\---- Chapter One: Meetings

Bright sunlight exploded into my room the moment I opened the blinds from my window. A cool breeze blew by, the sound of trees and leaves muting the sound of footsteps of people walking outside. I brushed back a lock of hair that fell within eyesight, still wet from the shower I just took. I shook my head, grabbing my towel and making another attempt to dry my hair. I walked towards the mirror in my room, avoiding the pile of Pokémon books on the ground, as I let the towel fall to the ground.

Shoulder length chestnut hair, disheveled by me drying it, lined my face. I inspected my green eyes, my right eye still feeling tender after getting slapped in the face by a girl yesterday. Never, ever, say things like that to her again, I thought vehemently. Satisfied that no permanent damage was done, I flexed, vague muscles outlining my toned body. I grinned, feeling proud of my figure. Doing nothing around Solaceon leaves you all kinds of bored. From keeping the Lost Tower cleaned, to scouting areas in the old ruins east of town, to keeping tabs in with the newspaper guys if they needed anything, I did most of the small jobs that nobody really wanted to do, but they needed to be done. I was proud of what I did, and it let me meet a lot of cool interesting people. It was always good to be appreciated by someone, even if they've only known you for less than a few minutes.

"Nick! Are you up already? The Pokémon Center isn't going to be open all day, you know?" yelled my mom from downstairs. I rolled my eyes, but I kept my voice from sounding sarcastic.

"Yeah, mom, I'll be right down! I just finished taking a shower!" I yelled back, as I hurried to find a shirt and pants. I opened my drawer next to my bed, pulling out a red short sleeved shirt and cargo pants. If the weather keeps like this, I'll probably have to go over to the Lost Tower again and sweep every floor again. I shrugged as I slipped on a pair of black boots and tied the laces together.

I grabbed a comb and hurried downstairs. I entered the dining room to see both mom and dad there. Dad was at the table, reading today's newspaper, while mom had her back to me. Dad had his usual outfit, a white shirt and jeans, while mom had a yellow dress with heels on.

"Hi mom and dad," I said as I sat down next to dad. "Sorry, was just throwing something on."

Dad put the paper down, and gave me a smile. He hooked his arm around me and gave me quick shake around.

"Happy birthday, Nick!" he said, laughing brightly. I grinned, nodding.

"Thanks dad," I said, smiling. Jeez, eighteen years already? Time flies, I guess.

"So, I know I promised you that you can become a trainer at eighteen. Have you reconsidered?" he asked. I could swear that he looked hopeful that I would say no, and I cringed inside. I knew that I wanted to get out of this town. I loved it here, but I needed something else with my life.

"Well, I've thought about it, and I still want to become a Pokémon Trainer, dad," I said, shaking my head. "I really want to see the world, and make my way out there."

He nodded, smiling. "Yeah, thought so. Can't hold it against me, can ya?" he asked, smiling.

I shook my head. Mom and dad meant well enough, but I really wanted to do more than just live in my parent's shadow. My parents are both archaeologists, spending a lot of time in the Sinnoh underground, finding fossils of both human and Pokémon origins. They have been making headway into the reason why the Unown solely inhabit the Solaceon Ruins. Of course, they've kept me in the dark about it until they have more concrete reasons, but I knew what they were doing there. It didn't take a genius when I'm taking half the notes.

"A letter from Professor Rowan arrived for you while you were taking your shower," Dad said, pulling a letter from underneath a stack of letters on the table. It was already opened, which I imagine that Dad or Mom saw it already. I shrugged and opened the letter.

I skimmed it quickly, noticing that it said the same things that he said to me in person when I visited him a few months ago. He wished me a happy birthday, and that in a few days, he will be sending me my requested Pokémon, a Chimchar. I nodded, folding the letter again.

"Nobody told him about the adoption we had going on today, huh?" I asked

"Well, we sent him a letter saying that there was one, but Professor Rowan insisted that he sent the Chimchar anyway, in case you didn't adopt six Pokémon," Mom said, appearing with a stack of pancakes. I noticed at the one plate, and smiled at Mom.

"So, do you plan on eating?" I asked, grinning.

"Today is your birthday! This is a treat, as I imagine that you're going to have a big day today. So eat up!" she exclaimed, laughing as she pushed a fork, knife, and some syrup my way.

I grinned as I poured a healthy dollop of syrup on top of the pancakes and began to eat. Nothing beat home-made pancakes, no matter what anyone else said. And, if I may be so big to boast, my mom made the best. I finished the stack in record time, standing to go put the plate and utensils in the sink. I got a glass of water and made my way back to the table.

"So, what are your plans today, Nick?" mom asked me.

"Well, go back to the Pokémon Center and ask if the adoption is still good to go, and seeing that I am now a registered trainer, see if any of the Pokémon are interested in coming along with me," I said. "I know of a few that are, but if I can get a full set, why not, right?"

Both mom and dad nodded. "I can see where you're headed with that," Dad said, grinning. "It also puts you in the competitive edge, seeing as most trainers by now have gone through a few gyms to get here."

"Exactly," I said, nodding. "And if I don't hurry, someone might beat me to the best ones! I'll catch you all later," I said, giving both parents a parting hug.

"Stay safe, alright?" Mom asked, giving me a kiss. "Don't you go making me worry, alright?"

"Of course, mom," I said, shaking my head. "Aren't I always safe?"

Mom ran her fingers through my hair, ruffling it before giving me a kiss on the cheek. I sighed as I grabbed my comb from the table as she started laughing, probably from the look I had on my face. I smiled as I waved back at them, leaving through the front door.

I turned to see my bike and helmet ready for me. I grinned as I strapped the helmet on, and giving my bike a look over. It looks like dad gave it a tune up or something. Nothing looked wrong to me. I whispered thanks to my dad as I grabbed my bike and balanced myself on top of it. My grin widened as I looked down the 'path' that I had to go through.

The 'path', if you could call it that, ran through the woods east of Solaceon, and deposited you right into the main road that went through the town. The problem is that not only did wild Pokémon use it, it was poorly maintained, as it was only a handful of people ever used it. I pedaled around in a circle, getting the feel again for the bike, and it felt just like yesterday that I rode it. I gripped the handles and peddled as hard as I could, heading head first through the brush.

Bumps shook me as I blazed through the path, my legs pumping the pedals as fast as I could move them. The sun streaked through openings in the canopy, barely allowing anyone or anything the ability to see the path. My eyes could never keep up with the path, as I juked past a boulder just barely. A startled cry made me realize that it wasn't an actual boulder, but I didn't want to stop and apologize to the angry Graveler or Golem that I just woke up from its slumber.

"Sorry!" I yelled back, as I made a hard turn left, narrowly avoiding the tree line. I continued pumping the pedals, adrenaline pumping through my body. Bird Pokémon made their cries of indignation as I tore through the path, startled as I passed underneath their nests. The woods slowly became alive as I slowed down near the end of the path. I took a few deep breaths, attempting to keep myself steady, but after what I did, who was I kidding. I enjoyed it, just like the first time I did it a few years ago. Song is going to give me another scolding, but I grinned. I hoped that she would!

I pedaled my bike towards the Pokémon Center, stopping in front and getting off. I walked inside with my bike, waving at Nurse Joy at the desk. She, just like every single Nurse Joy, wore the usual white and pink nurse uniform. Her pink hair was tied in a bun, her nurse hat balanced perfectly atop of her head. She smiled as she saw me and waved back. Nurse Joy's smile widened as I put my bike next to her desk and took off my helmet.

"You're going to clean that, right?" she asked, pointing behind me.

I turned around to see a streak of mud and muddy footprints against the pristine tile floor. I groaned, putting my palm against my face.

"I'm sorry, Nurse Joy," I said, shaking my head. "I'll get it cleaned."

"Just like every day you forget," she said, giggling.

A Blissey walked up to me with a mop and bucket, chanting her name happily. I thanked the Blissey, shaking her hand, and getting an enthusiastic hug in return. I grinned as I began to mop up the mess I created. It wasn't a lot, thankfully, and I was quick to finish my job.

"So, you're here for the adoption?" Nurse Joy asked as she walked up to me. I was outside, about to pour the dirty water on the grass outside.

"Yeah," I said, nodding. "I'm officially a Pokémon trainer, and I was thinking that the adoption couldn't come at a perfect time. I'm going to take the opportunity if any are interested in coming with me."

"Letting them pick for you?" she asked, smiling. "You know, if you let her, I'm sure that Song will be more than happy to give you her recommendations."

"Well, I was also hoping on that, too," I said, laughing. I shook off the mud off my boots as best I could. Not to my satisfaction, I grabbed a stick from the ground and tried my best to pry any caked mud in between the grooves. Nurse Joy giggled again, patting me on the shoulder.

"Why don't we take the back entrance?" she said, smiling at me. "I'm sure that it'll save you some trouble. Blissey will take care of the wet floor."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

No sooner had I opened my mouth, two Blissey appeared with dry mops, fans, and a yellow sign that said "Slippery when Wet" on it. I chuckled with Nurse Joy, as we went around the back of the center.

"So, you're going to let them pick you," Nurse Joy said, smiling. "That's actually really nice of you, I think. Many trainers would demand the obedience of the Pokémon they have."

"Well, these Pokémon have had rough experiences before," I said. "I don't want to make them uncomfortable by putting them in a situation that they don't want to be. That would be horrible on my part."

"I'm glad that you realize that," Nurse Joy said, nodding. "It's such a relief to hear that from a trainer."

"It also helps that I've been here a lot, and that I know what most of them have gone through," I pointed out

"Yes, yes it does," she said, patting my shoulder

We reached a fenced area, and she opened it with a key she pulled from her apron. Behind the fence was the enclosed area where Pokémon were able to be themselves, without many social constraints except their own. Many socialized with one another, speaking in their tongue; others spent their time lounging in the huge pool. And others liked to make their presence known as quickly as possible.

"Nick!" a voice cried in my mind, soon to be followed by the feeling of a soft body against my back. I stumbled for a moment, but didn't fall, thankful for being used to this by now. I turned to see the familiar face of a Gardevoir, her hands resting on top of my shoulders. Normally a very quiet and reserved Pokémon, her smile and actions right now would make anyone not believe that concept. Her body pressed against mine, giving me a hug, and I smiled, patting her arms.

"I'm so glad that you're here now! I should let everyone know!" she said, her voice sounding excited about something. I shook my head.

"I'm not going anywhere, Song," I told her. "You're more than welcome to show me off instead of running ahead of me."

She let me go, as I turned to get a good look at her. She looked like any other Gardevoir, standing at an impressive six feet tall. Her body was hidden underneath her white 'robe', while her green hands were crossed against her chest. Her eyes are red, and her green 'hair' framed her face, curling back behind her head. A smile adorned her thin lips that blended in almost too well against her pale white skin. She usually didn't smile quite so satisfied for no reason.

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough," she said, smiling wider. I shook my head, smiling at her.

"Don't read my mind, Song," I said exasperatedly. "How many times do I have to ask?"

"Oh, I don't know. You don't seem to mind that I speak to you telepathically," she said, nodding to herself.

"Well, I'll leave you two, I have to go check up on the front desk," Nurse Joy said all of a sudden. I almost jumped out of my skin, which made Song laugh. Nurse Joy gave a quick curtsey and left the way we came, locking the gate behind her.

I shrugged. "You know, never mind why I always argue the same point with you over and over again," I said. "I'll never figure that out."

"What? That the others see me very close to you?" she asked

"No, that you speak to me through your powers," I pointed out.

"Well, it's better for you to know what I'm saying, instead of guessing at it," she said, smiling again. "Besides, it's good to know that you can understand me, too."

"I'm glad it makes you feel like that, Song," I said, extending a hand towards her. She nodded and took my hand, and walked towards the more inhabited areas of the enclosure.

Pokémon of all shapes and sizes greeted us, from Bidoof and Pachirisu scampering on the ground, to a Noctowl flying overhead. I grinned as several of them made their way to greet me with enthusiastic cries. I chuckled as I kneeled to scratch heads and ears, as Song stood next to me. I looked at the Gardevoir, who had a satisfied smile on her face.

"Song, what are you thinking?" I asked her. "Ever since I got here, you haven't stopped smiling."

"Is it a crime now to be happy?" she asked kindly. Her smile didn't waver as she spoke in my mind.

I shook my head. "No, it's just that you aren't this perky usually," I pointed out.

"I'm trying something different," she said, nodding.

"Right..." I said, shaking my head. I'll most likely never find out, and it's probably for the best.

As I turn my attention back scratch more ears, I come face to face with a gigantic cat Pokémon. I jumped back, startled at the sight, falling on my ass, but I calm myself when I realize its Akalia, the Luxray. I chuckled, if only to mask how startled I was. I looked at the Luxray, noticing again how she looked. Black fur covered her face, her eyes red with yellow irises. She stood proudly in all fours, claws hidden within her regal paws. Her tail swung back and forth lazily, as a smile slowly played out on her muzzle.

"Luxray! Lux, Luxray!" she exclaimed, as I sat on the ground.

"Hi yourself, Akalia," I said, rubbing her mane but bopping her on the nose gently. At her startled cry, I rubbed her nose gently. "Don't startle me like that."

"Oh, not to mention how many times have you thrown her into the lake?" Song asked, her voice giggling in my mind.

"Hey, it's not my fault all of you get dirty while I'm here," I said in my defense. "And besides, Nurse Joy told me to give Akalia a thorough wash, and I intended to do it."

"Maybe I should give you a thorough washing," she said, lifting me up from the ground.

"Song!" I exclaimed, flailing my arms as I was lifted by her powers. "Don't! I just took a shower before heading here!"

"And you took your bike here, which means you rode through that path that I never want you to go through," she said, giggling. "You need a shower, and I intend to see you get a thorough one!"

I was then carried a few feet over to where the water hole was. It was really a gigantic pool, a good twenty feet deep, and it was home to all the water Pokémon that the center took care of. It was used as a relaxing spot for trainers, Pokémon, and for a certain Gardevoir, the center of her attention.

"Any last words before I throw you in?" Song asked.

"Please don't throw me in?" I asked

"Too bad," she said, as I felt myself hoisted up above the pool, and suddenly let go. I didn't yell, trying to conserve as much oxygen as I could as I went under in, I imagine, a good sized splash.

The water was cold, and a few precious bubbles of oxygen escaped my mouth. I began swimming up to the surface, but what looked like an immense snake coiled around me. The Pokémon's face aligned with mine, and was relieved when it was the Milotic, Xola. I grabbed hold to her body as she swiftly swam to the surface. I gasped for air as soon as I could feel I wasn't underwater, and I was assaulted by cheers from all around me. I wiped the water out of my eyes as best I could, to see all kinds of Pokémon cheering, their happy cries filling the air.

"Hey, Xola," I said, patting the enormous Milotic on her neck. "Thanks for saving me."

She nodded, gently nuzzling me. I grinned and hugged her neck, as she almost purred in happiness. Xola was always an attention hog, but she usually earned her praise, and I was never shy to let her know how amazing she was. She looked like every Milotic, cream colored scales covering most of her body, only to change blue near her tail. At an impressive length of sixteen feet, that's nothing to roll your eyes at. Pink colored scales adorned her 'eyebrows', both the thin pair that stood up, and the thick pair that hung to the sides of her body. When Xola faced me, I got a good look at her face, and I mentally winced that she was blind on her right eye. Two deep, horizontal scars were the only things to remind her of whatever may have caused it. I never asked for the record how she got her injury. It was bad enough that she was 'retired', as her record states. I've tried to catch her by surprise, even using her blind spot to my advantage, and all I get is a big tail slap to the face.

She dove under the water, only to appear underneath me, as her body fit in between my legs. I held on as best as I could, as Xola took me to the edge of the pool. I patted Xola on the head, getting a low melodic rumble from her. I smiled, indulging her in the attention she always likes. Song floated by, a smile on her face.

"Alright, Song," I said, giving her my undivided attention. "You have something up your sleeve. Spill it already."

"Alright, you spoilsport," she said, giggling again. "But first, tell me why you're here? Is it really because of another job, or are you here for the adoption?"

"I'm here for the adoption," I said, nodding. "All the paperwork got authorized, and starting today, I'm officially a Pokémon Trainer."

I could hear soft whispers among the present Pokémon after I said that. I could swear I could hear the gears turning in Song's head after I said that. I've already told Song that I wanted to become a trainer, so I imagine this was to confirm any rumor that may have been spreading around. You could never tell with these crafty psychic types.

"And you're here to adopt a few of us?" Song asked.

"Yes, I am," I said, nodding. "Well, anyone that would like to come along, at least."

Song smiled down at me as I stood up, shaking as much water off me as possible. I shivered as the breeze picked up again, the cold cutting right through my skin. A low rumbling sound at my side made me look downwards, to see Akalia with a towel across her back.

"Thanks, Akalia," I said, taking the towel. I dried as best I could, and I took my shirt off to let it dry. A conveniently placed table was nearby, so I put my shirt on top of it, to hopefully be dry in a few hours. I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, so I wasn't too worried. Worse things have happened while I've been here. Losing a shirt would be the least of my worries.

"Luxray?" Akalia asked in a curious tone. Her head tilted to the side, eyes glowing gently.

I understood her tone as being concerned, or sad. I kneeled in front of her, patting her head. "Well, the adoption is going on right now," I pointed out. "You're more than welcome to come along with me."

Akalia proceeded to then tackle me to the ground, her entire body rumbling with her purring. Though startled by her actions, I was relieved that she accepted. As her head snuggled against my still drying chest, her rumbles increased. I grinned, wrapping my arms around the gigantic cat, and ruffling her fur.

"Just don't fall asleep on top of me right now," I joked, rubbing her ears gently. "I'm quite sure that someone would be jealous if you monopolized me."

"I do not monopolize you, my good sir!" Song's voice rang in my head. I looked around to see her with her hands on her hips, eyes narrowed. I grinned at her, but she shook her head, and looked as if she sighed.

"Before you ask, yes, I want to go with you, Nick," she said, her tone of voice in my mind serious. "I've been thinking about it ever since you told me you wanted to become a trainer two years ago, and as you can see, Akalia wanted to come along."

I smiled, stroking the purring Luxray's head. "You're both serious about coming with me?" I asked

Akalia looked up to me, leveling her face with my own and giving me a huge wet lick across my cheek. I laughed, trying to get her to stop before she decides to keep at it.

"Yes, I'm serious," Song answered, giggling again. "I wouldn't have brought it up if I wasn't."

"I'll have to trust you on that one," I said, smiling at both of them.

"Luxray! Lux, Lu Lux!" Akalia exclaimed, with a tone of finality.

"I agree with Akalia," Song said, nodding.

"What did she say?" I asked, perplexed at the exchange.

"She says that we should get the others," Song translated.

"What do you mean by others?" I asked.

"Well, first you should turn around and address Xola properly, as she's one of the other candidates," Song said, pointing behind me.

I turned around to see the Milotic uncurl her massive body like a rope uncoiling, and slide her way towards us with powerful motions. Xola's face was within arm's reach within moments, her warm breath washing over my face. It didn't take long for me to realize that I didn't have much of a say in this argument, and it's not like I would say no to have an experienced battler on the team.

"Xola, would you like to come with me on my journey?" I asked the Milotic.

She nodded, as she smiled with her eyes, her face gently rubbing against my cheek. I smiled as I scratched her head, her scales smooth to the touch. Already three have volunteered to come along. This is going better than I could have hoped for.

I realized that most of the commotion has died down by now, and all the other Pokemon were going about their regular activities. It was still early morning, and the entire day was still ahead of me. Who knows who else would join?

================ ======================= ===============

"Nick, would you like to meet Spirit?" Song asked.

It was now midday, the sun hanging pregnant in the sky, warming up the day a bit on the hotter side of mild. I had my shirt on by now, though no thanks to Xola's teasing and demanding hugs right after she comes out of the pool. My shirt was wet, again, but I didn't bother taking it off. It was going to get wet again anyway. We sat around one of the tables, eating lunch. I was eating a cheese sandwich, while Akalia, Xola, and Song had a wide assortment of Pokémon food to pick from.

"Who's Spirit?" I asked, closing my eyes in thought. "I don't remember a Pokémon by that name from the top of my head."

"I'm not surprised," she said. "She tends to be a bit private, but when I talk to her about you, she has said that she wants to meet you."

"I wonder what kind of things you talk about behind my back," I said, grinning.

"Oh, it wasn't anything bad," the Gardevoir said, her mouth curling into a smile. "She's had a few bad experiences with humans before, and she's having trouble believing me."

"I really don't see how others don't trust you," I said, chuckling.

Akalia and Xola both chuckled with me, while Song looked positively livid for a moment. Her eyes glowed, and I could feel her presence in my mind. Song's eyes glowed brightly for an instant, and at the same moment, my thoughts were not my own anymore. I could feel her digging through my memories, though try as I might, I could not stop her from whatever she was looking for. Even though I trusted her, it always felt odd having your entire mind open to someone so powerful.

Her furious look was replaced with a smile, as her voice giggled in my mind. "Sorry," she said, coming around to pat me on the head. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"You never do, Song."

"Either way, she's here now, if you'd like to meet her."

I smiled. "Of course I'd like to meet her," I said, nodding. "I'd like to meet whomever it is that you're speaking so highly of me. I can only hope I don't disappoint."

"I'll let her know right now," Song said. "I'll also let the other two know, as well."

"Wait, what other two?" I asked, confused at the statement.

"There are more that listen to me ramble on about you, and they have expressed an interest," Song said, smiling mischievously. "Spirit will be back in a moment, as I seemed to have caught her napping, Zin is a bit far away and is making her way over here, but Mist is more than happy to meet you now."

I rolled my eyes and sighed, not bothering to hide my actions. "Alright, then let's meet Mist then. Is he or she here?"

"Right behind you," an unknown voice said.

I jumped out of my skin, knocking over my chair, spinning around to see who just spoke. A shimmer in the air was the only thing I could see out of place. As I looked closer at it, it seemed to be the outline of something floating in front of me. I kept my distance, though. I've had many experiences where poking your nose is a very bad idea.

"A wise choice, considering a human's natural curiosity to the unknown," the voice said.

The air shimmered, like the distortion of heat in the distance. The outline I saw became more defined, revealing a Mismagius floating in front of me. Though obviously part of the Pokémon's body, he or she looked like it was wearing a purple wizard hat and robes that covered the entire body. Three red gems appeared attached to the body, about where the waist would be. Yellow eyes stared right at mine, as if peering straight into my soul. I shivered involuntarily, as the Pokémon nodded to itself. The Pokémon's eyes widened, its mouth shaping from its original squiggly line, into a surprised gasp, but it was quickly suppressed.

"So, you're Nick," the Mismagius said, nodding. "I can see why Song likes you so much."

"Excuse me?" I asked

"Yes, I am female," she said, ignoring my question. "So you can stop referring me as "Pokémon" or "it", though I appreciate you trying not to."

"May I ask what your name is?" I asked, grasping what felt like straws

"My name is Mist," she said, her mouth spreading into a grin. "And before you ask, yes, I can read your mind, and no, I cannot speak human."

I didn't ask how it looked like she could. Just thinking about it hurt, so I just accepted it as is. I thought for a moment, as I attempted to come up with a different approach.

"Song told you about me," I said, winging the question as best I could. "Are there any questions I can answer?"

"Why do you want to go on your Pokémon journey?" she asked

"Well, I want to explore the world, for one," I said, picking up the chair I knocked over. Sitting down, I continued. "I also want to make a living for myself doing something different than digging old fossils. It's fun and all, but I want to carve a place for myself in the world instead of living in my parent's shadow."

"Do you see yourself being successful?" she asked, her eyes narrowing

"Your definition of successful might be different than mine, Mist," I said, shrugging. "But, if I can manage my way across the entire world without getting myself killed and meeting all kinds of people, I'd call that successful."

"So, you're not looking to become one of those trainers that flaunts their skill in front of the camera, just to get publicity," Mist said, nodding again. "It seems that Song is right about you."

I smiled, not knowing what to say. She can read my mind easily enough if she really wanted an answer. I imagine that she wanted me to say my answers instead of thinking; because it proves me that I'm right or wrong. Also, it's harder to deny you said something when there are witnesses.

The Mismagius smiled at me, the grin widening. "You catch on quick," she said, nodding. Turning away from me, she looked towards Song, addressing her. "And Song, before you ask, yes, I accept your proposition."

I looked at Song, who was smiling almost ear to ear. I didn't hear any mental speech, but I imagine that she thanked Mist. Of what proposition, I have no idea. I don't think I want to guess, either.

Mist turned to me, and grinned at me again, before addressing me. "If it would please you, I'd like to go with you when you leave for your journey," she said. "I am quite experienced in battles and-."

"Mist, I could care less if your experienced or not in battles or whatnot," I said, cutting her off. "All I care about is that you're prepared and willing to come with me. Just for the record, you four will be my starting Pokémon, as I just started my journey technically today. If you're willing to work with my inexperience, I'd be more than happy to have you along. I apologize for cutting you off, but please don't do this just to 'please me'. You come if it is what you want to do, not because someone else tells you to."

Mist floated there, her mouth closed and eyes studying me again. I could only imagine what she was thinking, but I kept looking straight at her gaze. It took several moments for her to nod, breaking our eye contact.

"You are really what you say," she said without preamble. "I will join you, if only to see that you keep to your word."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, perplexed by the statement. She didn't answer, floating past me without a look, to hover by Song. They both looked at each other, and giggled, both their bodies visibly shaking with laughter.

"Great, another one to the crazy list," I said to no one in particular. I stood up, stretching for a moment. "I'm going to get a cup of water. Do any of you want some more food?"

With various nods, I stood up to go back inside the Pokémon Center. I made my way through the front gate this time, as I saw it was unlocked now. As I entered through the main entrance, Nurse Joy was walking in with a stack of papers. I hurried over to help her, and she let me, thanking me with words and a smile.

"Thank you," she said again, as we reached the desk. "It started to get heavy there at the end."

I smiled back. "No problems," I said. "Could I get four more plates of Pokémon food? The girls seem to be hungry still."

"The girls?" she asked, smiling. "Song has her idea in full swing then, I take it?"

"You knew?" I asked, baffled at her statement

"Oh, she let it slip here and there," Nurse Joy said dismissively. She turned to hand me a large round tray with six plates. "Can you handle that?" she asked, sliding it my way.

"I'm pretty sure, doesn't seem too heavy," I said, shrugging. "But why six plates, though?"

"You'll see," she replied enigmatically. I shrugged again.

"Could I get a cup of water?"

"I'll hand you a pitcher," she said, nodding. "You'll need it."

She grabbed a full pitcher of ice water and placed it in the middle of the tray. I lifted it with both hands, thankful that it wasn't too large, and made my way towards the Pokémon area. Though the main double doors are thankfully automatic, I didn't have such luck with the wooden door that led to the fenced in area.

"Could someone open the door, please?" I called, mentally kicking myself. "I bring food!"

The door opened slowly, revealing a Pokémon I definitely was not expecting. A slender face peered at me at eye level, matching my almost six foot height. Eyes hidden behind what looked like large red lenses could be seen, looking straight into mine. The body covered in green scales, the Flygon's legs a deeper shade of green. White claws adorned the ends of its arms, while the wings on the Pokémon's back almost buzzed without provocation.

It was the first time I've ever seen this Pokémon at the center, though I'm sure that he or she has seen me before. It surprised me that I haven't even seen the record. I tried not to let it bother me, though, seeing as it was a bit late for that now. I smiled at the Flygon, nodding.

"Thank you for opening the door," I said. "You wouldn't be the Flygon that Song was speaking of?"

The Flygon nodded, noticing the soft red blush under her eyes. I wondered why she would be shy or embarrassed, but I didn't ask. As I walked inside, she closed the gate behind me and walked beside me back to where the others were. I took fleeting looks at the Flygon as we walked together, noticing some clues that suggested that she was nervous around my presence. She would click her claws together, her wings would flap on occasion, and even though the red 'goggles' hid it very well, her eyes were wide. I guess she was nervous, so I stopped to address her before we reached the others at the table.

"Spirit," I said, turning to face her. She jumped, flinching back from me, her entire body and posture in a defensive position. I shook my head, frowning.

"I don't know if Song is forcing you to do something you don't want to do," I said, trying to pick my words carefully, "but please don't do something you don't want to do. I know that you just met me, and it's hard to trust me, but please think about it."

I nodded, feeling slightly satisfied with myself, leaving the Flygon to her thoughts. It felt like I just reworded the same things I told Mist, though the Mismagius was more comfortable with herself, though I got the feeling that she was a very private individual. I didn't mind, but I would need to find a way to approach her in a more casual level when we're outside of battles.

I reached the table, all present speaking avidly with each other. I placed the tray down, sitting down and grabbing the pitcher. "Well, here's seconds, so enjoy," I said, drinking from my newly refilled cup.

As I sat there, watching these four interact with each other, I'm pretty sure that, somehow, Song had this all thought out. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't complaining of the situation. It just felt strange that either Song, or all of them, would think this through. I shrugged, as I decided not to worry about this. I imagine that Song would want me to talk to Spirit, as well as this unknown Pokémon that has yet to show up. Either case, it seems to me that things look promising.

Chapter 2 --- Helping Paws

As the girls finished eating, I started to get the feeling that I was being watched. Before I could voice my suspicions, Akalia and Xola had decided that I needed a good cuddle, so they demanded that I sit on the ground. The Luxray was currently lying on my lap, purring as I scratched behind her ears. I rested against Xola, the Milotic had insisted that I lay within her coils. I was resting my head against hers, the only acceptable position for her, unless I wanted to be sprayed with water.

Mist and Song were still talking to each other, the silent exchange of information a mystery to me. I could guess at it, but the reasons I came up with were pretty mundane. I imagined that they were discussing how, or who, to bring up now for me to meet. I imagined that Song and Mist were the masterminds behind this plan, but I didn't mind too much. Getting these four would be enough for me, in all honesty. But if they had plans, who was I to stop them?

The feeling returned, and I sat up this time. Akalia woke up instantly, her eyes glowing, instantly in the defensive. Xola's body curled around me protectively, as I felt the air around me chill. I looked at Xola, whose eyes were focused on the woods around the Pokémon Center, blue mist curling around her lips, Ice Beam at the ready, for anyone that dared to trespass. Electricity curled around Akalia's blue and black fur, as her eyes looked like they glowed brighter somehow.

"Song?" I called, trying to get her attention.

"Yes?" she responded, her voice in my mind once again. She sounded distracted.

"I think there's something coming," I said, still looking towards where Akalia and Xola were paying attention. I strained my senses as best I could, trying to listen, hear, or smell anything out of the ordinary. I looked at the tops of the trees, to see if I wasn't sensing a fire, but I didn't see any kind of smoke billowing. It was odd, though, because after a moment, it smelled like I could smell something burning.

"Do any of you smell that?" I asked. "It smells like something is burning."

No sooner that I said that, a massive Golem plowed through the trees, roaring as its round form smoldered. Flames licked the Golem's rock skin, though quickly put out when it rolled on the ground in front of us. Another Pokémon appeared behind the Golem, though this one was much smaller than the first. The Pokémon stood on all fours, growling loudly so that even I could hear it from my position. Black fur covered its body, while white bands covered the base of the neck and along the back. Horns adorned the head, curled backwards, and a barbed tail completed the image of the canine Pokémon.

The Golem charged at the Houndoom, but either it was chasing it, or was being chased. I didn't want to take a risk, as I looked at Xola, who nodded in my direction.

"Xola, Ice Beam the Golem!" I exclaimed, pointing at the rolling boulder.

The temperature suddenly dropped a few degrees around me as Xola unleashed the beam. A white streak of ice shot forward, quickly hitting the rock Pokémon at its side. It roared for a moment, before being encased in by the ice. I held my breath, still afraid that it would shatter its prison. My fears were justified when the ice holding the Golem shuddered a bit.

I stood up, Akalia running up to the Houndoom, nudging it to move. Both ran towards me after the silent exchange, the Houndoom giving me a wary eye as it passed by. I shrugged at the action, more concerned about the rampaging Golem in front of me.

"Song, is there anything we can do to calm the Golem down?" I asked

"It's possible," she said, her voice thoughtful in my head. "We have to find out what's causing the rage, though."

"Would this Houndoom know?" I asked

The Houndoom barked and growled at me. It sounded like I just offended the Pokémon. Song laughed, her voice echoing in my mind as she shook her head.

"This is Zin, silly," Song said, giggling.

"I apologize, Zin," I said, looking at the Houndoom. I remembered that Song said that Zin was a female, so I began to correct myself. "I didn't know who you were, as Song didn't tell me you were a Houndoom."

She barked, this time with a nod. "Do you know why the Golem is angry?" I asked

She nodded, barking her response. Sometimes, I wish I could understand other Pokémon.

"She says yes, she knows what got the Golem riled up, and it's you," Song said, translating for Zin.

"Damn, so it really was a Golem I woke up this morning," I said, shaking my head. "Out of all the places that a Golem sleeps, right next to the path I always use to get down here."

The ice was beginning to crack visibly along the surface as I approached it. As I looked at the Pokémon closely, I began to recognize him. If I wasn't mistaken, this was once a Graveler named Charles. He liked the woods a lot, and was a loner for the most part. I was pretty certain it was, though I still didn't want to be in the receiving end of a punch from his massive fists. I backed up as the ice began to break, letting the infuriated Golem free.

"Charles, is that you?" I asked, silently praying that it was.

The Golem blinked for a moment, turning his face towards me. His eyes narrowed for a moment, but nodded. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Alright, big guy, do you remember me?" I asked. "It's me, Nick."

Charles nodded, but he still wouldn't talk. No big deal, though. Now I know its Charles. He was never much of a talker with me, but at least he didn't throw rocks at me.

"Hey, I'm sorry I woke you up," I said, frowning. "It was a complete accident. Heck, I didn't even know you evolved until now."

Charles nodded, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. I did my best to keep a straight face, but inside, I chuckled. It was comical to see such a large Pokémon perform such a human gesture. At least, to me it was. After a moment, he nodded, turning back to the forest.

As soon as I wasn't able to see him, I flopped to the ground, my knees weak. I took a huge gamble on that. For all I knew, he could have been really mad, or perhaps even a wild Golem, though those are pretty rare. I shuddered at the possibilities that could have, but I focused myself on how Akalia was licking my face before I suffocated from her saliva in my mouth.

"OK, Akalia!" I exclaimed, gently pushing her away. She wouldn't have any of it, however, as she tackled me to the ground and continued to lick my face. Her purrs were loud in my ears, but I kept trying to get out of her grasp, much to her amusement.

"You handled that well, Master," Song said in my mind. I stopped struggling for a moment, which was all Akalia needed to practically lay on top of me, her long tongue washing over my eyes. A stray thought caught my attention, though. Did she just call me Master?

"Wait, Akalia, hold on a second," I said, pleading with the Luxray. She relented, if just, but at least the licks stopped. "Song, did you just call me Master?"

"Yes, I did," she said, nodding. "I need to become comfortable with calling you such, if I am to become your Pokémon."

"Why?" I asked, feeling perplexed by her reasoning. "You don't have to, Song. In fact, none of you do. By Arceus, I wouldn't want to know if Nurse Joy ever heard you calling me that."

"Why do you say that?" Song asked, tilting her head to the side

"Well, it boils down to your records," I said, closing my eyes in thought. "Since I've been here for so long, and I've known most of you for quite some time, I do know why you here."

I opened my eyes, looking at the gathered group around me. "Nurse Joy let me know the basic situations that happened to some of the Pokémon here, and I promised her that I would never do any of such things. It appalls me that you've been through what you have, and I'll do everything in my power not to let that happen to any of you again."

I turned away from them for a moment. Akalia had a shocked expression on her face, her eyes wide, while both Mist and Song looked at each other. I shrugged, closing my eyes, but still feeling all six pairs of eyes boring holes in my back. I would imagine that this is the part that I ruin everything. I would have thought they knew this by now, but I guessed wrong. Either way, no going back after what I just said.

"I'm surprised, but it makes sense now, how you always treated us with kindness," Song said, her words in my mind. "But I know that you didn't do it with the purpose of wooing me, or anyone else, to be your Pokémon. None of that matters now. What does is if you are still serious about it."

"Of course I am!" I exclaimed, turning around to face them. "I want to see the world. Meet new people. Find a reason to live, other than the one I have right now."

"And that is exactly what I wanted to hear," Song said, nodding. Xola, Akalia, and even Mist nodded with her, as well. Both Spirit and Zin looked at each other, and shrugged simultaneously.

"I might as well introduce myself properly," the Houndoom said, sighing and shaking her head.

"What in the world!" I exclaimed, taking a step backwards. "You can talk?"

"If you wouldn't be surprised about everything, I would have been talking to you for a while now," Zin said, her eyes narrowed. Her voice carried her growl in it, as if upset. "I've been keeping my eyes on you for quite some time, but you're not easy to track down."

I sighed, but I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. The only places I usually spend a lot of time at are here, at home, or at the Lost Tower. I voiced my thoughts, but she shook her head.

"That isn't what I mean. Oh, never-mind," Zin said, shaking her head. "And before you ask, no, Spirit can't talk."

I turned to the Flygon, her claws clicking against each other. A red hue was visible against the green scales of her cheeks, as she stepped forwards. Why was she blushing so much? I would ask her, but I was afraid that would embarrass her more, or make her more nervous than she already is.

I smiled as she stood in front of me, making an attempt to make it so I looked approachable. Spirit looked at me, but turned away almost immediately. I guess this is going to come down to the more direct approach.

"Hello, Spirit," I said, smiling. "My name is Nick. It's nice to meet you."

She turned to face me, and didn't look away this time. Her eyes, even behind the red layer of protection, I was still able to see they were glistening, as if she was beginning to cry. I slowly approached her, and I was glad to see that she didn't flinch or back away this time. I reached out and touched her shoulder gently, feeling her smooth scales. She brought her head down, and gently nuzzled my forehead. I brought my other hand to her face, gently stroking her cheek. Her cheeks flushed, but she didn't shy away from my touch. I brought her head close to my own and rubbed her neck gently, as she grew comfortable. She began to make a deep sound, almost like humming, until I noticed her wings would quiver slightly, kicking up a fine layer of dust.

I smiled, pulling away from Spirit for a moment, to bring us eye to eye. She didn't look as flustered as she was previously, so maybe our little interaction helped calm her down. I smiled, and for the first time, she smiled back, small but sharp white teeth lining her grin.

"I hope that I didn't startle you before," I said softly

She shook her head, a bit of coloring returning to her cheeks, but not as bad as before. She surprised me by grabbing me quickly, pressing my body against hers. I was startled by her intimacy, but I quickly went with the flow, returning the hug as best as I was allowed. Her wings hummed, a slow rumbling coming from her.

"So, I take this that you would like to come along with me, too?" I asked, pushing gently against her.

She brought her face to mine, allowing me some personal space, nodding. I smiled, as I brought my hands to her neck, rubbing her scales. She hummed again, as we parted gently. I turned to face the others, who were all wearing either a large smile, or what seemed like grinning ear to ear. I broke them out of their reverie by coughing politely, not wanting to drag any more attention to the overly sensitive Flygon.

"So, Zin," I said, addressing the Houndoom, "are you also thinking about coming along with me?"

"Well..." she said, tilting her head to the side. "If I did want to go, I want to go to my den first. There are a few things that I want to clean up before I would go."

"Nick should go with you," Song broadcast, her voice echoing in my mind. "That way, we can be all prepared for tomorrow."

"Well, there is that idea," I said, nodding. "Would you like some help, Zin?"

"That would be lovely," she said, walking up to me. Her grin was quite infectious, and I couldn't help but smile at her.

"Just you, though," she said. "My den isn't all that big."

"Then we better head out," I said, nodding. "Song, will you let Nurse Joy know where I'll be, please?"

Song nodded, smiling and giving me a cheeky salute. "Yes, Sir," she said.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her behavior, and that got everyone chuckling before I turned to Zin. When I looked about, she was already at the forest line, and I hurried to her side. Thankfully, she waited patiently for me to catch up to her. As soon as I did, we walked together, I slightly behind her, as she led me to her den.

I was always curious for the ones that chose to sleep out here, even though they had the option to sleep inside the Pokémon Center. My best guess is that since not many trainers passed by here, they felt safe enough that they weren't threatened. Other than by the few people that lived near the woods, like me, they didn't really have much to fear. I smiled at the thought, because it meant that what we're doing here, is working. At the very least, it was making them more comfortable in, so they were used the presence of humans.

The sun was still out, thankfully, but it was turning to midafternoon. The breeze was still blowing, the chill still present, but welcomed. Leaves that have been discarded by the trees rustled, as the wind ran about trunks. I was grateful that Zin slowed down in these winding paths. It seemed that her den was quite a ways away, and I kept the pace as best I could. The problem is that humans weren't made to keep climbing around rock paths.

The journey didn't take that long at all to complete, as the sun was still up in the sky. As the trees finally began to thin out, what looked like a small stream ran through a small clearing. I imagined that they only visible landmark was what looked like a large hump growing from the ground a fair distance away. We followed the stream, the Houndoom happily splashing about in its shallow depths. I was right, as we reached the mound that it was her den, the entrance opening a few feet from the stream. It wasn't just dirt, as I saw that it was more like a boulder had been carved out, and grass grew on top of it to make up for the disruption.

"You're going to have to crawl to get in," she said, as she quickly went inside.

I shrugged, but followed her, getting on hands and knees to follow my guide. Thankfully the tunnel wasn't very long, and it opened to a rather spacious room. It almost allowed me to stand up, but I didn't want to risk bashing my head against the ceiling. Zin pulled up to me a piece of cloth, what looked like an old shirt, and sniffed it deeply. She then walked up to me, and sniffed my hand. I was curious at the display, but I didn't voice my thoughts.

"Was making sure that you were this shirts owner," she said, growling in what seemed like a playful manner. "I have more of them, too. I think I should get rid of them."

I didn't notice there were other tunnels until she disappeared through one. I blinked, startled when she returned with a few more torn shirts in her maw. Curious, I opened the one I had in front of me. Déjà vu hit me like a stone to the head, as she was right. I 'lost' this shirt one day due to Xola's misadventures, the Milotic demanding that I take it off so I could swim with her. The color was gone from the shirt, caked with dirt and a very strong scent that I didn't recognize.

Zin dropped the other shirts in front of me, nodding to herself. "So, is there a reason why you have so many of my shirts?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from sounding surprised.

"Well, as you may have not noticed, a lot of other male Pokémon aren't all that sensitive," she said, sitting down on her haunches. Her eyes stared deep into mine, refusing to look anywhere else. It made me slightly nervous, just looking into those red eyes.

"What are you implying?" I asked, wincing mentally as I could hear my own voice start to crack. Zin grinned at my predicament, her sharp canine teeth giving her a very predatory look. She took a few steps towards me, placing her front paws on my lap. Her face mere inches in front of mine, her hot breath washed over me. Though ignorant in the beginning, it quickly clicked in my head what she wanted. I shook my head, attempting to disengage from Zin.

She wouldn't have any of it, moving quickly, pinning me down on the ground with her strength. I began to grab her, but her jaws quickly found my throat. I froze instantly, knowing full well all she had to do was put more pressure there and everything I knew would end extremely quickly. Her tongue bathed my skin between her jaws, saliva quickly dripping through her teeth and covering my neck with the sticky substance.

There were a lot of laws against this whole Poképhilia thing. I knew some of them, just because the news guys would always run a report on something some passing trainer said or something to that extent. I squirmed in Zin's grasp, only to be rewarded with a growl and applied pressure from her jaws. I stopped after that, forcing myself to stop any unnecessary movements. Her jaws released my neck, and my first thought was try to run away, but I quickly realized that she had a very distinct advantage. I frowned, trying to find a way out of this situation.

Either my face betrayed me, or she guessed at what I was thinking. "You're not getting out of here until I'm down with you," she said, licking me softly against my lips. "Song gave me permission for this, just so you know."

"She did what?" I asked, attempting to sit up. Zin pressed a paw on my chest, holding me down easily. She shook her head, smiling with what looked like satisfaction.

"Oh, you heard right," she said, moving her head down to mine. "The only way I agreed to this whole adventuring thing is if I had you, on my own terms. This is my way of owning you."

"I don't understand," I said, trying to buy more time, or at least, understand what she truly wanted. "What do you want with me?"

"I want you," she said simply, beginning to dig her paw against my shirt. "I want all of you, and you aren't going to stop me. I've waited far too long for this, and I'm NOT going to be denied."

She lunged, her lips meeting mine in a forceful kiss. I gasped, but all that did is allow Zin to stick her tongue into my mouth. I tried to fight against the powerful muscle, but all my efforts seemed to encourage her. Her growls seemed to soften, as her paws worked around my shirt. I managed to part our intimate union, if only to breathe.

"Wait a second," I said, panting. "At least, let me salvage my clothes. It'll be a pain to explain when I get back home how I ended up naked."

"I don't think it'll be too hard," she said huskily. "Just tell them you were assaulted by a Houndoom deep in her season."

"I highly doubt they'll buy that," I said. Her answer made me chuckle a bit, but I suppressed the need to laugh by removing my clothes from me. I put my shirt and pants as a makeshift pillow. I was pretty sure that I was going to be dominated one in this whole thing, so I might as well get comfortable. I was suddenly glad that the floor was free of debris or stones. I kicked off my shoes, but didn't get much further than that, as Zin decided I was naked enough. She pounced on me again, but stood on top of me.

"Song also said I had to explain myself a bit," she said, whimpering softly. I looked at her, confusion more likely quite clear in my face. She smiled suddenly, rubbing her cheek against mine.

"Alright, some explanation," Zin said, pawing at my chest. "I was the strongest of my pack, after my mother was caught by some trainer. I had just evolved, and I was thrust into the position of pack leader."

I wisely kept my mouth shut, but I raised my hand to her head, leaning forward and rubbing her cheek with mine. She licked me, but shook her head.

"Thank you, but I think I need to tell you why I'm doing this," Zin said. "It'll make sense, though there isn't much to tell."

After a brief moment of silence, Zin continued. "I was to lead my new pack out of the area, as quickly as possible. Even though I was put in charge, I didn't have the experience that others in the pack had. I relied on them to help me keep the pack safe, but they only saw me as a hindrance, and refused to help me. More than once, I was asked to leave the pack, but I refused, telling them that we needed to stay together as much as possible. Though, ultimately, I agreed to their demand."

"What?" I asked, flabbergasted. "Why would you do such a thing?" I knew that, to a Houndoom, their pack was their world. Lose that, and they might as well be good as dead.

She shrugged, tilting her head to the side. She ignored my questions, and continued with her story. "Not that long ago, about two summers ago, there was a horrid thunderstorm. One of the young was almost swept away, if it wasn't for me and a few others swift reactions. I made the excuse to look for a shelter nearby, but I made the decision to leave the pack like the others wanted. I couldn't put up with constant whispers behind my back, nor the courtships that some portrayed after talking to me the way they did.

"So yes, I ran. I ran away as fast as my legs could carry me. I found this hide away, and made it my own. Ever since then, I've been wary of humans, never letting get near me, nor my den. Not long after finding this place, I found you, following two other humans into the ruins west of here. I was curious what you were doing, so I followed."

Her story was making sense, in a weird sort of way now. I do remember seeing a Houndoom two years ago. Dad laughed at me, saying that the Unown were playing tricks on me. I guess I was right after all.

"I visited the Pokémon Center on occasion, and I got to know everyone here quite well. I was welcomed into the group, and for the first time, I felt like I had a home. Though Song was the first to truly make me feel welcome, she wasn't the last. After I confessed to her why I was here by myself, she was very enthusiastic of telling me of you. That's why I have these shirts of yours. She gave them to me."

"That's a little creepy," I said, shuddering. "A more important question, is why you took and kept them?"

"It made fantasizing about you while I went into heat a bit more pleasurable," Zin said, a grin spreading across her muzzle.

I swallowed what saliva I had in my mouth when she said that, making that audible gulping sound. Her grin widened, as she licked my lips softly, gently forcing my lips to part for her to have access to my mouth again. I slowly allowed her access, deciding to throw most of my inhibitions out of my thoughts for the moment. Why was I going along with this again? Oh yeah, she was about to rip my throat out.

I felt her weight on my chest as she relaxed against my body. Her warm fur encompassed my senses instantly. I brought one hand to her head, holding her in place, as I scratched absently behind her horns. My other hand, I brought to her body, feeling my way around her body. Her legs tickled my sides as she twitched, revealing her immediate satisfaction to me. I felt her tail snake its way around my right leg, as if to make sure I wasn't going to leave. I don't think I'll risk of getting bitten or burned today.

One of her hind legs lifted up and I felt it snag on the hem of my boxers. The ripping sound of cloth soon reached my ears; the feeling of her claws against my skin thrilled me. Fully absorbed by the mood of the situation, I returned her kiss as best I could. Zin's rewarded me by rubbing the length of her body across mine, teasing me into my full length. I could feel her fur through what was left of the material in between our bodies hiding my member from the air.

Our tongues parted, drool easily dripping from her mouth and onto my chest. I could taste the difference in my mouth, which I had to swallow, so I would be able to talk. The taste wasn't the best thing I've had all day, but I wasn't voicing my concern. Her growls were the only thing she vocalized, as she traced her nose down my body. She sniffed across my abdomen, licking her way down as she made her way to her target.

My member was already erect by the time Zin reached it. She removed the offending piece of cloth and sniffed my member for a moment, only to engulf it in her maw a second later. I moaned as the overly warm heat of her maw engulfed me. Her tongue soon joined the assault, licking the underside of my cock. My hands grasped at the soft ground, my nails digging through the dirt, and my toes curling at the unusual sensations. Her efforts were relentless, her tongue applying pressure at different points, to her teeth gently brushing against the head. Shivers ran down my spine as Zin continued her treatment, the gasps and moans that escaped my mouth only encouraging her onwards.

Suddenly, she stopped, her jaws opening to leave my penis slicked with saliva. She climbed up my body and pressed her lips against mine once again. This time I didn't resist her advance, returning the kiss with as much enthusiasm as I could. We parted long after I had run out of breath, forced to gasp for air as soon as her lips separated from mine. She pushed away from me, a whine escaping her as she walked to my side for a moment. She stood as she lifted her tail up into the air, her backside facing me. Her pussy was already lubricated, juices matting down her fur. I crawled my way to her, and almost touched her flanks when she moved away from my touch.

She shook her head, smiling. "You have to do the same," she said, wagging her tail.

A bit unsure about this, I moved slowly to my target. I brought my face to her nether area, taking a cautious lick of her skin. Her tail drooped down on top of my head, and eagerly pressed herself against me. I gently licked again, taking my time to become comfortable with my situation. Her low growls at the beginning soon turned into gentle whines as I grew more confident. I pressed against her folds with my lips, going as far as I could with my tongue. Her muscles instantly contracted as I gently sucked on her lower lips, whines of pleasure encouraging me to keep going.

I would break away from delving inside of her pussy on occasion; kneading her hips and rear legs with my hands gently. She abruptly pulled away from me, if just a step away, to lean forward, presenting herself to me.

I took a good look at Zin, noticing the smile she had on her muzzle. Her tongue would loll out, to lick her lips expectantly, her tail wagging up in the air, signaling me towards her. Her black fur was beginning to look slightly disheveled, her pants and my heart beat the only thing I could hear. I made my way to the sprawled Houndoom, lifting myself up to align myself with her. At this moment, it was when uncertainty strikes me. I was made aware that what I was doing was going to break a good handful of laws, possibly get me in jail, and a whole lot of other things.

I was about to say open my mouth, but Zin took the lead, pushing back, forcing my erect member inside of her. My complaint turned into a gasp, as I closed my eyes, trying not to dig my fingers into her flank. Zin didn't have my inhibitions, and swiftly let out a howl of pleasure as I filled her depths.

"Yes, finally," Zin said, her voice barely audible over the pounding in my ears. I leaned forward, placing a hand on the ground, the other still grasping her hide. Fortunately, this allowed our faces to be able to be at the same level, and she wasted no time to encourage me with a seductive wink.

I lifted myself up slightly, sliding myself out of her slowly, enjoying how her body tightened around my flesh as I tried to pull out. I didn't tease her for long, as I slid back inside of her tightening depths. I began to match her moans as I began to pick up momentum, pleasure beginning to take hold in my mind. Zin began to thrust push back in time with my own thrusts, our moans filling her den, the smacking of our bodies joining together just as loud as our voices.

I began to thrust faster, as my mind only wanted to get the release it craved. Zin's growls reached my ears, her body thrusting back in time with mine harder and harder with each thrust that passed. I could hear her whispering something, though I couldn't understand it over the pounding of our bodies or the constant beating of my heart in my ears.

Her body locked up, muscles tightening around my cock as I felt wetness at my crotch. I grasped against her hips, as my own orgasm snuck up on me, an explosion of sensations filling my mind. My mind was a haze of white, the feelings I was experiencing not letting me rationalize anything else. I felt my seed explode through my penis, right into her womb, her muscles doing all they could to milk my essence from me into her.

I tumbled on top of her, wrapping my arms around Zin's body. I could feel her pants and heartbeat, her body shivering underneath mine. I tried to at least prop myself up again, but she shook her head gently side to side.

"Please," she said, barely above a whisper. "Please don't go yet."

I frowned, but complied, gently picking her up from the ground. Still connected to each other, I lay down on the soft earth and turned her around, so Zin could lie on my chest. Her head rested against my neck, her breath hot against my skin. Her tongue graced my skin, washing me gently. I groaned once again, as her teeth nibbled on my skin.

"We aren't through yet," Zin said. I didn't know who she was kidding. I was exhausted, and I was betting that she was, as well.

"By Arceus, give me a moment," I said, breathing deeply. She chuckled, her body shaking. Her silken passage tightened around me, and I gasped.

"You're still hard," she said simply, as she wiggled her rump. I moaned as she teased me with her body. She thrust backwards into my length, hilting me again inside her warmth. In this position, I was completely at her mercy, unable to do more than just breath and attempt to thrust back in time with her rhythm. I wrapped my arms around her, forcing her down onto me harder as I thrust upwards, meeting her body halfway. A happy gasp escaped her lips, and I continued with the treatment, eagerly pounding away.

In between mutual gasps, moans and whimpers, both of us weren't going to last long. Her legs began to twitch at my sides, attempting to pull me tighter against her body. Zin was the first to reach her orgasm, bringing her head upwards, releasing a jet of fire from her mouth. I kept thrusting, reaching my own release soon afterwards, groaning loudly as I emptied myself within her once again. I held her against me, if only to keep feeling her warmth on top of me. Now thoroughly exhausted, I just lay there, panting to catch my breath again.

Zin's tongue startled me when I felt it bathe my neck again, but I relaxed after I realized I was still safe. I sighed, holding her against me, feeling oddly satisfied, if a bit concerned. If anyone found out, I'd be a dead man. The odds of being found out are small, true, but the longer this went on, the odds are going to change. I sighed, closing my eyes, exhaustion beginning to take its toll on me. I'll think about it, when I wake up.

====== =============================== ==========

I woke up with my face being licked. I groaned, attempting to bat the offending appendage away, but it would just continue its relentless assault somewhere else in my body.

"OK, I'm awake now," I said, yawning. "Geez, what time is it?"

"You need to get out of here," Zin's voice said. "That's all you need to know."

That woke me up instantly. I grabbed my clothes, and quickly threw them on. I don't remember what happened to my boxers, but it's better to not argue about such an item and hurry. I followed Zin, as she led me out of her den by puffing small jets of fire so that I could see. As soon as I crawled outside, I groaned, noticing that the sun was past setting. The stars outside twinkled brightly, the moon's gentle glow being bright enough for me to see easily. Zin pulled on my pants, encouraging me to move. I followed her as swiftly as I could without twisting my ankle, and was grateful that she slowed down when she noticed I wasn't fast enough to keep up with her.

The woods felt odd at night. I wasn't able to pick up any landmarks as I followed my guide back to the Pokémon Center. As we walked towards our destination, I couldn't help but notice how majestic she looked, running wild through the tree branches and paths she found. Her eyes glowed in the darkness, and easy indicator to where she was. Though, if I didn't know those eyes were hers, I know I would be scared for my life.

We quickly reached the Center, suddenly very grateful that we didn't reach it by the back entrance. It would be locked by now, and I wouldn't have the keys to get in. Zin guided me to the side of the building, where she jumped almost to by shoulders. I kneeled down to give her a hug, but her lips found mine, planting a deep kiss. My nerves kicked in as soon as I felt her tongue roll inside my mouth, but I returned the kiss as best I could. When we parted, she had a very satisfied smile on her muzzle.

"I'll see you in the morning," she whispered in my ear. Before I could say anything more, she dashed to the woods. With nothing to mark her passing, or to say that she would return I stayed there, in the same kneeling position. Every breath came to me quickly, as I tried to calm my nerves.

It's alright now, Nick, I thought to myself, shaking. Nobody saw you, nobody knows. Sure, you're going about without any boxers, but nobody needs to know that. Especially how I came about losing them or it's my head on a platter.

I walked towards the entrance of the Pokémon Center, and I smiled as Nurse Joy was there. She gasped as soon as she turned to see me, running around the desk.

"Nick! Oh my goodness, I'm so glad you're safe!" she exclaimed, pulling me by the hand. She shook her head, frowning at me. "How did you get so messy? Oh, never-mind, you never tell me these things. I just called your parents, telling them that you haven't shown up yet. I'll let them know you're going to stay the night here, and no butts! Get the keys from the desk, you know what room to use."

I nodded and grabbed the said keys from the desk. I walked down the hallway to the right of the desk, which led to both private rooms and the operating ward. I unlocked on the door that led inside the rooms and went back to drop the key off the desk again. Nurse Joy was nowhere to be found, so I put them back where I found them with a shrug.

I walked back to the now unlocked door, and I walked in, closing and locking it behind me. I turned to see the usual room that I slept in while I volunteered at the Pokémon Center. I was very grateful that these private rooms had showers. But first, I wanted to do a quick search. I sat in front of the computer that sat in the corner of the room, and turned it on, waiting for it to go through its program. As soon as it finished, I opened the adoption list, the Pokémon that were listed as ready and willing to be adopted. I was startled by a simple realization.

There was no Houndoom in the records. In fact, there wasn't a Houndoom attached to this Center at all. I stood up and quickly left the room to find Nurse Joy. Fear bubbled inside my stomach, as I realized that I just might have had sex with a wild Houndoom. I was thankful that Nurse Joy was back at her position behind the desk as I reached the lobby.

"Nick!" she exclaimed, frowning. "Please go clean yourself."

"I will, Nurse Joy, but I have a question. Is it true that you don't have a Houndoom for adoption?"

"Why do you ask, Nick?" she said, confusion in her tone.

"Well, Song said that there was a Houndoom that was interested in coming with me in my Pokémon journey, and I met her," I explained, omitting said sex parts. "That's why I was so late. I know that some Pokémon preferred to sleep outside, so I thought that was the case with her, as well."

"Well, that is certainly true, but I know that we don't have a Houndoom in the system," she said, frowning. "Have you checked the system?"

I nodded. A knot of dread sat at my stomach as Nurse Joy typed and clicked her way through the computer. I hoped that I just saw an old folder and I didn't pay attention to the dates.

"We don't have a Houndoom in our records," she said with a tone of finality. I swallowed what spit I had in my mouth, and tried to not let my voice break with it being so dry all of a sudden.

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," I said. I could even hear my own voice crack. "I'll go get cleaned up and head to bed."

She nodded as I turned away from her. I practically ran back into the room as soon as I was out of sight. As soon as I locked the door, I removed what clothes I had and headed straight for the shower. I turned on the lights, inspecting myself in the mirror. Scratches marred my torso, bite marks on my neck, and a bruise from something on my shoulder. How I got that one, I have no idea.

I shook my head and sighed as I turned on the water. Song is going to explain this one, big time.

\---- Chapter 3: New Steps

I woke up to the sounds of an alarm beeping loudly next to my ears. The alarm sounded just like any other, though to me they sounded like the angry squawks of a Staraptor. I groaned, rubbing my eyes in a vain attempt to rid the sleep from me, but didn't work. I was still exhausted, but when I grabbed the offending item to my face, the bright numbers clearly portraying it was almost noon, I almost jumped out of bed. I looked around for a moment, slightly confused that I wasn't in my room, but last night crashed into my conscious like a brick.

Right, I had sex with a Houndoom last night, I thought. I sighed, shaking my head. More like done against my will, but it was either that or have my neck bitten through. Can't be blamed for that, right? I didn't dare answer that question, even sarcastically. I went for my clothes, but as I looked at the state of my shirt and pants, I decided against it. I was suddenly glad that I always left clothes back here.

"Convenient, even," I whispered to myself, as I checked underneath the bed. A bright blue shirt and some black cargo shorts was all I had here of my clothes, but it beat walking naked. I found a pair of boxers and shrugged, noticing the heart shaped design. This was a gag gift from Mom a few months ago, when she didn't know what to give me. When I questioned her about it, she was mum about the reason. Right now, I was just relieved that I had some extra protection down there.

I headed for the bathroom to do my needed bodily functions. In an afterthought, I turned on the water for the shower as I brushed my teeth, getting it warmed up. After last night, I didn't want any Pokémon being able to smell that I was thoroughly claimed by Zin. I was quite convinced that someone could still smell her scent on me. Not willing to take the chance, I grabbed the soap and began to scrub every inch of skin I could reach, paying extra attention to my crotch. I honestly just hoped that this was a spur of the moment, and Zin, or the others, didn't intend to do the same. The possibility scared me.

I let the water cascade through my head, my hair clumping together and laying heavily in my face. I contemplated on the idea of Song and Mist masterminding this entire ordeal of events, and I was honestly terrified of the possibility. If Zin was brought with the lure of sex, who knew if they didn't convince the others to do the same? Somehow, I doubt that Spirit was bribed like that; just by the way that she acted didn't strike me as such. Akalia and Xola have always been very physical in their attentions, always enjoying when we are close together. Now, I'm afraid that they'll use my experience with Zin to take it a step further. Song was a mystery to me now, and I didn't dare figure out her intentions. Mist was an even larger mystery, as I've never met her before. The possibilities that my mind came up with wasn't something I wanted to think about so early in the morning.

I didn't care that I just woke up almost at noon. It was morning to me, dammit.

I exited the shower, making sure that I got all the soap off my skin beforehand. I dried up and got dressed as quickly as possible before heading back to the bed. I grabbed the sheets and folded them as best I could to get them washed. I shook my head again, not being able to remove the thoughts of Zin from my mind. Why would she do such a thing? Why would Song allow her to do it? I drew blanks as I exited the room, hands bundled together holding the cloth close to my body.

I made my way to the right, away from the desk and front door to drop off the sheets in the laundry room. The door opened before I reached it, revealing one of the many Blissey that work at the Pokémon Center. I stiffened slightly; fear of being instantly discovered caused my heart to start pounding instantly. Blissey noticed me and smiled, happily taking the bed sheets from me. She turned around and placed them in a pile of other dirty laundry. She faced me again, this time with an egg in her short hands, a happy smile on her face as she offered it to me.

I forced myself to smile at the happy Pokémon, if only to reassure myself. I shook my head, however, refusing her gift. She frowned at me, pressing the egg into my hands, refusing to take no for an answer.

"Why are you giving this to me?" I asked softly

"Blissey!" she responded in her language. I sighed, wishing again that I could understand their tongue. I forced a smile and took the gift, though the frown didn't leave her face.

"What do you want me to do? Eat it?" I asked

She nodded, her smile returning. I shrugged. What could go wrong, right? I mean, I've heard that Blissey eggs are safe to eat, by both humans and Pokémon. I was about to find out.

I brought the egg to my mouth, expecting a hard surface to meet my teeth. I was surprised, that while it had a tough skin, I was able to pierce it with my teeth. It was like eating an oran berry, but without the berry taste. The taste was nothing that I've ever tasted before. It was as if you had the right mix of sweet and sour put together. Before I knew it, I had devoured the egg and was licking my lips, a smile creeping up on me.

"Blissey!" the Pokémon exclaimed

"Thank you, Blissey," I said, smiling happily. I knew that I still had things to worry about, but they seemed to be put on hold, at least for the moment. I felt genuinely happy. I hugged the happy Pokémon and with a spring in my step, walked towards the entrance counter of the Pokémon Center. Hopefully, Nurse Joy was there, and we could get everything sorted out.

As I hoped, Nurse Joy was there, and the lobby was void of anyone except us two. After she was done fluffing some paperwork and putting it away, she looked up, to smile towards me. She waved me towards her, and I complied, quickly covering the small space in between us.

"You seem to look better today," Nurse Joy commented.

"Well, a good night's sleep, and waking up only to be force-fed a Blissey egg will do that to you, too!" I exclaimed, smiling widely

"I see," she said, chuckling at my enthusiasm. "Well, if you're ready, we can fill out what is left of the paperwork, and you can officially adopt the five that have agreed to go with you."

I nodded, smiling as she turned the keyboard, mouse and monitor my way. After clicking the Pokémon and agreeing to be their trainer, I passed the keyboard and mouse back to her. A few more clicks, and the sounds of the printing machine turning on was heard. A few papers were presented to me, and I looked at Nurse Joy curiously.

"It's so we have more than one copy of the records," she explained. I nodded, as I pulled a pen from the desk and signed my name in the spaces as I read the document. Thankful that it was only two pages, I handed the pages and pen back to Nurse Joy. She took them from me, and produced a Pokédex, twelve Pokéballs, and a backpack.

"The backpack has a few things that I figured you wouldn't bring with you," she said, winking at me. "There's a tent, canteen, water purifier and replacement for the filter. Oh, and your all-important sleeping bag, too."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy," I said, smiling. The backpack was like those hiking backpacks, full of pockets for all kinds of knick-knacks. The red sleeping bag was hanging from underneath of the pack, strapped securely to it. The tent was on the outside, also strapped tightly to the backpack. I'll have to figure out how to set it up. Today seemed like a good day to get used to the outside world, without much support.

I nodded, accepting the items from Nurse Joy. "Thanks, Nurse Joy," I said again. I slipped the backpack on, feeling the weight, and nodded to myself. It felt just right. I slipped the bag off and put the Pokéballs inside a pocket for the moment, and slipped the thin Pokédex into one of my pockets.

"You're very welcome," she said, smiling. "Now, I think you have five ladies waiting for you out back, right?"

I nodded, grinning. "I imagine so," I said, nodding. "I'm ready, Nurse Joy."

She grabbed the keys and went around the front doors, with me close behind her. We traveled the same way we did to go back to the Pokémon area, though my smile never left me. I was feeling an entire arrangement of emotions at the moment. I felt excited, mostly, but also a bit nervous, as well. I could feel myself start taking quick breaths, and I stopped walking, closing my eyes, trying to calm myself down with little success.

"Are you alright, Nick?" Nurse Joy asked

I opened my eyes, to see Nurse Joy give me a concerned look. I smiled, shaking my head.

"I'm sorry, Nurse Joy, just nervous. I'm good, though," I said, nodding.

She smiled at me, placing a hand on my shoulder as I walked towards her. "You'll be fine," she said, giggling. "If anything, you'll be great. The first days are always the hardest, so don't get discouraged."

"I don't think Song, or the others will let me," I said, chuckling.

"That's right, we won't."

Song's voice entered my mind as I noticed her and the other four sitting at on the grass. Akalia immediately stood up, and began to rub herself on my legs, purring deeply. Xola slithered next to me, rubbing her head against mine. I laughed as I felt her tongue on my neck, though I felt my heart skip a beat or two at the action. It reminded me too much of Zin's actions from last night. I pushed the feeling away as quickly as I could, so it wouldn't bother me. I'll sort that out soon enough.

Spirit, Mist, and Song were the last to walk, or float, towards me. Spirit was blushing again, but I was pleasantly surprised when she hugged me again. Mist and Song avoided physical contact with me, simply smiling at me. They both wore very self-satisfied smiles. Almost too convenient, considering what happened last night.

"I'll leave all of you to do your business," Nurse Joy said, smiling at me. "You take care now, alright?"

"I will, Nurse Joy, and thank you again," I said, waving at her as she walked away, closing the gate behind her.

"So, did you enjoy helping Zin?" Song asked, her voice almost a whisper in the back of my mind

I narrowed my eyes at her. "You set me up." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, I did," she responded, her voice light. "Are you mad at me?"

"Yes, actually, I am," I hissed at her. "I have a whole body of scratches and a neck full of bite marks proving it, too. I have no idea how Nurse Joy, or one of the Blissey didn't notice anything!"

Song's laugh did not help my mood one bit. It seemed to me that she was treating this like one big game. "You do know, if they find out about this, I can get arrested, right?"

"No one is going to find out," she said, nodding towards me.

"Famous last words, if I'm to be a judge of them," I said coldly. "They could revoke my trainer's license, and put all of you back here, or worse."

"Like what?" she asked

"Total alienation from other Pokémon," I said, frowning. "Or worse, use you as testimony and force you to say what I was forced to do to Zin."

"I'll make sure that it never happens," Song said, confidently

"Right," I said, rolling my eyes. "I can't believe that you told her that she could do those things to me, though."

"What DID she do, then?" she asked, her voice mischievous

"No way am I telling you," I said, frowning.

"I can just get it straight from the source," Song said, smugly

"By Arceus, you're impossible," I said, exasperated. I grabbed her hand gently, making her look into my eyes. "If anything, just please discuss it with me first. The surprise was... well, surprising, to say the least."

"It was a fitting birthday present, wasn't it?" she asked, her eyes flashing red

I sighed, releasing her hand. I shook my head in defeat. "Why do I feel like I've signed a contract with Darkrai?" I lamented out loud

All five Pokémon winced at the Dark Walkers name and I grinned at their response. It wasn't my intention to bring him up like that, but it was the first thing that popped inside my head.

"Don't ever speak his name so lightly!" Song exclaimed

I chuckled at her response, but I relented, if only just. "Uh huh," I said, rolling my eyes. "Serves you right, doing whatever you did to set me up. Hopefully you never have something like that happen to you."

Her eyes narrowed at me, but didn't follow through with the implied threat. I might have to pay for it later, but right now, it felt too good to get back at her. If only just a little. Nothing to the extent of getting surprised like how I did, but it was enough for me.

"So, back on topic," I said, shaking my head. "Beside the outstanding issue of Zin, are there any other concerns?"

Akalia was the first to step forward, nuzzling my hand. I kneeled in front of the Luxray, scratching behind her ears encouragingly. Her red eyes glowed in their golden glow, giving her a very intimidating look. I smiled, however, shedding off the backpack and trying to find the Pokéballs without averting my eyes. Thankfully, I found them without much trouble, and expanded one in my hand, presenting it towards her. Her head tilted to the side, as if to signal confusion. I smiled at her, shaking my head.

"You come with me because you want to," I said, shrugging. "I'm not forcing you, and I don't want Song, or Mist, to be making you. You come with me under your own will."

She smiled, splitting her muzzle wide and revealing sharp white teeth. Her nose tapped the Pokéball, and her form instantly transformed into red energy. The Pokéball opened in my hands, absorbing the mass of energy that Akalia had turned into and closed itself. I was surprised that it didn't begin to wiggle, signaling that she was fighting against the capture process, but I shook myself out of my own surprise. I opened the ball by tapping the middle button, releasing her out of her confines in a flash of red light. As Akalia fully formed, the glow surrounding her body dissipated, leaving behind the Luxray just as if nothing had happened. I smiled, as she nuzzled my hand gently.

"So, who's next?" I asked, taking a second Pokéball and expanding it.

One by one they came forward. Xola was next, almost smothering me when I let her out of the Pokéball. To my surprise, Mist was next, hovering in front of me. Her eyes were focused, but a smile adorned her face. I opened another Pokéball, and she willingly touched it, extending what looked like a hand towards the device. Again, just like with Akalia and Xola, Mist didn't resist being captured. As soon as it was safe, I released her from the Pokéball.

"Well, that was interesting, Master," she said, her voice echoing softly

"Are you alright?" I asked, concerned for her. Akalia and Xola didn't come out of the Pokéball feeling odd, judging by their actions. The Mismagius shook her head, the grin still visible.

"I am fine, Master," she said, nodding. "Just... getting used to this again, is all. Please, do not concern yourself, as I can assure you I am safe and sound."

I nodded to the ghost, smiling back at her rather positive demeanor. As I turned to face Spirit and Song, Spirit had walked towards me. Her cheeks were flushed, but wasn't visibly nervous. No clicking claws or wings buzzing this time. I smiled, reaching for her claws, letting me take them into my hand. She smiled back at me, her claw gently grasping against my hand. She nodded her head, bowing slightly as I presented the Pokéball to her. Spirit gently tapped it, and was absorbed into the ball. This time, it gently wiggled in my hands, but it stopped almost as soon as it started. I took the resisting as not enjoying being inside of the Pokéball too much, so I released her like the others.

As soon as she materialized, her personality changed. Gone was the shy Flygon, and instead, I get one that's more than happy to choke me in her embrace. I could see her face out of the corner of my eye, her eyes closed with tears falling through. I gently patted her back, pulling myself from her embrace to cusp her face with my hands.

"It's OK, Spirit," I whispered softly. "You aren't sad, are you?"

She shook her head in my hands, her tongue grazing the palms of my hands. I smiled as she stood up, her head held tall, as if proud of her choice. I turned from Spirit to the last one left. Song stood there, mouth wide in a smile as she nodded to me.

"Any more requests from you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her

She laughed; her voice light in the edges of my mind. "No, actually, I don't. I cannot speak for the others in that respect, can I?" She asked rhetorically. I rolled my eyes at her, but offered a Pokéball to her. She reached out to the ball with her hand, her eyes meeting mine and not looking away until she was gone with the flash of being absorbed into the small device. A bit of resistance, just like Spirit, but soon the ball stopped twitching in my grasp. I released Song, as she turned to face me from being released.

She was wearing a smile, as her voice was a melody in my mind. "So, where are we to go?" she asked

"As soon as we're all ready, I'd like to start going up Route two hundred ten north to reach Celestic Town," I said, grinning. "I've always wanted to see the Celestic Town ruins firsthand. From there, probably head west to Eterna City. If we're confident enough, we can challenge the gym leader there."

"But first, we have to find Zin," Song said, smiling.

"Yeah, we do," I said, sighing. "She did say that she would meet me in the morning, just not where."

"Don't worry too much, she'll find us," she said, nodding to herself. "I'm sure of it."

"Then we better get moving," I said, picking up my backpack. "Do any of you want to go back inside the Pokéballs?"

I wasn't surprised when all of them shook their heads. I laughed, motioning them to follow me. It was past noon and I wanted to at least say good-bye to my mom and dad. They deserved that much, at least. Packing some extra clothes wouldn't be such a bad idea, either.

================== ================== =================

I'll never understand my parents. How they knew to have everything set up for me, or even that I had 'picked' these five, I'll never know. I think they can read my mind. I didn't know, and I wasn't really complaining. Perhaps Nurse Joy had a hand in that. Regardless, it put me ahead of schedule, and it allowed us to get to the base of the mountains before the sun completely set. The sky was still with golden and purple hues, the sun making a dazzling display, while I began to set up camp.

I was actually looking to find other trainers in their journey, but I found none while traveling. I couldn't be discouraged, though. The world is huge, with many places to explore and sights to see. Perhaps this was a bit of an unused road, then? Solaceon never got that many Pokémon trainers visiting, only stopping by for the day-care center. Either way, I still wanted to visit Celestic Town, and it was closer than traveling anywhere else.

Not encountering with Zin throughout all this time unnerved me. She did say that she would come. Did she lie to me, then? The possibility was there, I guess. I kneeled down, picking up twigs and branches that were scattered on the soft soil. Camping near home was never like this, that's for sure. Thankfully, I was only a few steps away from my tent, and I hurried back to my clearing, with hopes to make a fire tonight.

As I put everything in order, making sure that nothing would catch on fire, I pulled out a lighter that my dad gave me. The dry kindling ignited easily, and by gently coaxing it, it grew vigorously. I nodded, rather proud of myself.

"A step in the right direction," I said out loud, grinning widely. I pulled out some cooking utensils, some meats, and a small iron frame to go over the fire to cook. I thought for a second, but then shrugged, pulling a Pokéball from my pocket. Opening and releasing it to my side, a perplexed Akalia appeared.

"Lux?" she said, her tone questioning.

"Just wanted some company," I said, smiling. "I apologize if you were sleeping. You can continue if you'd like."

She shook her head, walking towards me. Her broad head rubbed against my back, her deep purrs rumbling through my body. I smiled as I reached out to her, rubbing her fur.

"You wouldn't be hungry, by any chance?" I asked, raising an eyebrow

She came to my side, nodding feverishly. I reached for the others Pokéballs in my pocket, releasing them one by one. With all five Pokémon out, I smiled again.

"Dinner's ready, I guess?" I hazarded, digging through my pack.

I was grateful that mom had given me what felt like a ton of Pokémon food with matching bowls for my team. Again, how did my parents know, I don't really want to find out. Just the thought makes it a little scary. Compound that with the whole Zin incident, and it becomes a bit terrifying. Who knew what they would do if they found out? I didn't want to think of that right now.

I busied myself with serving my team with food. I found it a bit odd that a Mismagius, a Ghost-type, would actually eat physical food, but I didn't let it bother me. I had enough in my thoughts in my mind at the moment.

I busied myself preparing my own meal, as the others ate. I found myself calming down, as the heat of the fire slowly warmed me over. The sky was turning dark now, the moon slowly becoming visible through the sparse clouds in the sky. The stars glowed brightly across the darkness, beginning to bring a close to my first day of independence. I marveled at the idea, despite wanting this for so long. I wasn't going to kid myself; I knew I was downright scared of this. Regardless, I was enjoying my newfound freedom.

"Master, are you alright?"

The voice startled me out of my thoughts. I turned my head, to see Mist hovering next to me. I smiled at the ghost, though she pointed at the fire.

"It seems your food is burning."

I looked to where she was pointing, and moved quickly to avoid losing my food to the fire. I must have become lost in my reverie. I inspected my food, and nodded. Dad would have called it fully cooked. Either way, if I didn't eat this, I'd have to cook more, and I wanted to ration what I could. Just in case.

"You seem tense," Mist continued. "I do not believe that you are a person that loses themselves in their thoughts often."

I smiled at her as I swallowed a piece of my food. Able to speak, I responded. "Well, you'll probably end up finding out that I like to think a lot. I never had a lot of friends back in town, as I usually occupied myself with work, or being busied away doing my parents bidding."

She stayed silent, eyes studying me with casual observation. I smiled again, and continued eating. The gems on her body glowed softly, as her bowl floated gently towards her. We ate in silence, enjoying the fire and company as we enjoyed what we ate.

I shook my head, wondering how I was going to clean up after myself. I thought for a moment, before Mist spoke.

"You could ask Xola for help," she said, giggling.

The Milotic heard her name, and from my point of view, flowed towards us. Her body aligned itself behind me, her eyes looking at me curiously.

"Could you give me a hand cleaning this up, Xola?" I asked, pointing at the dirty dishes

"Let me aid you as well, Master," Mist said, her voice light in the air.

I turned to see her eyes and gems glowed in unison with a bright purple light. My plate in my hands began to gently shake. Looking down, I noticed the same glow around its edges. I let it go, and it floated above me for a moment, before moving away from the fire and the others. The other plates and such were lifted in a similar fashion, and after Mist had collected them all, she nodded.

"Ready?" I asked, curious

"Ready," Mist replied

"Xola, Water Gun," I said, nodding

My Milotic complied, blasting a pressured beam of water towards the floating plates. When the two collided, the water seemed to almost stop for a moment, before continuing in its course. I was paying a close attention to both Mist and Xola, wondering when Xola would stop, or Mist needed for the water to halt.

A low haunting cry came from Mist, and Xola stopped immediately. The utensils hovered back towards me, and I extended my arms out. They all fell stacked on top of each other neatly, the glow slowly dissipating.

"Thank you Xola, Mist," I said, smiling. "I'd give you a hug right now if I didn't have my hands full."

Xola smiled at me, nodding. Mist giggled again, and I smiled at both of them. I went back towards the fire to let these things dry. By now, everyone had curled up in a corner of our camp, and was either stargazing, or dozing off. I grinned, excitement building in me again. It was the little things that I was enjoying. I'm glad that no one regretted their decisions yet. Now, if only Zin would show up and be accounted for, every-

"Did you miss me?"

I jumped, a yell escaping my throat in surprise. I didn't land on my feet, so I scampered around on the ground, turning to see Zin the Houndoom sitting placidly. A waging tail and a wide grin on her muzzle told me that she enjoyed what she just saw. I held my hand against my chest, feeling my heart pound in my palm.

"Arceus, don't scare me like that, Zin," I said, taking a deep breath to steady myself.

She laughed, shaking her head. "It just shows that you aren't paying attention," she said, nodding to herself.

"Uh huh," I said, not wanting to argue with her logic. "So, did you show up to torment me, or are you still interested in joining my journey?"

"Well, now that you mention it, it does sound fun to torment you, as you say," she said, covering her muzzle with a paw. Shaking her head, she continued. "I'm still interested, but you have to catch me first."

"You want me to catch you, as in a battle?" I asked

"Yep, so no holding back now or I'll never take you seriously," she said, standing on all fours.

By this time, all of my team had awakened. Akalia growled deeply, her eyes glowing yellow. I nodded, patting the Luxray on the head.

"Alright, Akalia, you're up first," I said, pulling out my Pokédex. Flipping it open, I quickly found the battle application, to monitor Akalia's vitals, in case I had to recall her back from the fight.

"Here, Master. You'll need this."

Song pressed a Pokéball in my hand, the small form easily grasped in my tight fingers. I smiled, nodding back at her.

As Akalia stood there, pawing the soft earth with her paws, I recognized a bit of her actions. She tail would twitch in time with her ears, and her claws would extend slightly. I always knew that she was a 'retired' Pokémon, but I never imagined that those actions would be part of her normal routine when battling.

I didn't hesitate when Akalia stopped her movements. I took it as her signal to begin. "Akalia, Shockwave!"

Her tail rose, pointing towards her opponent, a bright flash was able to be seen, before a wave of lightning shot forward, rapidly closing any distance that was between it and its target. Zin didn't flinch, however, as she opened her maw to release a Flamethrower attack to match. Lightning met fire in midair, and the result was a soundless explosion. Heat and air met my skin quickly, warming me up, but I did my best to not let it distract me. A quick glance at the Pokédex told me that Akalia was still fine, unharmed by the attack. Smoke covered the battlefield, leaving only shadows to be barely seen.

"Thunderbolt!" I called out

Yellow light emitted from Akalia's body, as a ray of lightning lashed out towards her intended target. A howl that made my toes curl pierced the air. Akalia's attack, while it didn't miss, was blocked by what looked like a shell of blue energy. Zin pressed her advantage, lunging forward to attack. Zin jumped, and I shouted a command by instinct.

"Flash!"

Akalia let out a loud yowl, matching Zin's from earlier. White light engulfed the Luxray's body, followed by an explosion of light. I threw up my arms over my eyes to protect myself from the blinding attack. Spots danced in front of my vision as I saw that Zin was experiencing a similar experience like mine. Recovering from being temporarily blind, I ordered the next move.

"Akalia, Thunder Fang!"

Akalia pounced on her opponent, biting down on Zin's neck, unleashing a charge of electricity from close range. Zin howled again, body convulsing as her body suffered from the attack. I expanded the Pokéball without a thought, and threw it with as much accuracy and strength I could muster.

Akalia saw the device, and let Zin go, just as soon as the Pokéball reached her. The ball engulfed the Houndoom in red energy, and quickly absorbed it into itself. The Pokéball itself shook violently, and I prayed that it would be enough. As soon as I thought it, the Pokéball instantly divulged its contents, flying back towards my hands.

No witty remarks this time. Zin howled again, throwing her head back, only to unleash a Fire Blast in Akalia's direction. Both myself and Akalia were shocked, and I winced at Akalia's pained yells as fire burned through her. A quick glance at the Pokédex told me that my Luxray was out of the fight.

I grimaced, retrieving Akalia's Pokéball from my pocket to recall her back from the battlefield. Recalling Akalia, the sight of her like that was not something I was going to shake out of my mind for a while. I shook my head, steeling myself for the next round.

"Xola, are you ready?" I asked, turning to the Milotic

Her soft coo was my answer, as she slid like a snake across the grass to confront her challenger. Xola stood there, her head swaying to and fro, as if finding a tempo in her mind.

Zin wasn't having any of it. If she was angry, or just excited of the battle, I didn't know. She opened her maw again, unleashing yet another Fire Blast. Even having Xola as a Water-type, I wasn't going to risk her getting her hit by such a powerful attack if I could help it.

"Xola, Safeguard!"

Her body became outlined in green for a moment, only to project a rather large barrier in front of her. The Fire Blast met this barrier, and it seemed for a moment that the Safeguard would fail against the onslaught. The barrier held, however, the fire attack dissipating harmlessly before Xola's ability failed.

"Aqua Ring," I said, with determination

Xola let out a soft cry, as blue energy manifested and folded around her. Three rings spun around her body, glowing softly as they helped keep Xola's aura in peak condition. It also acted as a deterrent to getting close to her, as she could also unleash the rings to good effect.

Zin ran forward, releasing another Flamethrower. Xola deftly dodged by slinking down, making her body touch the soft earth. The thought formed in my head, but I didn't know if she would know the technique. I believe it's a good time to begin improvising.

"Xola, Brine!"

From her position, Xola launched a blast of water from her mouth, directly aimed at the Houndoom. Either from position or not being aware, it hit Zin straight in the chest. Another haunting howl came, realizing that Houndoom is part Fire. I pressed my advantage, feeling empowered by Xola's advantage.

"Hydro Pump!"

Xola brought herself up from the ground and reared up, before opening her mouth to release a high pressure blast of water towards Zin. She didn't even attempt to avoid it, rolling over the ground as she was washed over by the blast. Being hidden away from sight, I still was weary of Zin faking injury. She did get hit by a strong Water attack, true, but she also took a Thunderbolt without flinching, either.

It seemed that Xola sensed my uneasiness, as she didn't let down her guard either. She returned to her original stance, her head swaying to and fro again, her head and eyes watchful for anything that may even resemble a Houndoom. The rings did not dissipate, either, only adding to her allure of an old battler. I spotted Zin's prone form, slowly staggering to get up, and I took another opportunity. I threw the Pokéball in my hand, once again trying to capture to conniving Houndoom.

My aim was true again, Zin being absorbed back inside the Pokéball once more. I heard the all too familiar whine of a Pokéball absorbing energy, even through the pounding of my heart in my ears. Even after all she's been through, she struggled against the Pokéball, her struggles visible by the violent shaking of the device. This continued for quite a while, as I struggled to keep my breathing under control. Nervousness was beginning to take its toll, as sweat began to bead on my brow and hands clenching.

Suddenly, all resistance stopped, and the ball ceased its shaking. Even though I knew that she was captured, I didn't react immediately to the thought. Xola slowly relaxed, releasing the Aqua Ring around her, converting the rings into energy. She slid to the Pokéball and grabbed it. When the Milotic returned to me, she dropped the Pokéball in my hands. Still shaken, I hesitated for a moment, before walking towards the fire. I kneeled near the light, and released Zin from her confines in front of me.

As she appeared from the Pokéball, she was lying on the ground in front of me. I smiled, bringing my hands on top of her head. Her eyes opened slowly, wincing gently under my touch.

"Remind me next time, never to make Xola angry," she whispered softly

I smiled gently. "I promise," I said, petting her head.

"Keep doing that and I'll fall asleep right here," she said, leaning towards my hands.

"Then let me get comfortable," I said, beginning to stand.

"No need, Master," Song said gently. My sleeping bag was being brought out for me, courtesy of Song's telekinetic powers.

"Thank you, Song," I said, smiling as I took the floating roll. I opened it quickly and lay on top of it. Zin moved towards me, immediately falling prone on top of me.

"This reminds me of last night," Zin said, smiling. Even exhausted after a fight, she still has enough energy to be like this?

"No reenactments," I said, shaking my head. "At least, not yet, anyway."

"Good," she said, laying her head on my chest. Her deep and slow breaths telling me that she was beginning to fall asleep. I chuckled, as I placed my hands at my sides.

"Any of you is more than welcome to the tent," I said softly. "It seems I'm staying out here tonight."

I think that I heard Spirit squeal, though I wasn't for sure. For some reason, I can't picture Song or Mist making such a sound, though I could be mistaken. I sighed, but smiled regardless. I looked upwards, enjoying the slowly dying fire, the familiar weight of Zin on my chest, and the bright night sky above me.

"Things could be worse, Master," Song said, her voice echoing in my mind.

"I was thinking the same thing, too," I said, shaking my head.

"I know you were," she replied, sitting next to me. She raised my head and put it on her lap. I looked at her, clearly puzzled, but she shook her head.

"I'm not wooing you, if that's your fear," she said. "Though I would like to be as close as you are to Zin, I'm not going to do so like she did."

"That means a lot, Song," I said, smiling.

We stayed silent for a moment, before a thought crossed my mind. She giggled softly, her hands gently stroking my hair.

"I know that you're a bit angry still with me," she said. "I don't blame you, but let me explain why I did so."

I nodded, staying silent. Song seemed to be composing her thoughts, but she shrugged and shook her head. I brought a hand to hold the one she was using to brush my head, and she smiled.

"I knew that Zin was in heat," she began. "I also knew about her absolute distrust of humans. I knew why, even though she kept that hidden from me. I could sense the hate she projected for humans. Even through that, though, she was interested in you, and that caused her more confusion than she ever thought possible.

"When she finally found the Pokémon Center for the first time, she was infuriated, as she thought we were kept here against our will. I am thankful that we managed to clear that situation up, and she constantly visited, if only to speak to me. I seemed to be the only one interested in talking to her, and I would tell her about you."

"So that's why she was obsessed with me," I said, shaking my head.

"No, not true," she said, giggling. "At first, she saw you just like every other human. Though when I showed her that what I said was true, she slowly grew to like you, from a distance, obviously.

"Her heat was a different story. It had been far too long that she had been satisfied, if at all. I only suggested that she would consider the offer, though I did mention that you wouldn't argue too much. Plus, it was kind of a gift for you, too. It's not every day a female willingly gives her body to someone they just met."

I sighed. I wasn't going to argue with that kind of logic. Though I didn't like it, I couldn't say that I didn't enjoy it. I'd be lying if I did. Though, I do wish things would have been different, but there isn't any point to worry too much about what's happened already.

"I get it, Song," I said, stifling a yawn. "I'm not going to argue about it anymore. Just, please... warn me next time."

"Don't worry, Master, I will," she said, stroking my head.

"This applies to the others, too," I said, rolling my eyes

She laughed at my expression. "Now you're being a spoilsport!" she chided, giggling.

I sighed as I closed my eyes, still on her lap. I needed some kind of sleep. I wasn't going to climb mountains if I didn't get some kind of rest tonight. And, hopefully, Song will keep her hands were they belong.

##

\---- Chapter 4: Reality

I woke slowly, the smell of burning lingering nearby. My eyes snapped open, but when I tried to move, I couldn't. Looking around I noticed that not only was Zin still on my chest, but Zola was also curled up next to me. I was no longer resting on Song's lap, and I grew slightly worried to where she would be. The fire had either burned itself out, or put out by someone. I tried to sit up, only to hear a growl come from my chest.

"It's too early," Zin said, whimpering. "Go back to sleep."

I smiled, but I didn't press the matter. I brought my hands to her head, and began to gently scratch behind her horns. A smile played across her muzzle as I lay on the sleeping bag. Xola's body moved, her face swam into view. Xola let out a happy sigh as she gently rubbed her cheek against my face. I chuckled softly, if only to keep Zin complacent with the situation.

"Good morning, Xola," I said. "Have you seen the others?"

Xola nodded, her eyes narrowing for a moment, before turning to her left. Her tail curled around, as if to point behind me. I turned my head, to see that she's pointing towards the tent. I nodded, smiling at her.

"She's in the tent. Thanks, Xola," I said

She smiled, taking great pleasure in hearing my words. I began to sit up, but Zin growled again. I ignored the sounds, placing my hands on top of her head again. I sighed. I didn't want to disturb her, but if I wanted to get anywhere today, I had to get up and that meant getting Zin off my chest.

"Zin, I want to get to Celestic Town today," I said sternly. "I can't really move with you on my chest."

"Really now?" she responded, her voice tinged with the sound of a yawn. "It wasn't like that the other day."

I clamped my mouth, as I thought of another way to approach the situation. Xola began to speak to Zin in low tones, bringing her face to be on eye level with the Houndoom. Though I couldn't understand specifics, the tone in which Xola was speaking made it plain to me that she wasn't tolerating her attitude. Zin barked a reply, before speaking in human again.

"I'm sorry, Master," she said, her tone sounding submissive. I was startled at the change, and I wondered what Xola told her. I wasn't about to argue, but I intended to rectify the situation.

"Are you really that exhausted, Zin?" I asked, genuinely worried about her. Being tired is one thing, but we didn't go to sleep that late, I think. I don't remember checking the time on my Pokédex, so I might be wrong.

She giggled, her tone returning to normal. "No, I'm fine. Xola told me to begin obeying you better, or she'd constrict me."

"Well, maybe after yesterday's fight, you'll listen to her now," I said, grinning

She flinched severely, bringing her leg up and her eyes widening for a moment. She shook her head, looking at me with a subdued look.

"I won't forget it, Master," she said softly

"Please, for the love of Crescelia, stop calling me that," I said, feeling exasperated. "I told all of you to not call me that. It makes me feel... egocentric? I know all of you pretty well."

"I'll remember that, Master," Zin said, sticking her tongue out at me.

I sighed and shook my head, expressing my sincere dislike of being called 'Master' by my team. It made me feel as if this was all a joke. Zin tilted her head to the side, her eyes narrowed at me, but she didn't voice her thoughts. I looked at her curiously, but she shook her head. I shrugged, as a yawn escaped out of me, making my jaw pop loudly in my ears.

"Better get everything ready," I said out loud. "Xola, do you know where everyone else is?"

She nodded, pointing at the tent again. I walked towards the tent, kneeling to get a grip on the zipper. But as soon as I was about to move, Mist poked her head through the material. I jumped back, startled at seeing the Mismagius without even a hint of a warning, but I managed to restrain myself from yelling. The grin on her face told me that she knew exactly what was running through my mind at the moment. She floated through the material effortlessly, leaving no evidence of her passing.

"Good morning, Master Nick," she said, her voice calm. "I hope that everything is well?"

Catching my breath and holding in my surprise, I responded. "Yeah, everything is fine," I said, smiling. "Is Spirit and Song inside of the tent, too?"

Mist smile widened at my question. "Yes, they are," she said. "They talked well into the night, a bit after you fell asleep with Zin. Xola wanted to make sure you stayed safe, so she insisted to stay outside."

I nodded, things making sense now. "Well, could you tell those two that I want to get moving soon, please? Don't want to waste the daylight."

She nodded at my request, and floated back through the walls of the tent. I busied myself with cleaning the campsite that may have been left out last night. Either I didn't make that much of a mess, or someone took the time to help, because I barely found any trash. I shook my head, last night's battle playing in my mind's eye again. I shivered a bit, as I stood from kneeling against the ground to pick what looked like a soda can. Not mine, but whatever, right?

Just knowing that Zin was powerful enough to learn those attacks on her own is amazing. I didn't think it was possible for a wild Pokémon to learn Fire Blast without the aid of technology. It's possible that she saw it used, or was the victim of that attack, and she practiced enough to learn it. Is that possible? It sure seemed that way, at the very least. Song claims that she's wild, and honestly I don't doubt it.

Thinking about the battle, I moved my hand over to my pocket, feeling a Pokéball against my palm. I was concerned about Akalia's well-being, and I berated myself for not taking care of it last night. I quickly fetched the device and opened it, letting the Luxray fully materialize in front of me.

"Lux! Luxray!" she said, quickly pouncing on top of me

I managed to stay balanced while Akalia stood on her hind legs, forelegs on my shoulders as I received a face full of licks. I laughed, feeling happy just by knowing that she had recovered fully, but I still wanted to have a good look at her to make sure she was completely fine.

I patted her head, and she stopped licking me. I smiled at her, as her eyes seemed to question my actions. "I want to take a good look at you," I explained. "I should have taken care of you last night."

She shook her head, purring loudly. "You're not hurt, are you?" I asked, trying again to keep her affectionate side under control.

Again, Akalia shook her head. I dropped the subject, but I wasn't going to get an answer when she gets like this. Sometimes I really wish I could understand their language. Would probably make things a lot easier.

"Indeed it would, so I don't have to translate for everyone!"

Still with a Luxray's paws on my shoulders, I turned my head as best I could, to see Mist, Song and Spirit making their way towards me. A soft chuckling sound made me turn my head towards Akalia, only to receive a mischievous look. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being set up again.

"OK, everyone, now that we're all accounted for," I said, breaking the possible silent conversation going on, "we should get a move on. No need to spend another night out in the mountains, especially with the chance of fog rolling in."

"Spoilsport!" Song said, her voice echoing in my mind again. "It was fun to sleep outside, though. The stars are so beautiful!"

"I agree with you there," I said, grinning, "though I would have liked to sleep inside the tent instead of outside.

She shook her head, eyes glowing gently with a gentle shake of her head. "It isn't my fault you used Xola to combat Zin," she reminded me.

"It wasn't my fault that Zin passed out on top of me, either," I countered.

"You could have always returned her to the Pokéball," she said, with a sing-song voice.

"And have an angry Houndoom in the morning?" I asked. "No thank you. It was warm enough with her on my chest."

"I'm happy for you too, Master!" Zin spoke up, as I felt her horns scratch against my legs. "It was nice to be close to you again, at the very least."

I felt my cheeks flush, as everyone laughed around me. I shook my head, raising my hands up to get everyone's attention. As soon as all the laughter tapered off, I spoke.

"Alright, we should be getting ready to hike out, so if I could get a volunteer or two to make sure we don't leave any trash, that'd be great. Also, if someone can be our lookout, just in case there's any wild Pokémon or trainers' incoming, so we aren't caught by surprise. Other than that, you can sit tight, or go back inside your Pokéball."

Zin, Akalia, and Spirit quickly volunteered to be lookouts. Spirit took to the sky quickly, the soft humming of her wings and gentle swirl of dust marking her ascent. Zin and Akalia dashed in opposite directions, running about, inspecting things they found interesting. I shrugged, nodding at the remaining three.

"Alright, time to pack up and head out."

=============== ================ ==============

Walking across narrow bridges was a scary proposition already. It didn't help matters that the old bridge was made out of rope and wooden steps. The wood creaked as I put my weight on every single one. I held onto the rope with a death grip, not wanting to be caught unawares. It didn't help things that Mist was floating by, completely unconcerned with my state of panic.

"Do not worry, Master," she said for the umpteenth time. "I am quite confident that the bridge will hold your weight."

"Tell that to the rapids underneath me," I muttered, sighing. My heart pounded in my chest. I could feel my chest constricting because of the panic I was experiencing. I closed my eyes for a moment, listening to the roar of the rapids underneath me. Slowly opening my eyes, any progress I had to calm myself was lost when I still couldn't see anything farther than a hands length in front of me.

The creaking seemed to intensify. I heard something snap behind me, and my feet were pedaling in thin air a split second later. I held on, the rope now acting as my life line, as the bridge slammed against the side of the mountain. Whatever wind I had in me escaped through my mouth in a loud grunt. I had to bite back a scream of pain, as I felt myself being slammed into the side of the mountain.

"Master!" Mist yelled, her voice barely heard over the roar of the rapids

I tried to open my mouth to respond, but my grip began to slip. I groaned, barely being able to hold on. I tried to climb up, but quickly found that rope burn hurts, as I slid a few precious inches downwards. I needed to do something, because that kind of wet and tired isn't on my to-do list.

Mist appeared through the white fog, shock clearly visible on her face. She shook her head, frowning in concentration, as I struggled to find Spirit's Pokéball in my pocket.

"Here, let me aid you, Master," Mist said, with unnerving calm. Her body began to glow gently, feeling the contents in my pockets move, but only one Pokéball came out of them. I quickly grabbed it, nodding at the ghost.

"Spirit!" I yelled, quickly opening the device in my hands, to release my Flygon from its confines. Her startled squeak was heard as she found herself without ground under her feet, but quickly adapted when she saw me. Her arms quickly grabbed me, holding me against her body possessively, as her wings hummed around me. I wrapped my hands around the Flygon as we flew upwards, the river's roar barely heard over the soft singing of Spirit's wings.

Time seemed to slow down, as I had no landmarks to tell where we were. I could see the white fog all around us, as Spirit flew through the open air. Mist was flying next to us, her purple glow surrounding her body, as her gentle voice barely heard over the wind. It seemed that Mist was guiding Spirit through the fog. I couldn't tell, as everything in sight was just covered in muted grey and white. I shivered, feeling my body grow cold, and Spirit gave a sharp cry. The humming grew in intensity, as we picked up speed.

I brought a hand to my mouth, trying to bring back feeling to my numb fingers by exhaling on them. Spirit's scales were beginning to grow cold under my touch, so I tried to alternate warming my hands as best I could. Her face would turn to look at me, worry clear in her expression, as I tried to shake my head. The humming seemed to double; as it felt that we were speeding up, trying to get to secure land as fast as possible.

The wind rushing across my exposed skin cut like a Slash attack on a target dummy. I shivered, trying to focus on not falling asleep in my Pokémon's arms. The gentle thrum of Spirit's wings, the howling wind, and the biting cold dulled my senses. Try as I might, it was becoming increasingly harder to stay awake.

"Master," Mist said, startling me into awareness. "We're almost to the town. Do you wish to land?"

"Yes, please," I said, as loud as I could. Mist nodded, and with a gentle cry, she began to descend into the mist. Spirit quickly followed the disappearing Ghost type into the yawning mist. I shivered once more as my body was bombarded by water, in a vain attempt to stay warm. Teeth chattering like mad Combee's, I held on tightly to Spirit's body. Her arms held me tightly against her body, her voice echoing above me through the humming of her wings.

Sooner than I thought, the mist began to clear. Though it was still prevalent higher up, it was obvious now that we were out of it. Spirit flew straight towards the familiar orange roof and white building, with an obvious reference to a Pokéball in the motif at the front of the building. A Pokémon Center right now felt like the best thing to see after what just happened.

Spirit didn't waste any time after landing gently on the ground. The doors opened instantly, letting her inside, carrying me. The Nurse Joy of the Pokémon Center turned around, and was about to give us a cheery greeting, but soon was raising her voice in a commanding fashion. An army of Chansey showed up, bringing all kinds of medical equipment. I was placed on a stretcher bed, and was hurried over to emergency.

Nurse Joy's face entered my vision, and she shook her head. I couldn't hear what she said, though it was obvious that she was talking. I shivered again, as I prayed that I didn't become deaf or suffered any permanent damage. A sharp pain in my shoulder told me my sense of touch was still working, however, as the stretcher kept moving. Lights began to blur as I was hurried off somewhere, and my eyes close against my will. A yawn breaks through my lips, and I know no more.

================ ========================== ===============

Talking. That was the first thing I heard as my senses slowly awakened from the dead sleep I was in. Vague memories floated across my conscious. I attempted to focus, trying to remember the morning, or what exactly happened. My mind decided that it wasn't the time or place for that, as all I see clearly in my mind's eye is feeling cold. I groaned, bringing my hands to my face, rubbing my eyes softly. I almost yelled out when I felt a sudden pressure on my chest. I moved my hands away to see what was attacking me, to see Zin and Akalia on my sides. I could recognize their blurry features, if just because Zin has black fur and horns, and Akalia has blue fur and a star on her gently waving tail.

"Master!" Zin's voice said loudly. Too loud for my taste, but I was suddenly glad I could hear her voice. "By Arceus, don't you DARE do that again!"

I groaned, shaking my head. My throat was dry as parched earth, but I swallowed some spit in my mouth to be able to talk again. I tried, this time with moderate success.

"I'll remember that," I croaked out, my vision spinning for a moment. I closed my eyes again, feeling my stomach churn in nausea. This is definitely not my best morning so far.

The swish of a door opening, and hands were against my cheeks. Human hands. Must be Nurse Joy, checking up on me.

"Can you hear me?" Nurse Joy asked, confirming my suspicions.

"Yes," I said, wincing at my own voice. Pain shot through my head from just talking.

"Well, it's a good thing you have such loyal Pokémon," Nurse Joy said, her voice soft. "They haven't left your side since you've been here."

I nodded, trying my best not to aggravate the pain. I was taking deep breaths, trying to keep myself as level headed as I could. The pain I was feeling was the worst I've ever felt.

"You broke a few ribs, too," Nurse Joy continued. "If it wasn't for your Gardevoir, I wouldn't have known. I'm just grateful that we're fully stocked for such emergencies."

I nodded again, making a note to thank Song when I could. A question formed in my mind, and I dared ask, even if I knew I was going to regret the backlash of pain that was going to happen after I opened my mouth.

"How long have I been here?" I asked. I grimaced, pain flooding me instantly, but I refused to cry in pain. Damn, this hurt.

"About three days now. This would be day four for you. You just rest, and we'll get you out of here soon enough. Modern medicine will work its wonders soon."

I opened my eyes, seeing for the first time a different Nurse Joy, though I hear they all look the same. The familiar smile, hair, and dress put me at ease. I smiled, feeling her hand ruffle through my hair.

"You'll want to take a shower later, too," she advised. "You need it."

I laughed, even through the pain I was feeling because of it. I nodded, chuckling at her comment. I probably reeked, but I couldn't bring myself to care at the moment. I survived, and everyone else was safe. That's what mattered.

I saw that everyone was present, except Xola. A mixture of dread and fear sat at the pit of my stomach. I've already grown accustomed to seeing everyone, and not having Xola present stood out. Not that it was hard to miss a seventeen foot leviathan. That alone put me on edge.

"Nurse Joy, where's my Milotic?" I asked, as she was making her way out of the room

"You only appeared with five Pokémon," she answered, her head tilted to the side

Things just couldn't get better right now, could they? I pushed myself off the bed, sitting upwards, deliberately ignoring all the pain and instinct to stop what I was doing. I didn't care at the moment. I had to find Xola!

"What are you doing, young man?" Nurse Joy demanded, as I got off the bed on shaky legs. I nearly lost my balance, if it wasn't for Spirit who grabbed me by the shoulders to steady me. I smiled at the Flygon and nodded, patting her on the back.

"I'm going to find my lost Pokémon, that's what I'm doing," I answered, as I began to walk past her. A step later, I fell to the ground, my nose hitting tiled floor. I groaned, but I pushed myself upward.

"Nurse Joy is right, you can't go out there like this," Song said, her voice full of worry. "You would get yourself killed if you tried!"

"So what?" I retorted, annoyed by her statement. "You think I'm going to just forget about Xola like that?!"

"No, but I suggest you send Spirit, myself and Mist to find her," she said, her voice calming my raging thoughts. "I'll do what I can to support them, as they both know where you flew by."

"The area was covered in fog," I said, shaking my head. "We were too high up to see land."

I stayed quiet, making a vain attempt to stand up by myself. Spirit aided me again, her strong arms helping me off the ground. This time, she put my arms over her neck and shoulders, as her arms lifted me up from the ground. I couldn't help but worry about the situation.

I shook my head, berating myself for thinking so negatively. Here was my team, just as worried as I was, or more so, about Xola and myself. I forced a smile, attempting to rid of the thoughts from my head.

"Alright," I said, closing my eyes in thought. "Spirit, Mist, and Song, if you go out to look for Xola, but be safe out there. I don't know what I'd do if you three got hurt, too."

Spirit laid me on the bed, nodding her head. I gently patted her cheeks, smiling. She took my hand in her claws, gently squeezing and smiling, tilting her head to the side. When she let me go, she nodded to Mist and Song, and all three walked out in unison.

"Are you going to stay put?" Nurse Joy asked, her voice annoyed

"There's no way I'd feel at ease now," I said, shaking my head.

===================== ===================== =============

Two days passed by before Nurse Joy pronounced me fit enough not to mess myself up again. I immediately left with both Zin and Akalia at my side, forcing myself to walk and not run to the fog entrenched mountains east of Celestic Town. It was hard to believe that this section was always covered in mist. Ever since Song, Mist, and Spirit have returned without a hint of finding Xola's Pokéball, I knew I had to take a direct approach.

Finding the broken bridge wasn't hard. Zin's growled next to me, nodding.

"She's here," Zin declared. I looked at her, bewildered by her statement.

"How do you know?" I asked

"I can smell her scent coming from down there," she said. "Don't argue and trust me."

I nodded, pulling out Spirit's Pokéball. The Flygon appeared next to me, and smiled gently.

"Spirit, we need to get down to the bottom of this chasm," I said, pointing downwards. "Zin says that she can smell Xola's Pokéball down there."

Spirit nodded, as I pulled out two Pokéballs to return Akalia and Zin to safety. As both of them returned successfully to their safe devices, I shoved them deep in my pockets. I didn't want a repeat of last time, even if it was an accident. I pulled another Pokéball, examining it before expanding and releasing its ghostly inhabitant.

As Mist materialized, she gave me a curious look. "Is my assistance required, Master?" she asked gently

I nodded. "Another pair of eyes would work marvelously at this moment."

She nodded, as Spirit walked next to me. I patted her on the shoulder, as she easily lifted me in her arms, much to my surprise. Her wings hummed loudly in my ears, as she gently lifted us from the ground. We floated downwards slowly, the mist filling my vision, turning everything into vague shapes. Only Spirit's neck and colors of her scales were bright to my eyes, and I could barely make out my Mismagius body floating through the ocean of fog.

We reached the turbulent waters, and I shook my head. "Follow the flow of water, Spirit," I said, holding tight to her arms. She mimicked my action, pressing my body closer to hers as she flew towards where I pointed. The rapids ended in a waterfall that fell a rather large distance down. I looked downwards, to see more fog and hear the water cascade into the natural pool at the bottom.

"Mist!" I called, hoping that she could hear me easily

"Yes, Master?" she asked, appearing next to me. I looked at her, startled for a moment, but quickly focusing on my objective.

"I heard that it's possible for some Ghost types to sense energy," I said. "Is that possible? And if so, could you sense Xola's energy?

"I can try," she said, eyes closed. "I have never attempted to do so over a large area. I may not get an accurate reading."

"Getting a reading is more important than accuracy," I said. "We need to know if she's here in the first place."

Mist nodded, as her gems and body began to glow with a calming purple glow. Consciously or not, she began to hover lower, and I directed Spirit to follow her as best she could.

"Follow her, girl," I said, patting Spirit's neck. "I don't want to lose anyone else."

Spirit nodded, making a cooing sound. We followed Mist down to the bottom of the waterfall, the sound deafening out almost everything else. The only things I could hear was the humming coming from Spirit's wings, and my own heart beat in my ears. When we floated towards Mist, she was still, her body still surrounded by a purple glow. Not daring to interrupt, we stayed silent, as panic slowly began to build in my throat. I wanted to yell out for Xola, in the random chance that her Pokéball had opened, or it had broken, but I didn't want to break Mist's concentration.

We stayed there for a time, all I could focus on was the purple glowing in front of me, and Spirit's continued breath. I didn't want her to become exhausted, so I pointed to the shoreline, so we could sit and rest, while Mist did her reading. We landed easily, and Spirit let me go, but not enough to walk on my own. She held onto my arms possessively, shaking her head when I turned to face her. Curious, I let her, and she pressed my head against her body, as her heartbeat isolated me from the rest of the world.

I stayed in her embrace, but I looked over my shoulder, wanting to see if Mist had made any progress. I smiled at Spirit, patting her shoulders, and she seemed to visually calm down. I, however, was still a nervous wreck on the inside. I looked at the water, to see Mist still hovering there. I didn't want to interrupt her, so I fished out another Pokéball and released its inhabitant next to me. Song materialized, her eyes narrowed instantly when she saw me. No words were spoken between us, as if she knew exactly why I had called her out for.

Song closed her eyes, and her body was enveloped in a faint green glow. She opened her eyes soon after, her eyes glowing red in distinct contrast to her body. I shivered, but she didn't stay looking in my direction for long. She turned around, and Song pointed in the direction she was facing, into the forest.

"She's hurt," she said simply. I didn't wait for anything else, and I ran towards where she pointed. Song didn't voice any argument, following right next to me. Spirit cried out loud, and her wings hummed as she caught up with us.

"Call Mist," I said to Song. "Let her know where we are!"

"I am already at your side, Master," Mist said, her purple body floating next to me. I nodded, as I pushed my body harder to get to where Xola could be. And I had to leave my backpack behind, too! Out of all the times that I had to be an idiot, now was not the time!

The tree line wasn't thick like it was back home, and we passed by them with ease. Though it was still daylight, the sun could barely pierce the fog, and it made running part of the risk. I didn't care at the moment, needing to find Xola as soon as possible. My chest burned, and I could feel myself running short of breath. Luckily, we found an opening. My pants turned to sobs as I saw what was waiting for me.

Xola was there, her scales soaked in blood. Her head was laying on the grass, cuts and bruises marring her body. I shook my head, as I hurried to her side. I slipped on the wet grass, but I made it to her side. I hesitated for a brief moment, but I then placed my hands against her scales, trying to feel if she was even alive. When she didn't stir, my heart clenched, as I was struck with grief.

I couldn't speak. I wanted to swear and curse whatever just happened, that this didn't need to happen. Words died in my mouth before they could be formed into anything more coherent than sobs and cries. Tears began to flow from my eyes, as I threw my body against the prone Milotic. I could feel a light touch on my shoulders, but I didn't acknowledge it, just wanting to mourn for the loss I just suffered, blaming myself for my ignorance.

"This wasn't your fault, human," a soft voice said above me.

I threw my head up, following the blue paw on my shoulder. The leg, covered in deep blue fur, with white markings underneath its legs and the entire belly, as twin tails blew in the nonexistent wind. A large billowing purple mane flowed like water; a slim face stared at me with its eyes. A large crest adorned its forehead, almost like an incomplete crystal. It dawned on me who exactly this Pokémon was.

"Suicune," I whispered, my body shivering instantly. My heart raced, feeling overwhelmed by the fact that, not only was my partner and friend dying or dead, a Sacred Beast stood on top of me, as well. My mind refused to comprehend anything more than what I was seeing at the moment.

"All Water Pokémon are under my care," it whispered softly. I could swear that the voice sounded feminine, but I couldn't be sure. It sounded as if the ocean depths purred in my ears.

"It is my responsibility to see that they are taken care of," Suicune continued. "Why are you here, human?"

"She's my partner," I said, my chest aching. "I failed her, as her trainer and friend."

"Mistakes can have grave consequences," Suicune said. "But, they can be corrected, with time."

I looked on as the Sacred Beast placed one of those whipping tails on top of Xola's head. Suicune's body began to glow a bright blue, my vision being blinded as everything around me was swallowed by the light. My hands were still on top of Xola's body, and I refused to move away from her, legendary beast be damned. The glow continued, slowly encompassing anything I saw. Xola's body was the first thing to disappear from my vision, though I could still feel her underneath my fingers. My hands were slowly consumed by the encroaching light, slowly making its way upwards towards my body.

Wind began to blow, and a howl could be heard, as if belonged to it, though coming from a different source. I closed my eyes, as everything becoming a uniform color, trying not to clamp my fingers tightly against Xola's body. Something pressed against my skin, through my shirt, and straight into my chest. I gasped, opening my eyes against my will, finding Suicune's tail against my skin. I shivered, my body growing cold, my heart thundering in my chest. Surprise was still prevalent in my mind, as I felt a large dose of energy run through me, like sticking your finger in a power outlet. Except, your finger wasn't your own, and it was hooked up to your chest.

I yelled out, pain flaring through my mind instantly. My eyes began to water, as my body shook. I fought against the encroaching feeling of darkness with all my might, but I could feel my breathing becoming more labored as time went on. I barely recognized the act of breathing, much less anything else except this sensation of pure pain in my mind. My eyes shut, as I felt myself fall sideways towards where I last saw Suicune. Landing against the ground, I tried to grasp at the offending appendage that felt stuck to my chest, but as I reached towards my chest, a gentle touch made me stop.

"You've done well, human," the soft voice of Suicune said. "More than I had ever hoped. You are... quite unique. It gives me some hope for your kind. I must remember that not all of you humans are the same.

"Rest now," the voice continued, the paw moving from my hands to my forehead. It tapped me twice, and my thoughts ceased.

================= ========================== ===============

"Master!"

I awoke to my chest being pounced on, by someone that was too heavy for me. I groaned, still eyes closed, though whoever it was didn't agree with my train of thought. Gentle nuzzles against my neck made me open my eyes, to see Xola's body lying on top of me. I gasped, sitting up instantly, bringing my hands to her face, gently lifting it so that I could inspect it easier at my eye level.

"Is something wrong, Master?" a voice said. A voice in front of me. Xola was talking. How in Arceus's name could I understand her?

"Nothing's wrong, Xola," I said, patting her head gently. "I'm just glad we found you."

"Wait, you can understand me?" she asked, her head tilting back in surprise. Her body coiled upon itself, as her eyes narrowed.

"It looks like it, though how, I have no idea," I said, shaking my head. "This feels like either a very good dream, or a seriously messed up nightmare."

"I woke up underwater," Xola said, bringing her head down to eye level again. "You weren't there. I was about to ask where you were when a sharp pain on my head made me black out. I woke up on the sand, not far from here. I made my way here, so I wouldn't be spotted by something that was looking for an easy meal."

I shivered as she recounted her tale. I frowned, as I didn't want to hear any more details. I just wanted to know if this was real or not!

Xola pressed her head against mine, her scales rubbing against my skin. It felt real enough. My hands encircled her body, as I pressed myself tighter against her soft scales. My head hurt from the possibility, but I didn't care. I was just glad to have Xola safe and sound.

"You saw Suicune, didn't you," Xola said, a smile forming on her lips. She shook her head before continuing. "I don't know what happened, and I don't care. As long as you're here, that's what matters, Master."

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that," I said, frowning.

"Spoilsport!" she said, as she began to laugh. I chuckled, as I looked around to see my surroundings. My backpack was resting on the ground; the tent was propped up and secured. A small fire was alight; gently glowing as fog swirled around the area. I sighed, feeling worried for the others.

"The others are around," she said, nodding. "I'm betting they're trying to find some berries to bring back."

I turned around out of sheer instinct, only to have both Akalia and Zin tackle me down to the ground. My head met the grass quickly, my neck and face being licked in earnest by both of them. I laughed, my limbs useless in pushing them away, but I didn't give in without a fight.

"Xola, help me!" I said, trying not to laugh as a tongue snuck its way up my nose.

Xola's tail curled around Zin, removing her weight from me. That allowed my hands to get underneath Akalia, and I proceeded to scratch her belly, successfully distracting the Luxray that was on top of me. I managed to stand up, but my feet failed me, though Xola's body met me halfway through the fall, so I would be safe.

"Thank you, Xola," I said sincerely

"You're getting one of those Pokéball belts, and nothing you can say is going to persuade me otherwise from making you get one!" Xola declared. "Are we clear?"

"Yes, ma'am!" I replied, before chuckling at her commanding voice.

Spirit, Mist and Song returned shortly, carrying a great number of different berries in some of my shirts. I shook my head, but I indulged anyway, grabbing an Oran berry and stripping the skin. As I threw the berry skin into the fire, I looked around me, seeing everyone safe. I don't know exactly what happened, but something did. It's been seven days, and I've already come out of a near death experience, almost lost a companion, met a Sacred Beast, and apparently brought Xola from the brink of death. I'm just glad, that for now, things are back to normal. Whatever normal means, I have no idea anymore.

As I ate the berry in my hands, I contemplated of how things are different. Losing Xola would have been devastating. Losing anyone would have been devastating. I closed my eyes, trying to remember what Suicune said, but failing. Something about how I was special? I shook my head, trying to jar thoughts from my subconscious, but failing miserably. Maybe I should just be grateful that everything worked out for the best. I'm definitely not taking the little things for granted. Not anymore.

And that belt? Going to buy one as soon as I see one, too.

\--- Chapter 5: Haunting

I woke up, surrounded in a red glow as sunlight filtered through the tent. I sat up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes as I yawned. My stomach rumbled, the need for food quickly coming to my mind. I ignored it for the moment as I looked around, seeing that Zin decided to use my lap again for a bed. Akalia's body lay next to me, her nose twitching absently. Not seeing the others, I grew a bit concerned. After last night, not knowing where they might be is going to give me nightmares.

Zin yawned, shaking her head as her tongue lolled out. She looked around for a moment, tail twitching absently, before her eyes met mine. She smiled as I reached towards her, petting her head. She leaned into my touch, closing her eyes, enjoying my attention to her. We stayed like that for the moment, trying to keep as quiet as possible so Akalia wouldn't wake up. I smiled down at the Houndoom on my lap, feeling at peace with everything.

Sure, last night definitely shook me, severely. My mind instantly teleported my thoughts to Xola. Just the mental picture alone of her harmed body brought tears to my eyes. I shook my head, trying to fling the thoughts from my mind, and I was successful for the most part. I could still feel the goose bumps running up and down my spine, just from the effects of the mental image. My thoughts returned to the present, when a tongue snuck its way into my mouth. I pulled back, surprised, to see Zin giving me a worried look.

"Are you alright, Master?" she asked softly

I heaved a sigh of relief. Nodding, I answered. "Yeah, sorry," I said, smiling. "I remembered last night, that's all."

Zin raised an eyebrow at my statement, but didn't press the issue. I smiled down at her, bringing my hand to scratch under her chin. She leaned into my touch again, a goofy smile forming on her muzzle as I scratched.

"You know," she said, "we really should renew our bonds."

"What do you mean?" I asked, slowing down my scratching. "Wait, you mean..."

"Yes, that's right," she said, giggling. "Don't stop scratching, Master. Or, do you want me to beg for it?"

I continued as asked, raking my fingers through her fur. I leaned forward, as Zin tilted her head upwards, her muzzle meeting my lips. Her tongue snaked inside my mouth, gently lapping at my cheeks as I returned her affection as best I could. I cupped her face gently in my hands, her paws beginning to rub along my pants, encouraging me wordlessly by gently pressing against my crotch. I moved my hands slowly down her body, pressing her body against mine when Akalia decided to make it known that she was awake.

"Luxray!" she said, a rumbling chuckle making its way into my ears.

I froze at the sound, my eyes widening as I tried to disengage from Zin's lips. The Houndoom completely disagreed with me, however, as she eagerly pressed her lips against mine tighter and shoving her tongue deeper into my mouth. As I leaned back to break our contact, she leaned forward, walking up my body and keeping our lips together. Akalia was sure not helping, her purrs getting louder as Zin kept up the kiss. If I didn't know better, I'd say that I was being set up for something. I fell backwards, my back resting again on the unfurled sleeping bag, Zin standing proudly on top of me.

"Master, if you and your mate wished for some time alone, then you should have warned us."

I felt my cheeks burn as I heard Mist's voice. I gently pushed Zin away from me, her tongue still licking my lips as we parted. Though she didn't say anything, I got the deep impression that she was disappointed in me. I didn't know why, but I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have minded if we got further in our intimacy, even with everyone looking on us.

"Thank you, Mist, for the reminder," I said, shaking my head. "Zin just wanted to wake me with a surprise."

"Well..." Zin said, a smile flashing across her muzzle. "I guess you could call it a surprise."

I felt my cheeks blush again, as the Houndoom laughed. Akalia rubbed against my side gently, as Mist shook her head.

"Regardless, both Spirit and Song are waiting for you outside," Mist said. "I will let them know that you will be along shortly."

With those words, Mist passed through the walls of the tent effortlessly. I sighed, shaking my head gently side to side. "What am I going to do with you, Zin?" I asked aloud.

"You could do exactly what you did when we first met," she said, her eyes alight with mischief. "You definitely helped with satisfying my heat, but it's unfortunate that you can't end it, so it's bothering me again. And, in all honesty, you were amazing. I'd love to feel your -,"

"I get it, Zin," I said exasperated. Though I did feel a bit of pride in knowing that I helped, I didn't feel comfortable speaking about in front of the others. "I'll help you, if you need it, but later. We do need to move on if we intend to do anything other than stay here."

Zin shrugged, her tail twitching in the air. "That doesn't sound like a terrible idea, you know," she said, grinning. "It's turned out to be a wonderful place, other than the whole loosing Xola earlier."

I nodded, smiling. "I get it," I said, petting her head gently. "After some traveling, we'll see into stopping back here, maybe?"

"You're going to owe me, and I intend to collect" she said smugly. Her eyes glinted, a plan forming in her mind. I could already tell, though just what was that something I had no clue.

I shrugged, looking towards Akalia. She nodded to me, a grin playing across her muzzle. I suddenly felt like someone painted a large bulls-eye above my head. I shivered as I turned away to leave the tent, before a heavy weight landed on my back. I struggled as best I could, though I stopped when a velvet wet tongue bathed the back of my neck. I was on my hands and knees, supporting my apparently dominating Houndoom on my back, but something didn't add up.

Zin wasn't this heavy.

I turned my head as best I could, to see out of the corner of my eye Akalia's black and blue fur resting on top of me. Her eyes were glowing brightly as she continued to lick my neck. I could feel her purrs from deep within her body, as she continued to bathe me with unnerving calmness. I turned back to the tent flap, to see Zin working the zipper with her jaws.

"Could you give me a hand?" she asked. "I'm pretty sure you'd like your privacy."

"Wait a second," I said, trying to sit up but stopped when Akalia's purrs deepened into a growl. I lowered myself into the sleeping bag underneath me, much to the approval of the Luxray.

"What do you mean?" I asked. "First you're all affectionate, and now you're leaving? What gives?"

"I realize that she needs help, too," she answered. She grabbed the zipper again with her teeth and managed to make a gap wide enough for her to leave. "Aha! Gotcha, you stupid zipper thing. Anyway, just take care of her for now, and I'll see you before the sun sets. Hopefully, anyway."

"Wait!" I cried out, but she slipped out through the crack before I could reach her with my hands. All that did is throw off my balance, causing me to crash forwards, Akalia's weight holding me effectively in place. Her paws came up to my arms, her claws scraping against my skin. Soft electrical shocks ran through my body, as her tail circled around my leg. I was suddenly very grateful that I had pants on, but regretted the choice of not wearing a shirt last night.

Not that it mattered right now. Between Akalia and Zin, I had plenty of body heat to keep me warm. Now, it became a disadvantage, as it allowed Akalia to play with my back with her sharp claws, giving her quite an advantage over me. I'm pretty sure that if I told her to stop, she would comply. So, why am I not doing it? I shivered again, as her sharp claws pressed against my skin gently.

"Akalia? Could I face you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady

Her weight left my back for a moment, as she complied with my request. As soon as I rolled over, she dropped herself on top of me again. I brought my hands to her sides, gently kneading her flexing muscles underneath my fingers. Her purrs increased, radiating from her body. She closed her eyes, bringing her head to my neck as I scratched her neck and behind her ears.

Now that she calmed down somewhat, I turned back to the question at hand. Why was I allowing this? With Zin it was a matter of survival. I'm pretty sure that if I had refused, I wouldn't be alive, or would be hunted down by her. With Akalia, however, that wasn't the case. A few questions formed in my mind, trying to get to the bottom of this.

"Are you in heat, Akalia?" I asked, lifting her muzzle from my neck.

"Lux," she said, shaking her head.

Damn. Well, there goes obvious answer number one. "Well, what is it, then? Did Zin convince you to do this?"

Again, she shook her head, her deep purrs rumbling through my body. She smiled, however, opening her eyes again as they glowed brightly again. A burst of inspiration hit me, though I was afraid of the answer.

"It was Song, wasn't it," I said, raising an eyebrow at the Luxray. A knot of dread tightened on my gut when she nodded.

I sighed, shaking my head. Before I could voice another question, an all too familiar voice rang through my mind.

"And you're going to argue about this more?" Song said, her voice whispering into my mind

"Song!" I exclaim out loud. "If you're try-," I said, struggling to stand but being successfully pinned down by Akalia. The Luxray's paws held me down as she shook her head, smiling down on me. Song's laughter ringing in my mind didn't help the situation. I started to feel annoyed, but the feeling was suppressed with Song's voice.

"Please take care of her needs, Master," Song said, her voice barely heard even inside my mind. "She needs you right now."

"Where are you?" I asked

"Right outside the tent, though that doesn't really help you now, does it?" she asked rhetorically. "Just perform for Akalia how you did for Zin, and things will work themselves out."

"Somehow, I don't think things work out the way you think," I said, exasperated.

"Quite the opposite, actually," Song said with a laugh. "Everything is exactly how I want things to happen. Just don't get too tired, yes? I think you still want to see the Celestic ruins, so I hope you have the stamina. I promise to keep everyone else out of trouble, and keep your privacy."

I could hear a rustling sound coming from near the tent, Zin's giggling voice easily noticed above everything else. Footsteps made their way to the tent again, followed by the Houndoom's voice.

"Don't disappoint me, Master," Zin said, before padding away with the rest of the group. I shivered as I felt an odd mixture of hesitation and eagerness. How would anyone else feel in my position? I thought for a moment, and shrugged. Probably would either run screaming or jump at the opportunity. I'm still under the impression that females, regardless of species, don't give out their bodies to just anyone. I know I sure wouldn't.

"Akalia," I said, scratching behind her ears. "Please don't bite me, or decide to electrocute me."

She laughed; the sound was like a mixture of Zin's bark and her own purrs. I shivered as she leaned down, her rough tongue licking at my lips eagerly. I wrapped my arms around her neck, opening my mouth to let her tongue access inside. Her soft purrs met my ears, as lightning began to arc along her fur and spark into the air. I closed my eyes, pressing my lips harder against her muzzle, trying to ignore the burning feeling that my skin was sending.

Akalia pulled back from our kiss, saliva connecting our lips together. Electricity danced through the joining liquid, giving my lips a sudden jolt. I gasped in surprise, to the amusement of the Luxray, her deep purrs rumbling through my body again. Her claws raked across my skin once again, as I gasped at the feeling. I squirmed under her touch, gripping her fur as my I closed my eyes, beginning to enjoy the treatment. Still holding on to her, I began to rub my hands around her back, reaching as far as I could to the base of her tail.

Her muscles flexed underneath my touch, a soft moan reaching my ears as she arched her back. I began to scratch, her claws leaving angry rows of red on my skin. I slowed down my attentions, only for her eyes to glow an angry yellow, a snarling growl coming rumbling from her throat.

"I don't want you to claw my chest open," I said, patting her paws gently. Her features softened immediately, as she bent downwards to lick at my chest. Her rough tongue bathed the irritated skin, though her teeth would prick at my skin every so often. I held as steady as I could, grabbing a hold of her fur so I wouldn't flinch and surprise her. I definitely didn't want to be bitten, especially by an overly excited Luxray.

Her licks continued down my chest, reaching my waist and my pants. I moved my hands to my only piece of clothing I have, stalling her for the moment. I smiled when she looked at me, as I quickly unbuttoned my pants to prevent her from deciding to shred them herself. I was soon naked underneath her, as her muzzle reached my male-hood. She took a few deep sniffs, before her tongue gave me an experimental lick. I sat up, smiling as Akalia took another lick, quickly arousing me to full attention.

She kept up her slow attention on me, eventually stopping to place a paw on my chest. Her licks continued upwards again, though she didn't stall at any specific place, reaching my mouth before pressing her lips eagerly against mine. I felt Akalia push me downwards, my back to the ground again but our lips not parting this time. Her body lay on top of me, sparks of lightning tickling me through our bodies being connected.

She pulled back from me, a soft mewl as she licked my nose and rubbed her lower body against mine. Her fur rubbed along my length gently, as I felt wet fur along my leg. I looked as she raised her body and tried to align herself with me. She faced away from me for a moment, looking behind her as she tried to impale herself onto my cock. I brought a hand to her face, directing her to face me again. When she took my suggesting and faced me, I licked her nose as I used my other hand to direct myself to her entrance. Her eyes widened for a moment, before a smile crossed her muzzle, before slowly drawing herself downwards, allowing me inside her.

I gasped as her tunnel welcomed me inside its warm embrace. As she slid herself down all the way to the hilt, her muscles contracted around my flesh. I gasped as her paws surrounded me, pulling my body as close to her as she could. I wrapped my arms around her as she nuzzled my neck. I rubbed my cheek against hers as we stayed still, neither of us moving from our intimate embrace. All too soon, she lifted herself from me, feeling her walls contract around my member, as if refusing to let me go. She quickly threw herself downwards again, taking me inside of her again. She lifted her face from my neck, her eyes glowing brightly against her fur. I pressed my hand against her cheek, as she leaned into my touch.

We moved slowly, our bodies moving when desired. We would begin to build momentum, only for us to slow down once again. It wasn't until she gripped me with her paws and her body shook that I realized that she reached a new height in her pleasure. Though it wasn't enough for her, however, as she forced herself to move faster, urging me to do the same. I began to thrust in time with hers, meeting her halfway in our carnal dance. Sweat beaded on my forehead and body, soaking Akalia's fur as we moved in unison. Her fangs began to glint as electricity poured through her. I wrapped my arms around her and held still, trying to prevent myself from being electrocuted.

I felt Akalia's teeth clamp down onto my shoulder, as my world tumbled violently. I found myself suddenly on top of the Luxray, her hind legs spread as wide as she could while having me inside of her. I gently nuzzled the top of her head, as I pulled out of her body only to sink in a moment later. Her body began to spasm around me, her legs twitching against my back and her tunnel grasping me intently. Her claws raked my back and legs, as Akalia let out a yowl of pleasure. Electricity danced over me as my Luxray reached her orgasm, her tunnel dampening my thighs and waist. I gritted my teeth, getting mixed signals of pleasure and pain. Never thought I'd enjoy having the feeling of getting your finger stuck into an electrical socket.

Her panting brought me out of my reverie. She looked at me, a smile spreading across her muzzle, but her whines concerned me. I leaned forward and she nuzzled my face, her body wiggling around me. I gasped, as my sensitive body was assaulted once again by her tightening tunnel.

"What is it?" I asked, brushing her fur from her eyes. She shook her head as she whined softly. She licked my hand, before her tunnel squeezed me again.

"You want me to reach my peak too?" I asked, gasping for breath. She nodded as a response, licking my nose again. I licked her nose, mimicking her actions, but then kissed her lips. Electricity sparked again as I brought my grip to her lower body. I didn't stall for long, holding myself as steady as I could while thrusting into her. Her tongue lolled out of her mouth, as her eyes began to glow once again. She pulled herself using my body, her muzzle on my neck as her teeth grabbed my skin. I leaned down, bringing our bodies back to the floor. With one hand on her hips and the other holding her head, I began to thrust in earnest.

It didn't take long for my body to complete its duty, as I felt my muscles tighten and my thrusts began to go faster. Akalia's claws extended, grabbing a hold of me as I released myself inside of her. Sparks flew across my field of vision, electricity jumping around my skin as her howled cry rasped through her throat. Her muscles were taught, constantly flexing underneath me, until she finally relaxed. I looked at her, our sweat matting her beautiful black and blue fur, her chest heaving in exhaustion. I was panting as well, but I smiled down at her while rubbing her cheek gently. A smile formed on her muzzle as well, as I brought my lips to hers. I caressed her body with my hands, as her paws gently stroked my back. Her eyes began to close, her heavy breathing slowly returning to normal. I chuckled, as I hugged her body. Maybe some extra sleep wouldn't be such a bad idea right now.

================ ================= ===================

I woke up by the shrill call of my Pokédex. I groaned, fumbling blindly for the device until I found it. I brought it up to my eyes, the blurred numbers reading fifteen hundred hours barely registering into my mind. How long was I out? I shrugged, trying to figure out the answer but failing miserably. Today was just not the day for traveling, it seemed.

Akalia was still sleeping, and didn't even stir when the Pokédex alarm activated. I smiled, brushing her cheek gently. She barely stirred, her breathing gently making her chest rise and fall in tandem. I slowly realized that I was still naked, lying on top of her. Thankfully, I had slid out of her during our sleep, though it didn't make the mess any less. A soft purr and a gentle lick brought my attention back to Akalia, as she smiled up at me.

"Luxray," she purred, as she nodded at me.

"We should probably get cleaned up," I said, shaking my head. "It wouldn't do your fur good to not wash up."

She nodded as I rolled off from on top of her, rummaging through my backpack to find a towel and some pants. Fishing out some bright yellow shorts and a white towel, I quickly wrapped myself up. Akalia's low purr gave me the impression that she was giggling at me.

"Hey, it's for my own modesty, at the very least," I said, turning to see her roll her eyes at me. I shrugged at her actions, kneeling in front of the door to unzip the tent. I was silently relieved that Song, Zin, or anyone was waiting for me right outside the door, but that did raise the question as to where they were. Before I left, I grabbed my Pokédex, just to make sure I at least knew what time it was.

Akalia followed me as we made our way from the campsite to the water's edge. The waterfall could be heard as we walked, and I shivered again, my thoughts instantly visualizing an injured Milotic, blood contrasting against her scales and my skin. I became dizzy, the world spinning around me. I would have fallen, if it wasn't for Akalia's reactions, leaning against me as I teetered in place. I dropped to my knees, my Luxray's cry ringing in my ears for a moment.

"It's alright, Akalia," I said, shaking my head. Doing so brought on a wave of nausea, but I controlled myself as best I could. Swallowing the bile rising in my throat, I smiled at her. "See? I'm fine now."

She gave a look that clearly said that she didn't quite believe me, but she allowed me to stand. I managed to get up with her help, though she didn't leave my side while we walked towards the water. We made it without any more incidents, and I quickly shed my towel and walked in after setting my pants and Pokédex safely on the shore. The water, while cold, felt amazing against my skin. I sighed as I sat down on the sand, enjoying the shallow water and the warm sunrays against my body.

Akalia joined me after a few moments, as she insisted that she groomed me. I laughed as she made me bow forward with a growl and a paw on my neck, so she could lick every piece of hair on my head into place. I returned the favor as best I could by rubbing all over her fur, using the water and a good massage to get her to relax and enjoy the water as best I could.

All too quickly, we went from cleaning, to a splashing contest. I was quickly proven that I couldn't beat the gigantic cat Pokémon with just my hands, and I pleaded surrender whenever I could. It didn't seem that I would get a break, because as soon as I dropped my hands from my face, I was greeted by a wave of water splashing right into it. I gasped for breath, feeling water run through my nose into the back of my throat, while laughter reached my ears. As soon as I could breathe normally, without water getting into my lungs, I saw Xola curled up in front of me, laughing merrily.

"Well, it's good to see you too, Xola," I said, wiping my face. "Just next time make sure I don't drown."

"Oh!" she said, surprised. "I'll remember that next time, so I catch you by surprise again."

I sighed, but chuckled, shrugging. "Do you know where everyone else is?" I asked

Xola nodded, as Akalia pressed her paw on my lap. The Milotic tilted her head sideways for a moment, before pointing behind me with her tail. "They're over there," she said. "Song wanted to talk to you, in case you forgot."

"Yeah, I remember vaguely," I said, rubbing the back of my head. I looked at Akalia, giving her a smile. "Do you feel presentable?" I asked

Akalia smiled at me, giving me a lick on my cheek before running towards Song and the others. I sighed as I stood up, before I realized I was still naked. I shrugged, though I did notice a soft blush come up on Xola's cheeks.

"I hope I don't offend you, Xola," I said sheepishly

"No, it's not that," she said, as she turned away from me. "It's just that I didn't expect to see you without clothes, that's all."

I grinned at her, shaking my head. "Well, we better hurry then," I said, shrugging, "before Zin gets any more brilliant ideas about me."

Her scales turned a brighter red, but she followed at my side while we walked towards everyone. I ignored Zin's eager calls and slipped on the pair of shorts, while grabbing the towel and drying myself as best I could. I was curious as to why everyone except Mist was present. Song, Spirit, and Zin where sitting next to my things, Song holding the Pokédex on her lap, looking at it curiously. I lay the towel on the sand, sitting on it while the rest of the group sat around me in some fashion. Akalia deliberately laid her head on top of my lap, sharing it with Zin. Xola was curled behind me, her head lying gently on my shoulder. Song and Spirit stayed in their spots, not moving. Spirit smiled at me, and I smiled back at her.

"Where's Mist?" I asked

"She went ahead to make sure the campsite is safe, before joining us, Master," Song said.

Her voice didn't have that usual upbeat tone in it, and I was mildly concerned. "Song, are you alright?" I asked

She shook her head, and smiled at me. "Yes, I'm fine," she said. "I'm just happy to see that my plans are working."

"Plans?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

She shook her head again. "Don't worry about it too much," she said. "Just know that it's all for the best, alright?"

"When you say things like that, it makes me want to worry, Song," I said, frowning at the Gardevoir. I felt both Akalia and Zin tense up while I tried to interrogate Song. Zin looked up, shaking her head at me.

"What she's trying to say is that things don't stay the same," Zin said, frowning. "She's making sure that you're safe."

"Stay safe from what?" I asked. "Who would do us harm? No one knows us except people that have lived in Solaceon all of their lives. We've never harmed anyone. By Arceus, I haven't even caught a Pokémon, nor fought anyone in any battles!"

"From yourself," Song stated.

I blinked, my thoughts derailed by her statement. I tried to even point to an event in my life that would cause me harm, but nothing even came close. Cavern exploring? That would be the only thing I've done that I've done that's relatively dangerous. If you don't count the bridge incident, that is.

I was relieved to see Mist appear, materializing from thin air. The Mismagius looked about, and shook her head at the scene in front of her. She closed her eyes, and seemed to debate with something internally before opening them and addressing me.

"Master, may I speak with you? Privately?" she asked.

I looked around me, seeing that both Akalia and Zin left my lap, while Xola wrapped upon herself, leaving my shoulder. I looked at both Spirit and Song, who both nodded at me.

"Sure," I said, standing up. I grabbed the towel and headed over to the Ghost Pokémon. When I approached her, she hovered next to me, placing an ethereal hand on my shoulder, before floating in front of me. I followed my new guide, to wherever she wanted to go so we may be in private.

"I hope we aren't going too far," I said, shaking my head.

"No, we are not," she said. "We are headed for the campsite. I will let the others know when we are done. This way you can begin to cook dinner, as well."

I grimaced. "I was thinking that we should finish those berries that you all brought," I said, giving out a chuckle. Mist looked back at me, rolling her eyes.

"Very well, I will let the others know to go pick a few more berries on their way back here," she said, sighing. "It should give me a bit more time to explain things as best that I can."

I busied myself with making the fire quickly. Thankfully, all the materials were already set and ready, so it didn't take long for me to get it started.

"You can thank Zin when she comes back," Mist said, nodding. "She was the one that left those things out for you."

I nodded, feeling my cheeks flush a bit at thinking about Zin again. I shook myself, closing my eyes to maintain self-control of my body. How in the world was just thinking about that would get me so aroused? I knew I shouldn't have gone with Song's crazy plan!

"There is nothing wrong with you, Master," Mist said calmly. "You're having quite a normal reaction. Frankly, I would be surprised if you did not react like you are right now. It would make things unnecessarily complicated."

I stared at the ghost, once again my thoughts being derailed by someone's words. She smiled, chuckling softly.

"I cannot tell you much, for the information is strictly forbidden for others to know," she said, her voice dropping in volume. "But Song insisted that you should know, so she is risking much for you right now."

"Then we shouldn't be talking about this, even if she insists," I said, frowning. "I can't have any of you risking your well-being. Not after what happened to Xola."

Mist closed her eyes, the gems on her body glowing softly. She began to chant softly under her breath, her lips moving but I wasn't able to hear anything she said. I began to slowly feel lightheaded, as if I was holding my breath for too long. I began to take slow deep breaths, but the sensation continued. Lightheadedness turned quickly into a headache, which turned rapidly turning into a searing pain.

"Mist, stop it!" I yelled out, clutching my forehead.

As soon as I said those words, the pain immediately stopped. I shivered, my breath coming in quick pants. I tried to get my bearings, but it seemed that all that happened was that I fell on my knees. I shook my head gently from side to side, making sure it didn't aggravate any pain. Thankfully there wasn't any, and Mist let out a sigh of relief.

"I apologize, Master," she said. "Perhaps I should have thought of that."

"Did you know that your Lucky Chant ability wouldn't work on me?" I asked.

She shook her head. "There's your answer," I said, smiling.

"Thank you," Mist whispered, smiling at me.

"Though, I'm curious as to why you would want to talk to me away from everyone else. It's not that they don't know what happened."

The Mismagius's gems glowed brightly for a moment, her eyes avoiding me for the moment. "It is not that fact that makes me wish to address you, Master," she said softly. "I only wish to inform you that things happen for a reason."

"I know that already," I said, doing my best to avoid rolling my eyes. "Mom hammered that into my head a long time ago."

"No, it is not just that. Everything that has happened before you became a trainer, that is all child's play compared to what you will face soon."

I blinked at the ghost as I tried to digest this new information. "So you're telling me that what happened to Xola is nothing?" I asked, anger beginning to tint my voice.

Mist shook her head. "No, that is not what I said, or meant at all. What happened to Xola was tragic, but unavoidable. Fate intends to pull you in its whims, and there will not be anything you, or us, that will be able to do to prevent it. I am warning you to be ready to accept what will happen soon. For all of us."

"So, then why are you telling me this?" I asked, frowning. I curled my hands into fists, trying to find a safe outlet for this anger. "Is this part of Song's plan, too?"

Mist shook her head again. "No, it is not."

"Then who's?"

The ghost was about to speak, when her entire body shook violently. I instantly closed what gap we had, to catch her from falling to the ground. I managed to make it before that, cradling her gently in my arms. Her eyes were closed, her mouth pursed in a grimace, while the gems glowed softly in the shade.

"Mist!" I exclaimed, reaching to press my hand against her cheek. Her eyes opened softly, the soft haunting cry of her kind escaping her lips as she smiled at me.

"Are you alright?" I asked. She nodded as she tried to disengage herself from me, but I shook my head.

"Oh no, you don't," I said, frowning. "You're going to rest. No more floating for you, and that's final."

Mist giggled, a wispy appendage touching my cheeks. "At least allow me to start the camp fire," she said.

"Then by all means," I said, nodding. "Good subtle practice using your Psychic moves."

"Who said about using Psychic?" she asked. The outline of her body glowed, matching the gems on her body. Purple blue fire sparked around the set wood in the small pit, and it instantly lit, beginning to burn brightly.

"Mental note, never get you angry," I said, chuckling.

"I am quite positive that you will not, Master," she said, giggling.

"Will you let the others know that they're more than welcome to join us? Unless you have anything else to say."

"No, I believe that I am done. I will let the others know it is fine to come back."

I nodded as I sat down in front of the fire, cradling Mist. There were no more words spoken, and the only sounds I heard were the soft rustling as footsteps joined us, the gentle breeze whistling past, and my own breathing. I looked to my sides, as Akalia pressed herself against my left while Zin leaned to my right. I felt Xola's soft scales against my back as she leaned against me, while I felt Spirit's claw on my shoulder. Song sat next to me, placing her hands on my own, and her eyes radiated while looking straight at me.

"Song," I said, frowning, "what's going on? I'm afraid."

"So am I, Master," she said, her voice heavy with emotion. "So am I."

Chapter 6: Twilight's Veil

The wind whipped around me as Spirit beat her wings. A grin spread across her face as we flew across the morning sky. Being rested and full of energy, she was more than ready to head back to Celestic Town. I was carrying the backpack in my hands as she held me close to her body, the humming of her wings barely heard across the wind rushing along us. Thankfully, we made it back to town before the noon sun perched itself high in the sky to avoid the hotter part of the day.

We landed near the Pokémon Center, noticing that there was no one outside of it. As we stepped inside, Nurse Joy stopped whatever she was doing at her desk and looked up. She immediately hurried around the desk, stopping in front of me. She grabbed my hands and pulled me to the desk. Spirit let out a startled cry and quickly grabbed my shoulders, preventing Nurse Joy from pulling me further. This didn't stop her from pulling harder however, and now I felt like a piece of rope in a tug of war competition.

"Hold it, before someone pops a bone out of place!" I yell out. This worked, as Nurse Joy let me go, and Spirit pulled me to her body possessively. Her claws clutched on to my shirt, as her tail circled around my waist. A snarl rumbled out of her throat, and I turned to calm Spirit down before she would do something that she'll regret. I patted the Flygon on her neck, noting how her eyes were narrowed even through the red layer protecting them. I gently touched her cheek, bringing her face to mine to break the stare she had on Nurse Joy.

"Calm down," I whispered sternly. "Please."

Spirit nodded, her stance slowly becoming more relaxed. I let out an amused sigh, and patted her head gently. I turned to Nurse Joy, who had her hands on her hips, giving me a stare of disbelief. I smiled at her, trying to defuse the situation before she screams at me.

"Good morning, Nurse Joy," I said, smiling. "How are you today?"

"You disappear for days, leaving me here worried after I release you from having a chest full of broken ribs, and you don't even let me know if your alive!" she exclaimed. "And now you show up all dandy, expecting me to-."

"Nurse Joy, thanks to you, I'm fine. I found my Milotic, and everything else is in the past," I said, nodding. "I apologize for interrupting, but I have to ask if you can check up on my Pokémon while I go out to pick up some supplies."

Her face was positively livid, her cheeks flushing red and her lips pressed together. Her eyes were narrowed at me, but she relented. I pulled the Pokéballs from my backpack and handed them to Nurse Joy. I turned to Spirit, taking one of her claws in my hands. She shook her head and made a cooing sound, but I shook my head.

"I want you to be checked up on too, you know," I said, smiling. "I'm sure it won't be long. Just don't get angry at her, ok?"

She nodded, conceding to me for the moment. I smiled as Spirit made her way to Nurse Joy's side. I slipped on my backpack again, fishing out the Pokédex from my pocket. Noting that it was near noon now, I chided myself to get things prepared for when we left Celestic and headed for Eterna. That would mean going through Mount Coronet.

"You should come back in a few hours," Nurse Joy said, nodding tensely.

I nodded back. "I'm only headed for the Poké Mart," I said. "I'll be back."

She turned away, taking my partners behind her desk to fill out some paperwork. Spirit frowned, shaking her head and giving me a forlorn look. I smiled sympathetically at the Flygon, before Nurse Joy patted her on the shoulder and guided her behind a set of double doors to the left of the desk.

I turned around and exited the Pokémon Center, heaving a sigh of relief as if an invisible weight was lifted off my shoulders. Xola didn't seem to be harmed after that event, and everyone else seemed to be in shape, but I couldn't be blamed for wanting to make sure. In a way, I could understand Nurse Joy's behavior, and I couldn't help but think that the Solaceon Nurse Joy contacted her sister here to make sure I was safe.

Sunlight colored everything brightly, somehow the town unaffected by the fog to the east. I walked by some homes, people milling around eating lunch, I imagine. One house I passed by had a little girl playing happily with a Skitty. I waved by as she looked up, and she smiled back waving happily. She quickly turned her attention back to her Skitty when it began pawing at her hands, jumping from the floor. I laughed as the girl picked up the cat Pokémon and snuggled together, before waving back at me again and heading out of my view.

I chuckled as I kept walking towards the Poké Mart. For some reason, the sight made a smile stick to my face and it allowed me to relax more as I walked through the grass. Thoughts still drifted back to what both Song and Mist spoke of yesterday. I still wondered what they meant with the things they said. What dangers was I at risk? Illness, physical injury, something else? I shook my head, chuckling still as I looked skywards. The sun was out, my team was getting double checked, and a new location to explore soon. In all honesty, it can't get much better than this.

I spotted the Poké Mart, and quickly made my way inside. The sliding doors opened silently, a gust of cold air blasting me in the face as I stepped inside. An old couple greeted me with a smile as I made my way to the counter.

"Hi," I said, smiling at them. "I'm planning on heading over through Mount Coronet. Are there any items you suggest to have?"

The old couple looked at each other and smiled. The old man came around the counter and waved at me silently to follow him. He took me to where another man was standing in front of the shelves, looking over the items placed there. The other man turned around, short brown hair matching his hazel eyes. He was covered head to toe with all kinds of equipment on a green vest. Blue jeans that seemed to have more holes than pockets, with black hiking boots completed the picture of someone that was well versed in not being at home for a while.

"Could you give him a hand, young man?" the old man said. "This sonny here is trying to cross Mount Coronet."

"Yeah, I'll give him a hand," the man said.

He looked older to me, but not by much. He wasn't that much taller than me, either. There was something about him, though, that made me think otherwise.

"Hi," I said, sticking my hand out. "Name's Nick."

He shook my hand with a firm grip. "Names Jonathan," he said. "So, heading through Mount Coronet?"

"Yeah, gonna head on to Eterna to challenge the gym there," I said, nodding. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Where are you from?" he asked

"Solaceon," I said. "It's east of here if you follow Route two ten east and south through the fog."

He shook his head, a grin spreading across his face. "Sorry, I thought you'd be from Sandgem or somewhere down near Professor Rowan."

I shook my head. "No worries," I said, waving away his apology. "Where are you from?"

"Johto, actually. Blackthorn City," he answered. I looked at him, confused at the reference. The idea dawned on my mind after a moment of staring at him.

"Sorry, was trying to put a picture to the city," I said with an awkward laugh. "I just started my journey, actually."

"From Solaceon?" he asked

I nodded. "Yup."

"You have a full team, right?"

"I do, yes."

He sighed in relief. "That's good to hear. I don't want to end up saving you if I end up meeting you in a bad spot."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean by that?" I asked.

From his vest he pulled a badge from a pocket, revealing a Pokémon Ranger badge. It wasn't any other badge, however. I recognized the stylized Pokéball design. Instead of the normal white on red, both sides were red, with a band of black dividing both halves. A lightning bolt was behind the Pokéball in the design, and it all was centered on a white shield.

"You're from the Lightning Unit of Johto!" I exclaimed. They were a recent addition to the Johto area, last I understood.

He grinned at me. "Yeah. I joined pretty recently, after traveling as a Pokémon Trainer. They allowed me to keep my partners instead of making me pick one. I'd think the girls would go ballistic."

I grinned back. "I can sympathize."

"You too?" he asked, bewildered.

"What, have a team of all female Pokémon?"

"Well, I have one that is male," he said, laughing. "But yeah, you have it worse than I do!"

My grinned widened. "Maybe we can compare notes, help each other out."

"That'd be cool," he said, nodding. "First though, we should take care of our shopping. The owners are probably wondering what we're doing here still."

I laughed. "Yeah, we should."

================= ===================== =============

I was very thankful to have had Jonathan's expert opinion on things. I was glad that mom and dad transferred funds to my new account, or I would have been stuck doing some jobs to buy all I got! Getting what felt like a mountain of potions, vitamins, extra food, and even some basic climbing gear, I felt ready enough to be out in the wilds for quite some time. The sun was still out, but it was beginning to set behind the mountains. It gave it the impression that it was later than it really was.

"Yeah, you should be fine for a while with all that stuff, especially with your original supplies," he said, helping me carry some of the things I bought and his own. "If you ration it, it'll last even longer."

"Definitely going to hope that there aren't any more emergencies," I said, nodding. He looked at me, and I shrugged. "Sorry, it still gives me the shivers thinking about that."

"What?"

I shook my head. Somehow, telling this person about Suicune didn't feel right. It felt as if I was violating some silent agreement. Also, I highly doubt that the legendary Water Pokémon would appreciate me blabbing. Jonathan thankfully dropped the subject, as we kept walking towards the Pokémon Center. We passed by the same house with the little girl inside it. It seemed that she was expecting me this time, and waved at me excitedly as we passed. I smiled and waved as best I could, carrying all my purchases.

When we stepped inside the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy was standing behind her counter. When she turned towards us she smiled widely, and thankfully didn't start with yelling at me.

"Welcome, you two! Both of your teams are healthy and ready for pickup," she said. She turned to me, and her eyes narrowed slightly. "I still want to give you a check-up, after breaking your ribs and all."

I sighed. "Yes, ma'am."

"Broken ribs?" Jonathan asked. "What did you do, fall off a cliff?"

"Bridge broke while walking on it. I grabbed on to the rope railing, only to be slammed to the side of a mountain."

His eyes widened, but didn't say anything else. He nodded towards Nurse Joy, who handed him a small tray with six notches that were occupied with Pokéballs. I noticed that they were different designed than the regular Pokéball. He grinned at me, noticing how I was looking at him curiously.

"You can get a Pokéball customized at various cities," he said, attaching the devices to his belt. "There's one in Eterna, since you're heading that way."

I nodded. "Thanks. It'd be nice to give them each a unique design. I'm sure they'd appreciate it."

"I know mine do," he said with a grin. He put the bag he was carrying that was mine on the floor, giving me a nod.

"I'd better start heading out," he said. "Even on vacation, I still have to do reports and stuff."

"It was nice meeting you. Any chance of running into you again?"

"Well, if you stay here for a day or two, we can travel together to Eterna," he said, nodding. "I was planning in heading in that direction, so if you don't mind waiting, we can go together."

"Yeah, that'd be great," I said excitedly. "I'm in no hurry, and I was planning on seeing the ruins here, so it works out perfectly."

Jonathan nodded. "I'll see you here in a few days, then?"

"I'm looking forward to it," I said. "Definitely."

He gave me a grin and a two fingered salute before walking through the double doors leading outside. I turned to Nurse Joy, who was softly tapping her foot, arms crossed across her chest. I sighed and shook my head.

"Alright, alright, I'll go," I said. "If it'll calm you down, so you can sleep soundly."

"It will," she said.

================= ======================= ==============

It didn't take long to get out of the Pokémon Center with my team and a clean bill of health. Whatever Suicune did, Xola was perfectly fine, and I wasn't any worse for wear. If Suicune even helped me, I don't know, but I'm pretty the legendary did something.

It was almost dark out, but there was enough ambient light that allowed me to see where I was headed. I had checked out a room, so my recently purchased items and backpack were safe. It also allowed me to try out my new Pokéball belt. Song floated next to me, silently keeping watch while we walked toward the Celestic ruins in a cave near the middle of the town. Inside, there were artificial lamps set up to bring light into the cave. Pillars left untouched except by careless individuals passing by adorned the sides of the cave, as if supporting it from collapsing. Scarred writing could be noted, but it was impossible to decode anything due to time or, again, carelessness of people passing by. I clicked my tongue in disgust, frowning.

"Such a waste," I murmured, staring at one of the pillars. "If only the writing was a bit more intact, I could start decoding even a sample."

"It is a shame," Song said, nodding. She placed a hand on my shoulders. "Perhaps we can find something further in?"

"I hope so, Song," I said, patting her hand. "It would be a true shame if nothing survived."

We continued walking the path of the tunnel as I tried my best to find intact, or close to intact, writing as possible. The tunnel abruptly ended, with what looked like a shrine. Behind the shrine on the wall, was some kind of mural, figures depicting some kind of diagram, perhaps? Starting in the middle, a golden circle or loop was drawn, and from this center point, three lines jutted out, connecting to three other circles. One had a blue gem and circle, the other was a deep purple with a matching jewel, while the third had no stone, but was drawn in a jet black color.

These three circles were then connected to matching, but smaller circles. The only exception to this was the black circle, which had two connections to it instead of one. Also, while one of these two was jet black, matching its connection, the other was a bright pink color.

All around the mural was writing, surprisingly intact. A grin spread across my face, and I quickly began scanning the letters, trying to come up with a quickly drawn translation in my mind. Song probably began to feel my excitement, as her voice had an edge of anxiety to it.

"Did you find something?" she asked

"Oh yeah we did," I said, grinning. I pointed to the writing. "It looks like this is the original creation mythos, of how Arceus is the creator of the world."

"We knew that already, though," Song said, her voice deflating slightly.

"Well, yeah, that's not new," I said, shaking my head. "But, some of this writing will probably change that."

I pointed towards the bottom of the mural, where there looked like the writing was more hastily written, or perhaps damaged.

"This here is what changes the picture," I said. "Though it's a bit hard to translate, due to either damage, missing letters, or my own stupidity, it roughly says that Arceus goes to a deep slumber after creating existence, only to awaken every so often."

"And that means what, exactly?" Song asked

I shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe he gets tired of sleeping for too long?"

As soon as those words left my lips, the lamps started to dim, as if something was covering the light they emitted. I turned around, but I didn't see anything immediately. That is, until I saw two floating blue eyes in the darkness. Even with the dim light, it seemed as if the eyes were pulling the shadows from behind the pillars to make a body made out of darkness. The shadows turned darker as more seemed to be pulled together in one location, and hands that ended with sharp claws extended out of the shadowy mass. Long, thin legs stepped forward, looking slightly disproportionate to the large body they supported. A mane of white flowed from the top of the head, giving the creature a very intimidating look.

"Darkrai!" Song exclaimed sharply. "Stay away from my Master, you beast!"

Darkrai didn't say anything. I wasn't exactly sure if he could speak. He mutely crossed in between us, paying us no heed, reaching the mural with one long claw. Some of the letters began to glow softly at Darkrai's touch, and the Pokémon nodded to himself.

"So, you're the one." I imagined that it was Darkrai talking. The voice sounded thick, as if a massive being was making an effort to speak softly.

I stood there, dumbfounded. I was terrified that he might be referring to me, Song, or anyone, but curiosity began to get the better of me.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Song turned around to face me, her eyes wide. Darkrai didn't turn to face us, still looking at whatever held his attention.

"He is to be awakened again," the voice said. "He had said so himself."

I shook myself. Here was the Night Walker himself, and I was asking him questions? Have I truly lost my mind? I motioned to Song to follow me, and I softly backed up away from Darkrai, afraid of giving him an opportunity to sneak up on us.

Suddenly, Darkrai turned to face us while raising a clawed hand in our direction. A wave of purple and black shadows raced in our direction. Dumbfounded, I covered my face with my hands, in a vain attempt to protect myself from the attack. When I didn't feel an impact, I looked up to see Song standing in between me and the beam, the attack being shunted around us by a prismatic barrier she had formed around both of us.

"It seems that more extreme measures must be taken," Darkrai said. I didn't hesitate this time, pulling two Pokéballs from my belt and releasing their simultaneously.

Spirit and Mist appeared in a collective flash of red. The Mismagius floated for a moment, before her body stiffened when she saw who we were facing. Spirit mimicked Mist's body language, and looked like she was about to faint.

"I don't know what Darkrai wants, but he just tried to attack me," I explained. It seemed to make them focus, as they both stopped shaking in place.

Darkrai didn't move, so I decided to make the sound risk of initiating.

"Mist, Shadow Ball! Spirit, Flamethrower!" I shouted.

A bubble of purple shadow energy coalesced in front of Mist before she fired it straight ahead. Spirit leaned forward, her jaws opened wide as a jet of fire lit the cavern as it flew to her intended target. Darkrai didn't react immediately, but as I was sure that the attacks connected, he made a sweeping motion with one of his claws, deterring both attacks. I would be wracking my head to know what kind of ability that was, but I didn't have the luxury of time to find out right now.

I'd rather deal with a human than a legendary Pokémon at this point. Obviously, this was way out of my league. "Spirit, use Earthq-," I said, before getting cut off by Song.

"Don't! You'll risk having the entire cave fall on top of us, too!" she exclaimed.

Darkrai used this moment of hesitation to lunge forward, claws leaving a trail of energy behind them as he slashed forward. "Spirit, Dragon Claw!" I shouted, hoping that it'll work.

Spirit's claws met Darkrai's, a clash of purple and blue energy splashing over the cave. "Mist, Shadow Ball!" I called out.

Mist, who was hovering over Darkrai now, released another attack that was hopefully within his blind spot. He looked upwards, blue eyes not even surprised, lifting Spirit above him. Spirit's cry shook me as her body was impacted by friendly fire. Surprisingly, she didn't let that stop her, unleashing another Flamethrower at close range from behind Darkrai. This time, the Dark Walker registered surprise, a grunt escaping his composure. In retaliation, however, he threw Spirit upwards, making both Flygon and Mismagius collide together, smashing both against the stone roof. I didn't hesitate, pulling both Pokéballs out, recalling both of them back to safety. Attaching them back to the belt, I pulled two more.

"Zin, Akalia!" I said, releasing both the Houndoom and Luxray to fight off Darkrai.

"Why do you fight with so much focus?" he asked, his voice rasping like nails on a chalkboard. "This is all as intended."

"I got no idea what you're talking about, but you aren't harming anyone in this town with your nightmares!"

"Is that what you really think I'm here for?"

"Why else WOULD you be here for?" I countered

Darkrai stopped suddenly, but he didn't respond. He brought a claw to his face, hiding his face from view for a moment. He shook his head, peering in between his claws, his eyes glowing brightly. Bringing both of his arms up above his head, a mass of purple energy started forming. Before I could issue any orders, Song stepped forward.

"It's Dark Void!" she yelled, as she put herself in between Darkrai's attack.

Darkrai made a throwing gesture and the ball of energy, this Dark Void attack, flew at high speeds towards us. Song began chanting, as she formed another prismatic barrier around herself. When the attack met the barrier, it seemed to just ooze around Song's barrier, before disappearing. Thankfully, it didn't look like it dealt any harm to Song, as she immediately retaliated. Multi-colored leaves of psychic energy appeared around her, as she began to systematically launched them at Darkrai, putting the Dark Walker on the defensive.

"Screw this," I muttered. I pulled out Xola's Pokéball and opened it, revealing the Milotic.

"Xola, Akalia, Zin, long range attacks," I said. All three Pokémon nodded, as they all began alternating firing at Darkrai. He would dodge a magical leaf, only to dodge bolts of lightning, gouts of fire, or sprays of water. I was expecting him to try to press forward, but surprised me by instead disappearing through the stone wall.

"Stay alert, everyone!" I called. I turned around, watching our backs in case Darkrai decided to attack me instead of my team. Two yowls instantly made me turn around, seeing, Akalia Xola, and Zin laying against the stone walls, and Song struggling within the Dark Walker's grasp.

"Let her go!" I yelled, running towards him. He held me back with his free arm, and casually flicked me away. My feet left the ground, landing hard on my back and sliding backwards across the rocky ground. I stood up as my back screamed at me in protest, but I quelled it. I had way more important things to worry about than my back hurting.

"If I was taught anything," Darkrai said, blue eyes sparkling, "is to effectively break a subject, Pokémon or human. I will do as I have been commanded."

From where I was stumbling to stand, Darkrai began to pull shadows from the cave again to him. Instead of absorbing the shadows, however, they began to focus around the claw that was holding Song. By the time I was standing, the shadows stopped swirling together.

No words were exchanged, no signal given as the shadows suddenly closed in around her body. Song's scream echoed both through the cave with her natural voice, and in my mind with her psychic call. The feedback it caused made me buckle, screaming in pain that I was unable to stop. I couldn't close my eyes, even while I could feel my eyelids trying. It felt like my body was locking up against its own accord. My knees buckled as my body shook by itself. I clutched my head as the pain intensified suddenly. I screamed, my voice echoing through the cave and joining Song's own tortured voice.

I continued to scream until my voice became hoarse, and I continued to scream. No help came, however, as the waves of nausea and pain continued to enjoy torturing me. Song's scream continued as well, being able to hear her through my ears and inside my own head. I tried to struggle to stay standing, but all that did is make me meet the ground faster. I fell backwards, writhing on the ground, until the pain stopped suddenly.

I gasped, trying to catch my breath. My throat was sore and my mouth was dry, but I tried to push myself up from the ground. I was amazed how I didn't black out from the pain. It took all my energy to just stand up, and I barely made it to be kneeling before Darkrai's clawed hand grabbed me by the throat. I began choking instantly, as the grip he placed started to slowly suffocate me. The tips of his claws began to dig against my skin, pinpricks of pain swallowed by the unnerving look of complete calm that masked his face.

Not that it was hard for Darkrai. At this point, as I stared into his face, I couldn't tell a visible mouth. His blue eyes glowed brightly before narrowing menacingly.

"My goal has been completed," he said. "It is up to the others now."

With those words, he released me from his grasp, letting me fall into a heap on the floor. As I looked up to the Dark Walker, his form began to dissipate into the surrounding darkness. Arms and legs disappeared first, followed by the flowing white mane. His body was next, slowly becoming small specks of shadow. The last thing that disappeared were his eyes, that looked at me menacingly before closing and vanishing from sight. I struggled to my feet, enduring my body's protest against the movements.

The first thing my eyes landed on was Song, her body covered in what looked like soot. I stumbled towards her, falling to my knees as I reached her. I gently lifted her onto my lap as I cradled her head. I pressed my fingers against her neck, checking for her pulse. It felt like my heart skipped a beat when I didn't find one. I quickly dropped my head to see if I could hear her breath. I gently held her against my chest with one hand and using the other to quickly recall Akalia, Xola, and Zin to their Pokéballs as quickly as I could. I fished out the last one, and recalled Song as well. I just hoped that the device did its job and slowed down the pain for her.

I took a quick glance around, but I didn't see anyone. No one came to investigate the sounds between me and Darkrai. I stood up and pushing my body further, I ran out of the cave. It wasn't a long trek, but with every step my head pounded with pain. My body echoed the feeling, shooting pain through my arms, chest, and legs. I ignored it however, as adrenaline kept my body moving through it. I pushed the double doors open in the Pokémon Center, as Nurse Joy turned to face me. Whatever she had in mind vanished as she saw me in my current state. She ran around the counter, taking me by the hand behind the counter and through another pair of doors.

"What happened?" she asked sternly.

"I don't care, just help Song," I mumbled. She pressed me down into a chair as she stuck out her hands. I fumbled for a moment, pulling all of my Pokéballs from the belt and handing them over. I didn't hear her call for assistance, but six Chansey were standing behind her. She passed one to each, and all saluted as one, quickly running to do... whatever they would do.

"Now, what happened?" Nurse Joy

I shook my head. "I need to be with Song, my Gardevoir," I said. "I'll explain things when we're there."

"If your Pokémon is in any similar shape to yours, there's no way that I'd allow any visitors."

I stared at her disbelievingly, but the look on her face told me that she would probably tie me to the bed if I tried anything funny. I shook my head in defeat.

"Just take care of her first," I said, waving her away. "Don't worry about me until then."

"The machines can give immediate treatment for Pokémon, but you look like you've been thr-," she said heatedly before I raised my hand to silence her.

"I'm going to insist," I said flatly. "After I encountered Darkrai, he did something to Song. I need you to find out what, and if she'll survive at all. I didn't feel a pulse, and neither was she breathing. I think she has a higher priority than me."

She didn't argue with me after that, though she stared at me mutely for a few moments, before she moved on her own accord. I stared at the wall where Nurse Joy was standing previously, before lowering my head and bringing my hands to cover my face. I felt the tears come, and I didn't hesitate to cry as my body shook in fear and utter disbelief. Why was all this happening to me?

I stayed still, unmoving as my tears tapered off on their own. A blanket was gently placed on my back suddenly. I brought my face from my hands to see a Chansey smile at me and pat me on the shoulder, before rushing off. I sighed, pulling the blanket closer around me. I just hoped that everything would be alright.

============= ====================== ==============

"I don't really know how to tell you this, Nick," Nurse Joy said to me. "I've never seen this kind of attack before."

"Give it to us straight, Nurse Joy," I said, nodding. "I think we both deserve to know what happened, or at least your professional opinion."

We were sitting in my team's recovery room. Xola, Zin, Akalia, and Spirit were all sleeping soundly. Mist was the first to fully recover, and was currently floating next to me. Even though she had her eyes closed, I had the impression that she was listening to what me and Nurse Joy were talking about. Song was also conscious, though in worse shape than everyone else. Bandages covered most of her head and face, and her neck was being supported by a brace. Nurse Joy looked at me, Song, and then back at me, before sighing and shaking her head.

"Alright, the straight answer then. It looks like, whatever you went through, destroyed your Gardevoirs Psychic abilities."

I stood up from my chair, eyes wide as fear seeped straight into me. I looked to Song, and her eyes were wide as well, shaking her head in disbelief. Turning to Mist, I was surprised that she wasn't reacting at all to this news. I sighed, and turned back to Nurse Joy, forcing myself to sit back down.

"Is there any way to help Song recover?" I asked, trying to sound calm.

Nurse Joy shook her head. "Not that I know of," she answered. "I've never seen or heard of something like this happen before. Not even my sisters know what could be done."

I turned to Song again, touching her hand and squeezing it gently. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, but I could see the tears beginning to swell in her eyes. Nurse Joy stood up and smiled sympathetically at me, before turning away to leave us alone.

I turned my chair to face the bed that Song was laying on. She turned to me and gently shook her head.

"What is it, Song?"

"She cannot speak with you through her telepathy, Master," Mist said suddenly. I turned to the ghost Pokémon before looking back at Song, who was nodding.

"Mist, is it because of Darkrai's attack?" I asked

"More likely than not," Mist answered. "Though I do not have any idea why Darkrai would do such a thing, it seems the likely culprit."

I shook my head, frowning at the new information. Song was visibly crying now, tears running down her cheeks as she shook her head side to side. I placed a hand on her cheek and she stopped, though she continued crying. I brought my chair closer to the bed, as Song leaned over to me.

"Nurse Joy isn't going to approve," I said, trying to make her smile.

"Garde, Gardevoir," Song said softly, sliding from the bed and on top of my lap. Her arms wrapped around my neck as she leaned her head on my shoulder. I held her against me, my arms supporting her. Her breathing slowed down, though her body shook due to the stress. I couldn't even begin to imagine what she was going through, but I knew I would be here to support her.

"I want you to know, Song, that I'm not dropping you off anywhere," I said with conviction. "You're not going back to the adoption center, psychic powers or not. I want that to be clear between us."

She pulled back from my shoulder slowly, looking at me with her eyes wide. I smiled and nodded at her. Her body instantly relaxed against mine, as if a weight left her shoulders.

"Do you truly think this is wise, Master?" Mist asked, floating in front of me. "We would be without one combatant in travels, in the wild. We would be-."

"Thank you, Mist, for the analysis," I said, nodding. "I don't think that any one of you would appreciate it if I sent you back home to do nothing if one of you was injured so badly."

Mist didn't respond, but her eyes narrowed slightly, before sighing. "I understand," she said softly. A smile spread on her features before continuing. "You do have true loyalty to us."

"I wouldn't dare abandon any of you anywhere, Mist," I said. "That, at the very least, I can promise you with certainty."

Mist nodded, smiling at me. Her expression changed to one of amusement as Zin appeared, pressing against my legs. Akalia and Spirit weren't that far behind, though Xola stayed on her bed, grinning in our direction.

"I believe these chairs lean back," Mist said. The gems on her body glowed softly as the chair leaned back suddenly. It wasn't enough to leave me flat like on a bed, but comfortably so. Zin and Akalia took advantage of this and jumped up, quickly fighting over where over my lower body they would sleep. Spirit and Mist chuckled softly, as I gently cradled Song. Her eyes were closed and dried tears streaked down her cheeks, but a smile was on her face. I met her forehead with my own, placing a soft kiss on her cheek as Song let out a soft sigh.

I promised to myself that I would never betray my partners trust. We've been through so much already; it wouldn't be fair to abandon Song back at Solaceon. It would be downright cruel.

I felt myself become drowsy. I closed my eyes, and slept.

Chapter 7: Intersect

I woke up as my Pokédex kept beeping constantly through the pocket it was in. Through blurry vision, I saw that Song was still curled up in my lap. I smiled as I gently brushed her cheek with my hand. Her face was calm, like if nothing happened the night before. Her chin rested on her chest as she snuggled deeper into my arms unconsciously. She had one of her arms resting on my shoulder and reaching behind me. The other was grasping to my chest possessively, green fingers clinging fiercely to my shirt. I managed to get the offending piece of technology without moving too much, and stared blankly at the numbers presented in the screen.

"Noon already," I murmured to myself. Slept in half the day and no one wakes me? Maybe Nurse Joy thought it would be best if everyone got some extra rest. I honestly wasn't going to argue.

Song stirred for a moment before taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly. She buried her face into my chest, her grip tightening around me before releasing me. I ran my hand over head, gently petting her to see if it would keep her relaxed.

"Gard. Garde, Gard Gardevoir," she murmured, before shaking her head again. Her eyes were closed, and seeing how I couldn't understand her now, I was left to speculate what it all meant.

"Do you truly wish to know what she said?"

I would have jumped if it wasn't for the current weight on my body. Mist slowly floated into my vision, hovering over my prone body. Her head was tilted to the side, giving her a curious look. Her eyes didn't make her look angry or impassionate, but alert. Her mouth was in the shape of a smile, the squiggly line making it look like a grin, if I didn't know any better.

I shook my head, shrugging my shoulders slightly. "Though it would be nice to know, I think if it was serious you wouldn't be asking," I said, nodding. "I trust you enough to make the call."

Mist tilted her head to the side, looking at me with a curious look. Her gems glowed in sequence from left to right for a brief moment before they stopped. I tilted my own head, mimicking her gesture. She smiled at me, shaking her head gently from side to side, a soft giggle escaping her.

"I apologize, Master," she said, her body shaking as she hovered close by. "You reminded me of something."

"Well, it's good to see you laugh, Mist," I said, smiling. "I like seeing you like this."

"I am enjoying myself more than I did with my previous trainer," she said, shaking her head. The way she said that made me think that this wasn't a subject she enjoyed talking about. I nodded in response, smiling at the ghost as she smiled back at me.

"We should at least prepare ourselves for the journey. Or at least, clean up after ourselves."

I couldn't agree more. The problem was that a few certain Pokémon weren't going to like it. I looked at myself, trying to figure out how to get up, before a mischievous thought crossed my mind.

"How about we give them a good wakeup call?" I asked

============= ====================== ===============

I ran out of the double doors as quickly as my legs would carry me. I was carrying my backpack, and the previously bought items still in their bags in my hands, as four extremely delirious Pokémon chased me. Song was chasing me out of spite, just because I had Mist scream in her head. I tried waking her up more gently, but all she would do was snuggle closer to me. Of course, all this caused was mass confusion on top of me, startling both Zin and Akalia from their sleep on top of my lap.

I had taken the opportunity to run and get my things, but that was all the time I had before Song had barged in through the doors of the room. Though she didn't have any psychic powers to call upon, she was faster than I thought, and nearly grabbed me by the neck as I lunged past her through the door. I nearly ran into Zin and Akalia, and if it wasn't for their vastly superior reflexes, I would still be inside the Pokémon Center with more physical injuries that I'd care to imagine.

"Duck, Master!" Mist cried suddenly. I did as she suggested, to see a spark of lightning jolt through were my head was located a mere moment ago. If the threat was to make me stop, it didn't work. It only made my legs pound the ground faster as I ran west through town.

"Mist, catch!" I shouted, launching my backpack and bags to the ghost at my side. She deftly caught them in midair with her powers, the objects outlined with a purple glow. Unfortunately, this threw me off balance and it allowed Zin to press an advantage. As I stumbled, my arms flailed uselessly as the Houndoom tackled my side. My world tumbled for a good moment, and was suddenly grateful that there wasn't any pavement underneath me as a slobbered lick met my face. I struggled against her weight, but the paws on my shoulders and her growl made me stop moving. I laughed as she began to lick my neck, but my body stiffened as her teeth began to nip at my skin.

"Zin," I said, my voice sounding a bit high pitch in my ears, "don't. Please, not in public."

She didn't talk out loud, thankfully. Her look, however, told me that she felt hurt. I smiled at her, and nuzzled her forehead with my own, getting a contented rumble in response. This, however, only let Song and Akalia catch up to me. I struggled once again to escape Zin's grasp, but she firmly laid herself on top of my chest. The only way to escape now would be to throw her off, and I didn't want to do that.

Wrapping my arms around Zin, I rolled over with her pressed to my chest to avoid being pounced on by both Song and Akalia. A startled yelp rang in my ears as I tried to stop myself from rolling and failing miserably. I ended up on my back again, Zin making an odd chuckling growl as she licked my nose. I lost my breath instantly as extra weight crashed on top of me. As both Akalia and Song laughed on top of me, Spirit and Xola moved into my view, looking at us on the ground like two parents that were watching their unruly children.

"In a way, you are, Master," Mist said calmly, as she hovered by Spirit's outstretched neck. "You are still a child."

I laughed at the comment. True, I had just turned eighteen, but it sounded funny coming from Mist. "Straight to the heart of the matter, Mist," I said, nodding. Grasping Song's outstretched hand, I looked deep into the Gardevoir's eyes. I wanted to make sure, reconfirm if just to myself, that other than her not having her usual powers, that she was alright. She smiled and nodded at me, as it seemed that my mischief was pardoned. Either that, or forgotten in getting piled on by my friends.

"Back from the dead now, are we?"

I turned to see Jonathan walking towards me, a grin spread across his face. He was wearing some stylized sunglasses that I didn't recognize. His face was hidden behind the shade of a hat that matched his logo from when he showed it to me, and a vest that had the logo also emblazoned above the left shoulder. He had a white shirt under the green vest with blue jeans. He looked as ready as I was to head out.

"That's putting it mildly," I said, shaking my head. Being reminded of Darkrai in any way right now made my skin crawl. I honestly felt like puking at the thought.

"I overheard Nurse Joy grumble about you, and I got a bare-bones explanation of what happened," he said, shrugging. "Other than your Gardevoir being put to intensive care, and you for minor injuries, that's all I know."

I sighed as I stood up. Mist floated by and passed me my things again that I unceremoniously threw at her. Slipping on my backpack, I spoke. "Well, if you consider Darkrai coming along and totally thrashing me, I guess."

"Darkrai?!" Jonathan exclaimed, looking both excited and terrified at the same time. "Tell me, what did he do?"

"Why are you suddenly interested?" I asked defensively. Sure, he might try to help, but I just met this guy.

He frowned for a moment, and seemed to be thinking through something before shrugging. "Look, I shouldn't be telling you this, but I will if it means you'll cooperate I can explain."

"I guess," I said, shrugging. "I'm listening."

"Look, there's been a lot of reports recently of psychic Pokémon losing their powers, or being attacked inside their minds," he explained. "There's only a handful of Pokémon that we know do this on a constant basis, and we've ruled out most of them. The only one unaccounted for is Darkrai."

"How do you keep track of the Night Walker?" I asked, bewildered by the concept. "He acts on the will of Arceus, doesn't he?"

Jonathan shrugged. "Who knows? All we know is the stories that Arceus created the world, and afterwards created Palkia, Dialga, and Giratina to balance it. There isn't any mention of who created Darkrai."

"What about Crescelia? Isn't she Darkrai's opposite?" I asked thoughtfully.

"It's possible, but that begs the question of who birthed Crescelia in the first place, as well as Darkrai. All the reports indicate that affected Pokémon have terrible nightmares, and their powers are either siphoned or completely cut off."

"And how can you tell all ofthis by justlooking at us?"

"Easy," he said, smugly. "One, your Gardevoir isn't floating. Two, I've had enough training to recognize passive mind reading, and she's not preforming it. Psychic types read people's thoughts constantly. And three, you mentioned Darkrai, you being indisposed, and from Nurse Joy's curt responses of me asking, I can infer that you were afflicted by something not normal."

I rolled my eyes and sighed, feeling frustrated. What's next, he's gonna 'infer' that I've had sex with Zin and Akalia?

His grin didn't make me think of him differently at the moment. Zin growled deeply, white fangs bared as black smog curled from her lips. I pressed a hand against her head, and she eased up, if just that. She was still growling, but was keeping the smoke in check. I looked at Song, who didn't meet my gaze as I gently touched her shoulder. She shook her head and shrugged, leaving me feeling a little lost. I sighed, and felt that I had to decide on something.

"Well, I guess we'd better explain," I said, shaking my head.

================= ====================== ==================

"He actually spoke to you, directly?" he asked as I finished telling Jonathan what happened within the Celestic Ruins. "He didn't just leave, but actually spoke to you?"

"Yes, he did," I said, frowning. "Why is this so important? Song's powers are impaired for the rest of her life because Darkrai decided to do this."

"No, there's something else. There has to be," Jonathan said, shaking his head. "Darkrai doesn't act on his own volition, unless he's responding to Crescelia's entrance to the world. He counteracts her, you see. The problem is that Crescelia hasn't been spotted in any part of the world while Darkrai has."

"This still doesn't make sense," I said exasperated. "Let's keep moving. I really don't feel like talking about it, especially since it all happened... what yesterday?"

He nodded as we walked stood up from underneath a shady tree in Route Two-eleven. The cavern entrance that leads through Mount Coronet was a massive opening, easily allowing three or more people through at any time. Though still mostly a rugged path, it has been cleared out by other people in the past, making travel almost a straight shot than what it once was. I heard that at one point, you had to move a few gigantic boulders just to get through here!

We walked inside the surprisingly lit cavern. Though it was darker than it was outside, I could still see rather clearly. As we walked deeper inside, the light tapered off, making it difficult to see in front of us. I quickly fished out my new flashlight and cranked the handle, the light sputtering to life within the device.

"It's just a boring walk through here," Jonathan said, walking ahead of me. If he had a flashlight, either he didn't deem it necessary or didn't let the darkness bother him. "There aren't a lot of wild Pokémon on this floor, because it's so widely used."

"Right," I said, still shining my flashlight ahead of me. "I believe you, but don't mind me. I'd rather be able to see what's ahead of me."

A sudden gust of cold wind blew past as we continued walking, making me shiver. I gasped in surprise, my teeth rattling at the sudden temperature drop. "Jeez, what was that?" I asked aloud.

Jonathan pointed upwards to the cave roof. "It snows up there, you know," he said, shaking his head. "There're tales of Abomasnow's and other Ice type Pokémon that thrive there. Wouldn't doubt it, personally, seeing that it's their natural habitat."

I nodded, following Jonathan around a corner. I gripped my flashlight harder as the cave grew progressively darker. Silence followed us like a shroud as we walked. The wind would blow at random intervals, chilling us to the bone as we continued on. A stray thought crossed my mind, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Do you know if this happens often? This wind blowing through here, I mean," I asked. "I would think that the wind blowing from above wouldn't be able to reach down here."

Jonathan stopped suddenly, as I nearly bumped into him. In front of us stood what looked like a white mountain in the midst of regular stone. Four large spikes of green stuck out from it, and a large rumbling could be heard. Before any of us reacted, it turned suddenly, revealing a large face with prominent eyes in a mass of white. Gigantic green arms were raised and a loud growl came from its hidden mouth. I made a grab for a Pokéball so I was ready, but Jonathan shook his head.

"There's more than one," he stated flatly. "There's always more than one Abomasnow."

Sure enough, heavy footsteps made me turn around to see the vague shapes of other Abomasnow walking towards us. Deep rumbles accompanied the footsteps, as I looked toward Jonathan. He was giving me a very dubious stare, as if I was confirming something that he thought.

"Suddenly, I regret meeting you," he stated flatly.

"Gee, thanks," I said, rolling my eyes.

Well, it was either run to more than one, or try to get past one, so I took the chance. I turned around again to face the first Abomasnow we encountered and flashing my light in its vision, hoping that it would distract it. It worked, the behemoth stepping sideways, allowing me just enough space to dive in between its body and the wall. Jonathan yelled and dove behind me, his footsteps matching my own rapid pace quickly. A roar echoed behind as I turned my head behind me, seeing nothing but vague shapes dance in the shadows.

"Don't turn around, idiot!" Jonathan yelled. I turned my head around just in time to avoid running straight into a wall. Though I slowed down enough, I couldn't turn before hitting the wall. I used my hands to bounce myself back into the right way, following Jonathan through the left turn. As we ran, a thought crossed my mind from what Song exclaimed yesterday.

I stopped, my feet sliding for a moment on the dirt covered ground. I thought I heard Jonathan yell something at me, but I was tired of running. After surviving Darkrai, these things were cheapskates.

"Spirit!" I yelled, throwing my Flygon's Pokéball. My green scaled dragon appeared in a flash of red, her gentle cry drowned out by the roar of the Abomasnow.

She turned towards me for a moment and I returned her gaze with a grin. If she was feeling nervous, it disappeared as she returned my grin with her own.

"Alright, let's stop them. Spirit, Earthquake!"

With a nod, she hopped into the air before slamming down to the ground. From my light, the ground heaved and cracked from the force, as it moved unerringly towards the stampeding Pokémon. An angry roar came as the ground shook and the ground split, making an impassable gap appear in between us and the stampeding Abomasnow. A laugh bubbled out of me, my mouth gaping in surprise at how successful the idea was. A beam of ice made me rethink my victory, freezing the air as it passed by my cheek. I kneeled and brought a hand to my cheek, feeling flecks of frost sticking to my skin.

"Oi, Jonathan! Where are you?" I yelled behind me. Silence answered back, and I shook my head. "Alright, Spirit, use Sand-," was as far as I got before an ear splitting roar from behind me made me stop.

"Zefyra, Hyper Beam!"

A dark red beam brightened the cavern as the attack passed just above me. It definitely wasn't Jonathan that shouted that. The beam exploded against the ground where the Abomasnow were, scattering them back. A pile of rubble fell from the walls, covering the path in rock and debris, preventing anything else from being fired in our direction.

I panted, shaking my head and looking at Spirit. She looked equally perplexed as she helped me stand up. A feminine laugh made me grab my flashlight and crank it, whipping around quickly. Jonathan was there, shaking his head while being accompanied by a woman. She looked very... weathered, dirt smeared across her cheeks and a healthy tan on her skin. She wore similar clothes to us, a tucked in purple t-shirt that hugged her torso and brown pants made for utility instead of fashion. A bag was slung over her shoulder, the strap hidden in between cleavage and her long pink hair. Her hair made her stand out, and instantly reminded me of a Nurse Joy. Though I imagined that the face also resembled, and the smile was exactly the same. What completely clashed with the thought was the three headed dragon hovering next to her.

It hovered slightly behind the woman, one head sticking out on a long neck, similar to Spirit's, though the face was more pronounced and forward. Where the arms and hands would be, two more faces were there, red eyes darting menacingly about. Rows of sharp teeth adorned the three faces, all connected to a rather round body. The wings didn't look like they would support such a behemoth, yet did so without much trouble. While the necks were covered in what looked like black fur, the rest of the body was of blue scales, with what looked like purple stripes running vertically from its feet to where the black fur began.

All three mouths opened suddenly, but the woman raised its hand to slap the left head from behind. "You be quiet!" she yelled. "No need to roar at people that aren't a threat to us. How many damn times do I have to say this?!"

Her voice sounded exactly like a Nurse Joy. I just stared blankly at the woman in front of me, before she walked towards me and slapped me across the face as well. The impact snapped me out of my reverie and it made Spirit growl at the woman, grabbing me by the shoulder. The lady laughed at my Flygon, shaking her head.

"Sorry kid," she said lightly with that eerie familiar voice. "You were staring. It's not polite."

I shook my head, rubbing my cheek with a hand. "Sorry," I said. "I wasn't expecting anyone else except us two here."

"Yeah, I bet," she said, laughing. "You probably weren't expecting to run into that Abomasnow pack just now, either."

Jonathan shook his head. "We weren't aware that they were moving today. No reports were in Celestic Town when we left."

"That hick town?" the woman asked. "What the hell where you two doing there?" She shook her head, shrugging. "Never mind, don't answer that. Where are you two going, anyway? Hopefully not back, anyway."

I shook my head. "We're headed to Eterna," I answered, frowning.

The lady nodded, smiling brightly. "Good! I was headed there, too, so it works out. Just don't get Zefyra there angry, she tends to scream a lot."

She pointed to the three headed beast with a thumb and a tilt of her head, while Zefyra looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but the center of attention. The woman laughed merrily, before pulling a Pokéball from her bag and recalling the monster.

"What was that, anyway?" I asked. "I've never seen that Pokémon before."

"They're found only in Unova," the lady said, shrugging. At my blank look, she laughed. "Unova is a new region that has recently established connections with ours, and I got to go due to connections. It helps to have family in high places."

I nodded mutely before being turned around by Spirit. The Flygon began inspecting my face, as if to make sure I wasn't hurt. I smiled as she began to peer closely at the cheek the woman slapped, but stiffened as soon as I felt her tongue rub against my skin. Both Jonathan and the woman laughed as I tried to squirm away from Spirit's grasp.

When Spirit was satisfied, she let me go. By this time, Jonathan was holding his sides and the woman was almost to her knees, both laughing hysterically. I felt my cheeks heat up as I nodded to my overly worried Flygon, patting her claws.

"Alright, you two, thank you for the motivation," I said, my voice wavering. "Let's get out of here before those Abomasnow find a way to get us."

"Oh, I highly doubt it," the woman said, tapping a finger to her forehead. "They won't mess with us after that."

================= ====================== =============

By the time we made it out of Mount Coronet, it was already dark out. Not seeing any sunlight startled me slightly, but I quickly adjusted. Spirit had refused to return to her Pokéball, even with our new walking companion constantly teasing her about looking over me. The Flygon would blush slightly and shake her head every time, no matter what the woman said. Even now Spirit walked beside me, eyes wary to anything that might even be a danger to us. I had tried to calm her down, but nothing I said would assure her that everything was fine.

The ground rocked under me, and I noticed that we weren't on solid ground anymore. Looking down, we were standing on some kind of bridge. I instantly froze, my heart pounding in my throat. I felt Spirit quickly grab me by the shoulders and lifted me off from the ground. The humming of her wings was all I managed to register as we flew for a few seconds, landing on the other side. When Spirit put me down, my knees gave underneath me, my stomach churning. I felt someone put a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey kid, you ok?" the lady asked. I was about to answer when my stomach got the better of me. I was grateful that I was still facing the ground when brunch decided to make its reappearance. Throat stinging, I closed my eyes as I had to tolerate the horrible smell of bile as my stomach emptied itself.

"Holy shit, you alright? Hey! You ok?" she asked again, shaking my shoulder. I groaned, shaking my head from side to side.

"Spirit, help me up. Slowly, please," I said, groaning. Her claws grabbed from underneath my arms, lifting me up gently from the ground. I stood on wobbly legs again, though this time she didn't let me go.

"Here, use this," the lady said, pressing a handkerchief into my hand. I wiped my mouth as best I could through the smell of bile still in my nose. Spirit grabbed the handkerchief from me and took over for me, cooing softly as she cleaned me. I chuckled softly as she did so, stopping only when she deemed me clean enough. I wanted to get my tent set up, but Jonathan stopped me.

"We're almost to Eterna City," he said, smiling at me. "Can you make it?"

"How far are we?" I asked weakly.

"Probably a good ten minutes, if that much," the lady said again. I nodded, adjusting my backpack as we continued. I walked between both Jonathan and the lady. I turned to my left, and asked the first question that came to mind.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Just call me Joy, alright? It's easier that way," she said.

I nodded, accepting the answer. Jonathan spoke next. "So, are you a trainer, Joy?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I'm actually a Pokémon Breeder," she said with pride. "I've managed to get some pretty hard to find Pokémon, especially since visiting Unova, and I've been taking a break. I came to Sinnoh, hoping that THIS wouldn't happen to me!"

I grinned, shaking my head gently. I still felt like I had a headache, but I continued on. "Sorry. Not our fault."

"Not your fault?" she asked, facing me as we walked. "You mean to tell me that you didn't know that the Abomasnow head to the underground lakes to drink water every five weeks?"

"How were we supposed to know that it was that specific time?" I asked, perplexed.

She shook her head, heaving a heavy sigh. "Boy's. Ignorant as always."

I was about to say something, but thought better of it. I don't think I could stand the verbal pounding she would dish out right now if I tried to argue. It reminded me of my mom when she was exasperated with me or dad.

"Are you a specific kind of breeder, Joy?" Jonathan asked, trying to keep the conversation flowing.

Joy shook her head again. "No, I don't limit myself to one kind or type. I have a few that cover the most common egg groups, plus a few rare ones like Zefyra, that I know people desire because of specific traits."

Jonathan nodded, smiling. "That's cool. I've met a few breeders in my travels, and they're always looking for that one thing to put them on the map. It seems that you know what's in demand."

"You have to be, in order to be in the know," she said smugly. "The only way to stay ahead of the curve is to be the curve."

As she said this, Joy looked at me with an unnerving grin. "Unlike this kid here. It's pretty sad that you can't cross a bridge without losing your lunch."

I stared at her, unable to believe that she would say that. She hasn't even known me for a day and she's already insulting me? Jeez, what is it with this lady? I sighed as I turned to address her, but she cut me off before I opened my mouth.

"Don't try," she said, laughing. "I'd hate to just make fun of you some more by trying to explain yourself."

That did it.

"Oh, because you've had plenty of bridges break underneath your feet, I imagine," I said, anger tainting my voice. "Because you've almost lost a friend to rapids, and when you do find them, all you get is a broken and battered body. Yeah, I'm sure that you can totally relate."

I pushed myself to break away from the group. Jonathan raised his voice, asking me to slow down, but I ignored him. Let them have their little bonding, if that's what they wanted. I could use some time away from those two, at the very least.

I was thankful that we entered the city proper now. Paved streets, homes, and buildings announced that we had reached our destination. I followed the street, a sign pointing me in the direction of the Pokémon Center that was just ahead. I passed by some bicycle racks and saw a raised section that was clearly lit up by flood lights. As I climbed the stairs I noticed that a statue was the focus, though I didn't know of what, exactly. Two Pokémon stood side by side. One stood on all fours, while the other stood on hind legs. Both had long necks and sharp facial expressions, but that's where all the similarities ended.

"Nick, hold up now, will you?"

I turned to see Jonathan and Joy making their way towards me. I shrugged, before turning to face the statue again. Though there weren't any specific details, like body structure or whatnot, the general body type was there. It gave a feeling that this statue was not just old, but had or has significant meaning. Upon closer inspection on the base of the statue, there was a plaque that read "Dialga and Palkia, the Roar of Time and the Space between Worlds". I shrugged, imagining that this was based on the world creation mythos.

I moved onward, before those two caught up with me. I didn't really want to hear what Joy would make up as an excuse. In reality, I don't think I could stand her. I just hoped that she won't try to tag along. I think that would be worst case scenario.

Heading down the stairs from the statue, I headed into town. It was quiet in the streets, with the sounds of occasional rustling as the wind picked up something within the shadows. I shivered again, Spirit sticking close to me as we both hurried to the Pokémon Center. A bed was sounding really good right about now.

Turning left into what looked like the main street, the Pokémon Center was visible to my left. I quickened my step, the huge building easily dwarfing the Solaceon and Celestic Town centers with plenty of room to spare. I quickly entered, being extremely grateful that these buildings stayed open at all times of the day or night. As the double doors closed behind me, the familiar looking Nurse Joy turned to me behind her desk, smiling brightly. I returned the smile, feeling the comfortable sensation that I'm used to.

"Welcome to Eterna!" Nurse Joy exclaimed as I reached the counter. "My, you're here late. I'm sorry to say that all our rooms are taken."

Just as quickly that I had those feelings, they were quickly dashed away. I sighed, shaking my head and frowning. Spirit placed her claws on my shoulders, squeezing softly as if trying to help me cope. "There isn't a room available?" I asked in sheer disbelief.

"Well, there is one, but no one's taken it because most trainers don't like to share their sleeping arrangements," she said, smiling sympathetically. "If you know of two other trainers, I'd be more than happy to-."

"We'll totally bunk with you, kid." I winced, turning around to see both Joy and Jonathan walking past the entrance. "Hey, sis."

"Hello to you too, sister," Nurse Joy responded with a smile. "How was Unova?"

"Interesting to say the least," Joy responded with a shrug. "Had an eventful day, and definitely looking forward to sleep."

"Well, like I said, we're full at the moment, unless you three take that joined room," Nurse Joy said. "Though it looks like you're all traveling together?"

Jonathan nodded. "Yeah, we are. We'll take the room, too."

"Excellent! Let me just get everything in order and I'll be right back," Nurse Joy said, before grabbing some keys and dashing behind another pair of doors. I was turning away from the desk with the intention of leaving before Joy placed a hand on my shoulder. Spirit vocalized my feelings at the touch, as her growl echoed slightly in the silent room.

"Kid, I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head. "I really shouldn't have said that. Not used to seeing someone that travels puke because of walking over a bridge."

"Yeah, I bet," I said sarcastically. "I bet you haven't met anyone with such interesting happenings as me, either."

"Oh, I can imagine I have, but everyone's different. You've never met anyone like me, I bet."

"I've only started my journey like two weeks ago," I said, rolling my eyes. "I haven't met anyone else on the road except you two."

We stayed silent, though I didn't move or push her hand away from my shoulder. Spirit was staring intently at Joy, and her growl was still audible when Nurse Joy came back.

"Oh, is everything alright?" she asked. I nodded mutely, turning away from Joy and patting my dragon's neck. Spirit calmed down, stopping her aggressive stance, but her eyes didn't leave the woman that had angered her.

"Yeah, we're fine," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Is the room ready? I'm sure we'd all like to rest up."

"Everything is ready for you three," Nurse Joy said happily, oblivious to the previous exchange. Nurse Joy walked around the desk, beckoning us to follow her. While Jonathan and Joy both walked in front of me, I balled my fists tightly. The desire to scream in frustration was very prominent in my thoughts as I followed wordlessly behind.

We quickly reached a door that Nurse Joy unlocked for us. Inside was a spacious room that was more like a living room in a home than a small bedroom. Instead of a sofa, three beds were next to the far walls, chairs surrounding a rather large wooden table. The large rug on the ground was the only real decoration in the room.

"The door on the far side leads to the restroom," Nurse Joy said, smiling. "Please make yourselves comfortable, and have a good night."

We made ourselves comfortable, claiming a bed as we walked inside. I was left with the one closest to the bathroom door, Spirit quickly helping me shed my backpack and making me sit on a chair. She was dithering over me, and I couldn't help but smile at her antics. I grabbed her claws gently and squeezed them, silently reassuring her that I was alright. She relaxed, if just slightly, before nodding.

"It really looks like you have a good bond with your team, kid," Joy said, pulling up a chair next to me.

I nodded, a smile making its way out of me. "It helps when I've known them before I started my journey."

She tilted her head curiously. "What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"I'm from Solaceon. Instead of accepting a starter Pokémon from Professor Rowan, the Pokémon Center had an adoption going at the time. My team came from that adoption. I also worked at the center, helping out when I could."

Joy nodded, leaning back on the chair for a moment, before leaning forward excitedly. "Hey, what if we let our teams out?" she asked. "I'm sure they'd appreciate getting out of their Pokéballs."

I looked at Joy for a moment, completely confused before she laughed at me. She grabbed a Pokéball from her belt and opened it, releasing that three headed dragon again into the room. If it learned its lesson, or decided that there wasn't a threat, I don't know. All I know is that it didn't roar, or make the attempt to.

"Good girl, Zefyra," Joy said laughing. "She's starting to get it. Hopefully, anyway."

I smiled at Joy before looking at Spirit. She tilted her head to the side before sitting next to me. I patted her neck and she cooed softly. Jonathan had made his way to us, pulling the other chair and sitting next to Joy.

"Well, I guess here goes nothing," I said, grabbing a Pokéball and releasing its inhabitant. Mist appeared, giving a melodic cry before hovering over me. She gave me a shrug to which I returned. Turning to Jonathan and Joy, they gave me an eager look.

"What, I go first?" I asked.

"Well, you already had your Flygon out and released your Mismagius," Joy said, grinning. "Sure, since you volunteered."

"Master, what is the matter?" Mist asked, curiosity in her voice. "Who is this woman?"

"Nothing's wrong, Mist," I said, shaking my head. "This is Joy, someone we met that helped us get away from a pack of wild Abomasnow in Mount Coronet."

When I turned to face Joy and Jonathan, both were looking at me like I was either insane or delusional. Joy was the first to break out of their stunned silence.

"Wait, you can understand your Mismagius?" she asked.

I nodded, shrugging. A thought crossed my mind. "Wait, so what do you hear?"

"The standard Pokémon talk, repeating its name over and over again," Jonathan said, shrugging.

Food for thought, that's for sure. Mist giggled softly, leaning in to whisper in my ear. "That's my little secret," she said, her voice making a shiver run up my spine.

I quickly pulled out another Pokéball, letting out Akalia. The Luxray quickly spun around and stretched luxuriously before noticing Joy and giving a deep growl. Her ears were flat against her skull, while her eyes glowed brightly. Joy's Pokémon matched the Luxray's threatening tone, but I quickly stopped things from escalating by getting off my chair and kneeling next to Akalia.

The Luxray gave me a confused look for a moment, before shaking her head. I chuckled softly before ruffling her fur, and she returned the favor by pouncing on me. A good amount of laughter ensued as I managed to sit up. Akalia finally relented, though she claimed my lap as her seat.

"Does your Luxray always act like this?" Jonathan asked.

"Wait until you meet Zin," I said, shaking my head.

Not waiting to get a reply to that, I found another and released it, unleashing Xola from her confines. The Milotic's body was curled upon itself, thankfully making sure she didn't take up a lot of space. She gave out a sharp cry, before plowing her face into mine.

"It's good to see you smiling again, Master!" Xola exclaimed, nuzzling my neck. "I was worried about you."

"I'm fine, Xola," I said, chuckling as she pulled back. I gently rubbed her cheeks with my hands, getting that one spot I know that she always loves. She immediately melted to a puddle as I scratched under her chin and her neck. This time there wasn't a comment of me talking to Xola. I shrugged, pulling the last two remaining Pokéballs and revealing Song and Zin.

Both of them immediately rushed towards me, piling on top of me. If it wasn't for Spirit and Xola, I would be the center of a pile of Pokémon rather quickly as they both kept me upright as a Gardevoir and a Houndoom were more than happy to keep me pinned down.

"Alright, alright, calm down!" I exclaimed. "Alright, Jonathan, you've seen them but weren't properly introduced. Joy, Jonathan, I'd like you to meet my team.

"The unruly Houndoom is Zin, and this Gardevoir is Song. You've already met Spirit, my Flygon, and my Mismagius, Mist. This blue dervish is Akalia, and Xola is my Milotic."

I laughed as Akalia snuck her head under my shirt and poking her head out through the collar. All the time, pressing her body all that more closer to mine. I laughed as she licked my cheek, as I tried to stem the affection. Jonathan and Joy joined in on the laughter, watching the Luxray's antics.

"You sure have a lively team, to say the least," Jonathan said, grinning. "I can sympathize with the affection."

"What do you mean by that?" Joy asked.

"All of these Pokémon are female, right?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yep, every single one of them," I said, chuckling. "I think I'd get mauled if I said the opposite after all this time."

Her eyes narrowed at me for a second, before shrugging. "I'll be honest with you, kid. The first thought that crossed my mind is that you're some kind of egomaniac."

I blinked, my breath catching in my throat for a second, making me choke. "Why in the world would you say that?" I asked.

"Obvious answer, moron, is that you're telling six females what to do," she answered coldly. "Maybe that answer is too obvious for you."

I wasn't expecting that. "Joy, in all honesty that isn't even why I chose this six. I'll even go so far that they chose ME instead of the other way around. They knew my plans, and I had spoken at length is Professor Rowan beforehand."

Joy shrugged, not looking impressed or satisfied with my response. "Whatever, kid. I just call it as I see it."

"You don't go calling my mate ANYTHING like that, do you hear me!"

If anyone was going to say anything, it died in their throats after Zin's outburst. All eyes were either on me, Zin, or alternating between us two. Black smoke began to curl out of the edges of her lips, the barb shaped tail tip was quivering in the air. Akalia took the time to slide from under my shirt and join Zin's intimidating display. While the Luxray was more reserved, I could still spot sparks of electricity dancing across her fur.

Right now, no one made any noise or spoke. Even Joy's three headed dragon didn't dare make a sound. Spirit gently picked me up from the ground, while Xola made an impressive barrier between myself and everyone else. Song also stood by my side, as Mist floated above Akalia and Zin.

"Nick," Jonathan said, "I think you'd better recall them back."

"Not if this bitch doesn't apologize to my Master!" Zin responded heatedly. "And don't get involved in things that you aren't involved, human."

I imagine that finally snapped Joy from her stupor. "How did you teach your Houndoom how to talk?" she asked.

"Hey, lady, I'm down here," Zin responded, her growls echoing in her voice. "Master didn't teach me anything. I learned it by myself, thank you very much. You'd better apologize right now, or else."

"Kid," was all Joy said before a jet of flame aimed directly at her face interrupted her. The three headed dragon moved to defend its mistress, but Akalia intervened, standing in its way.

"Now that it looks like I have your attention, care to apologize now?"

"Nick?" Jonathan said. His voice was calm, but it looked a bit forced. His eyes were wide in surprise, arms and legs tense.

I laughed, shaking my head. I made my way to where Zin was standing, kneeling and placing a hand on top of her head between her horns. While she didn't stop looking toward Joy's direction, she acknowledged me. She sat down, trying to restrain herself from jumping in the woman's direction. Even through the restrain she couldn't, or wouldn't, stop her tail from twitching or the smog slowly making its way out of her jaws. I was just thankful that it dissipated before reaching the roof.

I sighed, shaking my head. "I guess I had better explain myself now, don't I?"

Chapter 8: Truth's

I stood up from the ground, shaking my head as I grabbed the vacant chair. I could feel their eyes on me while my back was turned to them. I frowned as I put the chair back down, though when I turned to sit I did my best to put on a neutral expression. Song was at my side before I realized it, a hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at her, and she smiled gently, nodding. I frowned again, but she shook her head.

Dammit Darkrai, why did you have to do this to us? I sighed as the feeling of frustration crept over me. I wish that I hadn't taken Song's psychic communication for granted. Now this silence felt like a chasm between us.

"Alright, so let me get this straight," Joy said, staring at me. "You just became a trainer, correct?"

I nodded. She frowned, shaking her head. "You also recruited these six Pokémon to come with you?"

"I don't know if 'recruited' is the right word for it," I said, shrugging. "It works, though. I'm leaning toward Song masterminding this."

Joy looked at the Gardevoir in question, then shrugged. "Doesn't matter in the long run, anyway. How did you meet them?"

"All except Zin where from the Pokémon Center adoption," I said. "I caught Zin afterwards, before reaching Celestic Town."

Joy's eyes narrowed at me. I sat up straight, not wanting to appear 'weak' to this woman. I felt that if I let slip something, one of these two would catch on rather quickly. It didn't help my case that Zin also called me her mate, though. I can always go with the 'I didn't hear that' excuse.

Highly doubted that would work. I could always hope that either Jonathan or Joy didn't hear that part. With my luck, who was I kidding?

"This is too much," she said suddenly. I blinked, but didn't say anything, less I redirect her attention back to me. "I'm going to sleep. I suggest you two do the same. It's fucking late, and I like getting up early. If we're going to travel together, might as well start getting used to things."

I grimaced, but nodded, staying silent. I didn't think that we were going to stay together after tonight, even if I did want to stick with Jonathan. But if he was going to take her side in this argument, it might be for the best that we all parted ways. I stood up, shaking my head.

"I'm gonna go outside and get some fresh air," I announced. "I'll be back."

I was quickly followed by Zin, but the others stayed behind. I gave Zin a curious look, but she flashed me a wide grin. I sighed again, not bothering or feeling the need to tell her just how much trouble I might be in. We exited the room, followed the hallway to the main room of the Center. No one was there, thankfully, not even Nurse Joy. I shrugged to myself, before heading outside the double doors into the night air.

The sign in front of the Pokémon Center said that Route Two-oh-five connected to the Eterna Forest to the west. I headed in that direction, Zin right on my heels. Neither of us spoke, as I began to get more frustrated with the situation I was in. Things were definitely a lot less complicated back at home, that's for sure. We quickly reached the edge of the city, the transition making it look like nature and city slowly ebbed into each other, the transition barely noticeable because of the trees lining the roads.

The woods of Eterna Forest edged in the distance, the road leading to the entrance not my main focus at the moment. I eyed the bridge with distrust, and decided to head to the trees to my right. While it was sparsely wooded, it had enough vegetation on the ground that the trees provided shadows in the moonlight. Thankfully, the trees opened up into a clearing, the grass covering the ground evenly but without growing rampant. I saw that the bridge from earlier went over some water. I made my way to the edge of the large pond. No one stood on the bridge from what I can see. At the edge, I sat myself down, my feet dangling over the water, the soles of my shoes barely disturbing the water's surface. I felt Zin sit next to me, her body leaning into my side.

"I'm sorry, Master," she said softly. "I shouldn't have yelled at her. It's just that I didn't want her to keep calling you those things."

I sighed, frowning. "I understand, Zin. I really do, and I appreciate the fact that you stood up to defend me," I said, trying to stay positive. "I'm more worried over the part that you called me your mate."

"Well, you are!" she exclaimed happily. Her tail wagged against the grass, tapping against my hand every time it made its circuit. "You've become my reason to be here, still. If it wasn't for you and Song, I don't know where I would be. Probably someone's prize, eventually, or hunted down by others of my kind. I don't even want to think if my old pack finds me."

"Zin," I said, but she kept talking. Either she didn't hear me, or chose to ignore me.

"Then Song comes along, and totally changes how I think of humans," she continued, her voice beginning to crack with emotion. "I was always told to stay away from you humans! My mother was KILLED, defending our pack from humans. My father would eventually be caught by a human trainer. Do you even think what I did was easy?"

I stared at the Houndoom, focusing on how much her eyes were shining in the moonlight. Fur bristled, eyes wide, flecks of flame and shadow escaping her mouth as she talked. I wanted to hold her, but she shook her head at me. My heart pounded in my chest as I looked at her. After a moments silence, she continued.

"It took all I had to trust Song," she said, her voice returning to normal. "The first thing I wanted to do when we got into my den was rip your throat out."

How she said that unnerved me. The tone of her voice didn't have any hint of the usual playfulness in it. She wanted to kill me? Try as I might, I couldn't help but gulp audibly. The sound echoed easily in my ears, and I didn't doubt that she heard it. My heart started beating faster, but a paw on my arm stopped me from bolting. I looked again at Zin, her eyes beginning to shine as red tears began to escape. I breathed out through my nose, and smiled at her, wrapping my arms around her neck. Without hesitation, I faced her and gave her a kiss right on her muzzle.

I imagined that shock was prevalent in her mind, as she didn't react immediately to my act. Her tongue quickly snaked out, dominating mine and taking command from me. We stayed like that for a few moments, before I pulled back due to lack of air in my lungs. The smile on her muzzle after that, though, made it totally worth it.

I turned from the water and sat facing her. "Zin," I said, "there's nothing that would change how I feel about you right now. You trust me, both with your safety, your body, and your love for me. I don't think I could ask for more."

"Then why are you angry at me?" she asked, her voice sounding hurt.

"I'm not angry at you," I said, trying to explain myself. "I just didn't want Joy to know that we... do the things we do together. Not a lot of humans understand, or accept, that Pokémon are intelligent beings. If they knew what we did, they could throw me in jail and put you all inside the Pokémon Center again for adoption."

Her eyes narrowed, a growl forming deep in her throat. "I'd never let anyone do that to you," she said menacingly.

I chuckled softly, bringing my hands to scratch under her jaw. "Thank you," I whispered, leaning close to her. Her tongue licked my cheek, and I smiled. We stayed still for a moment, enjoying the silence and the outdoors before a cloud moved over the moon. I shivered slightly, as a cold wind blew by. Rain began to drop suddenly, and I regretted leaving everything back in the center.

"Race you?" I asked, standing up from the ground.

"What do I get when I win?" she asked sweetly.

I felt my cheeks burn, thinking of a suitable reward for her. "Well, I do owe you a mating," I said slowly and softly.

She turned to me, all mischief gone and replaced with a look I've seen only once so far. She nearly knocked me on my back; her lips pressed again mine as I held her close to my chest. The rain started to pour, slowly but building momentum. At the moment, though, I don't think either of us cared.

"I love you, Master," she whispered, before pressing her lips against mine again.

When I finally managed to get my first lungful of air, I managed to reply back. "I love you too, Zin."

============ ===================== =========================

We walked back inside, thoroughly soaked. My clothes needed to be washed anyway, but I don't think that Nurse Joy would approve. A Chansey promptly appeared, pushing a bucket with a mop and calling at us with a happy tone.

"Are you going to clean after us?" I asked.

With a nod and a wave of her hands, she pulled the mop from the bucket and started drying the floor around me. I bent down to pick up Zin, to give the Chansey less work. It also let me hold her closer, much to her agreement. Zin licked my ear affectionately, sending a very pleasurable shiver down my spine. Not wanting to risk her display to be noticed, I hurried as fast as I could to our room. Thankfully, the door was unlocked, and I quickly opened it. Inside, not much had changed. The gigantic three headed Pokémon was nowhere in sight, so I imagined that Joy must have recalled her. Speaking of Joy, I saw her turn in her bed, now wrapped from the neck down in a blanket. She was sleeping soundly, her features relaxed.

Jonathan was knocked out cold, too. He was fast asleep in his own bed, a Lucario sitting on a chair with its legs crossed as if meditating, sat next to him. I let out a sigh of relief, thankful that I avoided being interrogated. Turning to my bed, all of my Pokémon were still awake. They turned to me, giving me curious looks, but stayed quiet. I quietly headed for the bathroom with Zin in tow, being grateful that the bathroom door didn't squeak like back at home.

"What is it, Master?" Zin asked quietly.

"Both of us need to get dry, if we're going to sleep," I said, chuckling. A grabbed a towel from the rack, sitting on the toilet lid. With Zin still on my lap, I went ahead to get what moisture was left on her fur. Her laughter made me stop for a moment, looking at her curiously.

"You do know I'm a Fire type, right?" she asked innocently. "I mean, I dry my own fur all the time. The only reason why I'm still wet is because of you."

I blinked, before shaking my head. "Leave it to me to mess that up, right?" I said with a smile. "Well, that ruins my plans."

"What, what?" she asked, her eyes wide. If she had visible ears, I'm pretty sure they would be perked up right now.

I gently placed my fingers along her neck and back. She tensed momentarily, before I began to massage along her body. I used my experience with Akalia and Xola to give Zin a way to relax. I just hoped that I didn't find spots she didn't like to be touched. I worked my fingers along her neck, making my way down her forelegs and along her back, paying attention to her reactions.

"Akalia wasn't kidding," Zin murmured. I noticed that her eyes were closed and her breathing had slowed. I smiled, gently bringing my fingers to her sides. Her tail hiked upwards instantly, though she slowly lowered it. She turned to give me a very seductive look, eyes half lidded while her spaded tail tip wagged excitedly in the air in front of me. I think that she wants what I owe her, right now.

"Zin, I don't think this is the best time for that," I said, feeling nervous of the possibility. It wasn't like either of us was quiet during our first time together. Not to mention that there were people on the other side of the door.

"And why not?" she asked, raising her upper body while pressing her lower body right on top of my crotch. I felt my throat tighten, my fingers stopping from kneading her muscles.

"Well, we could wake up Jonathan and Joy, for one," I said, trying to keep my composure. "And do we really need to let everyone else know that you've laid a claim on me?"

She looked at me from over her shoulder now, a grin spreading across her muzzle. Something about that told me that she didn't care for either of my concerns. I had to stop this, before it got out of hand. I really didn't want to give Joy more reasons to be suspicious of me. Not that it seemed she needed any more.

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her back to my chest. I held her there, enjoying the simple act, but trying my best to calm down the incredibly aroused Pokémon. I could feel the heat coming from her. Not just her body, either, as her arousal began to form a wet spot that I could feel through my pants. Everything was becoming hot extremely quickly, and not just in the figurative sense.

"If I promise you a night, will you behave today?" I asked. "I know that you probably don't want to stop, but I won't risk your safety. I can't take that risk, especially not here."

She let out a soft whine, and I was afraid that she would lash out, but she calmed down quickly. "You promise?" she asked.

Somehow, I know this was going to come back and haunt me, but I had to make some kind of compromise. "I promise, Zin," I said, nodding.

She let out a soft sigh, snuggling against me. She stuck out her tongue at me playfully, while I shook my head. Noticing that I was as dry as I was going to get, I still wanted to change pants. I just hoped that Jonathan's Lucario was really asleep and not meditating deeply or something like that.

"Can you get me a pair of shorts?" I asked Zin.

"Do I get to watch you change?" she asked innocently.

This was going to be a long night.

============ =================== ===================

I woke up all too soon after going to sleep. Sleeping on a bed felt pretty good, I have to say. When you aren't being hospitalized, I guess. I felt a soft hand shake me awake, and I opened my eyes to see Song and Mist above me. I nodded, feeling my body become alive, even though I had probably a few hours of sleep. Flipping my Pokédex open, it revealed that I've slept four hours. Not the best, but it'll do.

Except for Song, Mist and Zin, who was now waking up, everyone else was in their Pokéballs. I attached my belt back on my waist, while quickly grabbing my backpack from the ground. I patted Zin's shoulder, and she nodded.

"We're leaving, then?" she asked.

I nodded, pressing a finger on my lips. Zin nodded back at me, as I grabbed my backpack from the ground. Making a quick sweep around, making sure that everything I owned was packed away, I put on my boots. It was probably going to be cold outside, because it was early. I decided not to worry about it at the moment. Plenty of time to change pants later, after I got out of here.

I stood up, slipping my backpack on me as we quietly made our way to the door outside. I opened it slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible. All my efforts were foiled when a cry rang out in the room.

"Luc! Lucario!"

"Mist, Confuse Ray!" I ordered, hoping that it'll slow them down enough. I heard a startled cry, as the Lucario was hit by the attack, or at least successfully distracted. I ran, Song and Zin right behind me. I looked over my shoulder though, just to make sure. I was grateful to see that Mist floated behind as well, nodding in satisfaction.

"Where are we headed?" Mist asked calmly. I shook my head, not bothering to waste any breath on details.

"Just follow me," I said, panting. "I have an idea."

We passed by the main desk, and I was silently thankful that Nurse Joy wasn't there. I didn't linger, however, as we passed the double doors and headed outside. The cool night air chilled me slightly, but I didn't let it bother me. We headed west again. Without stopping, I pulled out two Pokéballs from my belt, pointing at both Song and Zin.

I didn't explain myself, and I'm pretty sure I would pay for it later. I recalled them both in silence, their faces frozen for a moment before disappearing into their chambers. I quickly attached them back, but grabbed another one. I opened it without any flashy preamble, feeling whatever time Mist bought for us had already dried up a long time ago.

Spirit appeared in a flash in front of me, and I was grateful that she quickly picked up on the situation. She swept me off my feet and in the same motion she jumped up into the air. I wrapped my arms around her neck, as I felt the air rush around me as we climbed upwards. When we stopped, I looked around, though I was scared to death to look down.

I pulled out the Pokédex, and flipped over to the map function. Thankful that there was a compass, I quickly figured out the quickest way out of Eterna. Well, the only real options I had at this point were to go west into Eterna Forest, or go south to Route Two-oh-six. Though the bike road sounded like a terrible idea, it looked like there was a cave system nearby. Holding the Pokédex firmly, I pointed in the general vicinity that was southward. Spirit understood me well enough, as she propelled us in the way I pointed. Keeping an eye on my map, I guesstimated that we were right above the bicycle route. I tapped my Flygon's neck gently, getting her attention. I pointed downwards when she looked at me, and nodded. We began to lose altitude and speed, as we made our way downwards.

"Master, what are you doing?" Mist asked. I looked to my side to see the Mismagius slowly descending with us.

"Trying to get out of a horrible situation by running away," I summarized. "I really don't want to explain to either Joy or Jonathan that I've been having sex with both Zin and Akalia."

"Why do you think that it would be a problem?" she asked.

We were passing by the road now, the bridge like structure looming above us as we lowered into the trees below the support. As soon as we landed, I recalled Spirit back inside her Pokéball. I was tempted to return Mist, but I decided that she would get angry at me, since we were having a conversation.

"Some humans don't see it as Zin, or you do," I said, trying to explain. "Some humans think that people that do so do it to take advantage of them. This is, unfortunately, how Joy sees me."

"But you would not do such a thing," she said, eyes narrowing.

"I know I wouldn't. You know I wouldn't. Zin, Spirit, Akalia, Song, and Xola all know it. The problem is that they won't believe that."

"And why is that?" she asked calmly. "Do you know this for a fact?"

I shook my head and sighed. "No, I don't. But, I'd rather not take the risk, either."

"Not risking anything means we do not learn anything," she said in a steady voice.

"Risking might also mean me heading to jail," I pointed out. "I'd love to see how that would turn out."

"We would not let that happen," she said, nodding her head. It reminded me of what Song said.

"Famous last words," I said, echoing the same words I said to Song. I shrugged, feeling like I was struggling in vain with the subject.

"We'll talk about this later, when I'm sure that Jonathan or Joy aren't following us," I said, looking skyward. The sun was still hidden below the horizon. The light posts shining from the path above us was the only light that reached down to where we were. Clouds still rolled through, black against the dark sky. At least it wasn't raining.

"Come on," I said, still watching skyward. "Don't want to get caught."

"He already knows where we are," Mist said calmly.

"What!" I exclaimed, my heart feeling like a lump in my throat. Before I could even turn back around, a wall of air struck me, making my hair whip backwards. I covered my face with my arms, hoping to not get hit by anything in my face. Something heavy landed in front of me, judging by the loud thud and the deep growl that came ahead of me. I lowered my hands to see Jonathan dismounting a Dragonite, gently patting the Pokémon as he dismounted from its back.

"Finally found you," Jonathan said, giving me a grin. "You shouldn't have attacked Baast. We would have had a harder time tracking you."

I didn't respond, though I slowly backed away from Jonathan. Either he had pre-empted my actions, or he was being cautious, because I felt a pair of claws around my throat instantly. I stiffened, feeling the cold claw tips against my throat. It almost made me want to scream in fear. It didn't help to hear Jonathan chuckle either.

"Sorry," he said, shrugging. "Gem likes to sneak about."

"Sableye," the Pokémon behind me whispered gently in my ear. I could feel a cold sweat pour down my back, before the Pokémon slowly let the claws come off my skin. Though instead of getting off my back, it climbed on top of my head and sat there. The instinct to throw whatever it is towards Jonathan was a very tempting one, but I still didn't want to feel those claws against my neck. Not to mention that it is his Pokémon, and the others he has on him.

"First of all, Gem, don't hurt him. He isn't going to run," he said, nodding. He looked extremely confident, though I wanted to agree. I didn't plan on having my throat ripped out.

"Second of all," he said, shaking his head, "what was that all about? Why did you run?"

"Joy," I said, frowning.

"Ah. I think I get it," he said, shaking his head. "She didn't mean anything she said."

"And how do you know that?" I asked, suspicious of his intentions. "What did she say?"

He narrowed his eyes at me, but kept his calm. "We talked for a bit after you took off. She felt bad, that's all."

"Somehow, I highly doubt that," I said, sneering. "She's kind of a bitch"

"Alright, I'll give you that," he said lightly. He still looked extremely convinced that I had everything wrong.

"Right," I said, frowning. "Look, I don't need to convince you or anyone of what I do or what's happened to me. I don't even know what's going on, and I have a pretty good feeling that you or Joy have no better clue than I do. Also, what she said about me being afraid of bridges. That was low."

"Not up to me to convince her about that," he said, shrugging. "Though, why don't you want her to join us, anyway?"

"Who told you that we were traveling together any further than this?" I asked, walking towards him. I pressed a finger on his chest. The Sableye on top of my head and the Dragonite behind him growled in unison, but I didn't fall for the threat.

He shrugged again. "Just thought it would be nice for us to travel together," he said. "It can get lonely out on these roads. Kids these days don't know how to gauge their own strengths and know when to ask for help."

I didn't rise to the bait, staying silent. I shrugged though, picking up the Pokémon from atop my head. While it didn't struggle, the two green gem eyes shined brightly against the darkness. I quickly handed over the Sableye to Jonathan, who then proceeded to place it atop of his own head.

He pulled out two Pokéballs and recalled his Dragonite and Sableye. After attaching them back on his belt, he walked past me and sat at the base of one of the pillars.

"Look, all I want to do is talk," he said. "Hear me out, and I'll hear you out."

I still didn't trust him. Anything he said could land me in jail, if he really wanted to. He might want for me to actually admit it, and that alone put me on edge.

"Mist stays out, though," I said tersely.

"Fair enough," he said, nodding. "Just don't attack me with her."

I nodded back. I took a good look around as I dropped my backpack on the dry ground. The bike route was what looked like a good distance up, probably a good twenty or thirty feet above our heads. The pillars were enormous, much larger than I would be able to wrap around with my hands, shooting skywards to support the road. They weren't elaborately decorated, though a few had graffiti painted on them.

I sighed, sitting next to him. I didn't feel comfortable doing so, but it was either next to him or sit on the ground. He turned to his left, looking straight at me, and smiled.

"Thanks," he said.

"For what?"

"For giving me a chance."

I sighed, shaking my head. "It's not like you gave me much of a choice," I stated.

"Maybe," he said, shrugging. "It'll work out."

"For whose benefit? Your own, or mine?"

"Hopefully, for the both of us," he said, nodding.

That just confused me. I narrowed my eyes at him, and I felt Mist's 'hands' on my shoulders. Jonathan looked at us both with a composed face. He didn't look intimidated or scared of us, that's for sure.

"We should listen to what he has to say, Master," Mist whispered in my ear. "I am quite certain that he will not do as you think he will."

I turned to the ghost, frowning. "How do you know that?"

"While he is trained to suppress his thoughts against psychic intrusion, I have more subtle ways to gain information I seek," she said softly. "Please, trust me."

I swallowed what spit I had in my mouth, feeling a loss of words. I nodded to Mist and turned my attention back to Jonathan.

"Must be nice to be able to talk to your partners so easily," he commented.

"Yeah, it's pretty convenient," I said. I was still wary of sharing too much information with this guy. It honestly felt too good to be true.

"Alright, I'm going to ask you a few questions," he said, smiling. "I know the answers to most of them, but just to have some groundwork. All official and stuff. Is that alright with you?"

I sighed, but nodded. What's the worst that could happen?

======== ==================== ================

"Alright, last two questions," he said, smiling as he took notes. "You ready?"

We must have been talking for hours. It would go back and forth, as we asked each other questions. I was grateful that he did so. It made me want to answer him, at the very least. Though I still didn't trust him, the questions seemed innocent enough. He had asked where I lived, what I did for a living before becoming a trainer. Simple stuff like that. Though, the way he asked this made me feel like I would regret ever starting this.

I nodded though. "Ready as I'll ever be," I said.

"Have you taken advantage of your Pokémon?" he asked.

"Like...?" I asked, not really understanding what he wanted for an answer.

"Have you physically abused your Pokémon?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Have you ever mentally abused them? Put them down, that sort of thing."

I shook my head again.

"Have you had sex with your Pokémon?" he asked calmly.

"That's more than two questions," I pointed out.

"Answer it," he stated coldly. "This is important."

I looked at Mist, who still had her 'hands' on my shoulders. She gave me a nod and a smile, trying to calm me down as best she could. It wasn't working, that's for sure.

I sighed, waiting for the inevitable yelling, downright disgust, or possibly the metal clink of handcuffs tightening around my wrists. I looked back at Jonathan, who was still looking at me expectantly, gently tapping the pen in his hands against his Pokédex, or whatever device he had.

We stayed silent for a moment. He waited patiently while I just hopped he would get the message. Either he wanted me to say it, or didn't get the implied silence to the question.

"Yes, I have," I whispered. I cringed, looking away as soon as I said those words, expecting the worst. I barely heard him laugh, though it didn't sound like it at first.

I looked back at him, to see him holding his sides, shaking his head. "Really? Was that all you were afraid of?" he asked. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be laughing, but the way you reacted made me crack up."

I blinked, extremely confused. "What?" I asked. "Wait, you're not going to throw me in jail?"

He shook his head again, trying to control his laughing. "No. Jeez, no. You don't have to worry about that from me," he said, chuckling still. "I operate through Johto laws, not Sinnoh."

"Wait, what does that mean?" I asked.

"It means that while this whole 'Poképhilia' thing is considered unlawful here in Sinnoh, it isn't in Johto," he explained. "And no, I'm not reporting you. Again, I work under Johto jurisdiction. Sinnoh's rangers could arrest you, if they heard what you've admitted to. I don't have to."

"You don't have to," I echoed. "Will you?"

He laughed and shook his head again. "Nope," he said. "Though, I'll ask that you apologize to Baast. She'll torment you later if you don't."

"Your Lucario?" I asked. He nodded, and I frowned. "Sorry about that."

"I understand, and so will she," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I would've done the same, in all honesty. I was trying to figure out how to approach the subject when you left."

I sighed, shaking my head. "I was afraid," I said, shivering slightly. "After seeing so many reports of other trainers get caught, and after all this started between me, Zin, and Akalia, I didn't want to end up like them."

"Again, I understand where you're coming from," he said gently. "Don't worry about that now, alright?"

I nodded, a smile creeping up on me. "Should we head back?" I asked. "And where's Joy, anyway?"

"She was going back to sleep after I ran out the door to chase after you," he said, shrugging. A grin slowly made its way across his face, however. "What do you think she's doing right now? Doing what you do?"

I felt my cheeks heat up and the implied comment. "Jeez, that's not what I want to think about!" I exclaimed.

He laughed, standing up and stretching his arms over his head. "Though, I still wonder how you do it," he said, chuckling.

"What do you mean?" I asked, still feeling my cheeks burn. Since when did he become so comfortable with this subject?

"Like, why not just a regular girl?" he asked. "What made you choose a Pokémon over a human?"

This time, it was me who laughed at the question. "It wasn't a choice for me in the first place," I said, grinning. "Zin was in heat."

"And when was that?"

"Before capturing her," I said. He gave me a stare that clearly said that he didn't believe me. I laughed again.

"You can't be serious," he said, surprise in his voice. "You could have been killed!"

"Yeah, I know," I said soberly. I pulled a Pokéball from my waist and released Spirit from its confines. The Flygon appeared in a flash, and was quick to inspect me. I laughed as she grabbed my face in between her claws, her face inspecting mine thoroughly. She nodded, before embracing me tightly against her body, claws grabbing my shirt and the tips beginning to dig into my back.

"You can ask her yourself, if you want," I said, chuckling.

======== ================= ========================

We stepped inside the Pokémon Center, the double doors swinging closed behind us. Nurse Joy gave us a smile as we walked towards her.

"Good morning!" she said cheerfully. "Will you be staying today, as well? It's not usual that a trainer would leave before sunrise."

I looked over at Jonathan, who shrugged. "We might," he said, nodding. "Depends if Joy wants to stay an extra day."

Nurse Joy giggled. "If I know my sister, she'll want to move," she said, nodding. "Though, I think that she'll make the exception for you two."

"What do you mean?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. Nurse Joy giggled again.

"Your Flygon mimics your actions almost perfectly!" she exclaimed. I turned to face Spirit to see, but she was looking the other way. Her claws were clicking against each other, and a red hue to her cheeks was visible. I chuckled, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Well, what I was going to say," Nurse Joy said, giggling still, "is that since my sister is a breeder, she probably has ideas for your Pokémon."

I looked at Jonathan, and he looked at me. We shared a grin. "I think that she'll find that our Pokémon aren't interested in matchmaking," Jonathan said easily.

"Well, I highly doubt it'll stop her, but it's nice to see her more relaxed than I've ever seen her before."

We both nodded, and made our way back to our room. Jonathan's Dragonite and my Flygon both walking behind us, easily fitting in the wide hallway. His Dragonite looked at the door and shook its head, making a low cooing sound. Jonathan chuckled, before pulling a Pokéball and recalling the gigantic dragon back inside the device.

"Sometimes, doors aren't fair," he said.

I nodded. "I know what you mean," pulling my own Pokéball to recall Spirit. She cooed softly, before being absorbed back inside the orb. When we opened the door, everything was quiet, until Joy screamed.

"Why don't you people fucking knock!"

To protect ourselves from having things thrown at us, we quickly dodged behind the wall outside of the room. I managed to reach the door handle and close the door before anyone was hurt. I shook my head, trying to get the image I had of her out of my head.

"Do you have any idea why she was naked?" Jonathan asked.

I think that today is going to be a long day. A very long day.

Chapter 9 - Bonds

Both myself and Jonathan decided to go outside instead of tempting fate with Joy. I sure didn't want to be the one to explain why we both walked in on her while she was naked. Maybe she was comfortable doing it right there and then. Maybe she didn't like using the bathroom to change. Either way, that wasn't going to be an easy thing to shake from my mind that image when I talked to her next. I looked over to Jonathan, and he seemed to be in better spirits than I was. He turned and smiled at me.

"Don't worry too much," he said, chuckling. "After a few years of this stuff, you kind of get used to it."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"I mean after going a few years without contact with any of the opposite sex, that are human," he began, before I cut him off with a shout.

"What's all the commotion about, you two?" Nurse Joy asked as we walked in front of the counter.

"Nothing, just teasing him," Jonathan said, nudging me with his elbow. I pushed him away, before shaking my head.

"I think we'll be staying an extra day or two, now that we think about it," I said, trying to change the subject. "It'll give us time to prepare for when we head out, and let me challenge the gym leader."

Nurse Joy nodded with a smile on her face. "Well, that's no problem! We're more than happy to have you here."

We turned away and headed outside. The city looked way different from night to day. The sun was visible in the sky, though there were clouds hiding the warm rays on occasion. The buildings had a rustic feel to it, their colors matching the ground and mountains around the city. People walked around with a Pokémon or two following them, though I didn't pay any real attention. I headed westward, toward Eterna Forest, though I had that clearing from last night as my destination.

"Where are we going?" Jonathan asked.

"I want to train for today, to see if we can take down the gym leader," I said, nodding. "Also, while I should have done this a while ago, I need to check on Song."

He nodded. "Call me if you need anything," he said.

"How?"

He laughed at my question. "Check this out," he said, grinning. He pulled out his device, which now in the sunlight didn't look all that different from my Pokédex.

"Well? Open your Pokédex and I'll show you."

I did as he asked, opening my Pokédex. He tapped a few buttons on his device, and my own began to make a few soft beeps and chirping noises. After a few moments, he nodded as he closed his own Pokédex and put it in his pocket.

"There," he said, smiling. "I took the liberty of installing a communication application to your Pokédex. We'll be able to keep in contact as long as you have that."

I nodded. "Thank you," I said, smiling.

"Don't thank me yet," he said, grinning. I blinked, confused at his statement.

"I'm worried about your Gardevoir," he stated. "I understand. Just don't keep her cooped up in there for too long. It'll hurt what's left of your bond together."

I nodded. "I was planning on letting everyone get some decent exercise today," I said quietly. "I have a plan on what to do."

"Better a plan than none," he said, nodding. "Anyway, call me if you need me. Me and Storm will be there in a flash, if you do."

I nodded. "Thanks, Jonathan."

"No sweat," he said, waving me away. "You do what you plan on doing. I'm going to see if I can enter the room without having a lamp thrown at me."

I chuckled as we waved at each other, parting ways for the moment. I headed west once more, silently thankful that there weren't any trainers nearby looking for a battle. Training was all well and good, but I think I had a bigger responsibility at the moment.

I followed my footsteps from last night, trying to recall from memory where that small clearing was. I noticed the opening and the path I must have cut in my passing, so I followed it. Fragrant smells met my nose, and I took a deep breath in to enjoy the cool air. Persim and Rawst berry bushes grew in the shadows, while Oran and Sitrus trees grew next to the evergreens. I grabbed a hanging ripe Sitrus berry as I passed underneath a tree, while a passing Kricketot looked at me slightly enviously. I chuckled and kneeled, offering the berry in my hand outward to the Pokémon.

I noticed the hesitation, and I chuckled again. Instead of waiting, I gently rolled the berry in the bug's direction. It looked at me with wide eyes, before making a soft noise by nodding its head. The antenna on top of the bugs head swayed and rubbed against each other, making a soft musical like sound. It grabbed the large berry with its small hands and walked away out of sight.

I grinned, before standing and grabbing another berry for myself. "The things I do," I said to myself.

I found my way out of the woods, shaking my head over the Kricketot. The breeze blew gently across the open area, the trees rustling gently behind me. I nodded to myself, feeling good about today.

"If we can get away with Joy not ripping our heads off, it'll be even better," I said out loud.

Looking over to the bridge, a few people were passing by. Some waved in my direction, and I waved back. I was grateful for the distance, but I moved farther away from the water's edge. If Zin or Akalia wanted to be more amorous, I rather be safe than sorry by being out of sight. It didn't look like many people went this way, either. The grass and trees didn't look disturbed, and neither could I find any trash or any sign of humans staying here. Then again, since Eterna city was so close, it wasn't hard to imagine why things were the way they were.

I dropped my bag, feeling relief as the weight dropped from my shoulders. I took a bite of the berry in my hand, taking in the sights of the small trees and berry bushes grew along the mountains face. Facing westward, Eterna Forest loomed ahead, the stone and wood seemingly merging without any visual clue to where one stopped and the other began. I reached for the Pokéballs at my belt, and held them all in my hands in their compact forms. I heaved them all into the air at once, as they expanded all at once and released their inhabitants out in front of me.

As they all materialized in front of me, both Zin and Akalia took the opportunity to lunge at me. Though I managed to sidestep both of them, I didn't expect Xola to join their side. Dodging two quadrupeds is one thing; a sixteen foot long serpent is another. While I was tied up in Xola's coils, Akalia and Zin took the opportunity to take advantage of my position. I couldn't breathe half the time due to laughing as the Luxray tried to get under my shirt, while Zin licked my neck.

"OK!" I yelled between gasps. "Can someone get these three off me!?"

Though Akalia and Zin were easily taken care of, Xola was another matter. It seemed that the Milotic just wouldn't let go. If anyone tried to pull her off from me, she would only tighten her grip on me. Her scales felt like sandpaper against my skin, and my chest burned due to not being able to breathe properly. Thankfully, Xola's neck wasn't out of reach. I took the liberty of grabbing her attention by wrapping my arms around it and pulling her face to my level. Successfully doing so, and now that we were eye to eye, her eyes were wide as realization dawned on her. She began to unwind, though only to loosen her hold on me.

"I want to stay with you today, Master," she said. "Sorry, I think I got carried away."

I chuckled as everyone settled down around me. I struggled against Xola's embrace, and she finally relented, if just for me to stand. I was immediately brought back down to the ground by both Akalia and Zin. I sighed, shaking my head in frustration.

"Would you two knock it off?" I asked. "Please?"

"You're no fun," Zin muttered. I shook my head as both of them managed to let me sit up without trouble. I think I want to stay close to the ground today, to avoid painful falls.

"Right," I said. "Thank you. Now, I wanted to talk to you all about what's happened recently."

"What's there to talk about?" Zin asked. "We've been through it."

"No, that's not what I mean," I said, sighing. "I mean about Song."

We all turned to face the Gardevoir, though she didn't seem to be paying much attention to me. Both Song and Mist were talking in hushed tones a few steps away. I frowned, but focused myself, waving at the remaining four closer to me.

"I need some help in cheering her up," I said. "I know I really haven't done much, but any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated."

"Well, why don't you sing with her?" Xola asked. "You two used to do that all the time."

I cringed inwardly. "It helped when I was able to understand what she said," I pointed out.

"Luxray! Lux, Lux!" Akalia exclaimed next to me, her tail swishing in the air.

"Akalia has a point, you know," Zin said, grinning. At my confused look, she elaborated. "You don't need to understand each other to sing together."

I sighed. "It's an idea, at the very least. Anything else?"

"You can always mate with her," Zin said, shrugging.

I slapped my palm across my face. "Really, Zin, is that all you think about?" I asked exasperated.

"Well, it doesn't help that you're amazing. And, it would probably help you two connect once again."

I shook my head, feeling my cheeks flush. "OK, fine. A good suggestion, though a little hard to bring up."

"Not really," Zin said, giggling. "You mean to tell me that you aren't attracted to her?"

I blinked, startled by the question and looked away for a moment. It was all it took to make Zin laugh, her horns grazing against my leg. Everyone soon began to join the Houndoom in the laughing as I felt my cheeks flush again.

"Alright, wrap it up," I said, my voice cracking slightly. Was I really embarrassed? "Do you all really need to make fun of me like this all the time?"

"All the time? What in the world do you mean, Master?" Xola asked as she rubbed against my neck. "Is it true what Zin says?"

"Come on now, why would you bring that up?" I asked.

"Well?" Xola asked as she pressed her face to mine.

I could feel four pairs of eyes staring at me, as if waiting for an answer. I have a feeling that Mist put them through this. If the Mismagius has a plan, I've been obviously left out of the loop. It did feel that way, at the very least. I closed my eyes and thought about it for a moment. It at least left me alone in my thoughts, where none of them could intrude.

"Whatever do you mean, Master? Not intrude? I apologize."

I opened my eyes and let out a cry, being startled like that. My heart pounded in my chest, while my arms felt numb. That was Mist's voice that spoke.

"It seems that you can pick up on subtle things after all," Mist's voice echoed in my mind. It was eerie, hearing thoughts in my head that weren't my own, or Song's voice. "I can tell how this is uncomfortable to you. Please, let me address you in the physical world. I am sure I have much to explain."

I shook my head, trying to control my breathing but failing miserably. Mist has been able to do this all this time? No, this must have taken some time to establish. Most Pokémon need a few days to establish a solid link with a target. Psychic attacks were one thing, communication was another.

"Master, are you alright?" Zin asked, pressing a paw on my leg.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, forcing a grin. "Mist caught me by surprise, that's all."

"But Mist is over there," Zin said, confusion in her voice. I turned to her, to see that she wasn't facing me. I looked where she was looking, to see that Song and Mist were still speaking softly to each other. I shrugged.

"Not sure how she did it," I said, rubbing my forehead. "She talked to me like Song did, through telepathy."

"Oh! Well, that's nice of her," Xola said, smiling down at me. "She doesn't do that unless she trusts you a lot."

"How do you know that, Xola?" I asked, tilting my head to my side.

"Spirit told me," she answered, giggling.

I looked at the Flygon, as she looked away shyly. Her tail twitched in time with her wings, as her claws clicked together. I chuckled as I motioned for her to join me. As she approached, she sat next to me but refused to look towards my direction.

"Silly Flygon," I said lightly, "are you afraid that I'm mad at you?"

She nodded, and instantly looked like she regretted the action. Shaking my head at the blushing Flygon, I motioned with my hand for her to come closer to me. When she didn't respond, Akalia took it within her power to get Spirit's attention by nipping at her tail. A startled cry came out of Spirit's lips as teeth met scales, and I laughed as the Flygon ran around in circles, trying to get Akalia off her.

"Alright you two, settle down," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Akalia, please let go of Spirit. I think she gets your point."

Akalia let go with a bit of reluctance. The Luxray had a very satisfied look on her face as she walked over to me again. Spirit was still hesitant, but hurried along when both Akalia and Zin looked her way. As she sat next to me, she would only take fleeting looks, avoid eye contact. I smiled, trying to put her at ease.

"Well, I'll give you that you don't know me as well as everyone else does," I said gently, "but I don't think I've given you a reason to mistrust me. Much less fear me. I think one of the other girls would have said something by now."

"I don't think the Lady of the Ocean would have helped us as much as she did if she didn't sense something within you, either," Xola said thoughtfully. I looked at her quizzically. "Well, it's true!" she exclaimed. "I understand that she can sense the thoughts of humans and Pokémon, and know what they truly feel."

I nodded, smiling. "Fair enough, Xola. In all honestly, it's the best reason I've heard about all that, so I'm willing to believe it."

She smiled happily, while Spirit still looked worried. "Oh, stop worrying over that!" Zin exclaimed, tapping the nervous Flygon's side. When Spirit murmured something in her native tongue, Zin shook her head. "No! He isn't like that at all! Master is the best, trust me!"

Somehow, I think I'll dread knowing what they were talking about, but I'm sure it has something to do with things I'm not supposed to know. I forced myself not to think of the obvious. I mean, could that really be on her mind all the time?

"Zin, I'm hoping you aren't talking of what I think you are," I said, smiling.

"What? If I'm going to have the best, I might as well share you with everyone," she said, smiling. "I've shared you with Akalia, why not with Spirit? Or anyone else, for that matter?"

I sighed, shaking my head. I really should just learn to accept that she has sex ingrained in her head. I opened my mouth to say something, but shook my head. "You know, I just hope that you aren't convincing anyone to do something against their will," I said, sighing.

"Sure, that's no problems," Zin said, grinning wider.

"That includes me, you know."

Zin rolled her eyes at me, as Xola giggled. Akalia rolled on the ground laughing, her tail lashing side to side rapidly. Even Spirit joined, though she covered her mouth with her claws. I chuckled as I scratched in between in between the Houndoom's horns, though Zin gave me a stare that could paralyze anyone in their tracks.

"Are we interrupting anything?"

I turned to see Mist and Song standing next to us. I shook my head, smiling. "Not more than the usual," I answered. "Just everyone acting silly."

"Everyone!?" Xola and Zin exclaimed at once. I was quickly pounced on after that, my back slamming against the ground before I could stop myself. Thankfully, Mist intervened before things got too out of hand.

The ghost's body began to glow a familiar purple, before enveloping Zin, lifting her off my chest. Xola's coils began to loosen, as the purple aura surrounded her and released me from their grasp. After doing so, she spoke, though not just within my head like just a while ago, or out loud. She did both, at the same time.

"I believe that is enough of your carousing about," she said, her voice devoid of emotion. "I must speak with the Master, in private. I need you all to go along and entertain yourselves for a spell or two."

"And what if we don't?" Zin countered, baring her fangs at the ghost.

"A very good question, Zin," Mist said. In response, she pulled a Pokéball from my belt, the device surrounded in a purple glow. Before I could object, it expanded from its miniature size and shot the recalling beam. Zin didn't get the chance to retaliate, and was quickly engulfed and sucked inside her home.

"Any more questions?" Mist asked sweetly. For the first time, she painted her usual monotone voice in another tone. I shivered unconsciously. However she learned how to use that tone of voice, I didn't want it to be directed at me. It looked like everyone else thought the same thing, as everyone shook their heads.

"Good," Mist said, nodding. Her tone returned to her normal, now that Zin was recalled. "I am going to ask that you all become my eyes. As I said, I need to speak with Master, and I do not wish, nor need, interruptions. Spirit, will you be a dear and watch from the sky? Xola, watch the waters, please. Akalia, I need you to watch the path."

All three Pokémon nodded, and went their separate ways without a look in my direction. I almost raised my voice to call them back, but the ghost Pokémon's eyes peered straight into mine, and any argument I had died in my throat. After a moment of silence, Mist nodded.

"You may speak now," she said softly. I nodded, not trusting my voice at the moment. She shook her head, releasing a sigh.

"I did not mean to frighten you, Master," she said. "I needed to get their attention, and it was the only means I could think of to attain it. It is not my wish to undermine your authority."

"It's alright, Mist," I said, forcing a smile. "I was just... surprised, that you were so forceful."

"Again, I apologize. I only wish to enact this, and it seems to be the prime opportunity to do so."

"What are you talking about, Mist?" I asked, confused.

"I do not like doing this, but Song convinced me that it must be done," she said, frowning at me. "You've ignored her, either consciously or not, and I am going to act as the conduit for your renewed bond."

I looked at her curiously but nodded all the same. "That's why I planned something to do today," I said. "I realize that now."

"A little too late for both Song's taste, and my own," the Mismagius said. "Whatever you had in mind, disregard it. It is our plan that we will follow."

I was stunned at her bold statement, but didn't bother to argue against it. If they have agreed to do something, far be it for me to change a woman's mind. It did make me feel uncomfortable just from the way Mist said it, though. It sounded like an ultimatum.

"We need to be farther away from prying eyes," Mist said, looking towards Eterna Forest. "I do not wish for anyone to see what we're about to do."

"Mist, what exactly are you planning?" I asked, standing up and dusting myself off.

"You will find out firsthand," she said dismissively. "It is hard enough to do physically. Understanding it would entail explanation, and we do not have the luxury of that."

"It doesn't look like we're in much of a hurry," I pointed out. "It's still early morning."

Mist and Song both shook their heads. Song extended her hands to me and pulled me up from the ground. I smiled as she held my hand, though she didn't meet my gaze or smile. I didn't want to think about that she felt bad about not protecting me. I already feel horrible about not protecting her. I bent down to pick up my backpack, and after securing it, turned to the Mismagius.

"Lead the way, Mist," I said, nodding. My hand didn't part from Song's as we followed the ghost behind the trees. We didn't talk amongst ourselves, though I'm sure that Mist was conversing with Song without me knowing. The way that Song's hand would tighten around mine was enough to convince me of that. Or maybe she was nervous? But what would make her nervous, though? I mean, it's not that we haven't been on our own before.

The sunlight streamed through the canopy above us, shafts of light making the grass glow brightly. We didn't walk all that far into the forest, but it seemed that it enclosed us inside its invisible grasp. The tree line wasn't visible behind us, and if there were any paths nearby, they eluded us. Though there were large clumps of tall grass, we avoided them. We didn't want to startle any Pokémon from their homes, especially with half my team doing surveillance.

We stumbled upon a path through some bushes, and we continued on it. The sounds of the forest slowly came into focus. The breeze would blow gently through the humongous tree trunks, the sounds of literally thousands of leaves fluttering loud in my ears. Insects buzzed merrily past us, a few Combee's dithering over a tree before darting over another. A Vespiqueen ordered the smaller Pokémon about, making angry buzzing sounds while pointing at different trees. We avoided them, keeping to the path and not looking in their direction in hopes they wouldn't think of us as a threat.

We didn't run into any more hives or groups of Pokémon, even though the surrounding vegetation grew thicker. The grass seemed untouched as we continued to follow Mist, while the path we walked on grew less recognizable. It looked less man made, and more like if the area was cleared of grass by people walking on it. The wind blew again, my hair waving in the air while I smelled the difference between it and the city air. Though I still felt like I was walking into something I didn't plan on, at least the walk has been nice.

Mist turned to her right, and passed right through a tree's trunk. I was startled for a moment. Only seeing that trick once before, I was still surprised by it. I looked at Song, who smiled at me and pulled me along with her as she walked around the tree Mist went through. As I followed Song along, we encountered more trees, with no sign of Mist. Song nodded to herself, and continued to pull me along, not letting me voice my concern that I had. Our feet trampled whatever was underfoot, the crunch of twigs snapping and the squelching of wet grass playing alongside my heavy breathing. I wished we could slow down, as the weight of my backpack made footing tricky.

With Song guiding me, I focused on keeping up with her as we ran through the woods. I did my best to dodge any hanging branches, but a few of them caught me through my efforts. One of them caught me on my lip and though I couldn't do anything to it right now, I could taste blood in my mouth. At least I haven't bitten my cheek.

I bumped into Song when she stopped suddenly. In front of us, Mist floated calmly above what looked like a moss covered rock. I looked around, taking in what looked like a grove. The rock looked like the center of it, while no trees grew close to it. We walked towards the floating ghost, slowly making our way past the grass. It grew thicker as we came closer to the rock, and there were times that I thought it would grow above me. I stepped on something slippery and lost my balance, but Song caught me before I fell completely. She might not have her powers, but she'll always surprise me with her reaction time.

"Thanks, Song," I said, smiling as she pulled me up.

She nodded and smiled at me. "Garde," she said, a happy tone in her voice. I smiled back and nodded, squeezing her hand gently as we continued forward. The sun was bright above us, while the tree's didn't hide its rays from the ground. Even if that was the case, it felt that this wasn't normal. I've never seen grass grow so thick, especially just around a rock.

As we approached the ghost, Mist opened her eyes suddenly. She smiled at me, floating down from the boulder. Now that I was standing near it, it was as tall as I was, the entire surface covered in green moss. I reached out to touch it, but Mist slapped my hands away before I could touch the surface.

"I apologize, Master," she said. "This stone is sacred. Only Pokémon may touch it."

I blinked, confusion the first thing in my mind. "Why is this rock sacred?" I asked.

Mist sighed, shaking her head. "Well, perhaps sacred is the incorrect term to use," she said. "It is a font of power, which grass type Pokémon use to fuel their evolution. Since it is on a natural font of power, it is possible for me to tap into this energy."

I nodded, understanding it as best I could. "OK, well that makes sense, if I don't think about it too hard," I said, tapping my chin. "But why are we here in the first place?"

"Well, you both wish to be able to communicate with each other again, correct?" Mist asked.

I looked in Song's direction, as she nodded excitedly. I nodded, turning back to Mist. "Of course," I said. "Just as long as this isn't something dangerous to anyone."

"The safety of you, Song, and this space is forefront in my mind, Master," she said, nodding. "I only need a small portion of this font's power. The rest comes from the both of you."

I raised an eyebrow, curious as to why she needed this. "I don't mean to be rude, but this seems like a very odd way to go about it. I just don't get why we're here in the first place."

"This stone is tied to the earth's power," Mist explained, as she turned and placed a hand on the moss covered rock. "This power can be used to heal things you humans cannot begin to fathom. I am able to tap just enough to gain some of it, but I need both of you to make this happen."

"So, we're talking about being able to cure Song?" I asked, bewildered.

"Exactly," Mist said, turning towards us. "It may not bring back her powers, or cure her entirely, but with some luck it will give both of you the ability to communicate with each other again."

"Well, that sounds like a plan," I said, nodding. I couldn't help feel excited at this idea. "When you're ready, Mist. Please be careful."

"The more appropriate question is if you are ready," she responded cryptically. I was about to voice my confusion again, when her body began to be outlined with energy. Not the usual purple color, however, as even her gems began to glow with the same green color that began to encompass her. She closed her eyes as the moss covered rock behind her pulsed briefly, and all the color faded from the gems on Mist's body.

I waited for something else to happen, but everything was quiet. Moments stretched themselves as I waited for Mist to open her eyes and say something. I looked over to Song as she shook her head.

"Mist?" I asked, worried. "Are you alright?"

She opened her eyes, and nodded. "I apologize. I was becoming acclimated with the new energy."

I let out a sigh of relief. "I'm just glad you're safe."

Song giggled next to me as she placed her arms on my shoulders. Mist approached me slowly, as her 'hands' touched my chest. She looked at me, and for a moment seemed to hesitate, but then shook her head.

"I believe you have a right to know what I am about to do to you, Master," she said, sighing softly. "I am about to possess you."

"Wait, what!?" I exclaimed. I almost pushed her away, if it wasn't that I felt my hands being held at my sides. I looked behind me to see Song shake her head.

I thought about struggling for a moment, but I felt Song's grip tighten on me. I couldn't imagine that Mist did this on a regular basis. It was obvious that they've put some thought into this, though. Even after telling myself that, I couldn't help but shudder as Mist's 'hands' pressed against my chest and slowly started seeping through. I gasped, feeling an intense cold press itself against my chest. It was like someone dumped a bucket of cold water on top of me. I felt goose bumps crawl all over my body, and I did my best to suppress my body from shivering.

With Mist's hands melded inside of my body, her body began to merge. The cold feeling intensified, as I saw her lower body now beginning to pass through my torso. It was over faster than I would think this would take, and even her face registered some surprise. We were face to face now, as Mist smiled at me.

"You are doing very well, for it being your first time being possessed," she said, giggling. "Are you certain that you have not done this before?"

I blinked. Before I could respond, she continued. "Do not mind, I am sure that we will find out," she said, pressing her face to my chest. I shuddered again, my body locking up from the temperature drop. I could barely breathe, but my lungs demanded I took a breath, and I did. My lungs hurt, the air entering felt too warm, and what I breathed out felt too cold. Song helped me settle down into the ground, before I fell on my own. It was a good thing, too, because I felt that my legs wouldn't hold me up for much longer.

I inspected my hands, balling my hands into fists, as I took stock of my situation. Alright, I thought, closing my eyes. I'm sitting in front of a moss covered rock in the middle of Eterna Forest. Mist just... melded inside of me. I'm breathing, I can see. For all intents and purposes, I'm alright. Why can't I shake the feeling that something is going to happen?

"Oh, good, you did not feint."

I gave a strangled yelp, falling over backwards. I was suddenly relieved that it wasn't night time. The sun was still shining high in the sky, pouring light and warmth over me. Why did I still feel like I was in a freezer? Song came into view, pressing a hand against my cheek. I grabbed hold of her arm with my hands, and she smiled down at me.

"Usually, whoever I possess ends up feinting. It is so much better if you are conscious for this."

"Mist, where are you?" I asked out loud. A giggle echoed inside my skull.

"Currently, I am a part of you," she answered. "I can hear your thoughts, as well, if you wish to communicate like that."

I frowned, but shook my head. "What are you planning now?" I asked.

"Simple," she said as she laughed. "As Zin put it, you two are going to mate."

"By Arceus, you all are impossible!" I exclaimed. "How is this going to solve anything?"

"Because of the energy both you and the stone have, I can create a link between you again," Mist replied coldly. "You do want to be able to communicate again, correct?"

"Of course," I answered, controlling my tone of voice. "But isn't there another way for this? I mean, does it have to be like this?"

Mist didn't answer immediately. If Mist and Song were discussing this matter in private, I couldn't tell. The Gardevoir didn't make any physical indication that she was speaking to the Mismagius currently inside of my body. Then again, telepathy was quite hard to detect from an outside perspective.

A sigh echoed in my head. "Yes, it is possible," Mist answered after a moment. "The problem with that option is that the bond may not be strong enough, and could eventually break. This way, I can tie the energies together more thoroughly, and that possibility is less likely."

"But still possible?" I asked.

"Do you wish to deviate from wherever you may be, just to return here to make a second attempt?" she asked plainly. "Do you truly wish to make her traverse again the same pain?"

That stopped me immediately. I frowned, not being able to come up with a practical excuse why this would make me feel uncomfortable, or why I shouldn't do this. The problem being that I've already done this with two of my Pokémon goes against me at this moment. Would it be that bad? I just felt uncomfortable with the idea. A thought came to my mind, but it seemed that Mist was either reading my mind, or had an answer for me already.

"She wants you," Mist's voice echoed. "Why do you think she wanted to come in the first place? Other than stay by your side, of course. It took a lot of consoling to get her to realize that she could go with you when you told her about your training."

I looked at Song, as she smiled down at me again. By Arceus, was I really that blind? I sighed, shaking my head at my possible ignorance. I looked at Song again, who was shaking her head. She placed one of her hands on her chest, and then placed the same hand against my heart. I placed my hands on top of hers, while trying to think of something to say.

"Gard Garde Gardevoir," Song said, smiling.

"She forgives you, Master," Mist translated.

"Song, do you really want to do this?" I asked. "I mean, I just feel uncomfortable with all this?"

"You do not seem to be uncomfortable with Zin or Akalia," Mist pointed out. "Why is that?"

I shook my head, frowning. No, I didn't have any reason. It just felt odd. Song's been a very good friend, but so has Akalia. Maybe it's because Zin allowed it? I honestly don't know. Mist seemed to take my thoughts into account when she responded.

"We understand your concern, Master," Mist said. "We do not want to get between your relationship with Zin or Akalia. I will not pretend to know what those two are up to, but Zin did offer you to Spirit."

I looked at Song, and she smiled at me. She leaned forward, and I met her halfway, our lips touching gently. The kiss was all too brief, our lips parting almost as soon as they touched. We looked at each other for a moment, only to lunge at each other. Our lips pressed against each other again, her tongue forcing its way into my mouth to meet my own. Her hands explored my body, going underneath my shirt to touch bare skin. She gripped my sides possessively, as if to make sure I didn't leave her side. My own hands weren't idle, as I ran my fingers along her back, trying to find any groove or spot to make her gasp.

Our lips parted again with a bit more reluctance this time. I tried to catch my breath, but Song pressed against me again as she began to hum. I could feel the note through me, like as if it echoed inside of me. Without separating, I held on to her while I spun us around on the grass. Now that I was on top of her, I tried to disengage to try to remove my shirt. A problem arose, when Song wouldn't let me move my arms from her sides.

"A problem easily solved, Master," Mist said, her voice giggling in my mind. My shirt seemed to instantly evaporate from me. Song didn't seem to mind, as her hands explored my flat chest eagerly. Though I wanted to ask about the shirt, I'm pretty sure that Song would notice my lack of attention to her.

"You are certainly astute when it comes to certain things, Master," Mist said. "I wonder why?"

I felt like I could just melt of embarrassment at the comment, but Song cooed softly. I lifted myself to my knees, as she lay between my legs. She looked away for a moment, a blush gracing her white face and I smiled. I placed a hand gently on her waist, and smiled when she looked back at me. She lifted herself to a sitting position, crawling over me again. She pushed me back, making me sit on the grass, while she sat on my lap and her legs wrapped around my waist.

I looked at the 'dress' that she was wearing, and curiously followed the hemline, following her legs upwards. She let out a soft moan as I traced her leg and reached her waist and stomach. Her arms wrapped around me, lips pressing against my neck as she moaned louder. I idly wondered why she was moaning so loudly just from touch alone, but decided not to dwell on it too much. I should rather be happy that she's enjoying the act so much. Her fingers dragged lines across my chest, reaching my waist and quickly unbuttoning my pants. The sound of the zipper being pulled down was loud in my ears, as her hands gently touched my growing arousal.

Trying my best to ignore the feeling of her fingers around my flesh, I wrapped one arm around her body, keeping her close to me while with the other still kneading her leg gently. Song murmured something under her breath but I couldn't understand it. I grew bolder, reaching for her entrance and received a gasp and a shudder for my effort. Her hands squeezed my member for a moment, making me gasp. A hand dragged across my belly and to my chest, quickly roaming up to the back of my head. She grasped a handful of hair, pulling me downwards on top of her.

I held my body up with my hands pressing against the ground, while her hands tried to pull me down on top of her. She smiled up at me, placing a kiss on my cheek, before letting go of my hair. Resting her hands on her stomach, she looked at me expectantly. I grinned, bringing myself to her but grabbing onto her sides. I rolled us over, so that she would be on top this time.

"It seems that you have forgotten to take an important article of clothing off, Master," Mist's voice echoed.

I stopped, startled for a moment. I wondered if she really needed to be inside of my body for this to actually work.

"No, I do not have to be," Mist answered. "But this way, not only do I have the best connection for this kind of energy manipulation, I also get feedback from you."

I didn't really want to think of what she meant by 'feedback'. Deciding not to think about it for the moment, I tried to focus at the problem at hand. Song seemed more than eager to pull down my pants, now that they were previously unzipped. She lifted herself off my waist, which allowed me to help her get the offending piece of clothing off. She stared at my boxers for a moment, a growl echoing in her throat, making it obvious she was not amused. She grabbed the elastic band and ripped the cloth easily. Satisfied that nothing stood in between her and me, she smiled down at me.

She lifted her dress up, revealing herself to my eyes. Her color of her dress and skin were the same, though got different when my eyes roamed to her pink vaginal lips. I smiled back, slowly bringing my hands to her waist again, slowly bringing my touch to her inner thigh and teasing her entrance. She whimpered, her body shaking on top of me as I brushed my fingers closer and closer to her lower lips. She let out a soft moan that almost sounded like a cry, before I decided to stop teasing her. I rubbed my fingers across her opening, gently testing her reactions to what I was doing. With my unoccupied hand, I brought it to her thigh, holding her as best I could. She suddenly gasped loudly, the sound turning into a moan as I slowly pressed a finger inside of her. Her body shuddered as her muscles clamped down on my probing finger. I pulled out gently, feeling a sticky and wet substance on it. I grinned, gently tracing her outer lips again, before easing my way back inside with the same finger.

Her hands dropped from holding her dress, grasping both of my arms tightly. I grinned as she held herself there, her body shivering as I began to pull my finger out. A soft moan came again from her, before I slowly slipped the finger back inside. I looked up to her face to see her eyes closed, mouth slightly open in a smile. It was good to see that what we were doing together made her feel this way.

"You should not forget about your own pleasure, Master," Mist said, her voice chuckling inside my head.

I ignored the comment, focusing on giving Song as much pleasure as I could. I began to set a rhythm, pulling out before slowly pushing my finger back inside. Her face told me everything I needed to know about how things were going. By the labored breaths above me and how her hands gripped my arms, I could tell that I was doing a pretty good job so far. I stopped my motions for a moment, and she began to complain immediately. Whatever she wanted to say was silenced when I began to tease a second finger to join the first. Gently pushing my second digit inside, I felt her muscles contract around my probing fingers. I waited for a moment, letting her get used to the sensations before I slowly started up again.

My fingers slowly began to pick up speed, soft squelching noises reaching my ears along with Song's moans. She shook her head, her moans getting higher pitch, while the tunnel began to spasm around my questing fingers. The strong smell of mixed berries drifted from her, as I felt a liquid coat my fingers. I slowed my motions much to Song's disappointed, but didn't make her wait long. Her body tensed against mine, my fingers being squeezed by rapid contractions of her tunnel as she climaxed. Her body shook as her fingers held on to my hair, pulling it as she rode her orgasm through. I continued to pump my fingers, struggling against the grip she had on me. Her lips pressed against my neck, her breath hot against my skin. She shook her head when I tried to pull my fingers out of her body, her voice soft as she tried still to catch her breath. When she tried to turn around, I shook my head and kept her still.

"You can rest a moment," I chided gently. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Gard! Gardevoir?" she said in a questioning tone. I smiled, planting a kiss on her neck. She moaned gently as I brought both my hands to her chest. Her fingers grasped at my hair again as I ran my hands teasingly groped her breasts. She shook her head, and I stopped.

"Garde!" she said empathically. I didn't understand what she meant.

"I hope you don't feel bad," I said, grinning. When she nodded, I sighed. "Don't be. I want you to feel good."

"Gardevoir! Gard, Garde!" she exclaimed, shaking her head again. She spun around in my grasp, her hands gripping my head as she kissed me deeply again. I kissed back as best I could, as her body began to grind against mine insistently. My breath caught in my throat, my arousal already being stoked again. Not that I wasn't already excited before, but now more so. Song broke our kiss, a smile creeping up on her face as she aligned herself with me. Before I could voice anything, she impaled herself on my member. Song's entire body shuddered on top of me, as her head rested on my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her tightly, moaning softly as her passage squeezed tightly around me. In my head, I could swear I heard Mist cheering at Song.

Whatever protest I had on my mind died before I could either think or say it, when Song's hips lifted themselves up and slowly sank down on me again. All I had in my thoughts was how good it felt to be like this. I felt a twinge of pain on my neck, before she soothed the pain by kissing the spot. She continued this, all the while her hips never stopping the rising and falling of her hips. She soon began to go up my jaw line while her hips grinded against mine. Her lips met mine again, forcing her tongue into my mouth as I kissed her back. My body grew warm for a moment, before I closed my eyes and cringed. Pain brought me out of the pleasurable state I was in, a strangled yell leaving my throat. Song's embrace only tightened on me, the kiss deepening as the pain got worse.

"Do not tell me that little me is causing you so much pain, Master," Mist's voice said. She laughed, her voice echoing inside my skull.

Right, I thought nastily. I didn't get much farther than that when Song's tongue brushed past that cut on my lip. Her hands cupped my cheeks gently as she focused there. I winced slightly, a slight stinging sensation bringing the pain back. It didn't stop her at the very least, as she continued to focus on the area to her satisfaction. She pulled back as our lips parted again, as a smile graced her face again. Song began to push herself upright again, this time with her hands against my stomach as she lifted herself hips up and slid back down. We moaned in unison, her muscles tightening in random patterns as she impaled herself.

I brought my hands to her hips, holding her still for a moment. She grinned at me as I took deep breaths as I tried to calm myself down. She shook her head, touching my arms. I was about to protest when Song placed a single finger on my lips. I was shocked to silence with what I heard.

"Don't, Master," Song said in between pants of her own. "I... I want you to feel good. Please, don't hold back."

I wanted to tell her that I just heard her voice! She shook her head, though, and began to lift herself again. Her muscles tightened rhythmically as she dropped again. My voice didn't pass my lips as she continued the treatment. Her fingers curled, digging into my sides as she began to increase the pace. I still wanted to let her know that I was able to understand her. My hips began to match her pace subconsciously, and I was startled slightly. That is, until I thought of who it might be doing so.

I wanted to yell at the ghost possessing me, but my voice wasn't working for me. It looks like she was ignoring whatever I thought, as well. Song's moans got louder as our hips met. Wet sounds began to be heard as we continued, mixing with our moans and pants. My hands found themselves at her sides, pulling Song closer to me. We slowed down, if only for a moment, as she caught her breath. I turned us over, to have Song underneath me. I nibbled on her neck gently, playfully returning the favor from earlier. Her passage tightened suddenly, as my hands took hold of her hips. I began to thrust, taking control of our encounter.

I felt my muscles beginning to tighten, the pleasure starting to take a toll on my stamina. I shivered, trying to hold myself back as much as I could, attempting to drag this out as much as possible. My hips wouldn't slow down, going even faster than before. Song lifted my head from her neck, kissing me roughly as her hands wrapped around my neck and her legs around my body. My thrusts became shorter and faster due to my restricted space, but neither of us complained. I gritted my teeth, my orgasm rushing through me rapidly and into her body. Song screamed as her fingers dug into my back as another orgasm raced through her body. I gritted my teeth, pain and ecstasy sending mixed signals through my mind.

We were left panting, as Song looked up at me. She smiled, running her hands over my back and tracing the outline of my face and lips. She grabbed my head and pulled me down into a deep kiss. I felt tears streak down my cheeks, which she noticed immediately. Song kissed my cheek, shaking her head.

"Please, don't cry, Master," she said, frowning.

"I can understand you, Song," I said, my voice almost cracking. "I can understand you again."

================= ===================================

We stayed at the grove for a while, enjoying being able to communicate properly again. I swore to myself never again to let such a thing happen. Darkrai will have to kill me to separate us again. I will never take such a simple seeming thing for granted ever again. While I personally wanted to get dressed, Song had other plans.

"Can we stay like this a little longer?" she asked, gently rubbing my shoulders. "Please?"

We were still connected at the hips, my member still imbedded inside of her tunnel. It didn't help that Song would begin to whisper seductively in my ear about something or another. Mist seemed to have more control of my body than I thought she did, as I was still feeling incredibly aroused.

"Jonathan will get worried," I said, sighing. "Never mind that I'm worried over Akalia, Spirit, and Xola being by themselves out there."

"They'll be fine, I promise," she said, smiling. I raised an eyebrow at her, as I was skeptical at her word. She giggled, shaking her head side to side.

"What? You already don't trust me?" she asked.

I shook my head at her. "No, it's not that," I responded. "It's how you're so sure about it."

"Female intuition," she said, laughing. I shook my head, convinced that I couldn't argue with that kind of logic. I felt a sense of déjà vu when she said that. Mom's said that countless times in the past.

I looked up, seeing the sky begin to be painted in light oranges and blues. A breeze blew across the grove we were in, chilling me to the bone. I looked down at Song and grinned when she placed a hand on my chin and made me look up again. We stayed like that for a moment, enjoying the beginning of the sunset, when my I heard a soft buzzing sound. I blinked for a moment, groping in the encroaching darkness for my pants. When I finally found the source of the noise, I opened my Pokédex to silence it.

"Hey Nick!" Jonathan's voice rang through the speakers loudly. "Where are you? We've been looking for you for a while now. Two of your Pokémon are with me. Are you safe?"

I sighed. "Yeah, I'm alright," I said, trying to come up with something, and figuring where the microphone was. "We must have gotten separated when we stepped inside Eterna Forest."

"Ah, yeah. Well, the important thing is that everything's alright. Are you coming back right now? It's getting awfully dark."

"Yeah, we'll be headed back, don't worry," I answered.

"Alright. Well, see you in a while," he said, before a soft clicking sound was heard. I flipped my Pokédex closed and threw it on top of my pants. We slowly pulled apart from each other's embrace, reluctant to part but knowing that we had to. I threw on my clothes on before I really started to shiver. I was about to ask where my shirt was, but I remembered that a certain ghost decided to evaporate it. Rummaging through my backpack, I found another shirt. The funny part was, it looked identical to the shirt I was wearing earlier. The faint echo of laughter in my head led me to believe that, somehow, Mist had a hand in this.

I put the shirt on regardless. I'd figure it out one of these days. When I secured my backpack, Song grabbed my shoulder. Her eyes glowed with a light I haven't seen in a long time, and the familiar sensation of falling down a cliff reached my throat. I closed my eyes, stemming the tide of nausea that teleporting created. Before anything else happened, my feet fell on solid ground again. I opened my eyes to see the Gardevoir stumble, her feet buckling underneath her. Catching her before she fell completely, she smiled at me as I helped her stand up again.

"Maybe I shouldn't have done that," she said. She sounded exhausted.

"Maybe," I agreed, nodding. I smiled at her. "Next time, we'll walk."

She nodded, matching my smile. The doors of the center opened, the familiar forms of Akalia and Xola nearly taking me to the ground. I'm sure Mist had a hand in me not falling, and I wasn't going to argue.

While the Luxray greeted me with excited barks I couldn't understand, Xola was more calm. "I'm glad that everything went well, Master," she said, smiling.

I wanted to bring a palm over my face when she said that. "Did you know about this plan, Xola?" I asked, dreading an answer.

"No, actually," she said, confusion clear in her tone. "What happened?"

"It's better not to know," I answered easily. "Where's Spirit?"

As if answering a summons, the gentle hum of wings buzzing behind me and dirt kicking up announced Spirit's landing. She wrapped her arms possessively around me, lifting me up and taking me inside the Pokémon Center. I almost protested out loud, until Jonathan came into view. A familiar looking blue Pokémon was next to him, arms crossed against her chest. Spike's adorned her paws, and another stood out on her chest, above her abdomen centered on her body. I recognized his Lucario right away.

"I was about to say you should apologize to Baast before you forgot," he said, not bothering to hide the grin on his face. "But I don't think your ghost will help you forget."

Spirit put me down, and I walked over to the Lucario. I shook my head, extending a hand to her. Baast looked at me with hesitation in her eyes, before shaking her head. She did shake my hand, though. At least now I know that she did forgive me, and that Lucario don't have spikes on the inside of their paws.

"Thanks, Nick," he said, grinning.

"Yeah," he said, slightly confused. "I didn't say it, though."

"She knows," he said with confidence. "She always knows."

I raised an eyebrow at him, while feeling the Aura Pokémon's eyes on me. Feeling slightly confused, and more than a little unnerved, I wanted to get out of this line of questioning as soon as possible.

"So, did Joy throw stuff at you?" I asked.

"Thankfully, no," he said, walking next to me, "though I can't say the same for you."

"Gee, thanks," I said sarcastically. "I'll remember this."

"I'm sure you'll be fine," he said, patting me on the shoulder. "What's the worst that could happen?"

We knocked on the door this time, learning our lesson from yesterday. Thankfully, this time she wasn't naked or wrapped up in a towel. My instinct to flinch backwards when the door opened wasn't easy to suppress, though.

"It's about time you two idiots showed up," she said, sneering. "I was worried about you."

"Right," I said, sighing. "You're probably more worried about our Pokémon than our own well-being."

"Well, true, but that's beside the point," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "It's not often you find other trainers that are willing to let their Pokémon breed with just any breeder."

"Really now. That's fascinating and all, but I need some sleep," I said, walking past her. I could feel her eyes stare at my back as I walked past her. I wasn't in the mood right now.

"Oh, really?" she said, her voice rising. "How's about I don't feel like letting you sleep?"

"I can easily get another room, or sleep outside," I said, kicking my shoes off. "I'm sure Nurse Joy would love to have us out of her hair."

Joy laughed at that. "My sis probably doesn't care," she said casually. "It's not that we're doing her any favors in doing this. Me and Jonathan are doing YOU a favor."

I grinned. "I can sleep outside just as well as here," I said back. "It doesn't matter to me. You're a seasoned traveler, and so is Jonathan. I'm sure that it wouldn't bother him too much, and I imagine it wouldn't be a problem to you, either. Or is it?"

Her face turned a very deep red. I would mistake it for a Tamato berry, if I didn't know the difference. Dropping my bag on the floor and throwing myself on top of my bed, I closed my eyes and began to rest. I felt Song sit next to me, her hands on my chest as I laid there. I breathed deeply, trying my hardest to relax. It didn't take long for me to fall asleep after that.

============================ ================

"You did very well, Master," Mist's voice echoed through my thoughts. "Better than I thought you would. Regardless, you have my condolences. That woman does not seem to forgive a slight."

Was I dreaming? Mist giggled loudly, disturbing my thoughts. "I just wanted to thank you, Master, for allowing me to experience what you felt. The sensations were... pleasant. I would like to experience them again, if I may."

She giggled, and I felt like an echo of a peck on the cheek on my skin. "I do not wish for me to get in the way of anyone that wishes to be with you," she said. "But, if I can be like this, with you, I can be happy."

"I will allow you to rest, Master. You do deserve it, after what you did for Song. A question, if I may. May I stay here?"

I thought a confirmation, to say yes to her. She must have heard or understood me, as I felt happiness wash over me. "Thank you," she said. "Sleep well, for I predict we have busy days ahead of us."

I could feel like something was building up again. Whatever it was, I wanted to be prepared for it. I focused on sleeping again, and dreams took me in their embrace again.

Chapter 10: Observer

I woke up suddenly, the only light in the room was what little filtered in from underneath the closed door. My body moved sluggishly, as I slowly sat at the edge of the bed. I felt my hands curl up into a fist before relaxing again. My toes and fingers wiggled for a moment, before they stopped on their own. Standing up slowly, so as to not disturb anyone's sleep, I made my way to the bathroom. Opening the door and closing it behind me, I turned on the lights. My eyes closed instantly as an overload of light washed everything white. Yawning as my eyes adjusted, I made my way to the white sink. I tested out the water for temperature, and finding a preferred balance of hot and cold, began to wash my face.

"Interesting. It is good to see that you are not completely under my control, even when you are asleep."

I flinched, backing up and almost falling against door behind me. Gasping for breath, I looked around but found no one inside the small room. I rubbed my temples gently, trying to ease what felt like a headache coming along.

"That will not work, Master."

"Mist?" I asked, as realization dawned on me.

"But of course," she said, her voice soft inside my mind. "Who else would it be that is sharing your body?"

I nodded slowly, trying not to aggravate the pain that was starting to become more pronounced. A sudden chill went up my spine, as something felt like it was coming out of my back. I lost my balance, only managing to avoid hitting my face against the sink by grabbing hold of it with my hands. On my knees now, my body shivered uncontrollably as what felt like something was being pulled out of me. The sensation wasn't painful, thankfully, but it went with the speed of water trickling through a pin hole.

The seeping sensation became more intense, as Mist's body began to pull out of my chest. I shivered, the feeling of a bucket of ice water being dumped on my head wracking my nerves. Gasps came out strangled, as I tried to keep my mouth clamped shut. It was bad enough that Joy probably suspected something. I didn't want to give her more reasons to treat me differently. Like she needed any more.

As Mist finally exited out of my body, it felt like my body was missing something. The sensation still felt extremely odd, and I tried not thinking about it. She floated in front of me, before coming closer. I cradled her in my arms, still in awe that she can do such things.

Her 'hands' stroked my hair gently as I looked at her with a mix of fear and respect. Mist must have known what I was thinking, because she smiled at me. We didn't speak to each other for a moment, the silence between us was comfortable as I lay there on the tiled floor. She giggled softly after a while, breaking the stillness in the air, as she floated slightly away from me. I stood on shaking feet, my hands holding onto the edges of the sink to steady myself.

"Good morning, Master," Mist said softly. "I apologize for awakening you, but it was for the best."

"Why?" I asked.

"Your body needed to use the restroom," she stated. I sighed, shaking my head.

"Are you going to watch, too?" I asked.

"If that is your wish," she stated enigmatically.

================= ======================== ================

I exited the room as quietly as I could, closing the door behind me. Mist followed me silently, refusing to rest back inside her Pokéball. I considered recalling her, but thought better of it. Wild Pokémon were known to roam around, so it's better to be safe than sorry.

We made our way down the hallway and into the main room of the Pokémon Center, finding it empty. A Chansey waved in our direction, and I waved back. The Pokémon didn't ask questions, and continued with her duties. It was a good thing, as we didn't want to wake Nurse Joy. We exited the building, the dawn slowly making its way the sky. Street lights were still on as they washed everything in their even white light, even as the sun's rays slowly begun to peek over Mount Coronet. I made my way back west, this time with the intention of going over that bridge. Nausea flooded over me immediately, just from the thought of crossing any bridge. I smothered the feeling as best I could, but my stomach continued to churn against my will.

It wasn't long before we encountered the bridge. I gulped audibly, trying to stem the fear I felt rising again. The water was as calm as I saw it yesterday. I had to remind myself that this couldn't be some flimsy thing. I mean, this was standing next to a city. I'm sure they kept it in constant repair. Right? My feet stopped at the edge of the bridge, nerves beginning to take over again. I could feel the cold sweat dripping down the back of my neck.

"At least if I fall, it won't be so bad," I said out loud, chuckling nervously.

"I have learned from my past mistake, Master," Mist said. "I will not fail you again."

I nodded silently, trying not to think about the possibility of falling. There were no rails, but as I stepped on the wood, it didn't sway. Emboldened, I slowly took another step forward. A smile crept on my face as I took yet another step forward. Though my heart was pounding in my chest and my breath was caught in my throat, I managed to continue walking forward. Mist floated beside me, eyeing me with caution. I smiled widely at her, nodding. Starting to become less hesitant, I tried to walk normally, forcing the hesitation out of me. Though it took a few attempts, my knees stopped locking up and I managed to walk normally up to the halfway point.

A large square platform was the junction that connected two bridges. I nodded, standing in the middle of the square area. Dawn was coming along quickly, shadows of the nearby buildings stretched as the sun finally pulled its light above the horizon. The bridge under my legs didn't sway, though there wasn't any breeze. The water was calm, the surface mirrored the surroundings perfectly. Slight distortions rippled along its surface, from either something shifting or a Pokémon, I couldn't tell, but it was the only thing that disturbed the breathtaking scene.

"Quite a lovely sight, isn't it?"

I gasped, turning around to see a man standing next to me. I didn't even hear him! Either he just moved extremely quietly, or I was completely absorbed in looking around me. I quickly studied him, finding his clothing unlike anything I've ever seen before. The man wore some kind of robe, I imagine? It was a dark brown color, the only thing I could compare it was mud. A matching sash held it tight around his flat waist. Thin looking arms were crossed in front of his chest, long fingers cradling his elbows. A long face with a strong jaw was outlined with a rather wild black beard. The hair on his head matched the beard, though it was more tamed. Though from my perspective, the long hair looked like it needed a good brushing. I could spot some tangles in his hair, though I'm not sure if he didn't mind. His green eyes watched me silently, as if studying me in turn.

I cleared my throat, trying to keep my breathing under control. I nodded to the stranger. "Yeah, it really is," I said, smiling. "I'm sorry. I didn't hear you walk up to me."

He bowed his head slightly in my direction. "I apologize. I did not mean to startle you."

He spoke like Mist. I grinned. "No worries. My name's Nick. Nice to meet you," I said, extending my hand to him.

The man smiled, grasping my outstretched hand in a firm handshake. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Nick. My name is Aiden."

"It's nice to meet you, Aiden," I said, smiling. "Where are you from, if I might ask?"

The man smiled at me, chuckling softly. "I am not from one of the major cities," he answered me. "I come from the far south, along the Coronet mountain range. There is a monastery there, which I am part of."

"Oh! I've never heard of such a place. It would be nice to visit, if it would be possible."

The man smiled at me. "It is nice to see someone so young be looking for adventure. Are you out to make a name for yourself?"

I grinned. "Kinda. I want to see places, travel. Becoming a Pokémon trainer seemed like the logical step. I'm not interested in becoming famous, if that's what you're asking."

"I see. A wandering spirit," he mused, his smile never leaving his face. "It is my hope that you find what you seek, whatever it may be. And that you have the wisdom to acknowledge it, when you do."

I was stunned for a moment by his words. I coughed, trying to coerce words to come out of my throat. "Thank you, Aiden," I said after a moment. "Sorry, I've never met anyone quite like you. Even living in Solaceon, and that place gets a lot of strange visitors."

"You are not from around here?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Nope, I'm Solaceon born and raised," I said with a hint of pride. "Though it's a small town, that old couple of the daycare center made it famous."

"Yes, I've heard of Solaceon," Aiden said, smiling warmly. "It is a nice quiet town, from what I understand."

"Yep," I said, nodding. "Not a whole lot happens. There's always the Solaceon Ruins to the east, and if you need to visit the Lost Tower, it's only a short walk away."

The man nodded. "Is it true that Pokémon are buried there?" he asked.

"Yes they are. They are placed within their Pokéballs when they are put inside of the tower. There are a lot of graves in there."

"Have you been inside of it?"

I nodded. "I helped keep it as clean as possible while I lived in Solaceon. So many leaves. I still don't know how they kept getting in there. Are you headed for the Lost Tower?"

For the first time, his smile left his face. He looked immensely sad. I was about to apologize, but Aiden shook his head. Though the smile wasn't back, the frown was replaced with a stoic look.

"Yes, that is my ultimate destination on this journey," he said, his voice rather flat.

"I'm sorry," I said, looking away. I rubbed my shoulder, feeling extremely uncomfortable. I've met a few trainers while I was cleaning around the Lost Tower. It was always an awkward moment when it was brought up.

When I looked back at the man, the smile had returned. He shook his head, a sigh escaping his lips. "Please, do not apologize, for you could not have known," he said gently. "It is my partner's brother who I am to honor."

"I see," I said, still feeling awkward.

"I can tell that this subject bothers you," he said, chuckling softly.

I cringed at the accusation, but I sighed. "Yeah, talking about the dead isn't easy for me. It doesn't feel right. Don't really know how to explain it."

Aiden laughed, his head thrown back as he guffawed loudly to the morning air. I turned to Mist, who shook her head at me when I raised an eyebrow at her. I turned back to Aiden, who was now chuckling.

"Please, do not feel this way," he said, smiling again. "While it is unfortunate that these things happen, everything happens for a reason."

Right, I thought darkly. Because Darkrai completely had a reason to do what he did.

Aiden must have seen a change on my face, or the way I was standing. His eyes narrowed for a moment, his easy smile disappearing into his stoic look once more. I don't think he looked disapprovingly at me, but there was something that told me that he would argue his logic to the ends of the earth if he had to. We stayed silent, and while trying to get out of this weird situation, Mist tapped me on the shoulder.

I turned to Mist, who had her eyes narrowed past me. "We should head back, Master," she whispered. "I do not like this human."

I nodded. Sounded like a good enough of a reason to get out of here. "Aiden, I apologize, but I have to head back," I said, forcing a smile. "Have to get my Pokémon and things from the center. Meet up with my friends, busy day."

"I see," he said, nodding. "Mind if I follow you? I would like to rest for the moment."

I nodded. "Sure, I'll show you were the Pokémon Center is."

================= ================= =====================

Hurray for small victories. Walked over a bridge and didn't freak out. Twice!

Aiden and I walked inside the Pokémon Center, to run into Joy and Jonathan. I was about to greet them when the first thing I get is a punch that left my head ringing.

"Where the fuck have you been?!" Joy demanded sternly. I stumbled backwards, held up by Aiden to prevent me from falling. Damn, she hit hard.

"You pathetic excuse of what crawled into your mother's womb!" Mist raged loudly, floating in front of Joy's face. "You shall NEVER hit my Master!"

She punctuated her verbal threat with a physical one, a wave of shadow energy pulsing in front of the ghost. Joy only had a moment's notice, but even when she brought her hands forward to protect herself, it seemed to have little to no effect in helping her. The wave of energy washed over her, pushing her back. Joy slammed against the receptionist counter with a loud thud. Joy let out a gasp of pain, though she didn't attempt to stand. Mist slowly floated towards her target, though I have no idea what kind of intentions she had. Before anything worse could be done, I decided to intervene. I quickly made my way to the floating ghost and spun her around to face me. Her eyes glowed brightly, though when before I would associate that light with the normal calm Mist I know, this light that came was wild and erratic. I made the mental picture of trying to put lightning in a bottle, power barely being contained inside of its vessel.

"Mist, I'm going to ask you to stop," I said, trying to swallow the fear that was beginning to crawl up my throat. "I appreciate what you-."

"No!" she screamed at me, purple energy crackling around the ghost. "She has no right to hit you! I will not tolerate it anymore! This is the last-."

"MIST!"

For the first time, I screamed at her. She was silent as soon as her name echoed around the room loudly. If anyone wasn't awake yet, they were now. If they didn't wake up to Joy banging her head against the desk a few moments prior, that is. For a moment, I hesitated, probably being the focus of everyone's attention at the moment. I shook my head, both to clear my head of the fear and buying myself time to think of something.

In a flash of inspiration, I decided to take this somewhere else. Anywhere that was away from Joy. I don't think that having her there would benefit anyone at the moment. While still holding onto Mist, I made my way outside again. A few people turned towards me, giving me awkward looks, but I ignored them. I headed south this time, following the road towards the outskirts of town. Now that we were out of earshot from anyone, and away from Joy, it felt like a good opportunity to talk to Mist. She squirmed out of my hands immediately, floating in front of me with a look that I could only describe as hate on her face.

"Mist," I said, taking deep breaths to steady my nerves and voice, "why did you do that?"

She didn't answer immediately. I was afraid that she would start yelling at me. After a moment, she sighed, hovering there silently. The glow ebbed from around her, but didn't stir. I didn't know if she had an answer or not, so I continued regardless.

"Look, I can appreciate what you did to an extent," I said, giving her a small smile. "But hurting her isn't going to help us. I don't really like her either, but she's determined to come along, and Jonathan doesn't seem to mind her."

"So, are you not going to fight?" Mist asked softly.

"What do you mean?" I asked, perplexed. "Fight?"

"Were you just going to allow her to belittle you?" she asked. Her voice was back to normal, but I could still feel the anger in her words. "Were you just going to sit there and do nothing?"

"Stooping to her level doesn't make us a friend, Mist," I said sternly. "I don't see a reason to fight, nor should you."

"But she hurt you!" Mist exclaimed.

I stood there, quiet for a moment. I had a response in mind, but I decided to switch tactics.

"Mist, I appreciate your concern over me. I really do," I said, crossing my hands in front of my chest. "But, since when did you become so concerned for me?"

"I truly do not wish to talk about it," she stated.

"Why?" I asked softly.

A gust of wind swept around us, whistling softly past. Mist's eyes widened at my question, and she quickly looked away. It was the first time I've seen the Mismagius act so awkward around me. She gave me the feeling that she was always completely sure of herself. That personality was no longer in front of me. What was left was an unsure being, her eyes darting to and away from me. Her gems glowed erratically as her makeshift hands played with the frills of her dress.

"Please, answer me Mist," I pressed gently. I extended my hands to her, hoping that she would accept. "I promise I won't be mad."

"I know you will not," she said, slowly approaching me. Silence threatened to loom over us again, but she shook her head after a moment. It was as if the act cleared her mind.

"My previous master," she said suddenly, "she... she was not the best person to choose, now looking back in hindsight."

I probably was looking rather confused, for she elaborated. "Ghost Pokémon are not easily captured. We choose to go with a trainer, not the other way around. We do not appear in front of someone that we do not consider worthy in some degree."

I nodded in understanding, but kept quiet. This wasn't easy for her to talk about, that much was obvious. Though I've never taken her for hesitating in most things, I could understand being so cautious now. I imagine that it was the fear of abandonment that held her. I wouldn't imagine why she would feel that way, seeing as that she's probably pulled everything out of my head by now. Knowing and doing are two different things, though.

She sighed after a moment. "I had chosen a female trainer that was passing by," Mist said. Her voice was quivering slightly, distorting the speech. "When this happened, it was not the first time I had seen her. She looks rather similar to this Joy woman, but her hair was blonde and her features were more rugged.

"I presented myself to her in her dreams," Mist continued. "She was ecstatic about me. She was looking for a ghost Pokémon to finish building her team. That was her excuse. After being captured, everything was as well as I expected. That trainer made me feel like I belonged, that I had a place where before I had only my own."

I wanted to stop her. It wasn't that I didn't want to hear the story, far from it. I didn't want to see her in this weakened state. It looked like she wanted to sink through the ground, and never reappear. I reached out to her, placing my hands at her waist and bringing her close to me. While she didn't cry, Mist shivered against me.

"She wanted me to be a child bearer," Mist intoned. "She was planning on using me as a breeding tool. I did not believe it, until they put me in that damnable daycare center with that shape changing blob."

I nodded. I had a feeling this was going to turn ugly.

"That is not what the worst offense was," Mist continued, looking up to me. "While I did obey her, out of nothing but the link of master and servant, I could not bear the child."

I blinked, the implication sinking in really quickly. "Wait, so you're infertile?" I blurted.

Mist nodded slowly, and I felt like an idiot for saying it like that. She smiled sadly at me, patting my cheek with one of her hands. "It is not your fault, Master."

"I should have been more tactful, though," I countered with a frown.

"Perhaps, but I know you did not mean to be hurtful," she said, a smile creeping on her face. That smile quickly disappeared, as she threw her arms around my neck and shivered in my arms again.

"Please do not send me away."

I was shocked for a moment. Why would she think I would? Because she wasn't fertile? While unfortunate, it isn't going to stop her from being next to me. I raised Mist's head from my chest, my fingers gently tracing the outline of her face. I smiled down at the ghost in my arms, taking a moment for her to finally relax in my arms.

"Mist, I had no idea what you've been through," I said. "As a trainer, I'm sorry that you've been through that. But, it doesn't mean that I'm going to send you back. Song is with us, even after our encounter with... that one. I'm not going to send you away, not after all you've done. Not unless you want to, of course."

Mist's expression was somewhere between belief and fear. I didn't let her sit there for long, though. I brought my arms around her and pulled her tightly in a hug. For a moment she stiffened, but then relaxed. Then the tears came, as her body shook in my arms.

================ ====================== ====================

"I'm sorry, Nick. I know I shouldn't have done that," Joy said.

We were outside of the Pokémon center, standing in front of the twin statues of Palkia and Dialga in Eterna City. Jonathan had agreed to help Aiden get situated while he stayed here in Eterna, so we all agreed to take in the sights. I still wanted to check out the gym, in case there was some sort of procedure that had to be done before challenging the leader. Either way, we weren't going anywhere anytime soon.

We were all spread out. Aiden and Jonathan went together near the steps that led downward to Mount Coronet. They were talking rather animatedly, so I imagined that they knew each other. Joy was standing next to me. As I turned to look at her, she was mumbling softly. I shrugged to myself, not sure if she saw me or not. Mist and Song were both standing near me, keeping me company. I still didn't want to deal with Zin after Mist threw her into the Pokéball.

I shrugged at Joy. "Look, it doesn't matter," I said. "Just don't hit me again. Not unless I really do something stupid. And even then, I'm pretty sure if you'd talk to me instead, it would be better than punching me in the face."

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Really, it isn't that big of a deal, unless you keep reminding me."

"But how do you just shrug it off?" she asked me.

"What do you mean? You hitting me?"

She nodded, and I grinned at her. "Because I won't stoop to your level," I said simply. "I don't think I need to hit someone to get their attention, or for you to punch my face to get mine. If you really wanted to say something, you'd ask for my attention, in a way that doesn't involve physical violence."

She stayed quiet, and I continued. "Besides, do you really want to get on Zin's bad side? Or even worse, be on bad terms with Song and Mist?"

She stiffened at the mention of the last two. Seeing as they were both present in the conversation, it had that implication that they could do something. Plus, they heard her confession. I don't think they'd go easy on her now. Especially Mist, after that display earlier.

"So again, don't worry too much," I said, chuckling.

"I'll try not to," she said softly.

"You can always go your own way. No one's making you go with us," I pointed out.

"I asked Jonathan if I could travel with you two, and he said to ask you," she said softly. "After the short time that we've known each other, I don't think that'll happen, knowing how I've acted."

So, when in the world did this change of heart happen? I shook my head, trying to get that annoyed feeling from my chest. But why would Jonathan defer such a decision to me? Shouldn't it be at least a group choice? I'll talk to him about it later.

On one hand, she was an experienced trainer, and she claims that she's a breeder. She's obviously used to traveling, much like Jonathan in that respect. She seems to know the areas around Sinnoh pretty well, as well as local Pokémon information. How in the world she knew about the Abomasnow migratory path, I'll never know. Maybe it really was just local information, and we messed up. Rather glad that we ran into her, even if it was by chance. Though I'm pretty sure Spirit would have handled things if given the opportunity.

On the other hand, she was a bit arrogant, impulsive, and downright rude. She likes hitting me in the face, and loves to pick a fight. I'm honestly surprised that I've managed to tolerate it for this long. I imagine Jonathan has more experience with asinine people than I do, but it's reached the point of ridiculous in my book. I mean, who goes and slaps someone across the face for looking at them? OK, staring, but even then, who does that? Not even Song would. Well, except that one time when a pretty girl was walking by. I think I deserved it, because I ended up drooling.

"Would it be really that bad to have her with us, Master?" Song asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"No, it wouldn't," I said, shaking my head. I faced Joy to address her. "You can come, as long as Jonathan has no major complaints. Though from what you said, I don't think he does."

She smiled at me, a sigh of relief heaving out of her chest. She grabbed and shook my hand forcibly, almost making me bounce up and down by sheer force.

"You won't regret this! I promise!" she said, before releasing me. "Oh! I gotta go get my stuff from Sis. Be right back!"

With that, she ran down the stairs in direction of Eterna. I shook my head as she weaved in between people walking the streets. I wondered what I had just unleashed into my life.

"Are you sure this was a wise choice?" Mist asked, voicing my thoughts.

I chuckled. "Not at all," I answered. "Though there's safety in numbers."

"You and Jonathan have done fine so far," Mist pointed out. "We did not need someone of her caliber."

"Probably," I conceded. "But in all honesty, it's better that she's with us than not. I don't need her spreading around rumors about me."

"What do you mean, Master?" Song intoned.

"Zin's slip up a few days ago," I said, lowering my voice. "She did mention that I was her mate then, remember?"

Both Song and Mist winced at the reference. "I see your point now," Song said, nodding. "It's better if she is with us."

"Well, for the time, anyway," I said, sighing. "Still have no idea what's going to happen when I let Zin out."

"I am sure that she would be content to see you once more," Mist said calmly. "I did explain to her what was going on."

"Then why did she act the way she did?" I asked.

"Perhaps she forgot?" Mist offered. "I did mention it to her before we left to Eterna."

I shrugged. "Well, we'll deal with it when it comes up. Right now, I still want to inspect this statue more thoroughly."

"Why?" Song asked. "Is it because of the Celestic Ruins?"

"Basically," I answered, tapping the foot of the four legged beast. "Dialga and Palkia are part of the creation process, or so the legend goes. The ruins pointed that there were three creatures created by Arceus. We know these two, but who's the third, is the real question."

I sighed, shaking my head. "I doubt anything is written here that we don't already know, but we can at least cross this place out for any clues if we've inspected it properly."

I ignored the footsteps behind me, focusing my attention on the statue. The wording was still the same as I remembered from when we passed this a few days ago. I ran my fingers over the letters, trying to embed it all within my memory.

"Dialga and Palkia," I murmured to myself. "The Roar of Time? The Space between Worlds? Would these be their tittles?"

"They are indeed, Nick," Aiden said, breaking my concentration.

Turning around, both Aiden and Jonathan stood next to me, looking curiously at my actions. I looked at Aiden curiously when he didn't continue. With a smile, he spoke to me. "Would you like to know what information I have?"

I nodded. His smile widened as he continued. "It is generally believed that Arceus is the creator, correct? Well, the first things he created were his first two sons. Dialga and Palkia, time and space made physical beings. To Dialga, Arceus gave him rule of the stars, while to Palkia, he gave the power of space and dimensions."

"That sounds a bit crazy," I said, frowning. "I've never heard of this, not even in all my time with my parent's research."

"Not much is recorded, and quite a bit is inferred by other, older writings," Aiden said, nodding. "It is as much belief as it is a mystery."

I sighed, frowning. "That doesn't explain the third jewel I saw in the Celestic Ruins."

"That would be Giratina," Aiden said stoically. I blinked for a moment. The name sounded familiar. I know I've at least read it once before.

"Isn't Giratina the gatekeeper?" Jonathan asked.

"Well, that is what is generally believed," Aiden conceded. "It has not been made apparent what is Giratina's duty. All that is known is that he is the third son."

"What is he the gatekeeper for?" I asked.

Jonathan looked at Aiden, who shrugged. Turning to me, Jonathan said, "Well, it is generally believed that Giratina is the gatekeeper of the dead, to be judged by him in front of Arceus."

"It is also implied that he was given charge of our world as its caretaker," Aiden intoned. "Similar to how Dialga was given the stars and Palkia was given the dimensions as their duties."

I nodded, taking this new information. "That still doesn't explain why Darkrai showed up, though," I said, sighing.

Aiden flinched, bringing his hands over his ears and eyes wide. "You fought against the Night Walker?" he asked in a hushed whisper.

I sighed and nodded. "Not willingly, if that's what you're worried about," I answered. "He kinda picked a fight with me."

He blinked for a moment, before turning to Jonathan. "Is this what you were worried about when you visited?" Aiden asked him.

Jonathan nodded. "Yeah, this was exactly what I feared."

I looked at them, confused at what they were talking about. They ignored me for the moment, as they looked at each other. Through the silence, they seemed to reach an agreement. Aiden nodded, while Jonathan just shook his head and sighed.

"Can someone tell me what's going on?" I asked at the two.

"It would be better if I showed you, but this isn't the place," Jonathan said. "Where's Joy?"

"I'm right here!"

I turned around to see Song helping Joy with her belongings. She had various objects in her hands, which seemed to have fallen at one point or another. I sighed, shaking my head at the sight. At least Song seemed to be taking everything in stride.

"Change of plans," Jonathan stated. "We're headed south."

"South?" I asked. "But what about the gym?"

"The gym isn't going anywhere," he rebuked calmly, shaking his head. "Where we're going, we have a chance to helping solve this mystery about Darkrai."

Joy stiffened visibly at the name. "Wait what? What are we doing?" she asked.

"Nick, can you pull out your Pokédex, please?" Jonathan asked me, ignoring Joy's question.

I nodded, pulling the device out of my pocket and opening it. Activating the map function, I passed it over to Jonathan. He quickly tapped a few buttons and passed it over to me again. Instead of the local Sinnoh area, where the major routes and cities were labeled, there were more routes and a few locations that I've never even heard of before.

"There's a monastery, hidden near the edge of the land mass of Sinnoh, located at the end of the Coronet Mountain range," he said, nodding. "This is where I was before I flew over here to Celestic Town to correlate information."

"Is that what you were doing? Gathering information?" I asked.

"I told you that I'm also looking into this whole Darkrai phenomenon," he said, rolling his eyes. "You just so happened to be the latest victim."

"Wait, what's going on again?" Joy asked.

"I'll fill you in when we land," Jonathan said, shaking his head. "Unless you guys have some fast flyers, we're in for a long trip."

"But I thought we were going to stay here longer?" Joy asked, clearly irritated. "I wanted to talk to my sister!"

"Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury," Jonathan said clearly. "Either you come with us, or you can stay. We'll be back, Arceus willing."

I looked at Jonathan for a moment, thinking that he lost his marbles. What would be willing to kill us? Oh, wait, that's right, kinda hard to get away from darkness itself if it wants you.

"My master would be glad to see you once again, Jonathan," Aiden said, bowing to us. "May your journey be swift, and the winds of hope be at your back."

================= ================== =========================

We were to leave as soon as we resupplied back in town. I was still miffed about not checking out the gym, but I guess Jonathan had a point. It wasn't going anywhere, and we'll be back. Hopefully we can learn something productive, and this trip doesn't end up feeling like a wild chase across Sinnoh. It's already starting to feel a bit hopeless. I was still stuffing the last bit of potions and vitamins in my backpack when Jonathan and Joy ran into me inside the Pokémon Center. They gave me an inquisitive look, and I just shrugged.

"With this guy," I said, pointing at Jonathan, "I have a feeling that I wouldn't know when we'll reach this place. I'm just making sure we're prepared with extra supplies."

"We all bought extra supplies," Joy reminded me.

"Extra on extra," I said, grinning. She sighed and rolled her eyes at me, but left the subject lie. Though we didn't exactly see eye to eye, it looked like she was making an effort to change. I can live with that.

Jonathan chuckled at me, though. "Very true, that is," he said. "While Storm can get there in no time, I don't know how fast your flying Pokémon are, so we'll take our time getting there. Hopefully luck is with us and the weather stays clear. We don't need anything starting up that'll throw us off-track."

Both me and Joy nodded. We really didn't need something like that messing our travels. Getting lost is one thing, because at least the maps were accurate on my Pokédex. Becoming separated in the wilderness, where maps were less updated, it would be equal to suicide. I picked up my backpack and headed outside, quickly followed by my two companions.

It was a brand new day. We decided to stay over to get a good night of rest and double checking our Pokémon, before making such a long journey. Jonathan estimates it would take us at least five days to get there. I'm betting my money on a week.

I fished out Spirit's Pokéball, quickly letting the green dragon out of her confines. When she fully materialized, she gave me a quick hug, seemingly intent on double checking my physical condition. I chuckled as she ran her claws through my hair and opening my mouth with her claws. I obliged as best I could, though I had no idea why she would need to check my tonsils.

"Why does she do that?" Jonathan asked, putting away his Dragonite's Pokéball.

"Beats me," I said, shrugging. "I think she's making up for being shy around me."

Spirit nodded, the scales around her cheeks changing into that familiar red hue. I laughed as I patted her on the shoulder. She smiled down at me, but immediately cringed when she looked in Joy's direction. I turned to see that three headed thing again, hovering next to her.

"That thing isn't going to roar at me again, right?" I asked, backing away slightly.

Joy laughed, petting the Pokémon's 'arm'. I don't even know if it can be called an arm, because both ended in a face with a huge maw. Filled with teeth.

"Zefyra understands that you aren't a threat," she said, giggling. "She might allow you to pet her."

"I'll let her decide that, thank you," I said, waving my hands in front of me. "No need to get my hands bitten off."

"And before I forget, her species is called Hydreigon," she said, smiling. The beast in her hands rumbled happily, two of her three heads nodding simultaneously.

"I'll remember that," I said, grinning. "Though I think that Jonathan is waiting for us."

"Thank you for remembering me," he said, already atop of his Dragonite. "If you two are done introducing each other, we need to get going. Daylight's burning."

Spirit quickly bent down as I made myself comfortable. Double checking my backpack straps and making sure I wasn't going to slide off Spirit's back. She tested her wings, their buzzing louder than what I was used to. I was sitting on her back, my legs just behind where her wings were. I grinned as she twisted her neck to see if I was alright. I nodded and leaned forward to pat her neck gently, and she nodded back at me. After adjusting her footing for a moment, a leap into the air had me holding onto her shoulders. Her wings buzzing next to me, I looked to my side to see the roof of the Pokémon Center pass by.

Jonathan was already in the air, and Spirit aligned herself to him and his Dragonite, Storm. How did he take off without me noticing? I voiced my concern, raising my voice over the buzzing of Spirit's wings.

"She's pretty good about that, isn't she?" he asked rhetorically, his voice loud. "Storm's had a lot of practice!"

I shrugged, and he laughed, tilting his head backwards. I was afraid that he was going to fall, though my worry was proven false as Storm adjusted to him. He nodded at me, pointing next to me. I turned to see Joy and her Hydreigon, Zefyra, flying next to me. The beast's six wings beat at the air, lifting her without seemingly a care. I nodded at her, as a blast of air made me aware that Jonathan has moving. Joy laughed, shaking her head and motioned me to follow. I patted Spirit on the neck and nodded. Don't know if it was for my own sake, or if she saw the action. She raced after them just the same, flying in formation behind Zefyra and Joy.

I couldn't tell how fast we were traveling, but if I was to venture a guess, pretty fast. The wind howled, mimicking the sound of a Houndoom, the temperature making me shiver slightly. The sun was still shining, which helped a lot to mitigate that feeling though. It was the reason why I wasn't wearing a jacket. Sensibilities be forgotten, we were going to solve this damn mystery, one way or another.

I thought wistfully of home. I wondered how mom and dad were doing. Were they worried about me? I imagine they were. They're parents, after all. I wonder how they would react if I called them about breaking my ribs. Or meeting Suicune. What about finding Xola almost dead? Darkrai? Would they even believe me? I sighed, closing my eyes and shaking my head. No use worrying about that right now. Maybe I can use that phone thing that Jonathan did to my Pokédex to call them. Hopefully it can get a signal, wherever we're headed.

Dread rose in my stomach suddenly. What if Darkrai found out about my parents? My heart felt like it skipped a beat at the implication. They didn't have Pokémon to defend themselves if he did show up. I ground my teeth, and I pulled my hands from Spirit's shoulders, to avoid surprising her by accident. Taking deep breaths, I forced myself to focus on Zefyra and the Pokémon's rider. Spirit's neck twisted slightly, red covered eye looking at me with caution. I smiled, shaking my head at her. I doubt she bought my ruse, but she nodded and kept flying, following our guide to wherever this place was.

============ ================= ==========================

We began our decent around what looked like midday. The sun was high in the sky, and the clouds were getting thicker when I saw Storm and Jonathan slowly lowering themselves into the cloud cover underneath us. I leaned forward, holding tightly against Spirit as we followed Joy and Zefyra into the clouds. I closed my eyes, the water droplets obscuring my vision and making it painful to try to keep up. I envied my Flygon slightly, for having natural eye protection. Passing the cloud cover didn't take as long as I thought, as the droplets of water stopped soaking everything I had.

The clouds above us now were uniform across the sky, fluffy white preventing the sun's rays from fully reaching the surface. Thankfully, both Jonathan and Joy were easy to spot above the impressive tree line and the rolling mountains that spanned the landscape. While the trees were thick in some areas, it wasn't all connected. Large open areas were easily visible from our vantage point, and it's where Jonathan was headed. Both Joy and myself quickly followed him towards one of these spots. From high above, it didn't look like it had much in the way of grass. It looked like a barren rock field in a rather circular shape. Like someone made a cut-out of the forest, and forgot to put it back.

Spirit landed next to Zefyra, and I dismounted as quickly as I could. I wanted to give her a good rest before we flew again. Scratching under her chin, she gave me a sigh of relief. I grinned as she tried to mimic my actions, and I followed with my other unoccupied hand. She copied me again, using both of her claws to gently scratch my neck. I chuckled as I stopped, and she quickly followed suit. I wondered if she was ticklish.

"Alright, we're going to set up camp here," Jonathan said, nodding. "We're making great time."

"Why are we stopping so early?" I asked. "It looks like it's barely noon."

"It's about one o'clock right now, but yeah," he said, waving my comment away. "The reason why we stopped is because the next part has no clear and safe area to land to rest. I don't want to overextend ourselves without a reason."

I nodded, understanding the concern. Knowing him, he'd be there by now.

"Let's set up," Joy said, nodding. "If you two give me your tents, I'll set them up. If you two brought food, one of you can cook it and the other can look for dead branches for the fire."

"Dibs on cooking!" Jonathan exclaimed, as soon as Joy finished talking. I blinked, surprised by the reaction.

I shrugged regardless. Wasn't going to complain about it, and I wasn't sure about my own cooking skills anyway.

"Spirit, I want you to rest here, alright?" I asked her, gently petting her in between her eyes. "You deserve a rest."

She nodded, though gave me a concerned look. "What, you think I'll be in danger?" I asked her.

She nodded, playing with her claws again. I chuckled, opening Song's Pokéball. The Gardevoir appeared with a twirl next to me, a soft giggle in my ears.

"It's good to finally be out of that thing," she said happily. "Are we there yet?"

"No, not by a long shot," I said, chuckling. At her sigh, I shook my head. "Apparently, this place is at the end of the Coronet Mountains. Jonathan guesses we'll make it there in five days."

"I think a week is more appropriate," she said, nodding.

I laughed, shaking my head. "Well anyway, I've been asked to gather some firewood. Would you like to help me?"

"But of course!" she exclaimed, grabbing my hands. I stopped her for a moment, if only to shed my backpack and keep it with Spirit for safe keeping.

"Let Joy get anything she needs from there, Spirit!" I called, as I was dragged away by Song's enthusiasm. I stumbled a few times, losing my balance on the uneven ground and by being pulled along by Song. She slowed down when she saw me almost fall, laughing about it. I laughed with her, feeling giddy about everything.

"You should let everyone out," Song commented. "It'll do everyone some good."

I nodded, pulling out everyone else's Pokéballs and releasing them. With everyone present and accounted for, it wasn't long before Zin and Akalia tackled me, barely staying upright.

"You did it!" Zin exclaimed at me. "You did it!"

As much as I wanted to ask what she meant, I really didn't want to know. Probably about the whole Mist being possessive thing. I didn't dissuade her, nodding at her happy exclamation.

"Alright, I need help gathering some firewood," I said, smiling at everyone. "Probably what you didn't want to hear, but we get food at the end."

"Cooked food?" Zin asked.

"Yep," I said, nodding. "So find as much as you can. It doesn't look like it's rained around here in a while, so we shouldn't have a problem finding dry stuff."

Everyone nodded, and we walked together in a loose group. Akalia and Zin began finding sticks and branches quickly among the trees. It didn't take long for us to have two good armfuls of the stuff. It also didn't help that Mist was cheating, shaking the trees gently if any loose branches came down. I was quick to point it out, to which she giggled at me.

"Are you truly going to argue?" she asked.

"Not me, but probably an angry bird," I said, grinning.

To prove my point, a Murkrow flew right past me, the gust of wind trailing behind it almost making me lose my balance. I looked upwards, to see a leafless tree with a full swarm of them. I couldn't tell when a Murkrow ended and the next began. A Honchkrow flew down, a feathered wing tipping his 'hat' down, as if greeting us.

I mimicked the Pokémon's actions, much to the birds surprise. I looked at Song, who nodded at me.

"Song, could you translate for me?" I asked.

She nodded, smiling. "I don't think there's a need for that. They were sleeping."

Right. Murkrow and Honchkrow are nocturnal Pokémon. I shook my head, smiling. "We're sorry for waking you," I said clearly. "We're not here to pick on anyone."

I hoped that the leader got the message. For a moment, all the bird did was look at me straight in the eye. As much as it made me feel uncomfortable, I didn't look away. I began to count time by my heartbeats, feeling the moment stretch as my perspective got focused. Thankfully, it only took ten counts for the Honchkrow to nod and fly up to his flock.

We quickly headed opposite to where the nest was, retracing our steps back into the clearing. As we passed the trees, I noticed that the sun was starting to come down. I shook my head, startled by the time change. I chided myself, and frowned when I remembered that my Pokédex had an internal clock.

We walked in silence together, enjoying each other's company. Zin and Akalia were ahead of us, Zin's calls warning us for unstable footing. We swiftly made it back to camp under their watchful eyes, Jonathan and Joy meeting us to relieve our burdens. We got a fire started, and Jonathan began to lay out some food for all of us.

Our tents were set up already. I asked where Spirit was, and Joy pointed to my tent. I shook my head, but shrugged all the same. She deserved the rest.

"Do you need help getting her out of there?" Joy asked.

"Nah, that's fine," I said, shrugging. "She's probably more tired than I thought."

"She's probably not used to flying long distances," Jonathan said thoughtfully. "Flygon's tend to be strong flyers, but not for distance. I think we might have problems tomorrow."

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

He shrugged, as he pulled a cutting board from his backpack. Joy pulled a head of lettuce and handed it to him. While Jonathan was cutting, she pulled out a small soup pot and poured some bottled water inside of it.

"Sorry, only enough soup for the humans," Joy said to Zin, giggling at the Houndoom's hurt look.

I knelt down and petted her between her horns. "I'll let you taste some," I said, grinning.

"Sorry, I totally spaced," Jonathan said, putting in the sliced vegetables inside the water. "Just a personal observation. I've never met a Flygon that can go a full day of flying. Not saying it isn't possible, just that I haven't seen one do it."

I nodded, grinning. "I don't know how strong Spirit is, but I'm sure she'll surprise us if given the chance."

He laughed as Joy dropped some noodles inside the water, and began passing some tomatoes to Jonathan. "Too true," he said, chuckling still. "I'm not going to be surprised by anything today, not after her Ditto."

"Who?" I asked.

He pointed behind me, and I turned to look. What I saw made my entire brain process stop. The scream that I wanted to yell died in my throat, panic completely locking me up. I wanted to run, do something, but fear kept me still.

Darkrai was right behind me.

Song's scream was the only thing that snapped me out of my paralysis. Not caring if I had imagined it or if it was real, I lunged forward at the shadow, my fist meeting the Night Walker's face. Meeting the ground, I stood up as fast as I could to see Zin lunge forward.

"Hey! Stop hurting my Ditto!"

Zin stopped just before she leapt at the creature. Focusing on the creature, its skin began to convulse, shrinking rapidly into a pink blob with two eyes and a wide mouth. Two little tentacle hands rubbed the sides of its cheek, most likely where I had connected. Joy ran past me, scooping up the Pokémon in her hands, giving me a horrified look.

"Why would you do that?" she asked me.

I sighed, shaking my head. "Me and Darkrai... we don't get along?" I offered. She stared directly into my eyes, and I laughed nervously. I sighed again. "I'll explain."

"You better," was all she said, as she went back to Jonathan's side.

I looked over at Mist, who was currently just hovering next to my tent. I walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She blinked, as if lost in thought, then focused on me.

"I apologize, Master," she whispered. "I... I knew what it was, it-."

"Don't worry about it," I said, as I wrapped her in a hug. Since when did such a confident ghost turn the other way? "We'll get stronger, I promise."

She laid her head on my shoulder as I walked back to the fire. Before I got there, her body began sinking inside of me. Though I knew the feelings, it wasn't without its suddenness. I was thankful I could keep walking and prevent myself from shivering.

She didn't say anything once inside of me, but I could feel her. She was safe, that was all that mattered.

Joy looked up at me, her eyes narrowed. I sighed as I sat down and began explaining my situation.

============= ===================== ==================

The sun was now down, officially. I talked myself hoarse, barely eating my soup as Joy questioned my story time and time again. I came clean with her, starting all the way from the beginning of my little adventure.

"Well, that explains it," she said, as I finished detailing the events in the Celestic Ruins. "Doesn't make sense why he'd attack, but now I understand why you reacted that way.

"I want to apologize to you, for my Ditto," she continued, sighing. "He's a bit eccentric like that. He likes to copy any and all kinds of Pokémon."

I nodded. "It's fine," I said. "Thank you, for accepting my apology."

"I think you said it best," she said, waving my apology away.

I laughed as I brought my bowl of soup to my mouth. I was surprised at the taste, the broth warming me up almost instantly. While it scalded my tongue, all I wanted was to drink it down as fast as possible. Jonathan laughed as I panted, feeling myself sweat.

"Don't drink it too fast," he advised. "Enjoy it. You're cooking tomorrow."

I laughed and nodded. Zin pressed a paw on my knee, sticking her nose up to smell the contents of my bowl. Everyone chuckled as I brought the bowl to her level, letting her taste it. She licked for a moment, before diving forward, almost knocking the bowl out of my hands.

"Well, that's a first," Jonathan said in between laughs. "Never seen a Pokémon go so crazy about the food I've made."

Zin didn't respond, but looked at him while licking her chops with her long tongue. She snuggled next to me, her head resting on my lap. Song was resting against my back, Xola next to her. Spirit was still inside my tent, and Akalia had gone inside there not that long ago. Mist was still inside of me. Good, everyone was accounted for.

"So, who's going to take first watch?" Jonathan asked. "Just in case any wild Pokémon show up."

I raised my hand. "I'll stay up," I said, grinning. "I haven't finished my food, since I was talking all this time."

"Fair enough," Jonathan said, smiling. "You can have the leftovers, too, if you'd like."

"Thanks," I said, nodding. Both of them headed for their nearby tents a few steps away from the fire. They waved goodbye and disappeared inside.

I held my bowl of soup in one hand, grabbing a handful of sticks and putting them inside the fire. I grabbed a larger one and gently prodded it inside; making sure that it wouldn't roll out of place. Putting a fist sized rock next to the last large piece, I nodded to myself. Bringing the bowl to my lips, I enjoyed the flavors that danced across my tongue.

"Master," Mist said, her voice echoing softly inside my mind. "There's something out there."

Slowly lowering the bowel from my lips, I looked around casually. At first I didn't see anything. A second look didn't bring anything strange in the encroaching darkness around me. I couldn't hear any footsteps across the barren rocky field surrounding us, so I couldn't imagine anything or anyone bypassing me.

"Unless they can float," Mist whispered warningly at me. "Do not let the darkness deceive you."

I willed myself not to stand up at the mention of levitation and just nodded at her warning. I focused on my food again, trying to keep those thoughts out, while trying to keep an ear out for anything suspicious. Focusing on my breathing, I drank my soup slowly, doing my best to stem the paranoia that felt that was crawling up my spine. No one stirred around me. Zin was still asleep, while Song and Xola were still unmoving behind me. I could feel Song stir for a moment against my back but nothing more.

I lowered my bowl, and just beyond the ring of light of the fire was... something. I couldn't tell any more than two glowing white eyes in a field of black. They looked to be level with me, so I couldn't tell if the creature was short, or kneeling. I didn't look away, but I didn't move. I hoped that we weren't in some Pokémon's territory.

I blinked, but in that moment, the eyes that were in front of me disappeared. I almost jumped, startled at suddenness. Did I see what I really did, or am I just seeing things?

"No, I saw it too," Mist said thoughtfully. "My powers could not sense what it was, either. It was as if it was protected from psychic powers."

"Whatever it was, it looks like it's gone," I whispered, slowly shaking my head. "Thank you, Mist."

She giggled softly, the sound echoing inside of me. I smiled, as I let the happiness she was feeling warm me. Along with the fire, I felt content. I hoped, again, that we weren't inside a Pokémon's territory. I also hoped that they wouldn't show up again, with more friends.

The clouds had cleared out slightly, stars peeking out in between the nimbus. I smiled, enjoying the company of my friends. I just hoped that Aiden hadn't sent us on a wild goose chase.

Chapter 11: Flight or Fight

I tried my best to stargaze, to do something to occupy my mind. I couldn't help but think what could have been what appeared in front of me. There must be plenty of nocturnal Pokémon around here. I must have just encountered one that was curious as to what we were doing. Nothing wrong with that, as long as they didn't bring more friends. Whoever it was, it seemed content enough to leave us alone. The occasional ruffle of feathers and cries of Pokémon overhead made it clear that the nights around here weren't all quiet. Though I didn't know from where or who, I still felt watched.

I distracted myself with the fire, gently prodding the burning logs with a stick. I already ate what was left of the soup, though I had nothing to clean it with. We'd take care of that later, before we left. I had put a lid over it though, to make sure that the smell wouldn't attract more unwanted visitors. All of my Pokémon had shifted, Xola waking up and demanded to be curled up around me. Song, Akalia, and Zin all wanted to be somewhere on me, as well. And me, being so compliant, agreed to their requests as best I could.

I had my Pokédex in hand, seconds ticking by as I watched the numbers change. I shook my head, as Song snuggled closer in my arms. Her legs and arms were wrapped around me, hugging me tightly against her body. I felt my cheeks warm, remembering how we joined together. I felt my body respond accordingly, and closed my eyes to suppress it as best I could. Didn't need to give Joy more reasons to think I was weird. I didn't know how she felt about Pokémon and human relations, nor was I going to tempt fate.

I leaned back against Xola's scales, looking skyward. As tempting it was to close my eyes, I knew what I was getting into. Slightly. I've never been up with nothing to do, though. If I was this up this late, it was because I was helping mom or dad with something. Can't forget when I had to clean my room, or to study for all those stupid tests. This, on the other hand, felt extremely boring.

"You can always speak with me," Mist echoed softly.

I chuckled, feeling Song clench my shirt tightly as I moved underneath her. I stroked her back a few times until she calmed down, trying to address Mist without waking up anyone.

"Remember, you can use your thoughts to communicate," she said, reminding me.

I nodded. I still didn't feel comfortable doing so, but I might as well try. Focusing on what I wanted to say, I did my best to project my question to Mist.

"Am I enjoying the night?" she asked, repeating my question. "Yes, I am. It is a wonderful night. Other than our uninvited guest earlier."

The thought jolted me. I had put it completely out of my mind. Strange. I didn't feel threatened, and I would imagine that by now they would have come back if whatever it was wanted us out of here. Not knowing what it was unnerved me more than anything, though. Especially when Mist said that she couldn't detect what it was with her powers.

"It was probably another ghost Pokémon," she said dismissively. "We can tell when a powerful trainer is around."

I didn't want to feel proud of that statement. I sure didn't feel that way, that's for sure. But what if it wasn't? I thought this concern to her, and she laughed.

"Well, could you tell me what else hides in the... oh. Yes, I understand your concern now," she said, her laugh fading into the silence. "If I may be allowed to say, if it was Darkrai, I do not think he would hesitate to attack."

That was true. He didn't hesitate to attack me inside the Celestic Ruins. Why would he bother now? Especially here, in the middle of nowhere, where no help would come fast enough. Sure, Jonathan and Joy might wake up in time, but to what? My corpse?

"Please, do not think like that, Master," Mist said softly. "Nothing like that will ever happen again. This, I promise you."

I nodded. Yeah. We were being prepared. Every day we grew stronger. We'll be ready next time. We have to be. Not just for my friends, but for myself, too. Facing Darkrai was a nightmare that while I didn't ask for, yet I had to deal with regardless. Wishing it away wasn't going to work.

A rustling sound came from behind me. I turned to see Joy step out of her tent, stretching languidly. I immediately turned away, noticing that she was wearing a tight shirt, and no pants. I didn't know if she was wearing underwear, but I didn't want to gamble on a second look. I didn't feel a hit on my head, so I guess she didn't see me look. Grateful for the reprieve of getting hit, I brought my Pokédex to eye level, noticing it was close to midnight now. I didn't know when everyone went to sleep, so I couldn't imagine that it was her turn already.

A tap on my shoulder made me sit up straight. I turned to see Joy smile at me, shaking her head. She was wearing pants this time.

"Why didn't you put them all inside their Pokéballs?" she whispered.

I shrugged. "They didn't want to," I answered. "They wanted to keep me company."

She nodded and smiled at me. "You can go to sleep now," she said. "It's my turn to keep watch."

"Already?" I asked, blinking in surprise. "It wasn't that long ago that you all went to sleep."

She shook her head. "It's midnight, right?" I nodded to answer. "We went to sleep at around eight."

Now that made sense. "Well, I guess so," I said, shaking my head. "Now to untangle myself."

I grabbed the Pokéballs that were attached to my belt, recalling everyone one by one. No one stirred as they went inside their Pokéballs to continue their sleep. Joy gave me a hand to get me off the ground, and helped dust my body off.

"Anything strange?" she asked.

I nodded. "Well, now that you mention it, I did see something," I said, frowning in concentration. "I didn't get a good look at it. The moon was covered by clouds, and it stayed far enough away from the firelight to not be caught in it. Though I know for sure there was a pair of eyes watching me."

"How sure are you?" she asked.

"Positive," I answered. "Even Mist noticed it."

She took my word for it, nodding. Joy brought out a Pokéball and gave me a grin.

"Don't worry, I'll be safe," she said, tapping the side of her head with a finger. "You go to sleep. Jonathan will have the last watch."

I nodded, double checking my Pokéballs on my belt before bidding Joy goodnight. I unzipped the entrance of my tent softly, remembering that there was a slumbering Flygon inside. As quietly as I could, I closed it behind me, wincing every time that familiar zipper sound became loud in my ears. Claws encircled me, and for a moment I froze. A gentle cooing sound made me relax instantly, as Spirit dragged me down into her. I was still surprised how large this tent was. It allowed Spirit to lay comfortably without needing to curl up on herself. Though now she did so regardless, as her tail lay on top of me.

I hugged her back as best I could, resting my head against her chest. The feeling of her heartbeat began to quickly lull me to sleep. The soft stroking of my hair, and the almost haunting song in my mind only sped up the process. I yawned widely as Spirit wrapped her tail around my legs. I couldn't be safer right now. With the knowledge that everyone was alright, and Joy was informed of what's happened, I fell asleep.

And prayed that my mind wouldn't play cruel tricks on me.

"Your dreams will be filled with wonder this night, Master," Mist's voice echoed. "As long as I am here, you will not have reason to fear the night."

====================== ==================================

I woke to my tent being shaken. My eyes widened in surprise, before being pulled down. Spirit clenched her arms around me, cooing softly. Joy's voice rang through the morning air.

"Hey, you awake in there?" she asked. "Breakfast is ready, when you get out."

"Yeah, I'll be there," I said, rolling my eyes to myself. "As soon as Spirit lets me up."

I heard Joy laugh at that, and her footsteps retreated away. Gently stroking Spirit's neck, her eyes slowly opened. A rather cute yawn came from above me as my Flygon slowly woke up from her slumber. She snuggled against the top of my head, but reluctantly let me get up when I struggled against her hold.

"Sorry girl," I whispered. "I'd love to stay here, but we got another busy day of flying. Are you ready?"

She smiled at me and nodded, licking my cheek. I chuckled and nodded, crawling over to the door and unzipping it. The day outside was cloudy, sunlight barely breaching the dark clouds above as I began to stretch. I waved at Joy when she walked over to me with two plates in hand.

"Here," she said, handing me a plate. "Pass that one to your Flygon. It's Pokémon safe food."

Spirit snuck her head over my shoulder, and practically started salivating at the smell that came from the plate. I laughed as I moved over so she could exit, handing the plate over to the hungry dragon. She let out a soft squeal of glee as she tried the concoction.

"What did you put in that?" I asked.

"My own personal recipe," she said, grinning widely. "Jon asked me to make some energy intense stuff, just to make sure we can get to our next stop safely. I agreed, after that talk about Flygons last night. Not that I doubt her, but just to be on the safe side."

I smiled. "Thank you. I appreciate it, and I'm sure Spirit does, too."

She turned to see the Flygon licking the plate clean. "Well, judging from her reaction, she sure does!" she said with a laugh.

I laughed with her, and began to eat my own plate. It was the same as last night, but no less amazing. I greedily ate, as Spirit passed her plate back to Joy with a chirp of thanks. Joy giggled, gently petting her on her head, before heading back to our campfire.

Spirit stood by me, waiting patiently until I was done. I imagine that she wished to be proactive, so I put my bowl down. She instead grabbed it and began to greedily eat my breakfast!

"Hey!" I said loudly, but laughed as a long thin tongue slurped along her lips. I couldn't fault her for being hungry, could I?

I pulled out my things from inside the tent, quickly dismantling my portable home and securing it to my backpack. Both Joy and Jonathan smiled at me as I walked up to them, ready for our journey.

"Well, that's nice of you," he said, smiling. "Good for you to notice our visitor."

I blinked. "Who?" I asked, bewildered.

"You mentioned to Joy that you saw something," he said, standing up. "Though I didn't see anything myself, the monks from the monastery have made similar reports to me in the past."

"And that means what, exactly?" I asked him.

"It means that they're right," he said, shrugging. "Though I didn't have a reason not to believe them before, it's hard to argue when it happens to someone you know better."

"So, you only know these monk guys by association?" Joy asked, frowning.

Jonathan nodded. "Yes," he said. "I'm their liaison to the Sinnoh area, since I've been put here until further notice."

"So it's more than just a casual acquaintance," I said, nodding.

"Yeah," he said with a smile. "I spend a lot of time with them, so it's only natural. I've known Aiden now for a few months, and the master for a year or so."

I nodded. "Hopefully they'll be willing to explain all this to us."

"Yeah. They know I'm here to investigate Darkrai, but they've put all my reports with nonsense. Hopefully, your experience will show them that the Night Walker is among us again."

"Alright, enough of this talking, and let's get moving!" Joy exclaimed, interrupting. "Nick has his stuff all packed up, and we need to put down our tents. Let's go Jon."

"Wait, I'm not done eating!" he exclaimed. Joy wasn't buying it, grabbing his hand and pulling him along.

"Oh no you don't!" she said loudly. "You're not making me tear down your tent. That thing was a pain in the ass to set up!"

==================== ======================= ==============

We were up in the sky, staying under the cloud cover this time. Forest canopy stretched all around us, the peaks of mountains hidden beneath the green sea. In the distance, I could start making out higher mountain tops, white snow covering them. The problem was that's exactly where we were headed.

At least Jonathan had warned me before we took off. I swapped my short sleeved shirt for a long sleeved one, and was immediately thankful I did. The cold could still be felt, but at least I wasn't shivering. I hid my face using my collar, finding the cold air harsh to my lungs. I adjusted my grip in Spirit, taking in the sights that flew past us. To my left, a group of flying Pokémon was flying parallel to us. I couldn't tell what kind they were, but they looked like nothing like the Sinnoh flying Pokémon.

At least it wasn't a humongous one, like the legends. That made me think, what is their role within the mythos? It isn't like they have been disproved not to exist. Photographs of Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno have been shown before, and even reliable researchers have made claims that yes, these three exist. Both Lugia and Ho-oh were also proven to exist in our world. Heck, even Rayquaza has been seen before. Yet, why not Dialga, Palkia, or this third one, Giratina? What was their purpose, within this grand scheme? I would think that Arceus had something planned. It isn't like he just created everything just for the sake of creation. I mean, I would think so, anyway.

But then again, there's Shuckle.

I wasn't going to dwell on this. Just pondering about it lightly made my head hurt. I didn't want to bother Mist, as she was still within me as we flew. Not understanding her seeming need to be bonded, I let her regardless. Forcing someone to do something they didn't want was the fastest way to get on their bad side. And I really didn't want her to be mad at me. After how she handled Joy, I definitely felt the need to ease her back into her comfort zone. If this is the way she wanted to do it, I'm all for it.

Though I wondered how she felt about it. The whole bonding thing brought questions alone. Why did she feel the need to be bonded? Is it because she knows I won't say no, or is it because she honestly likes it? I thought possession would rob me of my free will, but that hasn't been the case. I still think clearly, and my body responds to my demands. My thoughts, though read I'm sure, are still my own.

I think.

She hasn't elaborated on what she gains from being within me. Peace of mind? Perhaps she doesn't like being inside her Pokéball? I'd have to ask her, when she's more active. She's being very quiet recently, since last night's sighting of whatever it was. Mist hasn't made any mention of it, and neither did Joy or Jonathan after our morning chat. Hopefully nothing happens during the rest of this trip, flying or otherwise.

My attention was caught by Jonathan's dragon, Storm, all of a sudden making a loud crying sound. I didn't know what could cause her to yell loudly enough for me to hear it, but she suddenly took off. I urged Spirit to pick up her pace, though my Flygon was already a step ahead of me. Spirit leaned forward, and I tried to match her stance to make the wind not drag us down as much. Wasn't sure if it made any difference, but every bit helped.

"Do not look behind us," Mist intoned softly. "We're being followed."

What?! Who or what would follow us? As much as I wanted to investigate this claim, I silently urged Spirit to go faster. The Flygon's wings seemed to double the pace, her breathing matching her new labored pace.

"Mist! Is there any way to loose whatever is following us?" I yelled to the wind, hoping that she heard me.

"Not right now," she answered back. "We must keep our pace to reach Jonathan. We'll be safe together. If we split up, our chances of survival are slim."

Survival? I gritted my teeth, and forced myself to look straight ahead. Knowing I was being followed, but not seeing it was maddening. It was broad daylight! It couldn't be hard to spot, would it?

Against the better wishes of Mist, and to her outraged cry in my skull, I turned around anyway. My throat dried instantly as a black mass swarmed towards us. I couldn't tell how fast it was moving, but either it was getting bigger or moving closer to us.

I turned away, trying to keep my panic from rising and making me lose my self-control. The first thought that crossed my mind was to make Spirit go faster, but that would only exhaust her. No, I had to remain calm, and not let Spirit feel my panic. I could feel her muscles tense under me, slight changes that I just began to understand. Shaking my head, I rubbed her neck slowly, trying my best to calm both of us down.

Spirit's breathing steadied, but it was still heavy. I looked forward, Zefyra and Joy not that far ahead of us. Storm was barely visible, and I hoped that Jonathan was able to slow her down, or notice that we weren't keeping up with his Dragonite's pace. And let's not forget about that... thing following us.

I didn't know what Pokémon would move en masse at this time. Then again, I wasn't an expert researcher. But nothing I've read in books, or seen on television, could explain this phenomenon behind me. Zefyra and Joy began a sharp decent, and I held tightly as Spirit quickly followed. The land below us was still densely forested, but the leaves were beginning to fall. Some trees were bare, skeletons reaching towards the sky. I saw Joy pass through an opening in the sea of green, and we quickly followed.

Spirit landed gracefully next to the Hydreigon, but Jonathan was nowhere in sight. Joy leapt off Zefyra's back and quickly recalled her Pokémon.

"Hurry! Get off and hide her!" Joy hissed at me. I quickly did as she demanded, Spirit nodding as I recalled her back within her device. Following Joy, we encountered tall grass that was easily as tall as we were. My heart was pounding in my chest as I tried my best to keep up. Joy grabbed my hand and pulled me along, doing my best not to stumble. Breaking out of the tall grass, Jonathan was standing there and waved at us towards him. He was holding up what looked like a door.

As soon as we were inside, Jonathan shut the entrance behind him. I fell on my knees, panting for breath. All I could hear was the pounding of my blood in my ears, though I could see that Joy and Jonathan were talking.

"What... what was..." was all I could get out, before Joy shook her head.

"Catch your breath first," she said. While she could be easily tired, she didn't show it. I nodded, after taking a few deep breaths.

"What was that?" I asked them. "You saw what was following us, right?"

"Yeah, I did," Jonathan answered. "It's why Storm freaked out. There's a murder of Murkrows and Honchcrows around the area. They don't take kindly to people waking them up."

A wave of dread washed over me as soon as he said that. I wanted to melt through the floor. Though the area around us had very little light, Jonathan must have picked up on something.

"You did it, didn't you," he said. It wasn't in the form of a question.

"When I was getting timber for our fire," I whispered. "There was a whole flock of them. I apologized, and they seemed to get the message. They didn't bother us after that."

"Then this has to be something else," he said. I heaved a sigh, grateful that he wasn't angry.

"Why do I get the feeling we're being watched?" Joy asked softly.

"Because we are," Jonathan said, chuckling. "We don't have to worry about those birds finding us, if that's what your worried about."

"Why?" I asked, confused.

"This area is the home of a few Pokémon tribes," he said, grinning. "No Pokémon enters or leaves without them knowing. And they know we're here. We actually made good time, too. Maybe it's a good thing we were chased."

"Why do you say that?" Joy asked, hands on her hips.

He motioned us to follow him as he turned and walked. I looked around as best I could, trying to make out details of our surroundings. I sighed when it became dark enough that I couldn't see the hand in front of my face.

"Because I was expecting to get here about late afternoon," Jonathan said, answering Joy. "I'm just glad we made it here in one piece, though I'm curious why they haven't greeted us yet."

"Maybe it's because of us," I offered.

"If that was the case, they would have been all over us, regardless of me being here," he said. "Either way, this tunnel isn't very long. We'll get our answer soon enough."

"This tunnel, what is it made out of?" I asked.

"You didn't feel the climb up, didn't you?" he asked, laughing. "There's a valley through here, and the only way to get through it is by finding one of the entrances, or flying in. Unless you prefer to climb."

"So, we're inside the mountain?" I asked.

"No, we aren't," he said. I was confused, and voiced it. "The problem with the valley is that it is sacred to them, because this is where they believe that Crescelia gave them this land as their home. In order to protect this place, the Lucario requested the grass types of the area to make a maze so complicated, that only if you're allowed inside will you have access to the village."

"So that only begs the question, are we allowed in here?"

"As long as you're with me, we should be fine," he said, laughing. "Oh, and it's dark because of the tree cover. These trees have been here for generations of Pokémon. I personally don't think they die, but more likely the grass types keep them healthy."

We kept following Jonathan through the darkness, occasionally just having me talk nonsense to avoid feeling claustrophobic. I'm probably just being paranoid, but I didn't feel safe. My hands felt numb, and tingles went up and down my spine. I could feel the beginnings of a headache starting up.

"Calm down, Master," Mist said softly. I jumped, startled by her voice.

"You alright there?" Joy asked me.

"Yeah," I answered. "Yeah, I'm fine. Mist startled me."

She didn't press the issue of where she is, but was satisfied with that. For now, anyway. I focused on breathing, trying to keep my cool. Nothing was going to happen. We're safe, and we'll get to this place, wherever and whatever it is.

"Hold up," Jonathan said. I bumped into him regardless. "Well, that's one way to tell if we're all together."

"Why are we all traveling in the dark? Can't one of your Pokémon bring some light?" Joy asked.

"There's always Zin," I offered. A collective groan came from around me at the mention of her name. "What?"

"Fine," Jonathan said. "Just don't have her burn everything down."

I fumbled around for Zin's Pokéball, going by instinct as to which one it was. I regretted not customizing them, but I imagine I'll get a second chance. Opening the device in my hand, we were greeted by the usual welcome.

"It's about time, Master," Zin said, huffing. "Where are we, and why is it so dark?"

"We're in a tunnel, I guess," I offered. "Could you use Flash?"

"Well, well, well!" she admonished, her voice toned with surprise. "I didn't know you felt so adventurous!"

"Zin, I don't think that's the safest topic to bring up right now," I said, trying to stem the overzealous Houndoom's enthusiasm for sex.

"Ooooh! THAT Flash. You know I can't, right?"

I covered my face with my palm. Well, didn't I feel like an idiot.

"Wait! Here, this will help. Hold out your hand, alright? And hold still, so I don't burn you."

I did as Zin asked, and I felt something round fall into my grasp. I closed my hand around it, feeling the rough texture of bark against my fingers. A spit of flame ignited in front of me, blinding my vision. I covered my eyes with my free hand, rubbing the spots that danced behind my eyelids.

When the spots stopped dancing, I was left with a small fire in my hands, at the end of a wooden stick. Everyone was chuckling for a moment, and Zin laughed.

"Well, if you count that as Flash, I guess I know it!" she exclaimed, before laughing again.

"Thanks, Zin. I owe you one," I said, chuckling.

"No, you owe me two!" she exclaimed.

I wasn't going to argue, shaking my head and urging Jonathan forward. Passing the makeshift torch to him, we continued on.

"Are we there yet?" Zin asked.

"No, we aren't," I answered.

"When?"

"Soon."

"How soon?"

I sighed. This was going to be a long walk.

============ =======================================

We didn't find ourselves running into anyone through the tunnel. We did manage to find the exit just fine. However, the feeling of being watched didn't go away. It only felt like it intensified when we made our way outside of that passage. The sun was already beginning to hide away behind the mountains as we took in our surroundings. Luckily, we managed to find more suitable replacements for Zin to light as makeshift torches. I had forgotten about my own flashlight, and I pulled it out with some effort.

We followed the path downwards, the trees lining to our sides but not covering above us. The air was cold, and easily cut through my clothes and made me shiver slightly. Zin walked close to me, her body heat trying to warm me. I smiled down at her and quickly scratched her neck. "Thanks," I whispered. She nodded and smiled back at me, quickening our steps so we wouldn't fall behind.

Leaves of different shapes and sizes covered the path we walked on. Some of the trees surrounding us were beginning to shed their leaves, some leaves clinging stubbornly to their branches. Others seemed to be evergreens, as new leaves seemed to even replace the old ones being left behind on the ground. We walked in silence, the thick trees only allowing us to move along the path that lay ahead of us. I maintained an eye behind us, in case someone decided to catch us unawares. So far, so good.

Jonathan raised his hand, and we all stopped behind him. The rustling of leaves made it obvious that someone, or something, was close by. Before any of us could react, my hands were caught behind my back and my face forced against the ground. From the various cries around me, I guessed that Joy and Jonathan were in similar situations to mine. Zin didn't take being grabbed lightly, a blast of heat from above telling me that she was resisting.

"Lay your filthy paws off my Master!" she declared loudly, before the weight on my back disappeared suddenly. I shuffled for a moment, getting on my feet as fast as I could, to see six Lucario surrounding us. My hands moved unconsciously to my waist, grabbing a Pokéball and expanding it in my hands. Zin growled next to me, my legs feeling the heat pulsing from her body.

"Wait, Nick! Don't do anything stupid," Jonathan exclaimed, as he get off the ground. One of the Lucario was helping him up. Was this a setup?

"We did not wish you harm, esteemed guests. We were only made aware that someone would appear down our patrol path."

I looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. It wasn't Mist. She didn't sound so gruff. The voice wasn't in my head, either. I blinked, looking around me as the Lucario dropped to their knees, heads bowed with us in between them all. I looked at Jonathan, and he shrugged at me.

"Well, I think we're fine, if a little worse for wear," he said with a shrug. "I don't blame you for doing your job, that's for sure."

"We are grateful for your understanding. We wish to escort you for the rest of your journey. There are rumors that the Dark One has awakened into our world recently."

Alright, I was convinced by now that it was the Lucario speaking. The same one, if I was going to judge by listening to the voice. It was odd, because none of their mouths moved. I couldn't tell from where the voice was coming from, as it seemed to come from all around me. It was extremely uncomfortable.

"Lucario speak telepathically to whomever they wish to communicate," Mist said, her tone softly echoing. "They're strong willed Pokémon, and are rarely heard of, even less seen."

No kidding. I knew what a Lucario was, but this was the first time encountering one in the wild, for obvious reasons. Though not many articles regarding them existed, it was speculated that Lucario formed tribes outside of normal human areas, for reasons only the Lucario knew. Only a handful of trainers were public of owning one, and even rarer were the ones that were public battlers. If a trainer was known to have a Lucario, they were usually swarmed by breeders and media like a Vespiqueen over their honey.

Nobody else talked as the Lucario began escorting us toward... wherever we were going. I walked up to Jonathan and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned his head to face me, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Where're we going?" I asked, whispering.

"We are going to escort you to your destination, human," the Lucario said. "You do not have to fear us, for we are not going to harm you."

My throat dried instantly as I heard those words. They must have amazing hearing, or maybe I wasn't as subtle as I thought I was. Either way, with my question answered, we continued onward in silence. Zin looked at me curiously, and I shook my head. She frowned and heaved a sigh. I didn't need these Lucario knowing about a talking Houndoom, and definitely not about the Mismagius residing inside of me.

The walk was long, but nothing out of the ordinary happened. Night had long come before we reached the entrance of a village. Small huts that were built of wood were lined with small braziers lining them along the path. Not just Lucario inhabited this village, as a few other fighting types stood out from the walking blue furred folk. A four armed Machamp stood out, much taller than all the other ones surrounding the Pokémon, while the furred body of a Primape was being held back by two Gallade. I briefly entertained my curiosity as to why the Primape would be angry, but then I remembered that they can get mad over the slightest thing.

I also wondered briefly why some Kanto region Pokémon would be in Sinnoh, but I didn't think about it too much. A number of reasons came to mind, and I didn't like any of them.

We were lead inside one of the wooden huts, corralled inside by our escort. Jonathan went ahead and began to get confortable, dropping his bag and laying his head on top of it. I looked at him curiously, and when he didn't offer an answer, I turned to the Lucario. One of the Pokémon walked up to me, giving me a disarming smile.

"We offer you a home for the night, as it was agreed by our elders," she said. I recognized the voice, as it was the same one that spoke all those times earlier. "We hope that it is to your comfort. It is not usual that humans come through here, so I apologize for the rustic appearance."

I shook my head. "It's fine," I said, smiling, "though I was afraid that we were going to be escorted away from your village."

"We are in agreement with the humans from the monastery you are headed to," she said, waving to me to follow. "They have never betrayed our trust, even throughout all the years we've known them."

"Do you know how long it's been like this?" I asked.

"Ever since I was hatched," she answered simply.

It seemed that the excitement of our appearance wore off, as there was barely anyone outside now. From what I could see, it was just me and the Lucario. A warm brush along my feet made me look down, to see Zin lean her head against my leg.

"It seems that she is very affectionate," the Lucario said, observing me and Zin.

"She can be," I answered. "Wait, how'd you know Zin's a girl?"

The Lucario chuckled, tapping her nose. "I can smell it," she stated. "I can smell you on her, too. Tell me, how does that make you feel?"

I felt my cheeks flush as she mentioned it so nonchalantly. She could smell me? Great Arceus, I feel like an idiot! Would someone already know by now? Did Joy have any Pokémon that she can communicate with easily? My heart pounded on my chest for a moment, before the Lucario beside me shook her head and patted my shoulder.

"Your secret is safe with me," she said. "I know that humans look upon such pairing with distaste, but you are not obviously one of those. I am also curious why you would allow a ghost to be within you."

How did she know that? Mist didn't react to her statement, so I was left to guess how she would react to someone else knowing. I decided to hedge into the answer as the best way to test the waters.

"While I'm not going to deny it, I'd like to know how you know," I said, trying to keep my voice from going up in pitch.

The Lucario smiled in my direction, sharp teeth obvious to me even with the low ambient light around me.

"We Lucario can see the Aura," she stated. "Everything contains Aura. The rocks, our homes, even you and me. We can detect this easily, so it made me curious how I could detect two different Aura's emanating from you. One is yours, and the other is similar to other ghost Pokémon that I have met before."

I nodded. "Yeah, my Mismagius likes to hide there, for some reason."

"She fears something," the Lucario stated. "She fears your withdrawal from her, even from your words."

"Can Lucario read minds, too?" I asked out loud.

She shook her head. "No, we cannot, but the Aura allows us to read emotions. She is fearful. Of what, I cannot say. But my intuition tells me that she is fearful of losing you."

I tried to communicate with Mist, but the Lucario placed a paw on my shoulder. I looked at her, and she shook her head. "She is resting, for the first time in a while it looks like. Her Aura is exhausted."

I nodded numbly, shivering slightly. The Lucario smiled at me. "You should go get your rest now. It's quite late into the night, and you must be prepared for the morning."

"What happens in the morning?" I asked.

"You get to greet our Elders," she answered.

I nodded numbly, Zin moving with me when her head hanging low. The Houndoom shook her head, giving me an exhausted look. She shook her head, a low growl coming from her as we went inside. I dropped my bag right next to the entrance, not bothering to do anything else. Dropping myself to the ground, using my backpack as a pillow, I made myself as comfortable as possible with the lack of facilities. Zin padded her way on top of my chest, and she snuggled close to me. I wrapped my arms around the Houndoom, as her warmth surrounded me, banishing the cold I didn't know I felt.

Tomorrow, whatever happens, will come. With an all new set of problems to boot.

Chapter 12: Revelations

My eyes opened, rubbing my face as I sat up. A growl in my ear made me hesitate, and through my blurry vision, made out Zin's face above my own. I still felt exhausted, though I vaguely remember where I am. Pokémon village, Lucario and fighting types in general everywhere we walked. Large mass of black something following us through the sky. Sounds about right so far.

I ran my hands through Zin's fur, feeling my body ache. I remembered that the room we were escorted to didn't have a bed, and I just slept on the ground. I sighed, shaking my head as I scratched behind the Houndoom's horns. Her tongue lolled out as she pressed her muzzle against my neck. I couldn't see any windows inside our small area, so I pulled out my Pokédex out of my pocket. The numbers shined brightly, declaring that it was just past four in the morning.

I nudged Zin gently, trying to get her off me to no avail. She complied, but not before dragging her tongue all over my face.

Pushing myself off the ground and opening the wooden door, I stepped outside to find six Lucario standing outside our offered shelter. I blinked, covering my eyes from the bright torchlight.

"I hope that your sleep was pleasant," the same Lucario from yesterday spoke. "We are here to show you to our elder's. They wish to speak to you."

"Do you want me to wake up Jonathan, too?" I asked.

She nodded her head. "Yes, please, and your other companion, as well. Our elders wish to speak to you all."

I was puzzled, but complied with their request. I looked at Zin, and she had a worried expression on her face. I went back inside, shaking Joy awake while Zin headed over to Jonathan. Joy's face wasn't pleased to see me as she frowned.

"Why are you waking me up?" she asked. "What time is it, anyway?"

"Four in the morning," I answered. "The elders want to talk to us."

"Tell them to fuck off," Joy responded curtly. "I need my beauty rest."

A hand slapped my shoulder, followed by Jonathan's laugh. "You don't get much of a choice, especially seeing we're in their village," he pointed out.

"Fine, fine," she said, sighing as she got up. I yawned as I stretched, feeling my muscles warm up as I did so. I faced Joy, who had her eyes narrowed at me.

"You can turn around now," she said curtly. With haste, I complied.

Zin approached me, pawing my leg for a moment. I kneeled down to be at her level.

"There's a lot of noise coming from outside," she said softly. "Got no idea what's going on, but it doesn't sound bad."

I nodded, scratching behind her horns. "Maybe someone's drunk?" I offered with a chuckle.

"Somehow, I don't think so," she said with a laugh.

"Alright you three, let's go," Jonathan said, coming up to us with his Pokédex open. We walked behind him as he opened the door, to have an explosion of sound almost bowl us over. Cheering and hollering greeted our ears as we walked outside our door.

Torches lined the path, as Pokémon of all shapes and sizes threw colored leaves around us. It felt like we were being welcomed back as heroes or something. I looked over at Jonathan, who had a lei of flowers around his neck, a Gallade quickly shaking his hand as we continued walking.

"What?" he asked, giving me a wide grin as he wiped away a bright colored leaf from his eye.

"What's going on?" I asked him.

"Isn't it obvious?" Joy asked. "It's a party!"

"It is more like a welcome back celebration for Jonathan," said the Lucario. I turned to face the Pokémon, who gave me a smile as turned away from us. "But feel free to enjoy yourselves as much as you can."

I nodded, feeling something press against my leg. I looked down, to see Zin with her head held high and tail wagging high in the air. She grinned at me, the excitement easy to see on her face. We were corralled to sit around a large fire pit, the commotion still going strong. The pit was unlit still, the fire from its surroundings painting the logs surface with an orange glow. The torches around us revealed many Pokémon, and many with smiling faces. The commotion quieted down slowly, and the wall of bodies slowly parted, revealing four individuals. They were all different Pokémon, dressed in what looked like leaves in the flickering light around them.

Two of them were Lucario, one being blue furred while the other one was yellow. To the yellow's left stood a gigantic Machamp, the Pokémon's massive four arms crossed over his broad chest. To the blue Lucario's right stood a Gallade, smiling pleasantly as he shook hands with a few of the different villagers. After a few moments, both Lucario raised their hands up to the air, and whatever commotion was left silenced quickly. They both lowered their hands and walked closer towards the logs. I jumped slightly when both Pokémon held what looked like blue fire in their paws. They both placed it atop of the logs, and the pyre instantly caught ablaze. The blue light from the fire blinded me for a moment, and I had to cover my face to protect myself from the heat wave that emanated from it.

The cheering started again, and soon followed by the sound of music. Wind instruments sounded in the distance, with the pounding of percussion making even the ground thrum with the beat. Or maybe the earth was pounding because Pokémon started dancing. I didn't know.

Our escorts allowed us to be seated near the gigantic blue fire, blankets that were made out of leaves shielding us from the dirt. Zin rested herself on my lap, as clay bowls filled to the brim with berries and roots were passed to us. Jonathan was the first to dig in as he grabbed a fist sized blue berry and taking a bite out of it. He turned to me and noticed me staring. He pointed at my bowl as with one hand as he wiped his mouth with the other.

"I'd suggest you start eating," he said, laughing. "Or else, your Houndoom will eat it for you."

Looking downwards, I saw the offending Pokémon give me a pleading look. Smiling and scratching behind her horns, I passed another berry for her, which she greedily gobbled up. A large berry in the shape of a horn that twisted constantly near the end caught my attention, and Zin instantly starting barking at me for it.

"Ooh! Those are really sweet! Give me a piece too, please!" she asked loudly, her tail waving in the air.

I laughed as I broke the berry in half, surprised by the fruits resilience to my initial effort. Zin smiled up at me as she took the offered slice, her tail wagging in the air as she ate the piece of fruit. I took the hint and took a bite, the sweetness not something I was used to. It felt as if someone smashed sweet on top of sweeter stuff. And then put sugar on top of it.

Lot's more sugar.

I spied out a few other berries I was more familiar, namely the Oran and Sitrus kind, which Zin was more than happy to try and snatch away from my hands. Another clay bowl was passed to me by a smiling Lucario. I also noticed that this one was yellow, and clad in that clothing of leaves I noticed earlier. My eyes widened in surprise for a moment, which only caused the Pokémon to laugh.

"May I?" he asked with a smile.

I nodded numbly, sliding a bit to my left to make more room for the elder as he sat next to me. Zin sat on my lap, curling up as she rested her head on my arm. The Lucario smiled down at her, as Zin looked up towards the yellow Lucario. Neither of them spoke, but something was communicated silently, as both Pokémon nodded to each other slowly. I blinked, feeling confused, but felt better to not know about silent communication.

The blue Lucario and the Gallade were passing by, standing in front of us. Jonathan sighed as they both extended their hands to him. "Again with this?" he lamented with a smile, grasping into their hands. Both Pokémon laughed as they pulled him up from the ground. The Gallade turned to us, smiling at both Joy and me as the noise around us quieted.

"Thank you all for coming this morning!" the Gallade exclaimed. "We are here to celebrate not only an important day for our village, but also the return of a good friend, Jonathan and his friends. Please join me in welcoming him back to our home!"

Cheers from all around us deafened me for a moment. My brain was having difficulties comprehending that the Gallade was speaking human, and not the regular Pokémon talk. I wasn't expecting to meet another Pokémon that could. I was still getting my head wrapped around the fact that Zin does it.

The din quieted slowly when the Gallade raised his hands again. A smile was on his face, as he turned to Jonathan. "We thank you for returning safely," the Gallade continued. "We hope that your search has been fruitful. But it seems that you are joined by others this time."

Jonathan nodded. "We're traveling towards the temple," he said. "I have proof this time."

"It's a pleasure to hear that your search has given fruit," the Gallade said. "But I digress. Everyone, please help me welcome Jonathan's friends to our humble village."

Another wave of cheers resounded around us. I sincerely hoped that the grass type Pokémon didn't mind the noise levels. Pokémon of all sizes and shapes came by, eager to see Jonathan again. A few even stopped by to say hello to Joy and me as they went to see him. I grinned as Jonathan's hair was ruffled by a Primape, and two Riolu played around him. A chuckle from beside me made caught me by surprise. I turned to see the yellow Lucario still sitting, a smile adorning his muzzle.

"I am just glad that he is safe," he said, nodding. "He didn't look ready to leave when he did."

I was curious, but I knew it wasn't my business to pry. The elder smiled and gave me a nod. "It is good to see other humans like him, which respect the old ways. Or at least, are willing to accept them."

"It isn't my place to change something you've been doing all your life," I said with a shrug. "By the way, thank you for the berries. They're amazing."

"Yeah, thanks!" Zin exclaimed, smiling.

The Lucario laughed. "You are quite welcome. I am glad that everything is to your approval."

The sun was beginning to appear, though the fires around us burned brightly still against the slowly banishing darkness. The Gallade from before stepped in front of the fire, and the talking ceased almost immediately. He looked over to our direction, and the yellow Lucario nodded.

"As custom of our village dictates, we give thanks to the Moon Dancer, the one that gave our ancestors this very land that we live on, so that we may continue to live in peace, and avoid the ravages that Arceus's creations brought upon the world."

What was this? I looked over to Jonathan and Joy, and they were sitting quietly, eyes riveted on the Gallade. Turning to the Lucario, he smiled at me, but shook his head. I frowned, but kept my mouth shut.

"Cresselia came to the aid of the creatures of the land, and gave them shelter from the ravages of her brother, Darkrai," the Gallade stated. "It was through her benevolent grace that we are here to this day, unhurt by humans. But this is not the tale I am here to spin this morning.

"I am here to weave the tale again, about how the mighty fell from grace. His creations fought for supremacy of the skies, the earth, and the water. The favored ones clawed at each other for scraps that made our world livable, demanding respect from each other. They were all created equal, yet they all vied to be held higher than the next. Brother fought against sister, and blood was spilled. Day and night clashed through the heavens, storms churned the oceans as fire and lightning danced across the sky.

"War ravaged Lord Arceus's world, as his creations fought and died against each other. And all this fighting, was just to gain the approval and favor of their Father. Lord Arceus did not want any of this pain to continue, and tried to halt the fighting himself. Even as he stood between his first son and daughter, they didn't realize what they had done until it was too late, and the blood of Arceus spilled from their claws and teeth.

"Even as his essence spilled from the mangled corpse, it renewed the world that lay underneath it. His blood gave us all another chance. Arceus's creations had learned that they had taken something they had for granted, and vowed to bring their beloved Father back.

"This is the story of our world, from the lips of Lady Cresselia, the Moon Dancer. May her moon always shine where Her brother plots."

A soft murmur arose from around us, as the sun finally passed by the mountain range and glowed brightly above. To say the least, that was interesting. I've never heard the creation myth told like that before. If anything, things just got more confusing.

The crowd of Pokémon began to disperse slowly, snuffing out torches as they were passed by. The morning light was beginning to shine brighter as the sun made its way through the heavens. The Lucario to my side chuckled softly, making me turn to face him again.

"Did you enjoy the story?" he asked

I didn't answer immediately. Giving the subject matter, I did. "It was... different than what I've heard growing up," I answered, my words coming out slowly.

"That was almost the same answer that Jonathan gave us when I asked him the same question," the Lucario said with a smile. "Do not worry, as I understand your hesitation. At least, you aren't being overzealous about discrepancies."

I nodded. "Stories are different, especially when people come from different backgrounds," I said with a shrug. "There's nothing wrong with that, as long as no harm comes from it."

"Indeed," the Lucario said with a nod. "But for now, may I suggest you go back and rest. I understand it isn't customary for most humans to wake up so early. We will speak with you if we need to, but feel free to recoup for your journey ahead."

\-------------/////////////----------------------

I was walking down the main village road, minding my own business. Zin was alongside me, silently following me. She had tried to cheer me up, but she had given up when I didn't acknowledge her attempts. I smiled at her antics, but I was still thinking about what the Pokémon elders said. The creation myth that the Gallade said got me thinking. What did it all mean? Why was the one I knew so well so radically different than the one I just heard this morning? Nothing even correlated.

I shrugged, standing still and looking up to the sky. If Crescelia gave these Pokémon these grounds, would there be a chance that I could meet her? I mean, if I can believe the elders, wouldn't she be somewhere in the world right now? She's supposed to be the light to Darkrai's darkness. I'm only going on legend and speculation, though. For all I know, she might not even care.

Nobody bothered me, Pokémon giving me a wide berth. Smaller Pokémon gave me curious looks, but were quickly herded away by guardians or parents before they could ask any questions. A few gave me looks that clearly portrayed that they didn't appreciate me being here. It sure was a different reaction that I was expecting, seeing how everyone was so excited and accepting a few hours ago. I quickly began walking, trying to find someplace where I wouldn't be hounded like an outcast.

Maybe I was.

Even with Zin and Mist, I felt extremely alone. I knew it was silly to feel this way, but I couldn't help it. Even by visiting trainers in Solaceon, at least I'd be greeted by a cheery wave, or at the very least a nod in my direction. Here, I was being avoided on purpose.

"You cannot blame them for feeling this way," Mist's voice echoed through my thoughts. "They most likely think that you are a poacher."

I sighed, but nodded at her assessment. "Yeah," I said darkly, "can't blame someone for blaming every human like that."

"Really, Master, that is not what I meant and you know it," Mist said, scolding me with her words. "These Pokémon have been isolated for possibly their entire lives. You cannot expect them to accept you at face value. And who knows if others were mistreated by their previous trainers. Have you forgotten about that?"

I sighed. She was right, after all. It didn't make me feel any better, though.

I blinked, noticing that the path ended, and the woods began to encroach around me. I was still on the path, but ahead of me nothing else was stood except trees. Lots of them. I shrugged, sitting down on the dirt path. Zin insisted on snuggling, her legs on my lap, bringing her head to mine to give me a few licks on my cheek. I smiled, just to see if it would make her see that I felt better, but that only made her more persistent. I laughed as her cold nose pressed against my neck, as I retaliated with my own hands scratching a few spots I knew made her weak at the legs.

Zin wasn't going to let me win without a fight, as she dove forward, bowling me over and making me lie on my back. She climbed up on my chest, a look of triumph on her chest, before she laughed out loud.

"You looked like you needed that, Master," she said.

I nodded, wrapping my arms around her and snuggling into her short black fur. "Yeah, I kinda did," I said, chuckling.

"You owe me three now," she said, her cold nose pressing against my neck. "I think you're going to regret all this adding up."

"Really?" I asked. "How do you figure that?"

"I might decide to really set you up for the obvious," she whispered, beginning to lick at my neck. "You're really stressed, you know that?"

I nodded. "It's why I'm out here, instead of back with Jonathan and Joy," I said, sighing.

"I figured that out a long time ago, silly," she said, giggling. "Though, what will you do about that little Riolu there?"

I blinked, turning my head to see what she meant. Standing on the path behind was exactly what she said, a Riolu. He or she was holding a handful of round looking things, which I imagined were berries, but the look on the child's face made it look like it was having second thoughts of seeing me. It was of blue coloration, though the Pokémon's eyes were wide. I imagine that it had built enough courage to find me, but wasn't counting on meeting my own team members.

"Stay still, Master," Zin whispered, lowering her muzzle to my ear. "I'll talk to him. Maybe I can convince him that he doesn't have to be scared of you."

I lay still on the ground as Zin moved over me and towards the child Pokémon. I still looked, and was slightly surprised that the Riolu didn't flinch away from Zin when she approached. They began talking in the Pokémon dialect, and I did my best to keep up with the conversation by studying their body language. At the very least, whatever she was saying made the Riolu less likely to run, as the small Pokémon nodded, a smile slowly forming on his muzzle.

They didn't walk towards me immediately. Zin sat down next to the Riolu and kept talking to him. I sighed, looking up to the clear sky above. A cold breeze blew by, the sound of rustling leaves surrounding me for a moment before disappearing as the wind died down. The sky was clear today, and it looked like it was going to stay like this for the rest of the day. I was told by the elders that their sentries haven't reported anything unusual, so whatever followed us earlier either gave up, or has gone into hiding. They told me that they would keep an eye out, just in case.

"You really are tense," Mist echoed softly. I shrugged in response. "Must I really coerce Zin to call on one of these 'favors'?"

"You wouldn't," I said, fighting the urge to sit up. I remembered there was a Riolu that was more than happy to run to his parents and tell them how the human scared him.

"Oh, I would, and you know it," she said smugly. "I've done it once before. It would be nice to feel that kind of satisfaction again."

"Did Song charge you with this?" I asked, exasperated.

Her laughter echoed through my mind. "No. Not in the slightest bit," she said, giggling softly. "You are an interesting subject,to say the least."

I was about to vocalize a question, but Zin pressed a paw on my cheek. I held my breath for a moment, before letting it out softly. She gave me a worried look, her eyes narrowing for a moment, before giving me a nod.

"You can sit up now," she said. "And Mist, don't scare the cub, please."

I smiled, and had to suppress a laugh that wanted to come out of me. Slowly sitting up, Zin pressed her head against my side, nudging against me insistently. I looked at her curiously, and she brought her body under my arm, insisting to snuggle close. A soft chuckle made me turn my attention to the Riolu, who was smiling at me. I returned the smile, extending my hand slowly towards him. The Riolu took a moment to sniff at my hand before approaching closer to me. He was still hesitant, but I couldn't blame the little guy, either.

The Riolu let out a soft happy sound, before nuzzling against my hand. I was startled at the sudden change of attitude, but decided to go with the flow. He didn't mind me scratching behind his ears, and was more than happy to lean against my palm and fingers. He walked away from me, escaping my scratching fingers and pressing the round things he was carrying in my hand. Looking at them closely, they didn't look like any berry I've seen once before on the television. I think these are Lum berries? The berries were small spheres of green with a smooth texture. I looked at the Riolu, who was grinning ear to ear, before he waved at me and began running.

I was confused for the moment, before turning to Zin. She was shaking her head, her body shaking slightly.

"Are you alright?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "I'm just relieved that not everyone's afraid of us."

I nodded. "No kidding," I commented. "It is a nice change of pace. Maybe the elders had something to do with it?"

"Maybe," she said with a tilt of her head. "News travels fast, if that's the case."

"This is a small village, and they have some physic type Pokémon here," I pointed out. "I don't think it'll be much of a problem to get the word out."

Zin nodded at me, before her eyes going wide. She launched herself against me and taking me to the ground. Something had landed near us, the vibrations clearly felt through the ground and my body. I looked, pushing myself up from the dirt to see a tall Pokémon standing above me. Blue skin covered it from head to toe, a large tail that looked like an open acorn. Red nodules were attached to the back of the Pokémon, and two long blue protrusions extended from near both wrists pointing backwards. Standing on two legs, it was easily my height or possibly taller. It was a bit hard to judge from my position.

The Pokémon turned around, the face contorting into a frown before offering me a hand. I hesitated for a moment, before accepting the offer. I was lifted up without much effort, my body hovering in the air for a moment before my legs receiving my full weight the instant I landed on the ground. I almost fell, if it wasn't for the giants blue arms holding me.

"Thanks," I said, shaking my head.

"Sceptile," the Pokémon said softly, before nodding at me.

"There you are!"

I turned away from the Sceptile, to see Jonathan and Joy walking towards me. When they both reached us, the Sceptile easily lifted Jonathan up into a tight hug, crooning softly. Joy laughed, shaking her head at the display. I then noticed that a waist high Pokémon stood next to her. The Pokémon's back was covered in brown spikes, and had long white claws that spanned half of his arm length. Black eyes stared back at me, and I only looked away when Joy laughed.

"This is my Sandslash, Romulus," she said, patting the Sandslash between his ears. "He's a quiet one."

"Is he going to attack me if I get close?" I asked, remembering how her three headed dragon reacted.

"Oh no, Rom isn't like that," she said. "He's a laid back Sandslash."

To prove her point, Romulus walked up to Zin, head bowed down slightly. Zin seemed to approve, after walked around the Sandslash twice before nodding and sitting next to him. The Houndoom surprised everyone by snuggling against the Sandslash. Romulus looked almost shy to the attention that Zin was giving him, but her insistence won against his shyness. Everyone began to laugh at the pair, and even Mist's giggles echoed inside my head. Even as I joined in the laughter, part of me wanted to scream.

Why did I feel like this?

================ ==========================

I slid across the ground, my head reeling from my world turning upside down. Groaning, I pushed myself off the dirt, only to throw myself to my side as a blast of energy was launched where I was. My body was flung due to the force of the explosion. I managed to land on my feet this time, but my momentum kept me from staying upright. Spirit caught me before I fell a second time, leaning me upright before flying toward her opponent.

This Gallade didn't fight fair, I thought grimly. If that's the way he wants to fight, time to get serious.

He hasn't given us an opportunity to counterattack, and he was just too fast for Spirit to catch. "Spirit, Sandstorm!" I yelled.

With a sharp cry, Spirit's wings began to flap rapidly, the dirt kicking up all around her. A veil of sand and wind began to form, her form barely visible to me, before I was fully engulfed inside the raging storm. I hid my face underneath the collar of my shirt, trying to shield myself from the buffeting grains of sand. Even through the wind, I could hear Spirit's shrieks and cries, the cacophony of sound making me fear for her safety.

"Spirit, Sand Tomb!" I yelled, praying that she could hear me.

The storm around me seemed to intensify, the wind billowing around me almost knocking me forward. The storm seemed to subside slightly, allowing me to see a funnel of wind and sand focused at one point in front of Spirit. My Flygon floated backwards, away from her handiwork, giving me a nod. Before I could react, however, the storm halted by an explosion from the inside, a wave of energy knocking me down. A hand gripped my throat, what precious air I had in my lungs quickly not becoming enough as my head began to pound again.

I looked at the scarred face of the Gallade, a smirk on his face, even while Spirit held his own neck.

Slowly, he put me on the ground, releasing his grip on me. I immediately gasped for air, my legs giving away underneath me. Spirit caught me before my face met the ground.

"You fight incredibly well, for a trainer that has nearly no combat experience," he said, nodding.

The words stung, but I had to agree. I really didn't have any battle experience. It's why I came to him in the first place.

"Both of you should have learned a lesson here," he continued. He addressed me, nodding. "You must learn to trust your Pokémon better. There is nothing more insulting than a trainer that does not trust his companion."

"What do you mean?" I asked, still gasping for breath.

"When you called out that Sand Tomb, your Flygon was more than ready to claw me to shreds," he stated. "She had a distinct combat advantage over me, and even through my vision, it would have been hard to avoid any of her attacks. Condensing the entire storm into one point made it easier for me to detect where you were."

"The second point is to not hold back," he continued. "You could have easily won, even after your first mistake, had you not taken the time to make sure your trainer was safe. Any kind of projectile would have been extremely difficult to dodge."

Spirit nodded, a soft cry coming from her as she bowed her head down to the Gallade. I nodded, turning away from him. I felt ashamed, in all honesty. The Gallade chuckled, placing a hand on my shoulder. I turned to face him, a smile clear to see on his face.

"You are doing well, and do not let this drag your spirit," he said, smiling. "Whatever is ahead of you, fight with your heart."

I nodded, and he turned to leave us. Before he left, he spoke. "You must believe in yourself. If you do not, who will?"

He continued walking away from us both, but I didn't follow him immediately. We were leaving in the morning, and what little sunlight that flowed over the treetops told me that it was getting late into the afternoon. I dropped to my knees, anger welling inside of my chest. A yell wanted to claw out of my throat, but I was silenced when I felt Spirit's arms around me. Her low rumbles calmed me as they rolled through my body, as her face rubbed against my cheek softly.

"I'm sorry, Spirit."

She let out a chirping sound, pulling her face from my cheek and turning me so we would be face to face. She shook her head vigorously, a frown etching on her mouth as she looked at me. While I couldn't understand her like Zin or Song, the way she was speaking in her tongue and her animated hand gestures made it clear to me that she didn't want to see me this way. I gently patted her neck in an attempt to calm her down, but she just shook her head and made an indignant cry.

She huffed at me, shaking her head. She quickly looked around, her neck twisting about for a moment. Confused at her actions, I mimicked them, trying to see what she was looking for. When I turned to face her again, I felt her lips press against mine, her thin tongue twirling around my mouth. Caught by surprise, I stayed still, trying to fathom what would motivate her to do this. Her claws grabbed my arms, holding me in place as I struggled against her grip. She finally relented, and I let out a gasp as my lungs expelled whatever stale air I had in them.

I was about to exclaim when I saw that she was to the verge of tears, her eyes beginning to water. Reining in my thoughts, I tried to calm myself down before anything was said that I'd regret. Though her claws stayed on my hands, she allowed me to move. Spirit leaned into my touch, her scales glistening underneath my fingers.

"Spirit," I said, keeping my voice calm. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, her clawed hands covering mine and squeezing gently. Her smooth green scales felt warm, as I saw her thin tongue lick at my wrist. The smooth texture of her tongue sent shivers up my spine, releasing my hand from her grasp to mimic me by placing her own claws on my cheek. I felt my cheeks become warm, as Spirit leaned forward. Her tongue followed up my arm slowly, meeting the cloth of my short sleeved shirt with a half-hearted growl. I almost flinched back from her mouth, her teeth nipping my neck. Was she thinking about what I think she is?

"Spirit, what is it?" I asked. "Do you want to...?"

She cut me off with an eager nod, her tongue flicking across my lips before settling back down inside of her maw. Did Song put her up to this, or worse, Zin?

"No, I did."

I turned around, feeling Spirit's claws encircle me when my back was to her, to see Mist floating. A smile adorned her face as she shook her head side to side.

"You must relax, some way or another," she said. "I would do so myself, but my body can stave the urge better than hers."

"Wait, you made her do this?" I asked, horrified at the prospect.

"I may have had a hand in convincing her, but-," she said, before I shook my head and interrupted her.

"Snap her out of it."

Mist's mouth stayed open for a moment after I said my words. She stayed still for a moment, before giving out a sigh.

"I don't want her to regret things, Mist," I said sternly. "I would think that there's a better way to go about this."

She shook her head, and for a moment I thought she would rebut me. Her eyes glowed for a moment, before returning to normal. I was about to ask what did she do now, but I felt Spirit's arms fall from my shoulders. I turned to see her yawn, shaking her head as the scales on her cheeks began to turn red. Mist giggled as she neared, placing a ghostly hand on the Flygon's shoulder. At Spirit's curious look, Mist shook her head, before giving me a look, the ghost's eyes narrowing at me dangerously. I suddenly felt like I was an enemy.

Spirit yawned again, giving me an exhausted look. I patted her neck, as she nuzzled against me for a moment. I pulled out her Pokéball from my belt, and she gave me a nod before I recalled her back inside the device. My eyes locked onto Mist's narrowed gaze, even as I attached Spirit's Pokéball back on my belt.

"Why would you refuse?" she asked coldly. "She has been wishing to be close to you all this time, yet you push her away time and time again."

I looked around, seeing that there was no one within earshot of us. "Mist, do you honestly think that this is the best thing for me to do?" I asked, sighing. "I don't think it's the best way for me to get to know everyone better."

"You didn't hesitate with Song," she argued.

"Because both you and Song wanted it, and you had a legitimate argument," I said, sighing. I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache coming. "You, specifically, mounted the effort that doing the act itself would solidify your spell. Or whatever it was that you did."

She nodded, frowning. "I concede your point there," she said, frowning, "but what about Zin?"

"If you were me, and a Houndoom suddenly invited you to her den, and wanted to do that, would you really argue?" I asked rhetorically. "You know that she could have easily bitten my throat out."

"Or burned you to cinders," Mist added with a giggle.

"Yes, there is that, too," I said, sighing. "Really, Mist, I think you're here just to torture me."

"Is that what you think?" she asked, before laughing in what I could think of a hysterical laugh. "Is that what you truly think?"

I sighed and shook my head. "No, but you sure are acting that way."

She stopped laughing as soon as my words rang through. Mist's eyes narrowed at me for a moment, and I could feel my own thoughts being invaded. Only gone through this once before, when Song was still a Kirlia, I closed my eyes and bared the pain that it brought. My stomach felt like it wanted to empty itself, as my eyes began to water and distort my vision. I held on to my head, just trying to hold it still in a vain attempt to make the pain not get any worse. Mist, on the other hand, didn't let me do that.

My hands began to move on their own, away from me. Even through my tear soaked eyes, I could see them lower themselves to my sides. My legs pushed against the ground, lifting me up as I dusted myself off against my own control. Even through blurred vision, I could still make out Mist as she floated in front of me for a moment, before she beckoned me with a motion of her ethereal hands. My body complied before I could react, my feet moving to keep up with my ghostly companion.

My first footsteps were not as smooth as I would normally walk, but she eventually figured it out. The illusion that she had as we paraded through one of the paths became better as we walked. Mist managed to stop making me stumble after the first ten times. Was this the reason she wanted to be inside of me all that time? To be able to control me on a whim, to do whatever she wished with me? I was suddenly very afraid that no one would found it that odd that I was following Mist down the path to wherever we were headed.

Though the few Pokémon spotted us walking down the paths around the village, no one found it suspicious that I was following the Mismagius. No one approached us as we walked to wherever Mist had in mind. The path began to end at one of the edges of the woods, but we continued on our path. Worry began to make its way through my mind, as to what exactly what was Mist's plan.

The sun was filtering through whatever gap the tree cover left. What little light made it through was barely allowing me to see. My legs moved on their own accord still, as I lost my footing stepping on top of rocks or into a depression. We didn't walk too far, I don't think, stopping underneath a rather open area. While the trees still covered the sky above us, sunlight managed to pierce through more than earlier. It reminded me of the place where the moss covered rock in Eterna Forest is, except this area wasn't so open.

I suddenly felt myself collapse as whatever held me gave away. I landed hard on my back, as I tried to get air back in my lungs. A groan of pain escaped my mouth, as I tried to get used to controlling my own body again.

Mist floated above me, a smile appearing on her lips as she floated above me. She tilted her head to the side for a moment, as if contemplating her next move. It didn't take long for that peaceful look on her to turn into something akin of a malicious grin.

"Sit up," she said, with a commanding tone.

I complied as I shook my head, trying to get rid of the dizziness that was throwing me off. Mist floated down on my lap, and I fought the urge to push her away. Not that it would do any good, I think. She can become ethereal and make me look silly as my hands went through her body. Mist sighed, giving me a frown.

"You're supposed to place your hands on my body," she said softly. "Just like Song, or have you forgotten already?"

I looked at her dubiously. "Mist," I said, watching as she stared at me. "Why'd you do that to me?"

"Because you need to learn a few things," she stated clearly. Her ghostly arms wrapped around my neck. "When a female wants you, you don't say no."

I wanted to writhe out of her grasp, but found myself lying back on the ground again. Mist's hands were on my shoulders now. As I stared into her eyes, the sensation that I was no more than prey began to grow. Her eyes glowed with an ominous purple light, and I could feel my pants loosen at my waist.

"You truly must realize that this female wants you," she replied huskily.

I gulped, the sensation of being prey growing stronger by the moment. She leaned down, her thin lips hovering over mine for a brief moment before pressing down gently. It felt odd, her lips leaving a tingling sensation on mine, even as her tongue gently probed against mine. To have her tongue go through my teeth, but feel solid against my cheek wasn't disturbing enough. No, it was the fact that I was enjoying this that was beginning to drive me nuts.

Her lips parted from mine, as I shook my head. "Mist, don't do this," I said, doing my best to give my voice authority.

She smiled down at me, and I could easily tell that she didn't believe the tone of my voice. Mist giggled softly, shaking her head, the smile on her growing larger as she leaned over me again.

"What part of you believes that?" she asked softly. "How much of you wants me to stop? Because I can tell that a part of you wishes for me to continue."

I shivered slightly, ghostly fingers pressing on my chest. They actually went through my shirt, touching the skin. I held back the hiss of pain as her fingers curled, as what felt like sharp claws raking across my skin. I grabbed Mist by her sides, a yell roaring out of my sore throat as I spun us around. With the Mismagius pinned underneath me, I quickly grabbed her Pokéball and expanded it in my hands. Her eyes glowed once more, and my body froze against my wishes. As much as I wanted to recall the wayward ghost, my fingers couldn't operate the device within my grasp.

"And why would you do such a thing?" she asked softly.

I felt my mouth loosen, and I tried speaking. "Because this isn't right, Mist," I said, surprised that talking actually worked. "Because doing this isn't going to make things better."

"I want you to feel better," she whispered.

Something about those words made me hesitate. My body unlocked, released by whatever spell she placed on me. For a moment, I still wanted to stuff her back in her Pokéball. I sighed, shaking my head as I shrunk back her home and attached it to my belt. Which, were attached to my loosened pants, I might say.

Somewhere in my head, I suddenly connected a dot with another. Was she acting this way due to what happened to her in the past? I frowned, chiding myself for being ignorant. Had this been affecting her since yesterday?

"Mist, this doesn't have to do with Zin, does it?" I asked.

She looked at me, and sighed softly. "A little bit," she said. "I want to be part of her pack. And in order to do so, I had to do two things. One, was to help you and Song reconnect, and the second was to be accepted by you."

"Mist, I already accept you," I said, confused. "Wait, you mean physically, don't you?"

She nodded, making a feeling of dread wash over me. "Zin insisted that I had to be able to pleasure you properly, if she was going to allow me to enter her pack."

"And why do you want to be part of Zin's pack?" I asked, perplexed. "I don't mean to offend, but I thought that ghosts didn't put much stock into the physical world."

"I'm here," she said, raising a hand and touching my cheek. "I decided to bind myself to you. Right now, you are the only reason why I'm still here in the physical world."

"And you could leave before?" I asked, confused. "If you could, why did you stay?"

"Song."

I winced, almost physically pulling away from her. Why did everything boil down to Song? What in the world was, or is, she thinking?

"Master, for once in the time that I've known you, do not think about things so much."

I looked down at the ghost and immediately looking away, feeling my cheeks burn. Closing my eyes for a moment, I tried to calm myself down and get my thoughts in order.

"Mist," I said, turning to face her again, "please don't do this just to be accepted by her."

"Then do not think about it like that," she said, frowning. "Think of it as a female that wants to please her master."

"I didn't think you were like this, Mist," I said, hesitantly.

"Like what?" she asked, her ghostly arms wrapping around my neck. "That I could be gentle and quiet?"

"That you would be... um... submitting?"

She laughed at that, shaking her head. "Maybe I was all along?" she offered, leaning up to me. Confound these Pokémon!

"Do we have to be this physical?" I asked, in an attempt to extract myself from this situation.

"I thought that this would aid you in relaxing more," she said with a smile. "You are stressed, from everything that you have learned recently. Not to mention reaching this village, and your reaction to Zin and Joy's Sandslash."

I frowned, remembering that sensation. I still didn't understand why I felt like that. Was I really jealous, of her relieving herself? Was I really that petty? A few more thoughts crossed my mind, until Mist's lips pressed against mine again. This time I only gave a token resistance, before I returned the affection as best I could. She pressed against me possessively, her ghostly body pressing right through my clothes and making me shiver.

My hands traveled to where the frayed ends of her body were, mimicking her as she tightened her grasp on me. I hesitated for a moment, unclear to where should I start, but decided that hesitating would be worse than inexperience. My hand roamed across her gems, warmth playing through my skin as I passed over the smooth surface.

My hand went lower, as I looked at Mist's face. She smiled at me, one of her hands pressing against my cheek. My hands moved closer to the end of her body, fingers exploring what lay underneath. I didn't know what to expect, so I was surprised to continue being able to feel her body. My face must have betrayed surprise, as I heard Mist giggle.

"Surprised?" she asked rhetorically.

I didn't answer, continuing to explore her body underneath her 'clothes'. I felt a spot of wetness against her smooth skin, getting a soft gasp from the ghost. She shook her head, smiling at my curious gaze. She leaned up, her lips pressing against mine once more as my fingers teased against her entrance. A moan quivered out of her as my fingers played against her skin. Mist surprised me when she pushed against my fingers, forcing two of them inside of her. Her tunnel constricted around the probing digits, as I felt my cheeks grow hot as her tongue licked my cheek.

I began to move my fingers, her moans matching the pace I carried. My pace slowed down, and her moans got louder, fingers curling against my skin. I sped up, and her moans quieted to whimpers, her grasp alternating between choking the air from me and slicing my neck to shreds.

When she shook her head, I stopped immediately, wanting to know what she wanted. She was panting heavily, her mouth open as we separated enough so we could see each other's faces properly.

"Why... why did..." she said, barely able to make the words.

"You shook your head," I said, frowning.

"Do not stop on my account," she said, her voice gaining strength. "Or do you feel ready?"

She didn't wait for my answer, as I felt her hands stroking my erection through my boxers. It was an odd sensation, feeling not only the soft fabric rubbing my length, but also her hand through the cloth. My body was already sensitive, so this double stimulation wasn't helping me keep my composure. Mist giggled as I began to pant to her ministrations. A ripping sound startled me, the smile on the ghost's face telling me that I had one less pair of boxers to count on. She didn't let me worry about it, as I felt her hand on my chest. I looked at her for clarification, which she was more than willing to explain.

"Sit," she said.

I removed my fingers from her entrance slowly, a low moan coming from her as I teased her with my fingers. She replied in kind, squeezing my member between her supple fingers, making me gasp in kind. As I pulled away from her to do as she asked, Mist floated off the ground and into my arms. Before I could say anything, she pushed down and engulfed my member within her tunnel. I gasped again, being struck by the temperature clash of her body against mine. As Mist pressed against my upper body, I felt extremely warm. Her fingers raked along my back, small shards of pain only heightening the sensations. Mist's lips pressed against my neck, her warm breath washing over me as she lifted her body to thrust down on me. My waist felt like it was frozen, the liquid that splashed at our joining making me shiver every time it hit my skin. Her arms tensed, fingers digging into my skin as she opened her mouth to let out a high pitched scream. Her canal tightened around me, almost painfully as she reached her peak. I held on tightly to her body, my own pleasure reaching its peak as I spilled my essence into her.

My heart pounded on my chest as she kept moaning softly against me. Her body was limp, in contrast to the tightness that encompassed my member. We are both panting hard, as she rested her head against my chest. Stroking her back, her body shivered as the sounds of crying reached my ears. I almost pulled myself away from her so that we could be face to face, but she shook her head as tears fell on my shirt.

"It's nothing, Master," she said, her words echoing emotion. "I... all I wanted is here now."

I smiled, tightening my embrace around the ghost. "Just promise me that you won't steal me away without warning me," I said, chuckling.

She snuggled against my chest. "I promise, Master," she said softly. She giggled, her hands against my cheeks as she looked up at me. "From now on, I'm yours."

=========== ================== ========================

We had spent some time by ourselves, just talking and enjoying being closer than Mist had ever dreamed of becoming. It was interesting to hear things from her perspective. She's been alive for more than six generations, but she understands the feelings of us mortals. She probably understands things more so than us; seeing she's had to see others pass away while she continues on with no more worse for wear physically. Mentally, however, the years have taxed her greatly, and to me it's a wonder how she continues to press on.

I tried to insist that she didn't need to speak so formally. Her argument is that she knew I found it attractive. I had nothing to rebuke her statement.

The ghost in question was cradled in my hands, as we walked the path back into the village. The sun was beginning to set behind the mountains, the afternoon orange colors painting the land and sky. A Lucario and the off colored Sceptile walked towards us, the Lucario holding a lantern on his or her paws.

"Well, it's about time we spoke," a voice said. I immediately thought of Song, but the voice, while clearly female, sounded more mature. Or more like a stereotypical fancy lady that you heard on the television sitcoms.

The Lucario passed the small lantern to the Sceptile, who accepted it with a smile and a nod. I would imagine that the Sceptile would not accept things from someone that he or she didn't know, so I took a wild guess.

"Baast?" I asked, surprised.

The Lucario nodded, giving me a smile. A smile I quite didn't like, in all honesty.

"Master Jonathan asked me to look for you," she said, pointing her thumb behind her. "He suspected that you were fine, until you didn't come back for dinner. Fern here found you earlier doing some training with that Gallade and leaving for the forest with your ghost in tow. She reported to Master and he told us to look for you."

My brain went numb as soon as I heard those words. I looked at the Sceptile, whose blue skin was turning a rather vivid red around the cheeks. Baast laughed out loud, tilting her head back all the while. Fern looked at the Lucario with worry for a moment, before shaking her head. Baast calmed down after a moment, shaking her head. A smile still adorned her face, and it only grew wider as she looked at me.

"So, you're one of thosehumans," she said, sauntering over to me. "What would be the odds?"

I shrugged. "So why are you out here?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Making sure you didn't get stuck doing something you shouldn't be," she said with a laugh.

I felt my cheeks grow hot as I walked past her. Unfortunately, both Pokémon followed. A paw landed on my shoulder, Baast's muzzle entering my peripheral vision. Her lips were parted, giving me a very toothy grin.

"Your scent is strong," she whispered heatedly. "How long did you two spend tied together? How much of your essence did you pump inside of the poor ghost?"

I stopped and looked at her, feeling a mixed bag of emotions. I was somewhere between embarrassed and offended as I spoke.

"You sound just like that Lucario from last night," I said acidly.

"Well, of course I do! She's my sister."

I would cover my face with my palms if I could. Sarcasm must run in the family. That, and a need to embarrass me at any opportunity.

"Well?" she asked, her face practically glowing with mirth.

"Well what?" I asked.

"What did she do to convince you to do the act?" she asked. I turned to continue walking, but the footsteps behind me brought along more questions. "Did she control you? Convince you that there was no other way? Or did you feel compelled by a sad story, and you had to comfort your female?"

No breaks today for me, is there? I shrugged at Baast. "None of your business."

"Its fine, you know," Baast said, continuing as if I didn't say anything. "Some males just prefer their females to be the weak kind. Boost of the ego and whatnot, just what a self-serving male like you would do."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Because you know me oh so well," I said, sarcastically. "Thank you for pointing out my flaws. I'm sure that Jonathan appreciates you belittling me behind his back."

"And you believe he cares?" she asked, before laughing. "My dear human, he's USING you!"

"And so is everyone else," I said dismissively. "Join the club, I already got the shirt."

She gave me a smirk as I turned away from her. She grabbed my shoulder as we passed one of the homes, shaking her head.

"It's here, or did your mating make you forget already?" she asked.

I didn't answer her, but she gave me a Muk eating grin as she opened the door and went inside. The Sceptile stood next to me for a moment, before giving me a look that radiated concern. I shrugged at the blue giant, and Fern gave me a smile. The Pokémon waved ahead of me, urging me onward. I stepped inside, to see Joy and Jonathan were still up. Jonathan gave me a smile as he stood up, walking over and patting me on the shoulder.

"You should get some rest," he said. "We leave in the morning for the monastery."

I nodded. "Sounds like a plan," I said with a smile. Jonathan gave me a look just screamed worry.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

For a moment, I wanted to scream yes about his Lucario, but thought better of it. I shook my head. "No, I'm alright," I said, giving an easy smile. "I couldn't be better."

Baast laughed at that. Jonathan raised an eyebrow at me, to which I responded with a shrug. His eyes widened as he looked at the ghost in my arms. His mouth moved, but no words came as he alternated between pointing at me and Mist.

"Yes, Jonathan," I said simply.

"But how did you...? You know what, never-mind. I don't want to know," he said, raising his hands in surrender.

I chuckled as I sat down next to my backpack. Leaning against it, exhaustion quickly came to me. It didn't take long for me to fall asleep, with Mist cradled in my arms.

Chapter 13 - Isolation

My hands gripped against Spirit's shoulders as we flew high above the ground. The familiar buzzing of her wings barely registered in my head, even if they were beating almost next to my ears. I still wasn't used to the harsh air that assaulted my lungs, so I was still covering my face with my shirt. I doubled up on shirts today, as I had a nagging sensation that I would need it.

Though Spirit was handling the flight admirably, I could tell that she was getting tired. With my hands touching her neck, I could feel her heartbeat pounding underneath her scales. I frowned slightly, gently rubbing her scales, silently hoping that our next stop would come soon. Looking behind us, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary again. White clouds and clear skies as far as I could see stretched around me still. The sun was beginning to set, going through its usual routine of falling westward beneath the horizon.

I felt the unusual feeling of Mist pushing through my body, her head sticking out of my chest. Momentarily stunned at the sight, she turned to look upwards and smiled at me. Her hands slowly emerged from my body, wrapping themselves around my neck as she pulled herself out. The wind did nothing to move her, but she held on to me tightly regardless. She snuggled into my chest, and I couldn't help but grin at the sight.

Noticing that Zefyra was lowering her altitude, Spirit followed the Hydreigon's example. I narrowed my eyes, barely making out the small dot of a Dragonite nearing the river underneath us. I thanked my stars; I was going to be able to get clean tonight!

We landed swiftly, as I quickly dismounted off Spirit, who almost collapsed on the ground. A startled yell escaped my throat as I caught her neck and head from landing against the ground.

"Spirit, you alright?" I said, wiping off the moisture off her brow. A weak nod and a strangled call answered my question, but I wasn't having any of it.

"You rest now, or I'm putting you inside your Pokéball," I said lightly, smiling down at her. Her eyes closed slowly, as her breathing slowed down. I shrugged off my backpack, and with some trouble unzipped it. Frustration came over me, as it was harder to look through the bags contents with just one arm available.

"May I help, Master?" Mist asked quietly.

"Yes, please," I answered, nodding. "Could you pull out one of my shirts and soak it in the water? I'd like to be able to cool Spirit down a bit."

I turned to see her nod and grab the first shirt she could. Turning back my attention to Spirit, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning to see who it was, I saw Joy and Jonathan behind me. Concern was on both of their faces as they watched me.

"Is she going to be alright?" Jonathan asked. "I knew I pushed too hard today."

"I think she'll be fine," I said, worry easily noticed in my voice. "I just think she's exhausted."

At my observation, Spirit tried to push herself off from my lap, but her arms quickly gave out on her. I stroked her head softly, trying to calm her down.

"She sure is a fighter," Joy commented.

"No kidding," I said, nervously chuckling. Mist returned with my now soaked shirt, and I quickly grabbed it. The water was freezing to the touch, so I just got my hands wet and gently rubbed Spirit's scales. Her eyes shot open, a hiss of surprise coming out of her before relaxing again.

"Here Nick, give her this," Joy said, prodding me with something solid. A canteen entered my vision, and I quickly grabbed hold of it. Easing Spirit's head upwards, Mist hovered over and uncapped the bottle for me. Giving the ghost a smile for thanks, I gently placed the canteen of water against Spirit's lips. Slowly tipping the bottle upward, her tongue eagerly lapped at the trickle of water that fell from the opening. She attached her lips against the bottle, and began to drink greedily from it. I had to control the flow, or else I was afraid that she would choke on it.

"I'll set up the tents today and find some firewood," Jonathan said, patting me on the shoulder. "You take care of your Flygon. Joy, do you mind setting up kitchen?"

"Oh, you bastard," she huffed. "Fine, but you better hurry, because I ain't cooking."

"I'm pretty sure Nick can help you out," he said with a grin, grabbing a Pokéball from his belt. "Besides, I'd like to walk around without being swarmed by Pokémon like yesterday."

Joy sighed. "Fine," she said, poking me in the back. "He's cooking, though."

I shrugged at the comment, concentrating more on Spirit's condition. She had already drunk the canteen empty, and her breathing had tapered to a more eased pace. A thought crossed my mind, my eyes narrowing as I remembered Jonathan's comment about today's trip.

"Jonathan?" I called, hoping he hadn't walked away yet.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"How far away is this monastery we're going?"

"Not that far away now," he answered.

"That's what you said about today this morning," I said, turning my head to face him. "I ask again, how far."

"It's not like today's trip," he said, clarifying. "We'll get there by midday, give or take an hour."

I nodded, turning my attention to Spirit again. She had more content face as her breathing reached the normal pace I recognized. Mist grabbed my backpack, almost reading my mind as I lifted Spirit's head off my lap so we could use it as a makeshift pillow.

"Grab the tent first," I said. "Don't want to wake her up unnecessarily."

Mist nodded, the straps coming undone by the ghosts psychic powers. She placed the backpack underneath Spirit's head, as I gently lowered her down. Spirit stirred for a moment, but was otherwise fine for the moment. I smiled down, placing the wet shirt next to her. At least, if she felt hot, she could use that to cool down a bit.

"Mist, can you watch over her?" I said, turning to face my tent already set up. "Wait, huh?"

"I was bored," she said simply, speaking next to me.

I almost jumped out of my skin, turning to see her hovering over my shoulder. I forced a smile, nodding at Mist.

"Yes, of course I will look over her," she said with a smile. "May I move her inside the tent?"

"If you're confident..." was all I managed to say before Spirit began to float in front of me, her body outlined in a purple glow. The Flygon was gently floated inside of the tent with seemingly no problems, Mist taking every visible precaution to not jar the sleeping dragon.

As soon as Spirit was out of sight inside the tent, Mist turned to face me with a smile on her face.

"You were saying?" she asked.

============////////////////==================

Akalia and Zin were both snuggled next to me, the Houndoom eagerly breathing fire on the logs to make my cooking go faster. I would tease her about that, but she wouldn't listen to me unless I was serious in my reprimand. Which I imagine would breach the subject of those 'favors', which I'm not inclined to discuss in front of everyone.

Especially not knowing what it truly implies in the first place. I have a good idea, but still.

Jonathan still hasn't come back after dropping off a pile of firewood with the aid of Baast. My mind idly wondered what he was up to. Maybe he's looking for more firewood, though he brought more than enough. Probably just stretching his legs. We did fly almost the entire day.

"Master!" Zin exclaimed, bringing me back to reality. "The food!"

I turned to see the pot's contents beginning to spill over. I quickly grabbed the cooking mittens to lift the pot off the fire, letting it cool by itself slowly so to not lose any of the contents. The lid rattled ominously for a moment before calming down. I placed the pot back on the fire, but lifting the lid to allow the steam to rise uncontrolled. The smell of the concoction, though subtle, had easily pulled Joy from wherever she was hiding and slide next to me.

"Is it done yet?" she asked, her mouth practically salivating when I turned to look.

"Akalia, pass me the bowls, will you? Please?" I asked with a smile at the Luxray.

She gave me a smile and a nod, grabbing a bowl with her mouth and passing it over to me. I grabbed it, gently tugging them away when she refused to let go. Joy laughed at Akalia's antics, Zin joining in as soon as she found out what was going on.

"I have to say, at least I picked up on mom's cooking skills," I said with a grin as I filled the bowl with the contents. "Noodle soup is always good for long trips."

I passed the bowl over to Joy, who eagerly took it from my hands. She produced a spoon from somewhere and began to eat. A look of bliss passed over her face as she slurped up a stray noddle.

"By Arceus, this is amazing!" she proclaimed. "That's it, you're cooking from now on, and there's nothing you can say about it!"

I laughed as Akalia passed another bowl to me. Filling it up, I passed it over to Zin, who was patiently waiting her turn. Another bowl was filled for Akalia, and I fished out another bowl for Spirit. Joy shook her head and stopped me before I could get up.

"I'll take it over to your Flygon," she said, putting down her bowl for a moment. She grabbed Spirit's bowl from my hands, but not before giving Zin a stern look. "And don't you go eating mine."

"But I have my own!" Zin exclaimed after Joy as she walked away for the moment.

Akalia gave a shrug, before blowing on her bowl and eagerly lapping at the contents within. I gave the Houndoom a shrug of my own, a growl being my reward.

"Well, you are a rather ravenous eater," I pointed out.

"Is that a bad thing?" she asked, batting her eyes at me.

I laughed. "No, not at all," I said, waving a hand at her. "She's just worried that you'll eat her food."

"And what if I do?" she asked, almost tauntingly. "What'cha gonna do about it?"

I grinned, shifting my eyes to make sure that Joy was out of earshot. Satisfied, I leaned over to whisper to her. "I'll make it so you won't be able to walk straight for a few days."

"Don't tempt me," she growled playfully, giving me a lick. "Because that sounds really good right now."

I chuckled at that, Joy coming into view as I was sitting up. She looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Did I miss something?" she asked.

I shook my head, noting that Zin was nodding at the same time. The Houndoom turned to me with a rather devious smile on her face. As much as I wanted to glare daggers at her, she had turned to her food, daintily licking the contents of her bowl with no more reaction to the situation around her.

"What'd she do?" Joy asked me.

I shook my head. "Nothing to your food, if that's what you're wondering."

She gave me a shrug, before picking up her bowl and resumed eating. "How was Mist and Spirit?" I asked.

"They're both fine," she said, smiling. "Spirit looks a lot better, Mist assured me."

That's good. I heaved a sigh of relief. "Thanks," I said.

"Hey, no problem," Joy said with a laugh. "If you keep cooking, I don't mind doing small favors."

I chuckled as we lapsed into silence again. The hooting and cawing of Pokémon around us wasn't as pronounced as previous days, but it was still there.

"Wonder where Jonathan went," I mused aloud.

"Probably taking a piss in the woods," Joy said with a shrug. "Doesn't matter, I wanted to ask you something."

I turned my attention to Joy, while still trying to eat my food. "What's up?" I asked.

"It's about what your Houndoom said to us a week ago or so," Joy said. "She called you her mate."

I was happy enough to let that one lie where it did. I wasn't expecting for her to bring it up now, of all times. Joy's expression darkened in the sense that she knew she had me cornered. A grin spread across her face, as she gave Zin a look, which Zin returned with a nod.

Oh, Arceus, I was being conspired against.

Joy let out a laugh as she looked at me, almost spilling her food everywhere as she came dangerously close to tipping over from her sitting position. It didn't make me feel any better that Zin and Akalia joined.

Zin was the first to compose herself, giving me a wide grin. "Well, are you going to answer her?" she asked, showing no sympathy to me. "Or am I going to have to?"

"Zin," I said, trying to sound menacing.

"Oh, don't even try," the Houndoom said with a laugh. "Right now you look like a scared pup, shaking in your clothes!"

I stared at Zin for a moment, before looking at Joy. Her expression, while not smiling as it was earlier, was instead focused on me. She tapped her spoon against the bowl. "Well?" she asked, sounding impatient.

What am I supposed to say? Condemn myself if I do, or screwed if I don't. Arceus, things are never easy, are they?

"What do you want to know?" I asked. I regretted saying the words as soon as I said them.

"What did Zin mean when she said the term mate?" Joy asked.

I was silent for a moment, before giving a sigh. "Promise you won't freak out," I said.

Nothing else could have been said that would trigger her reaction. She almost leaped up into the air, pumping her fist up and down.

"Oh, I so fucking CALLED it!" she exclaimed, laughing. "I told Jonathan that you here a Poképhiliac! Did he believe me? Fuck no! Called that shit!"

I blinked. I understood why Jonathan was accepting of it, to a certain degree. But why Joy, though? I mean, unless it's a similar situation to me, or his.

"Wait, you're not freaked out about this?" I asked, surprise clear in my own voice.

"Surprised more than freaked out," she admitted with a shrug. "Hell, half my family are active Poképhiliacs."

I didn't need a mental image of that.

Joy grinned at me though, reaching over and patting my hand. "Don't worry about it," she said with a chuckle. "It's not like I'm going to scream it at the top of my lungs. Remember, I just said my family is into that kinky crap, too."

"Not you, though," I pointed out.

"Hell no," she said, laughing. "Male Pokémon are ornery as hell already. I really don't want to get stuck with one inside of me for hours on end, too."

More imagery I really didn't need.

Joy leaned closer, looking side to side for a moment. "So, what are the spots you look for?" she asked, a mischievous look in her eyes. "The tail, I know, but what other spots do you go to please your Pokémon?"

This wasn't going to be good night for me.

=============//////////////////////=====================

I was surprised how short the last watch was. Maybe I'll volunteer for it more often, though I'm not sure if I want Mist intruding on me like she kept doing throughout the night. Spirit was all well before our flight, and we were fast approaching Jonathan's target time. Something I was immensely relieved to see, in all honesty. I didn't want to risk Spirit becoming exhausted like she was last night. I frowned at the memory, pushing it away to concentrate on not falling. Trees surrounded the buildings, the green canopy almost glowing green in the bright sunlight.

We were approaching swiftly the monastery temple, or whatever it was, sitting on the banks of the river. Even as we landed on the cobblestone path, the roar of the river was loud. White mist could be seen where the waterfall began, adding to the ambiance. The buildings were of an even grey color, the same as the stone underneath our feet. Stylized drapes hung from the walls and swayed in the wind. The red curtains were decorated with what I recognized with old language, similar to what my parents found in their digs, but this had more intricate designs. Blue stars hung against the red cloth, surrounding a tree shaped design. The tree itself took most of the entire surface, the roots extending to the bottom of the tapestry. I turned to Jonathan, who was looking around with a smile and beginning to walk toward a building.

"Jonathan," I called, catching up.

"Yes?" he said, without stopping.

"Where's everyone?"

"They're probably meditating," he said with a shrug. "We're going to the reception hall. There should be someone there, and if there isn't, I'm sure a Pokémon or two will be around. This monastery has about ten people, so don't expect a welcome committee like yesterday."

I nodded, turning around to face Spirit. I pulled out her Pokéball, but she shook her head. Joy placed a hand on my shoulder, giving me a smile as I turned to face her.

"Why don't you let Spirit and Zefyra hang out?" she offered. "Zef didn't want to go inside her Pokéball, either."

"Spirit?" I asked, seeing that she was agreeing with Joy's idea.

"Alright, just stay around here, and be safe, ok?" I asked, concerned over her safety. The Flygon nodded, her cheek nuzzling against me gently before backing up. Her wings buzzed as she launched herself into the air. I noticed that Zefyra was hovering above us, and I watched them leave with a grin on my face.

"They seem to get along well," Joy said as we continued walking. Jonathan was waiting for us, a smile on his face.

"Yeah, they do," I said with a nod. "I'm glad, too."

"Hey, don't go mushy on me now!" Joy exclaimed, punching me in the shoulder. "I don't need your Houndoom to burn my tent down in my sleep."

I winced at the contact, rubbing the spot for a moment. Why did she have to hit so hard?

"Alright you kids knock it off," Jonathan said with a laugh. "We're almost there."

I turned to face Jonathan, when I noticed the giant double doors that we were nearing. They were painted in a mottled green color, in contrast with the grey walls and the red roof. Jonathan knocked on the doors, grabbed the gigantic handle and pulled. The door slowly creaked open, a fire mane Pokémon on the other side. Golden brown fur covered the Pokémon, except where what looked like golden armor gleamed on his chest, knees, shoulders, and wrists. The chest and forelegs were covered in grey fur instead of brown. The Pokémon's eyes widened in response to seeing us, but leapt at Jonathan and embraced him in a hug.

"Infernape!" the Pokémon yelled at the top of his lungs. "Infer! Infern!"

The Infernape's yells echoed behind him, and a clatter of footsteps announced the arrival of three humans. They were wearing simple robes, the same as Aiden, but with their hoods covering their faces. They were quickly removed, revealing three older men, two with matching beards and the third bald.

"Jonathan!" the bald guy exclaimed, rushing past his fellows and embracing both Pokémon and human in a hug.

Touchy feely much?

"By the Guardian, you're back!" the man exclaimed, patting Jonathan in the back. "It is so good to see you again."

"Likewise," he said with a nod. He motioned to both of us after a moment. "These are my traveling companions, Joy and Nick."

The man nodded. "Is there anything new to report?" the man asked.

"Darkrai," Jonathan said simply. "He's somewhere, but he is active. Nick was attacked by Him a week ago."

"Then is it true?" he asked.

"That's what we're here for."

==============////////////////==========================

While Joy had pleaded that she stayed outside, Jonathan pulled me along as the bald man lead us inside the building. Majestic statues sculpted out of gems or stone stood in the shape of various Pokémon. The statues were exaggerated, either bigger than the actual Pokémon was, to accentuate details, or smaller so they wouldn't dominate entire hallways. I wouldn't feel comfortable walking underneath a statue of a Wailord that was to scale.

After a few of these hallways, the decorations began to appear less and less. Though the ones that were around depicted either very rare of powerful Pokémon. As we walked, I had to slow down as we passed by one of Darkrai. As much as it unnerved me to stare at something that resembled the Pokémon that drove me to this crazy adventure, I had to admire the craftsmanship of the sculpture. My hope is that, to whoever made this, he or she didn't have an encounter like I did.

What captured me the most where the eyes. Rubies were inserted in the eye sockets of the statue, the light that filtered through the massive openings for windows made the jewels sparkle menacingly. My mind instantly transported me to the scenario that was all too fresh in my mind. I gasped for breath, feeling light headed as my throat seized by itself. I could feel the Pokémon's needle sharp claws almost pierce my skin. I felt my cheek hurt all of a sudden, my eyes breaking contact with the ruby eyed statue. My ragged gasps were the only thing I heard for a while, competing for attention along with the pounding of my heartbeat.

"What in the world is wrong with you!?" Jonathan exclaimed, grabbing me by my shoulders. I looked at him, confused at what he meant.

"Why in the world were you choking yourself?" he asked, a bit more calmly.

I was? I coughed, but shrugged. "No idea," I said weakly. "One second I was looking at that statue, the next was a flashback of what happened in Celestic town."

Jonathan frowned at me as he helped me back on my feet. "You alright now?" he asked.

I nodded. "I think so," I answered, nodding. "Just not gonna look at the statue this time."

"Fair enough," he said with a smile, patting me on the shoulder.

We passed the statues again, and I kept my vision forward. I didn't need to look at the others again. Maybe I was paranoid, but I didn't care at the moment.

Another pair of doors awaited us, which were swiftly opened by both Jonathan and I. Past the gateway, the entire scenery changed. Gone was the decorated hallway and stone floor, to be replaced by something far simpler than everything I've seen. The floor and walls were bare, and nothing hung from the ceiling. The only thing that stood out in the small room, other than the larger than life windows, was the altar. On top of the altar was a violet gem that that made the air vibrate with a low key hum. The gem was held in the hands of a large statue, which was in the shape of a star. A face was carved to be in a meditative or calm state, with eyes closed and the statues arms folded over to hold the pulsing gemstone. I looked over to Jonathan, who shook his head and motioned me to keep quiet. I nodded at him, understanding his wish, but completely confused as to what I was seeing.

The bald monk walked over to the gem, and he made a bowing motion to it. The gem seemed to shape itself into the shape of an eye, peering unblinkingly for a moment, before closing again. The man was no less for wear, but breathed a sigh of relief.

"We have been fools," he whispered. "Even with Jirachi's visions, we were still fools."

I blinked. "Who?"

"Jirachi," Jonathan said, as if explaining something to a kid. "The Wish Maker, the Shooting Star, the Time Traveler."

I blinked, slowly shaking my head. "Sorry, never heard of any of those tittles," I offered.

It was Jonathan's turn to look at me oddly. He smirked, but gave me a shrug. "Never-mind, just trust me on this," he said.

I nodded, resigning myself to the simple explanation. Better everyone be calm to some level than none. The room was quiet, the only sound present was the constant thrumming of the stone. The old monk turned to us once again, standing up to his full height.

"The Eye has spoken," he whispered. "You are correct, Jonathan. I am so sorry that we didn't believe you."

"Its fine," he answered back, waving the apology away. "What did the Eye say?"

"That the plans are coming to fruition," he said. "Giratina is seeking the shards."

"Shards?" I asked, confused.

"Think of a golden circle, boy," the old man said sternly. "This circle is attached to Arceus, and inside of it are the shards of his power."

"You mean those dusty chips that you can find in the underground?" I asked. "I've seen those before. They don't do anything that I've noticed before."

"No, it's not that," he said, shaking his head. "These shards are intangible, ephemeral. They aren't solid things, but they exist nonetheless."

"What are these shards?" I asked.

"They're essentially the untamed elements, condensed into a core," Jonathan said, pinching bridge of his nose in thought. "In theory, there would be one for every kind of Pokémon."

I blinked, and I felt like my knees wanted to give out. "So wait, there's seventeen of these things?" I asked.

"Or more, possibly," the old man said with a shake of his head. "We just don't know. The Time Traveler is not answering our questions."

Silence settled around us after that. I frowned as I tried to etch the details of the stone more closely. Jonathan interrupted my concentration, though.

"We might have to go to Blackthorn city," Jonathan said with a shrug. "It looks like we need more information to go on."

"Isn't your Pokédex thing connected to them?" I asked.

He shook his head, giving me a grin. "No, it isn't," he said with a sigh. "I wish it could be, but we haven't found a way to transmit vast amounts of information over such long distances. It isn't like Johto is a hop away."

"You can call them, right?"

"Yeah, but it's taxing on the system," he said with a sigh. "You'd think these things would be solved."

"Well, at least we have a destination in mind," I said with a shrug. Jonathan proceeded to give me a worried look.

"Well, how do you plan on getting to Johto?" he asked.

"How'd you get here?" I countered.

He pointed to his waist and my face met my palm instantly. "Right," I muttered. "Fast Dragonite."

Jonathan thought for a moment, before he snapped his fingers. "Jubilife!" he exclaimed. "Jubilife has an airport. We can get tickets to fly to Goldenrod from there."

"What about money, though?" I asked, frowning. "Flying is pretty expensive, from what I understand. And what do you need me for?"

"You're the only one that's actually been around to witness the attack," he said soberly. "I need you to testify, and make my superiors actually understand that this isn't some bullshit that I'm making up."

I shook my head, still frowning. "Wait, you mean that not even your group believes all this?" I asked, startled.

He laughed coldly. "They sent me on a wild goose chase, after all my reports on legendary Pokémon in the past," he said with a shrug. "This time, it's all coming to bite them in the ass, hard."

"Well, we better set up camp or something," I said, frowning. "Can't believe places like this exist off the beaten path."

Jonathan laughed. "We can spare a few days to rest and explore," he said, "if the monks don't mind."

The bald man shook his head. "Of course not," he said with a laugh. "You better check on your other friend, though. Women tend to have different opinions."

"Truer words haven't been spoken," Jonathan said with a laugh. "Let's go."

We turned away from the statue and headed for the door. As we opened the door, a flash of light from behind us caught my attention. The monks eyes went wide as he turned his head around, shaking his head as if in disbelief. He began to run, his feet slapping the ground. Jonathan looked at me with a confused look, which I returned with a shrug.

"Maybe he needs to use the bathroom?" I offered.

We were walking out, passing the statue of Darkrai when a scream made me stop dead in my tracks. My eyes widened.

"Joy!" both me and Jonathan exclaimed. He took off running before I could react, but my vision focused on the statue again. My eyes narrowed for a moment, feeling bile rise to my throat.

"Why now?" I asked softly. I turned from the statue, playing catch-up, hoping that it was just my overactive imagination.

=====================///////////////====================

I just barely caught up to Jonathan as he burst through the front doors. He stood there, unmoving as I reached him. On the ground, robed bodies lay on the stone floor. I felt pain in my chest, worried for Joy's safety. Another scream pierced the air, jarring us both out of our state of shock. Jonathan ran around the building and I followed, trusting his sense of direction as we ran forward. The old monk was nowhere to be found, and my mind immediately thought of worst case scenario.

We turned a corner and there stood Darkrai, holding Joy in his claws. Unlike the first time we met who was silent, this time he was cackling madly. For a moment, he stopped and turned his gaze right at us, before shaking his head and laughing once more.

"Oh, this is perfect!" exclaimed Darkrai. I was surprised, taking a step backwards in shock. The voice had changed. It sounded like a woman. A deranged, psychotic woman.

"Why the shock, humans?" Darkrai asked gently, floating towards us in a leisurely pace. Joy wasn't struggling against her hold, though her hands held tightly on Darkrai's wrist.

I shook my head, grabbing Zin's Pokéball from my waist. "Leave her alone!" I screamed.

"Oh?" she asked mockingly. "And what are you going to do? Use your Pokémon to save her? She already tried that, you know."

Darkrai waved a hand around her, as I took stock of the area for the first time. I recognized a few of her Pokémon, namely Zefyra and Romulus. Two other Pokémon lay on the ground. One looked like a large four legged beast, covered in white fur. All four of the paws had their claws extended, revealing them to gleam in the sun. The other was covered in light brown fur, a pointed muzzle and horns decorated with green leaves. I've never seen these Pokémon before, so I guessed they had to come from Joy's trip to Unova.

"It was a valiant effort on her part, protecting you two," Darkrai said, pointing at Joy with her unoccupied claw. "I wasn't expecting her to put such a fierce effort, though. Commendable, but clearly unneeded, as you are more of a match for me."

I swallowed what spit I had in my throat, but didn't answer. Darkrai looked down at Joy, and began to laugh. She grew quiet again, the Pokémon's eyes glowing red before screaming in rage. Without preamble, Joy was launched through the air as easily as a ragdoll. Jonathan reacted immediately, jumping in the way and catching her before Joy's body slammed against the stone wall.

"Jonathan, get yourself and Joy to safety," I said grimly. "I'll handle this thing."

He opened his mouth, no doubt to argue, but the look I shot him quieted any words he had against me. He nodded, grabbing hold of Joy's unmoving body and heading away. To my surprise, the bodies of Joy's four Pokémon lifted up in the air and were gently placed to the side, away from both me and Darkrai. I looked at the display, at odds of the Pokémon's gentle care that clashed with the rage she showed to us.

Darkrai stared at me unnervingly. "Pokémon have no choice to obey the humans that imprison them," she said grimly. "My quarrel is not with them. Only with the ones that stand in my way."

"Then what are you here for?" I asked.

"To do my Father's bidding," she said, as if it was the obvious answer. "Also, because I knew you'd come. My brother does like me to finish the things he does. It's so much fun!"

Brother? It was obvious that there was more than just one Darkrai, but for them to be related?

The Darkrai's laugh echoed around me, rising in pitch. My face must have revealed how I felt of the situation. "Now you're beginning to understand," she said, smiling with her eyes and clapping merrily.

"So when your brother said that the others would continue..."

"Yes! It means I get to kill you!"

Darkrai launched herself at me, a claw held forward. I dove to the side just in time, her body filling my vision for a second as I tumbled on the stone. My body rolled, precious air escaping my lungs as I stood up. I got to a kneeling position, throwing the Pokéball in my hand, releasing Zin.

"What in the blazing...?!" was all Zin managed to yell, diving out of the way as soon as Darkrai switched targets to her.

"Talk less, fight more!" I yelled. "Flamethrower!"

The odd smell of burning toxins in the air wafted through my nostrils as Zin's attack struck true. My elation soon went the opposite direction, as a barrier of energy surrounded Darkrai. I blinked, feeling that something was extremely odd.

"Zin, move!" I yelled. The Houndoom reacted by jumping to the side, just before a beam of energy lanced through Zin's previous location. Unfortunately for me, it was right in front of me. The wave of energy punched me in the chest, launching me back and I slammed against the stone wall behind me. I fell forward, thankful that it didn't hurt as much as the headache I felt. The taste of blood filled my mouth as I tried to stand.

Raising my head up as much as I could, Darkrai stood above me. One of her claws grabbed me by my shirt, pulling me up to her level. Her other claw was inches away when something hit Darkrai, releasing me from her hold. I fell to my knees, drool and blood oozing out of my panting mouth. Spitting it out, I raised my eyes to survey how much damage Zin was actually doing.

The Houndoom was currently holding on to Darkrai's neck. A sound that resembled nails on a chalkboard echoed inside my ears as Zin's claws and teeth lashed against Darkrai. I grabbed another Pokéball, grimly realizing that I only had four usable Pokémon for defending. Song doesn't have anywhere near her old power, and Spirit was probably sleeping in the woods.

I didn't bother even whispering whomever I just released, noticing that it was Akalia. I grinned, nodding. I was hoping for her, too. The Luxray didn't even wait for a command, an angry screech followed by the sound of electricity crackling as she charged forward. I managed to lift my eyesight up, just in time to see Akalia slam herself right into Darkrai's exposed torso, the shadow Pokémon's claws busy grasping for the Houndoom. Lightning charged through Darkrai's body as Akalia unleashed her electric current through contact, the smell of ozone wafting towards me, mixing with the previous burning toxin smell.

Darkrai changed tactics, grabbing hold of Akalia by the tail and lifting her from her body. Another mind breaking screech rang through the air as she slammed Akalia straight to the ground. My chest hurt just from going through a similar treatment as her, but Darkrai didn't stop there. Zin jumped, launching another Flamethrower attack, but this time no barrier came up. Instead, Darkrai grabbed Akalia and used her as a shield, placing the injured Luxray in between her and the burst of flame that came surging toward her.

"Zin, stop! You're hurting Akalia!" I yelled as loud as I could. For a moment, I was afraid that she didn't hear me, but soon the attack relented. Akalia's fur was singed, the blue fur matching the black, small embers still burning the Luxray's skin and fur.

Darkrai launched the beaten Pokémon towards Zin, the Houndoom not having the chance to dodge if she wanted to. Both bodies collided hard, Zin's howl making me cringe as both rolled along the ground.

"Zin! Akalia!" I yelled, feeling my stomach churn. If it was due to my own injuries or seeing both of them so hurt, I didn't know.

Darkrai's laugh echoed in my ears, as I turned to see her floating next to me. She was clapping merrily, a smile in her eyes.

"You're not bad!" she exclaimed. "You're Pokémon obviously care about you much more than that girl's. They didn't put so much resistance, not like these two."

I turned my vision towards where Akalia and Zin where pilled. To my immense fear, Akalia was standing on wobbly legs. Her fur was singed, missing in a few patches along her ears, but she was still standing. Zin was also standing, though looking like she's fared better than Akalia, her legs were wobbly. I grimaced as I turned to face Darkrai again, who still had that mask of happiness on.

I grabbed another Pokéball, opening it to reveal Mist. The Mismagius didn't acknowledge her opponent, immediately releasing a wave of purple energy that seemed to catch Darkrai by surprise. The wave connected, pushing the Night Walker a good distance away from us. Instead of a groan of pain or acknowledgement, Darkrai began to laugh again.

"Master?" Mist asked.

"This isn't the same Darkrai as before," I said, feeling my heart pound harder. I emptied out my mouth, the taste of blood strong in my mouth as it flew to the ground.

"Don't worry about me," I said, shaking my head. I wanted to avoid making her worry. Probably too late for that, but I needed her to focus.

She nodded. "I understand," she said simply.

Akalia and Zin rushed forward again, both Pokémon screaming at the tops of their lungs as their paws pounded the ground. Mist seemed to have read my mind, a Shadow Ball quickly forming in front of her and being launched at our still laughing attacker. Zin was the first to launch herself at Darkrai, only for her to be dodged with seemingly no effort. Akalia was luckier, grabbing hold of the shadow Pokémon's outstretched arm. Lightning flashed again, Darkrai's entire body emitting light as electricity poured through. A river of flame rushed from behind, slamming Darkrai from behind. My Luxray let go just in time to dodge Mist's Shadow Ball. A wave of dirt, air, and flecks of energy came from the impact point and the subsequent explosion as the attacks reacted together.

Akalia and Zin reappeared next to me, no worse for wear. Akalia looked up and me with a satisfied look. I was now able to see the damage that was done to her, and she shook her head, before falling in front of me. I dropped to my knees, a cold numbness passing through me as I pressed my hands against her chest. Quickly finding her pulse, my heart skipped a beat or two when I felt her pulse becoming weak and erratic. My imagination or not, I quickly pulled her Pokéball and recalled her, hoping that the capsule will stabilize her long enough.

A maniacal laughter reached my ears as I stared ahead in disbelief. Though the white mane flowing behind her back looked singed, and smoke billowed from her body, she was still laughing. If anything, Darkrai was laughing harder than before. She was still floating, as if nothing had happened. If she was feeling any pain, it wasn't being shown, and either Akalia's attack wasn't enough to harm her arm, or she was deliberately ignoring the pain.

A purple colored sigil appeared behind Darkrai, quickly disappearing into a sparkle of dust. I swallowed whatever liquid I had in my mouth as I felt the ground shake for a moment before the stone ahead of us was launched in our direction. I grabbed Zin as fast as I could react and jumped to the side, managing to dodge the majority of the attack. A few stray boulders, easily the size of my torso, were still headed my way. I turned to my side, hoping to shield Zin from any more harm before a shimmer of light filled my vision. Turning around, Mist was floating next to me, her form shimmering with purple energy as she maintained the barrier to protect us from harm.

Darkrai didn't stop to gloat this time, flying forward with both claws outstretched. Mist's barrier held as Darkrai's claws raked along the surface of the shield, the sound akin to metal grinding against metal screeching through the air. Zin whined softly as I tried to block out the horrid sound. Mist closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again, a flash of purple light visible to me as Darkrai was physically pushed away by the growing shield. As the light grew stronger, I could tell that the shield had taken the majority of the damage, as even Mist couldn't repair the gouges that crisscrossed the surface. Zin squirmed out of my grasp, rushing again towards Darkrai. My mind raced, trying to give direction to the Houndoom as she charged headfirst into the fray once more.

A blue aura surrounded Darkrai as she extended a claw towards Zin. I reacted as, praying that this would work.

"Zin, Smog!" I yelled loudly. Dark smoke billowed from Zin as she continued to charge forward. Enveloped inside the cover, it was my hope that Darkrai couldn't sense her. The Night Walker still fired her attack, a blue lance of energy shooting forward, and missing her intended target. The only reason I know that Zin was safe is because I had to dodge the beam. The air seemed to be frozen, as if winter came early for a split second.

Darkrai fired a few more of these frozen beams, Zin dodging them through the veil of smoke that she continued to produce. The veil held dark clouds that while they continued to dissipate she created to replace what was lost. Her field moved with her, and I was fearful that her movements might become predictable. Even Darkrai seemed to think down this train of thought, launching beams at where she should be. But when she did this, gouts of flame would burst from the smog, coming from an unusual angle.

Mist took the opportunity to enter the fray, launching white sparks that contrasted against the dark smog surrounding the combat zone. As Darkrai turned to face Mist, the pebbles exploded on impact. Darkrai looked confused or dazed for a moment as Mist pressed the advantage. A swirl of energy cradled around Mist as she approached, Zin appearing from her cover to stand underneath the ghost. Both attacks seemed to converge, Mist's attack sucking up the smog that Zin constantly produced from her maw. The wall of smog pushed towards Darkrai, encompassing her utterly. Zin flopped on her belly, her body heaving as she panted. Mist's body was surrounded by her usual purple energy, matching the swirl of energy that surrounded Darkrai. I ran towards Zin, pressing a hand against her side gently. She gave me a wide smile, her paws shakily rising from the ground to touch my arm. The swirl of energy stopped for a moment, a cry from Mist making my skin crawl. For an instant, the swirl seemed to pulse, and then shrink in size at a dramatic pace. This kept up for a few seconds, until only but a ball floated above the ground.

The ball was about as tall as I was, if maybe a little shorter. I looked over to Mist, who began to float over to me. She smiled at me, before her eyes closed and she stumbled forward. I quickly caught her, falling on my side to make sure she was safe. Pain flared through my chest, but the smile on her face made the pain worth it. She whispered softly, and I pressed my ear against her to see if I could hear or understand her. I felt her mouth against my cheek, her breathless voice saying one thing.

"Run."

Wind rushed against my face, pushing me backwards as I held on to Mist. My body rolled along the ground, my strength sapped as the pain returned in full force. When I managed to finally stop, Zin rolled up next to me. Looking upwards, the small ball was pulsating, beams of light piercing the outer casing. Within moments, the ball cracked and broke without much fanfare, though it did reveal a ragged Darkrai from the confines of her temporary prison.

While Mist was still battle ready, Zin had taken some punishment already. Xola was the only Pokémon I had that could even keep up with me at this moment. My heart pounded in my chest, and I wondered where Jonathan could be. I hoped that Joy was alright, too. I scowled, standing up on shaky knees. As I made a grab for Xola's Pokéball, an angry hum filled the air. Slowly at first, it quickly picked up momentum as Spirit flew into sight. Without preamble, she flew straight into Darkrai, slashing forward as she flew by. Darkrai couldn't even make a move to dodge or counter, taking the hit as gracefully as falling down a flight of stairs. The Night Walker tumbled backwards, ribbons of shadow flying through the air as Spirit's claws made contact. Darkrai's body fell, unmoving for a moment, as my Flygon walked towards me quickly.

She placed a hand on my shoulder, pushing me down so I would be sitting down. Spirit began to fuss over me, and I couldn't help but chuckle. Her expression turned from angry to shocked, probably upon noticing the dried blood that was around my lips. Before she could vocalize anything, Darkrai laughed. As I looked up, Darkrai was floating upwards again, her head tilted back. She continued laughing, and I just couldn't tell if she was just crazy, or she was enjoying this a little bit too much.

She continued to laugh, her arms holding her sides as she shook her head. She managed to compose herself after a few more moments of laughter. When she did, however, I could visibly see the damage that Spirit inflicted. Three massive gouges crossed Darkrai's body horizontally. They were unlike any wound I've seen before, as they glowed with a sickly green color. She gave a brief chuckle, shaking her head again. When she spoke, her voice was happy.

"Are we still playing?" she asked sweetly, before her eyes began to gleam red again. "Good. Because I wasn't done killing yet."

Chapter 14 - Fade to Black

Pain reared its ugly head as I saw Mist get launched through the air, her barriers not able to withstand Darkrai's electric attacks. I ran forward, my chest feeling like I just ate fire, barely making it time to be able to catch Mist. Her eyes were closed, and while I was morbidly thankful that she couldn't technically die, she was still in a lot of pain. Her ragged gasps for air made me hug her tightly against my chest. Soon, I felt the all too familiar sensation of her seeping inside of me. More pain entered my consciousness, the beginnings of a migraine starting to come more acute. I looked upward to see Spirit still dodging the lightning bolts that Darkrai launched through the air. Though the only time I've really seen her fight was against the Gallade elder, she showed caution with her attacks. This wasn't the same Pokémon from a day ago.

Using both the ground and air to avoid whatever yellow sparks Darkrai threw, she would either fly up or dive towards her target depending on where she was. Sprit was currently flying, maneuvering in the air with speed and grace that I haven't seen. I was suddenly very glad I wasn't riding her. She flew up, throwing off Darkrai's aim once more as she performed the summersault through the air. I shook my head, forcing the pain out, if just for a moment, to see that Darkrai was too preoccupied to notice me. I made to grab Xola's Pokéball when the sound of a Pokéball releasing rang next to me. Turning to face the sound, I saw Song standing next to me. Upon seeing exactly what was going on, she grabbed my hand and began to pull me away.

"Song!" I yelled, startled by her appearance. When she didn't respond, I struggled against her grasp. Managing to get my arm out of her grasp, we stared at each other for a moment, before she averted her gaze.

"Sorry," she whispered.

I sighed, shaking my head and feeling the onset of pain once again. Turning my attention back to Spirit, I still wanted to address Song.

"Look, we both know you want to help. That's great, but we aren't in a position for that. We both know that. This Darkrai is different than the last one."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

From Spirit's maw shot out a green beam of energy that Darkrai countered with another Ice Beam. Though both beams met in midair, Darkrai's attack didn't stop Spirit's in any way. Darkrai raised her arms up, another shield appearing around her to absorb the attack. Dust swirled around the impact point for a moment, before the cackle of laughter reached our ears. The dust settled after a moment to reveal a slightly frazzled Darkrai. The long gashes along her chest still glowed an angry green, but they weren't impeding her movements or actions.

"So!" she declared, looking over to me. "Oh, this is perfect! I get to continue my brother's work?!"

Arceus help us. Why do we get the crazy ones?

I grabbed Xola's Pokéball and released her from her confines. With a flash of light, the Milotic was already uncoiled and battle ready. Once seeing who her foe was, she released a beam of water that impacted Darkrai right in the chest. The Night Walker was pushed a good fifteen feet back, by my judge of distance, but did little else but laugh.

"And the last of the pets show up!" she exclaimed, giggling madly. If for a moment, was all she would do, before shaking her head. "And sadly, this show must end. A promise is a promise, and I promised Father I wouldn't play for too long."

I turned to Song. "And this is why you need to go back to your Pokéball," I said calmly. I belatedly noticed the look of shock and fear in her face, but I unfortunately had more pressing matters to think about. Like not getting Spirit, Xola, or Song injured.

Spirit landed next to Xola, her wings fluttering slightly as she landed. I would think that she would be slightly winded after all the things she was doing, but she seemed no worse than Song. My head was beginning to pound again, but I ignored it. My left hand strayed to my waist, gently touching Zin's, Akalia's and Mist's Pokéballs. Somewhere in my head I was hoping this wouldn't happen again. This just obviously showed my obvious lack of training, and that we were severely outpaced. My hand tightened into a fist, frowning. What kind of weakness does this thing have? There has to be something! She's been launching attacks, refusing to get within striking distance. Is she specialized in range attacks instead of melee? I grinned.

"We need to distract her," I stated. Xola and Spirit looked at me. "She's been only using beam attacks and that psychic shield. We can punish her if we can enter melee range. Akalia and Zin managed to lock her down before."

Spirit had a look of utter concentration on her face, but she nodded at my suggestion. Xola did as well, giving me a grin. "It's about time we fought something this strong."

"This is only the second time we've fought something other than ourselves," I pointed out.

"Semantics," she said, turning away from me to face Darkrai. "We believe in you."

With a nod from Xola, Spirit dashed forward, launching a Flamethrower in direction to her target. Darkrai laughed, raising a hand and a shield immediately surrounding her well before the attack reached. Flames jettisoned everywhere at the impact point. Xola quickly followed behind Spirit, slithering across the stone floor with graceful movements. Spirit dodged to the side as a beam of ice came through the firewall, narrowly missing both her and me. I looked over at Song, and saw that she was on the ground, but unhurt. Spirit stopped breathing, concentrating on dodging once again whatever Darkrai through.

But apparently she didn't see Xola sneak up on her. With quickness I've seen one too many times, she threw herself on top of Darkrai, her coils rapidly wrapping around her body. Rings of water appeared around both Pokémon, focusing more on Darkrai than my Milotic. Spirit flew down towards both entangled Pokémon, claws blazing green energy once again. Before anything could land, a wave of black energy blew Xola into Spirit. I covered my face from the buffet of energy as I slid back. Song held me as steady as she could, using me as a support. I frowned, but I tried not to worry about it.

Black wind blew around us. I don't know how else to describe it. The sun dimmed above, and even Spirit and Xola's bodies were being absorbed by the darkness that surrounded me. I turned around to see Song, but she wasn't there, either. Panic gripped me, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. A squirming feeling settled in my stomach after a moment, but I held it at bay. Spirit and Xola came into view, Spirit kneeling on the ground as Xola's head lay still. Song was in front of them, being lifted up by Darkrai's claws. Déjà vu came to me quickly, the previous time this happened repeating itself all over again in my mind.

Without any more thought, I ran towards Darkrai, managing to tackle the Pokémon. An exclamation of surprise and rage sounded above me, and I felt an impact on the back of my head. I dropped to the ground, my face meeting stone and pain shooting everywhere. My arms surprised me, pushing me up again as I ran for Darkrai once again. This time, she grabbed me instead and threw me on the ground. Her claws pressed against my neck, holding me in place. Her red eyes gleamed for a moment, before laughing loudly.

"And so our game ends," she said, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Throwing yourself to the fray is rather commendable. I don't usually see this kind of zeal in humans. You're rather special, aren't you?"

I didn't respond verbally, but I tried to throw a punch to her. I was surprised it connected, but I was more surprised when Darkrai turned back to me, her eyes gleaming.

"Yes, I think I'll play with you instead," she said happily. "I'll show you everything."

I screamed as my mind was assaulted. Having your thoughts constantly read is one thing. Having your mind assaulted is another entirely. My thoughts were no longer my own, and it felt as if Darkrai was going over every single detail of my life. Flashes of memories long forgotten from childhood resurfaced momentarily only to get shuffled away in disinterest or disgust. The memories of my family were looked at curiously but were eventually disregarded as well. When memories of my Pokémon came up, they lingered for far too long. It felt like she was studying them.

With a tug from inside my skull, visions flooded me. Visions that were clearly not my own in any way, shape, or form. They were both at the same time, which was an odd feeling. From one, the sensation of heat and air surrounding me, while the other I was submerged in water. The feeling of both left me stunned, as I watched and felt both visions at the same time.

The one submerged in water changed, the vision growing blurry for a moment. Pain surrounded me again, echoes that I felt in odd parts of my body. A huge Pokémon towered over my vision with fiery orange scales, wings on its back, and a bellowing roar. The Pokémon raised a claw up to my vision as the echoed pain hit me across my eyes. That vision blurred together, disappearing from my sight and taking the pain with it. When it returned, there was a human standing in front of me. I also noticed that my right eye was closed.

Or blind.

This was Xola's memories. But why was I watching this? I tried to turn myself away from the vision, but nothing in my power allowed me to wave this away. The human spoke, the voice indistinct and the face unidentifiable, but I felt the immediate sadness that went through Xola as the man spoke. The human standing in front of me slowly began turning into me. The voice, stance, mannerisms began to meld into mine. The fear I felt doubled all of a sudden. I felt my body shake as I felt the visions hand press against my face. When I looked up again, I couldn't tell which face I was looking at. It went back to being a mesh of faces, transforming as I continued to look on. From mine, it went back to the first man, to a woman, to another one that looked similar to Nurse Joy smiling down at me.

All at once, they all spoke. The cacophony of voices making my ears ring and make my heart swell in both fear and hope.

"Don't worry, Xola," the voices said in unison. "Everything is going to be alright."

With that, the vision ended suddenly, stuffing my sight back into the darkness. Panic began to grip me until I looked down upon myself, to see the body of a Flygon, my arms holding an egg that was being placed gently on the ground next to two others. The need to scream suddenly hit me, that this was Spirit's vision. I wanted to close my eyes shut and block whatever my senses were assaulted with, but I wasn't allowed such reprieve. A sudden shuffling reached my ears, hope and happiness clearly felt before fear gripped me again. It wasn't my own fear, but it certainly didn't aid me in any way.

Though the surroundings were hazy, I could tell that we were in some kind of dessert or dry area. A woman stood on top of a rock formation nearby, flanked by two Ryhorn. Blurs of motion rocked me, pain once again flaring as Spirit's body slammed against something. My back began to ache, the echoes feeling all too real for me at the moment. The woman walked up to me, but unlike with Xola, the vision didn't blur. She had long blond hair, tied to a ponytail, with fair features. Blue eyes looked down at me in disdain as her full lips tightened in a grim smile. The sound of something smashing together brought my host to focus somewhere else. My vision turned to see the Ryhorn lifting a leg from the ground, a shattered egg under its foot leaving liquids that trailed on the ground and shards of eggshell mixing together. The other Ryhorn laughed loudly, before rearing up on its hind legs and smashing the second egg with its massive weight. My eyes didn't, or couldn't, look away from the sight. I felt despair as I've never felt it before. Despair that quickly fueled rage that was suddenly halted with a clicking sound and something cold pressing against the side of my face.

"One little peep out of you, little Flygon," the woman said nastily, "and you can join them, too."

I realized that she had a gun pointed at my face, and while it seemed Spirit understood enough, it didn't do anything to quell the fury inside of her. Her eggs had been destroyed remorselessly, and now this woman wanted to capture her? For the moment, she would succeed, but the vision blurred afterwards. As the vision returned to focus, I could feel the rage from before being the only thing that was in my mind. The body of the woman lay ravaged on the bed, and I could taste blood in my mouth. I could see my claws stained red, and the body of this poacher was slashed open. A hole was torn open were her throat and stomach were, blood seeping into the white sheets surrounding the body. The frightening thing about it, while I myself was scared and disgusted, I could only feel a grim satisfaction coming from Spirit. A sharp cry caught my attention, and my head turned to face the sound. A crib lay on the ground, the contents shuffling through the baby blankets that lay on top of it. A child, no older than a year old at the most, crawled out of the covers and began to cry. Sensations entwined, rage at the loss of Spirit's eggs, indifference at the situation, and the awareness that time was running out rather quickly.

My claws reached out for the babe, but the scene changed once more as my claws pierced through the child's body. The child grew rapidly, hair growing out of the bald head, the height changing rapidly to one that matched my own. The figure turned, and it was me that faced her. The vision of me smiled as it spoke at the Flygon, and I could feel the need to protect this human. I could feel the liquid drooling over my claws, and I felt horror from Spirit at what she had done. I wasn't able to hear what I said, but my body embraced the human quickly, snuggling against his hair. The sensation returned tenfold, as hands gently pushed me away.

"So, I take it you want to come along with me, too?"

==================//////////////////========================

I was knocked back inside my body, straining to stand. My fingers desperately tried to grip something, but failed as I felt stone under my hands. Raising my head upwards, Darkrai was struggling to stand as a new mark graced her face. Spirit's tail came underneath me, lifting me from the ground, but all she managed to do was roll me over. My chest felt like it's been caved in, and even breathing was becoming a problem. Song entered my vision, sitting me up as Xola leaned her head next to me.

Spirit's claws glowed with the same green energy that was on Darkrai's chest and face. Her tail whipped in agitation for a moment, before her feet propelled Spirit forward. Darkrai launched a blue beam, which Spirit didn't bother dodging. I couldn't see what could have happened, but she did move her claws. Could she have redirected it with her energy?

"Impossible!" Darkrai exclaimed, genuinely surprised as Spirit razed her claws through the Night Walker. Ribbons of black seemed to hang in the air momentarily before dispersing into nothing. Darkrai lunged to the left, and Spirit quickly followed as she flew into position to continue her unrelenting assault. Darkrai's claws began to glow with a familiar darkness, beginning to counter Spirit's claws. Both green and black energy glowed at each impact point, as both attacks seemed to cancel each other out. Darkrai was playing defensively though, finally thrown out of her position of power, and it was tipping in Spirit's favor. At one point, both claws were crossed, neither Pokémon relenting to the other. Spirit proceeded to release a stream of green fire straight at Darkrai's face. Without the hint of a warning, Darkrai couldn't activate her shield and took the full brunt of the attack. As Darkrai backed away, Spirit whipped her body around to bring her tail to the fray and slamming her opponent. Darkrai ended up sliding across stone, coming to a stop after slamming against a tree.

Spirit stood still, her wings gently humming as I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Though Darkrai seemed to struggle getting back to floating, she laughed loudly. With both hands extended twin beams of blue ice launched, and I didn't think that Spirit was in any condition to stop whatever she was doing.

"Cleopatra, Sandstorm."

A buffet of wind suddenly engulfed me, dust and pebbles assaulting me as the ground rumbled underneath. The roar of the wind seemed to be joined with another, more guttural roar. A hand pressed against my shoulder and I looked to see Jonathan standing next to me. He frowned as he helped me up, giving me a once over.

"You need to get out of here," he said flatly.

I shook my head. "Not without Spirit," I mumbled.

A huge Pokémon, easily twice my height and covered with green armor charged at Darkrai. Huge claws gleamed with a familiar dark coloration as they slashed through Darkrai's attempt to parry the attack. The storm around us subsided slightly, though I had no idea if it was Jonathan's Pokémon that did it, or Darkrai. This allowed me to see the gigantic spikes along the Pokémon's back and behind the shoulder blades.

"Cleo, what's wrong?" Jonathan asked calmly. His eyes widened as Cleopatra took hold of Darkrai and flung the Night Walker away from her. As Darkrai landed, she stood, shaking her head. For the first time, she didn't laugh and didn't come back with some witty retort. Her eyes widened for a moment, before turning around.

Spirit was glowing, literally, as sand whipped around her. The shield around her eyes glowed in tandem with whatever was shining around her. For a brief moment, Darkrai was stunned, but that was all that was seemed to be needed. Spirit's mouth opened, a beam of white light coming out and crashing against Darkrai. The air exploded against my body, almost knocking me back on the ground. Jonathan and Song held me up, as all three of us covered our eyes due to the miniature sun in front of us. From our viewpoint, Darkrai was completely encapsulated within the beam, though from how the beam dissipated behind the target it was clear that something was wrong. Darkrai's laugh was able to be heard, even through the wind whipping around us.

Spirit's wings began to glow brighter, the sand beginning to swirl around the beam she emitted from her maw. At first, the swirl was small but it quickly grew as more sand poured into it. Before long, a vortex the size of Cleopatra swirled lazily around the beam. Without any warning, it condensed into the Hyper Beam, and shot forward. I stood there, amazed as how the sand seemed to stain the white beam, but made bands of energy around it as well. The impact made Darkrai shudder down, and the shield around her began to crack. With the sound of glass shattering, Darkrai's barrier broke. She screamed as she was consumed by the attack, quickly being pushed through the tree line. I winced as my knees buckled under my weight, but Song grabbed hold of me before I could fall. Pulling me up to my feet again, Song and Xola flanked me to where Spirit stood.

She was still glowing, sand gently swirling around her. Her chest heaved as she breathed, and I could see that the red lenses over her eyes even glowed with whatever coursed through her. At first, she didn't respond to our presence, but Song slowly approached her and placed a hand on the Flygon's shoulder. Spirit turned to the offending Pokémon, glaring at her. Nobody moved or spoke, until Spirit turned to me. At first, she didn't react at all to my presence. The sand began to slow its path around her, finally falling against the ground. The glow disappeared slowly, the red shields over her eyes finally returning to normal. Spirit shook her head, before giving a loud cry and grabbing me against her chest. Her claws dug into my back, but her sobbing stopped me from pushing her away. Spirit loosened her grip on me slowly, but her claws were still on my shoulders. Her face was a jumble of emotions that I couldn't actively tell apart, but the smile on her face was enough to put me slightly at ease.

I patted her shoulder and neck gently, and she cooed softly. Her breathing slowed as she leaned down on me. She rested her head on my shoulder, but thankfully didn't put her weight on my body. I was highly doubtful that I could manage her on top of my own. Jonathan grabbed me by my hand, and Spirit let out a hiss that managed to startle him. He let me go instantly, but quickly nodded.

"Come on," he said. "We need to check if that Darkrai is still alive."

I felt my breath catch at my throat, but nodded and quickly motioned him to lead. Now looking at it, it wasn't really necessary. All we had to do was follow the trail of devastation that Spirit wrought.

It didn't take long to find Darkrai, struggling to stand even after everything she's gone through. Her left arm hung limply on her side, some black liquid dripping on the dirt. It felt odd to feel bad for someone that's wanted to hurt you, but then again, I've always felt that way. Probably why I was picked on when I was a kid.

"You better finish the job," she said acidly, slumping to the ground. "I'd kill you if our roles were reversed."

"That's great," I said tiredly. "Can you say anything else other than you wanting to kill us? Why do you want to do so in the first place?"

Darkrai sat there quietly, groaning as she attempted to stand up again. I stepped forward, only to be rewarded with a harsh glare from the Night Walker.

"Don't you DARE give me your sympathy, human!" she spat. She even used her injured arm to point at me. "You're no better than Sister!"

I winced at the harsh words, taking a step back. Song and Spirit held onto me tightly as I shook my head. Jonathan stepped forward, a frown clear on his face. His Pokémon from before was still beside him, arms crossed over its broad chest. Pulling out a jet black Pokéball, he flashed it forward.

"You know what this is?" he asked.

"No, and I don't want to kn-."

"I didn't ask if you didn't want to know. I asked if you knew what this was."

"What's it to you, human?" Darkrai spat. "If you're going to catch me, go ahead."

"This is a portable prison, for Pokémon that have been classified as too dangerous to be out in the wild," he explained. "This will trap you until I deem it fit for you to be released, and only to the proper authorities."

"You lie, human," she whispered.

"Oh? Do you really want to press your luck right now?" he asked, a grin playing across his face.

I frowned at the idea. Whatever he had in mind, I hoped that it wasn't torture or the like. As much as she would probably deserve it, things have a tendency to bounce right back at you. Darkrai was leaning against the rock, quietly shaking her head.

"Darkrai, why is it that you're looking for us?" I asked.

"Father wishes for us to send you to him. That is all you need to know," she stated flatly.

"Why?" I asked. Pain made my head swim, but I tried to press on.

"If you continue that way, you'll find out soon enough."

Before I could respond, my chest felt like something was crushing me. My breath escaped me instantly, and all I could think was to breath. Gasping for breath, all I could hear was Darkrai's laughter. As I fell to my hands and knees to the ground, Darkrai seemed to disappear, slowly melding into thin air. Jonathan entered my vision, blocking my view from Darkrai, but when I tried to warn him about her escaping, he shook his head.

When I tried to voice my concern, my vision blacked out.

==========================/////////////////////========================

My throat was dry as I groggily woke up. My hand clenched around soft fabric, and I idly wondered if I was home again. I opened my eyes, as I woke up slowly to different surroundings than I was used to. Claws gripped me suddenly, and my body tensed, my face whipping around to see who grabbed me. Spirit pulled back, surprised by my reaction, but I quickly smiled and reached out to her. She smiled back, grabbing hold of my hand gently and leaning down to me. Spirit sat down on the bed and I moved to the side to make room for her. She smiled down at me, cooing softly as she embraced and held me close to her chest. I wanted to ask her so many questions, about what I saw, what she felt and did. My thoughts of her weren't stained by that, though.

"Well, aren't we feeling like shit today?"

I almost jumped out of my skin as I heard Jonathan's voice above me. I gently pulled away from Spirit's grasp, but she refused to let me get away from her. She compromised in letting me sit up, though, but only if she could hold me against her. I wasn't in any condition to argue, especially as my chest felt like it would burst.

Jonathan was standing near the bed, a smile on his face as he shook his head. Nobody else was inside the room, but the door leading outside was ajar. I barely noticed the sparsely decorated room, my thoughts focusing on Jonathan and what he had to say. Before I could say anything, a yawn broke my thoughts, making Jonathan laugh and as he shook his head.

"How long was I out?" I asked, frowning. A thought hit me. "Joy! Is she okay?" I exclaimed, pain flaring in my chest again. I winced, bringing my hands to the point of the pain, idly noticing that my whole chest area was covered in bandages.

"Yeah, she's alright, though in better shape than you," he said, sighing. "We aren't moving for a few days. Both of you aren't in any shape to move."

I nodded in understanding. "What happened to her?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Got no clue," he said. "All the monks would say that if they didn't respond to her injuries, she could lay comatose for what would be a very short life. They said the same thing about you, too, when your Gardevoir and Flygon carried you in."

I blinked in surprise, before turning around to face Spirit. She was frowning at me, and I could almost feel the worry coming from her. I patted her claws gently, shaking my head as I smiled at her. She relaxed immediately, leaning her neck against on my shoulder gently.

"What about our Pokémon?" I asked. "I know that mine took their fair share of punishment, and I doubt Joy's fared better."

"They're being taken care of," he said simply. I looked at him suspiciously, and he shrugged. "The monks have it under control."

"Are they ok, too?" I asked, remembering how we saw the bodies on the ground when we went outside.

"Yeah, everyone's alright," he said. "No lasting damage, thankfully. Maybe some bruised egos, but nothing that time won't heal."

Silence fell around us as Spirit snuggled against me gently. Jonathan coughed, shaking his head at my concerned look. "Before you ask, your Gardevoir should be coming around soon," he said suddenly. "She stepped out for a moment."

I nodded. "Thanks. I was about to ask where she was."

As soon as I said that, Song stepped inside the room. In her hands she had a bowl, while draped over her shoulder was a white towel. Jonathan had turned to see who had stepped inside, and they both looked at each other. He gave a quick nod, and looked back at me. He gave me a smile and nodded again.

"I'll take my leave," he said, "leave you two to talk. I need to check up on Joy."

I nodded as he stepped out and closed the door behind him. Song came and sat on the edge of the bed, turning to face me as she placed the bowl on her lap. Silently dipping the towel inside the water, she proceeded to dab my forehead gently, inspecting my bandages, and generally trying to make me feel comfortable. However, the muteness of her stance and how tense her body felt when her fingers pressed against me said more was beneath her mask of passiveness. As she passed the towel across my neck, I gently grabbed her arms before she could go further. Her eyes widened in surprise, but then avoided my gaze.

"Song, what's wrong?" I asked gently.

"I failed you," she whispered.

I shook my head and sighed. "No, you didn't," I said. I stayed silent, trying to choose my words. "I didn't want to see you hurt."

"And what about the others?" she asked, heat entering her voice. "Are they expendable, but I am not?"

I shook my head. "Song, you know that isn't what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" she asked crossly.

I frowned, and shook my head. "That first Darkrai beat us single handedly," I said, trying to explain myself. "This second one, while we did fight back, you don't have anywhere near the power you had previously. I didn't want to see you go to a fight where you would be powerless."

She stiffened at my words, but accepted them with a smile. "And that is what I want to talk to you about," she said. "I want to train here."

I blinked. "What."

"You heard me," she said, pressing the towel across my forehead again. "I wish to stay here and train."

I frowned as I took hold of her hand again, moving the towel away from my face. She gave me the Look. The one that stated that would argue with me to the ends of the earth. Her mouth was pressed thin, and her eyes were narrowed as they gazed into my own.

"Why?" I asked.

"I can't defend you, like I promised," she stated. "Ever since my powers were taken, I haven't been able to do anything. I miss floating, I miss being able to be able to make you safe. I feel vulnerable, and as your guardian, I cannot accept that."

I stayed silent as her eyes watered, tears beginning to form. She gasped as she stifled crying, pressing on.

"Ever since Darkrai took my powers, I've been feeling that I haven't been holding my end. That is why I asked Mist to aid us in speaking. Not being able to speak with you was torture in the purest sense. But that didn't help us yesterday, now did it?

"I already asked, and Jonathan vouched for me. The monks have already accepted me, and they only wish for you to give me your blessings to join."

I sat there, dumbfounded. I was bombarded with a series of emotions, in which I didn't feel ready to sort out. Fear, anxiety, anger, and exhaustion were the most prevalent as I focused on the problem at hand. I sighed, shaking my head in defeat.

"Can I... can I think about this, Song?" I asked wearily. "This is a little too much right now."

She frowned at me, but complied as she gave me a nod. She stood up, pressing the bowl of water on my lap.

"Spirit, can you take care of him for me?" she asked softly.

The Flygon nodded, grabbing the towel and laying it on my neck. She cooed softly as I shivered. I watched Song stand and walk away without another word. The seconds ticked by, silence stretching along as Spirit quietly continued to dab at me with the wet towel.

"Spirit, do you mind if you allow me to continue?"

Spirit let out a surprised squeal as Mist began to appear from my back. I shivered as she slowly pushed out of my body. It felt like she was taking her time, considering how before she would be more than happy to shed my body. Spirit appeared around the bed, her body shaking but hissing softly. I was surprised at her reaction, but Mist wasn't impressed.

"Spirit, you have not slept ever since the monks put Master to bed," she stated flatly. "I insist that you rest."

I looked at Spirit, frowning. "Spirit, is this true?" I asked.

The Flygon looked taken aback, and for a moment I was afraid that she would react more violently. After taking a moment to look at her more closely, I could see the exhaustion on her face. Her scales looked worn, and there were cracks along her face and near the shields around her eyes. I wanted to frown at her, but smiled instead.

"Get some rest, please," I said. "Do you have a bed?"

As she shook her head, I reached for my pockets, feeling my Pokéballs still attached to my pants. I pulled her Pokéball out, expanding it and showing it to her with a curious glance. She sighed, nodding in defeat. I wanted to laugh, but smiled as I beckoned her to me. As she neared, I wrapped my arms around her neck, holding her close to me as tightly as I could.

"Rest now, alright?" I asked. "Mist will keep me company."

She nodded as we parted. I recalled her, her smile ever present as she glowed red and was absorbed into her Pokéball. As soon as she disappeared, Mist appeared in front of me. A frown graced her features as her hands were crossed as she floated in front of me.

"So, what are you going to do about this?" she asked.

I knew that she was referring to Song, but I didn't want to think about that right now. I was literally exhausted, and my idled brain didn't want to handle this at the moment. In truth, neither did I want to, either. While I didn't answer her, Mist didn't let me rest, either.

"Well?" she asked again, her tone growing icy.

"Mist, I don't think I'm ready to answer properly," I said, frowning. I covered my face with my hands, trying to wipe the sleep out of my eyes. "I... really don't know."

"Then I'll tell you what you will do, since you do not wish to think," she declared. "You will stop wallowing in self-pity, first of all. As much as you do not wish to admit it, you feel it, and I will not tolerate you destroying what frayed connection you still have to Song."

Before I could open my mouth to say something, she interrupted me, continuing. "Number two!" she declared loudly. "You know as well as I do that she does not wish to part from you. She is doing this out of a need to see you safe. She cannot do anything at the moment, and the monastery is giving her a chance to protect you."

I frowned. "How do you know this?" I asked.

"I have my ways," she said evasively. At my raised eyebrow, she sighed. "I accompanied Jonathan and Song when they spoke to the monks. I was there when they agreed."

It was my turn to sigh. Shaking my head, I looked at the Mismagius. "And now you're going to tell me how long we'll be staying here, too."

"Yes, I am. We will be staying for two more days; waiting for both of you human's injuries to heal."

I brought my hands to cover my face, feeling completely out of the loop. Mist giggled as she rested her arms around my neck. "You have been knocked unconscious for three days now. I think they are being generous enough in allowing us to stay this long. You will not complain," Mist said to me.

I looked up at the Mismagius as she stared daggers at me. I wanted to cringe and back away, but I knew she was telling the truth. As much as I didn't want to hear it, I needed this verbal scolding. I realized that much, at the very least. It didn't make the scolding any easier, though.

"Thirdly," Mist said, pressing onward, "you will apologize to Song. She deserved an answer when she asked you a fair question. Feigning ignorance or illness does not garner you any wellbeing from any of us now. You will apologize, and you will answer her question truthfully."

I frowned, but nodded. I felt wrung out, exhausted, and downright pitiful at the moment. But I knew that she spoke the truth. I had to apologize, and I needed to re-evaluate our goals. A simple apology wouldn't be enough, though. I closed my eyes, focusing my thoughts on breathing and thinking of a way to figure this out. Mist's embrace sheltered me from the outside world, as I lost myself in feeling her vague touch on my skin.

"I am deeply sorry, Master," she whispered. "I did not mean to be so angry."

I wanted to laugh. An honest laugh, too. Not something forced or whatnot. "No, Mist. I deserved it."

She giggled softly. "Do you have any ideas?" she asked.

I nodded. "Maybe," I said with a shrug. "I want to do something that she'll remember me, or us, by. Something to say that I'm sorry, and for her to cherish."

"Well, you could always..."

"NO!" I yelled, almost standing. The sudden movement made pain flare throughout my body like an explosion. I focused on my breathing, trying to bring myself under control.

"No, no. Not that. If she insists, that's another story. But we knew each other before this crazy adventure started. I need something special, that she'll remember me by, and how much I'll miss her."

I ran through what's happened to us in the recent past, failing to find something that made our bond as friends stronger. Other than that one instance, nothing came to mind that was a positive memory. I scowled, feeling utterly helpless. Have I been this horrible on purpose? No, I refuse to believe that I did this knowingly, but I can't deny that this is the result of my own negligence.

"Mist."

"Yes, Master?"

I wanted to say how much they all meant to me. How much of an idiot I've been and what I wanted to do to make sure that I didn't make the same idiotic mistakes all over again. Words failed me, though, as I looked at the Mismagius. Mist, however, could sense something, and she smiled.

"I understand, Master," she said with a genuine smile. "You do not need to say it. I believe in you."

Relief washed over me at hearing her words. I focused once again on Song, my thoughts going back before all this happened. A memory came into sharp focus, and a smile crawled across my face.

"Master, what are you thinking?" Mist asked, her ghostly hands caressing my cheek.

"A plan," I said. "But, I think I'm going to need some help. Are you in?"

She giggled, pressing her lips lightly against mine. "But of course! Must you ask?"

=================////////////////////////=========================

The sun was bright outside. It was hot. Like, summer hot. Even after flying and all the excitement of... whenever Darkrai attacked, my lungs haven't gotten used to the thin air around me. My lungs felt like they were on fire, and air felt like it was thick enough to drown in. I was walking in the general area of the massive river that passed next to the temple. The woods were thick, much thicker than Eterna Forest in any shape or form. Relatively pathless, footing was treacherous. My footsteps were calculated, making sure my footing was safe before I placed my weight on it. I found myself sliding and crawling as often as walking, but I continued onward. It didn't aid me when my chest burned and my limbs felt like needles were jabbed inside my bones.

I was resting against a massive tree, moss covering the trunk and thick vines hanging from the low branches. A curse wanted to work its way out of my mouth, but I bit it back.

"There has to be something around here," I said out loud to no one. "There just has to be."

I pushed myself off the tree, finding a flat path that led through the jungle. I cursed my luck. Figures I'd find something after the fact. I leaned against another tree, feeling pain flare through my chest once more. Wincing as my body leaned against the tree, I slid down to the ground.

"It looks like you could use some help."

I jumped, looking towards the source of the voice to see Joy walking towards me. She wasn't far away, and I struggled to stand. As pathetic as I was, she reached me before I could stand properly. Her neck and half her face were covered in bandages. She grabbed hold of me, lifting me up to my feet without much problems, so I imagined that she's recovered more than me. Her pink hair was down, looking much less vibrant than usual. While she wore clean clothing, her blue eyes looked like she's had a few restless nights. I doubt that she should be out here, but then again, I shouldn't be out here, either. She noticed how I was looking at her, and she grimaced.

"That bad, huh? I had a feeling, 'cause I feel like shit. And you know the saying. If you feel like shit, you'll look like shit."

She said it in the same tone of voice that I knew that was characteristic of her, but I knew she wasn't alright. Something happened to her, that much I knew. Her attempt at the joke just didn't have the same impact than it usually did. Concern washed over me, seeing her like this. We may not be best friends, but I wasn't heartless enough to think that this was alright.

"So, what's up? What'cha doing out here of all places?" she asked.

I brought myself back to reality, trying to see if she was honestly trying to ridicule me even now. I frowned as I answered. "I'm trying to find a place to... think."

"Riiight... to think," she said, almost smiling at me. "This wouldn't happen to be about a specific Gardevoir that's crying her heart out somewhere, would it?"

For the second time ever, she wasn't trying to mock me. From her tone of voice, it actually sounded like she wanted to help. Taking a risk, and mentally crossing my fingers, I nodded.

"I'm assuming that you're looking for a place to conduct a proper apology?" she asked.

I nodded at her. "Yes, I am," I said, wincing as pain shot through my torso again. Taking a few deep breaths, I continued once the pain subsided. "The monks have already accepted her, and I agreed. They're even going to try to teach her all that crazy martial art stuff. Can you believe it? Maybe even help her regain her old powers back."

"Hey hey, none of that now," Joy said with an easy smile. "You got a lady to impress and you're on the clock. How can I help?"

I was surprised by her offer of help. "I'm looking for someplace... romantic," I said, feeling my cheeks blush. Before she spoke the remark I expected from her, I continued. "The night that she evolved to Gardevoir, we spent that night singing and dancing. It's where she got her name from, after all. I realize that we haven't done any of that since we started, and I miss that connection and closeness we had before all this, and I believe that she does as well. I want to give her a happy memory before we leave."

I looked sideways at Joy, expecting ridicule or something more standard to her character, but it didn't come. She walked over and patted me on the shoulder. I turned to see her smiling at me. A feeling of embarrassment washed over me, after telling her what I was planning. Would she spoil it? I sincerely hope not.

"That's really cute, you know?" she asked, smiling. "I found a place a day ago. It's where I was going right now, actually. It's a nice clearing by the waterfall, secluded."

The impish grin that grew on her face told me what she thought I was going to do. Before I could say anything, she patted me hard across my back and started walking. Feeling breathless, I shook my head and sighed, deciding to follow her and hope for the best. She waited for me patiently a few steps away, and we continued walking together. Silence followed us like a shroud as the sun hung pregnant in the air. The heat was still ever present, the leaves and branches above didn't hide that fact from us.

"So, what has you out here, Joy?" I asked, trying to make conversation. I mentally grimaced. That question could've come out better.

Her body tensed for a moment, before relaxing slightly. "Oh, this and that," she said, waving her hand. "You're not the only one that needs to apologize."

Curiosity was going to get me killed one day. Before I could force myself to stay quiet, the words flew out of my mouth. "Your Pokémon?"

Again, she tensed, before letting out a sigh. "To them, too. I may have said some inappropriate things to Jonathan when I woke up." I was silent, and she continued. "OK, maybe I hit him a few times with a book I grabbed."

My eyes widened. "Maybe you were just surprised?" I offered.

She laughed, but I could tell that it was a fake laugh. She shook her head. "The words were rather harsh, even to me. Also throwing the book as he was leaving was rather low."

Throughout the conversation, she never faced me and our pace never faltered. I wanted to stop, at least for a moment, for us to recover. I wanted to apologize, too, for being such a nosy brat. Joy's head hung low, and I could almost feel the despair that hung around her like a cloak. Her voice made me deliberately think that she had just given up hope on a lot of things. She snapped her head up suddenly. "We're here!" she proclaimed loudly.

The path finally opened up to a clearing. I was startled by the sound of the waterfall. How could I not notice it before? White mist hung around us like a veil. Was there another waterfall nearby? Unlike the grove in Eterna, the river ran next to us, drowning out most of the sounds. The waterfall was still a ways away, but its roar still echoed as if it was next to us. Orchids bloomed as they hung from the trees and grew from the ground. The ground was covered by moss, the stone showing under our feet haphazardly. Joy walked ahead of me, spinning around in place slowly with her hands outstretched.

"I think this place will suit your needs," she said with a laugh.

I walked towards her, taking note of the fragrant flowers and soft ambience. I nodded. As simple as it seemed, it felt right. I looked down, making sure that the moss wasn't slippery. A gust of wind blew by, bringing with it fragrant air and petals of flowers. A few of them landed on my face as they flew by only to be blown away when I tried to take them off. The petals blew away, gently fluttering across the water and into parts unknown. I took a deep breath, and nodded to Joy. I was grinning like an idiot, and I didn't care. This will work.

"So, what are the odds that I can get you roped in on my plan?" I asked, turning to face her.

"What do you have in mind?" she asked, smiling at me.

"Actually..."

=================/////////////////////////==========================

Everything was ready, or as ready as I could get it. Relief washed over me, as I made my way back inside. Joy was getting something appropriate for me, while the other girls were keeping tabs on Song for me. Mist was currently residing inside my body once more, as she insisted that she tagged along. As much as I wanted this to be just between Song and me, I couldn't deny the fact that the Mismagius has done so much for us. I had relented, and she now was making sure I had every part of my body scrubbed clean.

"You missed a spot," she whispered, her voice echoing inside my thoughts.

I sighed, grabbing yet again the bar of soap as I gingerly scrubbed underneath my arms. For possibly the fifth time in a row. The bandages had come off last night, and the monks had pronounced me fit to fight, so to speak. My chest still felt tender, and it was still hard to breathe, but it could be so much worse I didn't care. I turned off the shower, grabbing a towel and starting to dry myself as quickly as possible. Tying the towel around my waist to preserve what modesty I had left, I walked out of the bathroom and into the room I was assigned. A simple red shirt and brown pants graced the bed. I snagged some socks from my backpack and slipped on my shoes. My fingers traced through my hair, attempting to tame it without a comb. I sighed as I felt my heart pound quickly, nervousness coming into the forefront of my mind again.

"It would do you good to hurry, Master," Mist whispered again.

"Why?" I asked aloud, tying my shoes.

"Song is waiting for you in the main hall."

My head snapped up, as I put my foot down and immediately tripped. Getting myself off the ground, I quickly tied my other shoe and made my way to Song. "Why didn't you say so before?" I whispered heatedly out loud. The halls were empty; the only sound heard were my footsteps against the floor. I kept myself quiet, trying to use what I was feeling to contain the nervousness that threatened to undo all my work. My heart pounded in my chest as I turned a corner to see Song standing against the afternoon sun. My breath caught in my throat as I stared at her back. Either she didn't hear me, or chose to ignore me for the moment. Her outline engraved itself into my mind, but as much as I wanted to stare at her beauty, I had things to do.

I forced my feet to move closer to her. Every step felt like miles. She turned towards me as I approached, her serene face looking at mine. I could only imagine that worry was clear to see in my face. Even through the calm face she showed, I couldn't help but feel that she was incredibly sad over something. Something more than just us separating ways.

"Hello, Master," she said. I flinched at her words. The words sounded forced, and I couldn't help but tack this up to more guilt to add to my list.

"Song, please, call me Nick," I said pleadingly. Could I be more pathetic?

Her eyes widened for a moment, curiosity and confusion battling for supremacy on her facial expressions. "But you are my master. Unless you don't want me anymore?"

The question rang with hurt and grief. Shock made me silent. How could she think like this? After everything we've been through, she has to know that I would never purposefully abandon her. She has to!

"I see," she whispered softly. My shock deepened as she turned away from me. She shook her head and began to walk away from me. Mist caught my attention by making my chest burn, the icy trail going down my torso making me surge forward and grabbing hold of Song's arm.

"I must get back to my meditations," she said softly. "Please let me go, Mas- I mean, Aar-."

I interrupted her by pulling her to me, wrapping my arms around her. Tears threatened to come out of my eyes, my throat seizing in the effort to hold back my anguish sobs. I forced it all down as best I could, and began to speak.

"Please don't leave, Song. How could you think that?" I said, as I held her against me. Her hands pounded against my sensitive chest, feeling her tears soak into my chest and her sobs rock my core. This is NOT how things were supposed to go.

"Song, you'll always have a place with me. No matter where I am, you will ALWAYS be welcome. You're more than just a Pokémon, Song. You're my best friend and I... I'm so sorry. I'm starting to realize just how much I've messed up during this whole adventure, and I'm so sorry." My shoulders felt heavy, as if the world was leaning on my back. Tears were blurring my vision when Song spoke.

"Then... why?" she asked, her voice raw from her sobs. I could pick up on the desperation on her tone of voice that made me want to wince. What in Arceus's name have I done? Have I truly fallen so far that she would distrust me this much?

"Why what, Song?" I asked gently, bracing myself for the deluge that I was unleashing.

"Why did you ask me to call you Nick instead of Master?" she asked, sniffling loudly with her face against my chest. Her voice rose as she continued. "Why have you distanced yourself from me? If it wasn't because of my disability, then what made you leave me? What have I done to deserve this?!"

Fear gripped me suddenly, my throat drying instantly when I opened it to speak. I swallowed, trying to say something. I shook my head, making courage out of nowhere to continue. Things haven't even gone right since we started this adventure. Nothing had. I realize now, that I had abandoned my best friend. We haven't spoken about anything since this all started. Not physically, but I had decidedly ignored my best friend at every opportunity. We didn't talk about the old times. We didn't even sing or dance like we used to. We didn't joke or spend any time together. The gaping chasm between us grew daily, and I did nothing to stop it. I grit my teeth, holding Song close to me as tightly as I could. It felt like my life depended on this moment. And, maybe spiritually, it did.

"Song, I've failed you. You're right, I've distanced myself from you. I thought I understood before this, but..." I hesitated, frowning in trying to find the right words to say. I prayed that the right words would come. "But I never realized exactly what I had done to you. To us. I'm trying to apologize, Song, because I miss what we had. The jokes, the talks, I miss all of that. I don't want you calling me master, as if I was above you, but my name as an equal, a friend. I'm going to miss you so much. Please Song, let me try to make this right." My voice broke at the end, a sob escaping my throat that I was no longer able to hold back. I just needed one more chance. Please, Jirachi, if I needed a miracle, this would be it.

Her sobs made my feelings of insecurity and failure double. Her tears continued to soak my shirt as her fingers took hold of the material. Song's body shook as I held her like a leaf in a storm, and my own emotions threatened to surge out of control. Slowly, her breathing began to steady, sobs began to quiet. I took strength in the hope that she listened to what I said. We stood there in silence, holding each other as the sun danced across the sky. Though I knew my time was limited, I couldn't tell how long we stood still, waiting on each other to begin speaking again.

"We've both done some terrible things to each other, haven't we?" she whispered softly.

"Wait what?" I asked, confusion ringing in my voice. "Song, you've never-."

"I have, and you know it," she said gently, cutting me off. She raised her head from my chest, her red eyes shedding tears and her hands pressing against my cheeks gently. "I should have never made that deal with Zin. I've kept things from you that I never should have. We paid the price for our ignorance. I'm sorry."

I risked a smile. "If I forgive you, can you forgive me, Song?" I asked softly.

Song finally lifted her head and stared at me in the eyes. Despite knowing that she could no longer read my mind, I felt like I was being read like a book. Finally she seemed to find what she was looking for as she gave me a watery smile and hugged me tighter.

As much as I didn't want to interrupt the moment, I knew my time was slowly running out. I spoke softly, timidly, afraid that anything could shatter this moment. "Song? I have something to show you. Will you come with me?"

Song let go of me and stepped back, looking at me expectantly. She smiled and nodded, and for the first time today I smiled. A genuine smile. I took hold of her hand, interlocking hers with mine as I urged her outside. "Come on, let's go! I think you'll like this."

====================//////////////////////////========================

I had misjudged the time to get to the clearing. It was already dark by the time we even began to get near it. In between the canopy, the full moon's light shone brightly, removing the need for artificial light. A soft glow came from ahead of us. I wondered for a moment what that could be, but I decided not to worry about it. It was probably something Joy did that was out of plan. I looked at Song instead, and stared in amazement once more. To my eyes, she glowed with the moonlight. I had always known she was beautiful, but tonight she was more so in my eyes. Her crimson eyes captivated me, shining with hope. She turned and smiled genuinely at me. No more tears, on either side. A flower was held in between our entwined hands, at her insistence. I could only relent, not wanting to disappoint her, but also to keep hold of her. It felt like at any time, I would wake up from this dream.

No one held a candle to her in my eyes. She was positively radiant, her white gown almost blinding. She giggled happily, and I felt a blush form on my face. She smiled at me, walking closer and leaning her head against mine. Silence accompanied us, but it wasn't unwelcomed. We didn't need words to express what we were feeling at this moment.

My heart pounded in my chest as we continued to walk. It wasn't fear or nervousness. Mist assured me that it wasn't her. She had promised me that she wouldn't interfere tonight, and that she was just here to 'observe'. The feeling, though unexplained, wasn't unwelcome. It didn't make me feel anxious or nervous. It was something I couldn't really explain.

As we neared our destination, I briefly entertained the thought of whether or not this was what it was like to be married to someone you loved. Maybe it was the wrong place for my thoughts to be going, but I couldn't help it. Was it possible, one day, far away? We shared everything, after all. Could we have what my parents have?

A smaller, more cynical part of me questioned the legality and morality of such a thing. I promptly ignored it. I've had sex with four of my Pokémon. I think I've passed that barrier a long time ago.

We continued to follow the path, Song stopping just outside of it and looking at me. She broke the silence with a smile. "So, you didn't just drag me through the jungle so you can have your way with me, did you?" she asked, giggling. "Because, just to let you know, I would have done without the trek to have some more time with you."

Coupled with what I was thinking a few moments before, I could feel another blush burn its way through my face. I didn't think I was going to be able to remove this one for a long time. She giggled again, playing with my hair for a moment before I shook my head gently.

"I think that I'd rather show you what I have in mind," I said, thankful that my voice didn't crack. I ushered her forward gently. "We're here."

She gave me a curious smile, but nodded at my insistence. We stepped inside the clearing, and Song gasped. I think I did, too, dumbstruck by what Joy managed to create in such a short amount of time.

Candle's hung from the low branches, their glow suffusing everything in a warm yellow. Moonlight reflected off the river brightly, and the waters seemed to be calm for tonight. The wind carried with it the sounds of Kricketunes, mixing with the sound of the waterfall. The sound was unexpected, but rather beautiful. Song parted from me, looking around with wonder in her eyes. The smell of flowers filled my nose as I took a deep breath of relief.

She hurried over to me, grasping my hand once more and pulling me with her. We stood in the middle of it all, Song beaming happily. "It's beautiful," she breathed.

I nodded numbly. "Joy showed it to me a day ago," I said, smiling. "I thought it would be the perfect place for us to spend our night together."

The Gardevoir gave me an unreadable look as her gaze passed over me once more, and then looked around the clearing. "So... if you didn't plan on having your way with me, why did you show me this?" she asked curiously.

I grinned, unable to hold back my excitement. This was gonna be good. "You remember the night you evolved?" I asked.

For a moment, she closed her eyes. Silence stretched for a moment, as she concentrated. I held her hands when her eyes opened once more. "Yes, I do!" she exclaimed suddenly. "You mean...?"

I answered silently, giving her a full grin and a nod. "YES!" she screamed excitedly, bouncing in place as she beamed happily.

"I figured that a repeat was in order," I said, smiling at her enthusiasm. "Singing and dancing, if you'd like, too."

"Really?" she whispered, a smile barely hidden away. "But what about the music?"

"Don't worry, I have that taken care of," I said, raising my hand and giving a signal to the air. I hoped, prayed, anything, that Joy saw it. Please, Joy, don't leave me hanging here. Anything, something. I can work with whistling, but I need SOMETHING...

Music began to play, surrounding us with a soft melody. I didn't know how Joy did it, but she did it. I tried to hide my surprise as I looked at Song. My Gardevoir, however, wasn't looking at me at the moment. Her eyes were wide as she looked around, trying to find the source of the music. Not being able to pinpoint it, she looked at me with a smile on her features. The beat quickly picked up, and she smiled.

I smiled back at her, holding her hand. "May I have this dance, my Lady?" I asked, stepping back and giving a bow.

Without another word, we danced. Time was no longer a worry for us, for all that mattered was within our arms reach. Our singing rang through the woods, probably disturbing someone's sleep, but we didn't care. Sometimes we would be silly, trying to outdo the other in pitch. Other times, we would try to sing the song perfectly from memory. The worst were when it was a song I wasn't familiar and she knew, for which I just tried to remember the chorus and followed along with her excited steps.

Hours must have passed before we stopped. I was breathing hard, but the exertion was worth it. I noticed that she was panting hard, as well. The laugh she gave and the smile on her face told me that this was worthwhile. I had forgotten how to dance some of the things we did, but I was sure that Mist had a hand in making me remember. Or perhaps I discredit myself. I really don't know, but I wasn't going to worry about it right now. A break in the music allowed us to catch our breath as we held each other close. She giggled, her body shaking in mirth as she brushed my hair with her hands.

"Are you having fun, Song?" I asked. I knew the answer, but I still wanted to hear her say it. It wasn't a want, actually. It was a need to know that she was enjoying herself.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, hugging me tightly. "Oh, Nick, I've missed this so much! It's been far too long. We have to do this again."

I smiled, hugging her back. "I promise," I said, closing my eyes as I rested my head against her chest.

Another song started, and I wanted to smile. "The perfect song for the perfect Song," I whispered softly.

She slapped my chest lightly, giggling. "Now that was sappy."

I blushed. "Sorry," I said sheepishly.

I felt her hands hold me tightly. "I never said I didn't like it," she whispered.

I pulled myself back to look at her properly. "One last dance, my Lady?" I asked, smiling.

"I would be delighted," she said. I beamed as we began to dance once more. I placed both my hands at her waist, our bodies touching each other. Her hands wrapped around my neck lovingly, gently stroking my neck and back. Song's face rested against mine, her soft breathing filling my hearing. The song, Far Away, by some band called Dimefront or something, was playing. It was a hit a few years back, but I felt the lyrics were speaking directly about us. We didn't bother singing this time, focusing on just enjoying the time we had together. We spun in circles, holding onto each other like our lives depended on the other. Sadness threatened to overwhelm me once more, but I forced it down. Nothing else mattered right now. Just this.

As the song began to end, she lifted her head from my shoulder and looked at me happily. Tears threatened to come pouring out of her eyes, but she was beaming happily at me. She leaned down, and for a moment our foreheads brushed together. A spark of something passed between us, and my mind was bombarded by images. I gasped in surprise, and I heard Song do the same. They felt like dreams, but much more personal.

In a moment, I felt everything we've ever been through. I saw everything from Song's perspective. All of her fears, hopes, tears and joys. I saw when we danced the night she evolved to her current Gardevoir form. Emotions and sensations were attached with the visions. I felt my own hands curled around my own body, being face to face with myself. Feelings of love and safety washed over me, threatening me to bring me to tears. Visions of our time making love washed over me, the full gamut of sensations made me cry both in passion and emotion. I felt every thrust, but also every emotion that Song poured into that heated moment. More memories flooded me, many more than I thought were possible, but I cherished every single one. Our lips touched as the flood of emotions and sensations grew too much, wanting to give to each other even more than what we were already feeling.

We pulled away from each other slowly, and I was fearful that what I felt was just my own imagining. From the look of Song's face, however, it told me that it wasn't the case. Our lips pressed together again, her tongue forcing its way against mine. A fire within me demanded that I said something, anything, to put what I was feeling into words.

"Song, I love you," I said simply. "I love you so much." Tears streamed from my eyes, as she held my face between her hands. She was crying as well, tears coming down her eyes.

"And I love you too, Nick," she whispered.

Despite knowing that we were parting, I couldn't have been happier. No matter what, this was our night. I had someone to come back to. I had to get to the bottom of this mystery. But I had to come back safe. I've never felt so safe before, not like right now. Darkrai could do nothing to sabotage me now. These feelings, emotions, and memories were my weapons, armor, and shield. They will forever keep the nightmares at bay.

And through it all, I knew one thing. This was our night, and nothing could take it away from us.

Chapter 15: Congregation

Though my sleep was undisturbed, it was an odd feeling to be sleeping in a bed. I was already growing comfortable to the ground or my sleeping bag. We had to spend an extra day because of Zefyra's wing not setting properly. I heard the dragon's roars throughout the monastery that morning after Joy told me. We all had to cover our ears as the sound echoed loudly throughout the building.

"She'll be fine, right?" I asked Joy. Her face was a stoic mask of neutrality. If she had shed any tears or was angry, I couldn't tell. She nodded.

"The monks told me that she'll be fine with a day's rest," she said. "We might have to spend another one here if she keeps being so restless." She turned to me, her hair hiding her face. "I'm sorry for stalling you."

I shook my head. "It's not your fault," I said gently. "Why don't you go to Zefyra and try to calm her down?"

She smiled at me, before walking away. Another roar shook the walls. Whatever they were doing, I think they needed Joy's help to keep her beast from rampaging.

I shrugged to myself, turning around and heading back to my room. All of my Pokémon had made a startling recovery. Even Akalia, who I thought would need more time to recover than anyone, was up and walking about. Rather gingerly, I might add, but still up and about. I opened the door to my room, taking a peek inside to see both Zin and Akalia resting on top of the bed. Spirit and Xola were curled up on the floor, while Mist was... somewhere. That ghost is always up to something. Probably with Song, if my intuition was correct.

As much as I wanted to walk around, I didn't want to distract Song from whatever she was doing. Stepping inside my room, I quietly closed the door behind me. Nobody stirred as I took a slow, deep breath and letting it out just as slowly. I decided not to wake anyone up, sitting on the ground with my back against the foot of the bed. I took off my shoes and closed my eyes, trying to relax. A smile formed as my mind wandered to how we spent last night. I could still smell the orchids, see Song's smile and hear her laugh. As much as I wanted to dwell on that memory, I gently placed it aside to think about our circumstances at the moment.

Jonathan wanted to go to Johto. That honestly sounded like the best idea we had at the moment. It isn't like the Elite Four, or the Sinnoh champion, were going to listen to me. They might take into consideration Jonathan's words, but I don't know how much weight he has. And considering that he didn't bring it up, I'm not sure he does either. Joy's family might help us, but I wouldn't know how. Unless they can tell us more about Darkrai, but why would they, even if they knew? I mean, yes, Joy got attacked and nearly got killed by this one. But where would we take this? I can't think of any authority that would listen to us.

I frowned, and then sighed in resignation. This wasn't getting me anywhere. I just had to trust Jonathan and that his superiors will believe our story. If they can elevate our case for how dangerous it is, maybe we have a chance to get more resources to help us figure this out. I still want to know why me, though. Why did this Darkrai want me to meet her Father? Who would that be? The obvious answer is Arceus... but is that the real answer? I wonder if she was indirectly mentioning Giratina. I thought of the Celestic Ruins, and the stones at that altar or whatever it was. Even if it was Giratina, why would he or she need to see me? Why would I need to die, is the better question.

I wonder... did this monastery have anything of the sort regarding the creation mythos. Wait, wasn't that one of the reasons why we came here in the first place?! Damn it! I opened my eyes and quickly got off the floor, only to run headlong into Song. She stopped me before we fell together against the floor. I looked up to see her smiling face, which turned to one of confusion as she looked at me.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I need to ask if the monks have a book, or a reference, something, regarding the creation mythos," I answered. "I was thinking of what Darkrai said, and I'm trying to connect the dots."

She sighed, wrapping her hands around me. "Actually, I just came from there to check on the very same subject," she said. "I'm sorry, but I didn't find anything. I asked, as well, and the monks said they didn't have anything of the sort."

I frowned, but shrug. "Do any of the monks know anything?" I asked. "Maybe that old balding guy knows."

Song shook her head. "No, I was the one to ask him if they had anything here," she said. "He says he doesn't know any more than us."

"Perhaps they just settled here to get away from civilization instead of being researchers or whatever," I said thoughtfully. I shrugged. "Well, at least we got that mystery solved."

"Do you have a plan on where to go next?" she asked.

"Jonathan suggested we go to his base of operations," I said, frowning. "We'll be going to Johto as soon as we can. Blackthorn City."

She frowned, but nodded. "I understand," she said. "We won't be communicating for a long time, too."

"I know, Song," I said. "It's why I wanted last night to be memorable."

"And it was and will be," she said with a soft giggle. "But I came here for something else."

I looked at her again, as she gently pushed me down by my shoulders. I sat on my knees, but then she pushed me backwards until I was lying on the floor. She crawled over me, her fingers tracing my jaw. She seemed to hesitate for a moment, before lowering her lips against mine. I kissed her back, wrapping my arms around her body. When we parted, she smiled down at me.

"You have one gift left to give," she whispered huskily.

"But what about...?" I asked, but was silenced by Song pressing a finger against my lips.

"Mist has them dreaming," she whispered. "Now don't scream. We don't want to wake up everyone else, now do we?"

She leaned down to nibble on my ear as her hands undid my pants. I stifled my moans as she began to coerce me to her will. And frankly, I didn't mind one single bit.

======================//////////////////////======================

Morning came too fast for my tastes, but it was something that needed to happen. I woke up to the greatest sight to my eyes, and I smiled widely. I felt amazingly lucky, and for the first time in a while, blessed. Maybe I was taking this too seriously, but I needed to. For her.

Song and I walked hand in hand. She assured me that the monks didn't think any less of our pairing, much to my relief. Joy and Jonathan were walking together behind us, talking to the monks. Baast was also out, enjoying what freedom she had before being put inside her Pokéball when we had to go. While we weren't talking, the others were more than willing to fill in the gaps for us. Song was enjoying the little time we had left, and that was more important to me right now.

When we finally stepped outside, the morning sun greeted us warmly. The sounds of the forest inundated our surroundings, but I forced them out of my mind. I turned to Song and returned her smile as best I could. It felt rather bitter in my mind, but this was of her choice. It felt like I had a lot to prove, both to myself and her. I just hoped that I do her choice justice.

She flung her hands around me suddenly, but I hugged her all the same. She surprised me, though, when she pressed her lips against mine. Out of all places, in public! At first I hesitated, but soon threw caution to the wind as I returned it with as much passion as her. I think I should feel embarrassed, but I didn't. I don't know how much everyone knew, but it was my hope that the monks wouldn't hold this against her.

My fears were alleviated when I heard clapping surround us. Our lips parted reluctantly, but Song had a smile on her face. "I'll never forget you, Nick," she whispered.

"I can't forget you, Song," I said, burying my face against her. "I won't. I'll come back for you, I promise."

"Unless you need me to save you," she whispered with a giggle.

"Let's hope that you can just come to me, instead of saving me," I said with a chuckle. She laughed beautifully as we slowly parted.

I turned to the monks. "This probably doesn't need to be said, but please take care of her," I said somberly.

The old balding guy nodded. "I'm quite sure she's more than able to take care of herself, but we'll do what we can to make her stay a pleasant one," he assured me. I smiled, nodding to the old man.

"Maybe I'll be able to teach you a thing or two," Song said teasingly.

"Alright! I give up. Uncle, whatever you want me to say," I said with a laugh.

Song giggled again, before giving me a kiss on the cheek. She opened her mouth to say something, but we were all interrupted.

"Legendary me this, legendary me that. I don't care what you are, but show yourself!"

I turned around, startled at Baast's outcry. Jonathan had his eyes narrowed at where Baast was looking at. The monks all turned around, as another robed figure walked towards us. A hood covered his or her face, and no outward sign of a body could be seen from under the cloth. Though I didn't feel threatened, it was enough for me to put myself in between Song and have Zin's Pokéball at the ready.

The figure rose his hands to uncover his face, but was rudely interrupted by a shout.

"Don't you DARE!" someone yelled. "Dee, you were NOT about to go out here and spoil the fun without me!"

An orange streak flew around the figure for a moment, speaking in an extremely fast tone.

"I go to sleep, and you're NOWHERE to be found when I wake up!" the voice continued in a high pitch. "Just because YOU don't wake me up, LIKE YOU SAID YOU WOULD BY THE WAY, does NOT give you the right to go ahead and mess all that-."

"Victini," another voice said.

Joy gasped out loud, but no one else reacted. Victini, or whatever it was, didn't react to Joy's outburst, either.

"Excuse me, I'm still talking! Anyway, I was saying, that this does not give you the right to mess this up and go showing up for no REASON! The whole point was to do it together!"

"Victini," the other voice said again. This time it was slightly louder.

"And another thing, don't call me that! Call me Vic like we agreed on. What, don't like me calling you Dee? How about Deo? Or how about Twisty? It's kinda how you look under that silly robe. Why don't you take that off already? Jeez, it's hot enough out here without clothes. You sure are weird, Twisty."

"Victini," the voice said again, "they're right here."

The orange ball flew past the monks and stopped in front of me and Song. A flash of light blinded me for a moment, before revealing two gigantic ears in a V shape covered in orange fur, while the rest of the body was a cream coloration. It may have stood a foot tall, if it didn't constantly float up and down. Blue eyes alternated looking at me, then to Song, then back to me. It shook its head.

"Nah, not you guys. Hey, Twisty! I think it's these two that you were looking for!"

I finally associated the voice with something. It sounded like a little girls voice that just learned how to talk. While I didn't know what this was, for the sake of my own sanity, it was going to be female until proven otherwise. Victini then blew a raspberry at us before giving a girlish giggle and flying towards Jonathan.

"Not you, either. Wow, definitely not you. You're WAY too serious."

She flew over to Joy, who was on the verge of shock. I looked over to Song, who gave me a shrug. As much as I wanted to pull out my Pokédex, it was in my backpack. I didn't feel like fishing for it right now.

"YES!" she screamed out loud, before diving towards Joy. "Found you again! I TOLD you I'd find you!"

Now I was really confused.

The hooded figure walked up to me, shaking his head underneath the hood. "I wish to apologize for my companion's enthusiasm," he said. Voice was definitely male. "She has been looking for this human for quite some time now."

Why Joy had such a happy smile, I didn't know. I wasn't going to argue with the results. Both of them were hugging each other like they knew each other from long before.

"They do."

I turned to face the stranger, slightly unnerved that he-

"Might read your mind?" he asked. "I apologize. Your thoughts are extremely loud. I did not intend to hear them."

I gulped, as Song walked to stand beside me. "Who are you?" she asked.

Green and orange hands came from under the cloak, pulling back the hood. The face was devoid of expression. There was nothing to show. His face was a smooth surface, with only two eyes and a purple divide where a nose should be. While his face was green in color, his head was orange, with what looked like three orange protrusions pointed backwards. I didn't have a clue to what kind of Pokémon this was, but Jonathan reacted before any of us did.

"What are you doing here, Deoxys?" he asked.

I backed away, Song quickly mimicking my actions. He raised an arm, but brought it back down.

"I wish to travel with you," he said. How in the world was Deoxys speaking without a mouth?

"Why?" Song asked heatedly.

"I wish to study human emotions, with as much detail and experience as possible," he responded automatically. "While I have met many candidates that would be optimal for my purposes, I need a person that has multiple relationships with either human or Pokémon. You, Nick, match my criteria as best as I will find."

"Me?" I exclaimed, confused. "Because no one else matches your standards?"

"Not just that. You are in a great deal of pain, and I can feel it," he said stoically. "I wish to study these feelings."

"Why?"

"So that I may replicate and reproduce them accurately."

I was dumbfounded. This didn't make any sense. I shrugged, looking at Song. She gave me a shrug of her own. I sighed, pulling out her Pokéball and passing it to her. Song looked at me curiously, holding it gingerly in her hands. No more tears, and no more delays. We had to leave.

"So I have to come back to you," I said, closing her hand around the sphere. "I will be back for you. I promise."

========================////////////////////======================

Victini and Deoxys demanded to come along. We didn't stay long after that. As we flew away from the monastery, Spirit did one last loop around as I waved goodbye. My chest felt hollow, but I knew what I was getting myself into. I think. Deoxys was flying next to me, unreasonably close to Spirit. She didn't seem to mind too much, as he didn't create turbulence for her. It made me fearful for Spirit, though as long as she didn't complain my say didn't have much weight. I sighed, shaking my head. I hope that this wouldn't be one of those days.

As much as I wanted to turn around to see the monastery be swallowed by the surrounding mountains and forest, I didn't. I had to focus on the task at hand, and that was figuring out how we can get to Johto as quickly as possible. Also, I had to figure out what to say to Jonathan's boss when we finally arrived. Talking was impossible for us right now, so I tried to calm myself as much as possible so that I could think. I felt like I was forgetting something. I probably have, but at least Song would take care of it, if that was the case. We were already behind our original schedule, and any more delays were not acceptable, really. Not by Jonathan's standards, anyway.

"I hope I am not intruding on your thoughts, but may I speak with you?"

I tried really hard not to flinch when I heard Deoxys in my mind like that. I looked over to my side to see the Pokémon give me a curious look. I sighed, but nodded to give my consent.

"I apologize, I did not mean to startle you," he continued. "If I may ask, why are we going to Blackthorn?"

I frowned, trying to reply through the wind and finding my voice to be carried away by it. I decided to think of my answer loudly instead.

"Darkrai?" he asked.

I nodded. I think he could pick up on the fact that just the name carried a lot of emotional weight. I still wondered why he thought he was included. I sighed as I turned to look away from the flying orange Pokémon. Legendary or not, we've managed just...

No, we haven't been fine. I... I needed help. We needed help. It would be stupid not to accept any help that came our way, especially from these two. As much as I wanted to say that we were fine, I couldn't begin lying to myself. And now down to five Pokémon, I needed to be at full strength. But how? I haven't released Song, so technically that whole rule of only having six Pokémon on you is going to be a problem. Joy suddenly came to mind, and I hoped that she may have an answer to my problem.

We continued to fly farther, only stopping once the afternoon had time to fully settle in. I asked Jonathan if this was one of the spots we stopped on the way here, and he nodded.

"Yeah, this is the spot that we found that Honchkrow flock," he reminded me with a glare.

I stayed quiet after that, setting up the tents with Mist's help. Deoxys silently watched us work. I occasionally would look over to see him looking around, but usually paying attention to me or Mist. It was a bit of an awkward feeling, being watched so intently by a stranger. I did my best not to let it bug me, but I had a feeling that he was doing more than that. I still had no idea why he was looking for me, specifically. Perhaps thinking that he didn't have a choice is a strong opinion. He could have easily chosen Jonathan or Joy. I can only hope that there are more factors in play that I don't know of.

I mean, yes, perhaps it was narrowed to two, seeing as Victini singled out Joy immediately. That's still a fifty-fifty chance between me and Jonathan. What made him pick me instead? Why was Jonathan off-limits? Though yes, much of Jonathan's past is unknown to me, and there may be key differences in our experiences, but Jonathan is much older than I am. Doesn't that count for something? If Deoxys wanted educated answers to his questions, shouldn't he go to him instead of me? I sighed as I pounded a stake into the ground to secure the tent. Maybe like he said, there were more reasons than just what I can think of. It was just driving me nuts trying to figure it out!

I sighed as I stood up, stretching my arms over my head. "Done is done," I declared, rubbing my hands together. Mist walked over to me, giggling as she hugged me. "Now to prepare food!"

I turned around, hoping to see Joy or Jonathan walk by but saw neither. I frowned, hoping that they wouldn't take long. Seeing no one else around, it was now or never to get to talk to Deoxys. Finding a pleasant topic shouldn't be hard, right?

Right.

Mist floated behind me, eagerly pushing me towards the strange Pokémon. I sat next to him on the ground, as he had the only rock we found nearby to sit on.

"So, Deoxys," I said, smiling, "enjoying the night?"

He nodded. I noted that his eyes were surprisingly expressive as he spoke again. "Yes, I am," he said. "It is more... convenient to be around company that appreciates a bit of silence."

"Convenient?" I asked, slightly confused at the use of words. "Why is that?"

"Victini likes to be rambunctious most of the time," he explained. "I find myself enjoying the times where she is asleep."

I nodded. "That makes sense, I suppose," I offered. "I can't imagine having someone that's like that at all hours of the day."

"But Master, you already do," Mist said with a giggle. "I am sure that Zin wouldn't appreciate that comment."

"She likes it when it's quiet, too," I said with a frown.

"Not from what she's told me," she said with heavy emphasis. "She was so jealous that you were so vocal with Song the other night that she had dreams of taking her spot."

I felt my cheeks burn. "Mist! I don't need to know what everyone dreamt that night, thank you very much!" I exclaimed, my voice almost cracking. "And really now, that isn't very polite to bring up someone else's dreams to strangers, either."

"He can read your mind, and you are calling him a stranger?" she asked, before laughing madly. "Oh, Master, the things you must learn."

I didn't have anything to say to that. It felt like if I did, I'd be digging my own grave. Deoxys gave a chuckle.

"I hope you do not take offense if I find this amusing," he said. "It isn't very often that someone is willing to speak to me, or be normal around me."

I looked at him seriously. "I'll be frank with you. I'm keyed up as is. I know the reasons you've told us why you want to tag along, but it still doesn't make sense. If you're willing to help, that's fantastic. If you know why Darkrai, whatever or whichever, is chasing me that would be fantastic. All I want, is for everyone to be safe. As long as that's happening, I'm fine.

"But if I ever find that you aren't working for our best interest, you better stop me soon, or else Jonathan and Joy will know. And I don't care if we're under your power or whatever. If that one Pokémon that Jonathan has can stop an Ice Beam with a freaking Sandstorm, I'd hope you're stronger than that Darkrai that Spirit stopped with her Hyper Beam, or whatever it was that she threw."

He sat there in silence. I sighed.

"I don't want to sound like I'm threatening you or anything. That isn't my point. I just... for once, I want to feel safe."

"You do not feel safe?" Deoxys asked.

"If you were being chased down by Darkrai, would you be?" I countered. "And not just one, because Arceus forbid there isn't just one, but two? And if there are two, what are the odds of finding that there are more of them?"

He nodded. "I see your point," he said softly.

"That's why we're going to Blackthorn," I stated. "And since I feel like captain obvious too, it's probably where you're going, too."

"Why are you angry?" he asked curiously.

I stopped myself. Was I feeling angry? I let go of the breath I was holding in my lungs, a weight I hadn't felt leaving me. I shook my head as I answered.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I shouldn't take my anger out on you, of all people. It's been a taxing time. As pathetic as that excuse is, it's all I got."

He looked at me and he did that smile with his eyes. He nodded. "I do not understand the details, but I understand your words. I forgive you."

I nodded as I felt Mist lean into my chest. She snuggled against me for a moment, before giggling. "Now I am not the only one that is looking out for your well-being," she said.

I chuckled. "And who made you queen?" I asked with a smile. "Don't tell me Song put you to this."

She shook her head. "No, she did not. I appointed myself to the position."

"I just hope that Zin doesn't disagree with you then." Mist began to tickle me as soon as I said that. She had me completely at a disadvantage, seeing as her hands can go through me and tickle where she wanted to.

"Alright, you two, break it up."

I turned to see Joy, Jonathan and Victini walk towards us. While Jonathan and Joy had a large number of kindling and limbs, Victini hovered two large rounds that may have well been stumps. When the large objects where dropped nearby, I could still see dirt still clinging to the roots. Victini gave me a shrug.

"What? I heard that you're a good cook!" she exclaimed at my curious look.

"I was wondering why this was necessary," I said, pointing at the stumps.

"Do you need them smaller?" she asked curiously.

I nodded. "It would be nice, yes. We don't need such a large fire pit. It's a lot easier to control that way."

"Well, why didn't you say so?!" she exclaimed as she rose the two stumps into the air once more. Victini began to glow a fiery orange, matching the glowing stumps she held. With a gesture of her hand, large gashes appeared that sliced both of them into neat little wooden cubes.

"Better?" she asked, as she put them in a pile.

I nodded. "Much," I said. "Thank you."

"Oh, and thank you for setting up the tents, Nick," Joy said with a smile. "Really appreciate it."

"No problem," I said, chuckling. "Just give me a few, and I'll get something going here."

"Can you make that soup from last time?" she asked, rushing over and grabbing my hands. "I really liked that! Pleasepleaseplease?"

I looked at her, confused at her eagerness, but nodded. "Alright, I think I can pull that off again," I said, resisting the urge to pull my arm away from her grasp. "Mist, could you pass me my backpack, please?"

She gave me a cheeky salute. "Yes, Master," she responded before disappearing to the tents.

Pots and bowls were procured, and Joy came up with a bottle of water. "Where'd you get that?" I asked. I don't think we really resupplied before we left.

"Victini insisted that there was a stream farther in the woods," she said with a shrug. "She wanted to go see it."

I nodded, thankful for the water. "As long as we don't all get some crippling disease, we'll be set."

"Don't trust me yet?" Victini huffed, crossing her arms. "Really now, I would think that people would be all over me!"

"As fluffy as you are, I'd think most of my team would be jealous," I pointed out. "I don't want to see an angry Houndoom."

"Speaking of your Pokémon, why don't they all come out?" she asked. "It's not like we don't have the room."

I gave Joy and Jonathan a questioning look, which was answered with shrugs. I sighed.

"Fine, I'll go ahead first. Again."

I went ahead and released everyone from their Pokéballs and introduced everyone to both Victini and Deoxys. None of my friends made a comment over either of the newcomers, so I took that as a good thing. Better to be silent than berate them, at the very least. I was extremely thankful that Zin didn't say anything colorful, as well. Last thing I need is her spilling any dreams that Mist may have concocted for her.

"I'll go next," Jonathan said. He pulled out one Pokéball, revealing his teammates. While I knew both Storm and Baast by name, I couldn't remember if he had named the other ones before.

With all six revealed now, I remembered that Sableye, too.

Pointing at each one, he introduced them one by one. "My Dragonite's name is Storm, and Cleopatra is my Tyranitar." As their names were called, they acknowledged him with a nod or a smile. A bundle of shadows jumped on top of his head, a glimmer of light the only thing that allowed me to see where his Sableye was.

"This mischievous little thing is Gem," he said pointing at said Pokémon. "My Lucario here is named Baast."

"Greetings," she said with a bow.

"And the last two are Fern, my Sceptile, and Conrad, my Carracosta," he said, waving at both the gigantic Grass type and the other Pokémon that I've never seen before.

Most of its body was a gigantic shell, blue in color, with fins for hands. Flat feet held the Pokémon upright, as the Pokémon's blue eyes surveyed the surroundings with a casual glance. The face looked like a mask made out of the same material as the shell covered all of his face, except for around the eyes and mouth. How could I tell? The Pokémon gave a gargantuan yawn, before curling on the ground and retracting itself inside the shell.

"He's a bit lazy," Jonathan offered with a laugh. "He likes his sleep."

"That's amazing, Jonathan! When did you go to Unova?" Joy said as she bounded over to the sleeping Carracosta.

"I didn't," he said with a shrug. "Like in the other regions, they've been steadily reproducing ancient Pokémon through fossils found in the underground or in explorations. One of the Unovian scientists donated him to one of the trainers sent there. He didn't want him for some reason, so instead of shipping him back I took him in."

"That is very kind of you," Deoxys said suddenly.

"I know what it's like to be in a place where no one appreciates you," Jonathan said with a chuckle. "I wouldn't want anyone else to be in that same spot."

"Alright, enough about you!" Joy exclaimed, pushing Jonathan out of her way. "My turn now."

As Joy got her Pokéballs out, Jonathan stumbled towards me. "Since when did she become this excited?" he asked in a whisper.

I shrugged. "No clue."

She opened two devices at once, revealing her Ditto and Sandslash. "These two, I know you've met before, but haven't been properly introduced."

She pointed to her Ditto, who was eyeing Deoxys with curiosity. "This little guy is Morph. And my Sandslash is called Romulus."

While the Ditto didn't react to his name being called, Romulus bowed slightly before shifting behind Joy.

"I won't call out Zefyra, seeing that she's already asleep," she said with a giggle. "She's my Hydreigon, and you've met her before."

She looked pensive for a moment, before nodding. She waved Jonathan's Pokémon out of her way, her Sandslash bashfully following her. A thought crossed my mind, and I waved at Joy to get her attention.

"Yes?" she asked.

"So, this is all cutting into my cooking time," I said with a smile. "Just thought I'd let you know."

She glared at me, before shrugging. "It's you that has the last watch. You're getting the least amount of sleep."

I decided to bite my tongue after that.

"So anyway," she said, clapping her hands. "I get to introduce the rest of my team." Grabbing two more Pokéballs from her waist, she opened them to reveal two Pokémon that have to be from Unova.

The first one stood on four legs, with a majestic set of antlers. The odd thing about it is that those horns were decorated with leaves. While the majority where green, they were beginning to turn bright orange and reds. It was standing easily my height, possibly more if I counted the antlers. The second Pokémon was much smaller than the first, about as long as my arm and standing a little bit more above Joy's knee. I was convinced that it's a bug Pokémon, but was confused at the horns. And then they shot a puff of smoke and flame. What kind of bug would have five horns that shoot fire? A white mane covered the face, the rest of the body covered in segments.

Joy walked over to the first Pokémon with leaves. "This is my Sawsbuck, Variel. This little one here is my Larvesta, Pele."

The Sawsbuck nodded, the leaves on his head shaking in time with the movement. The Larvesta didn't acknowledge being introduced, curling up next to the Sawsbuck's feet. I almost laughed when Variel jumped away to avoid being burned by another puff of flame.

"These next two tend to show-off," she warned. "Just letting you know."

Two more Pokémon showed up. I recognized the Ampharos right away, but it didn't help that lightning crackled around the Pokémon's body and the bright red bulb on the tail glowed. The other has a similar build to a Luxray, but has sleek purple fur with a yellow underbelly. The paws were with the same yellow, and the coat had small spots with the same coloration. The tail was curved, looking like a question mark.

"This is Menes, my Ampharos," she said, tapping the giants shoulder. "He's a softy, I promise, but he absolutely adores it when you brush his fur."

The giant seemed to blush slightly at the comment, but nodded. Joy laughed, bringing her hands to tickle the Ampharos's belly. "He likes belly rubs too."

I grinned, but felt a bit bad for Menes. It's not like there was much he could do to stop her.

"This one over here is Ocelomah," she said as she kneeled beside the feline Pokémon. "Their kind is from Unova. He's a Liepard. Similar to an Absol, they prefer the night and hunt at that time."

I nodded, immediately being able to associate the habits. The Liepard began to pace around, eyes were darting over our two visitors. He nodded, before looking over to where both Variel was standing.

"And two more, before I bow out," she said with a laugh. "Well, technically three, but I don't have any water around for a Kingdra." I raised an eyebrow. How many Pokémon does she have? I thought the maximum was six?

Twin flashes to reveal another set of Pokémon. Another colossal Pokémon that towered over me, covered in white fur. A short snout filled with sharp teeth was underneath a piercing gaze, only being matched by the paws that could easily cover my face. The other was a Medicham, easily recognizable not only by body shape, but also due to their bright coloration.

She walked over to the white furred giant. "Her name is Skadi, and she's a Beartic. And this guy is Ajax, my Medicham. Both could probably smash a boulder, though I think Skadi is a bit unconfident after that whole Darkrai thing."

I finally recognized the Pokémon that were around her at that time. I sighed with relief, now that I knew that everyone was ok. But something else bugged me, and I decided to voice it.

"Joy, how many Pokémon do you have?" I asked, clearly confused. "Isn't the maximum six?"

"Yes, the maximum is six, for a regular trainer," she said, nodding. "There are exceptions, however. You can get a breeders license that allows you to carry more Pokémon on your person, up to a maximum of twelve if I'm not mistaken. I have a breeder's license, as it's obvious from the size of my team.

"The problem with having a 'higher license' than just the standard, is that it makes you exempt from the Pokémon League," Joy continued, pacing around. "Gym leaders won't even let you challenge them, but it exempts you from most of the requirements for badges. It's a give and take with the whole change."

I nodded. "You can still battle, I imagine," I said, thinking out loud. She nodded at me, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, you can," she said, "though you limit yourself between battles. Agree to three versus three, you're bound by your word to use three. It's a standard rule all around, since most trainers obey it, but for you it's even more so. You can have your license revoked if given enough evidence for it. I've even heard of people having their Pokémon taken away from them, as well."

I frowned. "On what grounds?" I asked.

"Manipulation, torture, forced breeding, excessive breeding," she said, counting them off as she lifted fingers for every one she mentioned. "That's just the things that I can think of off the top of my head. There's a lot more, though."

I nodded. I think I was safe. Though it was obvious that they didn't just hand the license out to just anyone, the odds of getting one seemed to improve. Joy raised an eyebrow at me.

"What's with the sudden interest?" she asked. "Thinking of getting one?"

I shrugged. "It's definitely a possibility at the moment," I said. "We managed to fight off the last Darkrai because Spirit did... something. I don't even know what. But we barely fought her off with five of my Pokémon, yours, and Jonathan's Tyranitar. No matter how you think about it, we need to recruit more."

"You make it sound like you have no other options," Deoxys said.

"I thought it was a really good idea, and I'm pretty sure Jubilife has some kind of office for these things. Seeing as it's one of the largest cities in Sinnoh, I'm pretty sure we can find something there."

I shook my head, idly watching as Victini prepared a few pieces of firewood and lit them on fire. Whatever was left of the afternoon was gone during our conversation, and I sighed.

"Better get food ready," I said, forcing a smile. "Don't want Joy telling me I'm lazy now."

"Hey!" she exclaimed, before everyone around laughed.

================/////////////////////////==========================

I had just woken up to start my watch through the rest of the night. Jonathan insisted that I got to bed as soon as I finished my food, seeing as Joy's reasoning was true. I have no idea how I let her talk to me into doing last watch. My Pokédex beeped insistently beside me, Spirit raising her head at the noise. I gently patted her neck with one hand while silencing the offending device with the other. She needed her sleep.

I exited my tent as quietly as I could, making a mental note that the fire was still going strong in front of me. Deoxys sat with his back turned to me. Jonathan was nowhere in sight. I frowned, hoping that he didn't just leave him here alone for too long. Walking towards the fire, a yawn escaped my control, though I kept it down so I wouldn't wake anyone up. It was enough for Deoxys to notice me, however, when he turned to me sharply. When he noticed me, he smiled with those eyes, moving aside from his seat to allow me to sit next to him.

I took him up on the offer, feeling the fire warm me up against the slight chill of the night. I felt him turn slightly toward me before he spoke.

"You are up early," he said.

"It's my turn to watch the camp," I said. A yawn escaped me, incapacitating my thoughts before it was done. "Sorry. Must be more tired than I thought."

"It is fine," he said with a nod. "I should go to rest, but I have slept for long enough."

"How much is long enough for you?" I ask.

"A day's rest is enough to fuel me for three weeks," he answered plainly.

I stared at him, but decided not to question someone's sleeping habits. It was enough that he wasn't questioning why I needed to sleep every night. I turned back to the fire, closing my eyes for a moment before letting out a sigh. I shook my head.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"Excuse me?"

"I asked why you're here," I said, frowning. "I'm sorry, but it just feels like there's more to you just wanting to study me."

"There are more reasons, I assure you," he said softly. "I feel that we should become more acquainted before I reveal them to you."

I looked at him, trying to force away the uneasy feeling that I could still hear him, even though he didn't have a mouth to speak from. I pushed the thoughts out of my mind and decided to let things lie where they were. We could pick this up later in the morning. It was way too early to be thinking deep thoughts.

"What do you do while you are out here alone?"

I stiffened slightly, but relaxed. He's curious, and there's nothing wrong with that.

"I usually end up talking with Mist and looking at the stars," I said with a smile. "She knows a surprising amount of the sky."

"She does?"

I nodded, looking above for the familiar constellations she's pointed out before. I found it with a bit of difficulty, the clouds above not helping me at all at the moment. "You see that group of stars just next to those clouds?"

"Yes, I see them."

"That's the Lopunny constellation," I said with a chuckle. "If you connect the stars, you can sort of make out the ears."

His eyes narrowed as I looked over to him, but he nodded soon afterwards. "I see what you mean," he said with a nod. "Do you know any more?"

I nodded. "Yeah, just let me see if there's any more out tonight," I said with a smile. "Just don't be surprised if Mist comes out tomorrow to completely correct me."

======================////////////////////////////=======================

We arrived in Oreburgh near mid-day. We checked inside the Pokémon Center, and were exploring the mining town. I was oddly curious of the metal cylinders that were stuck on the ground. Jonathan informed me that they allowed air to cycle through the mines underneath the city. Joy just shook her head, probably amused that I knew so little.

Makes sense, I suppose. I just wondered why the mine was being dug under the city itself. Those things were everywhere.

We stopped in front of a large building that seemed to be carved into the eastern mountain wall. Pillars made out of natural stone supported the roof sticking outwards that proudly proclaimed that this was the Oreburgh gym. I looked over, seeing that there were a few trainers coming out of the gym. One quickly looked us over, and sneered.

"Whoever you think you are, get lost," he said nastily. "Roark isn't here today, but he'd totally whoop your ass any day."

I didn't say anything back, feeling confused at being disregarded like a piece of trash. The guy scratched his throat, before leaving with his group. I looked over at Jonathan and Joy, who both shrugged.

"They probably train here," Joy offered. "I hear that Roark's pretty boastful of being a Rock Pokémon trainer."

"Either way, that's not really a way to address someone," I said with a frown. "I mean, don't they represent the League?"

"In a way, yes they do," Jonathan said. "But every gym is its own island. The League can only do so much."

I nodded at the offered information. "Well, I just hope your guys believe us."

"Yeah, me too," he said with a sigh. "Well, anyway, we're here. Do you want to challenge the gym?"

I stared at him, conflicted for a split second. On one hand, I did want to try my hand in a battle against these guys. As much as I wanted to wipe the smug looks on their faces, something else reared its ugly head. Darkrai. We were being chased down by the Night Walker, and Jonathan suggests that I go battling gym leaders?

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I said flatly. Joy gasped behind me, and even Jonathan backed up slightly.

"You're the one telling us that we needed to get to Blackthorn as soon as possible, and this would only slow us down," I continued, pointing towards the gym's doors. "I can't let that happen, and we've already had delays out of our hands. The faster we get to Blackthorn, the sooner I can start worrying about other things. But right now, this is completely out of the question.

"Someday, I'll come back here, and I'll show those dimwits what they're talking about. But not now. Song's sacrificed enough to get us this far. I'm not going to let that go to waste."

With my little speech finished, I headed back to the Pokémon Center. Both Jonathan and Joy's footsteps soon followed me after I began walking. I didn't care. We needed to get to Jubilife. I was surprised by his suggestion, and I think I understood what he meant to say, but still. I don't want any more delays. We needed to get there.

After retrieving our Pokémon it was just past noon. The sun has just reached its peak, and with hardly a cloud in the sky. We should make excellent time to Jubilife. I looked over my friends, who already had their flying Pokémon out and ready. I released Spirit, who nodded as soon as she was free of her portable home. As soon as she was sure I was safe on her back, we were off the ground. The wind raced across my face as I held on to her, wings softly humming as we left for our destination.

Chapter 16 - Awry

We landed in Jubilife City later the same day we left Oreburgh. We quickly managed to secure a room at the Pokémon Center before they were booked. Apparently, some show was starting up that was popular among the kids and it was sold out or something. Joy let out a high pitched squeal when the Nurse Joy of the center confirmed her question.

"So wait, what's going on again?" I asked her as she explained herself for the fifth time in a row.

"It's the Catch-Em's!" she screamed happily at me. "I've always wanted to see them live since I was a kid! Oh my gosh! We have to go!"

I raised an eyebrow at Jonathan, who shrugged at my reaction. "I have no idea," he said simply.

"You two know who I'm talking about. They're famous!"

"I'm sure they are, Joy," I said, raising a hand to stave off her excited speech. "But remember, we're here only to take a flight to Johto as soon as possible, not to spend more time here than we need to."

She stared at me like if I was stupid. "You don't get it, do you?" she asked. "This is probably the most famous band in the world, and you don't care?"

"At least we can agree to disagree," I said with a shake of my head. "Yes, I'm saying that I don't care, and that we're leaving as soon as possible. What part of this don't you understand?"

She groaned out loud. "I honestly hope that your flight is delayed," she fumed nastily. "Just to spite you, I really hope so."

"You don't mean that. I honestly hope you don't mean that," Jonathan said, startled.

"Oh, I do," she said with a smug grin.

"Whatever," I said with a shake of my head. "Let's just go to the airport, Jonathan. You'll book your own ticket, Joy."

"That's IF I want to tag along," she said, as if reminding us.

"Remind me again who almost got choked to death by a certain Pokémon and who is it that came after your screams."

She looked over at me with a barely contained fury hidden within her eyes. I almost wanted to laugh. Almost. I know I pushed my luck as far as I am going to be able to today.

====================//////////////////////////========================

This was not happening. It was as if the universe decided to make me the butt of the joke that it was surely in. I was just the scapegoat for everything. I did not just wake up at seven in the morning for this.

"I'm truly sorry, sir, but all our flights are unable to accommodate you," the attendant said. She was a rather attractive lady, with round lips and clear blue eyes. I would pay more attention to her face if I wasn't so frustrated.

"Alright, that's the fifth time you've said that," I said, taking a deep breath. "When is the next flight to Johto?"

She began typing on the keyboard in front of her. Fingers were making the familiar clicking on keys, before she shook her head. She frowned for a moment, before her fingers flew to her mouse and clicked a few items. After a moment, she looked back at me.

"The soonest we can book you in is two weeks," she said with a faint smile. "I'm really sorry, but all previous flights are booked."

I sighed. I looked over to Jonathan, who nodded and patted me on the shoulder. "I got it from here," he said. "Go study for your exam while I handle this."

I sighed again, but nodded. With Jonathan handling business here at the airport, I exited the building. The loud whine of engines whirling behind me and the figure of an airplane passing through the sky almost made my skin crawl. We could have been in there. Our luck was definitely not holding up to expectations. I headed straight for the Pokémon Center, avoiding looking at people directly. I'm sure that I looked like someone who wanted to pick a fight, and didn't want that at the moment.

I took deep breaths as I stepped inside the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy waved at me, and I forced a smile. She beckoned me over to her before I could duck into the hallway towards our assigned room.

"What's up?" she asked. I quickly explained our sudden problem, but she shrugged.

"That airport is ridiculously busy," she said with a smile. "You're lucky you got bumped up so early. Most people are complaining that they have to book months in advance! Trust me, you'll find plenty of stuff to do in Jubilife while you wait."

I nodded, feeling slightly better about our hold-up. "Thanks, Nurse Joy," I said, smiling genuinely now.

"Any time," she said with a smile. "A friend of a sister of mine is my friend, too!"

She giggled after that, before turning to one of the Chansey that aided her. She excused herself as she had to go take care of her patients. I nodded in understanding, and silently hoped that nothing serious was going on. I walked inside the room to see Joy going over a few books. She looked up as I closed the door behind me, and she grinned at me.

"You're just in time," she said. "Pull up a chair, you're going to need some help if you want to ace that test."

"Huh?"

"Don't play stupid with me, damn it!" she yelled at me nastily. "I know what you're doing and I'm not taking no for an answer."

I was confused, but neither was I going to say no to the help. She motioned for a chair, and I complied. I sat in front of her, as she passed a book to me.

"One Hundred and One Ways to Breed your Pokémon," I said out loud, reading the tittle of the book. "Joy, you've got to be kidding me."

She shook her head. "Nope, I'm not. This is probably the best resource book you can get, unless you've had firsthand experience in the subject."

I could feel my cheeks begin to warm up at the implied comment. "Well..."

"I know what you've done," she said. "You've told me. That's fine, great even. We can go over that one later. It isn't as explicit as you think it is."

I raised an eyebrow and she sighed. "We're going to go over a lot of technical jargon, so you know what you'll be getting into. Also, just to warn you, there will be a practical exam. At least, there was when I took one. Be prepared for that."

"Practical?" I asked, honestly sounding worried. "Like what?"

She shrugged. "They're made up on a case by case basis, or so I was told. I had to milk a Miltank that was behaving ornery. Long story short, there was more to it than that, but that's part of the test."

I nodded grimly. "Fine, so what can you help me with?"

She grabbed another book and flipped it to a page. "Here," she declared, handing the book over to me.

"How to Tell Symptoms of Abuse," I read the tittle of the chapter aloud.

"We're going to start small. Trust me."

The book is about as thick as my head.

======================////////////////////////==========================

"Joy?" I asked, looking at the building in front of me.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Are you sure this is the only way?"

"Yep. Now come on. Don't tell me you're gonna pussy out on me. Not after the three days I put in for you."

I frowned. She was blackmailing me, and she was going to milk it for all it was worth. Sighing, I followed her inside the building. The doors slid open silently to reveal a large open room. The floors were tiled white, the peach colored walls with paintings depicting peaceful landscapes for decorations. The ceiling was white as well, with lamps lighting the room. Potted plants were on display around, giving a bit of more color to the almost monotone room. People were moving around the reception area, either dressed in formal attire or casual. Doctors and nurses in traditional medical garb could be seen ducking in and out the room, as well. Multiple doors were along the walls, and I could see at least two hallways that led deeper into the building. A man was sitting behind a desk ahead of us. It wasn't until Joy pushed me did my feet start walking toward him.

The man looked up as we approached, shuffling a few papers into place. He has dark hair, a prominent jaw and a hooked nose. His green eyes made a bright contrast with his tanned skin. "Hey Joy! Welcome back!" he exclaimed, extending his hand to shake hers.

"Hey Dan, nice to see you again," she said, grasping his hand and squeezing tightly. Dan winced, rubbing his hand gingerly after Joy let go.

"Still murder on me after all this time," he said with a laugh. He looked over to me, and extended his other hand. "Welcome to the Breeder's License Bureau, sir."

I took his hand and shook it firmly, but without Joy's bone shattering grip. "Thank you. My name's Nick."

"A pleasure meeting you, Nick. Now, what can I do for you?"

"We're here for him to get a breeder's license," Joy stated without preamble.

Dan raised an eyebrow for a moment, but shrugged soon after. He turned to face me. "So you were told what will happen?" he asked.

"Sort of," I said with a shrug of my own. "I understand that I won't be able to go through the gym challenges and whatnot."

"There's more to it, but that's one of the major notes," he said, pulling out some forms. "There are a few legalities that we need to do. Background check, a few tests, all kind of fun stuff. Do you have time today?"

I looked over at Joy who nodded. "Yeah, we've got plenty of time," I said.

"Good. Have you studied for the tests?" he asks.

I nodded again. "Yeah. I've been studying for the last three days."

"Wow, that's some dedication," he said, his eyes wide and with surprise in his voice. "Most people just cram it at the last second."

I shrugged. "It was pretty interesting, in all honesty. A bit dull at some points, but overall it managed to keep my attention just fine."

"That's good to hear," he said with a laugh as he pulled some more paperwork. "Probably Joy made it a bit more interesting for you."

I don't think he meant that as something more than I thought he meant, but I shook my head. "She was kicking my butt every time I messed something up, or started to fall sleep."

I felt the punch on my shoulder before I heard Dan laugh. "Sounds about right," he said, wheezing slightly.

"Watch out, old man, or your asthma will kick in again," Joy warned.

"Very funny," he said after gaining control of himself. "Anyways, Nick, are you ready for your tests?"

I nodded. "About how long this will take?" I asked. "Just curious."

"Depends on the results of your written and practical tests. Could be a few hours, or it could be a few days."

I didn't have the time to gamble on 'days'. I nodded. "Lead on."

I parted ways from Joy, with a promise that if I didn't pass this test I'd get a swift kick between my legs. Dan laughed as we went through one of the doors. The doors revealed a hallway, doors lining the sides as far as I could see. He guided me onwards in silence for a moment, as we walked forward to wherever he was leading me.

"Don't worry," he said suddenly. "She won't have to."

I raised an eyebrow at him, curious of his statement, but he shrugged in response. We only passed a few doors before he opened a door to our right and taking a peek inside. He nodded, opening the door further and motioned for me to follow. Inside were two small desks with chairs, with a clean white board along the wall. The room didn't have a window, but there was enough light to make it not matter. Dan closed the door with an audible snap of a lock clicking into place.

"Alright, now for the boring stuff," he said, sitting down. "Go ahead and get comfortable. Do you have your Pokédex?"

I nodded, pulling the device out of my pocket and passing it to him. "Here you go."

"Perfect," he said with a smile. "We can get a lot done with just this. This will help us find your most recent medical records, and we can get your background check going."

He nodded, passing a packet over to me with a pencil. "Here's your first test. Just do your best and we'll go from there, alright? I'm going to step outside and get these files started, and bring over some water."

I nodded. "Thank you," I said as he opened the door. He waved at me with a friendly smile before closing the door behind him. I looked down at the paper in front of me, feeling my heart skip a beat when I saw how big it was.

I flipped through the pages, seeing the last question being one hundred fifty one. I sighed. This was going to be a long day.

==========================///////////////////////=======================

Dan came in sometime during the testing phase. I was around question seventy eight on the second pamphlet when he disappeared through the doors the second time, this time with more papers in hand. The scratching of pencil on paper and our breathing were the only sounds in the room. The questions seemed to become easier as I went through them. Maybe all that studying was beginning to pay off. Before I knew it, I was at the last question. My pencil paused as I read it.

I knew the answer, that wasn't the problem. The question is what bothered me.

'What is the most common reason many trainers are arrested for having a breeder's license?'

I frowned, sighed, but wrote in the one word that wanted me to gag.

'Poképhiliacs'.

I sighed, as I closed the packet and placed my pencil down. I stood to turn in my test to find Dan fiddling with my Pokédex. "Done?" he asks.

I nod. "Yeah, just finished," I said as I passed the test over.

"Good, now that we have that handled," he said, putting it at the top of the pile. "I have a few questions for you."

I blinked. I was confused, but nodded.

"How long have you been a trainer?"

I frowned, closing my eyes in thought. "Two, three weeks?" I offered. "It's been a crazy trip so far."

"How many Pokémon do you have registered?"

"Six, though one isn't with me at the moment. She's at a monastery training."

"Was this forced on her?"

I shook my head briefly. "It was her decision, though she wanted my approval."

"How long have you known Joy?" he continued. I heard the scratch of writing as he spoke.

"I met her soon as I entered the Mount Coronet cave system, which wasn't long since I started," I said. "So, about the same time as I started, but take a few days. A week, I'd say."

"Anyone else with you and Joy?"

"There's Jonathan," I said. "He's said that he's from Blackthorn."

He nodded. "Everything checks out quite well." He then grabs the test and looks it over for a moment, before shrugging and putting it back down. I raised an eyebrow at his actions.

"You're not grading that?" I asked.

"Nope," he answered with a smile and a shrug. "The written exam is more to see how well you know the material. That's fine and dandy, but we don't really care about that. Most breeders follow the major rules. By the way, you got all of the questions right."

"So, all that studying was a waste of time?" I asked, feeling rather silly after all that.

"No, it wasn't," Dan said sternly. "You still need to know and follow the law. We don't bar you from not knowing, but ignorance isn't an excuse. If you would have scored less than expected, we would have taught you the law until you knew it by heart."

I nodded, feeling relief. Good thing we didn't have to go through all that. It was mostly common sense.

"So yes, now we move on to the practical part of the exam," Dan said with a grin. "You're going to hate us afterwards."

"I think I can handle it," I said with confidence.

"That's what they all say," he said, with a laugh. "Everyone says that, and yet they still end up hating our guts."

"What's the test?" I asked

"Follow me," he said, standing up with a cup of water in hand.

I followed as he closed the door behind us. We continued deeper into the labyrinth that was this gigantic building. "How big is this building?" I asked.

"It's pretty big, as you can imagine," he said with a smile. "It has five floors, mostly research and files, with the first, second, and third floors dedicated to practical testing and rehabilitation."

"Rehabilitate?" I asked, concerned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, sometimes there's trainers that don't want the responsibility of having to take care of a Pokémon that is beyond medical care," he explained with a sigh. We stopped in front of a door, his hands rubbing his eyes for a moment. "I've seen things that make me want to strangle some kids."

I stayed quiet, and his face changed immediately. "No, I have a good feeling about you, Nick. It's just that others have left a bad taste on me. I've seen trainers abandon their Pokémon here or at the Pokémon Center just because they didn't have the right hair in place. It's a little disgusting."

"Why do you have a better feeling about me than others?"

"First of all, Joy came with you. That alone says a lot about you. She's one of the top breeders in the world, currently, but she takes care of any Pokémon under her care. She might come off as brash and very uncaring, and she can be. But under that, there's a heart that really cares about others, especially Pokémon.

"Also," he continued, giving me a grin, "I managed to get hold of the Nurse Joy of Solaceon. She told me how your Pokémon chose you instead of the other way around. And not to mention the hundreds of volunteer hours that you've put in to help her out. All that matters."

I stood there, slightly dumbfounded as I was inundated by information. Dan smiled, patting me on the shoulder. "You alright, Nick?" he asked, concern clear in his question.

I nodded after a moment. "Yeah, I'm fine," I said, sighing. "I've never been told that I'm a good person before. Except mom and dad, but parents say that to their kids all the time."

"Well, let me tell you that unless you totally bomb the practical test, there's no reason why we should bar you from getting a breeder's license."

I smiled at that. "Alright. Thank you."

"Hey, just calling it as I see it," he said with an easy shrug. "It's not often you get to meet someone that has a similar mentality."

I nodded. "So, what's the test?" I asked.

"This is where it gets good," he said as he opened the door and motioned for me to enter. I did so, as he followed behind me. Inside was a small room with another door across from us. A mirror adorned one wall, while the other was just the same as the walls outside. The floor was carpeted in this room, with a wooden table and two chairs made of wood with no decorations that I could see. Other than that, the room was quite empty.

I looked over at Dan, who was grinning. "Yeah, everyone does that, too," he said with a laugh. "This glass is a one way mirror. We'll be observing you from the other side. We'll bring you some water and the Pokémon that you'll be handling for this test."

"What's my objective?" I asked, confused. "I don't really understand what I'm supposed to do."

"You'll see," he replied enigmatically. "If you can get her to calm down, that'll be a huge improvement to her overall mood. Oh, and before I forget, you'll probably want this."

He pulled out my Pokédex from one of his pockets and passed it over. I quickly looked over the device, but didn't notice anything out of place. I nodded and gave Dan my thanks.

"Don't sweat it," he said with a smile. "Just get comfortable, you'll be on the spotlight soon enough."

I nodded. "I'll bring in some water soon, too," he said. "You'll probably need it."

He left the same way we came in, and I decided to pull a chair and sit down. I fumbled around with my Pokédex for a while longer, but nothing else changed. The room began to get a bit chilly, when I noticed that the air conditioning was being turned to a colder temperature. I frowned. Was the Pokémon more comfortable in colder environments? And a more important question is why wasn't I given a jacket? I was beginning to shiver, though I did my best to suppress it. The door behind me opened as Dan reappeared with a bright yellow jacket in one hand and a pitcher of water in the other. He placed the pitcher down on the table as he dropped the jacket on my lap.

"You'll probably need this," he said with a smile. "Having problems?"

"Other than the temperature," I said with a laugh. "Trying to figure out why the room needs to be cold. Other than the Pokémon feeling comfortable in such environments, I got nothing."

Dan looked over at the one way mirror and grinned. "Told you he wasn't stupid!" he said loudly. I raised an eyebrow at his comment.

"There were a few others that were betting you wouldn't figure out why it was getting colder," he explained as he patted my back. "Thanks to you, I just made double my pay today."

"You're sharing, right?" I asked with a grin.

"Nope! Though I might treat you for some ice cream afterwards," he said with a laugh.

I laughed with him, as he shook his head. "Your exam partner will be here in a few moments," Dan said, nodding. "She'll be quite ornery, so be prepared. Wear that jacket, too."

I nodded as I began to slip it on. It was a loose fit, but as soon as I was zipped up, I could feel warmth encase my entire torso. My face was slightly numb, but I could deal with that. Dan grinned at me.

"I'll be leaving now," he said suddenly, as the other door began to open. The door behind me opened and was promptly slammed shut as a Weavile walked in through the door ahead of me. It was quietly shut as the Pokémon approached. As much as I wanted to hear what the Pokédex wanted to say about such a graceful Pokémon, I decided to forego it for the moment.

The Weavile had a midnight black coat, with a single jewel on the forehead. From my angle, I could see that the jewel was slightly cracked. From what, I couldn't tell. The fur around the neck and on top of the Pokémon's head is a vibrant red, but the ends were colored yellow. She also had three tails, similar to the Pokémon's previous form, instead of the normal two of a Weavile. Sharp white claws adorned the majority of her hands, which gleamed in the light. I hoped that she didn't intend to use those on me.

Her eyes were studying me as much as I was studying her. She looked confused, though her mouth revealed sharp fangs as she cried in anger. "Weavile! Weav!"

I sighed and shook my head. I stopped myself before I said something that sounded more appropriate out of Joy's mouth. "Hi," I said with a smile. "My name's Nick."

"Weavile!" the Pokémon said, still sounding frustrated.

I frowned. I think I've been taking advantage of the fact that most of my Pokémon can communicate with me more easily. I haven't done this charade game in a long time. I held up my hand, hoping to stave off more of her angry cries.

"Alright, I can tell you aren't happy about this," I said, as I stood from the chair and sat on the floor. We were now more or less equal height. "I'm not a doctor, if that's what you're worried about."

The Weavile deflated slightly as her claws rubbed against each other. Was she embarrassed? I shrug inwardly. "I don't really know what's going on. But maybe we can get along? It would be kinda boring if we didn't."

She looked startled for a moment. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at me. She shook her head, huffing as she turned around. I frowned as the Pokémon turned her back at me. I sighed, my breath condensing in front of me. I was suddenly very grateful that Dan handed me the jacket earlier. My hands reached for my Pokédex, grabbing it and flipping it open. My fingers felt slightly numb, so I slowed down so I didn't push a button by mistake.

My Pokédex revealed little information on the species as a whole. Other than being incredibly intelligent and that they used their own brand of written communication, very little else was provided. Useless to this scenario was the average height and weight of the species. I shrugged as my hands closed the device once again. I found myself staring into the Weavile's gaze, and my heart skipped a beat. Startled, my body jumped off the floor slightly but it didn't seem to faze the Pokémon. She pointed at the device in my hand.

I tilted my head curiously, and she pointed at the Pokédex again. I raised an eyebrow, but obliged by showing it to her. Her claws pressed against my skin, and I was surprised by the strength of her grip. Maybe it's the thought that they can probably slice me to pieces if she so desired. I have no idea. She looked at me again, as if asking permission and I nodded. Her claws took it off my grip, the device opening to her touch. I was surprised that she knew how to do so.

It looked like the Weavile wasn't a stranger to the technology, as she pressed buttons skillfully. A few beeps later from my Pokédex left her with a confused look. I didn't want to interrupt her, though I was glad she didn't look angry. She looked curious, but not angry at the moment. I would think that her eyes would start glowing if that was the case.

Her eyes relented their staring at the device, only to look up at me with expectation. I wondered what she was looking at. Voicing my question, she pressed the Pokédex against my arm. Looking at the screen, the Weavile had pulled up information on all my current Pokémon. Well, everyone that is with me at last count. The silhouette of Song was the one that stood out the most. The Weavile pointed a claw at the display.

"You're pretty smart, aren't you," I said softly. It wasn't a question.

I sighed. "She's not here right now," I continued. At her curious look, I explained further. "She wanted to stay behind where we were last. As much as I thought it probably was a bad idea, it was ultimately her choice. It isn't like I can make her do what I want."

The Weavile stared at me, her eyes making me feel like the temperature around me dropped even further. I suppressed the shiver that ran through my body as best I could. Her eyes narrowed even further, the feeling of that my reaction wasn't missed forefront in my mind. She pointed at the device again, then at me. Her eyes were still narrowed, but not as menacing as before.

"What is it now?" I asked, curious to her actions. She pointed at the five pictures individually, and then shrugged her shoulders.

"You want to know where they are?" I asked, hoping I read her body language correctly. She nodded.

"Well, they're at the city Pokémon Center right now," I said, smiling. "They deserve some downtime."

She looked at me curiously, and I smiled back at her. She waved her claws at me, silently demanding that I continue. I quickly settled on a believable story. It was close to the truth, anyway.

"One of my traveling companions is an explorer from Johto," I explained. "He suggested that we go to the southern end of the Mount Coronet mountain range. It's taken... a week? Maybe a little more, but around that time, yeah. Anyway, we haven't had a chance to rest for a good while, so that's why we're here."

She tapped her foot, before jabbing her claws against the jacket. "What about me?" I asked, guessing at her question. She nodded again.

"What do you want to know? I'm sorry, that's a bit vague," I responded, smiling at her. She concentrated for a moment, before pointing her claws at me again and smiling.

"You want to know about me?" I asked. She nodded.

"Well, my name's Nick. I've lived in Solaceon all my life, until I became a trainer," I said. "My parents are archaeologists. They're studying the underground, mapping it and finding any interesting bits of old fossils to study. Not necessarily Pokémon fossils, but sometimes we've found a few of those around. I helped whenever I could, if I wasn't too busy sticking my neck inside the Pokémon Center."

I thought for a moment, making sure I didn't miss anything critical but shrugged all the same. "It's been an interesting trip, to say the least. I'm just glad I've had friends with me all this time."

"Weavile?" she asked, taking a step back. She looked surprised at my use of words.

I smiled at the Weavile in front of me. "You heard right," I said with a chuckle. "While all I ask is that they listen to me, they mostly tell me what to do."

She gave me a curious look, as if determined to know if I was lying to her or not. A soft blue glow came from around her claws, my eyes focusing slowly on the white ball when the glow disappeared. Weavile threw it up into the air before catching it a few times, before throwing it directly at me. My mind screamed to dodge, but my hand came up and caught it immediately. I was surprised to my quick reaction time, but it didn't help me when my face was covered in soft snow.

I blew out what cold flakes I could out of my nose, wiping off what was left of the projectile from my face before it slid inside the jacket or my shirt. I wiped what I could from my eyes, seeing the Weavile barely containing her mirth. My shoulders shrugged, double checking my Pokédex to make sure that no frosted water damaged the device. Satisfied with my quick inspection, I went to place it on the table, but another snowball pelted my face.

I could tell how someone would get irritated quickly due to this treatment.

Turning around, I saw the Weavile chuckling to herself. After placing the Pokédex on the table, I grabbed what I could from the snow on my face and threw it back at her. While she was quick enough to dodge the attack, she glared daggers at me. I chuckled back in response.

"You seemed to become a little comfortable there," I said easily. "I just wanted to surprise you."

While she didn't respond vocally, she launched herself up to the table, making another snowball in her claws. I rolled out of the way as soon as one of the snowballs flew at me, juking her second throw by a hairs breath. The frost left my cheek feeling numb. I was very grateful that my body was able to keep up with the demand. I even managed to grab a few throws and retaliate. My aim was horrible, but it still kept the Weavile on her toes, so to speak. Her aim, on the other hand, was impeccable. I was mostly blocking the shots with my arms. Otherwise, my face would be covered with snow.

The barrage halted abruptly, and I gambled on looking for the snowball hurler. She was still on top of the table, but she also had a larger snowball in one claw, and my Pokédex in the other. Before any words formed, she shoved the device inside of the compact sphere, before she enlarged it and threw it to the opposite corner of me. Afraid of the device getting water damage, I hurried over to the snowball only to be bombarded again. I ignored the impacts as much as possible, but the jacket could only do so much. And not to mention that my pants were beginning to be as soaked as if I just pulled them out of a washing machine.

Speaking of laundry, I probably should do that when I get out of this place.

In my brief moment of deep insight, a snowball flew at my face, rightfully covering my right side of my face with its cold numbness. It. Is. On.

Noticing that my immediate surroundings had an awful good amount of snow, I grabbed a handful of it. Without taking the time for a flashy display, I compressed it as lightly as possible but still keeping a spherical shape, and threw it at my oppressor. To my utmost surprise, it nailed her right in the face! The momentum knocked her backwards. She didn't fall, much to my relief, but it did make her take a step back. When she faced me, however, her eyes were almost narrowed points and glowing menacingly at me.

I wish I missed that throw.

Blue spheres began to materialize around her, slowly condensing into snowballs. I counted fifteen before I gave up as more were made. The barrage happened without any preamble, the spheres pelting my body without any mercy. I did idly notice that she wasn't aiming for my face, so I took a gamble on attempting to catch and throw what I could back. While it didn't look like she noticed or cared, I did my best to give back as much as I was taking. Though I know it was a useless endeavor, it was either that or be drowned in snow.

I only moved when my immediate area was covered in snow. I wanted to reduce the risk of slipping as much as possible. Footing was still treacherous, but I did my best given the circumstance. By the time I moved twice, a quarter of the room was already covered in white. Halfway through, my arms were sore and I couldn't feel my legs due to the cold. My lungs felt frozen as the temperature constantly dropped the more ice Weavile created.

By the time we made full circle, I was exhausted. Her throwing had tapered off at one point, the impacts against my clothes becoming more spaced as time wore on. She sat down, waving at me as if saying that she's done. I chuckled, my legs giving out from under me as I fell on the soft ground cover underneath me.

"Weavile!"

A sudden pressure on top of my chest made me fearful that she was going to try to jump up and down on my chest, in an effort to get me to breathe. I turned my head sideways and coughed, my body shivering slightly. I shoved my hand inside the snow, trying to find my Pokédex with no luck. Weavile climbed off me, diving in through the snow. When she reappeared, my Pokédex was held with her claws. When she passed it over to me, she looked almost apologetic. I smiled at her as she released her grip on the Pokédex. She placed one of her claws against my free hand, her eyes meeting mine.

I have no idea what she was thinking, but she seemed content enough with what she saw. She cried out at me, tugging at the jacket for me to get up. I complied, only to make sure that my lower body didn't freeze. Weavile insisted that I sit down on a chair, and wasn't going to take no for an answer. I complied, only to be surprised when she jumped on top of my lap. My body tensed for a moment, but relaxed when all she did was lean her body against me. I took the risk of bringing my arms to my lap. Weavile placed her claws on top of my hands, insisting that my hands lay against her fur. I was surprised to feel that it was a soft coat, her skin feeling oddly warm against my fingers. I looked down, seeing that her eyes were closed against the wet jacket. I opened the jacket slowly, lifting her off my chest as gently as I could, before resting her head against my chest. Placing the flaps of the jacket around her, I sighed, closing my eyes for a brief moment.

I wondered what those people thought. The odds were that they were silently judging everything that went on in this room. Wonder if they're going to frown at the snow mess we just made. Was this even what was required of me? The goal was quite vague in that respect. The air conditioner was still on, as the low hum of the machine became audible now that the room was quiet. The snow wasn't helping, that's for sure. My lungs burned slightly, the cold air's bite stinging through my throat. I was just glad that my breath was visible.

I looked over to the one way mirror, imagining at least five or ten people sitting on the other side with bewildered faces. My thoughts wandered over to Dan, and if he was there as well. Would anyone be surprised at Weavile's actions? I shrugged, silently hoping for the best possible answer to that question. Not entirely sure what is the best answer, but I'll take a positive response. Someone walking in and telling me I did a good job would be a start.

The sound of a door opening shakes me from my thoughts. I see Dan walking in with a towel and a cup of something hot. Or at least I hope it's hot, as I see steam coming from the mug.

"I thought you'd enjoy some hot cocoa after being locked in here for two hours," he said with a soft chuckle.

================///////////////////////////////==========================

"Nick, may I speak with you?" Dan asked after a moment's silence. "You can leave Weavile there. We'll have someone pick her up."

The Weavile grabbed hold of my arm tightly. "Weavile! Weave Weavile!" she shouted, shaking her head. She pressed her head against the jacket, and the soft tearing of fabric could be heard. Dan sighed.

"Looks like I'm staying then," he said, shaking his head.

"Want me to push a chair for you?" I asked, clutching onto the Weavile gently.

"Nah, I'm good," he said. "You have to be freezing, though."

"Slightly," I said with a laugh. "This Weavile throws a mighty mean snowball."

"We noticed," he said with a chuckle. "I want to tell you that she's never opened to anyone like this before. Sure, for a little while, but then she goes back to being wary and pessimistic."

"How long is a little while?" I asked.

"Ten, fifteen minutes?" he said with a shrug. "I think that was the record. No staff would handle her on a long term basis. It seems you have a gift."

I shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "Maybe," I said. "I just did what I did when I met my friends."

"Well, perhaps we all have something to learn today," he said, grinning at the one way mirror. I blinked, confused if he was referring to himself or the others.

"I'm glad to say that you've passed with flying colors," he said with a grin. "After you sign some papers, you'll be free to go and we can update your trainer's license."

I nodded, smiling. "Thank you, Dan," I said with a smile, before a thought made me double back. "What about this Weavile?"

"She'll have to go back, until a trainer adopts her," he said with a shrug. "I really don't see-."

"I'll adopt her," I said, cutting him off. He stayed silent after that, his eyes slightly wide. "When she first stepped in this room, she was scared that I was going to do something to her. After being with her, I can't help but feel that she's just misunderstood and lonely. She needs to get out of this place, and we hit it off pretty well. I'm sure that my Pokémon can help her adjust to the outside world."

"Her file..."

"It means little to me," I said with a shake of my head. "My Gardevoir was abandoned before I adopted her. My Milotic is blind in one eye due to a previous injury she received in a fight. My Flygon... let's just say that the things she's been through would make most people curl in a corner for a week, or be sent to the loony bin.

"She has a record, woop-de-do," I continued, rolling my eyes. "It isn't going to stop me from adopting her."

Dan stood there, his mouth working a reaction but no sounds came. He finally settled on laughing. It sounded to me somewhere between hysterical and relieved. He turned towards the one way mirror, raising a single offending digit towards the reflective surface.

"I damn told you!" he laughed.

I raised an eyebrow, but decided against asking. Why are Joy's acquaintances all weird in the head?

=======================///////////////////////======================

Weavile was currently sitting on my shoulders, her claws idly grasping to my hair when I tilted slightly. I smiled as I gently touched her back, her body rumbling slightly as if purring at my touch. Dan led me through a few doors, where I was asked for a few pictures. After I signed a bit of paperwork, he asked for my Pokédex, which I handed without a complaint. We moved towards a computer, where he sat behind and began the familiar clicking of keys and mouse. Before long, he unattached my device and handed it back to me.

"Well, congratulations, Nick!" he said excitedly. "You are now officially a breeder."

We shook hands, his grip almost painfully tight. "You are now allowed to have up to twelve Pokémon on your person, double the standard amount. You know the rest, and we'll send you the official stuff in the mail. You're here at the Jubilife Pokémon Center, correct?"

I nodded. "Yep. We'll be here for another week, too. We're trying to go to Johto."

"The paperwork won't take more than a day or two to get there," he said with a smile. "You'll receive copies of all the paperwork you signed, plus where to go for discounts throughout all the regions."

"Discounts?" I asked. "I don't remember Joy mentioning that."

"It's a secret to everyone," he whispered in a hushed tone. "Just don't argue with it."

I nodded, being mindful of the Weavile on my shoulders. He took out some paperwork, but shook his head. "Are you sure you don't want copies of her paperwork?" he asked.

I shrugged. "If you feel it necessary," I said. "If she has any medical requirements to be met, or specific diet needs, yes. I said it before, her record isn't going to stop me."

"Somehow, I knew you'd say that," he said with a grin. "We'll send it all together with the other paperwork. Thankfully, I can tell you that she doesn't have any special medical or dietary needs. Though, I will say that she likes her food cold or frozen."

I grinned. "I'll remember that," I said.

"Let's get you out of here," Dan said, standing up. "Joy is probably worried sick about you. She called while you were in the test, and I promised to tell her when you got out."

"You're in trouble now," I said with a laugh.

"You have no idea," he said with a sigh. "At least it was for a good cause, right?"

"I'll put in a good word for you," I promised. "You still owe me an ice cream."

He winced, but laughed. "Yeah, I did promise you that," he said with a chuckle. "Tomorrow?"

"If we're not busy," I said. "You can always give me the money now and call it even."

"Fair enough," he said, handing me a few bills and folding them inside my hand. "Don't tell anyone."

I nodded, grinning as Dan showed me the front door. Afternoon was beginning to turn to twilight. I looked over to him, and he gave me a shrug.

"Time flies when you're having fun," he said at my unasked question.

I chuckled. "How is she?" I asked, pointing towards the Weavile.

"She's asleep, from what I can tell," he said. "She really likes you."

I smiled, feeling a bit of pride. Maybe it was a gift. I have no idea, but I'll take it. "Thanks."

"You just come back safely," he said. "I don't want to hear about another trainer going missing or whatever."

"Missing?"

"Don't you know? Darkrai's been sighted in a few towns recently, and I've been told that some Pokémon and trainers have gone missing."

I did my best to suppress my gasp. I took a sharp breath that I let go slowly. "We'll take care."

======================/////////////////////////=========================

Jonathan and Joy were with me now, back inside the Pokémon Center. Victini and Deoxys were with us now, back from wherever they were. Victini was hovering close to Joy, but Deoxys was sitting next to me. Weavile was currently curled up on my lap. As I had hoped, my team took an immediate shine to her. Though Zin and Akalia showed the least enthusiasm about it, both Xola and Spirit were all over the Weavile, making sure that she was comfortable. It was until she pleaded to be released from their grasp that she finally fell asleep on my lap.

"You're in the habit of picking up strays," Joy said with a chuckle. "Not that it's a bad thing. I love how she has three tails. That's so unusual."

I nodded. "I thought so," I said. "I was under the impression that Weavile have two, but Sneasles have three."

"You're right," Joy said with a smile. "Genetic mutation, I imagine."

"She's still amazing looking," I said with a chuckle.

"Didn't I just say that?" she asked, punching me on the arm lightly. "Did her file say why she was left there?"

I shrugged. "I didn't look into it," I said. "I asked Dan if she had any medical or dietary needs. When he said no, I didn't bother looking any further. He said that he would mail her file with the rest of my stuff in a day or two."

"Sounds like him, being all lazy about it," she said with a laugh. "So, are you going to make it official?"

"Well, I would rather wait for her to wake up," I said, shrugging. "How would you feel if you were asleep when a Pokéball hits your head?"

She winced. "Good point."

"Nick."

I turned to face Deoxys, his eyes expressing curiosity. He tilted his head downwards, looking at the Weavile for a moment before continuing.

"Victini has chosen her human," he said after the pause. "I wish to choose you as my companion."

I blinked for a moment, suppressing the urge to jump off my seat. I looked over Deoxys, still trying to fathom why he was choosing me. He chuckled softly at me.

"Do you still question my motives?" he asked nonchalantly.

I nodded. "Still do."

"Will being your companion help you allay your fears?" he asked.

I shrugged. "No clue."

"Just shut up and take him already!" Victini yells, floating over to my face. Weavile jumped at the sound, hissing menacingly at the floating creature. She flinched back when Victini glared at her.

"Do you have any idea how long he's been waiting?" Victini asked me, pointing towards Deoxys. "Let me tell you. Long enough doesn't begin to describe it. Just shut up and do it!"

I looked at Joy, who shrugged. "What can I say?" she asked, shrugging. "Victini was pretty insistent on joining me. Who am I to say no?"

"Wait, you already captured her?" I asked.

"Well, captured is a strong word," Victini said with a smile. "I chose this."

I looked at Deoxys again, this time pulling my backpack from the ground and pulling an empty Pokéball. Deoxys glanced over to me for a moment as the device expanded to its full size. Without any hesitation, he pressed against the device and disappeared inside of it. The Pokéball didn't wiggle, and only made the successful hum after a second or two. I opened the Pokéball after getting over my initial shock.

"That was an interesting experience," Deoxys said when he fully rematerialized. "I do not think I would enjoy spending a lot of time inside there."

I nodded. "I'll only put you inside if you want to, or if you're in danger," I promised.

The Weavile shuffled through my backpack, grabbing another Pokéball and dropping it on my hand. She nodded when I looked at her. She pressed the button herself, expanding the ball and letting herself to be captured. Again, the ball didn't wiggle to show that she was resistant to the process. I still let her out of it as soon as the beeping sound was heard.

As she came out, she practically hugged my face to death. Happy cries were coming out of her as she snuggled against my head. I sighed as everyone laughed around me. I was even surprised to register that even Deoxys could laugh. I joined in soon after, enjoying the time we had.

It was beginning to get late, so we made sure that our friends and companions were either safely inside their Pokéballs or sleeping comfortably somewhere in the room. Variel and Spirit seemed to have hit it off and were cuddled close, while Ocelomah, Akalia, and Zin were all piled together. Me, Joy, Jonathan, Victini, and Deoxys decided to go to the roof of the Pokémon Center. We decided that we weren't tired just yet and wanted to see a bit of the night sky before tucking in.

"So, we still have a week left, basically," Joy said, sighing. "Now that you're a breeder, what are you going to do?"

I shrugged. "Maybe go out and train," I said with a shrug. "I need to get stronger. We all do."

She nodded. "Yeah, I understand," she said. "Just don't get so caught up that you forget that you probably won't be coming here for a while. You should take the opportunity to explore the city."

I nodded. "That sounds like a good idea," I said with a grin.

"Just be careful," Jonathan said. "There are always nasty sides to these places."

I laughed. "What could possibly go wrong?"

Chapter 17: What happens in Jubilife...

Well, color me surprised when I found out that Jubilife has a public pool. Double that when Joy insisted that we take a break from training and have a day to relax. Naturally, I was reluctant. We've been only training for two days was my argument. She countered me with saying that I had an entire week to do so. I argued back that we could do this before we left. It was when she mentioned the pool that Xola nearly squeezed me to death for attempting to refuse Joy's offer.

So I found myself being dragged along by Joy and Xola to this place. Though now I'm glad I came along. We've been working extremely hard, and everyone is in need of some kind of break. Xola has been really pushing herself more than I thought she would. She's been taking anything and everything I suggest with the attitude of a seasoned fighter. After seeing that memory from her, I wouldn't doubt that it has something to do with it.

At first I was cautious about having Xola out of her Pokéball, but the lifeguard waved my worries away. Most people that come here are trainers with water Pokémon, so it's not a rare sight. While he did mention that it was surprising to see a Milotic, he didn't say no to her being in the pool. Just no excessive splashing was the only thing, and Xola was quick to agree.

I was wearing some recently purchased swim trunks, seeing as I didn't have any on me. Joy almost laughed at me when I told her I didn't have any. I kept it simple, though, because she wanted me to get something more 'manly'. Since when were skull designs on shorts manly? Mine were plain white with a black silhouette of a flying bird on the right side. Joy on the other hand, was wearing something more eye catching.

She turned around as we made our way to an unoccupied area of the pool. Placing our towels and other things down, Joy turned to face me. Her top and bottom matching their ocean blue color. Noticeable swirls started from the edges of the fabric towards the middle, where my eyes shouldn't roam. It didn't leave much of her body to the imagination, but I didn't want to be slapped in public. I wasn't about to let off the hook that easily, however.

"Oh ho," she whispered conspiratorially, leaning forward. Her cleavage, while not overly large, was still impressive. It took some significant willpower not to keep staring.

When I looked upwards, her grin was of a predator having dinner served to them on a platter. "So you do like women." she said. It wasn't a question.

I took a step back, heat rising to my cheeks. "Please don't hit me!" I whimpered.

She laughed, pulling me into a hug. Since when did Joy become so... amiable? In the back of my mind, I couldn't help but appreciate her breasts pressing against my bare skin. I quickly slapped the perverted part of my mind down to where it needed to be, and locked it up tightly. There was absolutely no need to have an embarrassing display in public.

She pulled away from me, her arms grasping my shoulders with a firm grip. My mind wouldn't stop thinking of how her smile seemed to widen as I squirmed in her grasp. She motioned that we sit down, and I was quick to comply. I was surprised that she sat next to me, and didn't remove her hand from my left shoulder. Her grin never left her face as I felt my cheeks burn. She moved our things to the side, a belt clinking softly with something within our towels.

"Why are you so nervous?" she asked. "It's not like your cheating on anyone."

I looked around me for a moment, making sure that no one was nearby. No one else was within earshot, though Xola was giving me a tired look that told me she wanted to be in the water more than waiting for us. I sighed, shaking my head in an effort to control my nerves.

"Zin wouldn't take kindly to this," I said softly. "She's quite attached."

"Your Houndoom?" she asked. I nodded, and she gave me a grin. "She's feisty, isn't she?"

I nodded. "That's putting it mildly." I said with a smile.

"Oh, I wouldn't doubt it." she said with a grin. "Not with those looks that she keeps giving you. I swear that she wants to go at it right there and then, and damn the consequences."

I was extremely glad that she wasn't loud about it. I was grateful about the ambient noise that probably muffled our conversation from prying ears. Though I'm pretty sure that anyone could tell that my cheeks were red. And it wouldn't be hard to tell my level of embarrassment. Joy smiled, though, shaking her head.

"You know, you're not a bad kid." she said with a giggle. "Come on. Your Milotic is giving you the evil eye, too."

I nodded, relieved that she would forgo the interrogation. In all honesty, I have no idea what prompted that. Internally, I was still debating everything that just happened. She knowingly helped me break the law. I mean, for all effects and purposes I was a Poképhiliac. Why would she help me instead of reporting me? Does she think it's an arbitrary law? Maybe it's because she's seen my Pokémon, and she knows I don't treat them any less. I honestly don't know, but that feels like the right answer.

I stood up, offering a hand to Joy to help her up. She took it with a smile, grabbing a Pokéball from her belt. She fiddled with it for a moment, before giving me a grin.

"You get to meet Calliope." she said with a laugh. "She hasn't been out of her Pokéball in a while."

I smiled and nodded. "Just as long as I don't get sprayed in my face." I said with a laugh. "Is Calliope the Kingdra you mentioned before?"

She nodded. "The one and only!" Joy said with a hint of pride. "Let's get to the water, before there's no room."

We managed to make our way to the water's edge. Xola helped a lot in this, seeing as people moved out of the way as she moved gracefully across the ground. We found a good edge of the pool, claiming it for our own for the moment. Xola was more than happy to clear the water for us, her length making others stay away as we got inside. Joy took the chance to release her Kingdra into the water. With a flash, the large Pokémon was revealed, a blue snout pressing against my face. My throat seized up as red eyes were narrowed at me. My vision was filled with a Pokémon that was inches from me, and could probably punch me through a fence with a blast of water.

"Calliope!" Joy exclaimed, calling the Kingdra's name. "Be nice to my friend, or you go back inside your Pokéball!"

The Kingdra backed up for a second, shaking her head. I turned to Joy, feeling confused. She laughed, shrugging. "I'll be right back." she said. To which one of us she said that, I wasn't entirely clear.

With Joy walking away, Calliope attempted to dash in my face again. Xola intercepted her, glaring at the Kingdra. At first I wasn't sure if Calliope would back down, but she did. I was surprised at first when she backed away from Xola when I suddenly felt a pair of hands on my shoulders, pushing me forward into the water.

I was grateful that Xola pulled me out of the water quickly. Tumbling forward was screwing up my perception rather hard. My head broke the surface and I gasped for air, turning to face Joy when I heard her laugh hysterically. I felt Xola nudge my face a few times, giving me a once over to make sure everything was alright. I decided to let her at it, or else she would never calm down.

"You alright there?" Joy asked. She looked rather pleased with herself. "Didn't swallow the pool water, right?"

"I tried not to." I said, patting Xola's neck gently. She let me tread water, but she still floated close by. Calliope swam past me, giving me a nudge to the pools edge so I could communicate with Joy better. She grinned down at me, her hands on her hips.

"It looks like you two will get along just fine." she said. "Move out of the way, so I can get in."

I did as I was asked to. Joy leapt into the water, with the grace only a woman can manage. Calliope ducked under the water instantly, quickly reappearing with Joy in tow. She gave me a smile, urging the Kingdra to move closer to me. Xola coiled around me, helping me stay afloat as Joy came up to us.

"You're not a strong swimmer, are you?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I do fine, but I get tired pretty fast." I explained. "Just don't expect me to stay far away from Xola. She's had to pull me out of the water a few times before."

She raised an eyebrow at that, looking at me curiously. I chuckled at her expression. "Let's just say that I've had a bad experience before that nearly got me drowned by Xola, and leave it at that."

"Master!" Xola exclaimed, shaking her head. "I thought you said you'd never tell that to anyone!"

I smiled at the Milotic. "I did say that I was leaving it at that," I pointed out.

Both Joy and Calliope gave us blank looks, but Joy ends up shrugging. "I'll just pretend you can guess at what she said," Joy said with a chuckle. "I honestly have no idea what my Pokémon say to me."

"How did we end up talking shop again?" I asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Good question, and it's one I don't want to answer," Joy said with a laugh. "Come on! Race you to the other side. Under the water, so we don't bother anyone else."

I raised an eyebrow, but I was cut short of saying anything. "Readysetgo!" she said out loud, before Calliope dive underwater, taking Joy with her. Xola looks over at me, a grin slowly crawling on her face, before enveloping me in her coils. Her face comes next to mine, as we slowly begin to sink.

"Ready?" she asks.

"As ready as I can be," I reply. "Let me get a deep breath before we go under."

She nods, giving me a moment. I take a few deep breaths, mentally preparing myself. Two quick breaths are followed by a big one, and with a nod I'm plunged under the water. My hands grasp against Xola's scales, doing my best to hold on as I was dragged along for the ride. Eyes stung due to the nature of the water, but I could see that we were catching up. If they slowed down or Xola was that fast, I wasn't entirely sure. Turning to my right, Joy was giving me a one finger salute. Bubbles burst out of my mouth in surprise, turning into a gasp as my head broke the surface suddenly.

"Cheater!" I yelled, pointing accusingly at Joy.

"Me, darling?" she asked, feigning a foreign tone and swooning dramatically. "I would never cheat on you."

"Wait, what?!" I asked, almost backing out of Xola's coils. Where did that come from?!

Laughter echoed around me. Even Xola was against me! I turned over to the Milotic. "No sweets for you, lady." I said sternly.

"I don't think I have to worry about that." she said smugly. She winked over to Joy.

"I'll give her all the love that you don't." Joy said, laughing.

I'm being conspired against. The deities must have it against me today.

Xola pressed her face against mine, nudging me gently. "We have children coming." she whispered.

Sure enough, three kids were swimming in our direction. I nodded towards their direction, and Joy turned to see them. She waved at them enthusiastically. I ventured she must be in a really good mood. The thought of her taking drugs to be so cheery didn't seem to be out of the question. I didn't really picture Joy in my mind as a person that was friendly to everyone in the general sense.

The group was of two boys and a girl, probably around ten or eleven years old. I could never tell kids ages. They didn't have Pokémon with them, either. I scanned around in case their parents were nearby, but nobody was paying us any mind. When the three reached the wall next to us, the girl pointed at both Xola and Calliope, beaming proudly.

"Told ya so!" she exclaimed. "What I say? I saw a Milotic and a Kingdra, and here they are! You two owe me, big time."

"We didn't bet anything." said one of the boys. The one that spoke wasn't facing me and had short red hair. The other kid had freckles.

"Dude, don't lie, or else she'll tell mom." the freckled kid said, shoving water at the red haired kid. "Do you really want that to happen?"

The red haired kid shook his head. "Yeah, better not."

The girl, meanwhile, had approached Joy and was gawking happily at the Kingdra. The two boys gave each other a shrug before going to join the girl. Xola nudged me again.

"So, what now?" she asked.

"Why are you asking me?" I asked back with a shrug. "I thought you were the one that wanted to come here so bad."

"But you're not having fun." she pointed out. I shrugged. "You're not answering me." she pressed.

"I dunno." I said, sighing. "You know that water isn't my deal."

"I thought we were over that." she commented dryly.

"We are." I said, sighing. "I'm just nervous, about a lot of things."

"This is about Song, isn't it." It wasn't a question.

"It's definitely part of it." I said with a sigh.

"Hey, mister!"

My conversation was interrupted by the girl swimming towards me and Xola. I regarded her with a raised eyebrow, but she ignored the look.

"Hey mister." she repeated again. "Do you mind if I can touch your Milotic?"

I looked over to Xola. "It's your call." I said.

She smiled at me, leaning her head down towards the girl. She reached for Xola's neck, rubbing her scales in a gentle manner. I could tell because Xola wasn't writhing like crazy.

"What's her name?" the girl asked. "The lady didn't say."

"Her name is Xola." I answered, smiling slightly.

"She's pretty."

Xola stiffened slightly at the compliment, the scales around her face turning slightly red. Joy approached us, the two boys floating nearby Calliope.

"Another lap?" she asked

"You up for it, girl?" I asked Xola, facing her with a smile.

She pulled away from the little girl, giving her a nuzzle before nodding to me. "I want another chance." she whispered.

"I'll take that as a yes," Joy said. She turned to the kids. "Hey, do you mind giving us a countdown? Back to the far wall and back here."

The kids swam back to the wall, pulling themselves out of the water. Joy looked towards me, giving me a satisfied grin. I raised an eyebrow, and was about to ask what was so funny, when the girl began counting down from ten.

I quickly grabbed hold of Xola by the five count. At zero, my vision was underwater again.

=====================//////////////////////////////////===================

Zin insisted on walking with me. When pressed for a reason, all she said was to be with me. I didn't insist that she explain herself. Joy was acting weird enough, ever since insisting that we hung out more often. Why was this happening? Shouldn't I be grateful that she wants to be with us? And why do I keep getting myself in these crappy moods?

I stopped walking, leaning against a tree and sliding down. I looked upwards, the sun hiding behind the cloudy sky. It looked like it would rain today. Damn forecast was wrong. It always is.

"Something is bothering you, isn't it?" she asked, sitting next to me. Looking over to her, she was staring right at me. Her eyes were peering right into mine, and for a moment I didn't know what to do. Lying felt like a really bad idea.

I sighed, closing my eyes and shaking my head. "It feels weird, Zin." I said with a shrug.

"You miss Song, don't you." she said. It wasn't a question.

"Of course I do," I said. "Even I think that's obvious."

"You shouldn't be beating yourself over this so much." she said, rolling her eyes at me. "You said your goodbye, you danced the night away, and then you get to have sex with her, too. Don't get all bent out of shape about it."

I blinked at her, startled by what she said. She grinned at me. "Don't think that I didn't know." Zin said. "I don't pin Mist as a Pokémon that keeps people from waking without a good reason."

I shook my head again. "I didn't put her up to that." I said quickly.

"I know you didn't." Zin said, laughing. "It's kinda sweet that she wanted to have you for herself like that. I can appreciate a female with initiative."

I felt my cheeks flush as she mentioned that. "Like what you did with me the first night?" I asked.

"NOW you're getting it." she said, placing a paw on my leg.

A shiver went down my spine, becoming more pronounced as Zin climbed on top of my lap. Her eyes filled my vision as her breath felt warm against my face. Her tongue lapped at my face gently, focusing on my lips. I pressed an advantage, pressing my lips against hers. I grabbed one of her horns with my right hand, holding her close with my left. A growl rumbled through me as her tongue dominated mine within my mouth. My chest began to warm up, making my back feel like I was laying on a pack of ice.

I forced myself to back away from her, slowly realizing that I was in public. No one was around, but I still didn't want anyone to walk in on us being amiable. Not wanting to go to jail was a strong deterrent.

She sighed all the same, licking my lips one more time before nuzzling my chest. "Thank you." she said softly.

"For what?" I asked.

"For remembering," she said, as if that explained everything. "It felt like you were ignoring me."

"Zin, ignoring you is a death wish." I said, chuckling. She batted my chest, making a high pitched whine.

"You know I didn't mean it in a mean way, so stop that." I said, wrapping her up in my arms. She didn't fight against me, leaning against me more heavily.

We sat in silence for a moment or two, as I gathered my thoughts. "I just don't want to get in trouble, that's all." I said, trying to explain myself. "There's so much that can go wrong, especially here in Sinnoh. In Johto, maybe not so much, but I still don't want to risk either you or anyone being taken away."

"Do you really think other humans would do that?" she asked.

I nodded. "I know that they would, because I've had to see it happen." I answered. "While I never found out if it was true or not, suspicion is enough to get authorities to investigate a person."

"And here it's wrong, but in this Johto place, it's ok?" she asked.

"Basically, from what John says." I said with a shrug.

She leaned forward, her tongue licking my ear for a moment before her teeth held it in her mouth. I didn't move, my body wanting to writhe in combined discomfort and arousal.

"You're going to fuck me as soon as we get to this Johto place." she whispered in my ear. "You owe me a few favors, and I intend to collect."

With my hands still around her, I pushed against her weight and pinned her to the ground. With the advantage of position, I leaned down and kissed her again. While her tongue still beat mine, I maintained as much control of the situation as I could.

I pulled back from her, a smile forming on my face as I looked deep into her eyes. "And I'll be waiting for that moment to happen."

======================/////////////////===========================

"So, you are a breeder now." Mist deadpanned.

It was late at night. Another sleepless night for me, and it seemed that Mist was as much of a Noctowl as I was turning into. Deoxys and Weavile also accompanied me, both either unable to sleep or wanted to keep me company. We were all on the roof of the Pokémon Center again, though this time without the company of Joy and John. They were both sleeping when I left the room.

"You aren't angry with me, are you?" I asked.

The moon was out tonight, the sparse clouds in the sky doing little to hide its glow. Mist raised an eyebrow at me, making me feel as if I was incompetent.

"You do remember what I told you, don't you?" she asked. "About me."

I nodded. "Yes, I do remember," I said, frowning at the thought.

"Do you think this makes me comfortable?" she said, frowning.

A lump formed in my throat, making it slightly hard to breathe properly. I swallowed the feeling down, choking slightly before being able to reply coherently.

"I want you to ask yourself something, Mist." I said. "Before you ever told me what happened to you, did you ever think that I would force you to do something you wouldn't want?"

"I would have no idea." she said stoically. "I did not think that you would have sex with a Houndoom, either, but yet you did."

Both Deoxys and Weavile moved at once, their footsteps loud on my ears as they approached from behind me. I sighed, rubbing the back of my head.

"Well, you didn't really complain when we did it together, either." I pointed out.

She stiffened as she hovered in the air in front of me. The corners of my mouth wanted to curl up in a satisfied smile, but I forced them to stay still. Smiling right now would make me look like a condescending ass.

"Mist, it isn't me being an idiot by ignoring you." I said, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "I didn't do it to spite you, if that's what you're feeling."

"Sometimes I get that feeling." she said. I raised an eyebrow in question.

"Perhaps it is not fair of me to uphold you to my standards." she said, explaining further. "I did not mean to confuse you."

I pulled out my Pokédex and her Pokéball. My thumb pushed a few buttons, to a new feature that I found out recently by accident. It was the release feature.

"If you want to, I can release you." I said, raising both devices up to her. "You don't have to put up with me anymore, if that's what you want."

She hovered, her eyes staring into mine, before she spoke. "You wouldn't dare." she whispered.

With Pokédex in my left hand, I pressed a button with my thumb. A chime rang out before a computer voice spoke. "Beginning Pokéball purging of one Mismagius, please wait."

Silence fell around us. It seemed that even the air around us waited for anything else to happen. The stillness was broken again by my Pokédex. "Purging to take place after sixty seconds."

I was grateful that it didn't count down every second, but at every ten mark, it spoke it. "You wouldn't dare!" Mist screamed at me, as the Pokédex said fifty.

"I would and I am, if this is what you want." I answered with a shrug.

"Why?!" she demanded.

Forty seconds. "Because you don't want to be around me anymore," I said sadly. "If you want to be your own ghost, and your own life, you should go."

"But that is not what I want!" Mist exclaimed.

"Then what is it that you want?"

Twenty seconds remained. The silence that followed my question hung in the air like a shroud. Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound escaped.

Ten seconds left. It now begins to count down every second.

Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. On-

"Pokéball removed from perimeter," the Pokédex chimed. "We regret to inform you that you will have to start the process over again. Please try again."

Mist was hovering over me, a mixture of fear and anger etched on her face. One of her hands had batted away the Pokéball, sending it rolling across the roof of the center. Weavile dove after it with a happy sound.

"Why?" Mist whispered. "Why do this to me? Are you testing me?"

I shook my head. "I don't need to test your loyalty to me." I said, shrugging. "I never doubted you."

Raising a hand, I held back the question. "I know I didn't answer your question outright. I'm getting to that. I think it's important that you get to know my train of thought, though."

Weavile came back, tugging at my pants. Looking down, she was holding Mist's Pokéball almost reverently as she presented it to me. I smiled, rubbing her head gently before taking it off her claws. She quickly backed away, climbing effortlessly up Deoxys, resting on top of his head.

If the situation wasn't so serious, I would laugh.

Turning towards Mist, my Pokédex bleeped again. "Do you wish to continue?" I closed it to shut it up.

"I'm not good at these speeches, so I'm going to sum it up and expand where you deem it needed," I said, sighing. "I trust you. Completely. But trust can't be just one direction. I need you to trust me.

"I understand that breeders make you uneasy. With what you've been through, I understand your fear to a certain level. But I'm not that person that did those things to you. I would NEVER do such a horrible thing. Whatever came over you that even made you think I would, I want you to get it out of your thoughts. I'd much rather die than do something so atrocious to someone I love."

"Love?" she asked softly.

"Yes, Mist. Dammit, I love every single one of you. Maybe it's that I'm stupid. Maybe it's an inherent male disability. I don't know. I care about you too much."

"You... love me?"

I restrained myself from shaking my head, as much as I wanted to. It felt like I was underwater, everything else blurring together except Mist. "I trust you with everything I have, Mist." I said. "Yes, I love you. Was there any doubt before?"

I was suddenly enveloped by her, the ghost's lips pressing against mine. My hands wrapped around her body, returning the affection as best I could. I could feel moisture falling against my skin, realizing that she was crying. The kiss was all too brief, our lips parting and leaving me out of breath by the intensity. She looked bashful for a moment, as if she forgot that I had to breathe.

"I am sorry." she whispered, shaking in my arms. "I shouldn't have, and yet I did."

I shook my head. "It's fine." I said, holding her. "All that matters is that you're happy. I can handle everything else."

"You do not have to be alone in that." she said, smiling at me.

"I know," I said with a chuckle. I looked over to Deoxys, who was pretending not to overhear our conversation. His efforts, while having good intentions, were a bit late.

"I don't think I can feel alone if I tried," I said, facing Mist again. I smiled at her. "Please tell me if there's anything that bothers you. I'd hate to make another decision that would make you feel ignored or unappreciated."

"I will, Master." she said with a happy sigh. "I promise."

======================////////////////////////=======================

Mist insisted to sleep again, but refused to go inside her Pokéball. She began to merge within me, starting from her lower body. I grabbed hold of her, hugging her body close to me as she slowly disappeared inside of me. My body shivered at the sensation, but I didn't let it bother me more than that. I looked over to Deoxys, who was busy entertaining Weavile with something that looked like a glowing ball.

As I approached, Weavile insisted to be on top of my head. I complied, Deoxys placing her where she dictated. I chuckled softly, feeling her claws grab hold of my hair so she wouldn't slip off. "Can't I just hold you?" I asked. She let out an indignant cry, sitting behind my head again and grabbing hold of me.

"She is very insistent." Deoxys said. "Almost as bad as you can be."

"Very funny." I said with a laugh. "I have myself a regular comedian."

"Would you wish for me to stop?"

"Oh, Arceus, no," I said quickly. "I don't mind at all. Just surprised that you can make a joke."

"I am... trying to fit in more with you," he said cautiously. "I also did not know that you did such things with Pokémon."

I raised an eyebrow at him, turning slowly as not to displace the resting Pokémon on my shoulders. "You mean that whole display from earlier," I said.

"Yes." he said, nodding. "Is it voluntary?"

"That's an awkward question," I said, restraining the urge to laugh. "It was forced on me the first time. You can ask Zin about it, if you want the details. I'm sure she would love to tell someone else. It was forced on me the second time, though I probably could have said no. If you mean if it's voluntary for both involved, then yes. I don't force them to do the act if they don't want to."

"What about if they desire you?" he asked.

"Well, then I'm the one in trouble." I said, chuckling. "If you've never noticed Zin giving me weird looks, it's because she's wanted to jump me for the last few days now. Possibly longer, in all honesty."

"Jump you?"

"Have sex with me," I clarified.

For the first time, he stopped talking. His eyes were wide, and if he had a visible mouth, I'm quite sure it would be opened in surprise. A mental image of myself gave a fist pump in the air in self-serving victory.

"Wait." Deoxys said, a tone of surprise in his voice. "You mean to say that you've done that, with some of your Pokémon?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You make it sound like if it was the most horrible thing in the world."

"It's not natural." he persisted.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Yeah, it probably isn't. Tell that to the Houndoom downstairs? She'll grill you until you see her point of view. Akalia would probably join her, and I wouldn't be surprised if Mist would, too. And let's not forget about Song, either."

I shook my head. "It feels like it's happened more often than that," I mused to myself out loud. "Probably because Zin constantly reminds me that she wants to go do it at all times of the day."

"And you just let them?" he asked.

"I don't force them to." I said. "I try to understand their thought pattern, and make sure it's something that they want to do, and not just their body demanding them to sate something out of their physical control. It isn't Akalia's fault that she was still in heat when it happened. The same could be argued for Zin. Probably. Song and Mist are the other culprits, but they have extenuating circumstances."

"Meaning?" Deoxys asked, dragging the word out.

"Meaning that the reasons are more personal than just the demand their bodies place on them," I said, sighing. "I don't feel that it's my place to say. Song's situation is more than just that, and Mist's was just confusion in action."

"I don't understand."

"It's probably for the best. Sometimes, I wish things were simple."

Silence fell around us, the sounds of the city night life passing around instead of our voices. This was probably the longest conversation I've had with Deoxys. I still wondered how he spoke without a mouth.

"Deoxys."

"Yes?"

"How is it that you can talk, but you don't have a mouth?"

"Does it bother you?" he asked.

"A little bit," I admitted. "I guess it bothers me. It's not a problem, but it's a little unnerving."

"I apologize for the inconvenience," he said, his expressive eyes looking downcast. "It was not my intention to do so."

I waved the apology aside. "Communicating isn't the problem, just how it's done. Though if it feels more comfortable this way, don't stop for me. I'd like to know how is it that you do it."

"It's rather simple, really. I just excite the air particles in the air similar how your vocal box does. Except that I do it outside my body with my own psychic power."

"Doesn't that exhaust your power?" I asked, curiously.

"The power I use for speech is minimal, in the grand scheme of things," he explained. "To put it in perspective, the drain in power is like taking a bucket of water out of the ocean."

That's definitely one way of putting it.

"So, we're talking about what kind of bucket?" I asked, a grin beginning to creep up on my face. "Because I can picture some rather large buckets."

At first, I was afraid that he didn't pick up on the joke. His eyes seemed to smile at me, before he shook his head. Laughter echoed around me a moment later, as his body shook in mirth. Weavile scratched at my skull gently, as if telling me to stop making him laugh. I placed a reassuring hand on her back, before bringing my attention to the hysterical Pokémon.

"I didn't think it was that funny." I commented as Deoxys calmed down.

Apparently, this just made him chuckle. He finally managed to get himself under control, his chest heaving in a relieved sigh. At the very least, he seemed more at ease.

"I think I needed that," he said, nodding. "I apologize, if I was too loud."

"Don't sweat it, though Weavile might have a word or two about that."

At the prompt of her species name, an arm moved from the right side of my head to the top. Deoxys started laughing again. I was afraid of asking what made him laugh this time.

===================////////////////////////////////=======================

My hair was a mess as sand, dirt, and wind blew around me. I focused on breathing through my shirt, my eyes blinded by what was going on in the battlefield. Joy was around here somewhere, but wherever that was is another matter entirely.

"Ocelomah! Night Slash!"

A slash of black cut through the monotony of brown flaked atmosphere. A yowl of pain rang through my ears. "Spirit, Dragon Claw!"

The veil of sand didn't expire like yesterday's effort. Slashes of green were met by black blades that seemed to hover in midair for a second before disappearing. Grunts and angry hissing noises could barely be heard over the roar of the ever blowing Sandstorm that engulfed us. A loud yowl cut through the veil of sound, overpowering everything else.

"Oce!" Joy screamed suddenly.

The sandstorm continued, but was beginning to lose its powers. In moments, the wind had died down, but was still strong enough to blow around dirt and sand. Spirit was standing still, deep gashes along her deep scales were blood flowed. Joy's Leipard, Ocelomah, was on the ground, a heap of matted purple fur in front of my Flygon.

Joy already beat me to moving towards the scene, and was inspecting for battle damage. She quickly pulled out her Pokéball and recalled the Leipard. She sighed, shaking her head.

"Will he be alright?" I asked Joy. From the brief glimpse I got, Ocelomah was rather wounded.

"I'll go to the Pokémon Center right away," she said, frowning. "Maybe I should have used another Pokémon for training. Oce isn't one that can take a hit."

I nodded. "Just as long as he's fine." I said, as Spirit hid herself behind me.

"He will be." she assured me. "You go take care of Spirit, before those scratches get worse. You got your backpack with you?"

I nodded, pointing over to a nearby tree. She nodded back at me. "Don't be late now." she said, waving at me as she walked away.

I turned around, pulling Spirit gently up to a standing position. We reached my backpack, and I insisted that she sit down while I inspected her closely. Her face was a mixture of pride and pain, wincing slightly as she sat still. My inspection was quick, grabbing an roll of bandages and a potion spray. Quickly spraying the miracle medicine, the cuts were beginning to heal. I sprayed liberally, wrapping the wounds as quickly as I could. I was extremely grateful that her injuries, while they looked severe, weren't threatening and could be cured with this.

She looked at me, sighing deeply. Was she afraid of me thinking poorly of her? Her eyes avoided looking at me, as if ashamed. As I tried getting her attention, her head bowed close to her chest and her vision was focused to the ground under her feet.

"Spirit?" I asked softly, trying to get her attention. She didn't respond to my question. "Spirit, please look at me."

She did as I requested, tears shining behind the red shields covering her eyes. My heart skipped a beat at the sight. Why would she cry?

"What is it, girl?" I asked, softly. "Is something wrong?"

She pointed towards where we were dueling with Joy. Was she afraid of what happened? "What about the fight?" I asked softly. "Did Ocelomah hurt you somewhere else?"

She nodded, tapping her chest softly with a claw. So, they talked while the fighting was going on. At least, that's what I'm understanding.

"He said something mean," I ventured. She didn't respond. "Am I right?"

She nodded, before exploding vocally, speaking in her language. Though the barrier didn't let me understand her, it was obvious that she felt hurt. I want to say insulted, but I wasn't entirely sure. Judging feelings by tone of voice is still a work in progress for me.

"This wouldn't be about the Darkrai fight from a week ago, would it?" I asked, raising an eyebrow to her.

She stiffened suddenly, her shoulders slumped downwards as if in defeat. I wondered what Ocelomah would say to make her so angry. I would venture to say that Spirit was furious. But what would he say to get her to react so strongly? I've never seen her like this before. Well, except during the Dakrai fight, but not before or after. It's hard to picture such a gentle acting Pokémon act so violently.

An idea formed in my mind. "He called you a liar, didn't he," I said to her. I knew I was right when her eyes glared into mine. To say I was surprised is an understatement. Perhaps the Leipard was prideful about himself, or his trainer. I don't vividly remember if he was one of Joy's Pokémon that fought Darkrai, or he heard it from the ones that did.

It felt very silly, for another Pokémon to be jealous of one of mine. I tapped her shoulder, a smile on my lips as she looked up to me. I dropped to my knees in front of her, bringing my hands to cradle her head between them. I forced her to look straight at me, as I continued to smile at her.

"I want you to ignore anything that Pokémon says, alright?" I said, focusing my attention on her. "Whatever the reason he said the things he said, fine. I understand you're angry. That's fine, too. But I want you to know, that it's important for you to know the truth.

"You're part of a team. A team that kicked Darkrai's ass. Whatever it was that you did at the end, that was amazing. I don't think I've ever seen any kind of Pokémon do that, even on tournaments or whatever. I saw it happen, and so did John and a whole bunch of others. Don't let his words get to you, because they don't mean anything."

Why was it that it was my Pokémon having emotional issues? I sighed softly, rubbing my fingers along her cheeks and jaw. She slowly began to make a soft rumbling sound that reverberated across my fingers. I nodded, releasing her and sitting next to her. She leaned over to me, tipping me over and landing on top of me.

She fidgeted, trying to get up. I wrapped my arms around her neck, holding her in place. Her eyes flickered about, wide in panic as her wings beat the air. She almost lifted me off the ground, before slowing to a halt. Her breathing was at a fast pace, her heartbeat easily felt against my chest as she slowly stopped struggling.

"Ain't so bad, isn't it?" I asked, grinning up to her. She shook her head, avoiding eye contact with me.

"Spirit, what is it?" I asked. She began to fidget again, before closing her eyes and shaking her head.

I'm definitely missing something here. She's been acting like this for quite some time. Is Spirit attracted to me, too? Was Mist telling me the truth back at the Pokémon village? I wanted to ask, but I noticed Spirit's eyes were closed. Her breathing had finally calmed down, and her muscles were relaxed. Her tail wrapped possessively around one of my legs, her claws resting against my sides. While she wasn't the lightest Pokémon, the weight didn't bother me.

Perhaps I should just prepare some questions, for the next time. I wondered if Zin put ideas in her head about us being something more. Did Spirit want that to happen, or was it just her need? Something told me that I was going to be talking to Joy about this situation. Possibly Jonathan, if he knew anything about Flygon mating rituals. I highly doubted either of them knew anything. They were my closest resource material, though.

Unless you counted the information from the source. I imagine that Mist or Zin would just adore the opportunity to translate it all for me. Of which it will be explained to me in complete vivid detail. It may be easier for Spirit to open up to them, as well. Deoxys, I imagine, could as well. But the problem was that he seems to have the experience to navigate such a situation. Also, I didn't want her mind to be read forcefully. That would be detrimental.

I sighed, closing my eyes in thought. An idea was forming in my mind. I had no idea how valid it was, but it was something. Maybe I wasn't so stupid after all. But for now, I'll let Spirit relax. She needs the rest, after all. I smiled at her serene expression, a feeling of contentment and happiness rising. Maybe this would all work out in the end.

If anything, I'm sure that Zin or Mist would make it work.

Chapter 18 - ...stays in Jubilife...

Three days have passed already. I can almost feel how everyone was excited to get on the move again. And we still had to wait? Arceus, the wait was going to get someone killed at this rate. Everyone seemed to be restless, either be Pokémon or human. It was beginning to get to me, too. We all parted ways in the morning, agreeing to meet the near a burger shop around noon to get lunch. Everyone was still asleep within their Pokéballs, except Weavile. She's taking a liking to riding on top of people's heads. Mine seemed to be current target.

I was actually still hanging out at the front of the center. The papers from the breeder's bureau came in late yesterday, and I was taking the time to go through them now. The folder was filled with copies of paperwork that I've signed, with official seals and whatnot. Nothing that really caught my attention, but was determined to read again anyway. At the very least, I could assimilate it over the flight again. Jonathan said it would be a few days flight, making stops along the various islands in between Sinnoh and Johto. I was not looking forward to being cramped inside an airtight flying can for days on end.

After shifting through the official documents, I found Weavile's file. I was surprised to find that it consisted of two pages, briefly describing that she was 'donated' to the research facility. I could already sympathize with Dan and his aggravation with those types of people. Physical description, height, weight, fur color. It seemed to me like a page full of specific statistics. I pulled the two pages up, revealing a stack of papers that were bound together. Assuming that they were part of my own paperwork, I began reading. They weren't.

They were Weavile's incident reports.

The first few were simple reports of misbehaving. Basically a slap on the wrist, have a good day. They progressed more to vandalism and stolen items. She broke the cameras that were placed inside her area more than fifty times before they stopped. Sedation was needed when she was to be inspected by a medical team.

And then came the attacks.

Isolated cases began to happen with the research staff. Apparently, someone got their finger sliced off by picking her up. That was the first violent incident, while there were still cameras in her area. The more they replaced them, the more often there was some kind of 'accident'. They ranged more mundane cases to severe. The bottom of the scale was represented by refusal of cooperation, being hostile to caretakers and other Pokémon, and being grouchy.

It literally just said grouchy as a reason for reprimanding. Who wrote this crap?

The opposite side of that spectrum was the more violent cases. From the severed finger, there were three more cases of similar nature. Two other victims had permanent retinal damage, one of the victims missing an eyeball. More incidents followed those, going down the scale of being just physical damage but not removing limbs or appendages. Someone almost lost an ear, but they managed to get to the hospital in time before permanent damage was done.

I could feel Weavile stretching for a moment on top of my scalp, before relaxing again. A healthy dose of fear surged through me. What in the world did I sign myself into? Was I just manipulated by her? Was what I saw all a front for me to adopt her? She's a smart Pokémon, that's for sure. I don't think Dan would outright omit anything, even at my insistence. If he thought my life was in danger, he would have said something, wouldn't he? He didn't strike me as a person that would just let someone die, especially if he knew what her records.

A shiver went up my spine, the words echoing deep in me. I don't care what her records say. I said that. It was true, as well. While this information was frightening and surprising, it didn't change the fact that what I saw was a Pokémon that needed someone in her life. She didn't want to be pampered, not necessarily, but treated like every other Pokémon out there.

At least, that's what it seems like. I wasn't treating her any different than I treat anyone else. Sure, I was being cautious due to not knowing her on a personal level, but I did my best to present that I was amiable. Oh, and willing to play along if needed. She did seem to take a snowball to the face rather well, after all. It didn't lead to me being gouged open.

I slowly raised a hand and gently pressed it against the sleeping Pokémon on top of my head. She stirred for a moment, my head feeling like it was being massaged as she purred contently. I bugged her for a little longer, feeling her stretch out. Her feet were on my shoulders, and her face entered my peripheral vision. Her eyes widened at the papers that were in my hands. I placed the papers down and held her against me. Her claws clenched against my skin, but she quickly calmed down.

With my free hand, I placed the papers back inside the folder and closed it. I grabbed hold of Weavile and held her against my chest. She wasn't crying, but her body was shivering. I found it surprising that an ice type was shivering. It was obviously not due to temperature.

"You're not going anywhere," I said softly. "Not unless you want to."

At that, her eyes peering into mine. I could tell that someone hurt her before. Probably with those same words, too.

"I don't want you to think that just because I've seen this changes how I think of you." I said with a shrug. "Maybe we have a few things we'll have to work through, but we'll work on it when we get there. I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want to do."

She raised an eyebrow at me, as if daring her to prove her right. I grinned.

"I might have to get Xola to tell you a few stories of what's happened in the past," I said with a chuckle. "I think you'll be able to appreciate them."

From having a cynical stance, her head was tilted to the side. I took it as a sign of curiosity. I tend to do the same. "Let me give you the quick version of it." I said, rubbing her cheeks softly. "When I first met Xola, Nurse Joy told me that she liked a good prank. So, I figured if I managed to get her from a blind spot, I would be able to push her into the pool.

"At this time, I didn't know she was blind on her right side. I approached her from that angle unknowingly. Well, being blind isn't really a hindrance to her, as she managed to wrap her tail around my ankle, fling me over her head and straight into the water.

"Just to let you know, I'm a horrible swimmer. Xola quickly dove after me when I didn't break the surface, pulling me up and letting me get my breath."

I took a moment to collect my thoughts. I still remember that day clearly. It was almost surreal. A grin played across my face when Weavile tapped my chest. A look of annoyance flashed across her face when I stopped.

"You want me to continue?" I asked.

"Weavile!" she exclaimed, nodding frantically.

"I'll let her finish the story for you." I said enigmatically. At her outcry, she started bouncing her claws on my chest, chanting in her language all the while. It wasn't painful, as she was using the sides and not the sharp ends. I chuckled gently, wrapping my hands around her and lifting her up. Placing her on my shoulders, she continued to bounce her claws on my head.

"You're like a kid when you don't get what you want, huh?" I asked lightly. My hair was pulled in response.

"If you keep doing that, I'm not buying you extra treats like I promised yesterday," I said sternly. I felt her climb over my head, her body resting on top of my head as her face dropped down in front of my vision. Laughter escaped me, when I saw the hurt look on her features. She lost her balance, sliding forward but I quickly caught her before she hit the table. Her eyes stared at me, giving me the feeling that she didn't appreciate the joke.

I smiled down at her, and her gaze warmed up a little. She returned my smile, a warm feeling passing over me. My pocket began to vibrate suddenly. I balanced Weavile in one hand, digging my hand in the offending pocket with the other. My Pokédex was the culprit, and opening it up revealed why.

"Huh." I said. "Who set up the alarm?"

A tap on my chest brought my attention to Weavile again. She avoided looking at me, but raised a clawed hand in the air. I smiled, nodding.

"Thank you for the reminder." I said, smiling. "Let's go put these papers away, and we'll head over to the restaurant."

I placed Weavile once more on my shoulders, her claws securing her in place. I grabbed the folder and stood up, stretching to start blood flow again. Nurse Joy gave me a cheery greeting and I waved back with a smile. I ducked into our room and threw the folder on my bed unceremoniously. We headed back, Weavile making a show as we walked back outside.

"You're a bit of a show-off, aren't you?" I asked, looking up in a vain attempt to look at Weavile.

She tapped my head softly. I looked forward, to just barely avoid walking into a chair. A sigh escaped my lips, relief running through me.

"Thanks." I said, smiling.

We walked in silence, a few idle thoughts running through my mind. I wondered if she would like to have a more personal name. Did she have one before? None of her documentation mentioned her being named. Though, perhaps whoever abandoned her didn't deem it necessary when you're only leaving someone behind that you don't care about.

OK, Nick, stop it with the negative. Jeez, I'm going to turn pessimistic very soon.

"Hey, Weavile, do you have a name?" I asked as I continued walking.

Her claws gripped my hair almost painfully, but stopped short of causing harm. I waited for a moment, hoping for some kind of response. Nothing came after a while, and I shrugged.

"It's alright, you know. I can give you one now, since I'm officially your trainer and all."

I didn't get a response. Maybe she was waiting for me to being suggesting names? A few thoughts ran through my head, names from stories that I've read as I kid. The thoughts distracted me as I walked towards my destination. Weavile prodded in directions, as my vision tunneled, being focused on something more pressing than watching for steel poles that would ruin my day.

I stopped suddenly, getting a verbal reprimand from Weavile. I grabbed her, pulling her from my shoulders and holding her in front of me. She looked a big frustrated that she was removed from her comfortable perch. The sight made me chuckle slightly, and it only made her squirm in my grasp.

"How does Aurora sound to you?" I asked hopefully. "If you don't like it, that's OK. I can think of something else."

She shook her head rapidly side to side, before looking up at me with a smile. She nodded quickly, arms swinging and legs kicking wildly in the air before I hugged her gently against me. She purred happily for a moment, just relaxing as we stood still for a moment. A few people were standing around me, giving me weird looks. I looked down to see Aurora having a frightened expression on her face.

I leered at the nearest person. A trainer, I think, judging by the bird Pokémon on his shoulder. "Do you have a problem?" I asked loudly, making everyone go off in their perspective directions.

I sighed, lifting up Aurora and placing her on my shoulders again. "You'll never have to worry about that again." I said sternly. "I'll do my best to always protect you."

========================////////////////////=======================

"And this guy has the balls to tell me that his Ditto, of all things, managed to beat Lance at his own game!" Joy said, continuing her story. "I mean, come on! You mean to tell me that some shmuck's Ditto is going to beat the Dragon Master's best Pokémon? I almost broke a rib laughing so hard."

"No kidding." Jonathan said, taking a drink from his soda. "I thought the Elite Four didn't do challenges outside official tournaments?"

"That's my point!" Joy exclaimed, laughing all the while. "How the fuck did this asshole challenge Lance. It wasn't like the guy was his brother, or Lance owes him a debt or something. He didn't look anything alike, and I've met Lance before. He's a good guy. A bit stuffy, but yeah."

I stayed quiet, not knowing how to contribute to the conversation. My knowledge of the Elite Four came from magazines, newspaper articles, and tournament broadcasts. In all of those times, I think Lance has been mentioned only a good handful of times. Not many people reach him, and when they do, they get decimated.

We were sitting on a picnic table, outside of a take out place. Something about tofu burgers. Better than cooking your own dinner for a few weeks, that's for sure. Jonathan decided to cover our bill today, with the excuse that I'll be cooking when we're out camping again. I took it with as much grace as I could. I didn't have that much money left in my account.

"If the story is true, though, it's good to hear that he gets out more often." Jonathan said with a shrug. "Johto and Kanto Rangers rarely see him, and he's the leader of the Elite Four for both areas. You'd think he'd be a bit more public."

"Maybe he doesn't want the fame to follow him everywhere?" I said cautiously. "I mean, I wouldn't want cameras following my every move, either."

Jonathan chuckled, giving me a shrug. "He has a Dragonite," he said. "It's not like it's hard for him to take a vacation, though. Not that many people collect all the badges and work through the three others before Lance."

I shrugged. "Maybe there's something more to it that we don't know about." I said, frowning in thought. "Unless he really likes it there."

"I doubt it," Joy said with a dismissive wave. "You haven't been to Indigo Plateau. That place is full of reporters just trying to get an interview with any of the challengers or the Elite Four. No, I think he'd appreciate a vacation. Any of them, for that matter."

"Isn't Koga one of the Elite Four?" Jonathan asked suddenly.

"That old fart? I thought he retired years ago. I got no idea, though." Joy answered.

I shrugged. "The only channels I ever got while growing up where covering the Sinnoh league challengers. I don't know anything about the other regions."

Jonathan shrugged, before his eyes brightened again. "What about Cynthia?" he asked.

"What about her?" I responded, confused.

His expression changed to being serious. "What is she like? Is it true that she has a Spiritomb? Does her Lucario really know Earthquake? What about her Garchomp? And what abou-"

"Holy Arceus!" I exclaimed. "Slow down! One question at a time Jonathan. Yeah, she really has a Spiritomb. It's a really nasty one, too. She barely uses it in any of the matches that I've seen her in. It tends to knock-out entire teams on its own. I don't know about her Lucario, though. I've only seen it fight once, and it kinda kicked the daylights out of a Machamp.

"Her Garchomp? I didn't even know she even had one. I've never seen it in battle, and I don't remember it being mentioned in any interview she's done."

"Has she ever been defeated?" Joy asked. "She sounds too good to be true. Even Lance has been beaten before."

"I'm sure she has," I said with a shrug. "Not while I've kept up with her, though. Some have come close, I think, but they all lose eventually."

"Doesn't she fight in one of those arenas that the battlefield changes?" Jonathan asked.

"Yeah, she does, usually." I answered, nodding. "I've seen her fight in a regular arena before, but she prefers the shifting arenas. She admits she has an easier time there."

"Easier?" Joy echoed. "She's the Sinnoh champion! She doesn't get to have it easy!"

"Go talk to the league about that." I said, chuckling. "I'm sure that they'd love to hear it. It isn't that they don't get complaints of trainers all the time."

"Yeah no." she said, glaring at me. "I've heard enough horror stories about Victory Road to give me nightmares for the rest of my life. No thanks."

I grabbed a handful of her fries and stuffed them in my mouth before she could react. Her eyes glared daggers at me, as she returned the action. Except that she grabbed the rest of my fries and began to eat them just as quickly. I shrugged.

"I like the burgers anyway."

"This fake meat stuff?" she asked. "Here, you can have mine. I'm not hungry anymore."

"Awesome!" I said, before taking a bite out of the offered burger. Swallowing the bite I took, I grinned at her. She looked revolted at me.

"At least wipe your mouth after taking a bite of that stuff." she said, passing me a napkin. I nodded at her, taking it and wiping my mouth quickly. I grabbed my soda and took a drink, feeling satisfied for the moment.

"So, learn anything from that paperwork?" Jonathan asked.

"A few things." I admitted. "Mostly things that Joy covered during our time studying, so it wasn't really new. The surprises came when I read through Aurora's file."

"Aurora?" Joy asked. "You named your Weavile Aurora?"

"What's wrong with that?" I retorted. "She liked the name when I suggested it to her."

She shook her head. "Nothing. You must have watched a lot of kid movies growing up, huh?"

"I only watched that movie twice, for your information." I said, rolling my eyes. "Anyway, yeah. I wasn't expecting her to have such a violent history. It just took me by surprise."

"Violent?" Jonathan asked. "What do you mean?"

"She gouged someone's eyeball out with her claws." I offered. Both of them winced.

"Shit!" Joy exclaimed. "Wasn't expecting that one. And while we're eating, too?"

"Well, Jonathan wanted to know, so now he knows." I said with a shrug.

"I thought you just meant not cooperating." Jonathan said, frowning.

"Nope. I thought so, too, until I started to see the damage she could and would do to a person she didn't like."

Both of their faces paled in color slightly. They looked at each other, and back to me. Jonathan pushed his burger in my direction.

"I'm not hungry anymore, either."

"Savage!"

======================//////////////////////////======================

Though we managed to snag some tickets for this Catch-Em show, it was purely luck on our part. The three that had them won them in some Trainer ID drawing, but they already bought tickets for the show. They walked up to us and asked if we were interested. Joy didn't even let us say a word in the conversation, grabbing the tickets from their hands and thanking them profusely.

They also told us that it would be Pokétech Company building. It was more of a charity drive or something like that, rather than a big concert. But considering that this was supposed to be some world famous band that I've never heard of, the streets were going to be packed.

We headed straight for the general area, ignoring the insistent noise that came from Joy's mouth. She kept singing to herself something that sounded suspiciously like "I want to be..." before trailing off.

"So, how much do you want to bet I'm going to fall asleep standing up?" I asked Jonathan.

"Not before I do." he said, laughing. "This is going to be a boring evening."

I looked over to Joy, making sure that she was ignoring us in her little world. "I'm tempted to sell my ticket, dude." I whispered. "I don't want to be here at all."

"Tell that to her when she finds out." Jonathan said grimly. A shiver ran down my spine at the possible ramifications. None of them were pretty. I sighed in defeat.

"I'm not going to enjoy this." I stated with finality. "This sounds like the most horrible excuse for anything. In what mind does a twelve year old band suddenly start making tours?"

"How do you know it's an old band?" he asked suspiciously.

I jabbed a thumb at Joy's direction. "Dude, she talks in her sleep."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "And what in the world are you doing up while everyone else is asleep?" he asked.

"Nothing that you need to know." I said with a shrug. "And definitely NOT what you're thinking, either!"

He grinned at me, probably enjoying the fact that he was making me squirm. "Really now?" he asked lightly, before shaking his head. "And here I thought you were being modest."

"Shut it, before I send Zin after you while you sleep." I warned.

"Watch me quiver in fear." he said in a mocking tone, laughing. We turned a corner, doing my best to ignore Joy's singing as we saw the stage that the band was preforming on.

To say that it was huge was an understatement. The Pokétech company was flanked by two apartment buildings, and the stage reached each buildings side. People looked like they were working on last minute preparations. Lights were being worked on, cables being run across the stage and being secured. Microphones were being checked and double checked for quality. I was honestly surprised, and from the look on his face, Jonathan was, too.

"Gotta catch em all!" Joy finished, flourishing her arms outwards. She looked surprised at our amazed faces.

"I know I'm a great singer guys, but I'm not that great." she said with a blush.

=====================/////////////////////////////======================

Jonathan and myself sat near the back of the crowd of rabid women that frothed in front of us. It was dangerous territory of such magnitude that I wasn't willing to follow Joy. No matter how many times she tried to bribe me with tofu burgers. Was it that difficult to comprehend that I favored my life over a burger?

Jonathan was with me, at least. He didn't buy into the bribe, either. One of the security guys felt bad for us and handed us a few fold out chairs. We were grateful at the gesture, thanking him. He waved it aside, saying he was just doing his job. He said that the show would be finishing up 'soon' before he walked away. I pulled out my Pokédex, checking the time. It was seven at night. We've been here for at least four hours.

"I'll never understand women." I muttered. Baast snickered at my side.

"Is the little human confused and frustrated?" she asked, rubbing her paws over my shoulders. I suppressed the shiver that wanted to shake me off the chair.

"Baast, stop it." Jonathan said, sighing in frustration. "This is the fifth time you've brought this up tonight. Since when did you like to tease humans?"

"Ever since he said he was into Pokémon." she replied easily. "I can't help but find it rather fascinating."

Too much damn information. "I don't think Jonathan would approve." I pointed out.

She laughed again, resting her muzzle against my cheek. "And what about you?" she asked. "Do you not approve?"

OK, bad thoughts go away! "John? A little help here, please?" I pleaded.

"No way. This is the most entertainment I've had all day. You're getting the shit end of the stick, kid. I changed my mind. Baast, please continue."

Jeez, thanks a lot. Not only did I have to put up with an amorous Houndoom, but a Lucario as well? What in Arceus have I gotten myself into? I just hope that Baast is just playing around because she's bored.

I looked up at the stage, seeing the ridiculously dressed singer. A black shirt was covered partly with a blue and white jacket. Blue jeans with a red hat worn backwards completed the look. What really topped it all off was the fact that he had what looked like a Pikachu plush doll on top of his head. I knew it was a plush doll because it didn't fall off his head with all the head banging he did.

I idly wondered how attached must be the hat to his skull. The thought of brain damage was there when they had to pull the thing off with all the glue they used to make sure it didn't move during the show.

"So, how's Aurora?" Jonathan asked. I looked over to see him grinning at me.

I shrugged. "She's been fine." I said stiffly, trying to get away from Baast. "Will you please tell her to leave me alone?"

"I told you no. You're my source of amusement in all this."

I sighed. "Appreciate it."

"No problem. Also, I've noticed that Zin is being... how do I put this mildly... frisky lately."

My palms covered my face. "Yeah, it's a work in progress." I said vaguely. "Not something I'm comfortable explaining out loud in public."

"Performance anxiety?"

"Huh?"

"You heard me." he said, grinning. "Are you afraid that you won't be able to do the act if she presses hard enough?"

"Wait, no! That's not it." I said, feeling my cheeks grow warm. "No, I'm afraid that she'll do it at any point, regardless of where we are."

"That makes more sense." Jonathan said, nodding. "Baast, any tips?"

"You should satisfy her before we leave, because I don't want to have an aroused female that will end up waking me up in the middle of the night." she said, poking my back with a finger. "Also, you probably need it just as much as her, too."

"Look, that's all well and good, but are you serious?" I asked, doing my best to ignore the constant singing in the background. "Where would we do it? It's not like I can go rent a room in this city."

"What if you convince Joy to let you inside one of the private recovery rooms?" Jonathan asked, smirking. "I'm sure that nothing will happen."

"That sounds like the worst idea I've ever heard." I said, frowning. "I can imagine at least five things that can go wrong with that plan, and I'm pretty sure that there will be more things that will go wrong."

"What's the worse that could happen?" he asked, giving me a shrug. I stared at him in response. "Good point."

"Thought so."

"Excuse me, gentlemen, but is this young lady an acquaintance?"

I turned around to face the voice, noticing it was the same security guy that handed us the chairs. He was holding Joy in a firm grip, as she struggled in vain to get away. She had this fanatical gleam in her eyes, reminding me of Zin's fanatical sex drive. A bit of fear ran through me.

"Yeah, is she in trouble?" I asked.

"Not if she leaves right now." he said with a shrug. "She was trying to climb up to the stage and grab the singers hat off his head."

I nodded, not needing any more reasons to stay. "We'll make sure she gets to her room safely."

"Thank you." he said, before letting go of Joy and walking away. She turned around, the mad glimmer still prominent in her gaze.

"I'll be right back!" she said quickly, before ducking back towards the stage crowd. For a moment, I was worried, but then I remembered that this is Joy. Just as she said, she was back within a minute or two of her leaving, with a plush Pikachu in her hands. I didn't even want to ask where she got it, but I got a sneaking suspicion where it came from.

I looked over at the stage, the main singer looking confused for a moment. He reached up to his hat, and screamed like a girl when his Pikachu doll wasn't attached to his hat.

The realization of what Joy must have done hit me like a pile of bricks to the face.

"Run!"

=====================///////////////////////======================

Zin and Akalia accompanied me today. The others wanted to relax some more, but these two had a insatiable curiosity. Zin wanted to walk around some more, and Akalia hasn't had an opportunity to stretch her legs in a long time. Aurora was with me, as well, attached to my shoulders and snoozing the morning away. The park itself was rather empty, the sunlight barely lighting the area around us. It felt like I was walking across some lost forest in the middle of nowhere. The buildings above the trees where the only thing that broke the illusion.

"Why do you put up with her?" Zin asked, pointing with her tail at me. "If that was me, I'm pretty sure you would throw me off."

I smiled down at her. "No, I wouldn't, and you know it. Don't be jealous."

"I'm not!" she exclaimed, turning around and growling at me. I raised an eyebrow, curious at this display. "I'm not jealous!"

"Zin, are you alright?" I asked, my concern growing for her.

She shook her head. "I don't like how she didn't earn her spot." she fumed vehemently. "All she did was act like a spoiled brat and you fell for it."

I sighed, frowning at the hate being flung in my general direction. "It isn't like any of the others did something for you to earn their spot with me, either." I pointed out.

Akalia growled at me for a moment. "I should make myself clearer," I said, clearing my throat. "I haven't done anything to gain your trust. At least, I don't think I have. I've only been myself. It's always been your choice to come with me or not."

That seemed to calm them both down somewhat. Zin, however, wasn't fully convinced. "So, you mean that it's all a lie? That what you feel isn't real?"

"You mean about us?" I asked. At her nod, I shook my head. "No, I care about you, just as much as I care about Akalia, Song, Xola, Spirit, Mist, and now Deoxys and Aurora. I can't do any less."

"Sit down." she commanded. I frowned, but complied at her request. She glared at me, as I felt the heat coming from her body. I was also keenly aware of the cold that began to clash with my body temperature.

"Weavile!" Aurora said angrily. Zin stared up at her, flames beginning to lick across her muzzle. I decided to intervene before the situation escalated beyond my control.

"Enough!" I shouted, drawing everyone's attention. "We're supposed to be a team, damn it! We're supposed to trust each other, and at least give each other a chance to prove ourselves.

"Maybe that's where I'm wrong. Is it the whole breeder's license? Is that what's bothering everyone?"

Akalia nodded immediately, with Zin following the Luxray's example soon after. I sighed.

"I did it only to increase our chances," I explained. "It isn't like I'm going to go changing how I am because of being a 'breeder' now. I actually don't like that term. I'm not going to do anything that none of you approve. It would be wrong of me to do so. Akalia, I'm surprised that you thought I would force you to do something that you dislike so much."

She glared at my words. "OK, except giving you medicine. Do you still hate me for that?"

She proceeded to look a bit uncomfortable at my words. I frowned. "I apologize. I really didn't mean it that way." I said, extending my hand over to her. She hesitated for a moment, before approaching me and letting me pet her fur.

I looked back at Zin, who was still glaring at me. "I meant what I said to you a few days ago, Zin." I said, looking straight at her. "I love you, but with that I need to protect you all. It isn't that you are weak or anything like that. It's my responsibility, as your caretaker, to do so. If I didn't do everything in my power to do so, I've failed. Not only to you, but to everyone else, including myself.

"I promised mom and dad that, no matter what happened, I'd keep my Pokémon safe. I swore to myself that I'd fulfill that simple promise. To do anything for my Pokémon within reason, to always be there for them, for better or worse. I made the offer to Mist before, and I offer it to you as well. If you don't want to be here, I'm not going to stop you. It's your life, and I cannot and WILL not make you choose against your own wishes. Does that make any sense?"

I could feel their eyes on me. I sighed, feeling like I've lost any shred of respect I had with them. "I'm sorry if I don't make any sense." I said, sighing. "I can't imagine that anyone would understand my train of thought. But you trusted me before this. Have I not shown that I've been worthy of that trust? I've given you both something that only two others share."

"Master..."

I shook my head. "Please, don't apologize, Zin."

She stared at me blankly, confusion showing clear as day. A chuckle escaped me, as I shook my head.

"Because it isn't needed." I explained. "I... think I understand what you meant. I didn't communicate my intentions. That's my fault, not yours. But now that everything is explained, do you forgive me? And to Akalia and Aurora, do you forgive me as well?"

Both Akalia and Zin nodded, before they walked forward and leaned their heads against my sides. Akalia was satisfied with resting her head on my lap, while Zin demanded my attention. I smiled, feeling a bit drained from the experience I just went through. She licked my hand gently, drawing my attention to her.

"I know you said not to apologize, but I want to, anyway." she said softly. "I know I should trust you."

"I haven't been making myself clear," I rebutted. "It's only natural that you feel betrayed."

"But you're my mate! I shouldn't think like this."

"Not when I haven't been fulfilling that duty, either." I reminded her. She blinked up at me, before giving a barking laugh.

"You promised me that you would do it." she said with finality. "I'll hold you to those words."

I nodded, relief washing over me. I may not have been able to clear all the animosity between Zin, Akalia, and Aurora, but at least they're willing to trust me in my stance. Now, all I had to do is trust myself.

No pressure, right?

Zin spoke again. "Just to let you know, I don't want you mating with her."

"Wait what?" I asked, perplexed at her command.

"With Aurora." she clarified. "Not until she's proven herself."

"Zin, contrary to popular belief, I don't need to have sex at all hours of the day."

"A strong male needs strong mates." she stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "As your alpha female, it is my duty."

"Zin, no. Please, don't say what I think you're saying."

"What?" she asked with an exaggerated tone. "Don't tell me you've been ignoring Xola and Spirit, too?"

"I've been trying to think of a way to broach the subject with them." I answered truthfully.

"Don't make me do it for you." she warned, biting at my pants. "I will, too, and you know it."

"In all honesty, I don't think Spirit sees me as a possible candidate." I said truthfully. "After seeing what she's been through, I think I know why, too."

"What do you mean?" Zin asked.

"It's not my place to say. Trust me when I say it isn't pretty."

She frowned at that, but nodded. "I'll accept that answer. For now. But what about Xola? Are you going to tell me that you don't feel attracted to that sexy body?"

"Jeez, Zin, not everyone is a sex addict." I said, exasperated.

"She totally has the hots for you. Just saying." she said with a shrug.

Akalia batted my leg, taking my attention from the Houndoom. The Luxray was nodding feverently. A tap on my head made me look upwards, to see Aurora give me a curious look.

"I think I'm going to be sick."

"Well, before you do, I want to learn how to dance." Zin stated.

"Huh?"

"Yeah, like those human women that dance with nothing on with those poles! I saw them in one of those magazines you have in your backpack. Don't tell me you like that kind of stuff."

The level of embarrassment couldn't get any worse.

"I bet when Song comes back, she'll want to get a bit of loving from you, too." Zin continued. "Oh! Maybe we can work on some kind of routine for you! That would be AMAZING! Oh, Arceus, you HAVE to teach me how to stand on my hind legs."

Scratch that. Apparently, there is a new low past 'bottom of the barrel'.

"Zin, how in the world do you know about... that stuff?" I asked.

"Like I said, I dove into your backpack." she said. "I don't usually sleep at night, because I'm too damn horny to sleep. So, I look at your magazines."

Yeah, new low. Having my Pokémon go through my stash. Not all that happy about that. Though now it makes sense where she keeps getting all these ideas. Not to mention her language. Not that she had a need for such colorful words before. But now she had all the blackmail she could ever want and more. In a few words, I was screwed.

"Just... don't proclaim it all to the heavens, alright?" I begged, feeling a tad pathetic.

"Just hold up your end of the bargain, and we'll call it even." she declared, nodding. I sighed in relief.

"Oh, and talk to Xola. Offer it to her. Do something." Zin demanded. "She's been patient, but I really don't want to see her get desperate."

A sigh escaped me. "I will. Can I go home now?"

"NO!"

=====================////////////////////======================

Xola, Mist and Spirit accompanied me to the park this morning. Two more days and we'll be flying over to Johto. I don't know why flying in a machine frightened me more than flying with Spirit. Probably because I wouldn't be having any control over what would be happening. Also, I think I would be missing the wind blowing in my face.

Even though I rehearsed what I wanted to tell them last night, my voice shook. Mist cut me off after I started choking on my own words.

"You do not need to say any more, Master." she said simply. "We spoke of this when I brought it up to their attention. If you even suggest or imply that you will release us, Xola will constrict you until you see the error of your judgement."

I looked over to Xola, who's coils were shifting menacingly at the ghost's prompt. I nodded, and my Milotic visibly relaxed. She wrapped around me instead, somehow dragging me along with slowing her pace as she stopped under a tree. Mist and Spirit joined us soon, the Mismagius with an unreadable expression.

"You have something else on your mind, Master," she said, smiling gently. "Something regarding Zin."

How much did she know? I frowned, trying to think of the proper way to address the situation.

"What did you two discuss?" I asked Mist.

"Oh, just a few things that you mentioned yesterday." she said with an enigmatic smile. "I am here to make sure you do as you promised to her yesterday."

I'm being conspired by every female around me. Oh Arceus, what have I done?!

Concentrating on the task at hand, I looked over at Spirit first, seeing she was easier to address than Xola. "Spirit, I want to know how you feel about me. I mean to say, how do you feel about us?"

She looked startled for a moment, before shaking her head gently side to side. She began to talk in her language. I paid attention, trying to understand from tone of voice and body language. Mist filled in the details.

"She doesn't want to be what Zin is to you." Mist clarified. "She sees you as a child. Not just any child, but hers. She mentioned something about what you saw, but I do not understand what she means by that."

I nodded, relief washing over me. "I understand, Spirit." I said with a smile. "That's fine, too. I don't mind at all. I just hope you don't expect me to call you mom, though."

She giggled at that, nodding at me with a smile on her face. The coils around me tightened gently, grabbing my attention.

"And what about me?" Xola asked, her lips wrapping around my left ear. I shuddered in her grasp, writhing uselessly against her scales. She kept the pleasant torture for a moment, until Mist coughed politely.

"Try not to rape Master against his will." Mist said bluntly. "It will probably not aid your cause."

Xola giggled lightly, relenting her grip momentarily. It allowed me some breathing room, letting me move my hands but I wasn't allowed to stand on my own. I turned around, trying to get Xola's face within vision but failing.

"Any particular reason why you're not letting me move?" I asked her.

She shook her head. "That day at the pool, it was the closest I've been allowed to be with you in a long time. I... I want to feel like that again more."

"Feel like that?" I echoed, confused by her words. "Why didn't you say you wanted to be closer?"

"I didn't want to be in the way of the others." she whispered. "I wanted to be closer to you, but I was afraid of what they would say."

I looked around, making sure that we were alone. Satisfied, I turned back to her. "Xola, I was raped by a Houndoom, my body given away to a Luxray, used as a conduit for Song, and aided Mist with... whatever was going through her head. I would think we could have talked it over by now."

"I was aiding Spirit." Mist said quietly. Spirit quickly batted the Mismagius to be quiet.

"I don't know how to go about this with you, so please forgive me if I get things wrong." I said, tilting my head curiously. "I'm not sure about Milotic mating rituals, if there are any."

"You don't apply to many of them." she told me bluntly. "Though, it'll be interesting when things get more personal."

"You're not in season, are you?" I asked, fear creeping into my voice.

She shook her head, smiling gently. "No, not yet." she said, relieving me of my fears. "I would tell you when that happens."

"Please don't surprise me with the information." I pleaded. "I would like to have time to... study! Yes, study."

"On what?" Mist asked skeptically. "It is not like female anatomy is that different from species to species."

A blush crept up on my face. "Let's just say I'd like to be more prepared and leave it at that. Please?"

Both Spirit and Xola giggled at my plea, with Mist shaking her head. My Flygon approached me, my Milotic releasing me from her coils only to be wrapped gently in Spirit's embrace. I could feel Xola rest her head on my shoulder, with Mist chuckling softly to herself. The sun was beginning to warm our surroundings, and a sudden surge of relief hit me again. Just like with Zin and Akalia, I was making amends with my friends. I needed them, just as much as they needed me, apparently. Hopefully now, outside of Sinnoh law, we could be more open about each others feelings.

I certainly hoped so. Everyone is trying to make this work, and I can't fail them. But with my friends at my side, I'm sure that everything will turn out alright.

Chapter 19: Hunt

I was sitting between Jonathan and Joy, waiting for our seats to be called. We were waiting for the doors to open, in all honesty. We'd be in there quickly, and not worry about the rush of people at the last second. The clock was ticking too slowly for my taste, as I watched flight attendants scurry around like fires were all around them. For all I knew, there might be one. The vision of an airplane catching fire didn't do well for my mental well-being.

I decided to ignore the clock, looking outside into the darkening skies. I woke up too early for my taste, but it was supposed to be a morning flight. Morning flight that got postponed into a midday flight, that got postponed into an evening flight. Go figure. We've been sitting here all day doing nothing for the last eleven hours. I think I'd have more fun having Joy style my hair.

The voice of a woman spoke loudly. "Passengers for flight J530, destination Goldenrod City, Johto, please stand by. Your airplane is ready."

If it wasn't because I was tired, I would have cheered in amazement.

Our numbers were called, and we avoided the vast majority of our fellow fliers. Nervousness was beginning to settle in again. You'd think after loosing my lunch I'd be fine, but no. Apparently I have to be a special case. Maybe I'm being too hard on myself, and everything will go just fine.

What's the worse that could happen, right? Well, there's the whole expl-

OK, brain, SHUT UP!

Joy shoved me forward. I must have stopped when I started yelling at myself. Nodding, I ignored the twinge of pain on my back. It was a rather ominous feeling, walking down the bridge that let us step inside the plane. Two men stood by the door to the airplane, dressed in what looked like some fancy suits. They both bowed simultaneously as we passed by them. I wanted to ask how long we were going to wait until this infamous take-off sequence Joy keeps hanging over my head.

One of the flight attendants grabbed Jonathan's hand as he lead in front of us. He stopped, bringing us to a halt. The man leaned towards him and whispered to him. Jonathan nodded at his words, and the man nodded, stepping in front of Jonathan and leading the way. Confused, I kept my questions to myself. What bothered me was that we passed our seat area already. I was about to voice my concern when the flight attendant took a turn up a narrow stairwell. I knew this thing was big, but it has two floors?

I didn't argue, though, following Jonathan and giving Joy a questioning look as I saw her give me the same. The other people behind her looked at us curiously before continuing onwards. What the heck was up here? There weren't any windows in the stairwell. Not that it needed any, seeing as we reached the second floor in ten seconds flat.

Alright, it probably took less, but I wasn't counting.

The flight attendant asked to see our tickets. I found it rather comical that he's asking to see them now after taking us so far out of the way. After looking them over and nodding, he pointed to the doors ahead of us.

"These will be your rooms for the duration of the flight." he said, bowing to us. "Please let any staff know if you are in need of anything during the flight."

"Wait a second!" Joy exclaimed, grabbing everyone's attention. "Aren't these the Persian class suites?"

"Yes, they are." the attendant answered, looking confused. "Is there a problem?"

She shook her head. "Not at all!" she said, giggling madly. "I was just making sure that everything was alright. We weren't told that there was a change in our seats."

"Let allow me to apologize on the companies behalf." he said, bowing again. "When we double checked your identities, the Johto Rangers called, assuring us that they will pay first class for your amenities."

Well, that was rather nice of them.

"You will also receive a refund for purchasing the tickets you bought shortly, if it hasn't been done already." he continued. "Are there any other questions?"

"Do we have assigned rooms?" Jonathan asked.

"No sir, you are all free to pick whichever one of these three you would like."

Joy and Jonathan looked at each other for one second, and they both bolted for the opposite ends of the three rooms, leaving me with the middle one. I raised an eyebrow in curiosity, but decided against asking. Maybe they just wanted to stay as physically away from each other as possible? If that was the case, I wonder why? The attendant looked at me curiously.

"Do you have any questions?" he asked me kindly.

"Can we have our Pokémon out of their balls?" I asked.

"As long as you don't have a Golem or a Steelix, it won't be a problem." he said. I sighed in relief.

"I think the heaviest Pokémon I have is my Milotic. Don't tell her I said that, though. I might get slapped by her tail again."

He grinned at me, giving me another bow. "I will take my leave, then. I have to prepare for take-off. Enjoy your flight, sir."

With that, he stepped down the narrow staircase again, back down to do whatever he needed to complete. A checklist, probably. I sighed, opening the door in between Joy and Jonathan's rooms. It was cramped, but it was better than sitting next to others for days on end. It was an improvement, as far as I was concerned. A bed lined the right wall, linen already tucked in with two pillows. The single window showed the outside track, a plane passing by us slowly. A small table lined the opposite wall, with two foldout chairs that were implemented to the wall. I imagined that the table was bolted down or attached to the wall. I didn't want that thing slamming into me during the flight. There was an open bathroom, with no means of privacy. Well, at least I wasn't sharing the room with anyone. That would be slightly awkward. There was a small TV attached to the wall, above the table. I can picture myself whittling away many hours at this. Or sleeping. That sounded like a rather nice idea, too.

I sat on the bed, dropping my bag off my back to rid myself of that burden for now. A knock on the door stirred me from being lazy. I stood up, opening it to find Joy push me aside as she came in.

"I want to make sure you don't do something stupid while we're taking off." she said, hands on her hips.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused. "I... nevermind."

"Yeah, sure." she said, snickering at me. "These rooms are pretty soundproof."

"I'm not planning on testing their resilience." I said, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah," she said, drawing out the word, "and my Larvesta doesn't breathe fire. Look, I'm just saying if you're going to do it, do it at night."

"Look, I appreciate it, but then why give me the room in BETWEEN you two?" I pointed out.

"Would you rather have someone ELSE that could possibly listen?" she retorted.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Speechless, I shook my head. She grinned at me, closing the door behind her and sitting on my bed.

"Get over here and get comfortable." she said, tapping the bed with her palm. "You'll be better off not standing when we begin to lift off."

I nodded, moving to sit next to her. A feeling of complete awkwardness was around us. I didn't really know how to deal with her. Joy seemed to be heading back to her normal self, though, so that's a good thing. Not like she was like at the pool, being so... I don't know... physical? I've never thought of her that way before, and I really don't want to start now, either. We aren't exactly compatible, concerning our personalities.

She slid up on the bed, resting her back against the wall. "You might want to do the same." she said with a smile. "When we take off, you don't want to hit your head against the wall."

I did as she asked. She ducked over to the side, grabbing a paper bag from somewhere and passed it over to me. I looked at it curiously, looking at it over. The tag labeled it clearly as a 'barf bag'.

"In case you get sick on take-off." she said with a grin.

=========================//////////////////=============================

I've never felt so horrible in my life. At the very least, it met the requirements for the most horrible day ever. Not quite to the level of dying, but it made me wish that my world would stop moving. My stomach refused to settle down, no matter what I tried to do. I was starving, but anything I ate came right back out a few minutes later. Definitely never doing this again if I don't have to. You'd think I'd be fine, getting used to flying on Spirit's back all this time. Apparently, my brain didn't register the change and focused on the swaying motion that encompassed me. Or perhaps it was the air pressure. Something was screwing with my senses, that's for sure.

Jonathan took pity, and was helping me adjust. Joy apparently found it hilarious, not being able to stop laughing at any time she saw me. I still haven't eaten my lunch, but Jonathan suggested we hold on to it. In case I'd get hungry, and I can give it to Zin or Akalia if dinner came around before then.

I grabbed the bowl of salad, managing to put a fork of the stuff in my mouth and chewing slowly. Jon smiled at me.

"See? We're making progress." he said with a smile. "Just take it slow. No rushing while we're here, OK?"

I swallowed, nodding slowly. "Thank you for helping me adjust." I said, smiling.

"No problem." he said with a wave of his hand. "It's better than laughing at you like Joy is. I honestly can't believe she did that."

I shrugged. "It feels silly, that's for sure."

"Well, it's a real situation, and it's not like you've flown before in an airplane." he said angrily. He took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. "Let's turn on the TV, see if there's something interesting."

I nodded slowly, grabbing the remote next to me and pressing the power button. A burst of static greeted my ears momentarily, before the television shifted channels to one with a signal. The colors were off, but it was covering something with the Sinnoh champion, Cynthia. Jonathan attention was quickly drawn to the screen, away from the groan that escaped my lips.

"What?" Jon asked. "Turn it up, I want to hear what they're asking her."

I did as asked, turning on the volume. I was thankful that it was manually muted, instead of just hitting the mute button and finding the TV on full blast.

"...and one last question, from the fans. What do you say to those that want to become challengers for the right to be called champion?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment, before smiling to herself. Somehow, she made it look dignified. Not like Joy, who was mostly full of herself when she smiled that way.

"I say to always be the best you can be." she stated. "Always train, challenge yourself and your team. You can overcome anything in time. And the most important thing, never stop dreaming. Things will work out."

The reporter looked abashed for a moment, before clearing his throat loudly on the microphone. "And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, the one and only Cynthia, champion of the Sinnoh league! I'm sure that many trainers out there are going to take your advice to heart. Thank you very much for taking the time to let us do this interview."

"It was my pleasure." she said humbly.

"And with that, back to the studio after these commercial breaks!"

The interviewers face faded to black and was replaced with a protein commercial for Pokémon. I turned down the volume so I could focus on talking with Jon instead of how so many vitamins will improve your Pokémon's health.

"That was cool." he said with a wide grin on his face.

"That interview is like two months old now." I pointed out. "That was when she beat some contender for champion."

"Doesn't change the fact that it's cool."

I shrugged, not sure how to respond to that. Instead, I decided to change the subject. "So, expecting anyone to receive us in Goldenrod?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Highly doubt it." he said, shrugging. "I'd imagine they would prefer to be out looking for a mission or something than waiting for us."

I could hear that he was a bit disappointed by the notion, but I didn't press the issue when he nodded. "I should tell you about where we should be headed." he declared. "Probably spend some time in Goldenrod while we're still jet-lagged, and then fly over to Blackthorn the next day or something."

He pulled out his Pokédex and fiddled with a few things before laying it flat on the table and passing it over. A highlighted red square blinked brightly on the display, reading Goldenrod City.

"That's where we're headed on the map." he explained, pointing to the blinking square. "Goldenrod is the largest city in Johto, flanked to the north and south by Routes Thirty-Five and Thirty-Four respectively. It's also home to Whitney, one of the gym leaders of Johto. It's a busy place with an ocean view on the left hand side of the city. I've only been here a few times myself, so I don't know the main attractions other than the common knowledge ones."

He chuckled after a moment. "Yeah, and another important thing. There's a train that connects Goldenrod to the Kanto city of Saffron. A rather nice convenience."

I nodded, attempting to process the information that was given to me. He took hold of the device again and pressed a few buttons, before passing it over to me again. Route Thirty-Five was highlighted, and I followed it with my eyes. It took a sharp, ninety-degree turn to the right, with another sharp turn to the left. Two points were highlighted this time. The first one was smaller than the second one.

"The first point is called National Park." Jonathan said. "There's a Bug catching contest every other day or so. It's a nice place to relax, when there aren't rampaging Scyther's flying around. The other blinking point is called Ecruteak City. It's a rather small city, bigger than Blackthorn but way smaller than Goldenrod. It's famous for being the sight of the burned ruins of the Brass Tower, after it got struck by lightning something like a hundred years ago."

"No one's tried to rebuild it?" I asked in curiosity, finding it odd that a building has been left there for over a hundred years without being replaced.

"No one." Jonathan confirmed. "According to legend, it was were Lugia rested and allowed humans to come and talk with it. That was apparently during ancient times, and it had a sister tower that still stands, called the Bell Tower."

"What Pokémon resided inside the Bell Tower?"

"The one and only Ho-oh. Well, according to legend, anyway. Ho-oh hasn't been seen near the Bell Tower ever since the Brass Tower burned. Again, so people say.

"East of Ecruteak is Mount Mortar, which is a huge cave system similar to Mount Coronet, except it used to be an active volcano instead of just a mountain. It's not very tall, but it has a very complex tunnel system. Past that is Mahogany town. There's not much there, except for the Ice gym. After that, is Blackthorn."

"I'm suddenly glad we're flying over all this." I said with a relieved sigh.

"Why is that?"

"Because caves aren't our forte." I said, rolling my eyes. "You didn't forget about the Abomasnow, did you?"

I gave him a look. He laughed. I sighed in defeat, feeling that no matter how my concerns might be brought up, it was only going to make him laugh. His laugh made me smile, though, the good humor being infectious. I chuckled with him for a while, before he tapped on the table to get my attention.

"Hey, what's on the T.V.?" he asked. I shrugged, grabbing the remote and turning up the volume.

"...we have come to publicly acknowledge that Code Lightning is in affect. All areas close to Mount Silver are to be evacuated, and that Blackthorn City, Violet City, Mahogany Town, New Bark Town, and any trainers listening to this broadcast on Routes Forty-Five, Forty-Six, Thirty and Thirty-One, to find shelter. I repeat, this is a Code Lightning from the Blackthorn Rangers, and we have come..."

The message repeats at that point. I looked up to Jonathan, raising an eyebrow.

"Code Lightning?" I asked.

He shrugged. "It's serious, but there's nothing I can do at the moment."

"I meant what does it mean." I clarified.

He frowned. "Let's just say that there's something big is happening. It's rather obvious, after all. Hopefully, we'll be safe in Goldenrod and it'll pass by the time we reach Ecruteak."

"You know, it bugs me that you won't tell me what's happening." I said, frowning at him. "I mean, it's obviously a big deal, and it seems like everyone and their grandma knows what's going on. Why aren't you telling me?"

"It's personal, for me." he said stoically. "You can get Joy to explain it, if you really want."

I sighed. "Fine. Then let's go talk to Joy. See if she knows what's up."

"You can go on your own, if you really want." he said with a shrug. "I'm staying here."

"Then you can have some company then."

I grabbed Zin's Pokéball, releasing her next to Jon as I stood up. She flashed me a grin.

"What's up?"

"Make sure he doesn't go through my stuff." I said, grinning. "You're more than welcome to use any means necessary."

Jonathan raised an eyebrow at me as Zin laughed. "I'm going to talk to Joy real quick. I'll be back."

"Bring me some food!" she called as I headed out the door.

"They should be serving dinner in an hour or two." Jonathan said nonchallantly.

I nodded. "I should be back in ten."

Exiting my room, I headed to my right, knocking on the door and making sure I got confirmation that I could go in. I didn't want a repeat of last time I did this. Joy opened the door, grinning at me. "What's up?" she said, mimicking Zin's earlier quip.

I shrugged. "Did you see the news?" I asked.

"No, why? Is something wrong?" she asked.

I shrugged. "Not sure. The news guy was reporting on something called Code Lightning. It sounded like a big deal."

Joy's expression changed from curious to shocked. "When, where!? What areas did they announce?!"

Arceus! My heart raced as Joy grabbed my shirt, shaking me fiercely. I grabbed hold of her shoulders, trying to slow her down even slightly. My vision spun uncontrollably for a moment, nausea fighting to wrest control of me again. Joy stopped shaking me, probably went my face started to pale.

"Sorry." she said, sitting me down gently in a chair. I waved the apology away, closing my eyes and waiting for the world to stop spinning.

"You alright now?" she asked softly.

"Yeah, I think I'm alright." I said, taking a deep breath. "Code Lightning, right. The man said that areas near Mount Silver are to buckle down. All trainers in the nearby routes have to evacuate or find shelter as soon as possible, as well."

"What cities did the news mention?" she asked.

"Blackthorn, Violet, New Bark town and Mahogany town." I said, frowning. "Is this something I should have been warned about?"

"Yeah, you should know. Johto has been target of a Zapdos recently. Well, if you count recently for the last ten years or so."

"What's a Zapdos doing around Mount Silver?" I wondered aloud. "I mean, aren't legendary Pokémon more reclusive?"

"Well, not this one." Joy deadpanned. "It's been rather vocal about it, too. Apparently, it threatens anyone that goes near the forest surrounding its nest. Something's got it riled up, whatever it is. And we definitely do not want to be in the way while its rampaging across the countryside."

"Does it set fire to buildings too?"

"Very funny. Get out, I want to hear what they're talking about, and get some sleep."

I nodded. "G'night." I said, standing up and waving at her. She promptly closed the door as soon as I stepped outside.

Jonathan was exiting my room as I turned to go to my room. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Your Houndoom has a very persuasive argument." he said with a shrug as I approached.

"What do you mean?"

"She asked me to keep quiet. In all honesty, as tempted as I am to see your reaction, she also threatened to bite me if she saw me after you opened the door."

I was curious by this statement, but Jonathan didn't let me talk. "I'll see you later." he said, walking towards his door and opening it. He waved at me, closing the door and leaving me out in the hallway. I looked at my door, perplexed by what Zin said to him.

Well, one way to find out.

I opened the door, my muscles instantly freezing in place as... nothing crashed into me? My eyes revealed the T.V still on, thankfully on low volume. The room wasn't a wreck, but where was Zin? I made my way inside, closing the door behind me. There weren't any places for her to hide. I dropped to my knees, making sure that a mischievous Houndoom wasn't underneath it. True to my original assessment, she wasn't there. I frowned, looking under the table and not seeing her there, either.

"Zin?" I called out, worried as to where she could be. She couldn't have gone outside. I'm sure that Jonathan would at least tell me if she escaped. That is, I hoped so, anyway.

No answer to my call. I frowned, the worry becoming more pronounced. I turned around, exiting my room and headed straight for Jon's door. It opened after my fist pounded for a second or two.

"I take it you're looking for her." he said nonchalantly.

"Where is she?"

"She's in there." he answered with a shrug. "She told me it was a surprise, so go find it. I'm not telling you where she is, because she'll eat my pants. Her words."

With that, he shut the door in my face. I frowned, doubling back into my room. Once again, the door opened but no black ball of fur greeted me as I hoped. A sigh escaped me, trying to figure out where she might be hiding. It's always the last place you look for these things. I sat on the bed, grabbing my backpack. Wait a second... I didn't leave this open. Since wh-

"SURPRISE!"

Holy Mother of Arceus! Since when did Zin take into hiding inside backpacks? And where was my stuff?! I struggled in vain under her as she held me down in place with her paws. Her muzzle engulfed my lips, stealing my breath as her tongue fought to fill my mouth. I gave a token struggle, slowly opening up to her onslaught. She slowed down, my mouth feeling strangely empty without her tongue. Her lips curled back into a grin, revealing sharp teeth.

"I got you good." she said triumphantly. "I got you really good!"

She was easily excited, and I couldn't help but chuckle at her happy expression. "I was worried for a moment or two there." I admitted.

Her face leaned down, her eyes the only thing I could clearly see. "I wouldn't leave you for anything, Master." she whispered softly.

I smiled up at her as we looked into each others eyes. She gave a soft whine, licking my lips gently. I opened my mouth to speak, but she forced her tongue inside to silence me effectively. Her tongue wrestled against mine insistently, with less force than earlier. My hands grabbed her horns, holding her in place as I did my best to return her affection. Her teeth nicked my lips as she became more aggressive. A low growl rumbled through her, but it didn't discourage me in the slightest.

She raised her head, our lips parting again. My lungs worked to suck in air, while Zin looked rather pleased with herself. I raised my head and kissed her nose gently. She barked in surprise as I chuckled at her response. She wiped her nose on my shirt as I wrapped my arms around her. She rested her body against mine, her legs holding me as tightly as she could.

"I've missed this." she said, rubbing against me. "I really missed this."

I nodded. "So have I, to be honest."

We stayed silent for a moment, enjoying being alone for once. The television still made background noise. I looked over to it out of curiosity, to see the silhouette if a bird on the top right corner of the screen. A woman reporter was saying something, but the volume was too low. I tried to rise from the bed, but Zin didn't move.

"Don't, please. Don't get up."

"I just want to turn off the television. It's starting to distract me." I said, scratching behind her horn.

She nodded, getting off my chest reluctantly. I sat up, smiling to comfort my loving Houndoom. She smiled back at me, tail wagging behind her. I stood up, grabbing the remote on the table and turning off the T.V. with a satisfied click. The room was plunged in total darkness, my vision not adjusting to the absence of the television glow. I blinked, turning around to see two glowing red eyes. I walked towards them as they came closer to me. My legs bumped against the edge of the bed and Zin giggled.

I climbed up slowly, Zin pressing against my side. Her muzzle rubbed against my cheek, her body beginning to slide underneath me. I felt extremely uncomfortable being fully clothed all of a sudden. She didn't let me move, however, her tail wrapping around my leg and her rump pressing against my crotch.

"You need to get out of those clothes, before I burn them off you." she stated playfully.

I nodded. "You're not making it easy for me."

"That's my job." she said happily. "I'm... not being forceful, am I?" she asked suddenly, her tone apprehensive.

I blinked in surprise. I don't think she could see my expression due to where I was. "I'm surprised, that's all." I said soothingly, stroking her fur gently. "I know that you've been wanting, and I haven't been able to deliver."

She giggled. "Think you can make up for it?" she asked sweetly, leaning her head upwards.

I chuckled with her. "I can always try, can't I?"

She growled at me. "Get those clothes off, before I sear them off." she commanded.

I complied with her wishes, removing my shirt and leaving it next to me. She grabbed it off my hands, throwing it to the darkness. She pressed her nose against my chest, sniffing deeply. Her tongue ran across my skin, sending goosebumps up and down my spine. She started to rise to my neck, saliva coating my skin liberally. My hands stroked her back gently, nails scratching her skin gently. Her teeth nipped at my skin gently, making me shiver. I was taking deep breaths, trying to keep my wits in check.

Her body rubbed against my exposed skin and lower body, my aroused member straining against my pants. Zin giggled softly, before quickly tracing her way down my chest. Her tongue quested lower, until her hot breath was washing along my waist. She growled loudly, and I hastened to comply with the unspoken request. I didn't want her to use fire, especially in an airplane. As soon as I unbuttoned my pants, her teeth pulled down. The zipper opened by itself, exposing my boxers to the air. I could feel my manhood standing proud, straining against the cloth.

Her front legs rested on my thighs, her teeth pulling my boxers out of her way. Now exposed, I could feel her breath wash over my crotch. The feeling was quickly replaced by warmth, her tongue and teeth engulfing me. I choked out a moan, caught by surprise by her initiative. Her teeth scraped at the sides of my penis, her tongue wrapping around it. She held still for a moment, and the only things I could feel was the saliva slowly coating me and the warm breath on my skin.

"Zin, are you alright?" I asked breathlessly. I didn't get a response back. I reached down, my hands touching her horns. My touch seemed to awaken her, her muzzle tightened suddenly as she began to suckle. I clenched my teeth, a moan twisting in my throat. Everything she did was amazing. My breathing was ragged already, and my skin felt like static electricity was running through me. She began to bob her head up and down along my shaft, placing her tongues attention at the tip. Her teeth sent thrills through me as they gently rubbed against my skin.

She alternated her pace, picking up speed and slowing down at random intervals. I was allowed a reprieve, as she finally released me from her maw. As selfish as it sounds, I didn't want her to stop. But she licked at my waist, a soft whine coming from her throat, and it was hard not to sympathise. I rubbed her head gently, slowly coming to a sitting position. She looked at me and smiled. Now that my vision finally adjusted to the darkness, I can barely see her silhouette. Her eyes acted as a mark for the rest of her body.

My hands touched her skin, muscles tensing under her skin. As much as she wanted me to do the act, I something else in mind. I kept my left hand at her tail, scratching gently. It hiked up slowly, as my right hand explored her belly. She growled softly, probably eager for me to act. I grinned to myself, bringing my hand to her backside and feeling her eager wetness coat my fingers. She barked in surprise, but I didn't let up as I pressed my fingers slowly inside of her tunnel.

I wasn't surprised to find her so aroused. Fluids leaked in copious amounts, trailing down my hand. I grabbed my shirt, leaving it under her in the vain hope that they wouldn't stain the bedsheets. With that settled, my fingers continued pleasuring her, exploring her body as her muscles contracted eagerly around my digits. Warmth began to emanate from her body, and I pumped my fingers faster in and out of her pussy.

I began to slow down, wanting to make sure she didn't alert anyone else to her coming orgasm. As my fingers pulled away from her clenching hole, her arousal made them sticky. I shrugged, wondering how they tasted. Bringing them to my mouth, I hesitantly licked my fingers, surprised at the sweet and sour taste. I grinned, suckling on my fingers and enjoying the taste of berries that came from her. After making sure my fingers were clean, I rubbed her flanks again, concern shocking me to make sure that Zin was alright.

"Zin?" I asked softly.

"Don't stop, Master. Please." she whispered in a begging tone. "Whatever you were doing, don't stop."

I grinned, another idea running through my mind. "Lay down on your back, Zin. I have an idea."

She complied, her legs slowly working to do as I asked. Her red eyes glowed in the dark, and I smiled towards her.

"You can't howl, by the way." I said, rubbing her rear legs gently. "I don't want to wake up anyone up."

She whimpered softly, before closing her eyes. I really just wanted to give her one of my shirts. I pulled free of my boxers, and folded it as best I could. Crawling over to Zin, her nose sniffed softly as her eyes opened in front of me.

"What is it?"

"Open your mouth."

She did as asked when I felt her breath wash over my face. I put the cloth in her jaws, as she closed them experimentally. Her eyes were wide, as a whimper became muffled.

"To make sure you don't wake anyone." I said. "Also, you can't shoot fire in here, either. We're on a plane, remember?"

She closed her eyes, then opened them again. I kissed her nose gently. "I hope you understand."

She spit out the boxers, forcing her lips against mine suddenly. Left speechless, I kissed her back eagerly. Her tongue kept me quiet, her growls muffled slightly by our lips being mashed together.

"You don't have to gag me for that." she whispered as she pulled away. "And besides, what are you planning? I want you to take me already."

"I wanted to taste you." I said bluntly. Her eyes blinked in surprise, then dissapeared from my view. Did I say something wrong?

She hopped off the bed, and I heard a rustling from somewhere. The bed shook as she hopped up again, dropping something cool and metallic that rolled against my leg. I grabbed it, realising it was my flashlight.

"So you can see easier." she said.

I nodded, turning it on and instantly regretted it. The light was bright, and it blinded me momentarily. As my eyes adjusted, I placed it down on the floor so the light would shine against the ceiling. I looked over at Zin, who was once again laying down on her back. Her tail wagged side to side, and I couldn't help but grin at her. She had also grabbed my boxers, already clenched in her jaws. I chuckled as I leaned down between her legs.

I didn't need to look for my target, her vaginal lips already swollen and aroused. I ran my tongue across her opening, her legs instantly tensing and a yipe barely muffled by the boxers. My grin grew, as I experimentally lowered my lips, kissing her pussy softly. This time, I didn't stop regardless of the noises she made and used them to gauge her where I should be pleasing her. Her juices began to flow, appealing to the taste still. It definitely told me that she was grateful for the treatment. My tongue explored deeper, a howl barely stopped by the gag in her muzzle. I alternated using my tongue to tease more of her juices out of her, and to tease her. I dove in once more, this time attacking without any remorse. Her body tensed suddenly, my face beginning to be covered in her cum. I dove my tongue back inside her, pressing my face against her as she twitched in pleasure.

My tongue licked at my lips as I pulled away, catching my breath. I looked down at her, her chest heaving and legs twitching in the air. A chuckle escaped me as I leaned over her, rubbing her muzzle gently. Her eyes widened, but she calmed herself when she saw me. She whined softly, pressing herself against me.

"Feel good?" I asked, knowing the answer. She nodded, a blissful look glazing over her features.

"Good, because we're not done yet." I said, grabbing onto her and lifting her up.

She tensed momentarily, but relaxed as I sat down with her on my lap. Facing me, she spit out my boxers. I could see the smoke where flames burned through. I was surprised that she controlled herself so well. She giggled at me.

"You'll have to buy a new pair." she said, licking my neck and rubbing my cock into her belly.

I lifted her up slowly, using a hand to align myself as she was lowered down. A soft wetness drooled over my cock, before pressing against her entrance. The look on her face, her tongue lolling out and her eyes closed told me she was as eager as ever to continue. I gently pushed her body down, her body willingly allowing me entrance to her confines. A moan escaped my lips, her inner body incredibly warm. Her breathing was labored, her muscles contracting at random around me.

She leaned forward, resting her head on my shoulder. "Take me, Master." she whispered.

That was all the incentive I needed. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly against me as I lay down on the bed. Her body lay on top of mine, so I grabbed her hips and pulled her away from me. I began to slide out of her vagina, much to her dislike. Her tail twisted in the air, writhing before I slammed her down on me again. She made a sharp bark before I repeated the process. Her limbs shook against my sides as I began to thrust in time with the rhythm I set. My hands gripped her fur tightly, only stopping in mid thrust when her head shook.

"Stop, please." she whispered softly.

The way she phrased it made my heart stop. "Zin, I didn't hurt you, did I?" I asked, worry replacing my lust.

She shook her head again, almost giggling. "No, not that. I want you to take me like when we did it the first time."

I smiled, relief washing over me. "Of course. Whatever you want."

She stood up on wobbly legs, presenting herself eagerly to me at the end of the bed. I quickly crawled over to her, aligning myself and entering her once again. Her warmth was inviting, and she moaned in pleasure. My hips began to pull and push, soft squelching sounds announcing our act to the world. Her tail twitched against my chest, the tip tapping against my cheek and neck. Her front legs gave away, her face hidden away by the bedsheets under us. My hips felt wet suddenly, as her lubricant splashed out. The lewd sounds increased the incentive of my hips, pleasure numbing me to the exhaustion I was suddenly beginning to feel.

"Master!"

At those words, my world became a blur, only focused on the pleasure her body was giving me. I held her hips tightly, my hips increasing in speed. The pleasure I failed to feel was suddenly brought to full focus. My cock twitched, the need to cum beating every thought to the side in its insistence to be made clear. I bit my lip hard, the copper taste of blood only increasing my need. Her muscles tightened around me, encouraging me to spill everything I had inside of her. I managed a thrust or two before I grabbed her hips tightly and smashed mine against hers. I gritted my teeth, trying to stifle the moan that escaped my throat as I came.

My vision blurred, colors taking different hues as my mouth hung open. Her pussy gripped me in random intervals, only serving to pull more of my essence from me into her womb. My hips hadn't stop thrusting, still moving during my orgasm. The muscles under my fingers twitched every so often, her pants loud even to my ears. I think my breathing was matching hers by this point. I wanted to laugh, a giddy feeling washing over me.

Instead, I leaned down, wrapping my lovely Houndoom in my arms. I managed to finally control myself, dreading the pain the morning would bring. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was labored from the exertion. She stirred for a moment, an eye opening as I leaned over her.

"And this time you don't have to leave me." she whispered with a smile.

I returned the affection, kissing her cheek with as much love as I could possibly conjure up. "No, I don't."

Silence fell between us. I wanted to turn off the flashlight, but I didn't want to stand up to do that. And Zin felt amazingly comfortable to snuggle up against. I was going to have to clean myself with my pants come morning. Worth it?

By Arceus, yes it was.

======================/////////////////////////////========================

We were walking for the first time outside of the airplane. I didn't really know how long we've spent in the plane so far, other than a long time. They were refueling and taking care to restock for the rest of the flight to Johto. I was told it shouldn't take more than a day after we took off. Relief washed over me. As much as I enjoyed time with Zin, it was becoming uncomfortable staying cramped in the same place.

I was waiting for Joy and Jonathan to come out from using the restroom. Aurora was sitting on top of my head again, happily eating an ice cream cone. Apparently, chocolate was a favorite of her. Also, mint. It wasn't my favorite flavor combination, but I wasn't going to argue. I thought it was a good start to get in her good graces. At first, I was hesitant in having Deoxys outside of his Pokéball, but everyone convinced me to let him stretch his legs. He also decided to play the 'you promised' card, reminding me that I wasn't going to hold him inside the Pokéball unless in danger. Caught with my own words, I complied.

He sat next to me, curiously watching as I ate my scoop of ice cream. I had offered him if he wanted his own scoop, but he refused. He was more concerned with my reactions, he had said. No idea what he meant with that.

A drop of ice cream fell from above and into my cup, with Aurora almost scurrying over my head to catch it. I chuckled softly, stopping her gently before she dropped the rest on top of my head. She listened to me, if only so she could concentrate on eating it faster. I could tell when her licks became more audible.

"Why are you so patient?" Deoxys asked. "Most trainers would have done something more drastic, or reacted more strongly."

His question stopped my spoon halfway in its journey to my mouth. The precious cargo hovering in midair, teasing me with its future taste. I stared at Deoxys, a grin barely controlled easing into my features. I passed the spoon over to him.

"If you wanted some so badly, why didn't you say so?" I asked. He shook his head.

"That is not what I meant." he said, his eyes widened. The spoon full of ice cream acted like a deterrent. I smiled, bringing the spoon to my mouth again.

"Fine, have it your way." I said, my words muffled around the spoon. Taking it out, I set my cup down and focused on Deoxys. "You want to know why I'm so patient. Give me a specific instance. I'm not perfect, you know."

"Why do you tolerate Aurora's actions?" he asked.

I shrugged, the Weavile in question grabbing my hair to stabilize herself. "She's comfortable up there, and I don't mind at all. In fact, I feel safe with her there. It feels right, for some reason."

"Even if she does use her claws on your skin?" he asked, pointing at the Pokémon in question.

"It makes it more endearing." I said with a laugh.

Joy and Jonathan decided to join us at that moment. They both looked relieved that everything was alright. "And you thought I'd get in trouble." I said, pointing at both of them with my empty spoon.

"Are you done yet?" Joy asked impatiently. "I want to walk around some more before we have to be inside that plane again."

"Well, I'm not the one that has to spend fifteen minutes taking a p-" Jonathan said before a resounding slap stopped him.

"Let me know when that stops hurting, so I can give you another one!" she screamed at him. She came around the table, grabbing my hand. "Let's go, Nick."

"Wait, my ice cream! I'm not done!" I yelled with no avail. Deoxys was nice enough to grab it for me, giving Jonathan a pitying look.

I was dragged against my will through the vast food court area. Joy allowed me to walk after a moment. Deoxys handed me what was left of my ice cream, though I did notice that it was smaller than before. I grinned at him, chuckling while he looked flustered.

"Do you think I should apologize?" she asked suddenly. We were still walking at a brisk pace, and I was trying to eat my ice cream before anything else happened.

I shrugged, my spoon in my mouth. "I dunno. Do you feel like you should?"

"No, not really."

"Then don't? I mean, I can't tell you what to do, though the slap felt a bit too far."

She stopped suddenly, then sighed. "Maybe. I'll think about it."

"Good idea. Anyway, now that we're halfway across the terminals, anywhere specific you had in mind to go?"

She shook her head. "Just thought I'd walk around to see the sights, before I did anything I would regret to Jon."

"Sounds like a plan." I said. I turned around to face Deoxys. "Are you alright with walking around some more?"

He nodded. "I would like that, actually."

"Then let's get going!" Joy said, suddenly sounding exited as she grabbed my hand. I almost fell, due to being pulled. Deoxys caught me before anything happened, though. It's funny, how such a large Pokémon can be so fast.

"Thanks, Deoxys." I said, smiling. He helped me stand up, and Aurora gave a happy cheer for Deoxys as well.

"I am just glad to help." he said simply.

I shrugged, but gave him a smile all the same. We caught up to Joy, who was tapping her foot impatiently at us. Catching up to her, we walked a bit, before coming to what looked like a local store. I didn't know if it was an actual local store, but since I didn't recognize the name, it was all the same nonsense to me.

We walked inside, noticing the different magazines and things they had for sale. Unusual, for me at least, was the fact that no Pokéballs were for sale. Maybe they didn't cater to the trainer crowd. It didn't matter to me much, but it was definitely weird not seeing different Pokéballs for sale. The cashier frowned at me as I looked behind him. Other people were starting to give us a wide berth as we walked.

"Joy, I'm not liking this," I said as I stood next to her.

"What's up?"

"People are starting to stare." I pointed out.

"Let them. It's not like we're hurting anyone."

I nodded, trying to relax as Aurora adjusted on my head. It was funny to see her claws reach at things obviously out of her reach. I had to laugh when she almost fell, trying to grab a mug shaped like a Dewgong from a shelf. Deoxys made sure that nothing would be knocked off the display. The sound of someone clearing their throat made me freeze in my tracks. It didn't help that Aurora's claws sunk into my skin.

"Excuse me, sir, madam." a voice behind me said softly. I turned around to see the cashier standing behind us. "I apologize for the inconvenience, but I have to ask you to leave."

"Excuse me?" Joy asked, irritation clear in her voice.

"Under Almia law, I am not allowed to handle any transactions with known trainers." he clarified, frowning at us.

"How do you know we're trainers?" Joy asked

He points above my head. "Clearly you don't expect me to believe that he isn't a trainer? And he is with you, so you're guilty by association."

"We're breeders, actually." I said softly, ready to pull my licence. He shook his head and shrugged.

"To Almia, it makes no difference. You still capture Pokémon with devices against their will, making them battle for your benefit. Even worse, you breed them to corner a specific trait of two, against their will. I will ask you again, please leave my business."

"Nick?" Deoxys voice echoed in my ears.

I shook my head, sighing. "Let's just go, everyone. It's obvious that we're not wanted here."

Joy looked ready to throw a punch at my face. I could feel Aurora's claws sinking deeper into my scalp. Deoxys just looked more and more confused at the scenario that was folding out in front of him. I sighed, tapping him on the shoulder and taking his hand. He walked, following my lead without any more words. Joy followed, the only way I knew was because she was muttering murder under her breath.

We exited the store without any problems. No one else decided to get our attention. Deoxys was shaking his head as I turned to face him.

"Why do humans do such things?" he asked, his eyes wide.

I shrugged at the question. "I honestly don't know." I answered truthfully. "I've lived in Sinnoh all my life, so your guess is as good as mine."

"It seems like a rather arbitrary way of thinking." he said, leaning down at me slightly. "Would you not wish for others to see your lands and your culture?"

"There's more than what we've been explained." I said. "There has to be. Laws don't just happen out of the -"

My words were cut off sharply as something hit my back. I turned around to see a small box of Pikachu shaped chocolates rattle on the tiled floor. A kid was getting high-fives from his friends as they celebrated. Probably from pelting me.

"He is indeed." Deoxys said, his voice growing ominously cold.

"Don't."

I grabbed the box and walked over to the group of kids. They all stopped their cheering, glaring at me as I approached. One kid stepped forward boldly, as if protecting his other friends.

"You dropped this." I said, handing over the box. He grabbed it without a word. I shrugged, walking away.

I walked back towards Deoxys and Joy, both with confused looks.

"I'm not going to give them the satisfaction of believing that the law is right." I said, walking past them.

Both of their footsteps caught up to me moments later. We walked in silence, nobody wanting to dredge up anything. We stayed quiet as we approached Jonathan from behind. He looked confused for a moment, until I tapped his shoulder.

"You're late." he said, frowning.

"We're early." I quipped back. "The plane hasn't left yet."

"It isn't from lack of trying. We got five minutes before they do leave us behind. Let's go."

======================////////////////////////////=========================

The familiar ringing of an alarm woke me. My vision was blurry, as I stumbled out of the bed. I looked down, realizing that I was still naked. I sighed, as I grabbed the flashlight from the ground and followed the sound of my Pokédex. I found it on top of the toilet lid, along with my other things next to it. I opened the device, but it wasn't an alarm. It was a phone call, from Jonathan.

"You awake yet?" he asked, sounding groggy.

"Just now thanks to you." I said, frowning. "What's up?"

"We're starting our approach to Goldenrod. You've been asleep for the last... day now? That isn't all that healthy, you know."

"I have a good reason why I was so tired."

"I figured as much. You were quiet enough, though Joy might be suspicious."

I shrugged to myself. "Whatever. Can I go back to sleep now?"

He laughed. "Suit yourself, but I'm not going in there if we land before you wake up."

"Fine. I'll see you later, then."

We said goodbye for now, terminating the call. I sighed, grabbing my things and stuffing them back inside my backpack. I grabbed my discarded clothes from our escapade, stuffing it alongside everything else. Leaving outside a set of clothing for myself, of course. I grabbed my pants, deciding that it's best if I did make the attempt to at least wipe the scent off me. The temptation to use the water in the toilet reservoir sounded like a really good idea in my head. Probably not so much in practice.

I looked outside through the window as we began to slowly descend. The clouds were beginning to cover the view as we flew approached from above. When we finally pierced the cloud cover, golden lights dotted the landscape ahead and below us. Some were larger than others, and where we were headed seemed to be a shining beacons in the darkness. I hurried over to Zin, who was stirring softly in the bedsheets. As much as I wanted to let her see this, hesitation gave me pause. I smiled down at my Houndoom as I gently scratched behind her horns . She breathed deeply, before stretching and opening her eyes. She looked startled for a moment, but she recovered quickly.

"Are we there yet?" she asked. I couldn't help but chuckle and leaned down to hug her.

"Soon."

========================////////////////////=============================

We exited the airport, the night sky greeting us with rumbles of thunder and flashes of lightning. People were growing concerned about the weather. Everyone agreed that heading straight for the Pokémon Center was the best idea. We didn't want to be caught in the rain, and worse if it was a lightning storms. Those weren't fun at all to be caught outside in.

Jonathan led the way as he pointed out some of the sights. It was hard to see what he was pointing to, but it was nice to know the layout at the least. Maybe I could see what the radio tower actually looks like in the morning. A screech like I've never heard before made my ears ring. It also made the nearby windows of a building rattle. A flash of lightning ran through the cloud cover above. With the sudden burst of light, I idly noticed people ducking down. I looked up instead. The regret was instantaneous.

A massive silhouette stood apart from the clouds. It was flying, and with every flap of its pointy wings, a burst of lightning would shoot through the clouds. The odd phenomenon was that it was centered on the bird. Whatever it was, it flew gracefully through the sky, another ear splitting screech rattling through the air. I noticed that it was flying lower, and in the direction of the radio tower that Jonathan pointed out earlier.

The silhouette stopped as it landed, I think. The roof of the radio tower began to light up, revealing a bird unlike anything I've seen before. Yellow and black plumage covered it. The wings didn't end in smooth transitions, instead looking like lightning bolts. The face was similar, with the crown on top of the head looking like if someone stuck their finger in an electric socket. A wicked looking beak finished the package, with white talons gleaming.

"Zapdos."

I looked at Jonathan, who's eyes were wide. I've never seen him like this before. It put a whole new level of fear in me. Not even with Darkrai beating me to a pulp matched this. At least, Jonathan wasn't scared then.

"Jon?" I asked, my voice cracking.

The bird, Zapdos, screeched again, and I swear it felt like I was bleeding out of my ears. Jonathan grabbed both of our hands and pulled us into an alleyway.

"We need to get the fuck out of here." he said sternly. "I need to report this, though, now."

"How?" Joy asked.

"Pokémon Center. We can't go outside, not until that bird leaves. Do you understand." It wasn't a question.

Joy and I nodded, with Jonathan giving us a look. I have no idea what it was. If I was to guess, something between approving and authority. "Let's go. Follow me and don't fall behind."

We nodded again, and we took off through the alleyway. It was hard to judge how far we were going. A few stray boxes littered the narrow corridor, and I was glad there wasn't any trash. Joy tipped out a box, a feline Pokémon with a golden coin on the forehead rolling on the ground. I jumped over it, the Pokémon hissing and spitting at us as we ran. We took a few turns, though thankfully it wasn't raining. I don't think it could get worse right now.

Thunder rumbled over our heads again. Another screech joined it, mixing the two sounds in a duet that matched the sound of an alarm with scratching nails on a chalkboard. The annoying kind of alarm that grows in volume that you can't ignore. The alley opened up to a street, with the Pokémon Center across the road farther down to our left. Our feet pounded the ground, the screeching calls overhead sounding closer with every thunderclap. Other people were running in our general direction. The doors were held open by a Nurse Joy and a Chansey. As I ran through the door my feet slipped on the tiled floor, momentum carrying me forward as I rolled across the ground. My vision spun, pain lancing through my skull as my head hit the floor and desk when I came to a halt. Joy pulled me up slowly, as a Chansey came to me with an ice pack. The Pokémon pressed it against my head, making sure that I held it firmly in place.

"I need everyone to remain calm." Nurse Joy said with a stern voice. "We've handled this before. Any new visitors, please stay in the lobby. To those with rooms, I ask you to please go to them and stay there for the rest of the evening."

I saw her look outside, her face looking for anyone else running towards the center. Satisfied, she closed the doors. A soft click was heard as she locked the door behind her. I wondered if she was confident in a door lock holding back Zapdos if it decided to attack here.

Nurse Joy helped me stand, making sure I didn't crack my skull. She seemed satisfied, as she helped me sit behind the desk. "You don't seem familiar." she said gently.

I laughed. "We just landed on Goldenrod to find this!"

She looked terrified at that. "Well, let me reassure you that this doesn't happen very often." she said gently. "She shouldn't stay here for long."

"Wait, who?" I asked, catching the 'she'. "Who's she?"

She blinked. "The Zapdos." she said simply. "I'm sorry that I can't explain any more, since it's all I know. One of the rangers explained said that the last time this happened."

"When was that?"

"Three years ago, I think. It's been a while."

I frowned, but nodded. "Thanks, Nurse Joy."

"Where are you all from?" she asked as Joy and Jonathan rounded the corner to me.

"I'm from Sinnoh."

"Hoenn." Joy responded with a shrug.

"Blackthorn." Jonathan said. "I'm with the Rangers."

"Good! Maybe you can help with the situation instead of hiding in here like everyone else?" she said, shooting Jon a nasty look.

Jonathan's eyes narrowed. "She's here, and there's nothing I'm able to do by myself without three or four other Rangers. Going by myself is tantamount to suicide."

She stared straight at him. "Tell that to the others that all the other Rangers haven't managed to save, either."

"I'd like to see you do better." he responded back.

They stared at each other for a moment. Arceus, I didn't think anyone would challenge Jonathan like that. History or not, though, this situation needed to be defused before it got any worse.

"Nurse Joy?" I said, asking for her attention. "I think there's others that are in need of your efforts more than us. We can stay out here in the lobby if the rooms are full."

She turned to me, and her features softened slowly. She nodded, walking away from us to take care of others that were nursing minor injuries of some kind. Jonathan looked at me with piercing eyes.

"Don't do that again." he said, before marching off himself.

I watched him go down one of the hallways. Did I insult him somehow? My head pounded, the pain making me wince. Joy gave me a pat on the shoulder, grabbing my attention.

"You care way too damn much." she said with a sad smile. I didn't know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult.

Chapter 20: Of Men and Mortar

For the last three hours, I did nothing, other than watching Nurse Joy work like a maniac. She was registering new information or updating old ones, documenting whatever someone was being brought in, making sure that no one was seriously injured, among other things. The Chansey's under her command were becoming more and more irritable as time passed, only being matched by Nurse Joy's degrading attitude. Tired of all this, I stood up and stopped her as she almost bowled over me.

"What is it?" she asked tersely.

"I can take over the desk for you, if you'd let me." I said, frowning. "I've handled it while I worked back at home in Solaceon."

She frowned at me, the distrust completely understood. "Why should I trust you?" she asked.

Joy slapped my back, laughing. "This kid isn't too bad, sis."

Nurse Joy looked at Joy for a moment, before blinking. "Isa-"

"No, just Joy will do." she said, a note of finality on the matter. "Later. But anyway, I trust Nick, and you should, too."

Nurse Joy shook her head. "Only if you'll keep an eye on him." she ordered.

Joy saluted. "Will do."

Now I had something more beneficial to do than sit on my butt all night long. With me running the front desk with Joy's help, Nurse Joy managed to handle her side better. The mood slowly became lighter as the Chansey's began chanting happily as they worked. Nurse Joy would come over, asking for status reports on the front desk. Other than more trainers getting out of the thunderstorm, no urgent care was needed. If they needed their Pokémon healed, Joy was more than willing to operate the healing machine. Supervised by a Chansey, of course.

Thankfully, it was just all busy work. Typing was the major call of my abilities tonight, so I was allowed to relax more than I thought. Joy was a constant source of entertainment, if one could consider insults entertaining. She often tried to guess what kind of Pokémon a trainer would have. It was funny to see her guess and be completely wrong. Sometimes, though, she would be completely right. I would never consider someone with spiked hair in the style of a Mohawk be the trainer of a Phanpy.

As soon as we had a lull in the stream of trainers, I turned to Joy. "Do you think Jon is alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, I think so. He's tougher than we give him credit for."

Seeing as to how his Tyranitar would stop two Ice Beam's with just Sandstorm, I am inclined to agree. Still, it bothered me how strongly he reacted.

"I still wonder why he said that before disappearing into one of the rooms."

"It isn't our business." she declared, frowning. "He's probably making contact with his boss. Don't worry about it. The sooner we get to Blackthorn, the sooner we can all go our separate ways and be better for it."

Was it that simple? I almost voiced my concern when Jonathan stepped up to the counter.

"We're leaving at first light." he said grimly. "I just got report of Zapdos leaving the area of Goldenrod. I suggest you two get what rest you can. We're not stopping for anything."

He left without a word, storming off. I almost opened my mouth to say something, but Joy placed a hand on my shoulder. She shook her head from side to side, frowning.

"We'll handle it." Joy said soothingly. "Things are going to work out, alright? I'll let sis know what our plans are."

I nodded numbly, watching her stand up and leave without a word. While I did start alone, it's been a little easier to handle everything with a group. With the possibility of Darkrai following my every move, I didn't want to chance another encounter by myself.

The thought of facing one of those monsters alone sent a chill down my spine.

====================///////////////////////////============================

"Remind me why we aren't flying to get closer to Blackthorn." Joy said, rubbing her neck.

"I don't want to risk getting shocked in midair, only to meet the ground afterwards." Jonathan said patiently.

"And you haven't explained the whole Zapdos thing, either." she reminded him.

"Right now I'm not going to. It takes way too much time, and we don't have much of that. As soon as we get somewhere safer, I'll explain everything."

"Define safer." I said, raising an eyebrow.

"Someplace that won't be blown up by a lightning bolt." he said simply.

"And you think that Zapdos would blow up a building in the middle of a city?" I asked.

He nodded. I wanted to press my concerns further, but he shook his head. "I promise I'll answer your questions. Right now, can we focus on walking? I don't want to be caught off-guard again."

Again? What would he mean by that? I looked over at Joy, who shrugged. I'm pretty sure she understood my concern over his choice of words. Unsurprising, the route was deserted, and it wasn't due to the light shower over our heads. The sky was covered in dark clouds, the threat of heavy rain hanging above us. Thankfully, no threat of thunder or lightning was present, but we hurried all the same. Sprinkles of rain fell on our heads as we continued our march.

Joy walked next to me, tapping my shoulder. "I'm hungry."

I swung my backpack in front of me, grabbing one of the breakfast bars and passing it over to her. I grabbed one for myself, feeling a bit peckish.

"Thanks, kid." she said, unwrapping the bar and taking a bite. Her face contorted into something in between overwhelmed and excited.

"Holy shit, when did you buy these!" she demanded, grabbing my shirt. I laughed, shaking my head.

"I was saving them for emergencies." I replied, pulling myself away from her grasp. "And when Joy is hungry, I get the feeling that things tend to go wrong for those that cross her path."

"Why you!" she exclaimed, before punching me on the shoulder. I expected it to be a hard slug, but it was more playful than not.

"Alright you two, quit it." Jonathan said, speaking seriously. "We need to keep going."

"At this rate, we'll be halfway out of National Park before it's sundown." Joy pointed out.

"I want to be in Eucrateak before sundown." Jon clarified. "We can take the Dark Cave and shave some time to get to Blackthorn."

"The Dark Cave?" I asked. "What did I tell you on the flight? Caves are NOT our forte."

"The Abomasnow?" Joy asked, grinning.

"He won't listen to me." I said, exasperated.

"Regardless, it's the way we have to take. I'd rather avoid Mt. Mortar at all costs. More get lost in those depths than in the Dark Cave, not to mention the fatality rate."

The mention that people have died going through Mt. Mortar made my skin crawl. I swallowed the lump on my throat, gulping for air quickly afterwards. Jon looked at me with sadly.

"You didn't think being a trainer was all sunshine and rainbows now, did you?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Not after seeing Darkrai cut off Song's psychic abilities. Not after that."

He looked satisfied with that, nodding at me. For the first time all day, a small smile split through his stoic visage. "Mind passing me one of those cereal bars?"

I nodded, more than happy to share. "Totally. Here." I said, passing it over.

He caught it, biting into it after ripping off the wrapper. "Vanilla. Nice."

"Didn't take you for a vanilla fan." I said as I slung my backpack behind me again.

"And what did you take me for?"

"Chocolate guy." Joy chirped in.

His face contorted into a wince. "That stuff is disgusting." he said flatly. "Give me vanilla any day."

I laughed, shaking my head as they both promptly got into a loud argument on how either vanilla or chocolate was better. It was better than seeing Jonathan down or so serious, that's for sure. Two kids were walking towards us in the distance, one tossing a sphere in the air while the other one just walked. They were talking rather animated, and I could see that they were both wearing shorts and loose shirts. Jonathan approached them as we reached each other.

"Hey, do any of you know about the conditions around Ecruteak?" he asked.

The kids, both boys, looked at each other before shrugging. "Not really. After Code Lightning was brought down, we came over here for the bug catching competition."

The other kid shook his head. "I heard that Dark Cave suffered a cave-in a few days ago. Something about two Steelix having a territory dispute. I don't know, though. I overheard someone say it at the Ecruteak Pokémon Center."

Jonathan looked startled for a moment, but smiled and nodded to hide his concern. "Thanks. Good luck with the competition. I saw someone catch a Beedrill."

"Hah!" the boy with the ball in his hands shouted. "I caught a Pinsir! I totally have today's prize in the bag!"

I grinned. "Well, go get there, before they start awarding the prizes. You don't have that much time left, I think."

"Oh darn, you're right, mister! Let's go!"

With that, both kids took off running. I looked up for a moment, hoping that it didn't rain on their little award ceremony.

"If the Dark Cave is indeed caved in, we have to go through Mt. Mortar then." he said solemnly. I shook my head.

"We don't know that yet." I said quickly. "Let's get to Ecruteak first, before we decide on anything. We can plan better with more concrete information than not."

Jonathan nodded, but his features didn't relax. I pulled out my Pokédex, idly fiddling with the features. Joy pulled a device similar to mine. While I wasn't surprised that she had a Pokédex, I was surprised when music started playing.

"Awesome! We still have reception." she said happily.

"We aren't that far away from Goldenrod." Jonathan said, shaking his head.

The music was ending, a male voice replacing it. "Good afternoon! Hope everyone is safe and sound out there. While it's most likely that all of Johto knows by now, Code Lightning has been called off, if for the moment. Reports from the Blackthorn Rangers state that the Zapdos is seen back near Mount Silver. So we all know what that means.

"Now, what I want to say before we cut over to more music, is that there have been increased reports of mysterious Pokémon appearing around Olivine and Cianwood cities, and even around the Lake of Rage! We have no official reports from any authorities, only witnesses calling in like crazy. Either way, it's this DJ's advice to stay well away from those areas if you can.

"Enough of that depressing stuff. On to some more entertaining news! It seems that someone stole the stuffed Pikachu from the lead singers head during the Catch-Em's show in Jubilife. Whoever did it, you got guts, and I salute you! And now, some music!"

Joy's face went scarlet at the last comment by the radio. She smiled though, letting the radio play out the music. I looked at her as she closed her eyes and bobbed her head to the music.

"I'll never understand her." Jonathan said, before he started laughing.

I shrugged, trying to remember what the radio said. "Other Pokémon seen around?" I asked aloud.

Joy didn't stop humming, but Jonathan shrugged. "Has to be the Darkrai," he said solemnly. "We have to be careful."

That shocked me. I suddenly wanted to be off the ground and nowhere near a cave. The idea of having to fight another one of those crazy embodiments of shadow left me with the feeling of bile rising to my throat. I sped up my pace, Jonathan quickly matching it with Joy raising complaint that we were moving too fast.

========================////////////////////////=========================

Covered in sweat and dirt, exhaustion was quick to settle as we finally found our way to Ecruteak City. Rustic was one way to put it. It immediately made me think of Solaceon, but more ancient. The homes were built differently, that much was obvious. It felt like a large town rather than a small city. I wanted to feel safe here, but I didn't let the feeling sink in. I felt rather safe in Celestic Town, and Darkrai decided to ruin everything.

"Can we sleep now?" Joy asked. She looked as tired as I felt. A yawn escaped her efforts to stifle it.

"When we get to the Pokémon Center." Jonathan said. "We're not that far away."

"That's good. We really need to get cleaned up." I said, fixing how my backpack rested on my back. "Walking since seven A.M. isn't much fun."

We all agreed on that. Joy's radio was still blaring music, something not related to the Catch-Em's, for once. It died down slowly, finishing with a guitar solo as it slowly faded away.

"Good evening everybody! It's a beautiful night tonight here in Johto! That was the Shredders with their hit from their latest album, "Dragonite Nights"! This bit of news was recently given the green light to spread around. If you're near the area of the Dark Cave, listen up! We have a confirmed cave-in inside, meaning that the shortcut to reach Blackthorn is no-go. Something about a Steelix dispute, apparently. No idea when it'll be cleared out, but if you need to hurry over you're in for some tough luck. Mt. Mortar isn't a walk in the park. Find someone else to go with you, and pack up supplies. We all know how many people go missing in there.

"Meanwhile, sightings of our elusive Zapdos have been down to a minimal. She's been around the Mt. Silver area again like reported earlier, without any signal that she's left recently or leaving anytime soon. So everybody take a deep breath and relax on that. Hopefully she'll stay calm and not shock my tower again.

"In the subject of Pokémon sightings, the Blackthorn Rangers don't have anything to report on the matter. Seven Rangers have been deployed to the previous areas I mentioned, with nothing noticed or deemed out of the ordinary. While this may be true for the moment, it doesn't take the fact that it's been mentioned to me that certain Pokémon have been found missing or missing their powers. Psychic types without their telepathy and Fire types without being able to breathe fire, among other things. It is this DJ's recommendation that all Pokémon stay within their owners Pokéballs, or safely away from whatever is out there. I'll keep reporting what keeps being sent my way, but for now stay safe."

The sound of shuffling papers came from Joy's Pokédex. "Oh, this just in! Apparently, we've gotten wind of a Cresselia sighting! Not official, mind you, but at least it's better than Zapdos or whatever other crazy critters are out going bump in the night. At least Cresselia won't go sucking out your soul, or whatever it is these Pokémon do. Anyway, stay safe out there. Music time!"

Music started to hum along, something that sounded more classical than the heavy metal stuff that was on a few minutes ago. I looked over to Jonathan, but he didn't return my attention. I turned to face what he was looking at, but I ran face first into a door.

"You need to pay more attention." Joy said, failing to stop her laughter.

I rubbed my nose. "Gee, thanks."

At least she made sure I hadn't broken anything. Deeming me fit enough to suffer a flick on my nose.

The Pokémon Center had a distinct lack of people in the main lobby. It seemed that trainers weren't willing to risk staying in such a high risk area. I wouldn't blame them, either. If I knew Zapdos was coming here, I'd run for the hills too.

Nurse Joy came and greeted us, after making sure that all our Pokémon were safe and sound. It was funny to see her react so strongly, but we complied when Joy insisted that we listen.

"Sis!" Nurse Joy exclaimed. "It's been so long! You never called or anything!"

Joy looked guilty, nodding. "Yeah, that was my bad. I got distracted."

Nurse Joy scoffed at that, but grabbed Joy and gave her a hug regardless. "Isabella, when have I not been happy to hear from you?"

Isabella? I looked at Jonathan, and he looked over to me. We both turned to see Joy squirm in her sisters grasp.

"Don't call me that!" Joy yelled, struggling. "How many times do I have to tell you never to call me that?!"

"Oh, I don't know, Isabella. Maybe a few hundred times in the last year? I might be exaggerating, though."

I coughed politely, and Nurse Joy turned to me. She immediately dropped Joy from her grasp, politely curtsying with a smile. "I'm so sorry for behaving so unprofessionally! Please, accept my apologies."

I shrugged. "I think you need to apologize to Joy."

Nurse Joy stood up straight, giving me a bright smile. "To her? Not a chance. You're a cute one, though, so I might have to think about it."

"SIS!"

"Oh, are you jealous now?" Nurse Joy asked, grinning at her sister brightly. "Don't tell me you haven't gotten him by now."

OK... totally wasn't expecting this. I looked over to Jonathan, who was shrugging at me. Thanks for the help, mister Ranger dude.

"Nurse Joy, is it true about the cave-in inside the Dark Cave?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

She nodded, walking around to her desk and spinning a monitor in our direction. The report stated that it came from the Blackthorn Rangers today, declaring that the Dark Cave was to be closed due to a cave-in. It continued to say that all trainers not authorized were to stay clear of the area. It gave a timetable to say that the cave would be ready for travel in about a weeks time. Jonathan looked over my shoulder and nodded.

"Yeah, sounds about right." he said, shrugging. "It'll probably take an extra week, all things considered. We don't have that kind of time to just waste. We'll press through Mount Mortar tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" I exclaimed. "At least let us rest for a day. Besides, I don't think that Nurse Joy would appreciate if we abducted her sister so soon."

"I'd be quite miffed, in all honesty." Nurse Joy chirped.

Jonathan sighed, shaking his head. "Fine. I'm going to sleep, though. Nurse Joy, can you make sure my Pokémon are fully healed?"

She nodded, smiling brightly. "Of course! The machine should be almost done right now. If you can wait a few minutes, I can give them to you."

He nodded, and Nurse Joy gave me a grin.

"So, has Isabella tried to get in your pants yet?"

"SIS!?!"

========================///////////////////////===========================

Morning light barely filtered through the cloud cover above. It was a cloudy morning, but at least they were clear clouds instead of the opposite kind. Myself, Jonathan and Joy were standing in front of the ruins of the Brass Tower. Ruins was an understatement. Only the first floor was left, leaving a rather wide view of where the ceiling would stand. A flight of stairs led upwards to where the second floor would be. If, you know, if the whole tower was still intact.

I walked cautiously, Mist floating by my side the entire time. Baast stood close to Jonathan, while Ocelomah did the same next to Joy. I still couldn't think of her as Isabella. Maybe after some time I could, but not right now. Not after calling her Joy for all this time.

The boards under my feet groaned as I stood on a particular spot. I backpedaled quickly, my feet reacting before I knew what I should be doing. My heart pounded in my chest, the effort to breathe the chilled air burning my throat.

"Are you alright, Master?" Mist asked, her 'hands' on my shoulders. I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine now." I said panting. "Just lemme catch my breath."

"Hey, there's a flight of stairs that leads lower." Joy said loudly. "You guys want to check it out?"

I looked over to Mist, who smiled at me. "I will protect you, Master."

I nodded, heading to Joy's direction. The stairs looked extremely worn and rightly so. Who knew when the last person stood on these same wooden steps? I'm actually surprised that they've survived through the supposed fire. They're wood, right? It's not like there's some mystical power protecting some steps.

The wood didn't creak under our feet as we stepped lower and lower. The light didn't penetrate from above. I was in front of the group, Mist hovering nearby to guide me. Baast was right behind me, with Jon right behind her. Joy and Ocelomah were in the back. I grabbed Zin's Pokéball from my waist, revealing my Houndoom.

"Wow, it's dark." Zin remarked loudly. "Hey, where are we?"

"We're in the basement of the Brass Tower." I answered her. "Come over here for a second. I need your fire to help me find my flashlight."

She pressed against my side when I kneeled on the ground. Her teeth would spark, my vision taking in bits and pieces of my surroundings. I almost asked her to just hold a bit of flame for a moment, but it probably took more effort and energy than necessary. After some fumbling around, and almost getting a few sparks in my face, I managed to get my flashlight from the depths of my backpack. The light pierced the darkness around us effortlessly, revealing more fire damage than the first floor.

Statues in the shape of some kind of large bird rested in the darkness on the ground. The floor was rotted away in some places, revealing stone underneath. A shadow seemed to move out of my light, making my heart leap into my throat for a moment.

"Baast?" I called softly.

"Yes?"

"Can you detect if there's anyone down here? Pokémon or human?"

"I can try." she said softly. Silence followed her voice before she spoke again. "I do not detect anyone here, either Pokémon or human."

I nodded. "Thank you. I thought I saw something move."

"It is a possibility that you might have seen a ghost." Mist declared softly, hovering next to me. "A ghost that has shifted to the other world is extremely hard to detect with Aura."

"I can detect you just fine." Baast said with a distinct sneer.

"That is because I am anchored to this world." Mist explained, not rising to the Lucario's bait. "If there is a ghost Pokémon here, that is without a trainer, they can reach the other world easier, and escape your detection quicker."

"Either way, let's just take a peek around and get out of here." I said, frowning. "I don't feel all that safe here."

"Oh, don't be such a baby." Joy said loudly, slapping my back. "When do you plan on coming back to Johto?"

"If I have my way, never again. Not by plane, at least."

"Then that's more than enough to make sure that you see this place!" she said, pushing me forward to one of the fallen statues. "When are you going to see something like this again?"

"In a museum." I stated flatly.

She laughed. "Highly doubt that. These things haven't been moved since the fire. I highly doubt that anyone comes down here."

"Apparently the gym leader of Ecruteak takes care of the tower." Jonathan said.

"Well, he isn't here, right?" Joy pointed out. "It's not like we're going to steal one of these giant things. It would take some serious skill to pull that off."

I sighed, slowly walking toward one of the fallen statues. It was on its side, the magnificent brass coat was chipped. From what, I couldn't exactly tell. The statue itself was preserved, the details of the birds features as if the statue was carved just yesterday. The statues seemed to have a uniform coat once, but time and weather haven't been kind to them. The face of the depicted bird was smooth shaped, angled back in such a way that probably improved it's probable air speed. Around the eyes, the brass flakes were darker, probably to display that the feathers or whatever were darker than the rest of the body. The head was connected by a long neck. The body of the statue was huge, and it seemed that the wings were depicted to be draped like a cloak on top of the body.

I waved at Jonathan to come over. His footsteps were the only indicator that he was standing next to me. "Is this really supposed to be Lugia?"

"Probably." he said, his foot tapping. "We're going on legends here, so I'm not positive. Either way, let's move on, so we can get out of here."

I nodded, standing straight and feeling my spine pop. I placed my hand on the statue, feeling the cool metal on my skin. The light flowed over the back, revealing a long tail and what looked like plates on the statues back. I shrugged, putting the information in possible trivia that may be useful in the next twenty years.

Baast was tapping her foot impatiently, waiting for me to reach her. Zin rubbed against my feet gently as Mist smiled at me. "At least, it was an interesting diversion." I said idly.

"I feel sorrow here." Mist said enigmatically. "It feels as if someone died. Either they be Pokémon or human, I cannot say."

"Then let's leave." I said softly. Everyone seemed to wait for us at stairs. We joined them, leaving the old basement behind.

========================/////////////////////////=========================

Apparently, most of Ecruteak awakens during the middle of the day. The streets were crowded with people, entertainers and illusionists parading the corners with their tricks. Hawkers harped their wares, while musicians filled the air with a mixture of melancholy beats and upbeat tunes. It felt like a festival was underway, but nobody seemed to mind or care for the reason.

It was a good thing that we were headed to the relative quiet of the Bell Tower area. Unlike the Brass Tower, the Bell Tower was still in full service. People were still going inside of it, anyone from trainers dressed in casual ware to people that were dressed similarly to the monks from the monastery. Along the stone path that led to the entrance of the tower, there were stone statues. They were depicted of some kind of bird. A more slender face that was more looking of a bird than the one depicted in the Brass Tower statues. The head had a crown of feathers that stood in a row that started from the top of the head and went down to the base of the head. The feathers, though made of stone, were intricately detailed. The tail was like a fan made of stone feathers that stretched behind the statue. There was obvious care for these statues, for the stone didn't show any kind of abuse or neglect. Some statues were decorated with flowers. Others had incense burning at the statues claws.

Nobody paid us any mind that we were complete strangers, but some politely bowed in our direction. We bowed back out of politeness. Trainers with their Pokémon were kneeling, as if praying to one of the statues inside the building. The air, while pleasant, had a feeling that if I spoke, it would ruin the atmosphere of the place. Joy pointed to some stairs and we followed her lead. The second floor didn't have that many people, but the statues seemed to be larger. We continued going upwards, finding that the tower continued up to the ninth floor.

The final floor was a windswept platform, wooden rails protecting anyone from falling off the edge. There was a small roof above us, that housed six glass bells. Even though the wind was gusting, the round bells stood still without making a sound. An odd phenomenon, to be sure.

"It's said that they wont ring until Ho-oh comes back." Jonathan said as he stood next to me.

"Go figure." I said, shrugging. "The temptation to throw my shoe at one of them is pretty high."

Joy laughed, walking over to us. "That would be amazing." she said, grinning. "I'd pay to see that."

"Well, I'm not that stupid." I said, rolling my eyes. "Don't want to be kicked out, thank you very much."

"You know it'd be fun." Joy pointed out, giggling.

I shrugged, choosing not to answer her. She leaned on me, before pushing me between my shoulders. I stumbled forward, barely catching myself before falling face first on wood. Hanging in front of me were the ropes that would make the bells ring. For a moment, the temptation to pull one was pretty strong. Before anything could happen, Jonathan grabbed me and pulled me up.

"You alright?" he asked, brushing my shirt.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

I shook myself, standing by myself for the moment. Looking at the bells, it felt like something was missing from them. It was a feeling I couldn't explain at all, especially when I mentioned it out loud.

"And you just turned weirder." Jonathan said with a laugh. "This tower's been like this all this time, and no one's decided that something is out of place."

I shrugged, trying my best to ignore the feeling. It felt like something was being purposefully ignored. Was it just paranoia, though? The bells did look like nothing had happened to them. While they were out of my reach, they looked like no one had tampered with them. While it was most likely that they have been replaced in the last one hundred years, something still bugged me.

Joy prodded my shoulder, getting my attention. "You awake now?"

I turned to Joy, who had a grin on her face. "Oh, Isabella, what gave you that idea?"

Her grin didn't go away, but the sound of knuckles cracking made me slowly start backing away from her.

"What did I say about CALLING ME THAT?!"

Deciding that running was the best course of action, I did just that.

=====================/////////////////////////============================

The cavern that guided us to the innards of Mount Mortar cave system was brightly lit. Surprisingly, neither Jonathan or Joy mentioned it. I decided to bring it up.

"So, anyone surprised that there's light in this tunnel?" I asked.

Jonathan nodded. "Yeah, actually. It might be that someone posted them so they wouldn't get lost."

"That doesn't explain why it stops here, though." Joy mentioned.

The lights stopped at the entrance of a larger cavern. I didn't get a claustrophobic feeling, but it didn't help that I couldn't see the roof of the cave. Stalactites were barely visible from where we were standing. On the ground, there were a few stalagmites, but most seemed to have been cleared out. By what, though, I couldn't be sure. It seems more likely that someone used this to mark their way down, and forgot to continue afterwards.

"Do you think that one of the Rangers did this?" I asked. Jonathan shrugged for an answer.

Either case, I pulled out my flashlight before we moved on from the light. Flicking the switch on, stones as tall as I was greeted us before the light tapered off into the darkness. I couldn't even see one end of this cave from where we stood. Turning around to Jonathan, he gave me a questioning look.

"So, how many reports do you get for missing people here?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Too many, in all honesty. We're guaranteed one every two or three days, though. Some end up being false alarms, while most end up being real. We've saved more than I can count, but there's always that one that just happens and you end up with a life lost."

I didn't want to ask anymore. Joy patted me on the shoulder, a smile on her features. "We'll take it slow." she reassured. "We don't want to rush through somewhere dangerous now."

The thought of running into anything remotely similar to an Abomasnow sent a chill down my spine. If we had to take it slower, than by Arceus we will. Jon took point, leading the way forward through the first few turns. The sounds of something fluttering around sounded like something flying overhead. I looked upwards, but Joy grabbed my shoulders and pushed me forward gently. Turning to face her, she placed a finger on her lips, silencing me before I could say anything.

Jonathan lead us to the entrance of another tunnel. It led us downward, the steps seemingly worn through age. They were maintained well enough, somehow. The how, I decided not to think about. The sound of rushing water was quick to be noticed, considering that any other sound was our breathing and our steps. I didn't count the occasional rustling of wings. They were too infrequent for me to consider them a nuisance or constantly noticeable.

The tunnel was unlit, unlike the first one. How the waters moved was beyond my considerable thought. I didn't see any way that water was coming into the mountain, but it obviously was. The current seemed strong as well, the water lapping at the sides of the stone lined waterway. I looked over to Jonathan and Joy, who were moving over to what looked like a stone bridge. The railing, if there was one to speak of, was made of fine rope that seemed more dangerous to hold than not. They waited for me to approach them, but at least the bridge itself looked sturdy.

I took the lead this time, my light shining ahead. With one hand on the rope and the other holding my flashlight, we moved in a file along the bridge. The ground rumbled slightly under our feet, but nothing came to stop us. The bridge ended, only to leave us stranded in an island. Another bridge connected from the island we stood on to the far side. My flashlight showed a flight of Zubats flying toward us. The wings rustled above us, the screeching echoing all around as they flew. For a moment, my hand went to one of my Pokéballs, but none of the Zubat flew to harass us any further.

The thought of a Pokémon harassing the Zubat didn't bode well for me. It isn't that they weren't easily startled enough, but I didn't want to see what would startle them on purpose. I really didn't want to find a Steelix or something big hiding under a rock.

"So, what are the odds of having an Onyx under us?" I asked. My voice echoed throughout the vast chamber.

"Pretty good. Why do you ask?" Jonathan said.

"Because I want to know if I should be preparing myself to run." I answered, a group of Rattata hissing at us before taking off into the darkness.

"Oh, don't be such a baby, Nick." Joy said, giggling again. "We'll be just fine."

"What would be odds of still having radio reception in here?" I asked.

"Probably shit to none." she responded, but still pulling out her Pokédex. We were all surprised when the initial burst of static turned into the familiar voice of the Goldenrod DJ.

"Well, good afternoon, everybody! It's one hot day out there, so I hope you all bought some sun screen or something. For those out around the Mount Mortar area, take care. We all know how dangerous that whole place is.

"The Rangers of Blackthorn, Arceus bless them, have reinstated Code Lightning once more. I can already hear the complaining all over here, but at least they say that Zapdos is headed towards the west instead of back around to Goldenrod. So, I'd say that means any of you from Olivine City. We got nothing else, except from the paper that the Rangers handed us. So, I don't know any more than any of you all do now.

"Other than that, the rumor mill spins around and 'round. Calls coming in about more odd Pokémon appearing, though still no confirmation from the Rangers about this new phenomenon. So, I say again, everyone needs to take care and not do something stupid. Stay away from weird looking things that go around bump in the night. Listen to your moms, kids, it might just save your life.

"Also, to whoever stole that stuffed Pikachu from the Catch-Em show in Jubilife. You have people looking for you. Apparently, there's some crazy people that are willing to buy that thing for a good chunk of change. So, if you're looking to sell, come on over to Goldenrod! I got a few contacts that I can give you.

"That's all the news for now. All you trainers stay safe out there, and keep your ears open here on the only station from Goldenrod, giving you everything raw as we get it! Now, to some music. The Shredder's are getting pretty popular now, no thanks to us I bet. Here's another single from their album "Dragonite Nights". I'll let you all listen to the music and not my raspy voice."

With that declaration, the voice swapped for music that began with a solid guitar rift. Joy turned off the radio before the song started getting good.

The water around us splashed loudly against stone, drops of it landing on my skin. While I wanted a closer look to where the water was, it didn't seem like the safest idea in the world. We continued onward, using the second bridge to move forward now.

"You know, I thought this place was dangerous." I said out loud.

"It is. We just haven't reached the bottom yet." Jonathan said.

"Well, so far we've only found Zubat's and Rattata's. They haven't even bothered to stop for longer than screech or hiss at us. Really, so far all this is an overblown distress."

Joy and Jonathan didn't respond to my outburst. I shrugged. "I mean, maybe we'll find something, but it sure doesn't look like it."

"Pray that Arceus favors us and we don't." Jonathan said grimly.

I raised an eyebrow in concern, but I highly doubt he noticed it. We reached the end of the second stone bridge, finding a path that led downwards into around another bend and into flatter areas. The path turned about a few times, leaving me with the impression that the farther we went, the less maintained the path became. Rocks and stone littered the path alongside miscellaneous food items. My light brightened the area, and I noticed an abandoned backpack on the corner. Four crushed Pokéballs lay alongside it, with a crushed hat that probably wasn't originally red.

Jonathan stood up, and I prayed to Arcues that the grin on his face was for a joke. "See what I mean?"

Without any hesitation, he grabbed the backpack and looked for something inside. We waited for a moment, before he pulled out a Pokédex. It was crushed from what I could see.

"It'll allow us to ID the trainer, at the very least. Not here, obviously." he said, stashing his prize away. "We better get moving. This doesn't look that old."

"Which means?" I asked.

"Which means that whatever ended up killing this trainer could be around the corner." Joy hissed at me. "Let's get moving before we end up being a Crobats lunch!"

"Or worse." Jonathan said, before brushing his knees. "Let's move."

With no more arguments from anyone, we continued onwards, leaving the rest of the previous trainers belongings behind.

===========================//////////////////============================

Our camp was on the same path that anyone would be able to see. With no way to make a fire, Zin was more than happy to help us cook with her flame. As long as she kept the smog to a minimum. I decided to not use any kind of seasoning in the noddles this time, to avoid attracting anything else by the smell.

I passed out the bowls, to the gratitude of Joy and Jonathan. Zin demanded a bowl for herself, so I shared mine with her since we only had three. I also volunteered for first watch, noticing that everyone else was more tired than I was. Zin was more than happy to stay up with me, refusing to rest until Joy or Jonathan relieved me of guard duty.

We didn't bother unpacking our tents, but they did use their sleeping bags. With the 'campfire' out, my flashlight was the only way to see if anything was coming our way. Other than Zin's excellent night vision, of course. Not to discredit her usefulness, but I would prefer if she was asleep. She sat next to me, stoically watching for anything suspicious that might appear from the darkness.

"Master?" she whispered.

"You see something?"

"No, it's not that." she said, her tail thumping against my back. "Where are we?"

"We're inside Mount Mortar in Johto." I answered. The light from my flashlight danced in the darkness as I looked around. "Are you worried about something?"

"A little bit." she answered evasively. "I don't like places like this."

I put my hand behind her horns, scratching gently. She leaned against me, resting her head on my arm.

"We'll be fine." I reassured her. "We've made it this far without any problems. I'm pretty sure we'll be on the other side soon."

She didn't respond, but nodded all the same. I sighed, wrapping my left arm around her. Zin licked at my hand, her body heat keeping me warm. While it wasn't terribly cold or chill inside of Mount Mortar, there was an obvious temperature difference. It was nice to feel heat again.

"You owe me." she said, snuggling against me.

"I thought I paid you back on the airplane."

"Nope. Not enough, anyway."

I sighed, smiling at her. "Hey, when have things gone so bad."

She stared up at me, raising an eyebrow like if I was crazy. I sighed. "OK, ignoring the fact that we have a crazy legendary or two following us as we speak."

"Exactly why you're crazy." she pointed out.

I grinned at her. "We'll manage."

"Uh huh. Is that what you thought when Song lost her powers?"

Low blow. I frowned, shaking my head. "No, I didn't."

"Then what makes you think we have a better chance than before?"

"Because we've been training." I pointed out. "Probably not as much as we should, but we're better than back then."

"I have to believe that we've gotten better." I continued, sighing. "If not... we're dead meat."

========================////////////////////////==========================

"Good morning, everybody! I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this comes from official Blackthorn Ranger business, so listen up. Olivine City was hit last night by our resident Zapdos. The power's out in the entire city, with the sole exception of the lighthouse, thanks to the Ampharos that the city treasures so much. Also, a few buildings have been damaged in varying degrees. So far, I've heard of no injuries, Arceus be praised.

"I also got a report from the Ecruteak Pokémon Center telling me that there's three kids inside of Mount Mortar. You three got a pile of guts, or are straight stupid. Either way, it's my best hope that if you're listening in that you're all safe and sound. I don't want to announce any more deaths from that place, alright?

"No more witness calls for those random sightings of strange Pokémon, either. I wonder if the Blackthorn Rangers put a stop to that? Cresselia hasn't been confirmed or denied, but neither have any of the other sightings. We might have some kind of mystery in our hands. Since when has our little Johto been the center of some wild adventure? I blame that Zapdos, that's for sure. Either way, this is your trusty DJ signing off for now. Time for the All Random button!"

With that, the voice of the radio cut off to be replaced with music. Joy turned it off, grumbling as we stood up and cleaned up our camp. Xola was more than generous enough to blast our cook pot clean, but insisted in walking with us. I only allowed her because of Zin giving me a dirty look. My only requirement is that if I called her back, it was to be without argument.

The path guided us towards another cave, going downwards. I wondered how many more tunnels we had to go through. This one was short, and we were once again greeted by running water. Unlike the previous floor above us, there weren't any stone bridges to take us across. I looked over to Xola, who grinned at me.

"Why are you grinning at me?" I asked.

"Because you get to ride me." she said, sliding her body closer to me.

Bad thoughts go away. Bad thoughts, go away! "Wouldn't it be easier to just use Spirit to fly over?" I pointed out.

She shook her head. "Nope."

I sighed, looking over to Joy and Jonathan who had their flying dragons out of their Pokéballs. Xola wasn't having much of it, insisting that we should swim. I sighed, pulling off my backpack and passing it over to Jonathan. He looked at me with a sour expression.

"You're just letting her do that?" he asked, frowning.

"Either that or making her angry." I said with a shrug. I turned my attention to Xola. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

She slid into the water and began to tread water in front of us. Jonathan sighed. "It's your funeral." he said grimly, climbing on top of Storm.

I nodded, using my flashlight to see where we were headed. Spotting the shore on the opposite side, I pointed at it with the light. "Meet you over there, alright?" I said.

"We'll follow you from above." Joy said, patting one of Zefyra's heads. "We'll dive down and get you if for any reason that light stops moving."

"Don't go hitting no rocks now." I said, pointing upwards. Both Joy and Jonathan laughed.

"I'm more confident in Storm's night vision than mine." Jon said, chuckling.

"Yeah, Zefyra's night vision is second to none, in my opinion." Joy said proudly.

I nodded. "Alright, I'll see you all on the other side."

I approached the water, pleasantly surprised that the water was of room temperature. If something, I'd say being dumped with near boiling water. Xola looked fine, but it worried me that she was hiding if the water was uncomfortable. She didn't let me voice my concern, sliding in place so I would be sitting on her back. Before any words left my mouth, Xola was swimming across the water. My hands gripped her scales tightly, but she didn't give any indication that she was in pain. I was just thankful that there was no current to throw us off course. Water splashed on my flashlight and soaked into my clothes, but Xola continued on.

Something bumped into my right leg, but I didn't bother to see what it was. I didn't feel any sharp teeth or anything tearing off my leg, so it was better not to press my luck. I kept my focus forward, continuing to point my light to where we could climb out of the water. Thankfully, only the earlier brush up was the only encounter we found, the flapping sounds above us making me look up. Joy and Jonathan landed soon after we washed up on the beach, both of my friends nodding at me.

"Good thing you didn't find anything threatening there, huh?" Joy said, shoving me gently.

"It could have been worse." I said with a grin.

The ground rumbled slightly underneath us. Jonathan gave me a deadpan glare.

"You just had to say that, didn't you?"

We stood our ground, but nothing immediately happened. No gigantic Pokémon threatened our safety, and I began to relax. Joy grabbed my collar and pulled me out of the way. Before I could say anything, a boulder flew through where my head was a moment earlier.

"Gravelers!"

I noticed the plural use. Using my flashlight, I guesstimated where the rock came from. The four hands of the rocky Pokémon were easy to spot. Xola took direct action, blasting a powerful jet of water toward her target. The Graveler lost its grip and fell down.

"Jon! Are we near an exit?!" I yelled out.

"Start running!" he said, recalling his Dragonite and running towards us. Joy recalled her Hydreigon and grabbing me to get me started. I whipped out my own Pokéball to recall Xola. I wasn't going to have her hurt again. Her outline glowed red, and saw her being recalled back to safety. My hands placed her Pokéball back in place on my belt, allowing me to focus on running. Rocks pounded around us as we ran. Jonathan turned a corner, turning left and disappearing from my flashlight's range. Joy followed Jon, and I noticed the cave entrance that they took. Following them, the stairs led upward this time unlike the other two. The ground rumbled, throwing me off balance for a moment. A hand grabbed me from behind, pulling me backwards and throwing me off balance. Rough fingers dug into my skin, my shoulder popping as I tried to pull myself from the Graveler's grasp.

My flashlight fell against the stone steps, my free hand grabbing a Pokéball but failing to grasp it completely. I could hear the metallic pinging of the sphere hitting stone alongside the plastic sound of my flashlight. Pain shot through my right shoulder, the spot feeling like as if a needle speared right into the bone. I screamed as those stony fingers tightened their grip on my skin and pulled me backwards.

The rocky fingers let go of me, my body slumping against the stone steps. My shoulder ached, but I managed to ignore it when I saw Deoxys standing in front of me. His body was covered in a golden light, a light in the darkness. The sound of rock grinding against rock echoed in the tunnel, the grip on my body leaving me instantly. I closed my eyes as pain lanced through my arm as I struggled to stand. Deoxys grabbed hold of me, lifting me up from the ground to allow me to stand.

"Are you alright?" he asked, though his voice was softer. I would dare say more feminine, but I think I would blame that to insanity.

"Something hurts a lot." I said, gritting my teeth. "My shoulder hurts."

I didn't see Deoxys acknowledge me, but I did feel my feet being lifted from the ground. My body protested by shooting more pain, but Deoxys was as considerate as he could. The flashlight floated next to me, and his Pokéball landed on my stomach. My left hand grasped the sphere, fingers clutching it tightly. The feeling of being hopeless being forefront in my mind. Strangely, there was no jarring as Deoxys carried me up. Was Deoxys walking at all? I couldn't look down to his feet, but I couldn't feel him taking any steps.

We emerged from the tunnel, Jonathan appearing and looking surprised. "What happened?!" he exclaimed, grabbing hold of my arm.

"A Graveler grabbed hold of his shoulder, displacing it." Deoxys said calmly. Again, his voice was a different pitch.

"Is he going to be alright?" Joy asked. "And are those rocks still after us?"

"My Master will be fine, I assure you." he said soothingly. "And no, I do not think so."

It bugged me that his voice was starting to sound like a mixture of Zin's and Xola's. Joy and Jonathan didn't react any more than being relieved that we weren't followed. I frowned, trying to figure out if it was just me hearing things. Deoxys noticed my troubled face.

"Did you change the pitch of your voice?" I asked.

Deoxys smiled at me with his eyes again. He nodded. "Yes. I noticed that all of your Pokémon are female, and I thought you would be more comfortable if I matched the tone of voice that you are used to."

I blinked, feeling confused. Pain boiled through my right arm again, making me hiss in discomfort. Deoxys placed me down, sitting me on a rock as he looked over me. My flashlight was still hovering due to his power. Wait, should I think of Deoxys as a him or her now? I sighed, feeling more confused than ever on such a simple seeming subject.

"Were you more comfortable with me speaking as a male?" she asked, placing her hands on my shoulder.

In all honesty, it was confusing that Deoxys could shift his / her voice to be either sex. The cynical part of my mind wanted to label him as an 'it' and declare it done. I shook my head.

"You should talk however you want." I said, sighing. "If you're more comfortable talking like a guy or girl is none of my business."

"I would rather prefer to keep speaking this way, if you do not mind." Deoxys said, in his feminine speaking voice.

"I guess I'll have to start thinking of you as a female, then." I said, shaking my head in defeat.

"I'm going to set your shoulder back in place. Feel free to scream." she said stoically.

"What are you do-"

I screamed, pain like I've never felt before shooting through my body. Tears marred my vision, my lungs desperate to take as much air as they could hold. Joy came over and slapped me across the face, silencing me effectively. Deoxys narrowed her eyes at Joy, as if debating if to blast the human apart.

"I believe he is well in his rights to scream if he is in pain." Deoxys said plainly.

"Not if he's going to wake up the two Steelix that are around the corner." she hissed back.

I sighed. "Jonathan?" I called.

"Don't get me in your lady problems, alright?" he said, still looking down the tunnel we climbed up with my flashlight.

"I was going to ask how far away we are from the other side."

"Oh. Well, we're through the worst part. So, probably another day?"

Awesome.

A roar shook the ground, as my light flashed over the polished metal of a rising Steelix. The only other indication was the ground shaking that they were awake. Jonathan turned around and I grabbed my flashlight from his clutches. I traced the bodies up to their faces, finding both of their faces staring down at us.

"This is bad." I said unnecessarily.

"No SHIT!" Joy screamed at me.

Both Steelix dove for us. I grabbed Spirit's Pokéball and was about to release it when Deoxys stepped forward, jumping towards the giant Pokémon. Deoxys' tentacles slapped the first Steelix out of the way, a beam of ice appearing from the other two stopping the other in its tracks. The ground rumbled as the first one stood back up again, lunging at Deoxys from behind.

My warning didn't make it in time, the Steelix ramming its gigantic bulk against Deoxys small frame. Joy grabbed my hand before I could open Spirit's Pokéball. I looked at her, trying to escape her grip, but she shook her head. Turning back up to see how Deoxys was holding up, the one that tackled her from behind was looking confused. Where was Deoxys? The Steelix looked like it was asking itself the same question. The second Steelix stood up again, half of its face covered in a sheet of ice. Another beam of ice hit the half frozen one from behind, as Deoxys moved to a better position. As that one went down again, the other turned to face Deoxys, to have a beam of ice blasted to its face, too.

The still standing Steelix decided to back out of the fight, rumbling away before Deoxys decided that it needed more encouragement. Both Pokémon could be heard rumbling away as Deoxys came back down to our level. I looked at her with my mouth slightly agape.

"Is there a problem?" she asked calmly.

====================/////////////////////////========================

It was late afternoon as we came out of Mount Mortar. The sunlight was still bright in my eyes, and I was squinting to block out the most of it out. Deoxys was still out of her Pokéball, and my brain was still trying to process how he went from male to female.

Thankfully, the route to reach Mahogany Town wasn't very long, taking us the rest of what was left of the daylight to get to the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy didn't argue our case, but demanded that I rested here for at least a day to make sure that no serious injury would occur. Jonathan argued, even pulling out rank on her, but Nurse Joy refused to budge. Deoxys didn't help his case when she admitted that she relocated whatever it was back into place.

"Yeah, we're not going anywhere, Jonathan." Joy said with a shrug.

He sighed. "Get better quickly, kid." he said, before turning around and taking Joy with him back outside the center.

Nurse Joy sighed, shaking her head, before turning to me with a worried look. "Can you walk?" she asked.

I nodded. "I think so. My legs didn't get injured."

"Lets get you over to one of the medical rooms, just in case." she said, leading the way. Deoxys and I followed her lead, keeping up with her pace easily. Down the hallway, we passed a few doors before Nurse Joy opened one to our right. Inside was a bed with a chair in the corner, medical equipment at the ready with a Chansey saluting.

"At ease." Nurse Joy said, saluting back at the Chansey. "This trainer is to be monitored for any more bodily harmed. His Pokémon have been given a clean bill of health, so now we have to concentrate on his."

Nurse Joy and Deoxys helped me get on the bed, Chansey bringing all kinds of tools to Nurse Joy's disposal. A blood sample was drawn, as a few things were pumped into my system. I started to get drowsy, but I couldn't tell if it was from something that was injected or just general exhaustion.

"We'll let you rest for now, and I'll come check on you in a few minutes." Nurse Joy said, patting my good shoulder and walking away. Chansey followed, while Deoxys pulled the chair and sat down next to the bed.

I turned to face Deoxys, but these stupid fluffy pillows make it easy to relax and go to sleep. "Since when did you think that being female would make it easier for us to talk?" I asked bluntly.

Deoxys blinked, looking confused. "I am sorry if it wasn't your wish. I could change back if you desire."

I shook my head, frowning. "It's fine. Really, it is. I just want to know why."

Deoxys nodded, her eyes wide. "You seem to interact better in the presence of a female. I wish to interact with you more, in all kinds of levels of being."

"Deoxys." I said, but she stopped me by shaking her head.

"Spirit acts like a mother to you, Zin and Akalia are like mates to you, while Xola is like a younger sister or close friend. Mist takes the older sister roll. I do not know what Song is, seeing as I did not interact with her directly. But, you were extremely close to her, so I can infer that you know each other very well.

"I want to know about these connections. Why are these individuals so deeply tied to you? What do they gain from being so close? And where do I fit in?"

Suddenly, having Deoxys with me is becoming more complicated than I dared think. Is Joy having any similar problems with Victini? Somehow, I highly doubted it. Just because it's the nature of these things. My left hand covered my face, rubbing my eyes in a vain attempt to understand what was going through Deoxys' brain.

"Let me get this straight." I said, sighing. "You want to get to know me better, while finding out how you fit in this weird family that I seem to have. Is that it in an Apricorn?"

She looked at me quizzically, her eyes widening larger before Deoxys nodded slowly. "I want to know where I belong." she said simply. "That is all I want."

I frowned, the anesthetic drugs beginning to kick in. My thought process felt slow, but I tried to reach out to her with my good hand. Deoxys gently took hold of it, holding my hand.

"I'm going to say this while I'm still conscious, and still sane despite pain and drugs. You're here because you want to be. If you want to be more, you can take that up with Zin, Akalia, and Mist. I'm more than willing to be your friend. You don't have to ask for permission to be that. You saving me today was enough to seal the deal, like being here putting up with my stupidity wasn't enough."

I looked at the door for a moment, and shrugged. I silently hoped that Nurse Joy wasn't evasdropping. "All I'm going to say, if you want to be more... physical... you run the idea past everyone else. I'm pretty sure they'll want to know beforehand. I really don't want an angry Houndoom biting my leg. Or getting shocked by a Luxray. Or being spirited away by a Mismagius. I really don't. That's all I'm asking."

She sat there, staring at me like I just revealed some grand secret to her. Deoxys' hands were around my neck, hugging me gently against her chest. Did her body grow breasts, too? I wasn't going to argue with what my brain told me.

"You should rest now, Master." Deoxys said, looking down at me. I sighed, shrugging as best I could.

"I figured as much." I said, sighing. She relaxed her grip on me, brushing my hair back from my face.

I closed my eyes, slowly dwindling to sleep. I could still feel her touch on my arm, and it was the last thing I remembered as I slipped into unconsciousness.

Chapter 21: Icy Hot

My body felt sore, like I've been working for way too long in one day. My shoulder felt like if I landed on a rock. Then I remembered what happened, and the rock comment suddenly became extremely ironic in my mind. At least the bed was comfortable. I turned to my left, seeing Deoxys sitting next to me. Did she even go to sleep? Her eyes were wide open, taking every bit of information from her surroundings.

"Deoxys?"

Her eyes snapped towards my face, her body relaxing instantly. What had her so tense?

"Are you alright, Master?" she asked.

"Since when did you start calling me that?"

"Does it matter?"

I opened my mouth, but I didn't have an argument. She shook her head, placing one of her green tentacle hands on my left shoulder. I shrugged as best I could, feeling the minor pangs of a migraine coming in.

"Did you ever tell me how you became female?" I asked.

She shook her. "No, you did not ask."

"Entertain me, as long as it's nothing overly complicated or mystical."

"As you may know, I am not from this world, not like any other Pokémon. I believe your device classifies me as the DNA Pokémon, and that I was created due to genetic material that came from an asteroid. As such, while I've chosen this form as a whole, I can change it to suit my needs. I have four different bodies that I can adjust to, three that favor a different aspect, with the fourth being neutral. This is currently my Attack form, or so other humans have come to call it.

"I am also not the only one of my kind. While we share almost a single mind, we experience things differently. We form our own opinions due to our individual stimuli. This allows us to form a more accurate analysis to our current mission, so to speak."

"So, you picked me out of everyone else in the world?" I asked, feeling a little overwhelmed. "For what?"

"Again, I wish to understand the human emotion. We've had different encounters with your kind, but we've never found anyone that reacts quite like you. Also, your interactions with your Pokémon have us questioning the previous beliefs we have of most humans."

I stared at her. "To put it simply, you're here because I've had more physical interactions with my Pokémon than most."

"That is putting it quite eloquently, Master." she said, nodding.

"You're getting into the habit of calling me Master now." I said, sighing.

"You never stopped anyone else from calling you that." Deoxys pointed out.

Struck down before I could pick up any speed. "I've tried." I offered lamely.

"It means you don't mean it, or you like being called that." she said, nodding to herself. "I would think that you would be more strict if it displeased you so much."

She's right. It's not the most endearing word, but if it makes everyone happy, why should I stop them? I sighed, shaking my head in defeat.

"Just know that you don't have to, alright?" I asked. "If you don't want to, please don't force yourself to do so."

She nodded. "I will remember that, Master." she said, both tentacles on her left side coming up to give me a salute.

I sighed, shaking my head again. Despite her acting like this, I grinned, finding it amusing at some level. Nurse Joy came in, followed by one of her loyal Chansey. Nurse Joy looked happy to see me awake, smiling at me.

"It's good to see you up." she said gently, standing next to Deoxys.

"He slept peacefully." Deoxys reported to Nurse Joy. "My Master should be fully restored soon."

"Well, that's good." Nurse Joy responded, giggling. "Let's make sure, though."

I closed my eyes, relaxing while Nurse Joy did whatever she had to do to make sure that my body healed properly. I just hoped that she didn't end up messing something up. It's happened before.

===========================/////////////////////////======================

"So, you're better now?" Jonathan asked after he swallowed the bite out of his sandwich.

"For all intents and purposes, yep." I said, nodding. "I still need to keep this sling on for a few days. Make sure I don't mess myself up some more."

"You getting all fucked up is slowing us down." Jon said, pointing at me with his sandwich. "You need to be more careful."

I nodded, biting my tongue to stop myself from saying something inappropriate. It wasn't like I wanted my shoulder dislocated. "I'll be more careful next time." I answered.

We were sitting outside the Pokémon Center, enjoying the morning sunshine. Jonathan was eating his sandwich, chewing loudly. Baast sat quietly next to him, eating out of a bowl what looked like some kind of poffin. Joy was eating some kind of soup, Variel quietly laying next to her. Leaves were beginning to fall from the Sawsbuck's horns. Many of the crimson leaves still remained though, so it wasn't quite winter. The air around us wanted to argue that point. I was using my left hand to eat a salad, while trying not to aggravate my injured shoulder.

"Give the kid a break, Jonathan. Deoxys helped us out, and I'm pretty sure that getting out of Mount Mortar would have been a lot harder without the help."

"We wouldn't have had to fight those two Steelix if Deoxys didn't set back Nick's shoulder or whatever the fuck it was."

What was funny about this situation, is that Deoxys was standing right behind him. She was carrying my team in a tray in front of her, as her eyes narrowed dangerously towards Jonathan. If it wasn't that she would actually act, I would laugh at the scene. Instead, I pointed behind him with my fork. Jonathan turned behind him, and reacted by flinching so bad he almost fell off his chair. Baast quickly grabbed the chair, preventing her trainer from hitting pavement.

"Next time, I won't stop you from falling." Baast said acidly. "You deserved to eat dirt for what you just said."

Jonathan didn't respond, putting his attention to eating his sandwich in silence. Deoxys came around and took a nearby chair, sitting next to me. Neither Joy nor Jonathan said anything about Deoxys' new growth spurt, or whatever it would be called. I did notice Joy give me a questioning look though, but she didn't ask anything.

"So, what's on the schedule? Other than waiting for me to heal." I said before taking another bite of salad.

"The Ice Path." Jonathan said, glaring at me.

I sighed in relief. "At least it's not another cave."

Jonathan shook his head. "It's a cave."

I threw my good hand up in the air. "Are you kidding me? We're going down ANOTHER cave?!"

Joy sighed. "Yeah. It's the only way to get to Blackthorn from here. Unless you want to cut in four more days of travel if we take the supply route."

"Supply route?" I asked.

"Out of the question." Jonathan said with finality. "We have to cut through the Ice Path and reach Ranger HQ as soon as possible. We can't afford any more screw-ups."

"You mean YOU can't afford any more screw-ups." Joy said, looking at Jonathan. "This has been mostly for you. What's the point of going to Blackthorn if not to report to YOUR boss?"

"Because I need the help." I answered softly. "I want to know why I've been targeted by Darkrai not once, but twice."

"Did he even guarantee that they would help you?!" she demanded, hitting the table with her fists. "Did he even give you any kind of confirmation that he would even TRY?!"

I looked over at Jonathan, my thoughts sinking back to when we first met. I honestly don't remember if he did promise to help. He suggested that the Rangers could help. Maybe he did? I shook my head, though, not being able to accurately remember.

Joy looked over to Jonathan. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

"I'll talk to my boss, see if I can convince him to part with some support." Jonathan said. "I can't guarantee it, though."

"So, this has been a complete waste of time." I said, staring at him. "Wonderful."

Jonathan looked away from us. Either ashamed or indifferent, I couldn't really tell. All I knew was that my shoulder ached, and it wasn't the best feeling in the world. Deoxys placed all my Pokéballs into place. How she put them in order is beyond me. I stood up, grabbing the plastic box that once housed my food.

"I'll see you later. Come talk to me when you've gotten proof that someone's going to help."

Deoxys followed me as we made it inside the center. Nurse Joy was behind the desk, typing away at something. I kept the plastic container in the vain hope that there was a recycling bin somewhere close by. The typing sounds stopped, and I saw Nurse Joy give me an expecting look. She looked at the empty box in my hand and pointed to the side of her desk. Looking over, I noticed the recycling bin.

"Sorry." I apologized, putting the plastic in the bin. "Is there any reports on Code Lightning being reinstated?"

"I was just looking into that, actually." she said, turning the monitor in my direction. "The Rangers say it's being reinstated again near the Mount Silver area."

I sighed, shaking my head. "That means no flying, huh."

"I wouldn't recommend it, that's for sure." she said, frowning. "Do you need to get to Blackthorn?"

"Yeah, as fast as possible. Well, as soon as I'm fully recovered, of course. I'm not going anywhere with a busted shoulder."

The nodded. "That's good to hear. The Ice Path would be your quickest way, unless Zapdos moves out of the nearby area. While it wouldn't take very long to go over it by air, she keeps a very vigilant eye over Blackthorn. It's why the Rangers are able to keep accurate tabs on her."

I frowned, wondering why was that. Deciding that it wasn't worth the risk, I nodded. "Thank you, Nurse Joy."

"Don't mention it." she said, smiling. "Will you be returning to your room now?"

I nodded. "Yeah, it's probably for the best. I'm still tired."

Nurse Joy took me to my room again, closing the door behind me for privacy. Deoxys insisted in helping me sit on the bed so I wouldn't aggravate my injury by accident. It was only when she was satisfied that Deoxys allowed herself to relax. She sat next to me on the chair again, staring at me intently. My left hand went to my belt, feeling each individual Pokéball on my belt. I could almost tell each individual one. What felt odd is that the first slot was missing.

"It is for when Song returns." Deoxys explained. I looked at her. "You did say that she was returning, yes?"

I sighed. "When we go back to Sinnoh. If we make it back to Sinnoh."

"Why would we not return?" she asked curiously.

I closed my eyes in thought. Deoxys placed two of her tentacles gently against my chest. "I don't know." I offered lamely. "It just feels like it. All this feels like a gigantic waste of time. I honestly thought Jonathan was going to help. Maybe he is, in his own way, but he's willing to use me to get what he needs to do before he helps me."

"If the Rangers are able to keep you safe, wouldn't that be a step in the right direction?"

I shrugged, wincing as my right shoulder ached. "Maybe." I offered. "We still don't know what's really going on."

"I've never known what was going on in this strange world." Deoxys offered. "Even with all the knowledge I've gathered throughout all these years, I only know a fraction of something, and not much of anything."

"That doesn't help me right now." I pointed out.

"Perhaps I phrased that incorrectly." she said, tilting her head to the side. "I am this powerful being, able to control minds and bend elemental energies to my will, yet I am not all knowing to the workings of this world."

That made things slightly worse, in my opinion. Maybe it was the pessimist in me talking. I smiled in an effort to ease Deoxys, but she shook her head.

"I am not helping, am I?" she asked. I sighed, my smile fading.

"No, not really. I'm just getting confused right now."

"We all have flaws." she said calmly.

"Yeah, but at least I'm the guy that's getting chased by a Darkrai or two. Maybe more, if I'm extremely unlucky. Fighting one was bad enough."

Deoxys didn't respond, leading to an awkward silence. "I'm sorry." I said, sighing.

"You feel betrayed. It is only natural for you to lash out. I am sorry for not realizing this sooner."

Did I feel betrayed? It annoyed the daylights out of me that Jonathan was just stringing me along so he can have something to report. Was that what was bugging me? It's frustrating, sure, but is there more than he isn't telling us? That's an obvious question, with this whole Zapdos business or whatever crawled where the sun didn't shine.

"We're here, so we might as well go ahead and follow any lead we can." I said, frowning. "If the Rangers don't want to help, maybe something will work out. As much as it sucks to admit, this injury isn't helping my overall mood."

Deoxys nodded. "I need to give you a name." I pointed out.

"A name?" she asked. "Is Deoxys not enough?"

I almost shook my head, but thought better of it. "That's not what I meant." I said, sighing. "Different names are just a way to tell apart one person from another."

"Did you name all of them?"

I shook my head. "I adopted them. They already had their names when I first met everyone."

"So your mother and father named you to be a individual." she observed. I nodded.

"Unlike Pokémon, humans don't have other ways to distinguish each other from a crowd. Our major senses aren't tuned to differentiate small details like tone of voice and scent. Names make things easier to individualize."

Deoxys nodded, her eyes focused on me. "What is your intention, then?"

"Well, I'd like to agree on a name for you. Not sure what, but I'm pretty sure Nurse Joy intends to find me asleep some time soon."

"I agree." she said, nodding. "You should sleep, Master."

"Already ahead of you."

===================////////////////////////===============================

A warm body lay on top of me. My chest rumbled slightly, a rough tongue licking my cheek. I slowly woke up, stifling a yawn with moderate success. My shoulder felt halfway decent for once. My eyes opened slowly, to see Nurse Joy wrapping something along my shoulder.

"Did I wake you up?" she asked softly.

I shook my head. "No. I felt something on my cheek." Oh, Arceus, please don't tell me that this Nurse Joy has the hots for me, too?!

"That would be your Luxray." she said, smiling. "She was rather insistent to stay outside of her Pokéball."

Relief washed over me as soon as she said that. "Where's Deoxys?" I asked.

Nurse Joy pointed over me. I looked over to see Deoxys sitting on the chair once again. Her eyes were closed, her breathing deep and peaceful. I noticed Zin also sleeping, curled up next to the chair. Nurse Joy giggled above me.

"They were having quite the animated conversation." she said, smiling down at me. "I was surprised they talked for so long."

I shrugged, doing my best not to disturb Akalia. She stirred slightly, her tongue brushing against my cheek again before nuzzling me. Crackles of electricity flowed along my fingers, the current flowing through me softly. Nurse Joy giggled again.

"You take really good care of them." she whispered. "Anyway, you'll be able to move in the morning, but I highly suggest you keep as much weight off that side of your body as possible. It's completely possible to make it through the Ice Path without much trouble. Not too many Pokémon inhabit it, unlike Mount Mortar."

I nodded. "Thanks, Nurse Joy."

"Don't mention it." she said, patting my head. "It's still about three in the morning, so you should go back to sleep and keep resting. I'll let your friends know that you'll be ready in the morning."

I nodded. "Thanks."

"Like I said, don't worry about it." she said, smiling at me. She turned away, walking towards the door. Before closing it, she turned and giggled before closing the door.

All the people in Johto are crazy.

My fingers scratched behind Akalia's ears, the rumbling of the large Pokémon vibrating through me. Her tongue washed my cheek a few times as more electricity ran through her fur. I wanted to laugh, but tried to keep from doing so. The Luxray woke up regardless, her eyes glowing yellow in the darkness of the room. I felt her face rub against mine, her luxurious fur keeping me at ease.

"I bet you talked to Deoxys, huh?" I whispered, scratching her neck.

She purred in response to my question, closing her eyes as I scratched away. A relaxing feeling overcame me. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't. It was obvious that they were civil, by the fact that the room wasn't completely trashed and I was still alive. Somehow, I would think that Zin wouldn't take kindly to anyone if they were didn't show respect to her self appointed position.

It felt weird to think of a Pokémon as a mate or wife. I mean, I didn't even ask for it. It was put on my lap, so to speak, so it's always been a choice. It never bothered me, though. Though I have to say that doing it with Zin was a real experience. I think the most important part is that they care, not just because I'm their trainer. At least, that's my hope.

It should be obvious. Capturing a Pokémon doesn't instill immediate loyalty to a trainer. Feelings are always true, or they should be. I stroked down Akalia's back, feeling her stretch out on top of me. I hugged her as best I could, snuggling close to her.

===========================///////////////////////========================

With what little hope I had, we stood outside the entrance of the Ice Path. Joy and Jonathan were with me still. Accompanying us were Baast and Gem from Jonathan's team, Skadi and Ajax from Joy's, while Deoxys and Akalia were representing of my own. It seemed that there was some kind of unspoken agreement to not let anything slow us down this time. Not just from us, but from our Pokémon, too.

"The Ice Path will put us just outside Blackthorn city limits." Jonathan said. "This place isn't so heavily populated, but some trainers like to pick fights in here."

"Who would fight in such a dangerous area?" I asked out loud. "I mean, it's not like there's... you know... ICE everywhere?"

"Beats me." Jonathan said with a shrug.

"Not everyone is considerate of others." Joy said, laughing. "And other's like to gloat because they can win. Other people are just straight assholes."

Of that I didn't doubt. Still, it wasn't really good that I was still injured. I just hoped that we didn't have to climb anything.

We walked into the wide entrance of the Ice Path, a cold gust of air blasting right through my shirt and into my bones. I guess when something is called the Ice Path, it might be quite literal. Crystal formations adorned the walls like decorations around the path. I touched one as we passed by one, wincing back quickly as the tips of my fingers felt like they were freezer burned.

Joy laughed as I wrapped my fingers up in my shirt, warming them up gently. "And that's why you don't touch strange things." she said, wagging her finger at me.

"Yes, mom." I said sarcastically.

A gust of cold wind hammered us again, bringing with it flakes of snow or ice. I covered my face as we continued forward. While the wind didn't stop, it wasn't as consistent as I feared. It only gusted every now and then, but when it did the chill cut right through my clothing. I'll admit, I wasn't wearing anything more durable than a short sleeved shirt and jeans. At least a jacket would help. Too bad I don't have one. Solaceon never got this cold!

Thankfully, the general layout of the Ice Path was even. While we did have to climb up a few general steps, we didn't have to do some dirty climbing like I was afraid of. Baast and Deoxys were always close at hand, if I seemed to slow down a bit too much for the groups taste. Nobody said anything, the only sounds being the blasts of occasional wind and our breathing. I quietly admired the area, though I stopped as soon as Akalia began shocking me with electricity.

A tunnel led downwards, and I let out the groan everyone was expecting. Jon grabbed my shirt and all but yelled at me. "Just shut up about it already. We know you hate caves. Deal with it."

I rolled my eyes, but kept quiet as he let me go. This tunnel was probably large enough for Skadi to walk on her hind legs, but didn't test the theory. Crystals clung to the walls tightly, unlike the previous chamber where they grew like flowers. Our reflections mirrored our actions, distorted only by the imperfect facets. The only things that disturbed me is that none of us carried any sort of light. The cave itself seemed to radiate light. The walls themselves gave off a soft illumination, that was probably magnified by the crystals.

The silence was broken by the all encompassing voice of the Goldenrod radio DJ. "Good morning, everybody! How's the weather treating you all today? I gotta tell you, coffee in the morning is great! Caffeine has to be the most important thing ever invented! Well, only after the microphone and the radio waves, of course. I'm getting the evil eye from my management again, and you know what that means. News time!"

Papers were shuffled, the sound loud in our current environment. "Aha! Here's something mildly not interesting at all. Some kids at the National Park bug catching competition won the grand prize of five thousand Zenny a few days ago. Congrats! I bet their parents are mighty proud of them. I would be, if my kid caught a Pinsir.

"Code Lightning hasn't had any updates since yesterday. Not a big surprise, I think. You know, I feel really bad for Blackthorn. That gym has to have the worst traffic of trainers to compete in the league. I'm betting more than half of Johto trainers just end up going to Kanto so they can compete. Not even Mount Moon is as dangerous as Mount Mortar! It's a little ridiculous.

"Anyway, Olivine City isn't reporting any injuries, thank Arceus. Surprisingly, not too much property damage was caused. Other than the entire electrical system getting the nastiest shock of its life. Oh hey, I made a pun! Someone, gimme a pay raise!

"OK, that wasn't all that funny. I'm not much of a comedian, with that kind of material. I'll stick to my job and let you all listen to music. How about something a bit more classical than the norm? Here's the Kanto Symphonic Band from Veridian City with a famous oldie of theirs, called 'Nidoking Crossroads'. I'm sure you old folks remember this one. Enjoy!"

The solid beats of a drum began, followed by strings and a soulful note of brass. It was quickly stopped when Joy closed her Pokédex. I wanted to hear that song. It's one of mom's favorites, actually, so I heard it quite a lot growing up. Also while working in the digs. Quite a lot, actually, if I remember correctly.

The floor was unsurprisingly slippery at this point of the cave. I turned to Jonathan, who looked ready to skate over the ice.

"And what exactly is the plan right now?" I asked.

"We need to cross over this ice. Don't break something now."

Awesome. "Thanks for the advice." I said, sighing.

He shrugged, Gem jumping on his shoulders before he slid toward a wall and turning a corner. Baast looked at me, before following him down the ice. Skadi walked up to me, Joy riding the white giant's shoulders. She reached down to me, a grin on her face.

"Want a ride?" she asked.

"Is she going to react like your Hydreigon?" I asked. Having a repeat of Zefyra was not high on my priority list.

"No, she's fine with it. Skadi is a bit more even tempered than Zefyra."

Before I could say anything, I felt strong limbs wrap around me. My feet lifted from the air and slowly let me down behind Joy. Deoxys gave me a nod, as Joy laughed.

"You don't even have the choice, huh?" she asked, her hair whipping into my face as she turned.

"I think I like the idea of not being hurt anymore." I said, shrugging. I looked over to Deoxys. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Master." she said, nodding. I couldn't help but notice that Joy was grinning at me.

"Ready?" she asked me.

"Wait a second." I said, turning to face Deoxys and Akalia. "Do you two want to go back inside your Pokéballs?"

Deoxys shook her head, Akalia standing by her. "We will walk alongside you." she declared.

Joy's laugh brought my attention to her again. "I think we'll be fine. If anything, we'll have to pull Jonathan out of trouble."

I grinned. "Alright then. Whenever your ready."

"Alright! Skadi, no running, alright? My friend has an injured shoulder that's still healing."

The giant Pokémon growled, and I couldn't tell if it was a confirmation or not. She walked slowly, the Beartic's claws purchasing her a strong grip that didn't allow her to slip on the ice. Ajax the Medicham looked almost too peaceful as he skated next to us. I almost had to look twice to make sure that he wasn't floating above the ice. Akalia had a surprisingly easy time adjusting to the ice underneath her paws. Maybe she's had previous experience handling this kind of environment. Deoxys seemed not to notice the ice under her feet, walking without any hesitation.

We rounded around corners, occasionally seeing patches of rock breaking the sheet of ice under us. More crystals hung around the walls, almost distracting me with the light they spread.

"Hey, Nick." Joy whispered, her elbow hitting my stomach to get my attention. "Look at Akalia. She's a natural!"

I noticed Akalia rounding the next turn quickly, gliding backwards on her four paws. Joy gave me a perplexed look, which was returned. Skadi quickly followed Akalia around the bend, managing to see her spinning in circles around Baast, Jonathan, and Gem. Jonathan saw us coming along and he pointed to the skating Luxray.

"Mind explaining this?" he asked aloud. I shrugged.

"Beats me. We don't get snow in Solaceon." I said.

Akalia finally noticed the audience she gathered, stopping her display and lowering her head. I imagined that she was embarrased as she pawed at the ice. Deoxys slid next to her, nodding towards the Luxray. Like an unspoken agreement, Akalia stood up with head held high. I could swear that she gave me a knowing look, before pushing ahead. Deoxys looked at me, giving me a nod before following Akalia.

Oh Arceus, I'm in trouble. I did something and I'm in trouble.

Joy turned to face me. "Oh, you're in for it now." she said with a grin.

"Arceus!" I swore, feeling my cheeks burn. Joy giggled, shaking her head.

"Someone's gonna get it!" she sang, laughing as she finished. Turning away from me, she tapped Skadi's side. "Let's follow them, girl. Don't want lover boy here to be waiting."

Arceus! If there was such a thing as being too embarrassed, I haven't reached that point yet. It wasn't from lack of trying, though, that's for sure. I held on to Joy's shoulder with my left hand, my right cradled between our bodies to make sure I didn't slam it against something. It didn't take long for us to find the next tunnel that led downwards. Akalia and Deoxys were both waiting for us to reach them. Jonathan slid out of control, only to be stopped by a pair of Deoxys' tentacles grabbing his waist before he tumbled down the tunnel.

"Thanks." he said as Deoxys put him down. Baast gave me a look that was between thankful and indifferent. Gem was a bit more obvious of her feelings, jumping up and down on Jon's head and grinning widely.

Deoxys aided me and Joy from getting off from Skadi's back. The tunnel was almost identical to the first one we went through. If anything, the crystals seemed to be of different colors. The light that radiated around the tunnel was similar to a subdued blue or green than just reflecting the stone walls. When we tunnel leveled out, we were standing in a flat area. It felt like a clearing, but it was inside a cave. Not to mention the crystals.

Said crystals reached the ground in the shape of pillars, glowing with an eerie inner light. Some pillars were huge, wider than I could reach around, while some looked frail enough to break if touched. The clearing was enormous, and I was barely able to see the far side. I stood there in awe, amazed that such a thing could occur inside of this cave. Was this a natural occurring phenomenon in here? Maybe they were made? But by who, then? An ancient civilization from history, dating previous entries into the books? Possible questions and plausible answers filled my head until two fingers snapped in front of me. I backed away from the offending digits, taking a deep breath of the cold air.

"You alright there?" Joy asked, backing away from me. "You zoned way the fuck out."

I shook my head. "Sorry." I said, frowning. "I think my mind went off the deep end there in the possibilities of this place. There's no place like this in Sinnoh, I don't think."

"It's good that you're enjoying yourself." Jonathan said, slapping me on the WRONG SIDE! I cried out in pain, dropping to my knees. Deoxys rushed over, shielding me while Joy pushed Jonathan away.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" she yelled. "Are you stupid?"

Jonathan opened his mouth, but didn't say anything. He looked away, considering that Deoxys looked like she was about to murder him. Somehow, I felt that I needed to talk to Deoxys. After getting out of this place intact.

"Master." Deoxys intoned softly. "Are you alright?"

"No, not really, but I'll live." I said through gritted teeth. "As soon as this calms down, I'll be ready."

Silence fell among our group as I recovered from my pain. I looked around, taking care not to zone out again. "Jon, where to next?"

"I'm trying to see the next exit. The walls are full of smaller exits that lead to different caverns."

"I'm just glad that no trainers are down here." I said, feeling relief at the thought. "This would be a nightmare if we were being challenged"

"Yeah, this wouldn't be so easy." Jon said with a shrug.

"Yeah. If you had your shoulder displaced, I'm sure this would be too 'easy'." I shot back.

He looked surprised at that, and quickly shut his mouth. Baast gave me a Muk eating grin from behind him. Gem cast the Lucario a glare, but Baast didn't pay much mind to the Sableye. I stood up again, Deoxys standing next to me. Two of her four tentacles were wrapped around my waist. One was gently laying on top of my injured shoulder, but it thankfully didn't put any more pressure. It felt more like it was making sure nothing put weight on it.

"Are you alright?" Joy asked.

I nodded. "As good as I'll get for now. What's the plan?"

"There's multiple tunnels that lead us to the final stretch of the Ice Path." Jon said after a moment. "They all lead to the same spot, so even if we get separated we'll find each other again. Unless you run into one of the pillars, it'll be hard to change direction."

"Don't the tunnels have stairs like the last few we've used?" I asked.

Jon shook his head. "That's the interesting part of this section. All the paths slide down instead of being stairs. So expect a rough ride down."

I looked straight into his eyes. "You hate me, don't you." I said, frowning.

"What would make you say that?" he asked. Before I could respond, Baast took the liberty of grabbing him and pushing him across the ice. Gem was hot on his heels, as Jon slid toward one of the openings.

"I apologize." she said, bowing to me. "I will make sure he gets properly reprimanded."

Before I could vocalize anything, she slid in the direction she pushed her trainer. Joy looked over at me, before laughing.

"And now you're stealing!" she said, before laughing uncontrollably. Ajax almost looked insulted at what she said, glaring at me. I sighed, shaking my head.

"Please don't say those things." I said. "It's not like I'm doing this on purpose."

She patted Ajax on the shoulder, which helped the Medicham feel more at ease. Joy looked over to me again, her wide grin telling me this wasn't going to end any time soon.

"I know. Something tells me that Lucario is interested, though." she said with a shrug. "Just an observation."

"An observation?!" I yelled, my voice echoing.

"You're not angry about that, are you?" she asked sweetly.

I sighed. "No, not really. I'm just confused. Finding out that this has been all a 'hunch' kinda sucks."

"We'll see how much of a hunch it really is when we get to Blackthorn." Joy said. "Until then, we carry on. You ready?"

I sighed, but nodded all the same. Before I could ask which way she was going, she took off in the opposite direction Jon was pushed. Skadi and Ajax weren't far behind her, sliding across the ice in chase of their trainer. Akalia and Deoxys stood next to me, the three of us standing alone in the cavern. My Luxray rubbed against my legs, purring loudly. I smiled down, scratching under her chin as Deoxys held me tightly still within her grasp. Not tight enough to be painful, but enough to get the point across that I wasn't going anywhere.

I looked around, trying to find a tunnel that suited my tastes. The need to follow either Jonathan or Joy wasn't there, seeing as both of them took to opposite directions. Although Jon's was against his will, I still didn't want to follow him. A cave that was barely visible by the mountain of crystals led me pick my direction.

"Deoxys, you see that tunnel?" I said, pointing idly in the general direction.

"The one that's hidden? Yes, I do."

"Let's go that way. I have a good feeling about it."

She nodded, pushing me slightly so we slid together across the ice. Akalia was sliding close by, her eyes noticeably glowing even in our current environment. We reached our tunnel, a gust of wind blowing us back slightly. Deoxys helped us by making sure we didn't slide backwards. Akalia was the first to jump in, sliding into the tunnel. Deoxys held me tight against her body, sliding forward to follow our four legged leader.

I was thankful that Akalia wasn't screaming in pain. The thought was quickly replaced by the mental image of her falling down a pit. I shook my head, shivering in Deoxys' embrace as we slid picked up speed. Momentum was kind to us, and I was extremely grateful that the tunnel didn't twist and turn like some maniac road. My shoulder can't take that kind of abuse right now. Our speed increased slowly but steadily as the tunnel seemed to widen. Deoxys began to glow again, and our speed began to decrease at a rapid pace. I could see Akalia sitting at the end of the ramp... slide... whatever this was. Deoxys timed it all so we would stop by gently tapping her. She jumped, turning toward us with surprise in her eyes. They weren't glowing anymore, but it was easy to see that something spooked her. I looked up, and it was easy to see why.

Suicune. Suicune is here, right in front of us.

I hesitated though. Suicune was sleeping, or at least had his or her eyes closed. The thought of finding the same one sent a shiver down my spine. I really didn't want to be on her bad side. But who was to say that this was the same Suicune? If there are more than one Darkrai chasing after me, wouldn't it be true for other legendary Pokémon? The possibility of having more than just numerous Darkrai chasing after me was not a pleasant thought.

Deoxys helped me stand up as quietly as she could. The snow beneath our feet crunched loudly in the stillness of the cavern. My eyes were focused in Suicune. The Pokémon didn't stir, but I didn't want to press my luck any further than needed. Akalia's tail twitched nervously, sticking close to my legs. Even Deoxys didn't seem totally confident in front of Suicune. I honestly didn't blame either of them for feeling this way.

I looked around, spotting a tunnel that seemed wide enough to go through. What lay on the other side was a mystery, but it was better than waking up some powerful being from their beauty sleep. Quickly getting both of my Pokémon's attention, we moved as quietly as we could. My guess of making it out before Suicune woke up were near nill when we landed in the cave.

When the sound of crushed ice echoed from underneath my foot, I knew I was dead.

The howl that followed was like the wind given voice. I wanted to cover my ears, but my right hand didn't like to move at the moment. Akalia shuddered underneath me as I kneeled down. Deoxys stood over us, her four tentacle arms flailing around in a intimidating fashion. I looked up, only to see Suicune's signature headpiece shine like a beacon, before the Pokémon opened its mouth to shoot an Ice Beam towards us. Deoxys reacted quickly, firing her own Ice Beam at the incoming projectile. Both beams met halfway through their trajectories, the energies mixing and exploding outwards in a shower of snow and ice. The random thought of Suicune recognizing me was somewhat nice. If I ever managed to yell at this pace. Suicune's forehead glowed brightly once more, launching more Ice Beams in quick succession. My left hand covered my face as I put my body over Akalia. Deoxys made my effort pointless as a prismatic shield appeared around us, absorbing the impacts of Suicune's attacks.

I stood up, pushing past Deoxys. "Suicune!" I yelled, hoping that the Pokémon would remember me. If it was the same one to begin with.

For a moment, Suicune stopped altogether. The large Pokémon stared at us, unflinching, before shaking its head.

"I remember you, human." Suicune spoke, in a soft female voice. "Why are you here in my home?"

Home? Arceus! Oh nonononononono. This is really bad. "I apologize, Suicune. We're only trying to get to Blackthorn, but this Zapdos isn't allowing us to fly over due to the chance of getting shocked and-"

"I understand, child." Suicune said, shaking her head. "I still remember the time we met."

I was startled by the revelation. "Wait a second! You're the same Suicune that helped Xola?"

She nodded. "Yes, I am. Why do you ask?"

I sighed in relief. "Oh, Arceus, I'm so glad to meet at least a friendly face." I said, smiling at Suicune. "After getting attacked by two different Darkrai and going through Mount Mortar-"

"Wait!" she exclaimed, a gust of wind blowing around us with her shout. "Did you just say that you were attacked? By Darkrai?"

"I don't know if it makes a difference by one or two, and I apologize if I'm ignorant." I said, frowning. "But yeah, I've been attacked by two. Song, my Gardevoir, lost her psychic powers due to the first ones attack."

"Child, you must leave here, now." she said, stepping towards us. Did I have any doubt that most Pokémon are taller than I am? Maybe this train of thinking wasn't the right one to have at the moment. Suicune was giving me a piercing gaze.

"I do not jest." she whispered. "I am afraid that I am the one that alerted Darkrai to your presence. I am truly sorry."

"Don't joke like that." I said, shaking my head. "If you hadn't shown up when you did, I don't think Xola would have survived. Sure, Song was injured... or whatever Darkrai did... but she's safe now. She's getting better. I know it."

Suicune looked at me, and I did my best not to turn away. Her gaze was all encompassing, feeling like I was being weighed in front of someone of authority. What was going through her mind, it was beyond my thought process. She didn't blink, and it didn't look like she was even breathing. Her mane looked like it flowed in the still chamber, her features stoic in their vigilance.

"You must go." she said suddenly. "I can feel someone calling for you."

"Jon and Joy!" I said, shaking myself. "Suicune, can you tell us how to get to the other side of the Ice Path? We're on the way to Blackthorn City."

She nodded. "I will take you there personally."

Before I could raise protest, snow began to cloud my vision. Akalia pressed against my legs, while Deoxys grabbed hold of me tightly. The snow didn't touch us, but it seemed to blur together to blot out all sight outside. The rush of wind blew around us, its chill cutting to the bone as it howled alongside us. Time and place seemed to disappear as we stood still. I felt the soft ground under my shoes, unlike the hard stone of the Ice Path. The snow began to dissipate, being replaced by trees and fresh air.

Suicune stood next to us, smiling widely as she pressed her nose against my cheek. I didn't move, paralyzed that she would be so physical with me. She backed away swiftly, her mane and tails once again moving to a non existent breeze.

"I hope we can meet again in more pleasant terms." she whispered, before diving towards the trees. Before I could react, she disappeared from sight. Akalia purred from under me, while Deoxys was busy making sure my shoulder was still intact.

"Let's go see where we are." I said. Akalia seemed to take the message, gliding out from in between my legs and headed away from us. Deoxys looked slightly concerned, but we followed right behind her. We weaved through trees, barely managing to keep Akalia's star tipped tail in our sights. As Akalia ran around a tree, Joy yelled in surprise as she tumbled into our view. We stopped short of running over the two.

"Nick!" Joy yelled, struggling against the Luxray. "Call off your overgrown kitten! She's tickling me!"

"Akalia." I called, smiling at the Luxray. She stopped when she heard my voice, but not before nuzzling Joy one last time. Joy stood up with my help, thankfully using my good side.

"Where's Jon?" I asked.

"He's at the Ranger HQ." she said, rolling her eyes. "He's trying to organize a search party. I was pretty convinced that you'd come out sooner or later."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Though, I have to wonder how the fuck did you get out here."

I blinked, feeling utterly confused as to how to explain this. I wasn't very good at lying. "I... ran into Suicune?" I offered.

"You WHAT?!" she exclaimed. "How the fu-"

"Hey! You got out!" Jonathan said, appearing behind Joy. Behind him were another three, each with a different Pokémon by their side. I didn't recognize any of them. One was a small green crawling Pokémon that was sitting on a girls shoulder, while another looked like Jonathan's Caracosta, except smaller and with a different colored shell. The third one had a small and slender looking Pokémon with charcoal fur and puffs of smoke coming from its back.

"You're get us all worked up for nothing, Jonathan?" the girl with the small green worm asked. She spoke in a wispy, bored voice. "Seriously, how in the world did you ever get promoted. I'm done here."

She turned and left instantly, the other two following her. I looked back to Jonathan, who was looking at the leaving Rangers with a frown.

"You alright?" I asked, slightly concerned.

"No, not really." he said with a shrug. "We'll get better."

"Let's get a move on." Joy said, coming around behind me. "Jon's boss is ready to meet us."

"Already?" I asked. "How long have you been outside?"

Joy encouraged me to keep walking. She obliged to answer my question. "About... ten minutes? We came out and we thought that you got stuck or something. Jon over there wigged out something fierce and practically flew up to get Rangers to help him search the Ice Path." She shrugged, giving me a grin. "I just knew you'd be safe. You ain't some baby that needs constant supervision."

"I think Spirit would argue otherwise." I said with a chuckle.

"Hey, that's something else entirely." she said, laughing. She looked over to Jonathan. "Well, you've been quiet all of a sudden."

"I'm just glad that everyone's safe." he whispered.

I wanted to say something rather inappropriate. Maybe he meant it, or maybe he didn't. It was really hard to tell by just his tone of voice. He spoke too softly to tell. I looked down to see Akalia staring up at me. Was there something on my face?

"She's worried about you." Deoxys said quietly. I turned to her, seeing her eyes looking sad.

"Do not be so hard on him." she said soothingly. "There's usually a reason why humans act strangely."

"I hope so." I said, frowning.

Jonathan took the liberty of taking the lead as we walked into Blackthorn. It looked like it was early afternoon, the sun shining brightly in the clear sky. There weren't many people walking the streets, with few homes and buildings lining the path. We passed by the Blackthorn Gym, the lake behind the building on our left with the mountain to our right. The path seemed recent, the lake water lapping on the sand.

Nobody stood outside the gym, unlike the Oreburgh gym. Maybe what the radio guy said is true? I honestly hoped that everyone was safe, and that there were no injuries. Ahead of us stood another building, larger than the size of the gym. The building has three floors, with large windows on the second and third floors. The sun reflected from the windows, making it impossible to see through to the other side. Not to mention our current angle.

Reaching the building, we entered the Ranger headquarters lobby. A receptionist received us with a smile, until she saw Jonathan. Her smile disappeared as we reached her desk.

"Jonathan." she said neutrally. "The boss wants to talk to you about that false alarm you rang."

He nodded. "Yeah, I know. I'll make sure to clear that out quickly."

She nodded at us. "You're free to go. Do you two need any help?" she asked, addressing us.

I shook my head. "We're actually with Jonathan."

The receptionist looked mildly surprised at that. "Well, you can wait here until Jonathan gets back from the boss. It shouldn't take long."

Jonathan turned to us. "Why don't you go to the Pokémon Center?" he offered.

Joy shrugged, frowning at him. "Don't you need him for your job?" she asked in a harsh tone. "Because that's all we're here for."

Jon didn't bother responding her, turning to me instead. "I promise that I'll figure something out." he said to me. "Just... give me time."

I frowned at him. "I'm tired of you pulling my chain." I said stoically. "You need me for your report, and I'm here. I just hope you can pull something. Because sadly, that's all I have."

He looked at me with, but shook his head. He turned around without another word, leaving us both alone in the lobby. There was a flight of stairs visible from our location, and Jon climbed them to wherever he needed to be. The lady at the desk coughed politely, getting our attention.

"Will you wait for him here?" she asked. "We can call you from the Pokémon Center if you wish."

I sighed. "I guess that would be fine." I said with a shrug. I took my Pokédex from my pocket, passing it over to the receptionist. "Here's my ID."

She nodded, opening it and checking its contents. She looked surprised at my name. "Wait! You're Nick Elazar?!"

I raised an eyebrow, becoming cold. I didn't like many people that knew what my last name implied. We've had way too many people want 'interviews', which translates more often to, 'we want your money'. "Yes?" I asked.

Her eyes shined brightly, even after my cold tone of voice. "Your family is famous! Oh, Arceus, my mom would be so happy to meet you! She's read all the books on Pokémon research your parents have released. Is it true that they're researching the Unown language? What have they found? Have you worked with them before?"

She kept asking questions, and didn't look like she was going to stop any time soon. Only until Deoxys stood in between me and the woman did she abruptly stop.

"My Master wishes to rest, before he meets with your commanding officer." she said. Her tone didn't allow any argument. "You will inform us when Jonathan is ready for our audience. We will be in the Pokémon Center in the meantime."

Before the receptionist responded, on of Deoxys' tentacles whipped forward. Deoxys spun around, nodding as she pressed my Pokédex in my arms gently. I smiled, nodding. Joy followed me as Deoxys and Akalia acted like guards as we walked out of the building.

==============================/////////////////////=======================

"And our two guests arrive!" a balding man said as we entered the meeting room.

We were in the third floor, the meeting room only major center piece was the table. Jonathan and the balding man, who I imagined was the boss, were sitting next to each other at one side. Joy stood next to me, looking at me curiously. The wall was a window that let us look outside to see a city blanketed by the early afternoon. All the walls were made of glass, allowing us to see outside. Looking behind me, I could still see the giant room full of different sized computers and monitors clicking away. People were talking among themselves, some on telephones coordinating their jobs together.

Spirit, Mist, and Deoxys accompanied me. They refused outright to leave me unsupervised. Spirit and Deoxys flanked me, while Mist rested within me at the moment. Victini was sitting idly on top of Joy's head. I wasn't given a reason why Victini decided to come along. Joy just shrugged when I asked her along the way.

Jonathan's boss stood up, and noticed idly that he was younger than I first believed. He still looked old, though. His head was balding, his round face only being matched by his girth. The man was wearing a form fitting uniform, the buttons, the buttons straining to hold back his belly. I didn't want to match shoe size.

Jonathan looked at us with a frown. I already had a bad feeling about this. Spirit hissed behind me, her claws grabbing my shoulders and holding me closely. I already wanted to leave the building.

"It looks like your loosing your touch with Pokémon, boss." Jonathan said, chuckling.

"Nonsense!" he blurted out, walking towards me with his arm outstretched. I didn't want to shake his hand, but did so out of being polite. Out of anything, at least I won't be called rude.

Mist decided to appear at this moment, popping out of my chest suddenly. The man stumbled backwards in surprise. Joy laughed behind me as the man looked fearful of me. I couldn't help but grin at his reaction.

"You let Ghost Pokémon enter your body?" he asked incredulously.

I shrugged. "I trust her more than you right now." I intoned.

"And why is that?" he asked, frowning.

"Jonathan is a member of the Blackthorn Rangers." I stated simply. "His actions and words reflect not only on him, but this organization and on you. Right now, I was dragged from Sinnoh in my blind belief that the Lightning Unit, or members of the Rangers, would be able to help me. Apparently, I was incorrect in thinking like this."

"So, what are you doing here?" he asked.

I looked over at Jon when I responded. "Because he needs proof that Darkrai is on the loose. And, coincidentally, I'm that proof."

Jonathan's boss had the guts to look surprised at my words. It made me feel extremely irritated at the man. It looked like he was almost in disbelief that I was saying such things. Or worse, that Jonathan was incapable of doing such things.

"So yeah, now comes negotiations." I said, crossing my arms. "If you want me to tell you what I've personally went through, and have all my current Pokémon as witnesses, your going to have to fucking swear to Arceus that you'll help me in any way you can."

"Help you with what?"

"Staying alive would be nice." I said. "Considering how there are trainers going 'missing' and never heard from again in any way or form. Also, I seem to be the only source of information behind Darkrai, seeing as I've survived two of them."

"Two of them? What do you mean?" the round man said, frowning.

"That's all your getting from me until you promise me aid and information." I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "The deal is that you promise me aid in whatever I ask in relating to my safety. In return, I will answer all the questions I'm able to truthfully."

"We'll want to verify your information in very thorough ways." he said, eyes narrowing.

"As long as we are all agreeable in the method." I said dangerously. "I'll tell you right now that I don't accept mind reading or delving."

He narrowed his eyes at me before turning over to Jonathan. I saw Jonathan shrug, before the fat man turned over to me.

"A tentative agreement?" he said, extending his hand.

"For now, a tentative agreement it is." I said, nodding as we shook hands.

Chapter 22: Code Lightning

"So, how do we proceed?"

Nobody answered me when I asked. It bugged me that everyone was mildly surprised. Even the fat guy was quick to show apprehension when I talked. He rubbed his hands over his balding head, hiding his surprise with a grin.

"Now, we talk business." he said. "We need to finally stop that Zapdos, and you're going to help Jonathan do it."

"What?!"

Jonathan's voice mixed with mine as we exclaimed at the same time. I glared at him, while he glared at his boss. The fat man just shrugged at the outburst, paying it no mind.

"It's just as I said. You need our help, but we need yours too."

"I'm giving you help by being able to answer your questions." I said sternly.

"About something that we don't care about?" he asked.

That question dropped like a pile of bricks. Great. Everything I had just went down the toilet. The impulse to just walk away was extremely high at the moment. Jonathan was wearing a frown, but avoided looking my way. His eyes were focused on his boss, who was sporting a very satisfied grin.

"So let me get this straight." I said, trying to keep my cool. "You don't need any information about Darkrai, because that's not your priority."

"That's it in an Apricorn." he said jovially.

"Then why did you send Jonathan to Sinnoh in the first place?!" Joy screamed out from beside me.

The balding guy laughed. "Simple. To get the League off my ass. We don't care about things that are happening in other regions. The Rangers focus on local problems."

"So, you're saying that you haven't had issues with people or Pokémon disappearing?" I asked.

"Well, that isn't true." he said with a shrug. "People disappear all the time. With Mount Mortar, the Ice Path, and even Mount Silver to patrol, our forces are stretched thin as is. When the League kept pestering me to send someone to look up possible implications of Sinnoh myth, I sent Jonathan to look stuff up. We both knew it was an impossible mission, but there were more practical reasons to get him out of Johto."

"Like what, exactly?" I prompted.

"None of your business." Jonathan said sharply.

"Well, cry me a damn river, asshole." Joy said sharply. "If you want our help to deal with your little Zapdos problem, you're going to have to come clean with us."

"You're the one that needs help." Jon pointed out.

"And apparently this problem is so big that you cant handle it by yourself." I countered.

I turned to look at Jon's boss. He gave me an easy going smile at my stare. "Yeah, you're right. But at the same time, your problem is bigger than ours. We can keep Zapdos controlled in the sense that she won't harm many people. If you mess up, you're dead."

He's right and he knows it. I rubbed the bridge of my nose. Jonathan spoke.

"You don't have to do this." he said.

We all turned to face him. "This has been my problem from the start. I can handle it."

"Last time you tried this, it almost got you killed." Jon's boss said.

"Then it's as it should be, then." Jon intoned with finality. "If that's how I'm supposed to die, then so be it."

He's doing this on purpose now! Joy put her hand on my shoulder. It was probably for the best, because it stopped me from screaming.

"I think you need to talk to all of your Pokémon before we go ahead on this. Me too, for that matter."

I nodded to Joy, trying my best to stay calm. I looked over the other two. "Do you have a place so that I can talk?"

"Right this way." he said, a grin spreading on his face.

=====================/////////////////////////============================

"So, how do we proceed?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

I was in a separate room from everyone. Glass walls surrounded me. The fat man, Joy, and Jonathan were waiting for me to commune with my Pokémon. Everyone was out of their Pokéballs, staring at me surprised as I explained the situation.

"So, they wont help us until we help them?" Zin asked, growling.

"That seems to be their deal." I said with a sigh. "They're not even looking for my information! Any leverage that I thought I had went down the drain extremely quickly."

"Was this not to be a tentative agreement?" Deoxys asked curiously.

"They know I don't have anywhere to go." I snarled. "Other than the League, and I'm pretty sure the League itself knows. Not that anyone in there will take me seriously. I'd need to gather the badges to get entry and I can't do that anymore."

Deoxys nodded, backing away from me. "I'm sorry." she whispered.

I shook my head. "No, I should be sorry. I'm putting you all in unnecessary danger."

Everyone stared at me when I said this. "They're asking us to help Jon take care of this Zapdos problem once and for all." I spelled out. "We'll be taking on one of the legendary thunder birds."

"We won't be alone, Master." Xola said, nodding confidently. "We'll win."

I frowned. "Xola..." I said worriedly. Zin stopped me before I could continue.

"She's right!" Zin barked. "We stick together, we win. We beat the shit out of Darkrai at the end, and we can do it again! We've been training hard for two weeks straight. We're not weak, and you don't have to pretend that we are, either!"

I stared at her, surprised by her outburst. She growled at my stupefied look.

"You're not just my Master, you know." she said more calmly. "You're my mate. You're dear to me. And not just me. Everyone here cares for you. All we want is for you to be safe! If this is what it takes for that to happen, we will make it happen!"

Spirit's claws held me around my shoulders, pressing me against her body. Akalia rubbed against my legs, her purrs loud in the silent room. Zin and Xola stood in front of me, while Mist and Deoxys stood next to the Houndoom and Milotic. Aurora was riding on top of Deoxys' head, sharpening her claws threateningly.

I felt overwhelmed at Zin's words and everyone's actions. Was I ready for something like this? Uncertainty was at the forefront of my mind, mixing with a healthy dose of fear and concern. The possibility of someone dying was a constant reminder that my brain brought up. Was I able to carry that burden? Was it my choice in the first place? The words from the man in Almia echoed in my mind. Was it the indoctrination that bound them to me?

I shook my head. No, I knew that wasn't to be true. I took a few deep breaths, in an effort to calm my panicking mind. Everyone was looking at me, expecting me to say something. The silence stretched for a moment, as I thought of something to say.

"They are expecting us soon, Master." Deoxys said, looking towards the three outside our room.

"I know." I said, frowning. "I know."

"What is it that is holding you back, Master?" Mist spoke softly, floating next to me.

What hasn't been covered yet? I sighed. "You know me too well." I said, frowning. "The obvious reason is that this is going to probably end up blowing up in our faces."

"We have nothing else, unless we use more unsavory means. I do not think that you would approve of me assaulting a human mind." Mist said crossly.

"Right... I don't know what that man's thinking, nor do I think I want to. But then again, if we do what he says he doesn't have a reason to keep his word."

"So you think the fat man is a slug, basically." Zin summarized.

"Pretty much." I said, frowning. "I don't like the look he gives us. Especially to you, Deoxys."

She stood there quiet for a moment, before nodding. "I can see why you say those things, Master." she said quietly. "His thought process is clouded with a lust for power and information."

"Well, he can get all of that, but not from us." I snarled, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I just need some time."

"Time?!" Zin snarled. "We don't have time anymore! We have the chance to get an advantage on those shadow bastards, and you're going to let it slip by?"

I stared at Zin, surprised. Before I could open my mouth to say anything, a gout of flame shot in front of my face. Spirit pulled me away quickly, though it didn't look like I was in any danger.

"My Master isn't some weakling that gets afraid from a simple threat." Zin growled, taking a step forward. "I trusted Song in that. She told me that you were brave. She would constantly tell me stories of you going around in some dark cave, getting chased by something or another, finding old secrets and junk. It's impressive for someone doing that at a young age. You wouldn't catch me dead in a cave.

"But now, you're going to hide with your tail between your legs before you even try? Where's your bravery now?!"

"This isn't about being brave, Zin!" I said, raising my voice. "This is about protecting you all!"

"And we're trying to protect you!" she countered. "Why aren't you letting us do our job? Why don't you trust us?!"

The words shocked me and my strength left my legs. I dropped to the ground, everyone huddling close to make sure everything was alright. Why was it so hard to keep everyone safe? It isn't some injury that they would get from a regular battle with another trainer. This would be a matter of life and death. I sighed, closing my eyes.

"Just promise me that we'll take precautions." I said. "No crazy risks, and definitely no funny business while we're on this job."

"Are you serious?" Zin asked.

"I'm as serious as I can be." I said grimly. "If that's what it's going to take to get that slugs trust, then we'll have to do it. That Zapdos has to go down."

=======================////////////////////////===========================

We were offered to stay inside the Ranger headquarters for the rest of the day. The excuse of 'preparing' was thrown around by both Jonathan and his boss. I didn't believe it for a second, in all honesty. It felt like a quick excuse to keep surveillance on us. Because apparently they thought I would run out on them. That sounded like a great idea.

Our room was equipped with two beds and not much else. We had to go out of our room to use the bathroom, if needed. Victini was still on top of Joy's head as she sat across from me on her bed. Spirit and Mist insisted in staying out of their Pokéballs, no matter what I had to say on the matter.

"So we're going on 'official Ranger assignment'." Joy said, her index fingers making the quotation motion in the air as she spoke.

"You don't have to come along." I said. "This is my problem. And Jon's, apparently."

"And you expect me to sit on my ass doing nothing?" she asked. "Here's my answer: fuck you. I'd rather be doing something even remotely productive. Besides, I want to stay safe from those crazy Darkrai just as much as you do."

"I just hope that fat guy keeps his end of the deal after all this." I said, frowning.

"You think he will?"

I shook my head. Joy smirked at me.

"At least you're not stupid."

"I get the feeling that he'd stab us in the back as soon as it becomes a convenience." I said darkly.

"He'll do more than that, if you give him any more leeway." Joy said with a shrug. "I know their kind. Lecherous bastards."

I raised an eyebrow at her, but she shook her head. "Don't worry about it."

"If you say so." I said with a shrug. "Any idea what to expect tomorrow?"

"Expect him to stare at your Pokémon." she said darkly. "He would either be staring at my chest, at Victini, or Deoxys. Bastard couldn't decide which he wanted to jerk off to."

The urge to laugh hit me hard, but I bit my tongue before it escaped me. The last thing that was needed tonight was having Joy choke me to death in my sleep. Spirit's wings twitched suddenly, but I touched the top of her head with my hand. The resting Flygon opened her eyes and smiled, before closing them again.

"You trust them, don't you?" Victini asked suddenly.

I stayed silent for a moment, but I nodded. "I have to." I whispered.

Both Victini and Joy looked over me, and nodded simultaneously. I felt confused at their actions, for some reason.

"Why are you both nodding?" I asked.

"Because you care." Victini said simply. At my confused face, she elaborated. "A lot of trainers would have probably left the second that fat man decided to change his tune after you agreed. We don't have much of a choice, though. Even this agreement is better than none. As much as we don't like it, overall."

"Also, you talked with all of your Pokémon, taking in their opinion on the matter." Joy said, picking up where Victini left. "That's an obvious sign that you really care for their safety. It also says a lot of you if they're willing to risk their lives."

I sat there, dumbstruck, until Mist's voice echoed softly inside my skull.

"We will do our best to let no harm befall you, Master." she said softly.

I nodded. "I think we should go to sleep. They did say they wanted to get us an early start as soon as possible."

Joy nodded. "You're right. G'night."

I stood up, turning off the lights in our small room. "Good night, Joy." I whispered, before laying next to Spirit. My Flygon stirred for a moment, her claws clinging to me possessively and making a soft trill. I leaned my head against her, feeling safe and falling asleep.

===================////////////////////////////============================

We were woken up early by Jonathan. I was thankful that Joy didn't feel like sleeping naked or whatever. We were given fifteen minutes to make ourselves presentable. I just went to the bathroom and did my business before showing up.

"You're not even combing your hair?" Joy asked as she brushed hers just outside of the office doors.

"No. If I get fifteen minutes of warning time, he can go suck on a rock."

Joy grinned at me, just before the doors opened to reveal Jon. He looked at both of us and nodded, but gave me a grin. "Thanks." he said, smiling.

I wanted to smile. I really wanted to, but what I wanted right now was to punch him in the face. "Don't thank me yet." I said, before walking past him.

We were in the same meeting room we were in yesterday. Jonathan's boss was sitting down, a smile on his face as he ate breakfast. My stomach protested immediately at the offense, but I ignored it. Jonathan's boss opened his arms wide, as if glad to see us this morning.

"Good morning!" he exclaimed jovially. "I hope you both slept peacefully?"

"I've slept on better rocks." I said with a shrug.

"That's not nice to say to offered hospitality." he said, sounding hurt.

"We didn't ask to sleep here, either." I spat back. "If you wanted us under surveillance, all you had to do is keep Jon close."

"But what's the fun in that if I don't get to see your faces with these fancy cameras?" he said, sweeping his fat hand around him. "Security has to have some kind of job, don't you think?"

"You wouldn't need security if you weren't paranoid."

"Paranoid? Me?" he asked in mock offense. "You really need to get out more."

"I'm more than happy to leave and take my chances." I said. My anger was quickly getting the best of me. "I've handled things alright, and if you're not even willing to cooperate with me, then I'm out of here."

"Then you'll go with questions unanswered." he warned.

"Screw your answers!" I yelled out. "So far all you've done is twist around words and lie to my face! Because apparently you can handle that kind of honest mockery. If you don't swear to Arceus that you'll answer questions, you can happily send Jon to his grave if that's what it'll take!"

I was breathing hard, my heart pounding loudly in my ears. Silence followed my words that echoed in the still meeting room. My legs were shaking, but I refused to show any further weakness.

"What do you mean?" the fat man asked.

"What do I mean?!" I spat back, my rage running out of my control once again. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out that he's had some kind of horrible experience with this Zapdos problem. He refuses to talk about it at all times, and it's not a huge secret. For the love of Suicune, EVERYONE IN JOHTO KNOWS IT! It's even headline news on the radio! I wouldn't doubt it's in every news channel at every hour on the hour! How can you tell me with a straight face that THIS ISN'T A BIG DEAL!?"

For once, the round ball that called himself a man had the decency to look surprised. Also, mildly hurt. I'm not in a current state of mind to tell the difference. He looked over to Jonathan, then back to me and Joy before shrugging. He sighed deeply, shaking his head.

"Jonathan, you're going to explain everything." he said with another sigh. "I can't make any Ranger go with you. That's always ended up badly. If you want their help, your going to have to convince them yourself."

By some miracle of Arceus, he stood up from his chair. We moved out of the way so he could leave. Also, so we wouldn't be walked over by his ever expanding girth. He looked at me before leaving. He had a frown on his features, the first time he decided to try that tactic on me. I stared back on him, my features impassive to his more docile one. He shook his head once, then left us alone as he shut the door behind him.

I still didn't like this idea. Jonathan didn't look all that pleased, either. Joy looked like this was a large inconvenience. I walked over to Jon, sitting across from him. Joy came over and sat next to me. Jon sighed, shaking his head.

"Now would be a good time to explain what the fuck is going on." Joy prompted.

Jon didn't respond to the question, nor to the stares we were giving him. The only sounds were our breathing and the occasional squeak of the chairs. Joy yawned next to me. Jon tapped his foot on the carpet. I slammed my fist against the table.

"You know what? Screw this crap. I'm done." I said, standing. "Good luck with your damn bird problem. I'm out of here if you're not talking."

"She raped me." he said softly.

Huh? "What?" I think my brain just exploded.

"I can't take her on by myself." he said, a little louder this time. "I've tried. I met her about ten years ago, when I first started. I was a star-eyed trainer, aiming for the big leagues. With Storm and Cleopatra the trainers around Blackthorn were easy pickings, excluding the gym of course. I headed south along Route forty-five to reach New Bark Town, though I didn't use the official route all the way. I cut through the forest halfway through, to see something new and explore the area."

He took a deep breath, shaking his head. I looked over to Joy, who shrugged at me. "Do you want me to get some water?" she asked out loud.

Jon nodded. "Yes, please." he said softly, before going quiet again.

Joy went outside, to return quickly with a pitcher of water and three plastic cups. She placed the pitcher in front of us and served Jon and herself a cup. I had to serve myself. She gave me a grin.

"You're not the one talking." she said as a excuse.

Silence fell around us again as I served myself water. It was odd to see Jon this quiet or unresponsive. He's always been the one to drop a witty comment or pull some line out of nowhere. Now it seemed that he was just trying to find the right words. Probably failing miserably, due to the frown on his features. I sat myself down again, intent to at least listen to what he said.

He sighed. "After a while, I got lost trying to find my way. It felt amazing. I was out in the world, having my own adventure. I always dreamed of being in the Pokémon League. Battling in front of hundreds of people, the stakes, the prestige. It's what I've always wanted to do since I've known about Pokémon. As soon as I turned thirteen, my parents helped me catch my first Pokémon, and they've been with me all this time."

"Storm and Cleopatra?" I asked.

He nodded. "We've been together ever since. Anyway, it was then that I found her. She was young, and I didn't know about her kind back then. I thought it was all a myth to keep kids from doing dumb ass shit. But right in front of me was a real life Zapdos. Sure, a baby by all standards, but a Zapdos nonetheless. She was having problems making a suitable nest, finding things. While I obviously couldn't understand her, it was easy enough to see. Especially since both Storm and Cleopatra were more than willing to help in translating. She was a bit proud, and it was hard to get her to understand that we weren't going to capture her or scare her off.

"It only took a few days, but it was nice to stop and take a look around. I always loved the woods, so it wasn't a problem to deviate from my original plan. What was the big problem was that in helping her, I committed the courting ritual of her species. Helping her build her nest, fending off other wild Pokémon. All that fun stuff. She wanted me to stay, and when I refused, she wanted to join me. I refused again, saying that I didn't want to take advantage of her kind nature. She was angry, but I had made up my mind, and we managed to fend off her assault."

"Fend off, you mean running away." Joy pointed out.

"You fight a Zapdos face to face." he said, before taking a drink. "Afterwards, I want you to tell me how you beat it. If it doesn't decide to cook your insides."

I winced, a sensation akin of something sliding over my skin making my stomach squirm. He continued after refilling his cup. "I continued my journey, having an official start and everything at New Bark Town. As much as I wanted to forget about the Zapdos, she wouldn't leave my mind. Traveling was nice, though, and nobody found it odd when I spaced out and thought back to that chance encounter. Looking back at it, things could have turned for the better if I had taken her up on that offer. Though I think I might not have turned out to be who I am today."

"You'd be a more cocky individual." I said with a grin. Jon chuckled for a moment.

"Either case, time passed easily as I went back to the League challenge." Jon continued. "It was easy enough to concentrate on that and forget about her. I didn't get all that far, though. I realised that I enjoyed helping others more than just battling and getting that big endorsement package."

"So then you joined the Rangers?" Joy asked.

"Pretty much." Jon said with an easy smile. "After five years of running the League gauntlet, it got boring. Especially when you get to know the gym leaders on a first name basis.

"But yeah, as soon as I heard about the Johto Rangers forming, I came back to Blackthorn to apply. To my surprise, they accepted my application quickly, throwing me on the job as soon as they fitted me in the uniform. Unlike other Rangers that applied, I had a full team of Pokémon at the time. So unlike others, I could tackle dangerous situations quickly and efficiently. I was promoted left and right, becoming one of the first captains of the Blackthorn Rangers. It wasn't until recently that Zapdos became the threat she is now."

Silence fell as Jon stopped talking. I had drank my cup twice over his story, while both Joy and Jonathan seemed to be taking their time. Jon poured himself another cup.

"So, you mean that Johto wasn't always this crazy?" Joy asked.

"It's my fault, technically." Jon said. I took a drink of water, but shrugged all the same.

"That doesn't make sense." I pointed out. "It's not like you could have seen the future."

He shook his head. "While I didn't know about it in the entire sense, I should have seen the problems this would have caused at one point or another. The warnings were there, and I chose to ignore them in the long run. This is my doing, no matter what."

He said it with a conviction I haven't seen many people talk with. It still felt like he was blaming himself for something completely out of his control, but I had no idea how to think in his place. Having a different background will do that to you.

"So fast forward to... about a year ago or so. We get a distress call from the League, requesting aid from the Rangers. I get sent with three others to get a fix on the problem. We only got told two things: there's lightning everywhere, and its centered at the foot of Mount Silver. As soon as I got to the area, I saw her. She grew a lot in ten years, that's for sure. The other Rangers were outmatched easily, since they didn't have Pokémon experienced in fighting. Even my team was severely outmatched. I commanded the other Rangers to get out of here, while I held her off so they could get reinforcements. We fought while they ran, but as soon as they were from earshot, she stopped fighting. Cleopatra was about to attack when I halted her, too. Before I could even ask what was going on, she started laughing. And not just any laugh, but a human laugh. Then she started talking."

"What?!" Joy and I both said in chorus.

"Yeah, who would of thought, huh?" he said. I'm pretty sure he wasn't expecting an answer. "Turns out she's been grabbing trainers as they passed by the Mount Silver area, bribing them with safe passage through her forest if they spent time with her. She wanted to learn human. That was it. If you try hard enough, anybody can do it apparently."

He took another gulp of water, sighing when he finished. "To make a long conversation short, it was all basically done for me. Her entire purpose was for me. To be with me. She learned the human language so she could communicate with me. In her eyes, I was her mate... husband... whatever it is. Apparently, there is no going back from a contract like that. Once again, I refused. I didn't see eye to eye with that, nor did I want to be her mate in the first place. When she once again offered herself to be with me in my team, I told her that my team was full. Due to being with the Rangers, I was not allowed to capture any more Pokémon. I didn't have any Pokéballs with me at the time anyway. As soon as I said those words, she flew into a rage. Needless to say, she handed my ass to me in a burning platter. And then... well... she took what was rightfully hers, in her eyes."

He closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. I wasn't entirely convinced. "And why should we believe this?" I asked. "Yeah, this sounds too elaborate and too much of a sob story to be not true. But how in the world do we know you're not bullshitting."

He stood up suddenly. For once, I was actually afraid that I had offended him. He turned around and pulled off his shirt. All across his back were scars. I honestly couldn't see a portion of his skin that wasn't slashed.

"After she was done with me, she turned me over and slashed the shit out of my back." he said. "She left me bleeding on the ground like a used toy. She also said that if I ever betrayed her, she would personally kill me. This makes it clear to any Pokémon that I'm claimed."

He dropped his shirt back down and turned around. "Now do you believe me?"

I looked over to Joy, who was nodding her head. I couldn't help but sigh.

"You better not be kidding when we find this bird." I said. "I'm in."

=======================////////////////////////////========================

We were walking downhill. Apparently, Route forty-five was a maze of hedges and tall grass. You could go up, but you'd be in for one large undertaking. In the direction we were walking, it felt like we were in some kind of valley. The mountain seemed to keep us within its grasp, the trees the only thing covering it towards our left. To the right, was part of the mountains grasp. Jon pointed out where the entrance / exit of the Dark Cave.

"Yeah, that looks like it would have been easier." I said loudly. Jon laughed, patting me on the shoulder.

"Yeah, it would have been. Trust me. How's your shoulder, by the way?"

"Better." I said, gently stretching it. "It doesn't hurt as much, but I'd rather not try something stupid with it still."

Aurora stirred from my stretching, her claws scratching my scalp before settling down again. I gently petted her back, and her purrs rumbled through me. Jonathan chuckled.

"It must be nice to have her on your head." he commented. "It gets hot around here."

"It does feel rather nice." I said with a grin. "The cool air helps out a lot."

Aurora snuggled closer to me, her claws tracing my jaw line as she purred louder in my ears. I scratched her neck as best I could from my angle, and her purrs deepened. Jon was looking at me like I've lost my mind.

"What is it?" I asked.

"How do you trust her so much?" he asked. "I mean, you only met her a few days ago. How is it that your so comfortable around her? Her-"

I raised my hand to stop him. "I get it, Jon. Thank you for your concern, though. But even still, I trust her. Why? I can't really say any more than I trusted Zin that first night. There really isn't an explanation behind it, other than that's how it is."

"Irrational behavior." he said with a sigh.

"Be that as it may, but that's how it is."

He nodded, more than happy to drop the subject. Aurora didn't seem to mind, though, more than happy to grip me tightly as we walked towards our objective. Joy was giggling behind me, though I wasn't entirely sure why. The path's slope eventually flattened out to a level field. Jon slowly deviated into the forest, and we followed without any questions. The hairs on the back on my neck began to bug me, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't Aurora teasing me back there.

"Jon?" I called out softly.

He held out his fist, and we all stood still. Jon moved slowly forward, motioning us to follow him every few feet he moved. I idly realized that even at the highest risk, he was being practically scouting to make sure we were safe. The fear I felt for his safety escalated slightly at the thought. Then the thought of his boss came up, and that concern went down slightly.

He shook his head. "We need to wait until morning." he said. "I don't want to give the wrong impression to Zapdos."

"Wrong impression?" Joy echoed. "What do you mean?"

"She usually has the other Pokémon of the forest report to her of any humans that come around her territory." he explained. "If we push further, the more at risk we become to get her attention."

"And this isn't what we want." I said, frowning.

"If we can catch her by surprise, the better." Jon said, nodding at me. "The odds are slim, but we have to try."

I nodded. "Are we camping here?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Let's wait until nightfall. No fire, either. It'll attract too much attention."

"Good thing Nick has those bars in his backpack, right?" Joy asked.

I nodded. "I should have enough for everyone. I think mom packed for a small army, not to mention what we bought beforehand."

Jon nodded. "Sorry Joy, none of Nick's famous dinner for us."

"Damn. And I was looking forward to those noodles, too."

I laughed. "Somehow, I don't think that Aurora would approve of a hot meal."

"Weavile!" Aurora chirped from above.

Morale was high as we settled down. It wasn't the best place for tents, but we made due without them. I looked over to Joy, who was fiddling around with her Pokédex.

"Do you still get reception from the Goldenrod radio?" I asked.

"Yeah, but if I do, it'll go full blast." she warned.

"Well, you know where the volume control is, right? Put it inside your backpack while you turn down the volume."

She rolled her eyes at me, but did as I suggested. A scream that sounded like a wounded Pokémon came from the Pokédex, quickly muted over. Jonathan ran over to us, his eyes looking around frantically. Joy slowly raised the volume of the radio, the guitar solo slowly fading away.

The slightly muted voice of the Goldenrod DJ came from Joy's backpack. "If I had my way of it, this would be the last time I'd play that song on the radio. But no, the youth of today have to blast their eardrums out with screaming music. Honestly kids, what kind of crap is that?

"Anyway, enough of me complaining of what's popular and what's not. News time! The Bug Catching contest in National Park started without any problems. They seem to have a really good turnout today, too. About thirty kids and parents participating. Hope someone out there catches something cool! Maybe a Scyther? I love those guys. Can't beat a Pokémon that's fast as lightning and blades for arms. Feeding them is another problem, but that's a minor inconvenience.

"Olivine's power grid came back up not that long ago. We got reports that everything is fine, and that service will continue until something catastrophic happens." The sounds of shuffling papers could be heard though the speaker. "Well, this is interesting. It seems like we're reporting on League business now! Apparently, the champions from the different regions have been spotted in different cities, and traveling together! Lance the Dragon Master, Cynthia the Legend Seeker, Steven the Iron Juggernaut, and Wallace the Aqua Illusionist have apparently combined forces to do... something. Unfortunately, the League hasn't given us much information to report. So, speculation! I'm betting there's something big going on. We haven't had any crazy crime syndicates trying to take over the world recently, so what could it be? We'll do our best to keep you all posted as much as possible. Also, it would seem that my radio signal is getting a boost! To all you new listeners in Hoenn, Almia, and Fiorre, welcome aboard to the madness! We're still working on Sinnoh, because apparently being like three days away in an airplane is too much for our signals. We'll work on it, I promise you. And yes, I'm promising this to people that can't hear me currently.

"Music time! Apparently you all liked that crazy pair with the techno music. So we'll throw you some more! Here's the 'Milotic Rapids' with another of their beats called 'Transformations'! Enjoy!"

Joy closed her Pokédex as the beat grew louder, before anything could start. I was about to protest myself. I've heard good things about that band. Jon gave me a soft pat on my shoulder as he shook his head.

"I'll get you their CD if we make it out of this place." he said with a grin.

"How am I going to play it?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "It's not like I have any fancy gadgets that play that. And anyway, when am I going to have the time?"

"I'm sure we'll figure it out." he said with a shrug. "It's a little past midday. Let's get a little deeper before we settle in for good."

I was curious, but everyone complied. Didn't he just say that we shouldn't move further? It was good that we didn't set up anything more permanent. We didn't even take out our sleeping bags or make any kind of perimeter. I helped Joy stand up, and Jon made sure to cover our tracks as we left our little area. It felt like we were exploring a lost forest, and we probably were. It didn't look that many people came around here on purpose, so the radio was right. People really took that warning seriously, and I had to wonder how insane we had to be to be doing what we were about to do.

The trees seemed to grow thicker as we pushed onward. Berries hung ripe above us, and my stomach growled in protest to the amazingly large Sitrus berries that we passed by. A few bushes of other berries I didn't recognize grew around us. Jon had to stop and remind me that we had our own food to eat. We passed out food among us, but we still continued forward. Aurora clung tightly to my scalp, pressing her body close to my head to avoid being hit by anything. When I offered her to go back inside her Pokéball, she refused. I stopped by the second time, when her claws threatened to break through my skin.

As we continued forward the trees continued to grow thicker, but more spread apart from each other. Bushes filled with berries looked untouched by either Pokémon or human grew tall and proud. Even flowers were growing wildly, the air growing heavy with the perfume-like scent. Jonathan stopped us when we could barely see the edges of a great clearing.

"Alright, we pushed farther than I thought we would be, but that's fine. Less walking to do tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" I asked.

"You don't want to fight her in the dark." he warned, shaking his head. He tapped his wrist, as if asking for the time. Joy checked her Pokédex.

"It's almost four in the afternoon." she answered.

"Yeah, that sounds about right." he said, nodding. "We have to stay quiet. On that clearing is her nest. We can't let her know we're here."

"Wait, why are we so close to her nest?!" I exclaimed, my voice almost going up an octave.

"So we don't walk so far in the morning tomorrow." Jon answered. "And keep your voice down. We don't want her to know, remember?"

I nodded, clamping my mouth shut with my hands. Aurora giggled from above me, but kept silent afterwards at Jon's glare. Jon pulled out his Pokédex and fiddled with it for a moment. He nodded after a second, closing it.

"We won't have to prop up tents." he said. "No chance of rain tonight."

"I don't trust the weather people, man." I whispered. "They're never right."

He rolled his eyes at me. "They are the only ones who get paid to lie." he said.

"That makes me feel so much better." I said. "It makes me want to at least make some kind of cover."

"We'll be fine. It's not like a little water is going to kill you."

"If you get struck by lightning it will." Joy shot as she joined us.

"But it still won't kill you by itself." Jon said.

"Guilty by association and assistance in murder is good enough for me." I said, standing up. "I'm going to relax. Wake me up when it's my time to watch."

=========================//////////////////////===========================

Jon and Joy were passed out. All of my Pokémon insisted in helping to keep an eye out at our encampment. Was it even that? We didn't even have a fire, so my eyesight was near useless. But I guess if Zapdos showed up, I wouldn't need any light when lightning is coming towards my face.

Everyone was quiet for the most part. Akalia's golden eyes were easy to spot, along with Zin's red glow. Aurora was currently above my head in a tree branch. I wouldn't put it past her that she's asleep. Deoxys and Spirit were staying close to me. Spirit's claws and at least two of Deoxys' tentacles were always touching a part of my body. Mist was... somewhere. I wasn't entirely sure where the Mismagius was. She has a tendency to do that, I think. Xola was also currently missing. Though knowing her, I'll be doused in water before I miss her too much.

Akalia and Zin appeared, Zin's warm nuzzle on my hand telling me she wanted attention. I grabbed her horn gently and reached behind them to scratch. Akalia came to sit next to Zin, and I alternated scratching both of them.

"We haven't seen anything." Zin whispered. "There were a few small bugs, but they left as soon as Akalia walked in their general direction."

I nodded. "Nothing hostile so far then." I said.

"It feels like everything is avoiding us, actually." Deoxys said. "Our presence is known, but we're being deliberately ignored."

"Let's hope that Zapdos doesn't assault us in the night, then." I said grimly. "It wouldn't do well for any of us to be caught off guard."

"Where's Xola?" Zin asked.

"I'm betting with Mist." I said with a sigh. "That ghost is going to be the death of me."

"You rang?"

I felt a weight drop on top of me as Xola rested herself on my body. My lungs emptied what air they had left as her face snuggled against my chest. I wrapped my arm around her, stroking her head gently.

"You shouldn't try to crush my lungs so often, Xola." I whispered.

"Oh, you're so nice to me." she said with a giggle.

"We did not find anything while we were out, Master." Mist said next to me. "I have to agree with Deoxys that it feels like they know of our presence, yet avoid causing an uproar."

I nodded. "Thanks, everyone. Let's relax for now, before we earn our sleep."

Everyone seemed to be agreeable to the idea. I felt Deoxys tighten her grasp as she sat next to me. I looked at her direction, but could barely make any of her features. The moon, if it was out at all, was hidden by cloud cover from above. The only way I knew that she was looking at me was that her eyes glowed yellow, just like Akalia's.

"Are you tired?" she asked softly. I shook my head in response.

"Do you mind if we talked?" I chuckled in response, but motioned her to go on.

"We can talk. It'll keep me awake." I said, urging her. "Is there something wrong?"

"No!" she exclaimed, before calming down. "No, nothing is wrong. I just... I wanted to know if you did think of a new name for me."

I frowned. "I'm sorry, I haven't. But while we're on the subject, do you have any suggestions?"

"Me?" she queried.

"Of course. It's you that we're going to name. Don't you think you should have some input in what you're going to be called?" I asked back.

"But aren't you my trainer?"

"Well, yes, technically I am." I conceded. "But at the same time, all of you are intelligent, and can easily tell me if it's something that displeases you. I'm a flexible guy."

"In more ways than one." Zin chirped, as she pressed herself next to me. "Hey Deoxys, you want to have sex with him, don't you?"

What?! "Zin, I think this qualifies under the flag that not everyone is as horny as you." I pointed out calmly.

She snorted, pressing her muzzle on my leg to suppress her laughter. "Right." she said, her voice barely under control. "And you aren't the one that jumps me when I spread my legs."

Arceus! If there was any light outside, anyone would see how flustered I am. All I wanted to make sure is that my embarrassment wasn't felt.

"If you're trying to hide your arousal, you're failing miserably Master." Xola intoned.

As if things just couldn't get worse.

"I want to make you happy, Master." Deoxys said. Zin stood up, her eyes wide. I could swear that her teeth gleamed with fire.

"Oh do you now?" she asked sweetly. "I think we can arrange something."

Arceus! I had to put a stop to this! I can't have Zin turning Deoxys into another of her planned pack or... WHATEVER it was she's planning! Zin's eyes turned to me, and now I could really see her grin as flames licked the sides of her open muzzle.

"No, you won't stop me." she said with finality. "No, I'm not going to force her into choosing. And no, nothing you can say is going to stop this conversation."

My complaints died in my throat as Zin grinned. "But that won't be tonight, unless you want to."

"Master, I am going to speak with Zin." she said softly, releasing me from her grip. "Please relax. We will be back shortly."

As both of them turned and walked away into the darkness, I couldn't help but feel a bit of fear. What was Zin planning? Why did she feel the need to speak with Deoxys? Perhaps she notices something I don't? I wouldn't doubt it. I'm blind to most of it. I felt Xola snuggle against my chest.

"When can I have my turn with you?" she asked softly. Akalia purred next to me. I swallowed the lump that began to form in my throat. I've never felt the need to go to sleep so badly like right now. Spirit seemed to feel my distress, and softly hissed at Xola and Akalia. Both Pokémon backed off from the Flygon's advance, but didn't leave me entirely. Spirit seemed to be satisfied with that. She tightened her embrace on me as she nuzzled my cheek gently.

I stared upwards, feeling my body finally relax. Tomorrow was to be a busy day. Hopefully one without any kind of extreme fighting. Who was I kidding, though. The odds of Zapdos peacefully leaving the area alone were near zero. How were we supposed to convince her otherwise? It really felt that all our options were just about if Zapdos was even remotely amiable to the possibility. Again, it really felt like that was not happening.

Screw this. I'm sure that someone would wake me up if something happened. I felt Spirit hug me, cooing softly in the effort to get me to sleep. I reached up to stroke the scales on her neck gently, exhaustion claiming me quickly as soon as I closed my eyes.

=========================////////////////===============================

Morning came without any problems. All my Pokémon were around me in some form or fashion. Aurora was in her traditional place on top of my head somehow. Most of her body was covering my face as Xola still rested on top of me. Spirit woke up alongside me, and quickly took command of the situation by making sure everyone was up and about. She even went over to make sure that Jonathan and Joy were up. Storm and Zefyra were out of their Pokéballs, and so were Variel and Baast. It seemed that both my friends had the same idea I had.

Jon was the first one to approach me. "Get your stuff together quick. Take a piss if you have to, but let's get ready. I don't want to postpone this any longer."

What I wanted is breakfast, but my bladder was complaining all the same. I went to relieve myself, a breakfast bar stuffed in my mouth as I did my work behind a tree. Making sure I was proper to exit cover, I made my way back to camp. Joy and Jonathan had my stuff ready, and had all their Pokémon recalled.

"Alright, now we get ready. Recall everyone and lets go. I don't want to waste daylight."

"It's like seven in the morning, man." I said, stifling a yawn.

"And it's going to get later if you don't hurry your ass up."

All my Pokémon were conveniently all together. I recalled them one by one, though I got a weird look from both Zin and Deoxys. I just hoped everything is fine in the long run. After making sure that all of my Pokéballs were secured on my belt, I turned to Jon and followed them. Joy handed me my backpack as we followed.

The clearing itself was covered in green grass as far as the eye could see. It was barely above ankle high, so it didn't offer any cover. What dominated the clearing was a massive tree. It was dead, the weathered bark looked silver in the morning sun. The smooth bark lead up to a crown of twigs and branches held by the trees dead branches. Green vines and leaves could be spotted, even at the distance we were. Jon stepped forward, walking in front of us as we headed towards the tree. Without any warning, a bolt of lightning struck in front of us. It was quickly followed by more, and we were forced backwards. Jon stood still though, not being intimidated by the attacks. I almost called out to him, but then another bolt of lightning struck. It was larger than the other thing streaks, but when my eyes stopped showing white sparks everywhere, Zapdos stood in front of Jon.

The giant bird was almost twice his size. It was huge when we saw her when she was aligned with the Goldenrod Radio tower. Now, she was just gigantic. How were we supposed to stop this thing again? Right, shoot stuff at it. Gotcha. The Zapdos opened her wings wide, screeching out at us for a moment. While I cringed backwards, Jon didn't back down from the display.

"It's been a while since we last talked." he said.

For a moment, I thought he lost his mind. Talking with one of the thunder birds? But she responded in kind.

"It really has been a while, hasn't it, my love?"

Love?! Wait. The story at the Ranger headquarters. He wasn't kidding, then. Holy Arceus!

She plucked a feather from her chest, her long beak placing it in Jon's hair. "You shouldn't throw away my gifts." the Zapdos admonished him. "It hurts that you don't care."

"I do care. It's why I've told you that you need to be with your kind." Jonathan said. It sounded like a rehearsed line. Or possibly that he's had to repeat himself too many times.

The Zapdos laughed. "How many times have you said the same line to me?" she asked. "And how many times have I told you that you're the only one for me?"

"One too many times." Jon replied.

"So how many times are we going to have this same conversation?" she asked.

"Until you understand that I'm right." Jon said with a shrug. "I can't give you the family you want."

"I don't need hatchlings to be happy." she chided him softly. She leaned down and rubbed her face against his. "All I want is you."

Jon didn't look pleased at the situation he was in. He didn't look like anything, actually. "You've been attacking cities again."

"Only when I felt you were close!" she said happily. "You can't blame me for being excited to see you after so long."

"You raped me the last time we met." he pointed out.

"I claimed what was rightfully mine." she said sweetly. "You were being uncooperative."

"I didn't want to be hurt, either." he pointed out.

"Are you still hurt over me claiming you?" she asked, grabbing his shirt with her beak. "You haven't betrayed my trust now, have you?"

"No. I'm happy with being single, thank you."

"But then what about those other humans?" Zapdos said, her tone turning cold. "What about the female?"

"I didn't touch her."

"Prove it!" Zapdos roared.

Any politeness that was left was washed away as soon as she said those words. Electricity began to crackle around her body. I could begin to smell ozone just by standing nearby. The fear I had for everyone was beginning to escalate. Not even Akalia's attacks left that kind of smell.

Joy stepped forward, her hands balled up into fists. She stood next to Jonathan, and Zapdos leaned over to inspect her. I had no idea what she was trying to do, but I didn't talk either. She seemed satisfied, however, when she backed away from Joy and nodded.

"Good. You haven't betrayed my trust yet." Zapdos said, relief flooding her voice. "I was afraid I would have to dissuade you from pursuing her."

"I learned that lesson well the first time." Jon said, shaking his head. "I know that makes you angry."

"See? We're destined to be together!"

"I still see otherwise." Jon said, frowning.

Zapdos' eyes narrowed at him. "I've told you time and time again that I'm not old enough to return to my island. Nor am I powerful enough to claim a mate that I want. Not that I have a need for another male."

"I think you're powerful enough." Jon told her sharply. "You can show that you owned this entire forest to a prospective mate and they would be impressed."

"My mate isn't impressed with what I've done." she said to him sourly. "You ignore me, and deliberately leave me for many moons! I search high and low for you at all times."

So that's why she went to Goldenrod! She was looking for Jon all this time. It's a little scary, thinking that a giant thunder bird is looking for you.

She looked over to me idly. Lightning flashed across her spiky feathers and out of impulse I moved. An arc of lightning hit where I was standing a few moments ago, chunks of earth and grass exploding everywhere.

When I tried to stand, something heavy pressed down on my chest. I grasped at it, a screech from above making me hesitate in maintaining my hold. Yellow and black feathers blocked out the sun. Something hard pecked at my hair.

"And who are you mated to, dear human?" Zapdos asked from above.

"Leave him alone, Zapdos." Jon warned.

"And why are these humans with you, dear mate?" she asked. She turned back to me. "Answer the question."

"I don't believe that your privileged to know that." I said evenly.

"You're not in a position to bargain." she said sweetly. Her talons began to tighten around my chest.

"I'm not mated to Jonathan, if that's what your wondering." I answered. "I don't swing that way."

"Not the answer I was looking for."

"My Houndoom, alright?" I whispered. "And my Mismagius, Luxray, and Gardevoir, though she isn't here."

"A pity." she said. "I would hope that you could convince Jon."

"We've talked before. He didn't seem interested in talking about it."

"Again, a pity. I think he could have learned a lot from you."

"Could?"

Before anything else happened, something toppled Zapdos from above me. I looked over to my right to see Baast running towards me. She pulled me from the ground roughly, my shoulder protesting the rough treatment. It stopped when the ground next to us exploded as lightning struck where I once was. Stone and dirt pelted me as Baast made sure I was alright.

"Jonathan!"

I looked behind me, seeing Zapdos standing up. Lightning emanated from her body, lashing wildly around without direction or control. She screeched loudly, almost as if turning into a mindless beast.

"What do we do now?" Joy asked.

"I still vote for running to be a number one option!" I suggested.

"No, I'm done running." Jon said grimly. "We finish this today."

"Baast, Aura Sphere!" Jon yelled out.

I pulled out two Pokéballs, releasing both Zin and Akalia out. Zin rushed forward, using the spheres from Baast to cover her. Akalia looked surprised for a moment, her body unmoving. A roar from behind told me that Joy released Zefyra.

"Zefyra, Tri Attack!"

Three beams of different colors headed towards Zapdos direction. Zin launched a Flamethrower attack to cut off a possible escape path. It worked even better than expected, the Tri Attack landing while the Flamethrower still burning some of the feathers on top of her head. Even with the attacks connecting, it did little to stop her. She didn't even seem any worse for wear, other than the odd singed feather or two.

Zapdos let out a shriek before she retaliated, sending bolts of lightning our way. Baast grabbed hold of me, taking me to safety among the lightning blasts. Akalia countered the bolts with attacks of her own, explosions popping as the energies met in mid air. Zefyra darted out of the way, using her Tri Attack to counter some of the attacks directed at us. I grabbed hold of another Pokéball, idly noticing Zin following Zapdos from the ground.

"Akalia! Help Zin!" I yelled out. The Luxray was shaken into action, bolting to follow the Houndoom as quickly as possible. Opening the Pokéball, Mist materialized next to me. Her eyes widened in surprise, before nodding at me.

"Magical Leaf!" I said, pointing at the flying bird. Green swirls of energy took the shape of leaves, before rocketing towards her target. More leaves joined the initial barrage, forcing Zapdos to dodge or get hit. She wasn't able to fully escape the attack, and it allowed Zefyra to follow up with an attack of her own.

"Zefyra, Hyper Beam!" Joy roared. The attack took full advantage of the Zapdos' inability to move. The resulting explosion resounded through the clearing above. The ball of leftover energy hung in the air for a moment, only to reveal a shimmering field of lightning around her. Baast reacted quickly, running towards Zefyra and using her as a springboard to reach Zapdos.

"Baast, Brick Break!" Jon shouted. When Baast reached Zapdos, she launched a punch forward. The shield wavered on the impact, and Baast followed with another. The shield looked like it cracked under the strain, and Baast followed up with another Aura Sphere at close range. The ball hit the impact point, blowing both Pokémon back in the air. Zefyra appeared to catch the Lucario on her back, while Zapdos flapped her mighty wings to catch and straighten herself. She screeched once, before diving towards the Hydreigon and her charge.

A blast of fire came from under the Zapdos, deviating her from the charge. Zefyra came down to our level, Baast jumping off to run toward Zin and Akalia. Both were doing their best to distract the flying Pokémon as best they could. Mist floated next to me as we moved towards the evolving battlefield.

"Mist, Shadow Ball!" I ordered, seeing an opening. Mist complied, launching the attack as quickly as she could. Zin used herself as a distraction, jumping on top of the Zapdos and attacking from where she couldn't be reached physically. Zapdos barely reacted in time, lifting herself out of the way to get out of Akalia's electric attack. With Zapdos in the air, she quickly gained altitude and shook violently. I grabbed Spirit's Pokéball as Zefyra took to the air again. My Flygon didn't hesitate, flying towards the Zapdos as fast as she could. With a flap of her wings, Zin lost her grip and began to fall. Spirit dove and intercepted the Houndoom long before she hit the ground. Zefyra launched herself into melee combat with the Zapdos. A flash of thunder left me blinded, and I had to rub my eyes to stop the spots dancing in front of me. The thud that I felt wasn't stopped because I was temporarily blind.

"ZEFYRA!" Joy screamed.

That isn't good. "Joy, recall Zefyra! Get her out of the battlefield!" Jon bellowed.

Zefyra's body was smoking when my vision returned. She was being recalled at the same time, the Hydreigon's body shining with the traditional red light before dissappearing inside her Pokéball. I looked over to Joy, as her body shivered as she gently placed the Pokéball back to her belt. The scream of rage that came from her voice was something I didn't want to hear ever again. She grabbed all the other Pokéballs on her belt and a wall of Pokémon stood in front of her. They all looked confused for a moment until Variel turned around to see Joy's face.

"Bring that FUCKING BITCH DOWN!" she screamed. "I don't give a FUCK how you do it! No one fucks with my friends and gets away with it!"

Note to self: never call Joy Isabella.

Victini took it upon herself to lead the cavalry. "Alright! We heard the boss. Let's take that overstuffed bird down!" she said cheerfully before flying towards the offending target. Morph transformed into a copy of Zapdos in a flash, taking to the air and following Victini. The others followed Baast's orders, directing them in attempts to distract her.

One thought bugged me. This shouldn't be this easy. Sure, we have the number advantage, but she wasn't using her full power either. The clouds began to turn dark as the real Zapdos flew in circles. I blinked as a drop of water landed in my forehead. Wiping it off, I was surprised when it was replaced by two more. And then more water came down from the sky.

"Rain Dance!" I screamed. "Get everyone out of the sky!"

Too late. Zapdos screeched loudly, the bolts almost blinding all my vision before I covered my eyes. Morph was falling from the sky, Victini's shield being the only thing protecting the falling Ditto. I could barely see what was going on, but I hoped that everyone was alright in some way. Chunks of dirt hit my chest as the rain began to pick up the pace. From above, Zapdos laughed like a kid that got what they wanted for their birthday.

"Oh, what a joyous day!" she yelled. "I'll handle you meddlesome children, and I'll have my mate to myself once more!"

As Zapdos gloated from above, I surveyed the battlefield. Or I should say, what was left of it. An orange shield protected Joy's Pokémon. Victini's small form was outlined in a bright orange light. While Victini's shield held, Mist's barrier was cracking under the previous strain. Zin, Akalia, Spirit, and Baast hid under the dark purple barrier. The cynical part of me wanted to ask Xola how we were supposed to win this.

I ran towards my Pokémon, washing the water from my eyes. Zapdos was still laughing above as I slid through the barrier. Spirit picked me up, clinging desperately as my hands trembled. Zin looked over to me, fear easy to see in her features.

"I'm sorry!" she yelled at me. "Whatever it is, I'm sorry!"

What? "Now's not the time, Zin! We have to figure something out!"

Akalia growled loudly, only for the sound to be drowned out as Mist's barrier held against another blast of lightning. More cracks appeared on the shield, Mist wincing as she poured more power into it.

"Spirit, you're the only one that has any resistance to her attacks. They're going to be brutal if they hit though. You have to do your best to distract her."

She nodded at my request. I looked over to Akalia, who was looking still better than most.

"Zin, are you still in?" I asked.

She looked around, but nodded. "I haven't been hit yet."

"I need you both to try and distract Zapdos. Try to coordinate your attacks so that you can herd her into another attack. Also, don't hurt each other now. Not like last time."

"Last time was an accident!" she yelled.

"I know, I know." I said, shaking my head. "Mist? Are you alright?"

"Never... better..." she said. "I... cannot hold out for much longer. Perhaps another lightning blast, or at worse a second. After that, I will be drained."

"I'll recall you and have Deoxys help." I said, nodding. "I'm afraid that Zapdos will take out Xola in one hit with these powered up lightning blasts. I'm not sure about Aurora, either."

"We need all the help we can get, Master." Zin said. She was still worried. "Next time I say something like this, I give you full permission to slap me stupid!"

I blinked at her, but shook my head. "We'll worry about it later. Everyone ready?"

"What about me?"

Baast looked at me with a concerned look. "I am still able to battle." she persisted.

"I'm not your trainer." I said with a frown.

"I trust you enough that you will not send me to my grave." she pressed. "Please, direct me."

I was shocked. I've never heard of a trainer giving orders to a Pokémon that wasn't theirs. I nodded at her.

"Give me a few moments. Let's see how this plan works first. I can't think right now with that overgrown bird screeching so loudly." I said, pointing skyward.

She nodded as another blast of lightning slammed against Mist's barrier. The sound of glass shattering filled my ears. Everyone bolted as I caught the falling Mismagius. Fishing out her Pokéball, she was recalled back to safety. With her Pokéball safely attached, I grabbed Deoxys' ball and released her. Again, without any hesitation, Deoxys assessed the situation, looking skyward as Zapdos launched another blast of lightning. This one was directed to Spirit, but due to her element it did nothing but slow down her flight slightly. I was suddenly glad to have called that one right.

Zapdos let out a cry as Spirit aligned herself at the same height. Deoxys distracted me before I could grab Aurora's ball from my waist.

"How do you wish to proceed?" Deoxys asked.

"I don't know!" I said loudly. "I told Spirit to distract Zapdos! I'm not sure that Victini can hold against another one of those Thunder attacks. But now we can't shoot anything to the air without risking Spirit in the crossfire!"

I looked over to Jon, who was looking skyward. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. Other than Baast, no other of his Pokémon were in the battle. Arceus, what was he thinking?! I grabbed Baast's shoulder, getting her attention.

"Tell Jon to send Storm up there!" I said, pointing skyward. "Spirit needs help! She won't be able to hold Zapdos off forever!"

The Lucario nodded at me and headed toward Jon, while Deoxys stood next to me. Her look told me that she wasn't convinced about my plan. The plan was being made as this problem unfolded. There WAS no plan!

"Improvising seems to be a strong skill you have, then." she said softly.

"We don't have any advantage with her in the air." I said, frowning. "We need her grounded so we can use our superior numbers to our advantage. Right now, we're just wasting time."

"I believe myself and Aurora can do so." she said with a nod.

My face was soaked. My clothes were soaked. I hated how she was standing there with a look of utter confidence while the rain sapped at my body heat. My hand grabbed Aurora's Pokéball and released the Weavile. She jumped into my hands immediately, looked at Deoxys, and nodded. She jumped over to Deoxys' head.

"We are ready when you give the order." Deoxys said calmly.

I looked skyward once again, noticing idly that Spirit's flaps were loosing her altitude. Even with Storm in the air, she was picking one target at a time. Distractions weren't going to work at this rate. I turned around to Deoxys and nodded. "Get Spirit out of there!" I said.

Deoxys launched herself into the air. How she flew, it wasn't in my priority list of things I needed to know at the moment. I ran towards the injured Flygon, hoping to get into range fast enough for the Pokéball's recall beam. A flash of lightning blinded me for a moment, spots dancing across my vision again as Zapdos attacked someone else. I managed to recall Spirit just before her body fell against the ground. Jonathan ran up to me as I secured Spirit's Pokéball.

"Yeah, welcome to my world."

"Screw your world, man." I snarled back. "I don't need your witty shit right now!"

"What now?" Joy asked.

"Where's Baast and Victini?" I asked.

"What's the plan?" Joy asked.

"That bird has to be grounded. We need her off the sky."

Jon shoved my side. "What do you think they're doing?!" he screamed.

"You don't have to shove me, dammit!" I said sharply. "I know that! I've been suggesting that to everyone too!"

"What do you need me for?"

I turned to see Victini and Baast walk up to me. I nodded, relief washing over me.

"I have a plan. A risky plan, but it's what I got."

"Shoot! Risk is my middle name!" Victini said proudly.

"Can you fly with Baast up there?" I asked, pointing towards the battle in the sky.

"Proba... Yeah I can! If they keep her at that altitude, I can reach there no problem!" Victini exclaimed with a nod.

"If you can drop Baast from behind her, that lets you go all out on the back of her head." I explained, pointing towards the Lucario. "You need to do as much damage in a single hit as possible. Don't hold back. You'll be at high risk of being thrown off."

Baast nodded. "Don't worry about that. That bird has it coming."

"Is everyone ready?" I asked. Victini and Baast nodded at me. I looked skyward, noticing Zapdos flying lower than anticipated.

"Go!" I yelled. With a flash, Victini was rocketing upward with Baast in her psychic grasp. Baast was somehow launched forward at full speed, tackling the thunder bird hard. A flash of blue surrounded the area, as Baast blasted Zapdos with... something. I wasn't entirely sure what kind of attack Baast just used. Zapdos didn't recover from the blast of energy that Baast unleashed, riding the bird all the way down. The ground shook from the impact, and we all rushed over to see the damage.

What surprised me was the amount of red. A nasty gash was on Zapdos entire body, oozing a surprising amount of blood. Baast didn't look injured, and thankfully Deoxys, Aurora, and Storm were unharmed as well. Jon kneeled next to Zapdos, his head shaking.

"She should be fine, right?" I asked. Baast gave me a look that told me otherwise.

"I do not normally use that attack." she mentioned. "In other instances, that should have stopped her heart instantly."

So that's why Jon was shaking his head. "I can't let her die." he whispered.

"Then catch her, numbnuts!" Joy yelled. "Hurry up before I beat your skull in."

"I don't have a Pokéball to my name right now." he said with a shrug.

"What about that black ball thing you pulled on Darkrai at the monastery?" I asked, grabbing his shoulder. "Can you use that?"

Again, he shook his head. "It won't stop this kind of injury. They're designed as a prison, not for stasis."

Well, this wasn't good. Zapdos' breathing was already irregular, and it didn't help that the injury was on the chest. Wait.... idea!

"Joy! Where's our stuff?"

She blinked at me for a moment. "Didn't you have your bag with you?"

I blinked before Deoxys grabbed my bag and dropped it in front of me.

"I feel like a grade A idiot." I muttered, fishing for a spare Pokéball.

"What are you doing?" Jon asked.

"Capturing her. We can discuss your deal with her later. Right now, though, she needs to be alive for that to happen. Unless you want to let her die."

He didn't answer me, even as I threw the Pokéball in a lazy arc to the fallen bird. When Zapdos was absorbed into the device, there was no resistance and the ping was loud in the quiet of the aftermath. The sun began to show, piercing the artificial storm clouds and the rain subsided quickly. I stood up, grabbing Jon by the shoulder and pulling him up straight.

"Here." I said, forcing the Pokéball in his hands. "She's been your problem all this time. You either can let her go and kill her, or try to figure things out the hard way. Now that she won't attack you so easily, I'm pretty sure you can talk things out."

Taking the lead again, I nodded to both my friends. "Lets get back to Blackthorn and report on the mission being a success. For whatever success this is. That's your problem. I have to deal with the fat man telling me lies all day."

"He won't lie to you." Jon said softly. "I'll make sure he doesn't."

"That's nice. But regardless, first things first. We need to get to the nearest Pokémon Center, now. Storm, are you injured?"

The Dragonite shook her head, looking at me curiously. I smiled. "Take Jonathan back to Blackthorn. Get him to the Pokémon Center directly. That Zapdos needs immediate medical attention in order to survive. The rest of us walk back. It shouldn't take us long to get there."

Jonathan didn't protest as Storm picked him up. The silence was deafening as soon as the Dragonite took off. I looked over to Joy, who was slowly shaking her head.

"I'm useless." she whimpered, before grabbing hold of me in a hug. "I'm so sorry..."

As much as I wanted to say something, I stayed quiet. I held her tightly against me, just letting her know I was there. We stood there in silence, no one objecting until she calmed down. Joy's eyes were closed, her breathing deep and slow. I motioned Skadi to come over and she obliged. Between myself, Ajax, and Deoxys, we lifted her up safely to Skadi's back. I nodded.

"Are we all here and accounted for?" I asked softly, looking around. I received confirmation that from everyone. "Does anyone want to go back inside their Pokéballs?" That was received with negatives all around. I nodded. "Let's get going then."

========================////////////////////=============================

We made decent time making it back up to Blackthorn. Funny thing was that there were a bunch of trainers picking for fights. They got a look at me and they started their approach. Then they saw the party I had behind me. They backed away rather quickly.

We paraded through the city and walked straight into the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy was quick to pull us inside and get all our Pokémon treated as soon as possible. When we finally got through all the paperwork, I motioned for her attention.

"Where's Jonathan?" I asked.

Nurse Joy blinked for a moment before smiling at me. "He's in the emergency room. We stabilized Zapdos. Anything else is up to her now."

"Thank you." I said. "Do you think we can visit them?"

"They should be fine by now." she said with a shrug. "Let me check for you, just in case they're speaking."

I nodded as she left both Joy and me at the main desk. Joy still looked exhausted, and was fighting the need to sleep. I shook my head at her, and she frowned at me.

"If you tell me that I need sleep, I'll kick your shit in." she told me.

"Then I'll wisely keep quiet." I said with a nod. "In other news, how do you think Jon is holding up?"

She shrugged. "Doubt he's doing all that good. I'm pretty sure this messed up his plans."

"Plans?" I asked, confused. "What plan? All he did was stare up and be confused as to what was going on half the time."

"Sometimes, I'm convinced you're an idiot." she said heatedly.

"Zapdos tried to gouge out my intestines." I pointed out.

"You're still an idiot." she said with a sigh. "We could have probably avoided all that craziness if you kept your mouth shut."

"I'll remember that next time." I said with a sigh. "But when a gigantic bird has you in her clutches and wants to rip out your intestines, I don't want to hear you complaining."

"Wish granted!" Joy exclaimed, slapping my back. I winced and was about to say something when Nurse Joy returned.

"He says that you can come see him." she said with a sad smile. "I suggest that you stay quiet. Zapdos is still coping with the changes."

I nodded, and Nurse Joy lead us to the room. She opened the door and stood aside to allow us in. The door closed behind me when I stepped inside. I looked behind me to see Joy stand behind me as well. Turning around, I saw Jon sitting on a chair. Zapdos was laying on a mat on the ground, the gigantic bird too large for a emergency bed. The area was cleared out, but she looked at rest at the moment. Jonathan looked like he's been through a nightmare, his eyes bloodshot.

I kneeled next to him, since I didn't see any other chairs nearby. Joy sat down next to me. Nobody spoke as we watched the thunder bird sleep on the mattress. Jon sighed, but when I looked at him he shook his head. He sighed again, but spoke this time.

"What's the plan now?" he asked softly.

I shrugged. "She's your problem." I said. "I captured her to keep her stabilized. We can free her or you can keep her. I'm not personally interested in keeping her."

"What?" Joy asked next to me.

"You think I want a Pokémon that threatened to disembowel me a few hours ago?" I pointed out, turning to face her.

She winced. "Yeah, I don't think so."

"Again, I don't have a Pokéball with me, and I'm pretty sure none of my team want to be traded."

"Who said anything about traded?" I asked.

"I'm not allowed to have or capture any more Pokémon. Didn't you hear that part?"

"What kind of trainer isn't allowed to have any more Pokémon?" I asked. "Aren't extra Pokémon stored either at the registered Pokémon Center or with the regions professor?"

He shook his head again. "When I turned into a Ranger, I forfeited the rights to have any more. I would have to quit, and I don't want to do that."

"So you want to keep her, but you can't because you're not allowed." Joy said. "You're forced to trade, but you don't want to."

When he didn't respond, Joy stood up and whacked the backside of his head. Jon covered the attacked area with his hands. "You're stupid as fuck, too." she said before turning around.

The door opened, Baast entering the room with a tray of stuff in her paws. She walked towards us, standing next to Jon and placing the tray on his lap. "Eat." she ordered.

"I'm not hungry." he said.

"You haven't eaten since this morning, if that." Baast said with a frown. "You must keep your strength up."

"What's the point." he said in exasperation. Baast followed up those words by slapping the back of his skull.

"I'm sick of this." she said. "Trade me. It's obvious that you care more about her than your own well-being, and the respect I have for you is rapidly dwindling. I am also comfortable going back home, though that is a little harder to do."

I looked in Baast's direction. "Wait, you don't mean what I think you're mean." I said, confused.

"Jonathan can trade me for Zapdos. It is exactly what I mean." she said, standing in front of me. "In all honesty, I would prefer to be with you than this human. You've proven yourself capable of handling dangerous situations."

I raised an eyebrow at her. "And why the sudden change of heart now?" I asked.

"Because he will not make the decision, so I am making it for him." she said, turning to look at Jonathan. "While he cares enough for me, he obviously cares more for this stupid bird."

"Jon?" I asked. He shook his head, but shrugged.

"I still have Zapdos' Pokéball." he said, revealing said device. "Are you...?"

"It's not like I have an emotional attachment to the bird." I said, waving my hand towards the fallen Zapdos. "It's you who should be asking yourself if you're OK with this situation."

He sat there in silence, switching from looking between Zapdos, myself, and Baast. Zapdos stirred slightly in her sleep, but didn't wake. I wondered if Nurse Joy used some kind of drug to keep her pacified. The sound of the door opening made me turn around, seeing Nurse Joy coming inside the room. She smiled at us, but turned serious at Jon.

"Are you the one that caught her?" Nurse Joy asked him.

I was about to answer, but Jon intercepted me. "Yes, I did."

"Then why is it registered under someone named Nick?" she asked.

"I had to catch her in order to protect her." I explained, getting her attention. "Jon didn't have any Pokéballs, so I caught her to stabilize her condition."

Nurse Joy turned to Jon. "And why did you lie to me?"

"I'm responsible for her current condition." he said with a frown.

"That's well and good. All I wanted to know is who is she registered to."

Nurse Joy turned to me, then blinked for a moment. It looked like the idea just hit her. "Wait! Isn't this the Zapdos from Mount Silver!"

I tried my best to hold back my laughter. "Bingo!" I said, nodding.

"But I... we... you!" she said, before shaking her head. "I need some air."

"I'll go with you." Joy offered, taking Nurse Joy's hand and walking outside of the room.

Baast grabbed my hand, getting my attention. "Would you have me?" she asked.

The simple implications of that question made me hesitate. "What do you mean?"

"Will you allow me to go with you?" she asked. I tilted my head in curiosity, but decided against asking. She didn't let me go though, her grasp tightening.

"What?" I asked.

"What were you thinking?" she asked.

Well, this was an interesting scenario. "This isn't about anything more... right?" I asked, lowering my voice.

Her muzzle split into a grin. "Why? Do you wish it to be?" she asked back.

I backed away, but her grip didn't let go of my hand. She pulled me towards her, somehow avoiding to impale me on the chest spike. Her paws held me tightly against her chest. Somehow, my eyes deceived my brain that Baast didn't have any breasts. Well, my skin definitely felt them.

"I'm going to enjoy this." she whispered, before giggling madly.

Why are all these crazy Pokémon trying to have sex with me? The only sane one is Spirit!

Baast took me over to Jonathan, who was now standing up. He looked over to us and blinked in surprise. After a moment of recovering himself, he shrugged and shook his head.

"Are you sure, Baast?"

"Would you prefer that Cleopatra or Storm take my place?" Baast asked back.

Jon looked surprise at the question, but shook his head. "I guess not." he said with a shrug. "Follow me, and lets get this over with."

He pulled out another Pokéball, one adorned with a blue lid instead of the standard red. The white section didn't look white, either, and the middle band was yellow instead of the metallic silver. Jon took the lead, taking a right back to the lobby of the Pokémon Center. He opened the door behind the desk, going inside. Inside, was a machine I wasn't familiar with. It had what looked like two giant tubes sticking out from its sides, with a small platform under them. Indentations were on these small platforms, just large enough for a Pokéball to go through. Jon expanded the oddly colored Pokéball in one side and mine in the other.

"Put your Pokédex in the slot." he said, pointing at the small hole in the machine. I did as directed, as he did the same on his side of the machine. Lights and bleeps slowly began to turn on, the device turning on.

"Greetings, trainers! Welcome to the Pokéball Transfer System! Please use the controls to guide you through the steps to reach your desired function!"

The voice that they used to program this thing was way too cheerful. Jonathan moved towards the middle, fiddling around with numerous nobs and dials.

"Nick Elazar." the machine said. "You are trading the rights to have a Zapdos and her registered Pokéball, with Jonathan Caim who is trading his Lucario and Pokéball. Do you accept these terms?"

I looked over to Jonathan again. "Are you sure about this?" I asked.

He nodded. "She wants to go, and I'm alright with that." he said with a shrug. "Are you willing to put up with her?"

"I think I'll manage." I said, grinning. "So, this basically is trading the Pokémon and Pokéball? Doesn't Zapdos have to be inside of it?"

Jon shook his head. "They've upgraded these things since those old times. Trust me, I've seen it work."

I sighed, but nodded. Jonathan pointed to what buttons to press, and I followed his directions. Both Pokéballs were sucked up into the machine, and it hummed and whirled to life. I was honestly afraid that it was going to explode when a faint trail of smoke appeared from the machine. After a few long seconds, it made a pinging sound, the red and white ball that was in front of me replaced by Jon's and vice versa.

Jonathan grabbed his new Pokéball, shrinking it and placing it in his pocket. "You might want to let her out of there." Jon adviced. "She's never liked staying inside her Pokéball for too long."

"Add it to the list of concerns I have." I shot back as he left. I sighed, following him outside. Nurse Joy was behind the counter as I exited the room. She smiled at me kindly.

"So you really did end up doing it." she said to me.

"Oh. Um, yeah. Baast can present a compelling argument." I said with a smile of my own.

Her smile turned into a grin, before she grabbed my hand and pulled me all the way to a door. "Wait! What's going on?!" I exclaimed, confused.

"You can get to know each other better now." she said as she came around me and unlocked the door. She opened it and pushed me inside. "And I don't want to see you come out until your hair is a mess!"

The door slammed shut, sealing me inside the room. My other Pokémon were still being healed. I sighed, releasing the Lucario from her Pokéball. If I was going to regret it, I might as well get it over with.

She appeared in a flash of red, but nothing happened immediately. Baast's paws touch my face gently, her breath washing over my face for a moment. She leaned against me. She was a bit heavier than I expected, but kept my complaint to myself.

"There's a bed behind you." Baast said softly, her muzzle rubbing against my neck.

I leaned back, holding her as we fell together. The bed protested, but held otherwise. We ignored the squeak that the springs made. Her paws held me tightly, a content sigh escaping her as she held me. I scratched the back of her head, laying there on the bed. Baast pushed herself up higher, holding my head against her chest.

"Baast?" I whispered.

"Yes?"

"Are you really tired?"

She didn't respond immediately, stroking my hair before responding. "No, I'm not."

"Then why-"

"Because I am sure that your other mates would look unfavorably upon me if I took what I wanted for granted." she said. "I would much rather be in good graces with everyone before doing what I wish."

"And that would be...?" I prompted.

She laughed. "To have you."

Chapter 23: The Ghast Festival

I woke up, startled by my head being petted. The room was dark, my heart pounding loudly in my ears as adrenaline coursed through my body. I pushed myself up from the bed, seeing a familiar Lucario laying underneath me. Strong arms wrapped around me, before pulling downwards. My face met her chest, soft fur brushing against my face. I struggled momentarily, until she growled above me.

"You're a feisty one." Baast said casually. "Can't you sleep for an entire night?"

"What time is it?" I asked.

"I don't know. Probably close to midnight or so. You were more than happy to curl up and sleep like a child." she said, stroking my hair again. "Nurse Joy dropped off your Pokémon not too long ago. She wished for you to know, but you were fast asleep when she appeared."

"And you weren't?" I asked curiously.

"Well, I am constantly aware of my surroundings." she said, tightening her hug on me. "My Aura sight allows me to see even while I sleep. It's why we are so hard to catch unawares."

"That doesn't explain why you weren't asleep."

She grabbed my nose between her fingers for a moment before letting go. "I was getting to that. We can detect individual Aura's, even while we rest. It was not that I wasn't asleep, it was more that Nurse Joy woke me up."

"And that was when?" I prompted.

"I don't know." Baast said with a shrug. "I haven't looked at the time."

I grabbed at my pockets, feeling my Pokédex still resting against my leg. My fingers grabbed hold of it, forcing myself to open it as I held it in front of me. The glow from the screen blinded me momentarily as the device proudly displayed whatever it was. The device displayed a screen that said "Scanning..." as I looked at it. What was it scanning for? Before the concern could become worse, the words displayed turned into a thumbs up, before disappearing.

What?

The display changed to my team. A new model was added, glowing brightly for a moment before matching the rest. I felt Baast move slightly as my world spun. She snuggled behind me, my back resting against her chest. Her paws covered my hands as I tried to figure out what just happened.

"You have a lot of Pokémon." she pointed out.

"Welcome to the madness?" I offered. "You're not going to back out now, are you? I don't particularly want to keep that Zapdos."

Baast shook her head, her fur tickling my neck. "I think I can manage."

I smiled in relief. "Just let me know if there's anything I can do to make the transition any easier." I said. "At the very least, we can make sure that we have your favorite snack for the road."

Her muzzle appeared in my peripheral vision, teeth gleaming in the small light of the Pokédex. "Well, since you put it that way... can we get about half a dozen Mago Poffins!?"

I blinked. "What?"

"Well, you offered!" she said, her paws crushing my chest in a hug. "And I just so happen to like them very much! And we can get them during The Ghast Festival! You know that you want to."

"You know, I haven't gone out for The Ghast Festival in years." I said with a grin. "I think it would be fun!"

"Jon hates it." she said, shaking her head against me. "He never lets us relax half the time."

"Well, I hope you don't scurry away from training." I said with a chuckle. "Also, I hope you know what you've gotten yourself into."

"About what?" she asked.

"Well, the whole Darkrai stuff. Then there's Zin to worry about. Not to mention anything else that happens. There seems to be weird things going on with me."

She shrugged, her paws grasping my shirt tightly. "It's better than being bored with Jonathan." she said. "I'll take my chances."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For... everything? For believing in me? For trusting me? What else?"

She laughed, her hug tightening. "I'm glad. Sis is going to hate my guts when I show up at the village again with you."

"Why do you say that?"

Baast laughed again, harder if possible. I was afraid that she would wake someone up at this time. "She had her sights on YOU ever since you stepped inside the village!"

"Arceus! All the Pokémon with me are crazy!" I said, struggling against her grasp.

Baast laughed, easily pinning me down as my world flipped around again. With the light of the Pokédex, her wide grin visible in the faint light. Her eyes were wide, almost glinting mischievously as I tried to breathe. Her paws held my hands down, her legs at my sides. If this was any other of my Pokémon, I think my clothes would be flying off my skin by this time. Somehow, her grin widened in my eyes.

For a split second, I was afraid that she wasn't going to keep her word and get what she wanted. Baast must have seen my reaction, because she shook her head. She was still smiling, but not as domineering as her grin was a few moments ago.

"I told you I'm not going to go behind Zin's back." she said. "I am staying to my word, though I like that you're willing."

She leaned down, her lips brushing past mine for a moment. "What are you doing, Baast?" I asked, my voice wavering. Her breath was hot on my skin as she breathed.

"This is the closest I will be with you." she said wistfully. "As much as I want to do more... I will hold myself."

I raised my head, meeting her lips with mine. She made a high pitched sound, before returning the affection immediately. I was surprised by the force behind her actions, but she didn't break anything. The bed protested as slightly as we moved. She pulled back, taking a deep breath before giggling.

"Well! I can't be blamed now if you instigate the physical contact, now can I?" she asked, before giggling again.

I smiled at her. It was nice to see her relaxed, though I didn't understand why she was so nervous about meeting Zin. Did she think that Zin would reject her outright? I didn't want a rift starting because of that Houndoom being hard headed. I gave a sigh, shaking my head. The look of Baast's face showed concern, but I shrugged. She nodded, bringing her body down on top of mine.

"Thank you." she whispered softly.

"I don't know for what, though."

"For the kiss." she clarified. "I feel comfortable around you. It is reassuring that you feel the same way, too."

I nodded, a smile on my face. I opened the Pokédex one more time, glad that it wasn't scanning for anything anymore. My fingers moved by instinct, revealing the time to me. Three minutes past five. In the morning. What in the world? I slept for over half a day?

"Did I tell you that you looked exhausted when you finally went to sleep?" she asked. "Because you were. Your Aura was a faint gray around your body. You were physically and mentally drained, far more than anyone else."

I shrugged. "I'm going back to sleep now. You're more than welcome to stay awake if you can't go to sleep."

She laughed again, her muzzle rubbing against my cheek. "No way. I'm not going anywhere. Not that I am awake, either."

Her paws let go of my hands, resting on my sides. I brought my arms around her body, holding her close to me. Baast giggled softly, but didn't stir as we relaxed and waited for the inevitable sunrise.

=========================////////////////////////=========================

Morning came, in the form of Joy coming to our room and kicking the bed. I almost jumped in surprise, but my body was still under Baast. Joy's hair was tied in extremely long pigtails, with a bright yellow shirt and jeans. She looked like she was ready for adventure. She even had her bag slung over her shoulder and everything.

"Wake up, lazy bum!" she said. "It's morning, and your breakfast is going to get cold if you don't get your ass up!"

I turned to face Joy, taking a deep breath. "Tell that to her." I said, pointing to the Lucario above me. Baast laughed, her paws hitting my sides gently. Joy rolled her eyes at us, but the Lucario above me got the message. She rolled off me, Baast helping me to sit up. Joy grabbed my hand, forcing me to stand and following her out of the room. Baast followed us outside, Jon holding our seats as he ate his plate of pancakes.

"Cheater." I said as we approached. "I haven't had pancakes in years."

"You can't lie worth a damn." Joy said with a laugh.

We sat down, Baast more than happy to sit next to me. Jonathan raised an eyebrow as she leaned her head against my right shoulder. I did my best to shrug with one shoulder, to not bother Baast with the motion. I was extremely thankful that my injury had healed enough

"Already?" he asked. I blinked, shaking my head.

"Are you kidding?" I asked, surprised. "It's not like we did that."

"She's never acted like that around me before." he pointed out.

"I'm sorry?" I offered. He waved my apology away.

"You better eat before it gets any colder." he said, but I was already ahead of his suggestion. I ate with my left hand as quickly as I could, though Baast was quick to grab a piece I cut and eat it. Looking over to the Lucario, she gave me a grin as she chewed happily. Joy laughed.

"Well, that's one happy Lucario." Joy observed. "I have to say Nick, you have the touch!"

I'm pretty sure that she wasn't one that would say that kind of thing. But then again, she saw me with Baast on my lap while we slept together. So she probably means exactly what she said. Joy grinned at me and laughed. I felt my cheeks warm up, but still ate as best I could. Jon sighed, shaking his head.

"So, when are we leaving for headquarters?" Jon asked.

"Probably later today, maybe tomorrow?" I offered. "I'm in no hurry to get this done. As long as your boss keeps your end of the bargain, that is."

He sighed. "He will." he said. "If he won't answer your questions, I'll get them for you myself."

I nodded. "Then we have no reason to hurry then. For once, lets relax before anything starts happening again."

Jon shrugged. "Suit yourselves. But why would we wait here, out of all places."

"Well, we really have nowhere to go." Joy said with a shrug. "Unless you have a brilliant plan like yesterdays."

Jon winced at that. "We'll figure something out, but I can agree with you. We've been around, haven't we?"

I laughed. "That's putting it mildly." I said, pointing my fork at him. "Flying from one end of a region to another, fighting for our lives, become a breeder, come to Johto to be chased around by a psychotic Zapdos. Life just can't get any better."

"Well, it can, you know." Baast said, grabbing another piece of pancake and eating it. "Can we stay for The Ghast Festival, please?"

"That's the first time I've heard Baast ask for anything." Jon pointed out.

Baast glared out to Jonathan, and he immediately turned to focus on eating what was left of his food. Even if she was technically my Pokémon, she wasn't afraid to exert her influence over him. We all laughed, but Jon shook himself.

"So we're going to go trick or treating with a bunch of kids?" he asked.

"Dude, I'm eighteen. I haven't changed how I acted since I was fifteen. Other than Joy tainting my vocabulary with her colorful swear words."

"Shit, kid!" she swore, laughing. "We'll make a man out of you yet one of these days!"

"You can't be serious." Jon said with a sigh. "Joy, you can't tell me that you're going to go trick or treating with a bunch of kids."

"Are you telling me that I'm too old to go trick or treating?" Joy asked.

"Yes, I am."

"Fuck you! You're never too old for free candy! Ain't that right, Nick?"

I nodded. "Damn straight."

"You two are HOPELESS!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "I hope you're happy."

"About free candy?" Joy asked. "Why shouldn't I be? Are you kidding?! You probably were some depressed emo kid that never went trick or treating."

Baast snickered and I did my best to hold my laughter. Jon laughed, though, giving Joy a shrug. "Nah. I just think since you're an adult you shouldn't be taking kids candy if you're not going to dress up."

"And who said I wasn't?" she asked back, grinning.

I laughed at Jon's surprised expression. Joy looked over at my direction and grinned from ear to ear. "Do you have a costume, Nick?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Not yet, but you can help me figure something out?" I said hopefully.

"Of course!" she exclaimed, clapping excitedly. "Oh, this is going to be great! Baast, are you coming with us, too?"

"Can I? I've always loved to go out during a Ghast Festival. But a certain somebody was too busy to allow us."

"We would be in the middle of work!" Jon exclaimed, frowning. "You weren't complaining when we had to be fighting."

"While that may be true, I would have enjoyed to be out having fun with you as well." Baast pointed out.

"I'm suddenly very glad I don't have to handle your affection." Jon pointed out.

"You never enjoyed it, so I used it to tease you. I'm glad that I have a trainer that appreciates it AND enjoys my company."

I raised an eyebrow, surprised at her words. "Baast, I don't think you should say things like that." I cautioned. "We don't want to dredge up stuff. This is a new start for you, right? Let's not pull the old up with it the new."

The Lucario looked at me with surprise in her eyes. She smiled brightly though, nodding at me. Baast turned to Jon and lowered her head. Jon waved the apology.

"I kind of deserved that." he said with a shrug. "I appreciate it Nick, but it's true. I am a workaholic, and it hurt my relationship I had with most of my Pokémon. Still working on making that better."

"Then why don't we all go trick or treating?" Joy asked. "We can bring all our Pokémon! I'm sure that not a single one of them is going to complain if they're going to get sweets and be up to all hours of the night."

"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea!" Baast said, nodding. "I'm sure that no one would object."

"Well, lets run it through everyone so that we all know the plan." Joy said with a nod. "I'm sure that we can work here with my sister to make some extra cash if we need it."

"That would be amazing." I said with a nod. A flash of inspiration hit me. "Oh! Do you think Nurse Joy has one of those fancy telecommunicators?"

"Of course I do!"

We turned around to see Nurse Joy giving us a smile. She nodded at me. "Yes, we do. Did you want to call someone?"

"My parents. It's been some time since I've last talked to them."

"Then why don't you come along now? Your Lucario seems to have eaten the rest of your food without you paying attention."

I turned around to see Baast put the last of my pancakes in her mouth, with half of it hanging out of her mouth.

"Baast!" I exclaimed, grabbing the bit that was left. She tugged back, ripping it readily in half. Half being relative, as it looked like I ended up with an eighth of a piece instead. Everyone laughed, as Baast chewed on her piece and I popped mine in my mouth. The Lucario looked satisfied, but she gave me a worried look for a moment. I shrugged, pulling her hand and insisting that she stand with me.

I turned to Nurse Joy. "I'm ready."

===================/////////////////////////==============================

"Oh, sweetheart!" Mom exclaimed. "I'm so glad to see that everything is OK. But why are you calling from Johto? Is that a mistake?"

"No Mom, it isn't a mistake. I'm really here in Blackthorn City."

"But why? Are you in trouble?"

"No Mom. I'm perfectly fine. We're all fine here."

"Are all your Pokémon fine, too?" Dad asked, peering over Mom's shoulder. "You better not be lying to me, young man."

I shook my head. "No Dad, I wouldn't lie. Everyone's fine over here. We've had other issues, but we're all alright now."

"Other issues? Nothing with authority?"

"No Dad, I promise. I'm not in trouble with the police or anything."

He looked at me over Mom's shoulder with a grin. "Good man, then."

"How's been the digs?" I asked, trying to change the subject. "I did leave before we finished that last one."

"It's been going great, actually!" Mom answered excitedly. "We'll be moving further into the ruins soon, too. You're help is definitely missed, but we've managed as best we've been able to. It's just like if you were still a kid, or you were out helping out at the Pokémon Center. We've handled it quite well, I think."

"All things considered, right?" I asked with a grin. "We got things done really quick when I helped."

"WHEN you helped and weren't distracted by thinking about Pokémon! Or being distracted by the Unown!" Dad said with a laugh. "It's fine, though. It's not that we're strangers to hard work. We're just glad that everything is working out for you."

"Well, the trainer life hasn't been ideal, that's for sure." I said with a laugh. "It's definitely taught me that a warm bed is amazing to appreciate."

"Missing home already?" Dad asked, grinning.

"I miss both of you, but it's been a real adventure out here." I said with a grin. "I've met two friends, too. One of them is a Johto Ranger, the other a world renown Pokémon Breeder."

"Well aren't you in good company!" Mom exclaimed. "I'm so glad that you're safe, Nick."

"And you're both safe too, aren't you?" I asked back. If there was one thing I needed to know, it was this. My parents had to be safe.

"We're perfectly fine." Mom said with a smile. "Nothing out of the ordinary out here. By the way, you should have a lot of money to your name. We've been putting in money on a weekly basis to your account. Have you been needing any more?"

Money? "Um... actually I haven't been using a lot of money recently, so I should have more than enough."

"Really? Can you check your account from your Pokédex?"

I grabbed my Pokédex, fiddling with the buttons for a moment before finding it through the multiple menu's of Pokémon health and status functions. I found a menu with my name clearly visible, as well as my current status as a Pokémon Breeder. Underneath that was a neat little area space where quite the large number was printed.

"Am I reading this number right?" I asked, bringing the Pokédex to the camera.

"Well, it says you have four hundred fifty thousand. That sounds about right." Mom said with a shrug. "Are you needing more?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't think so. Dad, have you been worrying about me?"

"Me? Nah! You're my boy! You're always safe!"

Right, because falling off a bridge doesn't count as a near death experience.

"He's practically crying himself to sleep almost every night."

"Have not!"

"Yes you do!"

"Alright! Mom, Dad, I have to get going. I'm getting weird looks from people over here."

"No you aren't. You shouldn't lie to your mom when there's a camera pointing at your face."

Damn. Mom smiled at me anyway. "It's fine, we needed to go anyway. There's a few interviews were having in a few hours and we need to prepare. You stay safe alright?"

I nodded. "I will, mom. Please take care of dad, too."

"I do not need to be babysat!" Dad yelled, just before the connection cut.

"You have interesting parents." Baast said with a smile.

"Oh, not you too." I said with a sigh. "The next thing I need is Zin having a fit because you joined in."

=======================/////////////////////==============================

The Pokémon Center had a small area in the back for trainers if they needed an open area to relax. I made quick use of it, though I made sure with Nurse Joy that it was alright. With her blessing, I made my way over there quickly and released everyone out of their Pokéballs. It was a sight to see, if I was a judge of sights. Though I have to say that getting drowned in fur and limbs is not something to be repeated on a constant basis.

When everyone had settled down, I called for everyone's attention. "I want to cover two things, so if I can have your attention I'll stop talking faster.

"The Ghast Festival is arriving in a few days, and since we're not leaving for a while I thought everyone would like to stay for that. Joy has the grand idea of going trick or treating, and suggested that everyone came along."

"Everyone?" Zin asked.

"Everyone. That is, if you want to come along of course. There's Poffins and candy in if you do."

Everyone cheered in excitement. Deoxys looked a bit confused, but Spirit noticed and explained what was going on to the confused Psychic type.

"OK, we all know what happened yesterday." I said, continuing to the second point of today. "I just wanted to say thank you for trusting and believing in me. We wouldn't have done it without that."

I got an affirmative of some kind from everyone, excluding Xola. Zin called her down closer to her, and they talked softly between the two of them.

"Anyway, what I wanted to bring up was that Zapdos is making a full recovery, so we'll be getting our answers as soon as she's fit." I continued, motioning to Baast. "Also, since Zapdos is Jon's responsibility, Baast has taken the initiative to trade herself willingly so Jonathan can do whatever it is to be done with Zapdos."

"You WHAT?!" Zin exclaimed.

"Excuse me?"

"You traded Zapdos for her? Are you insane?!"

I looked at the Houndoom, confused at her outburst. Why was this a problem? Zin bolted suddenly, but Xola reacted just as quickly. The Milotic's body pinning the Houndoom to the ground. I blinked, taking a step back.

"Zin?"

"You better have a really good reason why it smells like she just got off all over you." she snarled at me. "Because if you don't, I'll roast you alive!"

I sighed. "Zin, you're overreacting." I said. "Baast and I did not do anything behind your back. In fact, Baast wanted to speak with you before anything happened."

"Liar!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Have I needed to lie to you before?" I asked. "What did I do to make you think like this? You expected me to keep that psychotic bird with me?"

I didn't get a response from her with those questions. I sighed. "Look, Zapdos wasn't my responsibility. Ultimately, she was Jon's problem. Joy didn't mention that she had Pokéballs on her, so I couldn't risk that. It was either we did something to save her, or we did nothing and she died. And in all honesty, I'd rather do something."

"She tried to kill you?" Xola asked.

"Zapdos? Yeah. Death by disembowelment it would have been. If it wasn't for Baast, it would have happened."

The sudden lurch of my thoughts being snared made my eyes water instantly. Baast grabbed me before my feet gave out from under me. The sky looked pretty today. Was it almost noon already? The sun was hanging high in the sky.

"He is not lying, Zin." Deoxys said from somewhere.

"Deoxys?" I called.

"Yes?"

"Next time, if you're going to rip out my thoughts, please do it a little more gently." I pleaded. "I feel like ten minutes of my life are suddenly gone."

I rubbed my temples, Baast helping me sit up. Deoxys came up to me, all four of her tentacles wrapping around my torso and lifting me up. She held me close to her chest, the jewel embedded in her body glowing a bright blue. Everyone walked up to us, Zin at the head of the group. They all looked concerned at my condition, but I smiled.

"I'm fine." I said with a smile. "Other than the migraine that I feel coming on."

"I apologize, Master." Deoxys said. Her eyes avoided looking at me.

I chuckled, patting one of the tentacles around me. "It's fine. You just overdid it. I'm still alive, and I can live without the ten minutes of me not talking with my parents. Though oddly I still remember that. Whatever. It probably ended up being like three minutes of my life. In the end, everything is alright and I don't want you beating yourself over it, understood?"

Deoxys nodded, her tentacles relaxing from my waist as Zin walked forward. Somehow, I could feel the antagonistic energy in the air. It didn't help the fact that dark embers were floating from the Houndoom's mouth. Baast walked in front of me, but I walked in between both of the female Pokémon before anything too drastic happened.

"Zin and Baast." I said loudly. I only continued when both recognized my voice. "We're going to talk about this, civilly. We don't need a rift forming between us, especially since we haven't even come close to what the real dangers are.

"Everyone else, you're more than welcome to stay with Joy or Jonathan, or go back inside your Pokéballs. This shouldn't take long either way."

All of my friends voted to go back in their Pokéballs. Surprisingly, even Deoxys and Mist were recalled without complaint. I only relaxed when everyone was recalled, and even then it was slightly. The fear of both of these Pokémon to go to blows was too real of a possibility.

"We need to talk." I said with finality. "We're not going to get very far if I have to hold someone down. Nobody is going to take each other seriously with a human on top of them."

Both Pokémon nodded at me. "Also, I need you both to not attack each other. Both of you know I would be hard pressed to dodge your attacks, or survive one for that matter. It's really important that you actually not try to kill each other, alright?"

"Yes, Master."

Both Zin and Baast answered at the same time. They both growled at each other, teeth bared without much of a thought to what they just agreed to. I sighed, rubbing my eyes. I was thankful that they both stopped when I started to groan in frustration.

"Right... headache. Sorry." Zin whimpered.

"It's fine. I just want to know why do you think Baast would take advantage of the situation."

"And you don't think anyone else would?" she countered. "I would have!"

"Zin, any time you're not thinking of sex is when you're being satisfied. And then, you're just looking to the next time it can happen."

"And your point is?"

I sighed, covering my face with my palms. "If you don't trust me, why didn't you trust Deoxys' verdict?" I asked.

Zin narrowed her eyes at me. "I could smell her on you." she said, growling. "Her scent."

"I did not do such acts behind your back, Zin." Baast growled back. "I specifically told our Master that I wished to gain your permission before following up with my own desires. It would be extremely bad form to not go through his mates."

"And why didn't you bring this up before!?" Zin demanded.

"You were indisposed." Baast answered. "By the time Nurse Joy returned you all to our Master's room, he was finally resting. I didn't want to bother both you and him with my problems. I can control myself. He did kiss me on the muzzle, but that was it."

"You kissed her." Zin deadpanned.

I felt the hairs on my neck stand. I nodded, though, feeling that lying wouldn't be worth the effort here. "Yeah, I did."

"May I ask why?"

Something told me that when a very loud mouthed individual begins to speak calmly, run. The grin that was beginning to form on Zin's muzzle wasn't helping me either. I figured that answering honestly was the best policy in this situation.

"Baast confessed that she had feelings for me, but was afraid to act on them due to not speaking to you or anyone else beforehand." I answered. "I didn't want her to wait that long. Zin, we slept together for like... thirteen hours. Maybe more, I'm not sure, but I promise you that we didn't do anything."

Zin looked at me with a thoughtful expression. Her entire body was still. Even her tail, a limb that would normally be ceaseless in motion, was frozen. I dreaded that I said something wrong. Whatever she had thought of, it shook the Houndoom out of her frozen state. Her body became alive again, a grin creeping up on her muzzle.

"Baast, can we talk? In private, please?"

The Lucario gave me a look and I shrugged. "It's your call." I offered.

Baast nodded, walking towards Zin. The faced each other for a moment, before Zin turning around and walking a few steps away from us. Baast took one last look over her shoulder before following Zin. They stood side to side, and while I could hear them talking it wasn't in the human tongue. Baast was even talking like a regular Pokémon and not with that psychic mumbo jumbo. I sighed, rubbing my right shoulder gently. I was glad that it finally healed, that's for sure. It sure beat being bed-ridden or worse.

I was glad that things were finally calming down. Beats being chased by a Zapdos, that's for sure. I was curious what they were talking about, but it probably concerned me. All of me. Having Zin being a sex mad Houndoom was starting to become a worry. She kept it under control, though... usually. What was she thinking? And why the sudden need to have other 'worthy females'? The danger wasn't an unknown factor to me. I just want everyone to be safe when the fallout hits.

What bothered me the most is that the Zapdos was relatively mild in comparison to Darkrai. Maybe what she said was true, and she wasn't at full power. Then were we getting stronger? I didn't want to think that we've been at a standstill all this time. Everyone had worked really hard during those two weeks. Even Jon was impressed with how much dedication everyone put in. I rested my chin on my hands as I looked at the two ladies ahead of me. The faint sound of a laugh pulled my attention.

"WHAT?!"

I was startled at Baast's exclamation. What happened? Zin was rolling on the ground, laughing her head off. Baast had her hands balled up into fists, though I hoped more out of surprise than anything. Zin shook her head, continuing to speak in their own tongue. Baast calmed down, though she shook her head. Zin approached her, leaning against the Lucario's legs. She kneeled down to be at equal level with Zin, who turned to her and smiled widely. Then they both turned to me. A look that I've only really seen on Zin was on both of their faces. It made my blood run cold. My body reacted before any thought could process. My limbs scrambled to stand and push my body away. I might have taken a step before Baast tackled me to the ground. My world spun around, ground and sky replacing each others spots as I rolled. A gasp escaped me when a Houndoom dropped on my chest suddenly.

Zin was grinning down at me. Baast tightened her hold on my body. Though it was probably impossible for me to escape her, I really didn't want to.

"You're going to like what I have planned for you." Zin said happily.

"Something tells me it revolves around sex, you, and probably including Baast." I said.

"How'd you know?!" she exclaimed, laughing. I sighed.

"Zin, I don't mean to be rude, but you're easy to figure out."

"Am not!"

"You're right, you're not. I'm a guy. I can't understand female thinking. But you have to admit that sex isn't far away when you think about me."

Baast laughed. "Perhaps, but it wasn't what she was thinking. I thank you for offering the suggestion, though."

I blinked, before having the sudden urge to pound my skull into the earth. "I really need to keep my mouth shut around you."

"Your mind isn't that safe, either!" Zin exclaimed with a bark. "Mist is always letting me know what you're thinking."

"Sneaky ghost. And I imagine that you have Spirit giving you updates on my sleeping patterns, too?"

"You're good." she answered with a wink. I didn't know if I should take her seriously or not.

I sighed, shaking my head in defeat. "I give up. It's not like I've ever tried to stop you before."

Zin laughed, her paws rubbing my chest. "See? I told you he was smart."

Baast's paws tightened around me. "I know."

The Houndoom laughed happily. "Let's get him up. We have much to talk about."

Zin got off my chest, allowing me to stand up. I helped Baast stand up, her paws holding my hands tightly. We headed back inside the Pokémon Center when we met Joy. She smiled and waved at me, walking over to us.

"So, did you ask everyone?" she asked. She looked at Baast and Zin. "You know, I'm afraid to ask what they talked about."

"Please, don't." I pleaded. "I'm scared enough as is. Your sister is just as bad as Zin."

Joy laughed, shaking her head. "Either case, what was their answer?"

"Everyone agreed." I answered. "They were all excited about it, too."

"Good!" she exclaimed. "Do you want to go out and look at costumes? Or did you have something specific in mind?"

Zin shook her head. "I'll go with her." she offered. She gave me a grin. "Don't expect that this saves you from me. Hand her everyone's Pokéballs. I'll make sure that she doesn't get anything too... fruity."

Joy laughed, giving me a shrug. "It's your call." she said with a grin. "I was thinking of something that would go together with the costume I had in mind for Zin."

"We'll see about that." the Houndoom replied with a grin. "Well?"

I looked over to Baast. "Think we can trust her?"

"She is trusting me with you, so I must do the same." Baast replied. "I believe her."

"Treat him gently now, alright?" Zin called as she walked over to Joy's side. Joy raised an eyebrow but I shrugged.

"How much money do you need?" I asked.

"Just hand me your wallet. I promise I won't go overboard. I'll try to find simple things and not full blown costumes. We both don't have the space for a pile of useless junk. And in all honesty, I have no idea how Deoxys will want to dress up as."

I nodded. "I trust both of you." I said, passing over my Pokédex. "I should have enough money for everything. I'll be here if you need anything."

Baast unbuckled my belt, the Pokéballs being held in their respective clasps. Joy wrapped it up in a loose bundle, holding it in her hand. She gave me a grin, waving at me with Zin walking next to her. I felt a small amount of unknown dread creep up my back. Baast grabbed hold of my shoulders, turning me around and pushing me to our room. The door was unlocked, with Baast pushing me in.

=========================/////////////////////============================

I landed face down on the bed. The room was quiet and dark. The only sounds were my breathing and the soft footsteps that Baast would make as she made her way to the bed. Flipping myself over, Baast was quick to keep me pinned. I gave a token struggle, trying to gain the upper hand in the situation. She didn't let me, though, her paws holding me firmly and her legs tightening on my sides.

"Baast?" I called hesitantly.

She laughed above me. "Are you scared?" she asked.

Slightly. "Maybe." I answered with a smile. "You like being in control, don't you?"

"I don't intend to lose it." she answered, her lips grazing mine. Before I could form a thoughtful answer, they pressed against me fiercely. Not to be outdone by the eager Lucario, I kissed back to match her fervour. Her tongue fought against mine, hers winning easily as she explored my mouth. A bit of our mixed saliva escaped our joined lips, lines slowly oozing over my cheeks. Her teeth grazed my lips, making me pull away from her. Baast's paws flew to the sides of my head, holding me still as she deepened our kiss. Her tongue soothed where her teeth touched me, as if to tell me that all was alright.

With my hands now free, I touched the sides of her face. She didn't flinch at the contact, her paws only traveling to my hair and gripping it tightly. She pulled gently, thankfully not enough to hurt but more than enough to get my attention. Her fur was soft under my fingers as I explored her back. Her tail thumped against my legs, even as she pulled away to breathe.

She grinned at me, her paws groping at my sides. "You need to take this off." she said. "Or else, I'm going to rip it off."

I don't need any ripped shirts, thank you. I raised my hands over my head, and Baast was more than happy to remove the offending article. Without the shirt, her paws roamed over my chest, a rumble of appreciation coming from her. Her paws explored lower, touching at the waist of my pants. She tugged at them for a moment, the button popping at her insistence. Her paws touched at my arousal, a cold shiver running down my spine.

"Well, you surely did not waste any time."

Baast jumped off me, as Mist slowly emerged from my crotch area. The Mismagius laughed as she emerged from my body. She floated over, shaking her head with a smile.

"Do not mind me too much." she said with a smile.

"What are you doing here, Mist?" I asked. She laughed again.

"Does a ghost need a disguise during The Ghast Festival?" she asked. "I do not think so. At Zin's suggestion, I came here to make sure you were well in the mood."

"That you successfully ruined!" Baast yelled, before storming off. The Mismagius looked confused as Baast opened and shut the door behind her.

"Did I...?" she asked softly. I nodded. "Oh dear, I apologize, Master. Zin also encouraged me to join."

I covered my face with my palms. "I don't think Baast was ready for an interruption."

The ghost nodded. "I apologize, Master. I must say that this time of year, my kind does get more rambunctious than usual. I was more than eager to be with you again."

Huh? My eyes fell on the Mismagius, who was thoughtfully looking towards me. She smiled.

"I will explain. During this time that you humans celebrate The Ghast Festival, we ghosts get more... excited than normal."

"When you say excited... you mean you're horny." I deadpanned, standing up from the bed. Mist passed me my shirt that Baast threw to the ground.

"Well, since you put it so eloquently, yes. Did you ever wonder why I insist in having such contact while you are pleasuring the others?"

I shrugged. "I have, though the thought went more along the lines that maybe you just enjoyed it."

"As much as I enjoy being inside of you and feeling you do the act, it is much better actually doing the act." she responded. I stopped myself from rolling my eyes, but I couldn't help to chuckle.

"So you need satisfaction. Is there a negative side to this?"

"Our powers run out of our control." she explained. "This is why hauntings happen. It is the excess of power that is not contained within our bodies due to our excited nature at this time."

Mist followed me as I opened the door and closed it behind me. Baast was standing in front of me, the fur around her eyes matted with tears. I slowly reached out to her, as to not startle her. She let me touch her shoulder, her body shivering under my touch. I brought her to me, hugging her gently. Her paws grabbed hold of my sides, gripping me tightly. Her body shuddered as we stood together. My hands stroked her back as tears landed on my neck.

"I apologize." Mist said. Baast shook her head.

"No, I should apologize." she said softly. "I was ready and willing to share our Master with Zin, but not with anyone else. I didn't trust her judgement like I promised."

"I'm sure that it was a complete misunderstanding." I said with a smile. "We'll try again whenever you're ready, alright?"

Baast nodded, sniffling against my shirt. She pulled back, standing on her own power. A smile formed on her muzzle as she nodded. "Promise?" she asked.

"Of course. I don't think Zin would let me off the hook if I didn't. Seeing her mad makes me do things properly."

Baast laughed, and relief washed over me. "Well, let's make sure that Joy got us something that isn't embarrassing."

"If she did, I'll just buy candy and sit in the room." I said with a shrug. "Make her wear it and see how she likes it."

=======================/////////////////////////==========================

Seeing Zin purposefully wearing anything resembling human clothing was a scary thought. That it was her choosing made it terrifying. That the fact that the intention of the costume was that it was similarly matched did not escape my awareness.

"It means that I claim you." she said as I drank some water. My throat almost convulsed at that, the liquid going down the wrong tube. Breathing became much easier when Baast came over and hit my back a few times. The gasp of sweet night air filling my lungs was something I wasn't going to get tired of.

"Thanks, Zin." I said between gasps. "Appreciate it."

Zin was wearing something that looked like a black wedding dress. Obviously fitted for her frame, and without much of the frill behind. Her tail wagged in the air as she looked at me. Resting on her horns was a golden colored crown, inlaid with plastic gems. Price: fifteen thousand.

Baast stood next to me, a smile on her muzzle. She was dressed in white strips of cloth, that would cover a ladies modesty. Her muzzle was hidden behind a thin veil, with thin golden chains and bells hanging from her costume. Price: ten thousand.

Akalia actually got a dye job, the black fur streaked in a multitude of reds and yellow. When I say the black fur, no section of her body was untouched. The streaks were in the shape of lightning bolts, elaborately designed. Her fur was washed, shining in the light. Price: seventy five hundred.

Xola and Spirit wore a matching garb of green. Flower designs made them look like handmaidens in some kind of fantasy novel. The dress for Xola was as long as her upper body, so it wouldn't get dirty on the ground. Xola's had more aquatic plant life stitched into her dress, in contrast with Spirit's more earthly floral arrangement. Both Pokémon had cloaks attached, Xola's having an elaborate waterfall and Spirit's emblazoned with the sun above a mountaintop. Price for both: twenty-five thousand.

Deoxys costume was something more elaborate. For some reason, Joy had the grand idea of dressing her as some kind of witch or magician. The black dress was huge on her frame, the sewed edges making a pattern of shooting stars. The main dress had sleeves for all four of her tentacles, each sleeve with similar design to the hem of the dress. The dress itself sparkled in the light, probably due to the high amount of glitter embedded into the fabric. A matching hat, too big for her, completed the set. I thanked Arceus that, at the very least, it didn't have a little pointed star at the top. Price: thirty thousand.

Mist had outright refused to have a costume. She argued that it wasn't worth hiding herself behind a mask of any kind. Joy, not taking no for an answer, bought her a Spell Tag. Now it was impossible to not see the Mismagius with a funny little piece of paper hanging from her 'hat'. Price: five thousand.

Aurora was apparently extremely hard to please. The little ice princess just couldn't find anything she liked. This is, of course, according to Zin. She finally settled in a similar costume to Deoxys', except the dress being blue in coloration instead of black. Not satisfied with a palette swap, she demanded fragile wings attached to the back of her little gown. And of course, no little ice princess would be without their little magic wand. Because a Weavile needed a wand to freeze things to solid blocks of ice. Price: twenty thousand.

I was dressed with an elegant black jacket with a white shirt underneath. A matching pair of slacks and shoes completed the simple costume. Joy had gotten her hands on a very large make-up kit, and soon demanded that I be more scarier. Fake teeth were gotten at the last second, and with some red marks around my eyes and lips, I was a homemade vampire. Price: fifteen thousand. The teeth were free.

We were all outside the Pokémon Center, finishing setting up a few things that Nurse Joy asked us to. We were all more than willing to help out, especially if it nets us another day here. I really didn't want Jonathan's boss to pull another bright idea from his fat butt in telling us to stay at Ranger HQ.

A group of kids passed by, dressed up a wild assortment of costumes. From the lot, I spotted at least three pirates and one ninja. I laughed, knowing that if it came to a fight, that would be a hard one to bet who would win.

With bowls of candy in hand, we handed out the sweets. I don't think many of the kids expected someone with a bunch of Pokémon helping, much less dressing up for the occasion. A man, either a parent or guardian, actually came up to me and asked the very same.

I chuckled, removing the fake teeth from my mouth so I could speak properly. "You know, I was just thinking the same thing." I pointed out to him. "I haven't celebrated The Ghast Festival in years, and everyone wanted to be a part of it. And I went 'Why not?', right?"

The man nodded, giving me a grin. "Totally. It's nice to see the kids be carefree for a night."

I nodded. I was about to continue when in the distance a familiar set of horns appeared in the shadows of the night. The moonlight highlighted a parasol being held high above the Sawsbuck's head, as his rider steered without a word. She rode towards us, people walking out of the Pokémon's way and trying to get a good look at the rider. The Sawsbuck stopped next to us, and I extended my arm to aid the rider in stepping down. A gloved hand reached out to mine, the riders pink dress allowing her to slide down. Nothing too frilly, though not form-fitting. Upon landing, she lost her balance, throwing her hands around me. Joy's face, gave me a smile, the makeup on her face leaving her looking like she was blushing or embarrassed. I honestly couldn't tell if it was just the make-up or if it was real. I silently hoped for the make-up. But seeing Joy dressed up like a pretty pink princess out of some Victorian dress of some novel was priceless.

"Thanks, Nick." she said, smiling.

"No problem. Though I have to ask how did you snare Variel into the role?"

She laughed at my question. "Variel always loves a good Ghast Festival. He's more than happy to let me ride him if there's Poffins to be had."

Sounds like a certain Lucario I know. I grinned back at Joy. "Where's Jonathan?" I asked.

"He went to handle 'work'." Joy answered, rolling her eyes. "Can't handle the fun apparently. Forget about him, and lets enjoy ourselves!"

I nodded as Joy grabbed a tray, another group of kids coming along towards us. A lot of them were in slight awe of my Pokémon being dressed up in costumes. Many actually praised Deoxys and her costume. She did pull off that whole witch theme, that's for sure. I honestly wasn't convinced the first time I saw it. The kids that visited were amazed enough, so all the merrier. Deoxys was enjoying herself from what I could tell. While it was impossible to tell due to having little facial features, there was a small skip to her step as she walked back and forth. It didn't help that she carried four of the candy buckets by herself. That's when she decided not to use her psychic powers.

Xola and Spirit were getting more attention from the adults than the kids. It was probably due to their costumes being more subdued. Still, it was nice to see them having a good time. A lady came by and allowed Spirit to hold her baby girl, too. The look on my Flygon's eye was something I wasn't going to forget. It was my hope that she really was over her pain. She smiled, though, and the baby didn't make much of a fuss. The mother was quick to help Spirit if the baby began acting up. Xola was also curious of the child, and while she couldn't hold her, she was more than happy to entertain the baby with making faces.

Walking past them, I overheard Xola talking with Spirit. When the Flygon mentioned something, the Milotic laughed. "Well, why don't you ask him?" Xola asked Spirit. "Do you think he would like that?"

I suddenly felt like an intruder in a conversation not meant for my ears. I hastened my step, to make sure that neither of them spotted me. Nurse Joy met me halfway, and she took my hand. She was dressed in a nurse's outfit, though more... risque. The low neckline of her top revealed more cleavage than I thought humanly possible, her top making her chest extremely eye catching. The pink dress itself was stained with fake blood, while her face was painted with smeared mascara.

"You like?" she asked, twirling around. I chuckled, but nodded.

"It looks a bit like Joy's." I mentioned. "The mascara and the fake blood makes it look really creepy."

"That's not fake blood." she said with a serious face.

"What?!" I exclaimed, recoiling back. She laughed.

"Gotcha!" she said, barely holding back her laughter. My heart pounded, surprised at her words. I let out a chuckle, feeling myself relax slowly.

"Anyway, I wanted to tell you that you guys can go now." she said with a smile. "That should be most of the kid groups already, so you can go get your free candy."

"You've got those Poffins, right?" I asked. "None of my Pokémon are going to accept any other form of payment."

Nurse Joy laughed, patting my shoulder. "I promised I would, so don't worry about it. Go have fun! I'm sure sis will like to go out and get free candy."

"Free candy!?"

Joy came up to us, and her sister laughed. "You know, I think Jon had a point of not giving you free candy. Aren't you too old for that?"

"Too old for free candy?" she asked with a gasp. She narrowed her eyes at me. "Never!"

I shrugged. "I agree with you. Let's go. Your sister said that she's fine by herself."

"You sure?" Joy asked. Her sister nodded.

"Go ahead! You didn't get dressed up just to hang out here. Or did you?"

"Nope!" Joy exclaimed. "Let's go, Nick. Time is candy!"

Joy dragged me along, and after getting everyone's attention we grabbed a few buckets for our own stash. We took down the streets, mingling with the locals. Our first house was quite surprised that we were still parading through the streets, but we just shrugged and said we were helping out Nurse Joy. The lady nodded, handing us what was left of a bag of candy and said to keep it. Joy grinned at me as we walked away.

"Maybe next time we can get some Poffins." Joy said with a grin.

I grabbed a lollipop from the bag and let her grab something from inside. "Actually, Nurse Joy is offering to pay us in Poffins for our Pokémon's time."

"Really?!" she exclaimed. "Oh, that's awesome! We can totally focus on getting candy now!"

"Well, that's fine and dandy." Zin said, walking next to me. "But what about now?"

I kneeled next to the Houndoom. "Hopefully the next house will have something for Pokémon, too."

Zin nodded as we made our way to the next house. It was decorated with little tombstones that made a mock pathway to the door. The lights were off inside the house. There were two bowls of candy on a chair next to the door. A sign said 'Please take one" propped behind the bowls.

"So, one for each of us, right?" Joy asked with a grin.

=======================////////////////=================================

We were all headed back to the Pokémon Center with plenty of candy in tow. Joy was beaming happily, Variel eating out of her hand. All of my Pokémon were in high spirits, as well. Aurora was riding on top of my head again, Zin and Akalia walking at my sides. Mist hovered over Zin, as Spirit, Deoxys, and Xola walked behind me talking amongst themselves. Mist turned to me, giving me a grin as she floated closer to me.

"Master, I think you know what to do." Zin said. "Joy, we're following you."

"But why... oh!" she said, before laughing. "Yeah. Stay safe, Nick!"

My feet followed the ghost as we parted the group, passing by the Pokémon Center. The full moon was high up in the air, giving off enough light to brighten my path. There were barely any kind of street lamps, though the Ranger HQ was brightly lit and decorated. How was an entirely different question.

We continued moving, Mist floating by my side. I looked over at the ghost, seeing her body outlined with a faint purple glow. My fingers gently touched her body, but we didn't stop walking. She turned to face me, a smile on her face as her body glowed brighter. Mist approached me, letting me carry her as she rested on my arms. I highly doubted that it was due to exhaustion, but she closed her eyes as her head rested against my chest.

"Master?" Mist whispered.

We were walking past the gym, the water gently washing on the sand. The moonlight reflected off the water, the nightlife surrounding us giving a soft ambiance. I don't know what kind of Pokémon Johto has for their night wildlife, but it sounded just like back at home. It put me more at ease, reminding me of back home. I continued to walk, Mist's chest rising and falling at gentle intervals. Trees began to cover the familiar path that leads to the Ice Path. I continued to walk as if my body was under another's control. For all the odds, I probably was.

Mist floated out of my hands, her lips finding her way to mine. Her ghostly hands rested on my cheeks, stroking my skin. Our lips parted, her hands on my shoulders gently pushing me down. I sat without complaining, all too aware of what she could do if she was angry. My back leaned against the tree, Mist floating towards me gently. Her hands wrapped around my neck, her lips on my ear.

"Does this remind you of our first time?" she asked. Suppressing a shiver, I nodded. She giggled softly.

Her hands played with the buttons of my pants. The crystals brightened considerably when my pants were pulled down enough. My boxers were next, but those weren't treated as gently as my pants. A faint ripping sound could be heard as the material yielded to her insistence. I didn't bother looking how they ripped when my shaft met the cold air outside of its safe haven.

I wasn't left with time to contemplate, as Mist lowered herself on my member. Her body felt warm against my flesh. A moan escaped her lips as she slowly pushed herself down on top of me. My spine tingled as I wrapped my arms around Mist's body. Her tunnel massaged my cock eagerly, the glow around her body escalating rapidly.

"Mist?" I gasped, trying to catch my breath. "Are you alright?"

She grinned at me. Her hands stroked at my chest, going through my clothes and touching my skin. Mist then lifted herself up, my body complaining at the sudden shift. I cried out in pleasure as she dropped herself back down on my lap. The lewd sound of my hips meeting hers, her arousal beginning to cover my hips. The gems on her body glowed in random patterns, lighting up our area.

My hands went to her body, sliding my fingers along her body. She slid upwards, her arousal allowing her to slide off and swallow me up again. Mist rubbed against my waist, as my grip tightened around her body. I began to match her pace, our moans breaking the silence around us. Her pace slowed down, her panting hot against my shirt.

Slowly our movements began to pick up speed. Mist's breath felt hot even through my clothing. Her body squeezed at my cock, the pleasure making my thoughts focus on her. I felt her hands grip my own, squeezing me tightly. Her body was tightening around my flesh, my hips eagerly thrusting into her willing form. Her mouth was open as she looked up at me. I leaned to her, our lips meeting eagerly as my hips thrusted against her. Her hands held my face tightly, our movements slowing down as we held each other tightly.

My hips began to pick up speed again, lust beginning to drive my actions. Mist gasped as my thrusts sped under my control. She gasped, her moans increasing in volume and pitch as I continued to thrust. My own moans matched hers, my vision blurring as purple energy surrounded me. I held her tightly as my sharp sensation rushed through me. Our lips met hers once more as she moaned. Her pussy tightened, her tunnel grasping me rhythmically as my orgasm pumped out of me. My body tensed as I held Mist against me, my heart pounding loudly in my ears.

My Mismagius sighed, resting her head against my chest. Her breath was ragged, matching mine. When she looked up, a smile graced her thin mouth.

"Thank you." she whispered. "I... I am sorry. I..."

I chuckled, holding her tightly against my body. "No, you won't be sorry." I said softly. "Not when we feel this way, alright?"

She nodded with a satisfied sigh. "Thank you."

I sighed, rubbing the back of her head. Purple energy was still coming out of her in waves, the gems shining brightly. "We're not alone here." Mist said. "Baast."

The silhouette of the Lucario came to my range of vision. Baast looked surprised, her costume still visible in the shards of moonlight penetrating the canopy above. Mist turned to face Baast and giggled. "Would you like to go next?"

Baast walked up to us, leaning next to both of us. "Would that be alright?" she asked softly. Mist answered for me with a nod. The Lucario gave the ghost a smile before nodding.

"Thank you, for giving me another chance." she said. Mist and I nodded.

The Mismagius slowly began to meld inside my body. I felt my body exposed, as she passed through my clothes and inside of me. Baast was wide eyed as I shivered slightly but it didn't stop her approach. The Lucario threw her paws around me, climbing over my body to take Mist's recently vacated spot on my lap. My dick was still sensitive as it rubbed along her fur. I gasped, the spot between her legs already feeling warm. Baast gave me a coy smile.

"I guess I don't have to ask if you're ready." she said, her paw playing with my shirt. "I also can't just rip this shirt off. You would freeze."

"It is a bit chilly." I agreed. Her paw wandered slowly downwards, playing with the frayed bits of cloth that were my boxers. Before she said anything, I leaned forward to kiss her lips. She eagerly kissed back, one of her paws grasping my hair. Our kiss deepened, her tongue entering my mouth and overpowering my own. I felt her other paw touch my manhood, sliding up and down my length gently. My arousal was still pronounced, and Baast wasted no time in taking advantage of that fact.

She raised her hips, aligning herself with me. My hands reached for her waist as she placed both of her paws on my shoulders. She looked at me for a moment, as if silently asking permission. I nodded with a smile, feeling her legs dropping her down on top of my crotch. The first thing I felt was the wet fur as my tip spread her lips. If Mist was warm, Baast's body was a furnace. Her body willingly opened to my rod, spreading her open as she slowly sank downwards. Her moans were loud, her tunnel tightening at random intervals. Shivers ran down my spine already, my sensitivity already high.

Her pussy was incredibly tight. Baast whimpered softly, leaning forward for a moment and trying to sink more of me inside of her. I moved a hand to the base of her tail, gently stroking it in the hopes of arousing her further. Her body shuddered above me as I stroked her lower body. My other hand moved to her chest, feeling the sharp point of her chest spike. I felt one of her breasts under my fingers, finding her aroused nipple. She whined as my fingertips teased the sensitive flesh, her body shuddering as she slid down again. Baast's body shuddered sharply, paws grasping tightly. Her eyes were closed, warm liquid spilling out of her body. Taking deep breaths, she placed a hand on her belly and smiled at me when our hips finally met.

"You're inside of me." she said, her voice at a level of a whisper. I nodded, silently stroking her tail softly. Her tunnel clamped on me like a vice every time I reached where the tail and her body connected. Her tight muscles held me as she slowly pulled upward, her ridges making my skin crawl in pleasure. I moaned as she lowered herself slowly back down on me, a wet sound marking when our bodies connected again.

I took a deep breath, my lungs fighting for air between moans. "Maybe this would be more comfortable if I was laying down?" I offered. She nodded as she stopped her movements. Her body shuddered on top of mine, as if the pleasure was too much for her. I held on to her paws as I slid back, lying on the ground with Baast on top. She smiled brightly, her teeth gleaming.

"Thank you." she whispered again. Before I could ask why, she lifted herself up and slid back down again. We moaned in unison as Baast set our tempo. Her muscles began to gain their own rhythm, squeezing as she lifted up to drag her walls against my sensitive flesh and relaxing on the way down. Every time she dropped down, I could feel her arousal on my skin as she grinded herself against me.

Her paws rested on my chest, her pace slowly picking up speed. Her breasts swayed in my vision, arousing me further the faster she moved. I did my best to keep up with her demand, her body moving faster and dropping harder against me. My hips thrusted upwards in time with her movements, our moans echoing around us. She slowed down, putting more strength in her movements. I moaned, the muscles surrounding my shaft squeezing tightly.

My body began to twitch as Baast continued to change tactics, alternating from a fast pace to a slow one. Her tail attacked my legs as her whimpers turned to growls. I moaned helplessly, my impending orgasm threatening to overtake me. Her howl echoed in the silent night, her body locking up suddenly. Her pussy coaxed my cock to give her body what it wanted, and my body was more than happy to deliver. My body twitched as my orgasm enhanced the sensations my body fed my pleasure filled brain. It was a few moments later that the connection formed that I needed to breathe. Breathing was a job in of itself, as Baast slowly dropped her body on top of mine. I helped slow down her descent, taking care not to impale myself on her chest spike. The muscles under her fur and skin twitched at my touch, her breathing labored and ragged.

I stroked her cheek gently, her eyes fluttering open. One of her paws touched my hand, her fingers stroking my hand. She smiled widely as she continued to touch my skin.

"This isn't a dream." she whispered. I chuckled, leaning my face forward to touch her cold nose.

"No, it isn't." I said with a smile of my own. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "Never better."

===========================///////////////////////========================

We walked back, hand in paw. Silence followed us like a shroud, but it was a comfortable silence. We didn't need to talk, the feeling of complete ease around us. I looked over to Baast, a smile on her muzzle every time she caught me looking at her. Like right now. Her teeth glinted in the moonlight, a predatory look easily superimposed in my mind. A thought crossed my mind that troubled me slightly, but I decided not to pay it any mind.

"What are you thinking about?" Baast asked.

Female intuition. I shook my head. "It's nothing. I don't want to ruin our night with some deep philosophical musing."

"But those are the best." she said with a soft whine. "Please?"

I chuckled. "Alright, you asked for it. I was idly wondering if Jonathan caught you as a Riolu, or were you a Lucario?"

"I had already evolved when he came to our village." she answered with a smile. "You were wondering if there was a link between us, weren't you?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I just wanted to know. It would feel really awkward to-"

I would have continued with my sentence, but she silenced me with her lips. Her tongue dominated mine again, and I kissed back with as much passion as I could. When Baast pulled away, her tongue brushed my nose.

"It wasn't his love and care that caused me to evolve." she continued. "I never had cause to feel a deep emotional bond with him. While I respected him, it would have never gone deeper than that. It's why I spoke the way I did to him.

"With you, on the other paw, I knew that there was something different. Not the way you attacked me, far from it. It was how you respected everyone. It wasn't faked. I knew that I could trust you. It was something I knew."

I nodded. "I'm sure it goes deeper than that, huh?" I asked. She nodded for an answer. "It's fine. I don't need a psychological book on Jonathan. He confuses me enough just being around me."

"I wasn't intending to." Baast said with a smile.

"Well, then we better hurry and get to the Pokémon Center. I don't want Zin to worry about where I ended up tonight."

"A question, if I may."

"Go right ahead."

"Why do you allow Zin to govern your personal life?"

I laughed. "That's a good question. Well, ever since she took me for her own, it's been... a convenience? I guess that's the appropriate word. It wasn't my intention to have an ongoing relationship with all my friends. Certainly not with a Houndoom I didn't know. But here I am, right? While it was unexpected, it certainly hasn't been unpleasant. I think you can agree with me there."

She nodded, a smile on her muzzle. "There's more to it, isn't it?"

I shrugged. "Probably. I don't think I deserve any of this."

"What do you mean?"

I shook my head. "It's my problem." Baast growled at me and tightened her grip on my hand.

"Answer the question, please." she said sweetly.

Sighing, I shook my head. "You have wonderful ways to persuade people." I commented. "It was when Zin was with Romulus, back in your village. I felt jealous. Though I never asked if anything happened, I guess it was just buried in my mind that she might have actually gone off and did it. It bothered me more that it actually bugged me than anything else."

"So, you haven't confronted her about it." Baast said. I nodded.

"And that is exactly what we will do." she continued. She grinned at my shocked expression. "We will get through this. I have an invested interest in your well-being, as well as hers."

Baast pulled me along, quickening our pace significantly. Not exactly how I planned to spend the rest of my night. We reached the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy was still in her costume. She looked at us and gave us a grin.

"Now THAT is some bed hair." she said, laughing. I felt my cheeks burn at her comment.

"Your room is still available." she continued with a grin. "It's pretty crowded in there. All your Pokémon refused to go back inside their Pokéballs."

I nodded. "Thanks, Nurse Joy. I'll be sure to be quiet."

She giggled, waving us both away. Baast lead me to our room, quietly opening the door. Zin was still awake, laying claim to the bed. Everyone else was sleeping, each in small groups. Even Deoxys, which I was for sure that never slept.

"I'm glad you two showed up." Zin whispered as we walked up to her. "So, how was it?"

Baast's grinned at Zin. "Better than I thought possible." she said.

Jeez. Next thing I'll hear is both of them discussing strategy.

Zin's eyes hardened after a moment. "You both want to talk about something."

Baast looked surprised for a moment, but nodded. "Yes, it's about Romulus."

A laugh escaped the Houndoom's muzzle, before burying it in the bedsheets. Her tail swung in the air like a metronome. I shook my head, surprised by her display. When Zin calmed down enough, she was still grinning at us.

"I get it. You got jealous." she said, looking at me directly. I nodded, too afraid to know what would happen if I lied to a straight request from her. She shook her head.

"I'd never betray the trust that I have with you." she said in a normal tone. "I'm sorry to say, but I don't envy you humans. You have to handle all kinds of crazy emotions."

I nodded. "I don't envy myself, either."

"Then let me say it again. I would NEVER betray you. I love you with everything I am able to give you. I don't need anyone else, as long as you're there with me."

My body felt numb at the confession. I walked forward, wrapping my hands around the Houndoom. My eyes stung slightly as tears began to blur my vision. Zin licked my cheeks, cleaning away the tears that fell.

"You big baby." she murmured with a giggle. I buried my face in her fur, my hands grabbing hold of her tightly. Baast nudged my back, and I lifted myself up to the bed. With Zin against my chest, the Lucario was more than happy to snuggle against my back. Zin's horns rubbed against my shirt as Baast hugged me gently.

"I'm sorry." I whimpered, but Zin giggled at me.

"You don't have to be, but I forgive you anyway." Zin said. "Get some sleep. I think Jonathan isn't going to waste any more time here if he can help it."

I nodded, hugging the Houndoom tightly. "Thank you."

Chapter 24 - Mount Silver

We were waiting for both Jonathan and his boss to appear. Only Joy sat across from me in the massive meeting room. While it was the same one that we've been inside when we came here to Ranger headquarters, it somehow felt bigger today. Joy was tapping her foot impatiently, the sound muffled due to the carpet under our feet. The ticking of the clock could be heard, the seconds ticking by extremely slowly. My heartbeat felt like it was beating along with it unconsciously.

"This is horrible." Joy muttered. "They're making us wait all this time even after we helped Jon?"

I nodded. "Sure feels that way."

"Fuck! I'm sick of this shit! What kind of dick sucker strings help along for them to jerk off to!?"

She stood up, beating her fists on the table once and walking around it. Before I could ask where she was going, she opened the door and walked out. I sat there dumbfounded for a moment, the seconds ticking by as the doors closed in front of my eyes. A few seconds later, the doors opened with Joy and Jonathan entering the room again. Joy stormed around the table and sat down in a huff in the same seat she was previously in. Jon closed the doors behind him, standing next to me.

"My boss was busy at the moment, so I grabbed all I could from his desk and brought it over."

He dropped a folder that looked like it barely had any contents. Joy said exactly what I was thinking at the moment.

"You're shitting me." she said, almost growling. "You've got to be fucking shitting me. This is ALL that fat bastard of a motherfucker has? Five pieces of paper and three pictures?"

I picked up one of the three pictures, trying to figure out anything in the dark background. It honestly looked like something black on a black background. Looking at the other two, there was nothing more than other similar shots. Nothing was more detailed than the last. I looked up to see Joy pouring over three different papers over on her side. Flipping the pictures over to Jonathan, I grabbed the other two.

One was the personal information of a trainer that had suffered from 'night terrors'. Why would the papers of someone with night terrors be here in some high tech Pokémon Ranger building? I read further on the first one, but it devolved into further medical jargon that made no sense to me. With nothing on the back of the first page, my attention went to the second page in my hands. This one was the same thing, except it was about a Pokémon instead of a human. Again, it devolved into more medical jargon, but the same case of 'night terrors' was present. Also, the Pokémon was an Alakazam that had lost most of his psychic powers.

"Pass me those pictures." Joy demanded suddenly. I grabbed the pictures that were hanging loosely in Jon's hands and passed them over.

She passed over the paperwork that she had, and I passed over the ones I had just looked at to Joy. The paperwork that she passed over was the same as what I had just looked at. More medical junk, this time about one trainer and two of her Pokémon. Both injured Pokémon were psychic types, a Mime Junior and a Solrock. The only one that didn't display any symptoms of odd behavior was the Solrock, but it still had lost a majority of its psychic powers. A note stated that it could barely float for extended periods of time.

"So, in the grand scheme of things what the shit does it mean." Joy stated, glaring at Jon. "This stuff doesn't tell us much."

"That's all we have on the Darkrai attacks." Jon said with a shrug. "The boss just handed it to me and said to bring it to you to look over at your leisure."

Great. So we all just risked our lives for this? This doesn't answer anything! It doesn't even help with anything that's happened to us in all this time. Other than the part that the psychic Pokémon lost their powers. So they were attacked by Darkrai, big freaking deal. So was I. It sucks, but this doesn't help at all.

"This doesn't help us with shit." Joy said, shoving paperwork to the floor.

"I know." Jon said, shaking his head. "When I asked him if he was serious with giving you this information, all he said was that this is all we had on the case."

"Would anyone else know anything about this? The League? Any other possible contacts?" I asked.

"Have you gotten back with these individuals or their families?" Joy asked. "How are their conditions. Have they gotten better or worse?"

He shrugged at our questions. "No, we don't have contact with the League. We've tried to drag them into the investigations, but they're too busy or so they say. Any local police force hasn't reported anything in other than the strange sightings we've heard of in the Goldenrod radio. These individuals have gotten worse, going into either a deep sleep similar to a coma or developing insomnia. So no, they haven't gotten better. The Pokémon develop similar symptoms as their trainers, except the Solrock. It just lost nearly all of its psychic power."

I sighed. "Well, that only points to one similarity that I have with these cases. This doesn't really point to a Darkrai having their claws on this."

"It doesn't?" he said, raising an eyebrow. He grabbed one of the papers I had and flipped it around. In the back of the paper, the words 'Darkrai is coming' was scribbled over and over again in black ink.

"The patient grabbed the paper when the doctor left the room and started writing. She didn't stop until she was sedated."

"More like she ran out of ink." I commented. Some of the letters overlapped each other, making it slightly hard to read.

"Either case, it's obvious enough that Darkrai is behind it." Jon said with a shrug. "Unless you think she's lying."

I gave a shrug of my own. "Maybe." I offered. "I just find it hard to believe."

"Nightmares are a Darkrai's realm of influence." he said with a frown.

I pointed at myself. "None of my team has had any nightmares. And from what I understand, neither have yours or Joy's. We're fine, too, or so you've conveniently forgotten."

He frowned, shaking his head. I continued talking, though. "Don't you find that just a little strange? We get attacked by one, me by two Darkrai, but we don't show ANY of the symptoms? Yet there's valid proof that it does happen, and people are going into nightmare induced comas."

"What's your point?"

I shrugged. "I got nothing. I just find it weird. It makes me feel that there's something more going on than just Darkrai attacking innocent people."

"Well, that might be the ca-"

The doors burst open, the fat man of a boss standing there panting for breath. Sweat poured out of his forehead, taking a deep breath before speaking.

"Emergency... call from Mount Silver. Three people... missing..." he said in between breaths. He took a large breath before speaking again. "Jon, I need you to go. You're the only one with a full team."

"A full team would be five Pokémon." Jon said with a shrug. "I don't fully trust Zapdos."

"It's more than these other guys." he said, waving his fat arm behind him. "We don't have any other Ranger on stand-by, and this has been shot up to emergency status. A true emergency, not some cobbled up crap to get a high ranking Ranger."

Jon looked startled for a moment, but nodded all the same. "Give me ten. I'll be out of here in fifteen. I'll need whatever information on the current status of Mount Silver. Weather forecast for the next ten days. The usual. Go!"

The boss nodded, as Jon closed his eyes. He took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. He shook his head from side to side, before opening his eyes.

"I need you two to come along with me." he said, looking at me straight in the eye.

"That's a load of flaming Rapidash shit and you know it!" Joy exclaimed. "What kind of crap are you trying to pull?"

"No, I really need your help." he said, turning to Joy. "I don't really want to do this on my own. Being down to five Pokémon isn't doing much for my confidence."

"We're not getting anything out of this, are we?" I asked.

"My thanks." he said, turning to me. "I'm sorry that this ended up being a waste of your time. I honestly thought that in the time I was gone things would have developed more, but obviously they hadn't. Raising your hopes up was not in my plan."

"Then what was your plan?" I asked.

"I just wanted to help. That's it."

Before I could respond, Jonathan's boss reappeared. In his hands were a few papers that he quickly passed over. "Turn on the Goldenrod radio, they're giving the weather report right now." he said.

"Joy, please." Jon asked, but she had already pulled out her Pokédex and was turning it on. The familiar radio voice cut in, continuing in mid-speech.

"...coming along just fine. And now for the rest of Johto! Blackthorn is probably expecting nice sunny weather, though maybe on the colder side of things. It seems that Mount Silver has a mighty big snowstorm brewing up there, so anyone going up there I suggest you rethink your options! The rest of the area seems just as sunny as always, though you might get some of those clouds from the western side of the world. So enjoy your sunshine!"

Joy cut off the radio before it continued. Jonathan's boss nodded, looking over to Jon. "There's a big blizzard, way bigger than normal for the area. It's possible that there's something unnatural involved."

"Unnatural?" Jon asked.

"Possible Articuno movement. We don't have any solid feedback from Indigo Plateau yet. It's too early for blizzards in Mount Silver, and especially of this size. We'll try to keep you informed as much as we get new information."

Jon nodded. "We'll head out right away."

"Not without your gear you're not." the fat man growled. "Are they coming with you?"

Jon looked at me with pleading eyes. What in the world was going on? I rolled my eyes, but nodded. "Yeah, I'm helping too."

Jonathan's boss looked surprised, but nodded. "I'll get something for him too."

"Get something for me, too, you fat bastard." Joy said. "I'm going too."

The man nodded, leaving the way he came. Jon smiled at me. I stopped him before he said anything.

"Look, I'm here helping you because at least you tried to do something." I said. "I'm helping you because your my friend, as much as I want to give your boss to Zin and let her chew him out for a while."

"Thanks." he said. "He's really not a bad guy."

"Right. He's just too fat from eating donuts for twenty hours straight." Joy said, slapping Jon's shoulder. "He better have some decent gear, because I don't have anything to handle snow conditions."

I nodded. "I might have a jacket? I still should have the one that Dan gave me... or something. Maybe."

"It won't do you any good." Jon said, shaking his head. "We're traveling heavy duty, possibly for a few days or maybe a week. Are you guys ready for that?"

"Again, we don't have any new leads right now." I said with a sigh. "I really have no idea how to get in contact with the League, even if they have more information than you guys or if they'll even help us."

"The champions are moving around, though," Joy pointed out. "We might find them."

"What are the odds of that, though?" I asked. "They're roaming around at least through four regions. For all we know, they're in Sinnoh or Hoenn right now. Maybe even Unova to pull their champion along, too. If they have one."

"Of course they have one!" Joy exclaimed. "Alder is an amazing Pokémon battler!"

I shrugged. "Never heard of him." I said with a grin. Joy was practically fuming. "Remember, I'm ignorant to things outside of Sinnoh for the most part."

Joy looked like she was about to strangle me to death when Jonathan's boss broke our argument with his presence. We turned to him as he shook his head side to side. Out of surprise or giving up on us, I don't know.

"We have your stuff ready." he said, nodding to Jonathan. He turned to us before continuing. "Your new things might be a bit big on you, but its best that you can wear them."

"We have plenty of supplies, right?" Jon asked, walking up to his boss. The man got out of the way, heading down the hallway. We followed after them.

"Yeah. We're cramming in plenty of emergency rations, flares, and fire starters. While we haven't had any problems in the Mount Silver tunnels, with this blizzard going on the local Pokémon are probably acting up. This will help you forage out there. There's plenty of berries growing at this time, too. It shouldn't be too bad, but you never know."

"Impromptu survival training." Jon said, shaking his head. "Great."

We were escorted over to a room with three others in it already. They were stuffing backpacks with things, and looked like they were going a final checklist. I was about to say that we had our own backpacks, but Jon stopped me. His boss grabbed three different jackets, passing each one to us. Jon got a dark navy blue, Joy got a bright red, and I got a yellow one. The backpacks were then handed over to us. I was startled at the weight of it, but managed to get it on my back after the second try. Joy shook her head as she threw the jacket over her shoulder.

"Think you packed in enough?" Jon asked with a laugh. "Consider us out of here."

=========================///////////////////=============================

Why do I keep getting put inside caves? Caves have been nothing but bad luck for me ever since leaving Solaceon! Abomasnow, two Steelix, dislocated shoulder by a Graveler. The list keeps growing, and no doubt it will continue like this. Arceus! And now I have to slog through another cave in the middle of nowhere Johto with a heavy backpack full of stuff that we'll never use!

Jon gave me a knowing look. "I know it feels like dead weight." he said. "Trust me, I've been there. But you'll be thankful for it when we make our stop."

"Which is when?" Joy asked from behind me.

"Just a few more steps." Jon said, pointing in front of him. "There's an exit around the corner that I want to check."

At the very least, the Mount Silver cave system was quiet. Too quiet, but I wasn't going to argue the point. A few Zubat's flew overhead, but most of the sound was either our breathing, footsteps, or the sounds water dripping from somewhere. We kept our Pokémon in the relative safety of their Pokéballs, due to the rather narrow paths that were around us. While our flying Pokémon had enough room to fly, we didn't want them to be ambushed by a possible Golbat. Jon even said that there were sightings of a Crobat around here.

The wind began to blow in, the cold biting into my exposed face. My body instantly shivered as it felt like my bones became instantly brittle. Flakes of snow landed on my skin and began to obscure vision. I was thankful that it wasn't accumulating on the ground, or else we'd be sliding all around here. Thankfully the ground was relatively flat, so we'd only eat stone and not slide backwards.

We followed Jon outside to be well within a winter wonderland. I've seen snow on the television, but this was ridiculous. The world looked like it was covered in uniform white. Nothing grew out of the ground that broke the sight of white. No trees or rocks, and even the mountainside was hard to see. It didn't help that snowflakes fell on us, the wind howling ever louder the longer we stayed out. Jon pulled us back inside, shaking his head. We retraced our steps further, stopping only when the flakes of snow stopped swirling around us.

"In order for us to go deeper into Mount Silver, we're going to have to cross that." he said, pointing behind me.

"You're kidding." I said. "Please tell me you're kidding."

He shook his head. "Unfortunately, no. Not all the tunnels link to each other through the inside of the mountain. Thankfully, this one is only a short walk. Are you ready?"

"So wait, it didn't feel like we climbed all that far up." Joy said. "I know for someone to climb Mount Silver, you need to climb up but snow doesn't appear until the higher section. Are we there already?"

Jon shook his head. "Unfortunately, we're on the lower mountainside section. It takes a good two days to climb Mount Silver. Maybe more."

"We're in so much shit." Joy mumbled. She grabbed my arm, pulling me towards her until we were face to face. "Damn you, Nick! I wouldn't be here if it wasn't because you just had to help this prick!"

"Nobody told you to follow me, Joy." I said calmly. My voice was at total odds with my heartbeat. "You could have stayed in Blackthorn, or you could have gone on your own like you were talking about."

"Oh no. I'm not going to let you just walk away. I have plans for you." she said smugly. "And they're none of your business!" she spat out as I was about to speak.

"Right." Jon said, pulling me off from Joy's grip. "Look, in order for us to keep going we need to move through that snowfield. We need to move together, fast enough to avoid staying outside for too long but slow enough to not lose each other. Am I clear on this."

That last part wasn't in the form of a question. Both of us nodded to Jon, while I kept a wary eye on Joy. Jon grabbed my attention quickly though, shaking my shoulder gently.

"You're going to be in front." he said. He narrowed his eyes as my mouth opened to protest. "I'll be right behind you. I can't risk you falling behind. You're the weakest hiker in the group. You have the highest likelihood to get lost out there, and I can't let that happen. I'll point out the way, alright?"

I nodded, Jon pulling me in front of him. "Joy, you're right behind me. Are we all ready?" Jon asked from behind me. I nodded, giving a thumbs up with my gloved hands.

We exited the cave to brave the snowstorm outside. My body temperature felt like it dropped the instant my foot stepped outside. Jon gave me a light shove from behind, urging me forward. His finger pointed towards what looked like something vaguely shaped like a tree. I nodded, headed in that direction. Our footsteps were loud, snow crunching on our march. The only thing that was louder was the wind. It seemed relentless, as if by the will of Arceus it would howl unceasingly to the ends of time. The falling snow would turn my world into a blanket of white for extended periods of time. Jon wouldn't let me stop though, pushing me from behind when my steps began to falter. The tree was thankfully closer than the snow allowed it to appear, though the thick branches were weighed down by snow. I didn't notice any snow around the mountain when we went to look for Zapdos. How did this happen so quickly?

Jon grabbed my shoulder, pointing to my left this time. I nodded, willing my feet to move as fast as they could. The snow was beginning to become a burden, and even through the overalls and jacket everything was freezing. My breath fogged the instant it left my mouth. The cold air that filled my lungs froze my chest every time I cycled through my breathing pattern. My foot struck something hidden by the snow. Catching myself before my face met the snow, I silently hoped that it wasn't a Pokémon hiding.

Jon was at my side, mouthing words that were lost instantly in the wind. I was panting hard, and it felt like my sweat was frozen on my brow. He looked worried, but my hand met his shoulder. I used it to straighten myself out, and he kept pointing ahead of us. My steps became more hurried as what looked like a cave entrance appeared through the haze of snow. Looking backwards, I pointed over to the entrance but Jon shook his head. He continued to point ahead, away from what I saw.

I nodded, trusting Jon's sense of direction and experience. Not even what felt like a few minutes later his hands stopped me and pointed to our left. Another cave entrance was there. What was the difference, one cave from another? All I wanted was a warm fire and shelter from all this snow!

I quickened my pace, snow crunching loudly underneath and behind me. Getting inside, Joy and Jonathan were quick to pass by me. They were shivering as badly as I was, but we were still together and we were in one piece.

"Something tells me that we haven't really covered much today." I said out loud. Jon laughed, the sound changing in pitch as he shivered.

"No, we haven't." he said, shaking his head. "We might be about halfway to where we would need to be to call it halfway."

"Shit!" Joy swore, leaning against the stone wall. "This is ridiculous! There better be something worth it at the end of this Arceus forsaken place!"

"What do you expect to find here? Moltres?" Jon said with a laugh. "Good luck with that."

"Well, something that wasn't freezing would be nice!" Joy shouted back.

"Joy, I think we should keep our voices down." I said, shaking my head. "We don't want to wake up another Steelix."

"Right, because last time was my fault." she said as she rolled her eyes. "Next time, don't dislocate a shoulder."

"I'll remind the Graveler the next time one grabs me."

"Can you two stop arguing like an old married couple?!" Jon roared. "You're both giving me a headache!"

A muted roar came from somewhere deep in the mountain. Joy and I looked at each other, then to Jon. "That was all you this time." Joy said unhelpfully.

"Sue me." he muttered, pulling me aside. "We need to keep going. We're burning daylight, and I do not want to find a pissed off Steelix in here."

We followed his march through the cave. Thankfully leaving the snow covered mountainside behind us, our footsteps took us deeper into the labyrinth that was Mount Silver. Joy walked next to me, shaking her head.

"What is it with Steelix and us?" she asked out loud. "I mean, they shouldn't be this popular."

"We just so happen to be lucky." Jonathan said, not bothering to look back. "This is the season for territory disputes, and when trainers go missing thinking their top shit to catch one. People tend to forget the fact that there's like twenty of the giant things in one spot."

"And how have we lived beside them all this time?" I wondered.

"They usually keep to themselves?" Jon offered. "Be grateful we haven't found a Crobat or an Ursaring. We've been pretty lucky so far to find a handful of Zubats so far."

"Thanks for reminding me." Joy said. "Next time I want someone to ruin my mood, I'll come for you."

"Bitching costs extra."

For once, Joy cracked a smile. "Maybe I'll just go tease Nick about sticking his dick in things that aren't human." she said, punching me lightly on the arm.

Not to be picked on, I was quick on the recovery. "Well, that doesn't explain how you were naked that one time in the Poké-"

"Oh no you don't." she said, her eyes narrowing at me. "Don't you even dare mention that. You two didn't knock."

"Right. Because that explains everything." Jon said with a laugh. "Since Nick brought it up, why were you naked in there?"

"For your information, I was changing. Other than that, none of your business." she said.

"Really now." he said, grinning. "I think it is since you almost threw stuff at us. Did she throw stuff? I don't quite remember."

I shrugged. "Don't remember. I closed that door quickly so we didn't get anything hurled our way."

Jon laughed. "That's right. What? Were you afraid of getting caught?"

When Joy didn't respond, I got the feeling that he shouldn't have said that. I grabbed Jon's hand and turned him around. In all honesty, I silently hoped that Joy wouldn't kill me to kill Jon. Standing between them, it was the best way to test the theory.

"Jon, really, stop it. This isn't getting us anywhere. She was naked, alright. Drop it, man. That's enough."

"And you don't want to know?" he asked with a grin. I shook my head.

"Not if it means me getting my throat slashed in my sleep." I hissed back. "There's no need to argue over something that happened a while ago. Now quit it and keep walking."

As surprised as he was at my words, he was more surprised when I pushed him forward. His steps were hesitant at first, but turned more consistent as we continued now in silence. I sighed. Well, that didn't turn out to be the better way now was it? Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. Another sigh escaped my lips as I walked in between Joy and Jonathan. Suddenly, I was caught between two people that wanted to have nothing to do with each other on a mountain that wanted us dead.

Wonderful. What could make things worse?

The wind howled again, the familiar sound that we left not that long ago coming back to us with full force. It carried a flurry of snow with it, the flakes dancing among us before disappearing into the ground or out of sight. I could already hear Joy groaning behind me as the path opened up to another cave leading outside.

"You could have warned me, Jon." Joy growled out. "I was getting comfortable."

Jon sighed, tapping me on the shoulder gently. "Same process as before. We made some decent time last time. Let's see if we can clear this side faster. It's shorter if I remember correctly."

"If you remember correctly?" I asked, echoing his words.

"Well, the next entrance is like one hundred paces to our left. We go through their and up some convenient steps and we'll reach the second floor."

"Second floor?!" Joy screamed behind us. Jon didn't acknowledge her outburst.

"After that, we'll set camp. We'll be halfway through this as soon as we're out of this blizzard outside."

I nodded. "Alright. Joy, are you ready?"

She grumbled for a moment, but nodded. "Yeah, sure, fine, whatever. Let's get this over with. I want to sleep."

I nodded, turning to Jon. Receiving his nod, I took the lead again. Taking a left as we exited the tunnel, we were once again greeted by the outside blizzard. If anything, the weather had taken a turn for the worse. The howl of the wind seemed louder than before, the flurry of snow all but making it impossible to see straight. The snow crunched underneath my feet, as I became more eager than before to continue out of the blizzard and inside of the Mount Silver tunnels. My mind brought up images of me setting up camp in this weather. It made my feet move faster to make that not into a reality. Jon grabbed me by my shoulders, stopping my march. His voice was loud to me, thought that was probably due to him shouting in my ears.

"The next tunnel you see, take it!" he yelled. "I think we're being followed!"

"Followed!?" I yelled back, but he shoved me forward without answering. Oh Arceus, what would be following us right now? I really, really hope it isn't that Steelix...

A rumble caused me to stop and look around for a moment. When Jon pushed me from behind, I lost my balance and fell. A crunch in front of me made my heart freeze like the snow around me. Looking up, I saw a brown furred Pokémon standing over me. The face was blurred due to the snow, but I could easily tell that two massive paws were coming towards me from above.

I rolled out of the way, a wave of snow lifting me up to my feet. Landing in a heap of snow, I stood up to try make sure the gigantic Pokémon didn't think I was an easy meal. The snow around me moved, a roar that shook the snow from under me made me turn around.

Of course, the mountainside would be home to an Onix. A very big Onyx.

"Shit!" I swore, forcing my limbs to move. Another wave of snow pushed me forward, my world turning into a pure white. My body rolled, not being able to stay out of the tidal wave of snow that covered me. I was able to move my limbs, and managed to force myself out of my premature burial. Another large Pokémon moved towards me. It didn't look like one from Jonathan's or Joy's, though. I willed myself away from the mirage, idly noticing that there were more gigantic figures in the snow ahead of me. I grabbed two Pokéballs, and released Baast and Xola from them.

I ran past them but they kept up with me easily enough. Another gigantic brown furred Pokémon stood in front of us, but Baast was quick in launching an Aura Sphere. The attack connected through the barrage of snow, pushing the Pokémon out of our way. Xola was next to me, gliding across the white powder without any problems. I kept an eye out for the cave, but the wind got knocked out of me when Xola tackled me to the ground. A blast of flame soared above my head, giving a warm respite for a fleeting second before the air grew cold instantly. Looking over, I saw a four legged Pokémon with a mane of fire. Except the problem was it wasn't alone. Standing next to the tallest one were three more of equal height, while the other two looked they were the previous evolution. All five charged towards us without any hesitation.

Of course they wouldn't be alone. They're never alone.

Without taking direction, Xola straightened herself and confronted the charging Pokémon. A blast of water shot out from Xola's mouth and straight into the largest charging fire Pokémon. I looked over for Baast, but she was holding back three of those other large brown furred ones. Grabbing two more Pokéballs, I released them, bringing Mist and Deoxys into the fray. Deoxys rushed over to Baast, while Mist floated over to support Xola. I focused on Xola, silently hoping that the weather conditions didn't affect her coordination during a battle.

If I didn't know better, both Xola and Mist looked like they were dancing. Even surrounded by five of those four legged fire Pokémon, they didn't stop moving. It was a little eerie, seeing them look so focused like this. Maybe the training was beginning to pay off. They are experienced battlers though, so that might have something to do with it.

Sprays of fire slowly brightened the snow filled sky. The manes and tails of the fire Pokémon brightened as they ran around in formation, keeping Xola and Mist in place. Their attacks kept their assailants at bay, but wasn't doing much. I kept myself in the middle, between the two fights that were going at the same time. Doing my best to shout order between fights, it was surprising that they could hear me over the howling gale.

The ground shook underneath me as something lifted me up from the ground. Baast and Deoxys came for me, grabbing me from the shuffling mound of snow.

"Why did you wake up the Donphan?!" Baast exclaimed as we ran.

"Because I knew I was standing on top of one the entire time!" I shouted back. "Part of the plan!"

"What plan?!" the Lucario exclaimed.

"There was a plan?! I would have never guessed!" I yelled. "Let's get Xola and Mist out of here! This blizzard has to be wearing on them too!"

Deoxys joined us as we moved towards Xola and Mist. Two of the large fire Pokémon have been taken out of commission. Their fires on their manes and tails were bright still, but they lay still on the snow. Xola whipped her tail around her, knocking another fire maned Pokémon to the ground. Mist launched another Shadow Ball, scattering the remaining two away. Both of my Pokémon moved towards me, all four of them looking towards me for some kind of direction.

"Cave!" I yelled, pointing with my left hand away from the commotion we came from. They all nodded, getting away rather unscathed from the sudden carnage. I idly noticed that Jon and Joy weren't behind me, but decided to focus on my own survival first. Baast called out, pointing to our left. Behind a tree heavy with snow was a cave entrance. I nodded, motioning everyone to follow me as we followed Baast.

Half of the entrance to the cave was blocked off by snow. Deoxys took care of that, the pile of snow moving by her psychic energy. We rushed in afterwards, my feet sliding on the stone floor and my face meeting the rock wall. Baast grabbed my hand, pulling me away from the wall and into the darkness inside. While somehow it was bright enough before inside the cave system, now it was pitch black. I wanted to fumble for a flashlight or anything, but I realized that we left our original supplies back at the Pokémon Center. Wonderful.

"Stay quiet and be still." Baast hissed at me. "These Donphan aren't friendly neighbors."

I nodded, biting my tongue to stop myself from talking. I felt Xola and Deoxys next to me. Where was Mist? Baast's paws held me in place as I struggled against her grip.

"She's inside of you, Master." Baast said, tapping my chest.

Sighing in relief, it became easier to stay still knowing where everyone was. However, Jonathan's and Isabella's safety was still up in the air. My relief turned to anxiety quickly, and the longer we stayed still the more pronounced it became. I felt my insides turn to ice as Mist's voice echoed inside my mind.

"You are going to stay still and be quiet!" she admonished loudly in my mind. "We are all worried about them, but we must focus on keeping ourselves safe so we may aid them."

I nodded, trying to keep myself under control. Both Mist and Baast had a good point. And besides, both of them were experienced travelers. Between the two of them, they should be even safer than me. Well, that doesn't help my self-confidence much, but at the very least it's the truth.

Baast put a paw on my lips before speaking. "I'm going to check the entrance. We should be clear of trouble though. It doesn't look like they followed us."

Her silhouette disappeared from view as she left the way we came. It seemed we were in some kind of crack on the wall, a small hole dug out by someone or something. Xola's hold on my body tightened, my legs slowly being gripped tighter inside her coils. Her tongue licked at my hand gently.

"You should sit." she said softly. "Get comfortable. I think we're going to be here for a while."

I nodded. "I'll be sitting on you, though."

She giggled softly. "It's fine, silly."

At her insistence, I slowly lowered my weight on her body. Deoxys still had her tentacles wrapped around my body tightly, but slowly relented. Sitting comfortably on Xola's scales, she wrapped around me multiple times. Her face rubbed against my cheek softly as she giggled again. Deoxys helped shed the heavy backpack from me, a soft thud resounding loudly in the small chamber.

"You can sit on Master's lap, Deoxys." Xola offered. I blinked for a moment, feeling an unfamiliar weight on my lap. Deoxys' tentacles gripped my arms, resting on top of my shoulders. My head was tipped forward, brought to rest against Deoxys' shoulder. I embraced the odd looking Pokémon, doing my best to stop myself from worrying about Baast.

I felt Xola remove the glove from my right hand as Deoxys removed the left one. My hands felt numb for a moment, but both Pokémon held me tightly in their embrace. I tensed slightly, the echo of something outside of our little hideout reaching my ears.

Muffled footsteps could be heard as Baast appeared with a glowing ball of energy on her paws. A grin appeared on her muzzle as she saw us. She closed her paw around the ball, the light disappearing instantly. Another unfamiliar weight fell on my lap, a cold wet nose pressing against my neck. Baast sighed, her body relaxing against me. My hand touched something wet and sticky on her body. The Lucario winced slightly and I pulled my hand to my face. Even in the dim light, I could feel my fingers covered in something.

"It's nothing." she said dismissingly.

"You call bleeding a trivial matter?" Deoxys asked.

Xola immediately reacted. "Blood? Where!?"

"Xola, grab the backpack." I said firmly, guiding the Milotic. "Baast, when did this happen?"

"Just now, fighting off those three Rapidash that hung around the entrance of the cave." she said, her paws gripping my shoulder tightly. "I think an Ursaring caught me from behind. I ran as soon as I got hit. They didn't follow."

You stupid, proud, idiot of a Lucario! My thoughts fumed at her injury, doing my best to remain calm as Xola passed a bottle of medicine to me. I grabbed another Pokéball, releasing Zin from the sphere. The first thing I heard was her laughter, but was quickly silenced when no one else joined.

"Baast, what did I tell you about getting Master worried?" the Houndoom asked loudly.

"Zin, I need you to keep as quiet as possible, and to shed enough light so I can see what this is." I said sternly, holding out the medicine in my hand.

"Hold on a second. I think I see something flammable here." Zin said suddenly, the nails on her paws echoing in our small little corner. A flash of fire followed, highlighting everything in a bright orange glow. Whatever Zin had in mind to light didn't catch on fire, so the first burst of flame was followed by another. After the fourth attempt, whatever it was caught fire.

"Found a stick!" she said excitedly, bringing the flame closer to me. I thanked the Houndoom and used the flame to read what I was handed. Nodding to myself, the spray worked it's magic as soon as I sprayed it upon the injury. With the light, it was clear that Baast's injury was more than 'nothing'. While she would be intact, it would take more than just one Super Potion for her to fully heal. I was grateful that the bleeding had stopped, but her fur would be stained until we could wash out the blood. Suddenly I regretted having Joy carry the water.

Zin's warm nose touched my hands as I dropped the empty potion bottle. "Don't blame her too much now." Zin said cautiously.

I frowned, but stayed quiet. Xola nudged my back gently, getting my attention. Turning around, she had another Super Potion on her mouth. I took it off her, nodding once before placing my attention to the Lucario once more. The spray made Baast wince again, but from my angle it looked like it was healing on the nicer side of bad.

"It looks worse than it probably is." Zin said. "That could have been pretty bad."

"It feels like I've been pierced by a spike." Baast said unhelpfully.

Well, that's a beautiful mental image for me that was completely unnecessary. I frowned, shaking my head. "And I can't have you inside your Pokéball. It would eliminate the chances of aggravating the wound, but it wouldn't heal until we get off Mount Silver."

Baast shook her head vigorously. "I wouldn't go inside that infernal contraption at this moment anyway." she said firmly. "I'm not going to abandon you at this time."

I sighed, not willing to fight against her. "Just promise that you'll take it easy." I cautioned her. "You're health and safety is my priority."

"Your priority should be figuring how to get off this mountain." Baast pointed out.

"Do you have any ideas, Master?" Zin asked.

"The way we came is blocked by at least an Onix the size of a mountainside." I pointed out. "Not to mention that... whatever is called that I just so happen to be standing on."

"Donphan."

"Right, that thing. And let's not forget the big brown one and the five fire maned Pokémon."

"The large brown ones are called Ursaring. The large fire Pokémon are called Rapidash, while the smaller ones are called Ponyta." Baast corrected.

Zin looked at me and shook her head. "You just love to attract all kinds of trouble, don't you?"

I wanted to argue the point, but how would I? It sure seemed that way. The more times we stepped in a cave, the more I was convinced that they're bad for my health. Also, it appeared that my Pokémon weren't immune to this bad luck either. Silence settled around us, everyone surrounding me with their bodies in some degree or another. The only sounds were the rapidly dying fire and the howling wind outside. At least the blizzard stayed outside. While it was cold in principle, the snow stayed out of our little hideout.

My pants suddenly made a ringing noise that grew in volume rapidly. Finding the offending sound proved to be a challenge, but Deoxys was more than happy to get it. My Pokédex was held in front of me, courtesy of one of Deoxys' tentacles.

"Thanks." I said, taking the device. I opened it cautiously, not entirely sure what was going on. The ringing stopped, soon followed by a voice.

"Nick! You damn fucking... dammit! If he ends up being dead I'm never going to hear the end of it!"

Jonathan was talking? Was this that phone thing that he put in my Pokédex in Sinnoh?

"Jon?" I asked loudly, speaking to the Pokédex.

"Nick! Thank Arceus! Are you alright? Where are you? What happened? Are you injured?!"

"I'm fine, all things considered." I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "We're all fine." I decided to omit Baast's injury at the moment. It didn't sound like he needed the extra stress.

"As for where I am, I got no idea. After that Onyx appeared, we got chased by a group of Rapidash and Ponyta. And a few Ursaring's, apparently. Oh, and we woke up a Donphan too. We're back inside the cave again. Not sure where, though."

"You're lucky you didn't fall off the edge of the mountain." he growled out. "Anyway, do the walls look like they're made out of blue rocks?"

"I haven't paid any attention to that detail. I was more focused on making sure I was alive."

"Funny. Go check."

I sighed as Zin clicked her tongue in annoyance. She blew a small flame upwards, revealing that the stone walls were of some blue coloration. I relayed the information to Jon, who sounded exasperated.

"Alright, I think you might be around the transition point towards the second area of Mount Silver." Jon explained. "I don't remember at the moment. My boss deemed it unnecessary to pack us a map of the place. You're going to have to find a way to the top of the mountain and find what's causing the blizzard. Hopefully it isn't anything serious."

"And what if it IS the Articuno, like your boss said it could be?"

"Then you ask them politely to stop so you can get off the damn mountain." he said. I hoped he was sarcastic. "If it is the case that there are Articuno, just wait out the storm. This shouldn't last more than a few days, a week at most."

A week?! "You honestly think that it'll last that long?" I asked.

"Kid, I've seen blizzards last almost a month." he deadpanned.

"Thanks, Jon. Appreciate it."

"You're welcome. Think of it as impromptu survival training."

"Except I don't have any survival training in the first place." I said, sighing. "I'll keep in contact. I think we can move forward a bit more before the cold gets to us."

"Just find the phone application, like anything else." Jon said. "Keep in touch, kid. Joy over here is almost ready to rip my throat out when we couldn't find you."

"I WAS NOT!" Joy screamed, before the call terminated.

It made me feel better that those two were safe. It definitely sounded like they were, at the very least. Now all we had to do is make sure we got out of here alive. Easier said than done, but yeah. I'm confident that we'll make it out just fine.

Just fine...

=========================////////////////////============================

I used the dying flare as a makeshift lighter for the campfire. Movement has been extremely slow, but thankfully without any nasty surprises. Baast was doing better, though her side was still in pain. There was plenty of medical supplies in this giant backpack, so we patched her up as best we could. At least it would keep her wound from being exposed and prevent it from being infected.

No one wanted to stay inside of their Pokéballs, regardless of my objections against the fact. Every time I brought it up, eight pairs of eyes stared at me with a look that bordered on hostile. My focus went back to the fire, gently prodding it with a rock to get it to burn a little brighter.

I was cold, though it was arguably freezing in here. Thankfully the wind didn't reach us, though it we listened for it we could hear it in the distance. It's only been one day since we've been lost on Mount Silver. No wonder this place was usually unexplored. It also didn't help when we found abandoned camps made by humans, like this one.

"Do you think they made it out?" Deoxys asked, looking towards the abandoned tents.

"I don't want to find out, in all honesty." I said. "I'm pretty sure if there was anyone here they would have come out to investigate."

Mist floated over, shaking her head. "The tents are abandoned." she declared. "They look like they have been unused for quite some time."

I nodded. "Well, that solves one of our problems. I'm just grateful we have plenty of food."

Everyone nodded at the assessment. I pulled out my Pokédex, internally debating if I should call Jonathan to let him know of my status. Not like we made much progress going upwards. Though I wasn't entirely sure how far we've gotten, it definitely didn't feel like much. Zin and Xola were quick to debate otherwise, but the looks that Mist would give them told me otherwise.

I pressed a few buttons on my Pokédex, finding the phone application with relative ease. Pressing a button, a short list depicting a number appeared. It had to be Jon's, seeing as no one else had called me before. Pressing the same button, the Pokédex began to make a familiar ringing like a regular phone call. It stopped quickly, Joy's voice echoing in my surroundings.

"Nick! Nick, you Arceus damned motherfucker! Answer!"

"Joy! I'm here! Jeez, you don't have to yell. I can hear you just fine."

She stopped yelling, but her breathing was loud through the speakers. A snoring could be heard faintly over the background, but that could be the wind.

"How are you?" she asked.

"I've been better, to tell you the truth." I answered. "Honestly have no clue how this is going to work out."

"Stop acting like a damn baby and man up." she growled out.

"That's what I've been telling him this whole time!" Zin exclaimed.

"I get it. No more complaining from me. So yeah, other than us moving a bit further forward, we haven't had anything happen to us. We found an abandoned camp with the tents still up. But other than that, nothing."

"Really? That sounds weird. You sure it's abandoned?"

I looked over to Mist, who nodded. "There is no residual energy around this camp. No human has come by here in at least the last few months."

"Mist says there hasn't been any humans here for the last few months." I relayed. "So yeah, I'm pretty confident. It isn't that there are bodies inside of the tents anyway."

"Yeah... that would be creepy. You need to stay warm though. Won't be doing us any good if we find your corpse."

I held back a witty comment of me being dead or dying. "I'll stay safe, don't you worry about that. I'm more concerned about everybody else."

"We're more than fine." she said. "That Onyx was a mean one, but between me and Jon we managed to chase it away. We're just glad that it didn't find you."

"I had to worry about a small Rapidash family, a few Ursaring's, and a Donphan." I said, shrugging.

"Please tell me your joking." Joy whispered.

"Er... no? Not going to joke about that." I decided to refrain from mentioning Baast being injured. Don't think that would help her get any rest.

"Jeez. We really can't leave you alone without your life being put on the line."

"Exciting stuff, I guarantee you that." I muttered. "If you ever want to switch, lemme know. I'd more than gladly swap if you'd like to be in my shoes."

"And have to satisfy all your horny Pokémon? Fuck no. I'm good on that, thanks."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Alright, I'll give you that one. Where are you guys, anyway?"

"We're outside of Mount Silver right now actually." she reported. "It's almost night time, and we decided to make camp for the night. We haven't had it easy either."

I bet. "Well, how's the weather? Not cold, I imagine."

"Yeah. We're not freezing our asses off, unlike you."

"Could be better, but could be a lot worse so I'm not arguing too much." I said with a shrug. "I'll let you go for now. Want to get some rest before we hike up to... wherever it is I'm headed to."

"Alright, stay safe, Nick. Please." Joy said, before the call ended. I looked at my Pokédex in curiosity. She did just say please, right?

"You're not going to mate with that human." Zin proclaimed loudly.

"Zin, I don't think she wants me like that." I said with a laugh. "The thought of Joy thinking of me as a romantic interest really doesn't sound like her."

"Either way, you're not."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Either case, you should go to sleep. We all should."

"I was about to say that." I said, nodding to agree. "Maybe we should take the tents. As long as there isn't a body inside of them."

"The tents are clear in that aspect, Master." Mist declared. "Just some personal artifacts from the previous owners."

"Then let's take advantage of this." I declared, standing up to stretch. "Is anyone interested in staying up?"

Everyone shook their heads. Xola came up to me, rubbing my side. "Do you want me to put out the fire?" she asked.

"Yes, please. We don't need any wild Pokémon being a little too curious."

With a blast of water, we were plunged again in darkness. Mist floated in front of me, the gems on her body guiding me forward. I heard the sound of a tent flap opening and the cold seemed to be held at bay after a moment. A soft touch led me forward, my feet knocking on things invisible to my eye. The sound of empty cans and paper was loud as I was sat on a bed. Mist pushed her ghostly hands against my skin, making me lay back against the soft material. It was rather uncomfortable having everyone almost on top of me, but I wasn't about to say no.

"Good night, everyone." I said, yawning. Exhaustion was quick to claim me as soon as I closed my eyes.

===========================//////////////////============================

The morning greeted me in the form of an alarm blaring loudly against my skull. My arms flailed wildly, grabbing hold of my Pokédex and almost throwing it away from me. I willed myself not to do so, though it was a very strong impulse to get rid of the damn thing. The alarm was easy enough to turn off, though it was a mystery to me as to who set it up.

"Weavile."

Through my blurry vision, Aurora was standing on my lap. Her claws brushed my hair off my face, gently placing something against my lips. I tried to look down, but couldn't see what it was without any success. The look on Aurora's face didn't give me reason to mistrust her, so I opened my mouth as she pushed whatever it was inside. The chewy bar woke me up faster than I wanted to admit, but it was quickly eaten when my stomach got the better of me. I hugged Aurora, ruffling her head gently.

I swallowed my mouthful of granola. "Thanks, Aurora." I said earnestly. Looking around, I noticed that we were the only ones here. "Where's everyone?"

"Weavile." she said, pointing outside. I nodded, standing up quickly. Aurora launched herself up to me, quickly making claiming her perch before we left our shelter.

As soon as we stepped outside, everyone was greeting me in some way. From Zin rubbing my legs to Baast's polite bow, I was just glad to see everyone alright in the morning. It bugged me that the only way we knew it would be morning was through my Pokédex. We were still stuck in this stupid cave. The fire was popping merrily in front of me, so I huddled close to Deoxys to warm myself a little better.

"How are you this morning, Master?" Deoxys asked.

"Better, I'll admit." I said. "Still, being stuck in this mountain isn't any fun. And we can't really go backwards, either."

"Our only solution is to go up, and pray the blizzard ends by then." she finished, her eyes meeting mine.

"Pretty much. And if it really is a bunch of Articuno flapping their wings, we get to ask nicely if they'll stop so we can fly down."

My Pokédex began to ring again. I sighed, flipping it open to hear Jon's panicked voice again.

"Nick! Are you there?"

I rolled my eyes. If I wasn't who would open this Pokédex? "Yeah, I'm here. What's up?"

"Have you tried having Deoxys teleport you out of there?" he asked.

Wow, don't I feel like a retard? I looked over to Deoxys, who had her eyes closed. For an instant, she seemed to flicker from my vision, but instantly reappeared solid next to me. She shook her head, panic in her voice.

"There is something blocking the outside world from my powers!" she exclaimed, eyes wide. "I cannot access anything outside the mountain!"

"She says she cant." I relayed. "Something is blocking her."

"Dammit!" Jon swore. "This has to be Darkrai's work!"

I raised an eyebrow at the comment. "And why would it be Darkrai?" I asked. "It's not like we have proof. You really need to stop blaming everything on them."

"And you're a little shit that believes that everything isn't out to get you!" he yelled back. "Look, there's something that's stopping you from leaving. You've been attacked by two Darkrai, one after another in a very short amount of time. And now we're here trying to find something to link anything similar to you and the attacks. You're going to tell me that this is just a giant coincidence?"

I sighed. "Nevermind. Alright, so it's Darkrai. Fine, whatever. What's the plan now? Do you still want me to go to the top of Mount Silver?"

"Yes, and avoid Darkrai at all costs."

"Because I totally want to pick a fight with one. Yeah, lets not and say we did."

"Sometimes you worry me."

"Don't tell my parents."

He laughed, though I don't know if it was out of irony or him being honest. "Alright. Just stay safe. Please."

"Will do." I said. "I'll call you when something dramatic happens."

"I'll hold you to that, Nick." Jon said, before cutting the call. I closed my Pokédex, slipping it back inside my pocket where it belonged.

Everyone nodded at me as I looked at them. Turning to Deoxys, I gently patted her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

She shook her head. "Someone does not want us off this mountain." she said. "Whoever it is, they do not want our escape to be so easy."

"It bothers me that we didn't think of this yesterday." I pointed out. "We could have been out of this mess a lot faster."

"Perhaps there is a reason." Mist offered. "There are things that cannot be explained so easily."

"For everything else, there's money for that." I said, sighing. "Let's get a move on. Daylight's burning somewhere."

We gathered our things, picking up after ourselves to make sure that there wasn't more trash in the area. Doing one last sweep around and being satisfied, we left the area as clean as we found it. In all honesty, we probably left it better than before.

We marched onwards, Baast behind me with Deoxys in front. Zin and Mist were ahead of the group, while Aurora rested on top of my head. Xola and Spirit were behind Baast. Akalia walked next to me, refusing to go anywhere in the line. Our footsteps were the only sound that made any sound in the cave. It felt odd that not even Zubats were screeching above our heads. Maybe it was too early for them. To be honest, I was surprised that we didn't wake up the entire mountain when that alarm went off.

The wind grew stronger the further we walked forward. Thankfully there was no snow attached to the wind, but it probably wasn't that far away. Either that, or the wind outside has gotten worse over the night. We encountered nothing on the path, though I was just as thankful that we didn't have to put up with snow at the moment. I think I've gotten my fill of the stuff, and we weren't even done yet. The path opened slightly, allowing us to fan out a little more. At the very least we didn't have to worry about falling off into what looked like the abyss.

Sunlight filtered ahead, snow beginning to blow inside the cave through the exit. I sighed, dreading going back outside. We reached the exit, but didn't go through the threshold. I pulled out my Pokédex, pressing the now familiar buttons to call Jonathan.

"How are you, Nick?" Jon asked.

"Doing fine, actually, except I don't know where to go. The exit leads back to the outside, but which way do we go?"

"This is the first time you've exited the cave after splitting up, right?"

"Yeah. I would have called you in the middle of the night if it was otherwise."

"Ideally, you can reach the higher levels of the second floor from the outside." Jon said after a moment. "Though you can reach them from the inside, they're a bit... claustrophobic. How's the blizzard?"

"Still bad." I said, sighing. "I honestly don't know if its gotten better or worse, but the snow doesn't stop if that's an answer."

"Anyway, if you take a left as soon as you get to the outside, you should be able to find a cave that leads back inside and the way to the upper levels."

"That would be that claustrophobic passage you mentioned."

"Right. Anyway, if you ignore that entrance and keep going, you should be able to find a way up the mountain and find another set of cave entrances. That would be the easier way to the summit."

"Should be." I echoed. "Well, at least the sun is out. That should help with the visibility, right?"

"Let's hope so. Call me if you need any help."

"I'll be in touch then." I said, shutting the Pokédex. "Alright, are we all ready?"

A round of affirmatives echoed through the cave. "Remember, stay together. I don't want anyone getting lost."

I moved first, the snow blinding me momentarily. Getting my bearings I turned left, thankful that the snow blew against my back. Zin ran over to stand next to me, followed by Akalia and Baast. The rest of the group followed relatively quickly until I was surrounded by my friends. Zin grinned up at me, flames licking out of her jaws.

"A bit of snow isn't going to slow us down." she declared loudly. "Let's get out of this place. We're going to go for that first cave and see how much we've walked. Is that alright?"

I nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me. Care to lead the way?" I asked loudly.

"You got it." she declared, wagging her tail happily. "Let's go, everyone! Like Master said, daylight's burning!"

At the very least it was easy to follow the Houndoom through the snow. A moving black patch was easy to spot in a white field. I should say easier, because the blizzard wasn't really helping much in the terms of visibility. When the falling snow limited visibility, jets of fire would streak ahead of us, allowing us to track Zin easier. Looking around, it was a huge relief that nobody was left to the cold. Zin wasn't setting a hard pace to keep either, so that probably helped a lot.

All things considered, it was probably me that was slowing everyone down.

We continued undeterred through the blizzard. With Zin leading the charge, it didn't take us long to find that first cave entrance. I was honestly surprised it was so easy to spot, which gave me the impression that someone or something moved through here recently. We entered the cave, though I did my best to see if there were any kind of indication that something lived in here. The blizzard made any old tracks invisible, and it looked like there was no signs of habitation. No leftovers from any predatory Pokémon, nor signs of tents or trash of human trespassing. We quickly piled inside, cramping the small entrance. The cave narrowed quickly to the point that we would have to crawl to continue.

"So this is what he means when he said claustrophobia." I said, raising an eyebrow. "He wasn't kidding."

I shook my head, frowning. This wasn't going to work. My backpack alone would make this impossible for me. Not to mention that all of my Pokémon outright refused to go back inside their Pokéballs. No, this was definitely not going to work out. Turning around, Zin was already pawing at the snow on the ground.

"Well?" she asked.

"We keep going. We need to find that other entrance. Following the side of the mountain shouldn't be too much of a problem."

"And what if we don't find it?" Xola asked.

"Pray to Arceus that the blizzard calms down slightly." I answered grimly. "We can come back and rest here if it's too bad. Hopefully that wont be the case."

Everyone nodded at my assessment. I was curious about something, so I turned to Spirit. I walked calmly to the dragon, touching her claws to get her attention. She turned to face me, her eyes wide under her red goggles. She shook her head, leaning down and touching my cheek.

"Spirit, you can sense the ground, right?" I asked her.

She nodded slowly, tilting her head to the side in curiosity. "Can you sense how the mountain path looks like?"

She closed her eyes, her tail hitting the rocks under our feet. The impact rocked through me, one after another. Everyone stopped and looked at the Flygon, who shook her head after a moment. Her cheeks looked looked flushed, hiding her embarrassment against my chest. I held her there for a moment until she pulled back on her own. She nodded, though, pointing animatedly through the walls of the cave outward.

"She says that way should be the right way." Zin translated. I nodded.

"Then that's the way we need to get to." I said.

Spirit nodded, smiling at me. I felt her scales on my cheek, her claws holding me tightly. My hands stroked her long neck, everyone gathering around us. "Is everyone ready?" I asked.

Everyone nodded at me as we made our way back outside. The blizzard didn't relent at any point while getting our bearings. If anything, it got worse while we waited. The wind had shifted at one point or another, the snow blowing in our faces as Spirit took the lead alongside Zin. Our footsteps crunched the snow underneath us, Spirit and Zin setting an easy pace to keep up with. The snow kept falling, but at the very least it didn't stop us altogether.

To our left the snow began to slope downwards. We were following the side of a mountain, so it felt odd that it would suddenly lurch down. I was honestly afraid that there was a hole or something down there where we could fall down. We continued forward, following Spirit's lead until she suddenly stopped. Her claw pointed to our left, and Zin immediately climbed up the snow hill.

Spirit urged us onward, and we followed her directions. Baast and Deoxys were quick in helping me climb the hill as my footing wasn't the best. It honestly felt like Deoxys was helping Baast help me, but we made it work. Getting a mouthful of snow wasn't on my active list of things I needed done in my life, but whatever. I was grateful to have flat ground under my body again. Anything with an incline and caves seemed to be my bane.

Getting lifted up on my feet, Spirit once again took lead. Akalia nuzzled my legs gently as I stood up, one of Deoxys' tentacles holding me by my waist. Rubbing the snow out of my eyes, we continued to follow Spirit's lead. Spirit grabbed hold of my hand, pulling me along as we continued walking along the surface. The wind continued to howl, though somehow it sounded louder than before.

Funny how walking through an empty field gives you any sort of perspective in life. What keeps everyone here? Maybe I'm just an idiot, thinking that there's some other reason. It's why Zin has put up with my idiot self, not to mention Song or anyone else. Shaking my head, my idle brain slowly processing the fact that we were still outside with a crazy mountain that wanted us dead.

My hand felt like it got pulled out of its socket as my world tumbled to the side. The wind stopped blowing around us, though I was confused as to where we were. Spirit smiled down at me, helping me stand up. She nodded, waving her claws out to show me the cave around us.

"Everyone here?" I asked, looking around. Everyone responded in some way. Aurora jumped into my arms, Akalia and Zin rubbing along my legs. Relief washed over me, just knowing that we were still together.

"We're not off the mountain yet." I reminded everyone. "Let me check the time and contact Jonathan before we decide to set up camp."

Everyone nodded as I pulled out my Pokédex and dialed Jonathan's number. Surprisingly he didn't answer this time. Not even Joy answered. I terminated the call, trying again after a few moments. The call went through after the fourth ring.

"Nick."

"Yeah, it's me."

"This isn't either of your human friends."

"Excuse me?"

"You know who this is. I took your Gardevoirs powers away from her."

A chill went down my spine. Somehow, not even the cold outside made me feel this way. But how could...?

"Your questions don't matter at this time." the male Darkrai said. The speakers sounded like they strained to play out his voice. "You are not supposed to be where you are. You must leave immediately."

"Well, I would love to, but there's the problem of a gigantic blizzard and something is preventing one of my teammates from teleporting." I said back calmly.

"That must be my sister then. Regardless, leave Mount Silver immediately."

"And why should I do that? Arceus willing, taking your advice sounds like a one way trip to death."

"Our reputation doesn't allow much in the way of trust it seems." he said, the speakers screeching slightly. "We are following our duty."

"Right. Anyway. Yeah, I'm pretty sure you'll know when I'm off this rock. So you can go now, please and thank you."

"Just make sure that you do. We would never hear the end of it from Father if you died."

"Wait a second! Your sister wanted me dead two weeks ago if that!" I yelled.

"Which sister?"

"You know! The one you sent to kill me at the monastery!"

"Nick? Are you hallucinating?"

I shook my head, frowning as I took in my surroundings. All of my Pokémon were giving me odd looks, my hands holding my Pokédex. The wind was howling loudly outside, the snow blowing at a sharp angle. Joy's voice came from my Pokédex.

"Nick? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Sorry, was talking to Darkrai there for a second."

"What?"

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you." I said, rubbing my eyes. "I just wanted to let you all know that we've made it further to the top. We're not there yet, but we're getting there."

"What did you say about Darkrai?" she asked.

"He answered when I called Jon's number." I said, rubbing my eyes.

"But how would that happen?" she asked.

"I don't know and I don't want to find out." I grumbled. "We're already in enough danger as is. We'll handle it one step at a time though. No use thinking about it right now."

She sighed. "Here, I'll pass you over to Jon."

Jon was quick to fire more questions. "What's this about Darkrai?"

"OK, you can shut up about it, too. Fine, you were right and I admit it. Can we please focus on helping me get off the mountain instead of you gloating?"

"Where you are, does it look like a gigantic chamber?" he asked.

"Zin."

"You got it, Master." she said with a wag of her tail. A blossom of fire flew through the air. While I expected it to dissipate quickly, it continued to travel all along the air. The light from the fire revealed a pit that looked extremely large and far too deep. The fire sign dissipated without much fanfare, though the Houndoom was extremely proud of herself.

"Yeah. It looks like the room we're in is huge. There's a gigantic hole in the middle that seems to funnel downwards as well." I answered Jon, trying to burn the picture in my mind. "We don't have to go down, right?"

"No, that's how that previous tunnel connects to here. Unless those tunnels collapsed." he said.

"Thanks Jon."

"No problem. Alright, your goal is to get to the area above you right now. You'll have to walk for a while inside so you can forget about the snow. Afterwards, you're going to have to walk outside one last time before reaching the summit area."

"I'll call you when we reach the outside area so we can get specific directions." I said.

"You do that. We'll investigate this Darkrai influence." he said confidently. "Stay safe, Nick."

"You too." I said, closing my Pokédex. Looking around, it was obvious to me that everyone was tense. It wasn't like my conversation with Darkrai was a subdued affair.

"Is everyone alright?" I asked. I got stares back in response before Mist spoke up for the group.

"Was that really Darkrai speaking to you?" the Mismagius asked.

I shrugged. "More likely than not, unfortunately. He never said so, but the things he said would only make sense if it was him."

When no one responded, I sighed. "Look, even if it was him, we need to get off this mountain. We get to the top and we wait out the storm or rescue, whichever comes first. Arguing about if Darkrai wanted a chat with me isn't going to get us to our destination any faster.

"I appreciate the concern. Really, I do. But right now, Darkrai isn't here stopping us. We need to focus on getting to our destination. You can rake me through the coals all you want, but only after we're out of this death trap."

"Don't tempt me." Zin growled at me. "That sounds like a really good idea at the moment."

"You can have all the fun, but later." I said, kneeling down. She came up to me and rubbed against my hand.

"We're too lenient on you." she said.

"I'm going to use my right of silence on that statement." I said with a laugh. "Come on. We can decide if we want to rest before or after the last area."

Zin looked at me, worry clear in her eyes. I scratched behind her horns for a moment, relaxing for the first time since we started this 'morning'. I dropped my backpack in front of me, digging through it to bring out food for everyone. All gathered around as we shared an impromptu food break.

At Zin's questioning look, I shrugged. "I was hungry, and I figured that I couldn't be the only one either."

She smiled at me. "You're getting better." she said, her tail wagging. Akalia purred, rubbing against me softly.

I scratched the Luxray's fur, smiling as electricity danced alongside my fingers. Akalia's purrs rumbled loudly, almost masking the howling wind around us. We moved a bit more inwards, to get away from the wind but still benefit from whatever sunlight filtered through the blizzard.

It was interesting to watch Deoxys 'eat' her food. It was more like she absorbed each piece of food that she touched with her tentacles. I ate another granola bar, silently watching everyone relax around me. My own body did the same, the stress slowly leaving me. My fingers slowly began to drum out a beat against my knee, the vast majority of the song forgotten in my mind. A touch on my shoulder made me look to see one of Deoxys' tentacles. Her eyes looked clouded as she looked at my own.

"What is it, Deoxys?" I asked.

"You still have to give me a name." she said softly.

I chuckled, smiling at her gently. My fingers curled around the tentacle around my shoulder. "Give me a second, I think I remember a name or two."

She nodded as I did my best to remember a name from a story. Funny that it was a tragedy that I was trying to think of. It was the name of the character and the meaning of the name that I was trying to remember. How did that story go again? Guy meets gal from the rival household and fall madly in love for some reason or another. Why is it that I remember the bloodshed? Suppressing the shiver, Deoxys gave me a questioning look when our eyes met again.

"Iolanthe."

I was startled to hear her voice say it with my own. Chuckling, I nodded slowly with a smile. Her grip tightened around my fingers gently.

"I will respond to my new name." she said.

"Do you even like it?" I asked with concern. "I mean, if you do-"

"No, I like the sound of the word." she said, another tentacle stroking my hair. "Thank you. I wish to ask was that so hard to think about?"

"You'd be surprised how much I have going through my mind." I said, chuckling. "I just had to focus on it to get things. Though that just makes me sound like an ignorant git."

She shook her head. "Perhaps, but it is part of why I chose you." she said. "You are not perfect."

"No one is, as far as I'm concerned." I said with a shrug. "We strive to be better, at the very least. It's the least I could do."

"Then perhaps that is what I wish to observe from you." she said, helping me stand up. "Or at the very least, one thing about you."

I grinned. "Would you prefer Iolanthe or Io for short?" I asked.

"I would like Iolanthe, though I imagine in the heat of battle Io would be appropriate." she said with a smile.

I nodded. "That sounds fair, Iolanthe."

If she had a mouth, I would swear that she would be smiling at me right now. Spirit and Mist were beside me and Iolanthe immediately. I looked down to see Zin rub against me.

"I like her name." the Houndoom said with a grin. "It's nice."

"I like it a lot, actually." Xola said, sliding next to me. "It sounds mysterious."

Chuckling at the Milotic's assessment, everyone seemed to be gathered around us. Iolanthe seemed to be the center of attention suddenly, and she was enjoying it. She didn't seem overwhelmed by it all, but I dare say reveled in it. She seemed definitely more at ease since joining us, though we hadn't spoken as much as I'd like. It felt really good to see that we've become some sort of odd family of sorts.

"Are we all ready?" Baast asked.

I nodded. "I think so. Are we all ready to continue? Or do we want to stop here for the day?"

Everyone shook their heads. "I suppose that means we continue." Iolanthe said, her voice giggling.

"Then let's keep going. Daylight's burning somewhere."

=======================//////////////////////////==========================

"Zin, Fire Blast!"

The fire sign blasted from her muzzle, scattering a flight of Zubats and Golbats that were headed our way. Somehow an entire flight had awakened and decided that we were going to be their meal of the day. Baast and Xola did their best from the ground, but it was mostly Spirit, Mist, and Deoxys up in the air. Akalia and Zin were obviously doing their best to ward off any that dared to go near us. Aurora aided as best she could from the perch of my head, beams of ice shooting from her claws. The screeching of the flying Pokémon almost drowned out the howling from the wind. Almost.

How Iolanthe stayed in the air I hoped to find out some day. I blame psychic powers. The air seemed to ripple as the flying attackers fell by the scores around her. Spirit and Mist worked extremely well together, I noticed. Iolanthe seemed extremely situational aware, drawing Golbats in crossfire from both her, Spirit, and Akalia. It was like watching something out of a television action show.

Except one mistake would make them tumble into the vast abyss under them. And there wouldn't be some kind of safety net if that happened.

Instead of giving orders, I would keep watch on their backs. Usually it seemed unnecessary, but it managed to keep the flock of bloodsucking Pokémon guessing and not ganging up on anyone specifically. My eyes wandered around, deliberately ignoring the smell of ozone around me and the chills from above. They seemed to move in deliberate coordination, so there had to be some kind of leader. Perhaps a grizzled Golbat or a...

"Crobat!" I shouted, pointing at the small swarm flying towards me. The swirl of blue and black sped towards me and my group with incredible velocity. Both Akalia and Zin stood side by side, unleashing a torrent of lightning and fire respectively. Both attacks seemed to combine in the air, an explosion pushing the wave back. The Crobat flew through the explosion, its four wings visible against the fireball behind the flying Pokémon.

Aurora jumped, using my head as a springboard. Reaching the peak of her leap, she unleashed multiple beams of ice through the air. The temperature somehow seemed to drop as the Crobat was caught within the web of ice. Without any hesitation, the Crobat's wings glowed for a second and dove towards the web of ice. Bringing its glowing wings in the forefront of the dive, they sliced through the web as effectively as fire. We ducked, shielding Aurora with my body as the Crobat flew above us. A horrible screeching sound echoed in my ears. Standing up, I noticed that at head level was a straight line carved into the stone. It wasn't there a second ago.

Well, it was obvious that the Crobat was out for our blood in some way. With another screech it flew in direction of Iolanthe, but Mist distracted the attacker with a well placed Shadow Ball. With her being the new target, she discouraged further harassment due to a blast of electricity. Startled that she knew electric moves, she continued to press her advantage and harass the living blazes out of the flying Pokémon.

In all honesty, I didn't know who was more surprised of Mist's Thunderbolt attacks. I was pretty convinced that both of us were on equal ground on that aspect.

With the vast of the flock of Zubat's and Golbat's in disarray, Mist focused her lightning attacks on the lone Crobat. A slash across my cheek got my attention, making me lose my focus on the battle. I touched my cheek, feeling a thin cut that stung something fierce. Crimson blood was on my gloves, in contrast to their color. Baast grabbed hold of me, dragging me away slightly. I struggled against the Lucario's grasp, but she was unrelenting.

"You're bleeding." she said.

"I'm not dead yet." I said firmly. "Let me go."

Spirit let out a high pitched screech that made me push out of Baast's grasp. Iolanthe had just thrown the Crobat off the dragon, though the damage was already done. Mist covered for both of them as they both landed in a heap next to us. A high pitched sound made me almost tumble to my knees. Baast leaned on me heavily, making me drop to the ground. It felt like my ears were bleeding, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were.

"Baast! Help Spirit!" I ordered, urging myself to help in any way I could.

Mist seemed the one least affected by the attack. She picked up Akalia, who nodded at the Mismagius. Neither of them moved, though bits of static would spark between them. Struggling towards them, Mist gave me a smile as our eyes met.

"Direct us, Master!" she yelled. I nodded, holding out my hand to her. A ghostly tendril touched my fingers. Iolanthe kneeled next to me, the audible screeching affecting me less and less. If it was due to loss of hearing was something I'll handle afterwards.

Spotting the Crobat among the remains of its flight, Iolanthe sent another concussive wave of energy towards it. Disrupting its flight path, it suddenly stopped moving. How or why, I didn't care.

"Fire!" I yelled out.

If I thought I smelled ozone before from standing too close to Akalia's attacks before, this trumped it instantly. Half my vision was instantly blinded as the ball of electricity fired, my eyes watering trying to focus on the target in case it moved. Though I didn't know how viable it was possible to move a ball of energy. The attack landed, expanding to encapsulate the Crobat within the pulsing electric ball.

The flying Pokémon all left us alone, flapping around silently as the attack slowly dissipated. The Crobat fell from the air without any fanfare, none of the Zubat or Crobat flying down to save their fallen leader. They screeched about for a moment or two, but they flew away without instigating a fight. I looked toward Iolanthe, Mist, and Akalia. They all nodded at me, breaking off to see how Spirit was.

Orange fluid leaked from her wounds across her neck and back. I flung the backpack to the ground with a resounding thud, pulling out medical supplies and flinging away what wasn't imperative to my Flygon's survival. Grabbing a piece of gauze, I used my mouth to carry a potion while administering the other. Her breathing was labored and shallow, though the wounds looked almost superficial. If only there wasn't so much blood.

"Golbat wounds tend to take a long time to heal, due to the poison in their bites." Baast said.

I grabbed the gauze and pressed it against the wounds with my left hand. Iolanthe stopped me before my recklessness flung the bag over the edge by accident.

"Tell us what you want, Master." Mist said gently.

"Medical tape and another potion." I ordered.

Spirit's claws grabbed hold of my left hand. My eyes met hers for a moment, before I gently moved her head on my lap. I stroked the top of her head gently as her breathing began to slowly deepen. Baast applied the medical tape, Iolanthe encouraging me to stay with Spirit. I had no intention to leave her side at the moment. The Lucario's paws grabbed my hand, pressing a smooth cold cylinder into my grip. I turned to face her, her eyes downcast.

"It's anti-venom." she said with a slight nod.

I looked back to Spirit, who gave a single nod. It was more felt through my touch than a visual cue. Taking the cylinder and noticing the cover where the needle was, I used my teeth to remove the plastic. Spirit gave me another nod, stronger than the first as the needle speared her scales. She didn't give any indication if she was in any discomfort brought by the injection. Pressing the medication into her bloodstream, she closed her eyes momentarily as if blinking. Except they didn't open right afterwards. She was still breathing, but it slowly became more labored. Allergic reaction? I grabbed her Pokéball from my belt, but Spirit's claw grabbed my hands before they left her scales.

Her eyes were open, looking into my own unwaveringly. I nodded, her claws releasing me from her grip as I pulled the anti-venom needle from her neck. Baast and Iolanthe changed the gauze on the Flygon's neck as I comforted her as best I could. Sighing and looking around myself, everyone not currently busy was tense. Either from the battle or what Spirit was going through, it was a mystery. Perhaps both.

"We're setting camp." I declared. "Spirit isn't in any form to continue."

Nobody argued with my statement. Mist took the lead in getting our tent secured with both Zin and Akalia helping. I looked over to Baast, who was looking straight at me.

"The bleeding stopped." Baast whispered.

I nodded, looking down at the Flygon. Zin and Akalia could be heard arguing, Xola and Aurora trying to stop them before they made more noise. Iolanthe pressed a tentacle against my arm.

"Mist has the tent prepared for her, Master." she said with a nod.

Spirit's body slowly floated up by Iolanthe's psychic powers. I let her walk ahead of me, everyone else making way for both Pokémon. Iolanthe went inside, coming out alone. Her eyes looked strained as she looked at me. Stepping inside, I was grateful that this tent was on the bigger side. Spirit was on the ground, the gauze on her neck soaked in her blood.

"Bring me the first aid stuff." I said.

Someone rushed out, the sounds of feet scrambling reaching my ears. I extended my hand to feel a potion and more gauze pressed into my grip. I kneeled down, replacing the old gauze with clean ones. Applying more potions to the wound, it was a relief to see that Baast's words were true. The potions and anti-venom seem to have done their job. Spirit crooned softly as I stroked her cheek.

"Jacket." I said, extending my hand out. Grabbing the offered item, I brought it slowly in front of me. It was more of a blanket, but I wasn't going to argue the point. The blanket covered her entire body, her claws grasping it tightly against her. Turning to the backpack, I began to dig through to find another blanket. Seeing none, my hands excavated through everything that was packed inside and used that as a pillow for her head.

"Everyone out for now." I muttered, slowly standing up. "I'll be right back Spirit. Sleep for now, alright?"

She nodded slowly, her eyes closing as she attempted to sleep. We marched out of the tent as quietly as we could, until we were all outside. It seemed that the wind wasn't that loud anymore. Either due to my eardrum being permanently damaged or not remained to be seen.

"She should be ready to travel in a few days." Baast said. "I believe that we stopped the poison from spreading too far."

"A few days. Can you guesstimate?" I asked. She shook her head.

"Three to five days, possibly." she responded. "I understand that you don't want to drag her suffering, but this weather isn't helping either."

"Almost a week isn't really a few days." I said, sighing. "We'll hold out the fort until she gets as best as she can. We'll continue then."

"So you're putting her back in her Pokéball?" Zin asked.

"I will if need be. She needs more medical assistance than we can provide." I answered. "I'm waiting for her wound to heal a little better so she isn't in pain while in stasis."

Everyone nodded at my verdict. Before I could continue, Xola and Akalia both stopped me.

"While it's great that you're in charge, I'm going to insist that you stay by Spirit." Xola said. "She needs you right now. While your there you can rest yourself."

I raised an eyebrow. "Because I did so much compared to all of you."

"We'll be fine." Zin said. "Go make sure she's better."

Before any defense could be mounted, Iolanthe pulled me away gently. My feet dragged along the stone floor until I spun around and almost fell forward. Turning around, everyone was giving me a nod as my mouth opened to say something about staying quiet. I didn't say anything due to fearing Spirit's precarious health.

Spirit was sleeping soundly, her breathing loud inside of the tent. I cleared the mess I made quickly, doing my best to organize the things as well as my thoughts. Could there been anything I could have done to avoid this? Perhaps have Spirit fly in a closer formation with Iolanthe? But would have that exposed Mist? Would all three grouped together fair better than individually? I honestly don't know. Considering that out of all of us only Spirit was injured shows that something was going right for us. Up to that point, anyway.

I brushed a hand over my cheek, where the thin cut was still tender. While it didn't hurt at all, it bothered me more than my head could have been sliced off just as easily. It was a surprise that my hair wasn't missing by this point. A rustling sound made me turn, seeing Spirit looking towards me. I smiled at the Flygon, but she continued to stare at me intently. Stopping myself from sighing, she smiled as I made my way to her. Kneeling next to Spirit, she shook her head as my hands held her claws.

"What is it?" I asked.

She moved the blanket out of the way, making a cooing sound as she pulled gently. I didn't struggle against her as my body rested against the tarp on the ground. She turned me around until we faced each other, her claws holding me tightly. Spirit cooed softly, holding against me tightly. I stroked her cheek gently as she took a deep breath. My eyes closed on their own accord, though I didn't fall asleep until well after Spirit stopped fidgeting over me.

=========================///////////////////////////=======================

Two days have passed since the attack. No Pokémon have even dared make their presence known to us. Even during my short watches over the camp nothing dared to show. I was always teamed up with someone, and someone was usually with Spirit. My sleeping habits weren't something to be desired, and it was leaving everyone on edge to some degree. Zin and Mist would argue about finding proper timber, with Iolanthe desperately trying to keep the peace. Xola and Akalia, who were normally in good terms, were almost to each others throats. Baast seemed to be making best of the situation by meditating constantly. Aurora was sleeping on top of my head, to no ones surprise.

I rubbed my eyes, trying to stay awake. It was technically my turn to keep watch, but everyone else was awake. A yawn escaped my lips, balancing the resting Weavile on top of my head as my arms stretched. Aurora didn't give me any inclination that she was bothered by my motions. Her claws gripped my hair tighter, but nothing else. Grabbing her gently, I picked her up from the top of my head. She struggled in my grip for a moment, but didn't lash out as she saw my eyes. Whatever she saw must have made her worry, as she brushed my cheeks gently.

"Weavile." she said in her tongue, pointing at the tent. I grinned.

"My turn to take watch." I said. "Not like all this arguing is going to let me sleep anyway."

Mist and Zin both walked towards me, heads butting against each other. How the Houndoom walked sideways baffled me. As if to prove my point, Zin started growling. I groaned in exasperation as soon as the sound reached my ears.

"Zin, Mist, please tell me there's a good reason why you're arguing." I pleaded.

Both Pokémon turned to me, prepared to argue their points. When they just stood there gaping, my curiosity got the better of me. I laughed, shaking my head.

"Do I look that bad?"

"You look like something I've eaten and barfed up." Zin commented. At my confused look, she continued to clarify. "You look exhausted."

"Have you gotten any sleep, Master?" Mist asked.

I shrugged. "Not really. I've been too worried about Spirit's health."

"She's fine." Zin said confidently. "Just a day or two of rest and she'll be ready. I know it."

"Everyone appreciates the vote of confidence, Zin." I said, shaking my head. "I just hope that your right."

"You think she's getting worse?" she asked.

"She's developing a fever." I said with a smirk. "It's really bad, too. Not to mention she's going through our supplies extremely quickly. If it doesn't break after tonight, we'll have to continue with her inside the Pokéball."

"But how will we get off the mountain?" the Houndoom asked. "She's supposed to... oh Arceus."

"Yeah, not sure about that yet. The blizzard isn't weakening, either."

"We must hope that Spirit gets better, or Jonathan and Joy can arrive with rescue." Mist said.

"Which in either case, the blizzard has to stop. Good times."

Nobody said anything after that. A shiver made both Zin and Mist look at each other worriedly, before Zin leaned against my left side while Mist leaned to my right. I looked at them in surprise, but didn't argue with the fact that they now stopped arguing. Aurora snuggled against my chest, letting out a purr as I scratched her neck and back. Zin snickered and I turned to face her.

"What?" I asked.

"She seems happy." she commented.

"Not now, Zin. Please." I said, exhausted. "Don't talk to her unless she brings it up."

"Brings up what?" she asked.

"You perverted Houndoom." I muttered, shaking my head. "Where's Iolanthe?"

"Trying to stop Xola and Akalia from strangling each other." Zin commented. "They're over there by the tent, glaring at each other."

"At least they're quiet about it, unlike you two."

"Hey!" they both exclaimed.

"Not so loud." I said, wincing. "Jeez."

I sighed as all three Pokémon around me laughed. It didn't sound like it was ill meaning, so it was a welcome sound. My chuckle joined their laughter, though it didn't last long. The feeling did lift up my spirits. It made me hopeful that we would be alright. I stood up slowly, Aurora staying in my arms as my body stretched again.

"Are you going to actually sleep tonight?" Zin asked.

"I hope so. Have to make sure that Spirit is properly healing though." I said, Aurora holding tightly to me. "Though I think we need to help out Iolanthe."

Walking towards the trio, it was a surprise that they weren't behaving like themselves. Both Xola and Akalia were staring at each other as if in a staring contest. In all honesty, I had no idea how long they've been doing this. They weren't like this yesterday or the day before. What had brought this along?

"Xola, Akalia." I said, standing next to them. "What's the matter? You've been like this all day."

Both turned to face me, turning their glares at me instead. They both averted their gaze as soon as they saw my face though. Like Zin and Mist before them, they averted their eyes and begun to mutter apologies. I chuckled as Xola wrapped me up in her coils, her face aligning with mine.

"You're going straight to bed, Master." she said with finality.

"Only if you promise to stop arguing with Akalia."

She looked sheepish for a moment before shaking her head. "Was it that obvious?" she asked.

"Just a little bit." Zin offered. "I've never seen Akalia that angry before."

The Luxray pawed at my legs gently. Looking down at her, her eyes looked straight into mine. I could feel that she was sorry. Chuckling, my fingers reached for her head to scratch behind her ears. She purred happily, leaning into my hand. Aurora climbed on my shoulder as Xola began to squeeze my body tightly within her grasp.

"Xola, if you keep squeezing I'll choke." I said.

"Sorry!" she exclaimed. "It's just... well..."

"Yes?"

"When is it going to be my turn with you?" she asked pointedly. "I've been waiting for you to ask me all this time!"

I sighed, burying my face in her scales. "Xola, if you've never noticed I've never asked to have sex with any of you."

"But you do it without any complaints." she pointed out.

"I think it wouldn't be a wise move on my part to ignore your needs. Especially if it's to our mutual enjoyment."

She giggled at that. "Well, then I'll have to be a bit more forceful with my intentions."

I nodded. "Well, it isn't like I have much of a say in it."

"Well, as soon as we get off this mountain, you're mine." Xola said. "So you better stay alive until that happens."

"And what happens after?" I asked. "No one else gets a turn?"

"Well, Iolanthe needs one." Xola said, the tip of her tail tapping her chin. "Unless you've already done it."

I shook my head against the accusation. "Iolanthe hasn't expressed anything that would say that she's interested in that."

"Well, I changed my form to become better acquainted with you, Master." Io said softly. "All of your Pokémon are female, and you seem to have many different interactions with them."

I sighed, shaking my head. "I want to say that this wasn't in my initial plans when choosing to become a Pokémon trainer. All I wanted to do was see the world."

"Well, you got a lot more than you bargained for then!" Zin exclaimed happily. Everyone nodded at the Houndoom's outburst. A chuckle escaped me.

"Alright, I guess you're right. Not that I'm really complaining. Just... let me know how I can be better." I said, smiling.

"Just take care of yourself." Zin said, her horns scraping against my jacket. "You look like you're barely conscious."

I nodded, everyone moving to help me stand up. Iolanthe stood by my side as my exhaustion began to take its toll on me. My legs felt heavy as she guided me back to the tent. Aurora jumped down from my hands as we approached the sleeping Flygon. She pressed a claw gently against Spirit, nodding after a moment. She jumped up from the ground, Iolanthe catching her. She climbed down back to my arms, smiling brightly. I kneeled down next to Spirit, checking at her bandages once more. Taking off my gloves, my hand pressed against her scales to see if her temperature was cause for concern. I sighed, her fever still strong. It was probably breaking, but she was still asleep. Spirit hasn't awakened for anything, only to eat and drink some water.

Her wounds had healed, but something had infected her. I didn't want to move with her in such a state. My fingers slowly slid down her forehead to her cheeks. Spirit's mouth opened to ease her breathing. It was a labored breath, the exhalation warm against my skin. I gently stroked her neck, carefully gauging her reactions to my touch. Her breathing slowed to a steady pace, but quickly picked up in desperation.

I turned to Iolanthe. "You can go if you want. I'm going to get some rest."

She nodded. "I would rather stay to make sure that you do rest." Iolanthe said.

Aurora snuggled against my jacket. I sighed, knowing that no words would dissuade either of them. Iolanthe pushed me gently to the ground, my back laying against the ground cover of the tent. Aurora squirmed out of my grasp, climbing over to snuggle against my neck and face. A tentacle snaked its way across my vision, pushing my eyelids closed. My face leaned against her chest, resting above Iolanthe's bust. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly against me.

==========================///////////////////============================

I woke up suddenly, hearing the wind howl around the tent. Disengaging myself from Iolanthe's hold, I was extremely grateful that she was still asleep. Aurora was nowhere to be seen, which was interesting. Exiting the tent, my face almost ran into Baast's chest spike.

"You're planning on something extremely stupid, aren't you?" she asked, her eyes narrowed.

"Probably." I answered. "Jon said that there were berries up here, right?"

"Please tell me you're kidding." she said. "Tell me that this is a nightmare."

"Baast, just tell me if Lum berries grow around here." I said sternly.

"Lum berries? You're going to risk your life for a Lum berry?"

"If it will help Spirit, I'll do whatever it takes." I said. "If you don't know, that's fine. Don't follow me, either. If I'm not back in twenty minutes... you can raise the alarm."

I walked forward, towards the outside. The winds have calmed down, but snow fell by the score in front of me. The familiar sound of crunching snow greeted my ears as I walked outside. Thanking Arceus, my eyes scanned anywhere where the elusive berries might grow. Spotting a familiar outline of a tree, I headed that way. It was thankfully only twenty paces away from my starting point, so it was an easy landmark. Doing my best to dig through the snow, it proved fruitless as nothing was around. Standing, the horizon around me was a flat land of snow. Other than the tree next to me, nothing stood out to my eyes.

Shaking my head, I walked forward away from the tree. Every few steps my hands dug through the snow. Nothing, though sometimes I would find a rock sticking out through the snow. I left those alone, not wanting to possibly aggravate a sleeping Geodude. Another tree was my landmark somewhat into the distance. Making that the next destination, my feet slugged through the deepening snow. The cold air made my feet move faster as the seconds ticked by.

Every exhalation was visible, the warm air from my mouth curling around my face every time I breathed. Gloved fingers did little to shield my hands from the temperature from the outside. Reaching the tree, my knees supported me as my fingers dug through the snow. My effort was rewarded with more dirt underneath the snow. A green leaf caught my eye for a brief moment. Digging through the snow, I hoped that it would be some kind of berry bush. Something would be better than nothing at this point.

Green and blue leaves poked out through the snow. Freeing the plant, two small berries grew at the top of the plant. They were green, smaller than any berry I've ever seen before. Were these Lum berries? Well, it was better than coming in empty handed. I stood up, brushing as much of the snow from my body as possible. Placing the berries in my pockets, I did my best to retrace the steps that were still visible in the snow.

My feet hit something, sending me stumbling forward face-forward into the snow. I stood up, double checking my pockets. With both berries checked and neither of them crushed, I continued walking. Pushing myself, my lungs felt like they've been dipped in ice. Every breath felt like something sharp was scratching at my throat. My nose felt frozen, and my teeth were beginning to chatter.

My world turned upside down as I fell again. This time it didn't stop immediately upon contact of the snow. I rolled down, snow going inside of my mouth every time it opened. My shoulder hit something hard, making me cry in pain. Suddenly there wasn't any snow under my body. For a moment, I was floating in the air. Then, air rushed past me as I fell. It didn't last long though, as my body landed roughly against snow again.

Funny how I wasn't screaming. My vision tumbled over and over again before all of a sudden coming to a halt. With my eyes facing skyward, it was relief to know that my face wouldn't freeze. I took a deep breath, my heart beating against my chest like someone desperate to break down a wall. My breathing came in gasps, the cold snow freezing my back. Shadows began to play tricks on my vision. A familiar face appeared in front of me. I was pulled off the ground gently, making me sit up. Someone laughed loudly in the silence around me.

"You shouldn't have gone out by yourself, Master. That was very dangerous." a feminine voice said.

Turning to face the voice next to me, pure white legs greeted my eyes. An orange robe hid the rest of her body though. Embedded in the snow next to her was a red staff. She was tall, the falling snow not helping my perception at the moment. It didn't help that I was still flat on my back. The familiar looking Pokémon giggled at me as I looked up to her. A white face with piercing red eyes looked down towards me. It took far too long for my brain to process this information to make the connection to my mouth.

"Song?" I asked, bewildered. She nodded.

Song leaned down, grabbing my hand and pulling me up effortlessly. Standing next to each other, she looked down at me with a smile on her face. Her hands wrapped around me, our bodies touching as best as my jacket allowed. My body shivered as tears began to fall. I felt my cheeks freeze slowly as the temperature froze the flowing tears. Song giggled again, leaning down and meeting my lips. The kiss deepened quickly, my breath caught in my throat as she explored my mouth. She pulled back slowly, her tongue passing over my lips as we parted. She smiled, the falling snow highlighting her features in my eyes. She looked around, shaking her head side to side with a smile.

"You get yourself in the weirdest of situations when your being stubborn." she said.

"Spirit is sick." I said with a sigh. "It's also possible that she's allergic, or the poison reduced her body's defences. This weather can't be helping, either."

"Then we better get back." she said with a nod. "Think of them, and I'll take care of the rest."

I closed my eyes, focusing back on our camp. It didn't take long for my stomach to reach my throat, the sensation of teleporting not lost to me. It felt like being stuck outside in the blizzard this time, a roar ringing in my ears as my legs gave out from under me. My arms shook as I was grabbed from the ground. Song's laughter from my right made me feel safe. Someone else pressed against my opposite side, making sure that I didn't fall.

"Arceus! It's been too long, Song!" Zin's voice said loudly. Song giggled again.

"Let's take care of Spirit first, and I'll tell my story later." Song responded.

I opened my eyes as we entered the tent. Spirit was struggling to sit, but Zin and Mist stopped her. Song grabbed the berries from my pockets, passing them to Baast. The Lucario kneeled next to Spirit, who opened her mouth as the berries were placed inside her mouth. She chewed, grimacing against the taste. After swallowing, she sighed with a smile on her face. Song giggled, hugging me tightly.

"She'll be fine now." she declared. "I wouldn't have had to leave my training if this human had to get himself in danger."

Silence followed that statement, and Song laughed. "You didn't tell them, did you?"

I shook my head. Zin growled loudly. "Tell us? He just told Baast that he was coming back in twenty minutes! That was an hour ago!"

An hour ago? I guess time flies when your tumbling around in the snow. Zin continued though, interrupting my thoughts.

"I have half a mind right now to do... something!" she barked out. "Be grateful that you really found those Lum berries, or else I'd rip out your throat!"

It wasn't worth the effort to argue her point. I knew that it was a huge risk, but it was that or leave Spirit to fend whatever ailed her by herself. It was a gamble that could have had a really bad end.

"Song, how did you get through the barrier?" I asked suddenly. My voice sounded exhausted, even to me.

She shrugged. "I didn't feel one when I teleported. Why do you ask?"

"Iolanthe can't teleport us out of here." I explained. "There's some kind of barrier preventing her."

"Iolanthe?"

"Deoxys' name."

Realization dawned on her face. She nodded, but gave a shrug. "Maybe it only works one way?" she offered. "If whoever is aware of Iolanthe's powers, perhaps they're focused on keeping you inside and not worried about outside interference."

She shrugged. "I really don't know. If I focus now I feel the barrier. But my powers aren't what they used to be."

"Wait, you just traveled from Sinnoh to Johto?" I asked.

"Johto?" Song asked, perplexed. "I thought we were in Mount Coronet!"

I shook my head as she blinked at me in surprise. "You're not lying, are you."

I shook my head in response. Song looked incredibly worried. "I might have exhausted all my psychic power for a few days. Though when that happens, my body is exhausted."

"As long as you're safe, that's what matters." I said sternly. "Baast, how is our supplies looking like?"

"They will last another day, two if we restrain ourselves." she responded.

"Wait a second!" Song exclaimed. "How in the world do you have... nine Pokémon! I thought you could only have six!?"

"That's a long story." I said, chuckling.

"We have time." she pointed out.

"Not until we get off this mountain." I said, shaking my head. "Spirit isn't in any shape to continue yet."

"Why not put her in her Pokéball?" Song asked.

"Tell everyone that." I said with a grin. "No one wants to listen to that line ever again."

She tapped my head with her staff. "I have to give you something." Song said, opening her orange robes. In her hand was a Pokéball. She smiled as she passed it to me. It looked different than a regular Pokéball though.

"It is rightfully yours." Song said. "The monks decided to paint it during my stay."

The colors were the same, which honestly surprised me. It was a sharp contrast to Baast's Pokéball. An orange bell was painted on the top half of the device, three silver spots on each side leading downwards. Following the dots to the other side, the same design was mirrored except the colors were inverted. The bell was now silver with the dots in orange. The expanding button was now green instead of white as well. I grinned up to Song as she giggled happily.

"I think I'll have to thank the old guys at the temple one day." I said.

"They would appreciate it." Song said happily. "I'm glad that you like it. We didn't want to make something overly complicated."

"No, I think it's perfect." I said. "We've missed you."

She giggled again. "I can tell! But regardless, where's everyone sleeping?"

Mist floated over. "It seems that it is my turn to take watch. Everyone can rest. Please keep Master safe."

Mist floated by, brushing my cheek as she left. I was herded towards Spirit by everyone else. The Flygon grabbed my hands and pulled me down on top of her. She wrapped me up in the blanket she was using, her claws and tail preventing me from moving. Laughter erupted around me as Spirit held me against her scales. Disregarding everyone, I snuggled close to her. The laughter slowly died down as everyone slowly piled around us. With the exception of Mist, everyone had a paw, hand, claw, or tentacle on my body. Zin muttered something into my ear.

"You're going to pay for this." she said, her teeth nipping at my skin.

=======================/////////////////////==============================

The snowfall was falling lazily now. With no wind, it was easier to move to our destination. The summit, if this was it, was a platform near the peak of Mount Silver. I guess it would be possible to climb up to there, but the will wasn't with me at the moment. There were no landmarks here, either. The entire area was about thirty paces wide and fifteen paces long. There weren't any kind of footprints on the snow. With no borders on the sides, one slip and it was all over for any of us. We moved slowly to avoid such a catastrophe.

My Pokédex ringed loudly, now that the blizzard was finally gone. It was the fifth time I've called and receiving no answer. Regardless, if he didn't answer, we would head to Blackthorn. We still had our things there. Not to mention the candy that still had to be eaten.

A screech came out of my Pokédex, making me close the device immediately. Unfortunately, it didn't stop the horrible noise. If anything, it felt like it made it worse. Even putting it inside my pocket didn't help much. The pitch increased as a black dot floated in front of me, rapidly enlarging itself. The hole was as large as my head when a clawed hand grasped the edges of the darkness. The familiar white hair of Darkrai showed itself first, followed by the other clawed hand. The body was slowly formed behind, the dark bubble slowly disappearing to create it.

Backpedaling quickly, Akalia and Zin were beside me immediately. Mist escaped my body through my chest, hovering in between the Houndoom and Luxray. Spirit and Iolanthe pulled me away from the possible battle scene. Song didn't hesitate, immediately running past me and jumping over Mist, staff swinging wide. The resounding impact made me even wince as Darkrai was flung sideways to my left, sliding across the snow.

"Well, that was unexpected."

A chill went down my spine at those words. Was this the same Darkrai that attacked us at the monastery? Song's grip on her staff told me all I needed to know. Before any words would form out of my mouth, Darkrai spoke.

"Stop! I'm not here to fight you."

"Rapidash shit!" Zin barked out. "Why would you be here in the first place?!"

"Would you believe that I am here to apologize?"

"No!"

Everyone had yelled their answer at that question. I don't think it would be possible to not hear that resounding exclamation. The echoes alone would probably reach the bottom of the mountain. Darkrai sighed, slowly rising from the snow covered ground. She brushed off the snow on her body, looking around for a moment. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Perhaps I will never gain what I'm asking." she said, floating in place. Her arms were crossed over her chest. "Regardless, I will try to earn it, as impossible as that may be."

"What are you saying?" I asked loudly.

"I was under orders from Mother." she stated. "I had interpreted those orders incorrectly, and this is an attempt to redeem myself."

"I think you have a lot more to do than just apologizing." I said, standing next to Song.

Placing a hand on the Gardevoir's shoulders, her stance relaxed slightly. Spirit and Iolanthe were standing next to me as well. Darkrai looked at us and shook her head.

"Fine. I wanted to warn you, though. Sister is after you now."

"Who?" Zin barked.

"You would know her kind as Cresselia." Darkrai said with a shrug.

And why would this be a bad thing? Cresselia would be a blessing at this point, wouldn't it? Spirit's claws tightened on my shoulders, her face rubbing against my cheek. Akalia bounced in place, her star tipped tail wagging. Even Aurora cheered, jumping from Baast's head into the air. Darkrai shook her head, another dark hole opening next to her.

"Why are you cheering?" she asked, turning towards us. The black sphere grew next to her.

"Because finding Cresselia would be ten times better than finding you ever again!" Song yelled.

Darkrai shrugged. "Perhaps. You don't know her how I do, though. You may regret ever finding her if you do."

"Why?" I asked.

"Why what?" she asked back. "Why am I helping you? Why would I do the things me and my kind has done? Those are questions you are better off not knowing."

No one spoke after her as she shook her head. She began to giggle again, the maniacal sound making me nervous instantly. Song's stance shifted again, snow shifting next to me. Darkrai shook her head, her white hair billowing behind her.

"I do not need to answer the last one." she said. "But, I will say that after speaking with Mother we are deeply sorry for attacking you. Again, it was our misinterpretation of our orders that made us attack. We bare no ill will against you or your Pokémon."

"And what about the others?" I asked. "Other trainers have been attacked by either you or others of your kind. They're in comas, and psychic types all over the world are loosing their powers. How do you answer to that?"

She shook her head. "We find what we seek in their dreams. Unfortunately, it leaves a human like how your human doctors find them. Pokémon have the misfortune to lose most or all of their powers."

"And what is it that you're looking for?" Song asked.

She shook her head, giggling softly again. "That is for me to know, and for you to find out."

"Then why warn us in the first place?!" Zin demanded. "If you're going to follow us, just attack us now!"

"I've warned you." Darkrai said, ignoring the Houndoom's demands. "My duty is complete. It's up to you to take my warning or not."

She disappeared as quickly as she appeared, entering the black sphere and leaving nothing behind. The black dot faded into nothing, leaving no trace of its passing. Song and I looked at each other, the Gardevoir shaking her head from side to side.

"I don't like the warning either." I said, frowning. "But at the very least, let's be careful as we continue."

Turning to Spirit, I stroked her neck gently. She cooed at my touch, making me smile. Baast walked up to me, holding Aurora and a rather large blue feather.

"Aurora found this while Darkrai was speaking to us." she said. Aurora held out the feather. Pulling my backpack in front of me, she placed it inside. I shrugged as everyone looked in curiosity.

"We'll figure something out." I said. "In the meantime, let's get you all back inside your Pokéballs and let's finally get out of here."

My Pokédex began to beep once more as I grabbed a Pokéball from my waist. I flipped it open, wary of more odd noises.

"Nick!? Are you there? Answer me, dammit!"

Joy's voice echoed around me, making me wince slightly. "Hey Joy." I responded.

"Thank Arceus! We've been trying to call you for days with no response. The blizzard ended, by the way. Where are you?"

"At the top of the mountain, apparently." I said. "We're on our way down as soon as I hang up."

"Right. I'll let Jon and his fat ass boss know that you're safe. You're going to have to go through them afterwards. They're charging us for using their stuff."

I rolled my eyes. "Right, because that makes total sense. I'll see you in a bit."

"See you when you get here." Joy said, before terminating the call.

I shoved the Pokédex into a pocket, grabbing my backpack. Returning everyone to their Pokéballs one by one, until Song was the last one left. She smiled at me, ruffling my hair playfully. She pushed her staff against me gently. I warily gave her a look.

"It's not heavy." she said with a smile. My fingers touched hers as I took the staff from her.

The staff felt extremely light, lifting it cautiously from the ground and into my hands. It felt solid, with a smooth holding surface. The red paint had small designs into it. Orange and red mixed together in a swirling pattern, slowly turning into lazy circles as it went further down the staff. She smiled at me as I admired the craftsmanship.

"It's really something, isn't it?" she asked. I could only nod in response. She giggled again.

"The Pokéball won't accept it, so you're going to carry it for me while we travel. Is that alright?"

"Of course. It's not going to leave my sight." I said, grasping the staff tightly in my grip.

Song nodded, smiling at me. "Thank you."

Expanding her Pokéball, she was recalled in the familiar red glow, disappearing with a smile on her face. Securing her Pokéball on my belt, I noticed that my hand traveled to where Iolanthe left the empty spot. Smiling at Spirit, she bent down to allow me to climb up on her back. Securing myself as best I could, the staff gripped tightly in one hand.

"Are you ready, Spirit?" I asked, rubbing her neck gently.

She nodded happily, turning to give me a grin. Her wings lifted us effortlessly, leaving the snowbound mountain under us. Spirit's wings hummed merrily, drowning out any other sounds. The snow was a bit annoying, but I did my best to ignore it. The feeling of the air on my face was worth it. Air burned through my lungs as I took deep breathes, but this mountain was all behind us now.

Chapter 25 - Message

Flying was a little awkward with the staff in hand. Thankfully there wasn't anything slowing us down now. The sky was relatively clear, with only clouds obstructing the sun. The snow seemed to have stopped for the moment, though the sky was still matted in grey. The air was still freezing, and I think Spirit shared my feelings of this place. It seemed that both of us wanted to get out of this place as fast as possible. I was extremely thankful that Blackthorn wasn't far away from Mount Silver. It felt like the weather was affecting Spirit far more than she was letting on.

We reached the Pokémon Center without any problems, feeling extremely grateful to have solid ground under my feet. Solid in the sense that there wasn't any reason to believe it would open up and eat me. Spirit grabbed my shoulder, cooing softly. I nodded, grabbing her Pokéball and returning her back inside her sphere. Placing the device in its rightful place, my fingers grabbed Song's Pokéball. As soon as the metal was on my skin, the ball opened to reveal the Gardevoir. I was surprised to see her still in her clothes.

I passed the staff to her, her hand grasping my own. She giggled as we looked at each other. She leaned forward, her free hand grasping my shoulder to pull me towards her. Her lips met mine, the hands grasping my head to hold me still. While maintaining a hold of the staff, I wrapped my other hand around her body to pull her as close as possible. Her tongue explored my mouth with practiced ease, controlling the pace. My spine tingled as if electricity ran through me. Her lips left mine as my knees buckled slightly. Song held me, pressing my face against her chest as she giggled above me. We slid down, her arms around me as we rested on the ground.

"I'm telling Zin to make sure that you learn your lesson from going into mountains." she declared. "I don't want to know why I had to find you wherever I did."

"The mountains want to kill me." I said with a chuckle. "It's a conspiracy."

"Do you want me to add Mist to the list?" she asked sweetly.

"I'm afraid that she would make it worse. Screaming inside my skull doesn't tend to work very well."

"How about electricity through your legs?"

"More painful."

Song giggled again, stroking my hair. "Remind me as to why Baast is with you instead of with Jonathan?" she asked.

"Long story short is that we found a crazy Zapdos that is apparently in love with Jon. I caught her, but Jon claims her as his responsibility. Baast offered to trade herself in turn."

"So Jonathan can't have any more Pokémon." she said, nodding.

"Yeah. Apparently he's barred from having any more. And speaking of which, we have to go find them."

She nodded, standing up first before pulling me up. Her robes fluttered slightly as a soft breeze blew by. With her staff in hand, it felt extremely odd for a moment. It felt like our roles were changed suddenly, and that I've gone from protector to the one needing protection. A feeling of vulnerability made me shiver slightly. Song's warm body shook me out of my reverie. She smiled down at me, one of her arms wrapping me in a hug.

"You haven't changed." she said.

"That's a good thing, right?" I asked, looking up at her.

She nodded, giggling happily. "It's been far too long."

I nodded. "Let's go over to the Ranger headquarters and see what's going on."

She nodded, grabbing my hand and allowing me to lead. I'm pretty sure that she could get to where we needed to go. It felt weird not being able to feel her inside my head. Song giggled suddenly, her grip tightening on my hand.

"I've gotten better at that." she said out loud. I blinked at her words.

"I can still read your mind." Song explained. "I've had a bit of time to practice."

"But doesn't that use up your psychic power?" I asked.

"A bit, I'll admit." she said, smiling. "I would rather know that you're safe at all times, though. As long as I know that, it's worth it."

I smiled, giving Song a nod. "Do you have to go back to the monastery?" I asked. She shook her head.

"The monks understood well enough that you were in danger from my brief explanation." she said with a smile. "And other than my things, I didn't have any other possessions."

Nodding, it took me a moment to see that we were walking inside the Ranger headquarters. Jonathan and Joy rushed over towards both as soon as we entered the building. I found it amusing to see Song's staff swing in front of me, halting their progress instantly. Their eyes focused on the wooden staff in front of them, before looking at the one holding it. The grin on my face couldn't be suppressed for too long, a chuckle escaping me after a moment of staring at their faces.

"Song?" Jonathan asked, surprised.

The Gardevoir nodded, her staff being pointed towards Jonathan. His eyes were focused on the staff before Song raised it to his forehead and pushed him away. Joy grabbed him before he fell completely, though they both fell onto the tile floor. Song looked at me for a moment, winking at me before turning back to Jonathan and Isabella.

"Isabella?" Song asked. "That's her name?"

I shook my head. "Long story." I offered. Song giggled.

Joy helped Jonathan stand up, a few other Rangers beginning to gather around us. Jon rubbed his forehead as he stood still for a moment. Joy looked like she was ready to pound my face in. I was grateful when Jon's boss walked in.

"Glad to see you're still alive." he said, knocking me forward when he patted my back. "Got our stuff?"

I rolled my eyes, shedding off the backpack and jacket. I was very grateful that the relatively warm air didn't make me overheat. Jonathan's boss took the backpack and jacket, making sure that nothing seemed out of place or missing. Remembering about the flare, my mouth opened to say something but he cut me off.

"Whatever the girl said, don't worry about it." the fat man said, waving a hand towards me. "I'm not going to charge for materials used. That would be a bit messed up."

I turned to Jon, who chuckled for a moment. "What happened to the people we were sent to find? Did you two find them?" I asked.

He nodded. "Thankfully, we found them getting harassed by a few Geodudes and a Graveler. All three are actually in the Pokémon Center, the trainers and Pokémon being treated for injuries. Unfortunately one of them had a broken ankle, but other than that everyone made it out alright."

I nodded, relief washing over me for the strangers. It was good to hear that everyone made it out fine and we managed to fulfill our objective. It wasn't that easy though, Joy jabbing a finger into my face.

"How in the world did she get here." she said.

"And you think I know?" I asked. "I'm as confused as you are. Even Song doesn't really know."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Rapidash shit." she growled. "Give me a straight answer, dammit!"

I frowned, hearing Jon's boss mutter something along the lines of woman trouble. In my peripheral vision it was easy to see Jon shrug as his boss walked away. Joy's finger made me turn my focus on her quickly, her finger almost jabbing into my eyeball.

"Pay attention to me, asshat!" she yelled. "How did your Gardevoir get here!?"

"She teleported to me when I almost got myself killed finding a Lum berry for Spirit." I said, frowning. "It was a dumb move, and I'm not going to put up getting yelled by you all day. I already asked her about the barrier and Song said she didn't feel anything preventing her from teleporting in."

Joy frowned at the offered information. "And what about Deoxys?" she asked.

"Iolanthe? After we tried that one time that Jon asked, we didn't try again. At least, I didn't ask her."

She blinked, opening her mouth to say something but no sound came out. Her brow furrowed slightly, trying to figure out something to say. I shrugged, giving her a my best 'I don't know' look. It didn't look like she appreciated the gesture, but it was the only thing that came to mind. Either that or shrug happily as she struggled to find words. Though she didn't seem extremely thrilled at the prospect, she shook her head.

"When did you name Deoxys?" she asked.

"While on Mount Silver, before the Crobat decided to attack with its flock of friends, she pointed out that I haven't really thought of a name for her. After a bit of impromptu thinking, it came to me from a book I read a while ago."

Joy shrugged. "Fair enough, I guess." she said, shaking her head.

A few other Rangers were talking among themselves, making gestures to us. My eyes met Jonathan, who was shaking his head. Joy looked at me curiously, trying to figure out what I was thinking.

"Follow me." Jon said, motioning to us. Song aligned herself to my right as Joy took my left. It was amusing to see her look at me warily. None of the other Rangers followed us.

We went up the stairs quickly, going up the same way we went to go to the big meeting room. That same room ended up being our destination. Jon opened the door, Joy going in before any of us said anything. Song giggled as her hands pushed me gently forward. We entered the meeting room to see Joy sitting on the other side of the table. Song took the nearest chair, pulling another for me to sit on. Jon passed by me as he entered the room.

"OK, so what are your plans now?" Jon asked.

Joy didn't say anything as I let out a sigh. "I'm planning on talking to the League."

Nobody talked after that. "This situation has to be big." I continued. "Whatever is going on, Indigo Plateau has to have their hands in it. The champions just left to do whatever it is they're trying to do. League officials have to know something, or they wouldn't have allowed the champions to have free roam of the regions.

"At the very least, someone can point me in the right direction. If anything, a place to stay would be nice, too."

Joy and Jonathan looked at me as if my common sense left the window. Song was looking at me too, though with a smile on her face. Jonathan shook himself first, shaking his head.

"The League has cut off the champions from their communications and records." he said. "They're acting on their own, so the League says."

I shrugged. "Well, the Elite Four has to be there, right? They might know something."

"And what makes you think any member of the Elite Four is going to talk to you about what Lance might be doing?" Joy asked heatedly.

I shrugged. "I don't, but it beats sitting here twiddling my thumbs until the next clue lands on our laps."

"With our luck, it would blow up in our faces, too." Jon said, chuckling. Joy shot him a nasty look that made him stop. As soon as she was satisfied with Jon, she turned to me.

"There's also Darkrai." she pointed out. "You talked to him."

Jon's jaw dropped at the mention of Darkrai. "You WHAT?!"

"Long story."

"Hey! That's what you said to me!" Song said, giving me a light shove.

"Oh no, you're not getting out of this one." Jon said, frowning at me. "What happened?"

I sighed. "My Pokédex began to ring, and I answered thinking it was you. Turns out that Darkrai can communicate using the same Pokédex application. I spoke with both of them, actually."

"Both!?"

I nodded, trying to keep everyone calm. "Yeah, both of them. The first one through the phone was the male that attacked us at the Celestic Ruins, the second was the crazy female one at the monastery."

I held up my hand to stop the wave of outcry I knew was about to be unleashed on my eardrums. "Before any of you start yelling at me, she didn't attack. I honestly don't think I'd be alive if she did. All she did was warn us that Cresselia is on the move."

"Well, that's a good thing, right?" Jon said, looking relieved. "We don't have to worry about Darkrai anymore."

"What makes you think that?" I asked, Song nodding next to me.

"Cresselia is Darkrai's opposite." he said slowly. "Since that's the case, we don't have to worry about having people go missing or going into comas! Heck, they can probably help the ones that have fallen into comas!"

"I think you're getting ahead of yourself." I said, frowning. "They're both considered legendary Pokémon. We don't know if there's some overarching plan that they both have their claws in."

"What makes you think that there's a plan?" Joy asked suddenly.

I shrugged. "While it may be true that both have been at odds, all we have are stories to base that on. What if they both species have worked out their differences and are working together? The female Darkrai mentioned Mother this time instead of Father when she spoke to us. Is there another motivating both into this?

"And what about Suicune? Doesn't that even feel suspicious? Yes, she's helped me twice now without asking for any compensation. I just feel that there's something far more that we can see."

Jon shrugged. "I still think you're being paranoid." he said. "The champions are out there, and they'll take care of this before you know it. Five region champs against whatever they're looking for. I'm putting my money on them."

"Five trainers don't have much against legendary Pokémon." I pointed out. He laughed.

"How do you know?" he said after catching his breath.

"It took three of us to take down a Zapdos." I pointed out. "One that is, according to you, still young. What would it take to take down a legendary that's vastly more experienced?"

"Probably not that much more?" he offered, before laughing. "Really, I think you're freaking out over nothing. In all honesty, I think we can take them on and win."

"I wouldn't bet on those odds." Joy said, frowning. "That Zapdos fried Zefyra out of the sky without any hesitation."

Song looked at me worriedly. "The monks mentioned something about this while I was there. No trainer is safe as long as any legendary Pokémon is active in the world."

I turned to my Gardevoir. "Active? Like being around and messing with others?"

She shrugged. "That's what the bald monk said. Apparently the words came from The Wish Maker."

"Right, and this comes from another legendary." I said, rolling my eyes. "Contradicting themselves much."

I turned to see Jon and Joy giving each other looks. Pretty sure they think I've lost a few marbles by now. Jon shrugged.

"I don't think it changes anything." he said. "Regardless of whatever they're looking for, the champions will stop them."

"Well, that's great. I'm still going to Indigo Plateau." I said, standing up. Song stood with me, nodding. "I'm going to the Pokémon Center and getting my stuff and resting for the rest of the day. I'm leaving tomorrow. And don't worry about showing me the way out, since I'm pretty sure that we can follow the line of crazies outside of the door."

"What are you talking about?" Joy asked.

I didn't bother responding, opening the door and avoiding the five people that fell through into the meeting room. Rolling my eyes at the scene, they moved out of the way so myself and Song could leave the room in peace. Though I have to say that being followed by a lot of Rangers thinking they were being experts at hiding was a bit amusing.

Thankfully we were able to leave without anyone heckling us more than being followed through the building. It felt a little awkward, though I did my best to hide my nervousness. Relief was an understatement when we left the building and no one else followed us. Song giggled at my reaction, making me lean against her slightly.

"You're funny." she said, her fingers running through my hair.

"A total laugh riot." I said, unable to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

"At the very least, you still have us." she said with a smile.

"Somehow, just the ten of us makes me fear for our safety." I responded.

"Well, they know where we will be, right? And Jonathan can call you using the Pokédex. I don't see a problem."

I nodded. "You're right. We'll figure this out... somehow. But first, let's get everyone rested and fit before we leave for Indigo Plateau."

Song nodded, more than willing to take the lead as we walked towards the Pokémon Center. It made me feel at ease, knowing that this wasn't some kind of demented illusion that my mind came up with. I still felt unreal that Song was back. I wrapped a hand around her, hugging her close to me. Letting her go was the last thing on my mind right now. Her fingers on my hair went to my shoulder, gripping me tightly. It always surprised me how much taller she was than me. Though then again, I've only known one Gardevoir and she's always been this tall ever since she evolved.

We stepped inside of the Blackthorn Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy waving at us as she sat behind her desk. A smile spread on her face as we approached her.

"So, who's the Gardevoir?" Nurse Joy asked.

"She's the Gardevoir that I had to leave behind in Sinnoh." I said.

"Well, how did she get here?" she asked.

"Teleportation apparently doesn't have many rules." I said with a shrug. Song giggled, nodding happily.

"Fair enough, I guess?" Nurse Joy offered, giving us a shrug. "Regardless, are you here to pick up your things?"

I nodded. "Yes, please. Also, could you check on my Pokémon? I'd like to be ready by tomorrow if possible."

"I imagine you'll be staying the night."

I nodded as Nurse Joy looked thoughtful for a moment before grabbing a key. She placed it on the desk and pushed it towards me. Song grabbed it from her, holding it securely. Pulling out the Pokéballs out of my belt, I passed them over to Nurse Joy one by one until she had them all except for Song's.

"Don't get too rowdy in there." she said with a smile. "I actually have a few patients sleeping."

"We wont." I said, nodding. Nurse Joy giggled as we walked away.

"I'll pass by and give back your things in a little while." she said happily. "I'm a little busy at the moment."

I nodded as we went down the familiar hallway towards our room. The door unlocked without any problems, revealing a simple single bed room. Thankfully it had another door that I hoped led to the bathroom. As soon as I sat down on the bed, my body fell on top of it. Screw changing into something more comfortable. That was another step that felt unnecessary.

The bed sagged a bit more as Song's weight fell on the bed. She crawled over me, her face laying next to mine as her body lay on top of me. Her body aligned herself with mine as she sat on my lap. She smiled down at me before coming to rest on top of me, resting her head next to mine.

"Song?"

"Yes?"

"Do you... regret coming with me?" I asked.

She sat up, looking at me with eyes wide. "No, I don't!" she exclaimed. "You're the reason I evolved, and gave me a purpose. While losing my powers was regrettable, it doesn't matter. As long as you're safe, I'm happy."

I nodded. She smiled again, poking my chest gently. "Just don't go about doing dangerous things. If you do, I'll make your life miserable."

My hand reached for hers, her fingers wrapping around mine and grabbing tightly. Her smile never left her face, the grip on each others hands never wavering. She leaned down, her lips pressing against mine before parting. It was a brief kiss, but it made me feel secure.

She leaned down again, her body laying on top of mine. I wrapped my free hand around her body, holding her as close as I could. She giggled softly next to my ear.

"It feels good to hold you again." she whispered.

I couldn't agree with her more.

===========================///////////////////////========================

The familiar sound of my Pokédex ringing brought me back to awareness. Song shifted above me, her body heat keeping me comfortably warm. My eyes struggled to open as a yawn escaped me. Something cold pressed against my cheek, making me shiver slightly. Turning to face the cold, I saw Aurora with my Pokédex in her claws as she tapped the plastic. The numbers glowed brightly in the display, showing it was eight in the morning.

"Too early, Aurora." I grumbled, closing my eyes and snuggling against Song.

Something cold pressed against my sides again, making me stiffen immediately. I tried my best to stay still, but not reacting only made Aurora more determined to make me move. My body began to shiver uncontrollably, hearing Aurora giggle softly as she tortured me to get up. Song giggled above me, her lips pressing against mine with growing urgency. She broke contact suddenly, leaving me slightly breathless.

"I'd better stop, or else we would be here all day." she said with a giggle.

I opened my eyes to see Song looking down at me. Her eyes looked happy, though that particular emotion was easy to spot due to her smile. She leaned towards me, kissing my lips again before moving to get off me. Motioning to Aurora, the Weavile stopped the alarm clock. Both Pokémon helped me get up, though Aurora cheered for me more than actually helped. It was then that I realized that Nurse Joy must have brought my team while we were asleep. The Pokéballs were resting next to my backpack on the floor. One of them was opened, which would be Aurora's. All the other ones were still sealed, much to my relief. Though, there was always the chance that a certain Weavile would have let them out and closed the devices behind.

Standing on my own two feet, Aurora rested on my right shoulder. My eyes moved towards her, making the effort for us to see eye to eye.

"There wouldn't be the odd chance that you let everyone out of their Pokéballs as well, right?"

Aurora shook her head. Song giggled next to me. "I don't feel any other presence here." she said, nudging me gently.

I nodded as she giggled again. "In the meantime, go to the restroom and get ready. It smells like you haven't taken a shower since we last saw each other!"

I blinked, suddenly being pushed from behind towards the restroom. "But what about Aurora!?" I exclaimed.

"She can make sure that you're properly clean." Song said with authority. "She's probably seen you naked a few times by now, right?"

I shook my head, trying to find the right words to say. Song didn't let me think though, pushing me through the open door and into the bathroom. She gave me a shrug when I turned around to face her.

"So she hasn't?" Song asked. "Why not?"

"Er... Zin was... well, she..."

"Oh, I get it." Song said, giggling softly. "If you need permission that badly, I give it to her. Now don't stand there woolgathering! Get going or else I'll see to it personally."

"But who's going to-"

The rest of my sentence was cut off as Song closed the door on me. I blinked, surprised at the abruptness and shocked that Aurora was still on my shoulder. My eyes turned to face the Weavile, who was giving me a grin. She jumped off me to the ground, perching herself on top of the sink. Aurora then proceeded to mime taking off clothes from her body, and then pointed at me. I knocked on the door gently.

"Having technical difficulties?" Song asked.

"Can you please hand me some clothes at least?"

"Nope! You can get them after taking a shower. Aurora, I'm counting on you that he actually gets clean."

"Weavile!" Aurora exclaimed loudly. She even saluted! My hands covered my face, a sense of dread beginning to grow.

My cheeks began to feel warm, standing still in the bathroom. Why in the world would Song want Aurora here? It's not like she ever made sure that my showers were 'proper' before. I kicked off my shoes, sitting on the seat cover of the toilet to take off my socks. Aurora was giving me a very impatient look, tapping her claws against the sink. The sounds the action did sounded like a clock ticking impatiently. Standing in front of the sink, I kneeled down to pull a towel from underneath the bathroom vanity. Shedding my shirt and pants, I stood in my boxers in front of the Weavile. Aurora was looking slightly surprised, crimson patches appearing on her cheeks.

A chuckle escaped me, pushing the curtains out of the way. Standing in the dry tub, I finally gave myself some privacy. Shedding the last remnant of clothing on me and throwing the boxers over the curtain bar. My fingers played with the shower handles, trying to find a warm temperature. Satisfied with the temperature, I pulled the shower diverter up for the water to spray from the above me.

Grabbing the soap, I began to take care of the necessities. At least this time Mist wasn't here to make sure that my body was cleaned to satisfaction. I also didn't want to make Aurora or Song wait for too long for me. The idea of having two angry Pokémon with me wouldn't bode well. My hair was a mess, now that water was running through it. My hair was definitely longer too, and a little bleached. Either way, my hair was never the top priority no matter how much my mom would remind me about it. A chuckle escaped me, remembering about mom and dad. I was extremely relieved to hear that everything was fine on their side of the world. But will Darkrai really leave us alone now, or was it just a ruse? And what about Cresselia? No matter how many times Jonathan repeated it, it still felt extremely suspicious.

My thoughts drifted as my hands pressed against the wall to lean. Water ran through my hair, dragging the shampoo suds with it. What about Suicune? What was her role in all of this? What did she mean by meeting in more pleasant terms? I sighed, shaking my head as water began to go down my face. A bit of warm water ran into my eyes, blinding me momentarily. I used the palm of my hands to wipe the water out as best I could. After that, my fingers worked the shower handles again, turning the water off. Remembering that Aurora was still inside the bathroom, I cautiously opened the shower curtains enough for me to see outside the bathtub.

Aurora was sitting on the floor, her back turned to me with the towel wrapped around herself. My clothes lay in a small pile next to her. Did she fall asleep? Somehow I seriously doubted that.

"Aurora?" I called softly.

She jumped in the air, taking the towel and what looked like my shirt with her. Landing, she spun around and launched a beam of ice in my general direction. It missed, but just barely. It might have frozen a few hairs on my head. Thankfully it was a short lived attack. Maybe she realized who she was attacking? She blinked for a moment, before launching herself at me. I barely managed to throw the curtains to the side and catch her in my arms.

Her claws flailed around me, though they never came within range of my skin. Aurora was shaking her head against my chest. Holding her gently, I focused on balancing so that we wouldn't fall down. Easier said than done, but it was manageable. Bringing myself to sit on the cloth, my focus turned to Aurora. I shivered slightly, the cool air sending goosebumps up and down my arms. It didn't help that Aurora felt like a block of ice against my skin either.

Aurora calmed down slowly, her claws resting on my arms. She was still twitching slightly, but her breathing was a bit more relaxed now. For the moment, things looked like they were fine. She suddenly began flailing again, almost crawling up my chest until her face was aligned with mine. Aurora's eyes were wide, almost fearful and tear stricken until she closed them.

"Are you alright?" I asked softly. She shook her head.

"It's because I'm naked, isn't it."

While her eyes were closed, the blush on her cheeks told me her answer. I smiled to myself, bringing my face closer to hers. She opened her eyes, almost falling as she saw me. My hands caught her claws before she could fall, her surprise easy to see. I placed one arm under her and the other behind her back, to make sure she didn't fall.

"I didn't think that you'd be so shy." I said with a smile. "I don't know what Zin or the others have told you, but you don't have to do what they do with me."

I turned thoughtful, looking for anything that may tell me about her thoughts. Her eyes opened, turning to me with a cold look. My smile countered her cold exterior as we looked at each other for a moment. Aurora turned away from me, crossing her arms over her chest. I was about to say something when the door opened, revealing Song with a handful of clothes for me. She blinked for a moment, before giggling madly.

I should be more embarrassed, but to my credit I didn't scream in surprise. Though it was mildly annoying knowing she didn't knock. Song spoke after she managed to control herself.

"Just to let you know, I did knock." she said, walking over to the sink to drop my clothes.

"Really now. And how come we didn't hear it?" I asked.

She shrugged, giggling again. "Maybe you were too engrossed to hear it?" she offered. "It's not like you were doing something that you would regret. Or is it?"

Aurora glared at Song while I tried to think of something to say. I rolled my eyes, sighing and shaking my head. "I don't need Zin to think of her as a threat."

"And why would she think that?" Song asked.

"Good question. All I know is that she proclaimed that she didn't want Aurora to be physical with me for some reason."

The room fell silent at that. I looked down at Aurora, seeing her mood darken quickly. It felt like I was playing into a trap. The idea didn't sit well with me, if that was the case. A chill went down my spine as whatever moisture that was left on my skin felt extremely cold. Looking down at Aurora, she was shaking in my hands. Song came and grabbed her from me, giving me a frown and shaking her head before leaving.

Yeah, should have probably kept my mouth shut.

The door closed as both of them left. I stood up and finished drying off, idly noticing small patches of ice against my chest and arms. Slipping on the clothes that Song brought, thoughts ran around my head of what just happened. Again, having played in Zin's little plan came up. In all honesty, it wouldn't be a complete surprise if that was the case. Though then again, it might just be that I don't think. Possibly both, looking at the situation now. Good to know that my flawed personality still showed.

With my pants on I turned to the sink and letting the hot water, using it to thaw out the ice on my skin. The brilliant idea of ripping them off sounded pleasant. Shaking my head, I frowned as my gaze met the mirror. This felt like waking up before leaving home. Though the problem was that this was a worst case, seeing as she's with me instead of her just leaving.

With the water rolling hot and towel in hand, the ice melted off quickly. At the very least it didn't cause permanent harm to myself. At least not yet anyway. Arceus be damned, I'm an idiot.

The water was still running, but the sound began to soothe some part of my brain. At the very least it was something. Thoughts began to coalesce, as if coming out of a fog. Implications mostly, of the things I say, have seen, and keep doing. Have I changed so far? It's been... a month and a half? It was just before The Ghast Festival, though my frame of reference felt extremely skewed. I felt like all I did was stumble along, though it felt like I was putting my foot in my mouth more often than not.

Putting on my shirt, it was annoying to think that it was mostly reaction that kept me going. Plans weren't really in my vocabulary. It usually boiled down to forming half a plan and then winging it the rest of the way. Maybe it was time to think this through? Would it help at all, though? Sitting here in Johto wasn't getting us anywhere. Jonathan's idea fell through, and it didn't seem that Sinnoh had any individual happenings that I ever heard of. Admittedly, I didn't pay much attention to the news while at home though.

If I knew that this was waiting for me after leaving home, I would have stayed put.

Regardless, wishing for things to change wasn't going to help anyone at this time. Looking at myself in the mirror, my eyes seemed to have a resolved look. Was I serious enough to see this through? My face softened, becoming conscious of how it looked. My hair looked like a mess, and my face had a scratch I don't remember having. Shaking my head and turning off the water flow. Mistakes can be fixed. Maybe it was really time to get hold of my life.

Grabbing my old clothes and walking out of the bathroom, Song and Aurora were talking quietly while sitting on the bed. Neither of them made a motion to show that they knew I was outside. Even being able to understand Song, I couldn't hear what she was saying. Perhaps she was speaking softly. Aurora certainly wasn't. Shoving the used clothes into my backpack, it was probably a good idea to go through laundry when we stopped next. Where would that be is another story.

I grabbed my Pokéballs and attached them to my belt. Without anyone saying a word, Aurora presented herself to me. Recalling Aurora, Song grabbed her ball from my waist. No words were exchanged as I recalled her as well. Grabbing hold of Song's staff, I closed the door and turned off the lights.

As I passed by the front desk, Nurse Joy called to me. It was a bit exasperating, but she was extremely generous to us while staying here. It was only fair to be polite.

"Isabella wanted me to ask you if you were leaving." she said. It still felt weird knowing that Joy's first name was Isabella.

"Yeah. I'm leaving right now for Indigo Plateau." I said, nodding.

"I can tell that you aren't stopping for anything." she said with a slight smile. "I'll let her know where you're going. Expect getting yelled at when she gets her hands on you again."

I nodded, giving her a smile of my own. Returning the key and waving good-bye, my fingers grabbed Spirit's ball. It would take a bit to get to Indigo Plateau, and I had to make some kind of argument that sounded at least legitimate.

======================//////////////////////////////========================

It surprised me how simple minded some people are. I would never understand why would someone risk their life to get to the League. Flying sounds like a much better alternative. Problem was that people didn't take too kindly to that for some reason. Apparently it was some right of passage.

Because risking your life to prove that you're worth fighting is a big deal to these people. As if beating eight gym leaders wasn't enough. Or ten, like that one guy in the news at one point.

I found it a bit comical that when flying over the general area of Victory Road, according to my Pokédex map, five trainers on top of gigantic birds showed up in a tight formation around me. Spirit almost panicked, but a soothing touch kept her calm. We followed them, a groan escaping me as we turned backwards. Landing in a open area, a sign proclaiming the entrance to Victory Road sat next to the yawning cave.

A man in a blue uniform jumped off one of the birds in front of us. "You can't fly over to the League, young man."

Time to see if my idea works out. "I want to talk to a League representative about the Darkrai attacks."

The man sighed. "You and the rest of the world. If that's the case, you're going to fill-"

"No, you don't get it." I said, interrupting him. "I've been a victim of the attacks, survived, and I want to do something about it. After wasting time with the Johto Rangers, I want answers from the source."

"Unfortunately for you, that isn't how it works." the man said, frowning. "You're going to have to go to-"

"That won't be necessary, young man."

We all turned, facing to see whoever spoke. An old lady stood next to a Gengar, a walking cane in hand while dressed in a violet dress. Well, it was my guess that she was old, as her face wasn't full of wrinkles or whatnot. Her hair was a bit on the silver side, though.

She walked up to me, her cane touching my left knee gently. "What's your name, boy?" she asked. Her tone told me she wasn't kidding around.

"Nick. And who might you be."

"Just a little old lady. My name is Agatha." she responded, a smile appearing on her face.

"Nice to meet you. Would you know how to talk to someone in the League? It's important."

"So I've heard." she said with a smile. Agatha then turns to the men standing around us. "Well, what are you waiting for? Aren't you all supposed to be making a patrol?"

The first man that spoke to me looked flustered for a moment. His eyes went from me, to Agatha, to me again, and back to the Agatha. He finally nodded, jumping back on his bird and flying off. The rustling of wings could be heard, the formation circling above us a few times before flying off into the distance.

"You'll have to forgive them." the old lady said. "They're just doing their job. Ever since reporters started flying around, the League has been trying to keep the situation under control."

"Situation?"

"Darkrai." she answered with a shrug. "It's no surprise, really, if you look at the evidence left behind. It's only a matter of time, though, until Cresselia shows up and fixes this."

Darkrai's words came up while being in Mount Silver. I shook my head, frowning. "But what if Cresselia makes things worse?" I asked.

"Why would you say that?" she asked kindly.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. How can I explain this in a way that doesn't make me sound insane?

"You've fought against Darkrai, haven't you?" she asked plainly.

Shocked to hear her words, I nodded. Agatha smiled at me however, patting my shoulder. The Gengar at her side nodded, looking oddly satisfied. Spirit stood behind me, claws holding me tightly against her body. My Flygon's actions made the old lady chuckle, shaking her head.

"You don't have to worry your pretty little head." Agatha said. "I'm not planning on hurting him."

"Thanks." I said.

"I wasn't talking to you." she said, smiling all the same. "Regardless, you won't be meeting anyone else from the League today. Though you may want to check upon Cerulean City. I'll give you a hint if you pass a piece of paper for me."

"Alright. Doesn't sound too dangerous."

"Go to the gym and ask for Misty. She'll be there, though you might have to sit through a show or two to finally talk to her." Agatha said, her Gengar passing her a piece of paper that she passed to me. "This is the letter. Just hand it to Misty and she'll know what to do with it."

I nodded. "Thank you! I'm glad to at least see someone that doesn't think everything I say is crazy."

"I do think you're crazy." she said, stopping my enthusiasm. "But at the very least, you're not weird."

My mind was a blank when she said that. I think that silence was the best answer to that statement, nodding as Spirit leaned down for me. Agatha didn't react as we flew away up to the sky. Though we were still in the sky, it felt like her eyes were still on me. It was definitely an odd feeling, and it persisted the more I tried to ignore it. Opening my Pokédex map, it looked like Pewter City was in the way, alongside Mount Moon. Ha! Not going through another mountain. I'm flying over it, no matter what anyone says. Considering how fast we made it to Indigo Plateau, we should make it with plenty of time to spare. Hopefully we can make it past the mountain before sundown. Pointing us in the right direction, Spirit flew without complaints. The letter was still in my hands, though I gripped it as tightly as Song's staff.

Stuffing the letter inside my shirt, I decided to see who in the world Agatha was. Maybe there was some kind of database for trainer names accessible through the Pokédex? Though nothing of the sort was in the small device, there was something that related to members of the Elite Four. I was surprised to see that there were more than four members for Kanto... but it makes sense since it looks like both Kanto and Johto share the same League location. There were a few menu options, but the one that intrigued me the most was the member listing. One name stood out to me, and it wasn't Lance.

Seeing Agatha's name on the list was slightly shocking. Not enough to make me drop my Pokédex or Song's staff, but enough for my breath to catch on my throat. What was her angle? Did she have any idea what was happening? She should, at the very least. It didn't look like she was ignorant to what was going on outside of the immediate region. Maybe the League is doing something, but not openly public. Would it be to keep the public from open panic? But wouldn't that bring more trainers to help them? Why would they just want the champions of the regions to handle this?

Too many questions ran through my mind as scenarios came unbidden. My heartbeat increased as plausible things repeated themselves over and over again. It took considerable willpower to not scream out loud. I took deep breaths, making sure that my hands didn't grip on Spirit's scales. The last thing that needed to happen was catch her by surprise while a few hundred feet off the ground. Falling didn't sound like a good idea at the moment.

The sun was already past the midday point. Taking a wild guess, it felt around two or three in the afternoon. A city was growing underneath me, a forest in the distance to my right. Roads led from the city towards the forest and to a large mountain in the distance ahead. Opening my Pokédex, we should be passing over Pewter City right now. The Viridian Forest was to my right, and Mount Moon was ahead. Looked like we may or may not make it before nightfall, but at least we were headed in the right direction.

Spirit looked back at me, giving me a smile and a nod. I leaned forward, afraid that she was tired and was needing a break. She shook her head, before picking up a bit more speed and heading forward. Pewter City passed under us quickly, the route to Mount Moon replacing the city. As much as my doubts kept eating at me, it was at least a step in the right direction. Actually, right might not be the correct term. A direction, at the very least. I just hoped it was the right one.

=======================///////////////////////////=========================

As tempted as I was to continue on foot, the thought of traveling at night in an unknown region stopped that idea. Setting up camp on the other side of Mount Moon, the hills let us see Cerulean City clearly. The trees did little to hide away the city lights, and it seemed to be quite an active city. It felt like that concert back in Jubilife, but knowing it wouldn't end. It felt a little odd, seeing a city that was like that, but then again this was Kanto. As far as I'm concerned, Kanto could be as weird as Johto. Maybe I should have asked Jon or Joy about this place.

It's not like I was going to let go, that's for sure. It just felt... odd. This kind of environment wasn't the one that was at home. Having dinner while sitting on a piece of firewood didn't help my overall mood much. Spirit took an early night, happy to take my tent before anyone else. Zin and Akalia took charge of everyone to make sure that we had plenty of firewood while Song offered to cook dinner. When I offered myself to help, it was met with a cold gaze by everyone. I deferred to the majority vote, quickly backing away.

Sitting by myself away from camp made me think about this morning. As much as it bothered me, it must bother Aurora just as much or more. Who knows how the quiet Weavile is handling it. All that I knew was that she hadn't gone crazy yet, by either outright attacking Zin, me, or anyone else. Knowing her documented background didn't help much in that regard. In all honesty, it was a wonder that everyone was still comfortable around the Weavile. Giving notice that probably someone has overheard me talk or think about her reports by this time, the thought surprises me more than it probably should.

"We know."

I hardly suppressed the urge to jump as Mist's voice spoke from behind me. It still surprised me that she always caught me unawares. Possibly due to her being a ghost. Or maybe it was due to being lost in my own thoughts. It never took much to surprise me. Mist hands touched my own as I faced her. She was alone as well, much to my surprise. Though this was probably a lecture, at the very least it would be one at a time.

"It is not as bad as you think, actually." she continued. "Aurora is taking it better than expected. So is Zin, actually."

That took me by surprise. The look on my face must have betrayed my thoughts, since Mist giggled softly. I managed to smile, though even I knew it was forced. Mist shook her head, her hands reaching up to touch my face. My back slumped towards her touch, leaning down to her.

"They are just talking, you know." she continued, her hands pulling away slowly. "You really don't give any of us much credit."

"It wasn't the right way to present Zin's view of her, though." I said, shaking my head. "If anything, I should be-"

"No, you are definitely not going over there." Mist said with finality. "That is one of the things both Zin and Aurora asked me to do. They will approach you later. Right now, let them speak to each other at their leisure. Their discussion is heated enough as is without you being in the center of it."

I nodded, seeing her point. Zin could get extremely possessive around me, especially if it came to this kind of relations. She didn't seem to have much of a problem with any of the others, though it seems that everyone else has 'proven' themselves in her eyes. It still felt weird knowing that all of my Pokémon, with the possible exception of Spirit, wanted to bed me at some point or another. It felt extremely odd that even Baast felt that way, and she wasn't part of my original roster. And from her own words, her sister as well? What others have felt that way? The notion that possibly Jon's or Joy's Pokémon feeling that way sent a chill down my spine.

"Master!"

I turned to face the new voice, seeing Xola move towards us. She was panting softly, shaking her head when she came to a stop. My blood ran cold at what could possibly make her so nervous or anxious.

"It's Zin and Aurora." Xola said, still panting. "They're-"

"I'll go ahead." I said, interrupting her. "Mist, make sure that Xola calms down."

I ran towards camp as soon as Mist confirmed my request. While the it was only a few moments away, the need to make sure everyone was alright made the run that much faster. The fire in the middle of camp highlighted the little damage that was caused. A tree nearby had some its leaves burnt as they fell slowly to the ground. The bark was also slightly blackened, along with a few other trees. On the opposite side, there were a few trees that were the recipients of ice. Leaves and parts of the tree bark were frozen inside blocks of ice, revealing only parts of their natural color where the attack didn't reach. The ice seemed to reach behind the trees as well, indicating the force behind the attacks.

Zin was being held down by Akalia, though it was more that they were talking softly to each other. Iolanthe was standing nearby, both of her tentacle hands twitching if need be. Aurora was being pinned down by Baast, who seemed to have no problems subduing the smaller Pokémon. The ground surrounding Baast was covered in ice, Aurora's struggles obvious to anyone seeing the spectacle. Other than the tantrum that she was throwing. It didn't look like she was attacking anyone in specific at the moment.

My gaze fell on my tent. How Spirit slept through the noise and how was the tent intact would be a mystery to me.

A blue glow came from behind me, lighting the tent up brightly. Turning around, the glow was a beam of ice was heading my way. My eyes widened, bringing my arms up to block the impact as much as possible. If I dove out of the way, Spirit could be affected. It wasn't a chance that I wanted to risk. A gentle touch on my arm made me look towards my side, seeing Iolanthe step in front of me. It was a different face that greeted me, though. Instead of the usual face, hers was more rounded now, as well as the rest of her body. The tentacles were thicker, hanging at her sides as she stepped in front of me. I was about to move her out of the way when the Ice Beam hit. The temperature drop was instantaneous, shards of ice landing near my feet as she blocked the beam. The attack ended abruptly, the cold passing and warm air heating me slowly. I shivered slightly, as Iolanthe turned around to face me.

"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice surprisingly lighthearted.

I nodded, my body still shivering. From cold or shock, it was anyone's guess. Her form changed slowly, her face slimming down again to the one I was used to seeing. The large tentacles slimmed down, splitting up again into two thinner ones. Her body slimmed down again, the extra bulk disappearing. To where was a guess I didn't want to make. The safety of my body wasn't worth a risk to guess at her weight.

My legs gave out, but Iolanthe grabbed my body quickly. Her eyes showed concern, but she nodded anyway. Her tentacles wrapped around me, taking me over to where everyone was still standing. No one made a sound as we approached the rest of the group. Xola and Mist were with the rest of the group already, their shocked expressions telling me they knew what just happened. Zin was the first to break the silence by launching an attack towards Aurora and Baast. Baast ducked, avoiding the attack but stopping Aurora from retaliating.

"Both of you, stop it!" I yelled, trying to stand on my own. It was a mildly successful endeavor, though my legs were shaking underneath me.

Akalia and Baast both looked at me hesitantly, before letting their charges go. Aurora jumped off Baast's arms, landing on the ground without effort. Akalia walked until she stood next to Song, lightning beginning to surge through her fur. It felt a little awkward reprimanding in front of a crowd, but everyone became involved after some time. It's not that I was hiding this debacle from anyone seeing it. Everyone at some point became involved. The why was another story, one that needed to be said.

"Alright." I said, breaking the silence first. "Whatever it is that you two talked about almost got Spirit involved. I would like to know what it was you two were discussing."

"Master, they-"

Everyone turned to see Xola's mouth being covered by Mist. My Milotic struggled for a moment to free herself, but relinquished after a moment. Mist shook her head.

"I apologize for the interruption." she said with a smile. "She only wished to speed things along, but it is for the best of the guilty speak for their own defense."

I nodded. "Thank you. You're right. I appreciate the gesture Xola, but they need to tell me what's going on instead of someone else."

My eyes focused back to Zin and Aurora. Both of them were quiet, barely moving at all. Zin's usual animated self was still, her gaze not meeting mine while her tail lay flat on the ground. Aurora stood without a seeming care in the world, examining her claws for flaws or damage. The Weavile seemed extremely confident about something. About what was up in the air. I've given up trying to follow my Pokémon's general train of thought. It was enough knowing that seven out of nine wanted to get in my pants. Constantly.

"Though I know it's a bit unorthodox, I'm willing to ask others for means other than questioning to get answers." I said, raising an eyebrow. "While it's impossible for Song, Iolanthe, or Mist to pull direct information, persuasive interrogation can be made possible due to Baast having enough reasons to pound the crap out of someone."

"Indeed." she said, rubbing her paws slowly. Seeing as she held down Aurora while being the unfortunate bystander of Zin's attacks, she has enough reasons.

Zin still looked like she didn't want to cooperate. Aurora was an entirely different picture. One look towards the Lucario was enough to get her talking. Especially with the grin on Baast's face. Aurora spoke in a rapid fire voice, waving her claws around energetically while pointing at individuals during her speech. I listened, but it was obviously a token offer. It was impossible for me to understand. I was extremely grateful that there were at least four here that could translate. Three, technically, seeing as Zin wasn't speaking for once.

I honestly felt a little bad for the Houndoom. It felt extremely awkward seeing her afraid of my reaction. Has she had this fear all this time? Why? Was the fear of my rejection that strong in her? A touch on my right hand brought me out of my thoughts, turning to see Mist float next to me. She started to go inside of me as I turned my vision over to everyone else. Aurora was shaking slightly, but continued talking nonstop. Her eyes met mine, reminding me that this kind of situation wasn't new to her. I idly wondered if she instigated this on purpose.

"I will translate what she is saying for you, if you are ready, Master." Mist said softly in my mind. I nodded.

A soft voice replaced Mist's soothing one. It took me a moment to finally place the holder of it. Was this what everyone heard when Aurora spoke? It almost sounded like someone tapping on glass.

"I wanted to talk about the comment you told me earlier today, Master." Aurora's voice said, playing inside my skull. "When I approached Zin, she wasn't very cooperative, telling me to mind my own business. When pressed, she only continued to say the same things.

"I then asked what are you to our Master. Zin exploded, telling me that she was everything to you and that I had no rights to question her. Pointing out that I threatening her position wasn't my intentions, she still lashed out to me both physically and verbally. She said that I would never be good enough for you, Master. Zin pointed out that I spent enough time on top of you to, to which I retaliated with saying that my relationship with you wasn't sexual in any way. When Zin didn't respond, I said that the relationship between you two was all about what happened in the bedroom and-"

It was confusing enough to hear the conversation that was already said and having it catch up. Mist worked extremely fast. I silently thanked the ghost, but raised a hand to stem the tide of words that Aurora continually threw. Thankfully, Aurora did stop and saving my head from pounding.

Turning my gaze over to Zin, the Houndoom still looked uncooperative. Her gaze was cast downward, avoiding looking at anything except her paws or the ground. I closed my eyes for a moment, rubbing the bridge of my nose as my mind filtered through the information as quickly as possible. It's understandable that Aurora would want an answer to such accusations, but why was it so important? Probably the more important question is why wouldn't Zin answer her.

"This all looks like a huge misunderstanding, or a severe lack of communication." I said, opening my eyes. "Aurora, you were there when Zin first mentioned this comment. Why are you reacting so strongly now? It didn't seem to bother you at first."

The Weavile spoke, and thank Arceus for small wonders that Mist was still willing to translate.

"I remember." she said softly. "But... hearing you say it made it feel like that you didn't want me to be with you."

So the little ice princess was afraid of rejection. I sighed. "Have my actions ever made you think like this before?" I asked, frowning. "It's not like I've taken you off my head before whenever you climb up on me."

She stayed quiet after that, looking away from me. I turned my attention to Zin, who was still avoiding my gaze. "Zin, would you like to elaborate your part in this?" I asked.

She shook her head, standing and looking at me for the first time in the night. "No. I've already told you my stance on her."

"Right." I said, rubbing my eyes. "Look, this just seems like a huge misunderstanding at worst. Aurora, do you want us to be more physical?"

She shook her head. "All I want is to be close to you. I never understood the need of the others to have such contact with you."

"Join the group." I responded with a chuckle. "Zin, now that you've heard it from her, will you stop antagonizing Aurora?"

She nodded mutely. It was better than nothing, I suppose. One thing that bothered me was how this all came to pass. I honestly didn't want to know, because the headache would be unwelcome.

"Before this gives me a headache, I'm going to ask that you two forgive each other. Mistakes happen, what else is new. But at the very least, understand that you two need to tolerate each other so we don't strangle what cohesiveness we have. Which, if I may say, is one of the few things keeping us together."

Everyone was looking at me by this point. Mist's attention was evident to me as pinpricks of pain went up my arms. I shook my head, pressing onward with my impromptu speech.

"It's our bond with each other that's allowed us to face what we've seen so far. Sure, we're strong by ourselves but we're stronger with each other. Fighting each other isn't going to help our case. Darkrai is still out there, and so is Cresselia, Jirachi, and Arceus knows who else that might want to stop us. Do you really think that..."

I stopped myself before chuckling. "You know, I've said this enough times. You all know what's about to be said. I'm going to look at the stars for a bit more before passing out. Good night."

Looks of surprise were on everyone's faces as I turned away and walked towards the tree line. Someone was following me, but it didn't surprise me when both my arms were grasped. To my left was Song and to my right was Iolanthe. They didn't stop me, but it was obvious they wanted to come along. Turning them down sounded like a bad idea, and it would be nice to have company. We didn't walk that far away from camp, but enough to hide the glow of the fire. It was hard to see the stars through the canopy, but in all honesty I just wanted to be away from everyone. Three Pokémon obviously didn't get the message.

"I was not going to leave you alone, Master." Mist whispered softly.

We stopped under a tree, Song pushing me down to sit on the grass and dirt. With my back resting against the tree, Song and Iolanthe sat to my sides. I closed my eyes, resisting the urge to fall asleep right there and then. More likely than not, all three of the Pokémon with me wanted to make sure that didn't happen.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"To make sure that you don't do something you would regret." Song said.

"Not to sound morbid, but walking off a cliff?" I asked. "I'm sure that Mist would scream murder in my head until I walked the other way. If not outright propel me away if that was ignored."

A chill went down my spine as Mist slowly pushed out of my chest. Her ghostly hands pressed against my cheeks. "Or both." she whispered slyly.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Or both." I conceded. "Something that isn't that far of a stretch."

"Would you do that?" Iolanthe asked.

I shook my head. "No. That's an extreme answer to a temporary problem. I'm not that much of an extremist."

"Master is one of the most understanding humans I've ever met." Song said.

"Song, you've only met like fifteen humans that I know of." I said, shaking my head. "Or at the very least, those that were recorded on file and not counting the monks."

Mist giggled at that. "If my opinion counts, I would have to say the same." she said. "You are very understanding, almost to a fault."

"I have also noticed that you are extremely patient." Iolanthe said, adding her thoughts to the pool. "Most trainers would have given up in exasperation long before now."

"I think you've said that before." I pointed out.

Iolanthe shrugged, her body leaning on mine. "I believe you are right, but it does not make it less of a truth."

"I give up." I said, leaning my head back. "I can't say anything without one of you having something to say."

"You should just give up and listen to what we have to say." Song said with a giggle.

"But I already do that!"

"Not as often as you should." Mist said, giggling.

"Alright, so what do you three suggest?" I asked.

Mist giggled instantly, while Song leaned against me more. The feeling that they were communicating without my knowing was a bit too obvious. Iolanthe pulled away from me completely as if my body was on fire. Mist and Song laughed together, leaving me feeling confused.

I rolled my eyes to myself. "What are the odds that Zin has set fire to camp?" I asked aloud.

"Oh, I think that those two will behave themselves now." Song said. "They looked a bit scared of you, and will probably be for a while."

"I don't know about being scared of me." I mumbled. "Do you really think so?"

Song giggled. "Yeah. I was honestly surprised that Zin didn't dig a hole for her head. If she pushed her head any lower, she would have needed one."

That mental image made me grin. It wasn't my intention, but I couldn't help it. Mist on the other hand, giggled for me as her hands gripped my shirt. Song stood up, using me as a stand. Mist floated farther away from me, both of their silhouettes standing over me.

"Could you stay with them, Mist?" Song asked.

Though she didn't respond immediately, it only took a moment for her to nod. Mist floated down to me, resting against my chest. Song looked down at us, her eyes glowing slightly.

"I'll make sure that nothing happens at camp. You two just make sure that Master comes back intact."

Intact? I was about ask what she meant, but something covered my mouth. My words were muffled as Song waved towards the three of us and walked calmly away. Whoever was covering my mouth finally removed it when Song was completely out of sight.

"I was the one that stopped you, Master." Iolanthe said, answering the unasked question.

"Why?"

"Because you would object." Mist pointed out. "And it was either you be forced with Xola or Iolanthe. Or would you like to have Song here? Perhaps Akalia?"

Oh Arceus. I shook my head. "Would it be all possible to have a rain check for this? I'm not quite in the mood."

"That excuse will not work with me, and I will tell you why." Mist said. "Zin trapped you in her den, and she forced you into giving her what she wanted. And seeing that you are still alive and intact, you conceded to the act."

"I'm willing to believe that there's a submissive somewhere buried in my psyche."

"That is one extremely weak argument."

"Point taken."

"Besides, it's not like you don't enjoy it." Mist continued. "Unless you are more repulsed than you show."

"I think you've been in my mind enough times to know that isn't the case." I said, groaning. "It's just... dealing with Zin and Aurora's bickering was frustrating. It bothers me that Aurora reacted so strongly, even after hearing from Zin. It bothers me that Zin felt that way about her. It bothers me that I spoke like an idiot."

"It is those flaws that make you mortal." Mist said. "Even I am not exempt from making mistakes, as you well know. Accept them for who they are."

I nodded. "Knowing that, it still bothers me that I reacted so nonchalantly."

"That was nonchalant?" Iolanthe asked, confusion in her voice. "What would be a scenario when you care?"

I shook my head. "I don't want to know."

"Regardless, what is stopping you?" Mist asked, pressing against my forehead. "Uncomfortable?"

"Would you believe that I don't know how to approach you, Iolanthe?" I asked, turning to face her.

She didn't respond vocally, choosing to lean towards me instead. Though I turned to face her, it wasn't possible to stop her from knocking me down. Iolanthe laid on top of me, facing each other. Her tentacles held my arms tightly as Mist's chuckling echoed in my ears. My struggles didn't earn me much freedom, though I was positive that Iolanthe wasn't using much of her strength to hold me down. It didn't look like she was struggling to pin me down. Her face leaned over mine, eyes looking at mine. She blinked, as if confused over something.

She leaned further towards me, her face meeting my lips. Was this her idea of a kiss? While it felt a bit awkward, it was definitely a unique experience. Pressing back against her, it was good to feel that she didn't pull away. Mist's voice giggled from somewhere around us.

I ignored the giggling, focusing on returning the affection. She pulled away from me suddenly, her eyes encompassing my field of vision. Iolanthe shook her head, leaning down again but holding me tightly against her. Her tentacles released my arms, but wrapped around my body instead. Surprised by her actions, I still wrapped my arms around her.

"Hold me, please." Iolanthe whispered.

"Of course." I said, stroking her back. "Just remember that we don't have to do anything you don't want to do."

"I'm satisfied for now, holding you like this." she said, burying her face against my neck.

Mist's giggle echoed in my ears as I closed my eyes. It was a relief to know that the night wasn't as cold as Mount Silver. Then again, that was just a death trap.

==========================///////////////////////=========================

We marched into Cerulean City, and I'm pretty sure that it looked a bit intimidating. With Song and Iolanthe walking beside me, Xola and Baast walked behind me. Aurora was on top of my head, while Akalia and Zin acted as the front guard. Not to mention with Mist hovering above my head and Spirit flying a bit higher than Mist. I'm sure that anyone that didn't know me saw this as either a very confident trainer, or flaunting an obvious breaking of trainer rules. It was funny when someone walked up and tried to say something. Zin almost blasted him before I walked up to him.

"This better be important enough to risk getting burned by a Houndoom." I said to the man. He looked as old as my dad. He wore a matching blue shirt and shorts, but not much else stood out.

"You can't have more than six Pokémon." he pointed out. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm a breeder." I said. "Unlike a regular trainer, that rule doesn't apply to me. Now, if that's all you wanted to point out, could you point me in the direction of Misty? I have something to deliver to her."

"She's at the gym." he said. "But you wont get to see her. You have to be a trainer to meet the gym leader."

I shrugged, walking away from him. "I'm sure that there can be exceptions." I called, waving goodbye.

It was a bit ironic to find that there were trainers that didn't know about breeders. Well, maybe they were like me and didn't know much breeders in general. Not much information was given in any of the tests and packets that I was given to study. Maybe it was more about a niche group of individuals that knew about it. Well, lucky me that we ran into Joy after all.

That and being saved from Abomasnow and all. Yeah. Let's leave that were that lies.

It was nice to know that Aurora and Zin worked out their problems. Baast informed me, however briefly, that they have agreed to disagree. At the very least they're being more amiable to each other. And here I thought that more severe courses of action had to be taken.

No one came to talk to us after that guy. Maybe we did look more intimidating than I thought. Either way, it was easy to spot the gym due to the massive crowd gathered in front of it. Not to mention the huge Pokémon on top of it. The gym was by itself, surrounded by trees while the nearest building being the Pokémon Center. As we approached, I could see that a few people had some kind of paper in their hands. Shrugging, I decided to wait out the crowd to see what was the whole deal. Thankfully, it only took a few minutes by my reckoning for everyone to get inside the building. Walking forward, there was a ticket booth in clear sight with a guy sitting inside.

"Tickets?" he asked as we approached.

I blinked in surprise. "Um... actually, I'm here to talk to Misty. Is she available?"

He shook his head. "Unfortunately, she is the lead for today's show. She's going to be busy all day, and if you aren't a trainer you can't challenge her."

It was through force of will that stopped me from rolling my eyes. "I know that I can't challenge her." I said calmly. "Agatha from the Elite Four handed me a letter personally to give to Misty. If you want to be the one that holds that up, fine by me. I can tell Indigo Plateau what was the hold up and blame it on you."

The words were that, and it was extremely unlikely that it would have any effect. The guy didn't react any differently than I expected, giving me a shrug.

"Sure, and so do the next twenty bozos that try to get in here for free. Look pal, I don't care what's your excuse for not buying a ticket but you need one to get in here."

"When does the show end?" I asked, changing tactics.

He rolled his eyes while pointing upwards. "You can't read well, can you?"

Ignoring the jab at my intelligence, I looked up to see the times of the shows. Pulling out my Pokédex, the most recently started show was going on now. This would be the second show, starting at ten and going until midday. There was a two hour window, so maybe it would be possible to meet Misty then? I shrugged, closing my Pokédex and turning away.

"Hey!" the guy called. "What's your name, so we can get the authorities when I tell Misty?"

"You just tell her that Agatha sent me." I said, rolling my eyes. "I'll see you at midday."

===========================///////////////////////========================

We paraded into the Pokémon Center, getting a rather happy reception from the Nurse Joy behind the desk. It was a bit surprising at first until she cleared that the Blackthorn City Nurse Joy called. Apparently, Agatha liked to talk about things. I wouldn't be surprised if she knew more than she showed.

"I just wanted to make sure that you felt welcome in Cerulean City." she said with a smile. "After hearing that you helped take care of Zapdos in Johto, you've been the talk of the region."

I shrugged. "It wasn't just me, that's for sure." I said. "One of your sisters and a Blackthorn Ranger were part of it."

She waved my comment aside. "Sure, but they're not here right now. And speaking of said sister, Isabella is going to give you the pounding of a lifetime for leaving her behind."

"I imagine so." I said, shrugging. "Joy and Jonathan can both fly faster than I can. No offense, Spirit."

My Flygon didn't seem to care, rubbing her cheek against mine. Nurse Joy giggled at the display.

"Will you be staying here?" Nurse Joy asked. "I'm sure that Isabella would like to know where you are."

"Yeah, we'll be staying here." I said. "Much to my regret that she'll know. We're going to check with Misty in about two hours, too."

"Something from the officials, right?" she asked with a smile.

"Something like that." I said with a shrug. "All I know is that Agatha personally handed me a letter. Got no idea what it says, and it's not my business to know unless told otherwise."

"Fair enough. I'll get you a key for your room. Will you like a check-up for your Pokémon?"

I shook my head. "We didn't do any fighting while on our way. Spirit could do with some more rest, though, so just peace and quiet will do."

Nurse Joy nodded, passing me the keys. "It's a large room, for when Isabella and Jonathan arrive. You should rest before meeting Misty. She can be a pain in the ass sometimes."

I nodded. "What can you tell me about her?"

"In about six words? She's a pain in the ass. Trainers that fight her for the Cascade Badge always come here with more injuries than I care to admit to. In my professional opinion, she should retire."

Her eyes widened for a moment, before leaning over the counter and grabbing my hands. "Maybe Agatha sent you here to teach her a lesson! Oh, Arceus, that would be a blessing!"

"I highly doubt that, Nurse Joy." I said with a nervous grin. "I'm a breeder. Technically it's impossible for me to challenge a gym leader."

"Well, maybe the letter says otherwise." Nurse Joy suggested. Letting go of my hands, she gave me a smile. "Either way, we'll find out in a bit. Go rest, and I'll wake you up before the show ends."

I nodded, walking down the rather familiar looking hallway that Nurse Joy pointed out. Were all Pokémon Centers built the same? Regardless, it was easy to find the room. Opening it up, I was greeted by a larger room than was expected. It was a gigantic room, with three full beds. It even had it's own television! Zin, Akalia, and Aurora claimed one bed, so I dropped my bag on top of it.

"The other beds are for Joy and Jon, whenever they get here." I said, turning to face everyone. "Let's not ruin that for them. We all should get some rest before we have to talk to Misty."

Everyone nodded as I proceeded to sit on the bed and take off my shoes. With that accomplished, the idea cropped up that setting an alarm would be a good idea. Pulling out my Pokédex, the function was easy to find and I set one up for midday. With that accomplished, and making sure that no one was currently behind me, I leaned back and closed my eyes. Sleep sounded good, especially after being sleeping on the ground last night.

=========================////////////////////////////======================

The alarm rang, making me wake up instantaneously. For the first time it wasn't Aurora's fault that it rang. No one but Iolanthe, Xola, and Song were curled up around or above me. It didn't take much for Xola to move, allowing me to at least sit up. It took a gentle nudge for the Milotic to finally get off me.

"It's way too early." Xola grumbled as she moved.

I chuckled, rubbing her body gently. "Well, we don't want to miss our appointment with Misty."

"Oh yeah." she mumbled. "We should go."

"Indeed." Iolanthe said, her tentacles curling around me.

I grabbed my shoes, slipping them on and tying them as fast as possible. Xola and Iolanthe nodded at me. Song was yawning demurely in my direction.

"You wake me up for this?" she asked. "And here I thought we would be sleeping for longer."

I grinned. "You should know me better by now."

"Oh I do. Though I still wonder why you and Iolanthe didn't do it."

My cheeks heated instantly. "That's a good question."

We all turned to Iolanthe, who was looking at us with surprise in her eyes. "What?"

Song and Xola giggled, while I shrugged. "They're laughing at us because we didn't have sex." I pointed out.

"I thought that you did not want to."

"Iolanthe." Song said in a de facto voice. "When you want something from Master, you have to take it. No matter how oddly it feels, and especially if it's a matter of his body."

"Song, I do not need anyone else jumping down my pants." I groaned. "Let's get going and meet with Misty. I don't think it would be a good idea to keep a gym leader waiting."

Nobody argued after that, following me as we left the room and the Pokémon Center. We could see the crowd of people walking away from the Cerulean gym as the show ended. I think it was a good idea to stay away from the moving mass of people as they left the building. It took a few moments until it finally stopped, and we made our way forward. The same guy at the ticket booth saw me, motioning inside the building. Out walked a tall woman with sand blond hair, wearing a form fitting white bathing suit. She was wearing a matching jacket, unbuttoned and only with one sleeve on. Her eyes were a piercing green, her mouth looking to be caught between a grin and a laugh.

"You really bothered me for this?" she asked. "What is it you want, an autograph?"

I ignored her questions, pulling out the letter that Agatha gave to me. She grabbed it quickly, her grin becoming slightly more prominent.

"Follow me, kid." she said, turning around and walking inside the gym. The ticket booth guy looked at me in surprise, and all I could do was shrug. It didn't feel like making Misty wait was a good idea, so we followed her.

While I've never been inside any gym, it didn't strike me that the building would be this large. Some walls were gigantic aquariums, housing all kinds of Pokémon from different regions. Some I recognized, like the Seadra that sped past my vision or the Seaking that was lazying about. Others were completely new to me, like the one my Pokédex identified as a Gorebyss after being confused over the long pink Pokémon with a needle for a nose.

We followed Misty until we reached a large pool area. She took a seat in the stands, motioning for us to do the same. I sat down next to her while Song, Iolanthe, and Xola stood nearby.

"You know what your signing yourself up for, right?" she asked.

I blinked. "Er... actually, I have no idea." I admitted. "Agatha just gave me that letter to give to you, in hopes that you could point us to Lance."

She blinked, before laughing hysterically. Did I say something funny?

"Oh shit!" she exclaimed, barely containing her laughter. "This is fucking rich! Damn that old woman. Hope she rots in her grave, sending kids to do her dirty work."

My surprise must have been obvious. Her grin reminded me of Joy for some strange reason. The cynical part of my brain idly wondered why. Must be the language.

She showed me the letter in her hand, which was decorated with three words. 'You owe me' was clearly seen against the white paper.

"What is it that you owe to Agatha?" I asked.

"I bet against her that no one would come looking for the champions on their own volition." Misty explained, wiping away a tear. "She told me that someone would, eventually, and that I would owe her a favor."

"Which would be?" I asked.

Her face split into a grin. "You're a breeder, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, why do you ask?"

"What made you pick that path?" she continued, ignoring my question. "Have you been attacked by Darkrai?"

I blinked, but nodded. "Two of them, actually." I clarified.

"Damn. That's crazy. Most people don't live through one."

"Wait a second, you said people don't live?"

She nodded. "What, you've been believing that nonsense that the League spits out? Most people that end up encountering Darkrai are dead by now."

I looked at Song, her eyes wide at the news. We were extremely lucky. Misty's laughter made me turn back to her.

"Yeah, Pokémon that are attacked by them usually meet the same fate as the trainers." she said with a shrug. "That's why the champs are out there, doing whatever it is they're trying to do to stop them."

"So then the champions moving around is old news." I said, frowning.

"Duh. Lance came here last year to inspect the Cerulean Cave. Looking for some writing that Mewtwo left or something was his excuse."

I raised an eyebrow at that. "Mewtwo?" I asked.

"Some experiment that Team Rocket made a few years ago." she said with a shrug. "Supposedly some super powerful Pokémon with the fossilized blood of Mew or some junk. It was never confirmed or denied when they captured Giovanni. He never talked."

"So Lance is going on a rumor of a pile of rumors." I said, raising an eyebrow. "The only thing we know that's true is that the Darkrai are killing people and Pokémon at random."

"Pretty much it." she said, laughing. "Oh, and before you go, I want to ask you something."

I raised an eyebrow. "Go for it. What's up?"

"Will you fight me?"

"Technically I can't." I said. "I'm a breeder."

"Fuck that rule." she said, rolling her eyes. "I never understood the point. It's the gym leaders that set the fighting rules anyway! I'm telling you it's OK, so will you or not?!"

I didn't respond for a second. She filled the silence. "Have you even fought a gym leader?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No. Becoming a breeder seemed way more important." I said. "Six Pokémon wasn't enough to help my Gardevoir when Darkrai attacked her. It was bad enough then, and I don't want that to happen to anyone else."

"Well, that explains the staff in her hands." Misty said, pointing behind me. I nodded.

"That's some serious shit." she said. "You also haven't answered my question."

"What would be the rules?" I asked.

"That's for me to figure out and for you to guess." she said, winking at me. "How many Pokémon do you have?"

"Nine in total."

"Sounds like enough for thirty minute show." she said with a smile. "That is, if you don't mind."

I looked behind me, seeing my friends give me slight nods. I didn't have to say anything, her hand extending to meet mine.

"It looks like we have a plan." she said with a laugh.

Chapter 26: Cascade

I motioned to stand and leave Misty alone, but she interrupted that process. She insisted that I stayed, seeing as we were going to fight. Her grin widened as she patted the chair that I had just vacated.

"Nervous?" she asked.

I nodded. "I won't lie. This is the first time dueling someone of League caliber."

She shrugged. "Don't worry about it. We'll see where you stand. Just do your best, and don't let anything get in your way. You have to fight to earn your strength anyway."

"It's not like we haven't trained at all." I said in my defense. Misty turned to me, her grin widening. "I'll admit, probably not as consistent as most, but we're not weak."

"You think you're not." she said. "There's always someone tougher than you."

"Don't you think I know that?" I asked. "Because getting my face shoved in by Darkrai wasn't enough to explain that."

Silence fell in our conversation, but her grin didn't go away completely. After a quiet moment, she continued.

"Tell me about Darkrai. If you don't mind, that is."

I looked at her a little surprised. Uncertainty made me hesitate, and it wasn't until Iolanthe touched my shoulder did I shake my stupor. Nodding, I started with my first meeting of Darkrai in Celestic Town. I made sure to avoid anything relating my personal relationship with my own Pokémon. Somehow, she didn't strike me as someone that appreciated that. She asked questions, about the town and what I saw. It didn't feel like lying to this woman would be a good idea. It was the same feeling that I got when dealing with Joy or Zin. Steel hidden under a veil of silk. In Zin's case it would be a layer of lava hiding under the silk, but all the same.

It took a while, trying to explain my thought process to Misty. In hindsight, it felt like everything was barely under our control. To be truthful, it still felt that we never have been. Even when we finally made it to the monastery, it felt that we were falling into another hole.

"Damn Nick, you've been through the wringer, haven't you." she said, shaking her head. "I'd be worried too, if we were swapped."

"You haven't heard the best part." I mused.

"There's more, huh?" she said before laughing. "That's just what happened in Sinnoh? Then what?"

I continued from there, laughing together about Joy's theft of the singer's Pikachu doll from Jubilife to my air sickness while on the plane. I skimmed over certain things that weren't mine to say, like Jon's relationship with the Zapdos, but she wanted to know everything about the fight. As I gave a rather quick summary of the fight, footsteps echoed as someone came towards us from the way we came. Misty groaned.

"That has to be one of my sisters."

Who appeared wasn't just one lady, but three women. All three of them were in bikini's, as opposed to Misty's one piece suit. One of the sisters had a head of bright orange hair, while the other two had bright blue and pink. How much did they have to pay for that? Well, since they get constant customers, they might have enough to cover their lifestyle.

But pink? I bit my tongue and steeled my face, not wanting to show my surprise. They all wore a similar style of swim wear, just different colors. The orange haired sister bikini was a solid gold color that slightly shimmered as she moved. She definitely wasn't shy of attention being drawn to her assets. The blue haired sister had a matching bikini color to her hair with only stripes of red and yellow breaking the solid color. The pink haired one bikini color was a bright red with white hearts for decorations.

The lady with orange hair walked up to us, passing by my Pokémon with a polite smile. Her eyes stopped on Iolanthe for more than a casual glance, but didn't say anything until she looked towards us.

"Hey sis. Not planning on another trip without us knowing are you?"

"Not on your life, Daisy." Misty retorted with a smile. "Just planning a little surprise for this next show."

"A challenger?" Daisy asked, her green eyes wide. "Why didn't you say so? At least you aren't going to dye your hair at the last second like last time, right?"

I turned to see Misty give me a grin. "I don't know about that just yet. Still think my orange looks good on you, by the way." she said. "We'll have to see how well he does for later, though. He's a breeder, really."

"Interesting." the blue haired sister said. "But you aren't really a breeder, if you're planning on fighting."

"Shush, Violet!" the remaining sister said.

"Don't you shush me, Lily."

"And why not?" she demanded. "Misty's the one that handles all the fighting."

I blinked. "Wait. All four of you are the gym leaders for Cerulean City?" I asked, confused.

Lily shook her head. "Just Misty. Even since she's come back from training, we've managed to give Cerulean City a good standing gym. It was hard when she wasn't here."

"Here we go again." Violet groaned. Daisy giggled, patting Lily on the shoulder.

"It was tough times back then, but that's behind us now. Sis is back, kicking ass and taking names." she said with a wink. "We haven't had anyone stroll through here with a cocky grin in... five or six years now, I think."

"So Misty fights, and you three organize the shows?" I asked. "I'm sorry for asking questions. This is actually my first time in a gym."

"Don't worry about it." Daisy said, waving my apology away. "We're more than happy to answer, as long as you can put up with Violet's whining."

"I am not whining!" Violet complained, putting on a serious face.

"Right. You're complaining. It's what you say every time." Daisy said, turning to give her sister a smile. She turned back to me again. "Still with us so far?"

I nodded. "I think so. Don't mind me if I lose the thought process."

"You don't have that much time to think. Misty, we wanted to let you know that the next show starts in a bit over an hour. Just giving you a heads up so you can set up whatever it is you're planning."

Misty nodded, giving her sister a thumbs up. "Don't worry, I got this."

Daisy nodded. "Come on girls, let's get ourselves ready." she said, grabbing the two other sisters by the arms and pulling them away. Misty laughed at the display, shaking her head.

"They haven't changed." she said with a smile.

"That's a good thing, right?" I asked. She nodded.

"Oh yeah. Way better than things used to be!"

That didn't make any sense at all, but I nodded anyway. It was probably for the best. Understanding the woman mind wasn't in my to-do list today.

"Anyway, Daisy did have a point though. I have to work a few things out. Don't chicken out on me now."

"Is there anywhere that you want me to wait?" I asked.

"Follow me." she said, standing up. "I'll take you to the waiting room. By the way, do you have swimming trunks?"

============================/////////////////////=========================

I had gone back to get my swimming shorts from the Pokémon Center. By the time I came back, there was already a sign declaring that there was a challenger for the Cascade Badge propped up next to the ticket booth. People were forming a line already, all of them with eager looks on their faces. While having some problems going back inside, Misty appeared to part the crowd and let me through. The crowd was on us instantly, asking all kinds of questions. Misty pointedly ignored them all before turning around, with me in hand, and pointing first at the sign and then to me.

"Yeah, this kid is the one that's going to challenge me." Misty said, without preamble. "It's going to be different than the usual affair, so maybe you'll be surprised. You're gonna have to pay to find out!"

Before anyone could say anything, especially me, she turned around and pulled me along with her. The hallways passed by in a blur, leading me to a door and pushing me inside without much time to adjust. While I did manage to stay upright, Misty caught my attention by knocking on the door.

"Yeah, your Pokémon are here." she said, pointing to my left. Song, Iolanthe, and Xola were there talking quietly among themselves.

"They've been quiet enough while they waited for you." she continued. "One of my sisters is going to come and get you when it's time. Don't freak out on us now."

"Wait!" I exclaimed, scrambling for the door before she closed it. "Are all those people over there coming to see us fight?"

She laughed. "You bet your ass they are!" she said, patting my shoulder. "No pressure, right?"

She left me there, struggling to come up with anything to say, as she closed the door softly. Not even the clicking sound of the door closing jarred me to move. It felt like I was in shock. Not only were we going to fight a gym leader, but in front of a crowd as well? And, not to mention that this would be the first time we fought someone that most of their focus is battling.

"Shit." I mumbled. "This is bad, isn't it?"

What have I gotten myself into? All of a sudden, the implications behind what we were doing crashed inside of me. Panic settled in me, and it didn't leave until something pulled at me. Iolanthe held me tightly, her tentacles wrapping my body. My struggle was half-hearted, fully knowing that it would be impossible to break out of it. I stopped when her face pressed against my cheek, stroking my hands.

"We will be fine." she said, holding me. "Believe in us."

I nodded slowly, my heart feeling like it was about to burst out of my chest at any moment. Iolanthe dragged me toward Song and Xola, making me sit on her lap. Song held me as best she could, resting her head on my shoulder. Xola leaned forward, resting against me and my lap. My body shook uncontrollably for a moment, forcefully held still by Io's hold.

"We'll be fine." Song said confidently. "It sounded more like she wants a show more than a serious fight."

I shook my head. "She's a gym leader." I pointed out. "If she doesn't take this as seriously as any fight before, she'll probably lose the intimidation that she's enjoyed. It doesn't feel like she's going to hold back."

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Xola said, nodding. "If it's a fight she wants, it's a fight she'll get. We don't plan on just giving her an easy time with us."

"If she thinks we are an easy victory, she will be disappointed in what she will face." Iolanthe said. "We will do our best."

We stayed quiet, my nerves slowly calming down. The situation wasn't that bad, in all honesty. At the very least, compared to what we've gone through already. Nobody's going to be permanently injured after this is said and done. Compared to the alternatives that we could have gone through, that's a step in the right direction.

The realization of thinking in such grim terms was a bit shocking. It wasn't even about winning or losing. Survival was the reason we fought half the time, anyway. Well, except for that Zapdos. Though we did end up picking a fight with her instead of the other way around.

"I'd better tell everyone what we're getting into." I said. Song grabbed the Pokéballs one by one, releasing everyone around us.

It was nice to see everyone was well, but the surprised look on all their faces reminded me of what we were doing. I shook my head, forcing my brain to think of something to say.

"We're about to fight a gym leader." I said without any preamble. "I don't really know how else to say it or what we're about to encounter, either."

"But isn't that impossible?" Baast asked.

I nodded. "It's supposed to be." I answered, nodding to the Lucario. "Apparently, Misty doesn't approve of that rule. For what information we got from Misty, her request is that we fight her."

"Well then, that doesn't sound like a big deal." Zin said confidently.

"She's a water-type Pokémon specialist." I said, frowning. "We're also fighting in front of a crowd."

Mist, Xola, Baast, Akalia, and Song didn't seem that bothered about that bit of news. Zin didn't take the news well, her usual calm demeanor deflating instantly. Aurora's claws clicked together. Iolanthe still looked impassive over the entire situation. Spirit was shaking slightly, her wings making a soft humming sound. I disengaged myself from Iolanthe's grip slowly, approaching the Flygon and holding her head within my hands. Her wings stopped their humming as she leaned towards me.

"Why does it always come down to me giving some rallying speech?" I asked, smiling to Spirit. Her eyes widened slightly, as if she was at fault. She struggled against me for some reason, but my grip kept her still.

"I'm not blaming you, so stop squirming and hug me." I said softly. Spirit finally relented, holding me tightly. I turned to face everyone, making sure that my Flygon's claws were across my chest.

"We're going to fight a water-type specialist." I said. "It's obvious that this isn't new to her, and she gives the air of someone that just hasn't sat at home and trained. She's experienced and perhaps more than us, but it's not like we've been sitting on our asses this entire time. Sure, it isn't the same training she may have done, but training is training.

"This isn't a life or death scenario, either, so we have that going for us. We give it our all regardless. Doing any less is a discredit to both ourselves and our opponent. I highly doubt that she's going to go soft on us, so we have to bring our best. All nine of you are fighting, most likely. Also, we're fighting in front of an audience."

My Pokémon murmured among themselves, but I kept talking. "Regardless of what happens, we'll give her a fight that she'll remember. Win or lose doesn't really matter. We get to see how we fair against a battle hardened opponent."

"We can't back out, can we?" Zin asked.

I shook my head. "Not really, especially after she made the trouble of announcing it to the people making the line outside." I said, frowning.

"Figures." she said, snorting a puff of flame. "Well, it looks like I'm the weakest link for once."

"Zin, don't say that." I said, frowning. "You're not the weakest link in our team by far. No one is."

"In this match I am." she said, narrowing her eyes. "One solid hit and I'm out for the count."

"Then we make it so you don't get hit." I said. The look on her face told me she wanted to argue, but a knock on the door stopped her from talking.

The door opened to reveal Daisy and Lily, still in their swimsuits. They took a look at me and smiled.

"Ready?" Daisy asked.

"In a second." I said with a smile. "Was giving my team a pep talk."

She nodded. "The show starts in five minutes. We're here to escort you."

I nodded as they closed the door. A grin appeared on my face.

"Turn around, so I can change."

Song laughed. "Half of us have had sex with you, while all of us have seen you naked at one point or another. Change already!"

=======================/////////////////////////==========================

"And that was Lily and her spectacular musical, staring our beloved Dewgong and the crew!" Daisy's voice said, almost being drowned by the cheer of the crowd.

We were under the stage, my hands shaking slightly. My heart pounded, the tips of my fingers slowly going numb. Iolanthe and Spirit were trying to keep me calm. Io more than Spirit, as the Flygon was still as nervous as ever.

"And now, for something a little unexpected!" Violet said, taking over the microphone. "Misty has accepted a challenger that just showed up a little while ago this morning. We don't even know where he's from, so prepare for a little impromptu introductions and such. Give us a second while we make sure that he's not shaking in his boots."

Laughter from the crowd echoed to us. It made me stand abruptly, still shaking. Out of fear or outrage, I wasn't completely sure. Maybe a little of both. Daisy showed up, a big smile on her face.

"Nervous?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yeah." I said, still shaking. "I've never done anything like this before."

"Look, do your best." Daisy advised. "Misty's a little crazy, but all she wants is a good fight. Give her that, ignore the comments that Violet throws, and you'll be golden. That's all we're expecting, though if you beat Misty you'll have people chasing you to the ends of Kanto and Johto."

"Why?"

"We have a reputation as one of the toughest gyms in Kanto." she said, reminding me. "Misty made it this way. Don't expect her to go easy on you just because you're a breeder."

I nodded. "We're expecting that."

She nodded. "I hope so. Come on, let's go introduce you."

I nodded, everyone standing up one by one. We followed Daisy up the stairs and reaching the stage. We were still out of sight, and Daisy held out a hand before we passed her. It didn't take long for Violet to look our way, and Daisy nodded. Violet made a hand gesture up in the air, and the lights dimmed slightly. A spotlight landed in front of us and Daisy motioned for us to follow her.

The stage itself wasn't that different, viewing it from the stands or from my current position. The only thing that was more obvious was how wide the pool really was. Was that the fighting arena? The water had floating platforms as well, so it looked like there was an even spread of land and water. Though obviously this still favored Misty.

As we stepped forward, we were followed by the light as well as by the crowd. The cheering was deafening, making my ears hurt slightly. How many people were in here anyway? Was it sold out? As we approached Violet, the spotlight faded and allowed me to see the rows and rows of people that were going to watch this. I didn't hear the question Violet asked me, but I heard the crowd laugh. Daisy tapped my shoulder, smiling at me brightly. Violet coughed loudly into the microphone, getting my attention.

"Like I said earlier, this is a bit unscripted." she said with a smile. "What's your name, and where are you from?"

I swallowed, leaning towards the microphone slightly. "My name is Nick Elazar from Solaceon, Sinnoh." I said, doing my best to keep my voice from wavering.

Violet didn't look like she was going to give me any slack, though. She grinned at me wikedly. "Nervous?" she asked. "Don't be. Just avoid getting slammed down by Misty too fast."

I frowned, but kept my opinions to myself. It wasn't like that needed to be rubbed in. Daisy looked she wanted a few choice words, but kept quiet as well. Probably for the sake of the show. Her face didn't look like she appreciated the heckling that her sister was giving me. It was only after a moment that the laughter from the audience made it to my ears. Fine, let them think that way. They'll see what we can do.

"Well, that sure was exciting!" Violet said, turning to the audience again. "I think I've heard of Elazar somewhere. Maybe a book? I dunno, but whatever! That isn't all that important right now! Ladies and gentlemen, kids of all ages, please welcome the Cerulean City gym leader! The one and only Misty!"

An explosion of cheers made me wince slightly as Misty made her way to the stage, walking side by side with Lily. The only difference on Misty's attire was the belt on her waist. The Pokéballs gleaming from the stage light made it obvious what it was for. As Misty made her way to Violet, she handed the microphone to the gym leader. Misty grinned, patting her sister on the shoulder.

"Thank you all for coming today!" she said, her voice echoing through the arena. "We're bringing you something a little different than the standard battle. Instead, we're going to have a nine on nine fight. We'll swap after every fight, and the best one overall is the winner. Best out of nine wins."

Misty passed over the microphone back to Violet. She grinned as she turned back to me. "By the way, we're fighting on the water. No Pokémon here on dry ground."

I frowned. This is bad from my perspective. This is a complete disadvantage for Zin, and probably for most of my team. I looked over to my team behind me, nodding to everyone. Akalia, Zin, and Aurora nodded as my fingers touched their Pokéballs. Before I could recall them, Zin stepped forward.

"Send me first." she muttered. "I don't care what it is that I'll be fighting, but I want to get it over with."

I nodded, recalling them and placing the Pokéballs in my pocket, Xola helping me get in the water. Daisy walked up to me before I moved.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I can't swim." I muttered. She nodded immediately.

"I'll make sure that if you fall we can get you out." she said with a smile. "Our Dewgong and Cloyster are on the case. Focus on fighting."

I nodded. "Thanks, Daisy."

Holding tightly to Xola, we headed towards a golden floating platform. Standing on it, at the very least it was stable. Iolanthe and Xola climbed on top of it, their weight not tilting it. I wasn't about to complain, that's for sure. Baast and Song jumped towards us, using other platforms to stay near us but not crowd mine. Mist and Spirit floated by, landing on another platform close by. It still bothered me how large this pool is.

A cheer from the crowd made me turn towards Misty, seeing her standing next to a large shelled Pokémon. With cannons on its shoulders. A Blastoise. Saw one on a tournament once. It wiped the floor with the competition. And Zin was going to fight it. Somehow, I got the feeling that I would never hear the end of this one.

"Well, here goes." I muttered, grabbing the Pokéballs in my pockets. My hands froze, holding Zin's Pokéball. We were probably going to regret this. I let her out, throwing the ball forward. The device landed ahead of me on another platform, Zin appearing without much fanfare. I could swear I heard a laugh from the crowd. All I could hear was my own breathing and heartbeat.

"Well, this is interesting!" Daisy said, apparently taking hold of the microphone at some point. "Nick is using a Houndoom to combat Misty's Blastoise. Alright! First fight out of nine! Give our audience the show they deserve! Go!"

The Blastoise dove into the water as Zin moved forward using the platforms. Thankfully it was still visible, not going underneath the surface of the water for some reason. Zin attacked, spitting fire in the Blastoise's general direction.

"Zin, Smoke Screen!"

"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!"

Shit! Zin disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, but it wouldn't stop the torrent of water headed her way. The Blastoise jumped, clearing the surface of the water and using the water cannons on its back to saturate the platform that Zin was on with water. Thank Arceus, Zin bolted out of the way and completely avoiding the attack. She leaned forward, unleashing a gout of fire towards the airborne target. Blastoise retreated into its shell quickly before disappearing inside the flames. A loud splash could be heard as Zin stopped blowing fire.

Smoke Screen wasn't going to help much, unless she covered a wide area. It looked like she came to the same conclusion, dropping clouds of black smoke as she moved from platform to platform. This was obviously a match we couldn't win easily. It was really a matter of wearing the Blastoise down, or getting hit and taking the loss. Knowing Zin, though, she would rather take the Blastoise down with her if she could.

"Blastoise, Flash Cannon!" Misty yelled out.

Her Blastoise came out of the water, standing on a platform in front of Zin. The problem with his positioning. Zin could only evade going towards Blastoise, or falling back enough. Or jumping into the water. Oh, and it was in my direction, too.

"Zin, Feint Attack!"

Not much wasn't going in our favor, so I decided to press what advantage we could. Zin darted forward through the smog covered platforms. Whether he was aiming for my Houndoom or not wasn't the problem anymore. Twin balls flashing multicolored light headed towards us. Zin jumped out of the black smoke, clearing the attack and nailing the large Pokémon.

Of course, now the attack was headed towards us. Before it got any closer, a large prismatic barrier appeared. The attack landed on it, dissipating harmlessly. I looked towards the stage, seeing Daisy smile at me. I nodded, turning my focus again towards the battle.

Fact: we weren't winning, but we weren't losing at the moment. Fact: that attack took out all the smoke screens that Zin deployed in one attack. I wasn't about to let Misty have all the glory. That Blastoise was about to get a surprise.

"Blastoise, Hyper Beam!"

Figures. This Blastoise seems like a range specialist. Fine, we can both play that game.

"Zin, Smoke Screen!"

She looked at be dubiously, but I answered her anyway. "Show me what you showed Morph at Jubilife!"

Her eyes widened, before giving me a grin and disappearing behind a cloud of black smoke. She leaped between platforms, doing the same tactic we did previously. Zin was getting closer, though, doubling back to try to feint out the attack.

"Fire!"

At first I was startled that there really was a fire in the building. Then it hit me that it was Misty shouting to her Blastoise to actually shoot. The twin beams rocketed in front of the Blastoise, colliding with the platform that Zin was last on. Water exploded upwards, but the blur headed towards the overgrown blue Pokémon made me grin.

"Zin, Thunder Fang!"

Leaping towards the Blastoise from an angle, he didn't get a chance to avoid the attack. Zin bit into his leg, electricity making the Blastoise light up the arena in painful whites and yellows. After the attack, Zin jumped away from the Blastoise. Still twitching from the after effects of the attack, we pressed what advantage we could.

"Zin, Overheat!"

My Houndoom's body glowed faintly for a moment, the flames in her mouth visible even at my distance. A bright white and blue fire exploded forward, swallowing the Blastoise inside of it. It was my real hope that it didn't fall forward into the water or anything. Zin was putting way too much power into this one attack.

"Blastoise, Aqua Jet!"

Well, that didn't sound good. The blue and white fire was parting slowly, revealing a spinning shell headed towards Zin. It parted the flames slowly, pushing his way towards Zin slowly. It picked up speed quickly, though, and pushed his way past Zin's flames and sending my Houndoom flying through the air. Her body hit the shield surrounding the arena with a thud. Before anyone said anything, my hands were on her Pokéball and recalling her. Technology saved me from having a heart attack, as the beam reached her and got her to the relative safety of her home.

Even if we probably knew the end result, it still bothered me. It was a losing battle, but I still held hope for at least a fighting chance. Misty wasn't going to give us one, especially since she probably knew that she would win that one easily. Even then, Zin wanted to fight. My hands shook as I shrunk her Pokéball and placed it gently in my pocket.

I didn't wait for Violet or Misty to say anything. "Song, you're next." I said softly.

Song placed a hand on my shoulder. "Let's see what her next Pokémon is." she said. I sighed, but deferred to her idea.

Misty recalled her Blastoise, to the loud cheering of the audience. She grabbed another Pokéball, releasing a Floatzel. I looked over to Song, who nodded. "I will take on this challenge." she said, holding her staff in her hands.

She walked forward, standing on the water as if it was solid ground. With staff in hand, she stood in front of me calmly. Even the Floatzel was slightly surprised, but didn't wait for long before diving into the water. It moved quickly in our direction, but Song stood her ground. The Floatzel jumped towards her, but Song brought her staff forward. With one jab, she stopped the attack from reaching her. Song stepped forward, swinging the staff in a wide arc and catching the Pokémon with the full swing. The impact reverberated loudly, sending the Floatzel bouncing across water and platforms.

Before the Floatzel could recover, Song ran forward using both water and platforms. The Floatzel was already in the water, swimming extremely quickly towards Song. She avoided contact, using the platforms as a makeshift barrier to slow down her opponent. The swimming Pokémon turned hard, water flying into the air and shooting an Ice Beam towards Song. She avoided the attack easily, though it wasn't the only one. More beams shot from the water, the thin beams beginning to freeze the surface as the temperature dropped slowly but steadily.

"Floatzel, Surf!"

The Floatzel dove down under the surface before surging upwards. A wave of water formed in front of me, the Pokémon riding it towards Song. It grew rapidly, easily large enough to shadow the entire pool area and most of the stage. This was probably why they asked me to wear swimming trunks. Song's only reaction to the wave was to stand straight and jump straight for the surfing Floatzel. The staff swung, but the Pokémon avoided the attack, diving under the wave. The attack seemed to shrink, the wave falling on itself. My Gardevoir didn't seem bothered, landing gracefully on the water.

The instant she did, five Floatzels surfaced. My voice died in my throat as they all piled on top of her. A splash of water was all that was visible from my end of the fight. When the frothing water calmed, only a Floatzel was visible. Misty shouted something, but above the Floatzel was my Gardevoir. With staff in hand, she swing downwards. I don't know if she hit or missed, but the impact made the water rush outwards, splashing everywhere. The wave almost knocked me off the platform, but Iolanthe prevented me from being swept away.

"Floatzel, Agility!"

Floatzel appeared, breaking the surface for a moment and shaking his head. There was at least a hard blow to the side of the head. I couldn't tell very well. Before I could inspect any further, he almost disappeared from view. Only the trail of water left behind was the indication where Floatzel was. Before long, he was spinning around in circles around Song, who was standing still.

"Whirlpool!"

Even while the Floatzel swam in circles, before diving under water but continuing to swim in circles. The dark shape of the Floatzel could still be seen, but now bubbles were forming around Song. Before long a torrent of water shot up encasing the Gardevoir within the vortex. Song, I hope you have a brilliant idea...

"Now, Ice Beam!"

Floatzel jumped out of the water before glowing a bright white for a moment. Opening its mouth, the Floatzel launched another Ice Beam. Connecting with the water, he didn't stop immediately even after contact. The ice climbed up the column of water, freezing it slowly in place. When he landed, Floatzel took a few deep breaths. Was this Song's plan?

"Giga Impact!"

Well, that didn't sound good. The Floatzel spun around a few times before breaking the surface. The supersonic Pokémon was engulfed in a swirl of purple and orange. As soon as that happened, the ice shattered as Song rushed towards the charging Floatzel. Her staff met the Pokémon's attack, the impact sending a wave of purple energy flying upwards. A resounding crack reached my ears, as the Floatzel was sent flying sideways, slamming against the barrier and falling into the water. Song stood straight, adjusting herself for a moment before nodding towards her fallen opponent and walking towards us calmly.

It was funny to see her smile, before leaning heavily on me. She must be completely exhausted. I offered her to rest inside her Pokéball, but she shook her head and hugged me tightly. Smiling, my hands held her tightly. If she wanted to rest here, so be it. Though if things got rough she would go and rest where it was safe.

So, one to one so far. With seven to go, it looked like Misty was as shocked as everyone was when Song fought. I don't know if she was waiting for her Floatzel to recover, but she eventually pulled out a Pokéball and recalled him. Misty's face was hard to see from our distance. I was sure that she wasn't expecting Song to do the things she just did. Much less actually fight, or pose such a threat. Pretty sure that she wasn't expecting a Gardevoir to be so physically strong. Don't know what she was thinking about the staff, either.

Misty unleashed her next Pokémon, a purple star shaped Pokémon with a bright jewel in the middle. I grabbed Aurora's Pokéball, the Weavile appearing in the platform in front of me. The Weavile turned and nodded, before focusing on her opponent.

"Starmie, Thunderbolt!"

What?! The Pokémon spun in place, half of it spinning in one way while the other spun the opposite way. Electricity began to form in front of the gem before blasting towards Aurora. My Weavile jumped, dodging the attack completely and landing on another platform. She began to run towards her target, claws gleaming from the spotlights above.

"Aurora, Night Slash!"

"Starmie, Ice Beam!"

Misty knew that Aurora was an ice type, right? Aurora didn't even bother dodging completely. She ran on top of the attack, her claws hidden beneath a sheath of darkness. Aurora's attack left darkness across the body of the star shaped Pokémon in a cross shaped pattern before dissipating slowly into the air. The Starmie reacted quickly even after the attack, spinning towards Aurora. The roaring crowd was a bit distracting. It was impossible to tell who they were cheering for.

Aurora pushed off the Starmie eventually with a sweep of her claws. The Starmie, unperturbed by being pushed around floated over to one of the platforms nearby. A bundle of red energy began to pulse next to the Pokémon, followed by three more in quick succession. We weren't left in the dark for long when Misty pointed towards Aurora.

"Starmie, Hidden Power!"

Flames everywhere! Aurora jumped away, diving into the water to avoid the fireballs that Starmie's attack made. Aurora surfaced but only for a moment, before diving and avoiding the fire. The surface of the water burned where she was, and it was easy enough to see where she was. Aurora rose once more, but Starmie spun through the air and tackled the unsuspecting Weavile. A cloud of white smoke appeared instantly, obscuring the battlefield. Something made me look up, and what I saw made me grin.

Aurora was up in the air. How she got so high was a question for another day. Multiple Ice Beams launched from her position, hitting the water and freezing the Starmie in place. A ball of dark energy formed in her claws, shattering whatever ice was along the way before enveloping the cage where Starmie was. Balls of fire appeared alongside the pillar of darkness. Aurora jumped away from her position, avoiding the fireballs aimed at her. Misty's Pokémon flew out of the water, not even where Aurora had aimed her attack, and slamming its body hard against her.

Aurora recovered, retaliating with a slash that left a ghostly afterimage around it. It didn't look like it did any physical damage, but it made Starmie back off immediately afterwards. Another bunch of fireballs appeared, hurled towards Aurora as the Starmie fell into the water. My Weavile dodged one, but couldn't see the one flying from behind. That allowed the rest to follow suit, the fire pushing her into the air and landing unceremoniously into the water.

Aurora broke the surface, climbing on top of a platform. Turning to me, she smiled. She had a plan? I raised an eyebrow, but she clicked her claws together. Nodding, it was the only thing to do and trust her judgement. She winked at me quickly, before launching herself back at the Starmie. The water froze under Aurora as she slid her way towards the Starmie. Red fireballs flew in her direction again, but she avoided them this time. A stream of bubbles shot towards Aurora, but she countered with an Ice Beam. The bubbles froze in midair, falling as she skated around them.

"Starmie!" Misty exclaimed. For the first time there seemed to be panic in her voice. "Take that Weavile out!"

More fire orbs appeared, joined by the crackling of lighting again. When the fireballs moved, Aurora didn't dodge them this time. She was engulfed in flame! Without missing a beat, the Starmie shot the lightning towards the fire, the two energies pushing the air and water out. Aurora was still standing, and rushed towards Starmie. Her claws glowed with jet black energy, much darker than when she used Night Slash.

Starmie didn't move, though out of what I have no idea. Aurora didn't hesitate in slamming her claws into the jewel at the center of her opponent. A loud sound, like the echo of ice shattering, could be heard throughout as the Starmie was flung backwards. Misty's Pokémon bounded across the water and from the platforms, before landing next to her. The crowd erupted in cheers as Daisy's voice finally reached its way into my ears announcing Aurora's victory.

Aurora used the water to skate her way towards us, taking her time and even acknowledging the crowds cheering. I blushed a little bit as Aurora reached and jumped into my arms. The grin on her face made me smile widely, as she cuddled against my bare chest for a moment. My fingers grabbed her Pokéball as she nodded, disappearing inside to rest. Misty must have recalled her Starmie, as another Pokémon was in the water.

A bright yellow light came from eye level. My eyes adjusted slowly, revealing that the light was coming from a Pokémon in the water. It turned slightly, allowing me to see what was our next opponent. A blue sleek body was on the surface of the water, with a tendril hanging from the Pokémon's forehead. From the tip of the tendril was a yellow orb that hung low, almost to the surface of the water. The tendril had a second yellow orb, but this one was much higher and closer to the Pokémon's body.

Spirit placed a hand on my head, nodding towards me. I almost voiced my concern, but she smiled widely. My complaint died in my throat, nodding towards my Flygon as she flew to the air and prepared herself. For a moment, neither we nor our Pokémon made any moves. Daisy's voice was the one that broke the sudden stagnation.

"Well! Our fourth fight is already interesting, with our challenger presenting a difficult target with a Flygon. But will Misty's Lanturn have a chance? What does the audience think?"

The wave of sound that hit me made me wince, but it didn't disturb Spirit in the slightest. I couldn't hear for what Pokémon the audience was cheering for. Misty didn't let me contemplate on much as she announced announced her first attack.

"Lanturn, Ice Beam!"

From the Lanturn's position, the attack came right from underneath Spirit. She tilted to her right, completely avoiding the attack though the ice beam created an icicle hanging from the barrier surrounding us. Spirit grabbed hold of it, just in time to see the next Ice Beam be launched her way. She idly dodged to the side again, throwing the held icicle in her paws down to her opponent. The Lanturn cried in pain suddenly, as Spirit's impromptu attack landed on a part of the Lanturn's body. Spirit was almost disinterested, especially from her opponents reaction.

Out of all the times we trained, Spirit had trained the hardest. If Misty didn't actually take this seriously, I was afraid of what Spirit would unleash against Lanturn.

"Thunderbolt!" Misty cried out loud.

Really? An electric attack against Spirit? Electricity arced around the Lanturn's lights, before a bolt of lightning shot upwards towards Spirit. It was slightly amusing how she didn't even bother dodging the attack. Though she did react by giving a yawn. Well, a yawn that turned into a Flamethrower headed downwards. The Lanturn avoided the attack by going underwater, though it didn't stop the water from steaming slightly. I almost wanted to laugh at Misty, but that wasn't right. She better figure out something quickly, though.

"Hydro Pump!" Misty yelled.

A column of water sprayed upwards from the Lanturn's mouth. Spirit looked downwards once and seemed to shrug. She dropped from the sky, avoiding the attack and was instantly at my eye level. Skimming the water towards the Lanturn, Misty's Pokémon turned the attack on Spirit. A beam of purple and white fired from Spirit, cutting right through the Lanturn's attack. Spirit's beam connected, stopping any further water flow. Spirit grabbed her opponent by the tendril, swinging the Lanturn in wide circles before bringing her over her head and slamming her down onto one of the platforms.

Bright red and blue flames flickered in her maw before she unleashed a torrent of flame on the helpless water Pokémon. Spirit grabbed the Lanturn up into the air again, but Daisy called a halt to the fight loudly through the microphone. Spirit looked almost angry, her eyes almost glowing before placing her opponent on the ground almost reverently. She flew towards me, landing softly.

It was still frightening to see her fight like that. She smiled at me though, rubbing her cheek against mine. I did my best to reciprocate the affection with a Gardevoir still clinging to me. My eyes met hers, and she knew what my words were going to be. She nodded, cooing softly as she returned to her vacated spot before flying to fight. It was an awkward silence that surrounded us when Misty released her next Pokémon.

The large body and long neck of a Lapras was clear to me. I frowned, looking towards who should fight this opponent. Xola would be overpowered in raw strength. Maybe something more tactical? Iolanthe shook her head, but pointed towards Mist.

"I will go." she said with a nod.

I nodded. "Do your best." I whispered.

Something told me that this wouldn't be an easy match for Mist. She was my long range specialist. The Mismagius has made it abundantly clear to me that she has no physical skills whatsoever. If the Lapras had more powerful attacks, it would be obvious in the first few moments of the fight.

This is, of course, assuming that the Lapras is more powerful at range than physical. We were about to find out.

"Lapras, Ice Beam!"

"Mist, Shadow Ball!"

The beam of ice was almost instantaneous! Lapras' attack was almost to Mist before the Shadow Ball met it in the air. My Mismagius shook her head, a bit shaken but still intact. Another Ice Beam launched from the Lapras, but Mist was able to dodge it easily while not preparing her own attack.

"Mist, Ominous Wind!"

"Lapras, Surf!"

A wave of water formed, reaching a height not previously shown before by Misty's Pokémon. It was convenient that Mist's attack was successful, but the gigantic wave blocked the attack. The wave continued over towards me and my team, but thankfully the barriers were still in place. It was still a bit jarring to see water just slam into something invisible though. Especially if it was a wave easily four times Xola's length.

This wasn't going in our advantage at all. I frowned, but wracked my brain for anything that could help Mist in this situation. My breath was became visible. Was it getting colder? Lapras' mouth was emitting frost from the mouth before turning to Mist and exhaling.

"Shadow Ball!" I called out.

Mist formed another Shadow Ball, unleashing it before the attack could make it any closer. Thankfully the Shadow Ball was able to disperse the ice before reaching Mist. Lapras had to dive underwater to completely avoid the attack. I frowned though, still trying to think of anything to help Mist.

"Lapras, Hydro Pump!"

Again with the Hydro Pump from underneath. Mist noticed the attack, but even with forewarning she was hit. Not fully, but she wasn't fast enough to completely avoid it. Time to stop thinking and try to put this Lapras on the defensive.

"Mist, Thunder Wave!" I exclaimed.

Thin strands of electricity came from her jewels, lancing towards Lapras. Lapras was hit, crying loudly as electricity hindered the Pokémon's movements. It was my hope that this would work as best as possible.

"Power Gem!"

The jewels on Mist's dress glowed brightly again, glowing a brilliant white before launching towards Lapras. The Lapras, unable to move, was hit full force with the multiple brilliant pellets launched towards it. Lapras barely made any sound, but instead launched another Ice Beam towards Mist. This time my Mismagius seemed ready, and was able to avoid the attack completely.

"Sheer Cold!"

The temperature dropped to ridiculous levels instantly. The Lapras seemed to glow a bright blue before opening its mouth and unleashing a flurry of snow and ice towards Mist. It surrounded the ghost completely. She even fired a Shadow Ball, but it didn't have any effect. Before any words made their way to my mouth, the sound of a glass shattering rang through the air as a block of ice fell against the water.

The ice began to crack as it floated over towards us. The frozen form of my Mismagius was inside that block of ice. Iolanthe and Spirit flew over to it, Baast shaking our platform as she landed to help bring the block of ice off the water. With a solid punch, Baast shattered more of the ice and freeing the Mismagius from her prison.

"I apologize." she said softly. I shook my head, cutting off any more that she had to say.

"You did your best, that's all that matters." I said. "We'll train harder."

She smiled at me as I picked her up into my arms. She closed her eyes and slowly merged inside my body. With Mist safely inside of me, Iolanthe swept the remains of ice off the platform. Baast pounded her paws together.

"My turn." she said grimly. I nodded.

Misty recalled her Lapras, replacing it with the weirdest Pokémon I've ever seen. A large spiral shell was most of the Pokémon's body. Two large eyes sat above a mouth, with at least six tentacles writhing around. Four of them were very thick, and looked attached near the mouth like beak. I frowned, turning to the Lucario.

"Please be careful, Baast." I said. "Whatever that is, it looks strong."

"It's an old relic of a long forgotten age!" she barked, laughing. "One punch and that shell will shatter!"

With those words, Baast ran towards her target using the platforms as efficiently as possible. The Pokémon didn't react to the rapidly approaching biped, only curling inside the shell when Baast made it to its platform. Her punch was encased in energy before punching straight forward. The Pokémon went flying, shell and all, hitting the barrier surrounding the arena before falling into the water.

Two bleary eyes popped out of the water, the shell seemingly intact after the impact. Baast looked surprised, before growling loudly. A blue sphere formed in her paws before rushing towards the odd looking Pokémon.

"Omastar, Ancient Power!" Misty commanded.

A white ball of energy formed in front of the Pokémon. Baast formed her own ball of Aura energy in her paws. Like an unspoken agreement, both spheres launched from their respective owners, meeting each other halfway. Omastar's attack was overpowered by Baast's Aura Sphere, headed straight for her target. The Omastar didn't show any surprise, grabbing the sphere with one of its tentacles and flinging it back towards Baast!

"Baast, Extreme Speed!" I called in response.

She disappeared from view instantly, a blue and black blur of motion charging towards the Omastar. Misty's voice sounded surprised when she called to her Pokémon.

"Omastar, Toxic Spikes!" she shouted.

A dark purple and black ball appeared in front of Omastar's mouth. It grew before exploding outwards. Oddly shaped spikes landed around the water and on the platforms. If they were supposed to slow down or hinder Baast, they failed miserably. The Lucario just ran over them, the spikes disappearing as she charged by. Approaching the Omastar, Baast was a flurry of kicks and punches as she pounded on the Omastar.

Both Pokémon went under the surface momentarily. Baast was the first to surface, before blue tentacles wrapped around her and dragged her down again. A white light shined through the surface, the Omastar flying out of the water and Baast gasping for air. A nearby platform allowed the Lucario to finally get out of the water and out of the Omastar's reach.

"Omastar, Spike Cannon!"

A volley of white spiked projectiles flew towards Baast. The Lucario didn't hesitate, either outright dodging the projectiles or meeting them with fist or kick. If they missiles hit their intended target, they didn't do much to slow down Baast. This exchange continued for a moment longer, before Omastar changed tactics. A ball of blue energy swirled in front of Misty's Pokémon. I raised an eyebrow, recognizing the attack. Even from my angle, that Water Pulse was going to be huge.

Even knowing the attack was forming, she charged forward. Regardless of her speed, the sphere in front of the Omastar exploded forward. Like a water balloon bursting, a surge of water flowed towards the Lucario. It was a torrent that shook the water under us, nearly tipping us all. Xola and Iolanthe made sure that I wasn't in any danger of falling. Where was Baast, though? A laugh from the other end of the pool made me look towards Misty. It wasn't until a blur of motion on the side made the Omastar turn as well.

Damn Lucario! Whatever she held in her hands glowed a bright blue and looked like a rod or bone. The first blow was an overhead strike that left the Omastar either dazed or confused. The next one sent it flying towards Misty, though the shield stopped it abruptly in mid flight.

Baast grinned as she finally made her way towards us. She laughed at my surprised look. "I took that last attack from you, Song." the Lucario said as she shook her head. "It was definitely the right thing to do."

My hands covered my face. "How much of that fight was improvised?" I asked.

"Did I hear you give orders?" she asked. "A bit of it, though it wasn't that hard to figure out. Give me some credit at least. By the way, I like the way that you battle."

I blinked, her words going way over my head. She sighed, shaking her head sadly.

"Never mind."

Misty recalled her Omastar, but she hesitated before releasing her next Pokémon. I looked towards Iolanthe, and she nodded. Song shook her head, pointing towards the main stage. Misty was standing by her sisters as Daisy handed the microphone to her. She closed her eyes for a moment before speaking.

"As gym leader of the Cerulean Gym, I concede defeat."

Her words were heard in silence. The crowds reaction looked like it was of pure disbelief. Then the claps began to echo through the silent room. Slowly but surely the sound could be heard. Cheers came next, one after another until the entire crowd was frothing like the pool was not that long ago. My knees gave out under me, hitting the soft platform. If there was any pain it didn't register in my brain. My reverie was only broken when Misty popped in front of us, climbing on my platform. She picked me up from the ground and held up my hand for a moment. The wall of sound nearly deafened me again.

When she brought my hand down from the air, she opened it and pressed something small into my hand. As she pulled her hand away, a badge lay in the palm of my hand. It was in the shape of three raindrops, blue in color and orientated in the same direction. A bright green gem was in the middle of the badge, holding the raindrops together. There were two letters etched on the green gem, a stylized capital P and L. I looked at Misty, who grinned at me.

"You did pretty good, Nick." she said.

Just pretty good? I chuckled, shaking my head. "What are the letters for?" I asked.

She shrugged. "For the Pokémon League." she said simply. "Unless you change your mind."

"I think I'm good on that." I said, shaking my head. "We have to inspect the Cerulean Cave and find out where Lance could have gone."

"At least I tried." she said with a shrug. "In any case, you should stay for the rest of the show. At the very least, to avoid the mob that's going to be outside."

"Wouldn't waiting make it worse?" I asked.

Misty shook her head. "Trust me on this one."

=======================////////////////////////===========================

"Well, that was interesting." Iolanthe said.

We were in the same backroom we were in before we fought Misty. It was just me and Iolanthe this time, Violet making it clear that she will come for us when the crowd thinned out. We were both sitting next to each other on two stools, though she was leaning on me more than she was sitting.

"Why would people wish to talk to us?" she asked, turning towards me.

I shrugged. "Well, the gym did have a unbeaten record until now." I said, pointing out what Misty said. "Pretty sure they're trying to make sure we don't get stalked by strangers."

"That would be rather inconvenient." she said, nodding towards me.

"Yeah, we don't need people following my every waking moment. I have nine Pokémon that do that for me."

Iolanthe laughed, her hold on my hands tightening gently. I shrugged, not entirely sure why she thought it was funny. Regardless, her eyes were still focused on me with as much attention as Zin when she's getting what she wants. Which, in all honesty, felt a little weird.

"Is it that awkward to be around me?" she asked suddenly.

"I'm trying to understand you, too." I said, frowning.

"Was kissing you a bad idea?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No, that's not it Io. I'm trying to figure it out, and it seems to me that you want to figure out things in yourself. At least, before we do any more physical things like how Zin handles things."

"May I be candid with you, Master?" she asked.

"Of course, what is it?"

"What is it that you love of your mates?"

The question caught me off guard for a moment, but it was a legitimate question all the same. Mist was intelligent, always with an enlightening thought more often than not. Song was Song, with all her crazy laughter and sense of humor. Not to mention her dancing. I don't know if I would consider being in love with Baast, but she was quite infatuated with me to say the least. Zin.... well, she has her forceful personality. I still care for her, though, even through her rather difficult thought process.

Xola and Spirit have always had my respect. Spirit sees me as a son she's never had before. It's a bit intimidating, especially when she gets so protective. Xola feels like a sister I've never had before, keeping me safe from drowning. Never mind that she was the one that almost made that happen. Aurora was in a similar group as Baast, but she's made it rather clear that she doesn't want anything physical. I still care for her though, as it doesn't have to be purely physical attraction. Akalia has been like Xola, except we used to get in as much trouble as she helped me get out of it.

Iolanthe waited patiently for my answer. She sat up straight, vacating my side. Her eyes looked into mine, as if my word was final. How did I think about her? I cared about her, but I cared about all my friends. It was an abrupt meeting, to say the least, but she's aided us without asking for any kind of payment. All she's wanted is interaction with all of us, or specifically with me. Last time I checked, she's been getting plenty of that. Making sure that my bones were located properly set a pretty high standard.

Also, knocking aside two Steelix like it wasn't a problem didn't hurt either.

"Maybe it's better if I talked instead of leaving you to pick my thoughts." I said with a smile. She blinked, suddenly sitting up straight.

"I want you to know that all that you've done for us is extremely appreciated." I said with a smile. "You've never asked for much or anything. Your only wish was to be with us, interact, and to learn.

"My hope is that you've been able to do that and more. To answer your question though, it's hard to have one answer to it. The love of my mates is as varied as they are. I use the term mate extremely lightly, by the way. I don't completely buy into Zin's mentality."

Iolanthe laughed lightly inside my mind, which made me chuckle. "Regardless, they are all very dear to me. Spirit considers me as a son. Though I don't think of her as a mother, the affection is all the same. Song is almost like my first girlfriend, while Aurora feels like the baby sister that's too spoiled for her own good."

I shrugged. "I love them all for completely different reasons. Just like I love you, too."

She didn't verbally react, but her large eyes blinked. Her reaction made me smile at her reassuringly. I reached to her hands, her tentacles lying limply against the palms of my hands.

"It doesn't take much for me to like someone." I said, looking at Iolanthe. "Heck, I've probably loved you for a long time and I've been too stupid, blind, busy, or ignorant to tell you before. I'm leaning towards male stupidity, but that's my excuse for everything I do that doesn't meet the approval of all my Pokémon."

"What do you then? When you do not, I mean."

"Apologize profusely and do my best never to repeat the same mistake. Just like how I try to be sensitive around Mist and the whole breeder thing. That's one topic that doesn't need to be brought up again."

Iolanthe nodded. I continued, fully aware that my time wasn't over yet. "I care about you Io, because you've been here through the worse of it all. You've been extremely patient and understanding, just for an opportunity to be here like this. It makes me feel like a jackass, in all honesty, because it feels like I'm using you though you came by your own free will. I also feel like I haven't been living up to my end of the bargain, or at least not until recently.

"You've been doing your best to understand me and my ignorance, and I haven't been doing my part to understand you and your needs. Zin sees you as a candidate for this crazy pack... family... thing that she has. Song seems to think the world of you, while everyone else doesn't seem to mind your presence. Especially Aurora, who seems to use your head as a resting spot as often as my own.

"I talk too much, too. I care enough about you that if you left, your presence here will be missed. It's not about your strength that will be missed, but you. And I don't want that to happen."

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at me. It felt like she was thinking of something. "And what would you do in order to keep me here?" she asked softly.

"If I can do it, and it doesn't harm anyone, if it's in my power I will." I said with conviction.

"I want you to love me."

"Didn't I say that I did?"

She shook her head. "Please, do not interrupt me."

I shut my mouth and waited for her to explain. "It is a bit complicated for me to explain, so if it is confusing accept my apologies. I want to feel like how your mates feel, to feel... special and unique."

It was honestly a bit confusing. Special and unique? By Arcues, she was Deoxys! Well, one part of the whole being, but doesn't that make you rather unique?

"What is it that you're looking for, Iolanthe?" I asked, leaning forward.

Her body latched into mine, her stool flying as her body rested on my lap. My own stool teetered precariously, but by some miracle we didn't fall in a heap of limbs. Her face pressed against my own, the odd feeling of kissing a smooth surface making me feel a little awkward. Her tentacles held me tightly, exploring my exposed back. With my own arms wrapped around her body, I managed to free myself to breath for a moment or two. It was a bit surprising to see her act so intensely, but it was enough that I was doing something wrong.

With an eye towards the door to make sure it was still closed, I began to trace... well... her jaw I guess, reaching her neck with my lips. Her body stiffened suddenly, grasping me tightly. It was a labor to keep breathing, but eventually she uncoiled her tentacles around me. She shook her head, as if she was waking up from something.

"I want you to complete me." she whispered.

A grin wanted to form on my lips and I did my best to stifle the chuckle that wanted to escape me. Pulling away from Io, our eyes met for a moment. Her face colored deeply as she quickly turned to avoid my gaze. Bringing my hand slowly to touch her cheek, she turned back to face me.

"I will, if that's what you want."

She shook her head. "I want you to feel like I do, too." she whispered.

"Then look inside my head, because if that doesn't convince you nothing will." I said.

It was already hard to control my arousal, and only the fact that we weren't in a safe location stopped me from acting on impulse. The gentle tug on my mind let me know that Iolanthe was asking for permission. It reminded me of how Song would do the same thing. It felt funny having my mind actively being read again. At first Iolanthe's touch was gentle, as if she was scared of what she found. Whatever she saw, her hold on both my mind and body tightened as if afraid of letting go.

She rested her head on my shoulder as I slowly calmed my body down. Her psychic grasp on my mind softened, but not releasing me from her hold. It felt good to see her calm for once. I felt like there was something always on her mind. Perhaps whatever she saw put her at ease. Her laughter echoed in my ears.

"It did, Master." she said happily. At the same time, a knock came to the door.

"Give me a second." I called as Iolanthe slowly left my lap. We both stood side by side as I opened the door. Daisy and Misty were both there, along with like fifteen or so others that I didn't recognize.

"These idiots didn't get the message." Misty said, using her thumb to point at her entourage. "They would like a word with you, if you don't mind."

"Reporters." Daisy said.

A guy pushed his way through, shoving aside Daisy to get access to the room. Misty took that persons camera and shoved it into his face.

"You shove my sister again, and your teeth get broken next." she snarled. "You're going to show proper respect around here, and that starts with my sister and me."

I approached Daisy as Misty helped her stand on her own. Daisy winced as she put weight on her feet, and the look that was on Misty's face would kill if it could. Violet and Lily came around the corner, hurrying over as if called.

"What happened?" Lily asked, pushing her way past the crowd.

"This retard pushed my sister." Misty said, looking towards the offending reporter. "Get Daisy to her room, please."

Violet and Lily helped their sister stand, the crowd parting quickly to allow the three ladies space. As soon as Daisy was out of sight, cameras and recording devices were pointed towards us. Misty turned to me, frowning as she pointed again to the crowd beside her.

"I tried to tell them that you weren't available." she said loudly. "But Violet thought it would be good for you to get some time in the spotlight. Don't mind me if I stay and listen. They're still convinced I threw the match for you."

"What?!" I exclaimed, surprised. Shaking my head. "No, there's no way Misty threw the match."

A woman with a recording device was the first to speak. "So, are you really Nick Elazar, son of Daniel and Laura Elazar?"

I raised my eyebrow and tried not to laugh. "Yeah, that's mom and dad alright. They're still in Sinnoh, before you ask. No, the next book isn't done yet because I was still helping them record information before I went to become a trainer."

"What made you become a breeder?" someone else asked.

"Circumstances that are pretty personal."

"What kind?"

"I just said they're pretty personal. I don't want to share." I answered with a shrug. Misty laughed for a moment as the reporters looked at each other dubiously.

"How did you capture a Deoxys?" someone else asked after a moment.

"I didn't. She chose to come along with me under her own free will."

"How many Pokémon do you have with you?"

"Nine."

"How did you come by your method of battling?" a quiet voice asked. Everyone looked to see a young reporter with a steno pad and pen in hand.

I shrugged. "They know themselves better than I do." I answered. "They know what they can or can't do. They don't need me shouting orders all the time."

"So you take a more passive role in a fight." she said.

"Like I said, it's better than shouting myself hoarse. I trust them, and they trust me. It's more than I ever wished for. My path as a trainer isn't the same as everyone else."

"Sounds like you have a story to tell." the lady said, a grin forming on her face. The reporters all jumped on the chance of a possible answer.

Something tightened around my left hand. Iolanthe was looking at me intently, two of her tentacles wrapped tightly around my fingers. I smiled at her and she nodded to me.

"I'm sure there is one, but it's probably not my own. My story isn't going to make anyone famous, and just because I beat Misty doesn't make me something to expect in the next tournament or whatever. Don't expect to see me again, because I don't plan to stay here for very long either."

I turned to Misty, smiling at her. "We'll be taking our leave. Don't worry, I'm pretty sure Iolanthe has me covered. Will you be alright?"

"As long as Daisy is fine." she said, shrugging. "If not, someone's gonna pay."

I laughed as I turned to Iolanthe. "Can you teleport us back to our room?"

She nodded. My world blurred together, Misty's laugh and the clamoring of the reporters the only things that echoed throughout. Iolanthe's teleporting felt slightly less disorientating, though maybe I was just getting used to the effects. As soon as my world stopped spinning, my back landed on the bed as Iolanthe rested on top of me.

A tentacle stroked the side of my face. Iolanthe's face was in front of mine, eyes looking straight into mine. She lowered her face against mine, her smooth skin meeting my lips again. No part of my body was safe from her touch. A sliding tentacle hooked around my trunks, pulling them down and off my body. She pulled away for a moment, her eyes peering into mine.

"Since when was the light on?" I asked.

"Don't change the subject." she said sternly. "I want to be able to look at you."

I chuckled, but another concern surfaced in my thoughts. "I have already mentioned to Nurse Joy that we should not be disturbed." she said.

"You think of everything, don't you."

"Song suggested that I take what I want from you." she said softly. "I intend to follow on that today."

Chapter 27: Waltz

Iolanthe pressed her face against mine, her tentacles holding my sides and arms in place. As much as I wanted to hold her, it was out of my possibility at the moment. She seemed to want the lead in our encounter, and my words would probably have little impact. Angering her was the last thing on my mind. The hold on my arms slowly receded, allowing me some sort of movement. Her tentacles encircled my palm, allowing my fingers to hold on to them. My lips were finally allowed to part from her face, letting me take a deep breath to fill my lungs.

Her eyes widened momentarily before I shook my head slightly. She seemed to calm down, the grip on my body not relenting. The hold on my mind felt gentle but ever present. It was a comfortable feeling that I felt, even if there was a slightly awkward feeling of being naked. My memory failed me if this was the first time being like this in front of Io. Her face, while always welcome to see, didn't give me a sense of what she was feeling. Worse, I didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable.

"Really Master, trust yourself."

Arceus! Mist was still inside of me? I closed my eyes, but only the ghost's laughter filled the silence inside my mind. Io's eyes widened, and only my hands prevented her from flying away.

"Iolanthe, you should let Master know what you like." Mist said out loud. "Encourage him. Gently, of course."

Io's eyes widened at the suggestion, but it didn't look like she was going to bolt away. She nodded, closing her eyes for a moment. A sudden poking sensation startled me, stopping as quickly as it came. Mist's laughter made me think that the mischievous ghost was up to something.

Iolanthe shook her head. "Will you allow me to connect to you?" she asked.

Her voice sounded timid to my ears. Was she afraid of my refusal? I tightened my grip around her tentacles in my hands, nodding my consent. A wave of feelings that weren't my own bombarded me instantly. Bundles of emotions and thoughts were the first to come unbidden. It was hard to stay focused on the here and now when what looked like stars flew by my vision.

The visions subsided but they were replaced by Io's worried eyes. I smiled at her, shaking my head. She was still unconvinced, her tentacles leaving my hands and touching my face. Her tentacles were exploring my face as she peered into my eyes. It was like as if Spirit was here instead of Iolanthe. I didn't expect her to act like this. Satisfied that everything was alright, she visibly relaxed only to stiffen as soon as Mist began to laugh again.

My hands were on Iolanthe instantly, touching her cheeks and instantly getting her attention. Her eyes widened for a moment before relaxing again. A tentacle reached to my face, stroking my cheek as I did to her. It was good to feel her relax again, and hopefully Mist will stop teasing Io. Thankfully the ghost didn't laugh out loud, which helped keep us both calm. My body stiffened as I felt Iolanthe's touch at my waist and legs. She stopped instantly, her eyes looking straight into mine. For a moment, we both looked into each others eyes before she continued.

It was a hesitant touch, as if asking my permission to continue. I brought her face to mine, my lips pressing against her skin. This seemed to embolden Iolanthe, her tentacle exploring my body. My body shivered as her touch tickled but stopping instantly as she reached my crotch. Her exploration continued slowly, encircling my aroused manhood. A moan escaped my lips unconsciously, but it didn't stop Io's ministrations on me. Her tentacle would stroke up and down, gently squeezing near the top on occasion.

It was interesting to feel her shiver as much as I was, if not more so. Did the link she asked about let her feel what I felt? If that was the case, I don't think that she was ready for what would end up happening. Not that stopping her was in my thought process. While one of my hands stayed on her cheek, I moved the other one to trace the side of her face. Slowly my roaming fingers made their way to her chest. Her touch stopped instantly as my fingers explored one of her breasts. I instantly stopped myself, looking at Io to confirm if she was ready. It was the slightest of nods from her that allowed me to continue.

It was odd to know that she was a he not that long ago. I sure hope that Iolanthe has any idea what she is getting herself into. My fingers gently kneaded with her breasts, gauging her reactions. A soft moan echoed in my ears, her body shivering in response. Her eyes closed instantly, stopping her attentions on me for a moment. I wasn't that disappointed though, enjoying seeing her experiencing this firsthand.

Iolanthe straightened, sitting on my legs. My eyes roamed downwards slowly, taking in her body in a whole new light. Her tentacles instantly flew to her body, her body shivering against mine. I smiled at her, gently moving my hands over her tentacles and body. She still shivered, but wasn't moving away from me. My fingers glided over her skin, following her tentacles to her shoulders. Io shivered, her skin flexing under my fingers.

"Master?" she whispered.

I stopped everything I was doing, awaiting her question. When she didn't continue, my fingers continued to roam around her body. Her body shivered lightly again, reaching to her chest. The jewel centered on her chest began to glow softly. A soft blue glow came at first, growing brighter as my fingers touched it. I hesitated to put any pressure on it, since it was a mystery to me if it was a sensitive area. My eyes met Iolanthe's, hers glowing in the same hue as the gem.

As my fingers passed over the gem, it pulsed brightly. A soft moan echoed in my ears as I moved my hands back up to it. More curious than ever before, I touched around the gem to see what would stimulate her the most. Iolanthe closed her eyes immediately, the glow brightening and another moan rang in my ears. Was the area that sensitive? I didn't want to injure her by applying too much pressure, so my touches were as gentle as possible. Her legs pressed against my body suddenly, tensing suddenly and grasping my arms. Both tentacles intertwined with my hands, her grip tightening to the point of making me wince in pain. She began to shiver again, her grip leaving my hands. My fingers wrapped around her tentacles, holding Iolanthe in place when she tried to get away.

I shook my head, frowning slightly as we looked at each other. Her eyes looked like she was feeling panic. Iolanthe shook her head, struggling against me to leave. Again I shook my head, waiting for her to calm down. It was slightly amusing to see her in a panic. My smile seemed to slowly calm her down, her struggling coming to a stop.

"Does it feel good, Io?" I asked.

She looked at me, blinking a few times. Io hesitantly nodded before averting her eyes. Her tentacles wrapped around my arms, squeezing gently this time.

"I am afraid of harming you." she said.

"That doesn't answer my question."

The tentacles tightened again as she nodded. "Yes, it felt good."

"So the gem is sensitive?"

"No one has touched me like you have before." she answered. "And yes, my... chest area... feels sensitive to your touch."

I raised an eyebrow but didn't press the issue. As long as my touch was cautious, it would make her feel good. Something wet was on my thighs, and it sure didn't feel like sweat. I sat up with Io's help, her tentacles wrapping around my back as well. A knowing smile was on me when we were face to face. Iolanthe averted her eyes again. It was a bit difficult to tell if she was embarrassed or not. She turned to me slowly, her body raising from my hips slowly. The tentacle on my left slid down in between our bodies, touching my shaft for a moment. Before I could say anything, she pressed her face against mine. With my lips busy, she proceeded to impale herself on me. My entire body seized up due to how tight she was. It was almost to the point of pain, but just enough that it wasn't. It was an odd feeling, but one that I didn't mind.

Her body was tense, her tunnel squeezing me in rapid succession. I gasped, feeling her tentacles wrap around me immediately afterwards. Iolanthe's legs wrapped around my waist, her body shaking against mine. The gem in her chest glowed brightly, her body twitching against my own. Worry instantly flooded my thoughts, afraid that she harmed herself. She would technically be a virgin, right? She shook her head, her tentacles reaching to my head and holding me still. My gaze met hers as Iolanthe shook her head.

"No, it... it didn't hurt, Master." she said softly. "Please... give me... me a moment to adjust."

I nodded, her eyes glowing noticeably brighter, even with the light of the room. The jewel on her chest glowed with the same intensity, if not brighter. My hands wrapped around her body as we held each other. Her tentacles stroked the back of my head softly as my hands explored her back. Iolanthe slowly pushed my head against her breast. The gem felt warm against my cheek, though not enough to cause discomfort. For a moment, Io began to move by raising her hips. It stopped quickly, a gasp echoing inside my head as she held still.

I moved, leaning backwards and dragging Iolanthe with me. Her body tightened, both around my member and my body. I turned my face to the gem, planting a kiss against the smooth surface. She twitched suddenly, squirming against my grasp while making all her inner muscles contract. A moan escaped my own lips as she did so. I bit my lower lip, trying my best to divert my brain from being overwhelmed by what my nerves were sending to it. It seemed that Io's body was calming down, in the sense that she wasn't twitching randomly. She leaned to my right, making the both of us tumble to our sides. Succeeding with that, we continued to turn to allow me to be above her. Her eyes widened before relaxing her grasp on me. This allowed me to lift myself on my knees and grasp her hips. She gave me the slightest of nods before before I slowly began to pull out.

She squirmed suddenly, her tentacles lashing out to me. As soon as they grabbed me, I thrust my hips sharply forward. The gem on her chest sparkled brightly, causing me see stars for a moment. Iolanthe's tentacles still grasped me, but not as tightly as before. The glow of the jewel on her chest was replaced by her eyes. Her voice echoed in my ears.

"More!" she exclaimed loudly.

I obliged, grinning as my pace stayed the same. Another set of tentacles grasped at me, followed by another. Her touch kept exploring my back, with two others resting on the back of my neck. My next thrust was faster than the first two, a high pitch sound echoing in my mind and in my ears. Looking down at her in worry, Iolanthe shook her head furiously at my hesitation. Silently, the look of her eyes told me that she was alright. Still I kept control of my pace, not wanting to overwhelm her too fast.

Io's grip against my body tightened. Her glare refused to soften. Not until she got what she wanted from me. I smiled, beginning to thrust again. A soft moan echoed in my hearing, though it was hard to pinpoint if it was through my ears or inside my mind. Her muscles contracted around my dick, making me moan in pleasure. While I kept my pace as even as possible, her body was the opposite, changing her reactions to my touches or thrusts constantly. Her breasts would sway with every thrust, the motion hypnotizing whatever sane part of my mind was left to become possessed to swing into her.

My grip tightened on her hips alongside her own. The tentacles wrapped around my body tightened suddenly, pulling me down on top of her. My hips did little to stop their motions as pleasure seeped into every part of my body. Goosebumps went up and down my spine. While Io closed her eyes, the jewel on her chest continuing to shine brightly. The jewel glowed as if the light that came from her eyes was put inside her gem. A surge of pleasure washed this concern away as I moaned loudly.

My actions sped up more, my body becoming more in tune with the need that we both shared. Her tentacles tightened around my body, her legs wrapping around my waist and squeezing tightly. Though limiting the movement that I could provide, it didn't ease my thrusting into her. Shivers went down my back, though if it was due to pleasure or cold was beyond me. Iolanthe's tentacles held me tightly against her as her body shivered. With a loud moan that sounded like a scream, she began to twist and turn. Her muscles convulsed rapidly, warm liquid squirting out of our joining. My own body responded to hers, fingers grasping her skin as whatever self control I had slowly slipped away. The orgasm that rocked me made me numb. It was almost painful in its intensity. Io's muscles wouldn't stop milking me for everything that I would provide. Her hips met mine halfheartedly, her tentacles almost cutting what little air that reached my lungs.

I slumped forward, resting on top of Iolanthe. She didn't voice any discomfort, her tentacles slowly stroking my body. While exhaustion was present, I think it would be possible to be roused if need be. After a moment, Mist's laughter echoed inside my mind.

"It seems that you've preformed admirably again, Master." she teased. "My hope is that she enjoyed it as much as you did."

I could feel my cheeks warm up from hearing her words. "I would like to think that she enjoyed herself, Mist." I whispered. "It's my hope that you enjoyed yourself, as well."

Before Mist could formulate a response, Iolanthe slowly opened her eyes. They were still glowing, just like her gem, but the glow was slowly dimming. She shook her head against mine. Io's voice fluttered into my ears before she stopped herself. Her head shook one more time before her voice could be heard.

"I truly enjoyed that, Master." she said softly. "It was... a new experience."

The events of the day were beginning to pile on me. Exhaustion clearly winning the battle, my eyes almost closed on their own. Io wrapped me in her tentacles, pinning my body to hers. Even without the glow coming from the jewel, a warm sensation flooded my chest. My head rested against hers, one of her tentacles rubbing through my hair. Sleep came quickly to me, though my heart was still pounding in my chest. A soft melody echoed in my mind. I wanted to ask if either Mist or Io was behind it, but my mind refused to cooperate any more. The last thing that I could make out was Mist giggling in the back of my mind as sleep took me.

====================/////////////////////////========================

It was only by the grace of Arceus that we weren't bothered during, or after, our lovemaking. My body was being held tightly by Iolanthe, but I managed to escape her grasp to use the restroom. Managing to salvage my toothbrush from somewhere inside my bag, I did what my body needed to do in order to keep going through the day. Looking at myself in the mirror, my hair was a mess. There were red marks along my neck, and my left shoulder looked like it has a large bruise. My mind couldn't remember when it was that Iolanthe became so aggressive.

The reflection that looked back at me from the bathroom mirror wasn't the one I was used to. Mom and Dad wouldn't be all that proud of me if they heard of what happens between me and my Pokémon. Ashamed would probably be the least of their worries. The news paper guys practically live next door to home. And now with all these news people following my every waking step, the threat became all too real. My parents didn't need to suffer or pay for what I did, that's for sure. Misty's reaction to the reporter injuring her sister came to mind. Could I do that? Should I do that? Probably more important, would I be able to do it?

I shook my head, my hair moving around with the movement. Grabbing the toothbrush, my hands opened the faucet and did what needed to be done. I did my best to force the thoughts out of my head for the moment. They would only increase the worry that started to surface for no reason. I'll just not let that happen.

My hands went to grab my Pokédex in my pockets. Sadly, I was still without any clothes on my lower half of my body. Sighing and shaking my head, my fingers turned off the light, I opened the door, and went back to the room. As soon as I was through the door, Iolanthe's tentacles were around me. She held me against her body tightly, her tentacles squirming along my arms and chest. At first a bout of surprise startled me, but it quickly passed as I relaxed against her. Iolanthe laughed gently, guiding me back to the bed. My world was still a blur of darkness and shadows, but my back was suddenly on the bed with Io's comfortable weight on my chest. Her light touch was on my cheek, her eyes and face barely visible in the darkness. My lips were pressed against her skin suddenly as my hands held her body against mine. She pulled away from my lips as a feeling of contentment swept through my mind.

"Io, are you happy?" I asked. A need possessed me to confirm that feeling in her.

Her laughter echoed in my ears again, her cheek touching mine as she tightened her hold on my body. She didn't respond immediately, the only sound was my heartbeat and breathing.

"I want you to come up with that answer yourself." she said.

Her hold on me tightened slowly. Not enough to be uncomfortable, but enough that I wouldn't be going anywhere without her consent. There wasn't enough light for me to see anything. The outline of her face was the most that my vision allowed. She didn't seem to be angry or upset. If anything, she seems to be more at ease around me.

"Maybe a more appropriate question is if your questions have been answered." I said.

"Perhaps." she answered enigmatically. "I feel that there is more to this than just being in physical contact whenever we are aroused."

I wanted to laugh, but my body still felt exhausted. Iolanthe's laughter made me smile. "It is still early in the morning. The sun hasn't risen yet."

"At least let me wear some pants." I pleaded.

"You will be fine. I highly doubt that anyone will come in here without my knowing."

=======================//////////////////////////==========================

Morning came with the familiar buzzing of my alarm from somewhere nearby. My eyes were wide open, but my mind was still slowly awakening to the fact. How did that alarm stay activated? I was sure that I turned it off every time. Dwelling on it right now wasn't going to give me the answer. Iolanthe was quick to rise and grab my Pokédex, quickly turning the offending sound off.

"There has to be a different sound in that machine, Master." Iolanthe said, moving the offending piece of technology to my face. "I do not wish to hear it so early in the morning."

I nodded, trying my best to hide the smile that wanted to form on my lips. Making sure that the alarm was really turned off this time, my attention turned back to Io. She was still on top of me, almost like she was refusing to rise with the alarm. If it was due to being woken up before her preferred time or something else, I wasn't sure. Fortunately, Iolanthe was amiable enough to let me sit up and get dressed. If it was the usual morning time, we should be well enough to be moving around today. I'm not one-hundred percent sure about this whole Cerulean Cave business, but we can go there when we're ready for that.

Still didn't fully understand why Misty was so keen on fighting me either. Oh well. Other than the due she had with Agatha.

With Song's staff in hand, I was prepared to face the outside world as Iolanthe stood next to me when I opened the door. A sense of disappointment ran through me as neither Jon or Joy were there on the other side. Their absence made the me feel strange. Though it was welcome last night, because doing THAT in front of them was not in my to-do list. Now it felt like part of my team was missing. As odd as it felt to think this, I missed Joy making fun of us. Not the punching, because that could be lived without.

Come to think about it, she hasn't hit me in quite some time.

Iolanthe walked beside me as we headed towards the front desk. Nurse Joy greeted us with a smile. For a moment, the thought of this Nurse Joy and the Blackthorn City Nurse Joy being in communication ran through my mind. Would that be a good thing? The smile on her face made me feel a bit self-conscious about what she may have heard or know.

Thankfully the reception area was clear of anyone else. As we approached the desk, she leaned forward so her hands would support her on the desk. "So my sister was right after all." she said to us, smiling.

I could feel the blush on my cheeks form after hearing those words. She laughed before any words could form in my throat.

"Don't worry too much." she said, her smile never really leaving her face. "Your secret is safe with me. You don't have to worry, but I can understand your caution."

Relief washed over me at her words. "Thank you, Nurse Joy." I said, smiling.

"Also, Kanto and Johto have the same laws regulating them, so nothing bad is going to happen to you. We make those rooms sound proof for a reason."

Suddenly, my level of embarrassment shot up with those words. At the very least she wasn't asking more personal questions. Though I'm pretty sure that Zin would have that covered in the foreseeable future. Nurse Joy continued to smile at us as she sat back down.

"A few people have come around looking for you." she continued. "News reporters. I told them that I haven't seen you since yesterday. Just be cautious around the city limits. They're probably still out looking for you."

"What turned out to be a favor ends up being a pain in the behind for me." I said, frowning. "Now even walking outside is a hazard."

"They aren't that bad." Nurse Joy said, giggling at my plight. "At the very least they didn't ransack the Pokémon Center looking for you. They've just been very persistent."

"Well, has anyone named Jonathan come around earlier or today?" I asked. "They would be accompanied by Isabella."

"Oh, so that's who she meant!" Nurse Joy exclaimed. "No, they haven't shown up yet, but I'll keep my eyes open for when they do. They're probably on their way here by now, since they had to stop by Indigo Plateau and cross Victory Road."

I grimaced at the mention of that. "I hope not. That would take a few days."

She laughed at that. "Knowing Isabella, not likely. Expect hearing from her later today."

I looked at her dubiously, but wasn't about to say anything to contradict her statement. Thanking Nurse Joy, we headed outside and confirming that we weren't leaving the city limits. I wasn't planning on heading to the Cerulean Cave today either. No, today was definitely a well deserved break from that fight yesterday.

It was a sunny day outside, the sun beating down without many clouds above. My first sensation was relief that no one was swarming to me for my autograph or something. Even with Iolanthe standing next to me, people passed by me without many glances. At the very least, no one stopped and stared at us as we walked.

My hand went into my pocket, pulling out the badge that Misty handed me. Did this change who I was? At least a part of me was excited over the whole deal. I just beat a gym leader! At least, that's what the little part of me was cheering about. The rest of me was worrying how much more publicity could we take.

A passing conversation drew my attention that there was a park nearby. Curious, I asked where it was. Though they recognized who I was, they didn't jab a piece of paper my way to sign. They were more than willing to point me in the direction of the park. Thanking them, we moved onwards. It was hard to suppress the though of them just trying to shoo us away. Maybe they felt uncomfortable? Shocked? I wasn't sure. A mixture of both, and possibly fear due to Io standing next to me. She looked happy at the very least. She was almost to the point of skipping as we walked side by side. It was odd, seeing her like this. Though then again, I barely know her on a personal basis.

As we arrived at the park, it was obvious that people constantly visited. Kids were flying kites around the open areas, closely supervised by their parents or Pokémon. People were walking down the paths or sitting on blankets. It was the picturesque scene of a movie or post card. The thought made me chuckle. We stepped on one of the paths, following it aimlessly. All I wanted to do was avoid the crowds of people. The park seemed large enough, though, so it shouldn't be hard to find at least some kind of secluded area.

Trees hung over the path, affording a little shade from the sun. A few clouds passed by, adding a bit of cover to the open areas where trees weren't planted. The air was clean, even for a city. It reminded me of back home in Solaceon. The smile on my lips made Io's voice echo in my ears.

"I'm glad to see you smile." she said.

My smile widened as I turned to her. Her eyes looked deep into mine. It felt like she was ecstatic walking next to me. Like a little kid with way too much energy. Her tentacles grabbed hold of my arm, tugging at me gently to get me to move faster. No words had to be said, as my legs sped up to her pace. I could feel a few people look at us, but it didn't feel like it was a big deal. We ended up finding a group of trees that weren't occupied. Though we didn't have a blanket or anything to sit on, we made the spot our own. Thankfully, the ground was dry and the grass soft under me. Resting against the trunk of one of the trees, Iolanthe sat on my lap and leaned against me.

I placed Song's staff on the ground next to me and wrapped my hands around her, holding her tightly against me. Her eyes were closed, but the warmth of her gem could be felt through my shirt. Even with the occasional breeze, the warmth stayed. It made me feel comfortable, knowing that such a gentle feeling was coming from her. My right hand drifted to my waist, grabbing one of my Pokéballs. I was about to open it when my hand stopped moving.

"You have the oddest sense to wake someone up, don't you?" Mist asked suddenly.

My sense of control returned as she slowly exited my body through my back. I closed my eyes, suppressing the shiver that wanted to shake my body. Mist's voice still echoed inside my skull, slowly fading into nothing.

"Zin fought extremely hard yesterday." the ghost continued. "I believe we all did."

"And why aren't you sleeping?" I asked.

"I recovered quite quickly due to your extracurricular activities." she said. The gems on her body glowed a soft red for a moment before returning to their normal color.

"Right." I said, chuckling. Mist's gems brightened up again, making me smile. Io's laughter joined mine. It was nice to hear her be less formal, at the very least.

"Anyway, how are you feeling Mist?" I asked, trying to redirect the conversation. As much fun as it is to laugh, I didn't want Mist to feel like we were making fun.

"I feel refreshed, Master." she said, smiling. "I would ask you the same question, but it seems obvious to me that you are both fine."

I nodded to Mist's assessment. "Is there any reason why you stopped me from releasing anyone else?" I asked.

"You woke me up." she accused.

I chuckled. "A tragedy I'm sure. You're more than welcome to go back to sleep if you so desire. I don't believe we'll be doing much today other than take it easy after that battle."

She smiled, visibly relaxing as she hovered above me. "I am quite sure that everyone else will appreciate the gesture." she said.

That's a reassuring thought. "Well, with your permission, can I let everyone out of their Pokéballs?" I asked Mist. She giggled, nodding.

The first one out was Akalia, looking around for a moment in a hostile stance. Her tail twitched slightly until her glowing eyes turned to my direction. She instantly calmed down, purring loudly as she rubbed her head against my right side. Iolanthe aided me in getting a Pokéball to my hands as Akalia refused to allow me to get any by my own power. Song was released next, looking extremely thankful that I brought her staff with me. Aurora and Xola soon followed her, the Weavile taking her respective place on top of my head and Xola resting on top of my legs.

Zin was the next to be released, groggily standing on her four legs as the sun hit her. She grumbled loudly before turning towards us. Her eyes opened wide at the sight of us in our new surroundings. Her growls were loud, but didn't look to have any menace behind it. She came over to me and flopped next to Xola, content to continue sleeping. Baast and Spirit were next, both Pokémon looking happy to be out of their spherical containers and enjoy the sunshine. Spirit more than Baast, but the Lucario was smiling as much as my Flygon.

"Is something going on, Master?" Song asked. I shook my head.

"Nope. Just wanted to get out of the Pokémon Center and let everyone rest after fighting Misty." I said. "I think we deserve a break after all that."

"Hold it!" Zin exclaimed. I almost jumped at how loud her voice was. My hope was that no one else heard her, but it was probably hopeless.

"Who won? Did we lose?" she asked quickly. Snarling, she continued. "Don't make me regret going first. That Blastoise hurt like a-"

"We ended up winning, Zin." I said, cutting off any explicit comments she would make aloud.

"Well, I'll be a Tropius' aunt." she said. "She gave you a badge, right?" I nodded to answer her question. "Show me!"

I managed to squeeze my hands to my pockets and fish out the badge. Zin moved in to inspect it, taking her time to see and smell it. The temptation to grab her muzzle crossed my mind. Due to the obvious danger of making her angry, the thought stayed in my mind. She stepped away, a smile on her muzzle and looking satisfied.

"You didn't disappoint me, then." she said. Her tone reminded me of a proud mother. "At least my sacrifice wasn't in vain."

"You did volunteer to go first." I reminded her.

She tilted her head to one side, and then the other. "It didn't matter in the end." she said. "How did we win?"

"She forfeited after Baast won her fight with a... what was it again?"

"Her Omastar." Baast said with a bark-like laugh.

"Right, her Omastar." I said, nodding. "So I was going to let Io go next when she called the match over and declared me the winner."

"Wasn't expecting that." Zin replied, looking worried.

I chuckled, shaking my head. "I honestly didn't know what would happen. Glad everything turned out for the best."

"You don't trust our powers?" Song asked sweetly. The blood in my veins froze at the tone of voice she used. I shook my head.

"That's not it, and you know it." I said, frowning. "You all know how I felt about this before we fought Misty."

Song laughed, shaking her head. "I think you worry too much about us."

"Isn't that one of my responsibilities as your trainer?"

"Maybe not as much as you worry over us." Xola said with a giggle. "You're starting to act like Spirit does to you. Maybe her feelings are rubbing off on you."

Spirit looked at me nervously. The grin on Xola's face made me realize that she was having fun. I did my best to look hurt, causing my Pokémon to laugh around me. Spirit slowly calmed down, shaking her head as she finally sat next to the growing pile on top of me.

A comfortable silence fell around us. I could feel Aurora adjusting to keep herself balanced above my head. She leaned down, her eyes staring into mine. Her inverted smile almost made me laugh, her nose rubbing against my forehead for a moment before disappearing from view. It was a comfortable day, so it wouldn't be surprising to find if everyone decided to take a nap. Zin managed to get my attention when her horns forcefully rubbed against my side. Akalia growled for a moment, though she moved to allow the persistent Houndoom through.

"How did everyone else do?" she asked softly.

"Why don't you ask everyone instead of me?" I suggested. "We won. Isn't that the important part?"

I could feel her horns grazing my sides. "Don't avoid my question." she hissed. "Who else lost their fight?"

"Mist lost to her Lapras." I said, mentally preparing myself for the inevitable explosion.

"That's it?"

"Yeah."

"And you said that she gave up, right?" she continued.

"She forfeited, yes."

The explosion I was expecting never came. The sound of Zin's laughter made me relax slightly.

"Did you think I was going to rant over how I lost?" she asked.

"A little."

"You don't know me very well, do you?"

"I'd like to think that we know each other very well. You keep surprising me by not acting consistently." I answered.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

I chuckled at her response, her own laughter joining mine. When she stopped, it felt like her eyes were drilling into me.

"Did Akalia fight?"

I stiffened next to her, but shook my head. "No, she didn't. Neither did Xola or Io. Misty called for the match to end after Baast fought."

"You should apologize right now."

I blinked, looking towards the Houndoom. Before any words could leave my mouth, Zin stood up and demanding everyone to do the same.

"Master has a few words to speak to Akalia, in private." Zin stated loudly. "In the meantime, I think we should all go back inside our Pokéballs until we're needed."

Song and Baast almost seemed ready to argue her logic, but Mist shook her head. Some kind of telepathic conversation took place, due to the slow nod that they shared. Xola almost looked confused until Spirit spoke to her. Song looked worried, but about what was a mystery to me. She opened her mouth but Baast placed a paw on her shoulder. They both looked at each other for a moment before the Lucario waved at Xola to her. While I was more than willing to wait for them to be done talking, Zin had other ideas. She barked at the three gathered Pokémon heatedly.

Literally. Flames were visible as Zin spoke in her native tongue. I could picture Zin saying to hurry up while Song and Baast tried to calm her down. Eventually the Houndoom did calm down, if just a token effort. She really did look like she would blast fire everywhere. She turned to me after a few moments.

"Baast wants to translate for you, if both you and Akalia are alright with that." Zin said, looking at the Luxray in question.

Akalia didn't look bothered by this turn of events. If anything, she looked like all she wanted to do was sleep. Regardless, she nodded her consent. If it was to stop Zin from talking or actually agreeing to the circumstances, I wasn't sure. Regardless, Zin nodded to Baast as the Lucario came to stand next to me. She offered me her paw, pulling me up from the ground as soon as she grabbed hold of my fingers.

Sighing, I recalled everyone back inside their Pokéballs. With only Baast and Akalia left beside me, an awkward silence fell around us. Akalia turned to look at me, rubbing against my legs insistently. I kneeled down to be on even ground with her and scratched behind her ears. Even with Baast present, it didn't seem to bother her as much as having everyone else being present. It was always a bit jarring, seeing her switch from being affectionate to her stoic moods.

Her purring made me smile, letting me know that she enjoyed the attention. This has been one of the few times that we've managed to stay on the calm side of things in a while. It felt nice to know that nothing was going to happen. The only thing I expected that would ruin the silence was one of these reporters Nurse Joy mentioned. Even then, it wasn't that big of a deal. We haven't really made ourselves secret in public.

I sat down next to Akalia, making myself comfortable. Baast was nowhere around me, and looking around allowed me to see the Lucario sitting with her legs crossed. My attention returned to the Luxray, who was looking at me curiously. She climbed up on my lap quickly, purring loudly as her face pressed against my chest. My hands quickly returned to scratching behind her ears, a deep purr letting me know that I was scratching the correct way.

"Just so you know, I highly doubt that Baast is sleeping." I said. "Probably meditating or some such."

Akalia shook her head against my chest, burying her face against my shirt. Her purring was still loud, so it confirmed that she was still at ease. We've never really had a translator, so it was a mystery to me why anyone would put Baast to the task. Maybe Zin and the others thought that she would actually talk. I highly doubted it, though.

"It's a nice day out." I said. It was a lame attempt to start small talk, but better than nothing.

Her claws extended, sticking to my pants with every tug. I could feel the sharp tips against my skin through the denim. It was beyond me if she was aggravated or amused at the moment. Though, in all honesty, it would be hard to miss the cue to tell me if she was mad. Probably the only way I would ignore it if my entire nervous system was shot. Judging from the occasional pinprick on my legs, it wasn't the case.

After a moment Akalia nodded. Her kneading stopped, eyes glued to mine. Even in the daylight, they still glowed brightly on their own power. It felt like my face was being observed for anything odd or peculiar. The why was beyond my mind though. Baast laughed loudly in her own tongue before her voice echoed inside my skull.

"She's trying to figure you out right now." the Lucario said plainly.

I would have asked why, but a jolt of electricity stopped the thought. Her eyes were locked on me, for whatever reason. After a moment that felt far too long, her eyes stopped glowing and returned to their normal coloration. I took a deep breath, feeling like my lungs stopped working under Akalia's scrutiny. She nodded for a brief moment and looked at me expectantly.

My fingers moved to rub behind her ears, but stopped as electricity arced over her fur. The closer my hands got, the more audible and brighter the lightning became. I wanted to hesitate, but it felt like a game to me. She's done something like this before, but intimidation was a big factor to all this. As my fingers connected, electricity ran up my arm in short bursts. It wasn't painful, but it was enough to make me wince. I didn't pull away from her, though, wrapping my arms around the Luxray. The electricity grew less intense, but it still made me feel like parts of my body were slightly numb.

The electricity flowing through me slowly dwindled as Akalia purred loudly. Her tongue licked my cheek, her rough tongue a sharp contrast to her soft fur. Sparks of electricity still held their charge but they didn't pull me away from her. Baast's barking from nearby made Akalia's eyes glow once more, but she quickly ignored the jolly Lucario. It sounded like Akalia muttered something in her tongue. If it was meant as an insult it didn't do what it was intended. Baast's laughter grew louder, both in my ears and in my head. Definitely a weird feeling to be able to hear the same person two different ways.

Akalia ignored her, adjusting herself on my lap once again. The Luxray's eyes looked into mine as if to figure out my thoughts. I guess that it didn't help that I was quiet all this time.

"Is something...? Wait, you wouldn't act this way if nothing was bothering you. What is it?" I asked.

She shook her head firmly, pawing at my pants again. Thankfully it was without her claws this time. Her eyes glowed momentarily before returning to normal. The growls that came from her startled me but she stopped before I could try to figure out her mood. It felt like she was frustrated.

"This is about yesterday, isn't it?" I asked softly.

She nodded, pawing at my legs again. This time with claws and electricity.

I winced slightly, not moving too much so Akalia doesn't get the impression that I would run away. "I didn't know that you wanted to fight so much, Akalia."

The sound that came from her startled me. She pushed me backwards, my back on the ground as she stood above me. Lightning arced above our heads, making any complaints die in my throat. Suddenly I hoped that Baast was just really meditating and not sleeping. My hope was that Akalia wouldn't hurt me. Being pinned under the Luxray didn't frighten me. This has happened countless times before. What scared me is the actual amount of power she was willing to display at this proximity.

"Did you want to fight?" I asked.

She nodded, letting out a loud growl. A sigh escaped my lips, feeling aggravated about this.

"You could have said something, you know." I pointed out.

She shook her head, a particular bright spark of lightning linking her ears to each other briefly. I've always known her to be a fighter, but this was ridiculous. Baast suddenly appeared next to us as she silently watched us. Her piercing gaze was a bit unnerving to watch.

I decided to change tactics, focusing on Akalia once again. "Why did you want to come along with me?"

Akalia's paws were on my chest, holding me down firmly. She spoke rapidly in her language, her fangs gleaming in between words. Though if it was because of the sun or the lightning that still flashed across her was a different story. Her eyes glowed at random intervals. Saliva dripped from her fangs and on to my face. I did my best to ignore the impulse of wiping it away, especially when it landed uncomfortably close to my nose.

"You didn't tell me that she's an ex-champion Pokémon." Baast stated.

"It never came up and it never was in her records." I said. Akalia growled again, and my attention returned to her. "That you are experienced isn't news to me. What is new is who you were before being retired. I'm using the same words that were in your file."

Akalia shook her head vigorously, sparks of lightning flying in Baast's direction. I managed to get my hands under her and push upwards. It's a bit difficult to move a Luxray when she doesn't want to. Regardless, she didn't need to be so aggressive. Looking towards Baast, she gave me a nod to indicate that she was fine. Akalia was still on my lap, electricity dancing dangerously across her fur. How it wasn't shocking me was a topic better not thought of.

Akalia muttered something, looking away from me. Baast laughed loudly, both verbally and mentally, causing the Luxray to jump.

"Well, that explains some things!" Baast exclaimed.

Akalia quickly shook her head, exclaiming to Baast in her language. The Lucario laughed loudly again, shaking a paw in the Luxray's direction. Baast turned to me, a smile on her muzzle.

"She's a bit shy." she commented.

"I gathered as much." I said. Turning back to Akalia, I continued. "Though that doesn't..."

"She didn't want to be left alone." Baast continued.

Tears were pooling in Akalia's eyes, beginning to run down her cheeks. Perhaps the group agreeing to Baast speaking for Akalia wasn't the best idea. Regardless, now it felt like it was my fault this was happening. I wanted to feel aggravated, or at the very least not at fault, but it's hard to argue when a Luxray gives you a soulful look with tears in her eyes. My fingers scratched behind her ears in an attempt to keep her calm. Or at the very least, stop her from crying. It was mildly successful, though Baast's laughter echoed in my head. Akalia was mumbling inconsistently, shaking her head every now and then. Her speech was punctuated by a hiccup or a paw passing across her face.

"Well, that certainly explains some things." Baast said, nodding. "You're not a normal human, are you?"

"In what sense?"

"You're an asshole."

I rolled my eyes. A blow to the back of my head made me wince.

"Did you know that she thinks of you as a brother?" Baast asked.

I shook my head. "No. At best, it felt like we were good partners for when we wanted peace and quiet."

She pinched my ear, pulling up sharply. I cried out as pain came right afterwards. If I could stand it wouldn't be such a problem. Unfortunately, Akalia was either enjoying the punishment being inflicted, or mortified that Baast was doing this to me. Thankfully, Baast showed me mercy by letting go.

"You're an idiot. An idiot I care about, but an idiot all the same." Baast stated, her paws on her hips. "Since you seem to be ignorant to Akalia's perspective, then allow me to enlighten you."

Akalia shook her head, proclaiming loudly to Baast in her language. The Lucario shook her head, making Akalia's eyes widen. A charge of electricity formed, but died as soon as Baast spoke a line or two in her own tongue. They both spoke rapidly, leaving me in the dark as to what the conversation was about. Akalia's eyes would glow intermittently as she stared up to Baast. The Lucario's eyes would narrow every so often, but quickly calmed back down to her even stare. Eventually, Baast let out a long sigh as she shook her head. Her eyes focused on me again, Akalia walking off my lap. I was about to stand up, but a wave of force knocked me down once more. Baast was surrounded in a light aura, her left paw aimed in my direction.

"Try to stand again, and I'll use more force."

I quickly decided that standing was overrated.

Akalia began talking in her language, with Baast translating on the fly. "We've known each other for quite some time. Years have gone by, easily, without us communicating. Except perhaps whenever Song stuck her green head around.

"I was grateful for the company you gave us... me.... especially since no one ever looked at me for any extended periods of time. But I enjoyed my solitude, as bleak as it was. It made me feel justified in acting how I did. Impersonal, cold, unfeeling... you name it. It was easier to be at a distance than care about others. But then a child had to change that.

"Don't give me that look. No matter how indifferent I acted, you always made time for me. At first, it didn't change anything. But you kept seeking me out. When I finally confronted Song about it, she explained it all to me. That you wanted to see me happy. It slowly dawned to me that you really didn't have any ulterior motives. You just really wanted me to be happy.

"My previous trainer was a show specialist. He was someone that did his best to bring out the best in all of us. But I was his prized Pokémon. It was me and him that won three major tournaments in a row. However, he was an older human while I was entering my prime. He decided that it was best to retire now, at the height of his career, before his dreams were taken by some young upstart that didn't know any better."

Akalia took a deep breath, stopping her speech momentarily. It was then when I realized that she's been shaking as she spoke. Her ears lay flat against her skull, and her large paws played with the grass. She avoided looking at me but it was obvious that she was still crying. The fur on her cheeks was slowly becoming more matted down. She shook her head, taking another deep breath, before continuing. Baast didn't miss a beat, immediately translating once more.

"You reminded me of my previous trainer. Except the part where you cared for others so much. He never really did care of anyone else, except his own. Though, now looking back at it not so much. Regardless, not many other humans have tried to make me happy as either my previous trainer or you have.

"I really don't know what came over me when we mated. Unlike how Zin put it, it wasn't due to my body demanding to be filled by a male. I wanted to show you that I cared about you as well. Though it felt hollow. We've never had a real relationship. It was more along like good friends, and I feel that my intentions were not true. Though Zin and Song assured me that wasn't the case, it was as if the damage was already done. No one else mentioned the incident, and what time we spent together wasn't the same anymore. It didn't help matters when it wasn't just us two, either."

I held up my hand, my head pounding from the recent intake of information. Also, it felt like Baast's voice was getting angrier inside my head. It might have just been me, though.

"If this is how you felt all this time, why didn't you say something about it?"

My back hit the ground, the impact making me gasp in pain. Akalia stood on top of me, paws on my chest while she spoke. Baast's voice shouted in my skull as Akalia looked livid while the Lucario translated for her.

"And you never thought about anything?! Where is your sense of camaraderie? We've known each other all this time and that's the best you can say? Where's the human I knew? I want him back! He wouldn't ask that idiotic question. He would ask if there was anything he could do! What happened to him? Did success go to your head? Is having illicit relations with your us, your Pokémon, the highest goal you had in mind? What is it?!"

Baast said something in her native tongue, only to have Akalia snarl back at her. Lightning cracked through the air, the show of force stopping the discussion before it would start. I tried to lift myself off the ground, but Akalia pushed me down as soon as I tried. Giving it a second attempt, the same process repeated. It didn't take long for us to almost look like it was a game. It would have been, if Akalia didn't look like she would murder me on the spot.

"Maybe a better question is what do you want me to do." I said. "I know now that I've messed up, and I apologize. How do we go from here?"

She looked confused, her legs wobbling on top of me before she hid her face on my chest. The sudden impact of her body on my chest drove the air out of my lungs. Regardless, I wrapped my arms around the Luxray without hesitation, hoping that she will calm down. The sound of electricity crackling through the air didn't make me pull away. On the contrary, it made my embrace tighter. Her thick fur made breathing a chore, but this was one of those times that breathing had a lower priority. Baast's paws grabbed me and pulled me to a sitting position. Thankfully, her chest spike didn't go through my gut as she held on to my neck.

Akalia slowly pushed away and I let my arms slide away. She shook her head, a sad smile on her face. She spoke again a quick word and Baast laughed loudly inside my skull. Thankfully, I wasn't kept in the dark for too long.

"That's what I want, is what she said." Baast said.

"Kidding aside, I'll do better now." I said, shaking my head. "I have to. I'm sorry that I've ignored you all this time, Akalia."

She seemed a little better after that. I wasn't out of trouble just yet, but it was my issue to deal with now. Since it was out in the open now, it's going to be difficult to not follow through with my word. Especially with Baast knowing about it.

"I want to say that I thought that you were happy, Akalia." I said softly. "Obviously I took that for granted. I want to do better."

I felt like a bastard right now. Shit. At least it makes sense why they agreed on Baast to translate. Xola would be ashamed, Io wouldn't immediately relate Akalia's feelings, and Song would have sugar-coated whatever the Luxray would say. Don't know why Zin didn't personally volunteer, as she would be as blunt as Baast, or more so. Perhaps she knew about the situation. But why involve someone else? Maybe it was to make sure I didn't go back on my words.

Because waking up to a growling Houndoom is so much better than a growling Lucario. I'll have to make sure to compare one night.

I shook my head, returning my focus to the task at hand. "I don't want you to feel that your being pushed away anymore, Akalia. If you do, I want you to shock me stupid until I realize what's going on, OK?"

She didn't look too thrilled about it, but nodded all the same. Baast laughed, punching me lightly on the shoulder. Of course, a light punch from a Lucario was like being thrown against a wall, but at least it didn't dislocate anything.

"I'll remind you, as well." Baast said, grinning at me. "Because you need the threat hanging over your shoulder for you to act."

Even if she meant the words without spite, it still stung. I nodded. "I feel that you're not far from the truth, Baast."

Her smile immediately left her muzzle. She grabbed me by the collar of my shirt, pulling me to her body. The chest spike was alarmingly pressed close to my chest. Akalia shouted something that was lost to me in the situation. Baast responded quickly back to her, but nothing was translated to me. Either way, it didn't stop the Luxray from leering at the Lucario. Slowly, she relented her grip, but the chest spike still pressed firmly against my chest.

"This isn't to make you feel like an idiot, it's to make you aware how much you've messed up." she declared. "Grow up. It seems like you say a lot of things, but never take your own words to heart."

I stared at the Lucario, rolling the thought over my mind a few times. The truth settled quickly, and nodded to the astute summary. Baast looked at me directly, her eyes staring into mine. For a moment, I thought that I would have to take a direct blow. Thankfully, she nodded before looking satisfied and releasing her grasp. Akalia said something, with Baast responding quickly. The Luxray seemed satisfied, nodding towards me. Akalia's head rested on my lap, her deep purrs making me smile instantly. My fingers instantly went behind her ears, encouraging her to purr more.

Baast shifted to my side, her head resting on my shoulder. For the first time since this started, I felt a bit better about myself. It felt like this needed to happen, though it would have been for the best if it was avoided all together. A breeze tugged at my clothes as it passed by. My hair blew in my eyes, obscuring my vision. Baast slowly moved her paw to brush back the errant strands, suddenly tensing against me.

"There's someone behind you." she stated.

I turned around slowly to see the same girl from the gym. The same one from the gym with the steno pad. Now that I am able to pay close attention to details, her long hair was a bright red that looked shoulder length. She was wearing blue jeans and a purple shirt that was mostly hidden by the sky blue jacket. In her hands were a writing pad and pen. It looked like she was looking for an interview. She smiled at me warmly, bowing quickly before walking over to us.

"Excuse me, but do you mind if I ask some questions for the paper?" she asked. Her voice was soft, almost as if she feared making either me or my Pokémon angry.

I looked over to Baast, who shrugged as a response. Akalia didn't even budge from her position, her purring continuing to rumble through my lower body. I smiled warmly towards the stranger. She smiled back, walking across from me and sitting down. The pages of her pad flipped, and quick scribbles could be seen as the pages passed by. She clicked on her pen, nodding to herself for a moment before looking straight at me.

"How are you enjoying Cerulean City?" she asked.

I'll admit, I wasn't expecting that question. Something more invasive at the very least.

"It's definitely different from Sinnoh." I said with a smile. "I don't think I've seen much of the city yet, but it seems like a nice place."

"When did you start your journey?"

I shrugged. "Two months ago? I haven't been keeping track, to be honest."

She laughed at that, and I chuckled with her. The questions were ones that I was comfortable answering. Like where I was from, if I really was who I said I was. It was funny to see her reactions to that. She quoted a line from one of my parent's books, and I surprised her by finishing it.

"How do you remember that?" she asked.

"Easy, I said it!" I exclaimed, chuckling at her surprised look.

She shook her head, clicking the pen a few times before putting it against the pad again. "Alright, so how about this. Why does your Gardevoir use a staff in combat?"

"That's a long story." I said. Her eyes narrowed at me, leaning forward and writing swiftly without looking at her hands. "I'll give you the short version of it, or you can ask her yourself."

"I'll be alright with your take on the events. After all, I'm interviewing you." she said, raising an eyebrow.

"I guess so." I said, giving her a shrug. "Though before I answer your question, do you mind if I ask you one?"

She nodded silently. I quickly thought how to say it, and spit it out quickly. This woman gave me the impression that the she didn't like to wait very long.

"How come are you so interested in me? Other than being related to fame and stuff. It feels like there's something more."

She giggled warmly, giving me a shrug. "Well, if I want new material, I have to interview new people right? I mean, it's not every day that you end up meeting the son of the two most important researchers to Unown AND he just so happens to defeat the unbeaten Cerulean Gym."

A grin spread across her face, her eyes narrowing. "What's this? You want a date, is that it?"

I could feel the blush form across my cheeks as she said that. Words fumbled on my tongue, failing to communicate anything cohesive. It didn't help that Baast was pulling me closer to her chest spike at the same time.

"I'll forgive you. This time, anyway." she said, clicking the pen once and standing up. "Maybe we'll continue some other time? I remembered that I have to meet someone in a few moments."

I nodded to her. I would stand up, but she smiled in understanding. "It's better not to wake her up. Wouldn't want to be shocked, now would we?"

Without waiting for a replay, she walked away from me. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand as she finally disappeared from sight. Using my peripheral vision, the Lucario's eyes glowed even with the daylight. Her grin made it obvious that she found something amusing. Either that, or she wanted to murder me at this very moment.

"Count yourself lucky that I care about your well-being." she said. Her voice purred inside my head, making me shiver unconsciously.

Akalia said something out loud, and Baast responded with a barking laugh. I looked at both my Pokémon, but neither seemed to want to answer my unasked question. It looked like it was beginning to be mid-afternoon. My stomach rumbled, complaining about being empty at a time like this. If Akalia heard it, she didn't bother to move. If anything, she snuggled closer to me, even as I moved to stand.

"Well, look who we have here!"

My blood ran cold as Joy's voice destroyed the silence around me. A hand slapped my exposed shoulder. Looking up, Isabella's smiling face filled my vision. Jon walked up next to her, shaking his head and pulling her away from me. A shock of electricity made my body jerk in place. Looking down, Akalia's eyes told me she was annoyed. Quickly fishing out her Pokéball, I recalled the dozing Luxray. Looking over to Baast, she nodded and I performed the same courtesy to her. Thankfully, both Joy and Jon helped me stand up. It was hard to keep standing, due to my feet being asleep.

"When did you two get here?" I asked.

"About two hours ago, I think." Jon said, shrugging.

"Either way, who was that girl?" Joy asked, grinning at me. "Don't tell me that..."

"Anyway, what's this that we keep hearing about that you beat the Cerulean Gym?" Jon asked.

"Hey, that's right! Do you have the gym badge with you?" Joy asked, not looking annoyed that Jon cut her off.

"Yeah, I have it. But let's get food while we talk." I said, stomping my feet. Once I could stand without falling over, I walked behind Jon and pushed him.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Somewhere other than here." I answered. "If it wasn't obvious enough, there isn't any food here."

"Nick has a point, Jon. I'm starved, and sis didn't give us anything for not being there on time for lunch."

"You're buying." I pointed out to Jon.

"Me?!"

I pushed him a bit more, but stopped when he tried to turn around. "You want to hear my side of the story? You're going to pay for it!"

Chapter 28: Gilded Cage

"So let me get this straight." Joy said, stopping the current conversation. She grabbed her soda and slurped some noisily before continuing. "She battled you, not the other way around, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"And she gave you her badge, fully knowing that it's against all Pokémon League regulations to do so when you told her that you were a breeder."

I nodded, confused as to where this was going.

"Fuck yes! You can challenge other gym leaders now, you know that? Officially, you're recognized as a challenger!" she said excitedly. "Think about it! You could go to the Kanto League and fight Lance!"

"Why would I do that?" I asked, perplexed. "I don't want to fight the guy. All I want to do is get some answers."

"I think she means that by going this way you can get the chance to talk to him." Jon explained, leaning back on his chair.

I shrugged. "Maybe. They could just as easily tell me that they can't get in contact with him and postpone the match."

"We won't know until we try!" she exclaimed. It sounded like something Zin would say.

"I still think we should investigate the Cerulean Cave. At the very least it will clarify, to me, what Lance was looking for inside."

"Do you think it matters?" Joy asked.

"I think it does. Whatever keeps happening, it's around us all the time anyway. We might as well know at least what the champions are looking into." I answered.

"And what if it's just a pile of shit." Joy said, narrowing her eyes at me.

I hesitated for a moment, but settled on shrugging. "If that's the case, then at the very least we know that was a dead end and Agatha gets the laugh of her lifetime."

Joy sighed, shaking her head. "You're not dragging me in there, if that's what you were thinking."

"You don't have to come." Jon said with a laugh. "I'm not going either. So whenever you decide to go, good luck."

"Thanks." I said, rolling my eyes. "Somehow, I think I'll need it. Anyway, it's starting to get late, so I'll see you two in the Pokémon Center."

They nodded as they turned their focus onto their food. Though I ended up talking more than they did, my food was served first. Either way, it was good to know that they were both safe. Better in Cerulean City than in the middle of Victory Road. Especially with those guards around the airspace, too.

It was already late afternoon. The once blue sky was now painted with vivid shades of orange and magenta. A soft breeze kept the temperature on the cooler side of things. I wasn't complaining, that's for sure. The restaurant, oddly enough, didn't promote Pokémon within the premises so it was just me for now. As much as the company would be appreciated, the thought of an angry female Pokémon settled in favor of leaving them be.

My thoughts drifted as I walked back to the Pokémon Center. The park wasn't as populated as earlier today, but perhaps that's due to how late it is. Either way, people were still walking around. A group of people, either family or friends, gathered around a few tables and having a good time. Pangs of loneliness hit me, but were quickly suppressed. The sight made me miss my parents. I wondered if they've finished that last book yet. Either case, the urge to give up on this wild chase was high. But as much as I wanted to see my parents, what would be the odds of more weird things happening around me? Putting them in danger would be inexcusable.

Also, I'm pretty sure that there has to be some world-wide Pokémon trainer and breeder registry. If there would be any reason for Kanto or Johto to put me down as a Poképhiliac, there would be no way that I'd be able to even visit Sinnoh. Thinking about it, I don't know how anyone would tell. Unless one of the Nurse Joy's said something behind my back.

I'm pretty sure that Joy wouldn't be able to contain herself if she knew. If anything, just to get some kind of reaction from me.

The walk was uneventful. When I reached the doors to the Pokémon Center, my feet stopped moving. It didn't stop them from opening automatically, but I turned around and walked back into the growing night. Street lamps illuminated the darkness, but the sun was already hiding beyond the slopes of Mount Moon. It would be only a matter of minutes before the sky was fully enveloped in night.

For a moment, the thought that Mist was making me do this came to mind. I sadly remembered that no, she wasn't inside of me. She was still within her Pokéball. My hands wandered to my belt, where the devices were fastened securely. How did my hands know which Pokéball to grab? While I still walked, my fingers went to one of the devices. Here was hoping that my choice was the correct Pokémon.

The bright red flash blinded me momentarily, leaving behind blinking spots in my vision. They finally settled down on two glowing yellow spots in the darkness. I sighed in relief, knowing that I released who I intended to. Akalia rubbed against my legs, her purring making my legs shake under the attention. She didn't question why, standing next to me. Her glowing eyes were the only indication that she was paying any attention. I kneeled down and ran my hands through her fur. She continued to purr loudly until I stopped.

"Lux?" she asked.

"I just thought you would like the walk." I said with a chuckle. "You're more than welcome to lead the way if you want."

Her star shaped tail sparked momentarily before settling to glowing a bright yellow. I followed the bobbing yellow star as it walked forward ahead of me. It didn't seem that Akalia had anywhere specific in mind. She would stop and turn to make sure that I was still behind her. Her tail would stop moving while she turned to look at me with her glowing eyes. It would be an unnerving experience for me if it was another Luxray.

The street lamps were allowing me to see easily now, but Akalia's glowing tail didn't disappear from view. She continued walking and I followed through the darkness that was all encompassing. The sky was devoid of any glow from the sun and only the street lights and Akalia's tail shed any light. Building lights slowly turned on, the city night life beginning to awaken. Time seemed to pass by quickly as I followed Akalia wherever she wanted. People and their Pokémon passed by us, some ignoring us while others greeted us with a kind smile or a nod.

My arms were grabbed from behind me. I struggled immediately, but stopped when Misty laughed.

"What are you doing out here by yourself?" she asked from behind me.

"Let me go and I'll answer."

"That's alright. I'm sure that your Luxray can answer for you."

Looking around, Akalia wasn't in sight. Something soft rubbed against my leg. My eyes traveled downward, spotting the Luxray next to me. One of her paws pressed against my leg as she shook her head. Misty let go of my arms, and I had to fight the urge to retaliate or run. Turning to face my assailants, Misty and her three sisters were standing behind me. All three of them were wearing shorts and a matching shirt to go with their hair. Neither of them struck me as Noctowls, but neither was I and look at me.

Misty looked at her sisters for a moment. "Let me talk to him for a moment. I'll be back."

She grabbed me by the arm, dragging me along the sidewalk. Akalia let out some kind of annoyed growl, but she quickly walked ahead of us. Her tail still glowed brighter than the lights above. It looked like we were walking in random directions, taking a right turn to go behind some buildings and and left to cross the road. As we walked, more people became visible as the night life started up by its own accord.

Sooner than I thought, the buildings began to thin out with the lights associated with city life. Only Akalia's light brightened the immediate area. Misty pressed closer to me for a moment as my body shivered. Arceus above, please don't tell me what my overactive brain thinks she'll say.

"I know that you're thinking about going inside the Cerulean Cave and all. I just wanted to give you my thoughts on the matter."

I sighed in relief. At least that fear is put to rest.

"The Cerulean Cave used to be under lock and key by the Kanto and Johto Pokémon League. Dangerous Pokémon used to live there. Wild ones that wouldn't mind killing a human. Only the strongest trainers were allowed in, and even then some don't make it out.

"About three years ago, almost all activity inside the cave stopped. No Pokémon were reported coming in or out, and exploring the caves yielded little to no information about their whereabouts. No bodies were found and signs of life were few and far between. It just looked like every single Pokémon residing inside decided to up and leave at the exact same time. During these investigations, odd writings were discovered where there was previously none.

"Here in Kanto, there are no Unown experts to translate. Even Professor Oak was stumped when asked about what was going on. Bringing in Professor Elm from Johto only complicated the problem. The translation, according to Professor Elm, was a single sentence. 'He is coming'.

"Anything else you find in there will be news to me. Nobody else has gone inside since Professor Elm went inside or before Lance. Maybe some strange things happened in that time. I have no idea. Whatever you find, all I want is that you be careful."

I stood silent next to Misty, absorbing the information as quickly as I could. He is coming. What would that mean? Is it connected to Arceus? It is written in the language of the Unown, after all. It could have many meanings, but normally other deific Pokémon have some kind of honorific or are outright named.

"Something on your mind?"

Misty's questions shook me out of my reverie. "I was thinking as to why it just said 'He', is all. Normally, when referring to a deific Pokémon in Unown, it's either written with a name or title. With just the 'He' though, it's harder to pin down. Maybe physically seeing the writing may give more clues."

From the light of Akalia's tail, Misty smile could barely be noticed. "Good. Don't want you dying before I can kick your ass thoroughly."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Misty." I said while shaking my head. "Your audience would be disappointed if we didn't give them the chance to watch."

Misty turned and walked back into the city proper. We followed her, seeing as we had nothing else better to do at the moment. She turned to us and smiled again.

"I'll leave you two alone." she said, waving my way. "My sisters will end up wondering what's taking so long and think we ended up having sex in the woods or something."

I could feel the warmth on my cheeks when I stopped moving. She stopped me from saying anything with a very childlike giggle.

"Didn't know you were hot under the collar for me."

"I haven't even said anything!" I exclaimed.

"It's what you don't say that's sometimes the important things." she said gently. "Though I can tell that there's someone else that you care about. You don't strike me as one of those kinds of guys, either."

I took a deep breath, feeling the air fill my lungs. My breathing was ragged. Must have been holding my breath there for a moment or two unconsciously.

"You should get some rest if you're serious of going in there, though." Misty warned as she turned away from us. "Regardless of what's been reported, it's better to be prepared. Going exhausted would be a death wish."

I nodded as we watched Misty continue on her own back into the city proper. Looking over to Akalia, she nodded in Misty's direction approvingly. I raised an eyebrow in curiosity when she shook her head and growled at me. Any words that were to be said died in my mouth. She immediately looked hurt, rubbing against my leg and purring loudly. Smiling at her, I knelt down to scratch behind her ears. After a moment, she pulled away from me as her tail moved to and fro. Like a moth bound to flame, I followed Akalia's lead back into the city.

We took our time, enjoying the walk and each others company. Akalia would look back to me on occasion, as if to make sure I was still following her. People began to appear as we delved back inside Cerulean City. Passing the PokéMart, the time was displayed next to the building. As it read around nine, Misty's words echoed about having enough rest. It looked like Akalia had the same thought process when she looked at the time. Her pace quickened, and I was glad to be able to keep up.

At the very least, I didn't have to haul around all my stuff this time.

Entering the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy waved at us with a smile. I waved back as the phone rang. She answered it with practiced ease, smiling at me as she put her attention on the caller. Akalia continued to walk in the direction of our room. The door opened at the slightest touch. Taking a look inside, relief flooded in me when all was quiet. Akalia's glow brightened enough of the room to let me see that neither Joy or Jonathan were here. My Luxray jumped on our bed, quickly making herself comfortable.

I sat next to her as she shook her head. She climbed on my lap, her head pushing against my chest until I lay flat on the bed. She calmed down only when my eyes closed and my hands scratched her head. Her rumbling purrs helped me relax quickly, and sleep overtook me.

======================//////////////////////============================

Song, Akalia, and Iolanthe all insisted that they accompanied me inside the Cerulean Cave outside of their Pokéballs. In truth, everyone did. Zin being one of the more vocal ones, and Mist constantly reminding me to think about everyone. Song eventually came with the compromise that three would accompany me and summon everyone as soon as trouble hinted its face. Zin didn't readily appreciate it, but at least she agreed. She came extremely closeto burning my pants, though. The only thing I brought with me was my flashlight, as we weren't leaving Cerulean City yet.

Just as Misty claimed, the cave seemed entirely empty. The only sounds I could hear came from us. No one was standing guard outside, either. Zubats, notorious for their overpopulation in cave systems, didn't make any appearance. I half expected a gigantic Pokémon to move from the shadows but nothing appeared. My thumb clicked on the flashlight, the light displaying more of the ruined cave than anything. Signs of inhabitation were there, but how long ago is up to discussion. Alongside a wall of rock taller than Song is, steps led the way. Looking upwards and pointing my flashlight to the ceiling, numerous stalactites could barely be seen. Curiously, not many counterpart stalagmites were on the ground. Cleared, perhaps, by the previous residents?

"Something feels odd, Master." Io mentioned, standing next to me.

"I agree. It feels very strange that this place be so clean." I said, nodding.

We continued forward, going up the steps and into another open area. It was small, compared to the previous area back down the stairs. However, there were more stairs leading back down again. Walking towards one of these stairs lead to a tunnel blocked by a cave-in. The deed seemed purposefully done, as chunks of stone were missing from the walls above and around the entrance. My hands touched the boulders, pushing lightly. The smallest stones above didn't flinch, and I didn't want to actively find out what would be on the other side.

We went back up and tried our luck going down another set of stairs. I was grateful that the entrance of the Cerulean Cave was visible on our way back up. The thought of some kind of weird fantasy loop that would make this a death trap sprung up and quickly suppressed. Iolanthe's eyes were quickly drawn up to me but I shook my head. A smile and a deep breath seemed to ease her worry as she took a more relaxed stance.

Going down this set of stairs led to a flat area with a few boulders around us. Song gripped her staff tightly as she stood next to me. The light from the flashlight would go over a rock or two, but nothing else obscured our vision. Again, no signs of life could be detected. Looking down at Akalia, the Luxray seemed confused. Admittedly, I felt the same way of this place as well.

We took a left turn, following the stonewall forward. Spotting what looked like another cave entrance, we walked towards it in hopes of finding out what happened here. At the very least, finding where these mysterious Unown writings were. Maybe I should have asked Misty where they were, or if she knew the general layout of the cave.

Scratching my head with my free hand, we discovered that the entrance wasn't blocked. My eyes met Song's briefly, and she nodded. Her grip tightened on her staff, taking the first steps forward. Akalia walked next to me as one of Io's tentacles rested on my shoulder. My footsteps echoed loudly in the cramped tunnel. I didn't have trouble walking through it, but all three of my Pokémon were walking almost on top of me. Iolanthe's body was almost pressed against my own, and Song's staff kept hitting my legs on accident.

Reaching the end of the tunnel, a few stalagmites were immediately visible. As we approached them, some had very odd markings carved on them. It wasn't Unown writing, but it was similar to it. Song stood next to me, her fingers roaming through my hair softly. I raised an eyebrow at her, but continued to focus on the odd markings.

"Do you think we found what the other humans saw?" Song asked.

I shook my head. "This isn't Unown writing, as far as I can tell. Maybe a copy of the original, but not sure what it is."

"Though the first words do look like a 'He'." she said, tapping her fingers against the words. "Though it's only due to them looking like it. Nothing else looks like the original line we're looking for."

"It keeps repeating, too." I said, frowning. "The same characters are repeated over and over again."

I pulled out my Pokédex and opened it, to see what time it was. We entered just before noon, and only a bit under an hour has passed by. We still have plenty of daylight outside before we're left outside in the night. Continuing forward, more crude handwriting was on either more stalagmites or on the walls themselves. The light from the flashlight went over more blocked tunnels or caves. The soft patter of dripping water could be heard whenever we stopped and looked around. Oddly enough, the writing began to get more cleaner and discernible the further we walked.

My skin crawled for a moment, making me shiver. The odd feeling of being watched made me stop and look around. I looked over to Song, who was giving me a worried look. Akalia pawed at my leg, her golden eyes concerned for me as well. I turned to Iolanthe, who was looking around as well.

"Did you feel something just now, Iolanthe?" I asked.

She nodded. "I did. There is a strong psychic presence here, but I cannot tell from who. It is a different energy signature that what I have experienced."

"Could it be residual energy?" I asked. "Misty did mention that one Pokémon. Mewtwo? Whatever that is."

Iolanthe shook her head. "No, this isn't residual energy. Someone is actively watching us."

I shivered again, but suppressed the awkward feeling as much as possible. "Come on. Let's keep going as far as we can. I want to get out of here as quickly as possible."

All three of my Pokémon nodded as we pressed onwards. We began to see signs of previous habitation. Cut stone covered in dead grasses seemed to act as bedding. With no need for shelter from the elements, there were no roofs over these areas. Large groups of these beds were clumped together, indicating some kind of social structure. More beds were grouped together in a similar fashion to the first grouping. It was difficult to say if this was made for one kind of Pokémon, or was this some kind of communal area.

As fascinating as this was, I made a mental note to tell mom and dad what I've seen. Curiously, I checked if my Pokédex had some kind of camera feature. It had a lens somewhere, of that I'm certain, to scan Pokémon. Could it take pictures as well? After some fiddling around, I did find that yes it can. It wasn't the best quality I've ever seen, but it did the job. As we continued onwards, I took more pictures of the crude writing. The mental note was corrected to send these pictures to mom and dad as soon as I got out of this place.

The pictures were of better quality for the odd text on the stone due to being close up. They were getting closer to recognizable Unown text, and I could begin to decipher what they said now. Stopping in front of one such text, it wasn't a copy of what Misty said, but something else entirely.

I read it aloud, my Pokémon standing next to me. "We leave this for you, the next line. Beware the Witch of the Night, for she claims the souls of the living."

What in the world does that mean?

Again, the odd feeling of being watched returned. Song's staff hissed through the air as she took a fighting stance. I spun around myself as well, the light from my flashlight wildly tracing through the darkness. Blood pounded in my ears, nervousness making me jitter in place for a moment or two. As my breathing calmed down, I noticed that my Pokémon were actively looking for something as well.

"Io?"

"It is the same presence once more." she said stoically.

Who would it be? What kind of psychic type would be around these parts? Two questions that didn't have an immediate answer at this moment. Either way, Iolanthe slowly relaxed her stance once more. My eyes passed over Song and Akalia, both Pokémon actively looking for what may have caused the disturbance. It takes them both a few more moments to finally relax properly.

"Iolanthe, do you recognize the source?" I asked.

After a moment of looking around, she shook her head. "No. It isn't a signature that I recognize. It is powerful, though."

"Interesting. What kind of psychic type would do this?"

"A curious ghost?" Song suggested.

Iolanthe shook her head. "The energy is different from a ghost. It isn't nearly the same as a ghost. Mist's energy, while powerful in her own right, doesn't begin to compare to the scope that is peering in our direction."

The Gardevoir looked a little put off, frowning for a moment. She shrugged after a moment, nodding towards Io. "You're right, I think."

I looked down towards the Luxray standing next to me. Her eyes met mine for a moment, as she tilted her head to the side in confusion. Looking over to the two psychic types, they seemed to come to some kind of unspoken agreement. Song stood even closer to me, one hand gripping her staff tightly while the other held my shoulder. Iolanthe looked at me for a moment before nodding. My mind couldn't come up with any idea how she could look so satisfied without a mouth.

In either case, I turned my attention back to our immediate surroundings. There wasn't anything like this in the ruins near home. Mom and dad have never mentioned things like this either. While mom has mentioned before that groups of Pokémon would live together, this seemed too organized for just an isolated tribe. There was a society here at one point or another, intelligent in its own right. But what would cause them to leave? Human presence didn't deter them before, or so Misty claims. Misty also claimed that there were guards here. Were the Pokémon here some kind of experiment?

And what about that Mewtwo that Misty mentioned? If she was right, did that being have an impact here in this society? More likely than not yes. That is, of course, if she was telling the truth. Still sounded like a bunch of trash. Then again, weirder things have happened.

We walked forward again, my eyes focusing on trying to find more of that strange writing. It seemed the farther we went the less we found. The same quote appeared etched on a stone tablet as tall as Iolanthe stood. It was neatly written, but nothing new to me at this moment. We passed by it, paying it little to no mind.

We found another tunnel, leading downwards. My mind kept playing out different scenarios on how the tunnel would collapse on top of all of us. I shook my head, focusing on walking. This one ended abruptly however. The soft sounds of moving water echoed through the chamber. It looked almost like an underground lake. The walls were adorned with similar crystals from the Ice Path, except these glowed a dark purple instead. The crystals pulsed in determined intervals, almost as if they were breathing. They would glow brightly enough to negate the light coming from my flashlight. When they stopped glowing, it seemed to absorb all the light in the chamber. If it wasn't for everyone having a hand, paw, or tentacle on my person, it would be hard for me to believe that I wasn't alone.

There weren't any sort of pillars hanging from the ceiling of the chamber that reached the ground. The crystal formations were lumped together, either alongside the walls or attached to the floor. As we moved forward, the chambers initial depth was deceptive. It was more like a glorified hallway, the crystals distorting my perception with the light coming in and out. Water splashed underfoot suddenly, as my foot stepped into a shallow puddle. Surprisingly, the water wasn't cold. It was warm, but walking in soaked shoes wasn't a good idea.

My eyes roamed over to Iolanthe, her gaze locking into mine instantly. In between the light pulses, she shook her head.

"No, I have not felt the presence again." she answered.

Strange. What would stop it from following us further? Though that is to say it hasn't attempted to mask its presence more thoroughly from prying eyes. My eyes were becoming more adjusted to the pulsing lights, though. Going back outside was going to be a pain in the ass.

Every now and then Song's hand would stop me from moving. Her eyes roamed frantically throughout the room, looking for anything that looked displaced or odd. "Song?" I finally asked, speaking softly. My voice echoed loudly anyways, making the Gardevoir's eyes stare right at me.

When she didn't respond, I smiled reassuringly at her. "Are you alright?"

She nodded silently, her face disappearing and reappearing with the pulsing light. "I'm fine." she said stiffly.

I didn't think so, but decided not to mention my observation. My fingers wrapped around the ones on my shoulder, her smooth skin gracing my touch. Her tight grip loosened slightly, but the worry was still there. She looked determined, a focused look gracing her features. It was one that Iolanthe shared with her, too. Akalia looked a bit more relaxed, but not by much. Her paws splashed playfully on the water. It looked like Song wanted to scream loudly for the Luxray to stop doing that.

Before any of that actually happened, the formations began to grow more concentrated. These large groups, while emitting more light, also seemed to absorb more ambient radiance from their surroundings. We avoided touching them, sometimes resorting to Iolanthe and Song working in tandem to get me to the other side.

"What do you think they are made of?" Song asked casually, catching me.

"I have no idea." I said truthfully. "They look similar to the ones in the Ice Path in Johto. Best be careful that we don't wake up something though."

"Better safe than sorry." Song said, nodding.

Iolanthe landed beside me, her tentacles coming to rest around my waist. "I think that our destination is near." Iolanthe said confidently.

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"There is some kind of platform ahead."

"By the way, thank you for lifting me and Akalia over the crystals, Io."

She nodded, tightening her hold on my body and looking pleased. We continued moving as I gave a silent prayer to Arceus that we would find what Misty claimed was in here. I fell forward suddenly, losing my balance as my foot went through a hole of some kind. Water soaked my pants, but thankfully Io saved me from meeting the floor with my face. Song also helped me stand, brushing off my shoulder gently.

"Are you al..." was all that came from Song's mouth. I was alright physically. Mentally was another story.

The path ended abruptly in front of us, but the letters that Misty told me before I ventured inside the Cerulean Cave were emblazoned. The words might as well be written in bold, the letters carved deeply into the stone walls. My legs wobbled slightly, my knees weak at what was before us. It had the feeling of business, and the mental image of a psychic type carving out the letters with their mental powers wouldn't leave my mind.

"What does it say, Master?" Song asked.

"It's not Unown, but it's close to it." I said, frowning for a moment. "The part that Misty mentioned is, but everything else is something else entirely."

"Can you read it?"

"I can try. How accurate it'll be is up to debate." I answered with a shrug. "Give me a second to mull it over."

My eyes narrowed as I began to process each word and letter. It bothered me that this Professor Elm could only decipher the last sentence of the entire paragraph and not guess at the rest of it. Ignorance!

Calm yourself, Nick. Deep breaths, one at a time. In, hold, and then release slowly through the mouth. I closed my eyes for a moment before opening them again. The first sentence was easy enough to translate. That is, of course, assuming that I was reading it correctly. The following sentence was a bit more complex, making me double check a few letters from the first and last sentence. I shrugged after a moment, beginning to speak so as not to keep everyone waiting.

"To He who reads the last language. We ask that you... take heed to this warning. Beware the Witch of the Night, for she claims the souls of the living. Do not trust the winged ones. He is coming."

Silence followed my words as they echoed from the stone walls. Song looked at me dubiously. "That's it?" she asked.

I nodded. "Unless I messed up somewhere, yeah. My hesitation was due to not recognizing the words used here. It's almost like the words were jumbled on purpose and looked different."

"What do you mean?" Iolanthe asked softly.

"Take for example the word 'beware'. The double-u is at the beginning of the word in the writing, instead of where it should be in the word. Completely different to Unown or basic writing forms."

"But who would write this down here?" Song asked, frustration clear in her voice. One of the ends of the staff hit the stone, the sound echoing around us. "What's the point?!"

"I don't know Song, but be careful with your staff. We don't want one of these crystals shattering."

"Too late." Io intoned.

I was about to ask why she said that when a loud cracking sound echoed in my ears. The next moment passed by and my vision faltered as a hard blow hit the back of my head. My vision was blurry, movements being extremely hard to track. I could hear muffled sounds. Footsteps at the most, if that much. Akalia's glowing tail was the only thing my mind could identify easily. The yellow glowing star blurred in a nauseating display as it moved back and forth quickly. Two hands were placed at the sides of my head as my body was lifted off the ground.

The sound akin of glass shattering made my head pound. My face was pressed against cool skin as limbs tightened around my head, torso, and legs. It must be Iolanthe that's carrying me, then. The air rushed around us as we moved. The walls of the cave were a blur to my eyes. A feeling of nausea passed over me suddenly, threatening to empty meager lunch of earlier today. More sounds of those crystals exploding echoed inside my head. Light still filtered through my eyelids, quickly engulfed in darkness.

My hands clenched, trying to feel if I still had my flashlight on me. Unfortunately, I must have dropped it when I was hit from behind. Idly, my thoughts wandered if the injury was serious. A blow to the head isn't a good thing. Can't be too serious, though, if my thought processes were coherent enough. Maybe it was a small object that ended up striking me. It was a mystery enough to me and probably the others as well. It didn't take long for everything to finally settle down. I was placed in a sitting position, my head being cradled gently between smooth skin. Io's face entered my vision, her mouthless visage blurry to me. A stinging sensation creeped up on me suddenly as the feeling of something being pulled out of my head came into the forefront.

"Io?" I asked.

"If you speak once more, I will see it personally that you be knocked unconscious." Iolanthe intoned. "For the sake of your mental well-being, I want you to focus on breathing and staying awake."

I acknowledged her by doing just that. My shirt was pulled a few times as Io and Song spoke. The sound of cloth ripping could easily be heard, Io's dexterous tentacles worked around me.

"Will he be alright?" Song's worried voice echoed in... wherever we were.

"He should be fine." Io stated. "His mental activity is still high, though the blow looks to be mainly superficial. Either master has a hard skull enough to rival a Golem or it was a glancing blow. I am more leaning towards the glancing blow theory."

Thanks, Io. Appreciate the subtle humor.

"You are welcome, Master." she said, patting my shoulder gently. "Before you ask, we are safe at the moment. We are in the previous chamber before we went into that deathtrap."

Right. I took a deep breath, trying my hardest not to close my eyes in front of everyone. The temptation was high, but did my best to refrain from doing so. My eyes itched like mad, though.

"You can blink." Iolanthe assured me. "Just do not go to sleep."

I sighed in relief, relaxing slightly and doing so. My body felt tired, but I resisted the urge to sleep. Taking deep breaths, I thought of the words inscribed on the wall before this insanity happened. 'Beware the Witch of the Night'. There is only a handful of Pokémon that could be the reference to this title. I've known for a fact that Raikou and Moltres have been referred as these titles more than a handful of times. There is, of course, Cresselia as the actual manifestation of the moon itself.

"Cresselia?" Iolanthe asked suddenly.

"What about her?" Song asked.

"Master was thinking about her in reference to the title of Witch of the Night." Io explained.

The Gardevoirs eyes widened, shaking her head. "Cresselia is a force of good in our world! The monks taught me that!"

I frowned, forcing myself to speak despite the warnings from Iolanthe. "Unfortunately, that isn't always the case in the legends. She has been attributed to cursing human and Pokémon for centuries. Speaking Cresselia's name is almost a curse to many people."

"Did you forget what I told you, Master?" Iolanthe asked in an oddly neutral tone.

"No, but I think it's best that I speak for myself instead of you for me." I said, frowning. "I'll stop talking if I feel nauseous or dizzy, I promise."

Silence followed my promise as I caught my breath. Thankfully, my eyes could see relatively well again. Akalia's tail was still shining brightly, illuminating our surroundings plainly. Song's face betrayed anxiousness, a complete contrast to Iolanthe's indifferent stare. She was probably interested in what I had to say. It just that it didn't look like it at all. The Luxray seemed a bit indifferent at the conversation. Her ears were moving around on their own as her eyes bore into my own.

I shook my head slowly, feeling slightly light headed at the act. Io leaned forward and pressed a tentacle against my lips. "You will not speak any more until we get out of this cave. That is my final verdict!" she said loudly. The echo of her voice made my head hurt. She must have known, as she immediately took hold of my body, and before anybody else could have a word in, lifted me up and continued walking.

Akalia and Song caught up quickly, avoiding my vision to drift back into darkness. I was just glad I could see Io's colors clearly again. At least my vision wasn't shaking as we moved towards the exit of this Arceus forsaken place. I didn't see the appeal of this place. If there were murderous Pokémon here, no one could force me in here. Doesn't matter what ancient knowledge you've thrown at my face as bait.

I continued to breathe and stay awake, slowly noticing our surroundings changing. The tunnel lit by Akalia's light would suddenly open up to another spacious, the light disappearing in the vastness of the space available. We stopped moving again as Io placed me down once more. Two tentacles pressed against my face, widening my eyes as the light from my Luxray's tail glowed brightly.

"He's still conscious." Iolanthe stated. "Explain yourself, Master. Song has been practically ready to bash your brains in."

I sighed, thinking of how to put my words correctly. Song's staff hitting the stone beside my head stopped that train of thought instantly.

"I want an explanation, Master. Now." Song said sternly.

"Fine. But please don't threaten me. I wasn't trying to mask my information from you, just figuring out how to say it without sounding one sided or like I know everything."

As she removed the staff away from my face, I felt a bit more relaxed. I rubbed my eyes gently with my thumbs, trying to sort out my thoughts quickly.

"Cresselia is, and has been, described to have many titles. Witch of the Night is one of the more rarer occurrences for the lunar Pokémon. Darkrai has also been known to carry the title, as well as Moltres and Raikou. I don't know exactly why Moltres is included, but from what my parents and I have managed to piece together is that Moltres would come in moonless nights in a flash of fire to steal the heat from every home and village it would encounter. Raikou would steal the firstborn of a family, human or Pokémon, didn't matter."

"And what about Cresselia?" Song asked.

"According to records, a Cresselia would kill whomever looked upon the full moon, stealing their soul and sending it to the hereafter."

"To Giratina, you mean."

"Yeah, to Giratina." I confirmed.

"What is Cresselia's role in the grand scheme of things?" Song asked, confusion in her tone of voice. "Were the monks wrong?"

"I don't know, Song." I said, sighing. "My information can be completely incorrect, and Cresselia could have true benevolent feelings for other Pokémon. But going by what both Darkrai's have mentioned and my knowledge of Cresselia, I'm going to be cautious."

"Until we know better." Io supplemented.

"Indeed. At the very least, that's the intention."

"Master, you never make things simple."

"It's not my intention to make things more complicated." I offered. "Things are normally complicated when we find out that things are more in-depth than we originally thought. Which tends to encompass everything."

"Sometimes you disturb me, Master." Iolanthe stated.

"I apologize, if that's the case. Hope it hasn't changed my opinion of me too much."

It was a very lame attempt to lighten the situation, but thankfully Io got the message. Either that or she understood the message by reading my mind. Either way, her soft laughter breathed new life into our surroundings.

"How much further do we have to get out of here?" I asked. "It's too dark for me to make any specific features out."

"Not much further now." Iolanthe assured. "Do you feel well enough to walk?"

"Maybe. I'll give it a shot as long as you three make sure I don't fall."

The three ladies around me affirmed their participation. Song held tightly to my right arm as Iolanthe held my left. Akalia brightened her glow slightly, allowing my eyes to see the ground around me. My steps were unsteady, but slowly gained in strength as we continued to walk. We managed to stumble to the outside world once more, Song and Io practically dragging me due to my stubborness. It was nice to hear the Gardevoir finally laugh like she meant it, though.

The sky was already tinged in oranges and deep purples. Was it that late already? My hands went to my pockets and pulled my Pokédex. Opening it up, the time ticked exactly five-thirty in the afternoon. Exploding crystals, mysterious text, and bodily injury. That's enough excitement for me for one night.

"I think Master wants to rest for the day." Song said with a laugh.

"Well, things have been quite eventful." I said in my defense.

"That's what I hear, as well."

We all stopped and looked to our left, as I immediately identified the reporter girl that interviewed me the other day. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." she said, walking towards us. "It's not often that someone goes inside of the Cerulean Cave for fun."

"Well, let me tell you that it sure wasn't because we felt like it." I said, sighing. "By the way, we noticed that there was something following us inside. Our best guess was some kind of psychic Pokémon, but we couldn't identify the energy source."

"Interesting. And who made such bold statement?"

I pointed to Io. Our mysterious companion clammed up instantly. Silence settled around us, broken when I coughed.

"If you don't mind, we'll be headed off to the Pokémon Center. I've had enough adventuring for one day, thank you very much, and not in the right mindset to answer questions."

"And who said that I was here to ask questions?" she asked.

"Well, you're a reporter, right? Isn't asking questions part of your job?"

"You got me there, unfortunately." she said with a smile. "So, saying that, can I ask you a question?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed, but relented. "As long as it's one. I don't think I can handle a barrage after today."

"Are you ready to meet The Soulkeeper?"

Before any words would formulate out of my mouth as a response, an impact sent me flying from Song and Iolanthe. I landed on my back against the ground, the air leaving my lungs on impact. Scrambling to stand up as quickly as possible, what little air was in my lungs quickly left as the girl was wrapped in shimmering dust. Bright yellow, purple, and blue colors began to emanate from the center of the bubble that encapsulated the young girl. A wave of air suddenly passed over me, knocking me back on my ass when it hit me.

Getting my bearings back, I was finally able to see what was happening. Dust hid anything from sight, and making breathing slightly difficult. The veil of obscuring dust slowly parted, revealing a majestic glowing being. Whatever it was, it floated serenely over the ground. The face of the mysterious figure was in the shape of a crescent moon. When the figure looked my way, I could see its two eyes burning red. The newcomers body was glowing a bright purple, revealing that the entire head wasn't a moon shape. It was close enough to me.

Ethereal purple bands appeared from the new arrival, connecting to both sides and meeting at the front. A strong amount of pressure made my eyes water instantly. It felt like all the air in my lungs was forced out.

"BEHOLD, HUMAN, AND DESPAIR! YOUR FINAL MOMENTS HAVE ARRIVED AT LAST!" the voice echoed loudly inside my skull. "TAKE COMFORT IN THE SOLACE OF YOUR PAINLESS DEATH. I, CRESSELIA, WILL-!"

The poorly devised speech ended abruptly as Song and her staff connected against Cresselia's head with a loud thwack that made me wince. Immediately, the pressure lessened around my chest. Akalia was immediately next to me, alongside Iolanthe. They both helped me get up, though my feet were unsteady. My left hand gripped Io's shoulder as my right went to each Pokéball and released my friends. Song made her way next to me, supporting me instead of Iolanthe.

"WRETCHED CREATURES...ABOMINATIONS TO LORD ARCEUS' NAME!" the voice boomed loudly inside my skull. "I, CRESSELIA, WILL SEND YOU ALL TO GIRATINA TO BE JUDGED FOR YOUR INSOLENCE!"

Insolence? I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. Now is not the time to be thinking about what a psychotic being is rambling on about. Before I could say anything, Io spoke.

"We need to take this fight somewhere else. We cannot risk getting innocents being caught by accidental fire."

I looked behind me, noticing that Cerulean City wasn't really that far away. If this thing really was Cresselia, I'm pretty sure it would level a mountain without much effort. My eyes locked onto Io's as she nodded.

It seemed that Io became impromptu leader. She immediately began giving orders. "Spirit, Aurora. I want you both to stay with Master at all times. Mist, I wish for you to stay in the air and maintain eyes on both combatants and Master. Everyone else, follow my lead. We're headed northwards. There seems to be an open area there were we can fight without much interference or harm to bystanders."

Everyone turned to look at me, as if to confirm what Iolanthe said. "What are we waiting for?" I asked. "Let's move!"

Spirit took Song's place at my side, before six out of my nine companions dispersed to keep Cresselia away from me. Spirit didn't allow me to walk. She lifted me up into her arms, cradling me like a child as Aurora jumped on top of my chest. My Flygon's wings lifted us up from the ground ever slightly, enough so she didn't need to walk. Sparks of electricity and gouts of flame told me that Akalia and Zin were doing their best to keep the mythical beings attention. A pulse of purple light would appear, followed by shouts of some kind.

As much as I wanted to know if everyone was alright, turning around would make me a target. Spirit's 'goggles' were slightly damp on the inside. Was someone injured? Dammit! Aurora's claws were at my throat instantly, stopping my movements. A soft hurt sound came from Spirit, but Aurora only dropped her stance when I finally calmed down.

Spirit put me down without hesitation. Aurora was standing on my head as Mist floated next to me. A soft touch made me look to my right, noticing Mist's worried expression.

"We are not going to be safe for very long." Mist said. "They are heading this way at quite the pace."

I looked over my shoulder, seeing bolts of lightning and gouts of fire bouncing off a bright purple barrier. A huge amount of pressure was put on me suddenly, making me double over. It felt like a migraine, except ten times worse. A wave of nausea threatened to empty what was in my stomach. My cheeks bulged, though I swallowed in reflex. The horrible taste of bile washed down my throat, and my body shuddered in response.

"Mist, are you hiding me?" I asked.

"I am doing my best to do so." she answered curtly. "It is why Cresselia has not ignored everyone by now."

I shut up after that. Aurora slid down from on top of my head and into my arms. She pressed a long claw against her lips, and I nodded to the Weavile. Another wave of pressure washed over me, my legs buckling under the unseen force. Spirit's claws grabbed me, making sure I didn't lose my balance. Looking at her, she didn't look like she was in pain.

"Spirit, did you feel anything?" I asked softly. She shook her head.

It looks like Cresselia is specifically targeting me. Looking at the unfolding battle, it was quickly moving in our direction. I'd give it about another thirty seconds and everyone would be right on top of us.

"We have to move." I said, looking at Mist.

"Not yet. I am waiting for Song's signal."

Knowing the Gardevoir, it would be something extremely obvious or elaborate. Song quickly ducked under Cresselia's left wing. Her staff bounced off the shield surrounding the Pokémon. At the same time, Akalia and Zin fired off beams of lightning and fire. Iolanthe and and Baast used their physical prowess to hammer against the shield. A high pitched scream erupted inside my mind, accompanied by a cracking sound.

Cresselia's eyes were on me. That's all I knew or had to know at the moment. A purple beam was headed to me. My legs refused to move, no matter how much effort was put towards the task. Something grabbed me from the side, hauling me away with it as I was lifted off the ground again. I met the ground hard, my world tumbled over a few times. Sharp claws grabbed hold of my arm, attempting to lift me up. Looking over, Aurora was doing her best to help. As soon as I managed to kneel, Mist floated over to me. Spirit's eyes, shielded behind her goggles, stared at me in my peripheral vision.

"Get up! Stand! Don't just sit there!" she screamed loudly.

I ran forward into the open grassland in front of me. It was better than waiting or questioning what she was screaming about. A loud thud from behind me made the ground shake, making me stumble. Looking behind me, Iolanthe was picking herself up as Zin stood on shaking legs. Io looked in my direction, giving me a swift nod as she bolted towards the fight. Zin looked worried, staring off in Io's direction.

"She's really trying to kill you." she said flatly.

"Are you alright?" I asked. She stared at me and rolled her eyes.

"No, but I'm still alive. That counts, right?"

I grimaced at my tactlessness. Zin shook her head, walking towards the battlefield.

"Spirit, Aurora, take care of Master." Zin said. "Mist, we need you."

"But what about the barrier?" the ghost asked.

"We'll handle it if Cresselia switches targets. Right now, Song is doing a good job at keeping her attention."

Mist looked warily between me and the Houndoom. Zin sighed. "Fine, but don't make me wait too long. We all need you right now."

Without waiting for a response, Zin dashed back towards the fight. Sparks flew through the sky. No doubt was in my mind that Akalia was doing her best to give Cresselia all she could muster. Spirit's claws lifted me up and holding me tightly against her. I looked over to Mist, her face betraying worry or indecision. It was the first time that came to mind that she showed any sign of hesitation. My hands reached out to the hovering ghost, bringing her to my chest.

"You should go." I whispered.

She immediately pushed against me, going through my arms and hovering dangerously close to my face. "No!" she screamed. "My place is to protect you!"

While surprised by her outburst, it wasn't out of context. "They all need your help, too. Spirit and Aurora will keep me safe. Don't you trust them?"

Her mouth was a thin line against her face. She nodded, but her eyes narrowed. "If you die, I'll make sure to haunt you for the rest of your undeath." she said acidly. "As soon as I leave, the barrier hiding your presence will fall. Spirit, Aurora, please be careful."

She hovered in front of me for a moment after saying those words. I nodded once, and she flew towards the battlefield behind us. Cresselia instantly turned to us, ignoring everyone and charging straight for me. Meeting Mist halfway, the two Pokémon clashed, invisible waves physically pushing me back. The air felt thick as it was accompanied by an unbearable pressure around my chest and head. Relief would come in waves. It was as if Cresselia was trying to reach me with her powers, while Mist systematically cut her influence once found.

The rest of the group caught up with our opponent. Song and Baast were the first to attack, jumping on the back of the great floating Pokémon and delivering blows to the head and neck. Cresselia's eyes glowed bright purple, matching the same outline that was around both my Gardevoir and Lucario. Both of them were lifted up above Cresselia's head and thrown at my direction.

"Spirit, catch Song!" I yelled, forcing my body to move away from my Flygon. She flew past the Lucario and catching Song. The impact almost knocked both of them to the ground, but Spirit looked like she was still alright.

Somewhere in my mind, it hit me that I was trying to catch the one with spikes coming out of her chest and arms. My mind comes up with the best ideas!

As Baast came quickly to me, she tried to exert some control over her body's position. Her arms flailed, turning her back to me as our bodies impacted together. The impact sent us both tumbling in the dirt. My vision darkened instantly as what little air I could actually breathe was better used for more important purposes. Baast moved off me quickly, relieving the weight from my chest. It felt as if at least something was bruised at best, broken at worst. It wasn't anything deliberately painful at the very least. Not in the sense of a lung being pierced or a rib breaking.

Still hurt a lot though.

Baast's paws helped me stand up quickly. The sound of something shattering around me made me look for Cresselia. What I saw instead was Mist falling. My body struggled to move, but Baast was faster. The Lucario was a blur, catching the falling ghost safely in her arms. Before I could say anything, two tentacles grabbed hold of me and dragged my body backwards. A wave of energy hit the location I was just at a few moments ago. The ground began to glow from underneath before exploding in a weird combination of ice and fire.

Io's tentacles held me close to her chest. My eyes met Cresselia's as three beams began charging, each a different color. Iolanthe's tentacles grew in front of my eyes, distorting to something larger that I've only seen once before. As the three beams launched simultaneously towards us, my vision was blocked by Io's now enlarged limbs. Only the sounds of my hearing and heartbeat registered in my mind. My breathing was heavy with anticipation and fear. I really didn't want to see Cresselia.

"I was not hit by anything." Iolanthe said.

I nodded slowly, trusting Io to protect me. It's pretty obvious by now that I'd have no hope by myself.

Iolanthe lowered one arm down, slowly revealing the world around us once more. The first I noticed is that we weren't on the ground anymore. Well... technically we still were, but something made a hole deep enough for us to be under the surface. It wasn't far down enough to not be able to see Cresselia still staring at us, though. Though it was a mystery to me why Cresselia wasn't taking any advantage of the present situation.

"YOU!" Cresselia's voice echoed loudly inside my mind. "INVADER! HERETIC! DEFILER OF ARCEUS! LEAVE THIS PLACE AT ONCE!"

Who was she talking about? A soft chuckle echoed around me, as if to answer my unvoiced question. My eyes met Iolanthe's, who shook her head. A piece of black dust drifted past my vision, another landing on my nose. I rubbed it with my fingers, but immediately noticed that it wasn't dirt. Instead of it being wiped off it smudged against my skin. Looking at my fingers, it stained them jet black. It was then that I noticed that more were falling around us.

Also, the large wings that were made of fire.

Following the fiery wings to their origin point, what flew above us wasn't something I was expecting. Only one Pokémon was like this, and they weren't all shy of being seen or interacting peacefully with humans. Moltres, known in legends as The Everflame, was above us.

Its great wings beat the air around us, the air feeling slightly warm around us. It wasn't stifling as my fears lead me to believe. The flame Pokémon landed behind us and it allowed me to get a good look. One thing caught my complete attention, and that was the Pokémon's eyes. They were a mesmerizing blue, radiating a sense of calm. Before I could say anything, Moltres shook its head side to side. It was a bigger surprise when Moltres spoke.

"Now Cresselia, what have I told you about attacking humans?" the Moltres said in a motherly tone.

Arceus above, please don't tell me that Moltres is actively goading Cresselia.

"BLASPHEMER! YOU DARE QUESTION MY MOTIVES?! YOU ARE THE ONE THAT IS TO BE PUT TO TRIAL! INTERFERING WITH THE WORK FOR THE FATHER!"

"He's gone, Cresselia!" Moltres snapped, flames licking their way out of her beak. "Wake up from your crazy dreams and think for yourself for once. You're not the Prime. Let them handle this as they always have."

"NEVER!" Cresselia bellowed loudly, making my head pound. "I WILL COMPLY WITH THE TASK SET OUT BY MY PRIME, AND ERADICATE THOSE WITH THE MARK ON THEIR SOULS. THIS IS THE HUMAN DARKRAI ATTACKED BEFORE US! HIS SOUL MUST BE PURGED!"

For a moment, fear was at the forefront of my mind. Having Moltres behind us and Cresselia at the front wouldn't make this situation any easier. Fighting both is asking for a death wish. Thinking was a luxury that wasn't in my timetable. I couldn't see anyone from my position. Even if they could distract Cresselia, Moltres would be on top of us instantly. My heart beat against my chest painfully.

The Everflame's wings folded around me and Io in a protective gesture. "No, Cresselia." Moltres said gently. "This isn't a decision to make lightly on information you know little of."

"MISBEGOTTEN FOOL! I ACT IN ACCORDANCE TO MY PRIME. YOU, ON THE OTHER WING, ACT AS A REBEL AGAINST OUR CAUSE!"

"You're leaking thoughts again." Moltres said teasingly, a clicking sound coming from her. "This human can hear you."

"LET HIM! HIS OWN DEMISE WILL COME SOON ENOUGH!"

"And that's where you're wrong, Cresselia."

I turned to face Moltres as her eyes were on me. Finally getting a moment to register her presence, she was much larger than I thought. She stood at least a few hands above my head, and her wings were gargantuan. Moltres lowered her face to meet mine. For a moment, I could swear that a hint of a smile was on her beak. If beaks were that malleable. Either way things still didn't look like they were on my side. All Moltres presence meant was that there was a third party looking for their own end.

Moltres spread her gigantic wings wide, the air around us instantly turning stifling. Both of Io's arms wrapped around me in their protective embrace as quickly as possible. As much as I wanted to know what was going on outside, it was probably for the best that it remained a mystery. A sense of weightlessness, like falling, settled in me before it left with a shock. Iolanthe's arms slowly transformed back into the tentacles I was used to. They looked a bit thinner than normal though. The colors of her main body were turning black. A large section above her legs, her face and tentacles were the same original colors. Her face looked more aerodynamic, with just one long protrusion coming from the back of her head.

"Hold on." Io said simply, both her tentacles holding me against her chest. The next moment, my face was being pressed against her body. Not due to her tentacles, but because we were moving so fast.

Before anything more than blurred shapes registered in my peripheral vision, we stopped suddenly. My legs felt weak as Iolanthe let me stand on the ground afterwards. It felt like my body was made out of jelly. With my legs giving out underneath me, Io grabbed me to make sure that I didn't fall.

"Is Master alright?" Xola said, slithering next to me.

Iolanthe gently placed me go into the Milotic's coils. Xola wrapped herself protectively around me. She faced the same direction as I did, resting her head on my shoulder. The rest of the group made their presence known. Song and Baast quickly made a bit of fuss over how my present situation was. Mist and Zin both shook their heads at this display. Akalia and Aurora walked towards Iolanthe. I was about to ask what they were looking at, but the bright purple flashes and waves of fire reaching high into the night sky made that question obsolete.

Spirit landed next to us, speaking in frantic tones as she pointed around her. Io calmed her down quickly, however, nodding a few times and putting her tentacles on the Flygon's shoulders. Zin was the first to speak out of us.

"They're headed this way."

Looking over towards the flashing lights, they slowly became larger as they approached. Stars shaped projectiles flew alongside fireballs, lighting up the night sky. Why weren't any authority figures showing up? It wasn't like Cerulean City wasn't too far away. Looking back for a moment, I was surprised that Cerulean City wasn't in sight. Darkness loomed over the horizon as no lights from the city came into view.

"We're in some kind of illusion." Mist said. "I can feel something blanketing around us, but it is too powerful for me to alter or decipher."

Iolanthe nodded. "I feel it, as well. My powers also cannot interfere with this field that we've been wrapped on. For all intents and purposes, the outside world doesn't know we are here."

"We don't have a lot of time to decide on what to do." Zin warned. "They'll be on top of us soon enough."

"There isn't much to decide on. We can't get out until Cresselia drops the illusion, right? The match between those two looks too even, so we have to tip the scales in our favor. At the very least, side with the Pokémon that hasn't tried to kill us yet."

"Do you think Moltres will?" Song asked.

"I don't want to think of that right now, but no." I said. "She had the chance the moment she appeared in front of us. All she had to-"

"No more time for small talk!" Zin yelled as a purple beam flew towards us.

Everyone scattered as Xola concentrated and conjured up her Aqua Ring. Her eyes opened, glowing a deep blue. Even if it was just a stray attack, the power behind it was unmistakable. The impact of the beam looked like it would crumple the shield. My hands trembled against the Milotics scales as the blue shield began to discolor around the impact point. Instead of the Aqua Ring turning pink, it turned a brighter shade of blue.

"No one hurts my Master." Xola whispered softly before the water bubble glowed brighter and finally absorbing the entire attack.

Xola's coils tightened around me. "It's my turn to keep you safe." she whispered in my ear. She turned to everyone else before raising her voice. "All of you, get to it!"

Nobody argued with the Milotic's words, rushing past us without a look back. Zin hesitated for a moment, looking at both of us. Xola stared back at the Houndoom before Zin ran off towards the fighting. I was allowed to stand but Xola was still curled around my legs. I wasn't running anywhere, no matter how much it was desired.

Cresselia screech echoed inside my head, making me double over in pain. It came and went in an instant, but it was enough for me to almost black out. Lights danced in my vision along the grass and dirt. The feeling of constant nausea was beginning to take its toll. I was beginning to hear indistinct sounds. Not the sounds of conflict, that's for sure. I was already familiar with the sounds of Zin's fire, Akalia's lightning, and Song's staff. This was a completely different sound. All I knew is that it made me extremely uncomfortable.

Zin, Akalia, and Spirit seemed to work as a core group. They would all attack together, though it seemed to impede Moltres in attacking. Perhaps she really was on our side. At least she taking caution in when to attack. Cresselia turned her attention towards me, and another wave of pain began to swell. Moltres launched a full offensive, disregarding if someone was in the way or not. Though I couldn't see if anyone was injured in collateral damage, everyone looked fine when my vision finally cleared.

I could finally get a good look on Cresselia's face. While distracted by Baast, Aurora, and Mist, I spotted that the right side of her moon shaped face looked cracked. It had actually come together across her face, as if to guard her from any damage. Song did seem to prefer to aim high with that staff. Speaking of the Gardevoir, both her and Iolanthe came after Spirit flew by to grab a falling Baast.

Both Pokémon were repelled by a large wave of flames. My first thought was that Moltres had protected Cresselia. The truth was a lot scarier than that.

Four large spheres floated above Cresselia, glowing with their own power. Smaller ones began to appear in consistent wave pattern from Cresselia's sides, spitting out what looked like fireballs.

"Everyone, scatter!" Moltres commanded loudly.

Nobody had to be told twice, all of my Pokémon dividing into small teams of two. The fireballs were easily dodged, as they made gaps on their own accord. I could see a few retaliatory attacks being sent towards Cresselia every so often. The problem were the lights coming from above Cresselia, specifically from the four original spheres that weren't doing anything. Until they began to fire their own beams of energy.

The battlefield quickly became one sided as Cresselia's attacks bombarded and overwhelmed everyone. The small fireballs didn't do much to deter anyone, but the constant fire of the beams quickly brought any kind of counter-attack out of the question. Iolanthe, Mist, and Spirit tried going over the waves of fireballs to moderate success. With only the beams to worry about, and the grounded Pokémon had more opportunities to attack with impunity. My eyes wandered, quickly finding the flaming wings of Moltres in contrast to the dark sky. I'd hazard a guess that she was twenty feet above the ground. A loud cry echoed through the night as the sky turned slowly from black to red.

As if fighting fire with fire, Moltres brought her own powers to bare. In a similar display, small circular satellites appeared with every beat of her wings. Though in contrast of Cresselia's seemingly predictable barrage, Moltres' attack looked to have no gaps in between each fiery projectile.

"They're all going to get caught in the crossfire!" I shouted.

My feet were instantly caught in Xola's coils. "No! You're staying put!" she screamed at me.

"But-"

"But nothing. Your safety is my priority. You go out there and you're going to get killed!"

That's a hard point to argue. Still didn't make me feel better about the wave of fireballs headed towards Cresselia and my team in the middle of it all. Struggling against her was only making her muscles coil tighter around me.

Moltres' projectiles flew at different speeds. If that wasn't enough, larger fireballs were being thrown straight at Cresselia. My Pokémon moved out of the way quickly as Cresselia turned her attention to counterattack Moltres. Lights as bright as the sun flashed across the sky multiple times as fireballs collided against each other. The air didn't grow warm oddly enough. Perhaps it was the Aqua Ring still encasing me that shielded the heat, but I had no idea.

The slower moving projectiles from Moltres weren't stopped as easily as the mass wave she shot forward. It took a barrage of Cresselia's beams to stop it. When it exploded, the air expelled outward and pushed me off my feet. Unfortunate for Cresselia, that wasn't the only one. Behind that first one that exploded, at least three more followed.

My team began to take advantage of Moltres' distraction. Like a swarm, they all attacked at once. Mist and Spirit bombarded from long range, drawing some fire to themselves but leaving more openings in our targets defenses. Streaks of lightning and fire from below further distracted Cresselia as they hit her from her blind spots. This allowed for Io, Baast, Aurora, and Song to physically get through the orbiting spheres and attack Cresselia physically.

A wave of pain made me cry out as I grasped my head. It felt like a rock fell on top of me, except worse. It didn't go away as quickly as before, either. Xola's eyes stared at me as if to figure out what was going on.

"Are you hurt?" she asked.

"Something's going on. I don't know what though." I said, wincing at the effort.

Song and Baast, with the aid of Io and Spirit, stayed aloft as Cresselia began to gain altitude. It didn't look like a good idea, except when the spheres around Cresselia finally disappeared when Baast delivered a blow to our opponent. All four left the area as soon as possible, leaving Moltres to reach Cresselia with impunity. A few of the orbs finally reached Cresselia, the Witch of the Night crying in shock and pain as each exploded against her body. To my surprise, Moltres didn't keep up this barrage and instead brought herself into the fray. She dove from her position, a sheen of fire going around Moltres that made her much more larger than she really was. As the last projectile hit Cresselia, Moltres' attack landed. The wave of pain that slammed into me was indescribable. I closed my eyes and focused on breathing, trying my best to stay conscious. Blacking out sounded like a really good idea though.

"Iolanthe! Something's happening to Master!" Xola cried out.

"Mist?"

The familiar ghostly tendrils touched my forehead. Relief was immediate, but it still felt like something heavy hit my gut. When I opened my eyes, Mist was shaking her head.

"I do not know what's going on." she said softly. "Something to do with Cresselia. I can feel her power affecting him. But how is something else entirely."

Xola was surprisingly not tied around me, but the Aqua Ring wasn't in place anymore. Looking up towards the two legendary figures, they were still fighting. I couldn't have been out for too long, right? The ground looked scorched, though that wasn't all that surprising. They both were shooting large amounts of fire around.

Generally stating the obvious. It made me feel better.

"What was that attack?" I asked. "I've never heard or seen anything like it before."

"Neither have I." Io said, shaking her head. "This is something beyond us, that much we know."

No kidding. I've never seen any kind of Pokémon throw so many projectiles at once. Maybe a Charizard when it's really mad... and that was once during a tournament match on the television. Even comparing the two, the Charizard paled in comparison. That Charizard covered a quarter of a thirty foot arena. This had to be easily three times that coverage area. At least from my perspective. The only vegetation visible was behind me. Everything that I could see was charred.

"What's going on?" Zin asked. "Why is Master in pain?"

"Don't worry about it." I said, waving away her concern. She looked at me and did my best to smile back. "See? Perfectly fine."

I stood up under my own power. Everything felt fine, although the painful echoes were still there. Suddenly, another nauseating wave washed over me, my knees buckling instantly. My eyes hurt inside their sockets, and it felt like something was squeezing my throat. Someone prevented me from meeting the bare ground. As soon as everything stopped hurting and caught my breath I struggled to stand. Aurora didn't seem to want me arguing, though, especially with her claws so close to my face.

Iolanthe stopped her gently, drawing her claws away with one of her tentacles. "That is not the way to treat your Master." she said softly. "I understand you mean well, but that's not how to do it. Please."

I sat up as my body protested the movements. "Regardless of what's going on with me, we have to help Moltres." I said grimly. "Cresselia can beat her."

All of the Pokémon around me looked at me in confusion. I wanted to laugh at their expressions, but decided against it. I pointed to the sky instead. The answer was clear enough without me diluting it. Moltres was losing altitude quickly as Cresselia hovered in the sky. The ground shaking impact even made me wince. I stood up even against my friends protests, and made my way towards Moltres. She needed our help, and it was obvious that Cresselia wasn't the one to give it.

The impact point is too far away to reach before Cresselia turns her attention back towards us. Cresselia's body and face were discolored due to burns and impacts by my team. Black tinged the blue of her body, while the pink linking energy was a vibrant red. The yellow coloration was smudged with black as well. The moon shaped protrusions that covered Cresselia's face had numerous cracks in them.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS INSOLENCE, HUMAN CHILD!" Cresselia bellowed, her voice making me wince. "YOU WILL-"

"Who said anything of our little discussion being done?"

Like a scene of legends, a large plume of flame appeared suddenly. The heat was stifling in its intensity and appearance. I could easily see the whites and blue colors inside the flames, mixing with the usual yellows and reds. Out of this inferno, Moltres appeared with a mighty flap of her wings. The air shimmered around the legendary firebird from the heat of her being. If she was injured before, her body didn't show it. It was as if she was renewed.

"Surprised? I thought you'd be used to this by now, little sister." Moltres said with a haughty tone. "This isn't the first time we've fought."

The idea of these two Pokémon fighting on a constant basis sent a chill down my spine. Wait a moment... did she really say...?

"YOU DARE... YOU DARE! HOW MANY TIME HAVE I TOLD YOU NEVER TO CALL ME SUCH! YOU HAVE FORFEITED THAT RIGHT MANY A MOON AGO. MUST I CONSTANTLY REMIND YOU?"

"No, dear, you don't." Moltres responded lightly. "It's just nice to see you get all huffy over such a trivial matter."

"TRIVIAL!? I'LL SHOW YOU TRIVIAL!"

At that, Cresselia abandoned all interest in us. Cresselia's ire was quickly turned to Moltres, who seemed all too pleased with herself. Beams of multicolored lights lanced towards Moltres almost at point blank range. Moltres just flapped her wings, flying over the attack and retaliating with her own attack that I was more familiar with. The Fire Blast that Moltres launched was much bigger than I anticipated, lighting up the sky as it traveled to Cresselia. What made things odd was that the Witch didn't do anything to dodge the attack in the first place.

"What are you all waiting for?" I asked. "We can attack, too!"

My friends all looked at each other, before rushing forward. All but Song, who stayed by my side. Beams of ice, fire, lightning, and ghostly energy soared to their mutual target. The tell-tale sign of an Aura Sphere would occasionally be seen against the brightness of the other attacks. The first few surprisingly missed, crossing in front of Cresselia's face. She immediately reacted by moving away from both Moltres' Fire Blast and my Pokémon's attacks. Cresselia went on the counter-attack, shooting her own beams of multicolored light towards my Pokémon.

Moltres dove towards to Cresselia, immediately initiating close ranged combat. All my Pokémon stopped attacking soon after, taking caution not to hit our flying defender at this moment in time.

Like the screeching of nails on a chalkboard, both Pokémon in the sky made noises that made my ears hurt. The sound of glass cracking made me look around. Song grabbed my shoulder, and when I turned to her she pointed skyward. Looking up, the sky looked like it was shattering. Cracks that projected a pink color contrasted against the black sky. The last time I looked, that wasn't normal. Was Cresselia's hold on this area weakening?

Cresselia's voice echoed around me, my heart leaping to my throat at the sound. She flew up high into the sky, probably trying to undo whatever damage may have been done. My Pokémon regrouped at my location, Song grabbing hold of my body possessively. Moltres herself landed among us, her blue eyes once again grabbing hold of my attention.

"You're all a lot more stronger than I thought." she mused. "Maybe I should pay attention to the Prime more often."

Prime? I opened my mouth to ask, but Moltres shook her head. "Before you ask, no, I can't tell you. You don't strike me as an idiot. You'll figure it out."

They sound important, at least. "At least, I won't tell you." Moltres mused, clicking her beak at the sky. "Cresselia might just blurt it all out anyway. Even though we're forbidden to speak of them in any more detail."

"About who?" I asked.

"The Primes, silly. Perhaps you aren't as smart as you seem to be?" Moltres chuckled at her question, shaking her head. After she calmed down, she nodded at me. "I understand your frustration, but it's part of our laws. For the last five thousand years, at least."

"And how do you know all this?"

"I was there."

Anything else that could have been said was interrupted by another loud cry inside my skull. Moltres shook her head sadly.

"She's like a child that just turned eight hundred." she said sadly. " A bit pathetic, when you know she's been alive for the last two thousand years."

When thinking about the situation like that, I guess it made some sort of sense. Perhaps Cresselia was just really angry. It was probably not my place to know about these things. Definitely not my place to ask for details.

Another anguished cry echoed in my mind as Cresselia wept over whatever ruined her perfect plans. I looked over to Moltres, who shook her head. I focused back to Cresselia, seeing her form glow an oddly looking white. Moltres squawked in surprise, her wings beating at her sides.

"And this is why I've come to call her The Lunatic Princess!" Moltres yelled. "Take cover, human! Cresselia may get her wish yet!"

I was about to ask what Moltres meant by that, when the sky started to turn blue. Not the shade of blue that you would see during the day in the sky. The light bathed everything around us blue, as well. Before anything left my mouth, thin beams of matching blue raced in our general direction. Song grabbed my arm and pulled me out of my stupor, forcing me into Io's tentacles. No words were exchanged as everyone went their separate ways. My arm reached towards Song as Io transformed quickly while holding tightly to me. The Gardevoirs face showed a mixture of concern and fear as our fingers touched. An explosion next to us made Iolanthe react quickly, pulling me away from Song.

The first explosion was joined by more, quickly increasing in accuracy. Explosions is an odd way to put it. When the beams hit anything, they covered everything in ice. The thought crossed my mind if Iolanthe could launch a beam back towards Cresselia. She looked down at me, and I swear I could see her grin. Her eyes looked mischievously at me for a moment as we slowly came to a halt. Her form changed to one that was more her usual. She put me down gently as the transformation completed. The two tentacles on her right side began to glow similarly to the sky above as a few beams flew towards us. She swung, meeting her targets directly.

An explosion of ice quickly knocked me back. My body tumbled on frozen ground, the air feeling like it could chill my body from the inside out. I landed on my ass, my world spinning around. Finally getting my bearings, I was able to see that Io's entire right side of her body was encased in ice. Panicking, I rushed over to her. As she moved towards me the ice covering her body began to crack and break apart. While it looked fine at first, that thought changed when one tentacle completely broke off her body.

Her body transformed back again to her slim figure transformation. With her free tentacle, she shattered the other remaining frozen limb before holding me tightly against her chest.

"Never tell me to do so again." she said before we rushed away.

Was she alright? Arceus, part of her body was shattered! Before I could voice any concerns about Iolanthe's well-being, the sky began to change color. Looking upwards, a green light floated high above. In place of the Ice Beams being shot towards us, it looked like a storm of leaves blowing through the air. One passed too closely to my own face. Touching my cheek, I could feel something wet under my fingers.

Io took a sharp turn to her right, throwing me off balance momentarily. A barrier appeared around Io and myself as Mist appearing to ride with us. Without any spoken words, Io seemed to move with more purpose now. Even in her injured state her speed didn't seem affected in the slightest. I wanted to ask where are we headed to, but a sharp look from my Mismagius stopped me from voicing any concerns. Where was everyone else?

Looking up to the sky, Moltres was doing her best to redirect any attention from us to herself. At least, that's what it looked like. What we were getting was anything that was either deflected or accidental fire. Though I don't know how much is accidental when it looked like exploding beams of ice and leaves as sharp as knives flew through the air.

We stopped suddenly, the nauseating experience of stopping immediately after going however fast going over me. Song's hands wrapped around my neck as soon as Io let me go. I shook my head, pointing towards the injured Pokémon. Iolanthe shook her head.

"I will be fine. Listen to what Mist has to say first."

I looked over to the ghost, nodding when she had my full attention. Everyone else was here and accounted for. Odd, having a meeting in the middle of a death field.

"Akalia has an idea that should work." Mist said without preamble. "The problem is that Cresselia will pay more attention here with an easier target to get. Master needs to stay here to be safe, and I need to be here to help shield this area."

"Why can't we all stay here?" I asked.

"Besides casting a flag saying that we're hiding?" Mist asked sarcastically. "No. We need a distraction."

"You're asking everyone else to get in danger again, while Akalia-"

"Do you have any other suggestions, Master?" she asked. Everyone was staring at me, curious of my answer. I shivered slightly, but shook my head.

"Now you see our problem." Mist continued, nodding to me. "Is everyone still in favor of the plan?"

Everyone nodded, including Xola. I feared that she might be more vulnerable to anything due to her speed. Though perhaps she could offset that with her Aqua Ring. I wasn't sure at all, but not knowing didn't make me feel better. One by one they left. Baast grabbed hold of my face and kissed me, sticking her tongue inside my mouth. I couldn't react quickly enough before she left, running out into the barrage that was going on outside.

Hands grasped on my neck and turning me around. Song's eyes entered my vision, her lips pressing against mine. Just like the Lucario before her, she ran before I could say anything to her. One by one, my Pokémon walked up me. Aurora and Spirit hugged me before they went together before leaving towards the darkness. I kneeled for Xola to have an easier time to reach me. Likewise for Zin, the Houndoom's paws scratching at my pants for more attention. It didn't take too long for them to go their separate ways out into the darkness.

I stood up, meeting her eyes. She looked unconcerned about the plan. She still didn't look worried that she was missing part of the right side of her body. Iolanthe quickly wrapped her remaining tentacles around me, pressing my body against hers. I could feel her shivering, slight motions that were invisible to the eyes but obvious when pressed together. Without hesitation my hands brought her face closer to me and kissed her. Io stopped shivering instantly and her grip tightened for a moment. We slowly parted but no words were exchanged. Her eyes widened after a moment before she left.

Mist and Akalia both stood next to me as I watched Io dodge whatever fell from the sky. The hairs on my neck stood on end, the crackling of electricity drawing my attention to my left. Akalia's fur was tinged yellow with the electricity going around her fur. Sparks flew out of her open mouth, a ball of electricity condensing between in her fangs. Soon after, she dropped it on the ground. Against all possibilities, the ball of lightning didn't disappear. Akalia shook herself, her tail tracing a line of electricity to her new stopping point. The process repeated once more as electricity began to course along her body once more.

I looked around, finding Mist floating over my right shoulder. "Mist, what is she doing?" I asked.

"Watch and don't get in the way." Mist advised.

With no idea what to say to that, we stayed in silence. It looked like this wasn't easy to prepare for but the Luxray was doing her best to hurry along. I looked upwards, seeing the sky a bright yellow instead of the green. The green leaves were replaced with by yellow stars. Some landed near our hiding place, sparks traveling along the surface. My focus turned back to Akalia as she placed her third marker on the ground.

I honestly hoped that Cresselia didn't think that anything suspicious was going on. The sky above us was a fiery red once more. The all too familiar form of fireballs were flying all around the air. A fourth ball was placed by Akalia on the ground, connecting the four orbs in a square. As she finished, she drew another rectangular shape. It looked more like a diamond inside the square, but all the same.

Looking upwards, the sky had turned purple. Waves of pulsing purple energy came in staggered bursts. They varied in shape, but at least they didn't shatter the ground on impact. Akalia was in the middle of the formation now, charging more electricity around her. The air felt heavy, the figures of electricity on the ground taking a life of their own. Whatever Akalia was doing, it was something big. Four lights coming from the balls of lightning shot upwards, meeting in the middle above Akalia and headed skywards. Cresselia was now a multi color ball in the sky as she fired all the previous projectiles in more numbers than I care to count.

A wave of pressure hit me. I closed my eyes, trying to hold in any kind of vocalization that could distract Akalia. The skies above slowly turned back to normal, now that Cresselia was apparently done with her light show. I looked over to Mist when I heard someone talking. The ghost shook her head as she pointed towards the Luxray.

"Tenkou mitsuru tokoro ni ware wa ari, yomi no mon hiraku tokoro ni nanji ari, ideyo, kami no ikazuchi!"

The lights on the ground rose up, spinning around the Luxray at a frightening speed. Looking skyward, it didn't look like there were any signs of the original four points of light that shot upwards.

"What the heck is that!?" I whispered, holding my head.

"Kore de owari yo! Indiguneishon!"

The familiar sound of lightning rumbled from above. My world suddenly became white, the odd feeling of electricity flowing over us. Cresselia's familiar scream echoed inside my head. Looking skyward once more, it was obvious that she was hit with whatever it was that Akalia used. Turning my attention to the ground, I made my way over to the Luxray. She walked towards us, a good portion of her fur standing up on end.

"Are you alright?" I asked, worried about her.

She simply nodded, a huge smile on her face. I was thankful for that, at the very least. The shaking of the ground shuffled my priorities around though. Turning around, Cresselia's body was laying on the ground. Her body had numerous burns everywhere I could see. My Pokémon slowly appeared around me, all bearing some kind of wound. Superficial wounds I hoped.

Moltres landed next to Cresselia, shaking her head side to side. It didn't look like she had suffered much damage throughout the exchange. Either that or she was doing a good job at hiding it.

"I think it's time you gave up for today, Cresselia." Moltres said. "Tell your Prime that she will have to rethink her strategy."

"That... is not for me to decide, and you know this." Cresselia whimpered. Her imposing voice was gone now. "You know this. You only... only postpone the inevitable!"

"Perhaps." Moltres admitted. "But perhaps now is not the right time, either."

Cresselia didn't respond to Moltres statement. The Everflame shook her head. Out of pity or spite I wasn't sure.

"The barrier is about to fall, human." Moltres said, nodding towards me. "Walk and you'll reach your destination. I'll see to it that this Witch gets her lashings."

Nobody had to tell me twice to get out of this nightmare. "Thank you, Moltres." I said. "But what did she mean by the orders of the Prime that she received?"

Moltres' eyes widened momentarily, but she shook her head. "It isn't my place to tell you. You know too much already. Trust me when I say that you are better off not knowing."

I frowned. "This involves more than me." I pointed out. "Is there really nothing else you could tell us?"

She sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't want to truly die just yet." Moltres whispered.

My eyes widened as she shook her head. "Now, if there aren't any more pressing questions perhaps you should worry about your friends and less about your enemies."

She had a point there. We all turned towards our backs, heading towards Cerulean City. The familiar sights of stars began to fill in the darkness above us. Song grabbed hold of my left arm, her grip almost making me lose balance. Io's tentacles grabbed hold of my right arm. She was still missing the tentacles on the right side of her body. She looked happy, though. How is another question but it wasn't up to me to argue.

The lights of Cerulean City began to appear ahead of us. Out of curiosity I looked behind me. It still surprised me that neither Moltres or Cresselia were there. The how was another matter that I didn't want to think about.

=======================////////////////////=============================

Opening the doors to the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy was outraged at the physical state of myself and my team. She took everyone to emergency care, including myself, and made it extremely clear to not leave the room under penalty of death.

Good to know that Nurse Joy, who's trying to save us, will kill us just as easily if you break the rules.

Now that I was laying down on a bed, and my immediate safety was guaranteed, I wondered what just really happened. I had silently hoped that Song was right and Cresselia would be on our side. Perhaps it's just her, but this 'Prime' wasn't working for our interest, either. There's more to it, that's for sure. We didn't have enough information to piece this puzzle together. I heard the door open slowly. Turning to see if it was Nurse Joy, I was surprised to see Song standing at the doorway.

"Song?" I asked, surprised.

"Nurse Joy just checked me out." she assured me. "I didn't have any extensive injuries."

She walked over to me, sitting on the bed. Her left eye was covered in a white patch. My worry must have been easily visible, as she smiled and shook her head.

"Just a scratch." she said, touching the eye patch.

It didn't make me feel any better, but I trusted her. She leaned over to me, wrapping her hands around my neck. The gentle rising and falling of her chest told me that she was done talking for the night. I didn't even know what time it was, but exhaustion was beginning to claim me. Deciding that resting is the better course of action, I closed my eyes.

It would be decisively better than being awake when Nurse Joy barged in.

##

##

Chapter 29-Golden Scales

My head throbbed in pain, reminding me that I was still among the living. For how long was up to Arceus nowadays. It certainly felt like more than a few things wanted me dead. Why was a really good question. Was it some kind of curse? Highly doubted that. Accidents were happening to me long before I left home.

I opened my eyes slowly, wincing at the bright fluorescent lighting above shining down on me. My right hand went up to shield some of the light from my eyes. Soon after, something larger than my hand entered my vision. Song's face was instantly recognizable, her hand moving my own to my side. She smiled down at me, before pressing her lips against mine gently. Her hands held the sides of my face, as if preventing me from escaping her grasp.

It would be extremely hard to get away from her in my current position. I saw no immediate need to correct her. However, my body was reacting rather strongly to the stimuli, and Song's smile was easy to feel as her lips pressed against mine.

Either way she pulled away from me. Her smile didn't disappear either. I was glad to see her well, at the very least. She passed her fingers through my hair before chuckling softly.

"You need a shower." she said softly.

"You kiss me, get me all bothered, and now you complain about me being dirty?" I asked.

"Yep."

"You play dirty, Song."

"And you love me just the same." she whispered into my ear. It was enough to send shivers down my spine.

She continued to smile at me, leaning down to give me another kiss. This one was a bit more passionate, but she pulled away from me too quickly for my taste.

"I'm pretty sure that Nurse Joy wants you to be resting and avoiding unnecessary exercises." Song scolded me.

I frowned. "Then why are you teasing me like this then?"

"Because I want you to be ready when we can get rowdy."

I was about to say something when the door opened, revealing Nurse Joy. She sighed loudly, closing the door behind her as she entered.

"I understand that you want to be close to your trainer, but if you're going to make him uncomfortable or bothered in any way, I'm going to ask you to leave." Nurse Joy said to Song. The Gardevoir didn't like that one bit, and the dislike was obvious on her face. She did stop with the teasing and just sat next to me on the bed.

"Now, if I can have your full attention." Nurse Joy said. "Mr. Elazar, you didn't show any signs or symptoms of any lasting physical trauma. I imagine the bed rest did some good to you, but I will keep you here until I am satisfied with your progress. And no, you will not leave any sooner."

"The thought never crossed my mind, Nurse Joy." I said.

She stared at me, then at Song. "See that he doesn't." Nurse Joy said to my Gardevoir. "And do not encourage a physical response from him. He needs to rest as much as possible."

Song nodded solemnly this time. Nurse Joy looked satisfied with the response. A nagging thought came to mind.

"Nurse Joy, what about my other Pokémon?" I asked, slowly sitting up. "Is everyone alright?"

Her eyes pierced the air between us sharply as she helped me to a sitting position. "You're extremely lucky that my sister vouches for you." she snarled. "I almost reported you to the local authorities for training your Pokémon too hard. Which begs the question as to HOW this all happened."

I swallowed, an audible gulping sound echoing in the silent room. Settling on telling the truth, I sighed. "Cresselia attacked us after we left the Cerulean Cave."

"Tauros shit." she deadpanned. "The truth, right now."

"That is the truth, Nurse Joy." I said. Feeling cheated about that, I continued. "It's not fair for either myself, or my Pokémon that can testify for me as well."

She looked at me again, before shaking her head. "I'll have to get confirmation through more secure officials than just my sister on this. And no, I'm not going to go to your Ranger friend, either."

"You still haven't answered my question. Are my friends alright?"

Nurse Joy remained silent, before sighing and shaking her head. "As far as I can tell, while keeping my best eyes on your Pokémon, they all seem fine to certain extents. Deoxys... Iolanthe managed to regenerate her lost limbs with little supervision. Your Gardevoir here had a relatively minor eye injury, which should heal in the next day or two. Your Luxray had minor burns and a severe lack of electrical energy. Never seen an electric Pokémon lose so much of their electricity to be at those levels.

"The Mismagius is the healthiest of the whole lot. No actual harm could be detected when we examined her, though we insist that we put her through the healing process just in case. The Houndoom is the worst off, with several cracks along her horns. We're positive we can save at least one, but she may lose half of her right horn. Your Flygon had some tearing on her left wing and pulled muscles throughout her entire back. She is currently in stable condition, after heavy sedation. The Milotic has a severe case of hemophobia, as some of the scales were causing unneeded discomfort to her and were bleeding. Not a pretty picture overall. She is fine now, after having been put to sleep with enough dosage to calm a raging Charizard."

She looked pensive for a moment before shrugging. "The Lucario and Weavile seem to be in pretty good shape. While the Lucario has allowed us inspect her without issues, your Weavile is extremely uncooperative. The Lucario suffered a minor fracture on her right arm, while your Weavile is more physically active than any other patient. This is, of course, considering that she had a minor concussion."

I sighed, but nodded. "Thank you Nurse Joy, for the update. I know Aurora can be a pain. If possible, could I see her? I might be able to calm her down."

"I'll see what I can do to bring her here." she said sternly. "I don't need you moving around. We've diagnose that you had fluid inside your left lung, in addition to the minor fractures on both of your legs. My highest suggestion is that you do not put any more pressure on your body, and that means from her, too."

Song nodded, her single visible eye going wide in shock. She shook her head, and almost began to say something when I gently pressed a finger against her lips.

Nurse Joy looked at me suspiciously for a moment before shrugging once more. "If there aren't any more pressing questions, I have to make my rounds. I have to make sure that your Milotic isn't giving herself more injuries if she's awake."

Without waiting for a response, she left me and Song alone in the room once more. Song shook her head and began to repeatedly say things along the lines of 'I'm sorry' and 'Please forgive me'. I tried to stop her, but it only made it worse. I managed to control her slightly by pulling her down to my level and holding her tightly. She struggled, but didn't fight too much against me. Song slowly calmed down, her shaking body slowly calming down.

"Are you done now?" I asked gently, stroking her head slowly.

She sniffled quietly, but nodded. "I don't want you to blame yourself for anything that's happened to any of us. There's no one to blame except Cresselia. Are we clear on this?"

She didn't respond immediately. I sighed, shaking my head from side to side. "I don't blame you for anything that's happened, alright? None of this is your fault."

"I could have protected you." she whispered.

I wanted to groan in frustration, but held myself in check. "Song, please. I don't blame you for anything that's happened to me, alright? Don't hold this over your head. No one is blaming you, either."

"We could have done better. We could be stronger. We could-"

"You're going to stop right there. Not down that road again. Yeah, we could have been stronger, but what's done is done. We'll figure this out somehow."

She looked unconvinced. I sighed, shaking my head, before looking at the state of my own body. Now that I was in a sitting position, I noticed that my shirt wasn't on me. Bandages covered my torso. Nurse Joy's words echoed in my mind reminding me about my own injuries. I wasn't looking forward to knowing how my legs would feel tomorrow.

"We'll figure something out together, alright?" I asked gently. "I need you, Song."

She sniffled softly, but nodded. "Alright." she responded. "Do you want me to leave?"

I grabbed her hands and pulled her towards me. Her head rested on my shoulder as my hands held her tightly against my body. My grip didn't loosen until she finally relaxed and leaned against me.

"No, Song, I don't want you to leave ever again. Please stay."

Her arms wrapped my body, gently squeezing me. I could feel her fingers through the bandages that wrapped around my torso. She hesitated for a moment, but a nod from me eased whatever worries she had. The need for sleep quickly came to me. As much as I wanted to enjoy this time together, my body had other plans. My eyes slowly closed, feeling safe in Song's embrace.

=======================//////////////////===============================

I wasn't entirely sure for how long I slept. It was interrupted, however, when something landed on the bed. Song's arms were still wrapped around me as the red spike on her chest was pressed against my chest. Looking over Song's shoulder, Aurora was quickly trying to find a way to snuggle closer to me. Standing over us was Nurse Joy, who was shaking her head.

"I hope you didn't do what I think you've done." she said, narrowing her eyes at me.

"I slept?" I responded. "How is Aurora?"

"Your Weavile is fine." she answered, shaking her head. "One of my Chansey's has a nasty gash thanks to her, though."

"She doesn't like doctors." I answered evasively. "It's a bit complicated, in all honesty."

"I'd believe it, judging by her actions. Anyway, she's your problem now."

I nodded, thanking Nurse Joy. I was grateful that she didn't ask any more pressing questions. She turned back to face us as she opened the door to leave. She shook her head, before walking back towards us. I took a peek at our new bed companion, smiling as she snuggled closer to my legs. Hopefully the rest of my team would come out alright. My worries were with Zin at the moment.

Either way, Nurse Joy looked like she wanted to say something. I turned my attention back to her. She shook her head, turning her attention to the clipboard in her hands and looking over some notes.

"Is there something wrong, Nurse Joy?" I asked.

She didn't respond immediately. Her eyes turned back to me after a brief moment. "Not at the moment, no. I'll let you know if anything happens. Please continue to rest. We'll bring some food for you in soon."

With those words, she departed. It bothered me that she looked pensive. Maybe someone is more injured than she originally estimated. I shook my head before my thoughts went further down that dark road. Nurse Joy already gave me the status on my Pokémon. Still, I was scared.

"Song?" I called softly.

"What is it, Master?"

"Where's Iolanthe? Did you see her before coming here?"

Song shook her head. "No, I didn't. I'm sure she's fine, though."

I nodded. "Thank you."

"You should get more rest, Master." Song said, pressing my head against her breasts. "I insist."

"Can't argue with that logic."

I felt sharp claws on my side. Song giggled. "Aurora, please be gentle with Master."

Her claws easily latched on my hair, pulling herself upwards. She wrapped my head with her claws, her cool body being held against my head. I could feel her clawed feet against my cheeks, making me shiver slightly. Song leaned forward and whispered to Aurora, with the Weavile sounding like confirming whatever they're conspiring.

Aurora pulled on my hair and Song pushed me on my back. For fear of Aurora's safety, I twisted my head to my left to make sure that the Weavile wouldn't be pinned underneath me. Song then came into view, resting alongside me.

"And this way, we get to stay together and you don't 'suffer needlessly' as Nurse Joy would say." Song giggled.

I sighed, but smiled at my cheeky Gardevoir. "I'll concede to your logic, Song."

"You're too kind." she said, leaning forward and giving me a kiss. "Now sleep. That's an order."

"Yes, Ma'am."

===========================//////////////////===========================

"How are you feeling, Mr. Elazar?" Joy asked with sarcasm.

I rolled my eyes, but nodded. "I've been better."

"You didn't call." Jon accused without preamble.

"Right, and I'm supposed to avoid psychic attacks while making sure my team is organized and telling you what's going on while a Cresselia is aiming to kill me." I said, glaring at him. "It feels like you don't understand the situation at all."

He didn't have an answer to that. "Either way, next time come with me and I won't have to call. Which, by the way, you never saw the light show outside of the city?"

They both shook their heads. "We were going to look for you as the sun was setting, but we figured you were back by then. We didn't leave the city just in case."

I rolled my eyes again. "Right. As if I couldn't go anywhere without the two of you knowing where I would be in ten seconds."

Both of them didn't have an answer to that. Either way, it left the room oddly silent. Song and Aurora were still with me, accompanied now by Iolanthe. She occupied the only chair in the room, forcing Joy and Jonathan to stand.

"That begs the question as to why you're following me in the first place now. Since, you know, I got nothing that which would benefit you all now. Especially you, Jon. Technically, you're just wasting time. Especially since we finished your job with Zapdos.

"And what about you, Joy? It's not like you've asked me to find a couple among our Pokémon so then we can start finding out what outstanding traits they have. We haven't really been doing anything towards that, so what gives?"

The room stayed silent. Jon sighed, hanging his head. "My job is to keep Zapdos in check. With her under my possession, as long as that happens, I'm doing my job."

"So, you're happy knowing you have a Pokémon under your care that can easily turn on you like when you met and those scars happened."

He snapped his head up, glaring at me. I raised an eyebrow towards him, as if daring him to do something.

"I'm just saying what I know. Joy knows, so this isn't some secret. The question really turns to what are you really doing here?"

He frowned. "I was going to ask you and Joy for help with that, actually."

I blinked. "What? Wait, have you even let her out of that Pokéball at all?"

He shook his head. I grimaced. "Somehow, I doubt you're kidding. Well, spit it out. What do you want me to do."

"Help me understand her."

"I'll tell you what Zin has told me already. Enjoy it."

"Have you ever done it with an electric Pokémon?"

"Is this a trick question?"

He stared at me, a slightly dumbfounded look on his face before turning away. I chuckled, feeling my chest hurt at the effort. Iolanthe was quick to give me a cup of water, holding onto it until I controlled myself.

I took a drink, sighing as my body began to relax. "Now that we're on even ground, I guess, fine. I'll help you. Since you've been so keen in helping me before."

"And what do you want in return?" he asked.

"Who said anything about payment? Maybe you can do the dishes when I cook."

Jon look relieved the moment I answered him. Not particularly sure why, but all the same. I turned my attention back to Joy. She looked at me with serious doubt.

"And you?"

"I still have my reasons." she answered.

"That's wonderful. Care to elaborate?"

"No, not yet. But I plan to."

"And when would that be?"

"Soon, if you let me."

I sighed. This wasn't going anywhere. "Fine. Well, the next order of business will be dragging you two to the field north of Cerulean City so you can see what both Moltres and Cresselia did."

"WHAT?!"

"By Arceus, not so loud." I said, wincing at their outburst. "You heard me. Both Cresselia and Moltres showed up. Cresselia with the intention to.... do whatever she wants to do and Moltres to stop her."

"Moltres helped you?" Joy asked.

"If you count saving me and providing more firepower, yeah."

"This just turned more complicated." Jon said, grumbling.

I sighed. "Do both of yourselves a favor and go north out of the city. The battle scene shouldn't be hard to miss. Even leaving whatever bubble Cresselia had created around us, the ground was scorched with all matter of energies. There's plenty of evidence there."

They both nodded. "Still, isn't it a bit odd that it hasn't been reported?"

"If Indigo Plateau wants to keep this under wraps, any witnesses will be kept quiet and the story under wraps as long as possible. It's the only thing that makes sense. They only have to threaten any reporter with the might of the League and anyone will keep quiet."

"Except you." Joy said, narrowing her eyes.

"Agatha is worried enough to send me into the heart of the matter, intentionally or not. You bet your ass that I don't give a shit about Indigo Plateau."

"Not looking like that you're not." she said with a smile. "It sounds like we're going to have to do some shopping soon. After this, our licences will be scrutinized and flagged for suspicious activity."

I looked over to Jon. "Are you willing to lose your position in the Rangers?" I asked. "It's a possibility that could happen."

"I doubt it. But, if it happens then so be it." he said with finality.

The current outlook looked a little bleak, but there was at least some prospect that things could be figured out. Joy coughed, getting my attention.

"Did you find anything in Cerulean Cave?" she asked. "Any writings or whatever?"

"Yeah, I did. Song, could you hand me my Pokédex, please?"

My Gardevoir nodded, leaning over and picking up my Pokédex from the night table. When she passed it to me, I flipped it open and showed them the pictures I took.

"Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of the final one we found before the cave decided to explode... or whatever happened. Either way, it said something about bewaring the 'Winged Ones' and to 'beware the Witch of the Night'. Iolanthe, do you remember everything I said out loud?"

She nodded, reciting out loud the specific line. "To He who reads the last language. We ask that you... take heed to this warning. Beware the Witch of the Night, for she claims the souls of the living. Do not trust the winged ones. He is coming."

I nodded. "Thank you, Io." Facing my friends once more, they looked more confused than ever before. "Pretty much how I feel about that myself, too."

"What does it mean?" Joy asked.

I shrugged. "Beats me. The winged ones could be the legendary birds, but that doesn't make complete sense. Moltres helped me."

"There's obviously more to this than we know right now." Jon said. "We probably need to go to the region professors, find out what they know."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Joy said, nodding. "When are you fit to get out of here?"

"I'm pretty much ready. Your sister is paranoid enough that she wants me to stay another day or two to make sure I'm alright, while at the same time making sure that Zin's horns aren't permanently harmed."

"Is she alright?" Jon asked.

"Other than vague responses, Nurse Joy has been very tight lipped about Zin's health status." I responded.

"Because I didn't want to give you false hope or bad news."

Nurse Joy walked into the room, followed slowly by a familiar Houndoom. Both of her horns were wrapped tightly in medical tape, but they both were attached to her head like normal. When Zin looked at me, it was as if a child hasn't seen someone dear to them in far too long. She jumped, her front paws resting on the bed and looking at me with surprise.

"Don't just sit there, Song! Help me up!"

I was surprised by her outburst, but thankfully Nurse Joy didn't seem surprised by Zin's ability to speak like a human. Though it wouldn't be surprising if Zin was being vocal throughout her treatment under Nurse Joy. Thankfully, no questions were asked, and Zin was becoming comfortable on top of my lap.

"Much better. It's good to see you again, Master." Zin said happily, her tail wagging energetically.

"It's good to see you healthy again, Zin."

She didn't respond, laying her head down and closing her eyes. Everyone else looked like they were ready to leave the room. Nurse Joy got my attention, tapping her clipboard and walking towards me.

"Thankfully we managed to keep both her horns. I suggest you all take it easy after leaving here. I don't want to hear from any of my sisters, or Isabella, that you got yourself in another terrible spot. The rest of your team is fully healed and ready when I deem you fit."

"Is Xola alright?" I asked. "You did mention about her fear of blood yesterday."

"She's fine now, since she's not bleeding anymore." she said. "Keep her away from red liquids and she'll be fine. The Lucario is already eager to begin any kind of training regiment, and your Mismagius is beginning to scare my patients. I wouldn't recommend your Flygon to fly for another day or two, though she seems eager to fly again. I'm trusting you to keep her in check. Your Luxray is back to full electrical capacity. Don't make her do something like what she did ever again."

I sighed in relief, glad to know that everyone is alright. "I will, Nurse Joy."

"See that you do." she said sternly. "You're by far one of the worst cases I've ever seen. I'm just glad that things seem to make sense."

"What do you mean, sis?" Joy asked.

"Haven't you two seen the area north of the city?" Nurse Joy asked. "It's like a war zone! People are taking pictures of it all, regardless of police presence. It's pretty bad, and my suggestion is that you go there before they close the route for good."

Both Jon and Joy looked at each other before bolting out the door. Nurse Joy laughed softly, watching the door slowly swing on its hinges. "Hopefully they'll be safe."

"Why do you say that?"

"The League wants this all hushed up. Obviously, the more people that know about it, the worse it'll get for them."

I looked at her, confused at her words. She sighed. "Think about it. They've been unusually quiet, and only recently have the champions moved on their own. There has to be a reason why they've been this quiet. What that reason is anyone's guess. But what do I know? I'm just a nurse."

"A nurse that deals with all kinds of attitudes, I'd wager."

"You don't even know the half of it."

I chuckled, and thankfully she joined in. "Thank you." I said, smiling at her.

"I'm just glad you weren't lying. After hearing from a few people what they've seen up north, plus the odd people walking around, I can put things together pretty quickly."

"It makes things easier hearing it from someone else." I said, smiling.

"About what?"

"Just... things. The only reason why I'm here right now is due to Agatha of the Elite Four telling me to hand Misty a letter. It's how this whole mess started in the first place."

"Maybe not everyone in Indigo Plateau wants this wrapped up." she mused.

"That's what it sounds like. Either way, it almost got me killed."

"And you want to find out why."

"Well, nothing is really going to stop Cresselia or any other legendary Pokémon to show up at my house to kill me. I might as well try to find out why, and minimize the danger I put to my family."

"And what about your Pokémon?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Believe me, I've tried to tell them that much and they won't have it."

Song nodded, holding me tighter against her chest. Iolanthe's tentacles grabbed my exposed left arm, holding it tightly in their twin embrace. Aurora called out loudly next to my ears, while Zin's tail wagged. Nurse Joy smiled down at us.

"I can tell." she said, nodding. "Rest for now. I'll be back in a little while to make sure that everything is fine."

=====================//////////////////////////==========================

Walking again after being in bed for almost a week felt extremely odd. None of my Pokémon wanted to stay inside their Pokéballs, so I was parading through Cerulean City with them all. There was no way that I could sit still after not moving. No one moved towards us. Thank Arceus for small miracles. Anyone that moved towards us was glared at by nine pairs of eyes. It happened a few times when I stumbled. It was with good intentions, and I apologized for the scare.

At least, I hoped the consideration was with good intentions.

We made our way without any real destination in mind. I think enjoying the sun was in everyone's thoughts at this point. Akalia seemed to take the lead alongside Mist, herding us all towards the same park that we've passed before. I chuckled as Song poked my sides to get my attention.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing, really. Just amused that Akalia's first idea is to come here."

"You're weird."

"You love me just the same."

She smiled at me, nodding happily. We made our way towards an unoccupied tree, Song and Iolanthe insisting that I rested. My protests fell on deaf ears, though no one seemed enthusiastic about moving too much either. Everyone leaned on me in some way, shape, or form. It would be a great place to take a nap, if it wasn't that I was tired of resting already. It probably wasn't much more past nine, the warm air making me feel like a completely new person. It was nice, to say the least.

People passed by on occasion, waving at me politely. I waved back lazily, though no one approached me.

"You aren't sleeping, are you?"

The voice was instantly recognizable. I don't think I was exaggerating when I said that they could find me in ten seconds or less. Joy walked into view, looking rather smug about herself. She laughed, shaking her head.

"Why are you wearing the same clothes that you walked in the Pokémon Center?" she said with a grin.

I shrugged. "Nurse Joy didn't give me my bag, so it was either that or leave naked." I said. "I'm pretty sure that there's a law for that."

"Probably. Either way, I haven't seen you with any more than four different shirts in all the time I've known you."

"Something tells me you're going to say something I don't want to hear." I said with a groan.

"I'm going to take you shopping for clothes."

"With your money, right?"

Joy shook her head. "Nah. Don't think my bank account can compare to yours."

"Suddenly, I don't want to know what that means."

Thankfully, she laughed. I was a bit afraid that I offended or said something wrong. Joy finally calmed down, sitting next to me. Relatively, I should say, seeing as no one was willing to move away from me.

"They all care about you." Joy said softly.

"I think we've had this discussion before." I offered. "Either that, or something extremely similar."

She smiled at me. "Maybe." she replied evasively. "Why do you care?"

I raised an eyebrow. "About what, exactly?"

"You could go hide in the woods, keep traveling, or find out more stuff for your parents." she said. "You have all the cards basically up your sleeve, and you're putting your life at risk? For what?"

"Joy, I left home to do something for myself." I said, frowning. "I didn't expect any help from my parents other than contacting Professor Rowan to iron out the details for my license. The goal is to find my own place in the world. I didn't want to be just living in my parents shadow for the rest of my life. Archaeology, while fun and interesting, there would be no way to compete with my parents in the field. Besides, many people hear Elazar and instantly think of mom and dad. Remember the girl from the Pokémon Ranger headquarters?"

Joy nodded. "Unfortunately for me, I want to be remembered as someone that isn't just the son of two famous researchers. Mom and dad started their careers as Pokémon trainers before switching gears to become researchers. Maybe something like that will happen to me. But we all agreed that this would be good for me, too. Get out of Solaceon and see the world, meet new people, and do things that I've never had the chance to do. Though I think I've gotten more than I've ever bargained for."

Joy smiled. "I think so, too. But what made you adopt everyone instead of starting out with a Pokémon from your region professor?"

"I've known everyone here during my time helping the Pokémon Center, with the exception of Zin, Aurora, Baast, and Io. Zin tagged along soon after leaving town, and you know the rest. I felt comfortable with everyone here, and when I mentioned to Song that I was leaving, she became very excited over that fact. Which, of course, she told everyone else before I got the chance."

I felt two fingers grab my ear and tugging on it gently. Joy was smiling, matching my own take on the matter. Joy looked around briefly before continuing.

"So you weren't all that physical before then?" she asked in a soft voice.

I shook my head. "The thought never crossed my mind, until it happened with Zin. And that's something that I'm sure she would tell you if you asked."

Joy smiled. "Maybe I will."

Somehow, I didn't like the sound of that.

"Anyway, what do you think of going to Celadon City?" Joy asked, not waiting for a response.

"Celadon City?" I asked. "Er... I dunno. Why?"

"It has the biggest department store this side of Mount Silver. If we're going to find a new wardrobe for you, it'll be there."

"Can't we do shopping here? Your sister told me not to let Spirit fly for another few days due to her injuries."

"Zefyra can take us." Joy said with a shrug. "Are you still scared of her?"

"If you're sure about it. It sounds like the fastest way to do it." I relented. "And no, not anymore."

"Perfect!" she said, standing up suddenly. "We'll leave in about an hour or two. Just stay here and I'll come to get you. See you in a bit!"

She dashed off before I could say anything on the matter. How did I get myself into this? First costumes, now clothing. What's next? Wait, scratch that. I shouldn't be asking that question. It gets me into too much trouble.

"She's interested in you." Song said.

Thank Arceus that I didn't have anything in my mouth at this exact moment. "What?!"

"No one gets to Master without my approval." Zin snarled. "And especially no random human."

"I don't think she qualifies as random, Zin." I said, frowning. "It's not like we just met."

"I still don't like it." Zin snarled.

"Either way, I think that it's best to forget about that at this moment." Xola said. "Better to focus on other matters."

Curious, I waited for whatever was on Xola's mind. My Milotic's face entered my vision, her eyes staring into mine. The smile she had made me feel like I had absolutely no escape. Of what was another story.

"It's been awhile since I've asked or talked about this, but have you given any thoughts about... us?"

Extremely forward. This coming from the same Milotic who was sedated. Part of me wondered if it was the drugs talking. The other part of me thought the first to be stupid. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, waiting for me to answer.

I frowned, but as I was about to respond Zin spoke first.

"If you're going to refuse, I'll bite you." she snarled. "It's not like anything's stopped you before."

A sigh escaped me. "I wasn't going to refuse, Zin." I said, before turning my attention to Xola. "Whenever you'd like."

"And us?" Song asked.

Suddenly I realized the hole I dug myself in. My cheeks felt like they were sunburned. Xola leaned towards me, her cheek rubbing against mine. Her tongue traveled around my right ear, leaving a sticky trail of saliva in its wake.

"I'll take you tonight." she whispered.

The words sent a shiver down my spine. Xola's giggle broke whatever trance I was under, bringing me to the here and now. A finger poked me on the side, making me wince slightly.

"Sorry." Song whispered. "I'm still waiting for an answer."

"I didn't know there was a queue or line." I answered. "Who thought there was?"

Everyone raised a limb in some way, shape, or form. The urge to cover my face with my palm was high.

"Well, that would explain why Zin wanted to do it on the plane." I said, chuckling. "Just... let me know so we can work something out. It's not the easiest thing to do, seeing as we're not at liberty to have our own rooms. But if the chance is there, I can hopefully figure something out."

"We can always do it in the forest." Baast said. "I didn't hear you complain in the slightest."

"I don't think I would be alive if I complained, but there was nothing to complain about."

"Then it's settled." Xola said. "Tonight, Master, if possible."

"I'll do what I can to make it happen." I said with a smile.

=========================/////////////////////==========================

Flying passenger on a Hydreigon is something that was never on my priority of things to do. Yet, here I am, holding on to Joy tightly as we flew over Saffron City. We passed by skyscrapers and huge buildings that held peoples homes. None of the buildings in Cerulean City were like this! The air was surprisingly clean for the amount of people this city held. It looked to be a little bit before midday.

There wasn't much talking to be done while we flew. Zefyra didn't particularly care, it seems. Every now and then, all three of her heads would roar simultaneously. How we weren't giving people the scare of their lives was a question that would go unanswered.

One of my hands was wrapped around Joy's waist, doing my best to keep still for the Hydreigon's sake. My other hand held Song's staff tightly. I know she wouldn't forgive me if I left it back at Cerulean City. Joy's fingers touched mine, bringing my thoughts to the current scenario. Her face was hidden away from me, but knowing her she was either smiling or laughing about my reaction. She knows me too well by this point. Which is a bit odd, in all honesty.

Did she see me as someone to get along more than just friends? It wasn't like she didn't know that I've done that with my Pokémon. Zin has made it abundantly clear that she doesn't approve of Joy at all. Was she really doing what it looked like? For my own safety and hers, I honestly hoped that she wasn't. I really didn't want to hear Zin complain about how Joy wouldn't be able to pull her own weight.

Which, other than being a very dangerous accusation, was a very incorrect assessment of Joy as a whole. She's been more than willing to travel with us all this time. Admittedly, for apparent selfish reasons that she hasn't been willing to share, but that doesn't change that she's still here. Also, that she's been quiet about my own secrets is very welcome. She has never had any reason to do so, but she still does. Not that I'm not glad of that fact. Quite the opposite, in fact, given opportunities she's had. Joy seems to know the local laws, obviously more than I do. The biggest question on my mind is what gives. Is it just out of normal courtesy that she doesn't say anything, or is there something more in her mind.

I'll probably never know at this rate. Better to stop thinking about it and take that step when it presents itself. Mulling it over and over again in my head isn't going to help and only make me worry more. Joy looked over her shoulder, giving me a smile and pointing downwards. My eyes followed where she was pointing, noticing that the landscape had changed during my private questioning. The city landscape of Saffron City had changed to smaller buildings and homes. Large trees, as large as some of the buildings, were easily spotted. Green expanses cut streets from each other, as if nature was doing its best to separate the city into different individual sections. Even at our height, color was an obvious calling of the city. I idly wondered if it was like Florama Town, where there were hundreds of flowers underneath us. It was a nice thought.

Either way, Joy's grin wasn't to be mistaken. Even with the wind whipping around us, her voice was easily heard. "Welcome to Celadon City!"

===========================///////////////////==========================

Joy led the way as soon as we landed and checked ourselves inside the Pokémon Center. The Celadon Nurse Joy was already giving me a look that easily conveyed what she would do to me if I didn't follow my instructions. Joy must have told her sister in Cerulean City where we were headed, which would explain everything. Nurse Joy insisted to set us up in separate rooms. I didn't argue, just due to the fact that's what Xola wanted in the first place.

The sun was far away from that time, however, and Joy was going to take full advantage of this fact. We dived headfirst into the city, seemingly avoiding all the stores that sold any type of clothing. I was about to point this out when we stopped in what looked like the largest building in the entire city. It looked like twenty stories tall, large glass windows revealing people walking with numerous bags in hand.

"And we're going here instead of anywhere else because...?" I asked hesitantly.

"You have no idea how to shop for clothes, do you?" Joy asked, turning to face me.

I shook my head. "I got most of my clothes as gifts. Never had to buy my own clothes due to having an unusual surplus of it."

"Men." she said, rolling her eyes. "Who do you want to help you shop?"

"Aren't you?"

"Yes, but who else? You have nine ladies attached to your belt. Pick one."

I'm pretty sure I'm going to live to regret this. Ideally, it shouldn't be a problem. Taking Song's Pokéball, I released my Gardevoir. She smiled at me as she materialized in front of me, taking her staff back and looking at us curiously. Joy spoke before I could come up with anything to say.

"We're here to get your trainer a new wardrobe. You got picked to help out, if you don't mind." Joy stated.

Song smiled, nodding. "Sounds interesting." she mused. "Why me, though?"

I shrugged. "Mist would be too enigmatic to tell me what she thinks. Not entirely sure what Iolanthe would think. Baast would probably tell me to grab everything blue, while Zin would say to get everything with black on it. Xola would probably say the same thing as Baast, come to think of it. Basically, I want a more objective view of things, while trying to keep my budget from going out the window."

Song laughed. "Of course, Master." The way she said that made a shiver go down my spine.

Joy didn't let me say anything on the matter. "That looks like a yes to me! Let's get this show on the road."

We waited until a few groups of people entered the building, managing to squeeze in before a group of women cut us off. Inside was nothing like I've seen before. A gigantic fountain stood out, water coming out of the mouths of different water Pokémon that fountain depicted. I recognized a few of them, namely the gigantic Milotic wrapped around a Gyarados. Above, models of flying type Pokémon hung from thin wires.

I was probably the only one taking in my current surroundings. People kept walking around us, taking for granted what someone took an unimaginable amount of time to create. All the more to appreciate it, then, especially since this might be the only time I get to see it in person.

Joy's hands grabbed my shoulders, pulling me away from my stupor. I caught a glimpse of a grin on her face that was probably being matched by Song. Either way, I was led towards a store before any objections could be raised. Rows of shirts and pants greeted us. It looked like a small store, though I could be wrong. A bored clerk with a Machamp standing next to him waved at us lazily before going back to reading his magazine.

Before we started looking through any type of clothing, I decided to grab my Pokédex to see what how much money I had. What startled me was that there was double of what I had when Joy spent however much it was during the Ghast Festival. A decision was made somewhere in my mind to not tell them until forced to do so. If Joy knew how much money I had at this moment, my parents could assume that my identity has been stolen.

Song pressed a grey shirt against me, while Joy assessed some earthly green cargo pants. Without any preamble, they both pressed the articles of clothing onto my arms. They both pointed behind me. I turned to see that they were pointing towards the changing rooms. I held my tongue in check at this point. Arguing against both of them would only make things worse. Passing by the clerk and his Machamp, he gave me a nod.

"Would do exactly what you just did with my girlfriend." he said, grimacing. "Don't let them take over your wallet, though."

"Too late for that by now, I think."

"Sucks."

"Tell me about it." I said, frowning. "Changing rooms?"

"Keep going straight and take the first door on the right. Can't miss em."

"Thanks." I said, following the clerks directions. Opening the door to the small changing room, the only things that stood out were a stool and a table attached to the far wall. I placed the clothing on the table, kicking off my shoes and trying to get this over as soon as possible. My hair wanted to be a bit uncooperative, sticking upwards in a few places. Haven't been taking care of it any better than before, though not showering for a few days prior to leaving must have not been good for it.

"Are you ready?" Joy asked.

"Keep your pants on." I said, foregoing putting on my shoes. "I'm coming."

Opening the door, both Song and Joy stood in front of me. The Gardevoir's eyes roamed over me, critically assessing my looks. Joy smiled, nodding approvingly.

"You look good, Nick." Joy said. "Now, take those off and try these on."

"Hold on a second!" I exclaimed. "Just how much are you expecting to buy?"

"A lot, probably." she admitted. "Like I said, I've only seen you wear like four different shirts and the same pants."

"How are we carrying all this back, anyway?"

"I told Jon to meet us here in Celadon in a few days." Joy said. "Don't worry. He hasn't forgotten about cleaning things."

Though I was about to ask what she meant, it didn't seem to matter. Joy handed me a random assortment of shirts and pants before giving me a satisfied nod.

"Alright, I'm going to go grab a few more things. Song, I want you to stay with Nick and make sure he tries everything we brought on. Do you remember how we set everything up?"

Song nodded. "Perfect! I'll be back in a few minutes. Going to look again to see what else might look good on him."

Joy turned her back to us and walked away. Song pushed me back inside the changing rooms, closing the door behind her. Before I could turn around, her staff dropped the carpeted floor, her lips pressing against mine. Her legs kept pushing us backwards, my back parallel with the wall. She jumped up, legs wrapping around my waist. Her orange robes parted, her skin rubbing against the clothes.

"Song?" I whispered, fearful of what she would do.

"If I could, I would." She whispered in my ear. "You know that, right? Be grateful that Joy is here and we're in public, or I'd take you right here and now."

Good to know that there's a limit to how much crazy she is willing to commit. Despite everything, I smiled at Song and returning the kiss she gave me with as much love as I could put into it. Her hands pushed me away, our lips parting reluctantly from each other. The look she had was almost seductive, sending rather improper impulses through my mind. I fought them off, taking off my shirt and replacing it with a red one of similar design.

A knock on the door startled me. Joy's voice was the next thing that I heard.

"Song, I hope you aren't doing what I think you would be doing."

The Gardevoir gave me a guilty smile, kissing me one last time. "Hurry up!" she said, her fingers unbuttoning my pants. "Change to the other pants before she barges in and thinks we're having sex or something!"

=======================//////////////////============================

After leaving with a bag full of clothes from the first store, Song insisted in returning to rest. Before I recalled her, she was insistent in calling someone else in her place. I frowned, but agreed with her suggestion. As she disappeared back inside her Pokéball, it would be interesting who would want to come along. I'm pretty sure that Iolanthe would like to have more interactions with humans. Maybe Akalia? Joy punched me lightly on the shoulder, smiling at me.

"Can't decide who to call now?" she asked.

"Pretty much." I answered. "Any suggestions?"

"What about your Houndoom?" Joy suggested. "She's usually pretty well behaved."

"Are you absolutely sure? Zin can be a handful."

"Of that I don't doubt. Though she tends to behave when around you. Probably your Luxray, too. Can't have too many opinions."

"Especially when it comes to what I'm wearing." I said, taking hold of both Pokéballs.

"Pretty much!"

I sighed, shaking my head at the presented logic. Either way, we'll see what happens. Both Pokémon stood in front of me, taking in their surroundings for a moment. Zin was the first to look up at me and give me a toothy grin. I kneeled down, hoping that she wouldn't yell out loud.

"So, this is what Joy said? This shopping trip that she said earlier?" Zin asked.

"Pretty much."

Joy laughed. "I like it how you ask them for everything."

I shrugged, standing up and looking at Joy. "Well, it's not every day I get to hang around without half the world looking for us. I would be sleeping if it was up to me."

Zin laughed at the same time that Joy did. It wasn't subtle. I was thankful that no one looked my way to see if my Houndoom was laughing.

Joy didn't say anything, grabbing my hand and pulling me into a new store. Again, without my input, but perhaps it was for the best. In all honesty, this wasn't something I wanted to do at this moment. Me, shopping? I'd rather be looking over my Pokémon. Which, sadly, was something that seemed to be lacking in my schedule more often than not.

It looked like Joy picked the right store for Zin and Akalia to pick colors for clothing. The music was something with so much bass that it felt like my bones were turning to goo. It looked like it was in transition between songs or something. Would explain why we didn't get assaulted immediately upon opening the doors. Most of the clothing line here was either blue, black, or some odd mix of the two. The entire store had little in the way of lighting, mainly televisions broadcasting technicolor light shows or to point the way to the clothing.

Joy's hand left me in the middle of wherever I was in, Zin didn't seem to mind the atmosphere. She looked like she reveled in it, wagging her tail to the beat of the music and generally making herself obvious. Her red eyes burned in the darkness, hovering through the dark as Joy appeared next to one of the clothing racks. Akalia wasn't that far behind the pair, her tail shining brightly against the atmosphere. What was entertaining was that it pulsed with the beat of the music.

I think it would be safe to say that both the Houndoom and the Luxray were enjoying the store's atmosphere. As I approached the three, Joy picked out some sort of jacket and was presenting it to both Pokémon. The colors oddly matched my predictions of what Zin and Akalia would agree upon. Joy pressed it against me, nodding in satisfaction.

"Try it on!" she yelled over the music.

I nodded, smiling at Zin's reaction when she barked happily. Slipping it on was easier than I thought. It looked like those fancy leather jackets that you would see on television shows or something. The price on this thing has to be ridiculous if it's made out of those materials. Well, here is to trusting Joy to not break the bank, right?

At least the jacket was comfortable and easy to wear. Slipping it on was easy, and it felt like there were odd feeling sections inside the jacket. I touched inside the folds of the jacket, feeling what felt like sections with small pockets. Joy gave me a grin as she pulled me towards the cashier. The girl tending the store greeted us with a smile as her Persian licked its paws as the Pokémon sat on the counter. I shedded the jacket and passed it over to her. I was thankful that the price wasn't as high as I dreaded. At least it was in line with what Joy purchased for Aurora for the Ghast Festival, if I remember correctly.

Either way, Joy pulled me back towards the clothing areas, looking through the selection quickly. Both of my Pokémon seemed energized by Joy's actions, doing their best to help her move things out of the way we moved from point to point. I had no idea what she was looking for until we suddenly stopped in front of a section specifically for some type of cargo pants.

"I know you like these." she said, grinning at me.

I looked down at what I was wearing, feeling like I was being read like an open book. Maybe Joy was right about needing new clothing. My pants looked like they've been chewed on by a Houndoom. Without any hesitation, she grabbed a pair and pressed them against the ones I was wearing. She narrowed her eyes at me, her tongue sticking out of her mouth in thought. The urge to chuckle had to be suppressed, if just to avoid Joy's quick rebuttal.

Joy nodded in satisfaction, grabbing two more and passing them to me to hold. I was quickly escorted back to the girl at the cashier, dropping the three cargo pants with her. Once more, I was pulled back into the thick of things. The girl covered her mouth, shaking her head. The Persian looked over to us, but didn't look too interested in our departure. We stopped in front of a table lined with different designed shirts. Joy turned to me and smiled, nodding in satisfaction. One look down to the shirts on display and I was torn between laughing or walking away.

Though I could tell why Joy would pick these out on purpose. A group of the shirts had, with lack of better terms to describe, the same colors and markings of a Houndoom. The shirt was mainly black and silver, with the brown to highlight around the trademark skull that a Houndoom is so well known for. The other pile of shirts were something I wasn't expecting. Bright blues and yellows were painted together in telltale bands against large spans of black. The bands were mainly focused on the sleeves of the shirt, with two lines going down in a diagonal pattern near the front. Looking up, both shirts were on display on mannequins. They didn't look half bad, in all honesty.

Joy leaned over to me for a second. "Knew you would like them." she whispered, her voice almost blocked by the music.

She grabbed one of each shirt, before bolting over to the cashier and leaving the three of us here. Looking down to see my Pokémon, Akalia was shaking her head while Zin looked in the direction that Joy left. I kneeled down to her, putting a hand between her horns and scratching the base of the horns. She turned to me, a small smile displaying her fangs. I leaned forward, so Zin wouldn't have to shout over the music.

"Maybe she isn't as bad as I thought." Zin said.

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"About Joy being a mate to you. You're not blind, are you?"

"I try not to think about it too much." I answered evasively.

Zin laughed, shaking her head as Akalia came to investigate. They spoke in their language for a brief moment, before the Luxray shrugged and licked her paws. Zin said something that made Akalia's tail stiffen suddenly, her golden eyes narrowing at me and Zin. The Houndoom snickered quietly, while Akalia bit off a retort in her language. Her snarls were punctuated by sparks of electricity, her jaws snapping hard against each other.

"Zin?" I asked.

"I was teasing her about the two of you." she said, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Akalia. And to you, Master. I kinda did put you two together."

I smiled reassuringly. "We keep on keepin' on. We'll figure out something, alright? Together, mind you. It will probably work out if you two pass your ideas through me at least. Just so I know and all."

Both Pokémon smiled at me. Akalia came up and nuzzled against my free arm gently. I scratched behind her ears, while I provided a similar treatment for Zin by continuing to scratch behind her horns. A tap on my shoulder made me look behind me, Joy holding our bags with a smile on her face. I nodded, standing up and taking two of the bags from her, making our way out of the store. As we left the store, I looked behind me to see the store name. I wanted to laugh when I noticed it.

Shocking Heat.

=======================//////////////////=============================

Thankfully we only purchased a handful of clothes from that first store. If you keep adding a lot of small purchases, they turn large quickly. From the first bag of clothes, we moved along from store to store, finding some pants or a specific shirt that caught either Song's or Joy's eye. I was extremely grateful that my parents decided to give me more money.

I was currently sitting in front of a telecommunicator, speaking with my parents. They had already asked if I saw the added balance to my account.

"Well, it was part of your birthday gift that we never got you, plus some compensation for helping us with our book." Dad answered.

"You know, you didn't have to give me so much." I said, frowning.

"And why are you calling from Celadon City?" Mom asked, speaking from behind Dad's shoulder.

"I'm here shopping, taking in the sights." I answered. It was real enough.

"You're shopping." Mom deadpanned.

"At the insistence of Joy." I clarified.

"Is she your girlfriend or something?" Dad asked, giving me a grin.

Oh Arceus. This is not what I needed at this point in time! I shook my head. "No, we're not together. She's just a good friend."

"I saw your eyes go wide. No need to hide anything from us, young man."

"Mom, dad, I'm being serious. There's absolutely-"

"No way that we're NOT together!" Joy finished, sitting on my lap.

My heart leaped into my throat. I almost felt like choking at this point. Only by getting prodded on my ribs did my focus return. She stuck her tongue out at me as I frowned at her.

"We're not together." I said flatly.

"We're not?" Joy asked sweetly.

"Joy."

"Nick."

I frowned as my parents laughter could be heard through the speakers. "We'll leave you two alone."

"Hold on! Before you go, what do you know about the Witch of the Night or the winged ones?"

Dad looked thoughtful while Mom answered. "Well, depends on the text. Witch of the Night refers to a few legendary Pokémon. The winged ones would be the legendary birds, though Rayquaza may be indirectly inferred. Doubt it though. Rayquaza aren't really referred by 'winged'. More like 'Sky Lords'. Where did you find this?"

"I went to the Cerulean Cave a few days ago. There was some text inside that referred to both Witch of the Night and the winged ones."

"Was it written in Unown?" Mom asked.

I shook my head. "The last part of the paragraph was. Everything else was a jumbled mess that looked like different forms of writing Unown. That is, if I was reading it right."

"Did you take pictures?" Dad asked.

"Before it came to mind, the whole cave decided to blow up." I said, frowning.

Silence followed that statement. It never came to my mind how I would bring this up to my parents. Well, here comes the demand to go home.

"Good thing you're alive. Did you come out unharmed?"

"For the most part. Other than a hit to the back of the head, I think. Nothing major otherwise." I answered.

I decided to omit the whole fight with Cresselia. Not only was I in the public, my parents didn't need to know that was me in the heart of the situation. At least, that's what it looked like for me.

Mom and dad looked at each other for a moment, before coming to some silent agreement. "When you come back home, you're going to explain everything young man!" Mom stated loudly.

"Will do, Mom." I said. "As soon as I figure it out."

The call terminated from their side. The screen displayed the message 'connection lost' in bold white letters on a blue screen. I stared at Joy, who was giving me a grin. Without saying anything, she grabbed my arm and motioned toward Song. My Gardevoir met us, holding two bags. We left her with eight bags total. Joy gave her a questioning look, which Song responded with a shrug.

"I consolidated." she said.

Joy didn't wait for me to translate, nodding like she understood and kept walking. We managed to find a less crowded section of the building, Joy slamming me against the wall.

"Listen to me." she whispered. "Posing as your girlfriend would be the least of your problems. If we're serious about finding what's really after you, the League is going to dig through your records. They'll revoke everything you have, and they'll send an investigative team to your parents' house. They don't have to have any proof, but since you're from Sinnoh, just the suggestion of having relations with your Pokémon is enough to send you to jail. You need as much cover as you can afford, and I'm not charging you for it."

I stared at Joy and the staff that was hovering next to Joy's head. This could turn ugly extremely quickly. Out of the corner of my eye, someone left around a corner. Would they report us?

"We need to move." I said. "Joy, we'll talk about this later. I promise. Just let me think about this, alright?"

She nodded. "Let's get out of here, then."

===========================////////////////////=========================

I dropped the bags inside our room, Song closing the door behind us. My world went dark quickly, Song covering my eyes with her hands. Neither of us spoke as she walked forward, her body pressing against mine from behind. My knees soon hit the edge of the bed, but Song didn't let me out of her grasp. She continued pushing, though I gave a token resistance in this little game of hers.

We eventually tumbled forward together, Song sitting on top of my back. Her warm breath blew over my ear, though she didn't let me turn over.

"You relax for once." Song admonished. "Tolerating Joy's demands must have been an experience."

"You were there." I pointed out.

"Yes, I was. But I wasn't her puppet for new clothes."

I winced, but chuckled. "You have a good point there."

"I know I do."

"It was... interesting, to say the least. I wasn't expecting her to be so forward, that's for sure. And no, I'm not even talking about the whole girlfriend tangent she went on."

Song didn't respond, so I continued after thinking about things a little more. "I guess... I'm nervous. I'm not sure about anything anymore, and having less than a nebulous idea of how to move forward isn't helping matters."

"Now it's my turn to tell you to be quiet." Song said sternly. "You're going to relax and have a good time with Xola. I want to hear all the good things about tonight, you hear me?"

I didn't respond immediately. Song stood up and flipped me over, her hands on my face as she pressed her lips against mine fiercely. Her hips began to grind against my own, and my pants getting in the way of it all. She pulled away from me, smiling at me in satisfaction.

"Be gentle with her, alright?" Song asked. "I honestly think it's her first time with a male."

I blinked, but nodded. "Will do."

Her hands grabbed two Pokéballs from my belt, putting one in my hands and activating the second one while she held it. Song's body slowly disappeared inside the device, and the device fell. My hands immediately grabbed the falling ball, catching it before it fell on the bed.

The silence of the room made me slightly uncomfortable. I took off my belt, placing it gently on the floor. It wasn't night time, but I highly doubted that anyone was coming in to bother me at this point. Standing up, I made sure that the door to my room was properly locked. Out of precaution, my fingers locked the deadbolt as well. I really didn't want anyone walking in, especially knowing Joy was on her girlfriend mentality.

Perhaps what she said was true, and I needed to have a cover for my activities. But why did she volunteer so readily? Did we even go through any options? I guess if she says that she is, it saves a lot of explanation. Not to mention going through all the motions and faking the emotions behind that. That wouldn't be a pleasant experience to go through. Plus, it could really come bite us later due to having a witness.

I wasn't all up for it, but it made sense. I just wish that Joy would have told me in the first place. Instead of springing it front of my parents without any preamble.

My fingers played around the Pokéball in my grasp. Was I ready for this? It wasn't really up to debate. The proper question would be could I live with this. I began to scrutinize my relationship with Xola. Did I really see her as a sister? We got along well enough. Is she doing this out of pressure from Zin? I frowned, fearing that may be the case. Or, like Akalia, her biological needs are clouding her better judgment. I think that may be an extreme case, due to this not being new. Xola has been giving hints that she's wanted this for some time now.

I've honestly been too scared to act on it. Being crushed by a Milotic wasn't on my to-do list.

Well, there are a few things I've done already that are on that list. What's one more?

My fingers released the Pokémon inside the sphere, Xola quickly filling the bed with her graceful and calming presence. Her eyes widened momentarily, briefly taking in her surroundings. It looked like she almost was going to ask something, but she shook her head. Her body coiled around her, the fan-like fins that made her tail beckoned me towards her. A feeling of perfect calm washed over me as I walked towards her. I climbed on the bed, her body uncoiling from her posture to give me room.

As soon as my body was on the bed, she instantly wrapped around me. Her lips pressed against mine aggressively. I could feel her tongue wrap around mine, our mouths trading saliva at a rapid pace. The tip of her tongue passed over my teeth and gums, sending shivers down my spine. Her entire body had me inside her coils. Occasionally, my prison would tighten around my body. Her scales rubbed against my exposed skin and through my clothes.

My hands wrapped around her neck and head, holding her close to me. She tried to pull away, but my hands gently held her mouth tightly against my own. I could feel her breath wash over me, her long tongue tightening around mine. Perhaps being grateful that what I was still wearing my old clothes was a good sign.

The sound of cloth ripping was loud in my ears. Her scales rubbed my exposed skin as her tail tightened around my legs. Xola pulled back, allowing the both of us to take deep breaths before she rested her head on my shoulder. The hold she has on me slackened while I moved my arms down, following her body down with my hands. She writhed against me, her tail twitching against my thighs.

I managed to get one hand down to my pants, unbuttoning them with some difficulty. No matter what happened, Xola didn't want to stop holding me in her grasp. A smile crossed my lips as her struggles intensified. Water got into my ear, followed by Xola's tongue licking the side of my head and face. She twisted herself so we faced each other. The smile on her lips looked like it never went away, making her look like a predator. In a way, I guess she was at this point.

She slowly let me go from her grasp, the length of her entire body surrounding me. Her smile didn't seem to ever disappear, her tail wrapping around my face to make sure we were always looking at each other. My hands went over her smooth scales as her muscles tensed and relaxed under my fingers. A grin to match hers spread across my lips as my hands explored her body as far as I could reach. Her smooth scales weren't a surprise, but the look on her face told me she was enjoying it. A curiosity came to mind, as to exactly where was her vagina located. My knowledge of Milotic anatomy wasn't exactly the best.

I imagined that it would be near her tail, or at least in the lower half of her body. Shifting my attention to the underside of Xola's body, her muscles shifted and tensed at random under my touch. Was she really that sensitive? Her smile was still present, though it wavered when she moaned every now and then as my fingers moved along her body. The tip of her tail wrapped around my neck, the fan-like tips pressing against my cheeks. It constantly shifted but at least I wasn't supporting her weight on my shoulders.

She shifted once more, more of her body sliding over my shoulder and allowing my fingers to explore more of her underbelly. Her scales were wet under my fingers. I became more gentle, afraid of accidentally hurting Xola. The scales became softer, more supple the further I moved. Xola gasped suddenly as my fingertips entered her body. Warm liquid ran over my hands as I explored her body blindly.

The Milotic's body pushed me down suddenly. Laying flat on my back, her body slithered over mine. I still could feel her tail around my neck, and a moist opening aligned itself with my face. My arms wrapped around the Milotic's coils, holding her in place as my face came closer to her opening. A moments hesitation made the tail around my neck tighten. It was all the encouragement I needed. This wasn't something that I did on a constant basis, but it was clear that Xola wasn't having no for an answer.

Her body tightened around me as my tongue gave a tentative lick. A soft moan reached my ears as my tongue eased its way into her. The pitch of her voice climbed as the faith in my ability increased. It was nice to hear her squeal like this. Did I actually enjoy this? Feeling my pants being pulled from my waist didn't leave me much time to argue. I could feel her breath as her nose pressed against my crotch. My eyes widened as I froze in place, feeling my entire length being engulfed in her hungry maw.

A renewed flow of liquid entered my mouth, snapping me out of the sudden pleasure coma. I worked my tongue into her canal, her muscles twitching and tightening around my tongue. Her teeth gently grazed on my sensitive flesh. My hips thrust forward at the stimulation. My eyes widened, afraid that I had startled or injured Xola. A moan came from her as her grasp on my body tightened. The suction on her mouth continued to get stronger, releasing me from her sweet torment when she came up for air.

"Master." Xola called, sliding away from me. Her voice sounded distant in my ears. When her face entered my vision, I focused on her.

She smiled down at me. "I'm glad that you enjoyed it so much. But you do know what's next, right?"

She didn't give me the chance to answer, one of the her many tail tips entering my mouth. Xola never stopped smiling, even as her face entered and left my vision. Her body began circling around me once more. I could feel her entrance press against my dick as more of her body encircled me. I lifted my arms up high, allowing more easier access to my body. Also, it would be inconvenient to have my arms held against my body. Her face entered my vision again as she tightened her hold on me. Our lips met once more, my hands wrapping around her neck as my penis was pushed inside of her.

I moaned, my breath leaving me as she tightened instantly. My skin crawled in pleasure and it felt like everything was out of my control. There was no way that I could move my hips to keep up with her motions. It was only by her will that anything happened. Her muscles loosened and contracted in rhythm, speeding up or slowing down to her liking. I moved my arms around her neck, her tongue pressing against my lips urgently. She didn't hesitate or wait for me to accept her. Her lips pressed against mine possessively, greedily taking what she wished from me. The Milotic's body tightened all around me, a moan escaping my throat.

The odd thought of Song's warning came to mind. No, I didn't think Xola was new to this. At least, how mating with her species worked. That is, assuming, that this was the normal way for her kind to have sex. Either way, the only hope I had was that my body wouldn't be crushed by the end of this.

The grip she had on me slackened, her constricting muscles slowly loosening. I gasped for air, breathing quickly becoming important for my brain to continue functioning. My body was slipping out of my control faster than I'd care to admit. Her heart was beating hard, being able to feel it throughout my entire body. The coils around me began to tighten once more, though just enough to let me know I wasn't escaping.

A gentle moan escaped Xola's lips, her muscles rippling over my member. It was maddening not to be participating. All I could do was sit here and... take... Arceus she could get tight! She was grinning at me proudly, her muscles slackening for a brief moment before tightening once more. Her breath washed over me as our faces aligned. Her lips pressed against mine gently, as if to keep me from being overloaded. I could feel her tongue trace my lips slowly, teasingly before pressing her lips firmly against mine. Her vagina tightened, making me gasp against her kiss. Xola pressed forward, my vision blurring as we moved. My head now rested on her body and the ceiling could be seen at the edges of my vision. Our lips parted, her eyes filling my vision and blocking out everything else.

My body tensed immediately, a familiar tingling sensation running up and down my spine before I gasped. Xola's body tightened all around me, holding me still while I writhed in her grasp. My Milotic leaned down and pressed her cheek against mine. She cooed softly as my body delivered what she wanted inside of her. It felt like my nerves were on fire as our bodies moved against each other.

Xola was all I could see. Her lips and body was everything I could feel. Even though my body was pleading for everything to stop, her muscles began to churn once more. A moan escaped my lips, the tunnel I was trapped in squeezing and coaxing me to stay hard. It didn't take much for my body to react, much to my partner's pleasure. I closed my eyes as Xola began to move once more around me...

Some time later...

I woke up, and my first instinct was to move my body. Everything felt numb, like the circulation of my body was cut off. My arms met some heavy resistance, and so did my legs. A familiar weight was on top of me. Through blurred vision, I could see Xola resting on top of me. Her head twitched slightly, but she still looked asleep. Not being entirely one-hundred percent sure what time it was, it was better to leave sleeping ladies sleep. I'm sure the alarm in my Pokédex will ring when it's appropriate.

Chapter 30: Distortion

My body felt sore. It was like I was out working for a few days straight with no breaks. Something heavy rested on top of me. Smooth scales rubbed against my exposed skin, tightening gently. Xola's cheek rubbed against mine as her tongue licked my ear. I rubbed my cheek against her, my arms wrapping around her body. Holding her against me, it felt nice. The temperature around me felt cool and not as cold or hot as my mind imagined at some point. Xola brought her head up and into my vision range. A big smile worked its way along her face as she looked down at me.

She slowly uncoiled from around me, my body shivering as Xola left me exposed on the bed. I smiled as I sat up. Some of her body still clung to me as she moved. It made my body shiver as she positioned herself around me. Her smile never wavered. If anything, it widened the longer we looked at each other. She wiggled her 'eyebrows', the large appendages moving to and fro in silent rhythm. We laughed together, the scales on her face tinged red as she made her amusement known.

The question of what time is it or what was going on outside of this room didn't seem to click in my head. I wrapped my arms around her long neck, holding Xola closer to me. Her gentle sigh teased my ear as we kept relaxing. Neither of us said anything. It didn't feel like words needed to be shared or said about what happened. The thought sounded odd in my mind. Being alright with all this. When I was growing up, I never pictured myself to be having sexual relations with a Pokémon. Though this is probably one of those things that there is little control over.

Even if there are people out there that would see this as abuse. I think Xola would have a few choice words for them. And probably everyone else, too, seeing how Zin was the first one to start it.

Neither of us moved when my Pokédex began to ring. It seemed louder than before. Though how that was possible was anyone's guess. Perhaps it was due to neither of us wanting to move. Xola sighed, moving away from me to give me the space to move towards the offending device. Finding my pants was a project in itself. How did they get to the far side of the room was up to speculation. The door that lead into the bathroom was slightly ajar, with the light pouring out of the crack.

One of the Pokéballs was off its hook from my belt. The door next to me opened slightly, Song looking down at me and giving me a grin. I could feel my cheeks burn in embarrassment.

"Song!?" Xola squeaked, rushing over to me and pulling me away from the Gardevoir with her tail. Song laughed, opening the door and letting herself in the room.

"I didn't see anything." Song said, looking at the two of us. "Aurora let me out when you two were asleep."

I still have to ask how the clever little Weavile got out of the device under her own power. Ignoring that fact, I turned my attention back to the Gardevoir. Her smile only widened as Xola's hold on me tightened.

"So, did he satisfy you?" Song asked.

It took Xola a moment to realize that she was being addressed. Her body shivered against mine for a moment before answering. "More than I could imagine."

"Good. Zin would approve, then. She was a bit worried that Master would have performance issues."

I shook my head, staying out of this particular conversation. If only to keep more words from being aimed at me. Instead, I coughed politely to keep in mind that I was still present. Both Pokémon looked over towards me and smiled. Both of them mumbled apologies, which I accepted with a smile and a nod.

"Song, could you possibly explain all of this? Not that I should be complaining, but this isn't typical behavior in Pokémon. From my understanding, anyway." I asked, frowning in thought. "Zin isn't being-"

The Gardevoir shook her head, kneeling down in front of me. "No, she isn't being nosy or uncooperative. She has your interests in heart, even if she can't have cubs from you. She's been quite infatuated with you for a while now."

"From before we officially met, you mean?" I asked.

"She seemed rather taken when I kept mentioning you."

I grinned, feeling a bit pleased with myself. I never thought of myself as someone that a woman would fall for. The memory of the bruise on my face was still pretty vivid. It isn't easy to forget when a girl punches your face.

Shaking the memories away, my focus returned to the two ladies around me. Song smiled at me, standing up and extending her arms at me. Holding tightly, she easily lifted me up from the ground. Her face was slightly tinged red, her eyes averting me.

"You're still naked." she pointed out.

"Yes, I am. That's why I came for my pants, which are somehow over here instead of being nearer to the bed."

"That may have been Aurora's fault." Song said with a smile.

A thought crossed my mind, which made me frown slightly. "She's uncomfortable with this idea, you know that." I said.

Song pushed me towards the bed, making me walk backwards. Sitting me down, her knees were at my sides as she climbed on my lap. The blunt red spike on her chest poked at me for a moment before she twisted slightly and leaned on my shoulder.

"Song?" I called.

"She volunteered." she answered. "I think the question you're looking for is if she saw anything. Aurora came out of her Pokéball after you two were done. All she saw was you two wrapped up together."

I frowned, but stayed quiet otherwise. Song smiled at me, her hands going through my hair. She didn't say anything else after that. Xola nudged Song, frowning at the Gardevoir. The two looked at each other silently, Song nodding to Xola after a silent moment and pulling away from me.

"Sorry." she said, smiling as she stood up. "Do you mind putting me inside my Pokéball, Master?"

I shook my head as Song retrieved her Pokéball and handed it over to me. She disappeared with a smile on her face. Xola claimed her place as soon as Song was inside her Pokéball, wrapping herself around me. She didn't say anything, resting her head on my shoulder. My Pokédex began to ring once more. I never turned off the alarm when I went to my pants. Xola wasn't bothered by it, so I closed my eyes and did my best to ignore it.

========================///////////////////////=========================

Walking outside of my room, the first thought that crossed my mind is if Nurse Joy will smell anything odd when she comes in. Going down the hallway, I confirmed that here was the room for used linens. I went back into the room and grabbed the bed sheets, dropping them in one of the available washing machines and turning it on.

I didn't need more rumors flying around. Joy was enough.

Speaking of Isabella, she was talking to the Nurse Joy of the Pokémon Center. As I came near them, Joy turned to me with a grin. Nurse Joy giggled, before turning to me.

"Thanks for keeping my sister in check." Nurse Joy said.

I'm not entirely sure what makes her say that, but I nodded regardless. "I try."

Joy grabbed my arm, dragging me away from the counter. Nurse Joy's laughter chased us away as we left the building. She sat me on a chair in front of the Pokémon Center. Her hands were on her hips for a moment, before she pulled a chair for herself and sat down in front of me.

"Alright, it's later. Do you want to talk about it now?" Joy asked.

I blinked, frowning. "I guess this is a good time. Though do we have to do it here?"

"It's now or I'll just keep doing it."

There was no way out of this, is there? "Alright."

"What's your issue?" she asked. "Don't you want a regular girlfriend?"

I sputtered slightly at the blunt question. Bringing my hands up, I tried to catch my bearings quickly.

"All I want is to keep the peace right now." I said, trying to explain myself. "Zin thinks that you have more personal reasons why you're staying close to me. It's been a trial just making sure she doesn't convince Aurora that she needs to take a 'walk' and put you in danger."

She stayed silent for a moment. "Do you think she would do that?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I don't think so, but Zin acts like she owns me. As much as I've tried to convince her that she doesn't have to worry about, she still snarls behind your back."

Joy frowned at this. "She's very possessive of you, isn't she."

I idly noticed that what she said wasn't in the form of a question. "Yeah, she is. It's a little annoying."

"Do you think you can explain the situation to her?"

I nodded. "It's probably for the best. I don't see anyone else really complaining about it."

She smiled, nodding. "That's good to hear. I'm glad."

"Come to think of it, is there any other reasons why you're doing this? I mean, this is pretty elaborate." I asked, narrowing my eyes.

Joy frowned at me. I could almost hear the gears spinning in her head, trying to come up with a plan on how to explain all of this. While I don't claim to be smart by any extent of the imagination, it seems she has some sort of crush or attraction for me. Though the main question behind all of this is why. Why would she feel this way? Maybe she's impressed in surviving all I've been through? She's been through half of it all already with us. That couldn't be it, could it?

I returned my attention when Joy started talking again. "We've been through a lot. I think of you as a good friend, and... maybe a bit more, too. It's only natural to care for your companions so they don't get killed. Especially if Cresselia is still after us after what she did to Route Twenty-Four."

"That doesn't make sense." I said, frowning. "She wasn't interested in you or Jonathan. You never seemed interested in breeding, like I originally thought either."

"Can't I just worry about you?" she whispered.

"While I appreciate it, there's no need to put yourself in needless danger." I pointed out. "Darkrai almost killed you when we were at the monastery."

"You wouldn't have made it out of Mount Coronet without me." she pointed out.

"While I myself may have had issues, I wasn't alone by that point." I countered. "He would have gathered his wits."

"Before the Abomasnow got to you?"

"Yeah. Not to mention I still had four other Pokémon that would be able to put up a fight."

She shook her head. "I find that hard to believe." Joy said. "It looked like the two of you were in a pretty shitty spot when I came in."

"Still think we would have been fine." I said, nodding in finality.

It was a bit of a bluff, and I was pretty sure it wouldn't hold out for long. Knowing Jon's team now, this was easy to say with confidence. Back then, I didn't have a single clue what kind of Pokémon he had. The worst fact was that she knew. Her grin told me that much.

"I'll call Tauros shit on you." she said with a grin.

I stayed quiet, before shaking my head and sighing. "I think you spaced and forgot that I was there when you admitted that you didn't know about his team."

Well, I was trying to play off a mistake she might have made. Guess it's hard to fool this particular person. Joy laughed softly at my predicament.

"What are you going to say now?" she asked almost tauntingly. "Are you going to listen to me, at the very least?"

I sighed, nodding towards her. "Alright, shoot."

"Now that I have your full attention. The League knows of you." Joy said, leaning forward and lowering her voice. "There hasn't been all that much different action from them since the attack, but they know of it. Someone will talk. We can't take that risk. YOU can't take that risk. If we need to return to Sinnoh, you would be put in jail the second you stepped out of the airplane.

"You need some way to cover for you." Joy continued in the same tone of voice. "I'm giving you the easiest alternative. Though if you prefer to put the air that you're gay, by all means. Though somehow I don't think Jon would go for it."

I sputtered at that last thought thrown in. "No!" I exclaimed. "Jeez... alright. But do you think that the League will react like how you think? I mean, we haven't done anything illegal."

"Doesn't matter." Joy said, narrowing her eyes. "All it takes is one slip-up from our part, and the other Leagues will fall in line with Indigo Plateau. Unfortunately, the other Leagues will follow the demands of Indigo Plateau if a case is deemed extreme. All of the authorities would be looking for the usual places, and sending scouting parties through the major and minor routes in the attempt to find you."

"What do you think would happen if they found me?"

"They would most likely send you back to Sinnoh, suspend your license, and set your Pokémon free or put them up for adoption. Probably use them as evidence to prove that you've been mistreating them, as well. They'll cook up some shit for it. Same thing they've done before in public cases, so they won't do anything different with you. Except that the League is the final authority in this case, and they have all the evidence they care to see."

"And getting caught would discredit my parents indirectly or some crap like that, too." I mumbled. My body shivered. This idea sounded worse and worse the more we sat on it. Damn it! Planning wasn't my strong suit!

"At least this will buy us some time." she said, smiling. "Get out of Cerulean City and probably leave Kanto soon. The longer we stay here or in Johto, the higher the chances that we'll get caught."

"Jon is going to be an issue, isn't he?" I asked.

"That's not a question I can answer." Joy said, shaking her head. "Depends on what he says, or if he reports to the Rangers at all. Has he mentioned what his priority is as of right now?"

I nodded. "He admitted that Zapdos was his highest priority. I'm not entirely sure what that means. He did mention about reporting in every so often, but I'm not sure what he meant by that."

Joy nodded to herself. "If that's true, then that should mean that as long as Zapdos is in his possession he's doing his job. How much trust do you put on the guy?"

I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. "He's been with us all this time. I've only known him for a day before we met up with you in Mount Coronet."

"That doesn't answer my question." she said, eyes narrowing dangerously. "Do you or do you not trust him."

"Why is this so important?"

Isabella rolled her eyes. "Because, idiot, he has connections with the League!" she hissed out. "Indirectly, anyway, but it's still there. The wrong word or thing he says in a report might get us all fucked over. Now answer the Arceus fucking question!"

She was breathing hard by the end of her punctuated statement. I was taken aback at her outburst in all honesty. Responding was the last thing on my mind right now. Joy seems to have put a lot of effort into whatever plan she has in her mind. I nodded, frowning for a moment in quiet thought. Her breathing was the only thing that I could hear, other than my own heartbeat hammering in my ears.

Jon has never really guided us wrong before. Misguided perhaps, but never with the intention of harming us. At least, I feel that way. Even after traveling through to the monastery, it felt like at least we got our bearings there. Though that message from Jirachi still didn't make any sense. I brought my thoughts back in line. After seeing how much he's done for the group, I nodded.

"I trust him." I said quietly. "And you, too. Thank you for all of this."

Her hardened look softened a bit at my words. "We're all worried about this." she said softly. "No one else is going to believe anything the champs say, just due to how much influence the Leagues have. We have to get to the bottom of it all ourselves."

"We can always retire somewhere really far away." I said, bringing up how she's mentioned it before.

She grinned. "I don't think so. Pretty sure you have a point, after seeing how Cresselia showed up here out of nowhere."

"Why did you bring it up then?"

"I wanted to know how dedicated you were about finding out the truth. You're not gonna wuss out on me now, are you?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm not. Far from it. Though a better question for the moment is how far are we willing to take our plan?"

She blinked, turning away for a moment before returning my gaze. "For as long as we have to, as much as we have to." Joy said slowly.

So she is reluctant to do this. I was a bit scared that she jumped on the opportunity because of some repressed feelings she has for me. Maybe my mind was coming up with some odd reasons. It's not like we've really spoken about each other in private or something. Or maybe this was some elaborate plan?

"What are you thinking?" she asked.

"Why are you really trying this hard? There's more to this, isn't there?" I asked back.

Joy's mouth opened, but no words came. She shook her head, her long hair following her motions.

"I think that you're hoping for something more, aren't you." I stated, looking straight in her eyes.

I wanted to ask her a lot of things right now, but bombarding her with too much might just chase her away. It didn't bother me that she felt like this. My concern was for her own safety due to Zin's constant disapproval.

"I'm worried that you'd be hurt. Zin has always been pretty vocal about you being a little too close to me."

"Let me talk to her then." Joy said. "I'll make her understand."

"That line sounds like some famous last words from a movie."

"Trust me."

I sighed, grabbing Zin's Pokéball and holding it in my hands for a moment. Part of me was terrified for Joy. Claiming that Zin has a temper is like saying that fire can just get you burned. Something tickled my sides, startling me and making me drop the device. The Pokéball hovered in midair for a moment, revealing Victini.

"Haven't seen you in a while."

"Hasn't been a really good reason to appear!" Victini said, being overly cheerful. Her voice was the same as always.

"So, this is your Houndoom?" she asked, holding the Pokéball in her small paws. She moved it around the air, the device hovering while it spun.

"I'd like to ask a favor."

"From little me?" she asked in a high pitch.

Somehow, I feel like I'm going to regret this. "Yes. Take care of Joy. I'm not entirely sure how Zin will react when they'll talk."

Victini looked at me oddly for a moment, but nodded. "Sure, no problem. Why though? Unless it's some sort of super secret I'm not supposed to know."

I shook my head. "No, it's not some secret. I'm just afraid that my Houndoom may be antagonistic with your trainer."

"You use a lot of big words, don't you?"

"Zin might get angry to the point of attacking Joy with what they're about to talk about."

"Much simpler. Thank you, and of course I'll keep her safe."

Smiling, I nodded to the smaller Pokémon. "While I don't doubt your strength, don't let her blow up anything in sight."

"What's the worst that can happen?"

"I don't want to think about that."

I looked over to Joy. We echoed our worry at the same time. Victini grinned at the two of us. "Is there something I should know?" she asked.

"I'll let your trainer answer that question. Not really my place to say."

"We WILL talk later, right?" she said, standing up and not letting me answer. "Let's go, Victini."

"You still have to come up with a name for me, ya know." Victini said, floating towards her trainer.

I sat there, still idly wondered if I just opened a sealed nightmare into the world. Suddenly I craved to be held, if only to comfort me in that I'm doing the right thing.

============================/////////////////////////===================

Akalia and Mist accompanied me alongside Song and Baast. We did our part of being tourists pretty well, I think. It didn't help that my Pokémon weren't native to this area. Many of the locals smiled and waved as we passed, and a few kids and their Pokémon took me to see the sights of the town. After being shown the gym and being bombarded by perfume, my Pokémon unanimously voted to go to the nearest park. One of the trainers at the gym pointed out that the gym doubles as a park area for anyone.

After walking around and seeing the park as a whole, Baast dragged us all to a bench underneath a tree. While it was a bit unerving that there wasn't an actual breeze, the temperature was cool inside the building. I looked up for the first time, finding relief that there was a glass ceiling that let in sunlight. There were artificial lights around, like light posts on the paths and near what look like heavy traffic locations. The sun looked like it's reached the zenith of its path, so there wouldn't be a need for them for some time yet.

"You look tired, Master." Song pointed out.

"Nervous." I clarified.

This drew confused looks from my friends. Akalia nudged my leg. I would have ignored it if it wasn't for the shock that went through my body.

"Akalia!" I yelped, my heart beating a mile a second.

She gave me an innocent of a smile. Whatever reprimand I had in my mouth didn't come out. I sighed, shaking my head.

"I better tell you before you hear it from Zin." I said, sighing and regaining my composure. "Joy and Zin are going to talk."

"That doesn't sound like good news." Baast said, a grin forming on her muzzle.

"My thoughts exactly." I agreed. "Victini agreed to keep an eye out for Joy. Pretty sure that they'll be able to keep Zin in line."

"That is if she does keep her temper in check." Mist said thoughtfully.

"Joy has a pretty good argument." I offered.

"Which is what, exactly?" the Mismagius asked.

I looked around for a moment, making sure that we were out of earshot from anyone nearby. Baast's ears twitched for a moment, before nodding. "Doesn't sound like anyone is nearby." she reported.

"I do not detect anyone nearby, either." Mist stated.

I nodded. "Thanks, everyone. I'm not sure how to say it, so this will be blunt. Joy wants to be my girlfriend to make sure the League has no extra suspicion to look into us."

"So you look like a normal human to this League, right?" Baast asked.

"That's the idea, at least." I said, nodding. "The problem is that I think that Joy has some repressed feelings or something, and that Zin will have an issue with that."

The four Pokémon around me nodded. "I can see why this has you a bit nervous then." Song said as her arms wrapped around my neck.

"I'm afraid of returning to the Pokémon Center and finding the smoldering remains of a building."

"If what you say is true, then I am confident that Zin will restrain herself." Mist stated. "If it is for your safety, she will listen."

"You sound sure of yourself, Mist." I said, frowning.

"While she has you in the forefront of her mind more than she admits to, she is not as blind as she seems." the ghost said, nodding slowly. "She will listen to Joy, just as she has listened to us when it is in your best interest."

"Besides, it's not like she has in mind to steal you away." Song said, her grip tightening around me. "She doesn't strike me like someone that would do that."

"She's had plenty of chances to stab us in the back." Baast said, nodding. "She's been with us through most of it all. I doubt it myself, as well. While Zin can be hard headed, she'll listen to reason."

"I hope so." I said, sighing.

"She will, Master." Song said, holding me tightly. "Now stop sulking and relax! By the way, I want the details of what happened last night!"

My face felt like it was on fire. "I thought your curiosity was satisfied when you appeared from the bathroom."

She laughed, her fingers kneading my shoulders. Mist and Akalia turned away from me while Baast snickered. The Lucario's ears focused on me, however, betraying her actual interest in the subject.

"Wouldn't you prefer to hear it from Xola?" I asked when no one spoke.

Baast shook her head. "I'd much rather hear it from you, actually." she said, grinning wickedly at me.

I took another look of our surroundings, worried that someone may be headed our way. Song stopped me after I twisted around once. "Stop stalling, dear, and please answer truthfully." she whispered in my ear.

A shiver went down my spine. I tried to gather my thoughts quickly, especially when Baast began to approach me with half-lidded eyes.

"It was... interesting to say the least. She was very passionate, leading our movements." I whispered. "I should say something about what you said about her, Song, but I'm not."

Song laughed behind my back, while Baast snickered openly. I could see Akalia's tail wave in the air, while Mist didn't show any sign of acknowledgement. Perhaps she was reserving judgement.

"Anything else?" Song asked softly.

"It felt like she was very possessive. She didn't let go of any part of my body while we were together." I continued, keeping my voice low. "Though letting go is an understatement. She had me wrapped up all throughout our time together."

Mist giggled softly, quickly joined by everyone else. Song's head rested on my right shoulder as Baast leaned forward to be on top of me. The Lucario's teeth nipped on my earlobe, my body flinching against Song's grip. Baast rested her head on my left shoulder, her tongue licking where her teeth bit my ear. The only issue I had with all of this is why was I getting aroused?

Mist's laughter reached my mind as Akalia's paws rested on my knees. Looking downwards, the pitch in my pants would be obvious to anyone passing by us. I closed my eyes, focusing in calming down my hormones. Baast whined softly in my ear as my body relaxed.

"You aren't any fun." Baast said.

I wanted to laugh, but a chuckle escaped me anyway. "Says the now insatiable Lucario."

"Not my fault."

"And I suppose that it's mine."

"Yes, actually!" Song stated with a laugh.

Everyone laughed around me, though I noticed Akalia shifting her eyes from meeting my gaze and Mist's gems glowing a bright red on occasion. I shook my head, politely coughing to get everyone's attention.

"But since we've mentioned the subject, are any of you bothered by what Joy is doing. I would like to get your thoughts on the matter."

The four Pokémon around me looked at each other for a moment, then at me. Before long, they began to converse in their own tongue. While it was impossible to understand what wasn't meant for me, their body language hinted at how they were feeling. Akalia's fur bristled with electricity when Song mentioned something. Baast shook her head, motioning her paws around a few times. A finger was pointed at first to me, then at Mist. The ghost's gems flashed an angry red color as she glared back to the Lucario. Baast waved her arms and spoke quickly, which seemed to calm Mist down. The gems on her body were still glowing red, but not as brightly as a moment before.

Song spoke calmly, almost like being the voice of reason among present company. The Gardevoir punctuated her words with calm gestures and small nods to each individual. One after another, they nodded. Akalia's electricity stopped flowing, while Mist's gems returned to their normal purple pulse. Baast stopped pulling me closer to her chest spike.

Song's face slowly moved into my vision, her smile putting me at ease. "I had to remind everyone why we were here in the first place."

"Don't remind me of that, Song." I said, frowning. Her smile inverted, her hand hitting me my cheek hard. Note to self: never give Song another reason to slap me.

"You will never say those words. You will never think these words ever again." Song snarled. "I would rather be here, with you, than with any other human in this entire planet. Don't you dare insult me by saying otherwise. Do you understand me?"

My response wasn't immediate. I was shocked that she even slapped me in the first place. It's gotten to the point of that we've traded places now. My hand rubbed my jaw gently. I just glad that she didn't pop anything out of place. It hurt, though that may be a good thing.

"I won't." I answered with a smile. "It looked like I needed a reminder myself."

"You've made me believe those words, Master." she said sternly. "I believe in you."

The other three nodded with Song's assessment. It was still worrisome that we weren't out of any sort of danger. It wasn't worth bringing up again. Not if anyone is going to react this strongly. Either way, I shouldn't be worrying about it so much, either. Was it so bad that I worried about it so much? Perhaps it wasn't, though my confidence in everyone should outweigh the concern. It isn't like no one doesn't know the dangers that we're facing.

Song rubbed my cheek gently, smiling as she did so. "Feeling better?" she asked.

"I think so. I won't apologize for being concerned, but I'll trust you."

"Just like you should have been doing this entire time."

I nodded. Words felt inappropriate at this time. Song smiled, wrapping her arms around me in a hug. Baast grinned at me, her fist hitting my shoulder gently.

"Any particular reason why you're hitting me, too?"

"No. Just wanted to remind you that I'm here, too." she said, her voice echoing in my mind. "You really shouldn't worry so much."

"I just don't know what to do." I said, sighing.

"There's always a light further down the road, even if we can't see it yet." the Lucario stated. "We'll find it."

I nodded numbly. Baast's eyes narrowed as she hit my shoulder again. I was about to complain when she leaned on top of me, being careful not to impale me on her chest spike. Mist laughed, shaking her head as she floated above the four of us.

"You should have known better by now, Master." she said. "Song isn't the same little Ralts from before."

A jolt of electricity made me jump slightly. Akalia jumped on my lap, resting her body on top of mine. Laughter reached my ears as the Luxray covered my face with her fur.

"Shouldn't we be on the ground for this?" I asked.

"Perhaps." Mist agreed. "I understand you want to be close to Master as well, Akalia, but suffocating him with your fur won't help."

=========================////////////////////===========================

I entered the Pokémon Center no worse than usual. The afternoon breeze was fresh, hinting at a cold night later. Nothing seemed out of place, which was something that was bothering me for a while. Nurse Joy smiled at me, letting me know that a new set of linens were on my bed. Thanking her as I passed by, she went back to attending her business on her desk. Opening the locked door, it was good to see that things were still normal. My mind had come up with all kinds of imagery of police waiting for me or some other nonsense. While I had enough reasons to be worried, perhaps that was taking a bit over the hill.

I turned on the lights, my heart jumping to my throat when Joy and Zin were sitting on the newly made bed. My limbs felt like Akalia just shocked me twice over. What was first intended to be curse words jumbled together to be an incoherent mumble. Zin laughed, shaking her head.

"Told you he was going to be surprised." Joy said, grinning.

"Alright! I give up, I give up. Jeesh, you're so demanding." the Houndoom shot back with a smile.

Joy looked in my direction, smiling. "We talked." she said. As if that explained everything.

"Why didn't you tell me about this plan sooner!" Zin demanded, jumping off the bed.

When I didn't respond, a sharp pain shot up from my shin. The Houndoom looked up at me with an annoyed look. I knelt down before she decided to use her teeth next. Don't think that Joy would approve of already breaking in any of the new clothes. Not like that, I don't think.

"Well!?" the Houndoom demanded.

"We just talked about it this morning." I pointed out. "It started when Joy jumped on my lap while I was talking to my parents in the Celadon department store."

Zin's grin was wide, her sharp fangs making me feel a little nervous. "Things are starting to make sense." she said with a nod.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The things that Joy said." she answered, her tail pointing towards Joy. "By the way, warn me before you go handing me to other humans next time."

I blinked in curiosity, but decided not to question what was going on. Joy was laughing, her head shaking. Zin laughed softly, but controlled herself quickly.

"Want me to tell him, Zin?"

"Go ahead."

"She jumped me as soon as I opened the Pokéball." Joy said, grinning.

"That's not unusual." I answered.

"Well, maybe for you. She kissed me straight in the mouth."

It felt like a Golem was dropped on my head. "Must have been some awkward moment."

"Victini wouldn't stop laughing!" Joy exclaimed. "When Zin finally realized it wasn't you, she spat on the ground and demanded where she was and what was going on. Remind me how you put up with her thick skull."

"Anyway, as you can tell, we talked and no one was hurt." Zin said, snorting in my direction. "Honestly, you should have more faith in me, Master."

"With the attitude that you've had towards Joy, I wanted to make sure that you wouldn't do something crazy."

"Like what?" she asked.

"Burn the building down." I deadpanned.

"Innocent little me? I wouldn't harm a Butterfree!"

Somehow, I doubted that. I kept my mouth shut regardless. Seemed like this wasn't the best time to point that out. Zin narrowed her eyes at me, puffing out a puff of flame in my direction. Joy's laughter kept Zin from concentrating in creating something more menacing.

"Will you stop laughing?" Zin demanded.

"Why? Are you going to stop me again?" Joy asked.

"You want to give Master a show like we put on for Victini?" Zin shot back.

I decided that even my room wasn't safe from Zin's perverted influence. My cheeks felt like Zin breathed fire on them. Words failed to come out any stronger than whispers. I stood up and walked back out, closing the door behind me. The last thing that my mind wanted to see was THAT being shoved in my face. It was probably a joke.

Right?

I shivered in the hallway before focusing on moving again. Well, behind me wasn't safe, and down the hallway was the washing machines. Laughter echoed from the door behind me. Well, going back would probably make me look like a huge pervert. Nodding, I decided to go back outside. Hopefully by the time I come back the two of them will have calmed down.

I slammed into someone as I turned the corner. Hurried apologies came out of my mouth as I stood up. The other person apologized as well. Looking up, my cheeks burned as it was Jonathan that I had bumped into. Grabbing his arm, I pulled him away from the hallway and back outside.

"What are you doing?!" he exclaimed.

"You have your own room, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?"

I sighed in relief. "Just making sure. You took your time getting here."

"I wanted to make sure that we were in the clear and that the boss didn't have anything else for you or me." Jon pointed out. "But yeah, it took longer than I thought."

"Perfectly understandable." I said, nodding.

"Where's Joy?"

I could feel my cheeks burn at the question. My fingers grabbed his arm tightly, pulling him with me towards the building's exit. I practically flung him into a chair, lunging forward when the chair itself teetered dangerously backwards.

"What is wrong with you!?" he exclaimed.

I didn't answer immediately. How in the hell do you tell someone that two women were seducing you on the spot? More importantly, point out that one of those two was your Houndoom and the other was Joy? I sighed, grabbing another chair and sitting in front of him.

"Well?"

Again, I was silent. How does someone bring what I just saw to someone? I shivered again, the afternoon wind blowing across the city. Jon looked at me patiently, his arms crossed and foot tapping on the ground. My eyes roamed our surroundings once more, double-checking in case someone came nearby before I spoke.

"Joy and Zin are in my room."

"What's the problem with that?" he asked.

"You don't get it. Joy's plan is to be my girlfriend, to avoid being suspicious to the Pokémon League." I hissed out. "Joy and Zin are getting along."

He blinked, but didn't look as surprised as I was. "She finally told you. That's probably a lot of weight off her mind now."

It felt like two Golems were dropped on my head. "What?!"

"Don't tell me you haven't seen it by now." Jon said, rolling his eyes. "She's had eyes for you since we met Deoxys and Victini. She's a nice girl, but she's not my type."

"She told you?" I asked.

"She's mentioned it a few times. We've talked. She was afraid that you'd just shut her out if she even mentioned something even close to going out with her."

"What did you tell her?" I asked.

"What we've talked about before. Remember when I asked you those questions in Eterna City? When you tried to run away?"

I nodded, motioning to him to continue. "She asked me to fill in the small gap that she didn't know, plus what I thought of you. I trust you, just like you've trusted me. She asked me what I really thought of you, and I told her."

"And that would be?"

"That you need help." he stated. "You're going to need my help, as well as hers and all our Pokémon. She wants to help you. You shouldn't even be questioning it by now."

"I'm not!" I exclaimed. At his raised eyebrow, I continued. "But this wasn't what I was expecting."

"And you were expecting any of this to happen to you?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I rest my case." he said, his hand clasping my shoulder.

Silence stretched between the two of us. Jon moved his chair so we were sitting next to each other. The afternoon slowly changed to twilight. Something bothered me about him.

"What have you thought about fixing your friendship with Zapdos?" I asked softly.

He stiffened immediately at the word 'Zapdos'. It wasn't his fault, but it was an odd seeing him become cautious all of a sudden.

"I've... given it some thought." he admitted. "I want to get along with her."

I stayed silent, in case he was going to say anything else. A moment passed in silence, so I nodded in acknowledgement.

"You want to be in friendly terms."

"Not what you have." he clarified. "Just being able to make her understand that what she wants isn't what I want would be good."

"You know that might be impossible." I said with a frown.

"At least we tried." he said with a sigh. "At the very least, being able to use her without being threatened with rape would be a huge improvement."

"Think you want to start tomorrow?"

"That soon?!"

"Unless you have an idea on where to go next." I pointed out.

"Well, didn't Misty say that Professor Elm investigated the Cerulean Cave?" he asked.

I frowned. "Pretty sure you're right, though your Zapdos presents a greater threat just due to being so close to us."

He nodded. "We can probably go the next day. Give her a good chance to stretch her wings and actually be outside of her Pokéball. If she's anything like Zin, she's going to be ornery as fuck the moment she's out."

He nodded. We both stood up and headed back inside the Pokémon Center. Relief flooded me the moment I saw Zin and Joy outside of my room. They both looked at us, grinning in our direction. Jon continued forward past them, but neither of the two ladies payed any attention to him. He waved his hand lazily behind him, as both Joy and Zin walked towards me.

Joy grabbed my arm and pulled me down the same hallway. A door opened and I was practically thrown inside. Stumbling to a stop, a cold nose was pressed against my neck while sharp teeth touched my skin. The lights were off, and the only light came from the open door before it was closed with an soft clicking sound. Joy laughed, followed by Zin's soft growl. I could feel Joy's hands go through my hair as Zin made herself comfortable on my chest.

"Just sleep, alright?" Joy said from above me. "It looks like we have a busy day tomorrow."

Zin growled softly. I reached for one of Joy's hands, and she took it in her grasp. The Houndoom stopped growling when I used my other hand to scratch behind her horns. My touches were as gentle as possible, to avoid causing her any harm to her. Zin made a high pitched noise, that sounded like she was pleading with me. Joy giggled softly, her hand leaving mine to scratch the Houndoom a bit.

"Why are we on the floor, anyway?" I asked.

"Stop talking." Zin said. "Just... please stop and let me have this."

I smiled to myself in the darkness. Tomorrow promised to be an interesting day, to say the least. Having my team at the ready was a good idea. Zin's breathing slowly became slow and gentle. It was nice to see her relax in my arms again.

"Can you raise your head for a moment?" Joy asked from above.

"Sure." I said, doing the asked task.

One of her hands pressed against my forehead, pushing down and letting me rest on something soft. The first thought that crossed my mind was that it was a pillow. Turning to my side proved that theory false, as my nose made contact with Joy's shirt. The denim under my cheek was now obvious. I started to pull away when her hand pressed against my exposed cheek.

"Please." she said.

I don't think it was my choice anymore to say no. Instead, I made myself as comfortable as possible. Tomorrow looked to be a busy day.

=========================////////////////////===========================

"You want to talk to everyone? Is that why you wanted everyone out here?" I asked Joy.

She nodded. "Mostly so your team can ask their questions." Joy clarified. "I'm pretty sure that you'll be busy with Jon today, so you won't need everyone, right?"

"I was thinking of everyone being there for my own sake." I chuckled. "Still, Zapdos shouldn't be an huge problem."

"I will go with you, Master." Iolanthe said. "I don't have any specific questions that aren't shared with the group."

Joy frowned, passing Iolanthe's Pokéball to me. I nodded, smiling at everyone. "Stay safe."

"I'm going to be inside a building surrounded by a dozen Pokémon. Pretty sure we'll be fine." Joy said with a laugh. "Get out of here, before Jon thinks something is holding you up."

"You're right. Io, let's go. See you all later." I said, waving a farewell and closing the door behind me.

We walked to the entrance of the Pokémon Center. Jon was waiting for us with two boxes in hand. He raised an eyebrow at me as we approached.

"Thought you were going to have your team with you." he mentioned, passing a box to me.

"That was the plan, until Joy had the great idea of stealing everyone away for something." I explained. "What's in the box?"

"Breakfast for you." he said. "Nothing special, so don't get your hopes up. Good thing, I guess. You two can share."

I rolled my eyes, opening the lid to find a rather fancy boxed meal inside. My attention was returned to Jon, to see him walking out of the building already. We chased after him and soon settled walking in a brisk pace. It looked like we were headed out of the city limits. Not in the direction of the Cerulean Cave, that much was clear.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"East." he answered. Well, that doesn't explain much.

"There's a bit of woodland over there." he continued. "Mainly open plain and some hills. Should be able to find a good open space for Zapdos to stretch her wings."

I nodded. "Sounds reasonable."

We walked in silence. The trip wasn't very exciting, though I kept running through things to say to Zapdos the further we walked. "Did you tell Nurse Joy where we were headed?" I asked.

"Yeah, I did. Just in case Joy needs to find us quickly." Jon said with a grin.

"Just making sure." I said with a laugh. "Iolanthe, are you alright? You've been awfully quiet."

She shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Just observing you, Master."

Another laugh escaped me. "Well, just let me know if you see something interesting."

I could almost feel her amusement as she looked at me. "Perhaps." she answered enigmatically.

The path under us changed. It wasn't as well maintained as it was inside Cerulean City. Numerous cracks and small craters adorned the path as it lead further away from the city. We followed the path for a few more minutes if that, before Jon veered off the path completely. I blinked, but followed him into the virtually flat plains ahead of us. It wasn't for a while until we stopped. We had gone over a hill, well out of sight from anyone just walking through.

He flopped down, opening his box and digging in without another word. I shrugged, getting as comfortable as possible on the hard earth. Iolanthe sat next to me, looking at the contents curiously. Grabbing a piece of rolled rice, I offered it to her. She looked at it strangely for a moment, before taking hold of it with one of her tentacles. It slowly dissolved as she slowly 'ate' it. She nodded enthusiastically and reaching to grab more.

"Just remember to share." I reminded her.

Her eyes looked at me pleadingly. Eyes that I've seen on Zin and Song a few times now. I sighed, shaking my head.

"You've got it rough." Jon said.

"Don't encourage her!" I exclaimed, a mixture of a groan and chuckle coming out of me.

I grabbed a few more pieces for myself, before passing the rest of the box to Iolanthe. She looked surprised for a moment before trying to pass it to me. I smiled, taking another roll from the box and popping it in my mouth. Her eyes widened, but she relaxed after a moment, waiting for me to finish and taking another roll and presenting it to me.

It was only after a moment that I noticed Jon looking at us expectantly. He looked at us with tolerated patience. Iolanthe placed another roll into my mouth, before covering the box with two tentacles. She looked focused for a moment as she probably ate what was left inside the box. When Iolanthe removed her tentacles from the box, everything was gone.

"You're a big eater." Jon muttered. Iolanthe looked a bit flustered, her eyes widening. I hugged her tightly against my body.

"Well, you ready for this or not?" I asked.

"Just be ready to make a shield or something." Jon said, directing it to Iolanthe. "She might be a little mad."

He stood up, stretching and grabbing the Pokéball in question. I stood up with him. Before either Iolanthe or myself could say anything, Jon released the Pokémon inside. A brilliant flash of light left me blinded momentarily, a loud screech echoing in the air. I closed my eyes and rubbed them, hopefully before Zapdos could see us being basically helpless. As my vision finally cleared, Jon was standing rather rigidly as Zapdos rubbed her face against his body.

It would be amusing if it wasn't for the fact that it was this same Zapdos that almost disemboweled me. A question popped in my head. Does she know that Jon is her trainer?

Zapdos bolted upright almost immediately as I thought of that question. She moved towards me, before lowering her face to be at level with mine. "Master?"

That answers that question. She didn't know what had happened in all that time. There's not much I can save you if she gets angry with you, Jon.

I shook my head slowly. "I'm not your master, Zapdos. Jon is." I said slowly.

She blinked, jumping back with a flap of her mighty wings. The gust of air blew dust into my nose. Zapdos was next to Jon instantly, grabbing his shirt with her beak.

"Zapdos, STOP!" he yelled. The great lightning bird complied reluctantly.

"Why did you call me, Master?" Zapdos said, now directing it to Jon. "Do you need me?"

He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I waited for him to say something, in case he didn't want me to interfere. After a few moments Jon looked away. I intervened before Zapdos did anything again.

"We're here to talk, Zapdos. About your relationship between the two of you."

She opened her beak, but Jon stopped her with a glare. Zapdos glared back with the same intensity as before. Sparks of electricity began to jump across her yellow feathers. For a moment, it looked like she would lash out at any second. Thankfully, she calmed down before anything happened. She nodded slowly, making herself comfortable on the ground in front of us.

"Alright. I was brought here to be some sort of emotional support for Jon. Neither of us have our teams with us. I left mine with Joy and... I'm not sure what you did with yours, Jon."

"They're with Nurse Joy going through a check-up." he explained. "I figured that this would be a good time to show that I'm not here to control you, Zapdos."

Zapdos shook her head. "I want to be more than a Pokémon to you, my Master!" she exclaimed. A surprised look overtook her. "What did I just say?"

"Master?" Jon said.

"NO!" the thunderbird screeched. "You're my mate!"

I kept an eye out in case that Zapdos would lash out. Even then, it looked like she was mostly under control. "Jon, I feel like she shouldn't have problems there."

"Why?"

"Zin. She's never had problems calling me her mate or master. Do you think that-"

Another screech came out of Zapdos, her body writhing on the ground as if in pain. Jon and I approached cautiously. Jon touched her beak. Her eyes were closed tightly and her body began to shake.

"Jon, you have to calm her down." I said. "This can't be good."

"How do you suggest I do that?" he asked.

"Tell her how much she means to you!" I exclaimed. Lightning was beginning to crackle along the thunderbirds body.

He only hesitated for a split second. "Zapdos! Listen to me!" he yelled out. "Come back to me. Focus on my voice! I need you!"

Zapdos didn't stop immediately, but she slowly began to calm down. The electricity was the first thing to stop. Jon was whispering now to Zapdos. He had his arms wrapped around her neck, saying whatever it was to her alone. Whatever he was saying, it was enough. Now, seeing that Zapdos was more calm, the more important question was if he meant whatever he just said.

Zapdos still had her eyes closed when I slowly approached. Jon looked like he was about to become sick. I raised an eyebrow at him, but he shook his head.

"What's wrong?" I whispered furiously. "I can't really protect you from her if you lied to her face."

"No, I didn't lie." he answered. "I don't know what came over me."

The rage I felt simmering in the back of my mind was quenched with his words. He looked surprised, almost scared of what just happened. Zapdos was slowly stirring in his arms. I could feel Iolanthe's tentacles grab my shoulders tightly. Jon shook his head, though, facing Zapdos.

"Master?" she asked softly.

"Nick, do you mind if we talk in private?" Jon asked.

"You sure you got this?" I asked. He gave me a swift nod in response. "We'll be over there." I continued, pointing at a random direction. Iolanthe followed me closely, leaving Jon to his lightning bird problem.

"Do you honestly think it's wise to leave them alone?" Io asked.

"If you thought there would be a problem, you would have voiced it, wouldn't you?" I asked back with a smile.

She looked surprised, but nodded. "That's why. They both need to sort out their issues. I came along to help them out with that. Though it didn't look like they needed our help at all."

"Perhaps our presence helped." Io said.

"Maybe. I'm not entirely sure, but I'm willing to believe it." I said with a chuckle.

We crested a hill, feeling the sun get a bit warmer as it made its way through the sky. I'm glad that things worked out for the better. Highly doubt we're out of the woods yet with this issue, but it's not my place to stick my nose into.

"Do you think they'll have more problems?" Io asked.

"That's like saying the relationship I have with all of my Pokémon is perfect." I pointed out. "I'll give you the answer, it's not. I'm not perfect, and won't pretend to be. My best chance is to help everyone find their happiness."

"Being with you makes me happy."

"Well, that's nice. But I'm sure we've had this discussion before. You're not here to observe. You're here to experience. But what? Love?"

"We can start with that, if you don't mind."

"I don't think that you have to worry too much about me with that." I said softly. "I love all of you. There's nothing I wouldn't do to keep you as safe as possible."

Her tentacle brought my head to her chest. "Perhaps I should take you on that offer. No one has claimed you recently, have they?"

"No, unless there's been talk without me knowing."

"Well, perhaps I could do with some more bonding." she said, her grip tightening.

"Maybe." I said teasingly, grabbing hold of one of her tentacles.

"Don't you two get all crazy out here. You're in public."

We turned around to see Jon and Zapdos. I stiffened immediately when the giant bird brought her face down to mine. Her beak was hard to focus on, so I turned my attention to her eyes.

"Thank you. For giving me another chance." she whispered. "I would have died without your interference."

"You're welcome." I said, smiling. "Well, what about you two? Sort out your problems?"

"No, not yet." Jon said. "But, in all honesty, it's a start."

"That's good!" I exclaimed. "Start small."

They both nodded. "We better get back. I'm pretty sure that my Pokémon are ready to be picked up, and to rescue Joy from your own crazy misfits."

"Hey! They may be misfits, but I'm the only one that calls them misfits!" I said, laughing.

=======================//////////////////////===========================

Something was wrong. Everything felt wrong.

As soon as we stepped inside the Pokémon Center, I bolted for my room. The door was broken. I yelled for Jon to get his ass over.

"What's going... on?" he asked, noticing the door.

"Get Nurse Joy here." I ordered. "Ask her if she knew if this happened."

"Master?" Iolanthe asked, her touch bringing me back to reality.

I shook my head, turning to look at Io. Her eyes were wide as she shook her head.

"What is it, Io?" I asked.

"Please calm down." she whispered.

"I am."

"Then why is your hand clenched into a fist?"

I looked down, to see what she was talking about. Both of my hands were curled into fists. It took a conscious effort to relax, and even then it felt like my entire body wanted to shake. For all I knew, I was really shaking. It felt like I was.

"What's going on, you two?" Nurse Joy asked. "What happened to the door?!"

"That's why we called you." I asked, narrowing my eyes. "We just came in."

"I know! I just saw you two walk in! Have either of you gone inside?"

I shook my head, Iolanthe and Jon doing the same. She sighed. "Let's go together."

Jon walked forward, grabbing the door handle and pulling. The door came off its hinges, metal screeching against itself and the sound of wood snapping. He put the door on the wall, making sure that it wouldn't fall down. Jon was the first one to go in as well, and I followed closely behind. Iolanthe's tentacles grabbed hold of my shoulder when we made it inside.

"What happened in here?" I asked.

The entire room was covered in Unown language. All the words glowed with an inner blue light. They were etched on the walls, ceiling, and even the floor. The sound of the light switch being flipped echoed in the silent room. Sparks of electricity came from where the light should have been. With the intermittent light from the short-circuit and the lights from the walls, the room was devastated. The bed was almost destroyed, and the door that would lead to the bathroom met the same fate as the first door. The sparks stopped soon after the switch was flipped once more, Nurse Joy muttering behind me.

"What does it say, Nick?" Jon asked.

I shook my head. "Give me a moment." I said, hesitantly touching the walls. I almost expected a shock, but the words were actually on the walls. They were cold to the touch, almost to the point of freezer burn.

"Nurse Joy! Are my Pokémon here?" Jon asked suddenly.

"They should be. No one has checked them out without my permission."

"Let's go get them real quick. Nick, will you be alright?"

"I won't go anywhere." I responded.

The two of them left me and Iolanthe alone in the dark room. Song's staff was on top of the bed. I grabbed hold of it, using it as a support. Also, for something to grip that I knew wouldn't break.

The words were easy to decipher, but it was annoying that whatever wrote this didn't have the common knowledge of how to write a proper sentence. It almost felt like a code. If it was, it wasn't that hard to decipher. Each sentence had a misspelled word. Picking up on this, my eyes quickly scanned the walls. The message repeated itself soon, with the same mistakes.

Not a coincidence. Especially after putting all the letters together.

"Master?" Io's voice, again, bringing me back from my mental isolation.

"Where's Jon?" I asked.

"Right here!" he exclaimed. "They took my Pokémon, too. Who the fuck did this?!"

Nurse Joy looked panic-stricken. "What's going on? What am I going to do?!"

"LISTEN TO ME!" I roared. "Nurse Joy, you should put a barricade on this room and say that your remodeling. I'll grab my things. You can put a curtain over outside so no one has to look in. Maybe put a Chancey or two on guard duty.

"Jon, you're coming with me. You still have Zapdos' Pokéball, right?" At his nod, I continued. "Good. Meet me outside in a minute or two."

Both of them looked at me in surprise, but nodded. Maybe it was the staff that gave them the idea that I wasn't messing around. Either way, they both got moving.

"Master?" Iolanthe asked softly. "What's going on?"

"I don't know, Io. But whoever did this, they left a calling card." I growled out, slamming the end of Song's staff to the ground. Anger ran through me almost like a poison. "It would be extremely rude to keep them waiting."

After taking a deep breath I grabbed my backpack. It somehow survived the carnage of the room. I shrugged. It beat replacing everything, that's for sure. Jon was speaking with Nurse Joy in hushed tones. They both turned to me as I appeared. Nurse Joy gave me a sad smile and wished us safe travels. Jon quickly followed me outside.

"Where are we going?"

"You know this area better than I do." I said without preamble. "Do you know where the Ruins of Alph are."

"Yeah, of course I do. It's in the middle of the Johto region, connected to Violet City. Why do you ask?"

"That's where our stranger is." I answered. "Call out Zapdos. We need to move."

"Zapdos!?" he exclaimed. "Here? Right now?"

My hands grabbed his shirt, pulling him to me. Our faces were practically touching at this point. "If you want to rescue your Pokémon, mine, and Joy, you better summon Zapdos RIGHT NOW!" I bellowed. "This is NOT the time to hesitate, for fucks sake!"

He grabbed the Pokéball in question, releasing the thunderbird. She was in the middle of a greeting when she saw our faces. Jon was quick to explain the situation, and she nodded. Zapdos lowered her body, allowing the two of us to climb on her back easily. I grabbed hold of Iolanthe's Pokéball and recalled her.

"Hold on tightly, Master!" Zapdos called. With a great flap of her wings, we were airborne.

My grip on Song's staff tightened with every flap of Zapdos' wings. We needed to hurry. Who would do such a thing? I shook my head. That question didn't matter right now. All that made sense was to make whoever did this pay.

Chapter 31: Faith

Try as I could, it was extremely hard to stop shaking. A number of factors contributed to this. Having my Pokémon stolen from me being high in the list. Joy and her Pokémon, as well as Jon's. It was infuriating that someone would do this! But somehow do it without anyone noticing? This wasn't a case of someone, but of something.

This wasn't a human act, unless they were some sort of psychic. It was my understanding that the League kept a lot of resources to train people with psychic powers so they wouldn't be misused. So this, for example, wouldn't happen. There was a case in the news about it a few years back. Something about some guy that had psychic powers was using it to manipulate other trainer's minds to abandon their Pokémon. He then would come in and 'save' them. Don't know what happened to him. The news stations suddenly stopped mentioning him in any way.

Either way, I highly doubted it was a psychic. And if it was, they were fucking stupid. All they can do is parlor tricks at birthday parties anyway.

Also, there was that bit with the Unown written on the walls. That wasn't usual psychic powers. From my understanding, anyway. We were dealing with something non-human. But what is another matter. My body twitched against Jon's. He turned towards me, his face showing concern for me. I shook my head, patting his shoulder with my free hand. It's a good thing he turned, or didn't see my other hand. The one currently busy holding on to Song's staff was doing what I wanted to do to the throat of whoever did this to us.

It was a trap. It had to be. No one in their right mind would leave a calling card like that. It wasn't even close to being subtle. The sentences? Nothing made any sense. They asked how we were doing, for Arceus' sake! The simple code of putting in an incorrect word to create a more complex message didn't evade me. Most Unown writing is basically code, anyway. My brain just picked up on it. No, someone knew that I could decipher the writing. I don't think this was a random attack, either.

Someone wanted my attention. Well, they fucking got it alright.

I willed Zapdos to go faster. Clouds blurred past as we flew by them. Roads and hills meshed together under us. The chain of mountains that separated Johto and Kanto grew in front of us. We veered to our left, the wind screaming in my ears. Did Zapdos detect something? I turned around as much as possible, looking behind us. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. Perhaps a feeling? Too many possibilities, including if Zapdos felt like just going this way instead.

I sighed in frustration. The more time we spent flying meant less time on the ground in this Violet City. My ability to hold my feelings was reaching the breaking point by now. Zapdos screeched, the sound reverberating through me. Somehow, it made me feel better. It might just be my imagination, but maybe she understood more than she let on. The clouds around us were starting to turn from their normal white color to gray. Lightning was starting to spark with every flap of her wings.

Underneath us, a building linked to a road that lead back towards Kanto while also leading towards Johto. Jon nodding, pointing down. He turned towards me so the wind wouldn't blow the words away.

"That's the infamous reception gate!" Jon yelled. "We're almost in Johto now!"

Infamous? I shrugged, but nodded to acknowledge that I heard him. My mind focused on one thing. We were almost in Johto. That's all that mattered.

The clouds rumbled menacingly around us. The occasional pop of electricity could be heard through the roar of the wind. For a moment, nothing felt like it was moving as we continued to fly over whatever was underneath us. Suddenly, Zapdos screeched as loudly as possible. My world was coated in white for a moment. The sound of lightning striking made my hair stand on end. I blinked once, putting up with the blinking spots that danced in my vision.

We were in Johto. I could feel it.

==========================////////////////////==========================

We landed in front of the Pokémon Center with a flourish. People were looking at us with a mixture of surprise and fear. Someone started yelling. I turned towards him.

"You fucki-"

The rest of their sentence was cut as I approached the guy in question and grabbed his collar. His spiked hair did not look good on him.

"What the fu-"

Song's staff was handy sometimes. Driving it into his stomach wasn't that hard, either. I did it again for good measure.

"You're going to shut the fuck up right now." I said, my voice sounding eery in my ears. "Thank you for volunteering. Can you point us towards the Ruins of Alph, please?"

"And why shou-"

Another punch to the gut cut off his sentence. "I'm sorry. You're not answering my question with another question. Can you or can you not take us to the Ruins of Alph? Lives are at stake, and you're slowing me down."

"Nick!"

Lightning flashed above as Jon pulled me away from the idiot in front of me. It registered in my mind that he was showing surprise or fear. I wonder at what, though?

"I know where the Ruins of Alph are." Jon said, pulling me away from the spiky haired guy.

My hand let go of the grip it had on the bystander. I ignored him anything he said, following Jon's lead. Drops of rain began to fall. Inconsistent at first, but gained strength faster than it looked like it should. A large decorated gate stood in front of us proclaiming the entrance of the Ruins of Alph in a crude form of Unown. A part of me pointed out that it was just using the literal words for it. Another side of me pointed out that standing out here wasn't going to do shit.

Also, I was starting to get wet. It began to annoy me.

I walked inside without saying a word. My free hand grabbed Iolanthe's Pokéball, releasing her to the world. She didn't say anything, but gripped my arm tightly. Iolanthe turned me towards her sharply. Her oval eyes glowed, and her presence in my mind wasn't subtle.

"Master." she whispered.

"I know." I said. "Don't remind me of it. Please. I'm too fucking angry to think of anything else but getting everyone back safely."

She nodded, but didn't speak any further. I sighed. Estranging her right now was the last thing I wanted to do. Her grip on my arm didn't loosen.

"I understand. At least, I think I do." Iolanthe said softly.

"Nick!" Jon called.

I turned to see him and Zapdos coming inside the Ruins. Admittedly, the entrance chamber was huge. It probably allowed Zapdos to at least extend her wings fully. There was enough space above for her to fly up, as well. My attention was on Jon, so smaller weren't relevant.

"Nick, are you alright?"

"No, I'm not."

"I understand what you're going through. My team got stolen, too. I don't even know if my team and yours are in the same spot, but you have to calm down."

"They're here all right." I growled out. "The same fucker who took mine took yours as well."

"What was written in the walls inside the Pokémon Center?" he asked.

"Come to the Ruins of Alph, so you can witness the glory of His return." I rattled off without a second thought. "The souls of the living will bring back the Lost One."

"The Lost One?"

"Fuck if I know." I said with a shrug. "Time's being wasted standing here. Let's move and talk, at the very least."

He nodded. "Do you have any clue as to where to go?"

I shook my head. "No, I don't. Probably somewhere deep inside of this place, though. Pick somewhere at random, but let's start."

"If it's deep, we should head this direction." Jon said, pointing towards his right.

"Lead on."

A soft humming sound surrounded us as we walked. Jon didn't seem to mind it so much as I did.

"Did you hear that?" I asked.

"Probably the Unown." he said with a shrug.

"Probably." I echoed.

"They don't do anything." he said.

A swarm of black and white surrounded us. It was hard to tell what shape they were. They looked a little too similar. But then again, it's hard to keep up with things moving quickly.

"Unown!" Zapdos screeched out.

A few stopped suddenly, making a crude beginning of a sentence. More and more were added, and the message was clear. I ran forward, dragging Iolanthe with me. Jon yelled at me, which seemed to anger the Unown. Running into an invisible brick wall can't be good for my health. Iolanthe picked me up from the ground as Jon came along to help her.

"I was trying to warn you." he said, patting the dust off.

I shrugged. "No harm no foul." I responded.

"What are they saying?" Iolanthe asked.

"They're spelling it out pretty plainly." I muttered. "'They will die' is what they spelled out right now. Which we can prevent if you STOP INTERFERING!"

All of the Unown stopped moving as I yelled out. The original line was replaced with a simple question. 'How?' the Unown spelled out with four individuals.

"First, we get to where everyone is. Second, if possible, reason with whoever did this. If that's not an option, we go straight to the third step. Kick their ass."

"I don't think they understand us Nick." Jon said, his hand grabbing my shoulder.

"They understand us plenty." I growled. "COME ON! YOU'RE NOT REALLY HERE TO STAND IN OUR WAY! OR ARE YOU?!"

The cloud of Unown shook as one. Slowly, they spelled their answer. 'No'. After doing so, they disappeared into thin air or through the walls surrounding us. I sighed, rubbing my eyes but otherwise not acknowledging what happened. The footsteps of my friends reached my ears. A hand grabbed my shoulder, stopping me from continuing forward.

"What is it?" I asked.

"What in the blazes is wrong with you? You look like a Primape that has a Pecha berry up his ass."

"If you haven't noticed, someone took away almost everything I love in this world." I answered levely. "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to keep moving before they decide to do something more drastic."

"Like what?"

"You're probably better off not knowing. You'd be running ahead of me if you knew. Like I said before, they'll die."

"They weren't joking?"

"It's my parents understanding, through the research they've conducted, that lying in the old language was punishable by death." I answered. "Considering that Unown are believed to be how legendary Pokémon communicated throughout the world, I'm inclined to believe they wouldn't lie either."

"But Arceus is supposed to be dead."

"And what happens if someone's taken Arceus' place by now?" I asked rhetorically. "The world's kept spinning after that. If that story is true. Could be some random shit that he cooked up when he was bored, for all we know. Keep moving. I'm not standing still any longer."

I didn't wait for his response. My feet were muffled. Torches lined the walls every few feet, illuminating the ruins with light. Looking down, the center of the stone floor was covered in some sort of carpet. I could sense Jon opening his mouth to say something. When I turned to face him, my annoyance must have been obvious on my face. His mouth clamped shut instantly, as he nodded mutely.

Silence settled around us as we traveled onward. I coughed, feeling the dust clinging to my throat. Iolanthe's tentacles rested on my shoulder, grabbing my attention. She looked worriedly at me, her oval eyes radiating concern. I forced a smile, but she didn't look convinced at all. Her pace matched mine and her tentacles never stopped touching my body.

Our path twisted and turned every so often. Going down some stairs, sometimes going upwards to other sections of previous floors. Whoever designed this must have had a split personality or something. Perhaps it was that psychotic Cresselia that wanted me dead for some Arceus forsaken reason. Though I wouldn't put it past fanatics to 'appease the deities' for some reason or another. If I was in any other state of mind, my appreciation for the artwork on the walls and the intricate carvings of the stone would appeal to my natural curiosity for the ancient.

Right now, though, there was someone to have a serious 'talk' to.

I looked back to see Jon and Zapdos reaching the top of the last set of stairs we climbed. Zapdos looked a little winded, but was doing her best to hide it. She wasn't doing a very good job of it.

"Zapdos, I think this might be easier for you if you were inside your Pokéball." I said.

"And leave you two undefended? No! I'll do whatever it takes to see my mate and you safe."

I blinked, surprised by her statement. "Thank you. Still, would you like a moment to catch your breath? These stairs can't be easy to climb."

"I thought we were in a hurry." Jon said, frowning.

"Yeah, we are." I agreed. "But if we aren't ready to fight, it won't do us good either."

"I'll be fine." Zapdos squawked out.

"Jon, keep an eye on her please." I called out. At his nod, we continued forward.

The bird muttered something that I didn't quite catch. A monumental pressure came out of nowhere. Iolanthe's body was shaking. I touched her shoulder, her eyes snapping open towards me. Both of her eyes were glowing an angry red color. We stared at each other momentarily, until she calmed down and the pressure disappeared. Iolanthe shook her head at my curious look at her.

"I'm fine." she said softly.

I gave her a forced smile. "Stay focused." I said.

She nodded, giving me a kind look. We stayed close to each other, my head resting against her right shoulder. It annoyed me that things were so damn quiet. Out of the corner of my eyes, it looked like we were being followed. Or at least being watched.

"Do you see that?" I asked softly.

"Yes, I did. We're being watched by the Unown." Iolanthe answered.

At least that confirms my suspicions. "Good. Let whoever did this know we're coming. His head will be next."

Iolanthe was radiating concern. It didn't take a genius to figure that out. Her hold on my arm alternated between tightening and loosening at random. I could feel Jon's eyes on the back of my head. He was probably wondering just what in the world is going on with me. The only one of us that probably wasn't that worried about me was Zapdos. She didn't know me well, so there is that. But I think I haven't given her the impression that I'm like this all the time. Especially with how Io and Jon are acting.

One thing I did notice is that we were being guided deeper and deeper into the ruins. It wasn't very deliberate or obvious, but it was there. How did I know this? No one was suggesting where to go. All we did was keep walking forward. Unless we were extremely lost. But as they say, places to see aren't in maps nowadays anyway.

The torches looked like they stopped ahead. I didn't let that deter me away from continuing forward. Reaching the point where light and darkness met, a sharp stairway leading downwards appeared. I don't think it just appeared out of nowhere. A torch flickered to life by itself, illuminating the stairwell. Another one sparked to life further down the stairs. Jon walked next to me, looking forward into the darkness and then looking down towards the stairs.

"Go down?" he asked.

I nodded. "I think so."

"Maybe we can talk some sense into whoever did this." he reasoned.

I looked at him. I really looked at him. His eyes fell on me, a questioning look settling on his face.

"Do you really think it'll be that easy?" I asked. "This person deliberately took our friends away from us. I don't think things will be that simple."

"We still have to try." he said. "At least try to be peaceful."

"It's going to be really hard, you know that?" I asked.

I didn't wait for him to answer, beginning to walk down the stairs. Iolanthe was still at my side. Her hold on me never faltered ever since she grabbed hold of me. Jon's footsteps followed after us. Zapdos was muttering all the while about how stairs and her didn't go well together. Torches flickered to life as we moved forward. Behind Zapdos, the torches were dark. The odd thought of being inside a bubble of light surrounded by darkness surfaced in my mind. My grip on Song's staff tightened. The anger that was beginning to smoulder began to rekindle once more.

By the time we reached the end of the stairs, my stomach was giving me issues. I don't think I've been this angry in my life. I've been frustrated or displeased before, but never like this.

We continued walking until we encountered an open room. Torches began to spring to life in rapid succession along the walls. The ceiling could barely be made out above us. A few pillars were spaced along the room. Pictures that must be thousands of years old adorned them. None of that mattered to me right now. Ahead of us, Joy was floating in the air as she was surrounded by some purple energy.

I ran forward, wielding Song's staff at my side. My momentum was stopped instantly when I ran into something invisible in front of me. Iolanthe came over, her tentacles grabbing hold of me and pulling me to my feet. While my vision was slightly blurry, it didn't take away that we've reached our destination.

"Are you alright, Master?" Io asked.

I nodded. "Don't worry about me." I answered. "Can you break this barrier?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment as Jon and Zapdos joined us. "There's something preventing us from leaving." Jon said.

"I didn't want to leave anyway." I said.

The sound of shattered glass echoed in the air. I stood up, grabbing hold of Io's tentacles and pulling her with me. She didn't complain, keeping pace with me easily. Iolanthe's free tentacles lashed forward as the sound of shattering glass echoed again. She must have broken another barrier. Once more she did it, but this time it was met with solid resistance.

We stopped short of ramming into it. Iolanthe slammed both tentacles against the invisible barrier, but it didn't seem to budge. Laughter echoed around us. Someone found this funny. That wasn't the right thing to do in my current state of mind.

A bright purple ball appeared in front of us, behind the invisible barrier that Iolanthe couldn't break. It was small at first, about the size of my fist, but grew quickly. It didn't grow to any ridiculous proportions, but it was bigger than my head by the time it stopped. It wasn't fully transparent, but inside was some kind of creature. Laughter again echoed around us, and that was the last straw. I lashed forward, using Song's staff to try to break through the barrier. The laughter only seemed to grow stronger, and all it did was push me to break this barrier more.

"You can stop now. No human will break that barrier. ESPECIALLY one without any psychic powers."

I blinked, the voice startling me. The purple ball popped audibly, as a strange creature hovered in thin air. It was blue furred, and very small. It couldn't stand higher than waist high if it stood on the ground. The one very defining feature was the very long tail that extended behind the creature's body. It had two feet and two arms. The arms were very small compared to the legs however. It didn't look like it had a mouth, but that could just be my angle at the moment.

"Mew?" Jon said, his voice almost in awe. Or shock.

The creature laughed, the echoing sound sparking rage inside of my mind again. This thing captured everyone? What the fuck!?

"Oh, don't feel so bad." he said, rolling around the air lazily. "It's so nice to see someone that can read the old tongue so well! We must speak at length."

"The only speaking that we'll do is this staff through your fucking skull!" I screamed. I smashed Song's staff hard against the barrier.

"It's not going to work." he said. At least, I think it's a he. Sounded like a male anyway.

"You don't know that." I snarled.

Another attempt to hit the barrier pushed me backwards. I picked myself up again, ready to hit the barrier again. Zapdos tried to stop me by placing a wing in my way. I kept running forward, stopping only to the electricity coursing through me when I brushed against her feathers.

"What do you want with everyone?" Jon asked. Look at him, being the voice of reason in this situation.

"Like it matters if I told you or not." Mew answered airily. "In the end, we'll all meet the same fate. Except me. The other Exemplars want their precious Arceus reborn, and so they'll have their wish! Except I'll be the one reborn!"

"How are you going to do that?" Jon asked. What in Arceus' name are you doing, Jon?

"Simple. Only the Exemplars live on, continuing to exemplify the way of our kind. It's the same as all the other Pokémon that have been deemed 'legendary' by you humans. I don't want to move on. I don't want to die. So, I'll be the thing that everyone wants! Everyone wins!"

I growled, my hands twitching. My fingers held onto Zapdos' wing for support. She turned her head down towards me. Her eyes showed concern. Not entirely sure if it was for me.

"What do you need to do this?" Jon asked. Again with the questions! Just shut up!

"Simple. Arceus needs a thousand souls to be reborn. I have the Unown here, plus a few others that I've captured and killed for this purpose. It's unfortunate that humans have to be part of the equation, but you were created by Arceus too, I guess." Mew said with the same airy tone. "Either way, everything ends tonight. With this group, everything that I've been working towards finally comes to fruit!

"Three centuries! Three hundred years I've been waiting for this!" Mew continued, this time with a laugh.

"FUCK NO!" I yelled out, pushing past Zapdos.

Song's staff hit the invisible barrier one more time. The sound of glass shattering echoed once more throughout the chamber. Particles of broken psychic energy fell around me. I stumbled slightly, but I managed to get my feet under me once more. A roar came out of my throat, my arms swinging Song's staff as far as I could, aiming for the little rats head. Mew formed a barrier, absorbing the blow. The next instant, something slammed into my gut leaving me breathless.

"You sure care about them." Mew said. "I'll sacrifice you, too. I'll end your suffering."

Iolanthe came forward to my defense, two tentacles picking me up while the other two fired beams of ice towards Mew. The small blue Pokémon didn't hesitate to raise another purple barrier around himself to absorb the attacks. Human fingers wrapped themselves around my arm, pulling me away from Iolanthe. Jon looked at me like I've lost my mind.

"Are you insane!?" he asked.

I nodded. "What of it? More important is how did that barrier break?"

"You do not keep track of your surroundings, do you, human?"

"Oh behave! Not every human you meet is a psychic, Mewtwo."

I stiffened immediately at the two new voices that entered the room. Turning around, two other creatures floated in the air behind us. One looked exactly like the blue Mew, except this one was pink. The other one was something completely different. It was much larger than the pink one hovering next to it. It also had grey skin, with a very prominent purple tail. Slender arms contrasted the powerful looking legs. Its head was turned to the side, looking towards the pink Mew. What was odd was that there was some kind of odd connection that extended from the back of its head and attached back to its body.

I blinked, shaking my head a few times to make sure that I wasn't seeing things. After looking again and seeing the two newcomers still floating in the air, I decided that trying again wasn't worth the effort. Joy was still within view, but the question was where everybody else was. I silently hoped that they were somewhere on Joy's person.

Getting back up on wobbly legs, I rushed forward. Jon yelled at me to stop, but it went in one ear and out the other. The blue Mew once again hovered in front of me to bar my way. It didn't matter to me. I once again swung Song's staff towards it, the purple barrier once again absorbing the blow. I moved this time, hoping to avoid the blow to my stomach. My arms swung the staff once more, trying to just push the blue Mew away. It was a partial success, as he rolled away but stopped and flew towards me again.

A pair of thin tentacles pulled me sideways behind a pillar. Iolanthe was looking at me, her eyes narrowed. We didn't say anything, but she nodded to me. On impulse, I gave her a quick kiss on her face. She shook her head briefly, before pulling me towards her. It wasn't to be intimate. Part of the pillar was blown off, rocks brushing against my back.

Iolanthe looked down at me, determination set in her eyes. She held me tightly, carrying me towards Joy. We took a handful of steps before Io came to a sudden halt. She extended her tentacles out, stopping only when she touched another barrier. Letting me go, she used all four tentacles to break what stood in our way. Unfortunately, it didn't look like it was doing any good. Didn't stop her from trying some more, though.

I brought Song's staff into the picture, hammering away at the invisible barrier. It was solid enough. It was still a mystery how the other barrier broke. This was annoying. Maybe we could go back. The slight twinge of pain that came from my nose told me that the idea wasn't possible. My foot made contact with the invisible barrier again. We were caught.

Lightning flashed in front of me from Zapdos, aimed towards the blue Mew. Being inside its bubble, it didn't look like it would do anything. Maybe stall for time, or perhaps his attention. A deep laugh echoed inside my head. It was very different from Io's voice and that blue Mew's voice.

"What do you aim to accomplish here, little one?" the deep voice asked.

"You have no authority over me, Mewtwo! Neither do you, Exemplar!" the blue Mew shouted.

"Come back home." a feminine voice said. "We can talk this through."

That must be the pink Mew speaking. Well, at least it was easy to tell the difference.

"Why?" the blue Mew demanded. "You chose to keep us all in the dark over what happened when you became Exemplar. You chose to keep us neutral in this battle. I'm just picking the winning side!"

"Abducting innocent bystanders to sacrifice?" the deep voice asked. My eyes settled on Mewtwo. It has to be his voice.

"If that's what is needed to accomplish what I'm doing, yes!"

"A shame. I've done the same, and all it brought was misery. Egotistical to the end."

"Takes one to know one!"

"I do not refute your statement. What I do suggest is to listen to the voice of reason."

"NO! I've worked for too long for this specific moment. I've sacrificed a thousand souls for it! I will become Arceus!"

It sounded like the blue Mew was past the point of insanity. Didn't matter to me too much. Iolanthe pulled me backwards, continuing forward. The barrier must have been shattered when I wasn't looking. It didn't make a sound when it did. Did she break it? The answer didn't matter.

We finally got to Joy. She looked like she was sleeping, except she was hovering a foot or two off the ground. Surrounding her were miniaturized Pokéballs. I didn't bother counting who was there at the moment. Song's staff rattled on the stone floor as my hands touched her skin, only to feel like fire was running up my arms. I pulled away from her only to try again. My fingers contoured to her face, whatever surrounded her stopping me from touching her skin.

"Master?" Io called.

"Is she alive?" I asked. "Can you tell, Iolanthe?"

She stayed quiet for a moment. "No, I cannot tell right now. The barrier surrounding her is too powerful to pierce."

"How did the other one break? The one from before."

"It wasn't me."

I shook my head. "Doesn't matter. The problem now is how to get her free."

"She's useless to me."

We turned around, the blue Mew hovering over us. I wanted to reach out to Song's staff, but my hand was paralyzed. While my head could move, it doesn't do me any good in fighting this overgrown pest.

"Then let her go." I growled out.

"Fine. Enjoy."

Joy's body fell hard against the ground. A flash of lightning allowed me to see her face. Her eyes didn't open. I tried to move my hands, and I grabbed Song's staff quickly. Turning around, the blue Mew was baiting Zapdos around the gigantic room. More lightning came from the giant thunderbird, easily deflected away from her target. A part of me frowned at the possibility of losing ancient history. That part of my brain was quickly crushed by the other part of me being more concerned for Joy's safety.

I placed my hand on her cheek, feeling the cold skin underneath my fingers. I leaned forward, putting my ear over her mouth and nose. She wasn't breathing. For how long? My fingers pressed against her throat gently, trying to find the faint trace of a pulse. Nothing.

A cold feeling made its way through my guts. My body twitched slightly as my fingers went through her hair. I grinded my teeth as my body shook. Iolanthe's eyes were on me as my right hand took hold of Song's staff again. It was pretty obvious that she was worried. I reached for her, her tentacles wrapping around my arm to pull me up. As soon as my feet were under me, suddenly not a lot of things mattered. The blue Mew's floating inside its shield was all that I could focus on. Everything felt weightless. I don't think I've jumped this high in my life. Not even when getting jumped by a horny Houndoom.

The blue Mew turned around just in time to see me bring the staff to its small face. It would have connected if not for the thin line of energy that was in the way. His eyes widened instantly when our eyes met. An invisible force pushed me away. My landing was as graceful as a rock, the pain making everything more acute than before. I rolled over and over a few times until stopping to a halt next to Joy's still body.

I scrambled to my feet again, only to be pushed away by another wall. Though leaving me winded, I tried to smash through it. Song's staff went through, smashing the barrier in front of me. Out of the corner of my eye, a long and slender arm was surrounded in dark energies. Turning slightly to see who it belonged to, the one that was named Mewtwo was standing beside me. When I tried to move forward, his three digit hand grabbed my shoulder.

His eyes met mine. An unusual sense of vertigo hit me, but disappeared when he let go of my shoulder. I rushed towards the blue Mew once more, my arms feeling numb. My chest hurt as I swung Song's staff again through the air. A faint sheen of energy surrounded the blue Mew. I braced myself as much as possible for the impact. The sound of shattered glass echoed in front of me as the staff went through where the shimmer was. The impact against the blue Mew's head made a part of me wince.

The blue Mew rolled sideways through the air, almost falling to the ground. He recovered, though, but not before I was on top of him again. I swung from above my head, my target sidestepping the attack. The staff bounced off the stone floor, and used that momentum to swing towards the blue Mew once more. He flew above me this time, an invisible force pushing me downwards. My legs gave out from under me as the weight increased on top of me.

"Give up, or this human dies!"

I held onto Song's staff with one hand. It was almost like a lifeline to me. Trying to lift it was like pushing a Golem with one hand up a cliff. A more direct approach was called for. I wasn't on my knees yet! My free hand shook as the force holding me down increased. Lightning struck the blue Mew, freeing me from whatever was holding me down. Instead of moving away from the blue Pokémon, I got up on my feet once more to attack again.

The temperature dropped around me as my staff swung to its target. It didn't stop me, and it didn't soften the blow on my target. Something wet splashed on my face. A blue mist obscured everything around me. Looking around, I couldn't see anyone. My eyes wandered over to Song's staff, noticing a rather off color liquid dripping off the tip. It didn't match the color of the wood, nor of any liquid that I was familiar with.

I shivered slightly, gathering my wits. My grip tightened on Song's staff. Nothing made a sound except for the odd dripping sound that sounded extremely close by. My ears twitched every time it happened. I looked down, noticing that whatever was splattered on the staff was falling. On closer inspection, it was an odd mix of red and blue. I touched it with my free hand, the substance sticky and thick. Blood can be many colors, but consistency seems to be the same.

An odd sense of satisfaction filled me. It wasn't enough, though. Anger pushed my feet forward, following the blood splatters that stood out against the golden stone floor. My immediate surroundings were filled with obscuring blue mist. It settled in my mind that my actions might have harmed that Mew severely. I grinned. That's exactly what I wanted.

I noticed a splatter of blood ahead of me, and willed my body to follow. Iolanthe appeared through the mists, her eyes wide. She grabbed hold of my body, tightly holding me against her.

"Io, let me go."

She shook her head. "Please don't hurt yourself anymore. Song won't forgive me." she pleaded.

I stayed silent. It felt like a caged Primeape was inside my head. All it wanted was to make this thing pay.

My feet kept walking forward. Io didn't let me go, but let me walk forward. All four tentacles had a hold on my body somewhere. She walked beside me to my left. Jon's voice called my name somewhere from my right. I looked towards Io, who was already pushing me in that direction. I sighed, my grip on the staff tightening once more. The pink Mew and Mewtwo were the first things I saw appear from the mist. Jon's prone form was leaning over Zapdos, who was on the ground. From my angle, it didn't look like she was hurt. Everyone was standing around Joy's motionless body. Numerous Pokéballs were on the ground and against Joy's body.

As we approached, everyone turned to face us. Jon stood up, slugging me in the face. It didn't do much to improve my overall mood. The pain didn't help much, either.

"Are you sure that was a good idea?" I snarled.

"You need to calm the fuck down!" he screamed. "You could have gotten yourself killed!"

I stared at him in silence. Whatever anger he had towards me didn't look like it compared to mine. His angry expression disappeared, turning to concern and worry. I shook my head before he spoke.

"No, I'm not fine. I don't think I'll be alright, either."

The pink Mew floated over Jon's shoulder. She stared at me with her blue eyes.

"You killed him." she stated flatly.

"He killed people I loved." I snarled back. "An eye for a fucking eye."

"He was one of my kin."

"Nothing to do with you. You're only involvement was to be here."

She shook her head as Mewtwo approached. "I'm responsible for him."

I laughed. "We're each responsible for our own mistakes. He probably didn't think that I'd hit him like that. You're no more responsible for that worthless piece of trash than I am of anyone else."

"So you don't feel mercy?" Mewtwo's voice asked, echoing in my mind.

I snorted. "You don't know me very well, then." I answered, rolling my eyes. "I feel mercy. Not to people that kidnapped and killed my Pokémon and friend!"

"Then you don't know me very well, do you?"

I stiffened at that voice. Turning to my left, Suicune stood over Joy's still body. She walked toward me, her steps not making a sound. Her nose poked against my chest once before pulling away from me.

"You truly stink." she said in a sad tone. "What happened here?"

"The blue Mew took Joy, her Pokémon, mine and Nick's to perform some ritual here to make himself Arceus." Jon answered quickly.

"That's impossible to do." Suicune muttered. "Exemplar! Why are you here?"

Who did Suicune refer to? The pink Mew spoke. "And what about you?"

Silence followed that last question. They only stared at each other. Mew's tail would twitch on occasion, mimicked by Suicune's tails. I rubbed my face where Jon hit me. It didn't sting as much as before.

"How long have they've been staring at each other?"

I shrugged. "For a while now." I muttered.

"They tend to do this. These two don't see eye to eye on many things."

"It looks like it." I agreed.

"Humans don't tend to come in here very often, or this deep."

"You can blame that blue Mew." I said airily. "If he's not dead."

"Oh, he's dead. You made sure of that."

"Well, good." I snarled.

"And why do you say that? Shouldn't you be angry at who commanded him to do so?"

"He's as much as responsible for this as that blue Mew." I answered.

"And what would you do to me?"

I turned around to see a black mist behind me. Two red orbs stood out from the darkness. It felt like I was staring at something massive, even if the two orbs were level with me. The darkness spread around the blue mist, extending behind the red eyes. The sounds of something heavy landing nearby made me jump. Two large things made of shadow were sticking out of the black mess in front of me. The shadows extended around the eyes as they rose up from my level.

Black slowly turned to either grey, red, or gold. The large framework of wings hung over the sides of whatever was appearing in front of me. The tips of the wings slowly went from black to red. A golden mask looked to be over the things face, and extending to the huge neck it was perched on. Stripes of red contrasted against the grey of its body, while golden spikes hugged tightly against its neck. It didn't look like it had any legs.

Suicune stepped over next to me, as whatever had just appeared brought forth the blue Mew's body. The injuries were pretty clear that it was Song's staff that did the damage. Suicune growled next to me, but didn't move.

"Send him to rest, Giratina." Suicune said.

"The human should see what he has done." Giratina said in a deep voice.

I stared straight at the unmoving body. Afterwards, I moved my sight to Giratina's large red eyes. "Your point?" I asked.

"Giratina!" Suicune shouted.

"Don't get your tails tied in a knot." he said with a chuckle. "At least he got what I wanted done."

Darkness surrounded the body before dissipating into thin air. There was nothing left when Giratina turned his focus down to us.

"You should thank me, you know." Giratina said smugly.

"Perhaps, if you explained yourself." I said.

"I didn't tell him to kill your friends, as you put it." he said. "All I said was to get you here."

My arms reacted without much thinking. Swinging the staff was easier than speaking anyway. The impact reverberated through me, my arm protesting to the act.

"Human!" Suicune yelled next to me.

No one moved around me. I expected something to happen, at the very least. Laughter wasn't one of them, though. Looking up, Giratina was shaking his large head side to side.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked softly.

"Yeah. Your point is?"

"Why would you attack me?"

"Because you made that Mew attack me. You asked what I would do to you? I'll kick your fucking head in!"

Suicune grabbed my shirt with her teeth, pulling me away from Giratina. I pulled away from her. The tearing of cloth was loud in my ears. Joy would be mad. If there was a Joy to be mad.

Making it towards the giant Pokémon, Song's staff hit once more. My hands felt like they were on fire. I ignored the feeling, pulling the staff back to swing once more. This time my swing went through Giratina. Off balance, my feet stumbled. Io's grasp came around to pull me back. I struggled silently, but it wasn't any use.

"Master!" she called. "Calm down, please!"

"I'll calm down when I'm dead!" I shouted.

"That could be arranged." Giratina said with a laugh.

"Stop it, Giratina!" Suicune exclaimed. "This is not your decision to make anymore!"

"And it's neither yours to stop." he continued.

"But it's against the laws to act." Mew said softly.

"Suicune broke that law a long time ago." Giratina stated confidently.

I ignored them, especially when Suicune started growling and shouting. Mew's voice didn't help matters, either. Jon and Zapdos were with Mewtwo, sitting next to Joy's corpse. Mewtwo looked directly at me as I kneeled next to Joy. Putting down Song's staff made me feel completely powerless. Then again, the weight of what I just did was starting to sink in. I really just killed someone, didn't I?

Either way, the grim reality was in front of me. Jon had a Pokéball in his hands. He looked at me, as if waiting for me to say something.

"What?"

"Do you think everyone else is gone?" he asked.

I didn't answer. My silence was enough of an answer at this point. He shook his head.

"I have to find out anyway."

"Master." Zapdos spoke. "Just..."

Her words got drowned out as the sound of the Pokéball that Jon threw opening up. The unmoving form of Song made me lose all feeling in my body. I struggled against Iolanthe's grasp for a moment. It didn't look like she was letting me go any time soon. My hands shook as they moved to hold her. Her head slumped backwards as I lifted her up by her shoulders. It was eerie not seeing her move.

I cradled her head to my chest, shivering all the while. Io's body leaned against my back. Her cheek leaned against my own as I sat on the ground. Jon touched my arm in an attempt to get my attention. He looked worried. His mouth opened and he was about to say something, but he stayed silent. My guess was Iolanthe gave him a look that kept him quiet. It didn't matter in the end. The sound of another Pokéball opening made Jon gasp. More and more Pokémon kept appearing. It was frustrating that nothing we did made any difference.

Frustrating? No. It was infuriating.

I could hear Suicune growl loudly behind us. Mew gasped in surprise as Giratina laughed loudly. I ignored them. Iolanthe stood up, bringing more still bodies towards me. It was difficult to see her carry Aurora or Akalia in her grasp. Spirit's motionless body floated behind her, accompanied by Zin's and Mist's. As Iolanthe gently placed the bodies around me, Jon brought Baast to me. Her head rested against right my shoulder. If I didn't know any better I would think that she's just resting. When Io brought Xola to me, she gently laid her on the stone floor. Her head rested on Baast's lap, the rest of her length stretched out.

Io stood up again, helping to bring Joy and Jon's Pokémon closer to their respective owners. Jon was holding in his arms a small Pokémon. Perhaps his Sableye? I wasn't sure. Behind him, Io helped carry Joy's Beartic and Jon's Carracosta.

Mewtwo watched the two of them in silence. It was a bit unnerving to be honest. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. His gaze turned to me. Before I could say anything he spoke.

"I will help."

He lifted one slender arm in front of him. His head had a soft blue corona surrounding it, matched on his outstretched arm. I looked towards where he was looking to see something being lifted into the air. It dawned on me that they were all Pokémon, specifically Jon's and Joy's. I shivered as they were placed around their respective owners, their bodies devoid of any movements.

As Mewtwo gently placed the last Pokémon next to Joy, it choked me to realize that it was Victini. My body shook uncontrollably at this, my fingers clutching against Song's neck and shoulder. Iolanthe came to me again, wrapping me in her embrace. I've been surrounded by dead Pokémon before while inside the Lost Tower. Not like this, though. I couldn't take it anymore. Tears finally began to come down my face, blurring my vision. Nothing else mattered at this moment.

Iolanthe's gentle touch was the only thing that kept me sane. I've never felt like this. I didn't even know what to feel. Disappointment? Negligence? The only thing I knew was an overwhelming sadness. Only one thing kept burning in the back of my mind. The one responsible for this was behind me. But what could I do now? The damage was done already. Not only to me, but to two others as well. One lost their life for it, too. For what? What was the FUCKING POINT?!

I slowly pulled myself away from Song's lifeless body. Supporting her neck, I gently put her down on the ground in front of me. After that, I focused on Baast. Slipping my arms around her, she fell forwards but my arms caught her. She was heavy, but I did my best to lay her down softly. My arms felt like dead weight. Iolanthe stood up first, allowing me to stand up. She still kept her grasp on me, which was good. My legs felt like they would give out on me at any moment. I carefully made my way towards Jon, but hesitated. It wouldn't be right to get him involved. He looked as confused as I was right now anyway. Turning around, I focused my attention to the three legendary Pokémon that argued over whatever the fuck they were arguing over. I walked towards them, only to be stopped by Mewtwo standing in my way.

"What is it?" I asked. My focus was on the three behind him.

"What do you intend to accomplish?" he asked.

"I have no idea. I've lost a lot today. Someone needs to pay up. No one is getting away from this unscathed. Not if I have something to say about it."

"So you're willing to destroy everything for the sake of vengeance?"

I stayed quiet, my mind refusing to think beyond a small scope at this moment. Nothing else seemed to matter. Everything was so simple.

"My advice to you is to accept that you killed one of Mew's kin. Technically one of my own, but only by relation." he said softly.

"Right, because what I did was very wrong." I snarled, walking past Mewtwo.

He grabbed my shoulder, stopping my advance. I turned around and swung to his face. My fist met a barrier that felt like I just punched a brick wall.

"Calm down." he suggested. In a very obnoxious calm voice.

"I'll be calm when all this nonsense is over!" I yelled.

"I agree."

Mew floated over to me, nodding. Her glare would be comical, as was her tail swishing back and forth through the air. I chuckled darkly, attempting to walk past Mew. Mewtwo's grip on me didn't falter. Suicune and Giratina approached us instead. I idly noticed that Giratina was floating, his long body undulating in the air.

"Did you listen to anything we discussed?" Mew demanded.

I shook my head. "No, I had more important things to deal with."

Her expression turned livid, her little paws curling into fists. Her tail looked like it was on fire, judging by the movements. It would have been hilarious. I chuckled at her anger.

"Why are you laughing?" Suicune's voice demanded.

"Because she's having a tantrum." I pointed, still chuckling.

Suicune's tails waved through the air like whips. "You're laughing after you just killed one of her kin?" she demanded.

I stopped chuckling at that accusation. "Unless you have a better explanation what that blue Mew did to my Pokémon, to Joy, her Pokémon, and Jon's, it'll be pretty hard to stop laughing."

"You think that they're gone?" Suicune asked, her tone softening.

I glared at her. "That's an ignorant question if I've ever heard one. Yeah, I think that they're gone. None of them are breathing, and I don't think that Jon would fuck with me THAT much. Also, the Mew's message didn't leave much to the imagination as to his final goal was anyway. So, yeah, I do think they're gone."

"Do not make me remind you that you are in-" Mew began to say.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I roared. "I don't give a damn that you're all legendary Pokémon! What are you going to do, kill me too?! DO IT! For fuck's sake! Don't threaten me if you're scared shitless of one Arceus damned human!"

Mew's eyes pulsed brightly for a moment, a sheen of pink stopping right in front of me. The shimmer of black was visible before disappearing.

"Giratina!" Mew exclaimed.

"No. He's too important, and you know it." Giratina said, floating towards me.

Important? What were they talking about?

"Why am I so important to your plans?" I asked before they could deflect the situation.

"You wouldn't understand." Giratina answered, sadness in his voice.

"TRY ME!" I yelled.

"These secrets have stayed privy to only the Exemplars for the entire existence of this world." Giratina said darkly. "Do you think that your threats will make me move."

"Then why do you consider me a threat!? Why the hell have you wanted me dead ever since I started my shitty little adventure!?"

"A mistake in the chain of command." he said.

"I call bullshit! There had to be a reason to even SEND Darkrai after me in the first place!"

"A mistranslated order. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Then would you care to explain what everyone is doing dead right now?!" I demanded.

No one answered my demand. At most it was met with odd glances towards me. "Fine. Explain your 'mistranslated order' then. If you would be so kind."

"To see if you were indeed one of the many I was looking for my goal." Giratina answered.

"You mean for me to meet 'Father'. Unless YOU are the Father?" I asked. "And who is 'Mother' to the Darkrai?"

Silence followed my question, filling the gaps between us. It annoyed me that they wanted me to happily follow along without a complaint from me.

"Fine." I said, raising a one fingered salute. "Fuck all of you. I'm sick of all your bullshit. Fuck you and your progeny. Fuck you for your silence. Fuck you for trying to kill me. I'm going home."

"Wait!" Suicune exclaimed.

"What now, Suicune? I'm tired. I think that much is obvious right now."

"Your friends... they're alive."

That statement left me a bit dazed. "What."

"They're alive, mostly." she responded. "A part of them is still there."

"So this is like what happened to Xola?" I asked. "Can you do something about this?!"

Mew looked at me incredulously. "You have the gall to-"

"It's possible. Giratina?"

Giratina gave a loud sigh, shaking his head. "Do we really have to do this?" he asked.

"This is partly your fault in the first place." Suicune said, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Perhaps." he said, shaking his head once more.

Suicune moved towards where Jon was standing, her silent footsteps making her look like a ghost. Giratina floated over closer to me. His gaze fell on me for a moment. A small part of me wanted to look away. I ignored it, looking straight at him. He didn't say anything when Suicune called for his attention. All he did was turn away from me. His eyes were focused, a black shimmer appearing across his body. Looking towards Suicune, her body was surrounded by a blue aura. Black and blue mist fell, hiding everything from my vision.

My body shivered as Giratina hovered next to me. It felt like everything was becoming cold around me. Something touched my shoulder, startling me. Turning to see who it was, Mewtwo stood there. His face was unreadable, but he didn't show any hostile actions. The mist didn't have a balanced color scheme, alternating from being mostly black with blue outlines and the opposite. Oddly, some of the blue was turning white. I was grateful that it didn't turn anywhere near a blinding white, though it was a bit disturbing seeing black and white clouds fight for dominance around and in front of me.

The mist didn't last for too long, disappearing quickly. A thin layer of the mist stayed close to the floor, it didn't hamper my vision of anyone inside of it. An odd bit of movement caught my eye. At first I thought it was Jon or Zapdos, perhaps even Io. Multiple groans echoed, as once still bodies moved. Joy's voice was the first to speak.

"What in the FUCK just happened!?" she demanded.

This was real, wasn't it? I turned to face Giratina, who was slowly closing his eyes and shaking his head. Mewtwo gave me a push from behind, and I didn't hesitate after that. I moved in between waking Pokémon, dodging paws and legs to make my way to Joy. When she saw me, her eyes widened and she gasped. My arms wrapped around her, my lips meeting hers. She stiffened immediately, her hands pushing me away after a moment. When she pushed me off, a slap was my greeting from her.

"You did NOT just kiss me."

I blinked at her, dumbfounded and lost as to what to say. Her hands grabbed the back of my head, her lips meeting mine forcefully. My body couldn't do anything else beside try to sort out that Joy was kissing me right now. No part of me wanted to work how I wanted it to. Though I was just as content to know that she really was alright. When she pulled away from me, she shook her head. Her hand slapped me again.

"Why did you slap me again?" I asked breathlessly.

"That one was just for good measure." she said softly.

"Wha-"

I wasn't allowed to respond. She pulled me towards her once more, our lips meeting once more. A familiar bark caught my attention, but Joy wasn't listening.

"Do you think you'll be having him all day today?"

I reached down to her voice, feeling her horns between my fingers. She pulled away, her teeth nipping against my skin. Joy allowed me to breath normally once more, resting against my chest. I looked around, seeing everyone slowly sitting up or helping someone up. Victini floated over by me, shaking her head.

"What just happened?" she asked. "It feels like I just woke up from a long sleep."

I could feel everyone's eyes fall on me. I shivered, but I shook my head.

"Kind of, yeah." I supplied unhelpfully.

"To this day, the antics of humans and their companions continue to amaze and baffle me." Mewtwo stated loudly.

I stiffened at the words, forgetting completely that there were four other Pokémon that had their own agendas here. When I turned around, no one was there. Victini raised an eyebrow as she floated in front of me.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"I think so." I said.

Jon walked over to us, all of his Pokémon standing around him. He looked like he was just done crying. Though I probably didn't look any better.

"Let's get out of here." he said.

I couldn't agree with him more. Song and Baast helped me and Joy get on our two feet. Her Beartic, Skadi, walked up to us on all fours. She dropped her body down close to the ground, letting Joy step on her giant foreleg so she could ride on her back. As I pulled away from Skadi, but Joy grabbed hold of my arm and shook her head. Looking at Skadi, the giant Pokémon nodded. Baast's paws lifted me up and placed me behind Joy.

My arms instantly went around Joy's waist as Skadi moved underneath me. Joy's arm grabbed hold of my head as she leaned backwards. "You look like you've been through a lot just now."

That's an understatement. "You could say that."

"Sleep." she ordered softly. "It sounds like you could use it."

I shook my head. "I'll be fine for a little while longer."

"Mist? Could you give me a hand here, please?"

"But of course."

A cold sensation came from my back. Exhaustion settled in fast. Unable to react to it, my head slumped down on Joy's shoulder. Mist's soft words sealed whatever resistance I had away. Skadi's steps became a gentle sway in my mind, helping Mist put me to sleep.

=======================//////////////////////===========================

I'm not entirely sure when I woke up. I was surrounded by bodies as my eyes adjusted to my new surroundings. A shiver went down my spine. My hands clenched in fear. Something beat on my chest.

"Don't scratch my back like that. It hurts."

Joy's voice brought my mind back down to reality. It took all my willpower not to tighten my hold on her. Her hand touched my cheek, my eyes meeting hers. She looked worried.

"Are you alright?" she asked. "You look like you haven't slept at all."

"I'm fine." I said with a smile. "Just glad that you're safe now."

"What happened? Why won't you tell me?"

I shivered, my mind knowing that it wasn't that long ago that I held her motionless body next to mine.

"Maybe in the morning, when everyone is awake?" I offered. "It would save me a lot of trouble."

She frowned, but nodded. "I don't want you to hide anything from me when that happens." she demanded.

I leaned down, kissing her forehead. "I promise."

Chapter 32: Dredge

Waking up was something that could go on without me. It didn't help that I was already awake, though. It just felt like everything else could keep moving on.

With Nurse Joy's permission, I was on the rooftop of the Pokémon Center. She provided me with a metal fold-out chair so I didn't sit on the ground. Unfortunately, it was slightly broken or something. It wouldn't hold my weight for some reason because it kept creaking ominously. I was currently balancing on the back legs and leaning back against the wall that housed the stairway back down. The sun kept me warm, but it looked like clouds were beginning to block out the warmth of above. A cool wind was blowing, making me shiver. In all honesty, it was the perfect time for a nap.

My mind wasn't ready to rest at the moment.

Yesterday's events kept spinning through my mind, no matter how much I forced them away. I don't think I've been through such a traumatic experience before. Nothing really compared. Life in Solaceon was mostly quiet. Nothing really happened there. Sure, the Lost Tower had its fair share of sad stories, but what cemetery does? Honestly, I haven't seen someone to be really happy to bury their dead.

So what was that blue Mew's role in all this? It didn't make sense. Was he just an ends to a mean? He was planning this for three hundred years! Well, that was only his word on it, but somehow I don't feel like someone would lie and do the things he did. The pink Mew didn't argue against that fact. Maybe it was true? There were too many variables right now.

I've never seen anything like this before. At least any reports have mentioned walls decorated in Unown. There was a plan behind all this shit. SOMEONE had to be pulling the strings. I didn't like how Giratina didn't answer my questions. Why? Something was going on. I leaned forward, standing up to avoid falling with the chair. The metal clanging behind me set off something in my mind. I walked towards the edge of the building. My fists pounded on the metal railing.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" I screamed out loud.

My body shivered, the tension that was coiling inside me being released. My knees buckled as my body slid down. I rested my forehead against the cool steel, my arms hanging at my sides. Someone yelled up at me, but I ignored it. Giving them the middle finger wasn't worth it right now.

What bothered me? I closed my eyes, concentrating on figuring this out. It centered on that blue Mew. Was I right in doing what I did? A wave of anger flowed through me. It took a few breaths to calm myself, my fingers clenching on the cloth of my pants. I bit my lip, tapping my forehead against the metal that it was resting on.

What I did, was it justified? Was killing that Mew the right thing? The answer came as a furious yes. Somewhere I felt like it was justified, no matter how horrifying the truth was. It still didn't stop bothering me, though.

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. It wasn't doing me any good to get worked up too much. There's no changing what happened any more. I raised my eyes up, the metal bars in front of me dividing my vision. Small homes and larger buildings were to my left. In front of me were trees that stood in the way of some giant tower that stood in the city. At least, I think it did. I wouldn't know.

"Master?"

I stiffened at the words as Zin brushed next to me. Looking down at the Houndoom, her red eyes looked straight into mine. She didn't move, sitting next to me. She stayed still, almost like a statue. Her tail would twitch every now and then, but nothing else moved. Her eyes roamed over me as I shuffled to face her. It was only then that she moved again, jumping into my arms. A soft whine came from her throat, her tongue bathing my face and lips. For once, I didn't hesitate to return the gesture. I gently held her horns, pressing her face against mine. She pushed her tongue past my lips, our tongues wrestling against each other. Her weight leaned on me, the soft but insistent pressure in my mouth allowing me to stay with her. It felt like electricity was running up and down my spine, but without losing control.

She pulled back after a moment, allowing the two of us to catch our breaths. Her tail hit my legs as it wagged enthusiastically behind her.

"You looked like you needed that." she said with a smile. Goodness, she has sharp teeth.

"I did." I whispered. "Thank you."

"It doesn't take a genius to figure out that something's eating at your tail." she said, making herself comfortable on my lap. Her tail wrapped around my left wrist, as my right hand scratched between her horns.

"It's pretty obvious, huh."

"We all heard you through the building." she huffed.

I shook my head, but kept scratching. "Sorry."

"No, you better not." she barked out. "You're angry. You should be able to express it freely. But what has you all tense?"

"Did I... did I do the right thing? Killing that Mew?" I asked softly.

She didn't answer immediately. "What do you think?" she asked back.

"I don't know. That's why I'm wondering."

"You don't understand. At that specific point, what was going on? I wasn't... around."

I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I was thinking about it. It wasn't pleasant living through it once. I didn't want to speak about it ever again for the rest of my life. My arms wrapped around Zin, holding her close to me. Bringing her body against my chest, I rested my face against hers. She didn't fight against my grip, though it probably wasn't comfortable to her. I leaned backwards, resting my back against the floor. She didn't move to adjust herself, leaving her belly exposed to the air.

"I was so angry." I answered finally. "Scared, angry, confused. I didn't know what to think. After that blue Mew let go of Joy's body from whatever barrier was surrounding it, she had no pulse. She wasn't breathing, and she wasn't moving. Somewhere along the line, Jon opened Song's Pokéball. She was exactly the same. One after another, as fast as Jon opened the Pokéballs."

"And me?" she asked softly.

"Quiet and cold, just like everyone was."

Neither of us moved from our current position. At most, Zin's tail twitched, or her tongue would come out to lick her nose. My hands moved through the fur of her belly. She squirmed a little bit, but her tongue on my cheek let me know that she wasn't displeased by the attention. The slow rise and fall of her chest made me feel oddly at ease. It was like I needed to feel her next to me, alive and well. I knew that she was fine. Hearing her voice was proof of that. But holding her in my arms right now seemed to solidify that fact.

"What are you thinking?" Zin asked softly.

"That I'm glad that everything worked out in the end." I said, burying my face in her fur. "I'm happy that you're here."

"If your fingers keep exploring further, you'll be in for a surprise."

"Aroused?" I asked

"Plenty."

"I think that Iolanthe has taken it from under you."

"What?" she asked, before laughing. "You're kidding, right?"

I shook my head. "Nope. She asked if I knew if anyone had claimed me recently, and I answered that I didn't know."

"I'll have to talk to her soon." Zin stated. "There's an order to these things!"

I chuckled as I sat up, my arms still clutching tightly to Zin. I brought her down gently onto my lap. She turned to me, smiling up at me.

"Better?" she asked.

"A little bit." I admitted.

"Talk to everyone." Zin suggested. "But if it makes you feel better, I think you did what was right."

I blinked, feeling slightly confused. She shook her head, her paw rubbing down my arm.

"You fought for me." she stated. "Not only for me, but for your Pokémon, Joy, her Pokémon, and Jon. It drove you to a point that I don't think you've ever been to. Of all the times Song spoke of you, it was how you are always so calm and understanding. I always hoped there was something fierce in you, that if you had to fight tooth and nail for it, you wouldn't let anything or anyone get in your way.

"Though I don't really approve of how it came about, I know I picked the right male to be my mate. You fought a Mew, practically bare handed, and kill him because of what he did to you."

"How did...?"

"Iolanthe told me what happened." she answered, cutting me off instantly. "Regardless, it doesn't change the fact that you fought like a true Houndoom. Our pups would be something to be scared of for sure! But I'm happy. Happy that you were brave enough to do what needed to be done."

I wasn't sure how to respond. Zin's snout pressed against my nose, preventing me from talking.

"I know that what happened there wasn't you." she said. "You're one of those gentle individuals, but you know where the line is. I'm glad to know that you'll defend us from those that cross it."

I nodded, not sure of what to say. Her eyes met mine, encompassing everything I could see. Was I really like that?

She pulled away from my face, her tail raised high. Her steps were slow, hips swaying from side to side as she walked away from me. My eyes were shamelessly fixated at the wet entrance under her tail. She wasn't joking when she said she was aroused. My eyes focused on the spot, as I held myself in check. Finally shaking myself out of staring at her body, I focused on looking away from her. Zin's laughter made me face towards the source of the sound. She batted her eyes at me, her tongue going over her lips.

The sight was one that I wasn't quite used to. Regardless, it was working on me. My pants were beginning to grow uncomfortable. She walked back towards me, her front paws going in front of the previous one as she moved forward. Her tail moved with her hips, swaying from side to side. When she reached me, her paws teased at my pants.

"That looks like it hurts." she whispered knowingly. I nodded mutely.

"Do you think you can control your voice?" she asked.

This couldn't be good. "What do you have in mind?" I asked.

She grinned, flashing her sharp teeth as she looked up to me. With her front feet on my lap, she got enough height to reach my face. Her tongue went over my cheek, her teeth gently nipping on my ear. When she pulled away, I was following her on my hands and knees. We passed by the fallen chair that I was previously sitting on. I stood up, grabbing it and propping it against the door. It wasn't a lock, but it was the closest thing. Looking back towards Zin, she gave me a huge grin before turning and running out of sight around the corner.

When I reached where she had disappeared from view, she was on her back. Her legs kicked the air as her pointed tail curled in the air. She gave me a fanged smile as I looked at her.

"Do you like what you see, Master?" she asked playfully.

I nodded, moving on top of her. As our faces aligned together, she leaned up. Her tongue met my lips as my fingers explored her body. I could feel her legs twitch as my hands moved down her belly. She shook her head.

"Stop teasing me already." she growled. "Take those pants off before I burn them off."

I hesitated for a moment, before shaking my head and pulling away. No, this wasn't supposed to be how we should do this. Zin growled at me, standing up as I sat against the concrete wall.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I don't want this to be out of pity." I said, frowning. "You might be in need, and you might see it as a reward to me, but as much as I want to, this doesn't feel right."

She frowned. "Your crotch says otherwise." Zin pointed out.

"I know, Zin." I said, sighing.

She walked next to me, placing her paws on my lap. I quickly scooped her up, pressing my lips against hers. She struggled for a moment before lying still. Her tail moved along my legs, as if trying to get my attention. When I pulled away from her, she practically lunged forward to keep our lips in contact. This time I didn't try to pull away from her, enjoying the company of my Houndoom.

Zin pulled away from me, finally allowing me a chance to take a deep breath. That seemed to get a chuckle out of her.

"But I'm really horny." she whined while sticking out her tongue.

I smiled, sighing. "You're always horny." I pointed out.

"More reason for us to have sex." she stated with a nod.

I shook my head. "Not while this is bothering me." I said, frowning. "But I'll take you up on that offer."

"I've heard you say that a few times now." she growled playfully. "I'll hold you to that."

"Trainer's honor." I said, smiling.

She didn't say anything. The look on her face softened as she shook her head. It looked like she wanted to say something more, but decided against it. Her tail shook as she leaned on my left shoulder. My arms wrapped around her body, holding her tightly against me. The warmth coming from her body kept me at ease. I could feel my eyes close on their own accord. My thoughts were going at the speed of a Dragonite at full speed, leaving me feeling exhausted.

I leaned my head forward, resting against Zin's body. Her unique scent stayed strong in my nose as I slowly fell asleep.

============================//////////////////////======================

"You still look like shit." Joy muttered, pushing me down into a chair.

"I still feel like shit." I agreed, holding the ice pack against my head.

"Do you feel unwell, Master?" Iolanthe asked.

"My head started to bug me after walking outside." I said, waving her concern away. "Probably has to do with the kink in my neck. It should go away soon."

Everyone except Jon and his team were present at the moment. I wasn't entirely sure where he was, except somewhere inside the Pokémon Center. He was probably doing a report with his superiors or something. He didn't tell me so it was left to speculation. The sound of a chair being shifted reached my ears. Looking towards the sound, Joy sat down next to me. It felt strange sitting next to her. It's not like this was the first time. I guess it's due to the circumstances that took place not that long ago. We were inside our room, with our Pokémon listening in to know what happened.

"So, what happened yesterday?" Joy asked.

I sighed. I knew she was going to ask about it. Still, it felt a little too soon to be talking about it so casually. Regardless, I did agree to tell her in the morning.

"Well, it started when we came back to the Pokémon Center after talking with Zapdos." I said, beginning with it all. "That's when I left you with everyone."

Everyone nodded. "When we came back to the Pokémon Center and I opened the door to our room, there was Unown written all over. It looked like some kind of struggle took place, at least. Jon took off as I inspected the room, trying to make sense of what the words said. When Jon came back, he found out that his Pokémon disappeared as well. At that point, whoever did the act left a rather obvious calling card in Unown.

"They weren't subtle in the slightest when it came to Unown language. I grabbed my backpack, told Jon to let Zapdos out, and we flew straight to Violet City. I... Jon pulled me towards the Ruins of Alph, which was where the Unown writing specifically mentioned to come to. That's when, eventually, found you after running into a group of Unown. I'm not entirely sure if they were helping us all along. We had no idea where to go once we were inside.

"Eventually, we found the chamber where you were. There wasn't any sign of anyone else except..." I said, trailing off to look towards Joy. She blinked after a moment, pointing silently towards herself. I nodded. She made an audible gulping sound.

"When we approached you, that's when that blue Mew appeared. I don't remember anything specific as to what he said. After that, everything is just a blur to me. This morning I was trying to figure myself out, and all that I remember is just feeling angry and terrified."

"You fought the Mew, right?" Joy asked.

"We didn't just fight him." I clarified. "I killed him."

Silence echoed around me as those words left my lips. Everyone's eyes were on me. Zin nodded proudly. I already knew what she thought of this. Iolanthe didn't look like she was actively listening to what I was saying. It looked like she was more interested in everyone elses thoughts. Looking over at Joy, her head was shaking from side to side.

"I didn't see a body." she claimed.

"That's right. Giratina took the body away after he showed it to me."

"Giratina?!" Joy exclaimed with a gasp.

I shrugged. "We talked."

"Is there anyone else that showed up?" she asked, frowning.

I nodded. "The same Suicune that showed up to save Xola appeared there, too. Also, Mew and Mewtwo were present. They mentioned something about 'exemplar', though I have no idea what that means."

Song was shaking her head. The Gardevoir was looking at me with a fearful expression. Her eyes refused to meet mine when I looked at her. Spirit held onto the Gardevoir, hugging her against her body. Aurora, sitting on top of Baast's head, was looking at me pensively. Baast herself had a frown on her muzzle.

"Master?" Mist called.

"What is it, Mist?"

"Do you require aid?"

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"You haven't stopped shaking since you started recalling the details of yesterday." she pointed out. "You're wringing your hands constantly, and there's a small twitch on your right eye."

I opened my mouth to protest, but it wouldn't have been a good idea. I could feel the shaking. The twitching was a little harder to ignore, but it didn't mean it didn't happen.

"I'm not alright, Mist, but thank you." I answered her finally. "I'll handle it."

She floated over everyone, resting her thin 'arms' around my neck and coming to rest against my chest. The sudden chill of her entering my body pushed away a lot of anxiety. It took a moment to notice that my body wasn't almost out of my control. You didn't have to do this, Mist.

"Actually, I did." she responded in my mind. "Please continue."

I sighed. There's no talking Mist out of doing something once she decides to do it. The faint echo of laughter filled the back of my thoughts for a moment.

"So, what happened after you... killed... that Mew? What, was it a different color or something?"

I nodded. "It had blue fur, while the 'exemplar' that appeared afterwards was pink. As for what happened afterwards, I tried to get some answers from Giratina. He admitted, at least in my mind, that the Darkrai were sent by him. Though apparently getting me killed or hurt wasn't part of the original order. When pressed further, he said something about a mistranslated order. Mew almost killed me, but Giratina stopped her.

"I started walking away when Suicune called out to me. Between her and Giratina, they did some special mumbo-jumbo and brought you all back. You know what's happened since then."

Joy's Ampharos was in between Akalia and Victini. Her Sandslash was muttering something in the Sawsbuck ear. The silence was starting to get to me. I stood up suddenly, much to the surprise of everyone.

"That's all I remember. I'm not too comfortable talking about this. Io can answer any more questions you might have. So could Jon or Zapdos, since they were there as well. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

I turned away from the group, leaving the room and closing the door behind me. It felt like something had a hold on my lungs. My chest felt odd, and this weird tingling sensation ran up and down my arms and spine. A gentle touch swept over me. It was like being hugged, but from the inside. I wrapped my arms around myself, as if to return the hug from my ghost. Slowly but surely I calmed down.

It was a miracle I didn't fall down. My left hand left my chest and touched the wall. I leaned over, dropping my weight against the wall. I didn't know what to think or feel at the moment. I felt... lost.

A chill went up and down my spine. "You're never lost, Master." Mist whispered in my mind. "We're here for you."

I looked around for a moment, seeing if anyone was around to overhear. "I don't think everyone will stay after today." I muttered.

"I will." she stated. "There are not many things that will make me leave. This isn't one of them."

"How so?"

"You defended yourself and the ones you treasure most." Mist stated. "I understand that this isn't how you normally operate. Have you ever thought of doing things like this before?"

I shook my head. "No. Never." I whispered.

"Then you will be alright." Mist whispered soothingly. "That was very courageous of you. I honestly do not know of anyone that would have done the things that you did."

"People might think I'm insane." I pointed out.

"Then let them." she answered primly. "We know the true story."

"You're not coming out anytime soon, are you?" I asked.

"Do I make you uncomfortable?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No, actually you don't. I just wanted to know if you were planning on staying there for any longer. I think I'm alright now."

"You do not feel 'all right' to me just yet." Mist said. "I think I will stay here for a bit longer until I'm satisfied with your condition."

A chuckle came out of me as my hand pushed me off the wall. Maybe it would be a good idea to get some air? Maybe Jon would like to tag along. At the very least, getting some fresh air might clear my head.

=======================/////////////////////============================

Baast, Zin, Aurora, Song, and Iolanthe approached me while I was on the roof of the Pokémon Center again. Song held her staff gently in her grasp, while Baast and Iolanthe looked to be in some kind of silent argument. Zin walked with the confident air of self-assuredness. Though then again, that was her normal confidence being portrayed. It seems to take quite a lot to shake her. Apparently me killing a Mew is not one of those things. I know that she's proud of it, but I wish she wouldn't openly display it so much.

Song didn't look happy coming along with everyone. It made me a little nervous. I don't think I've seen the Gardevoir so focused. Well, perhaps focused is the incorrect term. Was she angry? I'm not sure yet. While it wasn't late night yet, some of the nearby buildings had their lights on already. There weren't any power fluctuations happening. Not yet, anyway. While she might have most of her powers, teleporting to Johto from Sinnoh shows she still has access to it. This fact triggered a memory where she blew out the light bulbs outside because I told her I wouldn't be able to come in the next day when she was a Ralts.

"Master, may we speak with you?" Song asked.

I nodded, putting my attention on the newcomers. Spirit looked terrified at the moment. It bothered me that it might be me that's making her uneasy.

"Of course. Is something the matter?"

Silence followed my question for a moment. Thankfully, it didn't last long when Song stepped forward.

"What you said... did that really happen?"

I blinked and immediately kept my temper in check. "Yes, it did." I answered.

"What did you use to kill Mew?"

Here we go. "Your staff."

She looked at the implement in question, before letting it drop. It rattled against the roof under our feet. Aurora let out a hiss at the sound.

"It never occurred to you that this tool wasn't supposed to be used for those ends."

I stayed silent. This felt like one of those moments where I'm damned if I say or do anything. Not saying anything might damn me just as much.

"Answer me." she demanded.

"No, it didn't. You didn't mention anything about your training since you've been back."

She frowned, stepping over the fallen weapon. "Why didn't you mention it during your retelling?"

"I've been holding that staff ever since we left for Johto." I answered, frowning. "It slipped my mind, so I apologize."

"Do you?"

"The next time you get kidnapped out from under me, I'll try to be more nonchalant about it."

She didn't have an answer to that. "What's really bothering you, Song?"

"I didn't think you would do such things." she whispered.

"You and me both." I said, nodding. "It's still a little too surreal for me. I know that it happened, but I'd rather wish that it all didn't."

"Do you regret it?" she asked.

That's a double-edged question. "I don't think what I did is excusable by any means. That doesn't mean I regret it. It might be stupid now, but I thought you were all dead. I did what I thought was right."

"And what if you're wrong?" she asked. "What if you killed someone innocent?"

"Believe me that the possibility has been eating at me for a while." I said, shaking my head. "Regardless, what's done is done. It's not like anyone stopped me, either. Suicune, the pink Mew, and Mewtwo were already present. Who knows if Giratina was there already. Anyone could have really stopped me, but they didn't. I'm not sure why, either. I'm not saying this as an excuse, but as a ways to think of the situation that IF he really was innocent, don't you think that someone would have stopped me?

"It's not that the exemplar Mew was weak. She did try to kill me. But that was after the fact. Mewtwo didn't react much, if at all, to what was going on around him. He didn't stop me, either. Suicune appeared as soon as the final blow was about to land. A lot of mist appeared out of nowhere, and after the deed was done she was there. Giratina appeared after everyone was arguing. I could have been stopped by any of them, but I wasn't. Why? I don't know. There's more to this than what we see. What, exactly, I have no idea."

"So, what are we going to do now?" Zin asked.

I shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure yet. We need to get answers somehow. It bothers me that we've come this far and learned nothing. We've just been reacting to what happens around us. This time, we'll act first. Once I actually come up with a plan to act on."

The Houndoom laughed, making Song look at her and frown. I shook my head, frowning at Zin. Song probably did not appreciate the humor. Though what humor was to be taken from this was up to debate.

"Do you want to leave, Song?" I asked.

"What?"

"You heard me. Do you want to go back to the monks?"

She walked forward towards me, her eyes glowing. The sound of a light bulb popping didn't escape my hearing. My attention was brought Song as the impact of her hand against my cheek. It stung, and to be honest, she hit pretty hard. The impact left me momentarily dazed. She was definitely no slouch now.

"I'll take that as a no." I said, smiling as my hand rubbed my cheek.

"Why would you suggest such a thing!?" she exclaimed.

"It didn't sound like you wanted to stay here any longer." I answered. "I don't think that, even if you came with me willingly, I should hold you against your will."

She physically wavered, swaying slightly side to side as she stood in front of me. I reached out to her, my arms wrapping around her body in a hug. The prominent red 'spike' on her chest poked against me. Her arms reached up, grabbing hold of my shoulders. She shivered against my body, soft whimpers reaching my ears. The grip on my body only tightened, threatening to throw me off balance.

Something climbed up my legs and arms. Sharp claws gripped my hair, Aurora pulling herself up. More bodies surrounded us, slowly but surely surrounding me. Baast's spike pressed against my back, while Spirit's audible humming filled my hearing as she approached. A snicker came from below, signaling that Zin found this extremely amusing.

"I'm sorry, Master." Song whimpered.

I shook my head. "You don't have anything to be sorry for." I said, holding her tightly. "Don't worry about it."

Eventually, I could feel the circle opened up. Song looked down at me, leaning down and pressing her lips against mine. Her fingers held my head in place. The gentle kiss seemed to help calm her down. It helped me calm down alongside her. She smiled, her fingers going through my hair.

"It feels like you need your hair cut." she teased.

"Here we go again." I said with a chuckle. "Come on. Let's rest for today. We'll talk more tomorrow. I have some ideas."

"And what would that be?" Zin asked.

"Not entirely sure just yet." I admitted. "It's a half-baked plan, but I'll let you know when things start coming clearer."

==========================////////////////////==========================

Isabella and Jon were with me this morning on the rooftop. It quickly dawned on me that I didn't want to be seen in the public eye. Not many comers and goers looked up. There was plenty of traffic into and out of the Pokémon Center. Large crowds were beginning to make me nervous.

"I keep hearing that there's someone looking for you, Nick." Joy said with a frown.

"Do you know who?" I asked. She shook her head.

"No. Just that someone is. I overhead someone ask some questions that one guy that you apparently beat up."

I frowned, but shrugged. "Can't be helped now, I guess."

"I imagine that happened when you weren't thinking clearly." she said.

"You could say that." Jon said, frowning. "Anyway, why did you want to call us?"

"I want to investigate the Ice Path again." I stated without preamble.

Joy blinked. "Why? What's there?"

"When we went through, I ran into Suicune. She said that she lived there, or at the very least uses it often. I want to investigate if that's true, and if so, get more information out of her."

"And what makes you think it'll be that easy?" Jon asked.

"I don't think it'll be easy. That's why I'm telling you the plan and asking if both of you would come with me."

"You're crazy."

"Better than me just sneaking off and going by myself." I responded. "That was the original thought, but it didn't sit well with me after thinking about it."

Isabella's hands curled into fists before shaking her head and turning her back to me. Probably not the smartest thing to say. It was better than lying though.

"Where are your Pokémon?" Jon asked suddenly.

"Well, Mist is still inside of me." I said, tapping my chest. "The rest are on my belt except for Song, Baast, Iolanthe, and Zin. They should be coming up soon. Zin wanted to talk to them for a moment."

"Well, what's your plan?" Joy asked, turning around quickly. "What is it that you want answered from her?"

"What is it that she knows about Arceus, and what does it have to do with us." I answered. "I'm tired of roaming around blind. If we're going to get answers, it has to come from the source."

"And do you think that she'll just answer you like that?" Jon asked.

I shook my head. "No, but I can hope. Either that or we move on to do... whatever you guys have planned. Unless you guys have a plan that I don't know about."

Joy shrugged. "I was going to suggest that we head over to Hoenn. The farther away we are from Indigo Plateau, the more time we have to react to when they eventually send for us."

"Now that I think about it, that doesn't make any sense. Can't they trace us using our Pokédexes?" I asked, confused.

"Technically it's possible." Jon said with a shrug. "Though that's only used for high profile crimes. At least, that's been my experience."

"When was the last time it was used around here?" I asked.

"The last time it happened? Well... the Team Rocket crime spree was about fifteen years ago. Then there was that one crazy hacker that scammed most of the major PokéMarts for a few billion. That was five years ago. That should be the last case that's actually needed to actually dig through all registered Pokédexes to find how the money was being passed along. That I know of, anyway."

"So that means it's unlikely, right?"

"Very unlikely."

"Good. Going to Hoenn sounds like a good idea." Joy said, nodding. "At the very least it would throw off the trail that we have here in Johto. Still, it seems odd that they wouldn't resort to that to find us quickly."

"It requires the authority and permission of every professor from every region. The problem is that all the Pokédexes are linked to individual professors. My Pokédex is from Johto, for example. In order for the League to track how I spend my money, it has to get permission from all three hundred professors that study Pokémon here in Johto."

"Why's that? That seems like a completely arbitrary way to do things." I said, frowning.

"It's how the system is set up. All of the information that the trainer gets is sent directly to the professors for categorizing and study. The League's only reason of existence is to keep rules in between gyms and the citizens in order to keep competitions fair. So, if the League wants to do a full on investigation, it has to get the permission first."

"And judging by the fact that it's only occurred a handful of times leads me to believe that doesn't happen very often." I said.

"Got it in one." Jon said, nodding. "We shouldn't have to worry about it. Not as long as we don't actually start hurting countless lives."

"Let's hope that me punching that one guy will have any negative effects." I said, cringing slightly.

"It probably won't. Not with me backing you up." Jonathan said, nodding. "You don't have a criminal record either."

"At least that's taken care of. So, at the end of the day, what should we do? Should we investigate the Ice Path?" I asked once more.

"It's really your call." Jon said. "I don't see any real harm in it. We shouldn't really stop anywhere else before going there though. Minimize our exposure as much as possible."

"I still don't think Suicune will answer your questions, if it is there in the first place." Joy said. "They have their own agenda don't they."

"It seems like it, at the very least. At the very least it doesn't look like all the legendary Pokémon get along. Especially not Giratina and Suicune."

"Why do you say that?" Jon asked. "They worked together at that last moment."

"That might have been to some law, custom, or something else that got in the way." I said, frowning in thought. "They were almost at each other's throats for a while before Suicune seemed to snap herself out of her frenzy."

"Suicune was yelling at both of them, right?" Jon asked. "At the pink Mew and Giratina, I mean."

I nodded. "Yeah, from what I remember."

A sudden jerk almost made me lose my balance. Joy grabbed the collar of my shirt, pulling me towards her. She didn't look any different, but it felt like she wanted to hear anything else but what we were talking about. I felt like an idiot.

"I'm sorry."

She shook her head before letting me go. I wanted to give her a hug, but it didn't seem appropriate. Also, I wasn't sure how she felt about public displays of affection of any level.

"Alright. If there isn't anything left to discuss, we should head-"

A loud ring interrupted me. Jon looked puzzled as he pulled out and opened his Pokédex. His eyes widened suddenly before his fingers moved around quickly. He moved away from us as he brought the device to his ear. My gaze moved towards Joy who gave me a shrug in response. The door opened, revealing my Pokémon moving towards us. Baast was carrying my backpack in her paws. I raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Is there something I should be aware of?" I asked to the newcomers.

Song shook her head. "No. We were just trying to find an order to things."

"Somehow, I don't think we should discuss this in public. If there isn't anything else, we're going to the Ice Path again. The idea is to hopefully meet up with Suicune there."

"Master, we ran into her by accident." Iolanthe said.

I nodded. "I know. But I'm hoping that we can retrace our steps. If anything, I just want to make sure we've gone through all our options. She did mention that the Ice Path was her home. It's close enough, so I wouldn't doubt that she's there or has passed by."

Baast nodded. "It makes sense. Who thought of this plan?"

"Cute." I said, rolling my eyes. "If there aren't any immediate concerns, we'll probably be leaving soon. Unless there's anything we have to do here in Violet City."

Joy shook her head. "My sister helped sort us out with extra medical supplies and some extra packs of food. We might need them. Also, I got some extra blankets."

"Do they fit in your backpack?" I asked.

She nodded. "Mine needed to be replaced anyway."

I nodded as Jon grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. His eyes had a look of a maniac. Or someone that got told really good or exciting news.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Cynthia."

"Who?"

His grip on me tightened as he shook me about. "Cynthia! The Sinnoh champion is here!" he hissed.

"That's a good thing, I take it?"

He looked at me like I was insane. "ISN'T TALKING TO ONE OF THE CHAMPIONS ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE RUNNING AROUND IN THE FIRST PLACE?!"

"Oh yeah..."

=========================/////////////////////////======================

"So, what's up?"

Cynthia was definitely not the person who she showed herself to be in the television. In the times that I've seen her televised, she always appears cool and collected. When she issued commands to her Pokémon, they were direct and decisive. Silk hiding steel, if there was such a thing.

The person in front of us was none of that. Cynthia was wearing her traditional black overcoat that reached to her legs. It matched with her black shirt and pants. Her hair was a startling contrast, being of a golden or blonde color. Strangely, her hair was unadorned from the usual black clips that I remember seeing on the television. We were inside a private booth in some kind of fancy restaurant.

"I got a call that you were sighted in Violet City, and we wanted to hear about what's going on?" Jon said without preamble.

She raised an eyebrow. "And who are you affiliated with, if you don't mind me asking? And who told you about where I was?"

"Johto Rangers, Lightning Unit. My boss sent me the information." he answered.

Cynthia nodded, looking impressed. "Nice. I hear that most die in less than four months of being in there."

That must have stung. Jon didn't show it, though.

"Anyway, I suppose it makes sense. It isn't like I've been stealthy of where I've been. Not like Lance. Somehow, that bastard can make a Dragonite be as quiet as a Whismur when he flies around.

"Anyway, I wanted to re-investigate the Ruins of Alph when I heard that an odd mist appeared over the area. You three wouldn't happen to know about that, would you?"

I looked over to Joy, who looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but where we were right now. She grabbed hold of my arm tightly when Jon nodded. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, we know pretty much what happened. It happened two days ago." I said, glaring at Jon.

"This is personal, isn't it?" Cynthia asked.

Joy nodded. "A little bit."

"I'd like to know, if you three don't mind." she said seriously. "A legendary Pokémon being active in the world isn't normal. Well, interfering with human affairs at least. I'm pretty sure that you all know about the spree of deaths that have been reported. We're trying to stop that."

"So, why isn't the League sending more people to help you guys? You shouldn't have to be in exile until otherwise stated." I said.

Cynthia laughed, shaking her head. "I'm not exiled." she said. "The Leagues in general want nothing to do with it because it's not their jurisdiction. Being a champion means that you follow their policies, not the policies of the professors."

She opened her mouth to speak but didn't continue. I was about to ask if something was wrong when the waiter came in. "Your drinks." he said, putting a glass of water in front of us and leaving.

"Sorry, don't want more people to overhear if I can help it." she said, taking a sip of water before continuing. "But yeah, that's the basic gist of it."

"Why did you investigate the ruins, and what brought you back?" I asked.

She grinned at me. "Straight to the point. Alright. Celestic Town has the ruins inside of its borders, right? Have you been there before?"

I nodded once. I didn't feel that I had to go into details of that encounter again.

"You saw the mural, right? The one with the back with the gems?" she asked. I nodded. "That's the key to all this. Well, one of them, anyway. After doing some research through some archives in the Sinnoh Pokémon League, there were a lot of Unown references that point towards the Ruins of Alph. I came here first before anywhere else to see what all the ruckus was about. The only thing that the Ruins of Alph resemble is the Solaceon Ruins in Sinnoh.

"What I found in the archives was a picture of Unown, translated by some crazy Unown researchers and their kid. It read something about the 'End of Time and Space', or something silly like that. That was found in the Solaceon Ruins. When I came here for the first time to the Ruins of Alph, the Unown writing on the walls are pretty much identical. The ones here in Johto say 'Beware the Fall of Innocence'. Again, whatever that means.

"And now I come back hearing that the ruins were filled with mist, and the sounds of fighting could be heard. Something's going on, and I want to find out."

My throat felt like I swallowed glass. Joy was holding my hand tightly, while Jon was looking pensive over everything. With my free hand I grabbed hold of the cup of water and downing the entire thing. It didn't make me feel better, but at least my dry throat was taken care of.

"You wouldn't happen to be down there when it happened, would you?" Cynthia asked.

I wanted to slap Jon when he nodded. He looked way too damn happy to answer. I settled to kick him under the table. His only response was to give me a look that only said to stop it. I kicked him again for good measure.

"Yeah, we were there." Jon said. "A blue Mew took our friend Joy and-"

"And it wouldn't be prudent to talk about it." I snarled, cutting Jonathan off.

Cynthia coughed politely. "Are you alright, little girl?"

We turned towards Joy, who was shaking her head. "No. But Nick, let's tell her, alright?" Joy pleaded.

My hostility left me. I sighed, letting Jon continue where he left off. My attention was mostly on Joy, making sure that she was alright. For her part, Cynthia didn't interrupt much. She asked for clarification with my interactions when the other legendary Pokémon appeared. Her reaction to me killing the blue Mew was to stare at me.

"So, what did Giratina tell you? About Suicune?" Cynthia asked.

I blinked. "What do you mean?"

"What did Giratina say about how Suicune and Mew were interacting?"

"He asked if they were fighting. I answered saying yes, and that they've been at it for a while now."

Cynthia frowned. "Well, that rules out one of my ideas." she muttered to herself. "Anyway... wow, that's really some story."

"Tell me about it." I muttered. She raised an eyebrow but didn't press for more information.

"Look, you three got lucky." Cynthia said gently. "You should all just do whatever it is that you're going to do, and leave everything to us. We'll figure this all out before more people get hurt, alright?"

Jon nodded. "And that's what we'll do." he said.

I raised an eyebrow. "And what about going to the Ice Path?"

"Why would you go there?" Cynthia asked.

"To finally get the real story out of Suicune." I answered as I stood up. "I met her there once before. I'm hoping that she'll be there for me to interrogate."

"Why do-"

"She's helped me twice before, three times counting what happened in the Ruins of Alph. I don't know, but I feel like she has answers. If she's willing to respond is another issue, but I have to try. Sitting around with my thumb up my ass hasn't done shit for us."

I stood up, giving a polite bow towards Cynthia. "Thank you for inviting us here and helping us. I'll be going now. Jon, if you don't want to come along to the Ice Path that's fine. Joy, if you want to stay I'll understand, too. I'll be back here as soon as I can."

I turned around, opening the door to leave and closing it behind me. A waiter came up to me, asking if there was something wrong. I shook my head, telling him that I was just on my way out.

Leaving the restaurant, it was still daylight outside. Morning was turning to midday by the looks of the sun. I grabbed my Pokédex, confirming the time to be just past twelve-thirty. Good. Sounds like I have plenty of time. My fingers traced over Spirit's Pokéball, grabbing it and releasing the Flygon. She turned to face me, looking surprised.

"Are you alright, Spirit?" I asked, slowly approaching her.

She nodded slowly as she lowered her head to be at my level. My hands touched her green scales as her eyes closed. I could feel her muscles tense as my fingers went down her neck. She was clearly lying, and that's not a good sign.

"Spirit, you do know that I can feel your neck tense as I'm touching you, right?" I asked, patting her neck.

My Flygon took a step back, shaking her head to deny my question. I stepped forward, taking one of her claws in my hands and walking forward. It must be a slightly humorous sight, seeing a dragon being pulled gently by a human. She didn't resist, though, falling in step next to me. I only stopped when we reached a bench next to a sign that proclaimed that it was a bus stop. Sitting down, I patted next to me. Spirit hesitantly sat down, the bench holding our weight easily.

"You don't seem to like how everything happened." I guessed.

She looked away from me for a moment before shaking her head.

"Allow me to translate for you, Spirit." Mist's voice echoed in my mind. The Flygon's eyes widened for a moment before slowly calming down.

The bus rolled in front of us. It took me a moment to signal the driver we weren't getting on. The bus pulled away from us when Mist started speaking.

"If I understand her correctly, Spirit is just very surprised to hear of what you are capable of. She seems to be afraid of you becoming that angry at her as well."

I sighed. "Spirit, you've never given me a reason to be angry with you. I highly doubt you will. Is that really what's bothering you, though?"

Silence followed my question for a moment before Mist responded. "She is just worried about you."

"If we don't find out why this keeps happening, it might happen again." I said. "Casually investigating hasn't worked, and it all started innocently enough before Darkrai showed up the first time. I'll extend the same th-"

Spirit's claws were on my mouth, stopping me from talking any more. She shook her head, speaking rapidly. It was all I could do in trying to keep her calm enough so she didn't hurt me. Her claws were beginning to dig into my cheeks.

"I don't think that will be needed, Master." Mist whispered, sounding amused.

I held Spirit's claws still, taking a moment to let the world stop spinning around me. After making sure that Spirit wasn't going to shake me around again, I wrapped my arms around her. She stiffened for a moment, but returned the gesture quickly. We held each other for a few moments until she pushed away from me. Spirit smiled down at me, her cheek rubbing against mine in a sign of affection.

"You think you can take me outside the Ice Path?"

She nodded, standing up and spreading her wings wide. I carefully climbed on, making sure to settle myself comfortably. We were about to leave when Joy ran towards us.

"I didn't know you wanted to come along." I said.

She frowned. "I'm not leaving you, you're not leaving without your Gardevoirs staff, and I can't stand Jon going all sappy over Cynthia."

"Spirit, are you comfortable lifting two people?" I asked. My Flygon nodded, lowering herself as Joy passed me Song's staff.

"Did I leave this at the restaurant?" I asked.

"Yeah, you did." she said, frowning. "I'll keep quiet, so you don't get into trouble."

I nodded, silently thanking Joy by wrapping my arms around her. She squirmed slightly, though that might have to do with the staff resting against her more than the physical contact. Spirit flexed her wings, taking a leap into the air to get us airborne. We moved around in a circle for a brief moment. I imagined that it was Spirit getting used to two people riding her back. With a nod, Spirit leaned forward and picking up speed as we headed towards the Ice Path one more time.

=========================/////////////////////==========================

We landed outside the Ice Path. We weren't in Blackthorn City, so this was the other entrance. I nodded, thanking Spirit as my feet touched the ground. She didn't look too winded, either. The Flygon smiled at me, nodding.

"Did you want to stay outside of your Pokéball?" I asked. She shook her head.

"I thought so. Don't worry, I'm not going alone." I said with a smile. She nodded as I recalled her into her device.

Putting back Spirit's Pokéball, I grabbed two more off my belt and opened them. Zin and Iolanthe stood in front of me after materializing. They both looked around momentarily before nodding in unison as they looked around.

"You know, now that I think about it, calling this the Ice Path isn't very creative." Zin said, frowning.

I snickered, shaking my head at her assessment. Who knows who the person who named it this way was. It's pretty obvious how it came about. Looking inside, it felt like our immediate surroundings were getting colder. It may just be me, though. Joy walked up to me, grabbing my hand.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked.

I shook my head. "It's either that or we start running more." I answered.

"No, I mean what if the answers aren't what we expected?"

I shrugged. "It's better than not knowing."

"Sometimes ignorance is a good thing, though."

I turned my attention at her. "Darkrai has attacked us more than once. Cresselia appeared, and so did Moltres. Jirachi has openly spoken to us. Giratina and Suicune brought all of you back to life. There's a reason why all this crap is happening. I need to find out what's going on."

She grabbed two Pokéballs from her own belt, Skadi and Victini appearing in a flash. The giant ice Pokémon huffed out a puff of white as she walked towards us. Her glare was extremely intimidating. When Zin growled towards Skadi, the giant Beartic only rumbled to match the pitch. It was extremely tempting to pull on the Houndoom's tail to get her attention.

Skadi thankfully ignored the Houndoom's actions, moving towards me and lowering her body to the ground. Joy walked up to the giant Beartic and climbed on her back. I followed Joy's lead, touching the giants white fur and lifting myself up behind Joy. Joy turned to face me, a questioning look on her eyes.

"What are we looking for?" she asked.

"The same place where we split up." I described. "It's the large room where Jon said that we would all meet up at the same place."

"Alright, I'm pretty sure that Skadi remembers the way." Joy said, patting the large Pokémon underneath us.

Skadi walked forward at a quick pace, Victini floating next to me while Zin and Iolanthe kept pace beside us. The sound of our breathing was accompanied by the sounds of feet or claws hitting against the stone and ice on the ground. It didn't take long to reach the room where we split up in. When we passed by the first time, this was a very beautiful place. The crystals looked like something had crawled inside of them. Something murky that tainted the clearness of them all.

They almost looked like the ones from the Cerulean Cave, or the ones from Cerulean Cave looked like the ones here. Almost. It felt like we were being watched. I kept this observation to myself, though I did point out that the crystals didn't look normal.

"I think so, too. They were clear when we passed by the first time, right?" Joy asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, and for some reason it scares me." I said, frowning. "Something had to do this, right?"

"Well, let's find this 'secret path' you took or whatever." Joy said.

"Io, do you remember where it was?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yes, I do. Please follow me."

Zin and Victini followed right behind Iolanthe as she headed toward her target. Skadi wasn't far away, the Beartic's claws allowing her to keep stride in the slippery ice. When we reached the others, there was a large block of clear crystal against the stone walls.

"It's through this wall, Master." Iolanthe said, touching the crystal.

"Skadi, smash it." Joy said.

The Beartic casually walked forward as Iolanthe moved out of the way. She seemed to assess the wall for a moment, before standing up on her hind legs. My arms grabbed hold of Joy tightly as she laughed. Song's staff dropped out of my hands in an attempt to stay on the giants back.

"Sorry. I didn't warn you properly, huh." she said with a laugh. "Don't kick her, though! Unless your plan is to get Skadi angry."

I managed to stop myself from flailing around too much. A rumble came from the giant Beartic as she placed her front paws on the crystal. The sound of something clicking reached my ears. Though curiosity wanted me to ask, the sound of something breaking made me keep my mouth shut. It didn't happen just once. Loud crunching sounds reached my ears as pieces of crystal landed on my head. After one final growl, the world moved around. The entrance of the cavern loomed in front of us as Skadi shook her head.

"Well, that's one way to do it." Victini said with a nod.

"I'm pretty sure I could have melted it." Zin said with a huff.

I smiled down at Zin. "Don't worry. I'm pretty sure we've made enough noise to make anyone down there hear us." Iolanthe stood next to us with Song's staff in her grasp. She passed it to me wordlessly, but I thanked her quietly.

"Well, what now?" Joy asked. "Barge in?"

I shrugged. "I got nothing. It's a slide down. Don't know how the other paths are laid out, but this one should be quite the ride."

"Well, I guess that answers that question. Let's go, Skadi!"

Before I could protest, the Beartic ran forward. We picked up speed as we slid forward. Skadi's claws did little to slow us. They seemed to be more used for direction than traction at this moment. I could hear Zin yelling behind me as we continued forward. Victini appeared over Joy's shoulder, giving me a wide grin.

"How much longer until we get to the end?!" she yelled out loudly.

"We should be pretty close!" I said, raising my voice.

The small Pokémon gave me a thumbs up before falling back in Joy's arms. My left arm wrapped around Joy as we dipped further down. Did it go this far when I first passed by here? The memory was a bit hazy, and all the bumping about wasn't helping much.

We eventually reached the end, coming to a stop in a familiar opening. The snow was piled higher than I remember it being when we last passed by. One thing that stood out to me was that there wasn't a sleeping Suicune this time. There wasn't just one Suicune, either.

There were at least ten of them standing at us, staring pointedly at us.

Skadi moved to a standing position almost immediately, but Joy kept the giant in check. Iolanthe and Zin appeared next to us after a moment, a loud groan coming from the Houndoom.

"HUMAN!" someone shouted loudly. "YOU WILL LEAVE RIGHT-"

"Oh, for the love of Arceus will you PLEASE SHUT UP!"

Two Suicune faced each other. One was, or seemed to be, taller than the other. The taller one also had a crack in its head adornment. They seemed to be at odds with each other.

"Exemplar!" the male voice declared. "This shouldn't be happening."

"Don't you think I know this?" a female voice responded.

"My intention wasn't to insult your intelligence!" the male said, his cracked head adornment shaking as he shook his head. "I was-"

"You're just stating my mistakes and wanting to take the position for yourself!" the female roared.

The male instantly backed away from the advancing female, shaking his head and trying to make himself as small as possible.

"You think that I don't know that!" she roared again. "Do you think that what I did was against our Father's laws laid out thousands of years before you were even born?!"

The male stood up a little straighter. "You weren't there, either."

A blast of water and ice hit the male in the face, making him tumble towards us. It was only then that the female Suicune looked at us.

"What are you doing here?!" she bellowed, her voice echoing around us.

"I'd like to ask you the same question, but I know this is your home." I said as I got off the Beartic's back.

"But there's a really good reason why I'm here."

"If it's about bringing back your friends from death, you can thank Giratina." she growled out. "I didn't have much to do with it other than coercing him to actually do it."

I shook my head. "While I'm thankful for your help, that isn't why we're here right now."

She walked up to me, a breeze swirling around Suicune. I walked up to her, closing the distance between us. She didn't move any closer, but the wind didn't buffet me at any point.

"Then why are you here?" she asked.

"You're the one that was in the Ruins of Alph, right? The Exemplar or whatever it was?"

She stiffened visibly. "Yes?" she hissed out.

"What does Giratina have to do with all of this?" I asked. "Why are the Darkrai chasing me?"

For a moment, Suicune stood in silence. She turned around, her tails swirling around her. All the others of her kind rushed forward.

"Be still!" she roared out. The charge came to a sudden halt with those words.

"This is my mistake. I will rectify it."

Suddenly, it didn't seem so much of a good idea to be here. A plume of flame engulfed Suicune as Iolanthe grabbed hold of me and pulled me back. I was brought next to the attacking Houndoom, only being released when Joy grabbed hold of me.

"Are you crazy?!" Joy exclaimed.

"Probably. Not entirely sure just yet. I'll let you know when it happens." I said, untangling myself from her grip. She still held my hand tightly and refused to let go.

"Why are you here, human? I will not ask again."

"I want to know why all this is happening." I said. "Giratina didn't answer anything, and I figured that since you said this was your home we could find you here. The lives of everyone I care for are in constant danger because of other legendary Pokémon."

Suicune shook her head. "You don't make this easy, do you?" she asked with a calm voice.

"Exemplar!" a male voice said, two others of her kind standing at Suicune's side.

"Stand down!" she exclaimed, staring at one. "I forbid you to harm him!"

"They're trespassing in our home!" one yelled back.

"No, he truly isn't." she answered back a bit more calmly.

The response left everyone in silence. I wouldn't be entirely sure how to respond to that either. The familiar Suicune walked up to us a bit more calmly than before. She sat in front of us, bowing her head down.

"Welcome home." she said softly.

"Home?"

"Though I shouldn't be happy that you're here, it's hard not to be." she said, confusing me further.

"You're not making any sense."

"Then I will. Your body houses the last shard of Arceus. If Giratina or any of his accomplices get their claws on you, Arceus will be allowed to return."

"That still doesn't make any sense!" I exclaimed, frowning. "Wouldn't that be a good thing?"

Suicune shook her head. "This is our penance for our hubris. We wanted to be recognized above all others, and for that we pay the ultimate price."

"So the legends are true then." Joy said softly. "About how Arceus sacrifi-"

"You do not have the right!" a high pitched female voice shouted. "You will show our Exemplar the proper respect, and respect for our Father!"

"Be silent!" a male Suicune snapped.

Joy tugged at my arm to get my attention. Her face was a mix of fear and surprise, though mostly surprise. Iolanthe appeared behind Joy, her eyes darting between me and the Suicune around us. I wasn't sure how I was reacting to it all. Disbelief with a dash of confusion.

"So, at the end of the day this is it? That's the whole reason why that blue Mew wanted everyone dead? To gather souls?"

"I wouldn't be able to ask him. You killed him, remember?" Suicune snarled. "It's what Giratina has always looked for, and will always look for, until Arceus returns."

Somehow this wasn't making any sense. Memories were being triggered about what was said during our stay at the Lucario village and my own knowledge of the legend.

"So, Arceus has never returned since he died." I said.

Suicune shook her head. "No, Arceus has not. It's been like this since the light of creation."

"You were there for that?" Joy asked.

"I... my predecessor was. But that's not important. The important part is that you stay safe now."

I rolled my eyes. "Safe? Safe where?! From Giratina? Cresselia? Darkrai? Or you?"

A low growl came from Suicune as she dashed close to me. Bright motes of light came from the center of the prominent crest attached to her forehead. We glared at each other until she backed down. This wasn't making any sense. Two Suicune's moved forward, making me back away from their snapping jaws.

"You need to go, humans." the high pitched voice demanded.

"Not until your leader answers my damn question!" I demanded.

One of the Suicune snapped forward only for Joy to pull me away. Sharp teeth gnashed in front of my face for a moment only for the Suicune to be stopped by another jumping on top to subdue the attacker.

"If he dies now, all we're doing is handing him to Giratina and speeding his plans."

This just gets weirder and weirder. "Make some damn sense already!" I yelled.

The leading female stepped forward. She looked far too exhausted, and this was all starting to get on my nerves. Before she started talking, I stopped her. "Do you have a name?"

"What?"

"Do you have an individual name? So I can stop thinking of you as Suicune in the midst of ten others of your kind."

"Why you little insignificant human!"

One of the Suicune jumped towards me. Iolanthe was on top of him instantly, all four of her tentacles wrapping around him while in the air and slamming the Pokémon into the snow.

"Call me Exemplar, if it helps you." she said.

"Fine. Exemplar. Could you explain what you just said? What would happen if I died?"

"You would go to Giratina's realm, just like everyone else. Except for you, there would be no salvation like every other soul. What makes you who you are would be stripped away to find the shard of Arceus that's hidden somewhere in you."

"And what would happen to me."

"Who knows." the Exemplar said. "You would be outside the cycle of life and death. From my understanding, at least."

"You're not making any sense. Everyone dies at the end. What's the point of dying now? Giratina will get what he wants later rather than sooner, right? This is hopeless!"

The Exemplar shook her head. "No, it's not. If you die a normal death, the cycle of rebirth is kept intact. It's the only reason why Giratina hasn't brought Arceus back sooner than now."

"And why is that a bad thing?" I asked. "Why wouldn't you want your Father back?"

"We don't deserve it." the Exemplar stated. "Our ancestors did something ignorant and we live with that guilt. We continue our duties to Him, because that is the very reason why He created us."

This is making less sense the more I try to make heads or tails about it! I shook my head. "Wouldn't you think that you've waited long enough? Don't you think Arceus would have forgiven you?"

The Exemplar didn't have an answer for my questions. "I've given you the answers you wanted. I will be in contact if word reaches me if you are in danger. But before you go, you might want to see the Watchers of Gold and Silver. They might give you more than you bargained for, though."

The world around me swirled in snow as the Exemplar spoke her last words. I almost grasped towards her, but the wind and snow pushed me away from the outside world. Being blinded didn't help my mood, and it didn't help when it all stopped we were outside of the Ice Path. This time we appeared in the first entrance and not the one near Blackthorn City. I sighed, feeling incredibly frustrated. What now? What can we do?

I turned to Joy and my Pokémon for help, but they all stared at me. Skadi and VIctini were whispering to each other while Zin and Io stared quietly. Even Joy had a look that she couldn't believe what was going on. A cold feeling seeped through me, making me shiver.

"Skadi, we're leaving." Joy said, pulling out a Pokéball and recalling the giant Pokémon. With a swift motion, she pulled another one, releasing Zefyra from her confines.

"Let's go, Nick." she said. "We have to get back to Goldenrod City so we can plan to leave for Hoenn. That's still the plan, right?"

"Maybe." I said, frowning. "Unless we want to investigate what Suicune said."

Joy shook her head. "We better get Jon from Cynthia before they go off and make babies or something. As much as dead weight I feel the guy can be sometimes, he's useful to have."

A part of me wanted to laugh at the attempt to joke about the situation, but the feeling wasn't there. I grabbed Io's and Zin's Pokéballs from my belt and recalled the two. Walking up to Joy with Song's staff in hand, the Hydreigon leaned down to allow me and Joy to get on her back. Victini seemed oddly pleased with herself, and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing. She smiled at me as my free arm wrapped around Joy's body. With a loud roar coming from Zefyra's three heads, we lifted off the ground and headed back towards Violet City as quickly as possible.

=========================/////////////////=============================

We reached Violet City when it was already past sunset. The sky was clear, allowing the moon to wash everything in silverlight. We landed in front of the Pokémon Center to find that Jon was outside.

"What took you two so long?" he asked as we landed.

"What are you doing up this late?" I asked back.

"I was worried about you. Also, Cynthia wanted to look through the Ruins of Alph. Official business and all that. She could have at least let me hold her flashlight, right?"

"You're hopeless, Jon." Joy said, shaking her head.

"What about you two? What happened? Did you find Suicune?"

"Yeah, and ten more." I said, frowning. "I... I'm not entirely sure what happened."

He looked at me curiously, but I couldn't meet his gaze. It was probably wrong of me, but it felt like I shouldn't tell him right now. Especially where anyone could hear us talk.

"Come in." he said, grabbing my shoulder. "Let's get you some sleep. It sounds like you need it more than me."

I nodded. "I'll explain what happened. Hopefully it'll make sense to you. I'm still having a hard time believing it all."

No one spoke as we entered the building. Nurse Joy waved at us cheerfully. I did my best to return the friendly gesture. It was my hope that it didn't look too automatic. Joy took me from Jonathan as he opened the door for us. We walked in, with Joy turning on the light as I propped Song's staff against the wall. She pushed me down onto the bed, not bothering with clothes. Her arms held mine, her fingers interlocking with my own. Her hair tickled my nose as she adjusted herself on top of me. I wanted to look away, but there wasn't much I could do without pushing her away. At this moment, it was the last thing I wanted to do.

She twisted around, her back to my chest as she leaned back to rest her head against mine. Our fingers interlocked again, my arms wrapping around her body. My heart beat loudly in my ears, a mixture of emotions vying for attention. Just trying to make sense of yesterday was bad enough. Add today to that, and it was all I could do not to run away screaming. It took all my willpower to not shake. Sleep crept up to me slowly. The occasional footstep outside was the only sound that would startle me awake.

Joy's slow breathing kept me calm. It was the only thing that kept me sane until sleep finally blurred my consciousness from the waking world.

Chapter 33: Upheaval

Where do we go from here? That's the real question that needed to be answered. Though just as important is what do we do. Saying 'we' may be too many people. What should I do? Is it true what Suicune said? How much of what she said was the truth? I still don't get the whole shard business, either. Something about it doesn't make sense to me. Though what would provoke the two Darkrai into attacking? Not to mention Cresselia and her craziness. That might just be that she is simply insane. It didn't stop it from happening, though. Also, Moltres showed up. What did she say? I frowned as I tried to concentrate, but my brain refused to cooperate.

What really confuses me is who is with whom? Suicune and Giratina are obviously in different stances. At least I think so. Though why they worked together in the Ruins of Alph is a question that begs to be answered. Could it be true, then? I frowned, shaking my head again as I leaned on the railing. No, that's just a bunch of stupid shit. Whatever happened to Arceus is beyond our control. For all I know, Suicune could have said that just to get us out of her cave in a convenient manner.

A gust of wind blew by, whipping my hair around and sending a chill down my spine. It felt good, though being in shorts and a shirt seemed to make the change in temperature more pronounced. The city lights of Violet City were still bright against the darkness of the night. I pulled out my Pokédex, the light almost blinding me due to the proximity. The numbers clearly spelled out that it was two-thirty in the morning.

"Mist, are you awake?" I spoke softly.

"You called, Master?" she answered.

"I'm not bothering you, am I?"

"I will admit that the wind is soothing, feeling it through your skin." she responded. "Other than that, no. Though, if you do not mind me saying, it is entertaining watching you think."

"I'm pretty sure you know what I'm about to ask."

"Please enlighten me. It isn't the same if I just pluck at your thoughts."

"You were there for when Suicune mentioned that whole shard of Arceus bit. What do you think?"

Mist stayed quiet for a moment, her voice mumbling in the back of my mind. I distracted myself with looking at the sky, noting that the stars were hidden away. A few clouds passed by, revealing the moon for the first time tonight. Two-thirty? I've been up here for the past hour now.

"No, I do not think Suicune was lying." Mist answered. "The reason why is because ever since the first time you allowed me to merge, I could feel something inside of you."

I was surprised by this. "And you never told me?"

"I was not sure how well you would react. Humans tend to be guarded a lot about the things they do not know. How would you feel if I mentioned this before?"

She did have a point. "I'm sorry, Mist. You're right."

"But to continue, there is something here. Some kind of energy trapped or entwined with your own life energy."

"Have you interacted with it before?"

"No. The thought both excites and terrifies me."

I gulped at that. What would scare Mist? Surprised, maybe. I find it hard to visualize her actually being afraid.

"Interacting with this could cause you endless pain." she said. "I am afraid that if it is moved without proper care, the agony could be unbearable."

"What do you see?" I asked.

"It is a bit hard to explain to someone that is not used to seeing what we can. I will do my best, though. Imagine a small sphere, about the size of your closed fist. It also constantly shifts colors with no discernible pattern. Tied to this small sphere is a thick and elastic substance. For lack of better terms, your soul. Perhaps filaments is the better term. Regardless, this sphere and you are integrated to each other. Though if you did not know, perhaps it is integrated to you.

"Before you ask, no, I have never touched this. Like I said, I feared that it may harm you if it was interacted with. This is something that should be handled with extreme care."

"Could you touch it?"

"Master! I was just done telling you that it's dangerous for me to do so!"

"No, you said you think it is. That it might. I trust you to be careful."

The thought crossed my mind that perhaps I should play a joke. I suppressed the idea quickly. It wouldn't be nice to the ghost that is going to be handling something that is apparently tied to my very being.

"I agree, Master." she said with a giggle. Her voice turned serious. "Please let me know if you feel anything. While I should be able to tell, your input would be appreciated."

I nodded. "I'm ready."

Without knowing what to expect, I focused on trying to feel something out of the ordinary. My hands held a light hold of the railing in the attempt to keep myself as relaxed as possible. A sharp sensation went through me. It wasn't painful at the very least. It was more like having a bucket of ice water dumped on your head. A ghostly finger traced down my spine. The problem was that I wasn't sure if it was happening for real, or it was Mist.

"Are you alright, Master?" Mist asked.

"I'm fine." I answered breathlessly. "Nothing hurts. It feels like something is rubbing my back."

The sensation traveled to my shoulders next. It felt like someone was giving me a massage or something like that. I reached to my chest, feeling it rise and fall beneath my fingers. After a moment, my heartbeat became the center of my focus.

"Are you alright, Master?" Mist asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just trying to stay calm. Nothing hurts so far."

"I am holding the sphere while it is mainly attached to your soul." she clarified. "It... it is warm to the touch. Do you feel anything of the sort?"

"No, I don't, though it felt like someone was massaging my shoulders a moment ago."

"That would be me."

I stiffened at the new voice. Turning around, Joy was giving me a smile as she stood behind me. She wrapped her arms around me, resting her head on my shoulders.

"What are you doing? Experimenting?" she asked teasingly.

"Probably a little." I admitted. "It looks like Mist knew all along that there was something odd about me."

Joy shrugged. "Well, that doesn't take a genius to figure out."

I chuckled. "That's true."

She pulled away from me for a moment. "What has you up this early in the morning?"

"Thinking about what we should do."

"You can think about that in the morning, after everyone's done being caught up. We'll see what we can do to get tickets to Hoenn, and we'll be safe there."

I didn't think 'safe' was the proper word. I'm not entirely sure if going to Hoenn was the best idea. Regardless of these thoughts, I nodded. "Alright."

"And who were you talking to?"

"Mist. She's inside of me right now."

That left her speechless for a moment. Joy rolled her eyes as she shook her head. "You're crazy. Mist, please don't touch anything that you shouldn't."

"Too late for that." I said, holding up a hand. "I insisted. In her defense, if anything happened to me is due to ignoring any warnings from her."

"I stopped handling the orb just now." Mist said. "Did you feel anything out of the ordinary?"

"No, Mist, I didn't." I reported. "It looks like I don't feel anything through it."

"If you do not mind, I will leave it alone from now on. It feels like I should not be the one handling such objects of power."

Joy grabbed my hand. "Let's go back to bed. Zin was already threatening to burn things if I didn't get you back."

I chuckled, nodding. "Fine. Let's go. I think I'm ready to get some more rest anyway."

She smiled at me, pulling my hand as she took the lead. We tried to be as quiet as possible going down the stairs. Our footsteps echoed loudly in the staircase and the hallway. The door to our room was open, Baast and Victini both acting like they were standing guard.

"I figured it would be you, Master." Baast said with a toothy smile.

"What happened?" Victini asked.

I shook my head. "Just thinking."

"Ready to go to bed?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Zin is being unbearable right now."

"Joy mentioned something about her." I said with a grin.

"Calm her down, would you?" Victini asked.

I nodded as we walked inside. Zin must have been waiting for the door to open, because she jumped into my chest the moment it opened. Good thing I was in front of everyone. She didn't say anything as my arms wrapped around her. Her cold nose pressed against my neck, making me shiver. I shook my head, carefully navigating my way back to the bed. After managing that, Baast insisted that I used her lap as a pillow. With Zin snoozing in my arms, Joy rested against my back. Victini was somewhere, I wasn't sure right now.

Either way, it was still hard to relax. How would Jon take this news? How would everyone else? Only five others knew about this whole Arceus thing. Would this push our group apart?

========================////////////////////////////=====================

Jon joined us in the morning on the roof of the Pokémon Center. I honestly didn't even feel safe. Joy was standing beside me, holding my left arm in a tight grip. Mist was surprisingly outside of my body. She was hovering to my right, her touch on my shoulder sending a shiver down my spine. Joy insisted that I took a shower before coming up here, and that I use some of the new clothing that she picked out for me. The blue shirt with yellow makes me feel like I'm a Luxray or something.

"So, what happened?" Jon asked.

"Nick has some kind of piece of Arceus attached to him." Joy said without much preamble. "It seems that's why we're being targeted by individuals or groups of legendary Pokémon."

"Wait what."

"You heard me, dammit! Don't make me repeat it again!"

"You're being serious." Jon said, looking towards me.

I nodded. "That's what Suicune said. Mist confirms it, due to her seeing something whenever she merges in me."

"You're going to take the word of a crazy legendary and a ghost."

"The ghost you're talking about is right here, so show some respect." I pointed out.

"And you trust her?"

"Yes, I do."

Jon looked at me for a moment before shaking his head. "You're really trusting, aren't you? Alright. Say this is real, and that you have some missing piece that whoever is looking for. What do we do?"

"That's what I was trying to figure out. Suicune mentioned something along the lines of something of gold and silver."

"Gold and silver?" Jon asked.

"Does that ring any bells?" I asked.

"Quite literally." he said, nodding. "We need to go back to Ecruteak."

"Why go back there?"

"Well, usually it's there that we can find any connections to the two that you mentioned. You remember the two towers that we passed by, right?"

I nodded. "That's where we're going." Jon finished.

"Wait a second. Now you suddenly believe him?" Joy asked with a frown.

Jon shrugged. "It's not about if I believe him or not. I've seen what's been going on since we first met. It makes sense.... if I don't try to think about it too hard."

"How does it make sense?"

"Just how Suicune keeps appearing in convenient situations." he said. "You don't normally have someone of that kind of power just watching over you because he or she is bored. She obviously is taking precautions to keep you safe. If bringing everyone to life will do that, she'll do it. She's willing to work with someone that's obviously against her to get what she needs, so there is that to think about as well.

"Though I guess who is the real enemy is the real question. Why does Suicune want you safe? Why were the Darkrai first sent, and then withdrawn? Who sent Cresselia after you? This is beginning to grow out of our hands extremely fast. I think that we should really turn to Cynthia and the other champions to see if they're willing to help us out."

"Is she still around?" I asked. "Cynthia, I mean."

Jon nodded. "She was going to stay around Violet City for a few more days before heading out to her next target. She didn't say where."

"If you know where she would be right now, let's go. If we can get her opinion on this, the better."

"Are you sure that you should mention that?" Mist asked, concern in her voice.

Jon nodded. "I feel like we can trust her. She hasn't outright lied to us. At least, it doesn't feel like it."

"She's always had a good image with the public." I said, nodding. "Alright. Lead the way, then. I don't know where she's staying."

"And why in the fuck do you think I know?!"

"By the time I left, you were giving her a look that said 'Take me! Take me now!'" Joy said, laughing.

Jon's face looked like it was sunburnt. He walked past us with his head facing down. He opened the door to the staircase loudly, ignoring us any further.

"Are you guys coming or not!" he shouted.

=======================////////////////////////////////==================

We found Cynthia leaving the same restaurant that she took us in the other day. She greeted us with a grin and a wave, giving the air of being happy to see us again.

"Hey you three." she said as she approached. "Good to see you again."

"Good to see you again, Cynthia." Jon said with a smile.

I can totally understand why Joy has her opinion about Jon and Cynthia now.

"What happened down there?" Cynthia asked. "I mean, you told me, but jeez. You guys weren't kidding, were you?"

I shook my head. "No, we weren't." I answered. "By the way, is there some way we can ask you some questions? Somewhere in private, if possible?"

She looked at me curiously, but nodded. "Sure."

Cynthia took the lead, taking us towards the Ruins of Alph. The moment I saw the entrance, the first thought was to turn the other way. This was the last place I wanted to be. Joy held my hand tightly, keeping my pace with her. Cynthia held up a section of the caution tape that was used to ward off the area. I was surprised, but then again it makes sense. It should have been pretty obvious that something happened down there while we were there.

Suddenly, I really wish I hadn't recalled Mist back into her Pokéball. Thankfully, we only stepped inside the main entrance and didn't go much further inside the ruins. Cynthia turned towards us, a pensive look on her face as she studied our faces.

"I imagine that something happened, if you're asking for my help." she stated.

We were silent, but I nodded after a moment. "Yeah, you can say that."

"Tell me, please. I want to get to the bottom of this just as much as you do."

I'm not sure about that, but I'll believe you. "Alright."

I didn't leave anything out of our encounter with Suicune. Joy helped me out to describe what happened, and any specifics that my retelling skipped over. Cynthia was frowning as she shook her head.

"So let me get this straight. Giratina wants you dead because that's the only way to get... whatever it is... that's a piece of Arceus? And then Suicune doesn't want you to get killed so Giratina doesn't get it because of something that happened who knows when?"

I nodded. "That sounds about right."

The only part that didn't make any sense is why did both Darkrai say that the orders they received were a mistake? Giratina also confirmed that. This isn't as simple as Cynthia wants it to be.

"The only problem is that I don't think Giratina wants me dead." I said, frowning. "He just mentioned that there was a mistake. But what exactly is the question."

Cynthia shook her head. "Either way, I think that there's enough evidence that your life and the lives of those around you are in danger. You should lay low, get out of Johto. Go somewhere else other than here."

"We were planning on going to Hoenn." I said slowly. Cynthia clapped her hands.

"That sounds like a plan. I'll let Lance know that you'll be in Hoenn later today. When do you plan on leaving?"

"Today, if possible. Though most likely it'll be whenever they have available seats." Jon said. "We had terrible luck when we came from Sinnoh to Johto, so we're not making any bets that it's been any better."

Cynthia nodded. "Either way, it's best that he knows that you'll be on your way. He'll be in the area. Hopefully, anyway. The guy can be a real bastard when he wants to be."

I was about to ask what she meant by that, but she continued speaking. "Regardless, you guys should start heading out to Goldenrod. The sooner you can buy your tickets, the better."

Jon nodded. "We'll get there."

"There's one more thing." I said. "Suicune mentioned something about the Watchers of Gold and Silver. Do you know what that would mean?"

She frowned. "Sounds like something to refer to Ho-Oh and Lugia. Though why I have no idea. The last time those two showed up, the sky looked like something out of a snow globe. Except replace the snow with rain and have fire painting the night sky red."

Cynthia shook her head. "Maybe that bit of news was never really circulated." she said with a shrug. "Either way, if you do decide to call on them, I'll leave you with two warnings. One, they don't get along. Ever. All the accounts of both Lugia and Ho-Oh being anywhere within anywhere means that something bad is going to happen.

"The second is that they haven't been spotted, even individually, for ten years. Researchers and trainers have been trying to find them ever since that one time they both showed up at the same time. It's the only reason the vast majority of visitors that actually go to the Bell Tower is to pray for Ho-Oh's return. Why is something else entirely. Some people believe that should Ho-Oh defeat Lugia, peace will return to the world. Though I'm not entirely sure what they mean by 'peace'. It's not like we've been in a war or anything similar."

Jon tapped his foot. "It sounds like there's a lot more going on that what we know right now." he said with a frown. "Do you honestly think it would be a good idea to investigate this?"

"Do you suggest waiting on our asses while something else happens?" I asked back.

"As long as none of us go off on our own and get ambushed." he retaliated.

I rolled my eyes but held my tongue in check. "Right. Anyway, what do you think, Cynthia?"

She shook her head, shrugging. "Do you trust Suicune?" Cynthia asked.

That was the ten thousand Zenny question, wasn't it. "I don't know. She has helped me before, and she doesn't seem to want to harm us."

"At least not yet anyway." Cynthia said.

"She specifically mentioned that if any danger reaches her, she would tell me."

"And how much of that is true? How do you know?"

"She healed Xola." I responded. "Suicune did that without asking for any payment. I can safely say that if there was any legendary Pokémon that wasn't after us, it would be her."

Both Jon and Cynthia shared the same displeased expression. "I still think you should be careful." Cynthia warned.

"I'm not saying that we shouldn't. I'm insisting that we shouldn't just sit on our asses waiting for whatever comes next and just reacting to it."

"And if that plays into the enemies hands?" Jon asked.

"It's happened more than once before. When that female Darkrai showed up, we didn't hesitate to fight back."

He frowned, but nodded. "Let's just stick together from now on."

I returned the nod. "Yeah."

"Well, sounds like you guys will be going to Ecruteak." Cynthia said. "You should go before it gets any later. The Bell Tower tends to be iffy on its time schedule for visitors."

===========================////////////////////=========================

We reached Ecruteak a bit late in the afternoon. By the time we reached the Bell Tower, many people were on their way back into the city proper. We were stopped from going any further due to the doors actually being closed.

"Well, it looks like Cynthia was right." I sighed. "Still, we're here, so we wait until tomorrow."

Jon and Joy nodded, making our way back to the Pokémon Center. No one seemed to come close to us. A few trainers threw challenging looks our way, but none stepped up to actually challenge any one of us. Which, to be honest, was surprising. Was there some kind of rule against public battling that I wasn't aware of? I voiced my question to my friends, and they both shook their heads.

"No, they're just too pussy shit to do something about it." Joy said with a shrug. "They think we're easy pickings, but can't be bothered by it."

I sighed. "Probably for the best. I don't really need to be fighting today to be prepared for tomorrow."

"Do you think something will happen in the Bell Tower?" Jon asked.

I shook my head. "To be honest, no. At least, nothing should happen. Cynthia said that neither Ho-Oh nor Lugia have been spotted in a very long time. It would be very unlikely."

"As unlikely it was that both Moltres and Cresselia came to pay you a visit?" Jon asked.

I sighed. "I just don't think it'll happen. Cresselia was already spotted before coming to me. And even then, we didn't know back then what we know now."

He nodded. "You have a point. Let's keep our guard up, just in case."

We all agreed as we entered the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy greeted us with a warm smile. When asked about staying, we nodded. Joy was quick to say we only needed two rooms instead of three. Nurse Joy got a sly look as she placed a third key down, handing her and Jon the two keys.

"So, who's the boyfriend?" Nurse Joy asked. "The guy with the long hair? You always had something for guys with mullets."

I grabbed hold of my hair, trying to judge the length by feeling it. It was longer than shoulder length. Was that what people mean by that? I've personally never heard it called that.

"That's not really a mullet, you know." Jon said. "It's not just long in the back."

Nurse Joy laughed. "I know. Just giving my sister a hard time. But anyway, really, who is it?"

Joy grabbed hold of my arm, pulling me next to her. Nurse Joy scrutinized me for a moment, leaning forward over her desk to get a closer look. Her blue eyes darted over my face. It felt like she was trying to find something wrong with me.

"He looks decent enough." she said with a huff. "Anyone else asked about him?"

Joy shook her head. "No, not really."

"Treat her well, or there's going to be fucking hell to pay." Nurse Joy said, pointing a finger at me.

I nodded numbly. "Joy, I'll take the key and your things. I'll meet you in a little while, alright?"

She nodded, passing me the room key and her belongings. Nurse Joy pointed towards her left. "That's where the rooms are." she said, staring at us.

I nodded, falling behind Jon as he started walking in that direction. As soon as we turned a corner, he shook his head.

"Jeez, what's her problem?" he asked in a hushed voice.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Ideally we won't be here for very long so we won't have to worry too much."

We found our rooms to be near the middle of the hallway. Jon took a look at the numbers and sighed. I raised an eyebrow at him with my door already opened and me almost through it.

"Don't do anything you shouldn't do." he said while shaking his head.

"I don't plan on it." I said. "It's everyone else that wants it."

"Well, be the voice of reason if they get out of control."

"Try telling that to a Houndoom that threatens to bite your extremities when she doesn't get what she wants." I pointed out. "Do you really want that?"

He sighed. "Good luck."

I went inside the room after saying our goodbyes to each other. The concern was appreciated, but it really wasn't as bad as it seemed. My hands dropped their cargo, turning on the lights to see my surroundings as I closed the door behind me. My thoughts went to my Pokémon, reflecting on what Jon said. Zin does tend to be a bit clingy, but so is Song. Mist is always hovering close by, or hanging somewhere in the depths of my body. Baast and Spirit can be just as bad, especially the Lucario during the Ghast Festival. That was honestly something that wasn't expected. The only 'normal' ones seem to be Akalia and Aurora. Speaking of the Weavile, maybe she should get more time outside of her ball. A sigh escaped me. It feels like everything is going crazy and I'm not paying attention to everything.

I grabbed the Weavile's Pokéball, the sound of it opening echoing loudly in the silent room. She materialized on top of the bed. Aurora looked around for a moment before her eyes settled on me. With a jump she easily covered the distance, landing on my chest. I dropped what was on my hands to make sure she didn't fall. Though I'm pretty sure her claws would have done something to stop that. Probably for the best, because ruining a shirt right now could very well mean an infuriated Joy when she came in.

I sat down on the bed, slowly relaxing. A stray thought crossed my mind that maybe this would have been better if I was sitting on a chair. Oh well. I leaned back, holding onto Aurora gently to make sure that she wouldn't fall off her perch. Her body temperature was lower than normal. Usually when she's sitting on my head it doesn't bother me.

"Are you feeling alright, Aurora?"

She didn't respond to my question in any way. While I didn't want to move her from her spot, my concern was quickly overriding that initial hesitation. Maybe she's just tired? My hands pressed against her back gently. Her cold breath washed over my chest quickly. Her breathing was beginning to turn erratic. I tried to pull her away from me to take a closer look, but her claws dug deeper into my sides.

"Aurora." I called. "Can you hear me? It's me, Nick. Are you alright?"

She responded by shaking her head against my chest. I've never seen her like this before. Her body shook against mine as her claws continued to bury themselves deeper into me. A stray thought crossed my mind if the wounds were deep enough to spill blood. It didn't feel like it, but I wasn't entirely sure.

I sighed, holding the Weavile tightly. She wouldn't pull her face out of my chest, and her body still shivered. My fingers touched along her body, but this would cause her arms to tighten her hold on me.

"Aurora, you're going to have to let go or I'm going to be missing a lung or two soon." I said while rubbing her head.

Not surprisingly, it only made her hold tighter. The door opened as Joy came in the room. Her eyes widened immediately as she rushed over.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

"Not sure. I got Aurora out of her Pokéball and she's been like this ever since."

"You're bleeding."

"Thought so. I'm sorry for ruining the shirt."

"Idiot. Don't worry about that now."

Joy moved behind Aurora, her hands gently moving her claws away from me. I winced, but did my best to stay calm. A stinging sensation was my reward as the first claw was removed. The second one joined it, leaving me with my sides feeling like they were burning.

"Stay still and don't let her out of your sight." she demanded. "I'll be right back."

I nodded, holding onto Aurora gently. Her arms were wrapped around her as she began to shake. What would cause this to happen? I don't think it was something I said. Pushing these thoughts away, my focus returned to the shaking Weavile. It didn't take long for Joy to come back with bandages in one hand and a syringe in the other. The bandages were thrown at my face as Joy kneeled behind Aurora. Grabbing hold of the shaking Weavile, she pushed the needle under the skin and black fur to inject whatever liquid was inside. Joy pulled the needle out, grabbing the bandages and wrapped the injury up quickly. After securing the bandages, she stood up and walked out without a word.

I turned my focus back to Aurora, feeling her shaking slow down. It was still there, but it felt like her breathing was returning to normal. Very slowly, but at the very least she was calming down. I removed my shirt, inspecting the damage done by feel. My fingers touched something wet, so that must be my blood. Feeling a little bit more, the wounds could be felt. These weren't too deep, or at least didn't feel like it.

Joy came back inside the room, a towel in one hand and more bandages in the other. The door closed behind her as she approached, so someone else knew what was going on. She approached me silently, staring at Aurora as she rocked by herself. Throwing the towel and bandages at me, she took Aurora in her hands and hugged her gently. The Weavile seemed to be taken by surprise as Joy petted her head softly. Her eyes were wide as she shook her head side to side.

"Do you have her papers still, Nick?" Joy asked.

I nodded. "They're in my bag." I answered.

Joy passed Aurora to me. I held her gently against my naked chest, feeling her cold fur against my skin. My fingers gently rubbed her back as Joy went through my things. It didn't take her very long to find them, bringing the entire folder with her. Joy flipped through a few pages before staring at one in specific. She then looked at me like if I was insane.

"That look is getting old, to be honest." I said, shaking my head. "I get it enough from Jon."

"She has PTSD." she stated flatly.

The acronym didn't exactly trigger a response from me. Joy sighed. "Post-traumatic stress disorder." she clarified.

My eyes widened at that. The Weavile in my arms began to shake again. We both looked down at Aurora as she shook her head side to side.

"Maybe right now is not the best time to talk about it." I offered. "Regardless of what the reason is, I'm not giving her up."

"Even after hurting you?" Joy asked.

"It was an accident." I said softly. "Nothing more and nothing less. I'm fine anyway. It's not like part of me was ripped off."

"Lift her up for a second." Joy said. I did as was asked as she pulled out the towel from my lap. "You've been getting the bed all bloody."

Shit. "I'll take another room or something, so you don't-"

"Don't worry about it." she said, shaking her head. "This might sting a little."

Before I could ask what she meant by that, my left side felt like it was on fire. It was quickly joined by my right. A hiss escaped my mouth, trying to keep my voice under control. My body shivered a little bit due to the stinging, but it took a moment for the sensation to finally stop.

"The bandages had alcohol on them." she explained after the fact.

"You don't say."

"At least the wounds should close up. Also, you'd probably get sick if they were exposed all night."

"I'm pretty I wouldn't be sleeping if they were open all night."

Joy smiled at me. "Can't believe we're talking so casually about it."

"It was an accident. We took care of it, and that's that. While it was painful, it isn't something that's unknown to me. I've had my fair share of cuts and bruises before."

"I'm sure that Song can tell me all about those." Joys said with a grin.

I shrugged. "Maybe. Xola was the cause of a few, so she has the eyewitness experience. Song will just tell you about what she's seen after I come hobbling over to her."

"Hobbling?" Joy asked. "What, did you twist your ankle or something?"

I shrugged. "I've broken a leg or two before." I answered. "Miracle of modern medicine has me still kicking. Literally."

She shook her head. "Jeez. That's crazy."

"You could ask the Solaceon Nurse Joy if you'd like. She treated me in more than one occasion."

"Your parents must wonder how you lived half the time."

I shook my head. "Half the injuries I ever got were when I was with them on digs."

Joy shook her head before leaning against me. "Try to stay safe from now on, alright?"

"I don't try to find dangerous things. If I had my way of it, all of this could have never happened." I said, frowning. I tightened my grip around Aurora before continuing. "But then again, I would have never met you, or Aurora, or Jon. Maybe it'll all make sense soon, but I'm glad that I've met you."

We lapsed into silence, Joy leaning on my shoulder and Aurora resting gently. It was likely that the Weavile was asleep right now. It was more likely that Joy used some kind of sedative. While I wasn't entirely sure it was necessary, the deed was done already. A sigh escaped me, struggling to wrap my head around what I expected to happen. What are we expecting? For Ho-Oh and Lugia to show up the day that we go to the tower? The idea sounded stupid in my head, let alone expecting something like that. Hopefully we can just learn more of what's going on. Or at least be able to understand what would cause all this to happen in the first place.

=======================/////////////////////////========================

I was awoken by something sharp poking my belly. It startled me, but most of my body was restrained in some way. To my right was Joy, her eyes closed and her arms wrapped around my body. That explains that, but what poked me? The sensation happened again, a little gentler than the first time. I looked down to see Aurora looking up to me, her left claw poking at my side.

I smiled, rubbing her back gently. She shook her head from side to side, before poking me again. What did she want?

"You don't have to apologize." I whispered.

She poked me again, muttering something to herself. While I couldn't understand what she was saying, I hoped that it wasn't self-degrading.

"Just so we're clear, you're not going anywhere." I pointed out. "Unless you want to leave."

She shook her head again, lifting her head up and opening her mouth. Before she could say anything out loud, I pressed a finger against her lips. Her breath, just like her body, was cold against my skin.

"You don't have to say anything." I said with a smile. "There's nothing wrong with you. You're not going anywhere from here, alright? Though I have to remember to let you around more often."

Her claws grabbed hold of my arm, refusing to let go when I tried to shake them off gently. Aurora shook her head, her hold tightening on my skin. I could feel the claws beginning to cut into my skin. She started shaking again. Trying to keep her calm, my fingers reached to touch her. I was thankful that she relented, and slowly began calming down again. Aurora rested her head against my chest as my hands held her against me. My left hand held her head gently, trying not to ruffle her crest too much while my right was against her back.

I could feel Aurora relax, her claws resting on her sides and hanging limp. Her breathing was relaxed against my skin, which sent a shiver up my spine. Joy's soft laughter made me sit up straight.

"You're good." she whispered. "I don't really know of anyone that wouldn't have freaked out after they heard those words."

"I'll have to look at her file before we leave in the morning." I said softly, rubbing Aurora's back. "Just so I know how to handle her better."

"Slowly but surely." Joy said, nodding on my shoulder. "What time is it?"

"Not sure. I don't think its morning yet. My Pokédex isn't ringing and Jon isn't beating our door down."

"Wake me up when something happens." she said before taking a deep breath and falling silent.

I stayed awake for a little while longer, enjoying the moment. My eyes felt tired after a few minutes of this, though. Even after closing them, my mind stayed active. Most of my worries came from what would happen tomorrow. I gently pushed them back, telling myself that it's something that's out of my control at the moment. I sighed, resting my head against Joy's and slowly following her example.

=========================///////////////////////========================

Aurora was on my shoulder as I read her file. Joy was still asleep, but it was still early in the morning. My Weavile was somewhere in between awake and resting. She moved around every so often, but wasn't very animated. Maybe she still felt bad about what happened last night. Every time I touched her back, her purring almost lulled me into a stupor. It rumbled her body enough to make my head feel numb.

As I looked at her profile, it was obvious that she had trust issues. From the instances where doctors and volunteers were injured to damaged equipment. I was already aware of that, so what's this about PTSD? Going through the paperwork, it was startling to see that there was no mention of such diagnosed condition. Did Joy do some research without my knowledge, or is she just calling it on the fly? Getting the answer from Aurora could prove either fruitful or disastrous. I don't want her to feel like I'm prodding too much, especially if she has gone through some traumatic experience.

The sun was still trying to come up in the morning. I did wake up before my Pokédex rang, so Joy was getting a little bit of more sleep than I was. Probably for the best. When I woke up this morning, she didn't even move. Her arms and legs were wrapped around me possessively. Somehow Aurora had gotten away from Joy's grasp, but it was probably for the best. She had slept on her usual spot on top of my head.

I noticed a number on the bottom of one of the pages. Going back inside the Pokémon Center, I quickly spotted Nurse Joy behind her desk. Approaching a little hesitantly, she spoke before anything left my mouth.

"What do you want?" she asked coldly.

"Could I use one of your phones, please?" I asked.

She nodded, pointing behind her with a wave of her hand. "Knock yourself out."

"Thanks." I said, moving towards the telephones.

These weren't like the ones in the mall that we used to call my mom and dad. Picking up the receiver and getting the normal dial tone confirmed that they worked. That's all I needed. Punching in the numbers, the familiar sound of a dial tone poured from the speaker next to my ear.

"Thank you for calling the Breeder's License Bureau. How can we direct your call?" a feminine voice answered.

I was surprised, to be honest. "I'd like to speak with Dan please. It's about a certain Weavile that I adopted while I was taking my test there. My name's Nick."

"One moment, please. I'm not sure if he's in this early in the morning. Could you hold, please?" the lady asked.

"Sure." I replied. I was put on hold immediately after saying the words.

Some classical music started to play from the receiver while I waited. It was just getting to the good part when the music stopped playing.

"Nick? What's up?"

"Hey Dan. I have a question about Weavile."

"What's up?"

"Are the files you handed me her most recent?" I asked.

A sigh came from his side. "No, they're not. I realized it after you had already left for Johto. We still have your Pokédex on file, so we can send you the information to your device if you would like."

"Yes, please."

"Did something happen?" he asked.

"There was an accident." I said softly. "I opened her Pokéball and she latched on to me like she was scared or something. After a few moments, I noticed that her claws were digging into my sides."

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I didn't get hurt too bad. Tell me, does Aurora have some kind of traumatic event happen to her?"

"Who's Aurora?"

"The Weavile I adopted."

"Right. Anyway, yeah, she has some... issues. Personal issues, mind you. She didn't show this kind of trauma until a few days after being left with us. To be honest, I'm not sure what's wrong with her."

"Joy thinks it's PTSD." I offered.

"No, she doesn't have that. Her previous caretaker was always in contact with us, and I've seen her personally before and after she was handed over. I highly doubt it."

I sighed. "Then what do you think it might be?"

"Trust issues, for one. Over-attachment is another." he answered. "But no PTSD. I wonder why Joy would think of that out of all things. Either case, don't worry too much. Just take care not to get stabbed again."

"I'll try to keep in touch with you, just in case."

"It would be nice. How are things in Johto?"

"They're nice, I have to admit. Joy wants us to go to Hoenn, so we'll be leaving as soon as we can secure the air travel."

"Good old Hoenn." Dan said wistfully. "Take lots of pictures. I'm quite sure you've never seen anything like it."

"I will. Thanks, Dan. Have a good day." I said.

"You too." he responded before he hung up.

I placed the receiver back in its cradle, my mind running with what Dan just said. At least there isn't some traumatic experience. At least one that isn't as traumatic as what Joy thought. Perhaps when Dan sends me the data on Aurora will this get cleared out? Hopefully it isn't something like what Spirit or Mist had to go through.

My Pokédex made a pinging sound, startling me with the sudden input. Pulling it out of my pocket, I opened it up to see that it was receiving something. Probably that document Dan was talking about. My Pokédex made another pinging sound when it told me that the document was here. That was faster than I thought it would be. Still need to sit down one day to figure out how to work this darn thing. With all the commotion going on, I don't even know half the features that I've read about!

A hand pressed my shoulder, accompanied by a soft hiss. Turning around slowly, Nurse Joy was standing over me. At first, it looked like she was angry. It took me a moment to notice that she was more worried than anything.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Is my Weavile still asleep?" I asked.

"Yeah, she's still passed out. You didn't answer my question."

"I'm alright. Just trying to get my head around things is all."

"Sounds like you have a lot to think about." she said. "Are you alright, though? My sister did say that you were injured."

"I'm fine. After Joy patched me up, everything ended up better than expected. Thank you for asking."

"I want to apologize for yelling at you when you arrived." she continued. "I don't tend to do very well with guys dating or going out with one of my sisters."

Oh yeah, that little stunt. "We just started really considering starting a relationship." I said. "It was her idea, to be honest."

Nurse Joy smiled, nodding. It was true enough, so I don't think this will backfire too much when Joy finds out.

"So, how do you stand her?"

"Excuse me?"

"My sister. How do you put up with her?" Nurse Joy asked.

I silently stood up, making sure that Aurora was safe and still sleeping. My thoughts quickly turned to what was asked of me. Feelings and memories were quickly recalled, from helping me and Jon through Mount Coronet when we first met, to the most recent things we've been through.

"She puts up with my crap just as much as I do with her." I said with a smile. "We end up getting along more often than we fight, though."

"And how often do you fight?" she asked.

Come to think about it, when have we actually gotten to a heated argument? "We haven't actually fought." I said.

=========================/////////////////////////======================

Now that we were finally inside the Bell Tower, I could see why there were so many visitors. The gentle smell of incense distracted me and dulled my senses. Song and Aurora were the ones with me at the moment. Jon got the brilliant idea of covering more ground by splitting up and gathering what we've found in a few hours. My protests fell on deaf ears, as they argued that none of our assaulters has attacked in broad daylight and to endanger other lives.

I still didn't like it. It's not like that would really stop them, right? A few more casualties shouldn't stop them from getting what they wanted.

I stopped moving forward, my body being pushed against the wall. Blinking my eyes in confusion, it wasn't until a few people looked surprised at me that made me a little self-conscious. Song shook her head, waving everyone ahead.

"There's nothing to see here, you idiots." she muttered. I was extremely thankful that no one else had Pokémon out.

I was pretty sure that no one wanted to argue with her, especially with the look she had on her face. Thankfully, no one dared question the Gardevoir's actions. Perhaps it didn't help that Aurora was doing something. She wasn't sitting still on top of my head, that's for sure.

"Weavile?"

"Master wasn't paying attention." Song said.

"Trying to think." I muttered.

"More like trying to think of an excuse why nothing has happened." she said, poking a finger into my chest. "Relax for once. You're going to punish yourself with sleepless nights if you don't."

"I'll stay sleepless regardless." I said, guarding myself from her inquisitive finger. "Besides, I think we're here."

The doors opened to an outside balcony. I wasn't sure how high we were, but we were pretty high. I lost count of the floors past the fifteenth. A cold breeze blew, making me shiver slightly. Perhaps following Joy's suggestion today about wearing a jacket would have been a good idea. It was a beautiful day outside. A few clouds dotted the sky, but it was mostly a bright and sunny day. A few bird Pokémon flew by, a Pidgeotto and a few Pidgey following after it. The area around us was currently empty. The only company other than my Pokémon was the solitary trash.

I sighed as I walked forward towards the stone railing. Leaning against it, the sight was something to remember. Maybe I should take a picture? A mechanical sound made me turn around, seeing Song with my Pokédex in her hands.

"I 'heard' what you thought." she said with a smile. "A good thing I'm taller than you, isn't it?"

I chuckled at that. "Probably for the best. Would you mind taking a few more?"

She giggled, but nodded. Song leaned against my back as Aurora moved to accommodate the large Gardevoir. Aurora must have said something because Song started laughing gently. It remained a mystery, as Song didn't respond back. A few more clicking sounds came from above as I relaxed. If anything, this let us unwind from everything that's happened recently. More of my Pokémon would be out here, but the monks here were ready to kick me out that I broke their 'one Pokémon' rule. Because apparently Aurora just takes so much space in the hallways that she would block people walking by.

"There. That should be good to send to your parents, right?" Song asked, passing the Pokédex down to me.

I grasped the Pokédex, seeing the pictures she took. A grin spread across my face when I noticed the last one was of the three of us. I totally didn't know what was going on and it was easy to see from the picture. Aurora had squeezed in at the last moment into the picture it seemed. There was a bit of a motion blur in the picture.

"Thanks." I said with a smile. "They're perfect."

I felt Song's hands roam across my chest as her head rested on top of mine. The shard on her chest poked at my back but it wasn't too bothersome. A soft hymn came from Song, making my eyes go wide. It was a simple melody, but it was one of the first that I 'taught' her. Her fingers gripped my shirt, as if somehow I was escaping her grasp. It was a slow humming, which was an adaptation of the actual song. Either way she continued, holding me tightly against her as she sang her melody into me.

It felt like what was happening to me was separate from everything else. The only thing that mattered was the soft melody reverberating through me and the feeling of her body against mine. Aurora's claws would occasionally make me shift in place, but nothing distracted me or Song. The humming shifted a little bit, the pace picking up as she switched to another melody. She slowly pulled away, a shiver running up my spine as her warmth left my back. I slowly turned towards her, slowly noticing that she was holding my right arm in her hands.

"Please?" she asked.

To be honest, dancing in public has never been a calling of mine. But to say no right now... I think it's time to swallow that fear. I approached her slowly, our free hands meeting halfway before she slid inside my arms. It wasn't the first time that I marveled at how tall she was. Easily standing a foot above me, she was taller than most of her kind. I still remember when she was so embarrassed about being taller than I was.

I wouldn't call it dancing, what we were doing. Though, perhaps this is all she wanted to do. Either way, she held me tightly against her. The prominent shard on her chest rested on my right cheek as she held me against her chest. She kept humming all the while almost without a reason.

I wasn't sure how long we stayed like that. At one point the humming stopped but Song didn't let go. It wasn't until Aurora said her name loudly did Song let me go. The red on her face told me that Aurora was saying something embarrassing. I shook my head, not only at what was going around me, but to shake off the fuzzy feeling that surrounded me.

"Master! Please tell her that what I did wasn't sexual!"

"What?"

"Tell her!"

Oh Arceus. I shook my head, holding up a hand to stave off any further talking while I got my bearings again. After taking a few deep breaths, it felt like my mind was in working order again. Aurora was standing on the ground with her arms crossed looking at us rather accusingly.

"Why would you think anything like that was going on?" I asked, phrasing myself carefully.

Aurora proceeded to speak loudly, pointing at the two of us. Song's face was bright red when the Weavile was done speaking.

"Well?" I asked the Gardevoir.

"It's nothing." she said.

"I'm pretty sure that Aurora will disagree with you there."

Song played with her fingers for a moment before answering. "She was saying that I was... getting aroused."

Oh. "Well... are you?"

"More than I'd care to admit."

"Would you like to return to your Pokéball?" I asked.

She nodded swiftly. "Let me out as soon as we can be in private. I promise I'll be fine by then."

I nodded, pulling out her Pokéball and recalling her. Not entirely sure I should feel nervous or excited about what she just said. Either way, Aurora jumped into my arms. She stared at me for a moment, before snorting and looking away.

"What?" I asked.

She pointed down. I looked, seeing that I was not proper for my own good. Turning to face the railing once more, I forced myself to think of anything else. Aurora's laughter didn't particularly help me calm down. It was only by luck that no one saw us.

The doors flew open behind us, making me jump slightly. Turning around, a few dozen monks ran past us quickly. Aurora quickly pointed towards them, looking at me with a questioning gaze. She wanted me to follow them? I shrugged, but she pointed at the monks again with a bit more force than before. Giving myself another check to make sure I was not inappropriate, I gave chase.

I imagined that the balcony just surrounded this top floor and that I would be at the beginning. That wasn't the case. A large open stairway was at the back, leading higher up the tower. I could see a few monks climbing the stairs and reaching another level above. Aurora pointed up the stairs with one claw, the other poking me in the back to encourage me. Sighing, I climbed the stairs. It really didn't seem like a good idea. It was either this or risk having her run on her own. Though this wasn't getting any favors from me.

We reached the top of the stairs, all the monks on the floor surrounding a statue of a giant bird Pokémon. It was in the same design of the ones on the lower floors, but done in a much larger scale. The wing feathers were of a bold red with either the tips being white and green, or there was a secondary set of feathers. It had a distinctive beak and crown on top of the head. It also had numerous tail feathers, gold in color and opened like a giant hand fan. I stepped forward, my footstep making a few monks next to me to look at me. A gasp from a few of them made the rest turn around to face me. One was about to open their mouth when the entire statue of the bird caught on fire.

Aurora hid in my arms to avoid the heat radiating from the flames. I took a step back, trying to shield my eyes from the heat and light. It was hard to tell what was going on around me. The fire seemed to grow by itself, reaching out towards me. A part of me wanted to run, and it seemed to be the sensible approach to the situation. Turning to go back downstairs made the fire surge around me, blocking my path instantly. It felt like my skin was on fire, and this couldn't be good for Aurora. While making sure Aurora was still safe with my left hand, my free hand grabbed Spirit's Pokéball.

As I was about to release it, something made its presence known with a loud screech. Turning around to face the source of the flame, it looked like a gigantic bird of flame stood in place of the statue. The sound of stone cracking was loud due to the fire around us not making any kind of noise. The flames retreated from around us before gathering back to the statue. After a few moments, the flames shot upwards as if leaving a shell. The light was too bright to look at directly, and my eyes hurt even as I shielded them.

I wasn't sure how long I stayed there. I was lifted up forcefully to my feet by my arms. Two of the monks dragged me in front of another. No one spoke as a golden feather was presented to me. I blinked, confused at what was being presented to me.

"Take it." the man in front of me said. "Be reminded."

I took the feather gently from his outstretched hand. A strong warmth came from it, as if it there was a flame hidden inside the golden feather. When I looked up, no one was standing around me. Did that just really happen? Turning back towards the statue, what greeted me were the remains of it. Whatever just happened couldn't have been good. I stood up, making sure that Aurora and the feather were held securely.

Whatever just happened, it looked like Ho-Oh knows about me now. Going down the stairs, I stood next to the trash can that was next to the exit of the balcony. Something told me that getting rid of this would probably save me a ton of trouble. My fingers almost let go of it before Aurora grabbed my arms. She shook her head, frowning at me and the feather.

"Weavile." she simply said.

I sighed. "You think that keeping it is for the best?" She nodded in response.

Frowning, I held onto the feather for now. At least until we could find out exactly what it all means.

==========================////////////////////////======================

"Nick! Did you see what happened?" Joy asked.

We were outside of the Bell Tower now, waiting for Jon to come meet with us. I sighed as I showed her the golden feather.

"Yeah, I saw what happened alright. Front row."

"What's with the feather?" Joy asked.

"A good question." I admitted. "The statue at the top blew up in flames. When I tried to get away, the fire got in the way, condensed back into the statue and blew up into the sky. Thank Arceus that there wasn't any kind of roof or we would have been screwed."

"We?"

"Me, Aurora, and the monks that were there."

She frowned. "Do you think Ho-Oh knows?"

"He or she has to." I said, frowning. "I still have that stupid feather. Whatever happens, they'll know."

"What do you think it means?" she asked.

Jon came in before I could answer, waving at us as he pushed through the crowd. "Did you see what happened at the roof of the tower?" he asked.

We stared at him as I held up the golden feather. His face fell. "Oh."

"Yeah, Nick was just done telling me he was there when it happened." Joy said, frowning.

"Well, don't wave it around." Jon said, pushing my hand down. "We shouldn't even be talking about it out here."

I sighed. "Agreed. When did you say that we leave for Hoenn?"

"Tomorrow morning." he said. "Hopefully we'll meet up with Lance as soon as possible."

I nodded. "Let's get out of here before we get trampled."

My companions nodded as we got up and headed back to the Pokémon Center. I honestly had no idea what was going on anymore. Wait... did I have an idea what was going on in the first place? Shaking my head, I decided to split off from the group. When questioned, I answered that I needed some air and time to think to myself.

Which was pretty much the truth. At least right now anyway. It wasn't much, but at least letting everyone out might help me calm down. Also getting everyone caught up to what just happened today seemed like a good idea. Aurora was still snuggled in my arms. She stirred on occasion, shifting her weight in my hands as I walked. The sun was still high in the sky, so most of the city was bustling with some kind of activity. Definitely not a sleepy town, especially judging by how many people seem to visit the towers and any trainers that are passing by to challenge the gym leaders.

I highly doubt that the gym will be as nice as the Celadon gym. Though finding a park or an open area would be nice. This city seems to be more modernized than any of the others we've visited. There were a lot more people, too. If they were visitors or people that lived here is another question entirely. It certainly didn't look like so many people lived here. Not at first glance, anyway. Maybe there are more buildings than what we saw when we landed? I'm not entirely sure. Or maybe the homes allow for more people to live in them? I shrugged, thinking of these silly ideas as people and buildings passed me by.

It took me enough time to ask someone if there was a park or something to sit at, and they pointed at me towards the right direction. Thanking them for their help, at least now there was a goal in mind. Though getting there had me crossing a few roads and going against the flow of bodies every so often. Thankfully, nothing actually happened. Other than the odd temperature differences I felt when Aurora snuggled close to me or I the golden feather decided to heat up at random.

My mind was on the feather when I reached the park. Why would this happen? It wasn't some odd stone in the shape of a feather. It didn't weigh anything, and didn't feel like anything I've ever felt before. It was smooth as some of that expensive cloth, but resilient enough to keep its shape. Was it really a feather from Ho-Oh? And if it was, what was the point of me holding on to it?

I grabbed hold of Mist's Pokéball first. If there was anyone that should know about this first, it was her. Maybe she could offer something more enlightening than me running around in circles inside my thoughts. The Pokéball opened with its traditional sound, revealing the ghost in front of me. She looked as if she was asleep. Perhaps this isn't the best time.

"No, I'm fine. I was just relaxing, is all." Mist said, the Mismagius opening her eyes and yawning. "Something troubles you."

I didn't refute that, giving her my experience from what happened at the Bell Tower. Mist didn't ask any questions, just listening to what I had to say. It was a little embarrassing to recall what Song and I went through, but I told her regardless. If there was one person that wouldn't hold anything against me, it was going to be Mist.

After finishing my story, Mist hovered in front of me. "Aurora, could you tell me what you saw?"

Aurora stirred in my hands, sitting up and nodding slowly. She spoke quietly and hurriedly, as if to get the attention off from her. Her gaze was on her claws, never looking directly at Mist. Whenever she stopped, I would gently remind her that I was still there. Mist hovered in front of us silently. She shook her head after a moment, the gems on her body glowing in a random pattern. The intensity varied but it stopped as quickly as it started.

"May I see this feather, Master?" she asked.

I nodded, pulling it out of my left pocket. It was still in pristine condition, just like the moment I got it. She looked at it, hovering around my outstretched hand. Curiosity was all over her face as she inspected it.

"Interesting." she said. "I can feel its warmth, and it has some kind of power attached to it."

"Can you tell what it is?" I asked. "Is it hostile?"

She shook her head. "From what I can tell, no. I don't believe that it is hostile. It may even be aligned to us."

I frowned. "What good does that do?"

The ghost shrugged, a wispy tentacle stretching out towards the feather. As she came in contact with it, a gentle heat came from the feather and our connection. Mist grabbed my arm suddenly. I almost pulled away on reflex, but her hold didn't allow me to do so. It was only when the feather stopped emitting whatever it was that she finally let go of me.

"Ho-Oh is watching us." she said.

"What do you mean?" I asked worriedly.

"As long as you have that feather, they know where we are or will be."

"They?"

"Ho-Oh and whoever they decide to share this information with." she said.

"Yeah, it was probably a good idea that I didn't tell everybody about this just yet. Though it wouldn't be that surprising if somehow one of them found out. Baast and Song can both read my mind. Zin would find out somehow. Spirit would just get worried about how my own well-being.

"You should tell them." Mist said. "Also, please put the feather away. It is almost like you are waving a sign to blatantly announce our presence here."

I quickly stuffed the feather back into my pocket. It glowed one last time as I put it away. A warm feeling raced up my arm as it finally stopped touching my skin. It was definitely an odd sensation.

"Why do you say that?" I asked. "I mean, about letting everyone know."

"They will all find out sooner or later." she said, shaking her head. "Do you really want to worry Spirit? I also truly do not wish to handle a more than ornery Houndoom, either."

I sighed. "Maybe. I still don't know how most of them will handle this new development."

"You seem to forget that we all were recently brought back from the land of death itself." Mist pointed out. "I would think that we are all taking it rather well. Especially me, since I'm already at the border of it."

There's no winning this one, is there? The ghost chuckled. "The sooner you realize this, the sooner you preserve your mind."

"You're not helping, Mist." I said, frowning.

A soft tapping got my attention. Turning my focus to it, Aurora was poking her claws at me gently. She whispered a few words and turned away from me.

"She wishes to apologize about what happened to you?" Mist translated.

"Aurora stabbed me by accident." I explained. Mist looked at me strangely.

"By accident?" she asked.

"Yes. Trust me."

"May I say that you worry me sometimes?"

I smiled at the comment. Turning my attention to Aurora, I gave the Weavile a cuddle. Her claws reached around my neck as she rubbed cheek rubbed against mine. Her cold breath washed over me as she whimpered softly into my ear. This won't do at all.

"You're already forgiven." I whispered. "Don't hold this against yourself. Where's that playful Weavile I first met?"

She didn't respond. "I should tickle you. Or throw a snowball at you. Maybe that would make you feel better."

I could feel her stiffen in my hands. Maybe it was working? Pulling away, a cold wind blew across my face. The temperature drop was enough to make my eyes close due to the stinging sensation. A soft giggle came from Aurora, a sound that I haven't heard often enough. Maybe I'll let everyone know later? Though, Song did want to get out of her Pokéball. Brushing the frost over my face with one of my hands, Aurora climbed on my shoulders. She snuggled against the back of my head and letting out a rather loud purr.

"Feeling better?" I asked, scratching her back.

"Weavile." she whispered. She scratched the top of my heads with her claws.

Mist hovered next to me, giving me an amused smile. I shook a finger at her. "Don't even say it." I warned her.

"My lips are sealed, Master." she said. "But if I ask, what was the purpose of coming here?"

"To try to make sense of anything that's happened to us." I said with a frown. "So far, I've come up with nothing. It's turning easier to cope with what's going on instead of trying to understand them."

"These are powers out of our control and understanding." she pointed out. "You need to stop this before you drive yourself insane."

"Can you blame an inquisitive nature?" I asked, grabbing hold of Song's Pokéball.

"I could. Though that is one of your better qualities."

"I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing." I said with a chuckle.

Song materialized from the ball, immediately grabbing hold of me and pressing my face into her chest. Thankfully, the red crystal thing on her chest missed my face. It didn't stop her from trying to suffocate me. Aurora voice complained rapidly of my rapidly degenerating posture.

"Sorry!" Song exclaimed. A gasp of air filled my lungs. The Gardevoirs arms still held me against her though. I'll take my victories when I get them.

As Song held me, I slowly managed to release everyone out of their Pokéballs. A few looks were passed between some of them, but no one said a word. Smoke was coming off from Zin's nose and mouth as she stared at Song. It only helped make the Gardevoirs hold on me tighten.

"Everyone needs to calm down." Mist said. "Master has something to say."

I thanked Mist for her timely intervention and quickly took advantage of the silence. Bringing the feather out, I explained what happened after Song had to go back to her Pokéball. My retelling significantly changed why I did recall her to save her a bit of embarrassment.

"So a statue blew up for no reason?" Zin asked. "And then a feather just so happens to be there?"

"It was handed to me. I'm not sure where the feather came from." I answered. "Mist is confident that it is linked to Ho-Oh though."

"How?" Baast asked, stepping forward.

"The energies tied to it defy anything in the material realm." Mist said, floating through me to stand in front of the Lucario. "The heat that emanates from the feather is something that could burn me, yet it doesn't."

"That doesn't explain anything, ghost!" Baast pointed out. Her paw grabbed hold of the feather, and my entire hand exploded in pain. It felt like if Zin was breathing flames through me. My arms seized up, being held in Baast's grip as pain raced through me. Spirit and Io grabbed hold of Baast and pulled her away from me. Song and Mist pulled on me in the opposite direction. It did the trick, as the pain instantly stopped. The feather fell from my grip straight down to the ground. I expected the grass to catch fire but thankfully nothing happened. The feather pulsed a few more times before the light fading away and returning to normal.

"I think that shows that this isn't a normal feather, Baast." I pointed out.

She nodded mutely. No one said anything as I knelt to grab the feather. I touched it with the slight fear that whatever just happened would happen again. Thankfully, nothing happened. Again, the feather pulsed warmly against my skin. How odd. I quickly stuffed the feather inside my pant pocket. Hopefully to not burn anyone or anything until I could find somewhere to store it.

"Io, do you have any ideas?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No, sadly. Anything to do with any of the legendary Pokémon is a mystery to me. I have never encountered any of them before meeting you, and truth be told, I do not want to meet any more. I do not wish to be part of the machinations that they seem to have in store for you."

I frowned at the confession. Spirit was nodding, standing next to Iolanthe. Akalia quickly followed, standing next to the two large bipeds. Xola also joined them after a moment's hesitation. A bell rung from somewhere in the city. I wasn't entirely sure from where, but it's probably more likely to be from the Bell Tower.

"So... you don't want me to continue searching?" I asked.

"We just don't want to see you hurt. We're all worried that this may just end getting you hurt again." Iolanthe answered.

I couldn't honestly blame them. They did die, technically. Zin stepped forward, growling heatedly.

"You ungrateful Jigglypuffs!" she shouted out loud. "You're basically saying that you just want to quit?"

While it wasn't how I would have put it, that is how I was feeling. For how long have they felt this way?

"You think that you can walk away from this?" Zin continued. "You think it's just that easy? That Master can just turn his back on this and not be hounded down by these Pokémon? Would you prefer to be chased down in your own dens instead?!

"What about that? Would you rather be back in the Sinnoh Pokémon Center, worried sleepless about him right now? Or would you rather be out here, actually helping to keep him safe? You wouldn't even KNOW if he even died! How would you feel then?"

Akalia and Xola both didn't look towards Zin. Spirit was glaring down at the Houndoom. It almost looked like she was daring Zin to continue.

"Zin, I-"

"And what about you, overgrown lizard?!" Zin shouted, her tail pointing towards the Flygon. "What do YOU have to say for yourself? The one that's taken up Master as almost a son? Huh? What do-"

Spirit let loose a jet of flame towards the Houndoom. Zin didn't bother dodging it, allowing the flames to roll over her. I tried to break away from Song's grip on me, but Baast stopped me from forcing myself away. This wasn't looking to be something that would be resolved quickly either. The flames that were coming from Zin were different from the standard orange flames. From what I could see, the fires were tinged black and blue. Spirit took to the skies, the familiar buzzing of her wings reaching us as she flew up into the air.

"Aurora, Mist, I want you two to do damage control. Hopefully things haven't caught on fire yet."

Mist nodded as Aurora jumped off my shoulders. I turned my focus to Song. She let me go before the words left my mouth as she turned around and grabbed Iolanthe. "Come on." she said and stepping away from the group. After a few moments, a large bubble shimmered into view. It encapsulated both fighters inside. A burst of flame came from Zin, Spirit dodging the attack. The flames hit the bubble but didn't pierce through.

Well, to be honest this wasn't what I had hoped for, but it was something. "Baast, is there anything that you can do?"

"This isn't what I was expecting from her." she said softly.

"Join the club. If you think of something, let me know." I said, nodding towards her. She nodded back, her gaze turning towards Zin and Spirit. Xola and Akalia both looked like they would rather be any place other than here right now. I sighed.

"Look... we can talk about this after we get those two calmed down first." I said. "That's first priority. We can't have these two going crazy in town."

They both nodded slowly. The odds that either of them would come up with something were small, but it was still an odd chance that it would work. Turning towards the two that were fighting it was relieving to see that they were limiting themselves to just throwing projectiles around. It could be worse. Zin tends to prefer melee, and I'm not entirely sure how Spirit will be able to handle that. Though there was that moment when she shot whatever it was at Darkrai that one time.

Zin unleashed another Flamethrower up towards Spirit, who dodged towards her left and dove straight down. Zin instantly stopped throwing fire and adjusted herself. The Houndoom jumped upwards, meeting the Flygon in the air. They both tumbled into the ground hard, grass and dirt flying upwards. Well, maybe the direct route was easier? I grabbed hold of both of their Pokéballs, hoping to get them inside their devices before more public property got damaged.

Getting Zin's Pokéball first, I made my first attempt. To my surprise, the beam actually hit the intended target. It even recalled her back inside the ball. Though somehow it was struggling to keep her inside. The ball opened on its own, the Houndoom growling as she ran back towards Spirit. Before she could reach her, I tried recalling Spirit inside of her ball.

The beam hit Spirit as Zin as jumping towards the Flygon. Though it was amusing in an odd sort of way to see her miss entirely, the ball itself was shaking in my hands when Spirit was fully recalled. After a few moments the ball stopped moving in my hands. I sighed in relief. When I went to put the ball on my belt, it opened by its own.

"Spirit, stop!" I yelled, standing in front of her. While her eyes were looking at me, it was pretty obvious that it wasn't me that she was seeing.

Grabbing her face, I made her eyes focus on mine. "Calm down. Please calm down, Spirit! You don't have to fight anymore, OK?"

It was a gambit that I was afraid to play. I've never seen her so angry other than when we fought Darkrai. Spirit stood in front of me, unmoving and unwavering. It was scaring me. Her fangs were biting into her lower lips. A trickle of blood oozed out from biting too hard I suppose. Her wings twitched in reflex. I wasn't entirely sure what Zin was doing behind my back. Perhaps she was reacting to that. Spirit's jaw slowly lost its tension after staring at each other for a good minute or two. Her body dropped on top of me. I was thankful that Baast was quick to react. Between the two of us, we managed to get her to the ground safely.

I turned to see Zin growling at Spirit. Walking towards her, the first instinct that had to be pushed down was to hit her across her muzzle. That wasn't going to make thing any better. Especially if anyone saw what went on between the two. The Houndoom took a step back when I approached, but didn't turn away as I looked down at her.

"Are you calm now, too?" I asked.

"No." she answered.

"Well, we'll have to talk about this. Not now, though. We're leaving for Hoenn tomorrow, and between all that's going on it might take some time before we talk."

She growled. "Yes, Master."

"Don't think that you're getting off easy." I warned her. "We're supposed to be a team. Antagonizing each other doesn't help right now."

"But she wants to leave!" she screamed.

I shook my head. "Does she? Have you talked to her? Do you know exactly what she's thinking, Zin?"

When she didn't respond, the answer was obvious. I sighed, shaking my head. "We'll talk about this. For now, you're going back inside your Pokéball. We'll see about talking when we land in Hoenn."

She opened her mouth to complain, but I stared her down. "I'm not budging from this, Zin." I warned her. "You've made your move. I have to protect my friends, too."

The look on her face would be comical if the situation wasn't so serious. Either way, I raised her Pokéball and pointed it towards her. She didn't resist this time as she was recalled. I did the same for Spirit, securing both of their Pokéballs on my belt. Mist and Aurora came back, both reporting that they didn't spot any other kind of damage.

"Good. At least we got away with that one." I muttered. "Let's get back to the Pokémon Center. We're leaving tomorrow, so no funny business."

====================////////////////////////============================

My stomach twisted and churned as I sat in the bed that was my room. It was a similar design of the airplane from when we traveled here from Sinnoh. Either way, I was glad to be by myself. Joy still found it amusing that I wasn't able to stomach flying in an airplane, and Jon wasn't going to sit in my room again to get threatened by my Pokémon.

It wasn't like I asked for that to happen. Though in hindsight, maybe I did. This is Zin that is up to discussion. Song was with me this time, making sure I didn't lose my mind as we took off and climbed in elevation.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

I shook my head, drinking water and eating a saltine cracker. "Not particularly." I said after a moment. "It feels like my stomach is rebelling."

She smiled as she leaned on my shoulder. It was only a matter of time now before she suggested what I feared she would. Though it looked like she understood the need to pace the event from happening. The plane itself was still climbing, after all. Also, Jon wasn't able to secure us cabins next to each other like last time. Jon was like two doors down from me, while Joy was about three or four. I wasn't entirely sure.

Still it helped with coping with things. She was humming again, and the sound was helping me stay at ease.

"It's funny how a little tone can make you do anything I want you to." she said with a giggle.

"I don't hear you complain too much." I pointed out.

"And you only have yourself to blame!" she said with a laugh.

"Well, that is true, that I got you to sing." I mused. "Still don't know why it has such a strong effect on me."

"Maybe you just enjoy a good melody?" she suggested.

"Maybe I enjoy just being with you?" I suggested with a grin.

"If you start saying things like that, you may get something you didn't look for." she said, sitting on my lap facing me.

"Are you that horny?"

"Ever since we separated." she said, leaning down to speak into my ear. "Since you took me to dance it's been on my mind."

"I shouldn't keep a lady waiting, shouldn't I?"

"No, you really shouldn't."

##

##

Chapter 34: Methods and Motives

Song pressed her advantage, her lips pressing against mine dominantly. Our tongues pushed against one another as our hands roamed each other's bodies. Her hands settled behind my head and grabbing my hair. She held me down tightly, as if to stop me from pulling away. It wasn't that I had that in mind, but avoiding suffocation was a worthy endeavor.

She willingly allowed me some movement in which I whispered my gratitude to her. The Gardevoir's cheeks flushed red as she shook her head.

"You're too kind, Master." she whispered.

"Maybe I should be rougher." I said playfully.

One of her hands brushed against my cheek softly. "Whatever my Master wishes." she said.

Her words sent a chill down my spine. The thought excited me a little bit. This time I kissed her, exploring her mouth with my tongue. Her own tongue didn't fight against me. Instead it gently guided me to where she wanted me to go. I tried pushing it away and it didn't give me any resistance. Continuing to follow my own pace, she squirmed over me as my explorations continued. She moaned against my mouth as the kiss continued.

My hands roamed her body, gently teasing her sides and back. Her body tensed under my touch, especially as my fingers approached the crystal on her back. Feeling the 'blade' against my fingers made her arch her back. Our lips parted from one another, a moan escaping her lips. The red 'blade' on her chest pressed against me as she shivered above me. Her eyes were wide as she looked down into my eyes.

"Could you do it again?" she asked breathlessly.

I was more than willing to comply. If anything, it was good to know where she liked to be touched. My fingers traced back the way they came, gently touching different spots on her back. Soft whimpers came from above as I touched here and there. My reach went further south, my left arm resting against her butt while my right kept touching around the red 'blade' on her back. Song squirmed against me, small whimpers and moans letting me know that I was on the right track. Her hands shook as they held her up. I wrapped my arms around Song and brought her down so she could rest on the bed. My left arm was pinned underneath her, but it wasn't that big of a deal.

She looked at me curiously, but I smiled in response. Leaning forward I pressed my lips against hers. Song moaned softly as my fingers touched the point where the skin meets her red crystal. Curious to her reaction, I focused my attention on that spot. Her moans increased in volume and pitch. Sometimes she would whimper while her body squirmed next to mine as my fingers constantly touched this little miracle spot. I pulled my lips away from her, watching her squirm under my soft touch.

"I hope you're not regretting this." I teased.

She took a deep breath before shaking her head. "I'm not, but your pants look uncomfortable with how aroused you are."

I kissed her cheek. "You're more than welcome to help." I said. "That is, if you're not too busy moaning."

Her hands went straight for my waist, fingers opening my pants and pushing them out of the way a bit. The cool air of the cabin was making me shiver. Song's warm hands enveloped my exposed member, cooing softly into my ear. The gentle strokes and touches sent goose bumps up and down my spine. The warm breath that blew past my ear as she nestled against my body made me whimper in pleasure. Her hands squeezed gently, taking precaution on what they were handling. It didn't take much to have my back tingling and my thoughts devoted to the Pokémon in front of me.

I focused on breathing and enjoying the affection that Song was giving me. My hands didn't stay still, holding the Gardevoir closer to me and my hands roaming along her back. She suddenly pushed me on my back and sitting on my stomach. Her hands pulled on my shirt, a thin trail of moisture staining them from where they touched her wetness between her thighs. Joy is going to kill me later. Song smiled at me, leaning down to press her lips against mine. That thought was quickly put away, in favor of what was going on right now.

Song looked down at me but I shook my head. "I won't tell if you don't."

A grin spread across her face. "Do you think we can get away with it?" she asked.

I nodded. "Pretty sure. I'll just change clothing before we leave the plane."

Her grin widened as she lifted herself up above my waist. With her fingers she brushed against my stiff penis, taking hold of it and brushing it against her wet nether lips. A pleasant shiver goes up and down my body as she teases me with her soft entrance. The grin never wavered from her lips, though sometimes she would let out a soft whimper or gasp as my tip rubbed against her sensitive bulb at the top of her labia.

I took charge of the situation, grabbing hold of her waist and forcing Song's body downwards. Her body opened up to me slowly, letting me slide inside her inviting depths. A gasp escaped my lips as her body glided downwards. The feeling of Song's warmth made me shiver and moan softly underneath her. As our hips met, our voices joined as we enjoyed the each other.

"Didn't you say you wanted to be in control?" she asked with a sigh.

I moaned, feeling her walls contract possessively around my cock. "Someone doesn't want to let me." I pointed out.

She giggled. "Do you really want to?"

I shifted my grip from her hips to her sides as her eyes widened a moment later. Pushing her sideways onto the bed, we rolled for a moment until I was above her. She continued to smile, her hands wrapping around my neck as her legs wrapped around my waist and locked behind my back. For a moment hesitation filled my mind, but I pushed it aside. It wasn't like neither of us wanted this.

Pulling my hips as much as possible, Song made me work for every inch I pulled away from her. The lusty moans she made didn't help me much either. Pressing my lips against hers, I pushed my hips recklessly forward to enter her body once again. Song closed her eyes, a moan echoing inside our mouths as we kissed. Her fingers grasped my hair and held me down against her. It wasn't like we were going anywhere anytime soon. My hips moved at a pace that Song didn't quite appreciate. Her hips lifted up to meet my thrusts whenever I pushed forward and her body refused to let me go when I left her depths.

I pushed away, taking a gasp of fresh air as our lips parted. "Now who's excited?" I asked, holding myself still.

"Master..." she whimpered out softly.

My ears twitched at her voice, trying to focus on it over the sound of my heart pounding in my head and my loud breathing. "What is it?"

I could see her mouth open and move, but the words were inaudible. A grin to match hers from earlier spread across my face. It was interesting to see her like this. Song's fingers grasped at my arms tightly while her legs tried to pull me back inside her. I complied with her, but only after much reluctance and teasing.

"So, what did you say?" I asked, still grinning.

"Take charge." she whispered.

"What exactly do you want me to do?" I asked, feigning ignorance. "That's a bit vague if you ask me."

She looked at me, her eyes wide. When she saw the look on my face, she became a bit subdued.

"Well?" I asked, slowly pulling away from her warmth.

"I want you to take charge." she said, raising her hips to mine.

"And do what?" I asked, thrusting downwards with her motion. Her moan made it worth it.

"Take me... make me yours again."

I chuckled, leaning down to kiss her lips. She moaned again as my hips gyrated against hers. Pulling away from our kiss, Song twisted in the bead when my movements weren't as active as she would like.

"You forgot the magic words." I said, smiling down at her.

Her eyes widened for a moment, groaning a bit louder. "Are you kidding me?" she asked.

"You have to ask nicely for what you want." I chided her, grabbing hold of her left breast and fondling it gently.

She moaned softly, grinding and rubbing against my crotch. I held still, enjoying the sensations. While it was a little cruel to hold this over her head, she did insist that I take a more dominant role. To be honest, I didn't think she would say anything and didn't put much thought to it. My hands grabbed her waist, brushing past her white robes and rubbing the soft skin underneath. Her thin legs quivered as my fingers touched her thighs.

"Alright!" she said loudly, stopping me in my tracks.

"Not so loud, remember!" I hissed.

She blinked, looking around as if remembering where she was. "I hope that you remember that you're the only one that can understand me."

I blinked, understanding dawning on me. "Well, yes, but that doesn't mean that our neighbors don't have Pokémon out with them while we're flying."

"The odds are small that the human would be able to understand them like we understand each other."

"Possibly." I said with a sigh. "Just try to keep your voice down just in case though. Please?"

She giggled. "Since you asked so nicely. And while we are on the subject, perhaps you can return the favor?"

Hmm? "What do you mean?"

She raised her hands in front of her face, her fingers interlocking together. Her face relaxed as she took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again. The look that she gave me made the hair on my head stand on end. It was like a fragile woman was before me. "Could you.... take me? Please? I want to feel good, too."

I smiled, deciding on teasing her just a little further. Leaning forward, my lips pressed against her cheek and kissing her. She squirmed at my touch, her body moving under my touches and caresses. I thrust my hips back, pulling myself out of her body. Song moaned as her hands moved around to grab my shoulders. Her efforts were thwarted when she couldn't meet my own hips. My lips stifled her moaning as my fingers entwined with hers. Bringing her under control, it was only then when I thrust my hips forward again and burying myself inside of her.

Her stifled moan mixed along with my own as her body laid claim to me. This time I didn't slow down, keeping an even tempo with my thrusting. Song didn't fight or writhe against me as my continued thrusts gave her exactly what we both wanted. Being in the lead wasn't so bad, and perhaps I was thinking about it the wrong way. Regardless, at the moment there were was someone more important to focus on.

Song leaned back, our lips pulling apart as she moved. The sounds that came from her were small whimpers of pleasure as my movements kept up their pace. Her fingers lost their grip on mine as I continued to thrust into her wanting body. She shook her head, moaning softly as she did so. I slowed down my thrusting, but she moaned louder as a response. A smile crossed my lips as I went back to my original pace. Her body relaxes slightly, if only for the satisfaction of knowing that my pace wasn't slowing down.

"Don't slow down." she whimpers, biting her lower lip. "Please."

The look she gave me flipped a switch in my mind. I smiled, resting my head against hers as I picked up speed. Her moans only motivated me to hear her reach her peak. My hands grabbed hold of her hips, helping me drive her down when I thrust back inside of her. A muffled growl came from my throat as my body peaked inside of her. Song joined me, her body clinging onto mine as she shivered under me. Her moans rang in my ears as her body refused to let go of mine. The moaning slowly tapered off as her arms roamed my back. Letting go of her hips, I pushed myself up to see her smiling up at me. My entire body felt weird, not to mention slightly dazed.

"We never turned off the lights." she said, blinking.

"I don't remember turning them on in the first place." I admitted.

Song laughed gently, her hands touching my waist and roaming upwards. I could feel my heart pound in my chest and her touched only excited me. She giggled softly as she pulled her hand away from me. I was a bit confused, but she shook her head.

"We shouldn't be too rowdy." she warned me, waving a finger.

"But who was the one that wanted this in the first place?" I accused.

"Don't act as if you didn't want it!" she said, poking my chest.

"Fair enough."

She giggled again at that response. "Don't pull away, though." she said, sighing. "It feels... nice."

I couldn't agree more. To be honest, it was getting a little cold now that we weren't moving. Hopefully we won't be asleep when we land. I still have to put away my clothes that got dirty and pick out something to wear.

====================/////////////////////////////========================

Jon and Joy didn't give me odd looks when we met up at the exit gate of the plane. Thankfully, no one else was acting suspicious towards us either. Looks like Song had a valid point. Still, it didn't help to be careful, right? We held our things, and I was slightly grateful that we didn't have much luggage. It seemed that a lot of people were in the same plane we were in. We spoke as we walked.

"Is something wrong?" Jon asked.

I shook my head. "No, not really. Though is Lance supposed to be here to find us?"

Joy pouted slightly. "That's a good question. Cynthia wasn't really specific about that."

"We're supposed to meet him in Slateport City. It's where Cynthia told me where he was last known to be."

"That doesn't sound very reassuring." Joy said.

"I'm sure that Cynthia got in contact with him to let him know what was going on." Jon said with confidence. "She wouldn't just send us off like that, right?"

"I'm not so sure." I said, frowning. "Remember that they're not operating under the League, or any official body. Who knows for sure?"

"I still feel that she wouldn't just send us to get hurt intentionally." he said, frowning.

Joy opened her mouth to say something, but I shook my head. "Let's hope so. We honestly need all the information we can get. If any of the champions are willing to let us in on what's really going on, the better armed we can be."

I blinked for a moment, taking notice of the large map a few steps away from us. A rugged figure stood in front of it. His head was covered in red hair, with a long cape dragging behind him. He wore a formal looking suit, blue with gold trim. After a moment he walked towards us with purpose. When he stood in front of me, his features were gruff and gave me the impression of someone hostile. My hands gripped Song's staff tightly as I returned the strangers look.

"So you're the ones Cynthia sent."

I backed away. "Lance?" I asked.

"Go ahead and shout it, why don't you?" he growled out. "Because all we need now is people clamoring for autographs and pictures."

I wasn't sure if he was sarcastic, but I managed to control myself. Joy and Jon didn't say anything. He nodded towards us. "Come along, you're a complication already and I'm not willing to accept failure on my mission because of some brats."

This was definitely not the Lance that the news portrayed at all. He was a little quiet during interviews, whenever he was in one. Usually Lance answered with as little words as possible, but at least he was respectful of the reporters or trainers time. This was a bit of a shock. Maybe he hates the spotlight?

"I'm not going to waste my time if you're not going to keep up." he growled out.

Joy grabbed my hand and pulled me along. This wasn't starting well. We're going to somehow prove to him that we're not useless. Though how was a good question. At least until we can get whatever information he has and we can continue on with... whatever plan we make afterwards.

After managing to walk for myself, we reached outside. I wasn't sure where we were in Hoenn. I just rode the plane here. Lance groaned. When I looked at him, he was shaking his head.

"Have you ever been to Lilycove?" he asked.

"I've never left Sinnoh until I started my adventure." I responded.

He rolled his eyes, and I did my best to hide how he was affecting me. "Kids these days." he muttered. "Let's just go. I moved my base of operations here, so you didn't have to hurt your baby Pokémon flying to reach me."

"We're all capable of flying to any location." I pointed out.

"I'm sure you are, in a region you know nothing about except from your Pokédex or whatever the Pokémon Center will tell you, right? Please leave your illusions of grandeur at the door because you won't find them here."

"What makes you think that we're here for that?" Jon asked.

"Please spare me until we get to my base of operations. So I can debunk your story properly."

I think now was the proper time to show them that this wasn't something to be proud of. Joy's hand was on my shoulder, keeping me in check from doing something that would be pretty dumb. She shook her head, and I sighed. Her fingers pulled at Song's staff gently. It was with a lot of reluctance that I let go. My hand felt a little stiff.

We didn't have to walk far to get to a nondescript building. They all looked the same for the most part. Stone roads lead to and from the airport. The odd cry of strange flying Pokémon came from above. In the distance, boats and water covered where land and buildings disappeared and the sea began. The sun made the ocean stand out among the white sand. A cough made me turn towards the sound. Lance was standing still with his arms crossed across his chest.

"Done gawking?" he asked. He didn't wait for an answer and opened the door. "Inside, if you would. Let's get this over with."

We marched inside, though both of my hands were reaching for my belt. As I passed by Lance, he closed the door behind me. He passed by me without a word, flipping a switch to turn on the lights. They illuminated a small living room and kitchen, with a few doors visible down a hallway. He walked over to some curtains and pulled them open. He gestured to the chairs around the table, and we sat down. The wooden table was simple in design, matching the non-furnished room we were in.

"I hope that natural sunlight doesn't bother you." he said. "I keep hearing that most Sinnoh trainers start in the classroom."

I rolled my eyes. "You don't have to worry too much about me, but thank you ever so much for your sarcastic concern."

He shrugged. "Good to know. Let's get this out of the way as quickly as possible if you three would cooperate with me. The more small talk we have the more we have to tolerate each other."

I looked over to Jon and Joy, both nodding to me. A sigh escaped me before I started retelling all that's happened so far. He raised an eyebrow on occasion, but didn't interrupt while I spoke. When he did, I did my best to elaborate, explaining with better detail. Taking a deep breath, he silently stood up to go to the kitchen. He returned quickly with a tray and cups filled with water.

"Thanks." I said.

"Don't thank me just yet." he said, frowning. "Continue."

And here I thought that he was going to be nice for a change. Sighing, I continued from where I left off. It didn't take long to get to what happened in the Bell Tower and the feather that the monks gave me.

"Show me." he demanded.

I did as he asked, pulling the feather from my pocket. I was glad to remember about putting it in this pair of pants instead of hiding it in my backpack. He stood up abruptly, almost tripping on himself as he tried to back away from the feather.

"Hide it, you idiot!" he yelled.

"You asked to see it." I pointed out.

"I thought you were just weaving some intricate story." he said, frowning.

"Oh yes, I TOTALLY love to just lie to the champions of the regions about my make-believe stories and make myself look like a total badass." I said sarcastically. "It's my favorite thing to do! Especially being told by other people that I'm full of shit in the nicest way possible! Because nothing gets people's attention than just lying."

Lance sighed. "I apologize. You're right; it wasn't fair how I was treating you. In my defense, let me tell you what I've learned and perhaps you'll understand how it's come to this."

Joy sighed. "You better have the best defense to explain how you acted just now."

"To be honest, this wasn't what I was expecting from a champion." Jon said.

Lance took a drink from his cup of water, almost emptying the entire glass in one gulp. He stood up and refilled it before coming back. When he sat down he shed the cloak from his back and let it slide down.

"I'm not entirely sure where this starts. Wallace was the first one to contact me, asking me if there was any 'funny business' happening in Kanto. I asked him what he meant with that and if he could elaborate. He mentioned something about a rise in water temperature in some place and that the sea level was rising. I mentioned that there were reports with the Seafoam Islands flooding, but nothing concrete. He hung up on me right after I mentioned that bit of information. That's honestly the last time I've heard of Wallace until much later.

"A few days later Cynthia calls me, asking if Wallace spoke to me. I confirmed that we did, and she said that she would like for my help investigating the cave network. I agreed, and Cynthia mentioned that she would be there shortly. Shortly for that woman is in the next ten minutes. We had to cancel a match because she was adamant about leaving at that very moment. Before we flew, she asked if I've spoken again with Wallace and I said no.

"When we arrived to the islands, the ocean surrounding them was frozen. Yes, I made sure by stepping where it was clearly water. When we made our way inside, Wallace was trapped in some shard of ice. Cynthia called out her Lucario and broke him free. He was still alive by some miracle of Arceus, though in no condition to speak. Cynthia took him to Cinnabar Island to get him medical attention as quickly as possible. I stayed behind to see if there was any evidence, but I didn't find anything."

Lance stayed silent for a moment. "Did you find out what caused Wallace to be trapped."

"Yes, we did. After a few days, Wallace made some recovery. He swore that an entire flock of Articuno was there. He doesn't remember much afterwards, and we agree that's where he got caught and frozen. Why he wasn't killed is anyones guess."

"Perhaps they didn't want that kind of attention?" I offered.

"Maybe. But then again, you mentioned that Cresselia and it's odd that they didn't kill Wallace but that one tried to kill you."

"I have no idea. Maybe they have different intentions?" I offered.

"Could be. It seems like a large part of our problem is that we don't have a lot of evidence to support our thinking. Anything is valid at this point."

We all nodded at that. He frowned and shook his head. "Trying to remember exactly what happened afterwards."

To be honest, I think that his reasons for acting the way he did were pathetic. To each their own I guess. "When did you receive the call from Wallace?" I asked. "It's been two months since I started my adventure. When did you start investigating?"

"Two years ago." Lance answered.

That floored me. Two years? "Do you know how long Wallace was investigating? That's assuming that he's been investigating this before you."

"He was, and he's been at it for a few years as well. He's never said anything specific, but he likes to leave people guessing about unimportant things."

"That seems odd, doesn't it?" Jon asked, looking worried.

"Perhaps. Wallace has been like that for as long as I've known him become champion of Hoenn." Lance said with a shrug. "I don't let it bother me, or else it would be too much to worry about."

"Alright. What's been your experience with all this? What do you make of it?" I asked.

Lance didn't answer immediately, closing his eyes. He sighed, rubbing his forehead and shaking his head. "I hope that this doesn't leave this room." he said.

"I don't go about telling everyone that I survived a Cresselia attack by happy coincidence."

"There's something going on, that much is obvious. Pokémon and trainers up and being reported as missing or worse. Some have come up with odd symptoms bordering on hysteria and delusions. Normal people go to sleep and wake up babbling idiots rambling about how the end is coming or other nonsense. There's been 'official' talk about it being the Sinnoh legendary Pokémon that have been having an adverse effect on the human population. While that may be true, it's never happened on this kind of scale before.

"Darkrai and Cresselia have been part of our world for however long we've been around." Lance continued. "Sure people fell in comas and stuff, but they usually get healed up again sooner rather than later. If healed by modern medicine now or by Cresselia in the old days, it's just that now the scales are much higher. Not only that, the other legendary Pokémon have been more active. Kyogre and Groudon both have resurfaced after that whole team Magma and Aqua fiasco and it's been hell to get any communications out of Hoenn. You're lucky that you got through when you did."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"If we don't get another earthquake in the next few days we're lucky." Lance said darkly. "It's been hard enough to get anything done, much less keep everyone calm while the ground is shaking like the island is about to break apart. It's been like this ever since I've arrived, and the locals tell me it's been like this for three years."

"Looks like something is about to happen." Joy said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

The table in front of us started shaking. I reached out to stabilize it, but it wasn't that simple. The sound of the windows shattering stopped our conversation easily. Joy grabbed me and pulled me down under the table, kicking our chairs away. Jon and Lance quickly followed, their backs pressing against me as Joy held me against her chest. The shaking didn't stop immediately and what seemed like a low roar echoed in the distance. Glass shattered nearby, showering the ground in front of us. Slowly the vibrations stopped. There wasn't any screaming, which seemed odd to me.

"It happens too often." Lance said, as if knowing that I had a question. "We had another one earlier today. This is pretty normal in the grand scheme of things."

"How long have you been in Hoenn?" Joy asked.

"A little over a year." he said, shrugging.

"So what about any challengers? Aren't you supposed to be with the Pokémon League?" I asked.

He shrugged again. "The League hasn't been doing anything since these attacks started being more pronounced. They're not acting, so we're doing it on our own terms."

At least we know we can count on them, right? At least, that's how it seemed anyway. "Is everyone alright?" Lance asked.

We all crawled out from under the table, taking stock of the situation. Only the window to the outside suffered damage. Lance did have the advantage of not having anything that could break in a place where it could fall, or if he even had many belongings here in the first place.

Lance is the first one to stand up. He grabs hold of his cloak and easily attaches it back in place. He sighs, shaking his head and offering Jon a hand up. We all get to see the outside through the broken window now. Thankfully it didn't look like there was any damage to the nearby buildings. There was a bit of debris on the ground. From what I wasn't entirely sure. Lance opened the door, turning to us.

"Would you help these people too?"

Well, it's not like we got a lot. "Sure."

=======================////////////////////============================

"The only thing I can think of is that feather." Lance said, now that we were back inside his house.

It was late in the afternoon now, after helping the neighbors repair any damage and getting a replacement for the window that shattered. It was a bit of a pain to put it back properly, but we managed.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Ho-Oh's feather." he stated again. "That's what that is. For whatever reason you've been given one."

"Would you know why?" I asked.

Lance rolled his eyes. "No, I don't. Don't be stupid. No one knows quite well how the monks of the Brass Tower work. Worst case scenario is that they want you to resurrect Ho-Oh."

"That's implying that Ho-Oh is dead." Jon said.

"Well, maybe it's to resurrect another Ho-Oh." Lance said with a shrug. "I'm not entirely sure."

"It sounds like a very wild guess, even from you." Joy said.

Lance nodded. "It is. I'm just going off from what seems to make sense."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"There are a few theories that suggest that when a Ho-Oh dies, they don't really die and go into a sort of stasis. Most of the disagreement is if they turn into statues, ashes or whatever. Regardless, that feather came from a Ho-Oh. Why, I'm not entirely sure, but a Ho-Oh feather is known to be able to bring the bearer back to life."

"So... that's a bad thing." I said, frowning.

"Not necessarily." Lance said, once again shrugging. "Could be, but I doubt it. It's not like the damn Lugia that shows up and sinks three ships for no apparent reason."

I blinked. "Is everyone alright?"

"No. All fifteen that were aboard died. They were fishermen from this city." Lance snarled.

"Where do you suggest we go next?" Jon said.

"I'll get you to Sootopolis tomorrow." Lance said, frowning. "What most I have here isn't much that you didn't already know. From the looks of it, you've been through a lot more than we've researched."

"Well, so much in finding out more of this situation." I said.

"Any little bit is a step forward. Don't get so easily discouraged. Remember that things can be a lot worse right now." Joy said with a frown.

"What could be worse right now?" I asked.

"Groudon knocking on our door right now, with Kyogre right behind." Lance said, frowning. "Don't get your panties all tied up in a knot when you're lost."

I bristled at the comment, but realized that he was right in his observation. "Right, sorry." I mumbled.

"I understand why you're nervous, but you've handled yourselves out there. You'll be safe tonight so don't worry too much about it. In the meantime, how about we get some dinner? I'm pretty confident that none of you have had seafood like Hoenn."

"Maybe YOU haven't, but I'm pretty sure I can spot a good place here." Joy said.

"That sounds like a challenge." Jon said, grinning.

Joy grabbed Lance by the arm. "We'll figure something out. You two stay out of trouble!"

"I didn't agree to this!" Lance shouted. It didn't seem to matter much, as Joy dragged him out of the house without much of a struggle.

Jon grabbed my shoulder as soon as the house was quiet. "You alright?" he asked.

"No, not really. This didn't really help us out in any way other than finding out that the feather may be some other master plan to revive some long dead bird."

"That bird might be on our side." Jon said. "Did that ever come to mind?"

"No, not really. I don't particularly think that age-old Pokémon would be keen on helping us." I said, frowning. "Suicune has been the only one that's openly helping us, if that can be said. I'm not entirely sure about Giratina anymore."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"What's really stopping him from coming in here right now and killing me?" I asked. "Is it really the inability to do it or something else? Why is it that Suicune keeps protecting me and my Pokémon? There's something stopping them or binding them to some rule that we don't know about, and I'm pretty sure it's about this stupid thing inside of me."

"Inside of you?" Jon asked, confused.

I groaned. "Long story short is that there's something inside of me that even Mist is afraid of."

He looked at me strangely. "That's the weirdest thing I've heard of so far in all my life." he said.

"Try seeing it from my perspective. A ghost is telling me this." I pointed out.

"Well, did she find something about this... thing... in you?" he asked.

I shook my head. "No, other than the fact that she's afraid of handling it."

"That's not very reassuring." he said. "Do you think that might have something to do with the feather?"

"Maybe." I offered. "I'm not entirely sure. It reacted once, but it might have been to external forces than internal."

Speaking of external forces, I have to talk to my Pokémon about that. It might not be the best time, but whenever there's a chance I have to take it. If there's any resentment I have to take care of it. It won't do us any good if no one wants to be here.

"You alright?" Jon asked.

I shook my head. "Maybe. Have to discuss some things with my Pokémon."

"Trouble?"

"You could say that again."

"Anything I can do to help?" he asked.

"And here I thought you didn't care." I said with a forced grin, but shook my head again. "Not unless you can figure out why my Flygon wants to leave. Though I have a pretty good idea why. That whole part where everyone died is a pretty strong indicator."

"Not going to lie, I'm surprised ANYONE is willing to stay after that." he mentioned.

"You and me both." I said, frowning.

"Who wants to leave?" he asked.

"Spirit, Io, Akalia, and Xola." I rattled off. At his confused expression, I clarified. "My Flygon, Deoxys, Luxray and Milotic."

"Well, damn." he said. "What's your plan?"

"I don't have one." I stated. "Mostly if it comes down to it, I'll send them over to Solaceon and release them electronically. It's better than being here in some region they have no idea how to navigate."

"You're just going to let them walk away?" he asked.

"It's not like I want them to, but it's not like I should force them to stay with me if they don't want to be." I said. "I don't think that's right."

"So you're going to screw yourself over hard, because your Pokémon are having a temper."

"I think it's more than just a temper problem." I offered. "I've never known Akalia to be a quitter in anything I've seen her do, and Xola plays hardball if you even suggest it. Io doesn't give me the impression that she would tolerate shit thrown at her. Spirit has proven before that if push comes to shove, she can stand with everyone else and then some."

"Remind them that you need them still." he offered.

"It might be the best shot I have." I said. "I don't think I would capture any Pokémon to replace them if they left."

"What?!"

"Would you really put another life at risk?" I asked. "Knowingly and willingly? I didn't choose this to be my life, but neither would be any Pokémon coming to replace the ones I might lose."

The door opened at this time, Lance and Joy walking in with bags in both hands. It seemed like they were getting along fine, as both spoke loudly about this or that. It was good that at least we managed to get in better terms with the champion of Kanto past our rough first meeting. Maybe he's been having a rather hard time. It's been some time that anything official has come from the champions. Perhaps he's glad that no one is going to outright judge him. I'm pretty sure that it's because we won't challenge him to because we want his title or whatever it is that challengers do. Honestly, I've never seen the point. It's not like they get much out of beating the champions other than getting their name into the hall of fame, a paycheck, and a pat on the back.

But who knows. Maybe people really do like that kind of stuff. It makes for bestselling plush toys at the very least. They're all the rage in Sinnoh when a prominent challenger shows up to fight the Elite Four and Cynthia. Maybe it's a big thing in other regions as well.

"I hope you guys don't mind a more vegetarian centered dinner." Lance said, dropping his bags on the kitchen counter. "I've gotten a bit tired of seafood."

I shrugged. "Not at all. Would you like any help?"

"Nick should make some of his noodles." Joy said with a smirk. "You promised to make them again!"

"I did?" I asked. "I don't remember, but it's not a problem if you have the ingredients."

"I had to improvise." Joy admitted.

I shrugged. "I'm pretty sure that there's some stuff in my bag that can help if you missed anything. Let's see what we can cook up."

======================////////////////////////////=======================

After cooking, eating, and helping with the dishes we disbanded to our own respective corners. Joy and Jon both wanted to get some rest. I wanted to get some fresh air. Lance gave me a concerned look, but I assured him that I wasn't going alone. Baast was currently accompanying me, the Lucario's paws possessively holding onto my hand. Mist was also hiding somewhere inside of me, but that's due to my companion's insistence.

We weren't far away from Lance's base of operations, and it wasn't my intention to be away for too long. I kind of figured that it would be good for Baast to get out of her Pokéball, as Jon was kind enough to remind me of the Lucario's dislike of being cramped inside of on for a long time. It wasn't that late, if the sun was any indication of the time. There were people still outside, enjoying the daylight while it lasted. No one seemed to be disturbed that an earthquake happened a few hours ago. Though we weren't all that bothered either. Lance being present there might have been a contributing factor that didn't cross my mind until now.

Come to think of it, that was the first time I've experienced an earthquake. Why was I so calm?

"I am quite sure that the presence of our friends had a hand in that, Master." Mist whispered.

Maybe. But I didn't react like a ninny with his head cut off. That seemed odd by itself, looking at it in retrospective. Baast interrupted my internal thoughts.

"Is everything alright, Master?" the Lucario asked. "You seem conflicted."

"Just trying to figure out why the earthquake earlier didn't bother me as much as it should have." I answered. "I've never experienced one before until today."

The Lucario didn't answer immediately but shrugged after a moment. "Perhaps you're braver than you give yourself credit for."

I grinned at that. "I highly doubt that." I said. "I'm not that brave. Not as brave as any of you are."

"There's something else there, isn't there." Baast said.

"Yeah, there is. I'm not quite sure what to do with the ones that want to leave." I continued. "I can't really make them stay against their will. I mean... I could, but that would make me look like a huge asshole. And to be truthful, I don't blame them for wanting to leave. Being threatened with your life isn't something that anyone really signed up for."

"What about the rest? The ones that want to stay?" Baast asked.

"You all know the dangers." I said with a shrug. "You're either crazy enough to stay, or have enough crazy reasons to stay. I don't blame anyone's sense of self-preservation in this situation."

"And what about you?" she asked.

"I don't think that running away from this situation would make it better." I said, once again shrugging. "These Pokémon have proven that they're tenacious in searching for me. I don't want to put my parents, or anyone innocent, in between me and them. They've proven enough that they'll do anything to get what they want, and there are the crazy ones that will do what they won't do to get what they want. Example being that blue Mew."

At her nod, I continued. "This has to stop. Whatever it is that needs to happen needs to happen. I've come to the conclusion a while ago that Giratina and Suicune aren't going to stop chasing after me. Either it be to kill me or protect me is another story, but it would mean that there's some that want me dead or others with interest to see me alive. This isn't normal legendary behavior, that's obvious enough. I want to know why me, out of all the hundreds of thousands of people, why is it that I'm so important to their plans.

"Is it because of the.... thing inside of me? Who's really telling the truth? There seems to be a lot of confusion about what really happened when Arceus died or whatever happened to him. I don't know who's lying and who's just plain crazy, but I don't want to hear about anyone being hurt anymore. If there's any chance that we can do something about it, we have to."

Baast looked at me, her eyes shining brightly against the bright sunlight. She grinned at me, her hand squeezing mine possessively.

"And we will." she said. "While I will ask if I and perhaps Song can speak with the ones that want to leave. Perhaps we can show them how you feel."

"Knock yourselves out." I said. "Do you want to go do it now?"

"No time like the present." the Lucario stated.

I nodded, handing Baast the Pokéballs containing Akalia, Xola, Spirit, and Io. Mist stuck her head out of my chest, and I couldn't help but think that anyone seeing me at the moment would be shocked.

"Do you wish me to come along, Baast?" the ghost asked as she left my body.

"Yes, please." she answered. "I think it would be good for them to understand how Master feels."

"I'm pretty sure that Iolanthe knows how I feel." I said, frowning.

"Does she?" Mist asked, her grin making the ghost looks menacing. "We will find out soon enough."

I pulled another Pokéball from my waist and opened it, Song grabbing me in a tight hug as soon as she materialized. It took the help of Baast to pull the affectionate Gardevoir off me before I was impaled on her chest.

"Could you help Baast and Mist?" I asked. "They want to talk to the ones that want to leave."

She nodded. "We'll convince them, don't worry."

"When you say that, it makes me worry." I said with a sigh. "Let's find a place secluded."

"Maybe by the shore?" Song suggested. "We might find somewhere out of sight."

"I want to stay close by." I mentioned. "I haven't told anyone that I would be leaving and everybody didn't want me going by myself."

"But you are not alone, Master." Mist pointed out.

"They wanted to be along, the number of Pokémon notwithstanding."

"They don't trust us?" Baast asked with a growl.

"I'm pretty sure that it's more about that we're in a region I have never been, and it's happened once where we were attacked when we were alone."

She calmed down after that, nodding her head. We walked back towards Lance's house, and I asked if I could borrow a chair or something. Lance gave me a curious look, but provided a portable chair at Joy's look. Jon raised an eyebrow, as if asking something. I shrugged, not entirely sure how to put it without possibly raising some concern from Lance. It wasn't like there wouldn't be any, though I doubt he would be left in the dark for long.

I wasn't excited to do this, but it needed to be resolved quickly. This could backfire on us if it wasn't taken care of quickly. Baast seemed to be in agreement with this line of thought, as she quickly opened the Pokéballs I handed to her and took lead of the situation when everyone was willing to listen. Not that it was difficult for the Lucario to have everyone's attention when she pointed at me.

While my attention was to keep an eye on things so they didn't get out of hand, it was obvious that this wasn't going to come to blows. Baast may be a bit forceful, but at least she chooses her words carefully. Zin, on the other hand, spoke her mind with no regard of anyone in the near vicinity. Add to the insults she was throwing about, it might have been a miracle that someone as patient as Io held herself back. To be honest, that scene yesterday could have been a lot worse. It didn't surprise me too much that it was Spirit that picked up the fight, though I was expecting Akalia or Xola to shut the Houndoom up.

Song speaking brought me back to reality. She wasn't talking to me, so I quickly assessed the situation in front of me. I wasn't entirely sure what they aimed to do, to be honest. Every Pokémon had a valid reason to leave. I didn't blame them to call it quits after dying and being brought back. Akalia was the first to move past the speaking Gardevior and jumping into my arms. The act wasn't expected, but not unwelcome. My arms held her securely as her purring rumbled loudly in my ears. Her glowing yellow eyes made me feel like she was looking for something she hasn't seen before. It was hard for me to tell what it was that she was looking for. Mist floated by, touching my chest gently with a thin tendril. Akalia placed a paw on the same spot, her eyes looking into mine as if waiting for something to happen. Mist whispered something softly into the Luxray's ear, causing Akalia to pull her paw away from me.

It looked like Akalia was incredibly saddened for a moment. She buried her face against my neck, electricity tingling my fingers as it sparked across her fur. I was surprised at first but decided not to open my mouth at the moment. It felt like it would ruin the moment. Song continued to speak as if nothing had happened, Akalia's movements not interrupting whatever point she wanted to make. It was hard to see how everyone was reacting to Song's speech through the affectionate Luxray. Her star tipped tail sparked with electricity as it wagged with a life of its own.

Akalia demanded all of my attention, so it wasn't all bad. It was amusing to see her like this, though it might have been due to whatever Song just said to everyone. Baast growling punctuated Song's speech on occasion, but it didn't seem to interrupt her. The other three Pokémon didn't seem too bothered by whatever Song was talking about. Mist took over, interrupting Song after a moment. She didn't speak anywhere near close to how long that Song spoke, but it seemed to make a bigger impact. The ghost motioned to me a few times, though I wasn't sure if it was to show Akalia and me snuggling or whatever was inside of me. It was probably the latter seeing as Xola was giving me weird looks. She looked uncomfortable when Mist stopped speaking.

"Well?" Mist asked.

"I think you may be right." Iolanthe said, nodding. "That may be why it is so difficult to stay away from him."

"Spirit?" Song asked.

The Flygon shrugged but didn't give any other indication to answering the question. Baast didn't feel the same about her reaction, but Song held her in check. Mist shook her head and floated over to the Lucario to whisper something. Whatever was said kept Baast under control. Someone said something, because after a moment Spirit looked livid. Her wings flapped fast enough to allow her to hover over Song as she pressed her face close to hers. As much as I felt the need to defend someone here, I wasn't sure what was being said. Akalia stayed with me, keeping me from rising. She shook her head, her large paws stopping me from standing.

Song didn't flinch as she stared at the angry Flygon in the eye. "Well?" she asked loudly.

They stared at each other for a long time. Xola moved wordlessly past the staring contest over towards me. Wordlessly she moved closer. Akalia moved to allow Xola to speak to me directly and not through a mass of fur. She rubbed her cheek against mine for a moment, mumbling an apology. Holding onto Akalia with one hand, I used the other to rub Xola's cheek back.

She opened her mouth but I placed a finger on her lips. Bringing my arm around her body, I brought her head to rest against mine. She sighed, snuggling against me without any struggle after that. I turned to Song and Spirit and was relieved that nothing else had happened. Spirit was on the ground again as Iolanthe rested two of her tentacles on the Flygons shoulders. They were still speaking in low voices, but it didn't look like anything else was going to happen.

"Can I get up now?" I asked the Luxray sitting on me. She shook her head no and purred louder in response. Xola giggled but didn't offer to move either.

Even after that, the remaining Pokémon approached where I sat. Spirit seemed disheartened for whatever reason. I was immediately concerned, but Song held a hand up to stop me. My Flygon bowed her head and muttered something that was unintelligible to me. I brought my hand up and let it rest against her cheek. She was shivering under my touch, but her eyes stared into mine with a resolve I haven't seen before.

Akalia and Xola quickly pulled away from me. Before I could wonder why, Spirit grabbed hold of me in a hug. I was about to shout something, but our surroundings blurred together as we flew up into the air. A wave of disorientation hit me alongside a wave of panic. This was certainly a new experience, and not one that I was keen on repeating. Looking up towards Spirit, her attention was skywards. We stopped climbing in altitude, her wings keeping us steady above the ground. Looking around us, we weren't all that high up but it still bothered me that if Spirit let go of me I would be just a big red stain in the pavement.

Not the best thought to have at all. Spirit's hold on me tightened considerably as we stayed still up in the air. I wasn't entirely sure why she flew us up. Maybe to get away from everyone else? And why did it feel like we were being watched by someone that wasn't invited? While I tried to shift in place, Spirit's grip didn't let me move much. Probably for the best considering where I currently was. We slowly moved downwards, though Spirit didn't look like she was paying much attention to her surroundings or how much her grip was beginning to hurt. My feet touched solid ground and Spirit all but threw me out of the way. I stumbled, but something stopped me from falling completely. Orange and blue tentacles wrapped around me.

"Io?"

"I have you, Master." she answered. "Though we have more important things to worry about."

I held back the sarcastic response that came to mind. Focusing on my surroundings it was easy to see why Spirit acted the way she did. Though why she was attacking Darkrai again was another question.

"Spirit, stop!"

"Is that really wise?" Io asked.

I didn't have a good answer for her at the moment. "Remember what happened in Mount Silver."

Spirit didn't seem pleased with my decision, but backed off nonetheless. Her wings were buzzing loudly and her tail was moving across the stone underneath us. Taking a brief glance at our surroundings suggested we were on top of a building. Large air-conditioning units were a strong indication of that.

"Thank you. I am here to relay information from Father." an unfamiliar male voice said. I looked towards the Darkrai as he floated closer to me and brushed his claws against his chest.

"You don't have to get that close to me." I said, taking a step back. "No offense, but when one of you grabbed hold of one of my Pokémon she lost all but her basic psychic abilities. Not to mention the rumors about people and Pokémon being put in commas or worse."

He stopped approaching and gave me a curt nod. "So be it." he said. If he was insulted he didn't show it.

"If you insist in continuing this 'journey' of yours, Father recommends that you investigate the Sky Pillar. Home of Rayquaza the Sky Guardian, he might have the answers you seek."

"That's vague." I said, rolling my eyes. "We'll see. We have our own plans, but we'll keep it in mind if we don't have any further leads. I also don't see the need to barge in Rayquaza's home. We already have enough Pokémon that want to stop us."

"More than just stop you." he said icily. "They want you dead."

"Suicune spoiled that bit, but thank you for clarifying." I said. "You can go now. We will take Giratina's words as a good suggestion. You know that Giratina is one of the ones that wants me dead, right?"

Darkrai didn't say anything after that. He shimmered for a moment before disappearing as quickly as he appeared. Why he would be here is a good question. He was different from the one that we encountered before. Was he against Giratina? Sending me to die would be pretty cute. That would throw all of the ones that want Arceus' soul in a panic, since they wouldn't know where it would be until they found the vessel again.

I've heard stories of Rayquaza. If anyone is willing to travel to the Sky Pillar and climb all fifty floors, he will supposedly answer your questions. I imagine that the questions have to be within reason. I don't think he would give the answer to the meaning of life if anyone asked. Though it would be hilarious if he answered forty-two.

"Master?" Iolanthe asked.

"What's up?"

"Does this change any of our plans?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No. Giratina wants us to go to the Sky Pillar? He should have come over and said so himself. I would be more trusting of the two Darkrai that we've encountered before, but we've never encountered this one before. We'll go with what Lance wants to do first before we resort to that suggestion."

Iolanthe nodded. "And what about Spirit?"

"What do you mean?"

Looking over to where the Flygon was standing, I could see why Io pointed her out. She was visibly shaking, though why was a mystery to me. As I came closer to her, she spun around and grabbed hold of me again. Did Darkrai do something to her? I forced myself to pull away from her grip and grabbed her neck. She stiffened, but leaned down so we could see directly into each other's eyes. Her pupils were slightly dilated, and the red shields over her eyes looked like something punched a hole in them. I've never noticed this, and it hasn't been that long since we got her checked up at a Pokémon Center.

"Io, could you get us down? I'd like for everyone to get checked in at the Pokémon Center."

========================//////////////////////////======================

"You'll be glad to hear that all of your Pokémon are perfectly healthy." Nurse Joy said brightly.

"Could I ask you if you noticed anything strange about my Flygon?" I asked her. "Her lenses were pierced."

"That could be normal wear and tear." she said. "Have you been flying a lot?"

I nodded. "Yeah, we've flown a lot and for extended periods of time. But I've always come to a Pokémon Center to get them checked out as soon as possible."

"Still could be normal. I wouldn't worry too much about it, to be honest, but I'll keep an eye on her overnight just to be sure. She seems to behave normally."

I nodded. "Thanks."

"Nick!"

Turning towards whoever called me, it wasn't a surprise to see that it was Joy. I didn't see Jon or Lance, but they're probably planning something. Joy looked relieved to see me.

"Are you OK?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. Just getting my team checked up just in case. Spirit's goggles didn't look right so I figured this was a good place to stop before going back."

"We're all waiting for you, dammit!" she exclaimed. "You said you were going to cook!"

"We cooked already before I stepped out." I said, frowning. "You passed out and refused to wake up to anyone. The leftovers are in the fridge."

She stood there a little dumbfounded before frowning at me. "Take me out for dinner." she proclaimed.

Nurse Joy decided to politely interrupt by speaking. "At least say hello to me."

"Hi sis." Joy said before turning to me. "Well?"

"Do you know of a place that's open, Nurse Joy?"

"There's a few restaurants down by the beach." she said. "Nothing fancy, but they're always open late."

"Sounds good to me." Joy said, grabbing my hand. "Let's go."

"Don't I have a say in this?"

"No you don't."

Joy didn't say anything past that, pulling me along against my will. Was this going to be theme in my life? This happened too often, though sometimes with nice results. I highly doubted that would happen after this. It was still up in the air as to how serious she was about all this. She didn't strike me as that kind of woman though. Then again, assuming is bad for you. Making an ass of yourself and all that.

It wasn't that late, but the sun looked like it was beginning to lower into the horizon. We slowed down a few paces after leaving the Pokémon Center. Thank Arceus because it felt like my arm was going to be pulled from its socket. A few people looked at us oddly, but neither of us paid them any mind. Joy gave me a look as she walked side by side. Her grip on my arm didn't relent at any point but it was impossible for me to pick at her mind. Whenever I opened my mouth she would speed up her pace or pull me to I would lose my balance. It only took me five attempts to get the message.

After a while, Joy giggled when we reached a wooden path separating the beach proper and the city. "Truthfully, I already ate. I was teasing that you didn't really eat much." she said suddenly. "Why are you over here instead of back with everyone else?"

"I had to handle something important." I said.

"Something to do with your Pokémon?" she asked.

"Some of them wanted to leave." I said.

I could feel gaze trying to pierce through me. "You're joking, right?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm not."

"Who left?"

"No one. Baast, Mist, and Song had a few choice words to tell them. I have no idea what they told them, but it seemed to have worked."

"OK, who wanted to leave?"

"Spirit, Akalia, Xola, and Io."

"Deoxys as well?" Joy asked.

"Yeah. Though to be honest with you I don't blame any of them for wanting to leave. I'm surprised that you and Jon are still here."

She didn't answer for a moment. "Would you believe that I care about you?"

I nodded. "I don't doubt your ability to care. It just feels like everyone should have ran away a long time ago just due to self-preservation instincts."

"Some of us learn slower than others." she pointed out, her finger poking my chest. "Besides, going through that dying experience kind of made me think of how I treat people and stuff."

"Oh?"

"I treated you like a piece of shit when we first met." she said with a shrug. "That didn't sit well with me. I feel like I need to make up for that."

"I hope that the feelings you have for me are attached to feelings of pity." I said, frowning.

She shook her head. "No. I worry about you, but I don't pity you. The idiot who thought putting some part of Arceus in you deserves pity, because I'm going to kick their head in when we find out who did it."

"You know that it was probably Arceus that did it." I pointed out. "Giratina wouldn't have had a hand in it, so it seems like it would be random chance."

"Random?" Joy asked. "Is that really the case?"

I shrugged. "I dunno, but you mentioning that I didn't eat a lot before leaving made me hungry again."

With that the seemingly somber atmosphere faded around us. Hearing her laugh made me feel good if for that small moment. While it wasn't clear exactly what was going on, maybe tomorrow we could find something that can point us in the right direction.

"You're paying, by the way." she said.

"Why am I not surprised." I said, shaking my head.

=========================/////////////////////////////===================

Nurse Joy was nice enough to give me and Joy a room in the Pokémon Center for the night. While they were full, we slept in the reception room. Joy didn't want to go back to Lance and Jon. I didn't argue with her. She poked me in the chest, as if daring me to say something.

"What?" I asked.

"You shift a lot when you sleep." she said.

"Sorry."

She smiled but shook her head. "It isn't as bad as it sounds."

"If you say so." I conceded. "Should we go back?"

"But we're warm right now." she said with a pout. "Besides, do you really want to go move?"

I felt resigned to whatever she wanted me to do. For the moment at least. We didn't spend a lot of time together, and I haven't really tried to get to know her at a deeper level. Though it seemed that Joy enjoyed the quiet moments more than anything. It was a good change, instead of having to wonder about a language barrier half of the time.

Nurse Joy came up to us with a grin on her face. "I wasn't sure if you two were serious or not."

"We are." Joy said with a smile. "He's warm."

"And I didn't need to know that!" Nurse Joy proclaimed. "Are you two staying in any longer?"

"We have to meet with our friends soon, so we'll be out of your hair." I said, struggling in vain against Joy's hug. "As soon as Joy lets me get up."

"Warm..."

"Alright, we get it!" I exclaimed.

Both ladies laughed. I felt like they both knew what was going to happen. Joy sat up, holding the blanket over herself as if suggesting that she wasn't proper underneath it. Nurse Joy shook her head and walked away without saying anything else after that.

"Why do you tease her so much?" I asked.

"Because it's fun." she said with a grin. "Don't you think so?"

"You're not naked, though." I pointed out.

"How do you know?"

I raised an eyebrow at her and she sighed. "You're no fun."

========================////////////////////////========================

"Good for you to finally come back." Lance said.

"I had to handle something important." I said. "And yes, just as important as our current situation."

He looked at me, as if ready to challenge my words. Joy stepped up and shook my head. "You really don't want to piss off his Flygon." she said.

Lance huffed, but didn't offer any more resistance after that. "Fine. Are you ready to fly?"

I nodded. "Where are we going? Specifically I mean. You mentioned Sootopolis yesterday."

"We are headed to the Cave of Origin." he said. "Perhaps there will be clues that you will recognize that I didn't see as important."

"Sounds like a plan to me." I said. "Mind if I ride with you Joy?"

She didn't ask why, only releasing her Hydreigon. Zefyra didn't ask why either, only lowering her heads to allow me to climb onto her back once Joy climbed on her back. Both Jon and Lance released their Dragonites. Both giant Pokémon looked at each other, as if assessing the others strength before nodding respectfully to each other. Lance and his Dragonite took off first, followed by Jon and his dragon.

"Ready?" Joy asked.

"I'm ready."

"Let's go."

Zefyra roared loudly through all three of her heads. I'm pretty sure that anyone nearby would be startled, especially with how unique she looked. Whatever happened now was a little out of my hands now. Hopefully Sootopolis and this Cave of Origin held answers and fewer questions.

Chapter 35: Instigation

While we were flying, I kept mostly to myself. I didn't feel like shouting into the wind to talk to Joy at the moment. She looked a little preoccupied from my point of view. It looked like she was thinking of something, so it was convenient for me overall. What did Lance expect to find in this Cave of Origin? I've heard of the name before, but obviously I've never been there. My parents have mentioned it in passing before, scoffing at the suggestion that all life began there. My parents would think that the person was an idiot at best or damn retarded at worst.

I've looked into it myself, both using whatever research my parents have done of the place and what others have reported in books or to my parents in private. There's a lot of conflicting information to say the least. From interviews that people have done, personal notes of individuals that have gone inside the Cave of Origin, and pictures taken, there seems to be some kind of crystal formation at the bottom level of the cave itself. No one knows what purpose it serves. It has random behavior, like it begins to glow when someone is near but then it stops altogether after a few minutes. The formation itself seems to look important as there are some kind of pillars that still stand around it. At least they were present at the time the pictures were taken. The pictures are older than I am, so it's information that I can't trust completely. Who knows who's gone in there in the meantime, or what could have happened naturally.

Or unnaturally as the case may be.

I could feel Joy move as she adjusted her position. Our eyes met for a moment as she looked towards me. She smiled as she put both of her hands on mine, gripping mine tightly. It was a reassuring gesture and I smiled back at her. She didn't say anything but the look on her face told me she was worried about me. I shook my head, forcing a smile. She didn't look convinced but she turned around to focus on flying. Water was everything we could see from where we were. Ahead of us, the two Dragonites were flying close together almost vying for lead position. I wasn't sure why to be honest. Maybe both had a competitive nature at seeing another of their species. I wasn't sure, but at least it seemed playful and not aggressive. The last thing I wanted to see at the moment were some kind of energy beam being shot or deflected in our direction.

But something still bothered me. I felt like there were still missing parts of the puzzle, or at least to the individuals in this fight. How long has this been going on between Giratina and the ones opposed to him? Have any other legendary Pokémon stood up to him other than Suicune? Moltres technically did, but was that the representation of their entire species? Do they all stand against Giratina, or was that just some fluke?

There's a lot of questions but the answers elude me like a peaceful sleep. I still have no damn clue what in the world this stupid feather is for either. As if on cue, a warmth spread from my pants where it currently was being kept. I managed to pry my arm out of Joy's grip to touch the pocket where the feather was. It pulsed a gentle warmth through the denim of my jeans, almost like a heartbeat beating against my skin. It was a weird feeling but it didn't really bother me as much as my worries about our situation.

Hopefully something will get explained when we arrive at Sootopolis City. Lance hasn't really given us a lot of information. At least, not as much as Cynthia claimed he did. I'm not actually sure what I expected to find. All I want to do is end this nonsense in a way that no one had to get hurt. Was that really so bad?

The feather in my pocket pulsed, growing warmer. It wasn't uncomfortable but it let me know it was there. I touched it gently as if letting it know I could feel it. It didn't stop the pulsing so I brought my hand back to Joy's waist. Holding her tightly, I pressed my cheek against her back. Closing my eyes, I did my best to stop my nervousness from mounting.

Always with caves. Why does it have to be a cave?

=====================/////////////////////////////////==================

Sootopolis looked very elaborate from the sky. Joy pointed out over the wind that it was a giant volcano that formed over time but became inactive after breaking the oceans surface. I thought it was pretty convenient after everything was said and done. I told her so and she smirked at me.

"Smartass!" she shouted over the rushing wind around us.

I grinned but left it at that. Zefyra roared loudly as we dove downwards recklessly. My heart skipped a beat and I felt momentarily weightless as we headed towards the ground. The ground rushed up to us, and all I could do was keep my calm about me. I don't think that Spirit likes to do this kind of stuff while Zefyra enjoyed the adrenaline rush. Zefyra's wings opened wide, our speed slowing considerably as we reached the edge of the mountains and the tops of the highest buildings. Now that we weren't diving straight down I could finally take a good look at the city.

There was a large building that looked like some kind of watch post. Maybe there was another way for ships to come in? That would make sense. While flying is a pretty common way of transportation, it was a pretty inconvenient way to get in goods and products in large quantities. Judging by the size and amount of buildings, it was a good guess that there's a sizable population. It doesn't look industrialized, or at least the pollution output is minimized or negated somehow. There are quite a number of wind turbines on each cardinal point. I'd imagine that the winds out here can get pretty intense if they have so many to generate electricity.

Where we were headed didn't look too populated. The homes and buildings began to thin out long before we reached the northern part of the city. There was a path paved out, but no obvious dwellings anywhere nearby. Unfortunately there wasn't much in the way of greenery either. As we hovered over, I noticed that there were mostly stone posts and walkways decorated with some kind of ivy or something growing over them. Nothing natural was growing from the ground though. It looked like the plants were being sustained from the posts themselves.

When Zefyra landed on the ground we got off to let the dragon stretch her necks. Jon landed alongside us a moment later. He shook his head, stopping me from asking what was on my mind.

"Lance will land in a minute." he said. "He wants to check out something."

"Is something wrong?" I asked. It was what I wanted to ask anyway.

"He mentioned that someone is missing." he said, frowning.

"Well, shouldn't we be helping?" I asked.

A gust of wind stopped any further questions as Lance landed next to us. Jumping off his Dragonite, he looked angry for some reason.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Yes, there's something wrong. The old man that guards the Cave of Origin isn't here."

"Why would there be someone standing guard?" I asked. "That sounds a bit silly, unless it's dangerous."

"The people of Sootopolis have a taboo of going inside the Cave of Origin. No one that's native born is allowed inside."

"That sounds really dumb," I said.

"It's where both Groudon and Kyogre reign," he said.

"And why in the fucking hell are we going in there?!" I exclaimed. "Shouldn't you have mentioned this sooner?"

"They might not be there." he said with a shrug. "This could be our only chance."

"You're playing with my life on a maybe?" I demanded. "Are you out of your damn mind?!"

He stared at me as if I was crazy or something. "We'll be here to protect you. Besides, while they might not get along, they have a standing truce."

"How do you know that?"

"Noticed that there hasn't been any widespread drought or rain?" he pointed out. "If Groudon or Kyogre were rampaging or fighting, this city wouldn't be here."

"That's still kinda far fetched." I growled. "Do we know on which side they are on? What's to stop them from attacking us because we're trespassing?"

"They wont." Lance said.

"You don't know that." I snarled. "Fuck this plan. I don't know what I'll do, but it isn't going inside that cave! That's suicide!"

"You'll be safe." he said again.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You're not budging from this are you."

"I honestly believe that whatever answers you seek will be inside the Cave of Origin. Legendary Pokémon or not. And I do believe that you will be safe from harm while inside."

The urge to sock Lance in the face was overwhelming. Joy grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back before I did something.

"It's probably for the best if we did this tomorrow, or thought it out more thoroughly." she said, stepping in front of me. "Let's get a plan ready and talk about it in the morning, alright?"

By Arceus I wanted to punch that dumbass in the gut. What didn't sink in when we told him earlier that there's been numerous times that some Pokémon has tried to kill me or anyone nearby? I didn't talk, only allowing Joy to take the lead when she grabbed my shoulders and pushed me to where she wanted me to go. Obviously Lance thought that I would have absolutely no problems in the possibility of walking into a death trap. Either that, or he feels that we can take on whatever is in there if they were hostile.

My feet moved for the only reason to avoid falling face first against the stone under me. I wasn't paying any attention to where we were headed. Maybe to the Pokémon Center? This place didn't seem to have any place like a park from up above. Maybe Joy knew of somewhere? She wasn't very talkative, and Zefyra followed us mutely. At least I inferred that she was following since Joy didn't recall her back.

The lack of trees bothered me so much. It was just rock, stone pavement, and buildings. How did anyone really live here without trees? Ivy hanging from a few posts here and there doesn't count. It looked like something completely devoid of natural life. Other than humans walking about with their Pokémon next to them. What got my attention now that I wasn't flying over the city was the smell of salt and water. It made me feel uncomfortable.

"Something wrong?" Joy asked.

"No." I lied. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere so that Lance won't talk to you for the rest of the day." she said decisively.

I took a deep breath before releasing it. "Thank you."

"Don't worry about it." she said, patting my back with both hands. "Zefyra looked like she was about to bite him to pieces, so it was for the best anyway."

A low growl came from behind, confirming that the Hydreigon was behind us. I pushed the image of Lance being bitten in half out of my mind. "What's up with this city?" I asked. "I mean, there aren't any trees around."

"Volcanic soil is too much for most plants around here." she said. "Also, the ground is extremely hot. I wouldn't recommend actually leaving the city itself unless you're flying. There aren't many paved areas outside of the main city. Though there are the crazy people that parachute off the high cliffs for the thrill of it."

"People are insane." I muttered.

Joy laughed. "Takes one to know one." she said.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked again.

"Don't worry about it."

"I can walk by myself without you pushing me."

"But this is fun!" she said with a laugh. "Alright, just follow me."

We lapsed into a comfortable silence as we continued walking. She took the lead, walking in front of me. Joy didn't let go completely, grabbing hold of my hand and holding on tightly. One of Zefyra's heads rested on my shoulder. I couldn't tell which one from my peripheral vision but I didn't let it bother me. It was a bit surprising that she was so trusting, especially given that she was hostile towards me the first few times. Maybe she's beginning to trust me a bit more. Even though she said to follow her, I didn't have much choice in the matter.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if it was due to whatever part of Arceus was inside of me. If that was what it was, anyway. Part of me was still a bit skeptical about that whole idea that there's a piece of a god in me. It made sense, especially after hearing Mist confirm it, but it's still a bit too much to swallow. The evidence has been piling up quickly in favor of that outcome. I just wanted this whole stupid thing to stop already.

"Are you alright?" Joy asked.

I shook my head. "Just hoping this whole nonsense stops soon." I answered. "I'm getting tired of feeling like everything will happen if we drop our guard."

"Like what?"

"Like we'll get attacked or something." I elaborated.

"With the way you snore?" she chided, poking a finger against my chest. "You don't seem like you worry about it."

I snore? "I don't try to show it just because I know everyone would just get bent out of shape worrying." I elaborated. "Have you seen how... nevermind, that's a rhetorical question."

"What?"

"I was about to ask if you've seen how attached my Pokémon are to me."

The grin that creeped on her face was a bit amusing. Pressing on, I continued. "Well, I didn't really feel like handling that side of drama. Though it doesn't seem to matter since, for the most part, things have calmed down between everyone."

"Everyone's in agreement?" Joy asked.

"For now, anyway." I answered with a shrug. "Anyway, nobody really needs Zin demanding explanations from everyone. Especially when we consider the fact that she feels entitled to know everything that happens."

"She seems really attached to you." Joy noted.

I shifted my eyes around to see if there was anyone near us. With only Zefyra as our witness, I nodded. "She really is." I agreed. "But I know for a fact that if she knew what we were doing, she'd say something. What exactly I'd rather not know. She seems to favor the 'jump first and ask questions maybe afterwards' mentality, but I don't think she'll like the fact that I'm going to be knowingly put myself in danger. Especially around two Pokémon that may be involved in this whole power struggle going on."

"We don't know if they're directly involved." Joy cautioned. "They may be against both sides."

"That's true, we don't really know. But still, not knowing doesn't really excuse us from not looking at all our options."

"What do you suggest then?" she asked. "Seriously."

"We can look at pictures and records that others have taken from the Cave of Origin. I know they exist, even if my parents have some of the copies. At least that will keep us outside of potential encounters."

Joy nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me." she said, nodding. "The problem is how could we get that information? It would take at least a few days or weeks for your parents to send you whatever books or whatever it is that you're looking for."

"We can just call them." I said with a shrug. "They might find it weird, but I can say that I don't particularly want to go inside the Cave of Origin. They might insist either way, but that's what I was thinking. Also, I'm pretty sure that a city of this size has to have some kind of library. I mean, this looks like some kind of major hub."

"Well, technically the League isn't far away from Sootopolis." Joy mused. "We could go there if worse comes to worse."

I shook my head. "Worse situation would actually be stepping inside the Cave of Origin and having both Kyogre and Groudon working against me."

"That sounds grim as fuck."

"Yeah, it really does."

"Then stop fucking thinking about it!"

"Too late." I said with a grin.

Her grip tightened slightly, but not enough to be painful, though I just rolled with the punch so to speak. "What about you?" I asked. "We still don't look like we have a destination in mind."

"Making sure that Lance isn't following us, mainly." she said.

"Zefyra stands out a bit." I pointed out. I heard a huff from my side. My arm rubbed her scaled hide in an attempt to keep her from roaring. "No offense, but you're quite unique."

The Hydreigon seemed satisfied with my statement. "Yeah, that's true, but I'm hoping that Jon took the hint and keeps him busy with something." Joy said with a shrug. "In the meantime, we can figure out what to do ourselves and come back tomorrow with a plan."

"You still want to go down there, don't you."

She nodded. "Yeah. This isn't the first time people have gone down there to investigate the ruins. You've said so yourself, too. None have been injured while the two are down there you know."

"You seem to forget that I'm not just anyone." I said, tapping my chest to emphasize my point. "And if they were there in the first place. No one has bothered to mention that in any of the reports my parents received."

"So you're worried about a maybe." she said.

"This 'maybe' might get us in a fight with two Pokémon."

"You don't know that." she hissed. "What if both of them don't give a shit about this fight? What if both are willing to help us?"

"I feel like the odds are pretty slim." I said. "While it's true that it might work out the way you say, we have no idea if that's going to be the case."

"Not knowing it was dangerous never seemed to stop you from doing something a little stupid." Joy pointed out. "And this time, you won't be alone either."

"This is true." I said. "I just don't know right now. It feels like a huge risk."

"Because you going alone and getting jumped by Cresselia was a good idea."

"I had no clue that there would be someone jumping me from out of the blue." I countered. "Here we're knowingly going where two Pokémon are and willingly going inside."

"I still think that you're freaking out about this a little too much." she said, frowning. "I'm pretty sure that between all of us we can keep you safe."

I sighed, but she continued. "Besides, where else could we go? Do you know anywhere else to get more information?"

She did have a point. We didn't have any information to go on, and no one's approached us to illuminate our situation. Neither any of the Darkrai or Suicune has said much recently that would help me solve this mystery. Unless we found out something, and soon, I didn't have anything else to say about refusing to go into the Cave of Origin.

I almost ran into Joy when she stopped moving. One of Zefyra's heads stopped me from bumping into Joy's back. Patting the dragon's neck, I looked up to see that we stopped in front of a large building. The letters above the entrance claimed that it was the Sootopolis City Library.

"Why are we here?" I asked.

"To see what other places we could go than the Cave of Origin." Joy explained. "If there's anywhere else to go, we might find it here. At least, that's what I hope. If not, we might not have a choice."

I nodded, a sense of dread flowing through me. "Well, we might as well go in and see what we can find."

=====================/////////////////////////======================

With some help from Song, Mist, and Zefyra, We managed to isolate ourselves from everyone inside the archeological section. I was pretty surprised that they had a section dedicated to just archeology, but they also seemed to have one for paintings as well. Though it was probably lumping it with an art section, but the archaeological side wasn't lumped up with anything else.

"Found anything yet?" Joy asked.

"Unless you count some ruins in route one-hundred one." I said, closing the book in my hands. "But that's in the middle of the desert and I'm not sure how we would go through that."

Joy cringed. "We would have to get some Go-Goggles for that. Those things aren't cheap, either."

I shrugged. "It's the only place with alleged Unown writing. It's theorized that there's a connection, but no books make a reference to it other than this one."

"How many have you gone through?" Joy asked.

Song took my book and put it on the pile. "Twenty so far." I sighed. "You?"

"Just about as much as you have, and I haven't found anything else either. I had Mist pull someone to help us, but they weren't much help unfortunately."

"Have you found anything on the Cave of Origin? None of the books I've read mention it."

"Remember that it's a pretty controversial subject here." Joy reminded me. "But no, I haven't found any either."

"Master." Mist called. "I do not think that you should be too careful."

I raised an eyebrow at the ghost. "Why do you say that?" I asked.

She lifted one of the books we put away a few moments ago. After opening it to a specific page, she passed it to me and pointed to a specific paragraph. I looked at it again, trying to see what Mist wanted me to see.

"The guardians of Earth and Sea have settled their disputes." I read aloud. "Binding them together towards a common cause, the guardian of the Sky brought the three into a truce to last the ages."

"That would make sense." Joy said, nodding to herself. "There's been a lot of talk that Rayquaza made the entire Hoenn area much more stable due to Groudon and Kyogre fighting constantly."

"What made them fight in the first place?" I asked. "Does anyone know that?"

Joy shrugged, shaking her head. Song raised her hand. "If I may, Master?"

I nodded, waving my hand to her. "Please."

"There was someone that mentioned this in passing while I was training in the monastery, Master. I only overheard part of their conversation but they mentioned that there was some incident that two organizations stole the two orbs that would allow control of the guardians. I think that perhaps since that incident has been resolved both Groudon and Kyogre have been able to work out some sort of agreement."

I shrugged. "Guess it makes sense." I grumbled. "Still though..."

"Can you please stop being a complete pussy?" Joy growled out, raising her voice. "I know you're scared. We get it. I'm scared shitless, too. We all have pretty damn good reasons NOT to go in there, but need I remind you that YOU'RE the one that wanted answers!"

A librarian came from around the corner behind Joy and glared at us. He raised a finger to his lips, shushing us softly. Joy gave him the one finger salute without any hesitation. He stormed away from us quickly. Joy shrugged, not physically caring that she just flipped off someone that worked here.

"Let's just go." I said while standing up. "I don't want to get into trouble today."

Nobody argued against my wish. Thank Arceus for small miracles. Everyone stayed close to me as we left the library. I was surprised at the time had flown by so quickly. While I knew that sometimes time went quickly when you didn't pay attention, it being night time was a little ridiculous. Then again, neither of us wondered what time it was while we researched more information about Kyogre and Groudon.

"Now what?" Joy asked. "What are you going to do?"

"Sleep." I said, frowning.

"And tomorrow?" she asked, sounding impatient. "What about the Cave of Origin? Are you going or not?"

"We'll go. Together." I said, nodding. "Whatever happens, we'll kick ass and chew bubblegum."

Joy groaned. "Never say that, alright? That was a horrible attempt at a joke and I'll kick you in the balls if you try again today."

======================/////////////////////=======================

"So, what are we doing today?" Lance asked.

We were walking towards the Cave of Origin together. I felt short of breath just by walking. A sense of dread filled me, hovering over my thoughts. I sincerely hoped that Lance and Jon were still backing me up on this.

"We're going to the Cave of Origin." I said after a moment. "I feel that you guys are right. I trust you."

Lance chuckled. "About time. You owe me ten, Jon."

"Yeah yeah, don't rub it in." Jon said. He leaned over to me and whispered in my ear. "Don't tell Baast. I won't stop hearing it from her that I bet against you."

I grinned but shook my head. "Maybe." I said with a shrug. "Depends if we get out alive."

"I still don't understand why you think that we'll be attacked by Groudon or Kyogre in here." Lance said.

"I don't know exactly who to trust." I said, frowning. "There's a lot of lines, and I'm not sure where we stand at the moment. Suicune so far is working towards helping us, but who can tell if her opinion will change? The same thing could be said about the Darkrai. Originally they were working against us because of Giratina, but now that Giratina is all but helping us, the Darkrai aren't hostile. That doesn't clear up why Cresselia attacked me that one time, and that a Moltres showed up to help me."

As we reached the entrance of the Cave of Origin, I stopped to take a deep breath. "I'm not sure how all these Pokémon are working together or against each other. All of our encounters, except one, weren't planned willingly by us."

"You'd rather not know that you're going into Kyogre's and Groudon's home." Lance said.

"If you hadn't told me, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have freaked out yesterday."

"I'll stay quiet from now on." he said with a grin.

"Just don't talk unless it's ridiculously important." I said, shaking my head. "Like, for example, if a boulder is headed my way."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"So, we're all ready?" Joy asked, grabbing my shoulder tightly.

I nodded. "Let's go."

Lance pulled out one of his Pokéballs, the flash revealing a gigantic red lizard with large wings on its back. Its tail tip glowed brightly due to the fire burning out of it. The Charizard didn't roar, but snorted a puff of flame. It didn't seem that hostile, though it gave us a leer that sent a shiver down my spine. The Charizard walked along with Lance without any vocal complaints. The fire on its tail grew bright as they lead the way down into the Cave of Origin.

Jon sighed, pulling one of his Pokéballs from his waist. When the flash of the Pokéball, his Sceptile, Fern, stood next to him for a moment. The flickering light from Lance's Charizard made her blue skin look strange in my eyes. Joy pulled me against her suddenly. I wasn't sure what was going on until I could feel Zefyra's heads pulling me off my feet.

"You don't have to carry me all the time, Zefyra." I said. The three headed dragon ignored me, causing Joy to laugh. Her laughter sounded extremely close. Looking to my left, we almost bumped our heads together.

"She has a way with people." Joy said. "You should know that by now."

I guess so. "Mist?" I called.

"Yes Master?"

"Just making sure that you were with us is all." I said.

"Everyone is rested and ready to fight should they be called." Mist said, trying to keep me calm.

I patted my chest in response, feeling a warmth that kept me confident in my friends around me. No one spoke as we marched downwards into the Cave of Origin. None of the books explained what was actually down here. It was a little creepy to actually see crude sketches of what possibly could be Pokémon on the walls. There were no odd stairs leading downward, just a natural slope leading deeper into the earth. The light behind us grew dimmer with each step we took. Lance's Charizard made his tail glow brighter as the darkness began to take dim our vision. I could feel my heart beating faster the deeper we went. When I rubbed my palms together, they were soaked in sweat.

The incline finally stopped, the tunnel opening into a large cavern. Lance passed out some flashlights to Jon, which then Jon passed to me and Joy. what their light showed wasn't encouraging me to continue. Ruins of buildings lay scattered about appeared by the light of the flashlights. Was this similar to what we found inside the Cerulean Cave? I frowned, trying to memorize all that we could see. Most of the material on the ground was wood, in varying states of decomposition. It looked like it hasn't been tampered with for the most part. I couldn't say for sure, since we know for a fact that people have been down here before. We also can't rule out that Pokémon haven't been down here either. Which ones is a good question, if that idea is correct in the first place.

"What is this?" Jon asked.

"Could be that Sootopolis censored the notes of the scientists that came in here." Lance said with a shrug. "Wouldn't be the first time it's happened."

I looked over to Lance. "The Sootopolis policy is that nothing really leaves this place. Pictures are destroyed and notes are censored. At least, that's what Wallace says."

"Why? That doesn't really make any sense." I said.

"Mostly just to keep people from coming here in the first place." Lance said, stepping in front of his Charizard. "Unless there's something more that we don't know."

"There's always something more than what we know." I said with a frown. "Obviously someone doesn't want anyone to know about this. Why would they stop that information from coming out if they wouldn't benefit from it?"

We moved slowly, inspecting the ruins that we could safely go through without risking it collapsing or possibly becoming injured. To be honest, it was enough to just look at them. Zefyra didn't approach any of the ruins, only following Joy close enough to help her if there was any danger. Jon and Lance stayed close to each other as we continued to find a way deeper into the caves.

"Let's try to go towards that wall." Lance said, pointing with his flashlight. "Getting lost in these ruins isn't the best idea."

No shit. "Alright." I called. Zefyra stopped and lowered herself so Joy could climb on.

We grouped up soon after and began moving with Lance and his Charizard in the lead. Things only became weirder the further we went inside the cave. Joy whispered something to Zefyra and one of the heads nodded. We slowed down, Joy reaching towards me to help me down. The dragon began to beat her wings, leaving the ground with ease under her. We continued on with Zefyra's gaze above us. It helped ease some of the fear that I felt at the very least. It was odd that there weren't any wild Pokémon. Is this going to be like the Cerulean Cave?

"Is it normal not to find any wild Pokémon here?" I asked. My voice echoed in the silent cave.

"I've heard that there are some wild Pokémon that hide here." Lance said. "I haven't been here myself. That's all I know."

I worried about the dragon being by herself, but Joy hit me on the shoulder. "Don't worry about Zefyra. She can take care of herself."

Even with her reassurance, it didn't settle well that she would be alone up there. I called on Mist, silently asking her to keep an eye out for her if she was able to.

"Of course, Master." she responded. "Though I was already keeping an eye above us."

I assured her that it was welcomed. Though now I felt a little better knowing that Zefyra won't be completely alone. Lance threw a glance in my direction but didn't seem all that concerned. It probably was to make sure we were actually there and not gotten lost. The thought that he actually cared didn't really cross my mind before. Maybe he did but I had a lot of doubts.

"Is it me or is it getting hotter?" Joy asked.

"At least I'm not the only crazy one." Jon muttered. "What about you, Nick?"

I shook my head. "I don't feel anything."

"That would be because I am helping your body deal with the excess heat, Master." Mist whispered in my mind.

Can she do that? The ghost's laughter surrounded me. "It's not as difficult as you humans try to understand it. Just understand that I am aiding your own biological functions."

So she's literally a part of me when she resides in me. A good thing to keep in mind from now on. I'm not entirely sure what is the scope of a ghosts powers. There weren't a lot of books on the subject of ghosts, and even less of trainers allowing ghost Pokémon inside of them. Maybe I should end up writing this down for future study. Mist laughed.

"Perhaps. Though right now you should pay more attention to what is happening. You are walking down another tunnel and you are not looking."

I focused back to my immediate surroundings, and the first thing I feel is Joy holding me. She rolled her eyes, looking a bit worried.

"You alright?" she asked. "You zoned out for a while there."

I blinked, my vision hazy. My eyes stung from something. Did something land in my eye? Joy's hands stopped my squirming around, grabbing my head. I felt her blowing into one of my eyes, then the other. She inspected my eyes thoroughly, making sure that things were to her satisfaction.

"Why would it be getting hotter?" I asked aloud. "If anything, it would be cooler than outside."

"Not this cave." Lance said. "This is the place where lava and ocean meet. It's the only place that Groudon would appear."

We continued forward, the ruins from earlier becoming more and more frequent. There were times when even Zefyra had to join us on the ground so as to keep her vigil. Ruins of buildings and forgotten things lay abandoned all around us. I imagine that any explorer worth his or her salt could figure out what exactly happened here, or at least find clues. Me, on the other hand, had no idea what could have happened. A fire, perhaps? There was obvious evidence that fires broke out through parts that we passed through. Bones that crumbled to dust at the slightest touch, the burned stone, and the smell of burnt wood permeated the air. Could this have been a city devoted to the rulers of land and ocean? If so, what happened here so many years ago? Did Kyogre intervene? There didn't seem... to be... oh.

"Well, fuck." Joy said.

There wasn't a stone floor ahead of us anymore. Somehow, there was an ocean ahead, the ground cut unevenly in front of us. Judging from the tops of the buildings that broke the water's surface, it was pretty deep water as well. Lance kicked a rock into the water, the shine from our flashlights making it a little hard to see how long it floated downwards.

"Yeah, that shit is really fucking deep." Joy said.

I don't think I saw the rock actually settle to the bottom. It just looked like the rock kept falling through the water. Just how big were the buildings? Or are.... since some of them are still standing with their roofs unflooded. Somehow thinking that these buildings were sound was a really bad idea. The water was clear enough to see that rubble was everywhere. These buildings might fall at any moment. Though how they haven't up to now is a really good question.

"What now?" I asked.

"We swim." Lance said. "All this water comes from somewhere."

"If we have to go underwater, I'm going to have a really bad time." I said, frowning.

"Why?"

"I can't swim." I said. "Also, we don't know about finding air pockets in any deeper parts of the cave. If this part is flooded like this, what makes you think that going underwater will find us points to breathe?"

"Mist and Gem should be able to explore them without much problems." Jon suggested.

Something cold pushed outward through my chest as Mist left my body. As her face reformed to normal, her eyes studied me intensely. It looked like she wanted to say something, but I already had a good idea what it was.

"Well?" she asked Jon. "We do not have forever to wait for you. You will die eventually."

He frowned, but released Gem. The Sableye looked confused for a moment before turning towards Mist. The two seemed to communicate silently as we looked at them. Without any warning, they both moved together towards the water. While Mist didn't have to worry about positioning, she stayed nearby Gem as the other ghost jumped on floating debris to keep up. Both ghosts were hard to see, almost disappearing into the distance and in between rooftops.

"What now?"

"We wait." Jon said. "Hopefully they can find something."

"There's probably a cave or something that's feeding the water here." I said, frowning. "Or maybe somewhere that there's water flowing? I find it really hard to believe that this just appeared out of thin air."

"You would be surprised." Lance said.

Joy snapped her fingers, pulling out a Pokéball and summoned her Kingdra. Her Pokémon looked confused for a moment, spinning around in a circle in the water as she took in her surroundings.

"Calliope, I want you to check if there's a cave underwater." Joy instructed.

I pulled on my belt for Xola's Pokéball and released the Milotic. She didn't complain, enjoying the water next to the Kingdra. Calliope's eyes narrowed, but when I repeated Joy's orders and to follow her she eased up. It looks like the Kingdra is a bit competitive. They both dove underwater, leaving ripples on the surface in their wake.

Lance sat down on the ground with a sigh. "Looks like it's just our luck to wait." he said.

"Have you ever been inside here Lance?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Like I said before, no, but this wasn't like this. At least, not from my understanding." he said with a frown. "Though this doesn't look that new either. Maybe it's been like this since the last group of researchers came in."

I nodded. "This sucks. I really don't want to swim. At least it's been quiet."

Jon nodded. "No wild Gravelers to break your arm this time."

"Yeah, not looking forward to swimming either."

"I know." he said with a frown. "Still, we might have to. You think they've found something?"

"Who?"

"Any of them. They seem to be taking their time."

"Maybe they're trying to figure out something?" I asked. "Mist could have gotten distracted."

"That doesn't explain Calliope, though." Joy said. "She's extremely focused on a task."

"Explain to me something." Lance said suddenly. "Can any of you explain why there aren't any wild Pokémon here?"

"That's been bothering me for a while." I said. "It was like this in the Cerulean Cave as well."

"Like what?" Lance asked.

"Abandoned. It didn't look this advanced though. There weren't any buildings like in here. Also there were these odd crystals that seemed to grow out of the ground and react to our presence."

Lance stood up suddenly, his face looking like he wanted to rip something to pieces. His Charizard reacted with his trainer, growling deeply as the giant Pokémon stood next to him. I backed up from him, bumping into something large. Jon's Sceptile held onto my shoulders, making sure I didn't fall into the water.

"Crystals? Explain." Lance demanded.

I frowned. "I don't know, they glowed purple and seemed to shine with some kind of inner light. They looked like the crystal formations inside the Ice Path, except they weren't everywhere. Also, they exploded. I think I still have a bump on my head from where I got hit."

"What happened before." Lance demanded.

I was honestly starting to get worried. "There was some Unown text at the end of the cave. Crudely written. The part that Misty said to me was fine, but the rest of it was jumbled up. Either on purpose or by accident I have no idea. Within a few minutes of us reaching the end of the cave the crystals started blowing up and stuff."

"Is that why you say that you were attacked?"

"I don't think my imagination would make up a Pokémon just to fuck with me and everyone that fought it. Nevermind the Moltres that showed up to save my ass." I pointed out.

Mist and Gem appeared suddenly before Lance could say anything. I blinked, making sure that it wasn't some trick of the Charizard's tail that made me see what I saw. Mist floated up to me and frowned while shaking her head. Before she said anything, water splashed upwards as both Calliope and Xola both returning safely. They looked ragged as Joy recalled her Kingdra and Xola pulled herself out of the water.

"What happened?" I asked.

"The currents are too strong." she said with a frown. "I don't think that swimming is the best idea."

"I am in agreement with Xola, Master." Mist said. "All the caverns we found are flooded with either water or lava. The currents from either fluid are not suitable for travel. Not that I suggest we go through lava. I do not think that your bodies are suitable for such travel."

Gem nodded, motioning towards Mist. Jon shrugged while Joy looked confused. "What do we do now?" she asked.

"Is there any other way through or around to get deeper?" I asked Mist.

She nodded. "I only mentioned the things that were underwater. There is one cavern that is not flooded, but we would have to go through the far wall to reach it."

"Any suggestions?."

Lance shrugged, but grabbed onto his Charizard's back. "Where is it?" he asked.

Mist looked towards me, and I shrugged. "Follow me." she said, floating over the water towards the wall. Lance's Charizard took off, quickly following Mist towards wherever she headed.

"Should we go with him?" I asked.

Joy shrugged. "I highly doubt that anything can stop that dude." she said. "Zefyra can reach him if he needs help. Besides, we can see him from here."

I followed her gaze. It was pretty easy to spot them since all we have to look for was a wagging tail on fire. I shook my head, looking towards Xola. She was breathing hard, but she didn't look injured. Kneeling down next to her, Xola smiled at me as her head rested on my shoulder. My hands rested on her head, rubbing her scales gently as she finally started to relax.

"Did you see anything?" I asked.

"I think so." she whispered. "Something big in the water."

"Was it a Pokémon?"

"If it is, it's really big." she responded.

"How big?" Jon asked, his voice wavering.

"Big enough to shadow over me and Calliope." Xola answered. "Really big."

A splash got us to look over towards Lance. Where once there was a solid wall a large hole as tall as Lance's Charizard was tall stood.

"Did Mist say that it was occupied?" I asked, standing up slowly.

"What?"

"The cavern that she was talking about."

"Oh, no. I don't think she mentioned anything about it being occupied." Jon said. "Why?"

"I think we're in some deep shit then." I answered, pointing towards Lance.

"Why do you...?"

That's as far as Jon got to say. A deluge of water bursted forward, quickly rising the water level to go over my shoes. That didn't bother me that much. What really got my attention was the gigantic white eye staring at us through the hole.

"Nick, you better climb on." Joy said, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards her. Zefyra lowered herself as Joy reached out for me from the dragons back. I recalled Xola before Zefyra got too high up in the air. Securing the Pokéball on my waist, I saw Jon on top of his Dragonite coming to our altitude.

"Where's Lance?" he yelled. I shrugged in response.

"That's not normal." Joy said.

"What isn't?"

"Look at the water! It's still rising."

"Well, yeah."

"You're not noticing how it ISN'T flooding everything else."

I blinked, taking a better look to see what she meant. That's when I noticed how a wall of water was still rising but not flooding the rest of the cavern. The water level was rising extremely quickly, so it wasn't too long before the water actually reached the cave roof and blocked all the view of anything past it. Where was Lance? Did he escape?

Something was distorting the water, but I couldn't see exactly what. What really got my attention was the growing shadow that slowly approached us. Whatever was distorting the water in front of the shadow burst out of the water. Orange in color, Lance's Dragonite aligned itself upright with him safely sitting on its back. A wave of relief washed over me knowing that he was safe at the very least.

"Lance!" Joy yelled out. "You alive?"

He raised his hand up. He coughed loudly, catching his breath. "You better get ready." he said loudly.

"For what?"

"Kyogre."

I looked dumbly at Lance's direction before looking towards Joy. Zefyra was slowly backing away from the wall of water that stood ahead of us. The shadow in the water still approached, and it was becoming a little easier to see some of its features. Two large wing looking things stood out the most, other than the massive size of the creature itself. A red glow began to appear from the front of the shadow, illuminating the thing hiding in the water. The shadows themselves didn't hide much of the creatures size, that much I could say for sure. Especially when the red light reached the two wings and began to glow brightly.

The wall of water began to come down. How it wasn't just falling everywhere was anyone's guess by this point. What sounded like a yawn echoed all around us. The air itself shook with the sound, as if something just woke up. When the water retracted to its original level, what was in front of us wasn't a regular Pokémon. It's skin was blue, and it was ridiculously huge. The face was separated by the red line we saw earlier except now it pulsed almost like a heartbeat. The lower part of the body that we could see as it moved about was white. A long tail splashed behind the Pokémon, though it wasn't just one solid mass like how it was on other Pokémon. Instead, it was split into four parts, two on each half of the body.

It's mouth opened and I covered my ears, expecting some sort of high pitched sound. Sharp teeth lined the Pokémon's mouth. Seeing how Joy wasn't mimicking my precaution, I lowered my arms from my ears. A soft chuckling reached me. Joy looked back at me with a grin before motioning to land. The dragon seemed reluctant to follow the order, but did so as requested. As we approached the cave floor, how large Kyogre stood in front of us dawned on me. The Pokémon was easily twice my size, never mind how wide it was.

Lance and Jon made their way towards us, both of their Dragonites standing behind their respective trainer. Any hint of rivalry they may have had was suppressed for the moment. I guess having a legendary Pokémon in front of them put things in perspective.

Nobody said anything, but the silence was a welcome pace than what usually happened when running into a Pokémon like this. At least Kyogre wasn't attacking us. We weren't in the best of positions to defend ourselves if that was the case. I felt something tug on my left arm. Looking over, Joy was giving me a look that I should say something. Especially when she pointed her thumb at Kyogre.

I scratched my throat and took a deep breath. I took another one to buy myself some time. I didn't even know what to ask.

"It seems that Suicune was correct after all."

I backed away from the giant Pokémon and bumping into Zefyra. The voice matched the chuckle from earlier. It was a soft tone that could easily match what a trickle of water would make.

"So, what brings you here little one?" Kyogre asked softly.

Taking another breath to sort out my thoughts, I shook my head to clear out my nervousness. It wasn't working. "I want to know what's going on. What's with everyone wanting me dead or alive?"

Kyogre didn't answer immediately. I'm pretty sure this was an obvious question, especially knowing that Suicune has mentioned me already to Kyogre. "Well, I can't say that wasn't expected." Kyogre said with a splash of its tail. "You very well know why."

"That's great and all, but what's going on? Do you know what happened? Why Arceus-?"

"Died?"

I stopped, my question dying on my tongue. That wasn't exactly how I wanted to put it and I said so. Kyogre laughed softly, water splashing about around the Pokémon. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.

"Unlike some other Pokémon that have ascended to become what you humans refer to as 'legendary', there are a few of us that only one was created. Why, I'm not sure. Perhaps it's to keep our guardianship sacred. Only Arceus would know the answer to that.

"We were there, though, when that happened. We were foolish, all of us. We all paid a heavy price that day. I cannot say exactly what drove Arceus to stop the fighting the way he did. Maybe it was to teach us a lesson. Maybe he wasn't as smart as we are all lead to believe. Either way, we lost our Creator that day. I believe even Regigigas cried, and I wasn't aware that the mover of continents could cry.

"I wasn't made aware until relatively recently that Giratina was collecting the pieces of Arceus. Well, relatively recent, if you count in the last three-hundred or so years. I don't necessarily keep track of time."

Well, at least there's some confirmation about things. "Wait a second, you were there? Like, when everyone was fighting?"

Kyogre nodded, water splashing as the Pokémon's head moved. "I had the dubious honor to fight my brother." Kyogre said.

"Your brother?" I asked.

"Groudon." Lance answered.

"Indeed." Kyogre confirmed. "It wasn't the first, and it wasn't the last. It's only because Rayquaza insisted on peace that we stopped."

"You can't stop fighting?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, no. Arceus created us to be polar opposites. I never understood why, but it was never malevolent. Though they did get rather violent every few decades or centuries, depending on how things felt like taking shape. It was through this that the world we know of was created."

I was having a discussion on the creation of every single continent known like we were discussing what kind of party we were having later in the week. The worst part is that it didn't bother me as much as it should. Maybe I was getting used to running into legendaries every other week. The thought scared me. Silence followed Kyogre's words for a moment as the giant Pokémon turned to its side. It's right eye peered at the four of us, moving as if committing our faces to memory.

"So, what do you know about me?" I asked. "You know about the soul I carry, right?"

"Yes, I do." Kyogre answered. "Suicune did not mention you by name, but you match how she described you to me. It's always an honor to meet a vessel of our Father."

"So you probably know what I'm about to ask. Is there any way to stop all these attacks from happening? Other Pokémon want to kill me to get the piece of whatever from me and resurrect Arceus, while there are others that want to prevent that from happening. It sounds like you're with the latter."

Kyogre nodded. "Yes, I am, though I am reconsidering my stance on the matter."

That's not a good thing to hear. "Is that so?"

The ground rumbled, though from what I had no idea. The sound of something crashing from behind us made everyone turn around to see part of the right wall begin to fall. Hot air filled the cavern as lava began to flow quickly towards us. Zefyra quickly scooped me up along with Joy while Jon and Lance got on their Dragonites. Dust fell from above, and the entire cave visibly shook as whatever approached. A giant stepped through the nearby wall. The giants skin looked like it was wearing glowing red armor from a fantasy story, heat shimmering all around it. It's head barely cleared the ceiling of the cave, and every lumbering step caused more shaking to occur. It's claws were white, matching the colors of the spikes on the sides of its body as well as the tail. The plates on the giants body weren't fully connected, but a bright blue would pulse through the Pokémon's body. It looked at us with green eyes that shimmered brightly in the intense heat. While I felt the heat before when Mist left my body, it wasn't so bothersome. Now, it was clear that there was something more underneath Sootopolis than just previous volcanic activity.

A roar came from the towering beast, shaking the cavern and my body. The sound felt like it bounced through my bones. My heart felt like it jumped to my throat, and only when a gout of flame headed our way that my mind snapped into focus. Sitting behind Joy didn't let me control Zefyra very easily, but she responded when I dug my shoes into her sides and leaned forward. One of her heads gave me a dirty look, but she didn't respond in any other way. At least she wasn't trying to throw me off, but it might as well be to protect her trainer.

Where was Mist? I hope that she's alright. She was with Lance before all this nonsense started happening. Looking around briefly, it was impossible to see where anyone else was at the moment. A wall of fire stopped us from moving forward and Zefyra made a hard left turn, nearly smashing us into a building. The Hydreigon took the obstacle in stride, tilting sideways to fly in between the gap between the building and the lava. I leaned on top of Joy, bringing her down so we would minimize the risk of being hit. We were still huge on top of her back, but we made it on the other side unscathed. A roar echoed from behind, different from the first ones. The urge to check behind me was pretty high but a sudden jolt from Zefyra made me put that urge away. There was no way I could focus on anything less than keeping myself from bashing my head against whatever was in the way.

A hissing sound echoed loudly in the cavern and Zefyra flew straight up. Something landed on my right arm. I didn't pay it any attention until it felt like something was burning! Turning to face my arm, something wet slid across my skin. What really was bad was that a pillar of water was rising under us! A hard left from Zefyra sent us tumbling downwards as the rising water surged against the ceiling of the cave. Burning water rained on top of us and it took me biting my tongue not to scream. I still haven't seen where either Jon or Lance were. Maybe they ran? I would if I could.

"Zefyra, get us out of here!" Joy yelled suddenly. The dragon acknowledged her request, flapping harder than she was before. She turned and smiled at me, her eyes reflecting something bright behind us. I didn't bother to look but I smiled back at her.

It reassured me a little bit when she tightened her grip on my hands. I could finally see what's been going on. Groudon and Kyogre were standing near each other, the steam created by the water touching lava rising from the meeting point. Both Pokémon glared towards us but didn't do anything else at the moment. Lava churned underneath us as buildings around us slowly sank. It was an eerie feeling. History was being destroyed right now, right in front of my eyes.

"Hey, where's everyone else?" Joy asked.

"I'm not sure." I answered. "I haven't seen anyone since Groudon appeared, and Mist hasn't shown up since she went with Lance."

"She's probably with him." Joy said.

A giggle echoed from somewhere in my head. "Both of the other humans are fine. They left while their dragons flew with their tails between their legs." Mist said coldly. "While I do appreciate the effort, Lance did not hesitate to fly."

"And Jon?" I asked aloud.

"I am not sure. When Lance didn't do anything to come back to make sure you were alright, I came to make sure."

"We need to get out of here, then." I said. "This really isn't the best place for us to defend ourselves."

Joy nodded. Zefyra seemed to agree with the idea. With a giant flap of her wings, we started headed for the surface.

====================//////////////////////////======================

Chaos.

That's the only word that could be used to sum up what was going on in Sootopolis. We definitely weren't inside the Cave of Origin for more than a few hours. Dark clouds covered the sky, lightning criss-crossing the clouds in random patterns. The few people outside the cave were being stopped by Lance and Jon. Someone else stood with them, trying to keep curious bystanders at bay. Probably for the best, too.

As I approached, someone pointed towards me and yelled something I didn't quite catch. Lance and the new stranger came towards us as we dismounted Zefyra.

"You two have some explaining to do." Lance said.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I shot back. "You pussied out, you sack of shit!"

He glared at me. "Better a coward than dead."

"You don't see me lying on the floor, do you?"

"Enough!" the newcomer said. He had a thick accent that made his words flow together like a train wreck. "As Sootopolis' gym leader, it's my responsibility as to what happens here."

Lance didn't say anything but shrugged and turned away. The new guy slowly nodded and gave a short bow. His clothes made him look like someone from a rich upbringing or a wealthy job. It made me think of a captain or something of that sort. "My name is Juan, gym leader of Sootopolis. I would like to ask you a few questions."

"If it's about the cave, you better save them for a better time." I said, pushing past him. "Sorry, but I'm not staying here in order to die because Groudon and Kyogre are working to kill me."

"Did you say that they are working together?" Juan asked.

"Yeah." I said dismissively. "I think that you should start evacuating."

The side of the rim of the city blew up, the sound making my ears ring. A roar drowned out everything else that I could hear. Dizziness washed over me, my stomach threatening to empty its contents as I slowly pushed my way off the ground. I didn't even realize I fell. A pair of strong hands helped pull me off the ground. Mist whispering inside my head didn't help. She stopped when I complained, thankfully, as Joy started saying something. My ears were still ringing, and I asked her to stop while I shook my head.

"What was that again?" I asked.

"We need to help evacuate the city." Joy said, frowning. "Before things get worse."

I sighed. "Fine. Let's get to it."

My head felt like the biggest headache was trying to split me in two. I could feel a cool touch on my shoulder as Mist helped as much as she could. Grabbing Spirit's Pokéball, I released my Flygon. She looked confused, but after filling her in she was crouched low to let me on her back. Lance and Jon approached, both looking confused.

"We have to help get people to safety. Anyone got any bright ideas?" I asked.

"The boats." Lance said with a snap of his fingers. "There are piers all along the city. It would be the best way to get people off the island en masse."

I nodded. "Let's get to it, before Kyogre and Groudon get out. What's the furthest section?"

"The south side." Lance said, pointing towards said direction. "Why?"

"Zefyra and both Dragonites have been flying for a while now. I'll take care of the farthest side so they don't have to exert themselves more than they already have."

"We have to get to the other sides of the city." he said.

"Would YOU like to go to the southern side, knowing full well what we have to do AND how you're FUCKING WASTING TIME HERE!?" I yelled out.

I didn't bother waiting for his response, urging Spirit to fly towards our destination. She was eager to fly, though if it was to get me away from Lance or because she's been cramped in her Pokéball all day was a good question. It felt cold inside my chest, like I shouldn't have yelled at him. He was wasting time, though, no matter how well thought out a plan should have been. People have a good chance of dying right now if we don't do something.

By the time we reached the southern part of the city, people were already boarding the ships. Police officers were funneling the panicking masses onto the boats as orderly as possible. Spirit landed nearby which allowed me to grab a passing officer.

"What do you want, kid? Can't you see we're busy here?!" she demanded.

"I know. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yeah, get out of the way!"

Spirit shuffled out of the way, letting the guard pass by. Another explosion rocked the city nearby, washing everything in sight bleach white. Dots bounced around in my eyes as my ears rang. Waves of heat seared my skin as the air quickly became hot. Rubbing my eyes, I could finally see that another nearby peak had exploded.

The ringing slowly faded, only to be replaced by the screams of people. The water levels were rising, and the pier was slowly being swallowed by the sea. The more worrying part was that the water itself was bubbling and churning, as if it were boiling. Whatever connected the piers to the boats fell to the water. A few people fell into the water, their screams jolting me into action. I was suddenly very glad that I was still on top of Spirit. My Flygon didn't need to be told what to do, instantly flying towards the people that were in the water. Pulling people that were writhing in pain wasn't the easiest thing to do, but we managed to get two or three at a time.

A few weren't so lucky. Spirit was about to grab someone when a bright blue tentacle thing came up and dragged him under the waves. I almost jumped in after him, but Spirit was having none of that. It sent a shiver down my spine. That wasn't normal. Were there Pokémon hunting humans, preventing us from escaping Sootopolis? Were these Pokémon working with Kyogre and Groudon? The thought terrified me.

Grabbing Iolanthe's Pokéball from my waist and releasing her, she floated next to us as she quietly listened to the current scenario. She nodded, her eyes silently waiting for my command.

"Can you teleport these people to those boats?"

She nodded.

"Please! They won't survive if they try to swim."

Io didn't ask questions, proceeding to do as I asked by immediately getting hold of four people and just disappearing from where she was. When she returned, she did it again. I have no clue if this would wear her out quickly, but I hoped that she would still be alright to continue if need be. At the rate she was going now, it wouldn't take long to get everyone nearby to safety. Spirit and I tried to keep everyone as calm as we could, and I think my Flygon did an admirable job considering that the entire city was going up in flames.

Being on her back made me privy to little things that told me she was terrified. Her upper wings would twitch, brushing against my legs. Her breathing was quick and shallow as she shifted underneath me. When I tried to get off her back, she instantly refused. Both her claws still held onto my legs tightly and have refused to let me go.

Io reappeared by herself. She didn't look shaken or worn out from teleporting what probably was over a hundred people to safety.

"Are you alright?" I asked. She nodded silently. "Then why aren't you talking? It makes me feel a little nervous when you stay silent."

"I apologize, Master. I was merely staying focused on the task at hand." she answered quickly.

"That's fine. I guess I wanted to make sure." I responded with a wave. "Let's see if-"

A loud roar cut me off as a Kyogre broke the surface of the water. I turned towards the sound, horrified to see that Kyogre was above one of the ships. Gravity did the rest as the giant fell on top of the doomed ship. The splash was the only thing we could see from this angle, but there wasn't a single doubt in my mind of what just happened. Iolanthe pulled on my face, making me look at her instead of what we just witnessed.

"Focus. We still have a lot to do."

I nodded, trying to fight down this wave of dread that filled me at this moment. The guard that we spoke with was still beside me, looking at the sea. Right now, all I could feel is that we've unleashed something horrible on the world. All I had to do was not stick my nose in shit I didn't need to know.

=====================/////////////////////////======================

As we flew towards the western side of the city, Groudon appeared on the south side of the city. The spectacle was as sudden as a volcanic eruption, with all the spectacle and ferocity of the Pokémon emerging from the ground. It was easy to see the devastation that the emergence caused. Why were they attacking the surface? I understand that it's because of me, but why attack anything in their way? Maybe they're just clearing anything that gets in their way instead of attacking deliberately. I just didn't know anymore.

What I did know was that this was almost useless. Groudon was attacking, and more likely killing, anyone on the island while Kyogre took care of the any boats that left. The sinking feeling that I haven't done anything for those people out there felt heavy in my heart. Why didn't I? Oh yes, I didn't have the resources to help, and I would have to contend with Kyogre as well. It was very deliberate that I left those people to their fate. As cold as that sounded in my mind, I don't think anyone present at the moment would agree to help even if I wanted. I'm pretty sure that Mist would have done her damndest to stop me.

"You are quite correct, Master." she quipped, giggling inside my head.

Now wasn't the time, Mist. She stopped laughing at my request. Silently thanking the ghost, we flew towards the Cave of Origin again. Maybe someone has come back from their section after finishing. Looking at the devastation around me, it didn't look like that was very likely. Hopefully they've had better success than me.

A more familiar roar broke me out of my reverie. Looking around for the sound, Zefyra's outline made me relax slightly. As Joy and her dragon aligned with me, I could see that something happened. I wanted to ask what, but the look she gave me as I opened my mouth told me not to ask. She shook her head, smiling at me briefly.

Lance and Jon were both at the entrance of the Cave of Origin. Both were talking to each other as we approached. They were covered in dirt and other things. There was a bruise easily visible on Jon's side of his face, while Lance looked like he's been through a thorn bush. They stopped talking when Jon noticed us. Lance looked troubled as Jon approached me and Joy.

"Are you two alright?" he asked as I dismounted from Spirit. "Did you see Groudon?"

"Yeah, I did." I said, frowning. "It happened as I was leaving the area."

He looked relieved for a moment. "What about you?" I asked. "What happened?"

"We were taking care of survivors and trapped civilians." Lance said. "We had to go inside a few buildings."

I was grateful that I didn't have to explain what I saw out in the ocean. Joy shook her head before Jon spoke. "Please don't ask." she said with a frown. "I don't want to talk about it."

It bothered me that she wasn't willing to talk about it. Then again, what I saw wasn't something I wanted to talk to anyone at the moment either. Mist was thankfully quiet about the whole thing. My gaze fell on Lance as he looked over towards where Groudon was.

"I just want to point out that I warned you about this." I said with a smirk.

"Don't remind me." he said.

"I probably will. Constantly, because you're an idiot." I snarled. "You completely ignored me, with you saying that 'we'll be fine,' bullshit Congratulations on you running away like a pussy by the way. But what now? You've got an entire city dying right now and you're not doing much at the moment."

He turned around, swinging his fist at me. The pain didn't help me feel any better, but at least he got what I was saying. Stumbling backwards, I rubbed my face with my left hand. Lance moved towards me, another punch in the way. This time I moved out of the way while throwing my own punch towards him. It didn't feel like it hurt him too much, but his feet shifted his weight a little bit. Opening my hand flat against his chest, I pushed hard, forcing him to move where I wanted him to. Which, coincidentally, was the ground.

He pushed my hand away from his chest, swinging his feet around to trip me. My world tumbled as I hit the ground. I pushed my body to roll away from Lance, scrambling to stand quickly and defend myself. As Lance moved towards me, Mist flew out of me and slipping inside of him. He stopped moving, though his face showed a great deal of surprise at what just happened. A grin formed on my face.

"Forgot about her, didn't you?" I asked.

He suddenly fell to the ground, his eyes wide. Mist slipped out of his body through his chest, laughing like a maniac. "He won't be forgetting this anytime soon." she cackled.

"What did you do, Mist?" I asked.

"No permanent damage, I assure you." she said, still laughing gleefully. "Though I do suggest that we send him off. He will not be in any condition to be of any use for quite some time."

Jon and Joy both picked Lance off the ground. "We'll get his Dragonite or something." Jon said, before going the steps. I looked at Mist intensely as she shook. Before I could ask, she started laughing loudly again.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"Humans dying, the screams of souls passing to the next world," she answered lightly, spinning in place. "It is an exhilarating experience! Their howls entrance me like the finest of symphonies!"

I stared at her. She looked at me, smiling brightly as she floated towards me. "There is much more to it than that," she said with a wicked grin. "There will be much work on the other side to do."

"We have to worry about the people that are still alive, though." I said, trying to bring her out of her reverie. "Let's focus here."

"Do you really have to?" she asked. "You can just run, get away and save your own hide."

"And then what happens to everyone here?" I asked.

"They would die, to be reborn when they are ready." Mist answered with a shrug. "We tried saving people already, remember? Kyogre saw to it that they wouldn't live. People die, Master, and sometimes there is nothing we can do about that."

"Maybe we can do better." I said with a frown.

"You don't seem to understand," she said, her laughter being replaced with deadly seriousness. "Pokémon and humans suffer all the same. This isn't because of some error in the plan. It's because Arceus planned it that way. Souls get recycled constantly, being reborn after they've accepted what they learned in their previous life."

"Why are you philosophizing now? When we're safe, you can intellectually masturbate all you want, but for now we need to focus!" Joy demanded.

"Where's Lance?"

"Not here." she answered. "Answer my question."

I frowned. "Mist thinks that we should get out of here."

"Bail? Yeah, I'm down for that plan." Joy said, nodding.

"Finally, a human that listens to reason!" Mist exclaimed.

"I think we should at least try to help." Jon said with a frown. "I'm kind of obligated to, seeing as I'm a Ranger."

"Master, I don't think you remember seeing Kyogre jumping over that ship and sinking it." Mist stated. "Nevermind that it may have just sunk any ship around Sootopolis and Groudon rampaging through the city as we speak."

"Then maybe we can redirect Groudon." I said. "I'll go and do that. You two, try to get as many people out of Sootopolis as you can."

"What about Kyogre?" Joy asked.

"You're not going to like what I'm about to say. Jon, you have Zapdos. That's our best bet."

"You think that she'll listen?" he asked warily.

"She'll listen to you, I'm sure." I said, nodding.

He frowned, but accepted my suggestion. "I hope so."

"She will. We still have to talk anyway."

He looked like that was the last thing he wanted to do. I forced a smile as he walked past Spirit. Joy gave me a worried look, frowning.

"Do you want me to come along with you?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No. I think we can distract Groudon from a rather safe distance. It also doesn't look like there's anything helping the rampage. There are other Pokémon out there in the water helping Kyogre kill people."

Joy pulled out a Pokéball and opened it, releasing Victini. "Heya!" she shouted happily with a large smile. "What's wrong?"

"Take a good look around." Joy said with a frown.

Victini did so, the smile disappearing quickly. She didn't even finish an entire circle before spinning towards Joy. "Orders?"

"Follow Nick." she said. "I want you to make sure that nothing happens to him."

Victini gave Joy a salute. "Will do!"

Joy turned towards me, a smile forming on her face. "Take care."

"We'll be fine." I assured her.

She nodded, pulling out another Pokéball and summoning Zefyra. The Hydreigon roared as she took off, leaving me with my Pokémon and Victini. The small Pokémon floated over to me, a rather large smile on her face given the circumstances.

"Don't worry!" she exclaimed. "With me on your side, victory is guaranteed!"

A chuckle escaped me. "With enthusiasm like that, I don't doubt it."

====================////////////////////////=======================

We flew above Groudon as the giant continued to mindlessly destroy anything in its path. I was still trying to figure out something to do. Maybe it would retrace its steps if it saw me? I didn't want to put Spirit in danger but nothing else came to mind. Victini grinned at me as we made our first pass. It was now or never to be honest. We stopped moving, hovering in place as we started our plan. I grabbed Io's Pokéball, releasing her next to me. She looked surprised for a moment as Victini flew past her, but didn't say anything out loud. Both Victini and Io flew downwards together to Groudon's back.

Both Pokémon took advantage that Groudon hasn't bothered to notice us yet. Io launched two purple waves of energy, while Victini attacked with a Flamethrower. Both attacks landed simultaneously against the giant's back. The behemoth stopped moving for a moment before slowly turning in place. Its tail toppled over what remains of buildings the claws couldn't reach on the first go around. A part of me hoped that there weren't any people still down there.

A large claw swung towards Io and Victini faster than I would have have given the titan credit for. Both Pokémon avoided the attack and immediately counter-attacked. Victini launched a barrage of Swift, the small projectiles bouncing off Groudon's armored skin. Iolanthe was holding what looked like a multi-colored ball in her tentacles. She held it for a few moments, as if waiting for a good opportunity, before throwing it towards Groudon's face. The giant didn't look too worried, until it exploded in his face. A veritable rainbow erupted in front of us. As the light faded, colors didn't match up to what they normally would. Groudon looked yellow in my eyes, though the yellow was slowly bleeding back to the normal red color.

Groudon turned towards me, opening its mouth wide and attacking with a Flamethrower attack. Spirit flew upward, the heat making me feel like my skin was burning. The wall of flame followed us upwards as Spirit suddenly stalled in the air. As the attack reached us, she flapped her wings hard, pushing us away from the fire. Feeling the power behind the attack personally, it felt like we were trying to fight back the weight of the world itself.

Another roar came from the giant as Spirit repositioned herself. Groudon thankfully turned its attention to either Iolanthe or Victini, its arms swinging wildly in an attempt to hit the smaller targets. We needed a bigger attack! What we were throwing at Groudon hasn't even been enough to stagger the titan. While the destruction was already high, we weren't really using all our power either.

"Spirit!" I yelled. "I want you to use that attack you used on Darkrai that one time at the temple!"

I felt the Flygon tense underneath me. Mist was quick to voice her disapproval of my idea.

"What are you thinking, Master?" the ghost demanded loudly inside my mind.

"Any other plan would be wonderful at this moment, Mist." I said aloud.

She pushed out of my chest suddenly. I didn't feel the odd temperature difference that I normally feel when that happens. "I will help," she said.

She didn't wait for me to say anything, immediately flying down towards Io and Victini. Immediately a group of black spheres appeared around the ghost as she lobbed them towards the fire giant. It felt like we couldn't do anything to Groudon other than making it angrier. None of the attacks thrown at the giant seemed to make it really stop. It felt like it was treating us as an inconvenience at best, or insects at worst.

How can we slow the giant down? I have no idea how Mist is planning in turning Groudon around, or at least direct him somewhere else. If Groudon kept going, there won't be anything left to save. Something clicked in my mind. It was crazy enough for it to work. I yelled out for Iolanthe, hoping that she could hear me through the haze of battle. Thankfully she did, aligning herself next to me and Spirit.

"Io, I want you to use your most powerful attack." I said.

She didn't show any kind of outward emotion. I imagined that she was taking the time to talk to both Mist and Victini but I don't know. Iolanthe nodded silently, her four tentacles almost wrapping around her body as the tips pointed towards the jewel on her chest. Small sparks of energy would jump over her shoulders as she turned in place to face where her target was standing. Victini and Mist seemed to do a good job keeping Groudon in one place.

"Master, I am ready for my attack." Io called in my mind. "Please call those two back to safety."

A bit of panic rushed through me at that moment. How was I going to get their attention? Spirit's voice suddenly echoed in my ears. It wasn't words, but it was more than just a normal roar or sound. I don't have words that would give it the right description. Either way, both Victini and Mist heard it and moved. Iolanthe took her shot, releasing her attack that she's been building up. It was a dull orange beam that crossed the space between her and her target near instantaneously.

Groudon roared loudly as the beam hit. It didn't look like the giant had any time to block or prepare itself for the attack. It looked like now we definitely had its attention. I thought that the attack would be a concentrated attack, but Iolanthe's Hyper Beam kept going. I hoped that she wasn't wearing herself out. The sound of water splashing made me turn my focus back towards Groudon. It looked like Io was pushing the giant away from the buildings and to a place where he couldn't do too much harm. At least I hoped that being in the middle of the water would slow it down considerably.

Iolanthe only stopped when Groudon was almost fully submerged. Was that it? Spirit seemed to think so, bouncing in place while forgetting I was still on her back. The movement surprised me, but it wasn't hard to keep her from throwing me off on accident. Mist and Victini floated next to us. While it was hard to see if Mist was satisfied with what happened, Victini was more than obviously happy with the results.

"Now THAT'S some firepower!" Victini shouted loudly. "You show that overgrown lizard the ol' one-two!"

"Victini, I do not think we should be celebrating." Iolanthe said sternly.

"Oh, give me a break!" Victini exclaimed. "Groudon is gone! Give me a sec to celebrate here!"

Io narrowed her eyes, but didn't bother to stop the smaller Pokémon from her gloating. It was a bit amusing to see so much energy coming from her. Perhaps that's her real power? Not to discredit her own strength, but it seemed like working with others made Victini stronger. I don't think I've seen Victini fight before though, so perhaps that is a bit presumptuous of me.

It looks like I'll be leaning more on Joy and Jon, as much as I'd hate to admit that. I still didn't see why they stuck around, but I was extremely grateful. Shaking my head, I forced those thoughts out of my head. Now wasn't the best time to think about this.

"Alright, enough gloating." I said. "Let's see if we can find anyone down there and get them out of here."

Victini closed her mouth immediately, giving me a salute. "Yessir!" she exclaimed. "What are you two waiting for, let's go!"

Mist and Io looked at me for guidance, but I just shrugged. Victini seemed enthusiastic enough to help with little prompt to do so. It didn't surprise me too much though. Victini gave me the impression that she would do a lot for the people she cares about. I closed my eyes, rubbing them gently as I brought those thoughts to a halt to take care of what was more important right now. It was a little overwhelming seeing so much devastation. Thankfully, everyone was finding people that somehow have survived the carnage that Groudon brought upon. Io was carrying as many people as she could wrap her tentacles around, blinking out of sight the moment she was full. I don't know where she was dropping them off, because when she reappeared there wouldn't be anyone with her. Anywhere is just about better than Sootopolis right now.

"Spirit, are you alright?" I asked.

She nodded in response. I rubbed her neck gently. "Maybe we should help, too? They look like they have things under control, though."

She didn't move, which lead me to believe that she agreed that we weren't needed to help. I felt Spirit lurch suddenly, as something red stuck out from her shoulder. That's not normal. I looked down to see Groudon leaning over Kyogre, one of the red giants claws pointed towards us. My body began to slip from Spirit's back as we began to fall.

My heart pounded in my chest, ideas of how to get out of this situation bouncing around in my mind. None of the Pokémon on my belt could help me. Maybe Song, but would her powers be enough? Was Iolanthe around? Could Mist help? I wasn't entirely sure what was about to happen. My vision spun as my body fell through the air. I could see Spirit falling next to me, multiple spikes sticking out of her stomach and body. It startled me, but not as much as when she moved. Her claws grabbed hold of my hand, her wings beating hard to pull us up into the air. Part of me wanted to yell at her to stop, but she could only get us so far up.

It didn't take long before we crashed onto a stone path. Pain spread throughout my entire body, but I forced myself to get up and check on Spirit. Dark purple blood poured out of Spirit's wounds through the red spears sticking out of her body. Reaching to my back on instinct, I realized that I didn't have my backpack on me! Did I really just leave all of my shit at the Pokémon Center? Fuck me!

"Spirit!" I yelled. "Don't you die on me. Dammit! Focus on me, girl. Just hold on!"

I grabbed hold of her Pokéball, hoping that putting her inside would put her in some kind of stasis or make her in less pain. The device didn't activate however, only making an odd pinging noise. My pocket with my Pokédex made an odd sound. Opening it, an odd warning went through the main screen.

"Warning! Pokémon with hazardous materials cannot be transported inside the Pokéball! Please remove and try again!"

The message kept repeating. After the third time I let the gadget and Pokéball out of my hands. Inspecting the giant spikes, they were hot to the touch. One of them must have shattered her left google, since it was broken. I didn't even see the barrage come. I should have been paying more damn attention!

Her claw brushed against my cheek, making me turn all my focus back on Spirit. Tears began to flow down her cheeks as I held onto her. My fingers brushed them away, forcing a smile on my face.

"You're going to be fine, Spirit." I said aloud. "Just hold on. Iolanthe is on her way."

I wasn't so sure about that. Maybe she knew that I didn't know. Regardless, her claw never left my cheek, her talons pressing softly against my skin. My eyes felt heavy, and my chest felt soaked. I didn't want to look down to see with what, though I had a distinct idea of what it would be. The ground shook, bits of stone from the nearby buildings falling down. I didn't need to look to know that Groudon was nearby. The temperature spiked around us, and I closed my eyes to await the end.

My heart was the only thing I kept track of. After the idle thought that the ground wasn't shaking, I opened my eyes to see what was going on. Victini was floating over us, a fiery halo floating over the diminutive Pokémon.

"You ungrateful idiots!" she yelled, the halo spinning rapidly above her head. "What have you done?!"

She didn't give them the time to respond to her question. The fiery halo turned horizontal, splitting down the middle to form the letter V. With a throwing motion, the deadly fire letter zoomed towards Groudon and Kyogre. It was fast, and before I registered the hit, a large wound appeared on Groudon's armor-like skin. Likewise with Kyogre, but where the wound seemed superficial on Groudon it looked like it burned for the giant water Pokémon.

Both giants pulled away, going underwater together. Their eyes never left me, following me until they went under water. The last thing I saw was Groudon actually smiling brightly at me. Turning towards Spirit, with her eyes closed and still body, it was obvious what he was so happy about. My hands shook Spirit gently, trying to get her to respond. Two of my fingers pressed against her throat gently, trying to feel for any sign of a pulse. Finding none, I tried to move myself to do something until a small hand touched my shoulder. Turning to see Victini floating next to me with such an unhappy face made my heart turn cold.

"I'm sorry." Victini whispered softly. "I should have protected her, too."

I didn't say anything. I wasn't in the right mind to say anything at the moment. I was more afraid that I would just break down and scream if my mouth opened. It was obvious that she didn't need me to say anything. Victini was probably reading my thoughts right now, so it didn't really matter at the end of the day. While I really didn't want to inspect Spirit's wounds any more, it didn't settle with me just saying that she...

Shaking my head, I steeled myself for what I was about to do. Looking at my chest and stomach, my clothes were stained with her blood. The warm purple liquid stained her scales and belly, oozing out of the multiple wounds. My hands shivered as they passed over her, her blood sticking to my fingers and leaving traces of them as I inspected. I felt sick, my stomach rebelling actively against what I was doing.

"Nick." Victini said. "She's gone, you know that."

That was the last thing I could ever possibly want to hear. I was so angry, but I focused myself. Spirit seemed to try really hard to keep me happy. Picking her up would be a huge endeavour for me. I wasn't tall in the first place, and she was taller than me. Her weight was becoming more apparent now as well.

"Victini, could you get my Pokédex for me, please?" I asked. My voice sounded strange in my ears.

"Sure."

She floated over to where the device was on the ground, passing it to me silently. Taking the device, I opened it thoughtlessly to my see the status of my team. Spirit's name was crossed out in bold red, the word deceased scrolling over it. A wracking sob escaped me, and this time there was nothing I could do to stop it. I didn't care what happened anymore. All that mattered is that this ends soon before someone else gets hurt. Victini stayed silent, though I couldn't hear anything else other than myself right now. I closed my eyes in a vain attempt to push Spirit's image out of my head. It didn't help much, as her weight on my arms and the feeling of her blood on me still didn't make this any less true.

"Master?"

My eyes snapped open at the sound of Io calling me. She was standing in front of me, her eyes telling me everything that needed to be said. I didn't resist when Io moved my hands away from Spirit's body. Mist was alongside her, the ghost watching stoically. The ghost looked troubled, but I couldn't place her expression if she was worried or curious. Iolanthe's tentacles held me up, her eyes narrowing as she noticed my current state. She didn't say anything, however, but wiping my tears gently.

"Steady." she said softly in my mind. "I dare not speak any more than this to you privately. Your mind is very unstable, but I wish you to know that we are all here for you."

I wanted to thank her, but a tentacle pressed against my lips gently. It didn't look like she needed me to voice anything right now. I leaned against Io for support, wrapping my arms around her narrow waist. Her touch helped calm me down somewhat.

"Giratina comes." Mist said without any warning.

"Oh yes, I do indeed."

Oh Arceus above, not him. Iolanthe turned me around slowly, Giratina entering my vision like a black cloud. His long, serpent-like body coiled upon itself as if to take up less space. Giratina seemed somber, frowning down at me.

"This is rather unbecoming of you." Giratina said. "Come now, we all die sooner or later."

The words stung. My mouth worked, but the retort I had didn't want to come out. Giratina moved slowly next to us, his head leaning over Spirit's still body. He opened his mouth, and for a second I thought that he intended to eat her corpse. Instead, he let out a slow exhale over her body, the air taking a sudden dip in temperature.

"Groudon used something rather unorthodox against you." Giratina said, shaking his head. "While it looked painful, I can at least say that this little one didn't suffer like you seem to think."

I looked at Giratina questionly. What was he doing here? Mocking me for my failure?

"Just go. Please." I pleaded.

"I didn't come here to gloat, as you seem to think." Giratina said. "I wanted to comfort you with some words of advice."

I snorted. Giratina didn't seem to get the hint.

"Everyone dies, boy. Sooner or later, everyone comes to my realm. The great and the small, it matters nothing to me. Sooner or later, you will die, and this cycle will continue. Such is the great mystery of life. You exist for a brief glimmer of time, and then you cease to exist. To be reborn at a later time perhaps, but you will not be the same individual that was here first.

"The sooner you understand this, the sooner you will stop feeling sorry for your friend and yourself. Death is another gift from Arceus, and a natural progression of existence that was created in His vision. So there is no reason to be saddened by their passing."

"So, all the people you killed for the shards of Arceus are in your realm?" Iolanthe asked.

Giratina blinked at her for a moment before laughing. His motions threatened to crush us, though thankfully Giratina was conscious of his own form. Though why wasn't he attacking us is a very good question. Maybe he didn't like to get personal with his prey.

"Do you honestly believe we killed all the carriers of the shards in cold blood?" he asked.

"Isn't that why you sent the Darkrai after me?" I asked.

My question was answered with more laughter. "Oh, those two." Giratina said, after calming down. "They were very enthusiastic. You know how young ones are. They took my orders to a very far extreme. To clear up any misunderstandings, no, I didn't order them to be killed on sight. We asked to kill them. Completely different."

"So why are there more and more Pokémon trying to kill me!?" I yelled, demanding to know the answer.

Giratina's laughter stopped suddenly. "Because you're the last one. Out of all one thousand shards of our Father, Arceus, you're the final piece of the puzzle. For millennia, we have waited, died, and been reborn, waiting to see our Creator one more time. It is your hesitation that drives us to desperation. Desperation that seems like we are insane, or wish to cause you harm intentionally.

"There are some that seek you more violently than I, though I have asked them on multiple occasions to leave this to me and my children. Desperation tends to release the darkest parts of our hearts, though, so that may explain your experiences that you had in the past."

"So when Cresselia showed up, that wasn't you?"

Giratina shook his head. "No. She has been reprimanded severely. I highly doubt she will see the moon for the rest of her life for what she tried to do."

"And what would have happened if she had succeeded?" I asked.

"We would have brought Father back to our world." Giratina answered.

"Even if she acted outside of your direct orders?" Iolanthe pressed.

"She would have still been punished. Perhaps not as severely as she is currently, but still punished to a degree. It is my understanding that being banished to the moon for a thousand years is a rather mild punishment for their kind."

Maybe she thought she could be a hero, or something of the like. It wasn't my position to figure this out. Giratina looked down at me. The look he was giving me did not make comfortable in the slightest bit.

"We need to speak when you have taken the time to deal with this turn of events." Giratina said. "We will meet soon. However, I suggest you make peace with yourself by then. I cannot and will not wait for you to do so."

With those words said, Giratina began to disappear by melding into the surrounding darkness. Shadows seemed to cling on him, the giant slowly dissolving into shadows. It didn't take much to dissipate the haze that Giratina left behind. Wisps of smoke and shadows seemed to linger slightly on me as the wind blew them about. It was a long shot that Giratina would give me enough time to sort myself out. But given the situation at hand, that's a really long shot to hope for. I scoffed. Hope. What the hell did it matter if my spirit wasn't in it anymore?

"Where's everyone?" I asked.

"I got the humans to the nearest city from here." Iolanthe said. "I imagine that both Joy and Jon are there as well."

I stayed silent for a moment, contemplating my thoughts. Coming to a swift decision, it didn't sit right with me to leave Spirit here. I left Io's side, clumsily supporting myself as I made my way to my Flygon's side. Seeing her again like this made me almost puke, but the feeling was suppressed. Iolanthe came next to me, gently holding me at bay before I tried to lift Spirit's body by myself.

Gently touching her arm, Spirit's body stirred. My heart leaped in my throat as she began to move on her own volition. Was Giratina behind this? Surprise and horror mixed together with a bit of anger, my hands clenching tightly into fists.

"What's going on!?" I demanded.

Her eyes opened, lifeless windows suddenly moving on their own accord. Blood oozed from her wounds as her body moved. My stomach protested at the sight of seeing the wounds open up further. Her wings twitched slightly, opening up after a moment. The layer of skin on her wings was torn in multiple places, exposing the ruins of what was probably a building not too long ago.

I frowned, feeling a sense of dread wash over me as I approached Spirit's body. It wasn't until I touched her that Mist's laughter echoed inside my head.

"Oh, the look on your face!" she cackled. "You should have seen it!"

"Mist, get out of her." I said.

"But she's dead," she stated, shrugging Spirit's shoulders. "It's not like-"

"GET OUT OF HER, NOW!" I yelled.

The sound of fire consuming whatever it burned on was the only thing that I could hear. Iolanthe slowly supported the body, allowing Mist to exit while not doing any more damage to Spirit's body. Io turned to me, her face turning way farther than any humans could, looking for instructions.

"Can you take us all at once when you teleport?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Yes. However, you will all need to get close to me for my power to warp us all together."

We got close to her, Victini floating just above Iolanthe's head. Mist stayed at arms length away from me, but I grabbed hold of the ghost. Surprisingly, she was solid for me to grab hold of. I held her against my chest tightly as I did my best to keep my emotions under control.

"You may wish to close your eyes, Master." Io said. "First time teleporting isn't the easiest thing to experience."

I did as was prompted, closing my eyes and waiting for something to happen. Oddly, it didn't feel like it, but that didn't really mean much. It wasn't until something tackled me that I opened my eyes. Joy hugged me tightly against her, her lips pressing against mine. While it wasn't unwelcomed, thankfully she kept it short.

"What in the fuck happened to you?!" she demanded. "What... oh shit! Sis!"

"Don't." I said. "Spirit's gone."

"What happened?" Jon asked.

"I don't really know. Groudon shot out these spikes or something. Io used a Hyper Beam that pushed it under water, but apparently that wasn't enough. Kyogre made sure that it could reach us. Victini gave them both a black eye, but the damage was done before we could do anything. Also, I lost all my stuff since we left it all at the Pokémon Center."

Joy frowned. "Damn. This isn't... I'm sorry, Nick." she said gently.

"Are you alright?" Jon asked.

I shook my head. "No, I'm not. I don't think I will be, either. Io, can you follow me, please?"

"Yes, Master."

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Joy demanded.

"To bury my Flygon." I said, frowning. "What else is there to do?"

\------------------------------------///////////////////////////////////////-----------------------------------

This wasn't a very large island. No matter where we went in Mossdeep City, there were people. Refugees from Sootopolis or a friendly neighbor. Nobody asked what I was doing when I went to the cliffs of the island. At first the idea of digging her grave here was a good idea. Trying to dig with my own hands, not so much. Iolanthe suggested we go to the beach instead. Following her, many people offered gratitude to Io as we passed by. Some thanked her, some gave us condolences. It was a very tender moment in an otherwise heartless situation.

As we reached the shore, the sound of the waves breaking on the sand was soft and soothing. My thoughts were anything but calm, conflicting thoughts waging war for my attention. I walked in a daze ahead of Io, finding a spot behind a pair of palm trees and away from would-be prying eyes. I don't think many people would come back here on purpose. Maybe to avoid the heat, but hopefully if that's the case they will be respectful.

"Master, let me do this." Iolanthe said. "May I put her down?"

I nodded, Iolanthe lowering Spirit onto the ground. Taking my eyes off her, I moved next to Io as she began to dig at the sand. It wasn't very easy for me, but the work helped me focus. What could I do now? What was the motivation to continue? With every scoop of sand, more grains fell. Slowly, we made a small area where we could actually bury her.

"Io?" I called, turning to face her.

"Yes, Master?"

"Do you think it would be better if we take out those spikes? I don't want those things to be with her when we bury her."

She looked at me curiously. "Why?"

I shifted my eyes towards the body. "I don't feel right leaving what killed her there." I said. "I don't know. It just doesn't."

Io stood up, walking towards Spirit. I quickly followed her, as she took one of the spikes sticking out of her. As she pulled, no sound came like in the movies or whatever. Blood flowed, but it wasn't spurting violently as my imagination lead me to believe. That relief didn't help as we continued to pull the others out. The spikes were heavy, still hot to the touch even after everything that's happened. It hasn't been too long since then, though.

Io helped me carry her to where we dug her grave. As we placed her inside of it, it was obvious we would need more sand than what we dug out. Thankfully, it didn't look like there was anyone else around. Also, I didn't think anyone would complain about taking more sand for my own purposes. Io didn't seem to wait, taking a large clump in her psychic energy and slowly pouring it over Spirit's body.

A part of me thought that she would love doing this, playing on the beach. It's a chance we never got to act on. Tears fell from my eyes as Iolanthe covered Spirit's face under the falling sands. With her body completely hidden away, any composure left was swept away. I grabbed hold of Io, sobbing. Her tentacles wrapped gently around me, holding me tightly against her.

"You should let this out, Master." she said. "The sooner you do, the sooner we can move on."

I didn't ask, and she didn't elaborate. I continued to cry until exhaustion claimed me.

\------------------------------------//////////////////////////////////---------------------------------------

The sun was setting when I woke up. I was laying on Io's lap, her tentacles holding my arms tightly against my chest. A little self-conscious, I began to move away from her. Io's tentacles wrapped around me tighter around me the more I moved. Moving my arms around, I managed to reach her face and move her towards me. Her eyes were closed, so was she sleeping?

"Good evening, Master." she said. "Is there something wrong?"

"I have to tell everyone what happened." I said softly.

"Are you sure that is wise?" she asked.

"I have to tell them." I repeated. "Everyone has a right to know what happened to her."

She opened her eyes slowly, looking at me with worry. "If you are sure, Master."

"Where's Mist?" I asked.

"She's around." Io answered. "I am not sure as to her exact location. However, she did say that she would come if you called her."

I shook my head. "I don't think there's need of her being here. She saw what happened."

She nodded, helping me stand on the sand. I helped her up, pulling her up from her sitting position. With just us two, it was a little easier. How was I going to confront everyone about this? I sighed, pulling on Spirit's Pokéball from my belt with one hand, opening the rest one by one with the other.

"Hey, a beach!"

Before I could open my mouth, Zin took off running. Soon, everyone was following her in or near the water. The sunset reflected off the water, reflecting its dying orange and red light. It wouldn't be long before someone would suspect something was wrong. None of the girls were stupid enough not to notice that someone was missing. We also didn't get rid of the spikes from Spirit's body. Those were sure to stand out.

Song walked up to me, a smile on her face as she looked at me. Her gaze wandered, and her smile quickly disappeared.

"Master!" she yelled, closing the distance between us quickly. "What happened?! Are you injured?"

"No, Song. I'm fine."

If that wasn't the greatest lie ever told, I don't know what was. Song was fiddling with my clothes as everyone approached. The Gardevoir looked frantic, trying to take off everything I was wearing.

"Can't you wait until after you two are alone?" Baast asked.

"Someone's feeling a little frisky?" Zin asked, laughing.

"Don't you see Master is covered in blood!?" Song demanded.

The laughter ceased immediately. Everyone came over, voices demanding that I answer them all. The cacophony reached a point where Io stepped in.

"ENOUGH!" she yelled, her voice echoing inside my mind and my ears simultaneously. "Let Master speak!"

I walked forward, placing a hand on Io's shoulder so she steps back a step. My mouth felt dry like the sand underneath my shoes. This was the last thing I ever wanted to say to anyone. The words I told Io echoed in my mind. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.

"Spirit's dead." I said without any preamble. "I'm.... Groudon killed her earlier today."

Nobody reacted. I pointed over to the spikes and the mound behind me. "I wanted to let you all know, and apologize for my incompetence. I'll... I'll let you all make peace with what I just said."

Everyone looked at me in silence. It made me extremely uncomfortable. I could feel their eyes staring at me, like if this was some sick practical joke. I looked away, leaving the group and headed for the shoreline. My arms shook against my sides. The cold ocean water washed over my shoes, soaking them. It gave me something else to think about, even if it was just temporary.

What was I going to do now? Was I ready to just give up everything and let Giratina have his soul so nobody else got hurt? Is that the right answer? It sure seemed like it at the moment. I mean, it's not like.... no, stop that. Thinking like that isn't going to get me anywhere. There was one thing that needed my full attention, and that was what to do with my team. I can't let them keep taking hits for me. It wasn't fair to them. None of them should be in this much danger. None of them signed up for this. They're smart enough to know that. Even if they insist, they have to see reason, right?

I think that there's a word for people that constantly seek danger. Suicidal. Though I never planned on dying during my adventure, that didn't stop Spirit from receiving that fate. The philosophical debate of fate wasn't something I was going to argue with my own self. It didn't sound productive, though it might be entertaining if someone was to listen to me argue with myself.

Something pressed against my leg. I didn't have to look to know that it was Zin doing so. The Houndoom's warmth flowing into me through my legs was enough to let me know.

"Can we back up from the water, Master?" she asked. "If I'm going to warm you up, standing in the water isn't going to help me get that done."

I sighed, but complied with her wish. I walked a bit farther away from the surf, the bit of spray cooling my skin somewhat as I sat down. Zin jumped on my lap, her face taking up everything I could see. Her tongue passed over my eyes, licking my face wherever she pleased. I stiffened under her ministrations, but slowly forced myself to relax. It didn't look like she would stop until I did.

"So what happened?" she asked.

I explained what was going on in the Cave of Origin. Zin stayed silent as I spoke, keeping what happened in the last day as brief as possible. When Spirit was hit, my voice stopped. Zin shook her head, her horns rubbing against my chest.

"You don't have to explain what happened to her. I understand." she said.

"Thank you." I said, hugging the Houndoom.

"So, what are we going to do now?" she asked.

"You all are going home." I said. "No one else is going to get hurt because of me."

Her teeth were on my throat in a flash, the jagged edges pressing against my skin. I didn't feel as threatened as I probably should. My hands went to her horns, gently stroking them. She growled angrily, sounding like a demon from a fantasy story. We stayed locked for a few breaths, until she pulled away from me. Her eyes glowed brightly, her lips curled back angrily.

"Don't you dare say that to anyone else." she said. "I'll make you regret the day you were born a male if you do."

"Noted." I said.

Silence followed, neither of us saying anything. The sound of the waves breaking filled the void that we left, helping to put me at ease. Sobbing reached my ears. I couldn't tell who was crying at the moment. Zin took notice of my curiosity.

"Song is taking it pretty hard." she said, frowning.

"Fuck." I swore softly. Zin shook her head, her paws working the sand next to my legs.

"I don't think she'll blame you." the Houndoom stated. "I don't think anyone will."

"What about you?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Me? Nah. You don't send us on stupid errands, we only fight when we have to. To be honest, I'd like to fight more often but I'm not really complaining. When we do get to fight, we get to go all out."

"Don't tell me you actually enjoy fighting all these legendary Pokémon looking for me." I groaned.

"Of course I do!" she exclaimed, her spade-tipped tail wagging enthusiastically. "Hearing you take charge is pretty exciting. It doesn't matter to me what we fight, to be honest. I just like being around you."

I frowned. "Do you think-"

"I don't think, I do." Zin stated. "I want to do everything I can to get to your goal. If that goal is to find out what's going on, then so be it. What I want you to understand, is that everyone here so far will do everything they can to do the same. Oh, and I hope that you weren't thinking of threatening us, either."

"Threaten?" I asked.

"To release us." she said, her eyes narrowing. "I've heard you do it to Mist. That's not very nice, especially those of us that have given you everything we have."

"Mist possessed Spirit's corpse because she thought it was funny." I said.

Zin blinked at me. "Are you serious?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Was it?"

"In a very morbid sort of way, I guess it could be funny." I said, shrugging. "It wasn't at the time."

"How about now?"

"No, not really. It hurt to see at the time."

"Did you tell her that?"

I shook my head. The Houndoom smirked, her tongue sticking out of her muzzle. "Maybe you should talk to us next time, alright?"

I nodded. "I'll keep that in mind." I said softly.

Zin moved her head, a smile appearing on her muzzle. I was curious as to what was so funny.

"Are you ready for everyone?" Zin asked.

"What?"

"Get him."

I was suddenly piled on by bodies. Hands, tentacles, paws, and legs grabbed hold of some part of my body. No one spoke, even as a wave got a little closer than before. The water soaked my pants, but it didn't bother me. I held as many of my Pokémon as I could grab close to me, tears forming in my eyes.

"Thank you."

\-------------------------------------/////////////////////////////------------------------------------------

I didn't get much sleep after coming back to civilization. Nurse Joy looked at me with sadness, speaking to me in a cautious tone. I'm willing to guess that it's between either the fact that I look horrible, or that my clothes are still the same from yesterday.

"Where's Joy and Jonathan?" I asked Nurse Joy.

"They said they would be back soon." she said. "I can get a hold of them if you'd like."

I shook my head. "No, that's fine." I said. "I'll go wait in my room."

Heading back, a plan started forming in my mind. I have no idea if this will work, or if Io would be willing to go along with it in the first place. Regardless, I had to try. Opening the door to my room, the first part was to actually take a shower. It wasn't really enough to be wearing some of Jon's clothes, but at least I wouldn't be wearing anything blood stained.

I shed my clothes as the water began to reach a temperature I liked. After getting under the shower head, my motivation for getting clean went out the window. Remembering what happened yesterday dampened my hopes. What was I supposed to do now? What did Giratina want with me? The thought of leaving everyone in Jon and Joy's care came and went through my mind. No, that wasn't fair to anyone here.

To my chagrin, I think that Zin was right. If they wanted to fight with me, I think they have that right. It was something they were doing willingly, right? Being their trainer wasn't anything that was forced upon them. I did ask, though. This was so frustrating! I breathed in, coughing when water went up my nose instead of air.

After clearing out my lungs, I refocused on the problems at hand. Where do we go? We have no future leads now. The Cave of Origin was a bust, and Sootopolis was left in ruins. A shiver went up my spine. Was this what would keep happening if Giratina doesn't get his way? It all seemed to point in that direction. He wouldn't be to blame, but it would rest somewhere in his realm of responsibility. At least that's what I want to believe.

I needed to ask Joy and Jon what they wanted to do. Jon would probably have, or might have already, new orders if he's reported to his superiors. Something tells me that he's doing that right now before we meet this morning. It would make sense. If, somehow, they haven't heard of this incident already. The thought of trying to tune in on the radio popped into my mind. I don't know, but somehow I wouldn't doubt it. News this big would be pretty hard to hide.

I turned off the water, grabbing a towel and began to dry myself quickly. I left my hair wet for the time being. A knock on the door got my attention. Putting on my borrowed clothes quickly, I answered the door. Jon and Joy were both there, Nurse Joy behind them. All three looked worried about something.

"Looks like we got you just in time." Jon said. "You have the shirt on backwards."

I shrugged. "Doesn't matter right now. Is something the matter? You three look like something is wrong."

Joy looked at Jon, who sighed. "Calling this situation 'wrong' would be an understatement."

"What is it?"

"The Articuno have made a high demand." Jon said. "Either we find and turn you in, or else they're going to start lowering the worlds temperature."

"How the hell are they going to do that?" I asked. "Doesn't Rayquaza have the ability to control the weather?"

"It might be that Rayquaza doesn't care, unable to, or is aiding the Articuno." Jon said. "I'm not entirely sure."

"Then we need to head over to where he is!" I said. "At least, that's what sounds pretty obvious."

"There's a problem." Joy said. "We need Ho-Oh's favor to get in."

"Well, that sucks." I said. "Wait, would the feather work?"

Jon shrugged. "It might. That's a wild guess, though. But it's try or die at this point. From the tone my boss was yelling at me, it sounds like the Articuno aren't messing around."

"Have they affected anywhere?"

All three of them looked at each other worriedly. Nurse Joy stepped forward, walking around them to stand in front of me.

"Yes, they have. In Sinnoh. We just got told by my sister. It was Solaceon Town."

Fuck a Farfetch'd. "Is everyone alright?" I asked, my stomach twisting. If my parents are injured, or worse, I don't know what I'll do anymore.

"Everyone was fine from what my sister told me." Nurse Joy said, smiling. "But snow was beginning to pile higher and higher. We don't know what they're planning, but it doesn't seem like a well-thought out idea."

"For now." I said grimly. "We need to meet and talk to Rayquaza, then. I don't care how! We have to get there and try to talk to him. Or her... whatever it just so happens to be, I don't particularly care too much. The point is, we have to get Rayquaza to stop the Articuno."

"What if Rayquaza is with Giratina?" Joy asked.

"We'll figure that out when the time comes. I have an idea or two on how to deal with that."

##

Chapter 36: Rage

As much as I wanted to move on, to get to where I just said we needed to go, my motivation was lacking. I was standing in front of Spirit's grave, feeling the sun on my back and a chill in my heart. Even with Zin's more than enthusiastic response, did I have the right to take them into danger? What was the right thing to do here? Should I just send them all away and handle this myself? What would I get done anyway? Right now, there was no other way to get to where Rayquaza except by air. Could I truly justify taking Jon and Joy into more danger because of what I need to do?

Do I really need to do this? The answer wasn't really clear anymore. There were vague hopes that somehow getting to the bottom of this would make things work out in the end. Maybe it might be best to turn myself in to Giratina's cause. A grim thought crossed my mind, that I would be taken out of the cycle while Spirit would eventually come back to this world. At least, if what Giratina said was true. What would really be the case, I wondered. Would everything turn out alright if I just die and get it over with? Spirit's grave wasn't parting with any form of wisdom, silently laying in front of me.

I feel like I've failed everyone. As their trainer, it's ultimately my responsibility to make sure my friends are safe. I should have thought that they would do something like that! They're going for me after all. I... just don't really know anymore. Spirit's resting place didn't have any answers for me. The ocean breeze did little to comfort the emotions raging in my heart and mind. I could feel tears threatening to overtake me again. My knees wobbled under me, a sob escaping my control as I toppled over. Sand passed in between my fingers as if desperate to dig her out of her grave. I stopped myself before the thought turned to action.

I felt like I needed to say something, anything. To beg forgiveness, to apologize, something to express this feeling. It wouldn't matter at the end of the day, no matter if it made me feel better or not. I dragged myself onto my knees, forcing myself to look at her grave. Someone must have brought some flowers, possibly a survivor. There were some purple colored plants in small pots next to a small rock with Spirit's name etched on it. I had no clue who did that, but I silently thanked them.

"I know you're not here anymore, Spirit." I said, my voice cracking. "Just... I'm sorry. I'm..."

My voice caught in my throat, my sobs quickly taking the place of the words I wanted to say. I don't know how long I stayed on the ground. Time just slipped by, my tears and the ocean breeze the only company around. Something grabbed my shoulder, forcefully pulling me to my feet. A slap to my cheek didn't make my mood any better. I focused as best I could, Lance's face entering my vision.

Oh no, not you. If you say anything about...

"Get your shit together." Lance said. "I don't wa-"

I swung hard, nailing him on his left eyeball. He swore, letting me go instantly. I grabbed his collar, my right fist hitting him in his jaw. I pulled back again, repeating the same process again, and again. An odd sense of calm washed over me at the moment. Overwhelming anger tempered with a very conveniently placed outlet for it all right in front of me. Unfortunately for Lance, that was his face.

"You piece of shit." I said, my eyes focusing straight into his. "One of my Pokémon just died and all you fucking care about is moving on!?"

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. I punched him again when he didn't respond fast enough. "You fucking piece of shit. You think it's just as easy as sucking it the fuck up?!" I asked demandingly, punching him in the gut.

"What about now!?" I demanded, pressing my face against his. "Come on! You seem to be all mighty just a few seconds ago!"

He smirked at me. Oh hell to the fuck no.

A roar came out of my throat as I pushed him against the base of a nearby palm tree. I don't even know what he was planning anymore, but I didn't care to know. His face was slowly becoming a bruised mess, and all that crossed my mind were ways to make it worse. It wasn't until my fist began to ache in pain that I finally saw what I've done to him. Blood was coming out of his nose and mouth. His jaw hung open slightly, and his right eye seemed to be swollen more than a little bit. I kicked his left knee as hard as I could for good measure. The scream that came out of him was oddly satisfying.

"I don't think you should come along with us anymore, Lance." I said calmly. "You don't look healthy for the trip."

I turned around. "One more thing." I said. "I asked Nurse Joy to keep tabs on Spirit's grave. If you fucking dare touch it, I'll finish what I did here."

"What? You'll kill me?" he rasped out. I honestly wasn't sure he could speak. He certainly looked like he needed to worry about other things than asking me questions.

"Nah. I don't think I will. That's too extreme." I said dismissively. "But I'll more than gladly break your face again if you even bring Spirit up again in any Arceus fucking way again."

I walked away, feeling slightly better than when I first got here. It surprised me somewhat, but Lance was the last person I wanted to hear to get myself together. It was obvious to me that we had to move on from Mossdeep. The arrogance in his voice didn't give me any patience to deal with that sort of crap at this very moment. Just thinking about it made me want to go back and punch Lance a few more times for good measure.

I forced myself to think of something else as I came back towards the Pokémon Center. Joy was outside, drinking water or something from a cup. She saw me and she instantly got up, knocking down her cup to the ground. She looked at me with wide eyes, as if she's seen something she'd never wanted to see.

"Holy shit!" she said, grabbing me. "What happened?!"

"Lance said something he shouldn't have said." I answered. "I may or may not have beaten the shit out of him."

She stood there, her eyes wide. "You can't go around beating up people just for saying shit." Joy said, eyes narrowing.

"He told me to get over the fact that she's dead, Joy." I said, meeting her gaze. "I'm sorry if that just gets me out of line just a fucking tiny bit. Seeing how it happened just yester-fucking-day, how I feel isn't just going to go away anytime soon."

"And when will you go back to being Nick?" she asked.

"I'm still me." I said, walking past her. "Just a little bit angrier than before."

"And what about Lance?" she asked.

I stopped dead as I forced a myself to take a deep breath. Slowly letting it out, my thoughts came together. "He won't be coming with us." I said. "He can nurse his own wounds in his own time. We need to get going though, so whenever you're ready let me know."

"Jon's waiting for you inside the Pokémon Center." Joy said. I nodded, waving at her as I made my way inside.

Just as Joy said, Jon was sitting in front of a table inside the building. There was a map unfolded in front of him, and from the looks of it it looked like it's seen better days. It was surprising to see an actual physical map instead of something digitized. He looked up as I approached, giving me a grin.

"So I take Lance didn't take my advice." Jon said, motioning me to sit down next to him.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Not to bring up... you know, her."

"Oh. Yeah, no, he didn't."

"I think that we might get in trouble for this." he said, shaking his head.

I shrugged. "He really shouldn't have brought that up."

"Non aggravated assault is a pretty serious crime. Especially since he's a member of the Elite Four."

"Is he actually going to admit that he was disobeying orders and not staying where Indigo Plateau tells him to stay?"

Jon gave me a grin as he shook his head. "Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, I want you to take a look at this."

He pointed to what looked like a small island southwest of what would be now the ruins of Sootopolis. In the map, Sootopolis looked like a shining beacon of a city in the middle of nowhere. Now it was just a ruin for people to remember what it used to be. I guess it'll be just another ruin in a few decades for people to explore and stuff. Everything just seemed wrong to me now. Bright colors dictated where a city was. Mossdeep was surrounded by painted in mountains covered in green. The island of Sootopolis was drawn with boats coming and going from its docks. I could superimpose Kyogre jumping over one of them already. Shaking my head, I tried to focus on what Jon was saying.

"...and from here we can go to Rayquaza's tower." he finished saying, a triumphant grin on his face. "From there, at least, the problem shifts to gaining entry into the Sky Pillar and speak with Rayquaza to see if he can help stop the Articuno."

"And hopefully not get my head bitten off." I said, frowning. "How long will it take us to get to the Sky Pillar?"

He looked at me and smiled. "You weren't listening, were you?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Sorry." I apologized.

He shook his head. "No worries." he said. His gaze softened as he looked at me. "We'll get through this."

"That sounds something Joy might say." I pointed out.

"We're both worried about you." Jon said, frowning. "How badly did you beat Lance up anyway?"

I shrugged. "Enough to puff up one of his eyes."

"While I can't say he didn't deserve it, you need to keep it together." he pointed out. "I can understand that it isn't easy, but you can't go around losing control like that."

I frowned. "I was actually going to ask you two to stay behind." I said. "There's nothing tying you two to me. Go to safety. You can actually do your job, you know."

Jon looked uncomfortable for a moment. "I can't really do that." he admitted. "At worst case scenario, I'm supposed to get you back to Johto to turn you in."

"What's the best scenario?"

"We finish what we started, and I keep telling my boss that I'm still following your trail after I lost you in Sootopolis."

I blinked. "What?"

Jon sighed, tapping his fingers together. "I'll explain it to you like you're five. After you went to handle Groudon, I kept getting calls. A lot of them were mainly me keeping an ear out for what was going on. I'm sorry to say that not a lot of people made it from the boats, either. If the reports that I hear are true, there may be some Suicune that have either defected to Kyogre's side."

He sighed, my look probably giving away my reaction to this news. "Yeah, I know. Unfortunately, that's not all. Apparently there are also Zapdos in with this, as well. Johto and Kanto both have been hit with region wide power outages. It's my understanding that the power plant near Lavender Town was blown up by an electrical overload. Again, if what I'm being told is true."

I frowned. "We need to get going, then. The more time we wait, the worst things seem to be getting. It doesn't look like anyone's going to wait for an answer, either."

Jon looked at me with a frown. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

He shook his head. "No, I mean are you ready. After everything that's happened, are you ready for what can come next?"

I stopped at that. Part of me wanted to scream no at the top of my lungs. No, I wasn't ready to potentially lose someone else. No, I didn't want to put anyone else in danger. This shit was getting ridiculous! How could I justify anything anymore?!

It didn't take much for Jon to smile. "I'm not turning you in, if that's something that worries you." he said. "We're working on things, that's a start. You want to end this as much as I do."

"This is not what I wanted to happen." I muttered. "I just wanted to go on an adventure."

"Well shit, you're sure as fuck getting one."

We turned to see Joy standing next us, hands on her hips. She bent over, picking up a backpack and throwing it at me. Catching it, I was thankful that it wasn't heavy. I raised an eyebrow in curiosity, slowly opening it. A pile of new clothing lay on top of one another, a few shirts mixed in with the blue jeans. A few camping supplies were present, namely a flashlight and some packed food.

"We lost most of our supplies when we bailed out of Sootopolis." she said.

"Did you get Song's staff?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I lost my stuff, too."

"Same." Jon said.

"I'm sorry." she finished, lowering her head.

I shook my head. "Not your fault." I said, taking her hand in mine. "Thank you."

"We'll probably be sleeping out in the open from now on." Joy said. "Jon, didn't you say something about our money being tracked?"

He sighed as I turned to him. "Yeah. I wasn't going to mention it, though."

"Oh."

"Yeah, well, the Persian is out of the bag now." he said. He turned to me before speaking again. "The Rangers are trying to dig into your finance records, to track your movements. There's a high chance they've gotten permission, since we were at ground zero for what happened."

"Why me, though?" I asked. "What about you and Joy? What about Lance and that other dude... I forget his name."

"Juan?" Jon said.

I snapped my fingers. "Yeah, that dude." I said.

"What about him?" he asked.

"Are they going to look into him, too?" I asked. "I mean, he was with us, as well. Lance technically wasn't supposed to be there either. Are they going to monitor him from now on?"

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. Probably, though. Either way, that doesn't matter anymore, right? We're leaving Lance here to get back to Indigo Plateau."

I nodded. Damn straight we were leaving that idiot behind.

"Well, are we good to go?" Joy asked. We nodded.

"Well, let's get to it. Shit isn't going to get done with us sitting on our asses all day."

======================//////////////////////========================

With Jonathan in the lead, we flew out of Mossdeep city in a southwestern direction. He said there were a few islands that travelers use to rest that are off the main route when they can't reach their destinations in one day. Of course, this is with the assumption that we won't make it to Rayquaza's tower today.

Either way, things weren't so bad from Zefyra's back. The wind felt amazing, the cool gusts of air keeping me calm. My mind wouldn't stop thinking about what happened between me and Lance. Looking down at my hands, one question repeating itself in my mind.

Was I going crazy?

The answer that kept coming was a resounding no. Joy and Jon aren't dumb enough to stay with me if I was really losing my mind. They would have left a long time ago, that's for certain. At least, that's what made sense. I would like to think that Pokémon are good judges of character as well, and can make their own decisions based on what they've learned.

It didn't mean that I should feel alright putting all these people in danger. I didn't, and I'm quite sure that's obvious by now to everyone. Maybe everyone wants to get to the bottom of this just as much as me. That would be the only thing that made some sort of sense. To be honest, I was almost looking forward to meeting with Giratina, if what he said was to be believed. We'll have to see what he says, after all.

I don't think I'll be able to fully overcome the death of Spirit. I don't think I've ever been this angry before. It was a little surprising to me how I reacted to Lance. Sure, there's been times where I needed to defend myself and had to use my fists. There's never been any fights that break down into a brawl, though. Maybe a fist-fight or two, but never anything that didn't get stopped by a handful of townsfolk or my parents.

No, what happened to Lance would be viewed pretty badly in the eyes of many people. I don't doubt them, to be honest. But, I'm pretty sure this will be kept quiet. Like Jon said, he wasn't supposed to be out here investigating on his own. If he wants to risk his position in the Elite Four, he'll have to talk. If he wants to bring himself down to my level, so be it. I don't think it'll matter at the end, anyway. Lance can't travel without anyone not knowing about his movements. It's actually surprising how he can keep such a low profile with that Dragonite of his ripping through the air like it does.

Either way, it was likely that he wouldn't bother us anymore from here on out. I would be more than happy to keep it that way from now on. My fist clenched tightly. Oh the things I would do to him if he did, though...

Zefyra tilted towards her right as our direction changed. I looked over Joy's shoulder, seeing Jonathan leading us towards one of the many islands between Mossdeep and the Sky Pillar. Maybe he had to take care of something that couldn't be done up in the air. It was probably a bit past midday right now. We would have to ask him when we landed to get the real story.

Thankfully, that would be very soon. We landed, Jon immediately sliding off his Dragonite's back and putting his Pokédex against his ear. Maybe it was a new message from his boss or something. He didn't wait for us to approach him, his Dragonite following after him.

"Maybe we should wait for him to come to us." I suggested.

"Do you honestly think that he'll tell you what he's been told?" she argued.

I frowned at that. "I'd like to think so. If he's really trying to help, he will."

"He didn't tell you that your finances were being tracked." Joy argued, pressing her index finger against my chest.

"It was probably new to him, and I'm pretty sure he would have told us if I was going to buy something." I said, frowning. "He's still here. I don't think he would be if he was really trying to turn me in."

"What if he's co-ordinating to catch us with authorities at the Sky Pillar?" she demanded. "He can be telling them where we are right now and where we're going!"

"That would also mean that he lied to them about not being with us when Sootopolis blew up." I countered. "Let's just wait to see what he says, alright? Before we make a mistake and end up fucking ourselves over."

She nodded. "So, what now?"

"We do what we've always done." I answered. "Now help me get a fire going. Somehow, I want some soup. We brought stuff to cook with on the trip, right?"

======================////////////////////////////======================

"I'm going to check up on Jon." Joy said.

"Just leave him alone. He'll be back soon enough." I said, shaking my head.

"No." she said. "Zefyra, come along. We need to find ourselves a dragon."

The three-headed dragon looked at me and shrugged. I grinned, finding the motion slightly comical on her large frame. Her right head glared at me, a smirk pulling her lips back which allowed her teeth to show prominently. Joy chuckled, bringing my attention back to her.

"You'll be alright?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure Mist won't mind keeping a close watch on me."

"Speaking of the ghost, where is she?" Joy asked.

I tapped my chest, feeling the Mismagius stir slightly. "She insists on staying by my side." I said.

Joy nodded. "Holler if you need help." she said, turning her back to me and walking towards Jon's general direction.

While I wasn't sure how much that would actually help, I nodded all the same. It probably wasn't a good idea to worry her more than she probably is. I wasn't as blind to the possibility as they might think. My bet was that everyone was on edge. What made them nervous or scared wasn't really important, since it all stemmed from me at the end of the day.

Giratina's words echoed in my mind. It made me nervous that he would approach me directly. Things must not be going as he planned all along. At least, that's my thinking on the matter. One thing that struck me was how quiet the island was. Not many flying or water Pokémon were around, either. Maybe this island was out of the way, and not many Pokémon came this way. It could also be the relative proximity to Rayquaza that would discourage living here. The possibility that any local wild Pokémon stay clear of the tower is also there. It would explain the silent nature of the local area.

Looking skyward, a few clouds floated past high above us. They were small and they seemed to be breaking apart as I looked at them. Could Rayquaza's presence in the Sky Pillar affect the local area? A feeling of dread wormed its way into my mind. What would Rayquaza even say? Would he or she even care about my situation?

Joy and Jon both showed up, Joy riding on Zefyra's back. She looked to be lecturing Jon as the Hydreigon growled and snapped her jaws towards the Dragonite. It was amusing to see all three of Zefyra's heads almost taking turns speaking. I smiled at their actions, though it didn't sound too bad from my end. It was probably Joy worried instead of actually being angry. At least, I hoped so.

"And no bullshit!" Joy exclaimed. Maybe my hopes were wasted in hoping that it was nothing. Both of them walked up to me, both dragons looking at their trainers expectantly.

"We have some bad news." Jon said.

I stood up. "What's going on?"

He shifted his stance, taking a step back from me. "You're a wanted man as of now." he said. "As part of the Johto Rangers, I have to arrest you and turn you in for questioning."

I blinked, a lot of different emotions going through me right now. Fear was one, but it wasn't as high in the list as anger. My nails dug into my palms as they balled up into fists.

"Explain. Now." I said.

Jon fidgeted. "I don't have much to go on right now. With things turning the way they are, with the Articuno threatening to freeze all of Sinnoh, and both continental Pokémon already making good on their threats, all manpower is going to turn you in so we can avoid catastrophe from happening."

That fat shit bastard mother fucking piece of shit! I hope that he chokes on his own neck fat! Fucking shit!

I took a deep breath, doing my best to calm myself down before I wanted to scream, or worse, lash out. It felt like Mist wanted to claw out of my chest and rip out Jon's throat. I kept her under control, insisting that hurting him won't help. My eyes met with Joy's, who nodded once from on top of Zefyra. I walked towards the three-headed dragon and she lowered herself to allow me on her back.

"If you want to do that, that's fine." I said. "It looks like this is where we part ways though. I also hope that we don't meet again if we're going to be on opposite sides."

Zefyra roared, launching herself up into the air with a mighty flap of her wings and push of her legs. I silently hoped that Jon wouldn't follow us immediately. It looked like he wouldn't, as he stayed on the ground as we flew up. A sense of relief washed over me, quickly followed by a sense of loss. Once again, doubt crept into my mind. What do we do now? We just lost an ally to stand against everything the world seemed to throw at me. Would Joy leave me too? I shook my head, resting my forehead on Joy's back. She leaned back, one of her hands stroking my hair.

"I'm not going anywhere." she stated loudly. "Fuck that idiot. If he wants to follow his fat assed boss, that's fine. We'll figure this out together."

Part of me wanted to agree with her. The other part of me was scared that we may be one part short without his input. I hoped the second part of me was wrong.

=====================//////////////////////////======================

It was obvious that we would be reaching the Sky Pillar well before the sun has a chance of setting. We flew around the island where the tower stood and getting a chance to see what we were about to get into. I actually couldn't see how tall the damn thing was. Joy shook her head, guiding Zefyra to touch down at the base of the tower. As we got off the dragon, the Hydreigon growled deeply through all three of her throats. It sounded like she was trying to intimidate someone or something.

"I know, girl." Joy said, patting the top of the middle head. "Don't worry none."

I wasn't sure what they were talking about, or if Joy could understand the dragon at some level. They've obviously been together for much longer than I've been traveling, so there might be some level of communication that I don't know about. Joy turned to me, beckoning me to come to her. The tower's weathered stone did nothing to alter its magnificence. Small bits of plantlife crawled over the stones, weathering the salty ocean spray. It looked like no one has been here in a really long time, if at all. There was one door, made of some kind of metal. It was elaborately decorated with carvings that made my inner archaeologist squeal. Mist was quick to reign that part of me in.

"Must I remind you why we are here, Master?" she said, her voice echoing in my mind.

I approached the doors slowly, touching the carvings with my fingers. There were countless Pokémon on the outer edge of the door. Some I recognized by the general shape of the species, specifically the Houndoom, Arcanine, and a Dragonite. Others were unknown or I couldn't put the shape of the original architect to what they were thinking. Seeing no handle to pull on the door, I pushed it to see if it would give. It didn't feel like it budged at all.

"No go?" Joy asked, standing next to me.

I shook my head. "Nothing right now." I said.

"Do you want me to check this part of the door?" Joy asked.

"See if you can find anything that might be Unown writing." I said, turning to face her. "It might give us a way to open the door."

She nodded, giving me a grin and a thumbs up. I turned my attention back on the door, following my own advice on what to look for. Again, I used my fingers to trace the markings on the door. Nothing looked remotely similar to when I was looking for the written Unown from my parents work. Not even the stuff we saw in the Cerulean Cave made an appearance here.

"I'm quite sure you will not be finding what you are looking for."

There was no mistaking who just spoke. I turned around, clutching my waist for a Pokéball as Giratina entered my vision. Well, it was more like the shadow of Giratina. Wisps of shadow stuff clung to his body, like if it wasn't supposed to be here in front of us. Whatever stood in front of us didn't look like it was supposed to be in this world.

"Do you have the feather?" he asked.

"I don't know if I should be answering that question." I said a little defensively.

Joy approached me, sticking her hand in my pockets. She grabbed hold of the feather, sticking it out towards Giratina's face. "You happy now?" she asked.

If Giratina was pleased, he didn't look like it. He merely nodded. "It's good that you can complete simple objectives."

I frowned at that, but ignored it for the most part. "What do you mean?"

"In order to open the door to the Sky Pillar, you need Ho-Oh's blessing." Giratina explained. "In order to do that, however, you need to find him."

"Well, where is he?" Joy asked.

"Inside the Distortion World."

My heart felt like it was at my throat with those words. No one has ever found a way into the Distortion World. People have claimed it exists, but no evidence has really been conclusive to an entrance, let alone its existence. Joy looked towards me, her eyes wide. I took the feather from her, approaching Giratina.

"Well, what do we have to do?"

"You trust me that much?" Giratina asked.

"Not really. But seeing as how you really haven't killed me just yet, I'm willing to take that risk." I answered with a shrug. "Seeing how you haven't attacked me directly means you want me to do something more than just die for no real reason."

Giratina's eyes widened, bits of red light coming from them. "Perhaps we should then cut to the chase and end your life short."

"I'm waiting." I responded. "I'm calling your bluff. Go."

"Nick!" Joy exclaimed.

"He won't." I said, stepping up to Giratina. "Come on, go ahead. Unless you can't, which is what I'm thinking. You would have gotten this over and done with already if that was the case. You wouldn't have waited all this time. So, I'm calling your bluff. Let's go."

"Speak all you want, human, but if you want to enter the Sky Pillar you will do as I say."

"Then stop talking all big and do it." I growled out. "Come on and kill me if that's what you want."

We stared at each other, seconds feeling like they were hours as our eyes locked on the other. Slowly these sharp looking blades came closer to me. The tips glowed red as they pressed against my skin. I stared at Giratina's face, even as one pushed against my throat. For a moment I thought that this would be it, and it would all be over. Mist's voice screamed inside my head to move. However, Giratina slowly finally backed away from me and withdrew his weapons away. We nodded to each other once. At least this confirmed that Giratina will not or cannot kill me himself. Whatever the reasons are beyond me and I didn't really care to find out.

"Well, what now?" I asked.

Giratina silently floated towards me again, but this time a small red drop focusing under where his eyes appeared to be. After a moment it began to fall on its own. I moved to catch it, but it simply hovered over my hands. Joy grabbed the collar of my shirt, pulling me backwards. The drop elongated, stretching upwards and sideways to reveal nothing that I have ever seen before. It wasn't like the stories describe it at all.

The hole revealed what looked like a desert, sand covering the ground and a strong wind blowing dust everywhere. It was somewhat bright on the other side of the hole, regardless of the sandstorm blocking the light source. That was assuming that there was a light source on the other side.

"So... what." I asked Giratina.

"Ho-Oh is in the Distortion World." Giratina said. "He has been gone for far too long, and the world needs him. So do you, because that feather is what will awaken him."

"So, bring Ho-Oh back and we can get into the Sky Pillar." I said with a frown. "We don't have much of an option, do we."

That was a statement. I clutched the feather tightly in my hands, feeling the warmth flow up my arms. Giratina wasn't giving us much of a choice in this matter. Even for our own plan to work, we would have to work with Giratina. That frustrated me to no end but there wasn't any other way to make this work.

"Nick!" Joy called. "Why don't we just fly up."

"Impossible." Giratina said. "The only way to reach the top of the Sky Pillar is by passing the trials of the tower. Attempting to bypass the trials would anger all the Rayquaza."

Joy winced at that. So did I, to be honest. That seemed to seal the deal to me. "What can we expect in the Distortion World?"

"You speak as if the both of you are going together. No, only you are going in, shard of Arceus." Giratina said.

"The fuck he ain't!" Joy exclaimed.

"You would not survive within the Distortion World." Giratina said. "Are you so willing to throw your life away after it was given back to you?"

"And what about him?!" she demanded.

"The feather will keep him alive." Giratina answered calmly. "Unfortunately for you, it was given to the shard, so it only affects him. You will have to stay behind."

"None of my Pokémon can come with me, can they?" I asked.

Giratina narrowed his eyes. "You will not be in danger. There is no need for violence in my realm."

Somehow I highly doubted that, seeing how he's been trying to get me killed all this time. Regardless, it looks like the rules have been laid out and I didn't have time to sort through it all. For all we know, Jon could be coming back with Rangers to take me to jail or whatever. I turned to Joy, my eyes meeting hers.

"Oh, no. No you fucking don't." she said, taking a step back. "Don't you fucking dare."

I unhooked my belt, handing her my Pokémon. Tapping my chest, Mist was coerced to come out as well. The ghost didn't look particularly pleased that I planned on leaving her behind. She floated past me, speaking to Giratina in some odd dialect.

"Nick, please don't do this." Joy begged.

"No. You stay here, keep everyone safe. You stay safe. I'll be back before you know it with Ho-Oh and we'll climb this damn tower and make Rayquaza act."

She looked at me as if I have lost my mind. To be honest, I sounded crazy in my own ears. Joy pressed her lips against mine, my entire focus turning to her and how her hands grabbed hold of me. She pulled away from me, a stern look on her face.

"Don't you die on me over there." she demanded. "I'll never forgive you."

"I won't. Promise." I said, squeezing her hands.

Giratina was silently watching us. He didn't say anything as I approached him, though his eyes followed my every move. Getting close to the portal began to distort my vision. I pulled back to bump against Giratina. At least it confirms that he's actually here. He didn't say anything but pushed me forward. Mist floated down to my level, entering my body once again.

"Giratina allowed me to be inside of you." Mist explained. "Though there will be consequences if I exit your body."

Then this is the time you learn to stay put. Her laughter lifted my mood somewhat. I was still nervous, but at least I wasn't going to go in this alone. Stepping forward through the gap, sand blasted against my face and my shoes sank in the shifting dune. I kept moving forward, only turning around to see Giratina cross through the portal. The shadows parted, revealing his real body.

It didn't hold my attention, though. While impressive, there was something else that made me stare in wonder around me. While the sandstorm obscured most of the view, it was still possible to see multiple floating islands above us. Each island seemed to be connected by numerous ways, either by what looked like currents of water or actual land bridges. The most confusing part of it all was that things weren't sitting in one direction. On some of the islands it was clear that they were upside down from my perspective. I didn't want to find out how this all worked at the end of the day. Thinking about it was starting to make me dizzy.

A wave of pain and nausea hit me hard, making my eyes water with its onset. What was going on?! It felt like my chest was on fire and it was all focused on my heart. I gasped for breath, feeling like I was losing control of my own body slowly. My body fell forward as a numbing sensation went up my arms. As sensation came back, a gentle heat flowed into my chest and began to ease the pain. It didn't go away completely but it was definitely less than before. I blinked a few times, dragging myself to my knees so I could wipe my tears from my eyes. The feather in my fist glowed a bright gold as it pulsed gently.

"The feather knows the way." Giratina said. "You'll have your other guide to help you along the way soon enough."

"Other guide?" I asked.

"Indeed." he confirmed. "Though I will warn you that this is not some cruel trick. It just so happens to be convenient at the same time."

"Cruel?"

"You'll understand. I hope you understand." Giratina said. "Sadly, I must go right now. My attention is needed elsewhere. Please do not take too long to reach Ho-Oh."

"What the fuck?!" I shouted. "What happens if I do?"

Giratina's body was already starting to disappear in front of me. The sandstorm seemed to engulf the shadows of his body, making him a part of the surroundings.

"If you stay here for too long, you'll become part of my world." he said. "In simplest form, you'll join the ranks of the dead."

Well, fuck. I had to get to Ho-Oh before this world absorbs me? No pressure or anything. Mist urged me on, my limbs moving me for a moment against my will. I took over and began to wander. With no specific direction or guide, I tried to find something that stood out in the environment. Sadly the storm around us made that extremely hard. Nevertheless, it was doubtful that anything would happen if we stayed put. The feather in my hands did little to point us in the right direction. It pulsed erratically as we moved. Even though we moved in the same direction, its behavior wasn't consistent. I ignored it for the moment and focused on breathing properly.

"Master." Mist said, her voice echoing in my head.

"What's up?" I asked aloud. I felt like I needed to keep myself focused on the task at hand. Thinking of the consequences of failure wasn't really an option.

"Do you hear something?" she asked.

"I dunno. All I hear is the damn wind blowing." I answered. "Besides, you're using my ears right?"

It felt like she was shaking her head. It was a very strange sensation that I wasn't sure how to categorize. "No, someone is singing." Mist stated.

"Singing? You might as well be asking if I can tell the difference between the wind and this singing. By the way, the answer is that I can't."

"Turn to your right, Master." Mist said. "I believe that the singing is coming from there."

"Why should we look for whoever is singing?" I demanded. "For all we know, it's a Darkrai just waiting to ambush us."

Mist sighed, clearly not in the mood. "Someone does not remember that it was an accident."

"From someone that still wants me killed."

"From someone that admitted to the command being misunderstood."

I turned towards where Mist suggested. "Fine!" I shouted. "The second something tries to slash my throat, I'm blaming you."

She didn't respond to that accusation, but neither did she argue with me anymore. Perhaps I went too far. Either way, it didn't make me feel comfortable. Here I needed to throw caution to the winds and press forward. If what Giratina said was true, thinking too much would get me killed quickly. I wasn't keen on experiencing that pain again.

"Are you sure you cannot hear the song?" Mist asked once again.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure." I responded.

"Listen harder! Someone is calling your name!" she exclaimed.

I stopped walking, taking a deep breath. Fine, I'll give it a go. It was hard to focus since there was a constant sound from the sandstorm and stuff flying into my ears. Regardless, I didn't hear anything that sounded remotely like a human voice. I continued onward, disregarding listening for anything that caught the ghosts attention. Unless it was loud enough for me to hear, I wasn't going to go out of my way to look for it.

"Turn to your left, please." Mist said.

"Why?"

"Trust me, Master."

I sighed. Fine. "Over here? Or further?"

"Where you are facing now is fine." Mist said. "Our target keeps moving."

Something in my mind made a very chilling connection. We were in a place where no living thing should be, and something was calling my name. Oh fuck me sideways.... I guess this is what Giratina meant that I settled my business with Spirit's passing? I hoped that I was wrong. If I was right, Giratina has a shitty sense of humor.

The sandstorm seemed to get stronger the more we continued forward. It felt like we were moving towards the eye of a storm and we were reaching the wall of the eye. My vision kept deteriorating the further we moved. Mist became my eyes sooner than later, aiming me as I protected myself from the stinging sands. It was an exercise in patience since there was nothing else I could do. The howling of the wind and the sand beating on my skin were starting to wear my patience thin. If something didn't happen soon, I'd rather just have this sandstorm stop already.

I stumbled forward, the howling of the wind suddenly disappeared. Looking around, the sky was clear above me. It was clear that we reached eye in the middle of the storm. Taking in my surroundings, the most obvious sight was the massive sandstorm wall that formed around us. It was a rather large circle, though thankfully the other side was visible. Thank Arceus that the storm didn't engulf me as I took my surroundings in.

I pushed myself up to continue forward. Sand grinded against my teeth, my tongue reminding me that sand tasted horrible. Gusts of wind would hold me back, but it wasn't anything like walking through the actual storm. Approaching the source of it all, though, it made me stop in my tracks. Forcing myself to swallow the spit in my mouth, it did little to help the strangled sound that came from my throat.

Seeing Spirit again was heartbreaking. Her wings drooped over her back, possibly in an attempt to shield herself from the sun. Purple ooze came out of her body, and it chilled me that it might be her blood coming from her wounds. She didn't react to my presence at all. Spirit continued looking forward, completely oblivious to her surroundings.

I approached her, placing my hand on her shoulder. I didn't expect to go through her.

"You do not belong here, Master." Mist answered. "We cannot interact with the denizens of this world."

"But she can affect the surroundings that affect us." I stated. "Ain't that a bitch."

Mist sighed. "I understand your frustration, but keep in mind that this is not the world of the living. The rules that keep things in check there do not necessarily apply to the Distortion World."

"Is Spirit our guide?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"I believe so, Master." Mist said. "Why don't you check the feather?"

I sighed. Maybe the stupid feather had a better idea than we did. Walking in front of Spirit didn't give much of a reaction. Turning to the distraught looking Flygon, the thing began to pulse violently. It looks like we're stuck here following Spirit until we got to wherever we were headed.

"Do you think she knows we're here?" I asked.

"No, I do not believe so." Mist responded. "It is likely that she doesn't quite know where she is."

"Personal experience?" I asked.

She didn't respond immediately. Mist stirred in my heart, as if thinking of what to say. "Something like that, Master." she said simply.

For now, it looked like we didn't have much of a choice. Spirit began to move and I quickly followed. Thankfully she prefered to walk than to fly, so it wasn't much of a problem. Seeing how her wings were in tatters, it would take a miracle for her to fly. Unless, of course, basic rules of the living world didn't apply here either. What was quick to assert itself was the silence that was all around us. The sands being shifted by the wind didn't reach the eye at any point. It was a bit disconcerting to just hearing my heartbeat and breathing.

It was hard not to look at Spirit. It made me nervous that her wounds were still apparent. Walking next to her only confirmed that whatever Nurse Joy did wasn't reflected here. Hurray for small wonders. Just remembering her while pulling those spears out of her body makes my stomach twist. I shoved that memory back into the depths of my mind quckly. Right now, she was in front of me. She didn't look happy, that is to say, she wasn't smiling. Spirit looked glum, but wasn't on the verge of tears. It looked like she was, oh I don't know, satisfied? Her face wasn't very expressive at this moment in time. Her eyes just looked ahead, as if she knew where she was heading.

Though we only really started moving, it's impossible to tell how much we've traveled together. The silence continued to bother me. Looking up, it was still possible to see a hole above us that let the light in. It bothered me how the islands still floated on a whim above us. The sandstorm didn't seem to slow down, the wall of sand looked like it kept gathering strength as we moved forward.

Something that made me nervous was how I couldn't actually feel thirst. The sun felt like it burned my skin, but touching my arms didn't feel like that was the case. A few things came to mind, the first being that Mist was protecting me like she's done before from the elements. A quiet giggle echoed from the back of my mind. She didn't respond, though, so it may be that the laws of the Distortion World didn't apply if you are still alive.

A wave of nausea suddenly hit me, my feet stumbling. My cheeks bulged, stuff flying out of my mouth and burning a trail out of my throat. I could hear Mist yell in my head as my vision blurred. It felt like my chest was being inflated, the pain making breathing an exercise for survival. As suddenly as it began, it stopped. I got on my feet, hoping that I wasn't too far behind Spirit. Luckily she didn't move too far from where I fell. Approaching the Flygon got her moving again. It made me a little nervous that she knew more of what was going on than we could tell.

"Perhaps." Mist said quietly. "I am not sure, though. We cannot ignore the possibility that she may know of our presence here."

"If that's the case, she's ignoring us on purpose?" I asked aloud.

"It won't help if she knew of our presence here." she said. "There are things here that would prey on us if an alert was raised."

"Like what?!" I demanded.

Mist sighed loudly. "Most of the Darkrai patrol the Distortion World." she stated. "Other ghost Pokémon may be in league with the Darkrai, or to torture the souls of the ones headed for rebirth."

I raised an eyebrow at that. "Rebirth?"

"It's what every soul is drawn to while they are here." Mist said. "The Guardian is the one to weighs your soul to see if you're worthy of being reborn into the world."

"And who's this 'guardian'?" I asked. "Seems like an easy job."

"Ho-Oh." Mist stated.

I sighed. "This isn't going to be easy, huh?"

"I'm not sure." Mist replied. "Ho-Oh was not the original Guardian, but neither was Giratina. It may be a position of honor, that a being is placed there by either Arceus or Giratina."

"Why doesn't Giratina do that duty, as well?"

"It is not his original task."

"Oh?"

Mist remained quiet, refusing to answer my prompt. I shrugged. It wasn't that important right now anyway. That knowledge isn't going to make this journey any easier. Spirit kept walking forward all the same without slowing down. Looking at the feather once again, it pulsed brightly as I pointed it towards Spirit. Though with looking ahead now, there was something else to worry.

The winds ahead of us began to disappear, instead replaced by an blue expanse. The only thing that interrupted the view were the oddly placed islands that floated ahead of us. I kept pace with Spirit, a small part of me curious as to what was ahead of us. The rest of me pushed my curiosity back, trying to figure out why there was water here. It bothered me how it was just floating there without rhyme or reason to be. There wasn't a predetermined edge to it, but it wasn't like an ocean. Instead, it seemed to flow in a specific direction, self contained on its own accord.

I think I can safely say that what is generally accepted as common sense doesn't necessarily apply here. Last time I saw water, it didn't float in the air between differently aligned islands. Speaking of unaligned islands, the one that the path of water connected to was completely upside down. How in the world does that even work? I didn't have any time to contemplate since Spirit just walked forward onto the water. For a moment I was expecting her to just sink. Apparently, water around here lets you float around or something when standing on it. Hesitation held me back for a moment, but it was overridden when Spirit began walking forward again.

Standing on the water sent mixed signals bouncing on my head. The thought of falling through was slightly terrifying. I pushed that kind of thinking to the back of my mind as I caught up with Spirit once more. One thing that stood out was that our footsteps didn't disturb the water. It was rather interesting to just see my footsteps hit the surface of the water as if it was hard as ice.

Without any wind or sand moving around us, the silence was more pronounced. I wanted to say something, just to fill the dead air around us but nothing came to mind. What could I say? She hasn't shown that she can hear us. Maybe saying it aloud would help me more than for Spirit's sake. If Mist was listening, she didn't chime in if it was a good idea or not.

"I want to say I'm sorry, Spirit. For putting you in danger, for being an idiot, and probably a lot of things I don't know." I said, keeping pace with the Flygon. "I don't really know what else to say. Hopefully you can forgive me."

She didn't show any indication that she listened to anything I said. It wasn't that surprising anyway. Still, it made me feel a little better. Hopefully all this won't be for nothing. Looking around, it was hard to get a sense of time passing. Gazing upwards, everything was as weird as it was the moment I stepped in this place. I looked downwards to see just more islands floating under us. Something bothered me about this place, though. It wasn't the upside down island that we were headed towards. It was more sideways right now more than anything but that wasn't it either. I would think that there would be more dead around. Is this a sort of punishment?

"No, not really." Mist answered. "It has been called a purgatory by your kind, though. More likely to strike fear in mortal hearts than any real meaning to it."

"Why would it be called that, though?" I asked. "It surely doesn't look or feel like it is."

"It depends on what you mean by 'punishment, Master." the ghost responded. "It may not necessarily be something obvious that is haunting her."

Funny that you mention haunting. A tired sigh comes from the ghost inside of me while I did my best to hold back my laughter. For some reason, it was amusing to find Mist wordless. Even if it was for something idiotic or silly as my incompetence it made it feel like I could connect with her. It also didn't happen very often, if at all. It seemed like a long time now that we haven't had to worry about a lot of things. The threat of dying wasn't what worried me the most. It wasn't that there was a wish for dying, but it seemed that there wasn't really much stopping me anymore.

Though this brings an interesting question. Are we susceptible to this realms hauntings? Mist didn't answer immediately. "It is possible." she said. "I am not sure what you may or may not experience. Again, the living are not normally allowed here."

I mulled her words in my mind. Rubbing my eyes, it felt like they were getting dry. Taking another good look at our surroundings, it looked like we were almost to our destination. At least, to the other island and solid ground. Forcing myself to look down, it made my stomach churn to just be standing above nothing. There was something new, though. The water was changing color.

"That's not normal." I said.

"What do you mean, Master?" Mist asked.

"The water. It's turning red."

Slowly but surely it was turning color. It wasn't the clear blue it was when we stepped above it. My foot was also sinking. Water was beginning to fill my shoe. A good question was why wasn't I freaking out. All I could feel was a sense of odd calm as my feet slowly sank into the water.

"Master, are you alright?" Mist asked.

"I'll answer that when I stop sinking."

"You're not sinking, though." she pointed out. "We just reached shore."

I blinked, shaking my head. Why does everything look red? Turning about, Spirit shook her legs about. It looked like she was drying her feet before continuing onwards. Deciding that checking myself was a better decision than imitating the dragon, and it would probably be more thorough than asking Mist to check my body for me. My clothing had changed color, matching our surroundings. Everything was dyed in some shade of red. The sun looked like it was setting on the horizon, threatening to leave us in twilight yet never going down. After making sure that I was injury free, I hurried over to catch up to Spirit. She was taking her own time inspecting our surroundings and that let us reach her quickly.

"Something isn't right here." Mist said.

"We shouldn't really be here." I pointed out.

"Well, yes, there is that. I meant this island. Something strange is here."

I looked at Ho-Oh's feather and saw that it was pulsing light at an extremely fast pace. Pointing it towards Spirit, it didn't flash as fast as before. Holding it out in front of me, it looked like we needed to follow the coastline to get to our next stop. The question was do we need to continue following Spirit, or are we headed on our own from now on. Putting the feather away for the moment, I took a bit of care to study my surroundings. Kicking the sand about, it still behaved the same. Everything looked the same in shape and form. So, why was everything tinged in red? Even my clothes and skin were tinged with this uniform color. Some spots were darker than others, but I imagine that's due to shades and shadows.

"Ideas, Mist?" I asked.

"None, Master. However, I feel that there is something more pressing that requires your immediate attention."

"What's that?"

"Spirit. She's looking at us."

I shrugged, not really giving it any significant thought. "Is that strange?"

"Does crying count?" the ghost hissed.

I spun around only to get tackled down by a bloody Flygon. Something thick and wet flew on my cheek as her claws suddenly grasped me tightly. Even if she was dead, I guess it doesn't affect your previous physical strength. Maybe I could touch her now? Seeing how there really wasn't anything stopping me, my hands rested on her head. Being mindful of her injuries, my hands rested on the sides of her face. She didn't seem to mind my lack of affection. Just holding me seemed to be enough for her.

She looked up to my face, her eyes watering. I wasn't able to understand what she was saying still. At least a few things were consistent here. I wiped the tears away as I held her head still.

"Can you hear me?" I asked her. She nodded.

"Alright. I want you to know that I'm not dead, OK? We're here to find Ho-Oh."

She seemed relieved before her eyes going wide. Spirit opened her mouth to say something, but deflated soon afterwards. I could feel blood ooze on top of me. This was extremely troubling. Why was she able to not only see me, but interact with me when we couldn't before? Was the Distortion World beginning to affect me? It was the best thing I could think of to explain what was going on. It didn't seem to stop the Flygon from crushing me against her chest. The pressure squeezed blood from her open wounds only to land on my cheek. A sense of revulsion spread over me as more of her blood squirted on me.

I gently pushed her away, feeling an odd sense of shame while doing so. She looked at me and immediately began to wipe the blood off my skin. Spirit was gentle with her claws as she's always been, paying close attention to clean me up the best she could. While this didn't happen all the time, it reminded me of when she would flutter over me while she was worried about something or another. Like that one time when she checked my teeth.

"I'm alright." I said, gently holding her claws still. "You don't have to clean me up all the time."

She looked hurt, but nodded. I sighed, bringing my hand up to touch her cheek. Her eyes gave me the impression that she was confused and happy at the same time. To be honest, those same emotions were the ones I was feeling as well. I'm kinda happy that I can see and interact with Spirit. It didn't make any sense, but so far nothing in the Distortion World made any sort of sense. Then again, not a lot of things have made a lot of sense since I've left home.

"Remember why we are here, Master." Mist said. "We need to find Ho-Oh."

Right. "Spirit, we're looking for Ho-Oh, so we can get him or her to calm down the Articuno that are threatening to freeze the world. Do you know where he is?"

Spirit hesitated for a moment before nodding. I wondered why, and asked if something was wrong. She shook her head, her claws moving about erratically up and down as she spoke aloud. At my confused look she stopped as she understood that I couldn't understand what she was saying. It seemed that at least one thing stayed consistent between the real world and the Distortion World.

"She says that she knows where Ho-Oh is." Mist said, translating for Spirit.

"Thanks."

At Spirit's confused look, I tapped my heart. The Flygon instantly perked up, but we explained that Mist couldn't come out of my body or else things may turn bad for us. Spirit looked crestfallen at that, but I hugged her in an attempt to cheer her up.

"Let's go together, OK?" I asked.

She nodded at that, a smile appearing on her face. If this was going to be the last time we were going to see each other, then I was determined to make it a good memory. It was doubtful that she would remember any of this in the next life, but stranger things have happened. One that comes to mind is being born with a piece of Arceus' soul mixed in with mine. Sense doesn't seem to go hand in hand with my life.

The waves had already soaked my pants and shoes. I didn't let that bother me though. Spirit didn't seem bothered that she was really dead, so I'm pretty sure I could put up with my wet clothes. I grabbed hold of her left claw with my right hand. She looked at me in surprise, but she didn't pull away from me. We both knew that this might be the last time we saw each other. I was going to make sure that it would be a good ending to our time. Sometimes it's the little things that we can do, and this didn't feel like an exception.

It still hurt to see her like this. It hurt to know that I put her in such danger and this was the end result. I couldn't imagine what she thought when she first saw me just now. Did she think for a moment that she failed to protect me? I wonder if she has any regrets. Her grip on my hand was light, as if afraid of holding me tightly. I squeezed her claw a little and received a gaze for my effort. She suddenly turned to me, wrapping me in a hug and lifting me off the sand. The hug was brief, but her eyes told me she appreciated it.

"Let's keep moving, alright?" I asked. "I don't know how long we can stay here."

She nodded once before kneeling down. I was hesitant, scared of potentially hurting her. After all, her body still looks like it just went through what Groudon did to her a day ago. Perhaps time has a different meaning here? How many days has it been since she's been here? I didn't want to know the answers, really. Sometimes it's better to be left wondering.

I did as she asked and climbed on top of her. She didn't show any kind of stress that my weight put on her. Again, the Distortion World has to work differently than the real world outside its borders. I held the feather out in front of me, using it once more as a guide to our new destination. It didn't look like it was really needed. Spirit seemed to know exactly where to go, changing course every time the feather stopped being so excited. We walked over another path of water, leaving the island we were and heading for another one. Now that I didn't have to worry about falling I looked up to see if the light above changed. Sure enough it did, moving while I looked up towards it. It weirded me out that it actually moved from sunset to early morning as we headed towards our new destination.

A brief flash of pain made me cry out loud. I clutched at my chest, gasping for air as I fell from Spirit's back. The impact didn't make anything feel better. Claws held my head in place, Spirit's breath passing over me. While the pain was real, it wasn't near as intense as before. What was going on? Was our time beginning to run out? The pain slowly faded away, but my chest felt like it was going to burst anyway.

"I believe that is the case, Master." Mist said solemnly, answering my questions. "After the first wave of pain that hit you, in every single time this has happened your heart begins to beat erratically and sometimes stops."

Well, that's no good. Spirit gave me a no-nonsense look. I smiled, using her shoulder as a support for me to get on my feet. No words had to be spoken as she just scooped me up in her arms and began flapping her wings. I wasn't sure why she wasn't flying before, but we were now. Her face was one of pure focus as her wings beat the air. Looking downwards, the space between islands became much more intimidating since it still just looked like it let you fall into a sky blue abyss. Where was the feather? I patted my chest, feeling for Ho-Oh's feather and fearing that I dropped it.

"Spirit! Where's the feather?!" I yelled.

She looked down at me, confused at my demand. I peered over the Flygon's shoulder to see Mist floating in the air behind us. Her words echoed in my mind, about her not being allowed to leave my body. Spirit flapped her wings hard to turn us around. I grabbed hold of the floating ghost, quickly pressing her against my chest. She held the feather tightly against her chest. The gems on her body seemed dull and weathered.

"Dammit, Mist!" I yelled out. "You weren't supposed to get out!"

She didn't respond, but she wasn't releasing her hold on the feather. I looked at Spirit, who only flapped her wings hard in response. We picked up speed at an incredible pace. It was definitely faster than we've ever gone before. Islands blurred as we flew past them, the light above us moving in all directions at the same time. Spirit seemed to know exactly where to go, and I didn't bother questioning her sense of direction. The islands seemed to get either bigger or longer the further we flew. They also seemed to be more dreary, with barely any light coming from above as we flew above or by them.

Spirit began to slow down as we approached a rather flat, desert-like island. The only feature that we could see was a large tree that sprouted from the sand underneath us. It's roots looked gigantic, too large for the tree itself. The canopy itself didn't reach too far, like the roots would suggest. When we landed, however, the trunk of the tree was massive. However, the size of the tree or its roots compared to how bright Ho-Oh was.

Sitting on top of one of the roots was the same rainbow bird from every possible story book you can think of. The golden plume of feathers that looked like a crown on its head, to the same colored feathers that made its tail. The entire body was covered in crimson red feathers, with other colors either poking through the sea of red, or were underneath them to form another layer. The other thing that caught my attention where the people or Pokémon sitting around or alongside Ho-Oh. They looked see through, definitely not as solid looking as Spirit is.

Was that what would happen to me if I stayed here too long? What would happen to Mist? As soon as Spirit landed on the ground, I ran past the sitting figures to confront Ho-Oh. Approaching the bird, it finally dawned to me how large he was. The wings were huge enough, but just the sheer size of him made me slow down. An overwhelming sense of calm filled me. It felt like nothing here would harm us.

"It's been a long time." he said.

I blinked, looking around. It took a moment to realize that Ho-Oh was talking to me.

"You've come a long way to find me, little one." he said. "Why?"

I shook my head, focusing on why I was here in the first place. "Giratina wants you for some reason or another. Something about that 'this world needs you' or whatever. I also need access to the Sky Pillar to speak with Rayquaza about the Articuno wanting to bring the next ice age."

He opened his wings, the wings beating the air around him. While they were rather slow movements the wind threatened to push me down. I held Mist tightly against my chest to make sure she didn't come to harm. Looking around me, none of the ghosts reacted to Ho-Oh's reactions or words. Was he speaking like how Iolanthe does?

"So, you're the one that he said I would meet." Ho-Oh said, sounding pleased. "It took Giratina long enough to track you down."

I rolled my eyes at that. "No, I don't think that's quite the right words. More like, it took him a little bit to extort me into doing what he wants me to do. But that's not important right now. Can you help my Mismagius?"

Ho-Oh stretched his neck down towards me. Holy crap he is huge. His eyes alone were almost the size of my entire body. My heart hammered in my chest as he inspected the ghost in my arms. He also inspected the feather, which he gently grabbed with his beak. Ho-Oh pulled back momentarily and swallowed the feather. Nothing spectacular happened, which was a little surprising. I thought Ho-Oh would begin to glow or something. After carrying that stupid feather for all this time, it felt like a let down.

"That's much better." Ho-Oh said. "Now, let me see what I can do about your ghost friend here."

I nodded, holding Mist out for Ho-Oh to see her more easily. As the legendary bird approached, he stepped down from his perch and walked towards me. The size difference was already obvious when he leaned down earlier. Now it was just ridiculous. I don't think I even reached halfway up one of the birds talons. One of Ho-Oh's wings pressed against me, pushing me up against the giants body. It was imposing to say the least. With the legends head so near and being pressed against his body, I could hear and feel every breath he was taking. It felt calming in an odd sort of way.

"This one is deeply connected to you." he said. "A ghost is hard pressed to maintain their connections once they enter the Distortion World, so for her to maintain cohesion like this is remarkable."

"You mean she shouldn't be here, alive, huh." I said.

"You are beginning to impress me, little one. I can see why Giratina asked you to come for me."

"It's not like I have much of a choice." I sighed. "I don't think I had one in the first place."

Ho-Oh didn't respond. He took a deep breath, holding it in his body before letting it out slowly. As Ho-Oh's breath flowed over me, the ghost in my arms stirred. I hardly dared move, much less hope, that Mist would be safe again. The way Giratina stated his ultimatum about Mist staying in my body, I thought that I would lose her as well to this realm.

"You almost lost her." Ho-Oh said. "Her bond to you kept her from being swept away."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"In the Distortion World, except if it is Giratina's will, ghost Pokémon are turned into the ephemeral wind you are breathing right now. Seeing how they chose to leave the cycle of life and death willingly, they become the wind that drives the circle over and over again. When they finally return, they join the cycle in full once more, after doing what they desired to do in the first place."

"So, she feels like she still needs to do something?" I asked.

"Perhaps. I do not know. Maybe you have become her new reason to exist in the real world."

I didn't have a response to that. My attention turned to Mist as she opened her eyes.

"I heard that." she muttered.

I touched her face gently, running my hand under her 'hat' and along her face. A thin wisp came from her, touching my hand weakly as I made sure that she was unharmed. Spirit came around, brushing her claw gently against the ghost. Mist giggled weakly, shaking her head.

"You two are horrible." she stated.

"Welcome back." I said.

She didn't say anything, but smiled back at me. I turned to Ho-Oh as his expression on his face gave me the impression that he was amused. He nodded once, looking satisfied.

"It looks like my time here is come to an end." he said. "It has been too quiet in the Distortion World. I do believe I am ready to go back."

That sounds like a plan! Mist pulled my hand, getting my attention. Looking down at the ghost, she pointed towards Spirit. Well, that makes sense.

"Excuse me, before you go, can you help Spirit move on from here?" I asked.

Spirit immediately stepped in front of me, shaking her head furiously at me. Her teeth were bared and wings twitching angrily. Ho-Oh chuckled at my predicament. I shook my head, frowning.

"It looks like your Spirit here doesn't want to leave you yet." Ho-Oh stated.

Spirit nodded vigorously at this. No, I wasn't going to risk her lose her chance for a next life because she refused to go. I walked up to her, extending a hand towards her. Mist stirred in my hands but didn't offer any words to the situation. Spirit hesitantly accepted my hand in her claws. I pulled her towards me with a gentle tug. She hugged me against her body. It was beginning to scare me how much I didn't want her to go. At the same time, I couldn't make her stay with me, could I?

"Spirit." I said. My Flygon turned to me immediately. "I want you to go."

She looked at me, a blank expression on her face. "It's not that I don't or wouldn't want you back." I continued. "You shouldn't hold yourself here because of me. Besides, this is a chance to find someone else and find a happy life in the living world."

She shook her head, but I pressed on. "Me and everyone else will be fine. We'll see each other again one day."

Spirit was crying now, which made me feel like a complete jerkass. I could feel my heart aching to say something to soothe her. "You deserve better than what I can give you now. More than I would ever give you."

"He is right, you know." Ho-Oh chimed on. "If you stay here, you will remain until the next caretaker is chosen. Without Arceus to choose and Giratina needing me in the living world, we do not know when that will happen."

"She is still loyal to you, Master." Mist said softly. "She wants to be with you in the end, too. Personally, so do I and I'm quite certain everyone else."

I looked at Spirit, who nodded at the ghost's words. "Are you sure, Spirit?" I asked hesitantly. "You don't have to wait for anyone."

Spirit huffed, stomping the ground. Her tail hit the ground as well. It sounded like she has made up her mind. Ho-Oh laughed softly, getting my attention.

"It seems that bonds aren't so easy to break as they seem." he stated. "It will not be the end of the world for you, Spirit. Though, I wonder how long you will wait."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Look around." Ho-Oh said. "All these individuals, human and Pokémon, are waiting for someone. Not everyone is brave enough to move on to the next life on their own. Giratina may seem merciless, but the Distortion World acts as a buffer between lives. Here, the soul can rest, recuperate, and become ready for the trials they will face when they awaken from here."

Maybe I've been looking at this the wrong way, like how Ho-Oh is saying. Sure, I'm alive right now. If I was in their place, would I hesitate? I'd like to say that I would have no qualms of moving on, but...

Spirit pressed her forehead against my own and quietly murmuring. I didn't understand but I didn't have to. As she slowly pulled away, I knew that this was the last time I'd see her in a very long time. I don't know what to do, or what to say. It didn't look like there was anything else that would change her mind at this point. When Spirit sat down, Ho-Oh moved away from us to lay down his body as close to the ground as possible.

"You'll need to ride me in order to leave the Distortion World." Ho-Oh said.

I turned back to Spirit. "Are you sure?" I asked. She nodded, smiling at me.

As I looked at her, it became painfully obvious that I had to move. My body didn't want to though. It was doing everything that I didn't want to do. I didn't want to walk up to Spirit. I didn't want to hug her. I didn't want to cry on her shoulder. I didn't want to feel this pain anymore. Her claws pushed me away, brushing the tears from my eyes. My feet stumbled as I walked backwards from the Flygon. Walking into Ho-Oh's feathers and looking up to the giant bird made this situation all the worse to me.

I turned away from Spirit and climbed on top of Ho-Oh. With one hand still holding onto Mist, it wasn't as easy as it should be. The tears blurring my vision also made the task difficult. Finally settling on the giants back, Ho-Oh stood up and stretched his wings wide. With one flap, we were airborne, and with another everything around us changed. We moved incredibly fast, faster than what Spirit flew in the Distortion World. A spot of bright light formed ahead of us and it didn't look like Ho-Oh was diverting from it. Flashes of light made me close my eyes, hoping that my eyelids would do something to blot out the flashes that threatened to blind me.

======================///////////////////////////////====================

Darkness. That's everything I saw in front of me. I had to make sure I blinked a few times and almost poked an eyeball to triple check.

"Hello?" I called. My voice echoed around me, giving me no clue where I was. Where was Ho-Oh? Where was I?

"Nick!"

I turned to face the voice that called me. Isabella! I ran towards her without hesitation. Even if I couldn't see where to go, her voice came from this general direction. A torch lit up suddenly, casting its blood red light ahead. Throwing caution out the window, I ran towards it only for another to light up ahead. The stone that the fire illuminated made me feel like I was within the Sky Pillar. Maybe that was the case. I don't know, but right now Joy needed help and I hoped that the torches would lead me to her.

I looked down in my arms to see if Mist was there. Her yawn broke my concentration. "I am here, Master." she answered. "Do you need me?"

"Just making sure you were safe and sound." I said. "Did you get to hear that yell? I thought I heard Joy shout my name."

"I did, and by the sound of her tone of voice the situation may have changed here in our absence."

Shit. I really hoped Jon didn't come with five squads worth of Rangers suddenly. If things get that bad, I'm not sure what we could do. I pushed these worries down for the moment and focused on moving forward. Approaching the first torch, a second blossomed to life ahead of us. The walls around me were made of stone, a far cry of the sunshine that was outside when I entered Giratina's portal to the Distortion World. Where did Ho-Oh take us?

I ran towards the next torch, only for another one to appear and light the way. The flames looked like white and gold burning brightly in the darkness. My feet pounded on the stone floor, echoes bouncing off the walls as I ran as fast as I could. One thing that got my attention was how the noise of my footsteps didn't echo in the darkness. I refused to get distracted by something right now. Joy sounded like she needed help, and that's what I was going to do.

One torch hovered in the distance. When I reached it, it was a dead end. Its light illuminated the edges of a wall surrounding me. Looking back, the hallway was now shrouded in darkness. Pushing the wall didn't deliver results. The torchlight didn't reach to the ceiling, if there was one. I frowned, wracking my brain for an idea.

"Master, do the walls keep going or is there an end to them?" Mist asked.

I decided to check them out more closely. There might be something that isn't obvious. Running my hands over the wall, I tried to look for an imperfection or something that would tell me that there was more to it than I could see. Anything that was in the light of the torch was solid. Touching the shadows made my hand fall through the darkness where there should be a wall.

"That's it!" Mist shouted happily.

"What's what?"

She pushed out of my chest. "Hey, are you alright?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I'm fine. Ho-Oh... he healed me. Somehow. I'm not entirely sure, but I feel fine, Master."

I'm not going to complain. "Alright, I trust you. So, what do we do?"

"First of all, we get the torch. Second, don't touch the shadows, so pull your hand out of there."

I did as instructed. "Why? I asked.

She floated up, grabbing the torch before answering me. The light expanded to the shadows, the wall continuing where I had my hand. "If I am correct, it would have cause your hand to be crushed as the wall reappeared while revealed by the torch."

"But that doesn't make sense." I pointed out. "Why would the wall behave differently than the floor that I ran through the darkness?"

"Perhaps that is part of the puzzle?" Mist offered as an explanation. "I do not know either, but perhaps it has to do with gaining entry to the higher recesses of the Sky Pillar."

"But what about Joy and everyone else?!" I demanded.

Mist turned to me, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Right now, we have no idea where we are and how we got here. All we know is that we just left the Distortion World after bringing Ho-Oh into the world. Our next priority is to get to the top of the tower and get Rayquaza to stop the Articuno from bringing the next ice age. Besides, she has your team as well. Even if Jon fights, we've proven that we can beat that Zapdos."

"It took all our teams working together to do that." I reminded her.

She didn't respond to that, only floating ahead of me with the torch held aloft. I followed, only so I wouldn't be left behind in the darkness. I put my left hand along the wall, following it as we retraced our steps. When we reached a torch we passed the first time through it was unlit. Mist floated up to it, pulling it from its perch and handing it to me. What would holding another torch do?

"If I am correct, the different colors may have different reactions and reveal things that may once be concealed." she said. "We will use one for the moment, and see what we can find."

"What if we have both lit at the same time?" I asked.

The ghost shrugged. "Anything is possible. Let us try."

She floated towards me, the torch in her grasp floating to my unlit one. Mine lit up immediately on contact, blinding me momentarily. Specks of colors blurred my vision making it impossible to see anything in front of me.

"Master, stay still." Mist said, holding my head in her grasp. "Also, please look ahead and not down."

"Somehow I don't like the way you said that, Mist."

"Trust me." she said.

I nodded, feeling the world slowly come to focus as my eyes got used to the new level of light. Mist's floating body was all I could see at the moment. She tilted my head one way, taking a look at my left eye and did the same for my right eye. After doing so, Mist seemed satisfied and relinquished her hold on me.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Confused." I answered. "Why can't I look down?"

"The floor gave away around you." she responded.

"I promise not to freak out. Just make sure I don't fall."

She sighed, but floated behind me. As soon as I felt her touch my shoulders I slowly looked down. The first thought that passed my mind was why did the floor disappear. The next thought was were did it go. Was this an illusion? As I looked downward, all that was there was an empty abyss. I could feel Mist's grip tighten as my weight shifted on the platform I was standing on.

"Master?" Mist asked.

"What do you think of this, Mist?" I asked. "Is this some kind of visual thing or is did the ground really disappear from under us."

She shook her head. "I do not believe it to be real. If it isn't, it is a powerful illusion nevertheless. Either case, I am not sure myself yet."

"You haven't checked, huh."

"I was making sure you wouldn't fall if it was real."

"Greatly appreciated, by the way. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to try to step forward."

"Are you insane?!"

"I'm willing to take a gamble on seeing if my foot will go through. Not going to put my entire weight on it, by the way."

Mist didn't look pleased with my idea. "Why don't I just check myself?" she asked. "I can float and not put myself at risk of falling."

I sighed, nodding in agreement of her idea. "That sounds a lot safer." I said. "When you're ready, Mist."

She let me go almost reluctantly, like she was afraid something would happen if we parted. Her eyes didn't leave me until she had to tilt her head upwards to look into my eyes. An odd thought came to mind. Where did the torches go?

"Mist? Where are the torches?"

She didn't respond to my question but slowly sank downwards. While I was able to see her, that changed after she reached a point where she merely disappeared from sight. I shouted after her but she didn't respond. Shit, what now.

"Master?"

I glanced around me, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice. It was Mist calling me, but where was she? Spinning in place and looking through my surroundings, the origin of her voice was still a mystery. I honestly wished that she wasn't just playing tricks on me. It would be something she would do, but hopefully not in this kind of situation. I would hope so anyway. Then again, she did that whole thing with Spirit's corpse.

"Behind you."

I twisted about, seeing a faint red glow in the darkness. Slowly the body of Mist began to take shape, separating itself from the shadows. I extended a hand towards her, one of her 'hands' forming to take hold and allowing to let pull her towards me. The gems on her body pulsed brightly as I held on to her.

"Did you find something?" I asked.

"Yes." she answered. "It shouldn't take long to activate."

The floor rumbled. Who in the world made this? Switches that made a tower shake and torches that made things solid? My frustration must be showing because Mist giggled.

"I would imagine that this would not be the case in a normal situation." Mist said. "If Rayquaza expected a human to come, none of these traps or puzzles would be active."

"Lucky us." I said.

A sound like stone grinding against stone echoed around us before going quiet. It seemed to happen in stages, stopping and starting again after a moment. Definitely something's happening above us.

"Hey."

"Is this going to be about earlier?" Mist asked.

"Yeah."

"I knew the risks." she stated bluntly. "I would rather vanish from this world if it would prevent your pain."

I frowned. "That doesn't really explain why you did that thing with Spirit's body."

She sighed, pulling away from me. "A body is nothing more than a vessel that houses your soul. In your exception, also a piece of our Creator. Nevertheless, it is empty without one. I do not understand this human concept of reverence over a dead corpse, but perhaps I need to... understand... that other beings may not share my own ideas."

Well, that's more than I had hoped. "Thank you."

"Humans are strange." she responded.

"Sorry."

She shook her head. "Don't be. It isn't your fault that you think the way you do."

"What do you mean?"

She frowned at me. "Who you are is shaped by who raised you and by what you feel and believe is right and wrong. It would seem obvious to me that you would understand, or see, this difference. You choose to learn and be taught by people new thoughts that may or may not change how you think. It's up to you to find out what will make you a better individual."

"That's deep."

Mist tilted her head to her side. "I suppose." she said softly. "It is merely the truth that has been presented to me."

"How long have you been a ghost?" I asked.

"For longer than I can honestly remember." she said with a shrug. "I'll go so far to say that being a ghost has eroded my previous memories. At least, the more significant ones with a few exceptions."

I wanted to ask more, but the ground shaking underneath my feet made me prioritize things differently. "What's happening now?" I asked.

"We're going up." Mist answered.

"How?" I asked. "We were in a hallway last I checked."

Mist grinned at me, but didn't bother to answer. I couldn't tell how fast we were moving, but we couldn't be moving faster than a walking pace. What exactly was pulling me upwards. More importantly, who was above us?

The obvious answer would be Rayquaza. Would Giratina, or any other Pokémon, be up there as well? Anything was possible right now. I looked up, noticing that we were approaching the end of our accent. My stomach twisted about as my nerves began to escalate. It was quickly squashed down when I reminded myself that I just recently went through the land of the dead and told Giratina that he could shove this idea up his ass if it didn't work out for me.

Mist's laughter broke my train of thought. What was so funny? My questioning glance at her wasn't answered. She did float nearer to me. For a moment I thought she would just disappear inside of me again. Mist surprised me by grabbing my right arm tightly.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight." she said. "Never again."

I'm not sure what that meant, but it looked like we reached our destination. As my eyes adjusted to the outside light once more, it was obvious that some time had passed in the real world while we were in the Distortion World. There were a few clouds here and there, but the night sky was easily seen from where we stood. I was a bit nervous moving, though truthfully my immediate surroundings were surrounded in shadows.

Laughter echoed around me as the shadows seemed to grow from under me to the sky above. The darkness coalesced together, two large eyes and a broad, white grin forming together. Immediately the shape absorbed the rest into itself, coming crashing down from above. I moved, pulling Mist with me as I did so, as the Gengar landed where I had stood moments ago. Pieces of stone flew about, the impact leaving far reaching cracks. Was this thing insane, too?

"Mist, Shadow Ball!"

My Mismagius was already launching the attack as the words came out of my mouth. As the sphere flew towards our aggressor, it immediately countered it with one of its own. As both attacks collided, the blast made me cover my eyes momentarily. Spots blurred my vision as I watched both ghosts move simultaneously towards each other. The Gengar was swinging its arms wildly, streaks of purple energy glowing as the attacks missed. Mist's movements, while not surprising, were just as impressive. She seemed to know exactly where the Gengar was going to attack and where she wanted to be.

To be honest, I was expecting something faster. This Gengar seemed practically slow. Then again, I was comparing it to everything else that I've faced. One attack and the gems on Mist glowed bright. Yeah, this shit was just slowing us down.

"Psychic." I said. Waves of bright purple energy appeared from Mist. The Gengar seemed surprised, caught in the middle of it all. It fell from the air, impacting the tower hard. I was honestly surprised. It should be tougher than that, at least.

Something grabbed the back of my shirt. I suspected it would be the Gengar. As I was turned around, it was clear when most of my vision was encompassed by huge white eyes and darkness. I scoffed, poking at it with a finger. I blinked in confusion, surprised that my finger actually touched the ghost. My thought was that my finger would go through.

"That's enough." I said. Now that it wasn't fighting Mist, maybe it would listen to me. "I'm done fighting with you. If you know where Rayquaza is, you better spill it."

The Gengar stopped rubbing its eyeball to look at me, before proceeding to laugh loudly. I sighed as I walked up towards it and grabbing it by the top of its head. At first its grin was all that was plastered over its face. That slowly disappeared as I stared the ghost down.

"You listen here, buddy. I've dealt with too much Tauros shit to be putting up with you. If you know where Rayquaza is, you better spill it, or else you'll be meeting whatever it was you ran from in the Distortion World. I'll personally make sure that you get first dibs, too."

"Master?" Mist called.

"What's up?"

"You should see for yourself."

I turned towards the Mismagius but she shook her head at me. She shook her head and pointed above us. Four large bodies flew through the sky effortlessly, forming a loose circle above. As they came closer, small wisps of light appeared from underneath the stone and floated upwards. When I finally got the chance to look at one of them, it looked like it was a candle floating in thin air. I couldn't tell if they were Pokémon or inanimate objects from where I stood. The Gengar, however, was shivering if the loud clacking of his teeth was any indication.

To be honest, it wasn't anything surprising. I was getting tired of being impressed by their strength and shit. Maybe not just irritating, but downright annoying. I would find it really hard to believe that none of the other legendary Pokémon wouldn't have heard of me already. The longer they took to get here, the more irritated I began to feel.

"Just get down here already!" I shouted.

They didn't take long to decide what to do after that. I was pleasantly surprised that they didn't seem to attack me outright, either. They aligned themselves around the outer perimeter of the tower. While none of them seemed to actually rest on the tower itself, they easily loomed over me while they floated nearby. Thanks to the ghostly lights, I could tell that two of them were black like the night surrounding us, with gold symbols glowing alongside their bodies, face, and eyes. The other two were green colored, with the same gold symbols covering their hide.

"Is he...?" a voice said, deep and somber. It sounded like a guy that just woke up, though they were clearly awake.

"I believe so, brother." a more feminine voice responded, crisp and sharp in tone.

"Now, we do not know for sure." another responded. While feminine sounding, it was more melodic and soft spoken.

"The doorway was sealed. No one else but a Shard could open this tomb." spoke the last of the four voices. While masculine in tone, it was more jovial than the first speaker.

"I don't really care who you think I am, but I was told that you could help." I said, stomping my foot down. "The Articuno are threatening to freeze the world, and you're the only ones that can stop them."

"And why would we do that?" the jovial male demanded lightly. "Clearly it is not we to answer to humans."

"Because it's your fucking responsibility to keep those idiots in check!" I roared. "What the fuck are you good for if you're going to let humans and Pokémon suffer because you refuse to do your job!? Aren't you supposed to keep balance in the weather of this world?"

All four Rayquaza leaned in downwards towards me. The Gengar from before had grabbed my leg and was now shivering. Probably in fear, and I couldn't really fault the ghost for that. A hint of that same fear ran through me, but I was honestly too pissed off to really care.

"And what, pray, would you do to make us act?" they all whispered in unison.

I shrugged. "Ionno. Who are you with? Do you want Arceus to come back? If so, I'm pretty sure that Giratina would love to hear your excuse for when you didn't listen to me. And if you dont, congratulations on failing at your job. I'm sure that Arceus would just love to know that you completely and utterly failed to listen to the warnings that someone handed to you on a silver platter."

"And how do we know that you are not lying." they demanded together.

"I didn't go through the Distortion World, get my friend killed, punch a member of the Elite Four in the face, fly here from two different regions and find out that you won't listen to me because you don't believe me. If not, I'm pretty sure that there's a group of humans that want to send me to the Articuno as a ransom to stop this insane weather. And to top it all off, aren't you all the all knowing Pokémon of the sky? Are you serious? You should know that I'm not lying!"

It annoyed me that none of them were responding. "If you won't do anything and don't know what's going on, shouldn't you find out? Isn't that your fucking job!?"

"Pray, Shard, what is your command?"

"What?" The anger I was feeling washed away with those words, replaced by confusion. It wasn't what I was expecting. Command?

"Your coming was expected, though greatly feared. It heralds a great wind that threatens to change everything we hold dear. We ask again, what is your command?"

