A/N: ~LOOKIE, GUYS, LOOKIE! I managed to type a whole chapter in two months [if you don't count February, because I didn't have a computer during that point.] If I keep it up, we may finish the story before I turn 40!

...I'm kidding, you guys, I'm not gonna force you to wait twenty six years for the end of this.

Anyways, I think I did okay with this. I dunno, I'm pretty sure it got kind of shifty towards the part with Max Carson and the Harveson girls, but the rest should be decent. So, I'd appreciate some suggestions. [Oh, and I have the next three chapters planned out, so you may not have to wait long for the next one.]

~If your OC didn't specify having a place for PokeBalls, they instantly go to a bag, belt loops or on a belt [even if you didn't say they wore a belt.]

~Mikyo's Faron Province has three forests- Faron Woods, the main one, which takes up most of the province, the Forest of Black Night, and the Deep Forest. There are many clearings in the area as well, and several shrines for Legends hidden in some. Farona's Canyon runs smack dab through the whole thing, and there are tons of bridges connecting the two sides. However, it doesn't go right to the sea. The canyon comes in from the sea and stops halfway to Mount Spirrus, which is exactly center of Mikyo and connects all four provinces together. If you really don't want to go over the bridges, you can travel the long way around.

~There is also a movie reference in here. It's a pretty long one, so I expect at least some of you to get it. The first person to get it right will get the next chapter dedicated to them!~ [Hint, it also helps if you're not far from your childhood to recognize this movie. Of course, that's just my own opinion.]

~There will also be a girl named Angel Kai in this chapter. She's not a guardian, but keep an eye on her because's she's important to the plot. Stuff like prophecies and sacrifices and what no- I MEAN, WHAT.

~THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO ANYONE WHO CARED ENOUGH TO REVIEW THE LAST ONE.

II
keep it brutal

Lauren Silverfeather always questioned her sanity of becoming friends with a guy like Will Rio during moments like these.

The moment they had stepped on the S.S. Marie surrounded by their Pokemon, a security guard immediately stepped up to them and politely asked them to return their Pokemon until they reached their rooms. Lauren had done what the man asked, clipping her PokeBalls onto her belt after she returned her Pokemon to them, but when she turned around to face Will, she let out a loud sigh. Will hadn't moved, his expression downcast as he looked at each of his team members, who in turn gazed up at him expectantly.

"Can I at least keep Lucario out?" he pleaded to the guard. Lauren let out another sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Will, don't argue with them!" she hissed under her breath, glaring at him. "Are you trying to get me arrested? Honestly. You and the Head of the camp are the only people who know about... my old habits, and if these people found out who they had on board..."

Will shot her a sympathetic glance, but continued his tirade.

"Honestly, what harm could one Pokemon do?" he asked weakly, shrugging.

"Kid, there are about 60 or so many others of you on this ship, not to mention the hundreds of other passengers who are taking the full cruise. If I let you keep your Lucario out, everyone's going to do the same and eventually someone will get hurt."

"But-"

"Oh, I give up!" Lauren cried before she stormed back to her room.

"You know what? I do too." The security guard grimaced. "You win, kid. You can keep your Lucario with you. But believe me- if any fight of some sort breaks out on this ship, and I hear you have something to do with it, I will personally take you and your Pokemon and toss you overboard." He skulked away, leaving Will and Lucario to share triumph looks.

"Well, Wilbert? How'd it go?"

Brett Kuso appeared seemingly out of nowhere, a cheeky grin on his face as he leaned against the wall and tossed his Infernape's PokeBall into the air, catching it in the palm of his hand. His best friend, Kari, was nowhere to be seen, leading Will to suspect that he had snuck away from her so he could cause some mischief without hearing grief from the cute brunette.

"Don't call me that!" Wilbert- uh, I mean, Will- snapped. Next to him, Lucario began snickering wildly, but when Will turned to look at him, Lucario snapped to attention and stared at Brett with a stern look on his face. "And where'd your girlfriend go? I was sure you would be following her around like a lost Lillipup for the whole summer."

Brett's eyebrow was somewhere lost in his spiky black hair as he gave Will a questioning look. "Call you what? Also, Kari is not my girlfriend and I most definitely do not follow her around like a lost Lillipup! If anything, you follow that Lauren girl!"

"What?"

"Yep! I can see it in your eyes, you like her!" Brett began to chant in singsong, "Wilbert likes Lauren! Wilbert likes Lauren!"

Will and Lucario stared at him for several moments before Will said sharply, "Lucario!"

Lucario obidiently walked up next to Brett, and the two stared each other down for a moment. Then Lucario raised one arm, and smacked Brett into the ground. Brett lept back up, looking indignant as he nursed the huge bump on his head.

"What was that for?"

"Sorry, but I don't hit girls," Will said brightly, jumping back as Brett lunged at him.

Across the room, a figure shifted slightly as he reached for his eraser. Once or twice he would look up to examine the antics between the two teenage boys, but then return to his work just as quickly. A thick sketchbook was in his lap, and it was obvious that he was very protective of it. It seemed to be consisted of more than just one single sketchbook, instead with at least three binded together using thick black and white string. The front was covered with a yin-yang insignia, and by the looks of how he was quickly approaching the last page of the book, it had been with him for quite a while.

He pushed a blond lock of hair behind his ear, looking quite frustrated as he stared down the drawing in front of him. However, his vexation was not targeted at the drawing itself, because it was actually one of his best, but more at what is actually was of.

'Why can't I stop this?' He struggled not to scream aloud, and to his chagrin, the subject of the drawing just so happened to pass by him. His dark azure eyes flickered towards the tall blond girl who wandered through the room with two other girls. He sighed, and then reached to get his eraser.

"Looking for this?" He nearly jumped a foot into the air, and then spun around to glare at the girl who was waving his eraser in front of his face. As he reached out for it, she merely giggled and stepped back, bringing his precious eraser out of reach. "I'm Isabella. What'cha doi- actually, I won't go there. What's your name?"

When he didn't respond, she then pranced forward and deposited the eraser beside him, and snatched up his sketchbook instead. His face paled as she examined his drawing through narrowed eyes, and then turned to face away from him.

She cupped her hands over her mouth and then yelled brightly, "Alexandria! Kame! Luna! Check this out!" She then skipped towards the three girls, practically shoving the sketchbook into the tall blonde girl's face when she approached.

The subject of his drawing stared down at the picture for a moment, emotionless. He held his breath, considering fleeing (or perhaps attacking the energetic blond girl) for a second before he watched, amazed, as a hint of a smile flickered on her lips.

"Bella, this is amazing!" Luna exclaimed as she looked over Kame's shoulder. "Did you draw this?"

Bella shook her head, blond curls whipping across her face as she did. "Nope!" She grinned broadly. "You guys know that I can't draw to save my life. He drew it!"

"He?" Kame asked, tilting her head.

Luna's eyes lit up in understanding. She smiled broadly. "Oh, he? Veeery interesting." She let out a little cackle that caused Alexandria and Kame to back away from her in alarm. Exchanging identical grins with Bella worthy of the Cheshire Cat, they watched as the boy approached them, looking rather frustrated.

"Alexandria?" he asked quietly, "Do you think I can have my sketchbook back?"

Alexandria stared down at the picture for a couple of seconds, before looking up at him and smiling. "It's nice to see you again, Archer." Kame looked startled at the friendly tone she spoke in. "These are some great drawings." She closed the sketchbook and handed it to him.

Archer blinked at her as he took the sketchbook. "Thanks," he said quickly. "I'll see you later." He turned and quickly waded through the crowd, towards the halls where the cabins were. The four girls watched him until he was out of sight, and then Alexandria rounded on her friends, glaring down at them icily.

"What was that about?" she growled at them, all friendliness gone. "You're free to leave, Kame," she added as an afterthought, not looking away from Bella and Luna. Kame nodded appreciatively and quickly ran away from them.

"Kame! Miss Sahara's going to kill me," Luna wailed, pulling on her blue tunic in distress.

"Serves you right," Alexandria snapped. "What were you thinking, trying to pull a move like-"

"INCOMING!"

An Aura Sphere was launched from across the room straight at the three girls. From overtop of Bella and Luna's heads, she could see Alexander Goldheart lunging forward and tackling Bella and Luna down, taking herself down as well. The Aura Sphere passed by neatly overhead and dissolved after it came into contact with nothing, and after a second, Alex stood and helped each of them up.

"Thanks, Alex," Alexandria said grudgingly, still glaring at Bella and Luna.

"No probs, DaLuca!" Alex said brightly, and then turned in the direction where the Aura Sphere had been thrown. A crowd was starting to form there, and Alex shook his head, left earring shimmering in the overhead light. "Arceus, don't those two know better? Minnie's gonna kill them if Orielle doesn't stop them- catch you girls later!" He waved as he jogged off to the crowd.

At the center of the crowd, Brett's Infernape stood facing down Will's Lucario. The two Pokemon stared each other down for a second, and then Brett shouted, "Infernape, Mach Punch!" at the same time Will ordered a Drain Punch. The two attacks collided and caused both to recoil, and a few good-natured passengers cheered. To the side, the two trainers were mock fighting, throwing light punches at each other that probably didn't hurt at all.

"Excuse me... excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse m- MOVE, BI-! Oops, sorry Ms. Rooden. My bad." Three figures pushed their way to the front of the crowd. The second one was a middle aged woman with graying brown hair and piercing gray eyes. The moment she reached the battle, she stormed up to the two trainers and shoved herself between them, causing them to fall to the ground. Instantly, their Pokemon stopped fighting and walked over to them.

"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped, sneering down at them. "Fighting in the presence of Lord and Lady Kai's daughter? Such impudence shall not be tolerate-"

"Yo, Minnie."

The first figure, the one who had been shouting at people to move, waltzed up to them, and both boys instantly relaxed at her familiarity. Orielle Soledea was well known at Camp for her bubbly and mischievous attitude, not to mention her uncanny habit to get out of any mess. The Sunyshore girl's sapphire eyes were sparkling with amusement as she placed one hand on her hip, gold ponytail whipping around as she examined her manicured nails. When the woman wasn't looking at her, she winked down at them, letting them know she would get them out of this alive.

Their attention was shifted away from her, though, when the third figure quietly approached from behind. She was a tiny thing, the very opposite of Orielle, with pale skin, wavy platinum blond hair, wide brown eyes and freckles. Neither of the boys recognized her, so they unconsciously stared at her until she flushed nervously, looking more paler than ever. 'Minnie' scowled at them until they looked away.

"Minerva," Orielle cut in sharply, drawing their attention back to her. "Remember your position." The boys stared at her. This wasn't one of Orielle's usual 'fake compliment' kind of plan. Generally, she would butter the person in authority up and feed them a false story or two before making her escape. What she was planning on doing now was totally beyond them.

"Very well, Miss Soledea," the older woman said crisply, curtsying. "Come, Angela." The pale girl didn't move, her attention directed at Will's Lucario. "Angela!" Minerva leaned forward, snatched the girl's wrist in her hand, and dragged her away.

Orielle sighed as she waved off the crowd. "Sorry about that, boys. My aunt and uncle wanted to send Angel to Camp this year, because they think it will be good for her sickness. But Uncle Bertie wouldn't let her unless she traveled with a governess. Minnie's rather good, but she's a bit of a snob sometimes. Anyways, I do believe that Aunt Ravynna will change her mind once she discovers that my diet consists mostly of junk food and pop..." Orielle said absently, twirling a lock of gold hair around her finger. "But anyway, you guys might want to hide. I may have called Minnie off, but that won't stop her from talking to a guard about your fight, if they haven't noticed it already."

'I will personally take you and your Pokemon and toss you overboard!' Will thought remorsefully. 'Good grief, I should have listened to Lauren. Not that she needs the satisfaction of knowing she's right...'

"Brett Kuso!" a feminine voice raged loudly somewhere to his right. The three of them turned to face a very ticked Kari as she lightly shoved people of her way. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"Oh, snap, Kari," Brett muttered as he jumped up, beckoning to his Infernape. "C'mon, Infernape, let's hit the road-"

"Oh, no you don't!" Will said gleefully, leaping up with him and grabbing onto Brett's shirt collar. "I still haven't extracted proper revenge for the Lauren comments earlier." As Kari came closer, Brett started struggling.

"Will, please, she'll kill me!" the younger boy pleaded.

"No, she won't," Will said assuringly. "Lecture you for a bit, yes, but we all know that Kari couldn't hurt a Caterpie if she wanted to." He shoved Brett into the path of the brunette girl, before taking a step back with Lucario and Orielle to observe the scene.

Brett looked back quickly as Kari stormed up next to him. "Orielle?"

The blonde shook her head, trying to hide her growing smile. "Sorry, Kuso, but you're on your own for this one." At that very moment, Kari poked Brett in the chest.

"Brett," she growled, cheeks pink, "What did you do this time?"

Orielle and Will exchanged amused looks, trying without much success to hold in their laughter. Someone laid a hand on Will's shoulder, causing him to jump a foot in the air. He spun around to face the security guard who had spoken to him earlier.

"Whatever it is," Will began quickly, taking a step back, "I had nothing to do with it."

"I'm sure, pretty boy," the guard chuckled. He then reached out and grabbed the back of Brett's shirt, and dragged him over. "Excuse me, miss," he said politely to Kari, who's scowl disappeared immediately. "Would you mind if I borrow this young man for a bit?"

"Of course not!" Kari said sweetly, and turned to give Brett a hard look before she walked away. "He's all yours." Orielle gave them both a small wave before following after her.

"Now then..." the guard began, smirking as he looked both boys in the eye. "How are your potato peeling skills, boys?"

As the buses that had driven them to a half-circle clearing drove out of sight, Arianna and Ilana Harveson started arguing fiercely, and not for the first time. The youngest Harveson sister, Rachel, and their friend Max Carson, exchanged looks of frustration as they failed in getting the two girls to shut up. Max ran a hand through his dyed white hair, and sighed, deciding to lean against a tree and wait until the fight blew over.

"Max!" someone exclaimed from across the clearing. Chrisie ran up to him, ebony curls whipping around her back as Lucas, Neo and Alicia followed. Max straightened up as he shot the girls small smiles and nodded at the boys.

"Where have you been all this time?" Chrisie demanded, placing a hand on her hip as she spoke. Her eyes were lit with excitement as she wagged a finger at him in a scolding manner. "You didn't say hi to me earlier!"

"Sorry, Christmas-" (Chrisie grimaced.) "-but I was busy trying to keep these two from ripping each other apart." Max jerked a finger in the direction of Arianna and Ilana, who scowled at each other over top of Rachel's head. The moment Chrisie and co. had come over, Rachel had torn her sisters away from each other in hopes to spare them all from later embarrassment. Chrisie grinned.

"Well, I guess I can forgive you, but only if you help me settle an argument with Aqua Boy over here."

"Aqua Boy?" Neo sputtered in the background, looking indignant. "...Actually, that sounds pretty cool. Aqua Boy."

"Sounds like a moisture meter if you ask me," Lucas commented absently, feeding his Plusle and Minun a tiny piece from the leftover cupcakes.

"You shouldn't be talking, Mr. Lukey-Pukey."

"Hey, now, that's-"

"Boys!" Alicia exclaimed, shoving her way between the two. "We are trying to have a conversation over here!" She gestured to where several feet away Chrisie and Max had moved and were now talking avidly. Well, Chrisie, at least. Max was just nodding every once and a while as he listened.

Neo and Lucas blinked, and then turned to face her. Alicia rolled her eyes and grinned at them before pulling them over to Chrisie and Max.

"I'd have to agree with Chrisie on this one," he said quietly, sounding rather amused. He turned to Neo. "Most people would tell their friends about their captures right away, especially when it's something as serious as a Legendary. Did you really capture the Prince of the Sea?"

Neo muttered something under his breath, which faintly sounded like "Yes, because it isn't like you always do," before raising his voice and saying, "Actually, turns out it's the Princess of the Sea."

"You know, Neo," Chrisie said nonchalantly, "I didn't figure you were the type to catch a Legend, of all Pokemon."

"And I suppose Max is?" Neo grumbled, raising an eyebrow.

Arianna made a choking sound in the back of her throat as she knelt next to her backpack. Ilana backed away, and at the same time Rachel stepped towards her hesitantly.

"Hey, how'd you do that thing with the eyebrow-"

"Lucas, I don't think now is the time-"

"Hey, Arianna... You okay?" Rachel asked, and then quickly wondered if maybe she shouldn't have. Max, Chrisie, Neo, Lucas and Alicia turned towards the three Harveson sisters, looking concerned.

"I could get a water bottle from the bus, if you'd like," Chrisie offered, stepping around Max to look at the three sisters. Arianna shot the younger girl an icy glare, causing her to flinch in alarm, Neo and Lucas to step forward and Max to shoot an 'are you completely mental?' look at his friend. Alicia glanced back and forth between the two groups, her steel-blue eyes wide with alarm.

Before any of them could make another move, a loud voice boomed amongst the adults at the northern end of the clearing.

"Alright, kiddos! Gather round!" Several people jumped at the sound, and everyone quickly gathered in front of them. "Welcome to the third year our fine establishment has been running! How are all of you today?" The man in question was Ryuu Sagelyn, a Dragon-Type specialist from Northern Unova. Lucas's eyes brightened at the sight of the middle aged man; since he was a child, he had a strong interest in Dragon type Pokemon, so naturally he quickly became a fan of Sagelyn.

"We're great, Mr. Sagelyn!" a couple of people chimed.

"Perfect!"

"'Mazing!"

"Aren't you Ryuuku Sagelyn from last month's Unova Stars magazine?"

"I went to a 5D concert last week with the Ultimate VIT Package, Mr. Sagelyn, and Lawrence said that you were-"

"Orielle, you went to a 5D concert? You lucky Ducklett-"

"Hey, Orielle, I hope you got me a souvenir!"

"Oh, Arceus! The Ultimate VIT Package, Riri? How'd you get 70 000 clams?"

"Yo, Ryuu-senpai! My friends and I tried out that muffin place you recommended last year, and you were right! It's awe-"

"Alright, kids, settle down!" Sagelyn laughed, "I'll speak with you all later. For now, I'd like to introduce this year's Co-Heads. Aurora, Rome?"

"Thanks, Ryuu. Hello everyone!" A young woman stepped up from the throng, her violet eyes twinkling in delight as she dragged a man around her age next to her. "It's great to meet you! I'm Aurorane Nyxen, but please, just call me Aurora. I'm one half of the Co-Head of Camp this year, it's a pleasure to meet you all." She gestured to the sandy-haired man next to her, who smiled broadly at the trainers.

"Romulus, but you must call me 'Sir' or 'Your Royal Awesomeness,'" he declared boldly as he jumped onto a nearby stump. "I am your king at this fine establishment, and from this point on, you shall all be my humble servants- ACK! Aurora!" Aurora rolled her eyes as she climbed onto the makeshift podium next to him, before promptly pushing him off. Behind them, Ryuu chuckled, and several of the other adults smiled at their colleagues' actions.

"You can call him Rom, Rome, or Rem," she said shortly, before frowning. "Unfortunately, we have bad news for you guys. The thing is... Camp isn't actually here."

A large flurry of angry outbursts grew in that second from the newcomers of the group. The 'veterans' simply sighed in response. Truth was, they were unfortunately used to this. The very reason that all the campers met up in Slateport in the first place was because Camp Legends never took place in the same Province each year, combined with the fact that there was always some sort of task they had to do before being allowed into Camp. Last year, Camp was set in the Olcane Province of Mikyo, a mountain region with active volcanoes only doubling the danger factor. The task just so happened to involve rock-climbing, live magma, bloodthirsty Zubats and a couple of waivers regarding mental and physical health.

"Some of you guys who have been to Camp before know what's happening right now, but I'll explain for the newbies," Romulus said, scratching the back of his head as the weight of several glares weighed him down. "Just because Camp is free, doesn't mean we just about let everyone in right away. We'll be testing you here, using everything from wilderness survival to your battle strategies. Our job is to make sure you can handle yourself out there."

Aurora clapped her hands in delight. "Well, to start, let's get you into groups of threes! Oh, and we already chose your groups, so no one is excluded. Rem, the list?"

"Alrighty!" Romulus exclaimed, brandishing a list he had pulled out of his pocket into the air. "Listen up, midgets! I'll only say this once!" Aurora smacked him again. "Rory! Okay, first team is Tyr, Avery and Canty. Second will be Joshua, Daniel, Sora, then Roxanne, Molly, Briana, and then- okay, you know what? Why don't we pass this around, you find your names and your group. Capeesh? If you're new, well, just ask someone." He gave the list to Jaden Namikaze of Viridian City, who located his name before passing it on to Mikaela Rider as he went to find Josef Borealus and Lucas.

"Are you kidding me?" Chrisie raged somewhere in the middle of the group. "Ugh, Neo, go find Will. You're both in my group."

"Sweet!

"Any questions while waiting?" Aurora called out, and several hands went up right away. She called on Pedro Borealus, an ten-year old with a fascination with Electric-Type Pokemon.

"Aurora-senpai," Pedro began, gold eyes wide awe. "How old are you?"

Next to him, his year-older cousin, Josef, smacked his shoulder. "Pedro," he scolded. "Nee-chan Glacie says you never ask a lady how old she is. Rory-senpai, how young are you?" Many people laughed at the two Borealus kids, and Aurora smiled.

"Kendra and Sean Olson... aren't those the two violet haired kids who we saw earlier, Kame? Oh, I pity you, being stuck with that lot."

"I'm afraid that's classified information, kids," she teased, and then she turned to call on Joshua Daniels, a quiet boy who, like Archer Fang, was known for being very artistic.

"Are there any rules, Miss Nyxen?"

It was Romulus who spoke this time, pushing a lock of hair away from his eye. "One, you can only use two Pokemon apiece, leaving six for one team. The rest you must leave with us, and don't worry because each PokeBall has your trainer code on it- we just run it through a machine to check the number and you'll get it back. You cannot use man-made items such as potions or Antidotes, meaning if your Pokemon gets Paralyzed or Poisoned, you're going to have to find your own way around that obstacle. Two teams can have a temporary alliance, but if they both reach Camp at the same time, the first person to cross the border's team will win. Your team can only qualify as complete if all team members are present when you reach the finish. You are allowed to use your Pokemon in helping you, of course, and of course, if you run into another team who is having trouble, we expect you to at least try to help. Hospitality is becoming a rare thing in our world today." He paused for a breath, looking at each of them before turning to Aurora. "I miss anything?"

Aurora shook her head. "I think that's it. Rome and I as well as the counselors will be watching as well," she added. "If a situation gets out of hand, have a Pokemon of yours launch an attack straight up into the sky- preferably a Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, Hydro Pump, SolarBeam and such. We'll circle overhead and if we judge your situation to be really bad, then we'll come fetch you straight away. You have a day and a half from now, so that would be at 9 pm tomorrow we expect the last of you. Oh, and you see those folding tables over there?" Fifty heads turned in the direction of four folding tables where several stacks of maps and some containers filled with compasses lay. "Free maps and compasses. I recommend you get one of each. Camp's NorthEast from here."

They called on several others who asked about what Camp would be like, and then Aurora clapped her hands twice.

"If that's it, we'll give you five minutes to get into your teams and think up a plan. The moment I blow my whistle, you go. Don't wait for another word from us. Just go. Ready? Now!"

Towards the back of the crowd, Archer paled visibly. "Arceus, kill me now." Luna sauntered up to him, dragging Alexandria alongside her.

"Whoo!" Luna cheered the moment they were close enough. "Team Triple A for the win!"

"Team Triple A?" Archer asked, curious in spite of himself. "I understand Alexandria and I, but you..?"

Luna grinned. "Luna's only a nickname," she said easily. "My full name is Aiyana Selene Crescenta."

"We need a game plan," Alexandria cut in shortly. "What Pokemon are you bringing? I'll take my Charizard and Umbreon. Luna?"

"Medicham and Ditto. Archer?"

"My Porygon-Z."

Luna stared at him. "Is that your only Pokemon?" she inquired, tilting her head slightly so her auburn pigtails shifted to the side.

Archer shook his head, and his hand trailed to the belt where only two PokeBalls were clipped onto. "I have another, but I would prefer to keep it strictly for emergencies only." The two girls shrugged in response, and Alexandria took the five second silence that followed as an opportunity to speak up again.

"So we only use one of our Pokemon. If there is ever an chance we get separated from each other, we can use our second Pokemon to search for help while the first stays with you, just in case. I've worked with compasses before- I'll use it to get our bearings, Luna can use her Ditto to replicate the map just in case, and Archer- you're good with maps, right?" Archer nodded, and Alexandria started again. "So you're in charge of finding the paths."

Suddenly, a shrill whistle echoed through the clearing. Alexandria's head snapped up towards the front, where Aurora had a hand on her hip and a violet plastic whistle in her mouth, and then she grabbed hold of Archer and Luna's hands and pulled them towards the forest without saying another word.

Kame sighed as she carefully propped herself up against a nearby tree. It wasn't as if they were going anywhere at the moment and she would surely need the energy to catch up to the feisty violet hair 'twins' who she had been partnered up with. At the moment, they were far too busy arguing over which way was northeast to even acknowledge the fact that there was a third member to their group. Her Swablu gave her a concerned look from her perch at the top of Kame's head, cooing softly as Kame closed her eyes.

She hadn't been resting for too long when she heard a noise from deep within the forest.

'Biii!'

Wondering if perhaps she was just imagining it, she opened her good eye and glanced around. A couple of feet away, Kendra and Sean were still arguing over the map, and were engaged in a tug of war contest with their compass.

'BII!'

'It's not like they'll miss me,' Kame assured herself as she eyed her Mightyana and Vulpix's PokeBalls resting at her feet. 'And if I have my Pokemon with me, I should be fine...' Deciding she had nothing to lose, she picked up the PokeBalls and clipped them onto her belt loop. Quickly and quietly she slipped away from the Olson siblings, venturing towards the sound she had heard earlier until the she could no longer hear Kendra's indignant shrieks.

"Maybe it's a Pokemon?" she whispered to her Swablu as she heard a loud roar not far away. Deciding that maybe she should at least be slightly cautious, she turned to the nearest tree and reached for the lowest branch. The moment she had firmly perched herself on a sturdy branch a good distance off the ground, she heard the cry again and turned her head back down to the west. Pushing away some leaves, she had a good view of what was happening on the forest floor. A muscular man was yelling commands at his Houndoom, Tyranitar and Kangaskhan, who were simulaneously fighting a strange Pokemon Kame had never seen before. But despite that fact and that she didn't have her PokeDex with her, she recognized what the strange green creature was right away.

'That's... not...' she began to think, looking stunned. Then her anger got the better of her, and she pulled a rock she had been playing with back in the clearing out of her pocket. Before she realized what she was doing, she had taken aim and chucked the smooth pebble straight at the man's face, nailing him on the forehead.

"What-" the man started, and in his split second of distraction, the green Pokemon zoomed off. "Hey, get back here!" He aimed an angry kick at the Houndoom. "After it, idiots!" The three Pokemon stared at him coldly, not making any move to chase after their former target.

"If that's what you want," he snarled. He dashed forward up to the Kangaskhan before she could react, and from her pouch plucked a small figure that started wailing the moment it left its mother. The Kangaskhan roared angrily lunging for her baby, but the man was quicker and he moved away from her. "If you want your baby back, go after it." They stared each other down, trainer and Pokemon, before Kangaskhan snarled and lumbered away. The man pulled two Ultra Balls from his pocket and returned the Houndoom and the Tyranitar, and then deposited the baby Kangaskhan into a cage that Kame hadn't noticed before.

Pulling out two more PokeBalls, the man released a Charizard, which he climbed onto and ordered to hover in the air. From his last PokeBall came the one Pokemon Kame knew she could do nothing against- a Zangoose.

Biting her lip to prevent herself from screaming in terror and attracting the attention of the hunter, Kame idly traced the edge of the bandage covering her right eye while watching as the Charizard slowly gained altitude and then eventually disappear out of sight. Careful not to make a single sound, Kame dropped lightly down from the tree and ran in the direction she had saw the Kangaskhan go.

Suddenly realizing how ridiculous she was being, trying to track a Pokemon on her own, she unclipped the first PokeBall on her belt and pushed the button, trying to make as little noise as she could as she released her starter, a Vulpix.

Vulpix sniffed around a bit, before immediately dashing off somewhere to the right. Once more, Kame recognized the sound she had hearing earlier as she followed after the Fire-Type, jumping over sprawling tree roots and ducking under wildly splayed branches. For a moment, she considered asking her Vulpix to rest for a minute, but it was already out of hearing distance, dancing at the edge of a small break in the trees near a small shrine. On the opposite edge of the clearing, there stood a footpath.

Kame instantly collapsed to her knees, breathing heavily. Vulpix trotted over to her at first, looking at its trainer in concern, but then turned back to look at the strange shrine, which was glowing a faint green. Moments after, Kame regained her breath and slowly crawled over to the shrine.

"Odd," she murmured, looking dazed. "It's kinda like the Ilex Shrine..."

As she reached out a small hand to touch the odd carvings on the shrine, a sharp screech pierced her mind. Vulpix jumped and spun around, taking an offensive stance in order to protect her mistress if need be. Suddenly, the creature the hunter was chasing after burst through a bush into the clearing and towards the shrine, the Kangaskhan not too far behind it.

'Bii!' the creature yelled, and just as Kame turned to face it, a blue light rippled from its body and out through the trees. Everything seemed to freeze for a second, and Kame took in the scene before her- Vulpix halfway into a Quick Attack, the Kangaskhan just releasing a Hyper Beam in their direction. In that frozen second, Kame finally took the time to take in what exactly the creature before her was.

Time's a funny thing.

A bright light washed over the forest as Kame, Vulpix and the Time Traveller, the mysterious Celebi, disappeared from the year 2012.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about you having a Shaymin, yet Lucas knew about it somehow before the rest of us."

"Neo," Chrisie replied, looking frustrated, "You probably would have just blabbed about it to the whole world without consulting me. Remember you and Manaphy? And whatever I tell Lucas isn't really any of your business. Alicia's not my only best friend."

Will nodded in agreement as he pushed a crop of tall grass out of his way. He walked at the front of the group, Lucario next to him, as they slowly but steadily made their way NorthWest. In his hands he held their group compass and map, fingers still sore from all the potatoes he and Brett had been assigned with peeling not long ago. Behind him, Chrisie carried Shayia in her arms as she gingerly avoided a Rattatta that stumbled onto the tiny footpath in the grass, which was so abnormally long Will, who was the tallest in their group, could hardly see over.

In dead last, Neo and his Manaphy trudged, the aqua haired boy's nose buried in a book, not really paying attention to what his Pokemon was doing, and only looking up to check he was still with his group and to occasionally talk. Suddenly, Will stopped moving and Chrisie bumped into him, causing Shayia to squeak in alarm and Neo to be knocked onto the ground after bumping into Chrisie. Manaphy leaped over to him, looking worried, but Neo waved her off as he stood and brushed himself off.

Will turned his head to look at him. "We've found the clearing," he said lightly, and began walking again. Chrisie followed after him, as did Neo. When he finally caught up to them, they were standing at the edge of an oval shaped clearing, looking around.

Chrisie jogged ahead of them towards a clump of Gracidea flowers, and then called out to them, "We're going the right way. I know a short cut from here." She kneeled down and pulled a Gracidea flower from the patch, and whispered something like a prayer before holding it out to Shayia in offering. Before Shayia could move, however, Will ran up to her.

He had heard it before he saw it. A sharp inhale coming from the north of where they stood, the sound of energy being compacted into one small area, as well as a suspicous blue aura rippling from that direction. He seized Chrisie's arm, ignoring her loud cry of protest and dragged her to the left, Lucario following him.

As he stopped several paces away, Chirise immediately ripped herself from his grasp, glaring at him. "What was that for?" she cried indignantly. Neo and Manaphy rushed over to them, looking concerned and a bit suspicious of the Mahogany Town Trainer.

Before he could answer, a Hyper Beam burst into the clearing, burning a trench into the spot where Chrisie stood only moments before. The three trainers gaped at it for a second, before letting out yelps of fear and scrambling for cover as angry roars grew in the distance, increasing in volume as its owner neared the clearing.

Struggling for breath from behind a conveniently placed outcrop of rocks, Will turned to the others and said quickly, "Well, I guess one of us has to check it out." He paused for a second. "I nominate Neo!"

Neo made a sputtering sound, looking offended. "I believe you're mistaken William. I'm far too important on this mission to put myself in such danger! Chrisie?"

Chrisie raised an eyebrow, having recovered from the shock of Will grabbing her so suddenly, and looked amused at their expressions. She raised Shayia up to eye level and said simply, "I'm with child."

The Gratitude Pokemon deadpanned. :Send the Water-Type.:

At their feet, Manaphy stared at them with a terrified look on her face, and when she found comfort in none, resorted to falling onto Neo's feet in a dead faint. They stared at her for a minute, before Neo pulled a PokeBall out and returned her.

"Run?"

"Run."

"Well, this may prove to be a bit of a problem..." Neo observed idly as he kicked a loose stone into Farona's Canyon, which was stretched smackdab in the middle of the Faron Province. He and Will bent their heads over it, watching as the rock finally landed, twenty or so seconds later, at the bottom, a small thump echoing through.

"Well, no shi-"

"Ah ah ah!" Neo jumped up, slapping a hand over Will's mouth. Will gave him a questioning look as he pushed Neo's hand off. "Swearing in front of children?" Manaphy stared up at them innocently from the ground. Will rolled his eyes and turned to address Chrisie, who had been silent during the exchange. He blinked slowly, shocked at what he saw.

Chrisie seemed to be working herself into a crisis. She rocked slowly back and forth on the heels of her feet, eyes wide and expression blank. Her breathing seemed heavier as well, not to mention she seemed to be close to tears. But the strangest part of all was that she didn't move away as Neo walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Darn, I totally forgot." If Neo hadn't been so against swearing, he probably would have cursed under his breath. "I'm so sorry, Crys. Come on, Will, we have to find another way." He turned Chrisie around and began trekking back to were they had came from, almost having to push the girl along with him.

"Neo, are you crazy?" Will exclaimed. "Going that way will lead us straight to whatever the heck was back there!"

"Will, you saw what happened with Chrisie back there? She's deathly afraid of heights. A few years back, before camp, she was visiting some friends of hers in Hoenn. One of them had just captured a wild Swellow. It tried attacking them the moment it got out of its ball. They tried forcing it back into the PokeBall, but it rejected it. You know how Chrisie can play the leaf whistle? Well, she tried playing a song to calm it down, but it didn't work."

"Don't tell me..."

"She went too close and the Swellow snapped out of its calm. It nearly ended up carrying her out of Hoenn, but two of them chased them down on their Pokemon."

Turning to the right, Neo stormed down a path nearly hidden by a clump of trees. Will briefly wondered how he knew it was there before following after them, deciding not to question the Oblivia boy's methods.

"Oh, great. Just what we needed," Neo scowled.

A Kangaskhan lumbered onto the path in front of them.

And most importantly, its pouch was empty.

By the looks of it, I'm going to need a third chapter to introduce everyone. [I wish I knew what I was in for when I started this, lol.] But daijobou, guys, I'll fit everyone in eventually.
And, if you guys get reaallly impatient while waiting, occasionally, I post a spoiler or two for the next chappie on my profile. Just do ctrl plus f and type in 'previews.' In that section I'll also post the full list of teams sometime before the next chapter.

Oh, and if you're a fan of Pokemon Special/Hunger Games, maybe you should think about checking out one of the stories I'm writing. [OH, NO] It's not a crossover, but it's inspired by the HGs. I haven't posted it yet, [mainly because I don't have a title for it, help? XD Preview on my profile.] but maybe when I do you could consider it?

Speaking of Pokemon Special, there will be some appearances by the DexHolders but only mentions of the anime gang.

Notes:

~Over the March Break I went to Toronto, ON (yes, I'm Canadian-Filipino, EH?) with my mom, aunt and two cousins. On the way there, my cousin John was annoying my cousin Allaina, and she asked me to hit him. My exact words were, 'Well, I would hit him for you, but I don't hit girls.' That's where what Will said to Brett was from. [Everyone else was like, 'Oooh...' XD] Sorry. Just felt like adding this.

~Bella already knew about Archer from Luna, but since Archer was rarely seen outside of Camp activities, she hadn't formally met him yet. She only became aware of who he was when she looked at his sketchbook. [Archer has been at Camp since the first year, when he was around thirteen-ish.]

~5D - 1D. Niall sounds like 'Nile River.' Lawrence, St. Lawrence River. Ergo, Lawrence of 5D. =D

~VIT - Very Important Trainer. 200 Poke[dollars] = 1 dollar in real life. The VIP package for 1D's concert is about 350 bucks a pop. I hope I did my math right...

~I have never been to a camp. Besides, CL only has about 50 or so campers, so they don't need to go along with a proper system. [I hope. XD] So the Co-Head basically supervises the whole thing and is an instructor as well. Ciela's parents and uncle founded the camp. They take care of all the paperwork while Rome and Aurora have the actual experience.

~There are actually four guys who are interested in Chrisie. She loves helping to matchmake, but when it comes to her own feelings and people who like her, she's totally oblivious, and she doesn't really understand what goes on when guys fight over her.

Next time on CLC: Chapter 3... "Bustin' Down the Walls" [Title may change.]