Well, it's official. Everything is unpacked and set up. I'm so glad to be back online. Anyway, a quick update before we get started. First off, I did say I'd be working hard as soon as fall rolled around but I may actually be a bit lax for a while. My schedule is much tighter than last year so I'm not sure exactly at what times I'll be able to write. So I apologize to all of you, I won't be updating too terrible frequently but I'll do my very best. One more thing, with January coming up it makes me realize it's been almost a year since I stared posting. I mean, I haven't done a whole lot but I'm just glad I have something to show for it! I love each and every one of you guys and it's made me happy every time someone follows my story, even when it's been months since the last update. Anyway, sorry if I've already bored you to death. Onto the story!

Disclaimer- You know the drill by now but it's still mandatory, I don't own Pokémon.

"Oh come on," I yelled, "You can't just go back on what you said!"

"I can and I will," my mother snapped back, "I'm not letting my daughter alone with those three boys unattended."

"Do you honestly think they're going to do anything to her," my sister defended, "Crystal talks them up to be pretty good people. Plus they're only eleven, I don't think they even have the interest."

"You don't have a say in this, Selina!"

My mother stormed over to be and grasped my shoulder.

"I don't know why I didn't see it at first but it's too dangerous for you to be going that far away from home so young. Not to mention you'll be missing out on dancing practice."

I shook her grasp free and stepped back.

"Well I know it's better than being worked into something I'm not. You treat me like I'm just some lump of clay you can twist and shape."

"You are, and I can. You're so naïve, Crystal, but that's to be expected. Still, it's up to me and only me to change that."

"But dad said…"

"Your father is an idiot. I love him but he's reckless and too brash for his own good. I let him help in raising your sister and look where it got us."

"Umm, hello," Selina said, "I'm literally in the chair right next to you."

My mother dismissed her and stormed into the living room, a death grip on my wrist. I was plopped down on the couch. This room used to feel so cozy, so peaceful. My father had designed the house to be unique to Ecruteak, something that would stand out on the inside but blend in on the outside. The living room was quite literally the central room. It was round with four hallways, one leading each direction. To the south was the front hallway, the only place in the house without a second floor above. To the north was the kitchen, which branched off into the laundry room and garage and was below the master bedroom. The hall to the west was simply two sets of stairs, one leading upstairs and one leading to the cellar. Finally, the east hallway was home to the office, bathroom, and a few extra rooms and closets. Despite all this, the outside of the house was nearly a perfect square.

I sank into the soft fabric and turned from my mom, my arms crossed. I could still hear her drone on but my eyes drifted to the television on the opposite wall. Nothing was on but I watched the lights of the various electronic devices flash in repeating patterns. I don't know how much time had passed but at some point my mother snapped her fingers rapidly between my eyes and my attention was jerked back to her.

"I asked you a question," she spouted, "How could you possibly think that a dangerous adventure with those…things is any better than practicing your future career?"

Before I could answer a voice came from the kitchen hall.

"Because she knows dancing isn't her career."

Selina was leaning on the doorway, slicing an apple with her pocket knife.

"Obviously she's been enlightened that being able to express herself freely is much better than having to wear a clown outfit and prance around like a trained monkey."

"One more word out of you and I'm kicking your ass out for good young lady," my mother screamed.

"Heard that before."

My mother blew her lid and started screaming so loud I had to move to the chair to the right of me. While my mother and sister continued their argument I flicked on the T.V but made sure to put it on mute. I flicked through and endless sea of cartoons, infomercials, and documentaries before something on the news caught my eye. As I read each word displayed on the screen my gut sank lower and lower.

"G-guys…" I managed to choke out.

"What?" my mother snapped back.

They both followed my gaze to the screen. My mother seemed perplexed but judging by my sister's face, she knew why I was terrified.

Warning, possible firewall breach. Threat to security detected.

…..bzzzt…bzzt…bzzzzzzzzzzzt….tes….123…..tes…..Hello? Testing testing, 1.2.3.

"Okay then, connection seems to have been established. I'm not sure what I've hacked but I've broken into a rift that's being used currently on a global scale so I'm sure someone will get this message. I don't have much time so I'll make it quick. I've cracked the code. Curantines are at 49%, Amps are at 13%, and reactivity with hydrogen makes up the remaining 38%. I've lost my way to enter the code but I know someone, somewhere knows what I'm talking about. Find someone who does. Find *BZZTZTTZT*, it is crucial for *bzt* to know. Whoever is listening needs to help. You must save us, you must save *bzzzzzttzttztztzzzt*

Resetting firewall. Please enjoy your simulation, we're sorry for any inconvenience.

"Oh no," Selina said, "Crystal, is that…"

"I think so," I interrupted, "Mom I need to go now."

"No way," mom said, "Not going to happen."

My eyes began to tear up as I stared at the screen, the word burning in my mind:

"Children kidnapped at Azalea Town."

It could have been anyone, right?

"Two children who had just arrived…"

It had to be a coincidence, it had to be.

"Mom, I'm leaving."

I willed my legs to unglue from the floor.

"Witness reports one victim, a dark haired, dark skinned boy cry out 'Jackson' before kidnapping occurred. Officials are unsure of the significance.

I ran to the front door and could hear two sets of footsteps behind me. I thrust my hand to the coat rack and ripped my jacket from its peg before bolting out the front door.

"Crystal," my mom cried out, "Get back here this instant."

Selina gripped my wrist and dragged me to her bike out front. She plopped a helmet on my head, sat me on the backseat, and revved up the engine. I wiped my tears and tried to will myself to speak. Before I could, however, I was forcefully snatched from the seat and fell to the cobblestone ground. I was wearing a helmet but I still felt the impact. My back hurt especially bad. The figure of my mother loomed over me, a cross expression glued to her face. I blinked my eyes and saw a flurry of motion as a million things happened at once; I saw Selina pull my mother away from me, I saw my mother try and push Selina into a tree, I saw my sister's tears and her hand ball up into a fist, I saw the punch that struck my mother in the jaw and sent her crumpling to the ground.

I was pulled back up onto the bike just as my thoughts started to gather once more. I gripped my sister's waist as she put on the gas and we flew through the streets. I looked back and for one brief moment saw my mother on her knees, struggling to get up. Her black hair was coming undone in strands, her makeup was smeared and a line of blood raced down her lip, and I thought I saw the glint of tears in her eyes. Tears of anger of grief, I did not know.

Fear. I knew the emotion. I knew all emotions all too well. I had felt fear for him many times before though now, it felt stronger than ever. Everything that had just happened was in a blur and I was just starting to overcome my exhaustion. I stared blankly through the cell bars, a slightly distorted view into the empty cell in front of me. I tried to stand up. I couldn't. Fear. Pain. Fear. Suffering. Fear. Emotion is just music wrought from the instruments of life. A harp chimes and everyone is calm. A horn blows sharply and everyone is startled. But fear, true fear, is something different. Something deeper.

This whole trip, my feelings have evolved for him. I've realized what it means to be one with your trained through battles. I've experienced pain beyond belief. I've found out what it means to be his friend. Ever since the little "incident" with mind-linking I've tried to adjust my whole mind. I've reflected on everything from my feelings to my powers. I have evolved. Not literally of course, otherwise I might be powerful enough to stand. No, I've evolved in a much different way. I've accepted that I am a Pokémon, and he is a human. I am not meant to have feelings for him past friendship. I can force myself to lock away thoughts deep in the recesses of my mind when I have to. And now I have to.

I stare at the cold metal bars. They could be easily bent if I could only stand. But I can't. Too weak… too afraid. Then I hear it. Something that melds fear into a motivation. The screams. Two voices, two voices I've heard so many times. One smooth and calm, the other loud and courageous. They're both filled with fear. The stench of the emotion haunts my mind. Fear is too heavy, too parasitic. But love can dissolve fear, meld it into courage. But this is not love. I can't feel emotion, right? I can't let him know, right? That's how it's supposed to be isn't it?

Yes, and no. Chris is my trainer, my friend. I can't let him down. I feel my cheek separate from the cold cement. All this time, he's stuck by me and I've stuck by him. My elbow props me up. I've been hurt so many times for him but it's never bothered me, it's never been his fault. This world is evil. It's filled with people who prey on the weak. I begin to assume a kneeling position. But everyone starts off weak. Every great warrior was once a helpless baby, and every grand building a drawing. No one is strong at first. There are those who find strength by enduring, and those who find it by taking. I've endured long enough. It's time for me to take from those who think they're strong. I stand.

I've never been sure about emotion, until know. I thought I needed to lock it up but I don't, emotion is what fuels my power. I feel it, a surge of energy. I feel something deep inside me that's been locked away for years. No, not locked away. Sleeping. This power, the truth, has been sleeping. Waiting until I was worthy. I feel it rush through my blood as I take a step toward the bars, then another. They're in my way, but not for long. I step forward again and they melt, succumbing to a purple energy that causes them to bend and fold away, compressing as if in respect to my regal path. I'm free.

Free to find him, free to save him. The sound of dripping fills my ear. I had heard it before, I just hadn't noticed it. I looked down and saw it, a puddle. Water had gathered into a small pool on the prison floor. Staring back at me was her. Her hair was gray, her body white, and her eyes red. I had seen her many times before. Except now her eyes glowed with energy, an almost literal fire.

"Yeah boss, we got both kids and Project Sigma #280-1 just as you requested. All three are incarcerated and we await further instructions," My goody-two-shoes colleague was spouting to the boss through his phone. He always had to be Giovanni's lap dog.

"What? Four? No sir, we only found two children. No we didn't check the perimeter, they just appeared out of thin air. No I… Yes we… But… I'm sorry sir but I really don't"

Fed up with rambling, I sighed, stood up, and snatched the phone out of his hand.

"Yo big G, I'll just give it to you straight. There were two kids, end of story. You asked us to find a gray haired Kirlia and its trainer and I don't know about you, but this is the only gray haired Kirlia I've seen in my day. So we don't give a shit about how many brats there are."

"What are you doing," my colleague whimpered, "You can't speak to the boss like that."

"Hold on boss," I said before covering the phone, "Max, stop being a prissy little dick and go get some chips from the vending machine. If you're going to let people walk on you then you better be useful in the process."

"But Chloe…"

"Zip it. Chips, now. Now where was I? Ah yes, there are only two children. We captured what we needed and no one followed us here. No one knows where you are so you're safe, we've got all of Goldenrod and then some under our thumb so we can keep the press as silent as we can, and I'd be more scared of having to spend another month in this hellhole than whatever those two little bastards can throw at us. You know what you assigned me and you know what I get in return. So show me the relocation pass and I'll send you the beast."

Max entered the room again with a bag of chips. He placed the bag on the table, pushed a lock of auburn hair back under his cap, and walked passively toward me.

"I'm sorry Chloe but I really need this," he said as he took the phone from my hand.

I simply rolled my eyes and sat back at the round metal table, the only piece of furniture in the breakroom aside from two chairs, a flickering lightbulb, and a shitty radio.

"Yes, boss, hello. It's me again. Sorry about my friend's sternness. Yes, she can be quite rude sometimes. My apologies. What? Bodyguard? Thank you sir but I believe we have the situation under control, you don't need to go through the trouble of…. Yes I know about Mr. Ryuu, he's been the organization's undercover eye in Ecruteak for decades. Really? So it's that strong? It seemed pretty drained when we captured it though. I see. Well thank you sir, I'm sure whoever you send will execute his job perfectly. Yes I will keep an eye out for the other two but I'd need pictures of them first. Alright then, I'll check my messages frequently. Thank you sir, goodbye."

Max hang up, slipped his phone in his pocket and sat down across from me.

"So what'd the old fart say?"

Max just looked at the table but took several deep breaths. He closed his eyes and began to speak.

"First of all, it's disrespectful to talk about our boss like that. He holds power over our heads and has been generous to us for years so he needs to be treated with respect. Second of all, he's sending someone over to guard us while we wait for a transport squad, apparently it could be until tonight before they get here. And thirdly, I dislike how you treat me. I know I'm not as pushy as you but that's not a bad thing so I'd really like it if you were to treat me as a decent human being please."

He kept his eyes closed and I could see the corners of his mouth twitching in fear. Looking at him so weak and helpless…it just makes me want to beat the living shit out of him.

"Well look at mini Maxie trying to get tough. Listen kid, I'm hard on everybody. Just because so middle aged, power hungry, grouchy dick head has a bit more years under his belt than me doesn't make him any different than the scum I have to deal with every day. I mean if he's so obsessed with this Pokémon, why doesn't he get the fucker sooner? The less time I have to spend here the better."

"Apparently two of his guards are responsible for the ordeal and have been running the operation themselves under his order. Jessie and James, I think he said were their names."

"No way, Jessie and James?"

"Yeah, Giovanni said that they're not the brightest of people and it doesn't make things better that they've just started going out."

"Oh man I knew those two shit heads back when I was in training. Thought they were a couple back then, they seemed very drunk over each other. What are they now like, forty? And they're just starting to go at it? Man if I find someone hot it'll take me twenty minutes to get laid, not twenty years."

"Chloe…I'm also a bit uncomfortable about how you talk. Would you mind just cleaning your language up a little?"

I simply laughed, but my feet on the table, and grabbed a cigarette from my uniform jacket.

"What are you, twelve? Do you seriously get fucked up over a few 'big boy words'?"

"No, I'm just not one for constant profanity. I was just asking anyway."

"Whatever. Let me tell you that you being such a pussy about stuff like that is the reason I find you insufferable, to put it lightly. So either sack up and stop telling me how to live my goddamn life or get out, I won't miss you."

I heard a faint buzzing coming from the front office.

"Looks like our friend is here. Hope he's not a total loser like you. Be right back. Just stay here and have a smoke. Maybe it'll help loosen you up."

I stood up and tossed him a cigarette, which bounced off his face and onto the table. I didn't bother taking my lighter with me, I knew he'd need it. Walking toward the front office, I took a long drag, exhaled the smoke through my nose, and brushed the hair from my eyes.

"Who's knocking," I asked through the intercom.

"I was sent by Giovanni. Just open the door," a gruff voice blasted back at me.

I have to admit, a small part of me was thrilled to hear someone talk to me like that for a change. I was less thrilled when the door slid back and a young teenager stood behind it.

"Sorry kid," I said, "We don't have any candy. Your costume sucks anyway."

This kid was maybe fourteen years old. He was about half a foot shorter than me but was built a bit heavily, wearing a medium sized team rocket uniform. He didn't have a hat, however, so his choppy brown hair stuck out all over the place. The grimace on his face told me either someone pissed in his soda or he didn't take kindly to being pushed around. He just pushed his way past me and into the foyer.

"I take it you're the idiots I'm supposed to be guarding. Don't decorate much do you?"

He stared at the only pieces of furniture in the room, two chairs and a vending machine behind a bleak reception desk.

"Yeah, well the boss doesn't give this place much of a budget. It's well hidden here in the union cave but it's close enough to the main base that no one really needs to stop here."

"So why bother with bringing the runts here at all?"

I led the kid through the door deeper into the building.

"Giovanni said it's for 'safety' reasons. He doesn't want anyone following us directly to the main base so we're supposed to keep the hostages here until we're certain there are no searches in the area. Seems like tauros shit to me, though. I think he's just scarping for any reason at all that building this place wasn't a waste of money. You want to see your prisoners now or did you think you were just going to sit around in the breakroom?"

"No, I'm going to see them now. As soon as I heard about the Pokémon they had, I knew I had to meet its trainer as soon as I could. I have some unfinished business with the punk."

Before I could lead him to the cells, he bolted off into the complex. I simply shrugged it off and made my way back to the breakroom.

"Our friend is here," I said walking through the doorway, "he seems…. Well look at this."

A smile crept on my face and Max's eyes widened with guilt. His chair was leaning back and a lit cigarette was between his lips. He fell backward almost immediately, stood up, and tried to hide the cig.

"Um I was just…you were just taking so long and I…it's just that what you said."

"Relax, princess," I said taking another drag, "Feels good right? I'm just glad to know there's a small shred of hope for you after all."

"No, this was a one-time thing. Anyway, how's our guest?"

"He's fine, I guess. He's only a kid though, and a bit of a bitch. Not in a bad way though, not like you. He's just got a temper on him."

I sat down.

"And hey, you don't have to be so cautious about everything. I could see that look in your eyes before you noticed me."

Max picked up his chair and sat down. His cigarette had gone out. I flicked away the butt of mine.

"Well of course there was some false sense of pleasure. It's not healthy, though. I can't believe I tried it in the first place."

"Look dude, you just need to stop worrying about everything. You need to loosen up and toughen up otherwise you're just going to snap."

"Whatever. Let's just not talk about it. Where is our guard?"

"He bolted off toward the prisoners. Said he had some 'unfinished business.' Whatever it is, I just can't wait for Giovanni's goons to get there slow asses down here. I'll finally be transferred to somewhere tolerable. Although now I won't get to crush you into someone at least a little cool."

Max sat passively, his eyes locked on the table.

"Chloe, there's something I have to tell you. You see I…"

He was cut off short by a blood-curdling from the prison hall. Then it went deathly silent.

"Well look at this," I heard someone say, "Little Chris Lyons. The savior of the playground."

My eyes were still groggy, so I couldn't see. The voice was being projected near my direction, but to the right. I could hear Chris's shallow breathing to the right as well. Wherever we were, it couldn't be good.

"I bet you haven't heard that nickname in forever. How's your little punk-ass ralts doing? I heard she's grown up now, am I right? Well where is she? I'm sure an old friend would love to play with her."

I tried to speak but my throat was barren of both words and moisture. My head ached and pounded.

"I see you're still hanging around with the Prince of Thieves. But where's Kilojoule Jackson? And how come the Dangerous Dancer isn't gracing us with her presence?"

"Leave…him…alone…" I barely managed to choke out.

"And the thief awakens! Long time no see, Blake Embers. What, you dying or something? Look me in the eyes!"

My eyes began to adjust and I could barely make out shapes. Everything was still blurry, though.

"Bah, whatever. I've got no time for you anyway. So what do you say Chrissy? Ready for round two? Of course, I'm sure Butt-Kicker will beat your ass into the ground in less than two seconds. You see, you're little brat of a Pokémon hasn't been the only one to evolve."

I still couldn't see but his words allowed me to put two and two together. What was Greg the Giant doing here? In fact, what were we doing here? The last thing I remember was struggling to get away from…someone. I blinked hard but still couldn't discern where we were exactly. I turned to the right and felt around, eventually finding Chris's shoulder. He didn't move but he was definitely breathing, almost snoring. He must be unconscious.

"Come on you big chicken. Stop playing dead and stand up! I can just have Butt-Kicker tear off these bars so I can smack you're ugly jaw myself, ya 'know. So stop being such a wuss as stand up!"

Bars? Finally my sight stopped betraying me and I could make out metal bars in front of me. Greg was behind them. Around me was dark stone, dimly illuminated by flickering lamps above. Despite my throbbing throat, the whole place felt cold and damp. I looked back at Greg and saw another figure behind him. Yet this one was not human. It was shaped like a man but was purple, muscular, and had smooth horns in place of hair. I didn't need perfect vision to know it was a Machoke. The sneering beast lumbered over Greg, almost a foot taller than him.

"Fine, your choice pretty boy."

Greg snapped his fingers and the Machoke shifted forward, placing its beefy hand on the bars. Just as it began to pull, an awful noise came from outside my cell. It startled even Greg and his Machoke as they both turned to the left. I could not see what blasted purple energy in their faces but I had a theory.

"You sure this is where they are," I asked Selina.

We were both standing in front of the solid stone side of a mountain. We had just moved through Azealia and were now at the face of Union Cave. There were a few foot prints around but nothing else to indicate where Chris and Jackson were.

"Positive. These tracks show signs of stress. It's likely that their captors struggled to carry their unconscious bodies toward here. Yet only one set shows considerable stress. The second set is only mildly deeper than it should be, judging by the foot size. Plus they end abruptly right here, there's no other way."

"So what, we climb?"

Selina moved around the stone, tracing her fingers into the Cliffside.

"No, they didn't climb. There are no foot holds or holes for climbing anchors. They must have gone through."

"Through a solid wall? I don't think we're dealing with ghosts here, Selina."

My sister continued to trace her hands along the rock. She then focused on one patch of sharp edges just under shoulder height. Before I could ask what she was doing, she pulled down on a long piece of stone sticking out slightly. The stone moved down with her hand and the wall opened up, revealing a heavy metal door.

"You were saying," my sister said smugly as she opened the door.

"Yeah yeah, let's just find them and get out of here."

I took her by the hand and we started running, past a scarcely decorated foyer, into a long corridor, and stopping at the start of a thin trail of blood. Selina bent down.

"This is freshly spilled. I don't hear anyone tho…wait! This way!"

She took my arm and we bolted to the right, following the blood stains. I heard it, a faint voice ushering calming words into the air. We continued down the long, bland hallway and past rows of cages. We then came across one with the bar door smashed in on itself. Inside the cage were three very familiar friends.

"Chris! Blake! You're okay!"

Blake looked up, surprised and delighted. Chris, on the other hand, remained on his knees, clutching Kumiko. She wasn't moving.

Oh man does it feel good to be back. Ugh, sorry it's been soooo long but there's been so much stuff on my plate lately: family visiting, hectic trips, research papers. After finals next week I'll have a bit of time but classes pick up pretty heavily in January. Oh well, this is what I get for choosing advanced classes. (Btw I'm learning Latin) Anyway I promise to try and update as much as I can but all my fellow writers know how hard it is to get back into a rhythm after a looong break. And yes, I will be updating the other two stories as well. I plan to update one story at a time, alternating between the three so you'll just have to find out what happens to good ol' Kumi after Hematite and MCO are updated. Sorry but I'm sure it's worth the wait. X3 Anyway, thank you and see you next time!

(Ps, sorry for everyone who read this chapter the day it was updated. I did not realize the POV transitions weren't there. I typed the lines to indicate change but this site is fickle and sometimes deletes them. I'll keep an eye on that from now on. Thanks for letting me know!)