I am sooo sorry this took so long, everyone. I've had a lot going on. :(

For all of you who are confused:

-James is Ankoku, who is the brother of the Dark King and brother of Mizurio.

-Mizurio and Ankoku are the twins sons of Aqua Regina, the Queen of the Sea.

-Jessie is the Rainbow Pearl Mermaid Princess, ruler of the Rainbow Kingdom beneath the sea, also known as Kayana.

-Mewoth is Mynyasi, Kayana's guardian.

-Janet was Jaja, the third and final Black Beauty sister.

-Giovanni is Innav, Ankoku's advisor and the closest thing Ankoku has to a fatherly figure. He murdured Jaja/Janet.

-Luminia is Moonshadow, Ankoku's guardian. In her Pokemon form, she is Meowth's mate.

-Sheshe and Mimi have no human form. They are the original two Black Beauty Sisters.

-Mikeru has no human form. She is the demon who possessed James to remind him of his hate and who he really was. She is also known as "Wingdemon".

-Mizurio is still nowhere to be found.

-Misty is Nialan, Kayana's best friend and one of the only survivors of the attack on the Rainbow Kingdom.

-Kiarma has made an appearance; she is another survivor. Her human form is unknown.

-Kayana and Ankoku are sworn enemies, but they don't care.

:::

Jessie looked down. "Why can't I sing? Why... what's happening?" Her head snapped up. "YOU BETTER NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS!!"

James reeled back. "I have no idea what happened," he lied. He knew just what had happened. "It might have something to do with that palace. Let's look." This, he figured, was the only way to find out how the song ended. To do just what it said.

Jessie hesitated, the thought of being caught and tortued again making her shudder. But, she figured, it would be the only hope of getting her voice back. She then nodded. "Yes, James. Let's go."

James picked up his locket and put it on while Jessie wasn't looking. Please, please, let us find her voice. Please, please, don't let her be without her voice... don't let this be the end. He looked at his feline friend. "You coming?

"Heck no! I'm staying here with Luminia," came the sharp reply.

"Fine, fine, sheesh... you don't have to be such an a-"

"James. Hurry up. Let's go."

:::

Giovanni brushed the tree branches away from his face, muttering something about stupid nature. The sword he carried was held at the ready. Suddenly, something jumped in front of him.

Giovanni stabbed, and a wild heracross fell to the forest floor, dead. Giovanni snorted in disgust. "Just a pokemon," he murmured. "Too bad," he said. "I was hoping it to be the traitor. Oh, when he sees me, he'll be sorry." A low, haunting chuckle escaped his lips, echoing off the trees in the silent woods. "He will be sorry."

A rustle in the bushes caused him to look menacingly towards a leafy shrub on his left. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Evessus... Evessus...

His mouth twitched in an attempt to smile. The spell Evessus was a spell used to listen in on others up to around 200 feet away. He heard voices- and he knew those voices. Soon, you backstabber, you will be mine. The whole Dark Sea will be mine. You will no longer be alive.

"Where is that stupid thing?!"

"Shush, keep your voice down. Someone might be listening in."

You're smart, you little weasel, Giovanni scowled.

"We're all alone out here!"

"How do you know?"

"..."

"Niiiice. Come on... it's pretty big. Kinda hard to miss something like THAT. Let's keep at it."

"FINE. Gosh..."

Giovanni knew those voices too well. He pointed his sword up at the sky and whispered, "Summon Nighthawk!"

A black-and-gray whirlpool materialized above the sword's tip and out of it flew a bird which was just black- nothing else, with the exception of his glowing red eyes. "Nhreeeeeeeeeeeee!" it shreed, spreading its feathered wings ominously.

"Fly above the ground and tell me where they are," Giovanni ordered.

The ebony bird obeyed, and took off.

:::

Meowth smiled as his tail entwined with Luminia's. Luminia mewed softly and pressed closer to Meowth. Closing his eyes, Meowth inhaled Luminia's sweet scent deeply. "I'm glad we're finally alone," he murmured.

Luminia nodded slowly, warm and cozy curled up next no Meowth. The blanket James gave them was still draped around their shoulders. "Me too," she sighed.

Meowth's eyes shot open. "Luminia, I didn't know you could talk."

"I can," Luminia smiled. "I only feel comfortable about it around you. The humans are so strange."

"Yeah," Meowth agreed. "Jimmy told me once dat he wish he were a pokemon. I tink he said someting about us bein' really simple compared to humans."

"Yes. Humans can be very complex sometimes," Luminia muttered. "At other times, however, they can be completely brainless. (cough)ASHKETCHUP(cough)."

Meowth chuckled. "Good one. He is pretty stupid." He looked around. "I wonder if Jessie and James are on deir way back yet..."

"It hasn't been that long," Luminia said. "Only twenty minutes or so. Finding one's voice would probably take longer than that."

"I guess you're right," Meowth agreed. "I just hope dey don't run into much trouble..."

"They're very capable," Luminia reassured her troubled mate. "Jessie especially."

"Yeah..."

Luminia purred and rubbed Meowth's cheek with her own. "They'll be fine, Meowth," she whispered. "They'll be fine."