Tuesday, July 4 "So, where to now?" Penny asked as we sort of... just... looked at the sea before us. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Well, I mean, like..., are we going to go search for Synthia, or go home, or..." "Let's forget about Synthia and go home." Ellis said disdainfully. "That mean ol' Meowth never liked me anyway... She was mean to me, and I didn't like her." "Did any of us?" Carman raised an eyebrow. All pairs of eyes turned to me, catching my total attention. The sudden realization that I was the only opposer made me feel nervous, and I began to sweat. "Uh... Hey guys? What's wrong?" Penny leaned over and whispered to Mew, who just happened to be hovering near by, "I think he secretly loves her!" "Oh, you mean like she does HIM?" Mew pointed towards me. I blushed, shaking my head, "Shut up- I do not!" "You don't...?" Ellis blinked, "But... Ben, didn't you say that you loved everybody?" "Yeah, but not like... that!" I said, pointing towards Mew and Penny, who sat whispering together. The two looked up with unsure eyes, questioning my statement, "Hm?" "What?" "Like what, Ben?" "Arrrg..." I sighed, frustrated. Carman placed a paw on my shoulder, "I don't think we'll be needing Synthia around here anymore..." "Besides," Mew added, "you've got everybody else. What could there possibly be in Synthia that you would have missed?" "Oh, mmm... probably everything in particular..." Penny winked roguishly at Ellis, "Right, Ellis?" Ellis blinked, "What? I don't understand..." "Aw, leave Ellis out of this..." I said, picking up my little bundle of fluff and placing her on my shoulder comfortably, "She's not really interested in these kind of things, anyway..." "What am I not interested in?" Ellis asked out of curiosity. "Love, life, and relationships..." I sighed. "Relationships...? Isn't that like two peas in a pod, Ben?" I could hear Penny and Mew snickering behind us while Carman and I walked along, "No... Not really..." "Yeah," Carman added, "You'll find out when you're much older!" "When I'm older...?" Ellis repeated, "Does that mean I'll be old and gray, with a white muzzle?" "No, no!" Carman laughed, "Ellis, you take things too literally! When the time comes, you'll know, okay?" "I still don't understand..." Ellis shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't either..." I sighed. We had taken off of the western coast of Great Britain, and now had traveled back to my homeland, in the U.S, traveling through my hometown of Sault Ste. Marie down the Business Spur. Today was a busy day, of all days. I had failed to notice that today was Independence Day, and that tonight was going to be a display of fireworks. We always sat near the courthouse, I remembered. Year after year, my family and I would camp out in front of the massive building on a couple of blankets, eating cheese popcorn and pretzels. It was always really fun watching the fireworks- their large display often depicting rainbows of red and green, or blue and violets, or sometimes shapes, like an apple or a flying saucer. Once, even a green alien with red eyes! Still, the fireworks would never cease to surprise me, and they were something that I always would look forward to when Independence Day came around... As the five of us walked down the street, there came a voice from behind me, "Hey Ben!" "Huh...?" I said, turning to see a red Ford mini-van pull up beside me. Inside on the passenger's side, was my friend, Tim McDermott! I gasped, and smiled, waving to him, "Hey Tim! How's it going?" "Not bad. I was wondering where you were the last week or two." Tim replied, "I wanted to see if you wanted to come over and battle, or something like that." "Want to get one on right here?" I smiled at him. "Hey there, Number Three!" Came the voice of Tim's Dad, who sat behind the wheel waving at me. I smiled again, waving back at him while Tim turned to ask his dad for permission. In the mean while, I looked down at Penny, who had begun her stretches and workouts. "Getting ready for the battle?" I asked. "You bet!" She said, changing her style to waist turns. "Wouldn't miss a battle with Zapper for anything!" "Yeah, he's pretty tough, as I remember..." I said, watching as Tim unbuckled, and headed into his back seat to grab his backpack. "The mighty caravan door swings open..." Tim joked as he slowly slid the door open. The door got caught halfway through, and squeaked. "Aw, crip!" Tim said as he pushed the door a bit more to open for himself. "...And the mighty warrior Tim steps forth to proclaim his victory!" I smiled back at him. Tim, with his backpack strapped across his back, tried to hide a smile as he stood there. Tim made a whooshing noise to imitate wind blowing as he stood there for a moment. "...Are you ready?" He whispered in a battle tone. "Come on, Tim! Close the door already!" Tim's dad ordered. Tim blushed, "Whoops! Sorry, Dad!" With that, Tim closed the door to the mini-van while his dad gave more information, "I'll pick you up in about an hour. That'll give you enough time to battle with your pokémon and have a little fun. Expect me here at around two, because we need to pick up your mom and get ready to go." "Um... Okay..." Tim nodded, "WELL, actually..." Tim turned to me, "Hey Ben. Is it alright if I hung out with you for a few hours?" "Uh... sure!" I nodded, my pokémon just watching us and waiting for the battle. "Okay." Tim nodded, turning back towards his dad, "Hey, dad? I'm going to hang out with Ben here for a few hours, and we'll meet up with you later." "Later?" Tim's dad blinked, "Tim, how do you expect to be at your house by five in the afternoon?" "Um- let's see. It's called 'ask a friend!'" Tim said. "I could just ask Julie or Dan to pick me up. Julie's not too far away, anyway, and she's still got that super bike I could ride home..." "No, Tim." Tim's dad shook his head, "You're not riding that thing home. Either call up Dan right now, or see if Julie's dad can give you a ride home. But hurry, because I still have to pick some things up for tonight." Tim reached into the passenger's side and took the cell phone that lay on the floor, and quickly dialed the number to Julie's house, and waited. I looked over at Carman, who'd looked at me, and shrugged. "This'll take a while, I guess...," she said. "Yup..." I nodded. Ellis scratched behind her ear, then pawed at my foot, "Ben...? I don't have to battle, do I?" "Well, I won't make you, but you might have to if things don't go how they should." I said. Ellis shivered, giving a slight moan. She shook her head, then looked up at me, "But... what happens if we lose?" "It'll be just like another battle we've lost in the past, Elli..." Penny reassured her, patting her back. "I don't like losing." Ellis admitted, "I think it's bad, and it doesn't make me feel good." "Does anybody feel good after losing a battle?" Carman sighed. We all kept quiet for a moment before Mew tapped my shoulder, "Hey Ben? I think Tim's almost done... We should get ready for him in a moment." I turned to watch and listen to Tim, who finished up his conversation, "...So it's alright that I can get a ride back, right? ... ... Alright. So, I should be over there... when? ... Three-thirty? Um... Alright. ... Yeah, I'll be there. Okay. ... ... Yeah- I'll see you then! See ya!" Tim turned off the phone, and handed it to his dad, "Julie says yeah." "Yeah...? So you can get a ride home with her dad, or what do you mean?" "I mean I can get a ride home with her at three-thirty." Tim added. "Oh. Okay, then. Well, I'll see you at the house then at three-thirty." Tim's dad nodded, "I expect you home at that time so that we can get ready, and we'll go, okay? Alright. I'll see you then. See you later and good luck, Tim!" Tim's dad nodded. "And see you, Number Three!" "See ya!" "Bye!" With that, Tim's dad took off down the road, leaving Tim and I alone to duke it out with our pokémon. Tim turned, "Are you ready?" I smiled, "To lose? I think you'll be the one losing this one, Tim!" "Then... Let's get this battle started." Tim smiled, talking darkly as we stood on the sidewalk, a distance from each other. "Ready?" I called out to him. "Go! Rose!" Tim shouted, tossing his pokéball on the ground. "Go, Carman!" I shouted, sending Carman into the battleground. Carman and Tim's Ninetails eyed each other dangerously, Rose hiding behind her red ruby eyes a longing to battle, and Carman an expression ready to start at any given moment. "Carman! Slash attack!" I ordered. Carman rushed towards Rose, and swiped her its face with thick claws. Rose took the blow, and retaliated with a deep Bite attack, crunching into Carman's arm. Carman yelled, feeling her arm and wincing at the blow. Tim took the advantage with his turn. "Rose! Confuse Ray!" Rose emitted a strange and eerie light that surrounded it, drawing Carman's attention. "Carman!" I shouted, "Look away before it hits you!" Carman closed her eyes, avoiding the stare, while Tim continued, "Okay! Then, Quick Attack!" With a rush, Tim's Ninetails came running in, crashing into Carman's unprotected belly. Carman gasped, then cracked a good one at Rose's skull. Rose yipped, then backed off, her tails flowing gracefully as she retreated. "Carman! Use a Take Down attack!" I commanded. Carman spread wide her wings, and flew towards Rose, which ducked under her grasp. Carman circled over, then came in crashing into Rose, sending both of them flying and rolling a few feet from Tim. Rose opened her mouth, then gave forth a pained moan, before Tim winced, "Arrg... Come on, Rose! You're hurt." Opening her pokéball, Tim retreated his Ninetails back into his belt, then pulled out another one, "Gardevoir! It's your turn, now!" I blinked, "Gardevoir...?" From the pokéball came a creature of psikinetic abilities, with a long flowing white body, and a green-rounded top with gentle red eyes. I gasped at its sight, and commented, "I... I've never seen one of those before!" "Oh you haven't...?" Tim smiled, "Well, let me show you what it's like! Let me guarantee you, though, that this one will be a 'blast'!" I called back Carman, then turned to Penny, "Penny, do you think that you can handle this thing?" "Oh yeah." Penny smiled, pretending to crack her knuckles, "This one'll be a piece of cake!" "I dunno..." Mew commented, rubbing her chin, "Seems to me like that one'll shiskabab you unless you know what you're doing... Be careful, Penny."