Chapter fifteen. Oh yeah. I loved writing this.

…CHAPTER FIFTEEN: The Spy Revealed

Even after giving the treetop a twice-over, Solay and the others could find no evidence of anything strange. This put Solay into a mood, and she sat by herself, trying to think of something or other. Shadow talked with Mudkip a little, getting details on the event from earlier. Treecko was still trying to remember the strange dream he'd had. It kept nagging at him until he finally gave up and sat down, leaning against the trunk.

At first, nothing happened. Then, a few seconds later, Treecko turned around, looking at the trunk. He had the weirdest sensation…it was like the one from the Weeping Elder Birch. Treecko frowned. Did this tree want to chat too? No, that was stupid. He shook his head, but the feeling kept gnawing at him until he finally gave in and shut his eyes.

It was all white, exactly as before. Solay, Shadow, and Mudkip were nowhere in sight. He was alone at the apex of the Mighty Oak.

"Hello?" he called softly. "Are you here? I know you tried to tell me something last night. Come on, just tell me. I'll try to not think I'm crazy."

Finally, you hear, growled a deep male voice. Treecko jumped. It's about time. I've been trying to get though since you spoke with the old man.

"You mean the Elder Birch?" Treecko asked, looking around.

Yeah, him, dismissed the voice. Listen up, Treecko, because I'm only going to say this once. You need to defeat them before the eclipse comes. You need to find out who's spying on you. Think! The answer is right in front of you!

"What are you talking about? What eclipse?" Treecko spun in circles, trying in vain to see something. "What's right in front of me?"

Think!

"Treecko!"

His eyes snapped open. Solay, Shadow, and Mudkip were all in front of him, staring. Mudkip sighed. "Oh, good, you're okay. Why'd you fall asleep like that?"

Treecko muttered something indistinct, which made Mudkip blink. "What?" she asked.

"I was talking to a tree!" he finally burst out, not meeting their gaze.

There was silence. Shadow was looking bamboozled, Mudkip like she thought he was insane, but Solay looked thoughtful.

"Tell me more about this tree," she said carefully. "What did he tell you?"

"Something about beating the bad guys before an eclipse…and about an answer right in front of my face." Treecko shrugged. "It was really vague. It was probably just a dream anyway."

Solay rubbed the ground with a paw, thinking. "Well…if it's twice that it's happened now, I don't think it's a dream. Treecko, you are in tune with the conscious of nature." She paused. "How to say it…you're very aware of your surroundings. It's a trait few people have." Solay hesitated. "I know…someone else who had it."

Shadow started. "Oh, no way—!"

Solay nodded. "You know who I'm talking about."

"Is it…Grovyle?" Mudkip asked quietly.

Solay bit her tongue briefly, then nodded. "Yes. My partner Grovyle was also attune to nature. Not as much as you, Treecko, but he did have the same gift. I have a theory, but for the interest of keeping time linear and flowing correctly, I can't tell you. At least, not now."

Treecko's brain overloaded. He had a gift? His first thought was 'Uh, wait, what?' but then it turned to 'Cool.' He shook his head to semi-clear it. Yes, it was neat he could talk to trees, but it was also rather freaky.

"Well, what about the eclipse, then?" he pressed. "Do you have an answer to that?"

"I do," offered a voice.

They all whipped around. There, in the middle of the treetop clearing, were Umbreon and Gallade. Gallade nodded to them. "Hello, again," he said.

Treecko leaped to his feet, staring at Umbreon. "Hey, you're that psycho form my dream!" he exclaimed.

Umbreon frowned. "Oh, come, that wasn't nice. Besides, that wasn't your dream. That was Gallade's psychic powers."

Treecko caught his breath. It hadn't been a dream? It was just Gallade's trick? Was it…a setup? He felt Shadow and Solay taking fighting stances beside him.

"Oh, we're not here to fight," Umbreon dismissed. "We just came to take our operative back. The job is done, and he needs you back," Umbreon added, scanning them all with her crazy red eyes. Treecko glanced at his friends. It was one of them? Who was it? He knew it wasn't him… And it couldn't be Mudkip. She was his partner. Solay did show a tendency to hide things, but he trusted her. Then Shadow…he was so insecure, but so brave. It couldn't be him either! Treecko was going to go mad if he kept thinking about this.

"Step forward," Gallade said. "Your job is done."

Treecko felt his heart going a billion miles an hour. Who would step forward? Who would betray everyone he loved so dearly? From beside him…someone started giggling, then full-out laughing. He knew that laugh. He'd heard it almost every day of his life. With the world spinning, he turned slowly…to see Mudkip with her head thrown back, cackling.

When she finally lowered her head, the smirk was too gloating. Her eyes were too narrowed. Her walk was too…menacing. Treecko could only watch as she walked away from him and joined Gallade and Umbreon. She turned around, looking at them with half-lidded eyes and a sneer worthy of Umbreon.

Shadow couldn't move, and neither could Treecko, so Solay had to do the talking. She took a half step forward, looking dismayed and confused. "Mudkip, what are you doing?" she asked. "Come on back. You don't belong over here."

Mudkip giggled again. "Solay, you're a fool," she said. "I never was on your side. Everything I said, everything I did, it was all an act. Falling into the pool? An act. I had to know what you would do, if you would let me drown." A wistful note entered her voice. "If you'd had left me to drown, you could've been over here with me."

"That's impossible!" Treecko shouted, getting his voice back. He felt tears in his eyes, but he didn't care. "Mudkip, you're my partner! We worked together!"

She turned to him. His breath drew in sharply to see how cold her eyes were. Another sneer flitted across her face.

"Treecko, Treecko, Treecko… Don't you see? I've been using you. I never was your 'partner'. The only way to get close to you was to form a team with you, so that's what I did."

Treecko couldn't breathe. This was impossible. There was no way that Mudkip could be evil. He remembered her laughing, and her having so much fun with him… He remembered when she came to his rescue when fighting the Slugma, even though she was just as tired as he was. It couldn't be…none of that could be a lie! It was all true!

"I used you," Mudkip repeated. "I never cared about you. We were never friends. I needed to see your power in action for the plan. I was raised and trained as a spy. This is what I do for a living. This is what I live for."

"Stop it," Solay commanded, looking livid. "Stop talking. If you say another word, I'll kill you right here and now."

"Solay, no," Treecko sobbed. "It's just Mudkip! You can't kill her! S-she's p-p-possessed or something!" He grabbed her paw. "Don't do it…you can't, she's my best friend…"

Mudkip sneered. "Soon, we'll control the entire world and you won't have any friends to turn to." She looked to Gallade. "Let's go."

He nodded. "Right."

"No, wait!" Shadow started forward, but in a puff of gray-white smoke, all three were gone.

Treecko was in shock. Mudkip…had been the spy all along? It was too much to take in. He couldn't believe what she'd said. I was raised and trained a spy… I used you… This is what I do for a living… I never was on your side… I've been using you… This is what I live for… He just sat there, numb, as her words played over and over in his head. She had used him… She never had been his friend… She was acting… No. There were times…when she hadn't been acting. Treecko had to believe that there were times when she had actually enjoyed being around him. He believed that…and someday, Mudkip would too.

But the Mighty Oak had been right.

The answer had been right in his face.

All along.

…

End! :3 How's that for a plot twist?