True Colors of Prussian

Writen by Arti Cuno and Gary Oak

Part One

"Poké ball, go!"

"'Cuno, go!"

A small fluffy articuno chick waddled out onto the gym floor to face an opponent the was huge next to it. The two trainers facing off locked eyes from across the gym. The gym trainer smirked. Her articuno chick didn't seem to stand a chance no matter what pokémon popped out of her challenger's poké ball. After all, it was only a chick. What attacks could it posibly know? It couldn't be more then a level 5 articuno afterall!

The poké ball struck the floor and released the pokémon from inside it. A jolteon, just as the gym leader predicted. Even if the electric pokémon had all the advantages, she knew she'd still win. She was undefeated and intended to keep that title for a long time yet. Many times she'd had a disadvantage but won in the end. Over fifty battles and all of them wins. A record someone will enjoy breaking, someday.

"Jolteon, Thundershock!" the challenging trainer called.

The jolteon appeared to pause breifly to nod then charged up for it's weakest electric attack. It seemed almost as if the challenger was taking pity on the baby bird. As the jolteon's energy rose the articuno blinked looking sweetly at the unsupecting enemy. "Cuuuuno?" it cooed.

"Jolteon!" the electric pup yelped then send bolts of electricty shoot out from its body.

"Artic?" the chick chirped.

"Cuno! Ice Beam!"

"It knows Ice Beam?" the challenger asked in stupor.

The small bird began to glow then a beam of ice shot out at the jolteon freezing it solid. Cuno chirped happily as the electricity zoomed by it's head. Since the chick was so small it made for a hard target to hit.

Cuno waddled back to its trainer knowing the battle was done. Its opponent couldn't fight back if it was in a block of ice. The chick turned to face the challenger and chirpped again.

"That- that BABY... It beat my jolteon!" the challenger stammered. "I had no idea that Prussian Town had this kind of reputaion. Had I known..."

"Yeah, yeah. Sure, sure." the gym leader cut in picking up her chick and cuddling it. "I raise my pokémon to learn their most powerful attacks as soon as they can so they can defend themselves. Everyone that's came to challenge me has been defeated without and trouble for any of my pokémon. You should really learn more about the person you challenge before you come in here and start shouting out demands to battle."

"Not that that always happens!" someone inturupted as they strode into the gym. "I've been here with Arti for months and I haven't beaten her yet!"

"Maybe 'cause you're not trying hard enough, huh Gary, hon?"

Gary Oak stopped at Arti Cuno's side and kissed her on the cheek before holding her tight against him. He brushed a stray piece of hair away from her face an smiled. "I try plenty hard. You're just ruthlessly mean and won't let me win!"

Gary playfully poked Arti's stomach. She chirped harshly as a warning he shouldn't do it again.

The challenger raised an eyebrow as he called back his frozen pokémon. "So this is where the famous Gary Oak has been for the past few months?" he asked. "I've heard many rumors that you had stopped pokémon training but I didn't think I should believe them."

"And you shouldn't!" Gary snapped. "I've just been... sidetracked! I've got other obligations holdin' me back for a while. I'm still training pokémon even if I'm not travelin'! I've got all my other badges so I don't have anywhere to go, anyways."

"Ahhh..." the challenger nodded. "Well, I will return for another battle. Once I train my pokémon harder." he looked to Arti and Gary and smiled, glancing down at Arti's stomach. "And I believe I see what your other 'obigation' is Mr. Oak."

Gary sneered at the man as he left the gym. "Jerk." he muttered under his breath.

"Hey." Arti smiled, tapping Gary on the cheek as a warning. "Be nice. Sure, he's a jerk but you're supposed to wait for them to leave earshot before you say it."

Arti put a hand to her back and winched in pain. "I dunno about you but I'm going back to the house. I can't put up with standing much longer. I thought I was gonna collapse during battle! I've been at this stupid gym all day!"

Gary picked Arti up off the ground and carried her to another room to the side of the gym. "Then take a rest before you go all the way back there."

He sat down on a chair by a desk to the side of the room and set Arti on his lap. "If I knew this was gonna happen..." Gary paused to lay a hand on Arti's stomach. "I'd have made sure.."

"Oh, hush." Arti shushed. "I'm pregnant and that's that. Nothing we can do now."

She cuddled close to Gary and closed her eyes. "I'm just surprised we've managed to keep it hidden from Professor Oak. I mean, even that guy back there can tell..."

Gary kissed Arti on the forehead. "He'll find out sooner or later. Hopefully later..."

After a long walk through the town, Arti and Gary arived at her house to be greeted by her pikachu, Pikapi, Pipika, and Pik, her Dratini, Tiniti, and a larg amout of other "baby" pokémon. Arti knelt down and let the Pikachu climb onto her shoulders, and Pik onto her head. Tiniti slithered over to Gary and brushed her cheek along his pant leg. "Tiiiiniiiiiii..." she said happily.

Gary sighed and and picked up the odd looking dratini. Tiniti looked as if she was half evolved in a way. She had the ears of a dragonair and was sleeker like one too. "What do you want?" he asked playfully, knowing the pokémon would blush and try to hide from him. Tiniti was rather obvious about the fact she seemed to have a crush on Gary. At first Gary hated having a "stalker" following him around the house all the time but he'd gotten used to it... After five months of it.

Arti scritched a pikachu on her shoulder as she cuddled her baby articuno she'd carried back from the gym. The pikachu let its ears flop back then hopped down to the ground followed by Pik leaving Pikapi alone. "Pika!" Pipika squeeled happily then ran into the house, waving for Arti to follow him.

Arti stepped into the house and followed Pipika to the kitchen. She was caught by surprise as someone suddenly screamed "DUCK!!!" from the other side of the room. Arti turned her head just as a plate came flying across the room heading right toward her. She drew back and closed her eye's, covering her face with her hands expecting the worst.

After a moment past that seemed like minutes Arti heard Gary yelling. "What that hell are you trying to do here, Ash! Even YOU should know you don't throw plates around the house!"

Arti opened her eyes to see gary standing infront of her with the plate that had been flying toward her in his hand. Gary walked up to Ash, threatening to smash the plate over Ash's head. "I probably should, you deserve it, but you guys probably broke everything else already!"

Ash, who was acting his age for once, stuck out his tongue and pulled down his lower eyelid. "It wasn't me, Gary! It was Misty!"

"ME?!" Misty jumped in, whacking her head into the cupboard by accident as she tried to turn suddenly. "I handed you a plate and said, 'Hand that over to Brock for me.'! NOT scale it across the room and try to kill someone! You're dumber then Psyduck!!!"

"Psy-y-y?"

"NOT NOW YOU DUMB DUCK!!!" Misty picked up a chair and threatened to beat the dopy Psyduck standing beside her stupid (as if it could get and dumber).

Arti groaned as she stroked her chick's feathers. "If you're gonna fight. Take it outside." she insisted. "I really don't want to have to put up with this much longer."

Gary stepped back to Arti's side and leaned close to whisper to her. "Just give the idjit a badge and we'll be rid of him!"

Arti rolled her eyes and ignored Gary. "I've made it a point that I'm not giving away any of my badges ever! They're expencive to have made! I mean, look!"

Arti held out a badge that looked like three feathers. One pointing upward and two others pointing opposit each other at an angle. "Made from pure gold, ruby, and saphire! Gold for zapdos, ruby for moltres, and saphire for articuno!"

"Wow! Thats what the badge looks like!" Ash said, staring.

Arti nodded. "And technically I only have one."

Ash fell to the floor and groaned. "Only one?! What happens if two people beat you!?"

"Well..." Arti said crossing her arms. "I don't plan on EVER letting anyone beat me so don't look think you're going to. Do you have any idea how many people with pokémon at level 100 have tried and failed to beat me? I'll tell ya cause you haven't got the brain power to guess. over a dozen. Not one came close t- What the...?"

Arti stopped and tilted her head to one side. She had a pair of pursian ears pop out of her hair and twitch about as if she was listening for something. The pursian ears stiffened as she locked onto where the ound was coming from.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ash asked, a bit freaked out at the sight of those cat ears on a human head.

Arti cooed then teleported out of the room to the living room. There sat Arti's areon and galaxeon playing tug-o-war but that wasn't what she'd heard. Gary walked into the room with Ash, Brock, and Misty behind him. Arti stood staring at the TV. Her pursian ears were gone now and were only made visible so she could hear better.

Areon let go of the chew toy he was pulling on letting Galaxeon go flying across the room. the winged pup sat at Arti side watching the TV with her. Everyone else crowded about to she what it was that had spooked Arti so much.

On the TV there was a news reporter talking with Officer Jenny (of Prussian Town). The Reporter was asking Jenny about strange, random pokémon kidnappings in the area and how there were strange sightings of never before seen pokémon.

"It seems there's crime spree in the area." Jenny explained. "We're warning all pokémon trainers in the area to keep close watch of their pokémon and to report any strange people wandering around Prussian. As to these strange pokémon people are seeing, there's no proof any of these exist so there's nothing I can say until we have proof of their existance. For all we know they could be some of our gym trainers one-of-a-kind pokémon that she hasn't made avalible for the public to see yet."

Arti's eyes began to glow as her eyes slitted. Jenny knew better then to say something like that. Arti's pokémon were alway on her reserve and never leave, they knew that if they left they'd be hunted down and stolden from their home.

"We assure the public that we're trying our best to catch the theives and we'll have them caught and off the streets as soon as possible." Jenny finished.

As the reporter started to say something Arti turned the TV off. Ash, Misty and Brock all looked in her direction not knowing if they should ask a question or not. Areon finally broke the scilence with a yip and a whimper. the pup stood on his hind legs and licked Arti's cheek. She rubbed the feathered pup then dragged herself to her papasan and plopped down. Areon hopped into the chair with her still whimpering.

"Arti..." Ash finally spoke up. "What was that all about. Pokémon thieves and you keeping pokémon from the world...?"

Arti glared at Ash. "I DON'T keeps pokémon from people, people are free to see my pokémon IF the pokémon wants to be seen. My aquada hates people and runs if it sees a person because of the way it was treated before. That and Aquada hasn't learned many powerful attacks to defend itself. My pups, Foleon, Galaxeon, Areon, and Eon all walk through the town freely because no one can hurt them. People have tried to steal them but they always fail."

Gary crossed his arms and had a smirk cross his face. "Don't be so dumb Ash. You're trying to hint off that Arti was stealing rare pokémon, weren't you?"

Ash lowered his head. "Yeah..." he admited fiddling with his hands.

Ash was about to look up to appologize to Arti but found himself staring at what looked like an eevee, super-sized that is. The pokémon looked exactly like eevee other then his eyes were like all the evolved versions of eevee and he was the same size as the evolved versions too. The pup growled at Ash and beared it's teeth.

"Eon!" Arti scolded. "Bad girl!"

Eon didn't listen and continued to growl. Gary finally grabbed the pup by the fur around its neck and dragged her into another room. "I can't believe I'm doing this..." Gary muttered. "Saving Loser here from a puppy..."

Arti smiled, finally losing the dark could that seemed to form over her when she heard the news cast. Areon layed himself over her stomach as if it was being protective.

"Um, Arti." Misty spoke up. "Theres something I've been meaning to ask you..." Misty was looking to where Areon was laying. Almost as if on que the pup barked. "Arrrrreon!"

"Don't." Arti simply said, knowing what Misty's question was. "You already know the answer."

"Oh," Misty blushed as she cuddled close to Brock.

Arti raised an eyebrow at the sight of Brock and Misty together. They had obviously paired off when they were traveling over the past six months. Arti didn't really care if they were a couple or not. None of her business really, but they seemed to be a mismatched pair.

Gary finally came back mumbling about Eon. "Rabid mutt..." was all anyone could make out though since the phone began to ring.

Gary went to answer the phone. He was so used to being with Arti he'd practically totally moved in. He even had some of his pokémon mixed with hers out on her reserve now. Ash soon as the image of the person on the other end appeared on the screen Gary turned pale. It was Professor Oak.

"Oh, hello, Gary! I expected Arti to answer the phone. I thought you'd moved on elsewhere by now." Oak gave a suspicious look.

"Uh, heh heh, hey, Gramps." Gary gulped as Arti poked her head over his shoulder.

Arti waved and smiled as she cuddled upto Gary a bit. "Hi!" she smiled. "What'd you call for this time?"

Oak had been calling an awful lot lately, Arti had noted. He seemed to make it a point to call at least once a week since he'd left about a week after Ash and his friends had moved onto Cinnibar Island. It was almost as if he was checking up on her and Gary.

"Oh, no, not at all. I heard about the trouble up there in Prussian on the news just a moment ago and I was wondering what Jenny meant about you keeping pokémon from people." Oak explained.

Arti's smiling, happy expression turned to show she was getting pissed off already. "Look. It's not ture! Now leave me alone!"

Arti stepped away from the phone and stormed to the other side of the room sitting back on her papasan with Areon and Cuno. the fluffy chick flapped its wings pretending to fly trying to make Arti smile at it. It didn't work. Arti finally picked up cuno and left the room with Areon at her side.

"What was that all about?" Oak asked Gary, with a strange look on his face.

Gary shrugged. "She's been touchy lately. And you're the second person to ask that in five minutes. Not exactly a good start to the evening. Arti was already pissed off at Jenny cause of the lies she said. The only truth there was about the fact that someone's stealing pokémon.

"Grrrowlithe!"

Arti's Growlithe tackled Gary slamming him into the floor. The puppy stood on Gary and looked at the phone happily. "Grrrrrrooooooolllllithe!"

Oak smiled at the over excited growlithe. "Hello there, Growlihe. Ash? Is that you back there?"

"Grrr, grrrowl."

"Hey! Professor Oak!" Ash half yelled, crowding the phone.

"How are you, Ash? It's been a while since you've called me last."

"We're fine! Though I haven't caught any new pokémon... I almost caught a magmar though!"

"Really?" Oak asked, raising an eyebrow.

Suddenly Gary threw Growlithe off of him sending the puppy and Ash both flying. "Well you two stop crowding me! It's bad enough I had that growlithe slobering on me but I don't need you there too, Ash!!!"

Ash scrambled to his feet and ran out of the room before Gary decked him square in the face. Misty and Brock had sat down in front of the TV but could be seen in the background watching Ash make a fool of himself.

"Well, finally." Gray grumbled, turning back around to face the phone.

"Since it seems like theres a lot happening over they I probably should be going." Oak decided. "I'll be on my way to Prussian in the morning anyway. One of the lab's scientists asked me up there saying something about a new pokémon that even Arti hadn't seen."

"But-" Gary began to say.

"Seems odd, but I suppose I should go." Oak continued, ignoring Gary. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow afternoon!"

The screen on the phone went blank. "Damnit, idiot." Gary cursed. "Arti's the lead scientist at that lab! If there's a new pokémon she'd be the first to know..."

Must be an excuse he made so he could invite himself up... Gary thought. He's probably suspicious of why I've been here for over six months... Oh well, guess he's gonna find out sooner rather then later like I'd hoped...