Back at home, Kyla walks in on Blare, sitting in the living room floor, on her phone. Blare says goodbye and hangs up her phone, with a sad expression. Chaz stumbles in, surprising Blare.
Blare jumps in surprise. "Ho... how long were you there?"
Kyla looks at Chaz. "Barely a few seconds. We just walked in. Are you okay?"
Blare whips a tear from her eye. "Yeah! Yeah, I'm fine."
Kyla continues to the kitchen. "Okay."
Blare looks confused. "Aren't you going to ask about that phone call?"
Kyla takes a coke from the fridge, pops it open, and leans against the counter. "Nope. It is your business, if you want to share I am all ears."
Blare hangs her head, looking at Eve. "I.... I ran away from my home town. My family doesn't know where I am. So.... I called and left a message. I did not tell them any details, just that I was safe."
Kyla looks on with a curious expression.
"They.... were against me becoming a Pokemon trainer. I feel like they had some kind of hatred of Pokemon, in general. Anytime I would play outside it seemed like another friendly wild Pokemon would join me. But, my dad, being the man he was, would run them off." Blare begins to cry. "I even saw him kick a poor Caterpie. All he was doing was running around with me!!"
Eve tries to console Blare as she cries, whimpering in concern for her trainer.
Blare looks up at Kyla with tear-filled eyes. "That's why I can not go back, now. Eve is my Pokemon! I will not be separated from her!!"
Kyla sets the coke down on the counter, the loud sound it makes startles Blare and Eve. "Let me get this straight. You ran away from home to become a trainer because your family would abuse and run off any Pokemon that came near you?"
Chaz moves his eyes between Blare and Kyla, observing the heated discussion.
"YES! I wanted to be a trainer! I want it even more now that Eve is part of my life!" Blare replies, loudly.
"And what is Eve to you?" Kyla glares.
"I... uh.... my partner." Blare responds, nervously.
"Partner." Kyla repeats, tapping her figure on the counter. "A partner is someone you share equal responsibility with, Blare. So let me ask it this way. If your dad were to try to kick Eve like that Caterpie....."
"NO!!" Blare interrupts angerly. "No one is going to kick Eve!! I'll...... I'll..." Blare bursts into tears again, clutching Eve close to her chest. "I will never let anyone hurt you, Eve. I promise!"
Eve barks happily. "EEV!"
Kyla walks over and puts her hand on Blare's shoulder. "Eve is more than your Pokemon, more than a partner. If you can't see it, I can explain."
Blare looks up with a forced smile. "I.. get it. She is a part of me now. Like.... a daughter."
"I was going to say 'someone you can not ever replace', but that works too." Kyla nods with a smile.
Blare and Kyla embrace. Blare's tears quickly dry up.
"I'm sorry." Blare says gently.
"For what?" Kyla asks.
"For being a pain." Blare laughs a bit.
"If you were a pain, I would just kick you out." Kyla answers.
Blare pulls away quickly with a surprised expression. "You're not thou, right?!"
Kyla pats her on the head. "Nah! You are welcome to stay as long as you like. Now, maybe it is time to get some sleep? We have a long day, tomorrow."
Blare nods, with a smile. "Thank you!"
"Just call me your big sister." Kyla responds.
"Right! Big sister, Kyla!" Blare whips her eyes and goes to her room.
Chaz grunts.
"Yeah, we keep adopting more family by the day." Kyla smiles as she goes to her room.
Tonight, Chaz does not argue, he goes in his Pokeball to sleep.
"I kinda dread tomorrow." Kyla says to herself, as she turns over in bed.
Morning comes quickly, as it always does. Once again, everyone gathers on the docks, awaiting the expected ship. As they shift, uneasily, David breaks the silence.
"Joy, when can we expect you for a visit?" David asks.
Joy glares at him for a moment then turns away. "At most, a few months."
Jenny glances jealously between them.
Dan peers out over the water and points, just as the boat horn sounds. "There she is!"
Charles walks up, still wearing his hoodie, and waits with them. "Thank goodness I am not late." Charles nods to David and Kyla. "You two will consider our proposal, wouldn't you?"
David glances at Charles. "You already know my answer."
The others look confused at the conversation.
Kyla smiles. "I will consider, but be warned that I hate change."
"Duly noted." Charles responds as the ship pulls to the dock.
The crew of the ship quickly anchor and begin lowering the catwalk. When the catwalk finally finishes being lowered, a few people disembark followed closely by the Captain. He stops to talk to Kyla and the others.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I have your shipments on board. Please give us some time, and we will have it all unloaded." The Captain smiles.
"I could have my Pokemon help, if you like, Captain." David replies.
"That will not be necessary, we can handle the initial unload." The Captain responds.
As he says that a group of Machamps exit the ship, carrying crats and other items. They set them down gently in neat stacks.
The Captain pulls out a clipboard and begins to name off the shipping manifest. "Pokemon Clinic, one Doctor David Brown?"
"That would be me." David replies.
"Five crates for you. Machamp!" The Captain orders.
Three of the Machamps separate the five crates from the others.
"Two crates for a Pokemart manager named Dan?" The Captain reads on.
"I was not expecting two, but that is me." Dan replies.
"Machamp!" The Captain orders again.
One Machamp separates the two crates from the others.
"I see a special shipment to a Professor Ivory?" The Captain reads.
"I am Professor Ivory." Ivory responds.
"Machamp!" The Captain orders.
A Machamp approaches with a small package, about the size of a desk, and lays it at Ivory's feet.
"I wonder who this is from." Ivory kneels down and examines the label. "OH! It is from Ebony!"
"Professor Ebony?!" Kyla asks, surprised.
"Yes, my sister, to be exact!" Ivory responds excitedly. "David, would you be a dear and have Venuasaur take this to the observatory?" Ivory asks.
"Sure, once we get the crates to the clinic." David responds.
"I will be getting my stuff on board, then." Joy says as she teleports away with Alakazam.
"I will be off. Good luck with everyone's future endeavors." Charles bows and then walks up the catwalk.
Blare glares at Charles as he leaves. "Who is that guy?"
"A Pokemon League Representative." David responds.
Everyone looks shocked, as they watch the odd, casually dressed man walk out of sight.
"What did he want?" Ivory asks.
"It is a long story." David replies.
"We will tell you later." Kyla answers.
David gets the machine crates to the clinic and then meets Kyla, Blare, and Ivory at the observatory, with her crat.
Ivory opens the crate and examines the note inside.
The note reads as such. "Dearest sister Ivory, we have discovered a new step in Pokemon evolution. I understand you currently have some trainers that possess Pokemon capable of this new evolution, so I have seen the required items. Listed is the items in this package: various absolites, a few mega rings, various mega stones, metal coat, and various evolutionary stones. Make sure your trainers use these wisely. Love you sis!"
Ivory finishes reading the note and puts it down. "I am going to do some research on these items. Until then, does anyone want to use the evolution stones?"
Everyone looks at Blare, who looks nervously back.
"Eve?" Blare asks.
Eve shakes her head and growls at Ivory.
"Okay! I get it! You are happy with how you are. I actually meant Scyther." Ivory responds.
"Oh!" Blare pulls out Scyther's Pokeball and opens it.
Scyther pops out and examines his surrounding curiously.
"Scyther, Ivory would like to know if you want to evolve." Blare says.
Before anyone can really stop Scyther, he finds the metal coat and bites it.
"OH NO!" Ivory exclaims.
Scyther begins to glow, evolving into Scizor before everyone's eyes. Scizor looks back at Blare with a confident nod.
"I... uh... A SIMPLE YES WOULD HAVE WORKED!!!!" Ivory blurts out, frustrated.
Blare pats Scizor on the shoulder. "It is okay, he just knows what he wants."
Kyla and Chaz look at each other, bewildered. "Are you capable of this mega evolution thing?" Kyla asks Chaz.
Chaz shrugs.
"Actually!" Ivory looks at the back of the note. "I have a list right here.... Chaz is on the list!"
Chaz looks surprised and grunts.
"Two different ways." Ivory answers Chaz.
"WHAT?!" Kyla exclaims.
"I am just as lost as everyone else, I need to do research before I can answer much about this." Ivory insists. "I may even have to call Ebony and have her explain."
"I understand. How about we get out of your way, and continue setting up the clinic?" David asks.
Kyla and Chaz glare at David for a moment and then sigh.
"Fine, but let us know what you find out." Kyla says to Ivory.
"I sure will!" Ivory responds.
David, Blare, Kyla, and Chaz walk out of the observatory just as the ship's horn sounds and begins to pull away.
"AH SHIT!" Kyla shouts.
"Joy!" Blare exclaims.
"She is going to be pissed." David says.
Chaz chuckles to himself.
Eve barks at Chaz.
Kyla sighs. "Can't do anything about it now. Let's get our clinic fixed!" Kyla marches towards the clinic.
David, Blare, and Chaz follow.
"I feel bad about not seeing Joy off." Blare says.
"I would if she hadn't basically threatened my life. Regardless, she will be upset, regardless." David replies.
They reach the clinic and get to work. Mostly David and his Pokemon move machines in and out. However, Chaz and Snorlax help out of boredom. They finish setting everything up as a group of trainers rush in, holding their Pokemon or assisting them in walking.
"HELP US PLEASE!" A man cries. "Our Pokemon have been poisoned!"
Kyla looks around at the group of trainers. The man who spoke is helping his Charmeleon walk. Another, a small girl is holding her Sandshrew. Five others stand behind them, waiting nervously.
"What happened?!" Kyla asks.
"This guy, he challenged each of us to a battle. We all thought it was funny he offered to only use his Beedrill, so we said yes. But before we knew it, he had beaten all of us!" The girl answers.
"Wait." David says. "Are you saying, one Beedrill beat seven Pokemon at once?!"
"This wasn't a normal Beedrill. Something was different, spikier, armored. I can't really explain it." The man says.
David looks at Kyla curiously.
"Can you handle this?" Kyla asks.
"As long as Blare helps." David answers.
"I will, although I wish I could see this." Blare pouts.
"Come on Chaz, we have a battle to win!" Kyla orders as she walks out the door.
Chaz and Snorlax follow quickly.
"BE CAREFUL!" The man shouts after them.
Kyla steps out the door and immediately hears a battle taking place in the middle of town. She hurries towards the sounds and Chaz follows, trailed by Snorlax who struggles. Once in the middle of town, Kyla runs into Jenny.
"What is going on here?! We have a crowd of trainers coming in with poisoned Pokemon!" Kyla exclaims.
"The man started challenging people, but now others have started stepping up to challenge him." Jenny replies.
"Can't you stop this?" Kyla asks.
"Stop what? This is a legal Pokemon battle. Besides, no one is breaking any laws." Jenny responds.
Kyla takes a breath, just as Snorlax catches up, breathing heavily. "I'll stop this then." Kyla turns to the battle.
She eyes the Beedrill as it hovers. Instead of the normal three stingers, this one seems to have five and almost looks metallic. The battle ends with Beedrill as the winner, and Kyla sees her chance and steps quickly forward.
"Hey, you!" Kyla shouts at the man, who turns around, reliving he is Chad. "CHAD?!"
"Oh, hey Kyla! What brings you down here?" Chad asks, snarkily.
"You know damn well why I am here. You are sending a hella lot of trainers to my clinic. I have come to shut these battles down." Kyla responds angerly.
"Really?!" Chad crosses his arms. "You'll have to beat Beedrill if you want it that way."
Chaz looks at Beedrill, curious as to why it looks the way it does. Chaz walks over and pokes Beedrill. Beedrill responds by swiping its stinger at Chaz, missing. Chaz steps back a bit and grunts.
"My Beedrill is less than friendly. You can not blame him, he is undefeated at the moment." Chad huffs proudly.
Ivory runs up just in time to see Beedrill charges Chaz. "STOP!" Ivory shouts.
Beedrill stops as everyone turns to face Ivory.
"If you want to battle properly, you need a referee. Lucky for you, I am here!" Ivory thinks fast, pulling Kyla and Chaz aside. "Chaz, take this." Ivory whispers as she hands him what seems to be a clear marble.
Chas looks at it for a moment and swallows it.
"No! URGE! Fine, whatever, that will work. Kyla take these, and I already put the red one in the mega ring for a reason." Ivory whispers as she hands Kyla four marbles and one in a wrist band.
"What is this?" Kyla asks as she puts the wrist band on, and places the other marbles in her pocket.
"This is the key to Mega Evolution. That Beedrill is in its mega form, that is why he is beating all the other Pokemon. His speed alone is almost doubled, at the moment, and his attacks are much more powerful. You are going to need to work together, more than ever, to beat him." Ivory replies.
Chaz looks at the wrist band, that holds a red marble. Chaz grunts to Kyla.
Kyla turns to Chaz. "Are you sure?"
Chaz turns to Chad and Beedrill and blasts a Flamethrower into the air, issuing his challenge.
Kyla looks back at Ivory, with a smile and shrugs. "He wants to fight. Can't say no." Kyla jumps up and joins Chaz. "Okay Chad, you're on. One on one battle!"
Chad smiles, confidently. "Oh, how I have been waiting for this rematch. Agreed!"
Everyone watching backs away to a safe distance, designated by Jenny. Ivory steps forward and stands between the two teams. Snorlax follows Ivory and plops down behind her with a loud thud.
"Both trainers are in agreement. I will be the official referee, per my authority as professor over this region. This battle will be a one on one, Chaz vs Beedrill, first to render their opponent unable to battle wins." Ivory turns to Kyla. "Ready?"
"Ready!" Kyla replies.
Chaz glares intently at Beedrill.
Ivory turns to Chad. "Ready?"
"Hell yeah!" Chad responds.
Beedrill raises it's stingers to the ready.
Ivory raises her right hand, and then drops it quickly. "BEGIN!"