I thought my business in Virbank was finished, but apparently that wasn't the case. When I was checking my Pokédex, I saw that I had missed a Pokemon in the Virbank Complex. It was a Normal-type Pokémon called Audino. Its Pokédex entry talked about how sensitive it was, and it also discussed how it was somewhat similar to the Happiny evolution line. I could have caught it almost anywhere in Unova, but I thought it would be better to catch it now than later. And even better, Ivy evolved into a Grass-type called Servine! I went back to the Pokémon Center and transferred the Audino to Juniper's PC.

Afterward, I called Hugh on my Xtransceiver. I somehow didn't have Nate's number registered on my Xtransceiver yet. He picked up after three rings and his face showed up on the device's screen.

"Hey Rosa, what's up?" Hugh asked.

"I caught a Pokémon I missed in the complex and Ivy evolved!" I replied happily. "Where are you at?"

The view in the screen was abruptly jerked to the side and Nate's face appeared onscreen. "We're outside of the Virbank Gym and we just finished battling the Gym Leader. Also, congrats on Ivy's evolution!"

"Thanks! And how'd it go?"

Nate pulled back part of his jacket with his left hand. His Basic Badge was pinned on the jacket's inside along with another badge. "We both beat her and got Toxic Badges."

"Let go of my wrist, Nate!" Hugh's voice complained from off-screen.

Nate looked away from me. "Hold on a sec, I'm almost done." His gaze turned back to me. "Anyway, we can meet up at the docks. It's right at the end of Clef Lane!" The screen began to shake more.

"I swear to Arceus, Nate! If you don't let go of me-!"

"See ya there! The boat leaves at three!"

The call cut out a second later. I sighed and smiled, shaking my head. Typical Nate, if only I had his number from the start...

I looked up the nearest street sign. I was at the beginning of Graypav Street and it just so happened to be intersecting Clef Lane, what a coinkydink.

I ran down Clef Lane and as I was nearing the end of the street, I saw a building next to a set of stairs leading down to the docks. A group of five adults in dark clothing were next to the building. I noticed Nate and Hugh standing near the group, facing them. I was about to call out to them when I realized that they were talking to the group of people. No, not talking. Arguing! I slowed my pace, trying to listen in on the argument.

"I knew it! I thought I recognized you guys from somewhere, and I was right," Hugh said.

"Move out of the way, kids!" one of the people said.

"Why should we move?" Nate replied angrily.

"Do you not value your Pokémon or your life? Move or we'll make you regret messing with us," another person growled.

"I'm not going anywhere!" Hugh exclaimed.

One person stepped away from the group. I suddenly realized that every one of these people were dressed like the man Ivy caught in Floccesy Forest, gray and black clothes, masks and all.

"It's your funeral," the man said. "This is what you get for messing with Neo Team Plasma!"

Plasma!? The image and meaning of the emblem I saw previously made me freeze.

I was about call out when the man lunged at Hugh and tackled him to the ground, pinning him so he was unable to move. The group seemed to explode with chaos. Nate tried to help Hugh, but two of the people grabbed and restrained him. One of the remaining people stood were he was looking... shocked? The last person went to Nate and grabbed the Poké Balls attached to his belt. The man holding Hugh snatched his Pokémon as well. The boys were trying to scream and struggle but to no avail. The people simply covered their mouths, muffling their cries.

I was frozen with shock and horror. I wanted to scream, I wanted to run and help my little brother but I couldn't. My brain and body felt disconnected, they didn't work the way I wanted them to. Seeing the fear in Nate's eyes broke my heart, I was supposed to protect him! I opened my mouth and cried out.

"Stop this! Stop this right now!"

The people froze and then seven pairs of eyes turned to me, Nate and Hugh's included. Nate's eyes went wide when he saw me. He struggled harder and attempted to call out to me despite the hand covering his mouth. The woman who had been going through his backpack told him to shut up and she punched my brother in the stomach. Nate's face screwed up in pain and he tried to double over, only to be forced back upright by the duo holding him. That sent me over the edge.

"You sick, sick freaks!!" I screamed.

The man holding Hugh laughed. "Well would you look at that? The girl is sticking up for her friends! Do you know who we are, little girl? You better stay away, or do you want your Pokémon stolen too?"

I took out Ivy and Slinky's Poké Balls, my heart racing and my body trembling. I didn't feel scared anymore though, I was shaking with rage. How dare they hurt my brother!

"So you only have two Pokémon, eh?" the main man said. "This won't take too long." He yanked Hugh to his feet and shoved him toward one of the men holding Nate. The man who had been doing nothing went to help his other teammates. The leader then whispered something to the woman who held the stolen Pokémon. She ducked into an alleyway and fled from the scene. The leader then sent out a Pokemon that looked similar to a Patrat and a Flying-type that resembled Pidove.

"Try to keep me interested, won't ya?" the leader said. I couldn't see it, but I could tell he was smirking under his mask. "Watchog, Crunch. Tranquill, Wing Attack."

"Ivy, use Leaf Tornado, and Slinky, Fury Swipes!"

Ivy launched a whirlwind of razor-edged leaves at the charging Watchog and it was caught up in the green tornado. Slinky jumped at Tranquill with elongated, glowing claws. Tranquill dodged her attack and uppercut Slinky with its wings. Slinky was knocked into the air, righting herself in midair and landing on her paws.

"Tranquill, Wing Attack again. Watchog, stop wasting time and use Crunch!"

"Ivy, use Vine Whip! Slinky, keep your distance and use Assist!"

Ivy whipped out her vines and wrapped them around Watchog's torso. Her vines lifted Watchog off its feet and Ivy flung it right at Nate, Hugh, and their captors. The men freaked and ran off. Watchog smashed into the building's wall above the first story window. Now free, Nate and Hugh rushed to my side. I told Hugh to take Nate and run to go get help. Nate refused to leave me, but Hugh agreed to find help and he took off down Clef Lane.

Slinky then stood up on her hind legs and raised her front paws. Black paw prints shot from her paws and the prints became a swirl of green leaves. Slinky leaned back and threw her own Leaf Tornado at Tranquill. Tranquill was knocked from the sky and Slinky assaulted it with a flurry of Fury Swipes. I couldn't help but feel a little happy, I was holding my own in a battle for once. And not only that, I was winning!

The leader recalled his fallen Pokémon. He then sent out another Watchog and Tranquill! "Don't get your hopes up," he taunted. "I've got another round of these! Tranquill, Air Cutter! Watchog, use Retaliate!"

"Ivy, Slinky, dodge and use Assist!"

Slinky leaped over the blades of air Tranquill created, countering with a synthetic Vine Whip. Ivy however, wasn't so lucky. Watchog smashed into Ivy, knocking her out instantly. I returned her to her Poké Ball, taking my precious Servine off the battlefield.

Slinky was crouched down on all fours, her hackles raised and her teeth bared. She faced off against the Watchog and Tranquill, waiting for me to tell her what to do. I didn't know though. Slinky could only dodge attacks for so long, and that didn't include the factor of Watchog's Retaliate move. I clenched my teeth in frustration, desperately trying to come up with a plan.

"Aww, has the little girl figured out she's gonna lose? Don't worry, it'll be over quick. I'll be happy to add your Servine and Purrloin to my team once I beat you!" the leader laughed. "Now, shall we? Tranquill, Wing Attack! Watchog, Retaliate!"

"Slinky, dodge it!"

Slinky jumped away from Watchog's attack... and landed right in the path of Tranquill's Wing Attack. She was battered with Tranquill's wings and received Watchog's other attack, a devastating Crunch. Completely defenseless, I recalled Slinky to her ball and looked fearfully to the leader. He moved towards Nate and I, an evil glint in his eyes. I stepped in front of my brother and put on the best brave face I could muster. On the inside, I was utterly petrified at what would happen next.

"Whirlipede, use Rollout!"

A huge purple blur suddenly flashed past us on our right. The blur crashed into Watchog and Tranquill, though Tranquill seemed to take no damage. Watchog was knocked out instantaneously. The blur stopped rolling and it turned out to be a large Bug, maybe Poison-type Pokémon. The Pokemon's antennae glowed purple and it rolled into Tranquill, the attack finishing the job. The leader was shocked by this turn of events. "Wh-What the—?!" he gaped.

"You leave these kids alone!" A young girl ran in from behind us, standing between us and the leader.

Nate gasped. "Roxie?!"

"Who?" I turned to him.

"Roxie's the Virbank Gym Leader!"

I looked past Nate and saw Hugh quickly approaching. He stopped near us, out of breath.

"Th-there, I got... I got your... help!" He managed to get out. We all looked at Roxie, who had brought out three other Pokémon by then.

"You stole their Pokémon, right? You obviously have no more Pokémon to use, and your 'teammates' abandoned you. Tell me where the Pokémon are, or you can eat Whirlipede's Poison Tail!"

The leader's gaze flitted to his fainted Pokémon, then back to Roxie. He suddenly tried to flee down a different street.

"Pfft, typical. Venipede, use Screech," Roxie laughed. Both of her Venipede emitted ear-piercing screeches. Nate, Hugh and I covered our ears as the horrible noise threatened to break our eardrums. The leader cried in pain and fell to his knees.

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you! Stop it!"

Well look who's crying now! I thought smugly. Serves you right.

After getting the boat captain— who just so happened to be Roxie's father —and his employees to make sure the Team Plasma member was unable to run, Roxie was able to get information about the stolen Pokémon from him. The female member had been ordered to hide in the Virbank Complex and wait for the leader to come get her.

"You three wait here. The two members that fled might've also hid in the complex, and they could have Pokémon of their own," Roxie told us.

"Wait, just because Nate and Hugh don't have their Pokémon doesn't mean I don't," I said. Roxie had healed my Pokémon, so they were able to battle if needed.

"That's the point," Roxie said. "If some kind of reinforcement comes, you have to be here in order to defend everyone." She took a few of her father's workers and headed for the complex.

I did feel good when Roxie basically said I was the sole defender of the eight or so people here, though it made feel uneasy as well. I could kinda hold my own in a battle for a while... "while" being the key word here. Ugh, why did Nate have to have his Pokémon stolen? At least I could be confident that he'd be able to protect us!

Almost an hour later, Roxie and the workers finally came back, the female Team Plasma grunt in tow. They had found her cowering in one of the storage sheds with the Pokemon. Her cohorts were nowhere to be found, and neither captured Plasma grunts would say anything about where they would hide. They either fled to Route 20, or somehow escaped to Castelia City.

Nate and Hugh were joyously reunited with their Pokémon. Nate was overjoyed as he hugged Saber and Lilith tightly while Surge was floating next to him, not exactly being the huggable type. One of the workers ended up having to restrain Hugh from attacking either of the grunts once he had his Pokémon back, and no one needed to ask why he did so.

I stood on the sidelines, watching these events unfold. Sure, I was livid, disgusted, and somewhat happy among other emotions about what had transpired. But at the same time, I felt overwhelming sadness. What did I really do? Butted in and lost a battle a few minutes later, some hero I was. If it hadn't been for Roxie, my Pokémon would've been stolen and I would be in the same place Nate and Hugh were... no, no I couldn't think like that. I was still inexperienced. It was the honest truth! No one could blame me about what happened, no one had any idea what could, and did happen. I just needed to get stronger... right?

While the Plasma grunts were being hunted down, the three-o-clock boat ride had been overridden, so Roxie's father announced that the boat would be leaving forty-five instead. That meant we were still able to catch a ride to Castelia! And as the time neared that, Roxie's father said that the boat was loading. Nate, Hugh and I boarded the medium-sized motorboat. As the boat began to pull away from the docks, I took one last glance at not only Virbank City, but at the part of Unova where I had lived for my whole life.