Hey everyone! Kyuro here with another chapter of Silver Lining! I've been inactive for a while, so take this as an apology from me! :D I should be back with uploading for now for a good while.

So I guess that's about it. Hope you all enjoy the story! Be sure to leave a review and tell me how I'm doing! I might have gotten a little rusty at this ;-;

Disclaimers: I DO NOT OWN POKÉMON! Pokémon is a trademark of Nintendo and Game Freak, and I take no credit for their work. All OCs in the story belong to their respected owners.

Silver Lining

I jolted awake and sat upright. I growled, my horn was doing its thing again. Y'know, how Absols sense disaster and all that with their horns. I didn't know what it was, but I didn't want it afflicting me, so I got my clothes and descended down the tree. I wasn't even on the ground for a second when a scream tore through the air. By the sound of it, it was close by. My horn was still bothering me too, was this the disaster?

I easily found the scream's source: presumably the mother of a family of three, including her, her mate, and their son who was probably around 15 or 14. The father of the family was bravely standing in between his family and a Mightyena that was growling with malice in its eyes.

It's none of my business… I can't interfere… I reminded myself. B-but…

The Mightyena growled and lunged at the man, who barely managed to escape its jaws, I could clearly see that the Mightyena had skimmed him a bit.

"Got damnit!" I shouted and charged at the Mightyena. At the same time, the Mightyena pounced at the male blocking its path. Just before it landed a hit, I tackled it to the ground.

The wolf was quick to recover, throwing me off and snarling at me. I growled back and waited for its next move. It formed a Shadow Ball in its mouth and fired it at me, and I dodged it, but right after, it snuck up on me and landed a pretty nasty bite on my leg. I shouted and kicked it off, focusing my energy into an Iron Tail and swinging at it with as much force as I could muster. It took a direct hit, but I wasn't finished. I kept at it and got in 4 hits before sending it skidding away.

It was clearly battered, but it was still able to stand. It gave me one last glare and stumbled away into the forest.

I relaxed for a moment before the pain from the bite shot up my leg and I collapsed. I looked down and saw the blood staining the fur covering my leg, and It hurt like hell; I wasn't really experienced in fighting with a pokémon like that…

"It's hurt!" The voice of the child reminded me that I was in the presence of humans, but I was in no condition to escape… I was at their mercy.

"Don't go near it Timothy! That thing's a pokémorph!" The mother shouted.

"It saved our lives! Why shouldn't we help?!" The child, Timothy retorted. I heard footsteps approaching and I looked up to see the child coming near me.

"N-no, s-stay back…" I whimpered, not knowing this human's true intentions.

"...Your leg…" Timothy said quietly. "Mom! Give me the first aid kit!"

"But Timmy, it's a-"

"It hurt its leg, c'mon! How can you be so cold?!" He snapped.

Soon I felt Timothy wrapping my leg up in bandages, it did feel a lot better…

"Thanks for saving us… I gotta go. Be easy on that leg!" Timothy said as he finished the bandages and returned with his parents to the city.

I inspected the bandages and for a kid, he did a nice job. It'd hold up until I could take care of it myself at least. Maybe not all humans hate me after all…

The sun had set when I stood, so it was time to move out. I limped over to my clothes and saw a picnic basket next to it. They must've been out here for one, but why not take the basket? Were they trying to give it to me?

It didn't have much, but enough to last me some days at least. I took the basket and my clothes and headed away from the city. It still hurt to walk on my leg, but it wasn't safe here anymore. At least my horn stopped giving me a headache…

Over the next 3 days, my bite wound fully healed thanks to my natural healing abilities, and I was almost at the next city to try and get food from. I was able to ration the food left in the basket over the course of my trip, but I probably only had a day or two's worth left and I'd be needing more soon. Looks like I'll have to crack out the hoodie and black pants again and head into the city.

Finally, I saw the skyline of the next city in the late afternoon, and I sighed in relief. I dashed forward until I could see the city as a whole from a hill that seemed to be a natural border between the city and the wild which I came from.

Okay, planning time; I gotta figure out what I'm gonna do when I get into the city. The food I bought last time costed me the last of the money that I had, and despite being half pokemon, I don't plan on rummaging through garbage for food. Stealing from anywhere where the food would even be worth stealing probably wasn't the best idea either. Looking for money lying around might be the best action, but I'd have to do it covertly, otherwise I might get into some more trouble. Getting enough loose change would also be tough, but hopefully I come across more than pennies and nickels.

With my plan of action in mind, I nodded and put on my hoodie and pants. I pulled up my pants and my hood carefully, otherwise my tail and horn might cut them open. I tucked my tail down one of my pant legs and slowly stood up. I found a tree with a nice fork in it, and wedged my stuff in the fork. Taking one last look at it from the hill, I slid down and headed into the city.

Well I guess that's about it! Things are going to pick up pretty soon after this, I hope you guys like it! See ya later! ~Kyuro