"Hmm." Almond said as he scratched at some whiskers that were starting to sprout through his skin like the annual weeds which made the cracks in the cement in front of his house home every summer. "Well, I'm almost certain any battling will be going on below. So going up is probably a good idea. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky and someone will be up there that can lend us a hand?" He nodded at Haruki and pushed the up button. There was a ding as the doors started closing and then the sensation of the ground beneath their feet pushing them upwards. "I'm not sure about that. As far as typing goes we've got an okay shot at doing some damage against some of the trainers here, but we don't have much experience." He looked down at Walnut who was eyeing him hard when his companion mentioned eating. "And even in the games the pokemon had gone up at least a few levels before even reaching the first gym." Nervously he rubbed the back of his neck. "So, who knows. Maybe we could try out against one of the grunts?" He shrugged. There was another ding as the elevator door opened.

"Not what I expected?" Almond whistled stepping out with Walnut at his side. Before them was a small group of people, each holding a pokeball in their hands, staring angrily in Haruki and Almonds direction.

Haruki shrugged at his question and she answered "Maybe," as he pushed the up button. She looked to Bulbasaur after she mentioned eating and she could tell that the pokemon wasn't too happy. Before she could answer his question about going against the grunts, the elevator dinged, and the doors opened. She widened her eyes at the sight of the group, all with pokeballs in their hands and looking angrily at the both of them. Her eyes darted at each face and she asked as she took out the two pokeballs that held Tsunami and Spitfire, and she asked the group "Er...Sorry? Wrong floor?" She wasn't one for conflict, but she somehow had a feeling that they weren't going to be able to talk their way out of this situation...or just leave...

Almond blinked at the strangers staring at them, pokeballs in hand. Walnut was doing the same, but his body posture suggested that he was willing to do more than blink. "Hold on." Almond said, holding up his hands in surrender. "Hold on. Everyone cool it." He did what he hoped was a reassuring motion with his hands. Walnut, he warned out of the corner of his mouth. The bulbasaur looked up at him for a moment, blinked and made a visible effort to relax. He failed, but his feet stayed on the ground.

"Hey," one of the strangers with a pokeballs said, stepping in front of the rest of the group. "What're you guys doing here?" He took a nervous step forwards. He opened his mouth to say more, and then paused to look from one newcomer to the other. "Are you guys with those shadow things? "

Haruki looked to see Almond's actions, and she put away her pokeballs and held up her hands peacefully as well to show that she too meant no harm. She looked to the stranger who spoke up and she answered him sincerely, "No, we're not. We're just two very new Pokemon trainers, and we thought we should give a gym battle a try. OK, so this may not be a good time considering what we've heard has been happening, but we don't want to hurt anyone,"

She then stated "I think introductions are in order. I'm Haruki, and this is Almond. His Bulbasaur is Walnut. We're new to Pewter City," She hoped that introducing the three of them to the strangers may help calm things down if they knew their names. She then asked, realizing something important, "Wait...Why would you think we were with the shadows? Was someone or something....with the shadows?" It was a curious thing, if it wasn't just the stranger being paranoid.

The three strangers paused, and looked at each other. They were unsure. They were horrified. They were this close to just throwing their balls around to see what happened. The three of them stood, staring wearily at Almond, and Haruki. They stared, and thought, and came to the conclusion that it was becoming harder and harder to trust anyone. It was almost impossible now. At the rate they were going it wouldn't be possible to have faith in another human being and that included each other. How long could they survive like that? Not long. Not long at all. Sleep with one eye open, and before you know it your sleeping with two and then the lack of rest'll just kill you.

"Look" one of them said, stepping forward. He was slightly older than the rest, but maybe only by a few months. His hair was charcoal grey and he had skin like Virgin Olive Oil. "Things have been rough, okay? I know we shouldn't be so jumpy, but its in our nature now." He pointed at himself. "I'm Mace." He pointed on the guy to his left. "This is Windu." His finger pointed at the last figure, which turned out to be a girl. "And this here is Argentina." He took a cautious step forward. "The thing is there's been these shadows figures we've been noticing for the last couple of weeks. Every time we see one, someone gets hurt or killed. It happens the same time every day. So we're up here, seeing if we can spot them and take some pictures. From there it'll just be a matter of getting it to the authorities so they can figure out what to do from there."

He swallowed hard before continuing. "Thing is we don't know who to trust. There are some people in town who we've seen talking to the shadow things, and even giving them food or pointing in directions. Once a man I've known my whole life talked to one of those things and then pointed at me. It chased me but I managed to give it the slip. What was the freakiest hing though it is looked like a pokemon, a geodude, but it was way too fast, and black, not rocky grey, but black, all over, even its eyes were black."

There was a silence between the five of them, and at first, Haruki internally panicked. Her thoughts raged as the three of them stared at the both of them. She could see the horror and the hesitancy in their eyes, most likely caused by the damned shadows that dared to come to this world,

"I messed up! WHY DID I HAVE TO ASK THAT QUESTION?!! Way to be socially awkward again and mess everything up Stupid! There's no way they're going to answer us now! Now we'll probably have to fight them too-"

Her thoughts were interrupted when the taller man stepped forwards and spoke up, allowing her to let out a breath of relief when it definitely seemed like he didn't want to fight. She nodded in understanding when Mace mentioned that it had been rough for them. She listened as he introduced the three of them, and she saw Windu nod, while Argentina gave a slight wave. She listened carefully to Mace's explanation as to what happened, and she grew thoughtful at the mention of how someone he knew for his life betrayed him to a shadow. She highly doubted someone Mace knew well would turn him over like that. However, she felt sick at the mention of the authorities, considering an Officer Jenny was killed, probably dealing with the shadows.

After Mace finished, she apologized sympathetically, "I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that," She then commented, "You have a smart plan though. But have you guys been up here for the entire two weeks?" Argentina nodded, but she jumped as Windu sneered at Haruki "What do you care? You just wanted to go on your little training adventure without a care in the world!" Haruki answered calmly, even though she wanted to glare at Windu and snap at him, "We care because nobody should have to be forced into hiding in fear like this. Not to mention, we're going to try and end these shadows' assault,"

Haruki ignored Windu's and Argentina's surprised stares as she walked to the window and looked out at the Northern Border and what laid there. She looked at her Pokedex as Windu laughed incredulously "Are you crazy?! You're just asking for Death!" Argentina piped up nervously "Ho-How do you plan on helping us?"

Haruki looked to them, deciding that trusting them with a bit of information may help them come to trust both her and Almond, "The shadows attacked our home, and while we fled, we were given a tip to find the shadows' cores and destroy them. We have a feeling that one of their cores is near here, judging from the sound of how these shadows are behaving: Stealth killing everyone who went to the Northern Borders, instead of just rampaging through Pewter City. We're going to go to the North Border, and beat a shadow back and see if we can't follow it back to its core,"

Windu scoffed "What if it gets away from you? What if your pokemon can't beat it? What then?! You don't expect us to come and rescue you?"
Haruki shook her head and answered "No. I don't expect you to come and help us down there. Our pokemon will not be fighting the shadows alone. Almond and I can fight those things off as well. As for if one gets away from us and we can't follow it: I have an idea," She then walked up to Argentina and she asked "I don't suppose your Pokedexes have video cameras, do they?" After Argentina shook her head, Haruki took her Pokedex out and she stated "Use mine then. While we're out fighting the shadow, just stay up here and keep the camera focused on the shadow. With this vantage point, the footage should be able to help us figure out where the shadow headed if it's too fast for us. But I do expect to get this back after all is said and done. Professor Oak entrusted this to me, okay?" Argentina nodded as she accepted the Pokedex.

She then walked back to stand next to Almond and Windu stated "What are you an idiot? Just-Just trusting your Pokedex over to us so casually?" Haruki sighed and said "It's better than being afraid of each other,"

Almond opened his mouth to speak when things looked like they might get too exciting, but Haruki took charge. There wasn't any problem with that. He wasn't a fighter after all, regardless of what anyone thought. Quietly, he leaned against the wall and watched Haruki take charge and explain the plan. It was good to know there was a plan. It wasn't bad too so there was hope after all, and if not then maybe they'd get lucky and the guy who said he shouldn't be expected to help would suddenly feel that it was expected of him to help. They were in an anime world after all, and it couldn't hurt(much) to have a little bit of faith in what the childhood years had gained.

"Cough. Cough." He said after it looked like Haruki had finished talking. "Now that we've got that settled, or at least in enough motion for the momentum to carry things over to a finish, do either of you know any place a couple of travelling heroes could go to get something to fill their stomachs that won't break the bank? My friend and I aren't exactly rolling in cash at the moment. Not our faults we didn't really plan on going on a journey to save the world(s)."

Mace blinked at turned his attention to Almond. "Are you two serious, about confronting those things?" Almond nodded and Walnut did likewise. It was hard to tell if the pokemon knew what they were going to get into, but he wasn't going to just step aside and let his master have all the glory. "Okay." Mace nodded and walked over to a pile of backpacks. He picked up the nearest one and opened it. "I've got some supplies here for you two." He walked over and handed Almond a bag with human and pokefood. "Eat up. We can't have our heroes fail and leave us to die on an empty stomach." AT this Windu rolled his eyes and made a "tsk" sound. After folding his arms he turned away and looked back out at the ground below.

"Thank you." Almond said, opening the bag and pulling out a sandwich for himself and offering another to Haruki. "Hey" he said bending down and putting a bowl of the pokefood for Walnut and two others for Haruki's pokemon. "Haruki, I think its just about time we headed over to where the action is, don't you?"

Haruki, Windu, and Argentina all looked to Almond when he cleared his throat and asked the group for food. Haruki nearly slapped her forehead at the fact that she almost forgot about their current financial situation. She looked to Mace when he asked if they were serious and she nodded in response. She watched as Mace went over to the nearest backpack and handed them food. She thanked Mace just as Almond did, and she accepted the sandwich from Almond. She released Tsunami and Spitfire from their pokeballs so they could eat as well. Tsunami and Spitfire looked around before seeing Haruki set down two bowls of pokefood in front of the both of them. When Almond spoke again she nodded to him and answered "Yeah, I think so as well,"

She was about to suggest waiting for their pokemon to finish eating, considering they probably can't eat and walk at the same time like Almond and Haruki could. But when she looked back, she saw that Spitfire and Tsunami were done eating, and the both of them were sitting by Haruki. They were clearly ready to head out.

"Alrighty." Almond nodded at Haruki and then again at their new friends. "I guess we'll be seeing you guys around, hopefully." He frowned. "But if we don't come back or can't stop things I suggest you try and get everyone as far away from here as you possibly can. I have no idea what's going on here, but these aren't things that regular people like yourselves can handle. This is way bigger." He tried to smile and got everything but the sincerity down. "Besides, whatever it is that those black things are, their probably crossing something else's line and I'm sure that something else is going to just stand back and let things continue."

He looked down and patted Walnut's head gently. "Ready buddy?" To which the pokemon replied with a quick "Bulb." Almond nodded in return. "Well then I guess we should be headed towards the north right about now then?"

"That's crazy" Mace said, swallowing hard but making no motion to indicate he would rather Haruki or Almond do anything different.

"Probably." Almond replied with a shrug. "But so is pretending a wolf in a badly made sheep costume is a sheep, right?" All the pokemon world regulars made tilted their heads to the side and made a face. "Never mind." he laughed. "That's just an expression from where we come from."