As the World Turns Back Around

[Glover]

Yeah yeah, I'm going through withdrawals too, but i'm in New Mexico till the eighth. My goal had been to get the glover on the train chapter up when i left on the train, but that fell through and Ipads are not the best devices out there for correcting mistakes, its tricky to tap right on the unwanted character, so I am once again composing, and will be copying to my comp without making the mistakes i did the last ti e I tried it, and we'll go from there.

Wow, this part caught me off guard. I'm not sure if this sort of mysticism is your own design and I just haven't picked up on it yet, or you decided to add it, but it's really appealing. I hope I'm not off base when I feel like I'm caught between thinking that the Jirachi in Beldum's mind is manifestation of the mother that he was torn from, and the other possibility is the Jirachi is real and it is extending its presence into Beldum's mind to help it along and give it that spark it needs to hatch. Either way I like it, but if my second theory is the correct one it makes me think about the implications of all the legendarys and your take on them. Tell me which way is the right way to head if you don't mind lol

Well, since you asked, neither, and both. Probably the latter morethan the former. (My favorite part of being an author, putting words on a page and people run with it of their own accord) This is a brand of Mysticism I'm wanting to cultivate. It appeard in a short One Shot I wrote called "Til Death", but I plan to stretch it more as I go. There's a specific reason I went into detail descrtibing Beldum's house as I did, since you didn't mention it either I'm going to guss it was too downplayed.

"Window in the pink mushroom like top of it"
(Since I can't get it to post the image right now, you'll have to do some legwork>>> http://i52.tinypic.com/2hpkdu9.jpg )

Suffice to say, I figured since Jiraci spend a literal millenia asleep, and the only way out is to make a wish at the Tree of Dreams (Why I mentioned the berry on the table as well), they/she made sense as the perfect angel. I know of a Jirachi appearing in this relation one more time, but that's not until I'm ready to fully shut this puppy down. It'l be traffic going the other way though, and as to what, or who, well, we'll see when that time comes. Got a long way to go before that can happen, though.

Glad your enjoying the humor, I think part of tht is coming from the cast opening up, with me, to me, and to each other. And originally, I hadn't planned to give this much dialog to the Pokemon. The way I've played Glover's team, mostly with subtitles and actions, was supposed to be the norm. The Pokemon basically stole the scene, and now that I'm letting go of that notion, its working better. But I'm glad the humorous mood is working through.

That's going to change.

[Glover]

Author's Note:I didn't do anythig to modify the cursing in here, so the filter is going to catch them. That being said, there's a lot of langauge in here, for my normal writings. I think you'll agree with Janie its justified, but still abnormal for me. There's also an innuendo there or two. For thse of you wondering, the odd chapter title comes from the contrasts of the different sections.

Sides of a Coin
WT CH 29

Flip back to 28?

Beldum didn’t turn around to look. He didn’t have to. The creature was following him, he could hear its warlike shrieks right on his flank. An odd series of syllables, actually. A few of them were repeated, although he couldn’t think of any creature by the name of “dammit”, maybe Miitdam? Medicham? Kinda the right color, perhaps. He thought once it said “goddam”, but he didn’t think Goldeen were that fast on land. In a way, the shrieks were out of place, almost a mixture of fear, shock, frustration, panic, anger, concern, and sheer terror. None of those were really suitable for some sort of bipedal red and cream animal that was keen on ripping his head off and slurping out his insides with a long, warm tongue.

He plunged through the green trees, but the monster was somehow still behind him. In his fear, he hadn’t felt her grab him, and had never looked back to see her. He was really and truly hoping to lose her through sheer speed.

He shot over a large pond, startling some FarFetch’d and another monster like the one following him. It seemed to be oddly angry he scared away the Farfetch’d, maybe the second monster was planning on eating the ducks?

---
Janie had had about enough of this rocket ride. She was amazed she’d hung on this long, but her hands were sweaty and starting to slip on the metal hide of her Beldum. Being newly hatched, he was rather small still, and there wasn’t much for her to grab on to. He hands were now resting on a cowling around his back end, but she was hoping maybe she could get her hands up underneath the wing over his ball turret neck, where there were more edges. Maybe too, if she could get her legs around his body, she could leverage him down.

Across the water, they plunged again into thick bushy trees. Biting her lip and mustering up some courage, Janie pushed against the air current. She couldn’t waste any time, trying to change her grip put her in a vulnerable position. Janie put every muscle she had in her arms to sliding her hand up the runaway’s flank, still trying to clutch his rough outer layer and not let go.

---
Beldum, like a lot of steel types, don’t have a lot of sensitivity in their bodies. They counteract this with a strong mental presence, but for a newborn fleeing for its life, there isn’t much of that either. Thus, Beldum wasn't acutely aware of the hand sliding up his flank; with as much ducking and weaving he'd done through low-hanging trees and bushes, he didn’t think it was anything more than debris and forest rubbing against him, if he thought anything about it at all.

He started thinking more about that when four thin digits weaving their way between the back of his head and his shoulder, looking for purchase to grab onto, like the fin protecting his ball-jointed neck.

"YAHH!!! IT'S GOT ME!"

---
Gizmo was perched on my arm smiling as I stepped out of the breezeway.

"Ditto, di?"

"Oh, today you want to fly? The day I actually need to take the bicycle?"

"Ditto. Di di."

"Yes, I am well aware they fold up. Hold still, this stupid lock's swollen, Gonna have to pull on it."

"Dit di di dito di."

"Don't give me that 'my joints ached' bit, you don't even have joints."

“Ditto dit. Di ditto Ditto.”

"I! WHA? I... don't even know how to respond to that. Hold on, someone's coming up the drive. Looks like a depot taxi, must be the guy coming for Cayna and I's things."

"Ditto di?"

"There's not a chance in the Distortion World I'm letting you disguise yourself as a travel bag."

"Ditto dit."

"SIT. Yes, right there on my arm. And don't torment the poor attendant."

Gizmo pouted, a long, floppy lipped pout.

The station agent pulled up in a fairly retro wood paneled station wagon. Probably a company car, since it didn’t match the eighteen year old driving it. Exceptionally well, but he... well, he still looked like he'd be more at home behind one of Dodge's new Magnums as opposed to the old, probably well used, wood-paneled car he was driving.

"Good Morning sir." the young man straightened his pea-green blazer as he got out.

"Morning!"

"Is that a blue Ditto?"

"Sure is."

"Wow. So cool! Oh, right, the bags. The instructions said in the breezeway?"

"Yes."

"Ditto dit. Dito Ditto."

Yes, Gizmo. In the breezeway... That I just locked..." I facepalmed myself with my free hand. "Pardon me, I need to undo the deadbolt, because I'm an idiot. And stop beaming Gizmo."

Fortunately, it unbolted more readily than it originally locked. The station agent and an eager Timburr in a matching green cap grabbed our two suitcases, and propped the door open with his little wooden railroad tie.

"These all the bags?"

"You expecting more? We're only going for the weekend."

"well, er, uh, but I'm used to, well, there's only so much stuff one can cram into a Fibber Magee bag, and, I, nevermind sir. We'll have these locked away safely for you. Yours is the four pm train, correct?"

"Sure is. Thank you."

"No no, thank you for riding with us."

"Dit di di di ditto di. Ditto di dit."

"oh boo hoo. You had three other days we could've flown besides the one day this week we got rain, somebody made the dicision to pour out of their pokeball and puddled on the stoop."

Guinivere stuck her head out of a window as the station wagon drove off. "Was that the train guy?"

"Yep. You've got the whole day to get Jovi ready for her date."

"Good. Between you and me, I think I'll need it."

I had to let out a little chuckle. " You want to ride in with us?"

"No thanks, I'll teleport over. You want a lift?"

"Appreciate it, but I actually enjoy seeing the Pokemon in the ranch."

"Wuss."

"What?"

"You're afraid of teleporting, of putting your life in the hands of a Pokemon, right?"

"That's not it at all. I trust Gizmo with my life all the time. Moto too, and the others less directly. I just like seeing the Pokemon... oh alright, and knowing where my atoms are. I'll pass on the instantaneous travel, but thank you for offering."

"Your loss. I'll lock up here then. Have a nice day, Glover."

"Ditto dit? Di di ditto..."

"No, I hadn't forgotten, and I'm not going to reward you for staying on my arm. What do you think I am, a sucker?

The loveable little glob gave me a big, toothy grin. Impressive, considering he had to form the teeth. "Uh huh, I know that look. Forget I asked. Twelve years I've known you; you tormentive little toddler."

I could swear his smile got bigger, except that would've cut his body in half.

"No. I'm riding through the forest to work. But if its any consolation, I'll let you flap in the breeze off the back."

"dit... ditto di!"

---
"Wou-...Would you.. slow.. down, Tally? Some of us have three left feet!" Spinarak cried.

Tally didn't acknowledge; didn't turn back to look. As the heavy backpack bounced on her back, Tally vaulted over a thick limb and dove down a Nidoran trail.

"Tally," called Cassie as she swooped along behind the dog in the air, "You think maybe we should slow down a bit?"

"We're fine. Gotta get to Janie."

"Tally, we're no good to her if we get to her worn out."

"Tiny's right, Tally."

"See? Even Cassie agrees with me."

"Yeah, and the Spinarak wants a break." said the Spinarak.

Tally barely slowed down."We'll stop later. I can't afford losing the scent now."

Tiny held his head with a stinger as he chased the Herdier. "I'd hoped I'd been done with String Shot when I'd evolved." He told himself. Coughing up a wad of spit and sticky webbing, Tiny hurled the glob at Tally's legs. The shot landed, and Tally tripped over the goopey mess.

"You moron! What in the hell did you do that for! Every minute we waste we risk losing Janie."

"You're not making sense. You don't exert yourself in the wild like this without caution."

"And we don't let our human go unprotected either! It's our job to protect her, but I wouldn't expect a Wild like you to care." Tally snarled, biting on the sticky glob with flaming fangs.

"You think I don't care? We've been together how many sunrises now, and you think you're the only Pokémon who can care about a human?"

Well, I seem to be the only one here who hasn't given up on Janie so far."

"Cool it, both of you." Cassie said, drenching the party with a small but effective Rain Dance. "No one's given up on anyone. Our Janie's tougher than any one of us here, and smart enough to not forget about staying hydrated. How many times does she stop us for water breaks? To make sure we aren't cramping? And she's attentive to every scratch we get in battle, or just playing in the bushes, right?"

"Well, I guess she is, Cassie."

"And for good reason. She'd be very upset if we got ourselves hurt. So listen to buzzbrain over there, and stop occasionally. If we lose her scent, the two of us who can fly will look for something. She'll be fine, so long as we're fine."

"Well, alright. But Cassie?"

"yeah?"

"Did you have to make it so muggy now?"

"Serves you right." the little cloud giggled.

Tiny finished pulling his snare off of Tally's hind flanks. "Everyone ready?"

"Well, not exactly." Spinarak panted. "But I don't want to hold you guys back."

"I'll carry ya Spinarak," Tiny said.

"You sure?"

"Yes I'm sure. No one in our little hive gets left behind. Tally? Lead the way."

"Alright." Tally said to the group, adding to herself: "I'm sorry Glover. I failed."

---
Janie was raised to be polite and respectful. She was raised that certain words had a time and place, and were not be used frequently. So she regretted the stream of words that poured from her mouth the last time she hit the ground. She was sure that falling from the sky was a valid time to be colorful, but that didn't shake the feeling of her parents' stares drilling into the back of her head from another hemisphere.

Falling from the sky. She'd have snorted, if every part of her body was screaming in defiance; including several parts she was sure she hadn't developed yet, and now thanks to plowing into the ground at twenty miles an hour, probably never would. Like Father like Daughter, although this didn't feel quite as dignified as the story her father told her about being shot down by a cranky Regirock over the Hoenn Desert.

"God damn!" Every finger felt jammed and numb. Most of her right arm did too, which concerning because her left arm hurt like hell. Which meant one of them was broken. And smart money, was on the one that wasn't talking to the rest of her nervous system.

"Son of a. Alright, Janie. Take stock. What happened? You reached to grab Beldum. You missed; no, he rolled out of your hand. The change in weight sent the both of you spiraling."

Janie's vision started to clear from 1950's television static to blurry. "You tried to control your tumble, probably twisted your arm." She told herself.

Janie tried to move her head. "****! OW! "Alright, it’s not broken Janie, just sore." She squeezed her yes tight and slowly opened them. "OW! Ow ow ow ow." She was face down in the ground, but from what little of herself she could see, nothing eas sticking out through her skin. A good first sign. There looked to be several somwhat risqué tears in her clothing, considering how many shreds in them in general it wasn't surprising, but she'd have to change or hope no one saw her.

"Dammit. MY backpack's back at camp. Alright, Janie. You need to get up." Slowly, feeling returned to her left arm. It hurt like hell, but she felt like she could prop herself up long enough to get on her feet.

That might take some time, given how shaky she felt. "Best not to rush it."

She practically crawled up the side of a thick oak tree, trying to get herself underneath herself while leaning on its weight. "Alright, right leg feels okay, let's see if I can ****! GODDAMIT!"

"Stand up." She finished, lying fetal on the ground. "I'm gonna need a crutch. Maybe a thick branch."

"Beldum? Where are you?"

---
"Morning Glover! Have a nice bike ride?"

"Sure did Aiden. Thought I'd come help with feeding."

"Thanks! With Jovi out today, I could use the help."

Aiden was around back, near one of the stylistic wooden sheds where the ranch equipment was stored, including the electric equipment. The wooden structrures were surprisingly stable. They kinda had to bem considering they were a part of the Petting Zoo, nursery grounds, and a common spot for the larger ranch Pokemon to lean up against looking for some love and attention.

"Can you believe it? Our Jovi, on a date."

"Nope, it's kinda terrifying. Maybe the Mayans were right... You're jealous, aren't you Aiden."

"Me? Jealous? We practically grew up together! She's like sister to me!"

"Oh, you mean the kind of sister you bribe someone's half demented Porygon Z into hyjacking her webc-"

"HEY!-" I masked the rest of his repsonse with the sound of metal feed canisters being dropped into the bed of an offroader.

"I'll head up the mountain road. See you in a while."

---
"OW! Guin! That hurts!"

"Sorry, didn't mean to pull so hard. You've got some nasty rattails in your hair. When's the last time you've really combed it out?"

"Uh, ten years ago? maybe only eight?"

"I figured. Hold still dear, this isn't going to be pretty."

"I thought I was supposed to be pretty for my date?"

"You will be. If you survive."

"What? OW!"

---
"Beldum? Where are you?"

The little hatchling flinched. The monster wasn't that far off. He'd managed to lose it, for the time being, but for his first flight, he didn't think it had gone too bad. That monster hadn't roasted his body over a fire, popped off his head and scooped out his innards. Nothing was broken, although a lack of bodyparts helped that quite a bit. The little Beldum wriggled his three toe claws.

"Yep, still there. Now, let's see about getting out of here. If I can jet off, maybe I can get out form under this heavy tree. Uhh, hmm. Just like last time. Just like you did before. NRRGH!

He didn't budge.

"Come on, you can do it. Something inside you spun. You made power around you... NRRRGH!

Nothing.

"Perhaps I exhausted my supply. Maybe I need to sit tight, make more."

"Beldum! Are you around here? Where are you Beldum?"

That sounded closer.
---
"Whee!"

This had to be the best day of Moto's life. He'd been sitting idly in his Pokéball, twiddling the end of is little lightning rod arms in absence of true thumbs hoping but promising himself that being good had its rewards. And it paid off. The human had, of no coercion, no prior begging, offered Moto the chance of a lifetime.

He got to drive the ATV.

Now, granted, an ATV is nothing near a monster truck, or the Kyogre that sits in Gateon Port, but Moto could be satisfied with the simple things every once in a while. The important part was that it had an electric motor, and that he'd been trusted with it. He could live with a top speed of fifteen miles an hour. That trailer was kind of annoying, he'd never get accustomed to having a tail with no feeling in it; a tail that just drags along behind you obediently until you try to turn, but another small price to pay.

"Moto, take a left up here, please."

"Rotom tom? Ro Tom Ro rotom."

"I know the main track doesn't turn for a while, I want to go by and see Vin's big oak tree."

"Ro."
"Ah."

And so he did. With a bit more caution perhaps than was typical for him, but he was finding it was almost as much fun to play by the rules as it was to... well... be him. So he slowed down, hit a turn signal, and tapped his little horn as he turned.

"Rotom ro?"

"Trailer's still fine, Moto. You're doing excellent."

---
"Beldum? Where are you?"

Janie was leaning on a tree branch. She'd found a good, sturdy, straight one with plenty of leafy branches on the end, which with some creative work with a pocket knife, made a soft end to rest under her arm.

The knife was about the only thing Janie had on her. Her Grandfather had promised her to carry it on her.

"The best knife is the one you have" He'd told her. She was wishing she'd applied that logic to a few other things.

It felt like hours, although Janie was fairly certain it had only been a few minutes since she'd been able to get mobile. Although, how long between her landing and her waking up, she didn't know.

"That was a doozy of a landing." She told herself as she hobbled through trampled undergrowth. Janie's crutch was working admirably. She was proud of herself for that one small ray of logic amongst the tussle of twigs.

"Well, this is where the trail veers off. He must be out that way somewhere. Beldum? Where are you?"

---
A pair of eyes were already studying the ATV as Moto and I pulled up. It smiled, and uncoiled itself from the limbs it was resting on, winding slowly down the layers of the tree. By the time Moto had pulled off the trail enough to allow anyone to pass, Vin's head and neck collar were already sticking out of the tree.

"And a pleasure to see you again, as well."

"Perior, Sur."

He stretched won a little closer to me; I patted the side of his muzzle. "Been a while."

"Sur."

"You hungry?"

"Sur."

"I thought as much. I grabbed a bit of meat for you before I left." I took a cooler out of the trailer, and unwrapped the paper from the small slab of raw food. Vin stretched out his long forked tongue and licked my face; thankfully before he coiled it around the meal.

"Surperior Sur?"

"No, not today, I'm not in need of ya. I had thought about taking you with me to the Unova region, but I know you've stated before your home and you subjects are here now."

"Sur..." It was tempting him. Really tempting, but he finally shook his head after some deliberation. "Surperior, Sur."

"Thought so. I'm heading up to the mountains, of you want to tag along."

"Surperior!" He seemed to like that option, at least, for he disappeared into the tree quickly. Rustling movements leapt across the trail from tree line to tree line, and unbelievably quickly for a creature of his size and moderate age, his head popped out three trees down.

"That's my Vin." I smiled, remembering why I chose him as a grass type in the first place.

"Tom Rotom?"

"Sure, Bonaparte’s pond would be on the way back. We can stop there.

---
Gateon's Research Facility is nestled a ways back into a forest, which is itself wrapped around the corner of a stubby mountain range. Geologists will tell you this mountain range is a part of the same Donner Range Mt. Battle's volcano is on, and was cut off by a glacier, forming the Sierra River. The important part of it though, is that the combination of Mountain, River, Forest, and Stream, as well as a close proximity to the sea, means Gateon has one of the best natural ranches in the world.

Vin didn't let a dissipation of the forest slow him down; he hit the side of the mountain slithering, only pausing to wait for Moto and I to catch up. The big constrictor fanned himself with his tail for a little bit until Moto pulled off under a lean-to. Several such slanted metal roofs lined the mountain trails, they were deflection shields for roaming Golem.

I didn't waste too much time, we had several stops to make, and Pokémon, even domesticated ones, like to be fed.

Onwards to Chapter 30!

[Sidewinder]

almost a mixture of fear, shock, frustration, panic, anger, concern, and sheer terror.

You did a wonderful job on describing the Beldum's feelings. Especially seeing as how it was just 'born', and is completely new to the surroundings. The words you used did a good job in describing the chaotic feel of the situation and everything that it is trying to take in. Nicely done

"YAHH!!! IT'S GOT ME!"

My fiance was reading over my shoulder when this happened and we both lol'd pretty hard

"sure is."

Missing a capital S there

The loveable little glob gave me a big, toothy grin. Impressive, considering he had to form the teeth. "Uh huh, I know that look. Forget I asked. Twelve years I've known you; you tormentive little toddler."

I love their interactions. All the things Gizmo can do really make me want to have my own. On the off chance you don't have one, I'm going to track down a shiny Ditto online and trade it to you lol

"Wou-...Would you.. slow.. down, Tally? Some of us have three left feet!" Spinarak cried.
Tally didn't acknowledge; didn't turn back to look. As the heavy backpack bounced on her back, Tally vaulted over a thick limb and dove down a Nidoran trail.

Formatting error, needs a space between Spinarak's dialogue and Tally's action

The little Beldum wriggled his hree toe claws.

Should be 'three'

Nicely done buddy. On the whole I liked the chapter quite a bit. The portions that stuck out to me the most were the bit's with Beldum and Gizmo. It was refreshing to touch on Glover for a bit too. I'm hoping that Janie get's this resolved in the next chapter. Personally, if a shiny Beldum hatched and got away from me, I would seriously consider throwing myself off a cliff haha.

[Glover]

I'm hoping that Janie get's this resolved in the next chapter. Personally, if a shiny Beldum hatched and got away from me, I would seriously consider throwing myself off a cliff haha.

I think Janie passed the cliff on the way by. Rather bummed you missed the parallellism there. I'l be adressing that in later chapters though.

Have I EVER resolved anything that quickly? Poor Janie...

[Glover]

Author's Note This chapter is brought to you by La Capillas on high hills overlooking New Mexico mining cities.

No, seriously, I hiked up several times to bang out this chapter with a nice breeze, some sun, and a view to go with my Ipad and some water. And speaking of, something decided that it would be fun to randomly pepper the next few chapters with *s. I think I got most of them, but Internet Cookies for those who find any stragglers. Shh! Don't tell Teletraan I'm handing out Internetz, he'll want them. (That joke will make more sense in a few chapters)

Friday Night Lights
WT Ch 30

Back to CH 29

"Poor thing, You must be exhausted."

Beldum couldn't understand this behavior. Instead of hurting him, the strange creature, oddly on one of its two legs like a Hoothoot shed a layer of clothing, and wrapped him up in it. Maybe this was some way of tenderizing him first; he did feel a strange warmth, maybe its cooking him from the inside out. It was oddly calming, too. He couldn't explain why, but he'd stopped squirming from the monster's grasp after a few moments.

"Feel better now? Let's see if we can get back to camp. We can't be that far..."

---
Tally lowered her head into the pond for a drink, the face that looked back at her was rife with anger and disappointment. You let her get away it scolded.

"Something bothering you?" Cassie asked.

"No, c'mon. Let's keep moving. It's going to be dark soon."

---
"There. All pretty."

"My scalp hurts. My neck hurts. My HAIR hurts..."

"If you'd comb it every once in a while, Miss Jovi. And don't rub your face, you'll smear your makeup."

"Seriously? How do people live with wearing this stuff? It's itchy and makes my nose tingle."

"Says the human who rolls in dirt for a living."

"You sound like my mother."

Guiniviere took this as a compliment. Upon seeing this, Jovi crossed her arms and pouted.

"That's not very ladylike, Miss Jovi. Sit up straight, smile. Be sure to cross your legs politely, and try to keep that sailor's tongue on silent. Be sure to-"

"Guinivere? I take my comment back. You're WORSE than Mom."

The Gardevoir beamed.


---
"Where are we?" Janie looked over ather little passenger. Beldum had proven too tired to move more than a short hop. He wasn't sure why he felt compelled to follow this creature, but it hadn't eaten him yet, and maybe other predators wouldn't challenge it for his hide.

"Beldum bel," he said, vocalizing a shrug.

"I thought not. I think this is the right trail. Funny, huh? Days on end I want out of this blasted forest, and now I'm walking deeper into it. Well, hobbling" Janie tried to laugh through the pain in her body. The crutch was starting to wear out its welcome. And sadly, so was the Sun.

"No hope for it, little guy. We're on our own for the night."

One searing thought crossed his mind. "You mean there are things here that eat YOU?

Janie registered the look of shock on his face. "Don't worry, we'll be fine. If anything bad comes, I'll swat it with this stick." Janie faked a smile, full knowing that a stick was going to buy her all of a half second against another Ursaring. A Farfetch'd, she was not.

Beldum seemed to buy it though.

"Here we go, that old curved oak looks like a good fort we can hold." Beldum didn't know what she meant, but it sounded like a nesting site, so he and Janie made a hobbling trek through the overgrowth.

He realized he felt genuinely concerned as his travelling partner creaked and moaned trying to sit down. Even without experience, he could tell she was having trouble doing something she felt like should have been an easy task.

And at the same time, she looked absolutely hilarious. He didn't know why, but it made him chuckle.

"I'm glad someone is enjoying this."

---
"I... I don't like this. What if the H-Gastly come out?"

"Spinarak's right, Tally."

"We'll just have to scare them off."

"Tally, they've already poven they can trick us with illusions. There's no point in walking into a false illusion and getting hopelessly lost."

"I still have my sense of smell, you know."

"Which does us no good when you think the path's clear and we walk off a cliff."

"Fine, you wanna leave Janie out there all night alone with the ghosts? Let's just do that then."

"I'd feel better about it."

"You're not helping, Spinarak."

"Sorry, Tiny."

---
"Still a magician." Cay said, straightening her clothes. "I, I think the private sitting room certainly earned its usefulness, don't you?"

"Quite," I agreed, waiting for her to find her balance on the train before pulling myself up with the two cross-facing benches. Most Passenger cars use a more western open sitting area, but a few old fashioned style rooms with seats---not sleeper compartments but of similar footprint-- still rode on trains. they were served by a single hallway down one side of the car.

Cay was still catching her breath, still enthralled. Although still willing, I decided the better course of action would be to wipe some of the thick, steamy condensation off the windowpanes.

"Ah, Anville Town it looks like. have to change trains soon. We're almost to Nimbasa then."

"Too bad, you'll just have to wait for the hotel."

---
Promptly at 6:52, Ben pulled up in a new Corvette convetible. The Rental plates gave its true ownership away, but Jovi wasn't going to fault him for trying, anyway.

From their seat on a bench on the front landing of the Lab, Jovi and Guin were watching for him already. Jovi hadn't been "permitted" to do something so un-ladylike as to sit on the steps, so the psychic type floated out a small wooden bench and dusted it off.

Guinievere gave a whistle of approval. "Your knight certainly brought out his prize mustang."

"I think it's a Chevy, actually, M'lady."

"Whatever, its a nice car."

"Agreed."

Ben frantically checked his watch as he puled in. "Oh dear, am I late?"

"Not at all, we simply like listening to the Night's voice."

"I see," Ben said almost nervously. "Kinda quiet though, eh?"

"Unusually, actually," Jovi agreed. "But it could be any number of things. C'mon, I'm starving, let's eat."

"Jovi, that's not very ladylike to say."

"Whatever, my queen," Jovi teased. "Will you still be here when I get back?"

"Youy mean at eleven, right?"

Jovi and Ben both rolled their eyes. "Yes Mom," they sighed.

"Then yes. I told Cay I'd wait and transfer in the morning. You two have fun."

Ben held te door open for Jovi to get in the car. He watched the Gardevoir wave with a natural smile, and yet a thought danced on the back of his mind: "The traditional father with a shotgun would be too much to ask for, right?"

---
"So, Jovi, I was thinking about tonight," Ben babbled as he drove down the lane. "I know I said that they danced at the Grey Gull, but uh, I don't think you want to see me dancing, and, I uh,"

"Whew."

"What?"

"You don't want to see me dance, either. Guinievere tried to teach me, but she proclaimed that I danced like an inebrieted Donphan and stormed out of the room for a while."

"...I see," he said, trying very hard not to laugh at his date. "Then what do you say about catching that new Gligarman movie after we eat. Someplace, quiet? Just us? Where no one from the lab can call you? Is that more up your alley?"

"That, sounds lovely."

---
Guinievere watched them til the tailights vanished behind a bush. the air was a bit chilly, so she turned to go back inside, when she thought she saw an unnatural shadow dash past the far corner of the building. The psychic type probed the area with her mind, buut found an almost empty nothing. She shook the thought from her mind and went inside to read.

---
Janie tried feeding the newborn Beldum. She had nothing on her though, and no clue what to feed him. "Telling me would go a long to preparing me for these things, DAD." Janie sassed at the stars inside her mind, hoping some cosmic force my reach out and slap her father and those intelligent souls who thought letting the trainer squirm was humorous upside the head.

As it turned out, newborn Beldum will eat just about anything. After Janie got herself situated on the ground, he began happily carving bits of soil and rock with his claws and shoveling it into the small hole on his rear end. Or, that's what Janie understood the happy look on his eye and the twisting he was doing with his body. It made sense to her, a steel type would still need some mineral nutrients.*

"Maybe you'd like some berries as well?"

"Beldum bel?"

"You know, I don't know if you'd like them or not. A Pecha would probably turn pulpy though under you, maybe a dry chesto berry would be good for you. If we had some, oh, hey, a tree over there."

"Bel? Bel beldum bell beldum."

"Oh, its just thirty feet or so. We'll be fine long enough to hobble over and get some."

"Beldum."

"You worry as bad as my little Spinarak. C'mon, lets get one of us fed before, uh, before bed."

Janie made a lunging somersault onto her crutch from a sitting position. Although uncomfortable, it certainly got her on her foot faster than she sat down.

"Beldum Bel?"

"I'll be fine."

"Beldum."

The pair hobbled together over to a promising looking Chesto tree; Janie swung with her makeshift crutch to knock a few berries off. Beldum ate one while she scooped them up and made a basket out of her lower shirt lip for three more. Janie stopped off at a small bush before thy wobbled back to the Oak, fetching herself some nurishment in some Cheris.

"Beldum!"

"I'm glad you're enjoying those."

"Beldum bel?" He tapped one and sent it rolling to Janie.

"I got those for you. Don't you want it?"

"Bel. Beldum bel." He said, shakinbg his head and making a tilting gesture towards Janie.

"Well, alright. Thank you!"

---
"Are you sure this is right?, Tally?"

"Positive. It's faint, but Janie left a heavy scent. C'mon guys."

"I suppose we should all be thankful that beneath her tough exterior, our human's a big wuss."

"Tiny!"

"What? Humans tend to make the most pungent smells, and other things, when they're scared witless."

"I'm not going to touch that conversation."

"Good call, Cassie, me neither."

"Ha... have we passed that tree before?" Spinarak stuttered.

"Got me." Cassie replied. "They all look the same to me."

"Spoken like someone who's never lived in a forest."
"Spoken like someone who's neverlived in a forest." Tiny and Sinarak both stated indignantly.

"Or piddled on one" Tally added.

"Eww." grimaced the spider. "But seriously, I'm sure we've passed that tree before."

Tally slowed and came to a stop. The small dog turned on her paws. "I'm sure we're still on track, but if it'll make you feel better, Spinarak, feel free to mark one, we can put this to bed. I don't want to stop right now, we've still got a little light."

And then, all at once, it went dark. Not a nightime dark, where you can see the end of your nose, either. A "someone just turned off the only bulb in the cellar" dark.

"Do the rest of you hear laughing?"

"No, Spinarak, I don't."

"I do, Tally." Cassie nodded.

"No you don't."

"Yes, yes I do. It's eerie and sinister sounding, and it sounds like a theatre, just rolling on and on." Tiny chimed up, catching the hint.

"No no no, what Tally means is that you don't hear it."

"But I--- Oh."

"I don't get it." Spinark confessed.

"Human proverb. "Hear no evil" Beedrill muttered, but the forest broke into a riotous laughter anyway. They apparently thought this was a compliment.

Spinarak gulped in fear.

"Hey Cassie."

"Yes Tally?"

"You remember that trick that Hiker's Geodude did?"

"Where he made his body glow?"

"Yes, that one. I think the hiker called it Flash. Do you think you could make your little cloud body light up?"

Gee, I dunno. I suppose its worth a try, I guess."

Cassie focused her concentration and tried to build an electrical charge in her lower body.

"That's it, good!"

Just as a thunderstrorm does, her cloud began to glow a dark grey. But poor Cassie lost her focus too quickly, and had too much of a charge built up. looking for an attraction point, a stray bolt reached out ad barely tickled Tiny ad his Spinarak passenger.

The forest seemedto think that was funny, too.

"OW! Hey! Watch where your aiming that thing! And the lot of you out there can stop for air at any time!"

"Yeah! Just because he deserves to be hit doesn't mean you should do it while he's carrying me!"

"Would you like to be dropped, Spider?"

"Nope." Spinarak said, smiling innocently.


"Sorry Guys. Let me try again, uh, without the lightning."

"Well, alright, but we're going just over there so we don't get hit."

Cassie blew him a raspberry and tried her light trick again.


"There...hee hee.. that tingles. I think I got it."*

Her body was crawling with little stray sparks. Nothing that reached very far, but the electrical buildup was noticeable enough, almost like a Van Degraff machine.

"Ta da!"

Very good, Cassie. Now can we get going again?"

"Sure, Tally."*

"Uh guys? Do you see what I see?"

"You mean that every tree now has Spinarak's little tag on it, Tiny?"

"Yeah, that."

"Nope, and neither do you."

---
"Do you hear that faint laughing, Beldum?" Janie stroked the side ofthe newborn steel type, who was luckily and mercifully asleep, else he might be terrified and run off. Janie partially wished she too, could sleep the sleep of innocence like that, but she knew the terrors of the night were already aloof, and someone would have to protect the little guy. She tucked the coat-turned-blanket up a little tighter around him, hoping it might shield him from whats to come. She insticntively felt her hand grasp her crutch. What a tree branch culd do to a Gastly, she wasn't entirely sure, and she doubted the strength of the pile of rocks to her side, but right now it was all she had.

"There." Her first enemy was small whiff of a Gastly, perhaps a newborn as well. Most likely, it had a parent near by, if Gastly had parents. She remembered her father once telling her that "Ghost" was technically a misnomer, they were more a different type of monster but basically just another form of Pokemon than an actual spirit, although how much of that was for settling her five year old nerves Janie sometimes wondered, especially when she read about Yamask in school.

She fingered a small acorn, but tried to tuck herself into a shadow in the hopes she wouldn't have to use it. Of course, Gastly have other ways of sensing people even without sight, and they can see very well in the dark, anyway. "Wisp" had just enough time to focus its eyes on her when a nut sailed cleanly through its head. The Gastly rippled in the air from the attack, trying to regain its composure.


HA! It will work!" Janie grabbed a vine and tied it around a larger rock on one end and one just big enough to do some damage that she could throw and reel back in. her little bollo was taking shape just as Wisp pulled itself literally back together.

It screamed. A shrill, B movie horror film feminine "Eek a monster" scream that made Janie hold her ears and woke poor Beldum up.

"Stay behind me!" Janie barked a bit forcefuly. "I promise I can protect you, just stay there where I can feel you."

Under the circumstances, Beldum chose to not resent her for yelling at him, and tried to be very small behind her.

He didn't see the stormcoud of Gastly that ran to the little one's cry, but he heard Janie gulp as she readied her first rock.

---
"And you're sure you don't want to stay for some dancing?"

"Positive. You?"

"Well, I suppose if you wanted..."

"No."

"Phew. Good. I think we still have time to catch the Nine o clock showing, Jovi. If you got enough to eat."

"I think I could still sneak in some popcorn, Ben. As long as I'm home by midnight."

"Does the rough and ready Jovi have a curfew?"

"No, and I'm not going to turn into a pumpkin, Mr. Thinks He 's Six."

"I'm just teasing. I'm having a really nice time with you, is all."

"I am too; I just want to make sure I get back to the ranch in time for some sleep before work is all. I have to care for those Pokemon, you know."

"I do, and I admire you thinking of the poor creatures, Jovi. Let's go pick up our tickets,then, and get some good seats. Oh, and don't forget to turn off your phone, too."

"Guin actually promised me to turn it off before you picked me up. She said she didnt want me ignoring you with it, too un-ladylike."

Ben couldn't resist snorting a laugh. "Well, we wouldn't want anyone calling you on our date, now would we?"

Turn the Page

[Sidewinder]

"That's not very ladylike, Miss Jovi. Sit up straight, smile. Be sure to cross your legs politely, and try to keep that sailor's tongue on silent. Be sure to-"

"Guinivere? I take my comment back. You're WORSE than mom."

The Gardevoir beamed.

That exchange made me laugh. Mainly because my fiance goes through different cycles of being more and less like Jovi, and after a trying day of caving or hiking, I hear a lot of whining when she tries to brush her hair later.

"We'll *just have to scare them off."

Typo there with the asterisk

but of similar footprintstill rode on trains.

Need a space between footprint and still

wooden bec=nch and dusted it off.

Typo there with bench

so she turnedto go back inside, when she thought she saw an unnatural shadow dash past the far corner of the building. The psychic type probed the area with her mind, buut found an almost empty nothing.

Need a space between turned and to...besides that, I liked the quoted passage quite a bit. First real hint at nefariousness in a bit, and to be honest I'm going to be really pissed if anything happens to Guinevere. An unnatural shadow, found an almost empty nothing? I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what kind of Pokemon it could be, well, if it is a Pokemon at all. I can't figure anything out, but the quoted portion has got me excited

Just as a thunderstrorm does, her cloud began to glow a dark grey. But poor Cassie lost her focus too quickly, and had too much of a charge built up. looking for an attraction point, a stray bolt reached out ad barely tickled Tiny ad his Spinarak passenger.

This was another portion where the description felt pretty great to me. I salute the thought of trying a Flash so they can light the area, and the comparison with a thunderstorm was nicely done as well

She remembered her father once telling her that "Ghost" was technically a misnomer, they were more a different type of monster but basically just another form of Pokemon than an actual spirit,

Is that your theory on them? Because I have believed the same thing since I first encountered them when playing the games. I've always thought of ghost Pokemon, especially ones like Gastly, being almost exactly how you descried. Matter left over, or made of something that humans can't quite perceive. I liked that

btw, the title of the chapter is one of my favorite tv series of all time lol

[Glover]

Is that your theory on them? Because I have believed the same thing since I first encountered them when playing the games. I've always thought of ghost Pokemon, especially ones like Gastly, being almost exactly how you descried. Matter left over, or made of something that humans can't quite perceive. I liked that

I don't know that its a unique take. I always liked Cutlerine's take on Ghosts (see Thinking Man's Guide to Destroying the World and My Trip to the End of Time) that Ghosts are only unique in that they are for the most part a manifestation of Human Psyche. (Gengar being the Boogeyman under the bed; Rotom a fear of 21st Century humanity of technology failing) I'm not sure how far into the psyche that I want to go neccesarily, but its fun to think about. And the part about Janie not being sure if that was her father trying to console her or not is there to make it deliberately ambiguous in case I decide to change something.

First real hint at nefariousness in a bit,

How quickly we forget the loose ends I have so far sprinkled throughout the story...

I'm going to be really pissed if anything happens to Guinevere

    Spoiler:- undefined:

Show Spoiler

 
SPOILER:Good news! As far as I know so far, nothing happens to Guinevere...
 

[Glover]

Of Love, and Heartburn
WT CH 31

Flip back to 30?

"Nimbasa Terminal! This is our next and final stop. Please collect all belongings and be ready to detrain. Please remain seated until paged by your coach attendant. Thank you for riding the Unova Central Railroad.

"So loverboy, what's the plan for the first night of this weekend date?”

"Well, let's see, it's almost eight here. I thought maybe we'd hit the town tonight. The Midway's beautiful when lit up. Got us a nice hotel near downtown though, if you'd rather see things from there..."

---
Beldum was still by her side. his presence alone was probably what was keeping Janie going. She fingered the last of her rocks, thankful that her mother had tried to teach her Softball, and the art of the slow curve ball. A boomerang would've worked just as well, Janie had realized, and she wished she'd thought to try to bend a few twigs before it got dark. Her rock bolo was simply becoming too heavy for her sore arm to throw.

As it stood, the Gastly were keeping their distance. Thrown Rocks were a decent deterrent, even a moderate annoyance to a loud of toxic ectoplasm when one had to recollect one's mass. And it seemed to Janie at least, that mixing up multiple Gastly made them take longer to un-mix themselves than did a single one.

It wasn't a huge distance though, and Janie was only one human with a dwindling pile of rocks.

Cautiously, a few of the braver Gastly pushed through the stoning. Janie reached down and grabbed the broad, leafy branch she'd been using as a crutch. She shoved it into the first gastly, and tried to stir it into a few of its gassy buddies like a large vat of soup. This actually proved almost more effective, and as the Gastly reformed they seemed to flutter around as if they were still dizzy. It meant they had to get closer to her though.

"Beldum Bel?"

Janie peaked down. Her little hatchling had become brave enough to lean around her back. He was't eying the Gastly though, at least, not directly.

He was eying the small campfire Janie had made. It was tiny, more for light than heat, the forest was a rather constant, cool but tolerable temperature.

"That' genius, little guy. They are a bit leery of that fire." Beldum purred mechanically; happy that he'd been able to help, but was less thrilled when Janie lunged partially away from him long enough to grab a flaming stick from the fire. She touched it to her big fan, hoping the large torch would be enough to hold them at bay, and hurled the smaller still lit match into the midst of Gastly.

FWOOM!

The stick hit one of the Gastly, causing the poison gas and the air within its body to expand rapidly outwards, taking several more Gastly with it. For the first time that night, the Gastly stopped their tortous, haunting chanting and looked with genuine fear at Janie and with confusion into the midst of their collective body where several of their comrades had been lurking. Probably, they were familiar with fire type Pokemon, but never had they seen fire from a human, and weren't expecting this new attack. The front line pressed backwards into the midst, putting more room between them and Janie's flame.

"You might just have saved us." Janie cooed to the Beldum, restoring his confidence. "See if you can knock some bark off behind us."

"Beldum!" He cheered, excited to be helping, while still mostly behind the creature protecting him. His metal hide was quite effective at the job with minimal injury to himself. As they fell, Janie grabbed them, stuck one end into the fire on her branch, and then lobbed it into the crowd. They were a bit less effective, there wasn't as much flame or were wet, and a few went out as they were thrown, but the deterrent was slowly thinning out the herd of Gastly.

Several brave ghouls pressed through. These were big, Janie wondered why they hadn't evolved, but was thankful that she wasn't trying to deal with Haunter. She swiped two away with her flaming branch, their gaseous bodies streaming to the side on a bit of a breeze. It had been a distraction though, and a third went straight for her head with its fangs bared while the weapon was occupied. Beldum saw it before Janie did, and plowed through the Ghost type. It spent what energy he'd been able to build back up though, and the missile like body crashed to the ground.

It was what the Gastly had wanted, the small psychic type no longer defended. Janie shoved her torch through several of them as they collected over the newly found meal. The force of the mini explosions knocked Janie backwards, and nearly put out the fire on her crutch. A small kindle it was, but one last suicidal Gastly braved it long enough to impale his body on the branch and bite it off before he too exploded.

"****." Janie was near panicking now, only looking at the hurt Beldum helped her. She began hurling parts of her campfire into the invigorated conglomerate of Gastly. Even as they exploded, they knew a desperate ploy when they saw one and were beginning to feel emboldened again.

Janie knew there was a small lake through some bushes near her. She wasn't sure why it mattered or what her next plan was, but something was telling her to go there. She scooped her brave little Beldum up in her arm and on her good leg, crashed through the undergrowth.

---
"C'mon Tally, there's water right over there." Cassie half whined.

"We just stopped what, an hour ago?

"Yeah, but we gotta stop somewhere." Cassie replied.

"Yeah, and while we're not being pestered by those Gastly is a great time to bed down."

"Not being bothered is why I want to keep moving, guys. As long as they aren't after us they might very well be-"

"Shh!"

What Tiny?"

"Thought I heard something over by that lake we passed."

"Uh huh, sure. I didn't hear anything, just another ploy, right?"

"Well, if you weren't flapping your gums, you might've."
Cassie dashed through the trees for a look. "C'mon, the Gastly have corned something in the water"

Spinarak gulped. "I was afraid you were going to say that."

---
Beldum took a wild guess that Janie hadn't been expecting the steep embankment. He was shivering and eager to get out of the water, until Janie stood him upright and he could see the cloud of Gastly coalescing over them. They were angry; some of them looked hurt, others only dazed. They weren't chanting or being spooky, they were hissing; spitting acid into the water.
Beldum promptly fell back over, burying his optic lens eye into muddy lake bed

---
"Look, it's Janie! She's on the other side of the lake!"

"I told ya we should've stopped for water."

"The Gastly have her trapped!"

"Oh well, it was nice knowing her, come on guys, let's get out of here before the Don shows up and spots us."

The others ignored Spinarak's comment.

"I'll try to break them up, but you guys will have to cross without me and go in there stingers blazing. I'll go around the shore and see what help I can be."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Works for me"

"That's a TERRIBLE idea."

"Then you go with Tally. Probably be a liability anyway, webhead, and I'm tired of carrying your attitude."

"Hey!"


The spider was once again ignored. Tally parsed her lips to ready a long, eerie howl, but the Gastly were faster than that. A stream of them poured out of the center of the cloud over Janie. Janie reached to hold Beldum under the water and watched as three dozen Gastly splattered against the surface over them; their gaseous bodies not dense enough to push through the surface.

"NOW!" Tally cried out.

Tiny lit them up with a string of Pin Missiles, joined by arcing bolts of electricity from Cassie's cloud. The swarm turned from their underwater target and slamed the two Pokeon like a freight train. No one had ever been witness to the sheer number of Gastly that seemed to appear. Being a swarm Pokemon himself, Tiny figured Double Team was at play, but the endless line of bodies continued to slam through himslef and Cassie. The latter asn't taking much damage like one would normally ssume, but the assault was disorienting enough she might as well be.

"Look out!" Spinarak leapt from Janie's bag and Tally's back. The stream of ghosts was leaving Tiny and going straight for the other two on the far shore. Spinarak fired a Night Shade into the onrush. The Line of phantoms were hit and broke in two, howling and banking off into two symmetrical loops before converging on the little spider.

"Get Away!" Tally Roared. Several gave in to the dark cammand, but the flock as a whole was too much. The Herdier leapt into the fray with her jowls dripping with an anger turned to raw power.

As the last Gastly cleared Tiny, he was too stunned to maintain flight. Cassie was wobbly as well, but her body naturally floats, whereas Tiny must make a semi-conscious effort to flap his wings.

Absent of that, he fell to the cold water. Several Gastly wheeled off from the main group to finish him.

"No!" Cassie cried. she summoned up all her power and dropped a colossal bolt of lightning into the little group. All at once, the crowd exploded and scattered to the far edges of the water, leaving Cassie panting.

Janie lay half submerged on the shallow part, its all the further her cold, broken body could get her. The voices within her wrestled with "Helping her Pokémon" and "Trying not to break what little wasn't already broken." Beldum was injured, but fortunately not susceptible to cold water like she was.

"They're coming around, Cassie!" Tally barked. "Try blowing them off!"

The cloud Pokémon bit her lip and summoned a breeze. It carried the chill off the water and splashed it into the faces of the Gastly. Although weaker than Night Shade, like Janie's hand weapons, it proved more devastating. Spinarak lined up some shots and began blasting them from the back, finally freeing Tally enough that she could run around the lake to her trainer. Cassie was enjoying the wind patterns; changing it was seeming to come more natural to her. And as she lashed at the Ghosts, she too felt her anger transform into energy, carried by the wind into the battlefield, even carrying a few weaker Gastly on its fringes and smashig them into their comrades.

On the far shore, Tally shed the heavy backpack and grabbed Janie by the scruff of her shirt, dragging her out of the water. Then she leapt and in, and without anything to grab ahold of, nudged Beldum out by his base. None too soon, the Gastly recognized that they were losing. Those that remained coalesced together high above the lake, streaming off into the forest depths. Those not strong enough for that, slunk ito whatever shadow they could.

"You better run!" Spinarak taunted.

"Cassie!" Tally barked. "We need fire over here!"

"In a minute! Gotta get Tiny out!"

The Beedrill groaned on Cassie's back. He was a bit bigger than she, but light enough she could get under him in the water and lift long enough to get to shore. Spinarak skittered around the same way Tally came, who was furiously digging a hole.

"What do you need, Tally?"[/i] The spider asked.

[i]"Twigs. Wood, stuff we can burn safely."

"You got it." He disappeared up a tree, and began shaking loose wood and nuts.

Cassie set down the third wet, shivering body and reached to the heavens to draw on the warmth of the approaching sunlight. Tally finished digging and began shoving the refuse into the small pit. It was more crude than they built with Janie’s guidance, it lacked the border ring of rocks and wasn't deep enough, but it would do for now. Cassie's body lightened and her head became faintlylined with orange spheres. It was all she could muster. So close and still so far from dawn. She focused the heat into a stream, and lit Tally's pile before collapsing herself of exhaustion.*

Spinarak shook loose some more for a stockpile. "What now?" he asked.

"We watch over them." Tally replied. "Protect them, and we pray to Arceus and Mew they recover quickly."

---
"Huh, that's odd."

Ben emerged from the theatre. "What cha doing?" He asked.

"Checking voicemail." Jovi replied.

"I was only in the restroom two minutes!" He said.

"Its my job. I can't just let go of it. I hate being so far away. I should check it."

"Oh come now." He cooed. "You don't want to do that. You’ll ruin a perfect evening" he said with too much confidence in that fact.

"Yes, yes I do. I have forty messages in three hours. Oh... Oh my god! This is horrible, I have to get back!" Jovi shed her heels, and took off across the center court of Gateon's main district. "I need to get back t the lab!"

"No you don't." Ben sighed. He opened a Pokeball, and Jovi went sprawling. She rolled over, and found a Machamp reaching to pin her. Ben approached, escorted by a second Pokemon, foxlike with a black body and a red mane.

"Monster!" Jovi started screaming for help. Sailors and merchants came running, but the appearance of a Zoroark meant the sudden disappearance of the attacker and the victim. Gateon Port had too much ambient noise; though they could hear the cries for help, the would-be rescuers didn't have a clue where it was coming from, even right in front of them. The Machamp muffled Jovi's screams with one of its huge hands, and she watched with as much horror as the befuddled rescuers rushed right past her; frantically looking for whoever was screaming for help.

"I'm sorry Jovi." Ben said, still as sweetly as can be. "But there can be no witnesses."

Turn the page

[Sidewinder]

Got us a nice hotel near downtown though, if you'd rather see things from there..."

Lmao I see some of myself in him. He cracks me up

Beldum was still by her side. his presence alone

Need to capitalize 'his'

even a moderate annoyance to a loud of toxic ectoplasm when one had to recollect one's mass.

Two things, first off I think you meant cloud instead of loud, and secondly I love Janie's description of Gastly. I'm trying to remember if Gastly is actually toxic or that's something you've expanded on lol. I need to brush up on my Kanto Poke knowledge. Either way I like the word usage, even though I keep imagining a Pokemon with Gastly's outline with a face that is the biohazard insignia haha

He was't eying the Gastly though,

Wasn't

The stick hit one of the Gastly, causing the poison gas and the air within its body to expand rapidly outwards, taking several more Gastly with it.

I liked that sentence quite a bit. Direct, to the point, and it painted a lovely picture in my mind. Tis a very smart little Beldum indeed

"Beldum!" He cheered, excited to be helping, while still mostly behind the creature protecting him.

Good job showing his tendencies and inexperience. I keep forgetting that he's still a newborn so moments like these snap me back to where I belong.

their gaseous bodies not dense enough to push through the surface.

I had a feeling that's where you were going with this and I'm glad my theory proved to be correct. That was very smart thinking on your part and I'm actually really impressed by your inventiveness there. I can honestly say that I wouldn't have thought of that if I was writing. Nicely done

Spinarak fired a Night Shade into the onrush. The Line of phantoms were hit and broke in two, howling and banking off

That actually kinda surprised me. Spinirak doesn't seem to have any real loyalty to Janie yet, and the only reason I can see him helping is out of fear of retaliation from her other Pokemon. I'm not sure why he's doing this seeing as how when the rest started attacking he could have slipped off to the side since he is obviously completely against going anywhere near the Ghastly. At the same time though I can see his meek/fearful personality making him stay with the group compared to actually getting away and being out on his own with no one around. It's a weird mix that works, and at the same time doesn't. Hmm, I hope that made sense

"What do you need, Tally?"[/i] The spider asked.

[i]"Twigs. Wood, stuff we can burn safely."

Formatting error there

Sailors and merchants came running, but the appearance of a Zoroark meant the sudden disappearance of the attacker and the victim. Gateon Port had too much ambient noise; though they could hear the cries for help, the would-be rescuers didn't have a clue where it was coming from, even right in front of them

Wow, you really took Zoroark's power pretty seriously there. I like to think I would rush forward and try and save someone if placed in the situation, and being able to hear and not see would be pretty intimidating, and I would probably think I was going crazy if not for the others around me feeling the same way. Nicely done buddy, I liked that bit quite a lot

All in all I really enjoyed this chapter. You cranked the excitement up to eleven with the Gastly attack and I found myself even more enamored with your inventiveness than I usually am lol. Ben's portion at the end was a surprise but I did somewhat expect something along those lines. My feelings about what might happen didn't take away from the excitement at all and besides wanting to hit him in the back of the head with a lead pipe I'm really excited to see where Jovi ends up

[Glover]

I love Janie's description of Gastly. I'm trying to remember if Gastly is actually toxic or that's something you've expanded on lol. I need to brush up on my Kanto Poke knowledge.

Gastly are poison types. most of these descriptions come from the Pokedex records on the games. (Bulbapedia is my right-hand when I'm writing)

The R/S entry

Gastly is largely composed of gaseous matter. When exposed to a strong wind, the gaseous body quickly dwindles away. Groups of this Pokémon cluster under the eaves of houses to escape the ravages of wind.

http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wi...(Pok%C3%A9mon)

their gaseous bodies not dense enough to push through the surface.

I had a feeling that's where you were going with this and I'm glad my theory proved to be correct. That was very smart thinking on your part and I'm actually really impressed by your inventiveness there. I can honestly say that I wouldn't have thought of that if I was writing. Nicely done

I'm glad you thought so. Little secret, that scene was originally written backwards. That was soley supposed to be for "I told you we should have stopped for water" line, I needed Janie in the water. I kkept bumping that scene back a few chapters (this was originally CH29, and well, I squeezed a few more chapters out of it) and I needed Janie in the water. Hence the

Janie knew there was a small lake through some bushes near her. She wasn't sure why it mattered or what her next plan was, but something was telling her to go there.

line, I actually meant it very literally. It wasn't until after I "threw" Janie down a hill and into the water did it dawn on me that a Ghost type probably couldn't follow her.

That actually kinda surprised me. Spinirak doesn't seem to have any real loyalty to Janie yet, and the only reason I can see him helping is out of fear of retaliation from her other Pokemon.

That's a good theaory and it works. There's probably a bit of loyalty in there, but I got the feeling from him he's a simple enough creature that "Well, I'm caught... what now?" is his primary motivation. That, and he may well feel at this point he's too close to them to run, or it may be a more general "No turning back".

Wow, you really took Zoroark's power pretty seriously there.

Yeah, if a Zoroark can replace half a field with a believeable RV, then I figure one can make two humans and a Machamp vanish in plain sight. And, Zoroark was away.

and besides wanting to hit him in the back of the head with a lead pipe

You ain't the only one. But hold on, the fun's not done yet.

[Glover]

"So, whatever happened to Teletraan?" you might be asking. I'm not one for loose ends, *but when I wrote this it was part of the main chapter. I felt it gave * too much away though, I wanted you hanging on the expense of "No Witnesses", since I’ve been planning No Witnesses Part 2 since I wrote No Witnesses Part 1. (That was, what, fifteen chapters ago? Talk about the story taking its own turn of events) Teletraan didn't just fall out of the series though, so consider this a deleted scene, of sorts.

Whatever happened to Teletraan?
A Supplemental to Chapter 31

Teletraan clutched a file in one wing, fin, hand, thing. Or maybe it was his tail. He wasn't rightly sure.

Jovi was nowhere to be found. One would think that if one asks one to search out information on a person that one would want to read such a file. Some people could be so inconsiderate.*

Like that Miley person who works IT. Who destroys perfectly good cookies? Seriously? Sure, some of those browser cookies from "Aviation Weekly.com" or "A Pokémon’s Spleen and You.net" are kind of stale, but there are some perfectly normal teenage boys here with time to kill and an interest in, ah, anatomy. That's what Aiden had called it, anyway.

If Teletraan had known that "Anatomy" was that nice to look at, he'd have "upgraded" years ago.

Teletraan scratched his head with a free appendage. Did he have a spleen?

What does a spleen do, anyway?

He was hungry now, he wanted a cookie. Maybe Miley hadn't wiped the system yet. Teletraan turned in Jovi's computer screen, and buzzed over to the Server.

He was in luck. There they were a huge, delicious pile of Internet Cookies all for him. He'd just need to set down this file in his hand.

Why was he carrying a file, anyway?

Teletraan shoved a cookie into his beak and opened the file.

"For Jovi." the PDF was titled. He pouted at the pile of cookies. They'd be gone when he got back, but he was sure that he needed to deliver this first.

Maybe Aiden would know where she was? He was usually out working in the ranch.

He shoved two more cookies under his other appendage and left in a huff. A Porygon-Z’s job was never done.

---
Aiden was under one of the ATVs, Teletraan found him through one of the hand scanners in the mechanic system.

"Yo! Teletraan, how's it goin? You got something for me? Dija crack her firewall? Tell me you have a clip of her putting on that dress."

"Por?"

"Jovi. You remember; she's going out on a date?"

"Por! Porygon Z gon."

"I haven't seen her. She's not in her room?"

"Porygon Z Por."

"Oh, so you haven't gotten to her webcam yet then. Bummer. Try her P*DA?"

"PorygonZ Por."

"Oh sure, it should be in the phonebook."

"Gon! Porygon Por!"

"Sure, anytime."

Teletraan plunged back into the scanner. Surely the receptionist had a phonebook.

---
Of course, Aiden had meant the phonebook app. Teletraan popped out of the monitor. The receptionist was gone for the day already. He set the file down on a desk corner, which promptly disappeared as soon has his hand left it.

Phonebooks were bigger than he remembered. And heavier, too. About the time it was hanging off the corner and over the edge, he decided this was probably not a good idea, after all.

Paper and spectral hologram came crashing down to a tile floor. Teletraan was
dazed for a moment, and took some time before he passed through the cover of the thick book, dusting himself off.

"Forget it", he decided. Nothing was worth this kind of abuse. Jovi must not care about the "Benedict Arnold" person of Unova with the hacked criminal record and ties to a criminal syndicate after all, and he didn't care to go looking for her.

He threw down another holographic image of the file in a huff, and decided he would go and have a cookie.

[Glover]

Here me, puny Humans! For it is I, Moto who has taken control of your computers! It seems Glover's gone and gotten himself *Gyehh* a job as a new server at a new restaurant. It sends chills through my plasma. *Work*. So he hasn't had a chance to finish proofing the next chapter, and probably won't until the middle of the week. Guess its a good thing he posted that Supplemental huh?

[Sidewinder]

Who destroys perfectly good cookies? Seriously?

Lmao that was awesome. I showed that passage to my fiance and started cracking up again. She didn't get it. I tried to explain what cookies were to a digital Pokemon but she's still in the dark...Sigh, the things I do for love

but there are some perfectly normal teenage boys here with time to kill and an interest in, ah, anatomy. That's what Aiden had called it, anyway.

Haha, she got that one though lol.

Dija crack her firewall?

I liked that little plus word there. I'm sure Sid would know the name for the word 'Dija', when you combine two words to shorten it but I don't lol. Anyway, I liked that you included because it's not something I see very often and made me try and imagine what Aiden would actually sound like

Jovi must not care about the "Benedict Arnold" person of Unova with the hacked criminal record and ties to a criminal syndicate after all, and he didn't care to go looking for her.

Dammit Jovi

I liked this little supplement quite a bit lol, and I hereby decree that if you don't update on Sunday's you are required to give a little snippet like this!

[Glover]

No Witnesses, Part 2.1
WT: CH32

Flip back?

"****" Janie flung the hot, flaming piece of parchment at the Haunter. It would be no use for her now, judging by the angry purple sparking coming from the disintegrating paper.

"ARGH!" The Haunter screamed. "I'll get you for that, and you're little Beldum too."

"Great, it knows movie trivia." as fast as her broken body could hobble, Janie and Apollo vanished into the underbrush.

The Haunter scowled, holding the spot where his left eye was yet to rematerialize. He'd underestimated her resourcefulness, again. Even half charred, a Cleanse Tag had enough oomph to hurt like the dickens, punching a hole in his existence that would most likely scar up and remain for some time.

"Well, what are you fools waiting for? After her! KILL HER!"

---
Three men, identical in more than just costume, stood in the dark but mercifully dry basement under the Lab. Several of those under their command stood behind them, watching and listening. "Come now, Jovi. Let's be accommodating. How do we get into the Chamber?" One asked.

"Spit-tiu."

"YOU LITTLE BRAT!"

"You can't keep this up forever, you know." Jovi shot a look at her mother. One of concern: that she might be opening her mouth at the wrong time. "Someone's going to come by. Someone's going to notice."

Another of the trio began talking next, continuing where the last left off as if he were reading his mind. "Our Lord is very good at setting up disguises and being unnoticed. As are we. The Shadow Project is an abomination that must be liberated and more properly… handled."

"And you wonder why we won't let you in."

"Shut up, girl,” The third rotated into the conversation. “We've had enough of your games already. Your key badge doesn't work. How do we open it?"

"Atta girl, Quorra."

"Who is Quorra?"

Jovi decided to change the subject. It occurred to her, that maybe her Mom was right, after all.

Shocking revelation for a teenager, but it gave Jovi an idea. She really wanted to know what all these odd triplets knew. It meant sacrificing a friend, an advisor, and practically family, f they hadn’t been told all about her date, but that friend was a resourceful girl, if not actually a girl, and maybe could keep them busy long enough. Jovi hated it; it was the kind of rude thing preps in school did to avoid trouble. But no one in this lockdown had a play, and something had to move. Jovi crossed her fingers and said a prayer covering such basis, just in case.

"It sure is a bummer that Guinevere went away with Glover and Cayna on their trip."

"Yes. Too bad. And poor Glover isn't here to come riding to your rescue on his tortured Ditto or that mutilated Deoxys of his. Boo hoo. Now give us the access instructions."

They didn’t know. Crap. But why hadn’t Ben told them, and where was Guin now?

"Make me."

"Alright then." One of the silver-haired trio of captors summoned a Bisharp forward. "You heard her request, let's grant it."

"Sharp."

Ben stepped forward. "Wait. She's lying." He said over her first winces.

"We know that, operative Ben. That's why we're here."

"No, I mean about Guin. The Gardevoir didn't go with Glover. She was going to wait up for Jovi and then have her Pokéball transferred today."

"What?"

"She's here. And Glover's probably waiting.”

---
"What's wrong dear?"

"Nothing, I hope. That was a Nurse Joy on Tangelo Island in the Orange region. They can't raise the Lab in Gateon, and since we haven't heard from Guinevere,"

"You’re concerned."

"A bit, but it is the weekend."

"Did Joy try calling Lily?"

"She ran all the numbers. And I've got that "Left the dryer running" feeling. Come on, I need to get to a Pokémon Center."

---
Guinevere had locked herself away in a small electrical closet. She'd never been mechanically or electrically inclined, and was flying by the seat of her proverbial pants. She had in her hands two bundles of wires she thought was the electrical leads to the fan. Or maybe it was a line for the servers, or a light bulb. She didn't know. *She was hoping she could signal for help. Not outside, but within.

"Gon?"

"AH! Oh, it's you Teletraan. I was hoping I could get your attention."

"Gon, Z-Gon Pory Por Porygon."

"What? Really? I mean, I figured that was where they were heading, but I didn't know for sure."

"Z. Porygon Por Z Porygon Por."

"Mutations of Porygon? With teeth and cannons?"

"Por." He nodded.

Now, Teletraan is known for "flights of fancy", and Guin was willing to take it with a grain, or twenty, of salt. Even still, it’s best to humor the crazy when they're the only ones not trying to hunt and or kill you.

"That's awful."

"Porygon Por Pory gon por Porygon"

"Their coding's unstable? The poor things. I do wish no harm to them, but is there any chance of waiting them out until they, err, crash?"

"Porygon por."

"Too bad. Any contact from Glover? Maybe Moto's come through?"

Teletraan shrugged. For Moto's sake, he sure hoped not.

---
Janie was in trouble. On one only sort of good leg, and a marginally better arm, she couldn’t run and aim a flashlight at the same time.

She’d tried.

Making matters worse, the swarm of Gastly following her had figured out that a flashlight was not fire. Namely, because none of them were exploding violently in its rays. So they pressed on after her, their bodies getting closer and closer, their gases slowly intermingling as the cloud gave chase.

Tally ran alongside of her. Once, twice, Tally’s newly mastered Roar would stun the onrush, but now, the Gastly were so thick they were becoming one solid hive-minded mass. Their poisonous bodies were in such a concentration that they were killing the plants and trees they pushed through; leaving a toxic trail of destruction.

“On! On! I want her soul on a platter!” the one-eyed Haunter urged from above the swirling mass.

The swarm of Gastly roared in a terrifying, deep, snarl. It was one voice, one solid comet of poison.

So Janie kept running. She was lucky; the wind was blowing against her, slowing the Gastly down. She, Tally, and Beldum plowed through the tree line together, ignoring the branches and prickly bushes that tore at their bodies.

“EERRRAAGHH!!!” The beast behind them snarled.

---
Marcus was out walking Route 32. Beside him, his trusty starter pad along on all fours. The young man had returned home from training in the Kanto region; and tonight seemed like the kind of calm night that called for a walk.

He ran his hands through his thick, sandy hair; trying to wring out the stresses on his mind when a sound caught his ear.

"You hear that, Torchman? Something's moving in Ilex Forest. Sounds big. Angry too."

"Typhlo."

"It must be chasing something. And it sounds like its coming this way. Could be an Ursaring. This might be our big break against the Elite Four, eh buddy?"

"Phlosion."

---

Moto stuck his head out of the CD drive of the Pokémon Center Computer.

"Anything?"

"Rotom," He shrugged. "Rotom Ro. Rotom Rotom. Roto to."

"Really? They've hacked the mainframe? Do you know if they've cracked Quorra's system?"

"Rotom." He shook his head. "Rotom tom rotom ro."

"But it’s only a matter of time, probably." Cay stated, without even having to know what Moto had said.

"Well, this isn't good. And I'm two thousand miles away."

"We need to go, then. I'll pack up and catch the next train."

"Our nice little vacation... No, you're not coming home, not yet. If these are the same whacks who tried to kill you and your class, I want you here; two thousand miles away."

"And I want Guin here. Guess what, neither of us will be, cause she's not. I'm going."

"And I'm saying no. Christ, by the time I get there, it might be too- they might already be gone. Gotegrim, you've got to look out for her."

"I also have to look out for my sister, Glover. You look after Cay, and send my Pokéball. I can get there faster, anyway."

"And do what, pop out and slash into an unknown army? Grim, when have you ever tried to break free from a Ball? Hell, how long have you even ever been inside one?"

"I! I'll...! I'll figure something out!" He retorted.

And then I felt another pokéball shake. One that usually didn't; one that preferred being closed. From my back pocket, the white light arched up and over my head. Ace stood mostly erect, holding a sore arm. The cancerous Deoxys looked horrible; a viral Pokémon whose own body was forever dividing and multiplying its cellular structure rarely could say it felt good, but he put on a strong bravado.

"So send me. Or send me first. I've got this whole escape thing managed, don't I? I did just overload the max party lockout, did I not? Guin's my family too. A bit less bloodly, perhaps, but she's a part of this unit. So send me, and I'll knock them back until you arrive."

"You'd be alright on your own, outside of a pokéball for that long?"

"I will."

"You don't have to do this, Ace." Cayna’s fighter said for all of us.

"I do, Grim. You're forgetting they're also going after the data that lead to my eternal pain. Their genetic research destabilized my own, and I've seen the "discards" from their work. I will not allow a Pokémon to suffer at their hands. So send me."

"Well, alright."

"And me."

"I'd rather I didn't, Grim." I told him.

Cay nodded. "I would be worried about the both of you. Ace can handle himself."

"I'm not sending a brother in alone after my sister. What if he can't?"

We were wasting too much time as it was. "Fine." I decided. "But you find Guin, get to cover, and wait until I can kick the doors down. Got that?"

"Deal." Grim said, mentally crossing his fingers.

"Moto, I'll need you to go back in and start a computer on the other end somehow. See if you can find Teletraan to help you. Yes, I know he's a corrupted space case, but you may need him. I can't transfer a Pokéball if I can't dial into the system remotely. And I can’t do that, if someone or one of the Beldum has had the foresight to trip failsafe”

"Rotom" He saluted and dove back into the computer. His electric body would slide, glide, slither, or somehow move along the huge mass of cables that inter-connected the regions.

---
What burst from the forest wasn't what Marcus was expecting, or hoping for. Sure, she looked like, when cleaned up a bit, she would be quite the catch, but she was most definitely not an Ursaring.

Janie was too out of it, too tired, to be phased by the fact that she was out of Ilex Forest. She didn't care, really. She didn't even see the boy to her right running to catch her in her staggering wobble, or the first glimpses of the sun on the horizon. The two Pokémon by her side weren't in much better shape.

Marcus looked at his Typhlosion, still on all fours. "That's what was making all that noise?"

"Typhlo."

Janie fell quite literally into his arms. She hit empty, and then hit him as he moved to catch her. She finally registered another human presence, but not that she had stopped. She looked up from her semi-vertical slump slowly. She was panting heavily. "...run... run... get... out...of here..." She said meekly.

The Gastly made little noise. Only a silent rush of wind and a few rustling leaves as they choked and died, and fell to the floor marked the cloud's movement. But Torchman could smell them; could sense them.

"TYPLOSION!" He roared. The flame burst to life on his back, and he stood on his hind legs, snarling at the rushing threat; looking intimidating in the face of Legion itself.

" What is it, Buddy?" Marcus traced the weasel-bear's gaze into the forest Janie just left. "Oh. Oh, Oh..."

Turn the page...

[Sidewinder]

"****Janie flung the hot, flaming piece of parchment at the Haunter.

Forgot end quotations there buddy

"ARGH!" The Haunter screamed. "I'll get you for that, and you're little Beldum too."

Lmao, it's nice to see Pokemon referencing the wicked witch of the west...BTW, is the haunter speaking telepathically, or is he actually speaking the words?

Janie and Apollo vanished into the underbrush.

I don't recall her naming the Beldum...Forgive me if I missed it, and I do rather like the name

where his left eye was yet to rematerialize.

I believe it should be, 'had yet to rematerialize'

Three men, identical in more than just costume,

Ah, hello Shadow Triad

"Make me."

Doesn't matter whether its fanfiction or movie, I ****ing love it when characters say things like that. Sometimes they describe what they're going to do when they get loose, or maybe somehow jump up and break a captor's finger, but the two words you used there did a good job describing her fighting spirit. Loved it

Their poisonous bodies were in such a concentration that they were killing the plants and trees they pushed through; leaving a toxic trail of destruction.

Not only was that a pretty wonderfully visual sentence, but it matched what I had in my mind of what they're doing. I never pictured that something like Gastly would be able to melt their consciousness's down into one all-encompassing mass of being. You really are a pioneer when it comes to imagined Pokemon behavior. Nicely done

his trusty starter pad along on all fours.

I believe it should be 'padded'

Marcus was out walking Route 32.

Once again, sorry if I'm being thick here, but is this the first time he's being introduced? I can't seem to recall him, but for some reason he seems kinda familiar. After two sentences I'm already trying to connect with him. I'm not sure if maybe because he's just well written or I've actually seen him before on here and I've just forgotten, but nicely done.

Ace stood mostly erect, holding a sore arm

YES! I missed him haha

Their genetic research destabilized my own, and I've seen the "discards" from their work. I will not allow a Pokémon to suffer at their hands. So send me."

I want him to go, and at the same time I don't. I can imagine mass carnage and bloody mayhem if he gets sent, and on one hand I would love nothing more, but at the same time I don't want him to buzzsaw through everyone before I have a chance to see what's going on lol

the foresight to trip failsafe”

Missing a period at the end

or the first glimpses of the sun on the horizon.

I feel like that's going to help the Gastly situation

" What is it, Buddy?" Marcus traced the weasel-bear's gaze into the forest Janie just left. "Oh. Oh, Oh..."

Nice cliffhanger, jerk :P

Wow that was fast paced. Quite fun too actually. I'm anxious to see what's going to happen to Janie next, but at the same time I'm more eager to see Ace kick some *** when he gets sent back. Hmm, oh yeah. The interactions with Cay and Glover are really well written. I forgot to comment on that. Especially when she said she was going and he said absolutely not. That subtle kind of endearing love is hard to portray, so nicely done on that. One thing I will insist on is some more moments like that from them. Out of all the character dialogue, I think I like their's the most, with Glover and Gizmo's a close second.

[Glover]

Lmao, it's nice to see Pokemon referencing the wicked witch of the west...BTW, is the haunter speaking telepathically, or is he actually speaking the words?

Oh, he's talking alright. Notice that inthe story, his text isn't italicized. This is why I prefer italicizing telepathy and translations, and put computer text into other text, so that the reader knows there's a distinction. It's also why I prefer capitalizing types and attacks, because there's a difference between "Ghost" and "ghost" or "Roar" and "roar". "get out of my house!" Glover roared isn't the same thing as using the Roar attack.

I'm feeling like sharing my draft board, so...

Fun Fact: The original draft for that Haunter had him quoting Alice in Wonderland. He was to have been the influence for Alice Liddell's nightmares that ecame Lewis Carol's story. The young girl would have been so terrified she ran home in fear. Which would make the Haunter a few hundred years old) Obviously, that's a lot of info to cram into the short scene the Haunter had with Janie, so I cut the plans. I may do a followup, I don't know what the Haunter's future is.

I believe it should be, 'had yet to rematerialize'

Far as I know, is 6 1 half dozen.

I never pictured that something like Gastly would be able to melt their consciousness's down into one all-encompassing mass of being.

I figure its not something they're doing willingly. I was afraid it would be too much off the wall though, but it is what came naturally to me as I wrote it though, and lingering toxins and all.

his trusty starter pad along on all fours.
I believe it should be 'padded'

You know, I tried "padded" and it didn't sound right. I'll look into it though.

Once again, sorry if I'm being thick here, but is this the first time he's being introduced? I can't seem to recall him, but for some reason he seems kinda familiar. After two sentences I'm already trying to connect with him. I'm not sure if maybe because he's just well written or I've actually seen him before on here and I've just forgotten, but nicely done.

Yes. Yes it is. I didn't like his cold start either, I'm glad he's growing on you.

I want him to go, and at the same time I don't. I can imagine mass carnage and bloody mayhem if he gets sent, and on one hand I would love nothing more, but at the same time I don't want him to buzzsaw through everyone before I have a chance to see what's going on lol

Believe me, that's on the front of my mind when I write him and Gizmo. The only reason I'm using him is because I have plans for him to not go "buzzsawing" them.

One thing I will insist on is some more moments like that from them.

Trust me, I've been insisting on more scenes as well. I get nervous writing Cayna, she's a character I want to use, but she doesn't fit into the stories I want to tell. I don't expect to use her OR Glover in the next few chapters, as it'll be a lot of them "boarding a train", but expect her to be very active (and very pissed at ME) very soon.

================================================== ================================================== ============================================

No Witnesses 2.2
WT CH 33

turn back?


"So this was your plan all along, huh?” Jovi asked in a half-snarl. “Break a girl's heart, then break it over her head?"

The three strange silver-haired men had left to go looking for Guin. They weren't sure what they'd do with her yet, their Lord had been the one who had all the ideas. They couldn't really send her now, she probably knew too much, even if she knew nothing at all. But they had to squelch Glover's curiosity and wait, if it wasn't already too late for that.

They'd left Ben in charge of the prisoners. Ben; and a handful of loyal, and mostly silent guards. Probably student’s of the Triad, Jovi guessed.

"There wasn't anything there, was there?"

"Jovi..."

"Only a cruel and souless person could really do that to someone."

"Jovi..."

"Well? Come on then. Man up. Tell me to my face. I dare ya. "It was all a sham". Five little words. Come on. Spit it out. What's the problem, too wussy to run a con on a pretty girl?"

"Jovi! Shut up, alright?" Yes. It was a lie. Under different circumstances, maybe it wouldn't have been. You seem to care about Pokémon, and I like that."

"But you’re too busy trying to rule the world. Compassion has no room in Dominance." Jovi spat at his foot, punctuating her point.

Ben's jaw hung. This had been his first con. Sure, he was an established crook back home, but he’d been an unprepared operative for this particular mission. It wasn't love, he knew that, but he'd never conditioned for actually seeing the broken heart.

Jovi must have seen it. She lowered her head and said softly "Its poison you know."

"The Shadow project? We know, that's why we're trying to remove it and destroy it."

"Not that. I know that. What you’re being fed. I saw the reports from the Unova Region. The man your bosses report to, he's feeding you poison. His "Compassion for Pokemon" speech, its a ruse to disarm humanity."

"You lie!"

"Ask him. Ask him yourself. Better yet, ask N. If anyone knows where he is." This is a ruse. It's a trick. A fake-out. Ghetsis wants the same thing everyone else who's touched the files beyond that vault. He wants the most powerful Pokémon in the world, and in there, moreso even then the research that created Mewtwo, is the recipe on how to do that."

---
An e-mail popped up on one of the terminals in the Nacrene City Pokemon Center.
No safe place to connect. Couldn't keep terminal open long enough without drawing attention form their malware programs. Have e-mailed myself to house, will need to transfer there.
-Moto

"Good thinking" I e-mailed back. I put Ace back into his Pokéball, fortunately there wasn't anyone in the main lobby, at the time. "Alright, All aboard."

Cay held the ball out for Gotegrim, who tapped the button and retreated immediately.

"Are you sure you want to send him?"

"Oh, I'm quite sure I don't. But I've lived with enough stubborn men in my life to know when to lose."

"Well, alright."

"Sending Ace." I told Moto.

---
On the other side, Ace's Heal Ball opened as calmly as possible. Forming his hands, He took his sphere and cleared the pad.

"I got him"

Gotegrim's black ball with his fancy gold and red decor emerged next from the terminal. Ace grabbed it and pressed the button, sparing the Gallade the trouble of struggling free.
Ace stashed the Pokéballs into the coffee table.

"Anyone think they'll be smart enough to come here?" Gotegrim asked.

"Maybe." The Deoxys nodded.

"Rotom Ro. Roto."
We'll have Chandai guarding the house

"Hmm, yeah." Gotegrim shrugged. "But I might feel safer if he had backup."

"Moto, go see if you can find Vin and Baskerville. Vin'll want to be in the loop as well, in case this spills out into the Ranch. Baskerville will be able to guard the house, and he'll have a few pack mates to help him."

Moto was sad he wasn't going to see combat right away, but he couldn't argue with Ace's logic. Saluting, he turned, phased through the door, and took off into the woods.

"Guess it’s you and me then."

"Then let's roll out."


---
Marcus wasn't sure what it was coming at him through the trees. It slithered more like a snake on a wind, but it sure looked like a Gastly.

Well, almost, anyway. Never mind it being as big as a train, its body a billowing hurricane of toxic gasses; the mouth on it was more ridged and toothy like a Haunter's, and the beast's eyes were not white like a Gastly's but a deathly darker color, soulless and hungry.

Another time and place perhaps, scientists would be astounded and dumbfounded by the beast's existence. It might very well be the basis for Spiritomb, and there would be decades of research as to how the Gastlys' individuality managed to dissappear when they all became blended into the hide of this creature.

But Marcus was not a spiritualist, or a scientist. The essences of life itself didn't thrill him or drive his motivation to wake up in the morning.

No, he had a very different title. At the moment, he was Lunch.

"Inferno, Torchman!" He called, scooping Janie up and shuffling backwards a ways. Her Pokémon followed him, either too weak to resist him or intelligent enough to recognize him as a helper; perhaps even a gift from Arceus in the form of a human in the right place at the right time.

Torchman's flames licked the tail of the Comet-like beast as it burst from the forest. It's full length twisted over itself, snarling at the life opposing it. Unlike the Gastly composing it, the beast was much too dense to simply burn off. Instead, the toxic fumes and decomposition gases carried the flame up around its entire body.

"Well great." Marcus decided. "Now it’s pissed and on fire."

A bit of maniacal cackling drew his attention to the assumed head of the beast, where a Haunter was hovering, rubbing its detached hands together. It seemed oddly unphased to Marcus that its own kind had been blended unnaturally together into something much larger, and judging by a dependence on rushing and presumably biting attacks over an energy-based strategy, stupider.

"We feed well tonight, boys and girls. Destroy!"

"Substitute!"

Torchman's body glowed faintly, creating an out of phase look about him. He barely sidestepped the onrushing demon as it plowed into his false-image duplicate. Taking his trainer's initiative, Torchman focused a purple energy around his claws and shoved them into the side of the flaming beast.

Marcus' next move was with Janie's pockets. He really hated the situation, but he felt the poor girl's Pokémon would be safer in their Pokéballs, and they were in her pocket. He kind of wished he had a Pokéball to crawl into himself, this was not the kind of Pokémon battle he was hoping for.

"Look out!"

The demon had turned on itself and was racing past its own body towards Torchman's unprotected back. At his trainer's warning, the fire weasel abandoned his Shadow Claw and dove underground. The Plasmic Demon had no physical limitations though, and even with a bus-sized head, it plunged into the dirt after Torchman. What didn't fit was squeezed to the side and pulled into the hole as part of the tail.

Torchman didn't take long to dig himself back out, the beast was much faster than he.

Marcus tried to shift the girl's weight long enough to knock a second Pokeball of his own free. The ball dropped, spilling out a Mr. Mime that was immediately terrified of the strong Ghostly presence.

"Grab Torchman's ball and return him, please. Set up a Barrier, Then try and find Ga'hoole and Terminator."

"Mr. Mime!" The clown put up a mental wall between him and the Demon. Torchman wasn't glad to surrender, but welcomed the rest. But before the psychic type could reach for more backup, the great serpentine beast barreled through his defenses.

The Mr. Mime grabbed his trainer and the girl and teleported them out of the way, but in the haste he couldn't go very far.

"Over there!" The Haunter pointed, and the beast turned. Marcus' Mr. Mime grabbed two balls off his belt and threw them to the ground. The first was an old grey Noctowl, big, a little ratty in the feathers, but obviously far wiser even than its trainer. The second was a big, even by their own species, turquoise Golurk. Marcus handed the latter Janie. "Down this road, the big cottage with the field. Take her there."

"Go? Lurk Gol."

"No, we'll be fine, here. Ga'Hoole, Use Foresight and try to do something about that boss up there. Bozo, be ready to Focus Punch."

Mr. Mime shot his trainer an incredulous look, that said "You want me to punch that?

"Yes. On its nose. Trust me." "I hope."

---
Inside the lab, the Triad had collected with their leader in a meeting hall.

"Have you found Guin yet?"

"No, our Liege." The three replied in unison. "But we have a plan."

All three agents produced three similar dream-catchers and placed them on top of each other on the table. Stacked, the strings lit up in a Pentagram, and a face appeared behind them.

"Arise, Erebus, we have your task."

---
"Think anyone's coming for us?"

For them? Sure. Teletraan was sure he was going to be so much stripped data by sunrise. But maybe that wasn't what Guinevere meant. He tried smiling and nodding, but deep down, Teletraan was a horrible liar when he was scared.

They had retreated to a forgotten broom closet in an old wing of the building, used by janitorial now and was the workmen camp when the Lab was being built. Guin had in her hands a trusty mop. A Farfetch'd's leek it was not, but maybe she could smack the first person to open that closet door with it and run.

---
"OH! OWH!" Gotegrim grabbed a tree to steady himself and held his head.

"Something bothering you?"

"OAH! God yes. Don’t you feel that?" Right through the temples, there's something dark emanating from the building. I'm only part psychic, but Arceus that is strong. How do you not feel that?"

Different Physiology, I guess." Ace shrugged. "I have but my crystal and the sensory organ in my head, but it works on different principles than your own senses."

"I... I thought you were psychic?" Gotegrim winced. "Surely you can feel the oppression coming from that place."

"I don't know anymore what I am." Ace decided, looking himself over. "And I can hardly feel myself, right now. Perhaps you should stay behind, though. You are in pain. I'll go on alone."

Gotegrim ignored the pain long enough to shoot Ace a look of death.

---
"GWAH!" Guin had doubled over suddenly in the small closet, grabbing her head. "GET OUT!" She commanded. "OUT!" AOH! GET! OUT GEh- GEH- VOIR GAR! GARDE!" She lapsed back into her native tongue to shout at the new, dark force she felt. The mop had fallen against a wall. She was in too much pain to use it though, and it wouldn't help her against the one who'd find them anyway. Two shadowy hands reached out of a pitch dark wall, and pulled her through. Wide-eyed and frozen, Teletraan was unable to resist them, too scared to free Guin, and too scared to escape when they grabbed him too.

turn the page

---
Author's Closing Note: I lied. Something happens to Guinevere.

For the record, I wasn’t expecting it either until I was writing the scene… and it just happened. Bets on who (or what) the hands belong to?

[Wartiger97]

"Hmm, yeah." Gotegrim shrugged. "But I might feel safer if he had backup."

"Moto, go see if you can find Vin and Baskerville. Vin'll want to be in the loop as well, in case this spills out into the Ranch. Baskerville will be able to guard the house, and he'll have a few pack mates to help him."

Moto was sad he wasn't going to see combat right away, but he couldn't argue with Ace's logic. Saluting, he turned, phased through the door, and took off into the woods.

"Guess it’s you and me then."

"Then let's roll out."

---
Marcus wasn't sure what it was coming at him through the trees. It slithered more like a snake on a wind, but it sure looked like a Gastly.

Well, almost, anyway. Never mind it being as big as a train, its body a billowing hurricane of toxic gasses; the mouth on it was more ridged and toothy like a Haunter's, and the beast's eyes were not white like a Gastly's but a deathly darker color, soulless and hungry.

Another time and place perhaps, scientists would be astounded and dumbfounded by the beast's existence. It might very well be the basis for Spiritomb, and there would be decades of research as to how the Gastly' individuality managed to disappear when they all became blended into the hide of this creature.

But Marcus was not a spiritualist, or a scientist. The essences of life itself didn't thrill him or drive his motivation to wake up in the morning.

No, he had a very different title. At the moment, he was Lunch.

"Inferno, Torchman!" He called, scooping Janie up and shuffling backwards aways. Her Pokémon followed him, either too weak to resist him or intelligent enough to recognize him as a helper; perhaps even a gift from Arceus in the form of a human in the right place at the right time.

"Hmm, yeah." Gotegrim shrugged. "But I might feel safer if he had backup."

"Moto, go see if you can find Vin and Baskerville. Vin'll want to be in the loop as well, in case this spills out into the Ranch. Baskerville will be able to guard the house, and he'll have a few packmates to help him."

Moto was sad he wasn't going to see combat right away, but he couldn't argue with Ace's logic. Saluting, he turned, phased through the door, and took off into the woods.

"Guess it’s you and me then."

"Then let's roll out."

---
Marcus wasn't sure what it was coming at him through the trees. It slithered more like a snake on a wind, but it sure looked like a Gastly.

Well, almost, anyway. Never mind it being as big as a train, its body a billowing hurricane of toxic gasses; the mouth on it was more ridged and toothy like a Haunter's, and the beast's eyes were not white like a Gastly's but a deathly darker color, soulless and hungry.

Another time and place perhaps, scientists would be astounded and dumbfounded by the beast's existence. It might very well be the basis for Spiritomb, and there would be decades of research as to how the Gastlys' individuality managed to dissappear when they all became blended into the hide of this creature.

But Marcus was not a spiritualist, or a scientist. The essences of life itself didn't thrill him or drive his motivation to wake up in the morning.

No, he had a very different title. At the moment, he was Lunch.

"Inferno, Torchman!" He called, scooping Janie up and shuffling backwards a ways. Her Pokémon followed him, either too weak to resist him or intelligent enough to recognize him as a helper; perhaps even a gift from Arceus in the form of a human in the right place at the right time.

You posted this twice and was wondering if it was on purpose.

For the record, I wasn’t expecting it either until I was writing the scene… and it just happened. Bets on who (or what) the hands belong to?

I'm guessing a Darkrai because of the dreamcatcher thing and his name being Erebus.

[Glover]

No Witnesses: 2.3
WT CH 34

Turn back?

"...Mi...Mime...Mihime Mihme..." Bozo took two steps back as the beast rushed on.

"I'm right behind you." Marcus said, reassuringly.

Bozo was about as focused as an ADHD Skitty. The arm his mentally prepared, glowing fist balanced on shook and twitched.

The large black front of the approaching Comet Demon prepared to ingest him and the human behind him. Not the human they were commanded to eat, but any good meal needs an appetizer, right?

"Wait for it..."

"Mih... Mih... Mime... Mime..."

"Wait for it..."

"Mime..."

"NOW!" Mr Mime's fist lunged forward. Marcus braced his feet and grabbed his Pokemon to steady, unsure of what impact might happen.

It wasn't the punch on the nose reaction of a Sharpedo, but it had done something. Bozo's Superman punch had stunted enough of the dormant Gastly in the front and center to stop them. All around the strike, the rest of the dense cloud poured around them; the human and his Pokemon caught behind a dam as the sea of death poured over and all around them.

Perhaps it wasn't that part of the swarm of Gastly had flinched that was most important though; it was that the one-eyed Haunter commanding them had. GaHoole, being a Noctowl wise beyond his years and his own kind, had seen the result even as his trainer lie huddled under the swarming, angry sea of phantoms. He took the hesitation, and even as he was piecing its true repricutions together, sent a ripping Razor Wind through the Haunter's body.

"GAH! The Haunter snarled. GaHoole craned his head and saw what he was hoping for: a Ripple and a spreading of the demon below. The Haunter wasn't just a stoolpigeon or an Observer, calling out Marcus' movements to the beast; he was a Puppet master, the force binding them together.

"Stupid really." The Haunter chided as it pulled its bottom half back together where the Razor WInd had hit. "A half-broken human girl did more damage to me with a half-crisped piece of paper than you did with the wind at your beck and call."

The One eyed Haunter started to cough up and spit thick globs of sludge at GaHoole's wings. The big old Noctowl ducked and wheeled in the air with the grace of a plane in Dogfight, but little bits of the Sludge Bombs started to collect on his feathers. Far worse than the toxicity, it was slowing him down; weighing him down as he struggled to gain lift and rise past the attacks.

"And now you fall, Little Bird."

---

"Where are we so far?"

"’Bout a foot and a half, Lord."

"Eighteen INCHES?! We've been drilling for ten hours and all you have is a foot and a half?!"

"The walls are lined with light magic, Great Summoner." Erebus said from a side wall.

"Uhh, yeah. What the spooky shadow means is they've built this thing out of sandwhiched layers. Duranium, Titanium, Eternium, Lead, Salt-Peter, No Ghost or Dark Type can phase its walls. Drills and steel types, well,” the safe-cracker held up one of the still smoking stubs of a drill bit before continuing. “And judging by the patterns and the number of these sandwiches we've hit, and the echo off the drill, I don't think we're...welll... half-way" The technician said smally.

"That's it? The world's finest safe cracker needs a day to break in."

"Yes, I am aware of the infeasibility of such a task. And in another twelve hours, we'll have a nice, round, perfectly drilled six-inch across hole in a safe the size of a master bedroom. And if I may observe, I have yet to hit anything like a tumbler."

"You're saying then, this is and has been a big waste of time, and that I need a new plan if I want to be inside."

"That about sums it-" The technician's hand slipped from the drill.

---
“Ben, go see if you can push Jovi some more.”

---
"Vin, this isn't what I meant."

"yes, Moto, I know what you meant."

"And this isn't what Ace wanted when he suggested I contact you."

"Yes, I know what Ace had intended."

"Then tell me, why is it your rallying an army?"

"That's easy, I'm not rallying anything. The Pokémon here know what's at stake in that building. Some of them have seen it happen, twice. And you’re crazy if you think any one of us can stem that tide. It doesn't help that Bonaparte is stirring the pot a little, and there's no reason to think that some of us are going in and expect others to sit on their hands, feet, legs, and tails just because their trainers aren't Glover." The big snake stopped in his slither as he passed through the undergrowth. "I don't like this either, Moto. I take great compassion in those other trainer's Pokémon, and I'm far from fond of putting them in harm's way. But I don't see any way to sway their minds."

"I guess you’re right."

"Regrettably. Come on, let's see what Bonaparte’s got going."

---
"Halt citizen! My name is Officer Kieth Friendly. I saw the fire and HOLY CRAP WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"

Marcus could feel it in the flaming mass of Gastly as they surged around him; passing him and his Mr. Mime; licking at their bodies with tongues of toxic flame and smothering them in a poisonous smoke. The wind noise was deafening; he couldn't hear Officer Friendly, nor could he see the man. But he could feel it as the Gastly passed that they were turning for a new target.

He only wished there was something he could do, but he and Bozo were trapped as well, surrounded by the beast they had in part created.
Marcus wouldn't know; couldn't know, but he would've been thankful shortly after for that wind noise. He couldn't hear the officer; he couldn't hear a night-patrolman's screams in agony as a thousand flaming fangs like knives within the conglomerated body ripped through his flesh, stealing away his soul, and his essence.

In their wake, they left only the hardest parts of the human body behind. Bits of bone, the cloth of the uniform, his badge, his gun, the Pokeball protecting his Growlithe from a similar fate, and a radio. The sight made an already nauseous Marcus gag until he spotted the beast whirling around for the next course: him.
---
"How are we getting in, then?"

"The back door."

"Seriously, Ace?"

"Yes, seriously. I haven't yet mastered humor."

"I'd say you're off to a good start."

"Well, thank you, Grim. See, they've raised the shutters on teh building, I'm certain the Beldum would've tried to put the system into a lockdown as soon as they knew something was wrong; someone's trying to create an appearance of normalcy."

"So we're just going to waltz in through the rear entrance, then?"

"Top, actually. Under one of the air-conditioners. Glover put a few rabbit-holes into the place and told a few of us- his Pokemon I mean- about them. Wes's idea, actually. He wasn't fond of a building on public record having all the accesses published."

"Always thought that man was paranoid."

"He was, but you must remember, there really were a fair few people out to get him."
---
Erebus drug Jovi through a ripple in the back wall of the room used to hold the prisoners; tied up but able to speak. It had been decided that a private session might prove more fruitful than one where Jovi would think she needed to look tough in front of mostly everyone.

The room they emerged into was a small central office or large supply closet. The room was empty now save for a dusty old share the Darkrai dropped her into, and that rat who broke her heart.

"You know, I really don't see why you have to prolong this. You've just gotta let us in and we'll be out of your hair."

"You sure about that? I can't see how a con man, a thief, a liar, and a cheat can be so nieve as to think that's how it ends. 'Everyone gets what they want'? You scoot off with your money or whatever promise Ghetsis gave you, he gets the blueprints to build a weapon of mass destruction, and we escape with our lives? Is that really how your cons end?"

"Isn't that the easier way?"

"Fewer bodies, but that's really not something Ghetsis concerns himself with."

"Says Glover."

"Says the reports out of Unova a few years ago, dumbnutz."

"and they know all the details, right? With no fluffing just tp get people to read the story, maybe keep their positions as investigators? You know authorities better than that, Jovi."

"Not really."

"Aww, come on Jovi. Why do you always have to work at odds?"

"I'm pretty sure its in my job description, under "Protecting the Chamber." I haven't read all of that yet, but I'm sure its there somewhere."

"But it doesn't have to be. Lets take it off your hands, and then-"

She cut him off with "And then we have to put out bigger fires than when we just kept the matches locked away from the toddlers."

"Har har." Ben was startled by the door to the room opening. As was Jovi, as a matter of fact. The wicked red monocle plastered on the enetering man's face looked every bit like the first time she saw the sinister red eyes that lived on the top of Citadark Isle. The man's robe had been replaced by a black and charcoal duster, and the first piece to enter the room was actually a cane adorned by a shield and a halo around it.

"Oh, hello sir."

"Don't mind me, I was just checking in. I heard voices and wasn't sure what was going on. Supply closets, you know. Was this man bothering you?"

"No." Jovi said rather too forcefully. "No, he wasn't."

"I see." Ghetsis seemed almost disappointed. "And Ben, was this girl giving you trouble?"

"No, not really. No."

"That's what I thought. A pity, that." In a swift motion, Gehtsis grabbed the top of his cane by a protrusion on the back of the shield topping it. He gave it a quick twist, letting the length drop away from the top of it and pressed the base of it into Ben's back. The whole of the Benedict's body muffled the sound of a hammer falling; of powder igniting; of lead meeting flesh and glancing off bone. He landed in a heap on the floor at Jovi's feet.

"Now, how about you letting me into that vault?"

"I....You... he's... you... he's..."

"You can't. I did. He's dead. I shot him. He's dead. Let's try something a little more coherent, shall we?" Ghetsis said non-shalantly, putting the cane back together. "Now, if I've got this place about right, you use Pokemon for your own ends. That's something that doesn't exactly jive with my organization's ideals. You referred to someone called Quorra once, so I take it Quorra is a Pokemon?"

Jovi stopped stammering, but was still entranced in silence.

"I'll take that as a yes, then. So she's probably what, a Porygon? Obviously, she's got to be smarter than that corrupted buffoon we just captured with the Gardevoir, but since none of our Trojan programs have found another, I'm guessing she's probably on a separate system? You must let her out somehow, so how does she get out of the vault?"

"..."

"Come, Jovi. Speak."

"..."

"Nothing? Very well. We'll just see about ripping apart the badge scanner and see if we can't flush her out through there."

"NO!"

"That's what I thought. Thank you. You’ve been most helpful."

[Blaziken10285]

Wow, I don't know what is the worse evil, the ghost monster or the resurgence of Team Plasma, again. Probably the monster that can eat humans though, haha. I'm suddenly extremely interested to see how Janie deals with Morty and the Ecruteak Gym now, since she has had such a problem with ghost lately.

[Glover]

Wow, I don't know what is the worse evil, the ghost monster or the resurgence of Team Plasma, again. Probably the monster that can eat humans though, haha. I'm suddenly extremely interested to see how Janie deals with Morty and the Ecruteak Gym now, since she has had such a problem with ghost lately.

You and me both, but she's still got to dealw ith Whitney on the hoof, first.

[Sidewinder]

Chapter 33

What's the problem, too wussy to run a con on a pretty girl?"

I'm liking this bit where she's throwing everything in his face and getting pissed, but the quoted portion sounded weird to me. Jovi being who she is, I can't really see her referring to herself as pretty. It just kinda goes against what I believe her self image to be. Well, I'm sure she thinks she's good looking but I don't feel like she's the one to comment on it.

Gotegrim's black ball with his fancy gold and red decor emerged next from the terminal.

Luxury Ball?

"Then let's roll out."

Wow I'm getting excited lol

The essences of life itself didn't thrill him or drive his motivation to wake up in the morning.

I'll second that lol. You did a good job with that quoted portion. Mainly because so many fic's fall into this habit of the beauty of the world/the existentialism of different situations/etc but Marcus is just looking at it for what it is and that's it. I like it

"Now it’s pissed and on fire."

Hah! Nice...Sounds like something Dorian would say

Grab Torchman's ball and return him, please. Set up a Barrier, Then try and find Ga'hoole and Terminator."

Forgot the beginning quotes there

The first was an old grey Noctowl,

Ga'hoole? As in the Guardians of? Please tell me you've seen it so I'm not the only one in my age bracket that has haha

I have but my crystal and the sensory organ in my head, but it works on different principles than your own senses."

You should make a filler chapter that delves deeper into that. Seems like fun

Looking back on what I've written so far I noticed that I didn't have as many comments as I usually do for each of your chapters. So I reread it and my conclusion is that the situation with Janie took up most of the chapter and instead of dissecting each portion as I go along like usual, I found myself just enjoying it and following it quickly. The battle so far has been wonderfully done. I was just so entranced by it I literally could notice nothing else. Great work buddy


Chapter 34

Bozo's Sperman punch had stunted

Superman

the human and his Pokemon caught behind a dam as the sea of death poured over and all around them.

Really nice visual there. In my mind's eye I see them flowing purple and black as they shoot past lol. Since you're using 'dam' as a focusing mechanism for the tide of ghosts, I do think that the word 'river' would work a little bit better. It would go hand in hand with dam, as well as the fact that river of death sounds better to me than sea of death. Just my opinion though lol

, sent a ripping Razor Wind through the Haunter's
body.

Formatting issue
there :P

"And now you fall, Little Bird."

BAM! I'm rooting for Janie's side in all this, but that Haunter had a lot of menace laced in those words and I liked it quite a bit.

Duranium, Titanium, Eternium, Lead, Salt-Peter,

I swear, every single one of your chapters I find a word that I have to immediately look up lol. I've never heard of Duranium before so well done. Good inventiveness too with the Salt-Peter to keep the ghosts out, I wouldn't have thought of that

he couldn't hear a night-patrolman's screams in agony as a thousand flaming fangs like knives within the conglomerated body ripped through his flesh, stealing away his soul, and his essence.

Wow that was violent. You continue to surprise me. I've come to expect inventiveness, and wordiness, and comedy from you, but this brad of violence is extremely surprising. Don't get me wrong, I really dig it, but just wow. You're really cranking the **** up to eleven

the room they emerg

Needs a capital

TThe room was empty now

One T too many

"You can't. I did. He's dead. I shot him. He's dead. Let's try something a little more coherent, shall we?" Ghetsis said non-shalantly,

Beautiful wordplay there buddy. Fit extremely well with Ghetsis's personality and I'm just loving how serious this has gotten. First of all, **** Ben, and I'm glad he got what was coming to him, but even though Jovi's been captured she's been pretty good about it, but when ghetsis threatened Quorra I'm finally seeing her break and that I'm not too fond of.

I hope you take me seriously when I say this, these last two chapters have not only been my favorite out of this fic, but out of all the stuff I've ever read from you. Despite a few pacing issue and grammatical mistakes, I thought you did a great job and I'm really excited for the next chapter. So, if it means you have to quit your job to get it out soon, you might have to make that sacrifice, because I'm ready and waiting buddy

[Glover]

Alright, grammaticals fixed. Onto the commentary:

I wondered where you'd slipped off too. Stillw aiting on that writer's round table, by the way...

What's the problem, too wussy to run a con on a pretty girl?"

I'm liking this bit where she's throwing everything in his face and getting pissed, but the quoted portion sounded weird to me. Jovi being who she is, I can't really see her referring to herself as pretty. It just kinda goes against what I believe her self image to be. Well, I'm sure she thinks she's good looking but I don't feel like she's the one to comment on it.

Hmm. I can see where you are coming from, and yeah, Jovi's probably not the one to be trying on a million dresses, but when I read that, I hear it more as a taunt than I do anything else. One that inevitably complements herself, but obviously Jovi thinks Ben has been taken with her, and I can see her using "pretty girl" to play with his emotions and his guilt. And toying with his heart is DEFINATELY something I can see Jovi doing.

Gotegrim's black ball with his fancy gold and red decor emerged next from the terminal.

Luxury Ball?

Ga'hoole? As in the Guardians of? Please tell me you've seen it so I'm not the only one in my age bracket that has haha

Yes, that would be the reference. No, I haven't seen it, although I'd like to someday. Seemed fitting for a Noctowl, though.

I found myself just enjoying it and following it quickly.

Done that many a-time

I swear, every single one of your chapters I find a word that I have to immediately look up lol. I've never heard of Duranium before so well done.

Good grief. SOMEONE GET THIS MAN A STAR TREK DVD, STAT! Eternium is another refernce to another Syfy show, I wondered if the people reading it might catch that. As to Salt-Peter, one of the things I watched for grins was Supernatural. Ghosts and salt, and Salt-Peter seemed the closest thing to someone standing on the tops of the walls and pouring salt into the cracks.

few pacing issue

I've wondered about that. I really wish I had the time to sit down and do this whole thing and throw it out in larger chunks. As it is, I'm doing good to stay on a bi-weekly (Which is more frequent that certain people and their psychotic villians possessed by bi/tri/pi?-polar ghosts at least... [/tease]). The next chapter doesn't really do everything I wanted it to do: I wanted to be farther. Don't get me wrong, its a natural breaking point, but I'd wanted a few more things done and resolved before, well, the cliffhanger at the end of this one.

And speaking of next chapters...

No Witnesses 2.4
WT CH 34

Turn back?

Deep in the Reserve, multitudes of Pokémon were huddled around a large pond. At its center, a large steel bladed Penguin had control of his crowd.

"Friends! My Fellow Comrades, Pokémon of this shire! As you have heard, crime"

"Save it, Bonaparte." A two tone sea otter said, clutching the spikes from a long deceased Cloyster in place of the more recognizable shells.

Well, most of his crowd…

"Aww, would you give a guy a chance, Mulan?"

The manasury gave a collective chuckle.

"In all sincerity, Vin will say the same thing when he gets here too, but this is not a light matter at hand. We do not know who is inside. What Moto has gathered from Glover's research into the previous assault hinted at being agents of Cipher, but what he had gathered hinted that something was off."

"What we do know" said a Xatu, "Is that there's something inside. The psychics all felt it."

"So did a few non-psychics." said a proud Lucario standing close by Mulan.

"Something Dark." agreed a Grumpig. "Powerful too."

"Which is why," Vin said, slithering into the clearing. "I would strongly encourage you to think about going in there. Glover wouldn't be asking you to go in there on your own. Especially those of you with other trainers."

"No." Mulan spoke. "Glover wouldn't be asking to go where he couldn't."

"But you're right, he also wouldn't be asking those of you with other trainers to risk your lives." spoke the Lucario.

"Well you’re not counting us out on the end of Pokémon kind." A Pidgeotto belonging to a blonde-haired girl of fifteen ruffled itself. “Some of our trainers don’t know or understand what’s in that building, but we do.”

“And we’re not letting anyone get anywhere close to unraveling life itself,” said a rather confident Caterpie.

"Or turn our brethren into enslaved monsters," another from the crowd called.

Vin slunk his way up to the center, blocking Bonaparte's view with his long serpentine body. "You all act like someone's knocked the Shamouti Current out of sync. Are there that many of you who just want to be heroes? I'm not condoning the actions inside, but there seems to be a lot of you without proper perspective."

"Does it matter?" Responded a Meinshao. "You who reference the Great Current, but forget what happened when they captured the Lugia here? What still happens? Perhaps you grow rusty in your retirement, Vin, you are forgetting the harmony of the world we live in. One Meinshao, a few Caterpie, an Empoleon, a Surperior may not add up to much now, but where does it go from there?"

Vin looked down at the ground. "Perhaps you are right, Tomoe, perhaps you are right. Very well, if you feel the end of the world is coming, and if you feel that you must lay your own life on the line without regard to your human, then by all means, storm the citadel, slay the knight. I'll be right there with you. But keep your actions in perspective. No one worth themselves here will think less of you for getting out now."

Boneparte nodded and gave his long-time friend and partner a friendly thwop and a shove.

"Alright. Those of you still going, I want larger Pokémon to form a perimeter around the place: be ready to contain when they make their escape. Fliers and fast runners will take stations to intercept anything that gets through the front line. Most of Quetz's air guard has been grounded by whatever's inside, so you're on your own. Cave dwellers who are agile enough to work in the hallways are going inside. Healers: Split up and spread out. All of you pair up and keep a buddy with you."

"I'll be at your side; Mulan."

"Always, Rowlf."

"You watch each other's backs. No one goes alone, no one is left helpless. If everyone's ready..."


---
Marcus found his attention split. No sooner had he found what his team desperately needed --backup-- than GaHoole hit the water with a painful smack. It was a clear choice where he needed to be, but he still hated leaving that radio behind.

"You don't even know if it still works." the trainer told himself. Marcus recalled Bozo and opened another Pokéball.

"We've got to get to GaHoole." He told the Lanturn no sooner than it had appeared. The flaming comet turned in its trail and charged after them as they hit the water.

"Get under, quick!" Marcus yelled as he grabbed a clunky rebreather mask from his backpack.

The big monster hit the water's surface. The inlet echoed with the sound of a rock falling. On the surface, the oily condensed surface of the creature burned slowly. The night sky filled with the sound of separated Gastly burning; not up but out to a literal death, trapped in the water's surface.

But many more of them lived on. The creature dropped slowly into the water, its new form still coalescing, it began to move through the water like a black silt, swallowing up everything as it moved through the depths. Marcus didn't have to tell his Lanturn to swim faster. Even weighed down by soaked denim, the trainer kicked with all his might to help push his Pokémon along.

---
Ace and Gotѐgrim dropped into small closet on the uppermost-floor. No one was up here; the rooms were still; the hallways echoing every faint noise.

"Anything?"

"No one here."

"Any idea where Guin is?"

"No. Not clearly, anyway. The shielding they buried in the floors isn't really helping me right now. I think I'm feeling the largest concentrations of life-forms in the basement though."

"Well, let's thank Arceus then that they aren't keeping them under the Purifying Chamber, or we'd never find them."

"Agreed." Ace felt a twinge and held his head in a sigh.

"Something wrong?"

"Yes. No. I'm not quite sure. Someone's massing an army outside."

"Are you surprised?"

"I probably shouldn't be, knowing Bonaparte. But this could be bloodier than I'd hoped or Glover would want."

"Agreed. C'mon, let's get to the base- Ace?"

Gotѐgrim merely blinked; turned away for a moment, and the Deoxys had moved. Knowing the viral creature; probably into the vents: a pathogen on a mission. And probably, not to the basement. Gotѐgrim smirked and checked his blades, ready for the coming fight.

---
"Well?"

"Well, you'd think they could do something in this big steel behemoth right, said a technician, wrapping on the Purifying Chamber's wall. "But whoever built this thing was a paranoid idiot."

"A paranoid idiot who apparently did his job better than you." Ghetsis corrected.

"Minutes. that's all I need. There aren't many subroutines that Quorra can hide in now that we know what she is."

---
-"Hello? Am I speaking to a Mr. Glover Davis?"

"This is he? What can I do for you?"

-"My name is Dr. Gregg, I'm from the Goldenrod City Methodist Hospital. I'm afraid I have some bad news regarding your daughter..."

[Blaziken10285]

Oh, no! I've really been enjoying this story lately. It seems like it's reaching close to a boiling point.

Also, I've noticed Ga'Hoole was the Noctowl's name, and I love that allusion. I saw how you already said that you had drawn inspiration from the movie, but you do know that there's an entire book series on it...

[Sidewinder]

A two tone sea otter said, clutching the spikes from a long deceased Cloyster in place of the more recognizable shells.

I liked that little depart from ordinary there. I don't remember for sure, but I believe this is the first time this Dewott has appeared? If so cool, and I'm already envisioning fight scenes with it. Switching up permanent appearance related things like you did add a lot of flair to the reading. It's funny how a little detail change like that gets me more pumped lol

"Well you’re not counting us out on the end of Pokémon kind." A Pidgeotto belonging to a blonde-haired girl of fifteen ruffled itself. “Some of our trainers don’t know or understand what’s in that building, but we do.”

“And we’re not letting anyone get anywhere close to unraveling life itself,” said a rather confident Caterpie.

"Or turn our brethren into enslaved monsters," another from the crowd called.

The passages with the random Pokemon throwing in comments was very well written. Did it take you awhile to plan out the speech, or did it just kinda flow out? I'm interested because my dialogue isn't as good as this at all. I usually come up with fast paced quips between my characters that I just write as quickly as possible. But the dialogue I quoted almost has a noble feel to it, along with other emotions attached that I can't really understand. Nicely done

"Alright. Those of you still going, I want larger Pokémon to form a perimeter around the place: be ready to contain when they make their escape. Fliers and fast runners will take stations to intercept anything that gets through the front line. Most of Quetz's air guard has been grounded by whatever's inside, so you're on your own. Cave dwellers who are agile enough to work in the hallways are going inside. Healers: Split up and spread out. All of you pair up and keep a buddy with you."

Decent strategy. Though for some reason I don't think it's going to go exactly as they planned

Marcus didn't have to tell his Lanturn to swim faster. Even weighed down by soaked denim, the trainer kicked with all his might to help push his Pokémon along.

Wow, I'll give the Ghastly one thing, they have determination. I keep wondering exactly where Janie is through this though

Gotѐgrim smirked and checked his blades, ready for the coming fight.

LMAO, he is such a badass. Let's do this!

My name is Dr. Gregg, I'm from the Goldenrod City Methodist Hospital. I'm afraid I have some bad news regarding your daughter..."

Ah, that answers my question I suppose. You do know that you are responsible for her well-being, because if she's dead I'm going to put my fist through the computer screen. Chilling and effective way to end the chapter too, it fit well because with all the upcoming action that's bouncing around in my brain, I completely forgot about Glover and Cay. I hope you spend some more time with her as well in the upcoming chapters, because as time has gone on, I've found myself enjoying her more and more.

[Glover]

I liked that little depart from ordinary there. I don't remember for sure, but I believe this is the first time this Dewott has appeared? If so cool, and I'm already envisioning fight scenes with it. Switching up permanent appearance related things like you did add a lot of flair to the reading. It's funny how a little detail change like that gets me more pumped lol

Yep, Dewott is new to my universe all 'round. Mulan was my starter in B2. As is the Lucario beside her

The passages with the random Pokemon throwing in comments was very well written. Did it take you awhile to plan out the speech, or did it just kinda flow out? I'm interested because my dialogue isn't as good as this at all. I usually come up with fast paced quips between my characters that I just write as quickly as possible. But the dialogue I quoted almost has a noble feel to it, along with other emotions attached that I can't really understand. Nicely done

It flowed, but only because I was using the same format that I did when Glover was in Meteor Falls in Tempest.

LMAO, he is such a badass.

    Spoiler:- Gotegrim:

Show Spoiler

 
No... No he's really not.
 

You do know that you are responsible for her well-being, because if she's dead I'm going to put my fist through the computer screen.

Now what kind of adventure story would I be writing if I went and kil- oh, that's right, one about the child AND the parents...