Author's Inane Rant: Okay, I was playing my pokemon emerald game last night and got the bright idea to actually try to fill up my pokedex. After catching and training a few pokemon to evolve and add to my collection, I noticed that I had a Nuzleaf but no Seedot. So, on I went on my quest to find a Seedot. After an hour of searching, there was no luck. So I went to breed the Nuzleaf I had, a male. I first tried to see if he was compatible with my female Smeargle. No. So I went and got my female Lombre to try. No. I then looked on the news and saw that there was a Nuzleaf infestation on the route to Meteor Falls. I searched and searched, coming across all male Nuzleaf, a Seviper, and a Lotad and its evolution. I stopped looking and went to see if I could catch a Roselia because I thought that might work. No. Roselia aren't in emerald version. So I trotted on back to the Nuzleaf route and guess what happened the second I ran into the grass. I ran into a pokemon; a female Nuzleaf to be exact. Irony. I hate it.

But the extremely good part is that while I was typing this, I found a shiny Ditto and caught it! I looked at the screen thinking it was a regular ditto and wondering if I should kill it with my Manectric or Sableye when I saw the unmistakable blue flop and the shiny stars wiz by. I squeaked and made my Manectric use spark twice, then caught it with an ultra ball. I nicknamed my new level 41 shiny Ditto, Ditz.

Anyway, thank you all who reviewed… I have 10 reviews out of 183 hits on the story… That's a bit disappointing! I'm also surprised no one asked about the year system. A.H. stands for 'After Humans' if anyone would like to know. Now, onto my story!

Thieves' Enemies

The lush grass was wet with dew as I walked around the route tat was to the left of Rustboro. I could see a large cave up ahead; too small to be called a mountain, yet too big to be called just a cave. From what I had been told, it was called Rusturf Tunnel. If you go through it you'll end up in Verdanturf town, the tunnel being dug earlier by hand. They say that there was some kind of love story based on that, from about a hundred years ago near Ash's time.

The new sleeping bag attached to my backpack made the weight much heavier than expected, but I could make do with it. Last night I had a real bed for what might have been the first time in my life, and I made the most of it. I decided that living the life of a trainer wasn't going to be that different from being a thief, aside from the obvious differences. I slept on a sleeping pad ever since I was orphaned and I tested the sleeping bag to find that it was much more comfortable than the pad.

When I woke in the morning I didn't wake to the musty and rotten smell of the warehouse, but to a new fresh scent that came from air fresheners in every room of the 'center. I also took it upon myself to use the bathing facilities there, deciding that hygiene would be extra important now. Earlier I had went and bought a new pair of clothes, to use when I was in more public places. I had found that not many people, not even trainers, had clothes in such a state as mine.

Bubbler had insisted on being out last night, using my head as his own resting spot, and had stayed out the whole time since then. Right now it was about midmorning and the smell of the wildlife around me was so much better than being cooped up in the city. I don't know how I could have stood that place!

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a rustling in front of me, where the grass was relatively taller than the grass I stood on. I heard that those were the only places, counting out trees, caves, and water, that pokemon lived in these parts. I could see why, because the grass was tall enough to go just above my knees, providing ideal protection.

The rustling continued and I could see grass parting little by little for some creature. Bubbler hopped off my head, which he had claimed as his territory, and landed nimbly right in front of where the tall grass started. I watched closely as the thing moved closer and closer, finally coming out to reveal… Darn, another Zigzagoon.

The raccoon-like pokemon was extremely common, and Hoenn guaranteed that you would see at least ten per day when traveling on land. Bubbler and I had already fought a couple low-level ones for practice, not wanting to catch one because of their weaknesses. Of course, most everyone knew that Zigzagoon's and their Pickup ability was extremely useful for beginning trainers, but they wouldn't do so well against the first two gyms.

I hadn't known what Bubbler could do other than a bubble attack, that being the foundation of his name. I had later found that he knew quick attack also, but nothing else. The clone running the 'center told me that that meant he was between level seven and level thirteen, because they learned sweet scent at thirteen. She had also showed me a picture of his evolution, one that I thought was also very cute.

Without an order he rushed at the raccoon in a quick attack, knocking the poor fellow back into the grass. He then began firing a stream of bubbles at it, not stopping at all when it cried out. That's one thing I learned about my new friend, he was quite independent when it came to battling. It was almost as if he didn't quite trust me to issue orders yet. Thinking about that for a moment, I decided that it was most likely true.

Pokemon aren't stupid, they can tell if a trainer is inexperienced or not, as well as good or bad trainers. I have a feeling that pokemon actually choose the trainers, not the other way around. They could easily avoid us if they wanted to, and if pokemon are caught by abusive trainers they could probably have misjudged their target or had been careless in hiding. I think they depended on trainers to care for them while they cared for their trainer in a less easily seen way.

With a final cry the Zigzagoon fainted, leaving the little spider standing in a pose over him, one spindly leg on the raccoon's chest and a boastful gleam in his eye. Yes, he was definitely male. Pokemon were no different from regular animals in that aspect, having the need to show strength and power to find a good mate.

"Quit your boasting. We both know you don't stand a chance against the gym leader yet." I said, trying to deflate his ego a bit but not enough for him to actually be sad. He understood what I was doing and looked up at me with agreement in his eyes before skittering up my side and perching himself on my hat again.

I was wearing my new clothes today, a pair of black jeans that wouldn't show stains easily and a straw-colored t-shirt. My clothes accented Bubbler's beady black eyes and little hat-like thing. I did indeed do this on purpose, thinking it would be funny to match my pokemon. Bubbler had taken onto the joke also, deciding to remain on my blue hat as still as possible when someone came by, making it seem like he wasn't alive and that he was part of my hat. Most people took me as having a Surskit obsession until he moved suddenly, making most people jump.

Both of us found that extremely funny, knowing that our new inside joke was helping us stitch our friendship even tighter. He and I took each other as equals and friends, not just trainer and servant. I knew this was how you should treat a pokemon, and that was one thing that so many people lacked now. Some people never took the time to bond with their pokemon, which is why those people were usually weeded out by gym leaders.

Without the bond, you wouldn't be able to know what your partner is planning, and that is something that could cost you a match. We learned that early on when we kept getting beaten by the wild pokemon around here earlier. We finally agreed that we would try as hard as we could to get to know each other's minds as well as our own. It also did good to let him battle on his own until he actually wanted me to help him out, which I would immediately oblige to.

I find all this quite ironic. Usually it is the thieves that don't know how to bond to their pokemon, while the people who oppose them do. But as I have figured out, the tables have turned. Bubbler and I had battled a small lad about a half hour ago who was only able to control his pokemon by bullying it. There wasn't anything I could do about it, but the hopelessness I saw in the little Zigzagoon's eyes made me pretty sad.

I was disgusted, to put it bluntly. These people who have grown up around pokemon took them for granted, while I hadn't ever so much as touched a pokemon before Bubbler and yet I did treat him much better. I don't agree that I am the best at it, sometimes it is hard to get along with him when we are both in certain moods. Sometimes we get annoyed at each other and can't battle right. And to say that I've already had those experiences in one day of having him shows that I'm not perfect, nor is he.

We aren't the greatest, but we try our best. And that's what makes it worth it to have a friend like him. He is probably the first real friend I have had in my life, and I wouldn't give that up for a stronger or faster or any other type of pokemon. It's the things that make us un-perfect that makes it seem perfect. I can't really explain, but all I know is that we make a great team.

I wandered around aimlessly, hoping that more pokemon would come to us. We needed a lot more training than we have right now to beat the gym leader, the one they call Roxy. It's my understanding that Roxy's grandmother was the previous owner of the gym, until she passed it down to Roxy's mother and then to Roxy. The leader before her grandmother was definitely not a relative, but actually her grandma's teacher. Roxanne was an ace student and took over the gym at sixteen, as did her daughter and then Roxy. I guessed it was tradition or something.

I started to hear something, but decided it was just a bird. But then it grew louder and closer. Pretty soon I realized that it was yelling. I looked behind me and saw someone in some kind of black costume running away from another person. It took me a moment to realize that the thing in the costumed-guy's hand was some kind of pokeball.

In a moment the guy rushed past me, pushing me out of the way and heading for Verdanturf Tunnel. The other man that was chasing him slowed down to a halt next to me. Panting, he told me that the guy was from a 'Team Shadow' or something and had stolen a custom pokeball that held a pokemon that was reserved for a certain person.

He was on his way to deliver the custom pokeball and the creature inside when he was mugged and the guy had stolen it, saying something about 'being good for the boss.' He gave chase, the man he was supposed to deliver it to was very rich and didn't like to waste his money. If he didn't get it back, he would be in big trouble.

Irony seems to be something I see every day. Because here I am, sprinting after a thief for some guy I don't even know. And the ironic part is that I'm a former thief! Funny how this works out, I always knew my conscience would get the best of me one day.

I reached the outside of the tunnel and took out my flashlight. I knew it would be dark in there because, well, it's a cave isn't it? Turning it on and lighting my way, I stepped carefully past fallen rocks and little holes in the ground. This was Whismur territory also, so I would have to be extremely quiet so as not to cause an uproar. Literally.

I saw the guy up ahead and I jogged after him. I knew that it was about a twenty minute walk through the tunnel to Verdanturf, so I was able to catch up to him easily. Bubbler immediately hopped down and started firing a bubble attack at his back, and he yelped in surprise.

Taking on a menacing tone I said, "Give back what you stole!" Now if I had posed a bit that would have been perfectly cliché…

In answer, he took out a pokeball and threw it to the ground. In a flash of white light a purple pokemon appeared. It looked vaguely like a ghost of some sort, and for eyes it had what looked to be faceted diamonds for eyes. Pointy purple ears and claws told me that it wouldn't be good to take this lightly. The pokemon disappeared in shadow for a moment and reappeared besides Bubbler, tackling into him in what I guessed to be faint attack.

The attack knocked my friend out instantly and I returned him. Looking at the pokemon I knew there was only one other way to get the stolen pokemon back. As the guy in the black uniform advanced upon me with his pokemon, I let out an ear-piercing shriek. I do have some dignity might I add, and I did not do it in fear. And you would have done the same if you were in this situation, because my backup came.

The disturbed pink, fat, rabbit-like pokemon came rushing out in hordes. The tackled both of us down and fainted the guy's pokemon in their mass uproar attacks. I saw the black custom pokeball fall out of the man's hands as he was tackled by yet another Whismur and I fought to crawl over to it. Grabbing it and stowing it away in one of my pockets, I turned to try and escape.

Standing up, I was tackled by two Whismur right in my stomach, knocking the wind out of me and making me fall down again. Trying to get up once again, two more Whismur tackled my shoulders when I was halfway up.

The two pink pokemon on my shoulders were immediately swallowed up by two empty pokeballs on the straps of my pack, and I grabbed them while they were still wobbling and ran. I didn't notice the two pings that came from them a few seconds later, nor did I care to. Because right then, I had about a hundred Whismur on my tail.

I finally reached the exit and ran out into the open air, keeping the same sprinting pace to get to the man I had agreed to help earlier. Absentmindedly I attached my two new Whismur to the magnets at the top of my left shoulder and middle of my right shoulder. Fumbling in my pockets for the custom pokeball, I found it and gave it to him.

The surprise and appreciation in his eyes showed, and he reached into one of his pockets to pull out a different kind of pokeball, minimized. It was silver colored, with nothing else on it. He handed it to me, and I took it in surprise.

"Thank you so much! You don't know how much trouble I would have been in if I had lost this. I'm afraid this is all I can give you, but it's a custom pokeball. It doesn't have any special effects I'm afraid, all it does is work like a normal pokeball. But the snazzy appearance is nice though." He said, his gratitude and regret for having to give only something like this to someone for helping get something that was worth much more than it.

I nodded, I didn't really care. I mean, it would be cool if it did have a special effect, but this is well enough. If I could find the perfect pokemon for it, it would be pretty cool. He thanked me once again and scurried back off to Rustboro, while I followed at a more leisurely pace. I did have to heal my pokemon anyway. My pokemon, I thought, I like it.


Author's Note: I need to reply to a few reviews.

Pearl: Don't jump to conclusions. I was being blunt, not having a 'hissy-fit.' But thank you for the compliments on my story, and believe me it will get much more interesting next chapter!

Half Fox-Demon: Of course she's not a mary-sue! If I made her a mary-sue it would ruin the whole plot! She's got strengths and weaknesses just like any other person. this is definitely my best story yet...

Bookworm: I'm blushing at the compliments! I never knew the story would be considered that good! I thought it was beginner's work at the most... (I answered the beta question in a review reply if anyone is wondering)

Until next time! Oh and here's a preview of next chapter!

I stared. I haven't ever seen one of them before, and not many people ever have or do. But here one was. Here was someone who would understand exactly what it's like to be born into a position that you couldn't ever learn to like. Here was someone who would know what it feels like to be resented and piled upon with trash. Here was someone who could understand.