Gone. How, or when he escaped she didn't know. What she did know, was that the two she'd sent to capture him would have had a lot of explaining to do... if she hadn't already burned them to ashes first. 

And life screws me once again! LOVELY! 

Angry didn't begin to describe how she was feeling. No... she was more like a seething cauldron of anger at this point. Not only had she wasted a grunt trying to convince Darkrai to join her, but she killed off two more, expending a total of three resources that she could have used. It was times like these where she detested her own hot-headedness and longed for a more sound mind. But no. Life just had to screw with her. 

"I still don't understand it," Persephone muttered aloud, her eyes scanning each part of the cell for any clue that could lead her to the answer. "He was put to sleep for an indefinate period of time, and Gengar was there to make sure he didn't wake up or get away... so why is he gone!?" she shouted in rage, her fists trembling in anger as she turned and stalked out of the cell. 

Storming down the hall, she made her way back to the room she'd left her cohorts and reached down for her Houndoom, releasing her into the open to gather the attention of her underlings. 

"Listen up you ingrates! the prisoner's escaped. As you can plainly see, this does not make me very happy. So unless you want your faces burned off, I suggest that I get some volunteers to go find him and drag him back now, because if you don't..." she paused, snapping her fingers as a command to Houndoom who loosed a stream of fire that struck the ground in front of the grunts.

The toxicity of the flames began corroding the stone beneath, striking fear into the hearts of Persephone's followers. Without hesitation, she had multiple volunteers at her beck and call. 

 He didn't know how long he'd been running, but what he did know was that he had absolutely no idea where he was going. All he knew was that Mew was leading at that he had at least some hope of getting out of this Arceus forsaken forest before being burned alive by a psychopath with a beast from hell. It wasn't long until he reached what appeared to be a clearing up ahead. Bursting through to the other side, he panted in exhaustion, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. It wasn't until he'd opened his eyes and looked down at himself that he realized that the transformation had worn off. He was himself again! 

Looking up, Zander found that there was an object floating in front of his face. Zander grabbed the levitating flute and examined it, only to find a note attached. 

If you're reading this note, that must mean that you've escaped from the lair of the Children
Of Darkrai. Excellent! that brings me great relief. I'm sure you're wondering exactly what this is. It's the Quartz Flute. Whenever you need to, you may summon Mew with it and it will be there to help you in your time of need. I'm sure you must have a million questions by now and are probably wondering who it is that's helping you. Right now, I can't tell you that, but I can promise you that we'll meet soon. Most of your memories may be gone by now, but don't let that set you back. 

Good luck

- Your benefactor

"So I can just call on you whenever huh?" Zander asked aloud, earning an affirmative "mew" from the feline. 

"I'm not exactly sure how to thank you, but saying it's a start, right?" Zander sighed, earning a smile from the psychic cat. 

As he was about to speak, Mew suddenly vanished. Hearing the sound of quickly approaching footsteps, Zander whirled around to see a young man around his age with dirty blond hair and light green eyes staring at him with an awestruck expression on his face. 

"Umm..."

"That was Mew..."

"I'm sorry?"

"M-Mew... that was Mew wasn't it!?" he repeated, closing the distance between him and Zander quickly. 

"Yeah? what about it?"

"Oh come on! it was right here a minute ago, and all you can say is 'what about it?'" the youth asked in bewilderment. 

"Uh..."

"Never-mind that. What's that in your hand?" the blond demanded.

"It's... a flute. I play it whenever I have time," Zander lied. 

"I see..." he paused, stroking his chin in thought as he pondered what he'd just seen. "Come to think of it... did you just come out of the forest?" he asked, glancing down at Zander's belt with a raised brow, "and without any Pokémon I see..."

"Maybe I felt like taking a walk?" Zander replied, earning a laugh from the blond. 

"You're one strange guy. What's your name?" 

"It's..." he paused, his mind rather fuzzy from what had transpired prior to this conversation. "It's Zander..."

"Zander huh? that's cool! I'm Damian. You might say I'm sort-of an aspiring Pokémon Trainer. I mean... I don't have one of my own yet, but with the Augur visiting today, maybe I'll get my chance!" Damian exclaimed.

"Augur?" 

"You can't be serious... you... do know who the Augur is right?" Damian asked hesitantly. 

"Erm... well I..."

"Have you been living under a rock or something? he's only the greatest, most powerful man in the world, and my hero! everyone in town has been preparing for his arrival, and I was on my way back to get a gift for him, and you should do the same!" Damian said adamantly. 

Do I look like I carry any money on me? Zander thought with a grimace. I guess this might work out. If this Augur is as important as they say, maybe I can get some answers on why I was captured...

"Sure, I guess..."

"Great! come with me, I'll introduce you to everyone. It's not everyday that we get to meet someone as strong as he is. You're lucky to be here for a time like this!" Damian said excitedly, urging Zander to follow with a wave of his hand. 

Zander gave an exasperated sigh and reluctantly followed Damian, all the while thinking about everything he'd experienced within the past hour. None of it made a lick of sense and he was determined to get to the bottom of it. It didn't take the duo long to reach Telnor Town. It was a small, settlement in east Torren with a small population. Damian lead them to the Town Hall where several people were gathered in anticipation of the grand occasion that was the arrival of the Second Augur. Upon entering, Damian began looking around for his parents. Once he'd found them, he beckoned Zander to follow. 

"Damian, I trust you finished your task for the day?" a middle-aged man with a bowl cut said, earning a nod in reply from Damian.

"The road's all clear dad. Everything looks great. The Augur will be pleased with it!" Damian said proudly. 

"That's great! So... who's your friend?" asked the woman whom Zander presumed to be Damian's mother. 

"Huh? oh! his name's Zander. He just got into town today, and right on time for the Augur to arrive. Neat huh?" Damian said with a grin. 

"Neat indeed. Has he come to see the Augur as well?" asked Damian's father who glanced over at the brunette with curiosity. 

"Err... well... I wasn't exactly—"

"Of course he is! he just uh... needs to get a gift is all! he kinda forgot in his hurry to get here," Damian said hastily, earning a confused expression from Zander. 

"Ah, I see. Well, he'd best hurry then. Most of us already have our gifts to give. It would be very uncouth for someone to not bring the Augur a gift. Perhaps there might be a solution to this dilemma," said Damian's father, earning a hesitant look from his wife. 

"If you're suggesting what I think you're suggesting then—"

"Denise... the boy's eighteen years old now. He's not a child anymore and is plenty old enough to—"

"Follow in the footsteps of the other trainers who've gotten themselves killed by those damned cultists!? No. Not a chance in hell!"

"Since when did you care anyway? you're not even my real mother..."

"Excuse you!? Damian, I raised you since you were born! I know you. You're irresponsible, reclusive and incapable of—"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Damian's father boomed, causing a few of the gathered townsfolk to turn their heads toward the disturbance. "You're embarrassing us... both of you. Damian is a grown-ass young man who can start making his own decisions. I am his father, and have just as much of a say in this as you. And while your concerns are valid, we ought to be thinking about how we can help him instead of belittling him before a guest. That being said... Zander was it? if it's not too much to ask, I'd appreciate it if you'd accompany our son to the lab and get a Pokemon with him. There's a place where you can find a significantly rare item that would please the Augur and bring good fortune to us, however if you venture in there without a Pokemon it could be very dangerous. You will need to visit Professor Sylvan in her lab... "

"You're really OK with this Dad?" Damian asked, earning an affirmative nod from his father.

"I believe it's time you got to do what you've always wanted. And since you will have someone to accompany you, I don't see why you can't become a trainer now, right Denise?"

Denise let out a defeated sigh before tossing her hands up in defeat.

"Alright. If you think he's responsible enough, fine. I guess if he's with someone else, I can rest easier. I still don't think he's ready..."

"So this means—"

"That's right son. You're officially given permission to get a Pokémon. So why don't you head down to the lab and see what Professor Sylvan has to offer?" his father said proudly.

"Thanks Dad, mom... I won't let you down! I'll become an awesome trainer, you'll see!" Damian said confidently.

Looks like it worked out for him. Still... after what went down back there, I had planned to lay low for a while. But it looks like I won't be doing that anytime soon, Zander groaned inwardly. 

"Ready Zander? come on, there's no time to lose!" Damian said excitedly, bolting straight out of the Town Hall.

Sweat trickled down the side of Zander's face. Damian had far more energy than the average person. Looking back at Damian's parents, many questions began buzzing around in his mind. What happened to his biological mother? why was his step mom so against him becoming a trainer? While he wanted to ask these questions, he knew it was none of his business. Deciding to put the thoughts on the back burner for now, he made his way out of the Town Hall and back outside where Damian was nowhere in sight.

Taking a quick survey of the area, Zander quickly spotted the laboratory in the center of the small town. It wasn't long before he was opening the doors to walk inside. Within moments, he was confronted by a most unusual scene.

"How many times do I have to tell you that you're not welcome here?" spat a woman with azure hair and large-rimmed glasses.

Before her stood a tall man garbed in a black trench coat and a fedora. A stoic expression rested on his face as he absorbed the words thrown at him by the woman in a lab coat. 

"I'm aware, however... I won't leave until you hear me out..." he replied calmly.

"And why should I? I know what you've done... the people you've hurt! to think we were friends..." she fired back coldly.

Clenching his fist, the man slammed it on the table he was leaning against and shouted, "dammit Vanessa, this isn't about me!"

Vanessa swallowed a lump in her throat as she saw the pained expression on the face of the man she had once called her friend. Her eyes darted to his hands as he reached into his coat pocket to bring out three poké balls.

"These Pokémon... they're not normal. Unlike the ones we know, these three are freaks. They won't survive a day in the wild. They need to be with a trainer. I may not have the right to ask anything of you, but I am pleading... for the sake of these three, please take them in. If you don't, I will release them and they will die..."

Vanessa Sylvan knew a lot about the man before her. His cruelty went beyond what she could have possibly imagined. But there was one small part of him that remained tucked away inside of him. Even if he was a monster, did that mean that the Pokémon had to suffer? Would she reject them just because he was offering? Certainly not. As a Professor and one who was as dedicated to the field of research as she was, it would go against her very nature and core beliefs to do such a thing. Catching sight of the two young men who entered the lab, she turned around and crossed her arms.

"Put them on the table and leave..." she said sternly.

"Thank you Vanessa..." was all he said as he set the three spheres down and turned to leave.

A flicker of a smile spread briefly on his face as he saw Zander and Damian standing a few feet away. Tilting his hat down to shade his eyes, he walked out of the lab, his trench rustling behind him. 

"Who was that?" Damian asked no one in particular.

Zander shrugged and turned his attention to Vanessa who was just turning around to meet their eyes. 

"My apologies for that... I wasn't expecting a visit from that man," she grunted, adjusting her glasses as she stepped forward to greet them. "What can I do for you two?"

"Hi Professor, I'm Damian and this is Zander. We're here to—"

"Get a Pokémon, right?" she finished, a smile flashing across her face as she received a nod from both of them.

"I see. Well I do have quite a few Eevee..."

They won't survive a day in the wild... they need a trainer... 

Vanessa shook her head and rubbed her temples as the man's words came flooding back to her. 

"And then there's these three. I have my reserves against giving them to trainers just starting out but..."

"If no one takes them, they'll die... right?" Zander spoke up.

"Only if they aren't properly cared for. Judging by the way you asked, I assume you are interested in them, right?" Vanessa inquired.

Zander looked at the trio of spheres and then back at Vanessa. He wasn't certain what it was that was drawing him to them, but he felt as though he needed to adopt one of the three. Like him, they were in some sort of danger without knowing why. According to what that man had said, they would most certainly die if not cared for. They needed someone to look out for them. Perhaps, if he took in one of these so called "freaks" he could get some answers.

"Yes. I would like to take a look at them if I may," was his reply as he stepped up to the table to reach for them.

"I'm with Zander. I heard what was said, and I can't call myself a trainer if I let a Pokémon die before it has a chance to really live," Damian said with steel in his eyes.

"Very well then, you may see them," Vanessa replied with a soft smile, nervousness written on her face as they each took the spheres and released the trio into the open.

Damian staggered back as he saw what came out of the three spheres. They all bore a striking resemblance to the starters given out in Kanto. But while they were similar, they were deformed and clearly unlike any other of their kind. The one he identified as Bulbasaur was pink with a spotted bulb on its back. The Squirtle look-alike was purple and yellow in color and wore what appeared to be a black mask over its eyes. And before Zander stood the most bizarre looking Charmander he'd ever seen. It was a walking skeletal lizard with a violet flame on its tail and in its eyes. And most peculiar of all, it floated into the air, got closer to Zander and looked right into his eyes.