A/N - I apologise for no update on Monday. We've got a lot on, and I was sooooo tired I just couldn't bring myself to proof read let alone write. This one is a day earlier than planned as I have absolutely no idea how much time I'll have to write/edit/update tomorrow.

Ooh, and in case you've not noticed yet, I've started to post my other Pokemon fanfiction The End to Wattpad. If you've seen it on FFnet or any other website, this version is re-edited to fix early-on grammar errors, obvious typos (one of which I still face-palm at...) and will also have species names written in lower case. 

Now back to Glitched! =D

...

Hertz barged around his office, kicking out at the metal waste paper bin which clattered deafeningly off the walls and desk. Books flew from the desk as he whisked them aside with his paws towards the door, causing Mono to duck and Sample to leap aside as it whistled past his ear almost clipping it off the side of his head.

The gallade stopped amidst the debris and clasped his paws behind him, keeping his back on the other two pokemon.

"So you lost him," he said calmly.

"Yeah," said Sample.

"And also killed a pidgeot flier."

Sample nodded and wrung his paws together, keeping one eye on the door. "It was an accident. We buried him in the desert. Mono even said a few words -"

"A few, a dozen. I don't care if she wrote a novel!" They leapt back as he rounded on them, fixing them with a crimson glare. "You two were foolish! We already have enough conflict with the public's side of the government. The hospital and the police don't get on, but we're meant to obey the same laws!"

"So what do you want us to do?" Sample asked. "Turn ourselves in?"

"Don't be ridiculous. You do nothing." He turned his back on them again. "Where is the meowstic? Still on the island?"

"We don't know. We lost him."

"Yeh," said Mono. "Think he lost his trackin' chip."

Hertz looked back at them over his shoulder. Lost... was this now a lost cause? No. He might still be on that island.

But if not, then it was indeed a lost cause. Finding one little meowstic would be impossible in this vast region. He could be anywhere.

The only option they had was to somehow check that island.

"It's the continent that hovers across Meta City, right?" he asked.

Sample and Mono exchanged surprised glances.

"Yeh," said Sample. "Do you want us to go back up there?"

Hertz snorted. "We can hardly hire another flier can we? News of one going missing will travel fast! It won't be long until they trace him back to you two. No. We're best staying away from the fliers for now." He moved past them towards the window. "It passes by here once a day, although the time varies. If we can get a drone up there, then we can transmit the footage back to..."

He drifted off as something in the sky caused his stomach to knot. His paws fumbled at the window clasp, desperate to get it open.

"Is something wrong?" Sample and Mono joined his side, following his gaze to the sky.

"Yes." He squinted at the sky as he leant through the window, the fresh breeze stirring his fur. "It's not normally that far away. Is it?"

He couldn't mask the doubt he felt. Every day that island passed by his office window, drifting high over the office blocks and superstores. Now it was miles away, drifting well outside the outskirts. Moving away from the city with no indication it was going to turn and follow its normal circuit towards the centre of Meta City.

"I don't understand," said Mono. "What's it doin' all the way over there?!"

"I've no idea." Hertz dragged himself back into his office and closed the window. "But I'll be surprised if he's not on that island now, using it as some form of getaway."

Sample's brow furrowed in confusion. "So what do we do?"

"Simple. We follow it." Hertz scurried over to his desk and switched off his computer then scooped up his keys. He paused by the office door to look back at them, still standing there staring at the tiny speck of a continent bobbing in the sky. "Grab your bags. It's going to be a long trip."

...

The sun had decided it just didn't want to come out that morning. Pixel left her home feeling rather groggy and she stretched in the cool morning air as a refreshing breeze whipped through her fur and made the grass tickle her legs.

"Good morning."

She opened her eyes and spotted Switch leaning back against a tree trunk with his arms crossed behind his head. He winked.

"Sleep well?" he asked.

She shrugged. "As best I could. It's a little strange knowing the island you've called home since you were born has gone rogue."

He shook his head and laughed. "You're giving an island a personality. Don't worry yourself. N00b assured you it would be fine. All that's happened is you can control it now."

"I know. But I have no idea where we are." She cautiously moved over to the edge and peered down. All she could see was the canopy of a large forest and a few little villages surrounded by fields. Nothing about it was familiar. She looked back at Switch. "Do you know where we are?"

He pushed himself up and joined her side, following her gaze to the forest canopy below.

"Looks like Spring Forest," he said. "If that's the case, that residential area will be Gear Village."

"You've been over here?"

"Sure. A few times. I've flown over most of System. I don't think we're that far outside of Meta City. Maybe ten miles or so."

"Ten miles is enough for me."

They both looked round at Vector. Neither had noticed him joining them.

"I've spoken to Leaf," he said. "I'll be disembarking soon."

"Really? You think there'll be a cure in the forest?" Pixel asked.

"Who knows." The meowstic crossed his arms and looked out with a sigh. "Look at the state of that."

She followed his gaze towards the mountain. It's usual rocky grey surface mottled with green was criss-crossed with horrific black lines. Almost like someone had painted it and someone else had tried to scribble it out with a pen.

"We might be able to find a cure for the virus," said Switch. "But will we ever find a cure for that? I mean... we don't even know what it is."

"Like the incident at the Fracture, it followed with the virus." Vector turned his back on it and started to walk away. "Whatever cure we find for the virus might destroy that corruption too."

"That's a good point," said Switch.

"Then I had better get ready to disembark." Pixel turned to hurry back home.

"Disembark?"

Vector's voice froze her in her tracks and she looked back at him, meeting his confused and somewhat unimpressed gaze.

"Yes," she said flatly. "We're helping you find a cure, remember?"

"I said I didn't object to you looking for one. I don't recall anything about joining me in my search."

"Of course we're joining you! It'll increase the chance of finding one."

He frowned. "If you want to increase the chance, then go your own way. Cover more ground! You don't need to stick to me like glue!"

Pixel's jaw dropped. She couldn't think of anything to say.

"Hang on." Switch cut between them and fixed the meowstic in a glare. "The girl's just trying to help you. There's no need to be rude."

Vector let out a flustered sigh and ran a paw through the black fur between his ears. "I'm sorry. It came out wrong. I'm just saying there's no point staying with me. I've caused you enough trouble already."

"So you're trying to scare us off?" Switch closed his eyes and shrugged. "Well it isn't working. I've dealt with worse attitudes than yours."

"You can't go out alone," said Pixel. "If you find yourself in trouble, you'll need help."

"No." Vector took in a deep breath as he tried to stop his fur from bristling. "We'll go our separate ways. Okay?"

"Fine." Switch waved him away. "Have it your way."

Pixel found it hard to mask the fact his words had stung her. Vector stood near the edge of the continent, watching the world go by below them. She couldn't fathom why he wanted to do this alone. A mere two days ago he was stuck inside Central Meta Hospital with pokemon that wanted to harm him. What was he even doing there in the first place? If he'd turned himself in suspecting he had the virus, only to be checked and come out clean, then how was he kept inside? With the promise a potential cure might help him?

'I went to them for help... and they were going to turn me into some kind of experiment? I can't believe it.'

She was pretty certain that may have been the case.

Now he had no type, lacked his own abilities, and he planned to go out there alone. There was no way she was going to let that happen.

"Leaf?" she spoke into her headset.

There was a pause, then a crackle as the ivysaur's voice came back to her. "What is it?"

"I'm letting you know I'll be leaving the island soon."

"All right. How are you leaving? Taking the ladder?"

Her eye went to Switch. She doubted he'd be taking the ladder. Her unintentional stare dragged his attention from the passing clouds.

"What?" he asked.

"Will you be flying down?"

A nervous smile crossed his features, and he rubbed the back of his head and laughed. "After seeing you drop down on that thing? Definitely."

"Do you think you could carry us both?"

He looked from her to Vector, catching a frown from the meowstic, and nodded. "I think so. I might have to carry one of you in my talons though."

"Let that be me," grunted Vector. "That way you can drop me off easier."

"Switch is going to carry us," she explained to Leaf.

"Very well," he replied. "Stay in touch. And take care, Pixel."

She gave him a quick reply of acknowledgement as Switch's talonflame form appeared before her eyes. He lowered himself for her to hop onto his back then rose into the air, snatching Vector in both his claws. The meowstic gave a small yelp of surprise as he was lifted off the ground.

"Stay still," Switch warned him. "If you wriggle, I might drop you, and as you can see, it's a long way down."

Vector went rigid, keeping both eyes on the approaching canopy. The buildings beyond the trees became clearer, along with small fields for farming, but one thing that remained the same as every other residence in System was the tall antennae blinking its blue and green lights.

"Where am I taking you?" Switch asked.

"You can drop me anywhere," said Vector, somewhat shakily.

"Then I'll drop you just outside the village. I think that would be safest."

Switch levelled out above the forest canopy and glided effortlessly over it. The fresh, clean countryside air reached their nostrils and Pixel let out a satisfied sigh.

"This is such a nice change to the city," she said.

Switch chuckled. "Tell me about it. Sometimes I fly out this way just to get away from the hustle and bustle of it all."

He released Vector onto the ground and dipped his wings, landing lightly in front of him. A few small cottages sat on either side of the street, a couple of which had grass pokemon sat out in their lawns or watering their plants. Pixel looked back at the meowstic and smiled.

"You have our contact information, right?"

He looked away from her. "Yeh. Leaf gave it to me."

"So if you need help -"

"I'll be fine!"

Pixel flinched away from him and diverted her gaze to the village. Something blinking above it caught her eye and she looked up at a sign that made her heart flip into her chest.

Switch let out a sharp laugh and shook his head. "You won't be fine if you stick around here, pal."

"What was that?" Vector's voice was thick with a warning tone, but his face fell as he looked up to follow their gaze.

The large sign was the same as any other advertising billboard. Digitally controlled, brightly coloured, and as clear as day.

Pasted over the bright blue backdrop were the cheerful words 'Welcome to Gear Village.' Below that was the word 'virus' written in black, surrounded by a giant red 'no entry' sign. If that wasn't enough of a deterrent, below it in clear, red letters was written 'any contaminated pokemon will be terminated'.

Pixel could feel the stares of the grass pokemon in the surrounding cottages that now felt like they were closing in around them. She looked down at Vector, watching as his eyes flitted back and forth over the foreboding sign, desperately avoiding eye contact with the pokemon staring at him from their gardens. If he went into that village looking like a victim, he wasn't going to come out alive.