Question to readers. I'm experimenting with writing funny stuff. I want to get better at it. Can you tell me if you found anything funny, and what it was? I want to see if I was successful. Thanks!

I had fun coming up with the beginning of this chapter. But I promise there will be more action in the very next chapter.

The chapter title is from a movie called August Rush. It's an AMAZING movie. Especially if, like me, you do music. All of my featured songs are real, and I highly recommend all of them. I wouldn't be surprised if you'd heard some of them already.

Polaris-Ponyta, Addie-Plusle, Embyr-Blaziken, Swamp-Swampert, Sage-Gardevoir, Tahoe-Flygon

The Music is all Around Us

The still afternoon air near the summit of Mt. Chimney was suddenly shattered by a screeching voice.

"It's the CIIIIIRRRRRCLE of life!"

"Stop! Stop!" I shouted, waving my hands wildly. But it was no use. Despite the fact that Hari never ate candy or caffeine, he was on an energy rush. There wasn't much to be done once he'd started one. It might have to do with there being a kid his age with us. Though Kyle seemed rather weirded out by Hari. Not that I blamed him…

And though Hari could be a good singer when he tried, this was not one of those times. Although, with sounds loud enough to wake the dead, maybe this would be wild enough to drag poor Jirachi out of its peaceful sleep.

Kyle stood far away with Tahoe and Pidgeot, his hands over his ears. The Deoxys crystal was tucked under one arm. Ben was next to me, his hands in his pockets. He flinched every now and then.

In an attempt to improve the atmosphere, I started singing the first song that came into my head.

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with strings, these are a few of my favorite things!"

Though that was swiftly countered by "Ponyo Ponyo Ponoy sakana no ko!"

"When the dog bites! When the bee stings! When I'm feeling sad! I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel soooo bad!"

It wasn't really working. I was singing louder and louder to try to drown out Hari's voice.

Nearby, there was a hissing sound as one of the volcanic steam vents spat out a hot spray of air. We would have to be careful to avoid other such vents. This volcano wasn't entirely dormant, after all.

I took a few deep breaths and tried again a little softer. Fortunately at that moment, Hari paused to take a breath (his first one in what felt like several minutes).

"Oh what a beautiful mornin', oh what a beautiful day! I got a beautiful feelin', everything's going my way!"

Nope. Still no good. I was too worked up from Hari's… concert. And Ben didn't help by pitching in very loudly, "I wanna be the very best! Like no one ever was! To catch them is my real test! To train them is my cause!"

I clapped a hand to my forehead.

"I give up," I muttered.

Ben grinned sheepishly at me.

"Come on. Let's set up camp. THAT MEANS DINNER!" I shouted over Hari's continued singing.

That made him shut his mouth, and he eagerly followed Ben and I as we made our way to a more even patch of ground to spend the night. This area was very rocky, and would not be fun to sleep on.

Kyle looked highly relieved that the singing had stopped. He muttered darkly to himself as we unpacked and started setting up dinner.

"We'll figure something out," I assured him.

Kyle glared at me. "I thought you said that you had to sing with a pure heart! You guys sounded like a Gyarados with a Sandslash lodged in its throat!"

I gave a guilty laugh. "Yeah, sorry about that. I guess we were all a little too worked up. Great simile though."

I handed him a bowl of soup that we'd just heated up. Kyle took it and sat down against one of the scrawny trees on the mountaintop. We'd made our camp in one of the few areas with vegetation.

"Thanks for helping us find where Jirachi is sleeping," I said to Deoxys.

The purple crystal gave a little shimmer in reply. When we'd reached the mountaintop, Deoxys had left the crystal and floated around until she found where Jirachi was sleeping. In this semi-solid state, it wasn't hard for her to go beneath the rock to search.

Hari gulped down his soup and rinsed out the bowl. At the very least, he helped with the chores.

Gro had finished eating and was sleeping up in the tree. The rest of the Pokémon were sleeping soundly in their Pokéballs. Gro never had a Pokéball. Hari had grown up with Gro, and had no desire to put him in a Pokeball. He also has never shown any interest in catching more Pokémon.

"WAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kyle suddenly shouted, leaping to his feet and dropping his bowl.

All of us jumped up reflexively. My hand reached for my Pokéballs, without consulting my brain first.

Then a round yellow head appeared from one of the bushes.

I relaxed. It was just a Numel that had startled Kyle.

The Numel shuffled over and started to lick out Kyle's spilled bowl.

"Go away!" Kyle shouted, waving his hand.

"He's not doing anything wrong," I said. "He's just hungry. It's unusual for a Numel to be way up here on the mountain. They're not really good at climbing. They prefer caves. I wonder if he's lost. No wonder he's hungry."

Kyle glared at Numel and took a few steps away before sitting down again.

"Do you want more soup?" I asked Kyle.

He shook his head.

I opened my bag and took out some Pokémon food for Numel. He started eating happily. Kyle kept glancing at him, annoyed.

"So, Ben, what would you wish for if you had one wish?" I asked.

Ben looked up from his laptop, which he'd turned on immediately after finishing his dinner.

"I'd wish to finish this program. It's driving me crazy. I think I bit off more than I could chew."

"That would be your wish?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"Yep."

"That's boring. What about you, Hari?"

Hari, who was scratching Numel under the chin, looked at me.

"If I could have anything?" he asked.

I nodded.

"I want feet like a Treecko. So I could climb up walls."

Silence.

"Well, that would be pretty cool," I admitted.

"You'd wish for that?" Kyle exclaimed, astonished.

"Yeah," Hari said, startled at Kyle's reaction. For Hari, that was a completely logical wish.

"What about you, Cara," Ben said to cut off Kyle's reply.

I looked up at the starry sky, and then over at Ben. "Well… I guess… do you ever think Mewtwo feels lonely?"

"What?" Ben asked.

"Who?" Kyle said at the same time.

"Why would he be lonely?" Hari asked. "He has a lot of friends. All of his clones."

"But there's no one like him," I said.

Ben nodded slowly. "I think he is happy with the clones. But I think it would be lonely to never know anyone the same as him. Like Hari. That's why we agreed to bring Hari with us: so he could know other humans."

"That's what I'd wish for," I said. "Someone for Mewtwo."

"Who's Mewtwo?" Kyle asked.

"He's a Pokemon that lives at my home. There's no one else there like him, so I think he's lonely."

"Why don't you go out and catch another one?" Kyle asked.

I smiled sadly. "I wish it were that simple. What about you, Kyle? Why won't your parents let you go on a Pokémon journey? You said you're almost ten, right?"

Kyle turned away. "My birthday's in two days."

"Happy birthday!" Hari shouted!

"Yeah," Kyle said unenthusiastically. "See, my dad hates the idea of Pokémon trainers. He thinks the idea of kids catching and fighting Pokémon is really stupid, and he won't let me do it."

"What about your mom?" Ben asked.

"She never says anything about it."

"Why don't you just leave then?" Hari asked.

I flinched. What a callous thing to say. Not that Hari realized it, of course.

"I don't have a Pokémon of my own," Kyle said. "That's why I have to catch Jirachi. So I can get my wishes."

"You don't need to catch Jirachi for that," I said. "And there are other solutions to your problems than wishing them away. We can help if you want."

Numel shuffled over to Kyle, wanting to be pet again.

"No!" Kyle shouted, suddenly jumping to his feet. Numel jumped back, startled. "I'm gonna catch Jirachi and make my wishes! Just cause you tell me yours doesn't mean I'm gonna let Jirachi give them to ya!"

He stomped off, dragging his sleeping bag. He set it up away from our camp and dove down inside with Deoxys's crystal under one arm.

"Why's he mad?" Hari asked, cocking his head.

"He's upset about his parents not letting him go," I said. "He got mad at me for trying to complicate things. He thinks wishing will fix everything. Come on. Let's get ready for bed.

Ben and I set up our sleeping bags. Hari, who had given his blankets to Kyle, slept happily in the tree with Gro. Numel curled up under his tree.

"You're always worried about Mewtwo, huh?" Ben whispered once everything was silent.

"Hm," I agreed. "Well, yeah. After what he's been through, how couldn't I be?"

"He's much better off now, though."

I nodded, realizing too late that Ben couldn't see me in the dark.

"I'm sure whatever happens, he's happy with his clone family," Ben assured me. "He knows you try hard, and he cares about you a lot." He paused. "I sound sappy."

I stifled a laugh. "It happens to the best of us."

"You're saying we're the best?"

"Zip it. Go to sleep."

I had just about dozed off when something bright buzzed in front of my face. I sat bolt upright, shielding my eyes from the glare.

It was Deoxys in her sparkling form.

"What is it," I muttered grumpily. It took me a while to get to sleep, and I didn't appreciate being disturbed when I was almost there.

I thought now would be a good time to try again, she said. Now that things are considerably calmer.

It took me a moment to figure out what she was talking about.

"Oh, oh, you mean singing to Jirachi?"

Yes.

"Oh. Okay. All right. Sure." I pushed myself groggily out of my sleeping bag. My voice was gonna sound like a Croagunk when I was this tired.

I'll use my light to lead the way, Deoxys offered.

"That's great," I muttered in reply. "Falling down the volcano would not be desirable. Or falling into it, for that matter."

I didn't bother putting on my shoes on or changing out of my pajamas. I followed Deoxys as she drifted away from the camp and out towards the dark mountain. There was very little moon to guide the way, and I had to look at the ground to avoid crushing my toes against a rock.

So when a face suddenly appeared in front of me, I nearly had a heart attack.

I staggered backwards, suppressing a scream and clamping my hand over my thrashing heart.

"HARI!" I hissed as quietly as I could manage through my panic. "Don't you EVER do that again!" This was something I'd already told him a dozen times.

Hari was hanging upside down from the tree branch, his head directly at level with mine. He'd swung down while my eyes were on the ground.

"Whatcha doin?" He asked.

"I was going to try to wake up Jirachi," I growled through clenched teeth.

"Okay. Let's go."

After this evening's performance, this was something I certainly didn't want. But Hari looked calmer now. Or about as calm as he ever got.

"Fine." I turned and continued following Deoxys, who had paused to wait for us.

Here's the place, Deoxys announced a few minutes later.

"Yeah," I muttered sleepily. "Sure. Let's do this."

Perhaps you're too tired? Deoxys suggested, noting my sleep-soaked voice.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, shaking my head to try to wake myself up. "No, I'll do it. Just give me a sec."

I looked up at the stars, admiring their clear brightness. The sliver of the moon looked like spun silver.

"Okay. I'm ready."

"What are we gonna sing?" Hari asked.

I thought for a moment, and then started:

"Lay down

Your sweet and weary head."

Hari joined in on the next line, adding his sweet singing voice to my alto.

"Night is falling,

You have come to journey's end.

Sleep now,

And dream of the ones who came before

They are calling

From across the distant shore."

Deoxys hovered nearby, listening. She seemed to sink lower as though in a trance.

"Why do you weep?

What are these tears upon your face?

Soon you will see

All of your fears will pass away.

Safe in my arms

You're only sleeping."

Nothing seemed to be happening, but we continued our duet. Even if it didn't work, it sounded pretty good.

"What can you see

On the horizon?

Why do the white gulls call?

Across the sea

A pale moon rises

The ships have come to carry you home."

There seemed to be a very faint glow from the stones on the mountains' face. Was it just the starlight?

"And all will turn

To silver glass

A light on the water

All souls pass.

Hope fades

Into the world of night

Through shadows falling

Out of memory and time

Don't say 'we have come now to the end.'

White shores are calling

You and I will meet again.

And you'll be here in my arms

Just sleeping."

Something bright seemed to be waiting just beneath the surface of the stone. It made the rocks look transparent and crystalline.

"What can you see

On the horizon?

Why do the white gulls call?

Across the sea

A pale moon rises

The ships have come

To carry you home."

The mountain face rippled as though it had become liquid.

"And all will turn

To silver glass

A light on the water

Gray ships pass

Into the west."

The side of the volcano parted and when everything was still once more, Jirachi was sitting in front of us, yawning widely.