Part 4

However, Skamory wasn't interested in eating a boring grunt. It would much rather have a juicy little Eevee. It readied itself for the kill but was interrupted by a shout from behind M43.

"Mightyena, use Dark Pulse!"

Looking round, M43 saw that Tabitha, M5 and M6 had arrived and Tabitha had released his Mightyena to battle. The Dark Pulse hit Skamory; draining its energy and delivering a one hit K-O to it. Skamory fell to the ground with a clang and Aventurine hissed at the loud noise.

"That's great, Mightyena, well done!" Tabitha said to his Pokemon. Mightyena trotted over to him and Tabitha patted him on the head. Then he hurried over to the wounded M43. M5 and M6 had taken off M43's top and hood and torn it into strips so that they could bandage his cut legs up. Aventurine was licking M43's face, trying to comfort him.

Tabitha had been going to scold M43 but when he saw that the grunt was hurt and still frightened, he hadn't the heart to. "Hey, you alright now?" he asked kindly.

"Oh! You saved Aventurine!" exclaimed M43 and then (to the astonishment of the others), he flung his arms round Tabitha and hugged him. "Thank you so much!"

"Uh, that's OK", said Tabitha, hugging M43 back. It was a bit more experience for Mightyena, huh?"

"Ugh, I can't believe I was so dumb!" M43 looked like he was about to cry. "Poor Aventurine. He coulda died and it was all my fault for running off".

"Don't worry about that now", said Tabitha, rubbing M43's back. "He's fine, see, no harm done". M43 looked over at Aventurine, who was regarding Mightyena warily. Mightyena sniffed at Aventurines' ears, then he rolled over on his back to show he was friendly. Aventurine wagged his tail and dived on him and the two Pokemon began to play wrestle.

"Haha, cool, they've made friends", said M5. The others laughed too, even M43, though his legs were pretty sore. His Eevee had never had another Pokemon to play with before and it was neat to see him with a friend.

"I must ask though", Tabitha said. "Why did you run off instead of waiting for us?"

M43 blushed. "I just wanted to prove I was grown up and stuff. I didn't want to be treated like a baby".

Tabitha patted his back. "Hm, you know, sometimes being grown up is about knowing when you need help and knowing when to go alone. Even Maxie wouldn't go on his own to an area with dangerous wild Pokemon".

"Really?" said M43, looking a little less upset.

"Of course. We're Team Magma; we all help each other out and stick together".

"Um, that sounds good", said M43 and he smiled a little.

"Yeah", said M5. "As M4 would say The clue's in the name - Team Magma. We're a team".

M43 grinned.

"OK, shall we head back to the Secret Base then?" said Tabitha.

"But what about the Glass Workshop?" M43 asked. "Oh, I think I lost my soot sack too".

The others looked round. "No, you're alright, it's just over by that rock", said M6, pointing towards where M43 has rested before.

"Oh good! I thought it was lost when we were attacked".

M6 went over to get the soot sack and M5 and Tabitha helped M43 to stand up. "Can you walk?" Tabitha asked. "The Glass Workshop isn't far from here but if your legs hurt too much, we'll go back to the Base".

"Oh no, I'm alright, I wanna take my soot sack in", said M43. "Thanks M6!" he added on as M6 gave him the sack.

"No problem", said M6.

"OK, let's go and have some flutes made", said Tabitha. The four guys set off; with Tabitha holding M43's arm round his shoulders, to help him walk. Aventurine and Mightyena trotted along in front, wagging their tails and sniffing at any interesting clumps of grass they encountered.

"Say, will the Boss be mad at me when he finds out what I did?" M43 asked.

Tabitha shook his head. "Finds out what?"

"Uh, you know...running off and stuff".

"Nope, I've forgotten all about it so I can't tell him".

"Really?" M43's eyes were wide.

"Yeah! Although..." Tabitha smirked a little. "My room is really messy. It could do with being tidied up, you know".

"Uh?" said M43, puzzled. M5 nudged him.

"Steady on, you'll make him fall", said M6.

"Oh!" said M43, his brain suddenly operating again. "Ohh yeah, sure. I can do that".

"Good boy", said Tabitha.

The following day, Maxie was checking on his staff to make sure they were all alright. He peeped his head around the doorway to Tabitha's room, where he saw Tabitha and M43 playing with a Teasmade. Tabitha had told Maxie about the Skamory attack (explaining why M43s' legs were cut) and so Maxie had let Tabitha borrow his Teasmade as a reward.

M43 was sitting on a comfy chair, wearing a brand new top and hood and with his legs bandaged up properly. His Eevee and Tabitha's Mightyena were curled up together, sleeping on a blanket on the bed. Tabitha was standing next to M43, explaining how the Teasmade worked.

"So you set the alarm for when you want to wake up and then the Teasmade automatically started preparing your tea".

"Wow, that's so cool!" said M43. "And you can tell it how much milk and how many sugars you want, as well?"

"Sure", said Tabitha. "Let's see how to do that..." He picked up the instruction booklet.

Maxie smiled and left the room, pleased that M43 had made friends with Tabitha and was settling in. He walked down the corridor, passing Courtney and M42, who were discussing planting some hydrangeas outside the volcano, to make it prettier.

"Can we do that, Boss?" Courtney asked. "It'd look really nice". M42 nodded eagerly.

"Hm, yes, of course", said Maxie. "But don't plant any near the entrance or the exit. We don't want to give anybody clues on how to get in".

"Alright then, thanks!" The girls went skipping off with excitement. Maxie continued along, wondering where the other boy grunts were. He finally found them in the Computer Room, playing on an old Space Invaders arcade machine. M25 was there too, watching them.

"I'm playing the winner!" she said.

"Sure, OK then", said M5.

There was a great deal of 8-bit noise from the arcade cabinet, complimented by the frantic shouts of the lads. At last, the game was over and M5 and M6 checked their scores.

"Awwww, I lost", sighed M6. M5 fist pumped the air.

"I'm playing you M5!" said M25 and she stood next to him, where M6 had previously been.

"Are you good?" M6 asked her, wiping his nose on a clean handkerchief.

"Yeah but I might still lose", said M25. She poked M5 in the side. "If I lose, you have to make me do a forfeit".

"Uh, sure", said M5. "What like?"

"Um, something like...I have to kiss the Boss!"

Maxie hastily left the Computer Room.

Well at least everybody seems like they are OK Maxie thought. Yes, it's nice and peaceful today. No trouble from Team Aqua and everybody is enjoying themselves or working hard.

Just then, M42 came racing round the corner, colliding with Maxie. He staggered backwards and M42 gasped in a dramatic fashion.

"Oh, there you are Boss! Quick, you have to come with me, it's terrible!"

"Why, what is wrong?" Maxie asked, concerned.

"M3 is dating a Team Aqua grunt!"

Maxie took off his glasses so he could facepalm.

"So much for a peaceful day!"

The End