Ragnarok

I suck at this "updating on time" thing.

Anyways, here it is, "The City of Flowers", Chapter 16.

As always, read, review, and rate the story. Any form of criticism is appreciated, and will be taken into account.

I'll be working on outlining the next chapter after Easter. Yup.

Oh, I've also edited several things in the past chapters, but it's not anything big. Just wanted to let any of my readers know.

With that all said and done, enjoy the read!

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1:11
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A muffled sound stirred Noah out of his slumber, his mind but a misty fog as he came to the realization of where he was. Jerry and Lyn's rhythmic breathing could be heard inside the zipped up tent, a dull light from the oncoming sun shining through the veil of the yellow material that made up their temporary home. He took a deep breath, wondering what it was that woke him, his eyes still shut to prevent the light from flooding his vision. Noah's body refused to budge, trying desperately to get more than a moment's worth of rest.

Another shuffled sound snapped him back into reality. He felt something sharp and thick brush up against his waist, off toward his right side, tugging at his side. A quick clicking sound followed the pulling feeling as one of the vacant pokeballs popped cleanly off of his black trainer's belt.

'Luna...what are you doing up so early in the morning?' Noah thought to himself, not bothering to check whether or not she might've been probing his bond. He didn't get an answer.

'A wild Pokemon? No, we zipped up the tent,' he thought as he heard a quick series of sniffs, whatever creature it was that was crawling around him seemingly taking in the scent of the red and silver container. He heard an unnerving chuckle before a moderate deal of weight was dropped back onto his stomach and chest.

'Yeah, it's Luna,' he assured himself, feeling that familiar fur grazing his exposed arms. He took in her peculiar scent as her tail brushed passed his face: she smelled of fresh grass, a sensation one would feel in the wild. It seemed extraordinarily natural to Noah. He had almost forgotten about the wilderness outside of his home before having their encounter. An absurd thought at best, his mind wandering back to his years with Jerry, the two of them roaming out and about in Sinnoh.

Minutes later, Noah felt an unpleasant scratching feeling going down his cheek and neck.

'Nooooaaaaah, wake up,' she eagerly commanded through their bonds, continuing to prick him down his neck and toward his collarbone.

Noah groaned, trying to stretch inside of his small sleeping bag that he was already outgrowing- he made a mental note to buy a larger one soon when necessary. His eyes flashed open, focused on her milky white pair hovering just a few inches away from his face.

He stilled himself, starting to adapt to this bizarre morning ritual.

"Noah, good morning," she smiled, her fangs baring themselves somewhat threateningly. Noah jumped out of his morning grogginess stage, mildly uncomfortable being so close to such a sharp stare.

"What do you want Luna? It's early," Noah yawned, failing to pretend as though nothing was amiss. Rolling his eyes to his side, he noticed that Jerry and Lynus were still caught up in sleep.

"Well, I was just wondering about something."

"About what?"

He could've sworn that her grin stretched somewhat. "Well, I was a little hungry earlier in the morning after I woke up, so I went sniffing around in your bags." Luna lifted his black bag, flipping it upside down, nothing spilling out and onto his chest. He pulled himself up on reaction, nearing panic before inspecting the room around him. The inside of the group's tent was littered in his belongings. Luna continued, "I caught this peculiar little scent while I looked for stuff. It smelled familiar, and it wasn't in the bag. I looked around for a bit more, and I found this," she raised her paw, a shrunken pokeball pinned between two of her claws. The ball dropped onto his chest, taking Noah's attention away from Luna, her left paw slowly wrapping itself around his neck and lifting his head closer to her.

The heat in Noah's face amplified. He'd have to teach her about personal space sometime soon as well.

Luna's tail swung silently to and fro. Her face came only inches away from his own. Her eyes locked him up as tight as a bear trap.

"Tell me...why does this pokeball smell like me?"

Noah froze. His eyes grew large when it dawned on him: he'd completely forgotten to tell her that he had to capture her on Route 202.

He then became aware of a presence in his head. Luna was inside, listening to his thoughts. Her smile grew wicked.

Jerry and Lynus bolted up at the sound of a quick, thick slap feet from their sleeping bags.

==========

Jerry and his Monferno continued to struggle with the banana colored tent, folding it back into it's tiny compartment resting on the side of Noah's bag. Lynus passed time via her medicines, checking up on each individual vial she had made in the past day, ensuring that the herbs and berry juice were fermenting properly together. Noah, his right cheek still red from the impact, kept a steady fire blazing underneath a circular, tiny skillet.

"Jerry, can you toss me some of the breakfast mix in my bag?" Noah called out sluggishly, the pain from Luna's attack stinging with each word uttered.

Jerry called for his Monferno to cease their relentless assault on Noah's overly complicated setup, opening up another compartment. Inside the pocket was a bottle of ready-to-cook pancake batter and eggs in a sealed, cushioned container. He tossed them both across the small clearing and into Noah's hands. The pan sizzled to life as the ingredients hit the surface, the aroma of the pancakes and eggs reviving their weary souls.

Lyn hummed her sweet tunes as everyone's vigor began to rise like the burning star in the sky. Luna was ordered by Noah to tend to her tangled tail with her new brush. Luna reluctantly scraped away the loose ends of fur, matting down stubborn hairs with her tongue when necessary. She continued to groom her body as the pancakes began to stack up.

"You're welcome," Noah preemptively told everyone, his swelling already dropping down. Pancakes and a small amount of eggs were placed on several small dishes, one for Noah, Luna, Lynus, and Jerry. "All of this extra gear is a pain in the ass to carry."

Jerry took a fork to his first victim and dug in, Luna shoving her pancakes relentlessly into her mouth, viciously tearing it apart with her fangs. Lynus cut and shoved slices into her mouth, though in a much less vulgar manner than Luna by comparison.

"Didn't you carry all of this equipment last time?" Jerry asked him, obviously referring to their previous trip.

"Yeah, but you were carrying all of the medicine. I'm carrying a tent, clothes, Pokemon equipment, which includes the medicine, a sleeping bag, and all of this heavy junk." Noah looked over to Jerry's bag. "I'd ask you to carry some of my stuff again, but your bag doesn't look like it'd hold."

Jerry turned back to his bag, chewing on another flaky slice of pancake. They were dry due to the lack of syrup, but otherwise very well done, a skill Noah learned from his mother most likely. "Yeah. After I went out on my own, I picked up a smaller, more compact bag for my journeys. I also roughed it in the wild quite often. No tent for me, just my bag.

Noah chuckled as he scooped some of egg into his mouth. He didn't really like the flavor too much; they tasted too "artificial". He continued to eat them, if just to lighten the load he'd be carrying on his back after breakfast was all said and done.

"Either way, I can't stand all of this. I'm gonna dump all the cooking material somewhere once we arrive in Floaroma town later tonight."

Jerry and Luna frowned as they continued feasting on their light meals.

The breakfast remnants that gathered at the bottom of each plate from the food was washed out with an extra bottle of water Noah had been given by Lynus back in Oreburgh. Fully rinsed, he stuffed all of the materials back into his black backpack. The weight wasn't an absolute burden on his body, but he grew tired of carrying all of his equipment from city to city. Traveling with Jerry back in the day really threw off his perceptions of "traveling light" in that regard.

After another fierce battle with the tent, Jerry and his Monferno stuffed with Noah's other equipment. Putting out the fire with a lump of dirt and his shoe, Noah set off on the trail with his friends, toward the city stuffed with flowers.

==========

The weather was incredibly generous to the travelers today. There were only several light, puffy clouds hovering overhead, the sun shining down overhead, showering the Earth with its warmth. A light breeze blew through the open fields surrounding the route that the group roamed, a pleasurable feeling as the chilly air affectionately nuzzled the travelers' flesh.

The surrounding environment was flat and open ended, through the ground level slowly elevated up ahead in the cave to the north of the current path. Floaroma was founded on higher ground than Jubilife, but the elevation didn't really require much additional physical effort for any hiker. Tall grass again bordered the forests on the outside of the forest, covering up several snoozing Pokemon, while the avian wildlife fluttered around in the trees and in the deep blue of the afternoon.

To the group's pleasant surprise, despite the beautiful day ahead of them, the numbers of trainers that normally decorated the route was lacking. For a span of almost three hours, they saw not another soul other than their own on the trail towards Floaroma.

Even the Wild Pokemon were surprisingly inactive, though Jerry and Noah guessed that it was partially due to the migration patterns that have been shifting for the past few years. Pokemon new to the region wouldn't really opt to explore their temporary environments for long.

Though, that's not to say that there was a complete lack of confrontation. The small cave that split Route 204 in half still housed a dozen Geodude and Zubat or so. Noah chose Mawile, using her to stave off the few enemies they did encounter on the road, keeping them intimidated and frightened by her large secondary mouth.

Luna had her arms crossed through almost the entire duration after they had made it to the cave, frustrated that she hadn't been called to battle yet. She growled quietly under her breath, drawing Noah's attention for a handful of seconds before he continued down the path.

At the moment, a single trainer they ran into was battling against Jerry's Monferno with a Buizel. Luna, her patience running thin, prodded Noah's side.

"Ow. Uh- Luna, what do you want?"

She frowned. "When do I get to fight?"

"Soon."

"Why not now? I didn't get to do much of anything yesterday, and you just had me running around like an idiot."

"Yeah, and you stopped training altogether."

Luna growled again, but looked down at the dirt road. She dropped to all fours, sitting and keeping a sharp eye on the battle ahead. Monferno was indeed at a type disadvantage, but his strength and speed far outmatched the hopeless opponent on the other end of the battlefield. Buizel struggled, and his endurance was admirable, but the battle had already been decided, Buizel's determination be damned.

"It's not all my fault though. I just wasn't in the mood is all."

"That's fine. You weren't in the mood, so I didn't force you to train."

"...but I want to fight right now."

"Well, now there's no one to fight, and we don't have the time to stop every few miles to spar with each other."

Luna's eyes narrowed as she stared into Noah's brown irises with her own creamy white. She exposed her fangs while groaning in frustration. Noah's eyes, that calm, somewhat chilling brown color, grabbed her attention. The darkness of the shade of brown seemed to pull her in, trying to swallow her up within the black pupil. She felt an odd, tingling sensation coming from her own body, and through their bond. A strange sense of wanting screamed at her for no longer than a second, disappearing as her being shivered from ear to paw, her fangs disappearing back inside her jaws. She shook her head in protest, not wishing to re-experience that strange emotion now heating up her face.

"How about the next trainer?" Luna prodded.

"We've only run into one today," Noah replied, looking up at the now crystal clear sky. It was still early in the afternoon, but the lack of trainers along the road made their progress toward town speed up tenfold. "We'll be in town before nightfall at this rate. We can have you spar when we get there. Sound good?"

"I guess," Luna pouted through another weak growl.

A hard thud was heard over the conversation, followed by a strange sound emitting from the other trainer's pokeball. Buizel vanished inside his container, bruised and defeated. Monferno stood victorious, though out of breath, several marks tarnishing his untamed fur coat. The small fire on his head grew weaker with his fatigue. Jerry quickly returned him, and walked up to the opponent to congratulate him on a great battle.

After a small sum of money was passed along to Jerry for the fight, they continued heading northward. Luna and Jerry took the backseat to Noah and Lyn at the time, both staring off in either direction, so long as they really weren't looking face to face.

Jerry's need for some time-passing conversation with the Pokemon heightened. Though he honestly had very little interest in talking to Luna, at the same time, he was still fascinated with her ability to speak fluently in his native tongue.

"How are you doing today, Luna?"

Luna turned to him, wide eyed and ears perked straight up. It took her a moment to realize that Jerry was actually talking to her.

Luna scratched under her short muzzle for a few seconds, Jerry staring blankly back at her, trying to solve the riddle as to what she was thinking. The ferret twirled her claw in front of her vision, pointing it at Jerry.

"Ummm...Larry, right?"

Jerry blinked twice in rapid succession. His chuckle hid his irritation with his new comrade.

"It's Jerry, Luna."

"Oh! Jerry, Jerry! I'm sorry!" She apologized, rubbing down her left arm with her right, her ears dropping lower again out of embarrassment. She dropped back down to all fours and kept a steady pace with Jerry behind the other two. "I'm bored anyways, since you asked."

"Bored? Well I can see that."

"It's Noah. He hasn't let me fight all day. I'm getting restless."

"You love to battle a lot?"

She looked back up at Jerry, a sparkle in her eyes.

"I love it. The raw power behind every attack, the heart-pounding exhilaration I get from all of the movement, it's all so exciting to me."

"Hmm. And he won't let you fight?"

"No."

"Why?"

"If I knew why, I'd get him to stop it and make me fight!" She exclaimed, stomping the ground with one of her hind paws.

"Yeah. I wouldn't try too hard to make him change the way he does it though. He's trained like this since day one, and it's worked out pretty well for him so far."

"You've known Noah before, right?"

"You can say that, yeah."

"For how long?"

"Oh...well, hmm. See, we've known about each other since our childhood days back at the Pokemon Academy," Jerry quickly explained, "-a school for Pokemon Trainers. We were kinda like rivals back in those days. We knew of each other, but didn't really start getting acquainted until our final year. I still remember our graduation day. We ended up fighting each other."

"You two fought?!"

"No, no. We had a Pokemon Battle as a graduation test."

Luna took a quick breath. "Good. I thought you were an enemy, or something."

"If I was, then Noah would be smart enough not to let me near you guys."

The last statement hung in the air before dissipating into the nothingness.

Luna continued to push on, "Can you answer me something, ummm..."

"Jerry."

"Yes, Jerry, right. I got it this time," she said, flicking her ear.

"Never mind that, what was your question?"

"What's the deal with Noah? He's so...odd."

"What do you mean?"

"The way he acts, and talks, and looks. He's kinda alone, at least when I met him he was. He lived in this big house back in that tiny town all by himself. I figured that when I couldn't smell anyone else inside."

"Oh. That."

"And he got mad at me for asking about his parents when we went to that one place with all those long rocks."

"Long rocks?"

"Yeah. He said something about his family."

"Oh. A graveyard."

"That's it, a graveyard."

"Well, you're right in that he acts...different, Luna. Noah isn't some ordinary child."

"How?"

"I'll be glad to explain that much. Noah was part of an incredibly strong and influential family in this region. He grew up as a strong young man, and he was at the top of his class back at the academy. He was definitely one of the top picks for those who would make their names big in the next generation of Pokemon Trainers."

"He had a lot of attention back in the small town. I noticed it."

Jerry winced. "That's not the kind of attention someone would want. You see, ferret, Noah was special in that he had so much potential. But then...some things happened to him as he grew. What everyone wished to happen just didn't come to pass."

"What...things?"

"...that's not up to me to tell you. You'd have to persuade Noah to ask you about those kinds of things."

Luna's curiosity about Noah's past was already at a high after the events in the cemetery, but just hearing this from someone who supposedly knew Noah well enough set the new standard. Her hunger revolving around Noah's past became almost as enticing as a nice slice of raw, juicy steak.

"Can you tell me anything else?"

Jerry stared at her, then at Noah in the front of the group, him and Lynus quietly walking several feet in front of them now, Jerry and Luna walking slower to pull back as they conversed.

"Luna, I want you to do something."

Luna, interested, lifted back onto her hind paws and walked closer to Jerry. Jerry didn't really have any type of fondness with the seemingly crazy feline, but he didn't mind finally being able to share some information with someone as fascinated with Noah's past as he was.

"Earlier today, did you ever get an opportunity to actually take a good look into his eyes?"

"Actually...yeah, I did."

"What did you see in those eyes?"

Luna thought about it for a moment, reminiscing about the eerie feeling she felt when her mind was nearly engulfed by the pitch black emptiness that Noah's hollow eyeballs contained. She refused to speak of the strange heat, "I saw...nothing worth mentioning."

"How did looking into them make you feel?"

Luna hesitated at the question. "Cold. And uncomfortable. And sleepy."

'And hot,' she reflected, the thought sealed inside only her mind.

"See Luna? Noah has gone through so much."

"I don't think I get it."

"Every living being, at some point or another, has had to suffer some sort of injustice, be it infantile or mature in nature. Noah is no different. However, Noah has been unfortunate, in that he has had to suffer greatly, several times. It's unfair, but it's how his life has unfolded."

"So he's had to suffer more than other people?"

"Yes, ferret. And that has changed him completely."

"What?"

"What you see before you," he said, looking back at Noah before continuing, "is not the real Noah. This Noah is one born of all of the tragedy, pain, and cruelty that the old Noah had to endure. This Noah is nothing like the old one. This one is shy, self-conscious, depressed, and tends to keep everyone near to him as far away as possible. He often refuses to really talk to anybody he doesn't already know.

...that is, until you came along."

Luna looked toward Noah, walking back on her four paws. "Am I the reason he's not the 'real Noah'?"

"No. You're the reason he's not acting like the fake Noah, at least not as much anymore, anyways. You might be just what he needs to get him out of this depression of his."

Jerry thought for a quick moment, staring back at Noah during the discussion. "Tell me this: Do you like this Noah?"

"Huh?"

"Do you like this Noah here, in front of us?"

"Well...yeah, I suppose," Luna admitted, though Jerry's definition of the word was slightly different.

"Then you'd love the old Noah."

"Love," Luna repeated, remembering that strange little show she saw on the television several days ago. She hummed, her interest in the boy reaching a new plateau.

"He's so different in comparison to this Noah. The real Noah was...something else. I knew Noah for almost the entirety of my life, and I got to know him very well after we travelled together. He was a strong, bold, courageous young man, with a fire in his eyes that intimidated every trainer he met. He seemed to have an inner voice that screamed, to me, 'I will be the best,' with every battle I saw him win. On top of that, he showed nothing but love and affection for his Pokemon, and treated them like equals to him and I.

The old Noah is a force to be reckoned with, and I'm sure you'd love to meet him someday."

Luna was in awe at Jerry's description. Her heart beat increased at the thought of this 'new' form of Noah. "And how would I do this?"

"...We need to convince him to stop dwelling in the past. If we can do that without upsetting him too much, I'm almost certain that he'd return to normal."

The white cat nodded, her breathing now steady. "And how will I know when he's back to his normal self?"

Jerry turned to her one final time. "I've known Noah for so long. I remember his eyes from back in those days. Those eyes...made me feel like he was invincible. I doubt there'd be many forces alive that could stop those eyes, or that will. When he returns to his old self, rest assured, ferret, that you'll know right away."

"I...wow. Thanks a lot..." Luna fidgeted her paws and tugged gently on her ears. Jerry wondered what she was doing only moments before she clapped her paws together and grinned, "Jerry! Right?"

Jerry seemed distraught. Luna remained silent for the rest of the time she traveled alongside in his company.

Another hour passed by. Jerry caught up and turned toward Noah, Luna several feet behind them, now walking in sync with Lynus, who had just retreated behind the young men.

"Noah, how about you get the next trainer?"

Noah turned to him, nodding. "Sure, Luna's been itching for some action since she missed out on yesterday's training."

Up ahead, though still a moderately far distance, a tiny dot making their way closer to Noah's group. Another trainer was on the road, heading south toward Jubilife. He would make contact eventually.

The figure continued to gain shape and form as the gap between them grew shorter. Noah narrowed his eyes, looking at the cluster ahead in the road. He nudged Jerry.

"There's more than one."

Jerry looked back on the track. Sure enough, the wandering trainer was not alone. Two other figures slowly started to separate from the one’s own silhouette, three shapes in total making their way toward his group.

Luna felt an excited chill go down her spine when she noticed the trainers as well. She extended and surveyed her claws, admiring their beauty before sinking them back inside. She was growing anxious for battle, her spirit jumping and bouncing around inside her restless body.

The three figures ahead were only several hundred yards ahead of them at this point. One of them waved their hands to grab Noah's attention, swinging a pokeball around above his head. Of course, the other trainer wished to battle as well.

'Ready Luna? You're getting your battle.'

Noah only heard her excited jittering on the other end of their bond.

The three trainers were all very similar in frame. All three were males, all slightly younger than Noah, though the look of previous encounters and battles riddled their battle-ready eyes. Each of them had a single ball in their fists, prepared for a fight.

"So you guys want a battle?" Noah politely asked them, Jerry and Lynus stepping back, Jerry thankful for the opportunity.

"Sure," the young teenager in the middle replied. He arched his head around Noah, spotting Jerry and Lynus behind him, a Zangoose directly to the side of Noah, limbering up for combat.

"Are they Pokemon Trainers too?"

Noah looked the boy in the eyes. "Yeah, why?"

Their eyes seemed to all light up at once. "Then why not have a team battle?"

Noah raised an eyebrow. "What? You mean like a Double Battle?"

The middleman shook his head. "No. I'm thinking more along the lines of a triple battle. How does that sound?"

"What?"

"A three versus three. There's three of us, and three of you, and we've been trying to get someone to give this a shot with us for awhile too."

Noah turned back to Jerry and Lynus.

"They want a 'triple battle', a three versus three."

"But you don't have three Pokemon." Lyn muttered.

"No," Noah wiped his face, "one Pokemon from each of us, I think."

"That's right," one of the trainers interrupted.

"That's...odd," Jerry commented.

"But it's new. It might be interesting," Noah said, the trainers all nodding in agreement in front of him.

"Why not? What do you say, Lyn?" Jerry asked, snapping a ball off of his belt.

Lynus hesitated, having the least amount of experience with "friendly battling" in the group.

"Don't worry, just relax and have some fun," Jerry tried convincing her. She bit her lip while she considered the request. She answered with a quick nod.

"Alright, we accept the battle," Noah answered their request formally. "Since the roads are empty today, why not just have it right here?"

"Sounds good to me," the boy in the center replied, giving his companions a quick grin before the six trainers made some open room in between them.

Noah walked back with the group, getting the four of them together for a brief roundtable as the field between them grew larger.

"Have any of you guys done this before?"

"Never," Jerry quickly said.

"Mm-mmm," Lynus shook her head.

"Well...what are our best bets right now? I'm using Luna for sure, she's been wanting this all day."

"I'll go with Misdreavus then, she'll give us the range that Luna doesn't have," Jerry strategized with Noah. "Lynus, why not try with Rei? Her status inflicting attacks should help us out."

"I...yeah, I can do that," she said, "but wouldn't Skai be better? He's my strongest Pokemon right now."

"He is, but we won't win if we just focus on power and that's it. There's going to be six Pokemon on the field at once. There's going to be attacks flying all over the place. Skai and Luna would work, but they'd need a heck of a lot of support to prevent themselves from being attacked by a spare enemy, and my Monferno is too tired right now to cover the two of them. Just trust us, Lyn."

"Got it," she agreed, pulling out Rei's container from her coat, the group halting their movement.

Lynus and Jerry tossed their Pokemon out simultaneously, Luna quickly running out onto the field with her allies. Rei and Misdreavus took their spots to her side, both of them slightly confused at what was happening.

"What's going on?" Rei asked the other two, confused due to her lack of experience.

"We're in a trainer battle. Whatever Pokemon appear on the other side of this arena, knock them out," Luna quickly explained.

She dropped to all fours again, bracing herself to dart toward whichever poor victim she chose first. Her fangs bared themselves, her body quivering with excitement.

Three balls on the other end of the field blinded their vision, each one housing a different creature ready to battle the trio.

A titanic rock creature with four arms appeared first. His would-be flesh replaced with a coat of solid rock that enveloped his entire body. His roar scared several Swellow out of the bordering trees as he stretched his arms.

Up next, a strange little monster emerged, shrouded by a mess of blue vines. Its red feet and large-set eyes the only body parts visible under the tangled vegetation.

Finally, a humanoid creature with a strange white and pink pattern on its skin. Its feet were odd, a faded blue color, and curled upward at the tips. Two hornlike chunks of hair extended from either side of his whitened head, with rosy red cheeks screaming out for attention on its pale white face. Pads marked the bright white hands it had under its control.

Luna gave them several seconds to realize who they were up against, and with her spirit practically burning her guts, she charged the group, unafraid of whatever attacks they were capable of.

Noah, Jerry, and Lynus all watched as Luna charged the three foes with a foolish lack of care. The three other trainers were already shouting commands as the distance between the opponents closed in. Luna's four pawed run quickly shifted, her forelegs lifted above ground for attacking, the claws expanding as she approached the Mr. Mime. The mime Pokemon instinctively threw out its hands in front of its body, shocked at his enemy's speed.

Luna's claw came swinging down on the frail psychic Pokemon, clanking with a heavy, nearly invisible wall in front of her. Her eyes widened as her assault slashed through a strange white material, strands that seemed like mist slowly draining out of the wound she had caused. The mist quickly rejoined the rest of the barrier, fortifying it once more, should she wish to attack again.

"Luna! Get back!"

Luna heard and understood the order. She shifted to back off of the three Pokemon, until she realized that something thick and firm had quickly coiled itself around one of her paws. She followed the blue rope back to the tangled mess of vines, watching on as another vine quickly came from the beast and locked her in place.

The large boulder landed in between the two forces, the ground rumbling underneath his feet, kicking up dirt. He grinned, clenching his fist into a ball. The force behind the vines literally snapped back, quickly pulling her closer to the Tangela, and right up in front of the mass of rock.

His fist pulled back, Luna's eyes clenching shut as the massive arm came swinging, digging itself right into her gut. The power behind the impact squeezed the air out of her lungs, and without the vines pinning her down, Luna went soaring back toward the center of the arena, landing hard on her back. Her body skid along the road, her hind legs flipping completely over her head before rolling to a stop.

Noah screamed over their bond at her.

'LUNA! Luna! Get up!'

'I'm fine, god damn it...' she sent right back in a terribly mangled "mind-voice", not moving from her spot face down in the dirt.

'Are you okay?'

'I just got punched in the fucking stomach by a rock!'

Noah sighed. If she had the energy to talk to him like that, then she was fine. If anything, her ego had been bruised by the beat down she had just endured.

"She's okay guys, let's keep going," he reassured Jerry and Lyn, who nodded in agreement.

"Noah, it occurred to you too, right?"

"I figured it when they challenged us."

"Figured what?" Lynus asked the two boys.

"They've been practicing this type of battle style. Just stay focused, Lyn. We'll win this game," Jerry assured her. He looked to his Misdreavus, her back facing him, not letting the opponents get in another powerful chain of blows.

"Go, Misdreavus, Confuse Ray!"

"Rei, Growth!"

The ghost type's body began to glow a faint, white color. A strange sound was emitting from its body, the energy surrounding the screech Pokemon forming into a ball. Misdreavus targeted the Tangela, releasing its energy in the form of a thin, bright beam.

Rei kept her focus on herself, absorbing the nutrients given off by the sun and soil at a faster rate than normal. The pedals on her hands bloomed and widened, her leaf-skirt expanding along with the thorns that resided inside of the pedals.

Tangela stumbled in place, trying to avoid the ray of light, but it was to no avail. The blinding stream of energy slammed right into its body, its senses going wild and making it impossible to balance on its two limbs.

The rock Pokemon didn't waste any more time allowing the opponents to set up. Quickly, he wrapped his arms around his massive body, clenching his mass tightly together, before starting to peel out on the ground, rocks and other debris flying behind him as the heavily spinning boulder came tumbling toward the specter.

"Misdreavus, rise!"

The ghost Pokemon obeyed, flying higher into the sky to avoid the rollout. The ball clearly missed its target, rolling toward Jerry, Noah, and Lyn, before making a large, wide u-turn back toward the fight, kicking up dirt which forced the group to shield their eyes.

The ball continued to roll toward Luna's body, still recovering from her injury.

"Luna! Jump to your left!"

Mr. Mime reacted at the same time, a tile of barrier appearing on the ground in front of it. Following this barrier was another, and another, creating a road of barriers wherever the mime desired. The tiles made their way over to the other end of the field, twisting in the air and following the Graveler's path beside him.

Luna forced her body to turn around at her opponent, watching as the giant boulder came hurdling towards her. The barriers then outran the rock type, placed neatly on the ground beneath him. Then, as quickly as they did so, the barriers shot straight up, perpendicular to Luna's body. The vertical barrier worked as a wall, the rollout following it up into the air, and straight after the completely shocked ghost type.

Jerry clenched his teeth together as Misdreavus wailed in pain, the rock type smashing into her with all of his built up power from the rollout, the change in inertia sending her flailing toward the ground. She regained control of herself, barely missing the solid surface before swinging back several feet into the air. Her ghostly aura had weakened a great deal from the blow, Misdreavus struggling to catch her breath.

"That was ridiculous," Noah commented to Jerry.

"They've planned this all out way too well. It's annoying."

"Yeah, let's put an end to this. Lynus! You know what you have to do!"

Lynus nodded as Luna finally picked herself up off of the ground. She rubbed her belly before finally standing up once more, claws at the ready.

Graveler landed safely on the other edge of the battlefield, unscathed.

'That hurt. That really, really hurt. Noah, give me someone...anyone. I want them to hurt too.'

Noah would've been disturbed by this had he not begun to ride his own battle high. A quick command later, and Luna's Quick Attack took the opponents by surprise, marveled at how she managed to increase her already daunting speed after being hurt so badly.

A new command was ordered through their bond, one that Jerry and Noah planned back on the sidelines. Luna nodded as she tore through the open space on the plains.

"Psybeam!" Jerry announced, pointing at the Mr. Mime. Misdreavus roared her battle cry as a strange pulse of psychic energy forced itself from her purple mouth, almost outrunning Zangoose to the target.

Luna quickly jumped in front of Mr. Mime, readying her claw to strike. Mr. Mime once again conjured up another wall to protect himself. Luna smiled, blowing him a kiss before pivoting toward her true target.

Mr. Mime's eyes widened as a beam of psychic energy zoomed across the field, aimed at his head. The attack sliced easily through the physical barrier, slamming hard into Mr. Mime's face, knocking him off of his feet.

Graveler ran over to his comrade, unaware that a furry white mammal had just roosted on top of his body. A quick tap from a strange claw tickled his head, a feeling of humiliation washed over when he realized that Luna was sitting patiently above his eyes, yawning.

Noah admitted to himself, that despite Luna's reckless judgment, she made for a great temporary target.

Graveler helplessly waved its arms around, trying desperately to grab the mongoose off of its head. It tried punching the cat ferret off several times, Luna dodging each individual attack with ease.

"Mega Drain!"

Graveler, so preoccupied with trying to deal with Luna, failed to notice that Roselia was only inches from his body. She smiled gently as large vines shot out from her enlarged rose pedals, thorns laced around the thick green ropes. They sunk into Graveler's skin, squeezing him tightly, the thorns keeping him snuggled inside their grasp. Graveler roared in pain as his energy was sucked up into the temporary roots, feeding Roselia's body with his delicious minerals.

Luna, her diversion job complete, turned around to a bulbous, white palm in her face. She only had time to gasp as a powerful psybeam blasted into her face. She popped gracefully back into the air. Her eyes shut tightly, her mind a clusterfuck of static and ringing.

Long, blue vines reached up to Zangoose in midflight, catching her and wrapping tightly around her body. Tangela, no longer confused, squeezed tightly on its foe, clenching its body in between its unforgiving tendrils.

Tangela was forced to let go as another psybeam came soaring across the field. Misdreavus fired yet another one, grazing the Tangela's body as it tripped out of the way.

"Take them out Graveler! Go!"

Graveler struggled to ease its mind off of the pain that surged its body. Using his massive arms, it grabbed the vines, pulling Rei in close to his body. He grabbed her in a very weak submission hold, though still strong enough to keep her from breaking out.

"Drain him of everything he's got!"

Rei tried her hardest to absorb as much nutrients as she could from the rock Pokemon, but it didn't seem to be working as fast as the trainer had hoped.

Luna struggled to her feet, stumbling around; she managed to walk her way over toward Mr. Mime. Seeing him in her cloudy and hazy vision, she quickly made a sloppy attempt at attacking him. Her claw bounced against another barrier, knocking her back toward the Graveler. Mr. Mime's eyes glowed as it concentrated its energy, and fired a wave of confusion at the furry mammal, sending it back and inside of the Graveler's arm range.

Graveler quickly clutched onto Luna's body as well, smiling as his rocky form began to shake and tremble.

"SHIT!" Noah yelled, recognizing the strategy right away.

"Misdreavus, get them both free!!" Jerry commanded, the ghost type nodding and making a dash across the field. Her progress was halted by Tangela's thick vines, forcing her to dodge away from her target.

Mr. Mime focused his energy on a circular space surrounding Graveler and his foes. Within no time, a small dome of barriers encompassed Graveler and its two victims.

"Jerry! Hurry!" Lyn called out.

Graveler's body lit up like a bomb.

Jerry called out another command, moments before the Graveler finally self-destructed.

The noise attack was completely muffled inside of the dome, the barriers successfully holding their own against the explosion. Mr. Mime exhaled harshly, its energy nearly depleted from keeping the barriers together, while Tangela waited for new orders from its master.

The dome finally dispersed, the white psychic mist fading in the air around it. Smoke covered a small crater where the dome had been, the explosion ripping up the ground around it.

Rei, Luna, and Graveler all lay sprawled on the floor, seemingly unconscious from the powerful attack.

The opposing trainer returned his Graveler, more than willing to take a hit for the team.

Jerry and Noah smirked, though why they did so confused Lynus.

A loud coughing sound coming from the crater filled the opponents with dread. Luna, her fur blackened on several edges, and dirt staining her body, rose from the ground, panting deeply, her body taking a severe hit, yet somehow fine overall. Rei was next, her legs shaking as she lifted her own body from the rubble.

"What?! What did you do?!" Lyn exclaimed, shocked that the Pokemon survived such a devastating attack.

Misdreavus focused on her allies, a sharp red glow in her aura withering away. She shut her eyes and took in a deep breath of air. Her form floated slightly lower to the ground, her own fatigue exposed in the battle.

"Pain Split. I can't believe it," a voice came from the other end of the battlefield.

Luna gave none of the trainers, or Pokemon, any time to react. Focusing her energy into a quick, powerful blow, she darted forward, towards an unsuspecting mime.

The barrier Pokemon didn't even register the close line Luna delivered to his throat. The psychic type hit the floor one final time, exhaling as it slipped out of consciousness.

"That stunt was insane. And now it's going to cost you the match," Noah told the three trainers as Mr. Mime was returned to its ball. Tangela, worn out, was now facing down three Pokemon at once.

"I must admit, you scared us with that clever strategy of yours. I commend you three for making something so elaborate. If it worked, you three would have undoubtedly won the game."

The trainers on the other end of the map were speechless. Never before had it occurred to them that their strategies would fail. Tangela was panicking under the weakened vines around his body.

Luna grinned, her claws extended fully. Rei's poisonous thorns dripped poison from their tips, and Misdreavus' pulsating ghostly aura hovered in on Tangela. Its options limited, it made for one final last ditch effort, and attacked the speedy mongoose darting and avoiding its every attack.

Psybeam and poison sting after poison sting collided with its body as it desperately reached out for Luna, the mongoose quickly running in for several slashes before jumping back outside of Tangela's range, the three Pokemon weakening it with every blow.

Its vision grew blurry, and just like its partners, it fell flat onto the ground, successfully and swiftly knocked out.

==========

"Ouch! That hurts!" Luna cried as Noah applied potion to Luna's wounds. The spray stung Luna's opened cuts, eating away at the bacteria and reinvigorating her body simultaneously. She could feel her energy temporarily coming back to her, but the pain that the medicine initially brought on was incredibly uncomfortable.

"And your fur's a mess, too," Noah noted, handing her the brush he had bought for grooming. She mumbled in agreement, licking at her puffy tail and trying desperately to comb out the burned hairs.

The three opposing trainers had reluctantly handed over their battle money, and hastily retreated toward Jubilife after the fight was over. It was now just the three travelers on the road once more, a pleasant thought considering the battle they had just endured.

Lynus helped Rei undo the growth process, the skirt and rose pedals shrinking back into their old form slowly, and to a certain degree, painfully. Rei was given a vial of herbal medicine made by Lyn, and a very big hug for a job well done, before being returned to her ball.

Misdreavus, having avoided most of the physical attacks save for rollout, only required a potion and some praise from her benevolent master before she too was returned with a grateful chirp.

"You guys did great today. I thought the fight was pretty exciting," Jerry said to break the silence amongst the group.

"Yeah, it was pretty crazy for me too. How about you, Luna?" Noah asked his Pokemon.

She snorted, "I kinda wanted a little bit more...but it was fun. I only wish I could've shown you what I could really do."

"Other than get beaten to a pulp in less than five seconds?" Noah teased.

Luna bit Noah playfully on the arm, careful not to leave too deep of a mark, but enough to make him feel pain. "Shut it. I got careless, is all. But I didn't really get to fight as much as I wanted to."

"You did a lot of show boating though," Jerry noted.

"Noah said to irritate them while Rei set up an attack. I just did what I was told."

"And you did it wonderfully, Luna. You did a great job today," Noah congratulated her. Petting her on the head and scratching her at the base of her ears, her purrs a sign of her contentment.

"You okay to walk?" Noah asked her.

"Of course," the ferret turned her attention to Lyn, pointing at her. "C'mon, you walk with me this time, I'm tired of walking with the boys," she grinned playfully.

"Oh...um...okay," Lynus stumbled. The group repacked their medicinal supplies before hitting the road once again for Floaroma Town.

==========

"Noah, there's something I wanted to talk to you about," Jerry whispered, the girls trailing behind, talking amongst themselves. The sun was still raining down its warm rays of light, but its descent was in its preparation stages. It wouldn't be long before the light would vanish, and day would transform into night.

"What is this about, Jerry?" Noah asked him back, confused as to what Jerry had to say now.

"It's Luna again, Noah."

"What about Luna?"

"How come she is so disobedient? Why isn't she in her ball, and why does she sometimes ignore your orders?"

Noah looked at Jerry, understanding of why Jerry would ask such a series of questions. "Look, Jerry. Luna isn't in a ball because she doesn't like it, and I'm not going to force her inside of one. And last time I checked, she obeyed every order I gave her in the beginning of that battle."

"Wrong, Noah. She charged in headfirst without an order. She could've been seriously hurt. And not disobedient? She practically owns you."

"What?"

"She treats you like a toy. Biting, chewing, scratching, slapping, and taunting you whenever she gets the opportunity. I mean, just look at what happened this morning. She hit you because you caught her to protect her."

"I'll admit that she's a bit rough to get used to, but I really don't think that she does those things out of spite or anything. That's just the way Luna is," Noah replied, aggravated with Jerry's accusations. He couldn't tell her of Luna's true identity or goal. Not only would it not make sense to his best friend, but it would also force him to tell the truth about Luna's bond with him, something he'd still rather keep secret from Lyn and Jerry. It was dangerous enough that they knew he could understand Pokemon.

"...and what about last night?"

Noah almost stopped in his tracks. He looked Jerry directly in the eyes.

"You...heard that?"

"I heard everything that came out of your mouths. Noah, she's too feral for you to handle, especially considering your situation right now. Not only that, but there were points that you seemed to be talking to yourself during the conversation as well. Same goes for Luna. Care to explain that?"

"She's not 'too feral' for me, Jerry, I can handle her. I was able to control my parents' Pokemon when I was still a child. What makes you think I can't take care of her? And as for the conversation, you just happened to miss out on some of the quiet things we said to each other," Noah lied.

"I missed out, hmm," Jerry commented, but decided not to go any further than that. "If she isn't so much to handle, Noah, then how come she's so freely able to do as she pleases? Remember the academic Pokemon Trainer's Guide: obedience and loyalty are key to cooperation between Pokemon and Trainer.

"I know about that. Just let me do it my way."

"Ah, so you do think that there's a problem with her?"

Noah flinched. "Yeah. You're right, in a way. She's one hell of a loose cannon."

"You had a similar problem with Turtwig back in the day, remember?" Jerry reminded him.

"I'd rather not, but I know what you're talking about."

"Sorry. Didn't mean to bring up the past. But...does that mean you're going to do the test?"

Noah glanced back at Luna and Lynus, the two of them enjoying each other's company. Lyn was busy petting Luna's head, small bits of singed fur still poking through her coat here and there.

"Yeah. If that doesn't do something to her, I don't know what will."

"In Floaroma then?"

"Yes."

"Thanks, Noah. I was a little worried about the whole situation."

"Well don't. I have it all laid out already."

Noah gave Jerry a pat on the shoulder before they started to banter on about other Pokemon related topics, the girls straggling behind, deep into their own conversation.

"Yeah, I remember most of what you told me about the forest. Sounds intense," Luna continued.

"Well... a good fraction of my life was living in the forest. I didn't really have anyone else to rely on but my Pokemon and myself. In all honesty, if that Arbok wasn't there, I might have grown to enjoy that place. It was so beautiful."

Luna thought back to that nightmare she had. Her focus stayed on the beginning of the dream, of her, as another Zangoose, darting through the trees and grass, on the prowl. She remembered swinging down the trunks of the trees with her claws, zigzagging through mazes of bushes and tall grass, and climbing up larger trees to run along the branches like a Pachirisu.

Luna sighed pleasantly. "Sounds like a place I'd love to be."

"Didn't you come from the forest?"

"Oh. Uh...yeah, I guess so."

"You guess?"

"It's a long story, and I forgot it," she shrugged, eliciting a laugh from Lyn.

"This is nice too, though. Traveling with you three around Sinnoh. I'm pretty excited to be here with you guys."

"Aww, I'm flattered that you want to spend so much time with me," Luna sweetly told Lynus, getting on her hind paws. "Come down here."

Lyn hesitated before crouching down. Luna grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her down to her level, and gave her a nice, wet, long lick on the side of her face. Lynus rose back to a full stance.

"That was...different," she spoke with a blank expression.

"That's for being the cutest thing in our party right now," Luna replied.

"I...um...thanks."

"So, you roughed it in the jungle like any old Pokemon. It's impressive that you were able to live so long out there. How did you do it? Aside from the Arbok, I'm sure there were other predators running around...?"

"Well...I probably wouldn't have made it far without my Pokemon, and vice versa. Soki helped me make medicine for us to stay healthy, and Skai protected us from danger."

"Skai eh? How strong is he?"

"You fought alongside him, Luna. You should know."

"He seemed pretty tough. Think I'd be able to fight him sometime soon!?" Luna gave Lyn a cutesy stare.

"Um...sure, just stop looking at me like that."

"Thanks. I really want to see his power firsthand," she rubbed her paws together in anticipation.

"Well, I can say that he's strong...and quiet. But he always listened to me when I wanted someone to be there to talk to. He was always so nice...like a guardian angel."

Lyn stared off into the distance, thinking about those cold nights in her caves. Fearing for her life, and for the lives of Skai and Soki, never knowing when Arbok would next strike. She remembered countless times, falling asleep while watching Skai stand by the entrance, protecting her from the vicious elements of the wildlife, waking up the next morning, Skai remaining in the same spot by the cave opening, ever patient, and ever vigilant.

She always kept Skai's ball off of its stasis mode, a habit that would continue well after she was rescued. Skai would be able to come to her aid whenever she needed it, and his power was something she could always rely on.

She heard Luna's voice, weak at first, but getting louder and louder. Her last memory that she glanced over: A storm had broken out above the forest, a icy breath of body numbing wind nearly freezing Lyn's body. She was clinging close to Skai's body for warmth, crying her soul out to him, weeping over the loss of her parents, of her lost life outside of the forest, and her miserable, new life within the forest's borders.

Skai rarely ever said a single word, but Lyn could feel something when she was near him, talking, or during those rare moments where they actually had fun in the forest.

She came to realize something: He had always been there for her, and now that she was free, she felt the urge to thank him for all of his years of dedication to her father's wishes.

"Llllllllllllllynusss, hello?"

Lyn's eyes blinked several times in rapid succession, snapping her back to the traveling route, and Luna.

"You okay? You kinda blanked out there. You were talking about Skai, then you just turned off."

"I did? I'm sorry, Luna. I didn't mean to."

Luna stared at her. "Do you like him?"

Lyn shivered when she heard the question.

"Of course I do. He's my friend. I'd do anything for him, and I'm sure he'd do anything for me."

"Sounds like one of those...what are they called," Luna pondered, rubbing her ears with her paws, "Oh yeah! They call it 'love story' on the boxes at the Pokemon Centers!"

Lynus' mouth had gone completely dry. "Love? With...Skai?" She violently shook her head of the thought. "You're insane."

"He's been there for you as a guardian right?" Luna continued, "Sounds a lot like something a mate would do." On that note, Luna trotted up ahead, back to Noah's side.

That final sentence spun in circles in the back of Lyn's mind. She would've been lost in her thoughts all night, had Jerry not called out to her.

"Lynus! Come on! We're almost there, look!"

Lyn looked straight ahead, passed the group. A large, wooden arch stood along a beautiful row of flowers on each side of the road, starting at the arch. The pedals on each of the flowers left a sweet aroma in the air, easing the weary travelers as they marched up the last stretch of elevated hill.

"We're here," Noah told them, "Welcome to Floaroma Town, Vivid and Scented."

He turned back at the group, everyone had been perked by the aroma of the fresh flowers, but in each of their faces, were signs of exhaustion from the two day hike. All of the battles and sparring sessions helped no less, either.

"Hey...guys. What if we just stay here for a day or two? You know, relax for a little while?"

"That's...not a bad idea, Noah. Get our teams back to tip top shape, and we can even spar a little and check out what's new in town. What about you, Lynus?"

Lyn looked around at the other three. "I'm going wherever you guys are going."

"Alright then. Let's just sit back and relax. We deserve it," he grinned.

As the group walked into town, Jerry approached Noah one last time.

"Noah."

"Jerry."

"You just smiled."

Noah thought back to a few moments ago. "...Heh, I did."

"I haven't seen you smile in years."

"I've smiled several times in the last couple of days."

Jerry shook his head gently. "Not like that. Glad to see you coming back to us."

As Jerry pulled to the front of the group, leading them through the flowery fields and to the Pokemon Center, Noah felt warmness in his chest, a faint feeling he hadn't felt in ages.

"I guess I am coming back, Jerry...it feels nice. Let's hope it sticks."

The sun had nearly vanished from the sky the moment the group entered the center. Now, it was time for rest.

----------

Name: Mr. K
Type: Human-Like?
Height: 8'2''
Age: ???
Weight: ???
Eye Color: ???
Skin Color: ???
Hair Style/Color: ???
Body Type: Slender and Tall
Outfit: A black robe that drapes over his entire body, making no body part visible. He wears a white mask that resembles an adult human male's face.
Other Items: Cards, Dice, a Coin, and a crown on top of his head.
Hobbies: Gambling (Throwing Dice, Slot Machines, Flipping Coins, and Playing Cards)
Homeland: ???
Personality: ???
Bio: Noah Sol? An interesting young man. I wonder if it hurts when he bleeds...I hope so.
Weaknesses: No weaknesses are available for Mr. K. He doesn't have a Pokemon Team, and does not show any signs of immense physical or mental strength. His personality is constantly shifting, making it impossible to even perceive a weakness through any form of disorder or personality flaw.
Pokemon Team: ---
Threat Level: Massive

UPDATED PROFILE:

Name: Lynus (Lyn)
Type: Human
Height: 5'6''
Age: 19
Weight: 155 lbs.
Eye Color: Green
Hair Style/Color: Dutch-Boy styled, with bangs hanging slightly below her chin from her forehead; Black / Black, Dutch-boy styled, several bangs cover portions of her face and end right above her nose.
Body Type: Physically fit and very sturdy.
Outfit: Plain white long-sleeved shirt, blue jean shorts that end right below the knees. / Black Long sleeved t-shirt with a green sleeveless shirt over the black, and green running shorts that ended below her knees, white tennis shoes.
Other Items: A torn brown cloak wrapped around her neck, made of Pokemon skins and furs. It flows down to her knees and covers her entire midsection, but splits at her waist. It has several pockets on the inside of the jacket for herbs and medicine. Also wears a brown bag around her shoulders for larger items. / a large white backpack
Hobbies: Humming, experimenting with medicine.
Homeland: Fuchsia City, Kanto
Personality: Calm and very friendly.
Bio: A young girl born and raised in the Kanto region, she and her family move to the Sinnoh region for a better life when she turns 14. However, on their way through the forest outside of Sandgem and toward Jubilife, they are attacked by a powerful creature. During the struggle, Lyn's parents sacrifice themselves in order for her to escape. For the last five years, Lyn and her Pokemon have been trapped inside of the forest, tormented day and night by the constant attacks on her from the creature. Lyn's fondness for medicinal herbs back in Fuchsia City finally shows its use, she uses her extensive knowledge to keep her team healthy and ready for battle against the creature, and to cure sickness when it arises within her team. She learns to utilize herbs, local fauna, and berries to create medicine through several practices in Fuchsia (curing many poisoned Pokemon that have fought Koga's team). She waits for the day that she'll finally be able to escape the creature, and the forest which have taunted her for the past 5 years.
Weaknesses: Lyn's Weaknesses lie in her team’s lack of type advantages. Half of her team is weak against fire type attacks, and most of her team focuses more so on defensive battling. Her strongest partner, Scyther, is the fiercest fighter of her group, and more often than not, the moment her Scyther falls, her team falls apart. She loses composure when frightened, and doesn't know how to deal with stressful situations successfully, usually resulting in her Pokemon making very hasty and predictable movements.
Pokemon Team: Scyther (Skai), Shuckle (Soki), Roserade (Rei)
Threat Level: Minimal