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Chapter 13: Breaking the Boundary

Laughter echoed through a dark and endless abyss. Moonlight's ear perked to the sound. A child giggled, somewhere within his heart, and became a light-blue spirit running around a field seemingly made from stardust and fireflies.

His heart lurched - how, why would it hurt so much all of a sudden? Moonlight couldn't lose focus, he wouldn't. Joyful wispy lights covered over his eyes and the spirit bounced back over to him. Memories flooded his mind.

"We should go out and play!" He knew this memory much too well. Around him... home. Ayumu was beside him counting along the numbers and flipping through pages of research as Moonlight was next to him - talking with his owner. Moonlight's voice forced its way past his lips.

"Go away, we're both busy." The Eevee turned around. Yes, that's when Ayumu knew I would become an Espeon. I could communicate with him.

"But Moonlight!" That voice always bit him in the neck, the pain and regret shackled his heart as if he were chained. Right after the Eevee snapped back and the words were too much for Moonlight to pay attention to. The world around him started to shift and shatter.

The glass surrounding his soul was fragile and cracked. Nothing rested below him and Moonlight sprawled and fell further, and further, and further. The voices and sounds echoed through his mind. So close yet so distant to him.

Black-stained glass gleamed below him and Moonlight landed without a sound, ahead of him was the spectral, sitting - waiting. So this is my core... His eyes skimmed over the place and there was nothing but an abyss. The roof, floor, walls; all of them were non-existent or were at least the same thing in total.

The ghost moved towards him. A Vulpix - him. He padded through the pane of glass towards Moonlight and skimmed over his eyes with an emotion of disappointment and sadness.

"If you want me to apologize..." Moonlight started before Autumn hushed him. "Why couldn't you -" "We ran out of time, Ayumu and I. We tried everything and only barely begun to understand."

Autumn looked down to the floor, soft blue embers flicked from his eyes and burned into the pane of Moonlights soul. "I only wanted to spend time with you." Moonlight swallowed down his own tears and wandered closer to Autumn

"I know and I'm sorry that I was too blind to notice." He nuzzled Autumn's cheek, the spectral nearly cringed softly "And that's something I'll never forget, the time we were able to spend together." Moonlight smiled and looked around at the shimmer of black shards that started to surround him

"Do you have to go?" Autumn whispered "Yes, but we'll meet again." Moonlight replied and tenderly licked his cheek. "There was always one thing that I hold in my heart." Around the Espeon snow tenderly flaked from a cloudy sky above - the sun was just pinching through the clouds. Trees sprung around them as far as the eye could see

Autumn was to the Eeevee's right and Ayumu was ahead of them. It was one of the days they went to collect herbs. Moonlight would never forget how Autumn wore his scarf, a light blue and black speckled scarf which Ayumu bought him.

Moonlight would never forget how Autumn shared his scarf with him and that they spent the whole day walking together, side by side on that cold November day. - A sharp exhale cut across the tense atmosphere in the room. Griffin overlooked the leader, her Alakazam sat on the other end of the arena. It was just like Moonlights fight with Sephiran, but something felt... different here.

Sabrina casually waited on the other end - Griffin hardly had the chance to say hi before she started the match. After a while Moonlight started to faint. He hit the ground with a silent thud.

"And that's that." Sabrina filed her nails and blew against them. "You're the fifteenth trainer to come in today, I'm getting rather -" Her Alakazam suddenly swung back, landing against the wall - hard. Moonlight feigned everything.

Sabrina was taken entirely by surprise and nearly growled. Griffin snapped upright, he was entirely confused. He went to return Moonlight but his Espeon wouldn't budge out of the match.

"I wasn't expecting that..." Sabrina pulled out another one of her Pokéballs - a Gallade charged for Moonlight, leaving his guard bare. Close Combat! The move rang through Griffin's mind, the adrenaline made his heart jump. "Moonlight!" The Espeon had already cut left and right and zig-zagged toward Sabrina's Gallade.

"Gallade, the blade Pokémon. It extends its elbows out like swords and fights savagely when protecting another." Griffin checked with his Pokedex, accessing his brother's notes. "This Pokémon fights quickly and fiercely but drops its guard entirely. Do not use a Pokémon weak against fighting and other elemental types as Gallade can use a large array of most elements."

Great. "Moonlight, Return!" Griffin tried again and Moonlight avoided it. He was being stubborn. "It looks like you need to train your Pokémon better." Sabrina retorted "Gallade! Leaf Blade and follow up with Dark Slash!"

The carnage started as Moonlight took a number of hits from the Gallades close combat; quickly he shielded himself from the Leaf-Blade before the Dark-Slash cut through his defense. The Gallade immediately followed up with fury-swipes, landing a huge amount of it on Moonlight.

As another Dark-Slash came through, Moonlight took the hit. Griffin felt his heart stop. Suddenly the Gallade was blasted back by a huge purple-pink explosion. Sabrina guarded, just missing rubble that broke off of the gym walls.

Moonlight concentrated his Psybeam into a small constricted ball that blasted back Gallade like a buckshot. The sudden explosion drove Moonlight rearward, forcing him to crash into a pillar behind him.

Griffin stumbled when Moonlight coughed up blood. The Espeon wasn't done yet though; he stood back up breathing heavily but still in his fighting stance. Gallade was entirely unconscious.

"Moonlight!" Griffin tried again to return him again but Moonlight wouldn't budge. Sabrina was starting to look tense, she took out another Pokéball. "Alright Jynx, end that Espeon!" The Jynx sprung forward, casting out a blizzard the moment it could. Moonlight was engulfed in a current of white - Griffin was blinded entirely from his end.

Flashes sprung up through the blizzard, purple - pink, dark blue. Griffin couldn't tell was attack was what. "Moonlight..." He clenched his fist and listened to the sounds of snarling. Somewhere in the lighter end of the snow he noticed a shadow dart by - an Espeon.

After a while something flung out of the snow and landed by Griffin's feet, there he was - exhausted. Still he rose to his feet and looked over at Jynx charging another attack. Before anything happened something had hit the Jynx.

Future Sight. Griffin hardly saw Moonlight prepare his retaliation, but he realized that he was taking the blunt of the attacks in order to charge it as much as he could before it was unleashed. The Jynx was hit from every direction before being launched back Sabrina's way. She was speechless.

"How..." Griffin let Moonlight rest. Sabrina let out her last Pokémon - a Venomoth. Thief sprung forward as Griffin's next choice, he looked back to Griffin for reassurance and noticed Moonlight off to the side.

Immediately, Griffin was applying a potion remedy on Moonlight. He cringed painfully from the spray. The Venomoth took it's chance and tackled Thief head-on. He couldn't avoid it in time.

The rest of the fight was on. Thief used flamethrower to engulf the sky but the Venomoth was quicker, smarter than that. It took low dives forcing Thief to use more energy to aim around.

Thief's tactics weren't working on a quick opponent. As the Venomoth took a dive the battle came to different heights, Thief was launched upwards, the Venomoth was forcing him to the roof of the stadium!

He tried to unleash a current of fire but the bug was directly under him. Before he was crushed onto the roof Thief was able to kick off and away from the Venomoth.

The rest was nothing but a free far from the roof to the ground below, before even coming close to the ground, the terrified Growlithe was returned and Scarf was sent out in his place.

"Pikachu light up the stadium!" That was an order that Scarf could fulfill and before the Venomoth had the chance, everything exploded into sparks of lightning, Griffin could hardly tell whether or not the Venomoth was actually hit by any of it.

The only thing that really told him in the end was when the Venomoth fell out of the sky and hit the ground with a thud. Sabrina tsked - a vein stuck out of her forehead. She reached out her Pokéball and returned Venomoth.

"You trained that Espeon pretty well." She walked across the battlefield as Griffin was returning Pikachu "I felt my Alakazam reach his core and then suddenly there was nothing." Griffin frowned in confusion

"Moonlights... core?" Sabrina sighed nearly agitated "I guess you don't know much about Psychic type Pokémon, do you?" "None..." Griffin replied and as Sabrina handed him his badge she quickly explained the basics.

After a while Griffin said he understood - somewhat. Sabrina looked over at Brad and Natasha who were next in line. They were busy watching from the sidelines as Griffin fought her.

"I'll be with you two next, just let me switch my team over..." Her hands dug into her pockets as she walked into one of the back rooms of the gym.

"Me next, I called it!" Natasha barked before Brad even had the chance to question. He sighed and went over to Griffin. "How much did she give you?" "About forty-six thousand Pokédollars" Brad sighed worryingly "It's not much given the prices all over Saffron and everywhere else..."

Griffin counted all he had, about seven-thousand or more. A long exaggerated sigh came from his mouth - at the rate he was going he'd have nothing left...

Not a single trace of pain dared to skim over Moonlights eyes as he lay motionless in front of Griffin. His hands tenderly caressed the Espeon's neck before he applied another potion.

The sounds of a battle started as Sabrina prepped her team for her fight with Natasha. Griffin returned Moonlight and sat at the bleachers, staring with worry. His eyes gleamed back at him from the smooth polished shell of the Pokéball.

Why wouldn't you quit, Moonlight?

-

Long after lunch had come and gone and the sun was daring to peak over into dusk. Luna had the honor of watching Trevor's Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan spar against one another to pass the time.

One lunged over with a wild kick and the other blocked the blow, ensuring that the impact went through. Luna read by both of their movements that they trusted each other dearly.

Adrenaline perked her interest after a short while and Luna took her fighting stance only to be met by the reality of her injuries. The pain shackled through her ribcage and immediately she yelped, causing both of them to stop mid-spar.

"Sorry..." Luna replied and softly eased herself into a calm stance - the injury was starting to drive her crazy. Shadows grew from one of the corners as Absol finally started to move around. Luna skimmed over her expression unsure of what she was thinking about.

Somebody's ringtone chimed against the Vulpix's ear, she looked down the way as Trevor answered his phone - he was talking to Griffin. Trevor greeted him with surprise stuck in his throat; he wasn't expecting Griffin to call at all.

"Yep, they're both fine." Trevor looked over to Absol and Luna who stared back at him. There was some laughter and they seemed more interested in casual talk. Luna went back to watching the sparring pair as pockets of the conversation filled her small ears. "I'll take them both to the local Pokémon Center and I'll also check out a local herbalist..."

His voice grew distant as he went into a different room, still chatting away to his cousin. A long, bored yawn passed by Luna's muzzle - if every day was going to be like this...

Crashes echoed from outside of the gym and Luna padded over to the sunlit doorframe. Quickly she looked left and right - trying to figure out the cause of the commotion. A stray Persian crossed in front of her view and kept walking along.

It was probably one of the most exciting things that really happened that day. The small Vulpix watched the Persian walk further on until it was out of sight.

"Bored, are you?" Spirit was looking over her from a distance. "I know how you feel, my first time here wasn't a fun one." "With these broken ribs I can't really do anything..." Her voice started to crack as the pain from her chest started up again. "I feel a little worthless like this."

Spirit smiled and walked over to her. The Sandshrew's calm brown eyes skimmed over the city further off to the left "I know it's not fun but be patient and let yourself heal." Luna frowned as she didn't want to wait, but an injury like hers could take months to heal.

"Anyways, Trevor's already planning on checking up with a number of people to help you heal quicker." Footsteps came and Luna turned to notice Absol walking over to them. A small smile curved on her face as she sat in the sunlight of the door - taking in the light.

Spirit and Luna stayed quiet and decided to sit with her. This... is going to be a really boring week.

All of them sat there for a while, moving for the occasional trainer who decided to walk in. Luna lost track of the time while staring into the world outside and right before she swore she could fall asleep - somebody walked in.

"Hey, I'm looking for Trevor. I want a match." Rebecca pointed further in "He's just in the middle of helping some other trainers." She smiled to the older man and pulled out a pen "Could I have your name please?"

Quickly he gave his information and wrote down everything she needed. Luna watched him and knew there was something off. The stranger walked further into the room and took up a position across the way. "Trevor! I've heard that you're quite the trainer around here!"

He took his attention away from the other trainer he was helping and looked at the man. "I just like to help out." Trevor replied with a smile "So how can I help you?" The fellow across the way smiled deviously and pulled out a Pokéball.

He nearly tipped his hat as he did, as if formally greeting Trevor. "I'd like a match, something that'll shake the Underworld to its core." Luna watched as he flicked his overcoat away from his arms, revealing two other Pokéballs underneath it. "I want to show you the truth."

Trevor took up position across the way and Spirit bolted over to stand by his side. "... Who are you? What do you want?" Trevor pulled a 180, one moment he was happy and the next moment he was stone cold.

"Details like that are meaningless, really." With erratic speech the stranger threw forth two Pokéballs and suddenly an Arbok and a Seviper darted for Trevor. By instinct he bolted right and Spirit covered his flank.

"Hey! What the hell are you thinking!?" Seviper was already up to meet Trevor, swiftly its tail jabbed forward - deviously drenched in poison. Spirit bolted in front to meet the attack... and willingly took the hits to cover his trainer.

"Spirit!" Luna took stance but was floored by the pain that rippled through her body. Of all the times... damn... Absol darted out and Luna knew that her goal was to cover Trevor. As Arbok took a strike to his backside, nettles of poison daring to dart from him...

Absol just met the attack - protecting Trevor entirely. "Absol!" Luna forced herself to walk forward, swallowing down the radiating pain - that had never happened before. It was growing ominously now, shocking her ribs to the core.

Something else was wrong. Luna knew that the pain she was feeling wasn't natural. Sand shot into her face, swirling all around. Buffeted nearly into submission Luna forced herself to look up.

It was Absol whom created the sandstorm and as it consumed them, blinding Luna entirely - she heard a bitter and violent snarl that echoed throughout the sands. Something shattered and a shadow flung out of the sand - Arbok was struck back, sending the snake through the air and against the far wall.

Luna hardly noticed the panic that had started the moment Trevor was attacked. The gym was empty but only seconds ago people were running. Nobody stopped to help and that burned her filling her body with rage and the pain

The pain was only pissing her off more. The Vulpix felt lower than dirt, being useless in somebody's moment of need. She swallowed down the pain and the moment the sand subsided - she forced up her fire spin... only to be cut off in fear.

"I - I..." Rayquaza stared back at her - it's deep blood-like eyes swallowed her form whole... but it wasn't possible... The creature was consumed by dark, thin black hairs that clumped to it lazily like mud.

Shadows consumed the form of the Rayquaza letting it rest before her like a coiled snake - a devious smile growing onto its face, leaving a violent snarling grin.

"The other saw you..." Her voice was soft but it dug into Luna's mind like syringes being forced into her. The pricks of pain made her heart race, adrenaline filled her body leaving her to quiver in fear before a monster that rested - licking it's maw with some perverted hunger.

"Luna!" Absol's voice snapped her out of it and the moment she tried to turn the entire gym exploded with lightning. The Rayquaza suddenly melted away leaving a small Liepard in its place - dodging all of the shocks as if it were effortless.

Quickly Luna made her way to Absol - the stranger was gone, along with the two snakes. The copy-cat made its way past them with speed that Luna couldn't even begin to follow and suddenly everything was quiet. "Later" Were the only words that Luna picked up on as the small cat left and they terrified her.

Sirens lit up the gym from the outside and the police bolted in, not that they were any help by then.

-

After Natasha was finished - winning her badge from Sabrina, Brad was up next. "Alright Aura, you ready?" The Lucario nodded and jumped into a fighting stance, waiting for her opponent.

Sabrina sighed almost as if she was agitated by being beaten twice in a row. "Fine." She drew out her Pokéball and threw it forward. An Espeon stood across from Aura, taking stance and waited.

The battle was starting to begin and the moment the bell struck - Aura used double-team and crossed over with agility. Griffin stared in awe, a little inspired by Aura's tactic. Brad simply stood there, hands in his pockets and a warm smile on his face.

Aura turned her tactic as the Espeon took a leap to the left - dodging her first few attacks. A low sweeping kick knocked the Espeon off of the ground, letting it land hard against the floor. Griffin had half the intention to yell out encouragement but Sabrina glared his way the moment he stood.

Slowly, and awkwardly, Griffin sat back down. Aura darted back, missing the attack from the Espeon and flipping over. At the edge of the ring she suddenly shot from one end to the other. Extreme speed - Griffin had only seen the move in tournaments on TV. One moment Aura was there and the next she was aiming to finish the Espeon with Metal claw.

The Espeon just barely dodged but the moment it did Aura followed up with a quick attack and suddenly landed a high kick against it, sending the poor Espeon airborne.

It landed harshly and before Aura could move again, Brad called the onslaught off. "Your Espeon is done; there is no need to push him anymore."

"You underestimate me, Brad." He froze solid when Aura was struck by something. She bolted back, darting across the apparent fury of attacks that suddenly came at her. Quickly she called up another double-team

One by one Aura was getting struck again and again by the Espeon's future sight. Griffin's jaw nearly dropped - the entire fury of attacks almost mimicked hers.

The moment it was finished the Espeon was gone. Brad took in the scene before his heart nearly dropped - Griffin's did just the same. "Underneath!" The Espeon used dig to create a small hole, Aura slipped under falling into the crater.

Suddenly the Espeon was all around; he was copying Aura's tactics entirely. Sabrina smirked from across the way, watching Brad take in the seen. He exhaled and suddenly Aura was struck hard - clean down, headshot. Silently she slumped to the ground

Griffin and Natasha were both floored. They watched silently wondering what to say, or how to say it. Sabrina smiled and put her hand in the air. "And that's all folks!" She laughed and was about to call her Espeon back

When it was suddenly swept off of its feet and nearly thrown against the far wall. Substitute. Griffin didn't know that Aura knew how to pull it off and Natasha didn't know either. Her copy was the one that fell in during Espeon's dig attack.

During her double-team Griffin quickly put one and one together. She was expecting the Espeon to use future-sight and prepared past it. The Espeon nearly slid across the floor, hitting it a few times before rag-dolling, just falling short of the wall a few inches away. Sabrina was choked and Brad grinned devilishly at her

Immediately she returned her Espeon and replaced it with a Hypno. "Keep it up Aura!" Brad shouted out words of praise and she took her stance - a little winded from Sabrina's Espeon. The fight started again, Immediately Aura bolted forward - circling around before jumping high her body swung around as if dancing before bringer her foot down for a wild and powerful kick.

The Hypno moved last second and dodged the attack, immediately Aura landed and darted back and then forward, landing a low kick on the Hypno. The air quivered and Aura slid back, dodging a well-timed Psyshock. Aura cornered back around, pausing.

Griffin noticed it quickly, the moment that Brad closed his eyes everything changed. Aura stopped her darting movements and softly swayed left and right - was this the connection that Sabrina mentioned to him? Within the Lucario's eyes, Brad's eyes flashed and he opened them - her tactics changed.

The next Psyshock rippled through the arena and it met with her own move, Psychic. The two forces clashed together - invisible blades locked together rocked the wind in the stadium. Suddenly the wind exploded, howling sounds that imitated metal screeching against one another - cogs mashing and grinding against their ears.

Griffin clasped them together in pain "What is that!?" He muttered to Natasha who hadn't a clue. Suddenly Aura became... five Aura's - it wasn't double-team. She utilized substitute and replicated it more in order to unleash a current of close-range attacks from all angles.

"If he keeps that up, Aura's going to faint from exhaustion..." Natasha bit down on her finger nervously, watching the Lucario's dart around the Hypno - landing multiple attacks to launch it upward. Suddenly one of them flipped around and drove its foot clean downwards - the Hypno hit the stadium floor with a loud *Crash*

Sabrina threw down her hat and ran over to help her Pokémon. Stunned and marveled - even angry too, she walked up to Brad and presented him a badge. "I'm throwing the match, my Pokémon are exhausted from this endless fighting." She returned Hypno and pushed them out of the gym, leaving a 'closed' sign behind them.

"Well she doesn't like losing" Brad shrugged and walked away, Aura followed him - getting closer "I don't think it's that - haven't you seen the amount of trainers? That and we came in the afternoon..." Natasha said and continued to follow them. Griffin lagged behind - his Phone ringing.

He answered with a casual hello. "Griffin?" It was Logan? "Logan? Why are you cal- "Throw away the crap for a minute, I just got called by the police - somebody attacked Trevor's training center." "What!? Who?"

"The police don't know and I don't either - they remembered a call, something similar in Saffron... They wouldn't spare details. Have you met anybody strange over the past few days?" Natasha and Brad stopped walking after overhearing some of the conversation.

"Nobody really - I mean we just cleared the Psychic gym down here... Sabrina seemed rushed for time..." Brad and Natasha looked at one another - thinking over her actions during the match.

"She did seem impatient." Natasha remembered how Sabrina would get annoyed from the length of Griffins match - and even after she sped through the basics of psychic Pokémon. "Sabrina?" Logan sounded a little confused "She's never done anything illegal before, in fact she's rather kind." "I wouldn't know than Logan, I'll call if anything stands out to me." Griffin replied.

"Alright" "Was Trevor injured?" "No... but the police said something about an Absol getting hit pretty badly - it apparently took a blow that was meant for him..." "You mean she" "What?" "Nevermind, thanks I'll check in with Trev. Later."

"Later." Griffin hung up his phone and slipped it into his pocket. After a quick stop by the Pokémon center and a phone call to Trevor (He told him that everything was fine and that he needn't worry about a thing) Griffin pulled out a map and read through the locations. "We agreed on Maidens peak, right?" "Right!" Natasha nodded happily and skimmed over the map. Brad looked over it too

"Hmmm Leaf forest isn't too far away either - we can cut through there even! It'll save time." Griffin and Natasha agreed and they retrieved their Pokémon from Nurse Joy. Somebody cut them off shortly after - Sabrina.

"I forgot to give the three of you award money for winning the badge." She said and pulled out some cash "Sorry about that, I've been rather stressed with all the trainers running through now. Most of them come late into the training season."

"No, it's not a problem at all" Brad said with a smile and accepted the cash. Griffin took his share and slipped it into his bag - Natasha did the same. She waved them off as they started to leave again

"Thanks." Sabrina nodded in reply and went to the desk, probably to rest her Pokémon for the afternoon. Griffin checked his phone quickly *4: 26 PM* with a sigh he picked up his pace.

They all reached the forest after stopping for dinner. Bandit stayed out of her Pokéball, along with Thief - it had been a while since they talked by themselves. Amber lights skimmed over the green changing the color to a vibrant orange rather than a dim red. Thief stared at the other two humans.

Bandit stayed quiet for most of the time cautiously taking in her surroundings until Moonlight burst out of his Pokéball unexpectedly - scaring everyone but her and Thief

Thief couldn't stop giggling from that. Moonlight jumped out spontaneously with a fabulous undertone. The young Growlithe nearly fell back enveloped in giggles. Moonlight bowed and looked over at Bandit who looked unimpressed.

"You're no fun." She rolled her eyes looking annoyed and continued walking on. After a while Leafeon came out too, walking beside Moonlight with challenging eyes.

"I've told you everything I know" He said with a smile but the Leafeon wasn't convinced. The Espeon sighed and kept up the pace with Thief - doing whatever he could think of to make him happier.

"I bet it'll take us at least two or more days." Griffin smiled happily while reading the map - every second away from the city was another second of paradise for him.

Natasha wasn't happy about it "Great two days of walking and sleeping in the sticks." She groaned and put her hands in her jeans "So when are we making camp?""

"Not until later tonight." Thief watched Griffin kneel down to pet him, Thief's eyes skimmed the forest around him and he suddenly started feeling alone. Something... Someone was missing.

-

Another day in the PokéCenter was another day of torture for Luna. She sat, bored from waiting. Absol was gashed badly and the poison was terrible; Spirit was practically in the same condition.

Trevor sat at the edge of the counter, the place was empty. He was already question enough by the police and knew just as much as they really did.

He'd never seen that person before - a sharp dressed man with murder in his eyes. Trevor closed his eyes, exhausted from worry. "Excuse me?" A nurse said and he snapped his view up "Yes!?" His voice was the definition of frantic, she smiled warmly "They're going to be fine, although they were put into our emergency ward... the poison has stopped spreading and we're expecting a full recovery soon."

Trevor closed his eyes and breathed - it almost looked like the first time he had since he walked into the Pokémon center. Luna felt the relief flutter her chest; she stood up cautiously, weak from the pain and limped over to Trevor.

She had already gone for her checkup and the doctor said that she was making a quicker recovery than they thought. Luna found it funny, she definitely didn't feel like she was healing much.

The doctor recommended to Trevor that he should bring Luna to an Herbalist, something he was planning on doing earlier... before everything went downhill.

"Please, go bring your Vulpix to the local Herbalist. We can take care of your Pokémon now." Trevor was reluctant to leave but eventually he did with Luna and quickly made his way to his old friend, Jirohei.

Trevor skimmed over the outside of the old home the definition of Asian culture inside and out - Trevor got jealous from what he had, but respected it. Luna walked about halfway before Trevor started to carry her, she was falling behind but with the pain she really couldn't keep up.

Outside of the Herbalists home Trevor went to walk up the front stone steps leading to the door. It slid open. "Trevor." An old man, feeble but strong in his walk came down the steps to meet him "I haven't seen you in a very long while." The old man glanced curiously over Luna, she started to feel nervous.

"Yes... it has been a long time. I called earlier wondering if you could help my cousin's Vulpix." He nodded "Yes, yes. I skimmed over some herbs and a few medicines. I have something that will null her pain and help her heal." Jirohei's look turned a touch serious, but the man held a joyful smile for the whole time

"There will be swelling though, it'll just be the medicine promoting blood flow to her injury... it'll help it heal quickly but she should rest for a day at least." Trevor nodded "I'll be sure to tell my cousin, he did call the other night and he wanted to exchange Bandit and Shadow..." Luna felt a spark touch her chest but really couldn't understand where it came from.

"Those two Mightyena's" The old man smiled warmly "They are both quite interested in one another." "Yes they are." "Has Logan noticed yet?" "No, he still spent his time training them both...." Luna listened to them talk for a while longer before getting bored. Her eyes skimmed the outskirts of the city

It really was beautiful, the ocean, the houses, the city just in eye's view. Jirohei handed a small box wrapped in blue cloth. "Have her drink that with her dinner or first thing in the morning. She only needs it once a day and it's best to be taken before she sleeps or right before the day starts... " Trevor accepted the package and thanked Jirohei

The walk back was just as long as the walk there. Luna stayed quiet, her eyes still glancing at the thinning trees. She felt something there - something rich and something powerful

-

"So you're going to trade your Mightyena's for Absol and Vulpix?" Griffin shrugged and looked over to Brad "I figure it would be best if I try rotating my Pokémon two at a time, I mean it's only fair for everybody then. "It doesn't really make too much of a difference..." Natasha began "I mean they know who their first trainer is after all" Griffin couldn't tell if her comment was to support him... or to destroy him...

"I'll take that as a compliment" Griffin sighed and looked around. The forest was thick and they had already seen a few Caterpies and even a Pikachu further off in the distance. Soon his eyes skimmed over to Leafeon and Moonlight, they were furthest behind them - talking, or at least he figured they were.

Moonlight continued reading the Leafeon's eyes after a short request... he apparently was weak to psychic types and wanted help in getting stronger. Using a core dive while walking was a little difficult but Moonlight had pulled it off many times before

His eyes were closed and he softly read the Leafeon, sensing his waves closely and thoroughly. As he walked on his mind also instinctively sensed the forest around him as if it were all sound. Everything held a psychic aura as if he'd seen the world through a third eye.

Moonlight took a strong dive into the Leafeon skimming over the gates to find his core. He could sense hesitation, fear, and regret. Moonlight paused and took in the facts before pulling away from the dive.

"You've seen the fall of a clan, haven't you? You're part of a pact, or were in the very least..." Leafeon winced a little "You're quicker than I thought Moonlight..." He clenched his teeth. "Yes... my clan had fallen to war... I was one of the last born and maybe the only to survive." Moonlight watched Thief further ahead after a noise caught his attention - laughter.

"But what of you Espeon?" Leafeon closed in the distance "I've smelt blood on you since earlier this afternoon... in fact since the park actually I've noticed the scent." Moonlight copied Leafeon's sharp gaze.

"You have a quick nose..." "So you're the one!?" "Yes, but they attacked me first." "..." Footfalls caught both their ears

"Hey Moonlight! There's a bunch of Butterfree up ahead!" Thief was quiet and obviously excited "Griffin and Brad want to go check it out, come on." The Growlithe picked up his pace, catching up with the others and Moonlight smiled - watching him with... inspiration. "How about we discuss more later tonight Friend." And Moonlight left Leafeon, catching up with Thief

Around the bend was a spawn of Butterfree - it was the first time Griffin had seen anything like it, and as the day was just turning to night the sight of them all fluttering in the air was beyond magical. Brad watched half-interested and Natasha didn't care...

"It's a birthing spawn, probably the most magnificent time is during mating season actually - you can see the sky light up with nothing but Butterfree." Brad whispered to Griffin "It's worth seeing at least once." Natasha yawned and stared quickly at her phone - it was getting late.

"We've been walking for a few hours now... let's find a spot and set up camp for the night before we're too tired to..." Natasha had a good point and Brad was yawning himself.

"We should find a place to rest for the night, come on Griff." Brad stood up and went with Natasha, Griffin followed along with everybody else. After another hour they finally found a grassy plain where Griffin quickly got a fire started - surrounding it with rocks to make a proper pit. He unraveled his tent and set it up while everybody else did the same.

A cold chill wind howled through the forest leaving its airy gift to hover around the grass. They rustled in silence letting the sound cover across the starry sky that they set camp under. Moonlight glowed down onto the land and suddenly the forest was at rest. There an Espeon curled up next to its trainer and fell asleep along with the Growlithe it's known for a while now.

As Thief slipped off to his dreamland, woven in the small needlepoint of sleep his mind wandered towards Luna. What was she doing? How has she been? The questions pelted him one at a time before he fell asleep.

-

Crackles echoed inside the house and Luna had finished dinner along with her very bitter tasting medicine. Luna stared into the fire, Absol, Spirit and both Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan were already asleep. Trevor was still awake - watching the Vulpix with some curiosity igniting in his eyes.

Luna sighed, the pain was a numb ring - her whole body was as she yawned, starting to fall asleep herself. As she did her world didn't transcend into darkness but instead was lit up by the sight of the sun in the middle of a beautiful field filled with flowers of every color and a scent that she could smell for the whole day and not get tired of.

Without her even knowing it Luna fell asleep with the fire burning in front of her, a cool - airy wind rustled the trees outside and her ears perked softly to the sound. The lost sound of laughter filled the emptiness as she looked into the eyes of a Growlithe. Her mouth opened and words echoed through her mind.

Everything was silent gibberish; she couldn't understand a thing all she knew was that she was happy and content with everything that was happening with her. The Vulpix let her paws take her away, chasing through the forest - a beautiful forest that lingered with the scent of salt water and lavender.

Nearby something echoed from the trees and a large silver fox, ninetails swaying behind it smiled warmly to her during the sunset that day. She followed the lost scent - the sight of fur.

Mother. That was what she wanted to say, Luna followed it till she met up on a sandy beach with a fire burning ahead of her, the salty air filled her nostrils and she loved the scent.

Where she was didn't matter, all Luna knew was that she was home. Her eyes skimmed to her left a large Arcanine talked to her mother - the ninetails with silver-white fur and a rich bright pelt.

Growlithe sat there, staring intently into the fire and suddenly she could see the tents around her. Luna was sitting next to Thief - the salt-water air was gone and replaced with the intense scent of pine-trees and misty moonlight.

Thief was still awake in her dream, watching the fire make shapes and symbols. Curiously she blew into it - causing a dragon to form out of the flames and she watched as the brown-eyed Growlithe stared with diamonds in his eyes.

Her smile faded as the beach came back and the Growlithe sat down before her... its eyes were yellow in hue - almost orange, not brown. They weren't brown

-

Thief was fast asleep by the campfire, his nose rested away from it and pointed towards the forest with an almost loving intent. He quickly watched the world create a home somewhere. Maybe near a city? He had no clue but the beach was there and the scent of saltwater lingered on his wet nose.

A very small town in the middle of nowhere and Thief had a little house with an elderly woman who warmly glowed at the sight of the small Growlithe who lay on the carpet of her house.

Hardly really knowing the unique world around him, the small pup would stare into the lights or gaze at anything that would sparkle. From time to time his eyes would stare into the outside world, peering at the world around him.

Long walks on the beach sounded familiar and suddenly he was there, walking along the cold shoreline in the early morning. The older woman would weakly walk along the beach, her cane in hand.

Thief didn't know who she was, or where he was, or what he was doing there. All he really knew was that he was there, by a beach staring at the Wingulls that would pick up in the ocean air. His eyes caught onto the sun and the clouds before staring at the blue horizon far, far ahead and right at the peak he'd notice the water look green.

Like a still and paved road, the ocean would stop and be calm. Chirps would catch the still air around the young Growlithe and he'd stare into the small wings of a Taillow, lost in wonder.

He was alone in his world of frozen wonder and imagination. The silence would echo like tender piano keys in the winter wind playing the sonata of his life as it ticked away

It was near the summer when he was about to turn two when she didn't wake up in the morning. Without really understanding what happened the Growlithe went along and spent the day at the beach alone. No birds were chirping and not a single Wingull flapped in the sky that day. He spent the next few days on the street, unable to home when the doors were all locked and she was gone. Without much of a choice the Growlithe left

He spent another year looking for a home, passing through cities and avoiding humans before sneaking onto a boat after a friendly Persian had told him stories about Kanto, every step of the way Thief watched the Growlithe wander through city to city, town to town. His dream felt endless.

Thief slept through the night of memories without another glance into them - they weren't important to him, not anymore anyways. As he slept he thought about everybody. Griffin, Moonlight... Luna. He didn't wake but he did smile

He spent the night smiling.

-

Moonlight wasn't asleep, he couldn't. Instead he had his eyes closed and read the aura around him. The waves of different colors and life. Thief's colors burned with a bright purple - the color of passion. The Leafeon's was green, he was calm and content. Somewhere in the night he caught onto two colors, yellow and grey - nervousness and anxiety.

Moonlight opened his eyes and looked over to Aura; she was awake and staring into the moonlight. A tender white casket surrounded her as she stared into the night sky in silence. Moonlight sighed, almost nervously.

"A little late for thought... Don't you think?" Moonlight was standing behind her, the Lucario turned around. "Not at all, in fact I think the best at night." Aura kept her eyes to the sky after, Moonlight could almost hear her thoughts in the silence of the forest.

"If you're so worried about it... why don't you give it a shot? I mean he didn't mind when you leaning on him in the diner." She was thinking about Brad and Moonlight knew why. "You do love him, so why worry?"

"He's a human being." She sighed after getting defensive "Should that stop you?" "Yes!" Moonlight hushed and looked back at everybody else

"Why would love stop at borders?" Aura scoffed "He's a human, I'm a Pokémon! It's not a border..." "You are a Pokémon that reads the aura of all beings but you can't sense his?" Moonlight chuckled and Aura's face went red.

"I - I can!" Moonlight shrugged "Then you can sense the light blue tone that flutters in the air around him when you're around? It's the color of happiness." Moonlight stared up to the sky and watched the white, snowy streams of stardust float down to earth. "It's not that difficult, believe me." Aura glanced at Moonlight

"Why would you spend your time giving me advice?" The Espeon felt his head lower, his two tails sway effortlessly with the nights wind. "I don't want to see your love disappear, that's all. It's a rare chance and for some it only happens once in their entire lives." Aura looked down at her feet. "Take the chance Aura, before you don't have one at all."

Aura kept quiet and Moonlight followed the stardust again, watching the small lights take up the night. And somewhere in the sky, a warm constellation filled his mind. Something that Autumn pointed out many, many years ago - one that Moonlight always missed.

The Constellation Kogitsune. Moonlight searched through the sky. He always said it was above Ya, the Arrow. Moonlight skimmed over the twinkling lanterns and there in the sky laid the little fox, nestled between the stardust.

There was the little fox, watching over him in the bright, starry night sky.

End.