Samantha paced around the waiting room impatiently and anxiously, waiting for the diagnosis on her Squirtle from within the emergency room in the Pokémon Centre. Spark remained by the door, waiting diligently for the results, but uncertainty was there, behind his mask of hope he held for himself and Sam.

Eyes of other patients and friend's of them eyed Samantha, rumours spreading quickly about her since the incident that brought her to this location in the fist place. Wary eyes were kept on the pacing figure, wondering if she would 'break out' again with fire. Everyone kept their distance to her, even when they knew about the injuries her Squirtle sustained during that combat.

The operation was over, as the light for the emergency room went off, followed with a soft dinging sound. All eyes continued to watch, silence abundant, aside from a few whispers that could be heard from small gossiping groups.

Nurse Joy stepped out, a Chansey by her side. She shook her head side to side, tilting her head down. Tears began to form in Samantha's eyes, as now there was complete silence, some of those watching feeling sorry for this Trainer, though all still too afraid to approach her.

Samantha knelt on one knee, staring at the cross shaped pattern surrounded by a circle of rocks. To her left was the lake, part of the Star City expansion plan when they were allowed a Gym. A reflection of the setting sun rippled in the water, marking the approach to the end of the day. Sam closed her eyes, praying silently. Spark was by her side, also praying silently. He approached the cross, marking where they buried their comrade.

"Hydra…" the Growlithe whispered. "You were the best partner I could have had defending this gym…I may have resented you a little when we first met, and I'm sorry for that. I know you were trying to make up for it, and I wish I listened more…but, I'm glad we resolved our differences. I just wish…maybe…" Spark trailed off, glancing back at his trainer, who watched her lone Pokémon silently. "No, forget about it…you went down, protecting your trainer, I just wished it would have ended differently…"

"It was Tsunami you called it, wasn't it?" Spark continued to ask the ill-responsive. "I don't know how to say it, but I felt something to, from the Pokément...coming from Samantha. I don't see how though, she does not hold a pendant anymore…but, I felt it…a desperate attack to save Samantha…it took your life away…"

Samantha gasped at Spark's remarks, never hearing such insight before from the fire type she worked with, yet alone on such a delicate topic.

"You should call it a 'desperation attack'," a voice commented from behind, frightening the pair as they both leaped to their feet and watching a pair behind them: a Human and his Fearow, a carrying case strapped to the back of the Pokémon. Vyren stood there, his arms crossed, watching the pair before him.

"Just what do you want?" Spark questioned, remaining alert and ready to attack if this one known as Vyren did anything remotely suspicious towards Samantha. The other trainer glanced down towards the Growlithe, expecting such suspicion from new comers, especially after the last event that occurred so recently.

"Yesterday, your entourage was attacked by a person known as a 'Chimera'," Vyren started, turning his back and heading towards his Fearow. "He held the power of Wind type attacks at his fingertips, and you held the power of Fire type attacks at your finger tips." Samantha listened silently, watching Vyren unclip the pack from his Pokémon's back, sliding if off and opening the case, the cover facing towards the other pair. "Two days ago, an unknown body attempted an assassination on you, from another building, one of the many towers added to Star City as part of the expansion plan. After a battle against a Tauros, you were nearly killed by a projectile from an unknown direction. The attack was also made by a Team Rocket operative, now removed from the organization."

"Just…what are you getting at?" Samantha inquired, not really sure she wanted to know. The barrel of a rifle reflected light from the sun in Sam's direction, revealed from behind the case, though pointed in the air. Spark was about to pounce upon seeing the object, but Sam quickly stopped her lone partner, wanting to hear this out the entire way.

"I am that Team Rocket operative, a sniper for them, with my partner, Kystel," Vyren informed her, standing up, the rifle in his arms, completely assembled. "This is what fired upon you that time…" he continued, ejecting the clip from the gun.

"Why you!" Spark exclaimed, Samantha quickly taking the Growlithe in her arms and holding him close, just to keep the fire type from tearing the Team Rocket member apart.

"I guess I should have said former Team Rocket operative," Vyren remarked plainly, not surprised by the reaction from the Pokémon. He lifted the rifle and leaned it against his shoulder. "I resigned my commission there, though it will probably result in my death…" he continued, the fire type calming down considerably. Sam let the fire type down, Spark now listening with a more compassionate attitude. "I was going to leave, but after hearing about the incident with another attempt on your life, I felt I needed to come back and inform you of the developments."

"I…I don't suppose you know…why Team Rocket wants me dead?" Samantha asked, feeling sort of odd asking this specific person that, though she also felt she could trust this one person.

"I…wish I did…" Vyren answered, now wishing he persisted more when questioning his superior. "I just know it is a Team Rocket idea…being a former Team Rocket…my final orders was to eliminate you, and when I knew, if I do complete this mission, I'd never live it down, and then, I quit."

"Wait, then are you saying there will be more attempts to kill Sam?!" Spark asked ferociously, emotion overcoming him again. Vyren nodded slowly, glancing back at Kystel. The Human was now unconsciously taking the rifle apart so he could pack it back in his case.

"I come from a rather large ship situated in the Trilands, Team Rocket controlled, though I didn't know then, I only knew two days ago…when Kystel informed me…" Vyren continued to speak, giving Samantha some ideas where to start looking if she wanted some answers. "It's west, past Cianwood and Olivine, a pretty long travel for me, but it was all good, one ferry from there to Vermillion City, and then a flight on Kystel to here. I'm one of the Sky Angels that are part of the crew, and Kystel is a Sky Dragoon, well, was is best said, I guess I shouldn't explain redundant details like that now."

"I…I guess I should go there, to find out what is going on…" Samantha spoke, staggering, still grieving over the lose of her companion. She glanced back at Spark, the fire type nodding his approval, ready to follow his partner to the ends of the planet if needed. Kystel nodded, expecting such a response.

"Um…Samantha…if you don't mind…can I…I come with you?" Vyren stammered, feeling uncomfortable asking to tag along with someone he knew for such short time, yet alone someone he tried to kill only so long ago. "You said we were similar…and then you say Chimera to those with a Wind element, meaning you are a Chimera yourself…and with that follow through, so…am…I…"

"And you want to find calm behind your history now," Samantha continued for the sniper. "You are confused, questioning what and who you are. Trust me…I know what you are going through...though I do not know if you really want to see the truth." She turned her back towards the sniper, kneeling down and running her hand through the fur of Spark. "I do not even understand myself fully…why...why I have become more of a Chimera…I thought I knew myself, after being told, by I…I keep changing, and I have to know why I keep changing." The Gym Leader sighed, keeping her eyes away from the other Chimera. "Tell me, do you have a pendant?" she asked, completely changing the subject and confusing the sniper.

"A…what…?" Vyren asked, glancing back towards Kystel. The Fearow remained emotionless, only watching the conversation unfold before him.

"A pendant…" Samantha repeated, though it dawned upon her that this certain alloy can also be formed in other keepsake shapes. "Or a memento, some sort of bracelet, necklace, something…?"

"Well…I do have this…" Vyren answered, taking a necklace out from around his neck and showing it to Samantha, who turned around now. Attached to the necklace was a small bullet, though it seemed sort of deformed and tiny for its type. "It doesn't fit into any sort of weapon I know of, so I just keep it around my neck…I guess you can call it a good luck charm." Samantha admired the item once more, before standing up, Vyren replacing the necklace under his shirt. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh…I'm just curious…" Samantha quickly answered, wondering if that small bullet could be moulded from a certain alloy. She quickly disregarded the thought, more inclined to concentrate towards this pair's goal now.

"And so begins Samantha's new quest," a voice spoke from above. Eyes quickly shot up, identifying a Pidgeot they encountered a few days past.

"You!" all four exclaimed, surprised to see this Pidgeot lingering around with this group. She smiled, landing onto the ground, stretching her wings a little before letting them fall to her side.

"Hello Samantha…aside from two days ago, it has been a long time…" she spoke, bowing her head lightly.

"A long time?" Samantha repeated, ignorant of what happened between her and this Pokémon during that 'long time' ago. The confused look was apparent for the Pidgeot. She chuckled softly, glancing towards Vyren and Kystel now.

"I am Karrion," she introduced to them. "The one who assaulted you two days past, yes, but I did so in hopes to wake you, or perhaps frighten you away from my pervious trainer's child."

"W-What?!" Samantha gasped out, as did Spark, both taken aback by such information. Karrion ignored Sam for now, continuing to talk with Vyren.

"But now, I would like to continue to protect her, and I would like you as my new trainer, specializing in sky elements yourself, I believe you would understand me…" Karrion continued, hopping towards Vyren.

"Are…are you sure…?" Vyren questioned the avian Pokémon. His gaze went towards Samantha, who observed her for a minute, then back to the Pidgeot. "You…are not getting too old to do this…?" Karrion chuckled lightly, placing her eyes towards Sam.

"I may be old, but I still know how to fight…experience comes with age, as they say," Karrion remarked, continuing to watch the Gym Leader she stowed away from Cinnabar Island so many years ago. "Besides, I believe having two Flying Pokémon allows for easy transport towards Vermillion City, then to only walk with a Fearow in tow." Vyren could not protest there, it would make transportation much simpler, until either Trainer decided to expand their party. "And I do have to answer some of the many questions Samantha now holds towards me since I came, and opened up some topics…" Sam nodded in agreement slowly, understanding there was basically no way of stopping this aged Pidgeot from coming with them. The Gym Leader didn't want to endanger such a senior Pokémon, but it would probably be more efficient if the Pidgeot explained details on the way towards Vermillion, where they can catch a ferry.

"When do we leave then?" Vyren asked, also seeing there was no way of persuading this Pidgeot of thinking otherwise from this mission. Samantha answered for the Flying type though.

"Immediately."

"So, care to explain a few details to me?" Sam questioned the Pidgeot she was riding on. Vyren riding Kystel was nearby, but they kept their distance as well, knowing their new partner would want some privacy with this delicate topic. Karrion didn't evade any of the details or such, she got to the point.

"Many years ago, you were part of a project on Cinnabar Island," Karrion started, though was interrupted by Samantha.

"Yes, my parents were opposed to the idea and sent me away," the Gym Leader spoke, remembering that history she held, an experiment of meddling Pokémon DNA with Human DNA, when she was just a baby. Her parents were killed getting her away from the laboratory at Cinnabar Island, both towards the project, but then against it after seeing what it did to their child. Samantha closed her eyes, rubbing the back of the Pidgeot softly. Karrion purred at her touch, sparking something in Samantha's mind. "Wait…that…was…"

"I was your mother's Pokémon, and I was the one who lead you away from that sacrilegious laboratory," Karrion told Sam, a tone of anger hinted in her voice. The Pidgeot quickly calmed down though. "Your mother and father were very compassionate, and believed in their work. However, when they saw what it was doing to you and the others, they decided to put an end to it. They were not alone, as the parents of the other two agreed. Six scientists, going against their experiment in the last minute." Karrion sighed, closing her eyes and flying blindly.

"Tim's parents stayed behind to buy me and Ryna some time…" Samantha continued the story, knowing who those three children were: herself; Ryna, of Pallet Town; and Tim, of Cinnabar Island. "And I got away, on a Pidgeot that belonged to my mother."

"Ryna escaped on a Seadra that belonged to her father," Karrion told her original trainer's daughter. "I don't know what happened to that Seadra…I just hope he's safe…" The Pidgeot sighed, opening her eyes again. "I headed back as quickly as possible to Cinnabar Island after leaving you in the care of your current guardian, hoping to rescue your parents…but by the time I returned, they were gone, murdered, though no one would know of it."

Silence over came the group, Spark listening with silence throughout. He huffed, drawing close to Samantha and nuzzling her neck lightly.

"We are approaching Vermillion, prepare for landing," Karrion told the pair on her back, glancing over towards Kystel. The Fearow returned the gaze, nodding his head. The pair of Flying types dived toward the ground.