Story Notes:
Nothing here yet
When does old love end and new love begin?
Years had past since Brandon left home, once a young boy was now a young man, his brown eyes still held the look of joy and peace with in him. He is much taller now, standing a good 6 foot, 5 inches and loomed over the tiny Riolu. Both of them have been in many battles over the time they had spent with each other gaining strength and bonds of between master and Pokemon.
�One more match and we�ll make the finals this year!� Brandon said to Mariah who looked up to her master with a smile on her face. �But that is a few days from now and we�re an hour away from Oreburgh City� He nodded as he set up a camp site, Making sure he was away from the throngs of trainers that were massing out in the woods to get ready for the upcoming finals. Yeah I could rent a room but camping one more time before the end of the season wouldn�t hurt. Brandon thought to him self as he opened his pokeballs letting out two of his three current Pokemon, a Nidoqueen and a Shelgon. He smiled at the two and spoke softly to them �Well it seems we�re camping out again� he nodded to the two as Mariah sat at Brandon�s foot silently watching him with her red eyes. �Sarah� he pointed lazily to the Nidoqueen �Could you pleases go gather some berries for us?� he asked her and she let out a loud and cheery whine as she turned off into the woods to gather some food. Brandon smiles as she went to work. Sarah was his second Pokemon and she was almost a carbon copy of his father�s Exo. She was the same kind, caring and nurturing Pokemon to Brandon since she was a little Nidorina.
About a month after she evolved into Nidoran, Brandon sent her into the woods to see if she could find any fresh water. When she came back Brandon sent Mariah out to fight her and try to recapture her. Mariah at that point knew it was Sarah and just sat down on the ground looking up at the newly evolved. She was singing a strange song in her little poke-speak, holding out a crumbling moonstone. After realizing Mariah was refusing to fight. Brandon tossed a ball at Sarah only to watch it bounce off the lizard like pokemon�s fat. Then it all clicked together and he laughed as Sarah thought she was being punished in some strange way.
�I wonder if the real Sarah is around� Brandon said as he looked down to Mariah who was too busy chewing on stick in boredom. Brandon brought up his strange new poketec device that was strapped to his right wrist and tapped the power button. A holographic screen flashed before his eyes and he pressed the call feature with his left hand and waited for it to load. �I hope she�s close... I need some lovin�� Brandon said as he laughed a bit. The screen flashed a few times as it switched into its video phone feature and he called up Sarah. After a ring the screen flickered a bit and Brandon was looking at a view that almost made him scream in rage. There on her hands and knees was Sarah naked in all her glory, her red hair messed up as her body was pressed into the ground by her own Arcanine moaning loudly. From the very quick glance he could see he was knotted to his girlfriend.
�What the holy fuck!� Brandon shouts loud enough to make Mariah squeak and jump.
�It�s over Brandon I�� was all he heard as he shut off the call feature and quickly set his poketec to ignore her calls. Letting out a long sigh he slowly fell to his knees s then onto his side curling up in a ball. Mariah easily sensed her master�s plight and dropped her new found chew toy to comfort her life long friend. She placed a paw on her master�s head and softly made cooing noises at him. �I was going to propose to her a week after the match� Brandon whispered more to him self than to Mariah. All she could do was make a soothing noise to him and nuzzle up his face showing she still cared for him. Mean while Brandon�s Shelgon, Magnus just stared at his master with the �What the fuck just happened?� look, and then shrugged to him self as he waddled about the camp sight to ease his boredom.
The massive Nidoqueen came back from the forest to see her master curled up in a ball and let out a high pitch shriek as she dropped her berries and quickly ran over to Brandon. Mariah�s ears perked up before her head turned and she quickly jumped up onto Brandon�s shoulder to stop the panicked Nidoqueen from harming any one. Mariah let out a yip at the queen and waved her to slowly back away from their master. She barked few times as soon as Sarah let out a soft questioning coon and turned her head back to the berries she dropped then back to her master and Mariah with a frown.
Over the two days camping Brandon remained silent and gloomy. Mariah tried her best to cheer up her master and even tried at one point to show she had feelings for him, but he was too deep in his own gloom to notice her. The night before the big match Brandon crawled into his tent by him self, which freaked the hell out of the two Pokemon; once again the Shelgon was utterly clueless. Brandon curled up into his sleeping bag and stared at his poketec looking at the dozen messages his new found ex had left him. After an hour Brandon was in the grip of sleep and passed out snoring softly with his mouth wide open and his left arm wrapped over his eyes as if he was blocking out the non-existent sunlight.
�Brandon�� a voice echoed into his dreams. And he tried to move. �Brandon�� the voice said again. This time it sounded like an angelic woman whispering to him. All the effort to move his arm and open his eyes were in vain as the voice talked to him in his dream. �Brandon, I am here for you.� The voice echoed, �Be with me� forever�� As soon as the voice finished echoing in his skull he felt a pair of lips press into his mouth and he shot upright in his sleeping bag. Drenched in sweat, Brandon looked about his tent seeing he was still alone. �Wha...� was all he could say as he looked about the tent. �Last time I watch Event Horizon� he said as he removed the sweat off his face with a smelly used shirt. Thinking it was one of his Pokemon screwing with him he stuck his head out of the tent to see his Shelgon wasn�t sleeping and looking at him rather clueless and pissed off at the same time. Mariah was curled up in Sarah�s arms sleeping and Sarah was watching her master with a bewildered look. �Sorry,� he whispered to the group and opened his flap to his Pokemon �come on guys get in here� he waved them making note it was only an hour had passed since he went in to the tent. The Shelgon waddled up to Brandon and let out a rather dismissing grunt to him and went into the tent. Sarah got up as best as she could and cradled Mariah in her arm. Brandon quickly stopped her before she entered �I�ll take her, Sarah,� Brandon smiled at her �She�s slept with me for as long as I can remember� he smiled at her as he held his arm out to her. At First Sarah refused but her need to follower her master�s order over ride her instinct to be a mother and gently handed Mariah off to him. The little Jackal stirred in his hand but he was ever so gentle with her. Sarah had turned to see Mariah stir and almost instantly she was by the little one�s ear letting out a soothing coon. �Enough Sarah,� Brandon whispered to her �she�s with me� he smiled at her and nodded �You�re going to be a great mother someday� he smiled at her and went to his sleeping bag. Placing Mariah on his pillow and snuggling his face into her little body to keep her warm.
Once again Brandon fell into slumber next to his little jackal. Once more he was in the grip of a strange dream. The same angelic voice echoed into his head. This time the voice sang softly to him.
My fall will be for you
my love will be in you
if you be the one to cut me
I�ll bleed forever
Brandon slowly woke up and smiled to him self seeing he wasn�t drenched in sweat like last time. In the corner of the tent his Shelgon stared at him. �You don�t ever sleep since you evolved huh?� Brandon said with a smile on his face as he brushed his long brown hair out of his eyes. The Shelgon just snorted at him and seemed pretty happy some one was there to end his boredom. �Yeah I know you want to get out of that shell.� He smiled at his Pokemon and patted it softly. He turned to see Sarah was sleeping, curled up in a corner of the tent on her belly. The large lizard like Pokemon had her snout buried into her tail eyes tightly shut. Every once and a while she would twitch and make a murring sound as she was having a good dream. A small yawn made Brandon turn his gaze away from Sarah and to the little jackal that was sleeping on his pillow. He quickly turned to his Shelgon and put his finger to his lips and pointed to the tent flap. Magnus followed him with a soft grunt and waddled after his master quietly. A few quick glances from Brandon he finally spoke up when he was far from the camp site enough to not wake up the girls. �I know your waiting to fly buddy,� Brandon stopped his walking to pat the Shelgon that obediently stood next to him, �soon.� Brandon finished still patting his Pokemon as he watched the sun rise before a small stream. With out another word Brandon pulled out a small box and pulled the ring out and looked at the gold band with a diamond on it. It wasn�t much but on his little budget it was going to be the ring for the woman he loved for 4 years. �Sarah�� Brandon sighed and tossed it into the stream. The long whaling that sounded like a whale made Brandon turn. �The girls are up� he said to his Shelgon who seemed happier to be around his master than ever. Quickly plucking the stuffing out of the ring box he looked up in time to see the little Riolu shoot out of the tent like a rocket. �Down Mari-� was all he could say as the little jackal lunged into his chest knocking him over. Being as big as he is and heavy, Mariah still was able to knock him flat on his arse. �Hi honey� he said softly and stroked her fur gently as she snuggled into his body �We gotta get ready for the finals today.� He smiled at her as the lizard like Pokemon walked over to them, singing her strange song in her poke speak.
Having no other choice but to swash in the stream, even though it was painfully cold the group washed them selves up. Brandon helped Magnus wash up since he lacked any means to while Mariah and Sarah took to their own little spots. Since their shared 10th birthday Brandon stopped washing Mariah, only helping her turn on and off the shower where ever they where. She seemed more independent as she grew older. What Brandon couldn�t see was Mariah had found the Ring he was going to use to propose to his ex with and she instantly knew what it was for, being there when he bought the ring in the first place. Plucking it out of the stream Mariah kept it hidden in her little paws and slowly made her way back to Brandon. With a soft bark she held her paws up to Brandon and he smiled at her �Found another one of your little treasures?� knowing what she was up to. She�s been doing this since they started their adventures, filling a shoe box that was hidden in Brandon�s bag. Brandon had been very respectful of Mariah and never once poked into her little treasures �Is it small?� he ask as he patted his Shelgon letting him know they were don in the water. She let out a small yip and nodded to him. �Better not be more rocks� Brandon joked with her and tossed her the empty ring box when he got to his piled up gear. �I got that for you� he said with a smile. He turned back to his bag and pulled out her shoe box of treasures and set it down on the ground and started dressing with his back to the little jackal. She quickly stuffed the ring into the box and then opened her treasure box looking over the items she hid with in it. Some of the items gathered in there were just plain rocks. While others were small parts of fossils. There were two large gold nuggets but she didn�t know they were worth money that Brandon could use. To her they were shiny and pretty. ( :3 ) Mariah quickly tucked the ring box in between a fire stone and a King�s rock. Placing the lid back onto the box she looked up ad Brandon who was 5 feet away trying to take a peak into her box. She bared her teeth at him and let out an angry bark at her master who backed off instantly. �Alright, I didn�t see any thing I swear.� Putting his hands up, he slowly backed away, setting down his bag first. Mariah let out playful snort and stuck her nose up the air as if to say to her master that she was better than him as she put the box back into his back pack.
Once Brandon and Mariah got to Oreburgh City, he made a few quick calls to all his friends that he grew up with, seeing if any of them were in the area. After getting call backs from three of his friends, Brandon set up a meeting location at a small dinner. After an hour of waiting his three friends showed up. They marched into the dinner like long forgotten gods of war. Josh the youngest of his friends, brilliant person when it comes to robotics. 20 years old, standing a good 6�2� wore a shaggy beard that displaced his educated look, glasses thick as soda bottles, and a chain for his wallet hung way below his knee. For all the years known, Brandon knew Josh was an odd one but was handy in a pinch. Behind Josh was Ron, 35 years old standing 6�3�. Ron was a computer genius but lacking social grace when it came to strangers yet he some how landed a wife. Ron wore black boots, pants, shirt, socks, and a trench coat that looked so old it should have been placed in a museum. Behind him storming a long and making all eyes on the dinner focus on him, Dan. Wearing a black wife beater, pair of UFO pants* and a thin pair of glasses on his face. But what was drawing the eyes of the patrons� eyes wasn�t his clothing, but his tattoos and the ear piercing that were inch and a half big holes on each ear. The majority of his body was tattooed in Japanese style tattoos. They were all sorts of characters that ranged from Japanese characters of peace and honor to Asian mafia markings. The one tattoo that stood out of the mix going from the knuckles to the top of Dan�s shoulder was the lotus on his right fore arm. Besides his brooding Dan just put it up as a show.
�When was the last tournament you won LunchBox?� Ron said as he sat down in the booth laughing a bit.
�Three years ago, the same time you last shaved� Brandon laughed a bit as he got up and let Dan sit down on the inside next too him. Before he could sit down Josh shoved Brandon gently and hugged Brandon in a brotherly embrace.
�Where�s Mariah?� Josh asked.
�In her ball for now, resting� Brandon replied as they both sat in the booth
�This going to be another year losing?� Dan said as he gave Brandon a smile.
�You know, when was the last time any of you even trained your Pokemon?� Brandon said quietly turning to Dan. �Also piercing the hell out of your Pikachu�s ears doesn�t count as training.� Brandon turned his head to Dan. Last time Brandon saw that Pikachu, she had eight metal studs on her left ear and on her right ear was a strange loop with a chain that started at the bottom of the black and was connected to a metal tag that when right through the flesh.
�Well we all did the gym runs when we were all 16.� Josh said and nodded to Brandon.
�Yeah well that�s all fine and dandy but the last final four matches were�� Brandon trailed off to make his point far more dramatic ��Six years after my old man won his final four matches.�
�But�� Josh tried to respond but was cut off quickly by Ron.
�That�s not the point we�re getting at Box, Isn�t it time for you to give up and just settle down with Sarah?� Ron pointed out to Brandon.
�Yeah� About her�� Brandon looked down �She�s been cheating on me, and we�re going to leave it at that.� Brandon nodded a bit, �Besides my old man won the final four, if they are no longer around, I am going to win the Sinnoh�s master�s championship.� Brandon looked up at the group. �I gotta do that before I settle down.�
�Let him have his dream.� Dan spoke up and nudged Brandon.
�All I have to do is get Mariah to evolve.� Brandon said and nodded
�Yeah, but she should do that on her own in 10 more years or have a very strong bond with you.� Josh said �And I know you two are inseparable.� Josh stated as a young waitress showed up at their table. After she took their orders and felt uncomfortable with Dan�s early morning advances on her. Josh when back to talking �Maybe she has a genetic defect being half ditto?�
�Impossible,� Brandon responded rather quickly, �I�ve had her checked out by the clones dozens of times. Their only response is �when she feels ready�,� Brandon said with a nod, �She seems content to be a Riolu for now and I�m not going to force her.�
�Maybe you�re just a bad trainer, Box.� Ron said in a serious tone.
�Impossible again,� Brandon shook his head at Ron not being bothered by his adopted (by friendship) brother�s comment �Magnus evolved into a Shelgon five months ago and Sarah is at her final form.�
Their food was served and the conversation drifted from Mariah to Dan�s Pikachu that has been turned into a pincushion. After a riot of laughter from their table as Dan poorly described how she wanted to be pierced they finished their meal.
�At least she didn�t want a clit piercing like your girl friend� Brandon said loudly as he laughed smacking his palm onto the table top making every thing on top rattle.
�Knowing Dan, he would have done it!� Josh said though his laughing.
�I know!� Ron joined in on picking on Dan.
�Assholes�� Dan said gloomy to them. �Any ways there going to be a huge party here in Oreburgh City at this Goth club. Eleven P.M.,� Dan handed out some cards �They let Pokemon dance as well, but keep an eye on them. There�s always a bunch of E users at these things.�
�It�s not like our fist time.� Both Ron and Brandon said almost at the same time.
After a long pause Brandon spoke up as he leaned back into his booth seat looking up at the ceiling �Fucking hive mind�
When their meeting came to an end, the friends shared brotherly hugs and went their separate ways. Pulling Mariah�s ball out he smiled down at the engraving he crudely etched into her ball the day after he had to catch her on his 16th birthday. He smiled remembering he broke the ball and had his old man fix it for him. He still remembers �The Speech� about breaking the balls were signs of a poor trainer. Then his old man showed him Exo�s ball for the first time and he had done the same thing.
Slipping on his mp3 head phones he started to strut to the �song take me out� has he made his way to the semi-finals.
After the painful hour and a half registration and a few odd stares from other trainers Brandon made hi way to the arena. �I�m in the top 20 and if I can finish in the final 10 I�ll have a shot at the Sinnoh finals� Brandon said to him self. Unknown to him a smaller younger trainer looked up to Brandon and laughed.
�Man it�s the guy that hasn�t given up. Since the age of 16 you have been gunning for these finals and you�re the son of a final four master� he shook his head and went back to watching the matches.
Brandon quickly ignored the kid knowing well if it broke out he was beating up some on he would forfeit his place and have a good chance of going to jail. After the first four matches which were completely random style matches, ranging from the Pokemon trust battle to pairs and even the new and even odder swap Pokemon battle where rival trainers where given Pokemon from their own rival�s six and in one odd case one. Brandon was called up and ignored hearing his last name over the loud speaker, what made him pause was hearing his Ex was being paired up with him.
�Arceus must be hating me� Brandon said as he reached the arena floor he let Mariah out of her ball and walked to take his spot eyeing Sarah as if she had the plague. The crowed went into a fury of a roar and their eyes locked. Brandon slowly mouth out the words cheating whore as his eyes burned with rage. Mariah climbed up her master�s leg then back to rest her upper half on his shoulder. Even the little jackal Pokemon gave Sarah a death glare with bared fangs mimicking her master�s rage.
�Faith and power, I call forth Nidoqueen!� Brandon shouted over the dying cheers and let Sarah�s ball fly.
�Go Blaze� Sarah called forth her Arcanine and Brandon wince painfully and turned to see a Scyther and a Steelix were on the tail end of being released
Wonderful, might as well throw in the towel on this match, Brandon thought to him self and waited for the start. Fuck it! Might as well knock out all three of them down starting with that shit of a dog.
�One Pokemon, no Items, and no changing Pokemon!� the announcer shouted and the signal was blared into the arena.
�Crush them with your might! Use Earthquake!� Brandon shouted over the horn. The Nidoqueen let out a long wail before stomping her foot into the ground sending out waves knocking over the Steelix and Arcanine. The Scyther took the air before the wave even started. His mind to deep into the fight to hear the announcer calling the shots but wasn�t surprised to see the Steelix still standing.
�You asshole!� He heard Sarah shout at him and from the look on her Arcanine was hurting. He didn�t care he knew his Nidoqueen could easily handle the bug and steel type if their trainers got too cocky. What he didn�t expect to see was the trainer was holding back his Steelix.
�What are they planning now?� Brandon thought as his girl recovered from her devastating move. The crowd irrupted into a booming roar as the Scyther�s trainer gave his order. Brandon cursed him self for zoning out and not paying attention to the other trainer but watched as the Scyther came right at his Nidoqueen and started a full scale assault onto her swinging its talon blades at her wildly. The Nidoqueen roared half in hanger and half in pain as one of the blades sliced into her thick armor like body.
�Nidoqueen use protection!� Brandon shouted over the crowed and was pleased as se took her defensive posture noticing the hazy outline of her shield. Must be fury swipes but why? Brandon thought as he watched his girl back away from the blows. Something isn�t right! Brandon paused and wondered if that was his voice echoing in his own head and he turned to see the Steelix had a clear shot to him and was in fact aiming a flash cannon shot at him. �Fu-�, before he could finish his sentence an explosion rocked the stadium. The bleachers to the left of the arena were set a flame as bodies of the spectators were sent flying in to the field.
�For the Legion, Mikal! Strike now!� Brandon heard Sarah scream and he turned to see the bolt of white energy fly at him. Like any action movie with a bad plot, the world slowed down before Brandon�s eyes. Every thing seemed to sharpen. He could make out the looks of panic from the spectators behind the bolt of energy as it came to him. The sick look of pleasure on the Steelix�s trainer�s face as he saw the look of doom upon Brandon�s face. Brandon tried to bring his arms up at the last second before the bolt of energy struck him. Out of the corner of his eye he could see a small blurry blue ball launch its self at him. With a powerful kick Mariah had kicked Brandon out of the path of the Flash cannon shot but had put her self in the way. The blast was a grazing hit for Mariah and spun her like a top as she flew into the air, her tiny mouth let out a scream of pain which ended as soon as her small frame crashed into the ground. Another explosion rocked arena and more bodies were tossed into the field. The spectators were feeling in a panic as Brandon rolled onto his stomach and looked about in a haze. Confused from the shock wave Brandon looked around trying to piece what happened to him. Finding his Nidoqueen was knocked out and lying on the ground Brandon quickly turned to his right to see Mariah was laying face down on the ground. �Mariah!� Brandon shouted over the ringing in his ears. As soon as Brandon reached for his Riolu, another explosion rocked the stadium and this one was closer to Brandon. Most of the spectators behind him had fled from the disaster so the blast force was far less than the others. The concussive blast had knocked Brandon out.Chapter End Notes:Format maybe screwed up... sorry for that.
Shameless plug, Read ystndy's stuff and havoc's
�One more match and we�ll make the finals this year!� Brandon said to Mariah who looked up to her master with a smile on her face. �But that is a few days from now and we�re an hour away from Oreburgh City� He nodded as he set up a camp site, Making sure he was away from the throngs of trainers that were massing out in the woods to get ready for the upcoming finals. Yeah I could rent a room but camping one more time before the end of the season wouldn�t hurt. Brandon thought to him self as he opened his pokeballs letting out two of his three current Pokemon, a Nidoqueen and a Shelgon. He smiled at the two and spoke softly to them �Well it seems we�re camping out again� he nodded to the two as Mariah sat at Brandon�s foot silently watching him with her red eyes. �Sarah� he pointed lazily to the Nidoqueen �Could you pleases go gather some berries for us?� he asked her and she let out a loud and cheery whine as she turned off into the woods to gather some food. Brandon smiles as she went to work. Sarah was his second Pokemon and she was almost a carbon copy of his father�s Exo. She was the same kind, caring and nurturing Pokemon to Brandon since she was a little Nidorina.
About a month after she evolved into Nidoran, Brandon sent her into the woods to see if she could find any fresh water. When she came back Brandon sent Mariah out to fight her and try to recapture her. Mariah at that point knew it was Sarah and just sat down on the ground looking up at the newly evolved. She was singing a strange song in her little poke-speak, holding out a crumbling moonstone. After realizing Mariah was refusing to fight. Brandon tossed a ball at Sarah only to watch it bounce off the lizard like pokemon�s fat. Then it all clicked together and he laughed as Sarah thought she was being punished in some strange way.
�I wonder if the real Sarah is around� Brandon said as he looked down to Mariah who was too busy chewing on stick in boredom. Brandon brought up his strange new poketec device that was strapped to his right wrist and tapped the power button. A holographic screen flashed before his eyes and he pressed the call feature with his left hand and waited for it to load. �I hope she�s close... I need some lovin�� Brandon said as he laughed a bit. The screen flashed a few times as it switched into its video phone feature and he called up Sarah. After a ring the screen flickered a bit and Brandon was looking at a view that almost made him scream in rage. There on her hands and knees was Sarah naked in all her glory, her red hair messed up as her body was pressed into the ground by her own Arcanine moaning loudly. From the very quick glance he could see he was knotted to his girlfriend.
�What the holy fuck!� Brandon shouts loud enough to make Mariah squeak and jump.
�It�s over Brandon I�� was all he heard as he shut off the call feature and quickly set his poketec to ignore her calls. Letting out a long sigh he slowly fell to his knees s then onto his side curling up in a ball. Mariah easily sensed her master�s plight and dropped her new found chew toy to comfort her life long friend. She placed a paw on her master�s head and softly made cooing noises at him. �I was going to propose to her a week after the match� Brandon whispered more to him self than to Mariah. All she could do was make a soothing noise to him and nuzzle up his face showing she still cared for him. Mean while Brandon�s Shelgon, Magnus just stared at his master with the �What the fuck just happened?� look, and then shrugged to him self as he waddled about the camp sight to ease his boredom.
The massive Nidoqueen came back from the forest to see her master curled up in a ball and let out a high pitch shriek as she dropped her berries and quickly ran over to Brandon. Mariah�s ears perked up before her head turned and she quickly jumped up onto Brandon�s shoulder to stop the panicked Nidoqueen from harming any one. Mariah let out a yip at the queen and waved her to slowly back away from their master. She barked few times as soon as Sarah let out a soft questioning coon and turned her head back to the berries she dropped then back to her master and Mariah with a frown.
Over the two days camping Brandon remained silent and gloomy. Mariah tried her best to cheer up her master and even tried at one point to show she had feelings for him, but he was too deep in his own gloom to notice her. The night before the big match Brandon crawled into his tent by him self, which freaked the hell out of the two Pokemon; once again the Shelgon was utterly clueless. Brandon curled up into his sleeping bag and stared at his poketec looking at the dozen messages his new found ex had left him. After an hour Brandon was in the grip of sleep and passed out snoring softly with his mouth wide open and his left arm wrapped over his eyes as if he was blocking out the non-existent sunlight.
�Brandon�� a voice echoed into his dreams. And he tried to move. �Brandon�� the voice said again. This time it sounded like an angelic woman whispering to him. All the effort to move his arm and open his eyes were in vain as the voice talked to him in his dream. �Brandon, I am here for you.� The voice echoed, �Be with me� forever�� As soon as the voice finished echoing in his skull he felt a pair of lips press into his mouth and he shot upright in his sleeping bag. Drenched in sweat, Brandon looked about his tent seeing he was still alone. �Wha...� was all he could say as he looked about the tent. �Last time I watch Event Horizon� he said as he removed the sweat off his face with a smelly used shirt. Thinking it was one of his Pokemon screwing with him he stuck his head out of the tent to see his Shelgon wasn�t sleeping and looking at him rather clueless and pissed off at the same time. Mariah was curled up in Sarah�s arms sleeping and Sarah was watching her master with a bewildered look. �Sorry,� he whispered to the group and opened his flap to his Pokemon �come on guys get in here� he waved them making note it was only an hour had passed since he went in to the tent. The Shelgon waddled up to Brandon and let out a rather dismissing grunt to him and went into the tent. Sarah got up as best as she could and cradled Mariah in her arm. Brandon quickly stopped her before she entered �I�ll take her, Sarah,� Brandon smiled at her �She�s slept with me for as long as I can remember� he smiled at her as he held his arm out to her. At First Sarah refused but her need to follower her master�s order over ride her instinct to be a mother and gently handed Mariah off to him. The little Jackal stirred in his hand but he was ever so gentle with her. Sarah had turned to see Mariah stir and almost instantly she was by the little one�s ear letting out a soothing coon. �Enough Sarah,� Brandon whispered to her �she�s with me� he smiled at her and nodded �You�re going to be a great mother someday� he smiled at her and went to his sleeping bag. Placing Mariah on his pillow and snuggling his face into her little body to keep her warm.
Once again Brandon fell into slumber next to his little jackal. Once more he was in the grip of a strange dream. The same angelic voice echoed into his head. This time the voice sang softly to him.
My fall will be for you
my love will be in you
if you be the one to cut me
I�ll bleed forever
Brandon slowly woke up and smiled to him self seeing he wasn�t drenched in sweat like last time. In the corner of the tent his Shelgon stared at him. �You don�t ever sleep since you evolved huh?� Brandon said with a smile on his face as he brushed his long brown hair out of his eyes. The Shelgon just snorted at him and seemed pretty happy some one was there to end his boredom. �Yeah I know you want to get out of that shell.� He smiled at his Pokemon and patted it softly. He turned to see Sarah was sleeping, curled up in a corner of the tent on her belly. The large lizard like Pokemon had her snout buried into her tail eyes tightly shut. Every once and a while she would twitch and make a murring sound as she was having a good dream. A small yawn made Brandon turn his gaze away from Sarah and to the little jackal that was sleeping on his pillow. He quickly turned to his Shelgon and put his finger to his lips and pointed to the tent flap. Magnus followed him with a soft grunt and waddled after his master quietly. A few quick glances from Brandon he finally spoke up when he was far from the camp site enough to not wake up the girls. �I know your waiting to fly buddy,� Brandon stopped his walking to pat the Shelgon that obediently stood next to him, �soon.� Brandon finished still patting his Pokemon as he watched the sun rise before a small stream. With out another word Brandon pulled out a small box and pulled the ring out and looked at the gold band with a diamond on it. It wasn�t much but on his little budget it was going to be the ring for the woman he loved for 4 years. �Sarah�� Brandon sighed and tossed it into the stream. The long whaling that sounded like a whale made Brandon turn. �The girls are up� he said to his Shelgon who seemed happier to be around his master than ever. Quickly plucking the stuffing out of the ring box he looked up in time to see the little Riolu shoot out of the tent like a rocket. �Down Mari-� was all he could say as the little jackal lunged into his chest knocking him over. Being as big as he is and heavy, Mariah still was able to knock him flat on his arse. �Hi honey� he said softly and stroked her fur gently as she snuggled into his body �We gotta get ready for the finals today.� He smiled at her as the lizard like Pokemon walked over to them, singing her strange song in her poke speak.
Having no other choice but to swash in the stream, even though it was painfully cold the group washed them selves up. Brandon helped Magnus wash up since he lacked any means to while Mariah and Sarah took to their own little spots. Since their shared 10th birthday Brandon stopped washing Mariah, only helping her turn on and off the shower where ever they where. She seemed more independent as she grew older. What Brandon couldn�t see was Mariah had found the Ring he was going to use to propose to his ex with and she instantly knew what it was for, being there when he bought the ring in the first place. Plucking it out of the stream Mariah kept it hidden in her little paws and slowly made her way back to Brandon. With a soft bark she held her paws up to Brandon and he smiled at her �Found another one of your little treasures?� knowing what she was up to. She�s been doing this since they started their adventures, filling a shoe box that was hidden in Brandon�s bag. Brandon had been very respectful of Mariah and never once poked into her little treasures �Is it small?� he ask as he patted his Shelgon letting him know they were don in the water. She let out a small yip and nodded to him. �Better not be more rocks� Brandon joked with her and tossed her the empty ring box when he got to his piled up gear. �I got that for you� he said with a smile. He turned back to his bag and pulled out her shoe box of treasures and set it down on the ground and started dressing with his back to the little jackal. She quickly stuffed the ring into the box and then opened her treasure box looking over the items she hid with in it. Some of the items gathered in there were just plain rocks. While others were small parts of fossils. There were two large gold nuggets but she didn�t know they were worth money that Brandon could use. To her they were shiny and pretty. ( :3 ) Mariah quickly tucked the ring box in between a fire stone and a King�s rock. Placing the lid back onto the box she looked up ad Brandon who was 5 feet away trying to take a peak into her box. She bared her teeth at him and let out an angry bark at her master who backed off instantly. �Alright, I didn�t see any thing I swear.� Putting his hands up, he slowly backed away, setting down his bag first. Mariah let out playful snort and stuck her nose up the air as if to say to her master that she was better than him as she put the box back into his back pack.
Once Brandon and Mariah got to Oreburgh City, he made a few quick calls to all his friends that he grew up with, seeing if any of them were in the area. After getting call backs from three of his friends, Brandon set up a meeting location at a small dinner. After an hour of waiting his three friends showed up. They marched into the dinner like long forgotten gods of war. Josh the youngest of his friends, brilliant person when it comes to robotics. 20 years old, standing a good 6�2� wore a shaggy beard that displaced his educated look, glasses thick as soda bottles, and a chain for his wallet hung way below his knee. For all the years known, Brandon knew Josh was an odd one but was handy in a pinch. Behind Josh was Ron, 35 years old standing 6�3�. Ron was a computer genius but lacking social grace when it came to strangers yet he some how landed a wife. Ron wore black boots, pants, shirt, socks, and a trench coat that looked so old it should have been placed in a museum. Behind him storming a long and making all eyes on the dinner focus on him, Dan. Wearing a black wife beater, pair of UFO pants* and a thin pair of glasses on his face. But what was drawing the eyes of the patrons� eyes wasn�t his clothing, but his tattoos and the ear piercing that were inch and a half big holes on each ear. The majority of his body was tattooed in Japanese style tattoos. They were all sorts of characters that ranged from Japanese characters of peace and honor to Asian mafia markings. The one tattoo that stood out of the mix going from the knuckles to the top of Dan�s shoulder was the lotus on his right fore arm. Besides his brooding Dan just put it up as a show.
�When was the last tournament you won LunchBox?� Ron said as he sat down in the booth laughing a bit.
�Three years ago, the same time you last shaved� Brandon laughed a bit as he got up and let Dan sit down on the inside next too him. Before he could sit down Josh shoved Brandon gently and hugged Brandon in a brotherly embrace.
�Where�s Mariah?� Josh asked.
�In her ball for now, resting� Brandon replied as they both sat in the booth
�This going to be another year losing?� Dan said as he gave Brandon a smile.
�You know, when was the last time any of you even trained your Pokemon?� Brandon said quietly turning to Dan. �Also piercing the hell out of your Pikachu�s ears doesn�t count as training.� Brandon turned his head to Dan. Last time Brandon saw that Pikachu, she had eight metal studs on her left ear and on her right ear was a strange loop with a chain that started at the bottom of the black and was connected to a metal tag that when right through the flesh.
�Well we all did the gym runs when we were all 16.� Josh said and nodded to Brandon.
�Yeah well that�s all fine and dandy but the last final four matches were�� Brandon trailed off to make his point far more dramatic ��Six years after my old man won his final four matches.�
�But�� Josh tried to respond but was cut off quickly by Ron.
�That�s not the point we�re getting at Box, Isn�t it time for you to give up and just settle down with Sarah?� Ron pointed out to Brandon.
�Yeah� About her�� Brandon looked down �She�s been cheating on me, and we�re going to leave it at that.� Brandon nodded a bit, �Besides my old man won the final four, if they are no longer around, I am going to win the Sinnoh�s master�s championship.� Brandon looked up at the group. �I gotta do that before I settle down.�
�Let him have his dream.� Dan spoke up and nudged Brandon.
�All I have to do is get Mariah to evolve.� Brandon said and nodded
�Yeah, but she should do that on her own in 10 more years or have a very strong bond with you.� Josh said �And I know you two are inseparable.� Josh stated as a young waitress showed up at their table. After she took their orders and felt uncomfortable with Dan�s early morning advances on her. Josh when back to talking �Maybe she has a genetic defect being half ditto?�
�Impossible,� Brandon responded rather quickly, �I�ve had her checked out by the clones dozens of times. Their only response is �when she feels ready�,� Brandon said with a nod, �She seems content to be a Riolu for now and I�m not going to force her.�
�Maybe you�re just a bad trainer, Box.� Ron said in a serious tone.
�Impossible again,� Brandon shook his head at Ron not being bothered by his adopted (by friendship) brother�s comment �Magnus evolved into a Shelgon five months ago and Sarah is at her final form.�
Their food was served and the conversation drifted from Mariah to Dan�s Pikachu that has been turned into a pincushion. After a riot of laughter from their table as Dan poorly described how she wanted to be pierced they finished their meal.
�At least she didn�t want a clit piercing like your girl friend� Brandon said loudly as he laughed smacking his palm onto the table top making every thing on top rattle.
�Knowing Dan, he would have done it!� Josh said though his laughing.
�I know!� Ron joined in on picking on Dan.
�Assholes�� Dan said gloomy to them. �Any ways there going to be a huge party here in Oreburgh City at this Goth club. Eleven P.M.,� Dan handed out some cards �They let Pokemon dance as well, but keep an eye on them. There�s always a bunch of E users at these things.�
�It�s not like our fist time.� Both Ron and Brandon said almost at the same time.
After a long pause Brandon spoke up as he leaned back into his booth seat looking up at the ceiling �Fucking hive mind�
When their meeting came to an end, the friends shared brotherly hugs and went their separate ways. Pulling Mariah�s ball out he smiled down at the engraving he crudely etched into her ball the day after he had to catch her on his 16th birthday. He smiled remembering he broke the ball and had his old man fix it for him. He still remembers �The Speech� about breaking the balls were signs of a poor trainer. Then his old man showed him Exo�s ball for the first time and he had done the same thing.
Slipping on his mp3 head phones he started to strut to the �song take me out� has he made his way to the semi-finals.
After the painful hour and a half registration and a few odd stares from other trainers Brandon made hi way to the arena. �I�m in the top 20 and if I can finish in the final 10 I�ll have a shot at the Sinnoh finals� Brandon said to him self. Unknown to him a smaller younger trainer looked up to Brandon and laughed.
�Man it�s the guy that hasn�t given up. Since the age of 16 you have been gunning for these finals and you�re the son of a final four master� he shook his head and went back to watching the matches.
Brandon quickly ignored the kid knowing well if it broke out he was beating up some on he would forfeit his place and have a good chance of going to jail. After the first four matches which were completely random style matches, ranging from the Pokemon trust battle to pairs and even the new and even odder swap Pokemon battle where rival trainers where given Pokemon from their own rival�s six and in one odd case one. Brandon was called up and ignored hearing his last name over the loud speaker, what made him pause was hearing his Ex was being paired up with him.
�Arceus must be hating me� Brandon said as he reached the arena floor he let Mariah out of her ball and walked to take his spot eyeing Sarah as if she had the plague. The crowed went into a fury of a roar and their eyes locked. Brandon slowly mouth out the words cheating whore as his eyes burned with rage. Mariah climbed up her master�s leg then back to rest her upper half on his shoulder. Even the little jackal Pokemon gave Sarah a death glare with bared fangs mimicking her master�s rage.
�Faith and power, I call forth Nidoqueen!� Brandon shouted over the dying cheers and let Sarah�s ball fly.
�Go Blaze� Sarah called forth her Arcanine and Brandon wince painfully and turned to see a Scyther and a Steelix were on the tail end of being released
Wonderful, might as well throw in the towel on this match, Brandon thought to him self and waited for the start. Fuck it! Might as well knock out all three of them down starting with that shit of a dog.
�One Pokemon, no Items, and no changing Pokemon!� the announcer shouted and the signal was blared into the arena.
�Crush them with your might! Use Earthquake!� Brandon shouted over the horn. The Nidoqueen let out a long wail before stomping her foot into the ground sending out waves knocking over the Steelix and Arcanine. The Scyther took the air before the wave even started. His mind to deep into the fight to hear the announcer calling the shots but wasn�t surprised to see the Steelix still standing.
�You asshole!� He heard Sarah shout at him and from the look on her Arcanine was hurting. He didn�t care he knew his Nidoqueen could easily handle the bug and steel type if their trainers got too cocky. What he didn�t expect to see was the trainer was holding back his Steelix.
�What are they planning now?� Brandon thought as his girl recovered from her devastating move. The crowd irrupted into a booming roar as the Scyther�s trainer gave his order. Brandon cursed him self for zoning out and not paying attention to the other trainer but watched as the Scyther came right at his Nidoqueen and started a full scale assault onto her swinging its talon blades at her wildly. The Nidoqueen roared half in hanger and half in pain as one of the blades sliced into her thick armor like body.
�Nidoqueen use protection!� Brandon shouted over the crowed and was pleased as se took her defensive posture noticing the hazy outline of her shield. Must be fury swipes but why? Brandon thought as he watched his girl back away from the blows. Something isn�t right! Brandon paused and wondered if that was his voice echoing in his own head and he turned to see the Steelix had a clear shot to him and was in fact aiming a flash cannon shot at him. �Fu-�, before he could finish his sentence an explosion rocked the stadium. The bleachers to the left of the arena were set a flame as bodies of the spectators were sent flying in to the field.
�For the Legion, Mikal! Strike now!� Brandon heard Sarah scream and he turned to see the bolt of white energy fly at him. Like any action movie with a bad plot, the world slowed down before Brandon�s eyes. Every thing seemed to sharpen. He could make out the looks of panic from the spectators behind the bolt of energy as it came to him. The sick look of pleasure on the Steelix�s trainer�s face as he saw the look of doom upon Brandon�s face. Brandon tried to bring his arms up at the last second before the bolt of energy struck him. Out of the corner of his eye he could see a small blurry blue ball launch its self at him. With a powerful kick Mariah had kicked Brandon out of the path of the Flash cannon shot but had put her self in the way. The blast was a grazing hit for Mariah and spun her like a top as she flew into the air, her tiny mouth let out a scream of pain which ended as soon as her small frame crashed into the ground. Another explosion rocked arena and more bodies were tossed into the field. The spectators were feeling in a panic as Brandon rolled onto his stomach and looked about in a haze. Confused from the shock wave Brandon looked around trying to piece what happened to him. Finding his Nidoqueen was knocked out and lying on the ground Brandon quickly turned to his right to see Mariah was laying face down on the ground. �Mariah!� Brandon shouted over the ringing in his ears. As soon as Brandon reached for his Riolu, another explosion rocked the stadium and this one was closer to Brandon. Most of the spectators behind him had fled from the disaster so the blast force was far less than the others. The concussive blast had knocked Brandon out.Chapter End Notes:Format maybe screwed up... sorry for that.
Shameless plug, Read ystndy's stuff and havoc's