AUTHOR NOTES:

I'm gonna cry there's 22 chapters and I'm only at 7.


"Kaaaaaaatherryyyynnnnnnnnnn."

"Shuuuuuuut uuuuuuuuuuuup."

Blaze laughed. "Wake up already."

Katheryn opened a lazy eye. "Whyyy..."

"Everyone else has but you," pointed out Moon.

Wait, Moon!? Why was she in their roo-

Oh right. Spacing issues. Katheryn and Blaze were sharing a room with Moon and Summer.

Blaze poked Katheryn again. "Come on. Up."

She let out a grumble, and pushed herself to her feet. Katheryn let out a huge yawn. "I don't even know why I'm so tired." Blaze shrugged. Katheryn stared at him. He seemed tense for some reason... She'd ask him in a minute.

"Come on, let's head out," Blaze said, pulling on her head slightly.

The two walked out, leaving Summer and Moon to chatter amongst themselves. Well the two followed them, but upon coming out, Katheryn sat down by the ladder like she normally did. Blaze climbed partially up it, and perched himself on one of the rungs. Yet she still senses his nervousness.

"So what's bothering you?" Katheryn asked casually, looking up at the Grovyle.

Blaze looked down. "Pardon?"

She poked his foot. "Something is bothering you."

Blaze sighed. "Yes, I suppose something is." He hesitated. "I got a name."

"What?" Katheryn got a puzzled look.

"... In my nightmare," he informed. "I got a name."

"Oh. Well, what is it?" she prompted.

He stared out at the clearing. "The Grovyle in my dream called me 'David.'"


"The Guildmaster has decided it would be best if we had allies on our expedition," Chester announced at that morning's briefing. "Come down, you three!" He called. A revolting stench filled the air. Down from the ladder dropped three, too familiar Pokemon. "These are Skuntank, Zubat, and Koffing," Chester introduced.

"Those three!?" Katheryn growled.

Chester looked to her quizzically. "What's bad about that?"

"Ignore her." Skuntank commanded. "She overreacts to everything."

Blaze saw Katheryn's tails fluff angrily.

"... Very well." Chester decided. "Anyways, the Guildmaster has decided it is best that they house with us for a few days before the expedition so that we may all learn to know each other and get along."

Some of the guildmembers let out a dissatisfied groan. No wonder they did, there was hardly room for the current apprentices, and the three did NOT have a pleasant smell.

Chester frowned, but said nothing. "All clear? So, let's get to it, Guild!" They let out a typical cheer, but anyone with a brain could see the halfheartedness. The members dispersed. With an annoyed sigh, Blaze went upstairs with Katheryn to go get a mission to do for the day.


"Hey, you know what's a stupid saying?" Juan asked that dinner.

"Yes, but we're probably thinking of different things," Nina giggled in reply.

"I got about 7," Blaze replied.

"How can you waste that much of your life to gather and remember 7 stupid sayings?" Lily laughed.

"You hear things, they resurface at random times," Blaze explained with a shrug.

"... So ANYWAYS, what was the one you were thinking of, Juan?" Dan said quickly.

"Yolo."

Blaze slammed his face into the table. "I HATE THAT SAYING. Aaand I have soup on my head." Katheryn swiped the bowl off his head with a laugh, and handed him a napkin. He wiped his face off.

"What does that mean, excuse my stupidity?" Summer questioned.

"It means you only live once." Lily explained. "It just. Sounds so stupid. 'Yolo.' Like really."

Blaze just shook his head. "Not true depending on your beliefs," he pointed out as he set his soup bowl aside.

"Right, I guess there are a few that believe in reincarnation or whatever," Katheryn recalled.

"I call that spirit recycling." Erin laughed.

"You know what?" Juan said.

"What?" About half the guild went.

They laughed.

"I wasn't gunna say yolo means you only live once," he pointed out.

"Then what DOES it mean?" Liz asked.

"You obviously lack originality."

Sprouts of laughter bubbled up across the table, all except from Skuntank, Koffing, and Zubat, of course. The three were very quiet. Moon also didn't laugh. "... OOOOOH, I GET IT." The laughter grew louder.


That night, none of the four could sleep. Luckily, none of the three newcomers had to sleep in their room, but they were generically restless.

Summer and Katheryn were playing patty cake. On the other side of the room, Moon was talking with Blaze about nothing in particular. Until, of course she only would find it, they ran into a rather touchy subject.

"Hey I got a question," Moon started.

"What is it?" Blaze asked, growing bored.

"You seem to know a lot about a place called Black City," she ventured. He flinched, and Moon regretted saying that instantly. It did confirm her thought, though.

"... Yes." He replied shortly. "I have been there a few times."

"Oh. I have a friend there, you see, but I haven't talked to her much at all lately. Her last letter ended weirdly, I was hoping you might know something 'bout there that would connect all this..." she explained carefully.

"Do you have it with you?"

Moon nodded. She pulled the paper from her bag, and handed it to him.

Moon:

I suppose it has been time since we saw each other. Last was by your house outside of Pokemon Square, if I'm not wrong. But I can't remember.

I don't need to remember something so frivolous. Ever since the humans came and took me into their... eh, what it was called, Organization, I need not to focus on much of anything but my fights and rank.

I am afraid I will not be able to send another letter for a long time.

If this is our last part,

:Rain

Blaze swallowed, and he let go of the letter. Moon looked to him curiously. Assuming one could see through a Grovyle's scales, Blaze went pale. He shook his head. "Don't ever show me that again." Moon picked it up, frowning. She put it back in her bag. What was so terrible? Blaze had turned away, now staring out the window. He had a distant look in his eyes. She sighed. and looked to Katheryn, who was looking at Blaze.

"You broke him!" Katheryn teased.

Moon's ears dropped. "Sorry..."

"He gets like that a lot. Pay him no heed," Katheryn assured, ignoring the glare from him.

A while late, Blaze let out a sigh as he laid down for that night. They had finally petitioned to try and sleep. His mind flickered through the day. He wasn't tired, not after that letter. He shook his head. That was of his past that he never wanted to venture ever again. Anyways... I wonder about that Grovyle I met a while back... Is he still taking Time Gears? And why? I'd better not fuss over it. Things will play out eventually.