For the first time in his life, Michael understood why Wes hadn't come back to deal with Cipher the second time around. He finally understood why he had just disappeared off the face of the planet. It was addicting, this power. But as with all power, it came with a certain responsibility. The one with the power of Snagging, was that you could not abuse it. You needed to use it only in emergencies like with Shadow Pokemon. But after a while, you grow used to the shocked faces of your opponents as you fling poke balls at them. Eventually, you come to anticipate the forbidden catch. It becomes a game, a game where if you lose it could mean your life. He had played the game for almost a year, and he knew it was now time to retire.

Standing on top of the Gateon Port lighthouse, he overlooked the peaceful city where he had first met the new boss of Cipher. Who would have thought that he would have come so far. He didn't escape unscarred by any means. Michael was scarred beyond all belief, in both body and mind. The faintest of scars were from his own doing, a cut for every time he had to use the snag machine. He had needed to make sure he was still human after all. But those were just the tip of the iceberg. irregular shaped marks from burns he received on Citadark isle, perfect little dots from the numerous shadow storms he had weathered were just the beginning of what he carried. Between all of his scars, there was hardly a place on him that wasn't marred.

Looking at the Pokeball in his hand, he wondered if he could wait out purifying Dragonite. He would continue to wear the snag machine until it was time. The risk was too great that someone might come and take it. But what was worse, some stupid idiot that he could take down any day, or him, who knew how to use it and was positively addicted to it? It was something that he hoped he would never have to answer. Squeezing the pokeball tight, Michael gathered the resolve that he would no doubt need to face the lab.

"There are other ways to purify a Pokemon than that purification chamber you know."

Red hair whipping around, Michael spotted a dark figure lounging in the shadows that were created on the side of the lighthouse facing the sea. Stepping out of the shadows, Michael felt a surge of surprise blossoming in his chest. Surely this man couldn't be?

But as he got a clearer look, he knew there was no doubt. This man was Wes; the savior from the original Shadow Incident and former Snagem member. He was older now, looking nearer to his late twenties than before. There were lines that shouldn't have been on his face and he could see the faintest tints of silver working its way into his hair. Too soon for things like that, but he held no doubt that those things would ail him as well later. Following him with his eyes, the red haired young man watched as the former hero made his way up the ramp to the platform he stood on.

There were no words after that, just a companionable silence between two men--because no one could mistake Michael for a boy any longer--who understood each other too well. Tensing up, Michael watched as Wes slowly pried his fingers off of the Pokeball which he didn't realize that he was gripping so tightly.

"As I said, there are more ways than one to purify a Pokemon. You even had to use it on that Teddiursa of yours. At the shocked look on the younger man's face, Wes let off a smirk. "Just because I wasn't here, doesn't mean I didn't keep tabs on you. I know better than anyone the temptation of the snag machine. I needed to make sure that you could carry through with your mission without falling into the temptation." There was a silence after that, because neither wanted to touch the subject of just ho many times he almost fell into that hole.

"I was going to leave," Michael began, voice low and unsure. "I was just going to run to some of the most secluded places I could find and just hide away the Snag Machine forever. But then I remembered that there was one more Pokemon, so I followed trough. I had gone a month without snagging and it was almost painful. The adrenaline rush of battle kept it at bay, but then Miror B. showed up on my radar and I had to wear the machine was like a recovering junkie getting his first hit in a long time I would imagine. I don't know if I can keep stopping only to pick it up for only a moment."

The response was immediate and Michael was surprised by the fire that burned in those piercing gold eyes. "I know kid. It was why I never came back, and why I am here now," Pausing, and connecting emerald with gold Wes continued in the same monotone yet persuading voice. "I came to take you away from Orre, Michael. I came to take you from the memories, the expectations, and the temptation. Orre will always have shadow pokemon and if you are here when they come back, you will get sucked into saving them again. No one, and I mean no one, can do this job more than once. After that we walk a line too fine to be safe." Holding out his hand, Wes finally offered the option Michael had been waiting for. "Will you come?"

With no hesitation, Michael grasped the hand offered to him and held to it like a lifeline. It would be a long road, but Michael had someone to teach him how to survive without this addiction. He would have a friend to show him that life goes on.

"I want to go back to the lab though, get some things and move my Pokemon to a new place."

Another smirk, this one predatory. "You would have had to go back to the lab anyways. You need to destroy any research and schematics on the snag machine that your lab no doubt has multiple copies of. The fact that there are two in the world now is bad. Another would make a bad situation worse." Nodding in understanding, Michael finally pocketed his last shadow pokemon and sent out his Pidgeot. He was only vaguely surprised when Wes followed suit and let loose his Skarmory.

"I will circle the lab, waiting for you. Then, I hope you have some other flyers because the journey is fairly long after this." Mounting their respective Pokemon, the two snaggers took to the sky, ready to release Michael from the duty of being the snaggier.

-.x.-.x.-.x.-.x.-.x.-.x.-.x.-.x.-.x.-

Word Count: 1,160

I promised something for the Pokemon section didn't I? FF really needs to put an authors note section for this, because I hate deceiving my readers with the word count. This is probably riddled with mistakes, and I would appreciate it if someone would point them out so I can fix them at a later date. This is also technically a one-shot, but it can also be seen as the very beginning to a chaptered story that I am debating about posting.

Till next time,

Maddi.