Land knew that he never liked Roy's idea. He was pretty sure that the little guy wasn't thinking before he suggest any ideas too. After a few minutes of following the trail of berries into a cave. They were running for their lives with an army of zubats behind them. A few moments later. Roy baked a pie which attracts combees and bedrills so they had to run for the sake of their pie and their lives also.

In the end. They managed to find a nice spot with no dangerous looking pokemons around and finished their food. Roy tried his best to eat but being a microwave didn't help him much.

They spent the next few hours walking in a straight line. The gem seemed to shined brighter a little. Land's spirit also brightened after he noticed the gem.

"So..." Roy tried to start a conversation. "How do you expect our journey would end?"

Land thought for a second before realizing that he never think about it before. "Well, I don't know. We find the pearl and return it to the forest and live a normal life?" He suggested.

Roy stared at Land. "And how about me?" He asked.

"You could stay at the forest too. We always welcome new members." Land said. He was surprised that Roy looked serious. Somehow he felt a little scared of the little guy. After getting bombarded with shadow balls, he made a mental note to stay on Roy's good side.

"Thanks." Was the only answer from Roy. He wasn't sure why he expected Land to come up with a better idea.

After another while of walking in a straight line something in Roy's mind started to bother him. "Do you think that you can return to your normal life after this ends?"

"Yes." Land simply replied.

"Well, I don't think so." Roy now turned to face Land. His expression was serious even his face looked exactly the same as his usual happy face. "That zoroark. The one that attacked you two days ago."

Land wasn't sure if he should look away or keep staring at the new version of Roy. Now that Roy mentioned the zoroark. Land thought about what happened. He tried to recall the memory as much as possible. He remembered getting attacked so suddenly and got some 'not so nice scars' on his left. "I remember that guy."

"I'm pretty sure that he's after that gem." Roy pointed at the gem in Land's claws. "So I thought about it last night. Maybe that guy either wanted the gem or that guy didn't want you to find the pearl."

"I've never thought of that." Land admitted. "But now that you mentioned it."

"I get the feeling that he doesn't want you to find the pearl." Roy said in a quiet tone, as if he was whispering. "I'm not sure why but I think that something big is going to happen."

"Something big? Like wha-" Land's sentence was cut by a loud explosion. A mushroom shaped smoked can be seen in the sky. "I shouldn't have asked." He really hated it when Roy's guesses was so accurate.

"Let's check it out." Roy said with his usual carefree and happy tone before heading straight towards the big floating smoky mushroom.

Land wasn't really sure if following Roy is a good idea but he didn't have much choice. "At least he's back to normal." He said to himself before following Roy towards the explosion.


Something didn't seem right.

There was an explosion. It was really really real. But no one panicked. Nobody ran. Not even a single pokemon. In fact, everybody just stood there watching the fire and the smoke as if it was a movie theater.

When Land and Roy arrived, Roy told Land that they should find a hiding spot first, so they could know what's going on without getting spotted. The rotom said that it might be some kind of a festival because everyone just stood there like a bunch of statues.

After a few more minutes Land spotted two figures near the explosion that weren't acting like statues.

Land and Roy moved closer to the two pokemons. Soon Land realized that on of the two was actually the zoroark that he met before. The other one was floating above the ground. It was bigger than the zoroark. It had two arms but no legs, just a wispy tail instead.

Roy assumed Land that the second pokemon was a dusknoir. That didn't made any of them feeling any better.

"Maybe this isn't a festival." Roy said. "But I suggest we waited a while longer."

Land didn't argue. He tried to listen to the other two's conversation. He heard the zoroark said something about 'the next bomb' and 'got the thing.' Then he heard some angry yelling from the dusknoir and the said pokemon vanished behind the flames. "Do you have any idea about what they were talking about?"

"About you maybe?" Roy answered. It didn't make Land feel any better.

A few minutes later.

Land and Roy are still hiding behind a big rock. Roy keep telling to find other hiding spots so he could see things better.

Land was sure that this is not the right time to follow Roy's idea. Before he could tell it to Roy, a group of graveler appeared. All of them looked ready to blow up any moment. "So that's the bomb they were talking about."

"A bunch of gravelers?" Roy said. "I like the voltorb evolutionary line better though."

"Should we do something?" Land tensed up. "I don't think that this is good."

"I'm sure that waiting a few more hours wouldn't be a bad idea, but leaping in the scene and do heroic stuffs is not a bad idea either." Roy suggested.

Before Land said anything he heard a high-pitch cry from the sky which took everyone's attentions. He saw a pokemon flying in the sky. It's blue bird-like body and cloudy wings proved that it was an altaria.

Slowly, the altaria sang a song. It's beautiful voice washed over the area.

"If I were you I would cover my ear as much as possible." Roy told Land. " Or else you're not gonna like what happens next."

He wasn't sure if he should listen to Roy this time. He liked the song. The altaria's voice was the most beautiful sound that he ever heard. He felt like he could stand there all day and watch the altaria sing. Then he saw Roy's serious face again. He gulped and regained his senses then cover his ears with his claws.

After what it seemed like an eternity. Roy nudged Land and pointed at his own ears (or the spot that would be his ears.) and do some random sign languages.

Land then put his claws out then realized that every pokemon else around him fainted, even the statue guys. "Wha...? What just happen?"

"Perish song." Roy shrugged, the way that microwaves shrug, not sure if that's possible. "This trick only works when you're far though. If we were closer we would be just like the others."

Land gazed up. "Does it affect the user?." He asked.

"Won't work if you can't hear, but in normal cases, yes, the user will faint." Roy replied. Then he realized that Land wasn't standing next to him anymore. "Maybe this is what they called 'disappear without a word'."


Land was flying as fast as he could. He wasn't sure why he came rocketing straight forward like this. The only thing in his mind a few seconds ago was to catch the altaria before she reached the ground. After gaining enough distance, he shot upward heading straight to the falling pokemon. He could felt a trail of sand behind him but he paid it no attention.

Land slowed down and managed to catch the altaria with his two arms. Her weight was surprisingly light compared to her size. He guessed that the cloudy wings wasn't very heavy. Slowly, he came flying down to where Roy has been standing. He felt like he heard the altaria muttered something like "Thank you." But he wasn't sure if it was his imagination.

"I didn't expect you to do that." Roy began after Land managed a soft landing. "But good job anyway."He examined the altaria then fixed his gaze on Land. "You like her?"

Land was surprised, very surprised. It took him a moment to realize what Roy asked him a few seconds ago. "What?!" He blurted out. His cheeks seemed redder.

That made Roy's grin even wider. "Well, I'll have to say that I didn't expect you to react that fast." He edged closer to Land. "It wasn't normal for Land to react fast, you know?"

"Stop that!" Land said defensively. His face was now tomato red. "I couldn't just stand there and watch some pokemon free fall towards the earth when I could help." Somehow he couldn't stop himself from blushing. This is one of the times that he felt like Roy knew him very well, too well. That fact made Land wonder because he only knew Roy for a few days.

The microwave's grin was as wide as his body. Roy was trying his best to hold his laughter but he couldn't do it. Somehow he found this to be pretty amusing. "Fine. I'll stop." He took a deep breath. "Back to the important thing." He shifted his gaze to the now-fainted gravelers. "It seems that the kaboom squad will stay solid as a rock for a while."

"Is that a pun I'm hearing?" Land asked.

Roy ignored Land's comment and looked around. He realized that something was missing. Then he realized another thing, but it was too late.

The zoroark leapt over Roy. He was moving in such speed that almost made him invisible.

Land yelped as he got tackled so hard that made him fall on his back a few feet from where he was standing. He quickly stood back up and saw what he didn't expected. In front of him was not the zoroark but instead, an abomasnow.

The abomasnow's eyes were burning with rage and hatred. "You won't be going anywhere this time." He said. He raised his right arm and the dark green part glowed green.

Land rolled to his side, barely dodge the wood hammer. The impact force was so strong that it made the floor tremble. He shot a dragon breath that hit the abomasnow right between the eyes. Then he quickly backed away as the frost tree pokemon swung his arms wildly while howling in pain.

Roy saw this as an opportunity to make a grand entrance. He levitated towards the abomasnow and heat up his body. A few seconds later he went straight at the bigger pokemon and hug it. That surprised everyone except himself, of course. Then he let a powerful blast of flame emitting form inside his microwave, blowing up everything around him.

The abomasnow who didn't see it coming took a serious damage and let out a painful roar. He staggered backwards and his body started to blur. He seemed to change form back into a zoroark for a second then back into an abomasnow the next second.

Land stared as the zoroark's illusion ability stopped, revealing the burned zoroark. "What was that?"

Roy grinned wider. "I call it Surprise Overheat" He said. He seemed to be proud of himself.

Land turned back to the zoroark. He expected the said pokemon to disappear without a trace but he was still there breathing heavily. Land's claws shined cerulean as he readied himself. He was about to attack when the zoroark let out a laugh.

"Heh. seems like you're going to have a serious trouble." The zoroark said in a low voice and started to back away. "My job here is done anyway." He turned his back against Land. "You should've turn back when you-" In a blink of an eye he disappeared as a shadow ball exploded at the exact spot that he was standing.

Land realized that Roy shot the shadow ball when he saw Roy's pose.

The area started to darken as black smoke emit from the spot that the shadow ball exploded. "Did you really thing that you could take me down that easily? Like what I said earlier. You should turn back when you still can." The smoked started to fill the entire area. The sky darkened. "But it seems that you're not going to do that right? Heh."

Land heard a poof from somewhere in the smoke. He guessed that it was the zoroark getting out of the area. "I'm starting to hate that guy."

"Me too." Roy agreed. "How's your girl?"

"She's NOT my girl." Land shouted.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. She's still unconscious huh?" He edged a little closer to her.

Land stared at the altaria for a second. Suddenly, he felt a presence behind him. He turned around with his claws ready. Only to find a gengar with a greyish blue scar on the left eye.

The gengar held up a hand. "Greetings." His smile was as wide and strange as Roy's. "My name is Scarlott Spear, Scarl for short." He snapped his fingers and the ghostly smoke that filled the area cleared instantly.

Land wasn't sure what to say. Something didn't feel right about this gengar."Um...can we help you?" He asked.

"Oh! Of course! Thank you for asking." Scarl grinned wider. "Can you tell me about what happened here?"

Land thought for a second. Then he turned to Roy, who was completely still, as if he was a statue. "Well... I guess?"

Scarl knelt down and touched the ground. A black portal appeared under his hand. Then he pulled out a teapot and a cup right from the portal. "You want some tea while telling me the story?"

No one said anything.

"No?" He sighed. "Then I'll have all of this to myself then." He poured the tea into his cup. "Please begin."


Half an hour later.

"Ah. So that's what happened." Scarl exclaimed. He stood up, flicked his finger and the portal appeared again causing the teapot and the cup to fall into the void. "What are you planning to do next?"

Land looked around once again only to see the same clearing that he have been looking at for half an hour. The gravelers were taken care of by other pokemons while he was telling the story. "I'm not sure."

"If I were you, I wouldn't keep going." He suggested. "There is no point risking your life doing such thing. Let other pokemon take care of this."

Land stayed silent. He wasn't sure how to react. This gengar was right. Risking his life to find a stolen pearl wasn't a very nice idea. But, if he didn't do it will someone else do it? He was sure that the zoroark wasn't a good guy and he might already have the pearl. If someone like that had such power, what will happen to the others?

"You should think about it wisely." Scarl said. "And one more thing. The ghostly smoke that happened earlier." He smiled. "Were caused because of my presence. Do what ever you want with that information." After saying that. His entire body moved downwards through the ground as if it was a quick sand. He showed Land his wide scary grin before his entire body was consumed by the ground, leaving no trail of the gengar.

The place stayed silent for a while. With an unconscious altaria, a rotom which was silent since the past thirty minutes and a speechless flygon. "I get the feeling that he's not on our side." Land finally said. "Roy?"

Surprisingly, Roy the microwave answered. "I agreed." This is the first time he seemed scared. "That guy is definitely not on our side." Roy gazed up to the sky, which is now orange. "We should find a shelter around here. It's getting dark." Then he shifted his gaze to the altaria. "And I think we'll have to take her with us."


The night sky was beautiful as ever. The crescent moon was shining high in the sky and the stars sparkled in the night. A soft breeze filled the forest blowing the blades if grass as it passes by.

Luckily for Land and Roy, The local pokemons were kind enough to find a cave for them to stay the night. The cave wasn't much like Land's place nor Wade's house. But it's enough for three pokemon.

Roy stared at the crackling fire in the middle of the cave as he waited for the berries in his microwave to be ready.

Land sat at the deepest part of the circle shaped cave. His back against the wall. The altaria was a few feet away from him. She was starting to move once in a while.

"When pokemons faint by the effects of the perish song. Do you know long they'll stay unconscious?" Land started a conversation.

"Usually a few hours." Roy replied. His eyes didn't shift away from the fire. "But if they're very strong, it only takes them a few minutes to recover."

Land stared at the altaria again. "Oh." He said. His tone sounded a bit disappointed. Then the cave was filled with the sound off the crackling fire once again.

"Ugh.." The altaria started to move again.

Roy finally shifted his gaze from the fire. "I think she's awake."

Land stood up. He walked towards the altaria slowly, Roy following behind him. The altaria seemed to be regaining her senses as she blinked slowly and tried to stood up but fell down instantly.

Once she saw Land and Roy, her eyes became wide as she backed away quickly only to realized that there was a wall behind her. "Wh...who are you?!" She asked hastily.

"Don't worry miss." Roy started. "We just saved you from the fall. We won't eat you... yet." He ended his sentence with the usual smile.

"That's not very nice." Land pointed out. "Anyway, I'm Land and this is Roy." He patted the microwave. "And you?"

"..." The altaria did not replied. She only had a blank expression on her face as if she was trying to make sure that she won't be eaten by a strange smiley microwave.

Land scratch the back of his head. "Umm. Don't worry. We won't eat you. My friend can be idiotic at times."

"You take that back!" Roy yelled.

Surprisingly, the next thing that the altaria did was sighing with relief. "What have I gotten myself into?" She muttered to herself before standing up and stretched her cloudy wing. "I guess it's talking time huh? You two go first."