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Luna and Thief Chapter 27: Along Frozen Shores:

A glow of bright light flickered and flashed against gentle warm fur, a warmth beyond any other swirled against his chest as his heart gently throbbed and pressed against the air. It was that cold shivered exhale he'd remember. "Come on!" It was his world, fit with I's and Me's and all those other things as he'd see it solely through his own eyes and followed a flutter of tails... from four others... to one... to nothing. Just nothing... "Don't tell me your tired! We're almost there! I promise it's the coolest and most beautiful thing in the whole wide world!" A voice or voices called out to him and as his feet just pushed through a void of endless darkness his eyes would do nothing but catch onto a small... tiny... insignificant pair of flowers. That mound of dirt was crossed over with light little snow fairies that gently pressed yearning kisses and open arms against the earth. "It's... a brief time offer young man. I'll give you time to think about it." A voice came to him as he'd just look and stare. Stare endlessly... Stare as though his whole universe was born and would end underneath a mound of dirt. How all he did would lead to that and all he wished and wanted for was control. Strength... heart. Enough to never see another put under. A wish that he could never let part his lips in fear it would be stolen away for a time he'd truly need it."Let's go home, Moonlight." The voice expressed, and he'd glance... tiredly, wounded at the sight of two worthless legs. The light amber glow of paper caught his eyes and that foul deathly stench touched his nose. "It's getting late, cold... Autumn will be... He knows he's warm. So, let's go home." "What... or where is home? We're leaving...? Why are we leaving? This is our home!" A voice slithered his way as he'd give a little nod. "I know... Wherever he is, that's our home. But now we have something to do. A little past has come back to haunt us." He'd express and simply sat his head to the back of the chair and looked up. "I'll never get used to this, sitting on my ass when I should be walking. I'm too old to start this shit up again. But... Logan. He sounds like a good kid, Moonlight." He'd mentioned "So... let's both control this outcome, with enough work we can change what happens in the end." The man expressed and took one last drag, the smoke was something Moonlight could never get out of his head. Like it was sickles and chains that viciously cut at the open air. As though it dared to slice a part those little fairies that slowly danced and twirled until they rested on the open dirt and grass. "Let's both control this outcome, Moonlight... and I have a weird little feeling that our best bet is going to start in the Hoenn Region..."

Pink and purple, the haze from his eyes just glanced around the tiles of the room as he'd closely look down at the floor with a huff. One that sharply exhaled as he'd run the entire gym battle back in his mind. I can't believe Scarf... of all of us beat her. I did all the leg work, I can't just let us far behind now He'd wince and sharply blinked. My damn head hurts... Why is it hurting so much now? What am I doing wrong? He just sat in the corner as Nurse Joy kept going with a silly runaround with Griffin, he was clearly upset and flailed his arms around as though to have ALL the attention on him. It's because of that loud-mouthed brat... He's nothing like Logan. As usual, the one in control promises it'll be short and I'm stuck running amuck with a bunch of fools. I need to see the reality of this situation before it turns into some damned trench line. "You seem rather bitter, Espeon." Moonlight just hissed and snarled "Piss off Moss Log..." Leafeon just shrugged and sat next to him. "I won't lie about that; it's basically what I am." He'd express and smiled... Moonlight just dug his claws into the tile "I like how you planted names, Espeon. I feel like you redirected what I said." Moonlight slowly felt himself swallow "You lost a little composure. The strongest one, the bravest one... the most foolish and driven is you. And yet you let your weakness trample all over that... so what can I do to help you overcome that?" Moonlight huffed and looked down at the tile. He put a vicious clawmark into it with a screech. "Do you need to ask that...?" Moonlight began as Leafeon sighed. "Thief comes from Luna's home. I've known them both for a long time... I guess you could say I'm like that weird... relative." Moonlight tossed his eyes to the tile again. "You feel tense and sharp... do you want to bite my paw again?" The guilt ran through his haunches as Moonlight rolled his shoulders. "Yes... I actually do." Moonlight began and before he could continue to speak "It's because of Thief, I know. That Growlithe isn't like any other but he's no different then you and I. Luna is much the same, in fact you all are different and alike. I watch you all when I can and from what I've seen it's really like some big dysfunctional family that hides themselves from each other." Leafeon expressed "Where I come from, even some criminals are bold enough to openly say their crimes and explain why... to us all. Then we choose what to do with them. Naturally we become more lenient on those that come forward. Some even go unpunished." Leafeon mentioned. "I feel like that's the best way to make a community... that's what the Poke balls are like... right? A community?" Moonlight shook his head "That's foolish. Thinking that someone could ever be redeemed for simply standing before a crowd and talking about themselves." He'd express "It'll create a bloodbath." "Yet you still see yourself in their eyes." Leafeon began to say "You even see how you're like them. You all hide things from each other... And I believe your best course of action would be to open. I think that's the best thing for Thief too." Leafeon began to say as Moonlight huffed again.

"I... can't just do that." He'd express and sighed softly. "What can I say... that I loved someone? That I lost someone? That I've always been... the one that loses regardless of how hard I try or how much I control? That I'm weak?" Leafeon slowly breathed as he stood next to the Espeon. "Bitterness, that aids your headaches... quickens them. You're an Espeon, happiness is natural for you, yet you fight it. That's bound to hurt you more later then it is now." Leafeon began to say "So why don't you practice with me? Constantly...? Practice opening with me... Moonlight. I'll listen, because I believe that's what you and Thief have in common. You both need someone that can listen to you. Someone that you..." Leafeon sighed a little and looked out to the busy crowd. "Someone that you can pour a little of your heart into, because it's overflowing, Moonlight. You've bottled and locked it away for so long that it's flooding your very core." Moonlight tsked in reply to Leafeon and simply went to move away... but Leafeon cut him off with a paw. "If you can't, then you can bite me. Bite me until your jaw hurts and all you can do is talk because the moment, I had you back in those woods I saw someone real. I saw something stronger than anything else. I saw someone that could look up at the sky and know... just simply know that someone up there was happy that you're alive. That someone knew you did everything you could, and they could never hate you for that." Moonlight recoiled his head and looked away. "Love is complex. Love is everything as much as it's nothing. Love is what created all of us, every single one. It doesn't matter what you are or who you've been, it matters what your actions are and what you've done to create and flourish love to benefit those around you." Moonlight laughed and giggled after a few seconds of silence "That's... That's cub-ish. I've never heard a fully grown... ANYTHING talk like that." Moonlight mentioned and wittily stuck out his tongue.

"It's said that those too young to understand the world see it in the purest light. So, if they have the eyes, ears and heart to change it, then why can't those older keep that belief? There isn't a big difference between maturity and being youthful in heart and spirit... Moonlight." Leafeon expressed once more and that left Moonlight to thump his tail against the tile. He just looked down at the tile, the window... anywhere else as though to figure out an argument. Why is my mind going blank? I know it's stupid... it's so logically dumb but... why don't I have words to say back? Why... do I have this foolish... It's like he's promising me a city on the hill without anything to back that up. It's like he's telling me that when the dust settles, we can all be standing... everyone, both sides. That's the look in his eyes. "There are too few options, there's too much of something called reality, Leafeon." Moonlight began to say "So I don't see how we can just... Just stop." Moonlight shook his head "It doesn't just stop. We can't just kiss and make up or... or open up to one another willingly. That's something Thief does. That's something... it's a dumb thought." Moonlight expressed and stared down Leafeon "So why don't you open up with me? How about I tell you that I'll listen?" Moonlight expressed and that Leafeon just got close to his muzzle... it left Moonlight to pull back but that Leafeon went to his ear. "If that's a promise I can hold you to, then I'll save it for a time that feels special. I'll save it for a time that feels right. Because the only thing that holds all of us back is fear." Leafeon whispered and huffed against the tufts of his ears. Moonlight felt his lower back quake... submit... the shivering already made him shut his eyes and hold his muzzle down to his chest. "The only thing you really fear, is your strengths. I could give you a thousand reasons why, but only you know the truth to it; so if you tell me to open up, then promise me that when you do find that reason for your fear... you'll tell me too." "Y - You're not going to stun spore me again? Are you?" Leafeon softly giggled "Let's say I was worried you'd jump into the fray alone, and as bad as it sounds... I'd rather leave Thief and take you. That's not because I hate him... or that he deserves it; he deserves anything but it... you all deserve anything but that. He's just the one that I fear is going to drag you all that way... So, open up, start small. Tell everyone without the thought of fear and maybe you'll see more then you ever have." Moonlight simply flicked his tail with a hint of defiance to his words before he found himself wandering towards the counter...

Opening up? I can't waste my time with that. Even though it's always stuck in the back and always in front of me. What can I say? What can I build on...? What have I even built so far? I don't even believe I could answer that question; Leafeon... _ He'd just watch that young trainer in front of him, the kind that kept getting a runaround as his friend laughed in the corner about it; It really was something out of a comedy skit, enough that everyone couldn't take their eyes away from him. Natasha loved to put him on the spot... **_Something they both hated in their own way. A simple meaningless thing that they both couldn't handle when it was thrown so casually in front of them.** Moonlight only blinked at him, sat on his tail next to Absol as she endlessly looked at Griffin. Her eyes didn't pull away, as though there was this small fright that one day he'd just... disappear. Like she couldn't handle the idea of someone else just leaving. Moonlight only rolled his throat with his tongue and huffed ever so gently as though he didn't want to risk interrupting her. That's what he see's right? The similarities... the differences. It's like we've all met on a bridge and the only way we can figure out which way is right and whatever is left is by racking our heads together. Why would he give me a runaround; he has to be... He fears something that he can't say. That last thought just dawned on him, it made him realize it. Something so bluntly in front of him which he just picked up on. He's... protecting something he hasn't lost yet. That's because he's... He's finding allies. He wants to take this thing as head on as I do, I think he's just swallowing himself and his pride and whatever time he can risk getting... Us._Moonlight felt the hair on his back rise. _Why do I need to envelop my thoughts around you? Leafeon? Why are you... distracting me? "No, she's fine... Griffin." Nurse Joy finally sighed after a while "Now... stop wasting space in the line, you've done nothing but waste my time and I'm busy enough as is!" She'd remark with her soft voice, but it was firm enough that even Moonlight shivered from it. She really can be sharp when she needs to be... And there he goes; just awkwardly walking away like he doesn't know what just happened. He really can't read a room can he? It's like he just doesn't get it, A human that doesn't get humans... it's kind of funny really. Humans...

Moonlight only silently sighed and rolled his shoulders. I did find it odd that Luna could swim, and with that poison from before, I know they naturally seep into the earth when they're forgotten; it takes days but... if it were days old and there was only a... a pittance of poison, that would explain why she went down so quickly now. Just another thing I need to worry about. Leafeon bumped gently against him as he'd pass bye as though to catch his attention. As though to tell him to stop worrying. To let go. That was the only mix of symbolism Moonlight could grasp as he'd only watch... Moonlight only watched Leafeon wander away into an endless crowd as though to lose sight of a spectacle of sunlight and color. One that barely glimpsed over his remorse, guilt and all his weakness. One that could fade or grow brighter then he could ever know. Griffin just sat down when he had the space and spent his time staring at a Pokeball... Moonlight knew who's it was; there was no one else he'd do that to. With tired eyes all Moonlight could do was blink, blink and quake as though everything was all on simple... pointless choices. His paws just quaked against the tile, dug into the floor of the Pokemon center and in moments he'd find himself adrift in the crowd. Just... don't care about any of it. I'm spent... I can let go of it too, right? Leave it behind me... I'm not like Bandit. I can't just carry all the burden like it's nothing. Damn it... Leafeon. He only caught onto Natasha... Yuny, Akamaru, Tsurara, Sephiran and naturally, Leafeon. That Leafeon just laid down in the corner with some lazy yawn and gave him a curious eye, a little laugh came to him. "I didn't realize I got to you that quickly." Moonlight felt his face go red; flushed through. "S - Shut up..." He'd remark and tossed his eyes the other way. Tsurara simply gave him a glance, a huff and a flick of her tail as she'd move as far away as she could without leaving Natasha's side. "I just want to take my mind off it... for a little while." Leafeon only nodded. "So... are we going to talk?" Moonlight only felt his face burn... "I... was thinking more just... lying down." Leafeon appeared to scoff or make a sound similar as he'd comment "I can't use my little trick here." "I'm not asking you to." "... What?" Leafeon blinked once, twice, as Moonlight dug his claws into the tile once more. "I want... to take my mind off of all of it... if it's okay." It left Leafeon silent at first, a little noise came from his mouth as though he didn't know how to phrase it. Moonlight simply wandered up to him... curled around and nuzzled himself against his fur. His tail curled against Leafeon's snout and muzzle... and Leafeon's tail, in return the crisp line of grass sat in front of Moonlights. "... Uh... okay...?" Leafeon began and Moonlight found himself... giggling. Just a small, pointless and utterly unimportant laugh that slipped out of his throat from the sound of confusion in Leafeon's voice. Moonlight just stayed quiet like that and blinked, listened to the sounds all around him. It's... like a big event... No... No, I'm not starting to remember anything. Just... clear your mind for a minute. I could with Logan. I didn't need to worry about Logan... His tail flicked, and he'd feel Leafeon recoil. It left Moonlight to still until that Leafeon gave a gentle grunt and pushed his head against his tail; as though to keep it pinned to the ground.

"Don't think, don't compare. Don't ask how or why just... relax. Let the noise take over your mind." Leafeon expressed "As noisy and... horrible smelling these cities are there is this weird... peace. It might not be the right word to use but... they are different for sure; a forest of their own." Leafeon mentioned and all Moonlight could do was stay quiet in reply. It's not like me to submit... right? I'm not supposed to "Your tail is thrashing, stop questioning what your doing and just relax." Leafeon said again. "The more you move and think the less of yourself you find." He'd state, a little more firmly this time and that left Moonlight's fur to rile and lift. There was something about that voice... Something... So Moonlight thrashed his tail; fought it out from underneath his chin and flicked him on the nose. "H - Hey!" Leafeon mentioned and Moonlight found himself laughing. "I didn't realize your... meditation time was so important to you." Moonlight told, "Be a shame if someone... interrupted it." Leafeon rolled his eyes and huffed. "Depends on how... I can't count how many questions of Yuny's I've answered." And Moonlight found himself with his tail still. Leafeon's gentle smile, the small laugh and that flick of his tail. "She's curious of everything. But why... but why?" Leafeon giggled softly, like a gentle laugh or even cackle. "It's been a long time since I've seen an Eevee cub so determined to learn so many pointless things. I swear she thinks I'm her replacement dad." Moonlight lifted his head up more as he looked behind him. "She wants to learn the... picture trick. That's what she calls it. She told me that Natasha love's pictures, so she wants to make a whole lot of them." Leafeon mentioned and his smile faded just a little. "Imagine a Jolteon strong enough to imprint art on stone. I think she's that determined... if she'd pay attention, even.... Thief... pays more attention." Moonlight strayed his eyes away for a second. "But we're not here to talk about him or anyone else, right? We're here to... forget for just a little while, right Moonlight?" Moonlight stretched out his body and yawned. "I guess so..." "You're tired? This early?" Leafeon brought up and Moonlight shyly nodded. "I am..." Leafeon blinked at him as they'd meet eye to eye. "Your... gemstone?" Leafeon began "Is... is it... dimly glowing?" He seemed to push to his feet. "Moonlight, what are you doing?" Moonlight felt himself quake... quiver. "You're... using a move? What...?" Moonlight blinked and looked down to the tile. "Future sight... I've been using and holding it." Leafeon blinked "No wonder why... You can't just hold...? Moonlight you'll, the recoil alone could..." Leafeon gave him a little growl "You need to... stop. Stop using it, stop holding it." Moonlight shook his head no. "I can't, not yet." Leafeon appeared to swallow "That'll... It could..." "Kill me?" Moonlight nodded "I know that..." Leafeon seemed to recoil at his words. "So why would I thread a line to defiantly hold on that long when I can ensure all of those around me can continue on? Why talk to me to... let go and forget, to tell me that everything could be okay in the end when I know... I understand that it won't be?" Moonlight began to say "So do me a favor... and get me a god damn opening the next time we see that... thing. It might not even kill it but if it stops it, then you might get what you're after..." Leafeon growled back at him "I thought you came over here to... to forget. I thought you came over here to just let go and rest... not..." Moonlight smiled wearily in reply "I did... Leafeon. For just a little while, I did."

Thief:

It was the curvature of the horizon which left him to glance endlessly to the clouds and sky which surrounded his world. That capsule... That Pokeball. He'd just sit by the lakeside where Marill aimlessly splashed around the water. "So we ALL need to leave the Pokeball just to get checked up at the center? Sounds kind of dumb, the last one just worked right away... never had to even leave it." Thief sighed a little "Yeah... I know, also didn't have all this dumb stuff too." He'd express to Marill as that big blue balloon shot a stream of water at a nearby stump. "You've gotten really good at that." Marill laughed and laughed "Yeah... well if that stupid trainer of ours would let me go outside of this thing... I almost want to run away. I don't get to do gym battles, I don't get to go out and play half the time; he won't even let me have a...a... a battle against another trainer! It's stupid." "It is." Thief mentioned "Maybe... we could switch our Pokeballs?" Thief brought up "Since, Logan barely uses you... right? And Griffin always chooses me even though I'm injured..." Thief shook his head "Right... yeah... I'm injured; Oh! What about Bandit!" He began "You could swap with Bandit! That way Bandit get's to be with Shadow all the time and you're back with Griffin. "Not a chance Runt..." Thief jolted and jumped as Bandit wandered beside him. "You're really shredded up to shit, now aren't you?" She'd express "I bet you're hating the fact that you skimped out on your training now." Thief simply swallowed and gulped. "... That looks like it hurts, a lot." Thief gave her a nod in reply "Yeah... and Moonlight told me to stop eating the food Griffin makes, says it's making me sick." "Looks like you could use an all berry diet, you look like a fatass anyways." "H - Hey!" Thief remarked, and Bandit only narrowed her massive jaw down to him and showed off some fangs. "What are you going to do about it? If Marill wanted to, he could eat you. So, what's stopping me from ripping you apart, you want to start shit because I hurt your feelings?" Thief back-pedaled until he hit the ground, stumbled on his tail. His heart pounded out of his chest, in fact it was enough that Bandit pulled her fangs back. "... whatever did this... did a real number on you. It doesn't make sense that your alive, did you know them?" Bandit asked with a hum and a haw until her fangs gleamed down at him "I - I - I don't know... I don't know... if I knew them." Bandit let of a glorious little yip or yeen like cackle before she flicked her tail. "I like the cowardly look, it's suits the whipped cub play well. Ooooh, how weak and pointless... something so cute that I'd love to just... take it's pretty little neck in my fangs and squeeze until it's throat collapses." Thief's haunches rose against his back as he'd stare at her... His world just turned into an abrupt fuzzy blur. "Come along now, it's only normal... any Pokemon out there would think that of you. They wouldn't just let you walk away... the wild types anyways. That's why they're wild... weak... worthless..." Thief felt his eyes grow big... wide. "So, tell me what you're pl-"

He never let a fireblast out that close; Thief never thought in his wildest days that he'd take such a cheapshot against her... Against a Mightyena that was the size of an Arcanine. Yet he couldn't stop... a simple lost and blurry image forced before his eyes. Like he had to do something, like he needed to do something. Every grave thing rested on a memory that barely touched his mind, one so drowned into murky water that he didn't want to see it. His horror of remembering it let him to act on pure instinct alone.

It took Thief a blurry... lost, violently enraged moment to realize he was on the ground with all sorts of disorientated noises around him. Something held all it's weight against his haunches and shoved his skull into the dirt. A voice cut into his ears "Thief!" The hint of a firm snarl... a small remark which left him to freeze and breathe. "Bandit are... you okay?" She'd grin and laughed "That little fuzz ball couldn't torch me. I like it... it's like he has a little fire to share; like he wants to see the world just burn the hell down." Bandit began to cackle again. "You're pushing him too hard, too early on. He's still injured anyways, let me deal with him Bandit." Shadow expressed firmly. "I know you like your fun and all... but you could injure him more." Bandit giggled "I know I can, but I wanted to see his resolve. Looks like it just took him a little bit of pissing himself before he'd actually fight." Bandit stated boldly "Now all we need is the little lightweight and we can REALLY get this training started." Shadow just folded his ears back "Was the threatening necessary?" Bandit tilted her head to his question "Obviously it was, look at him! He's just some vicious little cheap shot biter." She'd snap her jaws down at him, Thief didn't move now... like he was smarter then that. "Come on, don't let that little look fade away. Keep it painted on your face and maybe, just MAYBE you'll grow a big enough pair!" Bandit expressed with a vicious and strong collection of yips and laughs. It left Shadow to nervously laugh "Uh... y - you're getting a little... intense." Bandit simply looked him down "What? Can't handle the intensity or are you more into it?" Shadow went blank... red, and his fur rose as though they were on stilts "I -I- I'm not answering that!" He'd express and got off Thief. "I'm just... telling you that you're getting a little too... dominant?" Bandit seemed to giggle and pushed against him, chest to chest; granted it was more like Shadow's muzzle against her chest. "And I figure you like it." She'd tell bluntly. "Now get to training the runt. I need to wait for MY chewtoy..." Thief felt his ear flicker as Shadow easily lifted him by the tail. "Alright... fine, Bandit. Looks like you're getting a training session; now." Shadow mentioned, and firmly "You don't want to end up like... like this again? Do you?" Thief found himself finally moving and shaking his head as Shadow carried him by the tail. He could see the ground but couldn't reach it with his paws. "She gets like this... too much cuddling and it becomes this whole... hot headed mess." Shadow whispered to him as they were just leaving the biome, but he'd flinch and jolt his whole body as Bandit snapped back "I HEARD THAT!" Shadow nervously giggled "No you didn't honey! Go go, just go!" Shadow whispered frantically after his reply and pushed out of the biome. From the lake... was the center meadow... then Thief found himself in the dry; overly hot volcano biome. His chest stung here; the heat pushed against the burns without any remorse and it left him to wince. Shadow just put him down. "Your chest... it hurts right? More then just the burns? I can tell with the way your fur has ridden up against your skin... What happened?" Thief simply swallowed and in moments tried his best to explain it all. It left Shadow to stop and flick his tail.

"Alright... so in other words I need to teach you the most basic thing." Thief tilted his head in reply "What?" "Don't get hit." Shadow expressed. "Sand crushes the body like rocks... it would take forever to heal if you're not pushing yourself. The body heals naturally over time, but the more you work" Thief interrupted him. "It's about blood flow! There's all kinds of different cellular bodies, so the more you work the body the more your body repairs itself... so long as you don't push yourself that much." Shadow blinked at him and huffed "I read it!" Then he hung his head down low "Focus... please. Now" Shadow began to say "We need to condition yourself... so; we're taking a few laps, back and forth. We'll go faster and faster every lap. Logan told me he used to do it when he was younger, so he thought he could use it for his Pokemon too." Thief tilted his head "What was training with Logan like?" Shadow seemed to grin and shake his head a little. "Hell... to say the least. He treated us right but pushed us harder then we could ever even imagine. Bandit didn't grow her size because of some... magic trick. In fact, people tried to sell him... more 'genetically perfect' Poochyena's. She has plenty of flaws... but it just shows that genetics in many cases can be thrown out the window; there's no number that tells you what you can and can't do Runt. Now... let's start training." "N - now? B - but... I'm kind of hungry..." "Perfect!" Shadow mentioned with a laugh "You don't need to cramp up and whine about it. So, start breathing kid, because you and I are going for one hell of a run."

At best... Thief made it maybe three and a half laps; a straight line run back and forth before he tuckered out. His heart pounded against his chest and his tongue rolled out with the desperation of water and heat. The way his lungs pointlessly sucked back stifling air that stung his insides and refused mercy as he'd let out a vicious cough. As for Shadow... Thief's three laps were more like twelve for him. It left him in a growling tizzy and that's when Thief felt him nip his tail and drag him into a near spin. The Growlithe just watched his whole world spin around and around. The rocks didn't give him much of a footing to push down on. "Get that DAMNED look in your eyes kid, whatever you pictured... whatever you imagined is YOUR reality. So, hurry the HELL up and change it. I'm not giving you a choice because if that tail comes off that's FINE by ME." Thief swallowed and felt his heart throb against his chest. I don't want to picture that... again. What was that? I'm scared of it... terrified of it. Why would I picture that? It's like all those fuzzy dots before a bad headache. I felt blind... Thief pushed his hind legs past his forepaws and nearly tripped over that. That's when his memory came to him... "So I bet you can run just like me!"_Wuffles voice touched his ears. _That's right... she looked... so apologetic back at... and it was all my fault for being an idiot. I... don't want to see a face like that right? Not again? Is that the right thing to think? This can stop that right? A little pain now and I'll be... stronger? I... could start to understand the value of my life? What it can do to others if... If I... Thief pushed his legs harder as he'd slam his paws against the rocks below him... the solid hot stone sharply nipped and stabbed at his leathery little paw pads. "H - Hey kid! That's it!" Shadow expressed and as if to tease him... he'd slow down to the point that Thief could just see his tail before that sleek, grey-steel and jet-black Mightyena shot forward "I didn't think you'd pick up THAT kind of movement so quickly! Maybe you're a little smarter then you think!" Shadow yelled back at him and gave this... all too familiar yip or holler that Bandit did. His was higher pitched then hers... but Luna could growl deeper then Thief could anyways; so, he didn't think anything of it. Thief just focused on what was directly in front of him... in this case it was the rear end of a Mightyena... It made him make a sound Is this part of training? Or are you all just humiliating me too? ... Thief just shook his head Fine... if he wants to bite MY tail, then I guess I'll need to bite his first right!? It's like a fluffy... messy piece of yarn anyways! So, this'll be easy enough right!?

By the time Thief hit... well he lost count and ended up on his back with that slim, sleek and built Mightyena looking over him. "M - Maybe I pushed you too hard... first day." Thief just let his tongue roll out and touch the hot rock... At least that was colder than his muzzle... "How... many laps did I get?" Shadow laughed... "Seven. You got Seven kid... you went all... hunter! Like some little... Little..." Shadow shook his head "I got no word for it, Runt. So... we're going to push you like this every... day... well maybe not EVERY day, this hard at least." "D - D - Don't tease... me" Thief panted out and flicked his tail. "I thought the Pokeball... didn't let us... do this?" Shadow laughed "It doesn't let us FIGHT. We can't use our powers to take a hit or really hone one in... in terms of power. Like... You can't make your fire blast stronger in here. You might be able to make it more exact like Marill is doing. I guess Logan didn't think that through... that's a first." Shadow expressed... and didn't roll out his tongue. He didn't pant like Thief did... only when he talked. "Breathe through the nose kid; don't rely on that big mouth of yours... and stand up; crumpling like that won't help you." Shadow kept correcting him with all sorts of little things; making Thief figuratively roll over on command. "S - So... are we going to... help me get stronger?" Thief asked, and Shadow nodded "Your special attack. I can't risk taking you on physically, I can even see it. There's something out of place and I'm worried that if I hit you wrong... you're not getting up again." Shadow expressed to him "I guess call me Teach..." Shadow sighed and hung his head down low. "If we're lucky... you'll evolve, and you won't need to worry about a few broken bones." Thief tilted his head "What?" He asked, and Shadow laughed "Bandit proudly says that she took a bullet for Logan... what she doesn't tell people is that she took that round when she was still a Poochyena. She... evolved the day she did. The last one of any of us." Shadow commented "She was the last Pokemon Logan ever got to evolve, he promised Griffin he wouldn't." Then... Shadow sighed and huffed gently. "The round... it's still stuck in there. I'm always terrified about... about poisoning or... They can't get it out because if they did, she'd... permanently have trouble walking." Shadow mentioned "When she does... that's the day we never fight again." Thief just folded his ears... "I keep getting told... to find a dream or... a goal or... something" Shadow smirked and looked down at him as they'd glance up at the red, barren land before them. The one that hotly exhausted smoke and mist from the ground... vapor of white as though the earth below them breathed with such intensity that Thief couldn't handle it.

"That's what Logan always tells Griffin too." Thief blinked idly as Shadow spoke. "As bad as it sounds... like... Like I'm only interested in..." Shadow shook his head "I just want a family with her; that's what I fight for. Something as... simple and humble as that. I just fight for something I love because I know that if I push myself hard enough, as hard as her, then I might just be able to help her when she needs it the most. Not if... when... because it happens to the best and strongest of us eventually." Shadow smiled "She told me that she's sure in us. Her and I... she's not hopeful, she's not... praying or... anything like that. She's decisive, confident. Sure. She doesn't question it because she knows... I'm the luckiest... I know that. Yet I'm terrified that I could lose her, and I'd do anything, no matter what." Shadow expressed. "So, find something you can fight for, something in front of you or... around you. Don't try for the impossible, those are things that must be let go. But if you must tackle something like that... then do everything to make it possible. At that point... you have nothing but time on your side." Thief just looked down at the ground again. "All... I have are these... dreams..." Thief spoke out loud. "Dreams? What dreams?" He'd go wide-eyed and look up at him. "I. I... don't... know really. I think Luna has them too." Thief began "She, spoke with me this morning..." "Oh I know, Bandit told me." Thief figuratively hit the stones below him. "She's always awake... remember that. When you think for even a fraction of a second that she's sleeping... she's wide awake. It's scary... I rolled over one time, ONE TIME, after I evolved. She nearly ripped me apart." Shadow began to laugh like nuts "Even as a Poochyena, she was still tough enough and ballsy enough to even try to take down Aggron. She won... eventually. After she evolved... she beat everyone." Thief just tilted his head once more "Why... tell me any of this?" Shadow nodded "Because if I'm going to train you as hard... and as roughly as I can with every intention in my being... in hopes that you best me. Then if I'm not there that day, I just hope you've already found something worth fighting for... and I just hope you can bring her back to me." Shadow expressed "I don't care how small... meek or loud mouthed you can be Runt. Because she was a lot like that too. A lot like Luna too... Sassy, Loud; always demanded everyone's attention, her goal was to be the lead. The one to take the hit... the... the Paladin..." Shadow expressed "Logan used to talk about them, they're like big... titans of humans. Knights. They could stop anything, they had no fear. They had their immediate goal right in front of them and their impossible goal was just... coming home." Shadow mentioned "Her immediate goal is a fight. To take down her opponent... and her impossible goal is just to be with family. To be with... us, Griffin... Logan... everyone. Her goal has always been home... Thief. Her way of being there is simply different from everyone else's."

Thief just stayed silent... quiet and coughed a little. "You should go" Shadow expressed with a confident and happier tone "I bet Luna is all healed up by now; I wouldn't be surprised if everyone's already headed to the next city." Thief nodded as Shadow sat down. "Now go on, you know the meadow is the way out, right?" Shadow expressed as Thief made his way down there... but as soon as he crossed into that grassy meadow, he'd stare back at the odd metallic water that stood before him. Just watching Bandit walk in and sit next to Shadow for the time... as though they talked endlessly about all sorts of things. All Thief could do was stare... stare in endless worry and confusion. Watch two ghosts that talked and laughed and rested amongst each other. Something he feared... that he felt shocked and horrible with the smallest voice in the back of his head as though his very choices could change them both. For better... or worse. Thief had to stall his paws... shake them... He'd feel them quiver from the sprint he had. Luna is... just ahead but... why am I stopping now? I should be... be worried; I am worried. I... want to... talk to Bandit first. Why do I want to? No... I know why. It took her a moment of silence until she turned her head. Thief found himself wandering back to her, past the glass as though a world beyond the pair feebly held him at bay. It took him a moment of silence, the interruption between the trio... until he apologized. It made her yip and howl with laughter. "You couldn't hurt me no matter what you did." Thief simply swallowed "H - how do you... beat a type when you're at a disadvantage...?" Bandit simply gave him this fang filled grin "That's easy... You have plenty of tricks up your sleeve; some that you just haven't been shown. If it uses the earth... find terrain it can't work with. Try water if you need to. If it uses water, take that away... or use the ground to stop it. Think... Think it's like a big hexagon of a shape. A wall of crazy." She pronounced that last word happily with her snapping jaws "Everything is weak to something... hell if something could use anything it has to be weak or vulnerable to everything. Like a ditto or some of those tricky psychic types." She'd laugh a little "I might be a dark type, Psychic can't touch me... but I know that some of them end up using... foolery. Fighting moves, lightning... water and fire. Ice and Steel. Some even fly, go figure." Bandit expressed "If you're so good at reading and learning, Runt... why don't you read and learn all you can about it? Become our little... little scholar so to speak." Bandit licked her maw as she'd express that "Imagine that, a little bookkeeper, running around and telling all of us their weakness's. Maybe you'll learn more that way... just keep up with Shadow or I'll show you a REAL vicious look. Now get... Luna's waiting for you Runt." Bandit expressed as Shadow gave a nervous laugh. "Kind of weird that you came back here... I just told you to leave anyways." Thief nervously smiled "It... just felt like the right thing to do... I guess... You'll have to help train me again!" Shadow grinned and laughed shortly after... Bandit just sat next to him with that fang bared look.

"I can keep going Runt, don't act like a single day is going to be enough to push past me. Now go or I'll push you out of this Pokeball."

It was the nostalgic click and flash that left Thief to stare around the back room of the Pokemon center and as he'd look up... Griffin was just putting on that black and green jacket. One that he zipped up just a little past halfway and sighed "Finally... god "That's not the name I was given... Bull..." Griffin laughed a little as Thief just stared up at him from his side. "Funny how you just... POP out here, I swear all of you have dozens of conversations without me..." Thief just watched the hairs on the back of his head rise "W - Wait... you all don't talk about me do you?" He'd began, and Thief just nervously laughed to himself... it would only sound like a small odd whine to Griffin, he knew that... If only you knew... I know that sometimes everyone does, explains why you sneeze sometimes... Thief wondered to himself as Griffin just gave a big toothily grin. "You ready Thief? We're headed for Fuchsia City next! Natasha kept talking about Lavender Town... that's on like the OPPOSITE side of Kanto! No way I'm going ALL the way back there." Griffin expressed and sighed before he'd drop a knee and gently grazed Thief's side with his fingers. "... What the hell did Ayumu put you through?" It was that sound of worry which left Thief to swallow and quiver. "I must be doing something... something wrong. I have what... Four? Pokemon that I actually caught?" If you're counting Bandit... she always mentioned to me it was LOGAN you gave her to? Thief thought to himself and lightly giggled as Griffin crossed his fingers across his scalp... And that's when the not so fun things began, the burn spray. Thief knew why it was called that... It stung like hell and smelled terribly of this medical ointment... it made him think of sickly peppermint... if it could ever have a smell like that. A gross richly strong smell that just made him desire to leap out of his own pelt... after that it was all talk about how they'd go to Fuchsia... catch a ferry after the Gym to Cinnabar and loop through Pallet Town to Viridian City. The last three gym badges Griffin wanted. Thief just smiled and giggled, it sounded like collecting rare stones and hidden treasure coves to him. This idea that they'd cross the sea Crusade upon open waters where nothing but simple fortune lay. It made his eyes glimmer and shine with the thought, but his smile shortly faded. Thief felt that small little thing hang over him. A childlike guilt just hovered in the back of his mind. That's... what I want, to explore. So... can I first finish the goals in front of me? What do... I need to do? A resolve. I need to find a resolve, a drive... a dream. Moonlight has one, I can ask him too. I have Shadow's answer... So, I ask everyone I can, and I won't choke like I did with Bandit.

Luna simply rested against Griffin's rucksack as she waited on him and with curious firm eyes she'd stare at the corner of the room. Thief had to take a glance too. Moonlight and Leafeon were busy just... talking or... arguing or... something. Thief couldn't tell at all, but it was all interrupted the second Yuny showed up. Then it became this plight of "Oh we're not fighting" and all that. Thief just swallowed a little more and let his tail drag on the tile. Luna... Luna looks fine? They met gazes for a moment as Thief just curiously blinked at her. Maybe she... want's the fight to break up? No... I have time now, everyone is setting things up. I can talk to... both of them, I guess. Thief took a step forward, before he'd turn "H - Hey little buddy you shouldn't..." Griffin trailed off as Thief left him in the dust. "S - Seriously?" He'd just let out a sigh "I'm losing all of my Pokemon to Natasha..." Griffin expressed and huffed Thief just walked away from him as he went over to Luna. I have... I have all the time in the world right? I want to make the right choices... and... I think before... before being an Explorer I need to... figure out what a friend really is. It's more then just a title... right? "Moonlight..." Leafeon began with his gritted teeth. "We're not off the subject." "What are you mumbling about! Sensei..." Yuny flicked and wiggled her ears as she began to loudly yip and chitter on about some interesting television show. "We... are" Moonlight replied but Thief barged in on the show. "Stop fighting for a minute..." Thief expressed and that made them both flinch "You ARE fighting! I knew IT! So, Sensei is going to beat up the pervert!" Moonlight jolted "W - W - What the hell do you mean by THAT?" He'd express loudly... sharply... as Yuny exploded into an array of giggles during her reply "You're super DUPER pale! You're like all of those creeps!" Thief gently pushed her paws "T - that's not nice to say, you know that." Thief began "It's... not black and white as that..." Thief expressed and smiled after a shy silence. "So you're like a little brother!" Yuny replied "And Luna is a BIG sister!" Yet it just left Thief to hold his smile. "S - Sure... N - Now why don't you play with Akamaru? I need to talk to Moonlight..." "What's Moonlight to you!?" Yuny mentioned and it left Thief to clear his throat. It was this awkward back and forth look between them until he opened his mouth. "H... He's...?" Thief tried to smile and scoffed I... don't know a thing about him. I've... been with Moonlight all this time and I don't... know a thing. I talk about myself endlessly but... he just smiles and gives advice. "He's an acquaintance, one that I want to talk to more..." Thief said rather bluntly, and it left Moonlight to twitch his ears. "So, I'd like to talk to him." "I wanna play..." Thief giggled in reply "Of course we will! Remember tag? We're going for a hike anyways! All the way to another big, BIG city!" Thief mentioned and flicked his fluffy tail "So we can play tag and hide and seek!" Yuny just nodded and the noise left him to twitch an ear. He knew the noise she made. It was a noise just to catch attention... to agree without any real understanding.

It left him to cough dryly as Moonlight gave him a sharp look. "An... Acquaintance?" Thief cleared his throat and gave him a look. It's like he suddenly has needles in his eyes... "I don't... know anything about you. Or at least very little... so... I mean we can't be friends if it's one-sided... right?" Moonlight just blinked and flicked his ear, annoyed. "Are you asking me or telling me?" His snapped remark made him narrow his eyes. Why... do I... want to butt heads? It's... like I'm suddenly... Thief just cleared his throat again as his thoughts ran through his head. "Stop acting like a little shit and tell me what the hell you want." Thief felt himself growl as he'd simply see... black? Red? The way Moonlight always left this little snarl at the end of his sentences from time to time left him in a tizzy. "How about you piss off and let me talk!?"

It left Akamaru, Sephiran and Tsurara to look his way. Thief just felt it slip out without any second thought. It felt... it felt a little... relieving. It was this explosive sound that he made which left him to blink idly after a moment I'm doing this too soon right? All because Moonlight isn't Bandit? He's not Shadow... So now I'm just... just venting... or? What the hell am I doing? It feels good but it feels wrong. I... I can't approach it like this either... "He said a bad thing..." It left his skin and fur to crawl. "What are you doing?" Akamaru's voice cut in firmly. "I don't care, why would I? It's just a word." Sephiran's voice... Tsurara just had this glued on smile, she didn't make a simple peep. Thief just sighed and sharply snorted, to his astonishment he clearly puffed out smoke. "All I wanted to ask... to put it bluntly was... what do you strive for?" Thief began to say "What's your... big goal or... I don't know now." Thief expressed and snapped his jaws "You're getting a little hot-headed Runt..." Moonlight expressed back, calmly but there was a bit of a sharp tipped gaze that narrowed down on Thief. "Calm down." "No YOU do that!" Thief recoiled "What's wrong with you? What the... What changed?" Thief expressed with a snarl "Wh-" "You're sounding an awful lot like Luna... Get lost, Thief." Moonlight mentioned and gave him a firm... eye down look. "I don't answer to you, lapdog. So, don't try your damn luck, because you're right that you know nothing about me and if it were up to me, I'd keep it that way." Moonlight snapped back as Thief just silently swallowed to himself But he thrashed his tail in all defiance. "All because you had one little injury, doesn't mean anything to ME. Now... Get lost before I show you how brittle a ribcage can be." Thief just snarled back and walked off, he was midway through the crowd when he stalled... That's... oddly specific...? My ribs...? It's usually my tail or my neck... a kill shot or something to deform me but... my ribs?_Thief just glanced back at Moonlight. The Espeon went back to talking to Leafeon intensely... but Moonlight gave him a sharp... firm look back. One with this odd feel of emotion behind it, as though he flat out said _"I gave you whatever you needed, just don't be dumb enough to get killed. Calm down and think." That was the look on his face, it was obvious for him and Moonlight just huffed and hissed. Leafeon was busy trying to calm him down the entire time they were getting ready.

"T - That looked a little intense... Are... you okay?" Luna asked as Thief just slumped down on Griffin's bag. "Two seconds back and I'm already threatened by three different people." Thief expressed "I just... I just feel... short?" Thief shook his head "I don't even think that makes sense." Luna just folded her ears and snuggled against the rucksack. "You're in pain... right? You're just a little... short fuzed?" Luna laughed and giggled a little "Is that a joke?" Luna just didn't stop giggling "I'm just thinking about a balloon..." Thief just furrowed his brow "A balloon?" Luna nodded to his short reply "It's so stupid but... I saw one earlier today. I think when we were looking out at the city this morning... there was one that started to float up to the sky from the center of the city. It was like a big purple speck that started to fly. Are there... Are they all colorful?" Thief simply blinked and laughed a little "Ow... Oww..." Luna flicked her ears to his whine. "Yes, sorry... I guess laughing hurts a little... Balloons come in all sorts of colors." "Oh..." Luna commented back, and Thief just swallowed "T - there's all kinds of shapes and sizes and colors..." "They're like lanterns, right? Paper ones...?" Luna sighed as Thief just flicked his ears. "I don't get it... how we ended up here. We learned that... Moonlight ate nightmares for us and now all the dreams don't stop." "He's also getting... getting tense too." "You didn't help" Luna recoiled, and Thief frowned as his chin hit the bag. "Did... you... have a dream earlier?" Thief asked, and Luna nodded "It's weird... right? It's like... like a completely different life." Thief sighed a little. "It... feels the same to me... sort of." Luna just stilled and stopped. "I... mean, I don't think I want to go back... ever. Even if I could... Bandit threatened me earlier and I just... I don't know. I saw something that..." Horrified me? Terrified me? It felt... it felt worse then that... it wasn't like a bad movie or... a scary prank it... it was like feeling every bit of my soul... ripped out of my body. It was like everything I had to live for just, just died. "It was fuzzy... and I think it was the worst thing ever." Luna just went quiet. "I met that new Pokemon last night... Esi." Thief flicked his ears "Esi? That's weird..." Luna nodded "Really weird, it has two tails and a quilled mane." Thief felt his haunches rise. "This crazy purple... black fur, it's like a metal. I can't tell what it is. Logan said it was a dragon, I think it's a ground, steel type!" His eyes flicked desperately as his tail thrashed "In fact it got scared when it heard this freaky noise Griffin made." It... it is isn't it? Why...? My heart is picking up already, it already hurts. It already hurts... "I know it..." Thief muttered as Luna simply flicked her fur out in shock. "Know it?" Thief cleared his throat and nudged closer to her... muttered it out to her. It left her fur to rise and her body to shrivel up "That's it alright... wait... did it hurt, is that where all this came from?" "N - not really... but it's sorta part of it. I got scared for a... I think it's a new friend... So, I did something stupid and ran all around Alola; at least I thought I did. There's this terrifying ghost type that lives on the beach called a Sandygast. It... sorta hypnotized me and tried to eat me alive. The entire... start of this amazing adventure, like something out of an amazing dream it... it was just part of it... eating me. That's why I look so bad." Thief expressed "But this Arcanine named Lucius pulled me out and did... did this." Luna felt her fur rise on end. "You've... heard the name too. Right? We can't just... just talk about it here. It's... It's crazy, we'd sound crazy!" Thief began "An Island with nothing but... but Arcanine's and Vulpix's and... it's nuts..."

"It's not... THAT nuts." A voice slipped through the crowd. "I mean... maybe with some fatass little hero coming back. But Luna could easily come back with me." Luna just flicked her ear and looked around, as did Thief. "I thought it was you! My god... you got fat." It started to laugh as Thief's face got red "you're... You're just so FAT. Oh my... If only Arceus could see you! He'd probably use ALL of it to make a new continent!" "Who are you?" Luna growled out as the voice just cautiously treaded water "Now now... no need to get so spiteful! That muzzle should know it can't talk around a... male of my caliber. It should be used for more... appropriate things." It began to say as Luna just snarled "I didn't ask for some runaround." Luna spoke to the crowd "Where are you." "Oh... hiding I'd say. I wondered where you went! And... Oh my god! Even... Leafeon is here! It's the same one, I swear it is... Where'd you find HIM?" Luna just growled in reply as Thief bitterly sat there with his face broiling red. I'm not that fat... He'd shake his head "Either come out and show yourself or get lost." Luna violently snarled "I don't give a damn about who you are, show yourself." There was a tsk that came into the room. "Wow... Who would have thought the little shrine maiden grew a pair! Ehh... your fur is... is disgusting. Have you even cleaned yourself? I can do it for you" the voice commented, and Thief watched Luna rub her tongue with her paw as though she had this horrid taste in her mouth. "Piss off..." She exclaimed quietly and huffed "You're some gross... freak. Don't talk to us." Then there was the laughter in reply "Gross freak? Look at the pudgy rice-roll next to you! Get your head back to reality, Luna. That fat little thing is some... abhorrent decrepit monster! Can't you see that!? There's a reason why he's some mangy feral outcast." The voice expressed as Thief just pressed his fangs together "I'm surprised he even survived the water... You, no question. It's only natural a Vulpine would survive, I mean I did. Now, that introductions are out of the way... where the hell is Lumine?" Thief and Luna both flicked their ears to the sound. A name that was just taunting them in their thoughts and dreams. Thief just snarled at the open air... "Like I'd tell you..." There was a little chuckle "Because the little punching bag can do anything to me. Right? Pussy..." Thief snapped his jaws "Then hide in the crowd why don't you? Or just walk out here and face me up? I'm covered in a few damn good scars, but I'll still tear your limb from bloody limb!" "T -Thief...?" Luna whispered and swallowed nervously as he'd just snarl bitterly... the voice was quiet at first... this long solemn and sobering quiet. "Heh... you really did grow a pair. When the hell did that happen?" Thief just growled and bit his lip "I guess your friend Lucius couldn't bear the thought of killing me." Thief recoiled and grinned before he dug his claws into the tile, they'd screech annoyingly... like fingernails on a chalkboard. The voice went quiet again

"Lucius is... Alive? No... No, he...? He got... he fell in the water years... and years ago." The voice expressed hastily, and Thief just growled back "Sounds like you're the one wussing out. Now we can continue our little cursing contest, or you can go try and drown yourself in the sea while you make it halfway across the world." Thief demanded blindly into the air "Or would you like to try your luck with the frost Vulpix's?" The voice just huffed and snarled "B - Bullshit, they left too. They... can't be alive. That's not possible the Islands are... they're... generations a part!" The voice corrected itself and expressed boldly "They'd be... Be hundreds of years old!" "No... Last I saw him he was barely older then I was... and he tried to torch me for it. So back the hell up, back the hell down and sod off before I rip off your tail and find the tiniest little hole on your carcass to shove it into." Thief snarled back "You want to play with threats? I've had plenty of practice and the best teacher around to show me!" "What are you two yelling about?" Moonlight cut in "I can hear you both from here! Thief!? What's wrong with me? What is wrong with you!?" Luna stammered and swallowed "T - There's someone bothering us." "What? Is..." Moonlight swallowed and flicked his tail before he'd quake and look concerned, eye around the room cautiously. "Is it that thing again?" Thief started to giggle "No... I think it's some little meek Vulpix talking crap that it barely knows about-..." Moonlight chuckled in reply, loud enough that it interrupted Thief. "The one in the corner of the room, right?" Moonlight began to say "It's been staring at Leafeon since I started talking to him. I saw him in Cerulean too." He'd express "Why don't I go say hi?" Moonlight began and softly licked his maw "I think Thief has the right idea... but I have a different thought in mind..." Luna just flicked her long tails out and puffed out her chest before letting out a current of flame between them both.

Needless to say it scrambled the ENTIRE Pokemon Center and left Luna in a sharp hiss of smoke with her haunches hiked high "Will you both cool the hell off!? What is with EVERYONE today!? Luna snapped and let out a low growl as Moonlight recoiled from it. "Why are we ALL so tense and... and... and at each other's throats!? We don't need to be ANYTHING like that..." She'd curse and lifted her head from against Griffin's rucksack. "Who cares about one stupid Vulpix anyways? Who cares about what he says!? Just from what he told me I don't want to leave AT ALL." She'd remark loudly and firmly at Moonlight and Thief. "But I also don't want some stupid... tense day every single time we're all in some room together!! So, STOP freaking out and just... JUST SAY WHAT'S WRONG!!" Luna roared at them both. " I SHOULD HAVE LEFT HIM TO DIE AT THAT DAMNED TRAIN!!!" Moonlight roared back at her in recoil; loud enough that it made her ears flinch. Enough that it made her eyes glow wide and her haunches to stay hiked up high. Moonlight just stalled with his face red, ears flickering and eyes just... watering. She... didn't realize how much it hurt him just to say that alone. It left Thief silent, limp... extinguished. "..." "Moonlight..." "Shut up Leafeon. Just... Shut up..." He'd express and coughed. "I... can't even... look at him. Don't you... Don't you get that by now?" Moonlight broke out in a cold frigid look that left his fur to fold and slim down. "I... Can't handle it anymore. I don't think I ever could." Moonlight began to say "You don't know anything about me... Thief... because I... I don't want you to." Moonlight began to say as Leafeon gave him a little push... a small little push with his paw. That left the Espeon to snarl... hiss and without any warning Moonlight just lunged at him. There wasn't a single warning... a single thing to predict it. Moonlight simply lunged and struck at Leafeon, all it did was take the blunt of the blow and before Moonlight had the simplest chance to bite him down; vines tied down his muzzle and put him to the floor. All Thief could do was stumble back and sit on his tail.

Thief stayed entirely quiet as they left the center after Griffin's endless apologies and in moments, they'd hit the road and touch Route Sixteen with the city behind them. All Thief could do was wander in silence... as usual everyone popped out of their Pokeballs and it became this endless stroll down another new route... a new forest. A curious tread through another beautiful trail... one where a splendid and massive blue, silver shimmering lake looked back at him. The wind was faintly of salt, but then again it always was... Luna just wandered next to him in silence. "We... We were all scared... at the train." Luna began to say. "I think... I think Moonlight still is. I... I think you are too. T - That's why we're getting so... so angry at each other." Luna expressed "You're hurt... still. I want to help... why won't you talk to me?" Thief just stayed quiet, there wasn't anything to say. He just kept wandering until they finally stopped for food. Thief... didn't eat. He just went over to the lake to stare at the water that was over on the horizon. "Thief..." A voice began to say as he'd twitch his ear and laid his head against the grass. "Why are you... talking to me?" Thief began to say back... Leafeon was the one that was talking to him. That Leafeon simply sat down next to him "I used to have a friend." "Great, a pep talk." Leafeon snorted in reply to his words. "That friend was a wonderful friend. A male that was in love with another male... even though that one had cubs of his own... or at least was." Leafeon expressed softly as Thief just huffed a plume of smoke and looked behind him. Melody was the very first one who he saw. She just laughed and giggled, petted her Houndoom Smokey as Nidoran jogged around them. This wonderfully happy look on her face... Then there was Brad and Aura, both of them sat side by side eating feverishly... Bandit was busy trying to hold a conversation with Aura. Natasha simply sat nearby Melody, there was this... it was hard to see the look on her face or what it meant. But that look faded so quickly when Tsuara and Yuny came up to her. Akamaru and Sephiran went off to train. Moonlight stayed on his own, sleeping in the corner; like he just needed a time out of his own. Luna and Absol were talking to each other and as usual... Scarf found a tree to climb. It was this pretty mixture of a picture, one with every spectrum. Griffin was so busy cooking with that little new and shiny stove of his; for once he was smart enough to pack food and stocked up just enough for the walk, give a day. "My friend was motivated... charged by his friends' death, the death of their mate that he did everything in his power to try and help the cubs they left behind, but there were... laws and... rules to society. He couldn't, and he always beat himself up for it." Leafeon continued to say. "I was the one to push Moonlight... It's not because I want to... drive a wedge between you both. It's because I know what he's doing. Moonlight doesn't deserve that too. He doesn't deserve to... to forsake every bit of himself for everyone around him, the same way as you don't get to take everyone for granted." Thief scrunched up his nose "I do-" "Yes you do." Leafeon expressed after interrupting him. "Thank you for agreeing with me." He sighed once more and just sat next to him. "You want to... be friends with him. You want to help him. You want to... to sacrifice a bit of yourself because you know that if they all do, if... we all do then we can all carry a burden. I'm not the one he needs to stargaze with. I'm not the one he needs to talk with. Not right now. You do Thief... so rather then hoard all of yourself, like... like shells in a cave... I'd say give more then you get, because in the end it will eventually come back for you. So. Go... you know you want to, you know there's no one to blame because of something so out of your control." Leafeon used his vines to slide him against the grass. "Go... then I'll help you with your burns. I can help you with your training... Because Moonlight needs to stop wasting time... himself. Help him carry that... Little Thief... because I'm smart enough to know that he can't do it alone and no one else will be able to understand him even remotely. Only you... and perhaps I... but he's not ready for me yet, he needs a brother first." Leafeon expressed and smiled "He needs an older brother... and if I'm right, that little whirlwind can become a fierce hurricane." Thief just found his paws press against the cold moisture of the earth... the stalks of grass which cut through his leathery pads. The chilly air and dew were soothing for them, especially with how hard he ran and trained earlier. Thief just watched and pressed one paw after another. All he could do was stop and stall as he'd meekly glance over Moonlight, all that Espeon did was curl up against a patch of grass.

"Get lost" Moonlight didn't even lift his head to him. "We already talked enough today." Moonlight expressed to Thief as the Growlithe just sat down next to him. "Fearless?" Moonlight laughed a little "Don't start acting tough now... you don't just change because of some... stupid actions of your own." Thief just stayed quiet, sat beside him as he'd lay against the grass. He just let his eyes catch onto every little thing with Moonlight by his side. "I told you to get lost, Thief. You're pissing me off." Moonlight expressed again as Thief just stayed put. It left Moonlight to snarl, but Thief didn't move. He didn't even flinch It left Moonlight to grin as he'd lay back down "At least you don't look like you're pissing yourself as much anymore." He began to say and only huffed after a moment of silence. Thief didn't even make eye contact with Moonlight. He just silently sat beside him. "If you're expecting an apology, that'll be perfect reason for me to show you what a real threat is." Thief didn't make a noise in reply. All he did was silently sit beside him, hardly look at him... Hardly move, just watch everything else. It left Moonlight to laugh for a moment, it took him just a second to figure it out. "I'm not a feline, I understand what you're doing... Thief. You're trying to say that you trust me. Or... that you're listening to me?" Moonlight only sighed after Thief didn't reply to him. "The silence is nice." Moonlight commented after a moment. "If you just stay quiet, you can just... just learn and hear... notice the world around you. Calm down and find... motivation and reasons and all those things. So, if you want to stay quiet... I can too." His voice pressed softly against a wonderful growing wind between them. A soft... gentle and fragrant wind which curled around both of their pelts and softly lifted and pressed against their chests. Thief didn't say a word back to him, he solely listened to the wind and watched it rustle all of the tree's around them, the kind with oak and pine as strong and rich as the soil below their paws. Every single silent hush and whisper of the forest licked against their ears as the Espeon solely rested his jaw against these silk pairs of grass stalks. His tail flicked endlessly against the frosty yet... homely warm air. The tree's around them rustled and Thief caught sight of one tree which overlooked a lake that shimmered in golden, fleeting sunlight. It was a simple tree with another that pushed against it... grew into it. As though the tree ever so smaller, held and carried a tree much larger then itself. As though it pushed that larger tree to the sky, to look upon the sunlight no matter how dark the night may become.

Dinner was something he finally got around to, but it involved Shadow and Bandit replacing his entire meal with wild berries of all different kinds and colors. Thief didn't mind it... or at least the look on his face didn't say that. Griffin made this wonderful meal for all of them, and Thief was the only one that didn't get a single piece of it. There was this beautiful light of creamy orange and bright puffy pink; like fluffy warm clouds that were dyed in a splendor of contrasts that hovered over that glimmering lake of crystals. Lights were on the horizon, in his eyes, as he'd feel this strong embracing gust push against his chest while his mind went exploring from a splendid painting of oils and brushstrokes. Soft velvety huffs crossed and parted his lips as a gentle plume of clear white smoke flickered from his nose and tickled his whiskers. There was this silence that came over all of them... at least from Griffin's Pokemon. The entire field around them inclined as though to make this bank of stalks; bright but faded gold... as though to brace for the coming night and glow in the morning lights. Thief didn't have a thought, couldn't fathom a word. Just this sting of guilt which hung over his head no different then a shackle. A chain and sickle that dug into his fur and claws as he'd picture the train. I... I stalled him. I panicked... I didn't... Didn't think. It was... like when I... I kissed Luna back at Maiden's Peak. I didn't think. I didn't... even consider... her feelings about it. Then she kissed me too after and didn't take... I stole from her and she stole back. Why? Thief just watched small hints of pollen as though the final brush of summer came past him; the way how the flurry carried it away caught his eye. Just a pointless distraction. A pointless distraction.

Then he'd find his paws touch the ground, stumble along the rocks as he'd walk and follow them all with the world just racing past him. Voices slid bye without a single halt to say hello. He'd wearily blink with the sunlight fading swiftly and the world, the walk becoming a long blur of colors and noise. As though it were a heart song as humble and simple. Something that wished only another to complete it even when the complacency of loneliness felt more then ample for him now. His rage already seethed away and faded as the final sparks of red, orange and hazy pink tumbled down the sky. Then it was the tents, the fire... some snacks and lively conversation between everyone. A few scary stories and laughter all while he looked intently into the flicker of fire and smoke. A dance, a vivid and endlessly fluid canvas... yet he'd catch eyes with one that slept away from them all. She slept away from them all, as though to curiously pad and question where her friends had gone... and what she had done wrong. Thief just felt a hand on his scalp and back but turned away from it. They'd just talk, Griffin curiously asking him what was wrong... but Thief just investigated the dark silhouettes of the woods... to find only pairs of tree's and bushes that carried a burden beyond themselves. To keep warm; to support one another. To know the answers solely by their being. Yet before he knew it... Thief fell into a sleep of turmoil. One worse then any dream he had. The kind that he'd close his eyes and wake up to morning without any warning or thought.

Like his wish came true, as though he wasn't able or capable of looking further. Like something was missing, a link or a chain. It felt uplifting, freeing. This smile to his face as though to be blind to the entire world again. His fur and haunches only rose to a voice that whispered in his ear. "So if you go exploring... that means you can find all sorts of pretty things! You could even find a new home too! One with lots of food!" A chill crossed by his pelt as he looked all around him. Everyone was asleep except for Akamaru. He was up early, earlier than anyone else. It didn't bother Thief much, he was only checking on Yuny to make sure she didn't run off. "Hm...? Oh, well of course I worry about her; even if she is annoying and drives me nuts. We're like... family, why wouldn't we be? We're all she has." Akamaru laughed at Thief's next question. "I guess it's just to keep up, nothing wrong with that." Thief just stretched and yawned; he felt as though he hadn't gotten even a parcel of decent sleep. All he could do was find a way to wake himself up. So, one dunk of his head into the lake later and he at least felt strong enough to keep his eyes open... even if he plumed out after that. All he could do was watch all the schools of fish; all of them follow the strongest, largest one. Thief didn't care for watching them much.

"Hey! You know what happens when you meet a trainer right? Let's have a battle!" That was a voice he heard from on the horizon by around lunchtime the next day... Natasha won that battle easily, a new trainer which she gave plenty of tips and tricks to. Even offered a potion after it since travelling without one was dangerous according to her. It left Melody to shake her head but that blonde haired trainer didn't say a word to Natasha, all she managed to do was happily adjust her glasses. Smokey... Smokey was curious around Nidoran as though he didn't mind Nidoran at all. In fact that Houndoom didn't even mind Yuny but... when it came down to Thief and Luna that's when he'd bare his teeth. Thief just wandered between a crowd, in the middle with everyone and hardly had a sound to grace his throat. "I want a home too! One that's always warm. We can all go there together!" A voice stalled his steps as everyone went past him... left him in a moment of silent dust and sunny warmth. "Yeah! We could have one up high like here! But they'll be all the pretty stones to find!" Another voice whispered across his ears "We could even find mommy!" The frosted chill ran down his back "We can have one just like everyone else." "There's a place beyond the water right? We should try to swim!" Just a collection of sounds and happy yips crossed against his ears. Five voices haunted him, a silent sound that he could hear but barely know. The leaves swirled against this sudden chill wind, all of which that dared to fly and only landed all over. Only one continued to hover and dance in the wind, battered by the breeze in a desperate flutter of light gold. One to impossibly stay afloat alone, to show that it could fly higher and find a place or a dream better then here. To selfishly search for more. His paws clattered against a sift of thin stones as he'd aimlessly stare into the clouds, to stare beyond it all. Just to simply see a picture... a world. Something above it all that he couldn't put his paws on or wrap his head around. The clarity and simplicity of the blue sunny sky and rolling white clouds above him. To look to the sun and find a name... one of his own and one that proudly expressed his own worth. That painted life and gave it's wonderful gifts to something he feared more then it all. "Thief... You're falling behind." Luna stopped for him, turned around for him. "Are you okay?" "I'm fine." Thief said back with a smile on his face. One that left her fur to stall and flatten. Her ears to perk and her tails to flicker. She'd simply grin back "You've been so quiet." Luna began to say "I'm just enjoying the view." Thief mentioned and huffed gently. Luna's tail stopped flickering after that, when he didn't reply and continued to walk beside her. Thief didn't let himself see that her ears had pinned back as she'd walk next to him... It made him... feel sick. That tighten grip on his stomach, the churn and the quake in his back. That all faded away with Moonlight walking next to him after. "What's wrong?" "I don't know... he's acting weird." Thief just huffed "Can't I just have a little... quiet? Don't you all want quiet?" Moonlight laughed... as though to taste all of the irony. "I'd say I'm tired of everyone trying their best to make everyone else happy..." "You mean playing house?" Thief flicked his ears "What's with you and that? Playing house...?" Luna just hummed and haw'd for a bit. "Bandit likes to talk about home, eventually. Sometimes when we eat together I ask her what's it's like. I mean living in a house..." Thief snorted "There's lots of blankets and pillows... the floor is comfy unless it's a hard floor. There's a TV and windows; oh and it's always warm and smells like food. It's a house..." Thief commented but Luna only shrugged in reply "I like the fireplace." Moonlight expressed and nodded "It always had the best memories." "They have fire in a house?" Thief commented and Moonlight nodded "Older ones do, I used to live in a small cottage." He'd say but directed it more at Luna then Thief. It left him to flick his ear and wonder how often Moonlight would talk about himself and he'd just not listen. "We'd have a fire every night." "I did too!" Luna smiled and flicked out her tail as Thief gave a nervous smile "I did..." Thief mentioned "Every night I did..." It left Moonlight to laugh "You just asked about houses HAVING a fireplace, Thief." Thief just nodded "I did!" It left Moonlight quiet, he'd force a smile before he'd nod. "You are... silly, you know that?" It was the grin on Luna's muzzle that kept Thief to smile even as his paws quaked and his tail hung low.

_"We can be warm tonight... right? And we'll have all of the berries to eat too!"_Something bumped against him. Leafeon... then Yuny came into the picture. Akamaru slipped in shortly after and a certain Pikachu mis-stepped and took a soft landing on Leafeon's back. That left them all to freeze before they broke out into laughter.

"We can play now right!?" Yuny commented "I wanna play hide and seek!" Thief simply looked at her, blankly before he'd take a stare at Moonlight "Why look at me? Go play." Thief simply plumed and huffed "Join us! It's like... like training right?" "I'll play if Moonlight does." Leafeon mentioned and that left Yuny to go big and bright eyed. "Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes..." She'd say constantly and quickly as Moonlight's face turned from a smile into a nervous one... into a pair of folded ears and a tilted head "I... guess I don't have a choice..." And that left Yuny to explode with laughter. "Maybe you're not a perv but an uncle!!" Luna and Thief both felt their souls leave their bodies for a second "T - THAT'S NOT NICE TO SAY" Moonlight just chuckled, the Espeon's face was glued with a fixed and nervous smile as that Vulpix and Growlithe both frantically corrected Yuny. Thief twitched his ears to Moonlight's voice "She really thinks that her life is like some cartoon show..." He'd comment to Leafeon and Leafeon nodded. "Makes me wonder if there's anything more... more wholesome for her to watch..." Moonlight giggled "I know a few... I watched one not too long ago." Thief just coughed and flicked his tail, he knew he had been too tired to stay up while he was in Alola. It left him to imagine what Moonlight did while he was asleep on that one bed in the corner. I did feel better... knowing that he was there. But soon they'd have this playful adventure, rotating everyone's turn to hide and seek one another. It felt like a real adventure for Thief. Being able to hide and now he hid well... well enough that he even tricked Luna from time to time. But Moonlight always found him. No matter what he did or where he went to hide. Thief even got Leafeon... One time. He hid underneath this old rotting log in the dense side of the trail. The kind that had worms and all sorts of smaller insects crawling all over it while he'd hide in the mud underneath. The first time he got a chance to outsmart Leafeon. Thief held that over him proudly and teasingly, even though he had this sneaky suspicion that Leafeon knew exactly where he was... But it was a very... very good hiding spot. As for Yuny, everyone at least found her once. "There it is!" Melody's voice made them all jolt... it left everyone to nervously laugh as she clasped her mouth shut "Yep." Natasha commented "Why don't we take the cycling lane? It's a MASSIVE road for trainers." "We're headed to Fuchisa... not Sunnytown." Griffin commented as Natasha hit her face with her palm "You idiot... there's two major cycling lanes in Kanto..." Natasha expressed "One of them is a bridge, god." "I don't... own a bike." Brad mentioned and Natasha huffed "They have rentals... THEY ALL SHOULD." She'd mention firmly... "Why are you tense?" Griffin brought up but all she did was look Thief's way "Nothing... Let's get on the cycling road and get to the city. Something just... feels weird, that's all." Griffin gave her a frown, Thief could see it. "Was it my cooking last night?" "What? No... if anything you BELONG in a kitchen." Brad held his sides laughing as Griffin held a nervous look and scratched the back of his head. "So let's hurry up, return everyone and rent some bikes." Natasha commented "Be sure you do... either that or we COULD take the trail... but that just takes way longer..." "Bikes sound could to me." "I don't mind" Melody commented as Griffin simply laughed dryly "Yeah... bikes!" Thief just scrunched up his nose and huffed... just another thing they had in common. "I mean... I have one!" Griffin expressed "It's one of those folding bikes..." "Wait... what?" Natasha blinked "Great... ANOTHER thing you have in that bag of yours..." "N - Not... really." Griffin commented and gave Brad a look "Remember back in Saffron... or Goldenrod or whatever?" Brad had to think, or at least it looked like it. "Yeah... well sort of, I was kind of sick; I hate cars..." Griffin chuckled "Right... Right... I uh... left it in Officer Jenny's cruiser. She popped the back and everything..." "You're remembering this now!?" Brad expressed loudly but Griffin just nervously laughed "Well... it is labeled... I bet they mailed it back home knowing me." Natasha just sighed "At least you're smart enough to label crap..." She'd comment as Griffin casually showed off a small plastic container with food. It was labeled, clearly enough.

Luna:

She had to opt for the Pokeball... in fact she felt tired enough with all the running around and walking that she figured she could use a moment to lay down. Even if she didn't want to... Luna definitely refused to go on a bike ride; that two wheel, pedal and chain cycle looked rugged and bumpy. Luna felt concerned with the idea of falling off of Griffin's bag... or him wiping out on that thing. Today's been good... even though yesterday was pretty rocky. I feel like everyone's just forgotten about everything. Even Moonlight... He... he shouldn't blame Thief, Thief hugged close to him on the train... I was the one that wasn't as close. As usual I just... Just... Luna shook her head and huffed Take your mind off it Luna... there's no need to worry about the past. I should be... worried about the center. They just put me through some fancy scanner and I felt better right away. Luna just parted an exhausted sigh and let her fur touched against the scalding hot stones below her. Let her tense and strained muscles turn to jelly from a wonderful lapse of heat. Running around all day... And I know Yuny could keep going... Are all cubs like that? Bandit is going to be terrified by the end of it Luna began to giggle to herself and let this silent steam flutter against her redwood fluff before she'd tenderly stretch until her hips cracked and her back popped. Then... she'd make her way to the center meadow... after meeting a certain peculiar friend.

"Hi!" It was that warbled and far... far away voice that she heard against the glass. "Hi again!" "You're the Vulpix... right? You're really friendly!" She'd reply with a chitter of her teeth and a clatter of these soft mauls behind them. An omnivore? Luna felt herself quiver_So... she does eat meat... is there a preference? What changes...?_ "I'm the Vulpix alright!" Luna giggled after saying that, it was strange needing to tell some creature..... another Pokemon what she was. "Are you still digging?" "No! I feel full so I wanted to lay down... It's just really quiet... so I need to focus on all of the noises outside." Luna tilted her head "Why worry about that?" "That's how scarier ones sneak up on you!" The Esi replied and nodded with a confident grunt... at least Luna thought it was thanks to the pause in her words. "They always sneak up when you least expect it! But you can scare them off and run with really REALLY loud noises!" She'd express "Like crackling bones together, that always scares them!" "Why?" Luna asked, "I mean... if where you come from, they're everywhere right?" "Oh... there's a scary.... I mean REALLY scary thing that attacks them whenever it sees them... well I mean all of us." She'd mention "All I want now is water... that's always hard to find..." Luna nodded "...A... Logan always has water on them! And if they don't, they ALWAYS find water" Luna mentioned to the glass wall and giggled "They all hoard water and share it" The Esi seemed to make a squeak "I like the sound of that!" Esi began to frantically quill out her fur from far away... Luna could watch as the scales on her body flickered and flaked like fur shedding. "No one ever does that! Does everyone just share food and water here?" Esi asked and Luna gave a nervous laugh "Well... sometimes. I mean, everyone is a little different... so... I can't just tell you that EVERYONE does, but I like to think a lot of Pokemon, and Humans do..." Why... would I... think that? Do I think that? No... there's all kinds of horrible.... Horrible things out there... but I feel like it's right to tell her this, it's just... a lie but I think it's better to hold onto something then nothing. Luna just sighed and coughed... And here I am in a Pokeball again... at least Griffin let me choose this time. Like he said he would before. I get... get emotional from him, he's not a leader... I think we feel naturally tense around him. Like we all need to lead. It's already pushing us apart. "I have to go... Esi. I hope you can get water from Logan, he always gives water, but you need to find a way to tell him." "I can chitter loud... REAL loud" Esi commented back to her "Have fun with all the other weird noises."

Have fun she says. Is it worth going through all this just for some happy moments like... like tag or hide and seek? Luna pushed through that odd wobbly membrane from the volcanic biome to the meadow and that sudden rush of freezing air which seeped from it. Luna felt the ground just barely quake below her as this familiar floaty feeling touched her stomach. This is a bike ride? Doesn't feel like anything all too special. She gave it a thought and pictured herself outside of the Pokeball with Griffin... until she found Moonlight. "Thief?" She went silent... stunned and wide eyed all at the same time before she gave a tender and gentle smile. "You... silly Growlithe. You're the only one I know who would cuddle up with someone that just told you... that." She'd give a little laugh I'm... happy, because even though it hurt, I feel like... Like Moonlight was being... honest. I think it hurt everyone. I think... I think he blames himself for what happened. Like he missed a choice. There's four or five every time... but only two are right in front of our noses. All Luna did was sit her tails against the patch of grass... She... couldn't take her eyes away from Thief. How he curled up so tenderly underneath a glorious glimmer of sunlight; the kind that made his fur glow. When he'd kick out his legs and what his tongue did to explore his lips and muzzle. Why he'd toss and wiggle against the grass and against Moonlight in this early afternoon snooze... and finally she'd simply wonder who he was dreaming about.

Yet she'd grace her paws through the entirety of the mountainous region, the closest to the largest biome above them. The sky. All she did was sit and wait as though to hear other voices... but there wasn't a soul here. Just her own self while she watched over an entire world created from simple shapes and ideal dens. A sudden rush of thoughts and voices ran all through her very existence while she'd look out towards a sea of green... one that ended with the sight of a hill in the faintest points of the horizon. "Across the sea? Well... there's a place we do not tread. Those that do never speak here again... there is no effortless way back. Me?" A voice cut into her mind, one that made her ear flick and quiver... one that made her tails swish and her legs vibrate. _"I... I come from those lands... Luna. I tell your mother about all those adventures I used to have. All the things I used to do. She was one that could never return solely because she had no path to take. I led her back home but fell in love with her along the way. Foolish... young love. It was love, and now I get to see my entire world in your eyes. They have a hint of my own in them, if you look close enough. Look at my world for me, if you ever do end up there. See and understand that there is more to this life then a title... a place... All I see are friends, love. I see that because a little... A little glimmer of hope is the only way I could ever have the strength to say three funny little words to your mother... Luna. _ " Something pushed her... once, twice. "I believe you're... lost in thought." "H - huh?" Luna tilted her head and gave a little laugh "S - Sorry... Absol, I didn't even know you came up here. Why are you here? I thought you'd talk to Scarf." Luna mentioned and softly whispered "How is it going anyways?" That Absol only gave a tired, little smile. "Well... he is older then even Bandit... but she's clearly in her prime still. Strange how he doesn't look it. He's polite and funny, endlessly bothers me because he says he wants to listen and..." Absol laughed "He's clearly a sweet little thing. I don't think I've ever seen or heard him raise his voice." Luna simply nodded "He's so busy... training..." "Oh, he does that because he loves the view and he's trying to use thunder-based moves. His cheeks just can't hold a charge and when he finally gets them too, he talks about how they get swollen. It's like... It's like he's permanently overcharged and has no way to get rid of it." Luna simply nodded as Absol gave her fluff a lick. It left Luna to jolt from the unexpected lick. "C - Come on... you don't need to do that... Absol...?" "Don't give me that now... it just... helps me feel calm." "Calm? Why?" Absol gave a hint of a sigh. "Because I'm... I'm worried Griffin will leave." Luna just looked up at her and blinked. "Everyone has... for me... They've left no matter what I did, so now that I finally... finally have something or... someone, I don't want them to leave." Luna simply swallowed "W... what do you want?" Absol tilted her head "What do you mean?" "I mean... do... you want to... be petted or...?" Luna expressed "I bet we can rope Griffin into petting you or grooming you. There is an entire city to explore. Maybe we can use the time to get Griffin to... to cater to all of us for a bit." Absol laughed while a coughing fit touched her throat. Old, weary, but heart filled laughter graced Luna's ears. A laugh full of life and wonder. "We shouldn't treat him like that, he is a human." Absol expressed "Our human. We all should do what we can for him... he's the kind... he's the human that I wish I knew before all of this. One of his age I mean." Absol mentioned "I can tell he grew up so fast. I can tell that he's a little like all of you. Maybe holding onto his childhood" Absol mentioned "But we all are much the same, some in good ways and some in bad." She'd express with this delightfully kind smile "I don't feel like Griffin just needs one of us, I don't believe that. I guess you could say I feel like a little faith or hope brought us here." Absol expressed as Luna just tilted her head and furrowed her brow. "You don't think it is?" "I... kind of think it's a little childish... cub-like I guess." Absol softly laughed "It may be, thinking it's... that's it's destiny. If we're all there for him, then I believe we can all be there for each other. It just takes time. It took me a long... long time to find a human I honestly believe can do some good. Even if he isn't the most ideal human I had in mind." She laughed lightly again "Trust him a little... Luna. I watched you during the gym battle. He was trying to warn you about the petals, that you got turned around." "How did we...?" "Moonlight defeated two opponent's and Scarf jumped in for the last one. He used the stun spore from Melody's battle to spark up the spores again. It paralyzed the opponent and he used this onslaught of tackles to finish off the fight." Absol nodded "He's indeed smart, quick..." "If you like him then talk to him." "I've already declined him, I want to help Griffin more." Luna huffed and sighed "Griffin will always be there." "You don't know that Luna." Luna just stilled her tails and flicked her ears. "It's not fair to you, all of us are here... we can all help him. Trust us... Absol." There was a little silence between them both. "Keep your back straight and your chest out, all of that running around made your fur a mess..."

They spent their time only talking to each other about all sorts of aimless... trivial things; from their favorite berries, for Luna that was Drash Berries. These sweet, full of juice kind that always tickled her throat... for Absol, it was Chesto. She'd express that there was something satisfying about breaking past the shell, as though it were nothing more then a happy treat inside... one she had to work for. They'd highlight all their favorite foods... favorite trees and plants - Luna loved lilies and Absol felt more like a rose, just for the rich colors that humans could create for them. Then it came to clouds and weather, places and all sorts of small meager things. In all sense, Luna felt like she wanted to catch up and learn about her in every way she could. Absol, although always trailing Griffin around when she could, smiled plenty and brightly. Absol enjoyed bright sunny days, the kind where there wasn't a cloud in the sky... Luna was more of a spring flower, loving the wind... meadows. Things out of a painting, a photograph. Absol was more of the summer kind, one that enjoyed the hot air and the endless bright sunshine and blue skies even though they both agreed that the nights were always the best. And they both could agree that the most beautiful season was early autumn... something that quickly grew and loomed around them. "Do you think they'll take a break? I mean on the cycling road?" Absol huffed and licked her maw. "Well... I hope so, you saw that big road, right? It's huge. It's easily a few hours of bike riding... there's also trainers too..." Luna nodded and swallowed "R - right... I don't like that much, fighting at a moment's notice." She'd huff and gently looked up to the sky inside of that capsule of theirs. "I... don't like it, when I do, I feel... sometimes I feel like it's... fun. And sometimes I feel like I'd, I'd go too far." Luna mentioned softly and twitched her tail when Absol's claws ran through them. "I swear... you're like a big fluffy brush, collecting everything in your fur and whatnot." It made them both laugh and giggle. "You'd have hell back home, it's all sand so you'd be caked in it. All of it." Absol expressed "As for fighting... I never liked it, I never will... but sometimes, just sometimes, you must. It's... it's natural to fight, but to fight for something you can believe in or dream of? That's something beyond logic or... or magic. It's something worth every second of your time." Luna twitched her ear "Then what do you believe in? That... you'd see... him again? One day?" Absol laughed and giggled "That's every single wish I have in my heart. That I could see him again, the young boy that... a human I could protect. That I could... call my own. That's my dream, it's not fantastic or... amazing... it's simply that I want to see him again." "I... mean I think everyone would miss you. You talk to Bandit, right?" Absol laughed "You'll be surprised at what she's scared of... and she's scared of plenty. She feels like the future itself is uncertain. Yet like you said, if we all work together... train together and... well and laugh together... I feel like we can all achieve the dreams we wish. What do you desire?" Luna just twitched her ear and folded them softly. "I... feel like the answers always in front of me but so far and... unrealistic that I... I can't tell what I want." Absol giggled and gave Luna's head a soft lick. "it's the curse of being young... being uncertain and worried and... full of optimism. It's what makes you, well you, even if you can be a little... snooty?" "I am not?" Luna expressed back as Absol only grinned at her in reply. "I am not!?" Then she'd nod and left Luna to laugh on her own.

"Some part of me, tells me I could let go of my dream just to see a smile like that." Absol mentioned which only left Luna to tilt her head. "I should go, your fur looks much, much better now. In fact, I want to talk to Thief... That little Growlithe has been getting... well he IS tense. I feel like he's boiling over." "W - well a lot has happened... I mean just, he's hurt and... he's scared." Luna mentioned "I heard Mooonlight at the Pokemon Center too... and then you were all playing together. I don't know what really happened... I just wonder about that Espeon. I feel like he'd sooner leave us then stay." Luna simply swallowed and shook her head. "T - that's not... I mean it wouldn't..." I talk to him plenty but... it's just like... like Thief... except... Luna had to blink. She had to blink and stall her tails in all certainty. As though to remember, for just a split moment... a second... and a name. One that Moonlight barely muttered through a teary-eyed face while held and carried by a certain pain in the tail Leafeon. "I... where's Shadow?" Absol tilted her head and hummed. "Oh, well I think... yes, there's this wonderful beach head in the corner Biome. It's like a big endless forest. I saw Shadow and Bandit going down that way, they mentioned they wanted some alone time..." Absol seemed to blink "I think it's be-" "You don't think they're?!" Absol simply patted her tail on the ground "Get THOSE thoughts out of your head" She'd express to Luna in this firm way that left her to jolt... then she'd sigh. "I think they just want a little time alone." "I think we... I think I figured it out, I mean maybe... b - but I don't know what to... or how to make it work?" Luna began to say. "I need... I need everyone together."

It was the river-like lake Biome they met in, Absol... Scarf... Marill... Shadow and Bandit... She just dryly swallowed to herself as they looked her down. This is... kind of intimidating. "Well, what's wrong?" Bandit spoke first as Absol sat down next to her. Shadow leaned partially on Bandit before he pushed to his feet. "Are you leaving?" That made everyone mutter "What? No... I'm not, it's about Moonlight." Shadow and Bandit gave each other looks. "What about him?" Bandit began to say "Yeah? What's wrong with Moonlight?" Scarf expressed "He's always kept to himself, more or less." "I know, it's like since... since... Slateport? I can't remember where Griffin caught me..." Marill expressed "Let her talk" Absol brought up "What's wrong? You got all in some... determined mood." Luna simply swallowed and flicked out her tails before she sighed. "I know... we all don't know... well I mean... I don't know a whole lot about anyone, I mean we've been travelling for... I mean I've been for over a week?" "Griffin just got into Kanto at the end of June... that sounds about right." Scarf mentioned and gave a light cough before he cleared his throat. That bright yellow Pikachu just obsessively rubbed his red spots on his cheeks before flicking his ear with his little paws. Focus... Luna. She let out a chilly breath and uncomfortably played with her paws "I... think Moonlight needs us..." "Obviously, the idiot runs off half the time and goes looking for trouble" Bandit expressed "Spit it out Luna..." "L - Look I'm trying I just... Just don't feel comfortable in... I mean everyone is looking me down so... I don't..." She cleared her throat after it cracked "There's this weird Pokemon in the Pokeball. It's a Vulpix, not me... I'm the only... real one?" She shook her head. "Regardless... Moonlight told me a name, after Maiden's Peak." "A name?" "When Leafeon carried him back, remember Bandit? We were training." Bandit nodded "You slightly... insignificantly pushed me to get to him. I remember." Bandit laughed and yipped "So what's wrong?" "The... Vulpix here is fake... or something. It's a computer program, whatever that is." Luna huffed "But its name is Autumn... the name or the weird thing that Moonlight told me was that... Leafeon could smell Autumn on his fur." She'd express to all of them and nervously swallowed. "And he's been... He's been acting sort of... like... like how Griffin has been." Bandit looked her down firmly. "What do you mean?" "Strange, I mean... he doesn't eat that much right now I mean... I can see it, Griffin is doing the same sometimes. T - They both look from... time to time they both look depressed. Moonlight is just sort of... isolating himself. Before the cycling lane I think was the first time we even really... played together and he looked... He looked happy." Luna continued to say as Bandit simply huffed and flicked out her tail. She stayed quiet. "Is... it crazy to... to say that Moonlight maybe misses a friend? One from back home?" Luna continued to say "W - when I even brought up the name, he... basically told me, violently, to go away. Like I... Like I insulted him just by... just by saying his name. I got distracted thanks to you Shadow... the... conversation we all had." Shadow just twitched his ear and half guiltily looked to the left. "I... I don't know... maybe we can... can let him have a little break? We can... can get Griffin to send him home; even for a few days. Just let him play and see this friend of his." Luna expressed as Marill happily flicked his bouncy tail "Yes! Maybe it can be like a big surprise! We can make it something like that!" Luna nodded and smiled "I like that idea! We just need to figure out how to get it to work..." Bandit huffed and rolled her head back. "..." Shadow gave her a look before he partially giggled "You're going to do the fa-" "I AM NOT" Bandit snapped back "I haven't done that in years..." Luna tilted her head "What are you talking about?" Shadow laughed and did this weird little face which involved him tilting his head, twitching his ears and sticking his tongue out. It left him with a big huge paw on his nose. "Ow... hey... I was just poking fun." Shadow mentioned and huffed as he rubbed his nose "That hurt..." "I don't do the face..." Bandit remarked "Anyways... you can't pull it off..." Luna just huffed and tapped her ultimately smaller paws to the floor "What? I don't understand" Bandit sighed "It's something I used to do a long, long time ago... Griffin will do figuratively ANYTHING to figure out something whenever I do it. It... It makes him happy. I just refuse to do it." Luna just huffed "Why not?" "I'm not a damn Pooch." Bandit sighed "If you want to do it SO badly, then have Shadow show you." Luna simply frowned "I - I don't... I don't get it..." Shadow simply huffed "You should... he'll understand you more then her. It's like... like he just knows what you want, like you talk to him" Shadow laughed and yipped. "It's something special." Bandit growled and snarled "Fine, I'll make the stupid face... now if that dumb Growlithe would wake up..." "Why do we need Thief?" "He can read... so I bet he can write." Bandit mentioned "He does next to nothing else, remember?" Luna just folded her ears "D - did I interrupt you... both?" Shadow simply shrugged "Just..." Shadow sighed and turned his tail to her. "Let's go Bandit... W... We'll figure it out. Maybe some time is all you need." Bandit simply stepped OVER Luna. "Later little... I mean later." Luna simply stalled. "Hermana?" But Bandit stayed silent as she walked through the meadow... Shadow followed her.

It left them all in silence for a moment. "Even Bandit has it." Marill commented "has what?" "Autumn bug..." Scarf filled in. "What's... that?" Scarf only shrugged and flicked out his tail. It left Luna to sigh before she turned to leave... Absol went to follow her. "Just... talk to him." She'd express to her and that made Absol noticeably recoil. "There's nothing wrong with that, you'd be silly not to." Luna mentioned and left them both before making her way to the meadow. All she could do was sit for a moment and stare at the two of them... bundled up as though they laid down on each other in a cute blanket of abstract colored fur. Yet as she looked to the horizon around them, towards the hillside with all those new baby tree's, she'd only catch a glimpse of redwood fur that looked at her from a far. A pelt that ghostly treaded past a glass mirror to be in a meadow of beautiful poppy-red flowers... and white glorious petals.

Griffin:

The wind was the most uplifting feeling that crossed by his clean-shaven face. The way how it tussled his hair with gentle gusts and vibrant colors of tree's that over looked that beautifully paved lane... the way how it curved and inclined... It left him to glance and stare out into the horizon and every pocket of meadow's and hills that he could see. Behind him was this major section of the road which cursively curled all the way down. Pedaling on an incline was always hell, but Griffin's heart beat valiantly against his chest as he'd petal harder. He led the group, left them in the dust. The only one that surprisingly kept up was Melody. "You tired yet!?" She'd express gleefully as Griffin went red "H - Hardly! I didn't bike ALL over Hoenn to get beat by just ANYONE" Griffin remarked back with this wonderful laugh as the hot sunshine beat down his face "We're almost to the halfway mark..." She'd express as she took in air "I'll need water..." Griffin only felt the sweat bead down his face "Yeah... you and me... both." He'd comment while Melody snickered back "You're almost out of breath!!" She'd call back and pedaled harder... faster, went PAST him "That's not ENOUGH!" Griffin yipped back in this delighted howl of a sound and only pushed the bike harder. Brad and Natasha weren't anywhere up to them yet... but Griffin had the feeling Natasha would comment about how he'd burn himself out before they made it even a quarter way through. If anything it was like watching two professional cyclists go through Le Tour de France during the last mile stretch. Not that the competition seemed like anything to worry about, in fact... Griffin was having fun than competing.

That halfway mark was a bit of a special place... it was quiet... except for the rumble of a few engines that left him to jolt. A few large like men that stood around and drank water... Pokeballs on their belts... "What kid? Never seen a motor bike?" Griffin didn't even know they were allowed, some roaring, rumbling machine with two set wheels, something retro or American classic... even though there were some of those more popular Japanese made bikes. "W - Well not up close..." Griffin mentioned, in his town there never was much in terms of 'luxury toys' so to speak. It was more families and older folk, nothing like this. "Come over here, sit on it! It won't bite! Just don't turn the throttle kid... I don't need you bouncing off the road with the thing..." Griffin simply swallowed, shyly... nervously. But Melody gladly went for it, as though no fear stopped her. It was after her that Griffin gave it a shot. "I... it's nothing like a bicycle for sure." It left them all to laugh "Headed to Fuchsia?" One of them asked "Uh... yeah, we all are." Griffin replied with a smile "Well, don't get lost around Gringey City... I'd suggest sticking to the cycling lane, that place even gives ME the creeps from time to time. If you're all doing the full stretch on bike though... I mean the lane is easily six hours." "Six what?" Griffin swallowed as the man gave a hearty laugh "Yes, I mean without a bike like mine. If you count in rests, like this one... every two hours then you'd have at least six hours from end to end. I mean it IS a massive cycling lane, plus the nature trail. I think they call it the Pokemon Trail. Gringey City is the closest City with the closest Pokemon Center at the halfway point." Melody and Griffin gave each other a look "I guess we need to keep going?" Melody brought up "I mean... we could stop for food or something." "... H - Hey..." Brad cut in and stopped the bicycle. "W... what are we stopping for?" He'd pant and laugh "I can... totally keep going... shit..." He'd let it slip out "Why is it uphill?" "It's uphill for another hour at least." Brad just hit his head to the handlebar of the bicycle. "Not cool man... I was hopeful for a minute..." Natasha just rolled up after and stopped the bike. "Somethings... weird with Yuny." She started to say and showed off her bag. "See?" Griffin walked over. The little Eevee in her side pouch... it looked like it...? "I don't know it's like she's sleeping." "She's whining you idiot." Natasha commented "She has been over the past hour. I don't know what's wrong" One of the large men just nodded "Sounds like... well it's an Eevee so I got no clue but... It could be an electrical buildup." He'd express while looking over "See how it looks... stunned or under an ailment? Like Paralysis. Gringey City has so many power plants that it disrupts natural electrical wavelengths all through the forest. God if you had a Pikachu... that thing would be in so much pain." He'd express and that left Griffin to swallow, he took note of that right away. "You have a Pikachu..." Griffin nodded "W - well a little weird, but I mean it can't even use Thunder or... when it does it knocks itself right out..." He'd tilt his head. "Let me see it."

It took them a while, sitting at the near stone like lunch tables - the kind that reminded Griffin of his time in school as Brad leaned over "You're letting some leather coated stranger look at your Pikachu... Griffin..." He'd comment "Are you profiling?" Griffin partially narrowed his eyes as Brad simply rolled his own. "There's the issue... wow, that's... rare." The man expressed while gently rolling against Scarf's red sacks on his cheeks. "You're Pikachu's sacs is scarred." "What?" Griffin stood up "Yeah, in fact it looks... looks terrible. This is scar tissue I'm seeing, it's usually caused by... well by a Pikachu or most Pokemon using a sudden, massive burst of energy. Think... Uh... Think like you're coughing, hard and you tear your throat from it." "The Pokemon Center never... they've never told me that!" The man nodded "This is usually common in older Pokemon, they thought you probably knew. I'd say your Pikachu is between twelve or... fifteen. In great health sure but, I think it's discharged more than it can handle, and it never healed properly. Must have been while it was wild... Protecting something I bet. Not a lot of Pokemon go that far to hunt." He'd express as Griffin gave him a little look "Oh, I work as a Pokemon specialist... or I used to. I'm retired now." He'd mention and nodded "Fifty-Six. Been at it for over thirty years." "That's why we're all out here, we're doing a big old road trip with our old friend, back in... what... Highschool? We all built some old bikes and dreamed about going all over Japan with them." Another voice said as the old retired Pokemon Doctor simply nodded "In fact, we even get to help some new trainers out from time to time." "Purchase Pokemon electrical ointment. You can find it at almost any herbal shop. It'll at least help with any potential swelling or unexpected discharges. As for the Eevee... I'd say a potion and paralysis spray could help out the best, but you'd go through a few of them. Getting off this road and away from Gringey is your best bet." Griffin simply nodded as the group waved goodbye to them. It was... delightfully pleasant. Griffin half expected some big Pokemon battle, but it never happened.

"So much for Profiling Brad..." He simply crossed his arms and huffed "Yeah, yeah..." He'd express back as Griffin laughed "At least you want to be a cook and not a cop!" Brad simply kept his arms crossed and gave Griffin this look that made him feel like he pushed a button. "I... I mean..." Griffin just swallowed and nodded "Let's get water and start heading out, the sooner we hit Fuchsia, the better!" Natasha agreed "Let's get going as soon as we can, I don't want Yuny whining and in pain... that's not... that's not fun for her." Natasha expressed and picked her up gently... petted the Eevee non-stop as they all went along to rest and drink for a little while. Griffin just stared at Natasha. She's... genuinely worried about Yuny... or... no it's... I don't know, she's obsessed with Eevee's though. I mean the pins the... it's like looking at some anime fan... "We should have taken the train." Brad hit his head against the picnic like table with an audible thump. "Now you say it Natasha... god..." He'd pant as she'd snap up "Well at least I can ride a bike!" "Train? There's... There's no train to Fuchsia City." Griffin expressed "Of course there is!" Natasha commented as Griffin blinked "No there's not, it was in disuse after some major accident." Natasha simply huffed and shook her head "No... there was never an accident with the train in Fuchsia. Read a book! Read the internet! The train has been running since it opened, it goes all over Japan. It's one of the oldest trains in the country." Natasha mentioned as Griffin blinked again. "No... I'm confident it went through some huge accident, derailed on a turn in the rain. It was massive I... I watched in on a documentary years ago." Natasha shook her head "Stop being an idiot for one second..." Melody simply tilted her head "I remember that... sort of. Didn't that happen back in the twenties? I remember one of the trains got delayed, it was in an article I read but it crashed afterwards... in... in Sinnoh I think." "No, it was Hoenn, or it was in between. There's a whole memorial at a nature park down there, it's a little more of a local thing then it is... anything else. It's not huge news." "There you go! Talk about something that EVERYONE would know, please? Can we go now? Yuny is still whining. The train still runs, I just didn't think about it... forget I even brought the stupid thing up!"

It was the last stretch uphill, for at least that hour which left Griffin to uncomfortably slow down the bike when he finally got to the top. In fact, they all stopped for just a second... Natasha even quickly snapped another photo with everyone there, like some selfie for her social media before they kept going. Griffin thought that was stupid to do... considering how badly she wanted to leave but the view was... another perfect picture. The kind with tree's and mountains; blue skies with rolling tufts of clouds and bright cheery sunlight. He didn't have to pedal downhill. In fact, all he had to do was slow down around any curves and they kept pedaling till the next rest stop. A quick check of his phone told him that they were going to get to the city late... in fact they might not get to it at all. Then as the sun slowly dropped into the sky and they reached the end, returned the bikes and adjusted their rucksacks they'd continue a walk, this time, on Route Eighteen. "See Griffin, if we got off at the second to last rest stop, you know the bike return there, we'd hit SunnyTown, and then you'd take the cycling bridge from there to go from Celadon to SunnyTown." Natasha expressed "The entire thing is like a web of connecting bike lanes." "Sounds confusing..." Griffin expressed and sighed "Well we COULD have taken the seaborne route" "No, no, no, I'm fine." Griffin mentioned as Natasha tilted her head "I'm absolutely fine with my legs planted on the ground." Brad simply huffed and yawned "Let's stop arguing about what's what... There's the BIG cycling bridge, like THAT one... and then there's the SMALLER one which goes over the water... so what?" Brad with this irritated tone expressed before he held up a Pokeball and let Aura out. It made everyone jump and jolt. "You put her in there?" Natasha mentioned as Brad nodded "What? You honestly think I'd let Aura hitchhike the ENTIRE thing?" He commented "Let's get going... my legs are killing me..." Griffin only nodded and walked beside him... he'd feel his hairs on end before he straightened his back right out. I can feel Aura's eyes on me like a hawk..."Hey Brad? Need a hand?" He'd just swat back at Griffin "No..." "Sorry if it wasn't a car..." "I hate cars... I hate bikes... I hate boats... I don't mind helicopters, those are neat... I hate buses..." Brad continued to mutter on and on as Griffin nervously laughed while they wandered into the sunset, surrounded by tree's - an all too familiar sight for them. "So... where are we on the map?" Natasha brought up after at least an hour... the sunlight faded quickly. Griffin let all of his Pokemon out as she asked. "The map? I got no clue; last time I checked it was..." he checked the map... then rotated it and checked his Pokenav. "A... right hand... turn..." "You took a left." "I WAS FOLLOWING BRAD." Griffin defended himself and sighed. "Where are we?" Melody huffed "Can we not... butt heads for a minute..." Griffin just sighed and checked the time. "We can double back... granted we're closer to SunnyTown then anything now." Griffin huffed shortly and quickly as Luna looked up at him. "I know... I'm sorry I left you in there for so long." She'd sneeze her little nose at him with this little quirky twist of her head. "What? I was on the cycle lane... you don't want to walk that..." Griffin commented before he stopped and sat down on the trail. "Alright! What's the plan? Can we put it to a vote? SunnyTown... or Fuchsia? Or... I guess just camp here." "How far from SunnyTown?" "Another hour in the least... but Fuchsia is now THREE hours away. By the time we get there it'll be pitch black out. We all have flashlights, right?" Brad nodded and pulled out a long black one from his jacket pocket. "Why... did I think you'd have one just like that... Brad?" Griffin asked as he'd let out a cough. "I vote Fuchsia, we can at least rest at the Pokemon Center... eat. I like that better than a tiny town." Natasha nodded after Brad talked "I think Fuchsia too, a night walk sounds exciting!" Melody frowned a little as Natasha finished talking and took out a light of her own. "I... I don't feel all too comfortable in the dark. Smokey." Her Pokeball instantly cracked open from her hip as the Houndoom just hopped out on command. Then she pulled out a tiny LED flashlight. "I'd like to go to SunnyTown just because it's closer." Great... I'm the vote breaker? In some way?"C - Can we flip a coin?" Griffin asked as Natasha and Brad shrugged "I mean four hours in the morning just to make it to Fuchsia... that sounds sort of redundant. Hell, what happens if the motels are booked or the shops are closed? It'll take us EVEN LONGER." Griffin sighed and reached into a pocket of his. "Heads Fuchsia, Tails SunnyTown?" Natasha and Brad just sighed as Griffin flipped the coin up high. He caught it, then folded it on his left dorsal side. His palm covered the coin as he'd check.

Then they made their way to Fuchsia City. Four lights in the dark, like little wisps that traveled through a silent, every churning forest. A forest that dared to rob the light from each of them... blow out a candle Or devour the light whole.

Moonlight:

There was the first flicker that made his ear twitch and his eyes narrow while Griffin's voice came into his mind... muddled and murky. "Stupid... thing. How is......." Then it was the sound of abnormal ringing which left him to hug close to Leafeon. "Can you hear them?" "The humans? Yes... why?" Leafeon asked with all scrutiny as Moonlight sighed. "My ears are ringing... I can't hear them." "... .... ....." "Leafeon?" ".... ... .... ..." Moonlight swallowed and tried to look at his face as he'd wander up close. "I can't hear you at all." Tone deaf? I might... these woods have me on edge. He'd clear his throat as all the sound just fluttered away from him. Every noise... every rustle and the blow of the wind while his ears lowly rang. Then he'd stumble softly and bumped against Leafeon. "... ...?" "Huh? I still can't... Sorry my head... hurts." Moonlight commented to him and shook it tenderly. "Stop.... You.... Stop..." A chill ran through his spine as he heard an all too familiar voice. "Stop......" It came from everywhere and nowhere. The voice just echoed all around his mind and the pitch-black wood. He'd take a moment to glance up as he wandered close by Leafeon. "Let.........."_Moonlight only blinked and glared around him as his world became this endless spun weave. _"Look........." Moonlight felt it all swirl and tilt as though vertigo overcame his whole body, he'd feel it turn to gel. His heart swelled and ached. His eyes gently went wide. His ears twitched and flicked. His tail hesitantly thrashed and teased the wind. A pair of eyes, brightly of gold and bright frosty yellow looked back at him... Moonlight just stared at the trail before he pushed past Leafeon. "...... I... Don't.......See..." Moonlight stalled in his bell blocked stupor. A sound of constant and endless ringing... a voice just gently pushing against his mind as though to swell and throb. "..............you" He went silent and swallowed as something nudged him. "............?......?" His world just became this endless blur as the apparition of light... color... eyes. Moonlight walked closer and closer he dared to touch something that only stayed within his grasp but endlessly kept away from him. He aimlessly walked without noticing his entire world became void of all light and color... Moonlight wandered and walked...

When he finally opened his eyes next, it was with a rush of wind over his face and the branches passing by him swiftly... quickly. The ringing didn't go away as he thrashed and kicked out his feet. Griffin was carrying him. "... ...." "...ght..." "Moonlight!" Leafeon's voice finally pressed past the fading sound of endless deaf silence and when Moonlight heard Leafeon all he did was find a place to hook his hind paws and kicked off of Griffin... he sent Griffin back, where he was able to get his balance without hitting the ground and Moonlight simply held all four paws firmly to the earth. Leafeon... Luna... Thief... Everyone ran up to him. "Are you okay!?" Leafeon said in worry "What?" "You just... hit the ground!" Thief whined frantically "It's like you fainted..." Luna mentioned and blinked "Are you sure you're okay? You've been out for... for five minutes I think." "Five...?" Moonlight coughed and shook his head "I'm fine, completely fine. I don't know what happened." Leafeon growled at him "D - Don't make me worry like that!" He snapped suddenly and that took Moonlight's ears to pin back "Make you worry? I didn't ask for you to!" Moonlight remarked as Leafeon simply barked "Well you did!" It left them both quiet as Griffin... all the humans just caught their breath. Leafeon got in close, remarkably close. "It's Future sight... please stop using it. Clearly it's hurting you more than it's worth..." Leafeon silently spoke. "It's not worth it if you won't even be able to use it..." Moonlight stayed silent and still for a moment before he huffed "I'm fine, Leafeon. I'm just tired, I'll get sleep when I can - you know how the night can affect Espeons." All Moonlight did was give Leafeon a firm and stone-cold gaze, one that matched both their eyes together. Leafeon only stared him down with that soft sap-like gemstones he had... and Moonlight only stared back with a studious and calm pink. "If that's all it is, then maybe you should spend your time in your Pokeball." Leafeon huffed in reply, much to Luna and Thief's argument against that. Bandit simply rolled her shoulders and took a very curious glance away from them, it made Moonlight follow her looks towards Griffin. That human was busy with his palms on his knees, hunched over and breathing drastically as Absol just sat by him, looking up at him. "I'm.... fine... the bike ride took more out of me then I thought..." "I don't think they care much about that" Natasha said after a long gasp... then Melody pushed past her. "Come on! You all can't be THAT tired! Anyways, Moonlight is fine right?" "I... Think so." Griffin expressed back to her as she walked by them "I bet the moment we get into town it'll all be better, we can eat... sleep; finish that gym. It'll be easy enough! So let's keep going." Brad just huffed and sighed "How are you so... lively?" He'd laugh and looked at his shoes "My feet are killing me already." "How can you not be? I mean... We should take a break." Brad gave a nervous laugh "I mean... we still have like... two hours?" "It's more like an hour and a half." Melody commented back "Let's go!" Natasha simply laughed too "Alright, last hour stretch. Yuny is already asleep anyways." Natasha mentioned "So how about you keep up with us?" She'd say and pushed past both Brad and Griffin, they had to exchange glances at one another. Moonlight just watched as Leafeon pushed against him.

"Just..." Leafeon swallowed a touch. "I don't want you to... be alone. Alright? Take it easy. I already understand... loneliness. Don't just be alone when you have everyone around you. Please?" Moonlight barely looked his way, but he felt his ear twitch. It twitched subtly, as though to throw Leafeon's caution to the wind even though it was still stuck in his mind as though it were some hopeful, pointless promise. Then there was the city, it came first like little gloomy lit wisps that scattered across every single shadowy tree around them, before they'd press past this glorious clearing and their night sky matched the view below them. The moon wasn't full tonight, but it hung like a gentle marble above them; one in contrast of bright white and pitch black. By that time Moonlight was in the heart of them all, everyone around him chattered on endlessly with him; all of them concerned except for the usual suspects. But it was Thief that didn't say a word to him. Distracted with the pretty view again... It's not like you haven't seen it dozens of times before. Another city, another gym. It's really nothing special, Thief. So... why do I feel like you think and feel the same way I do now? A little fright and a sense of... of weakness, why haven't you just non-stop talked like before? "You know he can't." The clear sound and voice caused Moonlight to still and huff. "You know his type... you should know it the best. Just another cub that's entirely full of contradictions and prejudice." Moonlight simply stilled and felt his fur raise on ends. It was a voice all too familiar to him."What will you change...?"

Griffin:

The first steps on pavement made his paws pull away gently and in moments, Griffin gently picked him up. There wasn't anything said between them as Griffin returned everyone. Thief only watched the hairs on his wrist rise as though wandering into the strange new city, neon lights for advertising and everything else just made him feel on edge. That Growlithe felt that even as he watched Melody just wander down the road without a single care in the world; Natasha by her side as they talked about all sorts of things. "How you doing?" Brad's voice came into play, Aura walked beside him... avoiding his strangely bleached or dyed hair. Thief just looked at it too. It really didn't suit him well. "I'm alright... tired." Griffin replied idly. "How's Thief?" He'd ask and looked down, Thief did too. Luna was the only one that wasn't returned to her Pokeball, and himself. "It all seems pretty tense, I mean with your Pokemon." "I don't really... get it." Griffin said back "You'd think making food and... I mean..." "You feel like you're doing it all wrong right?" Griffin didn't reply. "Well I feel that way from time to time too." Brad sighed "Being a trainer... it has a lot of stress. Being a good trainer is even harder." Griffin scratched his head with his free hand "I don't know what to really do, I mean... Pokemon was my brothers thing right? Not mine." Brad nodded and put his hands in his jacket pocket. "What is your thing?" Griffin didn't reply and just continued to walk down the road silently while looking at all the buildings around him. "I don't know..." He'd simply rub his eyes. "I'm not a fan of this street, how far to the Pokemon Center?" "What? It's only... a corner road? Some bars and stuff." "No, no... the neon signs, there's exposed wiring on some of them; it's dangerous." Griffin mentioned "It's completely... not up to code." He'd sigh a little more and held Thief close. Griffin's hands barely touched his burns or scars but... it still hurt, just being held did. Thief just couldn't walk anymore so he had to lay and bear with it. "Whatever, The Pokemon Center is nearby right?" "Yep, a few blocks. It's right next to the center of the city. I... like the older buildings. Kind of reminds me of home... sort of." Brad mentioned "Maidens Peak did too." Griffin stepped alongside and incline as they waited on a crossing. This city was nothing like Celadon or Vermillion... It may have had some large buildings from place to place but compared to the ones that were there already, it was more like a small, bustling and starting to industrialize town. The kind with glass buildings to old antique or heritage places. As they wandered Griffin had to stall and glance down the road, far towards this wonderful mountain range where, at the nestled bottom... was a train station. Luna took a close glare at it too, and it took Griffin a sharp whistle to catch her attention. Thief just watched and looked at her. It's chilly... with cold spots from place to place... It's like a ghost passed by. It... It's kind of spooky. It came to Thief's mind as they'd wander towards the center of the city where a beautiful tree hung in the middle. Luna did strange things as they wandered down the sidewalk, then crossed onto the road towards this large circular building - the Pokemon Center. It was like she avoided people or Pokemon even though there was nobody on the road. Then she'd run to catch up to Thief. "Can... Can you hear anybody?" Thief tilted his head as she heard her talk and looked down at Luna from Griffin's gentle arms. His fur rubbed against that strange plastic feeling jacket. "What do you mean?" He asked in reply, his fur started to rise "The humans" She replied frantically "I... I can't hear Griffin or Brad or... anyone. I can't hear any people..." Thief just felt himself shake "W - what do we do?" Thief commented "I - I - I can hear fine!" He'd express softly as Griffin looked down at that Growlithe which squirmed in his arms, Thief made it plenty clear that he wanted to get down, but Griffin didn't let him. "It's fine, we're right there; I'll have Nurse Joy look over you here." He'd express softly and watched Brad walk over to the center first. "Wait... wait." It stopped everyone. "It's... pitch black inside? There's no one in there..." Griffin tilted his head. "What do you mean?" Then Natasha's Leafeon just broke out of it's capsule and held Griffin back with Vinewhip "H - Hey! N - Natasha!" "I didn't do it, it's him!" "Well get him off!" Moonlight jolted from Griffin's belt and barked at Luna. "Don't get near the center!" He'd snap as she was amid walking towards it. "Don't let him open the door! Use your nose!" Thief had to catch onto a whiff. It was this faint, sickly smell. One that left his eyes to water and his nose to scrunch up. Brad leaned into the window and looked further in. "Jesus... There's someone in there! On the ground!" Griffin moved but Leafeon held him back firmly. "Leafeon! Hey! Thief! Luna!? Get him off me!" They both didn't respond... and Moonlight simply sneered back at Griffin.

"It's that smell again..." Leafeon expressed and Moonlight nodded "I know... I have a nose. Where's Aura?" "Back... way back by the tree. She jumped the moment she caught wind of it." Leafeon replied to him as Moonlight stared it down. "Yes, yes... I'd like to call in an emergency? There's someone on the ground! Uh... The Pokemon Center at Fuchsia City. Hey! Does anyone know CPR?" Melody walked towards the door "Griffin! What about Moonlight? Your Professor taught him it right? You can send him in!" Moonlight only growled lowly at him, enough that it made him jolt as Melody walked by them. "Don't let him open the door!" Leafeon snapped back and as it all went on Luna only heard an all too familiar ring in her ears. Melody went right to the glass sliding door "Just get him over here!" "I'm a little wrapped UP Brad!" "Jesus... The automatic doors aren't-" He got interrupted "Yes, Yes... sorry half the Pokemon won't let us inside. OUR Pokemon... Gas? What do you mean Gas? Something..." "Brad! Pokemon have sensitive noses; there could be something poisonous get the hell away from the door!" Natasha mentioned "Most cooling units, especially for certain buildings could be using Phosgene." Natasha called out frantically "One good whiff and you're dead!" Brad pulled away from the building as Melody held her hand on the door. "It's not... poisonous gas." She'd comment yet before she could open the door... Smokey bit down on her open hand; enough that she yelped in fright and pain. "S - Smokey!?" The Houndoom just held her with fangs and pulled against her. "Someone needs help!" Griffin just coughed and closed his eyes for just a moment... All the sudden uproar of noise and chatter left him to drown out the sounds. "Wait... wait..." Griffin replied firmly but all the noise between everyone just kept going... Until he yelled. Somehow that shut everyone up, enough that it left chills down his entire back. Thief just winced from his yell. "Look at the window. See the tint? Pokemon Centers ALWAYS have SPOTLESS windows. Nurse Joy prides herself in cleanliness, she ALWAYS does. The window has resin... like... like oil?" _"It's Berry Paint! See! Don't I look pretty!? When I get to dance for the yearly celebration... Everyone will get to see the paste! I get to wear it all day, so it dries... even though it's all sticky now..."_A voice calmly flicked against Thief's ear as he'd blink and stare at it firmly. "It looks... it looks like a new bong nearly..." Brad idly commented as Griffin, Natasha and Melody gave him a weird tilt of the head. "W - what!?" He'd comment idly back. "I was just making the most commonplace thing to relate it too?" "More like coffee in a glass..." Natasha remarked back at him and then pointed at his phone. "O - Oh! Right... Yes, sorry... sorry. Alright how soon can EMT's arrive? Shortly." Brad nodded "Alright I'll stay on the line, we'll just step away from the building." Brad nervously chuckled "See... problem averted!"

"Not really." A voice interrupted them all as Griffin took a moment to glance down into the center of the park. Someone walked towards them, the darker skin - the nice jacket and jeans with the Pokeball belt around their waist and that short dark hair. "Hunter!" Brad tossed up a hand "Hey!" Natasha perked up too "Where's Sam?" " He's out by the camp... we had the same idea as all of you; but the center has been like this for..." Hunter stopped and glared at the window "I - Is that a person!? Inside!?" He nearly ran to the door as Brad held up his hands "I already called the police" "I did too! Like over an hour ago!" Hunter brought up "I just... I'm not all that tired so I went for a walk, then I heard all of you!" He began to say as Griffin felt his skin crawl. "The Pokemon won't let us in" "Mine too!" Griffin swallowed tightly, his throat felt like it was in a vice. "We can't leave them in there!" He replied firmly... and unexpectedly returned his own Pokemon, much to Luna and Thief's dismay. Brad; take my belt and go to the other end; take everyone with you." "What!?" "Well if it's Phosgene or... or Ammonia right? Those were gases they used back in the first world war." "Chlorine and Phosgene, yes? So?" "Well soldiers back then used to use a rag; they'd... well they pee'd on one." Natasha and Melody grossly recoiled "I'll just do that and pick them up or drag them out! It'll take me less then a second to do!" "A - Are you kidding me Griffin!?" Natasha brought up as Brad huffed "Straight dead-ass on this aren't you?" Griffin just tilted his head "What?" Brad just tossed his arm away "If you want to pee on something and breathe that in, go ahead! I'm waiting for the police." Hunter tapped his foot down. "It makes sense... but if it's something like... I know one of them mixes with urea; it CREATES ammonia." Hunter just tapped his foot down once more as he talked "Look... if it's poison then...?" He'd blink calmly "I have a Venonaut, it should deal with it easily. I mean if you're poisoned. I also have a few other tricks too. B - But you're serious!? Even though they've been in there for THAT long? They'd... already be... dead." Griffin just stared back at the Pokemon Center's lobby. He looked at them closely... a leg moved. "No they're not. Just get the Pokemon back; I'm opening it!" "Griffin!" "Shut it!" He snapped back and simply sucked in air; covered his nose and mouth with his sleeve as they pulled away and tugged the door open. The doors were automatic but... he had to slide them like they were just any other glass door. Then he'd step into the Pokemon center while holding his breath... His eye's... They didn't sting. All he did was rush towards the body, then he'd drop a sleeve and picked them up by the waist; slump them over his shoulders and quickly looked around. This Chancey was slumped against the wall, expressionless, open mouthed as though it cried out desperately. There wasn't a single twitch of its eyes or any response from its body. Griffin felt this surge of adrenaline, his heart pumped and throbbed sickly as he held the stranger over his shoulders; the unbearable weight only felt numb by then. Looking into the eye's of an utterly dead Pokemon, one that was sure to have been full of happiness and life just to have that unfairly ripped away from them. His blood boiled and his entire insides felt hot, sickly and full of lead as he ran back out and shut the door. He lost grip of his breath last moment and desperately sucked in air, before he held his face until he turned blue. It... smells sweet!? Like candy? No... Yes? I don't know; it even TASTES sweet; overpoweringly sweet and... and it's just gross; like being stuck in a candy shop where everything has been melted down in a way that it doesn't burn... Griffin just slammed the glass sliding door shut and held his breath until he ran out to the center with a body slumped over his shoulders... His heart was racing; sweat down his face... redder then a beet. Everyone just stared at him and then ran to help him put the stranger down. "You're bleeding!" Natasha remarked, but Melody was the one that ran up to him. "No it's... it's THEM!" Griffin snapped his head down to them. Hunter had their hands on their shoulders and softly shook them. "Nurse Joy! Joyce!" He called out her name "Joy!" A little grunt or a groan came out from the woman as Griffin just stared at them. It looked like she had taken a blow; a vicious blow to the head, as though she hit it on a counter, or someone hit her with a pipe. "Stop shaking her Hunter!" Melody commented "If her neck is injured, you'll make it worse!" She'd shake her head and jump over Nurse joy; get to one side. Press her ear to her mouth while she looked down her chest. A quick pulse check with her two fingers; index and middle as she'd look partially relieved and went for bandages or anything else to help with the bleeding. "Get the police back on the phone; we need an ambulance!" Brad just jostled and tussled his phone desperately before talking to the responder. "Yes hello?" His phone simply beeped non-stop, his blood went cold; Griffin could hear it beep rapidly. Then he looked back down at her, Melody and everyone else... then he got on the phone. "Hello? Look I'm in the middle of a match; so, call me back" "DON'T HANG UP" The voice went silent "I'm in Fuchsia City; the Pokemon center is out, Nurse Joy is hurt, and we CAN'T get a hold of the police." "What?" The firm and commanding voice called back "Just... can you forward me to the Vermillion Police Department?" "Yeah, I can; sorry kid gives me a second. Consider it a two-minute break." Surge... Griffin didn't know who else to call... and there was a certain strange officer there. "Vermillion Police Department, what's you're Emergency" "Medical in Fuchsia City; but I can't get a hold of the police department." Griffin looked up at Brad, whom kept trying to dial One one zero, or one one nine. "We all can't, but Nurse Joy is hurt or... it's bad; can YOU forward me to THEM? This is NOT a joke, I swear on it." Melody pushed Griffin's leg "Give her space; GIVE HER SPACE NOW" Griffin looked down desperately and moved back. "W - What's happening? She's twitching why?" "A seizure." Melody replied calmly and held her two fingers against Nurse Joy's pulse. "She hit her head terribly." "I need medical help here now; please, we're at the Pokemon Center in Fuchsia." "EMT's are outbound from Saffron, we can't get a hold of the FPD either." The voice mentioned back to him "Stay where you are and stay calm." Melody stalled and watched... she watched it all go on. Griffin could barely stomach it - his whole body was numb. "Hello? Hello?" "Yes yes... sorry?" "You're Griffin Fletching." The voice asked "Yes Ma'am." He replied idly "What's the ETA." "Fifteen Minutes. They're already En Route." She replied calmly again "Just stay with the patient and keep calm." Melody moved beside of Nurse Joy; then it was this odd sound of tearing that made them all jolt frantically. "Melody what in the hell!?" Griffin replied as she straightened her back and arms and simply started compressions. Griffin, Brad, Natasha and Hunter went entirely wide eyed. As for the Pokemon... Natasha returned Yuny long ago and Aura...? Aura was beside a tree; it was odd to see a Pokemon to curl up with their legs to their chest and their paws over their ears. "I can't find a pulse, she stopped breathing Griffin." "What can I do?" "Put them on Speaker." Melody replied and Griffin just put them on. "Her heart stopped following a seizure caused from blunt force trauma, Lateral to the temple. Patient seized, afterwards no pulse or record of breath." "A - Aren't you supposed to breath in her mouth?" Natasha commented "That was changed a few years back, it's only important to keep the heart beating." Melody just kept going as Griffin felt his body go rigid, watched in absolute fright... but Melody was calm, collected. Absolutely no problems with seeing anything like it. Like the look in her eyes told so much more then she let on... It was cold, focused. Clear. "Natasha; you can breathe for her if you like! I can't stop and start compressions. I have to keep going." It was this pure shocked rhythm that terrified Griffin; how spot on the timing was... everything. Melody's arms were straight as though only her shoulders and back muscles were in use. "There should be an AED in the Center." The voice on the phone brought up. "If compressions aren't working, use that." "I'm not authorized to use that." Melody commented "I'm not even supposed to be doing this." Griffin felt pale and numb as she simply swallowed and continued on "Arrest me later. But I'm not stopping, and I know I can't use the AED because I only know how a Defibrillator works, the AED's I've never even seen." "Get the AED, I can run you through it." The voice commented back from the speaker on Griffin's phone. "ETA?" "Thirteen Minutes." The voice replied after a moment She's been... Griffin went numb again before he bit his lip firmly; enough that it bled. "Natasha start breathing for her, I'm getting the AED." Griffin expressed "Gas or not." "Gas? What gas?" The speaker brought up as Griffin darted back for the center; got to the door and covered his face with his sleeve. Brad frantically tossed up his hands. "It should be behind the counter! There's more in the back!" Brad commented loudly "There's always one behind her counter on charge..." Griffin nodded and opened the door to the center again.

The mist like, sweet smelling fog simply surrounded him like smoky curling sickles. All of it resembled this near cotton candy swirl of color. Griffin held his breath and went for the counter in a quick step, his eyes narrowed as he looked around the counter; the smoke licked over his hands and wrists like fog in the early morning. A gas... A Miasma. All he did was look all over the counter at scattered pages; open computer screens Pokemon Manifests? It's used for tracking trading? No... deliveries and...? Where's the AED? He turned his head to the small glass box behind him; the polythene plastic glass cover was shattered. That's gone too, but there's no trainers here, just Nurse Joy... Nurse Joy... Griffin kept a hold on his breath and ran to the back Storage? No... There's one in the scanner room_Griffin took to the door and pried it open with his hands "Fuck, FUCK open!" He'd push it to the ends and stumbled in. Everything was red... he had to stop, breathless. The entire ICU of the Pokemon Center, every single Pokemon here. Every single screen showed a flatline, a loud long continuous beep. Even poison bug types were gone. He accidently sucked in air and closed his mouth with his open palm, pinched his nose and went for the other AED in the corner of the room. He had to thank whatever god or spirit or anything at all that the charge was full. Then he measured himself for the glass, noticing the lock on it and slammed his foot against it. It only cracked, but a second well placed kick broke and shattered it; the shock ran through him. A piece of plastic stabbed and stuck itself in the back of his leg; he'd take the weird device with both his hands and limped out with his throat was a vice, shut tightly as though to strangle him while his vision foggy and blurry. Something caught his eye. _The Pokemon Storage? Where they keep Capsules for trainers? The door is... Griffin felt himself reluctantly suck in air. He shut his mouth again Am I trying to kill myself? Stop breathing! All he did was look inside and it looked like a hurricane went through the whole room. It was entirely empty. At least a hundred Pokemon... gone. He'd tightly hold the AED to his chest and limp ran out of the center; closed the glass door and sucked in air until his vision became clear. "Ten Minutes." Griffin felt his whole body shake and quiver before he forced himself to sprint towards the little circular greenery with that tree in the center. He could hear the speaker from there... He had to make it back as soon as he could. "I got it! It's charged... All of the Pokemon though... Everything is just... shit, here you go." He handed it to Melody; but she was in the middle of compressions. Then Natasha took it with quaking hands. "D - Does it always take this long!?" She'd frantically cry out as Melody just firmly focused on what she was doing. "Alright turn it on" The voice said and as Natasha turned it on; it began to talk to her, informing her to call for help; then she'd remove the shock pads from the back of the unit and gave the pads to Melody. She'd quickly place one to the left, underneath the heart and the other on Nurse Joy's right shoulder. Then the device told them to stand clear. It whirred gently and then commented idly, in a robotic like tone. "First shock delivered, it is safe to touch the patient, begin CPR." Then it was all on Melody; with some fancy weird device telling her to continue; informing her to clear after two minutes, then continue CPR after another shock was administered.

Griffin just stood, blank... cold and gently coughed into his arm while he looked all around the center of the city. He'd silently huff and glared up at the clouds above him. It was pitch black, noise all around as though the entire city just sprung to life from their voices. Lights turned on in a building nearby, a few eyes glared out of windows. People picking up phones. How can an entire city... how can we not call police or... or medical? T - That's not possible. Is something wrong at the police station? Griffin just idly looked around as his world spun like a top; he'd grip his fist and let out a sharp sigh. Then and only then, Moonlight jolted out of his Pokeball. It left him to shiver in fright as he'd turn around cautiously to the sounds of growling. Snarling. Then he jolted and took a firm planted stance as someone stepped out of the darkness of a nearby alleyway. "Aura? Aura what's wrong?" "What a surprise!" An all too familiar voice cracked over them all; loomed and loudly hissed across the air as he just let an all too familiar cloak come into view. A costume laden Hoodie; with stitched in eyes; bloodied tears and a gnarled, horrific smile that nearly covered his face. "I enjoy fate bringing this little group together; now I get the chance for some fun." He'd remark and suddenly pressed a button.

Griffin heard everyone's Pokeballs beep and the capsules return them, but Moonlight stood proudly by his side. "What in the hell are you doing here kid!?" He'd tsk and huffed as he stepped closer into the light, something metal or steel tapped against the concrete nearby him. A crowbar? Griffin felt himself go blank as he ran through the entire circular field, they stood in. Tire treads... gas... Nurse Joy... Pokeballs... Pokemon "Really, the sick and dying ones should be left behind." Moonlight showed off his teeth maliciously; the haunches of his fur stood up on edge as he'd snarl down and glare at a sleek, pitch black and monstrous creature. Moonlight let out a vicious and misty cold hiss; his fangs glimmered in the dark night "I was just here too, came back for her." He showed off the crowbar "But it looks like I'll have to do you all in before I kill her." He'd roll and cracked his neck gently before showing off his smile; a lick of his lips and all. "Arcanine." He let out a huff as that massive Arcanine cracked down pavement and jolted past Moonlight. The Espeon kept his eyes focused on him while Griffin went for a rough like block "Brad, Melody!!" He'd yell out as Brad tossed out his Pokeball. It aimlessly clattered against the pavement and left Griffin's blood to run cold. It was a freeze frame, a shock beyond any other and as he turned his head; just partially - Moonlight distracted and all. The kid ran up to him full throttle, and swung the Crowbar - hooked edge and all, right at Griffin. His legs just moved back with a risky jump that left him off balance. "Fucking lunatic!" Griffin remarked and watched the Arcanine land down; curl and swing right for Melody. She didn't move or flinch. She went narrow eye'd and focused... That Arcanine's insanely powerful jawline snapped open with an ear-shattering roar of a sound; Griffin took a line of footing and tried to turn his whole body. "Melody!"

It was the sharp, clear and endless level of clarity his eyes held, as though even the speckles of black - those floaty little wriggles in his vision focused with everything else. The Arcanine; the world was purely in slow motion. Then there was a jolt of light, like a zig-zagged beam of gold electricity that jittered and flashed all over the pavement; the side of buildings... even in the world in a stand-still. It simply struck the Arcanine and left the sleek black thing to slide against the pavement with it's claws dug into the cement. Griffin's heart stopped, and then he just dove to the ground. He hit the pavement the moment the thick strands of his hair were jostled. The crowbar swung overtop of him. "Moonlight!" Griffin yelled out, the Espeon simply tackled into the back of the cloaked stranger's knee. Right in the back of it as he scrambled to his feet. All he did was snap his leg down and reached a firm hand back... gripped Moonlight's haunches and threw him against the wall of the Pokemon Center. He reached the crowbar high into the air... yet before he could swing downward; this massive crackle struck the steel and popped. It sent the young, strange and hooded trainer into a stunned frenzy of sparkling electricity. The Arcanine parted his legs and growled lowly at the challenger. Griffin blinked and let out a sharp exhale. The sight of gold, sparked fur. The coils of lightning that flickered over its haunches and towards the tips of its ears. The necklace like black and rapidly zig-zagged pattern... and it's six tails flared out with sparks and shocks darting spasmodically between them. A short narrow muzzle exhaled as it firmly planted itself and showed off this curious whine. A firm... curious whine. Moonlight kicked off the wall and got beside Griffin's side as the cloaked stranger and the Arcanine stood across from them. Griffin parted his lips as though to say a name. "T... Taser?" It flicked an ear as that gold, electric type Vulpix lowered its head down and snarled at the Arcanine. It was the strange Insupia Vulpix from Vermillion. Officer Jean's Vulpix stood between the Arcanine and Melody. It can... move that fast? When it's fully charged right? Its tails coil up and become neat when it's fully charged. That's what Logan said on the Pokedex. Moonlight simply scampered up as Griffin called out his name, all it did was jolt beside of the new, strange Vulpix and muttered something; a whine or a playful growl. It simply whined back at him with its eyes spasmodically and quickly reading every bit of movement. Like the world around it was so permanently slow. The voice on the speaker kept talking endless; Griffin's phone rested down and beside Melody and Nurse Joy. How is she so... so... dead set on...? She didn't even flinch. Great, I guess I need to lead this... somehow right? "Moonlight double team and follow up with Psyshock! T - Taser use Thunder Wave and follow up with Hex!" "Inferno and Fire Blast; burn them both to the ground." Moonlight went for protect first and blocked an eruption of fire as Griffin held his arm up to shield his eyes from the bright light... then Taser flickered and darted behind him; sparking the entire night with a near sunlight glow. The Arcanine knew he was faster then Moonlight... but didn't know the extent of that one Electric Type Vulpix. Taser used Thunder Wave! It paralyzed the Arcanine, Arcanine is paralyzed and unable to move! Moonlight then used double team to create copies and followed up with Psyshock... but his attack faltered? All the Espeon did was start the move and then stumbled and coughed. The look on his face simply called out 'not now...' As though Griffin could see that emotion clearly on his face. Taser's eyes simply glowed, no different the Luna's and a dark, sickly purple aura burned from underneath the Arcanine. All it did was roar again and then flickered it's fur out as though to effortlessly toss away the Paralysis. Griffin then grabbed a Pokeball from his belt "Alright, Bandit get out there!" He'd remark and tossed it... Unlike Brad, Natasha and Melody's Pokeballs that were suddenly unresponsive... His worked completely fine. Bandit struck out of the Pokeball and huffed flames from her fangs before yipping and howling like any other demon of the savannah. She'd make all sorts of delighted and wonderful yipping sounds before Griffin snapped "Don't use Hyperbeam; you hit that Pokemon Center... whatever's in it comes out here... it's already killed all the Pokemon inside of it!" The cloaked trainer laughed and chuckled as he'd crack his knuckles and delightfully spun the Crowbar with a single hand. A quick whip-like shot motion with his wrist. "You RAN in there? The balls on you!" He'd remark delightfully and laughed harder "What's in there won't kill a human... quickly." Griffin swallowed "But it's no different then smoking dozens of packs of cigarettes instantly. Just catching a whiff is enough to cause problems. I hope you like chemo you dumb fuck." He'd express with this utterly happy and ecstatic tone. His overjoyed smile and the disgusting grin on his face made Griffin narrow his eyes with vicious intent. "Arcanine; use Flame Tackle. Break past that Espeon and rip out his spine." The young trainer mentioned as the Arcanine looped back around; even with the smaller Vulpix darting and tackling against him... Then Bandit licked her lips and jolted her legs. She landed next to the Arcanine and in a Frenzy that Mightyena hopped and spun overtop of him, landed and swung back around. She slashed him three times... first on the right... then the back... then the left until it went rampant. The Arcanine used Overheat to compensate for the sudden attack from all edges of his body. Bandit didn't flinch and only continued to yip and howl and roar as Griffin called out "Extrasensory Moonlight... Futuresight even!" The Espeon rolled his shoulders back as he'd stare down the younger trainer. His eyes went wide as it simply smiled; wearing his Mimikyu like outfit before his eyes and the gemstone glowed on his forehead. His fur even lifted and the air around him swirled with exceptional psychic prowess. The very nature around him bent as he'd narrow in his looks and for only a moment, with all that was going on... he heard a voice. Griffin heard a voice. "Bandit, Taser, MOVE" It left his back to crawl, his vision blurred from the endless rush of his heart pounding against his chest as Bandit viciously kicked off of the Arcanine and Taser slammed down something to the pavement. Griffin made sense of it instantly. The Real Arcanine joined in the fight, alongside of the substitute... The Real Arcanine nearly matched Taser's speed... and during the whole frenzy and confusion, Taser set up an angle to replace the fake... the clone of the Arcanine with the real one. His eyes simply went bright and wide as Moonlight let out a move... Moonlight used Future Sight ((Multiplied)) It physically left the Espeon's legs to bend and pushed against the pavement as though all of this unbearable weight just held him down. As though Bandit just launched her Hyperbeam... but this was forced build up not natural build up. Griffin saw that right away... he could tell the difference. Bandit and Taser went wide as the Arcanine's fur tossed back from a massive wind, a move like Fairy Wind... Until a sudden sharp light; light a traced line shocked... funneled and shot right against the Arcanine's open side. The Floating Ribs. Before it could even yelp, it was already knocked back as though Moonlight tried to put it clean through a solid concrete wall. "Arcanine!" The younger trainer yelled out and gripped the crowbar firmly, it shook in his hand as Moonlight finally stood to his shaken feet. The pavement cracked from the pressure underneath the Espeon and he let out a sharp, rough exhale. It left him to growl... the world to spin for him - Griffin could see how he stumbled around and as he did. A chitter made his blood run cold. The trainer pulled out his near pitch black Pokeball and let out a creature he knew all too well. "... Get us... Out of here now." The half-feral like lizard-feline Pokemon, a weird quill-like mane around it's neck and it's three tails; slender fur which showed off metallic black and purple colors simply tilted it's head at Griffin... Then Espeon before it let out a giggling hiss. Moonlight only pushed to his feet and firmly planted them, nearly cursing himself until he... Until both Griffin and him noticed that the Arcanine slumped against the pavement; huffed out fire and pushed to it's feet. All of Moonlights suffering was just enough to injure the Arcanine... but nowhere near enough to put it down. Yet it held injuries; broken ribs and torn muscles. Even then it stood and let trickles of blood hit the pavement below it. Bandit only huffed and let out a sparkle of fire; one that she launched after flinting her teeth together.

The Cheshira cut inbetween the Arcanine and her Move and with one sharp inhale. A casual sharp inhale... it funneled in such a way that it's metallic fur simply shattered the move across it's one pelt. The move was gone. It sucked in Bandit's Inferno... and launched it back at them... but now it was something Moonlight effortlessly tossed away. It was something Moonlight effortlessly casted aside as though it were nothing coming at them by using reflect. Then all it did was push a paw against the Arcanine, the young trainer merely jumped over Arcanine in such a way that left Griffin to blink... and amid his blinking it was all gone. Over... Done. It was only then Griffin realized that everyone was yelling at him, except for Melody. The Sirens were cutting into frame now, the look of lights. He returned Moonlight and Bandit in pure silence of a moment where footfalls cut past him. Emergency teams... Police. Tape; an entire border and a cornered off section of the city as Melody, Natasha and Brad simply watched the paramedics push them back - the police take them aside. Griffin simply blinked and stared at where they were. He stared silently... Until something bit his pants leg. That strange Vulpix looked up at him and then he saw the set of boots. "You again?" An all too familiar police officer said and gently... calmly crossed his arms before he let down an arm; his Vulpix jumped up his arm and nearly perked on top of his shoulders and hat. "Griffin Fletching, think you can come down to the station with all of us? We have some questions... Imagine our surprise when we have Fuchsia City go dark for an hour; we almost thought it was just a silent night... and then you called up Vermillion." He began to say, that accent... a near mock French one but it was clearly there in his tone. "You're all not in trouble, from what I know of... considering the situation... but that depends on what all of you say." He mentioned and listened to his Vulpix yelp and yap "There was a suspect." Griffin partially nodded "Teleport?" Griffin hummed and nodded "W - what happened just now?" He shook his head as the officer looked behind him. "Considering the conversation between the paramedics, it looks like you all just saved a life... and considering how Taser is acting, I have a feeling you helped deal with a suspect... even though they escaped. If Taser acts like this, it's usually a good sign that something bad just happened and someone helped to fix the problem." Griffin simply let out air, as though he held his breath for the entire time before he'd look around. There was someone on a building nearby and he pointed towards it. The officer did too, but by the time he looked they... vanished. "Looks like the gym leader owes an explanation too." Jean commented "Jenny filled me in on a lot about Kanto, but first; let's just chat. I can get you a coffee and everything." Jean mentioned and called out to Jenny. She then nodded and waved at him. Griffin had never really been in the back of a squad car before... at least not with a sunken heart and stomach feeling. The drive was much different then back in Saffron. Jenny and Jean both spoke in English, Griffin and Brad understood it clearly. "Any evidence on that claim from earlier? The Fuchsia police has a building but... if it does have something to disrupt communications..." "that's much too absurd. Everything is set up on a modem. It's locked down tight." "Doesn't explain the whole city going dark for a whole hour. No fire... Medical... Police. Then these five..." Jenny nodded "It seems extravagant, the other police officers are setting up a perimeter. I'll have to speak to my cousin here, figure out where she is. By this time, I know she's off duty." Jenny continued "As for the city going dark on communication... I mean... what would happen if someone could? Or people could?" Jean chuckled "Maybe something just like this... Late at night, any normal day of the week. Patrols active reporting nothing in or... situations so small that they don't need to. Japan is... well it's peaceful. Normal phone connections aren't cut out but... police? Perhaps scrambled or... or even funneled. That makes sense to me, but the idea is much to... much to Hollywood-esque, so to say." Brad stayed quiet... until he spoke up. "Funneled. Someone answered the phone the first time I called." "Me too." Hunter brought up "And I called them nearly an hour ago after trainers were leaving the Pokemon center. They freaked out and talked about a gas leak or something. I didn't even get to see who they were." Jean looked behind him as he said, 'sorry for interrupting.' "You're Canadian...?" Hunter swallowed "I am too, I can tell; it's how you say the word sorry. It's subtle but it's there." Jean tapped his finger against the dash of the car, Jenny was driving it. "Be sure to be completely honest with us in there, it won't be... it's not movie-like. We aren't going good cop, bad cop or whatever people think it is. We follow laws." Jean looked at Jenny and then they started to speak in Spanish. "I know Spanish." Griffin commented shortly after as Jean laughed awkwardly. "Is there any language you all don't know." "I speak Russian." Natasha commented in Japanese "I don't know anything but Japanese" Melody commented nervously and softly. "I didn't do anything wrong...? I mean I... it was all what happened." "Don't panic." Jean replied to her in Japanese. "Spanish, English and Japanese." Griffin mentioned honestly as Hunter nodded "English French and Japanese." "English and Japanese." Brad commented after "And a little bit of Farsi." He brought up idly. "A Russian, Mexican correct? American, clearly... Canadian and a Japanese Citizen." "I was born in Japan." Griffin corrected him "But I see family sometimes in Mexico." Jean looked over and Jenny

"Interesting, I guess Pokemon Trainers really do come from all places." Jean expressed and wrote something down in a notebook. Griffin and Brad sat back in the cushiony leather of the squad car as it rolled up to the Police station. Then it was being brought to the station on foot... past the front desk as everything just exploded... people getting called in; computers being reset or reconnected. Jean and Jenny just looked through a whole chaotic mess that arrived unexpectedly. "Send ERT to the Pokemon Center immediately; Hazard." Jean commented "Get them outfitted now." Someone jogged up to him "GP Lieutenant Jean." They called out and Jean turned around "What is going on? We had nothing called in and just now everything reset, every single phone is off the line with all sorts of things?" Jean simply nodded "We'll figure that out, for now you have GPD moving in to back up for tonight." Jean expressed as Griffin swallowed... everyone being held back by other officers, as he was put into a back room. Camera and all. Interrogation? Questioning? Officer Jean sat down at the seat across from him. "Sit down Griffin, please." He mentioned. "We have some particularly important questions, including some related to your previous statements in Vermillion." "A - Am I in trouble?" "Would you tell me if you were?" Jean asked calmly and met his eyes. "I'd like for you to talk to me, because the way I see it... you've been near or in the same city where everything has happened thus far. There was Cerulean, with the fire. Saffron with a sudden arrest of Pokemon Smugglers... Mightyena fur was found at the scene." Griffin blinked and stuttered as he went for his belt. "Don't bother, they're locked" "No they're not." Jean tilted his head as he petted Taser. "What do you mean?" Griffin cautiously held up a Pokeball as Taser took a stance "I - It's my Growlithe, I swear." He commented and the capsule cracked open. Jean simply leaned back and looked at the small thing. "Did you do that?" "Of course not!" Griffin expressed "Your Pokeballs then?" "My brother... Logan made them, software and all. He... He wants to make a capsule system that wirelessly connects to a PC box and a Professors laboratory. I have the research certificate for it. C - Check my Trainers Badge." Jean nodded and wrote something down. "I have. Every badge in Hoenn, skipped out the finals and left for Kanto. Every badge here save for two... a retake of Cerulean included. According to my paper work, you're one hell of a trainer Griffin." Jean commented "Almost as good as your brother. Finished Hoenn, beat the Champion... won the international events in Sinnoh. Studied at the Pokemon University in Kanto while you were still in Highschool... then you left for no given reason and started to become a trainer at Fifteen, by then your brother had finished his university studies on Pokemon Genetics and Evolution... focused on hereditary diseases in Pokemon." "Aspen-Ward." Griffin replied, "He thinks it's some crazy mystery." Jean nodded "Then his research site gets attacked... I got called in for that, and I haven't found him since. Have you seen him?" Griffin looked back at him firmly "No, why would I want to!?" Griffin replied bitterly as Jean wrote more down. "Tell me about what happened when you left Celadon." Jean began to say "I woke up late because I got in late. I bought some canned coffee and drank one too many before bed, read up on a bunch of Pokemon types and watched some video's in my hotel room. PokeStay, I can't remember the room." He wrote more down. "Your professor covered that." He mentioned and idly held out his paw to Thief, the Growlithe folded his ears and flattened his tail before backpedaling. "He's signed on with Logan for the Pokeball Research?" "yes." "And where can I find him?" "He has a lab between Kanto and Johto." Jean commented and continued to write. "Now, you had mentioned someone attacked you, before Vermillion City between Maiden's Peak and Vermillion. I'm curious because Taser here went through a battle obviously. I can see that. Was it the same person, or people that attacked you that did that to your Growlithe?" "N - No... there was a problem with a wild Pokemon at my professor's laboratory. According to Ayumu" Jean wrote down the name "So - Sorry Akiyama Ayumu, my Growlithe; Thief ran off to find one of the Pokemon in the daycare there and ended up getting hurt." Griffin expressed. "So what about tonight? Was the same person here tonight?" "Yes. He... had some strange Pokemon with him and disappeared before you all got there." Jean continued to write and scribble things on his notepad. "T... The only thing..." Griffin uncomfortably moved "I... Well he never wore a mask, I said something about a paintball mask. He never had one on... I just felt... well" "Unsafe? Do you feel unsafe now?" "A little." "..." Jean wrote that down. "What did he wear?" "I... It was like a hoodie; a big hoodie - like one too large for him. He's between... maybe twelve and fifteen." Griffin began to explain as much as he could about what happened at Maiden's peak and now... attempted to fill him in with as much detail as he was willing to spill; save for where Logan was and the strange people with him. They continued to talk until Taser got bored and began to chitter with Thief. Constantly, until eventually that Growlithe opened up and talked back too. "I think that's all I need. Ward, Joseph I mean wanted me to inform you about that Blaziken and Lycanroc." Jean began "Blaziken is doing fine... they found internal bleeding with Lycanroc when she was first brought in." Jean expressed "I... refuse to comment any more on that, based on the nature of the subject." He'd express "You did the right thing, I can never condone stealing Pokemon Griffin... but in this case you didn't steal them. In Canada we commonly have underground Pokemon fights; they're illegal. A whole ring of illegal trading and international trading comes from there... instead of here, with safeties and protections for Pokemon it's... unsafe for anyone, even the Pokemon. So, although I don't condone stealing, in any sense of the word... I don't, personally see what you did before as stealing. You protected them just naturally." Jean expressed and sighed. "Would you like to talk to me about your father?" "No." Griffin commented "I read his file too, he had more medals and commendations then your normal solider." Jean expressed "I don't want to talk about him." Griffin replied, blindly and deafly. "I don't want to listen about him." Jean sat back in his chair.

"That's all I have for you. Thank you for your statement... And Griffin, try to keep your head out of trouble." He simply huffed and sighed "That's all I want, I just want to... to keep going. I just want to be a trainer." "you're already one." Griffin shook his head no. "I'm not a trainer..." He'd express "I don't think I'm really one." Jean wrote something down "I'd suggest waiting in the station for your friends, but if you prefer there is a shop down the road. Coffee and whatnot. Plenty of police officers there too from time to time." Griffin simply nodded as Jean swallowed a little. "They sell hot chocolate too, if you prefer that." Griffin only waved goodbye and watched as Brad walked in next, looking nervous as all sin. All he could do was sigh and put his head against the wall.

Why is this all... so... hard? It came to his mind as he gave Natasha and Melody a quick look. "H - hey... I'm going to go across the road, f - for coffee." Griffin mentioned "Meet up with me when you're all done." "R - really? Right now?" Natasha commented and cleared her throat "I - I mean you can't just leave." Griffin sighed and rubbed his eyes. "We're not in trouble... somehow. They just want to know what happened." Griffin expressed "So... I'm going for a little walk." He began to say "Just for coffee." Melody simply nodded after a moment of looking at him and then went back to her hands, as though she didn't know what she was doing. As though there wasn't an answer to say.

So Griffin left them back there with that all too familiar image in his mind. Just bare palms... red hands in the middle of winter. A friendly voice or a smile here and there as he dug for his phone to look for a song. A song that he had the courage to get rid of... yet even then as he stood in an empty coffee shop all he could vote on, all he could get was a single cup of hot chocolate and sit closest to the door next to the windows. Stare out at a city alone, just lost in an all too familiar memory until a certain Growlithe jumped up on his lap, onto the table with a little friendly bark. One that left him to share that little cup with someone else... Only the thought came back in his head, that all he wanted to do was keep moving forward because here and now... with a Growlithe licking the cream of his Hot chocolate was a little moment that seemed all too perfect and surreal. A little moment... That's all he could ask for. A little moment that left the bell to the front to ring and chime until they were all together again and he could smile and talk... and somehow brighten their days with just that alone.

Because empty promises... small hopeful wishes only began and end with little moments like this and a little sunshine after a snowstorm. All Griffin could do to make them smile was create a little moment...

That's all he really wanted.