Days later at Viridian forest Alexis made a stop to camp for the night.

"Ok guys come up!" she said as she trew her two pokéballs at the ground.

Her two new pokémon, Kakuna and Mankey outed and landed joyfully on the ground as the pokéballs came back into her hands.

Cubone also jumped into the ground as she started to talk "Ok, you know what to do guys, like we do every day".

All three pokémon happily nodded as they got to work.

The trainer started to raise camp, starting to assemble her tent and the camp equipment, Cubone and Mankey started to look for nearby stones and sticks for the fire and Kakuna hopped to hang on a three branch, watching guard for aproaching trainers and wild pokémon.

As the small fire gently growled in the night, Alexis started to think about a month ago, when she started her journey. How excited she and Harry where, and how it had been everything that she hoped for.

She also imagined how Harry was doing. After a month of adventuring he probably had already tackled the Pewter City Gym. She was unsure to think wheater or not he had won, and as a matter of fact, she was unsure of how she would do herself.

It was past midnight, and both Cubone and Mankey where already sleeping, cuddled in the tent, only the complative trainer, and the ever watching Kakuna where awake. Alexis turned her gaze to the self-giving pokémon.

She was amazed from the beggining about how the little bug pokémon was determinated and autruistic.

Before adventuring she rarely went far from Lavender Town, and so, she rarely saw any wild pokémon other than Gastlys and Cubones, so being in touch with such a diversed pokémon ecosystem was a wonder for her. But even more amazing was the growth of her own newly caught pokémon.

Cubone was aways the paragon of a best friend, he was a little of a coward when she first met him, but with good reason.

Mankey and Kakuna on the other side, where another thing entirely.

Mankey was proud and even a little snob about her fighting skills, she surely gave Alexis a hard time catching her, she had no plans giving up on the battle. And even though Mankey was stubborn and hard to train, she never rebelled against her, and she surelly enjoiyed being fed and pampered.

Kakuna on the other side, was relatively easy to catch. He fought back, but it almost seemed like he didn't really believed that Alexis really wanted to catch him. On the training field however, Kakuna was a beast. He was a delight to train, obedient and self-giving, aways putting all he had on the training, Alexis even had to watch out so he didn't gave too much of himself on the training.

She had big plans for Kakuna, a fast and powerfull bug type was a must on her plans to beat the Pokémon League. And she knew about the Saffron Gym Leader Sabrina, infamous for the use of psychic pokémon, upon who many young trainers dreams get crushed. Dark and Ghost type pokémon were a rarity in Kanto, so she had no other option but to rely on the bug type, choosing to catch Kakuna was no accident, but still, she only expected him to really start a considerable growth after evolving into Beedrill, and Kakuna proved her wrong.

She smiled "I'm so lucky".

Then, out of nowere, a helicopter sound started to rage through the forest.

"Where is it Kakuna?" she asked.

Kakuna was a little startled by the great noise, but the quickly nodded and bounced up the three to observe.

Alexis got up quickly as the helicopter passed raging above the forest, shaking the branches wildly.

Cubone and Mankey woke up with the noise and got out of the tent, inquisitively.

"There was na helicopter, guys. Kakuna's watching, he'll go down soon." Said Alexis.

And soon after, Kakuna bounced back down the three, jumping excitedly.

"Ok, Kakuna, calm down! Show me what you saw, like we trained" said Alexis, imposing her hands to calm Kakuna down.

The cocoon pokémon calmed down and nodded, and then he started drawing in the ground by scratching the dirt with its bottom side.

Kakuna had no artistic gifts whatesoever, but he's drawning was a clear brand, a "CL" surrounded by a circle.

"CL..." thought Alexis "Did you saw where it was heading? Was it that way?" Alexis asked pointing in the direction of Pewter Town.

Kakuna jumped excitedly, confirming Alexis' guess.

She didn't knew the brand, but the information tickled her brain, she just couldn't ignore it.

"Ok, bed time everyone. Tomorrow we go to Pewter Town" she said, clapping her hands and sending her pokémon into the tent, while she put out the fire with some sand.

She laid in her sleeping bag and said good night to her pokémon, thinking of what she would find at Pewter.

On the following day, Alexis managed to arrive at Pewter just before midday.

She greeted the guarding officer at the city entrance "Hi officer".

"Oh, hello" he said "A trainer eh? Have you came to challenge Brock?" he asked.

"Oh no, not yet at least. I'm just traveling by now. Say, yesterday night while I was camping me and my pokémon saw a helicopter coming this way. Do you happen to know something about it?" she asked.

"Oh, you must be meaning that big helicopter from Cinnabar Island. It arrived during nigh and it is by the Museum, if that's what you're checking out" said the officer.

"Thank you officer!" said Alexis, already thinking about the Museum.

The Musuem itself was already something that she was dying to visit, all the collection of fossil pokémon and other natural history remains in display, she just couldn't miss it.

And then there was the helicopter "CL!" she thought "That has to be Cinnabar Labs! The ones that Mr. Fuji used to work on! What could they be doing there?".

She ran through the town, asking people how to find the museum and in about an hour she finally arrived.

A great building with brown brick walls and bright red roof tiles, with an sober white arc above the entrance reading "Pewter Museum of Science".

She opened up a smile and rushed to the entrance with Cubone shaking at her shoulder.

"Hi, welcome the the pewter Museum of Science" said the clerk at the entrance, as Alexis aproached "Can I help you?".

"Yes, please, I want a ticked" the young trainer said handing the bill to the clerk.

The clerk nodded and handed over the entrance ticket "Thank for visiting us, enjoy your visit".

Alexis smiled and asked "One more thing. Do you happen to know what was the Helicopter that arrived here yesterday night?".

The clerk was now surprised "Well, that was the Cinnabar Labs representatives arriving. They aways pay an annual visit. Something about a project of re-introducing extinct pokémon into the wild" the clerk said as if it was no big deal.

However it was THE big deal, if it was up to Alexis. Forget Brock, the League and gym badges, that was news she could be excited for.

Of course, most of the Cinnabar Lab's profit was invonving the fóssil ressurection tech in the first place, but it was still expansive and experimental, at least for as much Alexis knew beforehand. That was a hole other level, the consequences of doing so where out of the grasp of the young trainer's mind.

Her little jaw dropped "For real? Can I see it?" she asked.

"Well of course. Currently we only have Omanytes, but their habitat is observable from within the Museum..." The clerk finished explaining to an empty space, as Alexis rushed to the entrence, practically trowing her entrance ticket at the guard's face.

Once inside, Alexis rushed for the observation deck, looking carefully at the signs. She finally arrived to a small gazebo, facing a small roofless area inside the museum, with a small field of grass and a lake.

And she was lucky, she arrived precisely at the feeding time for the Omanytes.

An employee was surrounded by Omanytes, holdind a box filled with poképuff that he was serving.

That scene filled Alexis' eyes, seeing the shelled pokémon was like a dream come true for her.

Cubone was also interested, and was watching carefully.

"Excuse me, girl" Alexis heared as a hand touched her in her shoulder.

Startled, the young trainer turned around to meet the new figure.

There was another girl, a little older, maybe 13 years old or such, with short blue hair, a leather jacket and a black beret, despite the climate was not too cold as to need that, if not a little hot.

"Yes?" asked Alexis.

"I wanted to watch the Omanytes, so... Is it ok if I stick around?" she asked.

"Oh, of couse, please" she replied, puzzled by why would the girl ask that.

The gazebo wasn't big, but it wasn't that small either. The girl could watch the Omanytes as much as she wanted from her own corner.

Alexis blushed at the possibility that the girl could just be trying to make small talk and get to know her "I should say something then. Maybe".

"You know, I come here everyday" said the girl.

Alexis was surprised "Really? You must like the Omanyte quite a lot then" she said.

"Yeah, kind of. I kinda collect these rare pokémon. My dream is to collect all the rarest pokémon in the world. Make my father proud." She answered.

Alexis was surprised with that openness from the girl, but decided to simply agree with it "Well that's a noble dream. My dream is mostly just for myself, father was never really the kind to expect his children to do great things, he's more laidback".

The girl smiled "I don't know if my dream is that noble as you said. What is your dream anyway? If you don't mind me asking".

Alexis smiled back "I want to become the Pokémon League Champion! I know that might sound a little cliche, but I'm just fascinated by pokémon and the bond that they can have with people".

The girl's smile widened "I like people who dream big".

Alexis blushed again "I know it is silly, but that's it, I can't help it".

"It's not silly, I mean what I said. I don't get how people can just lay back and enjoy the ride in a world like this, pursuiting dreams is what makes the world go round" she said.

Alexis just didn't knew how to respond to this and focused her atention on the Omanytes. The museum employee had just finished feeding, and he was already leaving the area.

She was about to ask her name when the girl finally spoke again.

"And the thing about dreams is that you can never stop chasing them. Or they go away".

Alexis looked at the girl again, and she was facing directly at her, a grave expression on her face.

Cubone growled weakly at the girl.

Alexis was about to ask what was going on whe she got punched in the face.

The girl jumped inside the grassy area as Alexis colapsed on the floor, dizzy, her vision fogged.

Cubone rushed to help his trainer, desperate and not knowing what to do.

The girl riped and threw off her jacket, revealing the known and feared black overalls, picturing the big dark pink R.

Scared, the Omanyte tried to flee, but the girl threw her pokéball "Electabuzz, your turn!".

Electabuzz got out and swiftly blocked the pass baclk to the lake.

"Electabuzz, faint them all! Thunderbolt!" she ordered.

Alexis heard Electabuzz roaring as she tried to sit down, holding her nose with a shaking hand covered in blood.

The employee tried to return and defend the Omanyte, but the girl saw it all "Electabuzz, break the gate locks!".

Electabuzz responded quickly, punching the eletronic panel that gave acess the the lake area.

"You can't do that! Please!" yelled the employee.

"Thunderbolt him, Electabuzz" ordered the girl.

Electabuzz obeyed and shocked the man, who immediately collapsed on the ground.

"That's what you get for messing with Team Rocket!" the girl said, proudly, jus before being hit with a water gun.

Unbelieving, the girl searched for who did that and she found an Omanyte that she thought that was already fainted, standing with tired, heavy breath and treatning eyes, facing her challengingly.

"Ha! You're quite the brave one, aren't you? I'm guessing i'll keep you in my team" she said to the Omanyte, then she turned to Electabuzz "Electabuzz, Thunderbolt!".

Electabuzz obeyed, but knowing what would happen, Omanyte quickly retreated into the shell and rolled out, dodging the attack.

"Come on!" She said as Omanyte raced around the place, running from Electabuzz "Just give up! Make life easier for both of us!".

At that moment the Museum guards arrived "Stop right there Team Rocket!" one of them yelled.

The girl glared at them "Electabuzz, deal with them!".

The black and yellow pokémon darted to the three guards, Mega Punching them into the wall before they could even throw their pokéballs.

"It's Admin Lauren for the likes of you" she said as the guards moaned in pain.

Omanyte used that distraction to roll up the lake area's walls and try to flee.

"Oh no you won't!" screamed Admin Lauren as she chased the shelled pokémon upwards.

Somewhat recovered from the punch, Alexis stood up and put herself between the Team Rocket member and the fleeing Omanyte.

Cubone, in the other hand, promptly put himself between her and the danger, fiercely standing in-guard with his bone club raised in front of himself.

The Admin grinned at the sight of the resisting girl "Want another, Pokémon League Champion?".

"You won't have the chance" said Alexis.

Lauren smiled, amused "That's more like it. Don't disapoint me, Champion".

"Cubone, Bone Club!" she oredered, as Cubone attacked Electabuzz like a hurricane, hitting him many times in the face, ending with an up-down strike that made Electabuzz chrash into the ground "That's Alexis Chess for the likes of you".

Lauren looked form Electabuzz to Alexis, grinning "That's impressive, but if you think that Electabuzz is done you better think again".

In a split second, Electabuzz leand in all hands and feet and charged into Cubone head-on.

Cubone didn't fell, but was sent sliding several feet away, and before he could recompose, lauren gave na order "Electabuzz, Mega Punch!".

"Try to block it Cubone!" reacted Alexis.

Cubone tried to put his bone in front of himself, holding it with both hands, but Electabuzz punch sent him flying anyway, making him crash into the wall.

"Cubone come back!" Alexis retreated Cubone, and quickly chose the following pokémon "Go Mankey!".

Mankey got out excitedly, roaring and tauting at the opposing trainer.

"Don't let your guard down Electabuzz, we need more than a good punch to make that one give up!" said Admin Lauren sarcastically, being followed by her own pokémon tauting roar.

"We'll need everything for that one, Mankey, use Fucus Energy!" Alexis ordered.

Mankey closed her eyes gathering energy.

"Mega Punch Electabuzz!" Lauren ordered.

Electabuzz punched hard in Mankey's face, but she stood strong, unmoving.

Then she opened her eyes, glaring at the oposing pokémon.

"Mankey, Low Kick!" and Mankey kicked the bigger pokémon's leg, drapping him into the ground "Now Mankey, Karate Chop!" Mankey chopped at the downed Electabuzz visciously.

"Electabuzz, Mega Kick!" ordered the Admin, being upfrontly obeyed by Electabuzz, who promptly kicked Mankey, sending her flying "Now, Thunder Punch!" and Electabuzz charged into Mankey.

"Mankey dodge and use seismic toss!" Alexis ordered.

Mankey was barely able to dodge the Thunder Punch, she grabbed Electabuzz by the arm and quickly turned backwards, throwing him above her head.

Electabuzz crashed rolling in the floor.

"Now Mankey, finish him with your Mega Punch!" ordered Alexis.

Electabuzz was already standing, but Mankey came like a boxer and punched him in the face with all her might. However, Electabuzz endured, not even getting down again.

"Now Electabuzz, Subission!" ordered Lauren.

"Mankey get out of there!" ordered Alexis, but it was too late, Electabuzz grabbed Mankey by the arm and swinged her in the air to chrash her in the ground in the other side, then, still holding the arm, Electabuzz stepped into Mankeys back, performing the submission.

Mankey screamed, and Alexis rushed to call her back into the pokéball "I'm sorry friend..." she apologized to the pokéball, desperate with the chance something happened to her.

Lauren laughed "Is that all? Really? You got all tough on me with two barely trained pokémon? Is that how you plan on becoming the Champion? 'Alexis Chess' ".

Alexis growled at her.

"Now, out of my way. It will not be me punching you in the face next time" Lauren threatened, followed by a roar out of Electabuzz.

"Electabuzz is very tired..." Alexis tought, analyzing the pokémon posture, the battle was clearly being demanding for him, taking ground hits at the start and then getting all those fucus energy hits from Mankey, he was breathing very heavily "If only I had more pokémon, I cannot send Kakuna in there, its too dangerous. Even Cubone and Mankey couldn't beat this thing, Kakuna could get really hurt".

"Come on, I really liked you, it was hard enough to punch you the first time" said Lauren.

Alexis didn't moved. I didn't matter that she could not stop the Team Rocket Admin, she at least would delay her as much as possible for that Omanyte to flee.

Lauren shook her head negatively "Tch... Don't aim for her head" ordered her.

Electabuzz closed his fist mightly, making lightning volts dance around the floor.

Alexis barely saw it, she simply covered her face and belly with her arms, instinctively. But even when she heard the shock, she never felt the punch.

She opened her eyes and saw it.

Kakuna got outside the pokéball, holding Electabuzz's Thunder Punch in his forehead, his carapace glowing with the shine of Harden.

Electabuzz backed out, waiting for his trainer's orders, but she directed herself to Alexis instead "Really? A Kakuna? Is that all you have?" she asked, almost not bearing her own laughs.

Kakuna was standing fiercely, ready to protect Alexis.

"Kakuna return!" she tried to call him back, but he jumped away from the pokéball's beam, hanging himself from a string shot he used in the roof "Kakuna don't! It's too dangerous for you!".

"Listen to your trainer, little one. You have no chance against Electabuzz" Lauren said, mockingly.

"Kakuna, go back!" Alexis tried again, but Kakuna bounced away again, and then, he jumped at her and hitted the pokéball, throwing it away from the trainer's hand "Kakuna, don't! I mean it, it's too risky for you!" she begged.

"Ha! I guess you're never becoming Champion after all. Not even weak pokémon like that are obeying you!" the Team Rocket Admin mocked.

Kakuna was looking deeply in Alexis' eyes, she could practically see his soul burning with determination, dying of the wish to be believed in, of showing the world what he was capable of, that he was more than he appeared.

That was a feeling that Alexis couldn't be more familiar with. Her heart was in pain with all the danger she was putting Kakuna on, but no amount of fear would make her deny him such na opportunity.

"Kakuna, set up more Harden" she ordered.

"Wait, seriously?" said Lauren, genuinely surprised.

Kakuna glowed with the power of Harden, and then Alexis said "Harden again, you'll have to take a lot of punishment buddy, better be able to handle that".

"You gotta be kidding me, right?" Lauren was still unbeliaving that Alexis planned to battle her with a Kakuna.

"Harden again buddy" and once again, Kakuna hardened, just waiting for the opponent to make a move.

"Ok, I'm tired of this crap, Electabuzz, Mega Punch!" Lauren ordered.

Electabuzz charged into Kakuna, but not before Alexis gave another order "Kakuna, Harden, one last time!".

Kakuna glowed just before Electabuzz hit him.

Kakuna didn't moved an inch.

"What?" said Lauren suprised.

"Kakuna, Bug Bite!" Alexis ordered.

Kakuna bit Electabuzz on the fist.

"EEEEEEEE!" Electabuz screamed, trying to shake Kakuna off, but he held himself tightly.

"Now Kakuna, String Shot him!" Alexis ordered.

Kakuna started to spit strings of silk around Electabuzz, binding him into the ground, making him trip.

"This cannot be true, Electabuzz, Thunderbolt that thing out of you!" Ordered Lauren.

"Let go of him Kakuna!" ordered Alexis.

Kakuna let go, but was still hit by the Thunderbolt, and he felt this one.

"Crap, Harden will not help him with Thunderbolts" thought Alexis "Get moving Kakuna, String shot him on the place, but don't let him hit you with that!" she ordered.

Kakuna started to bounce around shooting silk at Electabuzz.

But Lauren noticed the fear on Alexis' orders "That's it Electabuzz, hit just one more time and he's done!".

Electabuzz tried consecutive Thunderbolts, but Kakuna managed to avoid all of them.

At that point Electabuzz was already covered in silk and wouldn't go anywhere.

"Just hit him already!" Lauren shouted.

"That's it Kakuna, you're awesome! Poison Sting him and do not get hit!" Alexis said.

Kakuna did so, bouncing around and dodging all of Electabuzz's attacks, being hit with the Poison Sting was getting him increasingly tired, his attack frequancy dropped.

"Hit him, Electabuzz! Hit him!" Lauren oredered, desperate.

Kakuna landed one other Poison Sting attack on Electabuzz and he fell on his knees.

"Great Kakuna! Keep going and well win this!" Alexis said.

"Electabuzz look at me" Lauren said pleadingly.

Electabuzz looked back, staring into his trainer's eyes "I believe in you. I know we can do it." She said.

Electabezz clenched his jaw.

He took a deep breath, stood another round of Poison Stings, traced Kakuna's movement and shot.

Kakuna was immediately hit and he flew up in the air.

"NO!" Alexis ran to catch him and she reached him, standing up in obvious pain "No, no, no Kakuna, no!" she said, trying to cuddle him, but he shook her off, only to fall in the gound.

"YES! That's it Electabuzz! Now get rid of that silk!" Lauren ordered, which Electabuzz immediatelly started to comply.

Kakuna got up again, and stood, barely, between Electabuzz and his trainer "Enough of this Kakuna! You have to retreat!" Alexis demanded, but once again, was not listened.

"I admit I have to respect that determination, but I guess it's over for you now" said Lauren, with Electabuzz, already free, standing up in front of her "Electabuzz, Thunderbolt!".

Electabuz charged up but never released he's charge.

An Omanyte came and ran over him with Rollout, sending him into the walls.

"What? NO!" said Lauren.

Electabuzz tried to stand up with no success, already too tired and beat up, as Omanyte growled at him, proudly, but he managed to stand up, just barely.

"That's my chance!" thoguht Alexis "Kakuna, Poison Sting!".

Kakuna obeyed promptly, unleashing a barrage of stings that hit Electabuzz full on.

And Electabuzz dropped in the ground, fainted.

"No way..." Lauren said, rushing on her pokémon as Alexis rooted "Yes! Yes! I can't believe you did it!".

Kakuna was rooting too, but suddenly, his body turned white and started to shine.

"What?... Kakuna, you're evolving!" Alexis said unbeliaving.

Slowly, the shinning armor of Kakuna started to open, and a pair of drill-shaped arms started to grow, along with a set of wings and legs.

Than it stopped. Kakuna was now Beedrill,standing on two feet, with his black and yellow body, translucid wings and deep red eyes.

Alexis and Beedrill immediately hugged each other "Oh, Beedrill, I can't believe it!" she said.

"Congratulations" said Lauren.

Alexis looked in her direction.

The Team Rocket Admin looked from her to the pokéball containing Electabuzz on her hand. Anger directioned at Alexis, resignation into the pokéball.

"I wish I could..." she started "I wish I... ARGH!" and she rushed in Alexis direction, but was promptly blocked by Beedrill, and Omanyte too, for Alexis' surprise.

Lauren growled "Don't think this is over" she said to Alexis.

In that moment, they started to hear steps and alarmed conversation coming from the entrance of the Museum.

Both trainers looked in that direction, then Lauren spoke to Alexis one last time "We'll meet again. You bet on it".

And so, as the police arrived with their Growlithes and Magnemites, Lauren trew a smokeball on the floor, fleeing unseen in the smoke.

"You don't have to, really" said Alexis, embarrased.

"Of course we do, you saved our Omanyte breed, that's nothing compared to wow much we would loose if you we're not there. Not to mention whatever horrible things these pokémon would have been submitted to if Team Rocket menaged to steal them" Said the museum curator.

"Well..." Alexis was really at loss of words.

"One other thing. Aside from the 100.000$, I think you should keep that Omanyte that's following you around" said the curator.

That really surprised Alexis, googling her eyes "For real?" she looked down, Omanyte was still there, the very same that confronted Lauren and helped her win at the end "You want to travel with me Omanyte?" she asked.

Omanyte responded with joyfull gestures, shanking his tentacles and rubbing himself at Alexis' leg.

"Are you sure of that?" the scientist from cinnabar asked the curator "We need as many Omanyte as possible for the reinsertion".

"It's still a pokémon, Julia, we cannot deny this to him, Omanyte found his trainer here. After all, they will likely be caught one time or another after we release them into the wilds anyway" said the curator.

"If you say so" replied Dr Julia "Don't think I'm being ungratefull miss, I'm just conserned about my work".

"I understand" Alexis replied, then she turned to Omanyte, with a pokéball in hand "Are you ready?".

Omanyte nodded happily.

And so, Alexis hit soflty the pokéball on Omanytes shell. The pokéball sucked the pokémon in, it vibrated three times, and then clicked.