Hello again everyone! Please note that reviews seem to be delayed with showing up on the site for whatever reason, so if I don't reply to your review it's probably because it's not visible to me. Don't have much to say so let's just get on with it.

Rocker on: I'll reply to all five reviews you left. As for the language use, I use foul language when Joshua speaks to give insight to his character. The story is rated T, I don't feel bad about using swears. I'm not sure who you are referring to with your ch 3 and 4 reviews, hopefully one of the characters because it's rather creepy. I'm also not sure what you mean by the story needing more "meat on the bones". If it's about chapter length, deal with it. This is how I write. If not, please elaborate so I can improve.

Shieldliger001: Thanks! I do think that I have improved in the year since I finished my last fanfic, and I will definitely keep it up.

On with the show!

We walked in silence, Joshua still trailing behind me a few feet. I could tell from the sound of his footsteps that he was agitated. The sun had just begun to set, casting a red glow through the gaps in the trees. I stopped to look at the sunset, causing Joshua to almost bump into me. He grumbled under his breath, shaking his head.

I was spared asking what was wrong my the light pop that accompanied the Alakazam's appearance. He spoke to my thoughts this time. "Thank you for your assistance, I'm glad you were not injured, and congratulations on your evolution. If there is anything I can do to help you, just think it. Joshua is receiving a different message, so do not speak it aloud."

Is there any way I could turn back human again? I focused on the thought, unsure of what else to do.

"I know not," The Alakazam replied, "but greater, stronger, wiser beings exist than I. I leave you with a warning. Be wary of Joshua. He will not betray you, but he is unruly, dangerous. He still embraces the animal, and the hierarchy of power." The Alakazam bowed to both of us, bidding farewell, before it vanished with another pop.

"He scares me." Joshua said after a pause. "I don't like how he could pry out all someone's secrets if he wanted."

I considered that. "I guess." I replied. "It doesn't seem like he's the type to do that." Maybe the thought should have scared me more than it did regardless, and yet… I let the thought trail off.

We fell back into silence, and I began to walk again. The crunch of twigs behind me told me that Joshua was following behind once again. "What was it like at home for you?" He asked, at length.

I glanced back at him. He was looking down as he walked, carefully placing his steps. "My mom worked, dad died two years ago. She took care of me though." I answered, each word considered before speaking.

Joshua was silent, and with no reply forthcoming I turned my attention away. A few minutes later he spoke again. "I envy that. Having someone who actually cares. If my parents have noticed I'm gone by now it's because I haven't been spending money." His tone was bitter. "They never cared. Loved their bank account balance more than me."

I didn't know what to say to that. I was starting to get the feeling that, if given the chance to be human again, Joshua and I would make different choices. The sun had fully set by now, and I was starting to feel tired. "We should stop, it's getting late." I said. Joshua mumbled something, presumably an affirmation.

I found a spot where the sky was clearly visible and curled up on the ground. Joshua set himself down almost ten feet away. I closed my eyes, and sleep took me quickly.

When I awoke in the morning the first thing I noticed was that I wasn't hungry, despite having not ate anything the previous night. The second was how thirsty I was. It didn't take me to connect the two. I was plant type now, after all, it made sense that I could use photosynthesis.

Joshua was still asleep, so I decided to go look for a pond or stream to drink from. It didn't long to find a small stream winding through the woods, I just looked for where the vegetation was denser and went that direction. As I drank it felt as though energy were welling up inside me.

It wasn't a wild, uncontainable force, quite the contrary. It was as if there were calm pool of energy, heightening my senses and strengthening my body as I slowly pulled from it.

I bounded off, back towards where I had left Joshua. I arrived back, and my heart sank. He was missing. Had he woken up and wandered off? No, it's not like he was a child or anything. I tried to find his scent, and found it muddled with another I did not recognize. In the distance I heard a yelp.

I followed their trail at a sprint. I would end up blaming myself if he got hurt, it would have been my fault I left him alone.

They were only a hundred or so feet away. Joshua, his fur bloodied, and an Absol, looming over him, left paw stained red.

I didn't hesitate to strike. Following my instinct, I pulled from my well of energy. I ran past the Sbsol, slicing at it with my tail as I passed. I caught sight of a green glow in the corner of my eye.

I turned around. I had opened a gash along the Absol's side. The pokemon staggered, shocked at the attack. It hadn't noticed me coming at all. It quickly recovered, however. Glancing over at Joshua, it sneered. "Need a friend to fight your battles for you, pup? Let's do this then!"

It leapt at me with ferocity, jaws open, ready to bite. I called upon the power I could feel within me, condensing a pall of it in front of me. I saw the Absol swerve as it formed, attempting to dodge. The pokemon angled it's feet slightly, signaling a turn back towards me, and at that moment I fired. The Absol lost it's balance as it struggled to change its momentum.

The sphere of raw power left a green trail in its wake as it slammed into the Absol. It grunted as it was blasted backwards, landing on its side. "You don't fight like a normal pokemon." It snarled. "Once-human. You're too soft to go for the kill." It spat on the ground, a fleck of blood visible. It got up, and began to slink away, watching me the whole time.

I moved over to Joshua, and asked "Are you ok?"

He looked at me, anger and frustration in his eyes. "I didn't need you to help me." He mumbled.

"It very much seemed like you did." I replied, raising my eyebrows.

"I said I didn't need your help!" He shouted it this time. "I don't care what you think, I can handle myself on my own!" He turned away and began to limp off into the woods. I couldn't force him to accept help, I decided. He had to want it before I could do anything, otherwise this would just keep repeating itself. I watched him vanish between the trees, and sighed.