Zorua here. I'm sad to say that Bulbasaur may not be as active now...:( darn, but I'll be here, so we will still update daily! Here is the next chapter! Hope you like it, and it has now been confirmed that one of LovingTogepi's suggestions will be in the next chapter, take a guess. :) We have had 100 visitors! Yeah! Please, if you are one of those hundred, if you're reading this then you are, please give us some feedback, follow the story, or, if you like it, favorite it! We would really appreciate it!

Dragonite

The bright lights of our habitat flash on at 6:00 am. I am stronger than ever and have narrowed my senses, making it so I always wake up at this time. Stretching, I do a short workout routine consisting of a few laps, trying to see how far I can get off the ground, and lifting some weights we made from trees.

Three months have passed of our training, everyday with the same routine of Lucario, Alakazam, Bulbasaur, and finally Zorua. Aura, Psychic, survival, and stealth. I had gotten to love training, I felt like I was actually becoming useful, and now I was sure I was stronger than Zorua and Bulbasaur, maybe even matching Lucario and Alakazam. I still had a long ways to go, but I now felt like we had a chance.

This cruel schedule was paying off.

I now had a much more muscular build, maybe a little too muscular for my age, but it no longer mattered what my appearance was, I was no longer counting myself as human. My skin had been tanned by the artificial sunlight, it wasn't real, but it was similar to allow plants to grow. I also now had long hair, a little longer than shoulder length, that I usually tied back with whatever I could find. These three months had really taken their toll, and I couldn't help but wonder how strong I would be when the year was up, that was when we planned to escape.

After my short routine, I gathered some berries and other plants from Bulbasaur's garden. It had assigned me as the one to make breakfast now, and I didn't enjoy it. Every morning, I have to roam for five minutes just to find all the ingredients. Then, I have to make sure I do it right, otherwise I get no breakfast, and Bulbasaur makes everyone else some. Today, I had to make Oran berry jam on a cooked Leppa berry. It was one of the easier recipes, but with the harder ingredients.

Leppa berries, for some odd reason, would only grow near the back of the facility, Dragonite's area. I always hated doing this, but it was good practice for my stealth, so I got into my "Ninja mode". Zorua had taught me how to use my wings to glide, and how to put them in shadows for maximum stealth. I was doing an excellent job, Dragonite was still aimlessly flying around, I hadn't been spotted yet. I was almost there, just two more yards, when I heard a roar from the sky.

Run.

And run I did. I burst from the shadows and filled my legs with aura, trying to beat Dragonite to the Leppa berries and back. I rushed towards the small field, intent on grabbing two, just two, and running back. I ran up to the bushes, and without stopping, ran a full circle around them, grabbing two berries on the way.

Leppa berries. Check.

Escape. Not yet.

Making my way around the bush, I sprinted with all my strength, trying to beat the soaring pokemon closing in. Three yards, two yards, one yard. I was almost there! I was gonna make it! Crashing through the brush, I didn't stop until I made it to the clearing for training with Alakazam. The small rocky field within our "forest" was a perfect place to rest. I thought I was safe.

A gust of wind blew the surrounding trees into submission and a resounding thump smacked into the ground behind me. I whirled around, already aware of what was there.

Dragonite.

"Why do you steal from me? Why do you never take the time to talk to me?"

I blink. The orange dragon in front of me isn't angry, it's curious.

"I thought you were angry, and I didn't want you to catch me."

"Why?"

One word, and my whole mind explodes. Why did I think that? Why was I afraid of Dragonite? It must have been a past experience, but I can't remember the details, only that Dragonite are scary and dangerous.

"A bad experience with one of your kind…"

"Well, we aren't all the same."

"I realize that now."

"Yes, I can tell. I have been observing you the past few months, you have grown."

Dragonite had been watching me? Did Lucario and Alakazam know? What about Zorua and Bulbasaur?

"I have seen how you've mastered your skills, well, not quite. You're getting good though."

Okay, where is this conversation going?

"You are missing one key element though...those wings of yours."

My wings! Was it going to teach me how to fly? I would finally get to fly, to be able to feel that same sensation, on my command.

"Will you train me?"

My voice came out sounding a little too eager, Dragonite might not because of my behavior. No. I hope it says yes!

"If you wish, we can start now."

My heart flutters with joy. I get to fly! Actually fly! I ruffle my wings in anticipation, awaiting it's first command.

"I see your excitement, let's begin."

Yes! Yes! Yes! This was going to be the best training yet!

"I first need to test your strength and evaluate your endurance. Tackle me."

I step back. What? Tackle, Dragonite?

"Okay…"

And with that one hesitant reply, my training in flight began. Dragonite was tougher than I thought, and it was like running into a brick wall, full speed. It had me do this over and over, saying it was testing my endurance. Run, crash, bo back, run crash, go back, run crash go back. Over and over for almost half the day, then I finally had enough and collapsed.

"Good. You did better than I thought you would. Now, we can begin flying."

I perked up at that. Flying sounded much better than running into Dragonite repetitively. Dragonite instructed me to get up and stand on top of a small stone pillar. Following it's every word, I jogged over to the stand and stood still on top of it.

"Now, flap your wings with all your might. Once you're into the air…"

I flapped my wings as hard as I could, straining my shoulders and back. Flap, flap, flap. I was starting to get tired, how much flapping, until I get into the air? My question didn't go unanswered for long. A minute into the exercise, my feet lifted off the stone pillar and I was up.

"Good! Now that you're there…"

It gave me everything, what to picture, what to think, what to do. Think of only your wings flapping, don't focus on the ground, only your wings. Slowly, I raised higher and higher off the ground. I tried not to concentrate on the view, but it was too hard. I was flying for goodness sake!

This flight was nothing like my first one, I was at full strength and completely in control, not freefalling and gliding clumsily on a breeze. There was no wind here to save me, I had to support myself, or I would fall. Passing through the treetops, I gasped. Sprawled out in front of me was Bulbasaur's field, and it was beautiful. From the ground, it seems less impressive and small, but with a bird's eye view, I can finally see the full extent. It seems to be a mile wide and half a mile long. No wonder I got lost in there looking for Bluk berries. I could see the Ginger, Oran berries, and Basil from up here. It really was a magnificent view. Tilting my body, I swooped downward hoping to land back in the base camp, surprising everyone. At the last second, I flipped back into an upright position landing on my feet.

Perfect!

I had done it, well, almost. I stood there for about a second before crumpling to the ground from my momentum.

Ow.

I heard Zorua snickering and Bulbasaur roaring with laughter. Why me? Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the familiar flash of Zorua's illusion and suddenly another me appeared next to me, mirroring my current position.

"Not funny Zorua!"

"But it is!"

Zorua tried to stop laughing, but failed and it's illusion disappeared, showing it on the floor rolling around. Bulbasaur was also behind it, laughing it's head off at my misfortune.

I closed my eyes in defeat, turning my aura sight on. Seeing what was approaching, I snickered, I was going to enjoy this. I sat up and walked over to the side of the clearing, pretending to be working on lunch. The familiar sound of threes cracking from the wind caught my attention and I looked over, and almost died from laughter. Zorua and Bulbasaur were huddled together cowering in fear. It looked like they had seen a ghost.

Dragonite finally arrived and slammed into the ground so hard, it caused a shockwave to almost knock me over. I walked over to Dragonite and thanked it for it's entrance, causing it to get a confused look on it's face. It tilted it's side as if about to ask a question, but I just pointed at the two 'mons to it's side. Recognizing them, it nodded in understanding and I just sat there laughing. Dragonite was going to be fun having around.

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Zorua signing off.