Dare POV

    Torch.

    Torch.

    The little Torchic fumes as he glares at me. He looks furious- and so am I. He has no right to walk in this tundra! He doesn't belong here!

    "You?" Shadow echoes. I narrow my eyes at him.

    They walked up together. Is there something I missed? Are they friends?

    "Do you know this guy?" Torch snaps at Shadow. The Zorua nods.

    "Yeah, I know him." He leans over and briefly whispers something in Torch's ear. The Torchic blinks, looking a little surprised.

    "Wait- where's Julie?" I ask suddenly, looking around.

    Shadow lowers his gaze. "She left."

    "Why?!"

    "Well, we are going to the Snow Camp. Humans aren't exactly... You know... Welcome there. That's what you said, right?" said Shadow.

    I frown. "Well- yes, but- but-" I take a deep breath, glaring at Torch. "Why is he here?"

    "Is there something I missed?" Shadow asks, a little rudely. "Or are you just going to refuse to tell me what's going on?"

    "You know Britney, right?" I say finally. Shadow nods.

    "She's the one who traded you to Ben," he says.

    I nod. "And that-" I turn to Torch- "is her Pokemon. He is a little jerk."

    "So I'm a that and a jerk now, am I?" Torch challenges.

    "Yes!" I snap. I briefly noticed the others slowly stepping away from me and Torch, but I ignore them. I stare at  Shadow. "You don't care that he was a complete jerk?"

    Shadow stares at me, his violet eyes cold. "So just because he teased you once or twice I should hate him?" He snarls quietly. "Even though his trainer was kidnapped, just like ours? Are you saying we should just ditch him because of your personal problems?"

    I grit my teeth. "No. I am not saying that," I force out finally.

    Torch steps forward. "Then what do you want me to do?" He growls.

    I close my eyes. "I don't want to ditch you, as some Pokemon put it, but I simply want you to leave."

    The Torchic snarls, taking a step forward. He inhales.

    A second later, a blast of fire flies at me. I yelp in surprise as the flames surround me, painfully singeing my white fur black. Once it stops, I stand in pain in a pile of melted snow.

    Without thinking, I use Night Slash, leaping forward. White boomerang-like blades fly from my horn and strike Torch, throwing him back. He lands in the snow but quickly gets up. To my horror, Shadow steps back, and silently cheers for Torch.

    I realize that nobody is trying to stop us, and that infuriates me even more. I use Tackle, running into him and slamming him into the snow once again. Torch uses Fire Spin, burning me more. My horn whacks him aside, and I use Night Slash again, beating him up more.

    Right when I'm about to use Body Slam, a whirling black sphere flies at me and hits me in the face. I'm thrown backwards off of Torch, skidding into the snow. I look up.

    Shadow is standing in front of Torch, panting from the strong Dark Orb move. He glares at me.

    "Are you trying to kill him?" He snarls.

    I splutter. "Wha- he attacked me first!"

    "Doesn't mean you need to murder him!"

    Shadow and I continue to stare each other down. Finally Shadow says darkly, "You know what, Torch? We're leaving. These idiots can barely hold themselves together."

    "What do you mean?" Aurora whispers.

    Shadow glares at her. "I'll tell you what I mean. You only talk to that stranger these days," he snarls, glancing at Gardevoir. Then he looks at Asha and says, "you act like you're so special and you barely trust any of us." Next he glares at me. "You actually listen to Asha." And finally, he rests his gaze on Sapphire. "And you."

    "I have a name, you know," she growls.

    "You used to be nice. You used to be a good friend. Now you just hate everybody."

    Sapphire widens her eyes. "I-"

    "Shut up and listen. I don't want to hear you," Shadow snarls. He raised his head and looks at all of us. "And you know what? All of you are so rude and negative these days. All of you are awful.

    "So goodbye. Good luck with stopping Liana without me."

    And, before my eyes, Shadow turns around and leaves, with Torch on his tail.

    We stare and say nothing for at least a minute, our breathing the only audible sound, the melted snow and paw marks surrounding us.

    Then, it truly dawns on me.

    Shadow has left us.

    Shadow has quit our team.

<><><>

Yeah! This is one of my favorite chapters!

I'm so glad to have added Torch back into the story- but as a cool guy. Well, I don't know if you guys like him, but I do now.

Vote, comment, and stay tuned!