Phil woke to a snout poking him in the ribs, "You hungry Blazer?"

'Of course, I'm always hungry.'

"You got that right.  Come on, I need to talk to Denny about today."

Phil walked downstairs, he glanced to his right and saw Denny sitting in the Inn's cafe.  Phil then made his way over.  He released his Pokemon, and ordered food for the six of his Pokemon and himself.

"Denny, today I need to battle some people for cash, but, I also need to check out the town.  There's something fishy here, and it's not the Magikarp in the local pond."

"That is a problem.  I suggest you check the town out in the morning, and then battle in the afternoon.  A lot of trainers visit this quaint little town on Saturdays and will be eager to fight."

"Good idea."  Phil left the Pokemon Center and turned to his Pokemon, "Jes, Blazer, and George, you guys stay out and help me search.  Craig, Mary, and Evie,  why don't you guys hop into your Pokeballs.  We'll draw less attention that way."

'Good idea, Phil,' Craig said, 'The three of us are rather rare.'

"Right, so return."

Phil returned the three Pokemon and continued to walk down the street.  He looked around for suspicious activity.  He did do some good though for instance, about an hour after he started his search.

Phil was walking down the largest street in town when he noticed a small collision between a teenager and a middle-aged man.  He looked at the teen suspiciously, and noticed that the teen had two wallets.  He ran after him, "Hey you!"  The teen just started running.  Phil shook his head and started after him.

"Jes, would you be so kind as to."

'I'd love to.'

Jes ran ahead and pounced on the theif.  The police arrived and arrested the pick-pocket, and the man got his wallet back.  The man actaully turned out to be the Mayor's nephew, and gave Phil a well-made Technical Machine for Drain Punch.  He quickly used the instant learning device, an upgrade from the kind Kleve had given him, to teach the move to George, who was very appreciative.

Phil did however, catch sight of a Team Domination goon.  It happened while the mayor's nephew, Truff A. Tore.  Phil quickly turned to Mr. Tore and told him he had to go.  Phil tailed the guy like a ghost, sometimes literally.  He returned George, Jes, and Blazer to draw less attention.

In less crowded places, Phil would  turn invisible so as to be unseen.  He tailed the goon for an hour, he lost the trail when the guy went into a bar.  He watched the entrances for a while, until he turned invisible and slipped inside.  The goon was nowhere to be found.  Phil walked out and released everyone.

"So, we found a guy.  We followed him here, and he vanished.  I was watching from up there," Phil pointed to a tall building next door to the bar, "My guess is that he teleported out of there to wherever his team is currently residing."

'It makes sense, and it is a good way to hide the trail,' Blazer replied.

'But how sophisticated are these guys?  The guy we battled to save Mary was mostly brute strength,' Jes replied.

'No he wasn't!' Evie countered, 'It takes someone who isn't a moron to pull off that Greninja.'

'True,' Mary agreed, 'If Phil hadn't used Aura Sphere, we would have lost.'

'He thought I knew Lick!  That screams moron,' Jes argued.

"Guys, at least some of these guys are intelligent.  Certainly not all of them, but some.  We'll keep an eye out, but it is now lunch time!  I heard that there is a great place downtown.  Let's go there."

Tauros Traders,

Phil was enjoying a delicous medium rare T-bone while his Pokemon chowed down on equally delicious Pokefood.  As was his custom, Phil cut the bone out, and let Blazer gnaw on it.  Phil was pulling out his wallet to leave a tip when someone stepped on Jes' tail.

"Could you watch where you are going?"

The young man just ignored him.

"Excuse me, would you watch where you are going?"

"I don't talk to peasents."

He could not have made a worse word choice.

"Then how about you let your Pokemon do the talking?"

The man sighed, "I get challenges all the time, but I always win easily."

"I wouldn't count me as a pushover."

"Fine then, battlefield three, five minutes, five on five."

Battlefield #3,

"I am ready to destroy you," the man said.

"With what, a marshmellow army?"

"Weavile, take the stage."

The man sent out a red and yellow Weavile.  It grinned menacingly, and pawed the ground.

"Blazer, you've got this!"

"Weavile, Swords Dance!"

"Blazer, Flamethrower followed by Flame Wheel."

Blazer spat flames at the Weavile, and followed up very quickly with a flaming tackle.  The frail Pokemon, distracted by its dance, keeled over instantly.

"Go Dragonite!  Teach this peasant a lesson."

A green Dragonite came out of the Pokeball.  It tried to roar intimidatingly, but Blazer just smirked.

"Blazer, Crunch!"

"Dragon Claw," the man said, sounding bored.

Blazer attacked the Dragonite head on, biting down hard on its left arm.  However, the Dragonite swiped its claws, now glowing a radient blue, into Blazer side.  Blazer gasped in pain, biting down even harder.

"Up!"

The Dragonite followed its trainer's command and shot upward, Blazer still attached.  Blazer, however, was not your average Arcanine, he twisted onto the green monstrosity's back and switched to biting down on the other Pokemon's wing.  The effect was instantaneous, the Dragonite came barreling to the ground.  Desperately flapping its undamaged right wing, the large Pokemon struck the dusty ground, kicking up a massive dust cloud.  However, the Dragon type had managed to land on its back, knocking Blazer out cold and reducing damage done to itself.

"Blazer, return.  Mary, you're in charge now, use Ice Beam!"

Mary jumped out of her Pokeball and began to shoot ice at the opponent's Dragonite.  The much larger Pokemon's eyes widen and attempted to dodge, but it was a much better target than Henry's Gligar.  So, the green Pokemon was struck front and center by the devastating attack.  The Dragonite then kneeled down, and fell over.

"Dragonite, return.  Jolteon, battle ready."

"Mary, Mud Shot."

"Jolteon, Thunderbolt."

The Jolteon threw a powerful thunderbolt at Mary, and the young man was shocked that it did nothing.  Mary then used Mud Shot to knock out the Jolteon instantly.

"Your realize that Marshtomp is a Ground type that can discharge your electricity into the ground, right?"

"Jolteon, return.  Lapras, Hydro Pump."

A purple Lapras came out and blasted Mary with an extremely powerful jet of water that made her collapse.

"Mary, return.  Jes, let's roll with Spark."

"Ice Beam."

Jes ran towards the Lapras, easily dodging the Ice Beam.  Jes' Spark attack did some serious damage, however.......

"Blizzard!"

The purple Pokemon blasted out a huge spray of cold wind and ice.  Jes fell over and fainted.

"Jes, come on back.  Evie, go get them with Swift!"

"Ice Beam."

Evie summoned several stars that blasted towards the Lapras.  Evie was blasted backwards by the Ice Beam, and keeled over.

"Evie, return.  George, are you ready?"

'What? To Mega Evolve?'

Phil inclined his head.

'Yes, I am ready.  Just be ready to bear some of my pain.'

"George, Mega Evolve!"

George was surrounded by a purple and pink shell.  He then emerged, with a large cape and and other dramatic features.  His head blade was now more elegant and his arms had become larger.  Phil would have admired the sight if he wasn't struggling to keep a straight face and head.

"Drain Punch!"

George ran forward and smashed a glowing fist into the Lapras, knocking out his opponent instantly.

"Lapras, return.  Metagross, Mega Evolve."

"Drain Punch!"

"Zen Headbutt!"

The silver and gold Metagross and George fought with multiple attacks.  With the trainers calling out various attacks, including Meteor Mash, Bullet Punch, Ice Punch, and Zen Headbutt.  George used moves like Night Slash and Drain Punch.  George and the Metagross were both on their last legs, George could not keep up his Mega much longer and the silver behemoth was nearing unconciousness.

"Drain Punch!"

"Bullet Punch!"

George and the Metagross charged each other, fists glowing.  Their eyes locked, a cold, calculating, and steely gaze with a determined and admirable one.  The two strong Pokemon slam their fists together.  The two Pokemon flew backwards.  Once again locking eyes, the Pokemon acknowledge each others strength, when the Metagross falls and his Mega fades.  However, as soon as Phil is announced the winner, George collapsed.

"Good battle."

"I don't talk to snobby jerks," Phil replied, as he turned on his heel to collect the prize money.

Phil then went to the Pokemon Center to heal his Pokemon.  He later retold the days events to Denny, who said he would call in a friend with expertise in tracking teleporters.

-----Team Domination HQ-----

"Father, someone is on to us.  A teenage boy tracked me to the relay point.  I don't know how though, he would completely disappear at time."

"It was a good idea to bring you here then.  It pleases me to hear your report first-hand, return to your assigned location and prepare."

"Prepare for what?"

"An attack, an attack will come soon, very soon, my son."