"Yeah," replied the Milotic. "Not many have avoided my Surf attack. Thanks to you, now I know to be more wary when using it." He swayed in the wind, his drooping 'ears' blowing to and fro. "But I prefer the life of luxury. I was a regular Beauty Contest precipitant until Sidney decided to become a trainer. But if it wasn't for her, I would've never evolved...so fighting for her is the least I can do."

Ginger finished the remains of her berry in one big gulb, and left her spot to join the two conversing Pokemon. "What are you doing talking to him? He blew us into oblivion...and you're praising him?" She rolled her eyes.

"Oh like you're one to criticize for talking when you're not supposed to, miss it's-not-over-'till-the-fat-absol-sings" replied Pandora angrily, sticking out his tongue (a very noticeable gesture on a haunter.) "You're just lucky Cassius didn't faint this time, or you'd be sorry."

"Oh, so now you're saying I'm fat?! Take that back you dumb ghost, you...or I'll Slash ya! Yeah, think you're so cool 'cause of your detatched hands and...floatiness!"

"Calm down, Ginger," Silvien urged. "He didn't mean anything."

"I don't think you're fat!" Rex barked, running over. "Making fun of my girl, are you. I'll make you pay!"

"I am NOT your girl! Go away, Rex!"

"Can't we all just get along?" Silvi groaned.

"Hey, guys, the absol just insulted haunters!" yelled Pandora. The rest of Cassius' team turned instantly towards Ginger, glaring. Maiden was the only one to echo Silvi's comments, trying to keep the two groups apart.

"Pandora's always making comments like that, don't take it personally" said Maiden. "And Pan, you know better than to get a dark-type upset like that, Cass told us to be on our best behavior- we're going to be traveling with these guys for awhile."

But Ginger wasn't listening. She was already charging up another Shadow Ball.

"Uh, Ginger?" the water Pokemon said quietly.

Back over where the trainers were Taro saw what was taking place and tried to get Sidney's attention by tugging on a lock of her black hair, but Sidney failed to notice.

"So what's it like being a famous gym leader?" she asked as a large BOOM! sounded behind her.

"I think 'stressful' would be the word for it" replied Cassius, glaring at the battlefield. "Hang on, I need to go tie Pan's tongue in a knot before this gets any worse."

The ghost trainer got up from his seat, walking over to a soot-covered and very dizzy Pandora, who'd been hit full on by Ginger's attack. He put a hand on the furious gengar's shoulder, a difficult task since godfather was taller than him.

"Pandora, return" he said quietly, returning the angry ghost to his pokeball. He then ensured that the back of his head was turned to the other trainer before he locked eyes with Ginger. "Haunt haunter haunter haunt haunter, haunter haunt haunter (If you have a problem with ghosts, take it up with me)" he hissed. Eerily enough, his violet eyes glowed a faint red as he spoke.

"...Sorry, I was zoning out for a bit, but yeah, I did complete the Indigo challenge. I actually came in 3rd in the Indigo League Tournament.", Mike said, boastingly.

Static was watching the Pokemon quarrel, and was annoyed by the yelling and shouting so much, he was ready to blow a fuse, or use Thunder Bolt. The other 5 Electric Pokemon were crowding around Michael, showiing that they were a lot closer than anyone would've expected.

((I won't be able to be for the rest of today. So don't get too far, please? ))

Maiden noticed Static's irritation, and rushed over to tell him Cassius was handling it. "He's really good at dealing with situations like this, honest!" she pleaded. "Just please don't electrocute me, er, anyone please Mr. Raichu sir."

Ginger took several cautious steps back at the sight of Cassius's glowing red eyes. That...was a little creepy. And it didn't improve her attitute towards him either.

"What was that all about?" Lulu asked Wesli.

"Beats me. Ginger being herself again, I guess," the Swablu replied, shruging his fluffy wings.

"Ginger!" Sidney shouted. "I can't believe your behavior!" The Absol sulked. If one thing scared her more than ghosts...it was an angry Sidney.

((I'm going to be gone for a few hours, but I'll have a lot of time tonight.))

"I think it was mostly Pandora's fault" said Cassius, putting away the aforementioned haunter's pokeball. "He's got a, well, a sense of humor a lot of pokemon don't understand, I don't think you can blame your absol for getting angry with him." His eyes had returned to their usual brownish-purple shade, and he seemed to be oblivious to the fact that they'd been glowing seconds before.

"If you say say so...", was Static's reply. "But if your wrong...", Static felt he didn't need to go on. It usually didn't take much to set Static off, since he has a Rash Nature.

"You've earned yourself a timeout, young lady." And before Ginger could protest, she was stored back inside her Ultra Ball. "I've never seen her behave this badly. I'm really sorry...and I know I keep saying that." She looked down at the black and yellow ball. It had been several years since it was last occupied by its Pokemon. And suddenly, a wave of guilt swept over Sidney. Had she done the right thing?

"Whoa! I've never seen her that mad before," Lulu butted in, joining the other Pokemon. She crossed her arms, squatting down.

"NO!" roared the Mightyena. "My Ginger!"

"Oh, get over it, you overgrown mutt," Lu hissed, swatting him on the back of his furry head.

"It's really quite alright, and I can assure you Pandora will be receiving a stern talking to once we get to a pokemon center" replied Cassius, turning after he spoke to the rest of his team. "These other pokemon are going to be traveling with us for a fair while, as your trainer I'm asking you to cooperate with them" he said to them, using the human language despite the fact he was taking to pokemon. "Anyone else starting a fight is liable to get a shadow ball in their face too, and it will serve you right."

Silvien shook his head, then slithered over to Sidney, touching the button of his Pokeball with his nose and returning to his place on her belt. The Cubone had been clinging to Sidney's hair the entire time, and now he sat perched on top of her head. "You like it up there? Is it comfortable?" The tiny dinosaur Pokemon nodded his white head. "Alright, then you can stay up there...for now." She turned to Cassius. "He has severe separation anxiety. I kept him in his ball for too long."

The rest of Sidney's Pokemon wandered over to her, and she returned each of them to their Pokeballs, except Lu, who was last in line. She tugged on Sidney's skirt, blinking up at her with the saddest looking eyes she could manage. "Alright. You can stay outside while Ginger's being punished."

Cassius called his team back too, clipping all six of his pokeballs back onto his belt. Maiden had been getting tired of the light, and none of his other healthy pokemon were travel friendly, so when the ghostly trainer packed up his bag and prepared to continue, he was without a pokemon companion at his side.

"Shall we get going, then?" he asked, his tone indicating it was an honest question and not an irritated demand. He was eager to get to the next village, but now that he had a guide he had a fair bit of time to spare on his journey.

"Sure thing," Sidney laughed, taking off running. Taro nearly toppled off her head, but managed to hang on to the thin strands that made up his trainer's hair. Lulu did a type of victory flip, then chased after the young trainer using her short, thick legs. "Mediiii-cham! (Waaait up!)"

Sidney had done it again. She had let her excitement take her away and had left Cassius behind...again.

Cassius grinned, a friendly gesture that looked rather menacing on his face, and revealed unusually pointed teeth. He ran to catch up, and proved to be rather fast when he set his mind to it. He slowed down when he caught up with the other trainer, and looked back to make sure the little fighting pokemon wasn't going to be left too far behind.

((Okay. Where to next? ^^;; ))

((We might as well end up in the town, assuming Sidney will be coming along to Fortree afterwards. I'd like to do a quick campfire scene sometime where Cassius gets a chance to tell a ghost story or two, but I dunno if the town would be that far away...,))

Night descended upon the Hoenn region, the sky becoming more dotted with tiny, twinkling stars as it grew later. Sidney was afraid they wouldn

Cassius nodded. "What's the name of the town?" he asked out of curiosity, squinting to see the lights ahead. They did seem awfully far away, but since night vision wasn't really an issue for him he didn't voice any complaints about it.

"Melville Town," she answered, starting to go downhill. "You won't find it on most maps. Until recently it was a ghost town--an old mining town abandoned several decades ago. Ever since they rediscovered rare gems in the old excavation sites the town has flourished for the first time in years." She gave Cassius a small smile. "Before people started returning, they said that ghost Pokemon would lurk around the empty roads every night. I'm sure that would spark your interest."

"Pity about the rare gems, then" he replied, grinning. "Maybe there are still a few ghosts around- that's certainly how it was with Lavender when people started to reclaim the city." He looked about him, now curious, and a little disappointed that he couldn't fully enjoy the haunted area while he was in possession of a human body. "They were pretty angry, too, when humans started to come back. They moved to the outskirts, trying to lure away unwary trainers trying to enter the town, guiding them into the depths of the forest with will-o-whisp lights until they were so lost they could never find there way out." Cassius couldn't help but laugh a little at the prospect- the sort of laugh that would make one check for ghosts if it hadn't come from a human.

((Sorry I was so slow to reply there. Homework thing.))

((Don't worry. I understand how that is. -has homework too- >>;; ))

"You okay?" Sidney asked. Did the temperature just plummet a few degrees...or was Cassius putting off his usual chilling aura. "But y'know...I don't really believe in ghost stories. I mean, ghost Pokemon are just Pokemon...aren't they?" They couldn't be real ghosts. It was impossible, wasn't it? Wasn't it? Sidney wasn't so sure anymore. But she remembered she had Lulu out. If any ghosts tried to pull a move on them, she could ward them off without their ethereal attacks affecting her.

"You don't believe in ghost stories?" he asked, incredulous. "Living next to a former ghost town and you don't believe in ghost stories? I'm quite astounded that those 'just pokemon' haven't tried to inform you firsthand that they're quite real. Some ghost pokemon are born like any other pokemon, but there are a fair number who are, indeed, spirits of the deceased, and just about everything you hear in those stories is dead true."