A world without humans...

A world full of Pokemon who can live in peace without fear of capture, enslavement, or murder...

What a pleasant world that must be, to never be in any danger...

I'm so sorry, child. This is for your own good.

Quiet. Proud of your power...

Interesting.

His shoulder shook violently and what he remembered seeing shattered, leaving him with a cold and empty feeling. Groggily he sat up, rubbing bleariness out of his eyes as a canopy of trees and a dappled sapphire sky greeted him for a new day of adventures. The sweet smell of early morning dew and fresh green grass was pleasant enough to drag him back into a doze, though it lasted for hardly a few minutes before someone shook his shoulder again. A wet, slobbery tongue met his face and he jerked away, opening one of his eyes in a squint against the sun. Arcanine's chin rested against the forest ground and his back end was raised, tail whipping around in eagerness to play.

The person who had shook him away was already up and walking away toward a small tree stump where three bowls were set out by a girl with pretty olive skin. She rolled her eyes at the boy, who took a handful of cereal from one bowl and stuffed it in his face. Law let out a breath that he felt as if he had been holding onto forever. His mind felt clear, but his chest was still heavy. He pressed a hand to his head and rubbed an eye. All he remembered about the dream he had just witnessed was something dark. He remembered briefly solid red eyes and darkness all around him, but trying to remember now was giving him a headache. The sleeping bag he was in was rapidly getting too hot to sleep in with the rising sun and so he hauled himself out.

Both of his friends greeted him warmly when he sat down heavily by the tree stump on a log they had dragged over the night before. He propped up his elbow, rested his cheek against his closed fist, and shut his eyes. The boy with blond hair nailed him in the shoulder. Law was jostled so hard he shrieked and slid off the log, slamming his head into the stump.

"What was that for?" Law pressed his hand into a rising lump on his forehead. "Ethan. What the heck?"

"Aw jeez, I'm sorry, Law. Here." The blond boy held out a hand and hauled Law to his feet, even going so far as to make sure he was sitting on the log before moving around the stump to sit beside the girl. "Here's some cereal, we're kind of running out. Who knew being an adult was so hard? Having to buy your own food, not having parents who'll just put money into your account."

He sighed, but Law and the girl, Penelope, smirked at each other.

"My father's rich," Law said, holding out his hands in a sort of show-offish shrug. "Now that he's working on papers again and not trying to kidnap Legendaries for his own enjoyment, he's starting to make a lot of money again. Surprisingly. And since I'm Unova's champion..."

Ethan heaved another sigh and slumped over. "Man, I couldn't even get past the first person! Your Samurott must have been blessed by a Sylveon or something for getting past Iris! Say, why didn't you stay anyway? I forgot to ask that when you came with me back here!"

Law shrugged. He fumbled with a lock of green hair, shoving it behind his ear for the time being. "I didn't want to stay. It works the same way in most other regions you know; I can step out for however long I want and have anyone else step in, but if someone beats my replacement, which in this case is Iris, they only get a place in the Hall of Fame and can challenge me when I get back without having to go through the Elite Four again. I can be gone for years if I want to; not many people actually get to the champion! I'm surprised you didn't know that." He raised an eyebrow, reaching for the tub of milk Penelope kept with her Frosslass.

"I've never been a champion before, how would I know?" Ethan rolled his eyes. "Whatever, it's cool you're coming along! Me and Penelope would have been so lonely without your foreboding and mysterious presence."

"Oh come on," Law snorted, "I just barely got past Iris, and besides, that was me when I was like...ten. We don't talk about me when I was ten. Ever." He shoved a spoonful of cereal in his mouth. "You know, I think my father would just about murder me right now. Almost twenty years old and I still eat as if I'm five years old."

"He can stuff it, you're not him," Penelope said with a roll of her eyes. "You were raised completely alone, not all fancy as he was. You're not the same."

"I also didn't try and capture Lugia, but that's beside the point. Come on, let's finish up here and start heading off. We've got to get to Goldenrod City before noon. I heard there's going to be a real big contest there." Law began to clean up the mess and stood by his Samurott as it grabbed the bowls and washed them clean with scalding hot water. Ethan and Penelope ran off to find where their Pokemon had wandered to and with the free time he had, Law sat on the stump and called his Arcanine over.

With a hum, he dragged a brush through the dense, warm fur. Arcanine sat as tall and pretty as he could, but flopped to the side much like a cat, begging his chin to be scratched. "You're a funny one, you know that?" Law asked, cupping the Pokemon's cheeks with his hands. "You, Zoroark, and Lucario. All of you can be funny. But now it's time to go, ready to sleep?"

He pulled out his Poke Balls and withdrew five different Pokemon. Afterward, he pulled off his pajama shirt and replaced it with a white tank top and deep violet hoodie, then set about breaking down camp. When Ethan and Penelope came back, he was finished, and they grabbed their packs to set off through the forest. The Shrine they had already passed after getting lost, and the previous night they had found the path leading through the forest, so it was simply a matter of time before they were exiting the shady and cool tunnels of leaves and branches for an adventure in Goldenrod City.

This world is real, my child. It is not simply a dream to scapegoat a plot of whatever you mortals are too lazy to explain. It is a real and functioning, fascinating, world. All the pain you will feel is genuine.

I am sorry, but this is not my will. Sleep now and rest, I believe you will have a long few days ahead of you.

Good luck. Make me proud, child.

"Hey! Hey, who are you? Why're ya here in this forest? You know it's not safe to be here! Hey, are you listening to me?"

The ambiance of quiet buzzing and chirping was like a pleasant dream. He buried his face into the grass below him and curled up as far as he could go, trying to gather as much warmth as he could with the chilled breeze that wound its way through the trees. His heart froze and all of his nerves jumped when he remembered that he was supposed to be sleeping peacefully in the Pokemon Center, not in a forest, unless perhaps that was just a dream? After all, he had been having odd dreams recently after becoming champion of Unova.

Something slammed into him and when he opened his mouth to speak, he immediately knew something was wrong. His eyes snapped open and he jumped to his feet, stumbling around awkwardly with the new, top heavy balance on his body. His hands slammed into the ground and he flopped to his side, his lips pulled back in a snarl. He was not human; it was impossible, especially with that Ledyba buzzing around and chatting at one hundred miles an hour. His Lucario, one of the smartest Pokemon he knew, could hardly talk with such fluency.

Law opened his mouth to speak, but his tongue touched fangs so sharp he could tear through flesh. "H-help me, where am I? P-please say the n-name, I need it."

"Oh come on. You're in a forest that you don't know the name of? You're in Wishing Well Forest! And see that in the distance? That's The Wishmaker's Home. Say, do ya forget where you are? Where are you from?"

"It doesn't matter now. Did you see any other strange Pokemon around? Are my friends here? Tell me, what am I?"

The Ledyba raised an eyebrow and zoomed in closer so their noses were practically touching. Law was so short to the ground that the trees looked to be a mile in the air and the Ledyba was bigger than him. "Why, I'll say yer a Zorua! We don't usually see someone like you around these parts, you know. Often times y'all are up in the north in the caves!"

Law pulled himself back onto his hind legs and stumbled over to a nearby puddle. Staring back at him was a familiar face, but only so because he once owned a Zorua, if he was remembering correctly. Instead of beautiful sapphire eyes, however, they were deep violet, and sprouting from his ears were curlicues that framed his face. Not being one to be visibly shocked, however, he looked absolutely unimpressed. He turned to look up at the Ledyba, who now stared at him as if he was from another universe.

"Yer actin' strange, buddy. Want me to take you to a doctor or something?" The Ledyba landed on the ground and stared into the puddle along with Law, who had looked back in fear. "Looks as if you saw a Ghost. Come on, let's get out of here. Usually it's teeming with Luxrays."

"Then why are you here? What purpose do you have to be in a forest you don't want to be at in the first place?" Law's ears perked up- a foreign feeling that would take time to get used to- and he plopped his back end down to sit up nice and pretty, like he would see his Zoroark doing when it was a Zorua. "It doesn't make sense, you see? Why be somewhere you don't want to be?"

The Ledyba heaved a sigh and his arms drooped in defeat. "I was lookin' for something, you see. Alaraph is said to awaken within the year, and the legend states that anyone who can bring her the best sacrifice will be granted one wish for every day she is awake. Imagine all of those wishes and what you could do with them!"

"Alaraph? Who is she?"

"No one knows. She has many children we often see wandering around here, but they're so quiet and reserved and don't look...real. Now that I think about it, I can't even remember what they look like. Aw heck what am I talking about, come on. We need to get back into the city! Wishing Well Forest is not a safe place to be during the day."

Law stumbled onto his back feet, ignoring the Ledyba's remark of 'I've never seen a Zorua fumble around on two legs like you do!' He burst through a cluster of bushes; his back paw got caught and he tumbled forward, landing flat on his face. Being a Pokemon was so strange to him, nothing felt the same, if he was remembering correctly. He could not wiggle his fingers and toes like he used to, and his ears moved in all sorts of strange directions without him meaning to move them. When the Ledyba appeared to him, his ears perked up, and he shoved his tail aside to roll over and jump back onto his feet.

He brushed dust out of his fur and set a hard look on the Bug Pokemon. "We don't speak of this," he said, turning to trudge through soggy, muddy puddles in his way of getting to the city. He could see the tops of the skyscrapers and a pretty crystal suspended in midair in the middle of the city. When he squinted, he noticed that it was actually a small crystal surrounded by many more smaller crystals, but to be sure, he had to get there. It was the closest place of civilization. "Hey, you never said where we were. What do you call this planet? And while we're at it, what is your name? I am Lawrence, but you can call me Law."

"My name is Occine," said the Ladyba as he zipped beside Law on his way through the puddles. "I'm not quite sure if this place has a name, to be honest. Everyone just calls it 'The Wishmaker's Home'. Were you not listening earlier?"

He ignored Occin's last remark. "That's stupid, why wouldn't there be an actual name for it? Are you telling me no one actually knows the name?"

Occine buzzed quietly. "Well uh, yeah, you got it. No one knows it. If I did know it, I'd tell you. Come on, the entrance to the city is over here! The Wishmaker is said to live in that crystal up there, see? Follow me! You might move faster if you didn't avoid puddles and ran properly, by the way."

Law rolled his eyes. He slowed down at the big reveal of the entrance to the city, which was a large enough gate to be almost as tall as the trees. It was carved with gold and teal designs, depicting scenes of something Law had never seen before. He stood in front of it with a look of awe on his furry face. He knew a lot of things what with being the son of a famous collector and all, and had studied many myths and legends regarding such Pokemon as the Legendaries, but something like this, so beautiful, out in the open...these Pokemon were brave.

He looked up, seeing skyscrapers over the top of the gate. He could just see the top of a vibrant pink crystal. The trees swayed in a breeze, dappling the entire city with a pleasant, warm glow. "Occine, would Alaraph happen to be...a Jirachi?" Law asked. The Ledyba's antennae twitched. "Jirachi Wishmaker. I've heard of her a few times. She's the star one, right?"

"No one knows," Occine admitted. "This city is very old. Would Jirachi be the star one like on the gates?"

For a moment he was silent, and then shook his head. "I don't know," he said. He dropped to his hunches, a paw held against his lips in thought. This star Pokemon could be Legendary, but Law only knew the verses of the Johto and Kanto legends. "Is there anywhere around here I could gather information? Is there a library?"

Occine shook his head, and Law's lips pulled back in a snarl. "I'm sorry, Lawrence. The libraries 're closed on Sundays! Tell you what, though. I'll take you to the Sylveon Scouts; they're part of a chain of rescue guilds that go into the dungeons and help gather supplies, save or escort Pokemon, all sorts of things!" His wings beat a hundred miles an hour and he took off into the air. Law frowned now, running beneath him to try and keep up, but as they got farther into the city where it was more densely packed, Law started to lose him.

Sylveon Scouts? What was this, a child's fantasy? Law leaned up against the cold brick wall of a building and sidled his way down the street until he came to a clearing where he could walk without fear of being slammed into by other Pokemon. He looked left and right, his ears flopping around uncomfortably, and decided to take a left, shoving past a group of Pancham who were sitting around and gambling on a cup of dice. Above him he heard a loud chattering like the static of a TV and sure enough, there was a cluster of Rotom greeting each other by touching their long tendrils of electricity together.

The Ledyba was nowhere to be found. Law held his head back and exhaled deeply through his nose, his eyes closed in irritation. When he thought he was lost for good, Occine shot out from an alley and slammed into him. They went barreling into the Pancham, ruining their game of dice, and together they scrambled to their feet and ran before any could sick their bamboo staffs on them. After running for nearly a quarter mile, Law turned around, grabbed the Ledyba by one set of its arms, and began to shake it.

"Don't just ditch me!" Law cried. "You're supposed to help me out here! I don't know where I am. I don't know how I got here. I need to find somewhere with information, and a lot of it. Take me to the Sylveon Scouts right now."

Occine swallowed and nodded. With Law still grabbing his arms, he took off into the air. While zipping around, Law swung up to sit on Occine's back. They were up high, but still dwarfed by the size of the skyscrapers. Machokes worked together to put frames on new levels, Pidgeots delivered supplies, and young Tailow fluttered by with mail satchels around their chests. Law's eyes narrowed and his nose scrunched up. Information was what he needed.

"Say," Occine shouted above the wind. "Where do you come from?"

Law crossed his arms. "I come from-" He paused. "I...I don't know where I come from. I know my name is Lawrence IV, and my father is Lawrence III, but..."

The Ledyba jerked to the side, almost throwing Law off. "I know a guy named that!"

Had he had no fur, Law's entire face would have paled. He crouched forward and looked down to stare Occine in the eye. "What do you mean you know a guy like that? I don't come from here, that's impossible."

"No it's not," Occine said. "Nothing's impossible. He lives up on a hill around here with a few Magnemite who help him with his strange creations. He just got out of solitary confinement, so stay away. He'll probably be mad." He angled himself down now and started pointing toward a building in the distance that was vastly different from any other building in the city. It was up on stilts and connected to other buildings through a series of bridges and lifts. This entire section of the city seemed to be run on less technology than where they had just come, for there were torches, orchards, a small market place, and countless tents set up with Pokemon hanging out around them. The biggest building was in the shape of a Sylveon's head. On the ears were multiple windows signaling multiple floors of rooms.

Sitting in front of that building was a Pokemon whose species Law knew well. Its bows were waving in the breeze and ears perked up. Most unsettling was the blank blue-eyed stare it gave Law and Occine when they came down onto one of the bridges. It waited until they were close enough to hear it before greeting them with a bow of its head. "It's a pleasure to meet you," it said, and with its voice alone it was impossible for Law to pinpoint a gender. "I, Sacha, welcome you to the Sylveon Scouts! Is there anything you need? We are at our busiest preparing for Alaraph's return, so please take haste and state your business."

Law frowned and jumped off Occine's back. "I was going to go to the library, but it was brought to my attention that it was closed on Sundays. Does this place have a name?"

The Sylveon smiled. "The Wishmaker's Home is what it is known as, which should be common knowledge for anyone who was born, or who has been living, in this land for more than a day."

"But I wasn't born here, and I just got here."

Still he got that chilling smile. "You are definitely not from this place," they said. Its ribbons began to snake their way toward Law and wrapped all around him. In this new tiny body of his, it was impossible for him to shake himself free. He squirmed and tried to bite the ribbons and even Occine could not get them off. "Tell me, stranger. Where are you from? You know I will have to restrain and hold you if you came to this land without the legal documents, correct?"

Law swallowed. "I...am from here. My name is Lawrence IV."

Sacha's eyes narrowed ever so slightly and their smile faltered. They placed Law back on the ground and removed the ribbons, but kept them pointed directly at Law. "I was...unaware he had a child. Pray tell, what brings you to the Sylveon Scouts? You are such an odd child for not knowing what this place is while your own father lives here." Its smile got bigger all of a sudden.

"I uh- please I just need some information on Alaraph." Occine gave Law a side-eyed glance. "She's said to grant wishes, right? I think...Jirachi Wishmaker?"

"There is not a single Pokemon alive today who was here to witness Alaraph's last awakening, nor are there records depicting what she could possibly be. This is one of the biggest events the modern world has ever seen, and we are at our wits end trying to gather enough teams to protect the city from looters and criminals." Sacha stood up, padding around Law with a critical look on its face. "Why must you know, child? What purpose does it serve you to know what Alaraph is?"

He frowned. If he still had fingers, his fists would be clenched, so instead he gritted his teeth and began to snarl. "I...just wanted to know, is all. Maybe instead I can find a history of this place? To get to know it better. History is my favorite subject."

"We are currently exploring Pellucid Cavern, the supposed birthplace of Alaraph, for more information on what to expect upon her arrival." Sacha looked at the claws on their right front paw and wiped them on their chest fur. "Perhaps you would like to come with us? We're always eager for more rescuer teams, and maybe this would satiate your hunger for knowledge."

Law glanced around the strange area. The stones he sat upon were on stilts, as he had noticed earlier, but most other buildings and tents seemed to be on plain plateaus. All the bridges swayed lightly in the breeze. Pokemon of all sorts scurried to and fro, from the small marketplace to the building Law was standing in front of, to the buildings in the air and to the small tents of other areas. "No, sorry. I don't know what a rescuer team is anyway. I'd much rather wait until the library opened tomorrow. Sorry for taking your time."

Before he could turn to look around and find a way down, Occine grabbed him and looked back at Sacha. "Maybe we could join it together?" he asked.

"No. I need time alone right now, Occine. Please take me back to the forest, I'll deal with the Luxray myself if I have to. I want to sleep and think and I'm starving."

Occine clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "I'll take you to get food. I have plenty of money to share! I'll get ya some real nice puddin'! I know the perfect place, it's run by a Shuckle and a Vanilluxe. My treat, yeah?"

Law wrenched his hand away and sighed. Without a word he started walking down one of the bridges. His fur puffed out as dark clouds from above began to cover the entire length of the visible sky. Occine looked at him and the sky and frantically followed behind, trying to get his attention.

"It's prolly going to snow, Lawrence. Why don't we get out of here and find shelter? My house is actually nearby, ya don't have to sit in the woods with a bunch of bullies."

"Are...you sure? I have a boyfriend and girlfriend I need to get back to. I need to end this dream. I think it's a dream. It certainly feels like one, since I was meant to be a human."

"First of all, who has a boyfriend AND a girlfriend? And second, what's a human?"

Resisting the urge to smack the Ledyba upside the head, Law sat back on his hunches and crossed his arms. "My relationships do not involve you. We can be together if we want, there's nothing wrong against it. A human is...like a Machoke, but with less muscle and brown, pink, or creamy colored skin? And hair on our heads like a Jynx." He sighed. "I don't know how else to explain it, humans are a weird bunch. Let's get somewhere, then. And please call me Law. I prefer Law more than Lawrence or Lawrence IV. Thanks."

"Alright, sorry 'bout that." Occine held out one of his six hands and Law grabbed it, hauling himself onto the Pokemon's back. They shot out of the guild district. When Law looked back, he saw Sacha's ribbons waving. A smile crossed across their face and their deep maroon eyes were wide and blank.

Already it was snowing by the time they managed to find a nice place to eat. The Ledyba had ordered pudding for himself made by a friendly Shuckle cook, but Law had ordered soup and sat at the table now, unsure how to go about eating it. He had not had any water or food since...since he was /human/. He had no idea how he was suppose to eat like this; Occine had apposable thumbs and could hold a spoon. Law's nubby little toes and claws could hardly hold anything. With a frown, he placed his paws on either side of his bowl of steaming soup and leaned down, lapping at it gently. It tasted so good, but tongues were hard to use, and he could not help but think back to how his father would react to see him eating like this. Like a dog, is what he would say, and Law chuckled lightly at the notion.

Occine turned his head to the side in a curious way, as if prompting Law to explain, but the fox did not. They ate in almost complete silence, taking longer to finish than they should have because Occine did not like finishing first and Law was fumbling around with this new tongue. Pokemon came in and out repeatedly, almost blowing out the fire in the corner of the little cafe.

Law's fur fluffed up. "Does it always snow this hard around these parts?" he asked.

"Yeah. That's why the Sylveon Scouts are always out; searching for firewood and coal and everything. They don't like to chop down the trees of the Wishing Well Forest unless it's absolutely needed." Occine pushed over a plate of cookies and Law took one in his paws. "The winter's started surprisingly early this year, though. It's just now November!"

Lights above flickered in a cold chill from the door. Law tried to smooth down his fur, but it simply would not go down. "Perhaps that means it'll be an early spring. I dislike winter. Actually, I dislike the cold." Law shoved his bowl away and a server from nearby came and picked it up. "So tomorrow morning the library will open, correct?"

Occine nodded. "I'm not sure what you'll be able to find, though. So many people have tried to find what Alaraph is, but to no avail. Yer going to end up in a dead end."

"So? I can try, can I not? Besides, I already know what she is. She is a Jirachi. I just...I want a history of this place, I think. There's something here, in my mind, that wants me to learn something, but I can't figure out what. This place is...strange. It feels real, but it can't be real." Law slumped back. "I don't know what's going on. Occine, I don't come from here. You trust me, right?"

"It's kinda Farfetch'd to believe, ya know. But sure, if that's what ya say, I'll believe you. Besides, something has to have happened to you if you can't even figure out how to use your illusions and if you can't remember where yer from."

Law shook his head and pressed one of his paws to his lips in thought. His new friend frowned, his brows upturning. "Pal, just so you know, I don't think this is a dream. Yer actually here, this is a real place, and if I have to punch you in the face to prove it to you, I will."

"Okay then. Don't punch me. If what you're saying about having little information is true, maybe I could go and join the Sylveon Scouts. Something about Sacha...worries me. "

Occine grinned, his wings buzzing. "We could join together!" he said. "Sacha wouldn't mind, I don't think. You seem really...out there, Law, are you okay? I can't figure you out."

A world of Pokemon without humans...

My beautiful child. You were not meant to exist.

Law shook his head, ears flopping in either direction. The puff atop his head was slicked up and he stretched, ready for a new day of adventure. But when he opened his eyes, there was nothing. The ground he stood upon did not exist. No stars twinkled in the sky, no dirt stained his paws, no wind blew. He glanced around, his heightened senses dulled.

He felt a presence nearby, something that rolled and twisted. He could feel it coiling through the air, and when he thought it had disappeared, two ruby red eyes shone, casting beams so beautiful Law could not look away. From its fangs dripped a golden ichor that sizzled as it fell into nothing.

Not meant to exist...

Not meant to exist. Law felt tears prick at his eyes and he shook his head, backing up, but the distance between him and this beautiful, red and black snake never changed. It stared at him, never moving, suspended in space.

"Allow me to explain, my child, and bring peace to your soul. I never should have created you, but what's done is done." It reared up like an Arbok, flaring out its wings. "My dear Forsit, you tried to escape me, tried to split your soul in two so I could not find you. But now your soul must be cleansed before the Alpha awakens."

Law swallowed. "I don't understand what you mean," he said, but his voice was tiny.

It snapped its head down to look at him again. Law could see confusion in its eyes. "You should. You are a threat to the Legendaries and their children, a dreaded force. In one world, you have slain our birds. In another, you awaken Groudon and flatten half of the world." It swooped down to be as close to eye level as it could get to the little Zorua. "In yet another, you are a valiant Zoroark who challenges the word of the Divine Creator, our Alpha, and succeeds with chains of my siblings' blood. He wants you dead, my sweet child, but it is only I and my brother who stand up for you."

Suddenly it let out the most pain filled, guttural roar that Law had ever heard. He tried to swallow, but it would not go down, and all he could do to block it out even the tiniest bit was fall to the ground and plug his ears.

"You escaped me. I should punish you!" Its screams echoed through the endless expanse. "But you are my child. I can't let the Alpha do that. I can't. I can't." It shook its head and thrashed about, slamming into walls that should not have existed. The world flashed, different colors appearing to Law's vision, some he had never seen before. As beautiful as it was, it was painful. The darkness receded into a world where nothing made sense. Up was down, down was up; waterfalls rolled through the air as streams of water. Houses floated upside down, bubbles were made of glass and shattered upon Law's paw touching it.

Through another portal came a being of pearly white and pink who took the snake by the tail and threw it to the ground. They argued with each other, roars filling the air, and the second being nailed the first in the face place so hard it fell to the ground, its head landing dangerously close to Law.

It looked at him and smiled. "I must take you from your world," it said, ruby tears dripping from its eyes. "I can replace your soul in that world with another, and your friends will never know the difference. The only way to protect you from my father is to cleanse your soul, put you in the world you should have been fated to go. It's only a matter of time."

"Sister, you have no time left. Stop this foolishness and do it already."

The snake screeched at the other dragon. "You are supposed to help me! You are supposed to protect him."

"And I will, if you so wish it. Stop throwing fits. I can hold of Dialga for as long as I can, but she serves Him and Him only. His Judgment is festering."

She looked at Law and forced herself up. He watched with terror, his entire body shaking, his tail flat against the ground, as she raised her head over him. "Look for /her/," she said, nudging him with a strange gentleness. "Look for the one who grants wishes. I only pray you will know what to do." A red tear fell onto his head and what felt like a thousand needles pricking his body spread through him in waves.

A screech rang through the air so loud the door slammed open. His breathing was so heaving he became dizzy, he could not tell what was up or down. He felt a pair of hands hold his arms down and another person- probably a Pokemon- holding down his chest and yet another person holding his legs down. After a few moments of fighting with them, he caught his breath, and began to relax. Fluorescent lights came into view. Law covered his sweaty face with a hand and hardly had the energy to move when one of his Pokemon grabbed his free hand and held it to his face. A feeling of warmth and content spread through his body.

He took a few cleansing breaths and slowly began to sit up. Ethan and Penelope were not in the room, but his Zoroark was standing by Law's items and Lucario had his hand against his face. "What happened?" Law asked, looking at the IV in his arm. "Where are we?"

"Pokemon Center," Lucario rumbled. He placed Law's hand gently on the bed and turned to look at a women Law had not noticed before.

She took his vitals and began to switch out his IV, smiling at him the whole time. It reminded Law of...of something. A wide smile and blank eyes, but Nurse Joy's eyes were full of such life and care that Law shook that vision away. "Your friends brought you here a few nights ago," she said gently while she wiped the sweat off his forehead with a washcloth. "The hospital was too far away to get you to, and there was no time to bother because we were almost sure you had died. You're okay now, take a deep breath."

Law's mouth suddenly became dry. His arms ached and he clenched his fists, reveling in the feeling of nimble fingers and smooth skin. Dead? How could that be? He was alive and well. In the back of his mind were vivid pictures of an all too friendly Ledyba and beautiful, snowy city. When his Lucario called to him, what he remembered simply disappeared. "Yeah?" he asked weakly. "What do you need?"

"You feel sick," Lucario rumbled.

"Yes, I do." He covered his face with his hand again and let out a pathetic whimper. "Are we still in Goldenrod City?"

Lucario nodded.

"Where are Ethan and Penelope?"

The Pokemon pointed out the door, and immediately the two came rushing into the room. They greeted Law, but their voices were loud and hurt his ears, even though Penelope's soft accent was usually pleasant to hear. He waved weakly to them.

Cold night air drifted into the room, billowing out the curtains. Law managed to get into a sitting position and gladly took a bowl of soup Nurse Joy brought in for him. Ethan and Penelope chattered on about how great the contests had been, as it had been a tournament, but Law could hardly pay attention. He stared at his fingers, his nubby nails, and pale skin. A feeling of dread made his stomach churn and his face must have visibly turned green for his friends and Pokemon started pestering him on whether he felt alright or not. He shook them off with another wave of his hand and croaked, 'I'm fine, don't worry.' This, however, was a lie. What was it that bothered him so much? Was it the ruby red eyes he so faintly remembered? Was it the snow drifts that he had been in, whereas Johto was in a moment of spring? Law swallowed another spoonful of soup and sighed.

"I missed the contest. I was so excited about that."

Ethan frowned. "No, no you almost died. Don't worry about them, there'll be tournaments like this all year around Johto!" He reached out in an effort to comfort Law, but something held him back. His eyes were red, with dark rings around his eyelids, and his shoulders drooped like Law had never seen. "Some coordinator named Dawn won with her Typhlosion, if that'll bring you any peace."

He remained silent. Penelope sat on the bed next to him and rested her head on his shoulder, rubbing his back.

"Guys...what...would you do if you were ever a Pokemon?" Law asked with a shaky breath.

Penelope raised an eyebrow. She brushed black hair out of her face and tried to fix up Law's hair. "What? That doesn't make sense, Law. Why do you ask?"

"I...I think I dreamt I was a Pokemon." He shook his head, aware of how ridiculous he was sounding. "I'm sure it was just a dream, but it was...strange. I can't explain it. I remember...a being with red eyes, and a beautiful pink dragon."

She rubbed his shoulder and stood up, taking his half empty bowl of cold soup from him. "Why don't you lay down some more?" she asked.

"Has my father been told?"

"We decided it would be best not to tell him," Ethan said, "but we're worried about you. We might take you back to Viridian City to see if anything the doctors there can do to help you. We don't want this to happen again. Though I must warn you, Penelope's father wants to visit and will be at Viridian next week, so we have to go back there anyway. Get some rest, we'll be here waiting for you."

Nurse Joy came in, this time with another woman in a long white coat. She took a look at Law and began to mess with his IV. In mere moments he was out, fast asleep, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he did not have any strange dreams.

Shinzu: Boy have I had this idea for forever! Finally got it typed oh man, I love this. Reviews are welcome! Say your worst or your nicest or whatever.