Here is a very, very eventful fourth chapter. So much happens, and I could go on about what will happen, but I don't want to spoil the big moments. Anyways, I think you'll really enjoy this one!

Chapter 4: Spiritomb versus Love

Oshawott, Eevee, and Team New Life were outside of some eerie looking ruins. Grovyle seemed to let out an aggravated groan at the sight of the entrance. Oshawott, oblivious to this, asked him, "Hey, Grovyle, where are we?"

"This place…is called the Sealed Ruins," Grovyle answered with a dark tone. He had a certain, vengeful gleam in his eyes.

"Guild Master Piplup told me about this place," Oshawott remembered. "He said that he, Chimchar, and Thomas fought a powerful Pokémon here. And then they teamed up with you to get back to the past."

"Do you recall the name of that Pokémon, Oshawott," Grovyle questioned him.

"Well…I think it was…Spiritomb?" Oshawott guessed. Grovyle gave him a slight nod.

"I believe I have an idea," Dusknoir spoke up. When all eyes were on the Ghost-type, he continued, "Perhaps we should split into two teams. A group of five is not very mobile. We should go in first in an attempt to try and clear a path for Oshawott and Eevee."

"Right! Because we're much stronger than they are!" Celebi stated cheerily and bluntly. Oshawott and Eevee looked offended, but they did not object to Dusknoir's idea. They simply nodded.

"Okay. Just give us a minute or two to get ahead. Follow as fast as you two can. We'll meet you on the other side of the ruins," Grovyle instructed. The young couple nodded again. Team New Life entered the dungeon. Oshawott began counting in his mind.

"Hey, Oshawott, do you think we may have to face Spiritomb?" Eevee suddenly asked him.

"Maybe. If we do, I'll protect you," Oshawott assured her. Protecting her was not only a priority, but a passion that resulted from his deep love for her. He knew it was love, though he thought it was a crush at first. Then, she had been kidnapped, and she ended up being all he ever thought about. When he went out to rescue her, he had put more on the line than he realized, but he didn't care. He couldn't live without her. It had to be love.

"Well, I'll have your back," Eevee winked at him. "It wouldn't be fair if you did all the fighting." Oshawott smiled at her, and she smiled back. Then, they did something unexpected. Their faces inched towards that of the other. Lips made contact. Suddenly, the whole world was nonexistent as the twosome shared a wonderful, enchanting kiss. After several amazing moments, they pulled away. Both of them had the same surprised look and blush on their faces.

"That was, um…" Oshawott began softly and shyly. He began rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Nice," Eevee finished Oshawott's sentence.

"Yeah, nice," he chuckled nervously. He was flustered.

"It was very nice," Eevee giggled. Her beautiful, fluffy tail was wagging. Her chocolate brown eyes glittered.

"It was a great moment of my life," Oshawott eased up slightly and admitted.

"Mine, too!" she exclaimed in response.

"Hey, uh, well, Eevee, I don't mean to ruin the most amazing moment I've ever experienced and all, but maybe we should get going," he suggested.

"You're probably right," Eevee smiled at him. "That's why you're such a good leader!"

"Do you really think so?" Oshawott asked her. He had been trying very hard to learn everything he knew from Piplup, whom he admired greatly.

"Absolutely! Team Poké Friends has gotten so far because you guided them there," Eevee nodded and smiled.

"Thanks, Eevee! Let's go!"

"I'll loyally follow you, Oshawott!"

And so, Eevee and Oshawott charged into the dungeon. Meanwhile, Team New Life, with their great skill and prior experience on the dungeon's Pokémon, made it to the bottom, but there was nothing there. Grovyle looked around. "That's odd." He pointed to the back wall and stated, "There's usually an Odd Keystone right over there."

"Maybe Spiritomb heard we were coming and ran off!" Celebi suggested optimistically.

"Celebi, I do not want to be the 'party pooper' here, but I highly doubt that is the case," Dusknoir objected. It just didn't seem logical. Spiritomb may have been timid, but nonetheless territorial. So where was the Forbidden Pokémon?

"In that case, we should wait for Oshawott and Eevee on the other side. Look, the exit is just over there!" Celebi pointed to the exit of the Sealed Ruins.

"I hope those two kids are alright," Grovyle muttered thoughtfully.

"Don't worry, my dear Grovyle! Love always prevails!" Celebi claimed and fluttered her eyes at him. She was flirting again. It was no longer in vain, though. Ever since the Pokémon of the future prevailed, when they were on the verge of disappearing, Celebi and Grovyle got to connect on a whole new level, and since then, he had started to find her attractive and funny.

"Yes. Yes, it does," Grovyle nodded in agreement.

Back with Oshawott and Eevee, the twosome was cautiously trekking the ruins. Spiritomb, they were aware, was not the only formidable Pokémon there. Pokémon such as Shelgon, Probopass, and Muk also resided there. They were walking side-by-side. For a brief moment, they looked each other in the eyes and smiled. That's when a Shelgon appeared and fired an Ember attack. The attack hit the lovers' tails, and the tails caught fire. They ran around in circles and screamed, "OWOWOWOWOW! HOT! HOT! HOT!" Finally, Oshawott put out the fires with Water Gun.

"Thanks," Eevee whimpered her thanks to him.

"Sure thing. Here," he gave her a Rawst Berry. It was a bitter berry that healed burn injuries. They each had a Rawst Berry and bit into the berry at the same time. Enduring the taste, they swallowed. Their tails healed in no time.

"Thanks! Do you want me to hold the Treasure Bag?" Eevee asked him.

"Would you like to?" Oshawott counter-asked her.

"Sure! I'd be honored!" Eevee nodded and graciously accepted the Treasure Bag.

The Shelgon that had ambushed them had walked away, muttering that they were a waste of time dealing with.

"We could take turns," Oshawott suggested. He was referring to holding the Treasure Bag.

"We could!" Eevee agreed. "You know I trust your instincts and judgment as an explorer."

"Y-you really do?" Oshawott asked. He was touched. The girl he had fallen for had complete faith in him.

"Yeah! Like I said, you're an awesome leader! You're tough, kind, and resourceful! Not to mention you're really, really sweet," Eevee pointed out. She seemed a bit sheepish on the last part, but she meant every word she said. She believed in the boy who had dedicated himself to her well-being, even at the risk of his own well-being.

"Thank you! I won't let you down!" Oshawott thanked her. Hearing Eevee say those words gave him a huge boost in confidence. They trekked on and eventually reached the end of the dungeon. In the middle of the final room was the Odd Keystone that had been missing when Grovyle and his team arrived.

"Oshawott, does anything seem c-creepy about that rock?" Eevee asked her beloved companion.

"I guess," Oshawott tilted his head. It did seem ominous that a stone would just be sitting there in the center of the room the way it was.

"Creepy?! You think WE are CREEPY?!" a disembodied voice hissed at them. Purple smoke rose from the Odd Keystone and took on the form of the dungeon's boss, Spiritomb. "We will SHOW you TRESPASSERS creepy! We are SPIRITOMB, a Pokémon formed from one hundred and EIGHT naughty souls!"

"Uh-oh!" Oshawott inhaled sharply. He and Eevee were in for one heck of a fight.

"Here he comes!" Eevee gasped. The battle began. Spiritomb kicked things off with a Sucker Punch attack that ended up hitting Eevee.

"Eevee!" Oshawott gasped.

"I'm okay!" Eevee assured him. "Look out!"

"Let's see what YOU think of THIS! Dark PULSE!" Spiritomb fired a Dark Pulse attack. Oshawott dodged it by actually jumping over it and doing a back flip.

"My move! Razor Shell!" Oshawott wielded his Scalchop skillfully and landed the Razor Shell attack. It was a direct hit! It wasn't enough, though. Spiritomb still wanted a fight.

"Hypnosis!" Spiritomb fired a Hypnosis attack at Eevee. She managed to dodge it and closed in on the Ghost- and Dark-type foe.

"Iron Tail!" she slammed her tail, which gave off a metallic sheen, into Spiritomb.

"WE'RE n-not done YET!" Spiritomb moaned. It was on the verge of fainting.

"Oshawott, finish it!" Eevee encouraged.

"Okay! Water Gun!" Oshawott used a move, but it was not Water Gun. He actually used a move much stronger than Water Gun. He had learned Hydro Pump!

"Wow! Way to go, Oshawott!" Eevee cheered. The Hydro Pump hit Spiritomb and forced it against the wall. The Forbidden Pokémon sank back into the Odd Keystone and hopped away.

"That was a short fight," Oshawott panted.

"It probably would have drawn out if you hadn't learned that awesome move!" Eevee pointed out in admiration.

"You beat Spiritomb?! I guess you two aren't a couple of stupid kids!" the Shelgon from before said with a booming voice filled with amazement. Eevee turned around and charged at the Shelgon. She slammed into him at full force and sent him rolling away with his round body.

"I'm not the only one who learned a new move! That was Take Down!" Oshawott informed her. She smiled proudly at him.

"We each learned a new move and had our first kiss. Things are starting to look up!" Eevee beamed at him. They walked out together to find Team New Life waiting for them.

"Where have you two been?" Dusknoir asked them.

"We were beating the snot out of Spiritomb and a Shelgon," Oshawott informed him proudly.

"And we learned new moves on the way!" Eevee added. "I learned Take Down and Oshawott learned Hydro Pump."

"How exciting!" Celebi exclaimed.

"You should be careful when using Take Down, though. It causes recoil damage, so you get slightly hurt when you hit an opponent with that move," Dusknoir cautioned Eevee.

"Well, I guess it did kind of hurt," Eevee recalled a slight pain.

"Are you okay?" Oshawott asked her with great concern.

"Always, silly! But thanks for asking!" Eevee beamed at him. She was so touched that he was genuinely concerned about her safety.

"We should hurry," Grovyle advised, and they all continued their journey.

Meanwhile, Darkrai felt something strange. He growled, "Hmm…my instincts are telling me that this world is in danger. I should leave, and preferably have all of my outlaws leave with me. Skills of the caliber of teams like Team AWD are hard to come by."