Everything felt heavier. Every bone seemed to weigh down and rumple and sag into this earth. These days my breath was shakier, and the fevers popped up more frequently. I would lay still and as cold as ice, shivering from the disgusting fever shooting up and down my quaking bones. Those loose muscles were blubbering and I lolled in my sleeping place. Things have gotten more insecure the past few days. Tip and Tap hadn't been as horrified as I would've liked. They had crowded me listening intently to my treacherous story. It felt, as if a casual function to hear myself speak of these things, though they really were treacherous in my heart. It made my heart thud just remembering the events of being captured, which couldn't even shadow the thoughts of the Crab or Flip. But though it made my skin crawl, it also felt as if someone lifted off a burdening saddle from my shoulders. It had ached for so long not to pass on the story. Tip seemed at first absolutely terrified, she had clasped her face in her little paws and I could hear her grumble 'So evil…'. Though she was petrified, she became a bit comfortable with the fact that I had escaped all these sickening obstacles. She began raising her head, ears twitching as she tilted her head with what I guessed high spirits that I would flee with no major injuries. Her mind must've been tricking her.

Then there was Tap,who stood up with a proud flair bouncing through her. She refused to sit, she declared herself too good for that. To bow down to a measly bruised Pichu. She never wavered, and closed her black eyes to pay attention even more. Both of them did not comment (though Tip gasped in all the right places), which felt good. It felt like I wasn't being judged.

Over the past few days, I felt weary of course. And it felt as if no one cared except for Tip and Tap. Courage had only spoken two words to me after our little scrabble, and Kiki seemed anxious about me, she fidgeted and avoided our conversations. And Flick hadn't spoken one word to me! No insults nothing! While Cam was still afraid that I would electrify him, since that was my doing when I saw him last. Though, he probably had good reason too. I would have done that, knowing me. Through all this though, I felt lonely.

As if I was thrown back into the Viridian by myself again, I was alone no friends speaking to me, nothing….

Good thing Tip and Tap returned. Though I could tell from Tip's jumpy expression, that Tap had been the only one who actually wanted to see me. Nonetheless, my spirits rose once they appeared from the prickly bush that I guessed lead to their home. Everyday they visited, their faces pumped with the eagerness of my stories. They hadn't heard much, they mostly had been informed about the strangeness of the mortals market. And the next day they sprinted back for more, Tip especially excited when I passed on the food. It seemed as if she was soaking in the idea of pickled foods, bagged chips, and boxed provisions, as if she was day dreaming about slicing open a box and being able to just plop some mouthwatering delectables down her throat. Tap though, was not interested until I whispered hoarsely about the bulky Crab. Her ears had perked as I chanted about the immense pain that had wolfed all the way into my meat. When I murmured of my suspicions that it had actually cut the meat, and reassembled the bone, she leaned, and when I presented the fat purple scar on my right wrist she squealed in astonishment.

The more I saw them; I began to notice that they weren't exactly identical. Now, don't get me wrong. They were very much alike in features. But, there were these little things. Such as Tip, her eyes were paler. Not so much of a grey color, and certainly not a smudged blue. But they were lighter, and seemed as if attained from a lifeless dog. They would glimmer when the shade was blocking the sun, and her pupils were oh so very dark, the contrast was almost insanely bizarre. Tap on the other hand, had charcoal black eyes. So dim that they would glow darker when a shadow of a cloud hover her. Her pupils must've been the same hue, for they were not noticeable. Though, Tap had much more life in hers, they seemed almost too full of it, and would fidget in their sockets, desperately searching. Not only that, but Tips ears were more floppy and round. She preferred to keep them at her sides; big earlobes would swoosh in the misty wind. While Tap always had hers up, they rarely lowered, and spikes seemed to jot up all around, they were always moving almost. As if bored and searching for something interesting to hear.

Though I wasn't the only one speaking. Tip and Tap were ravenous to speak of their lives. They had in all seven brothers and sisters. There were the triplets, Simon, Mac, and Lissy and they were all born only four years ago. Then there was the oldest of the bunch Kern, then swerving down at two years was Kimmy and Nams, and the youngest and seemingly the favorite out of their siblings, Georgie, only six months old. They always went into great detail describing their kin, and adored the gossip that was spun from their mouths. Kern was supposedly the oldest and had already moved out of their humble burrow, Tip described him as a bulky Nidorino, pink skinned and bossy, when he visits from his den she elaborated on how he believes himself superior to his siblings and brags on his achievements such as his new mate Nessa, their first pup Camen, and the Colony Of Nids (the organization of elderly Nids who make the laws over Viridian) presenting him job of protector in their village.

The Colony of Nids was a group of monarchy leaders. Upon every setting, there are problems and enemies, even dirty traitors. Any society needs a government, even an (in Tip and Tap's opinion) a life sucking negligent one. The Colony of Nids or CN, consisted of about seven leaders, all above the age of fourteen (A/N If you think of this in human years they are old, I mean Spark is only four) and they create the self binding rules that are laid about the Nids of the Viridian. For instance, species crossed love is banned, also conspiring on any subject such as trade or shop is also banned, and most of all the average Nid is only allowed three pups.

Now, Tip and Tap described in great detail, their father's distaste for these foolish rules. Saying they were "unnecessary" and "unbelievably stupid", Tip and Tap also firmly agreed. These policies banning them from crossing with other species, and kept the family from having more pups were in their words absurd. So, the twins confirmed with me, their parents detest and their move to the way west side of the Viridian. Farthest away from most Nids, and their idiotic council, so they raised their quite large family of nine. Now, once Kern the oldest decided he was mature enough to move out he retreated to the CN, abandoning his parents to work as a messenger for the CN.

He hasn't been forgiven.

Then there were the triplets, Simon, Mac, and Lissy, which have now taken the spot as the oldest and most irritating siblings. Or in more like in Tap's words "They are the most retarded giggly bunch and sometimes feel I must tear all their throats out to shut them up." But then there were the other two Kimmy and Nams, who whined so much that Tip felt that they needed to be locked in a soundproof box so nobody can hear their screechy little voices. The only sibling that Tip and Tap cared about (except for their own twin) was tiny Georgie, their newest and sweetest sibling. They described him a true sweetheart, Georgie loved everyone, even if he had never met them he swung his arms around them and kissed their cheeks.

"Georgie said 'bow' for the first time today, except he pronounced it like 'boweth'! It was absolutely darling!" Tip screeched, waving hands in the air. I grinned, leaning against the prickly tree, the two had just arrived. Tap stood up tall next to me, she nodded her head, agreeing, flicking her thorn dubbed ears, and added on.

"Nams kept telling him to 'Now boweth!' It was actually one of his funny jokes." She uttered, and Tip rolled her eyes. Tap thought every ones sense of humor was dim. I chortled as I saw them bicker about how comedy worked. They seemed to always banter with each other, nothing ever just was. There had to be corners and intervals, nothing just was as it should be.

"You guys!" I groaned rolling my eyes, gazing at the subtle clouds that were starting to shroud the bristle of trees. They were turning grayer each day, I feared a storm was lingering. Both, Tip and Tap did not take heed though, and both kept yapping. I growled, and tried to stand, saggy bones almost nailing me to the soft grass, but I grasped the tree trunk near me, the pain rippled, and I shouted.

"YOU GUYS!!!!!"

My groggy croak of a scream seemed to awake their senses. And when I toppled over that crumbly hill, they trotted to my rescue, their thorny ears thudding with the wind. The quills of twigs and sharp grasses stung horridly, and I felt the loose-fitting bandage bound to my stomach blob. Tightening my lips in withheld pain, I awaited till Tip gently lifted me up by the shoulder and Tap grasped my right lower leg as they escorted me to my resting spot. I smiled sweetly, but inside my stomach gurgled to just put an end to all this sympathy, I was tired of being weak. I was remorseful of letting all these sores clutch me in their grasps so, letting them leave these deflated boils behind, making me appear as if some disfigured beast, to let me slip from what I was. No, what I still am. Just, well hidden. I laid in a patch of crab grass as the twins gave me soft apologetic eyes, it stung my heart.

"You're okay, right? Nothing happened did it! Do you need some water or…or…"

"I think he's fine, aren't you Spark?"

Tap added in pleasurably, I swear every day I liked her more. Tip seemed incredibly nervous, and plopped herself beside me. I grinned, and reassured her with a simple smile.

An awkward silence then slipped between us then. Tap probably worrying about her father, Tip shaky about what had happened moments ago, and me reviewing on how I had ended up a skinny, ugly, friendless creature. And suddenly Tap neared me, and nudged my elbow.

"I think its time you've met our family."

Tap gave me a wild excited look.

"OH! Will you Spark!"

"….I guess, I have nothing better to do." I grinned.

Jordan and Kirby cut!

Tip had crafted a perfect sled like device made from the scraps of Cam's backpack we had….er broken up a bit. It was stubbly, the wires from the backpack were molded together with the bits of electricity I could have without blasting it off with Cobalt Lighting, created an arch like structure, wrapped in the leathery fabric from the pockets of the pack, and it broke up the dirt quite well. It was for me. As Tip and Tap rose to set off for their burrow, I scurried behind, and then screeched as the gash in my belly started to swell, and then my loose muscles seemed to plunk to the ground floor. Tip and Tap were frantic, but did not speak much about it, they knew it hurt me….to be so handicapped. So now, Tap was dragging me gently, as Tip strolled sweetly making small talk about how happy she was that I was finally meeting her parents. We descended down the forest, through the prickly branches and the forest floor strewn in glass. Suddenly, Tap came to a sudden stop in front of a pile of dirt and a dark musty hole. As I turned my head, I saw five little Nidorans scattered over the forest plain. And as I watched them play and roll in the dying grass, the suddenly hindered and stared.

"GUYS! This is Spark, you know the one we told you guys about?"

Tap announced as if they weren't haunted by my sludgy appearance at all.

"Who ran over him?"

An azure female whispered the bow tied in her head glistening, as she hovered to her brother who had a long scar down his right eye. They both snickered.

"Lissy, shut up!"

Tip growled. I think this was the first time I ever heard her stand up for…anything.

"What is that? Seriously Tip! If mom sees you brought a sick Pokemon she'll have a cow!"

A faded blue female mumbled, she had a big fat pink birthmark on her forehead in the shape of a badly drawn heart.

"I'm not kidding Claire, this is Spark!"
"But you said all these good things about him!"
My heart stopped.

"Yeah! He's great, he just….doesn't look great…"

An ugly silence drooped in, and my heart skipped. They talked good about me? They weren't unkind with my circumstances? It made me all warm, how my new friends cared for me. I didn't feel alone. I didn't feel as if Courage and Kiki were ignoring me, Flick strayed, or if Cam was being extra careful. I felt wonderful, and happy.

But then my cheerful feelings were stopped by a sudden shrill yell.

"TIP AND TAP! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN! I HAVE BEEN COOKING, CLEANING, AND TAKING CARE OF GEORGIE WHILE YOU TWO ARE JU-"

The woman was large, and I proposed she was Tip and Tap's mother. Her chest was armored plated, and a horn protruded her forehead, large clunky tail was curled between her legs, and beefy arms were pulled together. I noticed the necklace looped around her swollen neck, held a large garnet heart-shaped stone. She stopped dead. As if her throat was dead. She looked at me, but not with horrible disgusted eyes like the young Nidorans, but with milky black pity filled ones.

"And who is this?"

"This is Spark mom."

Tap replied casually.

I smiled weakly. And she grinned and approached me. I peered into her arms, was a sweet bubbling baby, pink and giggling. She smiled kindly, and then withdrew me from the sled.

"So you are Spark?"
"Yes mam."

"No need for formalities, just call me Grace."

"Okay, Grace."

The baby peeked from his mother's breast, and looked at me with expressionless blue eyes. Just like mine. You must understand the rarity of blue eyes, green or even brown eyes. Most Pokemon had black dead eyes that made me sometimes shiver, they looked like dolls. The blue-eyed baby then grinned, and reached out for me. I felt utterly surprised, as Grace lowered him down to stumble to me and wrap his short arms around my arm. He snuggled his head into my chest, and I chortled, this must be Georgie.

"He has taken a liking to you."

The others then swarmed me, all five of them, they created a circle around me. Each ecstatic and asking strange questions. I had to start yelling to quiet them.

"First off, what are you guys names?"

"IM SIMON!!!!!"

One male shouted eagerly, tugging my arm, which was burning uncontrollably. I had to shove him off to stop the horrible aches, and still he smiled widely with ready-to-please wet black eyes. He had a fork chained around his neck. I didn't wanna know why.

"That's nice…who are you."

I pointed to the gossipy girl with the bow in her hair. She rolled her eyes, and glanced at her claws before she answered me, stalling me as if I would take back my question. But I held my gaze, with a firm tone.

"Ugh, I'm Lissy…"

She spoke as if it was a crime for not knowing her name.

"Okay you?"

I glanced to a girl whom had her face meshed in black dirt. She had a grim frown on her face, and closed her eyes as if she had to concentrate to talk to me.

"I'm Kimmy, call me Night."

I glanced at Tap, whom shrugged. I smiled wobbly-like. These kids were weird.

"Okay, er Night…what's your name?"

This boy had a pair of sunglasses perched on his nose; he had his arms behind his back in an arch. Looking relaxed he chuckled, and gave a sly grin.
"Mac."

"Okay, well I think that's all of you so-"

"Hey whata bout ME!"

One male kid looked at me with angry faded eyes. He was buried between Mac and Lissy, barely visible. Looking frustrated, he shoved his siblings away.
"I'm Nams! Hey wanna hear a joke!"
"Well…"

"Cool! Okay, there's a math book and a pencil, the pencil asks 'What's the long face?' and the math book says 'I have a lot of problems'! Get it! Problems, you know a math book has problems an-"

"Nams stop it, you're NOT funny!"

Lissy yelled angrily as she rated herself in a piece of glass.

"Yeah, Namsie, its not cool."

Mac spoke in a relaxed tone.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT!"

"Namsie, Namsie, Namsie, Namsie, Namsi-"

"OKAY STOP!"
I shouted over the shouts from Mac and Nams, while the others giggled rowdily. They stopped suddenly, though you could hear Mac whisper Namsie beneath his breath, and hear Nams growl. Georgie giggled in my arms, and then started to squeak happily.

"Spick! Spick! Tell, tell, tell puh-wease?"

I was pretty sure that Georgie tried to say my name with failure. But what had he meant by tell? Tap sat beside me, pushing her brothers and sisters to the side and smiled to Georgie.

"He wants you to tell us the rest of your story."

"You-"

"We told them some of it, and they wanna know the rest….finish it."

I smiled at Taps reply. And she leaned into my side, Tip lifted Georgie from me and cuddled him while holding my hand with soft fingers. I felt the greatest, I felt loved. And it was such an absent feeling, and I missed it so, kindling myself. I began to speak about Courage and his story. Feeling, the sudden clench in my belly. I missed him a lot. I missed them all a lot. The tears threatened to poke out, but I managed to hold back the burn.

And I told my story.

Jordan and Kirby cut!

I had stayed for dinner. And now my belly was plump with stewed cabbage and herbs, feeling the warmth, I smiled the whole ride back to my campsite. Tip and Tap said their goodbyes, and I felt the rumble of my stomach from knowing I wouldn't seem them for another day. Courage and Kiki, were absent. But I saw Flick, and her black eyes protruded me. I wobbled up to her, she wasn't perched as she normally was. But was lying in the grass, dirt breaking her clean white.

"Haven't seen you in a while."

"I've been…busy."
"Oh, what have Kiki and Courage been doing?
"Worrying, about you."

"Yeah. You scared them, damn well scared me."
"Is that why they don't talk to me?"
"No, they love you. They…aren't sure what to do."
"Yeah, well that's comforting."
I slumped back, and groaned. And she laughed heartily. A big cocky smile on her lips. I gave a baffled look, and she dipped her head.

"I thought, you know since that bitch that burned you made you uncontrollable. I thought you'd dropped that feisty attitude. I was wrong."
She smiled and prodded me lightly.

"Yeah, well I'm still that piece of slime you loathe."
"Yes, yes you are."

"Good, don't you dare think different."

"I know you're frightening."

I bit my lower lip, the sudden banging in my stomach heightened. Would it ever stop?

"Well, I'm going to retire. You should too."
"I will."

And with that she took off, I watched her bat her wings until she disappeared from my sight. Who knew when she was coming back? I then placed myself, in a knot of tangled branches, and placed my head, down the hot food dunking me to sleep.

But only for a moment.

A violent ramming bashed my head. I screamed, as I was lifted and slammed against a tree. I opened my blurry eyes, and then saw through fogs of sight. A Nidorino, his eyes were neon green, so bright my eyes stung. He had his legs pinning me down, his poisonous horn inches from my nose. He growled. And slowly cut my shoulder through a dying blister.

I screamed as the blood retreated. And I shuddered, with heart filled eyes I cried.

"Who-Why are you doing this?"
He smirked, and inched closer, as if the horn could get any closer.
"It wont kill you, might make you're arm a bit numb though."
I squealed, and tired to break free, but he held me with great force. And then cut my other arm, lightly the horn felt as if a hot knife slicing me. The poison was burning from the inside out, scorching my skin making the dead blisters puff up.

"Please….stop…"

He chortled madly, and then put his horn near my chest, right smack to the heart.

"I'll do it. If I stuck this in your heart, you'd be dead in hours." He grinned. "And it'd be slow and painful.."
"I'll do anything! Please don't!"

"Then tell me you goddamn bastard WHERE DID YOU TAKE MY SISTERS!"