"What time is it?" I ask as we head through the dark town towards Sprout Tower. It sucks that officer is still following us but he at least promised to stay at the entrance of the entrance of Sprout Tower so he doesn't interrupt our time catching some Ghost Pokémon.

"Almost 11," Atticus says, his eyes drifting to the Pokeball around my waist with the Seviper in it before looking away. I roll my eyes at his reaction and look ahead. Yes Seviper tried to kill us all but I'm determined to train it. After all, it's a kick butt Pokémon. All I need to do is train it not to kill everything and not to eat Wooper.

"Perfect." I say, a little annoyed. The Pokémon may be a little sparse at first but I'm sure one is bound to show up sooner or later.

"I will stay here near the entrance. If anything happens blow this," the officer says, handing us two red whistles. I stare at the whistle in my hands, almost stunned at this officer's logic. He gave us whistles to blow in case we get in trouble?

... yes because we are going to take the time to blow the red whistle while we are being brutally murdered by Team Rocket Grunts. Genius.

"Yup, I'll do that sir," I say, spinning around and trotting off so I don't have to listen to any more of his stupidity. Yes it means more freedom for us but seriously? After what happened with Seviper? Forget it, nope, I'm not going to question the Johto police logic on this one. Not worth my time.

My eyes glint with excitement as I stare at the top of the tower, slowing moving down the various floors before seeing some Bellsprout pillars in front of the large doors with a figure leaning against one of the statues. Oh son of a Growlithe why is he here?!

"Ugh," I openly grunt, "it's here why the hell is it here?" I groan before the psycho turns and spies us approaching, greeting us with a large happy grin.

"Oh you came! I was afraid I had frightened you off earlier," he honestly admits, walking up to us. I open my mouth, tempted to say 'oh no it's completely normal to tell someone marry me when you first meet them' but I have a feeling saying that will come back and bite me in the butt.

"Well it was definitely off putting." I bluntly state, a little unnerved by his presence. Seriously, why is he here? Can't he tell I'm clearly not interested? Besides he's practically still a kid. He may be a little taller than me but that doesn't mean much; to me he still looks like he has a childish face.

"Well, what are you waiting for? You want to catch a ghost type, right?" The blonde haired boy asks, sliding his fingers between mine and tugging me towards the tower. My eyes narrow as I pull my hand away from his.

"Yeah we are. What are you doing here?" I ask, glancing at his belt and seeing four Pokémon lined up and ready to go starting with his Seviper. As for the rest from what I can see I have no idea what the others are. Since when were so many Pokémon so funny looking?

"Oh, I am here to help you search for some. Of course, only the best for my lady," he suavely smiles, gently cupping my hand as he leans down to kiss it. I blink and let him do it, more so out of shock and awe at the size of his balls than wanting him to do it. Uh ... wow, wow I really don't know what to say about this idiot.

"Ugh, fine. Just don't go scaring them off." I say, pulling my hand back and walking past them to the door. Well great now I have another dead weight on my hands. But then again, with Pokémon as powerful as his we don't really have anything to worry about here. My hand gently drifts over the silver Pokeballs on my hips before I open the front door and pull it back for the two to go in. Atticus walks in with a swift trot as I look up to the blonde hair noticing a dark glare on his face before he notices my staring, quickly turning that frown into the most cheerful grin I've ever seen. There's something off with this guy but I can't put my finger on it.

"So what are you planning to catch, my love?" The boy asks, hugging my arm rather tightly and walking as close as possible to me. Oh good hell he's the clingy type gross, gross get it off. I keep my composure fairly well, leaning away from him and resisting with all my might to punch him off.

"A ghost Pokémon. I will have to see what's here." I say, looking up at the looming tower and trying to ignore the guy hooked to my hip.

"Then I'll help you! But you really don't need the extra useless baggage, do you?" He asks as he cheerfully smiles at me. Well if by useless baggage he means himself I'm one hundred percent on board but I have a feeling he's referring to Atticus in the nicest way possible. My focus shifts, watching as Atticus ignores us and tugs on the doors to the tower.

"Still unlocked, good," he says as he pulls the door aside. I slip my arm free of the blonde haired pest and cautiously walk into the building first, immediately admiring the simple yet soothing architecture. The giant middle pillar sways back and forth making me uneasy. Uh ... is it suppose to do that? I flinch each time it sways, almost expecting the building to come crashing down.

"Don't worry, Jackie, it's suppose to do that. The swaying pillar helps the tower survive through storms." Atticus explains, looking like he was holding in a chuckle at my reaction.

"Oh silly, of course she already knows that." the blonde coos, giving me a fond look.

"Nope." She said as she popped the 'p'. "What is your name?" I don't want to keep referring to him as the blonde or, more accurately, the stalker. A broad and sunny smile lights up his face as his eyes look like mini hearts form in them.

"I am so happy you care! My name is Kilik but you may call me Kidd," he smiles, clasping my hand in his as he looks like I just gave him a mountain of candy. Ew, no. Uh ... shoo, go away.

"Ouch-!" He breathes, whipping his arms back as Sneasel looks up to him and sticks its tongue out, clearly startling the touchy man.

"No, bad Sneasel," I sarcastically and flatly say while internally thanking it. Sneasel trots alongside me as I head towards the stairs in the back corner, determined to get closer to the top and search for a Ghost Pokémon. I doubt they would be on the bottom floor and my instincts are telling me to go up.

"Hopefully we'll run into the Ghost Pokémon soon, I'd hate to stay up all night." Atticus says as I hum in agreement. If we come out with nothing gained from this that would definitely suck. I slow down as we approach the second floor, looking around the empty room. My heart pounds with excitement, half expecting one to pop out at us without much warning.

"Alright now where~ are~ you~," I whisper under my breath as I walk into the room, listening to the two boys following close behind.

"It's pr-probably watching us in secret. Ugh, I'm shivering ... ," Atticus shivers and suddenly let out a scream. My head whips back, expecting to see a large looming Pokemon I intend to capture, but only spy Turtwig recovering from a tackle as Atticus stumbles back into a wooden wall, eyes wildly wide and hand dramatically placed over his heart. "Nein! Geez, Turtwig, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

The Pokémon broadly grins in response, obviously very proud of what it's done. Pffffft oh that's just too funny. I snort and continue searching, aware that Sneasel was sticking very close by my side and not really looking around.

"Hey Sneasel, help me look around," I say with a grin. Its head pops up, eyes shining with restrained excitement as I grin and jut my chin up to encourage it. Without an order more it dashes from my side and scampers onto the head of a Bellsprout statue and flicks its head around as its ears remain tall and eagerly alert. It's so cute how excited he gets when he can run around in darkness and explore.

I walk over to the stairs, glancing back at the others and in particular, Atticus. I don't want his screaming to scare the ghost Pokémon away and this is an opportunity to get some space from Kidd.

"Hey, why don't we all separate and look? I will go to the top floor and you two just kinda look wherever you want." I flippantly say and trot up the stairs. They can go ahead and do whatever they want for all I care. If I'm lucky they will chase all the Ghost Pokémon upstairs for me.

ATTICUS'S POV

"G-good idea," I nod in agreement. Some time away from each other might do us good.

"No! I want to stay with you!" Kidd cries, reaching towards Jackie with a shocked expression. But Jackie was already up the stairs. I let out a faint sigh, weighing my chances on staying or maybe going outside and later try to convince her that Ghost Pokémon could be there too.

"Aww~ I wanted to help her catch what she wanted." Kidd pouts as he tugs on the rim of his shirt, staring at the stairs and trying to decide what he should do.

I blink before slowly glancing over to the pouting guy. His actions, his overly sweet gestures, his candy like eyes that seem to have a sour center deeply confuses me. I feel so uneasy around him and he genuinely seems like a nice guy. A little pushy but sweet. A pang through my chest makes me grip my heart as I push the recurring uneasy feeling back and start to head for the stairs to go 'look around' outside. A hand overlapping my own jerks me back, startling me as I whip my head around and spy the taller man's bright blue eyes seeming to cut through the darkness and straight to my heart despite the smile on his face.

"Mr. Atticus, let's go together. I don't like being in the dark alone," he admits, glancing off to the side but his expression wasn't exactly nervous.

"Uh ... sure, if you need to," I say, letting him hold onto my hand with his longer sleeves acting like a barrier between our skin. He stays quiet for the most part as I walk around the second floor, suddenly unable to find the stairs. B-But weren't they over in that corner? O-Or maybe over there? My mind begins to feel muddled as to where the stairs are actually located until, after a few times circling the room, Kidd's hand lightly squeezes my own.

"Excuse me, Mr. Atticus. What is your relation with dear Jackie?" The boy cutely asks, tugging on my hand and making me look at his sugar coated smile. I stare for a few moments, wondering if he thinks Jackie and I might have something going on and that's why he's asking. Normal enough, he supposed.

"We're only traveling temporarily together. We happened to be going to the same places and decided that two is better than one." I sincerely answer. Despite us finally being on agreeing terms, I know I can't stay with Jackie. I need to go on and fight my own battles. After all, she only helped me out due to circumstances. I am very sure she'd be happy to get me out of her hair.

"Oh? Then why are you still here?" He asks, innocently blinking as he tilts his head, processing my answer. Beneath those eyes I feel his child-like stare trying to cut right through me. Why ... why is this boy making me feel so uneasy? My heart throbs again as I take the aching with a slight shiver, unnerved by my anxious reactions.

"Well ... after we visit the ruins again, I think I'll leave for Azalea Town and Jackie can go wherever she likes." I explain, a bit put off by my reaction to the guy.

"Oh! Which means that she will join me!" He excitedly exclaims as he grasps my hand a little tighter as if to hold me in place. He continues to babble excitedly to himself and all the fun adventures they will have, not once mentioning my name in the mix. I listen to his excitement, unable to find anything particularly wrong with what he's saying. But why do I keep getting this reoccurring feeling that I'm in danger?

This guy is just ... too sweet. As if he's trying too hard to cover something up. It seems to me, that if I actually decide to continue traveling with Jackie, that this Aryan boy would try to plot against me and have me either be forced to leave or ... disappear.

"Ask Jackie. She'll decide if she'll want to travel with you or not." I suggest, trying not to roll my eyes as I gently let the boy's hand go. Of course I won't challenge him in a Pokémon battle, the stranger was stronger than me. Much, much stronger.

"But ... can I do it? Can I get passed and eliminate the obstacles? Just ... just like mommy likes," Kidd mutters to himself, his hand tightening around my own as the air suddenly seemed to get heavier. "Yes ... yes, I think I can. I take the object of affection and get rid of everything else, j-just ... just like what mommy wants."

Without warning Kidd rams into my back, sending me sprawling onto the ground. I bulk, startled and flip around to my back just as the boy sits on my stomach and folds his arms, leaning over me with a neutral expression and distant eyes.

"H-Hey, get off me!" I cry, struggling underneath of him but his weight holds as he makes sure not to get tossed off as he continues to stare into my eyes with his cold gaze. What's gotten into him?!

" ... yes, yes maybe now I can. Maybe now ... now I can make mommy happy," he says, putting his hands up in an open handed striking position before snapping them forward and grabbing my wrist in his long fingers. Kidd shoved them against the ground, staring emotionlessly at my neck.

"Wh...what...?" He's crazy! A twitching, demonic grin spreads across his lips as his eyes begin to water with oncoming tears.

"Look ... ook mommy, I can do it, this time I can do it, I can kill him just for you, mommy-!" He hysterically mutters, his pupils crazily shrinking.

Struggling, I hiss under my laboring breath, staring up at the insane attacker who tightens his grip at every passing second. His mother? He wants to kill ... for his mother? I twitch, struggling against his grasp with all my might. My nerves and body scream for freedom but I want to scream for Jackie. For her to come see this and discover what kind of insane b****** this guy is. Only a soft cry comes choking out of my mouth from my shock.

"I can do it ... can't I? Yes, yes I must. All for mommy." He whispers.

And then my pupils shrink as if a switch was flipped.

A wild, savage feeling completely engulfs my chest as my eyes narrow in anger, taking the body away from my weaker half and assuming my rightful position. My strength extends to the tips of my fingers which tightly clench in anticipation.

He will pay.

My iron fist whipped across the assaulter's face making him fall back. His eyes widened in shock as he touches his struck cheek, wobbling to his legs as he stares at me with disbelief.

"You can't do anything for your Mutti." I coldly growl. The insane attacker's eyes grow crazed as he gets to his feet and slips out a small pocket knife from his pocket, his hand trembling as he held it with the knive folded in.

"Ha ... ha, hahahahaha!" The man hysterically howls as he flips the pocket knife in his hand and glares at me, all sense of his candy sweetness gone, "I knew it, I knew there was something off with you. Even behind that innocent facade you cannot hide it from me, oh no," the man breathes, licking his lips as he begins to waver back and forth, "you can't hide that sort of lust it's the same as mommy's. I knew it from the second I saw you. But how ... how do you put up such a good mask?" He asks, seeming curious how I seemed so calm and sweet before suddenly flipping the switch while his own mask had cracked here and there in the short time he was with us.

I glared at him before slowly getting up, brushing off my wrists and then reached behind my waist to pull out a bowie knife. Kidd's eyes darken with apprehension, flipping out his own blade which paled in comparison to Atticus's size.

"You wouldn't understand even if I told you. Now come at me with everything you have." I say, rather get the threat over and done with now rather than later.

The boy wildly grins, licking the tip of his blade for good luck before lurching forward. I grin and launch at him, reading to counter attack before two large black and violet spheres shoot up from the ground, dragging its tongue over both our faces. Paralyzed from the startling lick we both fall forward, bumping our heads. My fingers hardly twitch in response as I struggle to grip my knife tighter, unable to move a muscle. My lips barely part to shout but no sounds came out. A Gastly-!

The Ghost Pokémon hysterically laughs as it flies overhead, cackling and stuck its tongue out to mock us. More materialize out of the walls and floor to join in with the trouble maker Gastly, floating around in the air and dancing around. No matter how much I try neither of us could reach our Pokeballs to call for help. I glare at their floating figures annoyed that these pests interrupted. I hope they are all exposed into the sun and shrivel up for this.

The main Gastly that had licked me cheekily prances around my body, rummaging through my backpack and spilling the Pokeballs all over the floor. It curiously eyes them, tapping it's gaseous head against a few and began rolling them all over the ground. A few more join in with the game and spread the empty Pokeballs all around the room. With a loud laugh the main Gastly, and notably one of the bigger ones, continued to spread them around never noticing that on one in particular it clicked on the center button.

A shot of red light hits at the Gastly, dragging it into the Pokeball. It's eyes widen and mouth gaps in shock before it's ripped into the ball that snaps shut, wiggling three times before letting out a loud click and indicating that it had been caught.

" ... fick!"

"Ugh, I can't believe I didn't see a SINGLE ghost Pokemon!" I irritably fume as I stomp down the stairs, wondering if the other two had any luck. But since they didn't come calling I assume they had just about as much luck as I did. Sneasel let out a sigh as well before perking up, listening intently to something before racing down the stairs. Oh! Did it see one? I dash after it, excited to potentially catch a Ghost Pokémon before spying both Atticus and Kidd on the ground, completely immobile.

... oh please tell me they're sleeping.

"Hey, guys? You all alright?" I call, walking over to them in a hurry as Sneasel sniffs Kidd's clothes in a rushed hurry, slipping its claws into his pockets probably as an automatic response to rob them. "Sneasel, no robbing."

"Can't...move...! Jackie!" Atticus muffles into the floor, trembling with his attempts to move and stand up.

"What happened?" I frantically demand, grabbing Atticus's shoulder and rolling him onto his back, "what the hell is wrong with you two?" I reach over, rolling over Kidd and looking them both over with knives in their clenched grasps. My eyes widen, a shiver crawling down my spine. "Were you two attacked?"

"N-,"

"Yes, Jackie! We were ... attacked! And managed to get the k-knives out of the grunts' hands, but they sent out a Pokémon to paralyze us." Kilik interrupts, letting out a faint groan as he struggles to get up.

"What?! Where the hell are they now?" I demand, jumping up as I look around. They were attacked? Why didn't they call out for one of the officers? My eyes quickly scan the room and listen intently to the area, worried they may still be lurking near. Sneasel leaps over to the boys, sniffing their clothes and circling around, looking puzzled as it keeps sniffing to the trail of grunt scents.

"They left," Kilik explains and Atticus let out an aggravated huff in response but otherwise keeps quiet.

"Oh good hell- get up, can't you two move at all?" I say in disbelief, yanking on Atticus's arm and trying to drag him towards the entrance since carrying a dead weight would be pretty difficult to do. Ugh, is he seriously going to just lay there as I drag him?

"You go and get yourself paralyzed and tell me if you can get up!" Atticus growls in anger as I continued to drag him away. Wow, did he just snap at me? I stare at him before shrugging it off. I would be kicking and screaming too if I was paralyzed like this.

"Hey, wait, don't leave me here behind!" The boy cries in a near hysteric, his eyes tinged with red to prove he's been crying a little. He was probably scared senseless by the Team Rocket grunts.

"Sneasel, get the other one," I order, jutting my head towards the younger boy. Sneasel hops over to him and grabs the back of his collar, dragging him back with difficulty towards the stairs to the first floor. I heavily sigh, propping Atticus by the top as I look down.

"Now how do we get them down-," I start before Sneasel shoves Kidd over the lip of the stairs, sending both boys tumbling down the stairs.

"GUUUUUWAAAAAAAH!" They scream as they knock into each other and the rails, hitting just about everything on their body on the way down.

"Sneasel-!" I angrily snap as I shoot down the stairs. I turn to make a quick glare at Sneasel, seeing him cheekily shrug and leap down the stairs faster than me and reach the bodies, clearly unbothered about shoving them down the stairs. Oh man that's got to hurt. I angrily glare at it as I head down the stairs after him. "If they break a bone, it's your fault-," I barely start before freezing as a flashlight locks onto me. Oh no, the grunts-?!

"Freeze!" The officer shouts along with the growl of a Growlithe. My eyes widen, realizing what he must of thought what happened.

"They aren't dead I swear!"

"Uh ... why are you staying here again?" I ask as I look to the blonde haired boy's cheerful smile. Why the hell did he have to come to the hotel room with us?

"Because now I'm under investigation too! Isn't that great? Now we can hang out more," he cheerfully grins as I let out a shaky and exhausted sigh.

"Why, why couldn't you have lied and told the police a Pokémon jumped out of nowhere and paralyzed you both? Now we're stuck in this town for even longer!" I grunt before tossing myself back onto the bed with an aggravated groan. This sucks! My gaze turns to Atticus, seeing him all tucked away in his separate bed and ready for sleep. He's been awfully quiet lately.

"Atticus, you feeling alright?" I ask, checking up on him as Sneasel hops onto the foot of my bed, stepping around and around in a small area before laying down with a smug and cheerful smile.

"Uh ... yeah, just tired," he answers, letting out a huff as his figure relaxes. I let out a sigh of my own and lay down in the bed, turning off the lights for the night. It's way too late ... well, now early in the morning to talk. We all just need our sleep.

"Hey, Jackie? I-I'm scared of the dark so can we-,"

"No."

"But-,"

"I said no."

Of course that's where her mind goes to first XD