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Luna and Thief Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Conceited Encounter!

A smell made her nose huff and sniffle, one that made her stomach churn and her head spin thanks towards recirculated air and the strong sanitized mist that fluttered against linoleum and tile. Griffin had been in some room for a long time, enough that she yawned and growled gently with her head to the ground. Thief had been in there too with him. "I didn't even see the glass... or the blood or anything." Brad commented and idly coughed as he'd hold an open palm down to her. A voice made her ears twitch and her heart race. The name of a doctor came over the room before an audible click from the front desk. "I noticed it when I sat down at the police station... mentioned that someone was bleeding." Hunter expressed "I thought it was right to tell him, Griffin probably didn't even notice he cut himself, I mean with all that was going on..." "Any news on him?" Natasha asked with a yawn "Melody? Are you okay? Your leg is bouncing..." That Vulpix simply tossed her a look after a while. She just bounced her leg, moved her hair out from her face and worryingly fiddled her fingers. She looked how Luna felt. Worried and nervous, but she didn't say a word. "I can't believe I missed... all of that. I just froze up." Brad brought up "Completely froze up, Griffin actually... leapt into action." Brad expressed "A - Any news on Nurse Joy?" Melody just worryingly looked back at him and continued to bounce her leg and squeeze her knuckles together. Luna watched her fingers go white from the pressure. Then Natasha yawned again and stretched "Coffee isn't enough... I need sleep." She'd express softly. "Stop bouncing your leg so much Melody..." Natasha quipped and leaned her head against her shoulder. It made Luna's ear twitch, but Melody didn't respond to that at all. "I'm worried about Sam... knowing him he probably woke up and..." He checked his phone "Nope... no missed calls. We've been here for over an hour... it's three in the morning." "R - really?" Brad expressed "We walked into the city at eleven..." Luna folded and pinned her ears back Can't be as bad as Moonlight... he nearly just... just passed out the moment he got returned. Thief is worried sick about him... Luna felt her tails flick out and her fur tip on every end they could as a hand gently pushed against her.

She jolted and looked to the left, away from them. There was this young girl... or boy? She couldn't tell; pale skin, bald... a smile and a little palm on her fur as a doctor gently walked up to them. Her mother made a comment that she shouldn't stand up. Luna just looked at her, Melody did the same. "Sorry about that, I hope she didn't spook her." Brad shrugged at the sight of a tall, middle aged doctor. One with a lab coat, a round pair of glasses complete with rings under their eyes as though they had very little sleep. "I can't really tell, she's not mine... her trainers getting looked at. A - Any news on Nurse Joy?" "N - Nurse Joy? Yes she... what do you mean?" The doctor asked firmly as Brad opened his mouth nervously. "W - Well the police officer we called, in complete silly panic, over her cold... brought her here... I - I mean she was nearly coughing... smoke." The Doctor blinked first then looked down at all of them. He'd tiredly look at his check book and flip through everything as the young girl just petted Luna intensely... as though fur was so alien to her. "She's... resting. It was touch and go. She'll be okay even though the waters are a little... frozen." The Doctor expressed "Whatever or... whoever did it, they did it right. We're expecting a slow, but full recovery." He'd mention "The moment word gets out, you'll be astonished how much support is going to come down to the hospital. I mean the lobby will nearly be full... all of it." Melody gently and nervously released her fingers from their interlock as Luna gave her a quick glance... petted by some strange child in the hospital here was less then ideal, but the way Melody looked was more concerning to her. Luna couldn't care if it was one human cub or a dozen that did, not while she looked the way she did. "A - Any reason or... cause?" The Doctor silently sighed as Brad feebly brought up the conversation. "It looks like she breathed in something bad for far too long, she also hurt her head but that's nothing serious. Looks like a bad fall to me... She'll be fine, that's all I need to tell you." He'd express and sighed while he rubbed his eyes from underneath his glasses. "Your friend, also got lucky." Brad and Natasha both gave him a blank look as Melody finally looked up at him, froze up. Hunter just huffed and looked at one of his Pokeballs. The red, polished top showed back his reflection as he'd gently sigh and check his phone. "He should be out shortly."

Thief:

"As I told you, keep the bandages on. The glass, even though tempered... I'm surprised it broke off in a chunk like this; incredibly surprised. Luckily, even though it looks bad you missed most of the vital arteries and veins; such as your Tibial Vein or your Peroneal Artery. If it moved, or you moved even a quarter inch more to the left when it cut you; you would have already passed out before you made it to the police station. Keep the bandage on. I took out the glass and frankly I don't want you walking on it full throttle." Griffin just held his palms together and sighed after he took a moment of silence. "I - Is that it?" Griffin asked after a minute "My friends have been sitting out there for at least an hour..." "Stitches, staples... sutures. It's all easy to do; hell, I would have had you out sooner if it wasn't for all the paper work. Your leg might feel numb, the injection does that. Be sure to check back with a clinic at least a week later to remove the staples; the stitches dissolve naturally. As for the dressing, replace it every two days." Griffin nodded as the doctor explained to him what to do. "I just pulled nearly three inches of solid glass out of your leg; tempered glass. I want you to be a lot more careful, I'd consider this as one lucky break young man, because if you were alone and you didn't see an injury that could have been that serious, I'd hate to think what could happen." Griffin just rested his head back against the chair he sat in, sighed as Thief looked at him closely... intensely. His ears pinned down on the back of his head and his tail flicked and wagged against the leg of the chair hard enough that it wobbled and jostled against the laminate flooring. "I... well I can't really apologize about that..." The doctor just rubbed his eyes "I know, the police officer; Jean was it? He filled me in on the situation. It's all pending investigation, mind you, I'd suggest your friend out there; Melody? She really shouldn't try playing doctor. She's the luckiest one of all of you." Griffin narrowed his eyes partially "I don't... understand." The doctor nodded "It's law, someone has to be trained or have a valid first aid ticket to preform CPR. She doesn't. Her trainer card proves that, earlier records; all of it. Wherever she learned that or read on the internet. She's very, incredibly lucky that she did it right. Granted she could still be arrested for it later." "What!? B - But she!" "If Nurse Joy... died there. That would be on Melody. She was the one that tried life saving techniques without any training in the manner." The doctor explained "It's not that hard to understand, even granted the situation. She's simply lucky; but the police will talk to her again, as the investigation continues. I'm astonished that they let her continue travelling. Jean was the one that argued that point." He mentioned again. "Y - you're the..." "I am the doctor that looked over Joyce when she came in. Considering that she is fine now... that's irrelevant. There could be irreparable damage. Luckily, she's not comatose. That's a... A fraction of people out there who stay under that long. But Nurse Joy is the heart of every community, recognized by everyone. A good heart..." Griffin swallowed nervously and clenched his palms together firmly. "Don't be a hero. You're just a trainer, you all are. It's MY job NOT to give up on a patient, but I can't have some lunatic group of kids trying to act like heroes. THAT will get you hurt like this." He'd sigh again and rubbed his tired eyes as they sharpened on Griffin. "The number of trainers I run into doing stupid stuff... Get out of here, be safe... and for the love of... of Arceus even; be smart." The doctor mentioned firmly and reprimandingly as Griffin gripped the side of the chair and pushed to his feet.

"Y - Yes sir..." Griffin replied meekly as Thief jolted to catch up. "And young man." "Yes?" He'd sigh and huffed out gently to Griffin while giving this yawn. "Be sure to apply a light amount of potion to your Growlithes burns along with the burn spray. Don't buy anything too concentrated; the normal will be more then fine. And I suggest bandaging or dressing him up too, unless you want him to have an infection. Not only that, give him plenty of rest and simple things to eat; the Potion and Burn Spray is bound to make him more tired and weaker then usual. It'll take at least a few weeks." "T - Thanks." Griffin expressed and scratched the back of his head nervously. Then it was stepping out of a small room and wandering down the hallway - past a quiet and closed cafeteria towards the front lobby.

"Griff!" Brad tossed up a hand "Hey again" Hunter nervously waved and smiled cheekily. "Why didn't you tell the cops about the cut? Getting us all riled and... and worried!?" Natasha quipped as Melody mentioned "Didn't think you were worried." Natasha simply shot her a look. "I'm not." Natasha mentioned bluntly and straight faced while she crossed her arms. "It's just common sense." Griffin laughed to relieve the tension between them all before he yawned. "I could use some sleep..." He'd express and shyly gave Melody a look. She simply looked back feebly and tossed her gaze to the side. "I want to leave too." Melody commented and stood up. "Here's your bag, Griffin. Let's just all go." Griffin nodded and gave a look around. "Where's Luna?" He'd ask as Melody pointed towards his back. "Make a wish..." Melody expressed softly, quietly as he turned around. Thief simply and drastically tilted his head as he looked at a thing so alien to him. I've never seen a hairless human before... at least not a young one? That's so weird! Thief thought to himself before he wandered up to Luna. The young boy... or girl... just spent their time petting her. Endlessly petting her. "Luna, let's go!" Thief mentioned as the young child reached a hand out to him next; he partially backpedaled, before Griffin knelt down and pushed the small in his back forward. "Hi there! My name is Griffin!" The young child tilted their head "That's a weird name..." They'd mention back "I've never seen a Vulpix up close before! Her fur is really special!" Griffin laughed and smiled at her. "I know it is! I heard that if you help keep it clean, it'll bring good luck!" Griffin mentioned and happily smiled as Thief tilted his head back at him "But you gotta become great friends with them first!" I've never heard that before... Thief thought to himself while he gave Griffin a weird look. "Not only that, I heard that petting a Growlithe is bound to give plenty of courage too!" Thief just looked him dead in the eye and gruffly huffed. "But he looks a little moody, he's been up for a while." "The doctor fixed your leg?" Griffin nodded "Yeah! He did a great job!" He replied again "I even had my Growlithe there to help me" The young child reached a hand out to pet him and Thief simply winced; half expecting for the young humans' small fingers to tug or pull at his pelt. To rip out hair but... What startled him was how weak, but sure their grip was. How confident and... fearless it could become. How fearless it already was... Needless to say, Griffin spent an extra twenty minutes at the hospital; telling that young child all about Pokemon, or as much as he knew about it. Even though their mother gave him a few strange glances from time to time... Thief couldn't stop looking behind him though, to Melody's leg. How it bounced impatiently, as though all of eternity it took before they finally left the foyer of that hospital.

"Alright..." Brad mentioned with a yawn "Lets find a motel... or a sleeping bag or... or something." "I'll join you all; Sam is tired of sleeping outside." Hunter mentioned "Anyways I wanna make sure he's not in too much trouble or... or panic or something." Brad tilted his head "Why? His Dewott is plenty powerful." "General Anxiety Disorder. He panics when he's alone or in huge groups... but I think he can get over it if it meant a shower and a proper bed." Hunter mentioned and waved at them. "Just be sure to text me the place, Brad." Brad waved back as Hunter walked off, before he butted up against Griffin. "You got it Hunter! As for you, mister 'hero'" Brad mentioned "Why the HELL did you just blindly run into that Pokemon Center? Twice!? That was... That could have been suicide for god's sake." "I already got the rap from a doctor and a cop today... Brad... I don't need you giving me one too. I just... I just... I got scared. That's all. I didn't think I just got scared." Griffin explained as they wandered down the road with Natasha checking over her phone. "I'm just happy that the police didn't detain or arrest us or... or something." "They'll probably keep bugging us about this one, forever." Brad mentioned "Be happy it's not Russia, or we would ALL have been detained for hours." Natasha commented "More so with attitude." She'd comment "I'm quite surprised too..." Melody mentioned quietly "I figured they'd just lock me up right away but... but maybe they don't just throw kids in prison right away." Melody explained "Or maybe it's because we need to use our trainer cards to travel anywhere in the country... and our Pokenav or Pokedex connects to the card. They could find us wherever we go..." Griffin just sighed and tossed his hands behind his head as he walked... looked up at the sky and clouds above them in the dark sky. "That's true, but why would that really be a problem. I mean... being human isn't a problem. Even though we did something wrong to do something more then right... I don't think they can really fault us for this. I mean... I don't know. It's because we're still kids to them, or they have more important things to worry about? I kind of think... maybe we shouldn't worry about it until it becomes a problem?" Everyone just gave him a look

"Alright, who are you and where the hell is Griffin?" Brad quipped as Griffin just looked up and sighed. His breath plumed against the chilly air. "I don't think I've ever really been here... I mean that sounds stupid sure but... I just feel like I want to be me... again." Griffin mentioned to them as Natasha pointed towards a road. "It's quiet already... no sirens or... just wind and streets. It's just quiet." "Do you always just have this stuck in the back of your mind?" Griffin laughed shyly as Natasha said those words "I think I might." Griffin mentioned "Maybe we should have left you in the hospital" Natasha quipped after and that left them all to laugh, except for Griffin... Thief just stared up at him with curious, big eyes. Stared as he walked next to Luna, beside Griffin; hugged around his legs. "What's up?" "He hasn't talked like that in a long time..." Thief mentioned back to her. "I mean... a very long time." He'd express again. "What... do you mean?" Luna asked as Thief looked back down at her. "Honestly. He's just... just saying his thoughts. He used to do that a lot, mainly to Bandit." Thief mentioned as they followed the group of humans down the road. He winced softly from the bite of the frigid air against his cracked skin. "He always... asked all sorts of things and... I think it just... I don't really know what it does, I like it. It sounds like paradise I guess." Thief mentioned and looked at her before he'd toothily grin "Going to a place where you can just be you. I think that's nice." Thief mentioned and huffed softly "I thought Alola would be like that... and it turned out to be all... all a lie." The Growlithe expressed to her as she casually tossed her looks to the clouds that rolled above them. They just gently walked on the road. "It's not that cloudy out... I mean there's the moon and everything." "I always liked the night sky more." Thief mentioned and Luna nodded "I always liked the sunset more." She'd explain "Sometimes... on some days you can see the sunset, the moon and the stars. It only happens for a little while, maybe once or twice a year and you need to find the perfect spot." Luna huffed softly "I just like it... especially during winter on warm nights. "... You're training with Bandit, now?" Thief asked and Luna nodded "Well... I mean she's giving me pointers, showing me how to stand and balance my tails and... stuff. Then she has me constantly... practice Extra Sensory. She tells me it can be like a surprise or a secret weapon." Luna mentioned "She uses FireFang and Crunch to make Inferno." Luna explained "She says it's a trick with her teeth and it took her forever to learn." "Shadow has me running everywhere when he can. Inside the Pokeball or not." Thief mentioned "He also wants to teach me how to control Fireblast better. I just don't get running well. I mean... REALLY running." "That's easy!" Luna expressed as Thief huffed back "It's not when your fat..." He mentioned back it left her to shake her head and laugh "I think it's just as simple! Anyways, you'd be warm and poofy all the time, right?" Luna mentioned "It's better than... than this." She playfully tossed a paw over her fur to show off her pelt. "I can't even CLEAN myself right." "Salt water." Thief commented idly. "What?" It made them both tilt their heads "What?" "What do you mean salt water? Like sea water?" Thief tilted his head back at her. "I didn't say that?" Thief mentioned back. "I mean well you like swimming lots. You always liked swimming." He'd express with a huff. "But now you've gotten like... like REALLY good at it! That's a secret weapon all in itself!" Luna rolled her eyes "Yeah but a little poison makes me all sick and woozy." Luna commented as Thief blew hot air against his nose... right before he walked into Griffin's leg.

"There we go, finally. Brad call Hunter... I'm going to pass out on a bed." "You're wobbling or sliding your leg..." Brad mentioned and lifted Griffin around his shoulder to help straighten him out. "They numbed my leg and shot me with a staple gun... that was after they stitched it." Griffin mentioned back "I can't put weight on it..." "NOW you tell us that!" Natasha commented and sighed, as though defeated "See what we mean?" "Are you worrying again?" Melody quipped "I'M NOT WORRYING!" Natasha expressed back as Griffin shushed with his lips and tongue. "D - Don't you DARE shush me!" "It's like... like two or three in the morning, people are asleep! Let's get inside and do the same; please? If we're lucky we can get Brad out of bed by like three in the afternoon." Brad yawned "Try five or six..." Griffin lightly punched his arm "We're waking up at eleven at the latest." That woke him up right away "No." "Yes." "No!" "Yes Eleven in the morning." "I am NOT waking up that early." Brad commented as Griffin sighed. They went back and fourth until Melody walked into this little motel, somewhere around the Trainers Village. The Pokemon Center would have been nearby them... even though it was closed for obvious reasons. As they bickered amongst each other, Melody got two rooms for each of them. Then it was all on Thief and Luna following him in; they both jolted when something landed nearby them, next to silent. "A - Aura!?" Luna yelped softly when she finally noticed her. All she did was softly bow her head down. "Yes, it's me." She'd comment "I got worried, decided to look around." "More like avoid Brad's hair." Aura sucked in air quickly. "It looks really... really dumb... That shade is... so dumb." Aura mentioned as Luna tilted her head "Not much for change?" Luna asked with a giggle as Aura just sighed... Thief curiously looked up at the funny pack around her waist. "What's in there?" Thief asked, but his questions quickly ushered aside as Melody waved at them drastically; without making a sound to get their attention and showed the entire group two sets of keys. Thief never imagined in all his wildest days that Griffin would hit a bed, face first. That was after Griffin got his jacket and shirt off. "Griffin..." Brad commented "Griff" "What?" He replied, his face muffled by the pillow, then he'd turn his head and huffed "Yeah? What?" "We need to stay up for Hunter and Sam." Brad said as he yawned loudly, while he did Aura simply flopped and curled up on the other bed. Brad lightly put a hand against the Lucario's side, petting her gently. Thief simply yawned and stretched as Bandit pushed past him; hard. She'd simply lick her lips; showed off her fangs and rolled her shoulders. "You're bleeding." Thief brought up as he noticed her paws. "It's not mine." Bandit replied, nearly gleefully; it left his pelt to crawl. "How's the Espeon?" "He just... sort of passed out I guess. His gem doesn't look as shiny now too." Thief explained, the worry hung in his tone as Bandit tilted her head. "Why are you worried about him?" Thief only responded by flicking his ears and thought for a moment. "I... I think it's because he was honest." Thief explained "I'm just worried, I got mad at him and he was... was honest. That's all it is." Bandit simply laughed "That's too simple fluffball." She'd remark back at him "Luna already explained to me what happened." "I know... I figured she would, nothing really gets by you." Bandit grinned and showed off her teeth "I like it that way. The more I know, the more I can help when needed." Bandit expressed and then went silent and stoic. "How are your injuries?" Thief tilted his head and pinned his ears to the back of his head. "What?" "T - that doesn't sound like you." "Shut up and answer my question mutt." Bandit growled back at him "W - Well cold air hurts... walking too much hurts... I can't lie down really; not without lots of grass or... or a pillow or something... I just hurt all over. It even hurts when Griffin carries me..." Thief explained "And it hurts a lot to run around. I just played the other day because... I don't know. I just felt like Moonlight needed it." Bandit snarled softly "He is a pain in the tail... He always needs something, he utterly doesn't care about himself." "Don't... don't tell Shadow." Bandit tilted her head and silently looked at him. "It... it was scary before... I don't want to be like that again... It doesn't feel good, it doesn't." Thief explained or whined meekly after. "I just don't want to get hurt like... like this again. Being like you stops that right? Being like Moonlight stops that right? Being strong and big and tough. I'm none of that, so I... I need Shadow to train me." Thief commented and gently coughed; winced and huffed out smoke.

Bandit simply smirked and rolled her eyes before she wandered over to Griffins bed, and jumped onto it; the whole thing creaked and groaned as she did... then she obnoxiously landed on him. He'd make a sound; like all the air shot out of him instantly, before she curled up on his side. On... not against it. He commented about him being unable to breathe and 'move over at least...' Thief just gently sighed as Luna budged against him. "Are you okay?" She'd ask and flickered her ears. Thief didn't respond and simply, gently sighed before going towards Griffin's backpack and laying down on his sleeping bag. The cold nylon left him to wince and jolt. Luna folded her ears and flicked out her tails "Do you need that spray stuff?" "I think I'm okay, it'll feel better after it warms up." Luna rolled her eyes and wandered up to him, her little paws plopped against the carpet... then she'd push down on the nylon bag, step up to him and curl up nearby. Thief casually rolled over, so that they weren't looking muzzle to muzzle. "What are you doing?" "It takes forever to warm up, unless you're inside of it..." Luna brought up. "It's really cold! So it might be... easier if we both warm it up. If that'll help your burns I mean." Luna mentioned as Thief nudged his nose into his chest. The fur scraggily crossed against his muzzle. It was rough, course... singed and dead at the ends. "This feels... like déjà vu." Thief mentioned and gently breathed against his own fur. "What?" Luna brought up "Yeah... like Pewter. I ended up curling next to you because you looked cold." Thief talked idly. "It was raining and everything, It, just felt like the right thing to do." "T - That's why you had a cold!?" Luna brought up as Thief nodded and laughed "Yeah... The rain collected in a little dip. I nudged you over and I ended up sleeping in a puddle. I guess we both can sleep through anything!" He mentioned and it left her to stop making any noise before she ended up giggling like nuts. "You're so weird you know that?" Thief simply looked at Griffin's rucksack closely, studied the grains of the fabric and the straps as he felt the carpet dip seconds later. "Yeah... okay Brad, I can see your phone just fine." Griffin got out of the bed and pushed weight on the carpet and as he sat up, Bandit took his spot; dead center in the middle of the bed. Thief went to push to his feet, but a large paw gently pushed him down. "Stay here little ones." Absol's voice came against the air. "W - Where were you?" "I've been lying against Griffin's bag since we all left the capsules. The only one that hasn't is Moonlight." "I'll go with you." Scarf brought up as Absol gently pushed him across the carpet. It made the Pikachu's ears twitch and flicker "No, I like it. You're tired anyways." Absol brought up as he rolled his eyes and stood to his hind legs. "I'm not that tired, let's go meet his friend." The Pikachu mentioned and wandered closely next to her, she only sighed in reply. "Alright..." "No need to look so glum! I'm not THAT bad to talk to!" He'd express, confidently... laugh at the end "Let's follow Griffin." Absol nodded softly afterwards and walked up to Griffin's side. He seemed to jolt, look confused and then tiredly yawn after covering his mouth. "Hey, how are you? Are you feeling okay? I'm not going far..." He brought up as Thief simply curled his head and rested it against the nylon. No matter what way he put it, all he knew was that it was warm. It felt warm and wonderful which only left him to peacefully breathe and close his eyes.

"It's big and bright too!" A voice whispered at him in this long endless silence. He'd only struggle to open his eyes but... it wasn't the way he wanted them to. "I want to go out in the sunlight! I wanna see the beach just like big bro!" A shiver crawled through his back "It's always sunny outside, it's nice and warm too! I'll find all the warm and hot rocks on the beach and bring them back. That'll make the cave warm and bright too!" Thief only heard a collection of excited chitters and sounds that quietly erupted in the cavern around him. He knew that's where he was, with the scent of the sea and the sound of the water. "I'll be super duper careful! Big Bro doesn't need to do everything... he's really really tired!" The voice began and before Thief could move his legs... move his body... He woke up to a glimmer of bright sunlight. His head jolted and he pushed himself to his feet. It was morning already? Something yawned and huffed against him, and he folded his ears and scrunched up his nose before he pushed his paws against the bundle of red fluff beside him. "Huh? Thief? Wait... it's morning? I'm tired, let me sleep." "I'm wide awake." They both shifted and tossed around during the night "But you're... kind of on me..." "Huh? Just go back to sleep." "I can't with your breath in my face..." Thief brought up and huffed back at her. "Gross! Stop it." Luna replied and rolled over. The entire hotel room was silent now... Bandit slept on a chair nearby; that one leathery chair with big arm-rested cushions. That said... it was such a small room that it felt congested and tight. Hunter ended up sleeping in the same bed as Griffin did, Thief only assumed that Brad wouldn't give up the space on his THAT easily. As for Sam... he was nowhere in the room? But Thief was surprised that Bandit appeared to give up her spot... he half expected to see Griffin sleeping on the floor. He'd push up against the nylon bag and stretched after he wandered off of it, enough that it popped and creaked the small in his back and the joints in his shoulders. Then it was all about waking up Griffin, Thief simply had the best idea.

He jumped onto the bed, got nearby his face opened his mouth and pointlessly lit and wasted fuel with his bright blue and small concentrated flame. The only problem was the sprinklers in the room...

By the time they got to the foyer, it was ten in the morning - after waiting for the dryers to finish up with everyone's clothes and the constant apologies Griffin gave the staff. Bandit spent the entire time laughing and yipping over it, and as they walked out of the motel after the so called 'costly mistake' Bandit shook out her fur and sprayed water everywhere, much to Griffin's dismay. Thief had this singe of guilt in his stomach all throughout breakfast and during the entire walk through the city. "Hey Griffin, check it out." Brad commented as he tossed him a newspaper. The headlines and everything... "The police are calling it a system fault for last night, and they were forced to touch on the Pokemon Center incident." Thief just looked at the picture on the front, police asking for help identifying these three strangers in the Pokemon Center. "As usual the quality is terrible." "That's really weird though" Brad brought up "They always, ALWAYS have the best camera's for centers, hospitals and stuff. That looks like a cheap ATM camera. It doesn't make sense." Brad took back the newspaper "Even the pixels look off, like it's damaged or something." Some trainers pushed past them. "hey! Hey! Did you see the news already? Nurse Joy is in the hospital!" Griffin and Brad jolted as Natasha commented "No, we're just holding a newspaper for shits and giggles." She'd reply to them "Is everyone down there?" "Every trainer! I mean, how can you not!?" "Easily, it's a hospital! If someone's hurt and you're in the way, that's on you kid. Get lost." Natasha commented back, roughly at that. They just said 'whatever' in reply and ran off. "Kind of rough... Natasha." Griffin commented idly "Whatever, I don't want to talk about it! It was messed up enough last night, let's just do the gym and get out of the city." "All of our Pokemon are tired, Natasha." Melody brought up defensively. "I don't think we should just jump into another gym quite yet." "I'm with Natasha, I want to leave too." Brad commented "Even though I don't want to say that..." "Is the badge really that important?" Griffin brought up and sighed softly. Absol clung to his side like a sick puppy, not letting him out of sight... not letting him walk too far away... It left Thief to tilt his head; he was clingy from time to time but that was too much. "I just think... maybe we shouldn't care THAT much about it. I mean... Melody is right; everyone is exhausted. The Hospital doesn't have the same tech that a Pokemon Center does; they don't help Pokemon like Nurse Joy does. Maybe... we can just enjoy the city today? There's not much of a point to being a trainer if our friends get hurt right?" "Again... who are you and what have you done with Griffin?" Brad brought up "You should be fired up for a challenge like this, I mean you normally are..." "I guess so.. But it just doesn't feel like something to get excited about or... or giddy about right now." Griffin explained "A - Anyways I have to deal with my leg now... Change out the bandages tomorrow for it." "Yeah... how is it?" "Now that I'm not so freaked out, it actually hurts a lot... I didn't even know yesterday or... whatever." Griffin expressed I hurt too... I'd like to see a park or play today or something. Thief felt those thoughts creep up on him It's been all gym gym gym... battle after battle. I want a rest day too. Griffin confidently nodded as Thief wiggled and wagged his tail "Let's just have fun today! We can check out all the sights of the city! It's not liked the gym would really be open anyways, right?" Brad softly sighed after a minute "That's a good point... Natasha. Anyways, we did that crazy bike ride yesterday!" Brad commented "And I had to wait for you with those photos of yours" "Excuse me!?" Natasha quipped firmly "Well yeah, I totally would have beaten Melody and Griffin if I wasn't waiting on you" She ended up laughing harder then Griffin expected her to. "Oh, I see... I get it; blame me because YOUR out of shape. Fine, wanna prove it? There's an ENTIRE park in the city and a field outside of the city. I bet you and your Lucario can't keep up with us!" Natasha expressed as Brad simply grinned competitively. "We'll beat your WHOLE team!" "Looks like this is decided, let's just start with the park in the city though... I don't want to walk THAT far out." Melody commented and lengthily yawned "Anyways, if I'm lucky I'll fall back asleep. Your Growlithe is the reason for that..." Melody mentioned softly and playfully stuck her tongue out at Thief. He thought he was in trouble, but the human started to giggle nonstop afterwards. That left him to smile in reply, even though Griffin sighed and groaned with his hands through his hair "Don't remind me..."

The park and all its glory laid out before them, it left Thief in silence as they wandered towards it; this eerie little hidden meadow surrounded by gates and this curious bright sunshine that glowed and gave off all sorts of golden and green hues. A breeze cut against his skin just to remind him to stay breathless. "Yeah! It's really, bright out today! You can see the ocean for miles! We'll let big bro sleep, I'll go find food today!"_A voice caused his paws to stop as the wind hurriedly died down. A hushed gentle sound that left his ears to twitch and his eyes to constantly wander. _Who... are you? "I know where to find food! I'll ask that friendly big Arcanine! He always smiles when he sees me!" "He sounds weird... why would anyone live in those weird caverns? It's creepy! Don't go out there!" "But he's friendly... he's just hurt, he can't leave... just like us. He misses his little brother too, I want to meet him! If I ever do, I'd tell him that his big brother is okay!" Who are you? Something finally licked against his ear again; a gentle soft sound nearby him, a push of a paw against his side. A gentle... reassuring touch. "Thief?" Luna began to say "Are you okay? Your eyes look watery..." He'd reply, confused and cautious before he shook his head wildly. "I - I'm fine!" He'd reply and nodded, but Luna gave her head a tilt. "No you're not." Thief went blank "You always smile and nod... you're not smiling." He stayed a little quiet "I - I'm fine! Really!" Thief expressed back to her "Maybe I just have a little headache" He expressed back "You would tell me, right?" Luna brought up. "You'd be honest about that right? Even if it's stupid or... whatever." Thief only gave her a confused look, twitched his ears and flicked out his tail. "I..." Thief started to say "I don't know... I mean... I..." Luna partially rolled her eyes and shook her head before walking ahead of him. "W - Wait Luna?" Thief expressed and huffed afterwards before he called out to her. "I just don't want you to worry about me!" Thief barked gently as he'd tilt his head, utterly confused and lost about it. What was that about? Did she have another dream? Thief sat down in the bright park and his tail against the grass as she ran towards Absol and Scarf... Bandit and Moonlight; whom finally woke up and flickered out of his Pokeball. Thief sluggishly trudged his way over to them after a while of sitting and staring. "You alright biscuit?" Bandit commented and that left Moonlight to scoff and laugh gently. "I'm feeling much better." He'd reply and stretched out his tail elegantly, and to Thief's astonishment, there was the gentle curves of his face; the color back in his eyes and his fur felt vibrant and even warm to be around. "Are you sure? Griffin returned Thief and I before everything happened, we could hear it all..." Luna mentioned back with her ears pinned nervously... scared. Thief felt his own ear twitch from her words, a gentle silent gush of air slipped out of his muzzle. "It didn't go the way I planned, but I think we put a good dent in that problem Pokemon." Moonlight mentioned to Bandit with a small little grin of his own, one that she returned. "You held a psychic power back? How long?" Bandit brought up "Even I got worried..." "Since Maiden's Peak... since before it actually, after you interrupted that fight with Haxorus." Moonlight explained "Maybe a week?" "I saved your tail there, I didn't interrupt anything Moonlight." Bandit replied firmly and assuredly "Everyone simply panicked so I dealt with it." Bandit told strongly and with this wonderfully powerful confidence "In some way, I'd say you owe me; Moonlight." Thief watched his ear flicked back, just the left one; before he narrowed his eyes. "And what could I possibly give you, that you don't already have?" he'd reply in a more affectionate tone then Thief expected. "You have everything, Bandit. I don't have anything to give you." It left them all silent for a moment, but Thief felt his tail twitch unexpectedly... nervously. Shyly. "You do; you have something you can give me." "And what's that?" "Pride, for one." Bandit stated bluntly and sighed after a while, a gentle... calm sigh that made the entire air feel frigid for Thief. It was unlike her to be so calm... yet tense and firm. "How about you do me a solid and try to swallow it from time to time?" Luna tilted and pinned her ears back after this tense frost came between them. "H - Hey, c - can we let this go for now? Just... Just relax today?" Thief gently nodded to her words "I like that idea a lot... Let's just take a break. I think we all need it." Thief brought up and looked towards his trainer, the young man just talked and argued and tried to split Brad and Melody a part. His entire tone and tune changed... if only for a moment. Thief could only look and stare at him closely, study him... watch. For just a second it felt as though he were optimistic and happy. Then there was a soft mewl... a sigh and a nod "Fine... I like the idea of relaxing today anyways. Lounging about sounds... well it sounds heavenly right now. I'm still exhausted." Moonlight mentioned with a stretch and a yawn. "That's what holding and controlling a power unnaturally does to you, Moonlight." Bandit quipped firmly and perked her ears as he turned to her "I already knew the risks!" He recoiled back firmly, annoyed by her providence. "Calm down please!" Luna feebly barked at them both "It's not worth fighting over..." "She's right you know." Leafeon... it left the Espeon to look out, shyly twitch his ears and look towards the ground. The wind picked up between all of them "I'm simply happy you stopped doing it" "You knew!?" "It's not hard to notice." Leafeon expressed "Haven't you seen him hesitate when he walked? Tremble and flick his tail. Feel sensitive or those chronic headaches he's been having?" "I noticed the headaches." Thief commented idly. "I just... didn't want to bother him, I felt like he wanted to be alone." Leafeon laughed "Stop pleasing him, if it won't help him out." Leafeon expressed to him as they all just tilted their heads; it put Thief on the spot, made him feel small and nervous. He just swallowed shyly and frantically. "There's times when you need to push others. Regardless of what happens, the outcome overtime is always better, even if it's never immediate." "I don't need some healing process Leafeon." Moonlight replied firmly "Whatever he does, he does." He'd remark back and everyone stopped... stalled and looked at something that gently lobbed their way; it flung past them at a safe, slow pace and clattered against the ground aimlessly. "Stick?" Thief idly commented and before he had the chance to even curiously look at it, Luna picked it up with her jaws after she scampered past him.

"Let's just play and relax!" Luna quipped back and ran a couple feet away "We can train with it even! All of this talk is tense and boring!" Luna mentioned and smiled at them, nervously but full heartedly. "It's like a day off, so let's actually spend it doing something? Rather then huddle around and argue..." Luna brought up as Thief turned his view towards Moonlight. "Come play!" The Espeon simply pulled his head back with a blank expression. "Uhh... No, I'm exhausted. I'd rather sleep, go have fun." Moonlight commented back and gently huffed in reply as Thief simply lowered his tail in reply. A soft... tedious drop to the grass. "I'm happy you're okay... I really am!" Thief commented and cleared his throat. "I'm... really... really happy." He'd reply and smiled, even a small one. Moonlight only stretched out a little more and yawned "..." He didn't say anything in reply, save for curling up against the grass and just closing his eyes. Thief just watched him do that, just sat in front of him and stared down at Moonlight until he finally commented. "Go play with Luna, before Bandit gives her hell..." The Espeon mewled and partially, playfully barked at him. "I'll be here." Then Leafeon gave Thief a little nudge. "Go, have fun little one." He'd comment, and ever so quietly, told him. "I have it from here... Thief." The Growlithe lightly pinned his ears, and then perked them against the wind; turned his head around towards this small parklet meadow... It was the narrow-cut field; like the kind for baseball but with all sorts of tree's all around them. A dirt trail in the middle and - beyond the sparse and oddly crowded branches were buildings. They weren't tall... but smaller. Kinder... more rustic in all sense of the word. This... cloudy and sporadic glow hummed down against the grass, a gentle swirl of wind left them all to dance in tender curls of golden dandelions... weeds. That's all they were; Thief knew that. But for such a little weed, one with bright gold and a tall green stalk; all bunched together in the sunlight and the chilly colder air. The kind that expressed winter was slowly creeping up on them... Thief found it wonderful, inspiring. Even though looking at something so indefinitely small and aimless... It's pointless to care about that, but I like them. It's like the other ones... buttercups. I like those too. Thief simply huffed and looked behind him. Leafeon gave him a look, before he seemingly... possessively... dropped his muzzle against Moonlights side. "Leafeon..." The Leafeon only grinned in reply to the Espeon's mewls. "What?" "Get off..." "No... you look comfortable to lie on. Anyways; you have a little more sunshine in your fur, it would be a shame if something grew on you because of that." The Espeon seemed to laugh in reply. "Is that all you have to say...? I mean, after all of this you still just..." "I think I like a sleepy bean over a sad one." Leafeon replied as Moonlight huffed at him. "So why don't you tell me about... We were on Rosemallows, right?" Moonlight huffed gently "Yes, they grow where I used to live." "Tell me more about it." "Why?" "I want to know, it's this big... curious world. I'm just astonished and surprised that flowers of all kinds end up everywhere. You'll find some from unusual places just living. Resilient." Leafeon mentioned to him. "That's why I like to listen. It's a story to listen to." Moonlight huffed again as Thief twitched his ears... Moonlight went silent. "Go play Thief, I know you want to. It's just you... There's nothing wrong with you but... You just... You just need to change. That's something you need to learn for yourself." Thief simply snorted and looked around at it all. "If you want some... guiding or... direction. If you want to act like some pup on guard, I won't stop you." Leafeon commented "But frankly, you miss out on your entire life doing that. Go... Thief. Today is a day, a rare day perhaps... where you can be who you want to be." Thief simply swallowed and opened his muzzle. "I think I already am. I like the view... I like the feeling of the wind... the air and the sunlight. I like all of it." Thief mentioned and gently scoffed "I can't... even begin to wonder why I ever hated it." Leafeon and Moonlight tilted up their heads. "Hm?" "What are you talking about Thief?" Moonlight brought up. "Huh?" "What you just said." "That I like the view? It's simple and wonderful! That's why I like it." Thief mentioned back and smiled "There's nothing not to like about it." "Thief come on!" Luna barked his way, and that left him to twitch his ear "Scarf stole the stick and ran up a tree with it!" He'd giggle and nod "It's not that hard to spook him out of it!" Thief mentioned back and laughed before he ran off... even though he felt a pair of curious eyes on him. One that seemed... serious, reserved but conscientious... kind and attentive. The other was independent, analytical and held standards higher then it could achieve. Yet they felt warmer then Thief could think of... the eyes on his back. Now they felt warmer... like he couldn't think of them ever being there before; that warmth before him, behind him... around him.

That simply felt black and white.

So, he ran, played; laughed and watched the clouds from time to time with his tongue out and a little playful yip in his voice. It felt needed, wanted... wonderful. Once Bandit got a hold of the stick, no one could get it again. She only took the thing because it kept bouncing past her, repeatedly until the Mightyena simply had enough of it; but by that point... Yuny, Akamaru... Sephiran; they all had joined in - Even Aura and Nidoran joined in. Just a pointless stick in the park; one that almost seemed insultingly thrown their way but it was better then nothing. It left their humans to laugh and joke. It brought them to the brink of sunlight that paved down against the grass below them. It took them all a moment to realize... that Bandit's game of choice wasn't so much of a running around type as it was a tug of war type. No one could take the stick from her at all... until Melody's Houndoom came up. Then it felt like this ice-cold challenge between them both. The poor and completely innocent stick were physically torn in half by it. By both of those larger, stronger near wild and feral types that fought over it pointlessly; it made everyone watch in awe and laugh... It left Luna and Thief to sit and stare at it all together. From that vicious game of tug-o-war towards this wild game of tag or something like it. Showing off powerful moves. Both of their tails wagged so fruitlessly in pairs, they found themselves sitting beside one another every time. Waiting patiently for their turn with little curious gems in their own eyes; anxious to show off anything they had. Thief's wasn't anything special; he showed off that firecracker like move he'd been working on. The plume of embers; black to silvery-white would explode after they hung in the air aimlessly. Every single one flicked a distinct color. As for Luna... hers' was Thief's favorite. It was just that dance she always did. It left his tail to wag and wiggle in anticipation whenever she'd nearly flip and land on her hind legs; will-o-wisp... flamethrower... fire spin... and hex. She made it happen in such a way that the entire meadow erupted in bright purple; blue and red sparkles. Like a cavern of stars in broad daylight before them all. She was the last to go; and it was enough that everyone had to stop and stare at it. Thief would hear Natasha fruitlessly yap at Griffin "Oh my god... When we get to Kalos, you NEED to enter her into the Pokemon Performer Pageant!" "W - what?" Griffin confusingly expressed back to her. "Even a Coordinator event or anything! I so wish I recorded that with my phone!" Natasha commented "If I knew she'd do that..." Natasha sighed and pulled out her phone. "Luna! Do it again!" The Vulpix simply dropped her tails and huffed out a plume of smoke from her nose.

It left Thief to laugh and Bandit to yip and howl endlessly as Griffin nervously smiled in reply "I didn't know she could do that..." He mentioned "That was... I've never seen anything like it. It was like she was... dancing? Can Pokemon do that?" "Yeah!" Brad brought up "The Pokemon Performances in Kalos are the BEST." Brad said so bluntly that it left both Melody and Natasha to look his way. "W - what? Hey what!? No, it's not that I want to enter them! It's because of all the hot performers, obviously." "It's because you want to enter them..." Melody commented softly "THAT'S NOT THE REASON!" Brad expressed back firmly and sighed, coughed to clear his throat "I used to end up watching them on Television at my parent's bakery" Brad commented idly "They were always on TV. My mother LOVES them." Natasha seemed to nod after "Then YOU get to take Luna and enter the Pokemon Performances down there!" "Wha-" "It's settled!" Natasha said as Griffin nervously laughed "D - Do I get a sa-" "No" Natasha replied with a smug smile. "Right..." He'd reply blankly to her "You could take Yuny and Aura and Luna! Think about it!!" Natasha commented "I could make ALL the outfits for one; get you in a snazzy suit Brad! And then we have this Thunder, Fire and Aura trio for the contest!" She'd comment happily "Maybe ice..." Griffin brought up as Luna tilted her head at him "Oh Tsuara would be wonderful too! But... that's one too many paws on the ground Griffin... Actually... why do you only have... Quadruped Pokemon?" Natasha asked as Griffin gave her a look. "I - In fact you actually only have like... housepet kind of Pokemon." "House pet... kind of... Pokemon?" Griffin started to say, "I doubt they're really just..." "I mean Growlithes for one, they're the most COMMON Pokemon people have as pets." Natasha commented "I mean why don't you have like... like even a Pidgey?" Griffin seemed to shrug "I've never really thought of it before." Griffin explained "I mean, my first Pokemon... ever..." Griffin dryly cleared his throat. "Well my first one was Bandit I guess." It left everyone blank. "What? My brother didn't CATCH Bandit. I brought her home with me when I was a kid!" Griffin smiled "In fact she was just a poochyena back then; hell, I remember needing to go to school, come home... jump on the bike, do paper routes till five, come home after... make dinner and lunch for tomorrow. Clean up and then go to bed and do it all over again. My mom didn't want to keep her..." Melody stayed quiet as Natasha gave a little sigh. "I get that I guess. I only have Eevee's because my first Pokemon was an Eevee." Natasha explained "So I get it, sort of..." Griffin nodded "Yeah, so I mean... if I have a... a type then I have a type? I mean I guess it would be kind of cool to get a Noibat or something like that." Griffin commented "I remember watching this old video, well I mean my brother liked the Pokemon competitions, right? I never really watched them; but this one young trainer was down to just his Noibat in the tertiary round; and they were terrified to let their Noibat fight. I mean... horrified. It was a Noibat against this Scizor. It evolved during the fight. I've never seen anything like it." "You've never seen a Pokemon evolve before!?" Natasha brought up and Griffin shook his head no. "Never. In fact, Logan promised me that we both would evolve Bandit but... it didn't happen like we planned it." Griffin mentioned and sighed "Maybe, if I'm lucky I'll be able to evolve one of my own, some day." Melody seemed to cough "I can't believe you've never seen a Pokemon evolve... I mean, other then on Television I guess. Even I saw Smokey evolve into a Houndoom." Melody expressed and Griffin nodded "I wish, honestly I do... I wish I could've seen Bandit evolve. I mean Logan and I spent... we..." Griffin ran his fingers through his hair. "It was some of the best times, ever. She was with us every step of the way the moment she came home with me. I guess... speaking honestly, I mean... I felt a little cheated. Jealous... upset." Griffin explained as Brad casually tossed his arm around Griffin's neck. "You kidding!? We just gotta get you something out of your niche! How about a caterpie?" Griffin laughed slightly as Brad held him into a headlock. "B - Brad come on!" "Hey! It's a relaxed day, today right?" Brad commented "So I bet we catch you something neat like that, and we help Melody catch a bug type too!" Brad expressed "Or we can get you a Nincada! Ninjasks are the coolest bug types out there!" Brad mentioned and laughed "I'd say a Riolu... but Aura would have my spine!" Brad mentioned jokingly as Griffin flinched.

Thief watched Aura eye Brad suspiciously "Uhh... uhh Brad that sounded a little more..." "Oh it'll be FINE" Brad mentioned and nervously laughed. "We'll find you something awesome for sure!" Griffin chuckled and squirmed "L - Look, I think I like all of my Pokemon how they are, because it's them. Why would I change that? There'd be no reason to." Griffin brought up "When they evolve, they evolve!" "You need a stone to evolve all of them." Melody commented as Thief's ear twitched "I mean... you need two fire stones and a thunder stone. That stuff is expensive. It's not like Pokemon just make them!" Melody quipped softly and laughed to herself while Thief flicked his tail. His utterly off color, cream orange tail. Yuny took it on herself to bite it as he flicked it back and fourth and that shocked him in more ways then he could say. Both literally and figuratively, it made them both hit the grass. "Thief!?" Griffin, Luna and... well everyone seemed to make a noise "Yuny!?" Leafeon, Akamaru and Natasha perked up. "Did you shock him Yuny? Great job!" "H - Hey..." Griffin commented and walked up to Thief. "You okay?" Thief just gave him a look and pushed up to his feet with a little jolt in his fur and static that left his feet to kick out at the grass before he gave a happy bark in reply. Yuny had to push up to her feet after; with Akamaru's help. "You okay?" He'd ask nervously "Of course bro!" She'd reply and laughed endlessly "His tail looks yummy! I just didn't think I'd spark!" She'd comment and made this nefarious, hero like pose "I'll be super-duper strong!" "Y - yeah... be a little careful." Akamaru mentioned "Why are you so worried now?" She'd huff "You're not always THIS worried..." "I know... I know. How about you go play with big sis Tsurara." "Thief calls her Auntie." It made the Glaceon's ear twitch and Thief felt these frigid... ice cold - near ice queen like eyes study him down. "I beg your pardon?" Thief nervously chuckled before he coughed "You're... pardoned?" Thief replied and made a little laugh, before he bolted off as fast as his little legs could carry him; all the way over to Bandit, Luna and everyone else. "Yeah... you better run you little pudgy fluff ball..." The Glaceon mentioned after and huffed. "What are you looking at Sephiran?" The Sylveon just flicked out his ribbons in some utterly entertained fashion. "Nothing in particular; I'd say a picture!" He'd express as the Glaceon rolled her eyes even though Thief could only wonder and imagine what kind of picture it was.

It was cloud gazing that made him feel the best he had in a long, long time. Natasha, even with her loud and rowdy way of trying to bring them towards the idea of getting Brad into this crazy 'Pokemon Performances' whatever those were and her constantly talking about Kalos... Which Griffin even said was months away for him, Thief only looked up at the clouds and the sky; he laid on his back... until Luna wandered towards him and plopped down beside him. They both just watched the clouds roll by as the sun beat down on their fur... the Akamaru joined them with a huff. "Oh... hey" Luna started to say. "Hi! Sorry about that; I know Yuny gets a little excited." "Big Bro right?" Akamaru laughed "I try to be... we found her egg a long time ago. She's been talking about finding her folks ever since. I hope she hasn't bothered you all too much." The Flareon expressed and laid down against the grass "I know she gets all... uppity but she's really, really a kind cub." Luna nodded "She doesn't bother me at all." "I don't feel bothered by her." Thief commented after Luna. "In fact, it's nice to see her run around and have fun all the time!" Thief expressed "Kind of makes me feel like I'm not... well not the worst!" Akamaru gave him a look and then laughed a little "Well that's true! Even though most of us don't act like it, she makes us all happy." The Flareon expressed and stretched against the grass, his entire puffy mane just frilled out until it became this proud collar of fluff. Luna looked at it closely, observantly. "That's a really..." "Puffy? It's also soft too. Usually Yuny get's cold, ends up sleeping on it." Akamaru mentioned "Especially when it's nighttime. It's why she calls me Big Bro, because I let her... and I worry. I mean so does Sephiran. I'm also... sorry about Tsuara." "She is a bit of a bitch..." Luna commented idly as Akamaru went blank faced. "W - W- Well I like her." The Flareon retorted as Thief seemed to wince "L - Luna..." He'd comment and glanced up at the clouds. "What? She left you to run into the woods looking for berries... she even tugged your tail all... ew... ew ew ewewewewewewwww." Luna flicked her paws as though she were aimlessly hitting air. "It was... gross to watch." Akamaru nervously laughed as Thief felt his face glow red. "She's just like that, she means nothing by it." Akamaru mentioned "She's the best one on the team; she's used to everyone catering to her so... with all of us traveling together it's hard for her to adjust. Natasha and Tsurara have been travelling together since she was back home so... I guess you could say she's a little special." "Special sounds about right..." Luna quipped back "L - Luna come on, she's not that bad..." Thief replied "Anyways... clouds." Thief expressed in a fruitless attempt to redirect the conversation. For just a moment they all enjoyed some second in silence; watching the clouds again until something seemed to grunt, loudly. "Big broooo! I'm hungry!" Yuny commented and happily chirped at him, it left him to nervously laugh. "I think Natasha could help you better with that!" The Flareon replied and laughed "I bet they're already getting food! So come look at the clouds instead..." Akamaru mentioned as Yuny just held her breath in some fit sort of way "I'm not falling for that! I'll sleep!" Yuny commented and it made Thief laugh and chuckle... until he felt his smile fade suddenly and unexpectedly. All Akamaru did was huff back and flicker out a gentle wisp of clear smoke at the Eevee. "I won't do that to you!" "Yes you will! You're fur ALWAYS makes me sleepy!" Yuny commented back and huffed ever so gently. "You're lying!" "I am not! Come watch the clouds!" "Yeah Yuny!" Luna commented "There's lots to see!" The Vulpix gently yapped back as that much younger Eevee simply folded her ears and huffed back "Don't let me fall asleep!" She'd seemingly command "We wouldn't do that!" Akamaru stated as Luna playfully nodded with him. "..." Thief just somberly rolled and looked up at the clouds with his back against the grass. He'd only look at the swirl of soft gentle velvet white; like yarn or cotton candy which curled above him. All he'd see was one giant, large puff with five little swirls around it. Just all of them pointlessly fluttering close by until the wind drifted it all apart.

Yuny ended up falling asleep against that Flareon's fluff. It was like seeing some small puppy nestled up in a fur blanket; that's what Thief woke up to. I fell asleep...? When? How long was I sleeping for? "Hmm? Oh, hey." Akamaru mentioned quietly "You dozed off, and then your Vulpix friend fell asleep too." "How long...?" "Maybe ten minutes, talk about a power nap." Akamaru mentioned and appeared to yawn. "My trainer started to talk about PokePuffs; and then dragged Brad to a store... Aura went with them." "They just... left us here?" "No, your Trainer is here; been petting that Absol the whole time." Akamaru mentioned as Thief tilted his head around. He'd notice Bandit, she sat alone, looking out at the trees around her, barking from time to time as though to help train Pikachu. "She doesn't ever know what a break is, does she?" Thief softly scoffed "Not... really." Thief slowly brought up "I wish I was a fraction as determined as she is. I've never met any Mightyena that hard working. Or... any Pokemon that hard working, and Tsurara trains all the time." Akamaru mentioned idly "Luna!" Bandit snapped after a moment; enough that Akamaru flinched wildly; Yuny yipped and yapped awake and Luna sparked to her feet as though every volt of electricity ran through her in an instant. "Get over here and train now! You've slept long enough!" Thief shut and pinned his ears against his scalp as Griffin even jolted and flinched to his feet. Luna was already on all fours as though in some frantic 'attack' stance before her lifted tails dropped to the ground with a thump. "Alright..." Luna mentioned after she had her heart rate drop from a solid sprint and jolt to a soft, low, anxious beat "Then get over here, you're going against the little Scarf here." "I'm not little!" The Pikachu remarked with a huff "If you want to master Iron Tail, then I'll call you whatever I please, Electric rat." Scarf responded with a liberal growl and tried to spark his cheeks. Thief barely saw a little arc from them hardly enough to short out a battery; just this tiny flicker from the tree line as he pushed to his feet and wandered over with a yawn in reply. Luna ran ahead of him and got into a battle position as the Pikachu launched himself from the center of the tree and skidded against the grass to meet with twenty paces between them. "Alright Luna" Bandit expressed and gleefully huffed before she flicked her tail strongly, just enough that the gust of wind even touched Thief's own nose; even from the sidelines. This flurry of wild leaves cut through the air and then Bandit bolted around the battlefield. She's... mimicking the gym battle? She told me about it in detail. It came to his thoughts as he gently sat down against the grass "Before you, or Thief get lunch, you get to fight Scarf. Here's the kicker, you only get to use fire type moves, but you can't even singe a single leaf, got it?" "T -That's impossible!" Luna retorted as Bandit gleefully yipped and howled. "Hardly! Now, Scarf. Use quick attack!" "You're not my trainer..." "Well you're not my dad, get over it." Bandit retorted as the Pikachu simply huffed upwards and parted his legs to brace himself against the ground; as grass gently swayed underneath his paws; the wind picked up between them and the soil invited his little claws against the soft dirt... Thief noticed something. Something odd in the way he stood. I've never really... looked at him before? Before a fight he hardly ever acts so... confident and sure. It's like he's battled before; a lot. "Luna be careful!" Thief brought up "I've never won against Scarf!" He'd remark as she took a playful stance. "I'll be fine" She'd call out and looked behind her, towards him as his ears pinned back. Her eyes flicked and went wide before she nimbly darted; jumped and evaded to the right. Scarf used Thief as a distraction... she read him in an instant. Luna landed and half strayed back to keep her bearings; poised her tails his way as she went to spark up her Will-O-Wisp. But she stunned and flinched when the leaves touched her tails. Thief nervously whined and dug his paws against the grass.

Luna created a crescent by circling around Scarf as he'd pose his tail up; twitch it rapidly. Thief watched his tail just eerily follow Luna; like he could just sense her out of nowhere. It even stopped when she did; his ears twitched as though to prime themselves to listen. Compared to other Pikachu's, Scarf wasn't any different except for the two distinct marks on his back. He only had one. One brown horizontal mark, and absolutely no spark in his red cheeks. His eyes were another odd thing, this color of azuremarine-chlorine like color. More of a sea blue or sea foam with hints of yellow coming clean down to the black iris. His were naturally dilated, like any other Pikachu's was. Thief had only seen the color of his eyes from time to time. "Alright Scarf! Follow up with Iron Tail; like I taught you!" Thief nervously laughed "You don't even know Iron Tail." "Aggron does!" Bandit snapped back "I helped him learn it with Logan!" She answered his question instantly. "We would train every morning, a full hour. Then before lunch we trained, and by dinner time we were at a gym or resting to go to one." Bandit proudly barked out as Scarf flicked out his tail, gave this curious mix of a hiss and a snarl... Thief watched it glow white as Luna shot past him with a quick attack of her own. She was fast, way faster then Thief knew or realized. Didn't Bandit say that other weird Vulpix was really, really fast too? Are they just all naturally fast? Luna shot by and landed nearby Bandit; whom gave her this quick swat with her paw "H - Hey! What was that for! And right on the tails too..." "You can only use fire type moves." Bandit recoiled firmly at her and bared off a pair of gleaming white fangs "I told you the rules; now take your training seriously." Bandit snapped her jaws firmly enough that they clicked and clasped the air around her muzzle "Don't THINK, DO" She'd remark "And if you need to think, find a way." Luna just huffed and Thief watched Bandit slide her across the grass even though she went entirely dead weight on Bandit. The Mightyena had no trouble moving her around... in fact Thief believed she could move a mountain around if she wanted to. I just picture her with a big rope in her mouth... dragging an entire mountain behind her... Thief stupidly smiled to the image and shook his head wildly. "Again! And Thief! Stop looking like a dumb idiot!" Thief stood up with his ears pinned "H - Hey!" "If you won't train, get lost!" Thief felt his maw flicker on "Fine I'll train!" Bandit went a little silent and then licked her jawline in such a way that it made Thief go rigid. What did I say...? "Get over here now." Bandit commented firmly. "You want to train? I want to teach you a move. NOW THIEF." Thief felt his legs scamper as Luna carefully looked his way, and then felt the wind; a swirl of leaves and hit the ground with a plop. Scarf shot his white, rigid and glowing tail right over her head. So, Luna shot back with ember. "I SAID NO SINGEING LEAVES!" Bandit snapped as Luna bit her tongue and then she took Thief by the tail; claws dug into his skin and dragged him across the grass to get in close. "I saw your little firecracker you made." Bandit commented "Is that ALL you can do?" Thief felt his ears fold and his tail tighten up. "W - Well I mean... it took me a long time... to get it." Bandit huffed and clicked her fangs together; sparked up the flames in her muzzle... condensed them with her mouth and tongue to show off a bundle of flames. Then she casually shot out a flamethrower that made Thief hit the grass. He had to take a second to look at the little yellow flower in front of his eyes before she stamped it down with her massive black paw. Then Bandit showed off flame wheel, it made Thief tilt his head with curiosity. "H - How can you do that!?" "I just can, it's only fire. Hell, if I want Shadow to teach me Thunder Fang, I bet I could get it eventually." Bandit remarked "Granted the electricity hurts my tongue more then flames do." Thief seemed to giggle after a moment, nervously... but giggle "M - M - Maybe it's just your... electrifying personality?" "That pun killed me a little on the inside..." "Sorry..." Bandit sighed after that and stamped her paw against the ground again. "What are your clutch moves!?" Thief snapped himself back. "Clutch...?" "The top four you use, idiot..." "O - Oh! Uh..." Thief softly huffed. "Well I know Fireblast!" "I know Griffin used the dumb machine to teach you. It's a weak fireblast." Bandit recoiled and Thief softly sighed. "Uhhh... I know... Bite." Bandit hit her head against the earth. "I didn't think you're braincells would die from me asking you a question." "I really don't know the four TOP moves I use you know! I just use them!" "Flamethrower is one, but it's nothing like Luna's." Bandit mentioned. "Well... I know Takedown." Bandit nodded after a minute. "Alright, Thief... How about I teach you how to use Fire Blitz?" "R - Really?" Bandit nodded after a minute and looked towards Luna "STOP BURNING THE LEAVES! USE YOUR HEAD!" She'd yell at Luna and as she turned around; Thief watched her entire chest become struck jaggedly by Scarf's tail. It looked like it hurt... a lot. A lot more then Thief expected it to. "Luna!" Bandit held his tail down as he went to move; the blow made her reel and skid against the grass "Hey!" "Don't give me that; she took down a Gyarados; she's fine." "She what?" Thief went still and stoic as he flicked his ears attentively. "She beat the Cerulean Gym for Griffin... and then she apologized to me for stealing my battle. At least it sounded like an apology." Bandit huffed and looked at her. "USE YOUR HEAD! You're a Vulpix; Steel shouldn't hurt you!" "Well it does! A lot!" She retorted, coughed and pushed to her shaking feet. Thief felt like cringing or wincing or both... that blow looked like it hurt way more then it ever should have. Then Bandit shook her head and muttered something about whining before she stared Thief down. "Let me teach you flare blitz; it's going to hurt." Thief swallowed "Especially with your burns, but you use it right... nothing can even touch you and you don't even need to tackle anything. It'll be like your own personal bubble." Bandit mentioned to him as Thief nervously sat in place "So I want you to stand. Stand up." Thief stood to his hind paws. It made Bandit sigh "Idiots... I'm surrounded daily... by idiots." "I'm not an idiot!" "STOP TAKING EVERYTHING I SAY SO LITERALLY" Bandit snapped back as Thief plopped his forepaws against the grass and pinned back his ears. "Take a combative stance right here." Bandit mentioned as Thief did. She seemed gruff but thankful that Thief at least knew the stance she taught him. Then she walked about forty paces away. "Alright Thief... Imagine throwing a blanket over yourself." She commented "It's a cloak of fire. Just flex your muscles, puff out your fur and lightly hold your breath. Like you're letting off steam on a rainy day." "I've never done that..." "You've always done that, your fur is hotter then the sun today." Bandit mentioned as Thief took a quick glance to the sky. It was sunny, beyond sunny. That's why she's training us? That's why she woke us up? The clouds drifted apart, it's clear skies for... for hours! "Alright!" Thief mentioned "I'll... try?" He'd expressed and drew in air, held it as though he was holding his breath under water and puffed out his fur. If anything he felt like some over-stuffed plush toy. The heat eventually rushed to his face as he breathed out and continued repetitiously. The steam just boiled over him to the point that he'd pant feebly; that took a few minutes... Even Luna was to that point; battered down by Scarf's relentless follow up between Iron Tail and Quick Attack. He never enjoyed getting hot and eventually he huffed out flame... pointlessly burned fuel away to the point that Bandit tilted her head and in moments she was overtop him. A looming shadow. "What... are you... doing?" "I'm getting too hot..." "You're kidding... right?" Thief shook his head no. "I'm actually getting way too hot." Thief replied and panted aimlessly, quickly. "I can't handle the heat well." Bandit tilted her head back as though to bang it against an invisible wall.

"You're hopeless..." Bandit remarked cruelly and firmly before she stamped her paw against the ground. "LUNA! USE FIRESPIN ON THIEF!" "What!?" She remarked in a flurry of tired pants "No way! I'd cook him alive!" "Then CONTROL it!" Bandit remarked "Just DO IT NOW!" She snapped firmly as Luna cautiously swallowed, tilted her head and shook it wildly "No! I'd burn him even more!" She'd reply as Bandit growled. "Either you do it... or I do it. I can cheat my way with a good enough firespin." Bandit retorted "So hurry up, you do it... or I do it." Bandit mentioned then flared up and sparked her muzzle; a bright hot white flame left Thief to flinch and lower his tail. "You're... kidding right?" Bandit only stared in reply as Luna made some frustrated little yowl and shot fire towards Thief. It swirled around him... encased him in a mound like bubble of fur. "Fine! I did the stupid fire spin!" Luna recoiled and flared up the ENTIRE swirl of leaves; Scarf had to jump out of the way. "See! I did it! Now get Moonlight to call it off!" Bandit sat down as Thief gently swallowed to himself. The grass below his feet; in a small circle two paces in diameter, a perfect circle... was barely touched with even a smoldering... dying ember of flame. Then there was the heat that rushed over him, even the air was too hot for him to swallow and breathe in. Thief just stalled and felt the temperature rise as though he was stuck in a pressure cooker. "I won't call it off!" Bandit recoiled "This doesn't look like a firespin... it looks like a little dome or a ball!" Bandit snapped "Now use your FIRESPIN... Don't make some... beachball!" "I use Firespin here and I'll torch the ENTIRE park Bandit!" Luna remarked "So why did you make this thing!?" "Because it would hurt EVERYONE obviously!" Luna snapped back and Bandit only nodded in reply. "You okay Thief?" Thief partially opened his mouth towards the swirling hot pyre around him "Well I'm... not... dead... but I'm not great either?" "He's completely fine." Bandit mentioned "Now why don't you get back to fighting Scarf, HEY! HEY MOSS LOG! I NEED YOU TO USE RAZOR LEAF!" She'd call over to Moonlight and Leafeon. They both HAD been sleeping peacefully together. Thief only watched the warbled and heat distorted shapes beyond the little dome around him. It was outworldly, like watching some furious little whirlwind of flame and fire surround each shape beyond him, but he was fine inside the eye of the angry, abnormal hurricane. Just hot... really... really hot; so hot that he couldn't even spark up a flame to burn fuel away. His chest stung and rang against his sporadic and messy fur roughly enough that he nearly yelped. I can't make any noise, if I do Luna is going to give up... I can't let her give up. I'm fine, it's nothing... nothing at all. Thief just watched a flicker of odd shadows dart and dodge around him as he'd hear voices past the swirling hot wind hardly a foot before him. "I was... enjoying a nap." Leafeon's voice came up. "You even woke up the sleepy bean." "Stop calling me that." Moonlight retorted "Why? Think it's growing on you?" The Espeon scoffed at Leafeon "God no..." "Your fur looks healthier." "Huh?" "I can see it, you're not shaking as much either." There was some silence "That enough leaves for you Bandit?" "That'll do Mossy!" "Never call me that" "Why? Afraid some kid fell down a well?" "That's Lassie, Bandit" "Sounds the same to me." Bandit replied after Moonlight corrected her "Now... GET BACK TO TRAINING LUNA!" "Fine fine..." Luna remarked as Thief sat down in the endless pyre before him. Can I pant harder? How long does this go on for? Thief swallowed softly as Bandit wandered up to the tightly condensed fireball. Thief only looked all around it as though to find some weak spot to the prison before him. He couldn't find anything that didn't seem so perfectly clear-cut. Luna's fire was just that... her fire. It left Thief to squint from the bright colors around him; the near hot sunlight feeling which burned against his chest. It was worse then Alola's heat by far, and he just kept panting repeatedly. It's... like a fire blanket? Why would I put on a blanket that's ON fire... usually a fire blanket puts OUT a fire...? That's completely the opposite!? "Bandit! Can't you teach me something... less hot?" Bandit started to yip and laugh "You're a GROWLITHE" Bandit retorted "What? You want me to teach you Burn out?" "Burn what?" "good luck with that! Unless your daddy's a Typlhosion, I can't teach you that easily!" Bandit remarked and laughed more "What? Wanna learn Volt Tackle? You're not a Pikachu!" "You can use fire moves like... All of them!" Bandit nodded and cackled after Thief said that. "I know, because I trained differently. I trained harder and LONGER." Bandit quipped "You're not entirely locked down by type you know. There's a few cheats here and there." She'd mention "Anyways, you use burnout... it's no different then wasting ALL that fuel you have at once. You'd have NOTHING to work with." Bandit expressed as Thief huffed "I wanna learn it!" He'd recoil "I don't really like... heat anyways." "You'd be sick! It's like a bad cold for weeks, I know... I did it ONCE. ONCE. Never again." Bandit commented with a laugh and a soft smile "Logan got so angry, he was worried sick." Thief tilted his ear softly and twitched it with her words. "How do you...?" "Learn Flame Charge and Flare Blitz and you'll get the basics down for it." Bandit expressed as Thief tilted his head "What's the difference?" "One you trigger by sprinting, the other you trigger by guarding." Bandit replied and sighed "If you even get that, Chew Toy." Bandit sighed "Almost done in there?" "It's stifling... I'm talking to distract myself." Thief replied to the fire wall. "Where's Griffin?" "The idiot fell asleep with Absol on his lap long back. Before even Luna woke up..." Bandit commented "He's perked up on a tree, I can't wait until Natasha comes back and gives him a stern yelling to."

"Why are you mean to him?" Thief asked and looked out at the fire. Stood up for a moment and watched her sit down beyond the fire wall. It was like this garbled image of a Pokemon. A Mightyena one moment, then it swirled and curled around and crackled. "... ... ..." "What? I missed that." Thief commented back as Bandit softly laughed. "You know Chew Toy; I enjoy that you miss some of the simple things. That they just fly over your head." Bandit mentioned idly. "I think I'm understanding your nickname more and more." "Huh?" Bandit nodded "The crackling means it's almost finished." Bandit mentioned "Immediately try again, this is how we cheat. You activate it once; Flare Blitz, you'll never forget the feeling." Thief nodded after he'd watch her shadow move away from the swirling pyre, then he'd stand to his four paws... took a position and heard the flames crackle and pop around him. It had this near distinct sound... like a campfire crackling with kettle corn overtop of it. A weird, weird sound. In fact, Thief listened to it. It makes me think of ice cracking after hot water is poured all over it. Like a big sheet of ice too... It's a funny popping sound. Sweet... I don't even know, god? It's hot. So... so hot. He danced his little paws against the cool grass below him. Is there a time limit on this!? I wish I had a watch... but only humans get those nifty things. Thief had it come to mind as he danced his paws against the grass below him Even the ground is hot. I'll just do the stupid thing and then Luna can do her thing and we can have lunch. His stomach just then, annoyingly nipped at him. Lunch sounded like the best thing he could have thought of... it even came to mind that if he had something nifty like a watch, he'd probably trade it for food anyways. The flames which gently swirled around him, licked against his muzzle in the absurdly tender wave of warmth continued to crackle and pop until the entire glass ball around him fractured and burst. It burst in a way that flared and flickered like perfect little diamonds... then he let the steam of his fur bask over him. Thief felt his paws naturally knead into the grass below him before he figuratively felt and heard his body click. It felt, sounded and resembled kindling sparking up from flint, and that's when his entire furry body ignited in fire. It made him yelp first, before he panicked and bolted for Bandit... even though she frantically told him NOT to tackle. It hurts... SO much. Thief felt his chest ring and reverberate from the roar of fire over his skin and as he darted towards that larger Mightyena, which then cracked her jaw and sparked a flurry of flames out of her muzzle, he'd feel himself blindsided by something cold. Ice cold... frosty. A blizzard that tangled around his feet and put him straight into an entire pillow of frigid white that roped itself around his feet and put his muzzle into the ground with a sizzle. "What are you doing you dumb little shit!" A familiar voice barked and growled around him "Are you TRYING to burn yourself to death!?" Her blue frosty paws touched the steamy snowline as those ribbons fluttered down to him. "Thief!" Bandit snapped "I told you NOT to run! I told you to sit there and just start it!" She remarked and clamped her muzzle together with a firm snarl as Tsurara glared him down. Her eyes were... kind of scary to look at. Thief felt his ears pin down after a moment of him exchanging glances with the Glaceon. "I'm also NOT that old." She remarked, huffed out a small blast of frosty wind which gave his nose chilly whips before it all dissipated around him in a tender fury. The frost even lightly stuck to his chin and just under the line of his nostrils like powder.

All he really could do was swallow and nod. "Surrounded by cubs... this is just annoying as hell..." She'd express sharply before she looked over to her trainer. Natasha woke Griffin up in the most logical way... It involved a water bottle. "H - Hey! What did I do!?" Griffin remarked and Thief's ear flinched when he heard his voice frantically crack. Brad ended up laughing harder than they all expected from that. "We just got back." Hunter mentioned "And you're Growlithe is busy trying to burn himself more!" Natasha commented with her hands on her hips, Melody silent stared like she always did... but with the glasses on her face she'd simply... finally look around. Her lips slightly parted as though she finally saw and knew what a leaf really was. What clouds were. Thief just continued to stare and look until Smokey, that large and intimidating Houndoom snorted at him. A black, sickly puff flushed out of his nose as though it were exhaust from a big truck. "I reminded Brad about the potion and burn sprays for your Growlithe." Griffin moved slightly, and that's when the Absol woke up; stretched with her paws kneading into his stomach and yawned. "So, you should put that on before we make food." "I also got EVERYTHING we need for Pokepuffs!" Natasha commented with this silly grin "I know how to make the BEST ones." Brad simply turned his head at her "I mean... they sound like Eclairs and Muffins nearly." Brad commented idly after "Those are easy to make." He'd express as Griffin stretched "I wouldn't know" He'd say, and Thief watched his shoulder quiver and shake while he stretched it out... covered his mouth while he yawned "I don't make desserts. Hell, I can barely make Pokemon Food, except for Bandit's" Brad and Melody gave him this look, Melody looked skeptical and Brad only gave this little entertained smile. "I thought you were the greatest cook out there." "Yeah, for... lots of things." "You were going to say people." Natasha quipped after catching onto his pause. "I was not!" Griffin commented "If people can eat it, so can Pokemon. I still HATE that Pokefood, kibble crap." Natasha tiredly sighed "This argument is old..." "And I'm not changing my opinion on it." Griffin commented and crossed his arms as Brad tugged at one of them. "Hey! Let's figure this out" Brad mentioned "Natasha even stopped by the Pokemon Center and picked up this oven thing." Natasha stuck out her tongue after Griffin tilted her head "Instead of CARRYING A WHOLE KITCHEN" She'd firmly mention and glared Griffin down "I actually keep everything organized and ready to go, all I need to do is ask my girlfriend back in Kalos to send them over. I text her at least an hour ahead of time. We've been gone that long..." "I've... been...? Wait, Girlfriend?" Griffin tilted his head, it was the first time he heard of that; it was also the first time for Thief too. "God you are... impossible..." Natasha huffed "Enough stalling, let's get this set up! So, get in the kitchen and make me a sandwich."

It wasn't all too long until Griffin had finished making lunch for all of them. It wasn't anything all too special; rather basic with what he had and what they picked up... so it ended up being this time where Thief had to sit with this weird nettle that stung against his chest and smelled strongly of these odd scents that made him huff and sigh. The potion naturally made the pain feel faded, and the burn spray was like a warm lathered in ointment which felt soothing on his skin. Compared to how he felt before; he felt much better now. As for Griffin; after he was done lunch he used the leftovers from the PokePuffs that Natasha and Brad both made to make this weird... berry loaf like cake. It resembled something similar to a brownie, a sheet of what should have been Pokemon Food but it was absolutely filled and mixed in with berries of all sorts. It even smelled wonderful... buuuut... Fresh meat, fruits, berries nuts and all sorts of other things made Thief's nose catch onto his cooking. "So... exactly... how much does all this cost you?" Melody brought up after a second. "I mean... four humans and..." "You don't want to know..." Griffin commented with a sigh as Natasha chortled and ate some of what he made. She'd seem to singe from the bottom of her feet; her hair lifted at the tufts on the end. A shiver all through body. Both Hunter and Sam did much the same, then looked at one another before scarfing down anything they had. "H... Holy..." "What?" Griffin brought up and sighed "Yeah I know, I cheated on the Ramen. I used some cheaper materials but-" "Screw that, this is the best I've ever had." Natasha mentioned sincerely. Hunter gave a playful thumbs up to him, Griffin noticed that and nodded. Even though they all were currently running around together... Hunter and Sam mainly kept to themselves. Brad and Aura on the other hand were already asking for seconds. Thief took one paw tread forward I am NOT letting this up; it looks amazing! He could feel his mouth water already; when Bandit pushed his nose to the soil "C - Come on... I'm hungry too you know!" "You aren't eating human food on my watch." "Why not!?" Thief whined "You're a pudgy little fat ass that's why." Bandit recoiled "Instead, you're going to have what I'M having today. I know EXACTLY what I'm having, it's been forever." She'd say and let his head and scalp free from the grass below him. The blades tickled his nostrils and left him to sneeze as his ears pinned and folded against his head. "I'm not that fat..." Thief mentioned worryingly "Yes, you are. You're eating what I'm eating, and that's final." Bandit remarked firmly and harshly. "Anyways... I don't even let Shadow have any, so consider yourself lucky; chew toy..." That's when Griffin made a little step their way and Bandit gave him a firm, loud and playful yipping yeen. It made Griffin look her way... And that's when just a hint of magic came out from it. Even with her near feral like haunches and body; the kind that really made her look similar to a monster of a savannah plain; she'd sit on her long and bushy tail that seemed out of place for her feral, savannah like build... leave one hind leg to sprawl to the left; dug both her paws in tightly... tilted her head with her one left ear pinned down and her right attentive and alert; closed her eyes and just stuck out the tip of her tongue at him.

She looked like the littlest angel... and just for even the smallest... irrelevant and pointless seconds... Thief saw that frightening and massive Mightyena as something soft and gentle; loving and caring. Kind and happy with that special little look on her face as though this was such a rare and special thing between them both. Thief only saw a Poochyena that sat next to him... and he was certain Luna saw that too.

Griffin just stared back with a near open jaw, like all this fright and exhilaration ran through him at the most impromptu time. Thief just looked at this look on his face; something that desperately tried to burn the image into his mind or... one that looked like he just saw an old and wonderful photograph. It felt like he tried to say something, or anything at all until he cracked this perfect real smile. "I thought I'd do something extra special for you Bandit; I made it as close as I could to the one back home." Griffin expressed softly, excitedly and hurriedly got it all together. It really was like a brownie, fruitcake like loaf. Brad had to look at it so closely that it made him blink and stare at the entire thing. Griffin didn't even care about that and put it down for her. "G - Griff I don't... think you mixed that right?" Brad started to say "I mean, you need to add something... I don't even know what the hell that thing is." Natasha shrugged "I don't know either, I don't care; I'm not eating it." Melody just looked at it closely, Houndoom curiously went to inspect but it was frightening how fast Bandit went on the defensive for her weird little treat. "I used the same recipe I made when I was a kid. I made a mess of that kitchen; I looked all over the internet for a recipe on Pokemon Food a long, long time ago. It never made sense to me... but Bandit loved it. It was the first one I tried, I've never changed the recipe since." Griffin expressed "I remember even making some because from the rare day or two; Logan looped back around home. I'd make a whole weeks' worth; just for her." Griffin laughed a little "It's been a while since I made it; I just hope I did it right." "What do you have in it?" Natasha expressed with this weird little tone, maybe disgust as Thief looked over it; innocently sniffed it. "I mean that little bake oven is only so good, I can't imagine having some little solar powered toaster oven helps much." It has... It has a LOT of different berries in it. "Well... it's a mix of every common berry. I mean Pecha, Oran... Cheri... God I could name off all of them." Griffin began to say "And one very, incredibly special one. I always try keeping at least one on me." "A special berry?" Brad mentioned skeptically and looked at Aura. His Lucario was too busy eating to pay any attention to her now weirdly hair colored trainer. "Lanset." Griffin replied, "I use a Lanset berry; I wish I could find a Rainbow Berry, but I mean I've heard those are so rare that they might as well not even exist." Bandit simply and curiously sniffed all around her odd loaf that was her lunch. Thief tilted his head a little as he watched her sniff all around it with these massive dilated eyes. I've never seen her... ever like that._Thief sniffed it again _I'm a little scared to touch it; she looks like she's on a hunt... Thief had to look her over closely... Unlike Shadow; Bandit appeared more feral and wild... then domestic. The kind of Mightyena that might have been a regional variant of her own based from her size and her build. The desire to yip and yap violently and loudly whenever she felt like it. But at that one specific moment... Thief saw a Poochyena. This curious and young, vibrant Pooch that only flicked their tail with every single hum of excitement and wonder. "Well, have some." Bandit mentioned "It might have a weird smell and a very odd lumpy texture, but it's the absolute best thing Griffin makes." "I - It doesn't look like it..." "Don't judge something based off looks." Bandit replied without taking her eyes away from that loaf. "If Shadow did that, he wouldn't have me; and I wouldn't have him." That made Thief tilt his head in utter confusion before he sniffed that special thing Griffin made and tried a bite of it. As he chewed it; it was firm... spongy; this familiar texture that reminded him of... banana bread if anything; every single berry and the mixture of sweet and spice and salt; this dangerous trio of flavors washed over his tongue. In short, it felt like a power bar, one of those cheesy all organic fruit drinks humans would buy at stills and stands... but this was special. Thief couldn't deny that it was good... although he didn't like it AS much as Bandit did. That was lunch for him, whatever scraps she was willing to leave behind. It was all he got... and after lunch had finished, he gave off this long and tired yawn. The day was hardly done there, and he'd sluggishly yawn and stretch and followed all of them away from the park with a sudden crawling feeling which washed over him. It left him to turn rearward in confusion. "You're falling behind!" Luna brought up, waiting on him even though he studied the park all around him once more. I swear... for just a second, I felt... like something was watching us.

By the time he decided to really pay attention, past the older town; down by this old train station that the all looked at... watched the train arrive at the station with this endlessly loud and ringing hiss from steam. It wasn't anything like the magnet train "I can't believe it still runs" Griffin mumbled as Natasha perked up "Obviously, do you even know how much money something like this makes? It's like a heritage marker... hell there's one back home for me; goes all around the country." Natasha commented "The tickets are expensive, more then anything else out there. I could pay a cab driver less then it would cost me for an authentic ticket for a train route this old." She expressed as Griff simply tossed his hands behind his head and sighed, before he shockingly looked at the plume of his breath. "It's already getting colder..." Griffin commented idly. "It's not that bad" Melody mentioned back as Brad yawned a little more, and curiously handed this brightly colorful thing towards Aura. Thief had to look at it with huge eyes. He'd never seen a treat like that before. This perfectly, near chocolate and mocha cream, topped over with these perfect flakes and this center line of vanilla. Aura gave him just a small piece of it, and unlike whatever Griffin baked for Bandit... Thief was lost in this explosion of flavors. It left Moonlight to curiously stare and glance. "I'm still angry with you Brad..." Natasha huffed "They won't eat mine now..." She'd comment idly and sighed, as though utterly defeated "You've never even MADE a Pokepuff before, how... why? It's kind of bullshit that yours are better..." Brad nervously laughed "Hey! My parents own a bakery and my uncle is a police chief... I know my doughnuts, alright?" Brad mentioned back, and it left Melody to giggle softly. "That's a bit of a... stereotype." Brad only smiled in reply. "It's the best darn thing to work with! I mean god, coffee only does so much..." Brad expressed "And the moment you drink, either off duty or not, it completely ruins you." He'd sigh softly "It's one of the reasons why my uncle hasn't since he was in highschool." Brad mentioned and bundled up his jacket. "You're right about the cold Griffin, what kind of flip is this? It doesn't make sense...?" Brad mentioned. "Yeah, it's... Natasha is Tsurara messing with the weather?" Natasha laughed loudly "Like she'd do THAT!" Natasha mentioned "It's just some freak event of nature." She'd say and shrugged as Melody gently tugged her Houndoom closer to her side. "Things like this just happen." "Are you sure? Because this honestly feels like the move Blizzard." Griffin mentioned "It's way too sunny to be this cold, I swear if I see snow..." Griffin began to say as this gentle flick touched his cheek... it left him blank. "There's no... clouds in the sky." Melody brought up. "It's blue skies for miles." Natasha couldn't stop laughing, commenting about the look on his face, how Griffin was entirely dumbstruck. Brad simply looked around in confusion and scratched his head in some sloppy way. Griffin watched Hunter and Sam both exchange glances and zip up their clothes, even they were cold and quietly talking to one another. Hunter was the only one that gave Griffin this curious look, one that made his face turn a soft shade of red. "How the hell does that work?" Brad commented during the midst of it all "Whatever..." He'd express and took a few steps forward with his Lucario close by him. "Let's get going! There's that clearing on the map nearby, right? That's where we'll battle Natasha." Natasha stuck her tongue out defiantly in return, it left them all to laugh about it. Thief only lost himself in the rare flutter of snow from time to time as Moonlight sat next to him. "It's strange... but a Squirtle did this." Moonlight mentioned "It's very... abnormal but it's like this one second is..." "It's like it's confused about when it exists." Luna commented after a moment "I've never seen something so barren and weird before. How does time get all distorted like that?" Moonlight shrugged and Thief huffed before the three of them ran ahead to catch up. "Huh?" Griffin stalled and stopped as Thief nearly ran right up to him. "Hey guys, hear that?" Griffin began to say as Brad tugged his arm. "I heard someone just... call out a name?" "Come on!" Brad commented and huffed "We can call the Ghostbusters later, alright?" "Wait... isn't that the Pokemon Center?" Griffin brought up as Natasha gave a little look. "Yeah..." she said with a nervous and shy sound as Melody stayed silent. "Wait... last night we walked from?" Griffin shook his head in confusion "Did we get turned around?" "What are you talking about?" Natasha sighed and stuck her palm on her hip; Yuny made a little chirp of a sound as Griffin blinked a little "I think you were tired bud." Brad mentioned and shook slightly. "Anyways... last night was a little... insane. I think it's gotten us all a little confused." Then Brad pointed out the left; behind them. "We came in that way, passed by the train station and..." "And walked right by the center first time around and looped back right?" Griffin said "How did... none of us see the Pokemon center before." Brad scratched his head "That is weird..." Thief just frowned softly and shook his nose in the air pointlessly.

Sounds like you all got really confused, we never walked past the Pokemon Center last night... except when we got to it."They're acting weird Luna." Luna flicked her ear "Yeah..." "Are you okay?" He'd ask and worryingly flick his ears. "I can't hear again, but it's not like... deaf, it's more like ringing. It's different somehow." Luna brought up and gently huffed "Was it always... foggy?" Luna brought up as Thief flinched and kept his eyes on her. "No...? What's wrong?" "I don't know, but it's all... everywhere." Luna continued to say and nervously fumbled her paws. "Are all of you okay?" Moonlight began to say "Just stay close... I'm feeling... threatened actually." He'd lower his muzzle nearby him "Something is around us or... following us." Griffin and Brad just joked and kidded around after a minute, everyone decided that last night was something they never wanted to talk about again. It was horrifying for them all, and they shook off their chilly feelings with idle and pointless chatter to start. Then it was about music and comics. Thief listened to how Brad commented that he enjoyed most of the newer music... Natasha was much the same; even though they argued about what style was better. Melody was the odd ball that liked classical and Griffin only commented about classic rock or alternative. That he didn't like anything new. Hunter commented that he liked country music, and that made everyone stare at him and Sam. Sam jolted from it, appeared to hide behind him. "You also all forgot we were even here right...?" Hunter mentioned and smirked as Sam stayed quite still, nervously twitting his fingers "Well I did make you both lunch" Griffin commented, and it made Hunter laugh. "So clearly, I didn't forget "Yeah, you'd make a great wife!" "Hey..." Griffin remarked back "I already got told to make a sandwich today... I don't need more of that..." Griffin mentioned as Natasha and Sam both seemed to jolt "What the hell does that mean?" They both barked at him, left him to jolt, then looked at each other and laughed. Moonlight hugged against Luna closely, pushed Thief aside as he kept pace with him "You don't need to... get that close Moonlight." "Sorry..." Moonlight mentioned sincerely as Thief felt his throat cut in. A little growl that made them both exchange glances. The tension grew instantly for Thief, but it was all interrupted with that ultimately larger beast of a Mightyena that pushed Moonlight along. "Start moving gem." Bandit commented with a little glare. "How was your lunch anyways?" "Salmon." "Oh I know! It's the best!" Luna brought up "And all those sweeter berries too! I loved it!" Luna expressed and laughed tenderly, it made Thief fold his ears and huffed. "And then those weird... puffy things, those are too good!" Bandit seemed to laugh after that as Thief just rolled his eyes and focused in front of him, just a little bitter huff flicked from his muzzle Getting all close like that... what the hell is up with Moonlight? Acting all threatened and crap so he just hugs onto her? What the hell... "You did the face too, sis." Bandit rolled her eyes and huffed back plumes at the smaller Vulpix "Yeah, it's because that treat is special. It's the only time I do." Bandit remarked "It makes Griffin happy, you saw him smile right?" Thief scoffed "It was a small stupid smile, who cares?" He'd remark sharply as Moonlight looked his way. "It was an actual smile, so don't start telling me that Shadow has already rubbed off on you." Bandit remarked as Thief gave back a little angry growl. One that made her sharpen her eyes. "Hey... if you want to start picking a fight, I can trample you in the dirt easily, Chewtoy." Bandit remarked as Luna huffed up at her. "Stop picking on him alright!? He has it rough enough as it is." Luna expressed back "That's not fair to him." Moonlight hissed softly. "It's plenty fair." Moonlight commented "Anything he's been through has been fair." Moonlight expressed as the fur on Thief's back rose sharply "It's not like he understands shit."

"What is wrong with you?" Thief remarked back at him. "You were never like this, not during Hoenn... not in Pewter. Why are you becoming such a... Stop being such a..." "What? An ass? A prick? A fucking jerk?" Moonlight began to say "What do you want to say to me? Huh? What's you're honest words? Because frankly I should have left you behind. I don't care about your feelings. Thief." He continued to say as Bandit went silent and Thief growled back at him "You did before." Thief replied meekly. "You cared... you care." He corrected himself. "You're... not one not to care." Moonlight starkly scoffed and hissed back "Listen to yourself, you're a damn cub..." Moonlight remarked as Luna flicked on her tails. "Shut your muzzle Moonlight." Luna began to say and snarled "I'll burn your words out of your throat if I need to, you don't understand a thing about him." "Do you?" Moonlight commented back as Luna clicked her tongue "That's what I thought." "I know enough, so rather then you hide all these precious little secrets about yourself... maybe you should learn about him too." "I don't want to. I don't care." Moonlight replied as Bandit cleared her throat politely. "Clearly... we're all suddenly tense. Your little trio is down in the dumps." Bandit expressed cheekily. "How about I interject and start by calling both of you a couple of pussies." She'd remark and huffed at the silence. "See... see how stupid you sound when you use all this pointlessly bad language to describe one another?" Bandit mentioned and like a switch, snapped towards a rough, low and deathly terrifying snarl. One that made Griffin stall and stop as they just stepped into the woods. "So, I suggest, all of you, stop acting like a bunch of tough pups and shut up. Sit down... and talk to one another." Bandit remarked firmly and powerfully "Because I'm sick and tired of you all passing by each other, making up a bunch of crap or running away from your problems." "My problem is him." Moonlight remarked "Why?" Bandit loudly snapped her jaw back at his mewl. "Bandit..." Griffin said nervously as she gave him a look and sat down on her rear end, she then stared down Moonlight. "What can't you tell me? Or how about Shadow, you've spent so much of your time getting to know him. He even knows you." Bandit remarked "So what... little detail are we both missing about you? Do you think you're special? Do you think you're... better?" Bandit cut her larger jaw into the frame as Luna nervously pushed out of the way, pushed towards Thief. Moonlight just proudly stuck out his chest and stared silently back at her. "Don't try reading me, Espeon. I have the type advantage, tenfold." "Luna... Thief." Espeon mentioned softly as he stared down that Mightyena. "I want you both to go ahead with Griffin. Now." "Tell me." "Once they... Once they leave." Moonlight brought up. "I'd rather tell Shadow too." "Then let's get Griffin to return us instead." Bandit firmly looked him down "Is that understood, Espeon?"

Their argument, at least for Luna and Thief ended there and they kept close to Griffin and Absol as he wandered through the woods with everyone else "You really need some better obedience training for those two." Hunter brought up "They seem unruly." Griffin sighed a little as he talked "I... barely know what to do." Griffin mentioned "My brother is... well he's their trainer more than I am, I guess. It pisses me off." Hunter nodded softly "She made this... look." "Oh! The Littlest Angel look. She always does that... or... used to at least." Griffin brought up "I wasn't expecting her to do it today." Griffin commented idly and put his hands in his pockets. "It... just... reminds me that she's not the... same." "What do you mean? If she does that, she hasn't changed that much." Hunter brought up. "I bet she's a family pet, right?" Griffin flinched "I knew it. I used to have a family pet. A Fletchling." He continued to say "I... let it go. I released it before I went on my journey." "Why?" "I didn't want it to spend its whole life with me, you know. I wanted to know that I was a part of it, not it's entire life. I feel like it would do better that way." Hunter brought up "There's no knowing where it ended up. But my bet? I feel like it found the best trainer in the world." "I can't just... let... Bandit go." Griffin brought up "She's everything to my brother and I." Hunter nodded "Well... maybe you can let her be a Mightyena too. I'm trying to use symbolism, Griffin." Hunter mentioned and laughed gently "You can be kind of blunt" "Hey!" "What? It's cute." Griffin went nervously silent after that comment. Luna and Thief hung close to him as Absol turned around to give them a look. "Don't worry about Moonlight, he's troubled in his own way." Absol brought up as Thief huffed back at her "Easy for you to say..." "Not really." Absol replied "We all have our own pain... weakness. Moonlight barely knows how to really hold his emotions back, the more he sees it as a weakness and the less he follows his own heart, the worse off he gets." Absol expressed "I saw that right of way in him." Luna flicked out her fur as they wandered against this wonderful pathway, where trees clouded out the blue sky above them and Thief gently looked towards that while the soil tenderly pushed against his paws. "Thanks... Luna." Thief brought up "B - But I don't want you to worry about me." Absol seemed to smile softly. "If you didn't want anyone to truly not worry about you, little Growlithe. You wouldn't tell them so much about yourself." Absol brought up as Thief felt his ear twitch. "Sorry?" Thief went silent. "Moonlight doesn't want us... to worry about him?" Absol smiled "You catch on quick, when you have the right person talking to you." Absol mentioned. "But if we can't worry about one another, if we can't try to protect one another... then we can't get stronger. There'd be no reason to go against an adversary. You can't push past a limit or... anything if there is no one breaking that limit." Thief simply sighed and starkly flicked his tail. "I don't know, Moonlight is all... mean now." Thief expressed "He was... only teasing before but now he really means what he says." "He wants you to be strong. So, if going against what others call you and push you does that, then maybe it's more tough love then anything. That can be the best kind. Now... I think Griffin is nearly to this place they wanted to see." Absol expressed as Aura gave a little huff from nearby them. "Tough love huh? I think that's a little stretched." The Lucario began to say, "Brad uses plenty of tough love, but he knows when he needs to be soft." "Moonlight does the same, but not through words... through actions, Aura." Absol expressed gently. "As you mentioned to Bandit about softness." "I just want to know what's... what's wrong with him." Thief mentioned "He'd... He'd have to be horrified if he's acting like this out of worry." The Growlithe nervously expressed "They're all... really powerful, so why do they need to be scared? E - Even Scarf and... you and Luna are all powerful." "I'm not that amazing." Luna brought up "You beat a Gyardos." "Barely..." Luna commented after. "If it was Bandit, she'd probably take it down without being touched. If it was Moonlight, he'd outsmart it and hardly have a scratch. Aura is so well trained that she doesn't even need to think. I acted purely out of emotion like some dumb, silly cub and got nearly torn to shreds..." Luna expressed "K - Kind of like... you at the train." "What did I do wrong?" Thief frantically whined "I don't... I don't get it. I even got mad and... I've never gotten that mad." Thief expressed desperately. "Why am I the bad one?" Luna pulled her head back. "Why does everyone label me like that!? What did I do!? I DID NOTHING!" "Thief...?" "Stop talking." He sharply huffed as his heart rate slowly picked up. "I just want some answers, for once I just want someone to tell me and ACTUALLY help! Because I'm not getting any stronger, I'm not getting any happier and I'm stuck worrying about every choice I make because I can't step on anyone while EVERYONE steps on me! How is that FAIR? How is that RIGHT!!?" Thief felt his muzzle spark up sharply as Griffin took a step back. "Thief!" He remarked as the Growlithe simply snarled back at him. It left Griffin to blink "What's wrong?" Thief only snarled at him and growled lowly. It's your fault, too right? You don't train us. You don't train me! Why can't you just... Why can't you just be a better trainer too!? Aren't humans supposed to know everything!?! Why am I always left in the dust and the only time I EVER feel ANY different is when it helps everyone ELSE!? How is that being a good person? How is that being good...? It's your fault too! He bitterly thought as he snarled and growled at Griffin sharply. It left Hunter to step back. "Dazzle us, Butterfree." He'd express and let his Pokeball crackle open; Thief didn't wait for any warning. Even as Griffin sharply called at him to stop. Thief let a fireblast go. He aimed it at both Hunter and Griffin, much to everyone's dismay. "Aura Bone Rush!" Brad remarked and it was her speed and this sudden sparkle of blue aura that struck Thief's blast into the tree's above them. It punched right through the veil of green as Thief snarled and roared at her with watery eyes. "Thief stop!" Luna remarked and Thief felt his legs freeze, his fur riled, and his body jolted towards the woods. If it wasn't for Luna...

She jumped or lunged or pounced... she landed on him and bit down; hard. All Thief did in return was squirm and snarl and howl at her while letting out a crackle of flames from his muzzle. Tsurara was the one of fire control, then Dewott. Eventually it all just ended with Thief, clear vision... the sight of the blue endless sky above him and Luna snarling softly... growling softly. It was the look she gave him that made his eyes water; and it wasn't from the vicious clamp of her slender muzzle and that soft black nose which huffed out flame. It was just that utterly concerned... worried and scared look in her eyes. The kind that left him to feel weak, soft. "It's not fair." Luna brought up with her muzzle filled with fur; her voice sounded muffled like a certain berry should be there. "That's why we can be strong too. It's not fair... so let's both... let's both get stronger. Let's both be good, because I know you don't feel good when you're not. You're not one to just be bad. You're not one to do that..." Luna tenderly huffed and kept him pinned underneath her. "You're not bad, even with bad thoughts sometimes... even with some anger, you're not bad." Luna managed to let go of his fur and skin... and laid her cheek against his chest. "So just... just be here. Right here and now. Be here and be good... and be sure of who you are. That's all you're worried about, right? Who you are... because maybe you're the one that makes it fair? You're the one that makes it all... beautiful and new. Think of it that way, Thief. Moonlight can't do that... but you can and that's something that can be good. So, make it good; that's what you do... you make it good for all of those around you; in your own little way." Thief just silently looked up at the barren sky until Griffin looked over him and he instantly pinned his ears down and went bright eyed. "What am I going to do with all of you...?" He'd mumble and gently sighed "I bet it's because I forgot the bandages, you're burns must hurt too much." Griffin continued to say under his breath _That's not your fault... I think it's just... it's just all of it piling up. I'm sorry Luna. I'm so sorry... I keep screwing up... _

It didn't take long to get to that clearing, past some old weird building; one that was nestled deeper in the woods. It took nothing to be carried, even though Thief fought the urge to squirm against Griffin. He just slumped into that human's chest; his black and green jacket and that chilly nylon weave. Thief softly nudged against it as Griffin found a spot on the sidelines with Luna and Absol. He'd casually toss his head over, look down at her and gently huff before curling into Griffin's bicep. Luna didn't say a word to reply to him. I don't want you looking at me like that. It came to Thief's mind as he'd frantically huff with Griffin tossing his arm up. "This will be a one on three battle." Griffin playfully called out "When either Aura goes down or any three of Natasha's Pokemon does, that's when we'll know our winner." Thief glanced over at Luna partially, just to see her ear twitch curiously and look towards the woods. She twitched her one red ear again as though she heard something, but Thief only dug back into Griffin's jacket as Natasha pulled out a Pokeball. "Alright! It's your spotlight Akamaru!" "Aura, up front." Brad replied casually as that Flareon dazzled that field with a swirl of fire that collected all around its poufy mane and his paws. Thief felt this little strike of jealousy. He couldn't do that if he tried his hardest, he knew that. "Alright, Let's start!" Griffin called out "Akamaru Dig!" Natasha called out as her Flareon yipped and shot underground. "Aura Laser Focus!" "Going for a direct huh?" Natasha commented "Akamaru! Follow up with Fire Blast!" "Aura, Sphere!" Brad commented as Akamaru shot out of the ground and flared up his muzzle; it erupted towards Aura, whom stood, parted leg and shot her paws forward just to let the moves connect. "Metal Claw!" Aura shot through this sudden expulsion of smoke and dust as Natasha called out a command in reply "Fire Fang!" She'd quickly remark as Brad grinned "Follow up with Low kick and Double Kick!" They clashed once more, and the moment Akamaru hit the ground Natasha called out "Use Smog!" She'd remark as Brad sharply ordered "Cancel!" It was strange seeing an attack like low kick in motion; just for the Lucario to use her forward leg and launch herself rearward. She put distance between the Flareon and herself and evaded the sudden poisonous smog that flared out of Akamaru's throat and fur.

"You trained him well!" Brad commented "I know how those top four moves work!" Natasha replied with a grin "But I like to train my Pokemon in a more adaptable way." Brad nodded and crossed his arms as Hunter and Sam watched the battle go on. "I guess I had the type advantage?" Griffin lifted his head "You kidding? You're a great trainer!" He'd mention to Sam. "Your Dewott is taken care of." Natasha clicked her tongue as Akamaru started with a sudden Flame Charge. "Extreme speed!" Aura snapped back into the battle and shot to the left to avoid it... But Akamaru skidded against the grass, rotated his body and lunged her way. The blow sent Lucario back, where she used one paw to catch herself and toss her body so her legs were back on the ground; planted firmly. "Oh right, Brad..." Natasha brought up cheekily. "Take a guess at what his top four moves are." She'd playfully click her tongue again, and with Akamaru's twitch of an ear; he shot out a powerful and massive Shadow Ball. "Hit it back with Bone Rush!" Aura simply held out her paws, created this staff and struck the sickly ball back Akamaru's way. Another click of Natasha's tongue, and there was dig to counter the blow. "Counter." Brad replied as Akamaru shot out of the ground; even at Aura's blindspot, the Lucario still gripped the Flareon's hind leg and tossed it clean into the earth. It left Natasha to flinch or cringe. "One... blow?" Brad laughed "Akamaru is unable to battle!" Griffin called out after a moment. "Take a guess at Aura's clutch moves, Natasha." She'd seem to wince, returned her Flareon and swapped to Sephiran...

But what shocked them all was the mist that creeped around them out of nowhere. Griffin took a partial step back as Thief found a growl and a sharp bark come from his throat... until it faded in an instant with only the sound of every crackle from every Pokeball.

Moonlight.

What happened? He'd bitterly think as that purple and pink Espeon sat within a sudden void of swirling gray mist where anything and everything was nothing. His paws touched against these frigid and icy stones below him; polished rock. It left him to snarl and clear his mind. It's calm mind...? No...? I know this one. I've been here before. The Espeon sparked up his move and sat, patiently in silence. "Let's play!" A voice made his back go frozen before he kept the voice at bay. "Please...? You're always busy... just for today? Please? Play with me...?"

Luna.

She wasn't anywhere that she knew of; just in a frosted veil on some unknown beachside where voices delicately swirled around her. From happy yips to anxious growls and voices of all sorts. The water had no sound that was distinct, the world colorless around her in this flawless dim clarity. Like all the saturation was sucked away. Like all of life was gone and void and everything that made the world the way it was, disappeared. As she sat in utter confusion, she'd hear something push the sand apart. "Thief!?" She turned her head and froze when something with pale gold fur and warm eyes looked her down. A ninetales!? She took to the defensive and shot out her six tails "Who are you?" "Ninetales." It barked back at her, a female. One with this golden sheen in her fur and a soft gentle huff on her breath. "Don't get smart with me" She snarled back "Where is everyone? What did you do!?" It nodded regally and smiled. "Why are you afraid?" It asked and she only growled back "Don't talk to me like I'm some cub." It nodded "This place... What is it?" The voice asked as that Ninetales got in closer "I've never seen a place like this, even when traveling with Koga." Koga? Who's Koga? "Where's your home?" Luna replied to her inquisitively "Is this your home?" The Ninetales brought up and dodged the question entirely "I've never seen the sand dug out like this." "..." Luna twitched her ear as a voice came to them. "Luna! You're back! Are you okay?"_This hazy vision of a Vulpix ran up to her as the Ninetales curiously tilted it's head _"Where did you go? Even Lucius got in trouble and didn't see you at the punish place! My little brother refuses to say anything... little Thief! He's steals all the best adventures... His tail even changed color! While he was gone" Luna nervously stalled as the Ninetales tilted her head. "Where is your home...?" "Not here." Luna remarked back "Why?" The Ninetales spoke courteously. "Why is it not here?" "..." Luna stayed quiet as the Ninetales got in closer, sat nearby her and looked out to the sea. "Fuchsia is far away from here, in that direction." The Ninetales pointed its snout. "Who are you?" Luna remarked again as the Ninetales smiled "With help from Saffron City" Saffron? "I'm Koga's Ninetales, and with his daughters help; Sabrina and Janine are testing you all." The Ninetales expressed. "I know how to beat an opponent without any fighting; but just know that this fight isn't directed to you... it's for your trainer." The Ninetales expressed "Yet I find myself at a loss. A place like this..." It trailed off for a moment as though to see the island in its entirety. "It feels like everything that is sacred has been forgotten here. I feel like I shouldn't even be able to see a place so full of lies and heresy."

Thief:

"I can go out too!" A voice gently touched his ears Don't "Yeah! Big Bro is only like this because of those Ninetales!" It continued to say, "We can both get food together!" "I'll get all the warm rocks and you can get berries!" It spoke softly and excitedly "You can talk to that big Arcanine in the caves! The ice types are friendly!" _Don't leave the cave. Never leave the cave. Don't worry about me, never do. I'm the big pyre... I can do it all for you.... Don't leave. Don't leave... Not like her. Don't leave... not again. Never... ever again. _

Griffin:

"Logan! Wake up!" He'd push his hands against the covers, these soft gentle covers; where... unlike his own room at home, Logan's was a mess. Paper and laundry, all of it. His mind was this scattered and glorious thing which was shown right there by the mess. One where his older brother always knew where everything was, even though it was all... everywhere. "We're going to the special place remember?" "Huh...? Right it's already summer." The older boy with frazzled brown hair and blue eyes would toss up the covers, dressed in his lanky muscle shirt and yawned at him. "Okay, okay... don't shake so much." He'd comment as Griffin tossed back the window. A bird chirped softly against the tree line, like a gentle soft chatter of music. Chirps, songs. Simple little sounds from things like Jays and Robins. They're town felt no different, just a small town by the sea where the bus line never touched it. "Close the window at least." Logan mentioned and tossed over a magazine, one that talked all about biology. Animal Biology. Canines, Felines. The differences between domestic and wild animals."I was up late last night reading on Silver Foxes, give me a break." "Foxes?" "Yeah, in Russia way back when, they domesticated foxes." Logan mentioned and got up with a lazy stretch; one that cracked his shoulders and back. "I was reading up on it." "You'll be a vet for sure!" Logan laughed a little "Well I've been practicing with the neighbor's dog! That's an old Shiatsu. All of it's problems are from age." Logan mentioned and laughed "They only live to be ten or twelve." Logan expressed "Especially since it's purebred." "I don't get you" Griffin mentioned and heard a curious sound, one that made him turn around. "What's up?" Logan asked as Griffin scratched his head; but as he did - Logan helped him. "Hey! All you gotta do is keep that screwed on tight, alright?" He'd mention and laughed even though Griffin titled his head a little "You didn't hear that?" "What? It's probably the house settling." "It sounded like a... yeen?" Griffin brought up as Logan laughed and frantically shook his hair with his fingers as though to brush himself. "The only animal out there that MIGHT yeen? Is a Hyena." Logan mentioned "Those things are scary, unless you're like a zookeeper; then they're the biggest fluffiest dogs you can have. Even though they're not really dogs..." "I don't need science class Logan..." Griffin mentioned and heard the sound again. It made him turn around as Logan dressed himself and tugged his little brothers' arm. Griffins arm. "Alright let's go!" Logan brought up and after a short breakfast; just Cereal and toast, they were on their way even as the Television in the living room talked about all sorts of random things on the news. Problems around the world, some problem with American food; then brought up an interesting thing about Bengal Tigers. A new cub was born at the San Diego Zoo, just a couple of weeks prior.

Then it was the walk, a long walk that came from a trail to nearly bushwacking in some place that led towards this old forgotten grove surrounded with wonderful trees and this chatter about that new white Bengal tiger. A snowy white little thing, where Logan talked endlessly about how the stripes will take time to grow in, that it wasn't just born with them. Griffin had to try and tune out the words as he stumbled throughout the woods; it was effortless to fall but took everything to really walk over and around the branches and logs around their feet. "Watch out for spider webs." Logan mentioned as Griffin huffed back at him while climbing over a stump. Logan watched him closely. "I walked into like one!" He claimed back as Logan ended up laughing. During that laugh, there was this happy excited chitter that cut through the woods. It made Griffin stop. It was a simple little wooded area, one with all of these beautiful tree's "Lo-" "Shhh... Look." Logan brought up and pointed at a bush nearby "It's a Japanese Pidgey Woodpecker" "A what?" "A Pygmy. See." There was a soft rhythmic tap on wood from a bird nearby and it made Griffin narrow his eyes Did... I hear him, right? "They're found all over." Logan whispered to him "We're going deep into the woods, so watch out for Raccoon Dogs, okay." Logan mentioned "They can act like wolverines if you're not careful, and rabies? That's terrible to get..." Logan bent down and picked up a stick. "It'll be fine though, it's like that dice game you like to play! If we work together, we can beat anything." Logan brought up and silently hushed as they stared at a few other birds. "I can't wait for the trip to Kyoto." Logan mentioned idly, "Are you excited for it?" Griffin huffed and tilted his head "Mexico" Logan chuckled after giving Griffin this confused look. "Why would we go to Mexico?" Logan brought up "We're going to Kyoto in the fall remember? You're acting weird today." Another little chitter came up and something brushed against Griffin's leg; it made him look down to a haze before he realized it was only this pointless bush that snagged his jeans. "Come on! Let's go to the cove!" Logan mentioned and tugged Griffin's sleeve gently. He only wore a blue sweater. "Keep your hood up, unless you WANT lice." Griffin seemed to frown and continued to walk, even with these weird playful yips and barks around him. Then this warm fuzzy feeling over his head, something that brushed against his upper back. Griffin partially looked up. "I feel like something is on my head" "That's your hood silly!" Logan expressed with a gentle laugh before he'd toss his arms behind his head with a playful and gentle nod. A dumb grin on his face "You're acting like a Griff." "That's my name!" Griffin retorted and out of nowhere, he'd hear these happy chitters and laughs, he had to look around the nestle of trees and tightly woven bushes. The sun that bleakly sparkled through the leaves above him; insects gently flicking their wings and softly buzzing. Griffin only went for his head with an open and sure palm. He only felt fleeting and lost; non-existent coarse fur that sat on his scalp as though it helped hold his head down.

Then there was the clearing, this messy branch covered clearing that always got pelted down by wind and weather. A field of landmines from messy branches; the kind anything could trip over if they weren't careful. As though in some sense the entire little field should have been picked clean by other things; the kind of place where Logan stopped and pointed towards the woods. "A deer." He'd say and Griffin had to look over at the curious wide eyes from a creature easily three times his size. It just perked up and stared closely; wondrously before it moved its legs with enough force to shake and thump the ground below them. It was gone the instant they saw it. All it did was leave Griffin in silent shock, how fast it moved through the nettle. All he could do was watch it disappear through the thicket as though it never existed at all. He'd find himself in a blur of forest gems and soft silent greens, where the wind picked up around him as he'd bundle up against his sweater and take in a scent. Just detergent... and this soft hush of a smell he'd never figured he'd catch onto before. Like a warm, soft crackling campfire. He'd hear the yip... then a friendly playful growl. A gentle whine and a frantic but warm mewl. He'd hear a soft squeak that made his body jolt... then another. Then it was only a soft tender lull; like a gentle lullaby that got caught up in the wind. Griffin heard all the noises the instant he put his nose to his jacket and stepped out into a final clearing; one that was hidden behind bushes and some old gnarled root of a tree as though it were ferociously struck by lightning. The water flickered and shone back at him with a hint of a gold silver hue, and across the way was dense trees beyond the water, a mountain that hooked over like a crescent moon or a crown. The water would skip, jolt and fold with the breeze. A golden, sun shone place where small pebbles collected against the shore and every color of leaf swirled around in summer hues. Griffin only heard a startled yelp. A sound that left him to freeze his back and body as Logan continued to talk. "Griffy?" Logan began "Where are you going?" "I know that sound..." Griffin began to say to his older brother. "What sound?" He'd reply with a soft, nervous laugh. "Stop acting weird bro, just... get over here! There's plenty to do around here!" "That's pointless... not without them." Griffin started to say in an unexpected flurry of emotion. "Griff. We're going to see dad in Kyoto." Logan began to say as Griffin felt his hair rise to that one soft sound "No we're not!" He snapped back as Logan recoiled and stepped back from it.

_I know you. I've always known you. I know you all... I know you. That's all I care about. I know you're here... I know your name.

I know your name... It's the story of my life...? Yeah... I can never forget; and now... I want to help a dream come true._

Help me... make that dream come true... Bandit. Thief... Pikachu... Moonlight. Absol...

... Luna...

I'm terrified to tell any of you, I'm terrified to be honest with all of you because I'm... you'd all leave if you knew. I don't know what to do. But I know all of you. By scent, by look, by the sound of your voices.

Help me... make that one... pointless... empty... promise come true.

There was a crackle that made his whole-body freeze and jolt. A flash in the dark... a place where all of vertigo shook his body and soul to its very foundation. Silence was the only thing that was next. Just silence and this endless falling feeling. A spun... rotating kind of feeling. One where the gravity of it all could exist. Until he found himself in a grey swirling place, covered in misty frozen air. "Bandit!?" Griffin called out. There was no echo, no response. Just a perfect purgatory. "Thief!" Griffin roared out again before he went towards the edge of this odd polished stone. Where am I? What happened? Why am I here? How... am I? When do I find them? Who the hell do I need to put down a peg or two? "Moonlight!" There was a sudden abrupt silence until he heard a mewl. "Moonlight!?" Griffin stepped forward towards a void or a mist below him. "Stay right there!" Another mewl or a mrowl, he couldn't tell; All Griffin did was find a footing in the mist. Then he crouched and pushed his fingers to the earth below him and slowly walked with his finger tips gliding ahead in front of him. I know this trick, it's like some high-level dungeon, right? I make one wrong move... right? Is that how it works? "I think you've been playing too many games." The voice came from right below or in front of him and left him to stumble back in a sudden jolty jump. The kind that made him fight for a footing. "GAH Jesus..." Griffin went silent as he looked around the void "Hello?" "Is this really the one that saved Nurse Joy?" Griffin crossed his arms "Whoever is out there, why don't you show yourself?" "Oh?" "Yeah, so I can break your damn jaw." Griffin remarked firmly "What kind of crap is this? Moonlight!" "You won't be able to use him." The voice said "What did you do!?" Griffin remarked again as the voice made some sound. "Absolutely nothing. All of you're Pokemon are fine, for now." It began to say. "I wanted to see your resolve." "My resolve is that I'm going to wander all over this damn mist, I don't care if I have to follow my nose and wander until my legs buckle and break from the weight. I'm finding them." "Why?" It asked. "Why?" Griffin mentioned back and firmly tightened a fist. "Because I don't want to be a trainer." He'd express and cleared his throat. "I simply want to be better than that." "A gym leader." "I don't think you get it." Griffin expressed as the voice hummed curiously. "I don't want anything to do with Pokemon. I never did." "Oh?" it brought up after a moment of silence. "It's not my dream that I'm living." Griffin commented "It's something better then that, and I want to be better then just some trainer. I want to be something better than the best trainer. I want to be... something so childishly magnificent that I can feel like I finally fulfilled a very, very sincere and important promise. So, whoever, or whatever you are or that you're doing, how about you knock off the shit?" "Who are you?" The voice began "A brother." Griffin replied. "And to put it simply, one that made a promise. One that wants it finally finished..." Griffin sighed "Even though I know that I've only just begun." Griffin mentioned sharply before he put his hands to his mouth and called out Bandit's name again. "There's nowhere to go." The voice brought up. "There's always somewhere." Griffin replied back and continued to wander through the smoke as he called out another name. He only continued to wander and tried to look around the smoky mists It's just like wandering around in a circle... There's nowhere to walk ahead or around me so I'm just treading water. There's a trick. The mist stays stagnant... except below and above. It moves then... The floor below is polished, so the only way is up. I need to find a way upwards. There's the platform I started on. There's a trick to this... and Moonlight can hear me. I can't use him though...

"I don't get why you can't just use rope. I mean... you have a portal, here right? Just toss the rope in and go the opposite way. There's always a way out to these things bro." Griffin sighed softly and dropped his bag; opened it curiously. I don't have rope or twine... but I'm curious about something. Griffin pulled out his wallet and took out a coin, then started the same loop around while flicking the coin up constantly. "I call heads." The voice mentioned as Griffin studiously looked at the coin, then seemed to nod. "You're wrong... it's tails." Griffin mentioned at the end of his walk, while he flicked the coin aimlessly, and then cut through the middle of the mist filled circle. "Also, invisible walls? Really?" "Hmm?" "You have platforms that are painted the same way as the smoke. How we got here or at least me... I have no clue of that. But you have a way out." Griffin mentioned and then jumped up; felt a ledge and pulled himself about mid way. "Easier on a dice board, right?" "Always has been..." Griffin sighed and huffed as he pulled himself onto the platform. "Moonlight!" Griffin called out "There's platforms above you!" he brought up "It's a cheap parlor trick!" "Cheap?" A voice came up, a different voice. "Cheap!?" Griffin started to stall and curiously let out a breath. "Sabrina?" Griffin began to say. "I told you not to talk..." "Alright... what is going on?" Griffin adjusted his rucksack and felt a strong wind buffet him here as he'd push against it. "This... is all dumb." Griffin remarked "If YOU wanted to rematch me, which I won, by the way; thanks to Moonlight, I would have taken the rematch!" Griffin commented back at her. "Good." Sabrina mentioned back. "I'd like to rematch exactly what we had in Saffron... now that Kadabra is entirely well rested." Griffin crossed his arms "Then let us out of here and we'll battle." "No, this is the Fuchsia City gym. I'm just your tertiary battle." Sabrina commented as the wind died down and she stepped out into an opening. Her regal stance and firm planted stature made Griffin swallow nervously. "Your Espeon is already here." Sabrina expressed and Griffin felt the wind slash at him, swallow and unfurl the entire platform until the room became a place of pitch-black mirrors. Rocky terrain... dark, no sunlight. We're in a cavern? A mewl made Griffin jolt and he'd quickly turn around "Moonlight!" He'd express and darted over before he'd slide on his jeans and picked up the Espeon into a hug. "How ya doin?" Griffin mentioned with a laugh as the Espeon only licked his cheek in reply. Griffin knew it was him, and then he brought his hands around Moonlights neck and fixed the scarf around it. The Espeon jolted when Griffin went to touch it. "You can't fight if you're worried about that, too right? We have a challenger." Griffin mentioned with plenty of sass and stood to his feet as he stared Sabrina down. "This a lot of work for just one trainer." Griffin expressed

"For the brother of the Hoenn League Champion... It's not enough." Sabrina mentioned. "This will be a one on one battle. Lose, and you don't get to go against Janine." Griffin gave a smug look. "So what is this? A Genjutsu?" Griffin starkly replied. "Alright Moonlight, ready for a rematch?" The Espeon proudly darted up front and then took a stance with a vicious little hiss. Sabrina lowered her head before she shut her eyes and tossed up a Pokeball. "Kadabra." She remarked as the large creature crackled and formed before them within that glossy, pitch black cavern of mirrors. "It's not as simple as some old cheap illusion trick or a cartoon show." Sabrina mentioned "And now that we have an even and fair battle, rather than my Pokemon exhausted from this international event... You'll see exactly why you should have lost MY gym." Sabrina expressed and softly commanded "Psychic" "Reflect!" Griffin remarked back as the Kadabra suddenly vanished and reappeared behind Moonlight. Griffin went to call out any move, but Moonlight ended up in the air and then tossed aside. "Moonlight! Land it!" Griffin remarked sharply after a delay in his voice; and Moonlight was able to rotate himself and caught a landing on the side of the cavern. Moonlight used psychic to rotated around the roof of the cavern above them. "Shadow Ball!" "Night Shade." Sabrina remarked as Griffin swallowed "Double Team!" Moonlight tilted his head partially before the caverns roof sparked up copies of other Espeons. "Now use Psybeam." Moonlight gave a smile and skidded before he landed downward on the ground; the Kadabra used the real one as a bearing before Night shade struck Moonlight spot on. Moonlight took the blow to follow up with Psybeam. Griffin never knew that one of Moonlight's top trained moves was Psybeam. The Espeon simply conjured up two of them from his gemstone and twisted them both together "Kinesis!" Sabrina sharply mentioned as Griffin swallowed and watched the twin beams sparkle and stab into the ground around it with a flurry of wind. They're even... I can't use Light Room to change it... I need a move that can damage and... "Moonlight! Giga Impact and follow it with Echoed Voice!" The Espeon mrowled and flicked out his twin tails before making this strange, bark like sound and shot off like a bullet. The Kadabra used Kinesis once more but Moonlight shot off a flurry of black, purple orbs from his muzzle. I didn't tell him to use that. I feel like I wanted him to, I have my mouth open... Moonlight skidded across the polished glossy floor and screeched, loudly. It left Sabrina to block her ears. Kadabra did the same and that left Griffin to confusingly tilt his head before he watched the Espeon slam into the Kadabra and send it across the room. Moonlight was fast enough and strong enough to knock it off it's feet all while the Kadabra was dazed and confused "Yeah!" Griffin called out "Use Psych Up!" Moonlight took the time to take in energy "Now Future sight!" The Espeon's eyes flicked on and its gemstone glowed a bright pink. Moonlight used Future Sight... it won't occur until later. Moonlight marked time with his paws as Griffin found a curious little smile come over his face. "You can do it!" Griffin called out as Moonlight turned his head back at him then looked down the Kadabra. Sabrina only stood firmly before him and curiously tilted her head. "There's something surprising behind that look of yours." She'd mention idly. "It's something human. It's something honest... That's all I needed to see." Sabrina expressed and returned her Kadabra, much to Griffin's surprise. "Don't forget that look, that feeling... young Trainer, that feeling is the difference you're looking for." Griffin straightened out his back and looked her down. "That's all you're looking for... it's a feeling of seeing another again." Sabrina expressed and nodded subtly. "Out of all the rare trainers I've done this to... you're the only one with that look; that determination to do something so simply impossible."

Thief:

"I'll be back." "Bring ALL the food!" "Find mommy..." "Make it warm too..." "I want a family." We are a family. I can do it... don't worry about me. I can... do it all for you. Mommy is gone. Daddy is gone... we're all we have... Don't leave the cave. Don't...

"This is where you are." Thief found his skull lifting from the cold glossy stone below him only to look up towards this regal, blonde and fiery Ninetales. "This is who you are. Someone that hides to keep everything precious close. Someone that protects it all, to shoulder it when they know they can't. Unlike that Espeon... right?" Thief only looked up to them and tilted his head in a stutter of fright. "Five names... five faces... five reasons to fall apart. To put it all on yourself... That's part of life, is it not?" "Go away." "I refuse to." The Ninetales replied. "You're no different then your trainer, are you?" It continued to say, "And yet... he chose Espeon over you." Thief buried his nose against the frost, the burns against the frigid stone below him as he'd curl up. "Who are you?" "No one." "What do you want?" "..." Thief stayed silent and softly parted his lips after a moment of ghostly sounds and voices around him. "I just... want to be normal." The Ninetales softly smiled. "You already have that wish, this is normal." The Ninetales expressed "If you want to be you... fight." The fox expressed softly. "Fight. Fight and astonish all of them with the pyre you claim to be. That is a promise you made. Why leave it unfulfilled?" It mentioned and curiously bent its head to him. "The pain on your chest is nothing compared to what you have drowning you." All it could do was nudge his burns and softly huffed balmy air against them. He barely flinched. "You see. They won't hurt as much as them... but to be who you want to be, to be you. Remember them, hold onto them... and never let go of what you tried to do against all odds." She continued to say before she stalled and nodded. "I have a friend here for you." The Ninetales mentioned as Thief pushed to his paws and glanced curiously towards the cavern. Luna...? He'd push to his feet and slowly began to wander or stumble towards the entrance. "Luna...?" He'd softly say as his tail shook and flickered outward and he came closer to the sunlight that doused the inside of the cavern. "Luna..."

The Ninetales only gave them a courteous nod in reply and gently looked out from the cavern as Thief looked around that beachside, sucked of color; where the world was nothing but dull shades of what it used to be. A faded memory, a place lost to them both. Thief only, nervously, looked over to Luna. "I... remember." Luna began to say as Thief twitched his ears. "I remember that first morning I went to that cave. You were crying... you did that every morning before anyone else woke up. Lumine never even went there. I just can't remember what I told you, but I know it was the last time you ever went there. I know that... Thief." Luna continued to say and gently huffed as they both looked over at this endless, ghostly horizon. "Maybe... we can see the sky filled with lanterns again. There's a place... right? I want to see a place like that, a place where the entire world looks bright and wide... vivid." Luna expressed softly "I think... that's a place where we both can find what we're looking for. I think that's a place where we all will." She'd softly huff as the chilly air plumed and smoked up her utterly hotter breath. "That's the horizon I want to see... something I want to do in my life. I want to be in the center, looking at every single one and just learn what it means." She'd say and gently laughed, a soft... gentle laugh left Thief to look over towards this endless horizon, as though to wonder of the world beyond them and beyond that. They sat in a long silence, where the quiet gently creeped around them as though to have a center of understanding. "I... want to learn about that too." Thief softly whispered back. "I want to learn... about all of that." They just sat in silence after that, save for this flurry of ocean waves that came to their ears, the slightest hint of Wingulls crying further out at sea - a sound they once believed was a frightful and terrifying thing filled the air. Just a pointless alien sound that now they both knew was something different... wonderful. Part of life. They stayed like that, close by while watching the endless horizon; a valley of sparkling silver water... one that became a bright, vibrant roar of azure gems and blinding sunlight.

"I've never found a trainer that could break something as strong as this. I don't know if there has ever been one faster... Watch yourself Janine." "Worried about a look?" "I might be... that's the one thing I missed during our battle. The one thing that I couldn't see because it was short. Something better then a trainer...? I don't know what that could be."

There was the field before them, before all of them. The field just silently surrounded everyone as Thief pushed to his feet; shaken... wobbled. "Luna? Wake up!" Thief commented hurriedly as she'd stir and roll over before opening her eyes. "Are you okay? What happened?" "Just... like Celadon...? Look at the bushes. It's sleep powder." Luna brought up as Thief made a curious and nervous look. "Sleep... Powder?" Thief brought up again and just took a stance as a tall, firmly planted and oddly dressed individual stood over them. Their face covered with a scarf, one that contrasted... or matched the black outfit they wore. The pink rag over their mouth and nose... their hair; a wild and feral black-purple. Eyes much the same... Thief parted his legs and growled at the human before them. "What... happened?" Natasha brought up. "Yuny?" The Eevee only yipped and cried out its name curiously... but to Thief's ears, he'd hear her bark at Akamaru for tricking her all over again. "Are you covered in snow? No... what happened." "I got no clue... Aura? Hey, you okay?" The Lucario made a sound and then leapt to her feet before she took a stance. "Hey! Who are you!?" "That's the gym leader...?" Hunter coughed nervously and touched his Pokemon's cheek. "Butterfree? Hey, you doin alright? Sam? How about you?" Sam only nodded in reply and swallowed shyly as he pushed to his feet. Griffin was the last one to stir awake and he'd toss over and push his palm against the grass and then stand to his feet. "Like I thought... Ninja's..." He'd laugh endlessly "You know, I found that show so stupid..." Janine tilted her head curiously before she spoke, in a soft voice; nothing like he expected. Thief could tell that. "I think you have a strong misconception about the art." Janine expressed "Where's Sabrina?" "Already gone, you see... she only had a morbid curiosity; one that she couldn't explain or define and had to learn it on her own. So, she came here earlier this morning... teleport. Enough to startle even me. Psychic types..." Janine mentioned "So bring a Haunter and her Kadabra and suddenly with my talents, we have a little magic trick in store for you." Janine expressed and curiously reached behind her back in this dramatic pose. "I'm the gym leader of Fuchsia City, and like my father I specialize in poison types. So how about you let me see your soul, if you believe a badge is worth that." Griffin began to smile and coughed lightly. "That sleep powder stings." Griffin mentioned "I noticed the same thing with stun spore. Makes a bit of a mess, don't you think? Not much of a ninja if we know you've been here." Janine gave a playful grin. "Not much of a trainer, if nobody knows you were. I, Janine of Fuchsia city am challenging you, Griffin Fletching." He'd playfully grin. "I understand that already." "Then understand this, you lose; all of your badges." "What?" Griffin commented as Janine tsked. "You win, I give the soul badge to all of your friends too." "That's insane!" "Then you have no right to challenge the gym. I want to see exactly what Sabrina wanted to." Griffin looked behind him first as Natasha shook her head no, Brad went with this 'hell yeah' look and Melody stayed silent but nervously twitched with her Houndoom making a large puff of smoke. Hunter was with Natasha in her decision... and Sam just nervously stayed silent - like a mouse. Moonlight took a step forward... and that's when Thief's eyes saw red. "It's MY battle!" The Growlithe roared back at him as the Espeon took a defensive; Thief bolted up to him bitterly, angrily. It made Bandit's head tilt... it made Absol quiet; Scarf flinched from the loud roar... and Luna... "You can't fight with those injuries!" She'd remark as Thief looked back at her; the look made her haunches tilt and stir. Stick out like a porcupine. "Like hell I can't. This is MY fight." It made Bandit yeen and yowl in laughter. "I love the look." "Bandit, you can't let him fight." Moonlight brought up "He'd get injured or... crippled." "Show that gym leader the fight they're looking for, Chewtoy." Thief pushed Moonlight, budged past him even as the Espeon tugged at his tail with his teeth. The Growlithe only responded with a fiery spark that cloaked his tail. His heart raced... the heat flooded his chest and left him with this tight swelling feeling as Griffin gave a near terrified flinch. "Thief...?" He'd toss his Pokeball to him and Thief responded with a quick bat of his tail. "Thief... get back inside your Pokeball!" The Growlithe only bunted it back hard enough that it hit Griffin in the gut. He held it there and gave Thief a look. "This is my fight... I get to have one too. Don't you dare cut me short." He'd growl back and took a defensive as Janine tilted her head; intrigued. "That's the first Pokemon you caught." Griffin didn't move or budge. "You'll be surprised at how a trainer works, and how Pokemon respond to them. You want to fight Griffin, I can see that in your little Growlithe. So why don't you show me what a little thief can do when facing something much more terrifying." Griffin clenched his teeth... clenched a fist. "This will be a three on three battle. Show me what you got, kid. Impress me like I did Suicune." Griffin felt a little flinch before he'd bite his tongue. "Fine. Thief!" The Growlithe snarled and barked back at him. "... Just... watch yourself... and win." The Growlithe barked back bitterly and gave off a vicious low, snapping bite towards the air as Janine nodded once more; lowered her scarfed face and quickly swung out a Pokeball in a slapshot upwards like way. The first one that sparked out of the Pokeball... was a Crobat. "Thief! The sun is out!" Griffin remarked "There's not a cloud in the sky; we can do this!" Thief didn't look behind him and felt his tail puff out... his vision narrowed until it got black and fuzzy. He'd take in air through his nose as Bandit made a curious sound and whispered something to Moonlight. That Crobat with striking black and purple hazy fur just fluttered around and showed off the color of its Cyan wings. Thief watched it closely, his eyes dilated... "Use Fireblast." Griffin's voice slowed as the Crobat rhythmically beat its wings against the air, fluttered spasmodically around... Thief just held his defensive. "Fireblast!" "Cross Poison!" The Crobat let out a screech and swung its wings in an X-like fashion; Thief held his ground before it came down on him; then he'd lunge narrowly against the grass. The Expulsion of smoke and steam... the frantic silence. A yelp from his throat. This is my fight... "Thief!?" "Too easy." Janine remarked and narrowed her eyes "Stay on guard." The smoke simply dissipated; dissolved into nothing as Thief stayed on the ground, his nose to the earth. He shut his eyes... and breathed. There's no pain like it. Nothing is like it. "Thief!?" "Aircutter." The Crobat went to move; stopped to flutter in space... And that's when Thief launched a shot. A Fireblast at it... only for it to dive and slap it's wings viciously at the air. He launched a torrent of scalded hot flames right at it; the spewl of fire and the crackle of the air around the slashing cutting motion only buffeted the flames. It didn't knock them down or back. Thief dodged the first attack; it had a wide arched range at the top and the bottom... he knew it needed precision; all he did was cut it close. "It feigned... Crobat! Use Cross Poison!" The Crobat went to beat at the air endlessly; as though to have a fury of attacks that Thief used to dodge in one direction. He went to the left and simply focused on every individual attack that pelted down his way. This is my fight, so get the hell out of my way... He remarked and sharply let out an exhale, dodged to the right before Griffin let out a command. Flamethrower? Thief used Heat Wave and the current of scorched air surrounded the entire area around him. Cheat... right Bandit? He'd push his paws into the dirt and that's when he let out another flamethrower. Griffin took a soft step back. That little Growlithe didn't stop with simply scorching the air once; he returned the fury of his opponents attack in full force. The flames cracked and sparked across the air; scorched the open skies as Thief led on his target. The Crobat was swift and nimble; and took unexpected dives and other moves... Sunlight shone harshly and the heat around him was steadily increasing. And like something out of a fairytale, the hotter weather made the flames brighter and larger. You can't keep up flying... but right now I'm going to burn every little thing around you until you can't. "Crobat dive! Use wing attack!" The Crobat swung rearward to face the flames before it dropped by furling it's wings inwards but the moment it unfurled its wings... it caught an upward draft. It made Thief's tail flick outward. Hot air always rose to colder climates; it was never the opposite way naturally. The Crobat wouldn't be able to fight against the strong updraft, not without a risky and dangerous play. "Thief...?" "There you go runt!" Bandit snapped out her fangs, gleefully and happily. "You get it!" Luna expressed and hopped her paws against the earth with a gentle thump here and there, it made his fast beating heart catch a steadier cruise, it kept his mind clear. You don't need to worry about me... I don't want you to. Thief kept his legs firmly planted and parted; ready to move at any moments notice "Crobat use Venoshock!" Thief narrowed his eyes and jolted his body back to avoid a sudden splatter of strong smelling, rich purple liquid... poison. It killed the grass that it touched, and he returned fire with another blast of flames. "He's going to use all of his fuel." "The heat won't go away though, that's his tactic." Moonlight brought up. "The heat will help his body create fire faster. It's how the gland works." Moonlight seemed to smile. "Not the worst plan." "Thief...?" Griffin cracked a curious small smile "Go get em!" He'd call out as Thief made a strong, fair roar back at the Crobat. "Tsk... Crobat; dive in and use Air Slash." The Crobat swung around; underneath the fire in a tough, line threaded curve before it struck down to the ground. Thief only scorched the ground in front of him; caused a small crackle of embers and smoke thanks to the grass and leaves below him. The smoke it made was a sickly black color and all thanks to a little intuition and ingenuity; Thief made an opening. "Crobat Venoshock!" "Like hell I'm letting you!" Thief expressed sharply as he shot out this sudden expulsion of thick embers from his muzzle. The kind that licked upwards... and then from the clearing of smoke he'd rush in for a tackle. Thief used Ember to distract his opponent and placed it between two hard points... and used Takedown to land a hit. "Yeah!" Griffin called out with a clenched fist held high. "Use Bite! Hold it down Thief!" Thief simply pinned it down... and to Griffin's surprise... Thief pinned the Crobat down; pinned down it's wings and held its neck firmly without fangs... without a true bite and stopped it from using an attack it could direct at him.

"So what about it Janine?" Griffin remarked as Janine gave a smile; Griffin barely saw it through the crack of smoke. "Thief MOVE!" His eye's dilated as Thief bolted back and shot out a fireblast; directly at it. Venoshock didn't need a muzzle to spark up; it was more like the fur on their body... like pins being shot out. He got lucky... because of his Trainer. The smoke cleared and settled... Thief finally let out a breath... as Brad held up a hand nervously. "C - Crobat is unable to battle!" He'd express "What will the challenger do?" Thief only barked and yipped back at Griffin with a sway of his tail. I can keep going. I'm going to keep on. I'm proving right here and now, exactly what I can do. "Thief Return! You did great!" Thief only snarled back at him. "It's MY fight." The Growlithe remarked back at him... even though Griffin wouldn't know his words. "Troublesome... smart... Curious. Ariados!" Janine tossed out another Pokeball and as it crackled and opened, it made Griffin's hairs stand on end. The long legged, creepy crawling and large thing came out. It's fangs, softly haired and long seemed to pinch together and drip poison. It made him shiver from toe to the tips of hair on his head. "What? Don't like bug types?" Natasha quipped "I HATE SPIDERS." Griffin remarked sharply "Use Toxic Thread!" It seemed to screech or hiss in a way that made Griffin flinch as Thief placed his feet once more... the adrenaline coursed through his veins as the creepy crawly... and larger thing darted across the field; all around him. It won't go near the smoke; but... it can hear me when I move? Yes... it's the hairs on its front legs; it can feel vibrations through them. I remember that. It'll know where I am no matter what I do. Thief left a small plume of embers to cut from his mouth... and as it darted all around the field quickly and swiftly... landed on the ground almost in front of Thief... He cheekily used his tail. Webs are invisible... but the problem...? They need to be spotless. Thief swung his tail at the dead burning leaves below him; sparkled up the field like a cross hatch of soot and dirt. "Hm... Teach your Growlithe that?" Janine commented as Griffin gave back a blank look. "Thief! There're more webs around you; up top... behind. At your feet! Be careful, please!" He'd swallow shyly "Do it! I can trust you with this!"

"You can trust me! I can get every pretty stone... I won't feel as cold at night that way. It's cold every night... Big bro won't even know I'm gone! We'll go out one by one! Trust me with this..."

Thief let out a plume of flames from his maw as he slammed his smaller paw into the ground; he'd twist it... feel the temperature and this shock sting his tail. Something that made him jolt and flinch all through his hind legs. "Use Infestation!" She'd remark as the Ariados leered closely at Thief; He'd snarl and growl... flames spewing around his legs as the temperature went higher and higher "Thief move!" He went to move a leg forward and felt... He couldn't move his legs. What!? "Pin Missile!" "Flame Thrower!" Thief shot out flames at every single pin and down at Ariados; down the way... burned away all sorts of invisible webs - many of which weren't connected to each other as though the spider laid all sorts of stick toxic landmines. Then it cut in short, the moment the smoke cleared, and Thief's eyes dilated. "Sucker Punch!" The long creepy leg suddenly cut straight into him... It luckily struck him spot on, and between the ribs... a breathless blow that made him yelp... snarl and fight for air even though it launched him rearward. Through his snarls... he found himself bound and froze. "Not so smart..." Janine mentioned as Griffin bit his lip. The gym leader only nodded and commented "You can see exactly what is in front of you; but it's what blinds you... what you don't see that will always trap you and hold you back." Janine said again as Griffin cracked his knuckles. "Use Poison sting." Thief moved against the threads and felt a surge of bitter energy nip at him They're poison too? No... they're guaranteeing poison... He went silent as the Ariados spun him around in the web first; that sticky horrifying thing which made him snarl and... And picture one simple thing. "One you trigger by sprinting, the other you trigger by guarding, if you even get that, Chewtoy." Thief felt his body warm up; the silk... was an insulator. Like a warm puffy jacket... Or... maybe a nylon sleeping bag. It made him suckle in air before his fur and body steamed up to a point that it got so uncomfortably hot and as he'd watch those large fangs break through the silk, he erupted in flames that made the Ariados hiss and sharply shriek in a way that made his fur and pelt crawl... Then he tackled right into it. It made Bandit yip and yowl, playfully dance her paws around as she called out gleefully "That's how you do it runt! You're a fire type, get with your temperature!" Bandit snarled out and clapped her teeth together in a way that light licks of flame teased off her tongue. Thief used Flare Blitz, even though the risky tackle and his burns left him to wince and shockingly stumble... collapse to the floor. Ariados got the worst of it though; and it left Janine silent as she lifted up a Pokeball and returned it. "You did great Ariados. Your Growlithe is stubborn!" Griffin found himself... nervously laughing to release all the tension. He laughed harder then he ever thought he could, which made Janine go red. "I - I'm not laughing at you." "Then what are you laughing at!?" She demanded firmly. "I'm... I'm happy." Griffin returned and it left Thief's ear to twitch. "... I'm... I never thought anything... if I did anything made him stronger." Griffin commented "I use him in combat whenever I can... I feed him the best food I can cook for him... I talk to him idly, even when we travel; sometimes before bed..." Like when we camped out by Maidens Peak... Thief had it come to mind We... I sat on your lap... I thought you were talking to everyone before bed but... you were talking to me? All the focus was on... Moonlight... all the attention except then. No one even noticed but... you and I. "You're right Janine." Griffin mentioned and softened his eyes... they were dilated slightly even in the sunlight, Thief could see that... then it was just a smile. "Thief is my first Pokemon, the first one I ever caught... because I let Logan catch Bandit. Thief... All of them are Pooch's to me." Griffin mentioned with a laugh. "I'm laughing... because as stupid as that sounds, it makes me happy." Thief found himself pushing off of the earth and the dirt below him as he took a stance and growled... even playfully yipped which made Bandit erupt in that same sound but wildly and ultimately prouder.

That's kind of fun... Yipping like she does; it's like laughing. The weight just goes away... that's what you're doing... Griffin. You're laughing to cope with the tension. I... never even realized that about you. "Alright... Thief you did great! But let's swap!" He'd growl back and sat down on his tail. "Is... that a no?" Thief playfully snarled back... gave off that bark-like yipping sound; something a strange animal would make - something aliens to him that felt so wonderous and freeing. Laughter... his own laughter swept out from his maw. "We'll all work hard for big bro... he does it for us. If he can do it... we can too!" Thief lowered his head and pushed to his feet with a bark. Janine narrowed her eyes and stared them both down before she cracked a grin. "Impressive... emotion alone. It makes you weightless. I wonder exactly how much weight will bring you all down. You've got a strange battling technique, Fletching. A strange... Strange training technique. You don't order your Pokemon as much as other trainers do. You don't command them as much as others do." Griffin gave a nod as Janine pulled out a Pokeball. "I can trust them. That's all I need." Griffin commented back as she went rigid, blinked... "Let's get out there... Vaporeon." Griffin swallowed shyly as Thief twitched his ear. "A Vaporeon?" "They can use toxic moves too." Janine commented back with a smile "You really don't think I train just PURE toxic types, I mean, if you look at all of my Pokemon, I have plenty to use. We gym leaders do more then just our comfort zone allows us." The slippery, watery and skin-slender Vaporeon flicked out its rear flipper. A tail like a slender orca and a beautiful gemstone glow. It made Natasha swallow. "What? Wanna steal Janine's Vaporeon?" "S - Shut up Griffin!" Natasha replied, "Just win this thing!" Griffin put one foot forward, and playfully crossed his arms behind his back after scratching his scalp... in a way he always did. "Thief Headbutt!" The Growlithe yipped and charged towards the Vaporeon as it simply scratched its ear and replied with a Scald. The hot mist exploded out at him and caused Thief to jolt and duck to the ground. It made Janine laugh. "No water, no problem. The heat here is plenty enough to boil water... but it can't boil poison. Use Toxic!" It shot out this spray of purple which made Thief jolt and bounce back... it splashed on the ground and hit his face - his eyes. Shit... It burns... Thief yelped feebly and the Vaporeon then shot out a glow of sharp blue... Ice Beam. Thief saw it in the blurred and watery vision of his and only moved anyway that made sense. It made him hit the ground, but he narrowly evaded it by the tufts of his tail. His heart began to race as something jolted him once more. "See... I could do it! All these rocks are SUPER warm too! I wanna sleep on them! I'll go out and get more and more of them!" "I found berries!" "Food?" "FOOD!?" "I want some too!" Thief forced himself to look upward as the Vaporeon positioned itself one more time and opened up its muzzle. A sparkle and flash of bright cyan started to glow and flare up from its throat. It's my fight... no... every fight is our fight. Blinded; Thief pushed to his legs and braced himself against a massive current of sharp, nettle stabbing cold. His paws dug into the earth as the temperature dropped fruitlessly... then he snapped his jaw down in the mist of creating a fireblast - his shoulder took the blunt of the blow... and he only responded with a shotgun blast of a detonation that made his lips dry and crack under the heat. Steam rushed over his blind face and all he could do was see murky blurs and shadows. Something sparked at him... and he dodged it at once, last second - a slash on his cheek from frigid ice... then there was the hit of water... and several shadows that went onto him. Copies? Double Team!? Thief braced for any attack he saw... until one shadow ducked under him... ducked under his view and it was just a wet, rubbery tail which flicked his feet from under him and the sudden jump of weight on his chest... _ It was all pure luck it hit him in the sternum, that he didn't move... that it didn't land on a place much much more lethal. The blow took all the air out of his lungs and the Vaporeon only sat on him. _ His vision got blurry... dark... "Big bro... Please... Please... help... I didn't do anything wrong." "Bro...? Hey, wake up... wake up little one..." His own voice...? "I'm feeling sick..." "Daddy...? You're like a daddy, right? I get to go meet other daddies too today!" "We'll... have a happy place too... right? All of us...?" I'm not done yet... I can keep on... His body trembled under the full weight and the gravity around him... a soft tremble into darkness. His vision fading into unconsciousness. "I'm... not done yet." "You're done... give up now." "I'm. Not. Done." Thief snarled... weakly, feebly... his body vibrated and within a sudden frightful exhale; one that felt cold and barren as he'd squirm and push against the Vaporeon on top of him. "Stop moving... Don't you get that you're injured!? Stop moving! Stop fighting! Your trainer must be the worst if he let YOU fight!" It snapped back at him as a daze of little stars went around in his fading mind. "Just give up... You have to give up, this isn't a... a war. Give in, it's just a gym battle." Thief felt something... a surge in a cloud of smoke and dust; it all filled his nose, his throat... a hot sickly cake of earth covered his tongue from tip to the base in such a way that he coughed; in such a way that his tail hued... an off color of cream... A spark of inspiration...

The only thing he could remember in that dark... sleepless and still void where only those little squiggles, the ones behind his eyes that he could always see from time to time and there was a bright sharp sparkle of light that clapped louder and harder then anything he'd heard before... and it was all weightless from there. A weightless breath until he submitted into the blades of grass in front of him and a shadow jolted up to him with voices so warbled and worried that... that he just rested his head against the hot grass. The swirl of emerald that gently brushed wind his way... with clouds in the sky. One large cloud... and five smaller ones rejoiced around it... a place... a spark of inspiration. This... this is the only time I want anyone worried. I only want you to worry when you've seen... all I can do. I only want you to worry when I've done all I can because everything I do and everything, I try... it's just to see you again... It's just to hear you again... I want the names in my mind because I want to know...

I just want to know if I was ever a good enough brother to all of you.