There we were, in a quiet, isolated valley near Ecruteak.

We're going to stay here? Asked Drissor, nervousness in his voice. Uh… It looks sort of…

What!? I demanded.

…um… nice! Very nice! Drissor stuttered.

Aw come on, you're not scared of the dark now, are you? I demanded.

No!

"Come on guys, it won't help if you're always fighting!" Moaned Reina. "Come on Charizard. Let's let 'em argue."

Charizard seemed a bit hesitant at first, but eventually trotted off with Reina. Riotaye followed, going to find somewhere Reina and her Pokemon could live. I would talk with him later.

Well?

It's just… I don't feel right, bringing Reina in here. Drissor muttered. I've heard of this place. The inhabitants don't like humans.

Aw come on. I said casually. They'll make an exception. If they don't, I'll MAKE them make an exception.

"Lass! Is that you?"

Who's that?? Asked Drissor, looking left to right.

Furret crawled up.

It's a Furret, you coward. I teased.

I wasn't scared. He protested.

"Another Aerodactyl?" Furret asked, confused. "Pardon my asking, but how did you get here?"

Um… To make a long story short, my trainer got me off a trading auction. Drissor began.

"Yes, go on."

Drissor told Furret all about are deadly escape, and the threaten of humanity.

"Gosh…" Furret managed to say. "I knew humans were bad, but I mean, if you were nearly forced to fight your own brother, I wouldn't blame you."

Which is why we can't go back. I finished firmly. They're all after us.

Breeep. Breeeep.

Um, guys? I asked. What was that?

Breeep. Breeeep.

I strained my eyes and saw flashing red and white lights in the distance. It wasn't until I saw the Pidgeots with the cameras strapped to their backs did I know it was a team sent after us.

Uh-oh… I said.

"What?" Asked Furret.

We're being followed.

The guys stared at me like I had just said the world was going to blow up in less than 10 seconds.

Well… They're using Pidgeots, right? Drissor asked. 3 Aerodactyls, a Charizard, the rest of Reina's Pokemon, and your little furry friend here- He pointed to Furret, who rolled his eyes, -And we should be able to take 'em.

They don't have ALL Pidgeots! I explained. I'm sure they'll be able to beat us! We've got to find Reina, Charizard, and Riotaye and tell them what's happening!

We flew off, accidentally leaving Furret behind us, who waved and retreated in his hole shivering.

It turned out they already knew. We nearly bumped into them, each side frantically urging the others to fly away fast.

"Lasrea! Drissor! Charizard! Riotaye! All of you, let's hit the road!" Reina nearly screamed.

I sailed out in the front, but as I turned my head I saw Charizard nearly right beside me. On a quick glance back, Drissor looked quite annoyed and was flapping his wings hard to catch up.

Show off… I heard him mutter.

Riotaye was keeping a steady pace, neatly in front of Drissor but behind Charizard and me.

But the Pidgeots were gaining on all four of us. They had the advantage of being able to fly faster than sound, even with our tremendous head start.

But Pidgeots were not like Fearows. They were not long distance-flyers. They were tiring, while we could easily keep going for another half-hour. They slowly started to drift farther away from us.

I think we're going to lose them. I sighed happily. But I was cut out of my thoughts by a sudden scream.

I turned around suddenly. One of the Pidgeots had managed to keep going fast and had snagged onto Drissor's tail, slowing him down greatly. The other Pidgeots easily caught up to them, and soon the giant birds made a large swarm around him.

Anger bubbled up inside me and I swooped down at a great speed, crying my ancient reptilian cry to the Pidgeots. They heard me and temporarily stopped what they were doing to look at me.

I grew closer and closer. The big birds were too slow to react. Hee-hee.

I aimed my rough snout at the nearest of the large flying Pokemon.

Bulls-eye!

I slammed into it at great force. My tough body just absorbed the impact without any difficulty, but the Pidgeot's defenseless feathered skin took a great blow. It fell to the ground, with one last chirp before it blacked out.

There were still about five others. I repeated the same process on the next one. But the other four swarmed and attacked me from all directions.

Drissor came back in the fight, and started grabbing onto the birds with his jaws and flinging them away from me.

Tastes like chicken! He said, grinning. I had no choice but to smile back.

The Pidgeots were coming back for another round.

"Chaaaaaaaaaaaarrrr!!!"

A jet-stream of red-hot flames blew across the sky and sizzled the birds like the big overgrown cooked chickens they were. They were all down and out.

I saw the officers finally catching up to us on their inferior motorcycles. They were glaring and pointing in our direction.

Charizard landed, allowing Reina to get off.

"Please, Officers. Let me tell you why…"

*************

Their conversation went on for a while. I wasn't really listening, but I heard tidbits of things in my state of boredom.

"Lasrea…" Reina said at last. "It's getting dark. Go off to sleep."

I shrugged, then looked at the officer. When Jenny nodded, I flew off into my home in the cave on the side of the cliff to rest.

Lasrea?

I peeked over the edge.

Drissor? What are you doing over here this late? I demanded, obviously in a groggy state.

Well, um… He said, then started twitching strangely. I just wanted to say good night!

Oh! Well, good night then! I said kind of grumpily, then drifted off to sleep. Boys were weird, weren't they?

***********

I yawned tiredly. I wondered where my friends went to spend the night.

Climbing out of my cave, I searched the sky for perhaps Riotaye, Drissor, or Charizard. Nothing, except an occasional Pidgey.

God, I'm starving. I muttered quietly.

I glided off in the sky, letting the rays of energy from the morning sun warm up my muscles a bit.

Hey Lasrea!

What? I asked. WHO DARES INTERRUPT MY PEACE?

Drissor winced a bit.

I was kidding, man. I said, sighing. I'm just not a morning pokemon.

Drissor laughed. Neither am I. He managed to say. Say, um, Lass?

Yes? I asked.

Um… uh… I could see he was looking around nervously. What was so wrong about this valley anyway?

What's wrong with this place? I demanded. You don't seem to like it.

No, I like it. He objected. This has nothing to do with that.

Well then what? I asked.

Err… Well… Um… Reina wants you back for breakfast. He finally let out. He looked angry at himself for a moment, then flew off.

I was totally lost. Was there something I was missing here?

Anyway, I followed him, since I had no way of knowing where Reina and the others were.

Lasrea! Over here! I looked over at Charizard, who was happily waving towards me. I flew over.

Hey, um, where's Reina? I asked.

She's off getting breakfast. He replied. For herself, anyway. Wanna go hunting with me?

I looked, confused, at Charizard. I heard Drissor utter a low growl.

Do you want to come too? I asked Drissor.

Umm… Okay! He replied happily, with a smirk at Charizard. I was still very confused as to what was going on, but I figured perhaps it was best; maybe it was a boy thing. I shrugged off as all three of us took off.

Just like yesterday, Char and I took the lead, with Drissor in hot pursuit.

Shouldn't we slow down for Drissor? I asked Charizard.

It's not our fault he can't keep up. Came the reply. I growled softly in annoyance, and slowed my pace a bit, allowing the other Aerodactyl to come even with me. Charizard flared his wings and slowed down as well.

"Lasrea! Charizard! Drissor! Breakfast's ready!"

Thank god. If I had to spend one more minute with those winged male lunatics, I would…

Let's not go there.

I flew off more than happily, the boys hot on my heels. I found Reina laying out various meat slices on a stone table for us.

We're Pokemon, Reina. We don't eat on tables. I snorted, and grabbed one of the chunks of meat off the stone makeshift table and began happily ripping it apart.

Charizard and Drissor eyed me strangely.

WHAT?? I demanded. Gosh, it's amazing what being human-tamed can do to a Pokemon's natural manners!

Charizard and Drissor looked at each other, then shrugged and followed my lead, snatching off the meat and devouring it.

"You guys…. That's so rude. Where are your manners?" Reina asked, to no avail.

At home. Charizard replied.

Under my bed. Came Drissor's answer.

I never had any manners. I said boldly and proudly.

And that's just eating.

Hoooo boy. It was a roughhouse.

Riotaye landed nearby. Hey, sis. He said happily. I like your place here. Are you sure no humans will find us?

I ish poshitive. I said with a mouthful of meat. No onesh gonsha find ush here.

I thought the police already knew?

I swallowed, then grinned. They let us off, as long as we stay here and live as exiles.

Kind of cruel, isn't it? Riotaye asked, claiming the last chunk of meat remaining as his own.

Not really. I replied. They could've done worse.

The rest of the day continued regularly, with the promise of strange conflicts between Drissor and Charizard, and my long-winded conversations with my brother, Riotaye.

I wonder what happened with mom, dad, and our siblings. Riotaye sighed sadly. I'm hoping they're out there somewhere. It's a miracle I even managed to find you. Without that trainer, all of this never would've happened.

It's amazing what one guy can do. I sighed.

There was a long silence.

I miss mom. I whined. I miss everyone. Why did all of this have to happen?

Riotaye sighed. You know, Drissor told me he's glad it all happened. Otherwise, he never would've met you.

I stared back at my brother. You weren't supposed to tell me that, were you? I asked suspiciously.

Riotaye looked at me with an evil grin. Nope! He said smiling. Just don't tell him, okay? I think he fancies you.

Go figure… I groaned. Riotaye laughed.

If that's the case, then I-… I slowly understood the situation.

HELP ME!!! I screamed at Riotaye. I'm stuck in a triangle of lurve!

My brother laughed again. Deal with it. He smiled. I gave him a face of mock anger.

***********

Later that night, I was having a hard time thinking. Was it true? I asked myself. Sure we were the same age, but… I hadn't dreamed it would come this far….

Better not think about it. I murmured to myself. I started counting Mareeps jumping over the fence.

One…Two…Three… After I got to five-hundred fourty-nine Mareeps, I fell asleep.

Whoever said counting sheep doesn't work? It works fine.

Argh. This is going to have even more parts, it seems. Oh well. Poor me. As you can guess the Romance is coming in… See, I got an email from somebody who says that their friend thinks that Lasrea and Charizard are more than just friends, which gave me the triangle idea. Who will win? You all know it's going to be Drissor, right? I'm such a spoiler. *starts counting Mareeps* I wonder if it really does work…?