"(And) there is only one question that is asked, and that is 'Deal or no deal!'"

-Deal or No Deal

Dr. Dorjan got up from his chair, rubbing his hairless mustache. He started to pace in front of Zev, who was nervous and shaking in his chair. Dorjan noticed then said, "Would like something to drink?"

Zev glanced at Mac for advice, who just shrugged. Zev then nodded to Dorjan who then took a plastic cup, pouring water into it from a pitcher on his desk, handing it to Zev. Dorjan then chuckled at the idea of Mac and Zev before saying, "I am glad to see you look for Mac's advice, uh…"

"Zev," Zev told his name, almost forgetting who he was talking to.

"Yes," Dorjan continued to chuckled, "Zev. As I was saying, I am glad to see you, Zev, get advice from Mac around here, you never know what something could happen to someone your age." He then poured another cup of water and offered to Mac, but he just took the offer down. "Suit yourself," he said, "Now, for order of business. Mac, and Zev, I have called you in not to chitchat with you, but to make you a deal," Mac became full alert and Zev looked surprised, "I have been getting ill these days and I fear my end will soon come. Therefore, as owner of this lab and ranch, you Mac will receive when I no longer move."

Looking at Mac in the eye, Dorjan then asked, "So, do you accept my offer."

Mac noticed Zev looking at him, just as a child wanting a soda but didn't want to ask their parents. Turning back towards Dorjan, he replied, "Deal then."

Dorjan gave a small smirk of satisfaction before pressing on to other business, now turning towards the shades, almost as if he saw threw them, "Mac, it has been about five years since you've been here, a-"

"But Doctor sir," Zev interrupted, "Brother is only fifteen and he said he was here when he was fifteen, that only makes it one year."

Dorjan gave a small chuckle while Zev looked at Mac, confused. Mac was about to say something when Dorjan spoke first, "He never told you, did he? See, Mac was one of my top experiments, the one before him died of young age. See Zev, the Lugia DNA we have was not from a full grown Lugia or a Lugia that had lived to be fifteen, but a mere baby." Zev was still confused how that made a difference for Mac's age, "See, there is a gene within a living body that determines the age of a creature and most of the cells' lifespan. The baby Lugia was only five years old, still into infancy, and Mac was about fifteen. Well, the genes, you could say, didn't get along and mutated in order to match, which if they were to be even then that would make Mac about ten. His body behavior was so strange that everyday he barley grew shorter and shorter to your height, Zev. It continued as his body mutated as well, every code of DNA reprogramming under our watch. At first that we didn't let him awake from his testing till he stopped shrinking. When it was done, we woke him up, but surprised he did wake up, with a rude awakening of course," Mac could remember exactly what happened, to put it in a short way, it wasn't something he got use to quickly, "But that was to be expected eventually, something unexpected to happen. Besides, that is science.

"But that is old business," Dorjan turned towards Mac, "There has been something I've wanted to ask you, and I promise I just want to know. Has any of the, ugh, others down there being gossiping, you know, like wanting to meet the other group they never see?" Mac shook his head. What Dorjan was trying to say was basically, had any of the other hybrids been wanting to basically pair up with a girl, but mostly like a teenage life. It was actually funny to Mac, out of all the prisons in the world, the one that physically changes lives want to encourage relationships, although they didn't allow them yet. But it was obvious what Dorjan wanted to do, and Mac would have lied anyways, finding the plan evil anyways, almost like everything else behind the stone walls.

Dorjan then turned back to the shades and looked out, the group no longer there, "Well then, I believe you should go grab something to eat."

Mac and Zev then excused themselves from the office. The guard, who stood in front of the door, led them to the mess hall. But as they went, Zev then started to ask questions, "Bro? Has the age thing affected tons of others who are here?"

"No, just me," Mac answered his question, knowing it was coming. Zev then asked why, making Mac explained, "I don't know how exactly it works, but that is what genetics is, extremely difficult."

Zev was then quiet, surprised that Mac didn't know everything before he asked, "So why am I an Umbreon?"

Mac thought about it for a second then came with a solution, "Probably because they felt like they needed to make one. I'd imagine they would try to do every Pokemon that would still be strong for them."

Before Mac could even start to think what Zev could ask next, he asked, "So brother, why do you remain calm when others I see are depressed?"

He remained quiet, wondering if he should tell Zev or not, "Zev, the reason why I've been so calm lately is because I've accepted my current fate." He didn't want to say anymore in front of a guard, so he just didn't finish his last part. ("And stop calling me big brother already…")

Thank you readers for reading this so far. Since the three stepping stones are now in place, I'll continue this story, and I already have ideas to keep it going (and possibly as a never ending story.) Anyways, thanks to Foxyjosh and Pink Parka Girl for the reviews on the first two chapters and spelling checks, tons of things tend to pass me at night, when I'm tired.