When I walked back into camp, none of the pokémon were there, which surprised me. Then I realized that they must have been returned to their pokeballs before the humans started chasing me. I hopped up onto the table in the campsite. The silver platters were really pretty, and, being a thief pokémon, they were hard to resist. I smacked at them, knocking them across the table. They tumbled off and hit the ground.

"Hey!" Cilan yelled. "Liepard what are you doing? Don't mess around with those!"

Instantly I flinched backwards. Whenever we misbehaved in the lab, or did something that displeased the scientists, we were hit.

"Err… What's wrong Liepard?" Cilan was looking at me strangely. I realized that I was cowering on the ground with my paws over my face.

"Nothing." I said, even though I knew he couldn't hear me.

"So why'd you do that?" Pikachu asked. Pikachu seemed like a nice pokémon, but he was always sticking his nose into other people's business.

"Do what?" I asked innocently.

"You know what." Pikachu said impatiently. "Flinch like that. You knew Cilan wasn't going to hit you, right? Haven't you ever had a trainer?"

"Of course I knew he wasn't going to hit me." I replied. "I just don't like being yelled at." Pikachu didn't really look like he was convinced, but he let the subject drop.

"Ok guys, let's get traveling!" Cilan suddenly said. I turned around and noticed that the three of them had broken camp already. How'd they do it so fast? I wondered.

"Come on!" Ash yelled. "I gotta get my next badge!"

"You're such a little kid!" Iris put in.

Cilan shrugged and sighed like what're you going to do?

We walked forever. I thought my paws were going to drop off. Finally we came to a clearing and Cilan suggested that we stop and have some lunch. I flopped onto the ground. I hadn't done a lot of walking recently, even though I had been on the run. Mostly Brave had carried me.

A small noise made me look up. Ash's Snivy was standing over me. "Excuse me, but you're in the best spot of sunlight. Move." She said nastily

I jumped to my paws. "Hey, I've been walking all morning! You've been nice and snug in your pokeball! I think I have earned the right to the best spot of sun."

"That's telling her!" Iris's Emolga cheered. Snivy looked shocked, and then walked away with her nose in the air. I closed my eyes for a few seconds, and then shoved them back open. I could hear the sound of helicopters. And they were close! I looked up in the sky and saw enormous helicopters descending.

"Everyone, return!" I heard the others yelling behind me. I bared my fangs and fluffed up my fur, trying to look fierce.

The helicopters landed in front of us and the doors slid open. Instantly several grunts ran out.

"Sleep powder Liligant!" One of them yelled. Instantly light blue powder floated down all over Ash, Iris, and Cilan. I twisted around and raced over to Cilan and shook him with my paws.

"That won't wake him up." An oily voice said. "That sleep powder is extra strength." I turned around to find a short man with grey hair and a beard. I recognized him instantly.

"Professor Anstan." I snarled.

"Hello Lyra. It's been a while. I hoped I'd find you again. And to find you with such test subjects! It's perfect." Professor Anstan said.

"Keep your hands off Cilan!" I snarled.

"I'm sorry," Professor Anstan grinned. "I can't seem to understand you. Here, maybe this will help!" He lunged forwards and grabbed me. Then he fit some handcuffs on my front legs. Instantly I shifted back to my half human form.

"I said, keep your hands off Cilan!" I snarled again.

"Oh, the green haired boy? Sounds like someone's got a crush!" Professor Anstan sneered. "Well then I guess I should put you in the same cell! Liligant, sleep powder!" The blue dust floated around my head and I collapsed to the ground, dead asleep.