This chap is pretty short, but I wanted to get it out. The next chap won't be ere for a couple of days- a week.

As always...

ENJOY!

Chapter 9

The Espeon

When Azurill and I met up with Heather and Jared again, they both had pleased smirks on their faces. Jared had a small stripe of red across his right cheek and Heather had a black eye, but otherwise the two seemed fine. I didn't ask how it went. Skun was laying across from us, defeated. He was no doubt part of the so-called Them that Celebi had warned me about.

We used our badges to get the hell out of there.

The Espeon

When we got back, Azurill's older brother, Marill, was here to meet us.

"Azurill! Are you okay?" His brother asked, giving him a hug.

"I'm great!" He cheered.

Marill turned to Heather, Jared and I. "Thank you three so, so much. I don't know what I would have done without this little guy."

"No problem." I say.

"Here." Marill hands us a map. "We don't have a lot of money, but we do have this. Hopefully you can find some use for it."

"Thank you." Heather takes the map from him and inspects it. "I think it's a treasure map! Are you sure you want to give it to us?"

"Yes." He says.

"We can definitely find a use for it." Heather responds.

"Team Sound! Come here!" Chimecho appears from nowhere, looking extremely happy.

Excited, we follow her.

The Umbreon

Well, I'm not dead. Surprise, surprise, my mind chimes. I sit up and open my eyes.

"Dark! You're awake!" Carry hugs me for half a second. Heather hugs me, too, but for a whole second.

"Um, yeah." I say, confused.

"Do you know how long you've been asleep?" Carry asks.

"No." I guess. "A couple hours?"

"Three weeks!" Jared exclaims.

"What?" I'm shocked. Three whole weeks? Asleep? And I didn't even realize it!

"You heard him! Three frickin' weeks!" Carry says.

"Well, clearly you're alright." I notice Chimecho in the corner. She steps- glides, I mean- over. "You can leave whenever you want."

I blink. When exactly can I not?

There's a knock at the door. Wigglytuff steps in. "Since all four of you are fine now, I'm sending you to happy outlook. There's a latias there. Carry?"

"Yeah?" She asks.

"Two things. One, make sure Dark doesn't hurt himself again. Two, ask the latias if she knows what the map is all about, okay?" She asks her. Carry nods. After the guild master leaves, soon followed by Chimecho, Carry hands me the map. It looks like an ordinary treasure map, except it has markings all over it. Happy Outlook has a red X on it.

"Well, let's go." I suggest. With a happy smile, everyone agrees. We're off.

The Oshawott

Happy Outlook is easy. The pokemon are wimps... as far as we know. No one has challenged us. Some pokemon have even cleared the way for us. Dark and Carry are growing more and more suspicious with each step we take, but Heather and I have a different idea.

"Maybe Latias knew we were coming and asked the pokemon not to harm us." We suggest.

"I don't know. Maybe." Dark responds. He looks to be thinking about it.

"I doubt it." Carry decides.

"You'd doubt anything good to happen." I mutter.

"Well, yeah." She says. "I have trust issues."

"No kidding." I retort.

Dark stops. We all do, too. Everyone goes on high alert, our ears pricking.

What now?

Hope you guys liked it! I have a poll running now. Anyone care to check it out?