POKÉMON:  WARRIOR'S DESIRE

Usual disclaimers apply.  These characters do not belong to me.

TIME:  Simultaneously with Chapters 1 and 2

LOCATION:  Troveta Beach, Troveta Island.

            Faster...must go faster...

            The hot, 90º sun burned down harshly on the largest of the Orange Islands during the midday.  Many residents of Troveta, as well as about twice as many tourists, crowded the streets and populating the beaches heavily.  This beach in particular was the most beautiful beach on the island – perhaps in the entire archipelago – and it could be seen in the crystal clear waters and the gorgeous white sand.

            But for one ambitious young man, today wasn’t about having fun in the sun.

            He was running in the soft sands of the beach, a few yards from where the ocean water lapped at the beach.  His legs burned, sweat dripped off his face.  The heavy humidity didn’t help him in any way.  But he needed to do this to be in shape.  He can’t hear the ocean, or the din of the people on the beach.  Through his portable CD player, Dream Theater is blasting at a high volume through his headphones.  As the CD goes into Strange Déjà Vu, he picks up his pace, occasionally spitting out a lyric or two as he burns to take in air.

            Tracey Sketcher made a habit of doing this three or four times a week to keep fit.  Since Ash won the Jhoto League championship, he chose to leave Pallet Town and Professor Oak’s plantation, having enjoyed his time studying under the professor.  This was a few months ago. Time at home and his enacting an exercise routine made him feel better, and got him taking his Pokémon training more seriously.

            Nothing is breaking his concentration.  He is aware of his surroundings, and makes an effort to avoid anyone who may be playing that might be in his path.  Among the beachgoers are numerous beautiful women – some who came with their friends, boyfriends, or just alone.  Tracey didn’t really have time for a serious relationship, he thought.  An occasional date every now and then, but that was about it.  He suddenly thought about Brock, and how girl crazy he went even at the sight of a fully clothed Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny.

            If Brock were here, the ocean would run red with the blood that poured from his nose.

            But one gorgeous figure caught his eyes...and totally destroyed his concentration.

            Tracey didn’t see her face, as she was laying face down on a beach towel, wearing a very skimpy thong bikini.  Such outfits were a common site on this beach, but for some reason, Tracey was drawn to this woman...like he had met her somewhere before...

            “Oh...man!” Tracey said to himself, his eyes locked on the girl’s form, not noticing a few guys playing Frisbee no more than a few feet in front of him.

            HRRRMPH!!!

            Tracey collided with one of the guys, and they both fell to the sand.  The Frisbee clattered beside them, Tracey’s CD player coming detached from his belt and the disc becoming stuck in the sand.

            “Hey, watch where you going!” one of them said.

            “Gee, I’m sorry,” Tracey said, humbly.  “I didn’t see you there...” Noticing the cord on his headphones dangling freely, he looked around for his CD Walkman and CD.  The disk was just where it had landed and was alright save for some sand.  The player, however, was broken in half, the lid detached from the bottom half.  He snapped the two pieces back together, put in the CD, and was about to be on his way.

            Another one of the group stepped in front of him.  “Hey, where do you think you’re going, punk?” he asked.  He was much taller than Tracey, by about an entire head.  Tracey didn’t back down, though.

            “Look, I said I was sorry, alright?” Tracey asked, growing impatient.  He had his open hands out in front of him as the three surrounded him.  Regardless, one shoved Tracey from behind, into the one directly in front of him.  Soon, the three bounced Tracey around their little circle, into an all out shoving contest.  Finally, after one last hard shove, Tracey landed flat on his ass, the wet sand soaking his shorts.

            “Get up, kid!  We’re not finished with you!”

            This was enough to set Tracey off.  Normally, he was a reserved guy, not one to let his temper get the best of him.  But, this was an exception to that rule.

            For just a short second, Tracey lifted his butt an inch off the ground, so he was in a crab position.  In what was a dazzling move (to the beach bums, anyway), he whipped his legs around behind him, in almost a break dance-esque move, whipped them in front of him, taking one of the goons off of his feet.  He fell flat on his back onto the sand.

            “What the fuck?!” the third shouted.  Tracey kipped-up, and was in his fighting stance, but it in itself was something these three haven’t seen, not in all the kung-fu movies they’ve seen in their lives (which, coincidentally, is where they got it in their head that they can fight).  Tracey was hunched over forward, his legs moving him from side to side in an arc, his arms rhythmically moving in front of him, the first line of defense for blocking an oncoming attack.  “This isn’t a dance contest, yo!”

            “You wanna dance?” Tracey asked.  “Let’s dance!”  The first thug got back to his feet by now, and came at Tracey again.  In one fluid motion, Tracey dipped down, his leg tripping up the goon, and was right back to his feet.  Another came at him from the side, and Tracey snapped down, his hands at his left foot and his head on his knee, while at the same time, his opposite leg came up and clubbed the attacker in the head, the sole of his shoe smacking against his cheek.

            The second was off balanced, which is when Tracey jumped straight up in the air, higher than he is tall, and drove his other foot down into the side of his neck.  He stumbled for a few steps, and then fell face down into the wet sand, the waves breaking against his back.

            By now they’re wondering what the hell style I’m using, Tracey thought as he landed.  When he landed, the third latched his arms around Tracey’s waist, ensnaring his arms.  The first lunged forward, attempting to knock his block off.  But in a surprised move, Tracey ran forward anyway, his feet forward, slamming into his gut, and walking up him until he flipped completely behind the third.  He jumped again, performing a spinning heel kick in air (both feet), and they slammed into the small of his back.  The third lurched forward in pain, his head slamming into the first before he collapsed in a heap.  Using the downed thug’s back for some additional lift, Tracey jumped at the first, bringing both of his feet around the thug’s neck.  He kept his feet around his neck as he fell down to the sand on his shoulders, but before the first could react, Tracey spun his body, letting his legs twist into an unusual position, the thug flying headfirst into the sand away from him.  Tracey set himself back on his feet.

            Realizing what he just did, Tracey started to back away.  The sight of the three people laid out on the sand and the people gawking in awe at the fight that just took place.  Tracey started to back away faster, when he felt a particular, all too familiar set of eyes staring at him.  He instinctively turned around to see the face of the girl that, in a way, caused this whole debacle to take place.  His eyes bugged.

            “Those were some nice moves, cutie,” Lorelei said.

            Tracey was suddenly at a loss for words.  “M-M-Ms. Prima?” he managed to get out.  His lower lip quivered, no words coming from his mouth.  He took in the sight of Lorelei Prima in that suit she was wearing – the same color as the ocean – and was even more shocked.  “W...Wow!”

            She smiled and motioned to the empty spot on her beach blanked beside her.  He snapped down beside her, sitting Indian style.  “It sure is a surprise to see you again,” she said.  “Tracey, was it?”

            “Yeah, I’m Tracey,” he said, rubbing the back of his head nervously.  “You remembered, huh?”

            “I couldn’t forget you, or your friend, for that matter.  I was quite surprised when I learned your friend Ash beat the Jhoto League.”

            “So was I.  He’s really thrilled to be a Pokémon master.  It’s been his dream, you know.”

            “I know.”  She turned to look out at the sea, smiling to herself.  “So what brings you to the beach?”

            Tracey shrugged, “Just doing some running, nothing special.  I wasn’t expecting to run into those goons.”  His mood soured a little, and Prima picked up on it right away.

            “I must admit, I’ve never seen such a unique use of Capoeira before.”

            Tracey smiled a bit.  “Really?  Thanks!  I was wondering when someone was gonna pick up on that!  Those guys didn’t know what hit them, did they?”

            She chucked.  “They were watching too many kung fu movies, obviously.”  She leaned over to her opposite side, and picked up a few pieces of paper.  She handed them to Tracey, and much to their surprise, the letterheads all bore the World Pokémon League logo.

            “What are these?” he asked, looking them over.

            “Well, as you know,” she started, “for the past three years or so, I’ve been working as a high-level executive in the Pokémon League – you know, behind-the-scenes stuff.  It pays well and all, but it took a lot of time out of my actual Pokémon competitions; that’s why I left the Elite Four a while ago.”

            “You still teach, and occasionally battle though, right?”

            “Naturally.  Anyway, we’ve recently approved a new tournament, sanctioned by the League, of course, and while it technically is a Pokémon tournament, it’s going to be a martial arts contest open to all comers.  I think you’d do fairly well in it, Tracey.”

            “Sounds like it’ll be fun,” he said, skimming through the trifolded letters.  “When’s it going to start?”

            “It’s technically still provisional; it’s too early to tell if it’s going to take place at all.  We need to see what the feedback on it is.  We’ve sent information out already.  Chances are, your friend Ash may have already learned about it.  And knowing him, he can’t resist a challenge, can he?”

            “No way in hell he can.”  He folded up the papers, and stood.  “Thanks for the info, Ms. Prima.  I appreciate it!”  He stuffed the papers in his back pocket, and turned to walk away, when her voice called to him.

            “You’ve got plenty of time to get ready, Tracey.  Don’t let it go to waste, alright?”

            “Don’t worry, I won’t!”

            “Oh, and Tracey?”

            Tracey froze again and looked at her.

            “Call me Lorelei, alright?”

            Sweatdropping, Tracey nodded in agreement, then turned and walked away, finishing up his run.  Though he felt bad about beating people up, the fight he was in and the moves he displayed got him fired up.  His legs carried him faster than before, the heat seeming to have minimal effect on him.  Now if he could only remember what track his CD was on....

NAME:  Tracey Sketcher

STYLE:  Capoeira

DOB:  10 February 1985

HEIGHT:  5’3”

WEIGHT:  139 lbs.

HOBBY:  Pokémon watching, drawing

FAVORITE FOOD:  Fruit and vegetable dishes

MOST IMPORTANT:  His sketchpad

LIKES:  Peace and quiet

DISLIKES:  Pollution, violence