Whoa, he's alive?!

How does it take a year to write a single chapter, they cried. The answer is pretty simple. I'm just really not a fan of what I've done with this.

I remarked on this when I first published my PMD fic (check it out plsandthankyou more chapters coming maybe), but Seven and Counting started at a time in my life where I didn't know the first thing about writing. From chapter one, you can see 15-year-old me remarking on how this was really the first thing of substance I ever wrote.

It's a shame I didn't have a strong enough game plan going into it.

There's one main problem that's been nagging at me with this fic, and it's the 'antagonist'. There just simply shouldn't be one. The addition of a criminal organization made for some laughable bits of edge (most of which were removed in the rewrite, but I couldn't take out a few), and just a bunch of confusion. This fic was perfectly fine when it was about the internal struggle Ray was having with the changes in his world, but I just had to add in a world-ending threat because I felt at the time it would help to raise the stakes.

It's whatever. We're here now, and I just gotta deal with it. Focus on what I have to focus on and keep carrying on, right? Well, it's a bit harder than that. For a time, my thoughts were all jumbled on how I'd go about ending that side of the conflict, and it eventually trickled down to the point where I realized my best days were behind me and I wasn't having much fun writing this anymore.

Is it dead? Maybe. I'm not making any promises, but I felt I should come back and finish at least this chapter with what little motivation I had. The worst part, though, is that I never see those icky aspects of the fic criticized as they should be.

I want to know that readers actively care enough about this fic to tear into it and poke at its biggest problems. That allows me to more seamlessly target the bad stuff and make the rest of the story more enjoyable by proxy. Don't be afraid to speak your mind if you see something wrong, please. Reviews are like fuel for me—if people are reviewing, you can bet your ass I'll be a lot faster to hop back on that horse and make everything better.

A lot has changed since my sophomore year of high school and now, going into my junior year of college. Thank you to everybody who continued supporting this project, even when it seemed dead.

More in the footnote.

Chapter XXIX - It Goes On

"Food," Zyra called out, voice muffled. It was evident through sound alone she was carrying something.

I peered out beyond the leafy curtain with puffy eyes, so abruptly awoken from my nap. I curiously watched Zyra as she tossed something at my feet and recoiled soon thereafter. It was the carcass of a young Patrat.

"Figured we could split it. This is enough to feed a senior on its own, and really was the smallest I could find. Still warm, too."

"O-oh," I said, emotions mixed. Despite feeling innately thankful, I couldn't help but keep something of a repulsed look off my face. "Thank you."

Oh gods, that looks so good…

No it doesn't!

I've eaten ferals before. Somin caught them all the time. Patrat's not the best, but it's not the worst, either…

Not without skinning it! Or cooking it! How am I supposed to eat it with all that fur? And the blood…

But it's the same meat… Right?

As if prompted by the thought, my stomach erupted in loud protest. My mouth was watering uncontrollably.

Not even just a little bite?

"Having trouble?"

I paced in place for a few moments, looking up at Zyra with something of a twisted expression.

"Nope. No, I'm good."

"How old are you, Nox?"

"Sixt-"

I promptly shut my mouth, having almost made the mistake of giving my human age.

"Six…?"

"Six weeks. I think. Somewhere around there."

"And you've never eaten meat?"

"What?" I asked, only putting half effort into my fake shock. "Of course I ha—"

"No you haven't. Makes sense, I guess. Between you and that Axew, you can't really hunt, can you?"

I sighed. She had me caught, and there was no real use in maintaining the facade. It would only serve to make a fool of me in the long run.

"How do you even survive like that?"

"Milk and berries, back when we were with our friends… I was too young to eat anything tough back then. It's a long story."

"Yeah, no. I'm not letting you eat my berry stock. Sorry. Try the meat. It's good."

My stomach growled once again. The Patrat looked so enticing; a nagging voice in the back of my mind told me it was just getting colder the more it sat there. I paced in place once again, letting out a brief whine.

"Start with the thigh. It's the easiest to stomach."

I looked at Zyra, unsure.

"Why do you have to be so indecisive about it? It's food. Food is food."

"But it's—"

"Feral. It's feral."

Her presence was almost overbearing. We weren't all that differently sized—she maybe stood about a head shorter than Misa—and yet, the pressure was almost as great in that moment as it had been with the dragons. Drool seeped from the corners of my mouth, and Zyra's red gaze continued resting expectantly upon me.

If it's for survival…

I dove down and chomped around its upper thigh without any further thought, immediately surprised at how tough it was to sink my teeth past its skin. I opened my eyes, annoyed.

What followed was feeble game after game of tug-of-war with a dead Pokemon. Every time I felt like I had a good hold, I'd slip away instantly thereafter. My own saliva was overwhelming me, and the grunts of effort soon turned into low, quiet growls.

Zyra was watching me in between her own go at the Patrat. I stole glances at her often, hoping to at the very least imitate her movements. Bit by bit, mile by mile, until a bite-sized portion, practically mush after my efforts, went splat in my mouth.

It was…

At the time, I didn't know quite how to explain it. It was food, nothing more, nothing less. It was less of a Pokemon and more a meal. It had a taste, certainly, but nothing I couldn't have previously inferred from my time eating more elegant preparations of this meal as a human.

And so I continued. I was absentmindedly eating soon enough, as most of my thoughts were elsewhere. By resuming the argument in my head, perhaps I would find a reason to stop myself. That's what I wanted, after all, wasn't it?

It's natural. There's no need to get sick over it…

Natural if I was a Zorua. I shouldn't be doing this.

Just stop! I am a Zorua! There's no point in holding back on small shit like this, especially since I'm gonna be this way forev—

…

I froze, a sudden wave of nausea knocking me out of my wits. Was that really just a thought that passed through my mind? No, it couldn't be… It wasn't true…

Blood dripped from my muzzle as I stood up, the world spinning around me.

"I… need some air."

"Uh, sure. Want me to save the rest of this? You look like you enjoyed it."

I didn't even want to look down… I had to, though, didn't I?

The Patrat's leg was gone. All muscle and skin above the ankle had been torn away and was either lying nearby in fragments or hung loosely off the bone itself. Every drop of blood had been just about licked clean, leaving behind a polished femur to behold.

It was only then I came to the realization I was licking my lips, hoping for more.

"N-no. Thank you."

Had I not even noticed the passage of time? Just a few moments ago I'd only taken my first bite. Was I losing control?

Quit overreacting. Zyra's gonna think something's wrong with me. Calm down.

It's forever, isn't it? We're never gonna find the team. Even if we did, there's no real way to get me back to normal. Arceus is gone.

I set my body to autopilot and allowed it to stumble towards the pools of water outside. Crisp night air pushed through my fur as I approached, but did little to cool me off.

Was it fear? Confusion? Sadness?

Pride? Progress? Satisfaction?

"What am I?" I whispered under my breath. That was the question both Reshiram and Crag had asked me, all the way back in the caves. It felt so long ago, despite only having happened not three days prior.

I didn't know the answer, but I felt anxious nonetheless. I knew, whatever it may have been, it was subject to change.

My breath became ladened. I'd since stopped, standing on the edge of the crystal-clear water, and almost fell in as I fell victim to a sudden dizzy spell. Sheer refusal to let myself fall was the only thing keeping me upright.

The lake beyond the pools reflected the stars so well I may as well have been looking into a bowl of the cosmos. The Entree itself, nothing more than a silhouette, loomed far above the village. Its twisted, lifeless branches were absolutely still despite the breeze.

As if to reassure myself, I stared deep into the water, hoping to derive some sort of answer from my reflection.

All I could do, however, upon seeing that all-too-familiar Zorua staring back at me, was to dip my snout beneath the surface and wash off the blood that was starting to dry in my fur.

I hadn't even noticed it was nighttime until I'd stepped out.

If I was human, it would be too dark to see my reflection right now…

I sat down, drawing my face away from the water. I could only think to close my eyes and take a deep breath.

I'm over this… It's okay. You're doing okay.

My mental affirmation did little to soothe the growing unrest I felt in my chest. It was a pressure, slowly building with each passing thought.

I need to focus on something else.

Thinking about Mew and the low possibility of her return would do little to help calm me down. The last thing I could do was lose control—more than I had evidently already lost.

Misa. Focus on finding Misa. She's always been a good distraction. As much as I hated it, her antics were really all that kept me together, weren't they?

A part of me felt shame in saying I missed her. Even if she was a brat, our familiarity with one another was undeniable. Part of me hoped she was feeling the same.

"I can't wait to give that little shit a piece of my mind."

Misa huffed, crossing her arms before plopping down on her makeshift bed. The den she occupied now was much larger than the one previous. Shep, upon ensuring Ray was being cared for, had come back and gotten Misa the previous night.

"Like, I wish he'd just tell me what's up sometimes, y'know? The kid just keeps to himself all the time and doesn't say anything unless it's to boss me around."

"So you don't know what his life was like before the two of you met?"

"He was just a hatchling when we met, so not really. The rest is history, I guess. Just been going around and doing our thing."

Shep shrugged, scratching the underside of his muzzle. To fit in Misa's new den he virtually had to curl into a large ball of black and purple fur. He looked around, unamused with what little space he had to shift around.

"You're doing alright, though? Not sick, hungry, thirsty?"

"The meat was really good, yeah. Think I'm good. When's the pipsqueak gonna be out?"

"Misa, about that…"

Misa tilted her head, blinking innocently. Shep's interactions with, and by extension sympathy for species outside of Zorua and Zoroark were limited, and yet, some part of him protested what he was about to do.

"There's really no easy way to say this, but Nox… Well, he…"

Shep's eyes quickly filled with empathy, prompting Misa to narrow her own.

"He's not coming back. He… Didn't make it."

Misa narrowed her eyes even further, confused.

"Didn't make what?"

Solemn, Shep put every bit of compassion he could muster into his eyes. He had to do it…

"No, he…" Shep swallowed. "He passed away, Misa. Soon after we arrived."

"Passed away… Like… WAIT WHAT?!"

She was on her feet in an instant, scrambling towards the back wall of the den. Her heart pounded as all blood drained from her face.

"Like, he died?! Is that what you just said?!"

"I'm so sorry. The fever had too strong a hold. That, and the dehydration, it was… Too much for him. Maybe if he'd been healthier while growing, but it's hard to say."

Absolutely not. In Misa's mind there was no possible way. Ray had been such a central aspect of the last month of her life. What the hell kind of cruel joke was Shep trying to tell her?

"No, no… No, that doesn't make sense! He was awake just before you came! The kid's a wimp, but he's not a quitter! Ain't no fever taking him down!"

He'd been through so much worse! An attack from a feral Beartic only put him to sleep for a few days, and that was when he hadn't had much to eat or drink for weeks, let alone a day. There was no way Shep was telling the truth. Not a possibility.

"Misa, I don't know what else to say… I confirmed it myself."

"You're wrong! Okay? I don't believe you!"

"Misa…"

"Shut up! I wanna see him! Now! Where the hell is he?!"

"I can't."

"Then bring him here! You can't just say something stupid like 'he's dead' and expect me to believe it! What kind of sick joke is that?! Huh?"

"Please, calm down."

"The hell would I calm down for!? It's not funny, dammit! I'll kick your ass! And I'll kick the crap out of anybody else that says I can't see him. Got it?"

"You're upset. But, yelling won't get you any closer to what you want. Just breathe, and we'll figure this out, together."

Misa could practically still hear Ray's voice in her head. As much as she childishly hated admitting it, Ray was smarter than she gave him credit for. He'd know if something was wrong enough to the point death was on the table, he'd tell her something was wrong.

Ray just had a cold. Shep was lying.

This guy's tryna make me look stupid, isn't he?

Ray rolled his eyes in her mind's eye.

"Did you not already figure out that the Zorua line is good at tricking people? You're seriously gonna let this guy get the better of you? Just when I thought you couldn't get any stupider."

I'm standing up for you, dumbass. Ain't nobody gonna pick on you unless that somebody's me.

Hearing his voice ring through her head fueled a special sort of fire in her core. One of rage. He was a little shit, sure, but a little shit she nonetheless couldn't help but get angry for.

"You think I'm stupid, don't you? Just because you're evolved? Who cares if you're bigger? You sure as hell ain't tougher."

Her energy was practically begging to be let loose. So what if her opponent was an evolved 'mon? He looked like a complete pushover.

"Don't do anything rash, Misa."

But it was already too late.

She sprung forwards, yelling with all the unbridled fury she'd previously reserved for Ray. She lead with her now energy-flooded tusks, hoping to knock Shep back before following up with another attack.

Shep, unsurprised, simply swatted her away as she got close. With little room to maneuver, Misa could do little else but skid on the floor until she hit the den's wall. She was back up in an instant, sprinting forward with claws charged.

"You're not going to like how this ends, Misa. Please, calm down. Let's talk about this."

There was no stopping her now as she used the closest thing to a Dragon Claw she could manage. Shep flinched as her attack landed, promptly letting a wave of pride to completely inundate Misa.

She'd actually done damag—

The force of Shep's counterattack knocked the breath out of her. She sailed across the den, slamming into the back wall with nearly enough force to make the entire subground structure shake. After ensuring it wouldn't be collapsing, Shep sighed and shuffled forwards towards the obviously defeated Axew.

"I know you're upset. But you can't go attacking everything just because you're angry. That's how you get yourself killed, and if you're going to be surviving on your own, getting killed is the last thing you need."

Misa could only do as much as growl between hacking her lungs out. Shep sighed.

"Nox wouldn't have wanted you to get hurt."

"Don't talk about him!"

Misa sprung back up with nearly as much force as she had previously, tusks already recharged with energy.

Shep closed his eyes defeatedly. It was obvious he wouldn't get through to her without doing something drastic.

'Something drastic', in this case, was as simple as raising an energized claw to protect himself and letting Misa do the rest.

Misa realized soon after making contact that something weird had happened. It was as if her attack went through Shep. Had she missed? Had Shep used an illusion? She spun as she hit the ground, almost instantly back up again.

Yet, only to stumble and fall back down… Something was wrong. Why was she off-balance? She wasn't dizzy, didn't feel all-too tired. It was still rather hard to breathe, but everything otherwise seemed fine.

That is, until her eyes caught a sizeable chunk of ivory on the ground about a foot from where she'd landed. She turned her eyes downward and blanched at what she found.

Rather, what she didn't find.

"Now, do you want to snap your other tusk, or are you going to sit down and listen?"

Jet and Victor hadn't spoken a word to each other since they'd left camp. Obviously having expected at least something said between them, Jet had opted to walk on the ground. The midday sun shone through the trees above.

"It's not that you coming along is a bad thing," Victor put lightly, finally starting a conversation. "But I would've expected Axle, or maybe Vita to tag along and watch."

"Axle would stand out too much, and wasn't it your whole idea that the kid only sees one of us at a time?"

"Yeah, but why you, then? Why anyone?"

Assuming his words had been too harsh, Victor quickly backtracked.

"I-I mean… Again, it's not like it's a bad thing. It just seems a bit… Out of character for you."

"Nothing wrong with a little bit of extra protection."

"No, but… I mean, it's just a kid. Didn't they say his strongest Pokemon is a Mienfoo?"

"There's a Tepig."

"A Tepig with 0 badges… W-well… You never really know, I guess. Vita and Somin were so strong by the time they got to the first gym that they tore straight through it."

"So that's it, then?"

"Yeah, but I've been doing pretty okay in fire training!" Victor pointed out, aside. "I can take a three-quarter power flamethrower from Somin now!"

Jet couldn't help but chuckle. "Cool. Did that help you against the Altaria in the Gym Battle?"

"N-not really… I think I just kinda landed on her head after I got knocked out. Axle did most of the work."

Despite being about the same age, Jet had always seen Victor as something of an apprentice to the team. Needless to say Victor's respect for each and every member on the team was immense, and perhaps more than deserved.

"Are you sure about this plan of yours? I don't doubt you could take all three of that kid's 'mon, but the problem is more about how you're gonna get this kid to like you. He's scared beyond all hell, abducted by the world's most wanted criminals, and you don't even have Somin to translate."

"I dunno. It's worth a shot, though, isn't it? Not like there's any reason not to try. If Mew says this is the only way to find Ray… Well, I believe her."

"You believe everyone. You're too gullible."

"Maybe. Depends on the situation, I guess. Like when you said you're here to protect me? Only a half-truth, isn't it?"

Jet froze, head snapping down. Victor matched his gaze, eyes completely neutral.

"A lot of the time, when I know someone's lying, I keep my mouth shut since I don't wanna upset anybody. I might not be all that smart, but it doesn't take a genius to know exactly why you want to avoid camp."

Jet said nothing, only watching Victor as he alone approached their destination.

"Fighting with each other isn't good. If there's something between you and Skyla, go talk to her. Be honest."

"Oh yeah?" Jet said, suddenly defensive. "And what about you, then? What do you know? You never have beef with anyone, so how the hell can you tell me what's right?!"

Victor suddenly stopped, turning and staring Jet dead in the eyes once again. It was a look Jet had never seen from Victor before, a look of absolute certainty and sincerity.

"You forget that I wasn't always like this. I was feral before I met Ray. No thinking, no talking. Trust me when I say having a conversation is always better than whatever else you feel is the 'right' way to do it. I think I'd know better than anyone."

Jet stood stone-still, beak agape. As if a switch had been flipped, Victor's eyes lightened once again. After sending Jet a curt nod, he was on his way back down the makeshift trail to Jake's area.

"Nice and friendly," he whispered to himself. His appearance as a Durant was unfortunate, to say the least. Everyone else on the team looking intimidating, of course, but were also able to transform themselves into something much more friendly. Victor had a tendency, however, to scare most people he met without even trying.

He noticed Jet hadn't bothered following him any further. He hoped his advice, however brief, had helped.

Victor closed his eyes and smiled, Jet's shocked face etched in his memory. He was glad he'd been able to elicit such a reaction. Perhaps he'd check up on the Braviary later to see how things went.

"Hyaah!"

Victor's eyes darted to the source of the noise only to be met with a faceful of red, hot fire. He recoiled initially, swatting the attack out with his mandibles before it could reach his face.

He blinked a few times in shock, assessing any injury he may have sustained. The flame had stung, but it didn't seem as if he'd taken any concerning damage. His eyes, still wide, focused in on the obvious source, who was now backing up sheepishly.

"Uh… Jake? I don't think it worked."

Victor looked the Tepig up and down for a few moments as what he'd just witnessed processed. Had the Tepig really just tried attacking him?

"Return…"

Jake himself suddenly stood from his hiding spot between two nearby, crooked trees. Dirt caked his face and his hair was tousled and greasy. His red tee was looking significantly faded and was full of holes. Victor had to wonder how much of his disgruntled appearance had been a product of his short time on the island, as opposed to his days of hiking and training prior.

"You're Ray Alston's Durant, right? S-sorry, I just thought that…"

He paused, sighing.

"I won't do it again, promise."

Victor had been expecting a much different introduction, to say the least. He tilted his head curiously.

Jake's face twisted into something akin to disappointment. He bit his upper lip and averted his eyes away from Victor, obviously anticipating something.

"Just get it over with, please."

What did he think Victor had come to do? The Durant approached only after about ten seconds' worth of silence, in which Jake made it entirely obvious he wasn't going to do anything else.

Victor rounded the makeshift fort Jake had been hiding behind. Upon closer inspection, it was nothing more than a few palm leaves tied together with shoelaces from his now laceless sneakers. It did little to provide any coverage to a worn, brown sleeping bag hidden underneath. Victor looked around. Did the trainer not have a tent?

As Victor grew ever closer, he noticed Jake's subtle, terrified twitches. His eyes were now clenched shut, but even as his legs wobbled, he remained upright.

It was as simple a movement as reaching up and plucking a single Pokeball off his belt that set Jake off, scrambling away. Victor peered at him curiously yet again as he, now with fully open eyes, tripped on some nearby foliage and fell to the ground.

It wasn't necessarily an attempt at escape, Victor figured. A second wind, maybe?

The Durant simply dropped the Pokeball he'd taken and nudged the button, releasing its inhabitant.

The Blitzle to materialize before him was evidently nearly as scared as Jake was, quivering. It laid on its side, not even bothering to get to its hooves.

"Hey, you don't gotta do that," Victor put matter-of-factly. "I'm not gonna do anything. Just came to check up on you guys."

"Run, Blitzle! Just get out of here!"

Jake's words were obviously lost on the Blitzle.

"You got a name?"

The Blitzle seemed much too terrified to get to its hooves and run, but she forced herself to give an answer.

"N-no sir…"

Victor couldn't help but smile at the response.

"You don't gotta do that. Nobody here's gonna make them call you 'sir' or 'ma'am'... Except maybe Jet, if he's feeling grumpy. Or Somin if he's feeling Somin-y. But I don't think he really cares."

Victor took a single step forward and nudged the Blitzle to get up. He could hear Jake's frightened inhale as his mandibles made contact with her skin.

And yet, all Victor did upon helping the Blitzle up was nod in her direction.

"Call me Vic. Or Victor. Whichever one you like better. My friends call me both."

"Y-you're not here to hurt us?"

"What do I look like? Of course not."

Victor tried his best to send both her and Jake as friendly a glance as possible. She took a precautionary step back, skeptical.

"B-but Somin said that he'd hunt us if we left our are—"

She cut herself off, realizing she'd said too much.

"What do you mean? Somin said your boundary on this side was the fallen tree. It's back over there, see? I passed it on my way here."

Victor turned to his left and gestured to the landmark, some fifty feet away. It was hard to see through all the trees, but easily identifiable.

"Either way, Somin's just kidding. He likes to scare people. It's mean, but that's just how he is. He's a lot nicer when you get to know him, promise."

"But Mienfoo…"

"Mienfoo?"

Blitzle sighed, staring at the floor beneath Victor's feet.

"We didn't want her to get hurt, but she volunteered to go scout the area. She… We tried convincing her not to, but she didn't listen."

So there's someone loose… That's not good.

"Trust me. Nobody on this island would hurt her. Everybody knows you guys are here, and the worse they would do is yell at her and bring her back."

It was a lie. Drayden's team hadn't been informed of anything Ray's team was planning, and as such the area around Jake's camp was under constant guard. Victor was surprised nobody had noticed the Mienfoo leaving. Not to mention the ferals…

"Island?"

"Uh… Yeah, I, uh… Hm."

Maybe it wasn't good to tell them that. Dang it, where was I?

"She went to look for help…" Blitzle sheepishly admitted.

"Yeah, uh… Not to sound scary or anything, but she isn't gonna find it. The only humans on this island are…"

Victor shut his mouth before he could say anymore. He recalled Mew telling the group at some point that there were, in fact, humans on the island, if only present for preservationist and scientific purposes. Maybe it would've been good to know where these humans actually were.

Outside of that, Drayden was the only other human present. Unfortunate, considering Jake's presence was a secret from the dragons.

"I appreciate you telling me," he said sincerely. "If she's not back soon, I'll have Jet look for her. She won't be hurt, promise."

"T-thank you… We thought you'd found her and were coming to… To hurt us."

"We aren't like that," Victor reiterated. "There's just a lot going on right now, and nerves are high."

Victor sighed, peering at Jake for a moment. He was still shaking.

"I don't have a translator here, sadly… There any way you could get him to calm down?"

"Oh… No… No, not really."

"Then let's just sit and talk a bit. You and me. Sound good?"

The Blitzle was highly skeptical throughout the mostly one-sided conversation to follow in the next few minutes, only opening her mouth when a direct question had been posed. Victor did his best to seem as amiable as possible, wearing a smile at all possible moments and chuckling periodically. Inside, he was feeling more and more frightened that whatever he was doing wasn't enough.

Only when he touched on a certain topic did the Blitzle's demeanor actually change.

"Do you like your adventure so far?"

She didn't answer at first, averting her eyes.

"Well?"

"I guess…"

"What do you mean you guess? When I met Ray it's like we were made for each other. I was only feral back then, but some of my best memories are during those days, when I was just starting to train with him. I was super scared all of my other teammates wouldn't like me, but we get along great too!"

"That would be nice…"

Victor's smile faded as he looked towards her curiously.

"Is that not how it is for you?"

She quickly diverted the conversation.

"You talk about Ray like he's awesome and amazing. Being on a strong team sounds great, but isn't he… You know… A criminal?"

"We're trying to prove he's not."

"Well, I guess none of that matters. I don't know what he did or didn't do, but I do know a lot of people are looking for him. Jake is…"

She sighed.

"He'll never make it to where Ray is as a trainer. He's not good. He tries, but he just does things without thinking, and…"

"I get it," Victor said after a short bit of silence.

"Tepig is having the time of his life. Mienfoo hates Jake's guts. To be on your team, it sounds really, really nice. Everyone gets along, everyone's strong. You can win fights."

"You might want to talk to Somin or Vita about that some time. Honestly sounds a lot like Ray when he was younger, and they'd be the ones to know."

She instantly recoiled at the thought, ears flattening and eyes widening.

"M-maybe… They just… They really don't like us, do they? They're scary."

"Please. Somin's tough-guy act is only just that: an act. He's super protective and grumpy a lot, but he's nice enough if you get to know him. Vita, well, she's kinda the same way. Everyone's just really tense right now, but they wouldn't actually hurt you. We're not bad guys, after all."

"Victor?"

"Hm?"

"Why did you actually come here? Was it really just to talk?"

"I wanna get to know you guys better. Nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"N-no, but…"

"Why are you here in the first place?"

"Mmm."

Victor thought about how to answer for a moment. He couldn't tell them outright about Ray's condition, or why they were needed for the sole purpose of a new Pokenav. How could he bend the truth without lying outright?

"It's to protect you."

Blitzle was silent, listening intently. Victor eyed Jake for a short moment. The human had been keeping quiet throughout the entire conversation, and had it not been for his intense gaze, Victor would've assumed the boy had lost interest altogether.

"There's a lot going down right now, and the people that framed Ray for what he did want him dead. The Zorua you guys saw and captured, he's one of us. If the bad people found out you guys ran into him, well… It wouldn't have ended good for you."

Victor stood up. He'd stayed for quite a while, but he figured that soon, some of the dragons would be missing him at camp. It was important they didn't find out about Jake.

"I'm gonna head back to the others. I'll bring you all a tent later. Jake's gonna get sick sleeping in that thing."

He pointed his head towards the makeshift shelter. Blitzle laughed nervously.

"I'll let Jet know about Mienfoo. He might chew her out, but she won't get hurt. Promise."

"Right…"

"Everything alright?"

"Just a lot to stomach," Blitzle said, forcing a weak smile. "But thank you for your help."

"It's no problem. I'll come back tomorrow too, yeah?"

"W-wait really?"

"Don't want you guys to get lonely out here," Victor chuckled. "It's no problem, trust me."

"Stupid is a word I'd use."

"Hey, hey, we promised to have a civilized talk."

"I'm being serious. Whoever convinced Ray that he couldn't trust outside help for his… Condition… Has to be one of the stupidest Pokemon I've ever met. I'm not going to put that lightly, Somin."

There was no blame being thrown around, but Axle visibly shirked back from those words.

"We all agreed on a course of action and stuck to it because it was what we thought was best for Ray," the Swampert piped in, words translated to Drayden and Skyla via Somin. "You've seen those movies, haven't you? The movies about legendaries where the government comes in and sta—"

"You seriously based your entire reasoning on a movie?!" came Skyla's response, before Drayden chimed in.

"Had you found a way off that mountain and went straight to Brycen's gym, we could have put up a united front and solved this issue so much sooner."

"A lot of good the league turned out to be, though, huh? We were getting ambushed by the UPF, and it looks like your buddy Alder was in on it the whole time," Somin pointed out, crossing his arms. "Thank the gods we left Opelucid after winning the Gym battle, else he would've come right to us."

"A lot of good that did when Ray ended up dead either way. I was the mayor of Opelucid! You don't think my ties to the government would've been able to help you?"

"Sure as hell meant a lot in the long run, didn't it?"

"Stop it," Vita commanded simply, after which Somin reluctantly obeyed, resuming his role as a translator with a grimace.

"What's done is done," Vita continued. "We had Mew to worry about, and weren't in the right headspace. We were frightened, and didn't know what to do. I'm sure Ray did what he thought was best while among you."

"The only reason we're here now is because of that idiot," Vulcan snorted. "What he did to my teammates wa—"

"I can speak for myself, Vulcan," Seraph spat. Dead silence ensued for a short while, before Skipp finally broke his silence for the first time since the discussion had started.

"I think it's good we're clearing the air, but…"

He looked dejected, having difficulty putting his thoughts into words.

"We have a common goal. Finding Ray means finding Misa, and I hope I'm not the only one on my team that wants to get Misa back, safe and sound. We all have stakes in their safe return."

"Why?" came Jet's shrill voice. "What's she to you?"

"Wouldn't you like to kn—"

"Seraph, please." Skipp took a second to breathe, mind flitting through disjointed memories of the rambunctious little Axew and her reserved, Zorua friend. "She's a hatchling, and she's alone. She didn't ask to be a part of this, and I… I want her to be safe. This whole business with the UPF and the Primes, it's all so big. I'm with Vicus through it all—he's done so much for us, after all, but is it too much to ask that the Pokemon I care about are kept safe?"

Seraph, particularly, wore a look of shock after Skipp had finished his monologue. "Skipp?"

"We have every reason to work together," Drayden interrupted after hearing Somin's translation of his dragon's feelings. "Serperior is right. Focusing on the stupidity of the situation isn't helping it get better. That said, I believe we're in agreement. For now we focus on getting our loved ones back to us, from Vicus to Ray to Misa. When Mew returns, we focus on the bigger target."

"If she doesn't get captured," added Vulcan.

"How deep does this go?" Skyla asked, concerned. "The other Gym Leaders? The League? Is it just Alder, or more?"

"We can assume the League itself is corrupt, but it also always has been," Drayden pointed out. "At the very least, we can trust the Gym Leaders. I personally mentored half of them, like I did you, Skyla."

The corners of Skyla's mouth curled into a small frown.

"Lenora, Clay, and Brycen are old colleagues of mine as well. We have allies all across Unova, including elite trainers as well. It's just a matter of getting the truth to them before Alder can tighten his grip too hard."

"Good luck, the entire region's on lockdown," Somin pointed out.

"Again, though, the most we should be considering for now is reaching out in secret. Retrieving Ray and Misa and reviving Reshiram have to take priority. It's likely many of their teams will be seized like Skyla's regardless, so it's up t—"

Suddenly, a fit of violent coughs erupted from the old Gym Leader. It continued for well over five seconds, attracting each and every stare from around the camp. It finally came to an end after Vulcan went over to check up on him.

"No worries, old-timer," Drayden rasped, placing a hand up to halt Vulcan's advance. The Haxorus looked like an arrow had pierced his hide in that moment, but agreed and backed off. He refused, though, to vacate the nearby area.

"Durant and Braviary are with the boy now?"

"Yeah, should be."

"Good. Let's figure out our game plan, then."

October 29

I think I'm changing.

I mean, I know I have been. For a while. It's always been something of a touchy subject, even before I… transformed. Gods, it feels so weird putting it to words "Transformed." Part of me feels like this is the norm, now. Like I was always a Zorua. How long has it been?

The first big change was going off of my journey with only Vita by my side. From then, it's been nothing but twists and turns and I wouldn't trade a second of it. Even the hard parts. Sierra, Mew… Those were big changes.

Change means something a bit more to me now. A bit more literal. What's similar, though, is how anxious I am about it. I've always been afraid of the changes that happened to me in the past, but in hindsight, everything turned out alright in the end. Does that mean I should feel the same here? Will being in this body and experiencing what I am now be one of those 'wouldn't trade it for the world' moments?

Only time will tell, I guess. Maybe it's because I'm anxiously cautious that I end up living out a happy ending.

I'm changing. A lot.

I ate raw meat today. I liked it. I want more of it. I want to practice moves, and hang out with Zyra a bit more, and…

This is gonna make for a hell of a story. I hope I can see Misa again soon. I want to talk to someone I can trust about what I'm feeling right now. This journal can only do so much. I hope Shep doesn't notice how many berry fronds I stole to write this. Until I find a way to hold a pen, I just gotta keep writing with my claw. Nobody here can read english, so that's good.

I don't know why I'm even writing this. Wait, nevermind, that's a lie. I do know. I'm afraid of losing my mind, of forgetting who I am. Maybe if I read this from time to time, it'll help me remember.

Vita, Somin, Axle, Jet, Victor, Mew. Drayden, Skipp, Seraph, Vulcan, Reshiram. Misa. I hope we can all get together and talk about this one day when we're not hating each other or running for our lives.

— + —

November 7

Shep found out I took his ink but he never found out what for. That's just because I was stupid and didn't think far enough ahead. My claw was stained black for a week. Erie eventually found a pen out in the woods when he was working patrols. All the Zorua come to me when they need to know something about humans, so he let me have it.

I have to hold the end in my mouth while keeping the other end between two of my toes… My handwriting looks like shit and it takes so long… But this is worth it. I may be the only human who ever gets to experience this. I should write it all down.

Things are still a bit weird here. A lot of the Zorua still haven't really accepted me, but Zyra's been helping a lot by being my friend. Everyone seems really… uh… enamored with her, and pretend to be really interested in what she's interested in. I mean, that makes sense since she's shiny, and since shinies are the medicine 'mon they're considered really important, I guess? Guess I could get behind it…

Apparently it's really rare to see anyone with any human interaction. One of the biggest rules here is that if you leave for the outside world, you're never allowed back. Which means… Shep just took pity on me? It's all so confusing. Why am I the first?

Still no word on Misa. I'm being told she may have just gone home, which is… Well, that's what she wanted from the beginning right? No doubt she's stronger now than she was on Twist. Even though she isn't evolved, maybe her clan will take her back? It's funny, really. I wanted to wait until writing my thoughts down until today, because there's been a bit of a change.

I really, really miss her.

But that's not here or there. This place is absolutely breathtaking. It almost feels like every night I wake up is prettier than the last. Will the novelty wear off? I wonder why Somin hated it so much.

— + —

November 14

I was really bad about writing before, so I wanted to write today since it's been about a week. Weekly Zorua thoughts with Ray? I should talk more about what life is like here, since I think I'm getting the hang of it. Being up at night instead of the day feels so much better, and it's shown. I'm almost double the size I was when I got here. Look at me now, huh Somin? A perfectly normal Zorua youngster, not a skinny, black hairball.

I think he'd be proud, at least. I'd want them to be happy for what I've made myself out of this situation. It may come as a shock, but I can hardly picture myself as a human anymore. I've been walking on these paws for so long they feel like they're a part of me. When I do feel like a human in Zorua's skin, it's only for a short time, like if I can't reach something I'd otherwise be able to.

And the cherry on top? I've stopped worrying about it. I think, at least. It's still hard, and I feel like I should tell someone about what I am, but I've already made it so far. This body hasn't felt foreign for a long time, and I think I've finally come to terms with that. Enough, at least, to put it into writing.

Maybe I should be scared about not being scared? Though honestly, after all the bullcrap I've been through, it feels good not to be frightened for once. I wish I could tell Misa about how I feel. I knew she never really understood me, but she was trying to. I respect h

Whoops. Rinji just walked in on me using a pen and paper and it was pretty awkward. Even though I'm basically scribbling it looks like he recognized the English letters too. Like I didn't already have a target on my back… Ugh… I think he's gonna tell Shep. This might get messy.

— + —

December ?

Messy was an understatement. It's probably been three weeks since my last entry, but none of that matters. Shep found all my notes after taking a look under my nest and a few of the elders were threatening to kick me out. Shep was against them, but he was mad. He took them all, and I'm only writing now because I found a whole ass notepad while out on patrol. Lucky me, right? Easier to hide, too. Fucking Rinji.

Where do I even start with what happened next? Shep brought in Zyra to help question me in private and it wasn't pretty. I spilled everything, and I mean everything. I don't know what came over me. I could feel the energy in the room and I just… I couldn't take the lies anymore. Not after what happened to Seraph and Skipp.

And so I told them everything they wanted to know. Shep never inquired about my past, and by the time all was said and done, both him and Zyra knew pretty much just as much about me as Misa did. Drayden, Mew, the final Gym, Alder, everything. It was oddly cathartic, even if I knew I was blowing the one chance I had at surviving out here in the wild. I knew they would kick me out of Paradise, but I needed everything off my chest. A last coup de grace, if you will, for my human self.

I only dared ask a single question during the entire process, and it came near the end.

"Why did you even let me in in the first place?"

Shep waited a while to answer it, and the silence made me wonder whether or not he'd just try and finish me off right there. Zyra was look at me like I'd made the stupidest mistake of my life. That Zoroark, despite all appearances and casual demeanor, can be scary if he wants to be.

"You reminded me of something. That's all."

And that was the only answer I got. I have a feeling Illusions were being used somehow. I could feel them, after all, but I could neither pinpoint what it was they were doing nor defend against it. I was scared they wouldn't even let me make a case for myself.

Eventually, Shep relented. In the end, whether or not I'd be exiled was up to a randomly selected group of seniors. Shep let me know he would be recommending to have me kicked out and would be sharing all the information he'd gotten on me.

Before I could even open my mouth to protest, though, Zyra was there for me. She almost instantly told Shep off with an intensity I hadn't seen from her before. She had a lot to say, but what confused me the most was one line about how Shep new I was 'like the Entree', whatever that meant.

Whatever she said struck a chord with Shep, and he even ended up reconsidering. I was shocked. He later refused to tell my exile committee about the secrets I shared with the two of them, and it was left at that. He was willing to risk everybody's safety, and for why I still have no idea. I'm safe, though, at least. For the most part.

Punishment came for lying and stealing and I was taken off all patrol and training shifts. For a week I had to do nothing but pick Colbur Berries. They have important medical benefits, but because of their thorns and their special aversion to dark types, I was in hell. My gums were bleeding every day, even though I could hardly feel them because the Berries themselves made everything numb. The pain only started hitting when I'd settle down to sleep, which made for a very nasty cycle.

Considering Zyra's position in medicine, though, she was right alongside me for most of it, teaching me the best ways to avoid a potentially nasty prick.

I guess I should say more about her. In the beginning I was always skeptical about Zyra just because of her clinical (pun intended) way of thinking and cold sense of humor. Like, one time we got on this really weird tangent about death and reincarnation and stuff and she just rolled with it like one big joke. She takes pretty much everything in stride, and the only time I've ever seen her angry was when she told Shep off.

After talking to her for as long as I have, though, I don't know where I'd be if it wasn't for her. Her popularity among the male Zorua made it easier for me to fit in, her encouragement led me to advance after advance in my Zorua life, and her determination kept me here when everyone else wanted me gone.

She usually goes to sleep in one of the med caves, but there's been few meals we've missed eating together. I guess you can call us friends, as weird as it is to say. She might just like me because I'm warmer than the other Zorua when it gets chilly outside—at least, that's what she says.

But I wasn't able to write much of anything down over the last few weeks until I found this new notepad. I even asked Shep if I could keep and write in it out of fear of having to pick Colbur Berries again, and he said it was fine as long as I kept it in one of the med caves and went there to write. Good tradeoff as far as I'm concerned.

— + —

December ?

Balenon evolved. Thought that'd be a good excuse to come back and write a little bit down, since it's been another few weeks. With Zyra's help I was able to pass myself off as a yearling to one of the older, slower seniors keeping watch at the evolution ceremony, and since Bal and I are pretty cool he let me stick around. I've never drank alcohol before, so I couldn't particularly judge a Zoroark's brew for its merit, but apparently Zyra, Balenon, and I got pretty freaking trashed. I ended up telling Zyra about how alcohol could be used medically and she apparently had no idea. Might've just revolutionized the medical industry here. Good job me?

It's near the end of December, which is why it sucks I lost track of the date. It would be really cool to count down to the new year, since the Entree kinda acts like a natural moondial you can use to tell the time.

I honestly can't think of much else to write, which is weird. Last time I had so many thoughts, but recently it's just been more of the same. I went out on the center lake today, still frozen over, which is fine apparently as long as you don't go beyond halfway to the tree. Super duper forbidden, all that, yada yada. Pulled a really good prank on Santiago, my hunting master, though that's just normal nowadays. Can't believe I actually tried suppressing that impishness back when I first transformed. Everything's just so… Fun. I know it's awful to say, especially with what's been going on, but this may just be life now.

Of course I miss my team, but I have to stop thinking myself a bad person if I don't constantly mope over them. But I finally feel like I'm coming into my own as a Pokemon. There's not a doubt in my mind now they were all hunted down by Alder. But I'll get them back. I'm growing so much stronger than I thought I ever could've. I'm better at snow tracking and hunting than almost every other youngling here! This body must be approaching half a year old. When I'm strong enough, I'll end up saving them someway or other.

But that's too far off to be thinking about now. I gotta go, Zyra just got here. We're gonna go look at the stars.

— + —

December ?

Last night was something else. This is the first time I've written two days in a row, but I felt like it needed to be here.

Zyra came to grab me and we went to stargaze. We did that fairly often, but there were no clouds to be found last night and damn it's so pretty out here. I can never get over it. Never on any of my adventures had I seen a sky so beautiful. Maybe that just has to do with the giant illusion we're all technically inside, but that's nitpicking.

She's always been curious about my human life, but last night was a big step for her. She wants to leave. She's never wanted to be here, and at first I was really confused. This place is literally a Zorua paradise. How could she ever want to leave?

But that was just me being selfish. Somin had told me many times before why he left that first day I found him, but it never made sense until now. Why just be satisfied with one sky, when you can have all of them? To travel the world, where every day is a mystery and every opponent in a vast continent is a means to improve. For someone like Zyra, whose life in the grand scheme is little more than mixing berries and pretending to give medicine to seniors constantly complaining of cold, aching bones. Whose status makes her envied by all her female peers and desired by all her male peers.

For someone like Somin, who wasn't necessarily the strongest around, but whose illusions were unmatched by any other Zorua in Eterna, older or younger. While I haven't found the monotony in training and hunting my life away, perhaps he did. Whose prowess made him the envy of his male peers and desired by his female peers.

I realized for the first time that everyone wants a fresh start, big or small. I got mine the moment I died and was reborn, and truly didn't appreciate it at all. All of my time was dedicated to reversing what had happened, instead of embracing it as a miracle.

Last night, for the very first time, as Zyra and I curled up together for a midnight doze, I was truly and utterly grateful for what had happened to me.

And there it is. If you haven't read the headnote, do so for a better explanation as to why I've been gone. I can't and won't promise anything in terms of activity, but user feedback is one key reason I fell off so hard. If you enjoyed this fic, please write something. If you did not enjoy this fic, an even bigger PLEASE. It really helps more than you can ever know.

As for actual thoughts on the chapter…

The part that kept me hooked up so long was the chat between Victor and Jake. That, and the subsequent conversation among the group, was painstaking to write. My mind was always on Ray and Misa's side of the story, and how that would progress.

That said, there is a pretty substantial timeskip here. Initially it was planned to have this entire arc written out in sequence, spanning 10+ chapters like the Opelucid arc. This, however, would mean a lot of commitment to minor character profiles and plot progression I just don't have anymore for this fic (especially for an arc I had hardly even conceptualized at the start of the fic). It's harsh, but that's really the only way to put it. I felt like, in terms of structure and development, this arc would be strikingly similar to the Opelucid arc.

Funnily enough, though, Eterna was originally supposed to come right after Drayden and Skyla arrived with Brycen on Mount Twist. The idea was for everyone to get separated back then, but after experimenting for a little bit with the characters of Skipp and Seraph I couldn't resist. A good choice, too, considering Act II is still by far my favorite part of the fic.

Zyra was my chief worry in using the journal-entry structure, as I actually had the concept of Zyra as a character from the very beginning of the fic, and I would've loved to flesh her out more. There are actual scenes coming for a bit more indirect characterization, but for now, you'll just have to see and accept her (or don't) through Ray's eyes. If you want a topic to talk about in a potential review, tell me what you think about her! And Shep, for that matter.

That's all for now. See you if I see you.

Sammich