Ch. 8

The twins walked with Vulpix through the forest a few days later.

"I wonder who that hooded boy was. The one who saved us," Nando wondered.

"I don't know," Atreyo shrugged. "It would've been nice if I could thank him. I know you did already."

"Vul," Vulpix ran off towards the sound of a waterfall. Atreyo and Nando fallowed it closely.

"Where're you going, Vulpix?" Atreyo asked.

Vulpix jumped up and tackled someone wearing a cloak to the ground. The twins stopped and gasped.

"Vulpix, let me up," Faceless Bane groaned.

"Vul, Vulpix," Vulpix got off his back so he could sit up. "Vul, Vulpix, vul." It smiled at him.

"Nine," the pure white Ninetails came out of the bushes.

"Vul!" Vulpix said happily, going over to it and snuggled.

"Heh. What am I going to do with you, girl?" Faceless Bane asked in a sigh and stood up.

"Vul!" Vulpix smiled, jumping into his arms and licked his face. Making his hood fall off. Faceless Bane giggled lightly as Nando and Atreyo saw his face.

He looked like a little teenager. The eye that the twins could see was a nice emerald green color. His bangs covered his left eye as he petted Vulpix.

"Vulpix! Vul," Vulpix said happily, seeing the twins behind the boy.

"Huh?" Faceless Bane turned slightly to the side to see the twins he saved a few days ago. He gasped as Vulpix hung on his shoulder as he pulled his hood back over his head.

Vulpix jumped into Atreyo's arms. Atreyo wrapped his arms around Vulpix and petted her.

"You don't have to hide your face from us," Nando said softly. Faceless Bane just turned around and started walking away.

"Wait, please," Atreyo said before the boy could take another step. Faceless Bane stopped with a sigh.

"I wanted to thank you for saving us a few days ago," Atreyo told him.

"Vulpix came to get me. You should be thanking her," Faceless Bane told him.

"What's your name?" Nando asked.

"I'd rather not tell you. It's Faceless Bane, alright," he told them.

"Nine," Ninetails got in front of the cloaked boy. "Nine, nine, Ninetails. Nine."

"Ninetails," Faceless Bane groaned. "I won't hang around others for a long time. You know what always happen. Which reminds me… we've lingered here too long. Pidgeot!"

Pidgeot came down and landed beside the boy. He got on Pidgeot's back as Growlithe jumped on as well.

"Please wait," Nando said. "You can trust us."

"Well, that much I do know, Nando," Faceless Bane replied. "If you and your brother Atreyo are smart, you won't look for me. Vulpix seems really happy with you. Take good care of her, Atreyo. Let's fly, Pidgeot."

"Geot!" Pidgeot flew to the sky before the twins could say anything. Ninetails ran off under the Pidgeot.

"Um… what just happened?" Atreyo blinked his eyes in confusion.

"How did he know our names?" Nando asked in confusion.

"Vulpix," Vulpix said, jumping out of Atreyo's arms. "Vul, vul." She moved her head, telling the two to follow her.

"Hm? What's up, Vulpix?" Atreyo asked.

"Vul!" Vulpix ran off smiling. Atreyo and Nando exchanged glances and ran after Vulpix.

Pidgeot landed at a remote lake. Faceless Bane got off Pidgeot and took his hood down.

"I know I can trust those two," he sighed. "But it's better for Lane Hikarta to not be around people for very long."

Lane took off his cloak to let his hair breathe. "That feels better." The wind blew passed, blowing Lane's hair.

A few Magikarp came to the surface of the lake. "Karp, karp, karp," they sounded like something was wrong. Lane gasped and jumped in the lake. He followed the Magikarp to the bottom of the lake.

"Oh, no," Lane thought in a gasp. He saw a Gyarados trapped under cement. He had to return to the surface to get air.

"That's not good!" Lane gasped. He took a deep breath and went under again. Swimming back to the trapped Pokemon. He went to Gyarados's head. It opened its eye to see him.

It didn't panic as Lane touched its head and looked into its eyes or eye. It talked to Lane.

Lane nodded as he turned towards the cement. His left eye shined red as the cement started moving. Ever so slowly. Lane almost opened his mouth. He couldn't move it by himself. It was just too heavy.

But he wasn't going to give up. His eye shined brighter, lifting the cement off the Gyarados just enough for it to swim out.

Once it did swim out, Lane let the cement drop as he opened his mouth. Gyarados swam under Lane and brought him back to the surface before he drowned.

Lane coughed as he got off Gyarados. "Thank you," he said. Gyarados talked to him. "Oh, let's have a look."

Gyarados came up on the land so Lane could see what was wrong. There was a deep cut on Gyarados.

"That's not good," Lane said, trying to think of what to do.

"Pidgeot! Geot!" Pidgeot shouted from the sky. Lane looked up to see his Pidgeot coming in for a landing with Nurse Joy riding it.

"Another great save, Lane?" Nurse Joy asked with a smile, getting off Pidgeot and going over to the Gyarados to help it.

"Yeah, I guess, Nurse Joy," Lane shrugged.

Nando and Atreyo were watching the whole thing from the bushes. Ninetails knew they were there, but acted like they weren't there at all.

"Wow," Atreyo whispered.

"So, his name is Lane, huh," Nando whispered. "He's just a kid."

Nurse Joy patched up Gyarados. "You'll be alright now. Good thing Lane was here huh?" she said to Gyarados, petting it. Gyarados nodded with a smiled. Talking to Lane again.

"Don't sweat it, Gyarados," Lane said slightly shivering as the wind blew.

"You should dry off, Lane. It's getting cold up here," Nurse Joy told him, tossing a towel on his head.

"Uh, Thanks Nurse Joy," Lane said, drying off. Nurse Joy giggled, "You can go back in the water Gyarados, just no rough housing with any others for a few days. I'll check up on you when I can."

Gyarados smiled with a nod. Going back in the water as the Magikarp swam beside it.

Lane went in a cave and took his wet clothes off. He dried himself off the rest of the way and got into dry clothes.

He came out of the cave and gave the towel back to Nurse Joy, "thanks."

"Anytime, Lane," Nurse Joy smiled, taking the towel and getting back on Pidgeot. Pidgeot flew her back to the Pokemon Center.

Growlithe stood next to Lane as the wind blew again. Ninetails went over to them and sat down.

"Nine," Ninetails said, looking out across the land.

"Yeah, it is beautiful," Lane said, sitting down on the grass. He sighed as he stared at the treetops and the lights flashing in the distance.

The sun set as Lane laid down and stared at the stars overhead. He fell asleep after a while with Growlithe snuggled up to him, Ninetails near his head and Pidgeot at his feet.

Nando and Atreyo smiled as they decided to sleep right there.

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