[Word count: 3,339)

"Hey, I can see the city!" Raven called from ahead as she looked beyond the muggy path.

"Piplup!" Pearly squeaked happily, sitting on Raven's shoulder.

"So it's Laverre City, right?" Stella asked as she consulted the map on her Holo Caster.

"Yup!" Caramia replied as she jogged next to her cousin. "Laverre City, the City of Otherworldly Dreams! Me and the team will be getting our sixth gym badge here!"

There was a loud pop that came from in front of them as Caramia said this. Somehow Astro and Kalliope had moved from the back of the group to the front with Raven.

"Oi, you!" Caramia suddenly hollered at Astro and his Gardevoir, causing Stella to wince and plug her ears with her fingers. "What are you doing all the way up there?!"

"Well if you didn't want us to teleport to the front, then maybe you both should've moved faster, Mademoiselle," Astro called back politely, but Kalliope growled furiously.

"Don't 'mademoiselle' me! I told you a gazillion times not to call me anything fancy! Not milady, not Lady Caramia, and NO MADEMOISELLE! Next time you address me, you will either address me as Caramia or Madame Sir!"

Stella was glad that Astro didn't respond to this odd request. Madame Sir was a name that Caramia had been given in their youth by a group of older boys in school. Though it was intended as an insult, Caramia took it as a sort of nickname.

"Now, what was I saying?" Caramia continued as Raven pulled Astro into conversation ahead of them, breaking the tension. "Oh yeah, Laverre City has the Fairy Type gym! Should be a piece of cake!"

"Um, Caramia, Fighting Types are weak against Fairy Types," Stella reminded her cousin carefully. "You have a Hawlucha, Chesnaught, and an Infernape. They're all part Fighting Type, and your only other Pokemon is your Arcanine."

"I'm positive I can work around that. Fairy is weak against Steel and Poison, right? I bet I can teach Dreadnaught Poison Jab. By the way, I've been meaning to ask you,"

Caramia looked over at the others ahead before continuing in a whisper, "How's it going with Astro? Got your wedding planned?"

Stella blushed a deep shade of pink and rounded on her cousin. Caramia had a sly smirk on her face as she looked back at her casually.

"What on earth are you talking about?!" Stella demanded in a hushed whisper. "We are just friends, and if we were more, I wouldn't be telling you that!"

The tomboy snorted and retorted with a wave of her hand, "Oh please, it's no secret you like him. I would be more surprised if you weren't. I mean he's everything you would want in a man. He's a gentleman, tough, not to mention hot."

"Shut up!"

Caramia snickered at her cousin's embarrassment. She then slapped Stella on the back affectionately and told her, "Ah, little cousin, someday you will finally get a boyfriend, and I hope it's him."

Stella stayed in huffy silence as they saw Laverre City lights ahead, lighting the dreary sky. After her and Caramia's conversation, Stella made sure to stay at the back of the group so she could avoid her cousin and Astro. Caramia had always taken an interest her baby cousins' love lives, but she was greatly interested in Stella's specifically. The last thing she wanted was Caramia trying to hitch her up with Astro and telling him embarrassing things.

"I know we just got here and all, but the city's awfully quiet," Raven pointed out nervously as the group entered the city gates. "This is Laverre City, right? This city is supposed to be rather popular, isn't it?"

She has a point, Stella thought as she looked around at the surroundings as well, We seem to be the only ones here.

It was rather dark this morning, for the clouds threatened rainfall, but surely there would still be people walking around. The buildings had blinds and curtains drawn over the windows, and no one even peeked out of them.

"It's awfully quiet for such a populated city," Astro agreed with Raven as he looked around as well. "Something musta happened that we ain't aware of."

"Or it could just be a Sunday and we don't know it," Caramia snorted before gesturing to a building in the distance and adding, "Look, there's an old geezer there. Ask him."

Stella looked where Caramia was pointing. An elderly man was edging outside a flower shop with a watering can. He seemed to notice the four trainers because he stared at them suspiciously as he watered the flowers outside the shop.

"He doesn't look happy," Stella pointed out, feeling slightly intimidated by the man. "I don't think he'll be willing to help us."

"Well allow me, Princess," Astro offered as he began to walk across the street to meet the old man. Kalliope didn't follow right away. She seemed to be under the same impression as Stella, but her loyalty to her trainer outweighed her doubt, because she quickly followed Astro.

"Maybe the old man can tell us where the Pokemon Center is," Stella heard Caramia mutter grumpily as a rain drop fell on her head. "I'm freezing!"

Stella was paying more attention to Astro and the elderly man to listen to her cousin's whining. She could her the two of them speaking in the rapid Kalos language. Astro had surprised the girls before by being able to speak fairly fluent Kalosin. She could see the man gesturing down the street as Astro nodded and walk back toward them with his Gardevoir.

"Apparently there's some sorta alert going on right now," Astro informed them as he glanced back toward the old man. "Everyone's staying indoors. Some group of thieves been ambushing people and stealing Pokémon here. He gave us directions to the city Pokémon Center."

"Then we should hurry!" Raven squeaked nervously, looking down at her Piplup. "Come here, Pearly!"

Pearly squeaked loudly and leapt into his trainer's arms for safety. A foreign Pokemon would definitely be a target for theft, especially a starter like Piplup. Stella felt herself grab one of the pokeballs on her belt. She wouldn't allow any of their Pokémon to get stolen.

With the threat of a possible attack, the group quickly made their way through the streets to the Pokémon Center. Unfortunately, halfway there they seemed to have gotten lost.

"I don't think this is right," Stella coughed as rain began to splatter down from the clouds while trying to look around the street. "The only thing down this way is the Pokeball Factory! I thought the Pokémon Center was south east of here!"

"Sorry 'bout that, musta taken us on a misdirection," Astro apologized, though she could tell that he had a sheepish smile on his face. Kalliope even did a sort of facepalm at her trainer's thoughtlessness.

Caramia groaned and burst out, half yelling, "We're lost?! We have ta be lost at this time?! During an Amber Alert and a thunderstorm?! How can this possibly get worse?!"

"Well, I do have a question, if one of you aren't busy," Raven interrupted uncertainly as she held her shivering Piplup closer to her. "Am I hearing thunder or growling? Whatever it is sounds really close."

The other three trainers stopped their dialogue to consider what Raven just said. Stella felt chills run down her spine as she heard a loud growl echo from somewhere around them. At the same time, Kalliope suddenly snarled and moved into an attack stance.

"Kalliope, what's wrong?" Astro asked his Gardevoir sharply as her pupils turned to slits and gnashed her teeth.

But the answer came a second later. Stella screamed as a large canine-like Pokemon let out an eerie howl as it dashed out of a nearby alleyway. Right as the Houndoom rounded on her, she heard Astro shout, "Disarming Voice!"

The Gardevoir took a deep breath before letting out an ear piercing shriek. The Houndoom cringed at the unearthly noise and moved away swiftly. It whined and pawed at its ears.

"Pearly, Bubble Beam!"

Pearly squeaked loudly as he released a stream of bubbles around the group. A yowl had echoed from behind them, but this time it came from a Liepard that pelted out from between two buildings. Extending its claws, it cut through the bubbles blocking its path. With a loud shriek, it leapt into the air and pounced on Astro, who was nearest.

"Taika, Flamethrower!" Stella screamed, grabbing one of her pokeballs and throwing it as Astro yelled and was forced to the ground by the Liepard.

Her Delphox escaped from the pokeball and immediately removed her flaming staff from her tail. Taika howled with rage and sent a Flamethrower attack at the Liepard. The cat swiftly leapt off of Astro as the Flamethrower zoomed past it, but not before a sickening crack echoed through the air.

"Astro, are you ok?!" Raven gasped as she ran to his side. Astro had rolled onto his left side, his hands clasped over his other.

"I... I think something's broken..." Stella heard him groan as he attempted to sit up. "My side hurts like crazy...!"

"We can't stay here!" Caramia shouted as she sent out her Infernape. "We gotta run! Raven, get Astro away! Stella, cover them!"

"Alright, Dazzling Gleam!" Stella commanded her Pokémon, who swiftly obeyed. Kalliope had stopped battling so she could assist her trainer. Whenever an attack came their way, she would deflect it while Raven helped Astro walk.

Once they made it to an empty alleyway, Stella called for her Delphox to follow her through it. Caramia and Tarzan could handle their attackers.

"Please relax, Astro!" Raven pleaded as she and Kalliope helped him sit down behind a dumpster in the alley. "You might make it wors-"

"I don't think it can get any worse!" Astro argued, his breathing becoming more pained and rapid. "We can't stop now anyway! We gotta keep going!"

"We can't go without Caramia! Besides, we still don't know where the Pokémon Center is!" Stella reminded him as she began to unbutton Astro's shirt. "Now let's check your side, I can't do anything for the pain but I might get some idea on what's wrong!"

She saw him open his mouth to argue, but Kalliope had grabbed his hand worryingly and whispered, "Gar, gardevoir?"

"I...I'll be fine, Kalliope, don't worry..." Astro told his Pokemon kindly, squeezing Kalliope's hand rather hard.

Stella took advantage of this distraction to look at his wound. A dark bruise was blossoming on his side. She gently placed her hand on it, causing Astro to wince.

"I think you're right, you've fractured your ribs," Stella whispered to him, removing her hand and buttoning his shirt back up again. "Once Caramia comes back, we should-"

She stopped in mid sentence. Someone was running down alleyway toward them. Raven peaked out from behind the dumpster before sighing with relief, "It's just Caramia..."

"Make room!" Caramia gasped as she came into view with her Infernape, ducking behind the dumpster with everyone else. "We're about to have company! The enemies have doubled!"

They stopped talking again as footsteps echoed through the alley, along with several snarling Pokemon. There was no doubt about it, there was more than two Pokemon.

"Come out, little children," a female's voice cooed from nearby. "Why do you hide? We only want to see your Pokemon."

"They might not even be here, Mable!" Another woman told the other sharply.

"There's only one way to find out. Manetric, smell them out!"

A growl of pleasure rose as a Pokemon began sniffing the ground. Stella could hear more than one sniffing, and she had a gut feeling that they were about to be caught.

With a shriek of rage, Kalliope suddenly flung herself out from behind the dumpster at the approaching Pokemon. Four separate howls erupted from behind them, but they could still hear a fourth voice scream, "There they are!"

"Taika, Dazzling Gleam!" Stella shouted as Caramia yelled, "Close Combat!"

Taika and Tarzan roared furiously and jumped to Kalliope's aid. The Fire starters used their attacks while Kalliope used Disarming Voice. Stella and Caramia both stood up to see who had followed them.

Four women wearing visors and orange suits were standing a few yards away. Their only features that stood out was that each of them had different colored hair; orange, purple, green, and blue.

"How wonderful, the little kiddos have come to play!" The woman with green hair and the Manetric. "Smart choice! You would be foolish to continue to hide!"

"What's the big deal?!" Stella shouted with rage. "Why are you attacking us?!"

"Well we had no idea you'd be willing to hand over your Pokemon to us!" The purple haired woman with the Liepard sneered. "Now if you'd be so kind, return your Pokémon and roll the pokeballs over."

"We won't hand them over without a fight!" Caramia shouted while Tarzan roared with equal fury.

"If you won't hand them over, then we will be required to hurt you," the blue haired woman said while her Houndoom growled. "Houndoom, attack!"

"Blaze, Brick Break! Disarming Voice!"

"Prince, Water Suriken!"

Raven and Astro had come out to fight as well and both threw a pokeball. Prince the Greninja and Blaze the Blaziken both blasted out of their pokeballs and used their assigned attacks. Kalliope ran to block her trainer from harm before letting out another ear piercing shriek.

"Dazzling Gleam again!"

"Dig, Tarzan!"

The Delphox sent more gems at the opponents while Tarzan pounded through the concrete and dug under the surface as the woman with orange hair and Mightyena shouted, "Bite that Infernape!"

The opposing Pokemon seemed to have plenty of energy, but their own Pokemon were beginning to weaken. The only Pokemon that seemed to have any energy were Prince, Blaze, and Kalliope.

"Kalliope, watch out!" Astro called to his Gardevoir as the Houndoom pelted toward her with flames leaking out of its mouth.

Before Kalliope could dodge the attack, Blaze ran to meet the Houndoom while preparing a Shadow Claw. The Houndoom howled and bit down on the purple aura claw. With a loud roar, the Blaziken tossed the Houndoom at a wall. Unfortunately he was so focused on the Houndoom that he did not see the Manetric barreling toward him from a Wild Charge.

With a howl of pain, Blaze was pummeled in the chest by the attack. He was then tossed back on the ground with a loud thump.

"Gar!" Kalliope cried as she ran to her teammate's side and grasping his large clawed hand. The Blaziken groaned as it writhed in pain.

"Go after that Blaziken!" The woman with orange hair shouted to the Mightyena. The Pokemon howled and not only did the wolf go after Blaze and Kalliope, but the other three tore after them as well.

"Taika, stop them!" Stella yelled to her Delphox. Taika growled as she ran to block the four Pokemon along with Prince and Tarzan. But then the three Dark types and the Electric type leapt over their heads. They didn't seem to be interested in fighting them anymore. They seemed to find that Astro's Pokemon were more worthy of a fight.

As they advanced on the two Pokemon, Blaze roared and forced himself back on his feet. Purple darkness wrapped around his claws as he slashed at their opponents. He was protecting Kalliope from the incoming attacks. The Gardevoir, however, was still caught in the middle.

"Astro, don't go!"

Stella's attention suddenly snapped toward Raven's voice. Raven was clinging to Astro's arm as he fought against her grip.

"Release me!" He snapped harshly, unlike his usual self. "I gotta help them! They need me!"

"But you're hurt!" Raven cried desperately.

"I don't care, let GO!"

He succeeded in tearing his arm out of Raven's grip and swiftly ran toward his Pokemon while shouting, "Blaze, Kalliope, get out of there, please!"

Kalliope wailed loudly as she dodged a deadly Posion Type attack from the Mightyena. The woman with blue hair ordered the Pokemon, "Leave the Gardevoir! Defeat the Blaziken!"

The next thing that happened made Stella's heart stop. The four Pokémon all charged their most powerful moves and sent them zooming toward Blaze... while Astro was right behind him. The attacks collided into Blaze's chest and sent him flying backwards. The large Fire Type then smashed into his own trainer and they both hit the alley wall.

"ASTRO!" Stella screamed, forgetting about everything as she pelted toward them. Blaze and Astro had both slumped to the ground and neither were moving. Kalliope was right where they left her, her pupils shrunk to slits as she was frozen in horror.

"Manetric!"

The Electric Type suddenly ran up to her, jumped up on her, licking her face. Stella gasped as her eyelids suddenly became heavy and refused to open as the saliva touched her face. She collapsed and held her hands to her face. She couldn't see anything. She heard Raven and Caramia scream in protest, their Pokemon howl with rage, but the most frightening noise was the escalating scream.

The Gardevoir's familiar screech was punctured with emotions of misery and shock. A Gardevoir was practically devoted to its trainer's well fair. They would die before letting someone harm their trainer.

Loud yells of fright echoed around the alley as a loud swish blew through the area. Kalliope must have made her aura blade. Stella heard beings dodge the attack while her companions commanded their Pokemon to fight.

After a few minutes, Stella heard one of the women yell, "Someone get the pokeball, this one's a keeper!"

Stella gasped as someone pushed her over onto the muddy ground. Someone ran toward her fallen companion and Pokemon. There was a loud screech of fury from Kalliope, but the noise was suddenly sucked away.

"HEY, GIVE HER BACK!" Caramia bellowed over the noise. "SHE DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU!"

"It does now, little girl!" One of the women shouted as footsteps began to pelt out of the alley. "Team Flare needs to tame this beast, something a corpse won't do!"

Once the footsteps disappeared, Stella flinched at Caramia's roar of frustration.

"Raven, you get help for the others!" She finally spat furiously.

"B-But what about you?"

"I'm going after them! We can't let them get away with this! Tarzan!"

Caramia's footsteps suddenly disappeared as she and her Infernape ran after the villains. A moment later, Stella felt Raven's hand close over hers.

"Stella," Raven croaked as her voice shook slightly. "Are you alright...?"

Stella shook her head slightly, and Raven whispered, "Stella, they took Kalliope, Caramia is going after them. Taika and Pearly are defeated, and Prince is all we got left. I'm going to get help, Prince will stay with you. I'm going to call the police and get help for you and Astro..."

"Go..." Stella muttered weakly. "We'll be fine, go..."

She felt the pressure leave her hand and listened to her sister run away. Stella tried to open her eyes again. After failing, she croaked loudly, "Prince?"

"Gren?"

The Greninja's webbed hand grasped her own as he swooped to her side.

"Prince, take me to Astro..."

He let out another croak and helped her to her feet. He guided her around fallen objects before helping her kneel down, and placing her hand over what must have been Astro's hand. She felt him flinch at her touch. His ragged breathing became louder as he coughed, "Who's there?"

"It's just me..." Stella whispered quietly, moving her hand slowly to his forehead.

"Stella, K-Kalliope..."

"Caramia will get her back, now try and rest..."

There was a pause before Astro choked out, "I-It hurts..."

"I know, but it's going to be ok, Raven went to get help..." Stella told him assuringly but not believing it herself.

She continued to repeat in a whisper, "It's ok...it'll be ok..." until sirens whined through the heavy rain.