Alice Grey walked through the streets of Striaton City. Her image reflected in the building windows. Waist length black hair, ice blue eyes, blue tank top, and black jeans. Different thoughts swirled about in her head. She had traveled the other four regions aside from Unova, met numerous interesting people, dealt with several criminal organizations... Teams Rocket, Aqua, Magma, Galactic, and the most recent, Plasma. Out of all of them, Team Plasma had by far the most outrageous ideas.

Humans imprisoning Pokémon? Those people really were crazy... Sure, there was the occasional trainer who mistreated their Pokémon, but the vast majority of trainers loved their Pokémon and worked along side them as partners. And Ghetsis, using his own son as a figure head. Filling his mind with false thoughts about all humans mistreating their Pokémon. That boy really deserved better...

Then there was Touya. A headstrong, determined, yet heroic boy. It was still hard for Alice to believe that a 10 year old boy defeated the champion, awoken the legendary dragon Pokémon Zekrom, and took down Team Plasma. Given that he had the help and support of his friends, it was still amazing.

Though, she couldn't really talk. She had started her journey at nearly the same age. She had never really taken to challenging the Pokémon League or Gyms in any region. She preferred just traveling the world, growing stronger with her Pokémon.

A smile crossed her lips as she looked down at the small black and blue Pokémon walking beside her. Umbreon. Alice had caught him when he was just an Eevee. She still remembered running into the oddly colored little fox. In their time together he continually grew stronger. Eventually becoming the strong dark type he was today. He had been with her the longest. Well... Almost. Her expression turned sad. Only her Charizard from her original start in Kanto had been with her longer. Unfortunately, her old friend passed a little over a year prior...

Alice slowed to a stop and with a small sigh looked to her right. The path to the Dream Yard was shadowed by the slowly fading light of the setting sun. The dark didn't bother her, and she thought for a moment whether or not to go in. She had taken to dark and ghost types, and her own Pokémon would love the dark misty area. Without a second thought she stepped onto the path, the area growing dark with each step she took.

Looking up at the crumpled old complex she released her companions from their confinement. Umbreon, Houndoom, Weavile, Froslass, Mismagius, and her most recently added traveling companion, Zoroark.

A smile crossed her lips again as the 6 Pokémon looked at her expectantly. "Go on. Have fun. Just don't wonder off too far, okay?" And with that, they scattered. Zoroark and Houndoom made themselves comfortable under a tree. Weavile climbed up and settled himself within the branches of the same tree. Looks like someones not very energetic today...er, tonight. Mismagius, faded in and out of sight in the shadows of the trees, Umbreon and Froslass chasing her. It looked as if the two were seeing who could could catch her first. Umbreon, with his greater speed, was winning. That is, until Froslass decided to use her Ice Beam on the area in front of his feet. A small giggle escaped her lips.

The sound of bushes rustling reached her ears. Thinking it was one of her own Pokémon trying to sneak up on her, or maybe even a wild one, she turned toward the noise. Instead of a wild Munna, Alice found herself staring into a pair of slate grey eyes.

    Alice's cerulean eyes widened, and she stumbled backward several steps. To say that she was surprised by the person behind her would have been an understatement. The owner of the slate grey orbs was a boy, well, man, not much older than she was--19 or 20, maybe--and stood a few inches taller than she did, with a slim--but lean--build. Long white hair fell down his back, and--from what she could tell from the limited amount of skin he was showing--he was very pale.

    Something about this boy struck her as familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. Shoving the inquiry to the back of her mind, she focused on the present situation. She was in a forest, after dark, with a strange man, alone.

    No... Not alone. Her eyes briefly flashed to her Pokémon. If it came down to it, she could always call on them. Returning her gaze to the stranger before her, a single statement slipped through her lips, "Who are you, and what do you want?"

    Amusement briefly flashed in the stranger's eyes and a small smirk crossed his lips. "You honestly don't know? Or rather, you don't remember. I'm surprised, I thought you had a better memory than that."

    A look of confusion found its home on Alice's face. Remember? Confusion was replaced by recognition as her eyes widened once again. White hair, grey eyes, pale skin... It can't be. "The Shadow Triad..." It was a wonder she didn't remember, not many people in Unova (from what she could tell) had white hair, or skin that pale. In fact, the Triad has been the only ones she'd met with those features. Then again, he was missing all of the gear and the face mask, opting instead for a black turtleneck and loose grey cargo pants. A glare settled onto her face. "What are you still doing here? I thought you left with the others when Plasma fell... And where are the others?" She quickly glances around her expecting the others to suddenly appear, as they so often did before.

    His smirk widened, "Ah, so you do remember." A soft chuckle escaped him, "To answer you questions, I no longer have ties to Team Plasma. After it fell I decided that I would just continue my life, on my own. The other two... I don't know, nor do I care. They just up and disappeared. Where they went is their business..."

    Alice still didn't relax, and her glare remained steadily on her face. "How do I know that you're telling the truth? After all, you stole people's Pokémon and kidnapped Touya to your 'King' on numerous occasions."

    The Triad, eh, Ex-Triad Member raised a single eyebrow at her. "If I was really here to hurt or kidnap you, don't you think I would have done so already, and not wasted time talking to you?" He sighed and shook his head lightly. "I thought you were smarter than that..."

    She blinked, and as the information sunk in, she felt rather dumb. Of course he wouldn't waste time talking to her. He would have just grabbed her and teleported to wherever he needed to take her. She turned her head away, her face reddening at her stupidity. "I suppose you're right..."

    He grinned at her, then his gaze shifted to her Pokémon. It appeared that they had all stopped what they were doing and were now watching the little exchange. At this point, he was pretty surprised that he hadn't been attacked yet. Then again, there was a chance that they, like their Trainer, hadn't recognized him.

    Triad Member must have taken more time than it seemed. Casting a sad smile in her companions' direction, she removed their Pokéballs from her belt. "Sorry guys, but play time is over." Six separate beams over red light returned the six Pokémon to their individual carriers.

    Blue orbs connected with slate grey ones. "It's a lot later than I initially thought. I guess our little exchange took longer than I originally believed. I should get going. Though, I suppose I'll see you around, um..." Alice's eye widened as she realized that she didn't know the boy's name.

    As if reading her mind, his grin widened slightly. "You can call me Shadow." He winked. "And you'll see me more than you think, especially with your preference for the dark..." With that, he had disappeared, like Alice had seen him and the others do so many times before.

    Shadow, huh? Seems fitting... A smirk crossed her face. She always had been interested in the  Shadow Triad, ever since she first saw them. And now it appeared she had gained one as a friend...sort of. "You'll see me more than you think, especially with your preference for the dark..." A small blush colored her cheeks. Having one as a friend can't be that bad...can it? She turned onto the road back to Striaton, her thoughts on white hair and grey eyes...