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Prologue

[November 18th, 2034. 5:41 PM]

"Come on," Nathan urged, standing by the water. It would be dark soon, and he knew Bane would continue swimming for another few hours if he had it his way. "I know, I know," The squirtle responded casually, his tail splashing some water Nathan's way. Nathan quickly stepped back, as if the droplets were filled with poison. "Careful. . ." He muttered, his thick ears drooping a little. He had crawled out of the chilled lake fifteen minutes ago because of its dropping temperature, and his fur was only just now beginning to dry. Bane simply rolled his green eyes and smiled, apparently unable to sympathize with Nathan's plight.

I don't understand why he likes the water so much, the pikachu thought to himself. Nathan didn't revel in lightning as Bane did water. In fact, it was only a few months ago Nathan grew brave enough to let Bane sleep undisturbed through thunderstorms. That seemed to make him happy, given his fondness for sleeping. "Alright," The squirtle grunted, reluctantly swimming over to the lake's edge. "Don't know what the big rush is; we don't have any place to be," he reasoned, dragging himself onto the faded grass and the fresh leaves blanketing it.

"We don't," Spark agreed, startling Nathan with his sudden appearance. The pikachu spun around and tried to keep himself from placing a paw over his heart, his brain taking a moment to confirm if Spark was really there. How does he do that? Nathan asked himself, confounded by the charmeleon's ability to slip next to others unnoticed. "However, searching for a place to sleep works best with some visibility, which we're running out of." Anyone with working eyes could see he was right. The sun had already set, but its light was still visible throughout the gray sky.

Bane shrugged and put his hands behind his head, as was his custom. "We don't really need a lot of time to find a place," He said emptily, and so they didn't. After a few minutes of shifting through the trees, the three had found their resting spot; a clearing in the shape of a near-perfect circle. Leaves of every natural color littered the forest floor, their owners having shed them like fur. Nathan could see his breath against the darkened earth each time he exhaled: A sight that never failed to catch his interest. He was thankful for having mostly dried by now; being soaked to the skin wouldn't do with the dropping temperature.

The rest of the evening proceeded uneventfully: Spark set the firewood he gathered aflame and departed for his nightly walk, Nathan and Bane ate the fruits they picked, and after several minutes of detached conversation they lay noisily down on the crunchy leaves. The atmosphere felt a little lifeless, but Nathan had hoped Bane would change that. He had never been the energetic sort, but some nights, he really knew how to have fun. It seemed tonight wasn't one of those nights, though, as Nathan could already hear Bane snoring on the opposite side of the fire.

That wasn't unusual for Bane. He tended to fall asleep the moment his head hit something soft, and waking him up was nearly impossible until he had at least eight hours of rest. The minutes ticked by as Nathan tried to let his subconscious take over as well. He couldn't find a comfortable position, though, and the gentle noises of the fire somehow seemed louder than they were. He found himself increasingly jealous of the squirtle's deep slumber as his mind buzzed with useless thoughts which only served to keep him awake.

"Just go to sleep," The pikachu whispered to himself, irritated by his own restlessness. He threw himself onto his side to get a little more comfortable, but the sight of Bane drooling only amused his mind further. _I wonder if he'll ever get that under control. . ._Nathan's overactive mind pondered. For the six years Nathan had known him, Bane had always been a wild sleeper. Not only did he snore loudly and drool without restraint, but anyone or anything within a five-foot radius of him was in danger of being rolled into or on top of. Nathan had learned that the hard way.

The sky was completely black before Nathan decided he'd simply stay up and wait for Spark to return. Although infrequent, their conversations always turned out to be stimulating. He shouldn't be much longer, the restless pikachu told himself, sitting up and peering between the trees. Spark's walks never lasted more than an hour, and forty minutes had already passed since he left. It was just a matter of time, and Nathan was more than willing to sit back and wait.

One second. . . Five seconds. . . Twelve seconds. After one minute, Nathan couldn't help but slowly lie back down. He didn't need to see Spark come back, after all. His ears were working fine, or perhaps even a bit too well. He'd be able to hear Spark come back, even with those strange, faint noises buzzing around. What are those. . .? Nathan asked himself, flicking his ear experimentally. Were they voices? Footsteps? Was it rustling grass? Sometimes it sounded like all three, but Nathan was almost positive his imagination was playing tricks.

_"_H. . . me."

"What?" Nathan asked, turning his head toward Bane. Loud snores were the squirtle's only reply, prompting Nathan to stand up in confusion and building alarm. It's just some far-away pokémon, he told himself, trying to keep his ears from perking up at the quiet sounds. The most disturbing part was hearing bits and pieces of what sounded like a one-sided conversation. The speaker was obviously helpless and panicked, and if Nathan hadn't been frozen to the spot, he would have had Bane woken up already.

"Spark," He called out quietly, caught in that terrible moment of needing to be both loud and silent. "Are you almost back yet?" He asked in little more than a whisper, his eyes darting around in the dark. Several seconds passed, and Nathan could have sworn he heard another word or two from whoever was speaking. "Okay," He said slowly, taking a small step forward. I don't know what I'm doing, but it's probably something dumb. I should just wait for Spark. . .

The mountain of hesitance inside Nathan suddenly collapsed after he heard a chilling scream for help, and suddenly he found himself dashing through the forest. Normally, he would have recoiled in fear and curled into a ball until Spark arrived, but an unprecedented bravery had worked its way into his brain. He couldn't stop himself from running, hoping against hope he would be in time to save this pokémon he knew nothing about. By the time he drew close to the source of the scream, he still wasn't sure how or why he left their resting spot.

A flash of color told Nathan he had gotten a little too close, and he instinctively hid behind the nearest tree. If he were detected by an aggressive pokémon now, things wouldn't end too well. Even with his considerable agility, he had never been a great fighter; his thunder attacks lacked power, and though his toe only dipped into the chubby side of the gene pool, his muscles failed to pack much of a punch.

"It was worth coming after you," Spoke a low, masculine voice. His calm tone only made him sound more dangerous, and the muffled whimpers did little to make the whole scene less disturbing. "Very rarely do I get a challenge." The sound of skin slapping against skin could be heard underneath the crunching leaves and quiet words, leaving little to the imagination. A terrible fear crept into Nathan's heart, and he wished that bravery from just a moment ago would return to him. I recognize that voice, he realized with dread. He didn't know how, but it sounded eerily familiar.

"Stop it," Begged the other voice, just as desperate and helpless as the last time Nathan heard him speak. A loud, wet slap silenced him, and after a snarl of pleasure, the lewd noises continued undisturbed. Why aren't I doing anything? Nathan asked himself, disgusted with how useless he was being. How could he sit back and listen while somebody was experiencing such a traumatic event? Every second that passed by filled him with guilt, and every whimper brought him closer to tears.

Just when Nathan couldn't take any more of his cowardice, the noises stopped. A deep, drawn-out moan filled the forest, and just like that, it seemed to be over. "Dexx," Nathan whispered, so quietly even his owns ears could barely pick it up. It has to be him. Trembling, Nathan remembered the time he had spent with Dexx. He seemed innocent enough at first, but as the years went by, he became more and more aggressive. It all culminated in a battle between him and Spark, although Nathan didn't even learn why the two began fighting until days later. Back then, he was just happy to see the venusaur lose and storm out of sight through the bushes.

Nathan wasn't sure if realizing the attacker's identity made revealing himself easier or harder, but he did it all the same. The few steps needed to put himself into the open were some of the shortest of his life, and yet they felt like the longest. When he finally set eyes upon the scene, he had to resist the urge to close them. He thought listening had been difficult, but this was even more scarring. The victim had been a raichu, and multiple wounds covered his body. His exposed parts drove away Nathan's wandering eyes, and he had been so thoroughly defeated that even groaning looked to be too much effort for him. Nathan never thought Dexx would become so depraved, but in all honesty, he probably should have. The venusaur turned after hearing Nathan's footsteps, and his face was as unnerving as ever. The three years definitely hadn't changed him much.

His sunken, red eyes almost seemed to glow, his wide mouth looked ready to devour anything, and his lean form had only gotten leaner. Aside from a single bruise on his left thigh, he seemed completely unscathed from his encounter with the raichu. "Nathan," He muttered quietly, his expression hinting at genuine surprise. The two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, and for a moment, Nathan forgot what he was even doing there. A smirk crept across Dexx's face, soon followed by a sickening chuckle that blew through his lips. "And here I thought I'd never see you again. Funny how life gives us these chances to tie up loose ends, isn't it?" His threatening demeanor undermined his casual tone, and before Nathan fully realized he needed to be on guard, leaves all across the forest floor shook violently and whipped into the air, gathering in the shape of a cyclone.

Nathan could see their edges growing sharper as they whirled around, and his brain struggled to think of a way to avoid the attack. Not having any time for debate, he ran with the first idea that crossed his head. The cyclone propelled itself forward just as Nathan scampered up the tree that had served as his hiding place, and he reached the top not a moment before its bark was viciously sliced apart by the assault. Its lower branches were cut and thrown in random directions, and Nathan was increasingly grateful the tornado wasn't any taller. The leaves dispersed and dropped harmlessly to the ground, leaving the tree mutilated and on its last legs.

Nathan jumped down and landed almost silently, still as acrobatic as ever. He had no idea what he was going to do about Dexx, but just lasting more than a few seconds against him made Nathan feel rather confident. He knew if his thunder attacks were stronger, he could have stayed in the trees and zapped the venusaur into unconsciousness, but unfortunately, that wasn't an option. If he wanted to win, he'd have to rely on physical attacks.

Dexx readied his vines and lashed them forward, giving Nathan little time do dodge. Reacting quickly, he jumped to the side and began running toward Dexx, weaving between the tendrils that continued to barely miss him.This will work, Nathan told himself, closing the distance between him and his opponent. He leaped into the air and turned to strike with his tail, knowing it would deal enough damage for him to figure his next move out. To his surprise, the attack actually connected, and he saw Dexx's reddened cheek after landing a foot or so away. Nathan half-expected something to go wrong before he could land the hit, but he would have time to marvel over his luck later. Right now, he needed to capitalize on the moment.

"Gotcha," Dexx growled sinisterly, wearing a horrible smirk. A vine around Nathan's ankle tightened, and before he knew it, he was whipped high into the air. It brought him down just as quickly and slammed him onto the hard forest floor. Everything inside him shook and jarred terribly, and for a second or two the pain didn't feel real. The vine released him with a careless throw, sending the injured pikachu tumbling across the ground until he collided with a tree. His vision was blurred and the pain was all too prominent now, but Nathan tried standing up regardless. He needed to fight. He needed to win.

His body thwarted every attempt he made at standing, though, and Dexx was only getting closer. "I'm afraid you put up less of a fight than this one here did," He told Nathan, gesturing toward the unconscious raichu. "But I shouldn't be surprised. You always were the weakest of our little group, weren't you?"

Nathan didn't know what to do. He didn't know what he could do. This was the first time in years he felt so helpless, and he hated it. "It only makes sense you're the first to go." Nathan could see Dexx's foot close in through bleary eyes, and it seemed to slow down more the closer it got. If his body were willing to move, he could have dodged at least five times. Or, it felt like he could have. Instead, he was pulled out of the way just before Dexx's foot smashed into the tree bark. It took a moment for Nathan to realize who had just saved his life.

"Or perhaps you'll be the first to go," Spark growled defensively, his deep voice much more recognizable than his hazy appearance. He stood steadfast in front of Nathan, ready to strike at any moment. "Ah, I knew you couldn't be far behind," Dexx said, smiling far too broadly. "Where's Bane? We wouldn't want him to miss the reunion."

"Nathan, go back," Spark told him, ignoring the venusaur's words. "Find Bane and stay there until I return." Nathan nodded automatically and tried standing again. His body seemed more responsive, and pretty soon he was back on his feet. "You're assuming you will return," Dexx snarled darkly, glaring at the charmeleon in front of him. He lunged forward with his mouth wide open, obviously intent on biting him. Spark turned and whipped the side of Dexx's face with his tail, causing the huge grass-type to groan and stumble off to the side.

Obviously, Spark could handle himself, but Nathan was hesitant to simply abandon him. If he were to learn some underhanded trick had gotten the best of him, Nathan wouldn't be able to forgive himself. "Spark, are you sure y--"

"Go!" He shouted, fending off the venusaur's giant maw with his claws. Nathan tore his eyes from the scene and reluctantly started running, leaving the sounds of battle behind him. He was surprised his body could move so well, given the fact not a full minute had passed since it began failing him. He darted through the trees, doing his best to recall the exact location of the resting spot. It was difficult, though. He felt disoriented, and his eyes still hadn't resolved their blurred vision. More than once he tripped over a thick root, but the adrenaline coursing through his system made sure he didn't stop.

At least, not until he collapsed from exhaustion. He had reached a vast clearing which spanned at least a mile long, and dead in the center was what looked to be an abandoned house. This isn't the resting spot, Nathan told himself, his vision fading as rain began drizzling onto his body. It's not the resting spot. . .

[1:44 AM]

Nathan opened his eyes, but everything was still black. He turned onto his side, and he noticed the ground was unusually soft. It didn't feel like the ground at all, actually. It was oddly textured, and his weight seemed to cause slight dents in whatever spot he pressed on. There was something on top of him too, something thin and silky. He pushed it off, and the blackness turned into darkness. He was greeted with a large, nearly empty room mostly illuminated by the moonlight. There was small wooden rectangle adorned with knobs pushed aside in the lower left corner, not aligned with anything in particular. A shattered, gray box lay next to it, and colored threads hung from its back uselessly. Nathan wasn't sure what the purpose of those two dusty things might have been, but it was clear they were worthless now.

"How are you feeling?" Spark's voice asked. Nathan turned his head to the right and was relieved to see both of his friends standing by his side. Spark's piercingly blue eyes shimmered in the vague light, and his tail flame lit up a good portion of the room. "I think I'm okay," He replied, running a paw over his head. Aside from the nasty throbbing coming from his right arm, most of the pain from earlier seemed to be gone. "Who are you?" Nathan questioned, noticing another of his species in their midst.

"Sarah," She replied dryly. Her small, brown eyes were rather far apart, and her slim ears were a stark contrast to Nathan's much thicker pair. In fact, most of her facial features were the opposite of Nathan's. Her chin was large while Nathan's might as well not exist, her cheeks were flat and Nathan's were chubby, and her lips were thin while Nathan's were pouty. "Your friends told me what happened. Kind of silly to run off by yourself, wasn't it?"

Nathan frowned and rubbed the back of his head, not expecting to be chastised for his efforts. "I guess. . ." He muttered, avoiding eye contact with her. Instead, he looked to Bane, who very clearly was having trouble keeping his eyes open. "You didn't get your eight hours, did you?" Nathan smiled, knowing that tired expression anywhere.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" He asked bluntly, disregarding Nathan's teasing entirely. Bane's expression didn't look so tired anymore, and his eyes bore into Nathan's with unfamiliar intensity. Yeah. . . I definitely should have waited for Spark, the pikachu told himself, the disappointment in the room almost palpable. "It. . . I'm sorry. I heard a scream for help, and. . . I just started running," He explained, his gaze alternating between his two friends. ". . . You didn't hear how desperate he sounded," Nathan added, speaking in little more than a mumble. Sarah shifted uncertainly, Bane remained unflinching, and Spark glanced at both of them before fixing his eyes on Nathan.

"Spark. . ." Nathan whispered, just now noticing a multitude of bruises on the charmeleon's chest. "I'm glad you're alright," Spark said, smiling softly. "I applaud you for acting quickly and fearlessly. Many others wouldn't have, in that situation." Nathan attempted to return the smile and failed, unsure of how to feel. The praise was nice, but the guilt of knowing Spark got hurt because of him made accepting it feel wrong. "I'm sorry," He told them, his ears dropping in shame. He honestly didn't know what he would have done differently if given a second chance, but he regretted it had to turn out this way.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," Spark assured him, placing a comforting claw on his shoulder. Nathan could only raise his ears a little in response. "We should all get some rest. It's been a hectic night for everyone."

"I'll stay up," Sarah said, folding her arms. "I've had enough sleep for tonight, and so has Nathan. We can keep each other company." Spark looked at Nathan, silently asking if this was an acceptable arrangement. He simply nodded without really thinking, and Spark's claw left his shoulder. "We'll be around if you need us, then," He told them, turning to leave the room with Bane. "Um, just so you guys know, you don't have to sleep on the wooden floor," She said, catching their attention before they left. "Now that Nathan's up, Bane can take the bed, and Spark. . . You can, uh. . ." She trailed off, glancing at the fire on Spark's tail.

"A chair would be sufficient," He finished for her, smiling. "Right. I could scoot one in here, if you'd like," She offered, hesitantly moving forward. "No, thank you. We've put you through too much trouble already," He said gently, backing out to exit the room.

"Spark," Nathan called out at the last second, prompting the charmeleon to stop in his tracks. "What happened with Dexx?" He asked, that question having been buzzing in the back of his mind since he woke up. Spark twiddled his claws behind his back, letting the query sit for a moment. "I drove him off," He explained, turning around to face the group. "But if he dares to show his face again, it will be the last time he has a face to show."

He left the room before anyone could respond, and Nathan couldn't help but smile a little. Not because of the gruesome threat, but because of the sense of security it brought. "You three and Dexx have quite a history, don't you?" She asked, turning to Nathan and Bane. The squirtle looked at her and remained silent, while Nathan simply slipped from the bed and onto the floor. "Is there anything else I should know about him, other than the fact he's violent and a rapist?"

"Not really," Bane told her, climbing onto the low bed. "That about sums him up." He ignored the silky sheet and lay on his yellow plastron, already dead to the world. "Okay then. . ." She responded quietly.

"He's just tired," Nathan explained, scratching the back of his head. His statement was supported by the steadily increasing volume of Bane's snores. "You all didn't stay up for me, did you?" Nathan asked, starting to feel even more guilty. "I didn't, but. . . Spark and Bane did. They never left your side," She told him, her expression unreadable. "It seems like you have pretty good friends," She said, glancing at Nathan.

"That's an understatement," He replied, keeping his eyes on Bane. His first impression of Sarah wasn't shaping up to be the best, but she was at least kind enough to let them into. . . her home? Wait a second. . . He said to himself, coming to a realization. "Why are you living in an abandoned house?" Nathan just thought to ask. He had expected a human to live here, but that didn't appear to be the case. "I'm not," She muttered, running a digit across her brow. "I just visit from time to time."

". . . Why?" Nathan asked after a moment, studying her face. "It's none of your concern," She whispered back, tilting her head toward the door. "Have a good night's rest, Spark," She said to the returning charmeleon in a pleasant voice. Her tone changed so quickly Nathan had trouble digesting it. "Thank you," He replied softly, carrying a tall wooden chair into the room. "Your hospitality continues to be remarkable."

Spark decided on a spot next to the bed and settled himself in, kindly waving the two off as they left the bedroom. A tinge of discomfort tickled Nathan's chest as the door closed behind them, and he was beginning to regret shaking his head yes. "Is there anything I can ask that is my concern?" He questioned after several long seconds, attempting to sound calmer than he was. "It was nothing personal," She muttered, pushing off from the door. "I just don't talk about that part of my past."

Nathan blinked, wondering if that was supposed to be an apology. "Well. . . There's better ways of saying that," He told Sarah, his brown eyes following her. She began pacing back and forth slowly, then stopped just as quickly as she started. "I want to go with you," She blurted out, meeting Nathan's gaze. He frowned and blinked again. "What?"

"Spark told me you three travel a lot," She continued, looking less determined now that she was explaining herself. "And you'll probably leave in the morning, so. . . I want to go with you. There's nothing for me here." Nathan rubbed his head to make it look like he was thinking, but in all honesty, he didn't know what to think. His first instinct was to refuse her, but he wasn't sure if he was feeling quite that heartless. "Why are you telling me this? I mean. . . Have you told Bane or Spark?"

"No," She admitted, resuming her pacing. "I don't know why I'm telling you. I got close to asking Spark a couple of times, but. . . I don't know. I've just been needing a reason to leave this place, and I guess you three are my reason."

Nathan sighed and lowered his ears, remembering just how indebted he was to her. "You have my vote, but Bane and Spark still need to weigh in. I can't really imagine Spark saying no, though. . ."

"Thanks," She said, a sincere smile crossing her face. "So, what are you all planning to do about Dexx?" Sarah asked, drumming her digits against her elbow. The question caught Nathan off guard, which she seemed to notice. "He's clearly a menace," She continued, gesturing toward Nathan's sore arm. It was only after he studied his arm closely that he saw the grotesque bruise beneath his fur.

"I don't know. . ." He replied slowly, rubbing his wound now that he was aware of the pain again. "I could kill him for you," She said plainly, as if she had just offered him breakfast. "What?" He asked for a second time, almost speechless. Sarah simply shrugged before responding. "Bane told me you three have never killed before. You survived on fruit and vegetables, and. . . I didn't. Killing Dexx would be traumatizing for you; I understand that. But for me. . . For me, it's different."

Nathan didn't know how to respond. He didn't know if he even should respond. It was understandable to want to kill Dexx, he supposed, but to discuss it so calmly. . . Was it wrong, or was he simply not strong enough to admit it was right?

"I don't know what we're gonna do about Dexx," He told her, slumping against the wall. "But let's hold off on murder for as long as possible." Sarah shrugged again and headed for the front door, seemingly okay with Nathan's decision. "I'm gonna get something to eat. Want me to bring you back some fresh rattata?" She asked, her tone and expression all too serious. Nathan stared at her in disbelief, wondering if she recalled anything she had just said.

"I'm just kidding," She told him, losing her straight face. "Bane told me what you like; I'll be back soon." Her words were punctuated by half-repressed chuckles, and she left the house before Nathan could determine if that was funny or not. "She's crazy," He surmised to himself, letting his eyes wander his surroundings. Like the bedroom, this area was largely empty, aside from a handful of foreign objects he had never seen before. A large, reflective rectangle with two compartments and a handle for each stood high above numerous flat, elevated surfaces, and the floor beneath these things was clearly not wooden. A strange device with multiple dull blades hung from center of the ceiling, but it looked to be damaged and rusted, much like everything else he had seen in here.

"What can we do about Dexx?" He muttered to himself, his eyes fixated on the white ceiling. Is killing him really our best option? He wondered, softly banging the back of his head against the wall. What if we can imprison him or something? I don't now how that would work, though. . . Maybe I should just let Sarah kill him, it would be the easiest and most beneficial thing. . . But, no. . . Wouldn't that just be stooping even lower than him? Nathan buried his face in his paws, too conflicted to continue thinking about it.

He decided to simply wait for Bane and Spark's opinions on the matter, as well as their thoughts on Sarah coming with them. This morning's gonna be eventful, He told himself, pondering how it would all turn out. Their fate, Sarah's fate, and Dexx's fate. . . They would all be decided by his friends in just a few hours.