I'll keep this pretty brief, life's still getting in my way but, I'm still having fun on this fic! Thanks again for all of you who read and favorite, and a massive thank you to those who take the time to leave a review; much appreciated and some of the comments make me laugh! I did get a question that I'll answer here; Burgh, canonly, does not have anyone he is paired up with. I've chosen to hook him up with someone who will come into play later and is also a character in the series. It's my own character interpretation, I apologize if anyone is offended by the decision... but I will not change my mind.

That said, please enjoy the chapter!

/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Hi yourself," She says, unable to disguise her amusement and the laughter in her voice. Great, not only did I look like an idiot and sound like one, but I managed to make her not-quite laugh at me too. "So, uhh, want some help?"

Truly, this is not a day for the King of Heroes to be proud of. As if being stuck kind of upside down in a compromising position from where the collective String Shots had come from to help prevent me from hitting the ground wasn't bad enough, a large, yellow-tan head with two bead black eyes is suddenly in my face and regards me with all the curiosity of an infant.

The two tiny little fang-like protrusions below his mouth wiggle slightly as he studies me, his voice is very, very young and he's very naïve about the world already. ...he's not been inside a Poke Ball; he just heard a call for help and answered it with the only thing he knew he was good at doing.

Now I'm impressed and I smile at the little guy taking liberties with my personal space and speak to him. "Thank you, I appreciate your help." His eyes grow large, semi-moist and I get the impression he's kind of blushing as he skitters away and uses String Shot- again- to sling himself back into the safety of the canopy. I heard a very faint chitter of excitement as he tells everyone what he did and hear the rest of them murmur in confusion.

I don't blame them for being confused, I look up- again upside down- at Touko and do my best to give a not embarrassed smile this time. "Help would be great, if you don't mind."

/\/\/\/\/\

"I totally didn't expect like, half of the ones in the trees and bushes to do it too." She says after helping me stand up and, with her Sewaddle, as the little bug informed me quite matter of factly, began carefully cutting away the thick, sticky silk strands that had probably spared me a trip back to the Castle and a lecture from Anthea and Concordia. I eye that little knife of hers carefully, where the hell she'd pulled it out of on her person was something I was still trying to figure out, but she used it like she knew, well, exactly what she was doing.

...I wonder if she's had a good reason to keep a weapon, even if it is an insignificant one, on her person?

I reply rather easily, like it isn't such a big deal that Wild Pokemon went out of their way to obey her commands- despite not belonging to her or anything. "It's definitely unusual for a normal trainer," at the suddenly suspicious look on her face, I force myself not to chuckle. She was looking for some kind of insult underneath the statement, it's kind of cute. "but stranger things have happened before."

A small, devious smile curves on her lips and suddenly reminds me rather strongly of the same look that Zorua often had when he was about to do something that was going to frustrate me for the next several hours. "Like grown men falling out of trees?" She asks innocently, the sparkle in her blue eyes betraying the laughter she was very clearly working to hide.

I'm being teased in a way that isn't malicious, by another human being, at that.

I cock my head to the side a little and study her, not responding to that until the smile suddenly fades off her face and she ducks her head, going back to sawing at some of the thicker strands of silk that are still binding my person.

"...sorry, bad joke." She apologizes after a moment and I snap out of my inner contemplation, suddenly feeling bad for ruining her playful mood. "Warped sense of humor, that's all. "

"No, it's true. Grown men don't fall out of trees." I make a face and still feel stupid. I'm betting my Shadow Triad guard has shared this with his fellow members, they're probably all sharing a telepathic laugh, the bastards. There's a sudden lack of pressure as she cuts through the last of the bindings, the sudden mass of silk dropping in a tumbled, tangled heap to the ground. "It's supposed to be girls who fall out of trees, that way grown men can catch them and say silly things."

She gives me an odd, disbelieving look as I give her the same sort of devious smile, challenging her to ask me what those things were. This is actually kind of fun, bantering back and forth with someone who has a playful personality. I wonder what I should do now? I mean, I don't have a plan and it seems like things are going smoothly without one.

Should I go ahead and keep... what is it, hanging out?, with her or should I leave and come back when I have a solid plan in place?

"...I'm so going to regret asking," Touko says as she plucks silk strands out of her hair and shakes them off her hand. "but what kind of 'silly things' are we talking about here?" Her expression is still cautiously guarded, but there's a curiosity in her eyes and an acceptance of my challenge that I just can't let go.

...on second thought, I can make up a plan on the fly.

/\/\/\/\

Touko has a very nice laugh, I like it a lot... despite the fact I am being perfectly serious with the things I tell her. Apparently she didn't read enough as a child, a pity, because she missed out on the way things are supposed to go when it comes to heroes and damsels in distress. Except today was one of those days where everything was backwards; I am not a damsel, I am quite happily male and a hero, thank you very much. I just... had an unfortunate incident, that's all. Putting on an air of wounded dignity, I think about what I'm going to say next and insist on having her belief me.

I've lost enough pride for one day; she'll have to give me the victory on this one.

"It's not lame," I insist as I watch her try and stifle another fit of giggles as she looks at my serious face. "all the girls I used it on before have absolutely loved it, they believe it too!" Of course, all the 'girls' I'm talking about happen to be abused and desperately needing some tender loving care Pokemon but, hey. A girl is a girl, and a damsel in distress is a damsel in distress no matter what species she is. As a king and a hero, it's my job to help them.

Her expression's suddenly not as amused and cheerful anymore. There's an... almost suspicious and wary look that I don't like. It's as if she's sizing me up or making some sort of incorrect assumption about me.

"All the girls, huh?" She takes a good long look at me, shrugs, and kneels down to pick up her bag. "Well, you're cute enough, I guess it shouldn't be that big of a surprise." I watch her brow furrow as she rummages through the contents of the bag, looking for something until she utters an 'ah ha!' sort of sound and pulls it out. I recognize it immediately, though I wonder why she doesn't use that thing on her wrist just to download a digital version of it.

"...huh?" I blink at her, finally catching the remark she'd made as it sank in. Part of me is... strangely pleased about being called 'cute', I don't know why being called that word is a good thing, but it somehow is. On the other hand, there's something about her tone when she said it that implies, maybe, it's not such a good thing. "What shouldn't be that big of a surprise? That I'm cute?"

...damn her, again with these questions I don't understand or have an answer to!

She gives me a dubious look, as if she can't believe I just said that. "You're pretty full of yourself, aren't you, N?" Touko finally says after a while, shaking her head in disbelief and goes back to consulting her map. This woman is about the most aggravating person I have ever met in my entire life. I'm sure this isn't going to be the last time, but I wish I had the ability to read her mind and heart like I can with her Pokemon.

Although, I do take a moment and analyze what she said, trying to figure out if I understand it correctly. Full of myself? I haven't eaten anything, especially not in a way that would be considered, well, feeding or eating myself lately. That's a really weird phrase, I don't understand what it's supposed to mean. I don't just want to give up and make her think I'm an idiot though.

...but I'm not spending more than five minutes on this stupid question of hers.