There's no excuse for how extremely late this is so for that I apologise. All I can say is that The Awesome Sugar Sparkles here on FFN has gotten me to fall in love with Hetalia so part of the delay is all her fault. However, I still plan to update this fic (hopefully more than once a year). Without further adou, I bring you this chapter and hope it was well worth the wait!

Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine.

Chapter Two: I'm Going Insane, I Just Know It

Gallade walked silently beside me for a while after I let him back out, supposedly lost in thought.

"Yugi?" I glanced over at the Blade pokèmon curiously.

"What is it?"

"I've been thinking . . ."

"About what?"

"I want a name, and I rather like the name 'Atem,' " I stared.

"Seriously?" He nodded watching me with an unreadable expression. "Sorry but that's not up for grabs."

"Why, because it belongs to your boyfriend?" Again I couldn't help but stare.

"That ridiculous, not to mention creepy," I muttered. "It's like some bizarre case of narcissism."

"You could just be in love with yourself," I facepalmed.

"That's what narcissism is genius!"

"That proves nothing." I rolled my eyes, he didn't get it and I didn't have time to explain it to him.

"Return Gallade," I ordered as we neared the hotel.

"No."

"Eh?"

"I will not answer to a name that is no longer mine. I am Atem." I groaned, how was I supposed to explain this to the Pharaoh?

"Stop right there," A stern voice commanded. A girl stood behind me a silver cape cloaking her form from the neck down. Wavy brown hair fell past her shoulders and emerald eyes narrowed. "Your presence is demanded at-" She never got to finish her sentence as a small, green, fairy-like creature flew over to me. It circled twice and with a happy cry of "bii" flew back to what I could only assume was its trainer.

"Celebi!" The girl whined, "You totally ruined the intimidating aura I was going for!"

"Bii!" The creature giggled. I stared mouth agape.

". . . What?"

"Celebi, the Time Travel pokèmon . . . a Legendary."

"Well at least one of you is well informed, even if they do sound like a walking, talking pokèdex." The girl commented. "Yes, that's Celebi, Miss way-too-cheerful-for-her-own-good. She's a lot like her partner actually."

"You mean . . . ?"

"Yes, Legendaries do have genders. But it's not exactly obvious so few people know."

"I wasn't meaning that," She paused surprised.

". . . You weren't?"

"I was asking if people actually do manage to capture Legendaries."

"Ah, yes. They're picky." Gallade glanced at me before turning back to her.

"How so?"

"I'll explain it later," She stated waving it off. "Celebi, if you please?" The Time Travel pokèmon giggled and Egypt vanished only to be replaced by dense jungles. The Legendary waved and vanished. "I'm Avari Knight by the way! The leader of the Knights of the Elements!"

15 minutes later we were still in the forest and were following Avari who was currently walking backwards. She grinned, "I've been here, on this island, for nearly all my life. I know it like the back of my hand."

"For our sake, I hope that's true," Gallade mumbled. She threw back her head and laughed without turning around. Suddenly she tripped.

"Oww," She groaned as I tried to stifle my laughter. "I guess I deserved that." From the sky descended a large creature much like a green Slifer.

"Rayquaza," My pokèmon supplied even though I really didn't need his input.

"Hm?" Avari made a noise of questioning before following my gaze. Suddenly her mouth split into a wide smile. "Oh hi!" She chirped, "I'm back~!" Rayquaza only stared. The brunette looked almost chastised. "Well don't get all snippy with me mister!"

"Is it just me or am I the only sane person here?" I asked Gallade.

"Define sane."

If I had to compare all the people I met since rescuing Gallade to my friends from Domino City I would say that Gallade was the undisputed Kaiba of the group. Avari was Joey and Rayquaza was definitely Shadi. However they were nothing compared to the people I met next . . .

The forest suddenly gave way to a massive clearing and I got my first glimpse of the "Headquarters of the Knights of the Elements." My first thought, Holy Card Games that place is even bigger than Kaiba's ego—I mean—mansion! One look at Gallade showed he shared my sentimate.

" 'Holy Card Games'?" . . . Or maybe not.

Standing alone at the base of a rocky cliff was a mansion made entirely of white marble with statues of just about every pokemon ever discovered and perfectly manicured gardens. Although the building was only two stories tall at the most every upper window led to massive balconies and it seemed to take up the entire horizon. Giggling Avari grabbed my wrist in a surprisingly strong grip and proceeded to drag me to the building.

"It's not gonna bite! Come on!" Gallade followed along behind shaking his head in slight amusement. Almost as soon as we reached the door I found myself being attacked by breasts.

"He's so cccccuuuuuttttteeeee!" A feminine voice squealed.

"Now, now, let him go Alexis," A different voice, masculine this time, chuckled. "Let the kid breathe."

"I'm sixteen!" I managed to squeak out but only barely.

"A midget? Even better!"

"Alex please!" Avari groaned, "I don't think he's ready to deal with the crazy just yet."

"Bleh!" The other retorted sticking out her tounge.

\Yugi?\ Atem suddenly questioned and I froze. I'd completely forgotten about him! \Where are you? . . . And why do I have the oddest feeling that you're being suffocated by breasts?\

/L-later Pharaoh./

"You're doing it again," Gallade commented, "Talking to thin air and even calling it . . . Pharaoh?" I ignored him too worried about freeing myself.

"If you're not going to release him then you leave me with no other choice," A third voice, also female, murmured, "Lucario use Force Palm!" With blood coming from her nose like a river my attacker suddenly fell backwards unconcious even though her eyes were open. It was only then I got a good look at her. She had shoulder-length blonde hair and chestnut colored eyes with a slightly disturbing expression on her face. She wore a dark green shirt with only one strap, black capris and white sandals. Standing behind her in the doorway of the mansion was the only other male who had curly black hair with dark sunglasses shading his eyes from view. His dark blueish-black sleeveless shirt showed off large muscles and he wore plain black jeans and a pair of boots. Despite the bad-boy apearance he gave off a surprisingly easy-going aura, as if he was the type of person anyone could get along with. The last person was a girl in a plain white dress her blonde hair pulled into two pigtails by white bows, rubbing a Lucario's head. She looked up and smiled, blue eyes meeting violet and stood. Suddenly I realised she was barefoot.

". . . What's going on?" I questioned warrily (\Don't ignore me Yugi!\ Atem yelled through our mental link)

"First introductions," Avari said, "The girl who nearly killed you is Alexis Tempia, as for the greeting, that's kind of her thing, she does that to all the new people. The guy in the doorway is her boyfriend, Ian Brooks. Last but not least is Gracie Lute, normally sweet and innocent but when you get her ticked off watch out." Gracie blushed.

"That was one time!" The blonde whined.

"You nearly killed Alex!"

"B-but—!"

"That's nice and everything but why am I here?" I interjected.

"That's because you, sir, are the Knight of Electricity!" Avari declared pointing before going right back to her argument barely a minute late

". . . Just who have we gotten ourselves involved with?" I groaned.

"Psycho ward escapees?" Gallade volunteered?

". . . Close enough."

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