Blanche and Candela eyed each other from opposite sides of the battlefield. The ground was dusty and a gentle breeze kicked the dust up onto their ankles. Candela's lab coat was tied around her waist to allow for better movement. Blanche kept her lab coat on, but her glasses were neatly folded up in one of the pockets. Between them and the lab, which was to Candela's left on the long side of the oval battlefield, were bleachers. Professor Willow stood on the front row with Spark to his left. Li'l Sparky stood on the railing in front of Spark.

"This is so exciting! A real live Pokémon battle!" Spark said, grinning widely. Li'l Sparky buzzed its agreement.

"Are you four ready?" Willow called to Blanche and Candela.

"Absolutely!" "Indubitably."

Willow smiled. "Now, these Pokémon are trained for a slightly different kind of battle that I've been researching. They each know two moves: one quick and weak and the other slow and powerful." Candela and Blanche looked at their PokéDexes. Magby knew Ember and Brick Break while Smoochum knew Pound and Ice Punch. "Keep an eye on your PokéDexes during the battle. When your Pokémon lands a hit, they will gain energy. Those blue bars on your screen track how much energy the Pokémon has. You can use the strong attack once one is full. Understood?"

"Indeed." "Yup!"

"Alright. Then let the battle…" Willow paused for dramatic effect, "…begin!"

As soon as that word left his lips, Candela shouted, "Magby! Use Ember! Keep Smoochum pinned!"

"Magby's fire-type moves have the advantage over the ice-type Smoochum," Spark mused. "Doesn't this battle seem a little unbalanced?"

Willow grinned. "Like I said earlier, Blanche remains cool under pressure and is skilled at analyzing the situation." He looked at Candela, Blanche, then Spark. "I have a feeling this is going to be an even fight."

Spark got a feeling that Willow was no longer talking about the same thing, but shrugged it off and returned his attention to the battle.

…

The grass rustled as a young boy tiptoed through the woods, peering between the trees and glancing at a device around his wrist. The boy was in his mid-teens at the oldest with a slim, athletic build and tan skin. His brown, spiky hair held out of his face by a black visor and he wore a red-and-white hoodie, a gray backpack, black fingerless gloves with red palms, gray shorts that went just below the knee, and black running shoes with an orange stripe on the tongue. Close on his heels was the Lizard Pokémon, Charmander, his Pokémon partner. This boy was Go, a member of Team Valor, and the device on his wrist was a PokéPlus, an item issued to all trainers assisting in Professor Willow's research that allowed them to track Pokémon.

"Look, Charlie," Go whispered to his Charmander, pointing between the trees. "There it is." Charlie the Charmander quickly jumped up onto Go's shoulder to see what he was pointing at: a rare Dratini, the Pokémon they were tracking.

Go carefully and quietly reached into his backpack, trying not to alert the Dratini to his presence. He pulled a Razz Berry out of the bag and tossed it in the Dratini's direction before ducking behind a tree. Hearing the Razz Berry land, the Dratini briefly searched for its source before determining it must have been dropped by an overhead Pidgey and choosing to eat it. Once Go heard the Dratini chomp down on the berry, he moved out of his hiding spot and prepared to hurl a Poké Ball at it when suddenly, an Ultra Ball from elsewhere collided with the Dragon Pokémon and sucked it up inside.

"Hey! Who threw that?" Go shouted, irritated.

From behind another tree emerged a young girl, roughly the same age as Go with dark skin and an equally athletic build, brown hair tied in a ponytail and tucked through a black and white ball cap, a blue sweatshirt with the Team Mystic logo, black and gray fingerless gloves, a gray belt with a brown Poké Ball symbol, skinny jeans, blue running shoes, and a white and purple backpack. "I did," she responded proudly, watching as the Ultra Ball shook back and forth. Unfortunately, the Dratini broke free and took off into the woods, leaving the broken Ball behind. "No! Ugh."

"Serves you right," Go muttered. "That Dratini was mine."

"Then why did I throw the Poké Ball?" the girl asked. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a Dratini to track."

"Not so fast!" Go shouted, grabbing her by the wrist before she could disappear through the forest. She yanked back and slapped him. "Hey! Who do you think you are?" he asked, rubbing the sore spot on his cheek.

"I'm Candy," she answered. "Team Mystic. And don't touch me. Who are you?"

"Gomer," Go said. "Team Valor. Go for short. I've been tracking that Dratini for ten minutes. It's mine."

They were standing toe-to-toe now, glaring at each other and waiting for someone to back down. Neither of them were willing to be the first.

"Hey! What's going on here?" called a male voice. Through the trees emerged another boy, maybe a little older and more muscular than Go and very pale, wearing a white fedora over his blond hair, glasses, a blazer over a white undershirt, a yellow backpack, black jeans, and black running shoes with a yellow stripe on the side. "Are you two fighting or aggressively making out?"

Go and Candy's faces turned bright red and they both stepped away, glaring at the newcomer. "This jerk tried to catch the Dratini I was tracking," Go complained.

"This idiot won't shut up," Candy fired back.

"Ah, I see," the third guy said. "Classic Valor-vs-Mystic rivalry, huh? Come on, there's no sense in fighting over a Dratini. Let's just hug it out." Despite Go and Candy's efforts to dodge out of the way, he forced them both into a hug. "Besides," he added, "I just caught that Dratini."

Go and Candy started to yell, but deemed it pointless and just let out a frustrated sigh. "And you are?" Go asked.

"Oh! I'm Walker," he responded, still holding Go and Candy in a hug. "I'm a member of Team Instinct!"

The responses came through clenched teeth: "Candy." "Gomer." "Would you let go of us, please?"

"Right, sorry." Walker quickly set them free. Charlie jumped back up onto Go's shoulder, glaring protectively at Candy and Walker as if to dare them to touch Go again.

"Well, as nice as it was to meet the two of you," Go said, readjusting his visor, "I'd better get-" He was interrupted as all three PokéPlus began to vibrate. The trainers looked at the device to see what Pokémon was nearby.

"What?" "No way." "Is this a joke?"

A wild Mewtwo.

Sorry for the (incredibly) long wait. I've written five or six different drafts of this chapter and none of them carried the story the way I wanted them to. I think this one does better.

Also, more new characters! What's your first impression of them? Which one's your favorite? Let me know in a review!

And one more thing: I now have an official writing Tumblr! Go check me out at datnuttykid-writes (dot tumblr dot com). I'll be posting whenever I update or publish a story, plus some supplemental things like Pokémon movesets or character breakdowns, and I'll answer questions there if you send them to me!