So I don't love the way this chapter ended up, but it is an update and I have been RIDICULOUSLY busy, so I'm gonna go with it. Besides, I've actually planned out the rest of the story (le gasp) and it's looking like a total of around 20 chapters, maybe? 20-25, anyway. I don't know, we'll have to see. I get very off-topic sometimes and may deviate a bit.

Anyway, this isn't bad, so I hope you guys enjoy it. Thanks for your support, despite the fact that I have been very bad with my updating. Xp

In case I don't post again before Thanksgiving, Happy Turkey Day! :D

The storm came in not long after I settled in.

By the time I left the League building, it was pitch black dark and starting to sprinkle. Seeing as Luke couldn't really fly in this weather anyway, I decided to find shelter as Lance had suggested. I found a cave near Victory Road that suited me well and I settled in nicely.

The obvious subject on my mind was my fight with Lance, but I tried to push that away, focusing on my current goal. I mused on what my next step should be. I knew there had been something interesting going on with Red, Blue, and Leaf when they got involved with Team Rocket, but that seemed to be a dead end. Who knows if Silver was lying about Red coming back just to lure me back to Lance. Blue didn't seem to be talking and Leaf was missing, so there was little to find there. Plus, if Lance could figure out I was still alive, I'm sure Team Rocket knew I was still alive and were looking for me, so I had to worry about that too.

I was drawn out of my musings by the thought that I was pretty uncomfortable and cold. Primarily on my mind was also the fact that I wanted a good night's sleep and so I let out Luke and Cav, who settled around me. Luke's tail did a particularly good job of warming me up as I rubbed my hands in front of it, letting out a sigh.

I leaned back against Cav. "You know, I was right to do what I did."

The two listened with attentive ears, although Luke's tail twitched, a sign equivalent of an eye roll. I frowned.

"Really. He has to understand that."

My megamanium nodded enthusiastically behind me while the fire dragon snorted, looking unconvinced.

"Well, this is stupid anyway, analyzing it like this," I huffed, getting in a more comfortable position as I closed my eyes. "And it's over now."

I just wish I knew if I was right or not. If it was right to do any of this. Like Silver said, I'm going after them and that scares me a little. I already have seen what I can do without even meaning to. What am I capable of when I destroy with intent?

But my doubts were silenced by my overwhelming need to get some sleep. It had been a tumultuous day and I was just about done with it. Before dozing off, I let out Gengar from his pokeball to keep watch (I'm fairly certain he didn't even sleep and he seemed fine with it). I was reminded that this was Silver's pokemon that I was using and I hated Silver right now, but that didn't matter. Gengar was still a good pokemon and I needed him for now. Silver at least owed me that much.

But, since my mother died, sleep never had been a very good friend to me. And so, I slipped away, but into a night of fitful dreams.

I awoke with a start, yet not knowing why.

Luke's head was up, eyes alert, while Cav still slept behind me. Suddenly, I realized that, even with Gengar guarding the entrance, they had taken turns sleep and keeping watch just to protect me. They were my last line of defense and on the front lines of my offense. I couldn't even imagine where I'd be without them.

The storm seemed to be at its peak outside and the wind howled mercilessly. I couldn't even see anything in the dark, but I could hear footsteps in the cave, to my right. Two, maybe three people, quiet as can be, but the cave was big enough that they weren't close enough to be in striking range yet.

They were here to kill me. The thought ran through my body like electricity, raising my hair on end. If Gengar hadn't woke me up silently (with Nightmare, I supposed, because I woke up sweating), I could easily be dead now.

But I had Luke as well. And while he may be somewhat useless out in the rain, he provided plenty of firepower here in the cave. I bared my teeth, my fighting reflex fired up. Let's see how well they could kill me when I was on the offensive.

"Flamethrower."

Luke tilted his head upwards, unleashing furled flames toward the top of the cave and lighting up the darkness for a few moments. I stood, tapping Cav next to me.

"Vine Whip."

In a few seconds, the two crooks were caught up in my Megamanium's vines. Gengar, who apparently liked to work solo, had already put their pokemon (a Magmar and Weezing) to sleep. In the flickering light, I couldn't spot any obvious sign that it was Team Rocket, but it was obvious that they were. I frowned. That was almost too easy.

That was when another flicker caught the outside of my line of sight.

Only Luke's body shielded me from the flamethrower launched my way from the right, deeper in the cave. They must have already been positioned (perhaps they had a ghost pokemon that helped them keep undetected) and that's why I didn't realize they were back there. Luke did, through, and his wings closed around me, keeping the flicking flames away. When he opened them, I knew I had to run for outside. I didn't know how many of them there were or what their assets were, but if they had a fire pokemon, I knew the storm would weaken it. I ran.

As I did, I returned Luke to his pokeball and snapped for Cav and Gengar. Grabbing my backpack, I sprinted for the pouring rain.

It pounded at me as I gasped slightly, shivering a bit at the chill. Still, I knew my third pursuer couldn't be far behind, and the other two would be recovering by now. My heart was pounding in my throat, but I wasn't panicking. As a Champion, I simply had to have a cool head. This was just like a battle situation. Strategy. Think of a strategy.

I had to turn and face them. Perhaps this was even the golden opportunity that I needed, seeing as I was already contemplating luring a Rocket member in. Maybe this was it. All I needed was one of them and I could get the info that I needed. Once I made it to the woods, I ducked behind a nearby bush, waiting. They would come through soon enough. I kept Cav and Gengar out, but motioned for Gengar to check out what was happening. If they had a ghost pokemon (as I had suspected), they could find out my hiding spot beforehand instead of blundering on through.

But, luckily, they were more worried about me getting away and didn't exercise the caution that they obviously should have. Gengar took out the Misdreavus and his master with a well-aimed Shadow Ball while Cav's vines twisted around the first of the pursuers. I went for the second, but he had already slid in the mud and was turning tail to run, so I let him go. I had the one that I wanted.

He was looking stone-faced at me, but as soon as I took a step toward him, he flinched. I had him. The rain bit into me, wind cut across my face, and mud plastered the lower part of my body from hiding behind the bush. Standing directly in front of him, I narrowed my eyes and spoke, fire running through my blood. I had won. I was the victor and he had to acquiesce to that or suffer the consequences. I wanted my information and, by Entei, I was going to get it.

"Who do you work for, Rocket?"

He spit in my face. I kept my calm.

"Okay, that's the way you want to play. Let's see how well my Bayleef's vines can break legs. Start with the right?"

Despite Cav's generally calm complexion, I could feel his rage like we were the same entity. No one attacks my trainer, no one tries to kill my trainer, no one hurts her, after all she's been through and she's mine to protect-

I almost couldn't breathe at the feeling of his fierceness. And it showed as a vine curled around the right leg of the Rocket in a menacing way and I wondered what I was doing to my own Pokemon. It was the first feeling of uneasiness through my mask of power. Was I corrupting them as I had been? Was this something they wanted too? Was I twisting them with my own thoughts of revenge?

And for a second, I almost thought that he was going to do it and I almost thought that I was going to let him. I wouldn't, right? I wouldn't tell Cav to do that. But the Rocket stopped me far before that.

"Wait. It's not me you want."

I was silent. The vine kept squeezing.

"Stop! Stop, I'll tell you!"

I saw flames, dancing before my eyes, and the eyes of my mother. I was grasping for some sort of image as I realized the power I had at my hands. The power of another living, breathing creature that would do exactly as I told him too. I tried to grasp the significance of this feeling, but I couldn't. I couldn't figure out exactly what it was-

"Please! Stop! I'll tell you everything!"

Startled and brought back to my senses, I waved my hand. Cav backed down.

The man was babbling now as he looked at me, the insane picture that I made. "I was briefed at the Sevii Islands. The orders came from an unknown admin, I don't know who. There was a ship that I was on. That's all I know. Please, let me go."

I nodded, not even registering the panic in his voice. I didn't even notice when he was gone, but Cav knew to let him go. My back against a tree, I sat in anguish, my hands shaking. I was threatening people with the retribution of my Pokemon now. I was using my Pokemon for bad. I was using them to hurt people.

I curled my hand into a fist and found that I didn't have any tears to cry. Only frustration at my own failure to accomplish anything. I walked around in circles for the last week. I walked in circles until my feet hurt and until Ethan was kidnapped and until Lance hated me and until Silver turned on me. I walked and walked and walked and did nothing. And now that I had information, I could do nothing but sit here and fear who I was becoming.

All of a sudden, I was sheltered from the rain. I looked up to see the big orange snout of Dragonite and, for once, I didn't mind the meddling of the ever-present Dragon Tamer. Right now, it was just nice to know that someone still cared about me. And so I spent the next few moments scratching under the dragon-type's chin while he nudged me anxiously, making sure I wasn't hurt. Dragonite still cared. Lance still cared.

I had to move on from what had happened here. Besides, he had come at me first and it was only natural that I defend myself. That Cav defend me. These "visitors" were only the beginning. They were easy prey once the tables had been turned, so I doubted any real brain had carefully thought this plan out beforehand. This was still amateur hour and I had to be ready for the big stuff. I was okay. I had to pull myself together, find a different place to move out to, and keep moving. Head to Sevii Islands. Find out if there's truth to what he said. Keep moving, that's all I could do.

And, as I readied myself to go and patted Dragonite on the nose before I left, I couldn't shake the image of the twisting vines and Cav's thoughts as they swirled around me. The true loyalty of a Pokemon.

It could be the end of him.