The next morning was relatively quiet, at least to start with. Bit had somehow unearthed an ‘alarm clock’ function, though. It was only due to it not being set that they escaped with their ears intact.

Y’know....I’m starting to agree with Sam…, the Abra muttered as another spoonful of cereal vanished. We need curtains, at the very least…

I would not worry... long about it, Luke replied in his mind as he levitated individual bubbles of cereal and milk up to his mouth. When you evolve, you will become a very... light sleeper anyways so there is not much point in trying to resist the sun’s rising.

But that’s just it! Vincent replied, his latest spoonful hovering halfway to his mouth. I loved getting as much sleep as I could back then, and this much sun in my eyes, while appreciated, is starting to tick me off just a bit. Curtains is definitely going on our list. Nice, big, thick curtains. Especially if I evolve anytime soon.

Luke simply chuckled softly in his mind and ate another bubble of cereal. You should try this method... it is very good for your skills.

Maybe when I’ve got a bit more control...or you let me at coffee. Seriously, first the doctor, now you. What’s so wrong with me drinking the stuff?

As a psychic type you should do your best to make sure that your mind is running on one singular speed, Luke explained. Coffee may speed it up for a while, but once that wears off, you will be sluggish and slow and hence lead to more mistakes.

Vincent went to glare and reply, but was interrupted. Namely, by a knock knock at the front door. The little Abra looked at it, then at his flatmates.

I wasn’t expecting anyone, were you lot?

Sam and Bit shook their heads before Vincent looked over to Luke.

A unicorn, he’s here to ‘chat’ with us about the money laundering operation, Luke stated before glancing at Bit. He believes that we can be... bought.

Bit shook his head, which was an odd sight, as it was not connected to the main body. “I served a mad-mad-madman for quite some time, not knowing or caring about what I was do-do-doing. Now that my faculties are re-re-returned to me, it will take more than money to turn my ey-ey-eyes.”

I had assumed so... I will answer it, Luke said, getting up from the table and... a change rolled over him. His back became a little less straight, his fidgeting fingers increased their speed, and his eyes began to dart from one side of the room to the other nervously. Say nothing of what I have told you.

Vincent looked at the change, then the front door, and quickly scampered over to the couch so that he could get a good view. Bit and Sam decided to hide in the main bedroom until they were called for: they’d assumed that Luke was a part of the Ranger team and Vincent’s mentor for a darn good reason, and they weren’t eager to see what it was. Ready, Vincent called out, getting small noises of confirmation from elsewhere in the apartment.

Luke nodded shakily and walked to the door, opening it with his hand. “He-hello? Can I... can I help you... sir?” he inquired of the pink unicorn as he fiddled with his collar.

The unicorn looked at Luke’s form and nodded once while smiling. “Why yes, you can, good sir,” he said, his words carrying just a touch of his magic. “I understand that this is where the creature who was involved with the slot machines at the Crown Jewel resides. I’m here to talk to him on behalf of the casino. Could you let me in?”

“I’m... I’m sorry sir... Brit is gone at the... at the moment,” Luke answered, his hands beginning to fidget even more and his tone became even meeker. “Perhaps... perhaps you could come back some other... time maybe? I mean... I don’t mean to sound rude... but... I’m not really supposed to... to let ponies in here unless I’m... I’m told to.”

The unicorn blinked at the refusal and quickly crossed his eyes to make sure that yes, his magic was working. Then it was back to smiles and attempting to influence the one in front of him. “Oh dear. Perhaps one of his associates then? I really want to pass on the message, and it has to be done in private. Maybe the blue one, or the green one, or the little yellow one?”

“They’re all... out sir...” Luke answered, his back hunching a little as if out of a fear of reprisal. “I’m so... so very sorry. You’ll have to come back some... other time I guess.”

The unicorn blinked again before his horn pulsed once, letting out a wave of yellow light through the apartment. He then smiled quite insincerely at the Gallade before him. “Then what, may I ask, are those three life-signs in the apartment behind you? Intruders, guests?”

“Fish sir... have you... never seen an aquarium?” Luke asked and the slight sound of water trickling from another room drifted through the unicorn’s ear.

“Mmm...but one appears to be all on its lonesome in the living room...now why don’t you come clean and tell me where they really are?” The unicorn couldn’t get more fake with his smile if he tried.

“It’s a predator fish sir... if it was with the others it would eat them,” Luke explained quietly, looking away slightly. “I’m very sorry but... I really shouldn’t keep the door open any longer... the air-conditioning will leak out.”

“Very well,” the unicorn sighed and looked aside. “I suppose I can give you a part of the message, then. And do make sure they get it, will you? PegasusAir would love to have a word with them, especially...Brit, was it? Yes, especially that one.”

The unicorn turned around and slowly walked off. Just as he reached the stairs, he cast one last gaze back at the door and descended.

Luke shut the door and his posture changed back to his normal, slightly fidgety self. Ah, that was refreshing.

Just then, a burst of laughter came from the couch as Vincent practically fell off of it. Oh...oh that was good! Me, a predator fish! Ready to eat the other two if we were placed next to each other! Ahahahah!

Luke smiled. I hope all three of you enjoyed that, he said; he’d been silently beaming it into Bit and Sam’s minds.

Sam and Bit emerged from the bedroom, slightly sour expressions on one of their faces. “You realize that he’s going to be insufferable for at least a day, right?”

Vincent, now is the time to work on your wall building, Luke told the Abra. When Sam, Bit, and I are done talking, I will destroy your wall. You have that long.

The little psychic fox breathed deeply a few times to get himself under control. Yeah, I hear ya...just...one more moment. That’s going in the vault...Oh man...

Vincent hopped up on the couch and resumed his normal meditative pose, only snickering once before slipping off. Predator fish. Heh.

Luke looked over at Sam and raised an eyebrow very slightly as his right hand pulled at his sweater.

“Yeah, I’m starting to think that working for them at all is a bad idea as well. I’d ask if your friends could get me training or a spot with the Guard, but that’d be presumptuous of me.” The Scyther looked out a window and sighed. “Is it wrong to think that life back…there was less complicated?”

Not at all, Luke answered. Life was simple but it was also unchallenging for you in terms of personal accomplishment other than staying alive... you can gain no joy from a life like that.

“Studies show that life be-be-becomes more complex for beings the more life-fo-fo-forms interact with one another,” Bit chipped in. “Also, we should both inform Ab-Ab-Abby and Ace about PegasusAir and these a-a-attempts to gain an audience with me.”

That... and make sure that they have enough mental defense to withstand that unicorn’s probing, Luke agreed with a small nod.

The Porygon-Z looked to the door and ticked a few times. “Was unaware po-po-ponies had abilities of the Psychic ty-ty-typing. Logic dictates th-th-that you return to Abby at this ti-ti-time and work on their defen-fen-fenses while we defend Vincent.”

Not an option really... or needed for that matter, Luke replied. They’re going to try again in a few minutes I’d imagine, at least, that’s why they’re standing around in the lobby below us... as for Abby and her team... they all have mental defenses in place... Abby’s is especially effective.

Bit looked back to Luke and what could almost be mistaken as a concerned expression flitted across his eyes. “Query: how then am I to a-a-attend my usual data parsing with Ace? If the lobby is not an op-op-option…”

Vincent, care to answer? Luke inquired of the Abra who he knew was at least sort of paying attention.

Eh, you’re not addressing the real problem, Luke. Yeah, I could probably plonk him down outside of the station. And sure, if I kept a link up with him, I might-could drag him back. But not only does distance decrease accuracy...bet you didn’t even notice that half my illusions from last night were hanging off a building or in thin air...we’ll still have three ponies in the lobby harassing other ponies. They need to be dealt with sooner or later.

A soft smile touched Luke’s lips. Very well, what do you propose we do about them?

You’re the Psychic, more importantly, the more educated of the two of us. While an idea is brewing in my head, I’d like to run it by you first. Mainly so you can spot the holes and patch them up. I was thinking of using my illusions…

In what way? Luke inquired.

Well, so long as they kept thinking they almost ‘had’ me right before I vanished, they wouldn’t stop chasing me, right? But are they the types to hold me hostage to try and force Bit’s cooperation?

Perhaps, they seem the type, Luke said, his voice becoming caustic. Cowards.

Everyone has their own way of doing things, Vincent replied. So I was thinking a merry chase up and down the apartment building...culminating in them being led off the grounds, of course…

Tolerance sighed as he looked over to Frigid and Level Head. “Well, I learned two things today.”

“The first being?”

Tolerance looked over to Level and smiled. “Well, that this is indeed the place the one we’re looking for calls home. Goes by the name of Brit, if his doorpo-...gah. If the one that answered the door is to be believed. Somehow he got out before we got in.”

“Unlikely,” Frigid replied. “We left for here at dawn’s first light. Unless this Brit can fly and went out the window, he should still be here.”

Level head nodded at the conclusion her companion reached. “What else did you learn?”

Tolerance looked at his horn and sighed again. “That apparently whatever it is that answered the door can cause my Influence magic to bounce off him.”

That got a reaction. The other two in the lobby jolted and looked upstairs quite warily. “You are certain?” Level inquired.

Tolerance nodded. “Threw everything I could into my voice to just be let in so that I could drop off our message, got nowhere. It was like trying to influence you two mares, except whatever it is actually had emotions. I think.”

“For such a creature to be immune to your talent…” Frigid trailed off.

He’d probably have to be either highly trained or just lucky, Vincent’s voice pitched in, and the other ponies in the lobby stiffened and looked over to where it came from. There, sitting on the stairs was the little yellow fox-creature they’d heard about. He hadn’t been there a second ago.

Oh wait, was I supposed to say that yet?

Tolerance walked up to the creature slowly and looked into its closed eyes with his own. “You’re friends with him, are you?”

Yup! One of my best friends from before this whole craziness happened.

“You’ll do,” Tolerance said while reaching out with a hoof.

Which passed right through the illusionary body, leaving the stallion to faceplant on the stairs. As he picked himself up and grumbled, he heard a laugh from behind him.

Geeze, you’re slow. I’ve been over here the whole time!

Now the creature was sitting where he’d been a moment prior, and Frigid launched herself at it, only to slam into the wall at speeds not advised for cranial integrity. Once again, the image of the yellow fox blurred and vanished, this time appearing near the front door.

Or have I? Maybe I’ve been over here!

Level Head calmly walked up to the creature and sat before it. “Illusions,” she stated. “A very potent defence mechanism. None of these are real, are they?”

The form of Vincent wavered and vanished, but the voice remained. Wow, you’re good. Y’know, if not for the whole ‘we need to talk to your friend’ act, I’d love to actually talk to you. But you are, so...Luke? I think my plan fell apart.

Then adapt, came another quiet voice.

Right. Hey, any of you been Teleported before?

Before Tolerance could reply, he was suddenly two feet in the air in the lobby, with a stomach that seemed ready to reject its contents. After gravity noticed his predicament, he realized that one axiom of pilots everywhere:

Gravity is a cruel and harsh bitch.

You know, he could have imbedded you half in a wall... the voice of the one from the door said quietly in his mind. It is not a... pleasant experience.

Luke! I would never do that! Tolerance sighed a bit at that before Frigid suddenly was dropped on top of him, upside down, and Level Head on top of her. Now, if I could find a sufficiently large lake, I might have a target for all three of them.

Well, they are your trash to dispose of how you’d like... Luke replied, his voice dripping with both sincerity and scorn. Though, if they return to menace us again...

Technically, isn’t this my ‘turf’? I mean, yeah, you’re the elder, but I WAS here first. Shouldn’t that count for some- Oh look! Water treatment plant! Including...yup! Target acquired!

Ah, allow me to help you with a bit of power, wouldn’t want half of them to go without the other, Luke rejoined.

“Now see here, you two...mind-meddlers! Not only is that MY job, but you can’t just treat us like this! We’re ponies, we have rights!”

The yellow one will make for a good hostage, the green one has swords for arms and the blue one has freaking spikes! Tolerence’s own voice played through his head, down to the inflection. Yes. You have the same rights as criminals.

Besides which, if you honestly thought any of these ‘creatures’ were powerless, even moi, then I am all too happy to burst your bubble! On three?

Of course, Luke replied. One. Two. Three...

Tolerance, Level Head, and Fridgid’s heads hit the floor unconscious.

Now our only problem is getting them to the Rangers. Did you tell them?

Not yet... Abby has been having some problems so I’ve been keeping quiet, Luke answered as the three unconscious ponies appeared in front of him on the floor. Problems of self-identity are best solved uninterrupted.

Vincent reached over and stopped himself from giving the Gallade a hand on his shoulder just in time. Hey. If she’s anything like me, then not only is she wondering what you’re up to with me here, but she’d probably like to see you again. Who knows, there might be something she needs your help with. Hang out with her for the day, reconnect. I’d...I’d do it with Lucy if I could.

Luke smiled faintly. Thank you Vincent, though this almost sounds like an attempt to get rid of me so that you can practice on your wall work without me looking in on you all the time.

The Abra coughed a bit at that. Okay, that was half of the reason. But if you insist, I’ll go out on the town as well, no wall work while you’re out. Been meaning to anyways, I have some shopping I’d like to do...not only for curtains, before you ask.

A quiet chuckle sounded in Vincent’s mind and Luke gave him a smirk. What? There is very much something I’d like to do. Plus, if PegasusAir is targeting Bit, then we all need to shake up our schedules, make ourselves unpredictable. Like, I dunno, stop going to the Guard station or the Monte Colto. Why make it easy for them?

Very well, I will return tonight. Luke touched him lightly on the shoulder with his actual hand and then vanished, taking the three unconscious ponies with him.

Vincent smiled, then looked over to Bit and Sam. Whaddya say guys, a day of shopping and avoiding casinos this time?

He got two weak chuckles for his wit, and the trio went out on the town.

At the quarry, if you hadn't seen two of the Lucario fighting just the other day, then you could almost call what was happening now a dance. A very heavy-handed combat-oriented dance, but a dance. All the partners knew all the moves, and each performed perfectly.

The male would aim a punch at Lucy, and she would lean back or turn the paw aside, before replying with a kick of her own. He would bounce back and use his momentum to aim a punch at Maylene, and she would lean aside before bumping him out of the way. Then the two females would nearly exchange blows, each one moving just enough to dodge the latest strike before a return was fired off. The male would force himself back in, and the triangle of combat reformed, each of them comfortable with their forms and strength.

It was mesmerizing to the ponies of the quarry. Especially since previously, only the male of the trio had shown any real proficiency in his powers. Eventually, however, he slipped up.

He landed just a touch too close to Lucy, and she capitalized on it. With a Low Sweep, the Lucario was on his back, and he saw Lucy's paw aglow with power. He braced himself and closed his eyes, only to feel a slight tapping on his muzzle. Cracking one eye open revealed a glowing bone in Lucy's hand that faded rapidly, though her look of amusement stayed.

"Apology accepted," she said, before offering a paw to the downed male. With a sigh and a grunt, he was heaved upright.

"I dread to think what Vincent will have to do to earn your forgiveness should he ever misstep," the male groused, causing Lucy to cock her head in confusion.

"Vincent's my brother in all but blood. If he missteps in anything, I'll correct him far more gently than I would a stranger."

Maylene rolled her eyes, thankful that Lucy wasn't looking at her. Keep on saying that.

"Regardless," the male said. "You have gotten in tune with the Aura as much as a Lucario normally is. For now, your training must proceed without me, though I will still be nearby if I am needed."

Lucy was escorted to yet another boulder, and then told what she needed to do.

"This is the difficult part of your training. You must not only get in touch with the Aura, but manipulate it to form an attack capable of breaking this stone."

Lucy gulped, but nodded and closed her eyes. This...promised to be intensive. If only because of the Lucario's next words.

"Doing such a feat is not something all Lucario master. The Aura tends to fight back during a Lucario's first attempts to form an attack with it. Overcoming the resistance and forming a worthy blow tends to take at least twenty tries before a Lucario can do it with only a moment's notice."

Intensive indeed...

Author's Notes:

Ed2481: Vincent sounds like Aang from The Last Airbender in my head now.