The television's message haunted the crew of three.

"People not waking up? It must be that guy who was following me," exclaimed Irving. "He has finally caught up!"

Saffron looked the most shocked by the news. "We have to lead them out of the city! We shouldn't have stayed so long here; we've already put so many more people in danger."

"What are we waiting for?" said Floyd. "Let's get out of here!"

They ran out of the doors, with Saffron leaving money on the counter for her folding fan on the way out.

The town still seemed like it was operating normally, but the sense that something was amiss impermeated the whole atmosphere.

A mother watched happily as her child slept like a rock, not knowing the implications that this fact held.

An elderly man joked with his wife at an outside restaurant table, and didn't seem to realize that she had dosed off.

"Come on, to the forest!"

Saffron brought out Arcanine and she hopped onto his back. Floyd also jumped on, but when Irving tried he was given as weary look from Arcanine.

"You sure he can handle three people?" he asked the other two.

"I'm sure it's just cuz' you're new," replied Floyd. "Come on, let's go!"

Arcanine looked carefully at Irving, but then turned his head away, silently giving him permission to ride as well. Soon as he got on the fire Pokemon, they were off. They skidded through the city streets, dodging the few people still outside. Arcanine's paws trampled the street like hooves and they were out and away from the city in now time.

They stopped soon as they found a good strategic location to deal with a pursuer. In this case it was a particularly barren hill that providing the high ground.

Irving looked towards the city with his arms crossed. "Am not sure if it'll be good thing or bad thing if he follows us, I."

"I hope they do," stated Saffron. "Better that they come after us instead of causing trouble with the rest of town."

"Suppose you're right, I." He sighed. "And 'they' are a 'he' by the way, can tell, I."

"How can you tell," asked Floyd. He smirked. "Are your senses really that accurate?"

"Am surprised yours aren't, I," Irving retorted. "Then again, not sure if I'm like other Semishades or if am special, I."

There was a short silence between the three.

Saffron couldn't hold back the questions anymore. "Irving, where are you from? What's your power? Why'd you come to us? And finally, what the heck is up with your speech?! Surely you can't expect us to trust you without knowing these sorts of things, you know?"

He was caught slightly off guard. "Oh yeah, guess you can't, I." He laughed awkwardly. "Well, am not necessarily from one place, I. My parents don't live together, so used to go back and forth between where they live, I. They're married still though. It's complicated."

"Huh, sounds like it," Floyd admitted.

"As far as my power goes," he continued. "Am afraid that I'll have to see yours first, I."

That raised Saffron's eyebrow. "Why would you--"

"Just do it, real quick," he insisted. A ghostly aura darker than the other two's formed around him. It swiftly enveloped him and then some, then took the shape of familiar Pikachu cosplaying Pokemon, Mimikyu. Two bright red orbs that appeared to be eyes peeked out between his shoes. He took on an offensive stance, much like a Sawk preparing to strike. "Go."

Partially because she was going to anyways and partially because she was startled, Saffron complied. She pulled out her new fan and batted to away from them. "Will-O-Wisp!"

The burst of air created by her fan created a momentary fireball.

"You see that, Mimikyu? Let's go, Mimic!"

Determination showed in the beady eyes of Irving's aura, then in a swift moment he threw his arm forward as if he was using Force Palm on her. A small but existent burst of flames appeared to briefly envelope his hand then fade away.

"You see why I had you do that now?" he asked her.

"I see," she said, a little bit bewildered. Those flames got pretty close to me, but they didn't feel warm.

He stood back up normally and crossed his arms again. "Do you see now that can't always protect myself with this ability, I? That, and the fact that you two didn't seem to be radiate malice like the others are the reasons that came to you, I." He then looked confused. "What's wrong with the way I talk anyways? Didn't your schools teach you to always put 'I' after everything else?"

"Huh?" she said out loud.

Floyd leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I think he's talking about that whole 'my friends and I' thing."

"If that's the case then he took it the wrong way," she whispered back.

"Was trying to be polite, I, but it doesn't seem that you two are returning the favor," Irving said, commenting on their whispering.

"Sorry!"

-----

The sun's rays started peaking out over the horizon. Bags were under the three's eyes.

"It's morning and our pursuer still hasn't come here!" Saffron complained. "And I'm tired!"

"That's my worry," said Irving. "We've patiently waited for him to come and have been on guard the whole time, but he hasn't come. We certainly can't rest, however, as we don't even know if we're in range of that strange coma inducing ability or not. It's not the sort of power that he has to be in our faces to use."

Floyd yawned. "Well I don't know about you two, but after staying up all night, I'm almost out of energy. We need to actively hunt down this guy before we tire ourselves out anymore." He gritted his teeth. "It was probably foolish to wait until morning to move."

"This has been a rough 6 hours for sure," said Saffron. "I... just had too much to think about to think clearly."

"You and me both," said Floyd with another yawn. "This new guy, however..."

Irving was now zoned out and was drawing things in the air with the fire that he copied from Saffron. He pulled out of his listlessness and joined the conversation again. "What? Were you talking about me?"

Floyd stood up. "Yeah. Come on, let's go. Surely with Irving's senses we should be able to find this guy who is following us."

Irving stood up as well. "My senses aren't that precise as far as location goes, but from what I can tell, he's been actively moving around the city."

Saffron through her head back and looked at the sky, sighed, and had Floyd help her up. "If you thought that he was pacing this whole time inside the city, you should have told us."

"Oh, guess you're right, I."

Saffron facepalmed. We've picked up an idiot. She let out Arcanine, who was certainly the most awake out of all of them at the moment. Her mind was still racing despite how weak the rest of her body was. Then again, the longer we waited, the less people we would put in harm's way, so I guess it's not all bad.

They all rushed back into the city via his furry paws.

When they got there the streets were empty. Clearly not enough people could either stay awake or take a hint and went to bed, inevitably falling into deep sleeps which they were unable to wake up from.

The crew patrolled the city carefully, trying to not make much noise while also still searching around.

Suddenly, Floyd put out his arm to stop the other two from walking any further forward. "Listen," he commanded in a harsh whisper.

They all paused and strained their ears. Surely enough, off in the distance there was the sound of someone whistling.

Adrenaline shot through their bodies and woke them all up a bit.

"Think that's him, I," said Irving. "It has to be. Who else would be so awake right now?"

They nodded to each other then hugged a wall. They slinked towards a corner to get a better look at the pursuer.

He was a healthy looking guy with slicked over blonde hair. He wore the blue tennis clothes that were currently in fashion with wealthy males, and was wheeling a large, cylindrical, black sports bag behind him. His teeth gleamed pure white with perfection. His whistling turned into singing all of a sudden.

"Ever wonder, what's in the sunset?

That pleasant orange hue!

Could it be, something you've just met?

Well, I'll tell ya!

You poor dooméd crew~!"

Saffron noticed, as he got closer, that his bag was already open.

The three of them felt themselves lifted up into the air. Their heads twisted around and saw that a four armed Machamp was picking them up. They flailed around, but the Pokemon's grip was too tight. Machamp then carried them out into the street, right in front of the man.

The guy winked and spoke in a normal voice. "I lied about that sunset part, by the way." He laid the sports bag on the ground and unzipped it, then poured its contents out into the street. Hundreds of luxury balls fell onto the cobblestone street and popped open, unleashing an army of random Pokemon.

A Loudred stood by the guy and dropped some beats, to which the guy smiled wickedly.

"Money, can't buy you everything,

At least that's what they say.

They're wrong! There's nothin' wealth won't bring!

What about powers? Neigh.

You'll like, my entourage.

Not only just 6!

Which would, you like to dodge?

Go on and take your picks.

The elite, of the elite!

I can't be beat!"

The hoard of Pokemon was now completely circling the man and the three protagonists. The sound based Pokemon like Kricketune and Jigglypuff joined into the musical fray by contributing as instrumentalists and backup singers. Other Pokemon that were not yet involved just cheered and clapped their hands, if they had hands that is.

"Come on out, Arcanine!" Saffron called out.

The fierce fire beast apparated on the pavement. The enemy Pokemon immediately started closing in on the new opponent.

"Quick! Use Fire Blast!" she commanded.

Arcanine obeyed, letting loose a large five pronged symbol of fire at the newest Semishade.

The Pokemon in the way of the fire leapt out of the way, while the Pokemon around Arcanine piled on top of him, immobilizing him.

The man, however, didn't budge as the fire came rushing at him. Instead, he took the attack head on.

Saffron held her breath as she waited for the aftermath of the attack to show.

When the flames dissipated, the man was left standing, completely unharmed.

The masses of Pokemon reformed their cycle and got back into their ritual.

The guy danced and continued singing.

"It seems, you don't get it.

What you're up against!

The best pow'r, on the planet.

Wonder Guard! The danger you sensed!

I'm completely invulnerable,

Unlike my predecessor.

My status is untouchable,

Just like my blesser.

The elite, of the elite!

I can't be beat!"

The street was his stage. He jumped around the ground, interacted with his Pokemon, and danced his heart out. It was as if the entire thing was choreographed.

"If this guy has Wonder Guard," said Irving just loud enough for the others to hear him in the din. "Then who is putting everyone to sleep?"

A golden brown aura flared up around him as he whirled around. Unsurprisingly, an distorted and faded form of a Shedinja was shaped out of the aura.

"The man, behind the curtains

Shadow Ball: Lord Darius!

Who's his greatest henchman?

You don't know? You serious?

Me and him, will rule the whole wide world!

Soon as we clear the way!

You Semishades'll bow down, to my ancient lord!

Your last days are today!

I'll have you begging at my feet!

I. Just. Can't. Be. Beat!"

The Pokemon cheered wildly as he hit and held that last note, then cheered for several seconds afterwards.

He bowed then held out his hand to signal to the Pokemon to stop. He looked at them with eyes lit by the fire of malicious passion. "Alright, let's get started!"

***

A/N: Sorry for the missing week! Anyways, interestingly, Google Docs doesn't yell at me for Irving's weird way of speaking. Weird, huh?