"I'm not crazy!" Cynthia bellowed. "There is a conspiracy out there! Something dark that the Pokemon Association is trying to sweep under the rug!"

Professor Carolina was too old for this shit. Messing around with the Pokemon Association was akin to signing your death warrants. Nobody, and Professor Carolina didn't care who or what you might be, but nobody fucks with the Pokemon Association and gets away with it. There was a reason why an organisation could take control and brainwash the world unopposed. Their influences were like the illuminati, their powers unchallenged, and their authority absolute.

"You just became Sinnoh's Pokemon Champion! I won't let you wander off to Johto! That is final!"

"In the past five years, the Pokemon Association has been urging children and trainers alike to capture legendary Pokemon!" Cynthia was seething behind her teeth. "We are talking about Pokemon that can reshape our planet! Lugia! Kyogre! Yveltal! It was their territorial and solitary nature that stopped them from destroying us! If the Pokemon Association were to turn them into weapons of mass destruction, they will send all of us back to the stone edge!"

This was getting out of hand! Headstrong and self-righteous as she might be, Cynthia was in over her head. Professor Carolina's children had long passed; she practically raised her granddaughter on her own. No parents would send their children off on a suicidal path. "Enough! I will not tolerate your wilfulness! What hubris did you cook up with to give you such a thought? Mind your own business and do your job!"

"You are not fooling anybody here, grandma!" Cynthia pointed a finger at her phone, rage and frustration marred her beautiful features. "I was on the phone with Philena just a few weeks ago! We were debating about this matter! She told me that she wanted to think about it and that she will call me. And guess what? She never responded! She's gone, grandma! Something is happening out there!"

The arrogance and naivety of humanity was thinking that Pokemon could be controlled, but the Pokemon Association thought otherwise. At the end of the day, Pokemon were… tools. And tools were meant to be exploited. At least, that was what Professor Carolina was taught. Cynthia was running into the lion's den and there was no way her grandmother was going to let her do it.

"If you dare leave Sinnoh, I will report it to headquarters. Your negligence to your duty will give the Pokemon Association enough reasons to strip you off your title, your privilege, and everything that you have worked hard for! Don't make me do this, Cynthia!"

Cyntha gasped, staring in disbelief at her grandmother. To think that her grandmother would go so far just to stop her. No! There was something terribly off about this and she couldn't sit well with it. "Do what you have to do, grandmother."

"CYNTHIA!" The professor barked, startling her granddaughter. Not once in Cynthia's life had she seen her grandmother yelled at her. "I forbid you from going! Do you hear me? You have no idea what's coming if you do this!"

Stubborn. Strong-willed. Stupid. Cynthia might be all those things, but a coward she was not. She knew what was at stake here. Going against the Pokemon Association was downright suicidal, but she had to find Philena and get to the bottom of this. Philena was like a sister to her, someone she could confide to. There was no way Philena would go MIA on her and leave her hanging. "I have to do this, grandmother."

"This is your paranoia talking!"

Cynthia growled. "I know what I'm doing! Philena is missing and I need to know the truth!"

"You will gamble everything you have for a friend?"

"Philena is family!" Cynthia shot a disgusted look at her grandmother. "If the situation were reversed and you're the one who went missing, I will throw my life away in a heartbeat just to get you back! I will fight the Pokemon Association if I have to! You were the one who taught me this! You talk about doing the right thing! About putting blood first!"

"I am putting blood first!" Professor Carolina didn't back down so easily, at least not without a fight. "You are my family! My blood! Philena? What is she? She is just my junior. A colleague. Your acquaintance, at best! Forget about her. Forget about some make-belief conspiracy that you cooked up on a whim! Concentrate on your work! Be the Pokemon Champion that you always want to be! End of discussion."

Words couldn't describe how disappointed Cynthia was. Her proud and no-nonsense grandmother was fearful of the Pokemon Association. How the mighty had fallen. But Cynthia knew herself better. If her desire to investigate the Pokemon Association had led to Philena's disappearance, then she would never be able to sleep soundly at night. "I will renounce my title tomorrow morning. Whether you like it or not, I am leaving."

X-o-X-o-X-

For the umpteen time, Naruto dangled a cherry between his fingers, enticing the bound Zoroark to eat it. Of course, when Zoroark attempted to sneak a bite, Naruto would toss it aside and made silly faces at the fuming fox. Hell, even Moltres joined in the fun, teasing a hapless Zoroark relentlessly. Like master, like Pokemon. After all, bamboozling beats being bamboozled.

"You really need to stop being an asshole to that poor Zoroark." Clair shook her head at Naruto's antics. For a veteran killer, he sure acted like an overgrown child. "I think you should -"

"It doesn't matter what you think!" Naruto snapped. "I'm a certified grade-A asshole who whoops people's asses for less. Besides, I caught her. Her life is forfeited to me the day she got her candy ass delivered to me on a silver platter."

By now, Clair was used to Naruto's crazed outburst, but he had his fill. This was just gratuitous. "You know she was just trying to protect us by scaring us off. She might be creepy, but she has a good heart, Naruto. Quit being a dick to her and free her. Now!"

"Yes mom!" Rolling his eyes, Naruto unsheathed a dagger strapped from his boot and sliced the ropes. The moment Zoroark was freed, she pounced at Naruto with vengeance, but it wasn't something unanticipated. Faster than what a naked eye could perceive, Naruto grabbed Zoroark by her snout and tossed her over his shoulder. Branding a knife on Zoroark's throat, Naruto snickered. "Look at me, little foxy. Hey. Look at me."

Begrudgingly, Zoroark stared into Naruto's soulless blue eyes. Those were eyes that had killed plenty. "Now, I am not your everyday goody-two-shoe cunt you can try your luck with. I have every intention to release you back to your forest. You can continue scaring kids off. Protect the environment. Yada, yada. You do you, that's all I'm asking. This is me doing you a favour, because I know what it's like growing up in a hellhole. Believe me. So, as a token of my respect and empathy, I am going to release you on a count of three. If you try something funny with me, I will slit your gullet open. Do we have a deal?"

If looks could kill, Zoroark would have burned two fiery holes into Naruto's sockets. But, as it stood, there was no getting out of this. Conceding to her predicament, Zoroark nodded.

"One."

Clair was unnerved by how tense the situation was.

"Two."

Zoroark swallowed her anxiousness.

"Three."

Naruto climbed to his feet, pocketed his dagger, and turned to Clair, offering her a brilliant smile like as if he didn't just threaten to murder Zoroark. "Alright, let us leave this depressing forest. I still need to get to Sinnoh, remember?"

Zoroark let out a shriek and folded her legs, her downtrodden eyes cast on the floor. Clair knew that look. When a Pokemon had identified its destined partner, it knew, from its heart of hearts, that it was prudent to be subservient for the sake of accumulating strength. Prideful as Zoroark was, even she knew she would learn heaps from Naruto. Hell, even a Caterpie could become strong under Naruto's tutelage.

"Naruto, I think Zoroark wants to go with you." It made perfect sense to Clair; despite Zoroark's rough upbringing, it was her nature to stick in a pack. Solitude did not bode well with Zoroark after all. "Perhaps she can tag along with us."

Zoroark's face lit up, hope sparkling in her eyes.

"Nah, I'll pass." Naruto dismissed.

Zoroark deflated.

Moltres snickered.

"But why?" Clair stared incredulously at Naruto. Zoroark had so much potential; anybody would kill just to be her trainer.

"Why what?" Raising three fingers, Naruto stared solemnly at Clair. "One, I don't intend to stay in this world for long." He curled his index finger. "Two, I already have Moltres. One Pokemon is one too many." He curled his ring finger, which left his upright middle finger. "And three, I know next to nothing about caring for a Pokemon. The fact that Moltres is still alive is a miracle."

"It's not fair for Zoroark!" Clair protested fervently. "She never asked to be raised by a monster! Why can't you just show some compassion to her?"

"Not sure if you notice, but I'll let you in on a secret." Naruto's voice was as frigid as the cold wind. "Life is never fair since day one. Grow up."

Clair couldn't have any of it. She stormed towards Naruto and pushed his inhumanly large chest. It was like pushing a boulder. Unmovable. Powerful. But Clair didn't care. She hammered her fists on his chest. "You can't possibly believe that!"

"I can believe that because life wasn't fair for me. I went through things that would cripple you mentally." Naruto looked over his shoulder, his cold gaze made Zoroark's blood run cold. "I can't call myself an expert when it comes to understanding this world, because I don't. But I know it lacks morality. The people have relinquished their freedom when they are more than happy to embrace a regime that make them throw their children into forests infested with bloodthirsty monsters like your father. You know what that means? It means this world is inherently fucked up. Are you sure you want to leave this shithole for another?"

It was then Zoroark understood. She had been living in the forest for her whole life, not knowing what was out there. To venture to uncharted territory was to face insurmountable odds. Could she take up the challenge? Was she ready to climb to new heights? Stuck in a cyclical hell of forging her own destiny, it didn't occur to her that sometimes the path might find her instead.

"The truth is, you are not ready. Nobody is." Naruto finished harshly. "Give up."

As for Clair, she believed she had seen enough. Grabbing Naruto by his bicep, she glanced up at him, fire blazed in her eyes. "I know you went through some crazy shit, okay? I'm not going to tell you that I can understand your pain, because I don't. But don't you dare justify your cruelty with your own weakness. Who are you to tell her to give up? Huh?"

Frankly, Clair didn't know what had driven her to be bold enough to stand up against a man-killing machine. Part of her was screaming at her to flee. Get away from this monster! Even Moltres was glaring murderously at her. But her faith rooted her to the ground. Deep down, she knew Naruto was a good man. Broken, yes, but a good man nonetheless. He wouldn't hurt her.

"Yes, ma'am." Naruto mellowed down and his mask of indifference cracked. "I could get a drink though when we reach Cherrygrove City. Please tell me they have a bar there."

Zoroark climbed to her feet and stood up straight. If she wanted to be stronger, then she must be ready to take up new challenges. It's do or die for her.

"I ain't gonna stop you if you want to follow me. Choice is yours." Naruto lifted his bag and spun around. "Let's get moving."

Clair giggled and beckoned Zoroark to follow them. "Come on, don't be shy. He may look like an asshole, but if you know him well, he's pretty much a Teddiursa."

"I have no idea what a Teddiursa is, but I take offense to that!"

X-o-X-o-X-

Blue sky, summer breeze, and a tang of summer blue would have made a perfect day for Clair, provided she ignored the incessant bickering between Zoroark and Moltres. It had been three days since their travel and Clair was already on edge. Naruto didn't even care. Hell, he seemed to be amused by the fact that his Pokemon was annoying her, so screw him. Turning sharply to Zoroark and Moltres, Clair glowered. "Will the two of you shut up for one minute?"

At first, Clair thought she had gotten through the two Pokemon, whom stopped screeching and stared through her skin. It was unnerving, but Clair stood her ground. She was a Dragon Tamer for the love of Arceus! And then they resumed their antics, this time louder and rowdier. Clair shot Naruto a frustrated look. "Are you not going to do something?"

Naruto chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh." He deadpanned.

"I'm being serious, Naruto! You need to learn how to control your Pokemon!"

"How am I going to do that? Tape their mouths? But I have no tapes, so that's a no. Sew their mouths shut, perhaps? Then people might wonder why there are two Pokemon roaming around without their mouths." Naruto sniffed. "Anyway, let's make haste. The sooner we leave this forest, the better. We just crossed two hills and all we have are gigantic, poisonous bugs trying to get us. If I don't know any better, I'll say I'm in a horror movie."

"Don't forget the giant Bunya pines that weigh more than ten kilogram. If it falls and hit you, you're dead." Clair chirped as if the notion of being killed by a random tree was an everyday occurrence. Well, Naruto wouldn't be killed by an avalanche of pines, but he wouldn't be able to say the same thing for the average Joe. At the very least, there should be a sign that warned any passer-by about the looming danger.

Naruto sighed. "It bothers me that you're not bothered by what you just said."

"It's the way of life here. Get used to it."

"Right. Say the woman who ask me to tone down my sociopathic tendency."

"Your sociopathic tendency leads to violence and murder."

"Tell me, Clair, how do the people around towns say about the Pokemon Association?"

Clair raised a brow. "How does that have to do with anything?"

"Because the way I see it, everything here revolves around Pokemon. The hospital. The friggin' police. Even your television. And above all else, the Pokemon Association rules them all. Bunch of sunken cunts masquerading dictatorship for the greater good, if I have to be blunt. Expect a light at the end of the tunnel – that's what they sell and Pokemon trainers like you are the preachers."

Right. Clair almost forgot that this stone-cold murderer liked to spout philosophy. A know-it-all who thought he was better than everybody else. Truthfully, Clair was getting sick of it. "You see that? Your attitude. Not everybody in this world is an arsehole, okay? The people here try their best to bond well with Pokemon. You can't fault everybody just because of a bunch of rotten apples."

Naruto almost scoffed. "See, preachers encourage your capacity for illusion and sell you that as a virtue. There is always a buck to be had. Don't believe me? You had kids running around with cheap equipment, catching dangerous things in the forest, and give them away for free to your Pokemon Association. That, my friend, is cheap labour at its finest. And when somebody questions that endless loop of depravity, you have educated academics and professionals coaxing kids that it is all for glory. That each and every kid is doing God's work. The lucky ones grow up and become the preachers. The stupid ones get eaten. And the whole cycle repeats again."

The infuriating thing about Naruto wasn't his cynicism or his inability to see the good in everything, but his fondness for seeing things the way they were. "I wonder how you get up in the morning to do what you do."

"I'm just not that kind of guy who stands still, that's how."

Clair sighed. "Is that why you're always searching for a fight?"

"A fight is coming, whether I like it or not. I am the outsider who is looking at this world from the microscope. There is something wrong with your world, Clair. And when words get out, I'm sure people would want to shut me up. Forever. Can't have an outsider talking treasons in broad daylight, no?"

"Treason? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Complacency, Clair. Dictatorship requires obedience. And to cultivate obedience, you need to give people something to distract themselves from reality. I don't see eye-to-eye with the Pokemon Association. And I'm sure anybody who does won't get to see the next sunrise. But I'm not here to start a revolution. I just want to get into Sinnoh, find the Pokemon that can bring me back into my shithole, and call it a day. All the shit that is happening here is none of my business."

"Keep telling yourself that, Naruto. You like to play yourself off as the sceptical outsider, but deep down we both know you're full of shit. If you didn't care about anything, you wouldn't go as far as to kill that Hypno in the forest and help Zoroark."

"What can I say?" A suave yet aggravating grin plastered on Naruto's face. "I'm a hypocritical asshole. I believe I've established that since day one, yeah?"

Clair also knew he was a good man, but she wasn't going to feed his already inflated ego. "Well, we're here. Welcome to Cherrygrove City."

The path sloped through a head-high swatch of bushes and tangled underbrush, a perfect hideout for small Pokemon. It narrowed and, just ahead, was an arch made of whitewashed bricks. Written on it in faded red paint were the words: Cherrygrove City.

"Alright, let's get this over with. What's the plan?"

"Cherrygrove City is still a few miles ahead. We'll settle in for the day at a hotel then hike up the mountain come tomorrow morning."

There was a loud honk, a motor winding down, and a red convertible pulling up right beside them. How convenient, Naruto mused.

"Need a ride?"

Clair recognised the voice and her eyes lit up. "Professor Juniper? What are you doing here?"

Professor Juniper grinned and tilted her sunglasses, her attention landed on the man with lode-gold hair and peppered stubble. From his angular cheekbones to his chiselled physique, everything about him spelled heartbreaker. And that made Juniper curious. Usually, folks tend to ease up in her presence, but not him. He was leery. Why was that, she wondered? "I happened to be passing by. I thought you would be in Blackthorn City."

"Long story. Oh, this is Naruto. Naruto, this is Professor Juniper from Unova."

Naruto nodded, barely acknowledging Juniper. Clair wasn't surprised, since Naruto didn't take well to new faces even under the best of circumstances.

Trying to diffuse the awkwardness in the air, Clair chuckled. "We can really use a ride into the city. It was a long day for us."

"I bet." Juniper smiled. "Hop in. There's some room in the backseat. You might want to keep your Pokemon in the Pokeball though."

"No." Naruto turned to Moltres and patted her beak. "Go on, girl. Fly high and follow the car. Zoroark, you stick with me."

The firebird shot the fox a dirty glare before she extended her glorious wings and took off. Clair climbed her way to the front seat while Naruto and Zoroark opted for the back. Ahead of them was a wide mown patch winding up through the copse of trees and over the hill, leading to Cherrygrove City. For the next ten minutes, save for the rev of the engine, they sat in silence.

After they topped the second hill, they could see a jungle of glass, concrete, and steel. Another fancy farm that raised cattle, Naruto thought, except the shepherds were the Pokemon Professors and the cattle were naïve and gullible children. That's clever, really. Instil propaganda to the populous long enough and everybody would treat lies as norm. Naruto could taste aluminium and ash in his mouth, a bad omen for things to come.

"It isn't every day you get to see a trainer with a Legendary Pokemon. Where are you from, Naruto?" Professor Juniper smiled at her rear-view mirror, hoping to garner the aloof man's attention. Legendary Pokemon were the alphas of their species; to tame one was to tame a natural disaster. It was just inconceivable to do so.

"I'm from somewhere far. A boat won't get you there."

"A plane, perhaps?"

Naruto shrugged. "So, you're a professor. Which means you major in something?"

"I have a PhD in Molecular Biology and Genetics, specifically in Pokemon's physiology."

"Right." He quirked a smirk. "And you seem proud of that achievement."

"We should all be a little proud of our milestones, don't we?"

It was then Naruto let out a loud yawn, which was contagious enough to affect Clair and Zoroark, but not Juniper. That was something that piqued his interest. Yawning was like a virus – it spreads to those who could empathise. This meant Juniper was a possible narcissist with a lack of empathy. A sociopath, perhaps? Of course, he might arrive to a crude conclusion based on hubris, but his gut was right most of the time.

"Yeah, we should."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I dare say that you're a man on a journey."

"Are we all not on a journey?"

Juniper tilted her head, her eyes occasionally darted to her rear-view mirror. "Yes, but this one seems to be dead-set on finding something. A specific Pokemon, perhaps?"

"He's going to Sinnoh to seek out Dialga and Palkia." Clair interjected almost enthusiastically, much to Naruto's chagrin. If there was something Naruto loathed more than pineapple, it would be his private affairs being spilled out casually. That being said, the cats were out of the bag, so no point covering it up.

"Ah. Are you there to catch them? Believe it or not, I did a paper on Palkia once. Truth be told, it was hard to do any research on Palkia. The Pokemon proved to be very evasive, but one thing was certain. It could warp space and make black holes. Do you know what black hole is?" Juniper didn't give Naruto an opportunity to answer. "It consumes matter, sucks it in, and crushes it beyond existence. When I came across such a phenomenon, I thought that's evil in its purest form. Something that drags you in, crushes you, and makes you nothing."

Naruto levelled a glare at Juniper through her rear-view mirror. "I love to talk about nothing. It's the only thing I know anything about."

"Do you believe in evil, Naruto?"

He scoffed. "I have to. Hard to not believe in it, especially after what I have seen."

"So what have you seen?"

Sharp and tactful were something Naruto would describe Juniper. Discerning the fact that Naruto had made it blatantly clear he wasn't keen to disclose anything about himself to her, she came up ways to make him talk. Quick-witted, this one. "My line of work requires me to get my hands dirty."

"Oh? Do you happen to be a detective?"

"Nothing grand like that. Would you believe me if I say I'm a ninja."

At that, Juniper chortled. "I don't suppose I would. So, are you intending to capture Palkia?"

"No, I'm intending to inject a straw into its spine and suck its marrow out. I heard Palkia's bone marrow fetch quite a decent amount of money in the market."

Clair let out a nervous chuckle. "He didn't mean that."

"Why will I lie about something like that?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

For unexplained reasons, Naruto was gifted with the uncanny ability to judge a person's character by instinct. He could pick out assholes in a crowd if he honed his senses. If the universe were to tell him that Professor Juniper was dangerous, then he would play his cards with caution. "Are you gonna keep driving that thing or are we gonna keep playing twenty questions?"

"I think what Naruto is trying to say is that he values his privacy." Clair smiled apologetically at the professor, who didn't seem to be offended by Naruto's crude remark. Hell, she was more amused than offended. "I'm so sorry about Naruto. He isn't really a people person, you know? You'll get used to him once you get to know him better."

"Of course." A small grin curled up at Juniper's lips.

X-o-X-o-X-

The skyscrapers in Cherrygrove City all looked eerily identical – acres of glass strung together with shiny steel and the logo of the Pokemon Association hung at the top floor. Cameras were everywhere too. Each corner of a street had at least two. It was as if the whole city was under constant surveillance. When the car swerved over into the parking lot of a redwood motel, Naruto snapped out of his thoughts.

"Thank you so much, Professor." Clair smiled.

"No problem." Juniper offered her a wink. "Call me if you need any help. You have my number."

While Clair droned on about pleasantry, Naruto and Zoroark had already slipped out of the car, trying to shake off their claustrophobia.

"Naruto, would it kill you to thank Professor Juniper?" Clair was on him with a frown on her face. "She did offer us a car ride."

A minute spent near the professor only made him felt restless. The last time someone made him felt unnerved was Orochimaru. His frown deepened. Unease was now tinctured with revulsion and… anger. He wasn't clear why he felt that way. Perhaps it was Juniper's hard, green eyes with small flecks in them that gave him the heebie-jeebies.

Naruto didn't spare Juniper any gestures of gratitude and walked off. Did the woman honestly think he wasn't aware of her spying at him when she was driving her car? And she was doing it with a hard, humourless grin.

Clair was in a half-swoon panic at Naruto's brusque behaviour. Would it kill that man just to thank someone else for their small act of kindness? She stepped out of the car and gave Juniper a small bow. "I'm so sorry about him. I'll see you around!"

"No worries." Juniper said almost frostily and drove off.

Shaking her head, Clair jogged to Naruto's side. "What has gotten into you?"

Frankly, Naruto didn't know either, but he made sure not to leak any contempt in his voice. "Nothing. I just don't like tight spaces."

Clair sighed and left it at that. They sauntered into the office and rang the night bell. After two minutes, a middle-aged man with a goatee appeared, polishing his glasses.

"I wonder if we can have a unit down the right wing. Furthest corner please." Naruto chimed light-heartedly, surprising Clair. If there was one thing Clair admired about the blond enigma, it was his ability to wear expressions on his face like putting on masks. One moment he could be ranting murderously and the next he could be found smiling like he was in a girl's daydream.

"This time of the year, you can have all the right wing if you want." The clerk chuckled, exposing his yellow dentures. "You two a couple?"

Despite Clair being a famed trainer, the man didn't seem to recognise her. Good. Naruto just had to make his tale believable. Snaking a hand around Clair's shoulders, he pulled her close to his chest. She was smart enough to play along. "Yeah, she's my fiancée. We were out hiking and catching Pokemon. It's hunting season when the crowd isn't packed, yeah?"

"Of course. Just need you two to fill up this form. And it will be fifty-five for the night."

Clair filled up the paperwork, let Naruto signed it, and checked 'cash' under form of payment. She reached out into her pocket and pulled out a stack of bills. "Fifty-five. Here you go."

The clerk counted the bills without bothering to glimpse through the form and handed her a key in exchange. "Have a good evening."

Twenty minutes later, Clair was on a double bed. Thank Arceus they weren't camping out in the woods for the night as the storm came with all-out fury. The room weathered it well, but the lights did go off and the solid, unobtrusive hum of the air conditioner wound down to nothing for a good minute – long enough to annoy Clair. Moltres and Zoltres didn't really notice it and was busy fighting for the couch; their master sat on the floor with his legs-crossed and his eyes closed.

"You can lie down here with me, you know?" She looked at him hopefully. "After all, we did share a sleeping bag."

"I need to recuperate my chakra. This is the best possible way I can do it. You should catch some sleep. We have a long day ahead."

"Are you going to play sentry for little ol' me."

"Any time, any place." A grin curled at the corner of his lips, but his eyes remained closed. "Now go to sleep. You earned it."

Clair let out a yawn and drifted off to sleep soon after.

Naruto, however, wasn't mediating. He expanded his senses and discovered something peculiar. There were more signs of life underground than there were on the surface. It wasn't an infestation of Pokemon, that's for sure. An underground facility, perhaps? What conspiracy was the Pokemon Association cooking up underneath a city?

Come to think of it, they didn't bother keeping their surveillance over the city inconspicuous, which meant that the locals were either apathetic about it or they were coaxed into thinking that it was all for their safety's sake. Both were equally terrifying. The Pokemon Association had eyes and ears everywhere. He wouldn't be surprised if they knew he was here. It would be best to stay low and keep himself out of their crosshair.

X-o-X-o-X-

Bright morning sunlight fell aslant through the window out of a sky that was deep and blameless autumn blue. When Naruto opened his eyes, he saw a motionless hump under the blankets and a fluff of blue hair stuck out. He smiled. What a precious thing, he mused.

He gave his limbs a good stretch, went into the shower, shucked off his clothes, and twisted the faucet. Nothing in the world beat the first minute or two in a hot shower.

Clair was woken up from the drumming sound of the shower. At first, she thought it had been a dream. She was on Dragon's Den, a stack of wicker creels beside her. The lake was so still she could see the sky perfectly – like a window to the heavens. Then she heard a low, hissing sound, like… the sound of a shower? She opened her eyes once more, looking at an unfamiliar beamed ceiling. "Where am I?"

The shower was turned off and a rather naked Naruto came back into the bedroom, his modesty barely concealed by a towel wrapped around his hips. Every bit of his body was corded muscle, like a marble sculpture that had all sort of scars carved on him. One look and both women and men would swoon at the sight of him.

"See something you like?" Naruto teased, rubbing his hair vigorously with a towel.

She looked away, a pink flush decorated her cheeks. "Do you not have a shred of decency?"

"You don't have to look."

"C-Could you put on something now? Please."

In a blink of an eye, he had already put on his clothes. She wasn't sure how he did it, but she didn't want to know either.

"I'll get you something to eat. Go get yourself ready. We'll leave after breakfast."

In a haste, Naruto breasted out of the room, leaving Clair to do her morning ritual in peace. He came back ten minutes later with a paper-bag filled to the brim with food. Clair ate like a horse – chicken with gravy, a can of dill pickles, bacon, and eggs. He told a joke, they shared a light-hearted laugh, and she wished this moment would go on forever.

As noon came, they were all set to go. Clair stood on the shoulder of Route 45 alongside Zoroark and Moltres while Naruto returned the keys. The clerk in the office swept the key from the mail slot without even looking away from his small television.

"Hope ya enjoy your stay," he said, working on a box of doughnuts while he was at it.

"Sure did," Naruto replied crudely and left.

Clair was waiting for him outside. Zoroark and Moltres were awfully quiet, glancing about at their vicinity as if something were watching them. Perhaps they were simply being intuitive. They were Pokemon after all. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Somehow, Naruto shared the same sentiments as his Pokemon; he too was wary and alert. It peeved her to no end, because he refused to tell him anything in detail. Just keep walking, he would say. They trekked across a rutted road that twisted and wound its way over wooded ridges. A mile further and they came across a sign with ROUTE 45 stencilled on it.

The path to the top of the mountain was steep and treachery. One false step and there might just be things worse than death awaiting them. The forest was alive, Naruto mused, and as he expanded his senses, everything became vivid. Although Clair was familiar with the route, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread washing over her. Something had gone terribly wrong about this mountain.

"There's something… off about this mountain. It isn't supposed to be this… eerie." Clair choked. Thick, grey mist had blanketed the woods, blotting out the sun and making their travel tenebrous.

"You can feel it, can't you?" Exhilaration rushed through Naruto's veins. He grabbed her wrist, earning him a high-pitch yelp. "You want to keep your volume down. We don't know what's out there. Wouldn't want to rile something from its sleep."

"This isn't the time -"

With a sombre tone, Naruto spun around and faced Clair. "There are things around us. Ten. Maybe twenty. Can't really tell. Something is trying to pry my senses off. But whatever those things are, they are not friendly. I don't want you to get lost on me, do you understand?"

She nodded hesitantly.

They crossed the wet, marshy undergrowth, moving from one grassy hump to the next. Peepers – or whatever that were – sang constantly in the reeds, a shrill chorus that seemed to be more of a warning than nature's call. Twenty paces or so up the mountain and they were buzz-bombed by some bat-like things. Golbats, that's what Clair called them. Bunch of winged-cunts.

"Zoroark, Moltres." The fox and the firebird stiffened at their master's voice. "Stay close."

It was then they saw lights ahead, a pulsing heat – like a strange heart. There was a coalescing force within this dark woods. Then there was a sound; a high, gobbling cackle. A silence came in for a moment before the laughter came again, this time rising to a full-blown maniacal shriek that froze Clair's blood.

"N-Naruto -"

"Shh." He placed a finger on her trembling lips. If it wasn't for the thick mist and tall grass, perhaps they could see who or what was laughing.

Clair wasn't sure if she wanted to see what might have been revealed. She let loose a sigh of relief when the laughter faded, leaving the hums of the wind. What in the world was that?

"The wind." Naruto reassured her. A white lie, but it managed to placate her. That's all it mattered. "Stay sharp."

Clair, Zoroark, and Moltres followed the back of their fearless leader, who seemed to be amused than frightened. Yes, amused. Like they were in an amusement park and he was the ever eager child, exploring uncharted territories with fervent joy. His fingers were twitching, as if ready to pounce on whatever that was coming their way.

The laughter came again, this time from their left. Then behind them! From directly behind them! Clair felt her heart pounding ferociously in her chest. It was as if she would see a blood-drenched monstrosity with glistening eyes behind her if she were to turn. Naruto did not slow, however. He shook her out of her trance and pulled her, his eyes were straight ahead.

Suddenly, the mist lost its light and Clair realised there was a face hanging in the air ahead of them. No, there were more, leering and gibbering. Their eyes were yellowish and baleful. What made her blood chilled was their mouths. They were all drawn up in a frozen rictus, revealing teeth stained in red. Those grisly, floating heads were laughing; their mouths moved, but they never came back to its natural shape.

"G-Gasly? Haunter? And so many of them?" Clair croaked in horror.

"Gasly? Haunter? You mean those things are Pokemon?" Naruto arched a brow. How the hell could he be unfazed at the sight of a living nightmare? Those things were speaking, nay laughing amongst themselves. Their tongues rolled out, its tip skittered lazily on the air.

"Ghost Pokemon. It likes to prey on passer-by and feast on their fear." Clair grimaced. "I don't understand. This mountain doesn't have a nest of this things here. How did…"

It was then realisation struck Clair. A decade ago, a Pokemon Professor came up with a hypothesis. What if Ghost Pokemon were in fact human spirits, damned to roam the planet for all of eternity? Crazy idea, perhaps, but it got the Pokemon Association's attention. Federal funding came into Cherrygrove City and trainers were encouraged to trek through Route 45 in order to potentially capture dragon Pokemon.

Back then, dragons were the bomb. If a trainer were to obtain a dragon Pokemon, their reputation would skyrocket. At least, that was what was being told. All of a sudden, Cherrygrove City experienced a sudden flood of trainers, all determined to climb the dangerous mountain to find fortune. Putting two and two together, it wasn't hard for Clair to deduce that most of them did not make it to Blackthorn City. She clutched Naruto's bicep close to her, hugging him.

"Naruto, w-we need to leave. Now."

"No. Just follow my lead."

"But -"

"You said it yourself. These things are Pokemon. Pokemon have instincts. You turn your back on them and they'll attack. Trust me." Naruto's calm voice somewhat gave Clair a measure of resolve. She was lurching at first, but found her balance once more. Those faces seemed to always maintain the same distance away from them, no matter how far they trudged.

Clair dared not looked around, in fear that she might see something that would send her raving mad. She would not think about it. There was no need to think about it. Naruto was with her. She would -

Then her heart almost stopped, because something was coming their way.

Naruto came to a complete halt, gazing at the treetops. His head cocked sideways in a listening gesture. That inexorable, approaching sound.

For Clair, it was a sound that she had never heard before. A sound that was moaning. A big sound. A sound that was growing closer. Branches were snapping off right ahead of them. There was a crackle of underbrush breaking under unimaginable feet. What terrified Clair was the fact that everything became dead quiet. The peepers and crickets fell silent. No more laughter from ghastly loons. The air became wet and heavy, permeated by a sickening, warm stench of rot.

Whatever it was, it was huge and very near.

Zoroark and Moltres's faces tilted up and down. Every fibre of their being was screaming at them to get ready for battle, because whatever that was heading their way, it was out for blood.

"Stand down, Zoroark. Moltres. I got this."

"Are you sure?" Clair whispered.

"Yeah. Believe it." Naruto offered her a wink and took three steps ahead. Then he did something inconceivable. He yelled from the top of his lungs. "Oi! Stop lurking down there! You want a piece of me? Well, I'm right here! Come and get me, bitch."

Clair swallowed down that lump of fear stuck in her throat, her skin cold, mouth hot and arid, and her heart flying. There was only two plausible explanation to Naruto's erratic and borderline suicidal behaviour. He was either the bravest man on earth whose balls were made from solid steel or he was the dumbest thing who was about to become diced onion.

This was a mistake. This whole thing was a mistake. She would have ran if fear hadn't paralysed her feet.

At first, everything went still. Clair peered up; she couldn't make do of what was ahead of them, but she was certain of one thing.

Naruto was standing face to face with the monster and his eyes were illuminating bright red.

Wait! Glowing red eyes? Him?

"Go back to where you came from."

It had become very cold.

Ordinary human eyes wouldn't be able to discern in this pitch darkness, but Naruto was anything but ordinary. He could see it clear as day. A giant mass of foul blackness stood before him, its eyes alight with insane glee.

Author note: Sorry for the long delay. Things weren't shaping well for me. One of my family member got a terrible illness and it's stressing me out. It is just as Bob Ross said, "I'm waiting on the good times now." Anyway, enough of my own life story. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Please let me know what Pokemon do you think should join Naruto.

Pairing:
1.) NarutoXClair
2.) NarutoXCynthia
3.) NarutoXKaren
4.) NarutoXSabrina

Please review and let me know what you think!