Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon or its characters.

Author's Notes: Wow it sure took my time to finish this one... I guess I had (Have) a conflicted feeling about this chapter. I was having a lot of difficulties deciding on what to put here and what to take out, Still not sure if it is good, but oh well...

On another note, I will like to point out the name of this chapter. At the beginning of the month, one of the best musician I had ever know passed away and I wanted to make a little homage to him in the form of the tittle, using the name of one of his songs. Rest in peace Maestro André Matos, you will be missed...

For anyone that will go and listen to the song; Over your head - Shaman. I recommend listening to the live version that in my opinion is far better than the studio one. And for those who will look up the lyrics of this songs, I got something special for you... inside the lyrics are some hidden clues to a few very big spoilers about the future of this story. A fun little thing for those who like to find hidden things ;).

"You think he is under the primal's influence…" Norman gave a long thinking sigh, closing his eyes as he digested the information. "That makes him an even greater danger." He felt a piercing glare coming his way from the draconid young woman sitting in front of him. "Even for himself."

Despite the agitated and bad first exchange between the retired Gym Leader and the mouthful girl, Wally managed cool the nerves around them enough to bring both Norman and Zinnia back to his house, in a hopeful attempt to clarify everything. Now, the three of them find themselves on the young green-haired man' living room, sitting on a large blue tatami mat at the center of the room. Familiarized with this way of life, Norman and his pupil are properly sitting on their spot, legs crossed and backs straight; Zinnia on the other hand occasionally shifts around, changing position all the time.

From time to time, Wally kept glancing to the open window on his left wall. His mind wondering and worrying about the immense explosion of a few minutes ago. 'Is Hoenn falling apart?' He pondered with himself, almost ignoring the other two persons in his house.

"He is not… a danger." Zinnia said; a subtle hesitation apparent on her voice. "To anyone…"

Again, a little sigh escaped Norman, but now a gentler and understanding look showing on his features. "You're his girlfriend, isn't that right?" He said in complete honesty, which still managed to unsettle Zinnia a little. "To love and to be loved is a wonderful thing, truly is. Seeing someone so passionate holding my son dear in their heart gives nothing but relief. However…" The older trainer focused his gaze at her, looking directly at her eyes. The cold seriousness in his eyes, making the tanned girl feel a lump in her throat, a little scary feeling of what he may say to her now. "Brendan is my son and despite what you might think, no one knows him better than I know… After all, I saw him grow from a little energetic toddler to the young man he is today."

'It doesn't seem like that.' She echoed this though only inside her head, her lips trembling to say it, yet her mouth never opened up. 'If you were so close to him… why does he felt so alone?' She glared at him a bit more fiercely, biting her lips as to shut her mouth.

And despite her silence, Norman's eyebrow twitched as he noticed the uncomfortable look apparent on her face. "Distance is not ignorance nor is complacency. My son has chosen his path, a singular one. Neither his mother nor I could be with him on that path. That does not mean we abandoned him, forgot about him." Raising two fingers to his forehead, the old man rubbed away a light headache that was starting to take form. "Brendan is brave, but that also lends to his recklessness. He is smart, but also naive. He may be able to take on the whole world to defend what he believes in, and in that strength lies his biggest fault."

Zinnia felt distressed at the man sudden pause. She waited a few moments and yet he never continued, this making her own nerves go wry again. "Which is?" Her voice came out hispid, impatience.

"There is a balance in everything." Wally jumped in making her change her sights to him. He remained calm, eyes closed as he holds both arms crossed in front of his chest. "There is no such thing as pure good or pure evil. A weapon can be lethal regardless of which hand wields it." The young gym leader's words only served to confuse Zinnia even more. In her slight confusion, he darted her gaze back to Norman, who nodded in affirmation of what his pupil said.

"Brendan's strength is the weapon. Take it as the most powerful weapon." Norman placed his right hand, wide open, in front of him. "Yet he lacks control of his own emotions, to an extent... he always did." He shook his head softly, showing a bit of regret on his own part in this. Then, the older man raised his left hand, poising it right next to the other. "Zinnia, take your time and give me your answer to this: What happens when a weapon that powerful is held by shaken hands?"

"It falls?" She said with an uncertain voice, her left brow raised a bit.

A little chuckle came from Wally at her left side, but Norman just shook his head disapprovingly.

"Someone gets hurt." Norman said dryly. "Today it was Wally, tomorrow it may be you… or it may be Brendan himself." He pulled his arms back to his chest, crossing them in formal form. "Look, I may sound harsh and my words may upset you in some manner. But I only said this, because I care about my son." For a brief moment, Norman held his head low, considering his words carefully. "I placed my full trust on him and it was my mistake… I failed to realize the true weight of the burden he carries. He cannot carry that much alone, no one can."

"Then I will carry it with him." Zinnia blurted out almost instantly.

"Oh?" Norman eyed her curiously, considering her words with his full attention.

"These past days, no, weeks. I've seen Brendan get assaulted, hurt and even blamed for things he hasn't and would never do." Her eyes flared up with a bright determination. "I will share any burden with him, no matter the weight. Standing by his side and beating the hell of anyone that tries to harm him." With a side-glance, she threw a shady look at Wally, who shuffled a bit uncomfortable in his spot.

"Hm… Those are some heavy words." Norman looked up to her with a plain smile. "Are you willing to see them through? Zinnia, are you willing to go at such lengths for him?"

"Yes!" She jumped on her feet, a determined shout coming out of her. A faint red tint crept on her face, her eyes averting to the side just enough to not look directly at the man's eyes. "I love him..."

"Then, Brendan is lucky to have you in his life." A bright white smile appearing on Norman's lips. With a gracious movement, the older man raised from his spot just enough to free his legs and put his knees on the tatami. Bending his head slightly, he bowed to her in all respect. "I will leave my son under your care."

She smiled back, a gigged feeling overflowing her. With the apparent approval of her lover's father over their relationship, Zinnia got up on her feet and bowed back to him, sparing a simple little grin to poor Wally, who remains to fall under her good graces. "I will bring Brendan back, just leave it to me." With that said; she turned up and left the house, skipping her way to the sunny, peacefully sunny, Petalburg.

"Quite the character, huh?" Wally said with a cheeky little grin.

"A wild contrast if you compare to Brendan. A good balance if I may say." Norman humored his pupil to a short grin and then changed his expression back to its normal tone; moving his legs back to their previous position. "Now that she is gone." He looked at Wally with dead serious eyes, his voice becoming more demanding than ever before. "Care to tell me what really happened? And don't try to soothe anything out of it. Remember that I can't tell when you're lying."

"Ahh… Why did I know I was not out of the hook yet?" Wally chuckled again, now a more nervous one. He knows that even if his master is now much more composed and calm than he was a few minutes before, Wally still has a long way to go before satisfying the man's curiosity on the events of this morning. Sadly to the young trainer, he can't get away with just an 'I love him', as Zinnia did.

One last hurdle lies conquered on his way to his freedom and it has been little more than a few minutes since he has been awake… alive. A little dizzying feeling still lingering inside his head, as he casually glanced back to the cold waters of the calm sea; and this coldness remains on the surface of his skin, sending short little jolts up into his entire body.

"It is… so warm in here." He ran his left foot on the dry sand, digging a little hole with his innermost toe. The warm sensation bringing a coy little smile to his lips, he very much enjoys the feeling, the warmth of this place. A long, sincere, sigh came out of his mouth as he closed his eyes and casually sat down, his bareback laying against the rough surface. He frowned right after, a vigorous click of his tongue sounding out, as the wholesome of his enjoinment got soured by those pest little sand grains threatening to go up in his business right at the back.

"Sand can be quite intrusive, isn't it?" An unfamiliar deep voice came from behind, making the long-brown haired man turn suddenly and give to the friendly looking elder man, a piercing investigative glare. "They are getting up there, right?" He chuckled softly as he motioned in an obscene way with his little finger.

Blue and red locking down on the elder' figure, as the young man studied this newcomer with an intrigued curiosity. "I like it here more than in the water. Can't drown in here." He replied normally, running one hand down on the ground and grabbing a handful of the golden grains. "But it sticks and crawls onto you… Annoying." He hurled the sand out onto the water, scowling like an irritated child.

"Haha, I concur. Sand can be quite annoying." The older man, with the looks of a retired angler, sat down on the sand himself, although a few paces behind the youngster. "Luckily my clothes help in keeping most of it away…" He eyed the pale form of the young man, shaking his head on the strangeness of it all. "Say, what happened to your clothes?"

This simple question got to him. Brendan looked down to his own body, he noticed his chest bare for the sun' light to touch and his other parts completely in view for anyone to see. "I don't know…" He replied with a tilt of his head, his eyes focusing on nothing more than the going and coming of the waves, they clashing against the massive pillars of stone in the distance. "I remember… being attacked by a man… We fought, he pulled something out of me and then… I was there." He raised one arm and pointed at the ruined cave at the left. "Water everywhere almost drowned before getting out… Now, I am here; like this."

"That is quite freaky. I had my fair share of bad people in my time, but none kidnaped me and strapped me out of my silk…" Seeing no lies or deception on the odd-looking young man, this elder could not help himself but feel sympathy for this poor soul. "Did this man… do something to you?"

A humming sound came from Brendan, he scratched his nape and turned to look at the other man. "Did something? Like what?" He asked plainly, clearly not getting the undertone behind the elder's words.

With an uncomfortable cough, the grizzly man rubbed his left cheek with one finger, a faint little embarrassed tint showing on his face. "Well, you are naked as pearl out of its shell. Didn't this person... you know… touch you in some places?'

"Hm…" Pressing the tip of his right index finger on his lips, Brendan gave a long thought to the idea. His eyes blinking a few times as he seemingly reached a conclusion. "I guess he did, or someone did. I don't remember taking my clothes out." He stood up, much to the older man' surprise and even more embarrassment. With his long brown hair sticking on his back, wet after his little ordeal, he did a simple spin. "I feel fine though." A little innocent grin appeared on his face as he faced the other man again.

"If you're fine… that is all that matters now." Hesitant at first moment, the old man decided to share a bright and wide smile with his new acquaintance. "So, young naked friend. What's your name? Mine is Jhern by the way."

"Nice to meet you Jhern. My name is Brendan." In response, Brendan showed an even wider and brighter smile, the sincerity and beauty of his face practically overshadowing his treasures right in view.

Mesmerized and baffled by the simplicity of the youth, Jhern raised himself from his spot and nodded friendly. "Hm, nice to meet you too Brendan." The old man glanced to one side and then to the other, he scratched the back of his neck somewhat uncomfortable as he approached the naked man. "You know, young man, I can help you with your… predicament. Ah… if you don't mind, of course."

"I don't mind… but why?" Brendan's gaze focused at the man, the pure look in his eyes shifting to a more cold and calculating one. "Why are you helping me?"

"My ma taught me to help anyone in need and she taught me well." A simple little grin crossed Jhern lips. "And my Martha would kill me if she gets winds of me finding a naked kid in distress and leaving him to his woes."

Again, Brendan lowered his head for a moment, poising his finger on his lips again and pondering. "Then I appreciate your help, Jhern." He bowed slightly, showing genuine gratuity for this person' generosity.

"Bah, don't get too formal on me Brendan. Simple folk always help each other." Shooing away the embarrassment between then, the old man waved one hand motioning for the youngster to step closer. "Here, take this. We wouldn't want you waltzing in the city naked as a Machop." Jhern slid his arms out of his long red vest and tossed it to his new acquaintance. "Tie the sleeves on your waist; that should do the trick."

As the old man said, Brendan wrapped the long sleeves around his waist, and the vest cozily hides his frontal parts… but his butt is still naked as it was before.

"Eh… Close enough, I guess?" The man said with an unsure tone and Brendan just shrugged, clearly not minding the result. "Follow me. We will get you something that fits in my house." Jhern pointed to Lilycove and began to walk in the city' direction. The now almost naked youth, eyed the city on the background, ogling the buildings detail with a certain fixation in his gaze, then quickly dismissed them and paced after the old angler.

The sound of the front door creaking itself open caught the attention of the tired old lady. She closed her crochet magazine and placed it on the large wooden table in front of her, she then slowly slid out of her chair, her legs making low snapping sounds as she put the weight of her body onto them.

"Jhern, how did your strolling go?" She asked with a sweet voice. Even if her old husband has left the house for less than a day, her heart still flusters with the thought of monopolizing the old angler all to herself. To the woman' surprise, as she turned the corner of her living room, getting a view of the little entrance hallway, she saw her adored husband together with a dashing young man, wearing only the uniform vest of her husband, wrapping at the height of his waist.

"It was normal for the most part, but got somewhat unusual as I was getting back home." He pointed to his new friend, and smile. "Found a stray kid, haha." Jhern stepped aside and raised one arm toward his wife. "Brendan, this is my lovely wife Martha. Martha, this funny guy here is Brendan."

"Hi." Brendan waved his right hand, giving a simple grin in greeting.

"Hello there Brendan." She walked closer to the hall, stopping right next to her husband. "Oh… What happened to you, sweetie?"

"The sand!" His response came with unusual enthusiasm. "It was warm and cozy, but then it started to stick onto me." He turned around and showed his sandy butt to her. "Look! It is everywhere."

"Oh goodness me!" Martha went from pale white to complete red. Her eyes flashed down to his lower cheeks for only a moment and the image served to race the poor old woman' heart. She turned to the side, covering her face with both hands.

"Hey there! No flashing your butt to my wife." Jhern said in reprehension; however, he barely held the laughter in as Martha clung onto him, mortally embarrassed of the scene. "Love, as you can see. Our friend here is in dire need of clothing and he has the sense of shame of a little toddler."

"Well, that is a problem…" She carefully spread her fingers, clearing her view again. However, thankfully Brendan is back to his normal stance, staring curiously at her. "You have some old clothes to spare, don't you darling?"

"Think they will fit him?" Jhern looked back at Brendan and scratched his head. The youngest is clearly taller and more well built that he is or was even on his best days.

"Some have to fit. They loosen up with time, let me get some." She took four steps in the living room and then stopped, turning to look at them. "Let poor Brendan take a shower as I prepare something for him." With that said, Martha strolled over to a room at the back of the house.

"What you say?" Jhern asked with a raised brow.

"Shower?..." He asked a bit lost. Then a violent jolt ran inside Brendan's head. His eyes losing focus of the room around him and another one suddenly taking its place. He was not on Jhern's house anymore, instead, he was standing on his own living room, preparing to take a cold shower, because… because of someone… He can't picture it. The image of a woman of tanned skin and alluring red eyes flashed before him, making his heart beat faster and stronger.

"You okay there kid?" The old man eyed him worriedly.

"I… would like one. Thank you." The youth responded as if nothing had happened. Brendan rubbed one hand at his right cheek and frowned after feeling the sand again.

"Hahaha, you really don't like sand, huh? Anyway, follow me. The bathroom is just at the end of the hall."

"So you don't remember how you got here?" Martha asked, her eyes locking on Brendan's figure with a bit of sadness and pity on them. "Poor thing. That must have been terrifying. To almost drown after waking up."

"In truth, my head is all fuzzy right now…" Brendan tilted to the side. After taking his quick hot shower, he is now wearing the clothes the old couple so generously provided to him. A pair of purple long sweatpants and a navy blue long-sleeved shirt, with the words 'I love my wife' knitted right on the chest-height of it. "I remember who I am, and most of what I lived until now, but… Something is escaping me, I feel this urge to go out there and do something, yet I don't know what it is."

"Hm… this kidnapper person really hit you hard in your head." Jhern said. He is holding two fingers on his chin, thinking with his eyes closed. "But you do remember most things right? What about your family?"

"Yes! How couldn't I?" The brown-haired youth looked at Jhern somewhat offended by the question. "Father and Mother, both alive… but no brothers though." His shoulders deflated and his gaze went to the floor. "They're living in another region. I spend most of the days working or by myself."

"Oh, so you do have a job?" Martha asked simply. "Could you tell us?… I'm kind of curious, hehe." She is curious all right; curious in what kind of job this clueless person can perform.

"I don't mind." Brendan nodded at her, showing a short grin to the sweet old lady. "I am the Pokémon-"

"Ooii, Grandma, Grandpa! Are you two home?"

"We brought some sweets."

A pair of siblings barged inside the house, they nonchalantly walked into the living room, waving a cotton bag on their hands. The twins are; a teenage boy of short light-brown hair and sharp green eyes, he wears a cool set of dark blue clothes, with yellow flames at the tip of the sleeves. His sister is a girl of light-brown hair, cut short on the left side and somewhat long on the right one, she has the same eyes as her sibling and wears a very similar set as him with hers being a lot more feminine.

"Hey, you two. Why didn't you guys respond when we called?" The male twin looked over to his grandparents, placing one hand at his waist.

"Sorry Jin, we were so engrossed with our guest here, that we didn't notice you two coming in." Jhern said with a big grin, the man always loved his adorable kids' visits.

"Sheesh, what was that?" The girl skipped her way from the hall onto the big table, she was ready to open her arms and pounce at the old angler, but as soon as her eyes landed on the guest, her body froze up on its spot.

"Lin?" Jin stepped next to his frozen sister. "What's the matter with yo-" And as his eyes traveled to the same spot, the young guy froze next to her Lin. The twins staring at the young man with their mouths agape.

"SO HANDSOME!"

"THE CHAMPION!"

Both of them screamed as loudly as they could, almost shaking the foundations of the house. Noticing the discrepancy on their words, the twins looked at each other with a frown on their faces.

"What is this crap about handsome?" Jin blurred out.

"Why else? Look at him." Lin replied, glanced back to Brendan and melting over his curious gaze.

"The one and only guy standing above us is right here in this house and all you care is about his face?" The boy spat out with disgust. "Have some pride as a Pokémon trainer."

"I have my pride, I tell you that." Lin glared at her brother, her eyes flaming with rage. Then she looked back at Brendan, putting up the face of an angel.

The three other people inside the house could only watch as the twins reacted more extremely than the other did. Jhern tilting his head in confusion, with his wife giggling happily with their antics.

"You two know our friend Brendan here?" The older man asked.

"Of course we know!" They responded in unison.

"He is the Pokémon League Champion!" Jin said, pointing one finger at the man. "To beat this person on a battle is my life goal."

"Oh, you are him?" Martha looked to her side, somewhat shocked with the revelation. "You're the brave young man that saved Lilycove from that huge monster."

"Am I?" Brendan responded with a question of his own. "He furred his brow, biting his lips as he searching in his head. His left eyes flared up with a strange glow, the sudden change unsettling the older couple and amazing the young twins. "The monster… Groudon?"

"Yes, that was its name." Martha clapped her hands together. "The folk in town spent the entire day talking about this Groudon creature and the young man that stopped it." She looked at the brown-hared beauty and smiled. "Yes, they said his name was Brendan. The Champion of Hoenn… I never wrapped on my head..."

"That the naked clumsy kid would turn out to be the hero everyone is talking about." Jhern looked over to his new friend and nodded, a soft smile appearing on his face.

"NAKED?!" Lin jumped right next to her grandpa. "What is this about?"

"Haha, you missed it. I found this guy on the shore, sitting buck naked on the sand." Jhern felt the disappointment on his little girl' eye and a sonorous laugh escaped him. "I brought him home to settle him with some clothes." He pointed to the big 'I love my wife'. "See?"

"Noooo…." Lin fell on her knees, making one hell of a drama as she laid on the cold floor.

"Aarrg, stop with this already…" Jin slapped one hand at his face, more than embarrassed by her sister' ridiculous behavior in front of his… well, their idol.

"Groudon… I can't feel him, why?" A faint whisper escaped Brendan' lips, so low that no one noticed his words. He closed his eyes, concentrating as much as he could and a little string pulled from his chest. The glow faded away from his right eye, returning to its 'normal' red color. "Kyogre?" This time he said the name loud and clear, as he stood up and looked over to the entrance hall.

"What is the matter, Brendan?" With a calm voice, the old angler asked as Brendan began to walk slowly away from the table.

"I have to go… I have to see someone." Brendan responded without properly looking to the older man.

"At this hour?" Worried sick for his sake, Martha glanced at the side window. Her eyes met the dark glow of the night coming in, only aggravating the issue.

"I will be fine." Brendan finally turned around, showing the most sincere and bright smile he had ever mustered. Even poor Jin found himself blushing at this sight. "Thank you all for helping me. I will never forget this." With one last waving of his right hand, the young champion of red and blue eyes, walked out of the house closing the door carefully behind him.

"AH, Wait! our battle!" Jin yelled in panic.

"Don't goo…" Lin, on the other hand, sobbed with her right cheek pressing against the floor.

"What a strange person…" Jhern looked at the empty hall, wondering if they will ever meet each other again.

Contrary to the better judgment of any sane person, Zinnia is still in her search for a loose lost champion. She has been on this task for the majority of the day, flying across Hoenn on the back of her most-trusted dragon, Salamence. The poor blue dragon is more than tired after flapping his wings the entire noon, but his own pride makes him hide this fact as much as he can from his distressed trainer. The draconid woman after almost losing her mind for not finding the only person she wants to see right now decided to go back to the place where she last saw him, a faint little hope that he for some reason would still remain on the shores of Lilycove, waiting for her.

With a less than ideal approach to his landing, Salamence clashed down on the middle of a street. Scaring the spit out of the people around them.

"I know I worked you too hard today…" Zinnia rubbed her hand on the dragon's head, the touch of her fingers making him growl softly. "I promise I'll make it up to you, big boy." Patting him on the head once more, she pulled one Poké-Ball out of her pockets and called the dragon back.

Immediately after, her eyes scanned all around, looking for her stupid lover. Sadly, she found no such luck this time either. However, her sights landed on a man that is peacefully watching the going and about of the city.

"Hey, excuse me but I'm in a hurry here." With a not to friendly wank of her arm, she pulled an innocent bystander that was enjoying a warm sandwich, sitting on a bench outside his house. "Have you seen a man about this tall, with long brown hair and a very pretty face?" Her hands going all wild with motions as she tried to picture Brendan's features to this person.

"Oooh, I know that person." The man responded with unusual cheer, not minding at all that his poor lunch has crashed onto the ground. "The Champion of Hoenn, everyone is talking about him." He nodded twice, humming approvingly. "Goodfella that one. Saved us all from a giant monster."

"So you saw him?" She grabbed the man other' arm and began rocking the poor soul back and forward.

"Y-Y-Yeeess. We all saw him coming out of the cave with the rich-looking man." His voice stuttered quite a lot as his head bobbed all around. "But it has been far long since they left. They played a small flute and a big blue flying Pokémon came from the sky and carried them away."

"A rich-looking man?" The image of a blue-haired snob jerk appeared in her head. "Tsk, when did HE get here?" She said more to herself than to the man she is holding, as her eyes are more on the background than the person' features.

"Ahhh... Lady… Could you let me go?" The man quietly protested, tapping her left hand as tactfully as he could.

"Ooooooiiiii! Stop running away!" A very familiar voice stormed loudly on Lilycove. The sweet tone of this voice, making the draconid woman drop the man in her hands and the interest she had on in him. In a rapid sweep of her leg, she turned her body around with her eyes sparkling with anticipation. However, this time she found way more than just disappointment.

With a distressed face and a waving warm, Brendan is running down the main avenue of the city; running ahead and away from him is panicked Linoone, holding tight to a large piece of leaf in his mouth. Both trainer and Pokémon dashed past the woman, they all si immersed in their little chase to give any thought to the civilians on their way.

She yelped, jumping at the chance to run and grab her lover by his arm. And oh she did, she clung onto his arm as her life depended on it. "Wa-wait! Brendan!"

"Wah?! What you're doing lady?!" He shouted, startled by the touch of her hands. But he barely gave her a moment of his glance to the desperate girl before looking back to the running little Pokémon. "Ah! He got away… Why did you do this?"

"Brendan… it's me." Zinnia felt a stinging sensation in the inner corner of her eyes. She detached herself from his arm only to wrap her arms even tighter around his body. "Can't you recognize me?"

Another session of violent rushing memories erupted inside his head, as painful and irritable as the others before. Despite the insufferable pain echoing on his entire being, Brendan found in himself a desire of enduring this pain; endure all of it without showing any signs of its existence, for what reason? He doesn't know.

Like any other of those episodes, the pain faded away. A calming and relaxing sensation washing out his discomfort. Memories of the days he spent together with a special someone, her face, her face, her scent… Everything returning to him as natural as they could.

"Zinnia…" With his words coming out with pure tender on them, Brendan pulled the girl closer and embraced her as tight as she is embracing him. "How could I ever forget about you?"

"Heh, if you ever forget about me. I will just have to make you follow me all around Hoenn again until you remember." She smiled as she said that. Any reason or motive to be angry with this man suddenly vanished from inside her mind. For Zinnia, the only thing that matters now is having Brendan at her arms' length.

"Gosh! Is the Champion himself." The man, who before was lazy and peaceful as a Slaking, had now jumped out of that bench of his, with his eyes dazzling with the sight of their hero. "Mister Hero, please take a seat with me."

"Hero?" Another bystander magically appeared from around the corner of the street. Moreover, they were not alone. With the man's initial subtly hysterical commotion, as if his words had echoed on every house of the city, more and more people began to come closer in hopes of seeing the champion from up close.

"Oh no, you don't!" Zinnia stomped one of her foot at the ground, angrily glaring at the man and at the incoming crowd. "Brendan." She pulled herself away from him but grabbed one of his hands in the process. "Let's get out of here."

"But what about the Linoone, he went the other- Gaah!" Brendan could not help but yelp as she yanked his arm forward, practically dragging his body with her. In his first reaction, the young man of red and blue eyes glared at her with an utterly annoyed scowl. But seeing her back, as they both ran away from the mass of adoring fans, quickly warmed him up; making a huge smile appear on his face.

They ran and ran and then ran some more. The lights of Lilycove was left behind on their trail, making their path more darkened but still illuminated by the lights of many, many stars up in the sky. In her blind escape, Zinnia guided them both onto the thick forest at the region of Route 121. Despite her bold charge onto the unseen, they got lucky enough to jump out of a path of tall grass right into a clearing, home to some petit and shy Pokémon and of course to the full light-shower of the starry sky.

"That… That should get… them out of our tails." Gasping heavily and out of breath, Zinnia leaned against a large tree, slowly sliding down and sitting on the short clean grass. For the first time over this whole ordeal, she properly looked at her boyfriend and what a surprise she got. "Brendan, something happened to you?" Her eyes first glanced down to the very outdated pants he is wearing, then raised up to the purple showy shirt adorning his chest, oh and especially on the words knitted on it. "This outfit… is ridiculous."

"You think?" He looked down to himself and shrugged. "I kinda liked it. At least I ain't plastered with sand again."

She waved up to him, calling him closer; and so he came. Casually, innocently, Brendan sat right next to Zinnia. He looked at her a couple of times, blushing for no reason, and decided to avert her gaze all together, instead, focusing on his feet that are somewhat sore and pinching after walking through grass with bare skin.

"If you say so… Anyway, why were you running after a Linoone?" She nudged her elbow on his arm, picking his attention again.

"The little trickster knows where my ball is." He picked a pinch of grass out of the ground; he felt the scratchy texture of the plants taking them really closer to his face like a curious little child. "But when I asked, he just ran away like a crazed thing."

"Your ball?" Zinnia looked at him with a raised brow, not really getting how or why this would make sense.

"Yeah, my ball." Brendan double down. He took his eyes back to her, furrowing his forehead as they locked gazed with each other. "It's about this size, clean blue like the sea at day, oh and feels really smooth to the touch." He nodded in approval after his account, apparently satisfied with what he said.

"Brendan… are you feeling okay?" The bronze-skinned girl eyed her lover with a worried expression, the look in her eyes unsettling him, making Brendan avert his gaze away from her again.

"Sorry…" His face fell and his shoulders deflated. "It seems I am confusion everyone I talk to today." A soft little pout came to his lips, his face showing a lot of disappointment on himself. "Ever since I got on that beach, my head is all fuzzy. Forgetting and remembering things at left and right… I'm sorry for being like this."

Her left hand instantly went up to her chest. She held onto her shirt, biting down her lower lip in frustration, in… pity. "It's okay, Brendan. I'm here now." Zinnia skidded to the side, leaning her head against his right shoulder. "No matter what, I am here for you."

In response to her tenderness to him, Brendan's body frozen to a stiff. His eyes looking down at her with his face in a blank state. And his eyes, not only their colors but also how they feel… It was all wrong, Zinnia took a long time to notice, but somehow, Brendan's feels like a completely different person.

"You know, Zinnia." Brendan broke away from his silence, life coming back to his expression. "When I came to be… again. I had this feeling, this sense of desperation, the thirst for something that I had no idea what it was." He held one hand on his neck, frowning as he caressed his own skin. "It was suffocating, an ever going pain that never went away. Someway, somehow, I needed to find this… thing I desired so much."

Many questions popped in her head, and Zinnia always had a hard time in her life keeping her mouth shut about something that is bugging her. Despite that, she found some restraint to just stay calm and listen to his words.

Some stray tears appeared on his eyes, the droplets rolled down his cheek, his attention coming right back to the woman's face. "But now… touching you… holding your hand." He casually wrapped the fingers of his right hand with her left one "I don't feel that pain anymore. For the first time, I feel... truly, good." His lips quivered as he was about to break down. In a matter of seconds, Brendan went from completely oblivious and calm, to the verge of crying. "Tell me… What is this?"

The glittering glow of a few tears also appeared on her beautiful red eyes. Zinnia felt herself out of words and out of breath. Brendan's sudden confession took her world and twisted all up. They had shared way than a few passionate and affectionate exchanges, however… Brendan or Zinnia had never opened up to one another like that. Seeing his face; so gentle, so touched… it melted her heart thousand times over.

Taking his face onto her free hand, Zinnia pulled him closer and pecked his lips with a quick but very warm kiss. "Whatever it is… I feel the same way." She kissed him again, this time more deep and lovingly. Her tongue parting his lips just enough to go inside his mouth, meeting with his own wet one, they began to dance in a tone of their own, pulling and pushing. Losing minutes in their fondness, she finally parted away from his lips, but just enough to take some air and look in his mysterious yet charming odd colored eyes. "I will never leave you alone… Okay?"

He smiled, the feeling of her breath on his face making the young man close his eyes in pleasure. "Okay…" He said shyly.

In their utmost need of each other, their thirst for their lover's warmth. The couple wrapped themselves into a passionate embrace, kiss after kiss sounded quietly on the forest. For all night, they had all they needed... Not one of them was willing to part away from the other. A pure and sincere act of love was in the makings on this quietly, star lightened woods… However, the consequences of this act are sure to catch up to them… Both of them.

If you are liking the story so far, please leave a review. :)

Reviews:

Mr MogiGaming chapter 16 . Jun 2 – Haha, I Always try to describe any fithing between those legendary beasts as something that would shook the world… They are very big and powerful, so it feels right. The little themed ocean fight between Lugia and Kyogre, was fun to do, I really liked that fight.

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DOOT76 chapter 16 . Jun 4 – You, mister... or miss… the ending of this review of yours almost made me crawl up the walls with curiosity. I was like, "What was they saying next? There were more and it cut for some reason?" ,.

Oh back to the actual review; Yeah D-Brendan (as I like to call him) is here, FINALLY! And you have no idea how much he will changes things… or you do have an idea, I don't know.

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Thanos chapter 16 . Jun 7 – Glad to see that you're still enjoying the story, Mister Thanos.