Randy stared, dumbstruck, at Auree's choice in partners. At first he didn't believe her, but then as he realized she was serious, he and Dex started laughing uncontrollably.<span style="color: Darkred">Him!? He's your partner!?</span>He managed through his laughter.<span style="color: darkred">What's his Pokemon, a Rattata he found in a sewer!?</span>He laughed so hard that he doubled over, having to support himself on his knees.<br/><br/>When Pedro flashed the wad of paper, Randy wiped the tears that had been forming from his eyes.<span style="color: darkred">Oh man... and he's stupid too. Fine. Double or nothing. 1,200. Hey, battle here!</span>He yelled, waving at a nearby officer.<br/><br/>The officer wore her standard blues with her uniform hat on. She looked over the group, eyes lingering for a moment on Pedro.<span style="color: navy">"Terms?"</span>She asked.<br/><br/><span style="color: darkred">Doubles, single Pokemon each. 1,200 wager.</span>Randy told her, jabbing Dex with his elbow to indicate his partner.<br/><br/>The officer nodded and start leading them away from the crowd a bit, calling,<span style="color: navy">"Clear a place - battle to start!"</span><br/><br/>It wasn't until the area started to clear that Randy realized that the Gastly was following Pedro. His face paled, and he stopped.<span style="color: darkred">Hey, no! He's got a ghost type? That's not fair, that's cheating!</span><br/><br/>The officer looked at Pedro and his Gastly then at Randy, annoyed.<span style="color: navy">"You set the terms. If you didn't want the battle you shouldn't have agreed to it."</span>She crossed her arms across her breasts.<span style="color: navy">"And by league rules, if you forfeit your opponents win by default."</span><br/><br/>Dex leaned toward Randy.<span style="color: darkorange">Forget that Ghost type crap. The other Pokemon's still that dumb Pachirisu. No way they can win. Besides, I wanna give that girl a good spanking a second time.</span><br/><br/>Randy stared at Pedro, angry and afraid.<i> I'm not a loser, I'm a winner!</i>He thought. Always pick the fights you know you can win easily, that was his strategy. In his mind it made him the best.<span style="color: darkred">Ptch.</span>He muttered, sneering and putting on a show of feigned toughness.<span style="color: darkred">Whatever. No way you can win. The battles on.</span><br/><br/>The crowd made a clearing, and the Pokemon hit the field. Both Dex and Randy threw out their Pokeballs which opened as they hit the field. A Bolt of white light shot from inside and the energy reconstituted into two forms, a large winged Pokemon, and a much larger serpent. The energy coalesced, and the Aerodactly and Onix squared off with their opponents.<br/><br/><span style="font-family: 'Lucida Console'">Onix:<br/>
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</div>The "Rock Snake" Pokémon. As it grows, the stone portions of its body harden to become similar to black-colored diamonds. By twisting its large and powerful body, Onix can quickly bore through the ground at fifty miles per hour.<br/>
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Class: Rock<br/>
Average Size: 8.8m<br/>
Weight: 210 kg<br/>
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Aerodactyl:<br/>
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</div>Aerodactyl, an extinct Flying Pokémon. It was regenerated from a dinosaur's genetic matter that was found in amber. It flies with high-pitched cries and is equipped with sharp saw-like teeth.<br/>
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Type: Rock/ Flying<br/>
Average Size: 1.8m<br/>
Weight: 59 kg<br/>
</span><br/><br/><br/><br/>***<br/><br/><br/>The situation at the Lab hadn't changed. Though, down the street was a small group of officers standing around a Growlithe who was sniffing very intently at a pile of blue cloth on the street. One of the more popular Cafe's in the town square was filled with trainers with badges who were keeping out anyone without a badge. Inside casually sat the veteran trainer who had watched the Arcanine battle. The tour group was all heading north along the town streets, snapping photos with people's Pokemon on their way to the vehicle that would take them out into the island. A mile away in one of the forests beyond the hills and rice fields surrounding Saisho, a large flock of Pidgeys took flight, screeching as something spooked them.<br/><br/><br/>***<br/><br/><br/>Eleyna jogged lightly until she had cleared the crowds then slowed to a walk. She climbed a short hill, the grass blanketing it basked in the mid-day sun, fluttering in the soft breeze that occasionally rolled across the fields. Eleyna kept going, until the bustle and roar of the town was just a distant noise. As she crested the hill and looked back, she saw the town nestled against the coast, the raised track for the train curving around off into the ocean, in either direction. The train began moving, the boarding for the trip to one of the other town's in Yugen having finished. The fields around Saisho were alive with people and Pokemon, battling and training.<br/><br/>Even with the occasional distant crowd call, or crash of battling Pokemon, it was a peaceful spot that hill, removed from the excited chaos below. Eleyna turned around, facing the treeline of a forest ahead, its unknown depths sounded with bird calls and insect chirps. She squatted down, taking her pack off her shoulder and tossing down her sleeping roll. She sifted through her bag and withdrew the one active Pokeball within. It was  relic from her mother's days as a trainer, and surprisingly, showed virtually no wear.<br/><br/>Eleyna stood up, pushing her pack aside. She stared at the Pokeball, her determination from seeing the Arcanine holding, but the thought of dealing with the Pokemon inside again still daunted her. She took a deep breath and muttered,<span style="color: blue">Here we go...</span>then activated the ball and threw it. It hit the ground, popped up, opened and after a flash of light, there stood a Growlithe.<br/><br/>Eleyna stood still, watching him. He blinked and looked around for a moment getting his senses about him. He saw Eleyna and immediately his lips twinged in disgust and his eyes narrowed. The two stared at each other for a moment, then, without warning the Growlithe bolted, turning around and running as fast as he could for the tree line. But Eleyna had already played this game with him before.<br/><br/>The moment the Pokeball's return mechanic had bounced it back to her she threw it, pegging Growlithe in the back of the head. The ball opened and returned him then fell onto the grass below, still. Eleyna picked up it then walked back to her pack. Turned back around, and threw it again.<br/><br/>Growlithe was ready this time, turning around and running immediately. He tried to zig zag, but Eleyna simply grabbed the Pokeball and returned him with a simple press of the nose button while he remained in range. Again, she went back to her place. She paused to collect herself before throwing it again.<br/><br/>When Growlithe came out the third time he looked furious, staring at her and growling, teeth bared. He tried to run again, at an angle rather than straight away.<span style="color: blue">Stop!</span>Eleyna pleaded, ready to throw the ball. He didn't. Another flash of light later and Eleyna was once again alone on the hill, Pokeball in hand. She stared at the ball, trying to suppress the tremble in her lip. It hurt her when he did this, over and over. It was a painful feeling of inadequacy for her only Pokemon  to respect her so little, to loathe her. She remembered the Arcanine, roaring, powerful, and majestic. He and his trainer were a team, companions, he trusted him. Eleyna wanted that sort of bond, to feel the companionship with her Pokemon that her mother had always told her about. She wanted it desperately, dreamed about it since she was a child.<br/><br/>She lifted her arm and threw the Pokeball again. Growlithe popped out,<span style="color: blue">Stop.</span>Eleyna stamped her foot. He started to lift his paws to begin running again, but Eleyna raised the Pokeball in response, ready to throw. Growlithe paused, looking at her, considering the inevitable outcome. He set his paw back down, and in return Eleyna lowered her arm. Growlithe looked around the hillside, the tuft of golden hair on his head fluttering as a warm breeze rolled by.<br/><br/>He looked back at Eleyna and slowly sat down, though the contempt never left his eyes. He was utterly defiant. He didn't run because he didn't want to run this time, he decided. It had been a long time since he had spent any real time outside. He sniffed the unfamiliar air.<br/><br/><span style="color: blue">Growlithe...</span>Eleyna said, looking at him. He looked away from her, deliberately ignoring her. He looked down at Saisho instead, at the Pokemon battles below. There was a momentary tremble in his lip as he saw the battles, a subtle change in his expression that Eleyna didn't understand.<span style="color: blue">Growlithe... I'm your trainer now. We have to work together.</span>He shot her an annoyed look, then turned around and laid down, facing the forest rather than her.<br/><br/>Eleyna clenched her fist, frustrated and disparaged.<span style="color: blue">Fine! I don't care about you anyway!</span>She lied and threw the Pokeball at him. Growlithe disappeared back inside it. Eleyna didn't go to pick it up. She left it laying there for a long while. She imagined the trainer and his Arcanine, standing there, proud, victorious. Imagined that it was her there instead of him, a trainer. A<i>great</i>trainer. But she wasn't.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>