A/N: Hello! Back with another chapter, now before I begin the song that is in here, it is NOT MINE, I will put the link to the youtube channel it is owned by in the end of this chapter...

B/N: Hello! Back with another chapter, that we all love. I helped a bit in this chapter, helping write the battle as usual.

Sonic and co are currently on their way to the professor's laboratory to run some tests on Pikachu.

"Yes! Only 2 more badges to go!" Sonic threw a fist in the air and Pikachu copied what his trainer did.

"That was an intense battle." Harlie ginned.

"Damn," Shadow muttered.

Dakota turned to the black hedgehog. "What's up?"

"If you must know Zorua has been acting weird," Shadow answered.

"What do you mean by that?" Sonic asked.

"Well, she has been wanting to stay near me... a lot. I don't understand why."

"Well, looks like you and her have to figure that out." Harlie nodded, giving no help whatsoever.

They all reached the lab and walked in.

"Ah Sonic good to see you again," Professor Pickle greeted.

"Heya professor! Pikachu is ready for his tests or whatever."

"Ah yes, please excuse me for a moment while I bring the equipment here."

Harlie plopped down on another couch and Sonic sat beside her with Pikachu in his lap. He opened Clauncher's pokéball and the pokémon was curled up on the stool in front of the couch. He opened his eyes and yawned. He looked up at Sonic and Pikachu and hugged them tightly.

"Hey buddy, how you feeling today?" Sonic asked.

Clauncher put his pincers on Sonic's nose.

"I remember when Togetic was just a baby," Harlie thought as she smiled at the blue baby.

Sonic noticed a stare from a pokémon ad turned to see a blue seal lion pokémon peering from a box and once sonic met eyes with it, the creature hid.

"What is that?" Sonic asked.

Knuckles fell asleep in a chair with a nose bubble.

Tails went with Professor Pickle to help with the equipment.

Dakota was exploring the lab with Professor Pickle's assistant.

"Zorua!" Zorua barked at Shadow.

"What are you looking at?" Shadow slumped in a chair with Zorua on his lap.

"Zorua!" She chimed.

Shadow pet her, looking away and she growled softly.

"What is up with you? Umbreon isn't even like this." Shadow pondered as the pokémon tugged his arm.

"Fine if it makes you happy I'll play with you," Shadow huffed getting up and walking outside with Zorua.

...

"Alright Clauncher, can you use water gun?"

He just stared at Sonic adoringly. He then saw a small plush of a Dratini and he wanted to hold it. Sonic looked up to what Clauncher was reaching for and he grabbed it and laid it down in front of the blue crustacean. He hugged it and threw it around trying to play with it. Sonic chuckled at the little pokémon, Pikachu laughed as well.

"Ah, it seem's your Clauncher is fond of that plush." Sonic turned to the professor who walked with a machine with Tails following behind.

"Oh yeah, sorry about that." Sonic rubbed the back of his head, sheepish.

Professor Pickle shook his head and smiled. "That's quite alright, I have no use for it anyway. Now Pikachu hop up here for a second."

"What's that?" Harlie asked, coming forward to look.

"It will see if Pikachu is reacting to the chaos emeralds as a pokémon that can mega evolve reacts to the energy given off from the mega evolution."

"To put it simply," Tails explained. "We are going to see if the two situations have the same energy or not."

"Oh," Harlie said, not really understanding.

Pikachu hopped up onto the device and a capsule was closed over him. Snivy popped out of her pokéball to check on her mate. She was relieved that nothing bad was going to happen. Pikachu smiled at Snivy as she did the same too.

Sonic noticed 3 pokémon walking along, they were a Rowlett, Litten, and Popplio.

"Woah, professor, what kind of pokémon are those?" He asked.

"Ah Sonic these are starter pokémon that a trainer will choose if they go on their first journey..."

"Really...?" Sonic pointed the pokédex at them.

"NO DATA"

"Oh right, I will have to update your pokédex!" Professor Pickle smiled. "May I see it for a moment?"

Sonic handed over his pokedex to the professor and he inserted it into a box sitting next to the machine Pikachu was in. While Sonic waited the two of the three pokemon walked over to Sonic and Harlie, who was asleep on the couch next to Sonic.

"Those two are Rowlett and Litten, the grass and fire pokémon."

"What about the water one?" Tails asked.

"Well..." The professor sighed. "The last one is Popplio. She's not doing well..."

"Why?" Sonic asked. Harlie woke up for a second and was about to hear what Professor pickle was about to say.

"Well... she has been brought back so many times after trainers have come to start on a journey."

"Oh," Sonic and Harlie said in chorus.

"You see, Popplio was never this depressed, she in fact was very happy. Her being sad is bad for her health since Popplio, in particular, need to be happy to be in good condition. Anyway there was the first trainer..."

"Alright popplio! I choose you!"

"Bawrk!" She did a flip.

...

"Professor!" Said the trainer. "I want to return this pokemon... I decided on Litten."

"Why so?"

The trainer shrugged. "She has been losing battles even to low barely trained wild pokémon... she's not the right one for me."

"Oh." Professor Pickle's expression saddened. As so did Popplio's. "Well um... sure, choose."

"I figured the trainer didn't know how to train his pokémon and would do the same, but it turns out all new trainers returned her, eventually breaking her happy spirit... and plummeting her into a depressed state..."

"Popplio, come eat with us"

"Bawrk..." She turned away from the professor and two other starters as she sobbed quietly and hid somewhere, leaving the two pokémon in a sorrowful look.

"Ever since, she has been in her heart wanting to find a good trainer, to give her love and affection... I tried everything she likes and nothing works... if she doesn't recover soon it may affect her health seriously."

"Damn." Sonic looked down. "Why? So what if she isn't strong, she deserves a chance!" Sonic growled.

Popplio overheard and lifted her head up to the hedgehog. She wanted to believe him, but she figured it wouldn't stay that way for long.

"That's depressing," Dakota sighed, she looked around feeling a little uncomfortable. "Well, I'm going to wash Clauncher's plushy, since it is a little dirty."

She took the plush from Clauncher. "I'll give it back in a few minutes" She smiled.

Clauncher thought she was taking it away from him and was never going to give it back so his eyes started to water.

"Oh shit," Sonic muttered.

"CLAUUUUNCHER!" He bawled holding his pincers to his eyes.

"Wah?" Dakota jumped as the ear-piercing cry spooked her. "I'm sorry Clauncher, here." She quickly handed the Dratini plush back to him, but to no effect. Clauncher kept bawling. Sonic tried to hold him, but even hugging him wasn't helping. He continued bawling.

"I didn't know he loved the plushie that much!" She panicked.

"Way to go Dakota!" Harlie taunted.

Popplio saw this and reluctantly hopped over to the Clauncher and spoke. "Bawrk!"

Clauncher looked at her still bawling and everyone was silent. Popplio blew bubbles from her snout and Clauncher then stopped crying looking at the bubble and soon popped it and when he did he started chuckling. Popplio gave a weak smile and blew more bubbles out her snout. Clauncher laughed and popped all the bubbles, leaving drips of water on the ground.

"Would you look at that." Harlie grinned.

Sonic gave a relieved smile. "Good work Popplio, thanks for making Clauncher feel better, I heard you have a natural talent for singing."

"Bawrk." She smiled weakly but was feeling a bit better hearing the hedgehog's kind words.

"I don't see why anyone would give you up, you're a great pokémon."

She tried not to quell the hope but she couldn't help it due to so many trainers saying the exact thing.

"Ah come on, why don't you sing us a song, I bet it will make Clauncher happy," he tried, hoping to distract Popplio from her own thoughts.

She looked down at the young pokémon who was jumping around her.

She gulped and nodded.

"Before she sings I will have words on the screen! You will be able to understand her, having a translator sing along would ruin it!" Professor Pickle jumped with joy.

"To bad Shadow will miss it." Dakota shrugged.

She started, she hummed and everyone was quiet, even Clauncher. As she sung the lyrics were shown on the screen behind her.

It's another day to fight the fray, my heart is soaring

To find the way towards the stage won't come easily

Troubled waves, spirits decay, their words are daunting But they cannot create what I will be They laugh at me throw taunts at me

One look at me and they misjudge what they see But I can only decide what I will be...

After the first verse she hummed a sweet melody that made Dakota fighting tears. Sonic sat in awe as he listened to the sweet Popplio's voice and read the words, alas it was a shame he couldn't understand her. Still it struck as beautiful to him.

I'll be your sky and your fire

And I will go much higher

I'll stand up to the lightning, it's time to turn the tide...at least i will try I will be legendary

I will shine in your eyes and you'll see that

I'm worthy to be in your spotlight (Spotlight)

Sonic closed his eyes and started to understand the pain Popplio was going through.

"I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry," Knuckles repeated quietly to himself.

I can face the rain, get through the pain, my soul is burning

I was once afraid, hid in the shade, changing what's me

I was falling under, scared of the thunder from their taunting

But they should not effect who I will be

I'm not ashamed

I'm proud of my name

I'm not the same, I can drown their spiteful flames

Ill aim to win, not wallow within the lie that I've been

Sonic formed a tear in one of his eyes.

'll be your sky and your fire

And I will go much higher

I'll stand up to the lightning, it's time to turn the tide...at least i will try

I will be legendary

I will shine in your eyes

and you'll see that I'm worthy to be in your spotlight.

Harlie leaned fro the couch before closing her eyes understanding how Popplio feels.

Tails silently listened hearing the sound and brilliance of the voice.

Step in the light... (I will be me and only me)

Step into the spotlight I'll be your sky and your fire And I will go much higher

I'll stand up to the lightning, it's time to turn the tide (at least i will try)

I am not ordinary

I will be only me

and you'll see that I'm worthy to be in your spotlight

...in your spotlight.

She bowed nervously.

Harlie and Dakota started clapping, Dakota was breaking down with tears over her face.

"Popplio..." Sonic got up "That was beautiful..."

Popplio actually smiled wide for once, pleased to hear someone enjoyed her song, most trainers would tell her to knock it off. She started tearing up, not with sadness but joy.

"Wow, that was so beautiful, you need to sing like that for Clauncher more, whenever he has trouble sleeping. You would be a great pokémon to have." He smiled.

"Interesting," Professor Pickle rubbed his head. "Sonic is making Popplio show some happiness." He thought to himself. "Which is good even if it is a little..."

"Hey where is Shadow?" Dakota asked wiping her eyes.

"He's outside playing with Zorua." Harlie yawned getting tired again.

...

Shadow got a ball for Zorua to play with, and he sat on a bench relaxing for once instead of training.

Shadow was more at ease when things were calm and he was by him self.

"Zo! Zoru! Ra, ra!"

Well... most of the time at least.

Shadow cracked a small smile at Zorua, she was being rather endearing, running about, practicing moves, and trying to goad him into joining in. He would, later, for now he was content to just relax.

"Ohohohohoho!" He heard a cackle. "Shadow, aren't you supposed to be with that pest of a Hedgehog?" Eggman leaned out of his Eggmobile

Shadow opened his eyes, only to glare. "What do you want Eggman?" He sneered, not moving from his relaxed position even as Zorua came running to his side.

"To rule the world with Devastation, to unite all people within my nation, to announce the ruling of an Emperor, to extend my wrath to the stars above!"
"Orbot!"
"Cubot!"
"I Dr. Eggman! Will take over the world and build Eggmanland!"

Shadow's glare only sharpened.

"Oh you know, Pikachu, but since seeing he is not here, I will just start with you... give me the Chaos Emeralds." Eggman grinned widely.

"Must you do that every time?" Shadow sighed and came to his feet. Crossing his arms he amped up the glare to terrifying levels, causing Orbot and Cubot to scurry back, Eggman seemed unaffected.

"Ohhohohohohoho," Eggman laughed. "You really think to fight me? You do know you don't have Sonic to back you up here. You really think you stand a chance without HIM holding your hand?"

Zorua leaped forward, yipping furiously as Shadow's hands nearly cracked a pokéball he was gripping. "I am more than capable of annihilating you myself. But I think I'll give you a sporting chance." He rose the pokéball. "Battle me, right here. Right now."

"You got it hedgehog! Go Scolipede!"

"Gyarados!" Shadow spoke simply.

"Graahh!" Gyrados roared as he coiled up onto the non-water area, then quickly floated as his part Flying type came in handy.

"Come back here," Shadow ordered to Zorua who dutifully scampered back to his side to watch. She hoped she'd have a role to play soon, impress her trainer, get him to smile...

While Zorua was off in her own little world, Shadow began the battle. "Hydro Pump, wipe her out!" Gyrados roared again before a powerful jet of water streamed from his mouth. Smashing into Scolipede with the entire force of a river and knocked her flying. "Now Ice Beam!" Gyrados' impeccable training gave it the eye to strike the flying Scolipede dead-on with an Ice Beam, causing ice to partially cover her body and not help at all when Scolipede crashed down onto the ground.

"Get a load of this! Rock Slide!"

Scolipede recovered and generated rocks which did some damage to Gyarados due to his typing... Gyarados tried to get out of the way of the stones and even tried to parry them.

"Now Sludge Bomb!"

"Scolipeeeede!" She screeched as she fired the toxic sludge from her mouth and barely hit Gyarados who recovered from all rocks that were remaining on the ground after the attack, Gyarados looked down at the rocks around him.

"Do you even know what you are doing?" Shadow taunted, a dangerous smirk lighting up his face. "Flamethrower!"

Steam erupted from Gyrados' mouth as the water turned to fire. He belched a wave of flame at Scolipede who froze at the sight of the inferno.

"PROTECT!" Eggman cried, just in time to get through to Scolipede and she shielded herself with the green barrier. "I know exactly what I'm doing," he muttered under his breath before counterattacking.

"Not bad, but this is the end for you!" Eggman jeered.

Shadow's smirk faded. "Gyrados! use the Rocks on the ground use Earthquake to make the pebbles fly around and hit the bug pokémon. NOW!"

A ripple of flying stones preceded the energy of the Earthquake, a two-part attack that spelled big trouble.

"Scolipede! Try another Protect!" Eggman scrambled, Scolipede grunted and threw up the green shield again, but it wavered upon the first stones and collapsed with the shockwave from Earthquake. "NO!" Eggman bellowed as Scolipede was knocked down.

"Damn! Fine You want to play like that! Go Salamence! Return Scolipede.

"RAGAHHH!" Salamence roared

"Salamence won't be happy with you," Eggman sneered as he sent out the rather furious dragon. "You sure you want to do this? It'd be so much easier if you just surrender now."

Shadow simply rose an eyebrow.

"Fine then! Salamence, use Dragon Claw!" Salamence roared its approval and swooped in on Gyrados, raking his shining talons down the serpentine body of Gyrados.

"Graaah!" Gyradoswas thrown to the ground.

"Gyarados! Don't let up! Ice Beam!"

Gyarados fired the frozen beam of ice shards towards the dragon.

Eggman's glasses glistened as he adjusted them. Flamethrower! Melt that ice!"

The flames powered through the Ice and then Salamence rushed forward. "Deliver your most powerful Headbutt!"

Salamence headbutted the giant sea serpent and he cried in pain as he fell to the ground unconscious.

"What!?" Shadow snarled as his powerful pokémon went limp. Salamence roared its retribution and circled the fallen Gyrados from above. Shadow returned him, giving the softest kind mutter of thanks to the pokéball before looking to Zorua. She nodded and zipped onto the battlefield.

"You think that little runt can beat my Salamence!? What a joke!" Eggman laughed.

"I love jokes! I want to hear!" Cubot raised his hand.

"He didn't mean he will make a joke," Orbot said.

"... I don't get the joke," Cubot responded.

While Zorua looked affronted, Shadow just smiled. It wasn't a smirk, but it wasn't a nice smile either. "Subtlety is something you have never been able to understand. Alright Zorua, show him."

Zorua gave a little giggle, and then Salamence crashed into the ground. "Wha-what!?" Eggman hollered. "Salamence, what happened?"

While Eggman freaked out, Salamence looked down curiously. There he was, yet he wasn't there. Blinking in curiously he flew down, right as Eggman jumped on the illusionary Salamence with sobbing depression. "What?" He said, as he passed right through the illusion.

The illusion faded and Salamence landed, looking to his momentarily stunned trainer for guidance. Zorua used the brief distraction to strike Salamence with Confuse Ray.

"Oh Salamence!" Eggman cheered as he raced to his pokémon. "I knew you were alriiigh!" He was cut off by Salamence staggering, and smacking into Eggman.

Zorua giggled as Eggman cried to be released as his pokémon staggered around drunkenly. "Shadow Ball now," Shadow whispered and Zorua blasted Salamence in the side of the head with the concentrated Ghost energy.

"Nooo! Use Fly now!" Eggman roared.

Salamence flew very high up and glared down at the black and red fox pokémon.

"Concentrate your Flamethrower around yourself! Soaring Flamethrower!"

Salamence descended like a blazing meteor.

"Protect."

Shadow said loudly enough for Eggman to hear, but too late for him to warn Salamence.

Salamence smashed right into a shield he had only seen on his side and cracked it, but wasn't enough to break it and the sheer jolt inflicted a lot of damage onto himself.

"Shadow Ball again."

Zorua struck Salamence at point blank range with the Shadow Ball.

Salamence stood up very injured and charred from the attack.

"Shit!" Eggman cursed, "how did I fall for that previous illusion?"

Zorua began to glow a light blue and then she stood upright and grew long hair that ended into a ponytail.. the light engulfed the area and then it dispersed.

"Rak!" She growled then giggling to Shadow.

"SHIT!" Eggman yelled even louder.

"You evolved?" The general scorn that normally filled Shadow's tone was absent, something resembling commendation was in its place. "Good job. Now bring that dragon down with Crunch!"

The newly evolved Zoroark leaped on the injured Salamence, biting him with darkness-infused jaws until he could take no more and crumpled.

"Shit! No matter, Cubot! My next pokemon!...Cubot?"

"Sorry boss, i accidentally only brought two... The others are back at the hideout."

"You WHAT!"

"Forgeve meh bass!" He spouted.

"You win this round Shadow, but next time I will win, even if I fail my ultimate creation will be ready to take over the world! So enjoy this victory while you can!" He jumped back into his eggmoblie.

"Hmm." Shadow raised an eyebrow, considering blowing up the eggmobile, but Zoroark's sheer happiness distracted him and then Eggman was gone.

Zoroark ran up to Shadow and hugged him tightly. Shadow's natural instinct was to push the pokémon away but he decided to let her have her hug.

"Alright, enough," Shadow said. "You did out there."

She blushed as he praised her hiding her face in her long fur.

"Well let's go see what the others are up to."

...

"Well the test results are in" The professor said.

Everyone leaned in.

"After through researching I have concluded that... I still can't find anything."

Palms met many faces in that moment.

"But one thing is for sure we will never know until we get all seven Chaos Emeralds... also Sonic, your pokédex is done updating, you should get info on more pokémon now." He handed the encyclopedia to Sonic.

"Thanks Professor."

"So where are we off to now?" Dakota asked.

"Ironworks City" Tails said looking at the map. "Shouldn't take us long."

"Let's go," Shadow said as he and Zoroark walked towards the group.

"Shadow! Your Zorua!" Knuckles exclaimed.

"Yeah, she evolved, if you couldn't tell."

"Nice! We should battle soon, anyway let's get going guys."

Professor Pickle had an idea...

"Sonic why don't you choose one of the pokémon I have here to go along with you." He pointed to Litten, Rowlet, and Popplio.

"Really? Thank you."

"Welcome." Professor Pickle nodded. "Now choose wisely."

Popplio immediately turned her head down knowing Sonic wasn't going to pick her, he was going to choose Litten cause it is a cool looking pokémon, or Rowlet cause it looks badass when it evolves.

"Well, there's really no question of who... Popplio? You want to come along?"

Popplio then turned her head towards the hedgehog. She figured he was going to just bring her back but she felt this one was different, so she had a little spark of hope left. After a moment of silent staring, enough to shake even Sonic's confidence, Popplio nodded.

"Alright! Welcome to the team!" Sonic gave a bigger than usual grin. He took her pokéball and held it in front of her. She smiled softly, and touched the pokéball.

"I had a feeling you would choose her," the professor chuckled. "I think her being a part of your team will be the best for her. Make sure she smiles, or I'll find out."

Sonic smiled and nodded. "Well we gotta go professor, see ya."

"Yes, do come visit, we'll have more cucumber sandwiches!"

With Zorua evolved and Sonic adding a Popplio on his team the crew set off for the next city.

A/N: Well? What did you think? Also I know Sonic is getting pokémon left and right... if you don't like it idc lol. Here is the link to the wonderful artist who did the song Popplio sung. I can't put a link in here cause Fanfiction is retarded with that lol, so instead her is her name to her channel. Trickywi. Her song on popplio is called. "In your Spotlight"

B/N: That was a nice song. I do like Sonic's Popplio. And of course, Shadow with his rather ardent Zoroark.