Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Team Eve - Book One

Chapter 9: Harbringer

"Now for the obstacle course, I should warn you it is dangerous and potentially harmful, you may decide if you partake or not." Gardevoir said smiling at the six students, none of them backed down from the challenge.

"Good, let's get started then. You will begin here, Stoutland is standing at the finish line on the other side of the forest, if anyone is injured call for help and nurse Audino will come to you. You will race in teams of two, the moment one of you crosses the finish line you are both finished." Gardevoir watched the Pokémon sort themselves into pairs.

A Deerling and an Espurr stood side by side, Poochyena rolled his eyes at the dumb Venipede, an Eevee smiled cockily at the Riolu next to her.

"Well then, if you're all ready we'll start, everyone line up."

Ez climbed onto Summer's back and the Deerling readied herself at the start line, Evie crouched next to her, beside Evie Kin stood next to Levi and Vincent snickered at the far end of the group.

Gardevoir laughed, they all looked so confident, but they didn't know the surprises that awaited them within the forest. She raised a hand and began the countdown.

"Three, two... oh, sorry one last thing. You may use any means necessary to win except for attacking your classmates."

"Wait, what?" Evie asked.

"Three two one go!" Gardevoir shouted quickly before dropping her hand.

The teams began racing through the forest, Vincent instantly fell behind as he grubbed along. Riolu and Poochyena led the pack, Levi had a mean glint in his eyes, he changed his course slightly and rammed Kin's legs.

Kin stumbled, fell and rolled, he hit a bump and shot upwards into the air, he was flying face-first towards the ground, Evie saw Kin going to crash and she ran under him. She caught her partner and kept running with a confused Riolu now sitting on her back, it was an awkward way to run but they made it work. Kin hunched down and held the scruff of Evie's neck, she kept running and soon they were tying for first place, Levi ran on one side, Ez riding Summer ran on the other. Kin felt the wind in his fur and a huge smile spread across his face.

"Run Vee run!" He shouted.

"What do you think I'm doing?" She growled.

At this point Kin got a little... over-excited. "Yah! Yah!" He shouted. He reached out with his hand and slapped his mount on her backside. Evie yelped and jolted forwards, she tripped and fell, both Kin and her rolled across the ground whilst their competitors raced away.

Kin sat up slowly and tried cleared his head. "Ow, ow, ow." he muttered.

When his vision stopped swimming, Kin found himself face to face with an incredibly angry Eevee. Her face was bright red, the blush was as fierce and as obvious as her rage. She was covered in dirt and grass, laughing nervously Kin pulled the mess from her fur.

"Hehehe, sorry about that." He said looking away while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Kin."

Kin hesitated but nonetheless he faced his friend.

"You ever try anything like that again and I swear I will feed you to a Staryu."

"But Staryu don't have mouths..."

"Exactly."

Evie turned and started running up the path, Kin remembered the race and followed his partner's example, but he was distracted. Eaten alive by a Staryu... What a cruel and terrible fate.

He was too far behind, he'd never catch them, then he remembered what Gardevoir had said, 'you may use any means necessary to win'. Kin realised what the words meant, and he smiled. Using Quick Attack he caught up with Evie a moment later, he told her the plan and they sprinted after the pack.