[First Watch]

My two Pokemon companions had fallen asleep not long ago, leaving me to watch out for any trouble near our camp. The fire was still blazing, illuminating their motionless bodies. Under normal circumstances a fire to keep warm might have been comforting, especially on a chilly night, but strange shadows danced around the fire as if taking part in a dark magic ritual of some sort. The eerie glow coming from the blaze in contrast to the expanse of darkness darting between the trees a stone’s throw away was making my watch even more unbearable considering that normally I wouldn't be up this late at night. I was growing more uncomfortable by the minute.

I knew there was nothing to fear, and I’m not one to be afraid of the dark., but it was what was lurking in the depths of the woods that had me on edge. The natural wildlife had gone into hiding because of the sudden appearance of Pokemon in the woods and not knowing what these uncivilized, wild Pokemon were capable of was really sketchy as well, especially if they were capable of breathing fire of all things like Deme. I still wasn't sure he was to be trusted yet, but little Cypher looked harmless enough.

“Purr?”

“Wh-Who’s there!” I called out into the surrounding darkness, immediately lighting up my horn so I could peer into the night.

Oddly enough, there was no colossal rock serpent or some freaky floating nose thing or any Pokemon that Cypher said were indigenous to the mountainous regions of his world that we should look out for as we traveled towards one. There was nothing that stood out, just a normal cat inching out of the bush a few yards away. No, that’s not right… there was something peculiar about this purple feline.

My conjecture was confirmed as the cat crept out completely, standing up on its two back legs so that it’s front legs were freed up to shield its eyes from the bright light still radiating from my horn. I quickly eased the spell down to a more manageable level, both for the sake of myself and the strange cat.

I almost made the same mistake I made with Deme and Cypher before I realized I couldn’t understand this creature because it was a Pokemon, so I cast the translation spell that I’d abused thus far.

Alright, remember: diplomacy.

“Hello, what’s your name?”

“W-what are you?”

[Second Watch]

At first I was a little shocked by the young Purrloin accompanying Trixie, but the little rascal proved to be innocent enough. From what Trixie shared with me once the little cutie had passed out from fatigue, one moment her owner, a young girl living with her father, was playing with her and the next she was waking up in the middle of nowhere, unable to recognize anything that could lead her back home. Trixie had promised to help her find them and I couldn't break her heart by telling her the chances of that were slim. We didn't even know if my being transformed was a freak accident or if any other humans were brought here along with me. We didn't even know how any of us got here in the first place. It's all so confusing.

I sighed, staring into the gentle flames, ignoring the fatigue of the previous day. I've always liked fire because it helps me relax. Just feeling the warmth on my skin made me feel not so alone. I missed my team. I can't help but feel that they need me right now. I hope they didn't wake up alone...

“Gah!”

I looked around my room in a panic, throwing the covers off of me towards the foot of my bed as if it were trying to strangle me. I sat there and gazed at a spot in the middle of the space that was my room. There was nothing there, but I couldn’t be bothered to look somewhere else as I gathered my thoughts, trying to recall what happened the night before. It was surprisingly dark, meaning I must have had a bad dream or something along those lines because my alarm is usually what wakes me up in the morning.

I got up to go to the bathroom at the end of the hall just to splash my face with water and maybe go downstairs and make my family breakfast. I bet they’d really like me then, especially if I made pancakes. Who doesn’t love waking up to pancakes and syrup in the morning.

After I washed my face I hopped downstairs to start on breakfast, which really took no time at all and I only had a one slightly burnt one. I quickly set the table for four and ran back upstairs, still covered in some stray flour and other ingredients that didn’t want to stay in the mixing bowl when I vigorously mixed them earlier.

I knocked on Cole’s door first and then my parents’ door as I ran down the hall shouting for everyone to wake up because breakfast was served. I ran back downstairs and waited for everyone to come down so I could be the first to see the looks on their faces. I waited a minute, then two, then five, and finally little Cole was the first to descend from the second floor.
“Oh sweet, pancakes!” Cole shouted in his best impression of an Exploud, “What’s the occasion?”

“Oh, nothing… just wanted to surprise my family is all.” I paused and glanced at the seat where my mother and father would usually sit. “Speaking of, where are Mom and Dad?”

“Mom and Dad are back? Since when? Why were they gone so long?”

All it took was the first question to make me realize my mistake, the other two questions only drove the stake in to make me feel even more miserably stupid.”

“Cole, go to your room.”

“But I-”

“Now!”

He was back up the stairs with his bedroom door closed before I could even catch my breath, not that that was even an option now that I was hyperventilating on my hands and knees, bawling my eyes out.

Those pancakes were the coldest, hardest, vilest things I had ever eaten.

[Third Watch]

[Third Person]

The battle-scarred Houndoom sat in complete silence, surrounded by a void of nothingness created by the lack of fire. The dark never bothered Deme, since he always had exceptional vision, regardless of his surroundings. He actually preferred the pitch-black night created by the trees above blocking out the moon. It gave him an advantage.

He slinked towards Cypher once he was sure he was asleep and sat right in front of him. He waited there motionless, eyes locked on his master as the sun's rays creeped over the horizon

"It's time."

Author's Note

Purrloin
Exploud