Long time gone is over. I still have a few weeks of classes left, plus the holidays to worry about.

I have written four chapters in my absence, plus a little something I'm going to be saving for Christmas.

Now Christmas is that special time of year that people really need to start calling this number.

National Suicide Hotline Number : 1-800-488-3000

But instead, I want you all to go to a relative that you don't know very well.

Get to know them and I mean KNOW them.

Listen to them, talk to them. Let them lead the conversation.

I didn't honestly know who my great grandfather was until after he was gone.

Any who, I hope that everyone had a great Turkey Massacre Day.

Enjoy this week's chapter.

To say that 'a person feels listened to' means a lot more than just their ideas get heard. It's a sign of respect. It makes people feel valued. - Deborah Tannen

"God, It's hot," Jade complained, "where is Tyrone?"

"He's still in the office," Eddie walked out with Karen.

"What? Why?"

Jade turned to the two of them. She tried not to laugh when she saw Eddie's costume, but still. Eddie was in a full body, green Gulpin suit. The only part of him that wasn't covered was his face. She could see why it would be embarrassing for him to be seen in it. Had not someone (Eddie) spread that rumor across the school that students could were costumes today. Jade had no time to think of all this as the Gulpin boy answered her previous asked question.

"Detention for being disrespectful to Principal Bisha."

"Oh God," Jade was almost afraid to ask, "what did he do?"

"Nothing that bad," Karen sighed, "Bisha's just overreacting a bit."

"All he did was not call him 'sir'," Eddie sighed, "even I do that, but I never get in trouble for it."

"Yeah," Jade commented, "but you're a lot richer than Tyrone."

"That's still no excuse…," Eddie pouted, making his Gulpin costume look that much more realistic.

"By the way Jade, we sort of need your help."

"My help?"

"Tyrone has to win against your uncle," Eddie explained, "are there any tips that you can give us to help him?"

"Win against who, how now," Jade's fake ears flew off, "when did Tyrone challenge Uncle Smith?"

"That's not what it sounded like to us."

Tyrone was standing dead still. It was almost as if he were too afraid too move. He dared not even so much as blink.

~Uncle Derrick?~

"What!"

~Ah! Don't bite my head off,~ Tyrone's inner Growlithe shrieked at his Uncle's sudden out burst, tail firm between his legs.

"Oh, yeah it's you…," Derrick rubbed his stomach to calm the Growlithe's (and his own) nerves, "I forgot that you were there, sorry."

~What's wrong with you?~

"It's that monster," Derrick whispered, "he kept me prisoner for so long, that I learned to 'play dead' whenever he was near me. If I didn't, then he'd reinforce the seal on me."

~That's the guy? But he's Aneki's uncle…~

"I know he is," Derrick sighed, "now which one is the Principal's office?"

"I'd think that it's the one that says 'Principal Bisha' on it," some kid in a Gulpin costume seemed to pop out of no where, "I could be wrong though."

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Thank you."

"Hey, is there something wrong with you, Tyrone," Eddie raised an eyebrow, "you seem a little off."

"I'm fine," Derrick smiled at the total stranger, "just a little tired and very irritable."

"Nervous about seeing Bisha personally, huh," Eddie returned the smile, "It can't be your first time doing this."

~I've met the Principal once or twice but I've never been in his office… ~

"It is," Derrick agreed with the inner Growlithe.

"Well, don't worry so much. I'll be your lawyer," Eddie said as proud as he could as he pushed Tyrone into the office.

There was now a total of five people in Principal Bisha's office, excluding those that didn't have a body of their own. There was an older man, who's appearance would give anyone the idea that he was about to go on a safari. He had that real old fashioned mustache that connected with his sideburns. Frankly, all the man was missing was the hat. There was the girl who sat in the chair next to the man, looking mighty pissed off at the badly dressed 'chap'. Unlike the two boys, she wore the school uniform. When she saw them, her entire attitude flipped. She was now frowning only to hold back from laughing. Principal Bisha sat in his chair and was not looking happy.

"You're late," the Principal scowled, "and you look ridiculous."

"I don't know," Karen giggled slightly, "I'd say it's an improvement for both of them."

"Karen," the 'chap' scolded her, establishing that he was her father, "we'll finish talking about this later, Bisha."

"No, I say that we finish this now," Karen smirked as she stood up, "I've got nothing to hide from these two."

"Karen…," Mr. Mackenzie sneered at his daughter, but she didn't notice it as she wrapped her arms around her 'friends', "Go ahead and tell them all about how you wont let me come to school until I let you kill my baby."

"Your baby," Eddie lost all composer that he had, "what exactly did… when did… Tyrone?…"

"That Ponyta has had it's legs broken," Mr. Mackenzie shouted for the eighth time that day, "even if his injuries heal, he'll be suffering for the rest of his life. I'm just taking it out of it's misery."

"I'm not an idiot, Dad."

"That's not true…," Tyrone said, "short of removing the legs, so long as a Ponyta is elevated then it will come back to full health and be as strong as before."

"And even if it wasn't a problem," Eddie came back to earth when he realized that the 'baby' was the Ponyta, "that's no reason to keep her out of school."

"Which is why I have a suggestion," Principal Bisha stood up, "Ms. Mackenzie, I'll let you stay in the school-"

"But," the chap tried to argue against it.

"Silence Subastian. Let me finish…," Principal Bisha shocked the man to sit down, "I'll let you stay IF Tyrone there is able to beat the opponent of my choice. That sounds fair, right?"

"Why should I do it?"

"Her Pokémon are out of commission. As her friend, you must want to help her in anyway you can," Principal Bisha put on that smug look of his, "also, it's a special request of the great Tenma Smith. You should consider it an honor."

"Tenma… I'm going against Tenma?"

Principal Bisha acknowledged that it was true, but didn't say a word. Derrick didn't know wether to chuckle or scream. His body decided to chuckle, "I'll do it."

"Are you crazy," Karen shouted, "Tenma Smith is a professional Pokémon Trainer. He's a Pokémon Master, practically one of the Elite Four."

"I can't wait to face him," Tyrone smiled, scratching his cheek, "I'll make sure that I win."

"Um, Tyrone even I couldn't face Tenma, even if Jake and I went all out," Eddie tried to warn Tyrone, "let alone win."

"Leo has Flashfire," Tyrone said, "that should limit Tenma's attacks. I'll have a fighting chance."

"It still wont be enough," Karen said.

"She's right," Principal Bisha said, "as such I'll give you a week to prepare a strategy and to train, but no more than that."

"Thank you," Tyrone said.

"Thank you what," Principal Bisha tapped his finger.

"Um, thank you for letting me 'have this honor'," Derrick bowed thinking that it would satisfy the old man. Thinking that it was a joke Tyrone was making, Principal Bisha frowned at Derrick's disrespect at not calling the smug man in the chair 'sir'.

"Detention."

"Why would he do this," Jade yelled when the story was done, "I can't wait for him to come out of detention!"

"So back to the original question, how Tyrone can possibly beat your Uncle Smith?"

"Oh yeah, you're doomed."

"Hey, at least Tyrone got you another week of school."

"You're right. I can still see Tyler anytime I want. Speaking of…," Karen waved, "it was great seeing you again, Jade."

"Me too right," Eddie smiled as he pointed at himself. Karen didn't give him an answer and instead walks away with her fist closed tightly.

"How do you two know each other?"

"I just pulled one tiny prank on her and so she hates me for life."

"Well, your pranks do tend to be a little extreme," Jade sighed.

"Yeah, but none of them were as good as the 'I'm a Vulpix' routine that you did," Eddie laughed loud and obnoxiously at first, but slowly stopped when he realized that Jade was walking away, "What? It was funny."

"Eddie, it wasn't a joke… I," Jade paused realizing the mistake she was about to make, "my parents sent me to a doctor for a while."

"Oh…," Eddie stopped smiling, "I'm sorry to hear that…"

"So… what about you? Is your dad still as great a fisherman as he is a stock tycoon?"

"Jade… he… yeah, he's on a fishing trip right now, in fact," Eddie faked another smile, "so… I see you've got a Pokémon now."

"What? Oh shoot," Jade cussed, unclipping the Pokéball on her belt, "I forgot all about the little pipsqueak."

"So you caught him recently?"

"Caught? More like involuntarily given responsibility for kidnapping him," Jade enlarged the Pokéball while Eddie tried to process what was being said, "he caught himself during the fire."

"Oh… so can I see him?"

"Okay… but as a fair warning, he might bite your face off."

"I've got a Gyarados," Eddie cocked an eyebrow.

"Okay then," Jade sighed as she threw the Pokéball into the air.

Jade dived behind Eddie, as the Ratatta materialized in front of them.

…

…

…

"Um, Jade… that's your face eating Pokémon?"

Jade slowly opened her eyes. The Ratatta was curled up in a tight ball, a snot bubble slowly pulsing larger and smaller. He was fast asleep. You wouldn't think that the little guy could get any smaller.

"I thought that you'd have something a little more… I don't know… cute impaired."

"I guess that he's still tired from yesterday and-"

"And you used the Phoenix Gate on him too," Eddie asked bluntly.

"How can you tell that," Jade asked a little too loud. Rattatta's bubble popped.

"Doesn't matter. If you keep using it without some form of restraint then you're going to be consumed by it."

"I already know the risks."

"(Hm? Where am I?)"

"Hi there little guy. What's your name?"

"(Paki…)," the rat rubbed his eyes, "(So how are you going to cook me?)"

"I can't believe this," Jade groaned, "I'm not going to eat you."

"(Sure you're not…)," Paki sighed, not believing me.

"It's true. She's a vegetarian," Eddie pointed at her grinning, "however if you were an apple you'd be long gone."

"(Oh great. I've always wondered how it'd feels to be an apple.)"

"I'm not going to eat you," Jade shouted again, then paused, "by the way Eddie, how is it that you can understand Pokéspeech?"

"Shouldn't the answer to that question be obvious?"

I nearly face-palmed myself. Of course, it has something to do with being this 'Curator' thing. If I wasn't already a Reborn, then I would have noticed that I could suddenly understand Pokémon right away.

"Didn't the last Curator teach you anything?"

As luck would have it, my cellphone rang at that instant. It was Margaret.

She saved me from one awkward situation, only to throw me into another one.

Lady Luck must have one sick sense of humor.

"This room," Mom quietly thought to herself.

"(I think that I remember this place.)," I said to Brandy, "(have I been here before?)"

He lowered his head as he sat on the bed. From the look of his eyes it seemed like he already knew where this was.

"I'm sorry about it being a mess," Mom smiled at Rio, "but it has to be cleaner than that barn."

"I guess, but I really don't mind living in a barn."

"(Hey, this bed is crazy soft!)," Blare shouted as she jumped up and down behind Brandy.

"Blare don't do that!"

"You get yourself comfortable," Mom smiled, "while I'll go prepare some dinner."

"But…," Rio tried to object but she already shut the door behind her.

In the hallway, Mom subliminally smiled.
She felt like a burden was lifted from her shoulders.
She didn't know why…

"What's up with her," Rio asked, "it's like she only hears every other word I say."

"She's just being nice," Brandy assured Rio.

"You knew this was going to happen didn't you?"

"What? Me? No, I didn't see this coming at all," Brandy smiled trying to hide his laughter.

Rio was about to say something else, when the room's silence was ruined by Brandy's cellphone.
Before he could properly answer it, he was interrupted by a shrill voice on the other end.

"SOMEBODY'S KIDNAPPED TYLER!," it was Karen, "Get you butt over here and help me look for him! Hurry before the trail gets cold!"

"Karen calm down," Brandy kept the phone away from his ear, "Tyler's with me."

"Well, you should have told me first!"

"Sorry, I thought that you were still mad at me about… whatever it was."

"Well, it wasn't funny to just suddenly tell me that our little Milkshake was…," Karen suddenly grew quiet on the other end of the line, "Why would you tell me something that sick just to hide the fact that you stole John's poems."

"I haven't stolen anything in my life!"

"Then why do you have John's poems? He's never shown anyone them. He even yelled at me for peaking."

"What poems?"

"Don't act like you don't know! I caught you red handed this morning!"

"This morning…," Brandy's eyes grew wide, "Karen were you at the dedication ceremony?"

"If you must know, no. My dad took me out of school and," Karen stopped yelling, "but what does that have to do with-"

"Could we talk about this is in person? I think that you have more answers than I do."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Listen… I can't explain it right now, but can we meet somewhere?"

"Will you bring Tyler with you?"

"Um, I could, but I… um…"

"If you don't then I wont hear you out." Brandy tensed up. He looked at me. He wanted some reassurance. Not that I could properly give him any at the moment.

"Fine, I'll bring Tyler with me, but we'll meet up at the Pokémon Center, okay?"

"Why there?"

"It's halfway between both of us and there's something there that we need to pick up."

"Okay then…," Karen sighed, "I'll see you there."

"That was Karen," Brandy sighed hanging up the phone, "she's kind of overprotective of Tyler."

"Really," Rio shuttered, Blare seemed to mimic him, "I hate those kinds of women. They never let you do anything fun."

"(They always think that we have to be all lady-like and proper and unable to use knives to open champagne bottles.)"

"(I don't think that's…)," I started.

"(I can still do that, so don't tell me that it's not possible.)"

"Well, I guess that we should get going," Brandy pointed my Pokéball at me.

"(Oh no you don't.)," I shouted hiding behind Phineas, "(I'll walk.)"

Well, that's all I wrote for today.

Please Review. And I hope you enjoy life.

Until next week.