The pair of Pokémon left the Midnight Cave behind as they breathed in the sunshine before the Machop spoke, rolling his muscles with visible pops coming as he snacked on a Oran Berry that Alexander provided. "That was a really fun exercise, thanks for giving me a real challenge, what with the bats and all that." Alexander raised a brow as he returned the comment.

"I wasn't in charge of the bat Pokémon, I came in there to find out what you were up to." The Machop nodded as neither knew where the attack party came from, all they did know is that they were actually ferrying small medallions of symbolled swirling darkness, but nothing that was solid as they pushed on. Alexander pulled out his map and looked it over with a frown. "I don't want to linger too far in the wildness, but I am not seeing any other village in the range of distance we can travel to until night falls over us." The Machop nodded as he looked at the map as well and took it in his hands before he spoke.

"Yeah, Seer's Peak is all the way on the other side of this mountain, isn't it?" Alexander nodded before a hand was extended out. "Intro for a bit, name's Maverick, I took on a new name as part of my rite into the clan, though I sort of destroyed my boat."

"Alexander." The Charmander shook the hand as the map was handed back. "Well, we will have to camp out under the stars for the time being, I don't see any way for us to sleep in safety." Maverick nodded before the Fighting-type Pokémon paused and he spoke about a small area to the west.

"What about this area right here?" Alexander looked and hummed as it was of a decent shape and size that it could be a village, but it was scrubbed out like it was an old or that his father must have erased some part of it to add the name, but didn't have time to jolt it down. Other than the mystery of that, Alexander nodded and Maverick smiled. "Alright, let's go!" The both of them dashed down the forest path to the location and Alexander found some part of him torn... but why did he feel like it now?

"This is...!" Alexander was taken back by the state of the village itself that they actually found, but more so from the sign that read out the title of it. He remembered when his father had often told him stories about his own journeys, he mentioned one that was held sacred by the villagers as it overlooked the cape named after the great Titan of the Ocean, the desolate trails and roads bathed in mist by Wingulls to both give the village its mystery and also hide the Ocean Titan, Kyogre, in the bellowing fog. "Isn't this Trove Town!?"

"Man, if I had known the state of this place, I wouldn't have suggested we went this way." Maverick grumbled as Alexander was still stuck on the fact that such a village still existed. "Come on, Alex, let's get..." Before the Machop could head back the way they came, Alexander gripped his wrist and stopped him short before he spoke with wonderment.

"Now, hold on, let's see what we can find first, besides, this place is better than sleeping out for the time being." Maverick sighed, but it was a amused tone as the duo wandered into the barren trails and Alexander took it all in to Maverick's surprise, detailing the type of structures that once stood there before they continued on to a massive building that was nestled in the overhang of the cliffside, built into the stone itself and Maverick looked worried before Alex smiled. "Don't worry about it, it is still standing, so let's use it for our sleeping place for the period of time." The Machop sighed a bit before the duo headed in and traveled through the building with Alexander's tail the only source of light. The way went darker before it lit up to the Charmander's fire and the rising moonlight as they continued on until they entered a small room where beds of straw and leaf littered the center and Alexander took a seat as he spoke. "Well, beside the disarray of the whole place, I'd say this is where we can call quits."

"Awesome, I am running rugged from the journey about." Alexander nodded to the comment as he took off his sachet and nestled in, the straw blazing a bit, but not enough to burn over to Maverick as both started to doze off, a wonderful idea before Maverick spoke again. "Hey, can you tell me what you know about this Trove Town?" Alex rolled back over to look at the Machop, laying on his back with head tilted to him and the Fire-Type took a breath before he answered.

"Trove Town is the 'rumored' resting place for the ancient Titan of the Oceans, Kyogre." Alex went into a lecture as he continued, facing the ceiling with his tail above him. "It was established when the Titan was wounded in a mortal battle with its bitter foe, resentment filling the being, but the souls that made this their home in that moment, tended to the Titan, whirlpools and tsunamis surging across the world before the Titan started to calm, the wounds patched up, and the Titan rested for the longest time. Before long, Kyogre left the village behind, but soon arrived back with a whole convoy of Pokémon on its back and the minor huts and trees turned to a sprawling village devoted to the Titan." Alex smiled as he continued. "Soon, Groudon learned of the village itself, wishing to destroy the safe haven of its foe, but it was stopped by the Sky Titan, Rayquaza, somehow the leader itself managed to convene that it was needed, some place for others to call home, the Continent Pokémon yielding without a fight, but not before causing the underground of the village to erupt in wealth and treasure, earning the name of Trove Town." A frown came to rest as Alex pressed on. "Sadly, the fall of Trove was never told, some believe that in recent years, the Guildmaster taxed all and stole all of the valuables of Trove while others believe that it was enveloped in darkness."

"Whoa, I didn't know that such a thing even happened." Alex just smiled as he stared to the earthen ground above.

"My dad was quite the explorer, he often told me stories on stories to show me something for the longest time."

"Talk about a cool Charizard of a dad, right?" The frown returned as Alexander turned his back to Maverick.

"My father is a Lucario, now go to sleep, please." Maverick, though wanting to hear more, yielded to the request and started to sleep as Alex felt his tears drip down. 'Yes, Bacchus is my dad, he is mine and the only friend in this world, the real one... he lost that right for the longest time, selfish prick...' With that, he slept as well into the night, to forget the scars and breath in the good of the world...

Alex was not sure when he stirred, but he did as he suddenly felt... someone else with them, his training from his foster father also enabled some aura-control with his blue flame, he sat up and sensed a large, older soul in the structure with them, the question was when before he answered his own question, they were slumbering and they didn't check further if anyone did live there as his feet slipped from under and started to push him up before he crept over to the Machop and shook him. "Maverick, we have an issue, get up..."

"Hmmm..." The Fighting-Type rolled over, ignoring Alex's warning as he mumbled. "Five more minutes... just five more..."

"Maverick..." Alex grimaced before he considered a act and decided on it. "...I would hate to do this, but I have no choice...!" Due to a Machop's hardened skin from training, Alexander couldn't very will scratch him awake as he readied a claw, but it was said that each Machop and their evolution have ONE weak point of all...
He lashed out his claw... straight into the armpit of his friend, briefly touching it, but it was enough as Maverick awoke, startled, and yelped in a jump, each Machop was ticklish in that specific area and it served as an early wake up, Alex also lashing out to catch him as he clasped him shut and hissed. "Quiet! We've got company!"

"Wha...!?" That reply was enough as both dashed for the largest amount of straw and bedding, hiding out as Alexander's tail went out as to not arouse suspicion from the soul that was coming, Maverick surprised by this, but remained quiet as they watched... as a Torterra stomped on in and peered over the bedding.

"Strange..." A gruff voice came from the Grass-Ground type Pokémon. "These beds were recently used, but I see no sign of them leaving past me or slipping through the window out." The stomps rumbled across the ground as Alex held his breath, both to keep himself quiet and also keep his flame inside so it didn't return to his tail and burn through the stack they were in, a technique for going through a watery-place with little risk of his life. "Still, they must have been neglectful, these packs will likely tell me what I require to know of their next plans..." Both silently watched as the titan thumped over and opened them up, looking over the number of things that the pair had brought with them, their hiding only punctured by the shuffle of things and objects of minor to no value, even the map was of no value as it didn't or wouldn't have anything to tell the Continent Pokémon where they could have gone. Still, they were at a loss as both found that they couldn't hold their breath for too long, even Alexander who was starting to go blue from the lack of taking a breath, his one-minute hold faltering, as their salvation came when a loud voice bellowed.

"Guildmaster, we would lik' some words with 'cha!" The large Pokémon sighed as he grumbled.

"Isn't it always something..." But he acknowledged as he turned about and headed up, the stomps echoing as both dove out and Alex breathed, slightly loudly as his flame reignited on its tip as he started.

"Next time, I am not holding my breath for that long...!" They scrambled to pluck the things up and stashed them back before they headed up, pausing as they heard a minor shuffle and slipped into what could have been the dining hall to a bad scene, the mighty Torterra restrained by a number of impish Sableye as a imposing figure of a Haunter floating over the powerful Pokémon, both slipping back as they listened.

"Now, O great and powerful Guildmaster Torterra, you will tell me WHY this village still has life in it after your 'former' apprentice ruined this town for us?"

"This place is my home, life must continue on without the involvement of others, I have accepted that and I have no reason to involve myself with many others that pass through this ruined place." The Haunter struck out, but the Pokémon held his ground as the Ghost-type round about with a sneer.

"Old fool, do you think us idiots, a pair of Pokémon were passing through this area, a Charmander and a Machop, I want to know where they are."

"I don't know, I am not seen any hide or hair of these 'two' that you are chasing. If you have nothing else to say, then you are allowed to leave, I will not hold you here any further." The Ghost-type gave it up as he floated out of there, the Sableye following suit as the duo crept quiet before the Torterra headed off, mumbling. "How long are they going to be harassing me about where I rest or stand. However, I must abide to their rules, it is the only way for me to ensure the safety of... her." With that, he headed off, likely heading back to his room while the duo came out and pondered.

"That sounds like a big note, if what they were talking about is related to the village's fall, then we have a chance." Alex mused as they turned to the board that was a old map of the surrounding area. "Maybe we can rebuild this town, make it a better place for everyone, but first, we should clear out the threat of those ghosts from this town."

"I... don't know where that was coming from..." Maverick voiced his thoughts with crossed arms. "Maybe, but shouldn't we be going elsewhere?"

"I... have a personal view on things." Alex answered as they looked over the map, he dropping the subject and Maverick just let it go as well as he spoke. "But, if I were to hazard a guess, those ghostly punks must be using Sweetdew Forest as their hideout, it was once peaceful, but now it is rumored to be haunted by the departed."

"Well..." Maverick smirked as he drew back and clashed his fists. "Let's give them a warm reception." The Fire-type nodded as the two headed out, Sweetdew their target...

Sweetdew Forest, nothing too special and it was actually once a pleasant place, said to have been host of hives and colonies of peaceful Bug and Grass-types, but now the places were abandoned and the Pokémon were severely hostile, the thought of the ghosts causing this crossed the pairs' minds as they dove deeper in, Alex's newly learned Ember making swift work of the Pokémon before they reached the end of the forest trial, where a great tree resided, but what once was lush and green in the steady branches and truck was not a far call to the dying grey of the bark, the leaves were dead with brown color, and the branches, perhaps a better point, were thin and bending before a voice spoke. "So the old fool had lied to us." From the tree emerged the Haunter with Sableye scaling down from the trees. "He will pay as soon as you two are dealt with."

"Sorry, but I am not invested in dying out before long." Maverick readied himself as Alex readied as well, the bag weighing heavy now on the ground and allowing the Fire-type to fight on the equal footing again. "Besides, the big guy doesn't know, and it won't hurt him to find out that we will drive your hostile ways out of this place."

"Wanna-be Explorers, how amusing..." The Haunter sneered as the Sableye surrounded before he called out. "Crush them! For the glory of the Dark!" The Ghost-types charged, but they were not a match for the pair which surprised them as Maverick struck with power and aim, blasting Sableyes back by the half dozen and the others were enveloped in Alex's fire, he needing no pause of breath like he trained himself to focus the shots and struck without tire. The Haunter howled in rage and joined the fight once two waves of Sableye fell to them, he a measure more powerful then the lackey grunts for his more ghostly nature compared to the dark and stony texture, but even he was outmatched as Alex made the score clear with an intense barrage of Ember once Maverick and he cornered him with attacks. They knocked the ghost out and that sent shock waves through the remaining minions who quickly took flight and ran as Maverick searched the defeated and fallen before he called out.

"Hey, take a look at this!" Alex turned from his own search to see Maverick holding a fresh medallion of that swirling darkness, adding to the piece on the belief that they were aiding or allied to the Zubats and Golbat that attacked them in the caves. "I think we have a possible guy..."

"Yes, but who and why send someone after us in the first place, we are not interfering with something greater... are we?" Neither had the answer, but it was still clear that they were on to something and that it needed to be figured out soon or later, depending on the chances. They headed back west, back to the town, planning to rest in one of the derelict houses or huts to keep out of that Torterra's scalp, returning back in the same amount of time that it took them, just a simple walk with a mile and back.

What they were not expecting or something or someone else speaking up. "Hey, what are you ground walkers doing...?" High in the trees were a trio of Mankey, hordes of other Pokémon cowering to the two new bloods. "Haven't you heard, that Haunter and his minions of Sableyes have claimed this place as their own, you need to leave before-"

"Took care of him." Maverick answered as Alex nodded as the Machop continued. "He was causing some problems around here and we wanted to clear him out, so we actually took him down, I don't know if that..." Anymore was lost when the Pokemon took flight into the forest and both flinched as it sounded like a lot of chaos going on before they glanced to each other. "We should probably keep going..."

"Agreed..." Alex answered as they hurried their way on to the village, no sighting of the Torterra roaming about before they took to one of the huts in the cliff face, out of the way and not likely to be noticed by the titan before Alex lit a fire in the shack and sat back down as the pair pondered to each other. "Well, this is our home now."

"Yeah, but I've been thinking..." Maverick spoke before he turned his head to Alex and asked. "Why were you wandering around before, I thought you wanted to keep going about the place?"

"Oh, that is because..." The Charmander peered up as the smoke plumed out through a small hole and lead out to the sea. "My initial plan was to wander, see what there is to be seen and what types of Pokemon I would be able to encounter, I wanted to search the world and help out where I actually could..." He lowered his head back down as he continued. "But this place... I don't really know why, but I have this gut feeling that maybe... I need to be here, make a change for this empty place, make a new home for others that seek refuge from the hardships of the world..." He hummed before turning to Maverick. "I was born the son of a chieftain, but... due to a certain... thing, I was exiled and I actually wandered to the coldest place I could find." He frowned as he stared at the flames. "I... dare I even say it, I wanted to die because... I felt that I was all alone in this world." Maverick frowned as well before he got up and walked over before hugging Alex as he spoke.

"Man, you sound like you got it rough." Alex briefly nodded as he held to his new friend before it stopped and Maverick sat back down, this time beside Alex. "I'm on this journey for exploring as a tradition, my family, friends, even rivals all went exploring the lands beyond the sea to see what we could find, where we are truly needed." He stared into the flames that popped and heated the hut. "I thought that I needed to be the strongest, be the very best fighter in all of the world to live up to their standards, but..."

"You are starting to doubt it...?"

"I want to help..." Maverick answered as he had a renewed resolve within his eyes. "I could prove I am stronger, but oppressing other Pokemon is not it, I want to be a symbol of strength, of will, and of courage to anyone that I meet, not some tyrant of strength... I want to be someone they can count on." He stopped when the flame on Alex's tail started to flicker. "Hey, are you...?" The orange flame started to change and it soon became that of blue to his surprise as Alex spoke, remorseful in his tone.

"If you want to run, now is the time, this... is my real flame, the flame I was born with, and the one I am cursed with."

"Whoa..." The surprise turned to amaze as Maverick bounced to his feet and smiled with pumped fists. "That is SO cool!" Alex was caught off-guard as Maverick beamed in glee. "You are so different than any normal Charmander, I have never heard of someone possessing an azure flame like that!"

"A-Azure...!?"

"Yeah, it's a radiant blue fire, it is so cool!" Maverick yawned before he crawled over to one of the beds and shifted it bit as he trailed off sleepily. "It... is so... amazing..." He fell asleep and Alex blinked before his tail moved to his front and he held it kindly before he hugged it.

"Someone else... someone else accepted me... I have a friend..." He chuckled a bit with a laugh as tears welled up in joy before he walked over to the other bed and settled in, keeping the flame up from the hay, but as the centerpiece faded out, only the azure flame remained to his drifting slumber. "Azure Flame... what a name for someone to have..." Tears falling with glad hope as they slept out of the way and waited for the next day...