From the bushes, Dewott and I watch a trio of grunts scampering around. One of them was carrying a large Dragon Skull. We listen as they whisper loudly.

"We got it!"

"It's the legendary dragon's Skull!"

"Our King can use it to revive the Dragon!" I shake my head, and hold back a laugh. These grunts are so stupid. Anyone with half a brain should be able to tell that that Skull was part of a Dragonite at some point. Yeah. And they think it belonged to a legendary Pokémon.

~What's the plan, Corona?~ Dewott asks.

"Try fighting off any pokémon, but take out the grunts first. No Trainer, no battle," I whisper. He nods.

~Got it.~ Virizion had suggested that I take my staff for less intense fighting, so we did.
We charge out of the bushes, scaring the shinx out of the grunts.

Before they can call out an attack, Dewott slashes at them with dual scalchops. Then he sprays them with water. Meanwhile, I swipe at a grunt with the staff. He smirks.

"Aren't you a little bit young to be playing games like these with us? Do you honestly think you can take three of us out the just yourself, a stick, and a mangled ball of blue fur?" I don't even flinch.

"Shut up." Next thing he knows, the end of my staff collides with side of his head. The man's eyes roll back, and he crumples to the ground. The other two grunts stare at me with horror. Actually, only one. The other grunt passed out, and Dewott stood over him triumphantly. The last grunt clutches the Skull and backs up against a tree.

"D-don't hurt me, p-please. I didn't want to steal it..." She stutters.

"So why did you?"

"Master Ghetsis told us we were to break in, to retrieve the Dragon Skull for our King. To aid him in the revival of the legendary Dragon of Unova, to enforce Pokémon Liberation."

I sigh. This again? I knew something was wrong with Ghetsis though. "Who is your King?" I ask. She shakes her head.

"I can't say." She turns and runs back to the main road. Dewott starts to chase her, but I stop him when I gesture to the unconscious grunts.

"We need to do something about them." Grass rustles behind us.

~Perhaps... We can help?" A duo of leavanny scuttle forward. That's it! They have silk, and its strong too.

"Yes. Leavanny, please wrap these two up very tightly so they can't escape, but don't strangle them. I don't want to hurt them worse than I already have."

~Ok Corona.~ Their white silk flows out and around the pair of male grunts, and binds them together.

"One more favor," I say. "Can you help me get them onto the main road?" They nod, and the pair of them simply lift up the silk wrapped crooks and follow Dewott and I back to the main road. I run into a tall guy with red hair.

"I'm sorry, Miss!" He sees my grunts. "You caught the two of them?"

"Yes." He looks at the leavanny.

"And are those your leavanny?" I shake my head.

"No, they saw me and wanted to help." The man surprises me by throwing out a pokéball, releasing his own leavanny. The two behind me gasp.

~Sister!~ They run forward it embrace their sibling.

~We haven't seen you since we were sewaddle!~ one gasps. The man's leavanny shakes her head.
~I was captured. But don't worry! Burgh is one of the best people! He may be a Gym Leader to the public, but he really loves all of his pokémon.~ I look at her Trainer. This is Burgh, Castelia City bug-type Gym Leader? I didn't expect that. This guy wore a lime green sweater, a red scarf, and red pinstriped pants.

"Gym Leader Burgh?" I ask questioningly. He peers at me and laughs.

"You found me out!" He looks back to the three leavanny. "They... Look happy," he murmurs. I nod.

"They're sisters." Before he can ask me how I know, I explain. "I was raised in Pinwheel Forest. I played with the pokémon here, and those two leavanny lost their sister a long time ago."

"I see..." Burgh seems troubled, then smiles. "Leavanny..." He calls. The bug looks at him.
"Do you want to stay here? I won't feel bad if you want to stay with your family..." Her eyes widen.

~NO!~ She cries, then launches herself around Burgh. Her sister's gasp. Even I'm surprised at this display of affection.

~But Sister! We're family!~ she shakes her head.

~I'm sorry, but I like my life with Burgh. I care about Burgh and his other pokémon. I like living in Castelia City.~

~As long as you're happy,~They mumble, then walk away. Burgh stares at Leavanny.

"Wh-what?" He stutters.

~My place is with you, Burgh.~ Burgh blinks, most likely comprehending that Leavanny chose him. I interrupt his thoughts.

"Have you seen a female Team Plasma grunt? She was carrying the Dragon Skull." He shakes his head.

"No, this young man with black hair was helping me look for it. He saw them steal it from the museum, and when we got out here, we split up."

He must be talking about Cheren.

"It's very likely then that he's with the thief. Let's go find him." We walk for a few minutes, then hear someone shouting.

"- I don't care who you say you are! This Skull has been claimed by Team Plasma!" I recognize the voice of the female grunt who escaped. I also hear Cheren.

"Shut up. The Skull is the property of the Nacrene Museum. No matter how you word it, there is no excuse for stealing." Burgh and I rush in to back him up. Her eyes bulge upon seeing me.

"Please return the Dragon Skull," Burgh requests calmly.

"We have you surrounded; you can't get away," Cheren adds. She backs up. Someone clucks behind us.

"My, my. Three on one? Don't you think that's a bit unfair, Gym Leader Burgh?" A man in a brown asks. He has a white beard, and wears a brown hat. He turns to the girl. "Go on. Return the Skull to them. It would seem, that this is not the Skull we have been looking for." She looks between the three of us, then reluctantly hands the Dragonite Skull to me.

"I'm sorry," she mumbles. I feel a pang of sympathy for her. She didn't want to steal it. But now she's going to pay for the crime.

"It's ok," I tell her gently. "You returned the Skull; so you've made up for you and your partners."

"Come, Starla," the old man calls impatiently. "We should return to Master Ghetsis."

"Or," Burgh suggests. "You could come with us to explain to the police and Leonora what happened. Your partners will be taken in for questioning and charged, but we've cleared your name. You could testify for them."

"Or go back to being a criminal with Team Plasma," Cheren cuts in. The girl, Starla, looks to the Sage. He sighs.

"I owe a lot to Ghetsis. I can't abandon Team Plasma. However... You owe him nothing. You are young, and can still live an normal life. But know this: If you leave, Team Plasma will never let you return. And when Ghetsis finds out you've turned traitor..." Both shudder. Starla turns to Burgh.

"I'll take my chances. I'll come with you guys. I'll talk." Glancing at the Sage, she said barely above a whisper, "Rood... Tell our King...." She hesitates. ".... Tell him, that I'm sorry. I joined Team Plasma to help pokémon. Not to commit crime..." The Sage, Rood, nods.

"I applaud your choice, Starla. Now be careful." He turns and walks away. Burgh looks at the three of us.

"Cheren, Corona! I expect to see you two at my gym soon!" He looks closer at the girl covered in shiny silver fabric. Red curls peek out from her hood. Seeing his stare, she rips the hood off. And a wig. Silky, black hair tumbles loose.

"That's so much better." She sighs.

"I trust that you won't run, right?" He asks. Starla shakes her head. "Good. So you'll come along with me to the police station in Castelia City. We'll get your partners taken care of; and you can explain everything," Burgh says.

"Thank you," she tells all of us.

After they leave, its only Cheren and I again.

"...."

"So..." Cheren starts.

"....I'm sorry about back at Wellspring Cave," I finally say. He shakes his head.

"I shouldn't have pried. Bianca always did say I was too inquisitive for my own good." We both laugh.

"Anyways," I motion Dewott closer, "I want to explain what I meant back there." He looks up, and interest gleams out through his glasses.

"You mean, what you said about N, and how he was wrong?" I nod.

"Yes." I take a deep breath. "I do understand Pokémon." Cheren's eyes widen.

"What? How-?" I shake my head.

"I've always been able to. Here, I'll show you. Call Snivy out." He releases the capsule, and the grass snake lands gracefully.

~Hello, Corona. How are you?~ Oh, Snivy's such a sweetheart. Sassy too though.

"Just fine," I reply.

"Ask Snivy to tell you something only she would know. Anything about me," Cheren said with a quick quirk of his mouth. I look at Snivy.

"Snivy? How do you want me to answer him?" The small green snake smiles.

~Cheren was born in Sinnoh. He moved to Unova very young, and Bianca's been one of his best friends since.

~He's allergic to dust, penicillin, and eggs.~ She got an evil look in her eyes and calls me down to her level to whisper in my ear.

~And his boxers are pink with little pachirisu and buneary all over them.~ My cheeks redden as I hold back my laugh.

"Snivy! I didn't need to know that!" I sputter. She smirks.

~You asked me what I know... ~ I shake my head.

"... why do you even know that?"

"What? What did she say?" Cheren asks eagerly. My face gets red again.

"She said you were born in Sinnoh, then came here. You're allergic to dust, penicillin, and eggs." I stop there, but he senses my hesitation.

"Go on. What else did she say?"

"......... She said your boxers are pink with pachirisu and buneary on them." Instantly, the Raven haired boy's face went Cheri berry red from the tip of his ears to the base of his neck. Snivy bursts out laughing hysterically.

"U-uhh," he stammers. I feel bad right then.

"I'm sorry, that was way too personal..." He surprises me by laughing himself.

"As I said, Bianca always did say that I was too inquisitive for my own good." He glances at Snivy. "But HOW does she even know what they look like?! I always put her back in her pokéball at night!"

~You thought you did, ~she smirks. I feel some tension, so I try to break it.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed," I tell Cheren. "Pachirisu and buneary are some of the cutest things I have ever seen." His face floods red again. Snivy snickers as he returns her.

"I-I'll see you in Castelia City, C-Corona," he stutters before practically running away.

I look at Dewott. "Was it something I said?" Dewott barks a laugh and shakes his head.

~Only you, Corona.~ He then says, ~Come on. Burgh is waiting for us.~

I walk beside him, still very confused. Dewott laughs to himself at my confusion as we begin crossing Unova's longest bridge: Skyarrow Bridge.

"I still don't get it."