"My answer is..." Tiffany stared at the kneeling Pikachu, whose eyes were glowing, awaiting an answer.

"If she says yes," V told III as they both watched the scene "I'll kill myself. I mean it. If that runt gets a mate before I do, my life's officially over."

"No, Leon... Not for now, at least," she answered. Leon looked down, slightly disappointed. "I'm not saying I won't say yes... Let's just get to know each other a little more, okay?"

"Oh... Okay" Leon sighed, getting up. "Guess it was a little rushed..."

"Well, looks like I'll stay alive!" V told III. "Lucky me, huh?"

"At first I thought she'd say yes," III answered, putting his glass back down, then chuckled. "But when you said you'd kill yourself, I knew it was too good to be true"

"Hey, you two," Fay approached them, this time she had no apron on, leaving the pure white of her dress clearly visible. "Listen," she told V, "I saw what you did outside. It took guts to stand between two of your friends like that and stop them from fighting, so... I'll give you a shot."

"Really? Well... Cool!"

"Anyways... My shift just ended, so... You two boys feel like having some fun tonight?"

"Do we ever!" V answered.

"Okay... Meet me in twenty minutes at the Stade Noir. And thank you so much, we've been looking for actors for this play for over a month! See you there!" She winked at V and hurried out the door. Both III and V were left staring wide-eyed at the door.

"Nice going," III told the Gallade, who still had a look of disbelief to his face. "You just took us down from first class fighters to unpaid actors."

Leon sat down next to Tiffany. He waited for a while before asking, "The date's still on, right?"

"Why wouldn't it be? It's not like I said, 'Let's never see each other again, get out of my life,' is it?"

"Well, okay," Leon answered. "Because I've got a plan to make this the perfect evening."

"You know, Leon?" Tiffany said as she placed her paw on the Pikachu's hand, "all it takes to make it so is you being here."

"So..." Phoebe said, getting up from the table she and Sasha were at. "I guess you two want to be alone, right? I'll just head back to the house... Sasha, are you coming?"

"Sure." The Glaceon answered and followed Phoebe out of the Tainted Grace, leaving Leon and Tiffany to enjoy each other's company.

"We'd better get moving, too," III said as he got up from his seat and headed for the door. "Day's almost over, so let's go take care of that job you got us into and head back home."

"Man, the day just flew by..." V answered, getting up and following III. "Can't believe we'd run into Zoey here... Hell, I can't believe we'd run into XV here either!"

"Can't believe you're still talking and we're not getting a move on!" III called back at V as he walked out. V followed shortly afterwards.


The place was almost empty now. The only Pokémon left were Leon, Tiffany, a Scyther and a Pinsir (who seemed to be caught in a heated conversation), and a Treecko that was chatting with a Cubone and Growlithe. The atmosphere had turned into an incredibly mellow one, even more than before, the only noise being the low chatter of the others.

"So, let's get this date going, then!" Leon said as he got up. "I heard they're putting on this great show tonight. So... Let's go!"

"Right behind you, Leon," Tiffany answered, getting up after him. She leaned closer to him and whispered, "And... Leon? Just between the two of us... My answer's yes... Just give it a moment, okay? Next time you ask me, I won't think twice about it." She smooched him and they both headed for the door. Leon held it open so she could get out, then followed her outside.


Meanwhile, out in the streets...

Nighttime in a town like Desina was usually very quiet. What Pokémon were not already at their homes were likely in the more crowded places looking for members for exploration parties. As a result, the streets were empty. Sasha and Phoebe were walking back to the house, with no sounds around except the occasional squawking of a Murkrow or the crackling of a dry leaf they stepped on.

"So..." Sasha broke the silence. "When are you heading back to Selenia? I guess you could tag along on this little trip if you want to..."

"Well, Richard's not responding, so I guess I'll head back home tomorrow..." Phoebe replied. "Real shame, though. He was my only hope..."

"Then don't give up," Sasha said in a strict tone. "If he lives somewhere around here you're bound to find him. You just have to put some effort into it."

"I guess so... I've been longing to ask him about Misha since we las-" Phoebe fell silent when she saw a bushy yellow tail vanish around an alley. She turned around to Sasha and spoke hastily, "You know what? Go ahead. I'll catch up with you in a moment." Not waiting for a reply, the Espeon headed into the alley.

Phoebe ventured into the darkness of the alley. It was quite a sinister place for anyone to go into at night, but she was determined to know if what she saw was true. As she walked further inside, she felt she was being followed.

'Just my nerves,' she thought as she kept walking. And that's when she felt it. She felt a swirl in the air. Someone had just attacked her, but it was too late for her to react. She was knocked and pinned down from behind. That's when she heard a familiar voice speak into her ear.

"Hello, pretty." She heard the low growl from the Mightyena Leon had scared off earlier that day. "Thought you had seen the last of me, did you?"

"What... What are you doing here?" Phoebe growled, feeling the weight of her attacker above her. "I thought you had been kicked out of here?"

"Kicked out? What are you talking about? There's no way we could get kicked out of here. I mean, I haven't checked on the others, bu- Wait a minute!" He pressed Phoebe harder against the ground, making her gasp. "You're just trying to distract me, aren't you? Well, it won't do you any good! Face it, sweet little cat..." he whispered into Phoebe's ear before softly nipping on it, "you'll be my bitch for the night... And no one's gonna save you. Ahh... Your fur's so soft... Feels almost like velvet."

Phoebe let out a frightened gasp when she heard this. She could feel the tip of the Mightyena's cock pressing against her pussy. She could feel how he rubbed against her. This was it. She was about to be raped by the same foe she thought she had gotten rid off. She had already given up to her fate when something unexplainable happened.

"GET OFF HER!"

The roar came, followed by a bright orange flash and a pained grunt from the Mightyena. Phoebe felt how the weight of the larger canine that had her pinned down was lifted from her. When she looked behind her to see what had just happened, she saw her attacker lying on the ground. His body was blackened and smoking, as if he had been trapped in a burning building.

As she looked around, trying to find someone to thank for saving her, she felt another swirl in the air, after which she felt a warm paw stroke her back all the way to the base of her tail. She couldn't help purring from the sensation. However, she quickly remembered where she was, and, not thinking twice about it, she left the alley and headed back into the more open parts of the street.

'What was that?' she kept asking herself in her thoughts as she walked down the street. 'I could swear I saw him. And then, that feeling... There's only two Pokémon in the whole world who know how much I like it when they stroke me like that...' After a while of walking, she reached Sasha, who was sitting in front of a wall, looking fixedly at it.

"Hey," Sasha greeted as she noticed her approaching. "I have two questions for you. First, what just happened back there? And, also, what is this?" She gestured at a notice that was placed on the wall. Unlike most others, this one did not request help for explorations or adventures. It requested help locating a missing individual. It was written in an incredibly formal way, and was adorned by a crescent moon seal that was only placed on Selenian royal orders. The missing individual on the picture was none other than Phoebe, or as the full name was written: "Phoebe Lunaria Bel."

"Wow..." Phoebe looked at the notice before answering. "First: I thought I saw someone, so I went to have a look, but... Well, I guess I just imagined it. And, second: I told you my mother's looking for me, and she's very, very influential. It's not a surprise to me that she has the Selenian guard searching around for me..."

"Really? She's influential enough to get them looking for you on a Royal order?"

"What can I say?" Phoebe answered. "She has a lot of strings to pull. Now, let's not press on this subject, please?"

"Fine," Sasha replied as they began to walk once again. Soon, they took a right and went into the alley where the house was. Upon reaching the house, they were greeted by the sight of a Leafeon standing in front of the door.

"Can I help you?" Sasha asked, making the Leafeon who was unaware of her presence jump startled.

"Um... Hi..." The Leafeon answered, nervously. "I'm... I'm looking for the Jolteon who lives here. Have you seen him?"

"Hey, Midori," Phoebe greeted the Leafeon, who jumped again.

"Um... Phoebe... Hi...um... Hi!" the Leafeon nervously greeted back. "Hey... Do you know if Cliffy's home? He said he was going exploring on his way to Blitzheim. We agreed... we agreed to meet at his house..."

"Sorry, Midori. He left earlier today," Phoebe answered.

"Oh... I see... Guess he didn't wait for me... How unusual. Well... thanks anyways, Phoebe. By the way... Your spot on the team's still open. If you ever feel like going on a little adventure... I guess I'd better get going if I want to catch up to him. See you later, Phoebe..." Midori turned around and left. As she was passing by the garden, she noticed a bed of dry flowers. "Ah, Cliffy... You never take care of your flowers..."

"Hey, who was that?" Sasha asked. "She seemed... I don't know, jumpy?"

"That was Midori," Phoebe answered. "Founding member and leader of team Threeon."

"Team what?"

"Team Threeon," Phoebe repeated her answer. "Remember I told you I went looking for that lost land once? Well, I didn't go alone. Midori and Heathcliff, or 'Cliffy' as she called him, were my companions in that adventure. The name? Team Threeon. Get it?"

"Oh, right. Three- Eon. She came up with the name, didn't she?"

"Yeah, she did. In fact, she came up with the whole idea. I just came aboard when she was looking for someone to help her. And, after I quit the whole thing, she and Heathcliff kept exploring together. She always liked him... Never told him, though. She was afraid he'd say no. Like you can imagine he would have"

"It would have been a very odd couple, seeing how he's... You know. And she's... Well, from the minute I saw her, I'm guessing... very nervous."

"Speaking of odd couples, what do you think Leon and Tiffany are doing?"

"I guess he'll start by taking her to the Stade Noir, to that show, 'Lightingheart's Tale'..." Sasha replied. "I hope she likes it. It would suck if the evening was ruined because of my idea..."

"Ah, Lightingheart's tale..." Phoebe let out a nostalgic sigh. "Your brother used to take me to that one. That scene when lighting strikes the stage... Fail-proof when he wanted me to snuggle up with him. "

"By the by..." Sasha casually asked, "you and my brother... Did you ever..."

"Just the one time," Phoebe answered before letting her finish. "Well... The one time, followed by a lot of others... It's uncomfortable to discuss this with his little sister, could we drop this?"

"Sorry... Guess I was just curious..."


"Leon, where are we going?" Tiffany asked as she followed Leon around. He was holding her paw in his hand as they walked through the empty streets. The calm atmosphere and cold night air gave them both a sinister yet somehow welcoming feel. They came to a stop in front of a large, black building that stood out from the rest. It was circular, with many entrances. Pinned next to each was a sign that read, 'Tonight only! Lightingheart's tale, free for all to watch! Only here, at the Stade Noir!'

"Here," Leon answered. "I heard this was a great thing to watch, so I thought I'd take you to see it. If you like it, well, awesome! And if you don't... It was Sasha's idea."

The place had a special feeling to it. It seemed to be entirely black. It was dimly lit, and seats were placed in ten rows of ten, with a long maroon carpet extending from the middle, forming an aisle that led all the way up to stage, which was covered by a large black curtain, preventing anything that was going on in the other side from being seen.

They walked in and took their seats, as close to the large stage they had in front of them as possible. Soon, what little light there was went off, as the show was getting ready to start. The Audience was huge. A large crowd had gathered to watch the show, which would begin in just a few moments.


Meanwhile, backstage...

Backstage was an incredibly crowded area. Although the actors required for 'Lightingheart's Tale' were relatively scarce, setting the scenery and lighting in their proper locations was quite complicated. Especially so when it has to be done in such short notice as it was this time. V and III were standing on the stage, right behind the black curtain, apart from the crowd that was moving back and forth, lugging around lights, boards, and props.

"Oh, man..." V muttered behind the curtain as he and III were getting ready to act. "I can't believe I'm actually gonna act in this. I don't even know what I'm supposed to say."

"Well, don't worry," III replied, putting on a black feathered hat and cloak that had been given to him a while ago in order to play his part, "because, luckily for us, I do know this whole thing from start to finish. We've got Telepathy, so there's nothing to be worried about."

"Hey, you two," Fay approached the pair. "One last thing. We kind of need to know your names, so we can present you at the end, with the rest of the cast."

"I'm Bernard," III answered. "No other names, just that."

"Okay. What about you?" Fay looked at V.

"Yeah, go ahead. Tell her what your name is," Bernard said, tauntingly.

"I'm... Well, my name's Nero," V replied. "No other names, either."

"Well, okay," Fay answered as she headed off. "Get ready. Show's about to start."

"Oh, man, oh, man..." Nero sighed. "Good thing Van Burke gave us the whole 'Give yourselves a name, don't be just a number' idea, huh?"

Bernard didn't answer. He just stared at Nero for a while before letting out a short laugh. "Heh... 'Nero'... Can't believe you actually picked that name."

"Oh, you're right... 'Bernie'," Nero answered. "Or, should I call you 'Blue love puppy'?"

Bernard's eyes shot open when he heard this. He looked down for a while before looking back at Nero. "XVI told you, did she?"

"Nah. VIII did. XVI told her," Nero replied, enjoying the look on his friend's face.

"And, you didn't tell anyone else, did you?"

"Well..." Nero looked up, trying to remember. "No. Well, unless you're counting XIX and IV. The latter doesn't really have to worry you, eh?"

"I can't believe her. Well, never mind... Here goes," Bernard said, hurrying to take his place as the curtain was starting to rise. "Get ready, Nero. Curtains rise!"


Back to Leon and Tiffany...

"Curtain's rising," Leon observed. "Must be about to start. Sure hope it's interesting. Wouldn't like to see our date ruined like this..."

"It's like I told you, Leon," Tiffany said as she leaned closer to him, "all it takes to make the evening perfect is you being here with me."

"Thanks, I'm glad you thi-"

"Hush!" Tiffany put her paw in his mouth. "It's starting!"

Suddenly, everything went quiet. The stage lights lit up, revealing the figure of Bernard on one side. The way in which the hat and cloak cast a shadow on him because of the light gave him a strangely imposing look. The Lucario seemed to be quite calm despite the large crowd he was standing in front of.

Leon snickered when he noticed who the Lucario was. Tiffany heard him.

"Hey, Leon," she whispered, hoping that no one else could hear Leon, "what's so funny?"

"Look at the Lucario carefully... Doesn't he look familiar?"

"Familiar? Well..." She looked at Bernard for a moment before realizing what Leon meant. "It's... It's Three!" She began giggling along Leon.

Bernard seemed to notice this. As he looked at the audience and saw them both, he let out a low growl and turned his attention back to what he was doing.

Another light went on, making Nero visible. Leon and Tiffany's laughing intensified upon seeing him. Nero turned around nervously. All he wanted was to do was get this over with.

"So, we meet again, Lightingheart!" Nero called out to Bernard, who stepped forward.

"So we do, for the last time!" Bernard answered.

"What is the purpose of your visit, my enemy?!" Nero stepped forward and extended one of his blades. "Have you come to surrender?"

"On the contrary!" Bernard replied, swinging his cloak back. "I am here to claim the paw of the beautiful lady Mia!"

"That, you shall not!" The voice came from nowhere the audience could see. "My daughter stays by my side! She shall never leave 'till the arrival of the one mate I deem worthy!"

Both Leon and Tiffany gasped in surprise when they saw the one who had just talked: with a flash, Miaram appeared on the stage. Instead of the white turban, he was wearing a dark blue one. The crowd seemed to have gone wild upon seeing him. The sound of applause filled the place as the Clefable walked and stopped behind Nero, giving Bernard an angered look.

"And that is why I'm here tonight," Bernard replied. "To ask for your blessing, and your daughter's paw."

"You might as well jump from the top floor of my palace, Lightingheart!" Miaram answered as another light went on, revealing a large 'palace' in the background. "I do not wish to see you again! Renatto, kill this fool!"

"At once, my liege!" Nero answered. He leapt at Bernard, who jumped back just in time to avoid the slash. The crowd gasped in amazement when Bernard leapt at Nero and tried to punch him, his attack being sidestepped by the Gallade.

"Whoa..." Tiffany whispered at Leon again. "Who do you think is gonna win?"

"I'm guessing III..." Leon answered. "It looks like he's the good guy on this."

Nero tried to punch Bernard back, but was unable to, as Bernard grabbed him by the wrist and slammed him against the floor, his cloak swinging due to the harsh movements. Nero got up quickly and tried to slash Bernard again, who summoned the staff he used for Bone Rush and used it to block the slash. They stayed pressed, one against the other for a long time before finally breaking apart, each one leaping to one of the stage's ends. After this, Bernard leapt aggressively and crashed his staff against Nero's blade. They kept walking around the stage, exchanging blows with one another for a long time before Bernard leapt back and threw the staff at Nero, who barely managed to block the attack. However, while he distracted himself blocking the attack, he left an opening, which Bernard took full advantage of, running at an amazing speed and slamming one of his palms into the Gallade's chest, followed by the other one, finishing with an uppercut that sent Nero flying back. Nero simply got up from this, wiped some dust off himself, then ran at Bernard and went for a similar move, making a quick elbow swing at Bernard with his blade extended. While the Lucario blocked this, Nero punched him straight in the face with his other arm, making him stagger and take a few steps back. Bernard summoned his Bone Rush staff and, once again, crashed it against Nero's blade. The crowd was on the edge of their seats, waiting to see who the victor of this fight would be. Tiffany herself seemed anxious to find out the outcome of the battle.

"Surrender, Lightingheart!" Nero said as they crashed once again. "No matter how brave your heart, how determined your spirit, or large your..." he chuckled, "bone!" The audience burst into laughter when he said this. "You have no hope of victory! Lady Mia shall stay by her father's side, and you shall not see the sunrise!"

"Keep believing that!" Bernard answered as he leapt and landed behind Nero, knocking him down with a quick sweep to his feet. "Who is hopeless now?" He held the staff to Nero's face. "Now, come out, coward! He who denies her daughter the hope of finding true love does not deserve to live!"

Lighting struck the stage with a blinding flash and a loud roar. The sudden roar made Tiffany jump startled and cuddle up with Leon. "What was that?!"

"Relax," Leon answered, placing his arm around her. "It's just a stage effect. Nothing to be afraid of." He liked how it felt when she cuddled up so close to him. 'So,' he thought, 'This must be why Sasha suggested this... The way she just cuddled with me because the lighting scared her... It made me feel strong...'

Time passed as Leon and Tiffany watched the show go on. The crowd kept cheering and applauding at the way in which Bernard and Miaram made perfect representations of the characters they were supposed to be. After a while, they were at the final scene.

"Surrender now, Lightingheart !" Miaram told Bernard, who was hanging from a ledge with just one of his hands, the other one holding his hat. "Surrender and I'll help you up! Walk away and never come back! That is all it takes for you to live!" An unnerved silence filled the air as the crowd fell silent, waiting to see what would happen.

"Never!" Bernard barked passionately, his tone showed anger and desperation, yet somehow managed to express confidence. "If I cannot live with Lady Mia, then I'd rather cease to be!"

"Leon... Are you sure Lightingheart survives?" Tiffany asked nervously. She was so close to Leon he could feel her heart beat in anxiety.

"I'm sure he will. I mean, like I told you, he's the good guy... Right?" Leon answered, trying to comfort her. Even though he himself wasn't so sure anymore.

"That could be arranged!" Miaram said, laughing cruelly as he raised his hand and a glow began to form on it. "Farewell, Lightingheart!"

"Oh... I don't want to see..." Tiffany leaned on Leon's shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Stop, heartless tyrant!" Nero tackled Miaram, knocking him away.

"Renatto!" Miaram rumbled as he was hit by the Gallade. "Disgusting traitor! Why do you betray me, your master?! Is it, perhaps, that you forget who took you in and cared for you?"

"Lady Riana has opened my eyes!" He looked at Fay, who was helping Bernard up. "Your daughter deserves a chance to pick a mate she truly loves!"

"So... You, too, bit the feeding hand, Riana..."

"Your daughter deserves to know true love, Master," Fay answered, pulling Bernard back up. "I have conversed with her. She loves Lightingheart, much like I'm sure Lightingheart loves her."

"That, I do," Bernard said, glaring at the Clefable. "From the moment I saw her, your daughter has been the owner of my heart. I only wish you'd understand and give us your blessing instead of forcing me to fight this weak servant of yours."

"Hey!" Nero gave Bernard an angered look before telling him by Telepathy. *I know I didn't learn the whole thing, but that last thing wasn't in the script!*

"So everyone believes I should give them my blessing?" Miaram asked. Both the actors and the crowd answered with a loud 'Yes'.

"'Tis the fairer thing to do, my liege," Nero said as he helped Miaram up.

"Fine, then. You have my blessing. May you bring my daughter the happiness she so desires."

Zoey ran into the stage and pulled Bernard into a passionate kiss.

"What?!" Tiffany said, surprised at the sight of Bernard and the Floatzel locking lips. "My aunt?! My aunt's kissing Three?!"

"Well, there's something unexpected..." Leon said as he saw the two on the stage hold each other close, all lights focused on them. The kiss was met with yet another round of applause from the crowd.

The curtain dropped, covering the scene. The lights went off for a while before the curtain rose again, showing everyone who had acted in formation.

"And now... For our cast!" the voice echoed across the stage.

"As Lightingheart..." Bernard took a bow, "Bernard! You might know him better by the title of 'Steel Fist'!"

"Bernard?!" Leon laughed under his breath. "His name is Bernard?!"

"As Renatto..." Nero stepped forward and bowed, "Nero! Yet another celebrity! If he looked familiar, you might recognize him as 'The White Blade'!" The crowd erupted in applause when the two were mentioned.

"And... Nero?!" Leon couldn't believe he was hearing his former colleagues being called like this.

"As Lady Riana..." Fay made a graceful bow, "We know her... She gives us the drinks we so enjoy at The Tainted Grace! Our lovely lady... Fay!" The voice was followed by another round of applause.

"As Lady Mia..." Zoey stepped forward. Instead of taking a bow, she spread her arms wide and gestured at the crowd, which burst into cheers. "That's right... Our cast for the night is full of famous Pokémon! It's none other than Zoey! The Fatal Lily!"

"And last, but, by no means least... I think there's no introduction needed for the one... The only... Miaram the magnificent! Who has honored us with a fantastic performance!" Miaram took a step forward and made a bow. He then jumped, spinning, and, right before hitting the ground, vanished in a flash. "And, once again, he shows off his skill with a fantastic disappearance! And that is all, Ladies, Gentlemen, Queens, Toms, Vixens, and audience in general! Thank you for coming! Good Night!"


"Well, that was fun," Tiffany told Leon as they headed outside. "I liked it. It was weird, however, seeing my aunt kiss Three... But I suppose that's acting."

"I really enjoyed it," Leon answered. "By the way... You were cute, cuddling up to me like that."

"I can't help it, Leon!" She giggled, blushing a little. "You've always reminded me of a plush toy!"

"Yeah, I remember..." Leon replied, remembering how she cuddled with him at night.

As they kept walking, they came across Bernard - who was still wearing the hat - , Nero, and Zoey, who seemed to be caught in a somewhat pleasant conversation by the exit.

"And you haven't forgotten how to kiss, Bernard," Zoey said. "In fact... I think I sensed a little spark back there!"

"That was years ago, Zoey," Bernard answered. "I've got someone else."

"So, how did you get caught in this?" the Floatzel asked. "It was weird, coming up to the stage and seeing you there."

"Nero here got invited by Fay," Bernard answered, "and I got dragged along."

"Ah, yes..." Nero answered. "Which reminds me... Where is she?"

"Hi, aunt Zoey!" Tiffany greeted the Floatzel, jumping at her and hugging her.

"Hey, Tiff," Zoey distanced herself from the Buneary before continuing. "Now that we're in a calmer situation... Why don't you introduce me to your friend?"

"Oh, right!" Tiffany grabbed Leon and pulled him in front of Zoey. "Aunt Zoey... This is my friend..." she gestured for Zoey to lean closer so she could whisper into her ear, "...and future mate... Leon."

"Nice to meet you, kid," Zoey greeted.

"Likewise, miss Zoey," Leon answered.

"Ah, please... 'Miss' Zoey..." Zoey laughed. "I appreciate the manners, squirt, but you can just call me Zoey... "

"Okay... Zoey," Leon said before nervously asking, "there's something I wanted to ask you. Since you're Tiffany's aunt... and her mother's... well, she's not here... I wanted to ask for your blessing."

"You have it," Zoey answered. "But, just one thing... This sweet little girl's alone in the world, thanks to some asses out in Lizean." She looked at Bernard and Nero when she said this. "By becoming her mate, you are making yourself responsible for whatever might happen to her. If you, by any chance, for whatever reason, let something bad happen to her..." she made a cutthroat gesture with her cream- colored fin. "Do you understand?"

"I do," Leon answered, "and I won't let anything befall her. I promise. By the way, III, great acting! Or... Should I call you Bernard?" He laughed as he looked at Bernard.

"Don't push it," Bernard growled. "Just 'cause I let you go doesn't mean I won't beat you up."

"Mister Three..." Tiffany approached the Lucario.

"Hmm? What do you want?" Bernard stared down at the Buneary, feeling strange that she was actually talking to him.

"Can I have your hat?" she asked him.

"My hat? Sure, take it." Bernard took the hat off and handed it to Tiffany. "I don't get why you'd want it, but here you go."

"Thanks! Here, Leon!" Tiffany put the hat on Leon. It was a good fit for him, not minding the fact it flattened his ears to the side. "See? Now you look like a real hero!"

Bernard and Nero laughed at the sight. Zoey looked like she was about to, but she managed to restrain herself.

"I do, huh?" Leon asked, looking up, trying to see the object that had just been placed on his head. "I mean, I do!" He tried to imitate Bernard when he said this. "And moving on, we've got a date to enjoy!"

"Okay! See ya, Aunt Zoey! See you, misters Three and Five!"

"It feels weird to be called 'Mister'..." Nero said, lowly, before he, Bernard and Zoey kept chatting.


Leon and Tiffany kept walking down the streets. It was almost midnight now. This time, everything really was empty. Not a single soul in sight. It was just the two of them down that road.

"So," Leon asked, "I'm Lightingheart?"

"Maybe you are," Tiffany answered. "Maybe I can be your Mia?"

"Maybe... Wait till we get there, and we'll find out."

"Where?"

"A great place," Leon simply replied.

After a while, they reached a slope. They began walking up it until they reached the top. Soon, they found themselves standing at the top of a hill. It went up so high that they could see the entire town. The stars up in the sky were shining brightly, lighting it up with their glow.

"Wow..." Tiffany was left almost speechless at the sight. "This place is beautiful!"

"Not as much as you are," Leon answered. "And now... Let's see if you're my Mia." He took her in his arms and kissed her again, this time leaning her forward a little, letting the world melt around them. Once they were done, he looked at her and asked, "Well? Are you?"

"Oh, yes..." she answered, blushing a bit. "And you're my strong, heroic Lightingheart!"

They lied down on the grass at the very top of the hill and looked up at the stars. That was one thing that had always marveled Leon. How could they stay up so high and glow so brightly every night? How could they be so strangely magical? He had asked X about it once. His answer was, "Because the laws of Physics command so! There is no such thing as 'Magic' involved! Shake that idea off your childish mind!"

"So, Leon..." Tiffany asked, "what's your dream?"

"My dream?"

"Yeah. Your dream. You know, something you aspire to. You told me it was to become a hero, but, before that... what was your dream?"

"Funnily enough," Leon answered. "My dream was to evolve and grow to be amazing and strong... like III, I mean, Bernard was. Guess that was a pretty shallow dream... What about yours?"

"I don't know... I guess it was to go on an adventure. I didn't think it would be possible... And then, one day, I met one brave little Pichu who saved me from some bad guys. And my dream came true"

"Well," Leon replied, "thanks. You're a dream come true yourself."

"Be more original, Leon," Tiffany said. "Anyone could have thought that answer up."

"I'm sorry. I meant to say, 'I thought I had descended into a nightmare after my friend died. And I thought so for two days straight. Till I arrived at Riale and bumped into a pretty darn cute girl who was being harassed by some thugs. That's when I realized: That was no nightmare... It was the start of one beautiful dream... One that I hope I ever wake up from."

"Awww... See?" She nuzzled Leon and cuddled up with him again. "Was it so hard to come up with that?"

They stayed up there for what felt like hours, just close to each other, admiring the stars. Leon was sure: things might have not gone the exact way he wanted them to, but he was still convinced this had been the perfect evening. Once again, he felt it. For a moment, there were no Midnight Voices, no problems, no worries. The problems of a hard world didn't exist for them. 'Ah... If only we could stay like this forever! And, someday, we will. Once I've finished up the Midnight Voices, we're going to stay like this forever. And that's a promise...' After a while, Tiffany yawned.

"I guess It's pretty late, huh?" she asked. Her eyes were half-closed now. "Should we head back now?"

"Sure... let's go."

They walked downhill and back into the house. Phoebe and Selene were already asleep. Or at least in their room, seeing how they weren't on the first floor. As Leon and Tiffany were walking into the house, he picked her up and carried her all the way to their room. Once they were at the door, he put her down and opened it for her.

"After you, young miss," he said in a British accent.

"Is that supposed to be Jacques?" Tiffany laughed as she walked into the room, followed by Leon.


"So... Leon?" Tiffany asked as she lifted the small round bed and placed it on the floor. "I had a good time. It was fun!"

"Yeah," Leon answered. "This date was... pleasant, I guess."

"And..." she sat on the bed and gestured for him to come sit next to her, "I'm sure Leon. Just between us, my answer's yes."

Leon was left speechless when he heard her confirm her answer. 'Aww... damn!' he thought. 'Nice job, Leon. You thought up the question, you planned out the evening... did you ever stop to think what to say if she said yes? You didn't? Well, that was some mistake, dumbass. Say something! Do you want her to think you don't care? Say ANYTHING!' He kept thinking what to say. After what felt like hours (he would have been sure they were hours if it wasn't for the fact the sun hadn't risen), he finally spoke, "Well... That's pretty neat!" His answer was met with an amused look from Tiffany. 'Yeah... you shouldn't have said anything at all... seriously,' he thought as he saw his mate-to-be's reaction.

"'Pretty neat', Leon?" She smiled, amused at how clearly nervous he was. "Me saying 'yes' is 'pretty neat'?"

"Yeah... I couldn't think anything up," Leon smiled nervously, placing his hand behind his head, accidentally tipping the hat forward, making it fall over his face. Tiffany laughed at the sight of Leon, who seemed to keep messing up his attempts to sound serious about things.

"Leon..." she said as the Pikachu took the hat off and flung it at his bag, "it's okay. You don't have to sound serious about this. I know you are."

"I am" Leon replied "This feeling I get whenever I'm close to you... When we're together... When I kiss you... I know you are the one for me. And I don't wish to feel that with anyone else but you."

"See?" Tiffany answered. "Now you sounded serious!"

"I did?!" Leon said, surprised, hearing his own words play in his head.

"You did. Wow, It's weird..." the bunny said in a thoughtful tone. "A little more than a week ago, I had no one. And now, I have a mate!"

"Life brings all sorts of weirdness our way, I guess..." Leon answered.

"Life?! I wouldn't say it's life, Leon," she giggled. "I think it's hanging around with you that makes the weird things happen!" They both laughed at the comment.

"Wow... Mates get to have fun like this all the time?" Leon asked, catching his breath.

"Yeah..." She answered, catching her breath as well. "And that's not all... Leon? I think I'm getting an idea..."

"Really? What?"

"Well... There's something else mates do..." she spoke with a naughty smile. "Something more... Intimate."

"Intimate?"

"Close, physical contact..." She leaned closer on him.

"Really?"

"I can't believe you don't get where I'm going with this." She gave him the same stern look she had given him earlier that day.

"I get it," Leon answered. "It's just... Don't you think we're going a little too fast? I mean, you did make a good point earlier that we-"

She placed a paw on his mouth to silence him, and, with the other one, grabbed his hand and slowly dragged it down to her intimates. She guided his hand all the way to her pussy and slowly started rubbing it.

She shuddered at the sensation as she kept Leon's hand moving up and down her lips. After a while, once she was sure he understood what to do, she let go of his hand and allowed him to keep it up on his own.

Leon kept running his hand along her pussy, just as she had instructed him to. After a bit, he moved it a bit upwards and softly rubbed her clit, making her quiver. He liked how that sounded. He kept massaging the little mound until, feeling a little bolder, he slid a digit into her. Not expecting this, she let out a soft moan.

As he kept caressing his lover's slit, Leon felt Tiffany's paw slowly run down his body, stopping between his legs and coaxing his tip out of its sheath. It didn't take long for him to realize she had been successful. She was now stroking his member with her paw. The feeling of the soft paw pads moving along his cock made him lean his head back and close his eyes, and spurred him to continue pleasing her.

Suddenly, she let go of his cock. Leon was starting to wonder why she had stopped when he saw her lower her head, slowly descending towards it, letting him hang in anticipation before taking him in her mouth.

If her paws felt like heaven, there were no words to describe this. This must have been what paradise felt like. She slowly bobbed her head up and down, moving her tongue along the surface of his rod. Leon groaned from the sensation. So warm, and so soft... He let out another groan as he felt some of his pre bubble out, which she lapped up, making him shudder. Suddenly, she stopped again. This time, she placed her mouth around the tip and began to gently suckle on it. She kept suckling on, slowly descending, taking more and more of his length into her mouth, then moving back up. Leon trembled from the feeling. He threw his head back and bucked his hips, feeling his pleasure peak.

"Hey... Ti... Tiffany..." he grunted as he felt his climax getting closer. "Something's... I'm gonna..." He didn't have time to finish as he hit his orgasm, letting out a loud grunt as he shot out a load of Chu seed into her mouth. This took her by surprise, as she let go and backed away.

"Leon!" she coughed, spitting out his cum, then looked angrily at him. "What's the matter with you?!"

"Ugh... Sorry," Leon said in a whisper, still panting from the treatment he had just received.

"Don't just say 'Sorry'!" she replied commandingly as she wiped some more seed off her mouth with the back of her paw. "Make up for it!" She lied down on the bed and spread her legs, gesturing for him to come closer. "It's my turn to feel good..."

Leon leaned closer to her, staring at his love's pussy, thinking what to do. Finally, he leaned forward, stopping right in front of her. Like she had told him to before, he began by gently caressing her lips, enjoying the she shivered when he touched her. He ran his hand up and down her folds, massaging her for a while before heading for her clit once again, bringing out another low moan from her.

Knowing from that delightful noise he was doing good, he slid a digit into her again, leaning closer and taking a lick at her clit while he did so. He moved his finger in and out of her as he touched the little button with his tongue, her moaning becoming louder and louder. He slid a second finger into her, this time moving in and out of her as he spread his fingers inside of her, feeling her softness. Thinking up something else to do, he slid his fingers out of her.

He gave her that same moment of anticipation before sticking his tongue into her, lapping up her juices as his tongue caressed her insides. Her breathing was starting to speed up. She was trembling at the sensation of Leon's tongue inside of her. She placed a paw on his head and pushed him against her, holding him as close to her pussy as she could as her own climax approached. Leon kept moving his tongue around inside her, hell-bent on making her feel as good as he had just felt. Finally, she reached her limit. Her entire body shook. She let out a loud moan, experiencing her first ever orgasm as her walls tightened, gripping his tongue as she coated it with her juices. Leon lapped them up, enjoying the strange, yet somewhat good taste they had. Once he was done, he moved away from her pussy and lied down next to her.

"Heh...You taste good," Leon smiled, staring dreamily into Tiffany's eyes, which were still half- closed from what she had just experienced. "This was nice... I get the feelin-"

"Oh, we're not done yet," she interrupted, still panting. "Now, come here! I want you to take me... Now."

Leon did as she commanded, spreading her legs and positioning himself between them, his member already hard, still coated with his own cum. He pressed his tip against her entrance, bringing out a low "eep" from her. He prodded her for a few moments, pressing a little against her, then moving away. He kept that up, enjoying the soft whimpers she made whenever he was about to go into her. Finally, he decided to go on, pushing his member into her, both their juices making it easier for him to slide into her. He gave out a blissful groan at the feeling of her folds spreading as he kept going in, enveloping him. He came to a stop when he felt something in his way. That was the barrier that separated her from the non-virgins.

"Shall I go on?" he asked, waiting for her approval before going any further.

"I heard this would sting a bit. Just... Make it quick," she answered.

Like she told him, he pushed through with one quick motion, making her wince in pain as he ended her virginity.

"I'm sorry!" Leon said, panicked, as he pulled out of her.

"It's okay... I want this... Just go on..."

Leon slid into her once again, this time, he was able to hilt himself into her. He gave her a moment, letting her walls adjust to him before beginning to move in and out of her in a slow and gentle motion. She let out a low noise, somewhere between a whimper and a moan. He kept going, slowly picking up the pace, yet trying not to overdo it. He kept thrusting in and out of her, enjoying the noises she made every time he hilted into her. Feeling that she was ready for more, he started to move much faster. As he kept slamming into her, he accidentally let out a slight vibration of electricity. The vibration made her moan loudly in surprise and pleasure. Noticing she enjoyed this, Leon did it again, getting the same sweet sound from before. Every time he penetrated her, he kept sending out the vibrations, making her shudder with every motion of his cock. Finally, with one last thrust, Leon reached his climax once again, giving another grunt as he shot his seed into his lover's womb, followed by another vibration. This was enough for Tiffany to reach her own orgasm. She let out her loudest moan of the night as her walls tightened around Leon's member, gripping it tight, her body jerking as she covered Leon's crotch with her juices.

Leon jerked and shook, taking a deep breath before collapsing next to her, panting heavily.

"So..." Tiffany asked, still jerking a little as she cuddled with him. "Now that we're mates... Is it okay if I call you 'hun'?"

"Don't ever do that..." Leon answered, stroking her ear. "I like my name...hun."

"Very funny, Leon..." Tiffany muttered as she closed her eyes "Very funny..."

"Well..." Leon said, drifting off, "I always thought myself to be..."


Back at the Midnight World...

"Agh..." Bernard sighed as he and Nero walked down the dimly lit corridors. "What a day we had. And here I was, hoping it'd be something quieter. First Zoey, then XV... And then, you drag me along to go act on some play."

"Well... What can I say?" Nero answered. "In all honesty, this wasn't a bad day."

"It wasn't the best, either..." Bernard growled.

"Finally back from your mission, I see," the voice came from behind them. Neither of them turned around.

"What do you want, II?" Bernard asked in an angered tone. A whole life living with II had taught him that when he approached from behind, something wasn't right.

"I want to know," the Mismagius spoke. "Were you planning to report your encounter with XV, and the fact you let him go? Or are you planning to do as IX did and throw the day away for your own purposes?"

"How can you know we did that?" Nero asked. "Were you spying on us?"

"As head of information and personnel, it is my duty to be aware of everything our staff does. Just like I know that IX forfeited his mission upon arrival on the forest and went to confront the Mightyena, after which he gave his... 'contribution' towards bringing the Absol back to the world, so, too, do I know you encountered and battled XV, but stopped upon being confronted by some old acquaintances."

"Damn spy," Bernard growled. "Is there anything that you don't meddle in?"

"Unfortunately... There isn't."

Their conversation was interrupted by a Beldum that arrived flying in a rush, stopping in front of Bernard and bumping against him to get his attention.

"What is it?" Bernard asked, looking at the blue machine, which simply flew away.

"I think it wants us to follow it," Nero answered.

They were about to follow after the Beldum when the sudden scream of "HEEEEEEEEEEEELP!" came from below them.

"The Lab!" Bernard grunted as he darted off. "Nero, hurry!"

"Right!" Nero replied as they ran off, towards the lab.

===Voices of The Past

The young Pichu looked around, confused, his vision still blurry. He was trying to realize where he was when a large door swung open in front of him.

"And here he comes. Our newest asset..." he heard the figure that was farther from him speak.

"Move," he heard a commanding voice behind him say as he was pushed forward into the dimly lit hall.

"Ah... So, this is the one. (Might be useful. I'll have to wait and see.)"

"I do sense some potential in him. Under proper training, he'll grow to be quite strong..."

"What are you talking about?! He's so tiny!"

"It's not the size, IV, it's how you use it. Yeah, you wouldn't get what I'm talking about..."

"Aw, he's just adorable!"

"Madre Mia! So, this is him?"

"I don't get why you say he's adorable, VI. To me, he seems to be just a yellow lump with arms and legs."

"Hmph... Looks weak."

"You seldom talk, and when you do, look at the nonsense that comes out! This child is our greatest achievement since XVIII! The fact we were able to successfully administer the E.L.G.A. into a living specimen, let alone a child, only marks how far we have gotten! Even if his creation took two years!"

"Don't get a word you're saying, geek... Still, I hope this runt grows to have some muscles!"

"Ah, he gets no respect from me... Until he evolves, at least."

"Hehehe... This actually makes me laugh! Thanks y'all! You've made my day!"

"He's afraid of us... I can smell it from here..."

"So, this is my would-be older brother? He's sort of cute, I guess... Nope, can't let my maternal side get the best of me!"

"Whoa, you have a maternal side?! Seriously?! So, you're not always the grumpy-OW! III, tell your girlfriend to calm down!"

"A new little buddy to look after. Maybe this one can ride around on my shoulder like she used to..."

"So... Electric-type, right? Might consider becoming a Jolteon... No, what am I saying! Water! Water, all the way! Just let me get a water stone and I'll show you all who's useless! Well, it doesn't matter. 'Cuz now, I've got the new kid to boss around!"

"Don't let appearances fool you," the figure that was farther from him spoke once again. "I assure you, this little one has a talent that places him above us all. All you need to do is watch, and you'll grow to see how powerful he can truly be..."