FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 9: A 'Happy' Ending

Griffin hardly let his eyes stray away from the road as he watched the medium fly by him. They were all on the road for a decent hour now, waiting, waiting so anxiously that Griffin could feel the words racing through his mind; everything about the whole few days just made him think again and again that 'Maybe I'm not fit to be a trainer' The words paced themselves, loudly and clearly, he heard them echo again and again 'What kind of trainer can lose their Pokémon so easily!?' He scolded himself because he knew that he must've made a mistake along the way, somehow, or somewhere he did. He knew the feeling he had: the sick feeling he had in his gut, his legs cold and the hairs across his arms stood on end. The dry throat that he didn't dare to clear as Officer Jenny would have asked 'what?' and Griffin wasn't in the mood for talking. He took his eyes to the road and remembered the trip to his grandparents place. The long old dirt path through numerous little towns, and the trees that would tower and shadow them the way there; it was almost always sunny, letting the glow peek at the tip of the forest by the morning when they would arrive 'Why am I remembering all this now?' Griffin wanted to know, the faces, the eyes; the voices and sounds. He left for a reason; an honest reason, but now he couldn't stop feeling guilty No matter what he thought about, that feeling still lingered and for the first time as a trainer, Griffin was starting to feel regret; even as Saffron city's light began pressing against the night sky.

-

Under a brightly-lit cabin car, Luna waited patiently; they had been on the train for a decent hour now. Moonlight spent his time watching streams of blinking lights follow along the track like checkpoints; here he would look out to the window to his left and notice pockets that glowed far off in the horizon - city lights burned as stars before them. "It's... beautiful." Luna noticed Thief's eyes go wide and big, reflecting the dimly-lit ground-stars in his calm, brown eyes. She couldn't help but notice his ears again - at the speed of the train they would droop behind him, and she could hardly hold down a giggle because of it. It was comfortable, like sitting on a floating cloud that would love to sway along with the turns and gently rock, like a kite in a calm wind. Luna could sit on the chair and stand to look out the window somewhat comfortably but her gaze always changed to the roof of the train. What is that thing? The words echoed through her as she watched a small black orb stare back to her, fixed on the roof like a pocket-light. From time to time her ears caught onto the sound of whirring that would churn the quiet air around all of them that let a shiver come forward. Luna had the slight feeling that something was watching them "We're almost there!" Moonlight cooed and stood on all fours; the train started to drag back slowly, Luna could feel the vibrant energy flow against her paws "Is the train slowing down?" Luna had to ask, it felt like the floor was vibrating "Yes! Yes it is!" Moonlight mewed from excitement "That's just the current of magnetic energy pressing against the bottom of the train!" Any happier and he may as well start hopping... Luna giggled to herself, it was a bad joke - a little mean even - but she found the idea comedic. The train began slowing down, hitting 120 mph comfortably and still slowing as if it a cushion was gently pushing against it. Thief sat by the entrance for the time, his tail wagging briskly and his eyes staring deep into the window, Luna could almost read his thoughts. Griffin's going to be right there she figured that's what he thought. He's going to be right behind that door... She yawned and stretched her legs, they needed a good rest even though they only did have a day or two of travel alone "Isn't this a little weird?" Luna started, more to herself than anyone else. Yet both Moonlight and Thief replied 'What?' respectively "It's just that everything went by okay... I mean... It's great and all but it felt a little too easy." Moonlight stretched out, showing off this prideful feline-like curve "Well things usually are good, especially when you try your best after-all." He smiled after that, sitting by her. "I bet things will be rough when we get back, sure, but after that everything will be fine." Luna felt a smile come along the feeling burned across her face in a blossom of happiness. "I'm sure it will." Thief appeared beside them "The train stopped.... But the doors aren't opening..." "What?" Moonlight landed onto the floor and walked towards him, his eyes scanned the two walls that linked together by a simple dark line. "When the train arrives at a station the doors are supposed to open... unless they've been overridden." "Wait." Luna stared at Moonlight. "Are you saying that the doors won't open?" Moonlight made his way up to a window the night sky was dominant here; the station lights were off leaving the platform outside veiled in darkness and moonlight. Luna felt her eyes catch onto Thief for a second; she only needed one to notice he was shaking. Luna tried to open her mouth but found no words... a familiar aura filled the air. "There's no-one... out on the platform." Moonlight took a nervous breath in. "The cameras on the train have already seen us... why?" His whispers brushed against Luna's ear, it made her on edge. Moonlight stared hard into the dark, following every little sound and movement; his eyes glowing pure purple, he was using all his senses. It was the sound he made, like a terrified gasp that made Luna's heart stop "Get beside me NOW!" Moonlight jumped to Thief and called fourth a blinding light - a solid orb surrounded them "Luna!" Thief barked, but before she even made a move - before she even took a breath - the entire train had flipped to its side and hit the floor with a deafening sound. Luna turned into a ragdoll at that point, being sent against the wall hard enough that the crack she heard matched the pain that surged through her body. She couldn't find the strength to stand back up. Her world in a daze, she looked past the glass and to the moon where a silhouette blocked out its light. The silhouette of a Suicune stared down to her; a small smug smile glowed in the dark behind it was a pair of dimly-lit eyes "No matter. I'll just kill you first." The voice struck a pain through her chest, Luna turned to see her hip... and the shard of glass that stuck out of her. Luna coughed and forced herself to stand, her legs shook - hardly able to support her weight as she began coughing up blood. Her eyes went wide to the pain that raced through her chest. She broke a few ribs during her fall "Luna!" Thief roared but his voice was soft; slow to her ears 'am...' Her eyes darted around the walls. The roof, the floor, everything was crushing inwards as if it was being squeezed. 'Am I really going to die here?' The collapse was only a second of time, but Luna felt as if it was an eternity that ended her when all of the walls suddenly crashed into each other. It was in the sounds of her distorted world that she heard someone yell. There were faces, people she knew, people she cared about and for whatever reason; Luna couldn't stop the tears from falling. The face of her mother and that Arcanine she remembered from her memories... came to her again 'I don't.... I don't' she cried to herself as the walls pressed against her, pinning her. 'I don't want to die yet!'

-

"Where in the world is everyone?" Jenny started the stairs to the platform was in front of Griffin. He looked to Brad; the train was already in the station. Griffin looked around and smiled "I can't wait until I get to see them again." He cleared his throat "God I can't believe this all happened." Brad walked up to him and put his arm around his shoulder "Everything will be fine." Brad said again, it felt like the fiftieth time to Griffin "Yeah I know." He looked around and paused "Where is Aura?" Brad looked around too. "She's right there. Aura" He called happily but noticed that... she didn't respond back. "Aura?" Frozen her eyes focused towards a building; she was looking into the direction of the train... That's when they heard the sounds. A deafening crash sent bricks from the second platform, a few almost hit Griffin and Brad. He felt himself freeze 'The... Train...' Griffin saw the front lights disappear right before the sound "Holy..." Brad started up, but Griffin took a full run at the stairs. "G - Griffin wait! We can't get up with the barred-door there!" He placed a tackle on it, it sent a shock of pain through his shoulder, but it violently rattled the bars "You think I care!?" He barked back at him "That came from the direction of the train! We need to get up now!" "Now hold on!" Officer Jenny started "You can't just do that; you'll break your arm!" She pulled out a Pokéball. "Blastoise! Help us open the gate!" "Right!" Griffin pulled out his own "Alright... Bandit and Shadow, you're my only bet here." He tossed them both down. Bandit stared for a while, almost debating whether she should or shouldn't just go back. She sniffed the air before the scent brushed against her sensitive nose "I smell blood." She started to say, Shadow felt his fur stand on end "Blood? Could it be from- "I don't know... We need to get past this gate." She took a quick look around, her eyes glancing at a dumpster and a set of scattered 2 x 4's. "I have an idea Shadow. The roof there is only a story or so tall. I can probably get up and scout ahead." "What about me?" "You focus on the door with the overgrown turtle, I'll figure out what's going on." Bandit bolted off, taking to the closed dumpster as a vault, and with a single leap she cleared the height perfectly 'What the hell is going on?' Her eyes darted back towards Griffin whose eyes met with hers. 'Even Griffin is serious... and... what is this aura?' The questions raced through her mind, but now, nothing could hold Bandit off. "Luna?" Thief was shaking, hidden behind the shroud of a pond; the shield a wall between him and a pile of crushed and broken scrap metal. The entire end half of the train was like a soda can after being stepped on. Broken glass reflected the dimly-lit shadow that stared at him deviously, their tongue wet their lips. They were enjoying it. His blood boiled under the gaze. The fine-lined face, laced under moonlight kept the gaze; Thief was staring into the dark shrouds of murder. That was the intent here, his flame burned into his chest he wanted to fight- he needed to fight. It took him a while before he realized his shaking had stopped; his legs were solid even though the floor was littered by glass and metal. A word danced through his mind, a filthy one raced through again and again; but the next voice could only say it perfectly "You bastard!" It was Bandit. Thief caught onto her in the last second; a shadow darted through the night like a shrouded arrow that blocked out moonlight under the sudden flash of fire. His eyes could catch onto the line that darted across the sky leaving nothing but an explosion of fire all around the monster. It jumped high, reaching the stars before changing into another Pokémon; like a shrouded Fearow that blocked out the clouds. Bandit disappeared during the smoke. By the time it faded she was already gone and appeared in mid-air behind it. She placed her fangs against the throat of the creature, it was a perfect grasp. "I'll show you why I was banned from the League!" She snarled violently and shredded her whole body downwards. "I'll show you why the League nicknamed me Daisho!" She cut the Fearow clean; her entire form was like an art, her body curved perfectly, from strike to end as she landed silently to the ground below, her face dipped in blood. The Copy-cat fell shortly after she landed, changing shape back into a Mew. Bandit immediately raced to the train, her eyes caught onto the front of it - which was crushed and flattened in. "Thief! Moonlight! Luna!" She barked loudly, her voice carried past the shattered debris "Bandit!" Moonlight replied and she bolted to the voice, broke past a set of doors to find them unscathed "Turn off the shield, I'll help you out!" She reached her jaws into the train and pulled Thief out; he didn't grimace or flinch when the teeth took hold of him. Soon after she reached for Moonlight and dragged him out of the rubble. "Where's Luna?" She asked sternly but a bitter tone got caught in her throat "I don't see her." Thief had already disappeared to the front of the train, which was mauled, and shredded, and crushed in. The metal had formed into spikes that punctured through the other end as if to pin it to the floor - only the front cab, where Luna got caught, was damaged. Thief couldn't draw his eyes away from it; a soulless feeling filled into his soul, one that bitterly forced tears down his face. "Luna?" He whispered to the cold and adjacent metal that let the wind howl funny sounds through it. Metallic, to a taste, the wind broke down at Thief's fur as he stared; un-announced to Bandits questions. Thief bit his tongue hard enough that it bled "She's okay." He whispered and tried to deceive himself from the blood that dripped from the gnarl of a metal tombstone."She'll be okay..." he couldn't even tell that he had been whimpering for that whole time, let alone talking. Bandit sat behind him and stared, hard at the train before a sound caught her attention - she was the first to notice the shadow that landed a blow to her. The Copy-cat had changed into an Arcanine and had already landed its second blow on Bandit. She hardly had the chance to stand before she had to narrowly dodge "Bandit!" Moonlight forced up a wall to stop it convinced it would, when the Copy-cat had shifted immediately into an Espeon itself, hardly needing a second to change, and it only took another second to break Moonlights wall before it transformed again, back into a Suicine. "Stop this!" Moonlight tried to act reasonable, but his eyes fell to Thief; he couldn't stop the hiss he made. After all he did kill Luna "What is it? That thing is fast..." Bandit coughed painfully, the first set of blows hit her clean in the chest. "I hardly know about it myself... all I know is that..." Moonlight started hissing again and forced up a Psybeam, Bandit followed along and charged up a Hyperbeam "What?" She growled before she conjured it "That thing... is not a Pokémon. No Pokémon would do this." They stood fast, the Copy-cat charged up its Aurora beam to challenge them both, but before anyone knew an explosion of flame occurred and standing between all of them was Thief. His snarl was terrifying; even to Moonlight - it was more than just retaliation it was a declaration of war. The Suicine called it up again -an Aurora beam. But before it could even start a spiral of flame darted past it and broke the charge as a set of incinerated fangs sliced through the shadow-like Pokémon's chest. "..." Bandit watched before she took stance. "He pulled on a Fire blast and then a Flame-wheel to a Fire-fang." She smiled darkly to Moonlight it was a familiar taste that showed in her eyes. "There's a thing about Growlithes, mainly..." She looked back, they both did as Thief canceled over again - his flame-wheel conjured towards a sudden Flame charge. "They're exceptionally loyal... No matter whom they're fighting for" "Shouldn't we help?" Moonlight was going to cut in before Bandit stopped him "No, even I can tell whose fight this is." Thief snarled out words mid-fight, most of them Bandit feared he picked up from her. As the Suicine tried to counter, Thief evaded and simply closed his eyes. A solid flare-like line darted across towards the Copy-cats muzzle, and as it struck the entire Copy-cat was incinerated. Thief forced the Copy-cat into a corner before he stared in anger, the fake injured before him. So he lit it on fire again and again and again and again, Bandit was lost in her own world at that moment; she had never thought that Thief could've acted so dark and twisted. The small creature - forced back into a Mew - screeched in sheer pain as the flames exploded across it once more. Thief's face was wet from tears and twisted by pure hatred, his eyes wet as he growled more "You killed her!" Again and again, the horrific screams echoed through Bandit's ears before she finally cut in "Stop Thief." Her voice was taken away - he was terrified and shook like a young and beaten pup, scared as he hit the floor and bawled "Give... her back." Thief began to plead, his eyes sketched to the floor. "I want her back." Moonlight stood behind him and stepped towards the broken creature "You're going with me." His tone was harsh, but hardly like the hiss he held in his voice before. The small purple-furred Mew stared back terror in its eyes before it cringed and snarled. It began to laugh, its eyes were sharp and relaxed even though its fur was smoldered by Thief's flame "I don't understand." The Copy-cat began to say in a dark tone before he smiled again. "What can you do to me?"

-

The gate finally broke open. Griffin had to mix between finding another way through and using all his Pokémon to get through - the only way to the platform was through that gate, and with no-one around they didn't have an alternative. Shadow stood anxiously beside Griffin as the gate finally broke open when fire sprouted in the distance. It came in a sudden flash, a loud crack of an explosion in the closed-distance "That... was Incinerate." The name rolled off of Griffin tongue - it was a sour taste. A second flash came to the air, and then a third "What in the world?" Brad stared with wide eyes 'One, two, three...' Another set arrived. 'four, five, six, seven... What IS going on?' Griffin hardly had a moment to step forward when something struck him and launched him to the ground. Griffin turned to look and sprung to his feet. An Arcanine hid in the shadows with a trainer on it, he saw them in the last split second before they were gone. 'I don't know what's happening...'_Something felt wrong; Griffin couldn't shake the feeling as he bolted up the cement stairs to the platform. _'I need to get there now!' He hardly gave time for Officer Jenny or Brad to keep up; he skipped steps, grabbed a rail at the top and jumped over only to stop with wide eyes when he touched the platform 'The... train?' Griffin only saw stuff like it in movies or how a car is scrapped down at a junkyard. This was different, it looked deliberate. "Moonlight! Thief!" He yelled out and scanned the dark; the moon was gone, it would've only been another hour or so until sunrise. From the dark, a silhouette pressed his view. It was an Espeon and Griffin ran as fast as his feet could take him. Until something touched his view; it was the familiar red dart that came whenever a trainer returned a Pokémon "Moonlight!" Bandit shot off to follow it, but it was gone the second it appeared - along with the Copy-Cat. A massive Arcanine stood before a hooded trainer, his jacket a dark sage and the rim of a baseball cap showed off. It was just a kid! Bandit knew that for a fact; younger than Griffin but with a sharp look in his eyes that yelled "I don't care." Fire engulfed most of the platform... Bandit was caught near the heart of it "Bandit!" Moonlight called out, but the roar of the flames blocked out his view. It was bright and nearly blinding, and once it subsided the mysterious trainer was already gone. Moonlight could hear the labored breaths that touched the air it was Bandit who lay injured on the pavement. She faded in and out of consciousness her fur nearly burned away when Moonlight bolted down to help her. Griffin knew she'd be fine and took a look around only to realize that he was still missing one "Vulpix!" Griffin called out but didn't hear much of a reply. Griffin walked to the train almost to inspect it when he found Thief trying to pull apart the steel with his teeth. "Thief?" Crouching beside him it didn't take long for him to realize at all. The Vulpix was stuck in there "Griff!" Brad finally caught up Officer Jenny was right beside him when they met up with Griffin. He grabbed a panel of the train and reefed on it until it finally came off "My Vulpix is in here!" He said to Brad. "Help me out!" Brad grabbed a side along with Officer Jenny "Griffin... I don't think..."Brad stared at the train again a chill ran through him "She's fine!" Griffin ripped apart another panel he hardly realized that he cut his hand, he put one into a hole he made "I think I found her!" His hand rested on something warm "We need to open this more!" Brad took Griffin's shoulder "We can't open this! You'd need a rescue team to get into there!" Griffin looked Brad in the eye then looked down and clenched his fist "I'll keep trying!" Griffin took hold of the scrap metal again and pulled. The metal croaked uncomfortably he could barely bend the steel until his hands slipped again and he gave himself another tear, this time on his opposite hand. He grabbed it again. "Thief use flamethrower on this spot" Griffin put his injured fist onto a point further down. "You make it hot enough I can bend it a little easier." Thief stared back with wide watery eyes and nodded, a river of flames struck against the steel. Griffin made sure the fire was far away from him, it didn't take long until the steel got red-hot and began to bend up. "You're doing great Thief!" Griffin felt tears sting his eyes; they wouldn't leave as he tore the metal back, and it almost bent all the way back. The result was a hole about the size of a soccer ball; Griffin reached his arms inside and pulled her out. Bandit woke shortly after, pain rippled through her body as a familiar face stared back at her. "Shadow." She chuckled hoarsely to herself; the pain etched its way to her lungs in no-time. Moonlight stood over-top her as well "Luna!" The name made them all perk up, Thief sat over looking her as they all made their way over. Moonlights eyes glazed over in a bright purple-pink color "I... can't." "What?" Bandit replied as she forced a cough down. Moonlights face shadowed over "She should have been ripped apart but..." Moonlight swallowed, disbelief coursed through his eyes "She doesn't look hurt at all" He felt his face flush and the tears touch his eyes. "She looks fine." From there he ran over and called out two names from the depth of his heart.

-

'Why would I remember this?' Luna raced through her mind; her feet took her further and further away into the shroud of the night. 'Why?' The voice gently cried across the plain, tenderly the wind carried that voice away, into the sky as they danced across the moon in a swirl of late bloomed flowers. Luna remembered that night where the stars filled an endless void that rested deep in her heart. That night where she swore that the stars played shapes with her eyes. The endless sea of night took shape as mountains and sunsets, the stars were the story and the sky was the paper. Luna couldn't stray her eyes away from the tale that unfolded before her. The ocean crashed against a gentle beach-side, where the spray would kick up into the air on a hot summer's day and the sun would smile down upon the trees that surrounded the one place she could truly call home. Far into the horizon the snow-capped peaks of mountains would press against the bright amber-sky and the clouds would look so much like a puff of gentle sand-colored yarn. She was happy, her life was perfect. Gently her eyes watched the world run by again, the stars brimmed against the moon and then, in a flash, the sun was back out with a beautiful clear blue sky. It was peaceful again and again but... It was all the same. Luna felt it deep in her heart that this place wasn't everything_that she wanted, she wanted to know the world and everything about it; she wanted to find something perfect and beautiful beyond her world in the middle of the sea. Anything beautiful "Luna" She woke to the voice, a familiar soft voice "Thief?" Luna hardly had the moment to lift her head before he pressed his onto hers "I'm... sorry." It was the familiar feeling that made her cringe. The feeling of his nose pressed against her. "When... you talked to me that night at the Pokémon center I..." Thief pushed away for a moment, only a moment that gave her a second to look around. Luna was in a hospital, not a Pokémon center, but an actual hospital. She noticed Griffin outside who nervously talked with two police officers and none other than Ayumu who sat patiently beside him. "I do find you familiar..." Thief began again. He was tired Luna noticed it in his eyes "What's going on? How long have I been here for?" Luna finally felt the pain that coursed through her chest; she had a row of bandages that were tightened around her. "It's about two in the afternoon. Shortly after the whole train and the Copy-cat fight the police finally showed up, but before anything could happen, Ayumu arrived from a helicopter. He said he saw everything on camera and left for the station immediately." "Why is Ayumu here?" Thief looked out the door, Griffin was still talking with Ayumu when another man suddenly came around the corner; dressed sharply in a suit and tie "I don't know that exactly... I remembered he said that he didn't people to know about this." Thief pushed by the door "Ah Giovanni" Ayumu introduced him into the conversation "Thank you for arriving on such short notice." "For an old friend I consider it." The man had a sharp voice, enough that Luna felt something bad underneath it. "I had to come all the way from Viridian, I hope this is as important as you say it is." "Extremely" Ayumu turned his head to the two officers that were speaking to Griffin. "Pardon us; we're going to have a quick chat in private." "I'll be back, Luna, I'm going to follow them." Luna could hardly open her mouth before Thief was gone, she simply laid her head down onto the small bed she had and waited. The room she was in was obviously designed for Pokémon. It was fairly small so Luna could only assume that there were more like it in the building. _'I hardly remember what happened.'_Luna yawned; her chest sent a flame of sudden pain through her. She almost yelped and ended up getting the attention of not only Griffin, but the two officers as well. _'I remember hearing a voice though...' Thief prowled behind a corner, Ayumu's wheelchair squeaked from time to time and made it a little too easy to follow them. He tried to listen carefully "The damage to the train is extensive, you're lucky that only the front was broken." Giovanni was holding a few photographs in his hand "I'm just lucky that Griffin's Vulpix didn't die there." "So what was your intention? Calling me here and all, you know I'm a very busy man." "I know of that." Ayumu replied sincerely. "I need a favor from you." Giovanni looked to him and smiled "For you old friend? Of course" "I need your... organization to take the fall for the train. I need to keep the real story away from the public until I can get rid of these things." Giovanni chuckled in reply "What do you plan for a good cover up?" "That a group of your team stole vital parts of the train and in an attempt to stop it mid-run they ended up destroying the front of the train. That should buy me time to repair the train properly, remove the evidence, and when the time comes, your team can return the generators and other vital machinery essential in letting it run." "You sure that'll work?" "If I pay the right press to say the right words, anyone will believe it." Giovanni gave a hearty laugh and put his hand on Ayumu's shoulder "Isn't that true? I'll do this favor for you, but you owe me back." "Of course" Ayumu replied and waved goodbye to Giovanni who checked his watch and left. Ayumu turned his wheelchair around, Thief was gone by then, back to the room and back to Luna "Thief?" She was tired and half-awake when he walked back in "I'm right here." He replied and rested on the floor next to her small bed "you've been with me this whole time haven't you?" Luna felt her face start to flush, the fact that he cared so much made her heart skip "Yes, I've hardly slept really... I mean when we pulled you from the train Moonlight said that you made your own Psychic shield, I couldn't stop crying really." Thief burrowed his head down. "I..." "What?" Luna looked down at him; he was hiding his muzzle under his paws "..."

"I didn't think it was possible really." Moonlight tried his best to explain his view to Bandit and Shadow. "A Vulpix with psychic abilities? I mean it isn't all that rare but..." Moonlight gathered his thoughts. "I spent years practicing my Psychic shield technique; she was able to do it on her first try and not only that..." "What?" "She made it like a second skin... It didn't take any extra space at all and it was hard as rock. I've been trying to do that for years, the only person who could was my father." He sighed in bitter confusion "It doesn't add up to me... I'm beyond happy that she's alive but I don't see how." "She's a tough young Vulpix." Shadow started "Anyways I wouldn't be surprised if she's always known about her abilities... I mean you all only met her a week ago." Bandit yawned in reply "I just wonder about those two." She smiled "God that little Thief gets on my nerves" She began to chuckle before her smile faded "When I saw him like that... I could feel he was heart-broken." "What's wrong with that?" Shadow replied his gaze dared to pierce hers. Bandit smiled to him and looked down the hall; Luna and Thief were in the next room over "I just worry that he's going to throw himself away for her." She turned to the Espeon who sat across from her. "You saw the look in his eyes Moonlight, I'm just afraid that he'll end up heart-broken quicker than he thinks." "There's no guarantee that he's actually in love with her, I mean that's absurd! They only met at least a week ago." Bandit cackled it was from a cough of pain and the laugh she tried to make "They're young and foolish. Anyways you see how she just clings onto him, that's absurd! I just can't believe Thief takes that really." Shadow nudged Bandit in the next second; she didn't appear to notice "I think it's rather romantic really, it's like 'Love at first sight' you know?" Bandit caught onto a good laugh, Shadow blushed from embarrassment, he couldn't believe what he was saying. "Yes because the two of them throwing everything away is romantic." Bandit rolled her eyes and almost stuck her tongue out, as if a bad taste, other than the hospitals kibble, came to her. "The whole 'True Love' idea, it's just stuff humans write in those children's tales. Honestly there's no such thing. Love is love, it comes and it goes and people use one another to try and have a piece of it. It's disgusting really." Shadow and Moonlight didn't reply after that "And Griffin." A police officer motioned to him before leaving. "Take care of those Pokémon of yours, the Pokémon Center may have an extensive care unit, yes, but when you're Pokémon are near death they really aren't prepared for that." Griffin swallowed and nodded before the officer left. He felt that he got a real scolding from a man ultimately more experienced than him. A feeling rose from the pit of his stomach guilt He felt sick and put his hand overtop it; they were bandaged up from the cuts he gave himself - not to mention his shoulder was badly bruised, he almost popped it out of place. Peering around a corner, Brad said that he was going for some air and hadn't returned yet 'I don't blame him if he doesn't come back.' "Mr. Fletching?" 'Why do they call me by my last name again?' Griffin turned to the nurse. It was a young man in his early twenties or so, he had greyish -blonde hair in a long wispy style "Yes?" "Your Pokémon should be ready to be transferred to a proper Pokémon Center tomorrow, I just need you to sign some papers regarding this incident." "I never needed to sign papers before for a Pokémon's Healthcare..." Griffin sighed "Oh it's more like insurance than anything." The nurse began "It's in the event that if you are ever terribly injured or that you ever lose your Pokémon again, there would be a place that they could be sent to in case they are ever found by a Pokémon Center institution. All we need to do is categorize your Pokéballs and the Pokémon assigned to them to be able place an I.D tag." "I've never heard of this before." Griffin gave the nurse a dirty look. "How much is this going to cost?" "Oh it's free. We came to realize that only a few of your Pokémon are licensed, all of those belonged to your brother... Some trainers don't have a professor in their hometowns or choose not to be affiliated when the time comes to become a trainer. That's probably why you've never actually heard of this at all." Griffin thought back and remembered that he didn't decide to check in with his hometown professor, mainly, that he didn't want to hear another speech about his brother Logan. "Luckily you ARE a licensed trainer most people would consider you as a freelancer because you're not affiliated with a Professor. If you didn't have your license I'd imagine those police officers we talked to would've taken your Pokémon from you." Griffin felt a sudden surge of fear run through him; he suddenly remembered that Logan was the one who licensed his Pokedex and his Pokenav. He sighed abruptly and asked the nurse for a pen. Before the man left, he made a sound - as if he remembered something. "Oh right! That man Akiyama has offered to be your Professor. He still has a valid certificate and license after-all." Griffin only had the chance to speak briefly with Ayumu, he never told Griffin about that "Alright, thank you." Griffin opened the first page of the terms... About 1 of 50 involving laws and other matters, it took Griffin a decent hour of solid reading. By that time a pair of footsteps came up behind him, he took a look at his watch before turning around to see Brad. It was five-thirty, and there he was with Aura, holding a bag of food and a soda cup "I got you some takeout." A bracelet caught Griffins eye that hung around Brad's wrist "Where'd you get that? Looks kinda girlish..." He couldn't hold down a bit of a laugh, his eyes stopped at the sight of a sapphire-like stone embed on a stone in the middle of the bracelet. "It's... a good luck charm, from my younger sister. Now eat up, we got a busy day tomorrow." Griffin started to laugh "Isn't that my line? I still want to check out the gym." He felt himself smiling. "I've heard that it's a Psychic gym too." Brad stretched out his arms, Griffin opened the bag, it was only a hamburger and fries but anything was better than the hospital food. He scarfed it down while Brad glanced over the papers Griffin had in front of him "You're going to become a trainer under a Professor?" "Aren't you?" "With one back home yeah... Why would you be with... Akiyama?" Brad read the name aloud again. "Never heard of him." "That's Ayumu." Brad paused for a moment before letting out a gasp of realization. Griffin shook his head and looked out the window; the sun was setting so he returned his Pokémon - all of them except for Bandit and Luna who had to stay at the hospital - and began his way to the foyer. "The doctors said I should be fine to leave, but I have to return tomorrow to pick up Vulpix and Bandit." "You know, you should nickname the rest of your Pokémon." Brad started up. "Let's start with your Vulpix. Why not something like... Firefox!" "..." Griffin looked with a stray eye and a poor smile "No" he replied and knew the conversation would only get worse from there "Firelight?" "No" "Foxfire?" "You flipped Firefox! No!" Griffin started laughing "Flameheart?" "Nothing to do with fire!" "Alright... Vixie!" "No!" "Tails?" "That's worse than Firefox!" "Flare...." Griffin felt his hand hit his face "No..." "How bout -" "Alright stop!" Griffin was chuckling again. "I got one for my Absol." "What is it?" "Eclipse" Griffin thought hard about it "It sounds like a good name." "Why not winter?" Brad recoiled "Not an ice Pokémon!" "So? I'm pretty sure an Absol isn't like a... moon Pokémon or something" Griffin hit his head again "You were the one trying to nickname my Vulpix after something fire-related!" "Oh!" "What?" "Volcano?" Griffin looked to his feet they were already at the hotel a few blocks from the hospital that Brad picked out "Really Brad? We'll figure it out tomorrow." Griffin managed to say between his laughs. The sun was near settled, a nest of night sky furled above the amber-blue horizon and orange-puffed clouds. The temperature dropped, Griffin could see his breath as he looked out to the busy road and up to the skyscrapers nearby him. He entirely forgot that he was standing in the middle of one of Kanto's largest cities. The thought excited him. "Tomorrow we should bring our Pokémon to the park here; I've heard that it's quite the place." "Definitely." Brad replied as they both called in for the night.