Thanks for your patience everyone! Real life got in my way quite a bit this week, so I'm behind in my writing, sorry! I'll make sure to catch up as quickly as I can though, so just wait and watch for the next chapter to be posted when I can get them there! I have a bunch of ideas for things after a very specific event... namely our favorite Ferris Wheel scene. Things are going to get pretty exciting once we get there!

As always, thank you to all my readers and reviewers! You guys are amazing and make writing this that much more enjoyable!

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Do all humans decide to waste so much time... or am I just impatient?

It feels like I've been waiting for her for a week now, and it's only been about thirty seven and a half hours since I gave a friendly warning to that damn gym leader. The Pokemon in the trees and grass are whispering, talking about the incident from before and about how she was a powerhouse, but kind of cool, when she battled. I have a feeling that she is going to run into a bit of a hold up when going through this forest again.

And as much as it annoys me, she's going to acquire more friends that she'll imprison without realizing how it makes them suffer. Hmph. I'll definitely educate her on that later on, see what she thinks about the idea. Then again, I remember she usually has at least one or two of her Pokemon out of the stupid capsules they're held in. I wonder how she chooses which two will keep her company? Does she sit there and take into account the type she'll run into? Is it because she wants to improve their relationship? Because they're the least likely to be injured or could be fast in terms of a sudden attack?

Why does one person inspire so many questions that aren't answerable?

The chatter suddenly builds intensity wise as the sudden call of 'she's back' rings through the forest and meets me back at my current observation point in a tree. Zorua's nearby, I know he's watching and waiting for her to show herself so he can probably play a trick on her- just to see how she reacts, of course. I've asked him, as a favor to me, not to do anything that will scare or hurt her. I think he wants to meet up with Purrloin again, they got along really well and he probably misses his friend.

I smile at the thought of seeing those two play together again.

It's a nice day outside, perfect for a picnic or just a day spent enjoying the sunshine like a Grass or a lot of Bug types would definitely suggest and approve of doing. Unusually warm for the time of year, but I'm not complaining. Warm weather is better than cold, in my opinion. Maybe, if things go as planned, I can convince her to enjoy the weather.

But if I just show up, it'll make her suspicious; and I don't want her questioning my motives at this point. It wouldn't be worth the trouble, and that's why I have to find a way to accidentally run into her or something so that way we can be mutually surprised to see one another. ...even if I'm not going to be surprised, as I'm going to set it all up perfectly.

You talk too much, N. Zorua suddenly appears, looking more than just a little pleased with himself. I give him a wary look. The last time he had that expression on his face, I got yelled at and grounded for two weeks. "What did you do this time, Zorua?" I'm not going to play games with him, not when I've yet to discover a perfect plan that will get me what I want without room for error. It's harder than you'd think, actually; humans are consistent error makers in this universe; it's really annoying.

There's a growl from the tree beneath me, followed by a very familiar voice filled with so much disgusted resignment that I can't help but try and hold back a laugh. I should have known, you damn fox. Purrloin's tail lashed the air as he regarded the two of us indignantly from the ground. One of his large ears flicked back, catching the sounds of something in the near distance.

"...you're joking." I say flatly, trying not to let the sudden jolt of panic I feel show on my face or enter in my voice. Crap; I'm going to be caught without a plan and without preparation, not how things were supposed to go. Zorua merely looks smug, busy tail wagging slightly as he sneers down at the none too happy feline staring daggers at him from the ground. I should have known that he'd go out of his way to antagonize Purrloin, it's how things always went back in the time when I'd tended to the Dark feline's injuries and saw to his recovery.

Told you, N. You think and talk too much these days, it's time for fun. The fox informs me, as if I'm nothing more than an ignorant child instead of a grown man who knows what he's doing.

...most of the time, anyway.

If Purrloin starts in on me, I might actually make them battle to the point they both go to sleep from tiring themselves out. Or I'll have one of the lovely specimens in this forest use Sleep Powder on them. That's sounding more and more like a good idea as time goes on, and I'm about to start implementing it when I see his green eyes suddenly flash with annoyed expectation and he looks behind him. Whatever you're going to do, N, you'd better do it quickly, she's almost here. He tells me and yowls to let her know where he is.

Damn it, how are they able to fight and still work together at the same time?

I reach for a branch above me, to pull myself up and higher, that way I stay out of sight. Apparently Zorua has other ideas, as all his weight suddenly lands on my back, knocking me off balance as my fingers miss the branch I was reaching for and I'm suddenly in the air on a swift descent towards the ground.

You idiot, Zorua! He's going to get hurt that way! Purrloin shouts, looking twice as big as normal as I brace myself, trying to remember how to fall without breaking any bones. I know it's going to hurt, and I anticipate this and feel myself tense automatically, knowing I have only a scant handful of seconds left before I end up breathless, sore and aching on the ground.

Out of what seems like an unbearable silence, her voice rings out as true and clear as a bell from a place I can't see. "Sewaddle, Swadloon, use String Shot, now!"

I'm trying to figure out why she's suddenly attacking me, or Zorua for that matter, and my fall is suddenly halted so suddenly I don't have time to do anything but let out a rather undignified yelp. Sticky strands of silk are wrapped tightly around me; I'm kind of grossed out by at first, but I realize in a moment just how close my head had come to connecting rather abruptly with the ground.

Close wasn't an appropriate enough word for what that had been, and Zorua's looking shocked up in the tree branch still. I can hear his voice. I didn't... I thought he had the tree branch, it looked like he had the tree! Shit, he's panicking too. I groan in a mix of frustration and resignation. It's going to take a long time for me to calm him down; I'm the only human that he promised never to hurt and never wanted to- and now he almost caused an admittedly serious injury, had Touko not shown up in time.

My eyes open as a shadow suddenly darkens the light, blinking a couple of time, I see her standing over me with her hands on her hips and an odd little smile on her face. It's an interesting smile, but I'm also kind of upside down at the same time, so everything is kind of interesting anyway. I can't tell if she's trying not to laugh at me or if she's worried, I could call it either way as I try to smile and find it coming out forced and kind of sheepish- exactly what I didn't want. "Uhh... hi."

I think I need to have my head examined; there's no way I just said that.