No sooner did I leave my house than I felt an odd, but familiar chill in the air. I looked up just in time to see a blue, ghostly shape charging me, screeching wildly. For a split-second, my senses pricked up and I prepared to counter. Luckily, I had enough of my wits to realize that fighting was unnecessary. I recognized my opponent. Instead of fighting, I just grinned and threw up a Reflect barrier. The surprised Pokémon tried to veer aside, but bounced off of my barrier anyway. Now that she was momentarily dazed, I could see that my suspicions were indeed right.

"Nice try, Misdreavus," I said to the stunned ghost.

"Yeow! Ralts, that hurt!" She protested, shaking her head.

I just chuckled. Misdreavus and I had quite a history of pulling pranks together. This wasn't the first time she'd tried to scare me with a screaming charge. Once, she tried to scare me and instead scared Skitty so bad that he wet himself. He still won't talk to her alone anymore.

Misdreavus sighed. "Well, since that was a bust...what's happening? I heard Doduo crying so I came to see what's wrong."

"Pidgey's missing," I replied, "Doduo says she can't find him anywhere. Skitty went to get Samurott for help."

"Pfft," Misdreavus tossed her head, grinning. "Like that overgrown walrus would know any better than the rest of us." Her face dropped slightly as she looked down at me. "Still, that's weird. Pidgey of all people wouldn't just run off..."

"Do you have any ideas where he might've gone?"

"Well..." She tilted her head, seeming to think for a while, "You know about the situation in the Lostleaf Woods, right?"

"What situation?"

She gave me a stern look. "Come on Ralts, you know. Or wait..." She flew around me, examining me from all angles and making me dizzy. "Don't tell me you've got amnesia again!"

I shook my head. She had every reason to be concerned though. I don't remember anything earlier than eight weeks ago. That day, Misdreavus, Skitty, and Pidgey found me unconscious in the middle of town. They took me to Samurott, who nursed me back to health. At least, that's what Misdreavus tells me. I have no idea, myself.

The first memory I have is of waking up on a cushion and asking where I was, only to immediately get an Aqua Tail from a very startled Samurott right to the face. (I didn't know he spooked so easily, a trait that Misdreavus and I often exploited later...) Nobody had seen me before, and nobody seemed to know me, which didn't help my case at all. After a week of searching for clues with no success, I eventually settled in at the edge of town in hopes that one day I'd remember something. Life has been pretty nondescript since then, with the exception of one major problem...

I still had no memories. I didn't even know if I had a trainer or not.

"Don't be silly, Misdreavus," I tried to brush the older Pokémon off, "I'm just not sure what you're talking about. What happened in the forest?"

"It's weird. People have been saying the strangest things. Things like the forest paths are changing."

I scratched my head. "Changing? That makes no sense."

Misdreavus' expression grew even more concerned, "Then this'll make even less sense: nobody's come back out in the past week!"

I stared in puzzled surprise. "Nobody?" She nodded. "That's a problem. If people are getting lost in there...wait a second!" I suddenly realized what she was getting at. "Do you think...?"

Misdreavus nodded once slowly. "You know, the forest didn't used to be like this. I mean, sure there's the occasional cranky Pokémon or two, but nothing we can't calm down. Come to think of it, the forest changed right after you showed up, Ralts."

I grinned mischievously and shrugged, "Who do I look like, Shaymin? I'm not even a grass-type you know..."

That made her laugh. "I know, I know. It's just a strange coincidence."

"There you two are!" I heard Skitty's voice come from some ways away.

I looked further down the path and saw Skitty, Doduo, and Samurott walking my way from the plaza. Skitty was bounding ahead, with Samurott behind him. Doduo was trailing behind Samurott, kicking at the dirt listlessly.

"I heard everything from Skitty," Samurott looked among us sternly, "Are you sure you know nothing?" I nodded, but the still suspicious Pokémon narrowed his eyes. "This isn't another of you and Misdreavus' crazy pranks is it?"

I balked at the suggestion. "Why in Arceus' name would we do something as cruel as that? Besides, since when has Pidgey ever went along with our plans?"

"This isn't a joke, Samurott," Misdreavus agreed, "I think I may know where he went..."

"Whiskers, Misdreavus," Skitty blurted, giving her an eager look, "tell us then!"

"The Lostleaf Forest, Skitty. I think he went in there."

"No!" Both of Doduo's heads cried, already tearing up again, "Not the forest!"

"Doduo, calm down!" Samurott nudged her with his horn, "Pull it together! Think about it; would Pidgey like to see you like that?" Doduo's only response was a sigh and a twitter of despair.

Misdreavus shook her head, drifting over to the bird, "It's going to be okay, Doduo. We'll find him, I promise."

"We?" Samurott's sharp eyes locked onto the Screech Pokémon, making her flinch slightly, "No."

"What do you mean?" I asked, "Are you saying we should just keep waiting for him?"

Samurott's intense gaze turned on me next. "That's not what I'm saying at all. What I'm saying is that there will be no 'we' in this. I'll take care of it." Samurott drew his right sword and started sharpening it on his left arm-shell, then repeating it with the left sword and his right arm-shell, "I need to find Pidgey and make him come back here. And I'll do it alone."

"Samurott! That's nuts! You'll get lost, nya!" Skitty's eyes went wide and the cat stared in shock at the elder Pokémon.

"Nonsense," he reassured calmly, "I know that forest like the back of my paw. If Pidgey is in there, then I'll find him, easy."

"Easy, huh?" I tilted my head. Something didn't feel fright at all about this whole situation. The fact that nobody had come out in a week was bad enough, but something about this felt off. I could feel it: this was a premonition, but what was it saying? That, I couldn't tell, at least, not yet.

"Are-are you really going alone, Samurott?" Doduo asked meekly, "At least take me with you. I'm the oldest of us, besides you. I know how to fight too, so please!" She was looking at him with a pleading gaze, both heads looking like they were on the verge of tears.

"Doduo..." Samurott sighed, shaking his head, "No. You don't need to be-"

Doduo immediately started crying again. I could feel her frustration peak, and I took a step back. This was not going to end well... She puffed her feathers and screamed, "You're a jerk, Samurott! Fine! I'll just find him myself then! Stupid!" Without another word, she bolted down the path, still sobbing loudly.

"Wait!" Samurott spun around, galloping after the upset bird. His efforts were completely in vain. Within mere moments, the big bird had far outrun him, already disappearing into the distance. Samurott stopped running and watched helplessly as she sped off in the direction of the Lostleaf Forest. It never failed to amaze me just how freaking fast a bird as big as Doduo could run.

"Oh, whiskers!" Skitty sat down in exasperation, "She ran away again! Nya, what do we do about her...?"

Samurott growled slightly, turning back to face Misdreavus, Skitty, and me. His expression was one of irritation and alarm. "I'm going to follow her. She might do something rash in her state..."

"What about us?" Misdreavus asked, "I don't know about you guys, but I feel kinda responsible for her running away. If I hadn't mentioned the forest..." She sighed, hanging her head in guilty remorse.

Samurott gave her another glare. "Don't you dare run after her, Misdreavus. You need to leave it to someone with experience and a cool head."

"Nya, don't be like that." Skitty was frowning at Samurott, and I could tell he was starting to get upset too. "We can help!"

"But, Samurott has a point," Misdreavus replied sadly, "We're pretty inexperienced. If we aren't careful, we could end up in trouble too..." She lowered her head, staring at the dirt. I didn't need my psychic powers to see that she was taking this personally. I wondered why that would be; she wasn't his nanny. If anything, Pidgey was probably the most responsible one out of all of us, with the possible exception of Leavanny.

"I can't just sit on my tail and do nothing, Misdreavus," Skitty had a rare serious look on his face as he looked at me with his best begging face, "Come on, Ralts. Back me up here."

I sighed, rubbing my horn. Both Skitty and Samurott were right. Doduo was the type of Pokémon who was always a bit reckless, especially when she was upset. I might have found her crying kind of annoying, but I was with Skitty on this one. I turned to Samurott, who was staring at me with a flat expression. "I'm sorry, Samurott... I have to agree with Skitty this time."

He simply glared at me for a bit, as if judging my reaction. Then, he shook his head, still giving me that piercing stare as his face darkened. "Ralts, are you sure about this? Think carefully before you answer me..."

I swallowed hard, but stood my ground. Before I could respond, Misdreavus flew in front of me, positioning herself between us."What kind of a question is that? She's our friend. Isn't that reason enough for you?"

"You too, Misdreavus?" Samurott was visibly angry now, and he snorted as he turned his glare on her next. Samurott said nothing else for several long moments as he slowly stared between us. Misdreavus and Skitty both shifted uncomfortably, but I could tell he was mostly faking his anger. In truth, he was worried for us.

I took the opportunity to speak up, "Samurott, don't be unreasonable. All of us together can do so much more than any one Pokémon can. Besides, you know Doduo is just gonna run away again if you chase her down by yourself."

Samurott sighed. "I see there's no talking you out of it." He turned and began walking off towards the forest, "Then you three must listen to me exactly, is that clear? I won't hesitate to report you all to Madame Charizard if you step out of line."

"Nya?! Anything but that!" Skitty mewed, his little eyes wide in worry, "Please don't tell Charizard! We'll behave...right?" Misdreavus and I nodded without hesitation.

"Did you just use me as a threat, Samurott?!"

All four of us flinched at the familiar voice. I could feel the distinct, sizzling anger of none other than Charizard herself! I stopped in my tracks and turned around. Sure enough, there she was, paws crossed and smoke trailing out of her nostrils. Her tail-flame was blazing more than usual, a clear sign of her bad mood...

Charizard was our town's leader, but she had a reputation of being a bit foul-tempered. Everybody in town knew not to cheese her off if you valued your hide. Still, she was our leader, and we had little choice but to simply learn not to get on her bad side. Charizard wasn't a cruel sort, don't misunderstand, just moody. Though she could come across as blunt and crass, behind the gruff attitude was one of the most loyal Pokémon I've ever known. (At least, as far as I remember...) I was told that's part of how she became leader for three years straight. That, and nobody had the guts to challenge her.

"Misdreavus, Ralts, Skitty, you three can stop your pathetic cringing," Charizard growled, "I'm talking to Samurott here."

Samurott shuffled his feet. "I'm sorry, Madame Charizard. That was kind of rude of me."

"If you understand, then don't make such stupid threats, got it?!" She retorted through a small cloud of fire.

Samurott winced again, lowering his head and breaking eye contact. "I said I'm sorry! Don't get so angry...!"

"You still haven't got a clue, do you?" Charizard snorted smoke. "Moron."

"Uh, Madame Charizard?" Skitty mewled quietly, "I don't wanna sound rude, but we're in a hurry. Doduo ran off into the forest, looking for Pidgey."

"Doduo ran away?" Charizard scoffed, "How dumb. Why would she do something so reckless?!"

"That's probably my fault," Misdreavus hung her head, "Nobody's seen Pidgey since last night. I mentioned that maybe he was in Lostleaf Forest. I think Doduo got just a little carried away with the idea."

"You are all idiots!" Charizard shook her head, "You know that forest is off limits until we can figure out why everyone keeps going missing!"

I wanted to say something, but I also didn't want the business end of her Flamethrower. Skitty wasn't so careful. "Madame Charizard, if we don't tail her, she'll really get ahead of us. We can't be waiting around, nya!"

"Are you four suicidal or something?" Charizard folded her arms, "If you don't prepare for the unexpected, you'll end up disappearing like the others."

"It's that bad?" I asked. Charizard gave me the nastiest glare I've seen yet out of her. I swallowed hard, but I didn't back down. I learned the hard way once that there's few things that make her angrier faster than a "coward".

She leaned down, craning her head to eye-level with me, her blazing glare unrelenting."Of course it is," she said calmly. I was genuinely surprised. She was taking it better than I initially thought, thankfully. "We've lost nine people, Ralts. I don't want it to be up to thirteen because you dimwits didn't think it through."

"Then what do you want us to do?" Misdreavus asked.

"What do I want, you ask." Charizard smiled a little, "Isn't it obvious? I want to escort you. Surely I of all Pokémon won't get lost. I can just fly around to get my bearings. I'm a natural pathfinder."

"That's...kind of sudden." Skitty's careless commentary earned him one of Charizard's glares again. "Nya!? Oh whiskers, that wasn't what I meant to say! I-I meant to say 'It's an honor to have you with us.'"

"That's what I thought. Now, shall we? You were the ones in such a hurry for Mew's sake!" Charizard stretched her wings. With a graceful jump, she took to the air, leaving the rest of us to follow her out of town and into the forest.