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Luna and Thief Chapter 20: Jagged Choices.

There it was! His nose stuck to the ground while he sniffed every bit it could reach. His plump creamy orange tail flickered left and right in the bright sunshine layered streets... He sniffed absolutely everything... and Luna walked behind him... Griffin only let some of his Pokémon out for a bit, but here in the big bustling city again, it was just herself and Thief. "What are you doing?" Luna asked, and Thief partially stuck his head up. "Don't you smell all this!? There's so many new smells!" I mean... how can she not!? This city has all sorts of smells I haven't caught onto before! It's like they have foreign things come here often! Almost like Slateport! He continued to sniff all over the pavement, following his nose and keeping this awkwardly close eye on Griffin. Every time that Growlithe walked, the collar around his neck chimed and sung along with every single step thanks to that adorable golden bell. It was a simple, humble rich leather collar. A dark brown collar which flowed so wonderfully well with his red-orange fur, his black striped jags across his pelt and those abnormally rich pumpkin colored eyes. There was hardly any doubt about it, as Luna nervously giggled and followed both Griffin and Thief down one of the many sidewalks... Thief definitely acted like a puppy. By now they had already gone for lunch and easily let the sunlight burn high above them and with all the excitement that morning, it seemed more like a calm gaunter through some part of the city... Thief stuck his nose into every nook all over again. As he did Luna studied the Growlithe closely, silently... just staring at things he'd sniff around for. Eventually he'd find something and pick it up... A shiny little bottle cap? He'd bring it to Griffin and make a noise... As he did, the trainer looked down at Thief whom held the cap in his mouth. "Look at that!" Griffin took it from Thief. In fact, he had to study the cap closely and for the slightest second, felt that someone was looking at him from a distance. "Is... this a Coke cap? It's in English!" Brad bumped over to Griffin, Aura naturally walked beside him and in fact, it left many people to stare at the Lucario that hung close to her trainer's side in the city streets. "Yep, completely worthless too... I mean, there's so many of them!" Brad chuckled "I bet if all the money in the world disappeared, they'd use things like that... but I mean, it's worthless. Kind of neat that you'd find one all the way out here. In Kanto. I guess this port has plenty of foreign shipments come through here." Griffin stared at the glimmering port that was so far down the road they walked through. There was this huge crowd bustling still, just like earlier that morning but now there was barely any traffic... Griffin found that a little surprising, there was at least a handful of shipment trucks driving down the road earlier. "I wasn't expecting you all to eat around the city... I thought that trainer's village would be our first place to go." Griffin commented "You didn't eat?" Brad mentioned, and it made Melody look their way. Houndoom was naturally walking in front of her and Thief gave that large Houndoom a look.... It stared back at him as though to challenge the smaller Pokémon.

Instead he went back to sniffing the ground, sniffing all around the place before catching onto a scent... That smells like a Meowth? He thought to himself and looked at the crowd. There was these two people with a child? It looks like a child? No? The Growlithe stopped and stared at the pair that seemed to chat amongst themselves silently. His near black-blue hair... in fact it made Thief giggle and Luna passed by him. "What's so funny?" Luna asked with a smile. "Those three! One of them smells like a Pokémon!" His tail flickered a little and Luna looked over to them too... Brad pointlessly tossed that bottlecap onto the road, it tapped off a garbage can and left him to sigh... He walked over to it but that blue-haired, trench coat worn man got out of his chair. "I got it!" He'd say and walk onto the road, leaving Brad to stare at him... There was this awkward silence before Natasha perked up. "Oh my god it's a flasher." She'd comment, loudly and Brad burst out laughing. "I am not a flasher! I'll have you kn -" It was the red haired woman that covered his mouth. When did she even leave her chair!? "We're both just office workers" She held her hand up defensively while shutting the blue haired man up with her other one... Luna and Thief both stared at them with Griffin behind his Pokémon. "In fact, we're only here for a moment... We'll be going to Hoenn soon but we're just one of the many paper work employees for the port." "I guess Slateport then? I think there is a ferry around here that goes to Hoenn... or maybe the Magnet Train." Griffin commented and the blue haired man's eyes glimmered when he mentioned that, and he tried to mumble something. As everything was going on, Thief walked over to that weirdly dressed human wearing a hat, he sniffed him closely and it gave him this nervous face. "G - Get out of here pup, I don't want to see you." It's a Meowth? But it can talk like a human? What's with that!? "Don't worry about him, he just has a weird obsession with bottle caps." Brad chuckled and replied with... "I get it! I used to collect American coins back home, I have nearly all of them." The blue haired man fought past the red -woman's grasp "Another collector! And not just one for Pokémon either!" He'd mention and gave his Lucario a little glance and then glanced at that Vulpix... Thief turned and stared at him. "Go, shoo! We don't need you." The dressed up Meowth said and tossed his paws at the Growlithe. "Come see us when you evolve or something. You look weak." Thief gave the Meowth a growl and the red-haired woman grabbed the blue haired man by the neck... he barely had the chance to grab that bottle cap. "Alright Jay, let's go, let's go! You too!" The Meowth stared at her "Jezel..." He commented while holding that bottle cap firmly. "Thank you, Nice chat! Have a good day!" She nearly bolted off with both of them... Natasha, Melody, Brad and Griffin just stared at the group disappear through the crowd. "Hey! You didn't pay for!" A voice came from the store "Great... more lost product..." it muttered from the door way. "What the hell was that?" Natasha said "I don't know... Houndoom was staring at that kid though..." Natasha laughed "What? Think it's a Pokémon?" She'd mention and gently squeeze Yuny's ear. "Didn't look like one." "Well... at least it wasn't that damn coin, I'd challenge him to a Pokémon battle for it." Brad mentioned and chuckled while Aura rolled her eyes, as though to say it was a pointless thing to fight over. "Thief! Come here!" Griffin commented "Jezel and Jay? That's so weird..." He looked at the pair from a distance again... He's really staring at them... they can run pretty fast! His plump tail wiggled in the hot air and as he walked his little bell chimed with every step.

That was the only weird thing that happened and once they hit the trainers park Griffin had a little look around. It was still packed as always. "Wait, there he is again?" A voice came up and Thief stood by his side with Luna... "Oh he has a full team now! There's a battle square right? Challenge him." Another voice came up. Natasha perked an ear "What's going on Griffin?" She'd ask... "Is that his girlfriend?" Her face went red with this blistering rage. "I SURE AS HELL AM NOT!" Natasha recoiled "If you want a Pokémon battle THAT badly, I'll give you one!" A trainer stood up from his chair. "I'll take you on!" He'd say, "I got two badges!" He'd mention "I have four! And I do come from the Kalos region." She'd snicker and Yuny gave a giggle. Luna took a moment to stare at Yuny... Him? Her? Thief glanced at Luna. "What's up?" The Growlithe snickered "I... can't actually tell if Yuny is male or female... When he fights? She? I don't know." "Yuny is a girl." Thief commented "You can tell these things by sniffing, she just looks a little boyish, like a tomcat!" "Those are males..." Luna commented "What? Really!?" It made Luna giggle a little bit and Thief began to blush from the embarrassment. "W -Well Yuny is a girl! She's just unkempt and everything, looks a little boyish, but you can hear her voice when she fights or gets too excited... She's almost two!" Thief nodded, and Luna gave Yuny this look. I mean, it's not hard to think of that, but I guess she was hurt in Saffron right... I wouldn't care about much going around me with that much pain... Thief sniffed Luna a little and she recoiled as what he did was unexpected. There was this wash of familiarity that ran through his chest. "it's weird because you smell really familiar" Luna blurted out a laugh "Obviously I do, we've been traveling since that first city!" I guess so... He remembered that first night too, she even smelled familiar there... and then around the campfire between Maiden's Peak and Vermilion. They took such an overgrown route that was barely on the map... it's no wonder why that other trainer with his Beartic was so powerful. Thief looked back at Natasha who was getting all amped up for a Pokémon battle with this stranger... Yuny flickered her tail and as Luna watched... Well she didn't know what to really believe about it.

"I guess it's a battle then..." Brad mentioned "I was nearly planning on buying more food..." "We just ate!?" Griffin commented, and Brad shrugged with Aura giggling to herself. It was strange to see a Lucario giggle like that. "So? That was like over an hour ago! And we're in a city dude! We might as well eat as much as we can before we leave!" The sandy haired young man laughed to Brad's reply "Well you wouldn't have that problem if you knew how to cook like you want to!" Griffin retorted, and Brad huffed at him "I bet I can bake better then you..." And Griffin felt his eyes flicker a bit. "Bake? Wait... you can't cook food, like normal food... but you can bake? What do you bake? Little cupcakes and sweet tarts?" Griffin giggled and then Aura laughed too, and Brad blushed through and through. He simply shrugged a bit "I can bake Pokémon food... I just can't cook anything any other way..." "Open a dessert shop!" Brad shook his head no and gave Griffn this firm look "No way in hell!" Brad expressed softly "My parents own one, it's not really my thing you know?" He'd let it slip and tossed both his hands to the back of his head "I guess we're watching Natasha win a fight, right?" Griffin giggled, and Thief stared at him closely, he then glanced at Luna after... "There's too many people here... I hate it..." She muttered under her breath and Griffin gave Natasha a glance "We'll watch you beat that guy for sure! Let's get started! Then figure out where the gym is!" Brad gave this happy smile and Melody giggled a little... her Houndoom eyed Aura curiously and then gave Luna this glance when they met eyes for a moment, her fur riled up instantly. Every time she saw him... he was always terrifying to look at. Yuny flickered her tail and yipped "I'm gonna win! I'm the hero of this battle!" She'd say with a snicker, even Yuny's voice sounded like a male. It made Luna's ears twitch. Thief flicked his big pompom of a tail in response to Yuny's energetic scamper around Natasha's shoulders. Somehow that trainer had no issue with it. Wearing this small Beret with an Eevee pin, a pair of ripped jeans and a worn-out T-shirt. It looks like today she wasn't some over the top anime cosplay character. In fact, she hadn't been wearing much save for her 'Eevee fangirl' outfit. At least that's what Thief thought Griffin could have called it. "You'll do awesome! You don't have a really super tough opponent like Shadow!" Yuny gave the Growlithe this little look "He's like the super villain!" Yuny commented "Picked me up and dropped me right at Natasha's feet in that super big city, like he's THIS big!" Yuny partially stood on her hind legs and held out her paws above Natasha's beret, as if showing off how tall Shadow was. The Growlithe snickered a little, he was there but Yuny chatted as though he didn't watch that battle. I guess to her we all look really large... except... Luna I guess, she's only a little bit larger. Thief tossed Luna a glance and she met his eyes for a second... His heart was slowly starting to pick up. _Nononono, don't do that here..._He'd give her this smile and it made her tails flicker in all sorts of directions that left him in this gentle blissful awe. They curved all around and danced in the air, entwined each other, against one another... shimmering with rich red and orange... and her eyes looked like this wonderfully warm flickering embers from a fire... Like a campfire on the beachside which shone against millions of starry fireflies that fluttered against an endless night sky. "T - Thief..." Luna commented, her face was flushing through "Y - You're staring? Is there something on me?" She began running her paws through her hair frantically, as though something got in that straightened tangled mess. He simply blushed and looked at Griffin

"N - No! Not at all... I was just, looking at the crowd around you... Thought I saw a Meowth somewhere..." He didn't really argue, but he just had to look away for a second. My heart is pounding... so is my head he blinked firmly and made a little glance her way... She kissed me two days ago, it was like that berry too... Maybe she really likes berries! I should find her a bunch! Thief smiled warmly Oran and Cherri right? Maybe she loves the sweet ones! Thief smiled and giggled a little "So... do you like spicy food?" Luna tilted her head, those ears of hers dropped and flickered "Well... I mean I don't know if I've tried much of it." Luna nervously smiled "Do... you like spicy food?" Thief nodded happily "I love really spicy foods! I like them super spicy and really hot!" He'd mention "I don't really like spicy berries though... they taste kind of weird... but if Griffin cooks something spicy I absolutely love it!" He'd giggle, and Luna half tilted her head. "You like Oran Berries, right?" She'd ask with a swallow and Thief smiled "They're my absolute favorite!" They were chatting amongst themselves and following Griffin and the others... That Houndoom partially tapped Luna's tail with her paw. "I can't watch you both and Melody, pick up the pace." He'd interrupt the moment as soon as it began and they both hopped in front of Griffin, hanging closely to his feet as they followed Natasha and this younger trainer to a battle square in the Trainers Village of Vermilion city. Griffin had a look around first... Wow! There's a Scyther! And that's an Abra! Hey look at that! Thief looked at a certain Pokémon in the background... "Is that a Buizel?" Thief asked, and Luna looked over after a moment of her fur rising. "Where?" Thief had another look, it was already gone. "It was right there! A moment ago, at least..." Luna rolled her eyes and stuck out the very tip of her tongue at him "Maybe you ate too much spicy stuff" Luna giggled, and Thief felt his face grow red "I - I did not! You can never have enough spicy food..." Luna passed a loud laugh "I got a feeling you're still hungry!" Luna mentioned and snickered "I ate early this morning with Griffin..." Luna stared at him from the back as they crossed towards that courtyard to a large open chalk-lined battlefield. "I'm worried... he's not eating that much." Thief tilted his head "What? Of course, he's eating plenty! He makes so much food!" Luna sharply turned her head at Thief "So? It doesn't mean anything if he won't eat, even Absol's noticed it... I'm beginning to notice it..." Luna stared at Griffin as Natasha crossed onto one side of the clean and crisp battlefield. He called out a happy voice with the sound _You got this Natasha! Beat him!_Ringing in Luna's ears. She perked her head up a little more as Thief made a noise "See he looks fine!" Thief mentioned, and Luna stared at Griffin's back, his arm in the air with excitement _I don't get what you're talking about, he looks the same as always _ Thief thought and stared more intently at Griffin now. Nothing had changed about him? Not since last night... last week... over the past couple years he'd been traveling with him. "Well I guess November is coming up right?" Luna tilted her head "What goes on then?" Thief nodded "He always goes back home during that month, only time out of the entire year... I guess he does eat less when he thinks about it... Only I've been there and Bandit and Shadow... I think Marill and Scarf too." Luna seemed to puff out her wiry and untamed fur out "I don't know about Moonlight really... I don't remember seeing him there..." "Then let's get him to eat! He's got a lot of things to do and places to travel to with us, right?" Thief's eyes seemed to sparkle "We can pick all sorts of fruits and berries and leave it on him when he's sleeping! He always leaves that little cabin-thingy open!" Luna giggled furiously "It's called a tent Thief... even I know that one!" She stuck out her tongue

"Alright Akamaru! It's your spotlight!" The Flareon flashed out of his Pokeball and let a plume of fire to swirl around his maw which fluttered across his pelt and fur like a collection of ribbons or stream-lines from a jet. Luna partially shielded her eyes from the flames. "A Flareon! Well, Let's Get Em!" The other trainer tossed a Pokeball high into the air and a small flicker of watery streams scattered all around the air, from where they were there were walls surrounding the courts and people watching from benches. Other trainers were battling too, but it looked like the amount of flare and passion from solely Akamaru and the now apparent Poliwag caught their eyes. Griffin and Brad studiously glanced from the back wall while sitting on the chalk lines east side. They had the best view, along with Luna and Thief that sat beside Griffin. There was this delightful row of well-sanded light brown benches that covered every section of the trainer court. I think there's a sport thing on TV... Tennis? Yes, it looks like a whole bunch of tennis courts. Thief stared at the eight chalk lined courts in total, this one small section in this background enclosure within the bustling city seemed to drown out the noise as Akamaru took his battle stance. They were all divided accordingly, letting this whole small gathering of trainers collect in the yard which had strong tree's growing over the other side... that must've been a park. This trainers village is so awesome! They have all the stuff here! Thief glanced at the well-kept ground, although they appeared to be on pavement, the actual courts were a different story, filled quite firmly with dirt. He stared a little while longer at the ensuing battle "Hey, give those two some extra space! This looks like an actual battle!" A voice cracked through the now gathered silence.

"Jesus... it reminds me of a school yard fight..." Griffin mentioned to Brad "I get what you mean for sure... everyone just stopped training with their friends the moment a real match showed up... check it out, they actually cleared the courts around them." Thief looked at the courts furthest away, those trainers were still battling. "Personally I've never actually walked into one of these in the cities, people chat about them in Hoenn... But I'd rather travel personally." Griffin said, and Luna looked behind her to see him. He felt eerily uncomfortable to look at while watching the crowd gather. In fact, it nearly made her think of herself from earlier that morning... But here she felt calm. "Wait... Hey Griffin!" There was a voice from the crowd "Sorry about this morning, you just sort of walked out... I couldn't handle all the tension going on... and perked up." A young trainer scratched his hair and Griffin gave him this shy chuckle. He was a dark-skinned trainer with tight - short curly black hair and a fairer color for his eyes. Dressed in red and garnished with whites - he looked to wear a jersey of some kind. In fact, he walked over to Brad and Griffin, that trainer seemed to kneel and hold out the palm of his hand. It was the color of mocha on the inside of his palm, and like chocolate on the back of his hand. "Oh, right! It's okay." Griffin mentioned, and Luna partially sniffed at the stranger's palm. Thief did too. "Whoa, I've never met a Growlithe that wasn't so up front and aggressive. Usually they just growl at me! But I guess it's in the name you know?" Griffin laughed a little "Thief has always been friendly! I just hope he gets it from me" Griffin said with a smile and the trainer gave this little thumb up at the Growlithe. He smells... like... Grass. I know that smell, it's a Pokémon. Thief sniffed his hand again. "Wait..." Brad said and looked at the trainer more closely. "I know you, you run an online blog! You're a bug trainer!" Brad stood up and let out his hand. "Brad, Brad Hoskin! I used to run a huge social media blog for bug trainers too." That trainers eyes lit up. "What? ... This is where you ended up? I heard you quit after you let your Beedrill go. I'm Andrew! Andrew Hunter." They both shook hands and exchanged this confident and friendly glance "You can call me either Andy or Hunt if you'd like" Brad nodded "Awesome! I just go by Brad, OH! And this is Aura." He introduced his Lucario and then Natasha made a noise "Alright, we flipping heads or tails? Or better yet, you got the type advantage! I'll let you go first!" Natasha said "Poliwag use Rain Dance! Show her that it's not all too nice to be cocky!" The Poliwag flickered its large tail and made a collection of short hops and bounces and called for the clouds above them to pour heavily onto the battlefield. Luna partially stared up at the rain drops. It was still bright and cheery all around them... "That Rain Dance was either really weak or really accurate..." Luna whispered to Thief quietly and Thief nodded "I bet that Poliwag is a really strong opponent! It looks fast!" Thief had a look at Brad and Andy, they were still chatting quietly amongst themselves, all he got out of the conversation was that Andy skipped this gym when he passed Vermilion, he was already nearly done Kanto! And was planning on the Johto league next. The Poliwag gave Thief a happy trill and a nod, still happily bouncing around the field. Akamaru took a stance "Akamaru, Let's amp it up a little! Use Swagger!" Akamaru puffed out his chest and nearly made a faux like attack while blatantly insulting the smaller Poliwag. Luna shut her ears with her paws... that was rude, it even confused her a little? The Poliwag fell for it immediately and got very angry. "Poliwag is confused and rain continues to fall!" A voice calls out from the crowd. "What'll the blue side do next?" "Poliwag use Confide!" It stumbled and hopped over to Akamaru's side, whispering something at him, but the Flareon scoffed "Tell me something I don't know" And bounced away Natasha snickered "Akamaru use Work-up!" He'd flare out his tails and flash a collection of flames which licked the corners of the field. They barely even crossed the chalklines, as though a glass barrier confined them. "Wow! Akamaru you're really accurate too!" Thief giggled and blew at the flames a little. "Poliwags Confide failed! Akamaru is working itself up!" That voice called again, it was this thick stern voice too.

"Alright Poliwag! You can do it! Use Scald!" The Poliwag bounced and turned, charging an attack "Akamaru, look for an opening and use Double team!" Natasha recoiled and the Flareon nodded, darting across the field, but Scald shot out and covered the field with a huge torrent of hot water and steam. Akamaru jumped high into the air and puffed out it's fur, he got hit with that attack... but the way he puffed his fur out seemed to help knock out the water. "A clear hit! That Flareon is strong indeed!" Akamaru began with double team, moving fast enough to create copies of himself... Luna tried to follow where the original one went. "Akamaru, get an opening and use Shadow ball!" "Poliwag, use protect!" The Poliwag snapped out of it's confusion and protected itself from the next move. Akamaru shot a thick dark ball at the Poliwag. It's sickly churning orb swung across the field. A near Direct hit! "Akamaru, Double Team again! Let's follow up with Hidden Power!" Natasha said again and Akamaru made a small bark, skidded across the ground to get around the Poliwag that was staggering from the blow. Protect was the only thing that caught it from fainting. Luna watched the copies cover the field again, hearing that voice call out "And a repeat from Akamaru! Poliwag is in a tough spot!" "Poliwag! Use Bubble and match it with Water Gun!" Poliwag snapped around and let out a torrent of flashy and adorable bubbles, it surrounded itself first and Natasha gave a little giggle "Akamaru cancel and Dig!" Flareon swung into the ground and buried itself! The crowd made a hollering noise "What!? How does it know Dig? It's a Flareon!" Natasha gave this smirk and looked at Griffin for a moment "I'm the top Eevee trainer in all of Kanto! Being in Kalos taught all of my Pokémon some unique tricks!" Griffin shyly chuckled... And the other Trainer studiously watched the ground. "Poliwag, we gotta be on guard here! Watch the ground directly below you!" The Trainer firmly said and the Poliwag bounced a little, staring at the earth.

"You can't use a TM or an HM on Flareon, not for dig?" "It's not impossible to train a Pokémon to use it... It just takes longer than anything else. They naturally learn moves by leveling right? Well this is like that, but focusing one possible move for a long time..." A voice whispered through the now silent and anxiously waiting crowd... "A surprise by Natasha's Flareon! She's trained Akamaru hard enough to use a specific move!" Natasha grinned and stared at the earth... The Poliwag cautiously watched the earth underneath it. "Akamaru, Hidden Power!" The Flareon sleekly broke out of the ground nearby it's six o-clock and before it even touched the ground there was a collection of fiery spheres that fluttered all around the Poliwag... However. The torrent of water flushed out the move! Bubble and Water Gun was used defensively! "Poliwag use BubbleBeam!" It launched a torrent of bubbles right at Akamaru! "Akamaru, roll and use Flamethrower!" It rolled out of the way and flickered onto it's back, using its large slick tail to spin itself on the ground... it made Luna's mind flash for a moment... The flamethrower crossed through the air and acted like a defensive shield against the static bubbles that surrounded it along with Poliwags remnants of the Bubble Beam. "Are you okay Luna?" Thief silently asked, and Luna nodded... Staring hard at the spinning Flareon on the ground, the flames licking all across the field. "I've... just seen a trick like that before." Luna watched in this mixture of awe and fear... Staring at that collection of flickering lines while they cascaded across a battalion of explosive bubbles made her think to herself a little. "It might be worth learning how to do something like that..." The crowd was riled again, making all sorts of noise "Man that Eevee trainer is AWESOME! I've seen a Vaporeon do that but not a Flareon!" Thief stared at the move too, the Flareon spun on it's back like a spinning top. The flames licked all over the field, but the rain... it felt weak to the Growlithe and Flareon couldn't keep that up forever. "Akamaru, flip and use Shadow Ball once more!" The Flareon flicked itself backward, then hopped for distance and let go of another Shadow Ball...

• Logan

That midday sun burned and peered its way from the end of a dark and enclosed cavern, Logan stepped to the front - hardly a single Pokémon had bothered them as they cut through some ancient cavern inside of the mountain. Trevor had his flashlight, this tiny LED flashlight which sliced through the pitch-black cavern. "Shadow was acting up last night..." Trevor commented, and Logan gave this nod. "I checked over the Pokeball last night. It's still connected to Griffin's Pokenav! I'm not surprised, Ayumu did out-do himself when helping me create it." "So it uses the same connection that Pokeballs use right? I mean when they're sent to a PC box?" "Same one, it's the whole satellite set up that every government uses. It's amazing, when the Pokémon League actually helps you back a project rather than just greenlight it, things get done. Granted..." Logan went for his Pokenav... "I'd love to check over the software again..." "Every time I call you, you were running tests or studying fossils. I get checking it twice... but every day while you're working - that's just paranoia Cuz." Trevor chuckled and Logan casted a look at that little flickering tail in the cavern. He had heard the sneezes... But Logan didn't think anything of them. "Hey Rebecca, is your Charmander okay?" Logan asked at the entrance to the cave. A huge sprawling forest stared back at them. Getting through the Cavern was easy enough and Logan half-glanced at Trevors Sandslash that walked by him. "He's absolutely fine, just has a little case of the sniffles! He gets them sometimes!" Rebecca mentioned and patted Charmanders head. "I bet it's because he's trying to learn a new move!" Logan chuckled "Well, Pokémon do some interesting things when teaching themselves." He seemed to reassure himself, staring at the glowing golden eyes in the cavern. Logan saw nothing abnormal about them...

"Well, along with the PokeWorld software and the new Pokeballs, I'm still trying to figure out that disease." Trevor sighed "You got one too many projects going on..." "Hey, looking into old fossils for DNA references of the disease is very important, anyways, lots of Pokémon are affected by it." Trevor made a little look "It's a genetic disease and there's less than a percent in the ENTIRE WORLD with it Logan." Trevor explained "I read all the things you read, I got to if I'm going to have a half-way normal conversation sometimes." Logan began to laugh, and loudly "You sound like Charles..." Logan felt like he slipped up and Trevor tilted his head. "Charles?" Logan nodded hesitantly "That group... back at my research camp... That's why we're doing all of this, something has got to be there, it even says so in Abuelito's notes." Rebecca nodded and gulped a bit "Someone was hurt?" Logan nodded again after a moment of stalling. "Yes, they... didn't kill him, or even really hurt him - he took the round to the shoulder... but well." Logan gave a very nervous chuckle "It's not really that different from Team Magma." Yeah... save for the Kalashnikov loaded with seven point sixty two millimeter high grain rounds... enough to literally punch through a man's shoulder... Logan breathed a little "Either way, it dangerous, it's actually why I was planning on leaving you both at Littleroot." "Like hell we'd leave you out here alone. If we see trouble, we'll just pull out of the area." Trevor said and nodded "Keep ourselves quiet, I bet Poppo can help us with that. Now that he's a little more rested, no one would expect a Pidgey fluttering about to be a problem." They all stepped out into the bright, hot sunlight and walked down a narrow cliffside. It wasn't too high, but still Logan hated the idea of jumping it. They began their descent into a quiet forest where insects of all sorts buzzed loudly at the forests floor... "We're not quite there anyways, this is just part of the forest before it." Logan checked out the map after unfolding it then skimmed over his compass. "See here, this should be our exit." He showed the map to Rebecca "Yeah, that's right." She'd comment "At least you got that right Logan" She giggled and Charmander made his infamous little sneeze "See here, if we keep going this direction, North-North West we should make it right to the Forbidden Forest. If we go North West, there's TreeFort and if we go West North West, it'll be Cross-Gate City and PetalBurg." Rebecca nodded "It'll be a long walk though... but we should make it to one of them if we stay on the trail by dinner." Logan nodded "Then I'd say let's hit the Forbidden Forest first, in fact if I'm right, that mountain range" Logan Pointed over to the distance, it was a LONG way down. "That should be in line with the Forest, then I'd say we hit CrossGate for supplies and loop back to Petalburg..." Logan nodded "That way we can use a landline rather than an official video phone at a center." "You really are Paranoid Logan..." Trevor said uneasily "Do you... think that there's something going on with the League?" Logan partially nodded "Yeah... something weird is going on. My research camp was only known to a few people, including the head staff at the Pokémon League's Research Division. So... something weird is going on for sure. Either that or the people I hired, whom I back-ground checked anyways, gave it away." Logan mentioned "That group torched my camp to the ground and destroyed over a year of valuable data... Needless to say I want to figure out what the hell is going on." Logan mentioned, and Rebecca gave a worried look "That's really scary..." She expressed while Trevor looked her way "We can part ways at Crossgate if you'd like to go home, Rebecca." She shook her head no firmly "You're all out here while I'd be at home, I'd be worried to death! Anyways Logan can't read a map it seems...." He figuratively hit the ground with her comment. "I forgot ONE thing" Rebecca turned and rolled her eyes "Yeah! And the MOST IMPORTANT thing at that!" Rebecca expressed "You'd be running around aimlessly without my sense of direction." She nodded "That and I'm the only one with a fire team here, with my Charmander and everyone else... Safety in numbers, right?" She'd say again "Either way, I'm sticking with you all for now."

They walked from the cavern for a couple of hours after that when Shadow finally appeared from his Pokeball. He was obviously distracted at first but focused on the front there must've been something going on Griffin's end... There was a buzzing in Logan's pocket and he focused on his Pokedex. *Pokémon... added to the Pokedex!* It mentioned and Logan stared at the screen intensely *Griffin was approved for the Tri-Research Grant, I mentioned to him that you were in Rustboro this Morning. Whatever happened I just hope it throws them off the scent. That said, there was an issue with something...* The Pokedex buzzed itself clean and then the same chime *Team Rocket learned that Griffin has Bandit with him... I tried talking sense into Giovanni, but that man is intent on having her... He'll need to watch his back, Giovanni mentioned about sending in a professional to try and steal her. He's also curious about a Vulpix in his possession... somehow he got a hold of their newest tests from the Pokémon Center...* It buzzed itself clean again and another *They also checked out the site where Griffin was attacked... Logan, there is something there. Something very dangerous and I'm in the middle of checking the data now... and they found DNA of Mew there too. Giovanni thinks he can recreate their original project, but... He's curious about reports of a Pokémon in Hoenn... a new one but things are very splotchy with the details. He thinks he can recombinant both the DNA from each of them. I'm nearly being left in the dark again* It buzzed once more to remove itself... "You okay Logan?" Trevor asked "All good!" He replied while the Pokedex buzzed itself once more, that same initial message came up *The Police got Griffin's statement too, some International League officer was with Jenny at the time... That said I've checked over some reports, took me forever to get a hold of them, but there are reports of those people in Kanto and Hoenn. Johto is a little quieter... They're really working in the background of everything and worst of all... Logan, Team Aqua and Magma have started up strong again. They found a new lead with Groudon and Kyogre... and there is this other one... Rayquaza, I believe, and this new Pokémon that Giovanni is intent on. Watch yourself, all of you.* His Pokedex buzzed itself clean once more and Logan stared at the regular screen of the device... It felt like Ayumu was helping him intently with everything... _A new Pokémon? Mew... is a DNA Pokémon, what other DNA would they need? There is no Pokémon Mew isn't a part of..._Logan stared up at the sky and Shadow followed the same look to the clouds, both of wonder and with a sense of futility while the soft plumes of snowy smoke covered the sky. It wasn't raining yet but soon, they both knew that a storm could snuff its way from the sea. Logan fished his hands into his pockets and kept walking forward with Shadow following him closely. Trevor was hugging near the treeline with Poppo who decided to pop out of his capsule and flutter through the trees. Here, being as quiet as it was, they all could hear insect's flicker and sing a quiet studious song. They continued to walk through a huge open plain surrounded by trees with a dirt trail fluttering below them, the bushes were overgrown, and the wind slithered in from the mountainside. They came to the top of a hill or clearing and stared at a sea of trees. The forest ahead surely became thick with brush and tree's which dared to touch the skies...

• Luna

"I can't believe it!" The announcer like voice playfully called out from the crowd! "A Dewott! And a powerful opponent at that! Natasha is down to two Pokémon, and the opponent is down to one!" "You did wonderful Sephiran! Get some rest!" The Sylveon flickered his ribbons against the ground partially and felt the lasers swallow around him while Natasha returned him. "Man they have so many strong Pokémon, like that trainers Cubone! Even his Zubat was tough too!" "What about that Mankey and Pidgeotto? They were this dynamic set up!" "Natasha's Flareon and Glaceon are really tough too! But that Trainer is really good at setting up status effects..." "Alright Leafeon! Let's get in there! It's you're Spotlight!" The Leafeon, quite dully arrived out of his Pokeball and stared around before matching eyes with the Dewott. He then sniffed the air, quite profusely scratched at his nose as though to cover it up. Luna stared at the Leafeon closely. "Really? Here?" Leafeon sighed "I hate cities..." He simply sat in the middle of the combat zone. The Dewott stared at him and made a few noises. The Leafeon turned his head. "Leafeon, let's start this up with Razer Leaf!" Leafeon gave Natasha a look and then stared at Luna and Thief who stared back at him. The Dewott made a few noises, looked at its trainer and then crossed it's paws and tapped its foot against the ground. "Leafeon, he's your opponent! Fight him!" Luna mentioned softly "It's a trainer battle." The Dewott nodded "Yeah, so are we going to spar?" The Dewott said and gave a playful huff "It's really easy honestly..." "I have no reason to fight you, you're not a threat." Leafeon commented and the Dewott took some offense to it. "Not a threat?" He took out his two shells "Then how about I go first!?" "It looks like Natasha's Leafeon ignored orders and used Taunt!" The announcer mentioned and Leafeon looked around at the entire crowd of humans watching him. Luna and Thief gave him a 'What are you doing?' stare "Luna, are you tagging in here? You mentioned this was a fight, right?" The Vulpix tilted her head no. "Natasha isn't my trainer! It's a trainer battle! Leafeon..." Luna looked at Griffin. "Hey Natasha! I think you're Leafeon is still a little too wild!" Natasha slammed her foot against the ground at Griffin who had opened his mouth. "I know that! I just figured he'd listen to a command! Leafeon!" He just planted his rear on the ground and tilted his head at her. "It looks like Natasha's Leafeon is unable to battle!" "Hey! He hasn't even been hit yet!" Natasha commented and huffed a bit, "Leafeon Return!" Natasha went for her Pokeball to return him, but Leafeon, casually walked past her and went to the sidelines... She gave off a sigh and slumped her shoulders while watching the Leafeon pass by her. "Nevermind, Yuny! It's your Spotlight! Let's get in there!" Yuny made a noise and hopped into the court from Natasha's shoulders... "Wait, what's IS a trainer battle anyways? Why is Yuny jumping into the fight? Thing? Why are we fighting? Anyways... that Dewott isn't a threat, he isn't worked up enough to hurt us." Leafeon blatantly asked Luna as she tilted her head a little

"Well... Pokémon trainers TRAIN Pokémon to do many things. One way they showcase power from training is by battling their Pokémon against one another" Luna mentioned "Yeah!" Thief nodded in reply "It's like a play fight! You fight until one of you can't fight anymore, usually with some you might pass out." "Fight... wait" Leafeon turned to the battlefield "That Dewott is going to kill that Eevee?" Luna hopped in front of him, it's like he was going to get back into the fight. "No No! You don't get it. It's a friendly spar until one Pokémon gets too tired to keep fighting. It's like for show nearly. They won't kill her, that's not what Trainers do." Luna exclaimed... and a laser came from Griffin's belt... Moonlight elegantly stretched and yawned a little bit. "I heard Natasha let Leafeon out..." Moonlight stretched again, first letting the front of his paws reach to the end of the chalk lines and then he stretched out his back. The Leafeon studied Moonlight closely now and they exchanged curious glances. Moonlight was trying to have a little sass... but sounded more excited than rude. "He thinks the Dewott is going to kill Yuny." The Dewott made a noise and stared at Leafeon with a worried look on his face. "He won't hurt me Leafeon!" Yuny snickered "You're really silly! Like SUPER silly!" As she talked Yuny gave a bunch of runs in a circle and spins "It's a Pokémon Battle! It's not a big scary fight! Well... some can be but they'll almost never something to really get hurt at!" Leafeon made a little growl, snarling at the Dewott. "So you'll just attack a young cub like that!? All because a Human said so!?" The Dewott flinched "Jesus Natasha control your Leafeon!" The Trainer commented. "Leafeon return!" The laser tried to hit him, but Leafeon simply crossed around Moonlight and the light aimlessly hit the Espeon... Moonlight shrugged it off, the lasers wouldn't accept him? Even with Griffin's unique and different Pokeball? "Leafeon!" She'd fully turn to him. "Leafeon, what's wrong?" Moonlight mentioned "It's not like you to really lose your composure..." "What the hell is all this? So, you'd sit by and let this whole thing go on?" Moonlight sighed a little bit. "You really are feral... Intelligent, but very feral... Alright." Moonlight put a paw on Leafeon's shoulder. "Human's train Pokémon to get stronger and smarter for battles, like what Yuny and Natasha are doing." "Jesus Griff, looks like your Espeon is pep talking Leafeon!" Brad laughed, hearing the Espeon make a bunch of small noises. Griffin nervously chuckled and Natasha gave him this look and partially tossed her hands into the air. Griffin shrugged a little himself and stared closely at the Espeon, he almost wished he knew what they were talking about. "So right now, they're showcasing their strength as trainers and the strength of their Pokémon." "Wait... so like a champion competition!?" Leafeon tilted his head "No, No... you can still get killed." Leafeon muttered and Moonlight turned his head. "I... guess so? Just without the killing part? It's just like a mock fight." Moonlight mentioned "Like Thief said, a play fight, unlike what happened two days ago. That was an actual fight, here it's all for show."

"Nevermind, Leafeon just stay! Yuny Baby-Doll eyes cutie!" Yuny flickered her little tail and lowered her head to the ground, showing off her adorable and sparkling brown eyes. "You don't want to hit a little puppy like me, do you Mr Dewott sir?" The Dewott partially swallowed and shook its head no. "After some confusion, it looks like the battle is back on!" "Dewott use Razer Shell!" The Dewott unclipped it's two shells from its sides and dropped them low, as though an aura of thick yellow collected around them, so did a clear point of water. Somehow the water collected over the shells like daggers... Leafeon partially put his head up and Moonlight kept his paw around the Leafeon's shoulder. "Relax." Moonlight said and the Leafeon gave him a growl in return. "Leafeon, it's alright." "She shouldn't need to fight at all, it's just a cub Moonlight!" Leafeon recoiled "That said, Natasha won't let her get that badly hurt, neither would the other trainer let Dewott hurt any Pokémon that badly." Moonlight mentioned and smiled "There are some good human's out there Leafeon." "..." Leafeon went a little quiet "Your paw is still on my shoulder Moonlight..." The Espeon froze a little bit "Is that where it is!? Sorry, Sorry..." He retracted his paw immediately and pushed it onto the warm pavement. Luna stared at him closely... Is... he blushing? Luna studiously glanced at Moonlight and he gave her a look and then smiled a little. "It smells terrible in this city too..." Leafeon commented and glanced his way at Yuny, that Dewott crossed the field quickly and swung one of its shells at the Eevee, Leafeon jolted... but... he was still sitting in place. Moonlight gave him a stare, as though finally understanding at least a tiny piece of him. Yuny simply hopped all over the place and the moment his shell tried to hit her, she skidded between the Dewott's legs and jumped onto it's back "That's a meanie thing!" She recoiled playfully "You can't hit the hero!" "Yuny use Swift!" The little Eevee jumped onto Dewott's head and hopped off, leaving the Dewott to make a noise and immediately move to protect itself from the collection of sharp stars which quickly cut through the air and struck at him. "Dewott! Once more with Razor shell!" It cut the distance quickly and swung accurately at Yuny. But she was already on the ground bouncing around energetically. The Shell cracked down at her, and Yuny hopped to the right side, dodging it entirely. "Can't get me!" She stuck out her tongue "Yuny! Quick Attack!" That little Eevee picked up speed that very second, she stopped bouncing around and swung right into the Dewott with a headbutt... but the Dewott barely stumbled. Their size, attack and defense were vastly different. "Dewott Fury Cutter!" The Dewott swiftly slashed the scalchops at the Eevee quickly, following up with a quick succession of blows which made Leafeon push to his feet... Moonlight put a paw on the Leafeon's side this time. "It's fine... Yuny will be fine. Why are you worrying so much about her anyways?" Leafeon didn't stare back at Moonlight. Luna stared at that Leafeon closely, very closely while Yuny managed to get around the Dewott. She took a blow and the Leafeon flinched. That is weird... why would he get so worked up about it? Luna swallowed a little Well... maybe in the wild fights like this are harsher right? Yuny scampered around the Dewott again and again... "And look at that! After a wonderful show with Dewott, Natasha's Eevee is starting to use Double Team!" That announcer said in his firm and playful voice "Wonderful work Yuny! Confuse your opponent!" Natasha tightened the grip on her hand. She was holding them together while watching Yuny in the battle. "Let's see if we can surprise them a little!!" Natasha called out and the Trainer tilted his head "Yeah, because an Eevee can surprise us! Right Dewott! Keep at it, keep yourself close to that Eevee!" Dewott made a noise and kept himself hardly a step away. The chase itself was enough to draw eyes from the road behind the courtyard. "Yuny! Use Thunder Wave!" Yuny flickered her fur out and gave a little sound at the Dewott that was closing in the distance... A tiny, insufficient spark made the Dewott freeze for a second. Yuny seemed to giggle and hop around immediately, as though hardly expecting it to work.

"I DID IT!" Yuny laughed and giggled and hopped all over the place... the Dewott tilted his head and seemed to laugh after he slumped his shoulders. There was this odd smile that came between the two and Leafeon glanced at it.

"Right... Well... keep practicing?" The Dewott mentioned and listened to his trainers next command. "Dewott Water Gun!" It sucked in air and Yuny stopped from her happy hops for a second. "Wait... it didn't hit you?" She felt her ears flatten and a huge current of water flooded over her... Leafeon jolted forward but Moonlight held him back with his paws. The move DID hit him, but it did absolutely nothing. "Let me go you idiot!" Leafeon barked at him loudly, Yuny was hit with a huge current of water that rushed from the Dewott's muzzle. "Relax Leafeon." Moonlight mentioned and looked at the current - Yuny was swallowed whole by the water... where did she go? Leafeon stared at the wet ground, the pavement... She flung back, and hard. "Sephiran!?" Luna got on all fours, that Sylveon was already at the other end of the battlefield. It looked like he caught Yuny last second, before letting her get completely blasted out of the arena. It looked like Yuny's eyes were spinning from Dewotts powerful move and Leafeon stared as the water cleared. "Yuny is unable to battle! Our Trainer on the blue side wins!" Natasha seemed to huff "Lucky break kid..." He jumped to his feet and threw his fist into the air "Yeah! Dewott you were awesome!" He'd say and hug his Pokémon while Natasha went to check over Yuny... she was fine, just shocked by all the water that hit her. Luna watched Natasha go to pick her up... Sephiran was still holding Yuny by the scruff of her neck, like how Shadow did in Saffron city. Leafeon got to his feet after that. "Wait, why did the battle stop? I'm still right here, I can take on Dewott easily..." Moonlight laughed a little bit "You already showed everyone that you couldn't listen to your trainer at all, so they ruled you as unable to battle." Moonlight smiled "So Natasha lost, and in a way so did everyone but it looks like Yuny's training has been slowly getting her better. You should congratulate her on that." "Yuny! That was amazing!" Thief yelled from the sidelines and cut Moonlights words short. "Awesome work!" Luna looked at the Growlithe and chuckled to herself before she looked to Leafeon... He was staring at that Sylveon very, very closely... It was an odd look, as though reading something new about him. Sephiran reached the small Eevee towards Natasha, and she carried Yuny to the trainer with the Dewott. "That was a wonderful battle!" She held out a hand and the two trainers greeted each other. "I'm... Sam." Natasha gave the young boy a closer look. "Wait... you're a girl!" She'd partially whisper it "N - No I'm not!" Sam recoiled "You totally are." Natasha said again "So..." They ended up chatting for a little while after the battle, Luna stared at them talk about all sorts of things... Natasha... has a girlfriend? Luna looked at her lips again, reading them closely. There was no doubt about it, they were talking a whole bunch about things like that. Sephiran turned and looked at Leafeon for a second before walking up to Natasha. "Hm?" Moonlight made a noise "What's wrong?" Moonlight asked "Nothing." Leafeon said and silently made his way over to Natasha, Sephiran was ahead of him... "Quite the battle Dewott." It turned its head to see Leafeon. It also made a little concerned sound when they exchanged glances. "Y - Yeah, that Eevee is full of surprises! I wasn't expecting her to try a move like that! Usually only a Jolteon can do that." The Leafeon nodded and gave a small huff of air. "I guess I should apologize for my behavior, I'm still a little... new to all this human stuff." "Green you mean?" The Dewott stuck out it's tongue while Luna just stared at them, reading the Pokémon's lips and the humans lips too. "Don't worry about it at all, you seem like the wild guardian type! I once knew a Samurott just like you." The Dewott giggled "In fact, a lot like you."

"What are you doing Luna?" Thief asked, and she turned her head to see him. "Just wondering what they're all talking about." The Vulpix mentioned while nodding and then her eyes caught Moonlights. "That Leafeon is just... so weird." Luna chuckled a little "You warmed up to him quickly. Got a crush?" Moonlight flushed "S - So? He's strong... surprisingly kind if you can get past that iron façade he has on... At least he seems that way." Moonlight explained "A - Anyways... whatever." Moonlight mentioned and went for his Pokeball... "Autumn is coming up... Moonlight." Luna mentioned after a moment of hesitating and the Espeon stopped in his tracks. There was this uplifting wind that warmly cut between them... Her hairs got tangled in the breeze as she stared at him. He hardly turned to her. "Yes, it'll be a beautiful Autumn." Luna swallowed a little bit to his voice. "So we'll be going to Hoenn right?" Moonlight nodded and now turned with a smile. "To see Griffin's family." Moonlight said, "But that's months from now... by then I bet we'll be halfway done Johto, maybe finished if we actually keep to a blasted trail." Moonlight laughed a little "That said... I'm glad you've stayed with all of us this far, Luna." It was the last thing he mentioned before returning to his Pokeball... Luna flushed herself... she really wasn't that important! But... Everyone is warming up to me I think... I mean I never... I just... Thief giggled "I think Moonlight wants to get to know you more! He's even stopped teasing me as much! Well... I mean he still does sometimes, but it's just a little comment here and there." Thief mentioned with a giggle "He can be kind of weird too." Luna looked at the Pokeball on Griffin's belt and Griffin gave her a smile in return and unclipped hers. "You can get some extra rest in here, Luna. Shadow and Marill are in there too!" Griffin mentioned "You can chat with everyone for a bit and come out whenever you want to." Griffin smiled a little "That's a promise" As he talked... Andy gave him a little look, it appeared that Brad and Andrew were talking for the entire time the battle was going on, Luna barely even noticed the two chatting in the back since they started. It looked as though they moved to the sidewalk midway through the battle... Luna glanced over at Leafeon, Sephiran and Dewott. They all appeared to be chatting amongst themselves. "Yuny, that's your name, right?" The Dewott asked and the Eevee nodded her head "It was a wonderful battle! You're a tough opponent for such a young Eevee." Yuny giggled "I'm going to be the bestest hero! Well I mean I am the hero!" Dewott laughed a little "The hero of what?" Dewott asked and Yuny smiled "I'm going to be the hero that'll find my mommy and daddy!" Leafeon went a touch stiff while he stared at her. His ears flicked and stuttered in the air before he smiled warmly "Well, with plenty of training and hard work I bet you'll find them!" Leafeon expressed and Yuny laughed and giggled. "I'll find them for sure! No matter what!" Luna watched Sephiran walk around Natasha... But what she didn't see, or couldn't see, was the fact that the Leafeon and the Sylveon stared firmly as he passed by. Sephiran was going for his Pokeball. "No matter what I'm going to find them, and we'll be a big happy family again. With Big Brother Akamaru and Sephiran and Tsurara!" Yuny smiled warmly and stared at Leafeon closely "And I bet you'll be my Sensei!" Leafeon tilted his head a little bit and laughed "You want me to be your teacher?" Yuny nodded with her eyes flickering "You're super-duper powerful! Even more powerful then Tsurara! You like anime right!?" Sephiran returned himself to his Pokeball, Leafeon watched him and so did Luna. "I can tell! If you were an anime character you'd be senpai!" Yuny mentioned with her infamous giggling.

So that's the kind of hero you want to be Yuny? Luna gave a curve of her lip... it felt painful for her. That's a wonderful reason to be a hero...

"Luna! Stop zoning out!" Thief laughed a little bit as his voice jolted her. "We should go talk to Shadow and Marill! They're seeing all sorts of stuff in Hoenn!" Thief nodded confidently "So let's go!" Luna nodded her head no in reply. "I... don't want to go into the Pokeball..." Thief lowered his ears and his tail... "Please? It's really boring without you there and I mean I only have Bandit and Moonlight to really talk to. Scarf is still trying to do his weird training thing..." "Yeah, why is he doing that?" Luna asked and Thief stuck out his tongue "He's in love with Absol!~" The sing-song tone made her head tilt. "He's had the biggest crush on her since he first saw her!" Luna laughed... It felt silly to her but... Why do I suddenly feel like some big fool... It rang through her mind as she watched his bright cheery eyes flicker. They really were like pumpkins... or maybe lanterns now... the way they glowed. "So... it's not that bad in there! We'll both go in together right!?" Thief giggled and flashed his pompous tail, the adorable pompom of fluff flickered in the wind. Luna hesitantly laughed "I... guess we will..." Thief tilted his head with another confident nod. "There's no reason to guess about it! I'll be right there! I promise" He'd say with his infectious smile. That warm, gentle and overly friendly grin. The Growlithe pushed his nose against Griffin's belt and beamed himself into the capsule... Luna stared at hers firmly... and Griffin unclipped it and cautiously held it out to her the very second they met gazes. "Anytime you want to leave it, you can. I'll never force you to stay in there... Unless I absolutely need to protect all of you." Griffin mentioned with a warm smile. "But I plan to never be in that position" Griffin nodded "So... only if you want to..." Griffin gave a little swallow and stalled his voice.

"Luna"

The Vulpix tilted her head and felt her ears twitch... The way he said it, softly... gently... She felt her legs move slowly to him. There was this familiar fright that roared in her ears for a moment, that man. That trainer called her that too... He never named me that... It is my name, from home. Luna paused in her step... Staring intensely at her reflection in the black and red sheen of the Pokeball, as though it were brand new. The thick white strip ran across the middle, leading up to the button. It was plated with something that looked like gold, the plate around it was this beautiful sterling yellow, like cheery sunlight. She felt something warm flutter through her lungs and gave this long, hot sigh out before touching her nose to the button and feeling this lightness all around her. As though her whole body felt less and less heavy by the second. Luna stared intently at Griffin's warm smile... Thank you... Human. If I can even call you that... you're hardly like them and yet you're everything like them. Thank you... Griffin... I don't know why I feel like I need to... but...

Thank you.

• Thief

Warmth surrounded the small Growlithe immediately, like being bathed in a warm afternoon sun while resting amongst a waving grass plain. As fake as that world inside the Pokeball was, being in this artificial field felt every bit real. He'd smile and snicker and search all around the field-type Biome. It had the likeness of being stuck in a snow globe, where the horizon was surprisingly circular at times - enough that one could see it. But the wind and the air... the swaying in the sounds of trees and even the sight of them was every bit real as it was false. I... guess she didn't show up. Thief thought to himself and stared all around the Biome again, hearing the splash of water every now and then. Then there was a little noise in the wind. The pond or lake nearby naturally had Marill swimming all around it. There was another splash of water... and after a little bit, there was a giant torrent of fire in the next Biome over... It must've caught everybody's attention. Thief scampered over through the false grass, every time he kicked anything up, it seemed to flutter into bits of light and then regrow instantly. "N - Now wait a minute!" Marill's voice came into the air as Thief crossed into the next Biome, whenever he did, he'd look back at this shimmering water-like wall that showed the one he was in previously, it looked like it was miles away now... but the moment he passed that wall, he was dry and right there in the Biome to boot while overlooking a huge river that stilled into a lake. "W - Wait a second Luna! I was just kidding!" Marill hid under the surface of the water again as another blast of fire licked over the top. It illuminated the water with a contrasting flash of red and blue. "I told you to stop splashing me! That water feels weird!" She'd retort and Marill surfaced after the fire dissipated "I'm kind of surprised to see you here! That's all!" Luna was soaked to the bone and Thief cautiously giggled _What did you hit her with? Hydro Pump?_He'd wonder to himself and Marill caught sight of him. "Hey Thief!" Marill called out and Luna turned around to see him "Luna is in here for once!" "I thought you wouldn't show up?" Thief commented, and Luna gave a little warm smile "I was able to... I guess..." The Vulpix nodded "So what is there to do in here?" Thief nodded "Well, there is a place in every Biome that lets you see what's going on outside... sometimes. I think it's to Griffin's Pokenav thingy, we should get him to hook it on the strap of his backpack at some point!" Luna giggled "Maybe we can get Moonlight to tell him that! A whole bunch of things!" Luna nodded and looked all around the Biome. "Yeah! It's really neat!" Thief's tail flickered rapidly "We'll be able to see all sorts of stuff! I'll show you!" He commented and smiled brightly... she simply stared up at the sky... "It's really warm in here... but the wind smells like the city wind." Thief nodded "I think when it's windy out here, it pushes some of the wind in here! I don't get how it works... and the water is real too! I mean you drank some before, right?" Luna nodded "A long time ago, I just hope Marill hasn't spoiled it with his swimming." Luna stuck out her tongue and Marill shot a stream of water at her. She bolted behind Thief, whom promptly got soaked by Marill's Water Gun.

"Thanks for asking how I was doing!" Marill huffed a little bit "Logan is doing some really far traveling!" It mentioned and giggled "He's going to some forest and looking for something weird. Shadow knows more than I do though..." Luna nodded and grinned. "Well, maybe, Logan can train you a bit! That'll help you get stronger!" Marill's bright eyes glimmered and Luna felt like she was staring at them for the first time... Luna partially tilted her head. And Thief looked too. Yeah, Marill's eyes are sort of different I guess. He'd giggle a touch while looking at her stare at them, but the Marill jumped and fluttered around the cool water. "Come on Luna, you should look at the Field!" Thief giggled "I know exactly where the thingy is! It's like a funny mirror! I go through it all the time when I want to leave!" Thief nodded and smiled. "It's so much different then the old ones Griffin had!" Luna nodded, even though she had only experienced them partially and stared all around the curving horizon, That shimmering wall gently flickered against her and she swore she saw her own reflection in it. "Is it... water?" Luna asked, last time she didn't even think about it... It looked like some huge permeable and quivering see through wall. Thief gave her a little bump with his shoulder "Nope! It's also easy to walk through! You don't even get wet!" He'd mention with a small snicker and hop into the shimmering wall and stare back at it when he was back in the meadow. That gentle meadow with wonderful rolling grass and soft wind which faintly smelled like the city. Thief touched his nose to the wind with a gentle piercing look in his eyes. They're still in that park? I can smell that café... I can even still smell the Pokemart across the street, or wherever we are it's right nearby! He stared at her... a small Vulpix tilted her head and seemed so distant and far away as though she was simply just beyond the horizon staring back at him. It felt harmonious for that Growlithe... watching her warm amber eyes slip against him from what felt like a world away.

She hopped into the mirror seconds later and was still in the air when she passed into the field. "L - Luna!" Thief tried to back pedal and felt his tail tap the ground - she toppled over him and they both skidded around the grass... At some point she ended up on his chest looking down with this delighted giggle "That felt so weird!" She laughed loudly and glanced at her paws... Immediately she hopped to her feet and off him. "Uhm..." She blushed "Y - You should move out of the way next time!" Thief tilted his head "M - Me!? You jumped through it really fast!" He'd say with a fury of small laughs and playful yips. "If anything, you shouldn't jump that far!" He stuck out his small pink tongue and her fur got all riled up, she gave a "Hmph..." In reply... this reluctant sigh-like sound that she made, she couldn't even TRY to be mad at him. Thief's ear twitched for a moment and he gave her a look... There was this warm, and almost stinging feeling against his chest, where her paws used to be. In fact, now he was quivering softly - Thief felt that in his fur. W... What the hell is that feeling? He gave this modest thick shiver and Luna stared at that Growlithe poof out as though his shaking fur rested on stilts... She rolled on the ground, laughing and giggling. Throwing her paws in the air. "You look like a cream puff!" She'd giggle and snicker after a minute "It's so cute!" Thief felt himself quake again and glanced at her... His face was burning red... He had some flashes from Maiden's Peak... I don't even know what I meant... It was... I shouldn't have at all. Thief couldn't take his eyes away from her cute button nose. The way it scrunched up when she laughed - how her eyes slowly and calmly burned... He could see that whole scene within them again. I'm still shaking... why am I shaking? I'm not scared... M - Maybe I am a little bit... His heart throbbed against his chest and he cleared his throat a little bit. "Thief?" Luna glanced at his staring and he hid his face... "Y - You think it's cute?" The Orange, cream and black striped Growlithe mentioned. Swallowing firmly "W - Well, the way you fell through that wall was really cute too." Thief mentioned "I - I mean I found it cute... it's like seeing you do some little thing... you do it in your own special way." Thief nervously dug his hind paws into the earth, unlike Moonlight, who only really clawed one into the dirt or toppled one on top of another, The Growlithe frantically scratched both his paws on the ground and over one another. "I mean... It's really pretty..." Luna was about two seconds from saying something back... closing in the distance, when a huge, black and silver-grey paw cut her off. "Alright you two! Break it up a bit!" ... Shadow? Wait... I thought you were at the mountain biome! Thief stared up at the Mightyena who smiled at him. "How are you doing buddy?" Shadow asked and smiled. Thief partially stuttered and Shadow gently put a paw on his head. "This really isn't the place to get that lovey dovey now..." "I don't love him/her!" Luna and Thief recoiled the words at the same time, but unlike two snake's fighting over their prey, it sounded more like two harmonious birds trying to lie to one another. Shadow burst into a fit of yips and yaps. "Shadow! You ran off you..." Bandit mentioned... was that a happy tone? Why is she so cheerful!? Thief swallowed and felt his fur stilt again. "L - Luna hide... Bandit is happy, it's never a good thing." Thief mentioned and even Luna felt her ears drop a bit as that utterly glowing Mightyena walked up to them both. "Hey you two! I'm not letting both you, young love birds run off on your own." "We're not!" They both started to talk at the same time again and huffed, looking other directions. Shadow was left with this perplexed smile and a small soft trill of laughter in his throat. "Sorry Ban" Bandit came around into the clearing of soft grass and it appeared like her happy tone left as soon as she saw them both. Ban? I'd never call her that... Thief swallowed dryly, his face was still red, and he gave a little huff. "H... Hi, uhm... if you're both here already I can show Luna the other biome's in the Pokeball..." Thief nodded and tried to walk off, but Shadow kept his paw around him. "Nope." Shadow said and gave that gentle yip of laughter before he'd give Bandit a nod. "Do... you have Luna Bandit?" Bandit gave this lengthy sigh as though all that sunshine dissipated when she did. "Great... Alright Shortstack, follow me." The massive Mightyena said and Luna gave this dry gulp and followed her. As they began to walk her voice got quiet and she only brushed against Luna's ear. Luna went red. "I already know all that! I'm not a kit!" She'd say, and Bandit almost dragged her by the tails away from the Growlithe that tilted his head and gave nervous smile. Shadow on the other hand passed a swallow and sat down on the grass and waited for them to go to another biome.

"Alright little one... I mean, I'm astonished we're having this conversation given your age... you should already know this, but it's just in case... Bandit and I have been talking about how you both have been getting along as of late." Thief swallowed a little bit. "W - We're friends..." Shadow gave a friendly laugh and that usually warm and cheery Mightyena got serious. "Thief." The Growlithe perked up his ears and nodded at him. "Yep! I'm still listening." The Growlithe nodded and Shadow gave an uneasy sigh. Thief flattened his ears as though he were in trouble after he heard that sigh. It appeared he was annoyed now. "Please tell me... that you know where eggs come from... already?" Thief tilted his head. "Well... I know!" Thief nodded and began to explain a whole lot of things that gave Shadow a headache. Everything from Embryonic cells to cell division and huge mess of scientific things. In fact, they talked for at least fifteen minutes. "I also know that some groups, based on anatomy and structure give birth to live young." The Growlithe commented to the now spiritless and soulless Mightyena. "But I guess that's a totally different conversation to get into. We can!" "..." Shadow went stoic, and then his face went this white pale. "I feel... like I've been hit with an overload of information... How do you know that!?" Shadow mentioned quietly, as though he shouldn't ask it. "I mean all of that!?" Thief nodded in reply. "Well, Moonlight knows I can read." Shadow paused, his warmer red eyes flashed at the Growlithe when he tilted his head. "You can... read? Like human writing?" He mentioned. "All of it I think! But some things are funny... Like the word Embryo. I had to ask Moonlight what it meant..." Thief nodded "There was this wonderfully kind Pokémon in Hoenn... A Linoone was having a whole litter at a Pokémon Center!" Thief's little pom pom of a tail went crazy "I heard Griffin ask for the nurse to fill him in on it too, she had four cubs!" Shadow squinted and closed his eyes a bit before his paw touched his muzzle. "You're terrifyingly smart..." Thief nodded and giggled childishly. "Reading isn't all that hard! I mean you know how to read some words right? Like... Highway! And Route?" Thief laughed "Please tell me you know that!" Shadow seemed to huff "Stay on topic... Out of all of it, I don't think you've used the word..." "Mating?" Thief mentioned it and Shadow nervously flicked his tail. Again another soulless vibe came over the Mightyena, as though he wanted to sheepishly cut the conversation short. "That's the one..." Shadow said, shyly in reply. "We were just checking to see... if you both knew about it or any of it... we don't want an egg here suddenly... it could be dangerous." Thief gave this scrunch of his nose. "Luna isn't interested in that! We're friends!" Thief said happily and flicked his ears when this loud sigh came from a tree nearby...

"Really... you two? I mean Thief, if you stuck with a male partner you'd have no issues with eggs" Moonlight!? He was just lounging about in a tree with his tails dropping as though it were a string over a countertop. "He knows all of this, and he knows that Bandit, you and I would knock him senseless, he may be old enough to have cubs, most wild types are by that age... but he's not a wild Pokémon anymore... Like you Shadow... with Bandit you both have plenty of time." "Are you!?" Shadow got to his feet. "Sorry... habit... I use Psychic with everyone. Granted you're harder thanks to the type advantage." Moonlight yawned while he talked "I just can't break that damned Leafeon... he makes me nervous in all kinds of ways." Shadow gave this growl... "You ca-" "Don't read me THAT line of rights... Luna already reamed me out early this morning... I'm trying not to now..." Moonlight commented and looked at them both. Although Moonlight was built or at least seemed like a canine, he had these feline-like traits about him. Built but slender. A little smaller compared to Shadow, but Shadow was blockier compared to the curvier Espeon. "Anyways I was watching over them." Moonlight yawned a bit. "They're both young and they can act foolish, but they have a good head on their shoulders." Moonlight mentioned again. "Anyways, I bet Bandit and yourself would both scare the living daylights out of them if those two had a litter before you did...." Moonlight laughed "Maybe you should teach them pacing instead." "She's my friend!" Thief mentioned, and Moonlight used Psychic... and tapped the Growlithe firmly on the head. Thief rubbed his head using his paws in a fit of annoyance. "Most partners are." The Espeon replied "The best ones... the life ones are friends." Moonlight nodded "So try and keep the romance bits to a mild, slow burn. Both your hearts are on fire right now, you'd burn them out..." The Espeon said again. "Similar to you Shadow... you feel like you want to rush things for her sake, right?" Shadow gave this gentle hiss... and looked at the grass below him. "Yes... I don't want her fighting anymore... I'm terrified she'll be hurt or worse. She told me about that thing that's been stalking all of you." Shadow nodded "In fact, Moonlight, we need to have a very, very important chat about... some things." Shadow mentioned and looked at Thief as he tilted his head. "Go find Bandit, I think they went to the Mountain Biome to chat, I'll be here with Espeon." Moonlight perked his head up a little bit and hopped down from the tree branch above. Thief went to open his mouth and Moonlight tapped his forehead with Psychic again. "Yeah... Thief, go find Bandit and Luna." Moonlight expressed with a smile. "I think the older grownups need a little chat..."

• Luna

They both glanced off into the burning artificial sunlight far away from the meadow... staring at faux clouds softly roll by against what felt like a windy mountain top... High above, Luna swore that there was another biome, maybe for Flying Types? Luna looked at the fluttering and swirling mirror above her for a moment. There was the sun, high above them... slowly moving as though to tell them the time. "Well Runt... You already know about all of that right?" Bandit asked again "Yes..." Luna mentioned "Shadow brought it to my attention... after I chatted with him for a while about how things were going..." Bandit said and sighed a little bit. "We're both worried that you're moving too fast." "You... worried?" Luna replied, and Bandit shot her a dirty, mean look. "Don't get cute with me, this is a serious conversation." Bandit gave her firm snap and Luna winced. "Sorry..." The Vulpix sighed a little bit. "He just... I don't know... He reminds me a bit of home." Bandit gave Luna this small, peculiar look. "The only home I ever knew... involved two young boys and their disheveled mother." Bandit expressed. And gave a sigh right after. "I hate these moody, emotional talks." Luna felt her ears perk up with her voice. "You really... think Thief and I are moving too fast?" "I saw you licking away at his face on Saturday." Bandit commented, and Luna went a deep cherry red. "You're both young... just... promise me you won't do anything stupid... Shortstack." That nickname made Luna give a single giggle. It felt like, the way she talked and how she was handling everything... "I didn't think you had a softer side... Mightyena." Absol was along the peak of the mountain and Bandit gave her a look from over her shoulder. "Nobody really needs to know, it doesn't matter. Not when it comes to protecting those around yourself." You mean protecting... family, Bandit?_Luna stared at that large Mightyena... _Are you... trying to say that we're like sisters? Luna felt her six tails flicker quickly. "It never would matter, just how you can defuse it right?" Luna mentioned and dared to give Bandit the nickname Sis... "I'm... more used to... cowardly hiding... I'd say... I mean, whenever I try to remember things or remember home. I just... I'm afraid... of everything." Luna softly spoke... "I just wish I could remember a nice home in its entirety." Luna mentioned with a swallow. "But I guess..." "Anytime you want to leave it, you can. I'll never force you to stay in there... Unless I absolutely need to protect all of you." But I plan to never be in that position... So... only if you want to... Luna" She heard Griffin's voice in her head suddenly... "I guess... if there's a family I do know... I'm already, here right?" Luna mentioned happily. Absol's ears flickered a touch and Bandit gave her notorious cackle. "You're a weird one alright, Luna." The Vulpix stuck out her tongue at Bandit "Not as weird and strong as you Sis!" Bandit seemed a little shaken from that and then gave Luna a teasing grin and drew her closer with her paw. Absol flinched while looking at them both so close together... Bandit brought her muzzle next to Luna's neck. She froze and shut her eyes...

"It's called Hermana Runt." Bandit mentioned and laughed a little. Absol surprisingly left her mouth open and tilted her head before smiling. "Hermana?" Luna just finished opening her eyes and Bandit nodded before giving this concerned glance at the Field Biome. "It means Sister in Griffin's language. Well, at least the one he speaks when he's with his family. I mean everyone too. I've only been down there one time, all the way around the world." Luna felt her eyes flicker brightly. "What's it like!?" Bandit heard this shrill but tame yelp from Luna "Is it different? How about the air? The forest?" Bandit gave a warm-hearted chuckle, Luna loved it. That smile, that tiny but friendly grin which made the Mightyena's face feel softer, less edged. But there was this underlying concern that rose in her eyes for no reason at all. "The city was decorated with all sorts of strange things, there was this huge gathering of people... but it was the cemetery that was the most beautiful thing I've seen." Luna felt this eerie chill run through her while Bandit smiled warmly. "C - Cemetery?" Bandit nodded in reply with this playful grin. "It was a celebration to remember the dead and help them rest peacefully and pass on their journey in the afterlife." The Mightyena said and warmly, affectionately pawed at Luna's shoulder "Griffin, Logan and their mother went down there when their aunt passed away. They brought me with them. There's this wonderful silence where you just... remember. I've never met her, but they did... in all honesty, you can feel them remember, and it's one of the most wonderful feelings I've known in my life." Luna tilted her head a little bit. "I don't... understand really." Bandit chuckled again. "Putting it bluntly, the feeling was..." "Luna!" Thief called out. Bandit softly pushed Luna to the side away from her... "Then like a sister, I'll train you." Bandit mentioned quietly, and Luna felt this odd... and inspiring feeling pound against her heart and Bandit quietly gulped in reply "Don't be doing anything dumb! Hermana Shortstack... For all our sake."

That little fluffy pom pom was the first thing Luna noticed come around the corner of a thick boulder... it was flickering wildly. "Hey!" Thief threw up both his paws playfully "What's Absol doing here?" He asked with a giggle and Luna shook her head happily. "I guess she wanted to see the view!" Luna mentioned with a happy smile "It is beautiful here... in its own odd way." Thief nodded and toothily grinned as he stared out at the other biomes. He could see Marill, Shadow and Moonlight whom talked to one another in some weird way. The other Biome's were empty, but it included a large endless forest, or so it appeared endless... and another that looked warm, toasty... like an old ancient volcano with a desert Biome beside it, and one last one that looked too cold for Thief. This snowy and wonderful meadow stared at him in the distance, quivering against a false mirror. In the center was that field below them. "It's like a big Hexagon! I think..." Thief mentioned. Bandit pushed the Growlithe a little "Get lost dumbass..." and then shoved Luna his way. She skidded across the rocks up to the Growlithe where they could've bumped noses. "You both go play." Bandit huffed and giggled. "Just not too roughly you two" She mentioned and looked at Absol. "Yes... I do want to talk with you." Bandit nodded to Absols words. "You gave me that distinct feeling." The Absol replayed Bandit's nod with one of her own. "You both can go now, I haven't seen the Snowy Biome yet myself." Luna confidently nodded, and Thief walked by her. "I think it'll be WAY too cold." He'd mention "We should check out that really warm looking one!" Luna shook her head no. "We'll just make a fire, like we did before!" Luna commented and looked back at Bandit and Absol who began to silently talk to one another. What do they want to talk about? Luna wondered to herself but shook her head and kept leading Thief to another Biome... They cut through the large grassy plain in the middle... Just getting there took a while. "Look, Moonlight. You can't be- " Shadow stopped when he watched Luna and Thief cut through the field, it's as though he just went silent. Luna nodded at him... There... was something around him that felt odd suddenly... uneasy... "T - Thief and I are checking out the snowy biome." She'd mention, and Shadow gave her this look... A look that made her much colder here than it looked ahead of her. The Vulpix gave a swallow, this tight, crushing feeling cut into her throat. Shadow stared back at Moonlight, whom left himself stoic at the Mightyena's gaze. Luna felt rigid... scared. "Let's go Luna." There was something wrong here. Something terrifying. The way that Shadow glanced at her, the difference in his eyes now, this utterly horrible look. The way she studied it only made her increasingly scared. "Are you okay?" "Luna." Shadow mentioned, and she jolted her back straight. "Keep going, I'm just talking with Moonlight." The Vulpix shook her head no. "Thief... You keep going. I want to talk to Shadow for a moment..." Luna whispered. "I'll be right there." Shadow gave this shake of his head. "It's fi-" "I'd like to talk with you..." Luna mentioned again and swallowed. Thief seemed to sit himself. "I want to stay." Shadow roared at the Growlithe and Thief ran out of the Biome as swiftly as he could. There was this mortifying tense feeling in the air between the three of them and Luna simply turned her head to stare at the Growlithe whom ran off ahead of her. Now she felt very horrified and a dark, demonic form overlooked her.

"How long... has that thing... been following you?" Shadow said, and Luna swallowed when she looked up at the Mightyena. Suddenly... Shadow felt more horrifying then Bandit. Telling Bandit was a mistake. She saw Moonlight shoot her a look, as though even he wanted to know. "It never showed itself until Pewter City... when it saw Moonlight I guess." The Vulpix explained. "Before that... I thought I was deaf or cursed or something." Shadow slammed his paw down onto the grass next to her... it felt as though he were about to pin her down to the ground and chomp on her. "I don't care about that..." His usual happy and friendly tone was replaced with this horrible, rough and low snarl. She was shaking more now, her eyes went wide. "This thing is following you... Bandit told me everything, why did it attack her? Who is that Arcanine?" "A - Arcanine?" Moonlight went to step in... even he was playing this cautiously. "She wasn't there on Saturday. That thing, well a trainer tried to attack Griffin." Shadow gave Moonlight this violent, cold-induced stare. "Leafeon and I protected him, and Bandit showed up to help us." Moonlight commented "In fact everyone did, Luna came in after with Thief." The Espeon explained. "Why... why the hell is that thing here now? You NEVER talked about this when you were traveling with us and Logan." Shadow said. "And now you're telling me... that you've been hunting this thing with my Trainer around?" Shadow snarled, and Moonlight swallowed and nervously nodded. "Originally but It..." He mentioned and silently glanced at Luna. "That Cheshira, never came up again... until Luna walked into the picture." Her heart stopped for a moment and she felt her eyes sink into her head. What? That doesn't... I don't... I don't know..._A voice just snuck in from her memories... ' **_You haven't learned of anything... have you?'** "Then why... isn't she gone?" Luna's ears were flat, and Shadow stared at her. "Moonlight" The way he said that voice felt ghastly. "WHY THE HELL ISN'T SHE GONE!?" Moonlight barely winced but Luna hit the ground as fast as she was able to. Her ears flat, tails dropped onto the ground. Shadow yelled so loudly that Luna felt her ears ring. It deafened her for a moment. "Shadow... calm down." Moonlight tried to say, but that Mightyena tackled into the Espeon and slammed him clean into that tree. Moonlight gave out this horrific yelp and hit the ground... that blow was... "Tu maldito coño!" Shadow firmly roared at the Espeon and Moonlight only replied by holding his paws around his neck defensively. "Stop..." Luna whispered and that thin, sleek Mightyena turned to her. He was heaving, panting. His jaw open and those white teeth exposed. His eyes weren't that dull, calm and wonderful red. Now it's like a switch turned them on...

"Why the fuck aren't you dead? You're going to get everyone killed." Shadow said bluntly and she quaked at the site of his breath... the fur around his body sparked outward. Everyone killed... Everyone killed... Everyone killed... Luna froze, shivered... her face red with fear and frustration while she feebly watched Shadow put a paw forward. "You're going to get my mate killed too." He panted viciously and angrily "Bandit couldn't even keep up with that Arcanine... and you told me... Moonlight. That Cheshira... it nearly killed you... paralyzed your owner... now it's found some sadistic trainer and it's running around... stalking all of you... because of this little Vulpix." Shadow's fangs glimmered and a huge, gravity defying spark shot from tooth to tooth. Canine to Canine. His thick sharp eyes studied her while Luna glanced, horrified at his sparking teeth. Unlike Bandit's Fire... Shadow had Thunder... Luna felt herself quake and watched Moonlight try to move... that one blow and he took that much damage? "Shadow..." The Espeon said firmly. "Stop it... She's not gone because it would have killed her. Then it would have killed me, Bandit... Griffin." Moonlight mentioned "It doesn't matter... if there was ever a truly evil Pokémon... that Cheshira would be it. Now they're becoming increasingly frequent... the fossils at least... if that's even what they are." Moonlight coughed firmly, Shadow had tackled him hard enough for him to cough up blood. "So, stop it. You're not talking any sense anymore, you're just getting angry and violent like... you used to be." Shadow gave a vicious, cruel growl and pushed another paw forward at her. His fangs continued this horrific crack and flicker that made Luna's heart race faster. She couldn't move. "No, matarla lo arreglará todo. Lo haré ahora mismo, rápidamente" Shadow began to stagger towards the smaller, weaker Vulpix while he angrily muttered all sorts of things. Why couldn't she understand him? The fright ran through her face as her legs weakly stumbled back. It felt hopeless for her to do anything... as though all her fire just ran off. That heart of hers couldn't keep up with her mind constantly screaming at her. W... wait. Luna tried to backpedal, her face red... The sparks shot across her face and all around her pelt... Moonlight forced himself to his feet in pain and Luna just realized that there was this insane difference in their power. "Please..." Luna whimpered quietly... she felt the hot liquid run down her hind legs, her eyes went wide with terror... Shadow closed upon her and got into a battle stance. "Please... stop..." Luna stepped back and felt herself trip over her own legs when Shadow flinched to make her move. Shadow moved at her quickly when she tripped but... it looked like he barely moved at all, that's how fast he was. Don't... And the fear made her clamp her eyes shut as something just screamed and yelled and hit her endlessly in her mind... just that horrid crackle from a stun baton...

Something tackled Shadow with a speed that surpassed Luna's senses. Violently, roughly... firmly, it sent the sleek Mightyena to skid across the fake earth. Moonlight coughed and swallowed when he saw it, with a blow like his... Luna was surprised the Espeon didn't faint immediately. There was this sudden feral and wild fight between them both... Between Bandit and Shadow. They hardly exchanged words, or even made much of a sound except for the vicious collection of snarling and roaring. She felt something grab her by the nape of her neck... Luna was limp immediately and her eyes were empty... soulless. She had no fight in her; not against a monster like that. "I have you... According to Bandit... Shadow gets like this every few months. She has a sixth sense to it by now... He's usually very timid and kind but... it's like he bottles everything up." Absol safely gave her a smile and Luna stared up at her with stained eyes... as though the smallest flint like that sparked them to life. "It'll be okay, let your big sister deal with him." Moonlight coughed again and walked beside the Absol with a smile. "I tried to calm him down... I forgot how hard he hits when he's like that." Moonlight mentioned "He won't hurt you... are you okay?" Luna stayed silent, dead silent as Absol carried her to the Snowy Biome. "Luna?" Moonlight said midway through the walk across the meadow. There was still this vicious roaring, this explosive and up front physical fight between Bandit and Shadow; as though they were competing for dominance or control. Luna looked behind her... eyes still wide and yet glowing now. Fire, Thunder, Lightning and unexpectedly, the flashes of rain and the pressure of all sorts of water pressed against her chest. Someone or something hopelessly screamed her own name at her... to run... to swim like they taught her to. I'm not fine... Luna wanted to speak and found her lips move unwillingly to her thoughts. "I'm remembering... Something... terrible."

• Griffin

"It really wasn't a bad battle Natasha! I guess you and Brad both made a new friend!" He'd laugh happily as they walked down the street. To him, it felt weird without any of his Pokémon outside, wandering about and investigating this huge open world around them. To Griffin, it felt so tiny and small... it was refreshing for him to watch them run around this big, huge world... The way it should be. Griffin thought to himself. Melody gave him a curious look and she nodded "It was an amazing battle... I just wonder if the gym will be that difficult..." It was the first time Melody said anything for a while. Her Houndoom drew in glances of all sorts as they both just hung around one another. "Definitely, Sam is an awesome trainer. He_mentioned that they both were heading to Johto next." Natasha smirked and There was a voice behind them and they all turned. Aura made this little glance over her shoulder and Griffin went blank while Houndoom huffed a huge puff of smoke that way. _Who... the hell is that? Griffin swallowed. The man was at least... six feet? Six and a half feet!? He just knocked the smoke away with his massive arms. To compare, this man was taller than Trevor... And Griffin felt a shock of fear run through his spine. "I wanted to chat with all of you trainers! I just rolled back into Vermilion! That battle was passionate, almost like some of the ones I watched in Kalos and Sinnoh!" The man mentioned, and Brad gave him this closer look. His wiry blonde-gold hair... the camouflaged outfit he wore... here it was a subtle outfit. Just dark Cargo pants with a black and brass belt along with this urban grey muscle shirt which hid underneath a casual leather jacket. Next to him was this adorable but large Raichu... "Wait! You're the gym leader, Surge, right?" Brad mentioned, and the large man stood regally and smiled, before casting out this drill voice that made Brad shiver with a terrified quake. "IT'S LIEUTENANT SURGE YOUNG MAN!" That voice made everyone look at him and then dozens of people waved and hollered happily. The Raichu happily gave Aura a wave, and Aura waved back at it, but when it came to Houndoom, he simply huffed smoke at the Raichu, which made a noise back at him. "Now. I'd love you all to report to my gym this afternoon at nineteen-hundred hours. You'll be among the first group of trainers I'll personally go up against." Surge commented, and Griffin looked at his belt... he had six Pokeballs. "I'm up for it! But..." Surge tilted his head "I want to go against your whole team." The large man felt blank at first, then hung back his head and gave a clear and entertained laugh. "I like you kid! Reminds me of another one that beat my Raichu nearly six months back!" Griffin felt a wind run through him... "Was... that trainer Ash?" Griffin asked, and Surge gave him a look "Actually, yeah! He has one weak Pikachu, or at least I thought so! I beat him first time round easily! Then he trained his Pikachu harder, surprised me that such a tiny thing could beat my Raichu!" Surge commented "But are you sure ANY of you can even beat Raichu?" The Raichu sparked its cheeks and made a firm noise, it looks like it had gone through some serious training. Surge laughed loudly as Griffin inspected it "Tell you what... I'll face you with three of my strongest, and just you Kid. You beat them, you win the badge." Surge noted "And don't be late, any of you! You have your orders!" Natasha smirked and laughed "One Raichu? Against my entire team?" Surge ticked his tongue and showed a single finger which nodded no for him. "One on one for all of you, save for that Kid." Griffin sneered a bit. "Names Griffin, Lieutenant." Surge shrugged "Whatever Kid." Griffin chuckled at his disposition... for whatever reason, Griffin really liked this gym leader. Even though he felt like the size of a building. "You were the announcer for the battle, right?" Brad asked, and Surge nodded in reply. "Obviously! I was sitting in the opposite corner, walked in for that battle. Either way, my Gym is nearby the port just past the trainer's village, I'd suggest checking out the Pokémon center before walking in." Surge mentioned and laughed "They may just need an extra bed or two for your Pokémon now that I'm back!" The man said and began to walk down the road with a wave. His Raichu followed him and from time to time they noticed Surge get stopped by people in the city.

"I read up on him a bit." Brad mentioned "He actually has his own social media profile too, he posted a bunch of things from Sinnoh and Kalos. I heard someone was filling in the gym or him while he was gone." Brad nervously chuckled "He's infamous for destroying first time trainers in battle... Also huge on volunteer work too... He loves this City. Kind of reminds me of Volkner from Sunyshore... Haven't heard much about him lately though." Natasha pulled out her phone, and Yuny tiredly glanced at the screen she gave a little laugh "I bet you want to watch that episode again!" She giggled "I'm surprised you can even keep up with it! But Brad, I also follow Flint online too. The Sinnoh League seems so exciting!" Brad chuckled "Flint and I actually have a picture together! It was insane! His Infernape beat Aura... but it was such a close one on one fight!" Brad tussled Aura's head and the Lucario naturally moved into his hand. "We actually took a photograph and he posted it onto his profile! Have a look! I'm not lying to you!" Natasha went through Flint's photo's "He got really excited when he heard that I live in Hearthome and then also, that I used to live in the America's." Brad nodded, and Natasha made a noise "Whoa! You really are here! Griffin look! I'm so jealous..." Griffin glanced at her phone for a moment, she had at least twenty unread notifications, two friend requests and a dozen of other things on the screen. But a picture was there, of a younger Brad and two worn out Pokémon. An Infernape and a Lucario. Flint playfully had his arm around Brad's shoulder, as though he was going to give Brad a firm run over his scalp with his knuckles. Seeing the short, brown-haired young man next to Flint appeared crazy, out-worldly. And there was a caption that Griffin read. *Just ran into this awesome new-found fighting type trainer! He'll be a great one at that! #Pokémon #TravelLife #EliteFourAndFans* He just noticed that Melody was up close to him and staring at the phone too. She made a tiny comment that he could barely here but knew it was something about how cool it was. "What's with the number signs?" Griffin noticed them while Brad and Natasha looked at each other for a moment, in fact Flint even linked Brad's blog! In the description... They both laughed like crazy at Griffin and he'd blindly stare at them both with confusion. "It's a hashtag Griff!" Brad commented and chuckled "What, you've never seen one?" Natasha replied, and Griffin shrugged "I don't even have a profile anywhere..." They both went entirely blank, as though all this life got sucked out of them. "W - Well... I think Logan does, and some of my cousins too... I bet they have pictures." "We NEED to make you a profile, right now or better yet, tonight!" Natasha commented "There must be dozens of pictures!" Griffin shyly nodded "Y - Yeah... I bet there are, not from Logan though I've never really seen one with us there." Natasha gave this gleam of her eyes. "So you DO follow him... or at least stalk him." Griffin's face got red "I don't stalk my Hermano!" She laughed like crazy and Griffin muttered to himself, Melody gave him a glance as he whispered to himself "En serio, no soy un cretino..." "You must be if you know that!" Natasha laughed and commented after a moment "What... is Hermano?" "Brother..." Griffin said, and Brad nodded after he mentioned that. Natasha made a sound... "It's Brat in Russian..." She'd idly comment, and Melody giggled "Brat..."And Brad rolled his eyes a touch. "I know of a convenience store owner, older fellow. He goes down to Mexico every year for some big celebration. "Día de Muertos Probably." Brad snapped his thumb "That's the one!" Griffin made a noise "Logan and I haven't been down there for years for that... Maybe, nearly seven? Maybe longer." He'd mention and go quiet. "You... guys go check out the center. I'm going to check out the port." Griffin picked up the pace and waved back at them. "Griffin?" Natasha replied, and Brad gave him a look. "We'll meet up at the gym for six or so, alright? Maybe get dinner or something..." Griffin explained and started to walk down the crowd, leaving them all in the dust behind him. They stood there confused... but eventually after chatting with one another, Natasha Brad, and Melody left in the direction of the center.

Almost another year already Griffin stared up at the sky while he walked, looking at the fluttering of wings high above the city buildings. A Spearow curiously pecked around at the rooftops and flapped from one building to the next. Griffin observed it for a while and wondered exactly what it was doing... but he gave this small sigh and continued to the port with his hands in his pockets. For a moment he'd check the time on his phone... He had two unread messages. One from Ayumu, and the other from an old friend. His friend's text wasn't all too important, just wondering how he was, how Kanto was. He'd respond and then glance over the one from Ayumu telling him that the transfer for Blaziken and Lycanroc went smoothly. Griffin dug his hands into his pockets again and felt a sharp wind come in from the north. Narrowly he tightened in his shoulders. That was freezing cold... it's nearly the end of spring? What the hell? It was a hot day, especially now that it was only one in the afternoon. By the time he got to the port, Griffin only went to one of the safety barriers and stared out at the water. Pointlessly he watched the waves go by and glow against the mid-day sunshine. I just... He'd think of that trainer they fought for a moment... I don't get why something about him... reminds me of myself... Griffin thought and looked out at the bright, sunny water. The waves coolly rolled over the sunlight and flickered it's calm, gentle light all over the water. It felt as though there wasn't a soul down here, a sudden empty feeling washed over him. It's just not working... at all. Griffin sniffed in a little bit. It's not "There must be dozens of pictures!" It made him smile a little bit... and he pictured Brad, Natasha and Melody for a moment. "Yeah so I'm from Sinnoh" Griffin remembered the first time they met at the Pokemart. "This is my Lucario Aura. The craziest thing is that my Pokédex tells me I have a female Lucario!" Griffin smiled to himself, this little wry smile I guess that was really neat... even the way he smiled when I offered him dinner. Griffin looked back at the bustling street that felt miles away from him. I guess... that was rude of me. We've talked about plenty. I can't believe Brad is still planning on winning as many leagues as he can with just Aura... And Natasha... she's planning to learn everything she can about Eeveelutions._Griffin swallowed to himself _But what... do I really want to do?

He asked himself that question, more than once and stared out at the water trying to find an answer. There was a jolt from his phone and he answered it. "Hello?" "Hey Griffin!? My Leafeon just ran out of its Pokeball." Natasha? "Wait? What? Where?" She sounded distressed "It was running for the port!? Last I checked?" Her breathing sounded ragged, she was running this way. "He just bolted off after leaving his Pokeball." Griffin looked around him. "There's only me here" Griffin commented "I don't even see him coming up." Griffin explained and watched a red line dart out of his side. "Luna?" "Wait who? Who's Luna?" The Vulpix stared at him for only a second... before bolting down the road. Griffin went after her and felt his leg catch something... it made him drop his phone, it pointlessly clattered against the ground. "Luna!" Griffin called out to her and only watched the Vulpix run off ahead of her. In seconds... she jumped into the water, Griffin hopped at the railing and looked out at the water. He turned his head to the left and the right and went for his phone. The screen was cracked now. "Hello? Griffin!?" "My Vulpix just jumped into the water, give me a second. I need to get her." Griffin commented and pocketed his now cracked up phone, The Vulpix was swimming out into the portside, heading towards a collection of cliffs that overlooked the water. "Luna!" Griffin hung over the railing again. "Vulpix!" Griffin looked around again and noticed the Pokeball he had on his belt. It was still open. She forced herself out? Griffin swallowed and kept following her by running along the portside. Fuck it. He dropped his bag and took off his jacket... he was seconds away from jumping over the railing, when that Leafeon hopped onto it and jumped into the water. It made Griffin freeze. "L - Leafeon!?" That cream-colored Pokémon hopped into the water without a second of hesitation. Griffin simply rested around the corner of the Port, looking out at the sea. What the hell is going on!? Griffin pulled out his Pokenav and before he had a second to even look at the screen, another beam shot out of his belt. The Trainer flinched. "A - Absol!?" It ran around the corner of the port with him, making a noise... the Leafeon made a noise and the Vulpix... Luna, simply hissed and snarled back. "What's going on?" Griffin took off his shirt now and jumped into the water. His Absol made a noise and watched him swim out. That strong frigid wind shattered through the frozen water to the north. "HEY KID! YOU CAN'T BE IN THERE!" Someone yelled from a parked boat that was hooked on the port. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Griffin didn't care about that and started swimming, a forward stroke. How the hell can a Leafeon and a Vulpix outswim me!? Griffin clenched his jaw and pushed through the water. What the hell am I even doing? That man from the port followed him to the very end where the water had stopped him. "THERE'S GOING TO... FUCK" He yelled at a few other workers and they scrambled around as he got onto the radio. Talking about something. The water was... vibrating? Waves? _Oh great... a ship coming in... OH SHIT_Griffin picked up the pace as if just to realize why the man was yelling so much. The human splashed water everywhere, he was past the port already... his soaked jeans wore him down. There was that thick strong wind again... Fluttering through the air - into the water even. If the water wasn't already freezing cold enough...

This feeling of lightness enveloped him... a sharp, near painful feeling at first but suddenly he wasn't even in the water, staring at a Pokémon of some kind. His head spun... his ears ringing, and the sunlight hurt his eyes as he'd glance around a platform surrounded by mist. It's as though they were still out at sea, Griffin could smell the overpowering salty air that stung his nose and left him to cough. He'd stare all around in a panic before seeing her... She was bone dry? "Luna?" He'd say and the Vulpix looked at him... for just a moment at least. "Who are you?" Griffin felt his heart stop and he went to open his mouth. Her voice was this mixture of soft, sharp... he couldn't explain it... a course angry voice? Griffin tried to talk again and froze in place as something bright made him shield his eyes. "There's no need to worry, the three of you..." Griffin squinted his eyes and stared at... A Suicune. He looked back at Luna nervously after realizing all of it in some weird way. "D - Did you... just?" Griffin tilted his head and felt something drop against the side of his cheek. A Leafeon overshadowed him and as he turned to see it... to look a large fluffy tip tapped against his face. His eyes studiously observed it before he'd glare at Leafeon again. Wait... What the hell? Griffin turned his head completely around and stared up_at the Pokémon, he went to take a step and his whole body slid forward and slumped down onto his shoulder. For only a second, Griffin looked down at... A paw? A brown, long haired and wiry paw. "W - wha" "Shush" Leafeon said in this regal and calm voice... like mountainous wind and Griffin shut up... his body quaked and yet it felt too hot here, as though he wore some itchy winter coat. "No need to be rough with the human." Suicune mentioned and Leafeon nodded to his reply, that left Luna to stare at Leafeon firmly and then just barely glance at Griffin. "He won't remember this anyways." Suicune laughed in the wonderfully peaceful manner and Leafeon calmly replied, yet the worry in his tone was still prevalent. "He just might." Leafeon said and Griffin just froze and tried to stand again. All he did was slump into the earth like his whole body had changed and morphed all around. "What is going on? Who are you? Who is that!?" Luna pointed at Griffin with her paw and he jolted his chest up, or at least tried to... at least it felt like he was off the cold ground now. _What is going on!? He kept himself silent and stared at the massive Suicune. My heart... is racing, I've never... not this fast. Griffin tried to hit his chest, but his paws wouldn't let them move that way. Am I having a heart attack? His eyes went wide as the Suicune took a step forward to Luna and Griffin took a skidded step back. Leafeon just stared at him closely, curiously observing everything about him... Reading him. "I just want to leave." Suicune nodded to Luna's words. "Good..." It mentioned "Leafeon, wonderful work." The Leafeon nodded and finally took his glance away from Griffin, he pointlessly tried to hit his chest. I'm having a heart attack... I have to be, I feel like I can barely breathe... "As you asked for... Suicune." Luna turned to the Leafeon. "I found her and brought her to you." Suicune smiled and flicked the two ribbon-like tails he had. The glowed and flickered like wonderfully woven clouds. "You've done well, friend." Leafeon happily and contently smiled in reply and Luna gave a vicious growl while she slammed her paw down. "What are you both talking about?" The large light blue and white Pokémon stared at her... and then gave a warm smile. "I'm here, Luna, to bring you home." The Vulpix swallowed and stared at Suicune again. The air was still between them for only a second before Griffin felt it cross between two pathways... It's like... when you're stuck in a hallway? And there's two open doors on either end? Where are we? What is happening?_Griffin swallowed and stared at Luna again, she tossed the Eevee a confused glance. "What?" She'd look back at the Suicune and it nodded before he repeated himself. "Exactly as I said. I'm here to bring you home, now I can't force you -" "Luna?" Griffin interrupted him and Leafeon shot him this look... there was something off about Griffin's voice. "If... you wanted to leave..." The Vulpix turned and stared at him more closely now. Even SHE was TALLER than him. "Who are you?" Griffin swallowed from her rough voice. "It's me! Griffin!" Luna laughed and giggled. It was this... uplifting yet it was in this oddly mean way. "Griffin is a human! You're an Eevee, you dolt." Luna mentioned and looked around this plain. "Where are we?" Suicune nodded _What? An Eevee? I'm not an Eevee... that's not going on... Did... Did that boat kill me? Griffin's heart was still pounding against is chest... He couldn't tell if he was scared or not or what was going on but his whole body slumped into the ground... again he tried to hit his chest... "A boundary between a place where humans can never go and a place where they exist." Suicune nodded "You came here, because I carried you all here." Suicune gave Griffin a look and the human-now Eevee shivered while frozen on the ground, as though he were laying on his stomach. Leafeon seemed to sigh and gently pushed a paw against Griffin's side... it was so calming and gentle that his heart began to rest... yet even then it was still much too fast for it to be his own heart. "I'm a human..." Suicune shook his head no and Griffin flinched because of it. "You've have a Naive personality young one." He expressed "Perhaps another time... Luna" Griffin took a step forward even though Leafeon tried to hold him down. "Stop... Relax..." Griffin shook his head no. "If you have a home... If I knew... I mean I..." Griffin swallowed and Leafeon put a paw on his shoulder? Or at least what he thought was his shoulder... "Hush..." Leafeon said again and Griffin nervously tilted his head again... another thing slapped him in the cheek. It left the Suicune to give a small, happy chuckle. "Not used to that form, right?" Suicune commented and Griffin stopped everything. Not used to it? Was he supposed to be used to it? He glanced down to his chest... yep, there was the tip of a nose alright and two uneasy fumbling paws below that. He sucked in air from both sides, one side seemed so pure and wonderful... "Luna... if you want to go home... I can give you that chance now, and later. Only if you want to." Suicune explained... Griffin swallowed and looked at Luna again. She was larger than he was. How...? Am... if I am an Eevee, does that mean I'm.... younger? Griffin breathed softly. "I'm... just a trainer...Because I want to fill something in myself... I just want..." Griffin bit his tongue. "It's up to you, Luna. I'll never... I can't." Griffin shook his head. "How am I Naive? What do you mean?" Griffin looked back at the Leafeon whom stared at him closely. It left Griffin's hair to stand on end... if that counted his entire neck, body, every just stuck out like expressive pin needles. "Right... I'm sorry. I..." The Leafeon smiled and it made Griffin freeze... his teeth, fangs looked scary like this. "It's easy to read you now." Leafeon mentioned and his smile slowly faded. "I'm surprised... by you." Griffin swallowed "A trainer... that hates Pokémon."

Griffin felt his mind go blank, he opened his muzzle but couldn't find the words to say anything. He simply stared at the Leafeon. "You... Hate Pokémon, Griffin. You're just using it to replace what you've lost. Right?" Griffin felt his back quiver. "And yet you have a Naive personality... It's interesting, really." Leafeon mentioned "Luna? Shall we go?" The Vulpix gave Griffin a look... and he returned the same one. "I don't..." Griffin said, quietly. Silently. "I don't hate... any of you. Not you..." He'd say with a swallow. "I just, hate what humans have made of them. I hate... all of it." "Training?" Leafeon commented and Griffin shook his head no. "It's more like how they view them, how they see them. I can't... I just want people to see them with a little bit of humanity." Griffin said and Suicune gave him this curious look. "I want people to know that they're not that different... no. That they're not different." Griffin smiled happily "As confusing as that is at least... It just feels right. It makes me feel..." "Like it can replace it. Right?" Leafeon quietly said and Griffin nodded with Luna staring at him now. She had this angry glare in her eyes... "Right... I feel like a big idiot though. I feel childish. Stupid - starving now actually" Luna kept staring at Griffin now. "I mean I cook all that food for everyone and barely eat... You're more than welcome to plenty Leafeon! I just..." Leafeon smiled and chuckled tenderly, his leaf-like tail quivered in the air and Griffin just stared at it... another tilt of his head and that ear slapped him in the cheek. "My job..." Leafeon said as though to get back on track as he looked at Luna. "I'm supposed to help her, Griffin. Not that you'll remember that." "Help me? Why?" Leafeon happily smiled to Luna's small whine that eventually led to a scoff... "Because Suicune asked me to..." Leafeon nodded "I don't hate you Luna, but things got... complicated. We all have things to protect... Things to save." "I hope so, in the very least, little ones."

Griffin felt something on his neck in moments. This heavy feeling stabbed at his stomach... and he watched the bright light flicker around him before the groggy view of the blue sky looked down at him. "Crazy kid... Does he have a pulse!?" "I got one boss, looks like he was white-washed from the boat." "Jumped in after his Pokémon... these Trainers nowadays, absolutely nuts!" "It's alright, he's okay... That Absol returned itself, right?" "Yeah, it did! A couple hours ago... I don't get why it took so long to find this kid..." Griffin sluggishly opened his eyes... his vision was blurry at first and he felt something tug at his shirt. "Hey now, Vulpix what are you doing?" A hand brushed her out of the way. "Luna?" Griffin looked at her... his head was pounding like crazy. "What were you doing!?! You just jumped into the water! Are you okay!? Where's Leafeon?" "More like what were YOU doing kid?" A man in a high-visor vest looked at him and grabbed Griffin from the arm. "Crazy idiot... How could you NOT see the damn ship in front of you." Griffin whipped his arm from the man's grasp "I'd still jump in!" The man shook his head "Bloody loonie you are." He'd look at the young man and sigh a bit "I'm just happy you're alright... okay kid? Get off of my port... you're lucky I don't call the cops..." He shook his head and walked away from Griffin "Can't really get mad at the kid... just protecting Pokémon... I've done it, whatever..."The man mumbled under his breath as he walked off and Griffin stared down at Luna. "You okay? Hey... It's past lunch and we haven't eaten, let's get something! I'm starving!" Griffin mentioned and noticed Leafeon ahead of them. That Cream colored Leafeon just stood by Griffin's bag, shirt and everything else as though he collected it all in a pile next to the entrance to the port. He stared back at the water, the boat in the port... What just happened? Griffin gave a large chuckle and gave Luna a look before checking the time. It was three in the afternoon, Griffin tapped the cracked screen of his phone that rested on top of everything. How... the hell? It... what? Leafeon made a noise shortly after and it left Griffin to look at the Leafeon. "You ran off from Natasha! She's worried sick!" Griffin mentioned, as though he just realized what was going on. "Where is she? We've been gone for two hours!?" The Leafeon simply tapped Griffin with Vinewhip... It was this weird feeling, getting a firm tap on the forehead by a Pokémon move. It shut him up... and then he pointed at the phone in his pocket. He had a dozen unread text messages from her, immediately he gave her a call. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!? Baka..." She'd comment bluntly "Really!? I went to the port immediately and you weren't there!? Where is Leafeon!?" Griffin looked around now, there was people all over the port, He made a nervous sound as some of them stared at him... "I'm... at the port, with Leafeon and Luna." Griffin explained, and she passed a huff. "There was no one there! Screw it, I'm going down there again! Anyways Nurse Joy commented something about your Growlithe. I guess those blood tests came back." Griffin felt his blood run cold "Is he okay!?" "He is! He's fine, he just as a rare blood type. A very high platelet count... both white and red blood cells. She's running the second test to see if he's actually sick... but she mentioned, quite excitedly mind you, that he might have a rare genetic strain... or a mutation of some kind? I don't know she spoke so quickly that I couldn't figure it out..." Leafeon tapped Griffin on the forehead again. "Leafeon!" Natasha made a noise "What's going on!?" Griffin huffed, annoyed. "Your Leafeon keeps hitting me on the forehead with Vine Whip..." "GOOD!" Natasha remarked "I would too if you disappeared for nearly two hours without a word!" Griffin slumped his shoulders... "Look, I'm going to get... Dinner? I guess? There's this restaurant down here..." Natasha quipped after he spoke "Like hell I'm letting you feed him human food! Wait there for once. Brad! Melody, Let's get to the port!" Griff silently laughed a bit... and looked at the Leafeon. It was just staring at him intensely, Luna made a sound and Griffin swore that the Leafeon rolled its eyes and stared back at the city. He'd swallow a little bit and look at Luna. "I guess... the Pokeball was too much for you... right?" Luna gave him a look and then huffed at him with Ember, the hot flicks touched his face and Griffin stood still in response. The Vulpix glanced at him defiantly. "Wait... I'm wrong?" Griffin said again and collected all his stuff, starting with his shirt and jacket before grabbing his Pokenav. He skimmed down to the menu that said Pokémon and clicked on it. That layout of the biome came up, this near hexagonal or polygonal shape loaded up on his phone and he'd look around by tapping the pad on his Pokenav. "I don't... everything looks fine." Luna huffed another Ember at him and Griffin reared his head back a bit. This time he swallowed a little bit. She made this noise that made his eyes burrow a little. "Are... you are testing me?" Griffin asked and the Leafeon turned to look at Luna and himself. Luna took a stance at him... and he swallowed dryly. "A - Alright..." He went for a Pokeball, looked at it as he held it... "Vulpix..." It huffed a move at him again, this time it used Flamethrower and Griffin jumped back, she was aiming up at him; leaving Griffin to dodge the move easily. "What are you doing? What's wrong?" He'd swallow and look at the Vulpix. It wasn't growling at him or snarling at him, it was just staring as if reading what he'd do... Griffin looked at the Pokeball in his hand and clipped it to his belt. It snarled at him then, but Griffin didn't flinch. "Just... show me what's wrong?" Griffin took a step forward and Luna shot another Flamethrower at him, this time Griffin blocked the move. "What's going on over there?" "Something weird..." "Hey! That's Griffin!" "Who?" "Logan's Brother, Champion Fletching's brother!" A conversation came up somewhere from the crowd. "I heard he takes care of abused Pokémon." Griffin didn't take his eyes away from Luna... and swallowed firmly. "Tell me what's wrong... I can understand, I can try to... Luna." Griffin took another step forward and that Vulpix shot another flamethrower at him, this time he dodged it narrowly." What is she telling me? Is there danger!? Griffin took a glance around them and that Vulpix shot another Flamethrower at him. "Something is going on, Get your Pokémon out!" Someone said. "No you idiot, it won't trust people after that!" Griffin slowly held his hands out in front of him and looked at Leafeon. The Cream colored Pokémon shrugged at him. Thanks... Griffin thought to himself and tried to get closer to her, she shot a Flamethrower at him again, the explosive roar of flames... and Griffin aimlessly walked into it. The entire fireball engulfed him instantly and Griffin felt himself go cold.

Wait... Griffin felt the fire around him. It's ice cold..._The human walked through her fire lost in his thoughts. He simply pushed through the frigid fire and got up to her. The Vulpix narrowed her eyes and suddenly the fire started to get hot. Griffin bit his tongue firmly from the sudden sharp pain. _She's turning up the heat? Griffin quaked for a moment and pushed in to grab her. Luna simply felt Griffin pick her up and stopped, looking at his eyes firmly. He replied his look with a toothily grin. "If you're wondering... if I trust you or not." Griffin brought her in for this small hug. "Then obviously I trust you, just like I trust all of them, Luna."

-Moonlight

That splash of frigid water ran over his face again. "You okay Moonlight?" Marill asked and the Espeon coughed back at him. Ever since the sudden outbreak Shadow had, he still felt like he got hit with a train... or a bullet. "I'm... okay I think. Nothing fractured." Moonlight commented tiredly, he had just woken up from a quick nap and Marill shot another water gun at him. "Thanks for helping me wake up a bit..." "No problem! I've been getting these weird nightmares though, ever since I got traded with Logan." Moonlight guiltily nodded. "I see... well, just try to think of better thoughts before you go to bed." The Espeon commented with a smile and Marill shot another water gun at him. By now the Espeon was soaked, his fine thin pink hairs clung to him like a rag. "I've been trying to... usually Charmanders coughing and sneezing wakes me up." "Coughing?" Marill shrugged to his reply "Well... it's mainly sneezing but he has a small cough every now and then. It's weird, especially if we're in very dirty places but since we're all walking through the woods it's gotten better." Moonlight nodded "That's good, maybe he's allergic to something." Marill laughed "Yeah, like everything!" It left the Espeon to giggle almost nervously "Well, I knew of a Pokémon allergic to pollen before. It sneezed almost every day." Moonlight mentioned and Marill laughed "I could spray him in the face! That might work!" Moonlight rolled his eyes "When will you learn that water isn't a panacea for all the issues out there?" Marill dove into the water and splashed it everywhere "How is it not?" He'd remark, firmly first and then give a hearty laugh. "It's the best thing in the world!" Moonlight gave a laugh. "Maybe to water types. It was nice chatting with you Marill." "Likewise Moon." Marill mentioned back and the Espeon nodded, returning to the meadow behind him. It was weird seeing everything perfectly normal and fine. Thief was aimlessly sitting in the middle of the field, staring at that snowy biome before matching a look with Moonlight.

"What happened?" Thief asked "We've already told you... It's..." "Does she hate me?" The Growlithe asked "She snapped for no reason... I don't get it." Thief lowered his ears and Moonlight sighed. "Why did she..." "Look Thiefy." The Growlithe gave him a snarl and Moonlight barely recoiled... in fact it had no affect on the Espeon. "Don't call me that!" Moonlight nodded in reply. "Right, sorry. Well she has her own issues to go through. I guess... Shadow reminded her of something" Thief frowned "Can't we help her?" The Growlithe stood up from the grass with his ears perked high and that Espeon gave him a firm look. "It's something Luna needs to figure out for herself" Moonlight commented, and Thief slammed his paw against the ground "By calling me weak!? A loser? What was that all about!?" The Growlithe angrily stated and Moonlight rolled his eyes, annoyed. "Well... you are." Moonlight bluntly said. "Grow up Thief." "I'm plenty powerful!" "You mean that you ARE powerful, not plenty powerful... really for a Growlithe that can read fluently, you even talk like a cub." The Growlithe looked at the grass bitterly. "And really? What? You believe that getting a few shiny trinkets for a trainer means your strong?" Moonlight huffed "Or that Bandit barely trained you enough to use Giga Impact?" The Espeon gave him a look, a firm studious look. "Ask yourself what you want, cub." "I'm not a cub!" Thief recoiled. "You've never had to actually fight for anything" Moonlight mentioned, and Thief growled at him. "You're lying." And Moonlight perked an eye. "Oh really? Have you ever really fought against something? Like Shadow, Or Bandit? Or myself? Even Scarf seems like the type that has... What about Leafeon? Even Marill beats you at sparring... Akamaru must be the weakest of all of us if YOU can beat him!" Moonlight commented, and Thief went quiet. "Have you ever killed anything before?" Thief swallowed, and Moonlight walked by him. "Get your head together kid... because a fight like the one between Shadow and Bandit was nothing." The Espeon mentioned, gave a cough and walked towards that snowy Biome. Thief simply stared at the Espeon... His tail riled up... Thief used Fire Blast! And Moonlight used Psychic to send it wildly to the end of the meadow. They both exchanged glances. Thief hardly had any fire in them. "Try reading a human book again kid. I bet you can find something interesting about Pokémon Battles. Maybe a history book." Espeon commented and after-imaged, appearing behind Thief, suddenly whispering in the Growlithes ear with a paw that curiously ran itself through the Growlithe's back. "Because a move like that is too frontal, obvious... slow." Moonlight mentioned and looked over his shoulder. Shadow was there. "Snowy Biome? I'm cooling down a bit." Shadow said. "But what I said... I'm not sorry for. Attacking you friend... that I'm sorry for." Moonlight pushed a paw on Thief's head and put him to the ground. The Growlithe kicked out his legs and Shadow gave the Growlithe a look. "Cub bugging you?" "I'm not a cub!" Moonlight put Thief's face into the ground to shut up his whining. I don't want to be rough Thief... but we need to be. "Hardly, the Twerp can't make me flinch, no wonder Bandit does this so often! It's fun! he's easy to push around... Go collect Sand dollars cub." "... What?" Thief looked back at Moonlight in confusion. "I've read your dreams kid. Don't like it? Make me stop. Because frankly, that little old lady isn't sleeping, Thief. She's dead." Thief froze, and Shadow tossed him a glance "She was dead before she woke up that morning. Age naturally. You should understand your own mortality." Shadow tugged at Moonlights tail. "Let's go. Moonlight... Leave that weakling. He couldn't even protect his friend..." Shadow pulled off a firm voice and yet Moonlight felt as though Shadow was staring at him. The Espeon nodded and walked ahead of the Growlithe... Thief simply stared pointlessly at the grass as they walked off.

The snow and wind howled around them. It was freezing, but a calm, mild freeze. It left the Espeon to huff, even his breath was misty - fogged from the cold. Somehow the cold was actually soothing... for now at least. Small trinkets of snow fluttered down from the sky, it was partly overcast here. "Think you hit him too hard?" Shadow mentioned "Bringing that elderly woman into it... I mean he's already told us all that she's 'been sleeping' and all, we've been waiting to tell him at a better time..." "He already knows, Shadow." Moonlight mentioned. "The only confusing things are his nightmares... Like Luna's." Shadow tilted his head at the Espeon. "What do you mean?" Moonlight sighed, the cold plume of his foggy breath rolled to the top of the sky. "I can't read all of them. I can eat them all... it's like... a corrupt file on a computer. I can see only parts and then the rest is black. Not a sound, hardly a peep." Moonlight mentioned. "I think... sometimes they're both dreaming of home, and what that Leafeon said on Friday confuses me." "What did he say?" Shadow asked "Two island dwellers, and one born in the forests near the sea. It's strange that you all have met here..." Moonlight repeated Leafeon's words. "I don't get it myself, but he's... well weird." "You like him though... Bandit mentioned that." Moonlight went red and Shadow gave him this look. "It's the cold..." The Espeon expressed and Shadow laughed "It sounds like Leafeon knows Luna and Thief." Moonlight gave Shadow a look after stopping in his tracks. "What are you talking about, he mentioned the same thing about Scarf too. Said that he was 'Hard to Read'" The Mightyena chuckled "I feel like you're reading so much into it, you're not seeing the obvious. After all... you are a submissive, right?" Moonlights face went pure red and Shadow chuckled "I can tell from the way your tail flinched when I pulled it." "Th - The word 'Submissive' is a little strong Shadow." Moonlight mentioned and looked at him. "So.. you think, that he's targeting me? To get to Luna and Thief?" Shadow nodded "His body language, Bandit mentioned he's always rigid, stoic. She told me that and I told her it reminds me of her when she's on some mission." Shadow said "That Leafeon has a goal... I nearly think you're conveniently there for him... like a cherry on top of a cake." "You just want cake..." "I like the cream okay!" Moonlight laughed out loud and gave Shadow a look. "I still don't get your outbursts." Moonlight mentioned "I mean, you're always like... well this!" The Espeon said and the Mightyena shrugged. "I'm not so submissive, Espeon. Naturally I'm a pack animal, remember? I bottle it up and then start to fight others in some blind rage... I just see red." Shadow sighed "But I'm not happy either... This whole Cheshira thing has me worried to death." Shadow smiled "If you get Bandit hurt, or Logan now that he's gone on his own mission about it, I'll kill you Moonlight." They both idly smiled at each other "I may even add that little bitch of a Vulpix too, just as insurance." He's obviously serious... I can feel it in the air. "Well Shadow... if you get Logan hurt, I'll kill you. Got it?" Shadow laughed "You got that right... sounds like a fair deal to me." Moonlight huffed from his words and quivered against the center of the biome. "Logan did one hell of a job making all this with Ayumu." Moonlight mentioned and stared out at the falling snowflakes. There was this eerie familiarity about them as he stared up at the sky. And then Moonlight looked around again. "What... the hell?" "What Moonlight?" Shadow looked around too. "This... whole biome..." Moonlight smiled coldly and warmly to himself. "Ayumu made it... it's..." He opened his mouth and closed it. "It's home. It's his old back yard..." Moonlight glanced over to the north west, he stared at a very, very long time. There would have been a field out there. A field of flowers hardly an hour down the trail "..." Shadow sighed "You're just like Griffin..." "What!? Hardly." Moonlight said. "You can't get past it right?" Moonlight shook his head no. "I am... it just haunts me. That's all." Shadow gave him a firm look and chuckled. "But still, that Leafeon knows them both somehow." Shadow said as though to pull Moonlight from the reminiscence that occurred around him. "We just need to know how and why." "That Leafeon has a very, very tough psychological block. I mean it takes me a lot to even read your thoughts and Bandit's... even then, I just get the surface most thoughts. Leafeon... I don't even get those..." Moonlight mentioned "Hell, it's like he's taunting me whenever I try. He can read body language to the finest details." "And you're telling me he can't read Scarf, Luna and Thief that well?" Shadow scoffed "He's lying, covering his ass." Shadow expressed "Hell, he's playing with your emotions even, Bandit told me about the whole fiasco, commented about flowers for whatever reason." "He can replicate scents, I don't even know..." "Sweet Scent." "He's exceptional at it then. He pulled scents out of my fur and just made a mixture of them..." "So... Leafeon knows what makes you tick. That Cheshira does too, I wouldn't be surprised." Moonlight paused and swallowed dryly Does... that Leafeon know? He can't know of it... That's not possible. Moonlight shook of his suspicions and stared at Shadow "You think... that he's training me?" "Preparing you maybe. Hell, Leafeon might know about that thing" The Espeon glanced at Shadow as snow fluttered all around them, the cold nipped furiously into his fur and Moonlight passed a small sigh in reply. "It's that obvious? You honestly think so?" Shadow nodded and gave a short huff, his white plume from his muzzle rolled gently into the air. "I'm going to train Thief. Bandit is too rough with him, but she told me about how she's going to be training Luna." "Yeah to learn a move she can't even do..." "The point is to gain size and defense on her. She has very little, you know that. Thief is stronger, higher defense but he's slow, probably can't even take a decent hit either." Shadow mentioned "We'll both be building their weaknesses naturally." The slick Mightyena expressed. "It's freezing out here." "I'm fine Shadow." "I'm not letting you stay out here alone, I know you... You'd lose track of time and freeze yourself." Moonlight swallowed... "If it let me see him again... I would" Moonlight muttered, and Shadow made a noise, the wind had carried the Espeons voice away. "Did you say something?" Moonlight shook his head no. "Nothing important, I'm just stunned at this place. Ayumu took excellent care in creating it." Moonlight mentioned with a tired smile. "It just... It's wonderful." Moonlight mentioned and followed Shadow out of the Biome. This time they cut into a much hotter biome, the kind where the wind scorched a dry landscape of warm rock and stone. Unlike the high mountainous biome here it was more like the nestled entrance towards an active volcano. Hot and cracked stone expelled all sorts of steam from the earth and coming from the frosted earth in the next Biome over made Moonlight's stomach churn. The Espeon gave a single look back at that snowy earth behind him...

staring at a field encased with a gentle blanket of white in the furthest distance. Where two pups can share a small pointless cloth between one another and walk in the November sun together with their owner.

It was who he looked ahead at that made his head tilt... A Vulpix that sat in the center of a rock and stared pointlessly at the horizon ahead of her. Moonlight and Shadow walked by her with a glance that she only partially returned. "I'm sorry Luna." Shadow mentioned "Whatever, get lost." Luna said coldly in return and just looked at the wall aimlessly. This endless horizon that she couldn't go to. "I don't want to chat." Luna mentioned again, and Shadow nodded while Moonlight walked with him. He gave her another look... "Why... have you stayed, Luna?" The Vulpix huffed and laid down on the hot rocks. "Because... I don't want to go home yet, not if I can barely remember it." Luna mentioned "I don't want to walk in and see all these faces I should remember. I don't want to sit there and know that I've forgot them all without trying in the least to remember them." Luna said, "And then there's Griffin..." "What about him? What are you? ..." Luna rolled her eyes at the Mightyena and scoffed at Moonlight. "Being with him... feels right to me. I feel like he can change something. I just don't know what." Luna said silently. "Great, now I'm starting to sound like him... an idiot... a stupid idiot" She'd say quietly, and Moonlight watched the curve of her face. She's smiling? The Espeon stared at her a moment longer Why... is she smiling? It's like... somewhere... she has some closure. Like she's sure of something now. "Stop staring at me, you always do that... it's freaking me out." Luna expressed sharply, and Moonlight nodded his head in reply. "Sorry..." He'd mention and continue to walk through the biome... He followed Shadow closely for now. "I guess we can have a look for Bandit... maybe. Usually after that whole thing she doesn't want to talk with me..." The smaller Mightyena mentioned quietly. Moonlight shook his head no... "Luna." The Vulpix gave him a stare. "Get lost..." She replied hastily and went back to staring. Moonlight simply shook his head. "No... Thief is upset." Luna looked at him. You're not giving me a cold look._Moonlight thought to himself. _You weren't calling Thief weak... "Stop babying him." Luna recoiled, her tails shot out... they looked wiry, ravenous. "Maybe he won't be that annoying..." "Annoying? If anything, you're bugging him." Moonlight said with a wry smile and she scolded silently. "Screw you." She said it firmly and glanced at Shadow. "I'm also not into the idea of letting him... You both are creeps!" The Vulpix hissed angrily. "What's gotten into you?" Shadow commented idly. "I feel like I've made a big mistake... that's all." She said it in this spiteful tone and stared at the cracked, hot earth below her. "I can't even get my head on straight right now, I'm just angry... Leafeon..." Moonlight perked up his head. "What about him?" "..." "Luna?" "It's absolutely nothing Moonlight." She expressed "He just pisses me off." The Vulpix expressed. "I'd like to burn that little grass tail of his off." Moonlight gave a laugh and Luna gave him a look. "Go let him screw you!" Moonlight's smile faded quickly. "Hey!" Shadow cut a paw in front of Moonlight. "Clearly... she doesn't want to talk, Moonlight." "I'm sick and tired of playing this 'house' shit... I feel like I'm stuck between two lies, how's that for you Espeon?" Luna mentioned bitterly and huffed a plume of crackling smoke from her muzzle. "Now leave... if I'm going to be traveling in this little hell hole, then how about I make a territory line. This Biome is MINE. Now get out!" Moonlight and Shadow glanced at one another "Whatever... Just... Feel better Luna." Moonlight said and walked off, Shadow gave her a glance and she huffed that smoke again at him... before the Mightyena left with him. The moment they were long pass the Biome, they both exchanged a quick glance.

"What the hell was that?" Shadow mentioned, and Moonlight sighed "I don't know... but if it's her time of the month..." The Mightyena partially shoved him "Don't say that!" Shadow stated, and Moonlight tossed him a glance "I can't imagine the amount of hell Bandit gives you..." Shadow shook his head "No, just don't... It's not nice to say about her. She's just going through a rough patch... on the other paw, you really should talk to Leafeon. Because if I do I might just bite him..." The sleek Mightyena gave a growl... somehow it was nowhere near threatening now, in fact it felt more like guilt. "And according to her... I'd be letting him climb all over me... Bitch..." Moonlight huffed. "Something happened... I mean she just snapped." Moonlight said, "In fact, I don't think..." "What?" "I don't think she really remembered much of who she was... Remember how she said that she was remembering something?" Shadow gave him this confused look. "Right... sorry. You were busy having your own time of month" The Mightyena gave Moonlight a liberal shove as the Espeon was laughing. "Really?" Shadow stated "Seriously?" Moonlight went into a fit of playful giggles... everything still felt tense between them, but all the joking just brought back their friendship... it always seemed to. "It's honestly what it was like." Moonlight mentioned as they crossed past the field. This was a dry, sandy Biome... In total, After Moonlight counted them, there was eight - including the meadow in the center and the sky above them. A Volcano biome, where Luna was. A snowy forest Biome. The Mountain Biome where Bandit had been hanging around. The Lake Biome where Marill was. The Desert that Moonlight and Shadow crossed through... And one last one, Moonlight hadn't decided to see yet. A forest in the far corner... it felt like a repeat of the rest of them... there wasn't any reason to check it out. Except now. "Hey Shadow... Rather than the Mountain... how about the forest in the corner?" Shadow gave him a little look. "That one? I haven't even had a look at it yet." Shadow mentioned "It looks like a repeat of the rest of them." "There's bound to be something right? Anyways... Unless you want to try and deal with Bandit or Luna right now... Marill is just going to splash around. Thief is... well Thief... And Absol is busy doing god knows what... and Scarf? Last I checked he was busy training STILL." Moonlight chuckled a little bit. "Hell, that Pikachu hasn't taken a single break yet... I bet he's trying to master Thunder." "He likes Absol, right?" "A lot... He keeps training hysterically... see if Thief was like that, rather than... well Thief, I'd be a lot more comfortable with this whole Cheshira ordeal." Shadow nodded. "that Arcanine though... How..." "Well he's powerful alright, so is Melody's Houndoom." Shadow nodded "So... what about them? Levels I mean." "It's been way too long since I calculated THAT Shadow..." Moonlight huffed... "Well... That Arcanine is easily a Tier Four. Houndoom? I don't know, maybe even surpassed that, He's on the same playing field as a legendary type." Shadow tilted his head "That's... crazy" "Right? I'm worried he'll kill himself." Moonlight mentioned "Cheshira was a Tier Two when he... When I first fought him. Now, I got no clue." Shadow chuckled a little "Well, if he is still a Tier Two, well Bandit is nearly a Tier Four... I am a Tier Four" "What?" Shadow nodded "I just got re-calculated by the Pokémon league. Apparently, I can't fight in the League anymore." Moonlight swallowed a little bit. "No wonder why you hit so damn hard..." "Bandit is still stronger, they stopped with her ever since all that..." Moonlight took a quick glance around, they were already coming up to the forest.

I always get lost in conversation with him... Moonlight chuckled "What?" "Nothing... just..." Moonlight sighed quickly. "Honestly? Bandit is lucky to have you..." Moonlight mentioned, and Shadow tilted his head. "We're friends, Moonlight... anyways" Shadow turned his head "I'd hate to have to compete with that Leafeon to see who's your dominant..." "S - Shut up about that... Dominant... Submissive... Those words are TOO STRONG..." Moonlight swallowed as his face was getting red. "I - I just... Shut up..." Shadow laughed loudly as they walked through the end of the desert. There wasn't much to see save for hot, burning sand and a cloudless sky. The temperature was nothing like the Volcano Biome however and Moonlight glanced out at a few dunes and rolling hills. From time to time the wind blew their way and rustled a shrub or two in the distance. At First glance it was empty, but at second glance, it felt as though one could studiously observe every different grain of sand... not like that was appealing to the Espeon. "Not much to look at... I guess if we ever meet a ground type we could ask them..." Moonlight chuckled "Or Akamaru, he knows Dig." Shadow furred his brow "Right... how are they all doing?" Moonlight shrugged "Save for that Leafeon... I don't talk to them much, Natasha is on her own path... As of late, Brad and Griffin feel like they're drifting apart a bit. Before things were fine but now, with..." Shadow nodded "I get it... Logan already had all his plans figured out. I don't get how..." Shadow swallowed "I don't get how he's moved passed when they redo everything they did that night." The Mightyena mentioned... "Sometimes I just... wished they'd go back to Mexico instead, one day, Moonlight, we'll be able to show you some of the family photos and movies. You'll understand then." They crossed that mirror wall into the forest and Moonlight sniffed the air. It's... Salty? He sniffed it again, firmly It's a Beach Biome? Why? No... it's like a forest ending and opening into a beachside. They walked along this brightly lit forest trail and Moonlight stared all around the trees, the bright iridescent leaves... all over the entire forest that erupted before them. This... It's... like the Snowy Biome. It's too well detailed, the finest things... even a spider's thread. Moonlight searched all around a swirling collection of wind and leaves that fluttered through the crisp, sea air. Shadow observed the tree's around them and smelled the air gently. "It... smells... like Littleroot?" Shadow sniffed the air again, as though with the city air... there was this familiar scent of Hoenn. "I don't recognize this place however... at all." They both gave one another looks and continued to walk down the trail, about halfway through, the dense wall of thick tall trees captured into a small beachside. A sunny beachside with the sun rolling down through the sky. Moonlight had a look.

"It's Four in the afternoon already? If that sun here is accurate... Wait... Don't tell me they even...?" Moonlight searched around at this near crescent ocean, to his far left beyond a shivering horizon was a thick mountain of trees, as though the forest stopped to a glorious cliffside which overlooked the water. It looked like the kind of place where ancient ships snuck into - a regal tiny cove let the waves splash up against the rocky, mountainous drop. From there, it was just a bright golden beach, like strands of fine thin hairs where the salty water whiffed at their noses and slowly padded amongst the shoreline. It casted a dark line that divided the rich, beautiful sand with a new, glimmering damp one. Like small shards of bright nuggets and flakes littered across the shore. Shadow gave Moonlight a look. "Jesus, look at us, it's like a date." The Espeon's face grew red

"N - N - Now wait a second." Moonlight recoiled "I didn't plan on this!" Shadow let out a glorious yipping laugh in return "I know, I know. I'm just poking fun Moonlight." The Mightyena quickly nodded after he talked "I'll have to bring Bandit here." Shadow said and gave a passing smile. "To apologize... again..." Moonlight nodded "Yeah... it would be worth it. Tomorrow, same time?" Moonlight said with a little smile. "She really is lucky to have you, Shadow. I won't lie in saying that I'm jealous..." The Espeon commented "Maybe find her a gift too, there are plenty of things you can carry inside of a Pokeball... Plenty of things to hide too." Moonlight commented, and Shadow laughed "What? You think I'll go all human and find her an engagement ring?" Shadow chuckled loudly "She's not the type... but if I could get her something from Mexico... now that is a different story." Moonlight gave him a look. "I..." "No I've never been there Moonlight. But she has been, she talks about it sometimes. It sounds like she's so happy and carefree there. I don't know why... but I mean... if she's happy." Shadow gave another passing smile to the Espeon. "If I could even get some little trinket... or a necklace or anything..." Shadow swallowed "If anything I'm lucky to have her! No... that's dumb... We're lucky to have each other." Shadow mentioned with a warm smile and Moonlight only stared at him with an open mouth before he handed him a smile of his own. "Yeah..." Moonlight mentioned... with a cold, expressionless and barren smile. "That's what it is, no matter what." Shadow nodded happily in reply and they both spent a moment looking at each other. "You're unhappy." Moonlight looked out at the water. "Yeah..." "Sometimes... you call out a name when you're sleeping." Moonlight nodded "I remember that, from when we traveled with one another and Logan." Moonlight sighed shortly after. "Do you want to talk about it?" They both exchanged sober glances. "I... can't." Moonlight mentioned. "I just can't..." Shadow gave him a somber look. "There's so much tension in the air... what I did to Luna was... Or what I tried to do..." "She didn't know about you, or your anger... and with all of this, I understand it but... she..." Shadow glanced at the ground. "I just felt, like all this was going to hurt Bandit again... I just feel... I just want to be hopeful that she could see things in my paws." Moonlight smiled. "Yeah... Well... I'm going for a walk... Shadow." The Espeon nodded "Alone, if I may." Shadow nodded politely "Of course." Shadow softly spoke and left Moonlight to stand from where he was sitting and leave. He kept walking aimlessly at first, heading towards one of the biome's. First the center most meadow... towards that tree. At the base he carefully dug out a mound and stared at the vest that Ayumu gave him. By now, Thief was gone... Moonlight breathed softly to himself, a ragged cold breath and dug around the vest before pulling it out of the small grave he made for it. Everything was accounted for and he took a small pouch on the shoulder side for him, unclipped it and pulled out... A small dark and light purple scarf. The kind that alternated colors, he sat and took it into his paws... staring at it somberly. First, he drew it to his nose and gently sniffed inward.

_It still smelled like a wonderful autumn day, where the leaves changed to all sorts of colors and the wind cried out into his ears. The kind of wind that pushed him forward, the kind of wind that begged him to do nothing more but say Three little words and one simple name _.

• Thief.

His Pumpkin colored eyes glimmered over the snow as he dug into a small mound in the ground to create a hovel. It was freezing cold, but his face was still burning with rage... sadness. Moonlight and Shadow were never wrong about any of it. He was weak, weak willed, weak hearted. Thief didn't even know what to do here... this was his first real fight. A fight with a friend, a friend that he never understood in the beginning. Gently he climbed into the snow and his fur sweltered around it. It all felt too familiar to him... that chronic feeling of loneliness. A cold, unforgiving chill that gently felted against his pelt and that was more painful than the small droplets of snow that rested around him. He dug his face into the snow with every intention of screaming into the blanket of frost and couldn't find the voice to. I'm... such a fucking idiot. He thought to himself bitterly. Why the hell didn't I just... His teeth grazed against the frozen water. Of course, she needed him, and he was too scared to do anything. Not when Shadow was there. Not when the magnet train folded in on her. He wasn't there... He wasn't strong enough. Thief felt tired with the snow weighing down on him. It was the only thing that kept him from overheating... and he let the frigid ice embrace him. She doesn't need you. A voice touched his ears. Why the hell would she need you? YOU can't protect anything. Honestly, just kill yourself. It'll make it easier for everyone. Another voice came to his head and he furiously slammed his paws against his skull. Really... your siblings already starved, you honestly think anyone will take you in? Again... Just fucking die already Again..... Your mother was the only good thing that came out of it, and even then... He bit his paw and clamped down on it firmly... why was he crying now? It was just pointless made up thoughts all over his feelings. My father should just rip out your throat... His fangs dug into his paw... he could feel that sickly rush of adrenaline, blood touching the snow without any hesitation. Honestly... Your father tried to kill everyone _ His eyes flickered in the silence of the falling trinkets of white powder. _I can't believe that freak... the hero actually took him in. The collective sound of gasps rang through his mind and Thief snarled quietly and drove another collection of fangs into his paw. His tail stiffened and soothed from the bite. I... want to kiss you. His own voice cut into his mind, picturing Maiden's peak for a moment... If... I'm not him... who am I? Thief's thoughts turned over again and again... until he finally found himself falling asleep under the frigid snow, lost within a transition of memories... My... you're a cutie, little one! There was that old woman's voice No need to be scared, come in, come in! It's a dream... A pointless dream... His mind echoed at him as he'd walk towards a white screen sitting in the doorway. As though there was a real home beyond it... a feeling that was out-worldly, beyond his own body awaited him.

Thief opened his eyes and glanced out at an endless sea woven with gentle waves while howling strong winds pierced the northern skies. As though lights flickered within the endless night, Thief stared at the open stars as though they were lanterns. "Little One." He'd turn to see an Arcanine... one that made him jump. Every time he did, there was this unexplainable emotion on the large Arcanine's face. As though the entire world, his world, rested on the right words to say... the kind that were impossible to find. "Come here, we'll be eating soon." Thief stared back out at the sea. "Please... you haven't been eating, you must eat." The sea left him with a howl of strong gusts that beat mercilessly against his face. As though wings slammed air at him... Even nature hated the little orange eyed Growlithe that desperately wanted a home away from the sea. "Please... without me tonight..." His own voice cut into the damp air... "That'll be the third night, now come here." The Arcanine said again, as gently as he could. "Shush, he's right there..." A gentle voice slipped out of the wind "Don't even look at him, it'll bring you bad luck." Thief simply swallowed and looked back at the water. "I'm not hungry... please... just... worry about your family." The Arcanine stood up now and walked over to him. The sand clung to the Arcanine's fur as though he had been sitting in this small dug out hole for a while. "Your part of my family now." The Arcanine said. "I can't care for the others and their words, young one... You're a two-month-old cub." His voice quivered for a moment. "I can't care at all." "I'm not normal..." Thief mentioned and the Arcanine looked down at him with his warm brown eyes. "You're plenty normal, the only thing that isn't normal about you is your lack of an appetite. Now come, or I'll carry you there." Thief shook his head no, but the Arcanine picked him up from the scruff gently. "Now don't be scared... unlike last time..." The Arcanine said quietly. "Oh! He picked him up!"A voice slithered to his ears "Is that freak going to pee himself again? That'll be hilarious! I hope tonight is the night that hero kills him..."Thief shut his eyes... desperately wishing that...

Desperately wishing that everything was different, and that he had no reason to feel abnormal. That he had friends... That he had companions. Where everything could just be normal, and happy.

The Arcanine carried him into this large circular mound where a delighted Ninetales happily stretched her paws into the sun settled sand. "There's my little Growly!" She'd say with a closed muzzle smile "Now come eat! We have plenty little one." The Arcanine placed Thief on the ground. "See, you're okay." She'd mention again, smiling happily. "I can't believe this... the head shrine maiden honestly brought that THING into their space? Luna, can you really believe that?" Thief perked an ear to the name that was white washed from his mind... He couldn't understand it, as though the name was just static. "He's just a young cub... stop... I don't like it, at all. Teasing him was one thing but now you're all just... you're all horrid. Why can't you be more like him" The Arcanine happily smiled to the young vulpine voice. "See... little one, they're not all bad. So please, calm yourself. For just a moment, calm yourself..." The Arcanine repeated it and happily nodded while dragging a collection of berries and all sorts of other things that sat on a small stretcher; the kind made from two large sticks tied together and layered with huge leaves as though to make a boat. "I had a very kind Leafeon from the other islands come down here with some of their foods. Since you always talk about those dungeon adventurers... whenever you actually decide to talk." The Arcanine mentioned and Thief just stared at it. Stared pointlessly at it... "Honey... why don't... you... leave for a moment. Take a walk?" The Arcanine nodded... slowly. "Of course dear. I need to check on the other young ones." He'd stand up and walk over to a kit across the way. "And I'll be right back to sing you both a story my little Lumine" "You really should call her by her full name darling... I don't want all the other Maidens believing that to be it." The Arcanine playfully smiled, a gentle closed-muzzle smile. "Of course, of course! Luminescence. I'll be back soon." He'd smile and turn to the little orange eyed Growlithe. He'd look at Thief and nod confidently. "Eat plenty... please..." He'd say quietly. "Please eat." Before walking off and over the mound that was dug out. They were like open foxholes really, dug into the sand. Every bank wasn't too high, one could easily rest their head amongst the edges and stare at the sea or the small, sparse forest of wide trees... or at this wonderfully large island in the closest distance, one that the clouds and the sea always hid from them. Thief simply stared at the food... he stared at all of it before him... "Oh... baby don't cry... please." The Ninetales with near white-gold fur fluttered closer to him. "Don't cry... not again." Her tails wrapped around him gently... quietly. They concealed him in an endlessly warm blanket of gold-white fur. "Please... just let me die." He whispered as silently as he could "Let me be with mommy..." The Ninetales only stared at him and pushed her nose against his shoulder... and then against his cheek, that left the Growlithe to desperately flinch. "Don't ever say that. Don't..." Her voice quivered. "You've barely talked... that shouldn't... Talk about the explorers again, I'd love to hear more stories from you." "Mommy?" Thief gave Luminescence a terrified and submissive look... "Is little bro okay?" The Ninetales sat around the Growlithe and embraced him in a swirling wind of warm fur. Her eyes skimmed over the happy Vulpix across the way and watched the smile she had fade slowly into the night. "He's okay..." She said quietly. "He just misses his mommy." "But you're his mommy, now right?" The Vulpix asked unlike all the other ones, her eyes were the only ones that were a color different from all the rest. This wonderful slate-grey and black studied him closely, she did this almost every single night. No different than staring at an endlessly starry sky. The Ninetales nodded in reply. "Of course I am." She said with a warm, happy smile. "I'm your mommy, little one. I have no reason not to be. Not to you." "And Arcanine is both of our daddies, now right?" The Ninetales nodded. "Yes..." She'd explain "Your daddy is busy with the shrine... as all of those Ninetales are." A paw gently flicked Thief's ear. "Now let's get you all groomed and handsome! Then you can eat all of that wonderful food!" She'd say and pause... Thief couldn't move. He just stared at it. Stared at the food in front of him. "I miss my brothers..." The Ninetales gave him a look and nudged him with his cheek. "You did everything you could... Little Thief" She'd chuckle warmly. "You stole food for them..." "They're dead too..."

I... just want to be normal... Can't it be that simple? Why am I getting this worked up? It's just a dream... a bad... stupid dream... It's make believe... trying to tell me something. It's not real...

Thief felt something... something odd push against him. "Wake up!" A voice touched his ears and he sluggishly pushed his eyes open. There was a shape looking at him, he'd glance up from the snow. He had to stop entirely and look at the snow around him. Something touched his nose, it felt like hot rain pelted all around the biome. The temperature now was a sickly warm, the kind that made his fur feel too scorched again. "Luna?" The Growlithe spoke her name and the other Vulpix simply tilted their head and shook it no. Thief stared at it closely... A Vulpix that wore some rough handknitted scarf, the kind that showed a picture... of a starry night sky that overlooked a campfire in the midst of late summer. A Vulpix with bright sunshine-like eyes and a happy sing-song like voice looked at him with the friendliest smile Thief could have witnessed. "Nope... I'm not Luna, she's in the Volcano biome." That Vulpix brought his nose down to the Growlithe. "I'm an automated safety program." It said and smiled "My name is this super long abbreviation, but you can call me..." "Autumn" "I don't know you." Autumn giggled a little and flicked his six, beautifully curled tails. "I only show up when diagnostic come back irregularly. This biome read that you were in it... I got concerned when your internal body temperature dropped to dangerous levels. My job is to help regulate Pokémon Safety." The abnormally neat and clean Vulpix said. "I'm still a prototype program really... but I was activated when the creator noticed the reading." It tilted its head at him. "Hey! You wanna go play!? I know this wonderful field!" "I don't want to." Thief mentioned and dug his head into the now melting frost around him. The entire biome felt too hot, wet and sickly now. "Can you turn it back?" The Vulpix curiously bounced its head to the left and the right. "I don't understand you... could you speak with more clarity?" "The temperature." "Oh no! I can't do that! Not until you're at the optimal temperature for a Growlithe!" Autumn snuck his nose into the Growlithes little hovel. "Come on out! I don't bite! Well I can't anyways! But I can play tag really well!" Thief gave the strange Vulpix a snarl. "Why the hell would I want to play around with a fake? You're a program, right? That means you're just a bunch of letters and numbers typed into a computer..." "Well I'm like an application? Hardwired into the software here? It's like an extra added to all of it." Autumn mentioned happily. "I only live here, but it's really neat! So, what's your name? Are you Thief!?" He turned his head away from the red-wood Vulpix and stuck it in the now melting snow. "That's not my name..." He muttered to himself. "It's the name entered here, on my diagnostics list! You're also hungry too... and I feel like you're depressed! I bet I can tag Griffin on a reminder! Depressed!" The Vulpix made a weird sound with the word... "A reminder?" Autumn nodded and giggled again, still doing that head bobbing sway... as though that Vulpix always wanted to be moving. "Uh huh! I can ping his Pokenav with a message!" Autumn mentioned and then gave a blank look "Well... I don't know if it works yet, but it will! Eventually..." "You're weird..." Thief noticed the twitch here and there, something so small and minor but it was easy to spot out. "Well I am a prototype.... The creator has been making me since the beginning! I have all his update logs too! I'm nearly a full year project!" Thief tilted his head at him "Really weird... Can you leave?" It shook his head no. "I have to make sure you're safe!" Autumn mentioned with this sunlit smile. "I don't need you to make sure I'm safe!" The Growlithe snarled again "Get lost... I don't want to talk." Autumn folded his ears and slowly opened his mouth. The Vulpix seemed perplexed until it found something to say. "You've been sleeping here for almost an hour..." The program mentioned frontally. "Anyways, your trainer is going into a location... I believe he's getting food, so there should be a release call very soon." Autumn explained "But first... I need you to come with me! Let's check out that field!" His paw pointed out to a field outside of the normal biomes. Thief gave it a glance, it was part of the snowy background before but now it was sunlit, bright... living "I don't want to..." Autumn seemed to smile and the Growlithe felt himself go weightless, floating aimlessly out of his hovel. Immediately Thief shot a fireblast at Autumn. The program flickered and flashed around the move pointlessly. "Wow! That's really powerful!" He'd say with his ears flat against his skull, the move hit him spot on. "But you can't hurt me... I'm just a safety program, my battle program hasn't been developed yet!" "Battle... program?" Thief mentioned as the peculiar Vulpix dragged him away from the center biome and towards this mysterious field in the distance. It was like another biome, or in the least, the background for the Pokeball. "Yep! Soon I'll have a full training program! There's also going to be a battle biome! The Creator is making all sorts of neat things! Having a large SDUC card in a Pokeball helps!" Thief silently looked at the Vulpix. "All the Pokeballs have one! Why else do you think there's so many things here!? The more space and data put on here, plus the extra filler from the international data transmission should make it entirely possible to almost create an entire world in here. Like a big level from a video game!" "I still don't know what that is..." "Which part?" "A video game...?" Autumn giggled. "I would have thought most trainers like that sort of thing, I read a whole bunch of social media and other stuff. I have a full connection after all!" "You're not making sense... just put me back there." Thief commented and floated, completely aimlessly behind him, it was like he was tethered to the Vulpix, or the program or whatever all of this was. "Nope! We're going to the meadow! It's a very special place! I'll be doing this with every single Pokémon here! Since my reports have such a mixed reading as of late." Thief swallowed and looked at him. "Really?" "Well... I'm not allowed to talk to the Espeon here... what's his name?" "Moonlight." Thief commented and the weird Vulpix tilted his head. "That's a weird name for an Espeon!" the Vulpix nodded "Maybe... one day... I can talk with him..." But Autumn simply giggled and walked through that mirror like wall on the other end of the snowy biome. Not to the Field, or the Lake or the Volcano biome... but to the gentle rolling meadow covered with all sorts of red flowers and surrounded by small sapling trees.

A Meadow that looked too real, too thriving with life and passion. One that now coldly howled out a somber song against small swaying and energetic trees as though a garden had replaced a grave.

-Griffin

"So Leafeon just jumped into the water after YOUR Vulpix?" Natasha studiously glared at him and Grifin nervously swallowed "Yeah... then the port workers must've helped us out... I must've done something... I can't even remember. I feel like I've been hit by a car though..." Griffin sighed and glanced up at the roof, this whole scene felt familiar. Another random restaurant in the middle of a strange city where they waited for their food... at least they were by the port and what looked like a nature trail... "Well everyone's doing good!" Melody nodded happily "That's all that matters right?" "Other than my Vulpix attacking me... here I was thinking she was testing my trust... and she bites me. See?" Griffin showed off the bandages. "She bit me right on the neck..." "Stop whining, it's probably a love bite! Yuny used to do those too." Griffin stared up at the roof again. "Hardly... it hurt like hell, I don't get what I'm doing wrong..." Natasha chortled "You're giving them too much leeway. They have leverage over you Griffin." Griffin partially looked down at her. "I trust them." Brad gave him a look. This odd little look. "Either way, let's eat!" Brad mentioned after a moment of stillness. They were sitting outside with a wonderful wooden porch overlooking them, the kind where the owner may have just lived in the top floor of the building. The port was to Griffin's right-hand side, Natasha took the best view of the port, sitting smack in the middle and Melody clung around Brad. Or so it seemed that way, Aura and Houndoom constantly gave each other these curiously firm looks.

"We should let all of our Pokémon eat something too... they must be starving by now. I mean we had lunch over four... five hours ago?" "Think about yourself... you only had breakfast." Natasha quipped "A - Anyways... Griffin." She put her hands on the table. "Brad and I wanted to apologize." "Apologize? For what?" Griffin asked, and Brad passed a little sigh. "Well we both... We feel like you just left because we said something wrong. I mean we all chat about things we like and get to know the surface of one another but... we don't actually know anything about each other. In fact, I guess you could say it's... a little unfair to all of us." Brad mentioned "We're all being unfair to one another without really talking about ourselves in depth." Natasha laughed "What is this? Grade School? Alright fine... I'll go first." Natasha giggled. "My name is Natasha Laurent" Everyone began to laugh, except Griffin at first. It really was like Elementary School... "I was actually born in Russia. My father owns a multi corporate vehicle company down there and met my mother on a business trip. I was born in Russia but stayed with my mother for the entire time of my childhood." She'd laugh a bit "My favorite books... They range from a whole bunch of different ones, I do like a few by Arkady Strugatsky, my father was a huge fan of him when he was much younger. Probably the only thing I have in common with him." Natasha mentioned and then went for her coffee cup while she took a sip and swallowed; Natasha gave a little sigh. "I became a trainer because I obviously LOVE Eevee's. I want to train all of them! My goal is to learn of every single Eeveelution and become a league champion." Griffin gave her a look "Why not a professor?" She shook her head no. "God no, I want to stay as far away from corporate paper work as possible." She gave a huff "And well... I want to be able to evolve an Eevee into an Espeon and an Umbreon... I can't seem to do it however." Natasha sighed "I also love coordinators! I want to enter some of the contests!" Natasha mentioned "But I'm a trainer first... how about you Brad?" "Alright... My name is Brad Hoskin" He laughed a little "I'm an American Trainer, but my family lives down here too. Well American as in I have a dual citizenship... My uncle runs a police force down in the States, I visit him sometimes! But I live in Hearthome City with my mother and father. Back then I was a huge bug trainer, I think you overheard some of my conversation with Andy, Griff?" Griffin nodded in reply "You trained and released them, right?"

"Yeah... it hit me hard when Yellow-Jacket left." Brad chuckled, and Natasha chortled "You have the weirdest names... I'm surprised you didn't call Aura, Blue Dog." Brad shot her a look. "Hey!" And it let Melody to giggle frantically before they all started laughing. "Okay Okay, I know I'm bad with them... But I used to hike all over the routes in Sinnoh, never actually went through the gyms. My father works with the Pokémon League, he's not a gym member, he's more of an event overseer." Brad mentioned "My mother on the other hand works as a naturopathic for Pokémon, in fact they both do a lot of work with them. I'm also Seventeen, almost Eighteen come February... so I just hope the League is fine with that." Brad nodded and went for his soda while he took a little drink Griffin gave him a look. "What? Conveniently leaving us in suspense? Or just learning from Natasha now?" He nearly spit out his soda after Griffin mentioned that. "Hardly!" He shot Natasha a look "What can I learn from her? How to NOT train an Eevee" Brad mentioned playfully and stuck out his tongue. Natasha huffed and snickered "You're just upset that you can't train more than one Pokémon at a time!" They both exchanged glances, this abnormal fiery glance. "Alright... let's not have a cold war here you two." Griffin hysterically chuckled at his own pun, Melody seemed to sigh and mention how bad it was. "Shut it!" They both recoiled, and he kept chuckling as Melody began to and made this... adorable chortle which led her to cover her mouth. It defused the situation immediately and left her to laugh and blush furiously with everyone breaking out into a fit of giggles. "Alright, alright... I'm planning on going through the leagues with JUST Aura. We're a team, the two of us, and a dynamite one at that! In fact, she even teaches me too, it's crazy!" Brad mentioned, and Aura rolled her eyes, tapped two sections on his back firmly and it jolted it straight. She had that look that said Posture, you fool! "She's like an all-around Sensei..." Griffin mentioned and the stiff as a board Brad nodded. "Yep..." He'd say weakly but with a laugh. "We're both going to win the league and learn plenty along the way! Your turn Griff!"

Griff laughed while he went to open his mouth and couldn't find anything to say. He just looked at all of them for a moment and then scoffed with a smile on his face. "Uhm... Well my name is Griffin Fletching..." Why can't I talk? "Well... my brother, as you know is the Champion of Hoenn..." I feel... like I need to talk but... my heart isn't taking it? Why do I want to run?"Uhm... well I mean..." He laughed nervously. "Come on Griffin!" Brad laughed "Don't tell me you've got cold feet now!" Natasha quipped, and Griffin shyly gave them a look. Melody looked at him with a look of her own. They both just glanced at one another, that Houndoom stared at him too while all of that, just to add icing on the cake, Natasha's Leafeon slipped out of its Pokeball. He cleared his throat "L - Let me try again..." He'd say and take his glass of water, Griffin drank more then he should've. "Alright... My name is Griffin Fletching, as you know my brother is the Champion of Hoenn..." He paused again and blinked Why am I blanking out? What can I say?"M... Madre doesn't work anymore, well I mean... except for taking care of us, my Brother and I... She used to do something but that was years ago." Griffin swallowed.

I hate Pokémon. That was the collective silence that slithered through his classroom. I hate all of them, the whole thing is stupid! The voices washed over him and he gave perplexed scoff. "I... Our Father walked out when we were kids." Griffin felt like he was lying through his teeth. It was our fault anyways, we couldn't even do that right... any of it right. "I mean it's all tough to talk about." Griffin scratched his head, ran his fingers through his hair, holding the back gently. Whenever one of us do that, another one of us is too right? No matter where we are! A jagged voice cut into his head. That vision of Trevor, Logan and himself with a Poochyena flickering her tail amid them. "I mean, I love hiking... I love beaches! I mean if I could I'd go on a huge cruise and see everything." Griffin said with a little nervous laugh. "I mean... Well..." "Jesus you're falling apart Griffin" Natasha jested again. "It's really not THAT hard!" Griffin nervously laughed "Well... I'm all around boring." He'd comment, and Natasha gave him a look. He couldn't describe that look clearly. "I started later... my journey, unlike my brother who started when he was elevan... I took the extra four years for schooling. I'm planning on working in something... probably Tradeswork?" He'd mention "Oh!? Like a huge company?" Griffin swallowed. You don't have a dream... Griffin. I'm just looking out for you, or at least trying to... Logan's voice cut into his mind. "I guess so... I never really gave it much thought, Studying is just that important right?" Griffin mentioned "I mean..." "Why'd you become a trainer?" Melody asked, and Griffin flinched. They both firmly looked at one another, the hairs on Griffin's arm stood on ends and his hand tightened into his knee. "I... Just want to be the best out there!" He'd mention with a painted smile, a somber gentle smile that only really said... I'm lying through my teeth Something bopped him on the forehead, Leafeon used Vine Whip! Again! "H - hey!" Natasha was laughing like hell "What do you expect? That's a dumb dream! Every trainer wants to be the best!" Griffin nervously smiled "I mean... I'm very simple right?" Griff nodded "It's a good thing!" Another bop on his forehead left him to stare at the Leafeon. "That's right! Great Job Leafeon! Knock a little sense into him." Brad and Melody howled in laughter and Griffin nervously smiled in reply. "I... guess it's your turn Melody?" Griffin gave her a look and she nervously nodded in her reply. "Alright, my turn... My name is Melody" She smiled "And this is my Houndoom, Smokey." She'd mention with a giggle and the Houndoom... well he let out a puff of smoke. "Sorry..." She'd say and drop her hand down to him, reaching around it's scalp and it delicately and lovingly pushed its jaw against her hand. "I lived in a very small town... off the ways from Pallet Town. In fact, it's so small you can't find it on a map..." She'd swallow a little bit. "I... guess since we're being honest, as you now I have very bad eyesight... I'm actually... rated as twenty, one hundred on the Snellen eye chart. I can barely see... past that... without corrective lenses..." Melody swallowed a little bit. "T - that said, I have a half-sister too." "Oh? Who's she?" Natasha softly asked "She's a trainer too... a much better one then me." Melody nervously ran her hand over Houndoom's scalp. "She's... It's Trainer Green." Melody mentioned after recollecting herself.

There was this collective and yet windy silence that fluttered over the table save for Houndoom that gave her a huff. Melody's hand dropped over his scalp, and Smokey pressed his jawline against her hand while licking it now. "What!?" Natasha loudly exclaimed after that awkward silence. "There's... What?" Brad even stared at her too. "Wait... Green? Like Trainer Red and Blue?" Griffin mentioned, and Natasha gave him a glance. "Yeah... don't they have their Pokedex's almost finished!?" Natasha said "And I thought they..." "Yes, all three of them are almost international... They're going through gyms so quickly. I sometimes get text messages from her, not a lot though." Melody mentioned "We have the same mother... I have no clue where her father is." Melody sighed "I mean, since we're being honest and all." Melody smiled, in fact. It eerily felt like the same one Griffin painted on... "I just... want to see her again. If that is understandable. She's always so busy... it wasn't like that all the time." "How old are you?" Brad asked. "Sixteen, she's Twelve... and she's almost done the entire league already. It's crazy how great of a trainer she is.... Compared to me that is." Melody mentioned "But it really doesn't surprise me... Smokey is the only Pokémon I've ever had." She looked down at him with a warm and happy smile. "But I'm... scared." "What? Why?" Griffin asked quietly, and Melody gave him a worried look. "You all know of level tier's, right?" Melody asked, and Brad nodded "Aura is tier three." He mentioned, and Natasha smiled. "Tsurara is also, Sephiran just reached tier three." Griffin swallowed a little "What... do you mean?" Griffin asked, and Natasha nodded with a roll of her eyes. "Every... one hundred levels, a Pokémon enters a tier. There's said to be six in total. Levels are how the League rates a Pokémon's strength... you can calculate it yourself..." Melody looked around to see if anyone could be listening in. There wasn't anybody. "All... regular Pokémon can get to the fourth tier and level ninety-nine... after that their bodies can't handle it, only Legendaries or mythical Pokémon are said to break that tier and even reach tier six." Melody said. "Houndoom... Smokey." She gave him a glance and silently looked at them. "Please don't say a single word... it'll get me banned, even from training. They'd take him away." Griffin, Natasha and Brad nodded.

"I can't... do that, ever." Griffin said. "They'd take Aura away if they could, the League is like that." "So long as he won't get hurt, Melody." Natasha mentioned, and she looked at her. "Never, no" Don't cry... Griffin swallowed, and she took a breath. A long, ragged breath. "He holds back everything... but Smokey is level... five hundred and forty-five." There was that silence again washing over the table and Melody softly petted the Houndoom... Griffin gave Natasha a look as she slowly slumped back into her seat. She swallowed as though to keep her voice down. "Melody... Have you been training him that hard?" She shook her head no after Natasha talked. "Never... if it were up to me, I'd never train him... he trains himself... he's that driven to protect me." Melody said. "That's why I came up with the compass method... it was to stop him from moving on his own... from attacking on his own... to make it impossible to fight but... he can... so well... I just give him the directions of where I see blobs... and he just knows." Melody sucked in air. "You're... the only trainers that cared about my eyesight at all. It's stupid... so stupid but I feel like I can trust all of you with that. Smokey is my life." She'd say, and Griffin felt his entire back shiver when Melody opened her mouth next.

" Without him... I'd kill myself. Somehow...** "**

Griffin pushed his chair back and bolted to his feet, standing over the large square -like glass table. "We'll get you another Pokémon, help you catch one!" Griffin mentioned brightly, smiling and Melody just gave him a look. "I mean, he can't fight right? He's injured, like you said!" What am I doing? Deflecting the conversation around or just lying more? "We can help you have a whole team of Pokémon, and Smokey can train them with you! Along with all of us! That way he doesn't need to push himself! Ever again!" Griffin said, he was standing now... His heart pounding out of his chest. What am I doing? It rang through his head What am I doing?... What the hell am I doing? "That's a great idea! Yeah!" Natasha looked at her and smiled brightly "I can help you train Eevee's and catch them! They're great partners!" Brad laughed and grinned "And I can help you catch an awesome fighting type! Or even bug type Pokémon! We can both find the most beautiful ones!" Brad mentioned and nodded "It'll be great!" Melody simply stared at all three of them. This blind and empty stare. Her hand softly tugged against Smokey and he replied with a whine. Her blonde hair flickered in front of her for a moment, those dull blue eyes skimmed over them all and that gently curve of her lips came in. She gave this little hiccup like sound, as though she was forcing herself to breathe. As though she were looking at the first humans _to ever see her like a normal person. Like someone with feelings, with emotions... with memories _. There was this hot streamline running down her face and she shut her eyes for a moment, trying to breathe again... to recollect herself. "Sorry for the wait!" A young, friendly waiter came outside to that sunshiny porch with a tray. "Oh..." They all just looked at the young waiter whom wore a suit and tie. He went a little silent. "I... I'm terribly sorry for interrupting... Is everything okay?" The concern in his voice was there, and he nervously swallowed. "Everything... is absolutely wonderful." Melody mentioned with a sniffle and opened her eyes. "I... just have some terrific friends, new friends... that's all." She held her head down in this small bow like way. "I'm sorry for..." The man nearly tried to toss up his hands, but realized he was holding the tray full of food. "No, No not at all! There's no need to be sorry at all! If anything, I am for making you wait so long!" He'd mention while he brought the plates down to the outside table gently and smiled "I'll be bringing out Pokémon food next, our staff has done a wonderful job baking them today, my name is Francis. I do apologize for the wait again, all of you... we've had some unexpected shortages of staff today, hence the wait."

"Thank you sir." Griffin mentioned "This all looks awesome!" Natasha said and laughed a little. Melody nodded. "It's a bit blurry to me..." She'd silently mention and then happily say "But it looks absolutely great! Thank you!" "Well, Aura?" Brad snickered "You want a bite too?" the Lucario nodded frantically and they all chuckled "Hey! Don't let Griffin rub off on you now!" Natasha mentioned and Melody happily giggled. I... feel better too. Griffin thought Just a bit... enough to know that I'm hungry... Griffin tossed Melody a smile and she rolled her head his way. She squinted a touch and smiled back. That smile wasn't painted on her face... and that made Griffin feel like he might be able to pull a mask off after all...

• Autumn.

**_A problem has been detected and has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

PFN_LIST_CORRUPT

If this is the first time you've seen this stop error screen, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps...

Error: Modification of system code or a critical structure was detected._**

Technical information: **Stop: 0x0000004 E (0x000000000000099, 0x0000000000333CF9) ***Stop: 0x000000109 (0xA3A039D896553553, 0xB3B7465EE8D204A9, 0xFFFFF80005733003)

Collecting data for crash dump ... Initializing disk for crash dump...

Error: High Priority Removal, Initializing Full Removal. Technical Information ***High Priority 0x0000288866473323 Full removal of specimens complete.

Collecting data for crash dump... Initializing disk for crash dump... Beginning dump of physical memory. Dumping Physical Memory to Disk: 100 Physical Memory Dump Complete... Contact Creator or System Admin for technical support...

If problems continue, Disable or Remove any newly installed hardware or software. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use Safe Mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer. Press F8 to select Advanced Startup options, and then select Safe Mode.

...

• Griffin.

It was the sudden crackle and blinding lights that scared EVERYONE. There was not one of his Pokémon out, but every single Pokémon he had... Except... "WHAT THE HELL!?" His phone started to buzz and play a ringtone immediately. Griffin picked up his cellphone. "Hello!?" Griffin asked with a dry throat and looked at Moonlight, Shadow , Bandit, Luna, Scarf, Marill , and Absol. "Hey! Griffin it's me." "Ayumu!? What just happened!?" "The software crashed unexpectedly... I have your Growlithe here with me, He's making one hell of a ruckas." Akiyama was panting into the phone. "I don't know what just happened, but my entire laboratory is out. Every computer, everything... I think we... just got hit with something?" There were the sounds of Thief snarling and firing things everywhere on the other side "Maybe a DDOS attack or a massive information dump.... I got no clue. I turned on the safety program for the Pokeballs. Everything was running smoothly and then this just happened out of nowhere. Is everybody safe on your end?" "Shadow and Marill are here?" Griffin commented. "How the hell are they here?" They both groggily looked at him. Shadow tilted his head when he saw Griffin and Marill made a frantic noise. "The software, in case of crashes sends them to the fastest link. You're the fastest link right now. Logan's connection is choppier... we don't know where they could end up if that wasn't the case." Ayumu swallowed as he frantically held onto the Growlithe now, he'd mention to Thief to stop nipping. "There should have been a safety net with the Pokeballs... what just happened is a worst-case scenario." Francis came back out of the building with a small tray and then gave a nervous look again while putting some bowls to the ground... "I'll... come back with more Pokémon food..." He mentioned and laughed a little. Griffin swallowed and talked into his phone "Well!" His phone shorted out. "Hello?" "Griffin!?" Natasha looked over at the city lights. Everything was going dark. The restaurants lights flashed off after a bright beaming light. "What the fuck?" Brad stood up. "What's going on?" Melody took hold of her chair and turned around aimlessly. "It just... is this a blackout?" She squinted to look. "All the fuzzy lights are gone." They both looked at each other...

"The Pokémon center!" Griffin exclaimed, and Brad with Melody stared at Natasha as she stopped Griffin by outreaching her hand and hitting him in the chest. "You idiot, they have backup generators, hell some even have a team of Pokémon there in case they fail... anyways, we haven't eaten yet! And there's plenty of sunlight left!" She'd sigh "You're not some hero..." Griffin gave her a look "Anyways, the authorities can deal with this! Things like this are what they're trained to handle right?" As she talked, Griffin heard all sorts of sirens go off. "I don't... even have phone connection. Did a tower go out too?" Griffin looked at the roaming message on his phone now. "I still do." Natasha glanced at her phone "Let's just eat, I don't want to run all over the place for a little black out. Anyways, if we run around it could start a panic. Imagine running down the road with all your Pokémon out you moron... people would be terrified." Natasha said. "You should return them..." "I can't!" Griffin recoiled "Something happened to the Pokeballs!" He looked down the road and bit his tongue, there was the police cruisers going by. Officer Jenny would be with them somewhere. "You're kidding? Right?" "They... disconnected? Or broke or something? I don't know what happened!" Griffin mentioned "I'm not the tech geek, my brother is!" Griffin said and sighed, slumping in his chair. "Just listen for a minute... Jesus, not everyone needs your help out there... we'll just help out where we can and AFTER dinner. We all have cash to pay for our food, anyways right? It's like a trainer one oh one." Griffin swallowed, and Natasha heard him swallow while shooting him a sharp glance that made him hide in his chair. "You're an idiot..." She groaned "Fine, you owe me then." Griffin nodded "O - of course..." Griffin mentioned and held his hand out to Shadow and Marill. "Hey... Something weird happened... but you're here for now! Once Ayumu fixes things, you'll be back with Logan I guess." Griffin nodded, and Bandit gave him a look. Luna looked around along with Moonlight... who... "Moonlight? Where in the world did you get that?" Griffin said and stared at him from his seat... It was... a scarf sitting in his paws, a light purple and dark purple layer of fabric... Just the scarf rested in his paws. The Espeon stared down at it, wide eyed...

As if he lost something beyond himself.

"Moonlight?"