This chappie's a shortie. Just saying.

Chapter 31 - Joshua's Revelations

"It's going to happen soon," Joshua muttered to himself. Or, at least, it looked like he was alone if no one looked at the red and white object that lay cupped in his hands...or the two creatures that was sitting in the shadows of a corner

"How soon?" one of the shadowy Pokemon asked, curious. The Pokemon sounded male.

"She's coming back within a few days' time, and that action will set everything in motion," Joshua answered. "It won't be long before we can go all out."

The other Pokemon grinned, rubbing its paws together. "I hope those visions of yours are right. I know of a few Pokemon who'd be more than happy to join in." She cackled at the thought.

"I figured you would. We'll have to find them after Khrista arrived, however. I want you two to be her guides."

"Her guides?" repeated the male Pokemon incredulously. "Do you have any idea what goes on out there? If we end up getting spotted, we may as well be dead!"

"I know you've been working on your cloaking ability. Your type and species are well-known for your disguising skills."

The male Pokemon became embarrassed. "Ah, come on! You know I'm out of practice."

"Then going around with the kid's going to get you back in practice," the female Pokemon replied. In the shadows, there was the flash of a Cheshire grin.

"She's practicing her own abilities, as well," Joshua added.

"So you've said," retorted the male Pokemon. "But how are we to be sure?"

"I know because of -"

"The visions. So you've said." The male Pokemon crossed his arms over his chest.

Joshua sighed. "I know because I was...in the area when she discovered them," he stated. "I told you about that already. Z, you're going to have to do this whether you like it or not. If I - who people know live here - go out and explore, the plot will be discovered and you and I may as well be dead."

Z nodded. "I get the picture. But do you know when she's going to get here?"

"No. All I know is that she'll be here soon."

The Pokemon became annoyed. "Come on! You've got to have at least some idea. You did get those powers from that machine, didn't you?"

"It doesn't always work, Z," the female Pokemon responded. Her head turned slightly. "You might want to disappear. Charon's been popping in at this time of day more and more recently."

Z let out a snort of annoyance, then transformed into a beam of red light, disappearing into his PokeBall, which Joshua promptly shrank and placed in his pocket. At the same time, the female Pokemon disappeared from the shadows; it looked like a black hole had appeared there for a moment and sucked something inside.

The steel door opened as Joshua was removing his hand from his pocket; he looked down from his perch on his bunk as the short, balding scientist stepped in. Joshua could see Butch watching from the door.

"The answer is still no," Joshua stated calmly.

"I thought as much," Charon remarked, surprisingly calm. "However, you will change your mind - and soon, might I add." With that, the old man left the room without another word.

Joshua frowned and tried to decipher what the Galactic scientist had said - and why he had managed to say it so calmly. Something was definitely going on.

*I don't like that guy. He gives me the chills*

Joshua scowled. Blitzen, you're a figment of my imagination, and I know that man isn't going to do anything to me.

*That's what you think. When he starts poking needles and tearing you apart in order to find out what makes you different from everybody else. He might find me. You never know with mad scientists*

Joshua shook his head. You're just paranoid.

*Maybe. Maybe I'm not*

As Blitzen went silent, Joshua couldn't help but ponder the other's words. Obviously, he was terrified by the idea - and Joshua was, too, but not so much that he'd purposely see it in every action Charon made.

Hopefully, the scientist had something else in mind.

I've got so many ideas in my head right now that it's really hampering my ability to write for Maria's Adventures. I've got a month's worth of chapters ready to go up for the new story, but I want to actually get this one done before I start posting. Or, at least, get even further than I already am. This one's already done, though, so this one's just going to keep on coming - as well as the sequel I hinted at in the story I just recently finished posting for Maria.

I just don't want my Transformers story to feel too rushed or confusing.