Okay. This is it. Time for the boring part. My... *coughs* Favorite... Yeah, this might be one of my least favorite part, so I hope everyone enjoys it as it is. I know Simronchouhan said it was a bit slow last chapter, so this one might be a big disappointment to him. I'll try to skip as much of the boring parts as I can, but it still might be slow. There is about a four month gap to fill, after all.

Sorry if it's a bit late. I had a vacation and I sorta took the time to do... literally nothing. I also had a bit of writer's block until school started. Somehow, I focus better on my work when I'm supposed to be doing something else.

Enough ranting, LowePlays! Just friggin' write!

My parents took it pretty well when they found me on their front steps. Of course, "pretty well" is an understatement. My dad wanted to throw me right out, but my mom calmed him down long enough for me to explain why I was home. I was just home for the Winter holidays and season, until I could leave in the Spring.

When Herdier ran around the corner, he jumped on me and started licking my face. I knew Akuma would probably be jealous. After I convinced my dad to let me stay for the next few months, I went up to my old room. It was strange to be up there, but I just put away my bag and took out my two Pokeballs.

While I liked talking to my parents, it was a bit awkward to talk for the first week. As such, I spent some time away from them until they grew comfortable about me being back. It was like they'd finally adjusted to me being gone before I'd returned. It was almost rude to come back after a month, but I really couldn't survive in the winter.

Every night, I went to bed feeling like I wasn't doing enough, sitting too still. And then there was the fear. While they weren't frequent, the dreams of Stein occasionally popped up from nowhere and I'd wake up in a cold sweat. The details never stayed with me for long, but some of them seemed to change in my mind. Maybe I couldn't remember it that clearly, or I was somehow twisting it to suit my fears.

Time seemed to pass slower than it would've been on the road, but I made do with my time. It was about two days after I arrived I was able to actually let Akuma out of her Pokeball. My dad didn't like me even being near my own Pokemon, stopping me from even thinking about training with her.

Although, once I did let her out, it was in my own room. I was careful not to make too much noise, but she was another story. She was hungry and also in a new place. She wanted to explore, to test things. Of course, with my dad jumping at every mention, I had to keep her calm. Akuma didn't really like being quiet, but she learned to keep her noise to a minimum in close quarters.

I did eventually get to go outside after the first week, as my dad started to drop his defenses. Mainly because Arceus Day was coming up. Sure, it was over a month away, but this was the biggest holiday Sinnoh had to offer. It was one of the main features of Sinnoh, so almost everyone participated.

And when I say "Everyone", I mean there are children, grannies, teens, and parents. All of them rushing from one store to the next, trying to get that one decoration, that on sculpture of Arceus. It was said that the most realistic Arceus creation housed under one roof would be the home he would visit and grant presents. Of course, when you reached about ten, most kids learned the presents were from the parents, but that didn't stop them from celebrating.

Really, the only people who believed in Arceus' gifts were children or the members of the Arceus Sect. At least, that's what they said. Since I didn't really have a religion to follow, no God Pokemon Deity or whatever, I just celebrated for the presents and the fun. That's why when Sarah told me she didn't like Arceus day and didn't celebrate, it shocked me.

I took Akuma outside at every chance, but since I didn't have a high enough gym badge, she couldn't walk with me in town. With snow on the ground, even when I did let her out in the usual field, she didn't enjoy being with the ice. And for that matter, nor did I. While I did have a coat, the one I had was getting small. The sleeves were getting close to my elbows, making it almost embarrassing to wear.

Still, it worked as it was meant to, so I wore it to keep warm and put my hands in my pockets. It helped with the cold, and I was able to train with Akuma. While she didn't like it, she learned to deal with it. To help defend against the evil ice, I either had her endure it, or simply breath flames over it.

It was a cheap fix, as well as temporary. Whenever it snowed, she had to breath over it again. To be honest, the snow was really annoying. Maybe it was my connection to Akuma, but I was beginning to hate the snow like her. Of course, at the same time, when I had to deal with the snow, I didn't mind it.

Day after day, I went to the fields with Akuma to train. She improved in strength and her senses, too. While her Thunder Wave was getting stronger every day, the field only ever expanded to about a meter or so from her. I'd expected it to have grown bigger, but I chucked it up to the TM's abilities to only grant basic knowledge. It only helped that I'd made her practice day after day. At least, every day I could.

Of course, focusing on that one ability made it hard to focus on any other skills. While she used her Dragon's Breath often, and practiced with Thunder Wave, she couldn't improve otherwise. Mainly because I consumed most of her training time. The only other time she had outside of her Pokeball was to eat.

For Arceus Day last year, we'd been going through a tough time. My Dad still drank alcohol, but at least he wasn't drinking it the minute he could. He'd regained his bushes and a sense of purpose. This year, my mom could actually buy a statue of Arceus. As such, she started to buy several decorations for the holiday. Soon enough, our home had enough decor that I began to feel uncomfortable.

At the same time, the entire town was ramping up for the holiday. Golden circles, green paper, and snow all symbolized Arceus. As such, they were haphazardly strewn everywhere around town. Truthfully, some of the lights looked too flashy and forced, but some of the other displayed decorations were perfect.

I didn't have much interest in the holiday like I'd previously thought. Really, the bright lights and desperation to impress the neighbors with superior decorations. It all seemed... boring. As it crept closer, everyone seemed to be in a frenzy. They rushed to buy whatever they could find, to give their kids.

What a waste.

It got colder as December got into swing. Half way through the month, I hesitated to even go outside. Akuma would just shiver in the cold air, which meant it was really cold for me. It didn't matter if I was wearing my coat, because the temperature was low enough to easily cut through any length of fabric.

While it was close to convincing me to stop training, I kept remembering the deal I'd made with Sarah. So, I forced Akuma to train as well, using whatever I could to keep us both warm. It was harder to judge her improvements the further she improved. I didn't know if it was just my training or just Akuma's abilities.

The ninteenth of December was the hardest day. My dad covered his plants with tarps and kept them warm in a makeshift greenhouse, but the wind was probably the worst bit. With the air ten or fifteen below freezing, it was pretty hard. Not many wanted to be outside in this kind of weather.

That didn't stop people from skating on the ice around town. It seemed like everything had recovered in the past year, but there were still a few that didn't really seem happy, most had recovered from the hurricane back in 2063.

It was the day before Arceus Day, so it's not like it wasn't a big deal. Everyone who had business quickly rushed from building to building. Even watching them was stressful. Akuma mostly stayed with me, in my room, but she had to be quickly recalled any time someone entered my room to talk to me.

Imagine that, if my father walked in, only to see a vicious and terrible dragon named Akuma sitting next to me. And while she was vicious in eating, she wasn't one for patience. She had her food, she had me, but she wanted to be free. Being cooped up inside my room made her squirm. She displayed it by jumping on my bed or nudging my chair, as if to say, "Let's go."

I really wanted to leave Floaroma behind again. I'd said I didn't want to return, back when I first left. Now that I was back, with experience from traveling, sitting around for a month was tough. Even with the occasional text from Sarah, and my parents being as loving as they are, it was boring.

I wanted to move. To battle. Do something that got my blood pumping. It was probably why I left this place behind in the first place, but it hadn't looked so bland back then. Now, all I could do was lay in my bed or play games on the computer. It was too cold to train outside, so I really didn't know what to do.

Sure, leaving early could maybe work for something. Something would happen. I'm just not sure it'd be something I wanted. With my parents still ignorant of my third Pokemon, who sometimes haunted my dreams every other day, as well as the Luxray Pride that had cause his demise.

To be honest, I'd thought long and hard at the dangers the forest might hold. And while some of it I could manage, I wasn't so sure about the rest of it. I made me feel... weak. Scared. Still, at the same time, many people passed through the Eterna forest just fine.

And every time, the thought of Stein appeared. If it was an Ursarang, I imagined Thorn being torn to shreds. A huge Scolipede, and I'd be trampled. And if it was Akuma, my starter Pokemon, it made me feel sad about it. Maybe I was getting too emotional about it, but I couldn't help it.

In fact, ever since Stein, I'd never really been one for sad things. Never liked them, so I avoided them. I didn't cry much in Judo class when I was beat, or insulted. But when my Pokemon had died, I couldn't help it. Why was I so weak? Why couldn't I have helped him, even a little? All he was for, it all amounted to a few extra seconds of time to help July think up a strategy.

Until my mom came up, I'd spent all day in my room, just thinking. It was boring, and my parents seemed to think so too. So, they decided to invite me out to go to a shop, the last one before Arceus Day came around. I wasn't sure what shop it was, but when my mom came up to ask, I shrugged, pocketed Akuma, and accepted.

My mom and dad dragged me out into the cold and we trekked over to a small shop. I didn't really know what we were doing in an outdoors man shop, but I just was following to do something. It wasn't really something to enjoy, your parents shopping. So, I didn't even look at whatever they bought, but it'd probably be something important in the future, since I was staying here for a few more months.

Groaning, I walked by the isles and looked at the kind of things they were selling. Mostly, just bait, knives, bows, arrows, and traps. Mostly things to hunt or defend, but not much else. Flint and steel, stiff clothing, and tents were also being sold, but not many brands or anything.

After my parents paid for whatever they were buying, we walked out into the cold again. I tried to act like I didn't mind it, to save me the embarrassment. Still, bearing the same old cold day after day was getting old and I missed the summer. Yet, we still walked down the streets, which were covered in decorations, lights, and annoying little children.

Honestly, I wasn't one for crowds. And while I did like friends, my personal goals seemed to drive them away. Sarah, while she had the same goal, only one of us could take that throne and claim the title of Champion. I knew that. Yet, it was a lonely throne in my head. Why I wanted that throne...

No, I had to become Champion. What was I thinking? If I was to become Champion, I could present it as a challenge for Sarah, as well as any other Pokemon Trainer, if they aim to do as I did. Only problem... I was stuck in Floaroma until Spring. When I would see Sarah again...

Sighing, I continued behind my parents. They wandered from store to store buying... whatever. Yawning, I didn't pay attention at all. Something about this entire trip was just boring. After the third shop, I said I was heading home, but my parents started following. Groaning, I just walked with my hands in my pockets.

It wasn't until I was up in my room that I began to get curious what my parents bought. They'd gone to hunting and survival stores today, most focusing on Pokemon. Was I right there when they bought something important? Shaking my head again, I decided that I would find out if it was important later. For now, I just sat in my chair, tossing my Pokeball from hand to hand.

To pass time, I just poked around on my computer. Typing, watching silly Meowth videos, and reading. Without letting out Akuma, I was alone. Even if occasionally looking at my PokeDex, expecting a message from Sarah, I knew I wouldn't get much. She hardly ever sent me any, not after Jubilife. It just made me feel lonelier.

When my mom called me to dinner, I was glad to finally be out of my room, even though I wasn't confined to it. I jumped down the stairs and was greeted with a table with a large dinner piled onto it. Our Arceus Day feast was ready. Was that why we'd gone to the shops?

It was a delicious meal, and I shared it with my family. We talked about random stuff, and nothing of importance. It was the night of the celebration, and now that I was out of my room, I could hear the crowds around town, partying and setting off fireworks. In the morning, all would be crazy. The excitement would last that long, but it was peaceful for now.

This was the times I'd missed. The craziness would last a while, but it was an enjoyable craze. As such, it was pleasant to hear. For now. By tomorrow, it would most likely be old. Instead, I focused on talking and eating. The Flaffy meat we had for the main dish was nice and fatty, so it was pretty good. Some Tapu Berries blended into a paste, and a salad of Pecha Berries and leaves.

I ate until I was stuffed, but I still continued to talk to my parents. We'd often strayed away from talking about my journey, but tonight was different. My mom was the one who brought it up. She'd asked to see my badge, which I'd kept on the strap of my bag since I'd gotten back.

Though it was a hassle to retrieve my bag, I brought it down from my room. I showed it to my mom, who brought out a similar piece of metal. She compared it to mine, and I looked at it closely.

The metal had either lost it's paint, or never came with it, and was beginning to rust. She obviously didn't take care of her badges, but it also had been years since she'd been a trainer. While she was skilled, she had no reason to care for her badges. While they were just medals, they still held something for me.

After that, my mom started prodding me for more information about my battle. Even though she'd seen it, she wanted to know my thoughts and feelings on how it went. The video version was more meant for entertainment, rather than actual strategy, made it more of a TV show than an actual sport.

While it was almost insulting, I accepted it and tried my best to recreate the fight. I went through my strategies and thoughts I could remember, explaining it all to my mom. It was a little hard to explain it like it happened, but the words seemed to make sense to her. Once I was finished, my mom handed me back my badge.

We discussed a few more points, before it was well time for showers and sleeping. With the noise outside, it would be difficult to sleep, but it also helped realize how far Floaroma had come since last year. Considering last year, the town was too broken to host a day as exciting as this. I hardly even remember it, it was so boring.

I ended up taking a quick shower and returned to my room. I didn't like keeping Akuma trapped up in her Pokeball, but it was hard to also leave her alone. Seriously, it could become an issue one of these days, if we ever needed to separate for a while. Even for just a few moments.

Now that I was in my room, Akuma was let out as I laid on my bed. It was almost natural now, letting Pokemon out from Pokeballs. I sighed while the small Deino jumped onto the bed. While she was a bit energetic, she followed my example and laid across me. My hand found it's way on to her head and I ruffled her fur.

It was just like any other night. While the noises outside were still noises, they were beginning to blur into the background. I didn't really pay them much attention anymore. Akuma occasionally twitched at any sudden sounds, but remained still for the most part. Soon enough, I found myself drifting off and the next thing I knew, I was already asleep.

Morning came faster than I thought it would, thanks to Akuma. She jumped up at any noise she deemed a threat. Saying that much, it's easy to guess I didn't get to much sleep that night. However, the one thing I did get up for was Arceus Day. Presents, and the bathroom, of course.

After patting Akuma on the head and returning her, I took a trip to the water closet. I was careful not to make much noise, tiptoeing as I went. Down the stairs was the hardest since the floor boards creaked more in the silence. In the living room, there was the statue my mom had bought, with a few presents around it.

Even though I knew it was only my parents delivering the presents, it was still the tradition to put them around Arceus. Just the way it worked. It was hard to break the normal ways, so it was easiest to just go along with it. I walked by the statue and looked at the plain boxes. We couldn't really afford to go and buy fancy wrappings like others, but it was better than nothing.

I wanted to let Akuma out, to wait with me, but I was afraid to be caught with her inside the house. Instead, I just sat by the boxes and waited. It wasn't fun or anything, but I couldn't touch any of the presents until my parents came down. Just the rules of the family.

It must have been an entire hour before they came out of their rooms. I was left to listen to the faint sounds of party chaos still going on. By tomorrow though, most parties would be over, most too drunk to continue. On top off that, it was am entirely different holiday. Day of Darkness.

The Darkness Day is meant to thank Giratina for it's help to the cosmos. While it didn't make sense, it did give everyone a chance to recover from hangovers and get some sleep.

When I heard the doors upstairs open and close, I knew it was time. I almost laughed when my parents tried to be sneaky. Instead, I hid behind the statue of Arceus, planning to scare them.

Just as I got in place, I heard my own bedroom door open and my mom's whisper. When they discovered I wasn't in my room, they started talking to each other. While I wasn't close enough to hear what they were saying, I could guess it had something to do with my disappearance.

As the two walked down the stairs, I waited for them to enter the living room. They continued to whisper to the other, but they sounded worried. Just as they walked into the living room, one I saw their feet, I jumped up and yelled.

Luckily, they were people who could take a joke. While they were scared, they also saw me. Which made them laugh, so it meant I wasn't going to have all my presents taken away.

After laughing it out, we sat down and handed over presents. While mine wasn't worth much, it was an apricorn bobble. I'm not really sure what it was for, but it looked like my parents would like it. They did run a farm for apricorns, after all.

When they handed me the four boxes, I was happy I got anything at all. I was almost seventeen, and I was staying temporarily, so it was surprising I got anything at all. Smiling, I thanked them before treating through the packaging. Inside, I found a new coat with padding and camo for stealth. There was also a new sleeping bag and tent. In the final and smallest box contained a bag of candy.

It was expected to get candy, but the coat, tent, and sleeping bag were totally unexpected. All I could do was smile at my parents and thanked them. Likewise, they thanked me for the small apricorn statue thing. It was a quick Argues Day celebration after that.

We prayed to the Arceus Statue and shined the ring around it's body. It was just the tradition now. We read the Scriptures of Arceus for a few minutes before going back to our normal day stuff. More noises from parties sprang up the higher in the sky the sun went. I took my outdoors stuff up to my room and set it all next to my bag.

While I stared at my stuff, I sucked on a piece of hard candy and realized my usual bag wouldn't cut it. It already had a blanket to carry, now I had a tent and sleeping bag to drag along too. I'd need a new backpack.

Although I wasn't lazing for at least another month, I wanted to buy everything I could now and be prepared to leave whenever Sarah said she was ready. I was moving on her clock, so it was up to her to decide when I'd leave.

Back in the normal run of things, it was quite boring. I couldn't train very long with Akuma. She'd always try to breathe fire on any snow or even at the cold air. Of course, I still made her train. She needed it more than she knew. Thorn was a different problem. Because he was a plant, he could die in the cold. I still had him feed off the sunlight, but he'd always back into a corner for warmth.

The next few days were slow. Everyone was either tired or hung over so badly they'd rather stay home. As such, only small children were out in the snow. And me, of all things.

Only one thing really worried me, which was on Arceus Day, as well as the Eve of the day, several crimes were committed. Some were small and petty. Some examples are broken windows or stolen mailboxes. Others were more serious. People all over Sinnoh were reporting stolen Pokemon and Pokedexes. They were partners and licences being taken here.

Sure, most of the people were drunk and partying. Maybe some of them misplaced their PokeDex or Pokeballs. But this many being reported? It was highly unlikely. Some blamed Giratina, while rumors of an underground organization was behind the incidents. It was some scary stuff, considering world tension.

We were fortunate enough not to be robbed of our possessions. Several incidents had occurred in Floaroma, so it was hard to imagine it happening in a large city. It was also lucky that nothing really happened like that the entire time I spent waiting for Sarah's signal. Of course, that mostly meant I was doing the same chores I was doing before I'd left almost four months ago.

With my birthday fast approaching, it was difficult to know if we'd make it to Eterna before then. The first was a place not to be trusted. Of course, with a Dragon by my side it was hard to tell. There weren't many people who had one to tell the tale, they were that rare.

It was around halfway through February that I got the message from Sarah. I think it might have been the twentieth, but at the same time, the twenty first. It was late at night, so I couldn't tell. To be honest, most of the days before blurred together. Yesterday was the first of February. Day before was New Years. At some point I'd bought a dark purple and black backpack from my supplies. It was close to all of my money, even if I did occasionally go hunting with Alumna for a pinch of cash.

Still, it was late at night, so I decided to sleep and figure it out in the morning. Of course, properly after that, I'd totally forgotten about the signal. I ended up waiting until the first of March to bid audeu to my parents. I promised to keep in touch via PokeDex, before heading straight to a nearby mart. I still only had the 1 spare Pokeball, so stocking up might not be a bad idea.

I bought a half dozen Pokeballs, as well as a box of cookies. For the road. Setting out, into the forest, I was glad for the sunshine, because it melted all the snow and warmed the air up to a few degrees above freezing. A pleasant finger-numbing temperature.

The cookies were dotted with chocolate and tasted delicious. I made sure to save at least one for Akuma, but there were still plenty by the time I passed the point any Pokemon were permitted. Which meant only one thing; Akuma!

"Hey, Akuma. What's up? Want a cookie?" Akuma happily stretched and yawned before taking the small biscuit from my hand. She seemed to enjoy it, because she started sniffing around me for another one. Once she found the box, I had to give them all up, or else...

The road wasn't very interesting, but the trees were. They'd started blooming with small nubs growing from the branches. With all the new scenery, it was a nice change of pace from my room. Akuma seemed to like it as well, from all the new smells and sounds. It was all very nice until I started into the Eterna forest.

It was pretty nice inside the edges of the forest, like where I first found Akuma. However, past about two hours of walking, the trees grew much larger than I'd previously thought. And we weren't even in the thick of it. The trees were taller and wider than the skinny saplings near the small fields of Floaroma. And here I thought it would be a walk in the park.

"Getting kind dark in here, huh Akuma?" I looked over at her, before remembering her lack of understanding. She honestly didn't know what darkness was, other than her typing. Of course, it didn't bother her, just made it a bit harder in training. "Right..."

We kept walking along the same path before I began to see certain... Pokemon. They weren't something I remember seeing near Floaroma recently, so either it must've been the cold air, or simply the fear of humans. A herd of Stantler were near the path, seeming to see me, but refuse to back away. Since they weren't actually on the path, they didn't get in my way, but I made sure to give them a wide clearing.

Reaching into my pocket, I popped a small hard candy in my mouth. Though I knew they weren't good almost three months past Arceus Day, but they did give me something to suck on. It helped distract me from the actual danger in the air. The Stantler seemed cautious around me, and I felt something in my head.

Though the feeling in my head was a little annoying, it didn't seem like they were able to do anything. Akuma stuck close to me during the passing, but she growled and screeched at the Stantler that were too close. While they didn't advance, they did seem to glare at her. It didn't do much, but it was a sketchy situation.

Honestly, to run into a situation like this on the first day? A Stantler could project images or torture you mentally if provoked, even going so far as killing someone. It was something that made my legs shake, if I'm honest. Once clear, I was practically running with Akuma running beside me.

Soon enough, I couldn't see the Stantler behind us. It was my signal to let out my held breath, coming out in a gasp and I sucked in air to stay conscious. Akuma was confused about it for a while, until I returned to normal. She kept poking me with her faux horn, which tickled more than hurt.

I admired her ignorant courage, even though I knew it'd get me into a lot of trouble if it were me. She didn't know one of those things could kill you with a single glare. It was bad enough there were a dozen behind us.

"I don't suppose you know where we're going, do you, Akuma?" She just looked up at me and opened her mouth, saying she was hungry. I couldn't help but laugh. "Sure, let's go find you something for lunch."

It was a pretty easy find prey in the forest, come the spring. We found a Glameow licking it's paw, before being pounced on by Akuma. It was over almost as soon as I saw the cat, because Akuma's Thunder Wave stunned it in place long enough to be torn apart by her teeth. I thanked our training for increasing her range, even if it did deliver an uncomfortable shock to me as well.

"How's the meal?" Akuma looked up from her food before remembering me. Ripping off a large portion of the cat, she dropped the majority of the leg in front of me. I smiled and laughed a bit, before pressing my hand to her neck. Turning back to her meal, she dug back into the guts of the Glameow.

While I had the meat, I was unsure of how to cook it efficiently. Making a fire was too elaborate, but I could try using Akuma's flames straight from her mouth. And perhaps claim it as training? But I still had to wait for Akuma to finish. Instead, I set the meat aside, with the fur on the ground.

I knew I'd made ropes before, but I wasn't sure if I'd retained the skill. Pulling up a few shorter blades from the ground, I tried weaving them together, but the pattern didn't seem right. When it was finished, it hardly looked like the rope I'd made before. While it could still be used for something, I decided to toss it away.

Akuma sat back and made weird noises before sniffing around some more. Turning towards me, she found the leg she'd given me, before facing me. She wasn't insulted, was she?

"Listen, Akuma. Could you do me a favor? Now that you're done eating, could you breath some fire on mine? Not too hot, but enough to cook it?" While talking, I took the leg and pulled my knife out of my backpack. Akuma responded by cocking her head. While I usually let her eat her meals raw, she did eat cooked. It might have been because of her ability to eat both that she wondered why I couldn't. Of course, she could literally eat anything.

"I can only eat cooked meat, Akuma. You know, put over a fire?" My blade bit into the skin enough for me to peel off some fur. It separated nicely, but I ended up cutting off the foot. It wasn't a Lopunny foot, so no use keeping it for later. The skin wasn't very useful either, so I tossed that aside too.

It was a risky gamble. Either the meat wasn't fully cooked, or maybe I had my hand burned off? I didn't know whether or not to trust Akuma's aim, but it WAS Akuma here. She knew what would happen if she hurt me. Breathing in, I held the leg out to the side by the bone. I tried to keep as far away from the actual meat, where Akuma was supposed to cook the meat.

"Alright. Go ahead, Akuma. Remember, colder flames." Opening her mouth, Akuma unleashed a short burst of blueish black fire. While it wasn't very hot, it sure looked cool. I felt it the flames brush past my fingers, almost stinging from it. I looked at my hand with squinted eyes.

Until the bone under my fingers felt hot, I didn't want to take the meat away. Of course, Akuma had the habit of overdoing things, even on accident. I nearly dropped my meal after a few seconds, it was already that hot. Taking it away, I dropped the bone onto the ground.

Looking at my hand, I knew it'd probably scar. The skin over my index finger and thumb was practically charred. Just the sight made it feel a whole lot worse. All the skin from the knuckle of my thumb to my wrist was raw and blackened, but it was already cauterized. No blood made it easier to keep clean, at least.

Akuma sniffed at my hands, before backing away. It was enough to make my hand shake, and I almost screamed from the pain. Instead, I just stuffed the leg in my mouth with my good right hand and groaned. While the meat was a bit burned and charred, it was well done underneath. I knew it would be a bigger pain later, but for now, I just tore a piece off the bone and chewed on it.

There wasn't that much good meat, really. There was a chunk at the base of it, but Akuma had happened to eat most of it already. On top of that, it was burned down by a considerable amount, so I only got three good bites out of it. While I couldn't blame Akuma for my stupid idea, because I was would pay for it later, I knew she would be hard on herself for hurting me.

"Hey, it doesn't hurt that much. Don't worry about it." Taking a rag out of my bag, I wrapped it around my hand. While it stung, it masked my hand and helped me forget about it. Of course, it wasn't like it was fine, because it still hurt. A lot. But it was my way of saying it was fine.

Akuma seemed to buy it, so it worked out for me. Once I was finished with the meat, I stuck the bone in the ground. I brushed off my pants and rubbed Akuma's head. A quick thanks for the meal and we were on our way.

The forest became darker and darker the deeper we went. Akuma and I didn't find many problems with the trees, mainly because all branches were well above us. The path was a clear path of cleared grass, as well as trees. Nothing got in the way, other than the maze of the forest.

At some point, I seemed to have lost the path. While I could follow a cardinal direction, it made me a bit uncertain. I didn't want to say I was lost, but I was lost. I couldn't see the path and all the trees looked the same. Of course, I was calm enough to stay on track. Yeah, like it mattered. I was already off the path.

Giving up wasn't an option. I spent the rest of the day just walking in a single direction, Akuma confidently padding along beside me. It was the only thing keeping me going, the fact that Akuma would always follow me. The ground might have been rough in some places, but she was going to be there for a long time.

Once it started getting dark, and my hand was sufficiantly in pain, I decided to set up camp for the night. Being my very first night on my own in months, I was nervous. Thinking back on it, I realized I'd hardly ever been alone in the wild. Sarah had been there for everything, ever since the beginning.

It was really something to realize, because it meant a lot more when she was gone. Even though I was going to see her now, I was starting to miss her. I took out my tent from my pack and set it on the forest floor and took out the remote for it. It was a mechanized tent, automatically building itself.

With a quick skim through the manual and a push of a few buttons, the laid out tent snapped together and was erected without a hitch. Sighing, I tossed my bag inside and looked over to Akuma, who was sniffing the tent with caution.

"Don't worry, it won't kill us. It's our house for the next while. Luckily, no parents to hide you from." I fully unzipped open the front flap and stepped inside. It was pretty small and barren inside, other than my bag, but it was large enough for a sleeping bag and a little wiggle room.

And I was a bit liberal with wiggle room. After laying down my new sleeping bag, there was about two hands width between the bag and the tent wall. Akuma was a bit suspicious of the cloth thing that moved on it's own, but I convinced her to step inside. Sitting on the sleeping bag, it was a bit cozy. Akuma was able to lay down beside me, so it was cool.

While it was a great tent, I decided to hide it while we were hunting. Anything too flashy would draw... unwanted attention, should I say? The same could be said for my bag. It was mostly black, but the purple highlights made it an obvious target. I ended up shoving it into the hollow trunk of a dying tree.

With my camp now looking as invisible as a pile of sticks, I decided to venture out. It might be a bit difficult to find again, but I trusted Akuma to be able to find it again. For now, I just had to remember it was directly behind me.

The forest was a bit scarier in the dark, because I could only see a very little distance. Fortunately, I wasn't the one finding the prey anymore. Akuma's heightened senses were easily able to detect a Pokemon hiding, no matter how silent. It came in handy when finding a small Pikachu family.

It started with the sound of crackling static. Akuma perked up at the sound and ran off without me. I raced after her and watched as the tip of her tail whipped around a tree and the sounds of squeaking started up. I came around to see a Pikachu mostly eaten and Akuma going after another one. There were two more, trying to attack her with their electrical attacks, but their attacks were never known for being powerful.

Akuma easily withstood the two small zaps they tried to deal. She focused solely on ripping the head off of the small rodent beneath her. It was a bit disturbing to watch, but she was able to make quick work of the Pikachu. As soon as one of them turned to shock me, Akuma immediately pounced on it, detecting it's movement.

It could have been possible she'd mistaken the Pikachu attempting to attack me as one that was fleeing, but it still saved me the trouble of being electrocuted. After the fourth one was torn in half, I grabbed two of them. The first one had been torn apart, which made it less appealing, and the fourth one was in two separate pieces. The second and third only had it's throat and above missing. I only took one of the heads, but I had no intention of eating it.

I carried both back to the campsite. While it was a pain to find again, it did the trick to camouflage it. The fact that it was hard to find, even though I knew what I was looking for, was a sign I did it right. Taking the branches off the tent, I stacked them up for a fire. After Akuma's breath, I had a small fire and I was ready to cook.

After a quick skinning and impalement, I had two Pikachu cooking. While I knew the tails and electrical pouches could be saved for money, I wasn't sure if I could keep them from rotting before the end of the forest. As such, I ended up just discarding the rest of the corpses, like the skin and stuff.

It was almost nostalgic to be cooking like before, back in Winter. While the weather was enough to make me keep my hat on, my coat really helped. Coupled with a fire, I was almost tempted to take it off. Turning the spit was a bit difficult with the burn, but I somehow managed not to drop it in the fire.

While Akuma finished eating her share of Pikachu, I finished up cooking the meat. While it wasn't much, it was enough for me. I dug in as soon as it was cool enough and came away with a mouthful of meat that felt like it was statically charged.

It was a little weird, but it gave an exotic flavor to it. After finishing most of one, I allowed Akuma to take the other. She seemed not to mind the taste or texture, but that was nothing new. It's not like she was some sort of connoisseur or anything.

After the meal, I wiped my face of fat juice and blood with leaves and grass. I did not want to bring that into my new tent. I did the same to Akuma. While it wasn't a bath, she say still long enough for me to be deemed clean. After that, it was just messing around. I had plenty of time to do anything I wanted, but what I wanted to do was the hard part.

Sitting on my sleeping bag, check. Akuma beside me, resting after the feast, check. After that, I just poked around with my PokeDex. It's not like I had the best choice in entertainment, but I did the only thing I knew how to.

Stepping outside of the tent, I took a pose and imagined an opponent there, ready to fight. With throws and such, they were a bit difficult to do without someone physically there, but I did the best I could with what I remembered. Akuma sat back and faced me while I threw punches and imaginary grabs in the firelight.

Until I broke a sweat, I didn't want to stop. Unfortunately, the pain in my gut wasn't very nice. I took a heavy drink from my water bottle and sat back in my tent. Akuma seemed to be a bit tired, but she would never really show it. Still, I was tired. While it wasn't a very long training session, I wasn't exactly in top shape. On top of that, I was exhausted from today's events.

It was like being in the middle of nowhere, considering I'd left home this morning. Looking around, it looked like I was in something like the center. After a check from my PokeDex suggested otherwise, telling me I was only on the edges of the forest. Of course, with all the trees, the signal wasn't very reliable. My position wasn't exactly staying in one place. Apparently, I could teleport.

Sighing, I tossed my PokeDex onto my bag and laid back. I was about ready to hit the hay, but there wasn't really saying much considering I was already on my bedding. Yawning, I laid back and relax. Akuma moved to a more comfortable position, laying her head on my stomach. Patting her head, I pulled my blanket out of my bag and pulled it over me.

While it was a bit uncomfortable on the forest floor, I could deal with it. What creeped me out was the noises. Pokemon around sounded like howling, cooing, or groaning. When Akuma was snoring on me, I was still trying to get to sleep. It felt different that being in the Gate to Oreburgh, or even on the routes. The forest had the air of being dangerous. After sticking to the fields around Floaroma, the danger seemed to permeate the air.

I mean, who could sleep through that? Listening to some of the Pokemon out there, I felt nervous at how close some of them sounded. Shivers ran down my spine when I thought I heard a grim laughing somewhere nearby. While I did feel the fear, I tried my best to suppress it.

With the rumors of Ghosts being able to track your fear, and it's rising popularity, I did my best. If that wasn't a Ghost Pokemon laughing, I'd rather stay silent to begin with. I'd rather not be found until I was awake. While it would be enough to keep me awake any other time, my exhaustion was getting the best of me.

Carefully, I rolled over onto my side and fluffed the small rolled up bit of my sleeping bag I called my pillow before dropping. Yawning, I laid a hand on Akuma and the other underneath my head. After closing my eyes, I fell straight to sleep.

In the morning, I spent as little time as possible trying to clean up camp. I still felt uncomfortable after last night. I'm not exactly sure what it was, but I felt like I was being spied on and I did not like the feeling. Akuma did act any different, so it might not have been anything, but I couldn't say for certain. The way the hairs on the back of my neck told me differently.

Once everything was packed into my bag, I headed out towards Eterna. The exact direction didn't really matter, as long as I was heading the right way. That's what I told myself, at least. It was hard to no panic. I had no idea exactly where I was, but if the map told me I was going the right way, it was fine.

"Akuma, you don't sense anyone nearby, do you?" I had to ask, just to make sure. It'd be easier if I had something like a flying Pokemon to scout the area, but I didn't quite trust it to be nothing.

Akuma began sniffing the air and facing back and forth, trying to find this person I somehow detected. When she came up with nothing, I was disappointed as well as relieved. If she couldn't find someone, it meant there probably wasn't anyone following me. Still, I'd wanted some action to happen. Something interesting.

Instead, I just continued walking through the forest. The sticks and dead leaves from fall crunched and snapped under foot, making it impossible to sneak, but I guess there was no use. Even though the feeling hadn't left me, I guess I'd gotten used to it. I brushed it off as nothing, even if it was something. If Akuma couldn't find it, how was I going to?

Nothing really happened for hours, the same trees and boringly brown ground for hours. Even though it was around noon, the sun didn't reach that far down into the trees cover. It was light enough to see around, but it was like at the mouth of a cave.

It might have been around then that the first events happened. I'd thought it strange for the forest to be devoid of Pokemon. When one finally appeared, it scared me.

Worse, it was after me and Akuma from the start. I'm not sure if I angered it, but when the Manectric suddenly launched out at me, I was certain I was about to die. When Akuma jumped in the way and caught the Manectric by the neck, I fell backwards onto my butt.

"Very impressive," a voice said. I looked and saw a figure stepped out of the trees. "That Deino was able to save your life faster than my Manectric could move."

"W-who are you? Why're you trying to kill me?" Whoever this guy was, he was obviously someone I shouldn't take lightly. He obviously wouldn't hesitate to kill me, or anyone else for that matter.

"Listen, kid. Just hand over your Pokemon and wallet. Oh, and your PokeDex, too. I'm sure you won't need it anymore." The yellow and blue dog walked over to where the man was standing and shook it's mane, sending off small sparks. Underneath the yellow fur, I saw something similar to a collar.

"And... What makes you think Akuma would just walk over to you? It's not like you can just take my Pokemon." I tried a tough look, but apparently it just looked rediculous. The guy just laughed out loud and clutched his gut, he was laughing that hard.

"Oh, boy! You're one of the first I've ever met whose talked like that? What, you see your self as some sort of hero? Look, kid. You don't stand a chance against me. Just give up your stuff and I'll let you live. How's that?" Was he messing with me? As if I'd just let him take Akuma and Thorn away from me.

"I don't know who you are, but taking people's Pokemon is wrong. I think you should just go to the Pokemon Rangers and turn yourself in."

"Kid, like I said, stop being a hero. I guess you're gonna chose the hard way." It sounded like the guy liked hearing his own voice. It was really annoying, just hearing his strange accent. It obviously wasn't Sinnoan, so I guessed he was a foreigner. But why would he be trying to steal Pokemon? "You gonna say anything?"

Taking my silence as a "no", he started ordering his Manectric to attack. Akuma, already on standby, leapt into motion and started charging her Dragon's Rage. In an attempt to stop it, the dog started generating enough static to attack.

Having begun charging first, Akuma was the first to release her attack. Being second and close behind, the dog used a ranged bolt of electricity. While it didn't have too much of an effect of her, it did look like it hit hard. The power behind it was enough to destabilize her balance. On the other hand, Akuma's attack wasn't very effective, even if it connected.

"Akuma!" Regaining her calm, the Deino faced back and forth for the position of the doge. The Manectric was moving from place to place with agility I hadn't seen before. Not in real life, at least. The TV was something else.

"Last chance. Just hand over the dragon and you will still be able to walk away." I hated the way he dragged out his A's and O's. Made me grit my teeth, to be honest. I couldn't tell exactly where he was from but it was still annoying.

"You aren't getting my Pokemon. That's final! I don't care what I have to do, but you aren't getting Akuma."

"Heh! You must be a moron or you're the bravest kid I've ever met. Let's see how you deal with this?" Pulling out a knife. I saw it's sharpened edge shine in a ray of sunlight coming through the leaves. A jolt of fear ran through my body, up my spine. No one told me I could bring a knife to this Pokemon fight.

While Akuma and the Manectric were fighting it out, I realized something. While I was under the League Laws of Combat, who was here to enforce it? So what if I gang up on this guy's Pokemon? As fast as I could, before the man with the knife could approach, I withdrew two items.

Thorn appeared in front of me and I held my knife in the other. While my knife might not have been as flashy as his, nor as long, it was still a bladed weapon. It might not be very fair, but he was the one who made it unfair first. I was just playing by his rules now.

"Ah, so you want to fight? For real? And it looks like you've got an itty bitty Budew, too! More for me!" Rushing towards me, the man held up his knife.

"Thorn! Help me get this guy!" Sensing some danger, Thorn immediately reacted by firing a cloud of spores at the man. It was a good move, but I wasn't expecting the guy to so easily attack Thorn. The blade of the knife bit into his planty body at the side, drawing out his purplish green blood.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn? You could've avoided this in the first place. Now, this stuff it really annoying. Seriously, it feels like needles are piercing my skin." Shaking his knife arm, he threw drops of the green blood across the clearing. One drop his my cheek and I flinched.

This was the moment the man was waiting for. When I ducked away, he swung his knife down at me. Using my own knife, I caught the larger blade of his knife. Unfortunately for me, the larger blade meant more weight. While my blade stopped his, the tip of the knife caught my shoulder, leaving an expanding red splotch.

I groaned at the pain, but still struggled to fight off the Pokemon Thief. Akuma was still fighting off the Manectric, but she faced me for a second. Focusing, I shoved the man off me and swung a punch, but he managed to avoid it. He countered with a slash to the torso. While I tried to sidestep, it still caught my coat.

"You're pretty quick, too. I'll give you that. Seems like you know how to fight. Still, you're not good enough!" The knife caught my forearm and bit deeper than the other attacks. Yelping from the pain, I pulled back from the blade and swung at him with my other hand.

One glace at Thorn, I knew I had to finish this quickly. The pain in my arm and the drops of blood said the same thing. If this fight lasted more than a few more minutes, I'd be in trouble. Not to mention, I had to save Thorn. Glaring at him, I rushed the man with the knife and tried to stab him.

When my blade connected, it didn't feel right. Not the same as stabbing a Pokemon. I withdrew a step and waited. Was he wearing some armor underneath, or was human flesh harder than a Pokemon? I didn't understand it!

"Ah, that may pose as a problem later on," the man said, blood dripping off his fingertips. "I haven't had an injury in a long time. I might be losing my edge, huh?" Laughing, the thief flicked his blood around and seemed hysterical. I didn't like the way he simply brushed off pain, acting like nothing had happened. "Was that the wrong time to laugh?"

Advancing, I used my knife to cut his arm injured again, to make sure he could feel the pain he'd caused me. The two knifes met, but not before cutting down into his arm. Twisting my knife, I sent his away from me and made him lose battle. This was the one moment I had to attack!

Bringing my knife down, I caught his torso and stabbed him through the gut. While it wasn't lethal, it was something that could potentially cause some damage. Blood poured out of his stomach and puddled out around him. The feeling in my gut was enough to make me feel sick.

"Thorn!" This wasn't over. Pulling out his Pokeball, I returned him before he lost too much blood. The Pokeball should contain everything inside and prevent him from getting more injured. From getting any worse. Looking back to the Manectric, Akuma was holding her own.

Of course, that's saying she was still standing. Barely. She had several patches of fur burned from electrical shocks and blood was leaking from her shoulder. On the other hand, the dog was only bleeding from a few places. And he didn't seem to be dropping any time soon. I could return Akuma before anything happened to her, but that would leave only me to deal with it. But I did have one option.

Taking out my PokeDex, I quickly dialed the Pokemon Rangers and waited for the ringer to stop. I kept my eyes trained on the fight, to make sure nothing bad happened. When I heard someone pick up, I focused on the woman's voice.

"Hello, Pokemon Rangers. Is there something you need, Trainer?"

"I need a Ranger over here. I'm in Eterna Forest and there's a thief here. It's a Pokemon thief, and he's injured."

"Alright, but we'll need your Trainer ID, so we can track your position. We'll dispatch a Ranger as soon as we know where you are."

"Uh... Hold on a second." Looking at my PokeDex while my call was still active was a bit tricky, but I managed to pull up my credentials. "Alright, my ID is SI863FL-" Halfway through reciting my ID, a bolt from the Manectrc flashed by my face and made me flinch.

"Sorry, Trainer. I need you to tell me your ID one more time." Sighing, I read out my ID once more. It was a bit difficult to focus on two things at once, both the fight and my numbers. "Thank you. We've just sent a Ranger towards your position. Just sit tight, they should be to your position withing ten minutes."

"What!? I need someone here now! My Pokemon are in danger!" As I said that, Akuma was thrown to the ground, but she countered with her dark teeth.

"We don't have any Psychic trainers ready. The other teams have already been dispatched on a different case. Please wait and hold up until the Rangers arrive. Sorry again, Trainer." Hanging up, I groaned. Grabbing my bag, I winced and remembered my injuries. I'd forgotten about my injuries, my arm starting to go numb.

Wrapping my arm with a shirt was the best option, but I was beginning to feel dizzy. The blood was still dripping off my fingers from the earlier attack, as well as from my shoulder. I had to stop the bleeding, so I took out a cloth from my bag and pulled up my sleeve.

Just seeing the wound out in the open made me nauseous. This would not be an easy fix, like one, two, and three. But at least it would work until the Rangers got here. The makeshift bandage was tied tightly around my arm and was immediately dyed red from the blood.

The fight was still in full steam, pushing forward with power, the Manectric was determined to win. Even if it's owner was laying on the ground, bleeding out. I was afraid to approach the dog in case of one thing; Electrocution. The one thing that was the biggest danger here was death by electricity.

"Akuma! Be careful! You can do this!" Moral encouragement was the most I could do. I couldn't fight her enemy on my own, but I could give my support. The time was ticking down until the Rangers got here, so I only had to make sure the ten minutes time limit ran out. Even while she was fighting, if she continued too much farther, she'd either become too exhausted or too injured to continue. This battle had to end soon, before then.

Hearing the sound of wings flapping, I looked up on instinct. Descending through the tree cover was a larger Pidgeot. On it's back was a rider, dressed in a uniform and the symbol of Sinnoh was boldly on the back. One of the Rangers!

"Are you Trainer Kael Lorano? Where is the thief you reported?" Stepping away from the body of the man, I gestured to his position. "He's seriously injured. Are you going to explain this to me, or are you just going to make me interrogate you? You said he was trying to steal your Pokemon, but all you had to do was subdue him."

"You think it was that easy? Stabbing him was the best option. He didn't respond to being cut at all, but he fainted after being stabbed."

"No, no. Start from the beginning. I'll start trying to patch him up while you explain." Taking out a Pokeball, the Ranger released a Breloom. It started bouncing back and forth between Akuma and Manectric. Not attacking just yet, but still interfering from any further fighting.

I called Akuma back to my side, which she obeyed without hesitation. As soon as she was near me, she instantly collapsed from exhaustion and injury. However, the Manectric was something else entirely. The dog turned against the Ranger's Pokemon and began attacking it with fangs crackling with power. Almost as soon as the Manectric attacked, it was met with a fist and knocked into a tree.

"Recall your Pokemon and stand aside. And speak! I want to hear that story. Don't worry about Joey, that Manectric will be neutralized. So, speak up." The Ranger started placing salves and giving him injections to heal the injuries. Following his orders, I recalled Akuma and began at the beginning of the story.

How he'd approached me with his knife and the threat of taking my Pokemon, PokeDex, and wallet. I explained our fight in simplistic terms and a few details. The Ranger nodded and finished patching up the thief as I was finishing up at the part of calling the Rangers.

"I see. I'm going to have to write a report on this. There are several reports on Pokemon Thieves. Good job on catching one. However, I'm going to write a citation for you as well. We can't have some reckless trainer killing people. Seriously, kid. This is serious."

"I was simply protecting myself. I didn't mean to actually almost kill him. I'm sorry." The Ranger used his own Dex to file a report, as well as give me the citation. It was basically a mark on my record, a tick next to my ID. It wasn't something I really wanted to have, but when I was to become Champion, it wouldn't matter.

"Very well. Would you like to be flown back to Floaroma, or will you be fine on your own?" The Ranger threw the thief over his Pidgeot mount and turned back to me.

"Well, my Pokemon are injured, but some rest should heal them."

"You mentioned that your Budew was injured, though. Will it be alright? If not, get on the Pidgeot and I'll take you to the Pokemon Center."

"Uh, I think they'll be fine. Thank you, though. I appreciate the help."

"Same here. By the way, you might want to check out that cut there. Make sure you keep it clean and let it breath once it stops bleeding." Looking down at my arm, I saw it had soaked through the shirt. Thanking the Ranger again, I tightened the shirt to staunch the blood flow. It'd be fine, as long as I kept it wrapped.

Returning his Breloom, as well as capturing the Manectric, he climbed onto his Pidgeot and told it to start flying. It's powerful wings pushed wind into my face, as well as leaves and dirt. I covered my eyes and mouth with my hand until the Ranger was clear of the trees. Sighing, I sat down against a tree and relaxed.

Seriously, who could've known Eterna Forest was this dangerous? And what was that guy's problem? He sounded like he'd been stealing Pokemon for a while. But why would someone need to steal Pokemon? They were partners, and sometimes tools, but not something people should take by force. There was plenty out in the wilderness for everyone.

Feeling drowsy, I started to nod off. It might not have been the best of plans, but I was tired. Yawning, I closed my eyes and let sleep take me.

Snapping awake, it was plenty dark when I stood up. On top of that, my shoulder and arm felt like they'd been stomped on by a Rhyhorn. Groaning, I looked around for somewhere to set up camp. While I had Akuma in her Pokeball, she was also injured. She would need to rest before I let her work again.

Today was a stressful day, as well as tiring. I'd only been awake for half of it, but I was still exhausted. Looking at my arm, I saw the shirt wrapped around it was dried and stiff. While my hand was cold, it still meant I could feel it. Even if my skin looked a little pale, I'd survive it.

First, though, I needed to find some place to camp for the night. It was pretty dark, but my PokeDex came in handy. While I did have my flashlight, it was somewhere in my bag, and I didn't feel like dumping everything out to find it. Using the light from the screen, I managed to find a small clearing.

Looking up, I saw moonlight bleeding through the leaves. While the moon wasn't full, it was close enough, and it helped me relax. Pulling out my tent, I pressed the button to extend the frame. Once I was inside the shelter, I took out Akuma's Pokeball and held it for a while.

I wasn't sure whether or not to let her out to heal, or if I should wait a bit longer. Thorn was still damaged and he would need a lot of time in the sunlight to heal. But Akuma was still well enough to be kept out. Checking the health on her ball, I saw she was at 32%. It wasn't that she was in any danger, but I still wanted to be cautious.

Sighing, I pointed the Pokeball outside the tent and pressed the button. She materialized on the ground, laying there, but she lifted her head and turned back and forth. She looked fine, even with some damage showing through her fur.

"Hey, there. How're you feeling?" The Deino stood up and walked into the tent and laid down next to me. I rested my hand in her matted hair, which she relaxed into. While I was hungry, I was sure she was too. Of course, in the darkness, I had no clue what we could find. Instead, I'd wait 'til day.

Besides that, I was still tired. This entire day was a drag. All I'd done was walk a few kilometers and defended myself from a Thief. Not the best day, if you ask me. Sighing, I laid back onto my blanket and wrapped it around me. Akuma crawled over to me, so she could feel my hand again. Smirking, I rubbed her head and messed up her horn again. Closing my eyes, I tried to get some sleep to help get rid of the pain in my shoulder and arm.

Morning was not very nice, to say the least. While I'd assumed that the pain would fade over night, it only made it feel three times worse. And on top of that, Akuma had apparently rolled over or something in her sleep, now laying on my arm. Groaning, I pushed her off of me and sat up.

Yawning, I stepped out into the brisk morning air and stretched my arms. It was a shame that my coat now had a gash in the sleeve and shoulder, but if I just patched it up, it should be fine. I tried to move my fingers, but they hurt if I tried to grip anything. My scarred shoulder was much the same, hurting if I moved my upper arm.

It was kind of ironic that it was this shoulder that was cut. This would be the third scar left on my shoulder, and I'd hope it didn't start restricting the movement. While it wasn't bleeding, it was obvious it would have a nice scar.

On top of that, my hand still had a burn on it. The skin had been killed by the heat and turned brown. While it was worrying, it looked to be healing. I decided not to mess with it. It didn't hurt too badly, so I could live with it.

Akuma followed me outside and I decided to check out her injuries. Walking over to her, I ruffled her neck fur and looked at a few of the scabs. None of them looked too bad, they just had burn marks and small scratches. She would probably be fine, but she would probably not want to train today. It was a bit of a shame, but I definitely didn't want to do and training either.

While I was curious, as well as concerned, I didn't want to risk Thorn being too heavily damaged to be let out of his Pokeball. I decided not to let him out just yet, but I still wanted to make sure he was alright. I didn't want another Stein. Instead of thinking about it, I simply put his Pokeball in my pocket and began cleaning up camp.

In the darkness of last night, I didn't even set up a fire. It was an easier time to clean up, but not by much. I still had to take down the tent and pack it onto my backpack. Akuma sniffed around the bushes of the nearby forest, looking for something, but I let her be. She didn't need do anything yet, so it was fine. Besides, if she found some breakfast, all the better.

After everything was on my back, I called Akuma to follow. She happily followed me. The forest wasn't creepy. It did hold danger, and I was afraid another thief like yesterday would jump me. But I wasn't scared of trees. In fact, as I walked through the woods, it seemed brighter the deeper we went.

My stomach groaned soon after I started walking. I knew I was hungry, but I didn't know where to look next for a meal. Berries wouldn't be ripe for a good month or two. And while bug Pokemon were prominent, other meatier Pokemon were a bit harder to find.

And when bugs are prominent, there are webs and nests everywhere. I wasn't a fan of bugs or anything. I didn't mind them, as long as they didn't bother me. They had a purpose, so I didn't just kill them outright. And webs were my biggest fear. Whatever made it wasn't as scary, but the fine and sticky threads just gave me the chills. Without Sarah here to see it, I was able to be open about it.

The walking was as boring as ever. Akuma tried to cheer up the mood, being a curious Dragon. She sniffed at saplings, leaves, branches, and Buneary holes. Sometimes it earned her a meal, other times it was knowledge on her constant surrounding. I felt envious for her, even if it might have been harder that way.

As we walked along a path of our own,I felt my PokeDex buzzing in my pocket. Taking it out, I checked my messages and saw it was from Sarah. This couldn't be good.

Hey Kael,

I'm almost to Eterna, so I hope to meet you there by tomorrow or day after. See you soon!

Great. She was going to get there first, and she was expecting me to be there already. And why hasn't she asked me anything since New Years? She only sent these short two or three sentence messages. How was I supposed to respond?

Sighing, I typed in a quick reply, telling her I was somewhere near the middle. It wasn't a total lie, but it would take a while to get to Eterna anyways. Besides, she got a heads start on me. I sent the message, before patting Akuma on the neck.

I continued without breakfast until around noon. That's when I found a solution for lunch. A group of Pachiritsu were hiding until we passed underneath. They began carpet bombing Akuma and I with Seedots. Their hard shells made them sing with the pain they brought.

"Hey! Stop it!" At the sudden shouting, the Pachiritsu stopped for a second. However cute they may look, they were still mischievous. The hail of Seedot continued after the Pachiritsu regained their footing.

In retaliation, Akuma growled at them and scared a few off. The sound and appearance of a Dragon was enough to frighten most away. Most, that is. One was brave enough to stick around.

"Wanna be brave, huh? Seems you could be useful." A confident smile on my face, in spite of having another Seedot thrown at me, I pulled out a Pokeball. Catching a few partners now wouldn't be the worst idea.

Expanding the Pokeball, I prepared to throw it. Halfway through the motion, the Pachirisu threw a larger Seedot at me. It bounced off the Pokeball and a flash of light came from above me. I instinctively dropped the Pokeball and looked at it.

The red circle turned to green and clicked. Inside, a Seedot was captured and I'd wasted a Pokeball. Pulling out another, I told Akuma to subdue the Pachirisu. She opened her maw and breathed a jet of flames. It leapt out of the way and returned fire with an electric shock.

Akuma was still injured from yesterday's battle with the Manectric. I'd definitely say the Manectric was a long way ahead of Akuma, but she'd mainly been on defense and evasive action. That'd saved her from lethal injury. Compared to the Manectric, this Pachirisu was nothing. The shocks that hit Akuma just rippled over her fur and was harmlessly absorbed.

It didn't take much to take out the small electric Pokemon out. It fell out of the trees after getting shot with a Dragon's Rage. While it was motionless, it was also still alive. With a Pokeball in hand, I tossed it at the white and blue trouble maker. To be honest, it was a little weak with no evolution or special abilities. Maybe it was a waste of time, but I still threw the Pokeball anyways.

The red circle successfully turned slowly to green. I was sure the Pachirisu wouldn't be caught that easily, but the circle completed and turned white. Picking it up, I put in my pocket along with the Seedot. I wasn't sure what exactly to do with the Seedot, but it'd have to do for now. I registered them both to my PokeDex and moved on.

Walking again, Akuma followed without a sound. She probably expected to eat the Pachirisu, but this was obviously part of a plan. It's what I assumed she thought about me, at least. Somehow, in the end, it did work out. Almost like I'd planned it, and right on time, three more Pachirisu came out of the bushes.

It was probably to look for their missing comrade, but they made perfect targets for Akuma. She quickly leapt on the unsuspecting trio and tore their bodies in half. It was the most efficient way, it seemed. They died quickly, and it opened the meat for fasted cook times.

Plus, she was hungry. Getting it over faster meant she could eat sooner. Of course, the scene reminded me of the four Pikachu we'd eaten. Why hadn't I just caught one of those, using it once it became a Raichu? Well, what's done is done, and I had a Pachirisu. And some lunch.

The meat tasted similar to the Pikachu, the same tingly and sparking taste. It was somewhat addictive, and I was starting to enjoy it. Akuma obviously didn't care, but it was something I would try again. Tossing the meatless bones aside, I wiped my mouth, and I was ready to move on.

I tossed dirt over the fire I'd built and stamped it out before calling to Akuma. Pachirisu blood was still across her face, but it's not like that was new. But there was something still bothering me. I had Akuma with me, injured but active. Thorn was probably better than I remember him, and most likely only needed sunlight. That's why I made my way to a clearing in clear view of the sun. Would make it easier for him.

Sighing, conceded and took out the small ball and expanded it. I still liked the feel of the slick cover sliding over my fingertips. This was the moment of truth, whether or not he was worse than he could handle. Breathing in, I held my breath before clicking the button.

Thorn appeared on the ground, and I saw his condition. The cut on his side was covered in greenish purple blood, but the cut itself wasn't that deep. Light would be absorbed into his skin, or whatever it is, and help him heal. He was a plant, after all.

Opening his eyes, Thorn looked at me after having been in his Pokeball for a while. Wincing from the pain in my arm, I reached out with my injured arm, to show him my bandaged wounds. We were equally beaten, yet we still won. I was still alive, which was all we needed to know.

He looked fine, but he didn't move. Thorn wasn't really much for moving, so it wasn't much. What did make me look again was his bud. It was getting larger and looked closer to blooming. Which was a good thing! That meant the flower wasn't that far away. Of course, that also meant I didn't have much more time to evolve him. He had to bloom for me this spring, or I'd have to wait another entire year.

I trusted myself to train him, to bond with him enough to make him bloom for me. Cheesy as it sounded, this was the goal to set. If only Sarah was here to help me, it'd be easier to keep on track. She was the only reason I really made as a trainer. To be honest, I didn't know what I was doing on my own.

Doing the best I could, I patched him up with similar bandages to mine. It wasn't much, but it helped stop the bleeding. It wasn't a deep cut, only dropping down a few centimeters at most, but it looked larger next his body. It worried me, but not as much as I'd feared I would.

Thorn was a bit disappointed he wasn't able to stick around until the end. A lot of his fights ended with Akuma helping out. Were I in his place, I'd feel frustrated. Having someone always taking my glory was an embarrassment in itself. It was nice to see he didn't share the violent side of that story.

We rested in the clearing for a while, mainly for Thorn. He needed the sunlight, and it was also pretty enjoyable. Akuma seemed content with her position, rolling in the grass and chewing on some of it. I laid back and closed my eyes for only a moment, just to relax.

About an hour later, Akuma nudged my arm and I woke up from my nap. I winced from the nudging, but I was alright. Yawning, I stretched and looked to Thorn. He was busy absorbing sunlight, but he'd moved a few meters from his original position. After a quick stretch, I walked over to him.

"Sorry, Thorn. I'm gonna have to return you for now. We're walking a fair distance, soso it's best if you're returned." Looking into his eyes, I clicked the button and he disappeared. He'd be safe there until tomorrow when he could rest longer.

Calling to Akuma, we started towards the trees again. I yawned and stumbled a bit from my nap. I was still a bit sleepy, but this wasn't the place to rest too long. Without any sort of cover, we were an open target. In the forest, the dark was one of my allies. I'd already seen the consequences, with my arm already in pain.

With my hand in my pocket, I felt both sets of my Pokemon. The two I'd just captured in one, Akuma's and Thorn's in the other. I couldn't easily decide a name for the Pachirisu, and I had no idea if I was going to keep the Seedot. Now was the time to decide the name, but nothing came to mind when the question was asked.

Looking at my map as I walked through the trees, I saw the landmarks positioned around the forest to help checkmark progress. While I'd gotten used to being off the path, it might be safer back there. They were near the paths, so it wasn't that they were right in the way, but they weren't that easy to find. You really had to know where you were going.

In short, if I was going to do as I promised Sarah, it wouldn't hurt to check out a few of the sites and sights along the way. The bonus was that it was right along the path, so it doubled as a way back. I wasn't lost. Not yet, anyways. At the same time, I almost felt like I was taking someone's help.

Deciding on the journey to the nearest landmark, which happened to only be a wooden checkpoint. Several of these were now highlighted on my map. They were built by the league after several trainers had been lost in the forest. Not many had been killed, but there were a few cases. The outposts were more of a way of leaving bread crumbs, not a guide rail.

Setting off in the general direction of the checkpoint, I called Akuma to follow and adjusted my bag. The journey wouldn't be too long, so I wasn't worried. Since it was around noon, my prediction was that I wouldn't get there until tomorrow, but It wasn't too big of a deal to me anymore.

With Thorn stable and Akuma fine, there wasn't really much to worry about. I know she could handle most things, so I could put my trust in her. Maybe this attitude wasn't the fastest route, but for now, I was content. Sarah was already in Eterna, and I would be a few days, maybe a week late. If she could wait one day, she could wait a month. Of course, I didn't plan on staying in the forest a month, but stuff happens.

.

The wooden checkpoint wasn't really that interesting. It looked like a small solid outhouse, with a sign hanging on it with an arrow. The arrow pointed down the dirt trail, towards Eterna City. What surprised me was the trainers hanging around it. Some of the trainers looked young, while one of them looked to be a bit older.

As I stumbled out of the trees and bushes, most of the younger trainers flinched. One of them even screamed at the sight of me. They quickly calmed down when they realized I was a human, but instantly started screaming when they saw my partner barreling through the bushes behind me.

"W-who are you?" Looking at the young boy questioning me, I saw he was probably a year younger than me. It was surprising to see in his hand was a red Pokeball. Though he wasn't that young, it felt like that. It was amazing as it was, seeing a kid having tamed a Pokemon already.

The same could be said about me, with a Deino by my side, growling at a small group of kids.

"It's alright. I'm just passing by. This is my partner Akuma, and she's pretty friendly. Just be careful, because she does breath fire." It gave me a bit of satisfaction when I mentioned she was dangerous. While she knew not to attack humans, since the thief incident, I didn't know if she still trusted them.

"How do we know... How can we trust you? You're just some trainer with a scary dragon, how do we know you're not some, like, murderer or thief?" Several of the young trainers chimed in, agreeing on the first boy's assumptions. It seemed like I was going to be driven away by a mob of kids, until the older kid stepped forward.

"Hey!" His deep voice boomed over the squabbling little kids. "Now, stop acting like children and shut up for a minute and let the guy explain himself! Jeez, this is why I hate kids." The kids calmed down after being yelled at. It seemed the man wasn't exactly connected to the children, but it also explained what he was here for. He was their guide, or even a bodyguard.

Motioning for me to begin, I started to explain that I was just a trainer traveling through Eterna Forest. I didn't go into much detail with my wounds, but I assured them it wasn't Akuma who gave me the cuts. My story was pretty brief, but it got the point across. I was here to do harm.

"Well, well. You said you were going to Eterna for your next badge? What says you if you battled one of these kids? All of them are fresh from Oreburgh, and are probably still a bit suspicious of you. Why not just give them what they want? And kids, remember to send out your strongest trainer. This young man, Kael, was it? That dragon is not to be taken lightly."

At the mention of her, Akuma perked up and opened her maw. A battle, huh? A sly grin crept across my face. Even in her wounded state, kids straight from Oreburgh would be a piece of cake. Rubbing my arm where Akuma had bit me months ago, I agreed to the fight.

I knew there would be more trainers along the path, taking the safer route through the forest. I'd been expecting a fight, even if it was as early as this. And now it was my time to be a bit cocky and show these little kids just who they were dealing with. I was going to be champion, after all.

"C'mon, Akuma. Time for a little practice. What do you say?"

Well, that was nice. The forest is a lovely place, right? I'm not sure if I described it right, but I hope that went alright. I'm really not sure how to describe a forest, even if I practically lived in one for 15 years. It might be because of that...

The scene with the kids should be fun. Beating up smaller prey might not be honorable, but they're sorta asking for it.

I'll try to write the story as fast as I can, as well as make a few pushes. You know, for a few different ideas. Let's hope it works out.

Current Pokemon

Trainer: Kael Lorano; SI863FL239A

Pokemon in Possession:

Akuma - Deino

Thorn - Budew

Pachirisu - Pachirisu

Seedot - Seedot