"The ghost in me was true, but you've been haunted too just didn't see it all along."

Making my way to Mount Moon wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. There were a ridiculous amount of trainers who, if I so match as made eye contact with them, would challenge me to a battle. Avoiding wild pōkemon was easier than people, and Belladonna and Ansem were excited to keep travelling- though they began to show concern when my expression grew emptier with each step closer to our destination. Especially considering I had obtained an unwanted companion.

The exact second I had left the pōkecenter after gathering up my pōkemon and feeding them, I had been hunted down by Brock. The older teen followed me all throughout the pokemart, talking nonstop and trying to convince me to let him go with me. And why? Because I was an experienced adventurer who knows what she's doing. It was insane. I knew absolutely nothing about what I was doing; I made things up as I went along. When I tried to explain that he couldn't come along because it was dangerous, he responded by saying that everything in the outside world was dangerous.

He just wouldn't take "no" as an answer.

"Why are you so against it? Aren't you just going to the towns with pōkemon gyms?"

I remained silent, stopping at the edge of town with furrowed brows. He was really irritating me. Again I tried to dissuade him, but Brock went on a tangent about how he could cook and clean and whip up medicine from scratch, using forest roots and plants, and Flint, who was following us, went on to tell me to take good care of his son. I was dumbfounded. They were all under the impression that I was just going to bring him with me, completely ignoring every word that came out of my mouth. Eventually I had to sit through every single one of his ten siblings crying, pleading with me to keep their big brother safe, their waterworks breaking down every single defense I had built up through the years. This was ridiculous!

"I-I can't… I'm not taking him to Mount Moon!"

"Mount Moon?" Brock was confused. "What's there?"

Frick. I turned my head, biting down on my bottom lip and folding my arms across my chest. This wasn't going to plan at all. "Just… people. No one you want to get involved with."

"Sounds like trouble." Flint commented. My eyes narrowed and I glared at the ground, turning my back towards the ground. "You could do well with a friend."

"I don't…"

"Hey, come on!" Brock reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder, and I tensed. My breath caught in my throat and so many terrible things flashed through my mind. Hands beginning to shake I curled them tight against my sides, arms stiffening, the boy slowly pulling away when he took in my reaction. "S-Sorry, I… yeah. Grunt, I want to travel the world; I'm not ready to do that on my own. Whatever it is you're doing… I think you could use some help. We don't… have to be friends, but I don't think you should be alone."

I hate this. Why can't it all just end? I don't want to exist.

Ansem stood on his hindlegs, biting at the hem of my romper shorts and tugging on them. Yeah, that was what it was called; why on earth did I ever think it was called a "jumper"? Frig, my head. My gaze shifted to the Eevee and I blinked, snapping out of my darker thoughts long enough to realize that if I were by perchance not existing then no one would be taking care of Ansem. He had traveled all the way to Pallet, determined to find a trainer. Yet… all the trainers had already left. Would anyone have taken him in? Maybe. I have no idea.

"I'm not… I'm not going to be responsible if you get hurt." I settled on, watching as the pōkemon reached up and liked the tips of the my fingers. It was such a strange feeling. Was Ansem trying to comfort me? "Don't… do anything stupid."

Brock looked stunned, but a smile soon spread out across his face. "Of course! Though I'm getting the feeling that I'm gonna have to keep you from doing anything too reckless. From this moment on, we're going to stick together!"

I'm regretting this so much already. Yet the eyes of his siblings… all watery and scared… urgh. It was becoming clear to me that small children were my one weakness. I hated it so much. And yet here we are- leaving the city to head up into mountains. Brock made sure to get a pressure garment for my arm before we left, forcing me to wear it, and when he saw how crooked my left wrist was I had to dodge his questions- uncomfortable with everything that was happening. I actually found myself seeking solace in the battles from the random trainers that approached, the strangers demanding battles the very moment our eyes met.

Running from wild pōkemon wasn't the most fun, but Belladonna and Ansem were certainly excited to keep travelling. I found myself growing more anxious as we walked, fear of Rich and Velga growing deeper within me as I thought about all that they were capable of. I never anticipated meeting them again so soon- or meeting them at all- after the building had exploded. They were supposed to be dead. Not that it's a bad thing that they're alive- I was quite relieved they survived. I just… didn't want to interact with them ever again.

But I had to. I have to stop them.

I-I can't… let them hurt anyone else. I won't.

Spending all the money I had racked up from winning battles to get more potions, medicine, and goods, we wandered the forests and the mountain area- collecting whatever berries we could get our hands on. Brock beamed at me from his spot next to my pōkemon, the older teen walking along rather cheerfully. "Thanks for letting me tag along, Grunt! You're the best!"

I said nothing in response. As night began to fall we had to make camp, in which Brock began to… pull out cooking utensils from his backpack? I watched in confusion as he started a fire, laying out rocks around the sticks and pulling out some kind of… frig- what would you call it? He stuck the iron skillet on top of some kind of… grate? Grill? I wasn't educated in this. Either way, Brock seemed to know what he was doing- though I questioned how he managed to make everything fit into his backpack.

I scooted far away, resting against a tree, Ansem on my lap and Belladonna against my side. I fed them berries, watching them tiredly as they ate. The smell of food cooking made my stomach start to rumble, but I ignored it. I wondered if the people in the outside world were supposed to be so strange- especially when Brock finished making… pancakes? The heck? So weird. He pulled out some syrup and offered me some of the food, even letting our pōkemon eat it too.

Maybe… Maybe I'm what's not right about this place.

Perhaps everyone else is normal. I'm the strange one.

Wallace watched as his four-year-old niece played with her stuffed Altaria doll. She really was so adorable; he had no doubt that once she was older she would make an excellent trainer, maybe even a contest star. She certainly inherited his love for beautiful things. Perhaps that was why she had such an interest in his good friend Steven. Whenever he would visit she would attach herself to his leg, trying to convince him to have a tea party with her, and the man wouldn't have the chance to decline before he was being dragged away. Wallace always found it so amusing- no one could say no to his niece. Lisia was just too sweet.

A good show of this was when Wallace temporarily went into the kitchen to make something to drink and returned, the girl bounding over with a letter in her hands. He had thought he heard the door open earlier, but he hadn't paid much attention to it. "What is it?"

"It's from Steven!" The little girl exclaimed, beaming. "Think there are stones in it!? He's always sending you pretty rocks! I want one!"

Judging from the size of the letter, Wallace highly doubted it. He offered a small smile, grabbing a letter opener from a drawer in the coffee table, and slicing it open. "We can ask. Now what does this… oh." He frowned, expression growing grim as he read what was written. "I see."

"What is it?" She climbed onto the couch beside him, hugging her Altaria doll to her chest, leaning against him and struggling to read all the big words that were written. "Team… Rocket… busy… uh…"

"It's nothing you need to be concerned about, Lisia." He told her, hurriedly folding the letter up. "I'm going to go find Winona; she needs to hear of this."

"Your girlfriend?" Wallace paused, face turning a light pink, before he cleared his throat.

"W-We're not… I mean, she hasn't agreed yet to…"

Lisia pouted. "Why hasn't she said yes!? You're amazing!"

"It's… complicated. She wanted time to think about it."

"What's to think about?" Lisia asked, tilting her head curiously. She just didn't understand why someone wouldn't want to date her uncle. He was always so nice! He let her play with his pōkemon and he would have tea parties with her, and he would play dress up with her, and he'd even bring her to pōkemon contests so she could watch the cute pōkemon look even cuter! "You're amazing, Uncle Wallace!"

The man gave an small smile, expression softening as he reached over and ruffled her hair. Lisia whined, letting out a small complaint about how he was messing up her style, and he left to head into the patio outside. He unfolded the letter again, rereading it, and sighed heavily. Steven was supposed to have given up on all of this, but it was clear that was not the case. His passion was like a fierce wave, powerful and unassuming. If he was left to his own devices he would grow into a tidal wave, enveloping all those that would dare stand in his way.

If Team Rocket really were on the move again… especially in Hoenn…

Steven was going to stop at nothing to put an end to them. And as his friend… Wallace might have no choice but to assist him. Picking up a pen, the man hunted down a piece of paper and began to write back, informing him not to behave too rashly and wait. If he was going to go after them, Wallace was going to get him some help. Two gym-leaders and the one most likely to be the new champion? Team Rocket won't stand a chance.

Lisia watched from the doorway in worry, wondering what was making her uncle wear such a heartbreaking expression.

The next morning came by anxiously. I was awake far before Brock was, pacing the area and feeding my pōkemon a couple more candies and bread slices for breakfast, and Ansem sat on my head whilst I carried Belladonna. We were so close to the mountain; I can't believe this was actually happening. Just a little bit more and then… and then…

Ooookay, calm down. Deep breaths. We can do this. Rich and Velga were just up ahead, alive. They had survived the explosion and were committing crimes like they normally do, and… frick. What if I freeze up? I'm so scared. I remained strong for as long as I could, but now that I'm face-to-face with the reality that I would have to go against them for the first time in years... in forever… I… no. No, it'll be fine.

I'm… not how I was. I can do this.

My gaze shifted over to Brock, seeing how he was still sleeping, and wondered if I should just leave him here. He had pōkemon so he would be safe and he clearly knew how to cook, and had ingredients to do so, so he should survive just fine. He was originally a gym leader, after all, but fighting pōkemon compared to fighting people is… something different. I don't think he'd stand a chance against Rich and Velga. They were terrifying.

"Nnn… hmmm?" Brock mumbled and furrowed his brows, groggily sitting up as he awoke. I scowled and quickly turned away, annoyed. So much for that plan. Hmph. "Oh, you're already up? Guess I should…" He yawned, rubbing at his eyes. "...make breakfast. Eggs sound good?"

"...You don't have to."

"It's fine." He waved me off, reaching into his backpack and getting ready to brush his teeth. Once he was done, he sprayed the saliva and paste out near the end of the campsite all over- avoiding leaving it in one big glop so random animals and/or pōkemon wouldn't be tempted to eat it and get sick. I had done the same earlier; it's what I've been doing since I started travelling, but it was still gross to watch someone else do it. People are gross. He stood and stretched, and quickly started to get to work cooking. "Dada da~ nothing like a healthy breakfast to start the day! Anything special you want on it, Grunt? We've got some celery, carrots, and cheese that I've been keeping in this insulated cooler lunchbox!"

...I'm beginning to think that Brock's backpack is an endless void, because there's no way everything he has can fit in there. I narrowed my eyes at it, suspicious of its contents and the fabric it was made out of, as it just seemed to stretch with everything stuck inside. It was illogical. Granted if pōkemon could be made to be transported into tiny little pōkeballs, I suppose it made sense for technology to reach a height where you could fit practically anything into a backpack.

It's still weird, though. At least to me.

Utterly silent, I made my way over to where he was and sat down, resting Belladonna in my lap and watching as the eggs heated up and began to cook. "I can't taste, so it doesn't matter."

"...What?" His eyebrows raised and he whirled his head around to look at me, alarmed. "What do you mean you can't taste?"

"It means what it means." I was getting really tired fo explaining myself to everyone. "I can't taste. Everything is the same. One time I thought I could taste something, but… it became bland again. Food is just food. There's no flavor. Only texture."

Brock frowned deeply at that. "Well, that's no good. Do I need to keep cooking until you do taste something?" I shook my head. "Then what? Is there a reason you can't taste or were you just born without working tastebuds? Is that a thing? I'm actually not sure if that's a thing or not."

"That's…" I had no idea. I paused, a sigh escaping when I decided it would be best if I tried to explain. There was no point in hiding it anyway, especially if we were going to be travelling together for a while. I didn't like, but that was life. It threw things you hated right at you. You just had to adapt to it. "When I was little I could still eat things and taste them," I said softly, voice going quiet, "but over time it just… stopped. It all started to taste the same. It's weird." There wasn't really any explanation for it. I questioned myself about it at first, but it just became what it was. It was just how I was. Another weird thing about me, proving only more so about how abnormal I am compared to other people. I lowered my gaze, rubbing my fingers gently against Belladonna's leaves as she held my hands. Her big eyes were staring right into mine. "I'm not sure what caused it."

"Hmm." Brock hummed to himself, scrambling the eggs with the spatula he was using. "I see. It could be more of a psychological problem then. But… I'm not sure how I can help. The only thing I can suggest is trying to enjoy the food you're eating, even if it doesn't taste pleasant."

"Been there, done that." I scowled. Ansem barked, growling a little when he sensed my negative emotions, but he didn't pull away or jump down from my head. He narrowed his eyes at Brock, as if believing he was the one causing my distress. In a way… he was. I didn't want him here with me and I didn't want to be having this conversation. I just wanted to continue to Mt. Moon unperturbed. We were wasting time. "You just… wouldn't understand."

"Then help me understand." He said, dishing some of the eggs into a bowl. He held it out to me, startling me, and I stared at him in shock. He was frowning deeply, completely serious. "You need to tell me what's wrong, what these people you're after are like. What about them is so bad- why are you the one going after them? How come you don't want to get the police involved?"

"I-I will be getting the police involved!" I defended, alarmed. Confrontation was not something I was good at. "It's just… going to be later. In Hoenn."

"Why there? Why not here?"

"B-Because…! There's… reasons."

"What reasons?"

Ugh, he's making this so difficult! I huffed, hands twitching as frustration began to rise up. I released Belladonna and moved away from her, lifting a reluctant Eeeve off from atop my head. He barked at me, clearly not wanting to be set down, but I ignored him and placed him on the ground. I stood. "It doesn't matter, okay!?" I snapped, spinning on my heel. Brock set the bowl of eggs on the ground, scooting them towards my pōkemon. "It doesn't… It doesn't concern you."

It doesn't. There's no reason to get him mixed in with this mess. He's better of not knowing. He's safe. I only told Oak what happened because of the situation at hand- having been as badly injured as I was, he could have sent me far away somewhere. I'm not even sure if I was in my right mind when I was telling what happened, because I don't think I would have otherwise. I was just a mess of emotions then. Now I…

I'm trying to get better at showing my emotions, but it's still so hard. And I don't want to get other people wrapped up with Team Rocket. It's dangerous. Deadly, even. I began to walk off, moving away from the campsite and hiding nearby against a tree. I pulled my knees up to my chest, fingers buried in my hair, face buried into my arms.

I really can't do this…

People are just so difficult.

Why am I even here?

What reason do I exist for? What's my purpose? Why was I found all those years ago and forced into such a terrible environment? I don't understand. Do I even have a reason for existing? I'm at such a loss, I can't… I don't know how to go on. What will I even do once I find Rich and Velga? Challenge them to a battle? Ha. Pathetic. I took a deep, shaky breath, lowering my hands and having my legs collapse onto their sides. I sniffled, reaching into my pocket and pulling out the chipped dawn stone. I stared at it, gazing into its icy blue depths, wondering from the very bottom of my heart, praying for some kind of answer-

Do you even still remember me?

Just what was his name? I forgot it over time, but… it had to be there somewhere in my memory. Even just a letter would be fine. Anything. I cradled the stone close to my chest, closing my eyes and bowing my head, pretending the footsteps that approached weren't there. I didn't care anymore about what was around me; I barely even cared about myself. All I wanted was for Adrien to be safe, for the pōkemon to be saved. For me to… meet that person again.

What did your name start with…? Please, please… don't leave me alone.

I'm so tired of being alone. Being scared. I want your hand to hold again.

A hand rested on my shoulder and I choked, eyes squeezing shut as my breathing hitched in my throat. Brock knelt down in front of me, a solemn expression on his face, the older teen not saying a word. He leaned forward, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and pulling me into his chest, bringing me into a tight hug. "It's going to be okay." He said. "What happened, whatever is going to happen… it's okay. We're with you."

Warm… so warm…

I began to shake, head pounding and chest squeezing so tight it felt like someone had my heart wrapped in a vice. It hurt so much. I wasn't sure how to describe it, but something that was locked up inside me seemed to snap, breaking apart as I started to sob, hiccups wracking through my body painfully as I wheezed and sniffled and coughed, clinging onto the stone with all my might as I leaned into the embrace. Brock rested his head against mine, rubbing circles against my back comfortably. "I've got you… I'm here. It's okay. Just let it all out…"

Why? Why did things have to end up this way!?

I don't even… I don't even know what it is I'm supposed to actually do anymore. No one is barking orders, telling me what to do; not having someone to rely on for a purpose is… is frustrating. All this time I've clung to that stranger, that boy I met once, and the promise we made in hopes of a better life, plotting for years my eventual escape, but it all fell apart in the end. I'm trapped here in Kanto. I screwed up.

What if I can't even protect my pōkemon?

What if… when I meet Rich and Velga… I walk right back into their grasp?

I'm scared. I'm so scared. I don't want to go back to that.

I don't want to be a mindless puppet again.

The sound of Ansem barking snapped me out of my panic and I inhaled sharply, turning my head and opened my eyes, blurry vision struggling to focus on the Eevee. He and Belladonna bounded over, staring at me, concern in their eyes, and another wave of emotions washed over me. It was suffocating me, choking me, heart feeling ready to give out from the pressure. I can't… lose them, too. I have to protect them. "I-I'm sorry…"

Brock loosened his grip and I pulled away, reaching out towards my pōkemon. They moved over and I leaned down, wrapping my arms around them and continuing to cry, apologizing in a weak voice.

"I-I'm so sorry…"

"Evaa?"

"Weepin…"

"I-I won't let them take you. We won't… We won't go with them!'

"That's right." I startled at the voice, turning in confusion to see Brock smiling at us. "I don't know who or what we're going against, but they're not going to get your pōkemon. They're not going to get you. I bet you anything that the two of us with our pōkemon combined are stronger than them. It's going to be okay."

"Y-yeah…"

That's right. It… It is going to be okay. I got this. We got this. I nodded at his words, trying to convince myself that they were the truth. I had to. I pulled away from my pōkemon and brought my hands up, rubbing at my face with my sleeves to wipe away the tears, sniffling and inhaling shakily. We were so close; I can't give up now. Just… stay calm.

I opened my palm and stared at the stone, then lifted it up and pressed it to my lips.

Good luck. That was a sign of good luck, right? Or- praying for it anyway.

Please, if you're still out there… if you still remember me… grant me some of your strength. I need to make it through this with everyone still beside me. I'm not alone anymore, so please… help me just a little. I beg of you. I carefully tucked the stone back in my pocket, swallowing the lump in my throat, and faced Brock. "Y-You said… You said breakfast was ready?"

His eyebrows shot up and he stood, alarmed. "Oh no! I left the eggs on the skillet!"

Um, alrighty then. I watched as he dashed back over to the campsite, scooping up the burned meal and making a face. With Belladonna and Ansem beside me, I slowly made my way back to the campfire and sat down, staring. "I can eat that…"

"No way." He scowled, pouring the burnt meal into some tupperware. "It's completely scorched. I'll just throw it away at the next town. I can just cook some new ones."

He ignored my protesting and went on to crack some more eggs, scrambling them up until they were ready to be cooked and later served. After eating our shares we packed up the camp and prepared to move out. It took about three hours, but between battling strangers and being chased by wild pōkemon who were itching for a fight we finally made it to Mt. Moon. I was shaking, holding Belladonna like she was a lifeline, Ansem pawing at my face from atop my head. We were actually here.

I wanted to tell Brock to stay outside where it was undoubtedly safer, but I found that I was unable. If push came to shove, he was going to have to snap me out of whatever trance I end up in once I meet up with Rich and Velga. He and my pōkemon are going to be the only things to keep me from falling right back into Team Rocket's grasp. They were my anchor.

Until… I can get to Hoenn.

Just breathe…

We can do this. It's not just me anymore. I have… people worrying about me; Professor Oak, Yuna, Blue. Ansem, Belladonna. Adrien, Brock. I have to remain strong- for their sakes. We've trained and practices and even got our first gym badge; we're more than capable of taking on two Team Rocket members. I gazed into the darkness of the cave entrance, trying to build up the courage. All I had to do was go in. Nothing more, nothing less.

So why did each step feel like I was trudging through mud?

"Eva?" Ansem pawed at my leg, frowning when he saw my expression. "Vaaa! Veeva!"

"It's… fine."

It really wasn't. I was far from ready for this. I was just pretending. But… it was now or never. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to move forward and head up the rocky slope. Heading into the dark cavern with Brock behind me, my trusted pōkemon at my side, I waited a few moments for my vision to adjust to the black that was the inside. It truly was hard to see, eerily so, and I found myself growing even more nervous. This was actually happening.

Ansem mewed and Belladonna jumped, leaping into my arms, and I held her tightly. My hands and legs were shaking. Suddenly there was a blast of light and I jumped, whirling around with wide eyes to see Brock standing there with a flashlight.

"It's easier to see this way, isn't it?"

Y-Yeah…

Why on earth did that scare me so badly? It was just a light. Stay calm, just breathe. Shut down the emotions; we don't have any use for them. Not now. "W… We need to go this way." I forced out, expression struggling to remain blank as I made myself move. Brock followed behind in confusion, watching me with a weird look on his face. He looked worried, but there's no need to be worried. I was fine. Why even bother being concerned about me? There's nothing to gain from it. "T-Team Rocket is…"

"Wait, that's who we're after!?" He exclaimed, very much alarmed. "The dangerous people you were talking about… are part of Team Rocket!?"

"...Yes."

Brock went silent, contemplating this, not asking me any more questions. I found myself becoming grateful for that, not in the right mind or mood to handle any interrogation about my connection to them. "Alright. If… that's the case then we should be doubly on guard. I don't know much about them other than that they're an incredibly powerful and dangerous organization. According to some, not even the police have been able to take them down yet. Their hideouts are hidden all throughout the Kanto and Hoenn regions, so nobody has been able to track them!"

That was when it hit him. The realization.

"Hoenn…" Brock came to a halt, eyebrows furrowing as he stared down at me. "Did something happen there? Is that why you're so intent on going back? On stopping Team Rocket?"

My shoulders tensed and I hesitated, which was apparently all the boy needed to figure things out. He didn't completely understand, how could he, but he at least knew from basic deduction and reasoning that something must have happened in the other region that led to me hunting them down here. Brock softened his expression, looking almost sad.

"Grunt…"

I hate this. I don't want to do this. I shook my head, squeezing my eyes shut, clinging to Belladonna who wrapped her leafy arms around me. I wasn't ready for this. My voice was quiet, trembling as I spoke, chin lowered and hair hiding my face from view. "I just… I just want to get this over with, o-okay? So just… leave it alone."

He nodded at me. Brock stepped forward, walking at my side and matching my pace. "Alright, but… just remember; you're not in this alone. Ansem, Belladonna, Geodude, Onix, and I are in this with you. You have us to rely on. Team Rocket won't get their way."

I know that. I… I know that…

I know that I know that, so why… is it still so hard to believe?

Breathing deeply, I took another step forward. And another. And another. Ansem threatened any wild pōkemon that tried to come near us. Eventually we located a ladder and climbed down it, heading deeper into the cave, and were eventually found by some trainers. Battling helped to ease my nerves some, though it did little to help me feel more prepared. Brock remained silent, only speaking up when he saw a pretty female trainer, and later commented on how I seemed to be pushing myself too hard. I ignored him.

He knew nothing about me. And how could he when I barely even knew myself?

"Where the hell are they!?"

I almost stumbled upon hearing the voice, having not been expecting it so soon. The female cursing loudly only grew angrier and, after shooting an arm out instinctively to stop Brock from moving any farther, I cautiously moved forward- crouching down to keep myself hidden from view. I waved at him, hissing quietly for him to turn off the flashlight. Brock did so, concerned, and watched as I peered over the corner.

"Don't ask me, wench!" Rich snapped back, tossing a shovel irritably onto the ground. "You're the one who said those dark-looking rocks were fossils! I'm just doing my job!"

"Doing your job- bah! Lies." Velga huffed and flicked some of her hair over her shoulder, green eyes irritable. "You don't even care anymore about work, do you? I'm telling you that girl isn't worth it! She's utterly useless! What happened to being fixated on pleasing the boss?"

"Bringing Grunt back will please him!" He scowled, stepping forward and raising a fist in the air. Brock's eyebrows raised and he turned his head, staring at me. The boy recognized that title. "You'll see! She was brain-washed, remember? When we find her we'll fix whatever it was that pōkemon did to her and everything will be back to how it was! The boss will have an amazing employee working for him!"

Velga clicked her tongue against her teeth, unimpressed and in disagreement with her coworker. "As if. You're more foolish than I thought."

Heart beating so loudly in my chest I was fearful they would hear it, I forced myself to pull away back into hiding, fingers digging into my shirt. I couldn't breathe. Sweat beaded against my skin, clothes sticking to my back and arms, hair clinging to my face. This cave was so cold, but I was burning up; the entire world was threatening to spin. I've never felt more nervous- more scared- even when I was at the wrath of a certain group leader.

"This is all your fault! If you weren't singing praises about that brat… urgh! I'd rather be robbing a bank than doing this stupid errand!"

"Oi! Stop trying to turn this on me! You tryin' to start a fight? The boss asked to see her, so we brought her. This is on you, too!"

Listening to them talk, hearing their voices, watching them argue and committing crimes… it should be normal. I shouldn't be afraid of it. Brock reached a hand out, pausing just before resting it on my shoulder. "Hey, it's gonna be okay…"

"Blah, blah, blah." Velga mocked, huffing. "I hate you so much…"

My brain hurt so much it felt like it was turning to mush; memories of hate and anger and obedience flashing through, as if on a record playing in front of me. I was breathing so heavily I'm amazed the two bickering couldn't hear it. My skull was pounding and the world around me seemed to be getting darker and darker, blurring and spinning. I couldn't even think- not really. I didn't even really register the hand on my shoulder or the words Brock was speaking to me- the teen trying to comfort me as if I were one of his many younger siblings. He didn't know anything about my situation, but he was still kind enough to stand with me, to go with me even after finding out who my enemies were.

It made no sense. Yet he was here.

Brock was supporting me, a stranger, despite the danger. Was it simply because I was his guide through the region, keeping him safe during travels, or because he was truly that nice? Was it for the same reason Professor Oak and Yuna took me in, why they helped me despite knowing what happened? Why Blue went out of his way to check up on me because he and the others were worried? Why Nurse Joy and that boy, all those years again, saved me?

Was the dark world I lived in for so long… truly so different from the outside? The reason I seemed to strange and abnormal compared to the others, finding trust so hard to obtain, because of the life I was forced to live? If I grew up outside like Brock, like Blue, like Yuna's little girl, would I be as kind and gentle as them? So willing to lend a hand, no matter the person?

A part of me hoped.

But I was here… trembling. Memories suffocating. The fear of solitude and obedience too much to withstand. "Something isn't right here…" Brock murmured, catching my attention and snapping me out of my thoughts long enough to try and calm down. The urge to panic was incredibly strong and at some point I had released Belladonna, teeth biting the back of my hand as I held my scarred knees close to my chest. Velga and Richard really were so close by. "The fossils are deeper down in the mountain… they won't find any up here."

Then… that means… what?

I-I have to focus… think. Breathe. What to do? Confront them here and now or…?

No. No, we need to get to the fossils first. They're buried somewhere in this cave, right?

Ah… haha. Haha ha… my shoulders began to shake, eyes starting to sting once more with the familiar sensation of tears, and I choked. Brock startled, alarmed. I bit down on the part of my palm attached to my thumb, sniffling and trying to swallow down the sob, dry laughter trying to break through. Seeing his expression out of the corner of my eyes I shook my head, limbs numb and stomach twisting grossly.

After all these years… without having even found the person I was looking for… I'm a cave searching for rocks. Stones with the bones of some kind of creature inside them, fossilized. They weren't any kind of evolution stones, but they were stones nonetheless. That boy would be having a field day, probably, if he were here. Finally managing to get that lump swallowed down, I pressed all my weight onto the wall and stood. Brock followed suit, Ansem letting out a quiet mew from the top of my head.

Belladonna jumped, waving her leaves in the air to try and get my attention, and I picked her up. I turned and looked at Brock, nodding at him, hoping he would get my message, and he frowned deeply. "Lead the way." He said. Oh thank gods. Okay. Let's do this. We can do this. I'm not alone.

I crouched down, Brock following suit, and with the flashlight still turned off I began to sneak my way past Richard and Velga, the two completely distracted by their bickering and the dark rocks buried in front of them within the dirt. They were observing them, cursing when they saw none of them were what they were searching for. A part of me felt a bitter satisfaction at seeing this, as it meant their plans went awry, but that just meant we were going to be confronting each other soon. If they went deeper in the mountain to get those fossils Brock mentioned, then…

No. We'll deal with that when it happens. Right now we need to focus- frick! Oh gods, okay, they turned away. We're good. Easy now, quiet… I walked on the balls of my feet as best as I could with the pair of sneakers on, Brock following behind and gesturing for Ansem not to make any noise. The pōkemon looked ready to leap off my head and charge at the Team Rocket members, always wanting to fight.

To my alarm, however, as we went deeper in the cave…

...we encountered Team Rocket grunts. The first one was a woman, who declared that little children shouldn't mess with grown ups, and pulled out a Zubat- a pōkemon that tried to give Ansem quite the beating and failed when he proceeded to jump up and bite at its wings, tearing at its flesh and breaking its flight. I flinched and cringed and tried not to freak out, but it got rather gruesome and the Team Rocket member ended up getting knocked out by Brock's Geodude- the boy summoning his pōkemon as soon as the battle started because of who my opponent was.

It was two against one; far from fair, but it was Team Rocket we were dealing with. I hated how grateful I felt towards him for backing me up. There were a couple from grunts, ones who were irritated that children were trying to get in their way and even more frustrated when we kept beating them up and/or knocking out their teammates, and when we got to what appeared to be the very bottom of the mountain cave there was a young man with dark blue hair wearing glasses, freaking out over moon stones and fossils.

We're so close…

If we can just protect the fossils, then-

"Hey, what do you think you're doing!? Stop right there!" What? I came to an abrupt halt, stunned when the man began to yell at us when he saw us approach. "I found these fossils! You better not be thinking of claiming them for yourself!"

"Uh, no…?" My eyebrows furrowed. "That's not what we were-"

"I won't let you! They're both mine! A child like you could never understand their worth!" He whipped out a pōkeball, glaring darkly at me, and I took a small step back. What was he getting so upset over? We weren't after- unless… the Team Rocket members we met along the way here were chasing him down the cave. Did Rich and Velga show up late? Probably. They often got distracted by their petty arguing. "Voltorb, go! Protect the fossils!"

"Want me to take 'em?" Brock asked, ready to summon forth one of his pōkemon again. "Thunder doesn't do too well against rock…"

I shook my head, features gradually growing blank as I faced the new opponent. "It's fine. Belladonna- you're up."

"Weepin!" She jumped out of my arms, hopping onto the ground. Her eyes narrowed and she waved her leafy arms at her foe, carefully observing him and showing no fear. The amount of faith she had in me was just as astounding as the people who helped and worried about me. "Weepinbell!"

"Thundershock, Voltorb!" The glasses-wearing man ordered, causing his pōkemon to light up. A glow surrounded the Voltorb, electricity flickering around his form and building up, before it erupted and shot towards Belladonna. She bravely took the hit, several vines shooting out of the ground to act as a momentary shield, absorbing the shock and transferring it into the ground. "Drats… pull back, pull back!"

"Vine whip!" I ordered, holding a hand out in a fashion I had often seen other people do during battles. "Knock him out!"

"Weepin…" The vines spread out, raising high in the air, before shooting towards the Voltorb. "...bell!"

"Voltooooorb!" The pōkemon protested, trying to shock his way out of his new prison when the vines wrapped around him, but it did nothing. The trainer yelped and barely jumped out of the way in time to avoid getting smacked with his own pōkemon when Belladonna slammed him into the nearby cave wall. "Volt…"

Oof. Yeah, ow. Okay. I felt that one. Maybe not be so violent next time, please?

I tried to clear my mind free of thoughts of the times when I had been beaten against a wall in such a similar fashion. "Sorry! Uh… anymore pōkemon?"

"Hmph." Voltorb returned to his pōkeball in a flash of red light. "Magnemite, go!"

Alright.

"Supersonic!"

Wait, what? I watched in alarm as a blast of violet and red energy shot out towards Belladonna, wrapping around her as it phased right through her vine shield. The girl jumped up-and-down, before stumbling and falling on her side. She glanced at her surroundings, gaze slightly misty, the pōkemon appeared confused. Aw, frick.

"O-Okay, Ansem, you're up!"

"EEEVAAA!"

He leapt off my head with a renowned vigor, more than ready to battle. His tail swished back and forth, hind legs tensing as he prepared to charge, teeth bared, red eyes bright and ready.

"VAAA! Veevaaa!"

Ansem dashed forward. The Magnemite tried to dodge, but his speed was nothing compared to my Eevee's and he had jumped up, paws latching onto its weird magnet body part and brought it down onto the ground. Before it could react Ansem kicked it hard- twice- and when he was done the pōkemon was completely unconscious. Jeez, how overleveled was he? It's not a bad thing, but like… two hits and Magnemite was done. Same with Voltorb.

Granted with the amount of battling it takes just to get to place-to-place because of all the annoying trainers that liked to fight whoever they locked eyes with… it really wasn't surprising. The man sniffled and pushed up his glasses, stepping back as he returned his remaining pōkemon back into its ball. "F-Fine, we can… we can both take a fossil… no use being greedy, right?"

What a pain. "I don't want a fossil."

The man jumped. Brock sighed heavily, shaking his head and crossing his arms. "Wh-What?"

"She was trying to tell you before, sir." The boy spoke up, explaining. "We were just making sure the fossils were safe. We wanted to protect them from the people who are here aiming to take them. They'll probably be here any minute, so you should really pack up your things, and the fossils, and go."

"O-Oh, that's… um." He blinked, looking away sheepishly and wiping some remainings tears off his face. "I-I see. That was… uh, nice of you."

Not really. I scowled, bringing a hand up and tugging at my braids, before moving to reach into my backpack to pull out some berries. That man's poor pōkemon seriously need a pick-me-up after that brutal defeat, and I had just the stuff to-

"Now what do you think you're doing?" A female voice called out, low and authoritative, a hint of a threat underlining her tone. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I froze, breath catching and heart nearly stopping. The burn on my right arm began to ache, throbbing painfully, almost stinging against the pressure of the garment I was forced to fear. "If you value you lives, you better drop those fossils and surrender your pōkemon."

Footsteps could be heard as a man stepped forward out of the shadows, yellow eyes glimmering maliciously. "She's right, you know. I don't know what a bunch of runts like you think you can do, but trust me; you ain't gonna last long against us. Prepare yourself!"

Slowly turning, I watched with horrified eyes as they began to move- spouting the very words I was made to memorize growing up. Velga crossed her arms over her chest, grinning wickedly down at us, sending shivers down my spine and causing the glasses-man behind us to stumble back in fright. Brock was alarmed, glancing at me and then up at the two adults facing us. "To infect the world with devastation!"

"To blight all people in every nation!"

"To denounce the goodness of truth and love-"

"-to extend our wrath to stars above!" Richard held a hand up, resting the other on his hip, expression as cold as could be, his smile nothing short of sadistic. "We are Team Rocket, circling the earth day and night! Richard!"

The woman placed a hand on her chest, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a haughty laugh. "Velga!"

"And," They finished in unison, pulling out a pōkeball each, "we will destroy you!"

"Arbok!"

"Nidorino!"

The two fairly large pōkemon appeared in a flash of red light and I took a hesitant step back, mildly dazed. This was… real. They were right here in front of me about to hurt me again. I faced their pōkemon before, but it was when I still had Belle beside me. Before he had been taken away. I've only ever faced Arbok since then and… I was fairly certain that snake now had a taste for my blood. He had bitten and poisoned me enough times at least. The way his dark eyes gazed at me… I think he recognized me.

I looked so different with my hair done up and wearing normal clothes, it was… astonishing. Rich and Velga didn't even realize who I was yet. "Those fossils and those pōkemon," Richard growled darkly, "give them to us!"

Nidorino stepped forward, snarling. Seeing the way Brock began to move forward I shot an arm out, breath stuck in my throat, not intent on having him getting stabbed and injected with toxin. That pōkemon was a violent one- quick to rush at you and fill you with a poison secreted from the horn on its head. Though I couldn't tell you which scar it was, there was one on my leg that came from him. Richard had never been too violent with me after he put me under his own personal training system, but he never went easy on me either when it came to toughening me up. He was still a bad person.

"N-No!" The adult behind us wailed, clinging to the fossils he found. "I-I won't! I spent forever trying to find them; they hold the remains of ancient pōkemon! I-I can't… you guys can't let them take them! Please!" He looked at me and Brock, tears welling up in his eyes. I almost didn't hear him over the sound of my heart ramming against my ribcage. "Y-You defeated me, so you have to protect me! My pōkemon can't fight anymore! I beg of you! I-I'll give you all the money you want after, just… save me and my fossils!"

"Well, Grunt?" Brock asked, looking at me with a deep frown. "What should we do? You wanted to come here…"

Richard jolted, eyes widening in alarm. "W-Wait, what? Grunt?"

Frick.

"What the fuck?" Ansem dashed out in front of me, barking protectively, while Richard stared blatantly at me and squinted his eyes. He smacked Velga on the shoulder and the woman glared at him, irritated. "That's her, isn't it? Looks a little like her… The hair is all wrong though…"

"She obviously went through a costume change, moron. Duh. You really think anyone would wear something that got all burnt up in an explosion?"

"But how do we know it's burnt up?" He asked, standing up and frowning. "Mewtwo saved her, didn't he? He was using her, after all…"

Okay, yeah. I can't do this. Panic is welling up inside of me, rising and growing like a fire, becoming hotter and less manageable with each passing second. They knew it was me now; there was no doubt about it. They were going to take me back. I was going to return to the headquarters and be locked up for the rest of my life, never to see the outside again. I was going to have to watch Adrien and the other little kids become monsters. Pōkemon- slaughtered and sold. Tortured.

"What the hell, Grunt!?" Richard finally settled on, stepping forward with a frown. "Why'd you go run off on us like that!? We know Mewtwo tricked you, so there was no need to disappear…"

He's getting closer. I-I can't… I can't do this, I can't…

My foot slid backward and I staggered, vision blurring and the people in front of me obtaining doubles. "Come on back, Grunt! The boss'll forgive you real easy if you just explain what happened; Mistress won't even punish you that bad! It's not like you betrayed us, right? Just come back to Team Rocket… that promotion is all lined up waiting for ya, remember?"

No… I don't want it…

Don't pull me back in.

Ansem barked louder and Belladonna began to join in, vines growing out of the ground and lashing out when the adult got too close for their liking. Brock reached into his pocket, pulling out a pōkeball, and the next thing I knew I was on the ground with a giant Onix blocking the way- separating the Team Rocket goons from us. "Not so fast!" The boy shouted, holding an arm out to the side. "You aren't getting any closer! I don't know what your past is with her, but I know one thing for certain and that's that she isn't going anywhere with you!"

"Shut up, brat!" Richard snapped. "This doesn't involve you! Nidorino, fury attack- now!"

"Nidoooo!" The pōkemon growled, charging. Upon Brock shouting some orders the Onix moved, blocking the hit to his face with his long tail, though still retaining some damage to its body as a result. Nidorino slashed at the Onix, scratching at its hard body, before being sent flying back when the rock-type pōkemon moved its tail forward. "Nidori!"

Richard looked alarmed. "Nidorino! Damn it… I'll kill you! Velga, melt him away with Arbok, now!"

"Don't tell me what to do, asshole!" She hissed. "Arbok, toxic!"

The pōkemon reeled its head back, coughing up something horrid, before spiting some dark liquid at Onix. The pōkemon tried to move out of the way, recognizing the action before it could truly happen, if only because of what Belladonna had done back in the gym with her own acid attack, but was too large. The area we were in was far too small for him to maneuver freely, unless, of course, Onix decided to dive into the ground itself. "Grooaaaaaaah!"

Onix let out a pained scream, his pained cries snapping me out of my shock and causing a burst of adrenaline to rush through me. I was reminded of my goal. My only purpose, if it could even be called that. "A-Ansem, take 'em down!"

"Eeevaaa!"

Ansem bolted for it, running as quickly as possible towards the offensive pōkemon, and lunged right at the Arbok. Arbok hissed and rattled his tone, opening his mouth up ready for a bite, but his fangs clasped around air as Ansem dodged, retaliating with his own bite as he sunk his fangs hard into Arbok's weird little cobra hood. The pōkemon thrashed, trying to get him to release it, but to no avail. I breathed heavily, stepping forward as sweat beaded down the sides of my face, heart palpitating so hard and fast I was scared it would stop. I was going against them. I… I was taking a stand.

"D-Double kick!"

"Vevaaa!" Ansem didn't remove his fangs, instead biting even harder and letting his legs fly loose- the Eevee pushing the bottom half of his body back into the air and hitting his hindlegs hard against the Arbok's face. Arbok roared, shaking violently back-and-forth, and Velga yelled curses and profanities at her pōkemon, calling it useless and threatening to send it to the lab back at base for punishment. A new wave of panic rushed at me upon hearing that, and I choked. "Va!"

"B-Bella, vine whip! The pōkeballs!"

"Weepin!" She jumped up and nodded as best as she could at me, swinging her arms out and shooting them out towards Velga's hands. Brock yelled an order at Onix, having him slam the Nidorino repeatedly with his tail, binding it up and squeezing it tight. Nidorino struggled, but was so beaten and worn it was close to fainting. I cringed, head shaking fervently and hands raising up to the sides of my head at the sight and sounds of violence. "Weepiiiiinbell!"

"Shit- Haunter, go!"

"I don't think so!" Brock snapped, throwing another pōkeball. "Geodude, tackle 'em!"

I can't breathe. I can't focus. My head- it hurts. My skull feels like its splitting; the screams of these pōkemon, the voices of Rich and Velga yelling at their pōkemon, at us, cursing… it was too much. Tears burned my eyes and my hands pressed against my ears, hopelessly trying to block out the sounds. "G… Get out…!" My voice was so quiet and shaking; there was nothing threatening about it. "Get out of here!"

"Grunt, what-!?" Richard was staring at me, stunned, before rage and disbelief took over his features. "You actually… You actually did betray us!? Weren't you just controlled!?"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Belladonna smacked at their hands with her vines, sending the pōkeballs flying, and Velga and Richard had to back up to avoid getting hit. Arbok collapsed against the ground and Ansem barked, growling at his defeated foe and glaring at the two humans, before focusing on Haunter and helping out Geodude who was currently losing the battle. "Just get out! G-Get out of here!"

"Damn you…" His voice trembled, rage slowly becoming pure and utter fury. Rich's yellow eyes almost became as acidic as the poison left on the ground, hatred and betrayal growing within him, rising to the surface and exploding. "You bitch!"

Without any concern for his own safety the man leapt forward, any ounce of determination to bring me back not replaced with murderous intent. My eyes went wide and my pōkemon turned their heads, distracted by the fear radiating off of me, emotions strong and readable by even those who weren't empaths, and Brock opened his mouth in a shout- calling out to me. Unfortunately, all were too far away to actually do anything; and as Richard leapt over the pools of acid and toxins his hand met my throat, fingers digging into my flesh and the male ramming my back hard against the ground. I struggled and kicked, clawing at his fingers and trying to get him to loosen his grip, but his other hand tangled into my hair and pulled at the tied-up strands, ramming my skull hard into the ground.

Any sounds that left me were garbled, nonsensical words that couldn't even really be heard.

"You were supposed to be different!" He shouted, pinning my thrashing legs down with his own, larger body easily overwhelming my smaller, frailer one. In the background Velga could be seen trying to hurt Brock, keeping him from getting over to help me, swinging her fists at him. The boy was doing surprisingly well on his own, blocking the blows directed at him and dodging easily. I gazed at them out of the corner of my eyes, vision blurring, dark spots dotting the scenery as oxygen failed to make it into my lungs. My eyes… they felt like they were going to pop right out of my skull. It hurt so much. My windpipe was going to be crushed. "I raised you! From the very beginning… you showed promise and I took you in! Despite what Mistress Augusta said! You were going to be the best! And yet…"

His grip, which had been loose enough to leave me aware of everything, tightened. I gasped, wheezing and choking, limbs slowly growing numb. He was waiting this out- torturing me. The first time he injured me with his own bare hands and… it was to kill me. There was no escape this time. I was done. Saliva dripped down my chin, tears so hot they felt like fire against my skin. I wasn't even sure I was hearing correctly anymore.

Richard suddenly let go. The pressure against my throat was gone and I hacked, rolling onto my side and spitting as I coughed, struggling to get air back into me. I thought what Mistress did with the sink was scary, the woman tormenting me with my fear of drowning and making it worse, but that… that was just as bad. It was as if I were drowning on land itself. I couldn't…

Oh gods…

Rich brought a hand up to his face, tears dripping down his face. He was… crying. Raising a shaky, tingly arm up, I wrapped my fingers around my bruised throat and continued to wheeze, staring at him unmoving despite every bit of my body screaming at me to get away. I needed to get away. But I couldn't. I was frozen. Scared and exhausted. I wouldn't get very far without collapsing. He looked at me, yellow eyes utterly heartbroken.

"...you ran away. Why, Grunt? After everything we did to make you great…"

"I…" Speaking hurt so much. It felt like needles were in my throat, every word making me cough again. The world around me spun and momentarily went black when I tried to sit up, but then I was hunched over with him beside me, his hands resting on my shoulders keeping me upright. "I never… wanted… to be great."

"Then… it was all a lie?"

I stared up at him, pained expression hardening into something cold. This person didn't care about me- not in the least. Whatever he was acting on, some sort of misguided affection he gained out of a desire for complete and utter control of me, was false. He only cared about himself. His goals. Richard only kept me away from the other recruits to impress the boss with something he made, a puppet he groomed. If he truly cared about me he would have let me die a long time ago; he would not have subjected me to such pain and torment. He would not be hurting me now.

"I only did… wh-what I… h-had to… in order to… to survive…"

There it was. That sadistic gleam in his gaze- the one I saw when we first met all those years ago. He had snapped, probably for good this time. Before I knew what happened he had grabbed me by the hair again, ramming my skull hard into the ground once more. That time, for certain, everything remained black. My last sight of anything was of Ansem barking loudly, Haunter covered in bite marks and passed out beside the other pōkemon, the Eevee running at Richard with hate in his eyes.

Hate…

That was… what I felt…

...yet somehow, deep down, there was also a bit of pity. What caused these people to become so twisted, to believe villainy was the only way? What made them think using people… hurting them… was their meaning in life? Why did Richard dare to look so heartbroken…

...when he was the one who made me this way?

Hopefully this makes sense. It's like four in the morning and I have work, so I'm posting it now before I get second thoughts. XD Poor Grunt, she just never gets a break. At least she has someone else to help her out now, supporting her in this big moment! I always figured Lisia and Wallace were like siblings or something, but apparently they're actually cousins? Huh. Also Wallace apparently dated Winona at some point, hence why they're so awkward with each other in the super morbid manga, so I figured I'd try to incorporate their relationship into here. Or, you know, hint at it for future things. Haha. I dunno. I'm super tired. Hoping Brock is still in character. Rich and Velga are jerks.

Read and Review! :3