Three More Keys

Timothy Vixen was walking briskly to the front door, in the background the door bell rang again, as he walked down the front hallway, he couldn't help but glance at the family portraits that hung on the wall. Suddenly he stopped at a rather large one. He smiled as he saw not only his family but his good friend on the force Jason Sparks, with the missus, along with their children. Besides Becky, there were two little girls, and in the picture taken a one year old boy. However at the moment, most of them were on Pokemon adventures, except for the boy, he smiled sadly as he thought then moved to Becky, Matthew and Ethan. All of them looked so normal and happy. How would he know that they would be in such a world as insane as this?

The doorbell rang once again taking Timothy out of his thoughts he turned to face the door. Through the small one way window in the top of the door, he could see a person he wasn't expecting to find. He went the rest of the way to the door and opened it, a look of worry on his face.

"Hi little brother, surprised? Today is your birthday, so I thought to myself, what better way to celebrate then to come and see you in person." The man looked taller then Timothy, but less muscular, yet there was a strange hostility about the air now.

"I thought I told you to call before you ever came here, especially since we now have some problems in the outer areas." Timothy said, looking at his brother as if daring him to turn around and go home.

"Sorry bro, but I am staying. I mean, if Pallet is abandoned and Cinnabar is now a smoldering molten island, I bet I get to see my brother snap, right?" He said this with a laugh as if he was making a joke. Before Timothy could say anything more about this, he was shown another surprise. His brother step aside and revealed a women and three teenaged boys, all of them looking bored and not so happy to be here. "I even brought the family."

It was at this moment that Ethan stepped into the hallway, walking from the door, causing a scream from Timothy's brother and his wife, but a look of awe at the three teenagers. Ethan only covered his ears and stepped back against the lighted wall. It didn't help that Eve came next, who blinked and looked at the family with an interested look.

"What is that thing?" Shouted Timothy's brother. He seemed ready to pull off a Pokeball to combat it, only to completely loose his nerve at the next sentence that was spoken.

"Good to see that you are well, Uncle Randolph, Aunt Susan, Ralf, TJ, Eric. It is so good to see that you outwitted out outer defenses." He said this as if enjoying some joke that he was upset about. "Matthew will be so glad to know his work isn't working."

Susan after hearing the 'thing' speak took a step forward. "If you mean those guards at the front entry, and the seemingly anti-psychic teleportation in effect, then no, it was so annoying and irritating that I wanted to just shut the man up, talking about being safe and everything, I mean this is backwoods central, nothing happens here." Her voice showed that she was not taking kindly to all that had happened to her.

Timothy only shook his head, "I can see that you still prefer Goldenrod then to the country, but please, come in and sit down, I assure you that my son is most definitely house broken." He seemed to say this as if daring them to comment more about Ethan's condition as if he wasn't sentient.

"That's okay, at least they didn't attack me, but I think they would realize that I was more then what they see as soon as I gave the first attack." He then looked at the open doorway, "Matthew's a half hour away, and I think he is carrying something as well."

Timothy only smiled. "That is good; go tell your mother, she is a little worried about everything… I don't know if she can keep this up, seeing her son having to prepare…." He stopped and turned to his brother. "Randolph, will you please have a seat, I must get some things ready." He then turned to the three young boys, "Sorry but Matthew will be here shortly, just hold on for the moment okay?" Before they could answer he left to go deeper into his house.

The family of five only looked at one another as a cuckoo clock ticked in the background. The quiet was very unnerving and unsettling. The silence was broken by the comment of Randolph's wife speaking up. "So, what was this about surprising them with your plans on taking them on a trip to get away from it all?" She seemed amused that it seemed that somehow, they had gotten away from it all. "After all, I think they have defiantly gotten away from it all. I mean they don't live in the real world anymore, after seeing that costume, I think this town has finally snapped.

"I wouldn't speak like that around my son if I were you." A female voice sounded from the open archway. All head snapped to look at the speaker. Randolph was the first to get up. "Ah, Becky, so are you two dating yet?" he was surprised at having a pillow being flung at him.

"Do you realize just what is going on here? Or are you as clueless as usual around yourself?" Becky said this in a flat tone of voice as if speaking something that she found annoying.

Randolph's wife only smiled at this. "I can see that she has gotten smarter, maybe she finally got off that idea of being a Pokemon trainer." She was surprised when another pillow hit her face. Becky had another pillow in her grasp as well.

"Anyone else want to comment? Or do you want to understand what is going on here?" She sounded flustered now. "Before you ask, Mrs. Vixen is having a nervous fit at the moment, but I think she will be fine soon." She was totally calm and at ease.

Ethan was walking behind Becky and out the front door when Susan Vixen took her usual spot when she came over. "Young man, I do not know what your mother is thinking, but I would like you to take that costume off this instant, I will not let one of my nephews run around at the age you are in, pretending to be some kind of Pokemon."

Eve only smirked and spoke, of course to those besides Becky and Ethan; they didn't understand a word that was spoken. Ethan however couldn't help but laughing. "You are right, I forgot about Aunt Susan, but no, I don't think she will remember you, you aren't cute anymore."

Aunt Susan looked a little more upset but then she composed herself, "So, you are now talking to your Pokemon? That is a sign of insanity… but…" Her eyes went wide but then saddened. "Don't tell me you evolved your little Eve, I knew Pokemon Trainers were not good at all."

Ethan only looked at Aunt Susan. "Okay, but I really must get going, I have a friend to meet on the Legendary, remember to tell mom Becky, I don't think she would like me to come near her soon." With that, Ethan deciding that indeed he would not leave out the front door used the way that most dark type Pokemon travel in long distances. He walked into and vanished into a shadow.

Becky only shook her head. "Show Off." She muttered, however she knew that he didn't care much for his Aunt Susan. She looked up and smiled. "So… how is Johto? Good weather?" She was asking that to get something out of them besides the stares of horror from the Wife, and awe struck looks of the teens.

Randolph was the only one that seemed to be unaffected. "Not much to report, but I did hear that the volcano did blow on Cinnabar. I am sorry to hear about it. I bet the video was spectacular."

"None, Blaine was good at evacuating the Island of everyone that was on it. But that still was not all those on the Island, you see we are on the verge of a war, in fact that was what we are worried…." She stopped and only smiled. "Sorry but I will have to leave, I need to give a report to Matthew." With that she left the room as well as leaving more mystery then there was when they came into the town.

"I think we need to leave now." Susan said with a suddenness that surprised their kids., "I will not let them hang around any longer then needed around these… freaks, we cannot allow their radical thinking affect them."

"What?" TJ shouted in shock. "But I wanted to see Matthew and Ethan. I mean, I bet they have some cool stories that will be amazing, I mean they are Pokemon Trainers. And…" He was stopped by the glare that his mother gave him.

However at that moment a noise that startled everyone came from the open front door. A moment later, Matthew Brown Vixen, a man who had matured and seemingly grown up faster then one should at the age of seventeen, stormed past with only a look into the living room that his relatives were staying. With out slowing down he released a Pokemon, a Flareon before disappearing past the front hall. A moment later heavy steps were heard on the staircase. Then suddenly all was quiet.

Becky only looked at Flare who was looking at her questioning. "Sorry, but I cannot say, I was told to tell only one person, and I did." Flare only looked disappointed. "Besides, if Matthew or Matt choices to tell you, they will tell you." At this moment two yelps were heard and soon two dejected Vulpix trotted into the presence of Aunt Susan, now these two Pokemon had never met the Aunt (by marriage) Susan. But they soon realize that maybe it was best if they didn't.

Right as soon as she saw the two Vulpix she cooed and right away tried to entice them onto her lap, with baby talk. Of course Matt and Firestorm only looked at the women as if they were seeing a two-headed human. She seemed to be a little more determined.

"They do not like being talked to like that; they are very smart and intelligent." Becky commented as she leaned against the wall, not sitting down, mainly because the couch that the Randolph family was sitting on, was really the only piece of furniture at the moment, she looked lazily to the dinning room, or at least one end of it, where more chairs were positioned, they had recently gotten new chairs for the Living Room and had yet to move them into the room.

Eric only smiled and clicked his tongue a few times and Flare came over to stare at him, he looked like he was begging or something. "What did I do?" He asked as Flare continued to stare at him.

Becky only smirked, the only outward appearance of the laughter that she was experiencing. "Because he thinks you will feed him." She then seemed to change her attention to Flare. "Sorry, but they do not know any of the commands or tricks that we know." Flare looked dejected at this, but then began to wag his tail when Eric began to pet him on the head.

TJ was looking on in boredom when suddenly to his surprise, one of the Vulpix jumped into his lap. While the other Vulpix jumped into Ralf's lap. Becky only smiled as Susan tried to pick up the Vulpix in the lap of TJ, only to recoil at the growl issued at her. Becky only smirked. "I see that Firestorm wanted some attention, go on, she won't bite your hand." TJ had been looking hesitant about petting the Vulpix after the stunt tried by his mother, but after Becky's reassurance, he did put his hand on the curls of Firestorm and she let out a gleeful bark, and so, TJ began to pet Firestorm. Ralf was already petting the other Vulpix.

"So, what is your name fellow?" Ralf asked the Vulpix, he was taken in shock when he thought her heard the answer from the Vulpix himself, for while it was yawning he heard a male voice say "Matt." He looked up in shock and wonderment if wondering if anyone else had heard it. Only he saw Matthew standing in the hallway, pale and shaken, but still he was standing, which Ralf had the strange thought that maybe he shouldn't/

Susan looked worried at seeing Matthew look the way he did. "Oh my, what is the matter? Did that dirty Pokemon Training do this to you? You were so energetic last time I saw you… and now look at you listless and lifeless." She got up as if going to start lecturing Matthew when he put up his hand.

His face twitched into a momentary smile before dropping to a straight face. "No, it is not the Training that is doing this to me, it is Team Rocket, they seemed so sure of themselves this time, a present addressed to me showed up at home yesterday, but instead of me opening it, my mother opened it by accident. That is why she isn't able to come down…. A lot has happened." He seemed to be aging before them. As if he was wearing down faster then normal.

Becky looked at him with a worried look. "I personally think you need to rest yourself, you look dead tired, and I think you need to rest, don't worry I will make sure nothing bothers you, but please sleep."

Matthew was nodding off on his feet, he jerked awake and then around him, "I think you are right… I guess I can begin looking over the Recorder sometime later." He shuffled off to bed, almost dragging his feet behind him.

Becky only shook her head. "So much done today that he just tuckered out… I think he still needs to work up his limit, so young and inexperienced in…." She trailed off, most likely on purpose as she must have realized that the family members behind her where not regulars.

She turned around and smiled. "Okay, I think I can set you all up in the guest rooms downstairs, and the three of you." She was staring at the teens. "You can help me in the kitchen, we have two sick people in this house and they need some hearty soup. You will help me understood?" The three teens only nodded their heads.

"Now see here, you are not the boss of my children, and I say that you shouldn't force them to cook dinner, if you need dinner, call out for it, and I'll pay for it, and let your father cook for whoever is sick." Susan said with a look as if she would be getting into a cat fight.

Becky looked right at her. "My father is not home at the moment, and Mr. Vixen is trying to help his wife, who is sick. So I need the help and Ethan is off meeting with some important matters. So he cannot be interrupted, and I know for a fact that you would not help, only criticize the method that I would be cooking. So, that leaves my dear friends cousins to help me out."

However, before Susan could comment any further, TJ, Ralf, and Eric all got up… the Pokemon on their laps jumping off first, and the group of Pokemon, one Hybrid, (not known to the relatives) and three humans walked away, and into the kitchen.

On the way to the kitchen, they passed the Family Arcanine guarding the stars leading to the second level, for the first time, the three cousins felt that something in the house had changed. They liked the cool tricks that Ethan had pulled and his realistic costume. But right then, they were jolted out of their thoughts when Becky began to tell them what to do. Without much complaining and whining, they went to work. TJ, he fed the Pokemon, while Eric pulled out some pots and pans, and finally Ralf was asked to read the recipe, mainly because Becky knew that he would try to pull some kind of prank with the food.

However, a by-product of cooking is smell, and soon the smell of cooking was smelt all over the house. In the living room, Randolph was surprised at how well his boys were doing in the kitchen. Susan on the other hand, well, she was waiting for a mess to happen so as to have proper excuse to belittle Becky. She was a strange woman; she was somewhat of a controlling person, but only to Trainers. As far as anyone could tell, she had a bad experience with Pokemon Trainers in her youth or something. Out of all the Vixen children, there being four sons and three daughters, Timothy it seemed, was on her personal list to make a point to, what that point was, however, was something no one but her knew about.

In his room, Matthew had just curled up on his bed and had just closed his eyes, when he began to smell the cooking. He smiled and relaxed as he let the smell of the food lulls him into a calmer state of mind.

Downstairs they were in the middle of putting the finishing touches, when they all heard a commanding bark of some sort. Right away Becky yelled out. "Matt…." She didn't finish her sentence for Matthew had run out of his room by the sound of the foot falls of him running.

"On it…" Matthew yelled out interrupting Becky without letting her finish it. There were a few slamming doors and then… silence. The three cousins just looked at one another with strange looks, but then one of them noticed that the meal was starting to cook too long. Right away they turned around to fix the problem. However, just as they placed it on a tray Susan was standing in the kitchen, looking at the meal prepared. She only sniffed.

"You called that food?" She said turning her noise up. "Where is the fancy food that we eat? I will not eat such… slop."

"This isn't for you this is for Mrs. Vixen, like I said before. Now, if you excuse me, I will be taking this up to her, and you can just wait till I get back. I am sure that the Regal Ninetales will still have room for tonight." She then picked up the tray, only to hear the splintering of wood. The screams of "She's out, She's out!" range through the house, the scream was almost like Matthew, but more like a bark.

Becky without hesitation set the tray back on the counter and whipped out her Pokeballs, sending out Ruth, Flyer, and Drake. A Pikachu, Pidgeotto, and Arcanine respectively were standing at attention and ready to charge forward.

Flame Heart, Timothy's Arcanine had already barred the stairs and was locked in a battle of wills with a Ninetales at the top of the stairs. Unfortunately, a Ninetales is able to control the mind of an opponent, within a few moments; Flame Heart was lying down and whimpering like a frightened pup. At this moment, the group came into the front entry that had the stair case. They saw something that some would call stupid, while Becky called it brave.

When the cousins and Aunt Susan saw the Ninetales, they all were slack jawed. They just were shocked to see that somehow a Ninetales was upstairs, and ready to battle a fully grown Arcanine. Then, Matthew limped out of the parent's bedroom, a splintered and destroyed door hanged off its hinges and against the banister, showing burn marks.

Matthew Vixen, showing signs that he had been tackled and bitten by the Ninetales dove onto the tails of the Ninetales and yanked just as the Ninetales tried to lunge down the stairs. Right away she snarled and turned to face Matthew but the snarl died in the throat when it saw who it was.

Becky only grimaced, she seemed worried. She didn't realize it but she uttered the next sentence, a thought out loud, quiet, but TJ who was standing next to her heard it. "What are you doing? Be careful, family is given leniency, but not much." TJ was just confused by the phrase when suddenly a gasp of horror and fear escaped the others.

He turned his head and saw not one, but two Ninetales, where Matthew was before; standing on all fours was a Ninetales. Suddenly the two began to bark and shout in each other's faces, or muzzles. They were waving around their tails as well.

Then slowly, almost sheepishly another Ninetales trotted out of what they all remembered to be the parent's bedroom. This made Becky very upset, and she clenched her fists in barely contained rage. She was shaking when suddenly the Ninetales turned around and looked right at her. Suddenly she realized something. Mrs. Vixen had lost her mind; she had truly lost it and was on a rampage, trying to understand everything.

The others only looked on with horror when Becky began to mount the steps and soon was having what could be called by the relatives, a staring contest. Only something seemed to happen. Becky was now a Ninetales. This scared the relatives that they began to move, but a bark from four Ninetales froze them all to the spot, even Randolph who had just entered the room.

What happened for the next hour was a tense, a very tense hour and a half, where it seemed the three Ninetales were trying to convince the other Ninetales to stop whatever it had planned on doing.

But it ended very suddenly; a moment after the Swellow chimed the half hour mark. All four Ninetales were gone replaced by people, well; two of them were still sporting tails and ears, with muzzles. But amazingly everyone was clothed. Almost right away, Susan shouted out an in anger. "What is going on here? I demand to know this instant what in blazes is going on here."

Mrs. Vixen only smiled a fox like grin now. "Why, can't you tell? We were targets by Team Rocket… mind you, there attackers were disposed off in a most humorous way… but it still seems that they are after my son… even with…"

She was interrupted once again. "What do you mean Team Rocket? You are lying, Team Rocket would never do something like that, and they might steal, but do this? Never in a thousand years."

This caused all four human at the top of the stairs look at each other and then they burst out laughing. Of course Susan was not very pleased by this new development. "This isn't funny… I want to know what happened. If you pulled a tail, I am going to be out of here, I am not staying another minute near a cursed being.

"CURSED?" Matthew shouted jumping to his feet. "You are calling my mother cursed? How…. How dare you say that! She is not cursed, she was attacked because of actions that I am and am not responsible for taking. She is suffering for my choices against Team Rocket. They did this to try and make a point; they made a point all right. We are now a stronger family, and they will pay… oh they will pay for destroying my mother almost to insanity." His voice had taken a darker tone to it, one that showed that he wasn't the only one speaking. Which really freaked out Susan, she looked like she would have a heart attack.

The cousins however, found this entire episode funny. They thought that they were just seeing smoke and mirrors. Unfortunately, Susan and the rest would soon realize that this was no laughing matter; they would see that they were indeed seeing the real thing and they too would be dragged into this as well.

Outside of Vulpix Village, movement was happening. What looked to be a small pack of Pokemon was coming nearer and nearer. Only these Pokemon were colored black. In the lead was a black Ninetales. He was smiling, he knew that in the end he would win, he had a cub coming, and even if he were to fail here, he knew he could slink back into the shadows. He suddenly felt something else, and realized that the fools of Team Rocket had created a problem, a very big problem. He stopped and waited, waited for the final pieces of the fate that he didn't want to happen. But he smirked, somehow he knew that this was what he wanted, to show that he was the more powerful, he still could over power the others, but together, he felt that he could not… but separate, he could.

Back at the Vixen home, disaster had struck. Mrs. Vixen was walking down the stairs when suddenly she snarled and before anyone could do anything she was staring at three Ninetales, while Susan and Randolph looked on in shock at what happened. They were staring at where a moment ago, their three children had been. They were now staring at three Ninetales.

Matthew was first down the stairs and was about to yell at his own mother in very blunt terms when she said something in an airy manner, still in her Ninetales form. This caused Matthew to stopped dead in his tracks. "Are you sure?" He whispered out hoarsely, "he is here outside the town as we speak?" All he got was a nod of the Ninetales head. Matthew looked around and sighed. "I feared it would come, but so soon?" he was talking to air now it looked like. "When the fight of one to one is done, and trickery is tried, nine protectors shall come and with the one, seal away…" He blinked and looked around himself. "I see that we will be short two." Ethan who had been just come in at the last sentence only stopped and looked around, he was feeling more and more disconnected from everything, maybe when this was done, he would stop talking with Celibi, but until then, he had a job to do.

He cleared his throat, "Matthew, Holly and Luke want to see you now." He the turned around and walked upstairs, while rubbing the fur on top of each Ninetales. He was then gone.

Matthew looked at his younger brother, "I really need to talk to him about not being so revealing and vague at the same time."