FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Author's Note: So we decided to get chapter fifteen now before anything. The next one shouldn't take too long to post. Depends on how fast we can go through editing Hell. Other than that, this was interesting. I don't know how many expectations / guesses I managed to satisfy, but I have to say that many of your suggestions were already thought of by us two. It only leads me to think that I'm too obvious. Or perhaps we're all thinking along the same wavelength. I wouldn't know. I hope I'm not turning predictable.

Beta's Note:

_The Lady, Moon, shone upon his features, As he watched the milling creatures. Bleating for newest sensation, They cried out in elation, For the new chapter doth appear.

And the Saga doth continue, But brings with it yet more issue. And the creatures do sit on tenterhooks, While the authors do make away like crooks.

The man of Darkness doth bid them well, And his chest doth swell, With pride on job well done. Now everyone, go have FUN!

~Exskotadi_

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

Chapter 15: Congregation

Though my sleep was undisturbed, it was an odd feeling to be sleeping in a bed. I was already growing comfortable to the ground or my sleeping bag. We had to spend an extra day because of Zefyra's wing not setting properly. I heard the dragon's roars throughout the monastery that morning after Joy told me. We all had to cover our ears as the sound echoed loudly throughout the building.

"She'll be fine, right?" I asked Joy. Her face was a stoic mask of neutrality. If she had shed any tears or was angry, I couldn't tell. She nodded.

"The monks told me that she'll be fine with a day's rest," she said. "We might have to spend another one here if she keeps being so restless." She turned to me, her hair hiding her face. "I'm sorry for stalling you."

I shook my head. "It's not your fault," I said gently. "Why don't you go to Zefyra and try to calm her down?"

She smiled at me, before walking away. Another roar shook the walls. Whatever they were doing, I think they needed Joy's help to keep her beast from rampaging.

I shrugged to myself, turning around and heading back to my room. All of my Pokémon had made a startling recovery. Even Akalia, who I thought would need more time to recover than anyone, was up and walking about. Rather gingerly, I might add, but still up and about. I opened the door to my room, taking a peek inside to see both Zin and Akalia resting on top of the bed. Spirit and Xola were curled up on the floor, while Mist was... somewhere. That ghost is always up to something. Probably with Song, if my intuition was correct.

As much as I wanted to walk around, I didn't want to distract Song from whatever she was doing. Stepping inside my room, I quietly closed the door behind me. Nobody stirred as I took a slow, deep breath and letting it out just as slowly. I decided not to wake anyone up, sitting on the ground with my back against the foot of the bed. I took off my shoes and closed my eyes, trying to relax. A smile formed as my mind wandered to how we spent last night. I could still smell the orchids, see Song's smile and hear her laugh. As much as I wanted to dwell on that memory, I gently placed it aside to think about our circumstances at the moment.

Jonathan wanted to go to Johto. That honestly sounded like the best idea we had at the moment. It isn't like the Elite Four, or the Sinnoh champion, were going to listen to me. They might take into consideration Jonathan's words, but I don't know how much weight he has. And considering that he didn't bring it up, I'm not sure he does either. Joy's family might help us, but I wouldn't know how. Unless they can tell us more about Darkrai, but why would they, even if they knew? I mean, yes, Joy got attacked and nearly got killed by this one. But where would we take this? I can't think of any authority that would listen to us.

I frowned, and then sighed in resignation. This wasn't getting me anywhere. I just had to trust Jonathan and that his superiors will believe our story. If they can elevate our case for how dangerous it is, maybe we have a chance to get more resources to help us figure this out. I still want to know why me, though. Why did this Darkrai want me to meet her Father? Who would that be? The obvious answer is Arceus... but is that the real answer? I wonder if she was indirectly mentioning Giratina. I thought of the Celestic Ruins, and the stones at that altar or whatever it was. Even if it was Giratina, why would he or she need to see me? Why would I need to die, is the better question.

I wonder... did this monastery have anything of the sort regarding the creation mythos. Wait, wasn't that one of the reasons why we came here in the first place?! Damn it! I opened my eyes and quickly got off the floor, only to run headlong into Song. She stopped me before we fell together against the floor. I looked up to see her smiling face, which turned to one of confusion as she looked at me.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I need to ask if the monks have a book, or a reference, something, regarding the creation mythos," I answered. "I was thinking of what Darkrai said, and I'm trying to connect the dots."

She sighed, wrapping her hands around me. "Actually, I just came from there to check on the very same subject," she said. "I'm sorry, but I didn't find anything. I asked, as well, and the monks said they didn't have anything of the sort."

I frowned, but shrug. "Do any of the monks know anything?" I asked. "Maybe that old balding guy knows."

Song shook her head. "No, I was the one to ask him if they had anything here," she said. "He says he doesn't know any more than us."

"Perhaps they just settled here to get away from civilization instead of being researchers or whatever," I said thoughtfully. I shrugged. "Well, at least we got that mystery solved."

"Do you have a plan on where to go next?" she asked.

"Jonathan suggested we go to his base of operations," I said, frowning. "We'll be going to Johto as soon as we can. Blackthorn City."

She frowned, but nodded. "I understand," she said. "We won't be communicating for a long time, too."

"I know, Song," I said. "It's why I wanted last night to be memorable."

"And it was and will be," she said with a soft giggle. "But I came here for something else."

I looked at her again, as she gently pushed me down by my shoulders. I sat on my knees, but then she pushed me backwards until I was lying on the floor. She crawled over me, her fingers tracing my jaw. She seemed to hesitate for a moment, before lowering her lips against mine. I kissed her back, wrapping my arms around her body. When we parted, she smiled down at me.

"You have one gift left to give," she whispered huskily.

"But what about...?" I asked, but was silenced by Song pressing a finger against my lips.

"Mist has them dreaming," she whispered. "Now don't scream. We don't want to wake up everyone else, now do we?"

She leaned down to nibble on my ear as her hands undid my pants. I stifled my moans as she began to coerce me to her will. And frankly, I didn't mind one single bit.

======================//////////////////////======================

Morning came too fast for my tastes, but it was something that needed to happen. I woke up to the greatest sight to my eyes, and I smiled widely. I felt amazingly lucky, and for the first time in a while, blessed. Maybe I was taking this too seriously, but I needed to. For her.

Song and I walked hand in hand. She assured me that the monks didn't think any less of our pairing, much to my relief. Joy and Jonathan were walking together behind us, talking to the monks. Baast was also out, enjoying what freedom she had before being put inside her Pokéball when we had to go. While we weren't talking, the others were more than willing to fill in the gaps for us. Song was enjoying the little time we had left, and that was more important to me right now.

When we finally stepped outside, the morning sun greeted us warmly. The sounds of the forest inundated our surroundings, but I forced them out of my mind. I turned to Song and returned her smile as best I could. It felt rather bitter in my mind, but this was of her choice. It felt like I had a lot to prove, both to myself and her. I just hoped that I do her choice justice.

She flung her hands around me suddenly, but I hugged her all the same. She surprised me, though, when she pressed her lips against mine. Out of all places, in public! At first I hesitated, but soon threw caution to the wind as I returned it with as much passion as her. I think I should feel embarrassed, but I didn't. I don't know how much everyone knew, but it was my hope that the monks wouldn't hold this against her.

My fears were alleviated when I heard clapping surround us. Our lips parted reluctantly, but Song had a smile on her face. "I'll never forget you, Aaron," she whispered.

"I can't forget you, Song," I said, burying my face against her. "I won't. I'll come back for you, I promise."

"Unless you need me to save you," she whispered with a giggle.

"Let's hope that you can just come to me, instead of saving me," I said with a chuckle. She laughed beautifully as we slowly parted.

I turned to the monks. "This probably doesn't need to be said, but please take care of her," I said somberly.

The old balding guy nodded. "I'm quite sure she's more than able to take care of herself, but we'll do what we can to make her stay a pleasant one," he assured me. I smiled, nodding to the old man.

"Maybe I'll be able to teach you a thing or two," Song said teasingly.

"Alright! I give up. Uncle, whatever you want me to say," I said with a laugh.

Song giggled again, before giving me a kiss on the cheek. She opened her mouth to say something, but we were all interrupted.

"Legendary me this, legendary me that. I don't care what you are, but show yourself!"

I turned around, startled at Baast's outcry. Jonathan had his eyes narrowed at where Baast was looking at. The monks all turned around, as another robed figure walked towards us. A hood covered his or her face, and no outward sign of a body could be seen from under the cloth. Though I didn't feel threatened, it was enough for me to put myself in between Song and have Zin's Pokéball at the ready.

The figure rose his hands to uncover his face, but was rudely interrupted by a shout.

"Don't you DARE!" someone yelled. "Dee, you were NOT about to go out here and spoil the fun without me!"

An orange streak flew around the figure for a moment, speaking in an extremely fast tone.

"I go to sleep, and you're NOWHERE to be found when I wake up!" the voice continued in a high pitch. "Just because YOU don't wake me up, LIKE YOU SAID YOU WOULD BY THE WAY, does NOT give you the right to go ahead and mess all that-."

"Victini," another voice said.

Joy gasped out loud, but no one else reacted. Victini, or whatever it was, didn't react to Joy's outburst, either.

"Excuse me, I'm still talking! Anyway, I was saying, that this does not give you the right to mess this up and go showing up for no REASON! The whole point was to do it together!"

"Victini," the other voice said again. This time it was slightly louder.

"And another thing, don't call me that! Call me Vic like we agreed on. What, don't like me calling you Dee? How about Deo? Or how about Twisty? It's kinda how you look under that silly robe. Why don't you take that off already? Jeez, it's hot enough out here without clothes. You sure are weird, Twisty."

"Victini," the voice said again, "they're right here."

The orange ball flew past the monks and stopped in front of me and Song. A flash of light blinded me for a moment, before revealing two gigantic ears in a V shape covered in orange fur, while the rest of the body was a cream coloration. It may have stood a foot tall, if it didn't constantly float up and down. Blue eyes alternated looking at me, then to Song, then back to me. It shook its head.

"Nah, not you guys. Hey, Twisty! I think it's these two that you were looking for!"

I finally associated the voice with something. It sounded like a little girls voice that just learned how to talk. While I didn't know what this was, for the sake of my own sanity, it was going to be female until proven otherwise. Victini then blew a raspberry at us before giving a girlish giggle and flying towards Jonathan.

"Not you, either. Wow, definitely not you. You're WAY too serious."

She flew over to Joy, who was on the verge of shock. I looked over to Song, who gave me a shrug. As much as I wanted to pull out my Pokédex, it was in my backpack. I didn't feel like fishing for it right now.

"YES!" she screamed out loud, before diving towards Joy. "Found you again! I TOLD you I'd find you!"

Now I was really confused.

The hooded figure walked up to me, shaking his head underneath the hood. "I wish to apologize for my companion's enthusiasm," he said. Voice was definitely male. "She has been looking for this human for quite some time now."

Why Joy had such a happy smile, I didn't know. I wasn't going to argue with the results. Both of them were hugging each other like they knew each other from long before.

"They do."

I turned to face the stranger, slightly unnerved that he-

"Might read your mind?" he asked. "I apologize. Your thoughts are extremely loud. I did not intend to hear them."

I gulped, as Song walked to stand beside me. "Who are you?" she asked.

Green and orange hands came from under the cloak, pulling back the hood. The face was devoid of expression. There was nothing to show. His face was a smooth surface, with only two eyes and a purple divide where a nose should be. While his face was green in color, his head was orange, with what looked like three orange protrusions pointed backwards. I didn't have a clue to what kind of Pokémon this was, but Jonathan reacted before any of us did.

"What are you doing here, Deoxys?" he asked.

I backed away, Song quickly mimicking my actions. He raised an arm, but brought it back down.

"I wish to travel with you," he said. How in the world was Deoxys speaking without a mouth?

"Why?" Song asked heatedly.

"I wish to study human emotions, with as much detail and experience as possible," he responded automatically. "While I have met many candidates that would be optimal for my purposes, I need a person that has multiple relationships with either human or Pokémon. You, Aaron, match my criteria as best as I will find."

"Me?" I exclaimed, confused. "Because no one else matches your standards?"

"Not just that. You are in a great deal of pain, and I can feel it," he said stoically. "I wish to study these feelings."

"Why?"

"So that I may replicate and reproduce them accurately."

I was dumbfounded. This didn't make any sense. I shrugged, looking at Song. She gave me a shrug of her own. I sighed, pulling out her Pokéball and passing it to her. Song looked at me curiously, holding it gingerly in her hands. No more tears, and no more delays. We had to leave.

"So I have to come back to you," I said, closing her hand around the sphere. "I will be back for you. I promise."

========================////////////////////======================

Victini and Deoxys demanded to come along. We didn't stay long after that. As we flew away from the monastery, Spirit did one last loop around as I waved goodbye. My chest felt hollow, but I knew what I was getting myself into. I think. Deoxys was flying next to me, unreasonably close to Spirit. She didn't seem to mind too much, as he didn't create turbulence for her. It made me fearful for Spirit, though as long as she didn't complain my say didn't have much weight. I sighed, shaking my head. I hope that this wouldn't be one of those days.

As much as I wanted to turn around to see the monastery be swallowed by the surrounding mountains and forest, I didn't. I had to focus on the task at hand, and that was figuring out how we can get to Johto as quickly as possible. Also, I had to figure out what to say to Jonathan's boss when we finally arrived. Talking was impossible for us right now, so I tried to calm myself as much as possible so that I could think. I felt like I was forgetting something. I probably have, but at least Song would take care of it, if that was the case. We were already behind our original schedule, and any more delays were not acceptable, really. Not by Jonathan's standards, anyway.

"I hope I am not intruding on your thoughts, but may I speak with you?"

I tried really hard not to flinch when I heard Deoxys in my mind like that. I looked over to my side to see the Pokémon give me a curious look. I sighed, but nodded to give my consent.

"I apologize, I did not mean to startle you," he continued. "If I may ask, why are we going to Blackthorn?"

I frowned, trying to reply through the wind and finding my voice to be carried away by it. I decided to think of my answer loudly instead.

"Darkrai?" he asked.

I nodded. I think he could pick up on the fact that just the name carried a lot of emotional weight. I still wondered why he thought he was included. I sighed as I turned to look away from the flying orange Pokémon. Legendary or not, we've managed just...

No, we haven't been fine. I... I needed help. We needed help. It would be stupid not to accept any help that came our way, especially from these two. As much as I wanted to say that we were fine, I couldn't begin lying to myself. And now down to five Pokémon, I needed to be at full strength. But how? I haven't released Song, so technically that whole rule of only having six Pokémon on you is going to be a problem. Joy suddenly came to mind, and I hoped that she may have an answer to my problem.

We continued to fly farther, only stopping once the afternoon had time to fully settle in. I asked Jonathan if this was one of the spots we stopped on the way here, and he nodded.

"Yeah, this is the spot that we found that Honchkrow flock," he reminded me with a glare.

I stayed quiet after that, setting up the tents with Mist's help. Deoxys silently watched us work. I occasionally would look over to see him looking around, but usually paying attention to me or Mist. It was a bit of an awkward feeling, being watched so intently by a stranger. I did my best not to let it bug me, but I had a feeling that he was doing more than that. I still had no idea why he was looking for me, specifically. Perhaps thinking that he didn't have a choice is a strong opinion. He could have easily chosen Jonathan or Joy. I can only hope that there are more factors in play that I don't know of.

I mean, yes, perhaps it was narrowed to two, seeing as Victini singled out Joy immediately. That's still a fifty-fifty chance between me and Jonathan. What made him pick me instead? Why was Jonathan off-limits? Though yes, much of Jonathan's past is unknown to me, and there may be key differences in our experiences, but Jonathan is much older than I am. Doesn't that count for something? If Deoxys wanted educated answers to his questions, shouldn't he go to him instead of me? I sighed as I pounded a stake into the ground to secure the tent. Maybe like he said, there were more reasons than just what I can think of. It was just driving me nuts trying to figure it out!

I sighed as I stood up, stretching my arms over my head. "Done is done," I declared, rubbing my hands together. Mist walked over to me, giggling as she hugged me. "Now to prepare food!"

I turned around, hoping to see Joy or Jonathan walk by but saw neither. I frowned, hoping that they wouldn't take long. Seeing no one else around, it was now or never to get to talk to Deoxys. Finding a pleasant topic shouldn't be hard, right?

Right.

Mist floated behind me, eagerly pushing me towards the strange Pokémon. I sat next to him on the ground, as he had the only rock we found nearby to sit on.

"So, Deoxys," I said, smiling, "enjoying the night?"

He nodded. I noted that his eyes were surprisingly expressive as he spoke again. "Yes, I am," he said. "It is more... convenient to be around company that appreciates a bit of silence."

"Convenient?" I asked, slightly confused at the use of words. "Why is that?"

"Victini likes to be rambunctious most of the time," he explained. "I find myself enjoying the times where she is asleep."

I nodded. "That makes sense, I suppose," I offered. "I can't imagine having someone that's like that at all hours of the day."

"But Master, you already do," Mist said with a giggle. "I am sure that Zin wouldn't appreciate that comment."

"She likes it when it's quiet, too," I said with a frown.

"Not from what she's told me," she said with heavy emphasis. "She was so jealous that you were so vocal with Song the other night that she had dreams of taking her spot."

I felt my cheeks burn. "Mist! I don't need to know what everyone dreamt that night, thank you very much!" I exclaimed, my voice almost cracking. "And really now, that isn't very polite to bring up someone else's dreams to strangers, either."

"He can read your mind, and you are calling him a stranger?" she asked, before laughing madly. "Oh, Master, the things you must learn."

I didn't have anything to say to that. It felt like if I did, I'd be digging my own grave. Deoxys gave a chuckle.

"I hope you do not take offense if I find this amusing," he said. "It isn't very often that someone is willing to speak to me, or be normal around me."

I looked at him seriously. "I'll be frank with you. I'm keyed up as is. I know the reasons you've told us why you want to tag along, but it still doesn't make sense. If you're willing to help, that's fantastic. If you know why Darkrai, whatever or whichever, is chasing me that would be fantastic. All I want, is for everyone to be safe. As long as that's happening, I'm fine.

"But if I ever find that you aren't working for our best interest, you better stop me soon, or else Jonathan and Joy will know. And I don't care if we're under your power or whatever. If that one Pokémon that Jonathan has can stop an Ice Beam with a freaking Sandstorm, I'd hope you're stronger than that Darkrai that Spirit stopped with her Hyper Beam, or whatever it was that she threw."

He sat there in silence. I sighed.

"I don't want to sound like I'm threatening you or anything. That isn't my point. I just... for once, I want to feel safe."

"You do not feel safe?" Deoxys asked.

"If you were being chased down by Darkrai, would you be?" I countered. "And not just one, because Arceus forbid there isn't just one, but two? And if there are two, what are the odds of finding that there are more of them?"

He nodded. "I see your point," he said softly.

"That's why we're going to Blackthorn," I stated. "And since I feel like captain obvious too, it's probably where you're going, too."

"Why are you angry?" he asked curiously.

I stopped myself. Was I feeling angry? I let go of the breath I was holding in my lungs, a weight I hadn't felt leaving me. I shook my head as I answered.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I shouldn't take my anger out on you, of all people. It's been a taxing time. As pathetic as that excuse is, it's all I got."

He looked at me and he did that smile with his eyes. He nodded. "I do not understand the details, but I understand your words. I forgive you."

I nodded as I felt Mist lean into my chest. She snuggled against me for a moment, before giggling. "Now I am not the only one that is looking out for your well-being," she said.

I chuckled. "And who made you queen?" I asked with a smile. "Don't tell me Song put you to this."

She shook her head. "No, she did not. I appointed myself to the position."

"I just hope that Zin doesn't disagree with you then." Mist began to tickle me as soon as I said that. She had me completely at a disadvantage, seeing as her hands can go through me and tickle where she wanted to.

"Alright, you two, break it up."

I turned to see Joy, Jonathan and Victini walk towards us. While Jonathan and Joy had a large number of kindling and limbs, Victini hovered two large rounds that may have well been stumps. When the large objects where dropped nearby, I could still see dirt still clinging to the roots. Victini gave me a shrug.

"What? I heard that you're a good cook!" she exclaimed at my curious look.

"I was wondering why this was necessary," I said, pointing at the stumps.

"Do you need them smaller?" she asked curiously.

I nodded. "It would be nice, yes. We don't need such a large fire pit. It's a lot easier to control that way."

"Well, why didn't you say so?!" she exclaimed as she rose the two stumps into the air once more. Victini began to glow a fiery orange, matching the glowing stumps she held. With a gesture of her hand, large gashes appeared that sliced both of them into neat little wooden cubes.

"Better?" she asked, as she put them in a pile.

I nodded. "Much," I said. "Thank you."

"Oh, and thank you for setting up the tents, Aaron," Joy said with a smile. "Really appreciate it."

"No problem," I said, chuckling. "Just give me a few, and I'll get something going here."

"Can you make that soup from last time?" she asked, rushing over and grabbing my hands. "I really liked that! Pleasepleaseplease?"

I looked at her, confused at her eagerness, but nodded. "Alright, I think I can pull that off again," I said, resisting the urge to pull my arm away from her grasp. "Mist, could you pass me my backpack, please?"

She gave me a cheeky salute. "Yes, Master," she responded before disappearing to the tents.

Pots and bowls were procured, and Joy came up with a bottle of water. "Where'd you get that?" I asked. I don't think we really resupplied before we left.

"Victini insisted that there was a stream farther in the woods," she said with a shrug. "She wanted to go see it."

I nodded, thankful for the water. "As long as we don't all get some crippling disease, we'll be set."

"Don't trust me yet?" Victini huffed, crossing her arms. "Really now, I would think that people would be all over me!"

"As fluffy as you are, I'd think most of my team would be jealous," I pointed out. "I don't want to see an angry Houndoom."

"Speaking of your Pokémon, why don't they all come out?" she asked. "It's not like we don't have the room."

I gave Joy and Jonathan a questioning look, which was answered with shrugs. I sighed.

"Fine, I'll go ahead first. Again."

I went ahead and released everyone from their Pokéballs and introduced everyone to both Victini and Deoxys. None of my friends made a comment over either of the newcomers, so I took that as a good thing. Better to be silent than berate them, at the very least. I was extremely thankful that Zin didn't say anything colorful, as well. Last thing I need is her spilling any dreams that Mist may have concocted for her.

"I'll go next," Jonathan said. He pulled out one Pokéball, revealing his teammates. While I knew both Storm and Baast by name, I couldn't remember if he had named the other ones before.

With all six revealed now, I remembered that Sableye, too.

Pointing at each one, he introduced them one by one. "My Dragonite's name is Storm, and Cleopatra is my Tyranitar." As their names were called, they acknowledged him with a nod or a smile. A bundle of shadows jumped on top of his head, a glimmer of light the only thing that allowed me to see where his Sableye was.

"This mischievous little thing is Gem," he said pointing at said Pokémon. "My Lucario here is named Baast."

"Greetings," she said with a bow.

"And the last two are Fern, my Sceptile, and Conrad, my Carracosta," he said, waving at both the gigantic Grass type and the other Pokémon that I've never seen before.

Most of its body was a gigantic shell, blue in color, with fins for hands. Flat feet held the Pokémon upright, as the Pokémon's blue eyes surveyed the surroundings with a casual glance. The face looked like a mask made out of the same material as the shell covered all of his face, except for around the eyes and mouth. How could I tell? The Pokémon gave a gargantuan yawn, before curling on the ground and retracting itself inside the shell.

"He's a bit lazy," Jonathan offered with a laugh. "He likes his sleep."

"That's amazing, Jonathan! When did you go to Unova?" Joy said as she bounded over to the sleeping Carracosta.

"I didn't," he said with a shrug. "Like in the other regions, they've been steadily reproducing ancient Pokémon through fossils found in the underground or in explorations. One of the Unovian scientists donated him to one of the trainers sent there. He didn't want him for some reason, so instead of shipping him back I took him in."

"That is very kind of you," Deoxys said suddenly.

"I know what it's like to be in a place where no one appreciates you," Jonathan said with a chuckle. "I wouldn't want anyone else to be in that same spot."

"Alright, enough about you!" Joy exclaimed, pushing Jonathan out of her way. "My turn now."

As Joy got her Pokéballs out, Jonathan stumbled towards me. "Since when did she become this excited?" he asked in a whisper.

I shrugged. "No clue."

She opened two devices at once, revealing her Ditto and Sandslash. "These two, I know you've met before, but haven't been properly introduced."

She pointed to her Ditto, who was eyeing Deoxys with curiosity. "This little guy is Morph. And my Sandslash is called Romulus."

While the Ditto didn't react to his name being called, Romulus bowed slightly before shifting behind Joy.

"I won't call out Zefyra, seeing that she's already asleep," she said with a giggle. "She's my Hydreigon, and you've met her before."

She looked pensive for a moment, before nodding. She waved Jonathan's Pokémon out of her way, her Sandslash bashfully following her. A thought crossed my mind, and I waved at Joy to get her attention.

"Yes?" she asked.

"So, this is all cutting into my cooking time," I said with a smile. "Just thought I'd let you know."

She glared at me, before shrugging. "It's you that has the last watch. You're getting the least amount of sleep."

I decided to bite my tongue after that.

"So anyway," she said, clapping her hands. "I get to introduce the rest of my team." Grabbing two more Pokéballs from her waist, she opened them to reveal two Pokémon that have to be from Unova.

The first one stood on four legs, with a majestic set of antlers. The odd thing about it is that those horns were decorated with leaves. While the majority where green, they were beginning to turn bright orange and reds. It was standing easily my height, possibly more if I counted the antlers. The second Pokémon was much smaller than the first, about as long as my arm and standing a little bit more above Joy's knee. I was convinced that it's a bug Pokémon, but was confused at the horns. And then they shot a puff of smoke and flame. What kind of bug would have five horns that shoot fire? A white mane covered the face, the rest of the body covered in segments.

Joy walked over to the first Pokémon with leaves. "This is my Sawsbuck, Variel. This little one here is my Larvesta, Pele."

The Sawsbuck nodded, the leaves on his head shaking in time with the movement. The Larvesta didn't acknowledge being introduced, curling up next to the Sawsbuck's feet. I almost laughed when Variel jumped away to avoid being burned by another puff of flame.

"These next two tend to show-off," she warned. "Just letting you know."

Two more Pokémon showed up. I recognized the Ampharos right away, but it didn't help that lightning crackled around the Pokémon's body and the bright red bulb on the tail glowed. The other has a similar build to a Luxray, but has sleek purple fur with a yellow underbelly. The paws were with the same yellow, and the coat had small spots with the same coloration. The tail was curved, looking like a question mark.

"This is Menes, my Ampharos," she said, tapping the giants shoulder. "He's a softy, I promise, but he absolutely adores it when you brush his fur."

The giant seemed to blush slightly at the comment, but nodded. Joy laughed, bringing her hands to tickle the Ampharos's belly. "He likes belly rubs too."

I grinned, but felt a bit bad for Menes. It's not like there was much he could do to stop her.

"This one over here is Ocelomah," she said as she kneeled beside the feline Pokémon. "Their kind is from Unova. He's a Liepard. Similar to an Absol, they prefer the night and hunt at that time."

I nodded, immediately being able to associate the habits. The Liepard began to pace around, eyes were darting over our two visitors. He nodded, before looking over to where both Variel was standing.

"And two more, before I bow out," she said with a laugh. "Well, technically three, but I don't have any water around for a Kingdra." I raised an eyebrow. How many Pokémon does she have? I thought the maximum was six?

Twin flashes to reveal another set of Pokémon. Another colossal Pokémon that towered over me, covered in white fur. A short snout filled with sharp teeth was underneath a piercing gaze, only being matched by the paws that could easily cover my face. The other was a Medicham, easily recognizable not only by body shape, but also due to their bright coloration.

She walked over to the white furred giant. "Her name is Skadi, and she's a Beartic. And this guy is Ajax, my Medicham. Both could probably smash a boulder, though I think Skadi is a bit unconfident after that whole Darkrai thing."

I finally recognized the Pokémon that were around her at that time. I sighed with relief, now that I knew that everyone was ok. But something else bugged me, and I decided to voice it.

"Joy, how many Pokémon do you have?" I asked, clearly confused. "Isn't the maximum six?"

"Yes, the maximum is six, for a regular trainer," she said, nodding. "There are exceptions, however. You can get a breeders license that allows you to carry more Pokémon on your person, up to a maximum of twelve if I'm not mistaken. I have a breeder's license, as it's obvious from the size of my team.

"The problem with having a 'higher license' than just the standard, is that it makes you exempt from the Pokémon League," Joy continued, pacing around. "Gym leaders won't even let you challenge them, but it exempts you from most of the requirements for badges. It's a give and take with the whole change."

I nodded. "You can still battle, I imagine," I said, thinking out loud. She nodded at me, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, you can," she said, "though you limit yourself between battles. Agree to three versus three, you're bound by your word to use three. It's a standard rule all around, since most trainers obey it, but for you it's even more so. You can have your license revoked if given enough evidence for it. I've even heard of people having their Pokémon taken away from them, as well."

I frowned. "On what grounds?" I asked.

"Manipulation, torture, forced breeding, excessive breeding," she said, counting them off as she lifted fingers for every one she mentioned. "That's just the things that I can think of off the top of my head. There's a lot more, though."

I nodded. I think I was safe. Though it was obvious that they didn't just hand the license out to just anyone, the odds of getting one seemed to improve. Joy raised an eyebrow at me.

"What's with the sudden interest?" she asked. "Thinking of getting one?"

I shrugged. "It's definitely a possibility at the moment," I said. "We managed to fight off the last Darkrai because Spirit did... something. I don't even know what. But we barely fought her off with five of my Pokémon, yours, and Jonathan's Tyranitar. No matter how you think about it, we need to recruit more."

"You make it sound like you have no other options," Deoxys said.

"I thought it was a really good idea, and I'm pretty sure Jubilife has some kind of office for these things. Seeing as it's one of the largest cities in Sinnoh, I'm pretty sure we can find something there."

I shook my head, idly watching as Victini prepared a few pieces of firewood and lit them on fire. Whatever was left of the afternoon was gone during our conversation, and I sighed.

"Better get food ready," I said, forcing a smile. "Don't want Joy telling me I'm lazy now."

"Hey!" she exclaimed, before everyone around laughed.

================/////////////////////////==========================

I had just woken up to start my watch through the rest of the night. Jonathan insisted that I got to bed as soon as I finished my food, seeing as Joy's reasoning was true. I have no idea how I let her talk to me into doing last watch. My Pokédex beeped insistently beside me, Spirit raising her head at the noise. I gently patted her neck with one hand while silencing the offending device with the other. She needed her sleep.

I exited my tent as quietly as I could, making a mental note that the fire was still going strong in front of me. Deoxys sat with his back turned to me. Jonathan was nowhere in sight. I frowned, hoping that he didn't just leave him here alone for too long. Walking towards the fire, a yawn escaped my control, though I kept it down so I wouldn't wake anyone up. It was enough for Deoxys to notice me, however, when he turned to me sharply. When he noticed me, he smiled with those eyes, moving aside from his seat to allow me to sit next to him.

I took him up on the offer, feeling the fire warm me up against the slight chill of the night. I felt him turn slightly toward me before he spoke.

"You are up early," he said.

"It's my turn to watch the camp," I said. A yawn escaped me, incapacitating my thoughts before it was done. "Sorry. Must be more tired than I thought."

"It is fine," he said with a nod. "I should go to rest, but I have slept for long enough."

"How much is long enough for you?" I ask.

"A day's rest is enough to fuel me for three weeks," he answered plainly.

I stared at him, but decided not to question someone's sleeping habits. It was enough that he wasn't questioning why I needed to sleep every night. I turned back to the fire, closing my eyes for a moment before letting out a sigh. I shook my head.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"Excuse me?"

"I asked why you're here," I said, frowning. "I'm sorry, but it just feels like there's more to you just wanting to study me."

"There are more reasons, I assure you," he said softly. "I feel that we should become more acquainted before I reveal them to you."

I looked at him, trying to force away the uneasy feeling that I could still hear him, even though he didn't have a mouth to speak from. I pushed the thoughts out of my mind and decided to let things lie where they were. We could pick this up later in the morning. It was way too early to be thinking deep thoughts.

"What do you do while you are out here alone?"

I stiffened slightly, but relaxed. He's curious, and there's nothing wrong with that.

"I usually end up talking with Mist and looking at the stars," I said with a smile. "She knows a surprising amount of the sky."

"She does?"

I nodded, looking above for the familiar constellations she's pointed out before. I found it with a bit of difficulty, the clouds above not helping me at all at the moment. "You see that group of stars just next to those clouds?"

"Yes, I see them."

"That's the Lopunny constellation," I said with a chuckle. "If you connect the stars, you can sort of make out the ears."

His eyes narrowed as I looked over to him, but he nodded soon afterwards. "I see what you mean," he said with a nod. "Do you know any more?"

I nodded. "Yeah, just let me see if there's any more out tonight," I said with a smile. "Just don't be surprised if Mist comes out tomorrow to completely correct me."

======================////////////////////////////=======================

We arrived in Oreburgh near mid-day. We checked inside the Pokémon Center, and were exploring the mining town. I was oddly curious of the metal cylinders that were stuck on the ground. Jonathan informed me that they allowed air to cycle through the mines underneath the city. Joy just shook her head, probably amused that I knew so little.

Makes sense, I suppose. I just wondered why the mine was being dug under the city itself. Those things were everywhere.

We stopped in front of a large building that seemed to be carved into the eastern mountain wall. Pillars made out of natural stone supported the roof sticking outwards that proudly proclaimed that this was the Oreburgh gym. I looked over, seeing that there were a few trainers coming out of the gym. One quickly looked us over, and sneered.

"Whoever you think you are, get lost," he said nastily. "Roark isn't here today, but he'd totally whoop your ass any day."

I didn't say anything back, feeling confused at being disregarded like a piece of trash. The guy scratched his throat, before leaving with his group. I looked over at Jonathan and Joy, who both shrugged.

"They probably train here," Joy offered. "I hear that Roark's pretty boastful of being a Rock Pokémon trainer."

"Either way, that's not really a way to address someone," I said with a frown. "I mean, don't they represent the League?"

"In a way, yes they do," Jonathan said. "But every gym is its own island. The League can only do so much."

I nodded at the offered information. "Well, I just hope your guys believe us."

"Yeah, me too," he said with a sigh. "Well, anyway, we're here. Do you want to challenge the gym?"

I stared at him, conflicted for a split second. On one hand, I did want to try my hand in a battle against these guys. As much as I wanted to wipe the smug looks on their faces, something else reared its ugly head. Darkrai. We were being chased down by the Night Walker, and Jonathan suggests that I go battling gym leaders?

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I said flatly. Joy gasped behind me, and even Jonathan backed up slightly.

"You're the one telling us that we needed to get to Blackthorn as soon as possible, and this would only slow us down," I continued, pointing towards the gym's doors. "I can't let that happen, and we've already had delays out of our hands. The faster we get to Blackthorn, the sooner I can start worrying about other things. But right now, this is completely out of the question.

"Someday, I'll come back here, and I'll show those dimwits what they're talking about. But not now. Song's sacrificed enough to get us this far. I'm not going to let that go to waste."

With my little speech finished, I headed back to the Pokémon Center. Both Jonathan and Joy's footsteps soon followed me after I began walking. I didn't care. We needed to get to Jubilife. I was surprised by his suggestion, and I think I understood what he meant to say, but still. I don't want any more delays. We needed to get there.

After retrieving our Pokémon it was just past noon. The sun has just reached its peak, and with hardly a cloud in the sky. We should make excellent time to Jubilife. I looked over my friends, who already had their flying Pokémon out and ready. I released Spirit, who nodded as soon as she was free of her portable home. As soon as she was sure I was safe on her back, we were off the ground. The wind raced across my face as I held on to her, wings softly humming as we left for our destination.