"I don’t know why I ever agreed to come with you in the first place"

Richard looked over and smiled at a tiring Ashley. They had been going out sense junior high, and she never liked to walk anywhere.

"Because you love me"

Ashley chuckled a little, "Okay so I do, but that doesn’t excuse the blisters I’m going to have at the end of this trip."

They laughed as Richard put his arm across her shoulder, but unknown to them they were being watched.

"Go ahead."

A small white pokemon nodded its head and disappeared. Flare and Alex were walking beside their trainers when both picked up a strange sent. Flare was about to warn Richard, but saw that he had picked up the sent as well. The charmander smiled, Richard would become a grate monster. Ashley was looking around at everyone else, Alex sighed, it would take a little more time with this one. Ashley was about to ask what was going on when she finally picked up the new smell. The four stood still each following the sent as it seemed to dart around them at a high pace.

"Let me help you," a voice in side Richard’s head called out.

[Blackflame?]

Richard closed his eyes and concentrated on the sent. Then he found it, a force, not very strong, but had the potential to become dangerous.

<Richard, what are you doing?>Flare yelled out thinking that his human had freaked out.

"Shhhhh," Richard said, "I almost got it."

Flare and the other two looked at him strange for a second, but then saw his arm start to snatch at air.

<He’s loosing it> Alex whispered to Flare.

Richard, however, knew what he was doing. He waited till the force came right in front of him. And with one last quick jerk of his hand grabbed it.

"Mew!"

Suddenly two small, blue eyes appeared and flashed. Richard’s body was sent backwards into a tree. Richard quickly got up as the rest of the group ran over to him. Suddenly something in his chest started to burn. To him it didn’t hurt too much, it kind of felt like indigestion.

Richard was slowly getting up when he felt a ball of some sort come up from his chest, up through his neck. He smiled at the two eyes half-excited of what he was about to do. He let the ball come all the way up to the back of his mouth.

"EMBER!"

With that a medium sized ball of hot flame flew out of his mouth and towards the thing. But before it could reach it a small girl jumped out the bushes and blocked it with her hands. The force however knocked her back and on to the ground.

[KATELAND!]

Richard and gang looked in amazement as a body appeared around the two eyes.

[Are you okay?]

[I’m fine.]

Ashley looked around, where were the voices coming from? Suddenly the small white body turned and the four got a glimpse of what they were dealing with.

<Oh no.>Alex said backing away a little.

"How, this isn’t possible," Ashley whispered to Richard.

Richard shrugged his shoulders and looked back at the monster in fear.

[Vortex no. No more fighting.]

The pokemon seemed to turn away form them and back to the little girl. She got up and brushed some of the dirt from her blue jeans. She was small, black hair, and a demeanor that looked unfazed.

[Hello. My name is Kateland.]

Everyone again had confused looks on their faces. The little girl rolled her eyes. So much for the mysterious introduction

"Its me!" she yelled.

Alex walked over slowly and hugged Ashley’s leg. The little girl saw this and started to laugh.

"I mean you no harm. I am travailing to Stone Mountain with my friend here."

The small pokemon darted around the girl still looking straight at Richard with angry eyes.

"That is your mew," Ashley said, "She is so cute."

The Mew looked at Ashley.

[She!?]

Ashley heard a different voice now, one that sounded almost human. She knew who it was coming from.

[Let’s get this straight right now! My name is VORTEX, I’m male!]

"Alright, alright," Ashley said laughing a little, "sorry."

Richard got the courage and started to walk over to the little girl.

"Kateland is it? Would you like to come with us."

"Yes, I would love to," Kateland said in a happy voice, although her face stayed straight.

The two shook hands, but Richard noticed the mew still didn’t like him. Kate, reading his thoughts, looked over at Vortex.

(to Vortex only) [Vortex! He may hold the key. If he dose then we are to protect him, so be nice!]

Vortex only turned his head and disappeared again.

[I’m going to find something to eat.]

Kate shook her head, "Well where were you going next?"

Ashley looked towards to hills, "To Grolier City."

"Then I’m coming too."

They all gathered their things and headed down the path. Richard smiled a new companion on their journey.

"Richard?" Kate said after a few minuets of walking.

"Yea?"

"You have got a pretty good ember attack, you’ll have to teach me it some time."

Richard only looked up at the sky and smiled at his accomplishment.

"Thanks Blackflame."