"It is not fair," I complained aloud, trudging tiredly down the beaten path. My eyes felt as if medallions were weighing them down, yet the chill of the day forced me awake. Minccino had already curled up into my cloak, clinging to my clothes as it slept pretty soundly, I would imagine. My voice threaded with a yearning to sleep echoed across the long roads, baren of another person. My feet kicked up plumes of dirt as I walked through, my stomach feeling as if there was something inside me, scratching at all angles and roaring. With each step, my legs threatened to break underneath me as if the muscles that held them stopped working if they were there at all.

It must have been what hunger felt like.

My lips were already cracking, the saliva I would wet them with absent from my mouth. Each step was a strong sway, fighting gravity. I don't get me started on the headache that felt as if someone had slashed the base of my skull with a knife. My fingers slowly found their way to my skull, paranoia wondering it someone actually had.

But I was fine. At least, on the outside.

This must be what it is to be truly thirsty.

I wrapped the thinning cloak around my body further, shivering like a leaf as I continued down the road that seemed to haze in and out of my vision. The high day sun beat down, but it was winter none the less. Patches of snow covered the tall reaching grass that occasionally rustled with bustling pokemon. A shimmering frost glazed over the bare branches of trees that surrounded me. A river that just ran near barely trickled, the constant current movement the only thing that kept it from freezing over.

I would have went to the creek to retrieve water, but I believed it would be too dirty for me to drink.

My eyes stole a glance at the reflective snow, it was just frozen water after all. And since it is so white, I thought to myself that it must be clean. And the thirst was unbearable as my dry tongue lashed behind my teeth.

It must have been three days at least since I had left the castle. That is how many times I watched the sunset. Not since then had I had a proper meal nor drinkable liquid. I mean, I had opportunities, but none were of a truly eatable or drinkable caliber.

My hands unconsciously cupped themselves to scoop up a pile of the fresh snow. Few flakes filtered down to the ground like fleeing Fairy-types. I began raising it to my mouth when a little head unfurled itself from my cloak.

Minccino shook its head around, opening its pink mouth widely in a tired yawn embellished with a drowse. But as the little creature's large eyes batted at my hand of snow, it rushed down my arm and brushed all the snow away with its lush tail.

"Hey! I was going to use that to drink some water!" I shouted out to the creature, swatting it quickly in the head. It wasn't a hard hit. "Bad."

The grey rodent retracted quietly, staring at me with hurt eyes.

I shrugged the look off, swooping up another bit of snow in an act of contempt towards the normal type. I let the snow fall into my mouth, letting it have no time to melt into a chilling liquid as it all trickled down my throat in one gulp. I ate more and more of the whitest snow I could find, making sure to lift right above the ground so not to get dirt or grass mixed in.

Minccino only watched in some sort of horror, refusing to take part in the water drinking. It was the pokemon's loss, I believed.

The day sun was barely falling away when everything became numbingly cold. Like the temperature was freezing me from the inside out. I rose back up and shook even more violently, but I could feel my headache slowly disappearing. Minccino ran up and curled against my face which I shot in the opposite direction. The creature let out a slight mew but I ignored it.

My feet began to kick into one another, but I still was able to keep standing. My tiredness only grew stronger as I made my way down the road.

A slow buzz of noise slowly grew louder the further I walked. Voices continuously murmuring words I knew but just couldn't understand. Before long, Minccino was nudging my face with its teeny little paw gently. My eyes were closed and I hadn't even noticed.

Carefully, I pealed them open to see what lie in front of me. The forest I wandered in crawled into the city without me even noticing. Stone constructs of buildings reaching out as snow frosted over the cream colored bricks. The city seemed slightly like the capital, only it had more trees around. The dirt underneath my feet was now stone pathways. People bustled around their own business, of high and low class around.

I swayed slightly before I could stand straight, my cloak engulfing me as I blend right into the rest. My light breaths came out in puffs like everyone else who passed, wrapped in thick cloaks. Just like me. Though they seemed to have fur lining. They wore winter cloaks.

And all I had was a ragged fall one. I spited Bianca slightly before continuing down the walk. People's radiating heat bouncing against me, their words spinning like a cesspool. My eyes scanned around as I watched for something, some place. But the bustling people blocked my way as I walked straight, not caring enough to move out of the way for me.

If they knew who I was, they would have.

My eyes finally made a reading on a sign, the odd building seeming to fall apart. "Centre" was what the place was called, it also said "Travelers get one free meal and bed for one night". It looked relatively shabby, my nose crinkling at the thought of even entering it, but I let out a sigh as I knew I'd have to pay anywhere else.

I took a moment to swallow before striding into the building as I pulled my hood down slightly. I looked about the tavern, only seeing three or four people in seats. Their sweaty skins glistening in the amber light of the flames. A couple wooden tables that looked as if they would snap at any moment were set about beside an old bar. Behind the bar was an assortment of drinks and fine wines, my eyes even recognizing commoner brands I had seen in the kitchens once. Far in the back were stairs that led away to the second level, where I assumed the rooms were. An Audino swam around the room, cleaning up old dishes.

Surprisingly, behind the bar was a lean woman. Her long hair the color of clouds during sunset was twirled into low hanging two buns. She was clad in a long pink dress, fur tripping her collar and draping wrists while a white apron pulled tightly at her waist. I slowly strode over to a seat, placing myself just in front of the woman.

Her head turned up slightly as a subtle grin hinting at her mouth, "Good evening, would you happen to be a traveler?"

I nodded slightly to her as Minccino shook its way onto the counter, the creatures amethyst necklace glinting in the firelight as it started to shine its necklace. The bartender smiled softly to the pokemon, "Aw, well isn't that little one a cutie. Minccino seems in fine shape, but if you ever injure the pokemon, I'd be glad to patch them up for you!"

"I would just like the food." I responded curtly.

The pink-haired woman sighed before hurrying into the back to whip up a meal. Minccino looked to me crookedly with its big brown eyes before pouncing off across the bar, wiping it down with its cloudy fur. I gave a slight smirk at the cleaning pokemon as I waited, words of the few people slightly catching my ear.

"Have you seen the increase of guards lately?"

"Yeah, I have. I wonder what that's all about."

The woman came out before I could hear much more, balancing a bowl, plate and mug in her arms which she expertly let fall across the bar in front of me without a single spill. "I'm Joy by the way. My sisters and I run chain taverns across the region. Have you been to any of the others yet?"

I shook my head.

"Oh! Well, we aren't that popular yet. We started the free-for-travelers to attract more business, you and a few others are proof that it is!"

"I see," my eyes though focused in my mug, crystal clear water steaming up slightly. The face reflecting in the warm light nothing that I had seen before. Lush brown hair knotted up, dirt and scratches covering my porcelain skin. My once full red lips cracked and ghostly pale. Everything still felt slightly hazy but I took up the mug and elegantly sipped at it. The boiled water swam down my throat and suddenly everything started to burn. Kindle slowly inside. It wasn't painful, but a shock. The flat tasting liquid giving me life again.

"Where are you traveling from?" Joy asked, trying to be friendly.

I shot her a glance, our blue eyes meeting for a moment, "From the North." I told her vaguely.

"Ooh. Well your still pretty North here in Opelucid. Where are you traveling to?"

I just shrugged, hoping to give the woman a signal I didn't want to speak. She continued to stare at me before getting the signal. Joy sighed before continuing to wipe down the bar. My eyes moved do to what she served me, my nose wrinkling at it. Ground up grain that steamed up in more hot water, a spoon and bread sitting just beside it.

I placed down my empty water mug and picked up the spoon, scooping up the, what commoners called, porridge into the spoon. I lifted it up to my dry lips and slowly began to eat it. It was much better than the Gruel I had last, but this was still of low quality. My tongue smacked the roof of my mouth with each slow bite I took, it must have been a low grade barley. I soon was just spooning it in and letting it fall back, picking at the stale bread served along with it.

Minccino found its way over to the bowl though and began eating its fill. And I let it, listening to the few tavern-goers there were.

"Well, you all haven't heard?"

"Heard what?"

"The castle was raided again." At those words, my stomach plummeted sickly. I couldn't blink, just stare blankly into my porridge as the men continued to converse. Yet even without closed eyes, the images still seeped into my mind, my body already trembling. I still tried to block it all out as best I could.

"Was it Plasma?" The voices turned very hushed at even uttering the name. My mind focused on the unfamiliar name with precaution.

One scoffed, "I'd bet. I'd join them if I could and help tear down that monstrosity brick my brick."

Another became quick to snap as I only rose an eyebrow at it all, "Hush! Do you want to get arrested for treason? If anyone hears you, they're sure to have your head!"

"I don't see any guards around."

The same who accused one of possible treason continued, "Plasma has taken enough lives, but they crossed the line this last raid."

"How so?"

"Well, you know how the princess had been locking herself away for the past three days, correct?"

They all mumbled in agreement as my ears perked at an indirect mention of me.

The man's voice fell into a low hush, "The last raid was the largest. They tore apart walls. Apparently, the princess didn't flee in time and was captured." The entire table gasped.

"That is a declaration of war!" one screamed out in his quiet tone, "Arceus knows Unova won't be able to stand one of those..."

"But that's what Plasma was looking for, isn't it?"

"According to one of the maids, they could hear her screaming as they dragged the princess away." At the very mention, my entire body clenched up. The echoes of past castle attacks shaking me, the screams of maids behind me as I ran to the Royal safe room.

Bianca must have been the maid that reported my kidnapping. She lied to protect me. She lied. She lied. She lied. Now the country was going to face war because of the lie. But the raids had been happening for years, it was bound to happen. But with whom? Who is this 'Plasma'?

A man sighed, "This won't end well, the king will probably begin recruitment of soldiers for his armies."

My eyebrows furrowed together, Cheren had told me that the castle takes volunteers for the armies. He wasn't lying back then. Did he not know of this either?

"It's bound to be a bloodshed."

Everything started to compile as they spoke.
The unmoving castle guards, blood slowly spreading.
The symbol painted on the walls in blood.
The smell of fresh death and fire.
Screams behind me.
The broken glass shattered everywhere.

I swore a hand grabbed my arm and I spun around, raising my hands in a fight reaction as my stool went flying out from under me.

No one was there.

Though the men who were talking halted, staring at me with bewilderment. I shook my head at them before dragging my hood back over as I motioned to Minccino that I was leaving. My legs barely kept up as I sped out of the tavern. My stomach boiled up, unable to keep down the food as my body rejected it just outside of the tavern.

I fought my hardest to keep it all inside me, but everything I took in just came out of my mouth with painful dry heaves.

"Are you alright, mam?"

I angled up just slightly to see a man in steel armor, the chest baring the Sharondale crest. It was night before I knew it, the waxing moon shining on him as the knight looked as a shadow would as he rode his dark steed. It was a Zebsrika, blowing puffs of hot air into the icy night.

I can't be found, I knew so I gave a meek nod before immediately turning away, rushing away as fast as I could. But even seeing him, their bodies came back to my mind once again.

"Wait, mam!"

He continued to call after but I could only continue to move forward. My eyes stared dead ahead but the vivid pictures flashed back, the glinting emerald eyes of a blood-lusting pokemon appearing in the shadows. I dove away into another direction, fire incasing my vision. It felt like it was reality and the city was the dream.

Many commoners still carried out their night, not even noticing me as I ran by in a panic. Without even knowing it, I had flung myself into an alley where I crouched down. I let out hiccupped sobs, begging for the visions to go away. My burning stomach and screaming head only becoming more painful. But over time, my staggered breaths beginning to slow down. Minccino was on my shoulder the entire time, its head rubbing into my cheek comfortingly, but I just threw my head into the pokemon in a way of telling it "no".

"Aw, now what's a pretty lady doing in an alley crying?"

I spun around quickly, falling onto my butt against the freezing stone walkway. It was a gang of three large burly men, like the ones I had seen in the last town. Their crooked smiles and missing teeth pulling me back into Opelucid city, away from the memories.

But this present was grim as something instinctively told me to back up further. I listened.

"Hey, you'll be okay."

Their presence filled with a smog that was as dark as the night. Each word they said was filled with horrendous lies that only sent fear into me instead of disgust. Their eyes glinting with the lust I'd seen before in the last city. But this, was far more intense.

I gulped as they continued to spit their venom.

"We won't hurt you, just come over here."

"Yeah we'll help you."

My eyes shot past them all, seeing a small glimmer of escape, "You have no intention to those words." I spat quickly as I sprang up, lunging for the exit, my tears falling away as my arm thrusted out for the main road. My thin body trying to squeeze past them.

They were quicker though, and stronger. One pulled me back and threw me against the building wall. I cried out in pain as my skull crashed against the stone. I started to scream out for help to the people who passed by, but none even turned towards me as if it were the norm.

I turned back to the men with fear, squirming as strong as I could to get away. But I couldn't as they seemed to encroach. Their breaths swirling with halitosis and alcohol as they struck fear into me. I refused to give up though, I wouldn't.

But where was that knight when I actually needed him?

Sure, I would have been caught, but I could have gotten away before then. I bet I could have. So I continued to kick and scream.

"Gah!"

one suddenly screamed out.

"Ow!"

"Little rat!"

peaking open my eyes that I had squeezed shut in fear opened to see Minccino. The little pokemon had its long claws unsheathed, glittering in the night like daggers as it slashed the men across their eyes. The assaulters stumbled back, clutching their faces and let out gargled cries of their own. The grip on me was released as I struggled to stay standing.

When Bianca's partner finished attacking, it moved out into the road, looking back to me expectantly. I didn't hesitate. I dashed after the grey-furred creature, both of us were running in a direction we didn't know.

All I knew that it was out.

Tears falling back into the night as I still couldn't rest. The bitter night chilling me down to the bones as my face was so frozen it burned. Yet no matter how hungry I was, cold I was, thirsty, or tired- I would always have to be running.

But when this time came, I had to ask myself something.

What was I actually running from?