Serebii37: Disclaimer- "Pokémon" does not and never will belong to me. All the characters in this fic are mine, though. What I own is my Artic Gameboy Advance, a broken purple Game Boy Color, my "Pokémon Gold" and "Pokémon Blue" cartridges, my other junk no one but me cares about, and my muses- {Gets glares from Mewtwo and Kamex.} okay, the muses belong to themselves.

Why This Fanfic is Rated PG- This fic has angst, {of course... take a look at the genres of this story! Either that, or look at my muses. ^^;} A bit of undetailed violence is in the fanfic too, including a death. Otherwise, this fanfic is really close to being a "G".

Kamex: For a note, the Pokémon language is translated, so we don't have to go through the trouble of subtitles.

Mewtwo: Oh yes... did we mention that this fanfic is dedicated for someone?

Serebii37: Yup! ^_^ Today my friend Melissa, {Often nicknamed Mel} known as "Sneasel" on , has just turned 15 today. What you are reading now is her birthday present. Happy birthday Mel, and I hope you enjoy this fanfic and your birthday! You deserve the best! ^_~

Kamex: And now... the show shall go on.

**Truth Underneath the Earth of Insanity**
By Serebii37

The moment I had awoken, I never knew anything. By the time I finally figured out what is going on however, it was too late. I was deep inside in my own underground location, as well as being alone. I had plenty of food to last me for centuries, though... in fact, my home is made out the food itself: earth. It wasn't that I liked eating dirt myself... I found it to taste really disgusting, like most Larvitars do. Then again, we weren't fond of any food either. Nevertheless, should a Larvitar not eat anything, especially earth, he or she will starve to death or be physically weak for the rest of his or her life.

Suddenly, a white flash blinded me as I grabbed a handful of soil from the ceiling. Frightened, I backed to a wall next to me, trying to keep away from this strange new thing as quickly as possible. Slowly however, I began to step near this glimmering ray. As I stuck my hand through it, I felt warmth running all across it; heat was something I hadn't known much of ever since I had gotten higher from deep underground. Soon I moved my whole body under the whitish-yellow beam, for I found myself to be comfortable and happy underneath it.

I was disappointed and upset when the ray had left, and I dug around like crazy, hoping I could find it again. Once I was at the top of where the beam had come from, I was surprised that there was already a tunnel created before me, and that everything felt so much cooler. At last, I gave up and went to sleep. Hours later, I felt the ray shine on me again while I slept. I wandered around the ground gap, which seemed to very full of the beam along with many other things I had never seen before. The ray I discovered... turned out to be what I had learned was light, which came from the sun; something I never had until now.

I have reached the surface.

My scream echoed across the mountain, sending Doduo and Dodrio running as far as they can away from the area I was in. The pain was nearly unbearable, and I thought for a split second that I was doomed. I sneered angrily at the human in front of me, as blood flowed from the slash across my right eye. "I finally caught you, Larvitar..." the Pokémon trainer said, "Pokéball... go!" I had to do something, or I was done for. The Sandstorm attack was cast upon my opponent, leaving the Pokémon and its human lost in a sea of dust. I made my escape through a shrub, and then I ran as fast as I could. My eye was still hurting, meaning I had to keep it closed from feeling more pain, and dash while only seeing half of my vision.

'Why is everybody trying to get me!?' I thought, 'I'm nothing this special, am I?'

"There it is! Get it! Hurry before we lose the Larvitar again!" I heard the trainer yell. Immediately leaping away from my own thoughts, I added more energy into my legs in hopes that I could find another hiding place. "Psst... Over here!" a whisper called out, "Down here before you get captured!" Having no other choice, I tried to search for the voice, when I stepped onto a gap on the floor, and fallen underground. "I'm glad that you have made it," the voice said again, revealing itself to be a female Ponyta, "I may need your help for this... do you know 'Sandstorm'?" I nodded. "Okay, this should work, then. Let me explain my plan..."

"Have you found the Larvitar?" the Pokémon trainer asked its Pokémon, "So... it's down in that hole, huh?" Unexpectedly, the gap busted out fire, while showering its surroundings with flaming rocks the same manner as a volcano. "Shoot, that does not look safe!" the human cried, returning his Pokémon to its Pokéball, "My water Pokémon has fainted too... I've got to go back to the Pokémon Center as fast as I could!" After that scene, the trainer had left. I faced the Ponyta, wanting to thank her more then once.

"Y-you... you saved my life..." I stuttered, "Thank you, I thought they were trying to kill me!" "No, the trainer was trying to imprison you," explained the Ponyta, "You're a Larvitar; of course you are sought after among the trainers here!" "I see..." I replied, "How did you get down here anyway, though?" "I just fell down in this place," said the Ponyta, "I can't dig my way out, but you, being half rock and half ground, can. I'd appreciate it if you would get me out of here. My name is Amber, by the way. As in ember." "Everyone calls me Tonachi," I introduced myself, "I'll be glad to lend a hand... after all, eating and digging soil is my specialty."

I was instantly working as fast as I could, with Amber helping me out a bit. After a day or so, I finally created small mud platform that was strong enough for her to stand on. In one leap, she jumped out of the hole, and became free.

"Whew, I'm so hungry, thirsty, and tired at the same time!" cried Amber, rushing towards a lake, and drinking as much water as she needed. "It's a good thing the gap in the ground wasn't really that deep, or else I would have starved... at least I'm finally out, though! Right Tonachi? Tonachi?" "Argh, I'm so full... so exhausted..." I groaned, "I need to rest before I can dig myself out..." "Thank you so much for getting me out of the hole!" replied Amber, checking down below to see if I was okay, "I have to leave now. Goodbye... I hope I can see you again... you're a wonderful Pokémon, did you know that?"

Therefore, we met for a second time, although I had never expected to. After that day, Amber and I had visited one another and became best friends. Whenever I was curious about something of this world, she would tell me just about what I needed to know. If she needed help with anything, I was there for her. We played many games together, such as "Hide and Seek" and "Tag". I wasn't very good at either of them, especially when I was "it", but I had fun all the same. One day however, I was starting to feel strange. Over the years, I felt stronger, but I also needed to sleep more. I asked Amber about my conditions, which led me to learn about much bigger things...

"Hmm... I think you're about to evolve, Tonachi," said the Ponyta. "What does 'evolve' mean?" I asked. "It means that you'll change into a newer tougher form," Amber explained, "You are a Larvitar, which means that you will evolve into one of the most fierce Pokémon ever to exist; Tyranitar." After the sentence was said, she looked away from me, as if she were in deep thought. "What's wrong, Amber?" I asked her, "You look sad. Did something happen?" "My mother..." She replied, "Once she evolved, I never saw her again. She protected me from a wild Tyranitar long before I even met you. Tonachi, the scar across your eye... I have a feeling that it symbolizes as a bad omen. Please don't become a Tyranitar, Tonachi... you'll lose control of yourself if your feelings are not in the right place. Many Larvitars had failed that when they chose to evolve. I want you to be happy, and-"

All of a sudden, Amber collapsed right next to me, and remained still on the ground. After that moment, a Fearow swiftly came back to its owner. "Oops, I guess that Ponyta was taken care of," cackled a Pokémon trainer, dressed in a black uniform with a red "R" across his shirt. "Well, what do you know... it's a Larvitar! The boss will appreciate me after I catch that Pokémon... especially once it gains enough levels to its third stage evolution!" I felt anger burning up inside my mind and body. I finally knew why I was so pursued after so often; the humans wanted me to become a Tyranitar so that they can become the most powerful Pokémon trainers in the universe, as well as suit their egos of greed.

"Why did you have to kill Amber for this!?" I shrieked, despite the fact that the human never understood my language. The Pokémon trainer laughed, as if my words were nothing but the wind to pass through by. Fearows had splendid eyesight, meaning that it would be pointless trying to escape from one. I could never run away now; the only thing I had to do was fight. However, what good are my powers against a Fearow as strong as this one?

"Fearow, Drill Peck, now!" I heard the trainer yell. I braced myself, ready to take in the blow, when suddenly, I began to glow a brilliant light. The Fearow stopped in its tracks when it saw what was happening to me, and paused its attack. I felt as if my body was morphing into something else... could it be that I was evolving? I attempted to stop it, but my arms and legs no longer moved, and my whole from was hardening into a heavy shell. The bright flash soon faded away, and it seemed like I was normal again... or was I?

"The Larvitar evolved into a Pupitar!" the human exclaimed, "Fearow, stay back!" "Rock Slide!" I shouted. Boulders arouse from the ground, and hit the Fearow as hard as it could feel; it was even more effective because rock attacks had an advantage over flying types. The bird Pokémon's attacks did little damage because of the protection that my new shell had provided me, and I was winning. After several blows, the Fearow was knocked down to the ground, and was returned to its Pokéball. "You'll... you'll pay for this!" yelled the angry trainer. Immediately, he ran away before I could use any more of my new powers against him as well.

I had enjoyed myself for a short moment there. I was mighty, and I seemed to have the potential to knock over all the mountains around me also. However, I turned to face Amber lying on the floor, still dead. Gazing at the image with horror, I began to remember her last words...

'Please don't become a Tyranitar, Tonachi... you'll lose control of yourself if your feelings are not in the right place. Many Larvitars had failed that when they chose to evolve. I want you to be happy.'

Quickly, I rushed over towards the lake to see my reflection. Mirrored from the sunlight and water was a spiky sky-colored cocoon, with its crimson red eyes staring back at me as if I was a criminal. This looked nothing what I used to be like, except for the black scar that remained across my eye. The human was right... I was no longer a weak Larvitar; I was a fierce, but cold and emotional Pupitar.

"Wha- what have I done?" I cried in a shaky sound, "What have I done!?"

I was now deep underground again, and in complete solitude as well. Nevertheless, it is for my own good to keep myself from evolving into Tyranitar, my worst nightmare to ever exist in my world. I will remain to be sealed inside this shell, fighting the monster before he breaks free from his stony barrier, and wrecking havoc all across the universe. I am already filled with bitterness inside my heart, but no matter what, until I come back to my eternal slumber, I will keep Amber's promise. There will always be change, whether it is good or bad. For example, my life has changed from its more cheerful moments to its loneliness within the dark. Amber's mother evolving to save her daughter's life was an important thing. The mother was strong; she could go through the evolution just fine. I couldn't, for the regrets, naivety, and the little hunger for control inside my heart that may forever remain.

After sleeping for what seemed to be hours, I awoken again. 'Wait a minute, what is up with me lately?' I thought, 'Amber wants me to be happy! She would never want for me to be upset! She wished I could be like her mother, who is spirited and caring. I'm struggling and giving up right now... well, the best thing I can do is to have everything become easier and better. The many things everybody up there must learn! I have to get up to the surface right away!' Within a flash, I brought myself back to the outside world, while the sunshine rays I had loved for so long brought warmth all over my body once again.

"I'll never forget you Amber... or your mother, or your promise... I will continue to help you like I did back then; by making good changes within a forever changing universe."

**The End**

Serebii37: Phew... that took me two days to finish that fanfic! I must have used up a lot of writing energy here.

Mewtwo: We hope you liked this fanfic, Mel. We apologize if you thought it was corny, badly written, or both.

Kamex: If you liked it though, awesome. ^_^ Well, either way, we'll all say this...

Serebii37 and all her muses: HAPPY 15TH BIRTHDAY, MELISSA!!!!! ^_~