(a/n: I do not own Pokemon or whatever, or Nintendo Gamecube (although I am in possession of a gamecube and a nintendo 64. So sue me! Sheesh!) And Xifa helped write this story. She is Aera, Megumi, Brock, Cameron, Dennis, Edwin, and Frankie. I am everyone else. So please read and review!)

Iris

By: Xifa and Sefie Lynne Tilmitt

Chapter 3

"Good morning, sunshine," Aera grinned cheesily at me.

I groaned, attempted to roll over and ignore her, and grabbed on by the tips of my fingers. I loved beds. I was never, ever sleeping in a tree again, no matter how much I liked doing so. To many risks invloved. Like Aera.

"Let go!  I'll catch ya!"

I swung back up onto the branch, then climbed down the way sane people did.

"Morning."

"This," she said, semi-angrily, "is all your fault.  I made waffles, spent half an hour looking for you, and almost got killed by two stupid Suddowoodos.  Those things look like trees, I swear!"

"I sympathize." I yawned. "Sorry."

"Yeah, sure you are," she rolled her eyes.  "Where are we going today?  Or are we gonna stick around this dump and see if we can find any of the shadow pokemon?"

"We'd better check out the dumpy little town. Who knows, your Pichu might be there."

"Yeah, and I'll put up with it for him," she nodded.  "Oh!  Here!"  she reached in her bag and handed me five pokeballs.  "Look what Aera found last night, yah?   How cool is this?!  They were just, like, laying on the ground, so I took 'em!"

"We can catch five shadow pokemon with these.... but before we run completely out, then we hafta get some more. I can, if you don't want to go with me, but better safe than sorry."

"Are you trying to ditch me?"  her eyes narrowed dangerously.  "Hm?  Is that it?"

"No. I'm trying," I said impatiently, "to make you happy."

"By ditching me?!"

"I'm not trying to ditch you. Now you get on or you don't. It's your choice."

"...are you in a bad mood?"

"No, I am most certainly not in a bad mood." I flipped my goggles down, put my coat on, and got on my 'motorcycle'.

"Okay, then I'll go," she hopped in beside me.  "...can I wear your goggles?"

"No. I'm using them."

"Can I wear them when you're done using them?"

"...For heaven sakes I'll buy you your own pair."

"I don't want a pair.  I want to wear your pair."

"Why?'

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Well why not?"

"I didn't ask why not, now did I? I asked why."

"Because me and Espeon started a Storm fanclub and if I get your glasses, I get ten points added to my scorecard.  First to a hundred wins!"

I smacked my forehead. "Absolutely not. These are important. I'm always using them. Obviously."

"Well, if you'd stop getting mad so much you wouldn't have to wear them as often.  I mean, you don't realy use 'em until you get cheesed off at something.  So if you'd just be happy for once, then could I borrow them?"

"....Whatever." I started the motorcycle, keeping my goggles down.

"Can Umbreon and Espeon ride with me?  We'd all fit!"

"Yeah, sure, whatever." I released them. They always rode in there anyway. Before she came along.

"Storm is in a bad mood today, Espeon, Umbreon," she said to them.  "Just thought I'd warn you."

"They're my friends. They see past my moods. They know me as well as I know myself."

"How well do you know yourself?"

"...All to well."

"Hmm...okay.  Just making sure.  Some people don't know themselves that well, savvy?  Just had to make sure you weren't one of them."

I know who I was... not who I am. I didn't reply, pulling into the gas station and getting off.

"I'll just...sit in the car..." she said, kind of clinging on to Espeon. Espeon snuggled close to her, as if understanding.

"You okay?"

"Aera just doesn't want to go in there.  Is that okay?  She'll just stay out here and guard the thing..."

"If you insist...." I walked inside, being quick about bying pokeballs. I came back out, plopping back down. I still hadn't taken off my goggles. I started the engine silently, lost in thought.

"Did you get them?"

"Yep. Twenty. We have 25 now, plenty to get us through for a while."

"That's good."

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yep," she nodded quickly.  "Let's just leave, okay?"

Espeon curled up on her lap and gazed up at me. I didn't say anything but drove back to the dump.

"Hey...how far away from Agate are we?"

"It's the next town over."

"Okay, just wondering," she nodded.  "Thanks."

"No problem." I pulled to a stop, looking into Pyrite City.

"This is where I was at when they kidnapped me..." she commented quietly.

"You sure you wanna search this place quite yet?"

"What can it hurt?" she sighed, but stuck pretty close to me as we walked in.

Espeon was practically tripping her, walking so close to her, and Umbreon was almost walking literally under my feet, and I could tell they were worried.

"Ack," she yelped, voice muffled as she tripped over my Espeon at her feet and into me.

I caught her, blushing. "You okay?"

"I'm sorry," she stumbled back up, blushing slightly herself.  Just slightly.  She shook her head quickly and looked down, smiling at Espeon.  "Better be careful," she smiled to it.

Espeon looked up at me, amused.

"Don't look at me like that."

I think you like her.

I do not!

Yes you do. I've never -seen- you like this.

Espeon was a psychic pokemon and can talk to me. In my head. Without Aera hearing. That was a good thing. Sometimes.

I don't like her I'm just helping her out, helping her home.

Whatever. You know you're--

No I'm not! Remember my rule? Love isn't real!

Then your emotions aren't real.

Right then.

Maybe your mind isn't openning, then, Storm.

            Ouch. That one stung. I chose to close off our connection, putting my hands in my pockets. Espeon walked on the other side of Aera. Chosing her over me. Apparently she didn't agree with my 'no such thing as love' theory. That was okay, because I still had Umbreon. I guess.

"You're pokemon are so sweet," Aera smiled, patting Espeon's head.  "I love these guys!"

"They love you too."

You love her, too.

Not again.

"Now if only...nah, nevermind..."

"What is it?"

"Not important.  I highly doubt it's anything you'd find interesting anyway," she grinned.

"Okay." I shrugged. I wasn't 'interested'. I wasn't supposed to be, cause it was nothing I could do anything about and I didn't want to meddle.

"I can practically see the rain-clouds above your head."

"Thanks."

"Aw, you need an umbrella?"

"No."

"Fine, be miserable.  Whatever," she shrugged, walking slightly ahead of me, then stopping, waiting for me to catch up.

            I shook my head, catching up with her. I was glad she couldn't see my eyes. Maybe I was obsessed. I don't know. I just didn't want her knowing. Some people could nearly read people's minds by simply reading their emotions through facial expressions. And I didn't want anyone to know what was in my head.

"Hey, I think...that girl up there..." she frowned.  "I can't see it from here...but there's something up there...."

I looked ahead, and sure enough, an odd looking girl was there. Who was she? She seemed familliar. Almost. In a vague 'I've-met-you-on-the-street' sort of way.

"I can see an aura, sorta...maybe if we got closer?  I bet she has a shadow pokemon!"

            I walked closer. I still hadn't figured out everything about her Second Sight. Could she see the aura around me? And I think that my aura was disappearing anyway. So maybe it wouldn't matter to her. Hopefully. I didn't want her all, y'know, mad at me or anything. I made her mad enough some times. I didn't really like it when she was mad at me. Not that I cared what she thought or anything, but still. It's just right to try to get along with someone your forced to travel with, right?

"You up for a battle?" I tried to ask casually.

"Everyone around here is,"  the girl grinned.  "Let's go!"

            She sent out a Flareon and an Eevee. 

"That's one of them, Storm," Aera said from behind me.  "The fire one!"

            I nodded. I really think that that whole town probably had one. They seemed like dark people to me. But then again I had absolutely no right to judge them. Not when I wasn't exactly innocent myself. This town would hate me, because i would end up 'stealing' their pokemon. But it was for their own good. Really. I sent out Espeon and Umbreon, ordered attacks immediatly on the most dangerous; the Flareon.

"Let's just hold this right here," the girl said suddenly.  "You're...you're that kid from Snatchem.  No!  Don't worry, I won't hurt you this time...you're the same one that blew them up, right?"

"Wait!" I felt shocked. How did this stranger know my secret?! Was I really so obvious?! "...so what if I am?"

"My father was a member of the team...but after seeing the horrible things they do, knowing the horrible things they've done...I've dedicated my life to trying to find out all the inside information so that I can turn around and get every single one of them arrested.  That thing you've got...it's the snatch machine.  Not everyone knows what one looks like, but I've seen it before...so you must be the bomber-man..."

I nodded, chosing my words carefully. "Hm.... Then I guess," I said cautiously, "We're on the same side. Of sorts."

"I suppose that would be correct," she nodded.

"Storm..." I heard Aera say.

"My name's Megumi, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"You also. Now, if all we're battling for is a little chat about our pasts, then I'd assume we're ready to resume?"

"I don't really see too much of a reason to fight you anymore," she sighed, "unless you want to go."

"Storm..."

"Yeah?" I turned to Aera, who was more important at the moment.

"I...there's...there's a black aura coming from her, too..."

It clicked into place. "Wait...!" I spun back around. "Have you been experimented on before?"

"What's it to ya?" she said, defensively.

"Please, please just answer my question...." I want to know if there's someone like me....

"Yeah," she mumbled.  "It's not like it means anything to ya, though.  I'm still human, y'know."

"You don't get it. I was experimented on too!" there -was- someone like me!

"...oh my gosh!  For real?" she blinked, surprised.  "I'm not the only one?"

"I thought I was the only one too! So you know how it feels!" I was actually happy. I had been feeling that more and more recently. I pulled my goggles off to get a better look at the only person to be like me.  She had long, wavy brown hair and bright green eyes, and was smiling as well.

"I can't believe this...I can't believe there's other people out there who know how it feels..." she shook her head.  "I spent so long thinking I was the only one..."

"Me too. My name's Storm."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Storm," she smiled happily.  "Uh, do we have to finish battling?  ...I kinda don't see it as necessary anymore..."

"But... Megumi... your Flareon..." how did I put this easilly. "It's... yeah, it's dark. Real dark. Nearly evil."

"I know.  I rescued it from one of the centers.  It's had the same thing done to it that we've had done to us...it's hard for me to bring it back, seeing as how I'm still not completely purified myself...but we're working on it.  Together, right, Flareon?"

            I nodded. So long... I'd spent -so long- searching for someone like me and here she was, a girl I'd met totally at random. Espeon nudged my hand. I guess I accidently closed down our mind link. Oops. I openned it.

She's not true to her word, Storm. Beware.

What's that supposed to mean? I finally meet someone who understands and you don't like her?

Aera can see it too. Are you blind?

No! Gosh, is it so bad that I finally warm up a little and find something I've been searching for my whole life?! Sheesh.

Her heart's not in the right place, Storm. Can't you see? ....You're just seeing what you want to see.

No I'm not!

You've become a different person lately, Storm. I'm glad your door is openning.... but it has changed you for the worse. You were caring, you were willing to look past the outside and the mere appearances. I don't like the new you, Storm. Please don't be so naive.

            I shut off the mind link. This was all to much to handle. To many things were happening at once. I found Megumi, and Espeon was turning away from me. And Aera didn't trust her either. -Was- I just being naive?

"Well.... It was great meeting you. But I had better be going."

Against my better judgement. But if that's what my friends think, then, well, so be it. I flipped my goggles down so no one could see my confusion and disappointment and started to walk away.

"Hey, Storm, wait.  Where you headed?"

"No idea. Wherever fate takes me, I guess."

"Do you think, maybe, I could come along too?  Travelling by yourself is no fun.  Would you mind if I joined you?  And besides, now that I've found someone who understands me and can therefore accept me...I just don't want to leave right now, I guess."

"I dunno." I looked to Aera suspiciously.

"Oh, would you mind if I came along?" Megumi looked to Aera.

"No, I'm okay with it...whatever Storm says..." Aera said quietly.

"I'm just not sure. I hardly know you, but... I guess. I guess you can stick with us. Just for a little while. Where are you going? Maybe we can just escort you home."

"I don't have a home.  All I am is a wandering traveller, trying to shut down as many Snatchem bases as I  can."

"I know how it feels. It's the same for me also. But only for a little while, okay? We're trying to get somewhere."

"Okay, that'll be nice.  Thank you so much, Storm!"

"....You're welcome." My eyes still dark, I turned away again. Just to think.

            What was going on? this strange feeling... This feeling of lonliness? What was happening? ....Then it hit me. I hadn't really openned up. Not permanently. I recognized this feeling now. I had identified it as something I would never have to deal with again when I met Aera, but... here I was, drowning in the lonliness again. I walked over to Aera.

"What do you think?" I whispered. Megumi was out of earshot, but I didn't want to risk it. "Should we let her travel with us? I was thinking, y'know, just to the next town."

"What doesn't kill us will only make us stronger," she shrugged.  "I'm the one travelling with you, not vice versa.  You make the decisions, and I'll just go with it."

"Whatever you say." I shrugged, then let my voice get louder again. "I think we need to look for dark pokemon here."

....The faster we find her Pichu, the less danger she'll be in. and I didn't want Aera in danger, no matter how mad she made me at times.

"Oh.  Yeah, of course," Aera nodded.  "...there's so many here, Storm...how can we ever help them all?"

"I guess.... we'll stay here as long as it's necessary, and if you'd like, I'll let you take Espeon or Umbreon and battle, and look for dark pokemon so I can later catch them...."

"I can't battle because I can't catch them.  I can just see them, remember?"

"I think...." I said slowly, "That I can make another Snatch Machine. I watched them work on this one, and if I could make you another one... it's not simple making them but it's simple using them. All you have to do is throw a pokeball. So...."

"I don't want to," she said quickly.  "I don't want to fight them."

"Okay."

Can I go on alone? With Espeon and Umreon, the way we used to be?

"Is that bad?"  she sighed.  "I'm sorry.  I just...I just can't fight them.  I can't fight any of them..."

"It's fine. I accept that, and I can't really blame you. Heck, at times it's hard for me to battle them, too..." Cause I know how it feels.

"O-okay.  I...I don't think Pichu's here...and...and...there's so many people here, and so many shadow pokemon...we...we could be here forever..." she shook her head.  "Is it bad that I don't want to help them?  I'm so sorry..."

"It's not bad. But after you go home, I'm going to help them." I shrugged.

"..." she sighed.  "...I don't have anything left to say," she shook her head, looking upset over something that I couldn't quite understand.  "Maybe you should just leave me here...I'm just being useless to this cause..."

"You're not, but if you don't want me around, I understand that."

Ouch.

"It's not you," she snapped. 

"If you don't wanna come, that's okay then." It's no skin off my back.

"I know. I knew that's what you'd say.  ...I'm going to Agate town.  I'll see you around later, maybe, whatever..." she turned to walk off.

            So did I. As much as I hated to admit it, she'd really hurt me. I walked away. Heck with Megumi. She could find her own way. I left the town, finding where we'd camped and starting the fire much more easilly this time. I put my head in my hands. Dangit! She deserved so much better, and here I was trying to give it to her and she gets all offended! I really, really didn't care at this point. If she really was that mad at me, then let her find her own way. It was burden enough to carry my past and the responsibility of other people. Now I saw why I always went solo. Stupid people. Not even Megumi could quite understand. I scowled. I had been so dumb, so dumb to open my heart to her. I stood up, closed my eyes for a minute, and walked away. I needed time to think, time to recover.

            I hadn't meant to make her mad. I really hadn't. But if she wanted to go, then I guess that I didn't need her in the first place, did I? She, too, was another namelss faceless person. A nameless faceless person that hurt me, just like everything else. I would never, never make that mistake again. I would be solo again, without any ties to -anyone-. I told her I couldn't be her knight. I told her! And there she was, expecting so much out of me like I had -accepted- being her knight. I knew I could never live up to what she thought she saw in me. I had done my good deed. I had saved the damsel in distress. I didn't owe her anything.

"You just gonna let her walk away?" Megumi asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"So what if I am? It doesn't matter anyway. You of all people should know how it is, this feeling."

"I know," she nodded.  "I guess I just thought there was...I dunno...something between you two."

So did I, I realized numbly. "I don't need her. I told her I couldn't be her knight. It's her own fault."

"She doesn't want a knight, Storm.  I think she just wants whatever exactly you are."

"She deserves better. I can't be her dream come true. I don't mean anything to her. I'm just another guy she met along the way. Of no importance."

"She doesn't need a dream come true.  See, this is where I understand a couple things you don't," she grinned.  "Least, I'm hoping you're most certainly a guy...in any case, it's not a dream come true she needs.  I think she was just fine with just you, but...I dunno...love's not a one-way thing.  If she thinks you're not into her the same way she likes you, well, then what's the point of even feeling?"

"I'm not the same person, I never am. I'm constantly changing, shifting. One minute I'm open and the next I'm closed. I like her too. I mean, she's my friend and all. I just thought she didn't like me. So I let myself close up. She doesn't need me, and I don't need her. We're fine. How can you even be sure she likes me?"

"Can't you just trust me?  You can't see the look on her face when your back is turned to her," she grinned evilly.  "And I'm pretty sure that was jealousy I saw the entire time I was talking to you.  I mean, surely she's intimidated by my beauty.  Just joking," she laughed.  "But, seriously...I mean, listen to her.  She told you -where she was going-.  Don't you see what that means?"

"All it means to me is she's trying to get me and go and beg for forgiveness like I did something wrong."

"No, grasshopper.  It means that she just wants to see if you'll follow her."

"Then by all means, let her wait. I can't give her what she wants. She can do better than me. And anyways, I'm a danger to her and I don't want anything to happen to her. They're gonna take me back. They're gonna close me up. So what's the point in getting attached?"

"Who cares if she can do better than you?!  The point is, she doesn't -want- better than you.  Wow...I'm so glad it's not me in her place," she shook her head.  "I can't figure out what you think of her."

"I like her. A lot. I just.... I'm just not sure it's safe for me to like her that much."

"...nothing in this world is safe, nothing at all.  It's the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live, Storm.  Just keep that in mind."

"....I'm going to Agate. Are you coming with me or not?"

"Sure.  I'll just, um, go occupy myself once I get there.  Don't leave me, though!" she beamed.

"Alright." I hopped on. "Don't forget, I have a no damsels in distress policy, so don't get yourself into trouble."

            She reached into her jacket and patted something hidden in a secret pocket.

"Nobody fights with Megumi," she smiled.

"I won't ask. Well, if your coming, get in."

            She got in and pulled out a pair of horribly gaudy sunglasses, shoving them on.

"Lovely, hm?" she grinned.

"....I won't burst your bubble." I drove off. Part of me argued that I should just leave Aera be, but....

I couldn't make myself lose her. Not when she was all that could save me from my miserable past, my unknown future. I had a feeling that, just maybe, she could make it seem a little more tolerable.