Hello everyone! Are you ready to find out what Cementing is? I had a lot of fun writing this chapter so enjoy! This chapter is a little cheesy, but bare with me. It will be getting better soon!
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~Amara~

I screamed as Jackson roughly dragged me down the hallway. My knees burned from where they skidded across the rocky floor. I bit his hand hard.

"What the hell? Let go of me brat." Jackson yelled as he started shaking his hand around.

I bit down harder until the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. He immediately let me go. I pushed myself up off the floor and sprinted down the hallway.

I didn't get very far.

As I was running, I kept looking back to see if Jackson was following me. The thought that there would be other guards in the hallway never occurred to me. I ran straight into one and smashed my head off of his chest. My feet were swept out from under me. I crashed down onto my back.

The guard grabbed a handful of my hair and picked me up. Jackson finally turned the corner of the hallway and came into view.

"This one yours?" The guard who was holding me asked.

He twisted me around to face Jackson. "Yes." Jackson grumbled.

I was pushed hard in my back and stumbled over to Jackson. He wrenched my hands behind me and clasped a pair of cuffs on. The metal rings cut into my wrists, causing them to ooze blood slowly.

"Your going to regret that." He whispered harshly in my ear.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up. "Where did the boy go?" The guard behind us howled.

Jackson looked over at him. "What boy?"

The guard did a full spin around, looking for someone. His eyes finally landed on me. "This is your fault." He growled.

I didn't want to respond but even if I did I wouldn't of been able too. He was already halfway down the hall looking for whatever kid he lost. Jackson began pushing me forward.

A single tear slipped down my cheek.

I didn't want my life to end this way.

~Austin~

I was looking for Amara all morning and hoping that I would run into her. Then she literally did, well into the guard next to me.

I sprinted down the hallway and found what I was looking for, an old cleaning supply closet. I yanked the door open and slipped inside. The second I shut the door I heard the guard running down the hallway I was in.

I had to time this perfectly.

I swung the door open as hard as I could. The guard's head cracked against the hard wood. I flinched as I heard the crunch of his skull. I gently pulled it back and stepped around to see him.

His nose gushed thick, black blood. It was crooked indicating that it was broken, if not worse. A purple bruise was already forming on his forehead. I kicked his boot with my foot. He let out a long groan.

I sighed with relief. For a second, I thought I killed the guy. Sure he deserves it, but I was no killer and I never would be.

I grabbed him by the ankles and pulled him into the closet. With the door closed behind me, I propped him up on a wall. I quickly changed into his guard uniform. It was all black with a single golden circle on the jackets breast pocket.

I moved over to the other side of the closet and moved over a bucket of brooms. My green backpack was concealed there so I threw it over my shoulder.

"What happened..." A raspy voice mumbled.

I looked over and saw the guard slowly open his eyes. I froze in my spot. He glanced over to me and glared. I relaxed and walked back over to him.

"Sorry man." I said as I pulled out a tranq gun.

"Wait..." He closed his eyes again and fell back into the dark world of unconsciousness. I never even had to waste a dart on him.

I grabbed the hat off of his head and pulled it down low over my eyes. I opened the door of the closet and went to find Amara.

A loud shriek came from down the hallway, clearly hers. Well that was easy. I began running towards her screams.

~Amara~

The second Jackson opened the doors to yet another jail yard, I immediately knew it was the gates to hell. A smell so repulsive made me gag. I doubled over and pressed my hands against my ears. Screams of pure pain rang out in the yard.

I didn't dare look around.

Jackson shoved me down the stairs so that I landed with a thud on the cracked earth. Rocks embedded themselves into my palms as I tried to catch myself. I looked back up at Jack and was surprised at what I saw.

A shadowy figure stepped from behind Jackson and pressed the muzzle of a gun to his head. The person whispered something in Jackson's ear which made all of the color drain from his face. Jackson's mouth formed a perfect O as he let out a silent scream. A flag appeared in the side of his head. The needle sunk deep into his skull.

Austin strode out from behind Jackson just before the unconscious guard fell.

"This is...awful." He said more to himself. Then he looked at me, "We need to get out of here, now." He jumped down the stairs in one leap. He grabbed my hand and began tugging me over to the side of the yard. We went in a dead sprint.

The rhythmic beat of guard boots clanked against the ground. I didn't need to look back to know that they were right behind us. Austin and I sprinted as fast as we could to the far side of the yard, away from the guards and screaming people. A towering wall topped with barbed wire came closer and closer to us as we ran. "Austin what do we do?" I said harshly as we neared it.

"Thought you'd never ask!" He smiled. How a guy smiled in a situation like this, I may never know.

He pulled out a long, silver whistle from his green bag. He blew into it twice. No sound came out. "It's broken!" I yelled.

He grinned again. "No it isn't."

A feathered Pokémon, the one from before, swooped down from nowhere. It landed in front of us and crouched down. Austin pulled me over and got on top. "Get on!" He screamed.

I looked back and saw the officers raise their guns. Real, bullet filled guns. Against what I wanted to do, I climbed onto the bird's back. She cawed and took a small, jumping start before leaping up into the air. She took flight and rocketed up towards the sun. The guards below us were blinded by the light and couldn't aim.

The Pokémon dived down so that we weren't a target anymore. She soared through the forest. Wind streamed through my hair as she built up speed. Gracefully the bird dodged trees until settling on a spot to land. The jail was miles away, no longer a threat. For now at least.

I rolled off the back of the the Pokémon and fell to the ground. I began crawling over to a tree and sitting up against it. Austin hopped off of the Pokémon and began petting its neck.

"I don't think I said last time, but this is Star. She's my partner." Austin beamed brightly.

I squirmed uncomfortably on the ground. "I need to...go on a walk." I said.

Austin frowned, but then nodded. I didn't look back as I got up and hiked through the woods. I needed to clear my head a little.

I kept walking and thinking of everything that's been happening to me. I stopped and sat on a fallen tree. I buried my head in my hands. The forest was completely silent except for the flapping sound above me. I looked up and saw a flash of silver glinting from the setting sun.

Before me, a metal bird landed. It cawed and stretched its wings out wide. "What do you want." I asked it calmly. I wasn't scared. I've seen it before.

The thing walked over to me and rested its head on my knee. He closed his eyes. A smile slowly crept its way on to my lips. I reached a hand out and placed it on his head.

"Skarm-ry" It cooed.

"Skarmory." I said as I watched the sun disappear from its place in the sky. His wing wrapped around me as I drifted to sleep.

~Jackson~

I woke up and had no idea where I was. My arms were hung above my head with chains. I struggled against them a little, but there was no use. I knew what was going to happen. All guards and officers know what happens when you fail.

Death.

A door opened up on the far side of the pitch black room. I couldn't see who it was, but I knew who it was.

"Hello Jackson." He said, shutting the door behind him.

A small light flicked on just above him, giving the man an almost ghostly look. I cleared my throat, "Hello sir."

"You know why your here, correct?"

"Of course sir."

"Well your wrong."

"Sir?"

He walked over to me and pulled out a single key from his suit pocket. The man unlocked the cuffs above my head. My hands fell down to my side.

"Don't worry Jackson. You will live another day, if." He said.

"If, sir?"

He walked back towards the door. Just before walking out he said, "You have one more chance. Bring me them, alive."

The door slammed shut, the light cut off. I was left in darkness. Even though he wouldn't hear it I said it anyway.

"I won't fail you sir."

~The Silver Man (9 years ago)~

"Ah good morning!" Jackson said cheerfully.

I smiled warmly at him. "Morning Jack."

Skarmory nuzzled my arm wanting attention. I raised my hand up in the air. He slapped a wing against it. "High wing." I chuckled slightly.

Jack walked over, his Charmander waddling behind him. "What are we going today?" He asked excitedly.

I smiled again. He was young and got excited over anything. "We are heading back to camp." I replied.

He pumped a fist in the air. "All right!" He hollered. His Charmander mimicked his trainer with a small hand.

We started walking through the field. There was no breeze today so I was surprised when the long grass began whipping around violently. The familiar beat of a helicopter filled my ears.

"Run!" I yelled. Jackson and I took off running across the open field. We needed to make it to the woods and fast.

Skarmory zoomed past us into the woods. Jack and I ran side by side until we made it under the protection of the trees. I held my stomach as my breathing slowly went back to normal.

"Charmander!" Jack cried out.

I looked up and saw the small fire type tripping over its own feet in the middle of the field, far away from us. Jack began to leap out and into the field to save his companion. If he did, no doubt he would get himself killed or captured. I reached out my hand and grabbed on to his jacket. Jackson flew back and crashed in to me.

By the time we both regained to our feet the ladder was already thrown out of the helicopter. Dozens of guards and officers slid down the rope. Bullets swept through the field. Jack, Skarmory, and I were hidden well in the trees. Charmander was out in the open, a perfect target.

His orange skin ripped apart as bullets flew into it. Red bursted out and sprayed over the top of flowers and grass. "Charrrrrr!" It screamed one last time before falling limp to the ground.

"Charmander!" Jack screamed.

"Quiet!" I whisper yelled.

Jackson held his own hand over his mouth and broke out in deep, racking sobs. I placed a hand on his back. Skarmory walked over to us and bent down. I pulled Jackson over and helped him on. Together, the three of us flew through the woods and away from the field were Charmander now rested.

During our flight I talked to Jack. "I'm so sorry, I could never imagine what you're going through." I whispered just loud enough for him to hear over the wind.

"You wouldn't have to be sorry if you would have just let me go back for him." Jackson growled.

"You never would have made it Jack. I needed to save you." I said calmly.

"Screw you old man!" Jack yelled.

I stayed silent. All he needed to do was grieve and calm down. He would be all right eventually. I felt horrible. Pokémon were beautiful creatures and we just lost another one today. Another one to the hands of the Circle. This is exactly why I fought and risked my life everyday.

Hours later we settled down for the night on the top of a large tree. Jack wondered off into the woods. I didn't dare follow him, he needed time to be alone. Skarmory and I prayed for Charmander. The poor, poor Pokémon only live two short years. Skarmory jumped off of the branch and flew off like he does every night. It helps him get tired to go to sleep.

I fell asleep myself.

A sharp snap of a stick woke me up. I couldn't of been asleep for more than an hour so Skarmory wasn't back. "Jack?" I called out. I didn't hear the answer I was expecting.

"Fire!" Someone boomed.

A sharp object pricked me in my shoulder. I winced and looked down at it. Even in the darkness of the night, I could tell it was a tranq dart. My body fell off the branch and spiraled towards the ground. A net broke my fall and then quickly wrapped around me.

My eyes slowly began to shut, but my mind still functioned for a few moments longer to hear the conversation around me.

"Thank you young man. You have done this world good today." An officer said to someone.

"Of course sir. It was my pleasure."

"J-Jackson...is...that...you?" I mumbled.

Hey guys!

April fools you didn't learn what Cementing is...yet! Wait, I have just been informed that it is August first, not April first. Oops.

Jackson is becoming quite the bad guy eh?

Sorry for the super short chapter! See y'all next time with a long one to make up for it!