Emolga peeked from behind a tree and looked around. The area seemed quiet, which either meant there were no Darkmon about or they were silently being stalked. Hopefully it was the former. They couldn't deal with anymore of those vile creatures chasing them.

The group have been doing their best to keep themselves hidden, especially after…whatever happened a while ago. One moment, they were running around in the dead of night, then, out of nowhere, there's cackling echoing everywhere. That was normal, as far as they can tell, but the multiple battles they heard weren't. They didn't sound like they were in their general vicinity, but they took the necessary precautions to hide themselves from danger.

The flying squirrel looked back at her friends and gave a gesture telling them the coast was clear. They snuck through the trees stealthily. Krookodile held Axew in his arms, careful not to jut him around too much. They didn't want him feeling worse than he already was.

Emolga sent an electrical wave into the ground, trying to pinpoint the location of the antidote flower. She could sense the disturbance in the ground. They were getting closer.

"Not much longer, guys," she whispered. "How's Axew's condition?"

Krookodile held the little guy up to check on him. He snoozed lightly in his arms. "He's fine, but we need to hurry. His heart is beating pretty slowly."

She nodded and looked ahead before walking. Scraggy walked up to her side. "We've been searching for a while. You sure we weren't given false information?"

"I'm positive. I've been sensing something for a while. It has to be flower. We just need to press on for a little bit longer."

He narrowed his eyes worriedly. "I know, but we haven't seen a Darkmon in a while. I'm beginning to wonder if we're just being watched from a distance."

"And you think I don't feel like that? We've been running for our lives for days! We can't keep this up forever. I just want to find that antidote and get out of here while we still can."

"What about Pikachu? He's the reason we came here."

"Right now, I just want to get Axew to safety. Who knows? The others may have found him by now and got him out."

"You sure?"

"It's been a week. I'm sure they've covered a ton of ground by now."

The Shedding Pokémon sighed and rubbed his head. "If you say so. So, how much farther until we reach the flower?"

"If we keep this pace going, I'd say…five minutes."

Krookodile looked down at Axew and rubbed his head. "Poor little guy. I couldn't imagine fighting off the pain he's going through. He's pretty tough."

Emolga nodded with a solemn expression. "He is…" She sighed. Don't worry Axew, it'll all be over soon.

They disappeared through the bushes. Right as they did, a Darkmon landed on the ground, cracking the earth beneath him. He stood tall and smirked. "You've eluded me for quite some time, Pokémon…" He spun his bone club and stamped it on the ground. "Dark Mightyena!"

The two dark mutts ran to his side and stood proudly. "Yes sir!"

"We may not have been able to capture the other group of Pokémon, but we finally found some of them." He chuckled maliciously. "And it appears they are not in the best condition. This will make them easy pickings."

"Shall we attack them now, sir?" one of the Darkmon asked.

"No, not yet. Let them have this moment of victory. The moment they feel great hope in their hearts…" He gave a smirk that sent shivers up the spines of his minions. "…they'll topple even harder in their moment of failure."

The Darkmon minions looked at each other and grinned savagely. Imagining their heartbroken, quivering faces filled them with joyous glee. After all the trouble they've been put through to acquire them, they finally have the upper hand. They were going to savor every last drop of torment when that time comes. This time tonight, they will have won.

Awkward silence flooded the remainder of Ryder's hideout. It's to be expected when two sides of the spectrum have had different encounters with Darkmon, and now they were meeting with each other after so long. Still, with the hostility in the air, it was hard to make conversation. What could anyone say? After all, this was a tricky subject to talk about, especially when the center of the attention was in the same room as them.

Ryder sat on the ground, arms and legs crossed. His body and head were wrapped up in bandages. His body has been stinging for a while now, but he fought through the pain, practically ignoring it. Besides, he has other things on his mind that he wanted answer.

Koda sat uncomfortably on the opposite side of the hideout. He tried to keep his eyes off of Ryder, but curiosity kept making him peek just a bit. He regretted each time he did. He'd flinch every time and look away with a shiver running up his body. No one has spoken to each other in the last hour.

Ryder's glare was burning a hole through his soul. Looking away didn't help. He could feel it beating down on him like the destructive rays of the sun. He heard how the Shadow would strike fear into the Darkmon whenever he appears. He now saw that it was anything but an exaggeration. He never felt so uncomfortable and terrified in his life. It's like one wrong word could get him killed. Correction, one wrong word WILL kill him.

Sitting on opposite sides of the hideout were the respective groups of the two quarreling forces. One side was hesitant about having a Darkmon in the same vicinity as them, the other is hoping to plead his case. It was hard for either side to agree with the other without starting a massive argument or, if things took a turn for the worse, a battle.

Pikachu twiddled his thumbs as he tried to think of something to say. He couldn't deal with the tense atmosphere for much longer. Someone needed to break the ice. Might as well be him.

He coughed to gather their attention. "So…how is everyone doing?"

Pansage looked up from his drowsy state. The lack of noise lulled him to sleep, but he tried to keep an ear out for any changes in the situation. He sighed and straightened himself up.

"If you must know, we've been trying to look for you for an entire week. We were constantly being chased by Darkmon, so…" He flinched as Ryder's glare tightened. "We've been kind of busy."

"Yeah, no kidding!" Pachirisu shouted. "We've been running FOREVER! One moment we're here, next we're there, then over there, and then some other place that way!"

"Uh…thank you, Pachirisu," the grass monkey acknowledged, patting his head.

Dragonite was slouched over since the hideout wasn't meant to house Pokémon of his size. He grumbled in annoyance. The small talk was getting on his nerves. He pounded his head against the wall.

"Hehe, right…" Buneary mumbled. She looked nervously at Koda, who flinched from her worried gaze. "So…who's this?" She could feel Ryder's tail flame crackling with heat, even seeing his fist slowly clenching.

The Darkmon suddenly found the floor interesting, diverting his eyes away from them. "I…uh…I'm Darkmon 6-7-4-6, referred to as…Koda by my…friends…" He didn't have to look at Ryder to feel his aura blazing brighter. He clenched his eyes shut. He was practically waiting for the Charmeleon to raise his fist and bury him twenty feet under.

Pikachu nodded slowly. "Okay…and…why were you helping our friends?"

Lying was out of the question, but would telling the truth help? Ryder was obviously not in the mood for small talk and wanted answers, but clearly isn't going to listen to reason with him. His hatred towards Darkmon was so palpable that one could hold the emotion in their hand. The hatred he felt was clearly deep and filled with hardship. He has been through a lot.

He took a deep breath. "Take what I say seriously, for I have no intention of harming any of you…especially with him here," he said, directing his eyes briefly at Ryder.

The Charmeleon's fist loosened, just a bit. He still kept his burning glare on him, unblinking.

He sighed and continued, "I was…not created like all other Darkmon. Frankly, I was the exact opposite. Darkmon are created with evil intentions and malice in their hearts. I was cheerful and full of life. I didn't share the same views as my allies. I still don't. I've been alone for years, not cared by anyone, Pokémon or Darkmon. I was just…there.

"Every time I see a Pokémon enter the forest, I try to make friends with them. Sadly, all they'd do is run away before being captured. I stuck to my role as a scout just so I wasn't forced to hunt and drag Pokémon back to Lord Dark." He could see Ryder's fist tightening again. "I didn't want to hurt anybody. I never do. It's not in my nature…

"I always wanted to help. When I saw these guys here, seeing they needed help, I offered it to them." He smiled at the Pokémon behind him. "I'm happy to have made friends with such wonderful creatures." They smiled a bit back at him. Dragonite gave a small grunt, but didn't hint it with malice.

"You see, I had a dream. A dream of Darkmon, Pokémon, and humans living together in harmony. We could benefit from each other. The Darkmon are incredibly powerful and could help the humans in a daily crisis. And humans could help us walk out in the sun."

Piplup crossed his flippers. "You mean a way for you to harm us at any time?"

"Piplup!" Buneary shouted.

"Hey, I'm being real here! We can't trust these guys! Now here we are, talking to one who's offering their 'help' in exchange for removing their number one weakness! Ha, like I'm falling for that!"

"I understand your concern, but you don't understand…" He tried to get a word in, but the penguin walked up and poked him in the chest.

"How do we know you didn't lead your ally Darkmon here? You could be distracting us with some sob story!"

He shook his head frantically. "I'm not lying, I swear!"

Oshawott grabbed Piplup and forced him down. "Settle down, Piplup! We're not going to get anywhere with you interrogating him so harshly!"

"Oh, you think that's harsh?! I'll show you harsh!"

Pachirisu stood tall in front of Koda. "Enough! I'm not letting you lay one hand on him!"

"Pachi, come on! You actually believe this guy?!"

"What I believe is that he saved us on multiple occasions. We've been alone with him for a whole week, with traps scattered everywhere. He could have just played dumb and let us get trapped or injured. But he didn't!"

"He's probably biding his time for the kill!" he shouted, trying to get out of Oshawott's grasp. "There's no way this guy is innocent!"

Koda stood up, making the group flinch. "I am innocent! I never once harmed anybody! I'm a good Darkmon!"

"It's your history against what we've seen!"

The Dark Riolu clenched his fist. "I'm telling you, I would never do such a thing! I don't have evil in my heart!" He looked down, clenching his chest. "At least…none I openly reveal…"

"Aha! You admit it!"

Koda's eyes widened. "That's not what I meant! All Darkmon are created with evil aura, but I'm not evil!"

"Evil is evil! That's all there is to it!"

"You have to understand, I would never intentionally do something evil!" He shook his head frantically. "I'm not evil at all!"

"You're REALLY digging yourself into a grave here, buster!"

Quilava stepped forward. "Knock it off, Piplup! He's telling the truth!"

Piplup looked back at the others. "Will one of you back me up on this one?!"

Buneary hugged the egg container with an unsure expression. Pikachu scratched the back of his head uneasily. Snivy kept her arms crossed and eyes closed. Oshawott merely offered a face that expressed he was at a loss himself.

"Seriously, none of you?!" He pointed at Buneary. "For Arceus' sake, one of them impersonated your mate and tried to intentionally break your egg!" She looked down sadly.

Snivy leered up at him. "Piplup, we should at least hear him out."

"What we need to do is get rid of him! Right Ryder?"

The Charmeleon closed his eyes, giving the Dark Riolu a brief period to relax. He went into deep thought, focusing heavily on his aura. He could feel the evil surrounding him. It was almost like every other Darkmon he had come across in his five year residence here.

…almost, being the keyword. There was something different. While the aura was evil in nature, the emotions that laid within it were a different story. Every Darkmon he came across never expressed positive or worried emotions in secret, unless they were impersonating other Pokémon. These emotions could be faked, but he could easily detect it when given time.

These emotions…they were anything but fake.

He had to agree with Piplup on one thing. This was hard to believe. This was a Darkmon with a story to tell. He was different from the rest. He also had information he needed. It'd be best if he gave him the benefit of the doubt.

His eyes opened. "…let him speak."

The first words he has spoken in a while. They weren't the words they expected to come from the vengeful Charmeleon. They left them in shock.

Koda smiled a bit. "Thank…" He stopped as Ryder raised a claw.

"You swear you've never harmed any Pokémon?"

He narrowed his eyes and bowed his head. "I swear."

He lowered his hand and resumed his meditative position. "Proceed."

He lifted his head up, letting out a sigh of relief. "Alright. I…we have information about the Darkmon you may want to hear. It involves my dream of uniting our two sides together."

He took a moment to get his words in line. This was his moment to shine, he couldn't mess it up. He needed a redeeming story and he'll give him one.

"…the Darkmon are being controlled."

Piplup raised a brow. "Controlled? What the heck are you-?"

"Piplup…" Ryder warned. "I'm giving him this time to speak for a reason. So stay quiet." The penguin pouted and sat back down. Ryder sighed and gestured to Koda. "Continue."

He nodded. "Thank you…" He sighed. "As I was saying…the Darkmon are not fully in control of their actions. Just recently, we've learned that the central bulb that created us also possesses subconscious control over our minds, influencing our behavior to…commit evil deeds. I'm somehow exempt from the subtle control."

"You're saying all of them aren't doing this of their own accord?"

He bowed his head, hesitant to answer. "I…can't guarantee that. If anything, more Darkmon are likely to accept their evil side instead of repelling it. They engulf themselves in their own madness to become powerful." He sighed. "Some of them choose to be evil. I'm not too familiar with any of the Darkmon to see if they want to be evil or not."

Ryder crossed his arms. "How exempt are you?"

"L-Like I said, I'm not affected by the subtle control. However, I can be affected by the…direct control. If a Darkmon with authority over all Darkmon, they can command them without hesitance or question. Their control can come through as a direct order or-"

"-whispers?" Ryder finished with a raised brow.

"Uh, yeah. How did you know?"

He shook his head. "Continue, now."

He frowned in confusion. "Alright…well, the bulb is what influences the Darkmon. It suppresses their emotions. They can't feel strong feelings. If they do, it comes to them as pain. They can't understand them and…they only rely on evil intentions to make sense of the world."

"So destroying the bulb really is essential," Pikachu muttered. "If the Darkmon can't understand why what they're doing is wrong, they'll continue to cause mayhem."

Koda whimpered. "But…destroying the bulb would kill the forest. Without the forest…we have no shade from the sun. We would all die." Ryder narrowed his eyes at him. "I understand that my death, or any Darkmon's death, means nothing to you, but you must understand that they're suffering. They don't know it, but they are."

Snivy crossed her arms. "Why would you care so highly about these creatures if they don't respect you?"

"Because I know they can change, even Lord Dark."

Ryder clenched his fist, teeth bared into a snarl. "Dark…he's nothing more than a cruel reminder of what has happened to me. He can't change."

Koda narrowed his eyes sadly. "I understand your frustration, but there is good in him…somewhere."

He raised his hand and counted off his claws. "Endangered the lives of multiple Pokémon and humans, nearly killed my trainer and girlfriend, nearly killed me…I don't see a saint in that malicious soul of his."

"Okay, maybe there isn't, but there might be a chance. After all…" He narrowed his eyes as they glowed purple. "You both have something affecting your emotions. You've been feeling unnatural rage lately, haven't you?" Ryder's emotionless expression told him everything. "There's no use denying. We all saw you use the Awakened Evil. You were being controlled yourself."

His expression twisted with anger. "What are you talking about?"

Pikachu cringed and scratched his head. "That's the…thing I needed to tell you about." He placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Ryder, they didn't want to tell you, but…you are the reason Ryan and Jade left."

A beat echoed through his head. Rage boiled up inside of him. "What?" he asked in a very, very sharp tone.

"Ryder, you apparently when rogue while you were in your coma. You attacked Ryan and Jade and-"

"Where is my tablet?"

Pikachu narrowed his eyes. "Ryder, listen-"

Ryder grabbed him by the throat, shocking the group, and lifted him in the air, applying pressure around his neck. "WHERE IS MY TABLET?!" Pikachu choked as he tried to get his hands off.

Koda grabbed Ryder while Pignite grabbed Pikachu, pulling the two apart. "Ryder, calm down!" Buneary shouted.

The Dark Riolu held him tightly as he thrashed. "Listen, calm down! Relax!"

The rage in Ryder's heart burned brightly, but he did as ask and closed his eyes. All those years of meditation were for moments like this. He took deep breaths and exhaled sharply in repeated breaths. His breathing could slice the air if it were any sharper.

Eventually, his rapid breaths slowed to short bursts. He took longer, deeper breaths and exhaled slower.

Koda sighed with relief. The aura is making his anger unstable. I should have took this slower.

He removed his grip on the Charmeleon, who stumbled forward. He rubbed his shoulder and looked at Pikachu, who was massaging his sore neck. A wave of guilt washed over him. "Pikachu…I…I didn't mean it…"

"It's…It's fine…I should have worded that better." Buneary wrapped her arms around her mate to comfort him.

Ryder held his head, trying to keep tears from leaking down his face. "Did I…actually do that?"

Buneary nodded slowly. "Hank told us that Ryan and Jade left. You went on a rampage and attacked everything in sight. They left after the ordeal…"

Ryder's willpower was failing him, as a single tear slid down his face. "Oh Arceus…"

She reached out and hugged him. "But they didn't leave because they were afraid of you. They left so they could protect you from yourself. They knew if that ever happened again…you wouldn't be able to live with the guilt."

She could feel his tears dripping onto her fur. "Why…would they keep that secret from me?"

"If I may give my own input," Pansage spoke up, "it may be due to your reaction. You showed us that if you feel immense anger that you will go off the deep end. Any more rage in your heart and you'll become as vile and hateful as the Darkmon. Who knows what would have happened if that got its fill of darkness."

Ryder narrowed his eyes and looked at his claws. A brief image of them soaked red flashed through his mind. He cringed at the thought and tightly clenched his fist.

"You honestly can't guarantee you wouldn't have lost your mind if you knew about this at a later date."

His meditative training…something he wasn't as versed in years ago. He really could have gone mad had he known about this.

He held his head and sat down, becoming weak-kneed. "I can't believe I would do something like that…"

Koda sat down in front of him. "It wasn't of your own accord. That blasphemous aura was the cause of your actions."

"…can it be removed?"

He narrowed his eyes sympathetically. "I'm sure it can, but…I don't know how to drain aura. You and Lord Dark would need to swap auras. Though, knowing him, he might put up with yours just enough to enjoy your misery. There's nothing I can do about it."

He looked down at the ground. He flexed his claws and dug them into the dirt. "Ryan…Jade…"

Buneary hugged him closely. "It'll be alright, Ryder."

"I'm a danger to you all…I could have killed you…I could have killed anyone…" He gripped his head tightly. "All I want is for this forest to die…"

Quilava cringed. "But, if you do that, Koda and any other…decent Darkmon will die, too."

He looked up from his hands. "What choice do we have?" He looked at Koda. "No offense, but I just can't trust you…monsters." It brought acidic tears to the dark jackal's eyes. "I don't see a reason to let them live…I just don't…"

Dragonite growled lowly. "Look, I wasn't a big fan of Koda when I first met him, but his attentions are pure. I can't believe it either, but he may be right. He can't be the only Darkmon who purposely succumbed to the darkness, can he?"

"I'm not even the only one. There was a Darkmon before me that was good. He even fell in love with another Pokémon."

"Fell in love with…" he looked down at his feet. The expression reflecting from his eyes showed realization. Newfound thought. "Is that who she meant…?" he mumbled to himself.

"She?" Pignite asked, confused by who he was referring to.

Ryder ignored him and looked at Koda. "You really think that?"

He nodded. "I do."

The Charmeleon looked off to the side. "A Darkmon who can feel…is it possible?"

"Hey, I'm living proof."

He flexed his claws once more, then clenched his fist. "…if I were to agree to help you, how can we guarantee that all Darkmon will follow in your example? You said that bulb is influencing them, yet it also keeps this forest from burning in the day. Even then, they'd still keep to their ways. How are we going to help them if that thing is going to be in their heads twenty-four seven?"

"I…I don't know…"

Pachirisu sighed. "There's no way of helping them without destroying them."

"Keeping them out of the sunlight, all of them, would prove tedious," Snivy added.

Ryder groaned. "That'd definitely be an issue if we go my intended course of action. Our main concern is finding the bulb."

"It's usually kept near Lord Dark's throne area. I know where that is."

"Even so, what do we do? Destroy it, but destroy Darkmon who have the ability to change? Or let them live, but put innocent lives in danger? If that bulb isn't destroyed, the entire world will suffer."

Koda glanced away from him. It was a thought he considered, even before he knew about the brainwashing. Not all Darkmon were going to go along with the idea. Or any, for that matter. There was no right or wrong answer to this problem. Either way, one side suffers. He cringed at the idea of his own brethren suffering from the wrath of the sun, even if they've been nothing but cruel and malicious to him.

"I…don't know…"

Pansage narrowed his eyes caringly and gave him a reassuring pat. "We'll think of something…"

"Yeah!" Pachirisu exclaimed. "There's always a way to make things better!"

"Reforming an entire forest won't be easy…" Pignite reminded.

Ryder sighed. "I'll…try and figure something out."

Koda looked up at him. "You better soon…doomsday is coming…"

"…right."

Buneary sighed and rested herself against the egg container when she saw a flash of light blink twice in her peripherals. She glanced at it and gasped. "G-Guys!"

They only saw it for a brief moment, but they definitely saw the egg glow for a moment. They moved back while Pikachu and Buneary gathered around the egg in shock. They looked at each other, jaws dropped.

"The egg's hatching…" they both muttered quietly to each other.

Quick as she could, Buneary placed her hand on the container and unlocked it. She reached in and pulled the egg out, cradling it in her arms. She could feel the warmth inside. There was life waiting to hatch out of it.

Everyone gather around, curiosity and joy plaguing their minds. They made sure to give the soon-to-be parents some much needed space as they sat close together, waiting for it to reveal their child.

Piplup smiled brightly. "I'm going to be an uncle! This is awesome!"

"I'm going to be an uncle AND a babysitter!" Pachirisu cheered.

Ryder shushed them. "Quiet," he whispered. "We must not disturb it when it hatches."

The egg flashed three times before enveloping completely in light. The light wasn't blinding, but it certainly was captivating. They stared at the light in anticipation as the egg took on its new shape.

The round figure shrunk down to a small body, with ears, limbs, and a tail forming from it. Buneary could feel the soft fur form, smooth and gentle against her arms.

The light eventually died down and, within the arms of the new mother, was a baby Pichu. It snoozed soundly in its mothers arms, taking its first breaths of air. It laid comfortably in her arms.

Pikachu and Buneary stared in awe for a few short moments, taking in this new feeling entering their minds and hearts, before smiling happily, tearful eyes shining down at the young child before them.

"Pikachu…" his mate whimpered joyfully. "W-We're…We're parents now…"

"I know…" He wrapped his arms around her, holding her and their baby close to him. "I…I've never been so happy in my entire life…"

The group around them smiled at the new life that has been brought into the world. After all the hardship they've had to go through, seeing something so…beautiful brought tears to their eyes. Even though the big guy didn't show tears, Dragonite offered a small smile as he stared down at the baby.

Pachirisu jittered in place. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh," he repeated over and over in a soft voice. "It's so cute!"

Ryder smiled warmly before reaching out. "If I may…I want to make sure it's healthy."

Buneary nodded and hand her baby over to him. He held the delicate newborn in his arms and observed it, taking a good look at its aura and any features that might signify sickness or deformity. Fortunately, he couldn't see anything wrong with it.

He smiled at the innocent form before handing it back to Buneary. "Congratulations, you two. You're now the proud parents of a healthy baby girl."

"A girl…" Buneary smiled at the newborn and lightly nuzzled her. "Welcome to the world, my little sweetie."

Pikachu let tears roll down his face, soaking his fur. But he didn't care. He nuzzled his head against Buneary. "I don't remember feeling this…happy before. This…This is such a rush for me…"

"I know how you feel…" She kissed his cheek. "So…what should we call her?"

"Call her?"

"No offense Pikachu, but it's going to get confusing if I have to refer to you and our own daughter by the same name."

He chuckled awkwardly. "Right…good point." He gently stroked his daughter's head. "We never even thought about a name for our child. I don't know."

"Ooh!" Pachirisu raised his hand. "What about Princess?"

Piplup shoved him. "Don't be ridiculous! She should be called Star!"

"Why Star?"

"Because why not!"

"Will you two shut up?" Koda whispered harshly. "You're going to wake her."

Too late. The Pichu shifted gently in Buneary's arms before opening her eyes. Eyes filled with curiosity. Mysterious, colorful figures around her, unknown to her tiny mind. The first thing to catch her attention was the two figures hovering above her.

Their faces…they filled her with comfort and serenity. She felt safe in the arms of these two. With a small coo, she snuggles against her mother, looking up at her with innocent eyes shimmering.

It took all the willpower of most of the group, even Ryder, to not awe at the precious sight. "She is so cute…" Buneary almost squealed loudly, but kept her voice low.

Pikachu nodded in agreement. He then tilted his head as he looked at the Pichu's cheeks. "Hey, Buneary. Look at her cheeks."

She did as asked. "What about them?"

"They're not the usual shade of red on a Pichu's cheeks. Her cheeks are brighter."

She tilted her head, trying to recall the shade of a Pichu's cheek. He seemed to be right. They didn't look like ones on a Pichu. "Huh, well I'll be darned. They almost look…"

"Scarlet." They looked up at Ryder. "That seems to be the color of her cheeks."

The two parents looked at each other. "You thinking what I'm thinking?" Buneary asked. Pikachu nodded with a bright smile. She smiled back before cuddling their baby. "Everyone, say hello to our baby girl…Scarlet."

Emolga parted the leaves of the bush out of the way and glanced around. Coast was clear, again. If the electrical current she was following was correct, the antidote was around here. She stepped out with the others following close behind.

"You sure it's here, Emolga?" Scraggy asked, keeping a tight hold on his pants. Somehow, this forest got creepier. You'd think with the time he spent here, he would have gotten used to it.

"Oh, definitely!" she exclaimed. "I can feel it!" She ran ahead and checked the bushes and trees for any unusual plant life that could be laying around. "Well, don't just stand there! Help me look!"

Scraggy nodded and quickly checked the trees for the flower. Krookodile's eyes observed the foliage for any something out of the ordinary. He kept Axew in a comfortable hold so he wouldn't disturb his slumber. "We're almost there, little buddy…" he whispered to the young dragon. "Just hang in there a little longer."

Axew groaned in his sleep and hugged himself, shivers go up his body. The sand croc sighed, disheartened by the dragon's misery. They needed that flower soon.

Scraggy popped out of a bush and brushed some leaves off his shoulders. "So, what exactly are we looking for?"

"Dark Oshawott said a white plant, probably a flower," she muttered absentmindedly as she dug through the dirt.

Krookodile looked around and spotted a spec of white in the trees. "Wait, is that it?"

The two smaller Pokémon ran over to check. They gasped happily as it was a white flower growing out of the tree. It had to be it. It was that only splash of color they've seen that wasn't dull and depressing. That was the flower they were looking for.

Emolga and Scraggy joined hands and jumped up and down. "We found it! We found it! We found it!" They even hugged each other, absolutely thrilled. Finally, after all the hardship they've went through, something finally went right.

Krookodile smiled brightly. "This is great!" He smiled down at Axew. "You'll be healed soon, buddy!" Axew groaned in response. If he was awake and had the energy to, he'd be jumping for joy.

Emolga didn't waste any time and ran towards the tree. She scampered up the trunk and to the level the flower was on. She reached the branch, then plucked the flower off. She squeal happily before shimmied down.

"Set him down, now!"

Krookodile bent down onto one knee and laid the small dragon down on his back. Emolga sat on her knees crushed the flower in her hand, making it easier for him to swallow. She lifted his head up and brought the powdered flower towards his mouth. "Axew, if you can hear me, I need you to open up. Please?"

The dragon twitched in his deep slumber, but seemed to have heard her as his mouth gently opened, just enough for her to slide the contents from her hand and into his mouth. She tilted his head back and helped him swallow it. Immediately, a sensation of bitterness ran through his body, evident by his cringe.

They looked down at the dragon for any signs of change. He still looked pale, which made them think it didn't work. Emolga placed her hand on his forehead and rubbed it. She gasped as she felt it. She couldn't feel him overheating. His fever was going down.

She bent down and placed her ear towards his mouth. She smiled as she heard him breathing normally. No ragged panting or anything.

"It's working…" She felt tears building up in her eyes. "It's actually working…" She picked Axew up and hugged him. "I'm so glad you're alright!"

Scraggy rubbed the sleeping dragon's back. "You're one tough dragon, Axew."

Krookodile smiled before rising to his feet. "Come on. Let's get moving. We can't stay in one place for too long."

A chuckle rang through their ears. "I couldn't agree more."

Their blood went ice cold. They didn't move as two Dark Mightyena circled around them. They bared their teeth and aimed Shadow Balls at the group, prepared to fire at any moment. Krookodile raised his claws up defensively, using Dragon Claw.

He and Scraggy recognized the voice. It was the hunter they heard last week: Savage.

The Dark Marowak spun his bone club in his hand and stamped it on the ground, leaning on it like a cane. "Well, well, well…what do we have here? A few lost souls who…don't seem to be in the best of conditions." He chuckled. "I must admit. I'm impressed you've managed to find the antidote for your friend. Your tracking skills are to be admired."

Emolga growled and held Axew protectively in her arms. "Don't you dare come closer! I won't let you lay a finger on Axew!"

He smirked. "My dear, you make it sound like were after only him." He aimed his club at them. "Take them down!"

His Darkmon minions growled and fired Shadow Ball. Krookodile swiped his claws at them, destroying the attacks on the spot. Immediately after, he used Stone Edge and fired shards of rock at them. They swiftly evaded the rocks and lunged at him. They bit down on his arms tightly.

He cringed and tried to throw them off. His lack of rest didn't make it easy. His movements were sluggish. They didn't have any power in them. He couldn't fight them all off.

He decided to test his luck by spinning and tunneling his way through the ground with Dig. The force of the spin, not to mention grinding the mutts against the dirt tunnel, was enough to knock them off his arms. He fired out of the dirt and shot Stone Edge into the hole.

Savage grinned before taking his club and throwing it at him. Krookodile ducked and charged at him with Dragon Claw. The Dark Marowak dodged the attack and grabbed his wrist.

His bone club came flying back and whacked Krookodile right in the head. He stumbled forward before receiving an uppercut to the chin. He took his club and jabbed the croc's side. He cringed from the hit and wobbled side to side.

The hunter smirked before aiming his club, charging his Hyper Beam. "Now fall!"

Scraggy ran up Krookodile's back and jumped above Savage. He formed a Focus Blast between his hands and brought it down as he fell. He slammed it on top of Savage with as much force as he could muster. He landed behind the hunter, who stumbled dizzily. Scraggy spun on his heel and used Hi Jump Kick, ramming his knee against his back.

He stumbled forward before glaring at the Shedding Pokémon. He gripped his weapon tightly and slapped it across his cheek. Scraggy slammed against a tree and laid there, unmoving.

"Stay down, you insolent pest," Savage commanded to the unconscious Pokémon. "I do not have time to deal with annoyances like you."

Krookodile tightened his fist and struck Savage in the face. He roared loudly, rustling the leaves around him. He slapped his cheeks to invigorate himself. His body emitted a flash and summoned Stone Edge. He fired the storm of sharp rocks at the hunter.

Savage stood up and thrashed at the rocks with his club, shattering and knocking them away. "You cannot defeat me in your current state, sand croc. You need rest. Allow me to help you go to dreamland!" He rushed through the storm of rocks.

The sand croc sidestepped and used Dragon Claw, slashing the Dark Marowak across the back. He smirked. "Sorry bucko, just got my second wind." He spun and used Dig.

Savage stood up and carefully observed his surroundings. He laughed. "You really think you're going to take a Ground-Type Darkmon by surprise by digging underground? You're either stupid or…no, just stupid!"

He sensed a change in the earth and causally dodged Krookodile shooting out of the ground. Savage gripped his bone club and whacked him across the face.

"I'm in control here, Pokémon. Just give up."

The sand croc stood up and rubbed his cheek. "I don't take orders from the likes of you."

"Your tricks and skills don't amuse me. I can easily counter anything you throw at me."

The sand croc rushed at him and used Dragon Claw. He slashed wildly, but the Darkmon was much faster than him. He caught his wrist and slammed his club into the croc's side.

Krookodile rubbed his aching side before glaring down at the Dark Marowak. He grabbed him by the arms and lifted him over his head. "Let's see how you like this!" He slammed him down, then jumped into the air to spin down on him with Dig, forcibly pushing him through the dirt.

Savage endured the force of the tunneling and dug his hands into the sides of the tunnel. It took a moment, but he managed to slow down Krookodile's momentum. He stopped spinning and panted heavily. He wasn't going to last much longer. Before Savage could even think of attacking, he used Dragon Claw and slashed at Savage in anger.

"I won't let you harm my friends! I won't stop until they're safe!"

Savage caught his wrists and kicked him hard in the gut. The sand croc held his stomach with a sharp wheeze escaping his mouth. His eyes clenched shut from the pain, but opened enough to see Savage charging Hyper Beam.

"Shout all you like, Krookodile. You can express as much anger as you want. But, at the end of the day, you're still too weak."

Up top, Emolga was tending to Scraggy, trying to wake him up. "Scraggy! Scraggy, wake up!" She shook him. "Hurry, before he comes back!"

She jumped as the tunnel Krookodile drilled down erupted with the evil Hyper Beam. She saw Krookodile's body fly out from within the beam. He flew high in the air before landing harshly. He was out cold.

"No…No!" She picked Scraggy up and flung him onto her shoulder. Carrying him and Axew was difficult, but she ignored the strain in her body as she ran over to the unconscious croc and grabbed his hand. She desperately tried to pull him, but he wouldn't budge. He was too heavy for her to drag, even if she lightened her load. "Come on, come on! Move!"

She was limited on time. Savage would need a moment to recharge after using Hyper Beam, so she needed to hurry. But how could she move a large sand croc like Krookodile?! If he was a Sandile, this wouldn't be a problem.

She heard two sets of laughter and turned around. The Dark Mightyena minions dug their way out of the ground and pulled themselves to the surface. They grinned evilly at her and fired Shadow Ball.

In her panic, she fired Hidden Power at the attacks, exploding them on impact. She didn't stop there as she fired Hidden Power rapidly, trying to keep the dark mutts at bay. She couldn't fight off them AND Savage all at once. She needed to take these guys out first.

She did her best at keeping them distanced from her, as her Hidden Power pushed them back with each brief contact. However, using this many at once was taking a toll on her energy. She could feel herself getting progressively weaker the longer she attacked without rest. The lack of sleep didn't help her case either.

After a brief period of time, the Hidden Power became weaker and smaller, up to the point where the Dark Mightyena smirked casually as they walked through them. They felt like nothing more than gentle tickles.

Emolga's body gave in to the lack of energy and she collapsed to her knees. She hovered her body protectively over Axew as the Darkmon loomed over her. She growled angrily.

"I won't let you touch him!"

A strong blow nailed her in the back of the head. Her eyes glazed over before shutting as she fell unconscious onto Axew.

Savage twirled his club with a proud smirk. "Lord Dark will certainly be pleased by my victory." His minions growled at him, making him roll his eyes. "Sorry, OUR victory. Now start hauling them."

One Dark Mightyena placed Krookodile on his back while the other carried Scraggy and Emolga. Savage grabbed Axew and threw him on his shoulder. They marched into the forest, ready to give the good news to Lord Dark.

Dark tossed and turned as he regained awareness of the world. How long was he out? Actually, when did he fall asleep? He felt refreshed…yet also slightly annoyed about something. He couldn't quite remember what it was about. Probably nothing major.

He sat up and stretched. "Man, what happened?"

"Lord Dark! Lord Dark!" He cringed upon hearing his annoying second in command fly down from the trees. "You must come quickly!"

He rubbed his eyes. "Fang, I honestly don't care. Whatever it is, it's none of my concern."

"You don't understand!" Fang insisted. "Darkmon 7-7-9 has been poisoned!"

Dark scratched his head. "She's the one I assigned to care for Meowth, right?" He sighed and laid back down. "Just have someone drain the poison out of her."

"That's not all! Your betrothed has been injured, too!"

"Fang, if you keep pestering me, I'm gonna…WHAT?!" Fang didn't have time to blink as he felt two hands wrap around his neck and shove him into a tree, choking him. "WHO?!"

He gagged, unable to speak. Dark narrowed his eyes, lightening up his grip just enough to let him speak. "Darkmon 4-2-6-0, the Dark Mightyena you ordered to guard Meowth, went rogue earlier and attacked them. Darkmon 7-7-9 intervened and managed to settle the fight with major casualties."

"Where…are they?" he growled, trying to keep his temper in check.

"Meowth's hut."

He dropped Fang and stepped back. "As soon as Darkmon 4-2-6-0 regenerates, restrain him and have him ready to be judged. I'll be back." With that, he sped off in a dark blur.

Fang rubbed his neck, then smirked. "Rile up Lord Dark…check."

Meowth rubbed Chloe's forehead as the poison continued to spread across her body. It completely over took her legs, body and half her face. It was halfway up her tail.

"It'll be alright, Chloe. I'm trying to keep you alive for as long as possible," he reassured softly.

"T…Thank you…Meowth…" she muttered weakly. She coughed harshly, hurting her chest. He cringed and grabbed a berry. He crushed it up in his hands before feeding it to her. "You don't have to do that, Meowth…"

"You can barely talk. I don't want you choking on your food." He slowly fed her the berry mush. He sighed, then looked at Laura.

The android was in sleep mode, reserving her power. Her arms were resting next to her. He'll have to reattach them later. Won't be easy without his needed equipment. He can't repair a sophisticated piece of technology with a stick!

His ears twitched upon hearing a ferocious roar coming from outside. "What in the world?!" He fell onto his back when a figure suddenly appeared in his hut.

"Where is she?!" Dark shouted, his eyes glowing red with rage. He glance to his left and gasped. "Laura!" He ran over to her side. "Is she…"

Meowth pushed himself up. "Dark, I assure you, she's fine. She's in sleep mode until I get energy for her."

He sighed in relief. "Good…" He stroked her cheek before standing up. "Darkmon 7-7-9?"

She coughed, gaining his attention. "Present…"

He walked up to her and kneeled down. "Fang told me you protected Meowth and Laura. Is this true?"

She tried pushing herself up, cursing herself for looking weak and helpless in front of her lord. "Y-Yes, my lord." She cringed and fell on her back.

Dark sighed. "We'll have to let you deteriorate so your body can regenerate from the bulb." He engulfed his hand in flames.

Meowth's eyes widened. He jumped in front of Chloe. "NO!" Dark narrowed his eyes in confusion. The cat coughed into his fist. "Uh, I mean…please, can't you just drain the poison out of her?"

"It'll be easier if she regenerated naturally. Why?"

Meowth pointed to his walls. "You may want to look at this."

He glanced up at it and squinted. "Your wall? What about it?"

"Huh?" Meowth grabbed some moss and shined it on the wall. His jaw dropped. All his work…all his research on the bulb…it was gone. It was so dark, he didn't see it. Even if it was lit up, his mind was preoccupied with his friends incapacitated. "I…I…how?"

Dark groaned. "Meowth, I have no time for games. The moment Darkmon 4-2-6-0 regenerates, I need to enact his punishment." He turned to leave. "I expect you to repair my bride."

How could it have disappeared? All the evidence he had that the Darkmon were being controlled just…vanished. Someone must have sanded it down on something. There was no way he could explain this to Dark without sounding like a complete lunatic. And now he was wide open for an attack while he repairs Laura, plus his newest friend going to be reprogrammed to hate him again.

…wait!

"Hold on, Dark!" Meowth called out, gaining his attention. "You can't expect me to repair Laura without a guard. C-Chloe could take an hour or so to regenerate. With Laura down, I'm exposed for a second attack. Laura wouldn't be happy if she knew you didn't give me a guard."

He narrowed his eyes. "…yes…that would be an issue, wouldn't it?" He sighed. "Very well. Stand back."

He kneeled down and placed his hand on Chloe. His hand glowed as he absorbed the poison coating her body. Poisonous color gravitated to his hand and left Chloe's body. He absorbed every last bit of it, leaving Chloe with her natural purple color.

He then applied some energy into Chloe to get her back to her feet. "Darkmon 7-7-9, I must honor you for sticking to your orders. You have proven your loyalty efficiently."

She rose to her feet and saluted. "Thank you, Lord Dark."

"I trust you will keep a close eye on him from now on. I wish not for my bride to be damaged again."

"I won't let it happen again, Lord Dark."

"It better not. You'll find Laura's power supplies back at her hut." His eyes flashed as he was receiving a psychic message. "Hang on for a moment." He held his hand to his head. "What?"

"Lord Dark," Fang's voice echoed through his mind. "I have restrained the traitor. He is ready for judgement."

"Good. I'll be by shortly."

"And, before I forget, Savage has returned with captives. An Axew, Emolga, Scraggy, and Krookodile."

Dark smirked. "He actually caught something? I'm impressed. Very well, make sure he has them placed in a holding chamber."

"Yes, my lord."

Dark turned to the group. "Well, it would appear we have some captives. Splendid."

"Captives?" Meowth muttered.

He stepped out of the hut. "I'll be by later in the morning to check on your progress with Laura. Do not disappoint me, Meowth."

"I won't…sir," he awkwardly added, giving a meek salute. Nodding in approval, he vanished into shadows. He groaned and pulled on his hair in frustration. "Great…just great!"

"What is the issue, Meowth?" Chloe asked.

"Look at the wall!"

She turned and observed it. "I do not see anything unusual…wait…" Her eyes widened a bit. "What happened to your research?"

"Someone sanded it down or something! I wouldn't have been able to explain the bulb's power to him without sounding like a lunatic." He growled and dropped his arms. "Someone's definitely plotting against us. Laura might be right…Dark couldn't have been responsible for this."

"Then who? Dark is the only one who could have ordered Dark Mightyena to attack us."

"We need to find out soon." He sighed and looked at Laura. "But for now, we need to focus on helping Laura."

"I concur." Meowth walked over to the sleeping android and picked her up. Chloe glanced to the side awkwardly before saying, "Meowth, if I may say something."

He looked over his shoulder. "What?"

"I would…like to thank you for your concern over me. You were worried I might change if I would have to fully regenerate. I am…truly grateful for your care and friendship." She forced herself not to cringe as her heart gave off another sharp pang.

Meowth looked away from her so she wouldn't see his blush. "Oh, I, uh…you're welcome, Chloe." He smiled shyly. "I didn't want you to change. They say the Darkmon are evil…but I know there's more to you than that. I didn't want the Dark Glameow I've gotten to know…cease to exist."

Chloe could feel heat rise up in her cheeks. She faced away. "Agreed. I would…hate if I had to change, too. I wouldn't be able to fully appreciate or understand your compassion if it wasn't for you."

They stood there in awkward silence. Meowth was glad he had Laura shut off. He wouldn't be able to deal with her sly comments, especially if she saw the blush present on his face.

Meowth coughed a bit to break the silence. "W-Well…best we get going. Would you mind carrying Laura while I grab her arms?"

She nodded, getting her blush to vanish. "No, I wouldn't mind." She walked over and let him lay the android on her back. She started making her way out as Meowth grabbed Laura's arms and followed her.

"Where's her hut again?"

Chloe pointed to their right. "It's this way."

"Great. Let's get moving."

They started walking, keeping to themselves for most of the way. Meowth looked to the side with a blush. I'm glad Dark took the poison out of her. I wouldn't have the heart to confront her if she changed. He internally sighed. I just HAD to develop a crush on a Darkmon.