Author's Note: This came to me in the midst of my depression…so sorry, but it's another depressing one-shot. Live with it. Chance a review, too?

Caution strongly advised.

I can't live this life
Without you by my side
I need you to survive
So stay with me
You look in my eyes and I'm screaming inside that I'm sorry
Forgive Me by Evanescence

They trusted me. And I let them down…

"Oh no, we're losing him! He's going into shock!"

I've let them down…

"Come on, boy, stay with us!"

The boy, lying on his back on a stretcher, reached up to grasp the shoulder of the man trying to save him.

"That's right, stay with us…!" The man said, placing his own hand on the boy's.

The boy coughed weakly, a small trickle of blood making its way down his chin. His eyes glazed over, but he was still breathing. For the moment.

"Someone, get over here!" the doctor shouted. "This boy's going into shock!"

They were depending on me…I let them down…

Another man swam into the boy's blurry vision. He, too, was wearing a white coat and a strange mask over his mouth and nose. "Come on," He said to the first man. "This one's not going to make it. There are still survivors in the wreckage that need tending to…"

I could've ran. I could've kept them in their balls. I could've saved them…

The boy's hand slipped off the man's shoulder, falling limply into the air beside the stretcher. With a sorrowful sigh and a somewhat hurt look on his face, the man from before left the boy there.

Earlier That Day…

"Come on, girl, fetch!" The boy tossed the ball as hard as he could.

"I don't do fetch." The Vaporeon grinned slyly, snickering. "Besides, your ball just got stuck in a tree. Learn to aim."

"Why aim? I have you guys to get it down for me." The boy smiled, picking up his water pokemon. His Nidorino laughed, while his other pokemon, a Swablu, chirped excitedly. The azure bird fluttered over and retrieved the red ball, dropping it on his trainer's head.

"How about we head back into town now? I'm hungry." Nidorino stated, sitting up and shaking his head. "My ears are starting to itch, too."

"And what do your ears have to do with anything…?" The boy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing. Just thought you'd like to know."

Everyone, even Vaporeon, laughed. "Alright…we'll head back to the hotel now. We'll eat in an hour, okay? It's still early…Plus, you're always hungry."

"Whatever…"

"Act like that and I'm not buying dinner."

"Alright, alright!"

Swablu twittered with laughter. He nestled down on his trainer's head, making a strange sound like a purr. "Hey…when are you gonna start talking, huh?"

"Bluuu…" the bird shook his head, sighing. He was still a baby pokemon, hatched about a week and a half ago.

In town, the group made their way toward the hotel. "Alright, guys, you have to go back into your pokeballs for a minute. They don't allow pokemon out in the lobby."

"Oh, alright…"

The boy smiled in slight apology as he returned the three. The second he set foot into the lobby, however, some sort of siren started going off just outside. He raced back out, nearly having to cover his ears from the noise.

All down the street, other people and pokemon were looking outside for the cause of alarm. They found out soon enough, however.

A pair of Charizard swooped in from the direction of the forest. A Rapidash, two Ponyta and an Arcanine galloped in, each with a trainer on their back. And each 'trainer' was wearing a black uniform with a red 'M' on the shirt.

"Woo! MAGMAS FOREVER!" The one on the Arcanine screeched, throwing another pokeball out randomly into the town. A Camerupt appeared, almost instantly setting fire to a nearby house.

That happened again and again. And, in that fashion, most of the town was on fire in a matter of minutes. There was nothing most people or pokemon could do for the houses; all water pokemon were trying to put out the two pokemon centers and save the injured ones inside.

"Vaporeon! Put out those flames!" The boy commanded, pointing at the hotel's entrance. The ground floor was in complete flames, and people were stuck in the higher floors. They were hanging out the windows, screaming as their own rooms caught on fire.

"Stupid kid, quite trying to put out the flames of redemption." One of the Magma members growled, coming up behind him and Swablu. She kicked Swablu out of the way, also catching the boy's head with her heel. Nidorino rounded on her, ramming into her stomach with his horn. In turn, her Blaziken countered with a Blaze Kick to Nidorino's head.

Meanwhile, the boy staggered back up, wiping blood off his chin as he crawled over to where his Swablu lay. The bird chirped weakly, trying to take flight. Another chirp, only this time it sounded like something…"Trainer…"

"Swablu…!" The boy said, almost in surprise. He struggled to his feet, gently scooping up his Swablu. He next walked over to Vaporeon, picking her up as well. "Nidorino…come back…!"

"I'm not done with these…monsters yet!" The purple pokemon roared, trying to take another charge at the woman and/or Blaziken.

"RETURN!" The boy shouted hoarsely. The Nidorino turned, surprised, and retreated.

"Oh, no, you little brat. That stupid Nidorino hurt…!" The Magma growled, holding her bloody side. "Magmas! We got a rebel over here!"

The next thing the boy knew, three or so of the Magmas and several sneering fire pokemon had them surrounded. In desperation and instinct more than an actual thought, the boy dropped to the ground and knelt, as best he could, over his pokemon, to try to protect them. (The pokeballs were lying on the ground a little ways away, along with his backpack and jacket).

"Please…leave us alone…" The boy whimpered, stroking the scales of his Vaporeon.

"Yeah right, kid. After you injured Jackie? Not gonna happen." One of the grunts snickered, kicking the boy in the side.

He cried out in pain, accidentally letting go of Swablu and Vaporeon. The bird rolled onto his side about a foot away from his trainer, out cold and unmoving.

"Swablu…!" The boy choked out, reaching out for the bird (since Vaporeon was already back beside him).

"Stupid bird…" One of the Magmas snorted, jerking his thumb toward it. His Charizard stomped forward, gently placing his clawed foot on Swablu's skull.

"NO!" The boy had staggered to his feet, clutching his side and sobbing. "Please…don't!"

"Alright." The Charizard's owner said simply. Nearly everyone looked at him in surprise and shock. "Charizard, kill the Vaporeon."

"NO!" The boy charged forward, fists flying. He vaguely heard an attack called out before a searing pain ripped through his chest and he dropped to the ground limply. He heard the sickening crunch of bone, flesh and other innards mixed in with the sound of cackling and a muted stomp of a Charizard's foot.

The boy felt sick. He couldn't believe that just happened…He got up on his knees, his vision blurred from tears and a burning in his throat. He doubled over and vomited, coughing weakly as he saw blood mixed in with it and the mud.

"Eww! Gross! That almost got my boots, you brat!" the Magma called Jackie yelped. "Blaziken, kick him away from me!"

The boy felt a burning foot hit his injured side and he flew backwards, into some sort of wall. He could barely make out the blue and purple dots that were his other pokemon…he couldn't bear to look further to his left toward where Vaporeon was…

"Cremate the little blue bird, then we'll toy with the Nidorino for a bit, since he's still up and breathing." One of the Magmas cackled.

The next time the boy opened his eyes, there was ashes scattered all over him, as well as a heavy, cold and limp body on his chest. He broke out into new sobs, nearly suffocating himself with tears, snot, ashes, mud and a charred piece of what looked like his backpack.

"I'm SORRY!" He sobbed into the dark sky. "…I'm…sorry…"

Another Author's Note: Sorry…that got a bit more…evil than I thought it would…Still, if you made it through all that, could you please review…?