The clothes were a bit big on her.

That's the first thing Lyra noticed as she pulled on her (stolen) outfit. It was about a size too big and hung loose against her body, barely clinging to her arms, legs, and chest. Still, Lyra appreciated the outfit. Instead of her short white dress that had shown off her cuts and scars, this new (stolen) outfit covered up everything she wanted to hide.

She liked the hat as well. Big and white, it reminded Lyra of one of the puffy clouds that floated across the sky.

She smiled a little and spun around. "What do you think Mareep?" she asked, tugging the hat down. "Does it suit me?"

The Mareep cocked its head and answered with a worried "Reep!" as if to say,

"What about that girl you took it from?"

Lyra sighed, the smile fading from her face. "Yeah…. it wasn't the best thing to do." She admitted, nervously playing with the long red sleeves. "But…I needed new clothes and well…. they were going to keep me in that hospital if I didn't leave!"

"Reep…"

"I know I know Mareep." Lyra said, bending down to look the Pokémon in the eyes. "It was wrong to do. I mean…" She sighed again and looked up. "I of all people should know that…right?" she said, her eyes fixated on the blue sky.

The clouds moved lazily across it as bird Pokémon flew through them, sometimes even disappearing into them. She listened to the chirping and growling of the Pokémon around her. Bringing her gaze down, she looked around.

"It's beautiful out here…isn't it?" She whispered. A ghost of a smile reappeared on her face as she took in the green landscape. "So…beautiful…"

"Reep~!"

Lyra became silent, her mind calm despite her current predicament. She was in an unknown place, wearing stolen clothes, and traveling with a Mareep that she had also "stolen" from the Pokémon lab,

Yet she felt an odd sense of contentment. As if this moment now, she was free.

"Shirayuki." She suddenly said. Bringing her gaze back to the Mareep, she gave it a small smile.

"What do you think? Can I…. call you that?" Lyra asked.

The Mareep looked at her then slowly walked towards her and rested its head on her lap as if to say, "Of course you can."

Lyra gently stroked its white, fluffy head.

"T-thanks." She said shyly. Shirayuki looked at her.

"Reep." Her Pokémon said.

XXX

"So…. why is it just the three of us who are looking for this chick? I mean, we could've found her in record time if we brought everyone."

Crystal sighed.

"Didn't you see how that girl freaked out when we all tried to talk to her? If we do that, she'd only run away again. Plus," she added, brushing a fallen leaf off her hair, "We know this route better than anyone else."

Gold glanced at the girl before letting out a long (loud) sigh. "This all could've been avoided if we stayed in her hospital room y'know." He said, stepping over a passing by Rattata. "I mean, we don't even know this girl's name!"

"So we'll ask her when we find her." Crystal answered calmly. "I mean, she must be scared, wandering around a place she doesn't know, meeting people she doesn't know…"

"Tackling Silver to the ground, passing out on his chest, staring into his eyes." Gold added cheekily, nudging the red head. Silver glared at him and brushed his hand off.

"It's not like she planned to do that." He mumbled, looking away.

Gold just grinned. "You sure? You two sure did look comfortable." He said, unwilling to give up. "The way her body was pressed against yours and the way she was looking at you sure did look-"

He was stopped by a shoe in his face.

"Stop saying weird things!" Crystal yelled at him.

Silver could only give her a grateful look of thanks.

XXX

"Now Shirayuki, Tackle!"

Bouncing from left to right, the Mareep suddenly headed straight and whammed into the opponent's Metapod.

"Oh no!" The trainer yelled. Lyra nodded at her Mareep.

"Thunder Shock!" She called out. In a flash, bright gold static engulfed the Metapod, knocking it out.

Lyra couldn't help but secretly smile to herself. Even though she had been scared to at first, the rush of battling was one that was so...exhilarating. It was an amazing feeling, calling out to Shirayuki what to do and how to do it.

The feeling was also…. familiar…

"Great job!" the bug catcher suddenly said, walking towards her sticking out his hand. "I had a lot of fun!"

Lyra looked at the hand before hesitantly taking it.

"T-thanks." She said, a bit nervous. The trainer grinned at her.

"That your first time battling?"

Lyra nodded. The trainer's eyes widened.

"Wow, you're really good then!" He said. "The way you were directing your Pokémon looked so cool!"

Lyra blinked. She pulled her hand back and looked down, feeling an odd sense of embarrassment. She coughed nervously.

"Thanks." She mumbled. She paused. Then, looking back up (and mustering her courage) Lyra asked,

"D-do you know where the next town is?"

The trainer, still smiling, pointed to behind him. "About thirty minutes from here," He said. "You'll reach Cherrygrove. Fifteen minutes if you run though." Then, in a curious voice, he asked, "Is this your first time in Johto?"

Lyra frowned.

Johto? What was…. Johto?

By the way the boy said it, "Johto" sounded as if this was what…this place was called. Lyra held back a sigh.

Like everything before, the name sounded…familiar. But she couldn't…. remember.

"You could…. say that." She muttered, looking down again and adjust her big hat.

"Oh cool! Never met a foreigner before." The trainer laughed. "You sure do battle like a professional though! Can't believe you just have a Mareep."

Lyra grunted in response. The conversation though, was starting to feel a bit too personal. His questions and statements about her and her Pokémon were beginning to worry the poor girl.

Quickly returning Shirayuki, she nodded to the trainer.

"Thanks for the battle…and the help." She said quickly before running full speed towards Cherrygrove.

She ran until she was sure she was out of earshot of the bug catcher before slowing to a walk, panting.

She couldn't help but let out a dry laugh.

Running, it seemed all she was doing was running away from people and from situations. Ever since she had woken up, she had been running. Even now, she was running away from those people. Like some kind of coward or weakling or-

Lyra stopped, her eyes widening.

That word….

"Weak…?" she whispered under her breath.

As quick as lightening, a memory of red hair flashed across her mind, so fast it left Lyra more in shock than in pain.

XXX

"Weak! Your Pokemon are weak!"

XXX

"Cherrygrove…" she whispered to herself, pressing her hand pressed against her head. "I think I remember…. That's where I met…. I met…that-!"

A sudden rustling behind suddenly caused Lyra to turn around, alarmed.

"W-who's there?" she called out, taking a defensive stance and grabbing Shirayuki's ball. "I-I'm warning you I'm-!"

Lyra paused.

Behind her, there in the brush, was a crouching shadow. It looked at her, with big soft eyes, before cautiously coming out.

"Vui?

Lyra took a step back, realizing it was just a harmless Poke-

"Vui!"

Suddenly the Pokémon launched itself into the air and onto Lyra, knocking the girl backwards and onto the ground. Immediately she panicked.

"What the-! G-get off!" She screamed, her voice shaking in fear. What was this Pokémon? Why was it attack her? Why-?

She stopped when she realized the Pokémon was…hugging her.

"Vui~!" The Pokémon said affectionately. Lyra stared at it. Slowly, she began to relax.

"H-hey there." She said, tentatively raising a hand and stroking the Pokémon. It nuzzled her chest. Lyra couldn't help but smiling a little.

The Pokémon was, now that she could see it clearly, cute. Almost as cute as Shirayuki. Its two floppy ears, bushy tail, and tiny body was…. adorable.

The thing that most interested Lyra was its color though,

The Pokémon was a beautiful white-ish color, as if it would blend in against the fluffy white clouds that floated across the sky.

"Kaguya." Lyra heard herself whisper. The Pokémon looked up, as if responding to the name.

"Vui!"

Lyra sat up, her hands still stroking the Pokémon. It nuzzled her lovingly, before looking up at her saying again.

"Vui!"

Lyra chuckled, looking down at it. "Nice to meet you too I guess." She said.

"Vui! Vui! Vui!" The Pokémon suddenly said, pawing her chest. It looked up at her, with two big eyes, as if to say….

Lyra's own eyes widened. Hesitantly, she asked,

"D-do you want me to… capture you?"

The Pokémon looked at her then, jumping off her stomach, pawed at Lyra's pocket until one of the microscopic Pokeballs she stole fell out. Hitting it with its paw, the Pokémon let itself be captured by the red light.

One twitch, two, a third, then,

Click!

Lyra stared at it, shocked. Then, standing up, she picked up the Pokeball a small smile slowly appearing on her face.

"I'll take that as a yes then."

XXXX

Lyra got a shiny Eevee! Go her! And looks like the Johto trio has to track her down (sorry guys!)

If for some reason you guys are wondering about how big Lyra is, in this fic she is Yellow's size so…. small.

Thanks for the reviews from the last chapter: Sakura Touko, Nighttyger

XXXX

"Cherrygrove huh?"

"Vui?"

"This place...I know this place..."

"Vui!"

"This where he-Huh?!"

"Vui!"

"Crap...It's them!"