Chapter two

"Now hold on one second!" Helen exclaimed, shattering the excitement into an empty void of disappointment. "Why do you think you deserve these Pokemon? After your disappointing behaviour this afternoon, I doubt that you actually have what it takes to train them." She was baiting us. Trying to get us to beg. I had seen this trick to many times, a classic form of torture. She would dangle the prize right in your arrogant face and then snatch it away. If you gave in, you would never get it. You had to play the game the way she wants it.

"I don't see why this is such a problem." I was trying to manipulate her. Make her lose her cool and show some opening. "We were given no warning that you expected anything better from us. In fact, this morning, you attacked me with Stoutland because I was acting out. What makes you think this was our fault?" I was stepping too far. I could see the frustration on her face, but the trademark smirk never left. I was getting her, but I hit too hard. We had to be ready for the return fire.

"After the… events of last month, I would've thought you'd have the guts to do something bigger." That comment kept itching at me. Why did she keep bringing up the senior prank? What about it was so important to her? "You three had carried out the prank of the century so I was sure you had the right stuff for graduation. I had no idea you would chicken out at the last second."

This time, Cheren was ready. When it came to cold hard interrogation, no one could get past him. The only one to beat his fact based tactic was Helen, and even that was a heavy war. "I notice you keep bringing up that one event. What could be its true significance? We've carried out plenty of other pranks in the past. We flooded the school bathrooms, broke into the office and changed all the passwords to the school computers, even released wild Pidoves in the science wing. Why is this one so important to you?" Cheren had her. The smirk was gone and I could see the sweat running down the side of her face. His next move was critical. "I think it's because we did something you never could. We came up a prank that topped anything you could have come up with. What about that?"

Idiot.

He played right into her hand. Helen was a master of deception and can easily lead you into a false sense of confidence. If you showed too much, she would destroy you. "Maybe." She said. "Maybe it was a prank I could never pull off. Or maybe it's the only one I didn't hold your hand on. Did you forget who came up with the idea of flooding the school? Who planted it in your head? Or how about who drove to Nacrene city, where you got those pidoves, and let's not forget who had the administration distracted in a meeting when you broke into the office! Oh yeah, I was there every step of the way, and last month was when I let you go on your own. That's why it's so important, Cheren!"

She had him pinned, his trump card lost. He had no recovery now, and he needed a tag out. We had almost found a weakness something to grab her and we blew it. She was scared for a minute, almost losing, but we hadn't hit the last nail. She wasn't afraid of telling us off as amateurs who got lucky, and she wasn't afraid of telling us she was our aid. So what was she afraid of? Bianca was up next. She fought calm and collected, almost like Cheren's fact tactic, but she looked for the facts about you. She analyzed your body movements and speech patterns. She could tell what you were thinking before you even said it. A human lie detector.

"You don't care about the pranks." She said. "There is something else lurking behind your eyes. But what is it? Is it anger, that we have not grown to your expectations? Is it regret, that you have not raised us efficiently…. No. There is something else." Bianca had her. When she got serious things would get really weird. Almost supernatural. I have experienced first hand what it was like to get picked apart. It felt like Bianca was inside your own head, scratching at the walls. Her eyes penetrated you like a dagger, and twisted around inside. She tore you to pieces, and the evidence on Helen's face was clear enough to see.

Bianca was getting close.

"Why don't you tell us, Helen? Tell us what's going on inside your head! I want to know, Helen! I want to know what makes you tick!" Bianca had reached stage two, the fear factor. She would berate you with the same question while simultaneously inching herself closer. The tactic messed with the old parts of your head, the ones that tell you danger is near. This induces the fight or flight response, which can go either way, it only depends on how hard you push.

At the moment, Helen looked ready to run. The sweat starting to run down her face was evidence enough for me to make that assumption. Juniper was still grinning, clearly enjoying this odd form of torture. What her deal was, I would never know, but at the moment it looked like Bianca was going to win. I knew from experience that you could never be too sure with Helen, but if all went well, we could finally become trainers.

"I think I'm starting to see it, Helen. What lies behind those eyes. The secrets you have kept locked away. Why don't you tell us them Helen? Why not give us what we seek?" The wind was starting to pick up, giving this whole seen a creep factor of 11 out of 10. Bianca was starting to push, and she was pushing hard. Helen still held her ground, but you could tell the tactic was getting to her, and Bianca was reveling in it. Creepy.

"You know Bianca," Helen started to reply. "Your father is on my side with this one. He doesn't think you're ready, and for good reason. You've been riding the boys coattails for years now, and have nothing to show for it. What makes you think you can be a trainer?" Helen was fighting back now, and was not pulling any punches. That cut deep, and on a normal day that would have made anyone crumble, but something was… off. Helen didn't have the power anymore, not like usual. It was weak, half baked, almost like she threw it out there for the wind. Had Bianca won?

"You're running out of insults, old hag." Bianca was pushing with all her might now, leaving nothing on the table. "The picture is becoming clearer to me, it is what I seek." A cloud starting passing over the sun, plunging the yard into an eerie shadow. The wind was picking up harder now, wiping the hat off of Bianca's head. As her blond hair whipped in the wind I could almost believe she was causing this. Every step seemed to make the world darker and plunge the temperature into a complete cold. It was July and I could see my breath.

"You're afraid, Helen." Bianca's voice had changed, coming from deep in her chest. "You don't think we can handle the outside. Your eyes are filled with loss, and you are afraid. Look into my eyes Helen and tell me you're afraid." I couldn't see Bianca's face but from behind I was already afraid. The air just kept getting colder and the sun refused to shine. The wind made my eyes tear up, to the point I could barely see. Through my squinting eyes, her green dress appeared to go black, and her hair turned platinum blonde. It was like a vision from hell.

Helen looked ready to scream, with every step Bianca took, she took a step back. The sweat was now pouring down her face and her usual calm face had turned to a face of fear. "Tell us the truth Helen!" Bianca exclaimed, her voice seeming to emanate from the earth itself. "You are afraid that we will see what you have seen! Look at me Helen! Tell me what you know!"

"I DON'T WANT YOU TO GET HURT!"

With that everything went normal. The wind died down and the sun returned to its orange glow on the horizon. Helen had lost, but I'm not sure if we won. Bianca had gone to full blown scare mode, enough to actually make a grown woman scream. Juniper had stopped smiling and everyone had gone silent until Helen spoke again.

"I have seen so many of friends get hurt when went on my journey." She said between the tears. "I lost so many and I just wanted to make sure you were ready. There is going to be a lot of pain and a lot of fear, so you have to be ready. Friends will die and it will seem like it's all your fault. Nothing can prepare you for that level of pain, but at the least you can handle the rest. I'm not going to hold your hand anymore. Take Juniper's present up to your room. Pick your pokemon and get ready to leave. Tomorrow, you start your journey."

Helen climbed the steps back into the house. Leaving us in the middle of the yard. I felt like someone had just ripped out my heart. I had just seen a rock turn into pebbles in an instant. I had no idea how much pain Helen had gone through. There would be days when she would tell us stories about how she made mistakes and her friends got hurt, but death? I was not sure I was ready.

Cheren was the first one to speak.

"You shouldn't have pushed her so hard." He said. "Clearly you hit a nerve and it's affecting her." Bianca didn't say anything, she just looked at her feet. I knew Bianca better than anyone, she was the nicest person in the universe. She hated doing anything that hurt somebody, even if she didn't show it. Bianca had a huge heart and to see her this upset meant that she knew too well how far she went. It seemed like an eternity that we just stood there, not saying a word.

"Well.. That was depressing." Juniper stated like the ignorant airhead she was. "Now that we've all had our souls torn into little, tiny, bite-sized pieces, what do you say we take these inside?" She held the box up to us, and we just stared at it. After the show we had just witnessed, I wasn't sure we should be doing this. Maybe Helen was right. Maybe this was just too dangerous.

Juniper looked at us with a saddened expression, like she was capable of sympathy. "Look! I know what Helen said must have really hit at home with you guys but you have to trust me. I know what it's like to be a trainer, and I remember how much fun I had. I got to meet all sorts of pokemon, and made all kinds of new friends. I even met my husband while on my journey, and while there were losses, I had a lot of fun. Helen just needs to be reminded of that."

I was still highly skeptical, but I did feel better. I took the box and headed back inside. Helen was on the couch with the TV on. She was sprawled along the length of the furniture with her head facing away from us. From the beer on the table I could tell she wasn't watching. She just wanted some background noise for her thoughts. I hated to see her like this but there was nothing I could do. When she got depressed she was like a dummy, immune to everything around her You could do whatever you wanted to her, but she would just sit there and give no response.

The stairs to the second floor seemed longer this time than all the others. Every detail became more apparent to me than before. Than tan paint, the chipped wood, even the wobbly rail. I had climbed these stairs for four years but I never took the time to appreciate them. They were old like the rest of the house, with that rustic charm that made you want to question their existence. Weird, how a big thing can make you think about the little things like stairs and paint. Arceus; I must be depressed.

Cheren and Bianca followed me into my room where I laid the box on my bed. Juniper had joined Helen in the living room, maybe to help her on her feet or something. I didn't care, I was more focused on this box. It was a simple blue box with a green and white ribbon. There was nothing overly special about it, other than its contents. It was rather light and didn't have any holes, which led me to believe that the pokemon were still in their pokeballs. What was it like in there I wondered. Was it cold? Was it lonely? For the longest time we just stood there and stared at it. If we opened the box, our lives would be changed forever. We would be trainers, which means we get to go on a great adventure. It also means we'll have to deal with great loss. Where we ready for that?

"Hey. Jack." Cheren whispered to me.

"What?"

"Open the box."

Cheren was single handedly the biggest jerk I have ever seen. It's like he didn't care about anything, he just wanted to get a Pokemon.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" I yelled. "We have no idea what is going to happen to us. This is uncharted waters and you just want to jump right in? Friends will die, Cheren! Do you honestly think you are prepared for that!?"

Cheren stared at me for the longest time. The sun light shining on his glasses made it impossible for me to see his eyes, so I couldn't tell what he was thinking. I was furious with him. I had put up with his arrogance for years and now when I call him out on it, he just stands there and says nothing.

"Well?" I ask again, and this time he finally says something.

"You think I don't know that? I am fully aware that it's not not safe. But what good is it going to do me if I just sit here and do nothing! We have come so far dammit! I am not going to give up now!"

My heart stopped. Cheren was crying. He honestly felt the pain we were feeling. I had never seen him like this, and to finally know what he's thinking was a huge relief and a huge terror. I couldn't find the words, but for some reason, I smiled. I was ready to open the box and see what's inside.

The box had a letter on it from Juniper underneath the ribbon. It read:

Dear Jack, Cheren, and Bianca

Inside are three Pokemon. These pokemon will be your friends on your journey. They will walk with you as you meet new friends and travel to new places. Each one has it's own personality and their own way of fighting. The moment you choose your pokemon you will become trainers and a whole new adventure will unfold.

Please choose carefully among these three as there is no going back. Don't be afraid to give them a new name either. A name can strengthen the bond between pokemon and people.

Jack, try and be nice to everyone. I know you can be a little reserved but remember. It's a whole new world out there, with new adventures waiting to be discovered. And if anyone asks about the arm, try not to hit them. You tend to lose control about that and I don't want my newest invention breaking. Again.

Bianca, always keep fighting. Don't let anyone stand in your way and remember you are strong. This world is going to be full of danger, but it has no idea of the storm that's about to hit it! Go on, and be a tornado!

Cheren, try shutting up for a bit. You won't have your friends to protect you every step of the way and Jack and Bianca won't be there to keep you in line. If you say the wrong thing to the wrong person, you may end up being flattened

P.S. Please don't fight over the Pokemon. They're babies so I want them to get a good impression of you.

Sincerely, Juniper.

I laughed at the part about Cheren, which only got me puzzled looks. I thought for just a second about not showing them the letter and witnessing the hell that was going to unfold, but I'm not that cruel. I gave them both the letter which awarded me a beaming grin from Bianca and a scowl from the know-it-all. I pulled the ribbon and opened up the box. Inside were three pokeballs.

Bianca came up with a brilliant idea when I showed her the contents. "Why don't we all pick one at a time without looking at them. Add to the mystery, you know." I had to admit: I liked the idea. But as to how we were going to decide the order was beyond me. Whoever chose first would narrow the choice for the second who would in turn choose for the third. No one wanted to be last and everyone wanted to be first. I am ashamed to say that we came to our decision through a game of rock-paper-scissors, which I, of course, lost. Since Bianca won she got to choose first. Since we agreed that we weren't going to look when we picked our pokemon she literally closed her eyes and grabbed the first thing she could get a hold of.

For the longest time she just stood there and stared at it. I was getting rather impatient. "Well, open it." I said. She looked at me with the most nervous expression. "I want to, but I think it will be better if we opened them up all at the same time." I sighed a breath of exhaustion. Bianca's constant "ideas" only helped in making this a more brutal experience.

Cheren was up next, and he simply looked down and snatched the first one he saw, didn't even debate it. He too didn't open his and just looked at me. "Well, are you going to grab your Pokemon or are you just going to stand there?" I didn't get mad. I just glanced at him and delivered my card. "Remember what Juniper said. Shut up, or you might get flattened." I was rewarded by a grumpy Cheren and a look back into the box. One pokemon was left. I reached in with my right arm and grabbed it. I think the sensors are starting to connect better with my nervous system. This time it actually felt like I was grabbing something.

We stood together in the middle of the room and looked at each other, waiting for the next person to make their move. "On the count of three, we all open them up." I said, my voice shaking with anticipation. "One." My heart was pounding out of my chest. "Two." I wasn't ready for this, but I couldn't stop counting down. "Three." I pressed the button and released the pokemon.

Bianca got a some sort of pig pokemon. It was red with a curly black tail and rear. It looked like it could be a fire type, but it also could be a ground. The pokemon gave off that aura that it just does not care about anything or anyone. Bianca had completely lost her mind. "Oh my Arceus, you are so cute!" She said as she squeezed him like a plushy. "Great." the Tepig said. "I get stuck with the crazy one." He seemed less than interested with his current situation and I could sympathize. "I am going to call you Wilbur, my little biscuit." Even I cringed on that one. Just because he was a pig did not mean you had to go so low on the naming chart. "Please Arceus, don't." Wilbur complained, and for good reason.

Cheren got this neat little snake thing. This one was obviously a grass type, the way the leaves curled up his body coupled with his green and white skin. For some reason it had legs, which I couldn't understand, but on the most part he was pretty chil. He looked like a guy you could hang with and could also kick your ass and knock you out on the floor. "What's up, little dude." Cheren managed to choke out, trying to sound cool. The Snivy barely looked at him. "Listen nerd, if this is going to work out you're going to have to lighten up. At the very least, don't talk." Cheren was completely stunned. I guess Juniper was wrong, there was going to be someone to put Cheren in his place. Even though he just received a major burn from a grass-type, the nerd still managed a smile. "What do you think of the name Dennis?" He said with the goofiest grin. Again, the snivy just barely glanced at him. "I think you've got some potential." Dennis mumbled, just loud enough for everyone to hear.

I got what has to be the most goofy looking thing in the known universe. It was like cross breed between a cat and a sea otter. The little guy had this plump white head with short blue ears on the top of its head. Its short sea green body had this small scallop on its belly. It had this short blue tail and webbed feet that looked like it served no purpose other than swimming. What didn't help was that in addition to his dumpy looks, the dude was totally lax. He seemed ready to let life flow over him like a stone. "So you're my trainer, huh. I'm warning you: I'm tougher than I look." The Oshawott said with limited emotion, and I believed him. Despite the fact that he was odd, he was a little intimidating. Dude was almost like a rock type, tough but very patient.

"What do say if I called you Max?" I asked him. I thought it was entirely it was kind of ironique since he was totally chil. The guy seemed to have like no inhibitions what so ever, and I was kind of impressed. "I think I like it." He said, rewarding me with a small grin. I think me and him were going to get along swimmingly, and yes, the pun was intentional.

The sun had started its slow descent on the horizon and I was feeling a bit tired. "Well," I yawned. "Guess it's time we hit the hay." I was ready to go right to sleep at that point. We had all had a long day and with Helen chasing after me for the majority of it, I was exhausted. Apparently I was the only one. The others just stared at me, with the grin of Satan on their faces.

"What?" I stupidly asked. They looked at each other then back at me and one after another they made their horrible chant. "We just got new pokemon." Cheren started with Bianca following after. "Don't you think we should…" and in unison they both said the most terrifying word I could ever imagine at that time.

"Don't you think we should… BATTLE!"

I was completely shocked. We had just been told about how dangerous a battle can be. About how we can lose our friends in an instant. And now, the first time they get there hands on a pokemon they wanted to battle. I had to admit I was a little reserved to the idea of battling right out of the bat, but something in the back of my mind started to itch. I had done this a million times back in Sinnoh. Yes, battling is dangerous and yes, friends can be lost. But to battle, is to live. I remember how much I loved it. The constant exchange of blows, learning your opponent. The happy memories brought a tear to my eye. I had forgotten why I wanted to be a trainer. I was a trainer not for the glory, but for the excitement of a battle.

"You're on!"

Cheren had me and Bianca go first. We were going to do this tournament style. Winner moves on, loser gets to spectate. Max was completely still. "Let's do this." I loved the little guy's attitude, not a single care but still super focused. Wilbur on the other hand was less than amused. He looked like he didn't even want to be here. Max had already told me his moves, all two of them, so I was more than ready. Cheren was going to referee our match, right in the bedroom. Suddenly I realized what a stupid idea this was.

"The match continues until one of the pokemon can no longer battle." Cheren said, trying his absolute best to sound cool. "The winner goes on to fight in the next round. Round one will be Max and Wilbur. Ready! Begin!"

"Max, use tackle!" "Wilbur, tackle as well!" The two charged at each other with more speed than I expected. They were small but fast enough to hold their own. I had seen stronger, but I was still impressed. Max and Wilbur collided in the middle of the room head on. For a moment I thought Wilbur was going to get the better hit, but Max got him in the shoulder. A large mass of nerves just got hit by a full force physical attack. Critical hit.

Max still took damage a ton of damage though. Wilbur had found his arm arm underneath Max's throat, putting a lot of damage him. Critical hit. He was a fire type, so it's attack and sp. attack would have a bigger impact. But that also meant his defense was down meaning a critical hit was far more dangerous. Since we managed to get underneath him we had a higher probability of succeeding. "Max, tackle again!" "You too, Wilbur!"

This time they didn't hit each other as head on. After the beating he took last time, Max seemed more conservative with his blows. Wilbur on the other hand was still charging straight forward like a gyarados. I was starting to see there fighting styles. He was a physical fighter, more focused on doling out the damage rather than actually protecting himself. Max was more protective, seeming to analyze his opponent and look for an opening. He was alert, and keeping very calm under pressure. Excellent.

Max was not going to be able to take another big hit like that. He seemed to have enough energy, but I was not going to risk it. If we're going to win this it had to be with a single blow. Wilbur is highly aggressive which means he has to leave an opening behind his defense. During that head on collision, what gave Max the ability to hit that nerve center. "Hey Jack." Max had caught me off guard. I was so deep in thought when he spoke up I almost jumped. "What's up." I said, was now really the time for a chat? "Have you noticed?" Max asked, which I rewarded with a puzzled expression.

"He leads with his shoulder."

I was stunned. That was so obvious and yet I was standing there racking my brain trying to figure it out. "Every time he comes in to attack, he drops his shoulder to hit lower." I had noticed that, but I never thought of it as a weakness. By dropping his shoulder he reduces his surface area and increases his density and force. A smart move, but with a big weakness. It exposes the shoulder and leaves him open for a critical hit. I doubt that he would be dumb enough to keep that open for long, so that weakness will be hard to exploit.

"So you do see it? His weakness?" Yep I saw it. Since he was lowering his body his back was left wide open. A huge weak spot, and the source of a ton of nerves. "Max." I said. "I want you to use tackle again, but when you do, jump." Max got into a ready position, his face didn't change though. "Hear you loud and clear boss," and he charged.

Tepig was ready to respond, already a third of the way across when the two met. Have you ever had those moments when time seemed to slow down. Those moments when you get to take in every little detail, every movement of every hair. I could see it all. Wilbur lowered his shoulder, ready to drive again into Max's gut. Inches from impact Max jumps and spins over him. Right as the tepig passes underneath him, Max delivers a crushing blow into Wilbur's spin with his scalchop. Knock out. Max wins.

"Wilbur is unable to battle. The winner is Jack and his oshawott, Max."

Huh, our first victory. "HELL YEAH!" This was awesome, we had fought together for the first time and we had won. I had battle dozens of times before in Sinnoh but I have never won before.

That thought hit me like a load of bricks. What I wouldn't give to have my parents see me this. To see me win my first battle. To actually work as a team. But that was impossible. They were gone. Dead. Ripped to pieces with the corpses in front of my very eyes. The images kept flashing through my head. My heart was pounding out of my chest. I felt like I was going to throw up. I clutched the area where my heart was and willed it to stop. But it was useless. The images kept flashing in my head. The blood, the sight of the floor through her stomach. The pain in my arm and the massive size of the legend. It felt like I was right back there, right at the top of the mountain, standing over them. Why was this happening, why now and why not later. Leave me alone. I don't want to see it anymore. Just leave me alone!

"Wake up!"

I had collapsed to the floor. Cheren and Bianca were standing over me with a panicked expression. Another day another cold sweat I guess. Why do these things always happen to me. "How long was I out for?" I asked. These kinds of things happen so often now that it's become a common thing. Most of the time I pass out for a few hours, but since it wasdark out, it might have been a whole day. "Only a few minutes." Bianca said helping me onto my feet. A few minutes? That almost never happened, but also means I wasn't sitting on the floor for an hour, so yeah.

"Should we continue?" I asked, which was greeted by the most horrified expressions in the universe. "You just had a panic attack after ONE battle!" Cheren yelled. It was miracle that no one downstairs heard that. "Now you want another. Are you high?" I was astonished by this. Not by the fact that Cheren had called me a stoner, but the fact that I was so cool with this. Has this really been going on this long that I am just passing it off? Dang.

Still, I wanted to finish this. Even if I was going to fall on the floor when it was over, it was fun. It was the most fun I've had in a long time. Max was leaning against the bed spread with his eyes to the ceiling. No cares in the world, and yet really alert. "Hey Max." I said. "You ready to go." He gave me a quick glance and a smirk. "Sure, if you promise not to faint again." I almost laughed out loud. "I make no such promises." I said, struggling to keep the laughter in. Max was so interesting, I doubt I will ever figure out what he is thinking. "Bianca, you reff me and Cheren's match kay."

We set back up in the middle of the room. Cheren had been nice enough to heal up Max and Wilbur while I was unconscious. Even though technically we were equal, Cheren had the advantage. Dennis was a grass type, and even though he probably didn't have a move with a type advantage, there was always the possibility. Also, they had the privilege of viewing our match, so they knew our fighting style. We knew nothing about them, and those was at a disadvantage.

"The match between Cheren and his snivy Dennis, and Jack with his oshawott Max will now begin!"

"You don't have to be so formal, you know.."

"Shut up, Cheren. Begin!"

"Max, use tackle!" "Dennis, tackle."

Dennis was much faster than Max, so he quickly got the first blow. Max didn't let him go without a warning, grabbing onto his arm and throwing him across the room. Snivy hit the wall, hard, but quickly got back to his feet. They were planning to use speed to top our tactics. Hit first and hope the match is even enough to balance it out. Max had suffered a pretty good scratch on the side of his face, but Dennis had several. He just didn't have enough defense to support their plan. This was going to be a waiting war.

"Max, again!" "Dennis, you too!"

Again, Dennis was faster than Max and landed his attack first. This time he hit oshawott in the stomach, and if it weren't for the shell, that would have been a critical hit. Max grabbed the dumb snake by its head and whipped him into the bed spread. Dennis was taking a beating, but Max wasn't looking too hot either. They both fought like they had something to prove.

"Dennis, leer."

Leer? Why Would he change tactics like that all of a sudden? It would leave him with an opening. Max started getting a worried expression on his face and I was trying to figure out why. We were going to win, so why use leer? The move lowers the defence stat of your opponent leaving them open.

Oh, Arceus. Duh.

He wanted to finish this in one hit. By using leer he increases his chance of having the next move be a KO. We had to finish this right now! "Max, tackle once more." Max ran across the room and grabbed Dennis around the midsection, knocking him to the ground. As an added bonus he drove his elbow into the chest in the hopes of landing a critical hit. Dennis threw him off in frustration and got right on his feet.

"Damn." Max said. "What does it take to make you stay down?" God I wish I knew. Even though he was thin, he was durable. If his next attack was a crit, it was all going to be over. "Max, we gotta make this last one hit no matter what!" "Read you loud and clear." We couldn't afford any mistakes. This next one had to hit.

"Dennis!"

"Max!"

One hit.

Straight to the chest.

At the last second Cheren called for another leer. The idiot left his snivy wide open for an attack. Max hit him head on with no mercy. Instant knockout.

Cheren and Bianca both went home after that, and left me alone in my room with Max. I let him stay out of his ball for the night. I think a good night sleep in the open would be great after a long battle. Dude had a lot of power in him, as well as an observant eye. I think we are going to go far me and him. Maybe then I can figure out who caused IT.

I lay in my bed for a while and wondered about the fight. Why did fighting affect me the first time but not the second? What was it that set me off? The only thing I can think of was the fact that I started to remember. It seems whenever I start to think about all the good times I had back in Sinnoh, I just get dragged back to that one scene. It sucked, but at times it just seemed like something I had to deal with.

I laid in bed for what seemed like hours. Max had already fallen asleep on my feet. It was cute how he curled up into a little ball to nap. Kind of like a Purrloin I know, who was also at my feet. Those two were complete opposites, but at that moment they were completely the same. I wonder if that's why I kept having those flashbacks. Even though the location and people may change, it's just the same thing all over again.

My eyes were starting to close and my head went all fuzzy. Best not to stress about it tonight. In the morning I could stress all I like, but tonight, I sleep.

Oh.

Almost forgot to take off my arm. I had forgotten I even had it on. Another thing that was different but the same. Even though it wasn't my real arm, it still felt like it was. Just an extension of me that's gotten an upgrade of sorts. I took off the arm and set it up on the dresser. My eyes started to droop again. Hopefully tonight won't be as crazy as today.

"He has some promise."

"That's Good."

"Maybe I'll visit him again tonight."

"See if he's learned."

"We don't have much time."