(Guten tag, Kiki! That's how you say it, right? Ah well, who cares)

Kon had been laughing at Kyouko's newfound pride when it started raining. She immidiately pulled out an umbrella and held it over Gary and Kyouko, saying "It doesn't matter how big your ego is if you're soaking wet!" she said happily, even as she was getting rained on. "C'mon, we should get back to the Pokemon Center."

((Guten...tag? Nani:?))

Ray decided to go for a short walk while Kiki was sleeping. "Hey, Jigglypuff. How ya doin'?"

Jiggly!

"Good to hear." He walked to the nearest Pokemart, and sold his excess items. "500...550....750...1000." He turned to Jigglypuff. "Looks like we have exactly 1,000."

Jigglypuff!

Ray kept walking, and before he decided to turn back, he heard a man yelling. "Discount evolution stones! Get 'em while they're in stock!"

Ray pulled out his Pokedex, and looked up how Pikachu and Jigglypuff evolve. "You both evolve using stones. Let's go check!" He sprinted to the stall, covered by an awning. "I see you've found a way to keep dry," Ray said with a grin.

"And I see you've been walking in the pouring rain," replied the shopkeeper, looking at Ray's soaked clothes. "Why don't you come inside for some hot soup and a towel, to dry off at least a little."

"I guess I could." Ray followed the man inside, and the man went off to the kitchen. He heard pots banging, and a tea pot whistling. "I hope i'm not being a bother, sir."

"Please, call me Adam," replied the man, poking his head around the kitchen door. "Would you like any tea?"

"Yes sir, I mean Adam. That would be nice."

Adam rounded the corner carrying a tray, which was holding a teapot and two tea cups. "So where are you from?" He asked.

"Pallet Town, sir. At least, that's where my journey began."

"I see, I see..." Adam's voice drifted off; he was obviously in thought. "I used to be like you. A young Pokemon trainer. Though I can't say I ever got that wet," he chuckled, then continued, "I was so happy the first day I got my Pokemon. Me and a few of my friends all set off on the same day. It was the best day of my life." Adam walked over to the fire place, grabbing a picture sitting on the mantel. He returned to his seat, and showed Ray the picture. "This was me, and that there, that is Nate. He was a clumsy one. We would all get a laugh when he would trip going up the stairs."

Ray tried to hold back a laugh but he couldn't. "I'm sorry, Adam. I didn't mean to laugh. But i've never heard of anyone tripping up the stairs before."

"Neither had I," Adam replied, grinning. "I best go check on the soup, it wouldn't be a very good thing if my house were to burn down, now would it?"

Ray smiled, he felt comfortable here with this man. "No, that wouldn't be a very good thing." He got up and walked into the kitchen after Adam. "If you don't mind my asking, Adam, where are they now?"

Adam moved the pot off the burner, then put his hands on the counter. "Team Rocket. I refused to join them. I told them it would get them into nothing but trouble. They didn't listen. There was nothing I could do to stop them."

"Adam... i'm so sorry... I didn't know."

Adam returned to his normal cheery self as if nothing was wrong. "Of course you didn't. We don't know everything, or else we'd never learn." He put the soup into a bowl for Ray. "Eat up, you must be freezing!"

"Oh yes sir I am," replied Ray. He was ravenous. He hadn't eaten a real meal in forever. "This... is... the... best... soup... i've... ever... had!" Exclaimed Ray between mouthfuls.

"I'm glad you like it." He stood up and walked over to the counter and began to clean up. "When you're done, there's something i'd like to show you."

Just as Adam finished speaking, Ray held out his empty bowl. "All done!" He said enthusiastically, wiping the excess soup off of his mouth with his forearm. "So what did you want to show me?"

"Follow me." Adam said solemnly. Ray followed Adam into a door he hadn't noticed on the way in. It led down a hallway, and into a place that looked like a dojo. "I've always had a love for fighting Pokemon," he said, walking up to two Pokeballs on a table. He released the Pokemon within, revealing a Machamp and a Hitmonlee. "I'd love to give you one of these, to aid you in your journey, but i'm afraid they're to high a level, and won't listen to you. Maybe later on," he said, returning the Pokemon.

"Adam, you're amazing. I heard those Pokemon are really hard to train!" Ray said, his mouth gaping open.

"It depends, really. If you treat them with respect, then they'll show you that respect right back. That's how Pokemon training works." Adam looked down to his watch, then gave a long, dragged out sigh. "I think you should be going, two hours have already passed."

"Adam, one last thing before I go. You were having that Evolution Stone sale out front, right?"

"Correct."

"Do you by any chance have a Moon or a Thunder Stone?"

"I believe I do. Shall we go see?" Adam led Ray out of the dojo, and back into the living room. "Wait here for just one minute." Before Ray knew it, Adam was back. "Here you go," said Adam, presenting Ray with each of the stones he had asked for, and more.

"How much?" Ray asked.

"Just take them. It's not often I have company, and I really enjoyed you being here. So, here you go." He pushed the stones towards Ray once more.

"But Adam, I can't take them without paying anything... It's wrong."

"I can tell i'm not going to get you out of here without putting a price on them, so, how does 750 dollars for all of them sound?"

"Okay, I guess." Ray pulled the 750 dollars out of his wallet and handed it to Adam, who in turn handed him the stones. "Thank you, Adam, for all that you've done."

"No, thank you for providing me the company i've been denied for so long."

Ray took one last look at the house, at Adam, before heading back to the Pokemon Center.

As Ray was gone, I had a nightmare about my mum in the hospital and woke up. Yawning, I sat up, and my ankle throbbed. Sighing, I felt the sprain, and shivered. I then noticed how cold it was. I looked around. "Ray?" I called. No one came. I sighed, and pinched my arm. Still nothing. I moved my arms around, my eyes closed. I then opened them, out my arms down, and kicked at the floors, looking at my arms every once and a while. I couldn't tell where they were. I bit my lip. My father had wanted me to tell someone about my condition, but who? Kon and Gary would probably not be able to hide their thoughts and concerns, no offense to them, Jason, knowing him more than before now, seemed like a good idea, but Ray was the only one who would be able to visualize it, since he had seen me with it before. Plus, he seemed like someone who could say concerns quietly. I sighed, and decided to tell whoever came through the door first out of the two boys I had mentioned. I sat back, and put my hands behind my head. Or, I thought I did, so I looked in a door mirror once someone had opened it and noticed that I had done it right. I siled weakly, and laid back, looking at the ceiling.

Ray walked through the doors of the Pokemon Center, soaked once again. He couldn't stop thinking about what Adam had done for him. He'd make it up to him someday, he decided at last. He went to where he left Kiki, and pulled a chair up next to where she was laying. "Feeling any better? Or less tired?" He asked, stretching and yawning in unison. "I think i'm going to need sleep next," he said with a grin.

I looked at him from the corner of my eye, and sighed. Closing her eyes, she moved her arms onto her knees, and leaned her head on them. Even Gary could tell that I was downcast and feeling guiltily. I sighed again, and twirled a strand of my hair, looking down, concentrating. After what seemed like a while, I finally came to a decision, and turned to face ray, my face etched with worry.
"There's something I need to tell you."

Ray could tell something was bothering her earlier, when he first found her, but he didn't feel comfortable asking her. He figured she would tell him if she needed to. And right now, it appeared that she needed to. His throat felt dry, but he somehow managed to say, "What is it?"

I continued to glance at the ground, then to Ray at the edge of my eye, then Ray again. "Uh...Boku I....er....." I sighed, rubbed my temples, and decided to take it a different way. I got an idea, though a bad one, and held my arm out to Ray, and told him to pinch it. When he refused, I got an angry look on my face. "Just do it." I said calmly. My eyes softened, and I sighed. "Hey, this is the only way I can think to tell you, so if you want to know, pinch my arm as hard as possible."

Ray was second-guessing what he was about to do. He really didn't want to pinch Kiki, but she was making him. So he did. He pinched her. Hard. He pinched her until his fingers hurt. "Okay, that was pointless."

I didn't flinch. I showed no signs of pain, even. "That is the problem." I said quietly. "When I was born, I was almost paralyzed. My father worked on a medicine for me, and the best he could do was a lot. However, I am always numb in one area. Always. Normally, it is in my arms. I can't feel what I do, so I have to watch my own body to make sure I'm doing things right. I can't know what I'm doing without watching. That's why I always look down when I walk, and why I didn't feel too much pain once we exited Mt. Moon. That is why I couldn't move very well when I woke up around the tree out there. That is why I normally watch myself when I move my arms. I can't feel what I do, so I look down at my pokeballs when I reach for them. That is also why I don't seem to hurt at times. It is also why I sometimes close my eyes when doing something. I try to concentrate on what I am doing. So, that is what's wrong." I finished, out of breath. I looked away, and looked at my arms, moving them to keep me up while moving around in my chair.

Ray was taken aback. "I had no idea. I'm so sorry, Kiki."

I folded my knees up, and watched as I folded my arms around it. It was barely noticeable unless you knew why I was doing that. I smiled sweetly, and turned to Ray. "Hey, it's fine. It is better than being paralyzed. Also, I told you because I needed someone to know, but I didn't want people to pity me or think that it is too dangerous to be out here. People in the past have tried to keep me away from anything dangerous." I rolled my eyes. "You'd think they would know that my body was already doing that to me already, but hey, I'm worthy to adventure if I can adapt to this." She looked to her arms, and at Ray, smiling, so that her hair fell from behind her ears. "Right?"

"Right," he nodded smiling. He was still in shock, but didn't want to let her know it. "I'm guessing you don't want the others to know?"

(Guten tag, that's German... it's like the only Geman thing I know. It means Hello or something to that effect)

((Ah, okay....Guten Tag, Kon!!!))

I nodded, frowning. "Yeah, that is exactly it....." I trailed off, and turned away. I laid back, and closed my eyes.

"One last thing before you go to sleep. Why don't you want them to know? Are you afraid that they will treat you as a cripple?" The words came out before Ray could think about them. "I'm sorry Kiki, that came out wrong.."

I tightened my fists that were now on my knees, but didn't look up. "Don't worry about saying that Ray. Many people have treated me like that. Not that they need to, because my body already does that to me. I just don't want to tell them...." My fists tightened even more, but I didn't feel anything. I still looked down. "Because they will continue to voice their concerns, about how I should be more careful, how I shouldn't be doing these things, and since I've already injured my ankle, how I shouldn't be here." I sighed. "I do trust them, really, but you see, Gary will just take responsibility as the oldest person here and just baby me. Kon will probably keep telling me to take breaks whenever I do feel pain. And Jason....he will probably just do the basics, like helping me to do things." I took a deep breath. "I am probably wrong, but I'm just thinking of this based on their personalities. What people don't get is that it is a good thing if I feel even a little pain, and it isn't that I won't be able to do things that is the problem, it is that I can't feel things. People don't get that. I am perfectly capable of doing whatever you can. People just seem to think that if I can't feel, I can't move well, either. But that isn't true!" I stopped, and calmed myself down. I was getting to far. I only wanted to tell Ray what was wrong with me, about my condition... I then looked at my hands, and noticed that I had cut into my right hand a little bit, and it was bleeding. A little bit. I sighed, and hoped he hadn't noticed. "I don't like to take those types of risks. That is why I chose one person to tell. One who would keep the secret, but will also only voice their concerns when the time is right, and won't be watching my every move in concern. I hate it when people refer to me as a 'cripple', and it is even worse when they treat me like one." I paused for a moment, then turned towards the bathroom. "I'm going to wash my hands." I told Ray, and got up.

Ray sat down and waited for her to return. He remembered that Adam had given him the evolution stones earlier. Sparky jumped off of his shoulder to where Kiki was sitting seconds before. "Hey guys, do you want to evolve?"

Jigglypuff!

Pika, said Pikachu, turning it's head as if to say 'No.'

"All right then, i'll respect your decision Pikachu." He pulled out the Moon Stone, and handed it to Jigglypuff, who began to glow white.

Wigglytuff! yelled Ray's newly evolved Pokemon.

I walked out of the bathroom, with a now bandaged hang. I still felt nothing. I shook my head. Well, I guess it is my arms for today. I walked up to Ray, and saw that his Jigglypuff was now a Wigglytuff. I smiled, and patted its head, watching my hand. "Already, huh? Well, I guess that if she wanted it, it is a good idea." I sighed and sat down. I then felt tired again, and yawned. "Hey Ray." I said, turning to face him. "Do me a favor, and don't let me sleep. If I do, can you just make sure I move every so often? You don't have to, but sometimes it causes my whole body to go numb, like before. Maybe it won't though, but who knows." I shrugged, deeply regretting what I had just said. I shouldn't get him too involved.....

"I guess I could do that. I'm pretty tired though, so I may have my Pokemon do it for me, if that's not a problem?" Ray asked, letting all but Pinsir out of the Pokeball.

I nodded. "That's fine." I sat back and closed my eyes, my arms folded onto my lap.

Ray looked down to his Pokemon. "Okay guys, I need you to move Kiki every once in a while. Sound good?" His Pokemon all responded happily in unison. "Good. Now i'm going to catch a little shut-eye."

He fell asleep, but it couldn't have been for more than a few minutes. A woman burst through the doors, yelling, "Help! Help! Team Rocket has stolen my prized Pokemon!"

Ray bolted awake, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looked to Kiki, and all his Pokemon looked up at him. He shook Kiki violently, attempting to wake her up. "Kiki, Kiki, we need to go help someone."

((Don't forget, I can't feel you.))

I stirred awake. "Hey Ray....What's going on? I haven't slept that long, have I?" I looked around, alert. I then looked down. "Are you shaking me? Sorry, I couldn't feel you. My arms are still numb." I got up too quickly, and swung around, dizzy. I held my head, closed my eyes, and shook it. I then opened my eyes. "Better." I then kicked the ground. "Okay, I'm all good. Except for my arms, but that's normal. "I looked to Ray. Now what?" Looking at the woman, I nodded and grabbed my crutches. "I guess I answered that myself. Let's go." I moved out the door, fast on the crutches, with Ray by me.

((We can both control her, btw))

"Oh thank you so much!" Exclaimed the woman, as she led them towards one of the worse parts of the city. "It's just around this corner," she said from about ten yards in front of Kiki and Ray. When they rounded the corner, she was gone.

"What the..." He spun around, hearing footsteps.

"Look what the cat dragged in," laughed two men, both with a big red R on their shirts.

"Kiki, you ready?" asked Ray, Rahl's Pokeball in his hand.

I nodded. "I wasn't born ready, but I sure don't mind saying I was." I said, looking at Ray. I smiled, and threw up my pokeball. "Double battles! Go, Hitoshi! Hiro!" I called, and the respective pokemon came out. The man across me frowned, and looked at me angrily. "Hey, you're the girl from earlier! The one who framed me for trying to kidnap you!" I smiled. "Yep. You betcha I am. Now, watch as I outwit you again!" I yelled, and the man brought out his Ekans and Koffing. I smirked. "Alright! Hitoshi, Sleep Powder! Hiro, use Rock Throw!" Hitoshi smiled, (again, if he could do that) and spread a powder on the two foes. The pokemon grew weary, and the Ekans was already asleep by time Hiro got to action. Hiro threw down rocks onto the Koffing, and it fell to the ground. "Seeing as Koffing levitated, the attack was super effective, so that is why I chose to use it. See, I am smarter than you!" I said to the man, who angrily recalled his Koffing. He gave his Ekans a potion to wake it up. "Ekans, wrap!" It obeyed and wrapped itself around Hiro, who groaned. "Hiro!" I cried, and then looked at the man. "Alright. No mercy now." I recalled Hiro, and sent out Risa. "Risa, use Confusion!" She did, and the snake clutched its head in agony. "Now, Hitoshi, finish it off with Tackle!" He obeyed, and the Ekans was quickly out. The man growled, and waited for his partner to finish.