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Description
After defeating Cipher and clearing them out of the Gardev Mountains, Dr. Mack Foxx and Aura, a young Gardevoir (Also the Guardian of Gardev) decide to go and clear Cipher out of the region, but where should they begin? Perhaps the nearest city, Alakaz, might yield some clues. However, the demented scientist, Dr. Alvin Namwen, still has the suit of powerful battle armor that had been stolen from Mack as well as the plans for many of his kinder brother's inventions. Dr. Namwen gets ready to use Mack's own high technology against him as he prepares to complete his greatest triumph: Project Omega. Meanwhile, Cecil is still seething with rage after all he lost back near the village of Gardev as well as his gigantic base in Mt. Terror and seems to be ready to give anything to eliminate Mack and Aura. Before Mack and Aura left Gardev, Glacian, Aura's great-great grandfather said that Aura would find her mate during her travels with Mack. As she eagerly awaits meeting her mate, Mack is still anxious about possible side effects that resulted from the crude fusion and separation of him and Aura.

This is the second story in the series and I suggest you read the first story, The Village Guardian before reading this.

Ages 10+ Suggested for Violence

A Poke'mon fan-fiction written by Philip "Dr. Mack Foxx" Byard and Aaron "Aaraboga Jones" Byard

This is a work of fan-fiction and may not be modified or sold under any circumstances.

Original Story, Characters and all other Original Content are Copyright 1987, 1995, 1999 and 2006 Philip "Dr. Mack Foxx" Byard and Aaron "Aaraboga Jones" Byard

Poke'mon and all related content and characters are Copyright 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005 and 2006 to Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures and The Poke'mon Company

+Project Omega+
-1-
Dr. Mack Foxx tightly gripped the black handlebars of his metallic S-12 hovercycle as he raced through the forest. Aura, a young Gardevoir who was the Guardian of Gardev, tightly wrapped her arms around Mack as they flew through the woods at high-speed. Mack could barely hear the Spearow and Pidgeys tweeting and squawking over the loud hum of the hovercycle.

"Where are we going?" asked Aura.

"We're heading back to the lab to re-supply. There is no way this hovercycle is going to carry everything that we'll need," replied Mack as he carefully guided his vehicle between the large trees. Mack almost could not believe what had happened over the last few months. Between battling Cipher, discovering a city of Ralts, Kirlia and Gardevoir, unraveling the secrets of the nearby village of Gardev and getting fused with the Gardevoir who protected Gardev, Mack was exhausted. Just minutes ago, Mack and Aura had departed from Gardev on a mission to stop Cipher. From what Mack could gather, the odds were not in his favor. Not only had Cipher stolen the S-100 Type I Battle Armor, but Mack's new friend, Dr. Newman, had managed to reverse-engineer much of the armor's components while he was still working for Cipher. Though Dr. Newman was now a valuable ally, the scientist's brother had managed to steal all the schematics and blue prints for not only the copied S-100 technologies, but also for a Seismic Generator as well as a machine known as Project Epsilon. The Seismic Generator could either be used to create powerful, localized earthquakes or it could be used to stop powerful quakes before they could do any real damage: all with the push of a button. Project Epsilon had Mack worried even more. If Cipher managed to make a working copy of it, then nothing would stop the criminal organization from stealing and capturing Poke'mon from anywhere on Earth. Aura's thoughts were elsewhere. She gazed into the deep-blue sapphire pendant in her right hand. Aura's great-great grandfather, Glacian, had revealed to her that she would find her life-long mate on her travels with Mack. The pendant would be a gift for the Gardevoir of her choice. Aura couldn't help but wonder who her mate would be and when she would find him. The hovercycle soon came to a gentle stop in front of what looked like a rock wall on the side of a hill. To anyone else, this wall of solid rock was no concern, but Mack knew otherwise. He knew what was hidden behind the smooth, gray and black granite wall.

"Is this the place?" asked Aura as she dismounted from the hovercycle.

"Yep, this is it," said Mack as he pressed some buttons on his watch. After a few sharp beeps from the watch, the granite wall rumbled and creaked as it slid away, revealing a large, silvery metal door. Mack walked up to a small control panel on the left side of the door. Aura followed Mack closely. Aside from Aura's soft footsteps, this part of the forest was almost silent. After Mack entered a secret code on the control pad, the door opened with a soft hiss. Aura followed Mack as he got into what looked like an elevator. After pressing a few buttons on the elevator's green control panel, the doors closed with a soft thump. The elevator hummed as they descended. The elevator soon came to an abrupt stop and the doors quickly opened. As they entered a large room, Mack's robotic companion, K-1-27 greeted them as they stepped out of the elevator.

"Welcome back, Mack!" said K-1 cheerfully, "I suspect that you are here for supplies?" Mack and Aura seemed to be puzzled about something.

"How did you get here before we did? We left Gardev just a matter of minutes ago," said a confused Mack.

"I used my built-in teleportation systems, of course. I found that method to be more effective than walking or flying back here," explained K-1, "At any rate, you came here to gather supplies for your journey, correct?"

"Yes. That and I'm also here for the S-1 Air-Car," said Mack as he gazed around his lab and then back at K-1's large, cat-like face.

"I see you brought Aura with you as well," said K-1 as he faced Aura, "Nice to see you again, madam."

"Thank you," said Aura with a smile, "But you can just call me Aura."

"Understood," said K-1 happily as he walked over to a giant screen in the room with a large control panel in front of it. The multi-colored lights on the panel were lit up like a Christmas tree amid the electronic clicks and beeps that came from the giant computer.

"How is Central doing?" asked Mack with concern. Central was the powerful artificial intelligence/sentience program that Mack and K-1 had developed many years ago to aid them not only in their scientific exploits, but also to help run all the systems in Mack's hidden, underground laboratory.

"Central has nearly finished recovering the data that was corrupted from the bizarre explosion," explained K-1. Just weeks ago, Mack had destroyed the original Project Epsilon. The resulting explosion not only separated Mack and Aura, but the blast caused magnetic disturbances that disrupted complex electronics. Though Central, herself, had survived, all the information in her data arrays had been scrambled.

"It should only be a few more days. By then, I will also have completed the analysis of your DNA," answered K-1. After Mack and Aura had been separated, K-1 decided that the best way to discover any side-effects would be to compare a sample of Mack's current DNA from a sample that had been taken right after Mack and K-1 had crash-landed into the world of Poke'mon. K-1 was optimistic of the results, but he still had only analyzed 67% of Mack's current DNA structure. However, so far, K-1 had found nothing unusual. This was perplexing, though, especially since Mack could now understand other Poke'mon without needing an electronic translator. K-1 figured that he would also check Aura after he was finished with Mack, especially since Aura could now wield the same power over light that Mack had.

"Good. Things will run much smoother once Central is running properly again. We should also check Aura for additional side-effects," said Mack.

"Once Central is operational, checking Aura for problems would take only a matter of minutes," said K-1.

"Granted, it would only take a second for all that if we were back home," laughed Mack.

"No kidding!" said K-1 with a chuckle, "At any rate, what all will you need besides the S-1?"

"Let's start with the Air-Car. Are all the modifications complete?" asked Mack.

"I did everything you asked: thicker armor plating, an enhanced engine, improved energy shielding and stronger repulsors. The Air-Car should now have a flight ceiling of 5,000 feet off the ground," answered K-1 with some excitement.

"Excellent. It can fly twice as high now. That'll make it easier to get to the nearest town from Gardev," said Mack.

"Since the alternative is over one hundred miles of mountain roads, flight is definitely the best way to go," said K-1. Aura seemed a bit nervous.

"Is something wrong, Aura?" asked Mack.

"Well…" said Aura with some hesitation, "I've never been flying before."

"No need to be frightened, Aura," reassured K-1, "The S-1 Air-Car flies smoothly and there are plenty of emergency systems on board. That way, you won't crash, even if the engines fail."

"Okay," said Aura with a sigh of relief.

"Most likely, you'll sleep during the trip. Either that or you'll be too busy looking at the scenery," said Mack as he faced K-1, "I'll need enough supplies for at least 3 weeks for me and three Poke'mon."

"Ah, ha," said K-1, "Food, water, extra fuel and spare parts."

"I'll also take my FIW-59A Pistol and one FIW-37 Combo-Rifle. 30 reserve power cells should be enough," said Mack as he glanced over the weapons he kept in a glass case.

"Speaking of weapons," said K-1 sheepishly, "I have not yet installed the Level-4 Turbo Plasma Cannon on the S-1."

"We won't need it!" laughed Mack, "We're just visiting the town, not trying to conquer it!"

"That's logical," said K-1, "I doubt the local police would appreciate it if a light, flying tank showed up in their city." While Mack and K-1 kept discussing about supplies and weapons, Aura was busy looking at a tall, metal man that stood against a wall on the far left side of the room. K-1 stopped talking and turned his gaze towards Aura.

"I see Aura has discovered the R-25A robots," said K-1.

"What do these…R-25's do?" asked Aura with curiosity.

"Ah," said Mack as he walked to and then stood at Aura's side, "The R-25A is a 5 and a half foot tall robot that is designed for multiple uses: heavy lifting, repairing electronics and vehicles and also for use as a security unit. They have some artificial intelligence and will act friendly to anyone but a hostile target."

"I'll have the other R-25s bring the supplies and weapons you requested up to the surface," said K-1. Mack then remembered something important.

"Is Dr. Newman here?" asked Mack.

"That reminds me," said K-1 as he faced Mack, "Dr. Newman would prefer it if we just called him Eric."

"Very well," said Mack.

"At any rate, Eric went back to Gardev for now. He should be back here later this evening," said K-1 as Mack walked past a glass case that was filled with weapons. Amidst all the glistening cannons, Mack's eyes soon fell on the blackened and half-melted remains of a Capture Claw. Mack could only imagine what Cipher was plotting.

-2-
Cecil Drake, one of Cipher's most well-known administrators was reclining behind his new brown, wooden desk. Cecil was indeed well-known throughout Cipher, but mainly because of his failures back at Gardev and at what once was the Mt. Terror facility. Just weeks ago, Cecil was standing before the boss of Cipher, about to be demoted for all the recent disasters that had happened under Cecil's authority. All that changed after Dr. Namwen stepped in and had managed to convince the boss to let Cecil keep his position within Cipher. Despite the fact that Cecil was in the clear now, he still wanted vengeance against the Guardian of Gardev and especially against the alien warrior he had met just before the Mt. Terror facility literally vanished in a thick cloud of flaming smoke. Dr. Namwen soon entered the room with a group of six black Alakazams behind him. The Alakazams gave Cecil the creeps. Not only did Dr. Namwen use their intelligence like Dr. Newman did, but these Alakazams were completely emotionless and followed Dr. Namwen around like mindless zombies.

"I think you'll be happy to know that the boss has no ill thoughts of you any more," said Dr. Namwen in a dry, raspy voice. The sound Dr. Namwen's voice was so eerie that Cecil almost liked the sound of scraping razor blades against a chalkboard more than having to listen to the madness in the scientist's voice.

"Indeed," said Cecil uneasily, "I hear that things are going well in the Orre region."
"Yes, they are," said Dr. Namwen with a cruel chuckle, "Project XD001 is almost operational. On top of that, the construction of a new Seismic Generator has begun. Not to mention that an improved copy of Project Epsilon is being designed as we speak. I think Epsilon Mark II will be a considerable improvement, but it will take some time to complete."

"I take it the field team had a heck of a time finding and capturing a Lugia," said Cecil.

"Yes," said Dr. Namwen, "With the information that my inferior brother gathered at the Gardev base, I was able to find the perfect match to be used for XD001. The field team was almost eliminated in the capture attempt. The Lugia knew they were coming for it. If the team had not had a Master Ball on hand, they would have been annihilated by the Lugia for sure."

"It's a real pity the company that designed and made the Master Balls never had them mass-produced," remarked Cecil.

"If only they had, the loss of the Capture Cannons would not have been as…devastating," said Dr. Namwen with disappointment, "Nevertheless, your Master Ball was quite useful. The boss was all too happy to receive it from you just days before we captured the Lugia. I think your present was a good way to help denounce any more…accusations against your ability to be a leader within Cipher."

"You have no idea how relieved I am…" grumbled Cecil, "If you had not stood up for me, I would have been lower on the command chain than those bumbling Hexagon Brothers!" Dr. Namwen could tell that there was more going on in Cecil's mind than he was letting on.

"I see you would like nothing else, but to destroy the Guardian of Gardev, the alien warrior and the town of Gardev itself," observed Dr. Namwen as he read Cecil's thoughts through telepathy.

"I wish you wouldn't probe my mind like that…" muttered Cecil, "But you are right."

"Patience, my friend," said Dr. Namwen in a sadistic tone of voice, "Once everything has fallen in place, I will be able to grant your wish."

"And what of the legendary Gardevoir city?" asked Cecil. Dr. Namwen closed his eyes and stood silent for a few minutes before he answered Cecil.

"You will be there when the Gardevoir city is found. You will also be there as we harvest the hundreds, nay, thousands of Ralts, Kirlia and Gardevoir," said Dr. Namwen, "I only wish my powers would reveal the location of the Gardevoir city."

"I'll be looking forward to that day," said Cecil as he reclined at his desk. After Dr. Namwen has closely inspected the remains of the alien's armor, he wished he could fully repair it and then pilot it. Virtually nothing could stop the alien's armor that Dr. Namwen could think of. Dr. Namwen soon left the room with a grin on his face. After all, if everything went well, he would have the armor suit operating again within three weeks.

-3-
While Mack and K-1 plotted their next move, the R-25s were on the surface, loading equipment and supplies onto the S-1. The R-25s continued their work, not caring about the Poke'mon that had gather near the crates of food. The four Poke'mon, a Mawile and three Kirlia, watched in awe as the tall metal men continued their work.

"I wonder what other tricks Mack has up his sleeve," remarked Li, the Mawile.

"I wish I could have on of those robots to clean my room," said Anna the Kirlia with jealousy.

"No kidding…" grumbled Fredrick, Anna's older Kirlia brother.

"Come on you two, there's no need to fight about that right now," said Sakura the Kirlia softly. Fredrick seemed puzzled about what they were even doing here near the entrance to Mack's hidden lab.

"Anna, what are we doing here?" asked a confused Fredrick.

"Simple, we're going to go with our sister and Mack on their journey!" said Anna triumphantly, much to Fredrick's dismay.

"We can't go with them! Ramirez will have our heads if we leave the mountains! He'll be cross enough if he finds out that we dared so much as to leave Gardev without telling him!" warned Fredrick as he soon noticed that no one was listening to him. Li was keeping an eye on the robots while Anna was trying to figure out how to come along with Mack and Aura without being noticed.

"You're always such a worry-wart!" snapped Anna.

"And with good reason!" growled Fredrick, "You're always getting me and our friends in trouble! I'm heading back to Gardev."

"You mean you won't come with us?" asked Sakura with some sadness in her voice.

"Of course not!" shouted Fredrick, "I'm going to get Ramirez over here and have him drag you back to Gardev!" As Fredrick started to storm off back to the forest, Anna whispered something to Sakura. Sakura giggled and then leapt in front of Fredrick.

"What is it?" asked an irritated Fredrick. Sakura just smiled and started twirling on her toes. Fredrick watched attentively as Sakura gracefully danced in front of him.

"Do all Kirlia know ballet?" asked Li with curiosity.

"Of course," said Anna as she winked her eye, "Fredrick can dance like that too, but the people in Gardev usually laugh at him." Sakura giggled and then stared deeply into Fredrick's eyes.

"I wouldn't gaze at Sakura right now if I were you," warned Anna quietly as she and Li quickly faced away from Sakura. Sakura giggled as her eyes started glowing. Fredrick soon fell to the ground in a deep sleep.

"He's out now," said Sakura happily as she finished her ballet with a graceful bow. Li stared at Fredrick as he slept, almost dumbfounded at what had just happened.

"Hypnosis, right?" asked Li.

"Yep!" laughed Sakura.

"Yeah, that'll shut him up for now," said Anna with some laughter as her gaze soon fell on a large plastic container. The container seemed to be filled with food.

"You think we'll fit in that?" asked Li as he pointed at the container.

"Of course!" said Anna with resolve, "Plus all that food in there should keep us well fed during the trip." Sakura took up Fredrick in her arms and walked up next to Anna and Li.

"We should take him with us, shouldn't we?" asked Sakura.

"Either that or we let this little punk get away and tattle on us," said Anna with a scowl. Anna was closely watching the robots as they continued their work.

"What do you think will happen if they see us?" asked Li.

"They won't see us!" laughed Anna as she held out a familiar box with buttons and knobs on it.

"Did you swipe Mack's cloaking device again?" asked Li as he raised an eyebrow. Before he could answer, Anna pressed a large red button on the device and casually walked up to the crate with Sakura and Li right behind her. They quickly climbed into the crate. Sakura lifted Fredrick into the crate using telekinesis and then quickly dove in.

"At least these Styrofoam peanuts are soft," muttered Li as he spat a few out of his large maw. Seconds later, one of the robots walked over and put a lid on the container.

"Careful R-25-8," said one robot to another, "That crate is very fragile."

"Affirmative, number R-25-3," replied R-25-8 as he carefully loaded the crate into the back on the S-1 Air-Car. Anna breathed a sigh of relief as she soon discovered a flashlight in the bottom of the crate.

"At least we won't have to travel in darkness," said Anna while Li feverishly looked over the packages and bags of food.

"Chocolate brownies? Mountain Dew? What kind of food crate is this?" asked a bewildered Li.

"This is the best stuff! Trust me!" said Anna as she opened a bag of potato chips. Li's mouth watered as the potato chip bag crinkled as Anna opened it. A strange aroma filled the crate.

"Are those things any good?" asked Li eagerly. Anna gazed at Li with disbelief.

"You've never had potato chips before?" asked Anna with amazement, "Of course these things are good!"

"Okay," said Li as he grabbed a bag of chips in his large mouth and tried to swallow it. Anna laughed at Li as he coughed up the bag of chips.

"You're not supposed to eat the whole blasted bag," giggled Anna. Meanwhile, Mack and Aura were heading back to the surface in the elevator with K-1.

"Okay, the S-1 is loaded and ready to go," said K-1 as the elevator door opened. The R-25s stood in a line outside the door.

"Nicely done, R-25-2," said Mack.

"My pleasure, sir," replied R-25-2 as Aura sat down in the S-1.

"It should only be an hour of driving until you reach the nearest city, Alakaz," said K-1, "I've marked the city on the S-1's computer."

"Thanks, K-1!" said Mack with a smile as he jumped into the driver's seat. Aura still seemed uneasy.

"Still nervous, Aura?" asked Mack as he gripped the steering wheel in his hands.

"Yes," said Aura with nervous laughter, "It's just that I've never been flying before in a machine like this." K-1 smiled at Aura.

"You have nothing to worry about with Mack at the controls," said K-1 as he tried to calm Aura.

"That's good to know," said Aura with a smile.

"Yep. Nothing to worry about, except losing your lunch," said K-1 sarcastically with a big grin on his face.

"Very funny, K-1!" growled Mack as he started up the S-1 while Aura erupted with laughter.

"Have a good trip, Mack," said K-1 as the Air-Car hummed loudly.

"I'll call you when I get to Alakaz," said Mack as he started to drive away. K-1 extended an arm from his chest compartment and waved goodbye as Mack, Aura and the S-1 disappeared into the dense green forest. Moments later, an R-25 walked up to K-1.

"Pardon me, sir, but one of the tools has gone missing," reported the R-25.

"A missing tool, eh? What happened?" asked K-1.

"Another R-25 seems to have lost a wrench while making repairs to the S-1," answered the R-25.

"It's probably of no concern," said K-1. Off in the distance, a pair of eyes in one of the trees watched K-1 closely. This ancient Poke'mon had been watching Mack and Aura for some time. His name was Simon and he was a Kabutops. Simon lived only for one thing now: to challenge the world's strongest Poke'mon and then defeat them in combat. Simon had witnessed Aura's power on several occasions and the impressive displays only made Simon want to challenge the fair Guardian to a battle even more.

-4-
Twenty minutes into the flight and all was well. The powerful thunderstorms that surrounded the mountains once every year had finally cleared just a few days ago. The fair weather made the flight in the Air-Car pleasant. While Mack carefully guided the S-1, Aura gazed left and right at the mountainous scenery. Aura had never seen these dark, craggy peaks before.

"Enjoying the view?" asked Mack as he glanced over at Aura.

"Yes," replied Aura with a smile, "I've lived my entire life in Gardev and have never seen these mountains this close before."

"You mean you've never even set foot into the Gardevoir city?" asked Mack with curiosity.

"No. As the first born of my siblings, it was my duty from the beginning to live in and protect Gardev. You know how the male and female guardians wear the sapphire and ruby pendants as a symbol of their duty, right? Well, when I was born, another pendant was put around my neck. It was a diamond pendant, meant for the next guardian," explained Aura with some sadness in her voice, "As I grew, my mother and father taught me about Gardev, the history of the guardians and how to use my powers."

"Ah," said Mack as he carefully kept an eye on the controls and flight instruments.

"I was then told about my one other responsibility," said Aura as she continued her story, "Just weeks after I had evolved into a Gardevoir, my parents told me that one day, I would have to find a mate. A Gardevoir who was not only worthy to be a guardian, but who would also care for me and eventually the two of us would have offspring. Whoever my firstborn is will wear the diamond pendant and will be the next Guardian of Gardev."

"Well, at least we know that you will find your mate on your travels, whoever it is, I know he'll take good care of you and Gardev," said Mack with a grin as he tilted the steering wheel, giving Aura a better view of one of the snow-capped peaks, "What ever happened to your parents anyway and why do Ramirez, Fredrick and Anna live in the Gardevoir city?" Aura's eyes misted over. The only thing that broke the silence was the soft humming from the Air-Car as it slid through the sky.

"I'm sorry…" said Mack, "I shouldn't have asked…"

"It's okay…" said Aura quietly, "I'll tell you. You see, just weeks after I had evolved, my parents disappeared while exploring the forests just outside of Gardev. When they didn't return for several days, everyone in Gardev went out to search for them. After searching for weeks, all we were able to find were their pendants and their wedding rings…"

"That's strange…" said Mack, "Glacian did mention their disappearance."

"When we found out that they were gone, Glacian then made me the new Guardian of Gardev. He took off the diamond pendant and then put the ruby pendant around my neck. It glowed brightly for a few minutes afterwards. Ramirez then decided to take charge of Fredrick and Anna. He took them to the Gardevoir city where he continued to raise them. Fortunately, they would visit me from time to time. It was quite a surprise the day Anna evolved into a Kirlia. Why, she's two years younger than Fredrick!" laughed Aura. Mack chuckled.

"Quite the temper on that one, eh?" said Mack with a grin.

"Yes," said a smiling Aura, "She probably evolved after another fight at school."

"Pardon me for asking, but what would a Ralts or a Kirlia learn in school?" asked a bewildered Mack.

"Oh, just the usual, most important things: ballet, how to use their powers and when to use them. Besides, being a good ballet dancer is a great way to get the attention of the girls," giggled Aura.

"Well, I can't dance, so that rules me out!" said Mack with nervous laughter. Aura closed her eyes and smiled. Suddenly, an alarm on the control panel lit up.

"What's this?" asked Aura as she pointed at the flashing red light on the panel.

"I don't get it…" muttered Mack, "How could the engines be overheating?"

"Are we going to crash?" asked Aura with fear.

"No, but we are going to have to land very soon," said Mack as he quickly looked around for a safe place to set down. A green meadow right below them seemed like a good spot. Mack pressed a few buttons on the panel and gently descended the Air-Car to the ground. Moments after they had landed, Mack jumped out of the driver's seat, grabbed a toolbox from the back of the S-1 and was soon under the Air-Car. Aura stayed in the passenger seat.

"What do you think happened?" asked Aura.

"I'm not sure," replied Mack as he tinkered with the S-1's parts, "Something is causing the cooling units to fail. It's almost like there's some sort of short in the electrical systems." Aura closed her eyes and concentrated.

"Try panel #3 and to the left," said Aura.

"Okay," said Mack as he removed some screws from the access panel. Mack soon removed the panel. Much to his surprise, he found a wrench wedged between the power lines for the cooling units and the power cells.

"Did you find it?" asked Aura as she opened her eyes.

"Yeah," said a surprised Mack, "One of the R-25's must have left it in here by mistake."

"I thought you said they had artificial intelligence," said Aura.

"They do have artificial intelligence, but they still can't think for themselves. All they can do is run programs and since programs are extremely difficult to make perfect, they are bound to make mistakes once in awhile," explained Mack as he put on a thick, rubber glove and then yanked the blackened wrench from its hiding place, "What I'd like to know, is how you knew which access panel to check."

"I'm…not sure…" said an uneasy Aura.

"Well, at least the S-1 will work properly now," said Mack as he climbed out from under the machine, "But it's still going to take an hour or so for this thing to cool off. If we had stayed air-borne for 5 minutes longer, the engines would have started to melt from the inside. May as well just sit back and enjoy the view." While Mack and Aura reclined in the S-1, a Poke'mon kept its gaze on them, waiting for the right moment to strike.

"They have no idea that I'm even here;" thought Simon, the ancient Kabutops, "Perfect." Meanwhile, the young Poke'mon in the crate were sitting back, trying to enjoy the cramped crate. Anna was not having much fun now.

"Ohhh…" groaned Anna as she slumped against the side of the crate.

"What's wrong?" asked Sakura.

"I think that eighth brownie got the best of me…" said a nauseated Anna.

"Didn't you say this food was the best stuff?" asked a perplexed Li.

"It is the best…" groaned Anna as she tried to smile.

"As long as you don't try to eat a crate of it," said Sakura with soft laughter.
"Words to live by…" said Anna, trying to laugh. Fredrick groaned as he started to wake up with his head in Sakura's lap. Fredrick took one look around the inside of the crate and sighed loudly.

"Let me guess…" started Fredrick as he slowly sat up.

"Yep," said Anna as she started to feel better, "We're with Mack and Aura."

"Hiding in a crate full of junk food," said Li as he interrupted Anna. Fredrick glanced around the crate again and soon noticed that the floor was covered with wrappers.

"Anna tried to eat everything in here, didn't she?" demanded Fredrick.

"Yep…" said Sakura. Fredrick suddenly turned his head to the left.

"There's something out there…whatever it is, its watching us…waiting for the right moment to strike," said Fredrick with concern. Sakura, Li and Anna quickly stood up.

"What should we do?" asked Sakura fearfully.

"Get ready to attack…" said Fredrick softly. Simon leapt silently to a tree at the edge of the forest. He gauged the distance carefully, hoping to jump into the back of the Air-Car and surprise the young Gardevoir. Simon suddenly heard some strange sounds underneath his feet. He glanced down and quickly discovered that the branch he was standing on was breaking under his weight.

"Oh, bother…" grumbled Simon as the branch feel out from under his feet. Mack and Aura suddenly jumped out of the S-1 to find out where the screaming was coming from. Their eyes soon fell on a Kabutops, less than 15 yards away from them.

"Guardian of Gardev! I challenge you…!" said the Kabutops as one of the crates in the back of the S-1 immediately flew open.

"ATTACK!!" screamed Anna as the group of young Poke'mon jumped forward and tackled the Kabutops to the ground.

"ACK!!" screamed the Kabutops as it tried to shake the young Poke'mon off of himself, "Get them off me!!" Mack and Aura glanced at each other.

"Looks like they managed to follow us after all," said Aura with a nervous smile.

"Indeed…" grumbled Mack as he walked towards the struggling Kabutops, "That's enough! Let him go!"

"But, he was going to attack you!" said Anna with one arm wrapped around the Kabutops' neck and the other arm blazing with electricity.

"There's no need for that. You can lower your Thunder Punch," said Mack as he glanced at Li, who had one of the Kabutops' feet in his giant, toothy maw, "And take that thing out of your mouth, Li! You have no idea where it's been!"

"Good point," said Li nervously as he released his grip. After the young Poke'mon had released the Kabutops, the Kabutops got back on its feet and dusted itself off.

"Thank you…" grumbled the Kabutops as it glared at Aura's siblings and friends. Mack didn't know quite what to make of this Poke'mon intruder, so he kept his hand at his side-arm, ready to defend himself if needed. The Kabutops glanced at Mack's weapon.

"You can relax, sir, I'm not going to hurt you," said the Kabutops calmly.

"Then why did you try to surprise-attack us?!" demanded Anna as she got another Thunder Punch ready.

"No need to get defensive, young Kirlia, I intended to challenge the Guardian of Gardev to honorable combat," said the Kabutops.

"Who are you then and why do you want to fight Aura?" demanded Mack.

"So, her name is Aura? How fitting for one with such beauty among Poke'mon. Anyway, my name is Simon. For millennia, I have traveled the world to fight all the legendary Poke'mon as well as the strongest Poke'mon in existence," explained Simon, "So far, I have defeated Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mew and many other legendary and seemingly unstoppable Poke'mon. One hundred years ago, I even challenged the ruler of the Gardevoir city. His name was Glacian and he was the only one who ever defeated me and with one shot, I might add!"

"My great-great grandfather was too much for you, wasn't he?" giggled Aura.

"Don't remind me," grumbled Simon, "That was the most embarrassing moment of my entire life."

"Nevertheless, why did you want to fight Aura?" asked Mack again.

"To be honest, I haven't had a decent fight in decades. I've been trying to hunt down the Poke'mon known as Mewtwo, but to no avail. I figured that a weaker member of the guardian bloodline would be an excellent opponent for the time being," explained Simon as he gazed at Aura.

"What do you mean 'Weaker?'" scowled Anna, "Aura's the best!" Simon laughed.

"Then why can't the fair guardian use the legendary power of her pendant?" said Simon with spite. Aura and Mack said nothing.

"I think I've proven my point," said Simon, "But don't think of me as being rude. Aura is by far the most powerful Gardevoir I've ever laid my eyes on without the power of that pendant." Mack looked Simon over and could tell that this Kabutops was powerful, even if only physically.

"What do you think, Aura? Will you fight Simon?" asked Mack as he faced Aura.

"Not here," said Aura with hesitation.

"You can tag along with us if you want, I'm sure Aura will accept your challenge after we get to Alakaz," said Mack. Simon eyes opened wide when he heard the name of the nearest town.

"You are on your way to Alakaz? Then I beg of you to take me with you! I heard that an unidentified Poke'mon was spotted there just days ago. Maybe I can track it and catch up with it," said Simon.

"And try to pummel it?" said an annoyed Anna.

"Yes, that's the idea," said Simon matter-of-factly.

"Very well," said Mack.

"You sure you can trust this guy?" asked Anna. Aura smiled and put her right arm on Anna's left shoulder.

"He may be violent, but he is honorable. We can trust him," said Aura softly. Mack sighed as he took a closer look at Anna and then the S-1 and immediately noticed the food wrappers on the ground and in the crate.

"At least I now know what happened to the dessert rations," muttered Mack as they boarded the Air-Car. Anna laughed nervously as she jumped into the back of the Air-Car.

"Are you going to take us back to Gardev?" asked Anna quietly and with some fear in her voice.

"Even if I dragged you back to Gardev and had Ramirez chain the lot of you to the ground, I doubt that would stop you from trying to come with Aura and me," muttered Mack as the S-1 came to life with a loud hum and started to lift off the ground, kicking up dust and dirt. Aura giggled quietly as the Air-Car started moving forward.

"I've never been to another city before," said Li.

"Where are we going, anyway?" asked Anna.

"We're on our way to Alakaz," answered Mack as the S-1 accelerated through the mountain passes. Despite the fact that the engines were now cool, Mack couldn't get the S-1 to fly higher than 200 feet off the ground

"Is there something wrong?" asked Aura as she glanced at Mack.

"It must have been the excessive heat," replied Mack as he struggled to get the Air-Car to fly higher, "It must have damaged the repulsors. I can't even get this thing to go faster than fifty miles an hour. Add that to the mountainous terrain and I don't think we're going to get to Alakaz for at least 3 more hours."

-5-
Warren sat in his office at city hall, back at Gardev. He was still troubled and unsure about what Glacian had said before. Warren could understand that Glacian and Mack could become good friends, but the one thing that didn't add up was how Glacian had said that something was going to happen to Mack. Whatever it was, it would either empower Mack or destroy him. Warren glanced out the window and saw Glacian walk by on his way back to Warren's house. Glacian soon arrived at Warren's house and then entered Aura's room. There, he found Ramirez pacing nervously back and forth.

"What's the problem, Ramirez?" asked Glacian calmly.

"It's Anna, Fredrick, Sakura and Li! No one has heard from them or seen them since this morning!" replied an irritated Ramirez.

"Do you know where they might be?" asked Glacian.

"I'll bet those little trouble-makers are trying to follow Mack and Aura on their journey. They probably stowed away in a crate or something that Mack had loaded onto one of his machines," grumbled Ramirez. Glacian walked up and took Ramirez by his right hand.

"There's no need to worry, for they are indeed with Mack and Aura. They'll be safe with them. You know as well as I that Mack and Aura would never let anyone hurt them," said Glacian as he tried to calm Ramirez down.

"I guess, but I worried about Anna starting another fight or getting them into trouble once again," said Ramirez unhappily. Glacian just smiled and held Ramirez's emerald pendant in his hand.

"You don't have to worry; besides, Mack also has Xavier and William to watch over them. They will be fine," said Glacian as he let the pendant fall out of his hand, "After all, you need to watch over Gardev until they return."

"You're right," said Ramirez as he finally calmed down and then sat down on Aura's bed. Glacian gazed at Ramirez.

"You're like your father when he was younger," remarked Glacian as he started to leave the room. Glacian suddenly stopped in his track and faced Ramirez.

"Do you sense something?" asked Ramirez.

"Tell me," said Glacian as he sat next to Ramirez, "What do you make of Dr. Foxx?" Ramirez sat silently for a moment, thinking carefully.

"I see that he's an honorable and powerful being, even though he's from a different world, I can trust him, I can even say that he's my friend," replied Ramirez.

"That's good," said Glacian with a smile, "Because you are going to be seeing him a lot in the coming years."

-6-
What was only supposed to be an hour's journey had soon become a long trek to Alakaz. Mack could finally see the city lights on the horizon along with the colorful sunset. The grey peaks of the Gardev Mountains were quickly becoming dark and the young Poke'mon had fallen asleep during the flight. As darkness fell, the only lights near Mack were the buttons, gauges and screens on the S-1. Aura was sleeping too and her ruby pendant was glowing faintly. Mack checked his maps and soon saw a highway just a few hundred yards from his position. Mack figured it would be better if he drove into Alakaz instead of flying. He knew he was going to attract a lot of attention just because of his face and due to the news reports of that had spread through the television networks like wild fire. While Mack descended to the highway below, Simon kept a vigilant eye on the young Poke'mon as they slept. The time was now 7:57 PM and Mack decided that they should get to a hotel. Though Mack had modified his DNA over the years to remove frailties, he never had bothered to find to way to make it so he would no longer need sleep.

"So, you heard something about an unidentified Poke'mon?" asked Mack. He wanted to have a conversation, mostly as a means to make what was left of the trip to Alakaz less monotonous.

"Yes," replied Simon, "The Poke'mon that was mentioned was a large golden bird of sorts. At least that's what I've heard from other Poke'mon who traveled through Alakaz to the mountains over the last few days."

"A golden bird, eh? Interesting," said Mack, "That sounds like Zapdos."

"No. This wasn't Zapdos. I defeated him centuries ago," said Simon as Mack drove the S-1 up to a large building within the city. Fortunately for Mack, no one had really noticed him, the Poke'mon or his hovering car.

"This place should do. I just need a room with large balcony for Xavier. He sleeps best outside his Poke' Ball. Just like William," said Mack as he gently tapped on Aura's shoulder.

"Yes? Are we there?" yawned Aura.

"We're going to stay here for the night," said Mack as he jumped out of the S-1 while Aura woke up Anna, Sakura, Li and Fredrick. They entered the hotel through some bronze and glass doors on the front. Inside, marble floors, bronze columns and crystal chandeliers greeted them.

"Isn't this a bit too fancy?" asked an uneasy Aura.

"We're going to a need a large suite with a balcony. According to the information in the S-1's computer, this is the only place in the entire city that has what we'll need," explained Mack as Aura, Simon and the groggy, young Poke'mon followed him to the front desk. The clerk looked up from reading a newspaper and almost jumped from the surprise of the group coming towards the desk. The clerk soon recognized the person in the front of the group.

"Wait…" said the clerk, "You're Dr. Foxx! I saw your picture in the paper just a few days ago. I read about you protecting Gardev as well as you trying to stop some sort of criminal organization. What were they called: Cipher?"

"Yes," answered Mack as he read a book that listed information about the hotel, "I'll have to book the honeymoon suite here. It's the only thing big enough for us."

"That's going to be quite pricey; besides, the suite is too large for just you, a Gardevoir, a Kabutops and those younger Poke'mon," said the clerk as he checked the readout from a computer on the desk.

"It's the only room with a large balcony. I'll need that for my Lugia," said Mack as the clerk went wide-eyed.

"You have a Lugia?!" shouted the clerk with surprise.

"Indeed I do," answered Mack as the clerk tried to regain his composure, "I also have a Pikachu with me."

"Okay, I can understand that," said the clerk as he walked over to a cash register, "It's still going to be $3,500 for one night in there for you and your Poke'mon."

"I'm not his…!" said Simon as Aura quickly put her right hand over Simon's mouth. The clerk gazed at Simon with a bewildered look on his face. Aura let go of Simon's mouth.

"It couldn't be…" stammered the clerk.

"Kabutops! Ka-bu-tops!" said Simon gruffly.

"Must be the long hours here," said the clerk with relief, "I thought for a second I heard that Kabutops talk!"

"Gardev, Gard, Gardevoir!" said Aura angrily at Simon.

"Quiet! We don't want to draw unwanted attention!" is what Mack heard Aura say.

"Okay," said the clerk as he typed at the computer, "One adult and eight Poke'mon for the suite." Just as Mack was about to hand his debit card to the clerk, he heard someone cough from behind him. Mack and the Poke'mon quickly faced a tall man in a dark blue, pinstriped suit.

"What have we here?" asked the man to the clerk.

"Just Dr. Foxx and some Poke'mon," said the clerk nervously, "They were just about to lease the honeymoon suite for the night since they need such a large room and the balcony."

"My Lugia, Xavier, only sleeps well outside his Poke' Ball," said Mack.

"Dr. Foxx is it?" asked the man as he extended his right hand, "Well, then! I'm the owner of this hotel: my name is John Allens! It's a pleasure to have you here, Dr. Foxx!"

"Thank you," said Mack politely as he shook John's hand. John faced the clerk.

"So, how much was it for them to stay in the suite for the night?" asked John.

"$3,500 for the night," answered the clerk.

"Ah," said John as he walked past Mack, "I say we let them stay the first night for free, what do you think?"

"Whatever you say, sir!" answered the clerk.

"Very good," said John as he faced Mack, "I hope you'll find your stay at my hotel to be quite pleasant. If there's anything you need, I'm sure that room service can help you out."

"Thank you," said Mack.

"Need help with any luggage?" asked John.

"I didn't bring any, but thanks for asking," replied Mack.

"Okay," said John as he started to leave the lobby, "Have a pleasant night!" The clerk quickly gave Mack the key.

"He must admire you for your deeds in Gardev," said the clerk with glee.

"I guess so," said Mack as he took the key, "Okay, everyone, lets get some sleep!" Mack and the Poke'mon soon were on their way to the suite. Once inside, they discovered that their room was even fancier than the lobby.

"Talk about living things up!" said Li with amazement.

"I'll have to have room service bring me some ice cream, doughnuts, cookies and cake!" said Anna with excitement.

"I think you've had enough sugar for one day…" muttered Fredrick, "After all, you ate almost all the desserts that Mack brought with him!"
"But I didn't so much as touch the chocolate bars, so there!" said Anna in an annoying tone as she stuck her tongue out at Fredrick.
"Yeah!" said Sakura with nervous laughter, "That was Li!"

"That's enough," said Aura gently as she picked up Anna in her arms, "No more fighting you two." Fredrick and Anna glared at each other. Mack decided to explore the room a bit more. He soon discovered a Jacuzzi, spacious rooms and a large bed with red sheets in the bedroom.

"Where shall I sleep?" yawned Aura as she entered the room behind Mack.

"You can take the bed. It's probably more comfortable than your bed back in Gardev," answered Mack as he looked around the room.

"Where will you sleep, then?" asked Aura.

"Probably in the living room," said Mack as he stretched his arms over his head, "The couch should suffice."

"You should have the bed since you've worked so hard to get us here," said Aura. Mack laughed.

"No thank you, besides, I said I would take good care of you, so you can sleep in here," said Mack as there was a knock at the door. Mack ran to the door and answered it.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you," said John cautiously.

"Not at all," said Mack as Aura walked over to Mack's side.

"Good," said John as he wiped some sweat off his forehead with a white handkerchief, "I was just going to invite you to a private Poke'mon tournament tomorrow. It's just for the city's elite. Why, everyone of importance will be there tomorrow. The mayor is even looking forward to meeting you there. The rules are simple: it's a single-elimination tournament. You can only enter one Poke'mon. Would you be interested in joining in? I, for one, would like to see your skills as a trainer." Mack glanced over at Aura.

"What do you think, Aura? Would you like to be in the tournament?" asked Mack. Aura smiled and nodded her head.

"We'll be there!" said Mack with excitement.

"Good, just be sure that you don't bring any firearms into the battle room. It's against the law around here," said John as he pointed at the pistol at Mack's side, "The tournament will be in the Alakaz First National Bank. You can't miss it, it's the tallest building in the city."

"We'll be fighting in a bank?" asked a confused Mack.

"There's a large battle room and seating on the 60th floor," said John as he started to leave, "I look forward to seeing you there." John soon left the doorway and Mack quickly closed and locked the door.

"Are you sure about this, Aura?" asked Mack, "You could get hurt badly in a fight and what if you face off against a Dark Type?" Aura smiled and formed an orb of light in her right hand.

"I don't think I have to worry about that," said Aura with a grin. Before long, they were all getting ready for bed. Mack released Xavier out onto the balcony where Fredrick and Li soon fell asleep under one of Xavier's wings. Sakura and Anna stole a few pillows off the bed and slept in Aura's room while Mack and William soon fell asleep on the couch.

-7-
Elsewhere, Dr. Namwen stood alone in a dark room with metal walls, filled with giant computers and a large, clear capsule in the middle of the room. The din of electronic beeps and clicks filled the room and the buttons and panels of lights blinked endlessly. A Cipher trooper entered the room and saluted Dr. Namwen.

"Good evening, sir," said the trooper.

"Good evening, indeed, captain," said Dr. Namwen as he faced the trooper. The trooper wasn't sure, but in the dimly-lit room, Dr. Namwen's eyes seemed to have a slight, red glow to them.

"When will you be going to sleep sir?" asked the trooper.

"I don't sleep, remember, captain?" said an irritated Dr. Namwen, "Tell me, captain, do you know why this is a good evening?"

"Because Cipher is planning its first major strike in the Orre region?" asked the trooper.

"Besides that," said Dr. Namwen with a grin on his darkened face. The trooper was starting to get unnerved at the sound of Dr. Namwen's raspy breathing.

"I don't know…" said the trooper uneasily.

"A trap has been set for the Guardian of Gardev and for that aggravating alien warrior," said Dr. Namwen with delight, "That and I'm one step closer to snagging the ultimate Poke'mon prize, locally speaking."

"What do you mean, locally?" asked the trooper with curiosity.

"My prize lies in Gardev: one of the bloodline of the guardians," said Dr. Namwen with glee, "It is almost in my grasp."

"You mean Project Epsilon Mk II?" asked the trooper.

"Of course, captain. With the improved Project Epsilon, not only will I be able to catch one of the Guardian's blood relatives, but the Gardevoir of my choice will also know of the location of the legendary Gardevoir city! With the location of the Gardevoir city, all the Ralts, Kirlia and Gardevoir will belong to me. I remember hearing legends of a samurai army that apparently came close to the fabled city. They wanted to capture the Ralts, Kirlia and Gardevoir to force them to join their army, but they were all driven away by ghostly apparitions of demons and monsters. Soon, I will fulfill their long-lost dream."

"An army of psychic Poke'mon is promising," said the trooper.

"But that's not all, captain," said Dr. Namwen with an evil grin on his face,
"I'm not sure whether I should believe Cecil's reports or not. He said that when the Guardian pinned him, he could tell that the alien mercenary and the Guardian were in the same body. Imagine what we could do if we could combine humans with Poke'mon DNA? What if we could use the powers of Poke'mon against our enemies? They could never stand before us! The world would belong to Cipher!" The trooper quietly walked away as Dr. Namwen erupted with maniacal laughter. This trooper had heard that Dr. Namwen was brilliant, but also insane. The rumors were nothing compared to what he had just heard.

-8-
Anna was sitting outside on the balcony, drawing a picture with some pens and some paper she had found in one of the containers on the S-1. Xavier and William kept a close eye on the young Poke'mon. Though the weather was pleasant: sunny and without a cloud in the sky, Anna was thoroughly irritated.

"Are you still mad at them?" asked Sakura as she and Fredrick practiced ballet together.

"Of course I am!" grumbled Anna as she angrily ground the pen into the marble floor, "They went to the tournament and didn't even ask if I wanted to come!"

"The rules were that only one Poke'mon could participate. Besides, Mack and Aura would be too busy to keep an eye on you," said Li as he sipped some lemonade. Sakura laughed at Li as he sat back; wearing the pair of sunglasses that Paul had given to Mack back at Gardev while he was bonded with Aura.

"Who says I need someone to watch over me?!" yelled Anna as she threw the pen off the balcony. Xavier quickly reached out and caught it with his mouth.

"Your temper is quite a weakness for you, Anna," said Xavier as he placed the pen back on the ground.

"Kinda hard to imagine that something so cute could be so sour!" laughed Li. Anna glared at Li.

"Relax, sis!" said Fredrick as he continued to dance with Sakura, "Think about what's going on! Here we are, relaxing in a ritzy hotel in a big city that we've never been to before!"

"We've never left Gardev or the mountains before," giggled Sakura, "May as well enjoy our little vacation."

"Good point," said Anna as she finally started to feel better.

"But no matter what, no room service for you! The last thing the people at this hotel need is for someone to eat them out of house and home!" said William with a grin. Anna blushed and laughed loudly.

"That reminds me," said William as he walked over to Xavier's side, "Where on earth did Simon go?"

"Simon said he had some things to take care of, so he left right after Mack and Aura did," said Xavier.

"You suppose he's after that Poke'mon?" asked William.

"That's possible," said Xavier as he gazed at the laughing young Poke'mon, "I'll bet that he went out to find clues about it or maybe even to try and track it. He only lives for combat now and he won't rest until he's either defeated or fought against the world's strongest Poke'mon."

-9-
Mack and Aura were walking down the street towards the Alakaz First National Bank. The town's people stared and marveled at the site of an anthropomorphic fox and a beautiful Gardevoir walking together.

"That's Dr. Foxx, isn't it?" asked an old man.

"I wonder where that Gardevoir got that incredible pendant," said a young woman.

"I'll bet it was a gift from Dr. Foxx to her for winning several battles," said the young woman's boyfriend. Aura glanced over at Mack, who seemed to be very nervous.

"Why are you so uneasy?" asked Aura quietly.

"I may not have to hide my face now due to my popularity, but I'm still not used to being in crowds," whispered Mack, "Believe me, I'll feel much better once we get to the bank."
Soon, Mack and Aura finally arrived at the bank. As they entered through the front doors, John greeted them.

"Ah! Glad you could make it, Dr. Foxx," said John with a grin, "And I see you brought your gorgeous Gardevoir as well. I bet she'll win the tournament."

"You think so?" asked Mack.

"Yes, but you'll have to get past me first!" said John as he stroked a growling Houndoom, "I've never lost a match, Dr. Foxx and I'm not going to start today. If you can make it to the finals, I'll get to see what you're made of."

"I won't disappoint you. Just watch," said Mack.

"May the best trainer and their Poke'mon win," said John as he and Mack shook hands. John led them to an elevator. Minutes later, they were on the 60th floor and behind a set of large, bronze double-doors; they gazed upon the marble floor of the battle room. Around the arena, people sat in chairs behind several feet of bullet-proof glass. Though the arena was well lit, Mack could not tell who was in the dimly-lit crowd. Another person nearby caught his attention: a short man, wrapped in a brown trench coat with a fedora on his head.

"Ah! Who might you be?" asked Mack. The cloaked figure did not answer.

"He seems pretty shy," remarked Aura.

"Best of luck to you," said Mack as he walked by him. The man nodded his head. Soon a man's booming voice was heard in the arena.

"Welcome one and all to the 43rd annual Private Cup Tournament! As you all know, this a private tournament for the elite of Alakaz. Best of all, there are no reporters or journalists! No one else has to know about this tournament except for who are champion is!" said an announcer over the PA system.

"Looks like a tournament for only the wealthy," said Mack quietly.

"Well, maybe we can show these arrogant…people a thing or two," said Aura as she winked at Mack. The trainers lined up on opposite sides of the field.

"The first round of opponents shall be determined randomly…" said the announcer, "And our first combatants are…Dr. Mack Foxx and his Gardevoir, Aura versus Dr. Jones!" The crowd roared as Mack and Aura took their positions on the field. Soon, the short man in the brown trench coat strutted onto the field.

"Oh, so we get to fight him first, very well," said Mack to himself. Aura seemed to be very worried about their opponent.

"This round will be a one-on-one fight with no time limit. Let the match begin!" said the announcer as a loud bell rang overhead in the arena. Mack glared at the opposing trainer while Aura got ready. Suddenly, the man ripped off his trench coat and threw the fedora aside, revealing a Kabutops. The crowd went silent.

"Simon?!" shouted Mack with extreme surprise as Aura's eyes opened wide with shock.

"This is a first! Somehow, a wild Poke'mon managed to enter the competition unnoticed. Let me check the records…" said the announcer as he started flipping through some books on his desk.

"Now, fair Guardian of Gardev, we shall fight and find out who is the strongest!" shouted Simon from the other side of the field.

"Just a moment here, people, while I check the tournament rules," said the announcer.

"You've got to be crazy!" shouted Mack.

"Maybe," said Simon with spite.

"I have what I'm looking for right here!" said the announcer, "Is says here that a trainer may enter the tournament with one Poke'mon. Since the word 'Trainer' is not defined as being human or anything thereof, this Kabutops may legally fight in the tournament, even if he is his own trainer."

"Now, let's begin!" said Simon as several copies of him suddenly appeared.
"He knows, Double-Team? Oh, dear…" thought Mack. Aura just shook her head with dismay as her pendant started to glow. She thrust her hands forward and a blast of light shot out across the arena, hitting one of the Kabutops squarely. Instantly, Simon's clones vanished as he yelled out and was blown off the field and out of bounds. The loud boom shook the arena and the stands.

"Impossible…no Gardevoir can be…that…strong…" said Simon weakly as he struggled to get to his feet.

"Taken down with one hit! It's a one-hit wonder!" said the announcer, "Dr. Jones is down, ladies and gentlemen! Dr. Foxx is the winner!" Aura smiled, ran over to Mack and embraced him, much to Mack's surprise.

"I…demand a…rematch…!" gasped Simon as some people put him on a stretcher.

"It's off to the healing chamber for that one!" chuckled the announcer as Simon was carted off the field, "I don't know about you people, but I have never seen a Gardevoir use an attack like that! In fact, I've never seen a Poke'mon that could use white light as an attack! This is absolutely amazing!"

"Aura…" said Mack softly, "You're squeezing me too hard…" Aura blushed and quickly let go of him. Mack and Aura turned and gazed at Simon as he was being taken off the field.

"Let's take this one down below!" said one of the medics as they and Simon disappeared behind a large, green door.

"You've got to give that Kabutops some credit, people. That was one brave move to enter the tournament on his own, but he was obviously out of his league here!" said the announcer as the crowd roared and cheered.

"That was…disappointing…" said Aura, "The way he talked, I thought it would be a tough battle. Physically, Simon would have been a very tough opponent, but he can't seem to attack from a distance. His Double-Team move was also useless. Using my senses, I could easily tell which of those clones was living."

"Plus, you have my power over light now," said Mack.

"Of course," said Aura with a grin.

"Still, I wonder who our next opponent is," said Mack.

"Alright, everybody! The next match will begin soon!" said the announcer as Mack and Aura slowly walked off the field.

-10-
Though he was barely conscious, Simon could still tell what was going on around him as the medics carted him away, must likely to a nearby Pokémon center.

"Where should we take this thing?" asked one medic.

"Let's put him in the doctor's office, he'll know what to do with him," answered another medic.

"What do you think he'll do?" asked the first medic.

"I know this creep," said the second medic, "Let's just say that we wouldn't want to be in this Kabutops' shoes once the doctor sees him."

"I can't believe this Kabutops thought it could take on the Guardian of Gardev! What an idiot!" laughed the first medic.

"No kidding!" said the second medic.

"They sure are full of a lot of malice to be medics," thought Simon as he started to black out, "And how do they know that Aura is the Guardian of Gardev?"

>To be continued...