Raven: Hello guys! New chapter! Yeah! Sorry it's a bit shorter, but I had my own reasons for doing that.

Verto: Tú es muy perezosa.

Raven: … No hablen Español. Sorry about that, Verto is in a weird mood today, it seems. Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter! I figured I try and write one mostly on my own, not relying on a gazillion people proofreading it… Read, review, enjoy!

Michael's POV

THUMP!

Everyone jerked their heads in the direction of Michael's back door, which was down the hallway leading to his kitchen.

"Um… what was that noise?" Hannah asked the obvious. Michael shook his head, indicating he didn't know. It hurt his throat to talk when he didn't need to. He saw waves of purple shimmer and swirl around each of his friends, with varying degrees of intensity. Danny had only slight waves of purple, Hannah's being slightly more intense. Rachael's, however, was a violent purple, making it almost the only color he could see. Purple seemed to indicate fear. Michael could also feel the fear the others felt. He felt it magnify his own fear, until he was struggling to maintain his calm. This was silly. It was just a little noise near the back door. Why was it making him so afraid?

Then he realized it. If he was feeling the emotion similar to anyone near him, it must amplify his own feelings. That would get irritating. "Let's just cough go see what cough it is before this Riolu cough sensing thingamajig drives me to madness." They all looked at Michael with worried expressions. Michael turned around, walking through his hallway, as he glanced at the many pictures of him and his dad on the hallway. What would his dad think about this? What would he do? Michael pushed these thoughts from his head and focused on getting to his back door. He heard the others following behind him.

Once he reached his back door, he slightly pulled up the dusty blinds, as leaned up against the flaking white paint to view his backyard. Directly behind his backyard was a dense forest, leaving about fifteen yards to view. Michael gasped, then broke into a fit of coughing.

"What is it?" Rachael practically shouted, her fear slamming into Michael.

"Tone cough the fear down, please! I see two pokémon! And they're fighting!" The door was instantly crowded as waves of excitement and curiosity slammed into Michael, amplifying his own until it was nearly impossible to resist running out there right now. He saw what had caused the loud noise: a collapsed pokémon that had apparently been slammed into the wall. It was barely visible from the door's angle, but the small pool of blood certainly was visible.

"Holy- it's bleeding!" Rachael gasped in shock. "Danny! Chirp go get some oran berries from Michael's kitchen! Some bandages chirp and a mortar and pestle chirp too!"

Danny did a salute, and ran off to get the items. One of their classes in school talked about what to do in situations like these. It was one of the few classes Danny actually had a fairly good grade in.

Hannah clasped her hands over her mouth and muffled a scream. Attacking the injured Pokemon was a Pangoro; the large panda approached the downed pokémon, with an enraged expression. Slowly, almost robotically, the Pangoro raised its fist, as it started to glow a pale orange. The next few seconds seemed to happen all at once.

Michael shoved his friends out of the way, swung the door open, and ran out with one goal in mind: to save the injured pokémon. Acting purely on instinct, Michael swung his fist to meet that of the Pangoro's. Suddenly, Michael felt what could only be described as power surge through his veins. His fist became enveloped in an azure glow. Their two fists clashed, Michael pushing back the force of the Pangoro's as he felt his friends shock meet his own. Strangely, he could not sense any emotions from the Pangoro, except an all-consuming rage that felt… unnatural. Once again relying on instinct, Michael raised both his hands, and leapt up to touch the Pangoro's head. Time seemed to freeze as Michael, all at once, was able to sense every emotional aspect of the Pangoro's mind.

Hidden deep in his subconscious was a pale pink aura representing confusion and sharp purple for fear surrounded by a torrent of this red, unnatural rage. Michael tugged on the fear and confusion, pulling them forth, through the rage, into consciousness. All at once, the torrent of rage dissipated.

As soon as Michael removed his hands from the Pangoro, he snapped back into reality, realizing he was kneeling on the grass with his eyes closed. Michael stood up unsteadily. Hannah ran out to support Michael, despite the Pangoro, who opened his eyes. Michael felt the Pangoro's fear and awe towards him, and his regret and confusion mixed in, as well as helplessness. The Pangoro looked at him, pleadingly. Michael nodded, as gratitude mixed in with helplessness overcame the pokémon, as he fled back into the forest.

Michael let out a haggard breath, and turned around, to see Rachael and Danny were tending to the pokémon. Michael stumbled tiredly over to it, Hannah helping support him. Rachael ground up oran berries in the pestle until it was something resembling apple sauce in texture, as she slowly poured it into his mouth. Danny was wrapping bandages around the pokémon's wounds. Michael assessed the pokémon. It was an Absol. He seemed to be unconscious, with a small pool of blood under him. It wasn't enough to be fatal, but a lot, given the general resilience of pokémon.

After a few minutes of this, the Absol was looking much better. Oran berries were a somewhat potent source of recovery for pokémon, but they were not miracle cures, hence why bandages were a necessity. The Absol had sustained minor injuries to his legs and neck, but his worst injury was on his back from when he slammed into the wall, likely from the Pangoro. The bandages had quite a bit of blood on them, but for the most part, the bleeding had stopped.

Everyone cautiously stepped back as the pokémon started to wake up.

"Wh-who are you?" Michael gaped, Rachael gasped; even Danny seemed at a loss. Hannah stared at them in confusion. There were few seconds of shocked silence before Danny cleared his throat.

"W-well I'm cough Danny, and this is Rachael, cough Hannah, and Michael." He pointed to each person, Hannah seeming to put two and two together. Her eyes widened, but for the most part, she remained quiet. Michael felt large amounts of shock from her, as well as a small amount of jealously.

The Absol slowly pushed himself to a sitting position. "H-how did you know what I said?" The Absol was still saying his name, but now, Michael could hear new meaning behind it: slight fluctuations in tone he never could hear previously, putting new meaning behind each sound. Michael was able to comprehend it just as easily as English.

"Well… uh… it's chirp a long story." Rachael still looked dumbfounded, Michael could feel her shock from a mile away.

"Then please allow me to start with this: How did you defeat the Pangoro?"

"Oh yeah! That cough reminds me cough Michael! I didn't say anything because, you know, injured pokémon and all, but feel behind your ears." Michael followed Danny's orders.

"What are you talking abo-" Michael froze. "I'll be right back!" Danny ran inside and made a beeline for the bathroom. He couldn't help but wince when he saw his not human reflection. Slowly turning to the side, Michael gazed at what shouldn't have been there. Behind his ears were the signature feelers a Riolu had. They reached down to about his neck. Michael sighed. They must have appeared after he helped that Pangoro. Speaking of which, Michael had no idea how he did that. Deciding to try again, Michael raised his hand and forced the energy he felt into it. His hand started to glow a pale blue, but not like it had when he did this against the berserk pokémon. Michael noticed the feelers rise slightly as he did this.

A sudden wave of fatigue swept over Michael. He groaned. Stumbling out to his living room, he slumped onto his couch. He rested for a few minutes, until he forced himself up to see what his friends were doing.

"That's cough when you flew cough into the wall." Danny had been finishing the explanation of what had been happening.

"I'm cough cough somewhat glad I cough missed… that…" Michael stumbled again, this time collapsing on the ground before any of his friends could help him. The Absol watched Michael with a wary expression. Michael felt pain roar through his head. He let out a weak scream, as he clutched his head, waiting for the pain to stop. His friends watched helplessly, Hannah, not yet aware of what the headaches meant, shouted, "What is going on? What's wrong?" Danny gave Hannah a sorrowful look, as he held up a finger signaling her to wait.

After several minutes, that felt more like hours to Michael, the pain receded. Michael kept his eyes closed. "What cough happened cough this time?" Michael quietly asked in a raspy voice; Speaking was getting harder.

Danny examined him. "You're speaking cough is getting worse, and cough there is more fur on your cough arms and hands. I don't see anything else though." Michael sighed. This was getting worse, fast.

"Perhaps this has something to do with the coming disaster." The Absol added. "I am yet to see anything remotely akin to what I have just witnessed."

"Um… chirp what do you mean 'coming disaster?' That doesn't chirp exactly make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Did you chirp sense something?"

The Absol nodded. "As you seem to be aware, Absol have the ability to sense disasters, as well as where the disasters are. I was tracking the location of the disaster, and it seems to revolve around you four."

"How cough do we cough cause cough a disaster? We cough cough didn't do anything!" This caused quite a bit of panic in Michael.

"I am not saying you are the cause of the disaster. Whether or not the disaster happens is where you come in. A human suddenly turning into pokémon is something that does not just happen. Even the full human over there," the Absol used his head to gesture to a confused Hannah, "seems to have just as much involvement in this."

"Well what would you cough even need from us? And what can we cough do to stop a cough disaster of some sort?" Michael had not seen Danny this serious in a long time. Michael could feel more confusion from Hannah, who stayed quiet.

"Let's ask the chirp obvious question. Why chirp is this even happening? What does this," Rachael gestured to Michael, "even chirp have to do with a disaster of some sort?"

"I am not certain, but I take it you have no clue as to why these changes are occurring?" the pokémon seemed to be deep in thought.

"That cough about sums it up." Danny confirmed. "It just suddenly cough started happening yesterday. I cough skipped school due to the literal cough headache it was causing me, but cough I think Rachael here still went… We'll cough probably need to figure this out before cough we go back." Rachael slumped, donning a miserable expression.

"Do you chirp have any ideas how we could chirp figure this out…" Rachael trailed off. "Do you want chirp us to just call you Absol, or do you chirp have a name?"

"Absol will do. If you would allow me to thank you for your kindness, I know someplace we may be able to go that could tell us where to go from there."

"Where cough is said place?" Danny asked. Michael could sense trace amounts of excitement in his friend's voice.

"It is a place normally hidden from humans. You humans have your towns, and so do we pokémon." Rachael gasped.

"Pokémon chirp have villages? What are chirp they like?" Her worry changed to excitement and curiosity that was enough to give Michael another headache on its own. "That would be chirp so cool to see! But… our families…"

"Well Absol said cough that they may be able to tell us cough what to do to fix this. Wouldn't that make this the logical cough choice to make?" Michael suggested. "How long would this take?" Absol bowed his head.

"It is several hours of walking away, perhaps even a full day, at least. And that's assuming there would be some immediate answer upon our arrival." Danny groaned.

"So, I guess cough there is no hiding it from our cough parents… How do we cough plan on telling them?"

"My cough father is still out on cough business. I suppose I can leave him a note though." Michael glumly agreed.

"Would someone mind filling in the blanks for me over here?" Hannah asked in slight annoyance.

Michael interrupted. "Let's go inside first. You're welcome to come in too, Absol. Absol bowed his head politely. Everyone went inside and sat down in the living room while Michael went upstairs to go get some items.

They wouldn't all be able to carry bags if and or when the transformation complete, so Michael settled on just his biggest bag, figuring they could find a way to carry one bag as to four when it came to that. It was a pale shade of green, but had four large pockets in it. He complied with Rachael's earlier request; he stacked three notepads and a few pencils on the pale blue covers of his bed. Looking around his room, he noticed one item that caught his eye, which he quickly put in the biggest pocket of the bag, along with one of the notepads and some pencils. He put a notepad and some pencils in the other two pockets as well; leaving room for anything his friends may want to take.

As he walked back down the stairs, Rachael was informing Hannah on what she had missed. Michael realized, though he could sense some envy still, he did not see those strange swirling colors ever since he did… whatever the heck he did, with the Pangoro.

"So we chirp are going to go to this "Pokémon village" to try chirp and find a cure." Rachael finished.

"I know what you're thinking, and no. I am not staying here. I am coming with you guys. Period." Rachael's opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out, after a few awkward seconds, Rachael conceded.

"Alright." She muttered. Hannah looked surprised she had given in so easily.

"This will make things more… troublesome, but I agree that it is best Miss Hannah comes too." Absol added.

"Absol, I think cough I can speak for everybody cough when I say 'No need to be so formal.' Just… ugh…" Danny trailed off, clutching his head. Michael felt a surge of fear course through Danny. "So anyway, cough just cough our names cough will do." Danny continued on as if he had not just clutched his head in pain, though Michael could still sense his fear, mixed in with determination. Michael looked at him warily.

Aside from a little extra fur, and more red at the top of his hair, Michael couldn't see anything wrong, yet he still felt Danny's dread, despite his monotone expression.

"Are you alright?" Absol asked worriedly. Danny nodded and waved the question off.

"Okay cough guys, I grabbed my cough biggest bag, with enough cough room for all of us cough to put some stuff in it. When cough we go by your houses to cough tell your parents cough and all that, you can grab a few items."

They all nodded reluctantly. "Then how about we cough go to my cough house first." Danny suggested reluctantly. Michael grabbed his bag, and took a moment to secure his hoodie, making sure anyone who looked at him would not become suspicious.

"Wait. What about Absol?" Hannah pointed out. "We aren't allowed to be Pokémon trainers yet."

"Hmm… Well if chirp anyone asks, we can chirp just say that he is just a pet. Is that chirp alright with you, Absol?" Rachael asked the Pokémon.

"Yes, I have no issues with that." He answered. Everybody got in Rachael's car, which could seat up to seven people, the front seating Hannah as the driver and Michael, the second row seating Rachael and Danny, with Absol in the back.

"So… how are we going to do this?" Hannah asked while driving.

"…"

Hannah sighed. "Alright, Danny, you'll come with me, keep your hoodie on though. Absol, Michael, Rachael, you'll come after they get over their initial shock." Everybody nodded. A few minutes later, they pulled up to Danny's house. Michael felt Danny's fears multiply ten-fold, yet when he looked back at his friend, all he saw was a deadpan expression. His fear was pounding into Michael's skull. He also noticed he saw a bit of purple start swirling around Danny again. The colors seemed to be back. Wonderful.

"Let's go." Hannah said, Michael feeling a bit of fear from her, though not near as much as Danny. He noticed Danny take a deep breath as they both exited the car, and walked up to his door.