"Of course," Alakazam said, smiling gently. Rei, now taking full advantage of the emanations she kept feeling, could verify that this was sincere. "I am Kaz, and these are my friends and partners, Ron and Oun." Rei felt confused for a moment at the fact that these Pokémon, unlike so many others, had names, then recalled Zaps was the same.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. Now that I recall, I believe Abra told me about you." Rei commented politely. Riolu and Zaps stared at her enough for her to feel it, and she felt slightly annoyed for a moment before passing it off.

"He did?" Kaz said with interest. "It is curious that a youth such as he stayed awake long enough."

"Perhaps it was a subject he was proud of," Rei suggested, and this got her a light chuckle.

"Perhaps," Kaz said, chuckling some more. "Perhaps."

"Sir?" Oun barked, walking up alongside Kaz. "What we came here for?"

"Yes, I'm getting to that," Kaz said irritably, but Rei felt a wave of familiarity that said he didn't feel all that bothered. He turned to Rei. "We've come to suggest that the three of you start a Team under coaching of experienced Truthmakers."

Riolu gaped. Zaps lost control of his electricity for a startled moment, then tried desperately to recompose himself.

"Why do you think we should?" Rei asked.

Kaz looked... satisfied. Like he had found something he was looking for. "You rescued that young girl Ralts, did you not?" He said, amusement playing on his features. "And challenge superiors without a shred of doubt that you would lose?"

"That is only because I know my strength, and Ralts is my friend," Rei replied modestly. "I don't believe that that alone would make me cut out for such a position." Rei deigned it silly to mention that she had barely any idea what Truthmakers, or their apprentices, did.

"I knew that," Kaz said, shaking his head. "but you know more. You're the reason that the pressure many of us feel disappear as we entered the village, correct?"

"No, sir. It's the Everstone." Rei said. "I thank you for your suggestion, but I believe a decision like this requires more thought."

Riolu pounced on her and turned her away. Whispering into her ear, he hissed, "Rei, are you mad?! This is the chance of a lifetime!"

"Up until recently, I had a different lifetime," Rei replied. "And Kaz can hear us. He's psychic, remember?" Riolu looked embarrassed for a moment, and a hum of approval came from behind them.

"I see you are definitely as intelligent as I first thought," Kaz said happily. "I understand if you need time." Rei smiled. If this Pokémon was telling the truth, then...

Just then, a black shadow leaped from the undergrowth, and Rei haphazardly sent up a shield, which intercepted the form and sent it backwards. Rei couldn't quite tell, but it looked as if it were aiming for the space where she might have been in a few moments.

"Absol?" Alakazam said disbelievingly. "What brings you here?"

"I have been following this child's movements," Absol stated. "By her agreement. She is a whirling ball of constant chances, and I fear that including her as a Truthmaker makes everything collapse in her future. I doubt she would survive her first mission." she shook her head. "Definitely a bad idea."

Rei stopped for a moment to consider.

"No! Stop, I tell you, stop!" Absol shouted, making Rei's train of thought collapse. After a moment of deep panting, Absol sighed in relief.

"Whatever happened?" Kaz inquired seriously, one had reaching out to the dark-type. Rei sensed darkness about to launch itself, and she carefully positioned a guard between his hand and Absol's flank, making Kaz retreat slowly. He glanced briefly at Rei, who stared at him, trying to show him what might have happened, the dark energy crackling up his arm. He retreated more, staring at her all the while, deep concern lining his features.

"Rei's considering made the winds of chance... gravitate to her," Absol hissed, tending to one paw. "It hurt to look at, like being forced to watch directly when a Flash goes off." Oun and Ron visibly cringed. Kaz looked startled, but didn't show it; Rei could only feel it through the feeling-thoughts that emanated from him.

"Then what do you think I should do?" Rei asked. "Surely if you can have predictions of what future paths will bring, then having me follow the most advantageous path is best." Absol thought about this, a smile slowly creeped onto her face.

"Being allies is the best choice," She decided at last. "Certain teams from the Truthmakers can help you get through your troubles, the Truthmakers benefit from knowledge you bring." She frowned for a moment, then shook off the feeling. "That is your best option."

Rei stopped for a moment, figuring out something in her mind. Weighing out the pros and cons, before finally deciding that if Riolu trusted Absol, she would too. From how they talked about Cresselia, she was prominent and good to them, and any ally of hers was probably one whose opinions were well thought out.

"You've decided upon that path?" Absol asked pre-emptively.

"Yes," Rei said slowly, "though if it proves advantageous I may change my mind." Absol frowned, but said nothing, and Kaz nodded in agreement.

"If Absol says so, I have no reason to doubt the knowledge of that decision," Kaz said grandly. "Well met, Rei, and I hope that we can help each other in the future." With this statement, one eye flashed as he glanced at his companions, particularly Houndoom, and they all vanished. Rei was impressed by the cleanliness of the move; she could barely feel the power it took.

Absol gave Rei a curt nod, then leaped into the darkness, melting away herself.

"Rei?" Riolu asked, after a moment of disbelief. "Does this mean we... like... sorta got recruited as Truthmakers?"

Rei shrugged. "If that's what you want to see it as, why not?"

Riolu and Zaps both did a happy dance.

0~***~0

Rei couldn't sleep.

It was like something was nagging at her, nibbling her fur and tugging her towards the door. She tried to get to sleep multiple times, but every time this nagging sensation became urgent. It soon occurred to her that she still hadn't mentally recovered from her shock a few nights before, and sighing deeply, she drowsily dragged herself away from her bed and let the nagging sensation lead her away.

She found herself taking a midnight walk, and in the darkness she once again felt uneasy. The streets abandoned, the usual cheer of the plaza was swapped out for a serene calm that made the place seem like a graveyard.

She found herself headed in the direction of the spring once again, the pool where only a few nights before she'd jumped in and saved herself. She stopped abruptly as she felt something at her feet. Er, paws. That was still something she was getting used to.

She looked down at what her fee-paws had felt, and her heart skipped a beat in a sudden assumption that it might be dead.

She shook the thought from her mind and studied it closely. It was blue, with two long arms and two stubby yet functional feet, and two long feelers extended from its head which ended in small baubles. Its eyes were surrounded by a yellow outline which had a similar design to its feelers extending from the top, and a large red jewel rested in its chest above a smaller yellow one.

Rei searched her memory-of-a-life-she-did-not-remember for this Pokémon's identity, but found herself lost as to who it was. She shook the thought from her mind and poked it gently. Its body was soft and squishy, like a doll, but she quickly found ti was awake.

"Help..." It choked out, voice young but masculine enough to reveal the speaker as male. Rei snapped awake and picked him up by the scruff of his neck, and the boy motioned to the lake not far away.

Rei summoned strength within herself, realizing that the boy was dreadfully thin, and dragged him towards the lake hurriedly. Gently laying him down in the water, she heard an audible sigh of relief as he sunk into the first few inches and he began to move further into the water. Rei would have been worried, but as he launched himself into the lake a loud and joyous laugh was heard, and she let her heart rest easy.

"Who are you?" Rei asked, feeling a bit lost for the first time since she'd come to this place.

The boy popped his head out of the water and grinned at her. "My name's Manaphy," Manaphy replied, and he toddled onto land to speak to her.

"Thanks for rescuing me," he said happily, any sense of his being in need of help lost to the carefree look on his face. "I don't know what might have happened to me."

"What are you doing out here of all places?" Rei asked gently.

"A... friend... wanted my help to search for someone," Manaphy explained. "When I found her, she immediately attacked me. Speaking of which..." His jewel glowed for a second, and suddenly a torrent of water launched itself at some bushes, and a yelp was heard before the rustling of leaves told Rei it was already too late to find out who was there.

"Who was that?" Rei hissed, Her back arcing upon instinct as she glared at the bush.

"Can't tell you," Manaphy replied promptly. "My friend said you're not to know. But here's the deal; don't leave the village until you know the fourth."

"The fourth what?" Rei inquired, trying to keep her voice calm.

Manaphy smiled. "I guess I can say a little. The fourth companion, member, etcetera, who will join you, Zaps, and Raoul in your destiny here."

"Raoul?" Rei repeated, letting a memory of the name seep into her mind briefly.

Manaphy's eyes widened slightly, but then her smiled again. "You'll know soon. Just do what you can, mm-kay?" His childish smile stopped Rei from inquiring any further, and she finally gave in.

"I guess I'll live with that as my answer then," Rei sighed. "Thank you."

Manaphy stopped for a moment, let his feelers waver slightly, then grinned. "One last thing. Remember that a species is not defined by one individual, much as you are unique as an Eevee." He waved, toddled over to the water again, and leaped in, almost entirely disappearing.

Rei shrugged, yawned, and went back home.

0~***~0

"Again." The voice lashed out, hissing gently as a metallic tail swished back and forth, cutting the grasses behind it. "I should have known that that meddling Prince would come."

It considered for a moment. "That doesn't mean anything," It decided. "I didn't lure her out anyway, so it was most likely lucky I was stopped." It let itself calm down.

"Now, only to find a way to get her to leave the village. The fewer with her, the better."

glowing red eyes narrowed, then disappeared altogether.