Whim looked grimly around her hometown, it was run down and there were fewer and fewer healthy people every day. Things needed to change, a month ago she would have been able to do something, a month ago the town Luxio had been her partner, a month ago the Sableye attacked, and a month ago the town's hope had died.

Things need to change and they need to change soon. Whim thought as she walked from the well to her home. She walked into her house and set the bucket of water down on the table. She sighed as she looked around the dark shack, it was dreary and depressing, everything was it had been for years. Even her own grandmother, who was the oldest person in the village, had never seen sunlight.

"Whim? Did you bring the water?" Her mother called out from her bedroom.

"Yes," Whim replied as she sat down in front of the fire and went through her backpack.

"What are you packing for?" Her mother asked.

"I'm going over the ridge to check on the Cliff Village, we haven't gotten any news from them recently." Whim answered as she finished packing.

"True but do you need to go now? It's almost time for bed." Her mother inquired. Whim looked at her as she stood up.

"It's always dark how can you tell when it's time for bed?" She asked as she left the house. The answer came so softly that she wasn't even sure she was supposed to hear the reply.

"I can't."

When Whim finally passed through the last of the treacherous ridge she saw why there had been no news. Cliff Village was in ruins. Whim ran recklessly down the hill and paused at the edge of the village. She glanced up as a Skarmory flew over her head, then walked into the village, searching for anyone still alive. Whim stopped at an archway and looked into what had been the town's food storage.

"No," Whim whispered as she looked away. There were so few people in the village that it wasn't hard to see that they had all perished here, defending the last of their food. "Sableye, so they came here too." Whim murmured as she moved away from the storage and the smell. She walked away and stopped at the town's center, a single torch still burned, even after a month it still gave off a warm glow. Whim picked it up and took it back to the storage, and set it afire.

"Rest in peace." Whim said as she tossed in the torch. She watched to make sure it burned then turned and left. As she passed through the ridge again she heard a commotion and climbed over a boulder to see what was going on. Whim's brown eyes widened when she saw the problem. A Treeko was fighting against two Fearow and he was losing.

Whim pulled a Blast Seed out of her pack and hurled it at the nearest Fearow. It collided with the Fearow's chest and exploded, knocking the Fearow over. The other Fearow glanced over and the Treeko took that opportunity to use its Pound attack. At the last moment the Fearow saw the attack coming and dodged it. The Fearow flew up into the air and came back down toward the Treeko.

"Look out! It's going to use Drill Peck!" Whim shouted. The Treeko tried to dodge and failed. The attack knocked the Treeko out cold, the Fearow flew up again, and turned its attention on Whim. The other Fearow finally regained its footing and charged her. Whim plunged her hand into her backpack, pulled out a Foe-Fear Orb, and slammed it down on the ground. The orb burst open and its power struck both Fearow. They shrieked in terror and fled. Whim dashed to the Treeko's side and picked him up.

"Hang in there Treeko! I'll get you patched up." Whim said as she dashed back toward her village.

Treeko slowly opened his eyes and saw an anxious human girl hovering over him.

"Wha?" He exclaimed as he sat up.

"Relax I'm a friend." She told him as she held up her hands placating.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Treeko demanded.

"You're in my house in Pewter Village." She answered. "My name is Whim." Treeko studied her quietly and narrowed his eyes.

"You-you're the one who tried to help me with the Fearow." Treeko said slowly.

"Tried? I did help you with the Fearow. Who do you think got rid of them after you got knocked out?" Whim asked as she put her hands on her hips.

"Why did you help me?" Treeko asked. "Most would have walked right on by."

"I'm not most." Whim replied.

"You didn't answer my first question." Treeko pointed out.

"I helped you because it was the right thing to do." Whim answered.

"There's an opinion that few have these days." Treeko said. Whim just shrugged.

"I do not like the idea of standing by idly while someone is in need of help." Whim told him. Treeko studied her quietly before jumping down from the bed. After looking around he started to look agitated. "What's wrong?"

"My bag! Where is it?" Treeko asked as he began to jump about the room.

"I didn't see a bag. I only saw you." Whim said as she stood up.

"No!" Treeko shouted in frustration. "I need that bag!"

"All right! Calm down! We'll go get it." Whim said.

"Good-wait what? 'We'?" Treeko repeated as he turned to her.

"Yes we, you're not in the best of shape just yet. I used my last Sitrus Berry to make an elixir for you while you slept. But you're still not fully healed, and I have no Oran Berries." Whim said.

"I didn't ask for your help." Treeko said.

"I didn't ask for your permission. Like it or not I'm going with you. There are a lot of Flying-type Pokemon around here. You're going to need my help." Whim replied.

"I'm not sure I trust you." Treeko said.

"I see little benefit in saving you from Fearow only to betray you to them." Whim said.

"You have a very naive way of thinking." Treeko said.

"I thinks it's quite logical, considering you didn't look all to good when I first saw you and considering that I never saw your bag." Whim replied. "And I wouldn't have wasted my last berry on someone I was going to betray."

"How do I know you're not lying about the bag." Treeko asked. "It could have fallen somewhere you couldn't reach and are just helping me so you can get to my bag."

"Which is still a waste of my last berry since I don't even know what is in your bag." Whim replied.

"Humph." Treeko grunted as he realized that she had a point.

"Satisfied?" Whim asked.

"All right, I'll trust you." Treeko said.

"Good, let's go then." Whim said as she picked up her backpack.

"Wait don' you need to get ready?" Treeko asked.

"This is everything I have for a trip to a mystery dungeon." Whim answered.

"Huh, I have one more question." Treeko said.

"Yes?" Whim looked at him expectantly.

"How is it that you can understand me so easily?" Treeko asked.

"I was wondering when you were going to ask me that question." Whim grinned.

"I had a few other more important questions to ask first." Treeko said grumpily. Whim laughed and gestured for him to follow her. "Hey! Answer my question!" Treeko called out as he ran out after her.

"Some other time, I have a few secrets and that happens to be one of them." Whim replied. Treeko paused in the doorway leading out of the house. Whim looked at him over her shoulder.

"There isn't much point in going on together if you don't trust me." Treeko said.

"I do trust you, but that doesn't immediately entitle you to all my secrets." Whim said as she continued down the path.

"Good point." Treeko said as he ran after her.