A week has passed for the trainers as their four Pokémon got the needed bed rest they deserve to recuperate from their injuries. Nurse Joy could have released them a bit earlier, but she wanted to make sure they were well enough to move on their own. Today, after a final checkup from her, she announced that they were free to leave.

The trainers were glad to hear this. With Dawn leaving and with the Pokémon League coming up soon, they needed to get back on the road soon. Nurse Joy said Pikachu should be ready to battle before then, but she wouldn't want the mouse to participate in any serious battles after just recovering. Though, not knowing Ash and Pikachu's stubborn natures, they'd likely crank out as much training as possible to be ready for the league.

As for Dawn, she'll be leaving on the next plane to Johto for upcoming Pokémon Contests being held there, with her flight leaving today. She made sure to spend as much time with Buneary and Scarlet as possible before then, same with her Pokémon. They were, of course, deeply saddened that they'll be separated from their favorite rabbit for some time. Though, like Dawn, they knew this had to be done for Buneary's sake.

With the other trainers, they'll be staying at Cynthia's villa again for the night since most of the week was spent either visiting their injured Pokémon or, in Ash's case, training his team. They'll be using that time to restock on supplies before setting their sights on the Pokémon League.

Ryder was looking forward to seeing a Pokémon League in person again. True, he wouldn't be participating, which was a shame, but he'd still get to see some epic battles unfold. He would love to see how Ash battles. If Pikachu reflected how good his team was, then he was in for some fierce battles to witness.

The trainers waited in the lobby for Nurse Joy to officially dismiss Pikachu, Buneary, Ryder, and Dragonite. She had to make some final checkups on their health before she could do so, while also giving them the precautions they needed to take so they didn't reopen their wounds or break anything.

Hank remained around for a bit. He wanted to give Ryder and Jade his goodbyes before heading out. He also had to inform Officer Jenny of the forest's destruction, while also explaining himself for disobeying his own rule about Pokémon entering the forest in the first place. He also paid for repairs to the other Pokémon Center so it could be rebuilt. Once he was done here, he'll be heading back to base.

After much wait, Nurse Joy led the Pokémon into the lobby. They had freshly changed bandages applied to them and Buneary still had her sling on for her arm.

Ryder stretched his arms out. "Ugh, glad to be up and about! Sleeping in those beds all week was killing me."

Jade giggled, walking up to his side. "(Serves you right for what you did.)" She slid her hand into his and kissed his cheek. Ryder rolled his eyes with a small grin and a light blush.

Seeing that her mommy and daddy were walking, Scarlet ran up to them excitably. "Chu! Pichu!"

Buneary and Pikachu smiled and brought her into a warm, loving hug. "(Aww, Scarlet! You're so sweet!)" Buneary praised. The baby Pichu giggled and nudged her head against her side.

"(How's your arm feeling, Buneary?)" Piplup asked.

She lightly twitched it. "(Err…fine, I guess. It stopped stinging whenever I move it. I still have to wear this thing for six weeks, so…yeah, that'll be fun,)" she muttered dryly.

Pikachu patted her shoulder. "(Oh, those six weeks will pass before you know it.)"

"(I hope so.)"

Iris walked up to Dragonite with a smile. "How are you feeling, Dragonite?"

The dragon smirked and flexed his muscles boastfully. "(Feeling like my old self agai-!)" His eyes widened as he felt a slight pain in his chest that made him falter forward. "(Ugh…I feel horrible.)"

Iris chuckled. "I see. Well, at least you won't have to do a lot of walking while you're in your Pokeball." Guess that was one plus side for the dragon having a trainer.

Ryder looked up at Hank. "So, you're really going, huh?"

Hank grinned. "Yeah. Sorry I'm leaving you, bud, but I'm not on leave like you."

"You mean they're not giving you vacation time after all of this?" Ryder asked in surprise. He'd think the boss would offer Hank time off since he went through a lot himself.

"The boss is giving me time to recover from my injuries, yes, but I'll be back in action in a few days." He narrowed his eyes. "I have some things I want to check out once I head back out in the field."

Ryder narrowed his eyes back. "Team Rocket?" he guessed.

"Something about these events have left me concerned, especially with everything your friends have been saying." He rubbed his chin. "Call it a hunch, but there's a tangled web of events that transpired in that forest that has set everything unbalanced. I'll need to commit to some long hours to get some answers." He chuckled. "Though, I suppose Ryan is beating us to it."

Ryder looked down glumly. "Probably is."

Hank kneeled down and patted his head. "Don't feel so low, bud. You'll see him again in due time. Just keep your mind open and be patient." He stood up. "This is where are paths cross. We are all going in separate directions, but these paths will find their way back to each other when the time is right. You just need to keep a clear head."

The Charmeleon sighed, then smiled. "I'll try."

"Good. Which remind me, I have something for you." He reached behind his back and handed him a box. "I called in some help at the base and asked them to make this stuff for you."

Ryder slashed across the top and opened it. His eyes widened as he saw a brand-new cloak inside, along with some of his gear, including a newly repaired Shockwave Gun. Complete with the cloak was his grappling claw, an assortment of dehydrated berries, medicine, his collapsible staff, and his Electro Gauntlet.

"I…I can't believe this…" he gasped in surprise.

"I figured I should give you your old stuff, just so you can continue with your training."

Ryder narrowed his eyes. "Where's my explosives and shurikens, though?"

"Yeah, uh…those may have come in handy for missions and the Darkmon, but I'm not letting you carry that stuff around while accompanied by your friends here."

Ryder pouted. "Of course…" Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll find random metal lying around and fashion it into shurikens.

Piplup walked over and raised his flipper. "(Excuse me, Mr. Hank! May I keep this?!)" he asked, holding up his windmill shuriken.

Dawn jumped in surprise. "What the-?! Piplup, where did you get that?! WHY do you have that?!"

Hank narrowed his eyes and swiped the weapon away from him. "Absolutely not! I don't know why Ryder taught you how use this thing, but I'm not letting you carrying this around in public!"

"(AWW!)" he groaned in dismay. "(But I just learned how to aim it! And it's SSSOOO cool!)"

Hank rubbed his face while Lucario and Azumarill, who were relaxing on a nearby couch, snickered at him. "Oh shut up, you two."

Ryder swung the cloak around his neck and buttoned it together. He noticed the red sensor for it was gone. "Is this just a regular cloak?"

"Your Camouflage Cloak sustained heavy damage from your fight. It'll take a long time to repair it. Besides, you won't have much need for it. Just be glad I'm giving you that stuff in case of an emergency."

He sighed. Well, he had a point. Outside of stealth missions, he rarely used the camouflage feature on his cloak. "Fair enough…"

"And remember, once you're healed, I want you to continue with your aura training. Now that that restrictor is off you, you'll be able to easily learn the full extent of your aura, hopefully without a repeat of your recklessness from earlier."

He waved it off. "Yeah, yeah, I get ya…"

Jade grinned and nuzzled his cheek. "(And guess who gets to teach you? Heh, even after all these years, you're still being trained by superior aura users.)"

He grinned exasperatedly. "I hate you sometimes…"

She giggled, then kissed his cheek. "(Oh, if you weren't recovering right now, I'd throw you to the ground right now.)"

"Not if I do it first."

She grinned with a playful glint in her eye. "(Is that a challenge I hear?)"

He grinned back fiercely. "That's not a challenge, it's a promise!"

She chuckled lowly. "(Oh, I'm SO gonna look forward to kicking your butt once training starts!)"

Ryder clenched his fists, fire burning in his eyes. "I can't wait either, if only to wipe that smug grin of yours off with my fist!"

"(Threatening me, huh? Never expected a cutie such as you being mean to a poor little lady like me!)"

"Please, you're anything but sweet and innocent!"

As they fired back and forth at each other, the others stared in bewilderment at their behavior towards one another. This was the kind of attitude one would expect from rivals, not two lovers. They were deeply in love with each other, yet they had no qualms with getting into a fight with one another.

"(Uh…I have no words,)" Pikachu mumbled.

Buneary chuckled, scratching her head. "(Heh, love is expressed in…different ways, I suppose.)"

"(Yeah, nothing screams love like 'Hey, I want to fight you!',") Piplup sarcastically stated.

Scarlet didn't know what was going on, so she laughed at the amusing sight, falling on her back and kicked her feet in the air in hysterics. Her parents stared at her hysterical laughter before shrugging with exasperated smiles.

Hank chuckled before clapping loudly, gaining the competitive couple's attention. "I can already tell you two are going to have fun together." He kneeled down and opened his arms up. "Come here. Give good ol' Hank one last hug."

They smiled, accepting his embrace. Jade nudged her head against Hank's cheek. "(Take care, Hank.)"

"Same to you. I know we had little time to catch up, but I'm glad to have seen you throughout this week." He patted her head. "Make sure you keep an eye on Ryder. You know how he gets."

Jade giggled. "(Oh…I know~!)" she sang teasingly.

Ryder rolled his eyes, then grinned. "I'll miss you, Hank."

"I'll miss you too, Ryder." He rubbed the top of his head. "Stay out of trouble and…try to find yourself, alright?"

He nodded in understanding. "I'll try."

"And before I forget…" He reached into his back pocket and placed something in his hand: Jade's Pokeball. "I'm sure this'll be safe in your hands. Don't want to lose it."

Ryder shook his head. "Never." Jade smiled and kissed Ryder's cheek, making him blush happily.

Hank stood up before turning to the trainers. "Well, I'm sure the experiences you all witnessed in the last few weeks will be unforgettable, dare I say haunting. I only ask that you keep this whole incident between us, understand?"

They nodded. "No need to worry, sir," Dawn reassured. "Our lips are sealed."

Hank smiled. "All I wanted to hear." He pointed to Ash. "Good luck in the league, kid."

Ash raised his fists with a wide grin. "I don't need luck! I aim to win!"

Hank laughed. "Don't we all?" He turned his back to them and headed straight for the door. "Lucario! Azu! We're leaving." The jackal and aqua rabbit hopped out of their seats and followed their master out. They all gave one last wave before exiting the center and leaving to their left, out of sight.

Ryder sighed shakily. "Feels like another trainer of mine is gone again…" Hank has been like a second trainer to him. He made sure he was always alright while in the forest and made sure he was perfectly healthy to continue with his missions. The Charmeleon was stubborn, so it took a persuasive figure like Hank to keep him stable. He was going to miss the old man.

Jade wrapped her arm around his neck. "(You feeling okay?)"

He sniffled, then wrapped his arm around her waist with a light smile. "I'll…be fine, don't worry." They looked each other in the eyes with admiration before drawing themselves into a loving kiss.

"Aww~!" Dawn sounded. "How cute!" She glanced over a wall clock and smiled sadly. "Looks like my flight will be leaving in an hour."

"Oh yeah…" Ash mumbled a bit. He smiled. "Such a shame, too. I was hoping you'd stay around longer."

Dawn laughed. "Believe me, I would love too, but I've overstayed my welcome enough. I need to start hitting the road again."

"Well, since we have time, we might as well inform Cynthia of your departure before you leave," Cilan suggested.

Dawn nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a plan."

Ryder grinned. "Well, no use standing around here. Let's get moving."

They nodded and exited out of the Pokémon Center.

Since they had the time, Ash and Dawn thought it would be a great idea to have a Pokémon battle. Dawn had Quilava battle and for Ash…well, he would have had Pikachu battle, but…injuries and stuff. So, he decided to let Oshawott have a go. The two fought fiercely against each other, but Oshawott had a clear advantage. Not just in typing, but in physical strength too.

"Oshawott, Razor Shell!"

"Quilava, you use Flame Wheel!"

They charged at each other with and clashed attacks. However, the moment Quilava made contact with Razor Shell, he felt his forward momentum stopping against the water blade. He was still spinning, but he couldn't seem to budge Oshawott back. Not even by an inch. The sea otter firmly kept his ground, as a smirk stretched across his face. He shoved Quilava back, sending him flying into the air.

Dawn gasped. "Oh no! Quilava!"

Thankfully, because of his contest training, he was able to land on his feet gracefully. Even so, he was bewildered by Oshawott's strength. "(Oh my Arceus…)"

Oshawott slashed the air proudly, raising his blade high. "(Haha! That's right! Fear my awesome power!)"

Ash scratched the back of his head, just as surprised as Dawn and Quilava. "Whoa…Oshawott's gotten a lot stronger since before."

Ryder, who was sitting on the sidelines with the others, chuckled to himself as he raised his hand. "That'd be my doing. I may have given him, plus Pikachu, Buneary, Snivy, and Piplup, some training while they were in the forest with me."

Ash grinned brightly. "Wait, seriously?!"

"Heck yeah! I mean, I'd give you the equipment, but…" He pouted. "Hank didn't seem to provide any to me."

Jade patted his head. "(Aww, you poor thing.)"

Ash focused back on the battlefield. "So Oshawott's even stronger than before, huh? Let's test that out! Use Hydro Pump!"

Oshawott jumped into the air, waved his arms together to create a water vortex, and fired a pressurized stream of water at Quilava.

"Quilava, dodge!"

Quilava rolled out of the way and watched the stream soar. They all gasped as the Hydro Pump penetrated through several trees, destroying the surrounding base and toppling them to the ground, scaring off several bird Pokémon.

Everyone blinked in shock, then turned to Ryder. Just as surprised, he gave a meek shrug. "I'm, uh…so good a teacher, I surprise myself."

Piplup crossed his flippers and held his head up with pride. "(Oh please, I could do that with my eyes close!)"

Oshawott smirked. "(Is that a challenge you're proposing?)"

Piplup smirked back. "(You know what? It is! Bring it!)" He jumped onto the battlefield and got into a battle stance.

Ash blinked. "Huh…I think Piplup wants to battle Oshawott."

Ryder rubbed his chin. "They did have the exact training, so this should be interesting."

Dawn kneeled down and rubbed Quilava's head. "You wouldn't mind if I swapped you out for Piplup, right?"

Quilava grinned nervously. "(If it means staying away from that Hydro Pump, I'll gladly wave some pom-poms!)"

Hearing his affirmative yip, she nodded and stood up, letting him scamper over to the sidelines. "Guess this is a battle between Piplup and Oshawott."

Ash clenched his fist and raised it. "That's fine by me! Let's show 'em, Oshawott!"

"(Yeah!)" he cried out.

Dawn grinned, narrowing her eyes. "Don't hold back, Piplup!"

He crossed his flippers, stating smugly, "(I never intended to.)"

Snivy crossed her arms with a light smirk. "(So the two goofballs are going to show off, eh? I'm looking forward to this. Show him what you got, Oshawott!)"

The otter blinked in her direction, then blushed with a dopey smile. "(I-I-I, uh…s-sure thing, Snivy!)" The grass snake giggled to herself. Though her feelings on him were still up to debate, she had to admit his meek behavior was rather cute.

Piplup pouted angrily and wildly flapped his flippers. "(Hey! Is anyone going to cheer me on or what?!)"

Buneary rolled her eyes with a smirk, then raised her fist. "(Come on, Piplup! You can do it!)"

Scarlet clapped excitedly. "CHU CHU!"

Piplup held his hips smugly. "(That's more I like it!)" He got into position.

"Alright! Oshawott, Razor Shell!"

"Piplup, use Drill Peck!"

The two activated their moves and lunged at each other. Water blade and spinning beak clashed with each other, creating a powerful shockwave that nearly knocked their trainers off their feet.

Ash held his fists up excitedly. "That is SO awesome!"

They pushed against each other fiercely before knocking away from each other. They stood up and grinned competitively.

Dawn smirked. "Okay then, let's use Ice Beam!"

Piplup jumped into the air and fired down icy energy at the sea otter. Oshawott ran across the field, dodging beams that got too close to him. "Oshawott, use Aqua Jet!" Getting a sense of what he wanted, Oshawott coated himself in water and flew into the air. He spun around one of the beams, coiling the icy energy around him to freeze his Aqua Jet solid.

Piplup braced himself as he was slammed by a fast moving chunk of ice that knocked him high into the air. He flapped his flippers to slow his descent back to solid ground. Oshawott, through willpower and strength, shattered the ice around him, using one of the chucks to kick off after him.

"Piplup use Bubble Beam!"

The penguin spun around and fired the explosive bubbles at Oshawott. "Oshawott, destroy them with Razor Shell!" He grabbed his scalchop and sliced through the oncoming projectiles, letting them explode from behind.

Piplup landed on his feet and backflipped out of Oshawott's range. They stood tall with wide grins.

Ash and Dawn glared at each other with determined smiles, before ordering, "Alright, use Hydro Pump!"

The penguin and otter built up the pressurized water and fired it at each other. The two powerful streams collided furiously, with the ground under the collision point breaking from the shock.

Pikachu's eyes widened. "(Dang! That's a lot of power!)"

Ryder grinned, glad to see his training improved their skills quite a bit. However, just before he thought they were at a stalemate, he noticed Oshawott's aura spike up a bit, unknowingly traveling through his hands and mixing with his Hydro Pump.

Just before anyone knew it, Oshawott's Hydro Pump pierced through Piplup's and blasted him, nearly sending him out of the battlefield boundaries. He dug his flippers into the dirt and stopped himself from flying out, pushing against the powerful force of the water.

Oshawott ended his attack soon after, blinking in surprise that his Hydro Pump broke through Piplup's. "(Whoa…)"

Piplup shook his head dry and raised his balled-up fists. "(HA! I can still keep going! Nothing can stop the almighty Piplup!)"

Cynthia, however, decided to cut into the battle, raising her hand. "Alright, I declare this match a draw." The trainers and two Water-Types looked in her direction. She smiled, placing her hands on her hips. "You both have demonstrated excellence bonds with your Pokémon." She smiled at the two Pokémon. "And you two have showed improvement in your own abilities. I hope to see all of you grow stronger in time."

Ash and Dawn smiled. "Thank you!" Their Pokémon ran up to them and jumped into their arms with big smiles.

Jade clapped with a light grin. "(That was fun. Maybe I should take a swing at battling one of them.)"

Ryder laughed awkwardly. "Jade, I just got out of recovering. I don't think we want to wait for those two to heal up from any injuries you apply to them."

She chuckled coolly. "(I'll lighten up a bit on the kicks if that'll make you happy.)"

He shook his head, then looked back at Oshawott. "By the way, did you see-?"

"(-Oshawott unintentionally using his aura to boost the power of his Hydro Pump?)" she finished for him. She smiled. "(Yeah, I did.)"

He crossed his arms. "If it's okay with you, you might have a second student to teach along with me. Perhaps Pikachu, too."

She scratched her chin. "(Eh, why not? More students, more butts to kick.)"

He chuckled. "How did the others put up with you for five years without me?"

She laughed. "(What can I say? I'm a delight to be around.)"

With the hour having reached its near end, the trainers stood at the docks where the plane to Johto was stationed. Cynthia and Jervis tagged along as well to give their farewells to Dawn.

Dawn's Pokémon were all out, wishing to give their goodbyes to Buneary before they headed off. Dawn smiled at Ash. "Good luck in the Unova League, Ash. Make sure to win."

He nodded. "I intend to. And good luck in the Wallace Cup."

She grinned. "No need to worry! With my Pokémon, we'll go all the way!"

"(Yeah!)" they cheered loudly.

She smiled at Iris and Cilan. "It was great meeting you both. I hope we meet again."

Iris nodded. "Same here. Take care in Johto."

Cilan gave a thumbs up. "And make sure to give it your all!"

"I will, thanks!" She looked to Cynthia and bowed her head. "It was nice seeing you again, Cynthia. Take care."

She nodded back. "You as well, Dawn."

Jervis bowed to Dawn. "Please stay safe in your travels, Miss Dawn."

With Dawn's Pokémon, they were each giving their farewells to Buneary. Togekiss gently wrapped the rabbit in a hug. Her eyes were watering. "(Oh dear me, this is too much for me.)" She wiped her eyes with her wing, then smiled down on her. "(Take good care of yourself, dear friend. Please get better.)"

She smiled back with watery eyes. "(I will. I'll miss you, Togekiss.)" She hugged back. They pulled away after a bit, then she looked to Quilava. "(It amazes me how much you've grown. It feels like yesterday you were but an egg. Be good, Quilava.)"

His eyes watered furiously. "(B-Buneary…)" He cried loudly, picked her up, and nuzzled her. "(I'll miss you, big sis!)"

Buneary laughed, hugging his neck. "(I'll miss you, too.)" Once she was set down, she walked up to Mamoswine. She grinned. "(How you hanging in there, tough guy?)"

"(F…Fine…)" The mammoth tried to keep a stern, serious face, but the large stream of tears running down his eyes ruined the façade. "(Just…going to feel weird without you around, you know?)"

She chuckled. "(I get the feeling.)" She hugged his leg. "(Take care.)" She next looked to Pachirisu, who was crying as he snuggled Scarlet. She chuckled awkwardly with a sweatdrop. "(Hehehe…you need a minute, Pach?)"

He sniffled back his tears. "(S-Sorry! It's just…I'm going to miss you and Scarlet!)" He buried his face on top of the baby's head, who was blissfully playing with the squirrel's tail.

Buneary bent down and patted the squirrel's back. "(We'll miss you too, Pach. If it helps, you'll still be Scarlet's favorite babysitter.)"

Pachirisu sniffled, then looked at her with watery eyes. "(Promise?)"

She smiled. "(I do. Just look at her. She loves you.)"

Scarlet clapped, making small gurgling noises, then bopped her head against Pachirisu's chest with her tongue sticking out. Pachirisu gave them a whimpering smile before bringing them both into a hug. "(I LOVE YOU GUYS!)" He sobbed into Buneary's shoulder, near her bad arm.

"(AH! Pachi, that's my broken arm!)"

He pulled away and wiped his tears. "(Sorry.)" He picked Scarlet up and looked her in the eyes. "(Y-Y-You be good to your m-m-mommy and d-daddy, okay?)" Scarlet gave his nose a tiny 'boop', giggling. Pachirisu whimpered again and hugged the baby once more. "(WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO DARN CUTE?!)"

Buneary laughed awkwardly. She'll give him a minute get his sobs out before she tries to pull the Pichu away from him. With four of her six friends down, that only left Piplup and Dawn. Buneary turned to Piplup, who had his head facing away from the rabbit with his flippers crossed. "(Guess this is where we part ways.)"

"(Y-Y-Yeah…guess it is…)" He sniffled loudly.

Buneary lowered her eyelids with a teasing smirk. "(Pip…are you crying?)"

He whipped his head at her, showing a stern look and big, wide watery eyes that were on the verge of releasing floods of tears. "(NO! I'm just…glum that y-y-you'll be gone for…well, I'm not sure, b-but…)" He clenched his eyes tightly. "(Ah screw it, I'M GONNA MISS THE HECK OUT OF YOU!)"

Waterfalls of tears escaped his eyes as he lunged at the rabbit, nearly knocking her over, and locked her into a tight hug, mindful of her arm of course. Buneary blinked in surprise, then smiled warmly as she reciprocated the hug. She patted his back, whispering, "(Never change, Piplup, never change…)"

He pulled away, viciously rubbing his eyes. Tears just pour out more with every wipe. "(I-I-I won't, don't you worry!)" He pointed at Pikachu, shouting, "(You better take good care of her and your daughter or I'll come after you and teach you a lesson!)"

Pikachu laughed with a drop of sweat forming on the side of his head. "(Duly noted.)"

He nodded, accepting the answer. "(Good!)" He stepped away from Buneary and tried to march forward…but he ended up collapsing in tears.

Buneary sighed exasperatedly. What a drama queen. Still, she smiled, nonetheless.

Now she turned to Dawn. She walked up to her trainer and lifted her arm up pleadingly. Dawn understood the gesture and lifted her up, making leveled eye contact with her. "Well Buneary…this is it." She smiled sadly. "Please take care of yourself. Take good care of your new family."

Buneary grinned. "(Hey, no matter what, I'll always love you guys.)"

The trainer understood what she said through her tone, earning the rabbit a loving hug that she reciprocated happily.

"WAAAAAH!" Piplup screamed in tears. "STOP TUGGING ON MY HEARTSTRINGS ALREADY!" He rocked himself back and forth.

Ryder blinked at the penguin, then looked at Pikachu. "Is he always like this?" Pikachu shrugged.

Oshawott walked up to the crying penguin and lifted him up. "(Cheer up, pal. You'll see each other again soon, don't worry.)"

Piplup sniffled. "(Y-Yeah…)" He looked to his…well, his rival, he supposed.

How funny that they hated each other's guts while they were fighting over the love and affection of Meloetta, even though Oshawott secretly loved Snivy the whole time. It was funny how far they've grown from enemies to rivals to…friends.

Oshawott spread his arms out. "(I'm going to miss you, Pip.)"

Piplup's eyes watered again. "(Agh…why are you torturing me?!)" He accepted the hug, crying in the otter's shoulder. Oshawott didn't mind, as he too felt tears escaping his eyes and running down his back.

They pulled away from each other and gave a firm nod of confidence before stepping back. Buneary jumped out of Dawn's arms and skipped over to Pikachu, who wrapped his fingers around her hand. Pachirisu, after having his last hug with Scarlet, let her return to her parents.

Dawn walked up to Ash and handed him Buneary's Pokeball. "Take good care of her."

He took the Pokeball and nodded. "I will."

Dawn smiled at them before heading over to the plane's entrance. She pulled out four Pokeballs and held them out at her team. "Say goodbye, everyone!"

"(Goodbye!)" they rang in unison as they disappeared into red light.

Dawn placed her Pokeballs away while Piplup jumped onto her shoulder. She waved to the others before walking into the plane.

Eventually, the door closed and the plane's propellers began to spin. The gang looked up at the line of windows and saw, once again, Dawn and Piplup waving goodbye to them. They waved back, continuing the farewell exchange as the plane began to move and take off into the air.

The plane flew off the water and took off into the sky, no longer allowing them to see Dawn or Piplup as they disappeared from view. They smiled at the sky as the plane rose up to the clouds.

Buneary sniffled a bit, gaining her mate's attention. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. "(How you holding up?)"

She wiped her eyes. A few tears dripped down her face. "(I'll…I'll be fine, don't worry.)" She looked up at the sky with a tearful smile. "(I'm just going to miss them…)"

Pikachu smiled softly before turning her face around towards him. "(They'll miss you too, BunBun. You'll see them again soon, I promise.)"

She smiled back at him, then gave him a soft peck on the lips. "(I love you, Pikachu.)"

"(I love you too, Buneary.)" They scooted apart as they felt Scarlet poke her head out from in between them, giggling adorably. Pikachu laughed. "(Alright little missy, come here!)" He grabbed under her arms and lifted her up. "(Who wants a ride~?)" he exclaimed, sitting her down on his shoulders.

Scarlet clapped excitedly. "Chu Chu!"

Buneary laughed awkwardly. "(Are you sure you're well enough to have her riding your shoulders like that?)"

He chuckled. "(Relax, Bun. Sure, I'm a little sore, but I've never felt more alive-AGH!)" Scarlet was kicking her feet with glee, which led to her foot smacking her father's cheek. He rubbed it with a sheepish smile. "(Uh…like I said, it's fine.)"

Buneary sighed, staring at him with narrowed eyes and a loving, sarcastic smile. "(Pikachu, you goofball…)"

Jade laughed. "(You know, if you two ever need helping taking care of her, I'm more than willing to help.)"

Pikachu smiled. "(Oh yeah. Ryder told us you worked on an egg farm with kids.)"

She nodded. "(That's right. I know all the ins and outs of raising a kid. And trust me, the hyperactive energy and crying is something you need to be prepared for.)"

Buneary grinned at her. "(That'd be nice, thank you.)"

"(Anything for my new travel mates!)"

Ryder smiled to himself, glad to see his girlfriend was already bonding with a potential new friend. He rubbed his chin in thought. It almost slipped his mind that he never told Buneary about Flitter, at least in terms of her relation to her. He may have to give it some time since she'll probably still be getting use to traveling without her usual trainer. Best not to drop that bit of news on her so suddenly.

His thoughts came to a halt when everyone heard someone shouting, "NO! It left without me!"

They turned and saw a boy running down the docks with a Riolu by his side. They came to a screeching halt on the docks, stopping right in front of the gang.

"Cameron!" Ash said in surprise.

Ryder looked to Pikachu, whispering, "Do you know this guy?"

"(Eh…sort of. Before the whole mess in the forest, we entered this tournament around here. This guy showed up late for the whole thing.)"

"(Yeesh, talk about bad luck,)" Jade commented.

Pikachu narrowed his eyes exasperatedly. "(I wouldn't call it bad luck, per se.)"

Cameron spoke to the trainers, saying, "I can't believe it's you guys!" He held his head in thought. "Uh…who are you again?"

They faltered over in annoyance. Pikachu face-palmed while Buneary silently giggled to herself. Ash straightened up and said, "It's Ash!"

Iris and Cilan stepped next to Ash, with Cilan saying, "You were planning on going to the Johto region too?"

Cameron crossed his arms with a smug look. "Can't put anything pass you now, can I?" He grinned. "After all, the Unova league's being held in Johto's Ecruteak City!"

Ryder and Jade stared at the human with wide, blank eyes of confusion, as if their minds just shut down for a fraction of a second. What?

Even Ash was confused by this claim. "Johto?"

"Why would the Unova league be held in the Johto region?" Iris asked, stating the obvious.

Cameron blinked in response, confused for a moment, then said, "Don't ask me. I don't make the rules, I just follow them."

Ash then said, "The thing is, I'm entering the Unova league too, but they haven't said where it's happening."

Cameron stumbled forward in shock. "Wha-Really?!"

"No doubt."

"Why didn't you say so in the first place?!" Cameron slouched back in shame. "Oh man, I was almost on my way to Johto!" His Riolu partner shook his head at his trainer's incompetence.

Ryder's eye twitched. "Please tell me he's kidding…"

Jade chuckled to herself. "(I mean…I'm sure he just got some wrong information…he can't be that bad.)"

She wished she didn't say that because Cameron's next question was, "Well, if you're entering the Unova league, that means you have all seven badges? Just like me!" He presented his badge case, revealing seven badges…and one empty space in the case where an eighth badge should be.

"Seven?" Cilan mumbled confused.

Jade stared at the case, flabbergasted. "(I…I, uh…does he not see the…the obvious space right…right there?)"

Pikachu rubbed his head. "(See what I mean?)"

Ash tried to correct him, saying, "Sorry, but you need eight. See?" He showed off his badge case with a complete set of badges.

And yet Cameron was too dense to understand what he meant. "Eight? What are you talking about?" Then he came to his own crazy delusion. "Oh, I get it! You won an extra badge to keep it safe!"

Ryder was on the verge of venting out his frustrations with Cameron, but he didn't want him knowing he could speak. Thankfully, Iris pointed out the obvious yet again. "Then what do you think is supposed to go into the slot on the right?"

"Duh, the winner's badge! That's the badge you get for winning the Unova league! Convenient, right?"

Ryder lost his top and jumped into the air in frustration. "HOW THE HECK DID YOU COME TO ALL THESE RIDICULOUS CLAIMS, YOU-?!" Jade grabbed his tail and forced him back onto the ground, covering his mouth tightly.

Cameron and Riolu looked at Ryder in surprise. "Uh…did your Charmeleon there just…?"

The three trainers looked at Ryder, who placed a claw up to his lips with a panicked expression. He has learned from experience that a talking Pokémon means Pokémon Hunters for the black market and he didn't trust this kid keeping his mouth shut.

Fortunately, they caught on and nodded. Ash looked back at Cameron and made a fib up on the spot. "Uh…he has a sore throat and…sounds like that when he gets angry?"

Cameron blinked, scratching his head, then smiled. "Makes sense to me!"

That was too easy. Ryder narrowed his eyes. How did he get this far on his journey?

After clearing that small mess up, Cilan said, "Anyway, in regards to the Unova league, I've never heard of such a badge."

Finally, the gears in his head were turning as he gasped in shock. "WAIT! You mean I have to win eight badges?!"

"That's right! Finally!" Ash exclaimed in exhaustion. Ryder sighed in relief himself.

This news, however, didn't go well for the naïve trainer as he expressed horror and panic in his face. He closed his jaw and fell to the ground. "This stinks…" He and Riolu looked around attentively. "Eighth badge?! Eighth badge?!" He shot to his feet, shouting, "Alright, where's the nearest gym?!"

"Excuse me, young man, I can help." They turned to Jervis as he walked up to them. "The nearest gym from here…is in Humilau City."

"Humilau City? Got it!" He looked to his partner. "Quick, let's move, Riolu!"

"(Right!)" Riolu exclaimed.

"Wait, Cameron!" Before the two could get moving, they turned back to Ash, who asked, "Would you mind if I come with you and watch your gym battle?"

Cameron blinked in surprise. "Really?" He rubbed his chin in thought, then grinned happily. "Sure! I don't see why not!"

"Awesome!" Ash exclaimed, pumping his fist. "Then to Humilau City we go!"

"Uh Ash, we should really be letting Pikachu, Buneary, and Ryder rest. I don't think they should be walking too much," Iris informed.

Ryder gestured her to lean down, then whispered, "Eh, I'm fine with it. I've been cooped up in a bed all week. I don't want to spend another day resting in bed."

"Are you sure?" He nodded. She looked at Pikachu and Buneary, who nodded in agreement. She sighed. "Alright, if you say so." She stood back up. "Guess we're all heading to Humilau."

"Great! Let get going now!" Ash and Cameron marched off the docks, with the others following.

Cynthia and Jervis waved to them. "Stay safe. Get back safely."

"We will, thanks!" they shouted back before turning their sights back on their new destination.

Ryder smiled. "It's been a while since I've been to Humilau City." He rubbed his chin. "Actually, Ryan never fought the gym leader there, so this is new to me."

Jade chuckled. "(There's a bunch of Unova we never got to explore together. This'll be like finishing where we left off.)"

Ryder smiled, then wrapped his hand around hers. "Yeah…guess it is." He looked up at the sky, gazing at the white fluffy clouds. A little time off will be good for me. No more missions, no more Darkmon, no more…Dark.

His eyes narrowed at the sky. He could feel that tainted aura weighing down on his soul. It was uncomfortable. It felt like thousands of weights were attempting to drag him into the earth. Hank said he had to learn to control its potential. What potential was there to control? What was the benefits behind such malevolent power?

He sighed shakily, which got Jade's attention. She nuzzled his neck. "(You'll be fine. Just…don't think about it too much.)"

He smiled back at her, then looked at the road ahead. "Y-Yeah…just don't think about it too much…" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm in control."

Darkness echoed throughout her mind. A slow, creeping pain surged through her body, like her lungs had just got over being squeezed of life. Everything before felt like a faded dream, one she could barely comprehend or process. Not that she knew much about dreaming. Dreams were something she rarely got to experience. Dreams filled with evil were all she knew.

The pain in her felt sore, which struct her as odd considering she was poisoned not too long ago. Or…actually, how long was she out for? If that poison didn't do her in, the sun should have. Wait…why was she aware of all of this? Why wasn't she turned to dust? Why hasn't the sun killed her? Was she even in the sunlight? What day was it?

The Dark Glameow slowly opened her eyes, shaking her head lightly to get a better image of her surroundings. She was in some dark room, that much was obvious. There was no light source around them, though her night vision helped around that. So far, she can safely say she knew why the sun hasn't killed her. Now for the real question…

How did she get here?

She pushed herself up a bit, stumbling forward a bit in pain. She clutched her chest, where the stinging pain hurt the most. Somehow it wasn't as bad as the heart pain she endured before the central flower was destroyed. Though, that did raise the question of why there was no more poison circulating her body. Surely if she been down here for a while, Savage's poison could have deteriorated her body by now.

The logical conclusion to make of all of this was that someone found her and brought her into this unknown chamber before curing her of the poison. But who would go out of their way to save her? Definitely not another Darkmon. All the Darkmon were vile and selfish. The moment the sun started burning down their home, they'd flee in terror.

She smacked her lips together, feeling a tiny bit thirsty. She then picked up a taste on her lips. The taste of the forest's naturally grown fruits and berries. Was the one who brought her down here feeding her too? Again, no way this was a Darkmon's charitable deed. Almost all of them would rather hoard the remaining food to themselves.

Almost…that's right, there's one Darkmon that could have done this. Though, what are the odds it was him? Frankly, she remembered him fighting alongside the Pokémon. His current status was unknown by her account. He could have either fled the forest…or met the same fate as the rest of their species.

She sighed and held her head. "By the darkness…I would've been better off dead than worrying about this."

"I'd have to disagree."

She looked over her shoulder, spotting another figure sitting in the corner. He appeared to have kept quiet this whole time until now. That, or he had just woken up like she did. Even with the darkness in the room, she could tell who she was facing, confirming her previous suspicions.

"I had a feeling you were responsible for this…6746."

Koda raised his hands with a sheepish grin. "Guilty. Hehe…glad to see you're finally awake, 779."

Chloe looked up and down his figure and raised a brow in surprise. Despite giving the illusion that he was fine, he was holding his stomach. Her sensitive ears picked up on the frequent growling of his hungry stomach. Darkmon can go days without eating, so long as they could syphon off their energy reserves to sustain their health. If he was hungry, that meant he had low energy AND hasn't been eating any of the food he had stocked somewhere in here.

Before she pressed on over that issue, she asked, "What is this place?"

"Well, uh…you remember the Shadow? That agent who has been fighting us off? Well, I met him, he didn't like me at first, we became buds after a while…point is, this was his hideout. It, uh…has seen better days."

Chloe looked around and did notice the damage done on the room. The fighting above ground most have heavily damaged everything in here.

"I see…speaking of days, how many have I been out for?"

Koda fell on his back. "I think it has been…well…" He groaned as his stomach roared at him. He took a deep breath and forced it under control. "I haven't been keeping the best track of time down here, but my best guess is about a week."

"A whole week, eh?" Chloe narrowed her eyes. "So you've been making sure I've eaten while I was out?"

He nodded. "Precisely. Can't let another fellow Darkmon bite the dust."

She glared. "Funny you should say that, because you're on the verge of being malnourished."

He gulped. "I've been eating fine…"

She wiggled her ears. "Can't full these things. Have you been giving all our rations to me only?"

He looked away with a guilty expression. He forgot how perceptive she could be. He sighed. "I mean…I have been eating, but not my fair share. I've been handing off the rest to you and the other three equally."

Chloe held her face. "Unbelievable. You and your selfless acts are going to get you killed."

Koda bit his lip. "Hehe…funny you should mention that. You see…"

"W-Wait, time out. Did you just say 'other three'?"

He scratched his cheek. "Oh yeah…forgot to mention that small detail." He pointed at the far wall. "You weren't the only Darkmon I picked up on the way here."

She followed his finger and saw three Darkmon curled up under a blanket. The blanket kept her from identifying their number, much less their species. She returned her eyes on him. "Explain."

"After I grabbed you, I found them running around in a panic. I…I tried to get as many as I could, but I could only managed those three." He sighed sadly. "I saw everyone else burn to dust."

"Are they unconscious too?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, they're just sleeping. They've finally decided to sleep after a whole week down here." He groaned. "I love making friends, but it's a little hard to interact with three Darkmon who are still hooked onto their evil ways." He smiled. "Though, I think I'm breaking through to them. I got them to stop stealing most of the rations."

Chloe glared. "That brings me to my second question: why are you so drained? I know you have more energy than this. Have you been starving the entire week?"

He looked away meekly. "…maybe…"

She groaned in annoyance, then sniffed around the room. She walked over to a barely hanging cabinet and opened it up to reveal the berry stash. The other cabinets were probably stocked with berries, too. So, without hesitance, she scooped all the berries in the cabinet into her forelegs and carried them over to Koda.

He looked up at her, confused. "779, what are you do-HMM?!" He suddenly found berries being shoved into his mouth against his will. He flailed his arms wildly until Chloe had to pin him down. He pleaded through his full mouth to make her stop.

She ignored his pleas as she kept shoving berries into his mouth, forcing him to swallow so he doesn't choke on accident. She kept this up until she determined that he had enough to eat. She jumped off his body, allowing him to shoot up and cough loudly in response.

He bowed his head in exhaustion. "What…was that for?" She flicked his forehead painfully. He held the sore spot with watery eyes. "Owie! That hurt!"

"Serves you right for starving yourself, you idiot. What in the name of darkness were you thinking? I don't give a crap about your selfless nature, you were being selfish against your own stomach." She sighed. "And for the record, I go by Chloe now."

He rubbed his sore forehead before saying, "Is that so? How come?"

She blushed. "A…friend gave it to me."

He smiled. "Really, that's so cool! Same here! I go by Koda!"

"Guess we both made some new friends during the last couple weeks." She glared. "I still want an answer to you disregarding your health."

His guilty look returned to the surface. "I did it to keep you guys safe. I made sure to eat a bit, but not the same amount as you guys. I've been like this ever since I brought you all down here."

Chloe narrowed her eyes seriously. "Bringing me back to the matter of the topic: why are you so drained?"

He sighed, rubbing his arm with an uncomfortable feeling inside of him. "Right…that. So, a lot happen during the invasion. I was fending for my life, fighting off hordes of Darkmon who weren't fond of me, then suddenly I get into a fight with someone that…well, almost killed me."

Her eyes widened. "Almost killed you? How did that happen?!"

"I was getting my limbs torn apart without stop. He kept hacking away at me, forcing me to accelerate my regeneration so I wasn't destroyed immediately." He gulped. "I shouldn't have, but I got scared. I saw what he was capable of. In that final moment, I thought I was dead. I can't remember everything after that until I regained consciousness."

Somehow Chloe knew this didn't match anything the Pokémon were capable of, but it did sound familiar to the Darkmon murders. The way how they were torn to shreds with ease. "Koda…who tried to kill you?"

Koda sniffled, then hugged his chest. "Lord Dark's second in command…"

Chloe sneered. "Fang…"

He nodded. "He had these weird pincers that could slice through anything. None of my blood splattered when he slashed my limbs off. It would be impossible to regenerate from scattered blood with him hunting me down like that." His eyes watered, almost like he was going to cry. "I actually thought I was going to die in my final moments…"

Chloe rubbed his shoulder. "Take a deep breath and let it all out." He almost burst into tears, but she slapped him across the face. "Do it without the dramatics."

He held his breath and swallowed his fearful urges. "S-Sorry…" He exhaled heavily, letting a calm stream of tears drip down his face. They made the ground sizzle. "S-Sorry, I've just been…panicking lately…"

"It's okay. Now then, if this is true, how did you survive? And why were you so weak?"

He rubbed his eyes. "To be honest…it was a complete fluke…"

*Flashback*

Koda dodged Fang's attack, however it resulted in his arm scratching against a piece of splintery bark. The gash it left was bleeding out, but he ignored it as he ran far down the tree branch to escape the malicious Darkmon. By the time he reached the end of his path, Fang cut him down. The fall only lasted a few seconds, giving Fang the opportunity to dive down and end Koda's life with a quick snap of his pincers, devouring his body and removing it from existence, presumably killing him.

"My mind was racing the entire time before those frightening pincers closed down on me. I could remember that acid of his melting my flesh before I lost consciousness. He told me none of my friends cared enough to save me…I wasn't even allowed time to counter his words with my own. He tried to end me with that being my last thoughts…"

"I still don't get how you survived. He ate all of you."

"I thought so too…but not all of it…"

While Dragonite flew out of the trees and confronted Fang for his actions, something shifted in the trees above. The splintery bark Koda scratched himself on. A splatter of his blood was painted on it…and there was some energy left in it, allowing it to not only stay stable, but allowed it to regenerate.

The blood splatter began to grow in size until thick droplets dripped onto the remainder of the tree branch. They piled together, continuing to expand until it was the size of a small ball.

"When I came to, it didn't take me that long to realize what had happened. There must have been a split second where Fang didn't see me scratch my arm, otherwise he would have made sure to get rid of it. I survived because of a fluke in his hunt."

The ball rolled along the tree. It rolled over a leaf, which absorbed into its form and increased its size before continuing ahead. As it rolled, it left behind a trail of missing bark, as the bark was being eaten by the blob as it moved.

"During that time…I was just a mindless blob searching for food. With such low energy to sustain, basic instincts told my regenerative blood to search for food. So, it devoured any plant life it encountered. Basically, it was taking in whatever it could to stabilize my form."

After eating for twenty minutes, the blob had gained a reasonable mass to complete regeneration. It shifted in shape before taking of the form of a body. Limbs stretched out, then the head and tail, before thinning out the middle to make the torso. The body restructured itself, fixing up any imperfections, before solidifying and taking the form of Koda.

The Dark Riolu stared at the tree branch he was on with blank, unconscious eyes. Then, they regained their natural glow. They widened in shock before he jumped back in horror, still petrified by the events that took place. He held his head, trying to get himself under control. His heart pounded against the inside of his chest, mirroring his exhausted state.

"Everything was a little fuzzy, to be frank. Since I regenerated from a drop of blood before I was 'killed', I'd make sense that I couldn't remember most of the details. I had a hazy idea of what happened through common sense. My terrified mind could tell that I was slain. Fang believes I'm dead."

Later, Koda was seen dashing across the trees, though slowly since he wasn't running on a lot of energy. He could see the first bits of sunlight through the burning leaves, warning him of the impending danger awaiting him.

"The moment I saw sunlight, I knew what was coming. I did the only thing I could do and ran for shelter: Ryder's hideout. I knew it would protect me from the sun's deadly rays. That is, until I saw you."

Koda jumped to the ground, stumbling forward, then ran over to Chloe's unconscious form. He felt her forehead and could tell she was poisoned. He considered whether or not he could carry her in his condition, but he didn't give it much time as he heard the dying screams of his brethren from far away. The sun will be here shortly.

Wasting no time, he slung Chloe over his shoulders and dash as fast his legs could go. He was nearing the hideout, until he saw three Darkmon who were running around in circles, panicking and confused with scared looks on their faces. He wanted to continue forward, but he pitied the confused souls.

"They were the only ones I ran into, so…I just had to help them. I told them that if they helped me acquire berries to store, I could lead them to a safe haven. While it was against my better nature, using their fears to make them cooperate went in my favor. Ugh…sorry, I…that actually made me physically sick, admitting that…"

Koda lifted the hatch and ordered the three in, with canopy leaves filled with berries as they entered. The Dark Riolu slid down and shut the hatch behind him with a loud slam.

*Flashback Ends*

Koda sighed, scratching behind his ear. "After that, I've just been taking care of you and trying to help get these three under control. With the forest gone, they acted like they had no purpose anymore. They felt like everything they worked for has been taken away. Now they're just creatures without a worth." He whimpered sadly. "I've been trying to help them through those thoughts all week…"

Chloe blinked in awe. She never thought much of Koda, much less talked to him, so it was surprising to see a Darkmon with this level of care in his actions. He rescued her from death AND stopped to not only give three malicious Darkmon shelter, but to also help them move on from their evil ways…or cope with them, at least.

He's almost like 46.

Koda crossed his arms and pressed his back against the walls. "Guess my dreams are dead for the most part. Almost the entire population has been destroyed, save us."

Chloe smiled. "Well…I say what you tried to do was noble. That's got to be worth something."

He smiled back. "I suppose." He glared at the ground. "Still, everything that happened today…I knew this war was inevitable, but…I can't help but feel that Fang did something."

Chloe glared at the mention of the flying freak. "While I'm not particularly fond of him…actually, I straight up hate him…but why?"

"Fang's motives. He felt that Lord Dark wasn't a suitable ruler, how he wanted the Darkmon to truly express their potential for evil." He looked at his hand, examining his tainted aura. "Fang felt that if Lord Dark continued down the path he intended, Darkmon would never reach their full potential…or something like that." He clenched his fist. "He acted like a god, like it was his duty to wipe away all impurities that he deemed unworthy of life."

He looked straight at Chloe. "He told me that he killed them. 1892. 2750. 30-30. 4445. 46."

Chloe's eyes widened in horror. "What?!"

"He's the one who killed them, not Ryder. He killed them because he saw them as weak links to the Darkmon race."

Chloe looked at the ground as her eyes dilated in shock. "He…He killed them…" Her eyes sharped. Her claws extended and dug into the ground, ripping the flooring apart slowly with rage. "That…That monster!"

Koda looked up at the ceiling. "Fang's planning something…and I don't like it." He narrowed his eyes. "I don't think he's working alone, though."

Chloe sheathed her claws, then asked, "…how so?"

"I don't know, but the way he said he wants to rule over ALL Darkmon is odd, as his entire plan revolved around killing them all first." He shook his head. "He wants to recreate the Darkmon so they can understand…pure evil, I guess."

"That doesn't explain why he may be working with someone."

"It does, actually. He can't recreate the Darkmon, or doesn't know how to, but someone does." He glared. "You know about my future vision, right?" She nodded. "Fang slammed my head against a tree and it sent my visions into overdrive. I saw farther into the future, seeing something of interest.

"Dark storm clouds rolling, Lord Dark standing on top of a pillar laughing with a giant machine behind him." He shook his head. "It gets fuzzy around there, but then…I see Fang leading an army of Darkmon…then I see something else: a creature coated in black electricity, with a group of freaks standing by his side."

Chloe narrowed her eyes. "What does that mean?"

"It means Fang is only carrying out orders. There's a mastermind behind all of this. Someone who wants something and he needs the Darkmon to do so." He slammed his fist on the ground. "I can't let Fang get away with the mass murder of our people! He needs to pay for all his crimes against us! Lord Dark doesn't know the truth…"

Chloe frowned. "Koda…if the sun has risen, I doubt Lord Dark survived-"

"NO! YOU'RE WRONG!" She gasped as he rose to his feet and threw his fist in the air. "Lord Dark is the most powerful Darkmon in the world! I know he's still alive! I know the sun can't destroy him so easily!" His eyes watered as he struck his chest. "Even if he must be my enemy, I will remain loyal to him! A loyal Darkmon does not doubt the power of their master! I know he's still alive!" He grinded his teeth together angrily. "And I will not let Fang get away with manipulating him! I will not let him make a fool of my master!"

Chloe jumped back in shock. The most optimistic Darkmon in their whole forest, who wanted nothing more than peace, and he was still this loyal and passionate about the power of their lord? This kid is crazy! She closed her eyes and smirked. In a good way, thankfully.

Before Koda could go on with some epic speech, Chloe raised her paw. "Okay…I guess you're the leader of our small group. Now tell me, Koda, what are we going to do about it?"

He narrowed his eyes and nodded firmly. "Once I'm back up to full strength, we set out to find Fang."

"Err…in this massive region? He could be on a different one as we speak."

"We'll find him! We need to inform Lord Dark of his treachery! We cannot afford to lose now!"

Chloe sighed. "Your big plan is to go hitchhiking across the region and find our devil of an enemy while avoiding sunlight at the same time without much natural protection?" She smirked, giving a light shrug. "Crazy plan…but it's crazy enough for me to join in."

Koda smiled brightly. "Really?! GREAT!" He clenched his fists. "Look out Fang, because I'm getting my revenge! For killing me! For exterminating our people!" He raised his fists. "AND FOR QUESTIONING OUR LORD!"

Chloe grinned to herself. What has she gotten herself into? One could say she was only doing this as repayment for saving her, but she did agree with him. Fang was up to something. Plus, she needed some payback for leaving her to die the way he did.

However, she looked up at the ceiling with a serious glare. All this careful planning and timing for so long. Who was he working for that would orchestrate such madness? And what was their end game in all of this?

Even in the bright sunny weather, there were areas coated with the darkness that refused the sun's touch. Leaning against a tree in this glorious shade was Fang, who had his arms crossed and his eyes closed while smiling smugly. Pacing back and forth in front of him was Savage, who looked annoyed beyond belief.

It was a simply task. Kill 779, then evacuate the forest. What happened instead? He gets knocked out, kidnapped, brought to the surface in time to watch his comrades burn to dust. Now it's only been a week and he was still furious at the Fang Scorp Darkmon, especially after being informed of their new plans.

"I always knew you were trouble, Fang, but this is unacceptable." He jabbed him in the chest with his club. "Conspiring with the humans?! Have you no shame?!"

Fang smirked. "If it eases your frustration, I'm not conversing with humans. I'm working alongside a respectable Pokémon."

Savage threw his arms up in the air. "Oh, my mistake! Like that makes your actions less forgivable!" He growled. "What are you up to, buster?!"

Fang pushed him back. "Getting our army back, stronger than ever."

The hunter growled. "Have you gone delusional?"

"No, I haven't." He grinned like a psychopath. "I've never felt more sane in my entire life. The Darkmon name must be restored. I intend to rebuild that name for our glorious leader." He gestured to his right. "I'll make sure the Darkmon race is fully restored in the name of Lord Dark."

Laying on the ground near them was Dark, who was unconscious. His rhythmic breathing assured them that he was asleep. A stasis like sleep since he has been asleep for the whole week. The damage his regeneration couldn't fix up was present across his body.

Savage crossed his arms. "It's a miracle he's still alive."

Fang smirked. "As expected from someone as stubborn as Lord Dark."

*Flashback*

Dark was pushing hard against the Aura Sphere, but in continued to viciously tear through his arm. He screamed at Ryder in anger, announcing his hatred and pounding into his mind that his influence shall never die out.

In that split second after he finished shouting, he came up with a plan to assure survival. Without thinking, he stretched his jaw open and bit down on the arm that was being destroyed. He pressed down as hard as he could until he severed his own arm. The arm deteriorated into the attack, triggering it to explode.

Dark covered himself as the explosion nearly sent him flying across the land. He was certain the blast was going to knock him unconscious to suffer the wrath of the sun, but a miracle happened as a veil of smoke shielded him from the light. Taking his chance, he shadow stepped out of the field.

In the ruined labs, shadows flickered to life before he came rolling across the floor. He landed on his hand and knees, panting heavily as his smoking body tried to repair the damage done to it.

Dark could feel sweat dripping down his forehead. What was this from? Anger? Frustration? Overexertion? Was he actually pushed back by a Pokémon?!

He knew Ryder had to swallow his pride to pull such a move, but this was downright insulting to the Darkmon Lord. Not defeated by a strong individual…he was nearly killed using his own weakness against him. Fighting him on their own strength alone wasn't worth the sacrifice. It was…infuriating.

As Dark's arm regenerated, the lord glared furiously at the ground. "You…You almost killed me…in such a cowardly manner?!" He punched through the floor. "How dare you? How…DARE YOU?!" He fired a psychic beam down the hall, destroying whatever was down the dark path. Once his arm regenerated, he raised both hands and smashed them into the ground, making the ruins rumble.

"To think…I was almost killed in such a cheap matter. Does he really take me that lightly?!" His aura fluxed with rage, overpowering the good aura within him. His eyes glowed red in fury. "This is…unacceptable. I am no mere mortal creature that you can toy with, Ryder.

"I am…A GOD!" He roared, releasing aura pressure that obliterated the surrounding walls and ceiling, sending the crumbling building into a state of destabilization. The ground beneath him formed a massive crater that sunk the longer he released his pressure.

With one final scream, Dark released as massive pulse of aura energy, shooting it through the ceiling and into the sky, where the dark clouds could be seen until the evaporated along with the rest. Dark panted heavily before falling over unconscious.

The building gave way under its collapsing weight and fell over him. The building was close to crushing him, but a sharp whistling, purple glowing streak sped through the debris and took it out of existence. Once the debris was taken care of, Fang landed in front of his 'lord'.

He looked down him judgingly, then smirked evilly. "Stubborn fool…I hope you're happy, Wrath. I just got you Giovanni's test subject."

*Flashback Ends*

Savage kneeled down and rubbed Dark's back. "How long will he be out?"

"He'll be up soon enough, I assure you." Fang's ears twitched, leading him to grin evilly. "Ah, perfect timing."

They heard the sound of an engine closing in. They covered themselves as the wind kicked suddenly. Descending from the air was one of Team Rocket's jets. Savage's eyes widened in shock while Fang continued to smirk with glee. The jet touched down on the ground, with the back of it facing them.

Once the jets cut off, the door dropped open. Stepping out from the back was a Team Rocket grunt, carrying a large umbrella by his side. He walked up to the two Darkmon, stood at attention, and saluted. "Are you the two creatures requested for pick up?"

Savage's jaw hung in disbelief. Fang merely snickered and replied, "Why yes, yes we are." He gestured to their unconscious lord. "And this is the Darkmon for Giovanni. I assure you…he'll be the key to making our forces even stronger than ever." He bowed. "And, of course, working alongside the glorious Team Rocket will assure us of that goal."

The grunt nodded. "Very well." He opened up the umbrella. "Follow me."

Fang grabbed Dark and slung him over his shoulder. He jabbed Savage with his tail, forcing him to follow. They followed the grunt under the protection of the umbrella before stepping inside the jet.

As the grunt closed the door, Fang set Dark on the seats. He grinned malevolently. "What did I tell you, Dark? Hatred so deep that you'd do anything to get revenge." He chuckled. "Once you wake up, you'll listen to every word I have to say. You'll do anything to regain your rights as Lord of the Darkmon." He smirked evilly. "Then I'll be there to swoop in and take your dreams away…"

He stepped away from the Darkmon Lord, pincers behind his back. It amazed him how well everything went. So easy when you forced the central bulb to change the light pattern of the forest's moss, simulating a different time than what was thought. It wasn't midnight when the invasion occurred. It was actually around four or five in morning. Easy to do when the Darkmon relied solely on the moss to tell time in that forest. It doesn't matter if they thought differently. Who would ever perform such a massive trick on the forest?

Fang, of course.

Savage sat on the opposite side of where his master laid. He crossed his arms. "I don't know how I feel about this…"

Fang chuckled. "Relax, Savage. Everything will be fine. I promise you, we'll regain our forces and conquer this planet as our own, even if we have to work alongside the humans to do so."

Savage narrowed his eyes. "You're one twisted freak, Fang."

The Dark Gliscor smirked to himself. "I know."

The grunt got into the pilot seat and pressed on his ear piece communicator. "Targets secured. Bringing them back to HQ."

"Good," Giovanni responded as he sat in the darkness of his office. "We'll make sure to prepare for their arrival." He turned off the communicator through his desk.

He glared ahead, knowing full well what was going on here. The Darkmon were supposed to play a role in making Project: Perfect Storm a reality. Ever since the seed was grown prematurely, the plan was buried underneath various failing missions. The Darkmon weren't cooperative, yet now they were willing to comply.

And he knew exactly who was responsible for this.

He typed on his digital keyboard before pulling up a video screen, calling whoever he wished to speak to. His eyes narrowed as the creature came up on screen. Only, he was cloaked in darkness. He could only make out his shape. A furry looking creature with pointed ears. He was small, but not tiny. Some may be surprised that Giovanni was talking to a Pokémon mastermind, but they didn't know this guy like he did.

The Pokémon leaned back in his seat. Giovanni could make out the smirk across his face. "Well, well, well…I had a feeling you'd call me, Giovanni. I take it you got my memo about the forest? Such a shame. I worked so hard in creating that beautiful monstrosity. Now it's all up in smoke." He chuckled. "But at least you have the test subject to your machine, one who will surely survive the strain."

Giovanni didn't offer a response on that top secret plan. Instead, he wanted questions answered. "What are you up to, Wrath?"

Wrath placed a hand over his heart. "Why the sudden distrust? I'm the one helping you realize your goals."

"I know you better than that. You want something out of this, do you?"

The Pokémon shook his head. "Oh please, what could I possibly want other than to see the happiness of my master? You're the one who gave me my enhanced intelligence, Giovanni. I owe you something for that."

"I know there's something you're keeping to yourself." He narrowed his eyes. "I abandoned you and the rest of those freaks after that accident…" He glared suspiciously. "This isn't some ploy to get revenge?"

Wrath shrugged. "Giovanni…surely you know me better than that. Yes, you did subject me and countless others to horrifying experimentation for your quest for powerful Pokémon. I still think so of the residents here downright hate you." He smirked. "But I'm over it, I assure. I see no reason to quarrel with the likes of you."

"Yet you've went out of your way to help me?"

"Well, I wouldn't say out of my way. I did need some help from one of the local Darkmon to set things in motion. I'm just playing a game of chess with you, Giovanni. Plain and simple." He chuckled. "It's not like I'm against you. I'm on your side. I'm just going to stay out of the fray until the time is right."

Giovanni slammed his fist on the desk, not even startling the shaded Pokémon. "We both know that's a dirty lie. What is it that you're really after?"

Wrath shook his head. "Well…I suppose if there's one thing I want out of this, it's to play a game of chance." He leaned forward, holding his chin in his hand. "You remember all those 'games' you subjected me to, don't you? The ones designed to test my intelligence? Yeah, I bet you remember those. Something like that, with me pulling the strings."

The Pokémon narrowed his eyes. "I've already set things into motion. Now it's up to you to carefully work your way through my subtle influences. I wish for you to succeed, Giovanni, but we both know that this plan could ruin you should it go awry." He smirked. "Someone has to step in should you fail. I mean, can't have any competition, right? That's why you're sending those four idiots out to spy on Team Plasma in Unova."

The Rocket boss' eyes widened. "How did you-?!"

"I have eyes and ears everywhere. You can't keep secrets from me." He smiled evilly. "I'm on your side…until you fail. And I want…to see you fail."

Giovanni growled. "You little-!"

"Ah, hold your tongue, boss man. I haven't done anything yet. Success heavily ways on you. I'm setting up the obstacles that'll lead to defeat…failure will be entirely on you." He grinned. "Get the picture?"

The Rocket boss leaned away from the screen, his eyes narrowed seriously. "You will not interfere with Project: Perfect Storm. I'll make sure of it."

"I'm the reason that project is becoming a reality, Giovanni. You can't beat me at this game. I'm just better than you in every way imaginable." He waved it off. "But do what you can. Win or lose, I'll still get what I want in the end. Getting rid of you is just a bonus." He pressed his cheek against his fist. "I'll make sure I'm on top when this is all over. Success is only possible depending on the cooperation of the Prime Darkmon and you."

Giovanni glared. "This conversation is over, Wrath." He lifted his finger over the key to end the call.

Wrath smirked. "Maybe…but the game has only just begun." Giovanni ended communication between him.

The Rocket boss leaned back in his seat and pinched between his eyes. Wrath was making a bitter enemy out of him, despite his assistance that they were allies. He had to keep a special eye on his activities to ensure the project is not ruined. Despite how far away they were from each other, that clever rat could pull off dangerous schemes just with a few words and subordinates.

It almost unnerved him, wondering what horrors lied in that abandoned laboratory he cut off years ago.

Wrath leaned back in his seat, tapping his fingers together with a smug grin. "And the seed of doubt has been planted." He narrowed his eyes. "Phase 1 completed: Creation and Destruction of the Forest of No Light." He smirked. "Phase 2 has now commenced."

He typed on his computer, linking up with one of his mobile cameras. Once he locked onto the targeted image, he called out, "Warp! Tarot!"

Two creatures jumped down from the ceiling. One of them was tall and lanky, probably twice the height of Wrath. While his appearance was covered in darkness, he was seen wearing a black duster and a white mask over his eyes. He had a strange bubbly like scarf of sorts hanging from the back of his neck and draping over his back.

The second was shorter, rounding around the same height as Wrath. She wore a purple hoodie with the hood over her head.

They bowed to their boss. "How may we assist you, Wrath?" they asked in unison.

He pointed at the screen. "See this group right here?"

The camera feed showed a live video of Ash and his friends on their way to Humilau City. Alongside them were their Pokémon, including Ryder and Jade. He zoomed in on all of them, with the exception of Cameron.

"These trainers here were at the Forest of No Light when it was destroyed. They helped initiate its destruction." He grinned. "They might prove useful in my plans, but I need detailed information on them."

"Such as?" Tarot asked curiously.

"Well, that's where you come in, Tarot. Your special talents will help with the information gathering. I want you to collect all that you can on them. Names, interests, goals, fears, instincts, habits; anything about them that could influence them." He smirked. "With that information, I'll know exactly how to indirectly use them against Giovanni, before I lead them down to their own destruction."

"What about me?" Warp asked.

"Well, Tarot's still inexperienced, so she'll need someone to watch over her."

Tarot groaned. "Babysitting? Ugh!"

"Hey, don't act like I'm happy with this, newbie," Warp muttered.

Wrath rolled his eyes. "If it's any consolation, you need him to get to Unova quietly."

Warp nodded. "I suppose this is a stealth and intel gathering mission?"

"Precisely. I expect you to keep a close eye on them. I need them for my plans…" He narrowed his eyes on Ryder. "Especially that one. He's the one who barely defeated Dark. He doesn't even know he failed to kill him."

"In other words, protect them until they've exceeded usefulness?" Tarot summed up.

"On the nose, my dear."

She shrugged with a grin. "Eh, fine by me. I haven't been to Unova ever since I was kidnapped by those Pokémon Hunters. It'll be like a trip down memory lane."

"Excellent. I expect nothing less than success, understand?"

They saluted. "Yes sir!"

"Good. Now get moving. Your assignment just started. I don't appreciate procrastinating."

Warp and Tarot turned away from him. Warp lifted his hand and snapped his fingers. A swirling blue portal appeared in front of them. He bowed to Tarot. "Ladies first."

She rolled her eyes, smirking. "My, my, such a gentleman." She stepped through, disappearing into the vortex. He stepped in after her. Once he was gone, the portal closed up behind him.

Wrath leaned back in his seat, zooming in on Ryder, Jade, and Pikachu. He narrowed his eyes. These were the three that challenged the might of the Prime Darkmon. How bizarre to see them alive. Even with all his careful planning, he was hesitant to say they could survive such an encounter. He didn't even expect the Flaaffy to turn up when she did. He'll have to plan around that so nothing goes wrong.

He rubbed his fingers together. Black electricity coursed up his arm. "Light and Darkness…two existences that live alongside each other and fight for moral dominance." He grinned wickedly. "You and Dark were fighting for two different extremes, Ryder. I think it's time for a third option to be set in the middle.

"Light and Darkness…when I'm done, that divide will shatter…and destroy everyone."