"Hey, Mayari? We've been walking for the entire day now, the sun's almost gone down."

"Yes, it is indeed going to set soon."

"Are we anywhere near Old Ferrum Town? You said we'd get there sometime late today."

"I can assure you that we are approaching Old Ferrum Town, we should get there soon."

"Are we really? What defines 'soon'?"

The three approached the top of a hill and Blitz's words were answered as they were greeted with their destination, lying at the bottom of the hill. Illuminated by various street lamps, the lights of buildings, and multiple vehicles was Old Ferrum Town.

"That defines soon."

They walked through the streets of the old town. Blitz and Vix were fascinated by just how dense the place seemed. Sure, they'd seen big cities before, but only in photos. Actually being in those large areas was a different ordeal. Tellur Town was nowhere near as dense or as big as Old Ferrum. Heck, the town expanded into the surrounding hills.

Blitz and Vix felt weird walking around the town just with Mayari. Their trainers weren't with them, and they had a sinking fear that some other trainers might try to catch them. Vix was sure that she caught some glances by trainers and Blitz swore that he saw one looking for spare Pokéballs.

"There is no need to worry, you two. The people here know me and wouldn't dare to try and catch me or anybody with me." Mayari calmed them down.

"So, Mayari, where is the friend of yours?"

"He should be somewhere ahead, I know that. He is usually somewhere around the clock tower."

Arriving at said tower, Mayari surveyed the area. She sighed, disappointed. "Nowhere around here, as it seems." She looked around some more. "Stay here, I'll go ask around and see if anyone has seen him."

Blitz and Vix took a seat on a bench standing in front of the town's fountain. Looking around, Blitz felt mesmerized by the lights around the town, having never seen such a view up close before. So mesmerized, in fact, that he barely even noticed Vix tapping his arm.

"Blitz!" She said in a hushed voice, snapping him back to reality.

"Yeah?"

"Look." She pointed to one of the roads that branched off from the main plaza. There, he saw their attackers from a day earlier. The Blaziken and Weavile they met in the plains. They were talking to various other Pokemon that roamed the streets. There was no doubt that they were looking for them. The two got up and kept away from the two, hoping to make sure that they wouldn't be noticed.

"Oh, him? Why, I saw him take off to Phos Volcano just the other day. Said that he had some sort of business to attend to over there."

"Phos Volcano? I know that he likes to train there, but what 'business' could he have?" Mayari thanked the Swellow and walked off, tapping her chin. She came across Blitz and Vix.

"Mayari, we have a problem. The two from the plains are here." Blitz said, nodding his head in the duo's direction.

"So we're not safe from them even in Old Ferrum…" She looked to the mountains, where Phos Volcano rose to the skies. "I fear that the ones who destroyed your town are going to attack this one as well."

"Did you get any info on your friend?" Asked Vix.

"He's apparently gone to Phos Volcano for something important."

"Phos Volcano? Isn't that dangerous?"

"Yes, but he's in his element there. It's a common training spot for him. He'll be there for weeks at a time." She put her hand to her chin in thought. "Getting there on foot will take too long, and another attack could easily happen by then. We're going to need some form of transportation."

She looked around, before spotting a trainer riding on the back of a Gogoat. "That's it. A Gogoat will surely get us there quickly."

"Uh, I'm sure it will, but where are we going to find one?"

"I know exactly where we can get one."

Most of the town had retired to their beds for the night. The streets were mostly empty. However, the three were a ways away from the main part of the town, in the hills that it extended into.

"Mayari, are you sure this is okay?"

"We are going to return it once we are done, I don't see what's wrong with it."

"Except, you know, the stealing part."

Mayari's plan was surely going to get them into deep trouble. They were going to steal a Gogoat from one of the ranches that resided in the community to get to Phos Volcano. Sure, it was going to work, but neither Blitz nor Vix felt right about it.

"Shh, there they are." Mayari gestured forward. Ahead was a ranch full of sleeping Gogoat and Skiddo. The three made their way towards them. Mayari and Vix hopped over the fence while Blitz crawled underneath.

Approaching one of the Gogoat, Mayari used her psychic powers to wake it up quietly.

"Mm? Wuhzzat? Who's there?"

"Shh. Listen, I'm sorry for waking you up in the middle of the night, but we need to get to Phos Volcano. Can you help us?"

He stood up fully, standing taller than even Mayari. After yawning he eyed the three. "Phos Volcano, hm? Is there anything in it for me?"

"I can supply home-made food for you along the way, and you will receive the biggest portions of it."

He blinked and continued to stare at Mayari in the eye. Feeling a bit unsure about her offer, she continued. "I can also supply-"

"I'll do it."

"Huh?"

"I said I'll do it." He bent down. "Hop on."

"Thank you very much."

"I expect you to hold up your end of the deal."

"Of course. But, if I may ask, what is your name?"

"Archie, now hold on."

Mayari grasped his horns, Vix held onto her waist, and Blitz did his best to wrap his short arms around Vix's waist.

Archie reared up, nearly launching everyone off its back. Mayari was the only one who held her grip on him, while Vix struggled to hold on, and Blitz almost flew completely off, grabbing onto Vix's tail to save himself.

"Tail! Tail! Tail!" Vix yelled in pain until their ride ran off. Blitz plopped back down on Archie's back and grabbed ahold of Vix again. He cringed a bit when he saw clumps of red fur in his hand.

Archie ran straight for the fence. The three braced themselves as he vaulted cleanly over it, sticking a perfect landing.

"Woohoo-hoo-hoo! This is great!" Mayari cried in a sudden, and startling burst of excitement.

As Archie sped down the hill of his home he gained incredible speed. The wind blew with such force that Blitz and Vix were finding it hard to breathe without getting air blown forcefully into their lungs. Mayari, however, was having no trouble at all.

"This is the most fun I've ever had!" She cried as Archie gained more and more speed, racing them through Old Ferrum Town.

Archie sped through Old Ferrum Town, carelessly knocking about multiple things around the streets and just barely avoiding the occasional civillians.

"Are you sure this is safe, Mayari!?" Yelled Vix.

"Of course, I've used Gogoat to travel to Phos Volcano multiple times before."

"That's not what I'm worried about- AH!" All four of them ducked underneath a sudden street sign. One of Archie's horns knocked into it and cleanly dented it, making it look like it was reeling from being punched in the gut. "Isn't that considered vandalism!?"

"Don't worry, we're Pokémon, it's not like we're gonna get fined for it!" Reassured Blitz.

Almost immediately Archie plowed straight through a huge set of tables and chairs that sat right outside a coffee shop. One table even flew and crashed straight through one of its windows.

"That might be bad…" Said Blitz.

After a few more dented street signs and kicked over restaurant tables, they were out of Old Ferrum Town. Archie was able to slow down, just a bit, not needing to get out of a town as quickly as possible.

"You know, when we're NOT going at a hundred miles per hour, it's actually kinda nice taking a ride like this."

Archie grunted and bucked to make Vix's seating on him was unsteady. She yelped and clung to his back.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR!?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I was hired to care about your complaints. I was only hired to get you to Phos Volcano. Don't mean I gotta be careful about it."

Vix seethed, but left the situation alone. She just made a small groan and left it at that.

"He's not wrong." Said Blitz, who was now sitting between Vix and Mayari.

"I don't know about you two, but, if I may be truthful, I think I made the correct choice in joining you two." Mayari said, trying to idly start chatter.

"You think so?"

"Yes, very much so. It may be too early in our adventure to tell, but I believe that this will be a great experience, for all of us."

Blitz and Vix both glanced at each other, before turning their eyes to where Mayari was looking as well. The Moon.

It shimmered in the night sky like a light dropped into an endless sea. Looking up at it, Vix couldn't help but wonder. Was what Mayari said really true?

Her and Blitz had always been friends, ever since they first met. But Vix had the sinking suspicion that this journey was going to put that friendship to the test. A truly brutal test at that.

She could only hope that it would survive.