His body trembled with fear at what he had just done. Her burn mark, her tears, her sobs and even the way she ran away from him. It all struck him straight through the chest. He hurt her. He actually caused pain to one of his only friends.

"D...Dawn!" Barry shouted as he ran after her.

He left Lucas standing there with a broken look on his face. "No…"

"Lucas. Are you okay?" Sparks asked.

"I hit her. I really just hit her…"

"It was an accident. You didn't mean to-"

"I HIT HER! SHE WAS TRYING TO STOP ME AND I HIT HER!"

"It wasn't all on you! That blonde clown was provoking you into doing it!"

"NO! That doesn't make it right. I should've known better than to raise my fist to them. I messed up big time…"

"Just go apologize dude. She's gotta forgive you! I mean, you're YOU!" Grotle suggested.

Lucas turned his back to them and shook his head. "You're wrong! What Barry said was the truth. Now Dawn knows it. She's probably afraid of me now. Can't say I really blame her though. I really am a freak that can't even control his powers!"

"Lucas!"

"No! Let's just go. There's no point in staying in this city anymore…"

Grotle eyed his trainer with disappointment. "Dude! You can't just leave this like this! You gotta make it right!"

"I said let's go…"

Grotle looked at his allied Pokemon with a worried expression. "Sparks are you honestly okay with this?!"

"The well being of others are not my concern. If Lucas wants to leave then I won't object."

"But-"

Sparks snarled. "As much as I hate to say it, YOU'RE apart of his team. Therefore you are obligated to follow his orders!"

"This has got to be some kind of sad joke! Lucas! You were just with Dawn! You make one little mistake and now you can't even face her to apologize?!"

"Little mistake?! I hit her! I BURNED HER!"

"Then you need say that you're sorry! You don't just bail like some coward!" Grotle shouted.

"Tch! Well then maybe I really am a coward…" Lucas said with his head down.

Sparks looked at his trainer, then back to the grass type. "Enough already! If we're going to leave then let's leave. No point in wasting our breath on senseless disagreements."

"Then come on. Veilstone City ain't too far from here-"

"NO!" Lucas and Sparks looked back at Grotle. "I told you that I want to become stronger! I can't do that with a weak trainer that gives up all the time and loses so much."

"What are you trying to say?"

Grotle closed his eyes and let out a deep breath of air. "I'm splitting apart from this little group."

"YOU'RE WHAT?!" Sparks shouted angrily.

"You heard me fleabag. I'm going it alone from here on out. I've come to realize that I really don't need you guys anymore. This entire journey is just pointless…"

Lucas stood there, dumbfounded by what his own starter was saying to him. "G-Grotle…"

Sparks was fuming with hatred. He stepped forward and charged up electricity all around his slender body.

"How dare you! Ungrateful fool! Have you already forgotten that it was Lucas that got you to evolve in the first place?! He pushed all of us to be better!"

"BETTER THAN WHAT?! NOT BARRY AND HIS SQUAD! NOT TEAM GALACTIC! THAT GYM BATTLE WAS A STROKE OF LUCK! WE BARELY CAME OUT ON TOP OF THAT!"

Sparks shook his head. "THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS LUCK YOU BRAIN DEAD BUFFOON! WE WON BECAUSE WE WORKED HARD IN THAT FOREST!"

"WITH BARELY ANY HELP FROM LUCAS! FACE IT! HE'S A BAD TRAINER AND AN EVEN WORSE FRIEND!"

"Take it back. NOW!" Sparks flashed his electrically charged fangs.

Grotle scoffed. "No. I mean it! All of it! You'd admit it too if you weren't so blind!"

Spark turned his head back towards his trainer's direction. "Forget about him Lucas! Let's just leave this traitor. We'll show him-" Sparks looked around sadly. "Lucas?"

"See! This is what I'm talking about!"

Sparks looked around but couldn't find Lucas in sight. "Where did he go?"

Grotle sighed. "He ran away dude."

"Th-this is all YOUR FAULT!"

"ME?! I only told the truth!" Grotle said in defense.

"You're an absolute fool!"

"If I'm a fool then what are you for following around a trainer that is plain selfish and all around unlikable?"

Sparks hissed in his face. "I don't have time for your nonsense you worthless grass type. You know nothing about Lucas. He wasn't always the way he is. Don't speak like you're better than him."

"Whatever! I'm outta here. Good luck Static Shock. You're gonna need it."

Grotle strolled away from Sparks. This left the electric type scowling. "Forget you then…"

Sparks started his own journey in search of his missing trainer. Though as time went by, he would soon realize that his attempts to find him fell short.

-Route 209-

"It's my fault...I really am a coward. A failure just like they said. Just like ALL of them said."

Lucas sat under a large tree, holding his head in his hands. He tried to stop his overwhelming emotions but it was all just too much for him to handle.

"Don't even think about crying again. You don't deserve to shed anymore tears."

"I'm worthless! I'm pathetic! How dare I call myself a trainer. I'm nothing!"

"You're self loathing is meaningless! GET UP!"

"I drive everyone away. EVERYONE!"

"GET UP! You're wasting time. Precious, precious time…"

"I'm alone. Even my own starter abandoned me. Barry was right. Now Dawn's going to leave too. I'm all alone again."

"..."

"Heh...Hehehe...It all makes sense. Perfect sense." He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. His hands vibrated and quickly stood back up. His eyes opened and showed off a look of resentment. "Everyone is against me. Everyone hates me. Let them hate. I don't care. I'm better than them. None of them have this power. Not a single person on this planet can do what I can do. All I have to do is hone these powers and show them all that I AM OVER EVERYTHING!"

He stood up with a wicked smile on his face. That smile wouldn't last though. As soon as he prepared himself to leave, a tall figure dropped down in front of him.

"Ah geez! It's about goddamn time! Sandgem my ass. I knew I sensed your aura around here." The man said.

Lucas glared his two bright red eyes at the stranger. "I don't know who you are but you better move outta my way or else!"

The man staggered back at the boy's sharp tone. "Huh?! Why so hostile kid?"

"I SAID MOVE!"

"You are Lucas, correct? Look I've got a lot to tell you and-"

~WHAAAAM~

The man doubled over and held his tender parts. He gave Lucas a scornful laugh before yelling out with pain and agony.

"Next time, just do as I say and you won't get hurt." The younger boy said with a tone of dark arrogance.

"Ah, okay...So you neglected to tell me that you were a little douchebag when you were younger...Thanks a whole bunch master…"

"What the heck is wrong with you?!"

The man shot up and grabbed Lucas by the sleeve of his shirt. "Listen to me kid. I'm on your side. I came here to fix things and I need you to cooperate with me on this."

"I don't even know you! You're just some weird creep that talks to kids "

"WHAT?! I'm not even that much older than you!" The man shouted.

"Look, I could care less about you and your problems. I'm not in the mood right now!"

"I didn't ask what mood you were in. Just get up and help me!" The man shouted.

Lucas readied his now flaming fist. "Let go or I'll burn you to a crisp."

The man smirked and lifted up his own hand. Bright blue flames surrounded it. The intense heat made Lucas wince in response.

"I don't think so kid." He widened his smirk.

"W-what? How is that even possible?! Only I can do that!"

"Seems like I've piqued your interest. Now will you listen to what I have to say?"

"N-no! I don't care who you are! You will NOT show me up like the rest of them!"

"Someone's a little insecure."

"SHUT UP!" A small explosion went off in the man's face. He dropped the rabid Lucas and wiped the ash from his eyes.

"You gotta be joking. I come all the way back to find YOU, and I get blasted in the face?!"

"Yeah and there's more where that came from too!" The boy charged up a small burst of electricity in his right hand.

"Really now…" The man took one step and disappeared from sight.

"Huh?! Where did he-"

"Gotcha…"

Lucas swallowed a nervous wad of saliva and froze up when two burning hot fingers touched his back. "But how?"

"You were too slow."

Those words played in his mind like a broken record. Over and over again. "No. I wasn't too slow. You were just too fast. I couldn't even see you."

"Train your senses! That was the first lesson." He pressed his fingers farther against Lucas' back. "The second lesson…"

"What are you-"

"Fire Blast." He muttered.

Lucas felt his back heat up. Not even a second later, he was forced head first into a tree with a fully charred vest.

He stood up and tore off the remainder of the burnt fabric. "How can you use Pokemon moves?! Are we related or something?"

"Not by blood if that's what you're referring to."

"None of this makes any sense! Even I can't use an attack like that!"

The man shook his head. "It could make perfect sense if you'd let me explain the situation!"

"Why should I listen to anything you have to say? I'm already having the second crappiest day of my life. I don't need you adding any more crap to the pile!"

"...Third rule." He vanished and reappeared directly in front of Lucas. "Listen." He pulled Lucas to a stiff knee, instantly putting him down.

"ACK!!!" The boy dry heaved on his knees, struggling to grasp some air.

"My name...It's Black. I came from eleven years in the future! A time where everyone that you know and love are gone."

"What...are you...talking about?" Lucas choked out.

"A creature from my region had been awoken from its slumber. All because of a man that you failed to kill. This man would grow to lead a group of naive fools. All of which falsely sought for the liberation of Pokemon from trainers."

"I was supposed to kill someone?! No way! That can't be right!"

"With the man's growing lust for power and the creatures ever growing hunger, they went out to hunt down the two legends of Unova."

Lucas stared at him with frantic eyes. "What the heck is Unova?!"

"The region that I grew up in. The last one that you go to before you die."

The child's blood ran cold. He looked down at the grass with a fearful look. "In only eleven years...I die. No way! NO WAY! YOUR LYING!!!"

"I'M NOT LYING YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Black snapped at him. "I was your apprentice for a few years. I was your first ever student. You trained me and even saved my life a couple of times."

"I did what?! No! You've gotta be lying! Just stop it already!"

"Tch...You were always so...so confident! You were positive about everything! You were amazing! You were a hero!"

Lucas started quivering on the ground with tears falling from his face. "NO! You don't understand! That can't be me. I'm just a...a...waste of everyone's time!"

Black grew irritated with the boy's pathetic behavior. "Dammit! What the hell is up with you?! Why are you such a freaking mess?!"

"No...no...no no no!"

"This has gotta be a joke! LUCAS!" Black yelled.

"Dead...Everyone? No…"

Black exhaled angrily. "GET UP!!!"

"NO!" Lucas screamed! "Leave me alone! You're a liar! There's no way you came from the future, dude! That's impossible!"

Black lost his nerve and slammed the boy against a nearby tree. "You little wimp! My friends are DEAD! My mom is DEAD! My little brother is more than likely DEAD! Everyone I knew was pretty much gone kid! You wanna know which death hurt me the most?"

"It was YOURS! When you died, I felt like everything and everyone was automatically screwed. You died and left me and my friends with the burden of protecting not just Unova, but the entire freaking world." Black pulled out a strange looking stone. "THIS was what you gave me. YOU GAVE ME THIS! This was just so that if things got too far out of hand, I could go back in time and rewrite history. All I had to do was talk to you!"

"What? Why would I tell you to talk to me?! I don't freaking know or care about you!"

"How the hell would I know?! You're NOTHING like how you were in my timeline! You're just a whiny little kid! I don't know why he wanted me to meet the twelve year old version of himself!"

"Well clearly I just messed things up again. Looks like I'm still a failure in the future. It's inevitable."

Black flung him to the dirt. He watched as the kid struggled to get back to his feet. "Are you seriously this much of a drag? The beacon of hope really was an annoying little brat that can barely use his powers!"

"Unfortunately, yes! I really am…"

"You've gotta be kidding me with this."

"Well I'm not. This is me. I have nothing right now. No pokemon. No friends! I'm a loser. That's why I need to get to Veilstone City. I have to be able to fight. All for myself."

"You don't even know how to fight yet?!" Black shouted.

"No, I don't."

"Can you at least sense auras yet?!"

"I don't think so…"

Black threw his arms up in defeat. "WELL THIS IS JUST GREAT! YOU ARE LITERALLY USELESS!"

Lucas shrunk back and lowered his head. "I know. That's why I have to get stronger. That's why I need to go alone!"

"Wait a minute, where is your team? You can't honestly tell me that you got this far on your own."

"Like I said, no pokemon. I left them. I got so upset at my own starter's words that I ditched them in Hearthome. The only one left is Buizel." Lucas muttered.

"YOU MORON! YOU NEVER LEAVE YOUR TEAM BEHIND! THEY DON'T DESERVE THAT!"

"Tch...They don't deserve a failure like me to keep guiding them to...to...NOTHING!"

"You need to go back for them. NOW!"

"I can't! I'm not gonna keep forcing them to put up with me all the time. Besides, I don't need them…"

Black lifted him up by the throat and stared him down. "You self deprecating little asshole! Do you really believe this trash your spouting?!"

"It doesn't matter what I believe. Facts are facts. I'll be stronger on my own."

Black dropped him once again and looked at him face to face. "Lucas, I really need you to listen to me. In a few years, there will be no more time to change. There won't be anything left. Everything and everyone is gone. I lost everything including you. That's why I'm begging you." He let out a subtly breath before continuing. "You need to man up. You're not an ordinary kid. You're different. You will always be different and that's okay. I'm different too. In the future, you helped me see my potential."

"This other Lucas you keep talking about just isn't who I am."

Black nodded. "I know. You're not him and you never will be him. You have to be better if you want to save this world. You two are both the same in flesh and blood." He poked a finger to the kid's chest. "It's right here that matters the most."

"...My pectorals?"

"What?! No you dumbass! Your heart! You've gotta have the will to be better than what you say. You have the potential. You just gotta add a little hard work. I've seen first hand what you can do. You've changed the world before and you'll do it again. I know you can. Otherwise I'll have to go back in time and kick your butt again."

This made Lucas grin ever so slightly. "Okay. No more crying! If I'm really the only thing that can fix the future then I have to step up!"

"There you go! That's what I like to hear!"

"First things first. I gotta find my team. I've got a lot to say to them. Thanks uh...Black right?"

The young man flashed a thumbs up. "Yep."

"Alright, I'll see ya around Black!" Lucas turned and nearly ran off before he realized something. "Wait...How will I be able to find you again."

"I'll be close by kid." He nodded.

"Oh...Well alright! Catch you later!"

Lucas bolted right back towards Hearthome city with little fault in his step. Black looked on with a light smile gracing his face. That was until something hit him.

"Wait a minute...Aren't I suppose to fade away or something?" He examined his hands intensely in hopes of disappearing to a brighter future. It never happened though. "Damn! Did I screw up? He looked pretty determined to me. I nailed that speech! Something has gotta be off. Maybe I didn't make a big enough change." He slapped a hand against his forehead. "Great job Black! Now I gotta go keep tabs on him! But first, I need some new clothes." He glared at the rags he was currently in.

Meanwhile…

Lucas was already running around the city with a hardened gaze that fell upon every corner of Hearthome. He was NOT gonna press forward without them.

He passed by building after building and even asked around until he made it to the Pokemon Center. That's when his heart temporarily stopped. He saw them. Sparks, Grotle, Barry and a lightly bandaged up Dawn. He took a deep breath and walked over to the small group.

Sparks ear twitched when he heard the sound of footsteps. He turned around and saw his trainer. "Lucas! I knew you'd come back!" He ran up to his trainer with a rejuvenated mood.

The others turned around and saw him. Barry instinctively stood in front of Dawn and sent him a murderous glare. "Hey! You stay away from her man!"

Lucas fought back the urge to argue and instead got down on his knees. "I owe each of you a sincere apology." He looked at Dawn first with shame in his eyes. "Dawn I am so sorry that I hurt you. It was an accident, but even still it's my responsibility to know when to restrain myself. My powers are dangerous and can get outta hand when my emotions get involved. I promise that I won't ever hurt you again. I know that this isn't enough to make up for the pain I caused you. I will make it right as soon as I can. I swear it to you."

"Lucas I forgive you. I know you didn't mean to." She said softly. He'd be lying if he said hearing her voice didn't lift his spirits.

He took another deep breath. The next one was definitely gonna hurt his pride a bit. "Barry…"

"What?" The blonde spat back.

He suppressed the growl trying to escape his throat. "I'm...sorry I lashed out at you. I'm also sorry for the bad blood that I may have caused. Times have changed. We aren't toddlers anymore. I understand that I've got a lot of growing to do, but that still doesn't give me the right to act like a jerk. I guess deep down I was just a little bit um...well…"

Barry raised a brow. "Jealous?"

"Ahem...Yeah that."

"Why were you jealous of me?! I'm not the one with those wicked powers!"

Lucas pressed his hands against the floor and squeezed his eyes shut. He HATED having to admit stuff like this. Especially when it was out loud. This was eating at him, but he knew it had to be done. He had to squash all of the nonsense if he wanted to better himself. He needed to become a man.

"It's because you're a way better trainer than me! From the moment we got our starters you had already shown that you were better. I lost my first ever battle. That isn't something I'll ever forget. Then at Eterna city, you actually saved my life! I wanted to feel like I could be strong too! I had the knowledge plus powers and yet I still couldn't say I was better."

Barry dropped his hostility and replaced it with a form of sympathy. "Lucas, I train my team so much just because of you. I will never be as physically gifted as you are. I can't crush boulders. I can't shoot fire and lightning from the palm of my hands. You get to battle not just with your team, but right alongside of them as well. That's something that I could only dream of doing. In a way, I was kind of jealous of you so don't even think about feeling bad. You're my rival dude. We gotta keep each other going."

His words hit hard. Lucas tried to suppress the wave of emotions that flooded his body. Instead he opted to hide it as best as he could. "R-right…"

"...So we cool?" Barry asked

Lucas looked up at him and gave a thumbs up. "Yeah Barry. For now at least."

"Nice." Barry would be lying if he said he wasn't happy that they were finally getting SOMEWHERE.

Lucas finally turned to Sparks and Grotle. "Words can't even begin to describe the level of shame I feel for leaving you two. My starter. The first ever Pokemon that I could claim as my ally on the journey that I set out for. I should've NEVER under ANY circumstances have failed you the way that I did. I will never forgive myself for letting you go. For disappointing you to the point that you weren't satisfied with me as your trainer. All I can do now is hope that you'll give me a second chance."

Grotle looked torn. He didn't even bother making eye contact with Lucas. "Lucas, you make a lot of promises. Some of which you don't keep. I don't want a trainer that I can't even put my trust in. I don't think we should continue. I meant what I said. I'm going to find my own-"

~SMACK~

"Knock it off you stupid plant! Why are you lying to him like that?!" Sparks growled.

"Thanks a whole bunch you dumb house cat! You just ruined the prank!"

"Lucas don't listen to him. As soon as you took off he started crying his eyes out. He really did miss you…" Sparks grumbled.

"You really missed me?" Lucas asked.

Grotle caved and flung himself onto Lucas. "Of course I missed you! How could you actually leave?! You really think I wanna explore the whole region all by myself?! NOT HAPPENING! You better not EVER leave me again or else!"

"Never again. I promise."

"Good! Glad we got that outta the way because I'm hungry and you have all the money so…"

"I have one last apology to say." Lucas looked right at Sparks who returned to his usual aggressive look. "Sparks I-"

"Save it. So long as you keep your head on straight, I'm good. I just want to get to the next city already. Also...Don't ever break your word like that again."

Lucas was taken aback by his chilling tone but nodded anyway. "Will do buddy."

"So what happens now? Hearthome is still missing their gym leader." Barry spoke.

"Nothing's changed. Veilstone City is still our best option. We can circle back to Hearthome if we head to Pastoria afterwards." Dawn suggested.

"That's where Crasher Wake is! Man I've always wanted to meet him!" The blonde shouted.

"So does that mean you're tagging along with the group?" She asked.

Barry looked at Dawn while taking a moment to think. "You know what? Sure! I'll roll with you slowpokes for now. "

"Alrighty then, it's settled. We're heading to Veilstone as a team this time."

"So long as none of you get in my way…" Sparks scoffed.