…

. . . . . .

Damian awoke with a start and looked around the room from the bed he was cuffed to. "W-who's there?!"

He reached for his belt with his free hand, only to remember that his Pokéballs had all been taken away.

"Tch, damn blond freak!" he swore, his heart pounding as he struggled against his bonds. Something felt wrong, saturating the air so thickly that the sweat on his forehead felt like oil slowly dripping down his skin.

'You have much darkness and hate within you. You will do… nicely,' a voice laughed as Damian tried to scream.

----------------------------------------

Ethan jolted awake and, before he knew why, threw the door open and ran down the hall, bare feet thumping against the smooth wooden floor of the Pokémon Center.

"Eeveev?!" Eevee cried as she struggled to free herself from the blankets.

As Ethan turned a corner, he found out why he suddenly woke up. Something felt incredibly wrong, and he was running straight for it. He slowed and shook his head as a bout of dizziness hit him.

"Ethan? Something wrong?" Kellyn asked as he looked up from a book he was reading.

"Open the door. Now!" Ethan yelled.

Seeing the look on Ethan's face, Kellyn didn't hesitate to unlock the door and push it open.

The only evidence that Damian had been in the windowless room was the handcuffs swinging from a bedpost.

"This is impossible! No one came in or out all night!" Kellyn exclaimed.

"And we made sure he wasn't hiding any Pokéballs, so he couldn't have teleported out," Ethan growled.

Ethan closed his eyes and focused, but he couldn't feel Damian's aura, and the wrongness that permeated the room had all but disappeared.

"Damn it!" Ethan cursed before he realized something and ran out of the room, pushing off the walls so he wouldn't crash into them. "The Pokémon!"

The commotion had woken up several trainers, who were poking their heads out of their rooms.

As he entered the lobby, he noticed Nurse Joy speaking with Officer Jenny at one of the tables over some steaming coffee.

"Nurse Joy, Damian escaped! Are all the Pokémon still here?" Ethan asked as he ran up to them.

"I haven't seen him, but I'll go take a headcount now," Joy replied as she set her mug down and hurried off.

"You must be Sir Ethan," Officer Jenny said with a salute. "Please take me to where Damian was being held. I'll need something with his scent so that my police growlithe can track him down."

"Ethan?" Ash yawned as he and a sleepy Pikachu came out from the lodging area. "What's going on?"

Ethan caught Eevee as she jumped into his arms before replying. "Damian's gone. We have no idea how."

It took a moment for Ash to process his words before all traces of drowsiness left him. "What? He couldn't have gotten that far! We have to find him!"

"Some help wouldn't hurt," Jenny said thoughtfully, a hand to her chin. "I'll see if I can get some volunteers together and organize a search."

Ethan blinked and looked out the window to see that the sky was clear and slowly getting brighter with the early-morning sunrise. "It's worth a shot. There should be enough light out by now."

----------------------------------------

After gathering several volunteers, Jenny laid out a map of the area and sent them out in groups of two to three people each. She sent a couple of groups to search the surrounding forest while any flying-type Pokémon available would search from the sky.

Ash, Brock, and Misty were assigned to search the main roads, while Ethan was assigned to stay behind if Damian decided to loop back to the Pokémon Center to try and take his Pokémon back.

After finally taking a moment to get properly dressed, Ethan approached the door to Nurse Joy's office and knocked.

"Come in," Ethan heard from the other side.

"Now that things have settled somewhat, good morning, Nurse Joy!" Ethan said as he entered her office and took a seat across from her. "Are all the Pokémon accounted for?"

Nurse Joy shook her head and set aside the reports she was preparing for Officer Jenny. "Unfortunately, two of them are missing, and their Pokéballs were destroyed, so we can't track them. One of them was a growlithe, and the other was an eevee with-"

"A bit of their lower left ear missing?" Ethan asked.

"And his fur is very thin," Joy added. "In fact, most of Damian's Pokémon have a small part of their left ear missing. I believe that was his way of marking them as his. Luckily, none of them need a pinnectomy.

"I'm guessing that means an ear removal?" At Nurse Joy's nod, Ethan took a moment to assure Eevee that her ears were just fine. "What are the odds that Growlithe and Eevee broke their own Pokéballs and ran away?"

"It's unlikely. Both were very weak and in no shape to get far on their own," Nurse Joy replied.

"When I get my hands on him again…," Ethan simmered for a moment before sighing.

Eevee's ears flattened against her head, and she pushed herself into Ethan's chest.

"I know, Eevee. We'll find them," Ethan whispered as he rubbed her back.

"I wanted to bring up Charmander with you before I do my rounds again," Nurse Joy said. "Charmander's recovering fine physically and can be released soon, but his spirit is crushed. He needs someone to help him heal, and I was hoping you would be willing to take him."

"Me? What about Ash?" Ethan asked. "He'd be good for Charmander."

"I'm sure he'd be able to handle Charmander," Joy said. "He may even be able to handle him when he's a charmeleon. I have my doubts that he'd be able to control a charizard, though."

Ethan raised a brow. "And you think I can?"

"I think so," Joy nodded.

Ethan sighed. "I don't know. I mean, I've known about Pokémon for most of my life, but I never saw or met one in person until a few months ago," he admitted as he gently caressed Eevee's fur. "I was, uh, pretty sheltered growing up," he quickly amended.

"Ethan, what are Pokémon to you?" Joy asked after a few moments of silence.

"What are Pokémon to me?" Ethan mouthed the sudden question but started to think about it. "Pokémon are powerful, intelligent creatures that need to be respected. My Pokémon are like family to me."

Ethan tried to think of something more but just groaned, took off his glasses, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

What a headache.

"I'll think about it, but I think Charmander should decide," Ethan decided. "If he wants to join me, I'll treat him like all my Pokémon. Like part of my family."

"That's all I ask," Joy said with a genuine smile before standing up. "I think it would be a good idea for you to talk to Charmander."

Nurse Joy left, leaving Ethan to his thoughts. Eevee's wet nose tickled his chin, and she gave him a curious look. "Eevee? Eev vee eevee?"

"I don't know. Is it stupid that I've got hangups about catching a Pokémon I know is supposed to go to someone else? I mean, Charmander's supposed to go with Ash, but things are happening differently now," Ethan said.

Eevee hopped up to Nurse Joy's desk, faced Ethan, and nodded. As she spoke, Ethan got the impression from her that, summarily put, yes, it was a silly hangup.

Things aren't happening the same as before, so why should it matter who Charmander goes to?

"I may not understand you word for word, but I think I get the gist of it," Ethan said. "Let's go talk with Charmander and go with whatever he wants to do. Thanks, Eevee."

Eevee smiled and hopped down, and they left Joy's office together. After asking one of the Chansey for directions, they made their way to one of the recovery rooms and opened the door to see Charmander sitting up and looking out the window.

Eevee, being Eevee, jumped up to the bed and sat down with him.

"Um, hey, Charmander. How are you feeling?" Ethan asked as he took a chair next to the bed.

Charmander glanced at Eevee, then Ethan, then looked down and nervously wrung his tail in his clawed hands.

"You're thinking of Damian, aren't you?" Ethan asked, to which he got confirmation as Charmander clenched his eyes shut.

"There's nothing for you to be ashamed of," Ethan said as he extended a hand and rubbed Charmander's back. "I know some would say to forget about Damian, but those who say that are ignorant. It's hard to forget someone, especially when they were supposed to care for you but brought you pain and suffering instead. What Damian did was wrong, and whatever reason he had for abandoning you was not your fault."

Charmander fully turned around, his eyes glued to Ethan, drinking in his every word. He took the human's hand and placed it on top of his head before taking it off and looking at him quizzically.

"You're wondering how I calmed you down yesterday?" Ethan asked.

After getting a nod in confirmation, Ethan explained. "I have the ability to use aura. I'm still figuring out what I can do with it, and I honestly have no idea how I did what I did yesterday. I just knew what needed to be done the moment I needed it. I'm not sure I can do it again right now."

Charmander looked a little disheartened at the end of Ethan's explanation and looked down.

"Last night, when you heard what Damian said, I could feel your broken heart, and it's still there. I don't know if I can fix what Damian did to you, but," Ethan pulled Charmander into his lap and enveloped him in his arms, holding him against his chest. "If you want, I'm willing to try."

Ethan felt a nudge on his arm and lifted it to invite Eevee in. "We will help if you'd like," he chuckled.

"Eevee eev!" Eevee trilled as she joined the hug.

Ethan loosened his grip and looked at Charmander, smiling. "Plus, I'm a Pokémon trainer, so I'll help you become stronger. I'd love to have you. Ash would also love to have a Pokémon like you on his team, and everything I've promised, he'd be willing to do as well. But it's up to you who you'd like to join if you'd like to join one of us at all."

Ethan set Charmander back on the bed and stood, letting Eevee jump to the floor. "I have to go now, but I'll be back later. Get some rest and think about what I said."

After Ethan entered the lobby, he habitually opened his aura sense further and scanned a wide area. He sensed Ash, Brock, and Misty about a quarter-mile away and getting closer, probably on their way back. He looked a little further and frowned.

He could feel the wrongness again, and it was heading straight for his friends.

"Eeveev?" Eevee asked.

"They're in trouble! Let's go!" Ethan dashed for the front door, with Eevee close on his heels.

----------------------------------------

Thus far, the efforts of Ash, Brock, and Misty's search bore no fruit. Well, they did find fruit, but not the kind they were looking for.

"Ash, we ate already. How are you still hungry?" Misty asked with mild annoyance.

"Ish sho good. Wash beggin' to be ea'en!" Ash reasoned before swallowing. "Want some?"

Misty looked disgusted. "No thanks."

"Guys, stay focused," Brock said. "Remember why we're out here."

Ash felt a sudden chill go down his spine. He turned around, looking at the trees and foliage, but nothing was there.

"Pika?" Pikachu asked from his shoulder.

"It was nothing," Ash said, albeit a little nervously, as he turned back, wondering why he felt this way.

Pikachu didn't seem convinced and scanned their surroundings before pointing straight ahead. "Pikapi, pika Pi-Cha!"

Ash squinted to see what caught Pikachu's attention. "Hey, isn't that Ethan?"

"Yeah. Why's he in such a rush?" Misty wondered.

Ethan pointed a finger over Ash's shoulder, and Eevee ran ahead and jumped up to and off the shoulder of Ash not occupied by Pikachu, sending him stumbling forward. A metallic clang reverberated in the air as Eevee's Iron Tail intercepted an attack from a shadowy blur and knocked it back.

"What was that?!" Ash shouted as Pikachu hopped down and raised his hackles, looking around for the threat as his cheeks sparked.

Ethan caught up to them and stopped, placing his hands on his knees as he caught his breath from his sprint. "Are- are you guys okay?"

"Ethan, what's going on?" Brock asked as he reached for a Pokéball.

The aura adept closed his eyes and immediately opened them. "That… wrongness I felt this morning is here somewhere, and it tried attacking Ash."

"Pikaka-chupi!" Pikachu growled.

A laugh sounded from the trees to the left, and they turned to see Damian walk out onto the path.

"Well, well, I was aware of this nuisance," Damian said as he pointed at Ash. He then pointed at Ethan. "But you don't exist."

Ethan's heart skipped a beat.

"What are you talking about?" Brock said. "He's right here!"

Damian sighed. "Let me rephrase that then. He shouldn't have ever existed in this world, yet here he is."

Ethan narrowed his eyes. "Who are you? You look like Damian, but you don't talk like him."

Not-Damian grinned. "Oh ho, aren't you so smart? If you must call me something, you can call me… M."

M snapped his fingers, and two Pokémon emerged from the trees and took positions in front of him. One was a flareon with a bit of its lower-left ear missing. The other was a Pokémon with a curled gray tail, a mane that started from its head and curled at its chest, covering most of its face, and what looked like a sharp point at the top of its head.

"Who's that Pokémon?" Ash wondered as he pulled out his Pokédex.

"There is no data," Dexter informed.

"Is that Growlithe? What did you do to him?" Ethan demanded.

"My master may have… changed them a bit," M grinned. "Flareon, use Shadow Hold!"

Ethan's eyes widened. He focused on M's Pokémon more closely, and the telltale signs of a shadowy, wispy substance flowing around them became visible.

Misty and Brock were blasted back and fell on their rears, eliciting cries of surprise and pain.

"Brock! Misty!" Ash yelled as he tried to run over to them, only to be blocked by a shadowy barrier.

"Ah, ah, ah!" M wagged his finger. "If you want to leave, you'll have to beat me!"

Ethan's hands shook before he firmed his resolve and clenched them into fists. "We need to battle together, Ash. Those are Shadow Pokémon, and they're much tougher than normal Pokémon. They won't be holding back."

"What are Shadow Pokémon?" Ash asked.

"Simply put, they're Pokémon that have had their hearts artificially closed," Ethan said. "They're emotionless fighting machines with no free will."

"That-that's horrible!" Ash growled.

"The only way to save them is to battle and catch them," Ethan continued before glancing at the camo bag strapped to his leg. "Man, I really hope normal Pokéballs will work."

Ethan looked behind him. "Brock, Misty, go and radio Officer Jenny. We'll be fine."

"But-"

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Let's go, Misty. I don't like leaving them either, but they'll be fine. The best thing we can do is get help," Brock assured her.

Misty sighed and grimly nodded. "Be safe, you two," she said before she and Brock turned around and ran for the Pokémon Center.

When they were out of sight, Ethan tugged his gloves on tighter. "I'll handle Flareon. You deal with Growlithe."

"Right," Ash agreed. He took a Pokéball in hand and tapped the button, only to find that it wouldn't expand. "What's wrong with Nidoran's Pokéball?"

Ethan thought about it for a moment. "Shadow Hold! It must have made it so that you can't switch out Pokémon. You'll have to battle with Pikachu."

Ash nodded and placed the Pokéball back on his belt. "Alright. Pikachu, I'm counting on you!"

"Pika!"

"Are you two ready yet?" M sneered as he stopped tapping his foot. "Good. Flareon, Shadow Blitz! Growlithe, Shadow Rush!"

"Pikachu, Agility, then Electro Ball!"

"Eevee, Dig!"

Pikachu and Eevee managed to avoid the attacks: Pikachu seemingly blurred out of existence, and Eevee, in a spray of dirt and mud, dug her way underground.

"Flareon, intercept the Electro Ball."

Flareon moved when Pikachu launched his Electro Ball and jumped between it and Growlithe. When the smoke cleared, a refreshed-looking Jolteon was in its place.

"What?!" Ash exclaimed.

M just laughed. "Like it? My master altered the eevee to be capable of changing forms between its base and its three Kanto evolutions."

"Huh. Just like Red's. Things just got a little more complicated," Ethan muttered. "Eevee, now!"

The ground behind Jolteon shook, and Eevee burst out, landing a hit with a resounding thwack. Jolteon let out a grunt of pain before Eevee went back underground.

"As long as Jolteon's out, Pikachu's electric attacks can't do a thing," Ash said.

"Then we need to take it out first or force it to change forms," Ethan thought out loud.

Eevee came up again, attempting to land another Dig on Jolteon, who sped out of the way with lightning-fast reflexes. Eevee growled before sinking back into the ground.

Ethan raised a brow. If Jolteon's that quick, why didn't he dodge the first Dig attack?

"Tch. If that brown rat won't stay up, I'll target the trainer instead! Jolteon, Shadow Blitz," M cried.

"Pikachu, use Slam on Jolteon!" Ash yelled.

"Eevee, Dig, then Bite!" Ethan ordered.

With Pikachu's enhanced speed from Agility, he intercepted Jolteon, slamming him with his tail and sending him rolling back. Eevee jumped out of the ground in an explosion of dirt and clay, ramming into Jolteon before giving chase and biting down on one of his hind legs.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

Eevee spun around and threw Jolteon in the air, where Pikachu blurred into existence and hit Jolteon, sending him rolling into a charging Growlithe and causing both to tumble, creating a cloud of dust.

Eevee and Pikachu returned to positions in front of their trainers, breathing heavily.

"I thought this would be harder," Ash remarked.

"Hey, I'm not complaining. They weren't fully healed before they were taken from the Pokémon Center. And who knows what toll the changes made on their bodies took on them?" Ethan said.

"Is Jolteon down?" Ash asked.

As if the universe were listening in and decided to give them the one-fingered salute, Jolteon shakily got up on his paws. The shadow surrounding his form intensified for a few moments, and when it returned to normal, Jolteon looked refreshed and ready to go another round.

"You had to ask," Ethan said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Haha! You didn't think it would be that easy to take down a Shadow Pokémon, did you?" M gloated. "You'll need to do more than that to knock them out. Is that all you've got?"

Ethan let out a growl of annoyance, thinking of what they could do before his face lit up. "Ash, I have an idea. It's risky, and it might not work, but be ready with Pikachu."

Ash opened his mouth to ask what the plan was but stopped when he saw the confident smirk on Ethan's face. "Okay."

"Eevee, keep Growlithe busy!" Ethan said, projecting to her his confidence through his aura before clearing his throat. "Crap, I left myself open! I hope I don't get attacked."

"That will be the last mistake you ever make," M sneered. "Jolteon, Shadow Blitz that fool!"

"Here we go," Ethan muttered, his heart rate spiking as he prepared himself and spread his arms.

Jolteon finished charging his attack and bolted at Ethan, cloaked in a shadowy aura.

Time seemed to slow. When Jolteon was a few yards away, he pounced at Ethan. Ethan pivoted to one side, reached out, and caught the electric canine before falling to the ground and wrestling him.

Ethan managed to wrap his legs around Jolteon's middle and placed him into a chokehold, pinning him to the ground. Jolteon struggled, trying to thrash about to free himself. Jolteon's pins dug into Ethan's skin, causing him to grunt in pain, but he held firm.

"C'mon, change already!" Ethan yelled.

As if Ethan spoke the magic words, Jolteon shifted and changed into a vaporeon, and he became stiff and unmoving. Ethan released him, rolled away, and yelled, "Now!"

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt, full power!"

Pikachu charged his attack, jumped high in the air, and rained lightning on the prone vaporeon, causing Ethan to cover his eyes to protect them from the bright light. Vaporeon cried out in pain for several agonizing moments before passing out and reverting to an eevee.

Ethan grabbed an empty Pokéball from the bag on his leg and enlarged it. Before he could toss it, he felt his aura travel down his arm, into the crystal on the back of his glove, and escape, streaming out in several ribbons of light. The light swirled above his hand before slamming into the ball, causing it to glow a bright blue. He looked at it in surprise, a name for it coming to mind, before throwing it.

"Aura ball, go!"

As if attracted to the shadowy aura, the aura ball corrected its course and flew faster than it had been thrown. The shadow aura and the aura from the ball clashed for a few moments until the dark aura was overpowered, and the eevee was absorbed into the ball.

The ball fell to the ground, and as it shook, a dark mist steamed out of the line around its middle. The ball shook violently for several moments before it stilled and dinged, returning to its usual red and white color.

"What?! How? What did you do?!" M demanded.

Ethan took a breath to steady himself and slowly stood. "Jolteon was inconsistent. He took Eevee's first Dig attack, but was plenty fast to avoid the second one. I took a guess that he freezes up for a few moments after a transformation, so I forced him to either pass out from a lack of oxygen or to try and change forms to escape. That's what I was betting on."

"No, no! What did you do with the Pokéball?!"

Ethan ignored the question, staring at the back of his gloves before taking one of them off and handing it to Ash. "Ash, put this on and ready a Pokéball. You're going to do the same thing with Growlithe."

Ash took the glove with surprise. "What?! Can't you do it again? I can't use aura like you do!"

"I'm drained," Ethan said simply. "And you can use aura. That's how you were able to help me calm Charmander yesterday. Just trust me. I'll keep Growlithe busy until you're ready."

Ash still looked doubtful but nodded, slipped the glove on, then grabbed the last empty Pokéball on his belt and began to focus.

"Eevee, get some distance! Use Sand Attack, then Swift!" Ethan yelled.

Eevee, who had been keeping Growlithe occupied, acknowledged the command with a quick "Vee!" before kicking up some sand, momentarily blinding her opponent. After jumping back, her mane glowed, and several stars circled her head before shooting off toward Growlithe. Growlithe lowered his head and used it as a shield, where the Swift stars bounced off harmlessly. The last star hit the horn and bounced off with a plink.

M finally regained his wits and gave his next order. "Growlithe, use Double-Edge!"

"Eevee, careful of the horn. Use Iron Tail!"

Eevee barely had time to prepare her attack before Growlithe rammed into her. Gritting her teeth, she stuck her Iron Tail into the ground and slowed her opponent's charge. Then, using Growlithe's momentum, she bit the fur on his head and, in a show of strength, tossed him over her head and suplexed him to the dirt.

"Great job! Follow that up with Double Kick!" Ethan said before looking behind him.

"Ash, how's it coming?"

"I… I think I feel something, but nothing's happening," Ash replied. "How did you do it?"

"When I did it, I thought - Eevee, Detect and Double Team! - I thought of how much I wanted to help that poor eevee. Just breathe and feel the power of that desire and emotion going from your heart to your hand!" Ethan urged.

Ethan felt a surge of power from Ash as he struggled. A bright blue light shot out from the crystal on the back of the glove, curved around, and shot into the Pokéball.

"I think it worked!" Ash said excitedly. "I need an opening!"

"I'll get you one," Ethan said. "Pikachu, I'll need your help."

"Pika!" Pikachu joined Eevee in front of Ethan and stood ready. Growlithe was on the ground again but started to recover from a Double Kick Eevee had delivered.

"Pikachu, Thunder Wave!" Ethan commanded.

Pikachu obliged, sending several sparks of electricity that encircled Growlithe, freezing it in place as the paralysis took effect.

"Eevee, Helping Hand on Pikachu."

Eevee laid a paw on Pikachu's shoulder, and he became surrounded by a multicolored aura of light.

M began to panic. "Get up, you useless excuse for a Pokémon! Use Shadow Rush!"

Growlithe, hearing the cry of M, rose to his paws, and a shadowy red and black aura exploded around it. Growlithe roared to the sky, a sound full of anger, pain, and confusion.

"I think it's entered hyper mode! We have to end this now!" Ethan yelled.

"Now, Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

The sky darkened. The hairs on Ethan's head and arms rose to their full height, and ozone rapidly filled the air as Pikachu charged his most powerful Thunderbolt yet.

"Pika-pika-pika-pika! PIKACHUUUU!!"

The Thunderbolt, doubled in power from Pikachu's Light Ball and boosted by Eevee's Helping Hand, was more than Growlithe could take, and he passed out on the spot.

Ash took this as his cue. "Aura ball, go!"

The ball flew through the air and hit its mark without needing to correct its course. As with the shadow eevee, the auras of the Pokéball and Growlithe fought before the ball overpowered the shadows and absorbed its quarry. The ball shook violently for a few moments before becoming still and returning to its original color.

"NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!" M screamed and stomped his foot on the ground. "This isn't how it was supposed to happen! My masters said so!"

"Well, obviously, they were wrong," Ethan tiredly quipped. "Who are you working for, anyway?"

"Tch, you want to know who they are?" M sneered. "Like I'll-"

M suddenly seized up, eyes rolling to the back of his head before he collapsed.

"Oh, come on!" Ethan cried in exasperation. He ran over, rolled Damian onto his back, and checked for a pulse.

"Well, he's alive," Ethan muttered. He peeled back Damian's eyelids, noticing a dull lifelessness slowly fading away. "And he was hypnotized, I think, so he probably won't remember any of this. Damn it!"

Ethan let out a shuddering breath and plopped onto his rear, feeling the aftereffects of his adrenaline. "I never want to fight a Shadow Pokémon again."

Eevee winced, favoring a leg as she hopped into his lap, nuzzling his face as she mewled in concern.

"You okay, Ethan?" Ash asked.

"Yeah," Ethan replied. "Just some post-life-threatening-battle jitters."

"That was pretty scary. But you seemed fine during the battle," Ash said as he sat down, holding the two Pokéballs containing the newly caught Pokémon. Pikachu tiredly flopped over his legs.

"I just put up a brave front," Ethan excused. "I was terrified almost the entire time once I realized we were facing Shadow Pokémon. I guess I just hid it well."

"Well, you didn't think of running away, did you?" Ash asked.

Ethan raised a questioning brow. "No, of course not."

"Then I think that means you really are brave. You were scared, but you didn't run away," Ash said.

Ethan blinked. "Wow. That's surprisingly philosophical, Ash."

"What's philosophocles mean?" Ash asked, confused.

"And there's the Ash I know," Ethan chuckled as he pulled Eevee closer to him. "You know, we were lucky. I'm not sure we would have stood a chance if they were at their full strength. I'm glad Eevee and Pikachu battled so well together."

"Yeah, they were great," Ash said with a smile as he rubbed Pikachu's cheeks, who cooed in delight.

Ethan started petting Eevee before pulling his hand back with a clod of mud. "Oh, shoot. Looks like the ground was still soaked from the rain last night," he said as he pulled out more clods of drying mud from her fur. "Sorry about that."

----------------------------------------

Brock, Misty, and Officer Jenny arrived not long after the battle. True to Ethan's prediction, Damian didn't remember taking on the persona of M, and he was promptly booked and taken away. Officer Jenny informed them that, with all the reports Nurse Joy compiled and the audio recording Ethan provided, Damian would never be allowed to have Pokémon again and would be spending some time in jail.

Ethan was treated for his injuries, mostly for the painful removal of the quills that Jolteon left in his skin. After being treated and leaving their Pokémon in Nurse Joy's care, Ethan felt it important that they call Professor Oak to consult him on the matter of the Shadow Pokémon they captured.

"You were right to call me," Professor Oak said. "Shadow Pokémon are a serious matter. In fact, they were the center of a conflict that happened in the Orre region some time ago. Thankfully, I have colleagues at Celadon University who assembled a machine from blueprints given to them by Orre's regional Pokémon Professor, Professor Krane. It's called a 'Purify Chamber', made to purify Shadow Pokémon and return them to normal."

Professor Oak looked at Ethan. "Ethan, can you sense if Growlithe and Eevee are still infected?"

"The shadow aura's not as strong as it was before, but it's still there," Ethan confirmed. "They're currently being treated for their injuries."

"They may not be fully purified yet. How many people know about them?" Oak asked.

"Let me think… Other than me, Ash, Brock, Misty, and maybe Nurse Joy, just you," Ethan replied.

"Good. The fewer people that know, the better. There's no need to cause undue panic when this could just be an isolated incident," Oak said, then cupped his chin in thought. "Though, it is concerning that someone created Shadow Pokémon in the first place. The only ones I know of who have that knowledge are either dead or in prison."

"Hey, Professor?" Ash asked. "What's going to happen to Growlithe? Do we need to bring him to Celadon City as soon as possible?"

Oak nodded. "The sooner, the better. Though, I'd like to ask that Ethan do so alone."

"Huh?!" Ethan and Ash shouted at the same time, looking at each other before returning their attention to the professor.

"But why?" Ash asked.

"Ash, as one of my sponsored trainers, I'd like you to visit one of my colleagues, Bill, and learn what you can about Pokémon from him. He happens to be on your way to Vermilion City. I don't expect Ethan's trip to take too long, so he should be able to rejoin you in Vermilion," Oak said, turning to Ethan and giving him a meaningful look.

Ethan got the idea. "It'll be fine, Ash. I'll take care of Growlithe for you. He'll be back to normal in no time!"

Ash stared at the ground for a moment before nodding.

"Excuse me, Professor Oak, sir?" Brock asked. "Couldn't we just use the transfer system to send you Eevee and Growlithe?"

Professor Oak shook his head. "The Pokémon transfer system is undergoing a major upgrade right now, so it'll be inaccessible for a week or two. Even if it were online, Shadow Pokémon can't be safely transferred through the system until they're purified."

"Why is that?" Misty asked.

"I'll spare you the details, but in short, it's not something I want to risk. Shadow Pokémon are seen as a virus in the system. That could cause the anti-virus program to target and destroy them," Oak explained. "That's not something that would end well."

Everyone shuddered a little.

"So," Ethan began, "I take Growlithe and Eevee to Celadon University, and Ash, Brock, and Misty continue on to Vermilion and stop by to see Bill along the way?"

"That sounds right. Make sure you're all prepared. You don't want to leave and realize you didn't split your supplies properly," Oak reminded them.

Ethan chuckled. "Yeah, I would have felt bad if I had taken all our food with me."

"As soon as you reach Celadon City, head for a Pokémon Center. I'll leave a message for you on where you can find me," Oak said.

"Will do, Professor! I'll head over as soon as we're all done here," Ethan confirmed.

"I look forward to it, my boy! Ash, I'll send the location of Bill's lighthouse observatory to your Pokédex."

After a chorus of goodbyes, Ethan ended the call. He sighed, then gave Brock a mock-serious look. "I'll have to take a rain check on our battle, Brock."

Brock looked surprised, then chuckled. "I guess so. It'll give me more time to train up, at least! We can have our battle once you catch up."

As the gang took seats around the fire pit to wait for their Pokémon to finish healing, Misty, who had been mostly quiet, spoke up. "Ethan? Back there, Damian- or I guess M, said you weren't supposed to exist in this world."

"Oh yeah! What did he mean by that?" Ash asked.

Ethan sighed and ran a hand through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes. "M… was technically correct. I wasn't supposed to exist in this world. I don't think I'm ready to open that can of worms yet."

Brock raised an eyebrow. "Does this have to do with where you lived before Rota?"

Ethan nodded. "That's part of it."

"Why won't you tell us?" Misty snapped. "Don't you trust us?"

"I do trust you! It's just," Ethan sighed in exasperation. "It's complicated!"

Ethan turned his gaze down, looking at the cracks in the wooden floorboards, and rubbed the back of his neck. "I-I need time to think about it. I'll tell you about it when I'm ready, okay?"

Brock nodded and placed a hand on Ethan's shoulder. "Take the time you need, Ethan. You don't have to tell us until you feel you're ready. Remember, you're a good guy and a great friend."

Misty sighed and leaned her head back. "I'm sorry for yelling. I didn't think this was so personal."

"I just realized," Ash said, "that I don't actually know much about you from before we met, other than you started your journey from Rota."

Ethan chuckled and looked behind him at the doors separating the lobby from the treatment area. A moment later, Nurse Joy emerged from those doors pushing a stretcher, upon which sat Eevee and Pikachu, who were talking animatedly with each other, and two Pokéballs.

"I'm sure it'll be quite the story," Ethan replied as they got on their feet and met Nurse Joy halfway.

"Thank you for waiting! Your Pokémon feel much better," Nurse Joy said before picking up Eevee and handing her to Ethan. "Eevee sprained her left hock, so I treated it as best I could and put a brace on it. I advise keeping her from putting weight on it for a day so it will heal faster. She should be fully healed within a few days. Until then, no battling or intense physical activity."

Eevee's ears drooped, and she whined as Ethan took her in one arm and scratched her behind her ears. "Thanks for battling so hard, my little battle junkie. We'll pick right back up as soon as you're all better. Knowing you, that last battle has you raring to get even stronger."

Eevee chuckled and buried her face in his arm in embarrassment.

"As for these two," Nurse Joy said as she picked up the Pokéballs. "I was able to treat their injuries, and I got a message from Professor Oak just before coming out here that I'm to place them into your custody."

Ethan placed Eevee on his shoulder and took the two shrunken Pokéballs, feeling the faint shadowy aura emanating from them before placing them on his belt, away from his other Pokémon's Pokéballs.

"Thanks so much, Nurse Joy!" Ash said as Pikachu took a spot on his shoulder. "How's Charmander and the other Pokémon?"

"Oh, right! They'll be transferred to a rehabilitation center in Vermilion City as soon as I clear them. I'm not really equipped or trained to deal with mental trauma, so they'll receive further treatment there before they're either put up for adoption or relocated to a Pokémon reserve to live the rest of their lives," Nurse Joy explained.

"Hey, we're going to Vermilion City! Could we see them when we get there?" Ash asked.

"Hmm, I don't see why not," Nurse Joy said. "I'll give you the address and let them know you're coming. I'll even ask them to let you have the first pick of any of the Pokémon that are open to adoption if you're interested."

"I wouldn't mind at least seeing how they're doing when we get there," Misty piped in. "Especially if there are any water types."

Ethan looked at the door behind Nurse Joy as it cracked open and shut again. The sound of skittering claws across the polished wooden floor got closer until he felt something bump his leg. When he looked down, he saw Charmander looking up at him. He got down on one knee and rubbed his head.

"Hi, Charmander. What brings you out here?" Ethan asked.

Nurse Joy smiled. "I think Charmander decided who he wants his new trainer to be."

Ethan shared a glance with Ash before looking at Charmander again. "Is that so? Who do you want to go with?"

Charmander gripped Ethan's jeans and looked at him intensely before pointing a claw at him. "Char, charmander char charmander!"

"...Are you sure?" Ethan hesitantly asked.

"Mander!" Charmander affirmed.

Ethan gave Ash an apologetic look, but Ash just grinned. "It's okay, Ethan. Charmander wants to go with you. Besides, I'm sure I'll have my hands full with Growlithe once you bring him back," Ash said.

Ethan blinked in surprise. "Wow, uh, thanks, Ash. But I thought you wanted Charmander."

Ash looked away and scratched his cheek. "I did, but Growlithe is really cool too!"

Ethan closed his eyes, exhaled out of his nose, and smiled before opening his eyes again.

"In that case, welcome to my little family!" Ethan said as he pulled out a Pokéball and enlarged it. Charmander tapped his head against it and let himself be absorbed. The ball didn't even shake before it dinged. Ethan held the ball against his chest as butterflies formed in his stomach.

I hope this doesn't mess too severely with the timeline. I only took one of Ash's strongest and most reliable Pokémon.

Ethan then realized something. I'm not the only guy on the team anymore! Yes!!