Sorry for the long time it took to update it. I was being lazy I guess... I don't really know when the next chapter will come out after this, because school's been atrociusly long. Anyway I hope you enjoy!

It was raining. For some reason it was always raining in this area. Volkner had already made the trek through Pastoria. Wake, who had obviously not heard the news yet, bugged him with petty things like the condition of the Marsh, the amount of rain fall, how his Quagsire could school all of Volkner's pokemon, and so on, and so on until Volkner felt his brain would rot away and ooze out his ear. But thankfully a challenger ran up to, well, challenge. Unfortunately that meant Volkner was introduced as 8th Gym Leader, causing a severe pain in his chest where his pride was no longer residing there. But there was nothing let for him in this place.

As he thought about it, his best course of action would be to head straight up the Snowpoint city. From there he could catch one of the ships that left from there everyday, hopefully avoiding the other gym leaders in the process, though that was highly unlikely. But the last person he probably wanted to run into was Cynthia's grandma. He despised that old crone with a passion. She'd was too outspoken, saying whatever came to mind. And that was the last thing he needed. In the past he'd barely suppressed the urge to yell at her, and give her a piece of his mind. But he never did. He was in check then. In control. But now…now what did he have?

Sighing Volkner trudged along deep in thought, barely giving a notice to the rustling of the bushes, or the various pairs of eyes that watched him as he walked.

Elite Four HQ

"Should I call him? Ask him what he's doing?" Flint questioned to no one in particular. The league was eating their lunches, while the bright cheery sunlight shone down on them in stark contrast with the mood that was slithering and oozing into every part of the building.

"NO! Flint for the last time wait a little bit! Even if it's just for an hour. Let us finish our lunches." Lucian rubbed his forehead. He might not be psychic like Sabrina, or empathetic like Will, but he still got blinding head aches when Flint talked too much. 'It must be his exhaustingly loud voice. Stupid migraines.' He couldn't quite place a finger on it, but he figured it had something to do with being around psychic pokemon too much. He needed a vacation. But if he took one now he might run into Volkner…

"Are you sure? Well ya, I guess your right as usual Lucian. Still though…"

"Give it rest will ya Flint? I'm trying to concentrate." Aaron interjected, rubbing his temples.

"Ya, shut up Aaron. Put your Butterfly Boy Weekly away. That stuffs for girls." Flint said now irritated.

"It's 'Bug Catcher Weekly' and it is not girl stuff!"

"Then how come it's pink with flowery print pages?"

"They're not pink, its fuchsia and…"

"GIVE IT A REST!!! Both of you! My migraine is now worse than ever thanks to you two!" And with that everyone subsided into silence. Until…

"I still think it's a girl's magazine no matter what you say." Flint whispered, receiving a particularly vicious glare from Lucian.

In the bogs

'This is ridiculous!' Volkner almost screamed aloud, and his Luxray putting his tail between his legs and shying away from his master's frustration, which was almost visible in the air around them. Volkner had gotten his foot stuck (for the gazillionth time) in the mud. Finally, his foot gave, but over balanced as he was, fell smack dab on his butt. Right into the gooey mud. Volkner rolled his eyes, and silently beat his head on his knees. Luxray hated seeing its master beat himself up like that. He would probably have bruises the next day. Volkner sighed (it seemed to be becoming a habit for him). Volkner picked himself up off of the ground.

'Almost half way through it now…' That was good. Soon he'd be on dry land, and from there up to Hearthome city. Or so he thought. Maybe it was Veilstone…No, that was the road that went past the route for Sunnyshore. Hearthome it was. Hopefully Fatina wouldn't be in. She normally wasn't. For some reason very few gym leaders would actually stay in their gyms. He normally did. Except for the lighthouse. For some reason he loved it there. But that was gone now. All gone. Taken away from him by…by his best friend. The one who he trusted, leaned on. Flint had been like a brother to him. But that was over. He'd been betrayed. Betrayed.

So much in thought about his woes, he failed to notice the sound of numerous, albeit quiet, footsteps that were approaching the spot where he was not walking. Now on dry land. Where they were waiting. Yes, soon. Very soon.

Elite Four HQ

"I'm gonna call him now. Ya, now seems like a good time." Flint said absent mindedly.

"Whatever floats your boat Flint, dear." Bertha said, in her old lady voice.

"Well, fire pokemon don't do too well in water, so it probably would be best if the boat floated." Flint said, not quiet grasping the concept. Bertha knew this and decided to take mercy on him.

"Yes dear, exactly. So why don't you give your friend a call. Ask him if you can meet him somewhere before he leaves."

"Ya, that's what I'll do. Thanks Grandma." Flint had a habit of saying that even if they were in no way related. But Bertha was old, and Flint was just a shuffle short of a playing card, so she was now called grandma. That's not saying she liked it. She actually preferred to console herself with the fact that Agatha was quiet a bit older than her. Not to mention meaner…

"Okay, 5-3-2-9-2-1-8." Flint said as he dialed, tongue sticking out in concentration on the task at hand it started ringing.

In the bogs

Volkner felt his phone vibrate before he heard the ringer. He knew who was calling, thanks to the special ring that was attached to Flint's cell phone. The red-head had already called him two previous times. Once on the route leading from Sunnyshore, and once on the route right outside Pastoria City. Volkner (once again) sighed bracing himself for the inevitable. He'd have to pick up. Volkner flicked open the phone.

"Flint?"

That was there chance. The chance they needed. The one moment where he'd think of nothing else but that one word. That's when they made their move, deftly they signaled each other in conformation and attacked. The ex-gym leader barely had time for a "Wha?" And he was on the ground. His Luxray was hit be a succession of ground-type moves before it could no longer take it and fell exhausted to the ground. The man, held down on the ground by various grunts was brutally abused with punches to the face and stomach, administered by yet another grunt. Ironically all the blond could do was grunt. In pain and exasperation. Finally he drifted into unconsciousness. Their superior had not a clue where to phone went, but didn't really care. He just left it there.

"Securely chain him up. I don't want him escaping. When we get to the copter, cuff him to the wall in a painful position. If he wakes up, use the same procedure to knock him out." Their leader told one of the higher ranking grunts.

"Yes, Sir!" With a salute the grunt marched off.

Volkner had barely had time to answer Flint when he heard the sound of fast, quiet footsteps. Then they were on him.

"Wha?" Was all he could manage before he was overwhelmed and knocked to the ground, held there by a couple burly grunts. The phone was knocked out of his hand and into the bushes somewhere just as he heard Luxray cry out and faint. Though he struggled, there was no way he could break free. He got a look at the one in charge. Dark blue hair, and strange futuristic looking outfit (more stylish than the grunts but still atrocious). He was fairly tall, and had cold, calculating look to his eyes. And then his view was blocked by another grunt that pounded a barrage of fist into his stomach and face. He struggled gallantly, grunting in pain as each hit found its way home, but to no avail. Volkner was finally lost to the dark, fuzzy blackness of unconsciousness.

Elite Four HQ

Flint's efforts where finally rewarded when Volkner answered the phone with a hostile,

"Flint?" The fire-type user was about to respond when he heard a "Wha?" and the sound of a phone dropping. There was a human cry (sounded much like Volkner's) and then the sound of a Luxray fainting. 'What on Earth?' Then there were the grunts of struggle, then pain.

"Volk? Volkner? Hey what's going on…" Flint fell silent at the sound of talking.

"Securely chain him up. I…want him escaping. When we get to the…, cuff him to the wall… a painful position. If he wakes up, use the same procedure to knock him out." Parts where inaudible but Flint got the meaning all the same as a cold voice rang across the small speaker. Flint gasped. Leaving the phone on the table as he rushed off to alert Cynthia he missed the affirming "Yes, Sir!" that soon followed.

I really hope you enjoyed this! If you have time please comment. Critisim and the pointing out of my mistakes helps me get better, and thank you to the wonderful two people who commented on the first chapter! If you hadn't I might have assumed everyone who read this hated it :D Cookies for you!