As we approached Castelia, another ship pulled up beside us. It looked like a sailing ship pirates used in stories parents told their children at night. The trainers of the ship flocked to the side to take a close look, and I was going to join them when Grimsley put a hand on my shoulder, pointing up.

"Look at the sail." He commanded. I looked up and saw a big, black and white shield with a large P emblazoned on it, a bolt of lightning going through it. I didn't recognize the symbol, but instinctively knew it wasn't a nice one.

"What is it Grimsley?" I asked him. He growled slightly as his Bisharp braced itself.

"It's Team Plasma." He responded as the ship got closer. A big, cold fog rose up from the bottom of the ship and started to envelop us. I felt Lola rub her head against me, and I reached down to grab her horn tightly. I felt Grimsley's hand on my shoulder tighten its grip while Bisharp's form stepped in front of us. It was difficult to see, and I was getting scared. Lola walked closer to me and reared up so I could pick her up, leaning closer to Grimsley as he released my shoulder, wrapping his arm around me and Lola protectively.

"What's happening?" I asked as people and pokemon started to scream. Grimsley gritted his teeth as he pulled me back, Bisharp following us as we tried to get away from the fog. I remember hitting the railing, but we still had not escaped, and the Elite 4 member grunted as he tried to look around to no avail. He grabbed a pokeball on his belt and recalled Bisharp, putting the ball back and holding onto me.

"Whatever you do, don't let go of Lola." He told me as he got in front of us. Before I could ask him what he was doing he pushed me over the rail, and I screamed as I clutched Lola tightly. Lola wriggled as she tried to get under me, and my legs wrapped around her chest as my arms wrapped around her neck while she dived, and we hit the water without injury. Though we were heavy, and the current from the boat was powerful and drove us deeper underwater. We had to get to the surface soon or we would drown. Lola tried to paddle up, but she was not strong enough to pull us both up while fighting the artificial current. I could feel myself blacking out and I made my decision. Her life was more important to me. I took off my lanyard and belt and wrapped them around her neck before releasing her and kicking her up. Maybe she could swim without having to worry about lugging my extra weight, and she could save the rest of my pokemon. She looked behind her as my vision faded. Goodbye Lola, thank you so much for everything…

…

…

'Vixen! Hold on! Please hold on! ' I heard a voice say. At first I thought Reshiram was near, but it wasn't its voice. I couldn't tell whose voice it was, but I felt a faint poking in my back. I fought to wake up, but flashes of white clouded my eyes. I had to get oxygen soon. Looking behind me, I saw the thing that was poking me. It looked like a ferocious draconic serpent that stared angrily at me. I was running out of time, and didn't have any to spare to be scared I just reached out and put all my hope in the pokemon who lowered its head and brought it under me, my legs resting behind its 3-pronged crest. I grabbed the front of the crest and held on for dear life as the pokemon rushed to the surface, and I couldn't hold what little breath I had anymore and my body forced me to release it, making me inhale the seawater.

'Vixen hold on! Just stay with me! You're almost there! ' The voice said. I fought to stay awake as the pokemon swam, spitting out the water and sealing my mouth tight, fighting my body to not take a breath. I was fighting with everything I had to stay alive as finally, we broke the surface. I let go of myself as I took a loud, shrieking breath. I threw up as my body expelled the seawater I swallowed, but my rescuer didn't seem to mind. When I finished throwing up, I unleashed a loud scream. It was a cry of relief, of triumph, of gratitude. I shakily held myself up with my arms, looking down at the big blue pokemon that had rescued me as I took out my pokedex, scanning it.

"Gyarados, the Atrocious pokemon. Gyarados are known for their vicious tempers, sometimes destroying entire cities when enraged." The pokedex said. I sighed shakily as I collapsed on the pokemon, pressing my fingers on its head in a sort of hug.

"Gyarados, thank you so, so much. You saved my life, I am grateful." I told it as I felt tears poke out. Looking over Gyarados' head, I saw Grimsley and Lola in the distance, sitting on a large black form on either side of a huge dorsal fin. Grimsley waved at me while Lola thrashed her head about, apparently roaring at us. Gyarados swam towards them and lowered its head as Grimsley stood, reaching out for me with one hand while keeping the other clamped tightly on the dorsal fin. I reached out to him and grabbed his outstretched hand. He pulled me off Gyarados and I collapsed into him, crying softly while he let go of my hand, hugging me tightly instead. He looked up at Gyarados and gave it a soft smile.

"Thank you, so much Gyarados. I wish I could do something to repay you, but please, accept my humble gratitude." He said with a soft bow. Gyarados roared softly at him as it lowered its head again, licking my back before diving again.

'He said he was just happy to be nearby. He's glad that you're okay, and so am I. If you EVER do that to me again, I will snap your legs off so you can't do it again.' The voice from before said. I looked up at a very worried Grimsley as he sat down again, pulling me into his lap.

"A little harsh don't you think? I just wanted her to be safe." I told him. He gave me a puzzled look as he tilted his head.

"What are you talking about? Sharpedo, to Castelia, hurry." He told me before commanding his pokemon. I blinked and looked around, but saw no one else but him and Lola.

"But I just heard a voice! It told me that if I ever did that again it would….but wait, I heard it when Gyarados rescued me too, telling me to hold on. Grimsley, is Carina here? And Reshiram? Or maybe the Hero of Ideals and Zekrom? Grimsley I KNOW I heard something, I'm not making this up." I told him. He put his finger on me lips and shushed me.

"I know, Vixen I know. Vixen, Carina and her Reshiram are still in Virbank helping with that Scolipede, and N and Zekrom haven't been in Unova since the day Carina beat them. I think you should look on your right to find your answer." He said. I looked in the direction he pointed and stared at Lola carefully. She stared back and I felt something poke into my thoughts. I didn't pay attention to it before but this time I concentrated on it. As I stared at her I focused on the intrusion in my mind, and then I heard it.

'That's it. You've got it.' The voice from before returned, and Lola smiled wide. I blinked several times at her.

"Lola, is that you? I can hear your thoughts!" I exclaimed. Lola laughed as she stretched her head out and rubbed her cheek against mine.

'Yes, and I can hear yours.' She said. I blinked again as I reached out and grabbed her head, pulling her close and hugging her.

"This is so awesome! I can talk to pokemon!" I exclaimed as Grimsley chuckled.

'Well, you can talk to me at least. But I'll translate for you if you want. Like I did with Gyarados.' Said Lola as she pulled her head away from me.

"How long have you been able to do this?" I asked her. Lola tilted her head as she thought it over.

'Hard to say, I started feeling something when we met, and then when we battled Cory and Wotter, I felt what you wanted me to do. I didn't start to actually hear you until you kicked me to the surface.' She explained, I smiled as I reached out to pet her, but she took my hand in her mouth and bit down firmly without hurting.

"Lola?" I asked as she growled.

'Two things. One. When you kicked me, you kicked my scar. That's still VERY sensitive. If you were anyone else you would have lost your leg. Second, don't you EVER give your life for mine again. We NEED you, I need you. If we lost you, we wouldn't know what to do with ourselves. Remember that.' She said as she released my hand and lowered her head, allowing me to pet her. I smiled as I relaxed against Grimsley.

"I did it, sir. I can talk to Lola, and she can talk to me. How did it happen?" I asked him. He smiled as he rubbed my side while Sharpedo came up to Castelia harbor.

"Like I said, there is no set formula for conversing with pokemon. My guess, when your mind is open, you allowed Lola to come in. Just keep your mind open and Lola will be able to talk to you." He said as we pulled up to a dock. Grimsley shifted as he got his hands under me, standing up while holding me bridal style. Lola stood up as well and bumped her nose against Grimsley's hip, disappearing in a flash of red.

'It will be easier to move without having to worry about me. Don't worry, he has everyone with him.' I heard Lola say. Sharpedo began to tilt in the water while Grimsley carefully walked, and he kneeled down while Sharpedo grabbed his legs carefully as it shot into the air, letting Grimsley go as he jumped onto the dock. He carefully let me down and made sure I could stand before pulling out a pokeball, recalling his pokemon before putting it back on his belt. He opened his jacket and reached inside, pulling out my belt and lanyard and handing them back to me. I smiled as I put them back on, fingering all my pokeballs to make sure everyone was there. I sighed in relief as Grimsley held something in front of my face. It was a tight wad of cash and a pokeball. I looked at him in shock as he gave me a serious look.

"Take this and my Bisharp and follow her. When you get to the hotel, tell them you are Grimsley's guest. I want you to go to the room they give you and stay there. Take a shower and watch TV, order room service, do whatever just don't. Leave. That. Room." He told me sternly. His usual mysteriousness and humor was nowhere to be seen. Right now he was a member of the Elite 4. One of the mightiest trainers in Unova. I nodded and took the items as he walked away. Not knowing what else to do, I opened the pokeball he gave me and Bisharp came out, looking around in confusion.

"Um, Grimsley wants you to take me to a hotel." I told her. She nodded as she began to walk, and I followed her, half-distracted as I reached into my mind to find Lola. She was able to talk to me even in the pokeball, and I really needed to talk to someone who could talk back. After awhile, she stirred.

'What is it Vixen?' She asked me. I sighed in relief, confusing Bisharp for a moment, but I waved dismissively at her and she continued to walk.

'What just happened, Lola? What happened when I tried to save you?' I asked.

'Well, I roared underwater to try and get your attention and Grimsley's Sharpedo showed up and Grimsley wrapped his arm around me. When they realized you weren't with me Sharpedo called for help while he swam to the surface since I was running out of air. We got to the surface and I kept trying to jump in the water and save you, but Grimsley held me back. Next thing we knew, Gyarados popped out of the water with you on his head, and Sharpedo sped over to him when we heard you scream.' She told me. I could feel her sadness and relief and felt horrible. I continued to follow Bisharp as we made it to this impressive-looking hotel. With a gulp we walked inside and approached the front desk. I stood up next to Bisharp and cleared my throat.

"Uh, I`m a friend of Grimsley, and he wants me to stay here until he comes back." I told the woman. She gave me a warm smile as I handed her the stack of bills, and she nodded as she gave a room key to Bisharp.

"Alrighty, we'll let him know you are here when he arrives." She said as Bisharp led me away. We walked down a grand hallway that held portraits of the world's elite. I saw champions and Elite 4 members from all over the world, and Bisharp led me into a door. The room was even more fabulous than the hallway was.

There was a plasma screen TV mounted on the wall next to the door. In one corner of the room was a minifridge with a clear door, allowing me to see its pokemon food and gourmet food contents. On the left-hand wall was a door that must have led into the bathroom. In the middle of the room was a circular, king-sized bed that held emerald sheets and a shining comforter while the numerous pillows varied between minty-green, white, and bright yellow. Above the bed was a portrait of a Serperior. On a white plaque beside the portrait, there was a pair of sapphire eyes above the words 'Even a painful truth is more comforting than a nice lie. When you accept all truths into your heart, you will live a happy life.' I blinked as it dawned on me. This was Carina's hotel room. I wondered why Grimsley would make me come here, but Bisharp chirped to get my attention, putting its hand against my face. I blinked at her before I realized that I could talk to her. Grabbing Lola's pokeball, I let her out. She leapt out and rubbed her head on my leg, happy to see me. She and Bisharp began to talk and she looked up at me.

'She's worried about you. She wants to know if you are okay. I would like to know too.' She asked with a soft whine. I smiled as I gave Bisharp's hand a pat.

"I`m fine, thank you both. I'm just, overwhelmed. I need to go take a shower. Bisharp, will you take care of my pokemon for me? Zachary is poisoned and my new Bagon is tired. I have the medicine in my bag." I asked her. Bisharp nodded as I removed my bag, giving it to her. I took my pokeballs and threw them up, letting everyone out. Sorrel and Bagon leapt out and looked around the room wildly while Zachary flopped on the ground, whining from the pain.

"We're going to stay here for a little while you guys. I`m gonna go shower, Bisharp is in charge." I told them. My pokemon chirped at me as Bisharp knelt down, opening my bag to take out the medicine needed to help Zachary. I left for the bathroom with Lola close behind, and stepped on the soothing tiles. I was too tired and miserable to appreciate the fine decor of the bathroom, and after Lola closed the door behind me I shed my clothes and walked towards the tub. I turned on the water and let it run until it was hot before getting in, giving a loud, shaky sigh as the water cascaded over me.

'If you make it a bath instead, I'll come in and clean you up. You look tired.' Lola said. I smiled as I looked over at her while she sat down.

"I'd drown if I fall asleep." I told her. She snorted as she turned her head to the door.

'Even if you did sleep, you wouldn't drown. I'd keep your head up and call for Bisharp. She really likes you. She'd take care of you.' Lola told me. I sighed as I released the switch on the tap.

"You win, come here." I told her. She cooed as she padded over, leaping into the tub as it filled with water. As I sank down into the water, Lola made her way over to me and began to gently rake her small claws on me, pulling away dirt, dead skin, and salt from the seawater. I suddenly remembered a question that I asked when I first started my journey, when I first felt something prod my mind.

"Lola?" I asked.

'Yes?' She replied, still scrubbing me as I stopped the water.

"Remember the question I asked you when we first started our journey?" I said. She stopped for a moment and looked up in thought before she returned to cleaning me.

'Can you be specific? You said a lot to me that day.' She said. I smiled and petted her head softly.

"How were you able to do all of this? You move so purposefully and calculated, like you know exactly what you're doing. I thought Deino were blind? Are you using our connection to see through my eyes?" I asked. Lola snorted as she moved to my other side.

'Okay now that is just silly. A pokemon sharing sight with a human. No, we Deino aren't totally blind. I see shadows. I can make out shapes but not colors. It's hard to describe.' She said as she thought about it. I gave it a thought too, and came up with something that might help.

"Like shadow puppets?" I asked.

'What?' She replied.

"Shadow puppets. See, when we humans don't have anything better to do, we go into a dark place with a solid, blank wall and then turn on a small light, and the move our hands in front of the light to make shapes on the walls. On the walls we can see silhouettes of our hands, but we don't see much more than that." I explained. Lola made a warbling sound as she contemplated it.

'That sounds about right. Then yes, it's like shadow puppets.' She confirmed.

"But what do you do when it gets dark?" I asked.

'Well, others of my kind just bite and throw themselves around, but I listen and hope for the best. That's why I got chased out of my pack. A Deino that doesn't move the way its pack does is a risk to their safety.' She told me. I tilted my head in confusion.

"Lola….What would they have done to you if I didn't interfere?" I asked, afraid of the answer. Lola stopped grooming me and looked at me hard, considering her words carefully.

'I-I would have been killed. If not by them then by the world around me. A Deino without a pack is a dead one. We rely on each other for food and protection since we can't see like other pokemon.' She explained. I reached out and stroked her chin softly as I contemplated her answer, but I didn't know what to think, so I just laid back and relaxed while she continued to scrub me.

"Lola." I said after a long while.

'Yes?' She replied. I felt tears poking out of my eyes as I smiled.

"I love you." I told her. She gave me a lick on my cheek and nuzzled my neck.

'I love you too.' She replied. I continued to just lay there as my pokemon washed away the fear from our near-death experience, leaving only the warmth and happiness of finally being on the same level, symbolized by our newfound ability to communicate fluently.

TBC

There we go. Team Plasma appearance. And Lola is talking now! Telepathically of course. Don't worry, Vixen isn't the Pokemon Whisperer, she can only hear Lola and other telepathic pokemon like Reshiram. And before you start thinking weird thoughts about this chapter: The room belongs to Carina, who gave permission to anyone in the Elite 4 to use it, and Grimsley will most likely sleep on the couch and let Vixen have the bed. And now I`ll give my Black 2 Team's natures and movesets:

Lola - Docile: Dragonbreath, Tackle, Headbutt, Bite

Sorrel- Quirky: Tackle, Leer, Quick Attack, Ember

Zachary- Quiet: Scratch, Fury Swipes, Faint Attack, Fake Tears*which is replaced by Toxic in the fanfic*

Bagon- Jolly: Rage, Bite, Leer, Headbutt

Onto next chapter!