Note: Here, I finally managed to get it done. I guess that I'll be able to upload once a week from now on... Either way, things'll be more interesting in this chapter... I hope I did well, because I only found time to transfer this from my notebook yesterday while I was at the bus due to a school activity. Here you go then...

Rose's POV:

I continued to trod down the rocky path. I was already exhausted from walking through such rough terrain. Claire, however, wasn't tired at all, considering that she could float.

"How did things go down there?" Claire asked, still floating after me.

I grumbled, my legs were already sore from walking. Claire just kept following me as if she didn't notice the annoyed look plastered on my face.

"Why are you following me?" I spat back.

She fell silent at first, shyly playing with her fingers.

"Well, since you saved me, I-I've tried my best to search for you... I wanted to tag along with you," she stuttered.

I sighed and slapped my forehead.

"Listen, I DID NOT save you! I'm a thief, an outlaw! I defeated you because you were getting in the way of my goal!" I growled at her, hoping that she would just get out of my way.

"But... What about that word you said before you did the finishing blow," Claire returned back, nervously biting at her fingers.

A small scene hit my head.

"Sorry," I mouthed as she fainted.

Crud! Of all the times I had to show concern, why that time?

I was about to open my mouth to deny it but I remembered the scene as plain as day. I remembered that the look I wore on my face... It was one of concern and pity... Now if at sort of face was imprinted in Claire's head... I honestly don't think she would have bought my denying of the concerned act.

"Fine," I replied, "you can come along. But don't you dare mention that incident ever again!"

"Hmm? It's not as if being nice is bad or anything," she perked up.

I sighed. She obviously had no idea of who I was...

"One more thing," I warned, "if you come with me, there is also a risk of you getting arrested. Are you sure you still want to tag along?"

"Yes, I accept the risks," Claire replied almost immediately.

I sighed again, I guess that there was really no way to change Claire's decision.

"Fine, we continue moving now! We can't stop to rest or anything," I panted, trudging forward to hide my exhaustion. I wanted to be strict with Claire... Sadly, that did not work out well.

Claire simply floated over to me.

"Are you sure? You seem pretty tired yourself," she doubted.

I scowled, "Of course! I know that you're tired and all, but we must keep mo-"

I wasn't able to finish my sentence as I had tripped on a small stone. Unable to keep my balance due to sheer fatigue, I fell down face-first into the ground.

"On second thought," I mumbled, "Go ahead and rest as you please."

We both sat down to rest. I found that my bag was still strapped to where it was supposed to be. I guess Blade wouldn't have expected me to hide it under my gown.

I took out some food to eat. I noticed Claire staring down at my hands. I sighed.

"You want some?" I asked as I took out another Oran Berry.

"N-no," she stammered, "It's just that I can sense something... unusual about your bag."

I rolled my eyes. I guess she was too shy to even accept food.

"Are you sure it's not just hunger?" I snorted, putting back the berry.

As I put the berry back, the Icy Flute that I had stolen fell out of my bag. Claire looked as pale as a ghost when she saw that... Oh wait... she couldn't get any paler and she is part Ghost-type anyway.

"M-may I see this?" she asked.

"Sure, just don't wave it around like mad or you might get arrested as a thief... I stole that, y'know," I casually retorted.

She ignored my voice and held it with both of her hands, carefully examining the flute which I had no interest in.

"Odd..." she looked back at me and returned the flute to me, "I feel somewhat... connected to that flute... yet I've never seen it before..."

"Are you sure it's not just your empty stomach?" I teased, somehow still keeping my serious manner about.

"No, I'm pretty sure that I'm not hungry-" she replied before being cut off by the growling of her stomach.

"Looks like your stomach disagrees," I laughed, my air of seriousness gone.

I tossed the berry at her and she caught it. Soon, she began to laugh with me. The both of us just sat there and laughed, even me. I've never laughed that much before. We just sat there, laughing and eating together. We held a conversation while eating and all.

I smiled, maybe allowing her to tag along wasn't such a bad thing after all. After some time laughing and eating together, our conversation began to end. For once, I didn't want a conversation to end... Talking to her gave me a happy feeling... I wanted that.

"So, where're you from?" I began, hoping to start another conversation.

Claire immediately fell silent and looked down, holding back tears. I must have dredged something bad that had happened to her.

I felt devastated. I had just gotten a glimpse of a feeling... Maybe it was friendship. Never in all my life had I believed in friendship, as a thief, I only believed that there were only others that one must utilize and that there were others one must cooperate with to achieve a common goal. Never did I believe that there was such a thing as a "friend". Claire was beginning to pour some doubt in that belief I had though. I didn't want to lose her as quickly as I had found her...

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry if I said something wrong! Are you okay?" I quickly shot out.

She looked back at me and sighed.

"No, you did nothing wrong," her sorrowful mood soon changed to shock, "Wait! You're actually concerned? Are y-you okay?"

After her reply, I fell down laughing. She soon followed and soon enough, we were back to smiling. My serious side was fading in the process.

After we were done laughing, Claire cleared her throat and opened her mouth.

"The truth is... I'm from the Hoenn region," she explained.

"Huh? What's that?" I cluelessly asked.

"It's a place where humans exist, unlike this world, according to Jirachi. Jirachi said that I'm at an entirely different dimension from home," she added with a sorrowful tone.

"Then how did you end up here?" I curiously asked.

"I honestly don't know. What I know is that this group called "Cipher"... They had caught me as a Snorunt from Hoenn... They took me to Sinnoh while I was still caged... There, I evolved into a Froslass... But afterwards, they brought me to a place called Orre... They took me to their headquarters... That was where they did these experiments on me... and... and..." she grasped for air, choking on her own tears, "I became a s-shadow... W-when I woke up as my normal self, Jirachi explained everything!"

I fell silent. Cipher... Orre... I initially thought that being a shadow would fulfill my dreams... But Claire... What she had said... Could something as horrible as the Legend of Orre be actually true?

"I'm sorry for dredging up such horrible memories," I apologized softly, still disturbed about the truth behind that myth.

She looked back at me.

"I-I'm fine," she replied, wiping off her tears, "I'm just glad that I didn't hurt anyone while I was still in that state. W-wait... I didn't... hurt you... Did I?"

I closed my eyes. In a sense, Claire was similar to me. She was all alone in a worlds he was unfamiliar with. Not only was she alone, but she was lost. Would I dare to leave someone this helpless alone? I mean, I did say that I do show pity right? If I left her to cope up with her own problems, it would only be fair considering what the world had done to me... But if I do so, I would doom her to walk the same path I took. Did I really wish to make the world fair? Is it for the good of everyone or was it just my selfish dream? Did I really desire this?

"Claire," I softly spoke, "I know that you're lost, confused, but mostly alone. I now know why you chose to tag along with me... I also know how it feels to be... alone... But I promise that I'll help you... Nobody must be allowed to experience such a horrible thing."

Claire's crying face soon changed to a smile. Somehow, for once I could see the beauty in a smile. A warm feeling fell over me and for once, I felt that I had done the right thing.

"T-thank you, Rose," she gladly returned.

I merely sighed. I was torn between two beliefs... I knew I had to choose one soon...

"Well, let's get a move on then," I smiled.

Note: Looks like our hardened little thief has learned to soften a bit, huh... Either way... My most probable upload dates are either on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, or Sunday. Depends on my assignments... I'll only be able to upload once a week though due to my now hectic schedule. Like always, there's only one thing I'll ever ask from you guys... All I ask is that you leave a little review. Remember, small opinions may change big things! Seeya then, 'till next chappie:)