Chairo's P.O.V.

Me and Popplio is still walking around the swamp rather carefully because we are walking through a broken log on the muddy water.

Popplio: "Ah! I'm gonna fall!"

Chairo: "Relax. Just hold onto me till we get across the other side."

Popplio: "O-Okay..."

The two of us keeps walking on the log carefully while Popplio keeps holding onto my costume firmly. Just like her though, I don't want my Pichu costume to get destroyed since Torracat made it for me.

Popplio: "Hey... Chairo?"

Chairo: "Yeah?"

Popplio: "I'm sorry that I slapped you a lot these days... I'm just so embarrassed all this time and I can't help it..."

Chairo: "Well, you slapped me three times and I don't really mind it. Shiro has slapped me harder than that."

Popplio: "Really?"

Chairo: "Yeah. Believe me or not, she has some super strength hidden inside of her. She can slap me very far that I hit Mt. Molteau."

Popplio: "Wow, that's something else."

Chairo: "And the reason is actually the same as you, embarrassed. But I had to admit, it's cute that you are embarrassed."

Popplio: *Blushes* "Oh Chairo..."

Chairo: "Hmm? Were you blushing?"

Popplio: "Wh-What?! No I'm not!"

Chairo: *Giggles* "Whatever you- huh?!"

The two of us feel the log starts moving and the mud under it starts to turn black, I can feel some sort of power under the log. It's an enemy!

Popplio: "Wh-What in the-"

Chairo: "Popplio! Move away!"

I quickly grabbed Popplio by her waist then throw her off to the other side and she safely lands. She looked back and saw black tentacles coming out of the mud and was about to drag me down with it.

Chairo: "Nggh?!"

Popplio: "CHAIRO!!"

Just in the nick of time, I quickly run on the log before it collapses and I use the remaining to jump onto one of the tentacle then jumps to the other side and land onto Popplio to push her further from the mud.

Popplio: "Oof!"

Chairo: *Pants* "Th-That was close..." *Looks down at Popplio* "S-Sorry, I-"

Popplio: *Hugs Chairo while crying* "Oh thank Arceus you're okay! I was scared that you got pulled into that mud!"

Chairo: *Hugs back* "There there, it's okay, I'm alright now."

Popplio: "Please for the love of Arceus... Don't do that again..."

Chairo: "I won't. I promised."

Popplio: *Stands up* "What was that all about anyway?"

Chairo: "I sense some type of power from that mud, seems like we're not alone in this swamp."

Popplio: "Oh no... and we've scattered around the swamp, which means..."

Chairo: "No... This is bad!"

"AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

Chairo: "That's Dewott and Braixen!!"

Popplio: "Come on!!"

The two of us quickly run towards where the voice was heard and it leads us to where they are at, they were dragged down into the dark mud.

Braixen: "D-Dewott... help me..."

Dewott: "Don't worry Braixen!! We'll—"

Chairo: "You guys!!"

Dewott: "Popplio! Chairo! Help us!"

I quickly grabbed them using my vines and I try to pull them off the mud with Popplio's help.

Popplio: "Don't worry guys! It'll be alright!"

Chairo: "Ngh?! Popplio! 10 o'clock!"

Popplio: "Huh?!"

-

Popplio's P.O.V.

I quickly look and saw some ice shards shooting towards us, I went to use Water Gun to block the attacks away. I think these ice shards seem familiar.

Popplio: "This attack..."

???: "Popsicle~"

Popplio: "It can't be!"

I look up and I was right, I saw Hyde and he was with Shinx, but I was shocked to see they're ghosts now.

Popplio: "Hyde?! Shinx?! What happened?!"

Shinx: "Oh this~? Our friend Gourgeist has turned us into her forever friends~"

Popplio: "N-No way..."

Hyde: "We've caught 2 pairs of lost pokemon~ You guys are next~"

Chairo: "Not this time!"

Popplio: "Huh?!"

Two cotton balls rolled down from behind me before it explodes, creating smokescreens that blinded the two. After the smokescreens fade away, the four of us are already gone from the area.

Shinx: "Aww~ They're gone~ There goes our chance to play with more friends~"

Hyde: "Don't worry~ We still have more preys to catch before them~ Let's go~"

Shinx: "Cuddle on the way there~?"

Hyde: "Sure~"

-

Chairo's P.O.V.

I peek through the side of the tree as I saw Hyde and Shinx floats away while cuddling each other. After they leave, I sigh in relieve before lying my head against the tree.

Popplio: "Are they gone?"

Chairo: "Yeah, for now that is."

Dewott: *Groans* "Thank goodness... I thought I was going to be eaten by that mud..."

Popplio: "H-Hyde... and Shinx... are they..."

Chairo: "No, they're not dead yet."

Braixen: "Huh? How did you know?"

Chairo: "I can sense their breathing. It seems like they are just changing form. Hey Popplio? Did they said something to you?"

Popplio: "Umm... they did mention something about Gourgeist."

Braixen: "A Gourgeist? Isn't that a ghost type pokemon?"

Chairo: "I knew it. I thought I sense something odd from their form changing."

Dewott: "You did?"

Chairo: "Yeah, I know their body is covered with some type of ghost type power, but I can also sense a pinch of grass type power as well which is odd regarding their real type."

Braixen: "You're saying this because?"

Chairo: "This swamp... it's the key of the Gourgeist's power to change a living being's form into a ghost."

Popplio: "Because of their ghost and grass typing!"

Chairo: "Yes, correct."

Dewott: "Well now we know why this swamp is called the Gourgeist Swamp."

"AAAAAAHHHH!!!!"

Chairo: "That scream!"

Popplio: "Litten! Brionne!"

"GET AWAY YOU DIRTY MUD!!!!"

Dewott: "That must be Tuki and Pikachu!"

Braixen: "Oh no, what should we do?!"

Chairo: "Popplio! You go save Litten and Brionne! Dewott, Braixen! You two save Pikachu and Tuki!"

Popplio: "Huh?! What about you?!"

Chairo: "I'm going to set up something to put an end to this bad situation, I will give you guys the signal to come to me and I'll deal with the rest!"

Dewott: "Got it! Come on Braixen!"

Braixen: "Hey wait up!!"

The two of them quickly run off to where Pikachu and Tuki are but I notice that Popplio is not budging.

Chairo: "Popplio? What's wrong?"

Popplio: "I... I can't leave you all by yourself! You've been putting your whole life to save us, I-I just... I'm... I'm worried, okay?"

The two of us went silent for a bit but then I decide to poke Popplio's forehead again while smiling warmly at her.

Chairo: "Don't worry Popplio, I will be fine. Besides, I got you in my heart and mind to keep me strong, so I won't be defeated that easily."

Popplio: *Blushes* "Chairo..."

Chairo: "I trust you on this one, Popplio. Now go!"

Popplio: "R-Right!"

I saw Popplio running off to where Litten and Brionne are before I went off to set up my plan.

Popplio: (Chairo is counting on me! I won't mess up!)

To be continued