I send out, Chapter Three! Use Fascinate, then Review Manipulator! Hehe, I'm sorry. I just had to do it. Enjoy! Also I got a reviewer! Thank you kindly for your words!

"Sleeping on the ground isn't as fun as I thought it would be…" Kriss muttered as she rolled up her sleeping bag. Torchic just yawned in her face, and then brushed his plate clean of the few crumbs left from his breakfast. At least he knows how to clean up after himself, she thought to herself, then placed Blaze's plate into her bag, sandwiching it between a clean pair of pants and an extra blanket.

"Tor?" He suddenly turned to the left, head tilted to the side as if listening intently to something that Kriss didn't. She frowned at him, then glanced to where he was listening towards. A strange Pokémon was standing there, looking slightly confused. Well, Kriss guessed that the Pokémon was looking confused, his face was covered by a green covering. She had never seen a Pokémon such as this, and pulled out her Pokédex.

280 Ralts, the Feeling Pokémon. It is highly attuned to the emotions of people and Pokémon. It hides if it senses hostility.

Kriss nodded her head as she read it, then glanced back to the Ralts. I want it, she thought to herself, eager to catch another Pokémon besides Blaze. As she felt the adrenaline starting to pump in her veins, the Ralts suddenly perked up and glanced in their direction. Then it bolted off into some shrubs.

"What? How…" She muttered to herself, then she looked back at the description the Pokédex gave her. "Oh, of course. He must of felt my eagerness to capture it. Come on, Blaze. I want it!"

Blaze nodded, and together they hurried off after it into the same brush that the Pokémon disappeared into. They soon caught up to it in a clearing, with thorn bushes on all sides which made the Ralts stop and turn around to face Kriss.

"This is our chance, Blaze!" She said, and Blaze nodded his head. He seemed all the much eager as Kriss was, and she felt a sense of pride from it. "Let's a go with an Ember!"

Blaze sent a bursting cascade of glowing embers out of his mouth and flew towards the Ralts. It cried out, then disappeared into thin air. It appeared slightly to the left, looking all the same, but in no fear of the quickly disappearing embers. Kriss blinked, she guessed that she had just seen the move Teleport.

"Okay, I see that is how you want to play," She said, narrowing her eyes at Ralts. "Blaze, use Peck, then another Ember!"

Blaze rushed forward, eager to strike at the Ralts. Torchic got up close, then Ralts vanished again, and once more appearing slightly to the left. This time, though, Blaze was ready, and was already sending another burst of hot embers at Ralts. It hit and it crashed to the ground, its cry of pain unsettling to Kriss, but it must be done. "Come on, one more Peck!"

Ralts struggled to get up, but Blaze struck at with his peck and it flew into a tree, then lay slump among its roots. Kriss smiled, then drew an empty pokéball from her belt and sent it out towards the weakened Ralts. It flew through the air and was only about a foot away from the Pokémon when it suddenly just stopped. Kriss blinked. It stopped…in midair.

"What the-"

Then with surprising speed it was sent flying back at her, and struck her in the stomach. With an "Oof!", she fell back on her rear and watched as a stranger Pokémon came in front of the injured Ralts. The two looked similar, but the newcomer was taller and more threatening. Blaze glared reproachfully at it, and gave out a mad bundle of chirps. Hey! Only I can hit my trainer, it is my sacred right!

Kriss, cradling the empty pokéball with one hand, pointed her Pokédex at the new Pokémon in the clearing.

281 Kirlia, the Emotion Pokémon. Kirlia is the evolved form of Ralts. It uses the horns on its head to amplify its psychokinetic power. When the Kirlia uses its power, the air around it becomes distorted, creating mirages of nonexistent scenery.

"So Ralts turns into that?" Kriss asked herself, then remembered where she was. It most of been Kirlia who stopped her pokéball from catching Ralts. She wanted that Ralts. "Sorry, Kirlia. That Ralts is mine! Come on, Blaze, lets use Ember once more!"

"Torchic!" Withdrawing his head, he breathing in deeply, then sent out the same flurry of embers at the two Pokémon. Kirlia raised a hand, and the embers suddenly stopped in midair-just like Kriss' pokéball she had thrown. With another wave of its graceful hands, the embers were speeding in the opposite direction.

"Dodge!" Kriss cried, but Blaze already jumped up out of the wave of his own attack. The chick glared at the Kirlia, and with a loud chirp, dived down on to the Kirlia. It twirled away from the attack, but Blaze was persistent, and continued to Peck at the Kirlia. Kriss was amazed at the determination of her Pokémon, but was he tiring quickly and Kirlia was getting farther and farther away form him.

"Stop, Blaze!" Kriss commanded, and the Pokémon hesitated for a second, then stopped. He was breathing hard and his fur puffed out wildly. She thought quickly, while biting her lip. Blaze didn't know any moves, at this level, that dealt great damage to Kirlia, and he certainly couldn't use Ember. With a curse, she pointed at Kirlia. "Use scratch attack!"

Blaze jumped forward and, with his claw-like feet in front of him, slashed at Kirlia's face. It hit! Kirlia cried out and with a glare, disappeared. It reappeared next to Ralts, grabbed the injured Pokémon, then disappeared again. Kriss looked around, but she couldn't see the two anywhere near here. She sighed and plopped down onto her knees. She had failed, she couldn't even catch a simple Pokémon.

"Tor?" Blaze appeared at her side, looking at her with a quizzical expression on his cute face. She shook her head at him and looked down at the pokéball still clasped in her hand.

"I failed you, Blaze," She said, tears filling up her brown eyes. "You were great! I never knew that you could move so quickly, and that last Ember was simply amazing. But I was too slow, I couldn't think, and I failed for that."

"Torchic!" Blaze shook his head, and then went in a barrage of chirps. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, and then returned the pokéball back on to her belt.

"I wish I could understand you sometimes," Kriss smiled, watery, at him. "But then again, you probably would be so sadistic that I would lose my mind. I know I'm being completely stupid over it, but all the same…. I guess we should carry on, we could probably make it back to Oldale Town by midday if we leave now. " She glanced back where the Ralts used to lay, the grass slightly charred around it.

"I really wanted that Ralts…."

Xxx (I forgot to do this on my last chapter and I was horrified at how it looked, so I apologize for it now. I could probably go back and change it, but I'm somewhat of a lazy person. Sorry!)

The Nurse Joy (the name all nurses at the Pokémon Center were called) at the Oldale Center looked at Kriss over the counter, a smile upon her benign face. "Hello, dear. Did you want something?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Kriss said, and lifted up Blaze onto the counter. "I was wondering if you could heal my Pokémon without him being in his pokéball? He doesn't take to it very much."

"No worries, it isn't very common, but we are perfectly capable of doing it," said Nurse Joy, her eyes twinkling. "Just leave Torchic with us for about an hour and he should be ready-to-go. You can rest in the lounge, or drop by the cafeteria for some food. If you would like a room, it will be free for the first two nights, then you will have to pay a small fee to continue your stay."

"Okay, I'll take a room," Kriss said and put her down for only one night. She just wanted to let Blaze get better and rest in a real bed, then move on towards Petalburg. Saying farewell to Torchic for the moment, she went to rest in her room. She had already ate on the trip to Oldale Town and wasn't all that hungry, but her mind was buzzing.

Whenever she closed her eyes, she could see the Ralts laying on the ground and ready to catch. Then she saw the Kirlia twirling in front of it, and protecting it from Kriss' pokéball. Why did the Kirlia just have to be there at the time! I would have a second Pokémon if it was for that dang Kirlia. Kriss pondered at why she didn't want to catch Kirlia, instead of Ralts, but she had felt Ralts was more right for her. The Ralts was young and not all that experienced - just like Kriss. Kirlia seemed strong, and almost seemed parentally protective of Ralts.

"It's not fair," Kriss said, flopping down on the bed that was located in her small room. It only had a small desk, a closet, and a door leading to a bathroom, but she didn't care. All she wanted was that Ralts. Staring at the ceiling, where she could see light slowly fading out of the room as night began to fall, she came to conclusion.

"Tomorrow, I'm going to catch that Ralts! No matter what!"

Xx-xXx-xX

"Okay! Ralts has to be somewhere around here, right? What do you think, Blaze?" Kriss turned to her Pokémon, who just nodded his head. He was looking all around him, eyes intent for any signs of movement.

"Kirlia!"

Kriss spun so quickly around that she almost fell, but she caught her footing and saved herself from that embarrassment. Kirlia, the same one from earlier if Kriss was reading the distaste in its eyes, was standing before them, its hands out in front of it. Though she noticed that Kirlia looked tired, evidently still tired from the battle yesterday.

"If Kirlia is here, Ralts must not be that far off," Kriss thought aloud, and quickly turned to Blaze. "Scratch attack!"

The Torchic nodded and hurled himself at the Kirlia, his feet moving like scythes as he hit Kirlia. The Emotion Pokémon cried out, blocking its face with its arms, but Blaze kept the attack up. It took a step back, but fell back and sprawled on the dirt.

"Good job, Blaze. Now try an Ember!"

Blaze sent the fire attack and it struck Kirlia, directly. Kirlia cried out, panting hard, then weakly tired to get to its feet. Kriss was amazed at its determination, the poor Pokémon just didn't want to give in. Blaze puffed at it, and looked at Kriss for the command to finish Kirlia off. Though, she couldn't.

"I'm sorry, Blaze, but this fight is over. Even if Kirlia doesn't understand that," Kriss said, then shouldered her backpack more comfortably. "Come on, as I said, Ralts must be close."

"Kirlia! Kir!" It didn't want to give up, but it felt weakly down back to the ground, eyes closed. Kriss hurried over to it and scooped it up in her arms. The Kirlia didn't weight that much in her arms, as Kriss examined it closely. The fire attack didn't seem to have left any burns, but Kirlia was obviously worn out and the scratches were a fiery red.

"I think I have something in here," Kriss said, laying the Kirlia back down gently on the grass. She found a small little tube from a box, and placed it in a Potion Holder. She shook it up for a second, then sprayed some foul-smelling medicine upon Kirlia's wounds. Kirlia cried out weakly, probably because of the sting of the potion, but its eyes remained closed. Blaze watched this all, his head turning between Kriss and the Kirlia.

Kriss bit her lip, "We can't just leave Kirlia out here like this, Blaze. I mean, any sort of Pokémon could come and snatch it up. Maybe it has a home somewhere around here, lets go find it."

"Torchic!" Blaze's eyes meet her own, and she understood his question. Why? You were just willing to battle it to capture Ralts. Why not just capture it?

"Because I have a stupid conscience," Kriss explained as she rose to her feet, carrying the Kirlia as gently as she could without putting too much stress on the Pokémon. "I think this Kirlia watches over that Ralts, and who knows, maybe others. If we just took Kirlia away, they wouldn't stand a chance against other wild Pokémon."

"Tor…" He nodded his head, but he still looked slightly confused as they trudged off in the direction of where Kirlia first had appeared from the day before. Though they didn't walk that far, when suddenly Kriss felt a presence near her. It wasn't much, barely a faint tickle against the back of her neck, but she turned all the same and her eyes widened.

Three Kirlia and a Ralts were standing before her with a taller, stranger Pokémon standing behind them four. She, Kriss usually couldn't tell what gender a Pokémon was unless she spent time with it but she just knew that the Pokémon was a female, was tall and regal. Her eyes were proud, and they met Kriss without a waver.

Hello.

Kriss blinked and she almost dropped Kirlia in surprise at the voice. It wasn't a sound, well, not a sound that her ears could pick up. It was as if the Pokémon could suddenly speak directly in Kriss' head.

"W-Who are you?" She tried to keep the fear out of her voice, but she didn't manage well, and the Pokémon's eyes glittered.

My name would be very difficult for you to understand, but your race generally calls my kind 'Gardevoir.' I am the guardian of all these Pokémon before me, and the one that resides in your arms. I am curious. Most of your kind would of caught that Kirlia and make her their friend, but you do not so? She is wounded, and probably from your own Pokémon. Yet, I can detect medicine covering her wounds and you are the only one who could have given her such a thing. I do not understand.

"I did give her the medicine, and yes, it was me and Blaze who fought her," answered Kriss. "But I never really meant to catch Kirlia, it was Ralts that I wanted. This Kirlia protected a Ralts I fought yesterday, and I would of caught it too, but she intervened. I thought her as something of Ralts' mother or parent, and if I did catch her, then that Ralts would have been left parentless. And I didn't know, maybe Kirlia was watching over other Ralts. I couldn't have done that, even if I wanted such a strong Pokémon as Kirlia."

Gardevoir's eyes widened slightly, and didn't communicate for a second. When she did, it was slow as if she still couldn't believe her words. You are an odd human, and I have seen many different kinds. Humans are puzzled and intrigued at all the different types of Pokémon, but what they don't understand is how many different types your race has. It makes me almost glad that I learned to communicate through my Psychic powers.

You are right in a sort of way, that young Kirlia does look after the Ralts, but not because she is the mother of them. No, Kirlia is far too young for that. She actually had just recently evolved into a Kirlia, and still felt a companionship with her previous friends, one in particular being a Ralts. She probably thoughts you were going to take her friend away from her.

Kriss gasped, then looked down at the Kirlia in her arms. She had opened her eyes and was looking directly into Kriss'. "So you did everything just to save a friend?" Kirlia nodded her head and put a hand to Kriss' face. Images flashed through Kriss' head, one of two Ralts playing together and having fun. Then of one of them staring into the water and the next second, with a brief flash of light, a Kirlia was reflected back. A sense of confusion and emptiness rippled through Kriss as she saw the last image, feelings that weren't her own.

Then it was gone, replaced by seeing herself and Blaze fighting against Ralts, Kirlia's friend. Anger flared through the image and Kriss let a breath out at the extremity of the feeling. One last picture flashed before Kriss' eyes. It was of her own face, looking worried as she picked up the viewer with such care. The emptiness and anger vanished and it was replaced with another emotion, stronger then anything Kriss had ever felt.

Completeness.

Kriss did the only thing she could of, she pulled an empty pokéball from her belt and opened it in front of Kirlia. The Pokémon disappeared into its depths, and the ball shut close. It dinged the moment it was closed, and Kriss stared at it. She had, sort of, caught her first Pokémon.

She looked up to see Gardevoir's expression, fearful at what she might think, but she was glad to see that Pokémon looked pleased. I always knew when Kirlia evolved somewhat early that she would be destined for greatness. Do not fear, I am not angry at you. It was Kirlia's choice, and I am proud of the decision that she had made. She will miss her friend Ralts, but eventually they would have had to depart from each other. Take care of her, Kriss. Gardevoir turned to Blaze, who was silent and heard everything that was transpiring (Kriss assumed, seeing as he never question about it later), and said: You are young as well, but care for my Kirlia, will you? She has not seen much of the world, and I will worry about her. Will you do such?

Blaze nodded his head, puffed out his chest, and gave a very loud, "Torchic!"

Good, and farewell. I hope to see you three again in the future…and with many others. Goodbye. Gardevoir then turned away, and with a wave to bring all the Ralts and Kirlia close to her, she glided away. Kriss watched them until they disappeared into the thick foliage of the woods, then stared down at her caught Pokémon, then to Blaze.

"Looks like we have another member on our team, Blaze. What do you think?"

"Tor!" And Blaze smiled happily, the first one Kriss had ever seen on his face since she got him two days. Picking him up, and giving him a huge hug, they started on their way back to the Pokémon Center. "Maybe we will just spend one night more here."

One of my favorite Pokémon is Gardevoir, so I just had to have Kriss get one of the pre-evolutions. I planned it to be a Ralts, but I felt a bond sprout up between Kriss and Kirlia. Thank you for reading, and I hope you hit that review button. See you, until next chapter!