Welcome to chapter 8 of Cringe! As you may or may not know, Cringe is ending sadly T_T but don't worry we still have a lot to go in these last two chapters and the little sneak peak of Saviors will be up in the last chapter as well as the songs that inspired the series (and a little of Saviors) are up on my profile so check them out. Let's see besides using DA to put up crappy pictures and using Youtube to upload the original songs found in Cringe and in Saviors, enjoy!

Riley's POV

The sun's warm rays lit up the room from the crystal clear window as I slowly opened my eyes.

"Morning Riley."

I looked down and saw my mate giving a bright smile.

"Morning Megan," I smiled back.

She nuzzled my neck, causing me to purr.

"Megan? Riley?"

"Oh shit," I grumbled as we quickly got off of bed. "Just a sec!"

Megan changed into her human while I looked like an Umbreon mixed with a six year old .

"Change back," she whispered.

"I can't," I pointed out.

"Here just put this on," she threw my sweater at me.

We quickly slipped our clothes on and she brushed her long, brown hair with her hand.

"Do I look okay?" she asked.

"You're really turning me on," I said aggressively.

"Wha?"

"Sorry!" I blushed, "human mind's screwed up with Umbreon's."

"Better be," she warned, "or Umbreon will end up sleeping in a cage without Leafeon."

"Guys?"

"Sorry Vinny!" Megan called as she went over and opened the door. "What's up?"

"Heidi is having a meeting like right now."

"Thanks Vinny," she smiled.

Vinny peered over and stared at me with his ruby eyes.

"What the hell happened to you Riley?" he asked.

"Not now," I hissed as I wandered out the room.

I slowly walked down the hallway, heart beginning to race slightly.

"You're finally awake. You're usually up early."

"Well, I was up all night worrying about Riley."

"By the way where is he?"

"I'm out here!" I exclaimed.

"Why aren't you inside?"

"Because all of you will laugh at me!"

"We won't laugh at you Riley!" Trina yelled back.

"Promise?"

"Yeah, sure whatever."

I slowly lingered in the room, the sleeves of my sweater dragging on the floor. All of them gaped at me as my ears drooped.

"Riley," Lilly gasped. "What happened to you?"

"I don't know!" I cried. "I woke up like this!"

"Do you feel anything different?" Gregg asked.

"Besides being three feet tall and look nine years younger, I THINK I'M JUST F-BRI!"

I felt myself being picked up and quickly glanced up, finding Heidi.

"You are just too cute," she gave a small smile as she hugged me and scratched the back of my ear.

I began to feel an irresistible, heartwarming feeling that just melted my problems away, so I gave a cute soft purr.

"Awkward much," Peter said after a slight pause.

"Feel better now?" she asked me.

I slowly nodded.

"Anyways, the reason why I summoned all of you is about all of our equipment in Driftveil City."

"What about it?" Lilly asked.

"It went up in flames."

"So much for leaving by water," Trina muttered.

"What should we do now?" Peter asked.

"Go with the plan. Of course getting out of Unova will be harder, but we can still make it."

"What about Riley and Alice?" Megan asked. "How can we keep them from getting hurt?"

"What happened to Ali?" I questioned. "Where is she?"

"She's fine Riley," Heidi assured as she scratched the back of my ear again.

"Tell me," I growled as I squirmed.

"Riley please."

"PLEASE TELL ME!"

I squirmed even more until I was able to escape. I swiftly landed on my feet and raced out the room.

"Alice! Alice!"

"Riley!" I heard Megan yell after me.

I continued to run down the hall, searching for my sister.

"Alice!"

My ears picked up Luna's soothing voice, luring towards a nearby door.

I barged in, finding Luna curling up with a small fragile little Eevee. The Eevee slowly glanced up with her adorable, innocent brown eyes. She began to quiver as I stared into her eyes, everything flashing before me.

"I can't wait to be old enough to travel around the world and be the strongest trainer like you, big bro."

My lips trembled as I shuddered.

"A-A-Alice?"

Brooke's POV

Since all of this began, I felt my life changing very rapidly. Instead of the calm and easy life I had for a few years, I got fear and adrenaline pumping in my veins as I try to aviod getting captured or killed. My mind has to react quickly and the value of allies increased majorly. I sat in the hallway, staring at the girl that used to be so… indepent and strong. I slowly glanced at my hands as a word popped into my head. Riley. He seems so innocent, dark, and fragile but yet he tries to stay strong for us, for Alice, for Megan, and I feel as if he is staying strong for me as well. Riley. All the things he's been through and yet he doesn't give up. Riley. Falling for him. Riley. I glanced at my arms again, finding them covered in twilight black fur. It happened again. Everytime time I think about him, Zorua abilities go off and I begin to change as an Umbreon very slightly.

"Shay? Are you out here?"

I quickly hid my hands as the fur slurped back in my skin. I slowly gazed up, finding Trina.

"What's up?"

"What are you doing out here? Everyone is packing everything up and getting ready to dash all the way to Nimbasa."

"I'm just…thinking that's all."

"Might as well hurry. We'll leave soon."

She began to walk away.

"Trina?"

She turned around.

"Yeah?"

"What's going to happen to us, when we're out?"

"Find the next Halfling, finish Sigma Six, and probably scatter when it's all over. No one can't really tell what's going to happen next which sucks, but some things are best to not forsee. It's something my old man used to say before those bitches took me away from him. I'm wondering if he and my younger brother are alright. So when this is all over, I'm heading to the Orange Islands where they still live."

"Sounds like you have family waiting," I told her.

"If they still think I'm alive. What about you Shay?"

"Move to another town and start anew, no friends and no family."

"You know Shay, you can go to the Orange Islands with me when this is all over."

"I'd like that," I gave a small smile.

"Just one thing."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Be prepared for tricks we'll pull."

"I am a Zorua, right? I am known for being a trickster."

Alice's POV

"Just let your mind at ease and let go of all tensions in your body."

I slowly closed my eyes as I took deep breaths.

"Now focus on one thing and one thing only."

I focused on what I yearned, being human. I began to hear my bones snap, began to feel my body alter. I gave a short yip, almost losing concentration.

"Don't lose focus!"

I continued. I felt the cold air kissing my skin as my finger and toes came back, welcoming me back to my human body. I slowly opened my eyes and glanced at the Umbreon that looked like a six year old boy.

"There you go," he smiled.

I slowly got up, adjusting my undershirt and covering my underwear with my hands.

"Thanks for helping change back into a human Riley," I gave a small smile.

"You're my sister Alice," he said as he placed his hand/paw on my hand, "I'll do anything for you."

"Does this mean I'm one of you?" I asked after a short pause. "A Halfling?"

"Ali, you were always a Halfling. The only thing that's different now than a few days ago is that you are now what they want instead of bait for them to catch me. You're safety is in risk and they'll do nothing to catch you."

He quietly looked away.

"Remember all the times kids were picking on you and when I show up they run off as if I was a monster?" he gave a slight chuckle. "Or the time when you always came to my room to blow off steam and we have a two and a half hour jam session?"

"Yeah. Remember everytime I get selected to battle in school you would always be my starter?"

"How can I not remember," he smiled, "I'm the one with the battle wounds."

"You were strong back then like you are now," I told him. "Always helping when one's down, full of inner strength like Dad, and always giving something to us when everything seems dark like when you were playing your guitar the other night."

"I guess," he said softly.

After a short pause, he faced his back towards me and said, "I'm not like Dad."

"What?"

"I'm not strong like Dad. He gave up his life for us just to keep us away from them. He took risks to keep us alive. He was proud to call us his children and defended us when people called us freaks of nature. And me? I was cooped up in an island, starved, abused, and got shot in the head. I wasn't strong, I was lucky that the others rescued me in time and was lucky that Squirtle kept Damion away as he stabbed me. I was lucky that Megan, Vinny, and I made it out alive from the falling bridge. Everything that happened was just all luck. Stupid luck."

"Was it really luck? Was it luck when you pushed me out of the way when that Flygon came or when you took the blow when you and Megan were escaping? Was it luck that brought us all together and kept us alive, Riley? Tell me Riley. Tell me!"

"I-I just can't be."

"What do you mean 'can't be'?"

He turned around, tears trickling down his cheeks.

"Look at me Alice! Does this look like Dad? Does this look like someone who can fucking put up after brought down to the knees? I'm not 'strong' or the 'hero' of this story Alice…I just can't be."

I hugged him hard as tears began to trickle down my cheeks.

"You might not feel like it, but you are to me; to Megan, to all of us. You're my hero Riley. You just are."

"Alice?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm scared, scared of letting you down and the others. Scared of getting captured and scared of losing myself.."

"It's okay, I'm scared too."

This brings a closure to Chapter 8 of Cringe. Just two more chapters until the end of this installment and more will appear next chapter so stay tuned to the next to last chapter of Cringe!