Something was wrong.

Leaf couldn't quite be sure what it was, but something was definitely wrong. Weariness clung to his body as if rocks had been tied to each of his limbs, and it was a struggle just to keep his eyes open. He knew that now wasn't a proper time to sleep, but it was draining to try and stay alert at all times.

The darkness of the forest and the confusing paths had kept Leaf concerned that he might never find where Shadow had gone, but it was this same fear that kept him going, even when rest seemed more tempting, and the loud screeching in the distance made him shiver in fear.

The initial excitement at finding Shadow again had been short lived, for he soon noticed the bipedal Pokemon with blue fur, its body surrounded by an eerie black energy field. There was something incredibly unsettling about this Pokemon, and Leaf was quick to gather that Shadow did not want this Pokemon standing in his personal space.

That was why he had fired a Razor Leaf at the Riolu. His mind was still a bit sluggish from the earlier cold, and his head felt heavy, but there was still no doubt within his mind that this had been the correct thing to do in this situation. Shadow seemed hostile towards the other Pokemon, and even in his tired state, Leaf could tell that the Espeon was somewhat injured, and unable to fully protect himself from the other Pokemon.

There was a brief exchange of words with one of the other Pokemon present, and after a short pause, and a quick burst of light, the Riolu stepped away from Shadow, and towards Leaf instead. It was at this moment that Leaf noticed the eerie yellow eyes the other Pokemon possessed. A sudden jolt ran through the Leafeon's body, and his own gaze sharpened, dispelling a little bit of the sluggishness that had wormed its way into his mind.

Those eyes meant something...but Leaf couldn't fully recall their significance. His instinct was telling him to stay on guard, though. There was something familiar about those eyes...but the first association Leaf could make was that something was wrong.

"Picking a fight with me, little one?" the Riolu asked quietly. His voice was brimming with amusement, and although he spoke barely above a whisper, Leaf could hear every word clearly, as if he was speaking from directly beside him. "Come at me, then. I'd love to see what you've got."

Leaf didn't have to be told twice. He flicked his head, producing a pair of razor-edged leaves from each of his ears, and watched as they flew towards the opposing Pokemon. The Riolu smirked, and with an almost bored wave of his paw, he cast two small energy spheres that tore through Leaf's projectiles effortlessly. Another jolt of fear raced through the Leafeon, and he stepped backwards, momentarily taken aback by the response his attack had received.

Even when sparring with Shadow and Frost, neither of them ever countered his Razor Leaf technique so effortlessly. It was actually a little bit insulting, as if his opponent considered the battle to be a waste of time. Leaf knew he wasn't as strong as Frost, yet the Glaceon never treated him so rudely during their spars.

"Is that all?" the Riolu taunted. "Going to turn tail and run?"

Leaf growled in response, his tan fur bristling at the smug tone his opponent was using. The fatigue clinging to his body was definitely hurting his mood, but it wasn't doing anything for his battle abilities, either. But he didn't want to always leave the fighting to Shadow, or even to Frost. He had been working hard each day to improve his own abilities so that he could support his brother and help keep them both safe, but now it was starting to feel like all that effort wasn't getting him anywhere, if something as simple as being cold or being shrouded in darkness was such a fatal weakness.

"Leaf, don't push yourself like this," Shadow pleaded, his silver eyes shimmering with concern. "I know you mean well, but it's too-"

"I know that!" Leaf snapped back, his temper flaring up so suddenly that the Espeon flinched. He was tired of always having to listen to Shadow's lectures about staying safe. What good was being safe if he lost his brother in the process? Didn't Shadow understand him yet? That he didn't want to always sit back and leave the fighting to his older brother? Didn't he understand yet that Shadow meant everything to him? How could anyone be okay with sitting back and watching terrible things happen to their loved ones?

"Hohoho," the Riolu chortled, his eyes glittering wickedly. "Looks like your little brother has a rude tongue of his own, Shadow. It must run in the family."

"Stop talking to Shadow! You're fighting me!" Leaf grumbled, drawing the Riolu's attention back to him.

"Oh, how rude of me," the Riolu chuckled. "However, I note that you picked a fight with me, and have yet to pose even a remote threat, so forgive me for losing interest so quickly."

Leaf didn't have the mental energy to try to understand those words. He got the main point, either way. He flicked his head again, producing another pair of razor-edged leaves from his body and sending them towards the aura Pokemon. Once again, the Riolu countered his projectiles effortlessly, and to add insult to injury, rolled his eyes.

"I see how this was worth my attention now. Such an improvement over your last attack," the Riolu deadpanned. Leaf bristled again, and his gaze sharpened.

"Leaf, you're not in any shape to be fighting right now," Shadow insisted, forcing himself back to his feet, still wincing with every movement. "Let me take care of-"

"No! You're hurt, and I'm not!" Leaf retorted irritably.

"You're exhausted, and sunlight deprived!" Shadow argued, his black fur bristling to match Leaf's.

"That doesn't mean I should give up!" Leaf snapped back.

A sudden chill raced down Leaf's spine, and he glanced over his shoulder, seeing, with a pang of embarrassment, that Frost had arrived on the scene. The Glaceon's dark eyes swept the clearing, pausing on several details of interest, before narrowing at the sight of the yellow-eyed Riolu. The Ice Eeveelution's expression was uncomfortably serious as he next focused upon Leaf, yet he made no move to interfere.

"Ah, and so the last of your group has found his way here," the Riolu remarked, glancing towards the Glaceon. "Frost, if memory serves. The one who picked a fight with Lin back at the Ruins, yes?"

"And you must be Diablos," Frost retorted curtly. The Riolu blinked, but then smirked, letting that serve as the only answer needed. "Leaf, you can back off now. I can take over-"

"No!" Leaf snapped. The Glaceon blinked, and then raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "This is my fight! I want to fight him!"

"Do you even know who you're fighting?" Frost wondered incredulously. "It's like Shadow says, you're in no condition to-"

"Then give me sun!" Leaf retorted. Frost glanced towards Shadow, the two older Eons sharing a meaningful look. "I know it's dangerous, I know I'm not that strong, but I need to fight...I need to prove that I'm not helpless anymore. That I can help Shadow protect us. Please..."

There was a brief silence as Frost studied the Leafeon with a critical eye, but Leaf's gaze didn't waver. Finally, the Glaceon nodded slowly.

"I understand. Don't push yourself too far. Retreat if you get in danger, and I'll watch your back," Frost said sternly. Leaf just nodded solemnly, and the Glaceon closed his eyes in focus. Moments later, a small sphere of light appeared overhead, smaller than the usual sunlight spheres the Glaceon conjured for Leaf, but its warmth and light swept over the Leafeon's body with incredible potency.

"Oh? A Sunny Day sphere?" Diablos murmured, his yellow eyes glinting in amusement. The Leafeon's sprouts began to glow with a faint green glow, becoming rejuvenated before their eyes. The weariness that had been attached to the Leafeon like an iron chain seemed to lift free of him in an instant, and Leaf could feel the warmth and energy spreading through his body from the tip of his ears down to his toes.

Leaf didn't dare waste a second of this energy blessing, and he darted at Diablos, closing the gap so swiftly he seemed to have Teleported. The moment he was in range, his body took on a white glow and he plowed his weight into the Riolu. Diablos' reflexes were incredible, and he shifted his stance at the last moment, catching part of the Leafeon's weight and off-setting his momentum, but it was still enough to knock him over, the two Pokemon falling to the grass in a heap.

Leaf snapped his teeth at the Riolu's shoulder and arm, noticing the puncture wounds that were inflicted by a similar attack earlier. With energy now coursing through him, he was abruptly aware of hundreds of little details he hadn't noticed before. Weaknesses in his opponent's stance, in the injuries already inflicted, and even in the terrain. There were numerous sticks and rocks dotted about the small clearing, all of which could potentially trip up the aura Pokemon if he was forced onto them when balance mattered.

Diablos grunted, but with superhuman strength, managed to throw Leaf off him, the Leafeon landing on his feet with surprising grace. The Riolu's yellow eyes gleamed intensely, and for the first time since their little spar had begun, the aura Pokemon's mouth had curled into an enthusiastic grin, a far cry from his earlier expression of bored dismissiveness.

"It's a much different story when you're recharged, I see," Diablos whispered. Leaf didn't answer, instead launching a barrage of razor-sharp leaves from various sections of his body, the projectiles directed at the aura Pokemon's limbs, rather than his torso. Frost had been adamant about training both of the brothers in accuracy with their projectile attacks, and this was training that had massively paid off.

Diablos pivoted his body, tucking his arms close to his chest in order to avoid the pronged attack, and in that window, Leaf closed the distance between them again, moving as a green and tan blur. Without any hesitation, he plowed his shoulder into the Riolu's leg, knocking the aura Pokemon off-balance, and then he snapped his jaws around the opposite ankle. Diablos let out a yelp of pain, and when he raised his paw to retaliate, Leaf released his grip and struck at the unbalanced leg instead.

The Riolu stumbled, his injured leg catching on one of the branches littering the clearing, and he fell into a sitting position. Leaf growled, pouncing on the downed Riolu's chest and scratching viciously at his face. Just when he was about to jump out of range of retaliation, the Riolu produced a sphere of energy within his paw and punched the Leafeon squarely in the chest. The energy sphere detonated forcefully and hurled Leaf several feet backwards. Shadow gasped, but Leaf simply shook himself off and got back to his feet, growling at his opponent.

"How interesting. The sun does more than recharge you, doesn't it?" Diablos murmured, his eyes glinting. "Your agility is impressive, for one so young. But your tactics are still too crude. Too...unrefined."

"That's why I'm beating you," Leaf growled.

"Hardly. I'll admit you caught me by surprise, but only your speed, not your poor excuse for tactics. Such straightforward aggression is too primal to be effective for long. Or perhaps you didn't see how swiftly I bested your Absol friend before when she tried that nonsense against me."

Leaf's gaze flicked towards the unconscious Absol, and he growled again, more aggressively than before. His eyes sharpened until his gaze was more vicious and focused upon the Riolu.

The Leafeon charged again, shifting to the left and right occasionally to adjust his movement path, his body picking up speed as he came nearer. Diablos didn't wait for the attack to complete, instead kicking off the ground and flipping over the Leafeon acrobatically. Before even touching the ground, he had conjured another Aura Sphere within his paws and hurled it at Leaf. Despite being forced to end his charge early, Leaf rolled sideways, the sphere flying past his body harmlessly. Behind his back, the sphere changed direction mid-flight and came back around. Shadow attempted to shout a warning, but it came too late for Leaf to react, and he was thrown forwards onto his stomach from the impact. Pain shot through his body, but he climbed back up, wincing from the effort.

"Cheap trick," Leaf growled, but Diablos simply smirked in reply.

"I told you already, your tactics are too crude to work on me. My aura can predict your movements, and your aim is too direct. Your aggression is fueled by your emotions, but I commend you for not falling into the same trap as Shadow. You are not so dominated by impulse, but your drive is still too weak."

Leaf fired another small barrage of razor-edged leaves from his body, and Diablos clapped his paws together, detonating a small energy sphere between them. From where the sphere shattered, thin pulses of energy expanded outwards, ripping through several of Leaf's projectiles simultaneously, and enabling the Riolu to dodge the remainder with minimal effort. Leaf charged again, putting an even greater burst of speed into his movements. Rather than pounce right away, he strafed around his opponent and struck at the Riolu's back instead.

This time, his attack connected, and he sank his teeth into one of the Riolu's ears. Diablos hissed in pain, reaching up to seize the Leafeon by the neck, but Leaf leapt back to the ground, immediately throwing himself back onto the offensive by headbutting the Riolu in the stomach.

Diablos grunted, but then lashed out his foot, catching Leaf square in the muzzle. The young Leafeon yelped in pain and retreated a few paces, breathing heavily as he glared at the Riolu.

"It seems this is the best you can bring out on your own strength," the Riolu lamented, and his eyes glittered. "So, I shall provide you with a little more...look at me..."

Yellow eyes met soft brown, and Leaf blinked, promptly averting eye contact. There was an awkward pause, and Diablos cocked his head, perplexed.

"I said...Look at me."

Definitely a command now, but Leaf defiantly turned up his nose, refusing to hold eye contact.

"...how peculiar," Diablos mused, his voice scarcely above a whisper. "Your mind defies traditional methods of access. I receive no vibes from you at all. It's...elusive, much like..."

The aura Pokemon paused, absently twirling his paw as he searched for the perfect wording to describe the situation.

"Shining light through water?" Shadow suggested blandly. Diablos blinked, giving the Espeon a confused look, but then nodded.

"Yes...precisely. No matter...I merely hoped to get a glimpse of the darkness your heart may contain, but from the looks of it, you've got nothing to show."

"Darkness?" Shadow repeated, and he growled. "What the hell does that even mean?"

"Calm yourself, Shadow," Diablos replied dismissively. "Our time today is running short, so I suppose I can end on this note. The darkness that sleeps in every heart is the facet of oneself that they find most reprehensible, yet is tempting for what its power can enable you to accomplish. What one is willing to do for the sake of self-preservation, or the preservation of something they value even more...that is the nature of darkness. In battle is when one's darkness is most likely to emerge, for it is at that time one is pushed to their limits. Temptation is most alluring when the chips are down, so to speak."

"None of that makes any sense at all," Shadow growled. "Why are you targeting me? What do you want from me?"

The Riolu smirked widely. "Shadow, the darkness in your heart is very potent. Driven by what you have lost, your heart burns for vengeance, yet you struggle to find it within yourself to fully act on it. Righteous anger is useless against me, for the rage you fight with for the sake of those you've lost is empty without the satisfaction from your actions. You do not relish the pain you inflict with your power, and so you hold back, even when fighting in your own defense. Your emotions offer potent power, but you deny yourself pragmatic solutions. With one exception."

Shadow's body tensed, and his silver eyes narrowed with anger. "What are you talking about?"

Diablos smiled chillingly. "There is much you need to reflect on, and to spell it out for you now would cheapen your experience. I no longer wish to host my power within you, for by now you have enough information and awareness that your body and mind will reject my power. That's fine. There is other value I can find for your darkness, but I see no reason to obsess over a single project."

"Leave Shadow alone," Leaf growled, his fur bristling. "He's not a project, he's my brother."

The Riolu chuckled. "Spoken as naively as only a kit would. Manipulation to acquire what one desires is a natural occurrence in life, as you may one day learn. Your morality has not fully developed, so your heart is not conflicted enough for your darkness to be truly born."

"I don't care. I'll do my part and protect him, just like he's always protected me," Leaf growled.

There was a sudden burst of light, and the Kirlia reappeared in their midst. Her cheeks were flushed as if she had been running a marathon, and her pink eyes scanned the clearing with visible apprehension, only to breathe an immense sigh of relief.

"C-can we go now?" she asked nervously.

"Yes, I think now would be an appropriate time to depart," Diablos replied smoothly, stepping nearer to Iris. "Do you need a moment yet? I understand that Teleportation is rather taxing."

Iris gave a sheepish nod, but Diablos remained close by, doubtlessly so they could depart immediately once she was ready. Leaf scowled a little and stepped closer to the pair, clearly unwilling to just sit back and let them leave. Diablos swiftly produced a sphere of aura within his paw, brandishing it at Leaf threateningly.

"Don't even think of it," he sneered. "Your style is just primal aggression, untainted by the pathetic darkness your soul contains. I won't allow you to harm Iris, although I doubt you're pragmatic enough to even consider that option. When you attack, you must commit to the assault. Strike with the intent to draw blood, and to relish the pain and suffering you inflict. That is the only way your drive in its current state can be satisfied, isn't that right?"

The Riolu glanced inquisitively at the Kirlia, who had raised her paw to signal him. The instant that Diablos' attention shifted, the Leafeon smirked.

"Nah, it's cool if you die quickly," he stated pleasantly.

"Wha-?" Diablos jerked his head up, just in time for a blur of green to slash across his chest. Diablos' yellow eyes bulged in pain and horrified disbelief, and the Riolu staggered backwards with a strangled cry. A deep gash split open across the Riolu's chest, blood spilling profusely from the wound. If not for the streak of crimson decorating the Leafeon's tail, it might have been impossible to determine the origin of the strike.

The Riolu collapsed to his knees, his paw vainly struggling to stem the flow of blood.

Iris let out a scream, the most terrible sound that any of them had ever heard. A shriek of a dozen emotions, all mixed together into one awful wail that extended to the heavens, and echoed throughout the forest. She was at her mate's side in an instant, her pink eyes filling with tears as she frantically began to conjure sparkling white energy within her paws, pressing them desperately against the Riolu's chest in an attempt to seal the wounds with the healing energy.

Shadow and Frost could only stare in numb disbelief at the scene, whereas the Leafeon was utterly unfazed, still smirking a little as he observed Iris' efforts with a nonchalant expression.

"That makes all four of us now, doesn't it?" Leaf wondered aloud, his tone far, far too casual for the circumstances. His smirk widened, exposing a single fang. "I've been dying to do that ever since Lumina told me about that boast. Totally signed your own death warrant with that, you know."

"Im...poss...ible," Diablos coughed, blood spilling from his mouth, and he glared into the Leafeon's eyes. Then he froze, for the eyes gazing back at him were not the Leafeon's usual shade of brown, but a distinct golden-brown instead.

"I love to hear myself talk, too, but sheesh, your prattling and self-glorifying attitude makes Flake look modest as hell," the Leafeon continued nonchalantly, as if he were discussing something as simple and casual as the recent weather.

Diablos made a confused sputtering sound, and his eyes widened, before his eyes flickered, changing from yellow back to the Riolu's usual red. At the same time, a translucent green sphere rose up from the aura Pokemon's body and then splintered apart into tiny sparkles of light, each of which twinkled momentarily before disappearing, like a firework erupting in the night sky.

Iris uttered a choked sob and wail of frustration. Without another word, she clutched the Riolu's arm and the two vanished in a flash of white light.

There was a moment of stunned silence in the wake of their disappearance, and Frost slowly made his way over to the rest of the group. Meanwhile, Astrid was stirring, finally regaining consciousness.

"What the hell just happened?" Frost demanded, looking at Leaf warily. Shadow frowned, observing his brother with a similarly disconcerted expression. The Leafeon pivoted to face them, still smirking.

"Leaf Blade to the chest, looked super effective," he answered casually. "Now, I wouldn't normally pat myself on the back for that, but since I actually can, why not?"

Still grinning, the Leafeon extended a vine from one of the sprouts on his body, and manipulated it to literally pat himself on the back. His smirk widened at the dumbfounded expressions on the older Eons' faces, but said nothing further, almost relishing the stunned confusion on their faces.

"Shadow? What's with his eyes?" Frost asked the Espeon in a concerned undertone. The Leafeon's eyes were still that unsettling shade of golden-brown, different from Leaf's usual coloration, but definitely not Diablos' eerie yellow. At a glance, it simply appeared that something was off, but the Leafeon's demeanor of absolute confidence further served to illuminate the contrast from Leaf's normal behavior.

"I've seen that before," Shadow said slowly. This was at least partially true, although it had been such a brief moment back then, and this moment was lasting much longer, making the parallel even more obvious.

"Aww, he got blood on my tail, too," the Leafeon complained, inspecting the crimson stain on the leaf of his tail. "That's gonna be a nightmare to clean off." A thoughtful expression passed over his face, followed by a grin that practically spelled out where his thought process was heading. "Or a really good dream. Not sure yet."

"Yeah, I've definitely seen this before," Shadow deadpanned. His silver gaze flicked towards the Leafeon again. "Devine."

"Ooh, you remembered my name this time!" the Leafeon snickered, his blood-streaked tail flicking enthusiastically. "That's two you owe me now, Shadow. Couldn't just sit back and let him prattle on with his aggravating nonsense. One could say this was an act of...Devine Intervention."

The Leafeon grinned goofily, looking between Frost and Shadow as if expecting a specific reaction. When all he received was a blank look, his expression sobered.

"Screw you guys, that was hilarious."