FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Disclaimer: Pokémon is copyright of Nintendo, Game Freak, etc. Individual characters are my own imaginening, and are not intended to be any part of main cannon / plotline. Individual characters like Aaron, Song, Zin, etc, are my own creations, so please ask before using. Thank you.

Author's Notes: This was done... last Wednesday, non-stop written from like 9 PM to 3 AM. Sent to my friends, and we spent most of the afternoon yesterday (technically, since it's now 2:20AM as of posting) debugging any grammar / spelling erros, etc. I hope that everything turns out alright. I don't want to say that I want to release these on a weekly basis, because inspiration is rather fickle, but I would like to. I think we can all relate to this plight to some degree. Hopefully, I can get the next one more hammered out more efficiently.

Other than that, I hope that everyone has enjoyed this story so far. With that, I leave you to Chapter 4.

This tag business is going to be my bane, I swear.

---- Chapter 4: Reality

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"How do you know?" I asked

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Master!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Thank you, Xola," I said sincerely

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

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

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

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

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