Gary whipped his head around in awe in as many directions as he could, staring at the tunnel he was in.

It was made of streams of ocean blue color with a dazzling green glow on the outskirts.

He and Isaac were moving through this tunnel without actually walking, standing still, Celebi floating in front of them.

Gary could hardly breathe as he tried to make sense of where he was, and how he was going through the area. In a flash of blinding light, he suddenly found himself in a room!

The walls were white, the floor covered in a brown carpet, and there were several booths, one of which Gary was standing by.

“What is your name, child?” a voice familiar to Gary asked from somewhere closeby.

“My name is Aly Say!” another voice said proudly and loudly. “I am not afraid of you or your stupid guns! You guys are totally cray cray!”

Gary nearly gasped out loud and, on instinct, ducked down by the wall of the booth near him. He peeped around the corner of it slowly, and instantly pulled back and sat on the floor, his back pressed to the booth, eyes stretched wide to their limit, unable to breathe.

“Aly. Brave Miss Aly,” the man spoke. “How old are you?”

“I am ten years old!”

No! No! No! No! Gary thought repeatedly. This is it!! I’m here!! Back in time!!

“It pains me to hear that,” the guy, Isaac, replied. “So young. You, your friend over there, and so many others in this very room.”

Isaac, Aly, ME! And all the other people, Gary remembered, thinking on what he just saw around the booth. They’re really all there!! I’m really back in time to the moment Aly dies! He looked around frantically. Where’s Isaac?? My Isaac!! The new one! Listening to the conversation taking place, he realized he was running out of time to save Aly.

“Pokemon are good!” Aly insisted.

“So young, Miss Aly. So young. And so very stupid.”

This is only getting worse, Gary knew. Aly’s getting mad! The new Isaac is gone, left me to take care of this alone! I’ve only got one shot at this! But what do I do? How do I stop this? How do I save Aly??

“You’ve a big mouth, young lady.” Isaac’s voice was getting scarier. Darker. “I don’t raise Pokemon. I hate Pokemon.”

“Because you suck at raising them,” Aly instigated.

Why do I feel so weird? Gary questioned suddenly. My body... I feel so nauseous. Not just sick, but - strange. I can’t explain it. I feel so out of place. So strange. Something’s wrong! Is it because I don’t belong here? Am I vanishing? Have I been seen by someone? Myself? Have I altered the timeline already??

“-and it helps us all to grow and mature in this world of ours, together,” Aly went on.

“Your words make me pity you for your ignorance, but it isn’t your fault,” Isaac spat. “You’ve been brainwashed. Poor, foolish girl.”

Gary got to his feet and balled his fists. I have to do something, damn it! Anything!

“Wait! YOU are the reason for those news stories?” Aly shouted.

“Those are the dangers Pokemon cause to us all,” Isaac said solemnly.

“YOU DID THEM!!!” Aly bellowed. “How stupid can you be???”

NO! I’m not ready! Gary panicked in his head.

“I can’t even describe how much of a punch in your ugly freaking face you deserve!!!”

TIMES UP, GARY!!

“ALY, STOP!!” both Garys demanded frantically!

Gary leaped out from around the booth and spotted the man behind Aly with the gun in his hand, aimed at her.

The man whipped his head at the sound of Gary’s voice behind him. “HEY!! WHO THE-?!!”

Screaming, Gary dove at the man, feeling as light as a feather as he floated over to him with ease. He was weightless. His-

BOOM!

...

...

...

Gary rested on top of the man, not entirely sure how he got there, but knowing he had made the jump at some point.

The tour group started screaming frantically.

“AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!” one of the adults from the tour group charged forward and tackled a member of Team Solace who was near him.

“Honey!!” a woman wailed.

“GOOOOOO!” The screams of DJ Bergamot and DJ Tulip came out from their throats and they charged individual members of Team Solace.

This was followed by more encouraged shouts by the braver of the tour people who then ran at the criminals, grabbing for their guns and attacking them.

Some people ran and hid in the booths, others running for the stairway exit.

Gunfire went off like mad, startling Gary, but he returned his focus on the man he was on top of.

This man was staring around at the chaos taking place.

Isaac was on his feet, looking around him, enraged.

“Gary!”

Gary and the man he had tackled turned just as a boot flew and connected with the side of the man’s head. Gary fell back from the now screaming man, clearing himself as the dark blue boot met with the man’s head again.

The guy growled loudly and tried to cover his head, his gun still in his hand, but Aly’s boot slammed into his face and then proceeded to stomp on it.

BOOM!

“OH GOD!!” Gary covered his face and looked away.

Aly shrieked and ran from the body.

The man’s dead body remained a still, bloody mess, having just accidentally shot himself.

Voices rang out from all areas.

“ISAAC! THIS IS THE POLICE!” a voice from outside shouted over a megaphone. “WE ARE COMING IN RIGHT NOW!! THE PLACE IS-!”

BAAAAAAANG!!!

There was a sudden explosion from upstairs, but almost no one paid attention to this, Gary himself too horrified by the sight he had just seen. But he did hear more noise above.

“Gary, something’s going on upstairs! Do you hear that noise?” Aly called to her friend.

Gary managed to turn to her weakly, feeling ready to throw up. He looked at the ceiling. “Helicopter...?”

The doors to the stairs burst open and armed officers swarmed in, pointing guns that aimed with red beams, dotting the room. “EVERYBODY, HANDS UP!! GET ON THE GROUND!! GET DOWN, NOW!! NOBODY MOVE!!”

Screams filled the room, both from the officers and the civilians.

The criminals remained silent, some with serious faces, others smirking.

Isaac was gone.

*

Isaac had escaped from the upper floor, reportedly meeting with associates and blowing apart an opening with an Electrode to then escape in a helicopter.

In the lobby, there were some Team Solace members who were weaponless. Mere distractions to ensure Isaac got away.

People had been hospitalized, while the less fortunate were killed, good and bad guys alike.

Gary knew all of this by now. He’d been questioned by police for a couple of hours and then released after a physical check up in an ambulance, refusing any suggested extra medical attention, and just went to a Pokemon Center to sit.

So did Aly. “How’d you even do it, Gary?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. It was like, one minute, I could swear all I could do was yell at you to stop. The next instant, I was like... in the air?! I was just on him and-!” Gary looked down, shaking his head again. “Aly, it was so weird... For like, a moment, I just felt... strange.”

“You jumped on a gangsta with a gun!” Aly exclaimed. “Hey, I didn’t think you had it in you! Sorry for all those things I called you then, in that case.”

Gary managed a weak laugh. “Yeah...”

Aly placed a hand on his shoulder.

Gary turned to stare into her dark eyes.

“Thank you. Gary, thank you.”

“Thank you, too, Aly. You... kinda took things a bit further afterwards and saved me, too.”

“Let’s not... Ugh. Gross. That was just cray.”

Gary nodded, looking to the floor of the Pokemon Center, knowing he’d never forget that sight of the man blowing off his own head. He shuddered and looked up at Aly, and his eyes widened. He didn’t know Aly’s face had gotten so close to his own.

Aly was quiet, her black hair at the sides of her face, strands of it in her eyes.

Gary considered her to be actually really pretty in this position, her hair fairly loose and a little wild, her face literally mere inches from his own.

“Gary...” Aly spoke softly.

Very uncharacteristically of her, Gary found her face to suddenly seem rather vulnerable. Sensitivity seemed to be seeping through quite easily. His mouth hung open slightly as he tried to respond, but was unable. To Gary, it seemed Aly was getting even closer. But that couldn’t be. Right? he wondered. He swallowed, almost ninety percent sure their faces were closer than they had been just seconds ago, and he wasn’t sure if his own face was also moving towards hers. Aly... he thought. What’s...?

“Gary! Aly??”

“Huh??” Both Gary and Aly pulled back, staring at each other in shock, and they turned to who had appeared next to them. “June!!”

June stood staring at Aly and Gary with eyes more wide than a door for an invited guest.

There was silence between the three.

June’s eyes went back and forth between the other two kids.

Aly’s mouth was shut, stunned eyes on June.

Gary’s eyes kept going from one girl to the other.

“HEY!” Aly leaped to her feet and beamed happily at June with a red face. “What is UP, girl?? You’re back! Now, don’t you get the wrong idea here!! I appreciate Gary saving my life and all, but you have nothing to worry about! We were just talking about the incident! I wouldn’t do you like that, girlfriend! I’m no homewrecker!”

Gary snapped back to Earth and frowned at Aly. “ALY!”

June burst out laughing, the tone of which somehow added discomfort. “Uh... I just was getting back here and-”

“Giiiirl, I know already. This butt chased you off because he can’t show his emotions properly. You’re an angel for dealing with him as long as you have. No one blames you, baby.”

“ALY!!” Gary barked, standing up. He found that his body was unstable, quaking.

Aly rolled her eyes, not looking at him, and then she shrugged.

“No, it wasn’t that...” June spoke softly. But she didn’t explain any further, lowering her eyes.

“Listen, you two need some time to work things out together. Don’t let me interfere. Y’all need your space. I’ll be on my way, then.”

“You’re leaving??” Gary stared at her in shock.

“I have things to do, man!” Aly was speaking rapidly. “I’m only three Badges away from competing in the Pokemon League! I’m taking a mini vacation and going to visit Cinnabar Island before challenging the Gym there.”

“Vacation...?” Gary questioned.

“That’s right. I’ve told you, you’ve gotta take it easy sometimes, for your Pokemon. You push too hard. It’ll only backfire on you in the end. Anyway, I don’t have time to argue with the likes of you.” She turned to June and flashed her teeth pleasantly. “June, good luck with him. May you reach his heart and help him to finally find the peace and-”

Gary stormed at Aly.

“Seeeeeeeee yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!” Aly seemed to be out of the Pokemon Center before she finished her sentence, her voice ringing throughout the building.

Gary covered his face with one hand, shaking his head and sighing loudly. His hand fell and he suddenly remembered that June had been there all that time. June, he thought, and he slowly turned to her.

June was already staring at him. She held a blank face and didn’t speak.

Neither of them did for a while.

Until, finally, “Hey.” Gary waited.

“Gary.”

Silence returned briefly.

“You were...?”

“Wait, I wasn’t-!”

“Gary, damn it! Why did I leave you?!” She embraced him in a hug. “Gary...” She rubbed her face against his shoulder.

Gary held her tightly. “June...”

“Gary, I’m here now. If you need to talk about what happened, please...”

Gary looked around the building they were in that was stuffed with people and Pokemon due to the horrible incident that occurred in the Kanto Radio Tower. She’s talking about... this, he realized. He thought to himself for a moment. “June, when you’re ready to talk, we can,” Gary finally answered.

June sniffled, and a little after that, nodded with understanding.

Gary closed his eyes, knowing, yet hoping, that they both understood there was a lot going on that they both had to be willing to open up to one another about now.

June lifted her head, looking into Gary’s eyes with her weary, red ones.

Gary looked away uncomfortably. Cinnabar Island, huh? Gary remembered. Aly’s going to Cinnabar for some vacation time. She’s slacking. I need to go elsewhere. I need to find a Gym and get my sixth Badge. In Dark City, is what Ozne told me, to fight the Dark type Gym. “Well, if there’s nothing else to say for now, then let’s head off, eh?” June was silent, and Gary, impatient with her as ever, walked away and to the front.

June was quick enough, meeting Gary outside.

Gary had his Town Map out, scanning the area and the direction he would have to go to find Dark City.

June stood by him, gazing at the dreary town they were in, waiting for Gary’s next move.

“Interesting...” Gary mumbled.

“Hm?”

“It seems the path splits at this point, but both roads lead to Dark City, and they both take the same amount of time, at that. It’s just about which path we choose. No big deal. Alright then. Come on.” Gary walked on, June following behind. He was eager to continue on his quest and leave behind Lavender Town, knowing there was no chance of that actually ever happening. He closed his eyes, the image of the man of Team Solace shooting himself in the head appearing in his mind. He also saw Isaac. That... bastard escaped, Gary knew. But he has to be caught eventually. He’ll be stopped. One way or another. He won’t get away with this. They won’t.

Making their way through the town full of police, news crews, and even more bystanders, the both of them left Lavender Town not much later, walking a grassy path.

“Gary, shouldn’t you call your mother?” June asked suddenly.

“Nice time to bring that up.”

“I just assumed you didn’t think of it much in the midst of everything after what you went through.”

“I did.”

“But you didn’t call her. Right?”

“That’s right.”

“Prof. Oak?”

“I’m not in the mood.”

“You were there. Your mother might find out. Were you interviewed?”

“By police.”

“Gary, you should really call your mother. If she finds out you were involved in a hostage situation and didn’t even call her-”

“When we reach Dark City, I’ll give her a ring. Try to understand what I’ve just been through! I hardly feel like even talking to you! You think I want to talk to her?”

June snickered a few seconds after hearing that.

“What?” Gary asked.

“Nothing,” June said lightly.

“What, June?” Gary spoke in a low voice, warning June to answer because he was getting impatient with her game.

June giggled. “Okay. It’s just... I’m not sure if that was a very nice thing you just said or not.” She laughed a little more.

Gary growled, trying to sound more aggravated than he felt. On the inside, he was a little embarrassed by what June had said.

The path they were on was now lined on each side by thin trees.

In all honesty, Gary was aggravated June hadn’t told him where she had gone off to while he had been in the radio tower with Aly, but he was too disturbed by what had occurred there to bring it up.

The two walked in silence, their minds full as the trees around them thickened, the once spaced out trees becoming a thick forest before either of them knew it. Their feet crunched the frozen snow beneath them. Darkness was beginning to settle.

“I can’t even describe how much of a punch in your ugly freaking face you deserve!!!” Aly stormed over to Isaac with balled fists.

The man sat there calmly, watching her.

“ALY, STOP!” Gary demanded frantically.

Gary blinked repeatedly, reliving the incident. And then? And then... “Ouch!” Gary’s shoulder had slammed into a tree trunk he was passing by. He took a breath and let it out through his open mouth.

“You alright?” June asked him.

Gary cleared his throat a couple of times, the second time louder than the first. He nodded. “It’s getting late. We should chill and feed our Pokemon.” Gary soon realized what a great idea this was. He removed his backpack.

“Oh...” June said softly. “Okay. I’m gonna head off then to feed mine. We’ll be right back when we’re done.”

Gary nodded as he set out a few bowls.

June scurried off swiftly.

Gary was happy with this. Knowing June was still getting over deserting her and her Pokemon’s dreams as Gym Leader of Gringey City, letting down herself and her Pokemon, he was used to June going off to feed and care for them in private. This gave him the opportunity to do some serious thinking. He poured food out for his Pokemon, and then sent them out from their Poke Balls.

“Prrrrriiiiiime! Apeapeape!” Primeape leaped high in the air, swinging his fists around him aggressively.

“Hooooot,” Hoothoot looked about, finding Gary, and he flapped his wings.

“Doooooo!” Kingdra shook her head and bounced over to Gary.

“Toooooooooy!” Baltoy sang, spinning quickly in place and moving over to Gary.

“Bell! Bell!” Weepinbell immediately went over to his bowl to eat, followed shortly after by Primeape and Hoothoot.

“Meeeeeeel!” Charmeleon stretched out before also going for some food.

“Kingdra, Baltoy.” Gary managed a small smile and pet Kingdra’s head. “Go on and eat. Enjoy the night, okay?”

“Dooo! Doo!” Kingdra bounced over to a bowl and began digging in.

Baltoy spun around Gary and the tree he was by before zipping off, zigzagging through the trees but staying within Gary’s sight.

Gary let out his breath through his nose as he watched his Pokemon.

And thought.

“ALY, STOP!” Gary demanded frantically.

The man whipped his head at the sound of Gary’s voice behind him. “HEY!! WHO THE-?!!”

Gary... screamed and... dropped on top of the man...

BOOM!

But... Gary was confused by his own memory. That’s what happened... But... How...? Something felt off. I made that jump. I got the guy. Gary’s eyes closed tightly. Well, anyway, the point is, I did do it. I saved Aly.

Gary and Aly’s faces were stuck facing each other, but were they moving closer together, ever so slowly?

Aly... Gary thought. What’s...?

“Gary! Aly??” June’s voice had interrupted.

“Huh??” Both Gary and Aly pulled back, staring at each other in shock, and they turned to June.

Gary shook his head and got to his feet. He opened his mouth wide and took in some fresh air. Okay, enough thinking, Gary decided. It’s a new day. A great time to be alive! Gary’s focus hardened on the ground, though. Team Solace tried to kill Aly for standing up to them. They do kill people. This journey is only getting worse. Things are way out of hand. Maybe I’m in over my head? At that moment, he remembered Saffron City. Maybe I’ve been way in over my head, he realized.

Charmeleon had just finished eating, and he sat down on his end, his tail high up.

Weepinbell had finished the last bits of his food and looked around at the others, his eyes stopping on Gary. “Beeeell!”

Primeape wasn’t long after. He held his bowl over his head and shook it as if expecting food to fall out. When it didn’t, he tossed it and seemed to do a bouncing dance on each foot, pumping his fists in the air.

Baltoy continued shooting through the forest without rest.

Hoothoot was still rapidly pecking at his food.

Kingdra was still eating but was almost done.

Gary smiled at his group, and Weepinbell hopped over in response.

Intrigued, Charmeleon watched.

Primeape noticed Weepinbell and leaped at him.

“Bell!” Weepinbell stopped.

Primeape seemed to insist on Weepinbell’s attention, punching out without touching the Pokemon and hopping around him in circles.

“Bell!” Weepinbell turned his head to the side and shot a vine above him, which grabbed onto a tree branch, and he pulled himself out of the way of Primeape, hanging out of reach.

“Prime! Prime! Prime! Prime!” Primeape chattered angrily.

“Hey! How about you take it easy, buddy?” Gary held out Primeape’s Poke Ball. “Some guys like to just chill out after eating. Not use it as fuel to burn right after.”

Primeape, still bouncing in anger, was returned.

“Doooo!” Kingdra now hopped over to Gary, a desperate look in her eyes.

“Kingdra?”

“Doooooo!” She reached Gary and rubbed her head against him, begging for attention.

Her Trainer smiled and answered her request, kneeling down to a Pokemon that was nearly his own height and rubbing her snout up to the top of her head.

“Meeeeel!” Charmeleon got up at this and charged his Trainer, tackling him down.

Gary yelled out in surprise. “Hey, come on! There’s only one of me!” he laughed, pushing back at Charmeleon’s head as he continued to push back against him.

“Dooo! Do! Do!” Kingdra complained.

Charmeleon looked back at Kingdra. He raised a claw and pulled down the skin under his right eye and stuck out his tongue. “Meeeeeel!”

Kingdra bounced angrily in response, yelling at him.

“ENOUGH!” Gary exploded.

Every Pokemon of Gary’s turned in shock to him.

Even Baltoy came to a stop to see.

“Come on! Y’all are too old for this crap! Far too mature!”

Baltoy remained still.

Weepinbell also didn’t budge, hanging from the branch.

Kingdra looked down sadly.

Charmeleon grunted and looked down more sternly.

Hoothoot started pecking more slowly at his food.

“Alright, I think it’s time for everyone who’s done eating to take a chill. Return!”

Weepinbell and Charmeleon were next to go.

“You two, eat up. Baltoy... Um... I guess when they’re done eating, you can come back, too.” Gary shrugged.

The two Pokemon returned to their bowls and ate. Hoothoot finished a while before Kingdra.

Gary sat with Kingdra while she took forever to wrap up her meal. “I guess we can wait a bit for June to get back.”

Baltoy was spinning in place several feet from Gary.

Hoothoot was settled comfortably on the same branch Weepinbell had been hanging from, his eyes closed.

“Or...” An idea came to Gary, and he stood up quietly.

“Doo?” Kingdra looked at him.

“Sshh. Don’t wake Hoothoot.” Gary smiled as he returned Kingdra, and then Hoothoot and Baltoy. He looked in the direction June had taken off in some time ago. I know she carries ten Pokemon with her, but it’s really been a while. Exactly what is she doing out there? He took a step forward before stopping.

Heavy rustling surrounded him from many directions.

Gary turned a complete circle trying to spot what was going on.

There was a very distant, yet at the same time, very loud racket. Like several firecrackers blowing up.

Gary squinted. What was that? Something’s going on. His breathing was getting rapid. He looked behind him. Should I shout out? Or stay quiet? He looked back. June?

Something shot out of the trees! The thing collided with Gary, the both of them dropping. “AAAAAAHH!!!!”

Gary also shouted with the person. He stayed in his position and stared at who had appeared. As his eyes tried hard to focus in the dark, he heard more of the firecrackers and movements around him. Voices? Gary questioned as he kept his eyes on the person before him.

Groaning, this person shook their head, a black hood covering it. Their hand was in their face, rubbing their eyes.

The hand lowered, and Gary saw the face.

Her light blue eyes met with Gary’s dark brown ones.

Her thin little lips hung open as she stared.

Gary uttered a sharp, long, noisy inhale. He couldn’t believe it! He couldn’t believe who he was seeing!! His eyes blinked as he tried to make sense of his vision. This wasn’t her! It couldn’t be! His heart was being used on the basketball court for the big game.

The girl squinted at Gary, and then her eyebrows narrowed sharply, as if angry, and she seemed to sneer. She shook her head, and then her eyes widened as her mouth dropped.

The disruptive noises around them didn’t steal away either of their attention.

Gary couldn’t even get to his feet, too stunned to move. The girl’s skin, just a little lighter than Gary’s, was looking paler than Gary had recalled it normally being.

“My... brother?” she croaked out.

“Melissa...” Gary whispered. It was all he could get out of his throat.

Gary’s sister, Melissa, stared back at her little brother.

“Melissa!!” Gary finally found his voice.

She let out a laugh. “Gary!” She smiled for only a second, finally seeming to notice the commotion going on as she looked behind her and back to Gary. “Gary, they’re here!” Terror was now on her face.

This frightened Gary. “Melissa, what’s going on?!” He moved to get closer to his long lost sister.

Something burst from the bushes, causing both Gary and Melissa to shriek out as it landed on top of the girl. Their shrieks weren’t lessened as they visually took in the attacker.

Gary’s eyes seemed to be playing tricks on him! One second, Gary was sure he was staring at a human, very likely a female. The next, it seemed far more animal! Or like some kind of completely new creature!

Hair from its head covered the being’s face, reaching down its back. It was hunched over, on top of a screaming Melissa. A lot of its body had hair in varying degrees. Its legs were on either side of the young girl. Its two arms shot out, grabbing Melissa by the throat, and the thing screeched in a wild wail that sounded like nothing Gary was familiar with.

Gary heard a yell from somewhere, but didn’t dare look away from the thing on his sister. “MELISSA!!” He shook off his petrified reaction to what was going on and got to his feet.

The thing’s hair on its head actually sparked, like with electricity, before, all by itself, the hair reached outward! Still attached to the head, it was as if the hair had come alive with blue electricity, separated into numerous, grouped, skinny bundles, and was moving on its own!

“HEEEEEEEEEELP!!! WHAT IS THIS THING???” Melissa bellowed for her life.

Gary found himself unable to move again. I don’t know, Melissa! I don’t know! But... I know it’s not human!!

The hair atop the creature reached out and connected with Melissa’s face.

Melissa screamed at the top of her lungs as her body was lit by the blue lightning, and her body jumped.

“MELISSAAAAAAA!!” Gary exploded, and charged in a rage.

The hair harming Melissa rose from her face and rested against the creature’s like normal hair.

Melissa hit the ground and didn’t move.

“MELISSAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!” Gary leaped at the thing still on top of his sister, but he instantly regretted it as it turned to face him. “OOOOOOOHHH!!!” He had never seen anything so ugly in his life!!

The thing’s eyes! It’s skin! The face!

He couldn’t even comprehend what he was taking in. Nor did he have time to do so.

The thing seemed to swing on him swiftly, raising a dark, black arm and slugging at Gary with an equally dark fist.

Gary only knew he was seeing stars, and the earth was moving beneath him. “Hey...” Gary gasped out. “Melissa... What-?”

The head of the terrifying being Gary had seen appeared in his wavy, shimmering vision. There were multitudes of them now, but they kept going from a bunch, to only a couple, to one, to several again.

“Motherfuck...” Gary reached out to the thing, but he was on his back and couldn’t even sit up, unable to level out his own brain. “I’m gonna kill you you bitch...” Gary slurred in a dizzy daze. “My sister... Where’s my sister...? Where’s she? If she’s... If something happened... I’ll kill you...”

The being watched and then looked off to the side, revealing a neck that was exceptionally longer than most anything but a giraffe’s. In the next instant, the thing’s long hair began to billow behind her, like a balloon! It expanded, growing bigger, tiny holes appearing all throughout it. Like this, it resembled perhaps a cocoon or nest.

Gary closed his eyes, trying to stop the multiple visions from occurring. When he opened his eyes, the creature was in the air!

High in the sky and still rising, ascending over the clouds, the being was clearly flying off into the distance, away from the earth and all else! Its arms... They seemed to be curled up, rolled like a burrito! This impossibly flexible setup came to an end at its underarms. The legs were bent backwards, its feet reaching behind to touch the butt area as it soared.

Gary closed his eyes, unable to concentrate and verify what he was seeing. Groaning loudly, he sat up. “Melissa.” He opened his eyes. “Melissa.” He turned his head, and stopped.

A group of people who hadn’t been there earlier were in a circle, looking down at something. This group was made up of mostly men, just one woman amongst them. Only the men were dressed in white jumpsuits and boots, the woman in red, tight short shorts that showed off her bottom, some of her cheeks even showing beneath them, and a yellow crop top that revealed her tight, toned stomach. All of them held a gun of some kind.

“Meli-” Gary managed to his feet, nearly falling as he struggled to keep his balance that his brain was making so hard to hold on to. “Melissa?” Gary stumbled forward, unconcerned with the people with guns.

They all turned to him and oddly, moved aside.

Gary saw his sister and with a pained face that burst into immediate tears, hurried to her body. “Melissa? Melissa?? Melissaaaaa!!”

“Did you kill her?” one of the group of people by Gary asked.

Gary whipped around to them all, panic on his face. “NO!!” He shook his head wildy. “NO!! NO!! SHE’S NOT DEAD!! MY SISTER!!” He found it so difficult to find his words as he sobbed openly in front of these strangers. He reached out one hand to his sister, but pulled it back in fear. His head continued to shake as he faced the group. “THAT! THAT!!” He pointed at the sky and looked up, but the flying thing was gone already. “THERE WAS A THING!! THERE WAS A THING!! A MONSTER!! THERE’S A MONSTER!!”

A man in the group with a thick goatee nodded. “Yes. Her. Did you kill her? Did you kill the species? Did she get away?”

“She...” Gary turned to his sister.

“She got away!” the lady of the group barked. “Let’s head back, then! Solace, move!”

At once, the group jogged ahead.

“Solace?!” Gary’s eyes were glued to the gang. “Solace?? Team Solace?!” Gary refused to leave his sister behind. “WAIT! WHAT’S GOING ON HERE??”

The lady stopped and faced Gary, still jogging in place.

Her group continued on without her, disappearing in the woods.

The pretty blonde kept her blue eyes on Gary and shook her head. “Kid, you’ve no idea what Hell you’ve let go loose on this planet... We almost had her down. If you’d just killed her! We’re all fucked, now. Unless we kill off that bitch, this is the end for us all. The end of Team Solace. The end of mankind. We were just trying to save the poor girl.” She nodded her head at the body by Gary. “Now, the entire world is in grave danger...” Her eyes hardened on Gary’s. As she sneered at him, her eyes suddenly began to shimmer.

Gary’s eyes widened. Tears?

Her face swiftly went into panic. “No one is ready for this!” She turned and took off after the others.

Gary turned to Melissa.

His sister’s eyes were closed, her mouth open as if still screaming, but she was completely silent.

Hesitantly, cautiously, reluctantly, Gary grabbed her shoulder to give it a shake. “Melissa.” His hand fell from her quickly, discomforted by the feeling of touching her body. Something felt bad. Something was missing... No, Gary thought. “Melissa!” He grabbed both shoulders, ignoring that still, motionless, lifeless feeling. “Melissa!!” He stood up and turned away, covering his mouth as his eyes watered.

The hair atop the creature reached out and connected with Melissa’s face.

She screamed at the top of her lungs as her body was lit by the blue lightning, and her body jumped.

Gary’s eyes met with someone else as he turned back.

June. She had her wide eyes down at the body on the ground.

Gary looked to his sister, making a strange squeaking noise from behind his hands, tears sliding down his cheeks. He turned to where the members of Team Solace had vanished and took off through the trees. “TEAM SOLACE DAMN IT!!” Gary had taken only but a few steps before he was yanked back by his coat and forced hard to the ground. He screamed out in shock at this, his eyes to the sky before a face appeared in his space of vision.

An old man was smiling down at him. “Young man, after watching you for mere minutes, I think it’s safe to say you are not making the wisest of decisions right now. Chasing after that group is only going to get you killed.”

Gary, confused, scrambled to his feet, blinking repeatedly. “What? Who are you?”

The tall man wore a red suit with a black shirt underneath it and a small yellow bow tie. He stood in red shoes. “Known by many names, from region to region,” the bald man spoke. “The King of Tricks, the Trick Master, kid, it means nothing for the moment. The point is, you must leave her alone for now. Both the woman you pursue from Team Solace, and the female who flies above us all.”

Gary pointed at the man. “What... What was that thing? What do you know of Team Solace? Who are you??”

“Do you know Prof. Cozmo?” the man inquired.

“No... Is that you? I wanna know what you know about Team Solace and that thing!” Gary turned to his sister’s body before whipping back around. “You’re one of them!” He shot at the stranger, moving urgently on his two feet, ready to beat some answers out of him. Until the ground under him was removed. “Wooooooah!!” Gary fell briefly before landing facedown on his stomach. Groaning, the front of his entire body in pain, Gary pushed against the dirt underneath him and forced himself to his feet, very confused. He looked around, seeing nothing but earthy walls surrounding him. Looking up, it became clear he had fallen into a ditch!

“Hey! Gary!” June’s voice rang out.

Shortly after, two faces looked down the hole from above. June and the man! They were both close enough to pull out Gary if they reached.

Breathing heavily and not understanding anything that was happening, Gary leaned against the wall tiredly, keeping his eyes on the new guy.

“Gary, are you alright?” June glared at the man. “What are you trying to do?”

The man smiled back simply. “Explain to him that I am not the enemy, but a friend to you both.”

“You just trapped him in a hole! What kind of friend are you??”

“Refer to me as the Trick Master. I do prefer this.” The man bowed. “I am sorry for the loss of the girl.” The man’s smile faded, and yet was still there, very slightly, as he turned to Melissa. “But if you all would be so kind, let us get cleaned up at Prof. Cozmo’s place, and much can be explained there. It isn’t far. I think we both want the same thing.” He turned to Gary solemnly.

Gary looked at the very old man.

The only hair was on his eyebrows, and they were white.

Gary reached up, and swiftly, the man reached down.

June also reached out and the two of them pulled Gary out of the hole.

Gary released his help and turned to his sister. “Why?” Gary asked weakly. He was already crying again. “I found her...” He lifted his wet eyes to June. “Melissa... My sister...” He shook his head, feeling like wailing like a baby as tears silently streamed down his cheeks. “She’s dead...” his mouth spoke, though even Gary didn’t actually hear the words.

June moved swiftly to him.

Seeing this, Gary’s body shut down and he fell over, right into June’s waiting arms.

She held him tightly, holding the back of his head with one hand, the other on his back.

“Melissa... I...” Gary mumbled tearfully against June, words heard unclearly by everyone there. “I... What have I done...?”

June inhaled deep, her chest pressing against Gary’s face as she closed her eyes and cried quietly.

The Trick Master had his hands in his pants pockets, staring out patiently in a specific direction, a sad look in his eyes.

“We were just trying to save the poor girl.” The Team Solace woman nodded her head at the body by Gary.

The dead body.

Of Gary’s sister.

Melissa.