[i]"You made it rather quickly. How are your Pokemon doing?"[/i]

Velis smiled and then looked over at the Machoke that had set the Ryhorn down the ground. The Ryhorn looked up at Machoke and growled for a second before walking off and laying down on the floor nearby. She turned back to look at Tinder. "They're doing well. I think I can safety say that they enjoyed the ride here. Both of them were hanging their heads out of the side of the side car nearly the entire way here." She looked over at Ross and saw that his eyes were starting to open again. He pressed his hand against head and felt the swelling and bruises on his face. Machoke felt him move his hands and gently set him on his feet but let him use him as a brace so he could stand.

Velis couldn't help but stare for a moment before her Croconaw nudged her slightly snapping her out of it. "Sorry for staring." She muttered. "I've...I...uh...I'm sorry that..well, that happened to you."

Ross blinked his eyes a few times to try and get his vision back into focus as he grinned slightly. "Nah. Don't be sorry, I've been laughing at them, playing tricks on them and making fun of the Cipher trainers here for a long time. I was bound to make the wrong one angry. Besides, The Cipher peons here are nothing but cowards. They only attack when in groups. Besides, It doesn't really matter. I came to Agate Village to try and help this guy here." He said pointing at the Machoke. Some idiot Cipher trainer tried to steal my Pokemon. After I beat him, he tried taking my Pokemon by force and then I ended up beating him and stealing his snag machine, along with this poor guy here."

Ross smiled sadly. "Back when I got him away from Cipher, he was covered in bruises and it looked like he was beaten by his trainer. He was nothing but a battling machine that lived to fight. In fact, he tried taking down my Ryhorn a couple of times when we battled other trainers. But after I showed him the respect and care that he deserved, his personality did almost a complete 360. And since Ryhorn battled with him so many times now they're the best of friends."

Ryhorn let out a snort that sounded like it was covering a laugh.

"You know he's your buddy." Ross chuckled as he looked over at the Machoke. "I'm actually from Kanto. I was stuck here when Cipher took over. I'd heard rumors about Shadow Pokemon but I didn't believe them until I ran into the Cipher trainer that I grabbed Machoke from. I also heard rumors that they can be restored to what they were before Cipher grabbed him by using something called a Relic stone. I heard rumors that it was here in Agate but so far I haven't been able to find it."

He looked over at Machoke and sighed as he watched the Fighting type Shadow Pokemon tap Ryhorn on the head repeatedly and the Ryhorn replied with a exhausted sounding growl. "I feel bad for the poor guy. He didn't ask to be a Shadow Pokemon and he sure as hell didn't ask to be beaten up by some Cipher idiot. I'm hoping that I find some method of turning him back to what he was before Cipher got their hands on him."