The Forgotten Heroes

Chapter 1

The Lost Pokémon

Vendetta searched the area. She was certain that Rin had been here- hadn't she? Ever since the Banette had been separated from her trainer on Mount Silver, she'd wandered Kanto aimlessly in hopes of finding her. She now found herself in Pewter City. She'd been here once before with Rin to defeat the Leader, Brock.

"Oh, Rin… Where are you?" She said to herself forlornly.

The red ears poked up from the trash. A small spark went between them, and an ivory head revealed itself. Katy the Plusle yawned, pulling herself up out of the dumpster in the Pewter city alley. She picked up the half eaten slice of pizza, gulping it down with her nose pinched tightly. "Ugh… Time for another night of fun in Pewter city…"

"What a thrill!" The Eevee shouted. After the strange world of the PC box, Choco the Eevee was happy to have this time outside. She turned around.

"Ah, that's about enough of freedom. HEY!" She yelled, calling for her trainer. No one replied.

"Hey, I'm ready to come ba-ack!" She shouted. Silence was her only answer. Her ears lowered.

"H-hello? A-anyone?" She whispered. "I'm ready to come back!" After waiting for an answer that didn't come, she skulked away, frowning. "What have I done…?"

Lily panted, running as fast as she could. Her small Zorua legs didn't get her very far, but they had to do. "Mima…" She sobbed.

Rai smiled. The full moon shone down upon him, as if keeping its full attention directed towards the Cubone.

"That's right, moon. Watch me, 'cause I'm about to do something really awesome!" He walked into the city, looking straight ahead.

"Now where am I going to find abandoned Pokémon?" He mused.

Footsteps approached rapidly to his right, and he turned to the sound. There was a small black Pokémon with red markings running towards him. Its eyes seemed to be closed, and it sounded as if it were crying.

"Ah!" Rai yelled, jumping up to avoid the Pokémon. He didn't get out of the way in time, and found himself rolling in the air after the Pokémon ran into his feet. He stood back up, turning to the Pokémon.

"Hey, are you alright? Where are you running to?" He shouted.

The Pokémon rose to its feet, and shook itself. It tried to start running again, but Rai caught it by the small tail.

"Hey! What's going on?" Rai said.

"I have to get away! My trainer, he… he… He killed my mima, and he wants to do the same to me! I have to get away from here!" The small Pokémon sobbed.

"What's your name?" Rai asked, trying to keep the Pokémon calm.

The Pokémon looked at him strangely, "My name? It's Lily, but… What are you?"

Rai laughed, "I could ask you the same thing, Lily. I'm Rai, a Cubone. I'm native to this region. Where are you from?"

Lily looked around, "Could we talk elsewhere? I think that if Lokesh- that's my trainer- knew where I was, he'd have found me by now, but I still feel on edge out in the open."

Rai smiled, "That's fine. We can go wherever you would feel comfortable talking to me."

Lily looked around, nodding towards an alley. She walked towards it, and then smiled back at Rai. She turned the corner swiftly, giggling.

Rai looked into the alley, "Lily? What are you doing?" Rai looked side to side, but saw no one there.

Something tapped his shoulder, and he turned around. There was another Cubone there that looked exactly like him, going so far as to hold its bone the same way.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Who are you?" It asked in return, mimicking his exact voice.

"What in the…?"

"What in the…?" It imitated.

"Whoever you are, stop mocking me right now!" Rai said.

"Whoever you are, stop mocking me right now!" It copied his tone perfectly.

He pointed his bone at the copy, which imitated the motion in turn.

"This isn't funny!" Rai growled.

"Oh, but it is!" The doppelganger giggled. It wasn't using Rai's voice any longer, but instead spoke with a tone resembling…

"Lily?" Rai whispered.

The Cubone nodded, and its face was suddenly replaced by Lily's.

"That's my Illusion! I can make you think that I'm any other Pokémon, when I'm really still just me! It's fun to trick people with it." Lily grinned ear to ear.

"You went from scared to happy really fast." Rai commented.

"Oh, I'm still scared. I just like to cover that part of me up. You don't often see an upset Zorua, you know?" Lily replied.

Rai smiled, "So that's what you are? A Zorua?"

Lily nodded.

"Hey, I'm searching for abandoned Pokémon. Want to come with me? We'll be safer together."

Lily smiled, "Sure! For a weird dude wearing a skull for a hat, you're alright, Rai the Cubone."

Rai laughed, "And for a bizarre chick who changes her shape, you aren't half bad either."

"Confirmed, rare Pokémon in sights. Pokémon identified as a Zorua, a native species of the Unova region." The black clad figure spoke into a communication unit on her shoulder. "Permission to capture?"

"Permission granted, Grunt." A low voice replied.

"Sir, the Pokémon is in the company of a Cubone." The Grunt stated.

"Dispose of it, we don't need it."

"Understood, sir. Rocket Grunt out." The Grunt affirmed.