Running, that's all he had been doing for the last two hours. He didn't know where he was going nor did he care, all Florian knew was that he had to run and find somewhere safe… somewhere she couldn't find him.

Why? Why me? Surely there must have been others before me, can't she find pleasure in battles with other people?

Bumping and pushing by people the young trainer continues to survey his surroundings when an idea strikes the panicked boy. Every time I try to hide she always finds me! It's like she has my scent or something… Maybe if I hid in plain sight somewhere obvious. Hope filled the young boy's soul as he spotted the perfect place to enact his plan.

Making a mad dash into the Levincia gym. Florian completely ignores the warm welcome from the lobby's staff as he jumps over the counter hiding behind the recipient's desk.

"Eh Y-young man!" appalled by the boorish nature of this young trainer the Male recipients knees down to address him. "Hey kid I don't know what's gotten into you but I have half a mind to contact Naranja Academy and report you-"

"Shhhhhh!"

"What?! Listen kid I will not be dis-"

Again Florian Interrupts the recipients however this time the young boy seems much more frazzled. "Shhh please… she's here!"

"What? Who?"

The building doors slide open as a bell chimes in announcing the arrival of a new visitor. Ignoring the boy for a minute the man rises to his feet to welcome the potentially new trainer.

Locking eyes with the visitor, the man smiles. Yep, another Naranja Academy student. He was quickly able to notice quite a few differences between the two students. For starters this student was a girl, she was taller, had darker skin, and even had a few strands of green hair that really popped against the majority of her black hair. However he couldn't help but notice the strange look in her eyes, it almost seemed like she wasn't all there.

Shrugging his shoulders the man merely passes it off as nothing. Hmm, she's probably just tired. Hopefully, she isn't as rude as this boy under my desk.

"Hello! Welcome to the Levincia Gym! Let me register you as a challen-" the man stops as he realizes the girl isn't paying attention but instead frantically looking over her surroundings. "Uh young lady, is something wrong?"

Snapping from her search she wraps her arms around herself. As if to keep herself from breaking down. "Yes sir, you see I'm looking for someone very near and dear to me."

At the sound of her voice, the recipient doesn't miss how the nervous boy stiffens.

"I see… and this person is your friend?"

The girl nearly shakes her head off. "No sir! Anyone can be friends, but he… he's much more than that you see.

"He's my rival!"

"My treasure!"

"My… my other half!"

with each declaration, she steps closer and closer to the desk.

"He completes me! In both body and mind!"

Okay, this girl was nuts. The man's eyes drift below his desk. Not too surprisingly, the boy seemed to be trying to literally merge into the desk. Trying his best not to make a sound the boy covers his mouth and nose as a few tears slowly stream from his eyes.

"Have you ever met someone like that in your life, sir?"

Snapping back to her the man gives a weak shake of his head. "No…I-I can't say that I have."

To emphasize her point she slams her hands on the desk causing both the man and Florian to flinch. "Exactly! So many people go their whole lives without meeting the one for them and yet in my case he just randomly showed up at my house one morning. Do you know what you call that sir!?"

"Uhh…no I don't."

With a crazed look, Nemona looks deep within the man's very soul. "Fate!"

Pulling back Nemona rubs her arm. The same Battle hungry blood that courses through my blood runs through him." Closing her eyes she takes a deep breath. " I just know it."

Suddenly almost like she was poked by a needle, the girl deflates like a balloon. "But now I can't find him anywhere. I was with him every step of the way since we left Naranja Academy and then all of a sudden he just disappeared."

Tapping her foot she crosses her arms and tilts her head. " I was positively sure he'd visit this town's gym the first chance he'd have."

Taking one last glance at the boy by his feet it was clear to the man what he had to do. "Well I wish I could help you but you're actually the first student to visit Levincia's Gym."

"Really!?"

"Yep. So either this friend of yours got sidetracked or maybe he ran into some friends of his and are out shopping."

"Hmmm… that first one's a possibility but as for hanging out with friends nope I'm his only one." I've made sure of that.

"Okay… well maybe his shopping for his Pokemon."

At this suggestion, Nemona's eyes light up. "That's it! Florian loves his Pokemon!"

Jogging in place Nemona turns to start heading off. "Thanks for the help mister! Oh, in case I miss him and he shows up here can you tell him to wait for me!?"

"Sure thing."

"Great! Thanks again for your help!" Giving the biggest smile she could muster waves goodbye as she heads off in search of her rival.

Waiting a few minutes the man lets out a sigh as he crouches down. "You okay kid?"

Still shaken up Florian silently nods his head.

"Good. Listen everything's gonna be okay now you hear me."

"Whipping away his tears Florian shakes his head. No, it won't she'll find me! She-she always finds me!"

"Hey now kid dry those tears I promise nothing going to happen… now I have to leave but-"

"No! Please please don't leave me alone!" Fear dances in the young boy's eyes as he desperately tries to cling to the man's leg.

"Kid, it's for your own good." peeling the boy's arms off him the recipient stands up. "I'll be back. I'm going to run down to the police station just down the street. I'll bring the cops over and then you can explain everything to them, that way when that crazy stalker of yours comes back they can haul her off… Okay?"

Florian could do nothing but agree. "…Okay."

"Good. I'll be back, kid."

As the man begins to leave he's stopped in his tracks by Florian's last words.

"T-thank you."

Turning he smiles. "Anytime kid." before leaving the building.

Trying to sigh away his anxiety Florian goes back under the desk.

Is it finally over? As soon as I can I have to take my pokemon to a poke center. Poor dolliv has been paralyzed since yesterday and slowpoke… I hope his tail grows back.

Hearing the chime of the door Florian snaps out of his thoughts. Getting up a sense of relief washes over him. "That was fast but I'm glad your bac-"

His relief quickly transforms into pure dread. There in the entrance was an ecstatic Nemona.

"There you are Florian!" running behind the desk she gives him a crushing hug.

Paling at the contact Florian begins to shake like a leaf. "N-Nemona w-what are you doing he-here." still keeping a grip on his shoulds she pulls back. "What a silly question, I was looking for you!"

Laughing she looks around the room. "You know it's funny I was just here we must've just missed each other."

"Ha… that-that is funny. Um, but if you were already her then why did you come back?"

Oh well you see I asked the man who worked here to keep an eye out for you but I had forgotten to give him your name.

Curse my poor fate!

"So here I am trying to give him your name but instead of finding him I find you, Which is absolutely perfect!" Grabbing his arm she begins dragging Florian to the outside. "Listen I know you wanted to challenge the gym leader but I need to have a battle right now!"

"B-but my Pokemon aren't healed yet, they-they need rest." cheerfully she ignores him. "That's okay we'll just catch some new Pokemon for you then we can have all the battles we want!

Interlocking her fingers with his, she smiles. "And don't worry I'll do everything in my power to make sure we don't get separated ever again!"

Florian's reluctance soon morphs into acceptance as his situation becomes more and more clear.This… is this my life now isn't it, nothing more than her rival, her battle partner… her's forever.