***AUTHORESS NOTES***

Well, since it is blizzarding and Sunday is usually one of the two days
I do anything, I'm bored and I've been working on this story ALL day,
even thought I haven't been writing it.

For one, I know I said that this would have one sequel, but it ended up
with four. Yes, this will be a five part story. And this one alone will
have 50 chapters, plus the prologue. :P 

I've changed the ending to this one story three times... And I've
already decided on every name for every character.

But I am SOOOO proud of how this story is progressing. I have been
working so hard on this story, and I am beyond shocked that I still have
any interest and/or dedication. Wow! Go Torch!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 12: The Second Gym Leader I've Left a Lasting Effect On


     "Is that really how you two met?" asked Josh, bewildered. "Nathan,
are you really an ex-alcoholic clown?"

     The two of us burst out laughing, and I think Josh was a little
surprised. "No, of course not! That's just what we've told the last two
people who've asked us how we met!" I exclaimed.

     "Oh," was all Josh said, and Nathan continued laughing. By then, we
had crossed over into Mauville City, and were looking for the Center so
we could book a room.

     "We only have two left," said the attendant once we got there.

     "It's mine! I am NOT sharing with Nathan again! He snores!" I
cried, and to prove my point, I grabbed one of the two keys that she
held out to us.

     "Thanks, Jenny," Josh said sarcastically and I smiled innocently at
my two companions.

     "Anytime, Josh. Anytime. Really." I laughed at my blonde friend
then, and ran upstairs. 

     "Jenifer Nichole!" yelled Nathan. I gave him a weird look.

     "How did you know my middle name?" I asked him.

     "It's on your records," he said smugly. "And anyways, I want to
talk to you."

     "Okay," and I closed my door behind us. "So what's up?"

     "Jenn, that was amazing, what you said to Taylor," he told me  and
once again, I felt proud of myself. 

     "It was all the truth and it made me feel better to realize that
Taylor doesn't scare me anymore. It had to be said. He thinks I'm still
the same Jenn who cowered in the corner, crying, when he came to hit me
and I'm not. I'm a lot stronger. I think maybe there was even another
reason why I did it." 

     He looked straight into my eyes and I thought I felt my heart skip
a beat. "Why? You already had so much reason." I knew I was getting an
adreniline kick from my speech earlier, and that was probably the only
reason I said that came out of my mouth next. 

     "I wanted to make you proud of me. You've done so much for me, and
I never could've said any of that without all the help you've given me."
But it was true. I would still be that scared, lonely girl crying in the
corner if it hadn't been for Nathan. 

     "Well, I am proud of you. Very proud. I'm glad I was able to help
you. And I thought I wouldn't be able to stand you."

     "Really? I didn't like you much either," I laughed and that even
made him laugh. "You'll never know how much you've done for me."

     He yawned then, and I didn't blame him. It had been a long day. "Go
ahead and go to bed, Nathan," I told him. 

     "Are you sure?" he asked me.

     "Of course. I'm pretty tired myself. Good night." 

     "Good night," he replied and then he left me. I was glad that I
wouldn't have to hear him snore, but I would miss talking to him.

     I remembered how much I didn't like him, and his superiority
complex. How he drove me crazy. How I didn't want to travel with him. He
was my confidant now. He was my best friend.

     I kept up those memories until I fell asleep. And when I fell
asleep, I dreamed. I dreamed about Team Rocket that night.

     In my dream, I was wearing my black glittery sweater, which had
been my favorite shirt at the time, and my black jeans. I had been
hoping and wishing that I wouldn't get caught. I had no such luck
though, as I heard a piercing voice in the tranquil night.

     "Who's there?" a woman yelled. I stood still. I couldn't see her
since it was so dark. The moonlight illuminated the face and I saw a
glimpse of her. It was Cassidy, scar and all, courtesy of Brooke Frost.

I guess she saw me too because rushed at me. "New trainer,
huh?" she said surveying me and smirking. "Guess so," she said,
answering her own question. 

"Here's the deal, kid. You have to battle me. If you win, you
get out of here alive. If you don't, I kill you." I should have expected
this. This was the stupid hoodlum who had killed my older sister. Just
for walking on the same street! I took a deep breath and nodded.

     She led me to an open field. Was she going to slaughter me? She put
her hand on a Poke Ball. "Ready, twit?" she asked me, on the verge
of laughter. I nodded. 

     "Yeah," I said, dead set on winning. I HAD to do it, for Brooke and
Bobby. I had never been so serious about anything in my twelve years.

     "Go Ivysaur!!" Cassidy called. 

     "Go Chansey!!!" My Pokemon came out, happy and entergetic. 

     "Razor leaf!!" Cassidy commanded. 

     "Chansey, use your Double Edge!!!" I shouted, nodding my head.

Chansey charged and practically flew at the leaf Pokemon. She
dodged leaves at an amazing speed. Ivysaur didn't have the time to
dodge. Chansey hit it full force. The Ivysaur dropped to the ground. 

     "But...nobody can beat Ivysaur..." Cassidy was at a loss for words,
which pretty much shocked me. I took my oppritunity and ran.

     I woke up to a bright light, and I wondered if I had another
flashback because I was dying. I opened my eyes. "Nathan! Get that
flashlight out of my eyes!"

     "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "Josh and I have been up for almost an
hour and we're dying to go battle Wattson, but we didn't want to do it
without you."

     "Woah, you have? I'm sorry," I apologized. "You should've woken me
up sooner."

     "So do you want to go battle now?" he asked, almost wheedling. 

     "Yeah, just give me five minutes and I'll be ready to go." Nathan
looked apprehensive. "Seriously, we'll leave in six minutes. Five for me
to get ready, one for us to get out the door."

     He grinned. "I'm timing you, Miss Frost."

     True to my word, five minutes later, I was ready to go. I rushed my
buddies out the door, and five minutes after that, we were at the gym. 
     "OW!" I yelled after I tripped on my third switch. 

     "Will you stop that?" asked Josh, annoyed.

     "It's not like I could help it! They're hidden, and they're killing
my ankle!"

     "Hey, look!" said Nathan, interrupting us. "The door to Wattson is
open!"

     And so we walked in. "Hello?" I called. "Hello?"

    "Yes? Do I have a challenger?" called an elderly voice.

     "Actually, you have three. Is a one on one match okay?" I asked
him.

     "Of course," he replied, and I found the gym leader to be an old
man.

     "Go Magneton!" he called, and what looked like three magnets stuck
together were released. I had seen them in Johto, so I knew what I had
to do.

     "Come on out, Torch!" I let out my starting Pokemon. Yes, my
adorable Torchic had evolved into Combusken. Yes, I had gotten creative
enough to name her.

     "Shock wave!" Wattson called and I mentally cursed him. Shock wave
never missed.

     "Double kick!" I called and it weakened Magneton to the point of
almost fainting. then that stupid Magneton used Shock wave again, and I
began to hate that move, and it's perfect accuracy.

     "Ember!" I commanded and the move knocked the steel/electric type
out. 

     "Congratulations, young man!" said Wattson and with that, Nathan
and Josh went in a laughing fit, and me, in blinding anger.

     "YOUNG MAN? YOUNG MAN? Do I LOOK like a young man to you? I am
wearing a skirt! S-k-i-r-t. But I doubt somene as stupid as you would
know how to spell! Hurry up and give me my freaking badge, you retarded
old geezer!"

     "Who's next?" asked Wattson kind of timidly after I had stomped
over to my group with my new badge. 

     "I am!" said Nathan, with tearstains on his face from his bout of
hysterical laughter. He was attempting to hide another round of giggles.

     "Not funny," I muttered. "That was SO not funny."

     Wattson let out a Magnemite and before either could speak, Torrent
(Nathan's newly evolved Marshtomp) let out a Mud shot and fainted
Magnemite. "I didn't tell it to do that!" said Nathan, bewildered.

     "Well, congratulations anyways. Here's your badge. And you better
tell that girlfriend of your's to control her temper."

     "Of course, I will. Josh, it's your turn!" Nathan called and he ran
to my side.

     Josh gave us a funny look. "I don't battle. I'm a photographer," he
explained.

     "Oh," was our only reply.

     "Come on, little men! We need to get going!" announced Nathan.
Let's just say that's the reason why he has a large bump on his head.