I just read that last chapter, and it really did suck. :slaps self: Why did I let myself get that bad? I must have been high or something… This isn't going to be too spectacular either, because it's a low point in the plot (meaning I'm forcing myself to write it) so don't expect too much out of it.

Anyway, I'm sorry for the huge absence. Summer's been here, and that means I have no time whatsoever for the first couple of weeks, due to my undying loyalty to band and drumline. This day is my only free day this week… woo.

However, I am in heaven. I am listening to the "Kingdom Hearts" OST and I love it. Absolutely love it. I melt at the second song. Oh, and I finally got an Eagles CD. Go Hotel California!

Price for Freedom

Chapter 22

Rescue

I opened my eyes to see Isaac's face, along with Nurse Joy's, staring down at me in worry. I saw that I was in a white room -probably the ER in a Pokemon Center- and that I was lying on my side on a white, futon-like bed. When I began to look around the room, Nurse Joy smiled.

"She'll be all right, Isaac. It was probably a tranquilizer -she'll just feel woozy for a few minutes. After that, she'll be okay."

Isaac looked to the nurse and smiled. "Thank you, Nurse Joy."

The nurse left, and I sat up on my futon-bed. Isaac's hand stroked my white fur gently and said, "Man, girl, you had me worried. When those thugs tried to take you, I didn't really know what to do. You should thank Loki here for finding you when he did -otherwise, those weird goons would have you right now."

I blinked my eyes and turned to my right, where said houndoom was sitting, smiling up at me. I shook my head in an attempt to clear my foggy head. Alas, it failed. "Where am I?" I asked. Loki took the pleasure in answering me.

"You are in the Pokemon Center of the Hoenn League Headquarters -Evergrand City. Where's your trainer and the rest of your team? I didn't see them come out."

My head cleared as my memory came back to me. Flashes of images and sounds rushed past me, like a whirlwind of thought. The woman with the guns in the Oriental dress, the holes, Victory Road… I gasped in realization. The team! my mind cried in terror. There's no telling where they are now! I began to get up, but my legs were still too weak to support my weight. I cursed as I fell back onto the white futon.

Loki cocked his head. "What's wrong?" he asked.

I tried to get back up again, but the attempt caused me to fall off the bed and onto the floor. I landed on my side and grunted against the dull pain. This was frustrating. "My team! They're still in there!" I cried. I felt a warm human hand on my shoulder.

"Stay calm, girl," he said soothingly. "Just wait and your body will get better. Just be patient."

I snarled in my growing frustration. I couldn't wait! My recovering body could kiss my furry proverbial ass -I needed to find the others! I staggered back to my feet and began to totter over to the door when a giant wave of power -Nature's power- flowed through me. Ignoring Loki and Isaac's cries for me to stop, I ran outside and flinched. The giant storm I had sensed in route 120 was finally here, and it was a whopper.

The wind was overwhelming and completely deafening. I could barely stand against it. I saw hail beating around me, and the sky was a strange, deep, dark green. Isaac came beside me, and cursed.

"The storm's too strong, girl!" he shouted over the wind. "It's dangerous out here! We need to get back inside!"

However, I wasn't paying attention to his little complaints. The storm wasn't too strong. He was too weak. I was calculating how much energy I would have to use in getting back to the exit of Victory Road when he tried to pull me back inside. In spite of that, I didn't budge. I looked to the sky just in time to see lighting snake its way across the clouds. My mind set, I chose to set out then.

I ran as fast as I could while trying to avoid the hail. It was huge -the size of a baseball. I heard Isaac's now tiny voice carry on the wind. "Wa… f…n… clou… D… wa… fun…l…" I shook it out. Whatever he was trying to say, he could tell me once I got back. I could see my target clearly, even through the raining hail. The entrance wasn't fifty yards from me. Then, another chill ran through me. I looked up to find the clouds begin to swirl threateningly above me.

Then, Isaac's broken message was clear -funnel clouds. I cursed and ran even faster with the impending tornado at my heels. I was so close!

I rushed into the cave exhausted and alone. I looked back outside and saw the pokemon center through the haze of the hail. But not Isaac. I sighed and trotted forward to try and find any trace of my team.

………..

Time passed without my realization. I made my way through the maze of caverns and rocks aimlessly -meandering without conviction. I had found no scents, heard no noises -nothing that pointed me in the direction of my team and trainer. I began to get worried. What if the gang of humans had abandoned Victory Road? What if they went somewhere else entirely?

With this new thought in mind, I heaved a heavy sigh and plopped down onto the rocky terrain. I had gotten myself completely lost, and maybe now I wouldn't be able to find my way back. I turned behind me to try and decipher a trail, but it was useless. I was too tired and frustrated to keep looking.

Then, a sound. A tiny pebble, dislodged from its larger mate from above me. I looked up to see a small hole, something I had never noticed before. I narrowed my gaze. What was up there?

I stood on my hindquarters in order to get a better scent of the thing. It was human. I sniffed again and my heart nearly leapt in joy. That was Shayla's scent!

Now that my hope had been restored, I tried to find a way up to newfound hole. However, to my dismay, I was surrounded by high walls without many footholds. I snarled at the situation. It seemed Fate was laughing at me, though I really didn't appreciate his sense of humor. I looked around the dark cave for any kind of stool or stepping stone, but the only one I found was three yards away from the hole. And I couldn't push that.

I gritted my teeth and looked at the wall in front of me. I stood up on my hindlegs to try and grab some kind of foothold on the wall face, but I didn't find anything useful. I decided to try and propel myself with something and then grab onto the natural sidewalk when I got up to it. I braced myself and then aimed a full-powered thunderbolt at the ground.

Instantly, I flew up and then, quickly passing the entrance, rammed into the ceiling. Numb pain rushed through me and I was hardly aware that I was falling -right until the ground broke my fall.

"OOF!" After a moment, I couldn't seem to be able to move, or even notice my surroundings. It wasn't after a few seconds that after I regained a bit of my bearings, I heard laughter behind me.

I turned to see a mostly white and peach blob behind me, since my vision wasn't back on yet. The blob began to come closer. "Oh, wow girl, that was pretty funny. Is this what you do in your spare time -find new ways to run yourself into walls?"

As he spoke, I tried to recognize the voice. It sounded stupidly familiar. And his scent… I blinked repeatedly as that familiar, soothing, warm feeling washed over me as he approached. It couldn't be…

Kaiyou crouched down on his legs and cocked his head at me. Now that my vision had cleared, I could see that he was poorly stifling a smile. His eyebrow cocked and he said, "What are you doing in this drab excuse for a challenge? I assumed you and Shayla and the others had already gotten out."

I shook my head and cleared what little distance was between us happily. It felt so wonderful to be back with him again. I really didn't know why he was there in the beginning, but the fact that he was, was enough for me. I put my head into his chest and began purring, to which he laughed softly.

"I see you missed me. But seriously, where are the others?"

I sat upright and then looked to the small opening in the wall. "Up there," I answered. "We were ambushed by these morons when we first came, and I was the only one that got out of the cave. I… I'm pretty sure that the others are up there." I tossed my head in the direction of the entrance and turned back to my Lord. He seemed to think things over and then got up.

"That does explain why you made yourself into a white cannon ball…" he began, and, had I human cheeks, I would have blushed. He leaned onto one leg and put his hand to his chin in thought. "You would have made it if you hadn't made it so powerful."

"So…" I started tentatively, "should I try it again?"

He shook his head. "Heavens, no. I'm surprised no one came out here looking because of the ruckus you made the first time." Again, I felt as if I would have blushed. "No, we need to try a different tactic." Then, as if he had been foolish all along, he turned to me, a question in his gold eyes. "Ayako, why didn't you use the Void?"

My eyes widened as I tried to find some excuse -er- reason why I hadn't. When I stood there, mouth open, for about a minute, Kaiyou began to softly laugh and he crouched down again. "I thought not. You don't seem to comfortable using it."

I was stunned, and I furrowed my brow as if offended. "Yes I am! I just… haven't been able to use it as long as you."

Kaiyou's smirk grew into a knowing smile, complete with quirked eyebrow. "Really? Well then, you should have no problem jumping in there and looking for Shayla and the others through the veil of the Void." He stood and then crossed his arms, knowing smile still on, and waited.

I felt a sinking feeling. How could I have been so stupid to not think of the stupid Void? I felt frustrated as I stepped into the shadow of the rock and entered the deep, endless Void. I sighed and then began to walk through the vast, comforting darkness while staring through the veil, that tiny glimmer of life I could see within the safety of the Void. Of course, I thought myself alone until Kaiyou brushed his leg against my side.

I looked to him and said, "I… thought I was going to do this alone. What…"

Kaiyou looked down at me -at this point I could only see his head because of the glowing golden stripes and crimson eyes- and I almost saw a smile in that darkened, wolfish face of his. (Let you attempt this thing all by yourself? Surely not. I'd be a very bad Lord of my Element indeed if I let you go by your lonesome. Besides, I wish to discuss something with Shayla.) He paused, as if hesitating. (And the jolteon. But nevermind that now, dear girl, we have to save them.) So with that he made his way to where I was staring out of the veil, where his face was now illuminated a bit more by the dim light.

He sniffed a bit -which was strange, seeing how I couldn't smell anything at all- and then went a bit further down and then, I saw his tail begin to wag. (Here they are! My, they were kidnapped, weren't they?) I trotted up to where he was and looked through the veil and saw all of my teammates in cages. Shayla herself looked unconscious, sitting in a chair with all of her limbs tied down to it. Her head was lolled to the front, so I couldn't see her face. Shoko and Amburna also seemed to be unconscious. When I took a look at the eevee brothers, however, Tai was quite active. He was pacing feverently around his cage, and seemed to be guarding a sleeping Kazu. I almost stepped out of the Void when Kaiyou put his leg in front of me.

(Where are you going?) he asked me simply, and I looked up to him with a frown.

"Where else? To save them!" was my answer.

The Dark Legendary "tsk"ed in my head and shook his own slowly from side to side. (If you just barged in there, they'd capture you, and then where would you be? If I may, I would like to… distract the pathetic morons for a bit, so you all may escape. Is that all right with you?)

I blinked and then looked hard into my Lord's canine face. He was definitely up to something. "What are you going to do?" I said slowly and full of suspicion.

He shrugged with his canine shoulders -it looked awkward to do- and looked away, as if playing the innocent. (Oh, nothing. Just something to lead them away from you and the others while you escape.) He then looked down at me and smiled, showing off his many sharp, pearly white fangs. (Get ready now. Only the two eevee will be able to walk -the espeon will have to levitate everyone else while you go. And…) He looked back to the room, where there were now three thugs that I recognized. He reared up on his hind legs and then said a little too happily, (Here I go!)

He ran out of the Void and straight into one of the thugs -which sent that particular one flying into the wall, where he impaled it- and began to laugh in everyone's heads. Then, he gingerly picked up a sparkling, diamond necklace that had been lying on something of a nightstand. (Ha ha ha… Morons! Try and catch me -if you can get out of the wall! HA HA HA!)

He then ran out of the room, the two remaining thugs hot on his heels. I shook my head and listened to his telepathic laughter as he led the thugs on the chase. He's having too much fun with this…

I stepped out of the Void slowly, making sure that the remaining thug was really out. Since his head was in the rock wall, I assumed so and then began to work my way to the eevee brothers' cage. Tai was rather confused.

"Why did Kaiyou just burst through the wall?" he asked softly, as if he didn't think he believed the sight. "I mean… why is he here?"

I melted the lock with my flamethrower and pulled the door open with my teeth. "He hasn't said why, and I don't really feel like trying to press him for information. That has proved difficult in the past." Tai looked at me funny, but I didn't pay attention to it. I looked past the jolteon to Kazu, who was snoring softly. "Please tell me he's only sleeping."

Tai looked at him and then nudged the purple figure softly with his hind leg. "Come on Kazu," he said softly. "Come on."

Kazu lifted his head and yawned, taking in everything as if the situation were normal. He got up on his feet and began to walk, but ran into the bars and fell down. I stifled a laugh while Tai pushed Kazu in the right direction out of the cage.

"He's been like this ever since we got up here," explained Tai as Kazu went walking around the room, bumping into things as he went. "They've had him on constant tranquilizers, so he's…" The jolteon paused, as if he couldn't find the right word.

"Stoned?" I offered and Tai nodded.

Kazu then ran into the table, and then said promptly, "Oh, excuse me, old lady… I need some radishes…" He bowed slightly to the table and then walked off again, muttering about how radish soup sounded good for the picnic. Tai sighed deeply and then turned back to me.

"Well, how do we get everyone out? Shoko, Amburna and Shayla are out -the three heaviest people here." He tipped his head towards Kazu, who was introducing himself as "Mrs. Cookie" to a chair. "Surely that Kaiyou guy wouldn't expect Kazu to… levitate them, not in his state."

I looked back to the inebriated espeon and replied, "I don't think Kaiyou thought he would be like this…" I looked around helplessly. What to do? There wasn't anyway Tai and I could transport three very large bodies all the way out of Victory road -even if I used the Void. I sat down, trying to ponder, when I saw Kaiyou's human head poke through the doorway.

"My, my, you're slow," he said in a disappointed voice. "You know what a hurry we're in. The thugs can only be deaf to my loud, echoing voice for so long." I looked up at him and pointed a claw at Kazu, who was now talking to Shayla -convinced that she was the magical lamppost that led to the Land of the Elves.

"There is no way he'd be able to levitate three people into the Void like that." I said sternly. Tai nodded, but Kaiyou didn't pay attention to him.

Kaiyou's eyebrow raised at Kazu, who was now shouting at the top of his lungs that he had to get into the Land of the Elves because of the mushrooms that grew there (he needed them for his soup). The Dark Legendary tried to stifle a laugh, but this made Tai a bit angry.

"Hey! I'd like to see you drugged out of your mind and then let's see how sensible you are!" he shouted, somehow offended that Kaiyou was laughing at his brother at a time like this. Though, I had to admit -it was rather funny.

Kaiyou looked down at him, that same knowing smile on his face. "Oh, I know what I'd do. But that isn't for now." He looked back out of the doorway, probably looking for the thugs, and then shouted, "GOD, YOU'RE SO SLOW! I'M UP HERE, YOU PANSIES! NO, NOT THE ZUBAT!" He leaned back inside and his smile got wider.

"Just tell him to juggle Shoko, Amburna and Shayla. Right now, I've got to go again." Just as he was about to leave, Tai caught the hem of Kaiyou's jeans with his mouth.

"Juggle?" Tai cried, outraged, through his teeth. "Juggle!"

Kaiyou nodded, leaned down and popped Tai on the muzzle so the jolteon would let go. "Yes, juggle. Tell him the lamppost will stop being so hard-assed when he juggles the three to the pokemon center." At Tai's incredulous look, he smiled. "Don't worry, it'll work. Now, I have to go." He then jumped down off of the ledge, and waited for the thugs to get in view.

"Hey, you moronic buckets of ostrich slime!" he called. "Why don't you put a compass up your ass -maybe it'll give you a sense of direction!" With that, he turned and ran the other way, angry thugs hot on his heels. I chuckled a bit and then turned back to Kazu, who was now sobbing, muttering softly that he wouldn't get his mushrooms. Tai rolled his eyes.

"Well…" he began uncertainly, "I guess I'll try that Kaiyou's plan. We don't have anything else."

I nodded and then sat where I was and watched. Tai walked up to his brother, hesitated, and said, "I know how you can get to the Land of the Elves."

Kazu's head perked up, watery eyes now hopeful. "Really?" he asked, and Tai nodded.

"Yup. You have to levi -er, juggle- three things all the way to…" he turned to me for help.

"To the Place of Rest," I offered, and Tai nodded.

"Yeah, yeah! 'The Place of Rest'. Then, the magical… lamppost… will grant you entry to the Land of the Elves. What do you say?"

Kazu smiled happily and then nodded. "Yes! I would love to do as you say, oh talking shrubbery!"

Tai's face fell, and became stale. "Right," he muttered and then pointed to Shayla, Amburna, and Shoko. "Lev -er, juggle- these three things. Demi," he turned to me and I nodded, and then went to the wall where I opened up the Void for them.

Kazu opened the cages for Amburna and Shoko, then brought them out, along with Shayla. He broke the chains that were tightly wrapped around her, and then she began to float along with the dragons. Tai led the altered Kazu into the Void, and I followed.

Once inside, Kazu began to comment on the darkness. I made my way to the front, where I saw Tai begin to shake. I smiled.

"Scared, Tai?" I asked, mocking him. He knew it and glared, but then jumped out of the way of a growing bulk of shadow. I wasn't really worried. I knew what it was -just a discharge of darkness within the Void. Tai scurried to my side and I poked my paw on the side of the Void. I opened a portal to the pokemon center -in which Tai immediately leapt into- and Kazu thanked me and went through himself, taking the dragons and Shayla with him. I looked around the Void and called out to Kaiyou as best I could.

'Kaiyou!' I cried in my mind, 'Kaiyou, are you okay? Are you coming with us?'

I waited for a bit, and after a moment, I got my answer.

He sounded giddy. (Ha ha, all in time, dear Ayako. I have to return to my companions first, lest they worry.)

'Companions?' I asked, confused. 'Who…'

(Oh, come now, Ayako! You should know by now!) And then he muttered, almost to himself, (Why would a grown man wear a pink thong?)

I wasn't sure I wanted to ask, but I did anyway. 'What in the world…?'

He laughed lightly in my head. (Oh, nothing. Don't worry, Ayako, I'll convince my companions to meet you at the pokemon center in Evergrand. I won't be there immediately… I'll… be a bit late.)

Skepticism was dripping in my words. 'Why, exactly?'

He laughed in my head again. (Now, now, no need to be suspicious. Just get to the pokemon center, and my companions will meet you there in a few minutes. Now where is that marker I found…?)

Knowing full well that I wouldn't get anything else from him, I sighed heavily and turned to the portal in front of me. I figured that I would find out who his companions were and what he was up to when I went to the pokemon center. Shaking my head at my rather silly Lord, I jumped into the swirling black portal into the pokemon center, bracing myself for a bit of insanity.

……………………..

Oh my Gosh, I finished the chapter! Amazing!

And Kaiyou makes his reentrance! Woot! I was going to have it later on, but since I was stuck in such a rut, I decided to have him in now. I'm happy I did it! It gave me enough inspiration to be able to finish this chapter that has been sitting incomplete in my computer for God knows how long… three months? Four? I don't know. You are all very patient. Thank you!

Ja!