Author's Note: So. Bit of an interesting story behind this one. Back when I was working on chapter 16 of my main story, A Fear of Change, and ScytheRider was working on a particular chapter of his main story, PMD: Silver Resistance, we got to chatting and realized that both of us were writing about Ninetales, and that it tended to be difficult to do so—moreso in his case, since the Nineteles is a direct narrator in his side-story.

Talking about Ninetales eventually got us around to talking about Vulpix, and I said (rather more boldly than I intended) that writing Vulpix was easy. Perhaps I should have said easier than writing Ninetales. So he challenged me to write a story focusing around a Vulpix, and after a little more thought suggested I do it within the universe of Silver Resistance. I have done that, and more, by actually inserting this story into the timeline of his.

Lastly, this is a side story—it won't be terribly long when it's finished. Furthermore, I won't take explicit pains to explain what's going on. If you want all of the details, I suggest looking into ScytheRider's Silver Resistance.

As a disclaimer: Pokémon and all related official material do not belong to me; further, Ambera, Ray, Leo, and all other characters/places/ideas, as well as the quote that begins the story, are the property of ScytheRider. I lay claim only to specific points of the plot, and of characters not created by aforementioned author (Zonaphèras, Lionel, Anise, etc.).

Silver Resistance: Mystery of the Heart

By birthright, many Pokémon must suffer a difficult childhood. … there is the meek … Vulpix …, who must learn the reality of loneliness and disconnection. … feelings and instincts raging deep within its heart ... all at once. The Vulpix, born to be tame, does not understand what they are, or what they mean about the world, or which one to act upon. … it is alone absolutely, … unable to communicate what it means, or how it feels, unable to understand the slightest thing about the heart which burns inside it.

-Legend, Storyteller Ninetales, of Team Flamewheel, Emerald Division (formerly of the Gold) of the Amberan Resistance.

Chapter 1

"The Master's word is law!"

"Run, little Pokémon, run!"

"Now, you understand what it means to disobey the Master!"

With a whimper and a reflexive jerk, Zona woke up.

Around him, the other refugees… the other orphans…still continued to sleep, perhaps having nightmares of their own. Shaking, Zona took another look around, but there seemed to be no one else awake.

The Vulpix set his head back down on his forepaws, but it was a foregone conclusion that he would be unable to sleep now. He was lucky enough to have gotten to sleep the first time.

With the barest whoof! the flame above him flickered from blue to orange, and slowly began growing brighter. The heat did not reach him, even here, but he felt safer beneath the flame.

It wasn't as if anyone else wanted to be anywhere near fire, he reflected sadly. Indeed, even around him—the tamest of Fire-types—there was a large gap of empty floor before the next Pokémon. His reflections began to turn bitter as his eyes wandered from side to side; of course, even here, in the place where they were supposed to be safe, he was alone.

This moody musing continued uninterrupted for several minutes. The flame above him seemed to have reached its highest brightness, but everyone else still slept. They were all shocked into wakefulness, however, as a Jolteon marched into the room.

"Up! Up! We can't have you sleeping all day!"

Groggy, complaining and mumbling, the other young Pokémon slowly got to their feet. Zona had already stood, and though he kept his eyes down he could feel the Jolteon's gaze on him for a moment. He'd probably noticed.

The Jolteon waited patiently for the grumbling to die down, the face- and eye-rubbing to cease; then, in a gentler tone, he continued, "We can't have you all stay here. This is a Resistance Base, not an orphans' shelter."

Someone in the crowd muttered, "…Then why'd you bring us here in the first place?" Apparently, they underestimated the Jolteon's hearing.

"Because it was late, you had all been traveling for days, and things still needed to be worked out." The Electric Pokémon began to pad from side to side. "You all needed a safe place to recuperate. We gave you that. But there are too many of you here to just let you stay; you would be an unfair strain on our resources."

"Unfair?" asked the Shinx in front of Zona.

"If you worked, you could earn your meals. But if you were simply staying here, you would be getting those meals without earning them." The Jolteon shook his head. "As I said, we're a Resistance Base, not an orphans' shelter. We can't afford it."

"So… What are you going to do with us?" This was a Machop. "Just dump us back out into the world and leave us to the Master and his Watchers!"

This started a tumult; the elder among the crowd began to protest and jeer, and the younger ones, closer to Zona's own age, began to whimper and plead. The Vulpix himself, though he felt a deep pit of fear open up deep inside, kept his eyes trained on the Jolteon, wanting to know for sure before he made any assumptions.

"Quiet!" roared the Jolteon, sparks beginning to arc across his fur in irritation. The survivors all did as he asked, though the older ones' faces still carried a great deal of resentment.

"We will do what we can," he continued, closing his eyes as if to quell his irritation, "to get you homes in other places, far removed from the Master. We do not claim to be able to replace your families or the possessions that you lost; but we will do our absolute best to give you what we can."

"What if we wanna fight back?" asked the same Machop.

"How many of you feel that way?" countered the Jolteon quietly. The Machop, whose name was Eli, raised his fist, as did all of the other older Pokémon around him. None of the other Pokémon in the room seemed inclined to agree.

After a moment of silence, and just before the Jolteon was about to begin speaking again, a quiet voice issued from by the second flame upon the wall. "I do, t-too."

Everyone around Zona turned to look at him, but he did not look back; his eyes were kept focused on the Jolteon, who looked back at him, plainly surprised.

"Zona?" scoffed Eli. "What d'you think you're doing?"

"Yeah, Zonaferior!" laughed a Meditite near him. The Vulpix, ashamed now, looked down, trying to hide from the erupting laughter.

"Quiet!" snapped the Jolteon again. "You, Vulpix… Your name is Zona?"

He nodded halfheartedly.

"And what makes you want to fight?"

He didn't respond. The Jolteon waited politely for a moment, then said, "Well, whether you really do or not… Know what you're getting into.

"Our life isn't an easy one. It's hard. It's filled with risks. The rewards, especially to begin with, don't seem worth it." He was pacing again. "Training is harsh. The Mystery Dungeons are harsh. And once you get in, you cannot back out."

"I'm still doin' it!" declared the Machop. His friends all chorused the same. When the Jolteon looked at Zona, the Vulpix managed a nod.

"Fine." The Jolteon paused thoughtfully for a moment. "You will all be assigned temporary living quarters until arrangements have been made. There are Pokémon waiting outside that will show you to them. You may go."

The crowd began to shuffle out through the small door; there was congestion for a few moments, but then it cleared.

Zona had not moved; nor had the Jolteon. After a few minutes, they were the only ones in the room.

"Come here," said the Eeveelution finally. Zona obediently padded forward. "Why didn't you follow them? …You don't talk much, do you?" he added after a moment, when Zona failed to answer.

"…'M used to being l-last."

"You'll never get anywhere with an attitude like that," declared the Jolteon, sighing. "Come on, then, I'll take you to your room."

He was glad for the help, Zona reflected as they walked. This place was a veritable maze.

"Why do you want to fight?" asked the Jolteon again after several minutes. This time there was no one else to rush the conversation, and he seemed quite relaxed and willing to wait for Zona to answer.

"My parents," he answered as they headed up a flight of stairs.

"No disrespect, but I've never heard of Vulpix being terribly revenge-oriented."

"Both involved w-with the w-war, I l-l-learned...at the e-end..." mumbled Zona as they descended another flight. "…Father was on your s-s-side. Mother... M-M-Mother's on theirs." He shook his head. "Wasn't sure, at f-first, what I wanted to do, but…"

The image of his mother ruthlessly tearing out his father's throat came rushing back to the forefront of his mind.

"You brat! Don't—don't run! Zona! No, Zona, wait, I—!"

"Huh?" The Jolteon looked back to see the Vulpix standing in place, shaking. A pitying look on his face, he returned to the young Pokémon's side.

"…N-n-not my m-m-mother," he breathed, and tears began to form in his eyes.

"This is Zona. He's going to be staying with you for awhile."

The Treecko seemed taken aback. "Him? But… Voltali, he's a Fire-type…"

The Jolteon sighed, annoyed. "Yes, but… All the other rooms are full. Someone made a mistake clearing the rooms for the refugees from Leppa Town." He hesitated, sending a glance back at Zona, who waited in the doorway. "…He wants to join a team, anyway."

"Him?" the Treecko cried incredulously, but before she could continue the Raichu, previously lying, seemingly asleep, in the far corner of the room, placed a paw on her shoulder.

"Enough, okay, Taka?" He smiled at Zona—a warm, sincere smile. The Vulpix got the feeling that the Raichu was the kind of Pokémon who put his whole heart into whatever he did. "Besides, we're lacking a Fire-type, aren't we? You'll make a nice addition."

Taka continued to stare at him warily—and rightfully so, Zona had to admit to himself, though he also felt that that argument was beginning to get old.

"Right, well," said Voltali, after a moment. "Ray, since you seem exceptionally friendly this morning… Show him around, would you?"

"Got it," replied the Raichu. Zona stood to one side at the Jolteon passed him on the way out, but he soon lost track of him as he entered the stream of Pokémon headed every which way and disappeared around a corner. "Well, don't just stand there," Ray continued. "Come in."

Zona did so, hesitating a moment when Taka's gaze didn't leave him.

"Well!" continued Ray cheerily. "I guess you're not part of the Team yet, but I might as well introduce everyone. Er, everyone who's here," he added, after a glance around, "which seems to be only the two of us. I'm Ray, and this unfriendly lizard here is Taka, a Treecko. We've got a few other members—Leo, a Shinx, Evan, an Eevee, Tyson, a Larvitar, among others." He spread all four of his paws dramatically, and announced, "We're Team Stripes!"

His grin slipped a few notches when his antics failed to entice so much as a smirk out of Zona. Taka seemed to be suppressing a laugh.

"…Er. That Jolteon that just left was one of the former members. Voltali. I don't think he and Evan are related, but you never know." The Raichu seemed to regain his mental balance. "Besides, real family doesn't mean a whole lot. The Resistance Team is your family."

Zona cocked his head, mouth slightly agape, as though wondering something. As of yet, his eyes hadn't met Ray's.

"Something bothering you?"

"…Resistance… Team?" he asked quietly.

"What?" Ray seemed nonplussed. "Oh. Oh. Right. You don't know a whole lot, do you?" He crossed his forepaws, scrutinizing the Vulpix closely. "Come on, let's go get some food. I'll explain stuff over breakfast."

Zona had thought that his community had been large. He had assumed wrongly, it seemed, because he could tell that the whole population of Leppa Town could fit easily inside the Resistance Base's cafeteria, and still have a decent amount of room left over.

"So," Ray was saying as Zona picked at his food—Berries, mostly, though it seemed that the cooks had also added a small portion of meat, in case he decided to be carnivorous. "We're split up into teams to sort of divide the labor, you know? And everyone, when they join the Resistance, is sort of uprooted and they lose everything they used to have, so it's nice to have a small group to call your own, rather than just being one of a number. I'd try the Pecha," he added as Zona hesitated. The Vulpix nodded and took a bite from the Berry, a kind he'd never had before, and took a moment to both savor the taste and to think of something to say.

"…Team S-Stripes," he began, but Ray replied instantly, apparently thinking that was all the Vulpix had to say.

"That's what we're called. I think it originates from some human idiom—earning your stripes, or something. Though that doesn't sound fair to me," he mused, "since some Pokémon are born with stripes…"

"Are you the l-leader, then?" Zona finished.

"What? …Me? No," Ray declared hurriedly, waving his paws in a rejecting gesture. "No, haha, not me."

"But you're evolved…"

"Oh." Ray laughed. "Ha! Is that what you thought? Well, Pikachu are a lot like Vulpix. No matter how strong or how old they get, they don't evolve unless they get their paws on an evolutionary stone. I was lucky enough to get one, and I evolved, so that…"

Zona, who had been quietly devouring the chunk of meat (and what Pokémon had it come from, he wondered?), did not at first notice the Raichu's silence. After he did, however, a quick glance to the side and at the Raichu's suddenly serious face told Zona that it was a statement he did not need finished, at least not yet.

"…Anyway, for leaders, we've got two: Lionel, the Linoone, we all call him 'The Captain,' and Anise, the Ambipom. See, Stripes is a training team—Pokémon like you, and me to begin with, who've just joined or are really young go on teams like this for, well, training. We have combat exercises, go out on simple missions… Occasionally, if you've proven yourself to be capable enough, you'll be part of a small squad sent into a Mystery Dungeon."

"…How long have you b-been on the team?"

"Me?" Ray took a bite out of a Salac Berry. "A little while, I guess… I joined when I was a Pikachu, which was… How long ago?" he wondered aloud. "Um. Well, like I said, awhile. Long enough to go to another Team, I guess, but I've been waiting, 'cause the team I really want to be on is Team Remorse!"

He paused here, grinning; it seemed to Zona that he was waiting for some kind of response, but he was clueless. Presently, the Raichu's ear twitched and he looked over, seeing Zona's blank stare.

"…Oh. Yeah. Sorry, it's…been awhile since I met someone who didn't know what Team Remorse was." The fur on his cheeks seemed to bristle out: he was embarrassed. "They're only, like, the best team in the Division. It's the team to be on, let me tell you. They're all so strong, I bet the Master himself wouldn't be able to beat 'em if they met head on. They've got some of the rarest items, too, and some of the best strategists… They get the most important missions…"

"…So…it's the t-team everyone wants to be on?" Zona asked.

"Sure, but if I keep working toward it, I know I'll get there one day… You know, I heard that their leader and his friend went off awhile back. The rest of the team came back from a big mission, but neither Scythe nor Shander came back with them."

"He's back," grunted a voice from beside Zona. The Vulpix cried out, leaping off of the bench and to the floor, startled. On the seat next to where he'd been sat a Sneasel, meticulously slicing his Berries into smaller chunks.

"Zeven," said Ray with a laugh. "Sneaking up on people, like always."

"Part of my nature," Zeven replied. "Dark-type. We're sneaky by genetics. But yeah, I heard Scythe came back really late last night. Brought some Pokémon with him." He shrugged, then looked back at Zona, who was still catching his breath. "Sorry. Zeven, senior member of Team Stripes. You are?"

Zona swallowed and, placing his shaking forepaws on the bench, pulled himself back up to his place. Ashamed, again, of his own cowardice, he closed his eyes and continued to shake.

"Zona," Ray answered for him, as soon as it became clear that the Vulpix wasn't going to answer for himself. "I'd say you scared him into silence, Zeven, but he's a pretty quiet guy anyway." Zona nodded. "He's one of the survivors from that massacre of Leppa Town that was in the report Pidgeotto sent around a few days ago."

"…The one where the Master's soldiers killed all the adults, but left all the kids alive?" Zeven asked, oblivious to Zona's sudden stillness. "Honestly, it's enough to call the place Orphan Village... I feel for you, Zona."

The Vulpix began to shake again, but this time it was not for fear. Zeven, still focused on his own plate, did not notice.

"So how'd you end up finding Ray, of all Pokémon?"

"He wants to join Team Stripes, Zeven," explained Ray, who was looking at the Vulpix with a mix of concern and fear.

"I guess you've got reason enough," the Sneasel admitted. "Having your parents killed off like that, all of a sudden…"

"Zeven," muttered Ray warningly, but Zona had heard enough.

"Shut up," he said, and the air around him began to shimmer with heat.

"Eh?" This, it seemed, was enough to get Zeven's attention. The Sneasel leapt away, claws held forward, for a moment, in a combat stance. This bravado melted away to a look of fear as he looked into Zona's eyes, which had gone from mellow brown to a threatening off-crimson. "Wh—whoa… I-I'm sorry, I didn't…"

"Zona!" Ray barked. The Vulpix ignored him; he had turned toward the Sneasel, and taken a step, when he felt a sudden tug at his midsection. It was Ray. "Cut it out, this isn't the time for that…"

The boiling rage did not disappear; it simply dropped down to a simmer. Zona turned back to his emptied plate, took a deep breath, then sent another glower at Zeven.

"You talk…as if you understand how I feel." He shook his head. "You do not. You cannot." He was shaking again. "Just… don't….presume to understand me, Sneasel."

Zeven got back to his feet, as scared now of Zona as Zona had been of him. He did not take his seat until the Vulpix, plate in his mouth, had left the table, and Ray, with a worried glance at the Sneasel, with him.

Zona did not know the layout of the base; indeed, he doubted he ever would, as he had a terrible memory for directions. As such, when he left the cafeteria, he wandered. Ray stayed with him, not speaking, apparently either afraid of incurring the Vulpix's latent wrath or content to let him, figuratively, cool down. They passed several other Pokémon; some of them nodded to Ray, others proceeded to ignore them both.

Later on, he couldn't remember which way he'd gone. Up? Down? Perhaps, and probably, a combination of both. He was angry for a while, infuriated at the tactlessness that Zeven had displayed; this, eventually, cooled, and with it went the still-uncomfortable, unfamiliar heat that had built in his stomach.

Presently he stopped and sat where he was in the hallway. He stared forward for a minute, lost in thought, but when he heard Ray approaching him, he cocked his head and said in an even voice, "I shouldn't have d-done that."

He turned, regret obvious now in the way he carried himself. "…I should n-n-not have… lost control. It is n-not something a Vulpix does."

"Well. What I think," Ray replied after a moment to think, crossing his forepaws, "is that you're trying too hard to be mature."

"…Vulpix are mature."

"Now, I'm not an authority, of course, but I think you're stretching it just a little." Ray frowned. "I mean… How old are you?"

"…One and a half."

"One and a half," Ray affirmed. "Not even two yet. You just lost your parents, your village was destroyed, and you think that's not a reason to get mad when you're prodded?"

The fire in Zona's stomach began to burn again. "You… You yourself admitted you were no authority. Why are you attempting to counsel me in the ways of my species, when you have no expertise in the area?"

"Because I don't think it's right that you should dictate how you behave just based on your species!" Ray cried, looking exasperated for the first time. "No one gets anywhere if they're always, 'Oh, it's always been this way, I might as well comply.' Where would we be if Lucario hadn't decided to turn against the Master? He broke the mold, and here we are…"

Zona didn't seem moved. "And yet… the Master still stands."

"But not as firmly as he did all those years ago!"

Zona sighed, looking away. "…Forgive me. I am…only starting new conflicts." He swallowed. "…Perhaps it is better I say nothing at all."

Ray had not taken him to mean that literally, but after this the Vulpix did indeed say nothing at all for several minutes. Ray's usual boisterous manner seemed to have left him, and so he could only stand, ears down and tail curled in agitation, shuffling his weight awkwardly from paw to paw. Zona had an impassive look on his face—completely blank, as though he'd thrown out emotion.

"Look," Ray said finally. "I…didn't mean to make you angry. I know I did—I know you're trying to hide behind that mask of silence." At this, Zona turned to look at him. "But… Team Stripes probably isn't going to be like your family. We survive because we trust each other, and we trust each other because we're not afraid to show who we are."

The silence that followed was not as forced; Zona's face had gone from blank to thoughtful again, and Ray, having said what he wanted to say, now sat against the wall of the hallway and waited for the reclusive Vulpix to respond. Once, he opened his mouth, but shut it quickly as an Ursaring stomped past, humming cheerfully to himself.

Finally, "…I don't…understand."

Ray couldn't think of anything to say to that, utterly bewildered by the Vulpix's confusion. To cover this, he stood back up and walked slowly past Zona, who, not wanting to get lost, stood himself and began to follow.

"How much do you know about fighting?"

"…Fighting?"

"You're going to have to know, to survive in Mystery Dungeons."

"…Wild Pokémon… yes…"

Realizing something at last, Ray turned his head to look at the Vulpix as they continued to walk. "I think that's the second time I've mentioned Mystery Dungeons to you, and both times you've responded like you know what I'm talking about."

"I do." A pause. "There is…was…one…n-near my community. Some of the other children would…throw me in, s-sometimes. The Machop and Tyrogue, especially… They didn't like m-me." He paused awkwardly every few words, as though expecting to be silenced; this contrasted with his forceful, purposeful speech a few minutes prior, when he'd been angry. Even the stutter seemed to fluctuate with his mood.

"Throw you?"

This was met with the kind of silence that brooked no argument. Ray knew he'd overstepped boundaries, not having earned the Vulpix's trust enough to ask him to continue. Hastily, he strove to backpedal the conversation to a point that Zona would be willing to speak.

"Um. So you know how to fight?"

"…I c-c-can Tackle."

"…Right," said Ray, after a pause. "That's what I thought."

They descended another flight of stairs, passing a Hitmonchan who moved with the flowing grace of one who had just completed meditation. He nodded to Ray, who smiled back. His eyes lingered for an instant longer on Zona, but then the Vulpix too was greeted with a respectful nod, which Zona returned hesitantly. At the bottom of the staircase, Ray paused, but gestured at Zona to move forward. Slowly, he did so, finding himself in a semi-dark cave (darker than the rest of the Base that he'd seen), somewhat wide, but completely devoid of Pokémon. There were worn benches on either side, which seemed old, if relatively well-kept, with the exception of the closest bench to his right, which looked as though it had been broken, then repaired, several times.

At the end of the hall was a doorway obscured by a worn, tattered red cloth, which seemed to be blowing in some non-existent wind.

"Our dojo," explained Ray. "Run by an…interesting Pokémon."

"…We are going to t-train?"

"You are," said Ray, "because I have an idea about getting you onto our team faster. But you have to know how to do more than Tackle. Every Pokémon knows that."

There was unrestrained fear in the Vulpix's eyes as he turned back to look at the Raichu. "…Me? But not…n-not you?"

"We have a mission tomorrow. Blackriver City. I need to help prepare."

"But…"

"I'll come and pick you up later. Besides… Even if you don't get around to actually training, Domo's a bit of a philosopher and counselor, too. If you need to talk, he's the Pokémon to talk to."

The sincere smile was back on his face. Despite his misgivings, Zona found himself unable to say no.

"…Why…so fast, though?" he asked at last.

"You'll see," said Ray with a mischievous wink, gesturing for Zona to go forward, into the dojo. "Go on. Have fun. Open up, if you can."

He turned and began walking back up the staircase. The sincerity and honesty lingered with Zona, though; enough that he felt he could trust Ray's word. After steeling himself, he walked the length of the empty hallway and through the gently swaying cloth.

On the other side of the arch he froze, mouth half-open, hardly daring to believe his eyes.

The Pokémon, which had been floating with its back turned to him, spun to face him, a look of surprise on its face. Then it smiled, and laughed a laugh that shone in its crystal blue eyes, doing a backflip, and zooming toward him.

In an instant, Zona found himself muzzle-to-muzzle with a Mew.

What could have reasonably passed for a staring contest ensued. An excited smile played across the Mew's mouth, while Zona's remained open; neither blinked for a minute, and then Zona said, "N-no."

The Mew cocked its head.

"You are n-not… a Mew. Some illusion perhaps… Or an exceptionally s-skilled Ditto…" He shook his head. "But if the Resistance had a r-real M-Mew… this war would already be over. I wouldn't…n-need to be here."

The Mew floated back, eyes still glittering happily. "Good!" it chirped. "It's good to see that there are still those who believe in logic, above what imperfect eyes may see." It shot up, did a backflip, and shot straight down at the center of the ornately-designed floor. Well before impact, however, it blurred out of shape, becoming a blob of pink goo, which splattered somewhat ungraciously on the floor. It lay motionless for a second, and then began to pull back into itself, reforming into a Ditto.

"Good indeed," it said, its voice issuing from somewhere within the formless blob, before it began to shapeshift again. Zona found himself staring at a perfect replica of himself, down to the annoying cowlick on one of his curls that he could never get to behave. "Now," said the Ditto in Zona's own voice, "I don't believe we have met. I am Domo, master of this dojo, a Ditto, as you observed." His voice sounded wrong coming from this doppelganger, too confident; as well, Domo was apparently not afflicted by Zona's stutter.

Haltingly, more unnerved by the fact that he was talking to himself than anything else, Zona told the Ditto who he was and why he was there.

"A survivor," repeated Domo quietly. "Yes… I have heard about those events. And you say it is that you wish to fight?" He smiled. The action looked foreign on Zona's face; it wasn't that he'd never smiled before, but that he felt at the moment that he would never smile again. "Then, my friend, you have come to the right place. Training is what I offer, against one hundred and forty four species which I am capable of becoming, against all types, capable of learning what you can learn and passing it to you." Here he bowed, stretching one paw out in front of him and taking the other off of the ground, lowering his muzzle to the floor. Reflexively—this was a gesture known among Vulpix and Ninetales—Zona returned it; the action was jerky, however, because he was caught of guard when the other Vulpix had done it first—in doing so, had declared himself to be less than Zona.

"…You do know… what bowing first m-means?" he asked, standing again.

"I do. But it is a greeting among Vulpix, and since you seemed that you were not going to do it I initiated." Domo paused. "Should you become my student, do not think that makes you above me."

"…Certainly n-not, sir. I…I was simply curious."

"Then. Will you train?"

It was Ray's idea, he remembered. Something about him needing to train…

"…Yes."

The Ditto shapeshifted again, this time to a Hitmonlee, which lowered itself to the ground and adopted a meditative stance. "Very well. You have shown yourself to be a student of the mind, as is common among Vulpix. Your…parents, have they taught you of meditation?"

"…Yes, sir." They were starting already? Zona tried to take it in stride.

"What know you of your Ember?"

"…Sir?"

"The fire that is the heart of your being! It is the force, the spark of life, in all Fire-types. Yours is contained within—a secret, fitting for a race that says little and knows much. But doubtless you have felt it already—when you are angry, perhaps, or when you are tired of being bullied…"

"…I…kn-know of it." Zona's gaze wandered to the side, though he wasn't looking at the walls—his mind was far away, recalling earlier when he had been angry at Zeven. "…My stomach begins to boil… If I feel strongly enough, the air around me b-begins to shimmer…"

"Indeed? That speaks of great power for one so young. Do you know how to control it?"

Zona shook his head.

"Ah!" Hitmonlee have no mouth, but it was clear from Domo's eyes that he was smiling. "Then we have a place to begin! …That is, if you are ready?"

Zona nodded.

"Good! You are one that understands the power of meditation, though it is not a power that comes naturally to your species. It is, I think, an easier method of learning to call one's Ember." He became a Charmander, and seemed about to continue when he noticed Zona's look of surprise.

"You… can become a Charmander? I thought that n-none… That is, m-my parents said that there were n-none… in-n Ambera."

"They are rare," acknowledged the Charmander-Domo. "But they are certainly not extinct. Have you heard of Team Remorse? Their leader, Scythe, returned late last night, and brought with him a Bulbasaur and a Charmander. Ursa was taking them on a tour… I think you just missed them, to be honest."

Zona hung his head, bemoaning his ill timing. It would have been an honor to meet a creature as rare as a Charmander…

"No fear, young one, they are to join the Resistance as well. I think it is that you will see them soon enough. Now, back to training! Lie down, close your eyes, and try to feel your Ember…"

Three Hours Later – Gold Division Cafeteria

"Here you are!" The Bellossom, with the unswayable joy of its species, offered up a plate, which Zona took into his mouth. "Eat up, eat up! There's plenty to go around!"

Plenty to go around, eh? Zona recalled the Jolteon's words from early that morning—that the orphans would be an "unfair strain…" Perhaps that was true, of course, and the Bellossom were simply being generous, or perhaps they simply couldn't stand the idea of untrained children running about the Base, accomplishing nothing…

"Hey, hey! Vulpix!" He had been looking for a place to sit, but everything near him was crowded, it seemed. There were fewer people here than there had been at breakfast—presumably, the others were out on all-day missions—but it would be a long walk to the first empty section, and Zona was already tired. Hearing this voice, thus, caught his attention. It had issued from his left; careful not to spill what was on his plate, he looked and saw a Shinx bouncing in place, looking at him. "Hey! You can sit here! Come on!"

Despite himself, Zona stood and stared. He had thought Ray enthusiastic, but the Raichu had nothing on this Pokémon. Not wanting to disappoint him (and, honestly, feeling this was better than walking all that way), he walked over to where the Shinx was sitting and set his plate down.

"Hey! Ray told me about you," continued the Shinx instantly. "You're Zona, aren't you? I'm Leo. I'm on Team Stripes, too! I was the newest member, until you came along. Well, maybe I still am, since you haven't joined yet. But Ray's been talking with Captain Lionel, and so maybe pretty soon you'll be the newest member!"

"…A-already?" Somehow the thought of being put straight on a team terrified him. "I… I m-m-mean, isn't there s-some kind of t-test or something?"

"Well, there's the Creed," Leo acknowledged. "I'm still having a little trouble with it too. But Gate's been nice about it so far. He's only offered stanzas that I know. But that's something you do after you join, I think. At least, I didn't have to do it before I joined. I think it's kinda boring, though. I know a bunch of better songs. Want to hear one?"

There was a pause, which seemed, so far, to be a rare occurrence when Leo spoke. Zona's brain caught up with the Shinx's rapid, tangent-following speech and realized he was waiting for a response.

"U-um… N-not right n-now, thanks…"

Leo continued to talk as they ate, informing Zona of everything he'd done since he'd joined the Resistance—all the friends he'd made, the fun he'd been having. Not once, Zona noted, did he discuss what had happened before he joined, nor did he presume to ask Zona anything about his experiences before arriving at the Base. Though it was obvious even to Zona that the Shinx was older than he, he couldn't help but look at Leo as an excited child who didn't quite realize the gravity of what he had chosen to do. Leave it to the youngest, he thought—the one with the most curiosity—to be the first not to inquire anything about me.

"…and Ray's been really good so far, 'cause he's trained me when Domo was busy. He's really strong! Like, like, I can throw static around, but I've seen him actually call Thunder from the sky!"

"That sounds…p-painful…"

"It would be, I guess, if you aren't an Electr—Ekel—Elet… Um." He took it slowly, sounding it out syllable by syllable, "E-lec-tric-type like me and Ray. It's an interesting feeling, to have elec—etel—to have that stuff flow through you, it tingles. What does it feel like when you use your fire?"

If this question had been asked four hours earlier, Zona would not have had an answer. However, Domo had worked patiently with him, starting with meditation, leading to the calming of the spirit, the ability to feel his Ember pulsing within him. He had had Zona experiment with emotions—the fear, the anger, the excitement—that he would feel in a Mystery Dungeon, which would be easier to use than peace, which he would most certainly not be feeling. He had managed, at last, to produce a flame—a basic manipulation of his fire, appropriately a move called Ember.

He noted the Shinx's use of "your fire," compared to his neutral description of electricity. Did their power not come from within like his? He filed it away as a question to ask Domo.

"It…it f-feels like…" He paused. "I'm s-sorry, I'm n-n-not very good with w-words… U-um… warm," he finished, rather more lamely than he'd hoped.

"Like, hot-warm? Or just nice-warm? 'Cause it really would be painful to hurt yourself when you attack! I know, 'cause when I first started learning how to use my Spark, I hurt myself all the time…"

Despite—or, perhaps, he reflected later, due to—their clashing personalities, Zona couldn't help but feel himself bonding a little with Leo. It wasn't the same as Ray, whom he had bonded to initially out of necessity; with Leo, somehow, he felt a kind of camaraderie, something they shared. Ray would still be his first friend, but Leo, in time, would grow to become his best.