Author's Note: Oh dear, I can't believe its been six months since I last updated this story. You see, there's been a lot of dumb issues going on in life. I digress, also it doesn't help my laptop is practically on life support and my H key is total trash. Journey from Sin is back though and I apologize for the unexpected hiatus. Also, the story will be under some revisions since, God, my writing and plotting looks like a drunk mankey did it. I'll mention if any chapters get revised because boy do they need it!

Disclaimer: Colosseum and its characters do not belong to me, no matter how hard I wish they did…

Summary: Wes finds himself in a deep mess.

His mind was fuzzy with sleep, the room dark. Wes' back felt stiff from the uncomfortable position he lay in. Imp and Lune were crammed up in his lap all nice and snug. His female companion Rui was curled against his ribs, a smile tugging at her lips. He grunted when her foot suddenly collided with his knee as she rolled over, pushing him practically off the mattress.

Yep… my little family… Wes cringed when Lune and Imp wiggled in their slumber as well and he took it as his lead to get up. When he stood, the Espeon and Umbreon quickly took advantage of the now free spot. Imp bundled himself under the covers with a purr.

Wes didn't know what time it was now but he knew it had to be later than morning. Either way, it was too late for his tastes. Wes liked to raise before the sun, it was just habit by this point in his life. Gathering his boots from the floor, he snapped them easily onto his feet. Lean fingers playing with the buckling they were a comfortable fit. He smoothed his hair back absently and stood up.

He double checked his belt to make sure his Pokéballs were there. After he double-checked, he went on to triple-checking. When everything met Wes' expectations he gave a relived sigh. Wes decided to go check on old Fateen in the other room. Even if he still felt some hostility for the woman, it was just the dormant mother hen in him. He needed to make sure everyone was okay.

Peeking inside the room, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. However, his stomach churned uneasily for some reason. What was it? Raking his brain Wes padded deeper into the chamber with a progressing scowl. He felt his shoe crush something and looking below his heel he found some scattered glass.

"Odd, Fateen is a tidy woman…" he murmured and crouched. Then he raised his eyes to the book shelf, it look ransacked and he shot up.

Missing books, broken glass… someone else had been here! Feeling stupid and angry with himself, Wes made a b-line for the entry. "Fateen! Fateen!"

Jiggling the knob he pushed himself out, only to feel someone roughly slam his body to the desert ground below. Dazed, the young man blurrily looked up to see a few hulking figures.

"Lookkit!" It was a woman's voice, carrying the usual Orre slang. "The little rat finally emerges! Ya took somethin'of ours and we want it back!"

He then realized it was the mob from before, when he'd done the dumbest thing possible to snag the Pokémon in front of the Duel Square. Wes had been lost in the moment…

"Too bad ma'am," Wes said coolly, pushing himself off the ground. Dusting himself daintily he raised his chin. "Ya should know how Orre runs, darling. What's yours is mine."

She looked stunned and looking at one of her muscular comrades seemed to prompt Wes for another make out session with the floor. Feeling his jaw crack, he spiraled and dropped heavily. He groaned, tasting blood. Damn, the dumb thing was just healin' too!

"Let's teach the little thief a lesson!" A man yelled.

It was followed by multiple shrieks of agreement. Wes stood up, growling, "Ya wanna go? Let's go pal. No Pokémon either!" He raised his fist when a few of the men hurried at him. Swinging he decked the body builder on the nose. He fell like a mighty oak but Wes soon followed him. It was one against many and Wes didn't have much of a chance.

Wes heavily relied on the tactic of surprise, as he wasn't ashamed to admit that he was a very small man. When he didn't have that element on his side, he was very much screwed. He tried getting up only to feel someone's boot smack against his skull. Wes yelled out, instinctively curling into a ball. Shit! No! No! No! He didn't like the feeling of helplessness as he attempted to roll away and stand.

Suddenly though, one of his attackers was thrown aside and Wes sat up, bruised to see to his surprise and horror, Rui. She had an obvious case of bedhead and the man she'd smacked was twice her size and rubbing a bruised cheek and ego.

"You're all a buncha dunderheads!" Rui shrieked, hands on her hips. "Smackin' someone who's hardly twice your size!"

Lune and Imp leaped to stand protectively by Wes. Wes felt Lune's tongue at his cheek as the black Pokémon tasted blood.

"There, there kid. We got ya," Lune soothed. Wes just pushed his pet away and got up, rather shakily. He felt stunned from the fall and now he'd dragged Rui into this brawl.

"You're defendin' the thief?!" It was the woman with the flowing bandana again.

"Takes a thief to know a thief," Rui rebutted with a sneer.

"Either way young lady, if you know what's good for ya and your precious Pokémon, you'll back off. Its Pyrite noobie. Everyone for themselves, and his face is worth a good hefty sum I hear!" He gestured to Wes who was nursing a wound on his shoulder.

Rui's next words surprised and terrified Wes. "Over my dead body I will!"

It didn't take long for everything to turn very violent. Wes tried shielding Rui from any of the blows that followed as man and Pokémon broke into a riot. Lune and Imp struggled to wrestle with Pyrite's more street-wised monsters as their humans were left defenseless. Wes refused to call out his furious shadow Pokémon, they didn't need to see so much hate.

He was knocked over again along with Rui behind him. Blood grazed his jaw line and splotched parts of his face. Rui didn't look much better with the few scrapes she carried. Wes didn't cower as the crowd grew closer and closer. He did however struggle to make sure Rui was protected with his back blocking them from their tormentors.

"Ya really are a stupid brave girl," Wes said with gritted teeth.

It was then a gunshot filled the Pyrite air. Everything grew dead quiet. Pokémon stopped their attacks, their humans freezing mid kick and punch. Lune and Imp limped towards Wes and Wes welcomed them into his arms. Imp eyed the crowd worriedly.

Like a sea parting, the crowd stepped aside when a tall and hulking man dressed in a white shirt marched through. In his large hand was a gun and Wes swallowed visibly. Lune's neck fur bristled and he hissed, low and ferocious. Rui grabbed his arm and suddenly Wes felt himself being pulled up by the collar of his shirt.

His golden eyes narrowed when he realized who this man was. It was Duking, the frustrated head-honcho of Pyrite. Lune leaped to bite Duking's leg but the man skillfully evaded it with a careful step. He was graceful despite a guy of his massive size.

"Play along or else," was all Duking said, speaking low.

He threw Wes to the ground like a rag doll and Wes gave a grunt. "Really getting' sick of you guys tossin' me like this…"

"Ya shoulda thought it through before ya went snatchen' 'round 'ere kid," Duking snarled. He clicked his gun and aimed it towards the crowd. "Now all of ya, git lost! I'll deal with 'em. I find out any of ya do this again, I'll blow your heads off!" He snarled.

There was no arguments as they slowly backed away, dispersing reluctantly. Duking snorted, satisfied as he put the pistol in its hoister. "Sorry 'bout that kid," he said, suddenly merrier as he encircled Wes' arm in his large hand. Wes was practically lifted to his feet.

Wes yelped in pain. "Watch it pal, that really stings!"

"Tough guy you are not," Duking chuckled. "Stupid if anythin' Macho man." He turned to Rui who got to her feet slowly. Her knees were bloody and Wes gave her a worried look. Outside of a bruised cheek and some blood on her knees and upper lip she seemed reasonably unharmed. "Ya okay young lady?"

"I'm fine Mr. Duking, thank you so much." She looked ready to cry as she went to hug Wes around the ribs.

Wes pushed her off with a painful moan. "Ribs! Ribs! Watch the ribs, red!"

"We betta git ya fixed up," Duking said with a hefty sigh. "I hope I didn't screw things up rescuin' your hides…" The final part was just a whisper but Wes caught it. He frowned but was pulled from his thoughts as Rui grabbed at his face.

"Are you okay Wes? I was so scared for ya," she whimpered, turning his head in different directions as she checked his injuries. "Look at you, you're so beat up…"

"Rui, please, stop touchin' me. Not that I don't appreciate it but hell you're makin' it worse!" He, as gently as possible, pushed her palms away. He saw bloody scabs along her fingers and he gave something of a sigh. "Ya got balls for a sheltered girl, red. Didn't think ya had it in you."

He then followed Duking as the large man gestured for them to follow. "Hurry before anyone else sees."

Wes limped after him, Lune and Imp close to his heels.

"Man, this really sucked," Imp moaned. "My beautiful coat…"

"That's all you're bitchin' 'bout?" Lune looked baffled. "Wes coulda died Imp, the girl too!"

"Hey, I love the guy like a brotha Luney boy but it doesn't hurt to love yourself every once in awhile too." Imp gave his big brother a look of defiance as he spoke.

When they emerged through the doorway, Duking made sure to click the lock shut. He seemed to tremble before suddenly breaking into sobs. Wes blinked in utter amazement as Rui gathered the poor man into a hug without hesitation.

"Please kids, ya gotta help me!"