A/N: Last chapter to guess! Next chapter the egg hatches. Seriously people, GUESS NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE. The answer is looking right beneath your noses. It's something so really obvious that I can picture it. Hint, hint.

xXxXxXxXx

Heroes Born and Made: Zeia's Story.

In The Heart of an Empath.

Chapter Eight.

xXxXxXxXx

Zeia stood in a field surrounded by long, waving grass. The grass was golden and starting to wilt as summer was nearing its end. The time of harvests was almost upon Unova and Pokémon were all around. There was a protective mother deerling watching her from the edge of the field as its baby ate its fill. Zeia could hear the low bark of Lillipups and the skittering of Patrats.

She wandered across the grassy field towards she she could see the path starting up again. Admittedly, she has never really known what one does on a journey when they are not training or battling. Since she could do neither with her egg Zeia decided to keep walking. Wild Pokémon would be to scared of humans to attack one, right?

Eventually the pale girl looked up and was startled to realise that it was dusk. She knew that routes were longer on foot then by Pokémon travel, be she had been sure she would have made it to Accumula Town before nightfall. Shrugging tiredly Zeia started looking around for a place to sleep. She wasn't stupid; she knew most trainers slept under the stars while on their journey. Tents are big and take up valuable space in a backpack that can only fit so many shrunken items.

Zeia found a spot under a large oak tree and settled down. She draped the black blanket on the ground and huddled under the Camouflaged one. The grey blanket was wrapped around her egg to keep it warm through the night. She didn't start a fire. 'It's not like it can get that cold in August,' she told herself. 'Besides, I don't know how to light one anyways.'

xXxXxXxXx

A small, black, fox like Pokémon trooped on through the night. It had made it from route ten all the way to Nimbasa City by taking the form of a bird. Dropping the illusion, the tiny fox set out to find a comfy bush to sleep under. It had a feeling that the one it wanted to thank was not where it had first met her. It didn't know how it knew, but the Pokémon knew better than to try and ignore instinct.

Finding a suitable bush it wormed its way under. The Pokémon could tell from the scent in the air than it was going to be very cold tonight. Curling up in a small bed of leaves the Pokémon chuffed happily. Its fur was thickening to prepare for the coming winter, so the little fox wouldn't get cold.

As the fox curled up and drifted off it couldn't help but be thankful that it wasn't human. At least it had fur!

xXxXxXxXx

Zeia once again cursed herself for not learning to start a fire. rabid shudders racked her frame as she curled around the egg. "I-I-It's S-s-s-so Cold!" She hissed out between clenched teeth.

Desperate for more warmth she opened up the clothing pouch on her bag and pulled out the sweater inside. It was she'd knitted for herself last winter, and was several sizes too big so that she could wear another underneath it. Zeia had always been one to get cold easily, so she'd learned to double layer when necessary. The sweater was black with small Pokéballs knitted all over. Fair Isle was a relatively new technique for her, but the sweater still looked quite well made. Most of all it was wool and very warm.

She popped the sweater on and stuck the egg underneath it against her stomach. If the eggs temperature dropped too low it would never hatch, and she was feeling attached to whatever was inside it already. Besides, it was just a baby, and she was its mother now.

As the wind picked up she quietly whimpered and curled up smaller under the blanket. For just a moment she thought of going home, but swiftly the raven haired child shucked that thought out of her head. 'I'm not giving up and failing right at the start,' she decided. With a sigh she closed her eyes and cleared her mind. She had to get some rest.

xXxXxXxXx

The fox like Pokémon curled up snugger into its bed of fallen leaves and listened to the wind howl. The branches of the bush it was hidden under shook and whispered under the winds assault, but the Pokémon was safe and warm.

Chuffing slightly, it settled in and prepared to go back to sleep.

xXxXxXxXx

Zeia rose in the morning with a pained groan. Her entire body ached from shivering all night. It felt like her muscles were elastic bands that had been stretched too far and were now too loose. Muscle exhaustion is a bitch, after all.

After dealing with her basic hygiene Zeia started packing things away. It was warmer this day then it had been the day before, so she chose to change into a cotton dress and leggings. The egg was placed on her sling as usual.

Breakfast, well breakfast was interesting. Zeia couldn't for the life of her figure out how to start a fire so she resorted to munching on a protein bar as she walked. The bar did little to deal with the gnawing ache in her stomach, but Zeia had missed meals before. she ignored the issue for the moment as she headed out.

"I should have reached Accumula Town by yesterday night..." she pondered aloud between bites. It never occurred to her that speaking to the egg aloud would appear odd to any others around. She simply wanted someone, or thing, to speak to in the overly quiet forest. "I miss the noises of the city. It's far too still out here."

As she walked and muttered to herself she rubbed her arms swiftly. She was craving her tea, no matter what Iza said about it, she had been drinking it several times a day for years and had become used to it. Her fingernails scraped over her skin as she hissed. She wanted her tea, yes, but she didn't want to lose herself. She gave a mental huff. 'trust my parents to pick out an addictive mind control tea.' Her silver eyes fluttered closed on this thought.

The feeling of bugs under her skin made her snap them open. She kept walking. Zeia was simply trudging along secretly hoping to run across the town. The tall golden grass around her swayed against her grey dress as she waded through the tall fields. There were rustles around her, but so far she hadn't run into any wild Pokémon.

Glancing up at the sky she frowned. "Did I just jinx myself by thinking that?"

The world kindly refused to answer.

xXxXxXxXx

Review people, And I'll see you next chapter! Sorry this was so short, but the next one is the first import plot point, so stick around and REVEIW! please?