Disclaimer: I don't own pokémon!

Zoroark's cave was surprisingly big on the inside, even though he could barely fit through the entrance. Berries were sorted into neat piles around the place, and in one corner there was a pile of random civilised stuff. Rok could make out a few potion bottles, some jewellery, and a bunch of miscellaneous technology that he couldn't even begin to describe.

Much of the cave was taken up by a large, messy nest. It looked like Zoroark had just grabbed a bunch of leaves, feathers, and sticks and shoved them together. Still, it must've been more comfortable than it looked because there was a pokémon sleeping soundly in the middle. She looked like a bit like an eevee, but with grey and red fur and a sharper snout.

Zoroark noticed Rok looking and snarled quietly. Rok tried for a smile, but Zoroark didn't seem convinced.

Glaring at Rok suspiciously the whole time, Zoroark made his way over to the nest and shook the smaller pokémon awake. She opened her eyes and smiled up at him, purring deep in her throat.

Then she saw Rok.

The little pokémon squeaked and hid behind Zoroark's thick mane, staring at Rok with eyes filled with fear and anxiety. Rok crouched, trying to seem smaller.

I'm not a danger. I won't hurt you.

Zoroark crooned at her, the noise sounding far more natural than his words. The little pokémon whined back nervously, but stepped out from behind Zoroark's mane.

Rok smiled as gently as he could. "I'm Rok," he said softly, "what's your name?"

The little pokémon anxiously met his gaze. "Zorua."

"That's a pretty name."

Zorua didn't say anything. Zoroark just glared.

"My friend is hurt and needs rest." Rok continued, "Can I put her on that nest with you? I promise, she won't hurt you. Neither of us will."

Zorua was definitely still afraid (Rok kind of doubted there was anything he could do right now to help her relax) but she obligingly stepped aside, watching as Rok tipped Reaper onto the bundle of feathers and leaves.

"You traitors?" Zorua asked quietly.

Rok nodded, though it felt a bit weird to call himself a traitor.

Zorua shrank a little. "Traitors hurt."
Rok winced. "Well, you don't need to worry about that from me and Reaper. We're just passing through. We'll be out of your way soon."

Zorua stared up at him. She was young, very young, but her eyes were filled with too much pain and fear.

"Traitors always hurt." Zorua sad, "Traitors hurt Mama and Papa and brothers and sisters."

Rok blinked at her. Then stared up at Zoroark. "What…does she mean?"

Zoroark growled. "Traitors afraid of us. So traitors kill family."

Rok's ears pressed flat against his skull in shock. But…civilised pokémon didn't kill wild pokémon. The only reason they killed in the village was for food, and that was clearly not a problem in the towns and cities that Reaper and the others lived in. Usually, the goal was just to drive them away. That's what they learned in the Guild! Why would pokémon go out of their way to kill a whole family of them?

"I don't understand." Rok whispered, "Civili-traitors don't kill wild pokémon."

"They do!" Zoroark roared, and Rok's markings briefly flashed, lighting up the cave. "Traitors kill always! Have to hide to survive!"

"But it doesn't make sense." Rok said, "Killing wild pokémon is seriously frowned upon! Anyone who just went out and started exterminating everything that didn't live in a house would be punished. Badly!"

Zoroark snorted.

"Why were they afraid of you?" Rok asked.

Zoroark narrowed his eyes at him, until his form was suddenly cloaked in a purple, glowing mist, like light turned into fog. The mist swirled, glowing brighter and brighter as it condensed, before it finally dissipated to reveal…

Rok.

Rok's jaw dropped as he stared at the doppelganger. "Wha…how…?"

Zoroark glared, the fierce expression looking utterly alien on Rok's face. "Illusion."

Rok's eyes widened with understanding. "You did the same thing earlier, didn't you? With the room with all the hallways."

Zoroark nodded. "Traitors scared of illusion. Think we will replace them." He snorted. "Like we want their life."

Rok took a step forward, and Zoroark instantly bared his teeth and snarled (though it looked a lot less intimidating on Rok).

"So, they attacked you because they were afraid of your powers?" Rok asked.

Zoroark nodded.

Rok smiled. "I have a friend a bit like that. He gives nightmares to people. It's not really something he has control over, and he tries to isolate himself so he doesn't hurt anyone. But people still attack him and try to kill him, because they assume that just because he can do scary things that makes him evil."

Zoroark cocked his head to one side, and in a swirl of purple mist he had regained his true appearance. "Traitors can't suffer like us."

"He's not a traitor." Rok assured him, "He's…not wild exactly either. But he's definitely not a traitor. He wouldn't hurt you or Zorua."

Zoroark stayed silent, though his frown looked more contemplative than angry.

"You're not afraid?"

Rok jolted at the quiet voice, staring down at Zorua. "Uh, what?"

"You're not afraid of your friend?" she asked, "Even though they do scary things?"

Rok sighed. "I'll admit, I was afraid at first. But, I could also relate to him."
Zorua tilted her head. "How? Can you do scary things?"

Rok chuckled darkly. "Yeah, though not nearly as cool as him or Zoroark."

Zorua gazed at him expectantly.

"I can make people feel afraid." He told her, "Like, really afraid. It usually kicks in when I'm scared or angry."

"Did traitors hurt you?"

Rok nodded. "And a lot of my friends as well."

Zorua looked down at her paws, her ears dropping with sorrow. "Traitors are mean."

"Sometimes. But other times they're very kind and understanding, and they see the things others hate you for and think they're amazing." Rok grinned, thinking of stern but compassionate Atala, and excitable Harvard. "And all the pokémon they're mean to can band together, supporting one-another and helping each-other."

"Like brother and me?" Zorua asked.

Rok glanced up at Zoroark, who was watching them intently. "Yeah, like that."

For the first time since she saw him, Zorua smiled. "That's nice."

"Yellow and black traitor."

Rok jolted slightly.

Zoroark jerked his head. "Come."

Rok obliged, following the tall grey fox to the mouth of the cave.

"Don't lie to Zorua." Zoroark said, his words shaking with the force of a growl.

Rok frowned. "I'm not."

"Traitors aren't good. Traitors don't help anyone." Zoroark spat, "Traitors just hurt."

"I promise that's not true. I'm sorry that you haven't seen it for yourself, but I swear that there are good pokémon outside the wilds."

Zoroark looked away, glaring out at the dark Dungeon hall. "Seen plenty. Traitors hurt. Keep far away, and I and Zorua don't get hurt."

"Have you lived here your whole life?" Rok asked softly.

Zoroark. "No. Hatched outside. Bring Zorua here after family die. She was very young. This," he said, gesturing out at the hall, "all she knows."

Rok looked out, taking in every detail that he was too harried to notice before. The way the walls are dusted and cracked with age. The cold, stale scent of the air. Food must be scarce down here. No way could any trees or bushes survive, and Rok couldn't smell any water. He thought about all the vicious wild pokémon that roamed the place, how from the moment he and Reaper found themselves within he could hear the sounds of battle.

"This is no place for a child to grow up." Rok said.

"Neither is up there." Zoroark argued.

"Yes, up there!" Rok snapped back. "Up there she can see the sun. She can have friends! It's not perfect but neither is this place. Giratina, this place might be even worse."

Zoroark glared. "Safer. No traitors."

"No traitors doesn't mean that this place is safer." Rok said, "Down here, there are plenty of wild pokémon that will attack her on sight. I can't imagine there's much food or water, despite your stockpiles. And there's no sunlight. No fresh air. No plants. You know, I used to be an eevee. For some of our evolutions, we need all those things."

"We don't." Zoroark growled. "Zorua and zoroark don't need light. Fine in the darkness. So are you. Could feel it when you attacked."

Rok frowned. "You're Dark Types?"

Zoroark scoffed. "Whatever traitors call us."

Rok heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry. And believe me, I know how cruel they can be up there. How cruel they can be to our kind. But that's no reason to hide away, sacrificing living in order to survive. My friend," he continued, jerking his head back into the cave. "she always assumes the worst of pokémon. And I get that. But recently, she's started to hope. She doesn't always show it, but she has. And she's actually letting herself have a life now. Before, she always kept people at a distance. But she's starting to let them in." Rok smiled up at Zoroark. "And she's happier. She tells jokes, she helps others out and comforts them, and let's herself be comforted in turn. She…doesn't live in fear of being hurt anymore. And you don't have to either. Zorua doesn't have to."

Zoroark doesn't say anything. But he doesn't stop listening.

"Come up with us." Rok pleaded, "When we leave the Dungeon. We can show you that you don't have to hide away in the dark to survive. We can introduce you to our friends, to pokémon who have suffered like you, and pokémon who want to make things better for pokémon like you.

Please.

Join us.

Help us."

A/N: Please review!