Chapter 34

"Wait for me! Don't walk so fast!" Pignite huffed behind White.

She sighed and stopped to late him catch up, Penelope the Oshawott on top of his head.

"I'm not walking fast, you're just being slow." White retorted when Pignite caught up.

"I am not!" he snapped as he squeezed between two women.

"Oh, just be quiet." snarled Zoroark, walking next to White.

They were at the Pokemon World Tournament in Driftveil City. Sky Blue had told White that he had checked everywhere for Team Plasma, and saw no sign of them. This was the last place they haven't searched, and White decided she should search it by herself.

The bad thing was that it was so crowded. Many trainers were participating in the tournament, so it was very easy for Team Plasma members to hide. Pignite and Penelope weren't helping much, since the Oshawott couldn't walk and Pignite wasn't the fastest pokemon in the world. Zoroark was just plain annoying.

"Well, just move over." Pignite growled and tried to push Zoroark aside.

The illusion fox hissed and moved a foot away from them. "I swear, I will rip that snout off your stupid face-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" White hissed to Zoroark in a deadly voice.

Penelope giggled and clapped her small paws together. Zoroark glared at White and snarled at Penelope.

"I don't care what you say to N's pokemon," she continued in a growl. "But you won't say stuff like that here!" Zoroark ignored her and ran ahead of them.

Pignite was trying to push aside a group of boys while trying to catch up to White. "Piggy! Stop it!" Penelope wailed as Pignite actually rammed into one boy's side.

The boy yelped and saw Pignite running past him. One of the other boys reached out and grabbed the pokemon by one of his ears. Pignite squealed as they pulled him back, and White whirled around. Penelope wailed and fell off Pignite's head.

"Hey you!" She growled and ran back toward the boys, Zoroark hissing beside her.

The boy holding onto Pignite's ear turned around to face her, his friends watching.

"What?" he asked coolly, ignoring Pignite's continued squeals.

He looked around fourteen years old, and looked pleased about hurting her pokemon.

"Leave my pokemon alone!" She hissed furiously. "Pignite was just trying to catch up to me!"

The boy that Pignite had rammed into was staring at White and his friend in horror. The other boys were laughing silently.

"I don't care." the boy sneered, holding Pignite's ear even tighter.

Pignite yelped and tried to get out of his grip. Penelope was wailing on the ground, Zoroark apparently trying not to bite Pignite's captor.

"What's your name?" White asked calmly. The boy raised his eyebrow.

"Zach." he said finally.

"Zach," she sneered, putting one of her hands on the pistol on her belt. She would never use it on a jerk like him, but it made her feel more in control.

"I would watch your back, Zach," White snarled, reaching for one of her pokeballs instead. "I wouldn't start going around and hurting people's pokemon. I would stop it now."

"Oh, I'm terrified!" Zach said mockingly.

Zoroark suddenly yowled and tried to leap on to him. Pignite gave another squeal of terror and Zach let go of his ear. The boys all stopped laughing and ran away from the enraged Zoroark.

"Karrablast!" Zach yelled, and he threw a pokeball toward White.

A small black and blue Bug Type spun out of the pokeball and landed in front of her.

"Rapi!" She screamed, and she to tossed a pokeball into the air.

The Rapidash whined loudly as she appeared from the red light.

"Bug Bite!" ordered Zach as Zoroark turned around to bite the Karrablast.

"Fire Blast and Flamethrower! Pignite, protect Penelope!" White added as Penelope tried to crawl away from the fighting pokemon.

Before Karrablast could attack, it was engulfed in blazing fire from Rapi and Zoroark. Everyone was watching now, but White didn't care. She wanted nothing more than to hit Zach, but knew that was not going to end well.

The fire died and Karrablast was badly burned. It wailed and collapsed to the ground unconscious.

"You idiot!" White screamed at Zach. "I'm surprised you have a pokemon by the way you treat others!"

"It's none of your business on how I treat other people's pokemon!" he snapped back. "Why do you care so much? You don't seem to care about other people much from the way your Pignite acts!"

White was about to slap him before a small Pansage ran between them, starting to slash at Zach with long vines. Zach yelled and tired to get the Pansage away.

"Get them off me! GET THEM OFF ME!" he yelled as Zoroark started scratching at his arms.

Rapi smirked and stood next to White, who was trying not to smile.

"Go away if you want to come out alive!" a voice yelled at him.

Hugh was making his way toward Zach, looking furious. The Pansage must belong to him.

"Who are you?" Zach sneered. "Her boyfriend?"

Zoroark howled at this and bit into his leg. Zach yelled and ran away, giving Hugh and White a deadly look.

People were muttering as Hugh made his way over to White. "What's wrong with him?" he asked her.

"He hurt my Pignite." she snarled. "He didn't care if he hurt him. I kinda, well..."

Hugh seemed to have understood. White blushed as Zoroark leaned next to her. Rapi whined and looked at the small Pansage.

"Is he yours?" White asked, changing the subject.

Hugh nodded. "Yeah, I caught him on Route 6. Mira tried to dress him up last night. She thinks he's cute."

"Yes, she does that." White admitted, the corners of her mouth twitching. "She tried to enter my Arcanine in a Cute Contest in Sinnoh once. By the way, where are the others?"

Hugh didn't answer as she returned Zoroark and Rapi to their pokeballs. Pignite ran over to her, carrying Penelope in his arms. She heard him mutter to the Oshawott, "My head hurts too much to carry you on my head."

"Their all participating in the PWT. Amos beat me in the first round so I came out here. Leia got her gym badge, by the way." he explained.

White nodded and took Penelope from Pignite.

"Speaking of gym badge," Hugh continued hesitantly. "Do you remember Cheren?"

"Yes." she said, dreading to here the rest.

"Well, he is here, and, er, he's looking for you. He's in the tournament right now, but he came here thinking that you might participate to."

"What did you guys say to him?" White interrupted. Hugh shrugged.

"Nothing much." he said truthfully. "Sky Blue exchanged a few threats and insults to him, but Leia said you were in Mistralon. I thought you were in Mistralon too. Why are you here?"

"Good for Sky." she snarled, ignoring Hugh for a moment. "I lied about going to Mistralon. I was in Chargestone Cave."

"Oh. Isn't that place blocked by the web?" he asked.

"Actually," White started in a low voice. "That was Jo Jo's doing. Every time I break it down, she'll spin it back up again."

Pignite started tugging at White's arm. "White, White, White, White, White, White, White!" he chanted, and Penelope giggled. "Let's goooooooooooo! I think I saw a grunt."

White nodded and started to walk away. "Hey, where are you going?" Hugh said curiously, running after her with his Pansage following.

"I'm going to look for Team Plasma." she replied, not looking back.

"Can I come? I have nothing else to do! Plus they might have my sister's Purrloin!" he asked.

White hesitated and Pignite continued to pull at her arm. She didn't want to bring him along, but she didn't want to go alone.

"Fine," she finally answered, walking faster. Hugh gave a small smile and walked next to her. Pignite glared at him and the Pansage, and walked a head. Penelope was watching Pansage with curiosity.

"You never said you had a Pignite!" Hugh said, watching her Pignite.

"I got him when he and Penelope were little. They were abandoned by their trainers, so I took them in." White explained, holding Penelope close.

"Why?"

"Penelope is crippled, and Pignite is half blind. No trainer would want a pokemon with disabilities, but I take care of the pokemon when others won't."

They were at the port now. It was less crowded here, which White preferred. She could now see what she was looking for.

A large black ship was tied at the port. It was the only ship there, and stood out plainly. It looked like it had light electric blue wings on its sides. This might have explained the rumors that she had heard about the ship being able to fly.

"What's that?" Hugh asked, looking at the ship.

"The Plasma Frigate." White answered, walking toward the ship. "Team Plasma's fortress. Never been on it before, since their last base was a castle. Glad to see that they have a more modern taste of style."

Pignite hesitated before following his trainer. He looked uneasy about entering. Pansage stopped next to him, apparently thinking of Pignite as the leader. He glared at the small green pokemon and pushed him aside. Penelope giggled and moved on to White's shoulder.

"Is this safe?" he asked as they got closer to the large ship. She smirked and avoided making eye contact.

"No," White said with a smirk. "But you'll be fine if you stay by me."

She pressed the button on one of her pokeballs and Seth the Serperior escaped out of it. His narrow eyes landed on Pignite, Pansage, and Penelope.

"What are they doing here?" he hissed. "We're part of the team, aren't we?" snapped Pignite, also narrowing his eyes. White didn't think it would be safe for them to be outside anymore, so she returned Penelope and Pignite to their pokeballs.

"You ready?" she asked Hugh.

He shrugged and muttered, "More than I'll ever be."

She smiled and started to walk on to a ramp that was leaning against the ship. Seth curled around her right arm as Hugh followed her.

She barely saw the deck of the ship as a voice yelled, "Slash!"

Something cut at her chest and White fell to the ground, feeling blood pour out of the cut. She heard Hugh yell a command to his Pansage as the pokemon tried to slash at her again.

It was a Sneasel. It's claws were inches away from White's throat, and was trying to fight off the Pansage and Seth. She felt the Serperior leave her arm and started to coil around the opposing pokemon.

The Sneasel screeched and lashed out at Seth, and cut him in the face. He swore loudly, but it sounded more like a bunch of hissing. Pansage was thrown off it and tossed across the deck.

"Are you ok?" White heard Hugh ask her urgently.

"Yes!" She lied and she clutched at her bleeding chest. The cut wasn't deep but it was still very painful.

Hugh leaned next to her, and looked at the large rip in her blue overcoat from the Sneasel's claws. "We have to get you out of here!" he said. "The hospital-"

"Don't you dare even consider it!" She hissed as Seth and Pansage tried to strangle the Sneasel.

"White Copperstone, I never thought I would see you again!" a voice sneered from in front of her.

White froze. She recognized the voice, but it brought back terrible memories. Memories of two years ago.

"Zinzolin," she growled, wincing as she stood up. "You're still working here, are you?"

Zinzolin, one of the Seven Sages from two years ago, was standing before here. He looked different from last time. He looked older and wore a purple uniform that made him look like an Eskimo.

Hugh was looking from White to Zinzolin, apparently wondering how they knew each other.

"Yes, I am." Zinzolin said gleefully, his Sneasel purring with happiness. "It's honor to serve Team Plasma once more. But, I can't say the same for him."

White knew he meant her brother by him. But she didn't show any sign of understanding. Her attention was now on the deck floor. It was splattered with her blood. She was losing a lot for just a small cut.

"Who is your friend here?" Zinzolin asked, gesturing to Hugh.

"Why do you care?" snarled Hugh.

White wheezed and knelt on the ground again. The pain was unbearable.

"No matter," he continued, his Sneasel putting its claws near White's throat again. "Because I'm glad to see you White Copperstone. A price has been put over your head."

She looked up at Zinzolin. He looked exhausted but very excited. "Our leader has put out a reward for whoever catches the famous and "unbeatable" White Copperstone. He wants you very much, and he'll be delighted to hear that I have caught his prize."

"Not if I can help it!" snapped Hugh.

Zinzolin turned away from White and looked at Hugh with amusement.

"What's a twelve year old going to do about this?"

And the Sneasel froze Seth and Pansage with a blast of icy wind.

White yelled and collapsed. Ice shards cut at her arms and upper body. She felt Hugh try and protect her from more harm.

This was it. She was going to die here. It would take a miracle to get out of this mess. She shouldn't have taken Hugh with her. He would be hurt just because he was her friend.

There was a sudden burst of fire from the ramp and a large pokemon leapt onto the Sneasel. The ice storm stopped and all White could hear was the howls of the pokemon. She suddenly swayed and fell into darkness, unable to hold on to consciousness any longer.

~~~

WHITE IS NOT DEAD. DO YOU THINK I WOULD I HONESTLY KILL HER HERE? NO. SO LET ME JUST SAY THAT BEFORE I RECEIVE HATE MAIL IN MY INBOX. I DON'T LIKE HATE MAIL.

Esh, now I hate myself -_-

So yeah, just let me clear this up: WHITE ISN'T GOING TO DIE.

NOT YET.

Whatever. That was all I wanted to say. *Throws cookies* Have a cookie. I have too many cookies. I don't care. Take them.

Good night, it's late. Remember to vote and/or comment. HATE IS NOT WANTED. If you got nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all. Piece of advice there.

So, good night :)