Shruikan and Rune dash beside each other through their forest, their wild cries resounding as they blast water and fire across the otherwise silent moor. The rest of my Pokemon are holding back. Crypt is hiding by Nina and Chrona, keeping a wide berth between him and Nephthys, who looks absolutely miserable.

Besides that, Pacifica has evolved into a lovely Meowstic. She seems more in control of herself than last time, happy even, and she walks with an Eevee by her side.

"That's Ochre." Bronze explains. "He and Pacifica hit it off."
"So you've got four?"
"Still looking for new team members. I lost Iris (the Amaura, I doubt you remember her) and Kage, my Pangoro, recently. They actually both died really close to each other, and none of us have gotten over it."
I find myself clutching the Ampharosite. It's in my pocket. "I'm very sorry. I'm sure they were great Pokemon."

"Yeah, well, this is what we signed up for." He sounds depressed. His eyes wander, not meeting mine. "Lilly, how did Ashley take any of this?"
"From what I've heard, she's taking it again. I wish I was good as she was."
"Me too."
The Ampharosite feels a little warmer. I can tell there's raw power beneath it but there's no way for me to get to it. It's power wants to course through me, electrify me, and so it sits in my pocket, terrifyingly close. I focus on that, not wanting to say anything I'll regret. Why is this moment so tense? Why can't I think of something more comforting to say?

Why is Crypt holding up a ball of goo?
"Lilly!" He yells, waving his tiny arm. "Lilly, look what Chrona and I found?"
"I stepped on it and he picked it up." Chrona corrects.

As they draw closer, I squint and see it has odd antennae and eyes. "Is that... a Pokemon?"
"It's a Goomy." Pich says, flapping and landing awkwardly by us.

Crypt's tail swings wildly. "I love it!" The Goomy makes some chortling noises that resemble a purr underwater. "I think it loves me too!"

Nina walks over. "What's this fuss?"
Ginger and Pacifica walk over and soon we're all crowding it.

I take out a Pokeball. "You think it wants to come along for the ride?"
"Do you?" Crypt asks the Goomy. It sticks out its tongue.

"I guess it does." Crypt says. "Let's keep it!"
I throw the Pokeball and catch it, then turn back to Bronze as the others wander off. Besides Rune, most of my team seems to be relaxing more than fighting. Regardless, they've now incorporated Ginger and Pacifica into their circle and are exchanging stories. I overhear snippets, half in my ears, half in my mind.

The general gist of what they're saying gets through, probably through our shared bonds. I've learned not to question how much information is being passed around.

Chrona's in charge of most of the storytelling, but Pich corrects her when she makes mistakes or just flat out 'forgets' important details. They mainly talk about recent events, skipping over most of the Goldeneye happenings.

It turns out Ginger was actually a breeder's Pokemon, with a fancy pedigree. He had some issues with patterning, leading to tan spots all over his face and backside, which is why he was disowned and given to Bronze. He's still deciding on what he wants to be, but Pacifica promises to support him no matter what he does. Besides that, they talk mainly about their fallen comrades in a very casual manner, speaking fondly Kage's brash bravery and how Shruikan kept needling him to find the heart of gold on the inside (everyone who gets the joke shares a laugh here) or Iris's serene form and all the small things she loved doing for the team, like freezing berries to make frozen treats and the like.

I end up walking with Bronze towards Shruikan and Rune, who have tired themselves out.

"So." Rune says, kneeling over.

"So."
Rune hits his stick against a tree trunk, not knowing what to say. "Well."
"Nice dress. Who's confused you for a girl?"

"Nice scarf. How does the swamp taste?"
"Like the blood of my enemies."

"Lovely. So you know how I said I was going to get a girlfriend someday? Mission accomplished, and she is the most beautiful and amazing Pokemon in the whole region." Rune puffs out his chest, standing up straight again.
"Sounds great." Shruikan says, not paying much attention.

"Not like you have one." Rune teases.

"Actually, I do." Shruikan says proudly.
"Ooh. Is it Ms Mystery over there?"

"First of all, no jabs at Pacifica. Ever. That is one hundred percent against the bro code. You aren't defying the bro code, are you?"
"Of course not. Just tell me who it is."

"It's Nephthys." Shruikan says, his tone lowered. He looks away again.

"What? You're dating a murderer?"
"It was an accident, Rune. Just let it go."
"Let it go? You want me to let it go?!" He snarls, his stick erupting into flames.

"Woah, woah. Break it up!" I yell.
Bronze's eyes widen. "Back in the Pokeball for you." He tells Shruikan, withdrawing him before Rune can slice him with his burning stick.

"Rune, chill out!"
Rune looks at me, angrily. "I'm never letting it go, Lilly."
"Well, I have." I say. "And you know what? It's time for dinner and getting to bed. Shauna's back at the campsite."
We make it back in decent time, everyone covered in mud and exhausted.

"Nice to see you guys!" Shauna says enthusiastically. "Have fun?"

"Yeah. We were but then the Pokemon got..." I glance at Rune, "feisty, so we thought we'd head in. Got some training in. Did some bonding. You know you could have come, right?"
"I didn't want to distract you." Shauna returns her focus to the three plates of warm food she's prepared. She hands us both a plate. "I'm glad you had fun."
Bronze looks at me and I can tell the guilt is really killing him now. I don't want to tell him that she has a crush on me and she didn't come because of our relationship. Right now, he probably just thinks we're too closed off, and telling her we are literally Pokemon will definitely fix it.
He is so oblivious sometimes.

The Pokemon settle down with some berries and chow Shauna prepared, but I also give Chrona some of my salad, which she claims is not cannibalism in the slightest. She smiles and asks us questions about our day and tells us all about her precious Chestnaught, Thistle, along with Luna the Delcatty and Escargot the Sliggoo.

"So you caught a Goomy too? That's so cool! I can give you all their mannerisms if you want."
I nod but internally I'm already asleep. She bites her lip, noticing this, and says gently, "On the other hand, why don't we put out the fire and get some shuteye? We can uh... go do stuff tomorrow. I'll come with you guys and everything!"

I nod again, this time trying to put some enthusiasm into it. "Wouldn't that be great, Bronze?"

Bronze replies with a loud snore. I elbow him and he wakes up. "That would be great, Shauna. Now if you don't mind me... I'm going to sleep."
"Need help with anything before I turn in?" I ask.

"Oh." Shauna says. "Nope, I've got the fire! You just head on to bed."

I realize too late I haven't bought anything besides a tent, a terribly small model built by one of the fancy Kalos industries that folds up to an impeccably small size. However, Shauna has given me a sleeping bag. I guess she bought three. I tell myself to thank her in the morning before falling on top of it and passing out.

I wake up in the middle of the night. It's hot, and worse, terribly moist. The moisture clings to my skin and holds onto me as if it is trying desperately not to fall from my skin.

Regardless, something feels wrong. I unzip the tent, go outside, and rezip it carefully. All the Pokemon are sleeping outside, all accounted for, and Bronze is in his tent with what looks to be another sleeping bag, although I'm pretty sure this one is his.

I unzip Shauna's tent and see there's nothing there. My heart drops. Did she give me her sleeping bag?
Why isn't she there?!
I get up and begin walking through the forest. "Shauna?"
No one answers.

"Shauna?!" I call again.

The bushes rustle around me and from the swamp emerges a giant, soaking wet Goodra, roaring with fury. It's at least eight feet tall and bigger than a tree around, and it is angry. It readies a Dragon Pulse and blasts, scorching a tree next to me as I duck.

I reach for my Ampharosite, but it is eerily silent in my pocket. There's no time to think now as I dodge another Dragon Pulse, but already I know it's not a charade I can keep up for long.

Just as I'm bracing for my impending doom, a flaming stick flies through the air and hits it on the side of the head.
"Lilly, goddamnit!" Rune yells. "Why are you in the middle of the forest at night?!"

"Looking for..." I mutter, and then my eyes widen. "Watch out!"
The Goodra slams Rune with its massive tail and he hits a tree behind me with a massive crack.

Suddenly it's moved from just me in peril to both of us. Rune is bleeding from the side of his mouth, the dark trickle visible in the moonlight coming through the trees. I cry out for help, scrambling to get up, and the monster lumbers towards me until I can feel the goo dripping onto my face.

"G-get off her!" Shauna yells, and there's an enormous blast of light overhead. It barely misses me, hitting the Goodra right in the side. It tumbles over into the swamp where it lies, knocked out cold with its head limp on the shore. I look down on it, hyperventilating, and scramble up.

Shauna stands there in the woods, breathing in and out deeply with one hand cupped in front of her. She doesn't have any of her Pokemon out. It's just her, dressed in her hoodie and long black pants, her breath freezing in midair.

"What was that?! What Pokemon do you have that knows... was that Hyper Beam?!"

"None of them." Shauna says. "Lilly... I know this is crazy, but..." She hesitates. "I should've told you a long time ago. I've got secrets..."
"Don't we all." I laugh.

She closes her eyes like she's swallowed something sour. "Here it goes... Lilly, I'm a Goldeneye."

((so I have to go to camp and won't be back for a week, how pissed would you all be if I left you hanging on this))