I shined my new shiny badge in the sun, watching the glare that showed how new it was. I didn't even expect Falkner to give me a badge after we won, since he said he wasn't going to give me one, but he was only teasing me.

"What a tease" I tossed it in the air and caught it "Or he probably gave it to me because I shocked him so much on the defeat" the strategy that's been working for me actually worked for Falkner. Because he was stronger than anyone I've ever battled before, I didn't think it would work, but when I got Pichu to use double team and use sweet kiss that shot a kiss in all directions to confuse his Noctowl, it made it to its body just in time before Falkner ordered it to flap its wings. The attack landed and made things a lot easier on me. Chikorita lifted the Noctowl and spin it around like a fan and shot razor leafs to fly in the mini tornado she was making, making the leafs hit Noctowl over and over until the battle was over.

Falkner was probably a bit shocked when his Pokémon fainted. He did stare at his fainted Pokémon for awhile before snapping at me about the strange strategy I came up with out the bat. I thought at first he just got mad, but I'm sure he was just confused when I told him I made the whole thing up on the spot.

I left the gym after saying my farewells to the bird boys and Falkner, and was told that I better be careful or he'll make me regret it. I brushed him off playfully and went on my way.

I got a phone call from Gold saying that he was at the next town over and he'll be expecting me to meet up with him soon. I just agreed and kept on walking until something shook in my bag.

"Huh?" I looked at my egg and went over to sit on a bench so I could place it on my lap "I'm pretty sure you moved" I smiled and softly felt on the shell "Whatever you will be, I'll make sure you'll have a happy life with us in our team. You don't even have to battle" I hugged it against my cheek "As long as you hatch and be with me, that's all I care about"

Someone approached me in a bright colored kimono. I looked up from the Umbreon she had beside her ankle and looked up at a pretty girl with very black hair and shining eyes.

"My, what a pretty egg. So colorful" she smiled, leaning down to look at it "It seems to be properly taken care of" she held her chin "Hm... This must be the same egg that Mr.Pokemon had delivered to Professor Elm... but the last time I seen this egg, it wasn't this shiny"

"You're pretty sharp" I smiled, catching her looking at me confused "This is the Egg Elm asked me to take care of. I had no idea that it came from Mr.Pokemon at first, but they picked the right person to take care of it" I stood up with the egg "I am a Pokémon egg expert, after all" she gasped a little.

"An expert? If that's the case, you must be from the family that first discovered them" she smiled "Indeed, they picked the right person to care for it! It's a very important egg" she pointed her finger upward "Please do take care of it!" I nodded. She giggled and spun in a circle before walking off without another word. Not sure what just happened... but she doesn't have to tell me twice.

I stored my egg away and decided to leave the city. I entered route 32 and made my way into a cave that lead into a new rainy route that kept me from going further.

"We probably have to stay here until the rain stops" I told Pichu catching the drops with her paws "I've been walking nonstop, so I better take a break before my illness comes back" I leaned on the cave mouth and listened to the relaxing rain drops in my path before a ding interrupted my peace.

I took out my Pokégear and felt my heart drop a little. Sabrina has finally answered my message after I had texted her back in the resort a few days ago.

"Sabrina..." I stared at her name "I wonder what she'll possibly say "The battle will begin from here..." my blood started boiling "The battle..."

"Pe..?" Pichu frowned. I shook my head and put the Pokégear away without responding. I took out a small towel from my bag and grabbed Pichu.

"We have to run. The next town is really close! Let's go!" I ran through the slightly hard rain to get pass it falling and finally found a spot where it wasn't. It was by a sign that directed me to the town I was looking for. Azalea Town. As soon as I entered, I noticed odd advertisements for Slowpoke tail on a stick... Is this a Johto thing..?

"What's that about?" Pichu questioned the whole thing as well. I ignored it and walked into town to take my egg to the Pokémon center for a regular checkup.

"Hello!" I greeted the front nurse "I would like a full check up on my Pokémon, please!"

"Of course! Please set them in their Pokéballs and place them on this tray" she gave me a tray and walked away. I placed my egg on the blanket that was on the tray and placed Pichu down so I could return her. She whined and moved away from the beam.

"Pichu, what's wrong? You need to get in your ball?" She shook her head and hugged my ankle "Pichu..." Pichu was never one to like going inside her Pokéball, and it's difficult convincing her to do so, but lately it's getting harder and harder... I wish I knew what's going on in her mind to refuse leaving my side.

I gave up and placed Pichu on the tray as well with only Chikorita in her ball. The nurse came back and looked at the tray, staring at it for a moment before glancing back at me. I nervously laughed and waved my hands, apologizing.

She took it anyways and told me to come back in about an hour, so I went outside and decided to look around and see what this place has to offer. The most shocking thing I see is the advertisements...

"Slowpoke tails... Who comes up with these things?" I nearly fell over when someone ran into me from behind. I quickly looked down to see a little girl panicking when she dropped a bunch of colorful fruit like things from her basket.

"Oh no!" She went running, making her basket fly and throw more fruits "Ahh!" I took her shoulder to calm her down and took her basket to place down.

"Place the basket down. More will be lost" I smiled "Can I help?" Her cheeks turned a bit pink before nodding with a smile and ran off. There weren't that many to grab, but after a little while, we manage to return every fruit back to the little girl's basket.

"Thank you so much for your help!" She bowed her head, making her move her basket and got some falling out "ah!" I quickly caught them and placed them back. She gently placed the basket on the grass and nervously laughed "S-Sorry! I'm pretty clumsy! If I didn't run into you, we could had avoided this!"

"That's true, but people make mistakes. You learn from the ones you made" I pet her head "The only thing you learned is to not swing your basket so much" I giggled "And not run into people" she giggled with me.

"Yeah!" She took a fruit from her basket "Here! You can have one!" I took the strange fruit confused "It's a Apricorn!"

"A what? Can I eat it?"

"Hmm... You can, but they don't taste pretty good and they're hard" I squeezed it in my hand "My grandpa knows how to make unique Pokéballs with these things! He's called the charcoal man! Heard of him?"

"Not really" I tossed the ball in the air "I'm still pretty new to Johto, so it's a first for me"

"These Apricorns are in a lot of places in Johto and the most use they give is making Pokéballs you can't get anywhere else. I'm taking these to grandpa so he won't be bored. He's been pretty stressed out lately. It has something to do with the Slowpoke tails that's advertised around here"

"Huh? It's not normal?" She shook her head.

"Well, it's pretty normal since I heard their tails grow back fast, but it's weird to me. Rumors had it that whoever is advertising this is hurting the poor Pokémon! Those poor slowpoke! Grandpa said when he finds out who's doing this, he'll make them pay!" I wanted to believe I knew who could do such a cruel thing, but I can't jump into conclusions.

"Then it would be a bad time to ask if he can work on this one for me?" I waved around the Apricorn in my hand. She laughed.

"You're free to ask! Follow me! He's in his workshop right now!" I followed the little girl to the other side of town, arriving at a house surrounded in metal tools. The little girl pointed at the back shed "He's going to be over there!" I nodded and continued following her until we made it into the shed, actually seeing an old man talking to someone else.

"Looks like he's busy" I whispered. The old man looked angry at the conversation he was having.

"I wonder what they're talking about..." the little girl, hiding with me, said.

"You know Team Rocket?" The one man talking to the old man asked.

"Hm? I believe so" he responded. Once hearing that name, my ears listened faster.

"They're an evil gang that uses Pokémon for their dirty work" I huffed, holding back a glare of anger "They're supposed to have disbanded three years ago"

"Ah yes. I remember now"

"Anyways, They're at the well, cutting off SlowpokeTails for sale!" My grip on the side of the wooden door frame cracked. I jumped back and got noticed by the two men "I didn't think we have company" the little girl jumped over to her grandpa.

"Grandpa! I got your Apricorns" she smiled, handing the basket over "Is it true?! Is it really this Team Rocket doing this?!" The men were speechless, not expecting her to find out, probably.

"Don't worry" the old man said to the other man "I'll go and give them a lesson in pain!" He spoke to the little girl about something before heading towards the door I was by "Hang on, SLOWPOKE! Old Kurt is on his way!" I held my arm out "Huh?"

"Mr.Kurt, sir. Let me company you on this mission" he looked a bit shocked when I asked.

"I can handle them on my own. It's not any of your concern. This is my job to protect the town from-" I shook my head.

"Anything that has to do with Team Rocket is my concern! Please! I'll meet you at wherever this Well is! I just need to go get my Pokémon!" He stared at me for a moment before nodding.

"Alright then. Don't keep me waiting" I nodded and rushed off with him and separated to go to the Pokémon center to pick up my Pokémon waiting for me.

"Miss!" The nurse waved "You're just in time! Your Pokémon are ready!" I hurried to Pichu and placed her on my shoulder while taking Chikorita's ball "Everyone is all heathy now. Your egg is in perfect condition as well"

"I'll come back for it later. Something important came up" I waved and ran off "I'll be back!" my entire body felt rage ever since Team Rocket's name was mentioned. I had to control my emotions. At the moment, I was just quiet and didn't bother telling Pichu what was going on. I had to calm down first

I had tunnel vision, so it was difficult knowing where I was going "Pichu, I'm looking for a well. Help me" I cupped my eyes "Stay calm... Stay calm" Pichu watched me panicking a little and jumped off my shoulder, falling on her face, of course, and ran forward "Pichu! Warn me!" I followed after her looking around and eventually found a sign leading to a near by well.

"For a small Pokémon with one good eye, you're good at finding things" Pichu rubbed her head, proud of her work. I picked her up and carefully approached it. My legs were wanting to sprint me towards the well, so I went slow to keep myself from falling in.

"This is the place where Team Rocket is cutting off Slowpoke Tails and selling them"

"Pe?!" Pichu gasped. There was a latter in the tunnel. I got over the stones to climb down and met up with Kurt laying on his back.

"Oh!" My vision went back to normal when I saw him laying in the small puddle like that "Are you alright?!" I helped him sit up, which made him groan and press on his back.

"I slammed down hard on my back, so I can't move" he groaned "Rats! If I were fit, my Pokémon would've punished them..." I patted his shoulder.

"I'm still here. I'll make them suffer in your place" he looked at my determined face.

"It can't be helped... You look like you know what you're doing. Your name?"

"I'm Valerie" he nodded and patted my knee.

"Valerie, show them how gutsy you are in my place!" I smiled, helped him lay on the wall, and hurried to a near by cave mouth that lead to another side of the well.

My rage came back as soon as I saw the first man in the black uniform. I couldn't see in my peripheral visions. I could only see the grunt standing before me and approached him.

"Hey" I grabbed his shirt before he had the chance to turn towards me. His face immediately went pale when he saw how dark my eyes went "I don't have all day. How many do you have down here?"

"W-What- agh!" I twist his shirt hard "That hurts!" I shook him a little.

"Your team has done so much more hurtful things. This is nothing" I slammed his back onto the rock wall "Now I'm not going to repeat myself, how many of you are there?" I groaned at his face. He stared at me for a long while before he gasped and then passed out. I let him fall and stepped on his head.

"Pathetic. You can't even look at me in the eyes and answer my question" I snorted "Would had expected more from the team that killed for money" I abandoned him and continued into the well, seeing Slowpoke whining on their own with their tails chopped off.

"How terrible..." I frowned, approaching one laying on its side "Slowpoke's tails grow back pretty quickly, so I'm sure that's why there's so many here without a tip" I pet the Slowpoke's head "I think I can remember that Slowpoke's tails release a sweet substance, and use the tip of the tail to fish. They can be eaten as a treat or food" I observed the tail "But who ever did this, cut the tail too deep, making it painful for these poor things"

"You're pretty smart" someone spoke behind me. I turned around to look at a few grunts surrounding me "Where did you learn that information?"

"I read a lot as a kid, believe it or not. Maybe you should do the same instead of involving yourself in a job like this" the five grunts around me glared while I stood with a bored look on my face "Are you all who I have to handle right now? Or is there more of you?"

"Would you like to know?" One of them snickered, taking out their Pokéball "So what's a fine honey like you doing down here anyway?" I didn't answer as another grunt stared at me for a while before whispering to the grunt who just spoke to me "huh?!" They looked at me like they just figured out something. I glared and send out Chikorita.

"It's rude to stare" I huffed.

"Y-You're the-" I hated how they were staring at me. I could tell what their intentions were as soon as they recognized me. I won't let them take me like the grunt tried doing back when I first got to Johto. I won't let Team Rocket have their way. Anything that has to do with them, I'll make them suffer almost as much as they made me did.