Author's Notes

Just a side note. Phobias are rather extreme, but for simplicities sake people can label normal fears as phobias. When I said Koichi's claustrophobic, I didn't mean he'll have a panic attack or anything like Yuki from Fruits Basket. When I said he's got Haemophobia though, that's another story.

On another note, remember that Espeon uses Confusion, while Gallade uses Psychic. They're pretty much the same thing, but that's just to differentiate between the twins.

Enjoy, and tell me what you think.


AutoCycle

It's set on automatic. It's set on random. They can't get it off, and it sends them to places they know little or nothing about. 20 cycles, then they're home free...if they're still alive.

Digimon & Anime x-overs


Chapter 11

Claustrophobic Espeon

He didn't notice when he had fallen asleep, waiting for Zoe and Koichi, or should he say Vespiquen and Espeon? The first thing he did notice upon awakening, even before his mind registered the action, was that both had finally returned, and were sleeping soundly. Vespiquen was on the tree branch above Abomansnow, and Espeon was stretched out beside a sunny patch beside Gallade.

He smiled. As much as he hated to admit it, he had been worried. Although it bothered him still how long the pair had taken. Was it possible that civilisation was a far reach?

He groaned loudly. 'Don't tell me I have to go trampling halfway across the country?' he yelled up to the skies…rather stupidly though as he wound up with four annoyed Pokémon. Well…three grumpy in all honesty; Espeon just went back to sleep again and Abomansnow hadn't even twitched and had succeeded in sleeping through the commotion…again.

He looked up to the sky. It looked to be afternoon; the sun was nearly opposing the position they had found it that morning. The sunny patches were far less frequent. In fact, the one Espeon had claimed was the only one in the clearing they had moved to wait in, deciding that the others were more likely to spot them. As were any form of predation, but Takuya had posted Gallade as a guard. Apparently, the other hadn't listened to him, or had been tired, or-

- actually, he didn't look really as lethargic as Electabuzz now rotating his shoulder joints or as Vespiquen flexing her wings.

'Were you asleep?' the only human remaining human asked.

'No,' the other responded flatly, closing his eyes again.

'Okay..?' Takuya blinked dumbly for a moment, before doing a double-take. 'Geez, if you could still talk Japanese, why didn't you say something sooner?' There was a pause as he recalled the anime; a Lapras, a Lucario…'You're talking out loud, aren't you?'

Gallade gave him a look.

'C'mon, help me out!'

'No,' the Pokémon replied.

'No what?'

There was an annoyed grumble which was definitely out loud as Electabuzz twitched, then Gallade replied. 'No, I'm not talking out loud.'

'That's better,' Takuya sighed beginning to pace. 'Do you always have to take the long way to explain things?'

'Do you always have to be slow picking them up?'

'Hey, you don't even play Pokémon! Or watch the anime.'

'Between you and Tommy, who needs to?'

Vespiquen interrupted, showcasing her stinger threateningly and the two quickly clammed up before it escalated into a full blown argument. In fact, Takuya took a step back in surprise, unfortunately towards Gallade and the sleeping Espeon…and he stepped on the other's tail again.

The purple cat shrieked in pain and Takuya was suddenly thrown with a Psychic blast.

'It was an accident,' he yelled as Espeon scrambled desperately for his tail. For good reason too as the red tinge this time wasn't going away and no doubt it hurt seeing as the other was struggling with the tail. He considered chasing after the other, but decided against it after receiving several death glares, but luckily the commotion woke Abomansnow and a quick and controlled Blizzard numbed the pain.

'If you ever do that again,' Koji threatened.

'I swear it was an accident,' Takuya cried, standing up properly rather than the odd position he had been in, before quickly ducking onto the next topic while Espeon opened his eyes and thanked Abomansnow. Or at least he thought that was what the other said, not speaking the language of Pokémon. 'Okay, so where's civilisation?'

Vespiquen let loose a string of repeated syllables of her name, none of which made any sort of sense.

'Translation?' Takuya weakly asked a still vexed Koji. A volatile Koji could be a rather unpredictable Koji, but there was nothing else for it if they wanted to get out of the deathtrap of a forest. Of course, for all he knew it could be a nice little garden…He almost snorted. Not likely.

'She said we'll get there in three days if we start walking and stop for the nights.'

He winced. That was kind of far. It wasn't the worst, but they had only one backpack between the six of them. Then again, it had been worse in the Digital World.

Hold on a sec…

'That's our normal walking speeds,' he said out loud, staring at Gallade, then at Electabuzz and Abomansnow who had both been moving slower than normal as their norm. Vespiquen he noticed had not taken off but was drooped on the branch. Evidently, she had flown faster than her body could take. And Espeon…he may not be slow or tired at the present moment, but seeing as each step now was one tenth of a previous at the very least, he'd definitely wear out and slow down fast.

'All right everyone,' he said, holding up the Poké balls. 'In you all go.'

Vespiquen let loose another string. This time he got the gist.

'I won't get us lost,' he said, a little exasperated. 'Is there a path?'

The part flying, part bug nodded.

'No forks?'

Another nod.

'No camouflaged faux paths?'

Another nod.

'Then how can I possibly get us lost?' he asked, exasperated.

Gallade snorted, but didn't say anything.

'And don't worry. I'll let you guys all out for dinner. And breakfast. And lunch and that-however many meals there are.'

Abomansnow seemed easygoing enough, walking over and tapping the button, disappearing in a flash of red. Espeon jumped, before apparently remembering the explanation, but still backed up a few paces.

'See?'

Gallade didn't look all to convinced, but Vespiquen looked placated, and they and Electabuzz accepted their own balls. The purple psychic cat on the other hand didn't move.

'C'mon,' Takuya tried to coax, pressing the red beam to catch him at a distance, but Espeon, being able to sense air currents a predict an opponent's movement, jumped cleanly and quickly out of the way. 'Espeon!' he called out, trying again and causing the cat to hightail into the bushes. 'Okay…'

It took him a few minutes to work out which bush, and the Pokémon at that point simply escaped into the next one. Another half an hour of playing cat and mouse, in which ironically the cat was masquerading as the mouse, before Takuya flopped down in the centre of the clearing with the purple eyes watching him with caution and slight…fear.

'Hang on,' he said slowly, frowning a little as he remembered Ash's Pikachu. 'You've never been in a Poké ball. How can you be afraid of it?'

Espeon didn't say anything.

'Okay, well I haven't either, but it can't be that bad if Koji went back in willingly, so that probably has nothing to do with it. Umm…' He thought a little longer, before snapping over his Poké. 'Ok, I'm completely lost. Mind explaining?'

'Espeon, the Sun Pokemon,' the Pokédex responded obediently. 'Its fur is so sensitive, it can sense minute shifts in the air and predict the weather or an opponent's next move.'

'You can predict the weather?' Takuya asked with interest, before glaring at the red and black device. 'Hey, that wasn't what I asked.'

Espeon made a shrugging sort of motion.

'An Espeon is extremely loyal to any trainer it considers to be worthy. It is said to have developed precognitive powers to protect its trainer from harm,' the device continued.'

'Aargh, what button is it?' After a few random pressings like when he had tried to spirit evolve after the first incident. 'Aha.'

'Poke balls are constructed specifically for a Pokémon's capture, transport and training.,' his Pokédex explained. 'While being trained, a Pokémon usually stays inside its Poké ball. However, there are many exceptions. Some Pokémon hate being confined.'

There was a pause as Takuya remembered those very same words, the latter part anyway, being uttered by Dexter, Ash's Pokédex, in reference to his Pikachu. But Espeon was human, and if it was a purely psychological thing…'You're claustrophobic?'

Espeon blushed hotly, making him look a little like he had turned pink as opposed to the lavender silk.

'Hah, you are.' But he didn't laugh. Everybody had fears, and it wasn't a wholly irrational one, like his fear of uncontrollable power. There were more ridiculous ones like his fear of needles. He knew that Koichi also had a fear of blood, and JP was still afraid of thunderstorms even after wielding the spirits of thunder. He couldn't blame him though; Shinya still hid in his bed when the thunderstorm started. It was odd that the spirit was called thunder when the power he utilised was lightning. And he could swear Koji was scared of graveyards or something in them because not once had he ever set foot in one, even when he had thought for nine years his mother was buried in one.

'Okay, hop on.'

The purple eyes blinked as Takuya slung his backpack over his shoulder, than proffered an arm. 'Climb on,' he said. 'Or you can walk now and I'll carry you later.'

Espeon considered, before pattering gently ahead. Takuya shrugged, steadied his backpack, and followed.

Takuya had offered an arm once he noted the purple cat slowing down and the other had accepted this time, comfortably winding his tail around the other's neck and keeping a sharp lookout as the other walked along.

'I wonder when we should stop for dinner,' he said aloud, looking at the bare trees before turning to Espeon. 'Yell if you see some food, 'kay?'

Espeon purred in agreement and flicked his tail slightly, tickling the other's ear.

'Hey, that tickles,' the human complained. Unfortunately his ears were his weak spot, and apparently Koichi had just discovered them. Hopefully he wouldn't tell Koji. Oh, who was he kidding. They were twins for crying out loud. Of course Koji would found. And his ears' peace were over.

Luckily it wasn't Koji right now. Though it wasn't like he hadn't ever carried Koji over his shoulder. Of course, he was always unconscious when that had happened, except that one time he was nearly there from a fever. Koichi was fully awake and hopefully aware. It would make an awkward situation if it was entirely cat instinct.

'Espe',' Espeon said suddenly about half an hour later.

Takuya stopped walking immediately. Rather, he tried to, but his feet were somewhat on automatic so he stumbled a few paces first. 'What is it?' he asked curiously.

'Espe',' Espeon said again, leaping from his shoulder and diving into the trees.

'Oh I'm too tired to chase you,' the human moaned, but luckily he didn't need to as the psychic cat made it back with a fruit of some sort in his mouth which he deposited in Takuya's lap and raced off for more.

'Oh.' The human's lips parted slightly before he picked up and examined the fruit. It certainly looked edible, but he wasn't exactly a judged. Besides, it was time to retire for the night he figured.

He released the rest of the Pokémon from their Poké balls.

'It's about time,' Gallade grumbled immediately, and Takuya had to chuckle.

'How is in there?'

'Liveable,' the other responded flatly, which meant it was far more than that. 'But rather boring.'

Espeon responded hotly.

'What did he say?' Takuya asked curiously.

'He's still not setting a fur in there,' Koji responded. There was a pause, then as an explanation, he added: 'He's claustrophobic.'

'Funnily enough, I figured that out myself.'

Espeon hissed, but not threateningly.