CHP 11
	
	They had made substantial progress since yesterday, running instead of walking for most of the trip, endurance training, Soul called it. They had already passed through Haven, and were about halfway to Everlive, though they were still in the swamps. It wasn't as bad as last time though. The weather was actually quite nice, not too humid, considering where they were. Seth was definitely getting more used to exertion, having been carrying Soul the entire time. It was around noon and stomachs were growling, but the end of the swamps was on the horizon. Pushing on and driven by hunger, they all hurried forward. 

	The distance seemed to stretch on to infinity, seconds feeling like minutes, but eventually, the path became clear. No more water, the sky was clearly visible above them as the tree tops no longer blocked it, and best of all, the forest to the left or right of the main path was sparse in trees, making for plenty of room to settle down for lunch. They barely left the path, Sky putting down the supplies and Seth setting Soul down before sitting down, back against a tree. He took a bit to catch his breath while the girls chatted. He then got back up and opened his bag. He took out some pokechow and berries for the girls and some bread and dried meat for himself. The pokemon food was put in their bowls and he set a couple of berries on top, though he did grab a couple of sweet ones for himself. He then went about fixing his own sandwiches as the girls began eating. It was mostly silent, the only sound being that of chewing and the wind rustling the trees. 

	After she finished eating, Soul got up and went over to Seth. "Mind sharing?" She asked while eyeing his food. He tore off a chunk of beef and tossed it to her. Soul nimbly caught it in her mouth. An immediate smile of satisfaction crossed her face. "Mmm. Human food is so good. Why can we only have it every once in a while?" 

	"First of all, it doesn't last as long as pokechow. Then it's a lot more expensive. Tell you what though, I'll get us something special when we get to Everlive."

	"I wonder what it will be." Sky said, as she finished licking her bowl clean. "How about we rest here for a bit?"

	"No arguments from me." Seth said, taking another large bite out of his sandwich. 

	They sat there for a good twenty minutes, just enjoying the nice day and each other's company. 

+++

	A few hours later they arrived in Everlive city. Seth was breathing heavy from running while carrying one hundred pounds of absol the entire time. Just before they got into town, he set Soul down and strapped on his pack again. While they were on the road, they had gotten a few odd looks from passing trainers, but after a battle, the travelers were sent on their way, their money in Seth's pocket. Heading into town, he began to take a different path than the one that led out of the city, and the pokemon center for that matter. "Where are we going?" Soul asked.

	Seth just pat her head dismissively, not wanting to draw attention to himself. They soon arrived at a building with several chairs and tables with parasols in them outside. "A restauraunt?" Sky said questioningly. "Aren't pokemon not allowed in those?"

	"This restaurant is special." He said, kneeling down next to them. "It's expensive, but they make special dishes for both trainers and pokemon." He led them inside, and from there, they were led into a private room, one of many, with small stools and a short table, usable both humans and pokemon alike. Luckily, all the rooms in the building were self contained, allowing trainers to bond with their pokemon in privacy, instead of the usual public style of restaurants. A waiter came and took their orders for drinks. Seth got a ginger ale, as that was one of his favorite drinks, and decided to get the girls flavored water, orange for Soul, and grape for Sky. 

	When they came, both of the pokemon were confused. "What is this?" Soul questioned, while Sky walked around her bowl, sniffing at the strange purple liquid in it. 

	"That's flavored water, taste it." They both did, and, surprised by the taste, immediately went in for more. "It might not be as healthy as water, but what the hell, enjoy yourselves." He continued, the girls trading places to try the other's drink. Seth chuckled at their enthusiasm. "So, what do you want to eat?" He said, pointing to the menu printed on the wall. The girls took a look over it, asking many questions about what stuff tasted like and such. They eventually decided. Soul was getting barbeque chicken strips, Sky was getting wood grilled salmon and Seth got a big steak. 

	The meals arrived and sounds of satisfaction filled the room. A short while later and all the food was gone, though Sky's mouth was stained with sauce. Seth took a wet napkin and started to wipe her off, while Sky watched with a smile. Seth did as much as he could but the fur around her mouth still had a brown tinge. The waiter then brought the bill. Seth couldn't help but wince at the price. It was more expensive than a good hotel room at the pokemon center. He paid and they departed. Upon leaving the restaurant, Seth saw something a bit odd. There was a typhlosion that looked to be talking to a human. Both their mouths moved during the conversation, and they did seem to be going back and forth. Even the bits that Seth heard as they walked away agreed with his belief. 

	He led the girls to the pokemon center and got a room. It was still midday and the girls kept asking him what they were doing but he dismissed their concerns as he led them to their room. He opened the door, let the girls in and shut it, but he stayed near it. He dropped his back just inside and looked to the girls, "I'm going shopping, you two can wait here."

	"But I wanna go!" Soul whined. 

	"I want to keep this a surprise. Wait till tomorrow, then you'll see." He said, quickly exiting before she could argue. 

	Sky was the first to settle in, hopping on one of the two beds and hovering the remote over, before using her paws to turn on the TV. "Don't worry, he's excited about this, whatever he's doing." Soul sighed and joined her.

	Seth hurried out of the hotel and to a nearby supermarket. It took a while to get everything he needed but he got it all. He had several bags, but he could carry everything by himself. He was on his way out when he saw it again, the typhlosion. He could tell it was the same one because of the black neckerchief with a red pokeball mark on it that it wore. This time it was watching the pokemon center. He headed past it and was on his way back to the pokemon center when he heard something. 

	"Hey you! Wait up!" He turned to the direction of the voice to see the typhlosion running to him on all fours. It was also a female, based on the voice, though she did sound like an older pokemon with her mature tone. "Thanks." She said as she got to him, standing back up. It was a little unnerving for Seth. He was not used to seeing a pokemon that large up close. The typhlosion came almost to his shoulders. "I need your help! Please! My trainer has been kidnapped!" 

	"Shit! Where is he?!" Seth said, almost dropping his stuff, but remembering how big a deal he had made about them. He couldn't stand to disappoint the girls, even in a situation like this. 

	"Follow me! I know where they took him." She darted off, Seth sprinting to keep up with her. She ran quickly, making several quick turns but she seemed to be holding back her full speed for him to keep up. She eventually went into an alley way and stopped next to a small stairwell that led down to a door. Seth was right behind her. 

	"Is this it?" He asked. 

	She nodded. "Yeah, send out your pokemon and go in first. You look a lot stronger than me."

	"Yeah, about that. I don't have them with me." He carfully dropped his bags next to the stairs.

	"Really!?"

	"It'll be fine. I can handle this alone." Seth said seriously, before opening the door and heading in.

	The interior was pitch black, the light from outside only illuminating the turn in the hallway ahead. He ventured forward, the footsteps of the typhlosion echoing from behind him. He peeked around the corner, but he could see nothing of significance, the light only illuminating the first few feet of the room. "Could you make some light?" He whispered as he turned his head back. Just then the door slammed shut, plunging him into darkness. He was then put into a headlock, a furry arm holding his neck.

	"Move." A familiar voice threatened behind him. He was pushed forward, forcing him to take a step or fall over. This repeated as he was turned into the next room. He was eventually thrown down and an orange light filled the room. The light source stepped around him,  revealing itself to be the typhlosion. His eyes adjusted to the sudden light and he saw a second pokemon in the room. It was a houndoom, wearing the same bandana. The only oddity was that its horns did not curve back like an average houndoom. They pointed straight up. The typhlosion stood beside the houndoom, her back flames lit to provide light. 

	"So this is our mark?" The houndoom said in a sinister masculine voice. 

	"Yes. He managed to escape from Eclipse so he must be either strong or crafty. So keep an eye on him." She responded, watching Seth intently the entire time.

	"You think I wouldn't be cautious, Ashes? I'm not some amateur!" He barked back. 

	"Wait, Ashes, Eclipse? You are that zoroark's friends? Then who are you?" Seth asked, pointing to the houndoom. 

	"I am Demon, your executioner." He said, a dark smile on his face. Flames began to erupt from his clenched fangs. He opened his mouth, firing out a massive fire blast attack. Seth, due to his recent training, had become much faster as transforming and became a lucario almost instantly. He formed a wall of aura, funneling the fire around him. The tails of flame licking around the wall singed his back, darkening his fur. Ashes leapt forward, into her partners fire attack, and appeared through the flames right in front of the wall of aura. She left out a deafening roar as her back flames went full blast. She fired a blast of magma out of her muzzle. Her eruption attack hit hard. Seth coughed out, already sweating profusely from the heat and the exertion of holding the barrier. Just as the eruption attack ended, his barrier vanished. He immediately began to move quickly, using extreme speed, but he was still hit slightly from the remaining fire. He appeared behind Demon, and hit him with a powerful series of kicks and punches, sending him flying forward and into the typhlosion. Seth then charged an aura sphere, firing it at the pair as they were getting up. 

	The attack hit, breaking up the concrete floor and sending dust into the air, and then Ashes turned off her flames, plunging the room into darkness. Seth began moving, keeping his paw pad high, making almost no sound. His aura sensors began to drift up as he used it to scan for them. He saw an outline of a figure that resembled a typhlosion, but there was no houndoom. He held for a moment, unsure of his next actions. Before he could do anything, he howled out in pain. He was forced back, his back hitting the wall hard. He could feel blood flowing down his left arm profusely. Demon had charged him and stabbed his shoulder, all the way through, with a horn. He drew back, planning to chomp down on Seth's throat, but he sensed it coming and ducked to the side. He was not quick enough though and his left elbow ended up in the houndoom's vicious fangs. Seth howled again. Gritting his teeth, he blocked out the pain as best as he could, and focused his mind, strength and aura. He swung his right arm, coating the fist in aura, and delivered an enhanced focus punch to Demon's torso. Seth felt bones crack under the blow. Demon fangs held tight, raking down Seth's arm, leaving deep bloody lines in his flesh, and dislocating his shoulder, before the teeth lost purchase. The houndoom went flying, slamming into the far wall.

	"Demon!" Ashes called out as her flames lit up again. She rushed to his side before blowing a wall of fire across the room, blocking Seth from them. She picked up the fallen houndoom and rushed to the door on that side of the room. Just before they exited, Demon looked up and roared through the blood filling his mouth, "We are Team Darkfire, and you are prey!" 

	Seth picked himself off the wall, struggled to get his balance and began to slowly walk back out, using aura to sense the structure. He got out of the building and saw the bags he had left there. He bent over and tried to pick them up. His left arm refused to obey, remaining limp by his side. Despite the haze in his vision, he got all of them strung on one arm and continued back to the pokemon, only a few blocks away. He heard several shouts and general panic but he kept going. Upon entering the center, a nurse tried to stop him, but he pushed her aside, continuing to the elevators. He stepped inside and went to the floor their room was on, leaving a pool of blood behind in the elevator. He managed to get to the room, only to realize he did not have the key. He banged on the door with his good arm, and waited a bit. Soul opened the door, hopping away to escape its swing open. "About time-" She stopped with a gasp. At that moment, Seth's vision went dark and he collapsed forward.