Hey, it's been a minute, huh? I know that I promised a lot of stuff during Spring Break but that was only a week long so I wasn't being realistic with the amount of time that I had. But now that I have the whole summer, I'm planning on at least getting the Moonlight Arc done and if not done, close to done. There should only be about four chapters left after this one before we move onto the next arc so hopefully I can get all of those done this summer. I've been absolutely itching to write since Spring Break and now I can so I hope that you guys haven't lost interest in this story yet because I'm still going to continue it. Now to respond to reviews! We have a lot to cover this time.

InariKurenai: Yeah, I know that a lot of SYOC writers, especially those writing about a school, will use the first two or so chapters just for character introductions but I absolutely hate writing that way. I feel that characters should come at their own pace and that each one should be distinguishable which is impossible if they're all thrown into the first two chapters.

grimbutnotalways: I'm glad that you think so highly of this story. I just do my best to do right by the people who submit.

Legolas Dragon Ranger: I always feel like my battle scenes are kind of like the games but with a bit more detail. Guess it works though so no point in worrying too much about it.

OPFan37: Of course I did! Dude, you had me looking through the last chapter to find a speech made by Cherilyn because I was sure that she didn't give a speech until I realized that you were talking about her and Aaron's accents. Yeah, that's been going on since their introductions. I'd be disappointed if you didn't take another swing at it. I know your OCs have gotten much better and I've heard from Heart and DJTiki that they're really good so I look forward to seeing what you come up with. I did but I haven't responded to a lot of the ones submitted because I decided to scrap that project and redo it from scratch. I literally just wrote it because I had the urge to do so that same night. Well I really liked her character because it was different from everything else that I was getting around that time. She got creative with the Pokéathlon theme and her Pokémon choices were refreshing instead of the very common Pokémon that I see all the time. Let her know that I said thank you for the character.

SomeoftheFlame: Now this is the type of review that an author is lucky to get so thank you very much for taking the time to read my story and make notes on what you liked and didn't like as well as offer critical and helpful advice. That being said, I'm not going to respond to absolutely every point but I will address the big ones. I see what you mean by "color nouns" and I'm glad you brought that to my attention. I actually never thought that they were boring (still don't) but I can see why you would think so. That being said, I might cut down on using them but they won't leave my writing style as I would use a character's name WAY too much if I didn't have the "color nouns" as a go-to back-up to refer to them. For the papyrus thing, I agree with you. I'm not sure how I came across the word but when I used it, I whole-heartedly believed that it was a synonym for paper. Now the trauma left behind by the Gyarados attack let's agree to disagree with how I handled that situation because I genuinely feel like in each moment, the situation was difficult for every party involved (the shipwrecks, their friends, the school, and the cops). I'm glad that you pointed out the "brunette" vs "brunet" distinction. I fixed it in my Word Doc but I don't know when I'll do it on FF. I'm assuming that I haven't done so yet because I don't remember doing it but I'll know when I try to fix it. Lastly, I'd be glad to see an OC from you in the upcoming submission. Don't worry, nothing critical you said in this review will hinder your chances of getting accepted. I give everyone as fair of an evaluation as possible.

Chapter 10: The Midnight Mission

Jarrel was frustrated and his impatience was apparent in the way he tapped the shelf with a stiff finger while Alex's head shifted from side-to-side, studying the Pokégear boxes that he held in each hand. They had been standing in that spot for ten minutes – nine too long for Jarrel's liking. This was supposed to be a quick stop on their journey but unfortunately his plans were halted by a trivial decision between a finger scan lock and a better quality camera.

The tall, hairy employee that they had asked for help was now supporting his weight with a shelf and had placed his furry chin on his meaty arm. He looked just as frustrated as Jarrel but company policy forbade him from rushing the customer.

Alex muttered to himself, "With this one, Kari won't be able to unlock my phone again and take selfies with me while I sleep in class." He raised the other one, "But the camera on this one has really cool effects. Besides, Kari can always just grab my hand and use my finger. But then again, I don't really take pictures." Emerald eyes aimed up at the employee as he asked, "How much are they again?"

This was pure agony and Jarrel couldn't take it anymore so he interjected, "He'll take both!"

Alex turned to his partner and laughed, "Both? Come on, I only need one."

"Just take both. You keep the one you like more and give the other one to a friend, okay?"

"Mmm…nah! I couldn't make you pay for both of them."

"Money really isn't an issue for me. Time is, though."

"Oh right! Ok, if you don't mind, I'll take both of them then."

Finally! Jarrel could almost hear the employee yelling the same thing in his head.

The third-year paid for the phones, happy to continue their mission until the large man asked, "Which one are you going to sign up for a plan with?"

Jarrel's inward, primal shouts almost manifested themselves into the material world because he knew that he was not going anywhere any time soon. While Alex pondered, the steel-eyed boy repeatedly slammed his head against the counter that they stood at.

Mark sat in the lobby of Professor Cedar's office with his fingers interlocked and resting upon his lap. He had been waiting for ten minutes when Dr. Levay told him to have a seat and wait to be called inside, thinking that the instructor's return would cue the boy to enter. The pale man had only exchanged a few words with his employer before exiting the office and leaving the lobby without even a glance at the boy. Professor Cedar had not exited his office to call him in either so he assumed he was just supposed to wait.

A couple more minutes passed before he heard multiple footsteps thumping against the carpeted floor. He turned his head to find two of his fellow shipwrecks, accompanied by his Pokémon Habitats instructor, Ms. Bennett.

Hazel orbs shimmered when Kari saw her best friend sitting right in front of her. Tears threatened to spill over but she didn't care. The only thing that mattered was running into Mark's arms and holding him tightly. The red-eyed boy stood up and accepted her, wrapping his thin arms around her too. Soon, small droplets fell down the side of his face as well. Normally, Mark would be ashamed of himself for letting other people see how weak he was but the satisfaction and relief that came from reuniting with Kari easily trumped it.

Ms. Bennett allowed them to have their moment but broke them apart by teasing, "By the looks of this, I might have to start seating you two apart from each other."

Crimson and hazel eyes flashed open and the two people that they belonged to moved away from each other. They both stammered to explain to their instructor that their relationship was strictly platonic, making her laugh in the process.

"Okay, okay, I was just joking," she explained. "But now that you two have had your moment, we should go inside. The Professor's been waiting for us for some time now."

"Wait!" Mark shouted. He looked over at Kari's shoulder, scanned her person, and then looked around the room. "W-where's Chimchar?"

Kari's lips began to quiver so Sergio placed a hand on her shoulder and explained to his roommate, "We haven't found him yet. We were hoping Cedar would have some news on him and Rafi."

Mark slowly nodded his head, feeling guilty for not reaching that conclusion himself. Sergio then placed a hand on the crimson-eyed boy's shoulder and offered him a small smile and a nod as his way of expressing his relief from his safety. Mark returned both gestures but quickly redirected his attention to the woman before them, standing at the entrance to the dean's office.

Ms. Bennett made way for the three students before entering herself and shutting the door behind her. There were only two seats inside so Sergio gestured for his friends to take them, understanding that Kari was still worn out and that Mark must have been too. The two accepted, not wanting to prolong the proceedings by declining. They all looked forward to the smiling professor but his gaze was mostly on Mark.

"Mark," he started. "I'm so glad that you're safe. How are you feeling?"

"To be honest, I'm just exhausted."

The man nodded, "I'm sure you are. I'll make this quick so you can get some rest." He aimed his gaze to the red-haired woman and asked, "And Alex?"

She shook his head and answered, "No one's been able to find him. I asked Sergio about Alex's favorite spots but he isn't in any of those places."

"I see. And you have no idea where he could be, Sergio?"

"Absolutely none. I haven't seen him since lunch time. Last I saw him, he was heading to the cafeteria to meet up with some other friends."

"That's strange. Perhaps he went off into the forest to catch some new Pokém…"

The three students and instructor were puzzled by his sudden pause but no one said anything until Ms. Bennett asked, "Sir, is everything alright?"

Cedar covered his eyes and rubbed his temples as he asked, "He's catching himself a Pokémon to get off the island, isn't he?"

Sergio shrugged, "Probably but there aren't really any fully evolved Pokémon on the island from what I've seen."

Ms. Bennett added, "And by the time he evolves a flying- or water-type, this whole situation will have blown over."

"No, you're both right," Cedar said, relaxing in his chair. "You three can just relay this to him when you see him."

"Relay what?" Kari asked.

"What I'm about to explain." He paused to gather his thoughts and then began, "It's been over twenty-four hours since the shipwreck and the only members of your group who are still missing are Rafi and Kari's Chimchar, correct?" The students simply nodded. "Between the police and some of the staff here, we've searched about half of the islands north of here, which is the direction that you all took. This is both good and bad. It's good in the fact that we are getting closer to finding them…if they can be found."

Kari's throat closed completely, preventing even the tiniest drop of saliva from slipping through. Mark noticed how she tensed up so he gently squeezed her hand, showing her that he was there for her. She turned to look at his gentle expression, which eased her slightly but the worries continued to whirl in her head.

Cedar continued, "I understand how difficult this can be for you, Kari…but I suggest that you prepare yourself for the worst." His voice was solemn and grave, furthering the girl's anxiety. Mark felt her squeeze his hand in return, but much harder than he did hers. Her stress had to go somewhere so he did not mind being the outlet.

"That being said, we will continue to search for Rafi and Chimchar but with classes resuming on Monday, all professors that are currently searching will return to the island for their jobs. I'd prefer if we could keep this situation known only to a small circle of people until it has been resolved. I promise you all that by the end of this upcoming week, the student body and the general public will be informed of this all. For the time being, I advise you three and Alex to focus on your studies. If any of you feel too fatigued or distraught to perform in class, let your instructors know and report to the medical center so they can evaluate your wellbeing. This is only if you are incapable of carrying out your academic duties, of course. Is that understood?"

His students nodded and then Sergio asked, "What about the lockdown?"

He sighed and responded, "We will institute this lockdown until this situation has been resolved."

Mark cut in, "L-lockdown?"

Cedar turned to the crimson-eyed boy and said, "Dr. Levay probably did not mention this to you but the school is currently under a lockdown. Since this morning, the ferry that takes students to Crescent Island has been instructed not to come and all water- and flying-type Pokémon have been confiscated. That reminds me, your file says that you have a Prinplup and a Staravia. Could you hand them over?"

Mark saw no advantage gained from lying so he nodded and reached into his pocket. He pulled a couple of Pokéballs and handed them to his headmaster.

"Would you mind if I made sure these Pokémon are the correct ones?"

He shook his head, "No sir, its fine by me."

The office had enough room so, one at a time, the professor called forth Mark's Pokémon to confirm whether the boy was being honest or not. He was which made things easier for them both.

With that matter dealt with, Cedar asked, "So are there any questions you may have?" Kari raised her hand, making her headmaster chuckle a bit because of the unnecessary formality. "Yes Kari?"

"My phone isn't working and I haven't had time to use a payphone or the office's phone so I wanted to know if my parents were informed."

The professor nodded, "Yes, we've alerted them of the situation. My secretary says that your mother was understandably worried and wanted to speak with you but when your R.A. went to check on you, she said you were fast asleep and did not want to disturb you."

"What about mine?" Mark asked.

"Your parents actually called the school and were quite displeased with us. If your mobile device is working, you are free to call them. If not, you may use the office phone."

Mark confirmed, "My Pokétch is water-proof so I'll call them after this."

Kari slouched in her chair and pouted, "I was this close to upgrading mine to the water-proof one. Just three more weeks!" she lamented.

Clearing his voice, Cedar asked, "Any other questions?"

Sergio responded, "This isn't a question. I just wanted to let you know that my folks called me right after they talked to the school and told me they were considering transferring me to Citadelle in Kalos. I convinced them not to because I was the cause of the accident. Besides, the life I've chosen – the lives all of us students have chosen – is filled with danger. Most of us have travelled around our respective regions, some have journeyed multiple, and there are a number of things that can happen to us. We could get crushed by rock-types, mauled by forest Pokémon, hell! There's a Pokémon rumored to kidnap children!"

"Sergio, the accident was no one's fault. It is just a tragedy that comes with an adventurer's life. Aside from that, you've made fair points and I greatly appreciate you talking your parents out of transferring you from this academy. Some of the other parents have also threatened to withdraw their children and that is their decision alone to make. I will respect whatever action they choose to take." As he said that, the professor took a long look at Mark who nodded mechanically, understanding what he was referring to. "This whole situation will hopefully be resolved within a couple of days and once it is, new rules and policies will be implemented to limit the likelihood of this happening again. If there are no more questions, you are all free to go about your evening."

Alex and Jarrel exited the store with the older boy asking, "Does it really take forty minutes to pick a Pokégear and set up a mobile plan?"

"Aw, come on, Jay," Alex said, patting the third-year on the back. "It didn't even take that long."

Much to Jarrel's chagrin, he ignored the nickname and responded, "Alex, take a look around."

Emerald eyes captured their surroundings, taking note of the blackened sky and the shimmering street lights. Despite being past sundown, the city was still quite active with people and cars passing by in all directions. A myriad of voices speaking and laughing pummeled Alex's ears from every direction and constantly shifted so no single combination of voices was ever heard twice. The yellow lights that spilled through windows onto the street, accompanied by neon "Open" signs, drew customers into businesses. The volume of activity was not surprising considering that it was a Saturday night.

Jarrel reminded his partner, "We need to get going now."

"Right!"

Together, they made their way to the beach where they called forth Charizard and Jarrel's Samurott, Riptide. While Alex mounted his Charizard, Jarrel asked, "So where should we start searching?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"Maybe because you were on the boat that got attacked."

"Well we were on our way to Moonlight Island when the Gyarados attacked us. I'm not sure how far we were from the island when it happened, though. I'm not even sure which island Kari and I were on when they found us and where it was, exactly."

Without responding, Jarrel tinkered with his Xtransceiver and within seconds, Alex felt his wrist vibrate. The brunet simply swiped the screen, not having put a passcode yet, and looked at what his partner sent him. It was a map of the Milky Islands and all of the islands found within its waters. Many of them were labelled but the two most identifiable islands were Crescent Island and Star Island. The former was considerable much larger and provided shelter within its curve to not just Star Island but a handful of others before the small land masses started dotting out around the area in spontaneous fashion.

"Okay, so we're currently on Crescent Island and Star Island is just east of here. Moonlight Island is about ten miles from the northernmost part of Star Island and twelve miles from the northernmost island in the Milky Islands, Valor Island, up in the northeastern part of the map."

"Yeah, I see it. So you want to start there?"

"Well the police and school staff must have already checked it and the surrounding islands but still, it's worth a shot to check it out."

"Sounds good to me!

Jarrel and Riptide made their way to the rolling waves where the teen boarded his blue otter. Charizard started beating his wings and hovering over to the water when Jarrel instructed Alex, "In case we get separated for some reason, make sure you input Moonlight Island for the GPS on your Pokégear and remember that we're meeting in this little concave in southeast part of the island."

"Con-what?"

Jarrel responded flatly, "The little curved opening."

"Oh! Right! Gotch'a!" Jarrel turned his back to Alex to prevent the brunet from seeing him roll his eyes.

Jarrel felt Riptide begin to accelerate on the darkened water so he braced himself for the speed that he would soon feel coursing through him. With an iron gaze held forward, he thought to himself, If I can't find that egg, you better hope that I can't find you either, Mark.

Following their meeting with Professor Cedar, Mark, Sergio, and Kari called for a meeting of their own with their friends. The three of them, as well as Aaron and Stacy sat around Mark and Sergio's room with the inhabitants sitting on their beds and the guests occupying chairs – excluding Kari, who stayed beside her best friend.

Kari had invited Raven but she refused to be in the same room as Sergio, let alone his, which she explicitly described as "smelling like cheese just like his music." The Chimchar owner felt it not worth mentioning to her researcher friend, nor did she have the energy or patience to endure a confrontation between the two enemies.

In the fifteen or so minutes that the group was there, the two tallest teens were debriefed on everything that their headmaster discussed with Mark and others, though the crimson-eyed boy remained quiet for the majority of the conversation.

Aaron rubbed his rough hand against his ever rougher chin, contemplating what to say. Meanwhile, Stacy sat patiently with her legs crossed and her polished hands resting on the black cloth of her skirt. The tallest boy was clearly the de facto leader of the group so she would wait to hear his thoughts before adding her own.

His lips finally parted and everyone was left in anticipation for a short moment while they waited for his voice to reach their ears.

"What are you all lookin' at meh for?" he asked with genuine curiosity.

Stacy chuckled and shook her head while covering her eyes with one hand.

Sergio explained, "We were waiting to see what you'd say about all this."

"What is der to say? We jast gotta' let Cedar and de cops handle dis." The others nodded so he assumed the conversation was over. As he stood, he stopped himself from exiting the room to ask, "Wait. Why isn't Alex a part of dis conversation?"

"Because he wouldn't even be able to follow," Kari said, a hint of mockery tainting her words. She suddenly thought out loud, "Wait, why isn't he here? I know he's not the sharpest knife in the kitchen but he should know what's going on."

Sergio pointed out to Aaron and Stacy, "I thought he was with you two."

Stacy shook her head, "He left to heal Pikachu after their spar against Riley."

"And he's not with Cherilyn?"

"No, Cherri was with us before going back to her room."

"They might've met up again," Mark suggested.

"Stacy, can you give Cherilyn a call?" Sergio asked.

"On it."

Her gentle fingers danced over her Xtransceiver screen, typing in "Cherri," as she had her in her contact list. After pressing the call button, she waited to hear a smooth Kalosian accent on the other end. After several rings, the voicemail answered, asking Stacy to leave a message which she obviously did not do because no one left voice messages anymore.

"No answer?" Kari asked.

"Hold on a minute. I'll call Addison. She most likely knows where Cherri is."

Addison twirled her mechanical pencil between two fingers while she sat at her desk with a notebook folded over onto one page and a large Geometry notebook. She tapped the papyrus surface a few times with the white eraser, contemplating where she went wrong with her current problem.

I carried the two…divided both sides…used the–

Her Pokétch vibrated on her wooden desk, interrupting her train of thoughts. She let out an outward groan and let it buzz for a few seconds, debating whether to answer. After seeing the caller ID, she reached out to answer it and asked, "Hello?"

"Hey Addie!"

"Hey Stace," she responded casually. Her eyes fell back to the math problem that plagued her. "What's up?"

"Is Cherri there with you?"

"Yeah but she's taking a shower. Why do you ask?"

"I'm in Sergio's room right now with Kari, Aaron, and Mark–"

"Wait, Mark's back?"

"Huh? Oh yes, of course! I'm so sorry for leaving that detail out."

Addison raised her brows while a small smile formed on her lips, "Yeah, that's kind of a big one you missed."

Stacy chuckled in response, "I know. Again, so sorry."

The short brunette shrugged, "It's no big deal. So what are you all doing in Sergio's room?"

Stacy smiled at her friend and said, "Well Aaron and I just rushed over here as soon as we heard Mark was okay. Did you want to come?"

"No, it's almost curfew. So you were saying?"

"Ah, yes! Well Alex isn't here in his room so we thought that maybe he and Cherri met up again after his battle with Riley."

"I don't know, maybe. When was the last time you saw her?"

"About an hour ago."

"Well she came to the room like twenty minutes ago so she might've been with him for a little bit before coming here."

At that moment, the bathroom door opened and Cherilyn stepped out with a veil of steam following behind.

"There iz nothing like a hot shower before bed," she sang as she walked across the room to toss her dirty clothes in the hamper. A pink towel was wrapped around her head for her golden locks to dry and her rose-colored night gown swayed with each motion.

"Well there she is. You can ask her yourself, Stace."

"Ask me what?"

Cherilyn stepped behind her roommate and peered into the tiny screen to find Stacy's face. Suddenly, multiple other faces appeared and that's when Sergio commented, "Hey, Cherilyn. Nice gown." She saw Mark quickly look away from the screen, afraid of embarrassing or insulting her by seeing more than he should.

The tiny blonde wasn't revealing much but instinctively wrapped the cloth over her cleavage and crossed her arms. With a blush, she shouted, "S-shut your face, pervert!"

Sergio stuttered, "I-I'm not a pervert!"

Addison scoffed, "Right. And your eyes just happen to magically lock onto Lydia's chest every time she passes by?"

The others laughed aloud at the red spreading across Sergio's cheeks.

Kari added "You tell him girl!" which made Addison blush a little, herself.

"C-can we please focus here?" Sergio stammered impatiently.

Cherilyn stifled her laughter by clearing her throat and asked, "So what iz it you wanted to ask me?"

"Did you meet up wit Alex after you left us?" Aaron asked.

The blonde shook her head, "No, ze last time I saw him was with you."

"So let me get this straight," Sergio cut in. "Alex has no phone. No one knows where he is. And it's almost curfew. What the hell is he up to?!"

"Maybe he really did go catch a Pokémon to get off the island," Kari cut in.

Aaron shook his head, "He already caught one earlier bawt it's just a newborn Wooper. He can't do much wit it. I think he'll show up soon."

"Yeah, hopefully." Sergio looked down at the screen and said, "It's getting late so we'll let you two go."

"Bye!" the two girls said – one with more energy than the other. Those on Sergio's side said their goodbyes as well before the screen turned black.

Kari stood up from her spot on Mark's bed and said, "I should be going."

With a hug, Mark told Kari, "Try to get some rest, alright?"

"Okay," she whispered softly. It was barely audible but Mark heard it clearly.

Kari, Aaron, and Stacy excused themselves and walked back to their respective rooms, leaving Mark and Sergio alone in their room. When the door shut, an uncomfortable silence set between them and neither one knew how to break it. Sergio simply went to lay on his bed with his laptop while Mark decided to read his assigned reading from his World History class.

It was not long before ten o' clock rolled around and both boys were well aware that Alex was still not home. Randy would soon be passing by their room for a routine room check which only caused anxiety. Mark was continuously tapping his pencil while Sergio resorted to peeling the skin from his lips. When a few knocks reached their ears they both stopped and shared a look. It was most likely not Alex or he would have used his key. They'd been frozen long enough for there to be another knock so Sergio stood from his bed and walked to the door. Randy stood on the other side with his key raised to unlock the door.

"Alright, you know the drill. Come sign your name on the sheet."

Mark approached the door and signed his name after Sergio did. Deciding not to dance around the topic, Sergio blatantly said, "Alex isn't here. We don't know where he is."

Randy groaned, "Seriously? This is going to be a pain. You sure you don't kn–"

"No."

"Alright, we'll just have to send out patrol for him on the island. Geez, what is it with you guys getting lost this weekend."

Spitefully, Sergio remarked, "Right, because we intentionally got attacked by a Gyarados."

Slightly startled, the RA grumbled, "I didn't mean it like that. Watch your tone when you talk to me or I'll write you up."

Sergio was not intimidated but remained silent all the same. Mark shut the door once Randy left and returned to his textbook. Ten minutes passed by and the duo began to fidget solitarily. When the longs hand hit the four, Mark began pacing around the room and Sergio played with a tennis ball by throwing it against the wall. By forty minutes, both boys had grown so anxious that they remained absolutely still. Only their strained breathing penetrated the excruciatingly painful silence.

Out of desperation to alleviate his anxiety, Sergio slammed the ball against the wall as hard as he could, leaving a small crack. He stared at the jagged line intently while Mark watched him in silence, too afraid to say anything. Sergio was clearly upset and handling his emotions in his own way – peeling his lips, talking back to authority, damaging property. He needed some way to release his tension. Mark feared that Sergio would take it out on him. For that reason and that reason alone, he remained quiet and never turned his back to him.

With one long release of his breath, Sergio relaxed his muscles and lied down. He threw his blanket over himself and announced, "I'm going to bed. Good night."

Mark watched Sergio for several more minutes until the silver-head started snoring. Feeling more at ease, he turned back to his book and continued reading well into the night. He needed to keep himself occupied for the time-being.

A couple hours of flying and surfing with small breaks on islands that were on the way brought Alex and Jarrel close to Moonlight Island. They could see it off in the distance, displayed proudly in the moon's afterglow.

"Woah!" Alex spoke into his Pokégear. "I can see it as clear as day!"

"That's why it's called Moonlight Island."

"Hehe, right." He pet the top of Charizard's head and said, "See that? We're almost there! Sorry for working you so much."

His fire lizard merely snuffed some ember and continued his flight. He would never show it to the brunet but his wings were aching from overuse. Riptide too was getting tired but he did not have to work as hard as Charizard did.

As they neared the island, a small cluster of ships appeared, scattered around the island.

"Stop!" Jarrel called.

Alex reacted by pulling his Pokémon's shoulders to make him stop. As they hovered in place above Jarrel and Riptide, Alex and Charizard saw the older boy intently watching the boats. They were large – too large for a simple search and rescue. Perhaps they were cargo ships? This troubled Jarrel because proceeding would put them at risk but there were no nearby islands for Alex's Charizard to rest at.

Left with no options, Jarrel said, "Alright Alex, you're going to ride on Riptide's back."

"What? Why?"

"You see those ships over there? Well I've got a bad feeling about them and the only ways around them are from above and from below."

"Then I'll just have Charizard fly over."

"Take a better look at your Pokémon."

When he did, Alex realized that his Charizard's back was hunched and his wings were flapping more slowly. They were incredibly strained but the fire-type would never admit it, not even to himself.

Jarrel continued, "He won't make it over the ships and onto the island."

"So we're both going to ride your Samurott? It doesn't look like he can carry both of us."

"No, I have a Pokémon that I can use to fly over the ships."

He tossed a Pokéball into the air and called forth a dragon with obsidian fur around each of his three necks. His scales flared into collars for each head, with the middle one being the largest of the three. The indigo scales on its back reached his toes and the tip of his tail.

"Woah! That's so cool!"

Jarrel's face was consumed by an arrogant smirk. As much as he disliked the boy, praise was always welcome.

"Hyperion, down here." The dragon lowered himself and kept steady while his trainer mounted his back. "Alright, get on Riptide."

Alex had Charizard descend until he was about ten feet directly above Riptide. While on the lizard's back, Alex retrieved him with his Pokéball and landed right on the Samurott's back. Upset by the rough landing, Riptide roared in anger and shook the boy off.

"The hell are you doing?!" Jarrel shouted.

Poking his head from underneath the waves, Alex rubbed the saltwater out of his eyes, feeling the irritating sting in his eyes.

"That did not go the way I planned it," Alex admitted.

"Just get on Riptide's back and let's hurry. We ain't got all night."

"Right." Alex put a hand on the water-type's coarse, wet fur and got on his back. Riptide wasn't pleased with this arrangement but did as his master said. He knew he could get away with accidentally tossing Alex off his back on the way.

Ten minutes and thirty barrel rolls later and the duo neared the ships. Alex saw Hyperion's shrinking shape as he rose high into the sky but was unable to see anything when Riptide suddenly plunged them both underneath the waves. The brunet soon felt the furry form escape him, rushing through the ocean with ease. Feeling the boy's grip release, Riptide circled back around and scooped Alex up. The two shot through the water, making it unable for Alex to shut his eyes. The emerald spheres became accustomed to the burning sensation but a new discomfort presented itself when he felt his chest began to tighten.

Alex was running out of breath so he pulled on the Samurott's fur to get his attention. The sea otter continued without even flinching and the brunet could not see through the dark water. His chest continued to tighten but there seemed to be no end to this ride. Alex had a lot of stamina and resilience from his evening runs but it was still a limited resource that eventually ran short. Unable to bear the pain, his mouth opened and water rushed into his pleading lungs. Having not received the air that he so desperately needed, his head began to spin and consciousness fled from him. Everything had been black before but now, he wasn't aware of it.

As Hyperion lifted him higher above the ground, Jarrel began to understand how the island earned its name. The full moon high above him shined brightly but this light was strange. As opposed to its mystic white gleam, there was a tint of pink in it which puzzled the third-year to no end. At first he thought that it was just his imagination but as he stared at it, he realized that the color only grew stronger. What concerned him more was Hyperion's rapid loss of stamina as he began struggling to stay in the air.

"Hyperion, what's wrong? We've only been up for a couple minutes."

The dragon could only respond with grunts and pants so Jarrel ordered, "This is high enough. Just get past these ships, okay?"

All three heads nodded and the scaly beast pushed himself to fly over the ships and onto the island. They barely made it to the shore when Hyperion crashed to the ocean water with Jarrel right above him.

Jarrel's head poked above the water as he yelled, "Hyperion!" and scrambled to his Pokémon. "What happened?" he asked.

Even Riptide, who apparently had already reached the island, swam from the sandy beach to check on his teammate. All the Hydreigon could do was pant heavily so Jarrel returned him to his Pokéball. "Don't worry, we'll get you checked out as soon as we get bac–"

A bright light shone from one of the cargo ships directly at Jarrel.

"This island is a restricted territory. Stay right where you are," ordered someone over the intercom.

Forced between staying to be taken back to Star Academy or continuing this journey that he started on, Jarrel chose the latter. He quickly mounted Riptide to reach the shore and returned the sea otter once they were on the sandy beach. Engines roared behind him, most likely from speed boats but Jarrel just focused on what was in front of him. He climbed the sandy slopes until he reached the trees and bolted through them to escape capture. Once inside, he brought out his Manectric and hopped onto its back, knowing well that the electric-type could get him much farther than his legs could.

When they reached a safe distance from the shore line, Jarrel recalled his lightning dog so that he could rest in case of another escape. Now able to think clearly, Jarrel looked around and cursed underneath his breath. Alex was nowhere near him and he couldn't even remember if he was at the shore with Riptide.

In need of answers, Jarrel called his Samurott back out and asked, "Where's Alex?!"

The water-type shrugged.

"What do you mean you don't know?! Was he with you when I reached the island?"

He shook his head this time, making the trainer groan.

"You mean you lost him while you were swimming?"

Riptide nodded.

With a shrug and a smug grin, Jarrel responded, "You know he could be dead, right?"

Shrug.

"Yeah, you're right. He should have held on tighter. We're came here for only one thing anyway. Those ships are going to be annoying, though. Hopefully we don't run into those people again."

Silver eyes cracked slightly, glimmering in the morning light. Cherilyn was facing her room's white ceiling – one she'd seen many times before. She continued looking with a blank expression until it settled that she was awake and that she needed to begin her day.

Cherilyn managed to force herself out of bed but groaned when she reached the restroom mirror and had to see the wild-haired ogre staring back at her. Her blonde locks were crinkled and tangled, her eyes drooped over the wrinkles underneath, and her complexion was dry and pale to the point of cracking. With a sigh, she grabbed her bathrobe and walked towards the shower to begin her morning rituals. An hour later and she emerged from the restroom in her pink robe as radiant as she always portrayed herself to be to her classmates.

Stepping back into her room, she found Addison sitting on her bed with a towel in hand and a small sheen of sweat coating her tanned skin. She wore a pair of running shorts and a T-shirt, telling Cherilyn that the brunette had just come from her morning run.

"Good morning. Did I keep you waiting long?" Cherilyn asked.

"No, I just got here a few minutes ago. Do you mind if I take a shower?"

"Yes."

Addison locked eyes with her roommate and the two glared at each other with killing intent. The brunette shrugged and walked towards the restroom.

"'Kay," she said, nonchalantly.

Cherilyn giggled before going to her closet and opening the wooden gates to her wardrobe. With countless articles of clothing shoved into a tiny closet, Cherilyn fought her way through them all until she found exactly what she wanted to wear. While she changed, her Holo Caster buzzed but she waited until she was fully clothed to look at it.

The message she received left her wide-eyed and she could not look away. It was from Stacy to let the blonde know that Alex never returned to his room the previous night. Why didn't he show up? What could have happened to him? Was he in danger? These were only a few of the questions that ran through her head in that moment.

Her fingers rapidly pressed against the keyboard on her screen and hit send.

"Where iz he?" she asked.

"Idk. All Sergio said was that he never showed up to the room last night."

"What are we going to do?"

"Randy already filed a report so they have staff and campus security looking for him."

"I hope he's okay…"

"Me too."

Cherilyn needed to take a seat for a few minutes before doing anything else so she did just that. She rested her chin on the palms of her hands and muttered, "Que faire?" (What to do?)

Several minutes passed by while she continued letting her mind roam until Addison stepped out of the shower. When the brunette found her roommate with a long look on her face, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Alex never went back to his room."

"How come?"

"I don't know. Stacy just told me right now."

Addison groaned inwardly at what she had to do. She was bad at comforting others and normally, she'd just look the other way or leave the room to avoid being uncomfortable but it was her roommate and best friend who needed the support so she brought herself to sit beside the blonde and awkwardly patted her back. Being sympathetic was not one of Addison's strong suits.

Cherilyn looked over at Addison and laughed, "Okay, we need to work on that. It helped me feel better but not in the way that it should have."

Addison huffed, "Whatever, it worked. So what now?"

Cherilyn stood up and stretched her legs by standing on her tiptoes. "We get some breakfast. We'll be able to come up with a plan with ze others once we've eaten."

"Plan? Shouldn't we just let the school handle this?"

"They're busy looking for Rafi so we should handle looking for Alex."

"Yeah, that's not going to fly with admin."

Cherilyn pouted, "It iz wishful thinking, I suppose."

"No more princess movies for you." Addison put an arm around Cherilyn and led her out of their room.

"Spearowwww! Spearowwwww!"

Alex awoke to the distant Spearow caws that rang through the dense vegetation that surrounded him. He still felt dizzy from losing his breath underwater even though hours had passed by, something even he could deduce from the blue sky above. What he couldn't figure was why he was deep in the forest when he passed out underwater or why he was on a bed of leaves.

Whatever the reason, it did not matter because his attention was focused on the rustling leaves around him in all directions. Knowing that something was about to happen, his trainer instincts commanded him to bring out his Charizard and Pikachu.

"Both of you, stay on guard!"

His Pokémon agreed and readied themselves.

The rustling continued and now the trio could see eyes peering through the leaves. It wasn't just a pair of eyes. There were dozens scattered all around them so Charizard and Pikachu stood on either side of Alex for better coverage against their enemies.

They waited for something to come out at them but instead, a loud wail erupted from Pikachu's side which sounded like a boy yelling, almost like a gorilla. All of the rustling stopped and everything was still for a few moments. Alex was beginning to feel anxious and a droplet of sweat ran down the side of his face to his chin and fell to a tiny splash on the leaves below.

A ball of orange fur sprang from the leaves directly onto Alex's face and the boy shouted, "Guys, attack! Attack! Attack! Attack!"

Just like their trainer, the Pokémon panicked and started shooting out Flame Bursts and Electro Balls, trying to hit the small creature. It jumped off of Alex's face, leaving the attacks to barely miss the boy, and landed on the ground between the fire lizard and electric mouse.

"Chimchar!" it called.

Charizard and Pikachu recognized their friend and halted their next attacks. Alex lifted himself off the ground and yelled excitedly, "Chimchar!" He ran to the little ape to hug him but the fire-type was not warmed up to the idea of being hugged by anyone besides his master and responded with a Fire Spin directly to the face.

A hoard of monkey-like Pokémon dropped from the trees on all sides, prepared to attack while the brunet rolled on the ground to put out the flames. Luckily, the last one to drop splashed him with a Water Gun attack to put out the flames. She then proceeded to do the same with the fire that started to spread from Charizard and Pikachu's previous attacks.

"What's the deal, Chimchar?!" Alex snapped.

"Alex?!"

"That voice!"

Alex turned to find Rafi, wearing nothing but a piece of cloth, running up to hug him. The two boys fell to the ground in the center of all of the Pokémon, making Alex freak out.

"Dude, you're not wearing any clothes!"

"Huh? Oh yeah! Hehe, sorry about that."

Rafi removed himself from Alex and helped the other boy to his feet.

Looking at his friends, Alex was in disbelief. "Rafi, Chimchar…You guys are okay!"

Rafi quickly pressed his finger to Alex's mouth.

"Shhhh. They'll hear you."

"Who?"

"The bad people."

"Bad people?"

Rafi nodded and took Alex by the hand. "Come with us."

He pulled his emerald-eyed friend through the trees, prompting Alex to ask, "Where are you taking me?"

"To a safe place! We have to hurry!"

Alex quickly recalled Charizard, knowing that his movements would be restricted in the trees but Pikachu chased after the duo along with Chimchar and the other apes. While running, Alex noticed that Rafi wore a piece of vine diagonally across his chest with a clear container strapped to it and inside it was Mark's egg!

"T-the egg!"

"Shhh! We're almost there! Stop!"

The duo quickly stopped running and stayed low.

"What are we–"

"Shh!"

It was silent for a bit until Alex could hear the crunching sound of footsteps on leaves and branches. The steps were accompanied by adult voices but Alex could not hear what they were saying. The boys and all of the Pokémon behind them and in the trees above waited quietly until the men were long gone. When everything was clear, they broke back into a sprint.

They started running up a hill and Alex could see rock formations near the top. When they reached the boulders, he saw a small crevice that he, Rafi, Pikachu, and some of the other Pokémon squeezed through while the rest climbed over. What was beyond those rocks baffled the emerald-eyed boy. The inside of the hill was a hollow oasis with countless Pokémon enjoying the river that passed through and bounty of trees scattered throughout.

"W-what is this place?"

With a smile, Rafi responded, "Paradise."

POTD: With the starters for Pokémon Sun and Moon revealed, which one is your favorite? Which one is your least favorite?

-Rowlet
-Litten
-Popplio

I remember someone once said in a review that Rafi and Chimchar would have an island adventure. Well there you go! You were right on the money! Anyways, NOW we can get into all of the action. Jarrel backstabbing Alex, these "bad people," what's in store for Alex next chapter? Make sure to leave your comments, questions, and concerns regarding this chapter in the reviews as well as your answers to the POTD and I'll get back at you all soon. Legacy, out!