AN: before we begin, for anyone new to my work, is this set in the world of Pokemon, with one small difference, under certain conditions, Pokemon can evolve into part-human. the main story is called The Children of Jirachi, which features an entirely different set of characters. so, i invite you to check it out if you like this story.

this particular story was written in celebration of the one year anniversary for The Children of Jirachi and was written with input from several other fantastic readers and writers. i can only hope that i lived up to their expectations.

and as always:

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon. This story, like several others of its kind was inspired by various human Pokémon/pokemorph/gijinka/moemon/whatever you call it pictures floating around in various areas of the internet.

enjoy!

There were few times in his life where Scream hated having unparalleled hearing capabilities. Tonight was one of those times.

The music blasting through the club was almost too much for the human Audino to take. He could positively feel the tiny bones in his ears shaking and pleading with him to just, please, go outside. His head wanted to split open and his shirt was stuck to his back from sweating so much. Sitting at the corner of the bar felt like torture and he wondered for the thirty-sixth time how long he would have to endure this.

Every week he got dragged out to this club, or that bar, or this over-crowded party. He didn't have a clue why they brought him along, except for someone to lean on when they staggered home. He was the biggest, and not in the muscular way, but he was also too nice for his own good. Stacy and Nova had a way of just looking at him. And then he was off to somewhere where he wouldn't have any fun.

"Fine," he would groan, "but this is the last time." Every time was the last time and tonight was no different.

He wasn't even drinking anything. Well, nothing with alcohol, at least. A small glass of milk that was once cold sat half-finished in front of him. The bartender was always floored when he ordered milk at eleven o'clock at night.

After the initial astonishment wore off, the bartender then became suspicious. The fat kid in the pink jacket with his hood up did not seem like sexual predator material at first glance, but the more he hid in the corner, the closer the bartender came to tossing him out altogether. Why waste a seat on a creepy, fat kid that ordered milk? The seat would be better spent on somebody that bought more expensive drinks. Or better yet, a hot chick. This week's bartender was starting to think those exact words.

But it was the moments where Nova came up to him that made Scream stop worrying about his hearing and the bartender's suspicions.

The Flareon-girl chose an open stool next to him, facing the dance floor. She leaned back so that her head rested on his shoulder and her long ears tickled his nose.

"Heeeey…" she grinned up at him, "diiiid you know ttthat you're…upside-down?" The club's music had trained her to shout instead of speak when she talked, but it did nothing to help her stop slurring.

"Did you know that you're drunk?" Scream had to use his hands to keep her ears out of his face.

"Yep…" she responded, "can I…more drink?"

"How many have you had?"

Scream doubted whether or not he was going to get an answer as he watched Nova's forehead crinkle and un-crinkle. The process looked painful, but at least she was using her brain. Scream had heard Stacy say before that using your brain made you sober up faster. He hoped for Nova's sake that it was true. Three minutes later, she gave up.

"If you can't remember, then you have to stop," Scream recited another popular drinking saying that he had picked up somewhere. After two straight months of club-going he thought he knew everything about alcohol that one could possibly know. It was especially ironic not only because he didn't like alcohol, but because, in their party of four, none of them could legally buy the stuff.

How did they get in? Well, that was something else that Scream had learned recently. As it turned out, when you were as hot as Nova (in a manner of speaking) doors opened up for you with little effort beyond having the courage to ask. A lot of things came to you for free, too. Nova did not need money when she had stunning good looks.

To be fair, Nova did not look like she was seventeen and she certainly didn't dress like it. Her club-going outfit consisted of knee-high leather boots with an inch and a half sized heel, short-shorts and a halter top that wasn't shy about showing off her cleavage. Flowing around her shoulders and her hips, her hair and fluffy tail were a gentle cream, while her clothing and long rabbit-like ears were a bold, fire-red.

That was something else that Scream liked about Nova, she was bold enough to wear her ears and tail out in the open. Few people knew about the existence of human Pokémon and Scream counted himself among those that were afraid to find out what would happen if more people knew. As a result, he timidly hid his piggy ears underneath his pink hood and kept his tail stuffed tight into his already uncomfortable pants. Nova could take her chances with guys believing she was in costume and they would overlook it to get a closer look at her bare midriff. Scream, however, could take no such chances with the bartender eyeing him whenever Nova wasn't around.

"I don't wanna leave…" Nova whined, "Oooo! Soft!" Scream felt a stab at his pride as Nova used her smooth, delicate hands to push off of him and get back up to a sitting position. He caught her as she slipped and helped her lean forward across the bar. She was too drunk to thank him, but that was normal.

"We don't have to leave," Scream rubbed her back, regretting the words the moment they left his mouth, "you just need to slow down for a bit."

"I'm gonna be sick tomorrow…" Nova groaned. She used her hands as a barrier between her chin and the bar as she leaned forward. She groaned wordlessly again and Scream started to fear that she was going to be sick right there at the bar.

He continued to rub her back through the thick locks of her hair. He couldn't help feeling sorry for her. She was directly responsible for his current state of misery, but he supposed that he could endure it, as long as he knew she was okay. In a strange way, she looked cute like this.

However, even these moments of happiness were short-lived.

"Awww…too much to drink, baby?" Zexion, the third member of their party emerged through the crowd of dancers. The human Luxray had his thin tail tucked away, but his spiky black hair did not need to be hidden. The late-teen was strong, tall and handsome. It made sense that he and Nova were dating.

It made sense, but that didn't mean that Scream had to like it.

"Zexy…" Nova rolled her head to the side and smiled at her boyfriend, "my tummy hurts…"

Scream stopped rubbing her back as Zexion took up a seat next to Nova. He did not do it gracefully, however. Scream began wondering if he'd have to carry both of them back to David's apartment. It wouldn't be the first time, but it would help him a lot if the two would just cooperate and go back inside their Pokéballs. But if Stacy was drunk too, and she probably was, then this was going to be a very long night.

"Your tummy hurts?" Zexion asked playfully. He leaned forward, putting an arm around Nova's shoulders, but he used his free hand to begin poking her in the side, "you mean, your sexy, sexy tummy?" Nova flinched away as he poked at her, squealing with delight.

Scream rolled his eyes and began to stare at the ceiling. It was one thing to watch over Nova, but it always led to this. Scream held her hair while she threw up, then once she was done, Zexion came in and flirted with her. What was truly frustrating about the whole situation was how little Zexion felt threatened by him. It had never even crossed his mind that Nova might like Scream better.

And why should she? He was just an Audino, after all. He wasn't strong or handsome. All he was good for was doing exactly what he did: support. He held the others up and kept them safe. It was his job on and off the battlefield.

"Hey, where were you earlier?" Nova asked Zexion, her voice tinged with annoyance. She didn't slur her speech anymore, so that was hopeful. "I got groped by this really creepy guy!"

"You what?" Zexion gaped at her before whirling around, "who? Who did it?" His eyes scanned the club as if the perpetrator would come forth to answer his challenge.

"I don't remember…" Nova admitted, "He might have been a Pokémon, though…"

"Seriously?" Scream asked. If he was, they could be in a lot of trouble, "what did he look like?"

"Umm…" Nova blinked as she searched through the haze that the night had left in her mind, "I think he was wearing a purple, no…a black jacket. And he had pointy teeth." She tapped on her own for emphasis.

It wasn't much help, but Zexion was not deterred. All he needed to do was find a man in a purple or black jacket and pointed teeth in a crowded bar in the middle of Fuchsia City. He had his work cut out for him, but he could do it. There was more than enough alcohol in him to accomplish the task. He stood up, making the bar-stool teeter.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Scream called out, "even if you find him, we can't fight here!"

At first, Zexion seemed to ignore him. His drunken rage was difficult to contain, but he steadied as he realized the futility of it all.

"I'm sorry…" Nova rested her head back down onto the bar. Defeated, began mourning her aching head and stomach, once more. Likewise, with revenge temporarily forgotten, Zexion returned to simultaneously comforting and flirting with his girlfriend. It wasn't long before Scream couldn't watch anymore.

"I'm going to get some air," he told them, but he doubted that they were paying attention.

The night air of Fuchsia City was wonderfully cool after the stifling conditions inside the club. There had been a line outside when they had first arrived, however it was all but gone now. The hour was far too late. Or too early, depending on how one looked at it.

Scream passed by a large bouncer, who scowled down at him. The two probably weighed an equal amount, but the bouncer's weight was all muscle. The soft kid in a pink jacket was not likely to be a problem. This was probably why he continued to scowl, hoping for an excuse to rough him up.

What he didn't know was that even though Scream was weak by Pokémon standards, he was still several tiers above the human bouncer. If Scream did happen to want trouble, there was little that the bouncer could do to counter him. But Scream was too depressed to want to fight anyone. Instead, he turned down a nearby alley, searching for Vangogh.

The human Smeargle, and Stacy's fourth human Pokémon was busy painting a mural on the side of the club. His gray beret and painter's smock were dotted with yellow and black paint. His eyes were glazed over as he painted, as if he were in another world. Like all Smeargle, he painted with the end of his tail. Scream had no idea what the colorful secretions out of his tail were, but frankly he didn't want to know. Furthermore, he didn't want to know how he could switch between colors so quickly.

As Scream approached, he could get a better view of the painting Vangogh was working on.

The mural was a five-foot tall Pikachu, shooting out a stream of lightning at the viewer. The lightning itself looked unfinished, but the Pikachu was stunningly life-like. Complete with three-dimensional shading and subtle detail in each stroke, the Pikachu made Scream forget that there was a wall behind it. Scream had seen computer-generated images that weren't half as incredible. Vangogh had painted it within only two hours.

"Wow…" Scream gaped, "that is incredible, Van."

"No, it's not," he shook his head, "it's awful. I don't know why I even bothered…" Vangogh's melancholic voice was low and drawn out as if he were in a constant state of depression. He never liked any of his work.

"No, it's awesome!" Scream declared, "All of your work is awesome. You should keep at least some of it."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better…" Van drawled.

"No, really! Should I get someone else? Will you believe Nova? Or Zexion? Or…Stacy?"

"No," he shook his head, "you wouldn't understand…"

"Okay…" Scream felt helpless as he watched Vangogh finish his mural. In just a few minutes he would finish, declare it a failure, and erase it from the world.

Stacy had named Vangogh after her favorite artist. It was one of the few things she had a genuine passion for, but her human Smeargle had never shown her any of his work. Evolving into a human had somehow made him into a better artist, but he had also forced impossible standards upon himself. When he was a Smeargle, one or two shapes and lines was a work to be proud of. Now, nothing was ever good enough.

"Why did you come to see me?" Van asked without turning away from another personal failure.

"I just wanted to be outside for a little while," Scream told him, and then when he could no longer stand the silence, "can I ask you about something?"

"What did Nova do now?" Van asked. He was always absorbed in producing another amazing failed painting, but he still seemed to know everything.

"Well…nothing new…" Scream answered.

"You just wanted a shoulder to cry on," Van answered for him, sighing deeply.

"Umm…" it was hard to tell if Van was frustrated with Scream or with his work. He hoped Van would continue, but he remained silent as he focused on his creation.

"Well, sometimes I just feel useless, you know?" Scream blurted out.

"I do," Vangogh did not elaborate.

"I mean," Scream took a heavy breath, "I'm an Audino. I'm just a fat…useless…pink…blob…" He spoke each word as though he were vomiting and each one left a horrible aftertaste in his mouth. "I'm not strong enough to beat anything by myself. All I can do is help the team."

"But that's what you're best at," Van answered, his eyes never moving from the mural, "it's what we count on you for. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Yeah, well, you don't understand…" Scream sulked.

"Nova doesn't like you because of what you do in battle," Van pointed out, "she likes you because you watch out for all of us."

"Nova doesn't like me, at all," Scream scoffed.

"Suit yourself," Van sighed, "but maybe you're right. I don't understand you and you don't understand me…" He stepped back from the Pikachu, "terrible…" he declared. He stepped back up to it and used the side of his tail to begin erasing it. The plain, boring wall waited underneath.

"You're crazy," Scream shook his head in defeat. He turned back up the alley, towards the club entrance. As he went he noticed another familiar face. David, Stacy's older brother was storming up to the club entrance. Scream followed after him, sensing that the night's troubles were just getting started.

Stacy was, for all intents and purposes, their trainer. At least, she had been before they had evolved into part human. The young girl was almost exactly like Nova, which was probably why Nova had been the first to evolve. Stacy needed a partner to go clubbing with and Nova had filled the gap. The rest of them followed suit with Zexion, then Scream and finally Vangogh all making the jump into the human world. It was easy after they had watched Nova do it, but Scream regretted the decision more and more every day.

In the past year, the group had met several other trainers with human Pokémon. Most had been kind, understanding and friendly, given their small numbers. One group in particular shone out in Scream's mind. They were a traveling band known as Serenade and the Triplets. The group had formed only recently, but the lead singer was a human Jynx and their manager was a kind, yet short-tempered girl named Cara. She also had a human Luxray, like Zexion, but he was rather sulky and pessimistic; a far cry from Zexion. Though sometimes Scream thought he'd prefer to be friends with that Luxray instead.

Even though he was one, Scream felt like he knew very little about human Pokémon. They maintained all of their original abilities, as well as receiving a staggering power boost. Yet, there were many drawbacks, as well. For instance, evolving into a human meant that they bled in battle. Most injuries were not life-threatening, but it made battle itself into a much more dangerous and vicious experience.

However, what remained the largest mystery was why Pokémon evolved into humans at all. It was obviously rare, but the reason behind it had never been answered. The only common element present in each new evolution story was the desire to become human. The exact reason varied, but many stories that Scream heard were heart-wrenching tales of loneliness and hurt. Trainers who had suffered in their own lives found comfort when they found their Pokémon evolving into their best friends.

Knowing all that, it was a little sad that Nova had evolved simply because she wanted to go dancing with her trainer.

Nova and Zexion were still at the bar when Scream entered. David disappeared ahead of him into the crowd.

"Hey," Scream called to Zexion, "have you seen Stacy recently?"

"No," Zexion shook his head, "why?"

"Well, David's here…" Scream admitted.

Sure enough, just a few moments later, the dancers began parting, making room for a tall, twenty-something young man hauling a much younger girl wearing too much make-up. Both of them had blond hair and high cheekbones. It was easy to recognize them as brother and sister.

"For God's sake, Stace!" David was yelling at her, "It's damn near two o'clock! I said you had to come back by twelve!"

"I lost track of time…" Stacy whimpered. Scream noticed her cheeks her were a bright red. Whether it was from embarrassment, alcohol, or both was hard to say.

"Stacy, Mom will kill me if she knows I let you do this," David continued, "If anything happens to you, I am a dead man! I'm your brother, not your babysitter. You should be old enough to know when to come home!" The two made their way to the door, passing by the three human Pokémon as they went.

"I think it's time to go," Scream watched them leave before turning back to Nova, where she groaned from her place at the bar, "Do you think you can stand up?"

"Nuh-uhh," Nova shook her head, her ears flopping side-to-side.

"Alright, then," Scream sighed, then bent down and took one of her arms. He draped it over his shoulder and held her around the waist as he lifted her to her feet. Her head flopped against his shoulder and her ears brushed against his cheek.

"You're comfy…" she muttered.

Once the hard part was done, Zexion realized that he should do something. He took Nova's other arm, copying Scream. Reluctantly, Scream released Nova, letting her settle into place against Zexion. He watched them cautiously, ready to catch them both, should the need arise. But they were steady enough and the three made their way out of the club.

"Why is the floor moving?" Nova asked no one in particular.

"That's your feet moving, sweetie," Zexion pointed out.

"Oh…weird…" Nova mused. She began to giggle.

Back outside, Vangogh was waiting for them; his tail hidden away beneath his smock. David was already almost half a block ahead of them as he hauled Stacy away. However, his pace was slowing as his little sister fought him. He couldn't bully her as easily as he once had. The human Pokémon followed after their trainer and her brother. Scream taking up the rear as Nova murmured into Zexion's shoulder.

It was only a short walk back to David's apartment. Stacy had come to visit him, bringing along her friends. New to the city, she had become obsessed with and demanded that her brother let her explore the local clubs and bars. He had agreed, but only because he didn't believe she would get very far. However, he grossly underestimated the power of a pretty face and a skimpy outfit.

When they caught up with David and Stacy, he was no longer dragging her by the arm but a firm scowl told them all not to try speaking to him. But that didn't stop Stacy from bragging to Nova.

"I got four guys to buy drinks for me!" she boasted to the Flareon-girl, "how did you do?"

"I can't remember…" Nova shook her head, her ears giving Zexion a few light slaps to the face, "I gave some to Zexy, though…" She patted his shoulder, proud of her own generosity.

"You really shouldn't do that…" Scream warned, though he kept his voice low, just in case they got mad at him.

"How come?" Stacy asked, "Just because you buy a girl a drink it doesn't mean she has to do anything for you. And how else am I supposed to get a drink, anyway? I'm not old enough!"

Scream could not argue with logic like that.

"And besides," Stacy lightly punched his arm, "you're always around to look after us. You adorable ball of pinky-ness." The way she said it forced a smile across his face. Stacy always gave good pep-talks. For all of her immaturity, she was their trainer, after all.

"Stop!" Nova suddenly lurched forward, "STOP!" Scream had seen that expression far too many times. They needed an alley, and fast. Without thinking, he grabbed her hand and left the main road, searching for a dark corner to hide what was coming.

He heard her cough a few times then something wet began to hit the pavement. Already far too late, he stopped searching and helped Nova lean against the nearest building, some sort of apartment complex. She coughed and retched, going down onto all fours on the ground. Scream gathered up as much of her long, thick hair as he could to keep it out of her face. There was another wet splattering sound; louder this time. Scream was immensely thankful that it was too dark for him to see it, but the smell was awful.

"I threw up on my shoes…" Nova whined when she could get a breath.

"It's okay," Scream consoled her, "we can clean them off when we get home."

"But they're leather…" she retched again, but nothing came up.

Scream sighed and lightly patted her back. There was nothing he could do but wait for her to finish. He looked around, wondering how far they had wandered away from the group. Much to his relief, Zexion and Vangogh were coming up to meet them.

"How is she?" Zexion asked. He felt slightly shamed from Scream's much quicker reaction time. If he was a proper boyfriend, and a proper man for that matter, he would've been quicker.

"She'll be okay, soon," Scream assured him as Nova spat up some more excess alcohol, "pretty soon, anyway," after a moment he asked, "where are Stacy and David?"

"They went on ahead," Zexion knelt down next to Nova, "I'm here, baby."

"Zexy…" Nova moaned, "I don't feel good…"

"I know, baby, I know," he patted her back as Scream had, but a bit harder than he had intended, which inadvertently made Nova retch again.

"Well," Scream stood up, leaving Nova to her boyfriend, "better to be sick tonight than all day tomorrow, I guess…" He started to walk back to Vangogh. As he did so, he noticed two other men enter the alleyway.

The one in the lead sported a waistcoat that was an odd shade of deep violet. A short tail covered in violet scales was swaying underneath his coat. Scream only noticed it because he knew what signs to look for. In the dark of the alley, it would be difficult for anyone who wasn't a human Pokémon to notice it. Scream also had a suspicion that on the back of that jacket was the glaring red and yellow eye-shaped design that belonged on an Arbok's hood. Pointed teeth and a purple jacket, this was the man that had accosted Nova in the club.

Behind him, a human Simisear tittered, bouncing from side to side down the alley. His bright red hair curled at the top of his head. His big ears twitched and flopped with each movement as his tail curled behind him, likewise hidden underneath a long jacket. However, as the two approached, he discarded it and began stomping on it.

"Quiet, Ssscorch," the human Arbok hissed at his companion. Scream was stunned as he literally hissed, a forked tongue sticking in between his cruel lips.

"Good evening, gentlemen," he addressed Scream and Vangogh, "how are you tonight?"

"Hey, that's…" Nova stopped vomiting long enough to speak, "that's the guy that…" But she couldn't do it for long.

"Ohh," the Arbok-man sighed, "poor thing…" Beside him, Scorch chittered with amusement.

"What did you do to my girlfriend?" Zexion turned away, fuming mad at the stranger.

"Girlfriend?" the Arbok-man tilted his head to the side, "why I'm shocked!" his voice suggested otherwise, but he continued, "she didn't say anything about a boyfriend as I bought her drinks and danced with her and-"

"SHUT UP!"

Oh, no, Scream thought. This was not going well. With Nova out of commission, their team was considerably weaker. He and Vangogh had both been trained to support the other two in combat. They could easily be brushed aside by either enemy. That meant that if Zexion fought, it would be himself against two opponents. Good odds from his point of view, but foolhardy from Scream's.

"Now, calm down," the Arbok-man went on, "I promise, I was a perfect gentleman. It just makes me very sad when I put forth so much effort to get nothing in return." He shook his head and tsked at them.

Scream began to wonder. There was no trainer with these two. Their own was not in the area, so it wasn't that absurd that he didn't see one. But there was more to it than that. Scream couldn't explain the feeling he was getting. Who were these two, really?

"I won't let you have her," Zexion pushed aside Scream and Vangogh to get at his enemy.

"Exxxcellent," the Arbok-man hissed again, "come, Scorch."

"Can I kill him Venom, huh? Can I? Can I?" the small Simisear-man began bouncing around the other's feet, moving with unreal agility.

"Just make sure you leave the girl for me," Venom reminded his lackey. He sneered at the other three, showing off his pointed fangs.

"Zex," Scream stepped forward to whisper behind him, "we care about Nova as much as you do," he wanted to say more, but now was not the time, "wait for us. You can't take them alone."

"Fine," Zexion growled, "get going, then."

Scream only had a moment to devise a strategy. Their opponents would undoubtedly think that Zexion was the only threat. They would focus on him and try to defeat him quickly. And it would be Scream's job to keep Zexion safe and fighting. That would give Vangogh a chance to build up his own strength. Then they could seize the upper hand and finish the fight. It was the only plan he had, so it had to work.

Venom drew his head back, preparing his first attack while Scorch darted ahead, bouncing around in dizzying leaps.

Scream had to shove Zexion behind him, and he did it only just fast enough. Venom spat a globule of purple slime through the air, aimed directly at Scream's face. Raising his hands to the sides, he called up a semi-transparent barrier that spread out to block the entire alleyway. Venom's Sludge Bomb exploded harmlessly against Scream's Protect and the sludge fell in a thick puddle onto the pavement as Scream lowered the temporary barrier.

But Scream could not protect Zexion from above. Scorch bounded completely over his head and kicked Zexion in the head, making him stagger backwards. The monkey-man bounced backwards, tittering wildly after his Acrobatics attack.

Zexion grimaced and shook his head, too stunned to move. But Scream did not want him to, not just yet.

From behind them both, Vangogh had sensed Scream's intentions and was building up a Quiver Dance. His body shook as if he were overcome by spasms, but it was all part of the technique. He spun in place, heightening his mind and quickening his steps.

"Clever, pig," Venom sneered at Scream, "Scorch, focus on the pink one. Leave the others."

But that was also what Scream wanted. He knew he did not possess the strength to take either of these two down. He hated that shortcoming in himself, but more than that he knew what his place was. His job was not a frontline attacker. He had more important duties.

Ignoring the shots of fire and poison heading for him, Scream concentrated. Even though the city lights made it difficult to see them, the stars were out, above his head. They would always grant his Wish.

The purple sludge from Venom's attack exploded across his face, while Scorch's Flamethrower washed over his right shoulder, burning through his clothes and searing his skin. Scream gritted his teeth in an attempt to shut out the pain. He focused all of his will on the Wish. He needed it to keep Zexion on his feet. The human Luxray was not as sturdy as he was. Scream did not possess his offensive strength, but he could take hits in a way that Zexion could only dream of doing. It was all Scream had. If he was going to accept that, now was the time.

At last, Scream opened his eyes and saw a white streak, low in the dark, night sky. The bright shooting star of Wish had arrived. He looked back and Zexion grinned at him as the pain from his blow to the head faded and the damage was healed.

"Thank you," he nodded. Scream nodded back. Now was as good a time as any. He could not suffer two more hits like that.

"VAN, DO IT!" he shouted. The painter finished his Quiver Dance, his power stored and ready. He placed his hands together and slowly pulled them apart. A small, metal rod grew in between his hands like a magic trick. Except this was real magic. Inside was all of the power that Van had been building through his Quiver Dance.

He tossed the rod to Zexion, who closed his eyes and felt the rush of power spread through him. Within a few moments, the rod vanished and Zexion opened his eyes, completing the Baton Pass. Finally, Scream dropped back with Vangogh to huddle beside Nova. The rest was up to Zexion.

Grinning from ear to ear, the human Luxray stepped forward to take his revenge on his two opponents. Too late, the truth of Scream's strategy dawned on Venom and his eyes widened in shock. They had been led right into a trap and now there was no stopping Zexion. In desperation, he drew back for one last Sludge Bomb while Scorch blew his Flamethrower.

Zexion emerged through the flames, dulled thanks to the boost from Quiver Dance. The flames bit into him, but he hardly felt it. Venom never finished his Sludge Bomb.

Letting out a roar of fury, Zexion fired a huge Discharge of electricity through the alley. Blue and yellow lightning streamed through the tiny area, leaving black streaks across the ground and along the buildings. Venom and Scorch had nowhere to run as the electricity coursed through them, dealing massive damage to poisonous snake and flame monkey alike.

Huddled together with Van and Nova, Scream held up the shield of Protect for as long as he could manage. Zexion's power was frightening as these levels and if he let down the barrier for a moment, all three of them would be hurt just as badly as their enemies.

At last, Zexion ceased his attack and let Venom and Scorch fall forward onto the pavement.

He breathed deeply, enjoying his work. Quiver Dance would fade soon, now that the battle was finished. He surveyed the area, chuckling with delight. So much power…and he couldn't have done it without both Vangogh and Scream.

"Are you okay?" Scream released Nova, checking for injuries. But aside from a few puke stains, she was fine.

"Mmm-hmm," Nova nodded, then she caught sight of Scream's burnt shoulder, "but you're not…"

"I'm used to it," Scream shrugged, blushing in spite of his words.

"You call this 'being useless?'" Vangogh asked, stepping away from the two to check the damage to their surroundings.

"Huh?" Nova perked up, "what do you mean?" Scream felt his heart race, but there was no time to stop Van from answering her.

"He was depressed that you didn't like him because he doesn't defeat opponents by himself," Van's melancholic attitude never had much tact.

"But…" Nova looked confused, and it wasn't just because of the alcohol, "none of us do…we all need somebody else," she looked directly into Scream's eyes, she never did that before, "and we especially need you."

Scream didn't know what to do. He couldn't decide if he should cry, kiss her, or say something manly and dramatic. But the moment passed as Nova rose to her feet, still unsteady from her drinking.

"Now THAT was fun," Zexion chuckled as he walked up to the others, "I could get used to doing that. You come up with that all on your own, Scream?"

"Well…sorta…" Scream admitted, slowly coming back to himself. The strategy was an old one for their group. However, Zexion was more of a physical attacker and the Quiver Dances were usually passed to Nova instead.

"Well, whether you did or not, that was awesome, man," Zexion complimented him, "you took two big hits for me. Thanks man, I owe you."

"Don't worry about it," Scream shook his head, "it's what I do."

"You kept my Zexy, safe?" Nova started, "Aww…that's so sweet. Here, let me help you, for once."

Nova stood over the injured Scream and folded her hands. A few moments later, another shooting star streaked over the city. But this Wish was from Nova to Scream. The pain in Scream's wounded shoulder began to fade and his burned skin returned to normal as the energy from the star healed him.

"There," Nova smiled, "feel better?" She kissed his forehead, and grinned wider at the dumbfounded expression it left on his face.

"Uhh…yeah…thanks," Scream stood up with the others, blushing so badly his face felt like it was still aflame.

"Then let's go home," Nova said. She tried to turn, but as she did so the world spun too fast and she lost her balance. Scream caught her at the last moment and she grinned goofily up at him, "see? This is why we need you."

Scream rolled his eyes as he helped her up, "come on. Before you make somebody else fight us over you." Nova giggled again, delighted that she was hot enough for people to fight over her.

On the way back, Nova leaned against Scream for support and he didn't feel so bad when she drunkenly murmured how soft he felt.

Closing comments: many special thanks to the wonderful readers and writers who contributed ideas for this story:

zzzp2 who provided the idea of a moody Smeargle who used Baton Pass

pocketmonsterz / EnglandRox who requested a Luxray named Zexion

and last, but certainly not least, to my anonymous reviewer whose overwhelming passion for Audino inspired me to write this story in the first place.

i sincerely hope that i did not disappoint. and, if i did, i apologize profusely, and there's always next time (provided i'm worthy of forgiveness).

and, of course, thanks for reading!