I dash forwards, past the black and looming gates of the small city, which are now covered in rain. My team races after, all of them yelling at me, confused and oblivious to where I'm going or what's happening.

"Crazy!" Rune yells, running after, "Wait up! What are you doing?"

"It's so cold..." Pich flies off my fedora, landing on Shin's face, who slams her off. Rune goes back to get her, and she snuggles behind his ears, cooing in delight. "Much better." Rune rolls his eyes but pays no notice, his teeth bared in determination and his eyes squinted, trying to see through the rain.

Juliet runs along, singing, "I'm siiiinging in the rain! I'm siiinging in the rain! What a glorious..."

Geyser is skidding past her, and she stops suddenly and jumps on his back. "LET US BE OFF! THEY'RE TAKING THE HOBBITS TO ISENGARD!"

Geyser just looks up and says casually, "If you say so, 'mon."

I come out into a beautiful road, littered with flowers and small Pokemon buzzing everywhere.

"What... Another route?" growls Rune, "Are you trying to get me killed?"

I see the kid in the brown round a corner into the hedges, now casually walking. I run up to him, panting. He looks me up and down, a typical what-the-heck look plastered across his face.

He holds a wet Poke Ball in one hand.

"Who are you?" He asks, "You can... you can actually see me, can't you?"

"See you?"

For a second, he's gone, and in his place is a Sentret, sneering at me, and then his sneer turns to a good natured smile. He extends one tiny stub of a hand and I feel something real and solid in my own, one with fingers. I blink, and he's just a kid again, looking up at me with the same expression the Sentret wore.

"It's Ferro." he says guiltily, "I don't remember very much. I guess it's because I must've died pretty early on..."

My team looks on at me, confused, although Pich seems to start to understand some of it.

"You're not- he's actually?" She looks into his brown eyes. "That's soooo coool! I knew you weren't crazy! How many of you are there? Are you all here? What Pokemon were you, because Lilly says she was a Flaafy, but she looks more like an Ampharos and-"

"I'm not sure, I don't know, and the world's most swagalicious Sentret." He grabs my hand, and says, "We'll discuss it at the house. Bronze is already there."

I follow him, up the winding flowery bushes into the small but cozy wooden cottage overlooking all of the surrounding countryside.

I open the door, Ferro following behind me with my now sopping team. Only Juliet and Geyser look even remotely dignified, the others are dripping wet and miserable. She sings merrily, "And I'm siiiinging-"

She's cut off when Rune jumps on her. She squeaks in pain, but then Shin butts him off, and they start fighting again.

A young woman in a maroon dress comes out. Her hair is intricately done, with two long braids mixed in with her flowing hair. She smiles, distributing hot chocolate and even a few cookies, which I begin consuming quickly. "Hello!" I say through a mouthful of food. Music is playing, Rune and Shin are trying to kill each other, and Geyser is relaxing on the couch, partaking daintily in the appetizers. Pich is asking Ferro random, pointless questions.

"So, uh, please excuse me for asking, but who are you?"

The brown-haired lady looks over at me, surprised but mildly curious. "Well, from what Bronze said, you must be Lilly. My name was Hershey... but I'm afraid that doesn't quite fit anymore. You can call me Shika, if you want. It means 'deer' in Japanese. A little inside joke between me and myself." She laughs. "Yes, I am one of you. I was on the team right before you were. Ferro and I died in Morty's gym."

"Stabbed in the heart with a huge cursed nail. Not cool." Ferro yells through a mouthful of cookies. "Darn, Her- Shika, these are really good cookies. Where did you learn to cook?"

She just shrugs, smiling, and says, "Lilly, I need to ask a favor of you."

"Uh... anything you ask."

"If you see Peckers... please call me." She puts her number in my Pokedex, which is equipped with talk-and-text.

"What? Peckers?"

"He's like us. He was a slightly crazy... timelord owl thing. I don't know. I also don't know what Hershey-" Bronze says.

"Shika!" she interjects.

"-would want with him."

I smile, give Bronze a nice kiss on the cheek, and say, "I think I know. Nice to see you again."

"Why don't you get showered up? We're going to have a nice, long storytime tonight around the fire."

I smile. "I think I'd like that."

"I know you would." he says, "It'll be like our glory days again. Well, Lilly, just remember, no matter how crazy this is- I'm glad you're back."

I nod to him, hugging him and then letting go, my blonde hair falling over his shoulders, whisper, "Me too."

My Pokemon seem content enough, now joined by Bronze's menagerie- Shruikan arguing with Rune about dragons versus kitsune, Pich lecturing both of them on how griffins would totally annihilate both, Pyro is listening adoringly to Pich, and Bronze's new Flabebe, whatever that is, is watching them all, a tiny and not at all creepy smile on it's tiny face.

Meanwhile, Juliet is explaining to Shin why he fits the description of her knight in shining armor and Geyser is helping Shika prepare dinner. It's all so warm, so comfortable- it reminds me of home.

I close my eyes, imagining Toxis, Dill, Khrys and Sky with us.

Home...

I'm going to make it back someday.