Carmen was being held upside down by a man with four arms.

The man was swinging him by his tail like a pendulum as Carmen tried clawing desperately at the man.

"Patricia do something!" Carmen exclaimed. "Attack him."

Patricia was about to do that but the man stared at her with his stony eyes and Patricia stepped back.

"I told you kid," said the man. "I'm not letting you through until you get 8 badges."

"But I signed up for the Tournament and everything!" Carmen exclaimed. "It said it would be here and everything!"

The man sighed. "It also said that you should come here when you have eight badges."

Carmen turned to Patricia, crossing his hands. "Why didn't you tell me that?"

"I-I tried," Patricia stammered. "But you wouldn't listen."

Carmen sighed. "Let go of my tail, old fart."

The guard complied. Carmen fell with a yelp and a thud. He heaved himself up and started dusting his robes.

"So," Carmen said. "Where do we find these 'badges'?"

The guard scratched his hair with one of his four arms whilst the others remained stationary. It was rather perturbing seeing a man with four arms but Patricia knew that this was someone of the Machamp discipline. A discipline of the fighting type where once the student reached the Machoke phase and surged he would then grow two extra arms.

"There's a gym close by in Viridian..."

Carmen stomped off but the guard called after him. "But the gym leader is taking a break so the closest one is in Pewter."

"And where's Pewter?" Carmen asked.

"Past Viridian Forest," the Guard said. "Be careful there though. The mages over there are very territorial."

"Thanks, old fart," Carmen said, storming off. Patricia bowed and apologized to the Guard and followed Carmen, trying her best to keep up with his large steps. Unaware of the pair of sharp eyes keeping a track of their every move.

...

On their way downhill, they ran into a familiar face they didn't want to see.

Blue put a hand around Carmen's shoulder, grinning. "I saw what happened with the guard."

Carmen ignored him, shrugging off his shoulders. Blue was wearing the same clothes, with the leather armor and teardrop necklace but Patricia noticed a holster by his hip with a blue pistol in it.

"Dude that was freaking hilarious," Blue said, grinning. "He held you by your tail bro. You were so stupid that I was wondering if this really was the Charmander who beat me."

Carmen sighed. "What do you want, Blue?"

"Well," Blue said, grinning. "I want you to join my party. I managed to get someone really strong and with you, we'll be unstoppable."

Blue stared at Patricia. "You just have to ditch this useless chick and boom! We have the league in our hands."

Carmen paused for a bit. Patricia sighed. He was probably thinking of ditching her. After all, what could she do? She flopped when she was training with Carmen and her magic was so weak, she couldn't even blow a leaf out of a tree. She wouldn't be surprised if Carmen left her for Blue's party.

"No," Carmen said. "I'm not leaving Patricia." Patricia reddened. She couldn't express how much she wanted to thank Carmen. "Besides why would I want to join a mage that I beat with a punch."

Blue sighed. "Alright." He pat Carmen's shoulder.

"Can you stop touching me?" Carmen asked. "It's making me really uncomfortable."

"Well," Blue said. "I bet you'll change your mind when you see just who's in my party."

"Blue," said a deep voice. A voice Patricia knew all too well. "We're wasting time. We have a gym to go to."

"Yeah Paul," Blue said. "I know, I know." He turned to Carmen and Patricia. "But wait till you get a load of these two."

From below the hill came a large man. A very large man. Wearing a leather vest that exposed his large muscles. He had short brown hair and the same bracelet that Patricia's tribe wore. His brown eyes were as hard as granite and he had a strong jawline. When he reached Blue, he crossed his arms like he always did, analyzing what was before him.

Patricia knew him. She knew him all too well.

Paul turned to Patricia. "Sister," he said with barely a hint of warmth.

Patricia looked down. "B-brother."

...

Blue pointed at Paul and Patricia. "Wait, you two are siblings?"

Paul nodded. "Yes." He said that with barely a hint of pride in his voice, like it was their relation was just a formality rather than a relationship. "My younger sister."

Blue grinned. "I couldn't tell. I didn't know your sister was someone this weak."

"I agree," Paul said. "She is rather meek."

Patricia looked down, tears filling her eyes but Carmen placed an arm on her shoulder.

"For her brother you sure are an asshole," Carmen hit his palm with his fist, the flames on his tail brightening. "We'll take you on, the both of us. And I'll show you your little sister isn't as weak as you think she is."

Blue grinned. "It's on. C'mon Paul."

Paul shrugged. "If I must."

And then came a third voice. "This was exactly what I was waiting for."

Carmen rolled his eyes. "Who's this now?"

From atop the mountains came a boy wearing a red shirt with leather armor on top with black pants. He had sharp features and ashen hair combed back. He also had a holster attached to his hip but instead of a gun he had a dagger.

"Bro," Blue said, frowning. "Why the hell did you have to jump from that mountain. It's so freaking extra."

The newcomer sighed. "I really don't know."

Silence.

"My name is Sean," said the newcomer. "I'm look for a party but nobody here piques my interest except you two."

He pointed at Carmen and Blue. "So now, here I am. And since I can't make up my mind, I'll just have to join who's strongest."

Blue grinned. "Bring it on."

...

"It's two versus two this time," Blue said. "Though seeing as you're Patricia it's more like two versus one."

Carmen tensed. "Let's prove that bastard wrong Patricia."

Patricia got into a battle position. "Let's," but she stuttered when she said it so it didn't sound as cool as she thought.

Blue was the first one to attack. He pulled out his pistol and out came a stream of high-pressure bubbles that Carmen easily dodged.

Blue grinned. "Like it? This here is a water gun. Depending on how strong your magic is, it shoots a stronger jet of water."

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He pointed the gun at Patricia and fired but Carmen wrapped her in his arms and dodged. The jet of water destroyed a rock that jutted out, reducing it to dust.

Carmen's face was way too close for comfort causing Patricia to turn beet red. Carmen got off and peered off the rock face they were hiding behind.

Carmen was saying stuff but it all sounded muffled to Patricia as her head was spinning from all the excitement.

"You heard me?" Carmen asked.

Patricia shook her head. At their side a piece of rock exploded into nothingness.

Carmen sighed. "You go after your brother; I'll take on Blue."

Patricia nodded. "Okay."

They scattered from their hiding place as it was reduced to dust.

Patricia dashed towards her brother while Carmen avoided all the streams of bubbles, sprinting towards Blue.

Sean was stroking his chin, surprised. Why was the magician with the fire affinity tackling the one with the water affinity? It seemed very stupid to him.

Patricia stood face to face with her brother who remained as impassive as ever.

"I see you're my opponent," he said calmly.

Patricia nodded. Every instinct in her body was screaming at her not to fight but she steeled herself. She was not going to let Carmen's training go to waste.

She summoned a gust of wind which did nothing to her brother who dodged them with ease. Her brother stood over her like a tower, he conjured a powerful gust of wind that threw her back, causing her to bounce of a mountain wall.

Paul shook his head. "Pathetic."

But Patricia wasn't done yet. She pulled herself up despite all the pain she pulled herself up. Her grunting attracted the attention of her brother who stopped and turned to face her. He remained quiet, curious to see what his sister was up to.

Pidgey feathers were a source of power to those of the pidgey tribe. They attached them to magical armlets in order to harness their power.

But their armlets weren't the only thing that could channel magical energy.

Pidgey feathers were attached to her boots too.

Her brother shook his head disappointed. He was about to walk off to Blue and Carmen.

Patricia channeled her magic to her feet and launched herself forward.

She had never seen her brother look surprised until now.

Her brother was launched backward like a rock and hit the mountain wall.

Patricia had her eyes closed during the whole ordeal so when she opened her eyes, she let out an excited squeal when she saw her brother knocked out.

"It worked," she exclaimed. She was jumping around in excitement. She couldn't believe it had just worked. Carmen had been so unsure of it working but she had made it work. She felt so proud of herself.

And then her brother got up.

...

Carmen was exhausted.

First it was going pretty well, Carmen had managed to dodged each of the jets of water, inching closer and closer to Blue and his stupid face.

But before Carmen could even reach his shield Blue launched a jet of water from his gun that launched him backwards.

He tried the same thing again but Blue got him with another jet of water. And then he did it again. But Blue got him again.

Who knew bubbles could cause so much damage?

The boy, Sean looked disappointed. He heard him mutter useless under his breath and run his mouth with incessant commentary that pissed Carmen off. He launched a fireball to shut him up.

Carmen knew his fireballs wouldn't be able to do anything to Blue with that shield on. Carmen knew he would have to get close but that damn gun prevented him from doing so.

There was a gust of wind and Carmen caught Patricia just before she fell.

"Took you long enough," Blue said.

Paul was bruised and had some scratches on his biceps. "My sister had some tricks up her sleeve."

"Now," Blue said, grinning. "We'll show you why Paul and I are gonna be the team that wins the tournament."

Blue swung his arm in a wide arc and threw his shield. Paul summoned a gust of wind and propelled the shield forward causing it to hit Carmen straight in the face.

The shield started floating, hovering in the air. Carmen tried to grab ahold of it but the shield was like a magnet, pulling away from him. Carmen let go and the shield returned back to Blue's hand.

"The thing about magical artefacts," Blue said condescendingly. "Is that they always return to their owners."

Sean shrugged. "Looks like this is decided."

Blue smiled. "Welcome to the team Sean."

"Just you wait," Carmen growled causing both Paul and Blue to jump back a little.

Carmen wiped the blood running down his nose. "We're not done yet."

Patricia had also gotten up, despite her bruised body. Carmen nodded at her. Patricia returned the nod with an even more determined nod.

Carmen charged.

Blue smirked, shoulders up. "I guess you don't listen. Teach him a lesson Paul."

Paul was about to launch a gust of wind. The stupid mage was charging at him, claws out. All he had to do was launch a gust of wind below his foot and he would be dealt with easily.

Then from out of nowhere came the veil of sand.

Paul was taken aback. He blew the sand away with his wind.

And the charmander had disappeared.

Paul looked all around him but the charmander was nowhere in sight.

And then.

"Behind you!" Blue exclaimed.

The charmander grabbed Paul with such exceeding strength Paul let out a yelp. He tossed Paul towards Blue like a baseball but Blue rolled out of the way causing Paul to hit the mountain face.

Sean was observing this with a huge grin on his face. As Carmen charged, Sean quickly climbed a mountain to observe the remainder of the battle.

Blue launched volumes of high volley jets but Carmen dodged them with ease. When it seemed like a volley of bubbles was about to hit him, a gust of wind blew them aside. He turned to see Patricia in a battle stance, her armlets out.

Blue ran to Patricia, aiming to knock her out.

"Oh no you don't," Carmen said, leaping into the air. "Patricia now!"

Patricia nodded as Blue reached out a hand to grab her. She launched the most powerful gust of wind propelling Carmen forward. Blue's fingers were inches away from her throat. She closed her eyes and...

She heard a thud.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Carmen with his hands around Blue's throat, pinning him against the mountain wall.

"I win," Carmen said with a smirk.

Blue whimpered and collapsed onto the floor.

...

They were patching up their wounds when Patricia noticed that her boots were reduced to tatters. She looked downhill and felt sorry for her poor feet.

Carmen looked at her. "What's up?"

"My boots..." Patricia said. "They're..."

She showed Carmen what remained of her leather boots. They were her favorite pair too.

"I think it was the magic," Patricia explained. "My boots weren't built to handle that much magic."

Carmen scratched his orange hair and sighed. He knelt down and started unbuckling his boots.

Patricia waved her hands dismissively. "N-no it's fine. I'll walk."

Carmen waved her complaints aside. "No, I doubt it. Your skin looks way too soft for a downhill climb."

Carmen was wearing a pair of leather socks. "Besides, I was raised in the mountains. I can do without a pair of boots."

Patricia was taken aback by his kindness. Her brother and her tribe never treated her as well as this stranger she had just met yesterday. It made her blush.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" Carmen said. He tossed his boots at her. "Take em."

One of Carmen's boots hit her face but Patricia still appreciated the sentiment.

They were about to leave when suddenly they heard a voice calling at them.

"Wait up!"

They turned to see the boy Sean. Sean was walking casually towards them without a care in the world. He walked over to Carmen and grinned at him.

"I want to join you," Sean said.

Carmen was staring at him as if he were analyzing him for an essay. "Why? I thought you were joining up with Blue."

"Do you want me to be honest?" Sean asked, crossing his arms with an arrogant smirk on his face.

"Yeah," Carmen said.

"You guys are more interesting," Sean said. "Besides I want to win. And I think the only way I'll be able to is with the assistance of you two.

"So, what type of magic do you use?" Carmen asked. "I can't just let anyone join my team."

Sean pulled out a dagger from his sheath. It was a dagger with a curved blade that looked rather sharp. The dagger had a white bandage tightly wrapped around its handle.

"This here is a dagger made out of the beak of a spearow," Sean explained. "It is a magical artefact and a rather rare one at that. Truly, an artefact worthy of a winner."

Carmen nodded. "Okay. Welcome aboard."

Sean was taken aback. "Just like that."

Carmen shrugged. "Yup. We need as many people as we can get."

Sean grinned. "Then I won't let you down."

And so, Carmen's party was off. This time, with a new member in their midst.