Sinners: Arc 2

A/N: You know, originally I had intended for chapter 21 to include the entire journey through the desert. But after I started writing, it became clear that the desert would be a lot longer than I intended, with a lot of key discussion and new things to think about. And considering that this chapter is over 21500 words before the first day in the desert was done, I've decided to stop it at a good moment and split it up.



Sorry for the delay, but here it is. This chapter includes an introduction to two new major characters, even if only in passing, along with more on the strange phenomena coming from Fallarbor and the dangers of the desert.



I'm going to go and start responding to the reviews that I should have responded to a long time ago, heh. Enjoy!



Word count: ~22000



*****



Chapter 21: For We Are All Sinners







Five thousand nine hundred and twelve.



That is how many people were sitting in the stands of the Lavaridge Gym.



Every single man, woman, and child in town was packed into the arena, along with several dozen traveling trainers that happened to get caught in the city when things started going bad. Every seat was filled. Many people were forced to sit or stand in aisles or on the access stairs. Never before had the Gym been filled to such overflowing capacity, not even for the fiercest of battles.



However, the tone of the gathering's buzzing conversation was not one of excitement, suspense, or enjoyment. No cheers, no signs, no betting pools. There were no popcorn vendors moving through the bleachers. No concession stands were open. The four-sided screen box at the roof of the arena was not displaying combatant statistics or battle records. There was no net of psychic Pokemon to shield the audience, because there was nothing to shield them from, at least in the Gym---the battle area at the center of this gathering was completely empty.



The red-haired girl stood at the mouth of one of the darkened access tunnels, just out of sight of the crowd's view. What she heard frightened her. Granted, this was a dire situation that made the people's worry and near-panic somewhat justified, but still...



By her side stood a young but battle-hardened Blaziken, arms crossed over his furred chest. But despite his tough facade, she knew that he was as worried as anyone else here. Her Kaishakunin was one of the few Pokemon she had that she'd captured and trained herself, as opposed to those that she inherited from her father, and she knew him better than he knew himself.



It was tempting to go out there with one of her father's famous Pokemon, such as the mighty Torkoal that he had used to fight off Team Magma on a dozen occasions...that might give the crowd a little more confidence in her. However, she knew that this crisis was the first true test of her own leadership, and she would have to handle it with her own strength...not the strength of her father. He was dead, Jirachi rest his soul, and now the burden of protecting the town fell upon her.



[It would not be wrong to use his Pokemon in this situation, Flannery. He didn't leave them to you because he thought you weak...he left them to you because he knew you are strong.]



She looked up at Blaziken silently, trying to draw strength from the power flowing off of him, even if he was as nervous as her. Yes, he was right...her father had trusted her implicitly, known her potential, and had been training her to take over his Gym leadership since she was very young. And yes, one day she might far surpass him and become one of the legendary masters. But despite her strength, many in Lavaridge still looked upon her as weak and fragile due to her age and relative inexperience. How many times had she heard, when no one thought she was in hearing range, "oh, Flannery is a fine trainer, her father would be proud, but she's still got a long way to go before she's at his caliber"?



Hell, when she first assumed leadership, there was a flood of trainers to Lavaridge to challenge her, expecting a much easier win against her than they'd have had against her father. A week later, she had won over a hundred and fifty battles, only having to hand out Heat Badges to eight people. The trainers of Hoenn quickly realized that she was no pushover and had given her the proper respect. But as for the citizens of Lavaridge...



Well, there was a difference between winning battles and leading a city. A huge difference.



"You're right," she replied to Blaziken quietly. "But I don't want them to think I have to rely on my father's legacy to succeed. We both know that someday I'd have to stand up on my own. Today's that day. Besides, today isn't about showing off Pokemon. It's about getting them through this alive. It will require intelligence and leadership, not a battle."



[Whatever happens, I will stand by your side. No matter how much faith in you they have or lack, remember that.]



"Thank you. That means a lot to me. Even if I already knew that, I needed to hear the words."



[You should go now. They're getting restless.]



Flannery nodded, resisted the urge to take his hand, and the pair stepped out and onto the battlefield. The lack of cheers when she appeared worried her, even if this was not a battle situation. Her father would have been cheered, even in this trying time, but their confidence in her was not nearly so great. She would have to earn their confidence now or have it lost forever...along with their lives.



All of their lives.



The crowd continued its worry-tinged cacophony, the ideas and suggestions varying wildly. Some wanted to storm up over the mountains despite the danger and confront the problem head-on. Some wanted to evacuate while others considered leaving the city blasphemous. Speaking of, some were praying feverishly to Jirachi, wishing that he would guide them through this darkness.



Some even believed it to be the end of days, the end of the world.



As she approached the center of the battlefield, Flannery was not sure what she believed. She was not a strong believer of Jirachism---and she believed that if Jirachi wouldn't grant someone a new bike on their birthday, he wouldn't be willing or able to stop this---and thoughts of apocalypses and divine intervention didn't register as serious to her. But the rapid escalation of the situation did, admittedly, seem too abrupt to be purely natural. Maybe it was not a god behind this mess, but there were other equally forbidding possibilities. Legendary Pokemon? Perhaps. She remembered accompanying her father on a hike when she was only a small girl of ten, and the two of them had stumbled upon a Moltres. The power she felt radiating from that creature was overwhelming. So she supposed it was at least possible that some Great One was causing it. Had this occurred a couple weeks earlier, she would have believed it to be the work of Team Magma...but that was no longer possible, seeing as the Master of Thunder and a young trainer, perhaps his apprentice, had apparently annihilated the group in Mauville a week prior.



[Maybe it's Groudon awakening?] Blaziken asked himself out loud. Flannery looked up at him to see if he was serious, and sighed when she saw his smirk. He could read her thoughts like a book.



"Don't make fun of me."



[Don't worry about the mystical, then. Just focus on the strict facts. If you bring up possibilities of legendary Pokemon to these people, then---city folks or not---you'll drive them into a frenzy that I don't think you can get them out of. If you let them think the situation is out of their control, they will panic. Try to get them to believe that they can get through this without difficulty if they work together and think rationally.]



She nodded at him in agreement just as they reached the microphone standing in the middle of the arena. The chattering had a dangerous, jagged edge to it. While it was not panic, not yet, it was closer to it than she preferred, and the worst possible thing to do under these circumstances was to have the entire town panic and flee the city in droves, scrambling right into a disaster of unknown---but terribly ominous---intensity. Again her Kaishakunin was right---panic had to be avoided at all costs. Even a small number of vocal loonies could set off a chain reaction that would destroy whatever logic was left in these people. She would simply talk about the facts and hope that they would remain sensible.



"If I may have your attention---"



Her voice, even amplified by the microphone, was drowned out by the crowd.



"Quiet down, please---"



No effect.



"Enough of this shit," she spat. "Blaziken, get their attention."



The fire Pokemon turned his head to the rafters and expelled a blast of flame into the air, briefly covering the entire gathering in a haze of golden light. The rattle of thousands of conversations died instantly, all eyes focusing on the red-haired young woman below. Flannery smiled, trying to portray an air of confidence. Even if she felt nervous as hell, she could not afford to look it.



"That's better. I hope that I will not lose your concentration again. I know that many of you are afraid...not unreasonable, considering what's on the northern horizon...but we cannot afford to lose our composure. Not if we want to survive whatever may be coming our way."



Murmuring from the crowd, but none of it challenging her. Good.



"Now, I know that all of you have seen it, and some of you have heard the rumors, but I'm here today to explain just what the situation is. I'll start off with the obvious---Mount Chimney is active again. Technically it has always been active...but that's sometimes easy to forget. Usually we only think of the mountain as beneficial, giving us fertile soil and hot springs...but it's still a wild thing, with a heart that cannot be tamed. What we've seen in the past twenty-four hours is proof of that. You've all seen it."



Another low murmur, this one slightly more fearful, swept through the arena. Yes, they had all seen it. You'd have to be blind to miss the huge jet-black cloud that had begun billowing out of the towering mountain only yesterday. They were used to the normal gray haze that wafted from the peak, but what was clawing up at the sky now was anything but normal. Perhaps a hundred miles high and growing wider by the hour, it draped the mountain range---and their town---under its ominous shadow. An entire quadrant of the sky was obscured, the pure blue hidden by moonless black and swirls of ash and crushed, powdery glass, and it was terrifying.



The arena of the Gym had no windows, but Flannery's watch had a video feed of the northern skies. She looked at the ever-growing monster and shuddered. In the past six hours, it had become even darker and more menacing, and what would happen if it fell? Typically the ash clouds of Chimney went north, coating the appropriately-named ashlands, but what she was seeing now was not a mere cloud, but a titanic column of volcanic matter, held up only by its own consistency and continued emission. If it were to collapse under its own weight, the entire mountain range, and all who lived there, would be buried under countless tons of ash and soot.



"Right now the column is continuing to rise, and the ash is still heading north. That's the good news. The bad news is that the wind direction won't matter if it collapses on top of us. We won't have much warning if that happens, so I'm implementing a few basic precautions. Our water supply is going to be closed off, so it can't be contaminated by any ash fallout. We'll start switching more of our power load to the geothermal generators, as well, as ash can really screw up above-ground wiring and electronics. Other than that, there isn't much we can do about any fallout, other than keep a sharp eye out and be ready to get to shelters if a collapse occurs. Unfortunately, we have had some problems with the monitor stations."



Flannery tapped her watch, and the large screen box at the top of the arena turned on to show a seismograph chart. The line started almost smooth and flat on one side, but began turning jagged and wild as it flowed to the right.



"The monitor stations failed last night, but the final readings we received showed increasing seismic activity within the mountain range. It's possible that we'll start getting some tremors in town soon, and if these records were correct...we may be experiencing significant earthquakes within the week. Most of the structures in town should be able to weather smaller quakes, and I know all of you have taken basic safety courses in the past, but we still need to be ready for more serious activity, so we'll be fortifying shelters and holding drills throughout the week."



A lone, but loud, voice spoke up from somewhere in the crowd. "And what if it erupts? What do we do then?"



The murmuring began again, and Flannery wasn't sure what to tell them. She didn't want to scare the hell out of them, but she didn't want to give them sugarcoated lies and get them killed, either. Deciding that the truth was best, even if it was frightening, she silenced the grumbling and responded.



"We have no way to know if Chimney will really undergo an eruption. While the mountain is fairly active in geological terms, we must keep in mind that there hasn't been an eruption in over two hundred years...and even then, it was not a large one. Some evidence suggests, however, that Chimney has slowly been working up to a significant eruption for some time...and considering that that huge black cloud has only formed in the past day, it does appear that things may be getting worse far faster than we predicted. Hopefully there will not be an eruption, but if there is..."



She hesitated, but a brief pulse of assurance from Blaziken overrode her fear. "If Chimney erupts, Lavaridge will be utterly destroyed."



There was a sudden cry of fear from the crowd, but Flannery silenced it before it could pick up. "So I'm going to tell all of you this now, and I want you all to be prepared---if it gets much worse, I will order a complete and mandatory evacuation of Lavaridge."



"We'll never leave this town!" someone shouted angrily, and a large part of the audience roared in agreement.



"I've lived here all my life, there's no way I'm going to abandon it!"



"Your own family has lived in Lavaridge for centuries, Flannery! How can you turn your back on it?"



Blaziken let out another burst of flame, restoring enough order for Flannery to cut in.



"It does not matter how much any of us wish otherwise---if Chimney erupts as powerfully as it looks like it may, there will be no way to save this town. You can complain all you want, you can refuse to accept it all you want, but it will not change a damn thing---if the volcano blows, every single living thing in Lavaridge is going to die. And I will not allow my people to be so stubborn and foolish that they will allow themselves, their families, and their Pokemon to die in a rain of lava and ash and poison!" She swept her stern gaze over the crowd, her self-doubt completely gone. "Buildings and history can be replaced. Lives cannot."



The people began quieting down as the sobering reality hit them. After a long moment, a lone voice spoke out. "What about Fallarbor? Do we know anything about the monster that destroyed them? Could it come after us?"



[Careful, Flannery...remember, just the facts, or they'll go crazy...]



[I know, Blaziken. I'll be careful.]



"We don't know what happened in Fallarbor or to its people. As you all know, we lost all communications with them around the same time that the monitor stations failed...and yes, there were some reports of a strange creature attacking the town. But we have no reason to believe that such rumors are true. Look above us...that huge cloud could frighten anyone into a panic. In fact, I think that I even heard some talk about 'the end of the world' coming from some of you sitting here today. Until we have hard evidence of this so-called monster, we will continue to operate normally. And all of this talk about Fallarbor being destroyed is completely unfounded. Hell, the communication relays go down all the time when the ash flow is heavy, and right now it's heavier than I've ever seen it."



She sighed and looked over the people in the stands, many of whom now looked more worried than angry or frightened. "I know that many of you have friends and family in Fallarbor, and you're concerned about their safety. Even if there is no monster, the volcano still poses a threat to them, and they could not evacuate as easily as we can. Last night I sent two teams of trainers out to head to Fallarbor and ascertain the situation there---one by flight, the other by the Fiery Path. And both were forced to return only an hour later. The skies over the entire region are filled with ash and, more dangerously, invisible toxic gases. We don't know how far the toxic range is without the monitor stations, but it's far enough that high-flying Pokemon have been falling dead from the skies all the way to Mauville. The Fiery Path isn't much better...the Pokemon there are going wild, magma is spilling everywhere, and there are likely toxic gases in the lower parts of the cave. I have ordered the path to be sealed off until conditions improve."



"What about the desert?", a hesitant voice asked, all the energy and defiance knocked out of it.



"There are no signs of trouble there, but a desert crossing is still incredibly dangerous. There are only a handful of trainers here capable of making the crossing, and a round trip would take over three weeks by that route. And even if our teams do get there in time, all we can do is tell them what they already know---to take shelter in Meteor Cave. If the people of Fallarbor haven't been attacked by some monster, it's likely they've already begun evacuating there. There is no point in sending trainers on such a long and pointless mission, especially when we need every trainer we can get to help us evacuate. All we can do for the people of Fallarbor is...hope."



There was a long period of low conversation, and Flannery didn't need to be a progger to tell that the people were depressed. Their fear and anger has turned into a sudden certainty---if Chimney erupted, their world would be changed, and possibly destroyed, forever. The fact that they could rebuild did not change that fact. The fact that the people of Fallarbor would likely evacuate to safety didn't change the fact that no one could be truly certain that there wasn't some twisted monster ripping them apart as they were sitting here, discussing just how helpless they were. While she didn't want a hyper-excited, panicking town, neither did she want her people to feel so hopeless.



"That doesn't mean that we're doomed, though," Flannery said strongly. "After this meeting is concluded, I want all trainers with poison Pokemon to come see me. We'll be organizing a team to go to the mountain and try to repair the monitor stations. I also want all trainers with good heavy-lifters to see me as well, so we can begin shoring up our shelters and moving out critical equipment to Mauville. Any trainer who can't help with either of those tasks will be on convoy duty for supply runs and a possible evacuation. All other citizens are to begin securing their homes to be as earthquake-proof as possible, along with packing up anything they can't bear to lose if we're forced to evacuate. Is everyone clear? We're not going to just stand around and wait for whatever comes. Get to work. This meeting is adjourned."



There were no cheers, but Flannery didn't care. As long as none of these people jumped off a bridge in the next month, and as long as none of them died trying to flee that titanic black cloud collapsing or a river of lava, she would consider her first major task as leader to be a success.



-----------------------



After the long (but thankfully promising) meeting with the poison-users and heavy-duty trainers, she and Blaziken finally found themselves back at their home just before the sun dipped below the mountains.



As the door clicked closed behind them, Flannery looked at herself in the mirror and groaned---she was a mess. Hot and sweaty from the stressful day and covered with ash from the walk home. She pulled her shirt off, tossed it in the hamper and headed towards the bathroom.



"Care to join me?"



Blaziken nodded, following her in and waiting patiently for her to undress. The pair stepped into the shower and let their bodies finally relax after a long day of tension. The water didn't harm Blaziken, and it was nice and hot, just how he liked it. He squirted a blob of shampoo into his hand and began working it into Flannery's ember-colored hair, strong fingers carefully working at her.



[Are you alright, Flannery? You're shaking a little.]



"Do you blame me? The cloud looked a lot more frightening on the walk home. It's so much more ominous when it's getting dark out."



[I think the opposite about it, actually. To me it's a lot more ominous when you see the contrast of that blackness against the blue sunny sky. At night it's practically invisible...the only way you'd know it's there is by the lack of stars in the north sky.]



She leaned back against him, sighing contentedly as Blaziken's strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her tightly to his chest. "I don't think I can just stay around here directing traffic. I can't get Fallarbor out of my head. I wasn't lying to them when I said I think they'd be fine with fleeing the volcano, but what if there really is some monster? The psychic Pokemon around here have been getting steadily more nutty all day, and even I can almost sense...something. Something in the north. Maybe there's no hard evidence, but I am getting more and more sure that there is something very wrong happening up there."



[What do you suggest?]



"...I think we should go. I can leave one of my apprentices in charge, tell him to keep working to repair the monitor stations and prepare for evacuation...and me and you can go to Fallarbor and see what's happening. I don't want to leave Lavaridge in such a crisis, but I can't let an entire town be destroyed just because I want to measure up to father's legacy in the eyes of these people."



[How could we get there, though? You said it yourself, the desert would take too long, and there's no way to go over the mountains.]



She turned around in his embrace, tilting her head up and locking her eyes with his. He practically purred at what he saw...the fire in her eyes.



"The Fiery Path. If anyone can get through it now, we can. It would be very dangerous...and we might not make it...but if we do, it's possible that we could arrive in Fallarbor in half the time. If you'd be willing to risk your life to go with me, that is."



Blaziken smiled and squeezed her shoulders gently, turning her back around so he could scrub at her hair again. [I can't stop you, can I? So you know damn well that I'm coming with you. When do we leave?]



"Tomorrow. Noon, I guess. I'll have to give everyone instructions. I have a feeling that the entire town will think I'm abandoning them, though."



[They will understand. Many of them have friends and family in Fallarbor. They won't hold it against you. They might even think better of you for doing something so dangerous.]



Flannery sighed happily as her Kaishakunin's hands descended to her breasts and gently squeezed. After such a stressful day, she could use some of her mate's special touch.



---------------------



Miles away, camped just a few hundred yards away from the narrow entrance to the desert, was another group of sinners.



The route they were set up on wasn't very dangerous, thankfully...hell, the Slateport-Mauville path they traveled two weeks ago had been more threatening. However, while there weren't many wild Pokemon on this simple mountain pass, there was a slow but steady flow of trainers coming from Lavaridge and heading down to Mauville, which meant that Slash and Gardevoir had to be, regretfully, discreet.



The pack lay around a small fire, in a defensive ring that they would be camping in for years to come. Slash and Gardevoir sat together on one side of the fire, far enough apart that any traveling trainer who passed wouldn't wonder about them. The young man couldn't afford to risk holding his mate's body close to his, but the two of them were still embracing in each other's minds. Growlithe sat to their left, basking in the warmth of the flame. Electrike was curled up on the opposite side, looking out and away from the campsite, keeping a watchful eye and nose out for trouble. Graveler and Corphish were roughhousing a bit nearby, occasionally being warned by Slash to settle down or he'd put them back into their Pokeballs.



All in all, it was a bit like family.



He wondered if he should call his parents. After that Gym battle the night before, he was sure they'd call him, but he had turned off his Pokenav's phone functions when Gardevoir had been hurt, not wanting to be interrupted in such a critical time. Perhaps now he should turn it back on and check in with them. They were likely getting worried.



But that brought up a thought that he had purposely tried to avoid considering...what they would think or do if they learned of the rather unusual girlfriend that their son had found during his journey. Girlfriend was inaccurate, too...with the strength of the mating bond that now connected them, he and Gardevoir might as well be married. He tried to imagine how his parents would react if he called them and told them that he was married to a human girl that he had met less than a month prior.



Not good.



And then he tried to imagine how much worse it'd be if he told them he was joined to a Pokemon.



They weren't Jirachians, but one didn't have to be Jirachian to think of Human/Pokemon intimacy as an abomination.



Master, what's wrong? You feel kind of down.



Slash turned to his mate, blue eyes locking with her ruby ones, and smiled sadly. "I was just thinking about my parents...and how they might react if they knew about us."



Gardevoir quirked her head. I thought they'd be pretty accepting of us. I mean, if their influence made you what you are, shouldn't they be?



"...for humans, they are pretty open-minded. I'm sure that they would hardly bat an eye if I told them that I was gay or something. But mated with a Pokemon? Until we met Watson, I never thought that anyone actually accepted such things. I have a feeling that most people in the world who would accept those kinds of relationships keep their own mouths shut, for fear of being labeled a pervert or sex offender. I mean, if Watson publicly espoused those views, you know what would happen, right? There would be an investigation to see if he'd been "sexually abusing" any of his Pokemon...and even when no such evidence was found, assuming they didn't plant some, his reputation and respect would be lost forever."



But that might mean that your parents could accept us, right? Maybe they just keep their views to themselves because of a potential backlash.



Slash sighed and shook his head. "I doubt it. After growing up around them for so many years, I never heard them express any sort of acceptance for it. To them...and to most people...it's not about love. It's about a human fucking an animal. The fact that those 'animals' are completely sentient and can decide to do or not do anything they want is irrelevant to them."



...do you think we'll ever tell them, master?



"I wish we could. It'd be nice to know that someone cares for us. It'd be great to take you home to meet them and spend weekends there on festivals and stuff...but we can't. We'd have to keep it hidden if we return there. Even if they might, possibly, accept what we are...the risk of the alternative is too great. I will not allow anyone to take you away from me, Psymakio. Not Team Aqua, not Kiako, not the Interloper, and not the Pokemon League."



A ghostly kiss pressed against his lips for a moment, and Slash returned it with a bit more ease than usual. His abilities were continuing to increase in strength, thanks in large part to his mate's guidance. While they had traveled today, she had guided him through basic progging...he would prog the trees or the rocks that lined the route, and she would ask him about what he read, starting with simple questions and getting to much more complex and strange ones (what color is that tree's life force?, for example). When trainers passed, she had helped him avoid the instinctive progging that had given him such discomfort before. For the first day of training his abilities, he felt that he'd done fairly well.



I wonder when we'll get to make love again, he whispered to her mind, causing the sweet silver angel to giggle.



I'm not sure. The desert won't exactly be welcoming to that sort of thing. Too dangerous. And too much sand.



Well, after the desert comes the ashlands...we might get a little dirty, but---



I like when we get a little dirty, master.



The two laughed together, looking out towards the desert. While it would probably be too dangerous for any lovemaking there, at least they'd be alone enough to cuddle together at night. Having to sit apart like this was horrible.



As their eyelids began to droop, Slash quietly asked, "do you sense the Interloper?"



Gardevoir shook her head. No more than earlier. I don't think we'll have to worry about her tonight. I just hope she doesn't surface in the middle of the desert.



"Me, too."



The two looked out at their pack, seeing that all of them had drifted into slumber. They lay down only a few feet apart, but it still felt like miles to them. Since they could not link their bodies tonight, they linked their minds, and quietly melted into a peaceful sleep to prepare for the hardships that lay ahead.



----------------



The Sky Pearl. Rayquaza. The Beast of Fallarbor. The Red-Eyed. The Rocket. The Sunset Prince. The Silver Princess. The Master of Heat.



All lines of force were heading towards the ashlands, towards some climactic battle that would take place under the black deathly veil of the Mountain of Fire.



But there is another force that I haven't yet named.



He stood on the clifftops, overlooking the vast expanse of desert below. The eternal sandstorms continued to rage in the valley, obscuring everything from view. With the titanic cloud in the north, and this near-limitless sandy vista at his feet, he easily accepted the humbling sensation of being dwarfed by nature.



The desert had once been a sea in the long, long ago...bordered on every side by sharp upthrusts of mountain. What happened to that ocean, no one knew. All that remained of it was the dusty hell that he looked upon now, trapped within the mountain range with only two ways in or out...at least to those without wings.



His red hair flowed in the windy updrafts rising from the desert. On one side of him was the large Dragonite that he used as his mount; on the other was his Kaishakunin, staring at the same sight as he, sending out his mind to search for their objective.



"Well?"



Without knowing the signature of what I'm progging for, I cannot be sure either way. There are countless mysteries down there, countless sources of power...power both of this world and power beyond it. But no, I cannot be certain if what we seek is within this desert.



"Do you sense any Rockets?"



No, but that only means so much.



"It's unlikely that they're going to come across Janus in this location, so I doubt they'll be wearing their dampeners."



It's more likely that any Rockets would be heading north, in any case. Toward that disturbance.



The red-haired man nodded sagely. "Let them. Maybe the Pearl is up there, but if it is, there's little we can do right now. Let's check out this lead first. Maybe we'll get lucky."



With a flash of light, the two teleported atop Dragonite, and the team swooped down into the valley so quickly that they might as well have been a mirage.



---------------



Slash woke just before sunrise, and while neither Angel nor the Interloper had come to him in his dreams, he thought that he had heard a brief and unfamiliar voice somewhere in the back of his void



( power both of this world and power beyond it)



but it was probably little more than his mind making up for two days without true sleep. In any case, he was awake, and he felt much better than he had the morning previous---no aching muscles, no faint headaches. But there was still...something...in the background of his thoughts.



He turned to find Psymakio still sleeping, looking terribly beautiful and lonely. He ached to embrace her, kiss her awake, make love to her...but they were still on a heavily-traveled route, and while there were no trainers wandering around...none that he could see, anyway...it would only take one to damn them.



One trainer seeing the wrong thing at the wrong time. One parent suspecting that his Kaishakunin was a bit more intimate with him than necessary. One misplaced kiss, one snippet of conversation spoken audibly instead of telepathically.



The world around him almost seemed to taunt him to risk it anyway. Something foul was in the air...something coming from the direction of the huge black shroud over the northern mountains. It dared him to try, to slip up and make a mistake that would sentence him and everyone he cared about to death. He had a terrible feeling in his chest, one almost too strong to disbelieve---he would indeed slip up and make a mistake, and it would cost them their lives. And soon.



He shook it off as best as he could. But still...



(Everything will be safer in the desert), Slash thought to himself, and only a few seconds later realized the absurdity of that belief. The desert would be anything but safe. Dark predators roaming the night, intense heat, scouring sand...and once they entered, it would not be easy to find their way back out. It was do or die.



And if they died, what would happen to the world?



He sat up straight, looking into the nightmarish cloud rising from the volcano. Perhaps he was a little arrogant, thinking that his death would really influence the world so much. After all, Hoenn had plenty of police officers, powerful trainers, and even more powerful Gym Leaders and Pokemon League members---what could he do that they could not? As malevolent and dangerous as Kiako had seemed to him during their brief encounter in Slateport, did he really believe that the red-eyed man-thing could defeat the combined Masters of Hoenn?



A whisper in the back of his mind told him that yes, he could. Or at least he could if he obtained what he sought...or had some allies.



Again he wondered why he didn't inform the police about Kiako, and why he felt so strongly about taking the beast down personally. Why should it matter so strongly to him? Why should he devote his life, and the lives of his friends and mate, to hunting down someone who had killed a total stranger? It made no logical sense.



Was it because he feared that he could end up like Kiako, and oh so easily? Was it the knowledge that one fit of rage taken too far or one friend dying in front of his eyes could be all it would take to erase the gap between himself and that monster?



No, that would not explain it. It would not explain why every part of his heart and mind demanded that he, personally, be the one to put the final blow in that red-eyed monster's black heart. It would not explain why some of his darkest nightmares throughout his lifetime had involved a shadowy figure with the same long hair and glowing red eyes reaching out to take something precious from him.



Are you alright, master?



Slash jumped at the mental voice in his head, and Gardevoir winced apologetically. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you...



"It's alright. Telepathy just surprises me more than audible stuff, I guess. I'm still not used to hearing voices in my head...although now I wouldn't want to go a day without it."



Gardevoir leaned over to kiss him, but quickly remembered where they were. You were thinking of something dark, weren't you?



"Yeah. Kiako."



Do you think we'll meet with him at Fallarbor? Or maybe even the desert?



"...I can't know that..."



But you do, don't you? Gardevoir frowned and moved closer to her mate, not caring if anyone saw them. It wasn't like she was climbing on top of him. You think we're going to confront him soon.



Slash nodded. "I don't know why I think that, but...well, if I can feel it, I know you can. We're being pulled to the north, just like we were being pulled yesterday when we talked with Watson. Something is drawing power there, and if it's drawing us...even if the Sky Pearl isn't there, I think Kiako will still wind up making an appearance. And we're going to have to deal with him just as surely as we'll have to deal with whatever monster is attacking."



Did you... Gardevoir trailed off, but Slash motioned for her to continue. Did you have a dream last night? A dream about him?



"No. I may have dreamed about him before...even before I actually met him...but not last night."



I did, and it's a dream that I've been having long before we met him, too. A shadow with black hair and fiery eyes is hiding in the darkness, and my father walks by, unaware of his presence. When his back is turned, the shadow reaches out and kills my father with one stroke. I've been having that nightmare since...since even before my father disappeared. Maybe that's why losing him was so traumatic for me.



Slash looked to her with compassionate eyes. "Do you know what happened to your father? What really happened?"



No. He went off hunting one day when I was very young and just...never came back. My mother could not leave us to search for him...but she did tell us that she was sure he was alive. She would have felt it over their bond if he had been killed. But their ability to talk to each other over their bond was gone, so...we never found out what happened.



"In my dream, Kiako reaches out of the darkness and takes something of mine. What he takes is different every time...when I was a kid, it would be a toy, or a snack. Sometimes my mother or father. When I grew older, it would be Naomi, or my trainer license. But I haven't had that dream since me and you met."



Perhaps they're just dreams.



"Do you really believe that?"



The two sighed and shook their heads at each other. The other Pokemon began stirring at the sound of their conversation, and Slash set about on securing the camp...what little there was to secure, anyway. Most of their supplies were in the packs that they'd have to lug across the desert, currently heavy with rations and medicine. Thankfully they'd become lighter as they traveled.



When the team was awake and alert, and the bags were full and securely fastened, the pack walked the short distance to the desert's entrance. Hot, harsh air blew out of the narrow rift. Slash winced at the burning heat.



We'll be fine, master. I'm sure of it. We've gotten a lot stronger since you met us.



"I know that, but still...this place will tax anyone. I don't suppose you can prog anything inside?"



It's too big for me to get an accurate scan. I sense many low-strength life forms...less, but still numerous, higher-strength ones...and a vague, diffuse sense of...something else. Power.



Slash frowned. "I don't feel it. Is it the same aura as the pulses from the north?"



She shook her head. It's something else, but it's confusing. I've never felt it in my life, but it doesn't feel entirely unfamiliar to me...I can't explain it, and I can't narrow down a source. I'm sorry, master.



"It's alright. We'll just have to do our best. Is everyone ready?"



At the chorus of cheers, Slash couldn't help but smile. Maybe he was nervous, but his team...his pack...they were itching for adventure. Being settled down in Mauville for two weeks had apparently given them an extreme case of wanderlust.



"Okay, let's do this. Come on."



The pack filed in to the narrow fissure in the mountainous wall, single-file, and crossed the border between the safe and the treacherous, the new and the old...life and death.



----------------------



Gardevoir could feel it.



Even before they had climbed out of the pass and into the sandy world they'd be calling home for the next week, she could feel it.



Echoes. Echoes of the long, long ago, resonating throughout this desert.



Once they reached the end of the narrow tunnel, stepping onto hot and gritty sand, the wind whipping around their bodies, it became clearer than ever. There was some incredible force present here, something almost obscenely old and powerful.



For a brief moment she thought she was post-cogging---sensing the past---but no. She was nowhere near such power in any case. She was not reading what used to be here---what she was sensing now still was here, floating over the wasteland like the last echoing notes of a song. And while the song may have been slowly fading away over the centuries, she had a feeling that the singer was still here somewhere. Alive.



And its signature felt oddly familiar.



She turned to her mate, but she saw nothing in his face to show that he felt it too. The other Pokemon appeared equally ignorant of it. It sung to her, and her alone.



Focusing her mental projections out into the desert, she tentatively questioned it. What...what are you?



There was no response, but she did think that the energy around her seemed to spike for just the slightest moment. She tried again.



Is anyone there?



[MIYAKO?]



Gardevoir jumped in shock at the huge mental reply, squealing in surprise and jumping towards her mate. The voice had not been malicious or inherently frightening, but to hear such a tremendous presence when she expected nothing...



"Is something wrong, Psymakio?"



She turned to Slash, who had no sign of fear or wonder or anything to suggest that he had heard the voice. And already the huge, nameless presence had seemed to dwindle down into nearly nothing, as though the act of speaking had drained it into obscurity.



I...I don't know, master. There was a voice...it spoke and then fell silent.



"What did it say?"



I could not understand it. It was a word I've never heard before.



The entire pack looked out at the desert, but saw nothing other than the brown-gray haze of sand blown about by the wind, obscuring everything beyond a few dozen yards from view. Slash did not sense anything, and none of his friends seemed to be picking up on anything unusual.



Whatever it was, it's gone now...or at least it's withdrawn for the time being. We should go on. The sooner we're out of this place, the better.



Slash nodded, not quite happy with the occurrence but at a loss for any other course of action. He couldn't take his pack off course just because his mate thought she heard something...but still, he didn't think she was imagining whatever it was. They hadn't been in the desert for five minutes yet and something strange had happened. It was disconcerting.



"This sandstorm is murder. Are you guys alright?"



Graveler and Corphish seemed to be fine; they had some sort of transparent membrane over their eyes, presumably to help them with digging and swimming, along with their tough armor. Electrike and Growlithe's fur only provided so much protection, and he and his mate, even with their clothes, were painfully vulnerable.



Hang on, master...let me try something.



Gardevoir focused her power, carefully controlling the flow so as not to harm her friends, and put small, low-power shields over the eyes and exposed skin of those without natural protection. It only required the smallest amount of power, as it was only blocking sand and grit, and did not obscure their vision (although everything seemed to have a tint of the faintest, barely perceptible blue).



"That's great, Psymakio. Are you sure you won't drain yourself doing this for a whole week?"



It barely takes any power at all, even with four targets to shield. I could practically do this in my sleep. I could increase the strength to protect us in battle, but that would require exponentially more power.



"Don't try that unless it's an emergency. I want us to remain fresh for as long as possible. We've got plenty of medicine and energy-restoring stuff, but that doesn't mean that we should waste it."



She nodded, and the pack finally began their long, long trek across the desert, with the stinging winds and ancient mysteries all around them.



----------------



The desert was not terribly hot. But in a twisted way, that made it worse. If it was scorching hot, the little pack would wear down quickly and take frequent breaks. They would know how bad it was.



The heat that washed over the wasteland in waves was more deceptive than that. It was hot, but not outrageously so. You would feel the heat, and you would think it was terrible, but after a half hour or so of walking, you'd begin to think this isn't that bad, maybe I'm in better shape than I thought. It wasn't until the second hour or so of trudging along in the deep sand that you'd suddenly realize just how drained you were.



It was a hungry, deceitful heat, and it was hell.



While Gardevoir's shields protected the pack from the stinging abrasion of the wind, it did not help with the deep, pooling sand that made up the desert floor. It was like walking through snow---sinking into the sand, having to struggle just to move, each step more difficult than the last. Growlithe and Electrike didn't have much difficulty, but Corphish's stubby little legs could not deal with it for long; he eventually scrambled onto Graveler's broad body, knowing that the rock Pokemon (who seemed to move just fine in the sand) could easily bear his weight. Slash and Gardevoir, the pack's only bipedal members who weren't made for traveling in such conditions, were having the most difficulty.



The pack managed to avoid fights with any of the local creatures for a while---Slash nearly tumbled into a Trapinch pit, but Graveler had thankfully grabbed him just in time---but by noon, as the thermometer ticked steadily upward, they were more exhausted than after a day's worth of fighting on the Verdanturf-Mauville route. The few Pokemon they did battle weren't much stronger than the ones on that flowery route, but the brutal combination of heat and travel fatigue made fighting them significantly more difficult.



They accidentally cornered a Sandslash at one point, and while Gardevoir dispatched it easily enough, she was alarmed at how drained she felt afterwards...as though the heat had been slowly stealing from her reserves all day. Her mate picked up on her surprise.



"Are you okay, Gardie?"



I'm alright...it just feels like I've been fighting for hours instead of for only a minute...and that burst of energy seemed to use up twice as much as I actually put into it.



"Let's take a break at the next outcropping with shade. I think we're all tired, and the wild Pokemon are going to be increasing as we go deeper."



She nodded, too tired to argue. Unfortunately, in the all-pervasive sandstormy haze, the next outcropping could be a few minutes or a few hours away. They were following the cliffside of the desert basin, but most of the depressions large enough to be of any use were already occupied by Sandshrew. As high noon began approaching, only detectable by the lack of shadow and not the actual sun---it was hidden from view by the flying dust---even the desert-dwellers were taking shelter, and the pack found themselves being attacked by more and more Pokemon trying to get to the cliffs and finding them in the way.



Master, I can't take much more of this. Maybe we should just find a good-sized cave and force out whatever is inside.



"No," Slash said sternly, the tone of his voice drawing his pack's eyes to him. "We'll retaliate against any Pokemon that attacks us, of course, but we won't force anything out of their home. That's a line I'm not willing to cross."



For Pokemon in a place like this, kindness doesn't matter. It's too harsh to afford to be kind. It's fight or die...that's just the way it is.



He turned to his mate and shook his head, shaking off a spray of sweat into the wind. "That won't be the way we are. I promised that I wouldn't abandon my trainer career, and that's a promise I will keep...but I will not be the kind of trainer that views myself as better than these creatures. The only Pokemon we will battle are the ones that are in the open and obviously able to defend themselves, the ones that attack us, and the ones that I intend to capture. Any Pokemon that is not a threat or strong enough to battle without dooming it to death immediately after...we leave alone."



Gardevoir wasn't sure what to think of that. Most trainers didn't care about what happened to the Pokemon that they battled and left unconscious (or dead) in their wake. Her family had lived far away from the road of the Oldale-Petalburg route, but they did visit the road every so often, and several times she had seen quite a few passed-out Pokemon littering the area. The stronger ones would recover, but many would not, suffering injuries too extensive to heal naturally...only to be picked off by a predator or natural selection soon after. Trainers didn't care. They viewed them as either experience or an addition to their collection.



Maybe Slash's declaration was dangerously softhearted---after all, in this place (and even the relatively peaceful location she'd grown up in), nothing had any qualms over fighting for a safe territory, even if it meant death. His sense of honor might get them killed if they didn't find shelter now...and shelter before nightfall, when those Cacturne would be roaming...but it was also endearing. Her trainer was different from the others, more compassionate, battling with pride but not ignorance.



"In fact, Psymakio, I want you to tell every Pokemon that we come to arms with that they're free to leave without incident if they wish. I gave all of you the choice to either stay with me or be returned to the wild...it seems only right that I give wild Pokemon the chance to flee or battle. It's the least I can do for them."



You've been thinking about this for longer than our little walk here, haven't you?, Gardevoir asked softly.



"Yeah. After you guys were hurt in the battle with Watson, I thought about...things. About whether or not I was doing the right thing by continuing to be a trainer. Even if my trainer career will be mostly on standby until all of this is over, it's still going to come up...like now."



...master...



"It's alright, though. Maybe I won't be a very good trainer by the standards of most, but hey, we've done pretty good for some bleeding hearts, haven't we? And we can find shelter here without having to kick some poor hungry Sandshrew out of its burrow. I...wait a minute..."



Slash stopped walking in mid-sentence, and the rest of the pack followed suit.



"...maybe we can still get by without having to fight, but without having to suffer. Let's keep going until we find the first cave big enough for all of us, even if something is inside it. Trust me."



Everyone nodded and continued trudging through the sand. The wall of rock on their left was huge, its top obscured by the sandstorm. Rico was right about compasses not working, too; Slash took his out and found that the needle always veered toward the cliffs and the magnetic stone within, even though the cliff was to their west. With the navigation function of the Pokenav likewise disabled, this wall was their only means of navigation. They could not afford to lose sight of it, even if it meant getting into more frequent battles.



After a few minutes, the pack came across a large depression in the wall, large enough to hold all of them. A battered-looking Sandshrew was inside, obviously tired from defending its prime territory. As the group approached, it raised its hands and extended its sharp little claws, hoping to intimidate them into leaving, as it was far too exhausted to fight any longer. Slash shook his head at it, and turned to his mate.



"It's wild, so it won't understand me very well. Psymakio, is there any way you can patch me through to it? Using your telepathy?"



She considered. I think I can. I might have to sort of...relay it...but it would be simple enough.



"Do it, please."



After a moment of concentration, she nodded at him to go ahead.



Hello there. My name is Slash, and these Pokemon make up my pack. We are looking for some shelter for us to rest in and hide ourselves from the worst of the day's heat. I know that you are injured and neither want to fight nor give up your territory, but I don't think you have to do either...and I think that both of us can benefit. If you allow my pack to rest with you, we will defend you from any competitors that desire your cave while we are here. We will also share our food and water with you. By the time we leave, you should be rested enough to defend your territory for the rest of the day. Do we have an agreement?



[How strange. You are mated with the Gardevoir.]



Slash jumped in surprise, both at hearing the creature as clearly as he could hear his mate and at it knowing of their relationship. Gardevoir, although a bit impressed that Slash could pick up the Pokemon's words without her having to translate for him, did not seem as concerned.



How do you know that?



[I can feel it over this...connection of yours. The two of you are mates.]



Master, you can relax. Most Pokemon can't tell that we're mates, as my kind leaves no external sign of the connection. Only psychic Pokemon and Pokemon tapped into our bond can sense the truth. And I can block it from the psychic ones.



"So as long as we don't do this relay thing with any Pokemon belonging to someone...potentially unfriendly...we should be fine?"



That is how it seems.



Nodding at his mate and sighing in relief, Slash turned his attention back to the Sandshrew. Yes, she is my mate. But we must keep it a secret from the human world. Such a connection is not allowed in my society.



[Yes, yes, I understand. You...you would really offer me protection? And food?]



Though the temporary connection between the two was nowhere near as sophisticated as the bond between him and his mate, Slash could still feel the exhaustion and hunger radiating from the small creature. Yes. Maybe most trainers would not offer this, but...I'm not like most trainers.



[You certainly are not. I would be happy to let you share this den for the time being. Come on in and get yourselves out of the sun.]



The pack eagerly squeezed themselves into the little cave, and while there wasn't much wiggle room, they weren't jammed together...except for Slash and Gardevoir, who eagerly shared each other's physical company, even if it was a bit less physical than they would prefer. Slash slung his pack off and set it in the center of their little circle, then reached in and pulled out a few bottles of water. Graveler and Sandshrew declined, as neither required much water, but when the rations were taken out, everyone was enthusiastically digging in. It had been a tiring and draining day for all of them.



Thankfully, Slash's pack did not have to do much defending of their position---the other Sandshrew and Sandslash wandering about did not seem very eager to fight an entire pack of strange and unfamiliar Pokemon. Their host lay back in contentment, catching his breath and frantically nibbling on some crackers.



[I must thank you. Most trainers would either try to capture me or, at the least finish me off to take my territory. While we don't get many trainers coming through the desert, the ones that do tend to be pretty ruthless.]



We don't---



Master, you can speak with him audibly if you wish. The bond is established enough that he can understand you.



Slash nodded appreciatively. "Normally that would take a lot longer, huh? Pretty neat. Well, Sandshrew, we don't intend to hurt Pokemon unless they attack us first or choose to spar. And we don't capture Pokemon and steal them away."



[How do explain your team, then?]



"After I captured them, I gave them all a choice---to either stay with me and join my quest, or to be returned to their homes. All of them chose to be with me, but I would indeed return any Pokemon that requests to be brought back home. I am a trainer, not a kidnapper or...slaver."



Sandshrew chirped approvingly. [A unique way of thinking, but I must say, it's more agreeable. Your pack gets shelter, I get food and time to rest...why don't most trainers act like you?]



"Most trainers don't have the benefit of having a Pokemon mate to show them that there's a whole other world of creatures with the same sentience and dignity as any human."



[Even before they mated, he was one of the good ones.]



Slash looked around, unsure of where that voice came from,. His eyes widened when Growlithe nodded at him. [What's wrong?]



"I can...understand you. Not just in the sort of...ambiguous way that all trainers can. I can understand you like I can Gardevoir and Sandshrew." He turned to his mate. "How?"



It's like our talk with Watson the morning before we left Mauville. While something greater than our understanding may have been at play, the reason we all felt so connected was because I've begun weaving a sort of...pack bond...between all of us. I suppose they're tapping into the connection that I made for Sandshrew, but I could make similar connections between all of us.



"Could you keep the bonds open permanently, or would that take too much energy?"



Energy isn't the problem, master, it's concentration. Linking so many individuals together is not easy. We Pokemon can all understand each other, and we can understand your audible speech, but I'd still have to hold open four one-way channels from them to you. It may be difficult.



"Well...try as best as you can. You can drop the shields around our eyes and skin for now, Gardie...it's not nearly as bad in here."



Yes, master.



Gardevoir sighed happily as she dispelled the protective barriers. While she had been correct about the shields only requiring a small amount of power to maintain, the physical exhaustion caused by the desert conditions made any power loss seem to be magnified.



Master, what are we going to do about having to fight? Even avoiding battles as you suggested, we're still going to have a lot of combat ahead of us...and I don't know about the others, but I feel far more drained than I should be.



Slash turned to each of his teammates and gave them a probing glance.



[I'm fine,] Graveler said. His 'voice' was a little static-y, but Gardevoir's bond held. Corphish spoke up from his perch atop his rival.



[I'm a little tired. More than I should be for only a couple Water Guns.]



Growlithe. [The heat isn't bothering me, but walking through the sand is. I'm probably less drained than the others, but I'm still more drained than normal.]



Electrike. [I'm pretty fresh, but only because I haven't had to do much fighting. Everything here is resistant to my electricity, and I'm too small to hurt anything physically.]



After a moment of consideration, Slash turned to Gardevoir. "I guess you've had the hardest time because you're doing all of this shielding. When we start moving again, I want you to wear one of our blankets around you, so you won't have to shield your exposed skin. It'll help a little, and with your power loss, every little bit counts."



Shielding myself is far easier than shielding you, master. You should wear it. It won't fit on any of the others.



"Alright. Do you think you'll be able to stop the extra power loss after a while?"



As we keep going, I should get used to it. I probably won't be able to stop it, but I could slow it down enough for it to be manageable. It's the heat that's causing most of the problem. If my physical body is suffering, I have to exert more energy to keep myself going. A single blast of Psychic drained me so much that I nearly passed out.



[If you guys are getting killed by the sun, why don't you just do what we do?]



The pack turned to the small Sandshrew, who had just finished gobbling his snack. [You guys have been traveling since morning, haven't you? That's why you're so out of it---not only have you been tiring quickly from this shielding stuff and fighting and walking through the sand, but the temperature has been going up while your stamina's been going down. Bad combination. What we do is go out in the morning for a few hours, take shelter during the hottest part of the day---like now---and then do most of our work after small-west-shadow. As time passes, the cliff shadow grows and the temperature goes down instead of up, so we can get more done without getting blown out.]



Slash stared blankly at the Pokemon for a moment before breaking out into a sunny smile. "You know, it's a good thing that we did this. This little guy probably just saved our lives. It's so damn simple!"



[Just make sure you find shelter around long-west-shadow. Once the shadow goes farther than you can see in the sandstorm. You can't afford to be in the open when the Cacturne come out.]



"We've heard about them," Slash replied dryly. "Are they as dangerous as we've heard?"



[They usually pick off any Pokemon that's unlucky enough to be out of cover at night...usually injured Sandshrew and Trapinch...but they don't miss a chance to go after travelers. More spoils. More to eat. They may be plants, but they're just as fond of meat as they are of water. Scary, too.]



"Well then, we won't give them a chance. We'll shelter down a little before sunset and keep a guard up at all times. We'll set off at six, travel til ten, take a break. We'll head out again at three and start looking for shelter at six. If it weren't for the Cacturne, I would have us travel by night, but this is the best possible course---seven hours of travel, avoiding the hottest part of the day. It'll slow us down a little, but I'd rather get out of here alive in a week than in a body bag in five or six days."



[You're welcome to stay here tonight if you wish.]



Slash shook his head. "Thanks, but we need to keep moving. We're trying to find out what's going on in the north. Can you feel it?"



[I don't think so, but the Baltoy have been acting kind of strange for the past day or two. If something bad is happening, they might be able to sense it.]



Gardevoir turned to the north and progged. The harsh conditions during their trek had kept her from dwelling on the foul aura all day, but now, in cover, she was able to feel it again, growing more ominous and more disruptive at an exponential rate. It was almost as if the earth itself was beginning to show signs of it now---she could sense the soil and stone trembling the slightest bit, and huge lines of power were starting to cycle on and towards the mountains. Something was out of balance, and she didn't believe that either the Sky Pearl or some beast could be solely responsible for it.



Master, maybe we should get moving.



"We need to wait until it gets a little cooler. We'll leave once the sun goes far enough west for the cliffs to start making some shade. Maybe you should have a little nap while you have the time...you're the most drained out of all of us, and...I don't want you falling down in the traces, okay?"



Any argument that she was preparing was lost when Slash sat her in his lap and pulled her into his arms; while she did not want to sleep, not with so many dangers around them, she could not resist the sense of security that her mate's touch sent through her body. All of her worries about sandstorms and heat strokes and Cacturne vanished when he held her in his arms.



Alright. Promise me that you'll wake me up as soon as we can leave, alright? Don't let me sleep if we can be traveling.



"I promise. Now rest, my angel."



While Gardevoir didn't think she could fall asleep with so many eyes on her, her fatigue quickly overwhelmed her, sending her drifting into a light sleep almost immediately. The other Pokemon kept their voices down, not wanting to disturb her. The bond that allowed Slash to understand his other Pokemon stayed open even in her sleep, although the incidents of static increased slightly.



[Would you like me to go with you?], the Sandshrew asked. [I could help you get through the desert easier. And it seems that you do have room for one more Pokemon in your pack.]



Slash shook his head slowly. "Thanks, but...I must decline. You're a good guy, and I'm glad that we decided to talk with you instead of fighting you...but...we're waiting for a seventh ally to join us. We must wait for him or her."



[Are you sure it couldn't be him?], Graveler asked. [He did provide us with shelter, and he's the first example of your...unique views of trainership. Doesn't it seem logical that he's the seventh we've been waiting for?]



"Yes, it does seem logical," Slash admitted. "But he's not the one. I would feel it if he was. I can't be as sure as Psymakio is, but...I'm pretty sure that the seventh will be thrust into our pack. We won't be expecting it. Maybe it's a little crazy to turn down some help, but..."



[It is crazy, yeah, but we trust your judgment,] Electrike said. [Do you think we'll meet this seventh in the desert?]



"I don't know...I just feel that our pack will be complete by the time we get to Fallarbor and face whatever awaits us there."



Sandshrew perked up. [Just what do you think will be facing you there? What could be so important that you would risk the desert to confront it? I don't mean to disrespect any of you, but...you're not ready to cross this wasteland. Not by a long shot. You might make it, but you might lose one or two of your pack along the way.]



"Believe me, I wish I didn't have to do this," Slash replied seriously. "If it were up to me, me and my mate and my friends would run away to some tropical island and live in paradise, away from the people that despise us and away from monsters and sandstorms and crap like that. All I really want is to keep my mate safe and happy, but abandoning my quest will only delay our peril, not save us from it."



Gardevoir shifted slightly in his arms at the tight tone of her master's thoughts, but she did not wake.



"We're trying to stop a very dangerous man from obtaining something called the Sky Pearl. We're not sure what he intends to do with it, but whatever it is, it's going to affect the entire world---I believe that the volcanic activity and other strange stuff happening in the north is only the start. He's willing to kill innocent people to obtain the Pearl, too; I've seen him do it. One of his Pokemon nearly fried me, too. I will not allow him to grasp his desires or hurt anyone else."



He did not mention the nightmares that plagued him and his mate throughout their lives, or the lingering and untraceable feeling that Kiako wanted something from him...or perhaps someone.



"Even if the artifact that we seek isn't in Fallarbor, we may get a chance to confront that bastard. And if he doesn't show up...maybe we can at least help with whatever is going wrong up there."



Corphish laughed from atop Graveler's back. [And if this whole damn thing has been a hoax, then at least we'll get one hell of a workout!]



Slash couldn't help but grin. "Yeah, there's always that. By the time we get back to Mauville, we'll be ready to show that old man who's the real master. You know, I wish I had a cool nickname like 'Master of Thunder'."



[I thought you were the Magma Slayer,] Growlithe said playfully.



"Pfft."



-------------



Two hours later, although hidden by the scrim of shifting sands, the sun was finally beginning its downward trek to the west. While it didn't feel any cooler than before the pack's little break, Sandshrew assured them that the hottest part of the day had passed and the temperature would slowly drop down as night approached.



Gardevoir woke up feeling a little better; her energy had replenished itself, but she still had a feeling that she would be sleeping like a log when they set up camp for the night. Slash threw one of his blankets around his body and assured her that she would fare better than she had during the first stretch.



"It won't be so bad, Gardie. It's going to be getting cooler, you don't have to shield my body, and we'll all be getting used to this place as time goes on."



I know, master. I just don't want to disappoint you.



"Hey, now, you could never disappoint me. It's no secret that you're the most physically fragile of our group, and there's no shame in that, especially since you pack the biggest wallop out of any of us. If you have to take a break from fighting, or feel like you're about to pass out, tell me, okay? Don't pretend to be tough just to try to make me proud. Promise me."



I promise.



"You'll be fine, angel." Slash turned to the Sandshrew who had housed his pack. "Will you be alright?"



[Yes, I'll be fine. Thanks to your group scaring everything off, I've had time to rest a little. I'll be able to hold off anyone that tries to take this cave...and I'll be able to go a few days without food if I have to. Hunting out here is hard sometimes.]



"I'm glad that we could help. You know, maybe you should offer the same kind of deal that we made to other Pokemon. I have a feeling there are plenty of Sandshrew that would be happy to share some food in exchange for some shelter and protection. It would keep you from having to fight all the time."



[This isn't really the place for sentimentality, but...I'll think about it. It worked out fine with us, but after you've lived here for a few years, food and shelter isn't something you tend to give away.]



"Just think about it. You guys shouldn't have to live like this."



[This is how it's always been. It's nature.]



Gardevoir stopped packing in mid-movement. A strange reply bubbled up in her mind---no, it hasn't always been this way, there's nothing natural about it, it's time to start rebuilding---but where did that thought come from? She had dreamed during her little nap, dreamed of one of the bedtime stories her mother had told her long ago...stories of a time when all Pokemon lived together in harmony. Why did the reality of that dream still feel so concrete now?



She opted for the more simple and rational answer, the one that didn't drift up from some strange and dim part of her mind. That doesn't mean that it can't be better, Sandshrew.



The little creature looked at her funny for a moment, then nodded. Psychic Pokemon had always seemed weird to him---the Baltoy would float around during daylight, telling anyone that would listen (and a few that would not) of strange voices coming from the heart of the desert---but their knack for predicting major sandstorms proved that they must not be completely crazy (even though they would follow up their weather reports with queries about whether or not 'the towers' would rise from the sand during the next storm, whatever that meant). This Gardevoir seemed to have a bit more sense than those guys, though, so perhaps he would take her and her mate's advice in stride.



Maybe he could do better than fight over holes in rocks.



The pack bid Sandshrew farewell and continued on their journey.



-------------------



The rest of the day went by without any serious problems. As the hours passed, the Pokemon were starting to slowly adapt to the harsh desert. Gardevoir was adapting particularly well, discovering and patching up 'leaks' of her psychic energy that normally went unnoticed outside of such strenuous physical conditions. This pleased her, as it would both help her conserve energy within the wasteland and out of it...and it pleased Slash, too. It was hard to feel guilty about subjecting his mate to the desert when she was beaming a smile at him and babbling about "streamlining" and "patchwork".



Any gains from the initial adaptation process, however, were being limited by the sheer increase in wild Pokemon. Slash's new policy on avoiding battle when possible and offering enemies to walk away didn't help much in this rough part of Hoenn---many of the Sandshrew and increasingly-common Sandslash were too wild and aggressive to be reasoned with, making battle inevitable. Injuries began to pile up at an alarming rate, so Slash began rotating which of his Pokemon would fight, giving the others a chance to recover a little.



Electrike was having the most difficulty. His electric attacks were utterly useless against the common ground Pokemon, and not much better against the Cacnea that began wandering about as the sun slowly sank into the west. His physical attacks, not particularly impressive even against weaker Pokemon, were equally inefficient against the armored Sandshrew and Sandslash---and, of course, he was not interested in biting a cactus.



[If I was a Manectric, I would be ripping these guys apart,] Electrike panted. Slash smiled and patted his head.



"I've told this to my other Pokemon, so let me tell you, too---all of us have weaknesses. It's nothing to be ashamed of. The battle against Watson should have showed you that there are ways around all our vulnerabilities...we just have to find them. Maybe evolution is yours."



[I'm close. I'm very close. But I can't push myself over the edge, not against these things.]



"You know what, I have an idea. You take all the Baltoy from now on. Use your dark-enhanced bites and the like. The others will handle everything else."



It seemed to help. The Baltoy were less common than the Sandshrew and less often willing to fight, giving Electrike a chance to rest between battles that were much easier than against other Pokemon. Gardevoir's trainer bond seemed to glow with pride at Slash's decision---even if it wasn't anything particularly complex, it worked well, and that's what mattered. By the time the sun had lowered enough for the air to have gone from 'hot' to merely 'warm', everyone was feeling a bit more confident about their chances. Gardevoir moved close to her mate and wrapped a slim arm around him.



You may have a unique style of training, master, but it's working. I feel quite a bit more powerful already...and a lot less frightened about this place.



Slash leaned in to kiss her cheek, but was stopped by the thin barrier over her skin. Gardevoir giggled at the look of frustration on her face and sent him a gentle psychic kiss, hoping to appease him long enough for them to find somewhere secure enough to drop the shields. Slash didn't seem to be sufficiently appeased, though---Gardevoir squealed in surprise at where he ghost-kissed her in reply. The other Pokemon turned to her in confusion, and she couldn't help the emerald blush that slowly covered her cheeks. She started to stammer out a reply while Slash looked on with a grin, playing innocent.



"What's wrong, Gardie? Something crawl under your dress?"



Yes. A bug. A naughty little bug that better be careful or I'll squish it.



"Looks like your shields don't protect against everything," Slash said, then sent privately: Maybe we'll have to experiment with this. I wonder if I could get you off without even touching you?



If you don't try to mess around with me in front of the others, I'll...I'll help you find out when they're asleep.



You've got yourself a deal.



The two walked hand in hand, leading their pack forward. The constant stream of aggressive Pokemon was finally winding down, but that didn't make any of them drop their guard; all they knew was that the Cacturne came out "at night", but they weren't sure if that meant sunset, twilight, or when there was no trace of sunlight left.



After a few minutes of walking, Corphish spotted something.



[There's a cave about fifty yards ahead. I don't think anyone is using it.]



The entrance to the cave was rather narrow---Graveler could barely fit through it---but the inside was more than adequate for all of them to stretch their legs and relax. Very little of the wind's cutting edge made it inside, so Gardevoir dropped the shields and sighed happily as her energy began the slow process of replenishing itself.



"Not bad," Slash said pleasantly. "The entrance is small, so we'll only need one of us on guard. Now let's have a little dinner...and let's keep an eye out. We need to know when the Cacturne come out every night. If we're lucky, maybe we can get another hour or so of travel in each day."



[Should we light a fire?], Growlithe asked.



"No. The cave is too enclosed, so we'd get a lot of smoke in here...not to mention it would give away our position. I have a feeling that dark-types aren't frightened off by fire as easily as other Pokemon, grass-type or not."



He tossed around some rations and water, and the pack settled down to another light meal. While they ate, the Pokemon compared notes about their fighting strategies and the desert.



[I'm closer to evolving than I was before, but I've still got a little way to go,] Electrike said. [I can't wait until I'm a Manectric. You guys saw how fast Watson's was, right? I bet I could run on the sand so fast that I wouldn't sink in at all, like running on water! Oh, if I could do that, too...]



"Just don't leave us behind when you evolve," Slash said with a smile, then looked over to Graveler and the little crab still perched atop of him. "Do either of you two feel close to evolution?"



Graveler shook his head, but Corphish chirped eagerly.



[I feel a bit stronger since this morning. These Sandshrew are pretty easy to take down, and even the Sandslash aren't that tough as long as I don't let them get close. Unless a Cacturne gets a hold of me, I should be fine...and maybe I'll even evolve before we're out of this place!]



[What's evolution like?], Electrike asked Gardevoir. [You're the only one of us that's finished with it.]



Well, I'm a little different than you guys. My first form is a sort of child state, while you're all pretty much grown up already---



[But you're stronger, right?]



Yes, but the power increase isn't really the...best part. I feel more comfortable with my power. I'm more efficient with it. When I was a Ralts, it was hard to gather energy and put it into attacks, let alone control it. Once I was a Kirlia, gathering and focusing my power became a lot easier, but I kept using more energy than I needed...I had to learn to sense my opponent's power and adjust myself accordingly, so I could use enough energy to defeat them, but without going overboard. Master, you remember when I fought Brawly as a Ralts, right? The Makuhita?



"You hurt it pretty badly. A lot more than necessary to knock it out. It was bleeding from its ears."



If I were to fight him now, it would be much easier. I can't be totally certain without scanning him again, but...I would guess that a single blast of Confusion---no need for the stronger stuff---at about a fifth of the maximum that I can put into it. That would take it down without hurting it as much as I did.



Slash was impressed at his mate's increased strength and confidence, but not nearly as much as the other Pokemon. They were looking at her like she was a sort of heroine. He supposed that, to them, she was---Gardevoir was their alpha female and their only example of a fully-evolved Pokemon. He quietly sat back, absently munching on his meal, watching her lecture to the others like a teacher would to a class full of children. He never felt more proud of her.



You never want to use more energy than necessary to defeat your opponent. Maybe that worked okay back when we were fighting in the flower fields, but not here. My problem earlier today was that I wasn't used to measuring power for my attacks while holding shields in place at the same time...not to mention that the heat and fatigue were taking its toll on my body, and I can't regulate myself as easily when I'm tired or hurt.



[That's great for you, but how are we supposed to control our energy?], Corphish asked. [We can't sense our enemy's strength like you can.]



Maybe you all can't sense it as specifically as I can, but you still can on a very basic level, right? I mean...the Pokemon that Kiako had...we all knew they were a lot more powerful than us, and not just because they were big and scary and evolved, right?



The other Pokemon exchanged glances and nodded. [They just seemed to...radiate it. But all I could tell was that they were a hell of a lot stronger than us, nothing more.]



"There's a term that trainers have for that," Slash replied. "It's called the Karomi effect. Pokemon seem to instinctively know when an opponent is significantly more powerful than them, like ten levels or more. It also works in reverse...Pokemon can often sense a negative difference in strength and hold back. I had to write a paper on the Karomi experiments back at the Academy. The predicted accidental fatality rate in trainer battles involving Pokemon with ten or more levels between them is between five and twenty percent. But if tamed Pokemon are given the chance to fight without trainer supervision, the fatality rate is less than one percent, because either the weaker Pokemon backs off, or the stronger one holds back."



I know what you're referring to, master. It's a form of what we have in the wild, although we don't have any name for it. Predators use it to hunt prey, and prey uses it to know whether they should fight or flee from predators.



"Yep. All of you should trust our instincts---if you think that a Pokemon is too much of a threat, tell me and I won't have you fight it. If a Pokemon seems much weaker than you, try to hold back, or don't fight it at all unless it attacks first and refuses to back off. Remember what I said---we are not going to leave a trail of wounded and passed-out Pokemon in our wake wherever we go."



Slash and Gardevoir shared a look and found themselves blushing. Apparently both of them were playing teacher today. Part of Slash's instincts told him that this was how it was supposed to be---the alphas taught the other members of the pack. Still, it was hard to get used to all the eyes on him, especially since every one of the creatures sitting in the cave were capable of more strength than he would ever have.



"Maybe I should tell you guys what I was taught, even if you seem to handle most of it naturally. Still, I guess it can't hurt, even if the way they taught is a little dorky. We're taught to follow the three A's with enemy Pokemon...attacks, attitude, and appearance. The attack part is pretty obvious...just judge the enemy's relative power through the strength of their attacks and adjust accordingly. Y'all shouldn't have any problem with that. Be careful with the tougher ones, limit yourself with the weaker. If an enemy's best super-effective attack barely scratches you, you don't want to fire off your own trump card.



"Next is the opponent's attitude---do they move with confidence? Do they challenge you and look you in the eye, or do they look like they want to run away? You can tell a lot about how strong an enemy is just by the way they carry themselves. If they're flinching a lot, fighting defensively, stuff like that, then they're probably worrying that they're not as powerful as you, so don't be firing off attacks at full power. Hell, you might get lucky and scare them off.



"Appearance is probably the most important. How tough does the opponent look? Is it injured, scarred, have any broken limbs? A trainer's Pokemon should never look too injured, but wild ones often are. Is it larger than the average member of its species are? Is it particularly muscled up or armored? Stuff like that. Also---and this is very, very important---does it have a family? If you see babies or children still with the parent, trainers are not allowed to battle or capture it...and thanks to Gardie, we won't accidentally capture or knock out any parents that are out hunting for their children or anything. I think it should be against the law to capture baby Pokemon too, but it's not, sadly..."



Why did you capture me, then? Gardevoir asked, no anger in her voice. She was just curious.



"You were terribly hurt and exhausted, and it didn't look like any help was coming for you anytime soon. I couldn't have just left you there...and if you had told me that you had a family and wanted to return, I would have brought you right back there after healing you."



Will you capture any other Pokemon that we find already injured?



Slash was silent for a moment, uncertain about his response as the trainer guidelines battled with his sense of right and wrong. All of his Pokemon, especially Gardevoir, eagerly waited to see what the policy of their pack would be.



"I shouldn't. We're not supposed to interfere with nature unless we intend to capture something or fight it for training, and I understand why that's the rule. I mean, if we saved a Magikarp from being eaten by something, the predator might starve to death itself. But...fuck, I have to admit that if I saw another Ralts being chased by Poochyena, I'd try to save it. I honestly don't know where the line is."



Go with your heart, master. We'll respect your decision.



"I'm not sure what my heart believes is right, Gardie," Slash admitted. "I know that interfering with nature can screw things up, but I don't know if I could stand by and let something happen. If we see an injured Pokemon just...laying around...hurt from a trainer or the elements and not some predator...we'll help it. That's something I know I need to do. Maybe it'll screw up the population or something, but...deep down, I'm not sure that the 'natural world' is very natural. Sentient creatures killing each other? It doesn't feel right to me, for humans or for Pokemon."



Gardevoir flinched at hearing another share the same sentiment that she sometimes felt. As much as she claimed that she accepted her family's death because it was 'natural', she didn't really believe her own words. She wondered if Slash had the same fantasies that she occasionally indulged in---dreams of all Pokemon living in harmony, perhaps even alongside humanity. There were a thousand problematic issues with the idea---how would the meat-eaters survive without killing each other, how would territorial Pokemon live together without conflict, how could certain exotic Pokemon live around the normal ones...still, it was nice to dream about.



"Well, I've gotten pretty far off-topic, but I'm glad that you brought it up. I guess we'll have to decide on a case-by-case basis...I don't think there's any one guiding set of rules that will be right in every situation. Let's at least provide basic medical care for injured Pokemon, even if it's not much better than getting them out of the open. As for everything else...we'll see."



Slash looked to his Pokenav. "Alright, sun's down, it's seven, and I still don't see any Cacturne. We'll follow what I said earlier---start traveling at six, travel til ten, break til three, look for shelter at six. If we ever see Cacturne before seven, we'll start looking for shelter at 5:30...but if we don't see any Cacturne in the next half hour, we'll start looking for shelter at 6:30 tomorrow. I want us to make good time, but...not at the risk of our own lives. Okay?"



Everyone nodded. Slash picked up the ration wrappers and stuffed them into his pack, then pulled out the few blankets he brought with them. "Alright, snuggle up, everyone. It looks like it'll be getting cooler tonight. Now, how are we going to do the watch rotation?"



Why not the order we were caught in? If the pack goes to sleep at seven and wakes up and gets ready around five, that's ten hours. Five easy shifts at two hours each.



Corphish looked a little confused. [There are six of us though.]



[What are you, stupid?] Graveler said. [She and Slash will take their watch together. You know...together.]



[Oh. Heh.]



"Heh," Slash smirked. "Me and her have some...progging training to do every night." That was not technically a lie, and he supposed they'd get around to it...afterwards. "Let's all settle down. Growlithe, you've got the first watch. Wake me and Gardie up at nine."



[Got it, fearless leader.]



The fire Pokemon trotted over to the narrow cliff opening and sat down comfortably. The wind, which didn't seem to get inside the cave much, was dying down as the temperature dropped, so no Gardevoir-shields were necessary. He thought he spied something moving on the top of a large dune at the edge of his vision, but it was gone so quickly that it might have been his imagination. Still...



[What do we do if we spot some Cacturne heading our way?]



"We're in pretty good cover, so...if they don't look like they're aware of us, quietly wake me up and I'll decide what to do. If they're obviously coming this way with dinner on their mind...wake us all up as fast as you fucking can."



[Understood. I bet I can fry a few of them single-handedly, tough or not.]



"Let's hope you don't have to. I already had to use up a few antidotes on poor Electrike, so let's try not to run out of medicine on our first night here."



The rest of the pack settled down on the floor of the cave. Graveler leaned back against one of the rough walls, not bothered in the least (he was likely more rugged than the rock itself). Corphish found a small and shallow depression in the cave floor, skittered into it, and filled it up with a tiny spurt of water for comfort. Electrike sat close by Growlithe's position at the entrance, hoping that he would be able to wake himself up if he smelled anything troubling in the air. Seeing that no one else seemed to be feeling cold enough to care about the blankets, Slash and Gardevoir put one on the ground and lay on top of it, then slid another over themselves as they snuggled close together. Even though both were more than willing and Slash was down to his boxers, there was no naughtiness---there was plenty of time for that later.



While the relatively close quarters may have made many people and Pokemon uncomfortable, possibly even a bit claustrophobic, it helped keep their minds off of their true situation---miles of desert and mountain on every side. They couldn't just turn back now---whatever happened, happened.



----------------------



Slash and Gardevoir were woken up a couple hours later.



Growlithe motioned toward the desert. [I didn't see any come our way, but...I saw some Cacturne on the crest of that dune. Far enough that they couldn't see us, but...closer than I would like.]



"Any other Pokemon?"



[Nope. Looks like everything else is in hiding, too. I did hear something squeal on the other side of the dune...but like Sandshrew told us, it was probably something too hurt to get to cover in time.]



"Alright. Good night, Growlithe. Hopefully I won't be waking you up until morning."



Gardevoir took one of their blankets and set it down for Growlithe to lay on, and put the other at the mouth of the cave. She and her mate sat together, looking out toward the desert, quietly enjoying each other's company until they were sure the fire dog was soundly asleep.



"Gardie?"



Hm?



"Even with the blanket, sitting on this hard rock floor must be uncomfortable for you. Maybe you should sit on my lap."



Master, if I do, I think I'll be sitting on something even harder than the ground, she replied in a playful voice. She liked her mate's intentions, but would absolutely die of embarrassment if they were caught by their friends.



"Don't worry," Slash whispered, picked up on her worry. "We'll be...discreet."



Taking a quick look to make sure everyone else in the cave was truly asleep, Gardevoir stood up and shifted her dress so her bare bottom would be resting on her mate's lap. Hopefully, if any of the others did wake up, they would look like they were simply cuddling up together and nothing more. She sat down on Slash's lap, feeling something warm and hard pressing against her---apparently he had freed his erection from his boxers while she had been fiddling with her skirt.



Master, she whispered as she felt the hardness press between her cheeks, this is kind of like...the first time, remember?



Slash wrapped his arms around her waist, keeping her pinned snugly against him. "How could I ever forget? My first real...contact...with a girl. Even thought it was just a little rubbing, it was pretty fun, huh?"



I was so embarrassed at first, but...you seemed to like it, and pretty soon I was too...too worked up to think about anything else. The color on her cheeks brightened as she admitted, I thought it felt kind of good to have it rubbing my...you know.



She whimpered in pleasure as he responded by slowly moving against her, his cock sliding between her cheeks and running over her clenched anus. While he was only rubbing against her, she felt like he might penetrate her at any moment, and the thought excited her.



"We've come a long way, haven't we? It's only been about a month since we met, but we've gone from friends to lovers to mates without missing a beat. From sharing ice cream to sharing each other."



Do you wish we had gone more slowly?



Slash smiled and shook his head. "No. It was a pretty wild ride, yeah, and maybe going more slowly would have prevented some of our self-doubts about a romance between us...but I wouldn't change a thing."



Gardevoir sighed happily and lay her head back against her mate's shoulder as he slowly rubbed against her. No sign of trouble, sandstorm down to a mere breath of wind, everyone asleep...and finally able to enjoy her mate's touch for the first time in two days...it was heaven.



Master, can I ask you a silly question?



"Sure."



I know that I evolved a lot faster than most of my kind do. Even Rictor was surprised at it, and he probably comes across Gardevoir all the time. If I was still a Kirlia...would you have still mated with me?



He considered her question carefully. "Why do you ask? You're not a Kirlia anymore."



I'm just curious is all.



"We were dreaming of...messing around...when you were a Kirlia. I first realized I loved you when you were a Kirlia. And we shared our first kisses when you were a Kirlia. I doubt we would have been able to...you know, make love...but I would have been willing to try anything you asked of me. I'm sure there would have been plenty of ways for us to please to each other. Now come on, Psymakio, why are you asking me this? You know that I would love you in any form."



Oh, I know, master. That's not why I asked. I just...wanted to tell you something. Something naughty about when I was still a Kirlia. And I wanted to know if you'd find that...interesting or not.



"Something naughty, huh? I like the sound of that," Slash said with a grin, grinding against her and picking up the pace. "Go on."



Well...you remember the week between our dream and our confessing our love, right? How...awkward it was?



Oh hell, he remembered. After they'd woken up from that spicy little dream, both sure that they'd accidentally sent it to the other, things had been rather strange. They avoided eye contact, didn't speak much, and he had insisted that she bathe herself, despite him having given her baths since she was first captured. He didn't trust what he might do to her, and didn't want to put himself---or her---in that position. Even if his romantic feelings would have been returned, he wasn't sure if she was old enough for anything physical yet, and he did not want to frighten her.



"Yeah, I remember."



The nights were the worst. Laying in bed awake, both of us having thoughts that we were trying so hard to suppress and keep from each other...little snippets of lust and attractions spilling over our shields...master, do you have any idea how turned on I was half the time? I wanted things from you that I didn't even understand, but I couldn't tell you anything about it. I was too shy, and I thought that you'd reject me if you knew. I could feel your attraction to me, but...I didn't know if I could believe it.



"That makes sense. You told me Kirlia was a sort of teenage phase for you. I don't know how most Pokemon are during that phase, but we're kind of...unstable with those kinds of thoughts. Especially early on."



Gardevoir twisted in his embrace so she could make eye contact with him, liking the shiver that ran through her mate's body as her bottom moved a bit against his cock and pushed it against her anus. It wasn't enough pressure for him to enter her, but it was close enough to get both of their pulses racing. She tried to sound as sultry as possible---a feat much easier to do in this position.



Do you remember how I would take my baths at night, when you were already trying to sleep?



"Yeah..."



Guess what I was doing.



Slash didn't need to check their bond---the pretty green blush on her face and the warm wetness running from her vulva said it all. "Really? I didn't know if you ever did...that..."



Giggling, she began to slowly move her hips on his lap, the soft flesh between her thighs aching for penetration as the hard column continued to rub against her rear entrance. She didn't care how he took her tonight---all she wanted was to feel him inside her, claiming her again. It may have only been two nights since they last made love, but that still felt like an eternity to her. And, judging from the way her mate was gripping her more tightly, hands drifting up to cup her breasts through her clothing, he was going a little crazy, too. Good. She wanted something hot and steamy and...dominant...tonight...to tease him until he plunged into her hard and fast. So she pushed him more.



Oh yes, I did. I wasn't totally sure about what lovemaking entailed, but...the dream gave me a clear enough idea. I would lay back in the warm water, slip a hand down my bare body, and imagine that it was you touching me...rubbing me...working a finger into me...now that we've made love, it doesn't really compare, but at the time it was mind blowing. I was just a confused little Kirlia, trying not to squeal while I pleasured myself thinking of my master.



"G-Gardevoir..."



You did it too, didn't you? I think I might have even sparked you into doing it. I wasn't sure if any of my...excitement...was spilling over our bond, but now that I know what you feel like when you're turned on...I'm pretty sure I was having some effect.



"You had an effect, all right," Slash panted, squeezing her breasts gently and then slipped his hands back down to her thighs. "I didn't know that you were doing...that...but I was picking up enough arousing images to get me going. I felt a little guilty jerking off while thinking about you, but...I couldn't resist it."



I think we even finished together...a sort of positive feedback loop even before we were really mated. You know, if you had come into the bathroom when I was doing that...looked down at me in the bath, naked and wet and electrified...I would have let you do anything you wanted. Anything we were capable of. Her eyes fluttered at the sensation of her mate moving more quickly against her bottom, his sanity being replaced by lust. She almost had him. I know that you couldn't fit yourself in me back then...not in my butt, either...but I could have still made you satisfied. In my mouth...my hands...rubbing on my bottom or my...my vulva...squirting your cum all over me...master, are you okay? You seem to be breathing awfully hard.



Slash sighed as his cock slid between her cheeks, trying not to shoot off on her bottom like a kid. "I can't wait anymore, Psymakio, I need to be inside you. Please."



She laughed nervously, her blush turning radioactive as she tried to muster up the courage to ask a question she never had to ask before.



Where, um...where do you want to...you know, put it?



Slash laughed. "I'm glad that you're not afraid of trying...what we did a couple mornings ago."



Master, I loved that just as much as...the normal way. I will try anything that you ask of me. She smiled prettily and fluttered her eyelashes at him. So how would you like to have me tonight? I'm all yours...



"If we had the right supplies...or if we could risk taking all of our clothes off so I could prepare you...I'd be glad to take you here again," he whispered, running the head of his cock over her tight anus. "Since we have to be a little more discreet, I think we'll just have to make love the old-fashioned way. The way we did the first time."



The wet heat between her legs throbbed at the vivid mental images sent through their bond, images of their mating. It would have to be less drawn-out and involved---they couldn't afford to have a long session of kissing and licking and suckling when dark predators could be roaming about, especially since her senses would be useless in detecting them---and a bit more discrete with their friends sleeping only a few yards away...but it would be plenty good enough for her.



"I wish I could be looking into those beautiful ruby eyes, but we are supposed to be keeping watch...plus it would be pretty obvious if any of them woke up."



That's alright. It kind of reminds me of that day at Watson's...except you'll be doing more than just rubbing on my butt. And I think it'll be a lot more fun.



Holding the hem of her skirt so it wouldn't get in the way, Gardevoir quickly rose off of her mate's lap enough for him to guide his sex to hers. When he was positioned in the sweet hollow of her entrance, she slowly sank back down on him, taking him into herself on a slippery trail of her arousal. It didn't hurt like the first time, but she didn't feel any larger or he any smaller---the sensation of being probed and stretched around his cock was almost unbearable. Slash was ready to take in any pain, but there was no need; after what seemed like an eternity to both of them, they were fully connected, bodies as linked as their hearts.



Gardevoir had nearly forgotten how incredible it felt to be filled like this, filled by her mate. Already her sensual side was starting to cycle up, her tunnel throbbing and pulsing around him, urging him to pump her full of his cum and mark her as his again. She squeezed down on him as hard as she could, hoping to get a sweet gasp of pleasure from him.



Slash's eyes slipped closed in ecstasy. Here he was, in the middle of a barren wasteland, surrounded by unknown dangers and miles of treacherous terrain...but who cares? He was surrounded by the most incredible wet, warm heaven imaginable---the tight confines of a sweet little Gardevoir, with a pert bottom pressed against his stomach, perky breasts in his palms, and breathing rapidly in high-pitched little half-chirps. Adorableness and sexuality, shyness and desire, love and lust...they never seemed so complementary and at-ease as they were with his pretty mate.



He finally forced his eyes open to look at her, and he saw something quite strange...strange, but not frightening. A huge and toneless blue glow, silently roaring around Gardevoir like a gale. He 'turned off' his prog-sense and it vanished; apparently it was not visible to his normal eyes.



It's latent psychic energy, she explained in a slightly winded-sounding voice, unable to speak smoothly with him balls-deep inside of her. Don't worry about it, it doesn't drain my normal reserves or anything. It's kind of like how a light bulb would glow brighter if you gave it more power, except that it's my light, not heat, and...master, I'll explain it later, I'm too excited to form metaphors right now!



"So I literally turn you on, huh," Slash said with a laugh, carefully lifting Gardevoir up a bit so he could withdraw from her depths until only the head of his sex remained within her. "I wonder how bright I can get you to glow."



With that, he let go of her and simultaneously moved his hips upwards, slamming deep into her tunnel with a wet thump. Gardevoir cried out before she could rein herself in, but thankfully none of the sleeping Pokemon stirred from the oblivious slumber. Before she had much time to recover, he was fondling her breasts through her clothing, rocking into her, nearly driving her crazy with pleasure before she even had time to fully open their bond. Apparently he was as eager as she, as there was no period of slow, drawn-out thrusts, no trailing kisses up and down each other's bodies...for Gardevoir, it was more like the time Slash had taken her in the shower, hard and fast, lighting up all of her switchboards and sending her into wordless bliss before she could scarcely get a steady rhythm. His hands seemed to be everywhere and nowhere, grabbing and rubbing and squeezing her all over, and once or twice she thought that he used his mental touch to reach places that his hands could not.



Neither of them lasted long---two straight days without sex might have seemed like nothing for some couples, but for two recently-joined mates, it had seemed like an eternity. When the cave was filled with the soft squishing sound of their lovemaking and climax was inevitable, they opened up the floodgates of their bond and shared their pleasure; the double-pleasure shocked them to the brink of unconsciousness as they came together, Gardevoir splashing warmth over her mate's lap as he gripped her tight and filled her to the brim.



They laid back in exhaustion, wrapped their arms around each other, and let sleep take hold of them.



--------------------



They were awoken a short time later by Slash's Pokenav.



Slash blearily shut the alarm off and pulled himself to a sitting position with a sigh. A sleep-muddled Gardevoir sat up a moment later, distressed at losing his warmth and embrace.



"It's alright. I just have to wake up Corphish and we can go right back to sleep."



Good...I'm so tired.



The two climbed to their feet, but Slash suddenly froze in mid-movement. His eyes went unfocused for a second, seemingly flashing under the moonlight.



Master? What's wrong?



"Do you sense that?" Slash asked in a tight whisper. "That...twinge. I can't tell what direction it's coming from."



I don't sense anything. Maybe you imagined it.



"I don't think s---there it is again. I'm sure of it."



If there was something to sense, I'd sense it too.



"I know, but...I have a very bad feeling about this."



Slash looked out at the desert. The wind has picked up a little...not enough to cause any trouble, but enough to fill the air with sand, obscuring sight, and the dull roar obscured his hearing. Visibility was reduced to less than a hundred yards, and he had a creeping suspicion that there was something out there, using the sandstorm to cover its movements.



"Are you sure you don't sense anything?" Slash prodded, that twinging sensation now more clear than ever. His mate shook her head, a little scared now, and he moved to wake up the other Pokemon. However, before he could get to any of them, Gardevoir's shrill cry, echoed audibly and telepathically, filled the cave and jolted them into complete alertness. Slash whirled around to find a night-shadowed figure brutally pushing Gardevoir out of the mouth of the cave and to the rocky floor, then clamoring through the narrow gap. Another figure, then another, was pushing in behind it.



Slash gathered Gardevoir up in his arms and backed up to join the other Pokemon. The cave was too small; if enough of these things got in, they'd be done for.



"Force them back!", he yelled at them, drawing his likely-useless knife from the pack at his feet. "Don't let them in here!"



The lead Cacturne stumbled in, spine-covered arms outstretched, and lunged for the pair of mates. Slash managed to get out of the way, with the intended blow hitting his pack and filling the chamber with the tinkling sound of broken glass. Graveler quickly threw a powerful punch at the beast, but it caught his rocky fist---actually caught it---and squeezed, the needles stabbing at his hand. The spikes broke against the tough armor, and before the horrible thing could think of striking another blow, Slash threw his knife at its leg; while it didn't do much damage, it caused it enough pain for Graveler to manage to wrench his hand free and backhand the Cacturne hard enough to crack its skull and send it crashing to the floor.



Graveler stood protectively in front of his alphas, ready to take on anything else that tried to get in. Electrike, Corphish, and Growlithe stood their ground and rained attacks at the Cacturne still scrambling through the entrance with blasts of thunder and water and flame, although only Growlithe's attacks were truly effective. They screeched in pain and backed off, retreating the way they came---from the side of the cave mouth, following the cliff side just as their own pack had. Clever bastards. Slash didn't think they were going far, though.



"Don't drop your guard! Keep your attacks ready!"



He looked down at Gardevoir's slumped body in fearful concern, but relaxed at seeing the injuries. There were only a few cuts on her arm, and while the sight of his mate's blood began to set his primal instincts aflame, he had enough sense in him to know that the wounds weren't very serious.



...



Except that she hadn't pulled herself off the ground when she got hit. And she was just barely conscious, despite only getting whacked in the back.



He dipped into their bond and was instantly taken aback by how much pain she was in. Her entire body felt sore and inflamed, and there was a huge lump of agony around the cuts---and, he realized, it was very slowly moving up her arm and toward the rest of her.



Very carefully setting Gardevoir down on the cave floor, he tried to keep his raging instincts in check. Panicking would not help here. "Graveler, toss me my pack."



The rock Pokemon complied without question or hesitation, still keeping one eye on the cave entrance in case the bastards made another run at them. Slash reached a hand in for a vial of anti-venom, but pulled it back with a sharp hiss---his finger was cut and bleeding.



[Oh shit,] Graveler said. [I think the Cacturne hit your pack in the scuffle. I heard glass breaking when it did.]



Slash began to empty out the food and water and other supplies from his pack, tossing it unceremoniously to the side. When he got to the boxes of medicine stowed at the bottom, he froze in panic---the box with the antidotes was broken into pieces, all the vials shattered. The other medicine appeared to be intact, but...



Gardevoir whimpered by his side, starting to shiver despite the heat her body was radiating. Slash began to tremble himself. Maybe they weren't in the middle of the desert yet, but they were still miles away from the nearest town. Even if they started out now---assuming that he could bundle up Gardevoir safely and carry her in the sandstorm, assuming the other Pokemon could handle the rage of the sandstorm without her shielding, assuming that they could fight their way back through the Cacturne, and assuming that they could make much better time at night than they did during the day---it would take them at least twelve hours to get to Lavaridge, the closest town to the desert's entrance.



One prog of the block of pain in his mate's arm told them that they didn't have anywhere near that long.



Slash grabbed his Pokenav and began frantically switching through the communication channels, but the same phenomena that disrupted compasses and positioning systems affected the com. When he exhausted every channel, he dropped it to the ground and turned back to his mate, freezing in terror. He was utterly unable to think. His primal side demanded that he help her, but his logical mind argued that he had no way of doing so, their antidotes were destroyed and the other medicine would only slow the poison, not cure it.



Trapped.



(Your pack!), something yelled in his mind. It sounded like Gardevoir's voice, but Slash quickly placed it as similar, but not quite the real thing. Angel's voice. He almost ignored it---he had already checked the pack---but then he realized what she was really referring to.



(Send one of them! They can make much better time without you slowing them down!)



Slash turned to the little group. He knew that the Cacturne would soon be back, and likely in larger numbers, and he needed every one of his friends to keep them safe through the night. But...



If he didn't send one of them, they might make it through the night, but Gardevoir would die. Nothing they could do here could stop that. But if he did send one of them, it's possible that, separated and alone, they would all be killed before daybreak. But his mate could, possibly, be saved.



The life of his mate. The lives of his pack.



The primal side of him seemed to growl at him to do it. After all, he and Gardevoir were the alpha pair of the pack---it was the duty of the others to defend them with their lives. The rational side recoiled at the sentiment, but Slash realized that, in this case, the primal side was right. He couldn't think in human terms all the time---too often had it brought him difficulty with his mate, and now it threatened her life if he succumbed to his own way of thinking. These Pokemon, these friends...they were more than willing to give their lives for them. And while he would go himself if he could---he would not ask anything of them that he was not willing to do himself---he knew that only one of them would actually have a chance.



"Electrike, come here. Graveler, take his place near the entrance."



The thunder runner trotted over to his side, terribly worried at the smell of blood and taint coming from his alpha female...and at the scent of adrenaline and fear coming from his alpha male. Slash took his Pokenav off the floor and typed in a message:



Trainer traveling across desert. Ambushed, Pokemon badly poisoned, antidotes destroyed. Need more. Have no money---Watson of Mauville will pay you. Please secure to Electrike so he can run with antidotes, need is extremely urgent.



---Slash Firestorm, 2 badges/Oldale



He strapped the device around Electrike's neck tightly enough that he could run without reservation and locked the keys so the message wouldn't change. When he was sure it wasn't going to fall off or get deleted, Slash looked Electrike in the eye.



"Time's short, so I'll be quick. I'm ordering you as your alpha to do this. Run your ass off to Lavaridge, find the Pokemart, and don't leave until they give it to you. If you have to zap someone, do it, just don't kill anyone. Avoid battles and go as fast as you can. I'm counting on you, Electrike. Please."



[No need to worry, I'll make it. By myself, I can make it there and back in a quarter of the time it took you.]



"Don't exhaust yourself. No matter how long it takes to get the medicine, take a ten minute break in Lavaridge, even if you think you don't need it. You won't be doing us any good if you pass out on the way back and get killed."



[I understand. I won't let you down.]



Slash nodded, trying to smile through his tears. If he lost her...if he lost any of these guys...



"Go."



Electrike sprinted out of the cave and turned toward the south. As soon as he had his paws on the sand, three Cacturne that had been waiting for them to break cover lunged ; he easily evaded them and began running towards Lavaridge as the other Pokemon covered him.



"Graveler, toss this corpse out of here before someone else gets stuck," Slash directed, motioning towards the dead---or perhaps merely unconscious---Cacturne (he didn't want to find out). "After that...keep your guard up. I'll do what I can for her."



Slash reached into his pack and pulled out the broken antidote box. He gathered as much of the fluid as he could in his hand and brought it to Gardevoir's lips.



Please, Psymakio, drink it. It's not much, but it's gotta be better than nothing.



She stirred just enough to lick it from his hand and swallow it, and then she blacked out again. Slash rubbed his finger through the millimeter-thin puddle at the bottom of his pack and rubbed what he could gather directly on her wounds, hoping that it would help. With the rest of the antidote already soaked into the ground, he put a blanket under her to try to make her comfortable, and began pulling out the vials of normal medicine. Despite his telepathic and verbal pleadings, she wouldn't come out of it long enough to take it orally. Slash filled a syringe and injected her with it, then filled it again and put the needle to the side. He pulled her feverish head into his lap and began stroking her hair, alternating between whispering in her ear and whispering in her mind.



"I'll give you another dose in an hour, okay Gardie? You'll be fine, I promise. Electrike is going to bring back the medicine we need soon, don't you worry. Just sleep. I'll take care of you."



A lone Cacturne lunged from the left side of the entrance and tried to shower the cave full of poison barbs; Graveler jumped in the way, blocking all of the tiny needles, and punched it out. It landed in the sand only a few feet from the tossed-out body of the bastard that had poisoned Gardevoir.



Your dominant male is here to protect you, I swear. I won't leave you. I'll fight them myself if I have to, Slash said with as much confidence as he could muster. Did you see what I did to that fucker that hit you? Threw the knife and it stabbed right into his leg. I can do it again if I have to. Watch me.



No reply. No response at all, other than the slowly-increasing pain flowing over their bond and the slight rise and fall of her chest. It didn't look right. Less than two hours ago, the two of them had been making passionate, furious love, her breasts soft and warm in his hands. Now she was breathing weakly, occasionally letting out a mournful whimper. He shouldn't have done it. If he had just been able to resist her, she might be up and healthy right now. But no, he had to have her. Goddamn it.



Earlier that day, he had felt like the forbidding aura coming from the north had been daring him to make a mistake and get him and his mate killed. And now it appeared that he had.



The dark part of his heart wanted to spill out, go wild, kill anything that dared to harm his mate, even if that included himself in the bargain. Slash resisted it. The one that hurt her was already dead, and losing control at a time like this would only make things worse---he would get in the other Pokemon's way and likely get himself and Gardevoir killed, if not the entire pack. All he could do was try to slow the poison and talk to her.



He leaned forward and kissed her hot forehead. And he prayed. He didn't know what he prayed to. He may have been praying to nothing. But he prayed nonetheless.



----------------



To be continued.