Over the last few days I think I've been getting quite a bit of attention for this story which I'm excited about. If this story goes well I might consider doing a sequel in Sinnoh because so far its one of my favorite regions and I happen to know more about it than Hoenn. I'm secretly hoping in the future it gets remade in 3D because to me that would be awesome. This chapter will mark one of two important events in this story! And it's something you all have dreamed of and wished for in other fics but either it didn't happen or the story just stopped getting updates which made you sad because you wanted more. Lucky for you all Auntie Roxa wanted to have it happen too. Also I've been debating on whether I should split this story into two halves rather than just have one whole story in which I alternate between both sides every few chapters. I can see pros and cons to doing it either way but it'd be nice to know what you think.

Enjoy!

Chapter 5: Forging the Bond Between Pokemon and Trainer

Cynthia was happy to see that Professor Birch had no other problems with Shadow. Since coming back to the lab he allowed the professor to recheck his injuries and perform a few more tests, although the hedgehog seemed reluctant to take orders from anyone but Cynthia. Birch paid it no mind as some pokemon are known to be selective when it comes to personal preference. Actually the professor was glad that he was beginning to behave this way because it meant the hedgehogs impression on humans was not as bad as he originally thought.

"All done Shadow." Birch said logging in the last bit of data while the black pokemon put on its gloves and shoes. Now that he had a day of rest, he was feeling fully recovered and looked around for the blonde woman but during the rest of the tests she must have gone somewhere. Shadow frowned at this but figured that Cynthia had something important to do and shrugged it off. "You know for a pokemon that's able to talk you sure are quiet." Birch said.

"...I don't have much to say." Shadow spoke offhandedly. And in all honesty he didn't. How could he after all, he had no memory of who he used to be. He had a feeling that he might not have been the talkative type before hand and even though he still had a lot of unanswered questions he didn't feel like it was the right time to ask.

"You know, I can't help but wonder how you ended up captured by Team Magma." It was a good question really and Shadow didn't mind sharing the answer.

"I woke up with no memory of who I was somewhere near the shore. I stumbled around for a bit until one of their guards saw me roaming around. I was taken into their base by force promptly after where they interrogated then experimented on me." Shadow said remembering those moments as if they were yesterday. He remembered his mind feeling empty and his body hurting like it was used as a punching bag. And though he didn't admit it, he also remembered the fear he felt just before they took him out of a cage for experimentation. He certainly didn't want to go back which is partially why he chose to trust Cynthia and Professor Birch. He figured they could help keep him from being Team Magma's lab rat again.

"Do you know why they were experimenting on you? "

Shadow thought back to all the times he was conscious enough to hear what some of the grunts were saying.

"Why are we keeping this unknown pokemon anyway? Wouldn't it be worth more to us to sell it to a poacher or hunter? I bet Hunter J and her associates from Sinnoh would pay nicely to have this pokemon in her catalogue."

"You idiot. Weren't you listening to anything the boss said? This pokemon could finally help us achieve our goal of securing a greater future for mankind. There would be no point in selling it."

"But I thought that was the purpose of the red orb...to awaken Groudon?"

"It still is but this pokemon will simply...assist us with that."

"Shadow? Is something wrong?" Birch asked concerned when the hedgehog became quiet.

"They went on and on about using me to help them awaken a Groudon." The black pokemon felt a bit of anger from knowing that it was just some tool to Team Magma. For some reason the feeling of being used for someones elses benefit felt familiar but whenever he tried to figure out why, his mind just went blank.

Birch tensed in hearing the name of the legendary ground pokemon. As a part of his work to study how pokemon behave in certain environments he had to learn all about the creation trio and their impact upon their world. He knew Team Magma was up to something but awakening groudon for their own purposes? This was news indeed and it gets even worse if their counterparts Team Aqua are trying to attempt something similar. Now Birch understood just how important it is to keep the hedgehog safe at all costs.

"What does it mean? What is a Groudon?" Shadow asked beginning to realize he was apart of something much larger. The pokemon professor took a deep breath before addressing the crimson streaked hedgehog again.

"It means things just became much more problematic than before." Other than that the professor wouldn't reveal anymore info to the black pokemon. It would be hard to explain the ambitions of one the most notorious teams in the Hoenn region to someone who never really understood anything about their world in the first place. Besides as an expert who's always looking out for other pokemon he didn't want to give the hedgehog so much to worry about. As a matter of fact the professor thought that now would be the perfect time to learn more about his new companion while letting him get some fresh air.

"Hey Shadow," he said smiling as he saw two black ears twitch at the sound of his name. "How would you like to accompany me while I do some field work. This little fiasco has put me a little behind in my research and I can tell you more about the Hoenn region since Cynthia won't be back for a bit."

Shadow already sick of sitting around doing nothing decided that this would be as good a time as any to start gaining new knowledge. He nodded his head in a silent reply as Birch began gathering materials.

"Commander Jenny I understand how you must feel about the safety and security of both people and pokemon in light of Team Magma's ambitions but I ask that you hear out my reasons." Cynthia was on route 101 a little ways from the lab talking with Jenny on the phone. Since the moment she rescued Shadow up until now she had felt that he was no ordinary pokemon and she had intentions even then to take him under her wing. Jenny had wanted to keep the hedgehog secure in a safe area where he could be monitored and protected but Cynthia just knew that wasn't an option.

"Shadow won't stay in a secure area. He already has problems trusting others. If you try to contain him it will be too similar to Team Magma's actions. In the end he would only run away feeling angrier than before. " The champion argued feeling strongly for the pokemon.

"Cynthia I know that you're just looking out for him but the risk of Team Magma getting their hands on him is too great and we still know next to nothing about his importance in all of this. "

"That's why I need you to trust me with his well being. I am more than capable of battling Maxie and winning against him and his underlings." The blondes passion for pokemon was really fired up now and Jenny doesn't have any water to douse it. "If you are so worried about him being taken then allow me to train him. As a trainer I have always brought out the best in all my pokemon and Shadow will be no different. "

Commander Jenny was expecting Cynthia to do something like this but it still surprised her to hear it said. "What are you saying, that training him to be stronger will prevent his capture?"

"Yes. We have already established that there are many things about this we don't understand but sitting around waiting will not fill in those holes. In his case strengthening the body will strengthen the mind and that will put confidence in his abilities until his memory returns. Otherwise we will have a repeat of what happened before."

Jenny could continue to argue but Cynthia is a very passionate person whose mind is almost impossible to change. The blonde heard the commander sigh through the phone a sure sign that she was about to give up. "Alright Cynthia I won't doubt your abilities or decisions since you are an experienced trainer however I ask that you do one thing for me."

When she finished explaining her only condition, Cynthia agreed to uphold it no matter what. "Thank you Commander Jenny."

Just don't make me regret this Cynthia.

As Shadow sat in the passenger side of the vehicle he couldn't deny that his curiosity was growing every second. The professor was explaining how people and pokemon live, play, battle, and grow together. Of course Birch had to explain everything with such specific detail because Shadow had absolutely no knowledge to begin with. However the black hedgehog clearly seemed to be enjoying himself even if he didn't show it. It was very subtle but every once in a while the hedgehog would smile a bit as the wind whipped through his quills.

After being cooped up in the lab so long, being outside was sort of like a little piece of heaven especially when no one was trying to attack you.

Birch stopped his vehicle near a large building with an enclosure behind it marked with a fence. It was large enough that even the ebony hedgehog couldn't see where the fence ended. "This is where I come to study pokemon up close in the field. The other scientists and I take special care to make sure the pokemon in the enclosure stay happy and healthy." Birch had taken out a notebook and a pen as the black pokemon got out of the car.

"Isn't studying wild pokemon up close dangerous?" Shadow asked following behind the professor as they entered the building. There were several other scientists working here as well. There were shelves lined with tons of jars of different shapes and sizes and various berries sorted and organized together in other containers. It was very similar to Birch's lab except much bigger and much busier. However, the lab wasn't the main focus of the black pokemons attention as several of the scientists who greeted Birch kept staring him. Luckily the professor could pick up on his unease and continued leading the hedgehog through to the enclosure.

"Sometimes it is, in fact I've had quite a few run ins with pokemon who weren't so friendly but really there's nothing better than doing work in the field. It gives the best experience in truly understanding certain pokemon." And hopefully maybe it'll give some insight into understanding you too Shadow.

So far Shadow had understood that pokemon needed people to grow and vice versa. At first he thought the relationship was similar to something like a pet and owner but Birch explained differently. He had thought back to Cynthia and how easy it was for him to trust her. The professor, Cynthia, and Team Magma had all called him a pokemon so was he one? And if so would that be the reason why he felt so much safer around her. Am I behaving like a pokemon because I am one? Well if he was then there is no one in the world he would want more as his trainer than Cynthia.

Birch had taken up residence on a high branch in a tree scribbling notes as he watched a few Taillow on the branches just above him. The pokemon in the area were so used to seeing Birch that they didn't seem to mind the overly friendly professors presence. Shadow who decided to stay on the ground in the shade, leaned against the tree as he watched the other pokemon play happily. The brown haired professor had taught him the names of a few them and he found all them quite strange. He saw a trio of psyduck holding their heads near the pond occasionally looking at each other with a rather dumb expression on their faces. Their was a doduo plucking berries from a berry bush in a content manner. And although they didn't always surface long he also saw magikarp, goldeen, and staryu jumping up playfully splashing anything near them as they dove back into the water.

A rustling noise from up in the tree had began shaking several leaves that landed down on the ebony and crimson streaked head below. When the figure that had been causing the disturbance up above revealed itself, Shadow had quickly gotten off the tree to to face it seeing the white fur coat of a vigoroth using one of its long arms to hang down from one of the lower branches.

Black and red striped quills bristled on instinct as their owner does not like being surprised. Vigoroth didn't seem to mean any harm as it held out a round dark blue berry in its red palm out to the hedgehog as a token of friendship.

"It's alright Shadow." The professor said who saw the vigoroth when it moved. "That Vigoroth is quite friendly. It's been known to give other pokemon berries as a way to befriend them." Shadow took the berry from the white furred pokemon as it seemed to chatter a bit about how happy it was but before his sensitive ears could make it out what it was saying something huge rammed itself into the tree causing all the bird pokemon to flee. The vigoroth that Shadow had just met had fallen out of the tree and ran when it saw what was on the other side of the trunk. Birch had ungracefully lost his balance and also fell when he felt the tree shake violently.

"Professor!" The black pokemon had went to Birches side when he fell.

"What in the world?" He sat up rubbing his back. His notes and papers were scattered all about him. When the hedgehog saw the professor was alright he had sprinted around the tree to see what had slammed in to it. There were two pokemon that stood on all fours. One looked like it had steel armor on its back. The other had a horn on its snout and looked like it was chiseled out of rock.

"This is bad. Lairon and Rhyhorn are both known to have tempers when angered. I can only guess Lairon started a fight when it felt its territory was being threatened. " He said after rejoining the black hedgehogs side. He started digging through his bag for something before realizing he had left it behind. The pokeballs containing the starters aren't here! Of all the times to forget them.

"Shadow listen, I know you've only just recovered but if we don't stop their fighting now I'm worried they could hurt the other pokemon around them and themselves." Just as he said that the Rhyhorn had made another charge at the Lairon. It was like an unstoppable boulder ready to break down any wall in its way. Several pokemon who were near jumped fearfully out of the way as it tilted its horn down to ram into its opponent.

"So can you do it?" Watching the both the steel and rock pokemon go head to head would be a little intimidating for any creature as a loud sound of impact was all it took to know both were packing lots of power but Shadow felt confident he could do it. Deep down he just knew he could and felt his confidence became stronger every moment. Without another word he took off skates allowing him to glide over the grassy terrain and close the distance within seconds. Right before the two creatures could prepare to butt head against horn again Shadow used the momentum from his dash to spin at incredible speeds spraying grass, dirt, and rocks all in the opposite direction as he went and collided with the side of the Lairons steel armored face. Although the speed at which the blow made contact was great the move itself did not do much damage to the bulky and extremely defensive pokemon. It did however succeed in getting the pokemons attention. Lairon gave an angry roar at Shadow but the black pokemon held its ground. The steel type became engulfed by a white light this time it prepared to charge its new target.

"Watch out Shadow thats iron head!" The professor shouted watching the entire fight from a distance. The black pokemon wanting to test his strength held out both hands ready to take the attack. When it made contact it appeared that the hedgehog was able to withstand it but he lost his footing after sliding backwards a good distance and felt the full brunt of the attack. The iron head hit and it felt like being rammed by a slab of metal. The black and red hedgehog stood a bit wobbly as the impact was enough to disorient him a bit. He recovered just in time to see the Rhyhorn charging in with take down at full speed. The ebony pokemon felt a spike of anger and crimson orbs set themselves into a fiery glare towards the Rhyhorn who surprisingly stopped in its tracks as its body seemed to lock up as if it was paralyzed. The Lairon had taken advantage of the moment to charge once again this time the claws on its feet began to glow as it clearly was looking to land a blow with metal claw. This time though Shadow was ready he built his speed first by rolling out before getting some lift. Once he was in midair he stopped spinning and thrust his foot forward the first kick landing solidly between two blue eyes. It completely stopped the momentum the steel pokemon gained. The second kick also landed nicely and the Lairon slid back a few inches. The first kick was strong but the second one seemed to do even more now that the steel type had no momentum to take the impact.

The Lairon had finally had enough. It was tired after charging around so much and any anger that it had from earlier had finally cooled down. It turned away from the hedgehog and walked off its heavy footsteps fading the farther away it went. The Rhyhorn that had also been paralyzed by Shadows glare had also decided it had enough and left as well.

The crimson eyed hedgehog shortly returned to a impressed Birches side feeling a bit of pride inside. "That was amazing Shadow! You battled those two pokemon like you've had years of experience." Black and red arms crossed each other as the hedgehog looked away and Birch thought he saw a bit of bashfulness?

"I just acted on instinct thats all."

"Well either way it was an impressive battle." Birch checked the time on his watch before placing his notes in his bag. "What do you say we head back to the lab and see if Cynthia's back." The kindhearted professor gave a warm smile to the hedgehog who couldn't help but feel happy at the mention of Cynthia's name again.

When they reached the lab they saw that Cynthia was indeed back and she had been patiently waiting outside for both of them to return.

"Did you enjoy the ride with professor Birch? "Cynthia smiled at the hedgehog getting out of the car. The black hedgehog simply nodded staring at the silver eyed trainer.

Cynthia looked to Birch with a look that spoke volumes. "Can you give us a moment I wanted to speak to Shadow alone." Birch nodded he had work to do anyway. Although he was a bit curious as to what the Champion would speak to Shadow about.

As soon as he left, Cynthia bent down on one knee, her black fur lined coat draping around her. Despite wearing heels her movements were quite graceful. Shadow vaguely wondered if her other pokemon took after her personality in anyway.

"Shadow, I had a talk with Jenny earlier..." she began. So thats where she's been. "I convinced her to let you stay with me as your trainer...that is if you desire it. I know you haven't known me long but you don't seem like the type to sit around and wait." Cynthia had Shadow's attention from the moment she had started talking and his eyes had slightly widened when she spoke of being his trainer. It was something he had just been thinking about and now he had an opportunity to go through with it.

"As your trainer I promise not only to make you stronger but also ensure that Maxie never gets to use you as a tool." She was watching his reaction carefully now but he was hard to read. It's like whoever he was before had mastered the poker face.

On the surface he looked expressionless but underneath it he could feel the very mention of it exciting. Cynthia had gently grasped his hands and pressed them together in between hers. The gesture was small but full of affection that seemed so foreign to the black pokemon. He was getting another feeling of deja vu like this had happened before but when he searched his mind the memory was still out of reach but it was definitely associated with something happy.

"So will you come with me my dear Shadow?" She asked waiting for an answer. Shadow looked into her silvery eyes and blushed for some reason. It was just for a second but he had seen the face of a blonde girl with kind blue eyes so similar to Cynthia's silver ones. He found himself nodding his head still embarrassed with the way Cynthia had addressed him.

Cynthia smiled, a small twinkle in her eyes as she took out a special poke ball. It was a fastball but it looked slightly different: instead of having a red and yellow color scheme it had a black and red color scheme that seemed even more fitting for the black hedgehog.

He didn't even hesitate to press the little button at the front of the pokeball which engulfed him in a red light before disappearing inside. Cynthia watched as the fastball moved slightly from side to side as the little red light blinked until it finally stopped. The Sinnoh League Champion couldn't be happier she hadn't had a new pokemon to train in a long time. She wondered what new surprises the mysterious black pokemon would show her next.

FINALLY! Shadow belongs to a trainer now. I read maybe only two other fics in which something like this happened but they just stopped updating which made me sad. I know all of you who have wanted this will certainly enjoy reading the rest of the story now. Anyway heres a fun fact you may or may not have heard of. Cynthia's personality is actually based on the Greek Goddess Artemis who was born on Mount Cynthus.(Hmm Cynthus, Cynthia thats pretty obvious I guess...) In myths Artemis symbolized birth which makes sense for Cynthia's character since in HeartGold and SoulSilver she witnessed the birth of an egg and in Platinum gives the player a togepi egg. Cynthia was also surrounded by female friends in the manga(which I have yet to read...) which represents her role as protector of women which is probably why all her Pokemon except for Lucario are female. (I'm surprised Spiritomb isn't gender-less :O) Artemis was a skillful hunter and Cynthia is a skillful battler! Go figure. I'm not entirely sure how accurate this info is but it makes sense to me. It's also kind of cool to think of Cynthia as goddess like. Good work Nintendo!