Inside a limo…

Eva: Are you sure this is where you sent Dingodile, Bryce? He's been going in circles for a while now.

Spartan: Yeah. This is definitely where I sent him.

Rotom: Well, it was certainly nice of NITRO to allow us to come over and hear his story.

Spartan: Yeah. But what I don't get is how you guys managed to steal my credit card.

Eva: Uh, yeah you should really stop leaving things lying around for other people to find, Bryce.

Me, Joey, and Casey hiding behind dumpsters

Joey: Ok, what does inviting them over, bringing Casey back from Australia, and us wearing beekeeper uniforms have to do with us getting back at Bryce?

Me: Simple, Joey. The guys think they're arriving in a limo to hear my story, but little do they know we have a box full of bees that were gonna put through the sunroof. And we rigged the locks so they can't get out.

Casey: Ha, and when they do get out, we got a couple of marbles for 'em.

Me: This is the Beehive Limo.

Limo…

Castor: How long 'til we get there?

Spartan: It can't be long now, guys.

Eva: We're here.

Limo stops in front of studio

Me: They're here.

Presses button on remote, sunroof opens

Castor: Dude, what's up with the sunroof?

Presses another button, locks sink down

Rotom: Oh crud, we're locked in!

Casey pours bees in limo, occupants scream

Spartan: Wha- who's pouring bees in here-OW!

Joey: Oh man, this is, like, worse than a hanging.

Joey spreads marbles on driveway

Casey: All right, let them out, dude.

Unlocks the doors, Casey opens one

Spartan: Dude, the door's open!

Eva: Run!

Everyone runs out and slips on marbles

Joey: Oh my god, the poor limo driver's running around freaking out!

Me: How did you guys like your welcome reception!

Spartan: Wha- you didn't have to do this to us!

Eva: Oh my god, my hip. I think I gave birth.

Casey: Let's get you guys inside, man. We've got a medic inside.

The last few days had been a strain on Grovyle. Every time he went to the Guild to see Empoleon and Infernape, they were always too busy to go out with them.

"Look I'm sorry, but until Wigglytuff and Chatot get back from this whole 'monster' business, there's not a whole lot we can do right now" Infernape said after the last time.

Grovyle's patience was starting to strain. He had been hoping to go on more adventures with them by now, but so far that had proven to be impossible to happen.

"Don't worry" Celebi said. "Wigglytuff and Chatot said they would only be gone for a couple of days. Well, it's been a couple of days, so they should be back sometime soon".

"Your right" Grovyle said. "But I really wanted to go exploring with my friends sooner. It's hard waiting for something to happen".

"I know it's hard, my dear Grovyle, but you'll be able to eventually" Celebi said, kissing him on the cheek.

Celebi led Grovyle outside, where the sun had almost fully risen. They watched it go up the rest of the way, then went to the guild to see is Wigglytuff was back yet. However when they reached the second underground floor they received a bit of a shock: Wigglytuff and Chatot were slumped down on the floor, scratches and bruises all over them. One of Chatot's wings was even in a sling.

"What happened" Grovyle asked.

"Apparently this monster is more powerful than we thought, hey hey" Corphish said. "Apparently whatever lives there now took offense to them showing up. But, hey hey, I've never seen Wigglytuff get taken out like this before".

"But whose going to handle the monster now that the Guildmaster and Chatot have failed" Marill said.

All the apprentices, along with Empoleon and Infernape, huddled into a circle. They then started discussing the situation.

"What do we do, my dear Grovyle" Celebi whispered to Grovyle. "We can't just stand here and let this monster bully everyone in its path".

"I know" Grovyle said. "It seems like this monster is going to great lengths to protect something".

Grovyle looked at Celebi, who was smiling. He smiled back at her and nodded.

"We'll do it" Celebi said aloud.

"What" everyone else said, turning toward the pair.

"We'll take care of this monster business" Celebi said. "Consider it our gift to you guys for saving the future".

Everyone else turned and talked this over. After a while they turned back to Grovyle and Celebi.

"It's agreed" Empoleon said. "We'll let you deal with this monster crisis. This creature has shown this it has power, so you best be prepared for a fight".

"Don't worry Empoleon, we'll be fine" Celebi said.

With that, Grovyle and Celebi left for Treasure Town to stock up on supplies for their next mission.

Later that night, in Murky Forest…

Joey was staring deeply into the fire he had created not too long ago, thinking back on his life as a Pokémon. It had been one year since he had first discovered that he was now a Lucario and had fled into Murky Forest. He had survived the last year on instinct alone, eating Apples and a weird food called Gummis he'd found in the forest as well as defeating nosy explorers trying to take out the so-called 'monster' lurking where he was living. He had even taken a weird pleasure at watching a Wigglytuff mistake him as his master.

The only real drawback was that he had no memory of events that happened before he was a Pokémon, expect for his name and the fact that he was human. However, he had this strange feeling that he wasn't born human at all, which made himself feel worse.

Joey sighed and continued watching the fire until it went out. He then went over to his bed and went to sleep.

One hour later…

In dream…

Joey was lying in what appeared to be a metal room. Screens were flashing all around him, yet he had no clue what they were for. Before he could figure out what was going on, a door opened and a strange creature came out. It was wearing the strangest garments he had ever seen.

"Welcome Joey" the creature said. "We've been expecting you to wake up for a while now. It's great to see you have survived".

The creature's voice was oddly distorted, and what he said didn't make any sense at all.

"Survived what" Joey said, his voice distorted as well. "What am I?"

"You're a clone" the creature said. "You've been in cryostasis for 5 months, slowly forming into what you are".

Confused, Joey lifted his right hand. When he did, he saw that it was no longer a Lucario's hand but a human's. He let out a scream, and as he did, he woke up. Immediately, he checked his right hand. Sure enough, it was still a Lucario's.

Joey had always had odd dreams the past year, but tonight's was definitely the oddest one yet. The creature had seemed to know him, but he couldn't recall what it was.

Oh man, who was that guy Joey thought. And what in the world is a clone. That's the one thing that doesn't make any sense.

Deciding he wouldn't look into the matter until later, he slowly went back to sleep.

At airport…

Joey: Is it me, or does NITRO have some sick ideas for his stories or what?

Casey: I know. It's like there isn't a tangent that NITRO doesn't want to break. Well my flight's about to leave soon, so I'll catch up with you later.

Joey: Yeah.

Back at studio…

Me: You guys feelin' any better.

Eva: you suck, NITRO.

Me: I love you too, Eva.

Castor: Well, hopefully all the bee stings will be enough to fix Bryce's huge ass.

Spartan: Hey, that's not fair!

Me: Shut up, big butt.

Spartan: I am never coming back here again.