Chapter 64

Maple drifted behind Kim, Volt and Sprinkle in a half daze. They were talking about something, but she wasn't paying any attention. None of it made sense anyway. Most of it felt like a string of vulgar comments about people that Maple had never heard of. Apparently, the three had a lot of friends that Maple didn't know existed.

Almost all of the stories that Maple overheard centered on Sprinkle. She had more human friends on the island than what Maple had met over the course of her entire life. Half of them claimed to be in love with her, though she returned those feelings to none of them. Sprinkle had collected quite a number of amusing stories about strange gifts and confessions that she had received over the past few years. Though the humor of each was lost on Maple. In most cases, Kim served as the main recipient of Sprinkle's gifts, which added another level of humor whenever Kim had made the decision to open said gift.

It was all incredibly confusing to Maple and she stopped trying to make sense of it before too long. After the first round, Maple had fans of her own, especially after winning a battle by herself. But…gifts? What exactly did that mean? Not only that, but Sprinkle's fans seemed to like her for reasons completely unrelated to her battling. None of it made any sense.

Maple had seen little outside of her time training with Mark. Maybe that was why she felt small and stupid around these three.

Sprinkle, on the other hand, had so many friends and admirers that she didn't seem to think anything of them. The number of them was what seemed to concern her. She spoke cheerfully about them, but she never elaborated on why she liked them. She could replace any of them on a whim because every single one seemed to be exactly the same. She had no real emotional attachment to anyone except for Kim and Volt and probably Cotton.

Yet even that wasn't entirely true. Something had happened between Sprinkle and Volt in the past. The Raichu-boy had a tendency to gaze at her, but Sprinkle always turned away to avoid it. Volt's attitude was also noticeably surlier than what Maple remembered. There was a bitterness in his voice that he was trying to hide, yet couldn't quite manage it.

So it was the two girls that were the closest of the three. Kim was undoubtedly the realist of the two. Sprinkle spoke with a bubbly, a little too cheerful, tone as she bragged about the gifts and admirers she had amassed. When she did, it fell to Kim to bring the Vaporeon-girl back to earth by dismissing most of those admirers as creepy stalkers or outright losers.

Sprinkle claimed she loved her followers but showed no real dedication to them while Kim hated all of them and wasn't afraid to talk about it. Maple couldn't decide which was worse. Even worse than that, she didn't know if Kim and Sprinkle were terrible people or if Sprinkle just had the tendency to attract the wrong people. She hoped it was the second one.

"Umm…" Maple's head was spinning, but the most important question she could think of hadn't been answered yet, "Where are we going?"

No one heard her the first time, so she tried again.

"Hmm?" Volt had been walking right in front of her so he was the only one to hear the second time.

"Where are we going?" Maple asked a third time. She was beginning to feel as if she was being swept along on a current she couldn't hope to control. And right after Kim had promised she would be okay…

"Hey! Kim!" Volt called. Maple began to feel slightly relieved now that she was making progress.

"What?" Kim stopped.

"We're not going to the beach, are we?" Volt asked. It wasn't quite what Maple had asked, but it was close.

"What? Oh, God, no." Kim shook her head, aghast at the suggestion.

"What?!" Sprinkle shrieked in protest.

"Sorry," Kim confronted her human Vaporeon, "I've had enough of beating off perverts for one tourney, thank you very much."

"But I didn't get anything yet today…" Sprinkle whined. Maple couldn't tell if she was joking or not.

"Such a tragedy," Volt mumbled. Somebody shouted a cat-call at Sprinkle and that seemed to lift her spirits a little.

"Thank you!" Sprinkle called back, waving in a random direction, "whoever you are!"

"Stop encouraging them," Kim groaned, "we have a guest today," she jammed a finger at Maple, "I'd rather not get swamped by a crowd while she's with us."

"Three or four guys is not a crowd," Sprinkle whined, "I'll get one or two for you, too. I promise!"

"You're missing the point…" Kim groaned, "Tell you what," she turned back to Maple, "since you're the poor soul who's stuck with us, what do you want to do?"

"Me?" Maple hadn't anticipated this and she had no answer ready, "umm…the beach is okay with me…" She knew it wasn't, but it was the only suggestion anyone had made. It was as good as anything. Even if she didn't like sand.

"Yay!" Sprinkle cheered, "I knew I liked you!" Maple managed a half-smile back, but her heart wasn't in it.

"Alright, alright, fine," Kim sighed in defeat, "lead the way." Sprinkle's tail swished behind her as she followed Kim's suggestion.

When they started off again, Kim lingered behind to walk next to Maple. The strange conversations stopped, but Sprinkle instead began to hope, very loudly, that certain, reliable gift-givers would be waiting for her at the beach.

Maple truly did not understand how Sprinkle thought. They were both Eevee evolutions, so it should have been easy. But there were a lot more complications to human life than what Maple realized. She felt so overwhelmed by the difference between the two of them that she was beginning to wonder if she would ever understand the Vaporeon-girl at all.

And if she couldn't understand her, then what could she make of what Mark saw in her?

"Hey," Kim nudged Maple, gently, "sorry we're such crappy hosts."

"Oh…" Maple didn't know what else to say to that.

"Are you feeling okay?" Kim asked.

Maple wasn't going to answer, but something in Kim's voice made her look up.

She still barely knew Kim, but already she had seen two sides to her. Kim was an older sister to her and Mark, but with her own human Pokémon she was almost an entirely different person. Maple didn't like that second side of Kim one bit, but that Kim wouldn't ask her how she was feeling.

When Maple looked at her this time, it was the older sister Kim that was asking if she was okay. Whatever Maple told her, she could trust her big sister.

"No…" Maple shook her head, "no…no, I'm not okay…" She looked away again, fighting back the sudden need to cry. She thought they had all gone last night, but there were still more left.

"Hey," Kim put her arm around Maple's shoulders, "come here. It's alright." She glanced up at Volt and Sprinkle, but they hadn't taken notice.

Maple snuffled at her shoulder for a few moments, but she was mostly under control. She didn't sob like she thought she would.

"You don't want to go to the beach, do you?" Kim asked and the Leafeon-girl nodded. Kim flinched away, but otherwise managed to ignore it when Maple's long ears hit her in the face. "Alright, we don't have to go, then," Kim racked her brain for alternatives. Volt and Sprinkle were starting to drift pretty far ahead, too.

"Hey! Wait up!" she called to them. The human Pokémon turned around, Volt with a frown on his face. Upon seeing the situation, Sprinkle rushed back to them.

"Aww…" Sprinkle cooed in sympathy, "What's wrong?"

"Not now, Sprinkle," Kim held up her free hand. She knew the reason for Maple's breakdown and Sprinkle was not likely to be of any help.

"Hey," Kim shook Maple lightly, "did you eat anything yet?" Maple shook her head and Kim managed to dodge her ears this time.

"Alright, tell you what," Kim said as cheerfully as she could manage, "Sprinkle and Volt can go ahead to the beach while you and I go get some breakfast. Sound good?"

Maple nodded. She still didn't see how that would help, but she let Kim lead her anyway.

She tried to think about nothing at all as Kim guided her steps. Instead, she focused on the feel of Kim's shirt against her cheek. It wasn't exactly soft, but it was warm and dry.

Kim disentangled herself from the Leafeon-girl to set her into a chair. Somehow they found their way back to the square in the center of the city. The closest café was the very same one that they had met Alex at and shared lunch after their Round One win. It wasn't the busiest place in the square, but seeing it gave Maple a feeling of comfort. It was becoming a familiar place for her.

"Do you know what you want?" Kim asked her.

"Nothing with meat," Maple managed.

"O-kay…" that didn't narrow the options by much, but it was something, "you like sugary stuff, right?"

"Uh-huh," Maple nodded.

"Alright, I'll be right back," Kim left to go wait in line.

While she waited, Maple began to look around the square. As usual, it was filled with humans and human Pokémon of all sorts. A young Furret-girl was playing catch with a Cubone-boy using the boy's bone instead of a ball. Once, she dropped it and as it skidded away, the girl forgot herself for a moment and chased it on all fours. Though, no one batted an eye at the strange behavior.

She continued to scan the area, but couldn't help but wonder why it didn't hold the same fascination for her anymore. Once, seeing and meeting new human Pokémon was the main joy in her life. Now, too many things had happened. She mentally cursed Eclipse for being right, again.

"Here you go," Kim returned with something round with frosting on it and a steaming cup of liquid, "it's called a donut. You'll like it."

Maple took the round thing and bit into it. It was good. Not as good as her first love of soda, but she finished it quickly all the same.

The liquid was more challenging.

"Coffee," Kim named it, "it'll help wake you up. I didn't know what to put in it, though, so it's black."

Maple didn't really need help waking up but she was finally starting to feel better and she didn't want to disappoint Kim.

However, when she tried to take a drink, two things happened and neither of them was pleasant. First of all, the drink tasted terrible. It was bitter and flat. It tasted like hot mud.

The second thing that happened was worse than the first. Maple didn't realize what was happening until it was too late and she burned her tongue. Reflexively, she spat the drink out in a spray and tossed the cup away as if it were on fire itself.

"Ohh…dammit," Kim scolded herself, "I'm sorry…I should've warned you."

"Why would you drink something like that?!" the expression on Maple's face was stark horror. Kim couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" Kim gasped as she regained control of herself, "the look on your face…" she burst into fresh giggling and it was another thirty seconds before she could speak.

"Really, I'm sorry…" Kim took a deep breath to control herself. There was a very serious reason that they were here. She couldn't laugh at the Leafeon-girl and expect to be able to help her.

"I guess Mark isn't a coffee drinker, huh?" Kim asked. It was the best transition she could think of.

"I guess not…" Maple shrugged.

"More of a tea drinker?" she tried, "or does he just stay away from that stuff altogether?"

"What's tea?"

"Well…it's kind of like coffee, in a way," Kim bit her lip to think, "they're both bitter adult drinks…I guess you two are still too young…"

"Oh…"

"Say…how old are you two, anyway?"

"Three," Maple answered, "Mark's sixteen."

"I meant human years."

"Oh. Then sixteen."

"Sixteen…" Kim mused, "I remember those days…"

"How old are you?" Maple asked.

"Me?" Kim paused, "Twenty. I'm an old lady."

"Is twenty really old for humans?"

"Nah," Kim waved it off, "it feels like it is sometimes, but it's really not."

"Oh…"

"So…" Kim hated this part, but she was running out of small talk, "you want to tell me about Mark? What's going on with you two?"

After a few minutes, Maple shook her head.

"Hmm…"

Great. Now Kim had to guess.

"Did he say something to you? Do something mean?"

"No…" Maple shook her head, "Mark isn't like that…"

Of course he wasn't. Kim had met the kid and even had one of these fun little talks with him. He wouldn't do anything to deliberately hurt Maple. So it was something that happened by accident? Something where his heart was in the right place? So to speak. Well, best to start with what she knew.

"Is this about Sprinkle?" Kim asked.

Maple didn't answer. Again, she was the type of person that wouldn't answer something like that. These were good kids, but if Kim was going to help them, she needed to get at something nasty.

"I know. She's a piece of work," Kim sighed, "but she's nothing to worry about. She acts like that around all guys. It never means anything. It's all an act."

"How do you know?" Maple asked.

"That's…a story for another time," Kim answered, though she knew full well that it wasn't a real answer, "just trust me on this, okay?"

"Okay," Maple said half-heartedly.

This wasn't working. Kim doubted if she really could do anything to help her. She got her breakfast. Did that count?

"Well," Kim had no choice but to give up, "if you ever want to talk, I'll listen." She meant it, but she also had very serious doubts that Maple would take her offer.

Kim leaned back and tried to think of something to do. By now, without Kim around to beat them off, Sprinkle would have a harem following her around and Volt would be contemplating suicide. In theory, they were responsible enough to look after themselves. But again, in theory.

Suddenly, Maple's big eyes grew even wider.

"What? What is it?" Kim craned around to scan the crowd. In the middle of a crowd of other human Pokémon, a familiar face strode between them.

Cerberus, the vicious, human Houndoom Maple had beaten in Round One, stood tall, straight and powerful amidst the crowd. His usual entourage wasn't with him, but he was plenty dangerous and unpredictable on his own. He hadn't noticed them yet, but if he did, there would be no telling what he would do.

"It's okay, Maple," Kim whispered, "just get up slow and calm and we'll leave right now." Maple nodded, just once, without taking her eyes off of the human Houndoom.

Together, the two girls began to rise. Kim kept herself between Maple and Cerberus, trying to hide her tail. Cerberus would probably overlook Kim, but Maple was the only Leafeon-girl on the island. Something like that wouldn't be easy to miss.

They were doing well, but then Cerberus's snarling voice cut through the still air.

"Hey! Where do you think you're goin'?!"

Kim's heart leapt into her throat and she halted their retreat, but to her surprise, the shouting continued.

"Get your asses back here you little snots!" Cerberus was still screaming, but not at Kim and Maple. Kim reluctantly glanced back, and saw who he was really yelling at.

"I'm really sorry!" a small Cubone boy pleaded with him. The boy was dressed in dull brown clothes and the lizard skull was draped over one eye, rather than covering his entire face. Beside him, a Furret-girl in a brown and tan striped dress was lending moral support.

"It was an accident!" she added.

"Sorry!" Cerberus roared, "You almost took my eye out!"

Kim looked to Maple to confirm the story, but she shook her head. Whatever happened, Cerberus had been in no danger and was probably overreacting.

Overreacting? Was that all there was to it? Or was he making up excuses because he saw the chance to attack some kids in the middle of the crowded square? Kim knew Cerberus well enough to know the answer to that question. It might be a stretch to say he knew what he was doing, but no one was disputing him.

Still, Kim couldn't believe it when Maple called out

"It was an accident!" the Leafeon-girl shouted, "It never even came close to hitting you!"

Cerberus's eyes lit up with such intensity that Kim thought he might abandon the idea of attacking the kids altogether.

"You," he snarled, but then his sharp canine teeth shone in a wide grin, "you saw what happened?"

"I did," Maple stood her ground, "you caught it out of the air. They weren't even throwing it hard enough to hurt."

"Really?" Cerberus looked at the crowd around him, "anybody else see what happened?"

No one spoke up.

"So, it's me against you, then," Cerberus grinned before tossing aside the bone, "I'd rather have you than two little kids that can't even fight anyway." He began to stride forward, straight towards the two girls.

"Maple!" Kim shouted. "Run!"

Maple didn't move.

She had defeated Cerberus in the tournament using Dig. She had only gotten stronger since then. But would it be enough? This time she didn't have Mark and she didn't have Swords Dance ready. Not only that, but her range with Dig was limited. With Cerberus still outside of that range she would have to close that distance to get at him. And last time Dig had been a surprise attack. He might not be fooled twice by the same attack.

Still…the Red State was calling to her. That sweet flood of power that filled the world when she gave in to her instincts to attack. She needed to battle, needed to let it out. She was tired and angry at everything around her. Now Cerberus was standing in front of her and giving her the perfect excuse to let it out.

Maybe it was the same thing Cerberus was doing right in front of her, but she didn't care. If Mark didn't love her, then she always had her battles. She had almost forgotten. She'd have to thank Cerberus when he was coughing up blood.

She blinked and let the Red State in.

"No!" Kim shouted, but Maple ignored her. The crowd gathered around Cerberus parted in an instant as people sought refuge from the ensuing battle.

The Leafeon-girl dashed forward as Cerberus drew in a breath. His Flamethrower was his most dangerous attack, but just like before, the flames streaked harmlessly over the gaping hole in the ground that Maple had disappeared into.

Cerberus grinned to himself. The little girl was doing this again. But this time he was ready. A trick like that never worked twice.

He held his arms out and held up a Protect barrier around himself. When the Leafeon-girl burst from the ground, she bounced harmlessly off of his shield, landing within arm's reach.

Instead of attacking, Cerberus reached out and lifted her up by her neck. The little girl twisted and struggled in his grip.

"Not this time, sweetheart," Cerberus snarled, "now you're mine." He drew back and inhaled, preparing his Flamethrower.

Somehow, the Leafeon-girl managed to twist around in his grasp. She slashed across his chest with enough force to actually draw a thin line of blood. Cerberus growled at the pain and dropped the girl onto the ground.

Maple coughed and tried to sit up. Her vision was blurry and she was still stunned from Cerberus's attack. She needed to get up and start Dig again. It was her only chance. If she managed to catch him off guard it would all be over.

But now she was the one off guard. Cerberus was standing over her, flames at the side of his mouth.

She couldn't move.

A blur of white and purple shot over her head and collided with Cerberus. It tossed him back into the wall of the closest building, thirty feet away. A loud crunch sounded as the wall cracked from the force of the blow and the human Houndoom fell unconscious immediately.

"Picking on children and little blond girls…" a high-pitched male voice sounded, "Have you no soul, sir?"

Where Cerberus stood only a moment before, a human Pokémon was swishing its long tail. The newcomer was dressed in violet sweatpants and a white karate shirt. The sleeves were absurdly long, reaching down almost to the ground. When he turned around, his face was long and pointed, somewhat weasel-like. But his expressions and manner were light-hearted, even juvenile.

Maple realized that her rescuer was a human Mienshao.

AN: sorry about the mood whiplash in this one. It actually still ended up being a pretty well-rounded chapter. maybe it's me, but usually this story's either all action or all emo. Hard to get a good mix going.

oh, yeah. i started reading through not that long ago, so, you can probably expect that i'll start using terms from there to describe the story. btw, if you've never heard of it, is a FANTASTIC site that i recommend to anybody and everybody. seriously, i love it to pieces.

Anyways, hope you liked it! Still debating the Disney nicknames idea. Hasn't been a whole lot of support for it, so, I'll probably drop it. It would be really out of place alongside everybody else.

Okay, now I'm done. Thanks for reading!