"Let's get this party started!" cried Rory, and there was a unanimous "YEAH!!" in response. Finally, we were having fun!

Peter and Meg were in charge of lights, and Kayse and Brian were the DJs. The music started and everyone started dancing.

"Hey, Sponge, nice dancing!" I called, and for once Rory didn't groan at the name. I think we were all glad that we were actually here to have the party.

I had gone into the other room to get my pokéballs (hey, Pokémon deserved to party, too!) when the light coming in from the window suddenly disappeared.

My pokéballs opened and I looked at my Pokémon. Houndoom, Sneasel, Pidgeot, Larvitar, and Murkrow. Umbreon was already partying. And Chikorita was asleep.

"Why is the sky dark?" asked Murkrow.

"Isn't it about noon?" asked Larvitar, puzzled. He'd never been out of his pokéball unless it was for a battle.

"Pigeoo, pigee," said Pidgeot. I sighed and looked at my first Pokémon. We'd come so far together, but she wasn't a Dark-type, so I couldn't speak with her like I could the others.

"It IS only eleven-thirty, so I don't know why it's dark," I replied. "But I have an idea." My Pokémon looked grim. THEY knew what I was thinking, and they didn't like it any more than I did.

I heard a scream from the other room. I whirled around and ran back out, only to find that the entire room was dark. Angrily I zapped the lights, and they came back on to reveal the two troublemakers standing right in the middle of all my friends.

But I nearly gasped at what else I saw. With them was...well, I wasn't too sure, but I knew it had come from an Eevee, most likely Veeon, the brother of Eve (the other baby Eevee).

"What is THAT?" asked Meg in a disgusted tone as she pointed to Veeon. Jason smirked.

"Don't you recognize a Flareon when you see one?" he asked innocently. "I mean, sure, there was a defect in the stone, but..."

"HOW COULD YOU!!!" I screamed, unable to help myself. Jason and Leria laughed.

"Now, Flareon," Leria said, and Flareon shot a jet of fire straight for Eve, who was in Kayse's arms. But Houndoom jumped in the way, not affected by the flames at all.

Flareon suddenly collapsed, much to the shock of the duo. I smiled, and Jason glared at me. "What's so funny?"

"Actually, it's not funny at all, but I just enjoy the looks on your faces. A defect in an evolution stone means a defect in the evolution, as you probably figured out. But most Pokémon don't last long if there's a defect." I winked over at Simon, because I knew he had something that gave the Masters an advantage.

"Like you can fix it?" Leria sneered, but I could tell she was upset. Flareon had been going to be used as their evil tool, and this probably put an end to their plans.

Simon stepped forward. "Well, actually, we can," he said, and held up what appeared to be a Water Stone, but I knew better. "This stone will counteract the evolution, turning Flareon into an Eevee again. But it'll come at a price."

"Name it," snapped Jason, and for a minute I was stunned. Did Jason really care about his Pokémon after all? But his next words convinced me otherwise. "Anything for an advantage."

"Fine, JASON," I spat. "The price is one of your Pokémon. I don't care which one, but that's my price." I held my breath. Would he accept?

-_-_-_-_-_-

The next chapter is the last one, but hopefully not the last story!!! I'm really getting into this. The dreams and messages in this story are important to the ending...ooh! I gave it away!! In the words of Sponge: Let's get this party started! ~The Darkness Master