The Elite Suites is the most expensive hotel in the Indigo area. Five rows of twenty hotel rooms and three stories tall. There are three hundred rooms total and that doesn't include the ten private rooms which are more like the size of a small one story house. It's as expensive as can be but well worth the stay. All Elite members have their own private house suite and currently, everyone is at Mark's house. The house is made of classy wood aligned in a decorative horizontal fashion. This one has a second story just recently added on and a balcony on the top sits over the trees behind the house.
The Indigo Plateau isn't very busy when the competitions are not going on. It is like a small town with not many residents but when battles get going for the league champion, tens of thousands show up. During that one time of the year, business really make a profit. But now, there will be no competitions for a while seeing how the Elite's will be off trying to win a secret war.
"Gin! I win again." Clark throws down his cards and grabs his newly acquired chips from the center.
Mik bangs his hand on the round card table. "Now we play poker. That's what this table is made for."
Clark nods with a smile. "Yea, I guess we need to play something easier on your mind."
"Count me out." Kurt flips his only blue chip left on the table staring at Clark and walks away.
Clark- "I can't help that I'm so good."
Kurt goes to the second floor, wandering to the only room there with the balcony. There, Mallard sits at a desk with a box of items and a pad of notes sitting by. Patricia stands at the balcony watching the forest move in the night wind with an orange sunset streaking the sky and cloud strands wisping around.
"That kid has to be cheating somehow."
Mallard looks up from some notes he is working on. "Just admit you're not very good." He looks back down to his work.
Kurt- "I am the best. I can't lose."
Mallard- "Uh-huh. You could always battle him for your pride."
Kurt smirks at the comment, "Changing topics, the newscast is about to be on in a couple minutes. Let's go you two downstairs." Patricia turns around, smiling.
The original Elite brings the box down the steps then marches back up to help the larger Mallard down the steps. It takes both Patricia and Kurt's strength to keep him up from falling down the wooden steps.
"Straight! That beats you all." Clark grabs more chips for his ever growing pile of winnings. Mik and Al sigh, giving up the game. He then sees the three finish helping Mallard down the steps. "Ah, so the vampire does come down from the rafters."
Patricia hands the crutches to Mallard, whom grabs them under his arms. "I could beat you with these and no court would convict me."
Clark- "But Mark won't let you do that to me." He sticks his tongue out.
Standing next to the door with his arms crossed and head down as if thinking, Mark replies, "Nope, it's your own fault if he beats you."
Clark jumps back from the poker table, running over to the couch in front of the forty inch high definition television. His handful of poker chips are prepared to be thrown at will. "Come on, I dare you."
Mark looks up, "No time. The news is coming on soon. Everyone get over by the TV."
Everyone lets Mallard go first and get comfortable. Clark moves over to the right side of the couch but Mallard sits down on him, purposely. Al giggles as he pushes a chair next to the couch. One by one they all form around the tube. Mark hands Mallard a pad of paper to take notes on. Mik pushes in a tape to record the news just in case they would like to view it later.
*DING DONG*
Mark sits up from his center spot on the couch now that everyone was comfortable and moves to the door. Looking through the eyepiece, he spots two familiar faces. "Jack? Scottie?" The door creaks open to reveal and crispy Jack and a tired Scottie.
"Sorry we're late, but..."
He cuts them off, "Get in. It's just about to start." Mark closes the door as the two enter and he rushes back to his spot. Jack and Scottie eventually make their way to the couch, standing uncomfortably in the back next to Patricia.
She looks at the crispy team member and her eyes grow large. "Let me get you some burning lotion."
"Shhh! Wait fifteen minutes."
The large television screen shows black and white and shades of grey snowing about. They have the right channel, the right time. But no picture. Is it bad reception?
Suddenly the picture turns clear. The news starts. TMWR letters in black scroll across the screen with a green picture of the Johto League behind it. The screen fades to a typical news desk with only one person sitting behind it. A female with shady green eyes, long dark brown hair crawls down her back, and she has the youngest face possible- probably somewhere middle twenties. She wears a formal white shirt with a red tie. It's an unusual look for a women, but nonetheless she has Mallards attention.
"It will be my honor to watch the news for you guys. Hehe..." He draws a heart on the paper smiling like he's never seen anyone more attractive.
Clark nudges Mallard in the shoulder. "If you ever need help, call me."
"Shut up!" Mark sternly shouts.
Back to the newscast which has already wasted two minutes with this long introduction.
"It's Thursday, and you're watching the Team War News. I'm your reporter, as always, Mary Rogers. This newscast will be slightly different as we have a new team joining us today. But they will be introduced later. For now, some top stories."
She is handed a piece of paper from the side. "Ah yes, we have all heard about this battle at Olivine Beach and the regular news has no idea still what is going on. Thanks to Kim for doing what was necessary to silence as many reporters as possible. As for the battle, the two sides have retreated to formulate new strategies. Still no comments from either side until this battle is over."
Looking back at the paper, she waves over news items that aren't important. "Nah. No, that one's not good. Oh... here's one. Team Trainer has passed their twentieth special event in a row. They are well above the other teams now whom have at the most eleven total. Congratulations to this Team's great accomplishments."
Back to the paper, she scans. "Nope... this is all boring. Such a slow day. Fine, I'll do the weather early I guess." She stands up from the desk to show her white skirt well above her knees and black belt lying across her waist even when it is not needed.
Mallard holds his heart. "Oh man, I'm going to die."
"SHHH!!!"
Mary stands in front of a screen with a map of the Johto region behind her. Clouds form across the map with little pictures of different weather patterns. "The rain is not going to hit Ecruteak City like earlier predicted. It will pass shortly North of the city. Everywhere else will be partly cloudy with sun peaking later in the day." Another map replaces Johto. It's Kanto. "Winds are picking up near Viridian City. These South winds have caused some shops to close down for a while. These winds will be around for another week. On the other side of Kanto, near Lavender Town, tomorrow is expected to be a hot and sunny day, all day. A recent fire has opened up the sky there and the clouds were pushed away. All other places will be nice weather. The beaches will be colder from the winds, but it should be nice out." The Hoenn league pops up now. "Sunny, not a cloud in site. One of the teams is surely doing their job in that league, keeping the sun shining all day. Expect hot, hot, hot weather."
Clark licks his lips, "You can say hot one more time."
A picture of some islands replace the Hoenn map. "And as usual, the Orange Islands will mostly be partly cloudy but what do you people care. No team has yet to occupy that area." Mary walks back to her desk. "Well, there's no more news and no announcements, except one. We have a new team. Yay!" The words �Team Elite' show up in the right top corner. "Yes, Team Elite is their name. I hope they are watching now. They have some time to get those small electronics tracers on them. Now who they are and such will be up to the other teams to find out, unless they should expose themself like a few teams. The one person I can name is the leader. His name is Mark, uh, no last name given, uh, ok." She looks perplexed but continues. "And the one fact you need to know is he is a member of the Elite Four. That's it. Good luck to the new team and may they try their best."
A hand comes from the right of the screen and places a piece of paper in from of Mary.
"Oh, since we have some time left, I can give this announcement. Kim and Mr. E are wanting to know opinions about the Orange Islands. Should they be kept in this war or not? To answer, go the website and vote for your group answer. The answer will be revealed in a weeks time." She looks back over her disregarded news. "I guess that's it. Keep up the good work. And may all the teams triumph in the end." The screen darkens and the credits roll up to signify the end. Then the fuzzy shades of white and black show up again. Mark turns the tape recorder off as he does with the television.
"That wasn't fifteen minutes!" Clark musters first.
Mallard finishes up his notes, "Mary Rogers did say this newscast would be different. Tomorrow will be better I'm sure."
Patricia jumps up and hops to the door, saying she is getting her medical kit in the building with all their luggage. Scottie slinks down to the floor to rest his weary legs and next to him, Jack blinks dazed from the news. Mark move over to the small box with the small tracers in them. Al drops to lay on the carpet in front of the couch while Mik stretches back in the recliner on the side. Seeing the open chair, Scottie makes a dash for it. Meanwhile, Mallard and Clark have their chat of the news but it's mostly about Mary.
"You are so out of her league and way too old. I have a better chance."
"You wish! With age comes experience. Do your job and watch from the sidelines, Pokemon Watcher."
Clark shakes his head. "Yea, like she is going to want someone who trips and breaks his leg walking."
"They dig the injured!" Mallard sparks back.
"So," Clark is determined to win this battle. He always wins verbal arguments. "I bet I could find her address before you can remember her hair color."
"Wise guy.."
And during the argument, Mark has handed out the tracers to his team; all except Patricia whom should be back soon. He signals to each to press the tiny red button to turn them on. Jack looks at the intricate design of the quarter sized device. His device number is three.
"Alright, it's non-stop action from now on." Mark spies Al hesitantly shaking the device in the palm of his hand. "Al, you ok? You sure you want to do this?"
He grips the device in his hand, not shaking but showing courage. "I am here to protect my town."
"Good, we will need that knowledge of the Hoenn Pokemon you have when we travel there. But first we must protect our home leagues."
Kurt jumps in from his spot on the other side of the couch, near the recliner, "Forget those other leagues. We don't need it. We are the masters of these Leagues and let's concentrate here."
"I second that!" Mik shouts next to Kurt on the recliner. They look at each other and nod. "Those Hoenn people can come over here if they want to win." Al coughs slightly, getting enough attention. "Oh, right. Sorry there little guy." Al nods accepting the apology.
In the midst of the conversations, Patricia slips back in the house. She is handed the device and she pockets it to worry later. She moves to Jack and dampens a cloth with burn healing lotion and proceeds to wipe his exposed arms, legs and neck.
Mark replies, "Well, we can stay here as long as we can but eventually, I fear we will need to go over to Hoenn." He looks to Al and a worn out Scottie and points to them. "We do have these two that have been there, so we won't be too lost." Mallard moves his head over to the table where his box lies, unopened. "Huh? Oh, yea go ahead," he says to Mallard while walking over to the box.
"Ahem... I have something for you all," Mallard starts to speak and everyone quiets down.
Mark opens the box and takes a peak inside.
"In the box there are two things: a Pokedex and a walkie-talkie. There are enough for each of us and then some for when we get new members."
Mark brings out the Pokedex. It is of a larger shape and different shade of red, like a dark ruby red. The top flips upward to expose a larger screen and more variety of white buttons. On the flipped up top, there is an indent about the size of a Pokeball and a black dot in the middle. At the top corner of the flip, there is a small circular grey button. The sides of the Pokedex are also different, having many more wire connectors than normal. The usual camera is at the top to view the Pokemon and show its data on the bottom flip after that.
Mallard explains. "These are no ordinary Pokedex's, they are my very own creation that I've kept secret from the public. It's just coincidence that this War happened right when I started producing it for myself. Anyway, it's regular functions and things are there, but what I'm proud of is the power to bring Pokemon to you without going to a Pokecenter transporter. Here, bring it to me." Mark steps over with the Pokedex he took out and hands it to Mallard. He then takes out a Pokeball from his shirt pocket and places it on the open Pokedex in the indent of the flipped part. "Place Pokeball here, press the white buttons to find which Pokemon you want from your PC, and press the grey button at the top corner. Pokeballs will be switched in about ten seconds."
The crowd gives a general nod in approving the invention but Clark has to say, "Cool! We can never lose a battle with other teams now. We have infinite Pokemon, not just the recommended six."
The professor shakes his head. "I wish. These Pokedex's take batteries but they weren't powerful enough. I replaced them with a rechargeable battery which is why the body is a little bigger than normal Pokedex's. These better batteries have more energy in them. They can transfer 3 Pokeballs back and forth, and that's if you don't use the Pokedex regularly. Transfers cost the battery a lot of energy, so at most you will get is two transfers. So I suggest not doing this unless it's very important." Mark goes back to the box. "I would show you guys how the Pokedex works, but this one isn't mine. I've specially adapted the Pokedex's to the person's PC Box number. That's why I asked at the first meeting. For those without one, I will help you get one.
Jack takes a knee to the floor and puts his head to rest on the back of the couch to take a break from standing for so long. He is so tired from all his actions and the fact the bruises he has need to heal. The lotion Patricia has covered him in has helped so much. He must remember to thank her tomorrow.
"So what's the other item? I want to go to bed soon." Mik starts getting grumpy from all this conversation. He is already bored out of his mind.
Mallard continues. "Ok, Mark, take out the walkie-talkies." And he does just that. "I've modified these to last throughout the radius of one league. That's a lot of space. It won't have trouble with mountains because the signal is sent to a satellite in space. There might be slight delay if you're underground, like a basement. Also rechargeable batteries, these should last about forty hours. So please, when not in use, turn them off."
"So, these would be used for missions?" Mallard nods to the questioning Mark. "Good. I had something like this but these are better. Good work professor."
"Thank you. Now please help me back upstairs. I have some work to finish."
Patricia moves from her corner away from the action, feeling left out, and helps Mallard to his feet with the crutches. At the stairs, she carefully lifts and helps him up to his sanctuary.
Closing the recliner down, Mik stands up to stretch his arms. "Time for bed. See you guys tomorrow." No one stops him from leaving, making his way out the door to his own private house.
8:00pm
"So the war has started. What do you think guys?" Mark asks of everyone still remaining.
Clark shouts, "We're all gonna die!"
"Shut up, Clark."
It was Jack's turn to answer. "If we all work as a team, we can do this. We don't have teamwork yet an that's one thing we need."
Mark nods in agreement as does Kurt. Kurt replies, "The Elite will work together, it's Jack and Al I'm worried about." He looks upon the two whom he mentioned. "I mean, I spend a lot of time with Mark, Clark, Mik, Scottie and Mallard. Patricia is so nice she is always a team player. The fact that we know nothing of these two creates a problem with teamwork."
True feelings come out against Jack and Al. But Jack sees that within the Elites, they aren't well organized. Kurt's definition of teamwork is sketchy. "On my life, I will abide and protect Team Elite. If we can't work together, we have already lost. Al and myself are here and we will do what's necessary to keep us with hopes."
"Yes, I will also watch our backs," comes from Al resting on the couch.
Mark- "Good. Let's hope we can work together when this special event happens tomorrow."
Everyone agrees.
10:00pm
Quiet. Night has officially shut Indigo Plateau down. All citizens prepare for sleep if they have not already done so. The lanterns hanging outside light up the street in an eerie glow. The moon is covered behind the dark night clouds, barely outlining the hint of clouds.
Jack's burnt clothes have been tossed and his spare clothes he had in his pack, just like the ones he wore before, will now be worn. His hat, however, is the only one he has. It has a slight crisp on the side but it isn't that noticeable. He can't replace the hat because it was given to him as a gift from a special friend whom he will never forget. But now is not the time to wear his normal clothes as he must go to sleep. Him, Al, Clark, Mallard and Patricia remain at Mark's house to sleep. Mallard and Patricia in the upstairs room; Clark and Mark in their own rooms; Al on the couch and Jack lying on the floor below him in a sleeping bag between couch and television. He can't help but think of the days to come and the adventures he would be involved in. Of all the possibilities, Jack is an Elite. He never wanted this, only recognition. His parents would be so proud but he can't tell them. Not until this war is over.
"Jack?" Al mutters from his elevated position on the couch. "Do you think we made the right choice?"
Jack rolls over to look at the couch and direct his voice to it. "No. But we must do this. For our family and friends depend upon us protecting them." That's all Al needed to hear.
7:00am
Mornings in Indigo are just like mornings in Cherrygrove City, peaceful. Hardly any traffic of cars itching to go to work and no school or college being loaded with children. Indigo is a place for a few people to live and those people work here during the tournaments.
Except when the occasional falling spear sticks in the ground just outside Mik's house. More on this later.
Since being forced to go to bed so early, practically everyone is already up and eating breakfast. Pancake and eggs, the breakfast of champions. After the people awake take their turn to eat, someone knocks at the door. It's Kurt. The only person not at Mark's house is Mik.
Kurt had already eaten food at his own private house but he finishes off the left overs here so they don't go to waste. Clark is at the computer on the desk in the corner. He is searching the net for possible Team War information.
Somewhere around half an hour later, Patricia volunteers to go and bring Mik over here. Mark wants the team together when this event happens today. A knock at the door, Patricia walks in holding a spear of some sort, followed by Mik.
"Look what was outside Mik's door." She holds up the spear with a rolled up piece of paper tied to it.
Mark fumbles with the knot and unravels the paper from it.
"Is it a threat from another team?"
"No. It says �Your first challenge will arrive at promptly eight o'clock. All other challenges will happen without warning and at any time and the spear is how you will know a challenge is ready. This challenge is essential you pass.' Must be from the Team War administrators." He looks at his watch. "Only ten minutes! Mik, if you had woken up earlier, we could prepare for the challenge."
Mik grumbles as he sits down at the breakfast table. "I was watching the news. Just because it's not the war news, doesn't mean it's not just as important. Had a special on the Olivine Invasion the media is calling it. A team of blue head bandanas wearing striped shirts and blue pants on boats in the water against a team of red bandanas with unmatched clothes on land. Those aren't any teams I know."
Al speaks up, "Blue? Sounds like Team Aqua."
"Aqua?"
"Yes. They are based in the Hoenn region where I came from. My family owed them some money but we couldn't pay so we moved here to hide."
"What about the red bandanas?"
"I'm not sure."
Scottie yawns. "This is all fascinating, but shouldn't we go outside and wait for the event."
Everyone agrees around the room and march outside. Except for Mallard, whom goes back to his room. Nothing he can do in the challenge since he has crutches and can't move too much. Each person stands spread out around the front of the door, looking around for the moment.
"Maybe we should investigate the Olivine Invasion. Since that is the only thing we know so far."
Mark nods while looking around. "Good idea Kurt."
The moment arrives as a spear plummets to the ground, holding a note just like the first one. Mark grabs it and reads:
"Get the map from the Pokemon. Good luck."
A few look above to see a large cargo plane flying through the clouds. Because it is so high, they can't hear it but that must be where the spear came from. A black speck appears behind the plane and forms bigger the closer to ground it goes. At a good distance from the ground, a parachute deploys to safely guide the object to the ground. Closer and closer, it appears to not be an object, rather a Pokemon, a small one at that. A Roselia. The wind grabs the parachuting Pokemon and drifts it into the forest behind the houses.
"Look, there it goes." Mark, Al, Jack, Clark, Mik, Kurt and Scottie rush out to the forest.
Patricia remarks. "I'll stay here. This isn't for me." She walks inside the house, leaving one of the spears in the ground.
A figure across the street hiding around the corner of one of the buildings takes note of this situation. "Spears? Falling Pokemon? Hmmm..."
Scottie is out first followed closely behind by Jack, Kurt and Mark. Al and Clark are younger and don't have the speed yet and Mik, well, he's just old.
Mik stops to take a breather. "Bah!" He walks back to the house worn out.
The six left remaining approach the landing spot, having gone around trees and bushes, and see the parachute stuck in a tree. The rose Pokemon stands on the ground below, dusting off from the fall.
"What Pokemon is that?" Clark says.
Al responds with his Hoenn knowledge. "That's a Roselia. I think it's a grass type."
Jack whips out his new Pokedex to get the data from it.
Roselia- the Thorn Pokemon- The thorns on this Pokemon's head contain a vicious poison.
"They can be cool when the roses are different colors," continues Al. "I remember my friends garden..."
"No time for flashbacks Al. Get that Pokemon." Mark commands as he edges near Roselia.
But the Pokemon is aware of the guests. It looks up from the it's one foot height at the much taller figures. "Rose..." it giggles and turns opposite the humans and makes a break for it.
"Ninetales, go!" Jack calls out and his faithful Pokemon steps forward.
Kurt pulls out his own Pokeball. "No Jack, no fire Pokemon in the forest. Don't want to burn it down." A Raticate forms in front of him as the two of them charge.
Jack rubs his head, "Right. Ninetales, return." He re-selects a Pokeball but his companions and Roselia are already far ahead. "Hey, wait for me. Grr... Stantler." A graceful Stantler appears and Jack gets on. "Charge!"
Scottie is still in the lead, with his Meganium at his side. Due to Roselia being so small, it can duck under and squeeze through spots its pursuers can't do; fallen branches, fluffy bushes, and narrow pathways. This is turning out to be harder than it seemed.
"Guys, where are you?" Jack calls as his Stantler tries to maneuver through the trees to catch up to his pals. A faint whisper fills the air, turning to a voice. He points left and Stantler goes that direction. Leaping over a medium berry bush, he finds his team together. Mark is down on the ground holding his arm as Clark sits next to him in comfort.
"Jack," Al says, "Mark was hit by a Poison Sting attack."
The Team Elite leader winces from his arms pain. "We must keep moving."
"Not in your condition. You need to go to a hospital."
Clark and Jack help Mark stand up carefully. He screams from the growing pain in his arm, moving around his body. Taking a Poison Sting directly can lead to serious consequences, maybe even death. But hopefully, it won't come to that.
"I'll help him back," Clark volunteers. Taking it one step at a time, Mark and Clark slowly try to find their way back to his house to rest.
Kurt, whom had been standing there the whole time and not helping, waves for his team mates to regroup. All do except for Scottie, who is already in pursuit of Roselia.
"As ranking Elite now, I'll take charge. Split up to cover more ground." Al goes left, Kurt heads straight, and Jack moves left. They each turn on their walkie-talkies for easy contact. Of the four left, Al is the only person without a Pokemon partner in this chase. He has some Pokemon, but didn't think to send any out.
A couple minutes flow by, same trees, same scenery. Boring! Jack can't find anything in the direction he went in. A few Caterpie but that's it. No Roselia.
Clicking his walkie-talkie, "Anyone get anything yet?"
Static, then a reply from a young voice, "Nothing."
Jack sighs from this exercise. If only I had a flying Pokemon with me to survey from the sky. I could use the Pokedex to transfer but it's not really an emergency. Instead of running around, getting tired by the moment, he let's Stantler take a minute rest. Then, they continue by walking to conserve energy. And it pays off.
"Rose...?"
Walking into a small clearing the size of a bedroom, Roselia is sitting on a rock with it's head down. Jack jumps off Stantler and points with "Charge" after that. Roselia looks up to see a raging Stantler, antlers forward, ready to puncture.
"Hyper Beam!"
"Huh?" Jack is brushed back by the sudden call of someone else.
*SMACK* Stantler hits Roselia dead on with a hard hit, sending it flying. But just at that time, a beam of strong light emerges from the bushes on the other side, striking his Stantler and blasting it backward. Stantler collapses from the mean hit. Jack runs over to pet him, but Stantler is out.
Kurt and his Raticate move from the bushes where the Hyper Beam came from. "Sorry." Yea, great team work.
Stantler is recalled and Jack runs past Kurt. "Come on. It flew this way." Jack leads the chase, followed by Kurt behind. Then, Scottie joins in from the left next to Jack. His Meganium is still at his side, not yet having run out of energy. As the trio chases, sharp leaves are thrown from Meganium trying to hit it but each on misses worse than the last, slicing trees and chopping bushes back.
"Ack!" Kurt trips from an uprooted root from a large tree causing Raticate to stop and turn back to his trainer. Jack is too far ahead to notice this and Scottie just keep going.
Suddenly, Roselia does a quick turn in the air sending poison needles in the direction of the pursuers. Jack jumps behind a tree just in time as Meganium and Scottie duck to the ground. Roselia returns to its goal of running with the two people close behind.
The last bush is cleared and Jack appears on the other side to view a small lake about the size of an average school pool. Meganium launches forward and swipes out its vines, striking Roselia's feet causing it to trip, almost landing in the water. Roselia hops back up and turns to them. Both in front of Roselia, Scottie is a little more left and Jack a little more right so as to surround it using the lake to block it from escaping that way.
"I'll take this one." Scottie points forward to battle and Meganium moves. Roselia counters quicker than Meganium could step, spinning fast in a circle like a toy top, concentrating poisonous stings at the attacking Pokemon. Meganium is dumbfounded by this suddenness and feels the pain of poison head on. With a look of pain and uneasiness plastered across Meganium's face, it is easily conceived that it was hurt badly. Not to mention all the running, it has no energy to protect from that kind of front attack. Thus, Meganium collapses to the ground, Roselia won its advantage over the grass type.
"Hey Scottie, where are you?" The call from Kurt goes though Jack's walkie-talkie.
Answering, "He didn't turn his walkie-talkie on yet. We're at a small lake."
"Got it."
Scottie points his Pokeball to return Meganium. In anger, he furiously tosses out another. A blue blob Wobbuffet pops out. "You leave me no choice for this one. Bring it on!"
Roselia is already on the move before Wobbuffet could even prepare itself. Rose arms forward, a orange-yellow powder lifts in the air headed toward the Pokemon. Immediately, Wobbuffet glows a light blue aura to safeguard from the status effect. But that grass Pokemon works fast. Just like that, poison needles fly to strike the defender. Not being able to protect the powder still floating in the air, the poison breaks through the blue and hits skin. His concentration falls and the powder surrounds him with ease. Paralyzed to the top from bottom. Roselia has brought it on.
Scottie waves the orange powder from his face until it disappears. "No way."
"My turn," Jack says with his Gyarados next to his side.
"Rose..." it retorts back realizing it might not win. It turns toward the lake and rushes into it, splashing water as it enters. Then, with one little rose arm in front of the other, it starts swimming.
"That won't help ya'. Gyarados Hyper Beam."
Lifting back his head, Gyarados sets up the beam attack. Energy flowing and forming to the mass amount of damage capable. Zoom down to the water, splashing and sending waves to the bank, getting the two people slightly misty. Roselia nearly next to the hit, surfaces around the top of the water. It was tired from that blasting attack, worn out to swim any further.
All Jack can do is smile. "See, not that hard."
"Yea, I coulda' done that," Scottie says sarcastically.
Gyarados moves into the water, slithering like a large snake. Time to retrieve their prize Pokemon. But grabbing Roselia turns out to be a bad idea. The large horn, better yet, thorn, on its head pokes into Gyarados with extreme attitude, liquefying poison directly into Gyarados's body. And just like that, Gyarados screams pain of a thousand pains and smacks down the water; out like a light.
"Hey..."
"Well, if you had know that touching a Roselia is a mistake, maybe you wouldn't have done that." Al walks in the scene with a calm nature.
"Where'd you come from?"
"I got lost but heard �lake' over the walkie-talkie's and found this place."
If that wasn't enough, Kurt comes from behind having recovered from his little fall. He's been standing there, watching, and now he makes his move. "Scottie, get rid of Roselia."
Understanding, Dragonite flies out to save the day, again. Wings at full blast, they pick up the water and little Roselia and send it flying to the other side of the lake and through the trees out of sight.
Jack raises his voice, "Why'd you do that?"
"It's not Roselia we need. The map at the bottom of the lake is the challenge."
Al philosophizes, "That's why they chose Roselia. You can't just take it from that Pokemon because of the chance of being poisoned."
Having removed most of the water, the plastic tube holding what they hope to be a map is revealed. It must have fallen off Roselia when the Hyper Beam was used.
"You know, kid, you're fairly smart to be from the Hoenn region."
"Thanks Kurt. Coming from an Elite, I feel proud."
"We're all elites now, whether I agree or not." Kurt grabs the tube partially floating on the shallow lake, wiping the mud and water off of it. "Let's get out of here." Recalling all Pokemon, the four team mates left move back to the house to celebrate.
"This is why we need you. This is exactly the reason. When someone is injured during a mission, you help them. I was poisoned and now have worse effects than if you were there in the forest to treat me. We must work as a team and can't have any mistakes. Let's just be thankful my injury wasn't that bad this time."
"I'm sorry."
Mark is now the second person injured on the team, although his will heal up in a matter of days with slight pain. Patricia takes all the blame for not following along but she is forty and as a nurse they don't do a lot of hard running. If she can't do her function of being the healer, would she really be needed?
And now, with Mark bandaged up and having taken some pain pills, the rest of the abandoning team relaxes around the first floor.
Mik then becomes the subject of ridicule for not attempting to follow any further. Mark tells him he could have sent out a Pokemon to ride but Mik shrugs. He never really wanted to participate for this team, only being convinced because the rest of the Elite were joining... except for Shant. His betrayal to join another team really burns Mark and Kurt up. But that is another story which will probably happen later during this war.
A while later commotion kicks up and the four remaining pursuers show up at Mark's house. The only Elite member of the group holds the tube not having opened it so the whole team can see it at the same time. All four are tired from the chase and the walk back. It's clearly just after 9:30, still early in the morning.
Just as the four almost reach the door and about to go in, a figure steps out from across the street. Jack thought nothing of it until he saw a weird glove contraption and an interesting uniform. What really gave him away is the red bandana around his head which sounds faintly familiar to one of the war teams. Not a full head bandana, more like an exercise one except made of cloth. With the hair style, it makes him look a lot like a young Rambo. Even more interesting, behind his white t-shirt and blue jeans pants, his backpack hangs out a bow and a few arrows. In this day and age, to see someone walking around with that is very shocking and disturbing.
"Hold it right there." The guys glove extends out to move at Kurt and swipes the tube from him with ever so much ease. Returning to him, he drops the extendo-glove and holds the tube dearly. "Foolish Team Elite. Never saw this coming. And now you will be eliminated before you could even start." He takes out a mini one-time use camera and a small device of some kind from his pocket. After switching the device on, he drops it and pays attention to the camera.
"You're messing with the wrong team." Kurt grabs a Pokeball and throws it out... nothing happens.
The guy smiles as he takes out the piece of paper from the tube he just stole. "Stay back if I were you or..." he snaps his fingers to make a flame appear at the tips, "paper will feel the burn."
Al speaks up. "How'd he do that?"
"I've seen that magic trick done a thousand times. There's a match in his hand." Clark joins the four coming from the house. Mark and Mik also come out with Patricia at the rear.
"What is this?" she says.
"So someone know his magic. Then explain why you guys can't send out your Pokemon, eh? That's right, �cause you can't."
Mark, still feeling ill from the poison effect, takes charge. "This is my team, who are you to disturb us?"
"The dominating Team Trainer, at your service. I am called Voodoo." He bows cautiously. "And if this is your team, I feel sorry for myself having to look at you."
"Show respect for the Elite." Mik yells in blind rage. "Let's charge him."
"No Mik. He told me not to try that."
The guy laughs. "The spiky haired cool looking one is correct. These bows aren't for show. Call your team back or fire may strike the map."
Mark tells everyone to hold back behind him while he tries to talk and reason something out.
"Let's be civilized for a moment. How did you find us? This war participates in four leagues and you happen to pick the right place the very next day."
Voodoo puts out the match and drops it to the floor. "Lame. Trainer has been here since the beginning and we've figured out all the tricks to staying number one. We know about the plane and the first challenge. With a name like Elite, there are only a few spots where you could be located. Either Indigo Plateau, Silver Mountain, or Ever Grande City. No one ever goes to the Orange League, so that is not a choice. Since Hoenn is practically controlled by stupid Magma, we couldn't get a representative there and if you were there, they would have eliminated you just as fast as I am. We know everything, you know nothing and you still won't know anything after today."
Mik talks without thinking. "There's only one of him. That paper can't be that important. Let's get him." He steps forward but Patricia holds onto his arm with a sincere look and he backs down.
"This paper is very important but the old guys brings a good point. I do feel rather uncomfortable being alone here, but our team is in a bit of a bind right now."
"The Olivine Invasion," Clark mutters.
"Smart lad." He takes a picture of the paper and puts the camera back in his pocket. "And now that our chat is over, I must make leave...."
Preparing another match to light, Kurt jumps out from behind the line and moves in quick at Voodoo. He jabs in a punch and knocks the match away. Voodoo lets go of the paper and Kurt uses this chance to grab it. Taking the tube off the ground, he shoves the paper in, closes the end and throws it to his team. It lands in front of Jack on the far left side and he picks it up. Kurt also kicks the hand grabbing machine that way. Voodoo reaches to his back and pulls the bow out and *WACK* Kurt is hit in the stomach and out of breath to collapse on the pavement.
Panting, "Any more heros? Fine, you have the map back. Doesn't matter. We're already one step ahead of you."
"Roselia!!!" The tube is grabbed from Jack by the poison Pokemon whom still wants it. She leans forward with her head to force Jack back. From the long trek through the trees, Roselia is obviously worn out but it was taught by the war league to never let any take the tube until it was officially gone.
Voodoo laughs maniacally. "Look's like your trouble just started again. But to make things worse..." He points at the house and from his shadow behind him a Delibird soars up to the air, delivering presents all around. One explosion after the other forces the Elite members to scramble around. Continuing to the house, the presents fall and take out chucks of the wall and break apart at the roof. Taking out a special blue balloon, Delibird drops it on the roof and splashes all across it. Voodoo grabs two arrows and lights the ends on fire. Loading his shot, the arrows launch. *TWANG* the bow sounds and one arrow hits the wall, the other lands on the roof which ignites an immediate flame from touching the kerosene oil. He loads one more fire shot and aims for the open door. Trying to miss the moving people, the shot goes through and into the house.
Jack sighs from all the excitement. A present explodes nearby and he hits pavement from the blast. He sees Roselia looking at the sky, ready to run away. Jack grabs the glove Kurt luckily kicked to him and extends it out. It grabs and hooks Roselia, preventing it from leaving. A couple more present bombs land down and the struggling Roselia tries to scramble but due to the glove, it can't move. Both Jack and Roselia take the hits and both are almost beaten out of energy.
"MY HOUSE! Quick, everyone try to save stuff." In a mad dash of team elite, they rush inside through the heavy smoke and intense fire to try and save important items. With their Pokeballs still not working, they can't even send out a water type to bring down the fire. One by one, boxes of items and personal gear are brought out and placed across the street. During this time, Voodoo and Delibird have disappeared. The entrance to Mark's house falls down from the burning and now they can't get in anymore.
A blaring sound is heard from the distance and down the road drives a fire truck. But as it gets closer, the lights fade away and the annoying sound dies down. The driver waves his arms in the air, beeping the loud horn of the truck. Doors open on all sides and four full suited firemen jump out just as the truck sideswipes a building on the opposite side of the house on fire and lands into a light post, sending it to the floor.
Kurt catches his breath and sits up holding the small device Voodoo dropped earlier. Not knowing the proper switch, Kurt snaps the small device in half to see if something happens.
Time flows by and the team understands what has happened. It's now ten minutes and all Pokeballs and technology works once again. Apparently, the device was a jamming tool to block signals of mechanical devices. Judging the distance the fire truck died, they say it has a range of a forth of a mile.
A relief station was set up quickly by surrounding houses and the fire was prevented from moving any further than Mark's house. The house now lay in a smoldering mess with nothing left standing except some of the stronger support wood. Nothing could be saved as everything in that house was burned down.
Jack thanks the helpful neighbor with his small wounds and takes a deep breathe of relief. Ever since he heard about this war, everything about his life has changed. From boring and habitual to action filled days. This is something he has always wanted to do but feared it because it might take his life. And after this event, he fears even more for his and other's safety.
Scottie sits down next to Jack. "We're all meeting at Kurt's house after this."
"What happened with the tube and Roselia. I don't remember anything until being patched up."
"Thanks to you, that glove kept Roselia from escaping. I simply took the tube and when the power to the electric items came back, I threw a Pokeball at it to prevent it from ever trying to take it again."
"Did you catch it?"
"Well...yes. I used a Pokeball you owed me and it went to my PC."
"Good, then that's the end of this challenge."
Scottie begs to differ. "Not likely. We still have to go over what the tube contains. So hurry up here and meet over at Kurt's. You'll know his house when you see it down the block." He pats Jack on the back and heads off.
~Graded: Roselia Captured!
