Pokemon Ultimate Evolution Season Two: Episode 20, Karen...

"Jason, you doing okay?" Cristina whispered, gently shaking him. He lifted his head from the kitchen island, his eyes still red and puffy.

"Yeah," Jason sniffled. "I'm fine. I usually fall asleep up here."

"I know, but I wanted to check on you. Now do me a favor and go lie down, please." Cristina said softly. "Can you even see?"

"Barely, Cristina. I've been trying to force myself to fall asleep; my eyelids hurt like hell..."

Cristina put her hands of his shoulders and guided him downstairs to a bed. "Jason, you're burning up..." She said as she sat him down on the bed.

"I'm fine; My temperature is just rising like it normally does. It'll go down soon" Jason said, laying down and turning away from her.

"I'll be right downstairs, Jason. Stay strong, dear." She ran her fingers through his hair and left him to be alone. She looked out of the window next to the front door and sighed. "It's dark already? Ryan, Pan, come back already, please..."

"They won't..." Said a voice. Cristina spun around and backed up against the window. In the low light, she saw the silhouette of a boy a bit taller than herself.

"Who are you?" She asked. She lunged at him, knocking him to the ground and pinned him down.

The boy flipped on the lights with a wave of his hand. "Please, don't be afraid. I didn't come here to hurt anyone." He said with a hint of fear.

"What makes you think I'd believe you?"

"You're Ryan's little sister right?" He asked.

Cristina jumped off of him. "One of them, why?"

The boy sat up and bowed his head to her. "I'm Will. I'm a species of Pokemon called Absol." He began. "I wanted to warn you of a family member's demise if you'll listen. I'm only fifteen, a kid just like you, and I don't want you lose anyone."

"Demise..." Cristina repeated. "What do you mean?"

"Two people related to you are going to die soon." Will said, his head still bowed. "Are you Cristina, the scary one?"

"Yeah... Wait what do you mean 'the scary one'?" Cristina held out her hand to him and helped him up. 

"I dunno, just something I saw in my visions, and I'll be honest, I've never been so scared of a girl in my life... Jeez, you even messed up my hair." Will tugged on the white scarf around his neck and ranked his hand through the right side of his hair to return it to the shape of a sickle. "Anyway,  Absol have the ability to sense natural disasters like floods caused by rain. I guess you can say I'm different, because I seem to only sense when someone important is going to die. I've never saved anyone before, so I don't know how this is going to go... I'll try my best to try and prevent it but-"

"Stop it!" Cristina yelled. "Just stop it, Will.This is, this is too much..."

"I'm sorry; I'm scaring you aren't I?" Will backed away from her with shame in his dark blue eyes. "I just don't want anyone to get hurt. A week ago, I've been getting these visions of someone named Ryan getting killed, and I just want them to stop. On top of that, I started seeing girl he was with die as well. I don't even know Ryan or anybody in this family."

"Alright, alright. How are we supposed to save them? We don't even know where they are." Cristina said.

"I know, I know. However, these visions showed my the type of bond your family has with each other. A kind like no other..." Will turned away from her. "Is that true?"

"To some extent." Cristina answered. "I'm not positive that we can rely on such a weird ability, but we have to try. If you're telling the truth, then I will do everything I can. I'm not losing anyone without a fight."

"Hurry, we need to get going. In the visions, I saw them get killed at dawn, so we may only have until then." Will told her.

"Okay, wait here. I need to go tell my brother."

----

"Ryan, Ryan, wake up." Pan shook me awake. "I heard something. It's right outside."

"It's probably just an Ursaring, but I'll check it out." I quickly put on my shirt and stepped out of the tent. "I don't see anything, Pan."

"Ryan look out!" Pan exclaimed.

I ducked down, just barely dodging a huge log. I had no time to react when I was grabbed by my neck and pushed against a tree. I locked eyes with my attacker, a snarling Abomasnow.

"Hiya, buddy" I said, mockingly. "You're a long way from the mountains, big guy." It used Frost Breath, covering my face in ice shards. "You've got the advantage and yet you're still weak. You want me to show you what a real attack is?" The Abomasnow frosted my face again. I opened my mouth to unleash a devastating Flamethrower, but the Pokemon was returned. I dropped to the ground and looked up at it's trainer.

"No need for that." She said. I can tell you really wanted to burn him though. Your teeth are still glowing red, man."

I pointed my finger at the Pan's dead fire and shot and Ember at it. The girl was wearing navy blue leggings, a belly bearing light blue t-shirt. She had her navy blue hair falling over her right eye. "Really, I'm sorry. Could you find it in your heart to forgive a pretty girl?" She batted her eyelashes like a little girl.

"Whatever you say. Just keep that guy in his Krystal Ball, kay?" I answered.

"Cool!" The girl exclaimed. She gave me a tight hug and looked over at Pan who frowned at her. "What are you two doing out here? Camping?"

"No, we're here on business." Pan said, pulling me away from her. "Who are you anyone?"

"The name's Karen, who you two be?"

"I'm Ryan, and this is my sister Pan." I told her.

"Kay! Did you guys, follow a path here, or something?" Karen asked. "You see, my Abomasnow is kinda hardheaded. I followed it here, and got led off the main path." She hooked the Ball onto her belt. "I'm real sorry for asking, but I don't like being out at night. It's unsafe for a girl, you know."

"Don't feel bad, Karen. We didn't even know there was a path." I smiled. "Why don't you stay with us?"

"Oh no, I don't wanna be a burden on anyone."

"Yeah, there's probably not enough space anyway, sorry!" Pan said, quickly. "Ryan let's go back to bed now, what do you say? We'll need our strength for tomorrow."

"Pan, stop it." I said. "There's definitely enough space for the three of us. At least stay until the morning. Well, either way it's up to you." I went back inside of the tent and sat down.

"Just letting you know, I'm not okay with this" Pan said, poking her in the chest.

"Jeez, if you wanted to touch me there, just could have at least asked first..." Karen chuckled. 

"You're pissing me off, girl." Pan rolled her eyes.

"I'm so sure, Pan. Why are you so protective of him anyway?"

"I-it's not that!" Pan blushed. "It's something, completely different... Ryan, doesn't need protecting."

"Are you sure about that, Pan?" Karen dragged out her words. "Because, uh, if you're not careful, someone, could get hurt..."

"Trust me, I know, and if you even try to hurt me, or him, I will kill you." Pan shot her a glare and stomped over to the fire to smother it again.

"Uh, yeah. I'm going..." Karen licked her lips slowly. "And soon. you will too, sweetheart." She whispered before joining me.

"Sorry, about Pan." I said as she sat down next to me. "I don't know what's gotten into her."

"Hey, she obviously likes you a lot. I would probably be the same with my brother if I was that into him." Karen chucked. She hugged me again, tighter this time. "Dude, it's so cold out. No wonder my Abomasnow felt like wandering around."

"Right..." I said.

"Karen, you're really touchy-feely aren't you?" Pan said through gritted teeth. She sat down next to me as well.

"Guilty!" Karen exclaimed. "Your brother is just a really cool guy. Also he's warm."

What's this girl's deal? Something about her just doesn't seem right... 

"I cannot wait until morning..." Pan groaned, laying down. "Aren't you going to go to sleep Karen?"

"Not until Ryan does..." She said in a mischievous tone.

"Well I guess you're going to be up all night then, because I don't sleep too often..."

"Fine by me!" Karen beamed, nuzzling me.

"Ugh..."

----

"Cristina, are you sure we can trust this guy?" Jason whispered.

"We've been looking for Ryan and Pan for hours, Jason, and you're just wondering this now?" Cristina sighed. "Listen, so far, I don't have any reason not to trust Will, and I'm not taking any chances if Ryan and Pan's lives are in danger. Will thinks we're able to track them anywhere. He saw it in a vision." 

"That's the part I'm unsure about." Jason asked. "I mean what if he's tricking us, or maybe he's not an Absol at all.

"Right, now Jason, I'm willing to believe anything." Cristina said. "I don't know about you, but I owe Ryan a lot, okay? I have to do this for him. At least if Will is lying, it means Ryan and Pan aren't in any danger yet."

"I guess so..." Jason breathed. "Hey, Will, do you really believe we're going the right way? I mean this forest is huge, they could be anywhere."

"Well, yeah, that's all we have to go with." Will answered. "You should be able to track them better than anyone, right?"

"Barely, but yes. I can't sense Pan that well, but I've been with Ryan my entire life. I know when he's close..." Jason looked up at the canopy of leaves blocking their view of the sky. "I can almost feel the electricity radiating off of him. I can't quite pinpoint it thought..."

"Close?" Cristina exclaimed. "Jason focus. You have to try harder, please!"

Jason closed his eyes for a brief moment. When he opened them, they were glowing. The image of me attacking them Murkrow flashed through his mind.

"What is it, Jason?" Will asked. "Are they still close?"

"Yes." He pointed to the left. "They went this way. Ryan was fighting off some Murkrow here long while ago. I don't know how I know, but I just do..."

"Good job, Jason!" Cristina beamed. "Hurry, it's almost dawn."

Cristina and Will almost left him behind. Jason didn't move an inch until Cristina put herself in front of him. "Jason, not now, please." She said in a soothing tone. "Come back to me."

Jason shook his head and eyes ceased their glow. "Did I do it again?" He asked.

"Yeah, but we'll find a way for you to control it okay?" Cristina took his hand. "We have to find Ryan and Pan."

"Right." Jason nodded.

----

"You really weren't kidding, were you, Karen?" I looked down at her, still nuzzling my arm.

"Bet you've met anyone who could stay up as long as you, huh?" Karen giggled. "Glad you didn't mind."

"Never have, and probably never will again." I answered. "What kind of Pokemon are you, anyway?"

"I'm a Murkrow, you?"

"You wouldn't happen to serve a Honchkrow would you?" I asked, finally pulling away from her. I didn't want to take me chances with another one of Jake's minions, especially if he sent her.

"Who, Jake?" She threw back her head and laughed loudly, pulling Pan away form her slumber.

"Could you keep it down, Karen?" Pan said, clearly irritated.

"Sorry, sweetie." Karen answered. "But seriously though, I'm done with Jake. He can be such an idiot sometimes..."

"So, you did, work for him before?" I said.

"No, I was the one Murkrow in these woods who didn't kiss his ass. We practically hate each other. I'll admit, he kind of swept me off of my feet when we met, and I'd help him out with tiny things from time to time to get closer to him, but I was clearly blind. Long story short, I'm done with him. Even if I wasn't, he still wouldn't want me around. It's fun to piss him off though."

"That's quite the story." I yawned. "I won't kill you then."

"So, if I was just another Murkrow, you would've killed me?" She batted her eyelashes. "But how could you kill this face?"

"Ha ha, that's funny." I chuckled. "But yeah, I'm through taking chances. A couple days ago, I actually met Jake while I was out, and didn't think anything of it. Then, he comes around and starts claiming revenge on Pan for breaking his heart or something, killing his own sister in the process. Her name was Flannery, and she was apparently in a relationship with my little brother. If I had just noticed how strange he acted when I first met him, if I had just noticed, she would still be alive, and he wouldn't be devastated."

"You couldn't have known, Ryan. Don't feel guilty about it."

"Oh no, I don't feel guilty; Its impossible for me. I just-" I sighed. "It's easy to say what you should've done after the fact, and if I had done things differently, what else would be different?"

Karen listened intently and nodded as I spoke. "A man who isn't afraid to speak about his feelings..." Karen said, standing up. "I like you."

"I know that already." I breathed.

"Oh, stop... Come walk with me." Karen unhooked the Krystal Ball from her belt and held it up to the sky. "You've cause too much trouble, Abomasnow. I hope there's someone out there who'll be able to teach you a lesson." She crushed the Ball in her first, releasing the Pokemon for good. "Now get out of here, before Ryan melts your ugly face." It grumbled a little and walked off into the brush. Karen looked at me as I stepped out of the tent, looking back at Pan who seemed to be sound asleep again.

"Hmm, we had better be heading out soon. I don't know if you figured this out yet, but the reason we came here-"

"Was to kill Jake, right?" Karen interrupted."

"Yeah, pretty much. If I hadn't set us back, we probably could have had him dead already..."

"Alright, then." Karen said taking my hand. "So anything else you wanna talk about?" She said as we put a fair distance between us and the tent.

"No, I guess not." I said. "You'll be okay by yourself? I mean last night you seemed afraid of being alone."

"No, no... I'll be just fine." She drug out her words in a soft tone. "Sorry to disappoint you..."

"What do you---" I gasped at the sudden pain in my chest. The pain of Karen thrusting a sharp short sword made of her own power into my chest. My eyes widened as she twisted it around and thrust it even deeper into me, until it almost pierced my back. Karen gripped the knife tighter, activating some sort of compressed Dark Pulse attack. The energy surged through my body causing even greater pain. I wanted to scream and thrash about, but the pulse held me there, frozen.

I'm not getting out of this...

"No hard feelings, Ry. You're an awesome guy, and I kinda feel sorry, but it's just like you said, its all about the decisions you make. You see, I thought I'd kill you before Jake got to you." Karen let loose a loud maniacal laughter. "You made it so easy for me with your bad decisions! You shouldn't have set up camp for the night, and just continued looking for Jake, because honestly, you wouldn't be in this situation right now!" Karen took a deep breath, her face was completely flushed. "I was watching the entire time, I saw the aftermath of that blast you set off. Bodies of Murkrow lying all over, most of them still couldn't move. Man, you don't know how easy it was for me to follow you and Pan after that. Let me cut to the chase quickly..." She leaned in  whispered into my ear. "You screwed up, Ryan. Now that I've taken you, Jake will have no reason to keep hiding. I could care less about hurting your little family, but last time I spoke to him, he was bent on killing you all. He'll go straight for your family to finish it all once I bring him the news, and there's nothing you can do to stop it now."

I let them down... I let them all down. Cristina, Jason, Pan... I'm sorry...

Karen yanked the sword from my chest and let it dematerialize in her hands.

"I can't believe you went down without a fight... Well, you are still alive somehow." Karen transformed into a Murkrow and perched on my forehead, staring into my blank eyes. I saw her for a brief moment, then everything went dark. "Ryan, Ryan, Ryan." Karen chuckled. "You were so notorious for your ability to kill anyone who stood in your way, even as a child. What happened to you? You've gone soft." Karen looked to her left where she heard something rustling in the bushes. Will, Jason, and Cristina emerged from brushed and froze at what they saw. "Ryan!" Cristina and Jason screamed in unison.

Karen laughed again and took off. "I hope you kids are prepared! 'Cause, Jakey's coming to get ya!"