“That it! Franklin takes the round 2-0!”

The lights turned the crowd into joyful shadows clapping and cheering from above.

The corridor under the stadium was shelled in silence. Only distinguishable sound is the clack of heels of the nurses as they rushed to aid the downed Pokemon.

Tyler and Daisy were the only ones paused with joy, waiting in the lobby without Vanessa,

“Where is your sister?”

Daisy couldn’t meet Franklin’s eyes, “I’m not sure. She went down to the Pokecenter but we haven’t seen her since. She told us to watch your matches and to stay here.”

Tyler’s eyes wandered around the emptying lobby with hope drained trainers, mourning eyes, and dragged hearts.

Franklin’s win was drowned by the absence of Vanessa, “We should really go after her,” remembering the other missing member of the party, “Have you guys seen my dad?”

Tyler and Daisy neither jumped with knowledge, “Franklin, you can’t go anywhere yet. You still have another match today,” Daisy reminded.

Franklin remembered the loosened tails of his first catch and headed towards their seats to prepare for the next match.

“Let me hear it  for your winner, Max!”

The crowd, livid with Max chants and excitement for their psychic trainer. Tyler and Daisy already left their seats to meet Vanessa at her tunnel. Max waved with his white gloves to the crowd until the tunnels darkness removed him.

Franklin ran from the repetitive chants to empty corridors, cold and abusive. Decorated walls of past champions, the most recent, Vanessa smiling with her prized Pokemon Egg. Corridor ended, greeting the tunnel entrance, to find Daisy standing behind Tyler watching Vanessa. She was engaged in a one-sided chat with the same old man who spoke with Julie and met Vanessa at her cabin. The old man had the same to henchmen he had with him at the cabin, yet, more determined and battle struck.

The old man raised his voice, “…reason you got their in the first place. Just remember that next time.

“There won’t be a next time,” Vanessa sputtered.

The old man rose his eyes, “I know, we are done here. Your lucky this tournament is all you lost.” The old man lowered his eyes and met Franklin’s again.

“You’ll remember this next time you cross Team Rocket.”

“Voltorb is down! Voltrob is down! Max tales the lead,” the announcer shouted, igniting the Max chants through the crowd.

Vanessa recalled the idle Voltorb and stared at the ball.

“What happened to sis? I’ve never seen her battle like that,” Tyler said.

Franklin watched Vanessa staring at her remaining Pokemon.

“Yeah, she used to have a Voltorb, I know she could have won that round,” Daisy said.

‘Max, Max, Max!’

Vanessa released her second Pokemon, “A Pikachu! That’s a Vanessa classic!”

“Max second Pokemon is a Natu!”

“A Natu! Pikachu has a big type advantage against Natu,” Tyler shouted.

Vanessa watched Natu flap side to side, tuning into the Max chants, flaring fanatics blackened by Bulk berry sized lights. Natu’s small body flapped violently along the wind stream of the water arena. Pikachu stood on the edge of the body, watching the flying, purple Pokemon.

“Begin!”

“Go Natu, charge with Peck,” Natu charged the yellow mouse and jabbed, sending Pikachu across the water.

“What is sis doing. She could have taken out that Natu with one attack right there,” Daisy protested.

Vanessa withdrew, watching Pikachu idle around the icy pond.