So now that we know what the pup was up to, let's see what our favorite Torchic is doing.

Review with chapters 69 + 70.

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

The past is like a broken bone. With time it mends, but forget it's there and it will break again.

It's been four days since John's 'condition' was reveled to me and I couldn't be happier for him.

Sure, I was happy that he was still alive… sort of.

And he was healthy, sort of.

And he…

Oh, hell with it.

I was pissed. I am glad that he was still here, but this whole mystery was beginning to hurt my head. I spent all four days looking through more books than I ever had in my lifetime looking for that Youko character. What's worse, Tyler stopped talking to anyone except for Rio. Even so, Rio can't understand him outside of those hand signals that they use for their training sessions. On top of that, I'm constantly on the look out for anything unusual. By that I mean the murdering hypnotist. Blare didn't get a good look at the speaker almost a week ago and Rio didn't hear him at all. So we have no clue who he is until either Blare hears his voice or until one of us is targeted. We're essentially sitting Farfetch'd that knows there's a Feraligator in the pond that we can't fly away from.

To express my frustrations, I slammed my book bag on my desk.

Even though I was sitting right next to him, Brandy didn't notice.
He must have been deep in thought about something.

"So, anything yet?"

"About what," Brandy asked, "do you mean Youko or Tyler?"

"Believe me, John's used to not talking to people," I waved my hand in the air, as if I was getting rid of a bad smell, "he'll be fine."

Brandy shook his head, "I can't find any information on Youko. It's so much harder without a computer that wont try to kill you."

"Well, maybe if you stop looking at that blank picture all the time, then you'll-"

"Settle down class, especially you Miss Mackenzie," Mrs. Lawrence smiled as the entire class laughed at her little joke. Everyone knew that I was a loud mou-, um "bold in my opinions". I didn't mind, really.

Mrs. Lawrence took the time to write the subject on the board, "today we're going to cover one of my favorite subjects. The founding of Golnar."

"Isn't that just a myth," a random student asked, raising his hand and standing up.

"Yes, I suppose that it is a myth," Mrs. Lawrence laughed to herself, "However, 'Myth' does not mean false."

This statement made the entire class start clamoring to themselves.
I couldn't help, but notice that Brandy was laughing to himself too.
It was as if he knew the secret to the joke beforehand.

"You see class, 'Myth' is defined as 'a traditional story that is accepted as the truth', 'an improvable story' or even 'a common or shared historical experience'," Mrs. Lawrence explained with great pride, "in other words, any story that you hear is a 'myth', even if it is the truth. Don't they teach you vocabulary in English class?"

"Oh," the student sat down.

"The Origin of Golnar, this happens to be one of my favorite myths that happens to be true. You all will be the first to hear the story straight from the old archives in forty years," Mrs. Lawrence opened an antique book, "it begins a little over 300 years ago…

They say that Golnar was founded by Eight distinct families. The names of these families are: Hotei, Ebisu, Fukuroka, Jiro, Zaiten, Bisha, Aiku, and… forgive me class. The ninth name seems to have been smudged out in my copy. Anyway, these nine were the first to settle in this land, after the Pokémon, of course. Using the land's resources to their advantage they were able to build a small community that would then grow into our fine city of Golnar. Strange, it's smudged out here as well. Well, that particular family was the richest of them all because of William _ something?. I know that this book is old, but it can't be that old.

You see, William had made friends of Kubbi when they were both very young. They were that way for his entire life. If Kubbi had only one master, it would be William. No, she was not captured. The Pokéball was not even conceived for another 200 years. Pokémon and humans lived in a much different culture than we do today. If a Pokémon had a master, it would be simply because they chose to have one. Anyway, with Kubbi's help the town had prospered. Unfortunately, a dark shadow loomed across the land. An evil Pokémon of unknown origin appeared. This creature was so powerful, they say that it's dark flames could not be put out unless the creature willed it. Only Kubbi was able to keep the creature at bay, but she could never kill it.

Finally having enough, the settlers of the future Golnar came together and begged of the Silver Ninetales to give them the power to fight the evil themselves. Kubbi refused on multiple occasions, but eventually consented. She had one man from each of the founding families selected. They were each asked to select a Pokémon partner of whom they felt they could trust with their lives. These seven were then bestowed the powers to protect Golnar with their lives and for lifetimes to come."

"Seven," I asked "but weren't there eight?"

"Oh, of course," Mrs. Lawrence nodded, "however, Kubbi was the only one that William trusted, but he did not wish to be bonded with her."

"Why not?"

"No one knows the exact reason why," she closed her book, "Personally, I think that it was because William didn't want to sacrifice her… so romantic."

Mrs. Lawrence swooned ever so slightly into her own hand, with the hand holding the book covering her heart. The entire class looked at her like she was a nut job.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm getting ahead of myself," Mrs. Lawrence replaced the book with the worksheets on her desk, "I'm not going to be reading the entire legend for you all. I'm going to give you all fifteen minutes to both read and answer the questions on these sheets… And no helping each other. This will be for individual grades."

The whole class groaned at this, but that's normal.

"I'm totally gonna pass this," the fat kid in front of us stated.

"A little confident today, aren't you Buddy," Mrs. Lawrence slapped a sheet down on his desk, "considering you have been failing my class."

"What? How can that be," Buddy stood up, wearing his desk as his belt. This got the whole class laughing, myself included. Buddy Hotei was one of those students that you would never expect to be of High Class. Good thing too. He never was good with anything as far as I knew. He was what us in High Class call, Charity Heirs.

"Well…," Mrs. Lawrence didn't have the heart to finish that sentence and continued passing out the worksheet.

"Jump higher!"

"(Believe me, if I could then I would.)," Tyler chirped.

"Quit complaining and just do it," Rio stated what had to be his favorite line.

Even I had ta agree dat Tyler couldn't jump any higher. He ain't like me. He's got limitations.

I watched as Tyler did his pointless practice jumps. He reminded me of a video game character that some nerd (I mean, someone far less active than I was in life) played that couldn't double jump. I mean sure, he can run faster than me, but he can barely jump two feet into da air. He'll never be able ta do a triple summersault with a 180* twist at dat height. After dat height, his jumps slowly lowered.

"(One more time…)," Tyler said before he hopped and tripped, "(Okay… I'm done…)"

"(Are ya feal'n okay?)," I decided to walk up to help him up. He didn't need it.

"(I just spent all day training. Exactly how do you think I'd feel?)"

"(I'd feel like do'n a marathon!)"

"(Well, I'm not an exercise freak like you!)"

"(True, but our Pokémon bodies work differently than when we were human.)," I explained as I stretched my sore unused muscles, "(For example our Blaze abilities should allow us to become stronger when our health is low.)"

"(Sounds a lot like Terry's Overgrow.)," Tyler seemed ta smile for a second, but quickly got back ta his emo act. If I remembered correctly, Terry was da name of his missing Treeko friend. I knew dat he misses him, but I didn't think dat was de reason dat he was so down. Especially, when he forced back a yawn.

"(Tyler? How much sleep have ya been getting lately?)"

"(No less than usual…)"

"(Which looks 'bout seven hours tu little.)," I crossed my arms, "(Do ya know how dangerous sleep deprivation is? Especially to a Pokémon with your genetic conditions?)"

"(My what…?)," he yawned, "(what are you talking about?)"

"(Look, you're gonna have ta trust me on this.)," I said as I picked him up, "(you shouldn't be train'n if ya didn't get enough sleep anyway.)"

"Blare," Rio cocked his head, but then sighed. He knew better than anyone that when I wanted to stop training, then there had to be a good reason to do so, "okay, so what's wrong with him now?"

I took a moment to pull down my eyelid and roll my pupils behind them.

"Tired? Since when has that stopped you?"

I slashed at my own neck and shook my head. I pointed at Tyler, who was barely able ta hold his own head up at dis point.

"Here let me see," Rio bent down to examine the Torchic, "well, his eyes are red."

"(Would you get out of my face?)," Tyler groaned.

"Okay, let's call it a day."

"(Good, then I'm going t-)"

"(Miiiilkshaaaaake!)." I heard a Torchic sing those words. Tyler shuttered in my grip.

"(oh… crap…)," Tyler, despite his lack of energy, had his bloodshot eyes shoot wide open at his guests.

"(Oh no, Milkshake!)," the little Torchic started running the instant she saw him.

"(Milkshake?)," I looked at Tyler.

"(You might want to run…)"

"(Why would I want ta-)"

"(Let go of Milkshake, you red demon!)," the Torchic leaped in da air for a Scratch attack.

I dodged it in time, but those Torchic are fast. She kept on leaping at me as if we were in a real battle.
It was a good thing dat I spent da last hour or so staying still. I needed all da energy I could spare, just ta keep from be'n hit.

"(Fia stop that!)," out of no where another Torchic drop kicked the first one, "(can't you see that she's trying to help Milkshake?)"

"(Sorry Siggy.)," Fia recovered rather quickly for a Torchic.

"(It's not me you should be apologizing to.)," Siggy sighed, "(Sorry that we came unannounced like this, Milkshake. If we knew that we'd be rented today, then we would have given you more of a warning.)"

"Okay, what's going on, Blare," Rio scratched his head at what he saw,"where did you two come from?"

"Sorry about that, mister." A pair of twins came walking by.

"This is a restricted area. You'll both have to leave."

"It's okay," the same twin said, "we're family. I'm his Aunt Kayla and this is his Aunt Christen."

"Hi, I'm sorry…," her twin stepped up to pick up Fia, "I let her get away from me."

"Look, do you know how many people had come by saying the same things you two did."

"I told you he wouldn't believe us," Christen stepped back.

"But you're the one who-," Kayla started, but was interrupted when Christen tripped. Kayla had to catch her sister, so she couldn't finish her sentence.

"Ow my ankle," Christen whined, dropping Fia on the ground.

"Oh, no," Rio took a moment to examine the girl's ankle. The dummy.

She might have fooled my brother, but she couldn't trick my daredevil senses.
I know how ta fall without get'n hurt. She faked dat trip, same with da injury.
It wouldn't be da first time dis week, but Rio is tu kind hearted ta care.

"I'm okay…," she said.

"No, you shouldn't walk on it," Rio smiled lifting her quite suddenly, "my sis, taught me that walking on a twisted ankle will only cause major swelling."

I didn't teach him that. The doctor yelled at me fa weeks about it before he forced me into a coma 'til it healed.

"We need to get her to the nurse's office," Rio looked at me, "Blare, could you watch the Torchic until I get back."

"(I'll roast anyone else who tries to get past me.)," I puffed out a flame to prove my point.

"That'a girl," Rio laughed as he took the little faker and her sister back to the main buildings. Both of them had left their Torchic here.

"(Let me guess… your masters are going to come back for you two.)"

"(They're not our masters.)," Siggy explained, "(they really are his aunts and we're just old friends of Tyler's.)"

"(Is that so?)"

"(You can ask him yourself.)," Siggy pointed at Tyler, but he was fast asleep, "(or maybe not… but I am telling the truth.)"

"(How do ya expect me ta believe you?)"

"(How do we know you wont eat him!)," Fia spat at me.

Siggy sighed to herself and stepped forward.

"(I swear on the Kimon that we're telling the truth.)"

"(How da hell d'ya know about da Kimon?)"

"(What Pokémon wouldn't know?)," Siggy looked at me a little more closely, then laughed, "(Oh, I get it. You're a Reborn too?)"

"(How did…?)"

"(Only humans don't know, but you're a Pokémon. So you must be a Reborn.)"

"(Okay, I'll believe you.)," I started to lead them to Milkshake's Mansion, "(just don't go spreading it around, okay.)"

"(Siggy, what's a Reborn?)," I overheard Fia ask, "(and what do they have to do with humans?)"

"(Simply put…)," Siggy whispered, "(they're humans that the Legendaries believe needed a second chance at life.)"

"(You know, I am Reborn, but I ain't deaf.)," I smirked at them, then remembered that Tyler was looking for the Kimon, "(But since we're asking questions: Do ya know how ta find da Kimon?)"

"(Why would you ever want to find the Kimon?)," Fia shuttered.

"(What Fia means is… the Kimon are dangerous.)," Siggy glared at me, "(there's a reason that humans don't know about them.)"

"(What do ya mean 'them'? Do ya mean dat there's more dan just one?)"

"(Whoops…)," Siggy covered her beak.

"(Please, tell me everything you know.)"

Dun dun dun.

Review time.