Five years.

Five years to the day he'd lost his old life. Five years to the day he'd lost any identity he had, and become Shadow Experiment Number Four.

Five years to the day his family had been killed.

That had been far away, in a barren land called Orre. He was born the youngest of a litter of four. His mother was a graceful Vaporeon who cared for them all, his father a Flareon who had been captured by a trainer while driving off a pack of Poochyena and Mightyena.

They had grown up together, him and his siblings. They had been very young when that day came (about two seasons, he guessed). The men and women dressed in white had come and taken him and his family.

It was in the laboratory that he had truly lost his life. A human man with a strand of amazingly long and pointy strand sticking out of his head had barked out orders, threatened underlings, and generally led the whole, rather painful process.

The next thing he remembered, he was locked up in some kind of pen while a strangely out-of-place pink blob in the gleaming machinery he later learned was a Chansey tended the wounds he couldn't remember acquiring.

The man with the strange hair dropped by, and explained coldly and briefly that he was the fourth successful experiment in creating a new line of the ultimate Pokémon, which was currently a rather experimental procedure. He had picked up on the "fourth" part – he had three siblings, and there was his mother.

Later he would realize that meant they had died. But he couldn't understand why he didn't feel anything. He knew he should have.

It was as if…he just couldn't feel any more.

From then on, it was like a thick wall blocked off his emotions, distancing everything behind cold lenses. From behind his wall he watched as his body fought and moved and helped the humans who had killed his family.

Then he had come, less than a year ago. The inane boy with the spiky hair and strange thing on his arm, barely old enough to be out of the house, he figured. The rather impressive-looking Umbreon (the same species he was by now) by his side spoke differently. Not that he couldn't have defeated him, but he knew how to read an opponent.

The Umbreon explained that they were here to bring him with them, and "heal his heart" or something corny like that.

He considered it for a minute, then unleashed a Shadow Rush, black energy swirling towards the two with equal indifference, only the Umbreon's speed at a Faint Attack absorbing all the shock for his trainer.

He told them flatly that he would not go with them, as he saw no reason to go with a dunce who couldn't figure out he was tripping over his clothes and an idiot who insisted on protecting another person when there was risk to himself.

The boy and the Umbreon had exchanged quick, confused glances, and he was out of there by the time they were done, putting his Quick Attack to good use. After getting out of the lab (rather easily – apparently, the boy and the Umbreon had taken out quite a bit of the security on their way in), it was a simple matter to travel to Gateon Port, sneak on a ferry, and now here he was in the gigantic city of Goldenrod (it really wasn't hard to read human). With even more humans.

Why the hell was he here, anyway?

It was the middle of winter now, the exact same day his family had been captured five years ago (he knew. Internal clock). It was cold in this city, all full of powdered white stuff that was as frozen as him.

Interesting.

Of course, his musing was promptly interrupted by a little red fox with six tails. "Hiya, mister!" she said brightly. "I'm Eva, and I'm a Vulpix! What's your name?"

There were many things he could have said to avoid that (why did she have a bell around her neck, why was she out in the cold, why did she care) but there was only one he picked. "I don't have one."

She gaped at him in astonishment, mouth hanging open. "You mean you don't? Everyone has a name! I mean, even the really weird Rattata down the street have names! I mean, they're Ratty and Tat and Rara, but they're names."

"Well. I. Don't. Have. One," he said slowly, as if to a dull child (which she was, come to think of it). "Un-der-stand?"

"No," she huffed. "Everyone has a name!"

"Right. Sure. Whatever. I'm not everyone."

"Of course you are!" she squealed indignantly. Amber eyes lit up. "I know! I'll give you a name!"

"Whatever floats your boat, kid."

"…Um…er…um…uh…I don't know!" she gave up. "What do people call you anyway?"

"Umbreon."

"But…that doesn't count!"

"Fine. Shadow Experiment Number Four."

The little fox was silent, thinking. Suddenly, she giggled. "I know! You're Senshi!"

"…Senshi."

"Yeah, Senshi! From the Shadow-Experiment-Number thingie, that's the 'sen' part. And the 'shi' is 'four' in this language, I forget 'zactly." The fox nodded, pleased with her own cleverness. "See?"

"No. Now go home and let me sleep."

"You mean you sleep here?"

"Where else?"

"But…but it's so boring! Come on, don't you decorate or something?"

"…Decorate for what?"

"Christmas, silly! It's Christmas Eve!" Then the possibility occurred to her, and her eyes widened, an almost comical sight. "You mean you didn't know?"

"I don't know what this Christmas is, but I'm fairly sure I hate it."

"Why?"

"Because all of my family died five years ago, on Christmas," he said bluntly.

"Oh…I'm sorry…"

He didn't answer.

"But I don't think they would've wanted you to be sad, right? Come on, it's Christmas! You should be having fun right now." She perked up. "Come on, I'll show you around town and we can have fun! Christmas is the best time of year, you know. All the smells and sounds and all the fun…" she continued jabbering on, and for the first time, he felt something.

Something through the wall that had been erected five years ago. It felt…strangely painful. And yet, warm at the same time.

He recognized it as sadness…longing for a time long past…

They did not suit him.

Nevertheless, he followed the little fox silently. Something about her was just…interesting. Not that he would admit it – he told himself that he simply had nothing better to do.

It was really, really loud in here.

What was "here?" "Here" was an underground tunnel that the Vulpix had led him to cheerfully. The minute he stepped over the last of the stairs, he had been assaulted by a flash of red and green, which turned out to be the walls.

He could see what the fox had meant by "decorating." Whoever had decorated this path had done a very…thorough job. He wouldn't go as far as to say it was good. Strands of some green, pointy-leafed plant with bright red berries were strung high along the walls, colored lights intertwining with the vines. Glowing balls of blue fire rested in lanterns placed on marble columns, fire he recognized as Will-o-Wisp. The producer of the fire was obvious – an elegant Ninetales sat in the center of the hall, on a pavilion ringed by more Will-o-Wisps, looking for all the world like a statue. Behind it was a giant pine tree, coarse needles bedecked with glowing lights and tinsel and round, glass ornaments, a golden star perched on top of it, points spread as if to embrace the invisible sky. From somewhere, music played, a human voice crooned a song he didn't recognize.

"Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Let your heart be light.
From now on our troubles
Will be out of sight.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay.
From now on our troubles
Will be miles away.

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.

Through the years
We all will be together
If the Fates allow.
Hang a shining star
On the highest bough,
And have yourself
A merry little Christmas now."

The song ended on a ridiculously high pitch, and there was a minute of silence before another human began talking about something he had no interest in. Eva decided to speak up then. "It's a pretty song, isn't it?"

He gave a noncommittal grunt. "Friend of yours?" he asked, referring to the Ninetales.

"Nah, but I've seen her around. Come on. This is nice and all, but it gets better," Eva's smile grew wider and she pranced ahead, skirting the few last-minute shoppers and the bums who had nowhere to go on Christmas Eve. He sweatdropped, then followed with less ease, given his larger size, as she bounded across the tunnel.

There were way too many people here.

Senshi stared in disbelief at all the frickin' people clambering up and down the snow-covered park. He usually avoided it in general, given that the giant grassy area was too full of humans and Bug Pokémon for his taste. Now, it was just plain full, with humans, all kinds of Pokémon, snow, and wooden things he couldn't identify.

Eva was gone in a flash, ducking through and around people and Pokémon alike, and quickly turning around them to check he was following every two seconds. In the back of his mind, he noted that the Vulpix would probably make a good battler, what with her agility and all, but her naïveté would get in the way. Pity.

Eventually, she led him over to a group of happily chatting Pokémon. "Hi!" she said cheerfully. "This is Senshi, and he doesn't know what Christmas is, so I'm trying to show him. Can I borrow your sled?"

So that was what the wooden thing was. Their leader, who he recognized as a Raichu, whistled. "Kid, if it wasn't you, I'd swear you were lying. Go 'head. Come on, I'll help you get to the best hill." She grinned mischievously, electricity charging slightly in her fur, and grabbed the strap tied to the wooden thing and shoved her way through the crowd, a touch of electricity startling enough people to make them jump aside and give her room. Eva followed the Raichu cheerfully, and he sweatdropped before padding after them.

"So, you're Senshi, right?" the Raichu said, elbowing an indignant Furret out of the way. "I'm Tori. How'd you meet Eva?"

"She showed up in my den," he grumbled, deciding not to comment that his name was not Senshi.

"Ah," Tori nodded. "She does that a lot." She continued making a path in silence as Eva happily resumed her wandering in and out and around people and Pokémon in general. Finally, they got to the top of a hill, and Eva miraculously reappeared. "So…do I have to explain how to sled?" Tori asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope," Eva said brightly. "Just give us a push and that's all we need!"

"Right," Tori snickered, and promptly shoved Senshi onto the sled. Agilely, he flipped in the air and landed on his feet squarely on the sled, given his reflexes had been quite honed in his years of battling. He glanced back to see their reactions.

Tori seemed quite unimpressed, but Eva was the opposite. She sighed wistfully. "I wanna do that…"

Tori grinned. "I have a better idea. Eva, hurry and get on the sled already."

Eva brightened and bounded over to the sled, jumping on it enthusiastically enough to almost send it teetering down the hill. It was then Senshi realized what was happening, but before he could get away, Tori rammed into it with a Quick Attack, sending it shooting down the (unfortunately for him) steep hill. The Raichu's laughter and Eva's shrieks of joy rang in his ears the whole way down the hill.

Senshi was quite certain he had lost a good chunk of his hearing from the sled (he'd lost quite a bit of feeling too, from landing face-first in a pile of snow bigger than he was). He struggled out of the snow in time to see that Eva had also landed in a pile of snow a bit farther off, and it promptly melted into a puddle. She looked quite pleased with herself, and he saw the remnants of an Ember fading from her mouth.

Annoying Fire types.

Eva had grinned as she made her way over (which was a comical sight, considering she had to struggle through snow piled higher than she was), and was repeatedly keeping busy shaking snow out of her fur. By the time she made it there, Tori was there as well. "Wasn't that fun?" the Raichu asked wickedly.

Senshi glared at them both wordlessly.

"Now let's go do it again!" Eva said cheerfully.

"Let's," Tori agreed.

"Oh. Hell. No," Senshi growled at them both, backing up as his rings began to glow an intense gold.

"Sheesh, calm down," Tori rolled her eyes.

"I know! If Senshi doesn't like sledding, we should go do something else!" Eva said cheerfully.

"Good luck," Tori smirked.

He hadn't known Goldenrod was this big.

Eva had dragged him all across town and every which way he could think of. She'd dragged him into the lobby of what he recognized as Goldenrod's Radio Tower to listen to more Christmas songs, and the Vulpix joined in frequently. Upon realizing he was acting no different, she pulled him off to Goldenrod's main square, a large snow-covered plaza decked even more lavishly than the underground tunnel had been. She dragged him through the crowds to the very center, where a giant pine tree stood. A foreign, yellow Pokémon that resembled bells more than anything hung from the branches, crooning soft, ethereal notes as glowing electric lights flashed different colors. The think pine needles were draped with scarlet and gold tinsel, and multiple glass orbs of every different color of the rainbow twinkled cheerfully in between. Many people seemed to have come just to admire the tree.

Eva, however, had no such restrictions. She cheerfully walked under the lowest branches, her small stature allowing her to slip through easily. Senshi had slightly more of a problem, kicking the branches out of the way when he got too annoyed at them, and eventually he made it to the center.

Apparently the tree was quite real, a monolithic thing that towered in the center of Goldenrod, thriving (with the help of quite a bit of Pokémon, he suspected) and looking down at the rest of the world with all the majestic splendor a tree of its age had. Neither Eva nor Senshi had much trouble seeing through the dark, as they both had night vision, in addition to the faint lights that sparkled through the thick needles. Eva flopped down next to the trunk, smiling. "This is Goldenrod's Christmas tree," she explained. "It's the oldest tree for miles around, until you get to Ilex. I always come here on Christmas Eve. Used to be my family came too."

"Why don't they anymore?"

Her eyes flickered, the perpetual joy in them fading like sputtering candles. "Well, my mommy never really wanted kits, so she was never around, and we didn't know who our daddy was. It was just me and my big brother, and he was nice. He gave me this bell last year, but then he got caught and I haven't found him again yet."

"Oh…"

"It's no big deal," she dismissed it with a flick of her ear. "Besides, it's Christmas. I'm sure he wouldn't want me to be sad. He never wanted anyone to be sad, so you shouldn't be either."

"…"

Eva smiled, but this one was different from all the other one's she'd flashed during the night. It was a sad smile, but at the same time…encouraging. "Every year on Christmas Eve, they ring the bells in the Radio Tower. It's my favorite part."

The midnight bells rang.

Christmas was finally here.

Or maybe it always was – hidden in the secrets of our hearts.

A/N: Sigh. So corny. Oh weeeeeell. I just felt the need to write a corny Christmas fic, you know?