Author's Note: Ted, without a doubt, is one of my hardest characters to write for this story. His fighting style is easy to write when I'm not writing it through his Point of View, as seen when he was fighting Zack in Chapter 5. Compare that to when I did write his fighting style in a later chapter when the gang was up against Destiny and his clan in Mount Moon. And then there's Chapter 30. That, by far, is Ted's weakest chapter. It might as well have been written out entirely for everyone to wonder how he beat the robber he was chasing.

So needless to say, Ted is not the most popular character I made him out to be. This only means that I need to find a new angle for his likeness to come up by, even if it's not much, at least a little complementation for him will be just enough. And so I have been recently racking my brain over how to make Ted a more likable character and may have found something that just might work.

WARNING! SPOILERS! Well… maybe not too much to give away what is to come for him. At the very least, I will say I may have found a fighting style that will fit him; a fighting style that he has yet to find a use for but will soon be put in use. It won't be until after Vermillion City that he'll bring it out. So keep watch and maybe, just maybe, Ted will get some likes as a result.

In the meantime, I would greatly appreciate reviews. A writer does not get any better if people read the story, like it, follow it, but don't review it to let the writer know what chapters were great, what chapters weren't great, what could be done better to strengthen a character and so on. And I speak not only for myself, but for all writers out there who, like I, look for such reviews to better their story for the sake of their viewers.

Chapter 43: A Troublesome Situation

I gasped and sputtered as I made my way to the shore, fighting against the current with one paw whilst dragging the Drowzee with the other. What I didn't count on was how his weight would weigh me down with my current struggling as it took every ounce of my strength to keep my head above the surface. Nevertheless, my feet came into contact with ground as I paddled with my arm, my muscles aching with exhaustion. Dragging the Drowzee behind me, I waded out from the river, having to drag the Drowzee by both arms as I distanced us from the river's edge before plopping down to regulate my breathing. "You all… right there… bro?" I asked him. His response, however, was less than pleasant and far from what I was expecting.

"What the hell is your problem?" he grunted as he turned to his side and got up.

"Pardon?" I questioned, taken aback a little by his demand.

What the hell possessed you to jump off a bridge like that? Let alone taking me down with you?" he huffed angrily. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"My apologies, bro," I answered him. "I understand how you would be upset after that stunt I pulled, but understand that I was pressed for options and that stunt was the only way to save you."

"What are you talking about?" the Drowzee asked. "Why would you need to save me?"

"Those two men who were blocking your path back there specialize in capturing unruly pokemon such as yourself and subjects them through unimaginable torture," I explained to him.

"So?" the Drowzee questioned unconcerned. "It's not like I would let them. I could've taken them easy."

"I disagree on that statement," I stated.

"What?" the Drowzee growled, narrowing his eyes at me.

"There's no doubt you could have," I said with a shrug. "But by the way they had everything set up, I'd be willing to bet that you wouldn't have made it to them if I hadn't gotten in the way."

"And what makes you think you know me?" the Drowzee demanded. "You didn't have any right dragging me off that bridge. You should have minded your own damn business."

"Whoa! Easy there," I said, feeling his aura of negativity. "No need to be hostile bro. Release that inner anger and learn to chillax."

"I think you shouldn't nose your way into other's businesses," the Drowzee said as he passed by me, bumping my arm in the process. "Especially mine. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to call it a day and go home."

I watched as the Drowzee walked off, heading back upstream towards the town whilst I remained where I was, figuring to distance myself from him so as not to cause any more problems than I had created for him. It was enough time, however, for me to take a look around the area and take note of how quickly things have changed.

Take the river for instance. When the Drowzee and I had managed to make land, the stream had a strong, fast-paced current. However, within the time the Drowzee and I had conversation to the time he started walking, the river's current had died down, the river itself becoming still and almost lifeless. Of course, the river wasn't the only thing that had settled down. The few trees that were nearby were quiet still as well, or at the very least the leaves that would be rustling in the wind were. Even pokemon who were out being productive at this time of day were dormant.

Looking up into the sky, I took note that there was not a single cloud to be seen in the clear, blue sky. The temperature itself, though at a reasonable degree, was beginning to decline slightly. How, may you ask, do I know this? Well, let's just say that pokemon have a unique instinct to know when a big change in nature is in the process of occurring. Most pokemon anyway. I, however, have more of a uniqueness to me than anyone else knows of. That aside, I had already wasted far too much time standing around taking note of all the instant changes. The Drowzee, by this time, was well out of sight and probably far ahead of me by this point. So at the very least I wouldn't be a bother to him. As I began walking back in the direction the current carried us, I could only hope that I hadn't been carried too far downstream.

I found myself some time later no closer to the town like I hoped I would be. As I had thought, the current had carried me further on down than I had liked it to. Though a tad bit disappointed, there was no real rush to get back. Not entirely. I knew Zack would be able to take care of things. He is a natural born leader after all, despite how he can be. And like all leaders, they need someone to be there for them when they can't be strong aka Charcoal and I. Speaking of Charcoal, though I admire his style of fighting, he does tend to overthink his battle strategies. And that doesn't go to say that his ideas don't always work. Something seems to happen in the middle of battle that gives him the edge to win. Others may find it as an unhidden power that he had yet to tap into, but I concur. I may not know what the driving edge is that gives him the drive to win, but I'm sure with enough thorough examination I'll come to know what his switch is.

Back to the matter at hand, I had come about to a stop as I walked out into a clearing; a sheer cliff wall ahead of me bringing my straight-forward path to an end. There was no way I was going to make it back to town at this rate, especially since I would have to find a way around. Climbing was out of the question being that my size meant that it would take the rest of the day just to get up there, time I didn't have. But more to worry on later. For now, I had a sudden need for thirst and with me being right by a river, I hadn't need worry of finding someplace that had water.

Walking over to the edge, I knelt down and cupped my paws, scooping up a paw full of water to quench my thirst. As I proceeded to take a sip, something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention right before I felt myself being pushed in with a splash. As I fell in, however, I instinctively managed to quickly grab my assailant and pull him in along with me.

"What the… hell is your problem?" the Drowzee asked as we both resurfaced. "Why are you following me for?"

"I'm sorry?" I asked, confused. "I don't quite understand."

"Then let me help you make sense by what I mean," the Drowzee said as we both swam back to land. "I don't care where you go, just quit following me and leave me alone!"

"Apologies, bro," I said. "But I'm afraid my reason for following is due to the fact that the town is this way."

"Well then find another way." He pointed behind him. "That's MY way. I don't care if you have to swim back up the river. Just stay a faraway distance from me."

"Whoa! Chill out man. You're way too uptight."

"And you're getting on my last nerves. You had no right getting involved with MY life. I could have been back at my home by now without anything to be pissed about, but then YOU come out of the blue and drag me off a bridge and attempt to apologize for it? You can take that apology of yours and shove it. If you wanted to 'help' me so badly, you should have done so by not bothering."

I rolled my eyes having grown tired of how demanding the Drowzee was being and without a word walked right past him. The reaction must have been enough to catch him off guard momentarily before he ran in front of me to block my path. "Where do you think you're going?" he demanded once again.

"Town," was my reply.

"Not that way you're not." Ignoring his complaints, I walked around him and resumed onward. "Hey! Did you not hear what I told you? That's MY way. Find your own."

Without missing a step in my walk, I replied. "Sorry bro. I'm afraid I can't comply with your orders. I'm going this way whether you like it or not. Feel free to tag along if you wish." I could hear the Drowzee's growl from behind and a bunch of grumbling following suit. Whether he followed or not was his choice. My overall concern was for his stubbornness for finding shelter for what was soon to come.

Even now as I glanced up at the sky, though it was the middle of the day, I could already see the brightness of the sky slightly darkening on the horizon.

Being a dark-type and having the ability to see in the dark comes quite easy for one such as I. There are even times when the moonlight aids us with the only drawback being it exposes our forms entirely should we choose to leave the shadows. However, there on one obstruction in our path that blocks out our nocturnal vision. And that obstruction is none other than the rain. This is what it was currently doing as I sat by a window in blank name's house, keeping my gaze focused as far out as I could see despite the torrential downpour.

Since Ted's unexpected fall to save the Psychic type, not a trace of them have been found. The townsfolk even went and searched for them with Ted being the greater concern over the Psychic type. The policewoman had to remain with Laura and my trainer to deal with the D.C.A. goons who threatened to give another one of those paper things to them for interfering. It took a lot of convincing from the policewoman that Ted acted upon his own accord and not ordered to do otherwise; to which Laura apologized for his misbehavior despite not having done anything wrong. It was enough to almost lose my cool and do a really stupid thing that would have cost my trainer his journey.

Luckily we got off with a strict warning before we joined the search party. That was cut off shortly afterward with an incoming storm that would have made searching difficult. Laura was beside herself with worry as was I. Luckily my trainer was there to give her words of comfort to ease some of the worry off her. It was rather touching if I had to say. And I did just that. Now, I mean. I said that just now. That still didn't stop me from staying up to watch out for any signs of Ted. Or the Psychic type. I think his name was Drozy or something. These Psychic types have really hard names to remember. That or it's just me.

My ears picked up sound of movement from behind me, which broke my gaze away to see who or what it was. There, slowly dragging her paws towards me in a semi-sleepy state was Skitty. I took note that her ears were drooped down and her tail was being dragged as she made her way over to me and stood there. "Hey Zack," she slurred a little. "Mind if I curl up with you?"

The sudden out-of-nowhere question took me aback that I almost forgot how to answer. "Uh… y-yeah. I don't mind… I think."

"Ok," she said as she did just that, curling up into a ball and snuggling herself up against me. This had to be the most awkward moment of my life, aside from other times that could have been more awkward. This, however, took the cake of all the awkward situations I've been in and wasn't sure how to look at it.

"Zack," I heard Skitty say softly. "Do you… do you think Ted's all right?"

"I'm sure he's just fine," was my response to her, though I think my voice was a little tense. "I'm sure he wouldn't be traversing out in this kind of weather. He's smart after all. Though I'm not sure he's as smart as Charcoal is. Still though…" Skitty made a kind of murmuring noise I couldn't make out. I disregarded it as her being tired and went to look out the door again when she surprised me with what she said next.

"I'm sorry if I'm making you feel uncomfortable. I know I'm not the most easy to deal with and that I can be unpredictable, but I'm a good Skitty at heart." My mind drew a blank. "Rain makes me sentimental and my mood varies depending on the color a room is. I'm sure you've noticed in the last two cities and the cave we were in." I blinked. This was a different side of Skitty I've never seen and was beyond shock to hear her admit something I'm sure she would never admit to in her usual state. The awkwardness of it all was enough to make me blush out of not knowing how to handle the situation.

"I usually do this kind of thing with Ted when there's a storm raging on and I'm feeling sad or down about something," she continued. "It's nothing personal. I just… that's when I need comfort the most. I'll leave though if it's too much for you." I smiled and placed a paw upon her head, a feeling of admiration and newfound likeness overtaking me, for however brief it may be.

"You're fine," I said.

"I'm glad," was all she said as she fell back asleep, a smile upon her face.

I continued to stare at her as she slept, intrigued by this kind of behavior. She acknowledged what a pain to others she can be and how she operates in a manner of speaking. It was like getting behind the person's eyes and understanding how they not only see the world, but how they see themselves, if that makes any kind of sense.

Having watch her sleep for several more minutes, a strange sensational feeling coming about me which I couldn't place a paw upon for the life of me, I returned my gaze back outside to keep watch for any sign of Ted's silhouette form in the distance. Ted's safety wasn't my only main concern unfortunately. Each lightning strike that would streak down from the sky would strike in one particular direction, away from the town; well outside the borderline, like something was out there drawing it; something that made my fur stand on end.