I would like to thank BekahthePikachu for reviewing this story, and the others who have favorited/subscribed. It means a lot!

This chapter is very long...I was thinking about splitting it in to two different chapters, but then I thought that would drag things out too much.

I hope you enjoy, and tell me what you think.

~SpiritOfMetal

Acacia spent the next few days from her second brush with death in a pain-killer induced haze.

She awoke after passing out on her bed and sleeping for twelve hours straight to hunt for a few pain-killers, then fell back to sleep. Marie had noticed Acacia's strange absence and went to check on her to find that she looked like she had survived a tornado. Not wanting to disturb her, she let her sleep until later that day when the pain-killers wore off and Acacia awoke from intense pain in her ribs. Marie tried to question her, but the most she got out of her daughter was a slurry "I…I fell down a cliff, but I'm just peachy."

Acacia flopped on the couch and didn't move until the next morning.

George arrived, asked why Acacia looked like she went moshing, then locked himself in his room.

Marie began to grow worried about Acacia's condition. She knew pain-killers weren't good on an empty stomach, so she awoke Acacia and got her to eat some breakfast. Acacia perked up a bit, but still looked like a zombie. Marie asked her again what happened, and Acacia said that she had went out to train with Smokey and ended up falling down a small cliff. She told Marie that her ribs were aching and that she thought she had bruised a few. Marie asked if she could take a look, so Acacia pulled up her shirt and let her mother see the damage. Her sides were badly bruised and somewhat cut, but Acacia reassured her that her ribs were the largest injury. With more pain-killers, Acacia lumbered back to her room.

Marie remained worried, but continued to bring her daughter food, liquids, medication and books for her while she healed.

.*.

After seeing Acacia home, Scion returned to the river. Feeling a bit battered from the fight with the Toxicroak, he rested for a day and felt as right as rain after.

Scion found him self growing bored and restless. Hours seemed to drag by, and Scion did all he could to keep himself occupied. He gathered every kind of berry he could find with in a ten mile radius of his cave, practiced his attacks, attempted to talk to other pokemon, slept, watched the river, flew around, but the problem was that he could do all of these things within a half an hour.

Scion's mind always returned to the small human girl, Acacia. He had never seen a human in such a dire state before, and he was ashamed and appalled to know that a pokemon had done the damage. He hadn't seen the sinister frog since, and he was grateful.

Scion spent many hours at the entrance of his cave, sharpening his claws and scraping away at the stone, all the while wondering how the girl was doing.

She was beaten within an inch of her life…she could hardly walk, and something seemed to be wrong with her abdomen…internal bleeding could be a possibility.

What if she doesn't even go to a hospital?

I know her Glameow was alright, pokemon are much stronger then humans as far as physical qualities go…but Acacia…humans don't heal quickly after something like that…

Scion did his best to busy his mind, but it always lead back to the subject. He was very worried about her, and it was natural for someone to be concerned about somebody who was badly decided it might ease his mind if he could see that she was recovering.

Scion gathered himself, then soared off towards Acacia's house. He arrived at the small asphalt road that she lived on and landed, walking the rest of the distance. He was quiet and wary, keeping a good eye on the forest around him. He didn't want any human or pokemon seeing what he was about to do.

He reached the dusty, long gravel driveway and stopped. He stared down the driveway and hesitated.

Agh, just what am I doing?

A small breeze stirred the bushes around the driveway, lightly cooling Scion's skin. He could almost see himself slowly leading the injured girl down the driveway…then down the path. She had touched his claw as she said goodbye…how he had felt a strange energy pass between them. His heart warmed, and he smiled.

I have to check on her. I feel it's my duty to. I don't think I can rest properly if I don't. I just have to make sure her family doesn't see me.

He continued down the gravel driveway, trying to be as quiet as he could. He flew down the trail that Acacia had shown him, landing in the shadows of the trees before the lawn. He could see the house perfectly now…the wood stairs and porch that lead up to the door that Acacia had disappeared into.

He crouched, surveying the area.

Well, I know she won't be outside.

.*.

Acacia was up in her room, her TV on and the sound turned low. She lay in her bed reading a book. A glass of water sat on a small desk next to her bed, cluttered with papers, pencils, dirty plates and cups from days before. A small container of painkillers sat on the desk within arms reach.

Acacia sighed, then plopped the book to her side. She stared at her ceiling.

"This sucks so bad. I'm bored, but I can't do anything."

She was under strict orders to stay within her room from her mom. Acacia could feel her body healing with each nap she took, and she tried to tell her mom that she was now good enough to at least take a small walk, but Marie would have none of it. Marie kept telling her that bruised ribs took weeks to heal if one was very, very lucky. Acacia begged to differ – her chest ached only when she laughed or breathed hard.

Smokey was curled up in a ball at the end of her bed. The cat pokemon had probably suffered much worse injuries then she had, but had healed twice as fast. The cat was a bit slow on her feet, but all she had to show for the battle was a small bandage on her side. Acacia was relieved that Smokey was almost 100% better, but was also envious. Her bruises were beginning to turn a fantastic putrid yellow, and her scrapes and cuts were scabbed over enough so that water didn't sting when she took a shower. Her muscles were still slightly sore, but she could walk almost normally.

Acacia slowly sat up, easing her legs over the side of her bed. She looked at the floor for a minute, then glanced at Smokey. The cat's breathing was slow and she hadn't stirred.

Books had kept Acacia busy while her body recuperated, but her mind kept encircling the whole fiasco that had happened a few days before, on a Sunday. She knew the devilish Toxicroak wouldn't show its face for a long time, but she was worried about Scion.

The Scizor had almost become a friend to her. She knew it was just chance that Scion had saved her twice but it almost seemed too coincidental. She knew he lived close by, but she was very, very lucky that he had been around when she got into trouble. She was in debt to him, that was for sure, and Acacia felt abashed for it. She never liked to get in somebody's way, and she never liked to inconvenience anyone and cause trouble.

What had happened had just…well, happened.

Then there was the whole strange event with the two understanding each other. Her mind still couldn't spit out a plausible explanation for it. It miffed her and amazed her.

She remembered being able to understand a tiny bit of what the Toxicroak was saying when Scion had arrived to defend her, but that was the only exception. So far, she could only understand Scion. Smokey still meowed like she always did, and the bird pokemon still chirped in incoherent tunes.

Acacia sighed again. A little worry nibbled at the back of her mind like a persistent Carvanah. She knew Scion lived around the area, but she didn't know if she was going to see him again. She might occasionally, but it would probably be rare. Her heart slightly sunk when she thought about it. He was unlike any pokemon she had ever meant, and she enjoyed his company. There was something about him…something that went deeper then just an acquaintance. She didn't know how to describe it because she had never felt it before, but it was there.

"Scion…" she whispered, looking out of her window, lost in thought.

.*.

"WAAAH!" Scion cried, jumping five feet in the air. All of the nerves in his body were jolted as if a force field had passed through his body. He caught himself in the air and landed softly on the ground. The feeling passed quickly, as if it had never happened.

"What the heck…was that?" he whispered, looking about the forest.

I don't think that was a pokemon…he thought, relaxing a bit. He walked to the edge of the forest, were the neon green grass of the lawn started.

Whatever that was, it didn't last long…I think it's gone now. I keep…I keep getting these strange sensations.

He scanned the forest again, then sighed.

Ugh, I have to do this quick.

He clenched his claws, then gazed at the house.

I'm going to try to look through a window to try to get a glimpse of her. I just have to make sure I don't catch the attention of anybody else.

Tensing himself, Scion crouched on the ground, then sprang across the lawn. He came to a corner of the house, flattening himself against its wooden exterior. He crawled beneath the view of a window, then stood up straight, still flat against the house.

He looked up and to the sides of himself. There were three windows in total on the side of the house: one on Scion's left, and one on his right. A double window was just above his head. It was cracked open a few inches. A familiar smell wafted through Scion's nostrils. A warm, chalky berry-ish scent.

A…Acacia? Scion thought, surprised that he had recognized the smell so easily. He hadn't even noticed she had a particular scent until now.

He gulped, then looked straight up at the window.

I'm sure that's her room. Or at least she is close to the window.

He exhaled, turned, flexed his wings, then jumped and slowly hovered up to the window.

Acacia stood, the floor cool to her feet. The sad feeling from her worry was beginning to stick to her, and she needed to shake it. Looking at the beautiful spring forest always got her mind off of things. She stared into the woods, her mind lost in its depths. The leaves were growing at a surprising rate…the whole forest was almost completely full grown.

She could hear the birds chirping, the bugs buzzing…

I think I hear a bug coming close by…

Acacia blinked, then there, right in front of her face, was a huge, red creature with shining yellow eyes.

"GUH!" she gasped, cringing as the air left her lungs too fast. She stumbled backwards and nearly tripped. She glared back at the creature, then her mouth slowly fell open as she recognized the pokemon.

Scion held a claw up to his lips, then pointed a claw at the still sleeping cat pokemon.

Acacia glanced at Smokey, who had surprisingly remained asleep.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered, blushing as she realized she was in a pair of pajama shorts and a tank top.

Scion hovered lower to the crack in the window. "I wanted to see how you were doing. I was worried, you looked really mangled the other day." he whispered, looking into her eyes.

Acacia smiled, joy filling her heart. Some one out of her family actually seemed to care about her.

Scion looked her over, then nodded, looking impressed. "You seem to be healing pretty fast… faster then I expected. That's great."

Acacia crossed her arms over her chest, feeling vulnerable in her outfit. "Well, um, thanks. I feel fine, except a dull ache in my ribs…it gets worse when I laugh, or take in or out air too quickly. To be honest, I didn't expect to feel better so fast." she whispered.

Scion smirked. "I'm just glad you're…doing better." he murmured.

Acacia smiled. "Thanks."

A long silence followed.

Scion looked towards the ground, then fidgeted with his claws. "Well, I,uh, should get flying…"

Acacia felt her heart drop, but she nodded her head in agreement. Smokey could wake any minute, and would flip if she saw a Scizor at the window.

Scion turned his body and angled it towards the sky, ready to soar away. Acacia hesitated, then ran to the window. "W-wait, Scion!" she hissed.

Scion stopped, then looked at her and blinked. "What is it?"

"I, uh, wanted to tell you that…I just feel really bad about making you go through so much trouble. I didn't try to nearly die twice, I just…well…" she whispered, her cheeks burning.

I sound like a babbling idiot.

Scion lowered himself to the window crack and snickered. "Sorry for what? Inconveniencing me? Listen Acacia, you don't have to apologize. I'm glad I was able to save you."

Acacia hung her head. "I usually don't get into so much crap…just these last few days have been bad luck."

Scion smiled. "I understand. Bad luck is universal."

Acacia met Scion's eyes and smiled warmly. They held each others gaze for a minute.

Why is he so damned nice to me?

"I have a favor to ask you." she began, not believing her ears. She said it before she had time to think about it.

"A favor?" he whispered, looking curious.

Acacia began to sweat, but she knew it was too late now. She had to go through with it.

"Well, um, not really a favor…just, while I'm healing, I get really lonely…it would be nice to talk to somebody now and then. You can stop by when ever you like. Er,as long as you aren't seen…" she trailed off. She held her breathe, not daring to look Scion in the face and waited for an answer.

After a moment of silence, Scion began to speak. "Uh…well, were would we meet?" he said softly.

Acacia grinned inwardly. "How does the end of my driveway sound?" she said, almost too loudly.

Scion furrowed his brow, then relaxed. "S-sounds good." he said.

"Uhhh…how about around dusk, tomorrow?" Acacia hedged.

Scion nodded, then peaked his eye through the window crack. Acacia was shocked by how bright his irises were. At that moment, Acacia felt something like an egg breaking within her core, releasing a wave of heat. Her heart began to thud.

"I'll see you." he whispered.

Acacia awkwardly waved, then he was gone.

As soon as she heard his buzzing wings disappear, Acacia grabbed at her heart. She felt it thudding at her rib cage, which ached. She couldn't stop it from beating so fast.

What just happened? She thought, looking around her room in a daze.

She heard Smokey yawn, then turned to see the cat pokemon stretch, then curl back up into a ball.

Thank goodness she didn't wake up.

Acacia plunked herself onto her bed and began petting Smokey on the head.

That all happened so fast…it was kinda awkward, but at least I will have somebody to talk to. Why the heck…is my heart beating so rapidly?

Acacia concentrated on breathing slowly again, and eventually her heart returned to a normal rhythm.

Acacia smiled to herself. Tomorrow should be interesting.

.*.

Scion flew through the air, then landed on a tree branch beside Acacia's driveway. He dug his claws into the tree, fighting to control his thrumming body.

That odd sensation came back…

After a minute, the pulsing subsided. He steadied himself, standing up on the limb. He gazed back up the driveway towards Acacia's house.

"I…I messed it up." he mumbled to himself. "I planned on just sneaking a peak of her to calm myself, but instead…" Scion closed his eyes.

Deep down, he knew he had been happy to talk to the human.

"I just didn't know what was going to happen…I really didn't expect her to be in such good health. The last thing I expected was for her to…"

Scion closed his mouth, then scratched his arm. What Acacia had asked was the least he had expected from her. He didn't know she wanted to spend time with him…humans usually had other human friends that they usually got together with. It was unusual…but Scion was humbled and he didn't complain. He was excited to be finally making a new friend.

"Dusk, tomorrow, at the mailbox…" he murmured to himself. He hadn't noticed a mailbox before. He turned his head to the right and surveyed the end of the driveway. Sure enough, a black mailbox stuck out from the ground from a wooden beam.

Scion blinked, then launched himself off the tree branch and flew over to the mailbox. He hovered above it, then looked back towards Acacia's house.

This is a little out in the open…oh well. There is a nice view from here.

He smirked, then flew off into the woods.

Acacia spent the rest of the day walking around the house, getting her legs used to supporting her weight again. She did stretches and breathing exercises, trying to temper her body in time for the short outing the next day.

Smokey followed her around, also growing stronger and moving faster. Marie approved of the whole routine, but was a little suspicious…she knew her daughter enough to tell that Acacia was planning on doing something. Marie confronted her, and Acacia replied that she was planning to take a short walk around the property in a few days…she was growing restless and needed to get fresh air. This seemed like a reasonable explanation, so Marie pushed the doubt out of her mind and continued with her work.

George came out of his room and sat on top of the stairs, watching Acacia pace about the kitchen with dull curiosity.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked in a monotone voice.

Acacia cringed, sighed, then looked up at her brother. He had the same brown hair and burgundy eyes as she did, but his nose was a bit smaller and his skin was a few shades sallower. Dark circles were usually under his eyes.

"I'm exercising." she sneered through clenched teeth.

George snorted. "That's gotta be the most pathetic exercise I have ever seen."

Acacia clenched her fists. She was in no mood to deal with her brother.

"Its called physical therapy…it helps the body get back into normal movement after an injury."

George narrowed his eyes, then stood. "Well, you have fun with that." he mumbled disdainfully, then came down the stairs and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Acacia growled. "I hope he goes to a friend's house soon."

George did end up leaving the house shortly, to Acacia's relief. She continued walking around, and stopped to read magazines and books she found lying around the house. Her muscles felt stronger by the time five o'clock rolled around, and her ribs felt less tender. Smokey was now trying to get the bandage off her side, growing frustrated that she couldn't clean the fur under it. Acacia gently took the bandage off and was surprised to see that the cat pokemon's gash had completely healed, except for some missing hair.

Marie got off work and began to busy herself in the kitchen, preparing spaghetti for dinner. Acacia settled herself down in front of the downstairs TV, watching cartoons and science programs.

Acacia was watching a knowledgeable program about pokemon super abilities when a Scizor was showed. Acacia sat up in her seat, paying close attention.

The narrator went on to describe the pokemon's physique, and short clips were shown of the pincer pokemon walking, jumping and fighting. Acacia was somewhat disappointed – Scion seemed to have a much stronger physique, and he was faster. He also had brighter eyes, and he…had a slightly different color. Acacia couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something different. The narrator began to explain the Scizor's special abilities.

"Scizors are known for their extremely hard armor. Due to its evolution process, the Scizor's skin is mixed with metal and steel. The exact element can vary with the type of Metal Coat used to evolve it. Even though its armor is tough, it is very sensitive, maybe even being able to sense a bit more then humans can with their skin. The most sensitive extremities are its claws. Scizors use them much like we use our hands.

"Scizors make up for their lag of speed from its earlier evolution with heightened attack and defense.

Although the pincer pokemon has wings, they are not meant for flying. They are used rather to flap at high speeds to cool down high body temperature."

This caught Acacia's attention.

Wait, what? Scion was flying around all over the place!

Acacia continued to watch the show, but it ended the short segment about Scizors with a few more battle scenes. When the show switched to a commercial, Acacia sat back on the couch and rubbed her chin.

"Hmmmm…" she mumbled, perplexed.

How is Scion able to fly like a pro when his species can't even glide? I'll have to ask him about it when I see him tomorrow.

Acacia continued to mull this around in her head and watch TV when Marie called her for dinner.

After Acacia stuffed herself with food, she went out on the front porch and sketched some drawings in a notebook. First, she started with plants and trees around her, but eventually that lead to drawing pokemon. Acacia attempted Smokey, then some random Chatots, then got the idea to try the sinister Toxicroak. This drawing was what looked like a Toxicroak shadow, with red eyes and an evil smile. Shivering, Acacia decided to stop working on that drawing and start a new one. She played around with shapes until she found herself thinking about Scion. About everything that had happened in the past few days. Unconsciously, she began scribbling the outline of Scion. Acacia snapped out of her gaze and realized what her hand had accomplished. Slightly embarrassed, she began to clean up the sketch. She drew him flying, standing, and looking at her with soft eyes. She stared at this drawing, almost hypnotized by the eyes.

When she pulled herself out of her creativity, the sky was beginning to darken. Folding up her notebook, she began to get out of her chair when her mother opened the screen door and stepped out onto the deck.

"Acacia, do you know about the major storm system coming our way tomorrow night?"

Acacia frowned. "Um, no."

"They are calling for some severe super cells and tornadic activity. I think they say storms start tomorrow night, and it really starts the next day."

Acacia furrowed her brow. "Okay." she said, concerned. She usually loved thunderstorms, but tornadoes were a different story.

Marie hesitated, then gave her daughter a stern look with her hazel eyes. "That means no going off and hiking, or doing what ever when the storms hit."

Acacia pouted and sighed. "Ugh…fine."

Marie went back inside, leaving Acacia to herself.

I hope it won't start storming until late at night, she thought.

Acacia headed inside, ate a few cookies, then joined George and Marie in the TV room, watching a bit of a reality series. After a while, Acacia lost interest and headed to her room. She read a sci-fi book until she went to sleep. Smokey took her usual place at the end of Acacia's bed.

.*.

Scion spent the rest of the day flying around, trying to find a new berry source. He managed to find a rare Oran berry and quickly ate it. Other then that, it was the usual berries.

He spent some time at the river. He heard other pokemon talking about the recent spike of humidity in the air.

So I'm not the only one that noticed, he thought. Rocks around the river were a bit slimier then usual, and the river water was warmer.

Listening to them babble, Scion lounged on a rock and lost himself in his thoughts. The next day was a significant day for him. He didn't know why, but he felt it was a big deal. It was just a simple meeting, but it was on purpose, not just a coincidental bumping-into.

Maybe that's why I feel like I have to be…prepared.

Scion walked around the path he had found Acacia on, feeling restless. He came down the same route she had from the forest and saw how grand the river looked.

It's a truly beautiful place, he thought contently. No wonder her mouth fell open…

Scion found himself smiling fondly. He sighed, then continued down the river bank.

After getting bored, Scion left the river bank and filled up his water bottle. He came to his cave and forced himself to eat some of his stored berries. He washed their bitter aftertaste away with water, and sat by the cave entrance and began sharpening his claws thoroughly while watching the sun set. He meticulously grinded away at his pincers, making them as sharp as he could get them. Suddenly, he stopped when the thought of Acacia crossed his mind. How when he had held her hand, she hadn't been cut by his claws because he didn't intend to hurt her.

I…I don't want to make these so sharp so that I might accidently hurt her…

Scion flushed and he stopped what he was doing. He felt strange, as if something was blooming within him. It was a pleasurable sensation, but he felt slightly uncomfortable for experiencing it. The feeling gradually lessened, but never fully left him. After his heart finally settled, he realized that the daylight had almost completely drained from the sky. He hastily felt his way to the back of the cave and curled up on a patch of partly soaked moss and willed himself to go to sleep. The complete darkness seemed to unleash his minds thoughts, letting them wander to where ever they pleased. Scion rolled around, trying to get comfortable and thoroughly soaked himself in the process from the wet moss. He kept thinking about the next day, the Toxicroak he had defeated, Acacia's house, the humidity in the air, and Acacia. He also mildly thought about his old friend and trainer, Dominic.

After a few hours, Scion grew frustrated. "Uuugh!" he moaned, slamming the ground beside him. He got up and felt around the cave for a flat, loose rock. He found one, then began searching for the tell-tale squish of moss. He found some half-dry, plush moss near the entrance of the cave and ringed most of the moisture out of it. He returned to his sleeping spot, positioned the rock were his head would lay, and placed the moss on top of it. He settled onto the ground, sighing as his head met something soft. His mind slowly relaxed, thoughts loosing their grasp on him. The sounds of the cave condensation dripping, the soft rushing of the river, and occasional cries of night pokemon lulled him to sleep.

He jerked awake in the middle of the night, terrified and chilled to the bone with sweat and water. He couldn't remember what dream he had had, but he felt horribly lonely and daunted. Once he calmed down, he stumbled to the entrance of the cave. There was no moon or stars – only overcast clouds, causing the night to be absorbingly black. Everything was silent – even the river seemed to be asleep. Scion stood in the dark, listening to his rapid breathing grow slower. A sudden roar echoed throughout the forest, causing him to flinch.

This night is so dark…so silent…it is better to be asleep.

.*.

Acacia awoke the next morning feeling renewed. Her body still had its aches and pains, but they were bearable enough to make one feel like they had gone for a long jog. Her ribs allowed her to breath deeper, and for that she was happy.

Overcast clouds gave the day a gray color, but the smell of heavy humidity clung to the air. There was no doubt a storm was coming.

Acacia took her time getting out of bed, falling asleep a few times before she managed to roll out of the covers. Sleep rarely felt this good, and she savored as much as she could get. When her mom's rummaging in the kitchen roused her, she staggered out of bed and started looking for an appropriate outfit.

Yep, today I'm going to try to look like I didn't get beaten to a pulp by a giant toad.

She was able to settle on a pair of light colored capris and a blue striped button-up tank top. She took a long shower, almost falling asleep again. After that, she got dressed and combed out her hair. She scrubbed her teeth, then rubbed raspberry lotion over her arms. She stood in front of the mirror, looking herself over for the first time since she had been injured. Her skin looked pale, but was slowly regaining its olive color. A small bloody scab hid behind her bangs, so she spent a while cleaning it up to where it was hardly noticeable. She applied antibacterial cream to the larger scrapes and cuts on her legs and arms, then left the bathroom.

She lazily poked around the kitchen, rummaging around for something good for breakfast. What she had eaten for the last few days was oatmeal, and she was looking for food a bit more flavorful and satisfying. She settled on a box of cereal with biscuits and strawberries on the side. After she was done eating, she plopped herself down on the front deck and sat in the sunshine, soaking up its warm and welcoming rays.

"Ahhh…" she sighed, enjoying the smell of the humid air and the sun's soft morning warmth. After a few minutes, she began to grow hot and moved out of the sunshine. She stood, then leaned on the deck railing, gazing down her driveway. Acacia pictured Scion's red form casually sauntering up the entrance, his smooth red skin gleaming in the daylight. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind of the image.

Why am I thinking of him so much…it's almost like I can't control when he pops into my mind.

Acacia rubbed her forehead. "Well, today is the day…" she smiled, excitement pulsing in her veins. She found herself growing close to Scion, and she was pumped to be getting together with someone to just hang out. She hadn't had a friend since she was in high school, and most of the people at her school had been more like acquaintances.

She tapped her fingers on the wooden railing of the deck, then meandered inside to feed Smokey some pokefood. Marie was busy on the computer, and George had spent the night at a friend's house. Acacia wandered into the computer room and sat on a small comforter. Marie continued typing, then turned and looked at Acacia.

"Hmmm…you're all dressed up today, aren't you?" she said.

Acacia looked up, frowning. "Yeah, just felt like wearing something fresh and clean." She nervously cracked her fingers.

I hope she doesn't think that I'm going somewhere…

Marie turned back to her work. "Its about time you changed, you were in pajamas for three days."

Acacia mentally sighed in relief, then left the room. Smokey was in the dinning room munching on her food. Acacia sat at the dinner table, then stretched her legs out and looked at them. Her calves were still badly bruised, the abrasions nearing the end of their colorful cycles. She poked at a few of them and winced.

Man…that pokemon beat me up like I was nothing. Smokey's smaller then me and she has completely healed. I…I wish I wasn't so weak.

Acacia was disturbed by the fact that she was glaringly feeble, but it was true. She was so bothered by it that it angered her. She wanted to learn how to defend herself and not have to completely rely on others to protect her.

I could try some martial arts classes, but I would still be nothing to a pokemon…it would be like a child trying to beat up a brick wall.

She ran her hand through her hair and sighed in frustration. Thinking about that was useless…it would only put her in a foul mood. She cleared her throat, then sat back in her chair and watched the trees outside of the slider door. They whipped about in the growing wind.

"I wonder when the storms will arrive…" she whispered. " I just hope they blow in after I get to talk to Scion."

Acacia fiddled with her hair, then started doodling on a stray piece of paper. After she got bored of that, she decided to continue reading her sci-fi book outside in the lessening sunshine.

.*.

Scion awoke to light shining off of a pool of water in his cave. It was reflecting right onto his face, burning through his eyelids.

"Uuuuuuuphgh…" he moaned, peeling himself off of the rock and moss he had fallen asleep on. Scion had had a rough night. His head ached dully and his eyes were sticky. He staggered to his feet, then steadied himself against the cave wall.

"I haven't had a night like that in a looong time…" he mumbled. Rubbing his face, Scion walked over to the lip of the cave. The sun was shining, but overcast clouds still remained. The humidity was so thick in the air that Scion could taste it.

A storm is coming…Scion thought warily.

After stretching his legs, arms and wings, Scion walked back into the cave and found a puddle of water near the entrance. He knelt, looking at his reflection.

"Aw, come on!" he mumbled in annoyance. Smudges of dirt were smeared all over his face from the night. Scion scooped up a clawful of water and splashed it over his face, rubbing vigorously. After he felt satisfied he was clean, he looked back into the puddle of water to see he had gotten most of it off. He stood, then looked his body over. Mud smears dotted his chest, abdomen and legs. He could feel most of it caked onto the skin on his back.

"I'm getting really sick of waking up covered in mud…" he mumbled. Scion flew out of the cave and landed at a shallow shore beside the river. He approached the water, lightly dipping his foot in to test the temperature.

"Ah…warmer then usual." he sighed, then wadded into the river. He stopped when the murk came up to his waist, then began to scoop water up and scrub at his body. He had quite a hard time getting the mud off of his back – he strained and strained, but his arms would not allow him to reach the middle of his spine.

"Ack-" he muttered, struggling to reach his back. He stumbled backwards, his heel slamming into a large rock under the water. Scion lost his balance, then splashed into the water.

"Pleh!" he sputtered, shaking the water off his head. "Well, I'm pretty sure I got most of the stuff off."

Feeling thoroughly clean, Scion wadded back to shore and shook his wings off. He climbed up to a rock and let the sun dry his wet skin. Once he was dried, he inspected his armor. Light shimmered off of his slick, clean red surface.

"Ahhh…that's better. This is good enough for me." he sighed in contentment. His stomach made a gurgling sound, and Scion realized he was hungry. He soared up to his cave and retrieved a few berries from his plastic baggie, then took a swig of water from his bottle. With the two containers in his claws, he lounged at the entrance of his cave, his back against the wall. He stared at the two objects in his claws with admiration.

These things have come in so much use to me…who would have known I could use things like these? A mental image of Acacia handing them to him flashed through his mind.

I really should thank her for these…maybe I should do it when I see her today.

His face grew hot. For some reason, it made him nervous to think about approaching her and thanking her.

He set the objects aside, then viewed the river valley. Bird pokemon fluttered around distant trees, but the water of the river was very calm. No fish pokemon jumped or even swam to the surface.

"Today is a quiet day…" he murmured to himself.

The other pokemon probably sense the impending storm, too.

He looked at his claws and fiddled with them. "Well, uh, today is the day…" he murmured, feeling restless. He was oddly anxious about meeting Acacia, but looked forward to it. It was the main event of the day, and so far he had done a good job of distracting his mind from the subject.

"What to do, what to do…" he mumbled.

Well, I already have enough berries for a few days, so I don't have to get any more or else they will go bad and stink up the cave. I could fill up my water bottle, but it's only half full. I already cleaned the dirt off of myself…I don't really feel like flying around today…

Scion closed his eyes and hung his head. "I wish I had more things to do."

He glanced back towards the cave to where his sleeping spot was. Suddenly, an idea struck him.

"AH! I know…I could make a more comfortable and dry sleeping spot."

Scion purposefully rose to his feet, then strode back to his moss bed. He knelt next to it, poking at the moss with his claw. Water dripped out of it.

"Heh…gonna need something that stays dry." Scion grabbed onto the moss and ripped it off of the ground, the placed it a few feet away. He eyed the dark, wet patch of rock were the moss used to be.

"Hmm…leaves might do."

Scion flew out of the cave and landed on the trail that Acacia had wandered down. He walked further into the forest, looking for broad, flat leaves. He spotted a tall Poplar tree and flew up to the canopy of the forest, then began to hunt the tree for large leaves. He plucked the biggest ones, and soon he had a large pile of leaves in his arms. He buzzed back to his cave and laid the leaves out on the wet spot the moss had left. Soon, there was a thick carpet of flat leaves six and a half feet long. Scion surveyed his work.

"It needs something on top of it…something soft."

Scion once again soared out of the cave and searched the trail for soft foliage. He came upon a patch of long, dried grass and clipped as much of it as he could. Liking the texture, he searched for more until he had an armful of it. He brought it back to his cave and carefully positioned it on top of the leaves. He had so much grass left over that he made it into a thick, bouncy lump that his head could rest on. After he was finished, he eased himself onto the foliage. It was surprisingly comfortable, springy and warm.

"Ahhhh….this is more like it." he smiled, closing his eyes in relaxation.

Its better then soaked moss, but not quite as soft as human beds…those are the best.

At that thought, Scion sat up.

I wonder what time it is? Scion thought suddenly.

Wow, I almost forgot about tonight…

He eagerly got to his feet and jogged to the entrance of the cave, then looked up at the sky. Overcast clouds still covered most of it, but the sun could still shine through a little. He got a good glimpse of the sun- it was directly overhead.

"Noontime." he murmured.

Feeling defeated, Scion sat heavily on the lip of the cave.

Can this day go by any slower?

.*.

Acacia jerked awake when something wet landed on her nose.

"Huh-what?" she slurred, sitting up in the deck chair. Her book fell off of her lap and slammed into the wooden deck. Rain was beginning to fall. Acacia grabbed her book and fled inside, watching the sky. A dark cloud passed over her house, but the rest of the sky remained overcast.

The cloud quickly passed and the sprinkling stopped.

"Whew-ee, I'm glad it didn't start pouring!" Acacia exclaimed, wiping water droplets off of her book. She glanced across the room at the kitchen stove's digital clock and it read five thirty.

"Damn." Acacia whispered.

I don't even remember falling asleep. Time sure flies when you're asleep.

Acacia set her book down on the oak table and looked outside again. The sky was beginning to darken, and not just from clouds.

"Shit, just when is dusk supposed to be!" Acacia exclaimed. "I guess it would be around twilight, when visibility is half and half." she pondered to herself.

I hope Scion knows what dusk is…

She zipped over to the fridge, pulled out a TV dinner, popped it in the microwave, then ate it quickly. By the time she was done eating, it was six thirty. The sky was quickly beginning to darken.

Acacia threw her trash away, then jogged over to the door and was in the process of putting on a pair of sandals when Marie walked into the room.

"Just what are you doing, little missy?"

Acacia stopped dead in her tracks. "I, uh, um, was going to go for a quick walk…"

Marie put her hands on her hips. "You can't leave until you clean the cat litter box."

Acacia was relieved, but put-off at the same time.

Why does she have to tell me to do crap right when I'm about to leave somewhere? I've been lounging around all day, practically looking for anything to do, and she – ugh!

Acacia slipped her shoes off of her feet and calmly walked to the back of the kitchen, grabbed a plastic bag from a closet, then quickly set to work cleaning the Smokey excrements. When she was done, she put on her shoes, went out to the deck and plopped the bag inside a dumpster. She ran down the front steps, ducking under porch. She peaked her head up to the railing and watched her house's front windows. Marie moved from the kitchen to the back door, checking to see if Acacia had done her job. Marie walked back into the kitchen, then disappeared down a hallway towards the computer room.

Acacia didn't waste a moment – she bolted down the driveway, nearly loosing her footing on the loose gravel. Her legs were reacting well to the stress she was putting on them, but her chest was beginning to ache. She slowed her pace to a fast jog, then came around a bend. The black mailbox came into view, but –

Where is he?

As Acacia approached, she expected to see him emerge from the forest, or fly down the road. Neither happened. Acacia slowed her jog to a trot, then stopped at the mailbox.

She was panting hard, and she fought to control the force of her breathing. She put her hands on her knees and looked around the area. The murky blue light of dusk was beginning to descend on the hillside, but Acacia could see no trace of Scion.

Once her breath was under control, she walked up to the mailbox and looked inside, thinking he might have left a letter, a sign of some sort, something that hinted he wouldn't be able to make it. The mailbox was dark and empty. She shut it, then scanned the valley warily. A cold, hopelessness began to creep over her unwillingly.

"No…" she whispered.

She waited a few more minutes. Nothing happened.

Feeling truly crestfallen, Acacia sunk to the ground next to the mailbox and slumped against it. She hung her head, letting her long brown hair cover her face.

Why did I even get my hopes up? I'm so stupid…

Acacia covered her eyes with her hands. She felt tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

Why the hell am I crying? This is no big deal…

Yet deep down inside, Acacia felt as if she lost something crucial.

A rustling noise sounded from the dark conifer forest across the road. Acacia jumped up, almost banging her head on the mailbox. An image of the evil Toxicroak flashed through her mind, and Acacia froze with terror.

He's coming back to finish the job!

A faint buzzing noise filled the air, and a dark shape rocketed from a tall pine tree and landed on the road a few feet in front of her. Acacia stumbled backwards. The shape righted itself, then peered at her and took a step forward.

"Acacia?" asked a hesitant voice.

Immediately, Acacia recognized the voice. She smiled, quickly wiping the moisture off her eyes. "H-hey, Scion!" Acacia faltered, trying hard to keep the shake out of her voice.

Scion stepped closer, and Acacia could see him better in the dim light. His golden eyes had a glow of their own. Acacia was once again hypnotized by them.

He looked concerned. "Are you alright? You sound like you were crying."

Acacia laughed. "Pfff, cry? Why, I have no reason! I just had something in my throat."

Scion blinked. "Heh…well, how are your injuries doing?"

Acacia was grateful for the change in subject. She pointed at her chest. "My ribs only ache when I run…I felt it when I came down here." She pointed to her legs. "Bruises and scrapes are still on my legs, but that's about it!"

Scion smiled. "That is good to hear. I have never seen a human heal from injuries so quickly."

Acacia blushed a little. "Thanks…"

Scion opened his mouth, then closed it quickly. He moved his claw to the back of his head, then looked at the ground. Acacia found this odd. She hadn't seen him hesitate once until now.

She noticed a flat rock outcropping next to the driveway, then walked over to it and sat on it. Scion watched her, as if dumbfounded.

Acacia patted the rock next to her. "Come over here and sit, Scion. My legs are getting heavy, and its easier to talk to somebody when they are sitting next to you."

Scion looked at the rock, then back to Acacia. "Er, yeah." he said, then walked over to the rock and awkwardly sat down a foot away from her.

Acacia smiled, and Scion returned the gesture.

"I heard it's supposed to storm tomorrow." Acacia said, picking at her sandal.

Scion turned towards her. "Really?"

Acacia nodded. "Yep. My mom told me about it. She read about it on a weather website."

Scion looked at the ground in front of him and nodded.

Acacia looked at him. "You don't seem so surprised. Did you already know about it?'

"Yeah, but not like how you found out. I could sense it…most of the other pokemon can feel it, too."

This interested Acacia. "How can you sense it?"

Scion began stirring the ground with one of his claws. "I can feel the humidity in the air, and the rocks around the river were very slimy and sticky. The moss in my cave got annoying soaked, too."

"That's neat." Acacia said quietly. "I guess I would notice that kind of stuff too if I paid enough attention." Acacia laughed, and Scion smiled.

She watched him poke at a pebble.

Something is off about him tonight, thought Acacia, concerned. Something is bothering him. I wonder if he will tell me?

"Hey, Scion?"

Scion looked up quickly. "Yes?"

"You seem…like something is bugging you. Are you ok?"

Scion stared at her for a second, then his pupils dilated as his gaze softened. He turned away, then began to clench and unclench his claw. "I just…I just wanted to, um…try to thank you for the things you gave me."

He paused, and Acacia continued to listen.

"I ate the trail mix, and it was great, a lot better then the disagreeable berries that I usually eat for all of my meals. I used the baggy afterwards to keep the berries that I find, and the water bottle has saved me lots of time with retrieving water. I never knew I could use things like that, but they have really come in handy."

Acacia beamed. She was glad she had helped him in at least some form.

"I'm glad they had use to you."

A great weight seemed to be lifted from Scion. His shoulders relaxed, and a smile spread across his face. He stopped playing with the gravel and leaned back, using his claws to brace himself.

Acacia relaxed too, feeling more at ease. Suddenly, she remembered something.

Acacia turned and faced him, her eyes set on his. "Scion, I've been wanting to ask you something. I saw it on a TV show, but it just doesn't make sense."

Scion looked at her, a slight look of surprise on his face. "Hmm? A TV show?"

Acacia continued. "Well, I saw this program about pokemon abilities, and they happened to show a Scizor."

Acacia paused and watched Scion's reaction. He sat up straighter, interested.

"The show went on to explain the abilities of Scizors. They mentioned something that I don't understand…that Scizors can't fly."

Scion blinked his bright eyes, then started to chuckle. He seemed to be holding back stronger laughter.

This caught Acacia off guard. "What's so funny?"

Scion calmed himself, rubbing his eyes with one of his claws. "Heh, ha, oh, sorry about that. But that is ridiculous!"

Acacia grew quiet. "W-why is it funny?"

Sensing the serious tone in her voice, Scion stopped laughing. "Well, all Scizors have wings. We usually use our wings to cool down body temperature, and trust me, that really comes in handy. My old trainer, Dominic, saw the potential in my wings. He saw that they could be used for more then just fans. He talked to me about it, and I agreed – I had always wanted to be able to fly."

" So, he devised a bunch of training techniques that would strengthen my wings and give them more muscle. It took a lot of time and hard work, but I finally had enough muscle in my wings to support my body weight. The more I used my wings, the stronger I grew…and pretty soon, I had mastered my own flight."

Acacia was impressed. "Wow, that is really cool…I didn't know you had an old trainer."

It had never occurred to her that Scizors couldn't naturally be found in the wild.

"Yes, he is an old friend."

"Did he just…kick you out?"

Scion chuckled. "No, he was a good person. He would never do that to a pokemon unless they wanted to live in the wild."

Acacia grew quiet. "Is that the reason why he released you?"

Scion looked into her eyes. "Dominic was a good man. He was my best friend for a while, and he trained me well. I learned everything I know from him. I was part of his battling team from when he was in his early twenties until he was in his late fifties. We were good friends, don't get me wrong, but battling just lost its luster."

" I didn't want to battle anymore…I was beginning to feel odd, displaced…something was calling me. Dominic noticed and confronted me about it. Battling was beginning to wear on him, too, and he was close to retiring – by then, he had kids and grandchildren. I tried to explain to him my feelings the best I could, but he didn't understand me like you can. He didn't need to – he already knew something was up, and that it was time for a change.

"We both decided that the possibility of release would be the best option for me. Dominic understood. He said he would miss me, but this would be the best for me. We said our goodbyes, and he set me off to live on my own."

Acacia was silent. "Wow. Dominic sounded like a great guy. Do you…ever find yourself missing him?"

Scion sighed, then looked up at the darkening sky. "I do miss him from time to time, but we both knew that things were better this way."

Acacia stared at him. Scion was a pokemon, of course, but it was hard for her to think of him as one. He seemed so much like a person, but at the same time, he wasn't. He was unlike any pokemon she had ever met.

"Its good you guys have things at peace." Acacia said, fiddling with a piece of her hair. She was lost in her thoughts for a moment when she heard something move beside her. She looked and saw Scion relaxing, laying flat out on the rock, his arms behind his head. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be having a moment of contentment. She watched his chest rise and fall. She couldn't see them in the darkening light, but she knew his skin and muscles were rippling with movement.

She blushed, quickly looking away, and scanned the valley around them. They sky was really beginning to turn dark, but a faint amount of light still gave her a little to see by. A light, warm breeze blew in from the west. She could hear the gentle sway of grass and leaves.

A sudden bright light flashed in the distance. Acacia saw it again a second later – the source was coming from behind her. She turned and saw a lightning bolt race across the sky in silent , otherworldly beauty. Acacia turned back towards Scion and reached a hand out to his shoulder to get his attention. When her hand was an inch away from his skin, something passed through her finger tips and traveled through her body. She flinched, surprised – it had been like static, but it went within her body instead of traveling on her skin or hair, like static usually did. She hesitated, and in that instant, Scion's eyes opened. He stared at her, and Acacia was once again lost in the depths of his optics. Her face burned and her heart raced. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out.

Ah, you stupid retard, say something! Anything!

A loud, tremendous boom echoed throughout the valley. Acacia whipped her head towards the clouds, and Scion sat up quickly, also watching the sky. Lightning crawled across the dark clouds in the distance behind them. Scion got to his feet.

"What is it?" Acacia asked anxiously.

Scion looked down at her with his faintly glowing eyes. "Come on, get up!" he urged.

By now, the night had arrived, and all was dark. Acacia couldn't see his expression, but she could hear the strange urgency in his voice.

"Wait, wha…why?" she asked, confused.

Scion ran a few feet down the driveway, then stopped and looked back at her. He gestured with one of his claws. "Come on, get up Acacia!"

Acacia stood, but remained at the rock. "Why? What the heck is-" Acacia was stopped short as Scion lunged at her and grabbed her wrist. A stifled squeak of surprised was caught in Acacia's throat. Scion began to jog down the driveway, and Acacia had a hard time catching up. He turned left, then stopped in a small mowed down section of the field that was part of Acacia's yard. It overlooked the valley and the side of a large hill that Acacia lived on. The eastern sky was set ablaze by spidery lightning. Acacia was awestruck.

"Wooow…" she murmured.

"Isn't it amazing? You get a perfect view from here…"

Acacia snuck a sideways glance at him. Lightning slashed across the sky, and Acacia had a momentary glimpse of his face. His red skin gleamed, even in minimal light. His eyes shined with excitement, and his mouth was open in a broad smile. He looked completely enchanted by the light show.

Acacia smiled in spite of herself. "Yeah, it's spectacular. I love seeing the storms at night."

Scion casted a glance at her and nodded. "They are one of my favorite things to watch. I have seen them before, but none quite as bright as tonight's…"

Acacia smiled, then attempted to move her left wrist. Something stopped it. She looked down and realized that Scion was still holding her wrist…she hadn't even noticed it until now.

Acacia looked up at Scion, her heart racing. She began to sweat, and her mind was a sudden blur of panic.

After a second, Acacia became aware of another pulse besides her own heartbeat. She sensed a kind of energy flowing into her. She knew it wasn't from herself… it was alien, but at the same time it felt familiar and welcoming. She concentrated on the pulse, then carefully let it become stronger. It was a warm, tender energy that soothed her unexplainable panic. As she probed at the energy with her mind, it began to turn alerted and excited. The energy seemed to take the shape of something whole, something much more complex –

BOOOOM. Thunder shook the night. Acacia jerked her wrist out of Scion's claw, frightened from the sudden noise. The immediate disconnection from the intense energy made Acacia feel dizzy and weak. She thought she blacked out, but it was just from the darkness of the night. She looked up to see Scion staring at her.

"Hey, Acacia, are you alright? Did the thunder scare you?"

Acacia hesitantly laughed. She realized she was panting. "Heh, yeah, it scared the bejesus out of me."

Scion smiled, but took a step closer to her. Acacia could see the concern in his gaze. "Are you sure you're ok? You don't look very good."

The truth was, Acacia didn't feel good at all. She felt like a wet noodle. Her ribs began to ache profoundly again, and her legs felt weak. She began lowering herself to the ground. "I….I just need to sit down, that's all." She fought to keep her voice casual and airy. She didn't want to get Scion worried about her.

Acacia hunkered down into the cool grass. Scion followed suit.

"That is some beautiful lighting, but it looks like a bad storm…its going to hit soon." murmured Scion.

Regaining her strength, Acacia felt more obliged to talk. "Yeah. That's what my mom told me."

Scion sighed. "It's really moving fast…"

A closer rumble of thunder shook the ground. Scion began to get to his feet.

"It's almost right overhead."

Mostly recovered, Acacia stood. "Yeah. I'm-"

"Acaciaaaaaa!" called the shrill voice of Marie from the house.

Startled, Scion's eyes grew wide and he tensed his body as if to fly off.

Acacia looked at Scion. "Calm down, she isn't going to come and get me. She's just calling me to come inside before the storm gets bad." she said gently.

Scion relaxed, but he still casted nervous glances down the dark driveway.

"I think it's about time for me to go, Acacia. Your mother is worried, and I don't want to be caught dead in this storm."

Acacia reluctantly nodded her head. "Yeah…" she trailed off quietly.

Lightning flickered in the distance, and thunder rumbled. The wind began to pick up. Acacia could smell impending rain and damp earth.

She looked sheepishly at Scion. His bright eyes squinted, and Acacia could tell he was smiling. He stepped closer to her, and Acacia could once again sense his body heat.

"Acacia…thank you for inviting me down here. I'm sorry if I seemed nervous, I just have never…done anything like this before. I…I enjoyed it."

Acacia gulped and smiled nervously. "Y-yep, I liked it too. It has been fun. Do you want to, um…do it again sometime?"

Scion nodded his head. "…Sure."

Acacia felt something wet hit her arm. Large drops of rain began splatting on the ground around them.

"It's the beginning of a downpour!" Acacia squeaked, shielding her head with her arms. She started back towards her house, then turned around. Scion still stood in the driveway, unmoving.

"Hey, Scion! You better hurry back to your cave before the lightning gets here. Bye!" she called, squinting from the rain and straining to see him in the darkness.

Lightning momentarily lit up the valley, and Acacia could see he was already soaked with water. He looked oddly forlorn.

Acacia opened her mouth to ask if he was ok, but he began waving his claw at her. "Goodbye!" he called. Acacia smirked, waved, then ran back up the driveway. She slowed to a stop, something urging her to look back. She threw a glance over her shoulder, and lightning once again illuminated the night. Scion had turned around, but he still stood in the driveway. She saw him begin to turn his head in her direction, but again the world turned dark.

Acacia waited for the lightning to return, and once it did, he had vanished.

Longing and misgiving crept into her chest. A chill passed over her, and she felt raw and exposed to the rain and cold. She shivered, ducked her head, and jogged up the driveway.

Something was wrong with Scion…it made me sad to seem him like that. I feel horrible, and I have no idea why. Maybe because I didn't ask him about it. And that feeling I experience earlier…it was scary, yet so intense and…and intimate. I feel disturbed, like something violated my deepest emotions.

Acacia reached her house and trudged through the front door. Marie was in the kitchen. She saw her and her hands went to her hips.

"And just where in the world were you?"

Acacia watched the water drip from her hair. "I told you, I went for a walk. I was watching the lightning storm before it hit."

Marie's tone grew soft. "Ah, well…are you ok? You sound sad."

Acacia sighed and tried to rub the water off of her arms. "Yeah, I'm fine, I'm just worn out."

Marie gave her a concerned look, then went about her business in the kitchen then walked to her own room. Acacia noticed the time - it was a little after eight o'clock.

She went to her room, grabbed a warm pair of pajamas, and took a steamy shower. She felt chilled to the bone, and it wasn't all from the rain. After her shower, she went downstairs and rested on the couch with a small blanket.

She still felt rattled by her experience earlier, and the image of Scion standing alone in the rain kept popping up in her head. She cared about him, and she felt troubled for not finding out what was wrong.

She wrapped the blanket around herself and looked wistfully at the dark and empty fireplace beside the house.

I wish a fire was going…some warmth would do me some good.

Scion sat alone at the entrance of his cave. Lightning scared the sky. Streams of water trickled down over the front of the cave in streams.

Water dripped from his soaking body, but he was oblivious to it.

Scion had let his nerves get the better of him, but managed to thank Acacia for what she had given him.

Why was I so nervous? It was like I...couldn't bring myself to talk to her. Agh, I was so stupid! I waited a day and a half to talk to her, and my nerves went and ruined everything.

Acacia had been kind and managed to get him to relax. Their conversations were intriguing and Scion had enjoyed them. Acacia's question about his flight still made him smile. He liked the fact that he felt he had impressed her with his ability to fly. She had been a good listener. Oddly, they didn't talk about why they could talk to each other in the first place. The conversations happened naturally.

The lightning was amazing…I could feel the powerful electricity in the air – it made me feel so alive! But…

Scion grimaced. Acacia had acted strangely when he brought her to the field to watch the storm. He remembered grasping her soft wrist with his claw.

At that very instant, I felt something like a warm chill pass over me, but that was it. I…I completely forgot about her wrist until she pulled it away.

Scion squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again.

"I know the thunder probably spooked her, but she seemed disturbed…like she had seen a ghost."

Acacia's paled face flashed through his mind.

"It was very strange...she was alright afterwards, though."

Yet Scion still had the distinct feeling that something else had bothered her. It made him uneasy.

He sighed, closing his eyes. He was tired, that was for sure – it was odd that he felt this drowsy. He had more energy after he had battled that Toxicroak then he did now.

Scion remembered watching Acacia run off in the rain, leaving him to himself.

It shocked me – I didn't expect her to randomly leave like that. I wanted to talk to her more…I wanted to ask her questions about her life. She had done most of the question asking.

Scion opened his eyes and began to stir a piece of moss next to his leg.

I didn't know how to react – then it hit me…like an arctic wind.

Scion stopped picking at the moss.

It's been a while since I had felt something like that…but, could it be that I felt…loneliness?

Scion furrowed his brow. He was right – loneliness was exactly what he felt, and what he was feeling at the moment. He had felt lonely before, but never at this magnitude. It was a powerful, saddening feeling that left him feeling cold and small.

A shiver racked his body, and Scion decided it was time for him to retire to his bed. He felt his way back in the cave until his foot came in contact with soft leaves. He bent over and relaxed himself onto his sleeping mat. The dried grass clung to his wet body like glue. He grabbed a leaf out from under the grass and began to pat himself down. Once he was finished, he slowly relaxed onto the bed. Scion lay there, staring into the darkness of the cave.

As he was beginning to drift off, a bolt of lightning struck a tree in the forest with a deafening zap. Scion jerked upright in his bed, wide awake and frightened. Thunder shook the river valley.

Scion felt reminiscent of the night before, when he had woken up scared senseless and lonely. He repressed another shiver and squeezed his eyes shut, willing the memory to go away.

He pulled some grass over his head and body and took shelter in the cover of sleep.