Illusions of Grandeur

by Kim Hoppy

Whatever happened to Ash while he was Shan? That's what his friends and family want to know, and he's finally going to tell them . . . The sequel/prequel to The Death of Ash Ketchum

9. You're a Deer!

Summary—The first League: Ratwa. Ash has to deal with unusual ways of this League, and starts to lose himself in the illusions and mind games.

Note: A Ratwa is a small deer from Asia, I think.

Chapter 9:

You're A Deer!

"Follow the Yellow Brick Road. Follow the Yellow Brick Road. Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the Yellow Brick Road. Follow the Yellow Brick, follow the Yellow Brick, follow the Yellow Brick Road." Miriam skipped ahead in a very good parody of the dance done in the movie.

"She scares me," Ash whispered to Shamin, smiling behind his hand. Pikachu nodded her agreement.

Shamin smiled back at him. "I know. She watches way too much TV, always the musicals too. She knows all the words to almost every song. Sound of Music, Cats, Guys and Dolls, Babes in Toyland, Annie, Grease, The King and I, The Wizard of Oz." She rolled her eyes hopelessly.

"So where are we off to?"

Miriam must have heard her, or went into the next section of the song with impeccable timing as she made a round back. "We're off to see the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Ya'll find he is a whiz of a Wiz, if ever a Wiz there was. If ever, oh ever a Wiz there was, the Wizard of Oz is one because, because, because, because, because, because, because . . . of the wonderful thin's he does. We're off to see the Wizard. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz!"

Ash shook his head almost in disbelief, listening to Miriam before he answered the question Shamin proposed. "I'm not exactly sure," he admitted.

"Pikapi," Pikachu sighed from Shamin's shoulder, shaking her head.

"I'm not surprised, either," Shamin added, pushing him slightly.

Miriam suddenly appeared in front of them, walking backwards and her hands behind her head. "Ya shouldn't be. I mean, 'Scarecrow' here still needs a Brain." She grinned wickedly.

"We really shouldn't have let you watch that encore showing," Ash sighed. "Okay. Why am I the Scarecrow?"

"Obvious reasons," Shamin stated.

"I was thinkin' it was because of the hair!" Miriam laughed, messing up his already untidy hair.

"Knock it off!" He frowned from under his protective arms, which he had put up to save his head. "And who are you? The Tin M—Woman? I mean, you need a Heart."

Miriam smiled smugly. "I'm Dorothy." Shamin looked indignant.

"Why are you Dorothy?"

"Because, I, unlike ya, have a Toto!" Miriam petted the living and sleeping shawl on her shoulders, (how Pyro could sleep when Miriam was singing in his ears, no one knew,) and Pyro opened his eye a sliver. "And he's a cute Toto, too."

"Well, I could use Pikachu as Toto," Shamin countered, holding Pikachu in her arms as evidence.

"Pika!"

"Nine! Tales nii!" Pikachu looked indignant, cheeks emitting thunderbolts.

"No. I'm Dorothy. Ya can be . . ." Miriam waved her hand vaguely. "The Cowardly Lion."

Ash snorted, then gripped his kneecap, having to hop on one foot to keep up with the others.

"Where do you think we're heading, Miriam?" Shamin asked, changing the subject but still glaring at Ash. Pikachu shook her head sadly looking between the two. "And don't you dare start into the refrain."

Miriam shrugged, still walking backwards. Pyro shifted his position at the action, still awake. "If ya're talkin' 'bout battlin', I have no clue. I mean, this place isn't up into Leagues. I don't think so, anyway."

"They used to," Ash stated, slinging off his pack and digging in. "I went to the library—"

"Ya know what one of them is?"

"—and did some research in the history of the place. I serious about this, too. According to what I read from ancient writing translations or whatever, this side of the world used to be the highest challenge in Pokémon battling. I mean, the Indigo and Johto and Orange Island Leagues are like kids getting together for a friendly game, and then going to lunch afterwards compared to the way some of these Leagues ran."

They looked interested. "Really?" Shamin asked. "What happened to them?"

Pleased that he had their undivided—or for the most part, anyway, in Miriam's case—attention, Ash continued, producing papers as evidence of his findings. "Well, I guess these Leagues must have been dangerous or something, and the people who ran them were nuts, terrorizing everyone with threats and the Pokémon. So, everyone stood up against them and disbanded them or something. Even the other Pokémon Leagues turned against them, ordered them to close up or change the way they ran. Some agreed, but the people didn't forget what happened and what the Leagues did, so Pokémon became unpopular or something here, like now, I guess. Some didn't change of course, and they were ban to go to, not even mentioned, like they had never existed. But the die-hards still ran them. They had to because of their dedication."

"But this was how long ago?" Miriam asked. 'Because of there dedication'? Where does Blondie come up with this crap?

"Centuries."

She nodded. "So you'll battle against skelly-tons. That ought to be an easy win."

Ash shook his head and spoke passionately. "No. These Leagues might still be run, but hidden."

"Key word," Shamin pointed out. "Might."

"Still . . . I mean, think about battling in these Leagues!" he gushed, banishing the papers. "I have to try and find them."

Miriam bowed her head with a mocking sort of remorse. "And we'll bury the bones of the Pokémon idiots who remained."

****

Their arms were linked as they walked into the forest. "Manies, and Gertigs, and Grizzles, oh my! Manies, and Gertigs, and Grizzles . . ."

"Do you have to walk like that, Miriam?" Ash complained. "I mean, I don't mind the singing, mostly, but that's the third time you've stepped on my foot!"

Miriam harumphed, unlinking their arms. "Well, ya should have watched the movie to see how to walk properly."

"I wasn't aware I have to act it out at the time! How long do you focus on one show anyway?"

Shamin rolled her eyes as Miriam thought about the rhetorical question. "Her attention span varies. So where are we headed again? I mean, this forest is kinda creepy, 'specially with Miriam singing about dangerous monsters."

Ash dug into his pocket and retrieved a folded piece of paper. "According to this map, a League used to be here," he said as he unfolded it. Miriam grabbed it away.

"That was years ago, Blondie! The League might not even be around!" she stated, brandishing the paper at him like a sword.

He shook his head. "No. See, the Ratwa was one of the few leagues that agreed to conform. Of course, they didn't totally conform, but they still agreed."

"Cent-ur-ies ago!" Miriam repeated, louder.

"So you're just having us wander the forest in hopes that it's still around?" Shamin demanded hotly, hands on her hips. Pikachu looked at her Trainer in a similar manner.

Ash nodded. "I have to look."

"Ya scare me, Blondie. Ya really do," Miriam snapped, looking at the map critically. Pyro also looked at it in the air of that yes, he did understand it. "I mean, this thing looks ancient."

"I just printed it out at the library," Ash countered. "I made several copies too, in case I lose one."

Miriam sighed. "No. I mean the writing and stuff is old. The original must be old. Old things are not reliable."

Ash nodded. "I know. Look at you."

Slowly, he opened his eyes painfully when Pyro had finished recovering Miriam's pride. "I could really learn to hate him."

"Well, I like him," Miriam smiled. "We really need to get more burn cream, don't we?"

"Shut up."

"Actually, I think Pyro's starting to like you," Shamin said, looking at her watch and tapping the glass. "That time he didn't go on nearly as long as last time. And it's been almost a full week since he bit you."

"That's because he's been avoidin' Pyro. And are ya sure Pyro didn't last as long?" Shamin nodded, and Miriam clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Can't let that happen. Pyro's got to be in tip-top shape. So that means ya got to try and beat yar last record." Pyro nodded willingly, showing his fangs and ready to have another go.

"Your training method isn't regulation," Ash wailed, ducking behind Shamin and Pikachu. "You're supposed to battle other Pokémon."

"And let Pyro get hurt? I think not."

"You can't baby him."

"Ya baby Rodent."

"Do not!"

"Do so." Shamin nodded her agreement, and Pikachu looked abashed.

"Well, then not as bad as you baby Pyro!" Again Shamin nodded, and Pyro looked offended.

"He's got you there, Miriam."

"Whose side are ya on?" Miriam demanded, petting Pyro protectively. "Wait, why do I even ask?" Shamin's cheeks flushed. "What got us on this discussion anyway?"

"Old things," Ash said helpfully, then quickly ducked back down behind Shamin when Pyro looked up.

Miriam's voice was clipped. "Yes, that was it." She looked back at the map, finger tracing a trail. "We've been following this one then, I suppose."

"It's the only one on the map," Ash said, still behind Shamin. Miriam nodded, raising at eyebrow at the map.

"Chuka?" Pikachu asked, seeing the facial expression.

"What is it, Miriam?" Shamin asked, stepping forward and causing Ash to lose his human/Pokémon shield from Pyro. He looked panicky for a moment, then carefully walked over to see what Miriam found interesting. It was probably a drawing or something.

She pointed at something on the paper. "This is Latin or something, right?"

Ash followed her finger, then nodded. "Oh, yeah. 'Amicus Pokémoni generis—Animal bipes implume'."

"And what does that mean?" Shamin asked.

"A friend of Pokémon—the two-legged, featherless animal, or human being," he stated after a moment of reflection.

Miriam narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. "And how do ya know that?"

He grinned wickedly. "I have been schooled—" Miriam glared at him, daring him to continue the bluff—"and I do know how to use the Internet Translator site."

"Well, then, Professor, what does the rest say then?" she asked with false sweetness.

"This part deals with the way the Leagues were run, I think. See, Ratwa was like the opener league. You went there first. But the ink was so blurry I couldn't figure out what the letters were to translate them, via the Internet. From what I could get, I think there was only one test. I don't know what, though."

"Ya'll just have to be surprised," Miriam said dryly.

Shamin snatched the paper from Ash's hands, looking at it critically. "Well, Navigator, how many days will it take to get there?"

Ash smiled sheepishly at them. "Well . . ."

Both of them raised their eyes to look at him, knowing nothing good came from that start.

He avoided meeting their eyes. "Considering we've been going in circles for an undetermined amount of time . . ."

Shamin's jaw dropped. "You've got a map!" She waved it as evidence.

"I can't actually read it!"

Miriam held her head in disbelief. "Why didn't ya tell us this before, Blondie? We could have asked for directions."

Ash looked indignant. "I would have figured it out eventually."

Both Miriam and Shamin said it at the exact same time, in the exact same tone. "Men."

"There's got to be a correspondence course that can teach men to wall their blasted pride and ask for bloody directions," Miriam sighed.

He smirked at her. "There's one, if there's one for women to teach them to take less that five hours to prepare to go outside to get the paper."

"May my blisters be on yar head." Then Miriam took charge. "Fine. Shamin, ya try and read the map, then get us out of this mess."

"Women always have to clean up after men," Shamin smiled.

"You wish it was so," Ash retorted.

"Give me one instance that that you had to—No, no, wait, don't you dare," she ordered, just seeing the face.

He was grinning. "How about the time—" He barely ducked safely aside as Shamin's kicked up her leg. "Missed me, missed me."

"She'd be willin' to complete that rhyme, ya know," Miriam said subtly. Ash looked at her in confusion, and Miriam shook her head sadly. "Ya are so deprived if ya don't know that taunt."

"Well, what's the other part?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"I'll tell ya when ya're older."

This statement had the desired effect: the anger at the face value of the statement, but then also the underlying worry of what it actually meant.

****

The Hoot-Hoot stuck its head out of its hole in the wall in annoyance and looked down at the travelers broke down from the tangle of vines and brush. Third time this week something had woken it during the daylight hours. First that stupid—but tasty—rat, the pushy Beedrill, and now . . . whatever these were. He ruffled his feathers and tried to sink deeper into his hole, covering his ears. He was going to move, too old for all these interruptions of his valuable sleep time. Suddenly he peeked back out. Ooh, a mouse. Tasty.

On the other hand, the word "disappointment" was literally written on Ash's face as the troupe looked at the building. True, once it must have once been beautiful, the finely carved stones upon the walls and exquisite gardens. He bet vines of flowers or something similar had once spiraled around the pillars on along the walls, and the roads would have been trimmed. Yes, and there was would have clean grey-white walls, not this putrid black dirt. And there would have been a roof.

Yes, there would have definitely been a roof.

"Well, what a place! Now where do ya think will he be battlin'?" Miriam asked Pyro sweetly and with false-innocence. Pyro chuckled evilly, as only he could.

"This is the right place, according to the map," Shamin said pointedly. "No one's used the trails here except animals, which is why you missed it."

"I must say I like the décor," Miriam continued, still addressing Pyro but talking loud enough so that Ash could hear. "It's got that No-One's-Lived-Here-For-Centuries look. I wonder if that's what they were aimin' for, cuz they really hit that nail on the head."

Ash sighed. "Miriam."

"What? Ya drag us here to look at a buildin' that should be condemned! How should I react?"

"Do you think we could get anything for finding it? Must be historic or something," Shamin said, looking at the ruins critically.

"Shouldn't think so. I mean—hey, hey, Blondie! Oh no ya don't!" she ordered, gripping him by the collar and yanking him back, since Pikachu was nowhere near strong enough. "It's dangerous in there."

Ash looked at the building, like he was just noticing the possible danger. "Maybe," he agreed. "But we should go in. They might have just relocated." He looked at her with wide, pleading eyes.

"So they left us a forwardin' address?" Miriam asked sarcastically, smacking him alongside the head. Pyro, seeing that he could also punish the boy, released a very mild flame. "We're not the post office, right? And there ain't no way in 'H' we're goin' in there."

"You don't have to," Ash countered, rubbing off his charred skin.

"We're not gonna let you go in alone," Shamin sighed, kicking away a stone. "You might as well put of fork in this League, because it is definitely done."

"That is such a stupid saying," Miriam muttered under her breath, squeezing the bridge of her nose. "'Tis true. Look, even ya said the Leagues over here weren't popular. Face it, Blondie. It's gone. They all might be."

Ash turned his head sharply, a defiant look on his face. "Well, I'm going to make sure they all are, then. I'll visit every single last one."

"No, we will," Shamin said.

"Pi."

"What's this 'we' stuff?" Miriam muttered sarcastically, crossing her arms. Pyro nodded from her shoulder, looking at the building with great distaste. He had slept in logs better than that.

"We might as well camp here," Shamin said, slinging off her pack. "And we can plan where we can go next."

"I already know."

The others looked at Miriam curiously. "Pi?" Pikachu asked.

She waved her hand vaguely. "Oh, just another ancient buildin' long since abandon and in disrepair."

"A very general statement," Ash sighed, undoing his pack.

"Hey, if none of these Leagues are running, then what are you going to do?" Shamin asked once everyone was settled and she was studying the maps.

"Always can go home," Miriam smiled sweetly.

Ash didn't answer. What could he do? True, there were still Leagues left that he hadn't battled at, so he could still battle. But could he return home?

Could he?

****

His usual wake-up call woke Ash up—the kick to his side. But, while Miriam usually just kicked hard enough to get him to roll over, this kick was made in the attempt to rupture his spleen or similar. He let out a very loud gasp and only kept from screaming by biting his lip so hard that blood started to flow.

"Miriam?" he gasped, clutching his side and pushing himself up. Damn, it was a good thing he slept on his back. If he slept on his side, his stomach would be getting the blow.

It was still dark out, very dark. The fire was down, Pyro and Pikachu sleeping next to it. Ash smiled weakly, tasting his own blood. The bloody fox didn't look so mean when he was asleep. He squinted at the two other sleeping bags that finished the triangle around the fire. With a blink of surprise, Ash could see that both were still occupied by their sleeping owners. Miriam certainly hadn't kicked him.

"But someone must have," he muttered, wincing as he slid out of his bag. Oh yeah, someone certainly had, and they'd better have a good reason. Oh, screw having a good reason. They'd just better be able to run really fast.

Slowly he stood up, still clutching his side, and looked around. He couldn't see much in the dim lighting, and he frowned. "Who's there?" he called as loudly as he dared. The girls might sleep like rocks, but both were exceedingly dangerous if woken. They were almost as bad as Pyro.

Of course no one answered, and slowly Ash started to walk carefully around the small area in front of the building, listening intently. He didn't bother to put on his shoes. The silence was oppressing, and he felt like someone was watching him. "Hello?"

There weren't even crickets to respond to his call. If silence had a sound, dammit, then it certainly was ringing in his ears. Ash tried to keep his cool as he licked his lips and blood. Something had to be here. Nothing just kicked you in the side . . .

A shadow flew over-head, and Ash looked up to see the night-bird swoop in the air.

. . . Unless it was a Pokémon.

He sagged with relief. Yeah, that was probably it. A wild Pokémon probably ran past and hit him accidentally.

But that couldn't happen, not with Pyro around, and Pikachu too, Ash thought. Pyro was too over-protective of where they camped, already having fried a poor Pidgey that had landed next to their leftovers while the fox was seemingly asleep. Luckily Ash had managed to get the wounded Pokémon (much to the risk of his own skin) into a Pokéball before Pyro could pounce and kill it with a bite to the throat. (He'd given the bird to Shamin, as Miriam couldn't take it because of Pyro and Shamin didn't have her own Pokémon yet.) Most of the Rattatas weren't as lucky; their almost fully eaten remains were found at morning. Ash had to remember that Pyro had once been wild, and would continue to eat that way for a long time. (Ash wasn't worried about the fox attacking Pikachu. The two seemed to have a decent friendship going, and Pikachu could easily beat the fox if push came to shove.)

No, Pyro was still asleep, so it couldn't have been that.

Maybe a Ghost?

Ash shuddered involuntarily. Ghost Pokémon were the worst to meet in the forest at night, the hours of haunting. But why just wake him? It was more fun to torment many people at once, wasn't it?

The questions swirled in his brain, their answers not very pleasing or lasting to him and his follow-up questions. Something had to be out there, something that could disappear quickly and get past Pyro without waking the devil-fox. It had taken Ash a lot of practice to be able to do that.

He sighed. Whatever it was that had hit him, did it really matter now? It was probably . . . hopefully . . . long gone. Ash shook his head and gingerly touched his lip. It'd be sore tomorrow, along with his side.

A sudden noise caused him to turn quickly. It wasn't a loud noise, but it was a noise that destroyed the silence for but a moment. At the moment Ash was at the base of the few steps the to the building, and he looked towards the hanging doors at the top suspiciously.

The next noise took him a while to notice because it was so soft and unobtrusive. Finally his ears picked up the very gentle and faint melody, and Ash was sure it was some kind of flute or similar. He was unsure as to where the music was coming from, and part of his thought that it was his imagination. Yet his imagination must have really been working overtime when his eyes swore they saw a flicker of light past one of the doors at what he could see at this, however close to the level of the building's floor, angle.

Ash looked over his shoulder at his sleeping friends, then slowly climbed the three steps.

****

He coughed as he batted away the dust, and the sound echoed. The inside of the building lived up to the expectations of the outside. Disintegrating beams had fallen ages ago, bringing the ceiling with them, to lie on the floor. Spinaraks had added their cobwebs, then moved out when the pickings grew slim so many years ago. Yet the floor was truly stone and in no danger of collapsing under him, so Ash found relief in that he only had to worry about the ceiling and balcony falling down on him.

The further he moved back, the louder the music got, and again he called out. "Hello? Who are you?"

The music didn't answer, and he continued forward, pushing himself over a beam. The light still shone, and it flickered like a fire. From inside and as he neared, Ash could see that the flight came from a doorway in the very back.

Something about the room he was in bothered Ash. When it was in its prime, Ash could tell that this was not a place for a battle. It was, for one, too small to be regulation. There were also no platforms or markings under the dust and dirt. And finally, it just didn't have the essence of a battlefield. That is to say, Ash couldn't feel the past victories and losses vibrating off the walls. (Okay, so he was a Romantic in that way. So shoot him.)

He still was shoeless, so Ash could feel every stone he stepped on and how cold the floor actually was. Yet he ignored that as he moved into the room in which was the light's source. This room was different. There was a ceiling, and it was clean and round. The music was louder in here as well, reverberating off the walls. In the very center was a pedestal with a burning candle on it. Burning where it was, Ash could not see the corners of the room. Slowly he walked over to the candle and looked at it.

It was new, a long stem left and seemingly green in this light.

Who lit it?

Ash took his gaze away to look at the dark areas of the room. The music still played, and he called out a tentative, "Hello?"

A shadow moved, and the music stopped. "Hallo, Ash." It was old, harsh, grunting sort of voice.

He blinked in surprise and took a step back. "How do you know my name?" he demanded. He couldn't have heard it, for both Shamin and, although very rarely, Miriam called him Shan.

"Does it matter?" the voice teased, and the shadow moved rapidly with a clattering noise to another corner, should the round room actually have corners hidden in the darkness. "I do know you, but do you know me?"

"Are you the Trainer for this Pokémon gym?" Ash asked, summing up his courage and trying to find the owner of the voice as he continued to circle him, the loud tapping sound echoing loudly in the room.

"Does it matter?"

"Are you?"

A door was suddenly shut over the way Ash had come. "Does it matter?" the voice repeated in a whisper, and Ash drew nearer to the candle.

A panic was rising in his throat. "Y-yes, it does. Now are you?"

"I don't think that matters," the voice countered, a slow tap-tap-tap noise hitting the floor.

"Who are you?" Ash almost yelled. "Just answer the question!"

A slow, deep chuckle. "Temper, temper, young Trainer. You have much to learn. Much. But you will, in time." Ash whirled around, for the voice sounded right at his ear.

"I welcome you to Ratwa."

"And who are you?"

"Ratwa is an old League with a unique challenge," the voice continued, ignoring Ash's repeated question. "Dangerous and deadly for the foolish, as many who tried the task proved, but very enlightening in the ways of Pokémon.

"Tell me, Ash, do you fancy yourself foolish?"

Ash found he couldn't answer either way. To say he was would probably make him ineligible for the competition, but to say he wasn't was a dead lie, with the proof staring—probably—him in the face. "Sometimes, I suppose, Sir."

"A Pokémon Trainer can not afford to be foolish, even sometimes," the voice said, but there was a note of approval in the voice, pleased with the answer Ash had given. Ash felt like he had past a small sort of test.

"I know."

"You are young. May you grow out of it." The tapping noise on the stones started again, circling him. "Why do you come here. No one has tried Ratwa in many, many years, many times over your own years. Why not the other Leagues, Indigo or Orange Islands, perhaps?"

"I've been in them."

"And won?"

A swell of Pride hit Ash. "I won at the Orange Islands, and in Indigo I was—"

"In the top 16, I know, I know," the voice finished impatiently, angry. "Don't ever let that arrogance enter your life. Those Leagues are nothing here, Ash. Nothing."

Ash cringed, for the tone was very authoritative. "Sorry."

"And don't ever apologize!" the voice snapped. "Here you do what you must to win, no matter what!"

"You don't do whatever!" Ash countered. "You battle fair!"

The silence returned, and Ash could hear the level breathing of the voice. Then there was a grim chuckle. "Maybe where you're from, Ash, but you'll find not all of the Leagues or their members follow that standard. And, in time, if you're lucky, you'll lose it as well. Because if you don't, you have a hard road."

"What—"

"And you'll learn not to ask questions!"

"Sor—" Ash stopped himself, angry at himself, but even more at the owner of the voice.

The chuckle sounded again. "You're learning, Ash. Yes." The voice trailed off for a moment, and Ash could feel eyes studying him. He would have loved to grab the candle and bring it around to see the face, but he didn't want to offend the person. And, truth be told, he was slightly afraid of what he'd see. His imagination imaged a face with a thousand scars, mad red eyes, the nose long and pointed, teeth sharp—

"You'll do, I suppose."

"I'll do what?" Ash asked before he could stop himself.

A grunt was his reply. "Do you believe in Destiny, Ash?"

"Should I?"

"Answer the question!"

"You never answered any of mine!" Ash snapped.

"Do you believe in Destiny?"

Ash looked defiantly into the darkness. "I think people make their own Destiny by what they choose and do."

"Really?" The voice was interested. "And what is your Destiny, younger Trainer?"

Ash shrugged. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" the voice said in a mocking voice. "Please explain."

He thought about what he meant for a good long time, and the voice didn't pressure him to speed up his answer. "I guess Destiny always changes, and you can't just know what it is. You got to make it. And only you can make it, not God or whatever. Destiny is what you have when you die and think about all you did with what you got."

"A most interesting assessment," the voice said.

"Thank you."

"Don't take compliments! There's always something behind them!"

Again Ash cringed.

"Tell me then, if Destiny doesn't bring you here, what does?"

"I want to be a Pokémon Master."

"And you do not say that is your Destiny?"

He smiled sheepishly. "I wouldn't mind if it was."

"Oh, you wouldn't," the voice murmured, and Ash raised his eyes to look into the darkness, questioning. "You are young and from this new era, but there are many levels of Master." Ash blinked. He had never heard of this before. "Which level are you to aspire to?"

He had to ask. "What—what are the levels?"

The voice chuckled humorlessly. "They say the higher the level, the worse the morals."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Because of how they reached that level. They lose that innocence they started with."

"Well, I won't," Ash said defiantly.

"Child," the voice said gently, walking away. "We all lose the simplicity, the innocence of childhood as we age. There's no hanging onto it, save the special few. And you, Ash, are not one of them. And no use denying it, because you aren't."

Ash said nothing in his defense, and slowly music started to drift up to fill the room.

"What is the challenge of the Ratwa League?" he asked at length.

The music stopped abruptly. "Do you think you're up to it?"

"What is it?"

"No questions," the voice reminded. "And it should not matter in any case if you wish to truly be a Master."

Ash remained firm. "I won't put my Pokémon in danger."

There was a trill on the instrument. "Ratwa uses no Pokémon except one, and we provide you with it. Or, as some say, you provide it for us. Whatever the case may be, it is no more dangerous than any other day in a Pokémon's life."

"You said other trainers died."

"I did not specify which Pokémon's life I was speaking about, did I?"

He had to agree. "No."

"The trial lasts a week, sometimes less, and it tests the trainer to the ultimate in a very unique field. To win, all one needs to do is to remain alive. A very easy test, yes?"

Ash didn't answer, because he knew there'd be more to it.

"Do you wish to try Ratwa?"

He stood up straighter, shoulders back. "I think I have to if I'm going to continue trying to be a Master."

"You won't always have this choice."

"You always have a choice."

"Fine, you do, but not always with the choices you want." Ash felt Miriam had said something like that before, but he couldn't remember where or when. "Yes or no, please. People are so sue-happy nowadays."

Ash took a very deep breath. "Yes. Yes, please."

"Very well." Ash listened as the tapping came closer. Before the figure always stayed in the shadows, just barely out of the candle's ability to highlight the face. But now the owner's face came into the dim light.

"You're a faun!" he exclaimed.

"Am I now, Ash?" he smiled, the panflute in his hands.

Saying "But you're just a myth" was not the brightest statement to say, Ash conceded, seeing as one was standing in front of him. "I thought you weren't real."

"How coincidental. I thought little boys were make-believe too." The faun walked over to the candle.

"Are you a Pokémon?"

"Don't insult me, Ash. 'There are more things in Heaven and Earth that are dreamed up in your philosophy, Horatio.'"

"Shakespeare, Hamlet," Ash said in a minute. Damn, he hated reading Shakespeare at home. He ended up buying the Cliff Notes in the end. Why could the bloody characters talk in an English he could understand?

"Very good. Of course, maybe I am a Pokémon. Maybe we all are, only Humans believe themselves not to be." The faun smiled at Ash, lifting up the candle. "And maybe I am but an illusion projected by another Pokémon trickster. Or maybe I am a dream."

Ash touched his side gingerly. "Kick pretty damn good for a dream or illusion."

"That is no proof. Here, take this." He handed Ash a small vial. "Drink this. 'Tisn't poison, and it's part of the trial. Be mindful 'tis a bit stale and probably not the sweetest."

He looked at the vial, holding no more liquid than a thimble would. "Then what?"

The faun walked past him. "You stay alive, Ash."

Ash looked at the vial again, then turned to look at the faun. "What—? "

The question died on his lips. The faun was gone.

****

Ash looked at the tiny vial he held at the top and bottom with his thumb and forefinger. Now he was sitting on the bottom step of the building and it was a few hours to dawn, still dark but not as dark as when he had woken. He shook the vial, then watched as the bubbles returned to the top.

Should he drink it?

Was it a test of his courage . . . or his stupidity?

Did it matter in either case? He had to drink it to be in the trial.

Or maybe this was a test to see if he had brains enough not to listen to what someone told him to do.

"Damn," he muttered. He couldn't go to the others. Miriam would kick him nine days from Tuesday, and then smash the vial under her boot. Shamin would fret and say he was stupid for going in alone and that he could have been hurt or something. Pyro would just bite him in the ankle for waking him and pretty much signal to drink it and hope it's poison, and Pikachu wouldn't be help in either case.

Ash sighed, rubbing his bruised side. He had the choice—To drink, or Not to Drink? That is the Question—and he'd have to live with the consequences in either case. To not drink, play it safe, and live the rest of his life without knowing what would have happened, or to drink and maybe die.

What an ultimatum.

"' Tisn't poison . . ."

Could he trust the . . . faun? Damn, could he trust his own eyes?

For some reason—God or whomever knew everything only knew—he did. "Oh, Hell." Ash sighed again, uncapping the bottle. Better to live Life now than later, he thought bitterly looking at the liquid. Then, before he could lose his nerve, Ash quickly downed the liquid.

It had a biting flavor, and it chilled him as it went down his throat so much that he half-shuddered, half-shivered uncontrollably for a good minute. But, other than that, nothing happened.

"Hmm," he murmured, setting the vial down on the step next to him. "Now what?"

Actually, he wasn't that concerned about that. The faun had said he'd get a Pokémon to use during the trial, and Ash had started to wonder what kind he was going to get. He should have asked, although Ash was pretty sure he wouldn't have been answered. Maybe a whole new species! He smiled with anticipation. All he had to do was wait.

Ash yawned, stretching his arms out. Well, he might as well get some sleep. Who knew what tomorrow would bring, and he'd have to be awake to face it. He stood up . . .

. . . and was suddenly dizzy, leaning against a pillar for support. There was a throbbing in his ears, and his stomach was doing very high somersaults in a very small space. He couldn't even think of questioning what was wrong and he fell to the ground. Then he saw it.

His hands weren't . . . hands.

They were . . . hooves?

"Wgammah!" The word mutated as it came from his lips, changing into a sort of cry. With his head continuing to spin, panic rose within him as his face stretched and fur sprouted everywhere. His arms extended while his legs shortened to an equal height, making him stand at about two, two-and-a-half feet, and he could feel his back and sides thinning out. Antlers started to come out of his head.

He reared as a horde of instincts attacked him at once, sending his mind into a whirl, the panic and fear of being out in the open, an easy attack. His smell was terribly accurate, and he could smell something he didn't understand or know what it was. He pawed the ground, unable to move in the cumbersome clothing, and releasing a small yep that sounded like a bark. Unable to escape, hysteria dictating his actions, Ash whirled on his hindlegs and ran blindly into the forest, occasionally stumbling on a sleeve or pants leg.

****

Pyro opened his eyes, angry. Something was making a damn lot of racket. He leaped to his feet, growling, and looked around. The girls were present and accounted for, but Blondie's bag was empty. Who cared about him anyway, though?

"What's going on?" Pikachu asked, yawning. "What's making that noise?" She looked sleepily up into the sky, trying to see if that Hoot-Hoot was still around. Stupid bird tried to grab her. Well, he wouldn't be grabbing anything for a while, not with that shock she gave the bird-bastard. She was surprised he could still fly.

"Shut up, Rodent! Just some Pokémon. I must have scared it away."

Pikachu jumped up. "Of course you did," she sighed, looking around. "Where's Pikapi?"

"How should I know?" Pyro sniped, lying back down after lighting the fire back up. Pikachu glared at him. "And why should I even care?"

"Pikapi!" Pikachu yelled, running over to the sleeping bag. "Where are you?"

"Hope you stay there!" Pyro added.

"Pyro!"

He snorted. "Well, I do."

Pikachu looked at him contemptuously, then went over to Shamin. If Pyro wasn't going to help—like Pikachu thought he would in the first place—she'd just have to go to the next best thing, even if it wasn't the very best thing to go to. She'd get the other Pokémon to help too. And they would help, at least.

****

Ash frantically shook his head, finally releasing the shirt from his antlers. No more turtlenecks for him. Damn, that was work to get off, even after he had made the rip. Without much of a thought, he stepped off the shirt and looked suspiciously around at his surroundings.

Big surprise, he had no realistic clue as to where he was. The towering trees looked the same as the next, the creepers hanging off their branches, and the mud sucked at his hooves. There were no trails, man-made or otherwise, to lead him back, nor his own hoof-prints because these eyes weren't good enough to spot the slight impressions. Maybe he could follow his own scent, but he couldn't easily tell his scent from the others. His damn nose was too acute for him, and swamp smell did not help him.

He shouldn't have run off like that, Ash admitted as he walked cautiously. But that blasted instinct or whatever it was just so powerful. Even now, even though Ash felt he had the wired nerves under control, every chirp or snap of a twig caused him nearly bolt in the opposite direction. It was very contrary to his usual reaction of Let's Go Inspect Whatever That Was.

And even if they would have killed him, he should have told Miriam and Shamin. Or at least Pikachu.

A very human action Ash would have done would have been to bite his lip, but he couldn't do that in this form. Come to think about it, what was he? I mean the way it seemed, he was some sort of Pokémon, but that was crazy. How could he be a Pokémon? That was as ridiculous as . . .

. . . a faun. Ash gave a small whine. This couldn't be real, though. No, no, no. He was supposed to battle and train Pokémon, not be one.

" Ratwa uses no Pokémon except one, and we provide you with it. Or, as some say, you provide it for us. Whatever the case may be, it is no more dangerous than any other day in a Pokémon's life."

". . .Or, as some say, you provide it for us . . ."

He stumbled over a root and barely regained his footing in time. That's what the faun meant? The Trainer was the Pokémon? For a week?

This had to be a dream.

This. Definitely. Had. To. Be. A. Dream.

Damn, it'd better be.

****

Shamin bit her thumbnail nervously. "Where could he be?" she whimpered.

"He's around, Hon, all right. Probably just went for a walk or somethin'," Miriam said, waiting at the edge of the temple for Pikachu to return.

"Without his shoes?"

"Don't think logically. He'd walked out in public with his undershorts on his head."

"Only to embarrass you."

"And ya."

Pikachu leaped out of the entrance. "Chu," she reported disappointed. Pikapi had been in there, but he wasn't in there now.

Miriam held her chin, watching her fox Pokémon look extremely peeved as he circled the clearing, trying to pick up a scent. "I don't think Pyro's findin' a scent."

"Do you think he might have been abducted?" Shamin asked wildly.

"By what?"

"Aliens! Like in the papers!" She looked panicky. "They perform all those medical experiments and stuff!"

Sucking her teeth, Miriam shook her head at Shamin. They needed to have a serious talk about make-believe. "He wasn't abducted by bloody aliens."

"How do you know?"

"Well, for one, they have to have a Visa or green card."

Shamin blinked at her. "Not aliens! Aliens!" She put a lot of effort into that word.

"Difference?"

****

Ash bounded over the log easily in the mid-morning light, slipping again into the interest in testing this new form's abilities while he attempted to get back to the temple. (He was currently heading in the wrong direction, but Ash did start out in the right direction. That's all that matters, really, right?) He couldn't quite understand it—should he be able to remember what it was he wanted to remember—but thoughts flowed out of his head faster than usual. They just didn't stay long enough for him to actually carry out what he wanted to do with them.

He stopped at a river and bent his head down to drink deeply. As Ash pulled back, he studied his reflection. He had large docile, brown eyes on each side of his graceful nose. The small antlers protruded his forehead around a lighter brown—almost golden—fur, the tips pointing back. He had a lithe brown body, a few spots on his chest, a small little tail that ended in a fluffy curl, and dainty legs that could certainly leap high. He looked like a cousin to a Stantler, except smaller and much more delicate.

Ash cocked his head to the side, perking his ears up. Then, without a thought, quickly pivoted on his back legs and bounded through the trees with a quickness that was part of his size.

Bound. Bound. Jump over the log. Bound. Bound. Bound. Oh, look, a nice patch of grass.

It was a nice green patch that, to the untrained eye, was entirely the same as the next patch. Yet Ash's eye and nose picked up the sweet fragrance of that area, and he knew it was going to be the tastiest grass in the whole meadowy area.

Oh, damn, he loved being right!

****

"He couldn't have just taken off!" Shamin said in response to Miriam's absurd statement as she pulled her hair away from the tangling branches that Miriam somehow avoided. "He would have taken his Pokédex or Pikachu!"

Pikachu nodded from a branch above their heads.

Miriam turned and walked backwards. "Well, maybe he went sleepwalkin'," she said after a moment of reflection. "Anythin', Pyro?"

Pyro literally growled in annoyance. Now it wasn't that fact that he was being forced to find Ash that bothered him, but that he couldn't find Ash. Oh, that boy was going to get one good bite to the nose or somewhere.

"He didn't take to the trees, right, Rodent?"

"Chu," Pikachu answered as she leaped to another tree.

Miriam held her chin thoughtfully, pausing in stride. "No rivers to swim in, all his Pokémon present and accounted for—"

"We should use them," Shamin interjected.

"No. We can't control them, and I don't like 'em anyway."

"But—"

"No," she said defiantly.

Shamin crossed her arms in a pout. She really wanted to try using those Pokémon, and he wouldn't mind, she was sure of it. And they wouldn't mind . . . probably. Oh, they wouldn't mind at all. All she had to do was get a Pokéball when Miriam wasn't looking—

"Don't even think about it."

"What?" Shamin asked innocently.

"Don't. Just don't." Miriam sighed. "Let's head back. My feet hurt."

****

Ash yawned and slowly brought himself down to the ground, legs curling under him. He looked around the thicket. It was nice and comforting, like home. Funny, he couldn't remember home, but it felt like home. A lot.

Where was his home again?

That he couldn't remember troubled Ash. He couldn't remember a lot of details that should come easily to him, and he knew stuff he shouldn't know. He knew he should sleep in this thicket, that he shouldn't go over there, just where the right grass grew. Yet now Ash couldn't quite remember all the details of what he should be doing, why he was here.

He flared in nostrils in annoyance, setting his head down and watching as it grew dim outside. He was missing something, he knew it. It just didn't feel right or make sense out here, like trying to put a puzzle together by looking at the back of the pieces, but still looking at the picture on the box.

Ash closed his eyes and did the deer-equivalent to a sigh. He'd figure it out tomorrow. Yeah, tomorrow he'd figure it out, and do whatever it was he had wanted to do today. He tilted his head, irked. Whatever it was.

It was easier to fall asleep as a Pokémon, Ash mused. As a human, thoughts always chased themselves in his brain, but the Pokémon merely shut down into that blessed realm of unconsciousness.

Or not so blessed . . .

As it was easier to fall asleep as a Pokémon, it was also easier to jolt wide-awake. His keen ears picked up every cackle of a leaf like a bomb, and he was awake in a flash, ready to run. Ash looked fugitively past the branches, suddenly feeling very scared as he thought about something. He was a very little, helpless Pokémon (provided this wasn't a dream brought on by drinking that stuff) in a forest that had very big and dangerous Pokémon in it. He knew because he had come across some of their footprints.

Gee, Grandma, what big claws you have! I bet you have big teeth to go with them.

No, Grandma, I don't want to see.

It was colder now. Ash shivered and tried to curl into an even smaller ball. His glossy coat seemed to offer no shelter to the chills going up his spine, and he didn't have enough fat on this body to keep in heat.

Maybe it wasn't the cold that was making him shake. Maybe he was just scared. Yeah, that could be it. Ash looked out past the web of branches into the oppressive darkness. Yeah, he was just scared. It wasn't cold out it wasn't cold outitwasn'tcoldout . . .

Damn! It wasn't cold out! It was freezing!

Even admitting that it was cold out made him shiver harder, and he snorted. All the weather needed now was snow.

Ash sat up straighter and peered out past the branches suspiciously.

God, please don't you dare. Don't you dare.

****

A Hoot-Hoot hooted and Shamin huddled under her sleeping bag, forcing her teeth not to chatter. "Couldn't you have had Pyro build the fire up higher?"

Miriam sighed from somewhere within her own bag. "No. If he built it any higher, we'll just have to get wood sooner. Just try and get some sleep."

"Do you think—"

"Yes! He's fine. And if he catches cold, his own fault," Miriam sniped. "Look, both Rodent and Pyro are still searchin'. They'll find him." By now, even Miriam was beginning to doubt that, but she forced nonchalance. Where could the bloody idiot be? she wondered.

"It has to be aliens," Shamin moaned. "It's the only logical explanation."

Miriam cocked her eyebrow. "That's logical?"

"If Pyro can't find him!"

"Pyro probably has a nose-cold or somethin'." Yeah right.

"Miriam!"

"Hey, he gets sniffles too!"

"What about Pikachu, then?"

Miriam rolled her eyes. "She's not really a tracker, is she? No."

"We could use his other—"

"No!"

"But!"

Miriam gritted her teeth. "Are we their Trainer or whatever? No! We can't control them. Blondie said some of them are particular, and he'd kill us if one of them got away from us."

Shamin looked savagely at Miriam. "Look, we need help finding him, and they'd help!"

"So ya think. Just get some sleep."

She bit her lip and huddled into a tighter ball, brushing back a wisp of green hair. "I'm worried, though."

Miriam sighed. "Me, too," she muttered.

****

There was a layer of frost on his flank, and Ash shook himself to remove the thin film ice. The sun was just peeking into his thicket, and he carefully peeked out of it. It was very, very quiet. Foresty quiet, even.

He bounded out. Time for breakfast. The thicket was near the meadow, and it was really just a hop, skip, and a jump to it.

It was time for his very first lesson of the forest:

If even the Birds are quiet, proceed with CAUTION!

Ash's eyes went wide as his feet stopped moving. Furry heads suddenly raised out of the long grass and looked at him with hungry eyes. He could see one stand up, and Ash struggled to figure out what kind of Pokémon it was, what kind of Pokémon was looking at him as the main course. A . . . Hyaena? No, correction, a pack of Hyaena. Of hungry Hyaena . . .

Slowly they started to advance on him, long pink tongues lolling out. Ash backed up slowly, trying to think. Weren't Hyaena sort of like a desert region Pokémon, not forest? Weren't they? These aren't real. They can't be real. His legs trembled, mind frozen, as the ten creatures advanced on him. One leaped—

Okay, even if they weren't real, Ash ran away, very fast. Because if they were real, then those teeth were real, and those claws were real—

And for imaginary creatures, they were very fast and gaining ground.

****

Miriam walked into the building carefully, testing each part of the floor with her toe before placing her whole body-weight on the area. Pikachu was sure Blondie had gone here, and they really needed some clues. She sneezed, and the sound echoed repeatedly.

"Can't you walk any faster?" Shamin demanded, trying to get past her.

She frowned. "Excuse me for tryin' to be safe."

Shamin slipped under her arm easily, lining the wall with her flashlight and unconcerned with the possible danger. "This place is kinda cool, ya know?"

"It's kinda dirty," Miriam said, climbing over a fallen pillar.

"It doesn't look like this place was just abandon," Shamin said carefully, timidly running her hand over the wall.

"What do ya mean?"

She struggled to say what she meant. "This place is mostly stone. The pillars wouldn't have just fallen. And there's broken pottery on the ground. It's like someone purposely tried to destroy the place."

"Earthquake, maybe. Them rock Pokémon can do that, I think. And ya did say Pokémon leagues weren't that popular over here. This place must have had rather bad P.R."

"Maybe," she agreed softly, walking along the wall. It wasn't an earthquake, she thought as her hand touched some disintegrated fabric of a banner. A ripped banner. At her feet were the strands that had survived the mold and decay. "I bet it was beautiful."

"Sound like Blondie," Miriam sighed. "This was no Taj Mahal, ever. Fact, can't see what's so great bout that place either."

"I was talking—oh, never mind." Shamin paused. "You've never been in the Taj Mahal, have you?"

Miriam snorted. "No. It's just a big coffin, really. Some king and queen are buried in there."

That got Shamin's interest. "Really?"

"Yeah," Miriam said, peeling out some cobwebs from her hair. "The guy built it in memory of his wife after she died, or somethin', I think."

"That's sweet."

"No, that's expensive," Miriam countered. "But he was the king. And do ya really think he built the thing by himself? Yeah right. And he gave it to her after she died. Like sayin' 'Here's a nice coffin that some guy down the street made. I hope ya stay in it.' Give me money any time, while I'm alive, that is. Or I bet all them common folk liked her a lot, so he built it to make them happy."

Shamin frowned. "I don't think that's why he built it, Miriam."

"Yes it is," Miriam said in her self-assured voice, coming over to Shamin. "Ya're just such a Romantic that ya don't want to believe it. History is not all Romeos and Julies, Mark and Cleo and that salad guy, or that Helen chick whose was captured with that plastic horse."

"Are you sure you got the history right? I mean, wasn't Helen resc—"

"Point is," Miriam said loudly. "Men do things to keep themselves on the good side of the people." She was quiet for a moment, fingering the tapestry. "Have to, considerin' for every one king there was like a couple million peasants. They could of taken him."

"Kings have guards," Shamin pointed out.

"It only takes one guard to wield a knife in a downward stroke."

"But he'd get executed for assassination, wouldn't he? And then there'd be a war to get a new king, and everyone would end up fighting and stuff."

Miriam smiled. "Sure. But then ya only need one more guard to knife the guy!"

Shamin shook her head, moving away. "Thank God Government doesn't work like you say it does."

"Ya just think it doesn't. I bet it does."

"I think that's the Romantic view, Miriam."

Miriam sniffed. "I am not a Romantic."

"Closet-Romantic," Shamin muttered under her breath, walking over along the wall. "Did you know in Egypt they have the history written on the wall? Do you think they have that here?"

"Is this Egypt?" Miriam paused. "All of Egypt?"

"Well, those Pyramids, right?"

"Are ya sure ya got the facts right?" Shamin snorted, thinking that Miriam should be questioning her own facts. Plastic horse, ha! "Where'd ya read that anyway?"

Shamin shrugged, looking closer at the wall. Nope, no pictures of these walls.

"Pika," Pikachu moaned, stomping into the room. Pyro looked no happier, eyes narrowed in determined annoyance.

"No luck, huh?" Miriam asked. Pikachu shook her head. "We're not doin' any better. Like he just disappeared. And he didn't get abducted, okay!" she snapped at Shamin.

Her mouth closed sharply. "I wasn't going to say that," she muttered after awhile. Miriam looked at her skeptically.

"Chuka pika pikachu chu!" Pikachu implored, pointing at Ash's bag just outside.

"No," Miriam sighed. "We've been over this, okay?"

Pikachu crossed her arms. "Chu pikachu pika pika chu chu pikachu!"

Miriam narrowed her eyes. "No-o."

"Pikachu!" she snapped, stomping her foot and little bolts escaping her cheeks. "Ka—"

A soft growl stopped her in the midst of the attack. Pyro sat daintily on his hunches, not even in a stance for attack, eyeing her dangerously. "Nine."

She whirled on him savagely. "Ka! Pikachu pika pikachu Chuka!"

The eyes softened briefly, but returned to their harden sheen. "Tale ninetale ni."

Pikachu sagged, her ears dropping despondently. To win an argument again Miriam was as likely as—as nothing. To win against Pyro, that was even less likely. Miriam didn't understand that the Pokémon would obey them in order to find Pikapi. They would go by land, by sea, by . . . air!

"PIKA!" she exclaimed, jumping up and scaring everyone, including Pyro, which in itself was a feat rarely accomplished. He sent smoke at her through his nostrils.

"Ta—" Pyro stopped, seeing her excitement. He raised a fox eyebrow at her. "Ni?"

She ignored him, running over to Shamin and pulling on her pant's leg. "What's wrong, Pikachu?"

"She's cracked."

Pikachu glared at Miriam's smirk, then climbed up Shamin to grab the only Pokéball on the girl's belt. "Hey! Pikachu!" The mouse held up the ball proudly. "Miriam! I can use my Pidgey!"

"That bird Pyro almost ate?" At that Pyro sat up and licked his lips hungrily.

Shamin nodded, clutching the ball like it was gold. "We could have it search by air! And it's mine, so if it gets lost it's my fault. And you can't say no, because it's mine!"

Miriam crossed her arms. "I can say 'no' to anything."

"But now I don't have to listen," Shamin said smugly, juggling the ball. Then she looked uncertain. "How do I get it to come out?"

Pikachu shook her head sadly. "Pika! Chupi, pikachu chu!" She acted like she was tossing out an imaginary Pokéball.

"All right." Shamin brought back her arm, then whipped it forward. The ball was almost out of her hand when she gripped it tightly. Pyro still leaped into the air, right where the ball would have been. "Miriam!"

Miriam smiled, scooping up the indignant fox. "Nice try, Pyro."

Shamin put her hands on her hips. "You're not gonna let him try and eat my Pidgey, are you?"

Miriam just smiled. "Continue."

Casting a dubious glance at the two, Shamin threw back her hand and this time released the ball. When the Pidgey fluttered in the air, she clasped her hands. "Isn't it cute!" The bird, even though it was a bit too large, sat on her outstretched arm. Its chest was puffed out with pride.

"Umm . . . no," Miriam said, looking at the tiny plain bird with a smidgen of disgust. The Pidgey looked downtrodden.

"Miriam! You hurt its feelings! Apologize." She petted its wing to reassure the bird that it was very pretty in her opinion.

Miriam scoffed. "Have it do whatever it's supposed to do."

Shamin frowned at Miriam. "She didn't mean it."

"Did too."

"Ignore her," Shamin advised the bird. Pidgey looked at Miriam and Pyro, suddenly cowering when the fox "smiled". "And Pyro. He won't hurt you—"

"Wanna bet?" Pyro licked his lips.

"Unless he wants to have his chops glued shut!"

"Empty threat," Miriam whispered to Pyro, who looked taken back at the threat.

"Wanna bet?" Shamin smiled evilly. "Now, Pidgey—do you want a different name? Isn't it stupid to call it by it's species?" Pidgey tilted its head, interested at its new Trainer.

"Hence why Blondie does it," Miriam sighed. "Think of a name later. Just have it do sky patrol."

Shamin nodded. "Okay . . . Pidgey, could you do us a little favor?"

It cooed at her.

"You remember that boy would helped heal those burns when Pyro tried to eat you?" Pidgey shuddered at the memory. "We want you to fly around and try and find him. He disappeared and we can't find him."

It nodded and took to the air with a strong gust of wind that brought dust up around them.

Pyro followed it with hungry eyes. "Niii."

"Oh, shut up!" Shamin sighed.

****

Ash clung to the branch. Obviously whatever he was did not climb trees. Of course, the plus side of this was that those Hyaena didn't climb trees either. And they didn't jump as well as he did. He stuck his tongue out at them.

"Raa!" he gloated.

They bared their fangs at him.

Ash slipped a bit, and suddenly discovered a very big flaw with this plan.

He could not stay up this tree forever. Those Hyaena could stay down there for a long time. And, as said before, he was not a tree-climbing Pokémon.

He slipped again.

"Wahh!" he moaned, clutching the branch tighter.

This was not a good day.

****

Pikachu jumped up and down from her perch. "Chupi! Chu pikachu!"

Shamin looked up, a bit surprised, for it hadn't been gone long. "There it—do you think it's a girl or boy?" she asked Miriam, pointing up. "And it's carrying something!"

"Land ya stupid bird!" Miriam yelled as Pidgey circled. In response, Pidgey dropped what it was carrying on Miriam's face. "Hey, that was uncalled for!"

"It's not gonna come down with Pyro watching it like that," Shamin said, picking up the fox. "Hey, that's Shan's shirt!"

Miriam peeled it from her face. "Yeee," she said, holding it out and raising her nose at it. "It's dirty."

"Hey, Pidgey! Can you show us where you found this?" Shamin called. The bird nodded, veering off. "Come on, Miriam," she said, running off.

"Pi!"

Miriam didn't leave as quickly as the others, studying the shirt intently. A long tear and several small rips were everywhere. She bit her lip, slightly worried. The fact that there was no blood gave her a small comfort, but the dampness made it smaller for the blood could have been washed out. She seriously doubted he just took the shirt off, especially in this weather.

"Chuka?" Pikachu asked, breaking through her thoughts. When the mouse saw that Miriam wasn't behind, she had a very terrible feeling that Miriam found something wrong with the shirt. "Chu pikachu Pikapi?"

The woman tossed the shirt into a bag quickly, putting on a brave smile. "Come on, Rodent. Let's go find Blondie."

Pikachu nodded, a big smile on her face. "Pika!"

"In one piece," Miriam prayed quietly.

****

Ash whimpered as he scampered back onto his thin branch. His muscles shook at the action. The Hyaena grinned mockingly up at him.

He couldn't figure out which was worse: The Hyaenas' hunger . . . or his.

As if on cue, his stomach growled again. The Hyaenas' taunting laughter ran in his ears.

****

Miriam caught up to the little ring. Pidgey was sitting high up on a branch, eyes focused on Pyro's every movement as he sniffed the ground. "Well?"

Shamin sighed, standing up. "Only a few hoofprints. And Pyro can't find a scent." She stomped the ground. "This is pathetic!"

"Well, so it Blondie," Miriam said with false lightness. Both Shamin and Pikachu glared at her. "Tough crowd."

Pyro raised his head, twitching his ears. "Nine nii?" he demanded Pikachu.

She jumped at the question, but tilted her ears to listen. And she nodded her agreement. Pyro snorted savagely.

"What's wrong with him?" Shamin sighed. "Got another bur under his tail?" Shan had had a problem with that, as had Pyro. Miriam had been out buying—okay, stealing—food, and Pyro had managed to get into a scuffle with a local Pokémon. He won, of course, but at a price. His coat was covered with burs, and neither the fox nor Shan enjoyed peeling out the seeds. Pyro was not a patient or forgiving—no duh!—Pokémon, but Shan had taken the bites and burns without much complaint. He didn't bother telling Miriam why he looked like a mummy when she returned either. Pyro still hadn't forgiven the boy for yanking "so hard".

Pikachu pulled on Miriam's leg in an effort to say that they should get back to camp, quickly. "Chu pika."

Pyro was growling, fangs bared. "What's wrong, Pyro?" Miriam asked, concerned as she knelt down by him to rest a worried hand on him. His muscles were tense.

Even Pidgey was edgy, Shamin noticed. They knew something was up, and Shamin perked her eyes as well. She caught what they heard, or so she figured. "Hey, Miriam. Listen. Hear that?"

Miriam titled her head. "Sounds like laughing," she muttered, then made a face. "Disgusting laughter."

"Let's go have a look," Shamin said, dashing off quickly. "Maybe Shan's over that way."

All of the Pokémon literally leaped up in surprise at her dashing off. Pyro spat some Pokémon curse and ran after her, Pikachu at his heels. Even Pidgey took off. Miriam blinked.

"This does not bode well," she said, following the troupe as well, but at a slower pace. The Pokémon would keep Shamin out of trouble. Miriam's mind drifted over what she had just learned. Well, the boy was—

Shamin screamed.

"Oh, shit!" Miriam yelped, running like the hounds of Hell were after her.

****

Ash barely noticed when one of the Hyaena looked away from his, so busy gripping the branch. He even had a twig in his mouth. But he did hear the scream, and he quickly turned his head to find the source. A girl backed up against a tree while the Hyaena focused their attention on her.

He blinked, for the girl sparked an important glimmer of familiarity to him. What, Ash was unsure, but it was there.

Oh, who cares! The Hyaena aren't paying attention to you now. Run! part of him commanded.

He struggled to get down quietly, but he ended up falling ungracefully into a heap. His leg muscles cramped, but he forced himself to stand up and start to slip away.

The girl was crying, and Ash looked at her again. The Hyaena should have attacked by now, but he saw that she was being protected by two little creatures, an off-white on and a yellow one. Whenever a Hyaena came too close, each would attack. How, Ash wasn't sure, because the ring of Hyaena blocked his view. Burnt fur reached his nose.

He took another step towards safety.

A bird dive-bombed, and strong winds attacked the Hyaena.

Ash shook his head. Why was this so hard to walk away from?

A very quiet voice answered. Because it's murder.

The other half argued, What the Hell was murder? You're a bloody Pokémon! Pokémon don't Murder!

Are you?

He shook his head. What was wrong with his head? It was like there were two . . . creatures arguing. Both were right, but both were definitely wrong.

Ash looked back at the figure, feeling that sense of familiarity strike again. Another woman broke through into his line of sight.

I have to do something, he thought as the mouse delivered a déjà vu Thunderbolt. The fox started to protect the newcomer.

You do something and you'll end up the main course.

Ash whimpered.

He never actually reached a conclusion as he barked at the Hyaena. Some turned to look at him, and he stuck his tongue out and waved his rear at them. Tongues lolled out, some started to advance on him. Ash stood his ground.

Now how does that Death prayer go? Ash cursed his mind.

Oh, Ye of little faith. This isn't Death.

Ash mentally nodded.

This is SUICIDE!

****

"Are ya all right?" Miriam demanded, dashing over to Shamin as the whatever-kind-of-Pokémon-they-were started to go over to the new, suicidal Pokémon.

Shamin nodded mutely, face wet.

"Come on. Let's go!"

"Miriam! We can't!" Shamin protested as the elder started to drag her away. Pikachu and Pyro looked at her in shock. "We have to help that Pokémon!"

"Are ya crazy!" Miriam hissed.

"Miriam! It only came out to save us! We owe it!"

"Pika!" Pikachu suddenly said. Pyro looked at her, appalled.

"Did ya steal Blondie's frinkin' MORALS!"

"Miriam!"

Miriam avoided the eyes. "We got three tiny Pokémon! No way we can beat them teeth things!"

"NINE!" Pyro said angrily, fur bristling at her accusation.

Too late Miriam realized her mistake. "I mean, they out—no, they're bigg—no, oh, we're not fightin' them!"

"So we're gonna let them eat that brave Pokémon!" Shamin demanded hotly.

"They didn't beat them before!" Miriam shot back, glaring at Pikachu and Pyro. "And don't deny it!"

Pyro growled at her, then turned on his hind legs. Pikachu followed.

"You battle with Pyro," Shamin ordered. "I'll use Pikachu and Pidgey."

Miriam sagged. "I don't know any frinkin' attacks!" she muttered under her breath.

****

Ash took a step back and the Hyaena took a step forward. He barked at them in the stupid hope that they'd get scared and run away. So far it wasn't working.

He leaped back when a bolt of lighting shot down in front of him.

"Not so close to the deer, Pikachu! Um, Pidgey, blow up some wind!"

"No wait! Pyro, torch that patch of grass! Shamin, now blow the fire towards the creatures!"

"Right! You heard her!"

A smoke film started to come up around Ash, and a fire started to creep up dead parts of the trees. The Hyaena backed into a tight huddle, growling and leaping. At every leap, a thunderbolt stopped them. Ash coughed, blinking his eyes rapidly. The fire now blocked his retreat and the Hyaena were getting closer to him. Only now they weren't that interested in him.

The heat was growing unbearable, and he coughed violently as the smoke built up into his lungs.

"They're running!"

"Duh! Now put out that fire before the whole forest gets torched."

"Um . . ."

"Shamin!"

"Sorry! Pidgey, can you like blow dirt on the fire?"

Ash fell to his knees, the smoke and heat seriously getting to him. Even the sudden wind the started to vacuum up smoke didn't help. He gagged and forced himself to stay conscious.

"Miriam, it's hurt!" He struggled to his feet, but fell.

"Excuse me, I ain't no nurse. What am I supposed to do?"

"Do you think Shan would mind if we used some of those Potions he has?"

"Honey, I think he'd mind it we didn't. But how we gonna get the potion to it. It's kinda big."

"Right. I'll just capture it for a while, then we can release it." A pause. "Pikachu, how do you capture a Pokémon?"

"Ka?!"

"Sorry! How'd Shan do it again? Umm, Pokéball something?"

Ash barely managed to open his eyes in time to see an orb coming at him, and red energy circling him. With a strangled cry of panic, he felt a tingling encompass his body, and then brought into a quiet darkness.

****

Miriam held up the Pokéball. "I wonder what it's like in there," she murmured.

Shamin shuffled through Ash's bag, taking out several bottles of Potion he carried around. "Can't be that great. Shan said Pikachu refuses to go in one."

"Pi," Pikachu agreed.

"But why not? Claustrophobic?"

"Well, you never put Pyro in a Pokéball," Shamin said. Pyro looked at her with murder in his eyes. No way in Hell he wanted to go in one of them!

Miriam put her hands on her hips. "And why should I?"

Shamin looked between the two. "Oh, forget it. Which one should I use?"

"The most expensive one," Miriam said evilly, scooping up Pyro and petting his head lovingly. "That'll teach Blondie."

Picking up the Potion, Shamin smiled as well. "Would you release it?"

"Wha—oh yes," Miriam said, shuffling Pyro to get the ball from her pocket. "Now I bet I just push this lil' button, and WHOA SHIT!" She leaped back as the ball opened and dispersed the energy right at her, practically dropping the ball as well.

Ash blinked his eyes and looked up from the ground, agitated. That was severely uncalled for, putting him in one of them whatever-they-weres. He tried to stand up, but his shaky legs wouldn't support him.

"Easy, there," Shamin cooed, stepping closer.

"Careful," Miriam warned, watching the Pokémon snarl quietly at Shamin. He snapped at her. "He's probably a mean one."

"I wasn't planning on feeding it my arm, Miriam. And I think he's just scared. It's all right."

He backed up as much as he could, which wasn't very much. Ash gave her a pitiful bark in an effort to scare her away. Miriam laughed.

"Do it again! That was cute!"

He snapped at her, which caused Pyro to growl at him.

"Don't worry Pyro. It's just a whittle baby." She laughed as the hairs bristled.

"Miriam, stop provoking it!" Shamin scolded. "I'm trying to give it this Potion!"

Miriam tried to look innocent, but failed miserably.

"Pika," Pikachu reassured Ash. He glared at her, then blinked at a fleeting memory. He tilted his head at confusion.

"Keep talking to it, Pikachu," Shamin whispered as she crawled closer.

"Chu pikachu?" He looked at her blankly, still trying to figure out what was so familiar about the mouse. Also he didn't understand a word she said. "Pika pikachu pika pika?"

"Nine," Pyro said sarcastically from Miriam's arms, then leaped down. "Tail nine ni."

"Chu!" Pikachu scolded Pyro, who just smiled evilly. She looked back at Ash. "Ka pikachu pika," she apologized.

Ash merely looked at her unconcerned, then turned his head at Shamin, who was trying to do a sneak attack. He bared his teeth slightly, and she laughed weakly.

"Hi there," she smiled with all the innocence she could muster. "Look, I'm just gonna give you this little Potion. It shouldn't hurt, I think. Just be a good whatever-you-are and not bite me, okay?"

Miriam rolled her eyes, and grabbed a branch. "Hey there, fella. Hungry?" She waved it in front of his eyes, and they, as predicted, followed greedily. "Okay, Shamin. Go ahead."

Shamin nodded and crawled closer, always eyeing to make sure the Pokémon's attention was still diverted from her. Carefully she set a hand on his flank. The head snapped back like a shot. "How does Shan do this?" she asked through gritted teeth and a forced smile.

"Look at the branch, pretty deer. Come on," Miriam coaxed. "Don't bite Shammy's nose off. Even if it wouldn't be too hard."

"My nose isn't that long," Shamin muttered, rubbing the feature self-consciously.

Ash looked between the two, a sense of something coming over him. He had to think about this.

Shamin felt him shiver under her hand. "Hey, it's all right." He set his head down and closed his eyes in deep thought. Shamin blinked, but pressed her advantage. "Here ya go." Carefully she shot the Potion into the creature, who didn't even flinch. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

He opened his eyes and looked at the troupe surrounding him. What was it about these people that brought the sense of acquaintance to him? He sighed hopelessly.

****

"Hungry?" Shamin pleaded, shoving on bowl of Miriam's home cooking next to the deer with a stick.

"Oh, that looks like ya really care about him," Miriam smiled as she sipped her glass of water. "Givin' him food with a stick. Real friendly."

Shamin sat back on her legs and looked at the deer, which hadn't even budged since they had given it the Potion. "Do you think the Potion's actually working?"

Miriam shrugged. "Maybe they have an expiration date, good only for so long. But I figure Blondie would know that." She paused. "I wonder if the huntin' party's doin' okay."

Worry crossed Shamin's face, but she forced it away. "I bet Shan could figure out what's wrong with it."

"Maybe."

"I wonder what kind of Pokémon he is," Shamin muttered.

"Ya do have a Poképedia," was a gentle reminder.

Shamin blushed slightly, reaching into her pocket and holding it upside-down to open it. It used to stick something furious, but, after she accidentally put too much oil on it, the cover rarely stayed closed now. She probably shouldn't have put the stickers on it either.

The choppy voice met her ears. (Shamin hoped it was like that before she left it in her pocket for the washing.) "Po-ké-mon—Rat-wa: In-for-ma-tion a-bout this Po-ké-mon is larg-ly un-known. This is be-cause this Po-ké-mon has not been seen since the dis-solve of the Rat-wa Lea-gue. Past re-cords in-di-cat this Po-ké-mon was an im-port-ant part of the Rat-wa Lea-gue Com-pet-ition for the com-pet-ing train-er. How is un-known, for Rat-wa Mast-ers guar-ded Leag-ue pro-ceed-ings heav-ily. The Po-ké-mon Rat-wa has be-lieved to be-come ex-tinct with-out the pro-tec-tion of the Leag-ue, for their fur made ve-ry soft and sty-lish cl-oaks that we-re pop-u-lar at one poi-nt of time."

"Whoa," Shamin muttered, peering closer at the "Ratwa". "This is a rare Pokémon!"

Miriam grinned wickedly. "Just think how much money we could get if we sell him!"

"Miriam! We're not selling him to some zoo!"

"Why not?"

Shamin crawled closer to the Ratwa, which had raised its head to listen to the Pokédex spew pointless information about it. "Well, it's the last one, maybe. It wouldn't be happy behind some bars."

"If they were candy—"

"Oh, be serious!"

Miriam blew her hair out of her eyes. "Shamin. I am bein' serious. Let's say this is the last Ratwa. Ya saw them other big teeth Pokémon. If ya hadn't come along, whittle Ratty would have gotten eaten. This Pokémon, for one, looks young and stupid, and I seriously doubt if he'll survive to be big and smart. And, if this is the last Ratwa, what's he gonna mate with? Don'tcha need two Ratwas make a Baby Ratwa?"

Shamin looked helpless. "Do you think so?"

She shrugged. "I'm just guessing. Don't know anythin' about Pokémon breedin'. But I think so."

"Then we can't just let him go, huh?"

"Well, we can," Miriam said lightly, helping herself to another bowl of food. "He is a wild Pokémon, after all."

Shamin nodded sadly, then thought about what she had just learned. "Wait a minute. My Pokédex said this Pokémon was important to the League Competition."

"So?"

"Look at the timing!" Shamin ticked the reasons on her hand. "Shan just disappeared, no clue where he is or whatever. He wanted to compete in this League. And lo-and-behold, here's a possibly extinct Pokémon that this League used! This Pokémon has got to be part of why Shan's gone!"

Miriam paused in mid-gulp, staring at the innocent-looking Ratwa. "Possibly," she admitted after a long moment.

Shamin jumped up. "Possibly? Come on! This is it, the whole reason! Maybe he has to find this Pokémon or capture it or something!"

"Maybe."

"Miriam! Admit it. This is too much of a coincidence. And you don't believe in that anyway! I bet you Shan has to capture that Pokémon or something. It's so fast, probably."

"He doesn't have any Pokémon with him," Miriam said off-handedly. "Or Pokéballs, or his Poképedia."

"Well, maybe just see it then," Shamin said, not to be put off. "See, this means he's all right! As soon as he finds this little guy, it's done. Or until he gives up, like that'll happen. But still!" Suddenly she stopped and smacked her hand against her head, brushing back her long bangs. "Whoa!"

"Whoa, what?" Miriam asked suspiciously.

"If all he has to do is capture this guy—" she was chuckling evilly—"well, we've already done that! And were aren't even competing! Isn't that cool?"

Miriam rolled her eyes. "Sure."

****

Both Pikachu and Pyro eyed the Ratwa suspiciously while Miriam and Shamin toured the building for abstract clues as to what was going on.

"I don't trust him," Pyro snarled.

"You don't trust anybody," Pikachu reminded him.

Pyro's nostrils quivered. "I can't smell him!"

"I know. Why is that?"

The fox flicked his tails. "Newborn deer don't give off a scent. They don't have one. It's to protect them from dangerous animals that'd eat them. But this one isn't a newborn. Too big and developed."

Pikachu nodded. "Do you think he knows where Pikapi is?"

"Shamin does." Pyro looked at the worried mouse and edited his statement, because Shamin also knew how to cook, and that didn't mean you ate what she slapped on your plate. "I figure he's part of why Blondie's gone missing. So he's not totally bad, I suppose."

She ignored the last statement. "He won't talk to me."

"That's because you're annoying."

"And you're—oh, never mind." Pikachu looked at the Ratwa, who was cleaning his fur. "Are you sure he's not a baby?"

"Yes," Pyro said exasperatedly.

Pikachu looked over at him. "Do you think he's ignoring us?"

"Can't ignore me. I'm too pretty. Miriam says so." Pyro looked full of pride, then narrowed his eyes curiously as the deer cleaned himself. "I wonder if he gets hairballs."

"That's cats."

Pyro nodded. "Yes. I don't get hairballs."

"You don't lick yourself clean, either. Chuka brushes you."

"Do you know where I've been?!" Pyro asked in a horrified voice. "What I've rolled in?"

"You wouldn't roll in anything, and you know it," Pikachu said offhandedly. "You like being clean too much. Besides, Chuka would disapprove."

Pyro's fur bristled. "Miriam does not control me, I'll have you know."

"Of course not," Pikachu muttered. "I'm going to go talk to him again."

"She doesn't!" Pyro yelled at her retreating back, stomping his paw. "She just spoils me! And there is a difference!"

"Hello," Pikachu said to the Ratwa. "Are you feeling better now?"

The Ratwa looked up at her with his big brown eyes, still licking his thigh.

Pikachu inched closer, nose bobbing. "Do you even understand me?"

Lick. Lick.

"Do you know where Pikapi is?" Pikachu whispered, lest Pyro or the girls heard her, even from in the building.

The licking paused, and the Ratwa raised his head to look at her with unblinking eyes. He tilted his head slightly, as if what she said struck a cord in him.

Pikachu's hope climbed a few steps. "Have you seen him?" She then paused and asked a better question. "Do you even know what he looks like?"

The Ratwa seemed almost to think about the question, studying her intently. Pikachu held her breath, waiting for his answer . . .

. . . He went back to cleaning himself.

"Ohh!" Pikachu growled, almost shocking the creature. She advanced closer on him, upset at his mean trickery. He was even worse than Pyro. "You . . . you mean Pokémon!"

He ignored her again, content in licking.

She shocked his nose. It wasn't a very high voltage shock, but it showed that she was upset. The Ratwa jumped and gave a little bark, looking at her reproachfully. His nose was a very sensitive area. "That'll show you!" she snapped. "You should—"

Pikachu was cut off by the Ratwa's long pink tongue going over her face.

"Hey!"

His eyes danced, and he licked her again in an effort of apology. Pikachu leaped away.

"Knock it off!"

The Ratwa looked at her, a bit hurt at her reaction and tone. Pikachu sighed.

"You shouldn't lick strangers. You . . . you don't know where I've been." The Ratwa didn't look any happier at her excuse, and he looked away from her as if to pretend she wasn't there. "Oh, don't act that way!"

He continued to ignore her.

"You are a very bullheaded creature . . . like my Pikapi." She sagged and sniffed, closing her eyes to keep from crying. She really missed him.

The Ratwa looked at her out of the corner of his eye, then stood up and walked quietly over to her. He nudged her in a friendly, reassuring sort of way with his nose. Pikachu's eyes shot open—she hadn't even heard him get up, he was so quiet—and she looked into his big, brown eyes. She sniffed, and the Ratwa made some sort of trilling-purr noise. He nudged her again.

"You're sweet. Stupid, but sweet."

He got down on his knees to lie down again, and licked her again. Pikachu didn't move this time, allowing him to attempt to comfort her. Surprising, it did give her some, and she sighed, resting between his knees. His tongue went up her back and to her head.

"Hey, that tickles!" she laughed when he went up her ear. He paid her no mind and continued licking, much like a mother Persian ignores the antics of her kittens as she cleans them. "Don't clean my ears!"

"This is so sickening," Pyro said, coming over from his corner.

Pikachu smiled at him, feeling the tongue come up her forehead. "Done sulking?"

He snorted. "I don't sulk. I think . . . deeply." Pyro's eyes sparkled dangerously, daring her to contradict. "You get anything out of him?"

She shook her head. "No. But I think he's apologizing to me."

Pyro made a face. "Remind me to make sure he can't insult me. That's yucky."

"Actually, it feels kind of nice, like when my mom used to clean me." Pikachu sighed.

He was dangerously quiet. Pyro had no such memories that he could remember while awake. "Really?" he said icily. Pikachu nodded, not noticing his sudden flare of temper, allowing the Ratwa to clean under her chin. "Stupid creature."

"Me or him?" she asked lightly.

"Can't decide." Pyro sat in silence, surveying the scene with slight disgust. After a few minutes, rolling his eyes, Pyro walked closer. "I think he's going to eat you."

"He's a herbivore."

"So he wants you to believe," Pyro said darkly, slapping the deer with his tails. The Ratwa stopped licking Pikachu and looked over at him curiously. "He hasn't eaten anything yet. He's probably getting a taste for you."

"You're a suspicious bastard, ya know?" Pikachu scolded.

"You do notice I'm still alive, though. What are you looking at?" Pyro demanded harshly, meeting the Ratwa's level gaze. The Ratwa didn't flinch at the tone, licking the fox in the face and messing up the fur pattern. "Yuck! Eat the fricking Rodent, not me!"

Pikachu laughed. "He's not gonna eat you, Pyro."

Pyro ran a paw over his face to realign his fur, glaring at the Ratwa. "Disgusting!" He barely dodged aside when the Ratwa tried to lick him again. "Stop that!"

The Ratwa eyes danced, and he made a grab for Pyro again.

"He's playing with you!" Pikachu smiled.

Pyro looked hard at Pikachu. "Well, I don't want to—eww!" He growled at the Ratwa—who look immensely proud a having got one on the nimble fox—and didn't bother to move as he was licked again. "This is so unsanitary."

"Oh, don't be such a baby."

"I am not being—hey, watch the fur! With the grain, with the grain, idiot!" The Ratwa paid the command no mind, moving closer to the fox to wash him better. "Stupid. Even Shamin knows that."

Pikachu shook her head, resting next to the Ratwa and half-listening to Pyro give his pointless complaints.

****

"Well that was—"

"Aww! Miriam, look!" Shamin said gleefully, pointing over at the trio.

"What? Oh, lordy, I don't believe it," Miriam muttered, looking at her sleeping fox, still being licked by the Ratwa.

"It's so key-ute!" Shamin cooed. "A Kodak moment. Do we have a camera?"

Miriam, still wondering if that was her Pyro, nodded slightly. "I think Blondie bought one," she muttered, remembering Blondie's mention of sending pictures home to his family. Pikachu she could understand being friendly, but her little fox? He must be sick.

"Oh, wait until Shan see this!" Shamin laughed, clicking the camera.

"It works better with the lens cap off," Miriam said dryly.

Shamin let out a low whistle as she slipped the thing off. "An expensive camera."

"Which means I don't think ya should use it."

"Ha ha."

****

"I think he likes ya," Miriam smiled, watching as the Ratwa—Shamin had dubbed him Dilly—followed the girl around.

Shamin rolled her eyes. "No. He just wants another peppermint. He likes them." She pushed Dilly off her as he tried to dig into her pocket. "Get off!"

"How old are those candies again?"

"I wouldn't eat them," Shamin said, making a face.

"Then give 'em to him."

"He'd get sick if he eats the whole bag. He has no self-control. I said no!" she said firmly, hands on her hips and looking sternly at Dilly. He looked up at her with his big, brown eyes. "Not the eyes!"

"Now ya know how I feel," Miriam smiled, petting Pyro.

Dilly kept her eyes fixed on her, and soon was rewarded for perfecting this face. He trotted just into a thicket of trees, happily sucking the hard candy.

"Stupid deer," Shamin muttered.

"Ya notice he only begs ya, cuz he knows ya'll give in." Shamin rolled her eyes. "Well, yar own fault. Ya had to give him one so he'd like ya. And now ya can't get rid of him."

"At least he doesn't chew them. I'd never get rid of him then." She unrolled her bag and laid down. Miriam followed suit. "I hope Shan gets back soon. This place is boring."

Miriam nodded slightly as Pyro slipped next to her. Pikachu snuggled next to Shamin. "Did ya ever name yar bird?"

Shamin rolled on her stomach to look at her. "Didn't I tell you?"

"No, I don't think so. Or I wasn't payin' attention."

"The second."

"No!" Miriam teased.

"Yes."

Miriam smiled. "So what did ya name him—her—it?"

"Angel." Shamin bit her lip. "Do you think it's too feminine. I don't want to name it that if it's actually a boy. It could scar it for life."

"Shamin, it's a bird. Ya can't scar it."

"But is the name too girly?"

Miriam rolled her eyes. "Well, it shouldn't matter. Did ya know I knew a guy named Ashley?" She whistled at the memory. "Hot! Wore tight blue jeans, and had a great ass. Uh-huh." She nodded at the image, a satisfied grin on her face. "Man, and the pecs. Like a washboard, for real. And he could—"

"Miriam, I really don't—"

"And then there was that red-head Stacey . . . Had stamina, I'll tell ya."

Shamin gripped her ears and rolled back onto her back. "Forget I even asked! Good night!"

"That it was," Miriam smirked, sticking out her tongue a bit, looking over at Shamin without moving her head.

"Thank you, Miriam!"

"Welcome. Sleep well."

Shamin rolled her eyes and pulled the cover up. "Same to you."

****

Ash sucked on the waning sliver of the tasty candy. This was good good good. Yummy yum yum. Aww, all gone.

He licked his lips, tasting the tiny traces of the peppermint flavor that had embedded itself in his fur. Closing his eyes, he savored the taste. It thrilled his taste buds.

Tilting his head, Ash tried to look back into the camp-area past his thicket. From his position the fire gave him warmth against the coldness of the night, but the distance showed that he really wasn't part of the group. He felt safe here. No big Pokémon would try and eat him here. The little mouse and fox were great protectors.

Hmm, maybe he should get another candy.

Yep, he should.

Ash stood up and trotted back to the camp and girl who had been giving him the treats. For some reason, she insisted on calling him Dilly. Part of Ash wondered why she bothered, as that wasn't his name, but then he wondered why not. What was his name, by the way? (To clear up this point, the name Ash is used just for the readers' benefit. No one really calls themselves by name subconsciously. Well, at least I don't.) Maybe it was Dilly.

Ash thought about this for a second.

No, he decided, it was definitely not Dilly. That was just silly.

Of course, if the girl had a candy in her hand, she could call him whatever she wanted to.

He warily entered the circle that was The Camp. Everyone appeared to be sleeping, which squashed his hopes a bit. Sleeping people rarely gave you things. Well, maybe he could just take the candy. Yep, he saw no problem with that idea. It was okay. She was going to give them all to him anyway.

Daintily he walked over and sniffed the sleeping bag. Yep, they were in there, he could smell them. Ash's mouth watered at the thought. Now to get them without waking her . . .

Ash tilted his head, carefully planning his strategy. The girl was sleeping on her side, candies not against the ground. That was a plus. But the girl was wrapped tightly in the sleeping bag, leaving no room for him to nose his nose in. Problem. Carefully he started a slow pondering of this, studying the bag. Something shiny caught his attention, and he bent down closer.

It was a little piece of metal that could flop from side-to-side. Interested, Ash gritted it in his teeth and pulled it sideways.

ZZZIIIIPPP!

He jumped slightly at the quiet sound, looking fervently around to see if anyone else had heard the sound. No one moved, minus the fox's ears. No one woke, and he sagged with quiet relief, then proceeded to see what damage he had done. Ash was pleasantly surprised when he saw that the fabric had parted ways. Interesting. Pull the little metal thingy and the fabric opens. Very interesting.

And useful too.

Ash proceeded to open the bag a bit more, just enough so that the smell of peppermint was strong in his nostrils. Then, carefully he nosed in, sniffing the pocket. Yep, they were in there. Now, how to get the out? So close, and yet so far! No fair! Ash nudged the pocket, feeling the lumps.

A hand slapped him gently, and Ash leaped back as the girl rolled over. "Go away," she muttered, curling into a ball.

He stood dumbly for a moment, then outraged. Now how was he supposed to get the candies?! He snorted and stomped his hoof, looking around the camp. Suddenly he spotted a bunch of other bags, and his interest perked back up. Maybe there was something in there he could eat.

The pack he approached first also has a metal thingy. He pulled it and started to nose through the contents, pulling out miscellaneous items of fabric. Some were soft and smooth with a lot of frilly stuff that tickled his nose, but most of it was thick and probably very warm. But there wasn't anything he could eat in there. It didn't smell very good either, like a bunch of flowers had died or something. His attention faded.

There was another bag, smaller. This one didn't have a metal thing, but a rope. Ash yanked it, but the bag merely fell over at his jerk. He pawed it, disappointed that he couldn't shuffle though it, then sniffed it with his nose. It smelled different than the other one, a bit nicer, and there was a hint of the peppermint permeating from it. It wasn't strong though, and Ash figured nothing was in there. But, just to be safe, he butted it with his head, trying to break it open with his horns. It only managed to get the rope tangled in his horns, though. He kicked some dirt on it when he freed himself.

There was one other pack left, and Ash sniffed it. No food, although the smell did sound familiar, like he . . . knew it from somewhere. But, since it didn't have food, Ash didn't bother with it. Part of him felt as if it wasn't necessary, either.

Ash frowned at the sleeping girl. It was all her fault. She should just give him the treats! He wanted a candy!

He walked over carefully. He couldn't get the candies by the way she was laying, and he stomped his hoof again. Well, maybe he could . . .

He gently nosed her side, trying to get her roll over again. The girl groaned and waved a hand, but he persisted with his gentle nudge. And, every-so-little, she moved! And what luck! A candy had been forced from her pocket. With a quiet trill, Ash licked it up and started to suck it contently, very pleased at his accomplishment.

Carefully he knelt down next to the girl so that he could get his next candy easily. He got his candies!

Yummy yum!

****

Shamin shivered and gripped the end of her sleeping bag, pulling it over her.

Something pulled it back.

Sleepily she pulled it over her again, but a tug brought it away from her hand. She pried her eyes open with a sluggish, "Huh?"

Something nudged her in the side, and she pushed it away while her eyes blinked the figure into focus. Dilly looked at her. "What are you doing?" she yawned.

He blinked and nudged her side again, specifically her pocket. Shamin groaned.

"Go to sleep," she muttered, rolling onto her side. Dilly nudged her again. "No. Go away."

For a moment, the order seemed to work, but then Shamin felt Dilly lick the side of her face, capturing her hair as well. "Hey!" she snapped, pulling away and scolding the Pokémon with her stare.

Dilly looked at her innocently with his big brown eyes, then made to lick her again.

"No," she said, pushing him away with her hands. "I don't want a deer-kiss!" He made a little trill noise, going back to her pocket. She groaned and sat up a bit so she could reach into her pocket easier. When Dilly say the bag start to emerge, his ears perked up and he tried to help himself. "Patience, Dilly," she yawned. Then she weighed the bag in her hand. It was lighter.

"How many have you had?" she demanded Dilly. He looked innocent, then tried to get one himself when he saw that she wasn't going to give him one. "No. I think you've had enough," Shamin stated.

He whined, and looked at her with his Face.

"No," she said, but he heard the tremble that meant she was wavering. He kept up the face and she finally sighed. "Last one for tonight," she informed him, handing into to him with her fingertips. He took it carefully, licking her fingers to get the last traces of the flavor.

"No more," she said, wiping her hand and lying down again with a yawn. "Now go to sleep."

Dilly set his head down, sucking on the candy. He felt Shamin's hand pet his ears and go down his back, and he trembled under her touch. It felt . . . nice. He moved closer ever so slightly.

"Good night, Dilly," Shamin murmured, closing her eyes but still petting him.

With his eye, he watched her sleeping face. She was nice. Stupid, but nice. Once he finished his candy, accidentally swallowing the last sliver, he licked her straight across the face. Shamin's eyes shot open.

"Eww. Don't you ever kiss me again, understand," she scolded, wiping her face. "Now sleep!"

Dilly tilted his head, studying her face while she tried to drift back to sleep. He knew her from somewhere, Dilly thought. Yes, he did. But where? Or when?

He yawned. Whatever.

****

"What's wrong with Dilly?" Miriam asked nastily, cooking breakfast.

"Too many peppermints," Shamin smiled, looking at the profoundly sick Ratwa. "He got into my bag last night. I told you he had no self-control."

Miriam snorted. "Serves him right. Did ya see what he did to my pack? No, ya didn't. Were still asleep."

Shamin tilted her head. "What'd he do?"

"Oh," Miriam started, glaring at the sick Pokémon. "I guess he just thought it was fun to throw out all my clothes for the whole forest to see. In the mud. And walk on 'em."

"Is a little trouble-maker, isn't he?" Shamin teased.

"And getting' his just deserts," Miriam snarled. "I hope he stays sick a long time!"

"Oh, Miriam."

****

"Okay, the whole point of this game is to—"

"This is another stupid game, isn't it?" Pyro asked wearily from his branch overhead, his tails swinging lazily. It seemed Pikachu had an endless supply of stupid games.

"Depends what you think is stupid," Pikachu countered.

"Do you like it?"

Pikachu thought about it. "Don't know. Passes time, though."

"You know what? I'm hungry," Pyro stated, standing up.

"Should have ate."

"Did you know there's some Hoot-Hoot nesting around here?"

Pikachu snorted. "You could say I've noticed."

He looked at her curiously, but didn't question what her comment meant. "Well, I'm gonna get Hoot-Hoot ala Me," Pyro said, disappearing into the trees without waiting her to say a protest or good-bye.

She looked up to where he was, then back at the camp. She hated this, just waiting. Chuka and Chupi were positive that Pikapi would come back, and that Dilly had something to do with his disappearance. But how long must they wait? It'd been over six days since he had disappeared.

No one really knew how worried she really was, she hid it so well. Everyone had a small twinge of worry, but she could fill oceans with hers. Pikachu didn't want the others to know, because they would tell her not to worry. Well, you don't tell someone not to worry when they knew very well that they should.

Oh, she tried lots of things to occupy her mind, but Pikapi was always in the back of her mind, always unobtrusively there. Pyro didn't understand, and the girls certainly didn't. Chupi, with her child-like faith, was positive that he'd return in time, and that Dilly defiantly was part of it all.

In Pikachu's honest opinion, Chupi was, probably for once in her life, right about one thing: Dilly was part of all this.

Dilly, the Ratwa. He was stupid, stubborn, naïve, and could give the I'm-Innocent Look like a pro. He didn't understand a single word Pyro or she said.

He knew something. Dumb as a box of rocks, and he knew something.

Pikachu used to try and follow him around, but he didn't go anywhere. In fact, he ended up following her around, probably thinking that she was playing a game.

She hated him. Well, okay, she liked the stupid deer. He was sweet, nice to be around. But he was probably the reason Pikapi was gone. And she'd hate him for it.

Chupi, on the other hand, loved the deer, even if he was involved with Pikapi's disappearance. She managed to teach him a few tricks like sit, dance, and shake, like the deer was some common Growlithe. (Dilly must have no pride, Pikachu thought, because he did the tricks.) Chupi must have thought Dilly was a puppy, it was the only excuse Pikachu could think of that would cause the girl to teach the deer those tricks. She lavished the deer unspoken amounts of attention. It wasn't fair.

Okay, maybe Pikachu was a tad jealous that Shamin was paying more attention to the deer that to h—worrying about Pikapi. But the girl had her priorities messed up. And her head, but Pikachu didn't bother going into that area.

Ooh, where are you, Pikapi?

****

Miriam looked sternly at Shamin. "Ya fed that damn deer some of our rations, didn't ya?"

"I didn't feed him them!" Shamin argued. "He found and ate them! He must have figured out that just because they didn't smell like food, they were."

"And who enlightened him on this fact, huh?" Miriam demanded. From behind her, both Pikachu and Pyro tried to slink away unnoticed.

"I didn't!"

"Well, there's only two of us here," Miriam snapped.

"I didn't!" Shamin repeated, but she could tell there was no way she was sliding off this hook. "Well, what do you want me to do, huh? Grow a garden?"

Miriam tossed her a bag. "Well, since yar Pokémon ate our food, I guess ya had better get walkin'. If I remember correctly, that city was a good day's travel," she said nastily.

Shamin gripped the bag and looked at Miriam in shock. "You're kidding me! I'm not walking all the way to that city! Alone!"

"Oh, yeah ya are. Yar Pokémon was the one who ate our food."

"He's not mine!" Shamin whined. Miriam looked at her hard. "Alone?"

"Take Rodent and Pyro," Miriam said. "All Rodent does is mope anyway, and Pyro needs a change of scenery." Miriam suddenly smiled. "Besides, wild Pokémon can't be prosecuted for stealin' food."

Shamin smiled as well. "Dilly can—"

"No!" Miriam yelled. "That stupid deer'll get shot. He's too big and friendly." She snapped her fingers and whistled. Pyro came bounding out like he was innocent. "Ya're gonna go with Shammy, k?" Miriam cooed.

Relieved that he wasn't in trouble, Pyro bared a fang smile.

"Go get Rodent, then, ya good boy." Miriam focused her attention back on Shamin as Pyro ran back into the brush. "And don't wander."

Shamin looked at her insolently, then her expression changed as another thought entered her mind. "Do you think Shan'll be back when we get back?"

Miriam sighed. It was probably a good thing Dilly was around. He got into so much trouble that he kept their minds off of worrying about the whole reason they were still here. With him around to divert Shamin's attention, Miriam didn't have Shamin's constant fretting to add to her own gnawing belief that Blondie was never coming back. Miriam mentally shuddered at the thought of both Pikachu and Shamin moping. "I don't know. That's why I'm stickin' around, case he does." She spotted the Pokémon coming over. "Try and get somethin' edible, 'k?"

She smiled weakly, scooping up Pikachu. "We'll try. See ya, um, tomorrow, I guess."

"I guess," Miriam smiled, leaning against a tree to watch them head off. Then she started to clean up the torn food wrappers and toss them into the cooking fire. The smell for burnt plastic made her wish she hadn't. Finally, content in the silence, Miriam twirled a stick in the dirt.

"Rrra?" Dilly trilled, sticking his head back into the camp. When he saw that only Miriam was around, he tried to look humble.

"Came back for more?" Miriam snarled, throwing the stick at him. It missed pathetically, but the rocks she had thrown hat him before hadn't. "Well, there isn't any."

Dilly walked in carefully, glancing over at Miriam every few seconds, and sniffed a bag.

"Nothin' in there," Miriam smiled cruelly. "Ya ate it all, ya Pig." She watched the deer gage her words, surprised that they reached home in his little brain. The deer kicked the ground sadly. Miriam shook her head and snapped her fingers. "Come here, stupid."

He looked at her, startled.

She smiled warmly. "Come on. Get over here. Ya have to deal with me for the next day or so anyway."

Dilly took a worried step forward, but grew braver as he practically leaped the last steps. Miriam rolled her eyes. This guy would never survive in the wild. Too trusting. She sighed as he set his head on her lap and closed his eyes as if to sleep. Smiling, she knocked him on the head hard.

"That'll teach ya," she smiled as he jerked back up. Dilly's eyes narrowed angrily at her action, and he shifted his body so he ended up lying the other way. "The poor baby. No Shamin to stick up for ya, huh?"

He glared at her without moving his head, ears laying back.

Miriam smiled, running her fingers over his ears. He relaxed by degrees, slowly enjoying the attention.

"Stupid."

"Wahhh."

****

Dilly opened with eyes, a cramp in his side. It was dark out, the fire low and dying. He shivered and shifted position, but the pain didn't go away. He gave a small whine as he stood up, looking around the camp. Miriam was asleep on her bag. He had claimed the extra that no one was using.

He was probably just hungry. Yep, that was it. Just hungry. Grass is so unfulfilling, but he'd have to deal with it.

Deal with it. Those were Miriam's words of advice for everything, even when she kicked him because he had been following her all day like a "lost puppy".

Shakily he got to his hooves and carefully staggered around in a little circle to get his legs back. Yawning, he started heading out of the camp, past the big building that he wasn't allowed in. He didn't know why.

Dilly had to walk slower than he liked. It was like someone had tied his back leg to his stomach. He moaned in the uncomfortable pain, but kept walking. A bird flew overhead, but he paid it no mind. The wind rustled the leaves, causing a few to swirl around him.

Suddenly he stopped and looked at the building, perking his ears. What was the sound?

Interested, he looked back to make sure Miriam was still asleep, then climbed the stairs up. He peered into the dark building, slowly entering with his less-than-graceful walk. Yes, there was a noise of some sort coming from inside. With his usual curious interest, he walked in, carefully stepping over each fallen pillar. He stuck his head in each passageway that he passed, even though nothing was in there. Even though the pain was still in his side, the more he moved the less he noticed it.

Finally he got to the last room and peeped in. It was dark, totally dark, and he couldn't see anything. The noise still danced in his ears, and Dilly tilted his head in confusion. Slowly he stepped in, trilling inquisitively, touching his nose against the wall and sniffing it.

It was a foully sweet smell. At first sniff, it made him sick to his stomach, but under it was an interesting fragrance. It was old, and it smelled like another thing's fur, something long since dead but fragranced with incense.

"Silly little deer," a voice smiled.

Dilly didn't jump. It was like he was expecting the voice. He stared into the darkness.

"You seriously cheated, Trainer Ash."

The name struck a note in him, but Dilly shook his head as if to deny the feeling.

"The whole point was to make it on your own, which you obviously wouldn't have done. You're lucky, in a sense, but you deprived yourself of a valuable learning experience. Well, I suppose you didn't deprive yourself."

"Wahh?" The talking made his head hurt.

The voice sighed, and a soft pattering came over. Dilly shook his head. That sound was wrong. He heard a fluttering overhead, with a "Hoo-hoo" call. "You didn't even learn any attacks. You didn't learn how hard it is to learn an attack." The voice sounded terribly upset and pitying.

Dilly backed away into the darkness. His head was spinning.

"Of course, maybe you did learn something about Trainer-Pokémon relationships. That does seem to be your strong point, I'll admit." Again the voice sighed. "Maybe this test will help you, but not as much as it should.

"You are one lucky fellow though, Ash. Good friends, good Pokémon." A hand touched Dilly's head, but the weight was so heavy it forced the deer to his knees. "Don't worry."

Dilly knelt trembling, mind whizzing around him. Memories of the past week flew in his brain, and then images he couldn't even place, images from another life. They made him sick and he wanted to throw up, but his deer stomach didn't allow meals to exit the body that way. He curled into a smaller ball, closing his eyes to enter the darkness of his mind.

"It's almost done." The hand ruffled his hair.

He knelt shivering, it was so cold. Something was draped over him, a soft fabric.

"Th-th-thank y-y-you," Ash chatted. Then he blinked and touched his lips in a dull shock. "Wh—?"

"Welcome back to the world and body of Humans," the voice chuckled, removing the hand from his hair.

Ash ran his tongue over his teeth, trying to form words. He looked up into the darkness. "What happened?"

He could sense the figure in front of him kneel down. "Trainers that compete never remember the test they take. It's for the security of the League. They remember the essence, but not actual events, save maybe as a dream or something similar. It's a way to protect ourselves, playing with their minds."

He ran a shaking hand through his hair. "But I—" He clutched his head in pain and shivered, clutching the fabric closer to him. He off-handedly noticed that he was naked. "It's dark," he finished quietly.

"They say it's better to light a candle than curse the darkness, but I say better dark so you can't see," the voice whispered solemnly.

"See what? You?" He seem to dimly remember how stranger the Trainer had looked before. He had met this guy before, right? He was so unsure. He seemed to act differently than last time . . .

The voice chuckled. "No. Do you have a strong stomach?"

"I think so," Ash whispered, clutching his forehead. "Should I be asking questions?"

There was a silence. "I told you not to," the voice replied at length. "You remember?"

"No." He shivered. "It's cold."

"Just an aftereffect. And the weather." A light flickered on below Ash's face, and the candle was brought up. Ash welcomed the warmth. "Better?"

"No," Ash shivered. The blond-dyed boy looked up to a face of an old and care-worn man, a small grey beard at the end of his chin. The grey eyes looked back in a quiet interest. Ash looked past the man, seeing a figure move. "Is that a Hoot-Hoot?"

"Yes. They create illusions."

Ash looked around. "Is that an illusion?" he whispered, transfixed as the shadows played against the object.

"No."

He gulped and looked at the body of the creature. The deer must have just died in the sprawled position, the stomach slashed open and eyes staring blankly at it. The smell bit his nose. "What is it?"

"Ratwa's symbol. She's been dead over few hundred years."

"It looks—"

The man nodded, petting the head like it was his favorite pet. Ash watched, appalled. "Killed when the building was stormed those years ago by the citizens."

"Why? What . . . happened?"

"Ratwa was not like it should have been. Thousands of Trainers used to compete everyday. The Masters here, once the Trainers had . . . been initiated, they hunted them like prey. The Trainers didn't have a chance. Casualties were high, almost 95%. And they ate the kill."

Ash looked at him with wide eyes. "Murder?" Cannibalism?

"You don't murder Pokémon," the man said lightly, ignoring Ash's confused face. "The people destroyed the League. The Masters were hanged, a light punishment for most who had lost their entire families. Rasha here was killed first, as an end of the Ratwa. The Masters pleaded to leave her live, but all of Ratwa had to be destroyed."

"But it happen so long ago?" Ash whispered, eyes back at the body. They eyes reflected the light and looked right at him.

"You know Pokémon Leagues have that certain magic in them. Well, not magic, like magic, but the actually power of the League. If you would destroy Indigo, every trace possible, the millions of battles fought and lost have to go somewhere. It's like a religious belief that it a bit true. You understand?"

Ash nodded mutely. "I didn't read about . . . that." He nodded towards the deer.

"You wouldn't." He looked at the deer again.

"Did she die . . . okay?" He couldn't find the right word.

The man looked away. "No, she did not. It took her over a day to die. They prolonged it to torture the Masters."

"Why are you here?" Ash asked after it all.

"A Master always manages to escape," the man smiled. "In my case, a novice apprentice." He shrugged. "Runs in the family for a few generations. I come here on my off hours, so to speak."

"Hoot-hoot," the Hoot-Hoot reminded.

The man nodded. "Oh, yes. Here." The man dug into his pocket and withdrew a pouch and small trophy. "Your prize."

Ash picked up the trophy and read the label. "'Ash Satoshi Ketchum'," he murmured, running his finger over the plaque. "'Ratwa League'. You know my name?"

"I know everything about the trainers that come here. You are the fourth this year."

At that Ash looked surprised. "I thought—"

The man laughed. "Don't be naïve, Ash. Trainers all over the world believe the same things you do. And they are drawn here to test their abilities, I suppose. Of course, the numbers grow smaller each passing year."

"Where should I go next?" Ash asked.

"Are you willing to compete Leagues that do worse than the Ratwa ever did?"

Ash couldn't comprehend anything worse than Murder. "I think so."

The man studied Ash for a long moment. "Pooka, as it's the nearest. I won't tell you what it's like, but I think you should go there." He stood up. "Good-bye, Ash."

"But—" Ash stopped talking, for the man disappeared into the darkness like he was putting on a cloak. The candle still burned, and the body still lied next to him. He didn't ponder, suddenly sick. He gripped the bag, candle, and trophy, pushing himself up and staggering away. He clutched the fabric and tried to walk away without looking back. He tripped over several stones, and fell down the steps that led outside, landing hard on his backside.

He shivered, trying to get the fabric back around him as he crawled towards a vacant sleeping bag. He was just inside when he fell asleep.

****

Miriam woke late, for once not having annoying pests waking her up. She yawned and stretched, blinking rapidly. The fire was out; no wonder she was cold.

She went over and started to light the fire with things called matches. Yes, she knew how they worked. Dimly she wondered where the Ratwa was.

"Dilly? Dilly? Come here!"

Something moaned. "Be quiet."

Miriam's head snapped up. "Blondie?!" She was over to the bag in a second. "Where the Hell have ya been?!"

Ash looked blearily at her. "I don't remember," he murmured, closing his eyes again to sleep.

"Excuse me!"

"Please don't yell," he said from somewhere in the bag.

Miriam glared at him, then noticed something shining next to his hand. After scooping it up and the pouch next to it, her eyes went wide. A small trophy, pure gold, Miriam bet, with trims of silver and imprints of deer on them. The pouch jingled in her hand, and her eyes went even wider as she poured out the solid gold coins onto her hand.

"Where the Hell did ya get this?" Miriam gasped.

"Hmm?"

"Never mind," she whispered, picking up a piece of fabric, a robe. She bet it was silk, the deep green pattern and brown trim. As she rocked it back at forth in the light, it glittered like there was gold thread woven in it. Miriam looked down at the sleeping Ash. "Oh, I suggest ya sleep a long time, cuz ya're gonna have a lot of questions to answer when ya wake up. A lot."

****

Pikachu could feel it in her ears, her jagged tail, her paws, her entire body. He came back, he came back, she knew it.

"You're setting yourself up for disappointment," Pyro warned, panting as he tried to keep up with her. Oh, there was no way he was out of shape, no way, no way, no way . . .

"Oh, go watch Shamin!" Pikachu yelled.

Pyro snorted. "Excuse me, but she is running in front of us! Look what you started. If he's not there!"

"He's there!" Pikachu yelled with a burst of speed, passing Shamin. Jeez, she could run fast.

The knowledge that Ash was there kept Pikachu running for over ten minutes. She didn't care that Shamin was behind her, but that Pikapi was in front of her. She dashed into the camp.

"Pikapi!" she yelled, looking wildly around.

Miriam's head snapped up. She was fingering a piece of cloth. "Hey," she murmured. "Quiet. Over there," she pointed without looking over.

Pikachu looked in the direction Miriam pointed. There was a lump in the sleeping bag, and gentle snoring. "Pikapi!" she yelled, jumping onto the lump.

He blinked at her in surprise, and yawned. "Hey, Pikachu," he sighed, still able to sleep.

She hugged him tightly against his bare chest.

"Oh, I missed you too," he smiled blinking, petting her gently and pushing himself up.

Pikachu nuzzled him, half-scolding in her words.

"What?" he asked, running a hand through his hair, figuring he couldn't sleep with Pikachu glued to his chest. "What time is it?"

"Huh?" Miriam asked, then looked to the side to see Shamin and Pyro escape the forest. Shamin saw him immediately.

"SHAN!" she yelled, running over to give him a tight hug and squishing Pikachu. "I knew you'd be back! I knew it! You came back!"

Ash's eyes were wide in surprise, leaning back. "Shamin—"

"PIKACHU!" Pikachu yelled, shocking both of them to escape.

Shamin pushed herself shakily away. "S-s-sorry, Pikachu."

"Ka!" Pikachu yelled, hugging Ash again, as if saying Shamin had no right to hug Ash first because Pikachu knew him first and longer.

Suddenly Shamin's face turned hard when she looked at Ash's face. Her hand smacked him hard across the face. "You ASS!"

"What'd I do?" he demanded, touching his cheek carefully.

She put her hands on her hips. "Taking off like that! We were worried sick!"

He flinched. "Umm . . . sorry?"

Her face remained hard, as did Pikachu's. "Don't you ever to that again!"

". . . okay."

"Good!" Then she hugged him tightly again. Pikachu luckily managed to get away. "I missed you so much!"

Ash patted her back unsure. "Okay. Could you like, umm . . .?"

Miriam stood up and walked over to the trio. Pyro was watching them with distaste. "Well, one of ya's is at least proper."

"What, Miriam?" Shamin asked.

She smoothed over the soft robe that she had folded over her arm. "Well, just so ya know while ya're sitting on his lap, Blondie is butt-naked." She grinned.

Shamin's eyes went wide just as Ash's did, and the blush was in both of their cheeks as they pushed each other away. Ash brought his sleeping bag up around his neck and looked at them embarrassed. "Could you, like get me something to wear?"

Shamin looked at him, while Miriam studied the situation. "Well, I think ya need to get punished."

"Pardon?" he squeaked.

Miriam walked over and picked up his pack, tossing it on the opposite side of camp. "Ya did take off without tellin' us, had us worried sick. Ya can sit there and suffer." Shamin looked at Miriam, speechless.

"Miriam!"

"Or," Miriam continued evilly. "Run really fast and get yar stuff." He paled.

"Miriam," he whimpered. "Shamin? Pikachu?" He gulped. "Pyro?"

Miriam carefully turned Shamin around and started to head back to the other side of the camp. "Miriam," Shamin whispered.

"Aww, come on guys!" Ash yelled, his head just sticking out of his bag. "Please. I'm sorry! Pikachu? Come on, buddy. "

Pyro gripped the mouse by her tail and dragged her away from her Trainer.

"Come on, guys! This isn't funny!"

POKÉDEX

Manie—the Lion Pokémon:

A large cat Pokémon, Manie's head, in males, is surrounded by a mane of fire. To a lesser extent, the females also have manes, but usually the fires are low and only extinguish to the full display when threatened. Its large eyes have the power to paralyze its prey or opponent, allowing it an easy win and dinner in some cases. Manies are very large and powerful, and travel in family groups. Along borders of heavy forests, lone Manies constantly fight against Gertigs, another cat Pokémon, for territory. [return]

Gertig—the Striped Pokémon:

Also a cat Pokémon, Gertig's entire body is covered in stripes, allowing it to hide and ambush its prey. Gertigs are extremely dangerous and have vile tempers, so approach with caution. Loners by nature, the psychic attacks given by experienced—or nursing mothers for the few short weeks after the cubs are born—Gertigs are not to be made light of. Young Gertigs usual live on the edges of the forest, and thus fight constantly with young Manies. It is a common question among natives who live in Gertig/Manie fighting territory to ask: In a battle, who would win—Manie or Gertig? [return]

Grizzle—the Bear Pokémon:

A large and potentially dangerous Pokémon, (although not nearly as dangerous as its larger, always dangerous cousin Ursaring,) Grizzle is found in dense forests and tends to forage for food. Although at times a very mellow creature, they become fierce when threatened or awaken during the winter. They tend to attack picnic-ers. One Grizzle has been seen by several park patrons that wears a tie and hat, talks, and loves to steal picnic baskets. Park Rangers claim these sightings are false, but this is a vast Park conspiracy. [return]

Hyaena—the Laughing Pokémon:

A dangerous Pokémon with a very annoying "laughter", they are common on savannas and travel in large packs. Some subspecies, a smidgen bigger than their grassland cousins, live in disintegrating forest systems. They are very brutal in attack and do not tolerate non-family members on their lands. The loyalty to their pack unit is something never to underestimate. [return]

Ratwa—the Test Pokémon:

Historians disagree on whether or not this Pokémon has actually existed. Only found in the Ratwa Competition and surrounding lands, this lithe deer was commonly used to test the Trainer's ability to change their viewpoints and understand the Pokémon of the world better. Yet whether or not the Pokémon is (or was, as the Ratwa lands have been the blunt of much over-hunting for many years prior to the story) actually real or simply created, the answer has been lost with the slow decay of the League. Ratwa is/was considered a very helpless lone Pokémon with very few attacks, and it usually has/had to rely on its speed to survive. This does not mean it's totally helpless, though. A truly great Pokémon Trainer is/was able to find and use these few attacks. [return]