After the previous exertions in their journey Caley and his companions had sought out a place to rest. This took on the form of a high hilltop, from which they could see any approaching figures. As always in this situation, one member of the group kept a watchful eye out for danger, while the others basked in the glow of the early morning sun and marvelled at the crystal clear skies with childlike awe.

“Aren’t dose clouds magical?” Errol murmured dreamily, as he lay on his back with his face to the air.

“Mmm,” James nodded, stretching obliviously. He seemed to have mostly recovered after his encounters with the sharp end of a tranquiliser and was now sitting beside his old friend and slowly counting the blades of grass under his hand.

“Dere’s someting about a cloud dat makes ya feel insignificant, don’cha t’ink?”

“Mm-hm?”

“Dey’re so high up and we’re all da way down here…”

“Like cotton candy…”

“Is food all dat you evah t’ink about Jimmy?” Errol sighed heavily. Rose grinned as she took in the conversation her companions were having. It was like nothing had changed between the two of them. And in a way, that was true.

“Those guys are pretty close, aren’t they?” a voice spoke up from behind. Rose turned round to see the cheerful countenance of Jasmyna gazing back with expectance.

“They’ve been through a lot together” she explained quietly. “They shared seven years of partnership within Team Rocket, before…things happened.”

“What things?” Jasmyna shifted her seating upon the ground and folded her arms. “Listen. Maybe it would be a lot better if you started from the beginning. Why was that freaky Pokémon guy after you so bad?”

Rose heaved a deep sigh as she watched Caley and Denise conversing while Adam sat huddled on the hillside in a state of silent shock and Cory tried to catch the leaves as they drifted down from the tree they were sheltering under. She wasn’t afraid to reveal the truth to this figure; after all she was James’ friend from Pokémon Tech and James was hardly the type of guy to make friends with untrustworthy people. It was just the stinging pain of reminiscence as a result of digging up experiences that, even though they were three months old, still seemed as fresh as they had happened yesterday.

 “Every one of us, bar Caley, is an exile from Team Rocket.”

Jasmyna began to look uncomfortable.

“Team Rocket…”

“That’s right” Rose nodded slowly. “The organisation is so desperate to capture us because we hold vital information about their latest project; Rebirth.”

“Project Rebirth?”

“For the past two years the Rocket division in Tatto has been experimenting on Pokémon in an attempt to heighten their abilities. We freed the specimens the scientists created before we left, not realising what a force we were about to unleash.

These genetic Pokémon are mostly unstable, uncontrollable and completely overpowering. Now we are trying to retrieve them all before too much suspicion is aroused, while at the same time travelling to Alia Summit to enlist the help of the Tower Guardian. Removing Team Rocket’s genetic Pokémon has not stopped them from continuing their project. That Charmeleon morph you saw? It was another product of their ‘progress’.”

Jasmyna withdrew a tiny breath. Such a creature had been almost unstoppable; what if Rocket scientists were to make more?

“Whatever they are planning…” Rose continued. “…is big and endangering to all of Tatto, and the whole world!

 

And we are the only ones who can stop it.”

 

After her tentative conversation with Rose, Jasmyna took James away from his companions for a private talk. As they sat on the hillside the female trainer removed her cap, unfurled her hair from the band she had tied it with and gazed at her old friend silently.

“Something’s troubling you isn’t it Jazzy?” he murmured. Jasmyna sighed an affirmative.

“Rose told me the situation you guys are in…” She paused, an unusual fear set in her eyes. “They were after me too…until I threw them off the scent. I had to change my appearance…use another name…”

James frowned in puzzlement.

“They?”

“Yeah…” Jasmyna lowered her voice a little further and took a guilty glance in James’ direction before continuing. “Team Rocket”

“No way!” the man almost squeaked. “After all the things you said about them and…”

“I know” Jasmyna cut him off. “You thought I’d never dream of signing up. But things had become blurry in my head.”

She looked about ready to cry just then. James shuffled sideways and put his arm carefully about her shoulders.

“It’s ok” he said. “I understand.”

Jasmyna gulped back her sorrow and took another deep breath.

“No matter how tough it is to explain” she began. “I know it’s always best…to know the truth”

“So what happened to Pokémon Tech?” James asked quietly. “What happened to your dreams of success?”

“I guess they left when you did” Jasmyna muttered, a slight bitterness creeping into her voice as she spoke. “My grades began to drop after you vanished. You had been my only pillar of support throughout my studies and after you fell in with her and dropped out of Pokémon Tech, things shifted from bad to worse.”

James’ solemn expression had dissolved into one of utter devastation. But Jasmyna hadn’t finished yet. She turned her head away to wipe off a few tears that had managed to escape. A cold aura descended as Jasmyna placed her head in her hands, her shoulders shaking with her fractious sadness.

“It was torn from me in an instant…” she whispered at an almost undetectable volume. “Study no longer had a meaning; a deep hole of loneliness had opened inside. Somehow I needed to find comfort, but all I received was terrible pain”

James edged back slightly as Jasmyna’s eyes began to narrow with her burning emotion.

“I came looking for you” she stated through gritted teeth. “You were the only one I knew I could trust. I sacrificed everything I had to rekindle our friendship…

…day in, day out. Working as a slave drone in the most abominable schemes imaginable. But it seemed as if you had vanished off the face of the earth”

The man was deathly quiet now. And still the torrent of cold retorts flowed.

“How could you, James?” Jasmyna cried, tears streaming down both sides of her face. “How could you have simply subjected me to this for the sake of some insignificant little childish goal at the expense of so many…

 

…I needed you!”

 

It was at this point the woman spluttered into a semi-silence as she continued to cry fretfully. James moved to put his arm around her again, but then retracted out of doubt for whether this would make things better or worse.

“I’m so sorry…” Jasmyna sobbed quietly. “I…I don’t know what came over me”

“No…its ok” James replied quietly. “You have good grounds to be mad at me. Back then I was acting like a big, thoughtless jerk.”

Jasmyna continued to stare at the floor. It was if she was afraid to look up in case her temper would break again.

“It’s not like they cared about you” she muttered. “If they’d cared about you like real friends then they wouldn’t have put you through so much. I would have never done that.”

James pondered on this. And it dawned on him; he had put up with an unimaginable amount of strain during the past few years. But it had always been the same. Things had somehow always worked out. The friendship with Jessie and Meowth had been a terrible burden but also a great delight in places. That’s how he thought all friendships were. Had he been putting up with more than he should have been? Jasmyna continued, regardless.

“I honestly thought you valued my companionship enough…” she began coldly. “…to choose me over them. But I guess you proved me wrong, James.

 

You obviously didn’t care enough about me, so you chose them instead.”

 

The words cut deep like a Sandslash's claws - James could feel the darkness of his guilt seeping into his mind once more. It was the self same guilt he had experienced so many times before when encountering previous effects of his old life. But this time the feeling was much worse. This effect had been subjected to a figure he held so close to his heart. He tried to find something to say but speech had escaped him.

His eyes brimmed with tears of frustration and despair; he just wanted to make things better.

            “Do you even remember how we met?” Jasmyna exclaimed, not even bothering to wipe the wetness from her face. James struggled to focus on the past. What with the ever-engulfing presence of his depression it was becoming increasingly difficult to think at all.

            “It’s kind of vague…” he mumbled after a few moments. Jasmyna looked on in disbelief.

            “It was your first year at Pokémon Tech and you'd been getting picked on by Geoff Burges for being so smart,” she snapped. “Does that ring any bells?”

 

“Uh huh…" James gave out a heavy sigh. "I remember.”

 

It had surfaced now. In truth, there wasn’t a thing he had forgotten from back then, it was just the fact the current events had become so rapid and twisted that old memories had simply been buried under the stress. But James could not blame Jasmyna for her anger. After all, a lot of his stress had been self-inflicted as a result of joining Team Rocket due to his once overwhelming youthful stubborn attitude and desire to be respected and independent. An echo of his enforced childhood lifestyle it seemed.  

It was a desire that had fast dwindled over the years, but due to her own terrible experiences Jasmyna couldn’t understand how much things had changed. She still thought he was the same guy that had foolishly deserted her all that time ago.

“I saw you huddled up by the trunk of the big tree I'd always come to sit in, to think,” she spluttered through angry tears. “Do you remember what I did then? Out of the kindness of my heart, when I could have simply left you to wallow in your own pain like the rest of them…”

James sighed again before taking another deep breath.

“You put your arm round me and told me he was in the wrong,” he replied. “He was just jealous and that I shouldn't have let it get to me so. You put your faith in me...”

            “Now do you understand why it hurt me so much when you went with them instead of with staying with me?” Jasmyna continued to sob as she wiped her tears on her sleeve. James blinked back his own tears, desperately trying to stop himself from crying also.

            “Of course I understand now,” he said miserably. “Back then I was too young to realise the potential of such a friendship. I was…selfish and inconsiderate. I feel so bad about letting it all go. Things are so much different now! Can’t you find it within yourself to forgive a guy who’s learned so much?”

            Jasmyna looked up at James’ equally tearstained features and for a moment there was a flicker of hope in her eyes. But it rapidly vanished as she turned her head away again.

            “I...don't really know,” she sniffed miserably. “It still hurts…deep down inside. You really tore me apart with that decision and I've been fighting since then to find the strength to forgive you.”

“You’re not the only one that’s hurting!” James exclaimed, trying to stop a distressed wobble from entering the tone of his voice. “The more I realise how much damage I did, both mental and physical, to so many innocent people, including you…especially you…each sad story that’s told to me is another pin missile in my heart. But your story?

 

It’s like an irremovable thorn that is slowly poisoning me…”

 

That was it. James broke down into his own floods of upset and for the first time since they had sat down to talk Jasmyna’s frown lessened and a slight look of pity emerged upon her face.

“So…what happened to him?” she asked slowly. James looked up with puzzlement.

“Wh-who?”

“You told me what happened to her. What about Meowth?”

The man faltered. With how Jasmyna had reacted to his previous decisions, was she really the best person to let know of how his Pokémon companion had ended up and the fact he was still travelling with him? James decided not.

“He…uh…I’m not sure what happened to him.”

“Well good riddance, that’s what I say," Jasmyna sniffed disapprovingly before tying up her hair once more. "I can’t believe that furball had the tenacity to call itself a Meowth, what with all the misery it created for you and others.”

“Hey, ya don’ hafta be so harsh,” came a voice from above the two figures.

 

“Dat was two years ago. I’ve loined from my mistakes since den.”

 

It was a rapid transformation that befell Jasmyna’s face at that moment in time. As she stared up at the man who had spoken her eyes widened and her mouth fell open in utter astonishment.

“Y-you…” Errol nodded as Jasmyna continued to stare. “What happened to you?”

“Guess I opted fer a change of outfit” he remarked jokily.“I wanted ta toin ova a new leaf. An’ besides, da three foot high deal can really dampen one’s self esteem.”

Jasmyna switched her gaze from James to Errol, and then back again.

“I see,” she murmured coldly. “Well…I don’t know what to say. Either you’re really kind or really dumb to forgive this guy so much after all he’s done, James.”

Errol’s eyes widened at this shocking exclamation. Then his brow furrowed.

“Ya gotta be dumb ta not forgive ya friends if dey admit deir mistakes and are sorry for da trouble dey caused” he muttered. “Everyone makes mistakes. It takes someone wit’ a lotta guts ta own up ta ‘em. And someone wit’ even more ta forgive da one dats apologisin’.”

James gave Jasmyna one last hopeful and desperate gaze as she thought over these words.

“I’d like our friendship to be how it was, before all the bad stuff happened.”

“I’d like to have a friendship ta begin with,” Errol said with a grin. The female trainer looked up and returned the expression before replacing her cap.

“You’re right,” she replied. “A friend isn’t a friend if they can’t forgive. Besides, we all do stupid things as kids, don’t we?”

James nodded.

“An’ sometimes we do ‘em as adults too” Errol remarked biting his lip at the thought of his own action.

 

“Lets try ta keep da bad parts of da past in da past where dey belong from now on.”

 

“So what were you doing before you got caught up in that mess?” James asked, the brightness now returned to his face. Jasmyna fished about in the folds of her rucksack before bringing out a familiar looking yellow device, shaped like a portable scanner. As she opened it up the screen brightened to show an image of identity, complete with photograph.  

“This is my PokéNav. I’ve been travelling Tatto in search of adventure and enlightenment” she explained.

“You call yourself ‘Myna’?” Errol pondered, raising his eyebrows as he examined the details on the screen. Then he shrugged. “Dat’s pretty close to ya original name. But den again, Team Rocket drones aren’t da brightest of people, eh? Dey probably neva caught on.”

“You heard what I said?” Jasmyna spluttered, looking slightly pained.

“Every woid” Errol replied sheepishly. “Hey, it ain’t my fault I gots extra good hearin’.” The woman turned her head away, causing James to shoot Errol a sharp glare of disproval. “But don’t worry ‘bout it” he tagged on. “It’s as good as forgotten. Ex-Rocket’s honor.”

Jasmyna giggled slightly as Errol stood to attention with a salute. James couldn’t help giving a chuckle of his own at his companion’s silly antics.

“I was on my way to meet my friend Aden outside Coalef” she continued. “We were both going to try and win an Alto Emblem at the Coalef Compendium.”

 

***~~***~~***~~***~~***

 

 “The Coalef Compendium?” Denise exclaimed, once the trio had returned to rejoin the rest of the group. “Hey, I’ve heard of that!”

“What’s a compendium?” Adam murmured confusedly.

“It’s a multitude of things” Jasymna explained. “And in Coalef, every single month, the place is set alight by the variety of stalls, shows and competitions alike.”

The figure’s eyes became watery with happiness as she listed.

“Poetry, performance, Pokémon and human beauty pageants, lectures and illusion performance. Tents where scientists show off their latest inventions and there’s even a mart filled to the brim with everything a trainer could want! But the biggest event of them all is ‘The Behemoth’, a three part competition combining Pokémon battling, trainer questioning and a race unlike any other in the world.

 

Their first prize, is an official league badge”

 

Every face in the group now wore an expression exactly like Jasmyna’s.

“If there’s a chance to get a badge, I’m in” Caley nodded

“Inventions?” Denise almost squealed like a little girl.

“Performance and pageants are words that sound like music to my ears,” Rose sighed warmly.

“Cool! Racing…” Adam remarked thoughtfully. Errol rubbed his hands together.

            “I’ve always wanted to be a trainer,” he stated. Everyone bar James looked at him in surprise.

            “What? Everyone’s got dreams, right? An’ I’ve always wanted to experience dat thrill of being commandeer of da battle. What d’ya t’ink kid? 

Ya up ta it?”

            Cory nodded.

            “Does he want to be a trainer too?” Jasmyna asked ponderously.

            “Nah” Errol grinned. “Dis little guy jus’ volunteered to be my partner.”

            This made Jasmyna’s confusion all the worse.

            “Huh?”

            “I get da feelin’ she’s not catchin’ on” Errol told Cory, whose mouth pursed into an 'o' of indifference. “Show her what we mean”

            And in front of the eyes of his audience Cory’s body almost seemed to gelatinise and shrivel away. When the facial features of this entity had 

resurfaced, Jasmyna gasped once she had realised what it had become.

            “It’s a Pokémon!” 

            “Copi” the figure nodded with a wink.

            “But it…it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before!” the female trainer spluttered, scrabbling for her Pokédex only to receive a bleep of error when 

she pointed it at the creature. “It’s not even listed!”

               “Dat’s right” Errol replied. “Da kid is special. He’s one of a kind.”

               This comment caused Copi to blush profusely.

               “Buh-but you can’t enter a non-listed Pokémon in a competition!” Jasmyna exclaimed. “It’s not fair upon the other contestants. They don’t know 

what to expect of it.”

               “We know, we know” the man shrugged. “Dat’s why I came up with a foolproof disguise”

               He knelt down and whispered into Copi’s ear. In a matter of seconds the creature had reshaped itself into a more familiar-looking form.

               “Ditto!” it cried.

               “Wow…that’s neat” Jasmyna murmured, impressed. “Though you’ll have to do something about that jewel on its forehead. Dittos don’t have those.”

               “A bandanna” Errol replied simply. “Dat’s what he needs.”

	Jasmyna deftly plucked some long plant leaves that were growing at the base of the tree they were standing beneath and attended to Copi. 

When she drew back the Pokémon now had a decorative green band above its eyes, tied at the back in a strengthened knot.

               “Dii!” it remarked with a wide smile.

               “Nice job, Jazzy” James murmured approvingly. “Let me guess, Natural Textiles, year 2?”

               “You got it” Jasmyna winked. “Dylixan leaves are the best shape and durability to create straps, hair ties and even bandages when necessity 

calls for such a thing.”

               James stood back and pretended to inspect the work.

               “I’ll give it a B plus,” he stated in a teacher-like voice.

               “Oh stop it,” Jasmyna giggled as James threw her arm round her playfully.

               “Come to think of it” Denise remarked. “That place is bound to be swarming with people. We’d better disguise ourselves just to make sure we’re 

not caught out again.”

               “But how are we meant to do that?” James asked. “We only have one set of clothes each and you said we’ve got to make the money last so we 

can’t go around spending it on more things to wear…

               …though I wish we could.” he added quietly. Errol smirked upon hearing this.

               “I’ve considered that” Denise stated in slightly bossy tones. “We’ve got to seriously improvise. Does this Aden friend of yours have any extra sets 

of clothes in his backpack?”

               “A couple, I should think” Jasmyna nodded. “He is a guy with a flair for new style after all. Guess that’s one of the reasons why I like him.”

               Caley gazed at the woman and as he studied her longing eyes watching James, a faint echoey voice in psychic tones entered his head.

               He really reminded me of you… 

               The thought had definitely been Jasmyna’s. But Caley kept silent. 

               He had learnt by now that it was best to let things take their course.

The brightly coloured ambiance radiated far beyond Coalef, spreading an excited anticipation amongst the approaching travellers. From a distance the musical aura was blurred and fuzzy, almost drawing them closer with its curious tantalising waves.

“Oooh!” Jasmyna grinned, rubbing her hands together. “I feel just like a kid again.”

“Me too” James gawped with wide eyes. Adam sniffed at this.

“No change there then,” he remarked. Before Jasmyna had a chance to open her mouth James simply held out a hand and shook his head.

“Don’t bother. Just ignore him, that’s what I do.”

“But that was uncalled for!” Jasmyna exclaimed.

“I know, but it isn’t important” James told her. “He’ll learn one day.”

Adam raised his eyebrows upon hearing such an unusual reaction and looked the other way, slightly ashamed.

“You know James? You do seem different to how I remembered you…” Jasmyna remarked with a smile. “Not to mention you’re a lot more handsome,” she added, under her breath.

“Believe me,” James replied.

 

“I have changed a lot more than you think”

 

It was a couple of hundred metres from the town that a tall and rather gangly figure stood, a large bag slung over his shoulder and the brisk morning wind playing with the points of his reddish unkempt hair. He was wearing a sleeveless top, a pair of blue cargo shorts and some rather unusual looking flip-flops with a zigzag design upon the straps. Upon seeing Jasmyna and her companions approaching, he smartly adjusted the round-rimmed sunglasses that were perched on the end of his nose and waved enthusiastically.

“Thought you were never coming!” he yelled up the path. “Seems you brought the cavalry along with you as well!”

“You know full well I don’t break a promise, Aden” Jasmyna replied as she drew closer. The young man grinned.

“Yeah, I’m just kiddin’ ya,” he said. “I’ve paid a visit to the trainer store already. I couldn’t resist.”

“I bet you couldn’t,” Jasmyna giggled, looking at the bulging plastic bags Aden had clasped in both hands. “From the looks of things you bought their entire stock! What on earth did you get?”

Almost at once, right in the middle of the path, Aden put down his goods and delved deep into one of the bags.

“It’s a real beaut’ isn’t it?” he marvelled, bringing out a smart navy blue beret. James’ eyes became misted as he studied it.

“Mm-hmm.”

“But this one was a right bargain” Aden continued, waving a pale blue shirt in the air.

 “Oooh!” James cried, his smile spreading the entire width of his face. Errol turned to Denise and lowered his voice a little.

“Seems dose two have da same fashion sense,” he remarked.

“Uh huh” Denise nodded. “And that’s not the only thing alike about them.”

She motioned toward the male figures as they happily sorted through the newly acquired garments, and as Errol focused upon them he began to snigger to himself.

 

It was more than apparent that both Aden and James were also wearing exactly the same grin.

 

After an abridged explanation on Jasmyna’s part, Aden agreed to loan Caley and his friends the clothes he had bought. Grateful at his generosity the group immediately took to the foliage one by one and temporarily discarded their old garments for something a little different.

“Not bad,” the trainer nodded approvingly as Rose emerged from the area where she had been changing. The woman had removed her green bauble earrings, white tank top and leather coat and now sported the blue short sleeve shirt Aden had been showing off earlier, tied in a smart knot just above the belly button. Her long hair dangled neatly behind her in one long braid, wrapped with a Dylixian leaf, and her usually uniform parted hair was now brushed over her forehead.

“I’m glad this isn’t going to be permanent” she muttered, blinking uncomfortably as the new ‘fringe’ dangled over her eyes. Caley was the next to switch clothes, choosing a chest seam mint green t-shirt, a pair of blue shorts and some sparkling white sports shoes. Rose then attended to the trainer’s hair, pushing it apart with a comb and liberal applications of gel from a large tub in Aden’s rucksack. Adam reluctantly showed himself after a minute or so of coaxing from the others, his head topped with a scarf of sorts and now wearing three quarter length blue trousers with a circular pattern down the leg and a blue and white striped vest.

“I look dumb” he grumbled

“You look like a pirate” Jasmyna folded her arms with a smirk.

“He sorta looks one o' Team Aqua's grunts,” Errol snickered. Adam glared at them both as they revelled in their amusement.

“At least he don’t look as dumb as me,” Denise told him as she appeared. Her hair was pulled back into a rather childish-looking ponytail on the side of her head and she had donned Rose’s white tank top and some purple shorts.

“True” Adam snickered. Errol’s grin became even wider.

“Now you look like da red-head kid from Cerulean City!”

It was Rose’s turn to join in the merriment as Denise pouted.

“I do not look like Misty! That’s an insult!”

Rose took a sideways glance at Jasmyna while Errol continued to chuckle.

“Aden really likes shorts, doesn’t he?”

“Uh huh” Jasmyna nodded with a smile. “He’s always looking for an excuse to show off his tan.”

Errol had simply removed his jacket and borrowed James’ flared trousers to complete his outfit. Jasmyna gave him a sceptical glance as he returned.

“Seems there’s something missing” she murmured.

“What d’ya mean?” Errol asked confusedly, only to get a pink baseball cap pushed firmly onto his head the opposite way round. Jasmyna pulled out the strands of the man’s hair through the hole in the cap and stood back to admire her handiwork.

“Now you look like a trainer” she said.

“Now I look like a twoip” Errol groaned, as Copi in its Ditto form giggled from his shoulder. “Jimmy, are youse done yet? It don’t take ages ta dress, ya know.”

“Ok ok!” a voice snapped from one of the nearby bushes. “Sheesh…why the rush?”

As the figure stepped into view, the mouths of the entire group dropped open in unison.

“Whoa…” Errol gawped.

“I…I…can’t believe what I’m seeing!” Denise exclaimed in partial admiration.

“Is that the same guy we came here with?” Aden asked. No one was sure if the enquiry was in jest or not. The others simply stood there, examining their companion. He was dressed in a pale coloured t-shirt and navy blue denim overalls decorated with a red neckerchief and was standing there expectantly, tapping his left foot.

“What are you looking at?” he muttered. Everyone seemed to be staring at his head. Well, actually it was the beret that had found its way onto the top of his head. But that wasn’t the turning point.

“You certainly look…different” Rose commented after a long silence.

“I’d go as far as to say ‘unrecognisable’” Denise nodded. James had managed to push the majority of his hair up under the beret so it gave the impression of being a lot shorter than it actually was. He was also wearing a pair of thin-rimmed glasses.

“Going for the artist’s impression, eh?” Aden grinned, sending the rest of the group into a fit of groans.

“He even cracks cheesy jokes like the blue-haired moron,” Adam snorted, rolling his eyes.

“Well, that settles the visual run of things” Jasmyna announced, putting her hands on her hips. “Now what are you going to call yourselves?”

A wave of slight alarm rippled across the group.

“What? You mean we have to change our names too?” they exclaimed in unison.

“Well think about it,” Jasmyna replied simply. “Using your real names will be a dead giveaway. So…do you have any ideas?”

Denise and Rose’s eyes sparkled excitedly. It seemed they found the idea of pretending to be someone else for a change a lot more appealing than the guys did.

“Mandy” Rose stated. “I’ve always liked the name ‘Mandy’.”

“And I’ll be called Rita” Denise added with a smile. “It’s my mom’s middle name.”

Jasmyna then gave the males of the group a questioning glance.

“And you guys?”

Errol scratched his chin thoughtfully.

“Well…maybe if I jus’ swap a few of da lettas in my name around…” he began.

“What like ‘Lerro’?” James suggested.

“I was t’inkin more along da lines of ‘Orrel’” his companion replied, with a smirk.

“Sounds fair to me” Jasmyna nodded. James looked studied.

“I can’t think of anything to use!” he complained a moment later.

“Just use your middle name, for crying out loud” Adam snapped irritably.

“No way!” James retorted, like the teenager had just told him to shove his head in the nearest oven. “There is no way I am using that…that…

…ugh!”

A slimy smile had crept onto Adam’s face at this point.

“Why?” he asked slowly. “What’s wrong? Is the wimp afraid someone’s going to laugh at his middle name?”

James began to blush slightly at this.

“Well why don’t you use your middle name?” he retorted. Adam shuddered subconsciously. It was clear he hadn’t been expecting that answer. Rose looked at the boy questioningly.

“What is your middle name anyway?” she asked.

“Uh…” Adam spluttered. “Uh…it's a bit too...um…exotic for my liking.”

“Hah!” James grinned. “See? You haven’t even got the guts to reveal your middle name either, have you?”

Adam said nothing, but glowered defiantly.

“Oh, for goodness sake” Denise groaned. “James? Just call yourself Carl or something. Adam, you can be Malory. Now let’s get going…we’re missing all the great science stuff!”

Aden began chuckling as the others exchanged glances.

“She sure is eager to get to the festivities” he remarked.

“That’s Denise,” Rose shrugged. “Always on the lookout for technology. Guess we’d better go and catch up with her.”

Caley frowned in puzzlement once his friends had their backs turned to him. He honestly couldn’t understand what was so terrible about having ‘Edward’ as a middle name. Adam’s middle name on the other hand, he could totally sympathise with.

“Carl…hmph…” James muttered under his breath as he shuffled at the back of the group. Jasmyna drew up beside him and gave the guy a hearty pat on the back.

“Hey, it’s only a pseudonym” she reminded him. “The best bit about this is you and your friends all get to have a sort of day off, hm?”

James’ sullen face lit up at hearing these positive words.

“Yeah” he nodded slowly. “And this ‘day off’ is going to be the most memorable yet”

 

 

He didn’t know just how right he was going to be.

 

 

As the gates to Coalef drew up before Caley and his companions, they noticed a massive presence standing in front of them with narrowed eyes. Upon nearing it the travellers realised it was some sort of wide-shouldered bird creature, wings folded across its bulky red-feathered chest and a pattern over its beady eyes that resembled a bandit’s mask. It gazed down, somewhat disapprovingly at the new arrivals and gave a small grunt.

“Uh…what’s that?” Denise asked quietly.

“Looks to me like the evolved version of Rouba,” Jasmyna remarked. “Not too sure on the name though”

“It’s Roubou,” Caley informed her. “A flying/fighting type that is usually employed to guard items of importance.”

“You certainly know your stuff, kid” a voice came from nowhere. The figures looked up to see a man who was leaning from the window of a nearby watchman's booth. Caley paused, wondering whether to spoil the appraisal by admitting his Pokédex was incorporated into the ski glasses he had just put on and that he had simply scanned the creature for information. But the man never gave him the chance.

“Don’t mind Wallace. He’s not very trustworthy of anyone, besides me. But what can I say; it comes from being onsite security. Everyone’s a potential subject.”

Adam cracked up at this point.

“Wallace? That’s not a very intimidating name!”

A sharp glare and a snarl from the Roubou soon silenced him.

“It’s not good to mock the bouncer if you wish to get into the venue, kid” the guy remarked jokily with a grin, stepping from the booth. “The name’s Graham, I’m head of security round here. Now, step this way.” 

One by one the figures walked between the scanner, a device composed of two upright metal slabs that stood in the entrance. As each of them passed the device would bleep accordingly to signal that everything was normal.

“No foreign objects or weapons” Graham nodded. “Perfect. You kids go right on in, and don’t forget to have fun, d’ya hear?”

“What a patronising old fart,” Adam grunted rudely under his breath as Wallace glared down at the top of his decorated head. Aden sniggered in agreement, though he wasn’t half as offended as his younger companion.

“These outfits are working like a charm already,” Caley told Denise once they were out of earshot.

“Guess it wasn’t such a bad thing to use disguises” she nodded. “But it’s got me thinking. What if word has leaked out that we’re wanted exiles on the run from Team Rocket? What do we do then?”

“If the worst happens we’ll have to figure it out as it comes” Caley told her, brushing back part of his hair away from his face.

 

 

“But for now, we have a job to do”

 

 

It was almost like stepping into a bottle. The mottled glass panes of the corridor filtered the outside sunlight and refracted it into green and blue patches on the ceiling and the figures that passed through. The music was clearer now, amalgamating with the babble of a multitude of echoing Pokemon and human voices from ahead.

The entrance hall held even more of an awe-inspiring sight; almost half of the roof was semi-transparent, the morning glow from the blue summer sky dazzling the heads of the crowd below with a spectral luminescence.

"Wow," came the unanimous reaction.

"It's like this place was specifically built for the competition" Denise marvelled.

"That's because it is" Jasmyna told her. "Coalef thrives on the profits of this event. Hundreds of contestants sign up for 'The Behemoth' every month and the side stalls and businesses generate plenty of revenue as a result of it on a 24/7 basis."

“I can’t wait to battle!” Aden cried with joy, causing some of the nearer figures in the crowd to look round curiously.

"I do admit it reminds me of the Kanto League setup," James murmured, gazing at the massive screen above the desk at the far side of the hall that was displaying random competitor information.

"You went to the Pokémon Stadium in Kanto?" Jasmyna gasped. James scratched his head, a little sheepishly.

"Well…sorta."

 

"WHAT?"

 

A woman wearing hi-glow Lycra hotpants and a top with bare shoulders stormed into view, closely followed by what looked like a contest official, now rubbing his hands together nervously and wincing with every screeched word.

"No one ever said to me that the main event was tomorrow!" she fumed. "I practically spent double the rail fare to get here on time and now you tell me its tomorrow?"

"Err…yes, Miss" 

"I WANT SOMEONE TO REFUND MY TRAVEL EXPENSES RIGHT NOW!"

The females of the group tut-tutted as the males just stood there with their mouths wide open, some chuckling at the display.

"What a spectacle," someone remarked with raised eyebrows.

"She certainly doesn't think twice before stating her mind," another added. Denise nudged James with a wink in Adam’s direction.

"Sound like anyone you know?"

James sniggered to himself at this.

“That’s the registration desk for 'The Behemoth',” Jasmyna announced, pointing at the setup of the far side of the room. "I suggest its best that only those of you who intend to enter that particular event follow me and Aden to the front. It can get pretty nasty up there, what with limited places and all.”

As she said this an angry roar echoed about them. Without a word of apology or warning a tall figure dressed in a red and black jacket with matching cap and jeans ploughed his way through the waiting figures.

“Give me my entry number,” he snapped at the woman who was sitting behind the desk. She gave a nervous smile.

“Certainly sir. It shall be with you in just a couple of minutes.”

Errol wrinkled up his nose.

 

“Surely he’s not allowed ta jus’ stride up to da front like dat!”

 

Unwittingly, the man had emitted this statement a little too loudly. Swinging round, the figure in the dark uniform fixed his glare upon the one who had questioned his motives and without a pause began to head straight for him. Those amongst the crowd who hadn’t been paying attention were almost swatted aside like flies as the man barrelled past. Errol squeaked from a sudden removal of breath as his assailant grasped him by the front of his shirt and drew him unbearably close.

“I’ll have you know” he began darkly. “That I am the ultimate champion, not only here in this pathetic little town, but also across Tatto and the rest of the world! And you have the tenacity to decide what I can and cannot do?”

The crowd had hushed; every pair of eyes were upon the trainer and his unfortunate victim clasped in his gloved hands.

“What an idiot,” one figure hissed to another.

“Even thinking of questioning the ten time Behemoth champion 'Winner' is asking for a punch in the face. He’s gonna get it now.”  

“So…” Winner snarled as he brought Errol eye to eye with him. “Any last words?”

“Yeah, sure I have,” Errol replied slowly. “You should really spend more time brushin’ ya teeth. Dat breath o’ yours stinks!”

 Winner’s face faltered for a second before he tossed Errol harshly to the floor.

“You’re going to regret you said that” he hissed in volatile tones. “You’re going to regret crossing paths with…”

 

Tyson Norris!

 

The last two words had echoed from the tannoy at a very ironic moment. The crowd stifled their amusement as the figure began to go slightly red.

“What have I told you about using my real name?” he yelled as he returned to the registration desk, his attention averted from the previous incident.

“It’s competition rules, I’m afraid, sir” the official stated simply. “Competition rules have to be followed. Otherwise, instant disqualification.”

The trainer did not retort but it was clear from the expression on his face that he was truly infuriated. Snatching his registration badge from the desk where the receptionist had gingerly placed it, he quickly took his leave, but not before giving Errol and his companions a very cold glare indeed. Caley could tell from that last moment action that Winner wasn’t going to forget their faces in a hurry.

“What?” Errol blinked confusedly as the others frowned in his direction. “I was only bein’ honest!”

“Next time, keep your honesty for when someone asks for it,” Denise groaned, shaking her head. Caley took a slight look over at the multitude gathered around the desk and made a few calculations.

"Seems like we’re going to be here longer than I expected” he murmured absently. “If what that woman said was true then we've got to have to hang around for the main event”

“That’s the point!” Aden piped up in a sprightly manner. “The first day’s for settling in, meeting people and generally having a good time.”

“Sounds like a great idea ta me” Errol grinned. “It’s about time we had ourselves a day off. Right, James?”

“Absolutely” James nodded, retrieving a pamphlet he had picked up on his way in and opening it. “I want to see that poetry contest Jasmyna was on about earlier.”

Denise looked a little taken aback at this”

“But…” she spluttered, pointing at another article on the pamphlet. “What about the technology? I want to go to that seminar!”

James patted her on the head in a sort of semi-sympathy.

“All in good time, Neesee,”

“But it’s at the same time!” she exclaimed in desperation.

“Must shop!” Aden screeched impulsively, clutching at Jasmyna’s leg. “More shop now!”

Errol, Caley and Jasmyna exchanged befuddled expressions while Adam just snorted dismissively as their fellow group members began to squabble amongst themselves. Everyone was in different minds as to what to do and this certainly wasn’t going to bode well for peace amongst the ranks. There was only one thing for it. Errol gave a shrill whistle which not only caused his friends to stop in their tracks but some of the other figures in the hall to quieten also and gaze, rather accusingly, at the one who had emitted the sound.

“Listen you guys…” Jasmyna spoke up. “Here’s the deal. If we all arrange to meet back here by 6pm this evening then you’ll be able to go and see or do whatever you like, ok? Does that sound fair to you?”

The figures nodded slowly. Jasmyna smiled with approval at the return to sanity, or something like it.

“Good” she said. “Aden, Errol, Caley and I shall be making our way to the registration desk. We’ll see you later”

Adam watched in partial angst as the group began to disperse without him.

“Uh…guys?” he called out. “What am I meant to do?”

“Go and have some fun, silly” Jasmyna called back through the crowd.

 

“Fun?”  

 

Caley turned to see Adam was staring blankly into space. There was a strong air of confused upset about his person as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers and shuffled his feet in false carelessness. The trainer shook his head in sympathy. He knew that the reason for the boy’s discomfort stemmed from his Team Rocket upbringing.

Adam didn’t know how to have fun. It was most likely he’d never experienced a moment of true enjoyment in the short time he had lived. And it was humiliating him. Caley decided the kindest thing to do would be to put him out of his misery.

“It’s ok, Ad’” he raised his voice reassuringly. “You can hang with me if you want.”

Adam’s sullen face brightened somewhat as he moved to join the trainer.

“Thanks