Dawn came. The windows of the sleeping area, unusual among Pokemon Centers due to its above-ground location, were frosted to preserve the privacy of those within, but I could tell from the color of the light that the cloud cover had not diminished overnight. It would be a gray day. That suited me just fine.

My companions, who had surrounded me as we fell asleep, were nowhere to be seen. King's backpack and James' personal effects still sat on the unmade bunks, but the individuals themselves where nowhere to be seen. Dimly, I recalled the previous night's events, and decided to explore the building. In particular, if King hadn't taken his pack, they had to be somewhere nearby.

My hooves clopped on the tiled floors as I explored the rooms one by one. The TV was on and displaying an early-morning talk show, but nobody was watching. The front lobby was likewise empty but for the nurse on duty.

((Excuse me,)) I said, hoping she knew my language. Pokemon Center employees were generally required to be fluent in most of the common Pokemon dialects, but there were holes in just about anybody's knowledge. ((Can you tell me where my friends went?))

"I think they're in the waiting room for the medical ward. You can head on back there if you want."

((Thank you,)) I said, inclining my head in a short bow, and walked onwards with a small measure of consternation. Medical ward? What had happened that should require them all to congregate there? That area was normally reserved for injuries that, while not necessarily life-threatening, required a bit more attention to detail than just a quick run through the machine.

I found them sprawled among the couches in the waiting room. Three of them, anyway. James was sitting with his legs crossed, reading a magazine with a studious expression. Alex was likewise studying a magazine, lying on the floor with his paws holding the pages open. King was slumped back against the wall, his clothes apparently soaked with sweat and his eyes staring into space.

((What's going on?)) I asked. ((Where's Ashley?))

That got their collective attention. "She's back there," said King, stifling an involuntary yawn and pointing toward the swinging double doors on the opposite side of the room. "She's sleeping now, otherwise I'd still be with her. Just waiting to hear what the doctor says so I can go get some more sleep m'self…" He yawned again, not caring to fight it this time.

((What the doctor says about what? Damn you, you people won't let a single shred of information go without a battle.))

"It comes from experience," James said with a smile. "Anyway, if you really haven't figured it out by now-"

"Sir?" It was a masculine voice. The doctor turned out to be a tall, solidly built man with short, jet-black hair and a profuse moustache. He did not seem unkind. "We've run the tests and everything checks out fine. You can take the egg any time you like."

((Oh,)) I said, more to myself than to anyone else. James was right; I was an idiot for not figuring it out sooner.

"The mother should probably stay with us at least until she wakes up. You're not going anywhere in an awful hurry, are you?"

"Not for at least twenty-four hours," replied King. "Can I see it?"

"Certainly." The doctor extended a hand which held what was, to all appearances, a normal Pokeball. King accepted it, rotated it until he located the release mechanism, and carefully opened the ball onto the couch next to him.

In all of my time among other Pokemon, I had never seen an actual egg before, although I had seen photographs. The first thing that struck me was its size. Granted, on my Ponyta-sized level, it wasn't anything special… but compared to a Ninetales, this thing was pretty darned big. Just thinking about it caused a twinge of sympathetic pain in the corresponding area of my own body.

"How far will it take for the egg to hatch?"

Not how long, of course, but how far. For some reason which I was sure scientists knew but which was beyond me personally, motion was directly linked to the hatching of a Pokemon egg. In the wild, a mother would continuously roll her egg around the nest to stimulate the hatching process-- or nudge it through the water, as was the case for certain species that did not nest in dry land. An egg left motionless would eventually hatch on its own, but the time period in those cases could span years.

The doctor smiled and consulted his clipboard. "Normal length for a Vulpix, I should think. A few miles at a good walk should do it. If there's any problem, you can call us if you want, or any certified Pokemon center should be able to help you."

I stole a glance at the clipboard, trying to make out what I could of the information there. In particular, I was looking for the entry in the field marked SPECIES, FATHER:. The doctor's handwriting was typically bad, but I was able to make out the letters H-O-U before the word trailed off into illegibility. Interesting, I mused. As far as I could remember, that narrowed it down to about two candidates.

Alex was also looking at the egg. After a few moments he looked at me, saw me staring as well, and murmured ((Do you ever think about that sort of thing?))

((About what?))

((About, you know, having offspring.))

I sighed. ((Alex-))

((This isn't like yesterday,)) he hastened to add. ((I'm only asking you if you've thought about it, nothing more. I've thought about it too.))

((I've thought about it a lot,)) I answered truthfully, still not sure what his motives were in asking. ((There was a time when it was something I wanted. But the more I think about it, the more I'm pretty sure it's something I don't want to do, now or ever. With anyone,)) I added for his benefit.

((Because…?))

((Because.)) Because they would always be Ponyta, and I don't want that. ((Actually, Alex, don't be offended… but I am actually surprised you haven't accumulated some of your own by now. Offspring, that is.))

((Ah. Well, I try to be careful.))

I looked up to see that the egg had been returned to its Ball, the doctor had disappeared, and King and James were now conversing. "We can make it by tomorrow night, if we leave this evening and drive in shifts," James said.

"Are you sure it's wise to get going so soon?"

"Why, are you worried about Ashley?" James patted his friend on the knee. "Don't be. You heard the doctor; she'll be ready to go just about as soon as she wakes up and eats. I wouldn't want to take her that far on foot, but she'll be riding in a ball anyway-- so what's the difference whether we stay or get going?"

King appeared to consider this. "Not much, I suppose. We should both get some serious sleep before that, though."

"There, we agree."

***

King and James weren't the only ones who slept. Ashley, of course, was sound asleep, as was understandably normal for Pokemon following the several-hour egg-laying process. Alex, it turned, had also been up the entire time. Apparently I was the only one who had gotten any sleep last night.

I asked him why they hadn't woken me up at the time, too. ((We let you sleep because you could sleep,)) he replied dryly. ((Believe me, there isn't anything special about this event, at least as far as we Pokemon are concerned. Special attention is saved for the hatching. No, the reason we got out of bed was because we could hear her howling all the way out here, and we were fresh out of earplugs. Now aren't you sorry you asked?))

I was, and freely admitted as much.

((Good. Now either get some rest or try not to disturb those of us who need it.))

I figured I would try to watch TV or take a walk during the meantime, or maybe Ashley would wake up soon and I could talk to her. Before any of that could happen, though, I decided to rest for just a bit in the sleeping area. Before I knew it, I was fast asleep again. Apparently I'd accumulated enough fatigue over the past several days that sleep came again readily even after a full night's worth.

When I awoke, it was once again dark outside. I was alone again, but a quick walk to the TV room revealed King, Ashley, and Alex watching news coverage of some event. Ashley was lying with her head in King's lap and appeared to be none the worse for wear. The egg was nowhere to be seen, but I noticed that there were now two balls on King's belt-- one would be Ashley's, currently empty, and the other, new one would be holding the egg for safe transport.

"See that, Ponyta?" King recognized me without turning around, although to be fair, the sound of hooves on tile wasn't easily mistakable. "That's where we'll be tomorrow night if all goes well."

I looked. The TV showed an aerial view, as from a helicopter or blimp-- I suspected the latter, as there was no background noise that would suggest a powerful engine. The image was of a complex dominated by a large oval stadium, which in turn was surrounded by a small town of modest buildings, tents and canopies. The stadium itself appeared to be packed to bursting, and crowds thronged the streets outside.

"The Peninsula League Championships. Nothing compared to the festivities in Kanto, of course, but that goes without saying. It's still more than enough excitement for beings like us, eh?"

((I suppose,)) I answered. It did seem like the sort of thing that would be worth seeing, if only for the sake of having seen it, but already it was starting to intimidate me. So many people and Pokemon. I didn't like the presence of either in large numbers. ((Where is James?))

"He had to go deliver the rest of the stuff that was in the truck. No point in us all tagging along with him, he said."

Not fifteen minutes later, James came striding into the room, still shaking snow off his boots. "It's done. We can leave whenever." He paused to tug the gloves off his hands and noticed the television. "Watching the opening ceremonies?"

"For lack of anything better to do," King said dryly. "As always, only the organizers and corporate sponsors fool themselves into thinking that the ceremonies hold anything of substance. I'm just as glad we missed them. Is the truck fueled?"

"Not since Nolvaring, but with the load lightened we've more than enough to make it to New Tetera." That, I gathered, was the name of the city where the festival took place. "Being a big city, they'll have refueling there. If push comes to shove, there's facilities in Kelton, too."

"You have things all planned out, I see." King gave Ashley a nudge; she raised her head to have a look around, then jumped down from the couch and gave a stretch. I had to give her credit; I knew I wouldn't have been out of bed this early. Her master stood and likewise stretched himself. "Ready, then?"

"As ever. Alex, Ashley, Ponyta-- I'm sure you know this, but the three of you are going to have to stay in your balls for the duration of this trip." He sounded apologetic. "There isn't enough room in the cab for two humans and Pokemon both, and we don't feel it would be safe with you in the truck bed. Ponyta, I realize you traveled alongside us on the way down, but we're going to be going even further this time, with no stops to rest. I don't think you could make it, do you?"

I shook my head. As far as I was concerned, getting to ride in comfort the whole way up suited me just fine.

"Okay, then. In you go." James produced two Pokeballs from his belt; King had one for Ashley. "See you on the other side."

***

New Tetera, the largest city on the peninsula proper, was officially the host city for the annual Peninsula League Championships-- but the competition was not held inside the city proper. Rather, the small community known as Pokemon Village stood several minutes north of the city limits. With the ocean on one side and the highway north into Johto on the other, the complex was ideally placed to handle the influx of thousands of would-be champions and spectators each year.

The place where James stopped the truck was a small dirt lot, occupied by about a dozen other cars and trucks-- more motor vehicles than I had ever seen in one place in my life. As nearly as I could tell from the sun, it seemed to be late afternoon, the sky reddening but with a good few hours of daylight left.

"No cars allowed inside the gates, for obvious reasons," grinned King as he swung his backpack onto his shoulders. "I'm sure we could all do with a bit of a walk anyway, eh? Follow James and don't walk through anyone's campground if you can avoid it-- most don't mind, but why borrow trouble?"

Campground? I wondered, but soon found out-- the hundred or so feet between the parking lot and the tall fence that marked the perimeter of the Village was liberally strewn with tents of all shapes and sizes, most occupied by junior Trainers, although there were a few adults in sight. I blinked as I realized that all these kids must have traveled on their own to get here, by foot or with a bicycle at most. Scratch that, most of them had probably been traveling for several months, if not a few years. Next to this, my travels didn't seem like all that much.

Then again, most of them probably had a choice in the matter.

There was a gate with the number five prominently displayed above the guard's booth. Presumably that meant there were at least four others just like it. Admission prices were posted, which varied widely depending on one's age, occupation and length of stay. King looked as though he were about to reach for his wallet, but James pulled something from his jacket and showed it to the guard, who waved us through without further comment.

The streets were far less crowded than they had been on television-- not empty by any means, but by no means hard to navigate through. I commented on this to King, who smiled and nodded. "That was opening day. Today everybody is either competing, watching the competition, or getting ready for competition. The only ones left here are the tourists, and despite what you'd think, they aren't that big a chunk of the attendance here. It'll get worse on the day of the finals, but that isn't until Wednesday."

I looked to see how Alex and Ashley were doing. As was their custom, they traveled on opposite sides of the group, but for once they seemed more interested in the surroundings than in glaring at each other. I was relieved. Had they ever been here before? James said he hadn't, so it was likely Alex hadn't either. King had, but had Ashley been with him at that time? She certainly seemed to regard everything as though it was brand-new.

A short-haired, leather-clad woman passed us, walking briskly in the opposite direction. I didn't think anything of her until James spoke to King in a voice that would have been impossible for any human to hear, save the intended recipient. "PLA agent."

King's response was equally muted. "Threat?"

"Not really, and not a surprise she's here either. There will be more. I'll feel safer when we reach the Foundation booth. Pick it up."

***

This was the first chance I'd had to take a look at the legitimate side of James' organization. I was impressed by what I saw. The booth was constructed so as to allow easy access on three sides, with the fourth side butting up against a two-story brick building that I guessed was used for storage and sleeping quarters. There were one or more volunteers stationed at each of the three open sides, armed with charming smiles, informational pamphlets and promotional trinkets. One of them, a woman with gray just beginning to show on her short black hair, smiled as we approached.

"James! This is an unexpected pleasure. What brings you all the way up here? Who are your companions?"

"Guys, I'd like you to meet Cici, who along with me is one of the founding members of the PRF. She was the one who pitched the idea to me of having a presence at this festival, and as a result she's had the thankless task of running it every year since. Cici, this is James, one of my oldest and dearest acquaintances. This is Ashley, his Ninetales, and this is Ponyta, who's been travelling with us for quite some time. And of course you know Alex."

"Of course," was the reply. "Well, let me show you some of what we're doing here."

In short order, the woman called Cici explained the purpose of the Foundation's presence at the fair and elsewhere. "The PLA tends to operate by attempting to provoke an emotional response from people," she said. "Their campaigns provide very little, if any, factual information and mostly use testimony from so-called scientists who do no valid research, all aimed at supporting their unofficial position that Pokemon do not need or deserve the same rights as humans."

James held up his hand after a while. "Forgive me, Cici, but you're rather preaching to the choir here. How about introducing us to some of your workers?"

"Of course." In short order, we were introduced to the three young women who assisted Cici in reaching out to the public. Nancy, Terri, and Vicki were their names. Nancy and Vicki might have been sisters, being possessed as they were of dark skin and black hair both pulled back in the same fashion. Terri was about as great a contrast as you could ask for, with skin paler than any I had previously seen and fiery red hair that fell in great curls around her shoulders. All three girls seemed to be very friendly and experienced at handling the public, as I found out when one elderly man wandered up to the booth during our impromptu tour. It seemed to me that Cici had chosen her assistants well.

The fifth member of the team was slightly different. We met him when Cici took our party inside the "back room," as she called it. A dark-haired, unshaven human male sat behind a small desk leafing through papers with a scowl on his face. He looked up as we entered, and the scowl vanished, but no more welcoming expression replaced it.

"Guys, this is-"

"I know who it is," exclaimed James with a smile. "Ronald, it's nice to see you again. Cici puts you to work, eh?" He extended a hand, which Ronald shook with what I could only characterize as a respectful nod. He said nothing, nor did his face even now betray any change in emotion. On the contrary, as soon as the handshake was ended, Ronald went straight back to his work.

"Ronald doesn't say much… not anymore," said Cici almost apologetically. "He's very friendly, though, once you get to know him, and smart-- he has a better head on his shoulders than just about anyone else I've met. I don't know what I'd do without him. He loves Pokemon."

I noticed her eyes seemed almost to be filling with tears. That, combined with the preexisting surreality of the situation, made me grateful when a diversion presented itself in the form of an argument flaring up behind me.

"No. Absolutely not," King was telling Ashley, who was sitting on her haunches and looking up at him plaintively. "You hear me? You're in absolutely no condition to battle. Last night, you could barely stand. What do you mean, you're feeling better now?"

"King," interrupted James, placing his hand on the other's shoulder, "maybe just in one of the casual side events--"

"No, absolutely not," reiterated King, shrugging the hand off. He pointed a finger at Ashley, his eyes burning with concern. "Until I'm satisfied that you're one-hundred percent again, the closest you're getting to a battle is the cheap seats in the arena. That is my final word on the subject."

It wasn't, of course. Even as Ashley seemed to relent, I could discern the look in her eyes as well-- those of a female who wants something. Having certainly been one of those myself, I knew it well. I also knew that just as sure as King thought he was in charge, Ashley was already busily wrapping him around her little paw.

Alex shook his head as we watched the two depart on a "short walk" that I was pretty sure would wind up at one of the registration sites. ((Look at him. I used to think it was only romantic relationships that women had too much power in, but… Look at them! A trainer and his Pokemon, and she leads him around. It's disgusting.))

I glared sidelong at him. ((That's not a very fair way of putting it.))

((It's the truth, at least from where I'm standing. Prove me wrong.)) He huffed and sat back on his haunches, letting his tails fall around him like the petals of a wilting flower. ((You'll never catch me making that big a fool of myself over a representative of either gender, that's for sure.))

((Alex, has any relationship of yours ever lasted longer than two weeks?))

((Shut up.))

***

As one might expect, the necessity of staffing a public-relations booth full-time meant that Cici's workers didn't get to actually go inside the stadium for a look at the events taking place. Deliverance came in the form of a small portable television powered by an extension cord. We gathered around the center of the booth to watch the final matches of the day. Even Ronald looked up from his paperwork now and then to peer at what was taking place, although he still showed no emotion.

A Raichu that had just dispatched a Typhlosion was answered by a Charizard. I winced; the scoreboard showed quite clearly that although the match was for two knockouts, both contestants being allowed to use all six members of their team. Surely the Fire trainer had something better at his disposal than a part-Flying type?

My question was answered moments later when an Earthquake rocked the stadium. We could feel the tremors all the way outside. The Raichu fell in an undignified cloud of dust, and I felt my heart go out to him. The ugly, arrogant Fire Pokemon went back to its owner with nary a gesture of respect for its foe.

"Earthquake TM to shore up a weakness," murmured James. "Not a new trick or anything, but effective nonetheless. The Charizard striking first, now, that's new. Anyone want to bet that trainer wouldn't be too keen on the idea of an unannounced medical checkup for his team?"

Nobody took the bet, but the red-haired girl spoke up. "Good performance isn't always a sign of drug use, Mr. Schlafer. It could be good training combined with a sluggish response on the Raichu's part."

"When possibly becomes probably, that's when you're using PLA logic." James shook his head. "The only reason I'm not out there raising a storm is because Hanks" --that was the Raichu trainer-- "would have needed the Legendaries' own luck to make the cut to top 256, even with a win. Once you get to the top 32, drug testing begins anyway-- so if the bastard is using Saylortin or something similar, it'll come out sooner or later. There are cheaters everywhere. Can't do a damn thing about it."

The standings were going up on the main scoreboard. There was a sustained period of applause from the audience and murmurs of approval from our own group.

"The standings at this point, with one match left to go before the cut, seem to reflect many of the predictions made months ago," the commentator was saying. "As expected, on this day of weakness-compensated scoring, most of the competitors at the top chose conservative tactics, while those on the borderline opted to attack their opponents with weak Pokemon, hoping to improve their scores with an upset victory. With the vast majority of the field following the trends that have been established for several months now, the attention of the crowd is on the two dark horses, Hiram Wu and Jeff Stafford."

Dark horse, I thought to myself, my mind insanely coming up with the image of a Dark-type Ponyta. The idea made me giggle. Alex looked at me strangely. The concept was probably not one that he or most other Pokemon would have come up with, I realized.

"Now I understand that my friend Ted is with one of the competitors in the upcoming final match. What do you have for us, Ted?"

King and Ashley had returned. King tossed an opaque plastic bag to James, who peeked inside but didn't offer to share the contents with the rest of us. Ashley looked satisfied. I knew what that meant. A glance at Alex showed that he did too.

"Where are we sleeping?" King was asking his friend. James turned to Cici and repeated the question, with the reply that the beds were all taken as expected, but that there was plenty of floor space and we were welcome to share the roof. "I'll get the sleeping bags from the truck," were the next words out of King's mouth. James handed over the keys without further comment.

Ashley didn't go with her trainer, though, to my surprise. Instead she asked me if I wanted to take a walk with her. Naturally I said yes.

((I'm sorry I've been so standoffish lately,)) she said as soon as we were out of earshot of the building. There were still only a few festivalgoers in the streets, and most of them didn't seem to be paying us any attention. ((I've had a lot on my mind.))

I sifted my memory, trying to figure out what she was talking about. ((You haven't seemed standoffish to me,)) I said carefully. ((You've talked to me when I had that problem with Alex. And if you didn't say much the rest of the time, well, you were preoccupied. I understand that.))

((It still bothered me. Don't think it didn't.)) Even if I weren't automatically inclined to trust Ashley, her sincerity was evident in her face. ((When you travel on the road, you get used to not being able to have any real friends, outside of your own party. So I just wanted to say I'm sorry. For not being the friend you needed.))

((Maybe after all this is over I can go with you.)) It didn't seem like King would object, and I would be no worse off with them than living with James. ((But I do know what you mean. It's hard living alone.))

((It's even worse when you're not alone, but you might as well be.))

That was the truth. ((Ashley, have you ever been in love?))

((Well, that's one theory, sure.)) Her voice had a sarcastic tone to it, but not an offended one.

((Sorry. I just don't like to assume anything.))

((That's okay, Ponyta. I know you didn't mean it that way.)) Her red eyes still laughed silently at me, though. ((Anyway, just in case the events of the past three days have been lost on you, the answer to your question is yes.))

((Do you mind the question?))

((No, not really.))

((Do you mind telling me about him?))

((Now look who's talking. You still haven't said a word to me about this mystery male of yours. If it's a male…))

What the hell? ((Is it your turn to make rude-sounding remarks, then, Ashley?))

((Sorry.)) She seemed appropriately chastened.

((I suppose it wouldn't bother me so much if you were the first one to have come to that conclusion,)) I grumbled. ((Not that there's anything wrong with that, but-- well, you know. So what would you like to know?))

((Just about anything. You haven't told me a damn thing so far, aside from his name-- Snap, wasn't it? That's an odd name for a Ponyta…))

((He's not a Ponyta.))

((Sorry, I'll try to stop making assumptions altogether… But it's still an odd name for a Fire-type.)) Her tone of voice made it clear that she did not consider this to be an assumption. I winced.

I stopped walking. So did she. We were alone in the street. The nearest booths were closed, with steel shutters drawn down to protect wares. Not a single living thing was in sight.

((I should go,)) I said, breaking the silence after a few moments.

((No, Ponyta, please don't. We've parted ways too many times already.)) She sounded as though she were about to choke up, and when I looked back, there were tears in her eyes. ((How long?)) The words emerged as a whisper.

I thought. ((Three months and a week, just about.))

((Wow.)) She really seemed shocked. ((Wow. Ponyta, I knew about… you… but I never thought…))

I nodded.

((Perhaps you'd better spell it out for me, just to make sure we're both on the exact same page. I think enough mistakes have been made for one evening.))

((He's a Jolteon,)) I said bluntly.

((Ah,)) said Ashley. ((Aha. Well. That's understandable, I suppose… I always thought they were kind of cute, myself. Not in that way,)) she finished hurriedly.

There was silence for a couple of beats. ((Fair is fair,)) I said. ((Now you have to tell me about yours.))

Ashley thought for a moment. ((What if I can do one better?)) she asked. ((I'll introduce you to him-- and unlike you, when I say this, I mean soon. I have reason to believe he might be in attendance here.))

((Really?)) I had been under the impression that whatever lover Ashley had found had been in Kanto during their three-month foray there, and was therefore not likely to be seen on this continent in the near future… but I did not mention this, for fear of looking like an idiot yet again. ((I'm up for that, I suppose. When?))

((I have a battle tomorrow evening. One of the side tournaments, with a small cash prize.)) I had been correct about one thing, then; she had indeed finagled King into signing up for one of the events. ((If I can find him, I'll introduce the two of you after the battle. If I can't, I'll fess up and tell you about him anyway.))

((Fare enough,)) I allowed. ((You're on.))

((Until then, I get to grill you.)) She gave a vulpine smirk. ((So, are Jolteons any different?))

((Get your mind out of the gutter.))

((Answer the question.))

((I have no basis for comparison,)) I informed her as we started walking again.

((Alex can help with that, I'm sure…))

((Ashley?))

((Yes?))

((Shut up.))

***

The next day dawned clear and warm. At first I thought I was the first one to awake, but as soon as I looked around, I found Ronald sitting at his desk, hard at work on his laptop computer. He looked rested, but I couldn't really say for sure whether he had ever gone to sleep or not.

((You're hard at work,)) I said.

He looked up smoothly and nodded, not taking his hands from his task. He could understand me, then.

((You're working all the time. The Foundation can't have that much work for you to do here, can they?))

He shook his head and pointed to the screen, motioning for me to come to where I could see it. I did so, and read what he had been typing. The consternation was evident on Lars' face. "How long has this been here?" he asked…

((A story,)) I said with sudden delight. ((You're writing a story.))

Ronald nodded.

((How much do you have? Can I read it?))

It turned out that Ronald had written over three hundred pages so far-- he must have been working on it for weeks, at the least. Reading the first several pages, I learned that the story was about a man who falls asleep and dreams about another world. Given the length of the still-incomplete work, I guessed that there was more plot development than that, but that was as far as I got before a drowsy James stumbled downstairs.

((Good morning, James.))

"Whoever put the beds on the second floor and the only bathroom on the ground should be shot," he grumbled by way of greeting before disappearing into the facility in question. He emerged a minute later, significantly more amenable to conversation. "Morning, Ponyta. Morning, Ronald. Are you people joining us in the arena today?"

Ron shook his head, but I had to know more. ((Arena?))

"Yeah. If I've come this far, I'm damn sure gonna watch this thing… and today should be when it starts getting interesting. They've separated out the good trainers from the cookies, for the most part, and the result is good competition instead of immature trainers throwing powerhouse Pokemon at each other. King is gonna join us, at least until he and Ashley have to go get ready for their matches. So… wanna come?"

((Of course,)) I said after about a moment of reflection. ((As you said, it's why were here, isn't it?))

"Excellent." An evil gleam appeared in James' eye. "In that case… want to see my patented method for getting King out of bed?"

((Uh, I think I'll pass on that, thanks.))

"Suit yourself." James retreated back upstairs, and I leaned over Ronald's shoulder to see more of the story he was spilling out. I barely flinched when I heard screaming from somewhere above me.

***

The stadium was packed from wall to wall with screaming spectators and their Pokemon, who likewise filled the air with their cries in support of whatever champion they favored. There didn't seem to be a single seat devoid of an occupant, and I wondered how James had managed to secure a seat for himself, let alone a party of one Ponyta and four more reasonably sized beings, on such short notice.

The roar became a cacophony as one-half of the first match, a young male Trainer showing signs of physical maturity, walked out to his end of the field. His opponent, emerging scant moments later, received much less of an ovation. It was easy to tell who was the favorite. According to the scoreboard, the first trainer's team reflected the school of balance in training, with a wildly diverse team in which no two Pokemon shared a type. It was viewed by some as a hopelessly archaic training school, unwisely sacrificing strength for utility. Certainly, it could always find a weakness in the enemy lineup, but weakness ceased to matter so much when the opposition had ten or twenty levels on you simply by virtue of focusing all their experience in one or two individuals.

The other combatant's selection was a more personal one and clearly betrayed his own tastes. It consisted of two high-level Electric types, plus a Meganium to put the hurt on any newbie who tried to play the weakness card. I knew who I was rooting for.

A shrill whistle signaled the beginning of the battle. Instantly the atmosphere changed. This was not the competition I had ever seen, the mild training battles at the Academy in far-off Silverspring. This was the big time. Injury and death lived here.

Later, I would realize that the match had essentially been decided in the first five seconds. With the time delay necessary to exchange one's Pokemon accepted as fatal in the highest levels of competition, selecting one's starter was of utmost importance. Attempting to play mind games with one's opponent only worked up to a point. When it came down to it, the photogenic male trainer had a fifty-fifty chance of gaining a crippling advantage off the bat. Of course, he also had a fifty-fifty chance of crashing and burning, and when Sandslash emerged from its Pokeball, the Meganium named Clover was waiting for it. The rest was anticlimactic.

"Fools," murmured James as the winner left the field to a resounding chorus of boos. "Not only can't they decide for themselves who to follow, they can't even lose well."

The first five or so matches all occupied center stage, but after that the arena was subdivided into four different quarters, each easily big enough in their own right to contain a match up to and including an improbable Steelix-on-Steelix clash. Two hundred and fifty-six remaining contestants meant one hundred and twenty-eight matches on the day, and it was important to have multiple battles going at any given time.

I missed only one set of matches the entire day, when it finally became impossible not to stretch my legs and relieve myself. When I returned to my spot, the contestants of that round were just walking off the field, making way for the next set. iHe looks familiar,/i I thought in regard to one of them-- a loser, by the slump of his shoulders. I could only see the man's back, and I could not place where I had caught sight of him before, but something about him still tickled my memory.

No time. The battles continued. Hopes and dreams were dashed against the hard-packed soil of the coliseum. One boy refused to leave after a particularly crushing defeat, instead kneeling on the ground and bawling his eyes out. Security personnel had to be called, and it set the schedule back nearly ten minutes.

The sun was dipping low in the sky and the number of matches left was dipping into the single digits when the P.A. system came on to announce, "All those registered for the amateur cash tournament, please come to Gate Three at this time."

"That's us," said King, rising from his seat with a weary air. Ashley seemed significantly more excited.

"King… are you sure…"

"I'll be fine," said King, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder. Was it to reassure James or to steady himself? "We'll be fine."

***

"Amateur," as Alex explained to me, merely designated someone who had never competed in an official tournament, such as one of the League championships or the smaller regional events. Although King and Ashley had fought innumerable battles at one point or another, they had all been with individual trainers, gym leaders or in unofficial tournaments; therefore, they were eligible to enter this event.

((Trainers can use up to six Pokemon in this event,)) I said worriedly after the final matches of the main competition were over for the day and the announcer started giving details on the next attraction, even as about a third of the stadium's occupants headed for the exits. ((King only has Ashley. Isn't he asking for trouble?))

((Ashley's as tough as nails. Even when she was a Vulpix, she was able to take out Water types of a comparable level. Just because training isn't King's life doesn't mean they don't try to be good at it.))

There was a "but" in Alex's voice. ((What aren't you telling me, Alex?))

((Well, Ashley's not in top form, for obvious reasons… which is why this was a bad idea in the first place. Still, unless they run into a weakness issue, it shouldn't be that bad.))

((And if they do?))

((Then they're smart. They'll pull out.)) There was an unspoken iI hope/i following Alex's words.

The speakers chimed. "Your attention please. Presenting, from east field, one-half of our first amateur match-- Daniel Hintze!"

The name rang no bells in my mind, which is why I was all the more surprised when I saw who "Daniel" was. Craning my neck over towards James, I whispered, ((That's not his real name, is it?))

"No more so than King or Hopper or any of the others."

((Hopper?))

"Whoops."

"From west field, his opponent in this match-- Ray Butler of Kelton!"

There was an intake of breath to my left. I turned to see what had caused consternation on James' part, but he caught my eye and shook his head. "I think I recognize that guy, but I can't remember why or where from. Probably nothing."

The whistle blew. Hands went to belts and balls were opened. On one side materialized the golden creature that we knew and loved. On the other…

((Sweet Legends,)) muttered Alex. It wasn't just a Blastoise. It was a big Blastoise. It was exactly the sort of matchup that we had been afraid of, and there was most assuredly no way in hell that Ashley could win this, let alone come out of it in one piece. King knew this, too, and he was already manipulating the ball to call a withdrawal-- a withdrawal that, with only one Pokemon, would amount to concession. He had no choice, of course.

He was still in the process of recalling Ashley when the Blastoise opened fire.

In one terrible moment, I got the image of Ashley being tossed along the ground like a doll by the cruel jets of pressurized water, her limp body coming to a stop at King's feet. A growl of protest swelled up, as one, from the crowd-- giving your opponent fair chance to withdraw or exchange Pokemon was one of the basic tenets of the sport, and the enemy trainer had just trod on a very hallowed rule.

And for James, apparently, the puzzle resolved itself. He jumped up and stabbed his finger at the Blastoise trainer, bellowing out a single word for the entire audience to hear. "CASSIUS!"

The trainer bolted. There was no other way to describe it. He didn't even pause to retrieve his Pokemon. And in the face of that oldest expression of guilt, the place erupted in pandemonium. Half the spectators went charging down onto the field, either in an attempt to catch the fugitive or to assist the stricken King. The other half were trying to restore order. Amid the chaos, a few others simply tried to leave through the normal exits, presumably fearing a full-scale riot or otherwise simply overwhelmed by the situation.

James and Alex cast their lot with the first group. I didn't see what I could do to help in either way. There were too many people between me and the field by now, anyway… So as I had done so many times, I quietly tried to escape.

Someone was yelling on the P.A. system for the spectators to remain calm, not to panic, and so forth. The idea that anyone was listening was, of course, laughable.

If there was one consolation in the entire melee, it was that nobody noticed me, a Ponyta quietly making her way out of the stadium and trying to find a place where she could be alone.

***

Being alone wasn't easy. The main roads through the town were more-or-less populated by agitated people either having just left the stadium or just finding out what had happened inside. Eventually, though, as I wandered towards the east side of the community, I stumbled upon deserted streets holding closed shops, warehouses, and whatnot. It was here that I happened upon them.

"…so how are we supposed to get out of here with the entire place on our tail?" was the first thing I heard.

Another voice, older and deeper but male like the first. "We don't, not right now, anyway. Find a good hiding spot in one of these abandoned buildings. I'll meet you at the car after nightfall."

"They'll search."

"So find a better hiding place, you nitwit. Use those same smarts that made you decide to pull off that attack in front of ten thousand people. Idiot."

I turned the corner and there they were. One was the Blastoise trainer that had evidently somehow escaped the grasp of thousands of furious citizens not fifteen minutes ago. His companion was an older man with a developing bald spot and a gray goatee, wearing the severe black clothing of a despised organization.

They were not oblivious to my sudden arrival. The elder glared at me and waved his hand. "What are you doing here, you stupid Ponyta? Lost your owner? Go away; I don't have time to deal with you right now."

That was the straw it took to break my back. I was good and furious now, and if there was one thing that I was learning, it was that fury made me much more adept at controlling my inner power. I took a step forward, anger boiling in my eyes. Both of the PLA agents flinched backwards at this.

It was the very last thing either of them ever did.

Afterwards, I could only gape with astonishment at what I had unleashed. The only sign that the men had ever existed was not some remnant of their bodies, but rather a small crater that had been blasted out of the packed earth by the pillar of lightning. Not only was I an Electric-type, it seemed, but it was looking as though I might be an inordinately powerful one. The attack was simply nothing I had ever seen the likes of, in person or in pictures; what most called Thunder was similar to this but possessed none of the raw energy.

There had been no witnesses, but only a blind and deaf person could have missed the event, even from afar. So, once again, I moved quickly on.

***

My attempts at solitude finally bore fruit. There was a large bare patch of earth due east of the complex, similar to the campgrounds to the south but devoid of tents. It was here that I could lie down, with the buildings and the setting sun at my back, and try to collect my thoughts.

Had those men really deserved death? Certainly they had apparently engineered a treacherous attack on Ashley and King, but I was sure Ashley would be okay once the medical team attended to her. If I was relentlessly logical with myself, I could tell myself that the world was better off with those two dead, but the fact was that I was filled with shame and remorse. I had only meant to stun those men, perhaps cause some discomfort, but only paralyze them so they could be captured and brought to justice. Perhaps I wasn't as good at controlling myself as I had thought.

For that matter, why wasn't I with Ashley right now? Logic intervened once again to keep me from tearing myself to shreds, telling me that the medics could work better and Ashley could recover quicker with as few people as possible clustered around her. There would be plenty of time later, once she was recovering. Then she could introduce me to her lover, just as she'd promised, and all would be well with the world…

There was someone behind me. ((Who's there?)) I called out.

The voice was Alex's, but it was breaking. ((I… left. I couldn't bear to be around James and King, not with what's happened… and I thought you might not know.))

((Know what?))

((She's dead.))

Deep within my chest came the physical sensation of something shattering.

((It was the shock, they said, the cold water mixed with the weakness… They said she was probably dead before she hit the ground. How can that happen…? For goodness sakes, Ponyta, tell me how that can happen!))

I didn't say anything else, and neither did Alex. When I looked around a few minutes later, he was gone.

Dead. The syllable rang hollowly in my mind. Dead. Dead. Dead. Dead just like those men I had killed. But it was different. Those were evil men. This was a wonderful creature who had just given birth. One didn't balance the other. They didn't even come close.

((Ponyta?))

If Alex's voice had shattered my world, then maybe this was the voice that could mend it all back together again, almost good as new.

((I saw you leave earlier, but I couldn't tell if it was you or not. Are you okay?))

I turned my head once again and there was my guardian angel.

What followed was the most powerful feeling of joy in my entire life, right in the moment when it had seemed as though I could never feel joy again. All thanks to one single being who stitched it all together and made it all worthwhile once more, just by being there, just by his comparatively tiny body lying next to me…

And as I wrapped myself around him and tried my best to drown in his affection, I was begging him, almost without realizing it. ((Say you won't leave me, Snap. Promise you won't leave.))

((I won't leave you, Ponyta.))

((Promise. If anybody else leaves me… if you leave me… I'll die.))

((I promise.))