Chapter 15

(This chapter is dedicated to ktd527, who is an amazing writer and is the writer of I Am The Strange One, which is hands-down one of my all time favorite Pokemon Fanfictions. I Am The Strange One inspires me to write this book, and I highly recommend it. Of all the chapters I could dedicate to her, this chapter seemed the best choice! :3)

Rain oh the rain
Pain oh my pain
Tears and rain fall the same

Chains oh my chains
Days these long days
Take me from this place

Running for my life
I will pick a fight
When there's nowhere to run
To my Lord I will turn

Son oh my son
Run oh run
They can't catch you with their guns

Your life is yours
It's worth fighting for
Freedom is the door

Running for your life
You will pick a fight
When there's nowhere to run
To your Lord you will turn

Running for our lives
We will pick a fight
When there's nowhere to run
To our Lord we will turn

As Margaret finished singing, Petunia applauded and Fletcher chirped happily.

"I guess you two liked it, huh?" She asked them with a smile, setting her small, transportable keyboard aside.

"I always like it when you sing!" Petunia piped up, her curled tail wagging back and forth.

"Same here!" said Fletcher, flapping his wings.

The human giggled and gave them both a pat on the head. She, Danny, and Fiona had finally reached Route 8 after traveling for three days. The last group or team they had seen was White and Amos at Parfum Palace. The five of them had stayed at the museum until late at night since they were unable to move forward with the Snorlax blocking their way. It wasn't until Shauna and Xavier finally retrieved the Pokeflute that they moved on. After that, everyone had went their own ways. Their group had gone through Route 7 after Snorlax left, they visited the Battle Chateau so Danny could train his pokemon (Fiona also did some battling with the help of the other two), and took a shortcut through Connecting Cave, also known as Zubat Roost.

Only about an hour earlier did they find a place on Route 8 to camp. It was near the edge of a forest on one of the highest and largest cliffs. The cliff overlooked the ocean and sandy beach below. After asking Danny if she could go out and practice her music, Margaret took her keyboard and pokemon and found a quiet place where no one would disturb her.

Margaret then turned to look at Sowny, who was not too enthusiastic. Then again, he had been her partner for years now, and he was so use to her singing.

"What did you think, Sowny?" She said to her Swadloon, scooping him up in her hands.

Sowny shrugged and replied, "Meh, hear one song, ya hear them all."

She sighed and set him back down next to her. Margaret had been able to hear the voices of pokemon since she was around seven. An incident happened that caused her to hear them. At first, she thought it was telepathy since all the pokemon she was around used telepathy. But when meeting other types of pokemon, she realized they didn't use telepathy to speak with her. However, that was only one scar of many.

"Can I sing too?" Her Squritle asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Both Sowny and Fletcher made nervous noises at this. Petunia had expressed her desire to sing before, but her voice needed some...improvement. However, Margaret did not want to hurt her feelings, so she continued to let her sing. She was hoping that her singing voice would change when the Squritle evolves.

"Um, ok, you can sing one," Margaret told her starter pokemon, hesitantly.

Petunia beamed happily and did a back flip onto a nearby tree stump. Sowny pulled his leafy hood tighter over his head and Fletcher covered his own ears with his wings as the Squritle began to sing.

We are the champions - my friends!
And we'll keep on fighting
Till the end!
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions of the World!

Margaret, unlike her Swadloon and Fletchling, did not cover her ears or make any sound. However, she was still grateful that Petunia only sang a chorus of a song. Petunia kept singing off key and would sing at extremely high notes.

"Well, what'd you think?" Petunia asked her trainer and teammates excitedly.

"It was...nice?" The human told her awkwardly, clapping quietly but politely.

"I have a suggestion," said Sowny, loosening his hold on his leaf hood. "Maybe you should get singing lessons. It might, err, improve you voice."

"Really?!"

"Yeah, we'll even use some the prize money to afford the lessons!" Fletcher agreed, massaging his feathery head. "And in case you haven't noticed, we're not champions."

At this, Petunia puffed up and put her paws on her sides.

"We're not champions now, but we will someday!" She said, keeping her head held high. "Everyone will know our names someday, right, Margaret?"

"Err, well..."

Margaret didn't know what to tell them. She herself did not even have a specific goal in mind like Danny. He wanted to be like his brother and possibly take the throne for himself for once. But she only came along on this journey because it was her one chance to see the world outside of Viridian City and Pallet Town. Besides, she would've missed Danny's company if he left. But telling her pokemon that they would never be famous would only discourage them.

She tried her best to smile at her partners and told them encouragingly, "Yes, someday, everyone will know who we are. But we got to work hard, ok?"

"Ok!" Fletcher cheered, hopping onto the stump as well and standing next to Petunia. "Petunia, do you want to train with me?"

As Petunia and Fletcher battled a short ways away, Sowny the Swadloon trudged in front of Margaret as she put her keyboard in its case.

"Do you have any goals at all?" He asked her bluntly. "Isn't there anything you want to try?"

"No, not really," Margaret replied nervously, adjusting her maroon glasses as she looked at Sowny.

The Grass and Bug Type pokemon sighed and looked as if he wanted to facepalm, the only thing holding him back was that his arms were so tiny.

"Well challenging gym leaders are out of the question," Sowny continued. "The only one who would enjoy it would probably be Fletcher. They don't have contests here, so that won't work either..."

"Um...does it really matter?"

"Well, yeah, Margaret, it does! Kids become trainers and go on a journey to see the world! To follow their dreams and accomplish them! It's not much of a journey if everyone follows their dreams except you!"

"Err...I mainly came to see Kalos and to give Danny some...um...morale support."

Sowny rolled his eyes which made Margaret shrink away slightly. Even though Sowny was only looking after her and that he had a good heart, he could be a little frightening. She sometimes wondered if this was why her cousin gave her Sowny out of all the pokemon they came across when looking for her first pokemon. The little bug pokemon was just like him.

"So you cheer for Danny at his gym battles?" Sowny asked, giving his trainer a questioning look.

"Y-Yes."

"Then let's pretend that Petunia and Fletcher's battle is one of your boyfriend's gym battles. Now, try and show me how you cheer for him."

Margaret looked up at her other pokemon as they battled. She pictured them as one of Danny's gym battles. She then took a deep breath and let out a small and barely auditable, "yay!"

Sowny merely stared at her. He looked as if he had just sat through ten minutes of Petunia's singing.

"Ok, it wasn't bad, but there's always room for improvement." He said slowly. "We just need to get you to be louder."

"Um...ok..." Margaret agreed uncertainly.

"Now, stand up straight, and gather up all your enthusiasm! When you do that, cheer!"

Margaret obeyed and stood up straight. She tried to pull all her enthusiasm together and took a deep breath. She then gave another quiet, "yay, D-Danny!"

Her Swadloon stared at her for a moment before sighing, "Well you were louder than less time. We'll work on cheering more."

Suddenly a loud shriek came from Petunia. Margaret's head shot up and saw a large, horned, black and orange hound was stepping over a shrub as it growled at her pokemon. Fletcher and Petunia had backed away from it and then high-tailed back to Margaret.

"W-What's that?!" She stammered, picking up her Squritle and Fletchling and holding them tightly.

"Use your Pokedex!" Sowny instructed as he glared and growled at the new pokemon. "It should at least register the name!"

Margaret frantically looked around for her pokemon encyclopedia. She then saw it sticking out of one of the pockets in her bag. She moved her Fletcher to her shoulder and adjusted Petunia in her arms before running to her bag. It slid open as she took the Pokedex out. It beeped and registered the pokemon as the trainer pointed the device at the hound. A picture of the pokemon and its name then appeared.

Houndour, the Dark Pokemon

"Well lookie what we got here," a cool, female voice said from behind Margaret. "A lost Dexholder all by herself."

The Kanto trainer swiveled around to see a woman standing behind her. Margaret yelped and leapt backwards, but she ended up bumping into a man. At least seven other people were surrounding them. They had pokemon like Houndour and pokemon she recognized as Zubat.

All the men and women wore the same flame colored suit with shades. Their hair was also styled to look like flames. The woman who had spoke had bright orange and a flame colored outfit and skirt with white outlines. She wore something like a visor over her eyes. A black and dark gray wolf was standing next to her.

"W-What do want?!" Margaret squeaked, hugging her Squritle tightly.

The woman with the wolf-like pokemon looked around at her fellows before saying, "You're on private property. This land belongs to Team Flare."

"Put a sign up next time, then no one would wander on it!" Sowny snapped, though no one except Margaret and the other pokemon understood him.

As the Houndours, Zubats, and the wolf pokemon all made furious noises at the Swadloon, the woman and the other members of Team Flare turned to look at him. Pokemon like Sowny weren't native to Kalos.

"What a feisty little thing," the woman sneered, bending down to observe the Bug Type. "You can't find Swadloons or Leavannys in this region either."

"Who are you?" demanded Margaret finally, picking Sowny up and moving away from her. She did not like that way the woman was looking at her pokemon.

"I'm Aliana, I'm a scientist, and you, my dear," she added, stepping closer to the rookie and looking at Fletcher, Sowny, and Petunia with a hungry look. "Have some very intriguing pokemon."

Margaret pat Sowny's head as he hissed threateningly. Petunia and Fletcher also looked nervous and scared.

The woman, Aliana, finally looked back at Margaret and straightened up.

"I'll make a deal with you," she then told her in a business-like tone. "We'll forget about you trespassing on our property in exchange for your Swadloon and Squritle."

"No!" Margaret shouted angrily as Sowny and Petunia gave shocked cries and protests. "They're not for sale at any price, and you can't offer me anything to change my mind!"

Aliana's sly smile turned into a sour frown at the rookie's answer. The grunts around them all exchanged whispers, even smirks. Fletcher gave a furious chirp at the idea of losing his two teammates. Margaret could hear Petunia whimpering quietly and Sowny hissing like a Meowth.

"Are you sure you won't change your mind?" Aliana asked, her voice cold.

"I'm absolutely positive."

"Well then," the scientist started, nodding at the grunts and thrusting out her arm. "We'll just have to take them from you!"

The grunts all yelled orders, and their pokemon sent attacks straight toward Margaret and her pokemon. She let go of her pokemon and yelled, "Fletcher, use Ember on the Zubats! Petunia, Bubble on the Houndours! Sowny, Bug Bite on that wolf pokemon!"

Her pokemon obeyed her instructions, but Margaret still knew they were in trouble. Her pokemon were not as strong as Danny's team, and her strongest pokemon, which was Sowny, had a disadvantage against the Houndours and Zubats. The only pokemon of hers with the advantage was Petunia.

"Mightyena, Crunch!" Aliana ordered as Sowny bit the wolf pokemon's tail. The Mightyena roared and tried to bite the Swadloon back, but Sowny leapt back before it could act. Fletcher, who was dodging the attacks from the Zubats, dove down and used Peck on the Mightyena. Petunia was getting overpowered by the Houndours, but she was fast and had stunned two Houndours with her Bubble.

"Zubat, Wing Attack on the girl!" one male grunt shouted as a Zubat swooped away from the fray and dove toward Margaret. It screeched and gnashed its fangs as it flew straight toward her face.

A memory flashed in front of her eyes. She was running, running for her life. No one to help her. Evil pokemon closing in on her, their cries and howls ringing in her ears. Her breath kept coming in short painful gasps.

Razor sharp leaves flew at Zubat as it prepared to slash at Margaret's face. Sowny had used Razor Leaf as he jumped onto a rock. He looked livid.

"NOBODY, I REPEAT, NOBODY," he bellowed, shooting more leaves at any human and pokemon near his trainer. "MESSES WITH MY TRAINER!"

Everybody near her backed away quickly, giving Margaret the chance to pick up her bag and keyboard case.

"Sowny, Petunia, Fletcher, let's go!" She cried, running into the trees. She lagged behind long enough for her three pokemon to catch up to her before bolting through the forest.

Margaret could hear Aliana ordering the grunts to run after her. She didn't look back. Terror was taking over her body. She couldn't let them take her pokemon, she wouldn't give up on them. Her pokemon were her friends.

"Margaret!" Petunia wailed as the Mightyena closed in on them. It was running faster than the rest of the pokemon. It kept snarling and barking.

The rookie skidded to a stop, making Sowny and Petunia run into the back of her legs. Fletcher squawked and flew onto her shoulder. The Mightyena, one of the Houndours, and two of the Zubats were pelting toward them.

"I'm sorry, but you two will be safer in your pokeballs!" Margaret gasped, quickly taking out Petunia and Fletcher's pokeballs and returning them. She needed her strongest pokemon out, and that was her Swadloon.

She ducked as the Mightyena leapt at her and soared over her head. Margaret yelped, scooped up Sowny, and darted to the right and back into the trees. The pokemon howled and shrieked with rage as she escaped them.

Her glasses were on the verge of falling off. She held her leafy pokemon to her chest. Her cloak was whipping around in the breeze, which increased her anxiety. If someone saw what was under it...

"MARGARET, LOOK OUT!"

She turned to see that a large tree branch was right in her path. She yelped as she tripped and fell over it. Sowny made a high pitch chittering noise and flew over her head. Her cloak got caught on a low hanging tree branch and was torn off from around her neck.

Margaret grunted and tried pushing herself off the ground. After feeling something beat gently against her back, she looked over her shoulder. Horror paralyzed her as she noticed that her cloak was no longer hiding her back.

"Gotcha!" Aliana's voice called happily as she, a male grunt, and a female grunt caught up to the rookie. The Mightyena and two Houndours were stalking behind them. A look of shock appeared on each Team Flare members' face.

Red feathers were sticking out from under her maroon jacket. Two large lumps were noticeable under her jacket now that she no longer had her cloak.

The scientist approached her cautiously. Margaret tried moving away but her limbs ached too badly. She felt Aliana take off her red jacket and gasp in horror. The rookie bit her lip to keep herself from crying aloud as something huge, red, and feathery unfolded from on top of her white t-shirt.

Wings.

Margaret had wings. Great, large, maroon, bird-like wings beated against the air. They were almost bigger than her own body. It was a miracle that they could fold over her back comfortably. Straps were draped loosely over them. They must have come undone when she tripped.

The Team Flare members all stared at Margaret's wings. The rookie trainer hid her face in her hands, her entire body shaking violently. What were they going to do to her? Would they report her?

She screamed in pain as Aliana stomped on her right wing. It cracked loudly as it snapped. Her left wing flapped extremely fast as if wanting to fly away. Tears of pain welled up in her eyes. It hurt so much.

"They're real!" said Aliana in astonishment, looking back at her two colleagues. "They're real wings! Fascinating!"

Before anyone could do anything else, something jumped in front of the scientist, blocking her from Margaret. Sowny was shaking with rage. His eyes were slits.

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU BULLIES!" He roared, though the humans could not understand him.

His body began to glow as sharp leaves began to surround him. Bright light cloaked him. The Swadloon grew taller and taller. He was growing arms and legs now. As the light subsided, a new pokemon stood in Sowny's place.

Sowny was now a tall, yellow insect pokemon standing on two long, yellow legs. Leaves covered his back and the back of his arms and legs. Large yellow antennas sprouted from his round head. He had grown almost three feet taller than he was as a Swadloon, but he seemed taller than most pokemon of his species. He was a foot shorter than Margaret was, which made him around four feet tall.

"Stop that Leavanny!" Aliana ordered her Mightyena and the two grunts, but it was too late.

The newly evolved Leavanny gave a loud carrying cry and thrust out his leafy arm. The sharp leaves sped swiftly toward the Mightyena and Houndours. The canines howled in pain as the leaves cut against their skin. Sowny was even faster now than he was as a Sewaddle or Swadloon.

"Give them a taste of Flamethrower!" The female grunt bellowed to her Houndour.

"Use Flamethrower as well!" the male grunt ordered his own Houndour.

Both pokemon opened their mouths and fire flew out. Sowny crossed his arms and a barrier appeared in front of him. The flames reflected off the wall and hit the Mightyena instead. It yelped in pain and leapt back.

"Margaret, bring back Petunia and Fletcher!" The Leavanny yelled to the rookie after sending another Razor Leaf toward the opposing pokemon. "I can't fight these guys myself!"

Margaret nodded a little and tried unclipping her pokeballs. She pressed the buttons on the devices. Red and white lights burst out of the pokeballs as they opened up. The Fletchling and Squritle both gave angry cries after seeing the situation and what the enemy had done to their trainer.

"Margaret!" cried Petunia, running over to her fallen trainer and looking up at her snapped wing. "W-What happened to your wing?"

"Wow, Sowny!" gasped Fletcher as he sent an Ember attack flying toward Mightyena and looking up at the Leavanny. "You're so big now!"

"Not the time, Fletch!" Sowny growled after using Bug Bite on one of the Houndours and looking back at Petunia. "Petunia, we could use your assistance!"

Petunia looked frightened about leaving her trainer. She looked at Margaret uncertainly, but Margaret put her hand weakly on her Squritle's head and whispered, "I'll be fine, Petunia. Please, go help the other two."

Her female pokemon just stared at her before nodding and running to Sowny's other side. The Mightyena and the Houndours were stalking toward them. The Fletchling, Leavanny, and Squritle, however, were ready to give the battle all their will and strength.

"Petunia, Fletcher, and Sowny, use Bubble, Razor Leaf, and Ember!" Margaret commanded her pokemon as the three Team Flare members yelled, "Dark Pulse!" and "Fire Fang!".

Different elemental attacks flew everywhere as the six pokemon flew into action. Sowny was dodging Fire Fang attacks while sending his Razor Leaf at the canines. Petunia hit both Houndours in the face with her Water Gun, and Fletcher shot fire at the Mightyena.

I gotta run away! Margaret thought desperately as she tried pushing herself back on her hands and knees while battle raged behind her. All she needed was to get back on her feet and run away with her pokemon again. She'd even fly with her one good wing if that's what it would take.

She tied her jacket around her waist and tugged her cloak off the tree branch. She was about to stand up fully, but Petunia and Fletcher were thrown against the ground beside her. They both looked like they were on the verge of fainting. They were both bruised, scratched, and burned all over, but they were still trying to get back up again. They were in so much pain.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Margaret began to sob, scooping up her Squritle and Fletchling and hugging them tightly. "I'm so sorry you two got dragged into my mess!"

"M-Margaret?" stuttered Fletcher panicky as tears poured down the rookie's face.

She didn't reply, but held her two youngest pokemon to her chest. Sowny was still holding back the Team Flare pokemon with his Protect, but it was beginning to fail. He was straining to keep the barrier up.

Then all of a sudden, Petunia and Fletcher began to glow white. Margaret let go of them so she could see her pokemon properly. They were growing larger and taller. More features were adding to her evolving pokemon.

As the light subsided, Margaret was looking at two new pokemon. Fletcher's beak was longer, and his wings were bigger. He had more feathers of flaming red, yellow, bluish gray, and dark gray. He now had a tuft of red feather on the back of his head.

Petunia also looked different. She was a light indigo color instead of her usual light sky blue color. Her tail was more frilly and furry than before, like a waves rising and swirling above the ocean. She also had two swirly, fuzzy fin-like ears and two dark blue streaks on her cheeks. Claws had now grown on her fingers.

"You two evolved too?" Margaret gasped, looking her newly evolved pokemon up and down.

"Did we?" giggled Petunia, looking at Fletcher happily. "I didn't notice!"

"Well now we can kick some butts!" Fletcher said confidently, beating his own wings.

Margaret wanted to say no, but her pokemon looked all pumped up again. Sowny also needed backup in the battle. She nodded and tried to give her Wartortle and Fletchinder an encouraging smile.

"Let's show them what we're made of, ok?" Margaret told them, patting them each on the head.

Her Wartortle and Flechinder both gave loud battle cries and leapt to Sowny's side. The Bug Type glanced at each of his partners and nodded at them.

"Use Bubble, Wing Attack, and Bug Bite!" Margaret commanded her three pokemon.

"Dark Pulse!" shouted Aliana to her Mightyena.

"Flamethrower!" the two other grunts ordered their Houndours.

The six pokemon all cried out in reply and began storing power. But before they could unleash their attacks, great, thick vines burst from the ground between the two teams. Then a cold wind and fog flooded into the area. The vines began to freeze and made a barrier.

Two fox-like pokemon suddenly jumped out from behind a bush and leapt in front of Sowny, Petunia, and Fletcher. One was tan with leafy features, and it looked quite shy and timid. The other was light blue and icy, looking proud and fearless. They were both standing as if protecting Margaret and her team.

Those pokemon look familiar, Margaret thought as she slipped her Pokedex out again and slid it open. The two pokemon reminded her of a pokemon she had seen on White's pokemon team. The Pokedex made a few noises, before registering the blue pokemon as Glaceon, the Fresh Snow Pokemon. The second was registered as Leafeon, the Verdant Pokemon.

"Sorry to breakup the fight, lady and germs," said the Glaceon in a sassy manner and smirking at the Houndours and Mightyena. "But we're gonna be blowing this popsicle stand!"

The three Team Flare members merely stared at the Verdant and Fresh Snow pokemon. This must be a big treat to them with a hybrid, a Kanto starter, a Unova native pokemon, and now two rare pokemon just leap right into there grasp.

"We might as well catch those two as well!" Aliana decided and looking at her Mightyena. "Mightyena, get them!"

Before the Mightyena could do anything, a large, dark gray and red wolf-like pokemon and a tan unicorn-like pokemon with a flaming mane skidded out from behind the bushes to the Glaceon and Leafeon came from. Someone jumped off the Rapidash and yelled, "Rapi, use Extreme Speed! Zoroark, U-Turn! Silky and Minty, Blizzard and Grass Knot!"

Sowny, Fletcher, and Petunia all gave frustrated cries and turned to look at Margaret for instructions as the four newcomers leapt over the barrier and attacked. But the man who had gotten off the Rapidash had ran to her side at that moment. She was unable to see his face because he wore a dark cloak with the hood over his head. He seemed to be looking from her wings, to her glasses, and to her hair.

"Be honest with me," he told her quietly and quickly in a serious tone. "Do you have more pokemon than your Leavanny, Wartortle, and Fletchinder?"

This question startled Margaret. Did he know, and if he did, how? How would he know?

"Yes," she answered nervously after a moment.

"Then bring them out! More Team Flare grunts are on their way here now!"

Margaret nodded reluctantly and looked at her three pokemon.

"Go help the other four pokemon!" She ordered them.

They all nodded and went around or over the ice and Grass barrier. Margaret opened her bag and reached into the depths of it. She used both hands to pull out her other pokeballs, holding three in each hand. The pokeballs had stickers with letters on them. The letters were M, A, R, G, E, and T.

"Boys, I need your help!" She shouted, pressing the buttons and throwing the pokeballs in the air.

They burst open in flashes of red and white. Little squeaks erupted from the six pokemon that appeared. The tiny black pokemon all zoomed around their trainer in a circle.

"Please, use Hidden Power when I say so!" Margaret pleaded as shouts from the oncoming grunts echoed toward them.

"Righty-o!" giggled one of the black pokemon as he and other five all floated off to circle the clearing instead.

The man, who had watched Margaret's secret six pokemon with curiosity, turned to watch the pokemon now fighting the Houndours and Mightyena. He stepped to the side of the ice barrier and beckoned one of his pokemon back.

"Rapi, over here!" He called to the Rapidash.

The Fire Horse pokemon strolled over to her trainer after leaping over the fray. It was quite a graceful pokemon. The man than turned to face Margaret.

"Get on Rapi's back." He told her forcefully.

"W-What?" She asked, taken a back.

"Get on her." He repeated.

"Why?!"

The man sighed and explained irritability, "There are four other grunts coming this way, and none of your pokemon can run very fast, let alone that they can't even support you. So, you're left with riding Rapi with me."

Margaret wanted to retort, but the grunts were coming closer. She nodded and climbed onto Rapi. The Rapidash shuffled around as the man got onto her back and sat behind the rookie.

"When I say so, return your pokemon and tell your other six to attack," He whispered in her ear. "Do you understand?"

"Y-Yeah," she answered back. "But would you please tell me your name?"

"That's not important right now!" He snapped as the air grew loud with howls and screeches.

"Yes it is, I must know your name or I won't do anything!"

As the four other grunts came into the clearing with their pokemon, the man finally shouted, "My name is N, now GO!"

"HIDDEN POWER!" Margaret bellowed, but her entire body seemed to paralyze from shock as she returned her pokemon to their pokeballs. The N? The N that led Team Plasma into liberating pokemon?

She heard N yell something to Rapi which made the unicorn-like pokemon bolt from the clearing after he also returned his other three pokemon. Margaret saw a glimpse of her little black pokemon use Hidden Power on the pokemon and members of Team Flare before floating swiftly after the Rapidash.

The forest trees and shrubs all passed by as green blurs. It didn't take very long for the only sounds to be the Rapidash's hooves pounding against the forest floor, her pokemon's squeaks, and N's heavy breathing.

A few minutes later, they reached a small, sparkling stream that wasn't frozen all the way. The bank was still grassy with only a bit of snow.

The moment the Rapidash stopped moving, Margaret leapt off her back and moved as far away from the fugitive as she could. Her six pokemon all sensed her hostility and terror so they surrounded her like a ring of guards. Her one wing that wasn't hurt flared up as if trying to make the rookie look as threatening as possible.

"Stay away from me!" She spat furiously as N got off Rapi and tried approaching her.

The man stepped back cautiously, but retorted, "I'm trying to help you! You hurt your, err...that is a real wing, right?"

"Yes!" Margaret answered stiffly and sitting on the ground with her little pokemon still floating around her.

N looked away from her for a minute before taking Margaret's bag, keyboard case, and his own bag off Rapi's back. He set her two bags down and began digging around in his own.

"So..." he started slowly as he looked around inside his bag. "How did you get wings, or have you had them the entire time?"

Margaret's little black pokemon all squeaked reproachfully, but she replied angrily, "I'm just as human as you!"

"Of course," he agreed hurriedly and nervously. "It's just that, well...humans don't just grow wings."

"I didn't 'just grow wings'! I don't even want them!"

"Then how-"

"Surely you of all people would know!" She interrupted coldly. "You worked with villainous organizations!"

N blushed a deep red, but did not deny that he worked alongside other groups like Team Plasma. He looked back at her and stammered, "Err, you see, I-I never heard about girls who grew wings before..."

Margaret gripped the cold grass and gritted her teeth. She flapped her good wing viciously as she turned swiftly to face the king of Team Plasma.

"THEN ALLOW ME TO PUT IT INTO TERMS YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND!" Margaret bellowed, tears pouring fast and furiously down her face as they fogged up her glasses. "I'M RED VELVET!"

~~~

.....remember that little red head in the Prologue...? :3

Ok, you have no idea how scared I am right now. I swore that when starting SWS and the rest of the series that there would be no awesome (not to mention impossible) powers or chosen one stuff, because to me, there is a little too much chosen one stories out there with the main character having impossible powers (unless it's like a shifter story, because most of the time there is more than one shifter). This series' theme is supposed to be people that you'd least expect are sometimes more special, talented, or important than you realize (not sure if I explained or said that right, but never mind. If I offended anyone, I'm so so sorry ;-;).

I promise, everything will be explained in the next chapter! I'm not going to switch POVs on you guys, don't worry! I'll even make a character profile for Margaret!

Ok, I'm changing the subject. Soooooooooooo...anyone else hyped for Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon? How about Pokemon XY and Z in the anime world? I'm so hyped up for it, and it's not even out in America for a few months yet x3 All the episodes I want to see don't come out until later this month, December (maybe), or next year -_- I hope Pokemon XYZ comes out while SWS2 is still going (SWS2 will probably be halfway done by the time it comes out from the time it takes to update. It's almost been a year since SWS2 first started and I'm only 15 chapters in @_@ )

Let's change subjects again: Well, I'd like to thank everyone for 35K reads on Spite Without Shame, and 3.8K reads on Searching Without Shame! :D Thank you so much! Also, Spite Without Shame is about 72 votes away from 1K, so thank you all for your votes on SWS! I wanted to add that on October 31, two days ago, Spite Without Shame was completed a full year before. That doesn't seem that long ago...wow...that's kinda sad, like happy sad ;-;

I have nothing else to say. Sorry for talking so much :/ Not many people talk to me or PM me. If I forgot something I'll add it later! I hope you like it! Please don't kill me! PLEASE! I'M LIVING IN FEAR! DX

See you next time! ;3

(Song: Pick A Fight by the Vespers)