Well, I'm not dead. I went AWOL for a few months there. Okay maybe more than a few, but the good thing is that I'm back right? Anyway, I have been writing this chapter for a loooooooooooooong time. Why? Not because I had writer's block, though that does happen to me often, not because I was trying to get this chapter perfect and just right, because I wasn't, but because I got bored with this, found two groups on and completely stopped this project. Not something I condone and I apologize to the…four of you that read this. Anyway, my interest hasn't been sparked, but I hate leaving this on my computer and on the internet without giving it the attention it deserves. My first story that's completely mine in a universe and I left it all by itself to collect dust in the archives? No, I'm finishing this thing.

My consciousness floated in a dark void, a familiar void, and it struck me that I had been here before. Before I saw Zederiah for the first time.

"Arceus?" I called, "Arceus are you there?"

I am here, he answered, What is it you wish to know?

"You don't know?" I asked.

You fell unconscious before I could read the thought, he answered.

"You can read my thoughts?" I asked incredulously.

Only when they're directed at me, he said, What is it you need?

I immediately told him what happened. From the capture of Shinx, to the chase that those Luxray gave me. I knew he knew why that had happened, and if he didn't he could always find out. Children learn prejudice from their parents and if these two Luxray hated humans…well I needed pokemon that were going to help me, not hold me back.

Hmm, I wonder… Arceus thought.

"What?" I blurted.

These two Luxray may have been subjected to Zederiah's Torunator, he said.

"Which would have led to a distrust of humans..." I said in wonder, "But I thought the Torunator killed the pokemon whose power it absorbed?"

True but…Ah. I see now.

"What?"

The female Luxray, your new friend's mother, was trapped by Zederiah and he intended to use her to gain his first set of new powers. The male, Shinx's father, rescued her and they ran away. And from that moment on, neither has trusted a human. And you've taken one of their offspring.

"So they weren't trying to kill me for no reason. They were just trying to protect their child." I said, awestruck.

Yes.

"Wait, how do you know all this?" I asked, suddenly suspicious.

Zederiah…captured me and intended to show me the full extent of his mind. He hoped to impress me by showing me what he had constructed and what it could do. Naturally, I was disgusted. He didn't take too kindly to that.

I let that sink in for a minute. "If he captured you, how did you get out?"

Actually that is a thrilling tale, but not one for right now. Time for you to wake up.

I hadn't even noticed the light that would bring me back to consciousness.

I woke up on a hospital bed in what looked to be a Pokemon Center room. On my right side, my arm was hooked up to an IV line and a heart monitor. On my right was a Nurse Joy, a Chansey and a young man with a red construction helmet and glasses on. I knew him. It was Roark, Gym Leader of Oreburgh City.

"He's awake," Roark said, smiling.

"What happened?" I asked slowly getting up, wincing from a pain in my arm.

"Gym Leader Roark saw what was happening and rushed to help," Nurse Joy chimed in, "If not for him, you'd likely be dead."

"Happy thought," I grumbled to myself. I directed my attention to Roark. "I had planned to challenge you as soon as I got here, but I guess I'll have to wait."

"Maybe," Roark answered, apology lining his voice.

"How are my pokemon?" I asked Nurse Joy.

"Fit and ready to go whenever you are," she replied with a smile.

"Good," I said swinging my legs off the bed and standing.

Nurse Joy gasped, "You really shouldn't-"

"Don't worry about it," I interrupted, "I'll live. Now where are my pokemon?"

She looked as if she were going to argue, thought better of it, and turned to a counter where two pokeballs sat.

I walked over to the counter, picked up the pokeballs and released my pokemon from them.

"Hey Vine. You doing alright?" I asked. He lifted a paw and grunted.

"And you?" I said to my newly caught Shinx. She looked a little shy, but she purred affirmation.

"Good," I said, smiling, "But you need a name."

She looked at me, a confused expression crossing her face.

"How about Lexi?" I asked. It seemed to fix. She's a girl, her evolved forms sort of sound like it, especially Luxray.

"Shiiinx," she purred indifferently, but she seemed to like it.

"Okay, so you're Lexi," I said. I aimed both pokeballs, "Return."

Then I turned to Roark. "I'm feeling just fine. Do you think we could have that battle?"

"Of course," he laughed, "Let's go outside."

Both of us were just outside the Pokemon Center and near a work site. Fans of Roark and other spectators came to watch.

The rules of this battle were simple. Two pokemon to each trainer, first trainer to knock out the other's pokemon won.

"Vine! I choose you!" I called throwing his pokeball in the air. He appeared in a burst of white light.

Roark smiled, "Onix!" he called throwing a pokeball in the air, "Come on out!"

The large rock snake materialized in a burst of white light and gave a mighty roar. I'm not going to lie, it intimidated me a little. But I had Vine on my side so I knew I was going to be okay. Roark made the first command.

"Onix, use Rock Slide!" he yelled. Onix slammed his long tail on the ground, sending large boulders flying through the air towards Vine.

"Jump up!" I yelled and Vine began weaving in and out of the boulders as they fell and crumbled. Then Vine began jumping up on the rocks, climbing his way to the highest boulder and jumping in midair.

"Energy Ball!" I commanded. Vine let loose a powerful ball of Grass energy toward Onix, who, naturally, dodged. Before Vine could even touch the ground, Onix swiped him from the air and Wrapped him.

"Vine!" I cried. Vine squirmed and wriggled about in pain at the constriction. I had to think of something and fast. "Vine use Energy Ball and get out of there!"

Vine let loose his sphere of plant energy at his captor's body. The attack was strong enough to cause the Onix to loosen its grip, allowing Vine to jump to the ground.

"You okay buddy?" I asked.

"Twig!"

"Okay," I murmured, then raised my voice to a shout, "Energy Ball!"

The attack hit the Onix square in the face. With a loud roar the Onix fell to the floor, causing the place to tremble. I had knocked out the Onix. My first obstacle to getting this Gym Badge. My next would be whichever pokemon Roark chose to use next.

He returned Onix to his pokeball and smiled.

"I didn't think you'd beat my Onix, but that was before I saw what pokemon you had," he laughed then whipped his hand forward, "Go…"

"CRANIDOS!"

So there you have it. This is what I came up with while I was on a little vacation…okay a long vacation, but I'm back. And I'm here to stay. Let's see how far Jake can get before his first true transformation. Oops, spoilers.

Reviews are great, just saying.

Back until further notice,

Aero