Dark type?" Alex seemed to have recovered from his encounter with May, the smile on his face expressing a mix of mockery and disdain. "How predictably boring..." He tossed the pokeball from one hand to the other, the orb expanding along the way as he threw it into the arena. Popping open, light formed just as he cried out, "Let us show them, Altair, that type makes no difference!"

As the light took the form of the powerful Alakazam, I couldn't help but think: and he calls me predictable?

"Are trainers and Pokemon ready?" May shouted, the roar of the crowd rising again.

Alex yelled, "Ready!" while I gave a curt nod, not wasting my breath. Katherine let out a short siren-like cry while his Alakazam made a low hum of agreement.

"Alright!" May's arms rose up. "On the count of three!"

Katherine bunched herself up, preparing to spring forward or to the side depending on my first command.

"One!"

I flexed my fingers, uncurled them, and flexed them again, imagining claws in place of nails and the anticipation of wanting to leap into battle myself. A habit when I'm anxious-

"Two!"

That feeling was how I knew...

"Three!"

This was going to be wild.

"Katherine, Double Team!"

Letting out an open mouthed growl, Kat's snow-white form shifted and displaced, causing her to look as though she were suddenly in two places at once.

Alexander shook his head. "A paltry trick that shall do no good." He smiled, glasses gleaming. "Altair! Reflect!"

The Alakazam waved his hand, a thin shimmer appearing in the air between him and Kat.

My rage, still coiling from this morning, lashed out like an Arbok's killing strike. "Katherine! Razor Wind!"

The air stilled.

The images of Kat swung their head at the same time, their mouth opening in perfect timing, her shrill voice from whisper to shriek in under a second. The wind came from behind me, tugging me, as it moved around her and caused the scarf around her neck to dance. For a brief moment, it seemed to shine blue as the wind made it wave, before going back to white, all but confirming my previous beliefs.

The air grew still again.

Alex's head leaned back in a laugh. "So, your attack fails? Well... ours won't!" The smile he wore made his face uglier. "Altair! Miracle Eye!"

The Alakazam took a deep breath and exhaled, opening his eyes a fraction of the way. The white light eluding from them swirled like smoke, rising from his eyes and forming a dome the size of an expanded pokeball above his forehead, jerking suddenly before the colors changed to a purple and the shape took that of some kind of eye. His own eyes closed but the one he'd formed of smoke rolled like a spinning Donphan before shuddering and pointing its odd fuchsia colored iris upon the real Kat's general position.

Having not heard of such a move before, I spared a glance at May, seeing if she was going to call a penalty but she simply frowned and stayed silent.

Damn. A legal move I didn't know... I should have paid more attention in class.

Drawing my eyes away from the Alakazam, I noticed Katherine's siren was still going but had a blended quality to it, as though coming from two sources of the same pitch. Around her feet, grass waved and bent, dirt rolling from the ground to the air, drifting lazily before her voice, and the wind that harmonized with it, shrieked to a higher pitch.

The attack was ready.

"Kat! Unleash Razor Wind!"

The sound from her throat mimed an enraged squall coming from sea to harbor, the air suddenly spinning round her feet and rising, hiding her form from view in a blur of motion. The audience nearest her jumped back, invisible forces of wind striking the ground, carving it like a Charizard's claws through Caterpie flesh.

There was no resistance.

The wind leapt from her and raced towards the Alakazam, grass, ground, branches, and stones being picked up and broken to dust as it raced. There was a particular high shriek, like a banshee preparing to pounce and dig its nails in to its victim, before a faint voice cried out:

"Psybeam!"

Before the Sharpedo like fangs of wind could sink into their target, a prismatic ray broke through. The winds broke apart, forcing the audience to scatter as the blades sunk into trees and shattered rocks, while the beam hit home, striking Kat directly in the forehead. The impact knocked her off her forelegs, pushing her back till she toppled over, causing her to roll just near the edge of the understood arena boundaries.

"Damn! That hurt!" Katherine shook her head, rubbing at it with her left paw, hissing a moment as she did so. "Fuck!"

Her words were thankfully masked by the whispering hum of the audience but I was admittedly less concerned by her speaking at the moment and more fixated on why a Psychic attack that should have just glided off did so much harm. Hell! It even hit her through her Double Team!

Did it have something to do with that eye above his head?

"What's wrong, Mr. Stone?" the Psychic tilted his head, a smile on it that looked smug and condescending at the same time. "Have you been sheltered so that your mind isn't open to new attacks? You should get out more!" He laughed a little behind his hand, his Alakazam chuckling with him.

Taking that moment, I glanced over Katherine. She'd taken a major hit and I was worried about her trying to continue.

"Can you still fight, Kat?"

She gave a small snort, shaking her head to clear it before wincing slightly and grinning. "It'll take more than that, Master. You know me!"

I smiled, but it was a tight one. Yeah... I did know her. She would fight till she couldn't fight any more, rather than admit she couldn't defeat her enemy. In this case, she looked worn but not yet exhausted. Perhaps it was personal pride talking, but I didn't want us to hand over the victory just yet. If Kat was willing, I was willing to hand that guy his ass.

"Alright, Kat, let's keep it up!"

"Altair! Another Psybeam!"

Stepping forward, reaching his right hand towards Kat, a prismatic ball slowly formed in its extended hand. Just before it fired into the telltale beam previously used, I noticed a faint red shimmer dancing along the spoon in its left hand.

Altair had an artifact as well!

"Intercept that beam with a Shadow Ball!"

Springing to the left, on her feet in an instant at the command, she opened her mouth and a formless, black blob appeared. The shadow withered and lashed, struggling before compiling to an orb form which, with a twist of Kat's head, went shooting like a comet towards the oncoming attack.

Colliding with the beam, the Ghost type attack pushed against it, rays of light striking outward as it continued to try and push past. Losing its form, the orb spilled outward like syrup from a broken balloon, tendrils trickling down to pool on the ground before the orb gave a sudden jerk and the tendrils jumped, twining around the beam. Pulling it, wrapping around it, Altair gave a gasp, releasing the Psybeam before the tendrils could make a grab for him.

With nothing left to fuel the beam, it shot directly into the remains of the Shadow Ball, dragging the tendrils in after it. The resulting explosion caused a mess of inky black shadows with flickers of light to be splattered across the field.

...I didn't envy who'd be cleaning this up.

Using this distraction to my advantage, I quickly ordered another attack. "Advance with Shadow Balls, as quickly as you can!"

Giving a pleased growl followed with a howl, Kat raced forward, firing three smaller sized orbs towards her enemy.

"Reflect again, Altair!"

The Alakazam raised his spoon, the object gleaming as the barrier shimmered, growing stronger, but even from the distance I could see signs on strain from the last Psybeam the Alakazam had tried to maintain. It was more apparent by the weakness of his Reflect, the invisible barrier shattering instantly at the first impact of the Shadow Ball.

Twisting, Altair was unable to fully evade the second one, his shoulder clipped as it brushed by. He gave an audible screech, moving to brush the now vanished orb away, when the final one hit him solid in the chest, the impact causing a loud bang. Smoke drifted away from his skin, a scorched area showing where the orb had touched. Trying to regain his footing, Altair stumbled back and gave us the opportunity we needed to finish the match.

"Kat! Slash!"

Still running forward from her assault with the Shadow Balls, she was in the perfect position to follow through with my command. As she jumped upward, the scarf billowed behind her, flashing blue again.

With a turn of her head, her horn shimmered white as she began her descent.

"Altair!"

Altair raised his free hand, still unsteady on his feet.

As Kat's head came down in a sweeping motion, her eyes intent on the dark spot on his chest she'd already hit, her body jerked to a sudden stop. Trying to twist her body, she remained suspended in midair. Struggling, she gave a bark that sounded suspiciously like "Bastard!" before being flung back with a sweep of the Alakazam's hand.

Landing back on my side of the court, her side hit the ground hard, leaving a furrow along the dirt. For a moment, I didn't think she'd be able to continue until I heard several unfavorable comments of the Alakazam's lineage and saw her lift her head to spit out some grass and dirt. My relief at seeing her stand and ready to charge diminished when I noticed her favoring her left side, the one that had hit the ground. Smeared with dirt and streaked with grass, there was no mistaking the way she held her left foreleg slightly off the soil.

"It appears, Mr. Stone, that your Pokemon is on its last legs." He gave a chittering laugh, like a Rattatta on helium. "Mine, however, still has plenty of fight left in him." With a smug smile, he waved his fingers towards his Alakazam. "Altair, Recover."

A golden ripple spread along the Pokemon's body as it renewed itself, the black mark on its chest quickly fading to nothing more than a light bruise. He couldn't recover completely but he was definitely in a better shape than Kat was at the moment.

I'd exhausted all four of my attacks... Introducing a new one now would violate the rules...

What the hell was I going to do?

"Do you accept your defeat yet, Mr. Stone?" Alexander asked, crossing his arms and smiling.

Kat growled, glaring at Alexander as she moved subtly in front of me, her fur bristling and obviously expressing her desire to continue. She was waiting for my next command... for the plan to win. I had none...

But I don't surrender.

"Kat!" Her body tensed, ready. "Razor Wind!"

Her siren howl called the winds to her, stirring her fur and the grass around her. Alexander seemed unimpressed, taking his time to calmly address his Pokemon.

"They don't know when to quit, do they, Altair?" Shadows formed along his face that made his next smile seem malevolent. "Create your strongest Psybeam and blast that filthy Absol into the ground!"

Nodding, the Alakazam lifted his free hand and his second spoon appeared. The artifact spoon flared red while the normal one rippled white, the colorful orb appearing before Altair already seeming more powerful half formed then the full one had been. Katherine would be gravely injured if that beam connected. I had to stop the-

No.

I don't... we don't surrender. Especially not after everything Kat's been through.

I needed to pull a winning strategy out of my ass and soon.

The wind was reaching its howling point as the charging neared completion. The same was true for the Alakazam's Psybeam, already as large as my head and continuing to grow, spinning before him just waiting to be released. It would tear through our attack like before!

Unless...

"Altair!" There was a hint of a giggle in Alexander's voice. "Now! Unleash your attack!"

With a short nod, the Alakazam flew his arms open, the orb of colors bursting open and releasing what had to be the most deadly rainbow known to man.

I hope this will work...

"Kat! Shadow Ball!"

There was a slight twitch along her body, apparent surprise at the command, but she quickly formed the black blob in front of her face. She was able to fire scant seconds before the beam connected, a massive explosion wracking the air around my side of the arena. Trying to shield my eyes from the resulting dust, I squinted past the billowing streams of it, just able to make out the prismatic energy combined with the black streaks of the Shadow Ball along the swirls of wind.

It had worked!

The Razor Wind had absorbed the remnants of the collision between the Shadow Ball and Psybeam. What remained was a colorful, almost blinding tornado with black stripes running along its cone. The wind's howling was replaced with a low buzzing hum as its energy crackled, grass burning away in the mere presence of the deadly funnel.

"Wh... what the hell?"

Seeing Alexander take a step back, I only smiled, shouting over the roar from the cyclone.

"This is our power!"

With that, Kat's trembling body (working so hard to restrain the newly formed beast) went limp. The invisible strings that tied her creation to her snapped and the form twisted once before shooting into the air in a swirl of wind and colors, before arcing downward with the grace of a javelin towards the sputtering Alakazam.

"Altair! Reflect, full power!"

Folding his arms, his spoons glowed again, a clear dome covering him just before impact. The Shadow Ball energy and slicing winds tore against the dome, unable to penetrate, but his own Psychic energy passed through the barrier, impacting against the Alakazam with a dull sizzle.

While he was distracted by trying to hold the barrier into place, I yelled for Katherine to attack.

"Slash, Kat! Do it now!"

Katherine's body swayed unsteadily before a growl shook through her, strengthening her. Racing towards the tornado without fear but a furious determination, her horn began to glow as she approached. With tremendous push from her back legs, she flung herself into the center of swirling colors and winds, her scarf flashing blue before her form vanished in the mix.

For a moment, only the Alakazam's grunts and the swirl of winds could be heard.

Suddenly, a shriek came from within the wind and there was a shattering sound. What looked to be a familiar black horn had impacted with the Reflect, damaging the weakened shield to the point it was no longer able to hold form. The dome fell and the mix of attacks was no longer restrained. It charged forward, hammering into the ground with an explosive, thundering boom that shook the ground and flung up more dirt and debris. A furious light show spread outward, blinding everyone with the brilliant mix of color layered amongst the darkness.

As the show ended, so did the battle. Alakazam had fallen, Katherine's exhausted form still standing in front of her opponent. Her left forepaw was still held up, her head lowered as she panted, horn trailing smoke, but her eyes were fixated on Altair, daring him to rise.

As silence gave way to scattered murmurs, May's voice rose along the field.

"Alakazam is unable to battle! Therefore, Absol and trainer Zachary are the winners!"

Laughing with relief, I headed toward Kat, intending on congratulating her for a job well done. Alexander was frowning, withdrawing his Alakazam, as people gathered around him to commend him on his battle. I could feel the presence of them swarming around me, but my primary concern was Kat.

Lifting her left paw higher, she pointed a claw towards Alexander. His eyes narrowed as he watched her, as if expecting her to direct an attack at him. Her lips moved and, while I couldn't hear her, I could make out the words:

"Ha-ha! I smoked... your... assss~"

Her form swayed to the right before falling. Racing up to her, I saw Alexander's frown twitch in puzzlement but his attention was shortly caught up in the fans around him. Resting a hand on Katherine's side, I was relieved to see her asleep, thoroughly exhausted from her efforts.

"I must say... I am surprised, Mr. St-"

"That's not my name."

I lifted my gaze in time to see Alexander frown once before giving a slight nod of his head in acknowledgement.

"Very well, Zachary Stone."

I shook my head, wondering just how stupid psychics could be.

"Didn't you hear the judge? My name is Zachary, Zack." I lifted my head, giving Alexander another once over. For a Psychic against a Dark, it had been a tougher battle than I'd thought. I might not like the guy's profession, but I had to admit, he'd done a decent job raising his Alakazam. "Remember that."

His eyes narrowed slightly, a tight smile on his lips.

"I shall... Zack."

Before I could comment further, more fans rushed around us. Ignoring them for the most part, more concerned with Kat, I pulled out her ball and touched her head with my free hand.

"I'm gonna put you in your ball for a rest now, Kat."

I heard her grunt and mumble in her apparent slumber. "Mmm-fh. Don't... wanna... ball."

Smiling to myself at the slight pout along her lips, like a child not wanting to go to school, I pulled out a Potion from my bag to spray along her left paw (which I believed might have been sprained but not broken upon feeling it further) and some of the more apparent wounds. A light tap on my shoulder proved to be May, handing me back my trainer's card.

"Your ranking points have been altered, Zack!" The happy flush lining her face made me open my mouth to ask her why she was so happy when she continued, apparently not noticing my almost formed question. "You've gone up a rank! You're twelfth in all of Hoenn!"

Well... that was good news.

Accepting my card back, I smiled to myself before looking back down at my slumbering Absol.

"No, we're twelfth, May. Me and my Pokemon."

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=*=*=*=Author's Note=*=*=*=

Pokegirl: Typically, I HATE author's notes. I am loathe to leave one or read one due to the feeling it detracts from the story. However, I find myself doing one now for the sole reason of being highly irritated with The Pokemon Company and recent decisions they've made. Before anyone panics, NO, I am NOT stopping writing (nor is Matt, for that matter). Will I be buying any further games from them? Probably not. A longer rant of my displeasures with them can be found here: http://www.change.org/petitions/keep-pokedroid-and-other-applications-like-it-2#signatures but to make a long story short, they've sought (and unfortunately, at this time, succeeded) in removing a FREE app from the Android Market place called PokeDroid and several others. We're working on trying to change their minds. If you find you agree that it should be put back, please sign. If you just think, "Hey! I like her and Matt's stories, why not?" go ahead and sign. Better yet, if you could pass it around, make it known, Droid users or not, I'd appreciate it. Am I making a big deal? If Nolan feels the same way about the app he worked so hard to make as I do for the stories Matt and I bring to you then no, I don't think so.

If anything, I don't think I'm doing enough.

After all, 400,000 people downloaded this app. I think 10,000 signatures is paltry.