Echo, Dante and Kaya sat down and talked. Kaya explained that he was a set helper for the Tournament. He helped move stages and the such around. Echo and Dante asked why he didn't want to battle. Kaya just shrugged. He wasn't much of a battler unless he had a reason to. Dante nodded, but Echo pouted. Since she was going for the Champion title she didn't understand why people weren't as...enthusiastic as her for battles. But then again she also enjoyed that she wants competing with her friends at the time. She knew she'd meet people she would become friends with and they would also be competing for the title, but she enjoyed not having to deal with that just yet. She yawned, leaning her head on Dantes shoulder. She tiredly listened to Dante and Kaya enthusiastically talk about food before falling asleep.

-Pov switch-

Dante blinked, looking over at Echo, who was snuggled into his side, Litleo sleeping on her lap. He smiled gently, rubbing her head with his free hand. Kaya gave the two a smirk.

"Not dating huh?"

Dante just gAve him a scowl but couldn't help the grin tugging at his lips.

"Hey, I'm a sucket for big blues and blonde hair." Kaya snorted

"You forgot the other big things I've been catching you st-"

"Finish that sentence and you're gonna lose a toe."

"A toe?"

"A toe."

"Wow. Okay. That's just...not random at all."

Dante chuckled. He gently moved litleo off Echos lap, put his arm under her knees and a one behind her back. He looked back over at Kaya "I'm gonna take her to our room now. Do you need a place to stay? There a couch." Kaya smiled and shook his head.

"Nah, I have my own room. Thanks for the offer though." Dante nodded.

"See you man"

"See ya"

-timeskip-

Dante had settled Echo down in her bed, and got himself comfy in his own. His arms were behind his head.

'I wonder...if maybe we'l run into Echos dad...her real dad...I remember one time I saw him on TV. He..looked so kind and gentle. Is he dead? Was he murdered ? If he was, why would someone kill him? If he's just missing, why would he leave his daughter and wife behind?...for some reason...I have a very uneasy feeling...'

He looked over at Echo, uneasy orbs staring at closed lids. He had no idea why he was so worried.

Echo had always told him he was a worry wort, but he wasn't so sure it was just his mother hen instinct acting up. Something was wrong. And Echo was involved, somehow. But before he could ponder it more...

A shadowy reflection appeared in the window beside him

He shot up, eyes wide and hand reaching for his pokeball. A cruel, wide smile appeared on the shadows face. Before Dante could even throw his pokeball, the shadow was gone.

His heart beat wildly in his chest, hands shaking and eyes bulging.

'What...what was that!? Was that...a pokemon?...no...no, it wasn't a pokemon...it was...something else...what the hell is happening!?'

Plip...plip...plip...

He turned to look at Echo and a strangled gasp ripped it's way out of his throat.

She was laying on her side, just as she was when he last looked at her. But something was different . Hazy blue eyes, pupils nothing but tiny black dots, wide with terror started back at him. A thick red substance was dripping down her arm and off her finger. A thick red slash was crossing hrs chest, the previously white sheets a deep crimson. The worst part...was her smile. Crazed, horrific, and stained red.

With a strangled scream, Dante pushed himself against the wall, tears rushing down his cheeks.

"Dante! Dante, wake up! DANTE!"

With a jolt, he woke up.

Cheeks wet and chest heaving, he looked into worried blue eyes glowing in the darkness.

"Dante...Dante, what happened? You...you were screaming in your sleep..."

He basically crumpled in on himself

' a dream...just...just a dream...'

With a sob, he pulled Echo down to him and hugged her around the neck tightly. Echo didn't even protest, arms rapping around him and soft coo's being whispered into his hair.

Distracted, neither teen noticed the foggy writing on the window before it disapeared

Not long now...