A large door slamming shut is what woke Tamao. The small eevee shot up and looked wildly around. The lights were gradually brightening, and a quiet noise of fear almost seemed to echo through the hallway.

Tamao was confused. Was someone getting a cage partner today?

He watched and listened as the scientists stopped outside his cage door. "S-P429, this is your sister, S-P431." One of the scientists spoke, as they unlocked the cage and put in the scared eevee pup.

The scientists were quick to close the door and lock it, walking away.

Tamao cautiously walked up to his 'sister' and sniffed the desaturated eevee. She stared back at Tamao, and followed his movements, sniffing him as well.

Her bright, pale blue eyes shined up at Tamao as he decided. "Your name will be Sakura, and I'll protect you with my life! Like how a sibling should!" Tamao smiled at his younger sister, who was happily, yet gently, tapping her tail against the marbled floor. The younger eevee nodded, smiling.

She almost seemed to have trouble paying attention, or as though she wasn't listening. "Sa-akur-ra." She smiled. Tamao grinned, happy to know his sister was paying attention.

"Well Sakura, my name's Tamao! We're gonna escape from here soon, so you can live a better life- or, I've been kinda told it was better." Tamao spoke with an uncertain tone as he looked at his sister.

"Tam- Tam- Tammy!" Sakura decided on how she wanted to speak Tamao's name, and he thought it was adorable, however, Tamao's subconscious remembered Aquarius used to call him that. Speaking of which, it occurred to Tamao that she likely won't be brought back.

The elder eevee pat his sister's head and laid down in the corner, ready to go back to sleep, however, the younger eevee had a few plans in mind. "Ca-an you play with me?" She asked excitedly. Tamao nodded and got up.

His tail wagged as he got ready to play tag with Sakura, who was quick to get the first tag on him. "Taaaag! You're it!" She smiled. Tamao playfully tackled Sakura and successfully tagged her, then running off so he wouldn't get tagged.

 Tamao heard Sakura giggle happily and chase after him. The two continued, Sakura tagged Tamao, then Tamao tagged Sakura.

It was repetitive, yet always unpredictable. Then they got tired, and stopped playing.

"Taaammy, do you know a stooory?" Sakura asked. Tamao nodded, remembering one Aquarius told him a few days ago. "Of course!" Tamao proudly proclaimed, then started telling the story.

"Long ago, in a far away place, there was Mewtwo and mew, the eldest of the pokemon, and possible even older than Arceus! Then, there were Moltres, Articuno, and Zapados. Mewtwo wanted to make a new region with Mew, and Moltres, Articuno, and Zapados all agreed. Because they agreed, they were given new appearances. Moltres became the malevolent pokemon, Articuno became the cruel pokemon, and Zapados lost their ability to fly."

"Zapados didn't become a cool pokemon like Articuno and Moltres though, because they backed out last second. Articuno had fallen in love with a Blaziken, and Moltres remained supportive of Articuno's decision. Zapados was likely jealous, but since the plan had gone through, Zapados had only lost their ability to fly." Tamao told the tale quickly, however, Sakura almost appeared to have different opinions on the story than what Tamao had.

"That's not cool, tha-ats scaary!" Sakura commented, her tail twitching as she looked out the glass panelling.

Tamao heard the door loudly creak open. He noticed how Sakura flinched at the sound, and covered her ears, yet he didn't say anything. Some pokemon were heard being dragged out for testing, meaning today was a testing day.

Since it was still early, Tamao would likely also be taken out since he was an early tester, not a later one.

And Tamao was seemingly correct. A scientist walked up to the shared cage, opened the cage door, grabbed Tamao, closed the cage door, locked it, and took Tamao through the hallway and into the testing room.

Tamao was placed onto a mat and examined by the vet to make sure Tamao wasn't sick. Speaking of, there was another pokemon in the hospital room. "Excuse me, I have a question?" Tamao asked the Chansey.

"Yeess?" The Chansey asked, as the vet looked inside Tamao's ears. "What sickness would cause headaches, more worrying, and-" Tamao cut himself off. What was the other symptom? He had trouble remembering the dream, yet recalled the panicked look of the farfetch'd well.

The Chansey hummed. "Just sownds like the reguular ohld flew." She answered. There was a heavy accent to her voice, one Tamao couldn't recognise. Tamao nodded slowly. "Okay-" "You haahven't bean experiencing any of the symptoms, haave yoou?" The Chansey interrupted Tamao, who shook his head as the vet check finished. 

Tamao was swiftly grabbed, and before he could say goodbye, he was whisked off. He thought he heard the Chansey say "Ruude." but it was hard to hear it.

The small eevee was brought into the testing room, ready to be tested in battle strength and defense.

He was brought face-to-face with an umbreon. It was so cool! However, it was going to attack Tamao in this training exercise. Tamao prepared to run when the scientists told him to attack due to wanting to be free, and there being a chance of freedom, but it appeared the scientists had separate plans.

They put something around Tamao's neck. He could feel small amounts of electricity vibrating through it. It was strange.

Then, the scientists demanded for Tamao to attack, but as planned, Tamao ran. A flash of pain shocked Tamao's body as he collapsed to the ground. His neck burned. A scientist grabbed Tamao and placed him in front of the umbreon.

They wanted him to attack again.

Despite what Tamao just experienced...!

It only fueled Tamao's hatred towards these scientists. However, he got up and bit the umbreon, who grabbed his neck and threw him into a wall.

Tamao hurt so much, especially when a larger scientist grabbed the thing around Tamao's neck and pulled the small eevee towards it.

The thing clicked off, then Tamao was grabbed to be taken back to his little sister.