Ragnarok

Note: Whew. Let the truth be told: I deleted and completely redid my Chapter 8. I felt it a little weak on the first type through, and so this that you read is the second shot I did at making it. What a length, a little over 10,000 words.

Like usual, read, review, and rate. Even bad ratings will be useful to me.

As for Chapter 9, the storyboard is already set up. And for that unique One Shot...the storyboard is being developed.

With that said and done, enjoy the read!!!
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1:03
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"That's all that this is...

This is a dream."

Noah's eyes slowly pulled back, like the curtain of a stage, to reveal the mid-afternoon lake and surrounding vegetation. The campfire was long since put out, the dried mud and pieces of timber being the only items leftover from the night before. Magikarp and Remoraid seemed to dance in the water amongst each other, while small herds of Bidoof and Shinx shuffled around the grass and trees. Starly and Staravia flocks loomed overhead, all heading to the Northwest, away from the rising sun's blinding rays. The smell of the campfire had also diminished, leaving a fresh, clean scent of the wildlife to tingle Noah's nose as he breathed it in. The day felt wonderful.

Balling his fists and rubbing them against his eyes, he rolled toward the direction of the lake, stretching out with a long yawn. His rested body felt re-energized and super charged; the day would have to watch out, for Noah Sol was coming. He was so ecstatic, that he didn't even realize that his legs were fully functional again, even the main area of the supposed injury. When he finally overcame his emotions and realized this, he let out a tiny inconspicuous grin, the Zangoose was right, at least about the recovery process.

Remembering the strange gray creature, his eyes shot downward, to where he had seen her fall asleep after giving her her name: Luna.

"What a nice name." Noah told himself. Luna must've left somewhere, perhaps to get some more fish, or something of that manner, earlier before he had awakened. At least, that's what he figured, since she was gone from her sleeping spot, leaving behind only a groove where her body had laid down.

Wanting that feeling of freshness yet again, Noah reached out in all directions with his limbs, yawning a little more quietly this time, and rolled over to the side opposite the lake.

He was greeted by a twitching pink nose, attached to a deep white muzzle.

Noah's eyes widened, trying to take in the situation. He quickly shifted his body, accidently bumping his knee into her hind leg. Her creamy-milk colored eyes shot open, connecting perfectly with his, both staring for less than a single second at each other.

Noah let loose a scream, not of terror, but of surprise, sending another wave of Starly and Staravia into the skies, and scaring the woodland Pokemon into their dens. Luna reacted accordingly, yelling right back at Noah in a sharp, raspy, "I just woke up" voice.

Luna refused to allow Noah to gasp for oxygen.

"What the hell are you doing, waking me up like that!?" she roared at Noah, who was on all fours, trying to focus on breathing. "I was just getting comfortable!"

"What the hell are you doing sleeping so close to me like that!?" he snapped right back. "You almost gave me a heart attack you idiot!"

Her anger almost physically vanished from her expression. "I was a little cold, I thought it'd be okay if I slept a little closer. Is that wrong?"

Noah stared at her for a moment, trying to drink in the explanation for her action. "...I guess that's excu-"

"And who do you think you're talking to!? Calling me an idiot, you asshole!!" her anger flared up again. "I outta beat the crap out of you for that!"

Luna raised her claw, held inward, and swung it back down onto Noah's face, giving him a good "back-paw" slap to the right cheek. The impact forced his body into a small three-sixty spin, his face landing flat onto the dirt several feet away.

"I'm an angel, remember!? You're supposed to treat me with respect!" Luna lectured. "Looks like I'm going to have to teach you some manners!"

"Asshole? If you're indeed an angel, maybe you should act like one!"

This prompted another slap, this time onto Noah's left side cheek. His face met the dirt and grass yet again, blood starting to form from a small wound on his cheek.

"You really need to watch your tongue, boy." Luna hissed at Noah, getting onto her hind legs, rubbing her right paw- the one that punished Noah- with her left.

"Didn't you also say something about being more careful about what we do? Something about us physically hurting each other through our bonds?"

Luna poked at her closed jaw with her claws on her left paw, considering what he said. She smiled, her sharp fangs glistening in the sun. "You'll live, so it's okay. So long as I don't really injure you, I can beat the crap out of you all I want. Remember, half of you is now mine, you're MY property."

Noah buried his injured face in his hand again. None of this was a dream, at least he didn't expect. This was the real deal.

----------

The Starly and Staravia, both finally settled down, chirped happily into the air, the freshness that wafted in the wind from this day was almost too perfect for someone like Noah. If this day had been like this before he met Luna, he would've argued with himself on whether or not to take a silent stroll down the main portion of Twinleaf Town. No, not even the vicious stares from the crowd would slow him down on that day.

Noah and Luna's footsteps could be heard in the form of the crunching and snapping sounds the two made whenever they carelessly stepped on a stick or twig. This usually triggered the resident Pokemon to rush away in panic, as a natural instinct. Noah, his body revitalized, decided that it was time to backtrack to the Route 201, and see if he could find Cynthia, or any sign of her, anywhere on the roads.

He should've known better than to believe something, anything, would have remained. He knew that it had already been one full day since the incident, and even though they were alone on that night, Noah was sure that the commotion made near Sandgem town by Sinnoh's High Noon would be noticeable, especially if she had went all out on the thugs. Still, he wanted to be one-hundred percent sure that there was nothing else to look for. He had dusted of his dirty shirt, torn jeans, and tightened his tennis shoes before starting his way back from Lake Verity.

"So...what's so important about this...sen-thee-a?" Luna asked as they slowly made their progress through the tangled mess of trees and greenery.

"Cynthia is one of the highest members of authority here in Sinnoh, she's very important to the stability of the government."

"So...?"

"Before I ran into you, she was helping me on the way to Sandgem to meet...shit." Noah said, remembering that he had an engagement with Bebe two nights ago.

"To meet shit?"

"No, no." Noah quickly corrected himself, laughing out of embarrassment. "I had to meet someone named Bebe. She had something really important to tell me several days ago."

"Are we going to go to this...Sandgem place to meet her then?"

"I don't think we'll meet her there." Noah answered. "Even if Cynthia's fine and well, Bebe would've left from there by now, since the attack..."

"So...where to then? Remember, you need to help me."

"I know, but please let me do this first. It's as you said, we have time."

Luna started to silently pout, wanting Noah to do things her way instead. "Fine, I guess we can do this, but make it fast."

A clearing could be seen several feet away. The bushes that usually fenced off the forest from the route were ripped wide open, probably from the thugs' search for Noah. Several other bushes showed signs of disturbance, the leaves being scattered all around the forest floor, some of them being forced almost directly to their sides. Even some trees were ruthlessly damaged. Whatever it was Noah had done, he was sure that from this, and from how much they chased him toward the Lake, that he seemed "important" to them, for some reason. Noah grabbed one of the victimized bushes open, crawling out and into the broad open Route 201.

"Feels a little empty to me." Luna remarked.

"It's suppose to be. People need to walk on these paths to avoid wild Pokemon and other enemies. They're also the fastest man-made roads to the connected network of towns." Noah thought for a bit. "They're also used for battles."

"Battles? Like a fight?"

"Yeah. Trainers use Pokemon against other Trainers' Pokemon to see whose are stronger."

Luna put her paw up to Noah. "Wait a second. People force Pokemon to fight others? Isn't that a little...cruel?"

"In what way?"

"Sounds more like slavery to me."

"It's not."

"How so?"

"Well...it depends."

Luna was starting to become agitated at the blunt and short answers. Noah could also feel an anger rise within him.

"What do you mean?"

"It depends on the trainer. Some trainers allow Pokemon they capture to have the choice, to become strong under their command, or to leave back to the wild."

"What about the others?"

"Other trainers...in short," Noah knew she was going to snap at him for this, "they treat their Pokemon as nothing else but slaves. The Pokemon have very little rights once their captured."

Luna, taking in this new information, tried hard to suppress her anger. "Why can't they just run away?"

"The pokeballs prevent it."

"Pokeballs?"

"Pokeballs are what Trainers use to capture wild Pokemon, and train them." Noah started to walk down the road where he had come from with Cynthia, Luna following behind, figuring that walking and talking would save them the trouble of walking afterward. "You see...-"

"Turtwig, use Tackle attack!" A voice rang out into the openness.

Noah and Luna's heads shot up at attention, trying to find the source. About fifty yards away, what Noah thought to be a rookie trainer was battling a wild Bidoof. His Turtwig posed aside his trainer, preparing to attack.

Bidoof charged straight toward Turtwig, the turtle Pokemon doing the same. A loud clapping noise filled the air, Luna wincing at the impact, when both Pokemon's tackle attacks collided. The Bidoof, naturally having a softer head compared to the rough and tough durability that naturally came to Turtwig, stumbled back, slightly dizzy at the impact.

"It's open, hit it again Turtwig!"

The green Pokemon shook off its head from the impact, charging again at full speed toward the wild enemy. It cackled its battle-cry as its hardened head collided into Bidoof's side, the rat Pokemon crying out in pain from the force of the attack. It was sent into the air, and into the dead center of the route, twitching and crying out. Luna covered her mouth with her paw, disturbed at the action.

"Now, Bidoof, you're mine!" the trainer yelled, pulling out a small compacted red and grey ball from his belt. With a small wind-up, he sent the ball hurling toward the Pokemon, the item making a light impact with the Bidoof's head. The Pokemon was suddenly incased in a bright white light, and was compressed into a size slightly smaller than the ball itself. The once Bidoof, now a ball of energy, was then sent straight into the ball, the prison shutting tight after the lightshow was over. The ball landed softly on the ground, shaking a little before coming to a complete stop. The trainer, beaming with a large smile, grabbed the pokeball, and as if he had never been there, took his leave, the turtle pokemon following quickly behind him.

Noah smiled a bit too, the act of catching the Bidoof reminding him of his earlier days. Luna however, was completely disgusted. Her eyes were as wide as Noah had never seen before, her anger quickly rising again. Noah could feel an urge inside of his body.

She wanted to beat the living crap out of the Trainer.

Just as she began to sprint, Noah jumped toward her, grabbed her arms, and carefully landed to the side, making sure not to crush her with his body as she tumbled. The two grunted as they slammed into the ground.

"Where the heck are you going?"

"Nowhere...why?" she said innocently, flashing her eyes at him. If it weren't for the situation, and her obvious anger toward what the trainer did, Noah would've laughed at her.

"Stop it, whatever you were going to do, just stop. What's done is done."

Luna's hostility suddenly died down, relaxing herself so as to let Noah ease up on the pressure he was applying to her arms. Noah stood back up, Luna doing the same, crossing her arms across her body as the two continued to walk.

"It's what happens Luna. He legitimately caught a Pokemon in the wild."

"The Zangoose is right...your species are monsters."

Noah raised an eyebrow, confused at what she had said. "What Zangoose? Are there more...like you?"

"No." she quickly replied. "It's all already up here," she stopped to point at her brain. "I know everything this Zangoose knows. And apparently, this Zangoose believes your kind to be savage beasts."

Noah couldn't help but chuckle at the irony.

"Well, it's too late for the Bidoof now, it's been registered by the pokeball."

"There's more to that death-trap?"

"Yes, and it's not a death trap."

"Okay then, a prison."

"Would you just let me explain?"

"You're going to anyways, so do it."

"Well, the pokeball-"

"Death trap."

Noah sighed. "Fine, the death trap has a unique imprint system. Whatever Pokemon is captured successfully inside becomes limited. They can't stray too far away from the pokeball they were captured in, or else the ball returns them automatically.

Think of it as a sort of 'house arrest', where you are-"

"Trapped?"

"Well...from a Pokemon's perspective, that could be a correct description. You're simply 'trapped' inside the ball unless the ball breaks, or the trainer manually frees the Pokemon."

"I think it's cruel."

Noah stopped in mid-walk. "And...what you're doing to me isn't?"

"It's what your kind deserves for this attitude toward wild Pokemon. They’re sentient creatures, just like you."

"Two wrongs don't make a right."

"I don't care, this is punishment."

"Why punish me? I never even held a Pokemon against their own will."

Luna looked at him, deep into his eyes, analyzing his movements as he talked. "Really? You've never, ever, ever?"

"No! I gave my Pokemon the choice; I'm not a cruel beast like you think my species are. Yes, there are bad people out there who enslave Pokemon, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any good people either, so understand that."

Luna's eye contact with Noah broke off. "Hmmm...you aren't lying, or I'd notice…

…You're alright Noah."

“You say that after you’ve already made me your ‘property’.” Noah snapped back, the two continuing to walk down Route 201, albeit only for a moment longer before Noah realized that they had arrived. He didn’t allow the conversation to continue.

"Stop for a moment, I think this is the spot."

Luna looked around for anything out of place, anything uncommon that might've been evidence of a fight.

"Are you sure? There seems to be nothing here."

"I'm sure, it just...feels right." Noah replied, not really convincing Luna in the slightest. Desperate for some clue as to what might've happened to Cynthia and the thugs. Nothing. Absolutely nothing was out of the ordinary. Noah looked down the road, Sandgem's tallest buildings were within eyesight at this distance, the same distance he noticed Sandgem when he was here with Cynthia.

"Noah, there's nothing here." Luna said.

Noah knew she was telling the truth. Despite the little struggle he had with the thugs, and what Cynthia could've caused in damages should she have truly battled, there was nothing that would've convinced anyone that Cynthia had battled with a bunch of no-name criminals.

"She has to be safe then. If there was no damage, then maybe she didn't need to go all out." Noah told himself. "...Who am I kidding? That's a horrible logic. I just hope she made it out of here..."

"You know, I could read your thoughts whenever you think so loudly. Maybe you should consider hiding them a little here and there."

Noah snapped out of thought and stared at Luna, who was grinning.

"You really need to give me the space to think. You're gonna have to help me with hiding it."

"Later then," Luna replied, "so are we done here?"

Noah took one last, long, look around the trail, nothing else could be seen. All of this trouble, and all Noah has to show for it is this Zangoose...

"Okay, back to Twinleaf. We need to get ready."

----------

Noah's feet pounded against the dirt track neatly filed towards Twinleaf. He could already see some of the highest buildings over the trees and tall greenery. Downtown Twinleaf wasn't too grand, for such a small town, but the buildings were tall enough to make a good estimate as to how far they were in distance. Noah scanned the two towers reaching for the sky; they'd be back inside the city limits within several minutes, if not less. He braced himself for what might come as he approached.

As the pair continued down toward the end of the path, Noah felt a small pinch on his left leg, from where the wound had healed, as well as even lighter uncomfortable pinches along his face. While not physically impairing any of his abilities, it was slowly growing to be a nuisance. Noah continued to rub his face with his palms, hoping but doubting that any physical action would do nothing against the hexed wounds.

"I thought you said these injuries would be fully healed one day after your "ability" was active."

No response.

"Hey, you hear me?"

Again, nothing.

"Luna?"

Luna was looking the other way, humming to herself in a very cheerful manner, ignoring whatever Noah was talking about.

"I'm sorry, what?" Luna asked, her head turning completely to the opposite side, toward Noah's direction.

"God, you're impossible."

"Hm? I thought you wanted to tell me something?"

"Yeah. Why hasn't the healing finished? I thought it was only gonna last a day."

Luna slowed her walking pace down. Her attention turned completely to her new property. "Wait, it's not gone?"

"Well, the wounds themselves are, obviously."

"I can tell; you wouldn't be able to walk otherwise, right?"

"Right, but this tingling feeling won't go away."

"Tingling feeling?"

"Yeah, it's like there's something constantly pinching my face and leg. It hurts, but only a little bit."

"Strange, there shouldn't be any side effects...at least, not now." Luna finished, turning back the other way.

"Regardless though, this is an amazing ability, it'll prove very useful for the remainder of the time I'm with you."

"Definitely." Luna automatically replied, almost no sooner than when Noah finished his sentence.

Luna's tone had suddenly changed. The sarcasm Noah would hear blended into her speech was almost non-existent, and her voice had gone flat from that wonderful flow it had fom earlier. Noah made a mental note about this 'tell' she had.

A large sign stood before them, telling of the obvious:

Welcome to Twinleaf Town: Fresh and Free!
Pop. 3,000

"Luna, can you do something for me?"

Luna turned back to Noah, Noah focusing intensely on her tone shift in her voice.

"What is it Noah?" replied Luna, with a sweet, smooth sounding young woman-like voice.

'It's back to normal.' Noah thought, before replying. "Can you not talk while we are in town?"

"What? What for?"

"Well, Pokemon aren't exactly known for the ability to speak like you can."

"I don't understand."

"Pokemon shouldn't be able to talk in the human language. Infact, I STILL haven't figured out why you can. That fact of the matter though, is that it's not normal, and it draws a lot of unneeded attention. Attention is something we really don't need, especially since we're looking for something like these." Noah pointed to the coin-shaped gems on his necklace. "Some people would consider something like these 'plates' as valuable, and would take them for themselves if they realized that we were finding treasure like this."

"Another reason for me to dislike your kind. Is there nothing your species can't do to piss me off?"

"Just don't talk, that's all I'm asking. Can you do that for me?"

Luna stood in place, tapping her foot on the floor at a fast pace. "And this is just for this place, right?"

"Actually, I was hoping that you could do this for me whenever we are around other people. No one would believe that a Zangoose was talking English, but it's still dangerous to even consider just walking and talking around downtown Twinleaf."

"Wha!? You can't really expect me to be silent whenever we meet another of your kind!?"

"I'm sorry, but it's to keep us from gathering too much attention."

"Can I still talk to you through my thoughts?"

"...that should be fine, as long as we both refrain from acting out as we talk. Zangoose normally don't have the ability, so no one should really be suspicious of that at least. In that case, I think it's fine."

"Good, I wouldn't be able to last very long if I couldn't..."

"Speaking of which...why CAN you talk English at all?"

"...I don't know."

Noah scratched the back of his head. "I guess it can't be helped, you can speak because you just can."

The two of them chuckled, acknowledging the agreement. Noah stretched his hand out to Luna, the Pokemon simply staring back in return.

"Uh...what are you doing?"

"It's called a handshake; it's what humans do to validate an agreement."

"...I'm not a human."

"You don't have to be."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"How?"

"Grab my palm with your paw."

Luna's paw stretched out, her body a little defensive from the new experience. The pads on her paw rubbed up against his smooth skin on his hand, a strange feeling Luna had yet to feel in this world.

"Now, grip it, but not too tightly, then move your arm up and down with mine."

Luna's eyes followed her arm toward his as the two shook hands, his fingers coiled around the fur near her claws. The feel of his bare skin rubbing against her arm felt...unusually pleasant.

"There, now was that any hard?"

"Uhhh....n-no...not hard." Luna said, blushing slightly at the touch of his hand. She quickly withdrew her paw as his hand's grip weakened.

"Okay then, let’s get to my house. The suns already past the highest point in the sky, so it's already past twelve 'o' clock.

The moment the city life became visible beyond that giant welcome sign, Luna's eyes lit up. Not necessarily in awe or excitement per say, but the interest was surely there. Her head swung from side to side, from angle to angle, looking from one object to another, unaware of how to take in the sights.

"So, I guess that Zangoose never saw civilization?"

"No, or this wouldn't look so...interesting!" Luna squeaked with glee. Noah quickly tapped her shoulder, putting his finger to his mouth, tapping it repeatedly.

'Remember, no talking, unless through our minds. Got it?' he asked telepathically.

'Oooh right, got it.'

Luna refused to stop looking at the attractions, each and every one of them pleasing to her eyes. She saw large, hard box-shaped dens lined up neatly along either side of the hardened pavement beneath their feet, barely realizing that they were no longer walking on dirt road. She could hear the sounds of the humans' footsteps "pit-patting" along the road, some of them talking to others in the same language as Noah and she, others talking to strange little devices no bigger than the palm of the human hands.

'Noah, what's that?'

'They're called phones. They allow people to communicate with each other from long distances without having to physically be together in person.'

'So, those people are just talking to other people?'

'Yeah. Both speakers have a phone on either side of the conversation.'

Luna caught sight of another human, this one slightly different in size, almost one foot smaller than her build. The human ran around with another of his size, both laughing, one chasing the other down the street.

'Why is that one so small?'

'It's a child.'

'A child?'

'Yea, a kid. Like...a younger version of the taller ones. The young ones are called children, the older ones are adults.'

'What's the difference, besides the size obviously?'

'Lots. Too much to really explain in detail. Adults have a better thought process, and they are, usually, stronger than the children; most adults protect their children from predators.'

'Sounds very close to Pokemon in the wild...' Luna stated, the memories of the Zangoose herd fresh in her false mind.

A sharp cry pierced the air, it's slightly annoyingly high pitch bothering Noah, and making Luna giddier at the concept of human life. Both turned almost instinctively toward the direction of the cry, only to see a small infant in a mother's arms, wailing loudly at whatever was giving it discomfort. The mother and surrounding humans could only softly smile and laugh to themselves as the mother eased the baby's frustration.

'That one is even smaller than the..."children"!?'

'That one's called an infant, or baby. They are the most delicate, and need to be taken real good care of.'

'Amazing. Your kind changes so...strangely.'

'I thought you despised my kind.'

'I despise what you do, not what you are.'

Noah could only chuckle at the comment.

'And...those...weird blocky shaped things...what are those?'

'Buildings. Those are where humans live and dwell in, doing whatever it is they do. Think of them as dens.'

'So you sleep in those?'

'Yeah, although it's a little more detailed than just that. Every building is unique based on what it provides. Some provide food, others have businesses, and others, like Pokemon Centers, help by curing any injured Pokemon that is brought in.'

'Wow...interesting.' Luna noted, her claw rubbing against her closed mouth.

The two had only made it half way through the crowds and roads, the other half lay out before them. Noah's house was easy to get to from the main road downtown. The path made an easy and clear connection with Noah's house, despite that it's on the other side of the town. It made finding his way back home from little trips easy, back when he would go exploring the town years ago as a kid.

Although Luna had yet to notice, Noah was already aware of what was going on around him. He had lost his cloak on that night, so his face was revealed to everyone in the town, as well as his dirtied white shirt, and ripped pants: not necessarily the attire that was deemed "normal" for the standard body-wear for downtown travel. Eyes were slowly starting to lock onto Noah's body as he continued along with Luna at his side, many civilians snickering or simply struggling to keep to themselves without Noah overhearing an overly loud whisper. With so much attention around the two, and a lack of any good news at all, this suddenly became the talk of the town.

"Isn't that him?"

"What's he doing?"

"He looks like he had the crap beaten out of him."

"I thought I saw him leave from his house the other day."

"Wait, you saw him leave his house?"

"Two nights ago."

"Wha?!"

"No way."

"Where'd you think No Soul went?"

"Why are you asking me?"

He finally heard the question he'd been waiting for:

"Why does Noah have a Zangoose?"

"You don't think...oh Arceus help him."

"He's going to try...again?"

"Didn't he learn his lesson the last time?"

"What an idiot."

"That poor Zangoose."

"He's sending it to its grave."

"No Soul."

Noah stopped listening; trying to block out all the voices that he could hear ringing inside his ear.

'I'm sending her to her grave...' Noah thought. That last one…that final statement struck him hard somewhere inside. Naturally, it would've hurt Noah's morale; at least, it would have several years ago.

Luna turned upward at Noah's face, puzzled about what he was thinking. Although he wasn't masking himself too well, she didn't feel it necessary to try and read his mind. Instead, she would simply ask.

'Noah...?'

'Yea?'

'Can I ask you something?'

'Uh...if you want to...'

She made sure to lock eye contact with Noah. 'Why are they saying "no soul"?'

'Oh that? It's nothing, really.'

'Nothing? Are you sure? The humans are-'

'It's nothing, so drop it...!' Noah's inner voice warned, actually making Luna's body flinch. She stopped for a brief moment, trying to figure out why he reacted the way he did, and why she felt that what he said was so threatening, especially since it wasn't. Or, at least, it shouldn't have been. It was something that should not have scared her, but the way he said it intimidated her for the control she had over him. Of course, she really had no control over his will, but if holding his soul hostage would get him to do what she wanted, she was willing to do so.

'Well...what about when they say "The Next Victim?"'

Noah's walking speed doubled, his face turned back quickly, shooting an intense and icy cold stare back at Luna. She backed off, not wanting to provoke him after she had just been feeling so good.

'Fine, sorry I asked.' Luna finally replied, walking a little faster to catch up to Noah's increasing pace, the boy trying to escape from the commoners and into the less populated streets to get home faster.

'We'd probably get through this faster if we focused on walking, so c'mon.' Noah informed.

'So we-'

'Shut up and walk.' Noah ordered.

Luna would've, at any other given situation, slapped the living hell out of Noah from behind. However, the way he was acting...and how his face changed when she asked him those strange questions...not to mention the eerie feeling of emptiness that started to seep into her mind...

It'd be better if she just left him alone until they got to his den. At least then, she'd be able to discuss what they were going to do first.

At their new pace, they made it through the main city, the smaller streets, and up that steep climb to Noah's house within the next hour.

----------

"Here we are, welcome to my home." Noah greeted Luna, presenting her with the door, opening it to allow her in first. She hesitated slightly, confused with how the house would function from the inside. She couldn't necessarily trust Noah fully, at least not yet. That was something they'd have to work on while finding whatever it was that she had lost.

Luna was surprised at the looks of the house, more so the exterior, the entire mass of the building drawing attention toward it in that open field of grass, something Noah explained to be "his family's property". The inside wasn't as mesmerizing, but still something that awed her. The moment she walked into the door, she started wondering around, dropping to all fours to sniff the place out. There wasn't any particularly strong scent drifting around in the house, except Noah's scent. She'd have to also remember to engrave his scent in her memory. To Luna, Noah had the aroma of the natural forests on the outside. Of course, he'd been out in the wilderness for an entire day, and the smell would've been something she wouldn't have paid any attention to, but the simple fact that even the inside of the house smelled the same way; she decided to affiliate Noah with that fresh and clean stench.

Luna casually prowled through the den on the left of the first hallway after the door, Noah silently shutting the door behind him. She sniffed everything in the room: the couch, the television, the small plant that rested in the corner of the room to the right, and the small rug that rested in-between the couch and the television. Afterward, she quickly and anxiously moved toward the kitchen opposite of the den. There was plenty of space for her to wander in, sniffing the fridge, oven, sink, and pantry, her mouth beginning to salivate as the beautiful aroma of food starting filtering into her nose. Luna quickly exited the room before her hunger grew.

"I'll cook us something when I'm done packing, alright?" Noah said.

"No problem, just let me explore for a little bit."

Noah shrugged. "Well, besides the kitchen, the living room, and my room...there's nothing much else to look at."

"And why's that?"

"The rest of the rooms are empty."

"Why do you have them then? Isn't it just a waste of space?"

Noah flinched at the question, looking away quickly. "That's none of your business, got it?" he snapped.

Luna decided to hold her own aggravation at his current attitude back, looking around corners to try to sneak peeks at some of the other open areas of the house. Sure enough, besides the hallway that passed between the rooms, the rest of the house was desolate.

"Wait here, I'll be right back. My room's at the end of the hallway if you need me for anything."

"Sure." Luna replied, resting her head on her arms, touching her paws together behind her back.

No sooner did Noah leave, did Luna start to fiddle around with whatever there was in the den. She confronted the plant, inspecting its properties. She could feel the tenderness of the delicate leaves as she sifted them through her paws. She smelled them, her nose tickled by the fine tipped end of the leaves. Her body reacted accordingly, forcing her to sneeze. Although it was nothing, it amused her to no extent. She decided to sniff it again, hoping to re-experience the miracle of sneezing.

Instinctively, she decided to take a bite as well, chewing on the stem for several seconds, and even biting off a leaf before reflexively gagging. She sputtered and spat on the plant, sticking out her tongue and wiping off the "flavor" of the plant with her paws, wetting her fine fur in the process.

"Tastes like crap." she told herself. She quickly changed her attention to the television, touching it, trying to figure out what it was.

"This must be made by humans...I've never seen any of this in the wild..." she said, staring at the small buttons and knobs that rested on the side of the television. Atop the screen, a small rectangular remote rested, waiting for someone to pick it up and use it. Luna decided that it was her job to do so, grabbing the remote from off the television. Small rubber nubs were scattered around the control’s surface, all labeled with- to Luna- unreadable language.

"Ugh...damn human language. If only I could read." she muttered, frustrated with her inability to do so, even with her "otherworldly powers". She used her claws to accurately pick at the buttons one by one, the nubs slowly sinking in and out whenever she applied pressure. After pushing several of the small buttons, she turned her attention to a large red button on the top right corner of the remote, labeled: POWER. Of course, she wouldn't know this as she stared at that one button, attracted to its hypnotic color. Licking her muzzle, she pushed down on the power button, not knowing what might happen, if anything.

"None of the others worked, so why would thi-HOLY SHIT!!" she gasped, surprised to hear a high pitched buzzing sound coming from the large box she grabbed the device from moments ago. The den was illuminated with a strange blue glow from the television. Reacting as any wild animal with a brain would, Luna shrieked, running behind the couch, hiding from the hidden enemy.

Noah heard her from his room, smiling weakly at her.

"So damn easily amused. She's not ready for this world." Noah told himself, somewhat disappointed. "And she's an angel?"

Noah quickly opened up some drawers and his closet near his small, twin-sized bed, packing clothes and other necessities. He grabbed his backpack from the top of the closet, a pitch black bag, capable of holding a large amount of supplies for the road. Although it had been years, he still remembered what to pack, based on what he packed those years ago on his journey.

"I still have my Trainer License, so I can stay free at Pokemon Centers. Food will cost money, but money is no problem for me either..." Noah said. Talking aloud was something that allowed Noah's thoughts to be more easily processed when he was alone, or at least, by himself in a room. "So that leaves...clothes, my Pokedex, Poketch..."

Noah continued to think about the necessities as he packed several changes of clothes into his bag, along with his Pokedex. He didn't really need much else, since he'd have the ability to buy anything he'd forgotten. "Oh, and a first-aid kit...just in case." He fished toward the back of his closet for the emergency first-aid set he had kept from his last adventure, knocking down a peculiar box along the way, the box landing near his feet. Finally, with the kit in his hands, he turned to stuff it into his bag until he noticed the container at his feet. He paused in place, knowing exactly what it was, but hoping to never see it again. Noah began to question why he still had it, and hadn't thrown it in the trash. Quickly, he placed the kit still in his hands into the backpack, before crouching down to pick up the box. He let his fingers glide along the box's edges before lifting the top off.

He almost dropped the box, not wanting to see what was inside. A slim, black belt, lined with a brilliant gold color on the top for where the pokeballs would be placed. Speaking of which, three pokeballs, scaled down to their small compact size, were still latched to the belt; he'd never bothered to throw them away, or sell them, or anything of the sort. When last he had quit, he had put the belt away, regardless of what was on it, and tried to bury it as far back inside his closet as possible. Almost refusing to do so, Noah grabbed hold of the belt, lifting it out of its shelter, staring at the amazing designs and the three pokeballs that rested on it. He almost didn't realize that something else was still in the box, shining in his room's dull light from his lamp. A shiny, gray badge that he'd won from Roark back in Oreburgh rested behind the belt, and a another, covered in dust.

"There's only two..." Noah said. He was right: he only had two badges, his last one from Gardenia after there visit to the Center, after he defeated her, of course. Something occurred to Noah, something that he had forced dormant ever since that last match in Eterna. Whatever he was going to do with Luna...where ever they were going...perhaps it was a sign...a sign to start over.

'Should I...try to be a Trainer again?'

He tried as hard as possible to keep the thought to himself. He decided he'd tell her sometime in the near future, quietly packing his belt, badges, and pokeballs.

"Come to think of it...I'm going to have to buy potions and the like before I leave." Noah made a mental note of what he still needed: Pokemon supplies as he searched his closet some more for anything he might find.

His fingers wrapped around a thick book on the other end of the small closet, Noah immediately pulling it out, resting on his bed to look at the outside. It was colored completely white, bright enough to actually hurt Noah's eyes a little before adjusting to the change. On the outside, in gold lettering, the book was titled:

"From one Sol to Another"

Noah opened the book up to the first page, which was completely blank, except for small lettering on the inside cover: "Let this soothe your restless spirit". Noah turned to the next page before remembering what this was. A picture on the next page, of Noah, Vivian, and Richard Sol was the confirmation Noah needed to deduce that this was his family album.

'A priceless artifact that has remained in the Sol family for generations upon generations.' he read off of his mind, something he had heard from his parents when they showed it to him for the first time.

Already, he couldn't handle it. His mother's sweet and innocent face, his father's strong, comforting smile, and himself, smiling carelessly. What could he say about himself from when this picture was taken, based of that sly little grin? Determined? A bit reckless, a bit cocky, but with a strong heart that seemed invincible? A legend in the making...a prodigy?

Bullshit. All it took was a stinging memory of that gruesom image of his father's pathetic body on that night...

A tear hit the page, the picture protected by a thin film it was tucked behind as the tear quickly slid off, gathering at the corner of the page. Noah shut the book closed, his breathing becoming short and slightly louder than normal, holding back any audible cry with as much willpower as he could muster.

Although Noah wouldn't know, or figure out for quite some time later, Luna quickly felt the same feeling he had gone through as she hid behind the couch from the television program. She wouldn't be quick enough to acknowledge what she felt, the feeling dying down as quickly as it had come, but her body reacted accordingly, a single tear dripping from her right eye. The fur on her face would absorb the tear before she could even become aware that it existed.

"I'm not...ready to look at this. Not just yet." Noah told himself, tucking it as far as he could into his bag. "Maybe, sometime down the road...I'll be able to..."

Noah rubbed his right eye clean from the tear's trail, and continued looking for supplies to pack.

He quickly finished packing whatever else he might need, turned the lamp to his room off, and headed to the door. If they were leaving tomorrow as Luna said, he wouldn't see this room for a long time. Noah stared back inside the interior of his room, unchanged since the reconstruction of his home, and even then, he had remodeled his room based on how it was before the graduation ceremonies at the Pokemon Academy. It was no different then than it was now. He let his eyes scan the room slowly, not forgotten anything, then quickly slammed the door behind him.

His next stop was the washroom, to gather soaps, a toothbrush, and toothpaste. He could buy them yes, but he'd rather have them from the get-go.

Meanwhile, Luna finally decided to confront the new enemy in the den, slowly peeking from the corner of the couch at the screen. A strange human in a blue suit was on, along with a woman, both sitting at a desk, both only half-visible. Several sheets of paper rested atop the generic desk, while letters danced around here and there behind them as they continued to talk about something.

"Humans! In Noah's house! What should I do!?" Luna spoke aloud. "Are they intruders? Should I attack?" She decided to inspect them, rather than attack. She crawled, on all fours again, toward the TV, sniffing out for any new scents within the house. Nothing had changed, Noah's smell being the only thing truly distinguishable. She jumped onto her hind legs, slowly inching toward the screen, one claw out in front of her body. Within moments, her claw was touching the screen, rubbing up against a human's face.

"What the? Some kind of...barrier?"

"Relax, it's a television." a voice came from behind, her fur standing on edge. Noah had walked up to her without her noticing at all.

She brought up her paw, preparing to slap the crap out of him again, before stopping herself. There'd be plenty of other opportunities to hurt him down the road, to put him in his place; she was sure of that.

"Just...don't sneak up on me like that, got it?"

"Sure." Noah began to head toward the kitchen from the den, where he had scared Luna. "You hungry? We haven't eaten for some time now."

Almost on queue, Luna's stomach growled, begging for any kind of nourishment.

"Yeah...a little. Is there anything we can eat here?" she asked, knowing full well from what she smelled from the kitchen earlier, that there was food in Noah's house. "And this thing...is a television?"

"Yes, and yes. It's something humans use to watch other humans pass off information to one another. It could be for anything: work, updates on worldwide events, local opportunities, education, and even entertainment."

Luna immediately became entranced with this concept. "So wait, these humans in this thing...they aren't real?"

"Well, they DO exist, but they aren't literally in the TV. The information comes from their location, and travels to the location of anyone watching them. Of course, you'd have to be tuned into their channel to get their information, since there's many, many channels to choose from."

"Channels? There's more humans doing this than those two?" she asked, pointing toward the man and woman on screen. Noah recognized them as the two who report on any events in Twinleaf Town. He opened the cabinet, grabbing out several pans to start dinner. It was his last night at home; he believed that a good "going-away" dinner would be just what he needed to start off his journey. Luna stared at the reporters as they continued to speak about, well, pretty much nothing, at least to Noah. Twinleaf was probably the most boring town in existence. This was probably why he would react so surprised to hearing his name in the news again.

He quickly shot his head up, past the opening through to the den, to hear the report, of him walking from Route 201 to his house.

"Seriously, they're making a story out of that?!" Noah grunted. He quickly walked to the den, toward Luna, the remote resting at her side on the rug, and switched the station. "Sit back or you'll hurt your eyes."

"Hey, I was watching that!" Luna whined, refusing to move from where she was. Noah didn't bother trying to order her around too much, going back to the kitchen to work on making that dinner that even he started to crave.

Luna was sitting down, on both sets of limbs, staring back at the screen, focusing on what was happening on screen. Two men were fighting, throwing their fists toward each other, trying to knock the opponent down, with a woman in the background, yelling at the two of them to stop. Noah had turned it to a soap opera. He didn't care though, so long as it wasn't the news station; he refused to hear anything about himself anymore on that damned channel.

"Why are those two...battling?" Luna asked Noah, who ignored her, starting to heat up the stove, oiling up the pans.

"Why is that one crying? Did something happen? Ugh, what the hell is going on!?" she asked again, not angrily, but nervously. She wanted to know what was going on, and what was going to happen. The fact that Noah didn't answer a single question she threw at him only filled the den with suspense. Her right set of claws began to tap her left shoulder rapidly, Luna fidgeting at the story on screen.

Noah could laugh if he really wanted to. Luna was attracted to soap operas. How funny. It was made even more hilarious whenever he could hear her gasp whenever something big happened, or when he could hear her move around whenever an important action took place, overhearing her asking questions as to why a character would do something.

That, or she just became a TV addict.

Two slabs of preserved Tauros meat sizzled when they were placed into the pans on the stove, steam rising to the ceiling of the room. Noah let them sit, allowing the beef time to cook while he moved to the cabinet to search for any side dishes to add to the meal. The cabinet was small, but packed to the brim with canned goods: peas, potatoes, corn, beans, etc.

"Mashed potatoes tonight..." Noah said, picking out a can of potatoes from the cabinet, slapping the container onto the counter to search for the can opener. A memory came flooding back:

----------

"Mashed potatoes tonight..." Noah repeated to Jerry, both of them sitting over a campfire in the middle of Eterna Forest.

"Thanks for cooking Noah, haven't had any "real" food out here, huh?" Jerry asked.

"Nope," Noah replied, smiling. "Berries, berries, and more berries. I was getting sick of it."

"Where did you learn how to cook anyways?"

"My mother. She used to cook all the time when I was younger. I really had nothing to do as a child, so I decided to have her teach me the basics."

"Cool. It's awesome that you're able to apply your talents like this Noah."

"Please, you're flattering me."

"Seriously. You're the most talented kid I've ever met."

"Kid?"

"...teenager, happy? You can cook, clean, you had the highest grade point average back at Twinleaf Academy, you never got into trouble, and you lead a perfectly normal life."

"You KNOW that's a damned lie Jerry." Noah said sharply, his voice breaking.

"Oh...I apologize."

A rustle in the bushes behind them in the small clearing that had made in the forest signaled the arrival of their Pokemon. Jerry's Chimchar was lugging several chunks of firewood, Noah's Turtwig and Starly bringing back several berries for themselves.

"Thanks guys, we'll be able to enjoy ourselves tonight." Jerry praised, patting the fire monkey on the head. Chimchar sat down, slightly tired from the trip. Turtwig handed Chimchar a bright blue berry for him to snack on while the food Noah was cooking finished.

"Alright guys, here it is!" Noah announced, handing Jerry and the Pokemon plates of food. Jerry and the creatures were awestruck. Grilled pork, topped with natural herbs and spices, coupled with corn and mashed potatoes, topped with the strongest gravy Noah had ever made. Chimchar immediately discarded the berry he was handed, his eyes gazing at the delicious meal that was handed to him.

"We still only have water, so sorry about that." Noah said, handing Jerry a canteen, the Pokemon a large dish.

"That's fine, this is much more than what we could've asked for." Jerry said, his words acknowledged by the Pokemon's faces, Chimchar's face smothered with gravy and pieces of ham. Turtwig and Starly didn't enjoy the meal as much as the others, leaving their pieces of ham without so much as a bite. Noah had figured that they wouldn't like it, since they were mostly vegetarians, but it was worth the shot.

That, and he enjoyed cooking. He scooped his spoon into the mashed potatoes, tasting sweet bliss as the group looked into the campfire, wondering what the next day would bring them.

----------

Noah had just finished crushing the mashed potatoes as much as possible, putting them in a bowl with some milk and butter to let it cook and thicken. The smell from the beef signaled, Noah immediately flipping the two slabs over with a spatula.

'Needs corn...' Noah thought, deciding to have two side dishes with his last meal.

----------

'Luna, get away from that TV and come get your food.' Noah's voice boomed, breaking into Luna's thoughts.

"This better be good, human!" Luna roared from the other room. "I'm missing the best part for this!"

Noah signaled Luna to the other end of a short table that stood between the den and the kitchen. She stared at the chair, not knowing how to approach it.

"Just watch me." Noah told her, sitting down in a "slow-motion" style, so Luna could get the steps down. He even sent her mental instructions on how it was done as he was showing her his example. Luna quickly understood, nodding her head, making a small jump to get on the chair on the other side. Several pillows had been placed on her chair to give her more elevation.

The plate was filled with cooked beef, warm mashed potatoes, and sweet corn. Luna didn't look to much to the veggies, but simply stared, in a trance, at the meat. Drool was visible from Noah's distance.

"Looking at food doesn't make a person full, eat up. Oh, and if you're thirsty, there's some water to the left of the plate." Noah told Luna, her attention not breaking from the meat. "I know you would rather eat with your hands instead of these," Noah made gestures at his fork and spoon, "so dig in, and don't worry about the mess. Don't forget the vegetables." Zangoose were omnivores, so if she was hungry enough, Noah knew that she'd eat the potatoes and corn as well.

Luna grabbed the slab in both paws, and jammed the food into her mouth, ripping off a large chunk. She didn't begin chewing it, rather just letting it sit in place, on her tongue, as the beef ripped from where her jaw began, the piece inside her mouth being shut in. Her eyes widened, her heart felt as if it stopped, and her paws slowly drifted to her sides, under the table.

"This...is amazing." she said, slowly starting to chew, moaning through her full mouth at the immense flavor that was the meat.

Noah ignored what she said, continuing his meal, the light from the den illuminating the two as they feasted, Noah with a serene grace with the use of his utensils, Luna with a beautiful savagery with her claws and razor sharp teeth.

The pair's pace slowed to a halt as they edged ever so much closer to a clean plate. Noah was almost in disbelief, he had never served "too much" before, so it was definitely a first. Luna had already finished the beef, but was working on the potatoes and corn, struggling to spoon the corn into her mouth. Then it happened:

The electricity cut, completely. The TV, ceiling lights, oven clock, everything. Luna reacted with a small yelp, waiting for her eyes to dilate to the newfound darkness. Noah got out of his chair, and walked over to her.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she replied, the smell of beef wafting from her mouth.

Noah grabbed Luna's mid-section, pulling her body into him, carrying her.

"What are you doing?"

"Going outside. I'd tell you to wait here, but you'd probably just run outside anyways, bumping into everything and breaking something."

"Whatever, it works for me, I don't have to walk then." she said, smiling in the dark.

Noah forced open the front door, revealing nothing but a cloak of black on the other side. The entire city should've been visible from this distance, or at least, the lights that lit up the city streets downtown. However, all of the lights were completely shut off. It was as dark outside as it was inside his house, the stars in the night the only thing remotely close to giving off any source of light. There was nothing Noah could do, but wait until the lights were fixed. He sighed, Luna still in his hands. The two went back inside, Noah sitting on the couch, softly placing her to his side.

"What an awkward blackout..." Noah said to Luna. She didn't reply, instead only making noise by trying to find her way back to her food. "Strange girl." Noah shook his head.

Then, just as though the lights had only been gone for a moments notice, the power to the house was restored, everything indoors was once again visible.

The night was still young, but Noah had a promise to Luna that he had to keep, and he wanted to make sure he was fresh for the journey. He rested his body in the couch, the piece of furniture wide enough to have room for him. He didn't need a blanket, at least not today.

"I'm going to sleep already." he spoke over the top of the couch to the monster, who was now feasting away at his leftovers. "If I don't wake up by daybreak, wake me up, okay?"

"Yoo ga'it." a voice replied, blocked by food.

"You can watch the TV, but make sure it isn't so loud, kay? You lower the noise by pushing this button." he instructed, waving the remote over the couch with one arm, pointing at the specific VOLUME DOWN button with the open hand. Luna muttered something, signaling Noah to rest his head for the night, his vision completely vanishing, his senses finally resting.

----------

It didn't take long for Luna to start watching TV again, into the late hours of the night, as Noah slumbered. She managed to successfully lower the volume as soon as the TV turned on, and resumed watching her soap opera, sitting upright, and very close.

The program, a very cliché show about a woman and a man, the woman in love with him, until the man betrays the woman when she catches him with another. Luna's tail wagged back and forth as the action began to rise, the music as the signal to the climax of the episode.

"Listen...it's...-i-it's not what you think-" the man spoke, nervous.

"It's EXACTLY what I think!" the woman replied, tears already running down her beautiful face. "How could you? After everything that we've been through, after everything we did together...how could you turn around and...do that...to me?"

"...listen. I'm sorry..."

"That isn't enough, that ISN'T ENOUGH!! What you did is unforgivable!"

"What else can I do!? What's done is done!"

"...yes. And now," the woman said, her tone completely switched, turning frighteningly vicious, "you must suffer." She snapped her fingers, a blinding light shone behind the man. A large, muscular creature immediately appeared behind the man, clutching him with its four, powerful arms. It roared, sharing a sort of anger with the woman. The woman's tears continued, now out of rage. "You must feel my pain..."

"No, please! Don't do this!"

"I loved you..."

She snapped once more, the creature not hesitating to snap the man's neck like a twig, his body suddenly falling limp and lifeless.

Luna gasped as the dead body of the man hit the floor, blood starting to flow from his mouth as the TV dimmed to a black screen, rolling the credits to the show. That was enough for her, she was going to bed.

"I...loved you..." Luna repeated in her mind, trying to grasp the true concept of the word. "...love...

hmmm..."

----------

Noah's eyes flashed open, the immediate memories from last night coming back to him.

A large mass of a dark white and red fur was snoring on his belly, a tail wafting in front of his face, tickling his nose.

If anyone was within a mile of his house, they might have heard him scream out of surprise.

Luna was thrown from his body as he rose to a sitting position on the couch, shocked at the surprise of seeing her right as he woke up. As expected, Luna's paw came swinging full force, slapping Noah across the face, forcing him to spin over the back of the couch and onto the floor.

"We are NOT doing this every morning damnit!" Luna roared, angry that he woke her up early.

"Maybe you should stop sleeping do damn close to me!"

"There was nowhere else left to sleep at!"

"The floor!?"

Again, Noah was slapped across the face, sliding him toward the kitchen.

----------

Noah's bags were packed, including his pokeballs and belt, both of which he'd discuss with her once they were out of Twinleaf, or sometime in Sandgem. His Trainer attire was complete: He wore blue jeans, and white and black running shoes with extra grip. The jeans were rich with a dark blue color, giving off the effect that the jeans were "wet". A black t-shirt, completely plain from front to back, with a red vest-like jacket pulled over the shirt, with pockets to store small items. His hair was untamed, but looked good with his outfit, regardless, and to finish off the outfit: the golden necklace with the two plates that Noah couldn't pull off of his body.

"Ready Luna?" Noah said, calm and collected.

"Mmhmm." Luna replied.

Noah swung the front door open, to a sight he never wanted to be reminded of ever again. A sight that literally forced his body to the other side of the den, still standing, but with his hands to the sides of the wall, trying to keep his balance. His eyes were orb-like, taking in the scene. Luna followed suit, the fear that Noah was feeling uncontrollably flowing into her mentality.

Cynthia, wide-eyed and grinning, was hanging by the neck on a rope, swinging slowly back and forth, back and forth with the small breeze that flowed through the trees. Her face was stained with purple botches of skin here and there, her signature black outfit covered with blood- Noah assuming her own- and the purple-ish color. Cynthia's eyes were stretched open, the natural color of her irises faded, and her neck was turning into a mix of purple and red from the rope knot rubbing against her skin whenever the wind swung her body around. Her hair was a faded blonde color, but otherwise, in the same shape as it was when Noah had met with her three days ago.

It must've been fresh: droplets of blood began to pool at the foot of Noah's front door, dripping from her feet, at the tip of her shoes. Her pokeball belt was on the floor, stained in the blood. Five pokeballs, all completely shattered or cracked, some even with holes poked through them, and one pokeball missing from the set.

The wind blew fiercely, forcing her body to swing slightly harder, giving the illusion that she was still moving as her arms slowly shifted in place.

Very fresh, rigormortis hadn't even taken effect yet.

Noah couldn't take anymore. The foul, copper-like smell of a rotting carcass, the sight of one of his idols hanging, dead, on his doorway, leaking, and all the while...she was smiling, teeth and all. He moved from the hall, and into the kitchen, dunking his head into the sink, tears building up at the source, the image of the dead Cynthia forever scarred into his memory, into his eyelids, just like before...

With that, Noah vomited hard into the empty sink, instinctively turning on the water to let the brown stomach juices flow down the drain. He tried to shut his eyes, but every time he made the attempt, her image stayed in his vision.

The wind blew once more, blowing several drops of blood into the house, staining the floors. Luna was still against the wall, death still being a strange concept to her. If it weren't for Noah, Luna wouldn't be pressed up against the wall at the moment.

With the wind, a small slip of paper, stained with blood, the liquid being absorbed by the material. Though Noah would never dare to read it, the writing remained readable, despite the marks the High Noon member's essence left on it:

"Going home..." coupled with a picture of a smiley face, and extra writing at the bottom.

"Now you have our attention..."