Winter quickly changed out of her muddy clothes into a white crop top with a boatneck collar that read "kinda care, really don't". She also wore high waisted jean shorts with the tight fitting crop, a necklace with her Keystone on it and a pair of black ankle gladiator sandals.

She grabbed her white leather backpack and left her dressing room. She flicked her hand up, summoning the plasma screen of her Skysmitter, the communication device most commonly used in Skaria.

The Skysmitter was an earpiece most people kept in their ears at all times. It could sense simple hand gestures and had a plasma screen, high tech, out of the world, whatever. It was surprising that no other region had the level of technology that Skaria had, however, Skaria still kept things fairly natural, never forgetting to take care of the environment and appreciating it.

Winter's tongue darted out to lick her pretty pink lips, taking quick steps toward the exit of the Champion's Arena.

"Winter!"

Winter looked over to her fellow Skarian dexholders and rolled her eyes. With a flick of her hand, the plasma screen disappeared. She walked toward them, looking unimpressed.

"If you have no reason for wanting me here, I'm leaving. I have work to do." Winter stated coldly.

"Come on, Winter!" Summer laughed. "All the other Champions have so much time, but then there's you, who never stops to have fun!" he pouted.

Winter rolled her eyes and just began to walk away.

"Woah, not so fast!"

Winter whirled around, her eyes lighting up immediately. She almost squealed in excitement when she saw the two figures, the most important two Skarians in her life. "Lulu! Sollie!"

"Too busy even for us?" The blond haired man teased gently with a little Ralts in his arms.

"Winter, his instincts..."

"Lunar, don't focus on the bad, just focus on the good!" Solar laughed. "That was a great battle, you're really improving each time we see you."

"I was taught by the best!" Winter winked playfully, her posture straight and attentive, eagerly listening to the two. "Is this Gardevoir's little Ralts?"

"Oh, no!" Solar shook his head. "This little girl was abandoned by her trainer after she failed to defeat me. I took her in and began training her. She's a fast learner, shy, but really sweet."

"Reminds me of Gardevoir when she was young," Lunar added.

Winter's emerald eyes hardened darkly. "Abandoned for being weak?"

Chills spread throughout everyone's bodies.

"I hate this fucking goddamned world." Winter hissed. "Sweetie, don't worry, you'll become strong and beautiful, actually. You're already beautiful and strong, Solar will take care of you and love you."

The Ralts unhid herself a little bit, looking at Winter in wonder and awe. Winter always had an effect on Pokemon, a beautiful one.

"Show your old trainer what he's missing out on when you battle on television one day, I'll help bring you there." Winter whispered, kissing the little Ralts.

"Wait, you two are the--"

"Hello, I'm Solar, the seventh Gym Leader!" Solar introduced himself. "Nice to meet you all!"

"I'm Lunar, eighth Gym Leader and head of Skarian Gym Leaders." Lunar introduced herself quietly.

"Did Winter defeat you two?" Silver asked.

"Yup, sure did!" Solar grinned. "But we kinda gave her the pass at the same time."

"Urgh, my battling was hideous back then." Winter cringed, thinking of the time when she had no idea how to actually battle.

"Gardevoir was really worried you know," Solar noted. "I was too and Lunar was definitely worried."

"I can't help it." Winter shrugged. "Nor do I regret it."

"Of course you don't." Lunar chuckled. "How could you?"

"No one is ever going to tell me that Hisoka was a mistake, kay?" Winter pouted. "By the way, you both want to get going, she's here."

All three of them hushed their voices.

"We know, but we had to come congratulate you." Solar murmured, hugging Winter one last time and even kissing her forehead. "Love ya."

"Love you too." Winter grinned.

"Take care, Winnie."

"You too, Lulu! And call me!" Winter pouted.

"Ralts, let's head home," Solar grabbed onto Lunar's hand, Ralts teleporting them away.

Winter's shoulders slumped in disappointment when her friends left.

"I heard that Solar was here!"

Winter turned, looking over to Crescent, the fourth and final member of her Elite Four. "Solar, where did you hear that, Cres?"

The obnoxious girl dressed in all pink, somewhat lolita styled but several more times hideous pouted. She had at least a bottle of foundation and powder on her face, overdrawn pink eyebrows, copious pink mascara, overdrawn lips, unblended contour, highlight and blush and flying eyeliner.

Her hair was also pink, annoying Winter. Winter's hair, brows and eyelashes were naturally pink and she almost wanted to sue Crescent for copyright. She never liked Crescent all that much, actually, Winter hated Crescent with all her heart and soul.

"I swear, there were reports of Solar and that goth bitch here! They would obviously see you!"

"You're chasing illusions." Winter's eyes flashed with a dangerous glare. "Just go, they're not here anymore if they were here."

Crescent whimpered in fear, nodding and scampering off, but not before looking at the Dexholders. "Oh, hello! I'm Crescent Moon, the fourth member of the Elite Four here in Skaria! It's nice to meet you!"

"Crescent, go back to the fucking Elite Four!" Winter hissed.

Crescent, looking frightened nodded and ran off.

Winter ran her fingers through her pink locks of hair, tugging at it as she bit her lips. She flicked her hand up, summoning the plasma screen--

Winter accepted the incoming call.

"Hello?"

"Winter,"

"You know, you choose the worst times to call me," Winter muttered in irritation. "What happened now, Adrian?"

"Is anyone listening in?"

"Dexholders, Acacia are all on my side, but none of them can hear you. If it's urgent, just tell me." Winter demanded.

"Look, I don't want to alarm you, but I saw Freeze Moon just now. I'm lying low in the forest right now and I'm pretty sure I'm safe because my Guardian isn't with me, but I still feel like you need to know." Adrian spoke quickly, skipping the flirting.

"Got it, thanks for the info." Winter masked her emotions. "Do you want me to send anyone to help you?"

"No! Your Pokemon are too temperamental without you around!" Adrian cried."I'll probably get back to the village okay and if I don't, I'll send a distress signal."

"You better," Winter muttered, summoning more screens. "Where are you?"

"West forest of my village, around area V23." Adrian muttered. "Probably not exact, but it should help."

"It does, thanks." Winter murmured, looking at the moving red dot that was Adrian. "I've pin pointed your location and marked the area you saw them. Do you have okay Pokemon with you?"

"Yeah, 3 full HP. I'll be fine, I'm close to the village."

"Right, I need to go and I'll follow up on your situation. Thanks."

"Thanks, love."

Winter ended the call and cursed a little, tugging her hair.

"Winter," Professor Acacia, the professor of Skaria spoke disapprovingly. She was still young, 20 years old in fact. "You need to stay with us."

"I'm too busy for this, Acacia. I'm leaving whether you like it or not." Winter muttered angrily. Her anger was silent but still deafening.

"Winter, please!" The auburn haired man named Fall pleaded. "You can leave your duties up to the Elite Four from time to time!"

Winter sighed, running her fingers through her pink hair in irritation, holding her tongue.

"Winter, listen to us!"

Winter threw out two Pokeballs, releasing a beautiful Dragonair and a cool Absol. "Hey you two..."

The Dragonair remained curled up, cooing tiredly in a greeting. Hurricane stretched herself out, neither moving toward Winter. Winter approached the two of them as if they were wild Pokemon, carefully and cautiously.

"Sol?" Hurricane looked up.

"Hey, you timed it perfectly. Hunter didn't even bother trying to defeat Feraligatr because he sensed your Future Sight." Winter praised. "And Kairi, you battled amazingly as well. If only I didn't muck around and took our opponent seriously from the start, I could've prevented you two from falling unconscious."

Winter bowed her head, dropping onto one knee in front of both of her Pokemon. "Thank you for fighting with me."

Both Pokemon nudged Winter until she sat on the ground. Then, they completely showered her with affection, yipping and cooing in delight at Winter's genuine laughter.

"Winter, what did they mean by instincts?" Fall asked.

"I'm Hisoka's keeper. He gave me his power in order for me to protect him and more. Part of that includes instincts, meaning I gain the instinct to protect whatever's dear to me blindly."

"That Gallade of yours is abusive," Acacia grumbled. "I don't understand why you haven't released him or sold him. You even taught him Frustration and yet you find him valuable enough to protect at all costs."

Hurricane and Kairi both growled at Acacia, ready to attack at any given second.

"Hush, you two," Winter whispered at the two, who were insulted for both Winter and Hunter. "If you don't understand, then don't try to. It's a simple concept between Hunter and I, a concept that none of you would understand."

"Winter, you can't be blind to Hunter's abusive nature!" Summer yelled.

Winter's emerald eyes narrowed harshly as she glared. Both of her Pokemon were ready to lunge forward and attack. "Don't attack, you two." Winter faltered as her instincts threatened to overtake her being. She squeezed her eyes shut, clenching her fist.

Hurricane and Kairi tensed, both about to lunge and attack. They both hissed whenever anyone would dare to draw near to their trainer. Winter could neither run or stay, but there was no in between.

"I don't think you guys get it, do you? Just because I don't use my badges to control my Pokemon, just because I give them so much freedom, just because I show them respect isn't why they are 'rude' or 'abusive' to me." Winter stated clearly. "Maybe your Pokemon would love you more if you put them first before you."

"You taught Hunter Frustration!" Fall cried. "We know exactly what we're talking about!"

Winter laughed, her light and innocent voice was so cold that it sent chills down everyone's spines. "You know, you should look at all the tiny details before going off at me for supposedly dangerous and abusive Pokemon."

"You're just clinging onto the old Hunter, back when he was a Ralts!" Acacia glared dangerously. "He's no longer a Ralts and he's no longer that sweet Pokemon from way back when."

Kairi growled and hissed at Fall, who drew near. Fall was taken back since Kairi was usually the sweetest Pokemon on Winter's usual 5.

"Shhh, girl, take it easy." Winter cooed, resting a hand on her Dragonair.

"You know, I would think she knows what she's talking about," Red spoke up. "Look at the way she interacts with her Pokemon, her voice completely changes and they obey her without a second thought, only disobeying in battle when they believe she made the wrong judgement."

"Red, you don't understand!" Fall almost shouted in frustration. "Winter is--"

"Is it because I'm a Guardian?" Winter finished for Fall after seeing his hesitance. "Oh, it is, isn't it? You think that I have an advantage or should have an advantage with Pokemon just because I'm a Guardian? You think that Hunter is wrong because Pokemon are meant to bow down to me? You're sorely mistaken! You know nothing about Guardians!"

"Winter, I never--"

Hurricane pranced in front of Fall, bristling her fur to make her look larger than usual. She growled loudly, her crimson eyes staring holes into the Skarians.

"Do you think I'm going to stand here, nod and bow my head after all of that?" Winter hissed. "Because I am not going to do that. You've taken it too far."

"What happened, Winter, you used to be--"

"Don't look for that bitch anymore. She's dead." Winter stated simply. "Hurricane, Kai, relax for me. There's no need to attack the enemy."

Fall, Summer and Acacia all froze.

They knew that they messed up because the quietest Pokemon and one of the sweetest Pokemon that Winter owned recognised them as the enemy outside of battle.

"Hisoka's instincts...." Acacia murmured.

Hurricane and Kairi couldn't bring themselves to relax, looking at them worriedly.

"Can someone explains this Keeper/Guardians thing?"

Winter ignored whoever that way and crouched down next to Hurricane, tilting her head to the side. "You okay?"

Hurricane growled, shaking her head. Winter took a seat next to Hurricane, digging through her bag to find something that could cheer Hurricane up. "Oran berry? Pokesweets?"

Kairi nudged Winter, cooing in a tune, like a song. Winter understood what her Pokemon wanted. Kairi settled down next to Winter with Hurricane, who took a deep breath.

"Sekai wa koi ni ochiteiru,"

"Hikari no ya mune wo sasu."

"Kimi wo wakaritainda yo,"

"Nee, oshiete."

Winter laughed, seeing her precious Dragonair grow drowsy just from the few seconds she sang. "Feeling better?"

Both her Pokemon agreed, tackling Winter to the ground. "Hey!" Winter tried to scold them, but they just showed her affection. "Hurricane, Kai!" she whined playfully. Hurricane and Kairi rubbed their faces onto Winter's soft pink cheeks, causing her to resign and just return their affections.

"Honestly, I don't know why you three are so worried about Winter. She seems to know what she's doing with her Pokemon, so just leave her." Red muttered. He knew that the attack that Hunter used wasn't Frustration. It was Return, the opposite of Frustration. Return grew in power the more the Pokemon loved its trainer and Red had never seen a more powerful Return. The difference between Frustration and Return was almost nonexistent, but there was a subtle colour change.

"Red, you don't understand...."

"I think the three of you are just controlling," Red responded. "I mean, look at how much her Pokemon love her and how much respect she shows them. I've never seen a trainer show her Pokemon that much respect after a battle. She sees them as equals, not inferiors like most of us do on accident. She goes the extra mile to make her Pokemon comfortable."

Winter noticed an incoming call. "Adrian, are you safe?"

"Winnie, I think they're after me." Adrian panted. "I'm back at the Village, hidden away."

"Adrian, keep going."

"They're asking around to see if anyone's seen me," Adrian whispered. "Everyone's playing innocent and trying to keep me safe, so it should pass. They're saying that I've gone on a long journey around the world and I haven't called home. I'm worried about my village."

"I'm sorry, I can't go there."

"I know, it's too dangerous."

"Adrian, stay exactly where you are and call me if anything happens at all," Winter ordered. "I don't care how trivial you think it is, call me. Do NOT message me because I might not see it. You can call me and message me in call, but please keep yourself safe for now. Have you messaged my sister or something?"

"She hasn't responded yet. Winter, what if something happens to my Village because of me?" Adrian asked.

"Adrian, calm down. The more you freak out, the worst your situation becomes." Winter murmured. "I can't send Cygnus to you, so I'll send Hisoka. He'll come in disguise and will hide with you. I'll tell him to tell your Guardian to stay away for now. Who do you have with you?"

"Mawhile, Raichu and Skarmory." Adrian breathed out.

"Adrian, calm down for me, please." Winter pleaded, standing up and pacing. "You need to stay quiet or they'll find you!"

"I know."

"Hisoka!" Winter called, sending out her Alerian (Ah-lee-ri-an), one of her Guardians and a Legendary Pokemon of Skaria.

Hisoka was a great, big, deep purple dragon surrounded by a similar aura. He had two large golden horns on sprouting from his head that were wavy and two little horns on the side. His claws were also golden with two big feet and two smaller hands. He had a white scaly underbelly and a long tail. On his back, there were two leathery purple and white wings, that of a Zubat's with a horn at the joint. Golden stripes decorated his back and thighs along with a golden insignia on his forehead.

"Hisoka, find Adrian and protect him. Tell his Guardian to not venture close. Use a disguise, anything. Just hurry because they're searching his village!" Winter pleaded. Hisoka nodded, flying off in a heartbeat without another second wasted. "Kai, I'm going to have to ask you to swim home and try to find my sister and warn her."

Kairi nodded before slithering off toward the closest beach without further instructions.

"Adrian, you with me?"

"I'm here," Adrian answered quietly.

Winter flicked her hand up, deciding to warn Solar and Lunar as well, since they were both Guardians themselves, but kept it under wraps. Winter was forced to publically reveal the fact she was a Guardian, putting herself in danger.

"I'm adding Solar and Lunar to the call, since they know about Guardians and might be able to help," Winter warned before adding them both.

"Winter?"

"Winnie?"

"Lu, Sol, Adrian's in trouble," Winter told them clearly. "I can't say too much, Dexholders and Acacia are still here, but Kai's on her way to my sister, Hisoka's on his way to Adrian and Adrian shouldn't talk right now."

"What do you want us to do?" Solar asked, throwing away his seriousness. "Lunar and I are still together at my Gym, wait, no one can hear us on your side, right?"

"Yes," Winter answered confidently. "They hear what I'm saying, but I'm still to find 8 of the Guardians." Winter lied and everyone knew it. Winter had found most of them already but left them all to their own devices for their safety. "There's Adrian and me and I'm worried."

"Winter, you're beginning to freak out." Lunar murmured. "You can't think straight like that."

"I've got a shit ton of work to do, but Adrian takes priority right now and I can't go there," Winter admitted.

"You can always just skip," Solar soothed. "Leave the work and concentrate on what's important, Winter."

"If you guys can, use your Glamour to hide your marks," Winter ordered. "I've said too much in front of them already, it's dangerous. Keep yourself and the information you know safe. I know I'm asking too much of you guys with that, but--"

"Winter," Adrian breathed out. "How long until Hisoka gets here? I feel the air changing, they're getting closer."

"Give it a few more seconds," Winter lied soothingly. "Hisoka flies fast, you'll be okay."

"Winter, if you're still with them, you need to leave right now," Lunar told her. "You're going to be out in the open and whoever it is that's after Adrian will be after you pretty soon."

"There's no way I can do that," Winter admitted. "It's part of my job description, you know."

"Winter, I sense Hisoka's presence."

"Great," Winter breathed out in relief. "I need to go, is that okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be okay," Adrian muttered before leaving the call.

"I'll explain everything to you," Winter used Psychic to grab a pen and paper before writing down something really quickly and casting a spell on it. "I trust you two know how to open the letter. I'm going to use Hurricane to deliver it." Winter continued using Psychic to grab an envelope from her bag and seal her piece of paper in the envelope before handing it to Hurricane.

"You two should stay together. I'm not going to use messages to communicate because Acacia has access and periodically looks through my messages. Stay safe." Winter ended the call. "Hurricane, run to them. I need you to be quick and try avoid battles or anything. Just hurry up because they need to know."

"I don't get why you always choose Lunar and Solar. Lunar's the biggest slut in Skaria." Summer grumbled insensitively.

"I'm so fucking close to surrendering my Pokedex," Winter growled. "I hate Skaria, I hate the fucking Pokedex, I hate the people and I hate the goddamned league."