After hours of walking around in smelly, stained clothes, Krystal finally was able to relieve herself. Unfortunately, Gail's clothes, which she had so graciously lent to her, consisted of just a bathrobe. She pulled the fuzzy, blue robe closer around herself and stepped out of the bathroom, still wearing her prized hat. The robe, although fuzzy, made her itchy all over.

"This isn't fit for battle," Krystal admitted, blushing a bit.

"I'm sorry, but that's all I have. Today is laundry day, so lucky for you, your clothes will be washed," Krystal smiled at this thought, "But," Gail continued, "They won't be ready til this afternoon and my wardrobe is empty."

"Well," Krystal sighed and turned to Bram, "Bram, could I-uh-well... borrow some of yours?" she asked blushing even harder.

Bram also frowned, "Sorry, but my stuff is also being washed and my extra cape is at the dry cleaners."

Krystal didn't think she'd look good in one of Bram's cape's anyways; that was something that made him... well... Let's just say it's a fashion statement only Bram could pull off without making him odd.

Krystal's face turned pityful, she thought hard about what to do. Finally, an idea came to her. She turned to Jacen and asked him very politely, "Can I borrow some of your clothes? Please?"

His face scrunched up in shock, "MY clothes?" he chuckled a bit uneasily, "MY clothes. I well-I-guess... I mean... Oh! I don't know Krystal. I'm so much, um...older than you and tall and,"

"I KNOW I'M SHORT!" she shouted a bit too loud,"But that doesn't mean I can't wear them."

"But you're a... girl."

"Yes, but this robe is itchy! I can't stand it anymore!"

"Well, okay..."

"Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!!" she hopped up and down, clapping her hands rapidly.

Jacen reached into his old Arcanine-striped backpack that he had had since he was small, and pulled out a shirt, shorts, and a pair of socks, handing them to Krystal.

Dashing back into the bathroom, the trio waited for Krystal to change and come out. A few minutes later, she emerged wearing Jacen's large red shirt, what appeared to be baggy, yellow shorts and two slouching socks that fell to her ankles in a bundle.

Although these clothes fit more comfortable than the bathrobe, she felt like a funky rapper. Jacen's clothes made her feel more embarrassed. Bram looked on and smiled inspite of himself. Gail giggled but then commented that she that she liked that 'look' better than the bathrobe.

"Krystal," Jacen began with a smile, "I think you look even better in them than I do."

"Um-Thanks, I think," she replied. Krystal still longed for normal clothes, but decided that these were probably the best she would get. Annoyed as she was, she would have to keep wearing them until her clothes were properly disenfected.

Her mind then swithced to the battle at hand, "Now that this had been taken care of," she said to Gail, "Can I battle you?"

"Sorry, but I promised Bram he could go first today! Don't worry, you'll get your chance."

Krystal took in the words harshly, and crossed her arms, making her look like a bad rapper.

"Let's set up the rules. How about a 1 on 1?" Gail asked Bram.

"Sounds great," Bram answered.

"Then let's migrate to the Arena," Gail said motioning for everyone to follow her as she disappeared down a hallway. They followed and a few minutes later, they arrived at the Arena.

Like the rest of the building, it was of circular design and in the middle was the playing field. All around lay columns covered in more creeping ivy vines. The ceiling was a huge glass dome that let in millions of rays of sunshine that lit up the marble floor. The lines of the playing field were marked with the mosiac tiles like in the hatchery. Beside the columns were stadium like bleachers, with about 4 rows per section, that spanned around the room.

"Okay, let's take positions, and get started!" Gail called as she flew across the room and stood in the trainer box marked on the floor.

Bram approached the second one and stood ready for battle.

"There will be no time limit. First winner takes all," Gail projected her voice, although the arena itself amplified any voice well, "My pokémon will be... Talon!" she cried as she took a pokéball from her waist and threw it high into the air. It burst open and out flew a magnificent Pidgeot, which spread it's wings wide and dove down and landed on the smooth floor effortlessly. He stood proudly in front of Gail, who was almost as tall as him.

"Wow," Krystal commented aloud, "I didn't know they got so big!" She shoved her hands into the baggy yellow shorts she was wearing and felt something. She grabbed onto it and pulled it out. It was a small pocket pokédex; an antique model too.

"Hey!" Jacen called out, "So that's where I put it!" He reached for it, but Krystal pulled it out of his reach, "Hey!"

"Hay is for Ponytas, Jacen," Krystal joked, "Please, let me try it out!"

"No, I don't think-" he started, but she already opened it and pointed it at Talon. The pokédex beeped and sputtered out, "Onix, a water-type pokémon... can reach speeds of up to... 2 times it's--" it stopped and beeped some more. Jacen snatched it out of Krystal's hands and said, "Ugh. It went through the wash again! As if it wasn't defective enough!" he shook it up and a few drops of water leaked out. He quickly pocketed it. Krystal giggled, but then stopped when Bram glared at them.

"We're trying to have a battle!" he pointed out.

"Sorry," they apologized.

Bram continued with the battle, "My pokémon shall be... Mookie!"

Bram threw out his pokéball. It rolled about in a circle on the floor, until a lavender gengar popped out. Her blue eyes sparkled brightly, an unusual color for a gengar. Atop her head sat a purple and red jester's cap, but instead of bells at the end, there were pokéballs. She turned and smiled at Bram. Now that Krystal thought about it, though, she always had smile on her face. All the time, she was staring and smiling, smiling and staring... it was disturbing.

"Genga!" she called out.

"Oooh! A gengar!" Gail cried, "This will be very interesting."

"Okay, Mookie," Bram ordered, "Give it a hypnosis attack!"

Mookie reached up to her eyes and blinked. She didn't open them, but instead threw up her hands and opened them. In them were her eyes! Suddenly they were up in the air and she began to juggle. While juggling her eyes glowed and her pokéball rose and she juggled it also. Her eyes glowed deeper and Talon began to rock back and forth. Finally, Talon shook himself awake and soared into the sky.

"Great job, Talon!" Gail congratulated him, "Now use your Swift attack!" Talon spread his wings and stars flew out towards Mookie. Mookie smiled even wider and closed her eyes, which she continued to juggle, as the stars passed through her like empty holograms. Her jester hat blew off, but other than that, she remained unscathed by the attack.

"What!" Gail exclaimed, "Oh! I forgot that normal attacks don't work! Oh! Stupid Gail!" she smacked her forehead, "Stupid, think girl, think!"

"I could have told her that one," Krystal whispered to Jacen.

"I HEARD THAT!" She yelled to Krystal, who felt very embarrassed. Especially she was next in to battle the now angry gym leader.

"Okay, Mookie, Try a tackle!" Bram called.

"Genga!" she cried as she threw her eyes high towards the domed ceiling. With all her strength, she rushed faster and faster until she leaped and.... missed the flying pokémon, who faked left at the last moment and then flew off.

"Talon, quickly, Quick Attack!" Gail flailed arms at Talon who whooshed by her. He nodded and pulled around and came straight at Mookie who had caught her eyes, and was again juggling. She didn't see Talon who was attacking from the side. Bram called out, but it was too late. She tried to leap out of the way, but Talon bumped her and sent her spinning towards a column in the corner of the gym.

Bram growled, "That's it! Mookie use... your secret weapon!"

Mookie hopped back up from the floor, grabbed one of her eyes, smiled wickedly, and chucked it at Talon. It spun wildly around, blinking, and knocked the giant bird square on the beak. Talon hovered, seemingly unharmed, for a few seconds, then suddenly plummeted from the air.

Gail watched with her mouth hanging open. "Uhah..." she squeaked.

Krystal yelled, "Bram, what on Earth do you call that?"

He smiled debonairly. "I call that winning."

Slowly, still in shock, Gail recalled her fallen pokémon. She turned to Bram. "Okay. Where do I sign?"

Bram smiled at Mookie, who, as always, smiled back. "Alright!" He reached behind his back and brought out an electronic notepad with a little plastic pen attached. He handed it to her.

Gail sighed and shook her head. As she signed it she commented, "You're going to be one heck of a gym leader." She handed it back to him.

"I can not express enough thank-you's Gail," he said sincerly, Mookie stood beside him, still juggling her eyes and pokéball.

"Welcome," Gail sighed.

She turned to Krystal. "Your turn, kiddo." She threw out another pokéball, and a small, but spunky looking pidgey popped out. "Ready, Petey?"

He squawked an affirmative response.

"Okay, about time!" Krystal shouted. "I've thought about this for a very long time, and have made my decision. Are you ready, Buddy?"

Buddy jumped into his battle postion. "Bul-ba!"

She rolled a pokéball off her hand. "Brooke, go!"

"Bul-ba-aaaa-aaaa-aaaa!" Buddy fell over.

Brooke leaped out of the pokéball. *Yeah! Let's go!*

"Brooke, use...psychic!"

Gail gasped, "A psychic jigglypuff!"

Brooke scratched her head hesitantly. *Uh, Krystal. Um, I hate to say this, but I-I don't... know psychic yet!*

"What?!" Krystal screeched. Gail laughed heartily.

*I am so sorry, Krystal, but how about this?* Brooke wiggled around and little waves of psychic energy emanated out from her. They surrounded Petey. He tottered back and forth, and back and forth, until he toppled over.

"Yeah," Krystal exclaimed, "We got him Brooke!"

"I wouldn't be too sure about that!" Gail said proudly, "Don't count your Pokémon before their catched!"

"But catched isn't a word," Jacen corrected her, "it's caught..."

"Hey, I have poetic license!" Gail retorted.

"I wonder how many signatures she had to collect for that one," Bram sniggered under his breath.

"I HEARD that!" she cried, and Bram cowered in embarassment.

Suddenly, Petey twitched and popped back up to his feet, as if he were fresh for battle once again. He called out happily.

"Whoa..." Krystal said, "not even a scratch."

"Okay Petey-boy, hit her with your toxic attack!"

"BRROOOKKKEEE!" Krystal yelled, "Loooook out!"

But it was too late, Brooke tried to escape on her liliputan feet, but tripped and Petey swooped over her, spewing out a thick purple liquid. Brooke tried to scrape the goo off herself, but it stung. She rolled around hoping to rub some onto the marble floor, but instead, it made things worse and it rubbed in her.

"No," Krystal mouthed, "Please, no!"

Brooke cringed and groaned, but then slowly rose to her feet. Krystal's eyes lit up like a single candle in a dark room. Hope filled her as Brooke bravely stepped forward, shaking off the excess poison that was on her body.

"Go Brooke, Go!" she cheered as she charged towards Petey.

*Doubleslap!* she cried as she furiously slapped Petey again and again.

"Sheesh, five hits, and on the first try too!" Bram said, staring in astonishment.

Petey flinched and stumbled around his eyes swirling.

"Brooke, give him a... a..." She thought real hard, "uh, whatever it is that YOU think YOU should do! Yeah, that's it."

Jacen gave her a funny look.

*Ummm.... I got it! Hiiiiii-Yah!* Brooke cried out as she launched herself at poor, weary Petey, her small foot extended. She impacted hard, sending him down for the count, *I call that my Mega Kick!*

"Piiijjjjj..." he cried softly.

Gail stood stunned for a second. Then it hit her and she bowed, "That was a great battle Krystal. Looks like you've won yourself an Arrowbadge. Congratulations!" She picked up Petey and cradeled him in her arms as Bram, Mookie, and Jacen clapped for Krystal's victory.

"Yesss!" Krystal shouted running up to give Brooke a big hug. She anticipated this, and leaped into Krystal's arms, "You did it! I'm soooo proud of you!!!!"

*Thank you,* she said simply, feeling good inside that she had actually done it! She had now not only won one badge for Krystal, but two!

With her free hand, Gail pulled a badge out of a concealed pocket in her tri-colored dress. It was an sleek ruby-red arrow, and as she handed it to Krystal, she carefully grabbed it and leapt into the air.

"Yahoo! I got the Arrowbadge!"

End of Chapter Six
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