"I'm so sorry... I don't know what happened to me," Sabrina whispered, holding an ice pack to her head as we sat at a table in the back room of the gym. We were drinking green tea to help us all relax, and Rune and Sabrina's Kadabra seemed to be having some interesting conversations with each other. It looked like they were having a hard time focusing, though, with Amaya constantly pouncing on them trying to steal their spoons.

"That Haunter must have overshadowed me... I think he's been working for Team Rocket. They've been trying to kidnap me and force me to give up my Pokemon and teach them my Psychic abilities." She sighed as she took another sip of tea. "I have a Haunter myself, and he claims that he has no idea why a fellow Haunter would do evil things like that."

I nodded, setting down my teacup. "Team Rocket has been after me, too... It's not only that I've been messing with their plans, but they want their hands on this, too." I held up Sakura who reached out her hands to Sabrina, wanting to be held. I laughed. "This is Sakura. I found her egg one day, and my Pokedex can't even identify it. I think she might be an undiscovered Pokemon."

Sabrina looked up and down at Sakura, curious. "I see. I don't understand what they could use her for, except for getting famous. Though I don't understand why they'd want that, either - it would only expose more information about them."

"I never thought about that," I replied, setting Sakura down on the table. She waddled over to Sabrina and began to talk to her proudly. "Cheri cheri! Riiiii!" I laughed, and the gym leader picked up Sakura and cradled her in her arms, stroking the Pokemon's head.

"Team Rocket needs to be stopped. I could barely touch them and their Mightyenas; my Psychic attacks are useless against them." She replied, looking back up at me. "I just don't understand their motives. Why not just capture Pokemon the right way? It gives you more of a sense of accomplishment."

I nodded sadly, suddenly being reminded of Kin. "They'll even go as far as to kill someone to get to their goal," I whispered, hanging my head down to hide the tears that were brimming in my eyes. "They sent a Mightyena out to get me, and my Sandshrew died protecting me..."

Sabrina put her hand on my shoulder sympathetically. "Kin was brave, and he loved you, Keiko. I'll bet he's watching over you right now."

I looked up in shock. "How did you know he was a boy? And how did you know his name, even?"

She laughed and winked at me. "I'm psychic, remember?"

I chuckled back, and Sakura waddled over to me again and hopped in my lap. "Well, don't worry, Sabrina. I'm not going to let Team Rocket get away with any plans they have this time." I stood up and hoisted my backpack over my shoulder. "Well, I'd better get going. My friend challenged the other gym over there and I wanna see how he did. I'll come back to battle you again soon." I added, smiling.

Sabrina shook her head. "Nonsense. You helped me snap out of the trance I was in, and you even tolerated me after I started blowing up the whole place. You deserve this." She placed something in my open palm, and closed my hand. "Good luck with Team Rocket. Don't give up yet." She showed me and my Pokemon to the back door so I wouldn't have to go through all the Teleporters again, and waved goodbye.

I opened my hand to see a small, golden badge in my hand - the Marsh Badge! I didn't even have to battle her! I smiled as I made my way to the next Gym to see Katsu.

-----

"He gave you a Pokemon as your prize!"

Katsu nodded proudly and released his newest Pokemon. It had no neck, but that certainly doesn't mean it was fat - it was the most fit Pokemon I've ever seen. Muscular, brown oval-shaped body, grey skinny legs, with powerful looking feet with claws. He looked at me curiously before bellowing out, "Hitmonlee!" and kicking at the air as he showed off.

"He looks pretty powerful." I replied, impressed. "I don't think he'll help in Sabrina's gym, but he'll sure pack a punch - er, kick," I added, as Hitmonlee shook his 'head' and kicked the air, "In some other gyms. Speaking of Sabrina, I have quite an interesting story to tell you after you battle her."

Katsu nodded. "Well, I'll see you after we each beat the other gyms. Good luck with all those trainers. Maybe you could get the Hitmonchan if you win!"

I shook my head. "Nah, I don't need another Pokemon. I'm fine with these five right here," I replied, smiling. "I'll just come in and watch you fight Sabrina." He shrugged, and we went inside.

Katsu wiped out every trainer with Poochyena; he was biting and slashing his way through Kadabras and Slowpokes, and it wasn't long before we reached the gym leader room.

"So this is your friend?" Inquired Sabrina, looking at me. "His Pokemon seem strong, but not quite strong enough for mine." She smirked as she released Venomoth, who made a sort of angry hissing/clicking noise at Poochyena, taunting him and ready for battle.

"Uh... Do you two know each other?" Katsu asked, obviously confused. I shoved him into the battling section as I laughed, "I told you, I'll tell you after you win."

Shrugging, he began the battle before it started. "Poochyena, leap up and Bite him!"

"Venomoth, avoid the attack and use Supersonic on him!"

Just as Poochyena darted up to rip apart Venomoth's wing, his opponent emitted an extremely high-pitched sound. Poochyena blinked, and looked confused. Remembering the battle, he opened his mouth and --bit his own tail. Poochyena yelped in pain, and every time he tried to attack, he attacked himself. "Poochyena, eat these!" Shouted Katsu, tossing his Pokemon a couple of berries.

Poochyena quickly ate them, and seemed to be back to normal. Jumping up, he crunched down on Venomoth's wing, holding on tightly until Venomoth looked weak enough to attack again. Venomoth looked about to use Sleep Powder, but Poochyena insisted on taking a last bite on Venomoth, causing him to crash to the ground.

Sabrina returned Venomoth and sent out her next Pokemon, Kadabra, without another word.

Before Kadabra noticed he was fighting a dark-type, he let out a wave of Psychic towards his opponent, and was surprised to see Poochyena standing tall. Without being told to (or so it seemed), Kadabra focused on his target and clenched his fist, dashing towards Poochyena. The dark-type wasn't that stupid, however, and quickly evaded it by jumping just as Kadabra was about to hit him, and countered it with a painful-sounding crunch on Kadabra's tail.

"Keep using crunch, Poochyena! Don't give up yet!"

Poochyena did as told, taking every chance he could to bite the Kadabra, while Kadabra took every chance he could to use Focus Punch to wipe out Poochyena.

In the end, Poochyena was victorious, although looking a bit weak. Sabrina smiled, pulled out a gold badge and handed it to Katsu. "Congratulations," she said, and Katsu smiled and took the badge, admiring it.

"Way to go, Poochyena!" I exclaimed, and the Pokemon came running up to me, licking my face happily. I laughed as he pushed me to the ground, slobbering all over me. I pulled myself up and held Poochyena in my arms when he suddenly began to glow, a bright, white light. His muscles grew bigger and stronger, and his tail became more scraggly. I gasped.

Poochyena evolved into a Mightyena.

He blinked, looking around at his surroundings, and snapped to attention and ran over to lick me again, still as happy and playful as ever. That's when I blacked out.

-----

"Wake up, Keiko... wake uuuuup... Anyone in there? Alright, she's not waking up, Mightyena. Lick her face again."

I opened my eyes a bit, and everything was blurry for a while. When it all came to focus, I saw Mightyena happily panting over my face, looking down at me curiously. I screamed and scooted backwards until I came to the wall. Mightyena whimpered sadly, putting his ears back and curling up in a corner.

"Oh, good Keiko, you're awake! Did Mightyena scare ya?" Katsu asked happily.

"What do you think?" I replied angrily, crossing my arms. He frowned.

Sabrina chuckled as she watched us argue. "Did you ever have a mishap with a Mightyena?"

I noticed we were still in the gym, and I nodded my head. "Yes... I have." I rubbed the place on my head where I had been bitten, and I cringed at the memories. "It was nothing, really..." Katsu looked at me with an expression that said, 'What the heck are you talking about?' I sighed, "Well, I think we'll be going. We 'ought to head out to the next town, or maybe just look around Saffron."

Sabrina nodded and waved goodbye, disapearing into the back room.

"So did I tell you what happened yet?" I asked Katsu, and he shook his head.

"Nope, but Sabrina did when you fainted." He put a confident face on, grinning. "So are we gonna get those Rockets, or what?" He looked disapointed when I shook my head. "What? But why not?"

"It's no use, Katsu. There's to many of them. Even if we ever managed to... 'get rid' of Giovanni, there's no doubt the other Rockets would form a new plan and organization on their own, and get revenge on Giovanni himself." I sighed, hanging my head. "And until they get Sakura, they won't ever leave me alone. And they'll probably come back after that, too." I hugged Sakura closer to my chest. "It's just no use."

He shook his head angrily. "No! Don't even say that! We can stop them... eventually. Everything happens for a reason, Keiko, and... The flowers, you got those for a reason, too. Don't you understand? Kin died at the hand of Team Rocket. You almost died at the hand of Team Rocket. All of us almost died at the hands of Team Rocket! All this can just stop if we stop them!"

I was shocked by his sudden speech, but smiled. "You're right, Katsu," I replied quietly. "But are you sure it's even possible to stop all of the Rockets?"

"We can get through this, Keiko." He replied, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"I know we can," I whispered, closing my eyes, "I'm just not sure if I'm willing to."

-----

I looked sadly out the window of the Pokecenter, tears falling down my face, imitating the rain that fell to the ground. Everything Katsu had said... I couldn't handle it. Because I knew it wasn't true. He was only speaking with his confidence and not his brain. How could we have stopped all those Team Rocket members? Looking back, I kind of wish we had.

I closed my eyes, sighing and choking on my tears as I lay my head against the window pane, which was streaked with raindrops. Now I thought about the last words I had said. They were true. I wasn't willing at all; I couldn't bear to go through anything like I had with Kin again. I could just picture it: The Rockets coming at us by the hundreds, armed with dozens of Zubat and Mightyena, just ready to tear my Pokemon apart.

I broke down then, thinking of Kin and his cheerful personality. He was such a good Pokemon, and I let him die protecting me. I remember it all so clearly; his bloodied body, his vacant, emotionless eyes, and the scars that the Mightyena ripped into him that would be there forever, even while he rested peacefully in his grave.

But I still didn't understand why. Why did I have to stop Team Rocket to stop my Pokemon from dying? How was that fair at all? Why can't I choose my own fate, and leave the wrath of evil to someone else who actually cares? Someone who thinks life is actually worth living anymore.

Amaya bounded up to the sill, sitting next to me and purring softly as she rubbed against my head. I sniffed, stroking her silvery white fur as she turned to the window, pawing at it, wanting to go outside. "No, Amaya. No." I replied. She cocked her head to the side and whimpered. I sighed. "Fine. Just for a few minutes, okay?" I opened the window a crack and she leaped outside, gazing up at the silvery moon, admirng it. She let the rain soak her fur, tinting it a darker silver. Amaya seemed to glow in the rain; it was sort of eerie, almost as if she were...

And then, her eyes began to glow, as did her whole body. Her ears became more shorthaired and longer, and her once bushy tail was growing thinner and less-furry by the second. The once pure white fur was now fading into black, and blue, glowing rings appeared on her body.

"Eon," she cooed to the moon proudly, her voice now more mysterious sounding. The cerulean coloured rings glowed softly in the rain, and her bright yellow eyes gazed mournfully at the moon, though a smile was still on her face. I gasped, amazed; "Amaya... You've evolved into Umbreon!" She looked at me, and came back through the window, causing her rings to stop glowing. "Reon..." she replied, rubbing against me and purring again. Her fur was still soaking wet, but I didn't mind. I just scratched her head and smiled.

"You don't know how hard it is for me to know that I'm going lose you someday, too," I whispered, stroking her fur as tears rolled down my cheeks. She shook her head, nuzzling my cheek. "Umbre," she replied sweetly, "Eon." I sighed. Pokemon were so optimistic; it's like they could never dare to know anything but happiness or loyalty.

"We'll be leaving on the ship to Cinnabar Island soon, Amaya. Do you have all your things packed?" I asked her jokingly, knowing she didn't really have anything that needed to be packed. She gave me an enthusiastic "Bre!" before hopping to the foot of my bed, and curling up to sleep.

"I'm only two gyms away from the Elite Four. What other choice but to go on?" I muttered. "Right, and what motivation do I have at all? A shiny trophy, maybe? A full set of badges?" I looked out the window, resting my head on it. "How about I just toss my Pokemon now. Put them all in their Pokeballs in a neat little row, with a nice little note there." I sighed, shaking my head. "Why am I even trying anymore? What Katsu said was right; this can only be stopped if we stop Team Rocket. And you know what? I'm not going to risk it."

At this point I was ready to give up. Find a cliff somewhere and take the fall, and all this pain and suffering would be over; without me trying to beat Team Rocket. A simple jump and it would be all over.

I picked the forget-me-nots out from my backpack, twirling Kin's around in my hand, thinking of him. A smile spread across my face as I stroked the wrinkled brown stem.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Kin."