AN: I've noticed some of you have tried to review, and I appreciate it. I was aware when I fused the chapters together that some of you might not be able to review for a while, and but I still want you to at least try and reach me until my story allows you to review again, I love hearing from you guys :}

Ch. 25: That Nagging Feeling

Blaze whinnied and tossed his head in protest, and for a good reason. Before the two Ponytas and their riders, was a long bridge once dubbed Cycling Road. Years ago many trainers would use this trail to head for Mt. Coronet, but ever since an incident with an Onix after the Team Galactic takeover, the road was no longer cared for and was deemed a new name.

"C'mon Blaze!" Taylor insisted, "The only way to get to Hearthome is to cross Condemned Bridge!"

Blaze still hesitated, touching the edge of the bridge with its hoof before quickly retreating when the pavement it touched fell away leaving a large hole. He snorted, tossed his head again, and closed his eyes tightly with a stubborn look on his face. Bryce just shook his head and leaned back, appreciative of the oppurtunity to let go of the eight year old.

"It's no use Taylor, Blaze is too afra-" He stopped for a moment when he felt the horse start to warm under him, "Blaze is too cautious to cross the bridge, and frankly, I don't blame him. I mean, look at it!"

He motioned towards the neglected stone bridge. It was covered in large holes almost obstructing the path before them. Every now and again Bryce could see visible pieces of bridge fall away into spiraling clumps of debris.

"And besides, what Mini-Medi said worries me," Stormie offered, "So maybe we should turn around and find another way to Hearthome."

Bryce nodded in agreement and moved to turn around when he suddenly remembered he didn't have the reigns. They were in the hands of a persistent Taylor who had tuned out the whole conversation.

"C'mon Blaze! Grace looks up to you! Do you want her to think that you're too afraid to cross a crummy old bridge?"

Blaze opened his right eye to look at Grace who was indeed looking at Blaze with a meek look on her face. Blaze stood for a moment before nodding, his other eye opening and staring at the bridge with a determined look on his face.

"Taylor," Bryce started with a hesitant look on his face. "We should turn around."

But Taylor only grinned, tightening her grip on the reigns before sharply tugging on them with a sharp snap.

"Yah!" She cried as Blaze tore down the road. Bryce let out a strangled cry in response before clinging wildly to the girl. Stormie gave an exasperated sigh before snapping the reigns and following her.

Gible stopped for a moment to regain his bearings. He put his claws on his knees and stooped over breathing hard. He mentally swore at the pokemon that dared to mess with him while he slept. After a few deep breaths he stood up and looked around. He'd lost his target, it was surely long gone by now... Unless, of course that pokemon was idiotic enough to come back and taunt.

As soon as Gible felt a stick poke him in the back of the head, he grinned madly and turned around to face the Geodude that had tormented him in his slumber.

Terrified as he was, Bryce had to stop and marvel at how talented an equestrian Taylor was at such a young age. She weaved around every hole, leaped over every crevice, and just barely missed a crack that Bryce felt would've surely broken Blaze's leg. Every now and again, Bryce looked behind him to keep track of Stormie's progress, but she seemed to be doing fine, mostly, he thought, because Grace was doing most of the work while Stormie clung to the bag that contained Psy.

The closer they came to the arch that marked the end of the ill-fated trail, the more Bryce felt at ease, but for some reason, he couldn't get this feeling out of his head. It reminded him of whenever Mini-Medi spoke to him, yet whenever Bryce tried to think at him, he didn't get an answer back. He deduced it had to be some kind of psychic power working in his head, but he couldn't figure out what it was. He decided to ignore it and kept his eyes glued on the arch.

But even as he tried to ignore the strange feeling, he was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of dread and involuntarily thought, 'Here it comes!' Clenching his eyes shut as Taylor urged Blaze to leap over a hole.

The Geodude grinned at the Gible, not at all put off by the fact the pokemon was grinning at him.

(Ooooh, I'm so scared, you're smiling! What are you going to do? I'm all the way up here, and you're down there!)

This was true, the Geodude that had so thoroughly annoyed Gible with his accursed stick was hovering several feet above him, next to a beam that was supporting the Condemned Road. Yet the Gible still smiled, even cackling madly before he puffed up his cheeks.

(Oooh! And now hes doing his impression of a Qwilfish! Very good! But can you do-)

The words stopped in their tracks when the rock type was suddenly struck by a barrage of fierce sand, twisting and turning around the hard body as it slammed into the taunting Geodude and knocked him into the beam, breaking it in two as the pokemon fell to the ground with wide eyes. Gible grinned, satisfied with its Sandstorm, and turned around towards its hole so it could dream of riches once more.