"And just who the fuck is Ben?" Greg asked, looking Faulkner up and down and frowning slightly. "And who said anything about killing anyone?!"

Cindyr came and sat besides him, yawning softly again, and looked up at Faulkner, tilting her head to one side and making a questioning sound. "Did he give us the wrong badge?"

"No, he's trying to make out that we want to kill someone. Just ignore him, maybe he'll give up and go away." Greg said, as if Faulkner wasn't anywhere near.

"Ben is the one who controls the legendary pokemon, the one who is right now travelling to Ecruteak city to gain control of Ho-oh, the legendary phoenix, which is said to be the most powerful pokemon on this continent." Faulkner said, pushing his way past Greg and standing in the middle of the room, turning to face him. "Now are you going to help me kill him, or are you going to wait for him to kill your pokemon?"

"Why do we need your help?" Cindyr asked, butting in, stopping Greg from saying a rather hurtful thing.

"Because I know things about him that you don't; weaknesses, strengths, and I'm the only one who knows the full extent of just how powerful his ability to control pokemon is." Faulkner replied, turning and sitting on the bed, staring down at the feather in his hand. "Remember my Pidgeotto? How he could knock you about easily, how he could dodge attacks with ease? Well Ben gave him extra attacks, new abilities, more power. But then when I lost to you he decided that it was my Pokemon's fault...all of my pokemon's extra power meant nothing. His pokemon still managed to tear it apart." Faulkner said sadly, shaking his head slightly.

"What pokemon was he using-Greg, shut up." Cindyr asked Faulkner, switching to telling Greg to shut up mid-sentence, when he tried to say something.

"Suicune, Entei, Raikou, a Persian he keeps guarded, near him, and whatever wild pokemon he comes across." Faulkner said, looking over at Cindyr who was regarding him with mild interest.

"And how does he control them, I never see him with pokeballs...and Greg's caught several pokemon he sent against us." Cindyr said.

"I don't know. All I know is that those legendary pokemon obeyed him without pause, subservience even, a normal pokemon doesn't stand a chance..."

"What are his weaknesses?"

"He has a certain soft spot for his Persian, if you manage to attack that I think he would either drop everything and give in, or just get totally psycho and kill you with whatever means he has at his disposal." Faulkner said with the merest vestige of a soft laugh. "You know that character, on that show? The one with the Persian and the evil scientist? Every time I look at Ben I see that same twisted, evil asshole, only difference being that this one is actually dangerous. He kills without mercy. It's like he just doesn't care any more. Whatever he wants to kill you two for, it mustn't be good."

"I killed his Dragonite. Greg killed his Blastoise, and protected me, saved me when he was about to kill me." Cindyr sighed softly, "Now he wants us both dead, and he had three legendary pokemon."

"Legendary pokemon are his weakness. He fails to see the strength in normal pokemon, use that against him. I think I can take down his Entei if I'm given time to train, and I think that you and your friends could take down the other two."

"And just how would you be able to take down his Entei?" Greg asked, finally getting a word in before Cindyr could stop him.

"Well, Entei is a fire pokemon right? I'll take an ice pokemon against him, a flying one, he'll underestimate it, and I'll take it down." Faulkner said simply, clenching the feather in his fist. "I have to take down his Entei..."

"An flying ice type? There's no such thing, well, a Dragonite can learn ice attacks, with practise, but they're not inherently ice." Greg said knowledgeably.

"I know of one." Faulkner said with a dark expression on his face.

"So you want to join us? Follow us around staring at your feather and moping like Bugsy does?" Greg asked, before Cindyr could say a thing.

"Not right away. I need time alone, but I take it you'll be wanting to go to Ecruteak and take down the leader there? And then Jasmine in Olivine?" He asked.

"Well, that's the basic plan...I don't think we're strong enough to take down the dragon gym in Blackthorn, or even the ice gym in Mahogany...I mean, it's called an ice gym but they all have water pokemon." He said with a shrug.

"Well, all I ask is that you wait for me in Olivine before you head across the ocean to Cianwood, I'll catch up to you if you have to train along the way, as I suspect, the fighting gym will be hard on your ninetails." Faulkner said, and then almost smiled. "But don't tell anyone I told you, it could be construed as inside help." He said as he stood up and left without another word, ignoring Greg and Cindyr's calls for him to come back.

"He didn't even wait to hear if we said yes or no!" Cindyr said indignantly.

"Well...he would be useful, he knows stuff about the gyms we don't, he could really help us, if he doesn't turn into a Bugsy on us." He added with a slight frown.

"There's something he's not telling us..." Cindyr said, frowning as well.

"I know. I guess we'll find out at some point." Greg said with a shrug and then sat back down on the bed, pulling his ninetails close. "But before we do anything, we need to have some serious snuggle time!" He declared, smiling and nuzzling his face into the soft fur of her neck.

Cindyr murred and nuzzled him in return, licking his forehead and smiling.

* * *

"So where to now? Ecruteak?" Hitan asked as Greg came and sat down at the pokecentre table, Cindyr trailing after him.

"Why is it that everyone is second-guessing where we're going next?" Greg asked of no one in particular, sighing softly as he took the menu and looked over it glumly.

"Would it have something to do with the face that you wouldn't go back to Goldenrod because you've already been there, ditto for your hometown, and that the only way to get anywhere other than those three towns, is through the dark cave?" He asked simply.

"I could just be totally random and go through there anyway." Greg said, laying his head on the table and stroking Cindyr's neck as she came and sat besides him.

"That wouldn't be wise, considering Cindyr's light range isn't too large, and the cave is." Hitan replied simply, turning away and ordering his breakfast.

Bugsy came down a minute later, pokeball safely clipped to his belt, and sat down at a table, and for once, left his pokeball alone, focussing simply on his menu.

Nevyda wasn't far behind him. She smiled when she saw him, and came to sit at the same table, but a low warning growl from Cindyr quickly changed her mind.

Greg gave her an apologetic, helpless look as he stroked Cindyr's neck gently, soothing her as he leant in close and laid his head against her neck, whispering in her ear. "You know there's nothing between me and her now." He said gently, soothingly.

"I don't care." Cindyr said with a soft snarl, hackles raised, all nine tails swishing back and forth in agitation.

"You have to be nice, we need her gym badge to get to the elite four." Greg whispered to her gently.

Cindyr still growled, but didn't do anything else, but stayed watching and wary, eyes narrowed, as if daring Nevyda to come closer. Monty was nowhere to be seen, and when he thought about it, Greg hadn't seen him since his and Cindyr's little argument.

The ninetails was still growling softly to herself when Greg's breakfast arrived, and he held some bacon in front of her muzzle, tempting her with it's smell. She looked up at him and whined softly. "Only if you stop growling." He said sternly, and she nodded reluctantly before snapping the bacon out of his fingers and devouring it hungrily.

He casually held out another piece for her, eating his toast and eggs with his free hand as she steadily ate her way through the meat portion of his breakfast. "If you're good I'll find a nice, big, undercooked steak for you in Ecruteak." He said with a smile, and Cindyr murred at him, leaning against his shoulder and nuzzling him lovingly, tossing a glance at Nevyda as if to say 'you-can't-get-no-man-like-this...nyaa!'

Greg was aware of it but let it slide, slightly confused, but returning the affection with his hand gently rubbing at her neck.

He looked around a few minutes later, to see if everyone was done eating. "Well, anyone have anything else to do while we're here? If not, we're leaving." He said firmly, standing up and checking his pokeballs, Cindyr dropping off the chair and sitting besides him happily.

"What are we waiting for then?" Bugsy asked, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and walking out the door.

Nevyda followed without a word, Hitan right after, leaving Greg and Cindyr standing in the centre of the now deserted pokecentre. "Shall we go?" Greg asked, and Cindyr yipped an affirmative.

* * *

The tree's hedging the route were getting closer and closer, and Nevyda summoned Monty so he could provide some light, so she could read the map she held.

"What's the hold up?" Greg asked as he made his way forwards. He and Cindyr had been walking at the back of the group, content to let the other find the way to Ecruteak, but starting to seriously doubt whether or not that was a good idea. "We aren't lost are we?"

"Um...no, we're not lost, I know where we are." Nevyda said, looking at the map and then the featureless forest.

"Then where are we?" Bugsy asked, leaning against a tree, calm.

"Somewhere between Ecruteak and Violet city." She replied with conviction, a slight nervousness to her voice.

"Oh wonderful, we're lost." Greg said with a sigh, sitting down on a tree stump after brushing leaves and detritus off the top of it.

"We're not lost...I just don't know exactly where we are. As long as we head north we'll be all right." Nevyda replied as Cindyr came and rested her head in his lap, looking up at him and snorting softly. He rubbed between her ears gently. "I know, she's lost." He said to her, just loud enough for the ninetails to hear, but not Nevyda.

Hitan looked up and frowned under his mask. "We can't see the sun, and none of us have a compass...we can't tell which way is north. We need to find a clearing." He said decisively.

"Off we go again." Greg muttered under his breath as all five set out again.

* * *

Greg yawned as they found a clearing, letting them just barely see the sun. He had expected to be in Ecruteak by now, possibly at the pokecentre resting so he could face the gym the next day. He knew it was a ghost gym, but he was quite certain he could beat it with Cindyr's fire attacks.

The long grass in the clearing swayed and rustled as they forged out into it, standing in the centre and staring upwards at the sun.

"We go that way then." Nevyda said, pointing off towards the north with a finger, and staring at her map. "If worst comes to worst, we'll end up on one of these other roads, and they're pretty obvious, so we'll get to Ecruteak one way or another."

"Don't move a muscle." Hitan said quietly, eyes quickly flicking around the clearing, and then down to his feet. "Do you still have your sword Greg?"

"Um...in my backpack." He said, confused, wondering what his problem was.

"We seem to have made a tactical error." He murmured, and then motioned Bugsy closer. "Slowly now, no sudden moves...are these what I think they are?"

Bugsy made his way over, and stared down into the grass, where a small depression was, and his face suddenly drained of all colour, and he knelt down, gently prodding one of the green, oblong objects. "I think so..." he murmured, gulping loudly.

"No one move!" Hitan said firmly, while Nevyda, Greg and Cindyr just stared in bewilderment.

"Take out every fire pokemon you have at your disposal." He continued, unclipping a pokeball and summoning his Rhydon.

Greg whirled and stared into the trees behind him, frowning. A long line of grass swayed gently, as if something had just ran through it, though he couldn't see anything.

He slowly unclipped Charizard's pokeball, and prayed that he would heed all commands, still staring warily into the trees.

Nevyda pulled out two pokeballs, summoning Monty and a Houndour.

"Now everyone start to slowly move backwards, don't make any sudden moves and for god's sake watch your step!" He said, starting to slowly back up.

Greg stared down at his own feet and started to move backwards slowly, but his foot came down on something hard and smooth, like a stone, which rolled underneath his weight, sitting him flat on his ass.

His eyes widened as he saw all the green objects in the grass all around.

"What the fuck?" He murmured incredulously, as the grass around them rippled and long furrows appeared in it, as if something had just run past really really fast.

"Get in the trees!" Hitan called as a green blur appeared in front of him, a long scythe missing him by millimetres.

"Scyther..." Greg murmured, scrambling to his feet as he stared at the ground, blanching. They were in a Scyther's nest!

* * *

Blayze stalked into the cave that Ben had taken up residence in, humming softly to herself, her nine long, black tails swaying gently back in forth in time with the tune, her black eyes gazing around nonchalantly.

"Blayze." Ben said as he caught sight of her entering, but didn't say anything more.

"Do you have it?" She asked, tilting her head to one side and smiling sweetly. Nothing about her held hint of a threat, but he knew that if he failed her then it would be action he would have to worry about, not the threat of it.

"Right over there." He said calmly, motioning with his head. "Entei, let the fine pokemon through."

The legendary pokemon shifted, raising to it's feet and walking around the black ninetails in a circle, growling softly as it inspected her, declared her safe, and then ushered her past where he was lying to where the green orb lay nestled safely in a blanket. "Ah yes, this is what I've been wanting."

"My payment?" He asked, pulling out a folded piece of large paper expectantly.

"Very well." She murmured, stalking over, dragging the blanket with the orb on it with her teeth.

Ben folded out the piece of paper, revealing a large, detailed map, very accurate, already with three crosses on it, 'incentive' for him to work for her.

Blayze smiled and tapped Ecruteak with a claw, looking up at him, her pearly white, sharp teeth on display. "Ho-oh's roost is on the top of Tin tower, which is controlled by a group of monks, just walk in there with these three and you'll get in fine. And also, the burnt tower, there's another orb in there, get it for me and I'll give you Lugia's locale as well."

He smiled, folding the map back up. "Thank you. I'll be seeing you again in a few more days then?" He asked.

"Oh yes, I'm sure you will, I can smell you from a mile away, there will be no need to set up a meeting, I'll just drop in." She said calmly, before taking the orb in her mouth and walking out, tails swaying as she started to hum to herself once more.

* * *

Greg scrambled backwards, and Cindyr followed, his Charizard, not knowing the situation, looed on with a slight frown on it's large muzzle, and then a look of pain as the leading edge of it's lower right wing was cut cleanly through by a slash from a Scyther's wicked claw.

It whirled and Greg shouted, "No! Charizard! No fire attacks!"

The Charizard turned back towards him and gave him a murderous glare. "You'll kill everyone in the clearing!" Greg said and then quickly took out his pokeball and forced the Charizard to return.

"Cindyr...extreme speed fury attacks!"

Cindyr lowered her front slightly and growled, eyes narrowed as she stared at the long swathes of grass swaying as dozens of Scyther's quickly approached from out of the forest.

She waited, and waited, and waited, until the first Scyther had almost got to her, before she struck.

The ninetails moves so quickly it was like an optical illusion. One second she was tensed, crouched, ready to strike, the next she was in the air, her long claws scything at the nearest target, sending it spinning to the ground as she flashed past, already striking at her next enemy, leaving a long line of Scyther that were slowly starting to pull themselves to their feet.

"Shit." Greg growled, and hurriedly searched through his back, hurriedly yanking the sword free and drawing it, tossing the sheath to the side and standing ready, eyes wildly searching for an attacker.

He didn't have long to wait. Cindyr was several metres away, wrestling with one of the green Pokemon, so she couldn't help.

Greg didn't see it coming, he only felt it, a long slash across his shoulder that opened the flesh there and started to bleed immediately, making him drop to one knee and hold a shaking hand over the wound, eyes wide. They were so fast!

Hitan and Nevyda had gone back-to-back figuratively speaking. His Rhydon deflected attacks from the front, while Monty and her Houndour did their best to stop the bug pokemon from getting at them from behind, the humans and pokemon engaging in a moving battle, trying to retreat without getting overrun. Bugsy was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Bugsy dropped to one knee and held out a shaking hand, palm up, in supplication.

"Don't make me hurt you..." he pleaded, staring up at the towering form of the Scyther standing over him, it's wicked scythe held high and back, ready for a strike. Silently, more appeared, until the trainer was surrounded.

He had run into the trees, unwilling and unable to attack the bug pokemon he so loved, even if it caused him injury.

The Scyther slowly lowered it scythe, and then surged forwards the slight distance it needed to strike, it's long blade-like arm sliding through the grass, neatly clipping it as it arced for Bugsy's neck.

* * *

Greg gave an angry yell of pain as he was hit again, not with the scythe this time, but with a blunt blow, probably a shoulder-charge, his sword slowly spinning from his fingertips to land in the deep grass nearby, lost. He was spun to the ground by the impact, and landed on his pokeballs, not realising that his Charizard was released before it was too late.

"Return!" He ordered frantically, as it opened it's mouth to let loose a flamethrower.

He was just too late, the flame spat from its mouth at the same time as it was caught by the red beam and taken into the pokeball.

The flame caught instantly on the grass, and started to race across it, the tree's and forest bordering the clearing being the first thing to light up, quickly trapping Greg and Cindyr in an ever-decreasing circle of flame.

* * *

Hitan cursed as he saw the fire start, and broke rank, holding his sword back-hand, eyes narrowed, body tilted forwards as he ran, trying to get through to the centre before the flame got too hot and too high to cross.

He almost made it, the flame flaring as he got too close, singing his suit, forcing him to turn back, facing away from the burning heat, right into the Scyther's strike.

Blood splashed across the tree nearest to him as the strike connected perfectly, slicing across the ninja's cheek and brow, dropping him to the grass in an instant, to lie near the flames, his clothes slowly starting to smoulder.

* * *

Greg stared around hopelessly, the battle in the centre of the clearing slowly coming to a halt as all within realized the horrible fate awaiting them.

The trainer grimly unslung his pokebelt and pulled off the decorated ball that was Cindyr's unused home, sighing softly. "Cindyr, come here."

The ninetails whined softly, looking up at him, eyes wide, all nine tails swishing in concern. "Don't do something stupid and heroic Greg..." She murmured, nuzzling his knee gently.

"I'm going to throw this belt over the flames, the pokeballs won't get hurt, and I want you to escape from your pokeball once you're over and take the belt back to the pokecentre, tell Nurse Joy what happened...tell her to release the pokemon." He sighed again, and stroked her neck gently. "I'm sorry I can't spend more time with you..."

"But you can't go, I can get you out of this! Just jump on my back and I'll carry you out of the flames!" She said hurriedly, staring around, as the flames got close.

Greg shook his head sadly. "This is not a pokemon fire, it's a lot hotter, a brush fire, hot and fast. Not much can save me right now, even with the combined efforts of Lapras and Dratini, it wouldn't do much good, they'd just start burning up from the heat and the water would be dried as soon as it contacted the fire." He shook his head again. "It's the only way love, you have to go now." He leant down and kissed her forehead gently, and then started picking up eggs from the grass as it became unbearably hot.

"I want you to hold these until you're safe from the flame, at least save a few of them." He said firmly, handing them to her. She captured them in her tails, and held them there, her eyes watering as she looked up at him.

"Greg..." She started, but didn't manage to say anything else, her throat constricted.

"I know, I'll miss you too...go find another trainer and kick the Elite Four's ass for me, okay?" He said firmly, smiling at her, sweat starting to run down his brow.

"I will..." She promised, leaning forwards and kissing him deeply, breaking it reluctantly and turning away, so he couldn't see her tears.

"I love you..." He whispered as he tapped the ball against her side, and she was absorbed before she could return the words. He quickly moved to the edge of the clearing, and took a massive hammer-throw style throw, heaving them well over the flames and onto the forest on the other side.

Cindyr was out in an instant, looking around in slight confusion, getting her bearing, and then grabbing the belt, looking up at the flames, and then at him, eyes sparkling with the tears she tried to hide, before she turned and fled.

Greg went and stood by the two Scyther's who hadn't escaped the clearing, and sighed softly, staring at the wall of flame. "Just you two and me huh?" he said, and they both turned, regarding him through their big, buggy eyes, and then turned and stared at the flame, their green hide starting to turn a yellow colour with reflected fire as it got closer and closer.

All three moved to the centre of the clearing, and Greg heaped the eggs into a pile, lying atop them. "If you cover them with your body, they might survive." He said to the two Scyther's, and they stared at him coldly, appraisingly, before lying down next to him.

Greg just watched as the wall of flame got closer, and it became harder to breath, the heat sucking the air right from his lungs, his skin starting to protest the extreme heat.

The trainer just sighed and shook his head, laying it on an egg and staring at the flames as they got closer and closer. As the heat started to sear his skin and cause unbearable agony, he didn't scream, he didn't yell with pain, he just accepted it, an image of Cindyr dancing in the flames and in his eyes, and a tears forming in his heat-struck eyes, though not from the flames.

He just shook his head, staring at the eggs under them, "A bloody fool to the end..." he murmured, as the flames rose higher.

* * *

Bugsy didn't even flinch as the blade came within an inch of his neck, he just sighed, recognizing the attitude from his studies. "I don't want to hurt you and I'm not scared of you." He said firmly, and then stared as he saw flames erupt from the clearing, and saw Greg standing in the centre. He tried to move forwards, but was stopped by the Scyther, who stood in front of him firmly.

"He's my friend!" He shouted at it, but it stood resolutely in front of him.

"What do you care about me!?" He shouted at it, eyes narrowed.

It leant forwards and tapped his pokeball with the tip of a scythe.

He thrust the pokeball into the Scyther's arms and forged ahead past it, heading for the wall of flame, trying to circle around the flame opening and into the clearing before it was encircled completely by fire, but saw he was too late.

The flames shot higher, catching alight on the trees, branches falling around the trainer as he tried to shield himself with his arm lifted high.

He was standing there one second, and then at safety the next, his new Scyther flitting between the trees and catching him before he could be consumed by the fire, carrying him back to the other Scyther's, and setting him down.

Bugsy made for the fire again, but his Scyther's scythe was extended in front of him, across his chest. It looked at him and shook it's head mutely.

He dropped to his knees and stared at the fire, watching as it started to consume the clearing and everything in it.

* * *

Hitan groaned softly, rolling onto his back and staring at the flaming trees all around, and groaned softly again, trying to get to his feet, half-aware of the burning pain on his face, and the blood slowly trickling down his chin.

He slowly made it to his feet and staggered free of the flames, patting at his suit where it was smouldering, and collapsing near Nevyda, who was staring at the flames in fascinated awe.

"Greg's still in there!" She proclaimed.

"Ah...observant and punctual..." he murmured, shaking his head a few times and staring up at her, his mask removed by the vicious blow to his face.

She stared at him a long, long moment, eyes wide. "I would have never guessed..." She murmured, "Now it all makes sense..."

"I'd prefer you didn't tell anyone who I am." He said coldly. "Do you have any water pokemon?"

"Um...my Goldeen?" She asked timidly, looking at the blazing flames.

Hitan shook his head glumly. "It'll never have a chance against those flames...you need to run for help. We need water pokemon here now!" He said, enraged.

Nevyda went very still and looked over him, at the shadows of the trees, which constantly changed with the flickering fire lighting them up. "There's already one here..." She murmured in a strangled whisper.

Hitan rolled over, trying to draw his sword, realising he had lost it, staring at the large pokemon standing so close it could have killed him without him ever knowing.

Nevyda just kept staring as it stepped past her and towards the fire, eyes narrowed, set in its determination.

* * *

Greg's whole body protested the heat and he could feel the cool armour of the Scyther's next to him heat and become like an oven, and felt sorry for them. Because of his bad judgement, they were all going to die, as well as the eggs, cooked alive in the middle of a forest, and he didn't even have Cindyr here to comfort him. He sighed disconsolately and opened his eyes, staring at the towering inferno as his consciousness started to drop off.

A dark shape seemed to step through the flames as if they were nothing more than a spring breeze, the pokemon casually walking over towards the huddled group of three, who had been mortal enemies only a minute before. It looked down into the eyes of the human trainer, and made a soft, enquiring sound.

"You..." he murmured, staring up at it. "What do you want?"

The pokemon sat down next to him and stared into his mystified eyes as the three trainers who had accompanied him were sent scurrying northwards away from the building, spreading forest fire.

Cindyr stared into the flames and let out a long, mournful howl.

* * *

Nevyda and Bugsy ran for all they were worth, catching up to Bugsy a few hundred metres from the main trail leading to Ecruteak, the three of them now heading straight for the pokecentre, and for help, gasping for breath, legs burning with pain as they forced themselves to move faster.

Cindyr caught up with them just as they reached the pokecentre, and she burst into it first, leaping onto the counter and growling at Nurse Joy. "My trainer is trapped in a fire in the woods!" She snapped quickly as the three trainers, singed and bloody, came bursting in as well.

"Where?" Nurse Joy asked right away, picking up the phone.

"South!" Cindyr said hurriedly, as Nurse Joy rang the fire department, the three Blastoise there quickly heading for the fire.

"They can see the fire already from the station...they say that nothing could survive in there for more than a few minutes..." Nurse Joy informed them sadly. "They can't risk the Blastoise in a forest fire so far from town, the brigade was never meant to stop fires, only to contain them..."

Cindyr snarled at her. "I'll rescue him myself!" She roared, leaping from the counter and out the door, sprinting towards the southern forest before anyone could stop her.

* * *

Greg groaned softly as his eyes started to close, staring up at the pokemon and giving it his best menacing look. "So you're going to sit there and wait for me to die?" He asked glumly, trying to sit up, swaying from side-to-side with the effort.

"Some legend you are..." he murmured.

Suicune stared at him, and then lifted it's muzzle, staring around, at the rapidly closing fire, and the trainer lying in the combustible grass, and at all the Scyther eggs.

It stood up, and looked around, and then raced off into the woods.

Greg just nodded. "That's right, run away..."

* * *

Cindyr raced through the forest, using every speed technique she knew, extremespeed, agility, feint attack, quick attack, anything that could help, but deep down she knew it would be too late.

But she would be damned if she wasn't going to run into those flames and die with him, she wasn't going to cower in safety while her trainer, her love, died in a fire.

* * *

Greg was on the verge of blacking out, his senses leaving him, nerve endings tingling as his skin started to burn, when he felt the strangest sensation. It was like being doused in water, and carried on it, like a wave, and wondered if this was what dying was like.

The eggs under him rolled in the swell, and he chuckled like a schoolkid. "Dying in a fire and I feel like I'm at the beach..."

But the heat never came back, and he surrendered himself to the fantasy of water all around him, losing consciousness.

* * *

Cindyr raced through the forest to the burning area, and was bought up sharp, standing and staring at the cinders and ash that had gathered, and the black stumps of trees devoid of consumable material.

Was she too late?

She walked slowly through the desolate forest, and stared at the clearing. In the centre was a huge gathering of Scyther, gathering the eggs together and then flitting away quickly, as if they'd never been, leaving a washed-out figure lying to the side of the centre of the clearing.

Cindyr rushed over, rapidly licking at Greg's face, trying to wake him.

He laughed softly and tried to escape her tongue. "Stop that, it's tickling." He murmured, but she just whined and licked all the more rapidly.

"Now I know I'm in heaven...they even have Cindyr up here..." He murmured to himself as his eyes opened to blue sky and upside-down muzzle of his ninetails.

"You're alive!" She said with relief, licking his face and then kissing him long and hard, making him blink a few times, trying to make sense of what had happened.

"But the flames..." he murmured as the ninetails released his tongue.

She looked about. "I don't know...it looks like the fire brigade got here. They must be elsewhere stopping the fire."

"Suicune?" he asked, looking around, noting a flicker of movement in the forest nearby. He stood and started towards it, but then collapsed onto one knee, exhausted by his ordeal.

"She's there." Cindyr said firmly, looking where he was looking.

The legendary water pokemon stepped out of the trees and just stood there, looking at them, while Cindyr growled softly and bared her teeth.

"She saved me..." Greg murmured, patting her neck gently to calm her down.

Cindyr quietened, but still stared warily at the intruding pokemon.

"Why?" Greg asked, and the Suicune tilted its head at him as if to say 'why not?', and then turned and disappeared back into the forest.

"Bitch." Cindyr spat, licking her lovers face gently. "What about those two?" She asked, motioning towards the two Scyther.

Greg sighed and stood up, limping over to them and looking them over. "They're mortally wounded, they need medical attention or they're going to die.

Cindyr sighed and then shook her head. "You never get sick of playing nurse maid do you?" She asked as he tapped them both with Pokeballs.

"I guess it's my calling in life." He replied, as they both started back towards Ecruteak in silence, Cindyr leading the way.

* * *

The looks on the faces of the three trainers when Greg limped through the door were quite memorable, all three of them looking astounded, including Hitan, who had repaired him mask, hiding his identity once more.

Greg walked past them as if it were any other day and put the two pokeballs on the counter, sagging against it slightly. "Those pokemon need healing...and I think I do too..." he said, swaying slightly on the spot.

Nurse Joy came around the counter and gently supported him, and, with the help of Cindyr and Hitan, they managed to get him into a bed, where he fell asleep almost instantly.

::"What happened?" Hitan asked of Cindyr, staring at Greg's quite singed form.

"I really-" Nurse Joy began, thinking the question was asked of her, but Cindyr cut across her.

"I don't know. When I got there the fire was already out, and Suicune was nearby." She murmured, and Nurse Joy looked down at her and blinked a few times, stunned by the pokemon's ability to talk.

"Where did you learn to talk?" The nurse asked curiously, looking down at her.

"Long, long practise." Cindyr said simply, shrugging.

"Suicune?" Hitan asked, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. "Ben controls the legendaries...and yet they keep saving him?"

"It looks that way." Cindyr said with a shrug, and then leapt up onto Greg's bed, snuggling herself along his side and then worming under the blankets, her nose coming to rest under his chin. "I don't know about you lot, but I am going to sleep." She said with a yawn, closing her eyes.

Hitan and Nurse Joy left, leaving the two in peace.

* * *

Greg awoke feeling lousy, sore and tired, his skin still slightly smarting from his burns, though a few super potions had done wonders. He crept carefully out of bed, staring out the window into the darkness. It was deep night, probably early morning, and he shook his head slightly. He didn't feel the slightest bit tired. He crept over to the bed and took a blanket from under it, carrying it up the steps to the roof and laying it out, stretching out on it nearly naked, letting the cool night air caress his sore, burnt skin, sighing with pleasure as the soothing effect.

The door to the roof was nosed open a few seconds later and Cindyr stepped out, looking around a few seconds before stalking over and dropping heavily next to him, licking his neck gently. "Can't sleep?" She asked.

"Just thinking..."

"About what?"

"Ben, you know? I don't understand why his pokemon will kill other pokemon at the snap of his fingers but will still save both me and you, who are probably on his 'most wanted' list by now..." He said, frowning and staring at the stars, as if the answer was written there.

"It does no good to think about it...let's just focus on the next gym." She murmured, snuggling in closer to him and staring up at the stars as well, the pin-points of their reflected light sparkling in her eyes.

He wrapped an arm about her and pulled her soft-furred form closer, whispering in her ear, "I'd rather focus on you..." and then kissing her soundly, snuggling into the soft fur of her neck as she smiled.

"I love you..." he murmured to her, and she nuzzled the top of his head gently.

"I love you too." She whispered firmly.