I'm sorry for the delay on this chapter. I think I might be conquering this writer's block so if things keep up then updates should be back on track! Yay!

The sun beat down on the lush grass of Cyan Island, dusting away the lingering fog of sleep from Pixel's mind. She yawned and stretched widely as she trudged across the meadow towards the control room. Despite only being able to grab around three hours of sleep, she was feeling oddly awake.

Nybble and Byte, however, were a stark contrast. The latter looked like he was about to take a nap on the control deck while his sister lazily, and absently, flicked through the morning's news.

Leaf gave Pixel a wide grin as the door hissed shut behind her.

"You look cheerful," she said.

"I have reason to be." He nodded at the screen then span to face it. "Hax and his goons have been arrested and are locked safely away in Meta Prison. We've received a grateful, yet heartbroken message from the vulpix's mother thanking us for our efforts." He sighed and scratched his head. "Such a shame we couldn't give her better news."

Pixel peered over his shoulder at the long article, skimming over the text. Meta Prison, despite its name, was situated on the outskirts in Server City, providing an imposing threat to the gangs that formed there, forcing them to hang around the other two small cities instead. The article briefly covered the case of the missing vulpix pup along with three other hatchlings believed to have been tricked by Hax and his gang. However, the unfezant denied such claims, saying he was responsible for only the vulpix. The other three – a ratatta, growlithe and patrat – had allegedly been missing for about the same length of time.

But one thing really struck her. The article only brushed the fact the vulpix had entered one of the black cracks. Other than that, there was no speculation of the dangers the anomalies caused.

"They're keeping it under their hats, aren't they?" she scoffed.

"Hmm?" Leaf looked round at her.

"The cracks. It's as though the situation doesn't bother them."

"They're probably wanting to avoid getting the entire of System into an uproar. If the authorities aren't bothered by it, then the rest of the pokemon won't be. What we can take from this recent case is to stay away from them."

She made a non-committal grunt. "How come we weren't told about the other three missing hatchlings?"

Leaf shrugged. "The ninetails messaged us directly. My guess is they were all lumped together in the news. There's only the four of us left now. We can't read everything, Pixel."

"I know. I know." She fell down in the seat beside Nybble and logged in to her account. "Did they hack into our data by the way? You said it was strange that they seemed to know to target Nybble and Byte."

Juice flew out of Nybble's nose and she looked between them with a look of surprise.

"It doesn't look like it," said Leaf. "But I don't really know what to look for. So I've changed all passwords just in case. I recommend you change your log-in."

She nodded her understanding while reaching for a slice of toast on the small table beside her. She appreciated the snack. There'd been no time to make breakfast that morning.

She couldn't deny it was a real pain to have to change her password. She worried she'd forget it, so she recited it over and over in her mind as she pulled up her tasks for the day. At the top of the list was her daily duty to check the log of newly infected pokemon in the hospitals, first checking Central Meta. Nothing leapt out at her. None of them were pokemon she recognised, which caused both a wave of relief and a flood of anxiety.

An alarm went off in her mind and she stalled mid-bite.

She recognised none of them.

Didn't the doctor mention a meowstic?

She scrolled to the top again and went through them one by one carefully until she reached the 'charmander'. Just for good measure, she skimmed through the rest.

"Is there a problem?" Leaf asked.

She glanced at him then turned back to the screen. "There's no log of the meowstic on here."

He grunted and gave a shrug. "If you're worried, check the claimed section?"

The claimed section... she tapped the screen and a much smaller list of claimed and recognised victims flashed before her.

None.

They weren't listed.

She shook her head and went back to the previous page. "Not there. I wonder why they didn't log him on here?"

Leaf leant across Nybble to peer over her shoulder, scanning his eyes over the screen. "It could just be a simple error? I wouldn't worry about it."

"I suppose it could just be an oversight, but it seems rather careless, especially at this time." She sighed and leant back in her chair. "Maybe you're right."

He pushed himself back to his seat and gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't stress yourself over it. We've got other things to deal with."

"I know, but -"

"There's no easy way to find out what's happened to him, if anything at all. Short of hacking their systems, which none of us can do."

She made a non-committal noise and closed the website, then clicked on the icon for her email account. While she waited for it to load, she dropped her bag on the desk and pulled out her personal computer. A small, crumpled piece of paper tumbled out beside it and she picked it up and smoothed it out, revealing a number scrawled across it. A number that flicked a light on in her mind.

An adventurer of many talents... Maybe one of those was gathering intel?

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips. There might be some way to find out what had become of that meowstic after all. All she had to do was fire out a quick message.

Lights flickered around the dark room from the various computer screens, many of which were dormant as they flashed through a colourful yet rather retro screen saver.

Switch threw his feet up on the desk, nudging his mouse and causing the image to break, revealing his previous day's work of sending out requests for a dynamo. Many of them had answers, and the red outline around them told him all of the answers were 'no'.

Connor bristled beside him as he looked at the man's screen. "You're not getting very far, are you?"

Switch shrugged and folded his arms behind his head as he leant back in his seat. "It's just a shame Diode can't design one that works."

The helioptile looked over at them from his position beside the laser, his sullen expression making him seem small as he almost cowered behind it.

Connor snorted. "He can design machinery but can't design the parts needed to make it run. Useless!"

He rammed his paws onto the desk, causing the contents to bounce and sparks to fly from his cheeks. The other two pokemon ducked away, but Switch just watched him out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm never gonna get home," the pikachu sighed. He turned his livid expression back on Diode. "Is there really nowhere we can buy a dynamo?!"

Diode grit his teeth together and returned to tightening a loose screw on the machine.

"They're old, Connor," Switch explained. "Parts like that aren't going to come easy to us. We need to find a specialised market."

A soft beep followed by a buzz resounded from his pocket. He pulled out his small computer and flipped it open.

"Then find one," said Connor. "They can't be that hard to find. There were retro shops all over the place in our world! Surely this place has the same thing!"

"You'd think." Switch spoke absently as he read over the text on the small computer's screen.

'Hi! It's Pixel. I was wondering if you could help me? I was told about a meowstic at Central Meta Hospital yesterday, but he's not listed on their website. I'm worried something might have happened, but right now we're busy trying to find our missing members. Is there any way we can find out? I can pay you.'

He raised an eyebrow. "Why come to me?"

Connor's rambling voice cut short and he fixed him with a stare. "What? Because I hired you!"

Switch looked over at him with a start. "Oh!" He cleared his throat and chuckled, stuffing the computer back into his pocket.

Connor's eyes didn't leave his hand, his expression becoming more furious as his small muzzle crinkled. "Did you get another job?"

Switch raised his hands. "I've got to make money somehow, Connor. But I'm always here to help you, you know that."

The pikachu snorted and turned back to his computer. "The day you bail is the day you'll regret it. Like I've said before, I seriously doubt you actually want to leave this place. Makes me sick -"

"Ah, here you go again, be rantin' an' ravin'!"

All eyes went to the door. A slender leavanny strolled in, pushing a trolley ahead of her with four steaming bowls of soup. She stopped beside Connor and set a bowl down in front of Switch.

"I tell you now, Connor-boy, you stress too much! When did you sleep last? You got dem heavy bags under yer eyes!"

"I sleep when I need to, Snippet," Connor said bluntly.

The leavanny placed a bowl before a very grateful N00b who wagged his tail in appreciation. She turned back to Connor and shook her head.

"I be tellin' you before, you got to get some sleep! You can't be doin' all dis with no rest! You'll make yeself ill!" She placed her leafy paws on her hips and frowned. "Stand up, let me have a look at you."

The other two pokemon and Switch watched as Connor slid from his chair with a sigh and stood before Snippet, avoiding her eyes. She placed a leaf under his chin and tilted his face up so he was looking at her. Tutting, she released him and took a step back.

"Dark bags like an insomniac delibird!" She looked at each of the others in turn. "Do none of you tell him to get some rest?"

N00b and Diode looked away, but Switch caught the amused smiles on their faces. Snippet looked back own at Connor and shook her head again, tutting softly.

"Young man, you be gettin' yourself to bed, you hear?"

He clenched his jaw together and turned towards the door. "Fine! An hour, tops!"

"You'll sleep til you be wakin' up, young man! I'll bring your soup up, an' put yer favourite film on for you. Then, after a good long rest, you'll be fit to continue workin'!"

He waved a paw in dismissal and vanished through the door.

Snippet shook her head and tutted again, then grabbed her trolley.

"I tell you all now, since the day I found him all lost and confused like, he's been nothin' but trouble. But I can't let him suffer now, can I? Poor love. I feel so sorry for him, stuck in a world he ain't no clue about." She looked over at Switch and gave him a sad smile. "An' you too, dear. You'll both get back home, I'm sure of it."

"Thanks, Snippet." He sipped his soup and gave her a smile. "Good soup, as always. What's in it?"

"Carrot, lentil an' oran berry! Good for keepin' up dat energy! Now, you lot need to look after each other a bit more, I keep tellin' you dis. I'm happy to be lookin' after you all, but I'm not gonna be around forever, an' wi' dat virus, who knows how long we're gonna be well an' kickin'. I hate to be pessimistic, but we gotta be sensible, ain't we? I'll be back in an hour or so to collect yer dirties."

With that, she left the room. They watched her go, then all let out huge sighs of relief.

Diode left the laser and fell down into his seat, promptly opening up a video website.

"I reckon he'll be sleeping for a few hours," said N00b. "Anyone fancy a game of chess?"

Switch watched the lillipup pull a chessboard from beneath his desk and start lining up the black and white figures. Chess mastery was one of the small pokemon's many surprising talents and trying to finally beat him would surely be a great way to pass some time. Something tugged at his mind and he removed the small computer from his pocket, still showing Pixel's request.

He still didn't know why she'd turned to him, but if she really wanted this information then there was someone who could help her. His eyes went back to N00b, now neatly lining up the chess pieces so they were all facing the right way.

"I'll be white." His tail blurred behind him as he gave Diode and Switch an innocent smile. "If you both want to play, you'll have to flip a coin or something."

"I think Diode's quite happy catching up on his dramas." Switch stood up and moved over to the lillipup, stopping beside him and placing a hand on the back of his seat. N00b glanced back at him out of the corner of his eye as he spoke quietly to his ear. "While Connor's gone, I have a little request of you. Something only you can do."

N00b wagged his tail and his tongue lolled from his mouth in a grin. "What is it?"

"I want you to hack into Central Meta's system and find out what's happened to this meowstic."

Switch handed him his pocket computer, letting him read over the mawile's request. He watched his friend's face go from surprise to confusion to concern and once he'd finished he clicked his tongue in thought.

"Hmm. Suspicious doesn't even begin to describe it." The lillipup turned his full attention to the computer, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Gimme five... maybe ten minutes."

The hospital's website flashed up on the screen as N00b's paws blurred across the keyboard. The image changed so quickly, Switch couldn't keep track. N00b muttered to himself, the odd word more coherent than the others, until he froze on a black screen displaying a chart of green text. He trawled through it, pausing momentarily to jot things down on a notepad.

Then the images flashed again as the lillipup expertly retraced his footsteps back to his desktop. He leant back on his chair with a sigh and flashed Switch a grin as he hadned him the notepad.

"There! Didn't even leave a paw print. Got all the information you wanted, and more. I doubt your friend is going to like it though."

Switch thanked him and read over his notes. The lillipup's child-like writing left little to be desired.

'Despite the results of the meeting, Hertz wants to go through with the tests to find out why the meowstic has recovered from the virus. The meowstic won't recover from these experiments, but hopefully we'll find a cure from these tests. If not, his life will have been sacrificed in vain. Hertz refuses to tell the subject anything, in fear he'll decline.'

The hair on the back of Switch's neck stood on end. "They're not serious?!"

"I told you."

"Hang on. It says here they've put the tests put on hold due to Hertz's health. They will commence on the 22nd." Switch checked the date on N00b's computer. "That's the day after tomorrow."

"It certainly explains why they didn't have him listed," said N00b. "Too scared someone would come forward and claim him, and mess all this up."

Switch snorted. "I can't believe anyone would do this."

"He has the world's best interest at heart in the long run. However, his solution is rather warped."

"Warped? It's enough to turn your stomach." Switch tore the page free and stuffed it into his pocket.

"So what are you gonna do?" N00b asked.

"I can't tell you that."

N00b's eyes widened so much they reminded Switch of a begging puppy. He gave a flustered sigh and shook his head.

"Fine. I'm going to break him out." He gave N00b a wink. "Don't breath a word of this to Connor."

"I can't anyway." N00b grinned and wagged his tail. "I won't be here. I'm coming with you."

Switch narrowed his eyes. "You'll be staying here. If I take you with me, Connor will have my head!"

N00b waved a paw. "Forget it. You need me for this."

"I need you?"

"Sure. Data, infiltration tactics. With the plans they've got at hand, they're surely going to have raised their defences." He nudged one of the pawns across the chess board, then moved an enemy knight across to intersect it. "If you think it's going to be so easy to get past them unprepared, you've got another thing coming."

Switch gave a flustered sigh and ran a hand through his untidy hair. "Fine. But you need to keep up." He glanced over at Diode, meeting a pair of wide, curious eyes. "I can trust you won't say anything either?"

Diode shook his head and ran a paw across his lips like a zipper.

Switch smiled. "All right. We'll be back soon, hopefully. Thank Snippet again for her soup for me?"

N00b cheered rather too loudly and leapt from his seat. "Oh boy! Road trip!"

"Keep your voice down!" Switch hissed, prompting the lillipup to cover his mouth with both his front paws.

As he raced from the room, he fired a quick message to Pixel. Hopefully the mawile wouldn't have any plans taking up her schedule for the next couple of days. He had no idea how any of them were going to go about this, but he knew they were going to have to work fast.