Disclaimer- Don't own pokemon or any characters who may just happen to appear in the story. The plot however is mine, as well as any non-canon characters.

Anyway, what do my fans think of making this slash? I had intended for it to be so... but I dunno if it's what my people want. (Grumble, I've only had one review so far... but a none-the-less awesome review!)

Chapter 2- Midnight Battle

Zanis tried to close his eyes. Beneath his head was a stiff pillow. Covering him were thin blankets. And next to him was someone he'd only met that morning.

Completely unfit sleeping conditions.

Zanis listened for a few moments. Glasius had a unique way of purring as he slept. At first it had made Zanis smile, but now it was utterly annoying. He didn't know how he was expected to sleep like that.

On the headboard, Peeka cooed in his sleep, and that didn't bother Zanis in the least.

He couldn't stand it any longer. He had to escape the confines of the cramped apartment.

"C'mon Peeka," Zanis whispered to his pokemon as he kicked his legs over the edge of the bed. Peeka, used to being awoken at odd hours of the night, opened his eyes without complaint.

Zanis slipped on a pair of sweatpants and grabbed his other pokeball. Peeka landed on his shoulder and together they exited the apartment.

Zanis was walking slowly on a dirt path near Slowpoke Cave. Next to him, Peeka flapped his wings, creating a peaceful fluttering noise, which calmed Zanis' fear of the night. In front of him was a pink creature, floating through the air. It was made of many tiny pink bubbles and two horns protruding from its head.

"Slow down a little, Bloat." Zanis said.

"Spho!" It replied merrily. It sure was a cheery pokemon.

As they came to the end of the path, a rather large mound of rocks had made itself known. Zanis pointed towards it. "Okay guys; let's get some training in, before we set out tomorrow. Make each attack as stunningly beautiful as I! If only to impress the heavens!" He inhaled deeply, taking in the smell of the environment around him. Its scent was that of a new rain.

"Bloat, Bubble-Whirl!"

Strong winds began to pick up. Bloat started to inhale as much air as possible into her body. The bubbles she consisted of began to expand and grow wider, then she opened her mouth and each bubble apart from her head detached. The swirled around her body for a moment or two before launching themselves at the boulder. As the exploded, mist formed around the area, drizzling Zanis and Peeka with precipitation.

"Nice job Bloat! All you need to work on is incorporating the whirlwind attack."

"Spho! Sph, spho!" Zanis smiled and nodded. Somehow… he knew what Bloat was saying.

"Clever," Zanis blinked. Time seemed to stop. The droplets of water in the air froze. Bloat was caught, mid-speech. Peeka didn't need to flap his wings to stay, suspended in the air.

"Combining two attacks, two elements of battle, into one. Very, very clever…"

The voice seemed to come from everywhere. It was around him. Inside him. It was neither male, nor female. Person, nor creature. Real, nor fake.

Then he was falling. His pokemon had vanished and only a black void was around him. He saw images of his life, but in every frame, a strange blue being floated in the sky, as if watching over him. It was like someone had photographed every moment of his life, but showed more of the picture then he had seen.

He felt two hands wrapping around his arms, containing him and then—

His eyes flashed open. Next to him, Glasius was looking over him, a worried look on his face. His hands were holding him down.

"Dude, you must've been witnessing some horrific dream of doom!"

Zanis' chest was heaving up and down. He was lying once more in Glasius' tiny, twin sized bed in an undershirt and boxers. "It was… a dream?" He panted.

Glasius nodded, still clutching his arm fiercely. "And quite a dream it must've been too," he muttered under his breath.

"Did I wake you?" Zanis asked, more as a statement than a heartfelt inquiry.

"No, no… I was awake."

"Are you going to be able to get back to sleep?"

"I don't think so."

"Good, then we can hit the road early. I need to get out of here. The stuffiness is clogging my nose and I think I'm allergic to something in your room."

Glasius turned back to look at Azalea Town. It had been his home for so long. It felt weird, just leaving it. He would miss the people he'd met, and the pokemon he would have to leave behind. But he had a new priority. Zanis. And although he didn't know why, he knew he would follow his new friend to death. If it ever came to that.