A/N: Blah, blah, blah, sorry for taking my time to update, blah, blah, blah

Disclaimer: Pokémon ©Shogakukan Productions Co., Ltd., 4Kids Entertainment, Nintendo & Pokémon USA.

.:If you haven't found something strange during the day, it hasn't been much of a day:.

Blanca pushed her long hair away from her face and let out a smile. It was so pretty, the badge that is. The first one of her collection and she couldn't be more proud of it. She sat on a chair along with many other trainers, on the center lobby, who waited for their Pokémon's healing.

"Pretty," a raven haired girl sitting next to Blanca remarked.

Blanca eyed the girl a bit surprised, but replied to the nice smile. "Oh, thank you," she blushed, storing the badge in her bag. "It wasn't easy to get it. I realized I must work really hard in order to obtain these league badges."

The young girl blinked a bit at a loss and then hid a laugh with a hand. "I'm sorry, I wasn't clear. I was referring to your hair color, it's quite unique..." the girl eyed Blanca even closer. "Oh, and I see you have contact lens to match your hair... cool. You do cosplay or something like that?"

The young trainer went mute for what seemed like forever. It sure had been a while since she heard any comments towards her odd colors. It was both her hair and eyes whom possessed a rose color in them and intrigued many when she was young. At times they would seem of a crimson color but that was a debatable topic.

She didn't color her hair nor wore contact lens – she was simply born that way. As a child, it was her nightmare. Kids at school would torment her over it, telling her it was fake no matter how many times she said it wasn't and tried to explain it as a disease or something. But kids were cruel. They would either throw glue at her or cut the longest strap of hair they could. For that, she had short hair as opposite to the long one she now had. It took years, but eventually the kids grew and, even without knowing what she really had, the whole town considered it a disease.

It was her biggest completion, but one she learned to accept.

Blanca smiled broadly when Nurse Joy came with one Pokéball and a grumpy Ralts next to her. Blanca never eyed the young girl next to her, but still replied. "No, I do not cosplay. It's just the way I am."

As confused as Blanca probably left the girl, she rushed to get her Pokémon back. Joy gave her back the Pokéball that had Leaf inside and Eikou returned to her seat that was Blanca's shoulder. The young trainer thanked Nurse Joy again and left the Center.

"I hate hospitals..." Eikou snarled venomously.

Blanca ignored Eikou's grumpy mood and walked towards north of the city.

"Where are we going?" It sounded like a question, but really it was more of a demand from a very bad humored Ralts.

"Route 115," Blanca never dared to eye her psychic-type. "I heard at the center that a lot of trainers go there for some practice, so I thought it be a good idea."

"Ah, so you're starting to learn how to be a proper trainer. Honestly speaking, I didn't have much hope for you. Actually, I don't think you'll go to far, but if you are wiling to learn and grow as a trainer then maybe you can go further than I had anticipated."

Blanca couldn't help herself but laugh. "Well, aren't you the supportive type?"

Eikou smiled while folding her arms. "Think of it as supreme honesty. What, you'd rather if I'd lie to you?"

Of course, the young trainer shook her head. "Not at all. I wish to grow as strong as I can." Blanca began to slow down her steps, as she came closer to a crowd of people.

She walked around the crowd aiming for route 115, but as she curiously peeked inside the crowd, she saw a familiar face. She came closer, until she was held by a yellow police line. There, was Dan talking to some police officers. A worried expression to his face.

"Dan!" she called out.

The man seemed to have recognized the voice. "Blanca! Oh, it's terrible," he approached her, excusing himself from the officer. "My Devon Goods they... they have been stolen from me!"

"What?" Blanca shook her head. "How?"

Dan seemed apprehensive in answering her, but eventually did so. "I... I was returning to the Devon Corporation when some members of that Team Manna ambushed me and stole the case. They knocked me unconscious, so I have no idea where they went."

"Dan..." Blanca felt somewhat sorry for Dan's immense bad luck. "I wish I could help you."

The man smiled poorly. "No need to worry, you already helped me a lot back there," he looked back where the police officer called him. "I have to go. I wish you the best of luck Blanca!"

She watched Dan move away and she herself did the same.

While walking away from the crowd, Blanca had to wonder. "Why the yellow line around?"

To what Eikou replied. "I think that's where Dan was attacked. I saw some blood drops. Someone must've called the ambulance and the police while he was unconscious, but he came to his senses before the arrival so the police protected the place and started to interview him."

"Makes sense, since his forehead was already patched up."

A couple of minutes later, Blanca had finally reached her destiny. But to her great surprise, there weren't any trainers around. She searched for a while more but to no avail.

"Are you sure about this place?" Eikou asked, somewhat annoyed.

"It's what I was told at the center," Blanca was sure of herself. "I swear."

"Stupid humans... never a reliable source."

"Oh hush!" Blanca snapped. "We can still train by ourselves. Developing new moves and hopefully some battle strategies. It wouldn't do us any good to just jump into battles without some previous thinking."

Eikou had to agree.

She waited while Blanca dropped her bag on the ground and released the rest of her team. Leaf leaped around in joy as usual, earning herself a smack in the head when trying to hug Eikou.

"Well," Blanca began. "I can see there's still a lot for us to develop, but for now I think its best just to work with what you guys have."

"Meaning, our current moves." Eikou translated.

"Yes," the trainer smiled. "I saw how hard it is to teach you guys new moves by observing Leaf master Cut, but before we get there, I think it's important to master what we already have."

"Sounds smart enough..." Eikou yawned out, her eyes keeping a close attention to the sudden rustle in the trees around the area.

"Perfect! I'd like to start with Kuru then, I already thought of a few combos we could use to give us some advantage in battle."

"Something's not right here..." Eikou whispered, still looking around.

"What is it?" Leaf asked, puzzled by her look.

"Bug off weed. You're distracting me."

There was someone else in the area, Eikou was sure of it. But whatever it was, it was good at concealing itself. Eikou could pick some mind waves, but not to the point of locating the identity. She knew the thing was also onto to her by the sudden disturbance in the waves. It was not a human, though it felt to her like one, no human possessed the ability to sense her power.

The thing moved. "Blanca watch out!" Eikou yelled.

Eikou was quick enough to teleport herself to where the startled Blanca was, only to get hit away by the new comer. She didn't have time to see, when Eikou managed to get up the attacker had leaped into the nearest tree, taking their trainer with him.

Leaf yelled out her trainer's name, while a very confused Kuru couldn't understand what had just happened. Eikou once again teleported herself, this time to the tree, once there, only the rustle of the branches indicated their direction.

X

Blanca screamed to the point that her throat hurt, but the figure would not subside his swift leaps from branch to branch. He held her effortlessly with only one arm around her waist, her face facing downwards. For many times she tried to raise her head, but never succeeded due to the speed.

Eventually she no longer had the strength to yell. Shortly after her silence, the two came to a stop at a large tree branch.

Her kidnapper carefully dropped her body on the branch. "I must say, your screaming is rather painful for someone with such great hearing as I."

Blanca's body trembled as she came to a sit position. Her eyes grew wider and fear took over her once she saw the boy. "Y-you-you're.."

"Scream again and I'll hurt you."

It was the boy she saw back at the Forest. The boy with the sky blue eyes and deformed figure. The boy who almost killed her. Blanca's instincts told her to back away. But sitting on a branch that high, there really was no place for her to flee. Oddly enough, the boy before her seemed much less frightening than before. His long beige coat covered his entire body. His hands were hidden away with leather-brown gloves.

She didn't know how, but she found the courage to speak. "W-what do you want with me?"

The boy was scanning the area. "I'm going to use you to get something I want."

Well, he sure was honest. "Me?" her mind was puzzled. "I don't know you, how can I even be of use to you?"

The boy finally eyed her. "Nor do I know you," and without warning, he picked her up again. "But some people do."

This time, Blanca did not yell. Perhaps due to the boy's ensuring words that he would harm her otherwise. The speed that the boy used was incredible, especially considering he was moving between trees. The speed and the height made Blanca's stomach drop. However, one thing had stayed on her mind as the boy carried her – what people?

X

"Let me go, Kuru! Let me go!" Leaf cried and yelled, using all her strength to release herself from Kuru's grip.

"You're not going anywhere!" Kuru snarled. "We don't even know where they went, how do you expect to find Blanca?"

"I don't know, but I will!" tears streamed down her face, causing Kuru a heartbreak just by watching.

"They went towards route 116, that much I can tell." Eikou said rather calmly.

Kuru gave her a harsh glare. "You're not helping."

The psychic-type shrugged her shoulders. "Staying here and do nothing isn't going to help Blanca either." at that point, Leaf eyed her with teary hopeful eyes, making Eikou look away. "Unless you wish to search for a human and bark at him until he understands our trainer has been kidnapped."

"You could always speak to a human through their minds."

"How much time are we wasting just by doing that? Plus, they'll first ask us a lot of questions before actually searching for her." she sighed rather heavily. "I'm with weed on this one. We should go, now."

Kuru fell silent for a moment, slowly releasing Leaf from him. The small Chikorita didn't waste time in running the second she could move out of there.

Eikou laughed at this. "Come on, let's go. Somebody has to at least point her the way to route 116."

X

Blanca and her attacker seemed to have reached their destination, when he jumped to the ground, hiding behind some bushes. Blanca had no time to see where she was, for he immediately lifted her up by pulling her left arm behind her back.

"That hurts..." she complained.

The young man ignored her, leading her out of the bushed and into the road. She then noticed a cave and near that cave an old man with worry in his face. They caught the old man's attention when approaching, causing great alarm in him.

"Leonard!" he shouted confused. "Where have you been? Who is this girl? What are you doing to her?"

This shocked Blanca. So the old man knew this strange boy. This seemed to relieve her hearth a bit.

"Chill out gramps," the boy, Leonard, smiled. "She's what's going to get us Peeko back home."

Now, Blanca was once again puzzled, however, the old man eyed her with hope.

"She is? Who is she?"

Leonard let go of her arm, placing his hand around her shoulders as though they were familiar with one another. "She also has something to retrieve from that thug, and we're going to get it together," he leaned in closer, as if about to whisper into her ear. "After all, you do want those Devon Goods back, don't you?"

Blanca's whole body shivered. How did he know again about the Goods? The old man sighed in relief.

"That monster! He knows no limit to his actions."

"Peeko?" Blanca asked. "Is that... your Pokémon, Sir?"

The old man smiled. "Indeed! She was stolen from me by the same man that stole your Goods. He now hid himself inside this cave filled with wild Pokémon." his eyes turned towards Leonard. "I hope you two can get it back..."

"We will old man, rest assured."

The boy then grabbed Blanca again by the waist and rushed inside the cave.

The inside wasn't what neither of them thought it would be. It was misty, cold and they had the strange feeling of being watched by the local Pokémon.

Leonard let go of the young trainer. "From what I understand, this cave is where the Pokémon Whismur lives." He narrowed his eyes, not being very successful in distinguish what was up ahead. "They're very timid Pokémon, but don't try to startle one our your ears will regret it."

"Why are you doing this? Did you take me to get the Devon Goods back? You tried to kill me back at the forest! Your actions make no sense to me."

The boy scratched his face, never really looking at her. "I did try to kill you before, but I hadn't taken a good look at you yet. I see you are now more useful to me than I could ever imagine." he smiled deviously.

Blanca turned her back on him. "I don't know you... please, just leave me alone."

"You don't want to get those Goods back?" he asked genuinely surprised. "I thought they were important to your friend."

She turned to him again. "Then, is it really true that the man who stole Peeko also took the Devon Goods?"

"Weren't you hearing gramps back there?"

Blanca was at a loss for words. "Very well... I will go with you until we find this man and take what he stole. But that is all. After this, I wish never to see you again. Your interest in me freaks me out a bit."

Leonard laughed, but not too loud. "Let us go then."

It was hard to see, but as they walked further inside, it was possible to understand that someone had been working on that tunnel, as if trying to connect it with another place. But most parts were unfinished and even a bit sloppy, like it had been dug by human labor alone without any help from machines.

"Who's there?" a voice shouted from the mist.

A fade shadow could be seen, making Leonard smile with satisfaction. "Howdy partner. Didn't expect to meet you so early on."

There was a brief silence. "That voice... you... from the forest!"

It was then Blanca understood to be the same man. The one who claimed to belong to Team Manna.

"Good memory! Now, you know why I'm here right? I need that Pokémon and the Goods back."

"You idiot!" the man yelled, causing some local Pokémon to sneak back into their hiding places. "I'm not giving you back the Goods, we need them!" he fell silent again. "But... it would seem I did well to steal this Pokémon. I'll give it to you if you let me go!"

This perplexed Leonard. "Escape? That's what I've been wondering, why haven't you escaped yet?"

"... This cave is blocked, I can't get out thru here..."

This time, Leonard really laughed with joy. "You're telling me you're trapped? You should've told me that sooner! It really would've spared me the work of grabbing this girl. Seriously, what a waste!"

Leonard leaped when the man yelled in frustration. However, to the surprise of everyone there, something grabbed Leonard tight and threw him towards a wall, causing him to release a sound of intense pain.

Blanca looked behind her back, and there, in the mist, came Leaf, Kuru and Eikou.

"You guys!" she was as much as surprised as happy. "How did you...?"

"No time for that!" Eikou raised her hand. "We need to get out of here!"

"That guy has the Devon Goods!" Blanca pointed out.

"Then fight for them! Looks like you already have someone ready for that!"

It was true, when Blanca came around, her starter, Leaf was already in battle position against a Drowzee that the enemy had released in the mid of the commotion.

Reluctantly, Leaf released her vines from Blanca's kidnaper to concentrate on her new attacker. The Drowzee's owner seemed to be in a state of panic, without really knowing what to do.

"Leaf..." Blanca whispered.

The tinny Pokémon didn't look at her, but seemed determined. "Blanca, you trust and believe in me. You are my friend. I'll always give my best to protect you!"

Eikou felt sorry that Blanca couldn't hear those words, but it made her view Leaf in a different way. Perhaps the little weed wasn't so pathetic after all.

Blanca raised an arm forward, receiving the confidence that Leaf was also feeling. "Leaf, PoisonRazors!"

The petite Pokémon began glowing a strange bright color, dissipating the mist in the area. Now both opponents were visible to one another. Still glowing, Leaf threw the deadly purple powder in the air – a serious look on her face, one Eikou had never seen before, one that Blanca also possessed. Those two, Leaf and Blanca were more connected than Eikou could ever imagine. It was rare, for a Pokémon to have such a deep connection with a human.

To everyone's amazement, the glowing figure of Leaf strangely began growing as she shouted a war cry while releasing her Razor Leaf attack. The sharp leaves picked up the deadly poison, aiming directly to her surprised opponent Drowzee and finishing him in one hit. The Manna member's breathing was heavy, he immediately retrieved his Pokémon inside the ball and ran passed Blanca in panic.

"Take everything! Just... just leave me alone!" His screams echoed, scaring away the Whismur but luckily, not enough to make them scream too.

Blanca was so caught up in the moment of watching Leaf evolve into the beautiful creature before her eyes – a Bayleef. - that she had failed to notice the man escape. Leaf had also began to notice herself once her own tension had subsided. She seemed to feel a bit dizzy with her new height, even if she still was considerably small compared with an average Bayleef. Still, she seemed to enjoy the new look.

Blanca ran and hugged her starter, feeling truly happy that they had all gone to help her. "Thank you Leaf, thank you." she glanced over at Eikou and Kuru. "Thank you, all of you."

Leaf suddenly whipped out one of her vines around the body of the boy who had taken Blanca from her. He had recovered from the impact and was about to grab what the man left behind.

"That thing of yours, isn't very friendly now, is she?" Leonard complained, slightly playful, slightly annoyed.

Blanca rose to her feet. "What did you expect, by the way you took me?" the boy rolled his blue eyes. Blanca sighed, giving Leaf a few strokes in the head to calm her down. "It's alright, he only came to save a Pokémon and to retrieve the Devon Goods. He's not as bad as we think."

Eikou looked over once Blanca spoke. Truly, there was a small cage with a Wingull trapped inside. And not far from it, an all to familiar brief case. Eikou took the time to speak with the trapped Wingull, learning what she needed for the situation at hand.

"It's true, that Wingull says she's with this guy here."

Leaf took her time, angrily eying the boy before cautiously releasing him.

"Thanks," he dusted himself. He approached the now happily chirping Wingull and released her, also picking up the brief case and throwing it towards Blanca who caught it with both hands. "There, we both got what we wanted. See you around..." he tried to remember the name he heard her Pokémon call. "Blanc? Blanche?"

"It's Blanca Kimura..."

He smiled. "Leonard. Hope our paths cross again soon, Miss Kimura."

And with that he left. Blanca did want to ask him many questions, but his presence bothered her greatly. Perhaps it was best if their paths, unlike what he wished for, were to never cross again.

A/N: Yup! The mystery boy shows up again! Next chapter we shall learn a little bit more about him. But what did you think of this chapter and Leaf evolving? Was it too soon? Leave a review!