Passionate Rivalry
Chapter 1: Lost Gold

It was a dark and stormy night. All good stories start out that way.

Nurse Joy gave a start as she heard the automatic doors of the pokemon center open, and then
close again. It was the middle of the night, who could be wandering around Mount Silver at this
hour? Not to mention in this weather.

When she looked up she saw a girl standing there in the middle of the lobby, preoccupied with
shaking the water of the cloak she wore. It was dark black on the outside with silver lightning
bolts decorating it, and the inside was lined with the same silver colour. Her shoulder length
blonde hair was soaking wet, and stuck to her face. Overall the girl was of an average height and
build, and she looked about eighteen years old.

Joy cleared her throat. "May I help you?" she asked politely.

The girl looked up, with a puzzled expression. She blinked a few times. Then she suddenly said,
"Yes," and walked over to the counter, feeling along the inside of her cloak for something. She
reached into a hidden pocket and pulled out a picture, lightly spotted with water. "Have you seen
this girl?" she inclined, handing the picture over to the pokemon nurse.

As the girl waited, Nurse Joy carefully looked over the picture. On it was a girl who looked
almost like a boy. She had short, dark purple hair covered by a backwards hat, a red pullover
sweatshirt over a black shirt underneath, and yellow cargo pants. She looked a few years younger
then the blonde girl who carried the picture, only about fifteen. On her shoulder sat a Gligar. The
girls expression was somewhat goofy, like she didn't want her picture taken.

"Well have you seen her?" The blonde girl asked again, suddenly.

Nurse Joy quickly studied the picture once more, then handed it back. "I remember seeing her
around here a long time ago. She used to climb the mountain, trying to challenge the trainer on
the summit."

The girl looked hopeful. "How long ago was the last time you saw her?"

"It's been at least a few months since the last time I saw her around here," Nurse Joy replied.

The girls look turned from hopefulness to dejection in an instant. "Darn. I thought I might have a
lead here." She gave one last look to the picture, then hid it back inside the pocket in her cloak.
"That girls name is Joey, and I've been looking for her. She's been missing."

Nurse Joy raised her eyebrows. "Missing? Are you sure?"

"Yes. She was supposed to meet me for a rematch a few months ago, but she never showed up.
I've been searching both Kanto and Johto for her ever since, but no one I've asked has seen her."
With another sigh, the girl turned to leave. "I guess I'll search Johto again."

"Would you like to rest here for the night?" Nurse Joy asked with consern. "It's late, and the
storm outside is dangerous. This canyon often floods when it rains."

The girl stopped, looking at the rain pound on the windows. "I swore not to rest until I found
Joey, but I think you're right. My pokemon need rest at least."

Nurse Joy smiled in relief. "So you'll be staying the night?"

Taking a belt of pokeballs painted yellow and black off from around her waist, the girl handed
them over to Nurse Joy. "Sure, I guess."

The pokemon nurse activated the pokemon healing system and placed the six pokeballs on the
tray. "Another girl named Joey came by here just the other day," She said absentmindedly. The
girl looked to her expectantly. "It wasn't the same one as in the picture, she was much younger.
But she did keep going on about a conspiracy."

"A conspiracy?" the girl inquired, setting her elbows on the counter.

"Yes," Nurse Joy continued. "Something about meeting other Joey's all on the same day. Perhaps
this girl has met your friend."

The blonde girl smiled. "Which way did she head? I'll have to track her down tomorrow."

"She went back towards Johto, I think. You'll probably be able to catch up with her, seeing as
this storm might slow her down."

The girl smiled. "Thank you for the information," she yawned.

Nurse Joy set the final settings on the healing system. "Let's get you to bed, young lady. You
have a busy day for you tomorrow it seems."

"Right," the girl yawned, and let herself be led to the back rooms where pokemon trainers spent
the night. I'll find you someday, Joey, she thought to herself. You can't get out of a rematch with
Jackie that easily.

© Joey Oak
May 12, 2003

Chapter 2
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