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Chapter 15
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The sky-scraping structures of Reveiria grew taller in their views as they were on their last day on the route between this coastal city and Neiville. The sun itself had been concealed by the mountains, but gave a wondrous orange light through the limitless sky.

“We’re almost there,” said a tired Reiné.

“Yes, I can’t wait to get myself on a large, comfortable bed in the hotel,” her brother began.

“I think we still have half an hour of traveling before we reach there.” Vinzer seemed less tired than the two siblings, but he was worn out to some degree after a day of walking through the hot grassy plains.

At last, when they were finally in Reveiria, they searched without wasting any minute for a hotel. They finally found one which Vinzer thought was a little smaller than Lengerson’s at Feridane. It did look somewhat luxurious from the outside, and the inside was a work of art. The lobby was a combination of the receptionist counter, the lounge, restaurants and a few shops which sold luxury items. This time, Vinzer didn’t feel alone when he approached the counter.

“Hello, we would like to book two rooms for five days,” Vinzer told the female receptionist. “Oh yes, and here are our Pokédexes if Pokémon trainers get half price.”

“Very well. I would be glad to inform you that trainers enjoy half price at any five-star hotel in Onaria.” The receptionist scanned all three Pokédexes. “That would be a total of one-thousand five-hundred onars.”

“Don’t bother touching your wallets. It’s on me,” Vinzer said when he saw Norith and Reiné trying to take out their money.

When the registration was complete, they went to their rooms and enjoyed their first comfortable night since a week ago.

The morning came late, but despite their tiredness from the day before, they got up early to take a walk round the city and to locate the gym which Vinzer longed to visit. At first, they stopped at the Pokémon Center to give their Pokémon check-ups, then to the stores, where they bought a week’s supply of food, and essential items for their Pokémon. After the latter, they took a rest at the beach.

“Ah, the ocean at last,” Vinzer sighed as he sat down on the soft, warm sand.

Suddenly, two men dressed in black approached the party. To Vinzer, they looked somewhat familiar. To the other two, they were merely strangers.

“Well, well, well. Looks like we’ve found you at last!” one of the men said.

“Who are you?” Norith inquired in defiance.

“Looks like someone doesn’t know who we are!” the second man burst out.

“We are.” The first man paused for a few seconds. “The Stormers!”

“Never heard of you.” Reiné sounded like her brother.

“What? You kids wanna mess with us?” the Stormer shouted.

“Norith, Reiné, please let me handle this,” Vinzer told them. “All right, Stormers, what do you want?”

“We want a little revenge, after you sabotaged our plans,” the first Stormer laughed.

What do you mean sabotage? I was captured by you Stormers aboard the S.S. Eauis. Vinzer thought. If it’s anyone wanting revenge, it should be Josh and me.

“Go! Numel!” Norith abruptly shouted, releasing his Pokémon.

“All right, bro! I’m with ya! Go, Roselia!” His sister did the same.

The two Pokémon lanced out of their Pokéballs through a white energy.

Norith, Reiné, what do you think you’re doing? These are the Stormers! You don’t know what you’re up against! Vinzer grew much worried, but even that can’t stop his friends from attempting to take the Stormers down.

“Brats! So you wish to challenge us, eh? Hah, you’ll regret this! Go Poochyena!” the first Stormer ordered.

Poochyena formed from the white energy and stared at Numel.

“Ha ha ha. Don’t forget me! Go Zubat!” the second Stormer ordered in infamy.

Numel and Roselia smiled at each other, then initiated their first attacks. Numel slowly closed its eyes and breathed out a thin beam of fire, which aimed at Poochyena, but failed to hit it directly due to its undeniable evasion skills. Roselia’s roses grew bright green, and laid its eyes on its flying adversary. Zubat’s body began to emit a green light similar to the ones on Roselia’s roses. Just then, tiny green orbs were formed by the light. They floated with moderate speed and were absorbed through the bright green auras which were on Roselia’s roses. The rose Pokémon shut its eyes for a short moment while more green orbs were transferred to it from its opponent. Once Roselia reopened its eyes, the aura on its roses faded. It then released an orange powder into the air.

“Ah! It’s Stun Spore! Do something, Zubat!” the Stormer spat.

Zubat’s flap of its wings were of greater ferocity as the orange powder drifted to its position. Soft gusts were generated and blew the Stun Spore away from the defender, and back at the offender.

“Roselia, be careful! Don’t breathe in any of that dust!” Reiné anxiously ordered.

Roselia ceased to breathe for a while and shut its eyes. Just then, it found itself knocked a few inches from where it was standing. Numel breathed a fresh wave of fire at the attacker, but once again, Poochyena eluded the fire camel’s wrath. The inferno found Roselia as its target instead, and partially burned the rose Pokémon’s thorns on its head. Numel stopped its attack immediately, then fathomed that fire may not be the wisest of choices in this battle.

“Roselia! Are you all right? Norith, tell Numel to try its ground attacks now!” Reiné sounded frustrated.

Norith nodded and issued a more strategic command to Numel. The camel Pokémon let out a cry and the ground trembled beneath Poochyena. The confounded black dog stared at the ground in confusion just seconds before the sand sprung a meter into the air, lifting Poochyena off the ground. Roselia used another absorb to regain its lost energy. Seeing the black dog at a disadvantage, the rose Pokémon drained the green orbs which were energy from Poochyena and revived the partially burned thorns on its head.

“Zubat, use Supersonic!” the second Stormer demanded with intimidation.

The bat Pokémon unleashed a wave of sound which echoed through the immense air. Owing to their intelligence, Numel and Roselia closed their ears, and were unaffected by the tormenting voice. However, it did delay their planned moves. Zubat stopped abruptly and shot itself at Numel. Its wing felt as sharp as a sword’s edge through Numel’s tough hide, and left an injury mark on it. Numel stubbornly shot a flame beam at Zubat and missed the air-lancing bat. Roselia tried to fire seeds at it, but only seeing them miss the bat by as little as one meter. Poochyena saw this opportunity and took advantage of it by tackling Numel. It certainly wanted to see this great adversary out if this battle, due to the attempts the camel made at trying to burn the dog immediately as the battle commenced. Fortunately for it, the evasive skills it possessed far outwitted the stubborn camel and made Numel accidentally fire on its own ally. Now, it was too certain that this opportunity will bring it down. Poochyena dashed at the distracted Numel. The camel only realized its approach when the black dog was just one foot from it. Less than a second later, Numel found itself unable to rise for retribution, and its eyes slowly closed as the last ounce of its energy eroded.

“Numel! No! Are you all right, buddy?” Norith thought this omen as an imminent loss to these perpetrators.

“That’s it, I’ve had enough of you Stormers! Time for rocketing! Nuzleaf, do it!” Vinzer wept his hands thought his dry hair, reached for his Pokéball, and released his newly evolved Pokémon .

When the white energy cleared, Nuzleaf furrowed its brow and clenched its fists. Roselia winked at it, and Nuzleaf winked back then gave a signal for it to rest. It shut its eyes for a short moment, trying to be one with the environment, trying to fathom the earth’s movement. The opponents watched with curiosity, then when Nuzleaf reopened its eyes, Poochyena felt the ground below him tremble vigorously. The black dog soon lost its balance and when it fell, the sand began to sink it. Within seconds, there was no sign of it as the beach consumed it, then suddenly, Poochyena shot from the ground below Zubat. It yelled in pain as it knocked the bat from its position and landed on it. When the chaos was over, Zubat was weighed down by Poochyena, and the black dog failed to muster any energy to rehabilitate.

“This can’t be right! We are the Stormers! We can’t lose!” the first Stormer blurted when he and his comrade withdrew their Pokémon.

“We are after all the Stormers. We can’t be defeated this easily! If you wish to challenge us again, take on our entire team!” the second Stormer boasted as he readied a device in front of him and the first Stormer.

“We won’t forget this!” With that said, the two Stormers disappeared, leaving the trainers in surprise, and victory.

Nuzleaf turned to face his friends and smiled. It gave Roselia a kiss on its roses, then was returned by Vinzer.

“We certainly won’t forget them!” Norith still hasn’t gotten over his defeat.

“Come on, brother. Let’s have some fun, shall we?” Reiné tried an effective attempt to cheer her defeated brother up.

“Yeah, it’s over.” Vinzer smiled and got out his Comsat. “Hmm, according to this map, there is a cave near here called The Neo Yantios.”

“Intriguing. Maybe we can find some Pokémon there!” Norith exclaimed, already forgotten his defeat.

“All right, more exploring!” Reiné excited said as he patted her brother on his shoulder. “This ought to cheer Mr. Misery up!”

“But little sister, I’m already cheered up!” Norith laughed.