A soft noise filled the air as a small group of children entered the woods.

"Are you guys sure you know where we are...?" A dark blue haired boy whispered as he looked around.

"No..." A brunette boy whispered as he held onto a blue haired boy. A smaller brown haired male gulped as the taller one looked around. A green haired male was being held by a taller blonde as they walked through. A green haired girl shuddered with a dark haired boy beside her. A noise made the group jump.

"W-w-what was that...?" The blue haired boy shivered as he hugged the brunette. He gulped as the group hugged each other close. A soft voice followed as they paused.

"Are you kids lost?" They looked around for the source. A figure came out from a tree and a sadistic smile came. "Of course you are." They turned to see a Gengar lurking towards them. The group froze as it crept closer. "Don't worry. My place will be safe for you..." The dark blue haired male shuddered as he and the taller brown haired male brought the group close. The younger group members hugged each other as a voice came.

"Get away from them!" A light circled the Gengar and calmed it down. It paused before running off. Someone ran over to them. "Are you kids alright?" They turned to see a ranger with orange hair running over. The blonde blinked as the green haired smiled in relief.

"Yes... thank you Mr..." The ranger smiled as he scanned over the group.

"Patrick. Are you sure you're ok?" The blonde gulped.

"We were thrown off the main trail by a group of Tauros or something and got lost. We haven't been able to check..." Patrick hummed as he looked them over.

"Why don't you come with me? We'll get you guys checked and home in no time." The group nodded weakly as they followed the ranger. He picked up the smaller members as they rubbed their eyes. The blonde took the older duo onto his back with the green haired male as they drifted off. Patrick hummed. "You truly work hard for this group." The blonde smiled at the compliment.

"Thanks..." Patrick smiled.

"What's your name, kid?"

"Joel..." The orange haired ranger smiled as he looked forward.

"So was it Tauros that threw you guys off or..." Joel gulped.

"No... I only said that to not traumatize the others. There was a man that attacked us before the sun was down and knocked us out. We woke up somewhere away from the trail and got nervous because it had gotten dark. We don't know who it was or what they did, but..." Patrick smiled as he took Joel's hand.

"Relax. You're safe now. At least you stayed together. Your parents were worried about you guys and were hoping you were together." Joel smiled.

"I was the one that thought of that... I knew that together would be easier and safer..." Patrick smiled as the town came into view.

"Smart kid... let's get you guys inside." Joel smiled as they went inside. Joel's and the others' parents smiled as they ran over. They got their respective children and let them get checked before heading home.

~_~

The small brunette stared out the window of his home as the blue haired boy headed to the airport. Their eyes met briefly as he paused and waved. The brunette brightened up and waved as he left. Then he dropped down again. He hadn't left the house since the incident. It wasn't because of his parents being insecure, but they didn't want him to live a life they didn't choose. He was the last one of their group and it sucked.

"Crepe! Come downstairs!" He sulked her words out of his ears. He really wasn't in the mood. "Crepe!" He huffed lightly as he stared out the window. Why did she never understand? She was always pressuring him to be some he wasn't. A tap hit his shoulder.

"Crepe?" He turned to see his sister. "Are you coming for food?" He sighed.

"I don't know. I want to be out there with the others..." She hummed.

"Like being a ranger?"

"Or something like that..." She smiled.

"Then come tell mom that." She dragged him down to the table. His eyes dimmed as he got down there. His parent's stone gaze hit him as he looked down.

"Why look so down? Smile." He sat down and grabbed his fork. He would smile if he was given a choice. His sister flashed her own.

"Ma, Pa, we should do something fun! Like go out to the beach." Their mother frowned.

"No sweetheart. We're going to stay inside. It's not safe." His sister frowned.

"It's not any safer in here. Actually, being caged inside makes it more dangerous because what if a group breaks in through the front door and has someone block it? The windows are hard to open unless they're Crepe's and they are too high to get out of. We would die if that happened. I don't feel any safer in here then I do out there." Their mother narrowed her eyes.

"Arctic, we'll stay in here until something bad happens. That's that." Crepe lowered his head as tears touched his eyes. Arctic's smile vanished as she looked down. "Don't be like that. Be happy children." They didn't respond as they finished their food. "You two aren't leaving until you listen." Crepe snapped at her words.

"Then show some care! No one's bloody perfect!"

He ran out the door, closing out his parents' shouting. He ran into the woods, hoping to catch up to his friends. But he knew they were long gone. His legs gave way as he collapsed and tears broke out. He curled up into a ball before gulping. He had to keep moving. He didn't want his father to catch up to him. He stood up, pain roaring through him, and kept running.

~_~

He finally took a break by a tree somewhere in the woods. Joel's voice echoed in his head as the sun set. He sat down and watched the sky turn into a dark blue. A tear rolled down his cheek as he sighed. He closed his eyes as something approached him. An unfamiliar hand touched his shoulder. He looked up and into the eyes of a pokemon. He pulled away and scrambled against the tree as he stared at it.

"What's wrong, child?"

He gulped. Ghost type. He shuddered.

"Nothing... I should be heading home..." It stopped him by touching his leg. Pain roared to life as he hissed.

"You're hurt. Let me help you."

That grabbed his attention as the pokemon pushed him back down against the tree and hummed. A small pokemon went over. The duo nodded to one another before the smaller one started fixing him up. The ghost type turned to another ghost type and it went out with a nod. The smaller pokemon went away after it finished.

"Thank you..." He whispered. The ghost type nodded as it looked him over.

"Will you tell me what's wrong now?" He hummed at the softness of the pokemon.

"It's my parents... they are so abusive... trying to get their dreams..." The ghost type hummed as tears ran down his cheeks. "Oh.... I just left my sister with them..." The pokemon pulled him into a hug and hummed.

"What are your dreams?"

He paused at those words. What were his dreams? He never truly thought about it. He just wanted to be out there with his friends.

"Honestly... I want to help the world with my friends... but I won't get that chance... be with the rangers and save the world from the darkness..." It hummed.

"Tell you what. Stay here and I'll be right back. Don't worry. Everything will be ok..."

He nodded as the ghost type set him down against the tree and vanished. He paused. He hadn't even gotten its name. He closed his eyes and let sleep take him, hoping he would get it soon.

~_~

He woke up to the ghost type shaking his arm. Patrick was beside it with a worried look. His sister was behind him, shaking. He rubbed his eyes as Patrick knelt down beside him.

"Crepe? Are you ok?" He nodded as he blinked.

"Yes..." Arctic went over and hugged him. He saw the tears and instinctively wrapped his arms around her. Patrick smiled at that.

"I'm glad..." Crepe smiled softly, praying their parents didn't send him. "You were luckily not there. I didn't realize how bad your home really was." Crepe sniffled as he rubbed his sister's back.

"I tried so hard to get away... but they were good..." Crepe teared up. "Please don't tell me we have to go back..." Patrick smiled.

"No... I won't make you go through that again. You're coming with me to the base. Come on." He picked them up and smiled at the ghost type. "Thank you Darkrai."

It nodded before vanishing. Crepe hummed under his breath. Darkrai, huh? He hoped to see it again. He smiled as he drifted off.