Chapter 10: Unfound Powers and A Moment of Rest

A/N: Hey, did you know that updating an already made chapter doesn't update the entire story? I didn't! Anyways, I updated 1 through 8 chapters, and made a bit more of a coherent story! Now, ON TO ACTUAL WRITING!

Miriana: *Presses face up against glass window* How on earth did you get stuck in here?

Riley: I fell through a gate, got caught in a net, and thrown through a shute.

M: *Holding back laughter* And I thought I was unlucky.

R: HEY! And where have you been for the last hour?

M: Floundering around with all eyes on me and trying to look the least idiotic possible in front of everyone. Why?

R: B-Because I've been wandering the vents for about that long! They were so dark... so cramped... so dirty.

M: *Rubs Nose* Don't worry, I'll get you out of there soon enough. Now... ROLE WITH THE STORY!

Honestly, Miriana didn't know what she was doing. She didn't know if that Riolu was Riley, she didn't know why she thought punching glass that was meant to hold back Pokémon was smart, and she didn't even know why she had run off in the first place. But there was one thing she knew, she was PEEVED, her entire body felt like it was on fire. She had been feeling frustrated for a while now, and when she had passed the next exhibit, which just so happened to be the fire-type exhibit, she had felt that frustration turn to rage in instant, and she kind of just, exploded. (Almost literally.)

So, with her anger growing, she threw another, but this one felt different. As if some of her anger had left with the punch, the spot where she had punched left a large red mark of her fist with the center of it growing a bright orange. She felt arms wrap around her shoulders and drag her backwards, but it didn't faze her much. It just made her angrier. Though, weirdly enough, they just let go, but she could tell why. Her whole body was growing hotter and hotter, steam was even rising off of her at this point. (Similar to that spaghetti you were eating before all the time travel).

She inhaled as much air as she could, and screamed. "RILEY, GET YOUR BUTT OUT HERE! WE'VE GOTTA A DAY TO SAVE!" His reaction was all she needed, it was him. Eyes widening in shock and a jaw dropping, the Pokémon right besides him looking at him with surprise was just more proof if anything. She marched back up to the glass, ready to hit it again. However, what she didn't expect was for the mark she left on the glass to suddenly ignite, and explode.

This explosion sent waves through the whole building. Heat and glass launched out to both sides making people and Pokémon alike step back. Miraculously, no one got injured more than a burn or two, or a little cut from the glass thanks to Miriana being in the way and all the Pokémon having backed away from the window prior. Miriana on the other hand, got sent flying by her own explosion and crashed into the wall behind her. It didn't do any damage to the wall though, she just slammed into it, knocking the wind out of herself. It didn't seem that effective against her. As she struggled to get up, a blue blur passed through the open window, and, as she got back on her feet, Riley gave her a raised eyebrow as he stood at about 2/5 of her height.

"You know, there's something to say here about subtlety." The literally hot-headed student flashed a smirk as the steam surrounding her body began to die down. She raised and turned both her hands, giving the 'come on' body language while keeping her grin bright.

"And wait for my opportunity? You've got to make those for yourself right?" She turned and started down the hallway, before shouting: "Hey, it would be funny if I turned into a Pokémon right now!" With a poof of smoke, the girl-turned-Flareon started on her way even faster than she ever could as a human. Not even bothering to take note that she was a Flareon now instead of an Eevee.

Riley sighed as he watched Miriana sprint down the hallway. Someone that hot-headed should be a surprise to him, but it just wasn't. Right now though, he was more worried with his head. He had forgotten EVERYTHING about the time-travel. Then again, he wasn't even conscious when they travelled last time, if his last memory of getting hit in the head by another wing attack was anything to go off of, so it wasn't too incomprehensible to him, it was just... worrying. He had almost died after all... again.

"I guess I'm still not entirely my future self yet. If I had to guess, he'd probably take this in stride or something..." He took his paws off his waist and crossed his arms around his chest. Looking behind him, a person, Teacher if he were to guess, struggled to get up. "Hey, Sorry about my friend there, is everyone alright?"

However, instead of a look of pain or desperation as he feared, he was met with a mouth a gap, and eyes wide as those weird things you put cups on, saucers maybe? "D-did you just talk?"

Riley simply stared at him for a moment, before moving a paw up to his forehead and sighing. "Oh, blast it, I don't want to deal with this right now." He turned back down the hallway. "MIRIANA, WAIT UP!" And took off without looking back. 'If he's fine, then everyone else should be too. He was closest to the blast, excluding Miriana. If he's fine, everyone else should be too. Also, by the looks of it, most of the blast was blocked by the glass, like the explosion went off inside of the glass pane itself. The only danger would be the glass which, thankfully, didn't seem to hit anyone too much.'

He stopped at an intersection, looking left and right to see which way Miriana had gone. Finding no luck in that endeavor, he closed his eyes and sharpened his other senses, before a strange red trail appeared in his mind. A fiery red that, at times, would swap for a rainbow colour. He knew who it belonged to, it came from the same path he came from and went into the left hallway, so that's the direction he took. 'My past teammates have probably already started fighting again, I should hurry so no one gets too badly hurt. Then again...'

A flashback to the first fight flashed through his mind, overtaking his sensing of Miriana's Aura. Even though they had the advantage in numbers, the power difference was clear. Riley had hung on for as long as he could but after that Golbat, Zuley, had focused all its attention on him, one clean wing attack to the head was all it took to knock him out. Despite that, he noticed that even though they were fighting, no one got mortally injured, in fact, he was the only one who had drew any blood, mostly because he refused to fall. He grimaced at the memory of getting knocked out, twice. 'Who knows what will happen now, things have changed.'

He slowed down as he noticed a spot of brown in the distance. A few feet away, an Eevee sat and stared at a pair of steel doors, leading onwards to their destination. He finally came to a halt right besides her. "So... how did you change back into an Eevee?"

Miriana glanced over at him, before looking back at herself. "Oh, that I have... Hey, Riley. Mind if I throw something at you?"

He sat besides her and gave her a curious look. "Go ahead, shoot. You were the one who said we were in a hurry after all, not me."

The faux-Eevee raised a paw to him. "And hurry we should... I don't think that's a proper word but oh well... We should hurry, but if we rush in without thinking this over, we'll simply repeat the past- er... future- uhm... You know what I mean."

Riley gave her a small smile as he crossed his hands. "Glad you finally stopped taking this like a comic or something."

Miriana looked over at the doors confidently. "Yup! I'm playing this like a video game now!"

Riley nearly fell over from his sitting position. "M-Miriana! That's not much better."

Miriana chuckled a little. "I know, I know. I'm just kidding with you."

The usually stoic Riolu righted himself as he sighed. "So... what exactly do you want to talk about before we head in there."

Miriana looked seriously at Riley. "What exactly we're doing here." Riley responded in kind with a more hardened gaze. One that Miriana returned readily. "The first time you came here, it was for stopping the place, and if that's what were doing. We're going to need to set that record straight." Riley looked the other way, memories of what a specific Tyrogue by the name of Tyron had told him.

Miriana looked over at Riley. "Thought so." Riley looked back at the Analytical Hothead, which works somehow, as said Eevee brought a paw to her forehead and rubbed it. "I'm not that much of an idiot. I've noticed this place has dark secrets that are hidden from sight but..." She lifted the paw and looked at it. "I noticed that the Pokémon here, outside of that room, don't show any sign of ill treatment. This isn't a Rehabilitation facility." Riley took in what Miriana had said, before nodding.

"Your right." Miriana let her paw drop as she looked over at Riley. He had brought a paw up to his head and had turned his body to face Miriana. Ironically, instead of looking at Miriana, his eyes had wandered to his south-east. "I've been told directly that this is a Pokémon sanctuary, a place for Pokémon to go to escape from the constant need of protection." His gaze wandered to the north-west. "So taking this place down is no longer the mission."

Miriana looked back at the doors. "Second, the reason you and I attacked the old man was to return to our proper time and, though I don't say I'm perfectly restored with my fluctuating mental state and sudden powers, we are currently in our proper time."

Riley nodded. "So that's not our reason anyways... then why are we even here?"

Miriana threw her forepaws in the air as her tail waved. "I. don't. know. BUT, whenever I think of just leaving, I get this horrible feeling in my stomach, like if I don't do something..."

He understood immediately. "...something terrible will happen to everyone here." Miriana looked over to Riley, here tail having stopped. "So that means there is a reason for us to fight, but we just don't know it."

"And that's the worst way to enter a battle." Miriana sighed, and stared at the door before her. Weirdly enough, her eyes had sharpened, as if she were reading something. Unwilling to march forward without his partner, he turned back to face a door and took a meditative stance, clearing his head. That would have been the case if he hadn't felt metallic graze the back of his head. In a swift movement, he reached back and pulled out what was there... 'What on earth is this? Look's like a piece of something. I should ask Miriana.' He looked towards her, her eyes still as sharp as ever. '... After she's done with... whatever she's doing.'

Miriana watched the words that swirled in front of her. She knew time was of the essence, and it wouldn't be considered too wrong to just rush in, but something was nagging at the back of her head, something important. When she steps through those doors, she may never have another moment to sort through her thoughts again, so she needs to sort through them now.

Fortunately, it seemed her mind was far ahead of her. The doors in front of her had the imaginary writing on it, something she's started getting used to strangely enough, but that's besides the point. On the doors were layers upon layers of facts and questions strung up like a detective's case board, or a serial killer's depending on what you've seen, with three questions taking up the center: "What happened to Nora?", "Where is this power coming from?", and "Why is my gut telling me to fight?"

Strings and lines seem to link question with fact before her eyes, and yet, no solid answer seemed to be drawn. Thinking back to who they're fighting, Miriana used Dialga's time abilities to conclude theories with the first two questions; 'Nora may be lost in time' and 'my powers may come from my future self'. However, time travel didn't help with the third question much.

She brought a paw up to her chin as she thought back to Dr. Holland's words when she had begun asking her questions. Three different facts began to glow on the doors in front of her. "A family owned business, it has changed over time, and Dr. Holland's nervousness during the questions." Her mutters caught the ear of Riley, and for a good reason, when she muttered those words out loud, she felt as if she was headed in the right direction. She raised the paw and tapped the side of her head. "What does that mean?"

Unfortunately, here wasn't where she was going to get that answer, as an alarm rung out and cries resounded beyond the doors. Time was up. It was do or die now, they wouldn't get a second chance like before.

Both of them shot up and prepared to bolt, but Riley thought of something and stopped himself. "If we win this... what would happen to us?" Miriana stopped and looked over at Riley. "I mean, we aren't suppose to exist, right? Our future selves in our past selves, still slowly changing into our future selves as we hang out in the present."

Miriana understood. "It's a paradox. WE are paradoxes." They both looked each other in the eye quietly. They knew what that meant, and yet, they smiled. Riley rose an open palm towards Miriana, and she spun around to hit it with her tail. A *thwap* sound echoed. "So let's show them our burning flame, ey partner?"

Riley nodded and pushed open the doors. He could see his old friends fighting beyond the doors, he knew they were going to lose fast if nothing was done. "Let's go." The SD card forgotten in his fur.

Miriana may have new power, but Riley honestly didn't know if he had grown as much as she had. 'You've got to feel it, not force it Riley!' Old words echoed in his heart, and aura grew on his paws. He knew that he was going to give it all he's got, the flames that appeared around Miriana as she transformed into a Flareon seemed to mirror his thoughts, he didn't even need to read the faux-Flareon's mind. He rushed forward.

Miriana stood back a moment as she watched Riley burst off. The last question with no proper answer left worry in her heart, but anger soon overtook it. "If I have to find out why I'm fighting, while I'm fighting, THEN SO BE IT!" She glared down the hallway, at the golbat that she knew all so well, and she charged.

Weirdly enough, right before she charged, she could have sworn she heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

Meanwhile, at the Lobby:

Miss Lina was currently pondering whether to tear her hair out, or Miriana's when they found her. As she ushered the students to safely leave the building, she watched as multiple guards that came from who knows where run in the direction Miriana had gone. Worry and anger was mixing inside but she kept a reassuring look for her students... At least she hopes so. Cameron was the last student to be evacuated she believed. He had asked to chase after the runaway student but was swiftly declined by another teacher. 'Thank Heavens there's more teachers here than just me.'

She looked back over as the next group of guards walked by, making it about the third. She couldn't help but be impressed by how in sync they moved together. 'It was almost as if... they were...' Memories of how Miriana had reacted to the workers resurfaced. 'Robots...' She began to sweat little. 'Haha, no. That's crazy. I should... I should go and make sure that all the students are getting on the bus safely.' The other teacher who had helped her get the students out of the building had left before her, and she quickly followed. 'Y-yah, I'm sure it's nothing.' She looked back at the building before turning back and shaking her head. 'Absolutely... nothing.'

Ally Bios (they should take inventory, don't you think?):

1. Name: Miriana Nyxim

Species: Human/Eevee

Occupation: Student (part-time day-dreamer)

Personality: Hard-worker and surprisingly efficient. Despite having a bad habit of getting lost in her head, her sheer abilities saves her. Gets lost in thought often, but one of the smartest around when it comes to figuring things out. Feels like school doesn't teach enough of the right things, despite not knowing what the right things are.

Ability: Adaptability (Same type attacks are amplified/can adapt to unforeseen changes faster than others)

Move set: Territorial Dispute, High-jump tackle, Tail Slap, ?

Transformations:

1. Flareon (Activated through fury) Gives access to two fire type attacks. Move set: Flame mine (send a concussive blast into an object, detonates when approached), ?

Note: She prefers a state of organized chaos, which means a mess where you get the general idea of where things are, over you know actually organizing things. Also, loves letting her mind wander.

Note: She has a coping mechanism where she begins hallucinating commentary on her own thoughts, literal words appearing in her eyes. It only happens under a lot of stress though and is used to organize her thoughts. It also keeps her mind from falling apart.

Note: When exposed to a high quantity of a certain type of Pokémon, she begins to receive symptoms of said type, both emotionally and physically. (Similar to when she was exposed to the lightning types, she became shocked, and had electricity coursing through her.)

Friends: Nora (last name redacted)

2. Name: Riley (No last name)

Species: Riolu

Occupation: Free-lance helper (part-time scavenger)

Personality: Straight to a fault with a strong sense of justice. After an incident he keeps close to his chest about his childhood, he was separated from his family and grew in the woods running from all the Pokémon that attacked him. Likes to train.

Ability: Inner Focus/Powerful Resolve (can't be made to flinch/when receiving more and more damage, Attack and Special Attack rise)

Move set: Force palm, Counter, Aura Envelopment (part of the Aura series, by charging your life energy, you empower a body part of your choosing), ?

Note: Has a habit of turning his head to the left and right as he thinks, whether when it's talking to someone or if it's in his head. It would make him look suspicious if he wasn't so honest.

Note: Used to have a partner named Lunar the Shinx, they usually get along well, but when Riley messes up bad in something, Lunar usually wrings him out for it.

Note: In bad situations, he can keep his cool, thanks to his Inner Focus ability, but that doesn't mean he isn't a bit rash. He'll find the least dangerous way for others in the solutions, usually neglecting himself. Which can lead to bad situations. Sometimes believes he isn't worthy of worry.

Friends: Lunar (Partner)