TEEN: Pokemon: A Marvelous Journey (COMPLETE!)

[Juliko]

As of today, I've added content warnings as per the new writing rules. There are only three up on the first post as of right now, but I am combing through the story again just to make sure it meets the guidelines and look for other things that may require content warnings.

 

[Juliko]

The table of contents is finally in progress! I'm still working on it steadily, but now that I know how to make one now, I can actually work on it, that way people can just click on a link to read a chapter instead of combing through so many posts! Woohoo!

 

[Juliko]

Chapter 49: Rise of the Dark Nightwingz

“Awww, COME ON!!”

The yells of three kids rang throughout the mountainous town of Blackthorn City. After they had finally left the Ice Path the night before, the kids spent the night at the Pokemon Center with plans to go to the Blackthorn City gym and challenge the gym leader. The kids made it to the gym after breakfast...only to find the doors closed and a white paper taped on them, with a message written in black sharpie marker.

Gym closed due to family emergency, and I won’t be back until further notice. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Clair Van Drak.

Perrine groaned out loud. “Seriously. It seems like whenever we want to challenge the gym leaders right away, they’re always never around when we want them to be,” She noted. It had happened before with Morty and Pryce. But the kids didn’t expect this to happen a third time. That was a bit much as far as they were concerned.

Caiseal shrugged. “Well, you can’t necessarily help a family emergency,” He said. “Maybe a relative died or something.”

The girls exchanged sad glances. Caiseal did raise a valid point, and that definitely seemed like a plausible reason. If that was the case, then they decided not to fuss over it. She’ll come back when she’s ready to come back, they told themselves. Besides, it wasn’t like she wanted this emergency to happen, whatever it was.

“You’re probably right,” Julia said. “I guess maybe we can do some training while we’re out,” She suggested. They didn’t know when Clair would be back, so now that they had all this time on their hands, today would be a perfect day to train their Pokemon for their upcoming battle.

It helped that Blackthorn City--or the part of it they were in--was a pretty quiet place, at least for the moment. The Blackthorn Gym stood in front of a large, clear lake that seemed to end at the base of a tall mountain. The mountain in question stood above everything in the city, but since it was a nice day out, the kids could easily see the top of it without difficulty. Turning around, they could see the tops of tall buildings further away, the easiest one to make out being an old, regal-looking clock tower with a blue roof. Some of the houses nearby had cars right next to them, and with the ground being made of dirt and gravel, tire tracks were everywhere. Most of the city behind them was marred by tall rocks and remnants of the rest of the mountain, but from what they could see, travel didn’t seem too difficult. They were likely in the more mountainous part of the city, just outside the more familiar, modern-looking areas.

Disappointed by their sudden change in plans, the kids walked away from the gym, finding an empty clearing just nearby. It was big enough to accommodate the three of them and all of their Pokemon, and there were quite a bit of trees surrounding it, so it was easily hidden away from town. The perfect place for them to let their Pokemon roam about. Julia held two PokeBalls in her hands.

“I’ve been wanting to have you two meet!” Julia said to herself before throwing them into the air. “Come on out, girls!”

Out from the PokeBalls came Twilight, who shook her head to get the kinks out of her neck, and Tsubasa, who announced her entrance with a loud trill and outstretched wings. The two Pokemons’ eyes finally met, and all they did was stare, sizing each other up. Twilight turned to Julia and whinnied, which she translated as, “Who’s this small fry?”

“Pijoooo!” Taking offense at the comment, Tsubasa squawked, flapping her wings petulantly. “Hey! I’m not a small fry!”

Julia smiled as she gingerly walked in between them. “Twilight, this is Tsubasa the Pidgeotto,” Julia began, introducing the two of them to each other. “Tsubasa, this is Twilight the Ponyta, and our newest friend. She likes battling, just like you do!” She had thought about having them meet for a while, considering how similar their personalities were. Both Tsubasa and Twilight were loud, rambunctious, stubborn, and had a voracious appetite for battling, on top of being very capable fighters who never gave up. Maybe they could get along since they had a lot in common.

Twilight walked up to the bird Pokemon, lowering her muzzle to her level and sniffing her a few times. In turn, Tsubasa simply cocked her head to one side, wondering just what this fire horse’s deal was. But she could see Twilight’s lean, strong muscles, and her flaming mane burned bright and strong. She certainly looked sturdy enough.

“Pijoooo!” (“So, you like battling, huh?”) Tsubasa squawked, leaping into the air. (“I’m the strongest Pidgeotto around! Wanna see if you can beat me?”)

Knowing what this meant, Twilight whinnied right back. (“Try me, small fry! I never turn down a challenge!”)

It didn’t take long for the two of them to start sparring, which mostly consisted of running and flying around the clearing. Tsubasa pecked at Twilight a few times, and the fire horse returned the gesture by firing a few stray Ember attacks at her. Nothing too bad from what Julia could see. By this time, the kids all had their Pokemon out and about, and they sat down on the grass to eat their breakfast.

“Wow. I didn’t think Tsubasa and Twilight would get along so quickly,” Julia mused as she ate a piece of her banana. Saoirse was right next to her, quietly munching on her Pokemon food. “I was sure they’d kill each other, considering they’re both pretty battle obsessed.”

Perrine took a while to respond, as she was chewing on a granola bar and didn’t want to talk with her mouth full. “You’d be surprised,” She finally said. “This one time--”

Unfortunately for Perrine, she didn’t get the chance to continue talking. The blaring sounds of various instruments cut through the peaceful silence. Julia’s hands immediately flew to her ears, and a pained whine escaped her lips. Even some of the Pokemon stopped playing, confused by the sudden jumble of noise that assaulted their ears. They were able to make out what the sounds exactly were: Guitar riffs. Drumsticks slamming onto drums. The screeching throes of a violin. High notes from what was likely a keyboard piano.

“The heck?!” Caiseal yelped. “Who’s playing music this early in the morning?!” He yelled, hoping the girls could hear him over the music.

Perrine immediately stood up, noticing that the music was more prominent on her left side. “It sounds like it’s coming from over that way,” She said, pointing towards a cluster of thick bushes at one end of the clearing.

“Pika!” Hikaru was quick to hop on Julia’s shoulder, putting one of her yellow hands on her trainer’s in the hopes it’d block out more of the noise. It didn’t do much, but Julia smiled gratefully, appreciating the gesture.

As they made their way towards the bushes, the music suddenly stopped, replaced with voices, all of them belonging to men.

“Okay! Sounds like everything’s in tip-top shape, boys!”

“Easy for you to say, Ben! I can barely hear my awesome guitar riffs over those blasted drums!”

“After last night’s concert, I’m surprised you can still hear at all, Aldric.”

The kids stuck their heads out from behind the bush to get a better look, but they were careful to stay hidden. They saw what appeared to be four men wearing all black, and the clearing was taken up by instruments. Drums and a keyboard had been set up, along with a few amplifiers on both sides of their setup. One man who had wild, flaming red hair not unlike Lance had an equally bright, crimson guitar slung on his person. Oddly enough, the youngest of the four, who had flat blonde hair, held a violin in his hands. Kind of odd to have a violinist in what appeared to be a punk rock band.

“Hey,” Perrine whispered. “Isn’t that the boy band that all those fangirls went crazy over last night?” She asked, remembering the crowd from the night before. Only now did it register in her mind that these men were the same boy band that was on the Pokemon Center’s TV. It was easy to recognize them by their attire, their instruments, and the fact that a violinist of all people was in a rock band.

It took a brief moment for Caiseal and Julia to process the new information. “You’re right! It IS the same band!” Caiseal exclaimed, though he made sure to keep his voice down. “Aren’t they those...what is it?” The name escaped him for a moment.

Julia was quick to remember it. “Dark Nightwingz.”

“Yeah, that’s it.”

“What are they doing here?” Perrine asked in a low whisper.

“Maybe they’re getting some practice in,” Julia suggested.

Caiseal nodded in agreement. “That makes sense.”

The kids sat there in silence, watching the boy band intensely. A tall, fair-skinned man with pale blonde hair tied in a thin, long ponytail that trailed down his back was sitting in a fold-up chair, sipping a beverage. Another man with a mop of shaggy black hair and wearing nothing but leather was adjusting part of his snare drum. The red haired man--whom the drummer referred to as Aldric--was sitting on another fold-up chair, eating the last of a sandwich after having put his guitar down, then proceeding to guzzle a whole can of soda in one gulp. Suddenly, a loud, drawn out belch escaped the man’s throat, and all eyes were on him.

“Woooo-wee, that was my best one yet!” Aldric bellowed.

The black haired man, Ben, walked over to him, his eyebrows furrowed together in disgust. “Seriously? Arceus, you’re disgusting.”

The tall man with the ponytail stifled a chuckle. “Here we go again.”

Unbeknownst to them, even the kids were trying to hold down laughter by covering their mouths. They had to admit, that burp was pretty awesome, disgusting as it was.

“Come on, Ben!” Aldric whined. “You love it when I burp!” He pointed an index finger at his bandmate, with a smirk to go with it. “Besides, I finally managed to be louder than you!”

Unamused, Ben gently pushed Aldric’s hand down. “I only love your burping when it’s not in the middle of practice,” He chided. “Look, last night’s concert was successful, but if we’re gonna make it big, we need to show people that we’re a band, not a bunch of hoodlums who sit around and do nothing! It ain’t gonna happen if you keep actin’ like you’re in a frat party!”

Aldric could only grin. “Yeah yeah, I know.”

“Besides, you can’t deny that you can be pretty childish.”

“Yeah yeah. I’m also rude,” Aldric retorted, fingers outstretched as he began counting them. “Loud, obnoxious, immature, autistic, blah blah blah, but that’s what makes me so AWESOME!”

Autistic? Julia’s eyes shrunk to the point of resembling saucers, and her jaw dropped right then and there. Were her ears playing tricks on her? Did that Aldric man just say he’s autistic? Just like her? Suddenly, everything else was little more than white noise. She didn’t even register Caiseal and Perrine being right next to her anymore. Stunned into silence, completely dumbstruck, probably lovestruck, she could feel herself fixating her gaze on Aldric and only Aldric. Someone who was autistic like her actually existed in this world! It was like she was wandering around in a dark, seemingly endless tunnel, and she had finally found an exit that led to Heaven. So many questions were forming in her mind, ready to burst out from her brain and spill all over the place, like a fire Pokemon ready to use Lava Plume. She needed to talk to him, and she needed to talk to him NOW.

“Wha--?! Hey! Julia! What are you doing?!” Perrine’s exclamation fell on deaf ears.

Rustling leaves pulled the four men out of their playful argument, and they found themselves with an unexpected guest. Julia came out from the bush, walking four feet away from it, trembling fists held up to her chest, facing the boy band with wide green eyes. But in that moment, her vocal chords shut down. No sound came out. The suspicious, confused eyes that faced her rendered communication near impossible.

“Oh dear,” The tall man with the ponytail groaned. “Looks like a fan girl found us.”

“Jule!” Caiseal was quick to run right up to her, completely flummoxed. This was very unlike her. “What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”

“Uh!” That was the only sound she could produce.

Perrine stood in between Julia and the boy band. “Oh! Sorry about that, guys! We heard some noises and wanted to make sure it wasn’t a Pokemon wreaking havoc or something!” Perrine explained, waving her hands in front of them dismissively, hoping they’d believe her lie. “We didn’t know someone else was here!”

All four members of the band exchanged confused glances...except for Aldric, who stared right back to Julia with just as much intensity. Then, he stood up from his seat faster than a jack-in-a-box and let out a scream. All eyes were on him this time. Naturally, Julia’s hands flew to her ears. Before anyone could ask him what was wrong, Aldric dashed right over and took Julia’s hands into his own.

“Whoa! I know you!!” Aldric shouted, his amber eyes gleaming with excitement. “You’re the girl who caught that red Gyarados!!”

What? Julia could only stare back at him, completely bewildered. Any desire to get to know him better was completely knocked out of her at this point. Her brain was reeling, her ears throbbed, and Aldric’s face was extremely close to her own. Her hands were imprisoned in his gloved ones, and she found herself unable to escape. This was too much. This was a mistake. Everything around her was amped up to the highest volume. But more than that, how did he know she had a red Gyarados? He didn’t even know her!

Perrine and Caiseal exchanged worried glances. Even Aldric’s bandmates were confused.

“Uhh, Aldric…?” The man with the ponytail tried to engage with him, to no avail.

“You were on TV once! I saw it!” Aldric exclaimed, shaking Julia’s hands, dragging them up and down and extremely fast. “You were on that red Gyarados’s back and some Team Rocket guys tried to capture ya!”

TV? Someone recorded footage of her riding Geraldine? When was this? Her head was spinning harder. Her eyes blurred. Aldric’s voice turned into an explosion that rendered hearing anything else absolutely impossible. Her hands couldn’t stop moving, as Aldric kept shaking them, his own hands tight like a Krabby’s pincers. Her ears hurt, and her only means of protection from his yelling was taken from her. When was he going to stop, let her go, and back off? The only response Julia could push out was a pained squeak.

“Can you pleeeease show me your red Gyarados? Please?! I really want to see it!!”

“Hey! Will you get off her?!” Finally, Perrine pulled on the man’s arm. “You’re making her really uncomfortable!” She chided. Unfortunately, since Aldric was bigger than her, the girl’s attempt at pulling the man off of her friend failed.

“Aldric, I think you’d better listen to her,” The man with the blonde ponytail advised.

Finally, Julia could take no more. She yanked her hands out of Aldric’s and used one to smack them away. The force of the swat was strong enough that it made the red haired man step back two feet, eyes wide and mouth agape. She found herself trembling and she found her voice.

“I DON’T HAVE HER ANYMORE!!” Julia shouted at the top of her lungs, eyes squeezed shut so she could try to block everything out. It didn’t work much, but at this point, she didn’t care. Everything stopped. “I had to give her up!! It’s not even any of your business anyway, and don’t EVER touch me without permission EVER AGAIN!!”

Silence weighed heavy on them like memories long buried. Nobody spoke. Getting the memo, Aldric backed away two steps, her amber eyes a mask of guilt. All eyes were on her, and she knew it. No. She didn’t want all of these eyes on her. She just wanted Aldric to back off and give her space. Her legs came to life and she sprinted away from the practice area, straight into the bushes.

“Julia! Wait!” Caiseal was about to give chase, but a hand pulled him back. Perrine locked eyes with him, along with shaking her head. She needs her space, the gesture told him. She was right. It wouldn’t do any good to chase after her or drag her back. She needed some time alone to calm herself down for now. Caiseal sighed, the urge to chase having left him.

Ben elbowed Aldric on the arm. The red haired man barely felt it. “Nice going, Aldric. You frightened the poor girl to death,” Ben was quick to chastise his bandmate. “I keep telling you to quit getting all up in people’s faces like that!”

Realizing what he had done, Aldric facepalmed. “...Darn. I messed up real bad,” He hissed to himself, remorse weighing down on him. He wished he hadn’t done that.

***

“Nnnnngh!!” Once Julia found a quiet place to hide, she growled and cried and kicked a nearby tree before sitting down on the ground, letting herself go. “Stupid stupid stupid!!” She wished she hadn’t tried to approach that man. She only wanted to know if he really was autistic just like her. If she had known earlier he was going to react like that and invade her personal space, she would never have tried to approach him. Not only that, he apparently saw her and Geraldine on TV and had the nerve to ask about her as though she were some kind of exhibit on display! Julia wished the ground would swallow her up.

That didn’t happen, of course, but she slowly rocked herself back and forth, the repetitive motions pushing the sadness and angry thoughts out of her head. This allowed room for calmer, more rational thoughts to come inside. How did he know about her and Geraldine? Julia searched for a potential answer. Considering what Geraldine was and her overall situation, before and after she was caught, it wouldn’t be strange for a TV crew to report it on the news. He did mention seeing Geraldine on TV, so maybe that was how. Julia stopped rocking for a bit and buried her face into her hands, blocking everything out so she could focus. Calm down, the rational part of her brain advised. Aldric probably didn’t mean anything bad by asking about Geraldine. It wasn’t like he knew about her situation. He couldn’t read minds. Nobody could, so how would they know anything? Besides, he probably just got too excited. Lots of boys were like that.

“...He didn’t have to scream in my face and touch my hands, though!” She found herself saying to nobody in particular. Even now, she could still feel that icky, prickly feeling on her hands from where Aldric had touched them. Not even squeezing them really tight could push that awful sensation out of them. It was especially bad when someone she didn’t know wanted to shake her hand and her parents made her do so, as that was a proper way of greeting someone. But why was touching some stranger’s hand considered a proper greeting? Wouldn’t it suffice to just say hi and move on? The last thing she wanted was some stranger to touch her.

“Pika?” Julia looked down at Hikaru, her round eyes worried and sorrowful. Saoirse and Blossom approached her as well, similarly concerned.

“Snubbull?” “Bella?”

She smiled, extending her arms around them and pulling them close. The soft, plush fur in her palms was much better than that man’s confining, itchy grip. “Thanks, guys. Sorry I’m kinda frazzled. Let’s just stay here for a while.”

Understanding her needs, the trio of Pokemon had no complaints. They were content to be wherever their trainer was and be with her when she needed them. It helped that since she was far away from the band and nobody else was around, she could have time for herself and settle like a snow globe. Nobody was around to force her back into the situation or tell her to suck it up or anything of the like. Not only that, Twilight and Tsubasa were still sparring, so wrapped up in their mock battle that they barely paid much attention to anything around them, which was fine with her. She’d much rather listen to them than some boy band. She let her Pokemon go, pulled a book out from her backpack, and started reading. The good thing about books was that they never changed. The pages and the words always remained the same no matter how many times they were opened, making it easy for her to focus and come back to herself.

Once she felt she was calm again, she put her Pokemon back into their PokeBalls sans Hikaru and Saoirse, stopped by the PokeMart, and picked up some extra potions. She noticed they were running low on medicine, but hadn’t had the chance to get some more, so why not do it now? After their ordeal in the Ice Path, she figured having some potions handy would be a good idea. It helped that the PokeMart was empty today, save for the clerks and one or two other customers. When she stepped out the door, she came face to face with Caiseal and Perrine.

“There you are!” Caiseal exclaimed. “You okay?”

Julia flashed a sheepish smile. “I’m fine now. Sorry I freaked you out earlier.”

“No no. Don’t be sorry,” Perrine reassured. “That Aldric guy shouldn’t have got in your face like that...though I’m not really sure why you approached them in the first place.”

The answer to that was easy...for Julia, it was. She frowned. “I overheard him say he’s autistic. I just wanted...to know if it was really true.”

Caiseal and Perrine said nothing. What was there to say? They knew that she barely had any friends before starting her journey. But they could figure she wanted to meet someone who was similar to herself. There was still a lot that they didn’t know, and possibly couldn’t know, so they were at a loss as to how to talk to her about this. Perrine shrugged.

“Well, we’re glad you’re feeling a little better now,” Caiseal told her. “I’m gonna head to the PMC and call my adopted mom. I might as well let her know I’m back in town, so I’ll see you later?”

Both girls waved to Caiseal as he made his way to the Pokemon Center. With not much else to do, the girls decided to hang out by the lake where the gym is, if only to relax and marvel at the scenery before them. Up close, the mountain behind the gym was tall and majestic, like a giant that towered over them, and they were little more than ants. Neither girl had ever seen a mountain like this up close before, and in the sunlight, it almost turned a blinding red color. Hikaru and Saoirse played by themselves, preferring to run around and play tag.

“I wonder if I should take a picture of this?” Julia said. “It’s so pretty.”

Perrine already her camera out, and the flash was already going off. “I am! Man, I know Mom’s gonna really love this!” She exclaimed, bursting with cheer. “She’s always wanted to travel to Blackthorn City, but Dad could never get off work, so we could never find time to visit as a family.”

“I can imagine.”

A silence fell upon them like a heavy fog, and all they could hear was Hikaru and Saoirse playing nearby. “So…” Perrine began. “It turns out that band really is the Dark Nightwingz from the night before. I asked.”

Julia gave an acknowledging nod. “I figured,” She decided to quickly change the subject. “I just realized something. When we defeat Clair, we’ll have all eight badges.”

“I know, right?” Perrine exclaimed, the realization quickly dawning on her right then. One more badge, and she could participate in the Pokemon League. “I still can’t believe it’s really happening! Oh!” She turned back to Julia. “Are you gonna sign up? For the League, I mean.”

“No. I’ve never been interested in Pokemon battle competitions.”

On one hand, Perrine thought Julia was missing out on a big opportunity. It wasn’t every day that a trainer defeated eight gym leaders and won eight badges. Only a few trainers all over the world got the chance to be in the Pokemon League, so having eight badges and not participating seemed a waste. On the other hand, Perrine understood Julia’s reasons. Unlike her, Julia was never a big fan of battling, especially not for the sake of fame, glory, and the thrill of the competition. Plus, she figured the noise from the crowds would be too much for her. If she didn’t want to participate, then that was fine with her.

“But I’ll definitely cheer you and Caiseal on!” Julia added. “Just because I’m not a big fan of crowds and noise doesn’t mean I won’t be there for you guys!”

Perrine smiled. “You don’t need to if you don’t want to. You can watch the battles on TV or inside a lobby,” She suggested. “Whether you’re in the audience or not, I know you believe in me and Caiseal.”

All Julia could do was smile in that moment, as she was speechless. She couldn’t believe Perrine was being so sweet and understanding with her. Where had Perrine been all her life? Sure, they had been friends for several months, but she never could get used to how serenely patient she was.

“Squirt!”

Too bad a choked noise pulled Julia out of her reverie. “What was that?” Perrine asked.

Julia turned around and immediately saw the source of the noise. “Look!” She pointed to some bushes nearby.

Apparently they had company. Sitting in front of a confused Hikaru and Saoirse was a blue turtle Pokemon. Its tail was curled at the end, and its red eyes gleamed with delight as it waved its stubby arms in front of its new Pokemon friends. Taking up most of its body was a shell, brown on the top, and pale yellow on the bottom. The girls’ jaws dropped. They recognized the Pokemon immediately.

“Whoa! Is that a Squirtle?!” Perrine yelped. “Where’d it come from?”

“It’s soooooo cuuuute!!” Julia cooed right out loud, unable to take her eyes off of their unexpected guest.

Perrine pulled her PokeDex out to examine it.

“Squirtle, the tiny turtle Pokemon,” Hooray, another accurate PokeDex classification. “This friendly, docile Pokemon withdraws into its shell if it’s in danger, but they will attack when the need arises, such as if it cannot escape imminent danger. When Squirtle are born, their shell is soft and slimy, taking about a month or so to harden after hatching. When it’s shell hardens, it’s so resilient that prodding fingers will bounce off of it. While Squirtle’s shell is used for protection, it’s round shape and the grooves on its surface help minimize water resistance, allowing it to swim at high speeds. Squirtle are very popular for their gentle, amiable personalities, especially among children. Because of this, they are frequently used in various therapies aimed to help abused and exploited children.” A male sign appeared in the corner of the PokeDex screen.

“Squirtle squirtle!” This random Squirtle in particular just sat on the grass, laughing alongside Hikaru and Saoirse like they’d been best friends forever. Julia and Perrine walked closer to get a better look.

“Hey girls,” Julia said. “When did this Squirtle show up?”

“Snubbull.” (“Just now. It came from the bush.”)

“Squirt?” Upon hearing the girls’ voices, Squirtle looked up, taking in Julia’s presence. It cocked his head to one side for a brief moment before flashing a big, merry grin. “Squirtle!”

“He wants to play,” Julia translated.

The Pokemon wasted no time getting back to running around and playing tag, this time with Squirtle among them. Still, how exactly this Squirtle even wandered into their spot was still beyond them. Did it wander away from its trainer? Squirtle didn’t seem upset or frightened. Was it a wild one? Last they checked, Squirtle weren’t commonly found in the wild in Johto. Julia wanted to ask Squirtle where his trainer was, but he was wrapped up in playing with Hikaru and Saoirse, so happy and jovial. She thought it’d be rude to interrupt their playing, especially when they were having so much fun right now.

It didn’t take long for the answer to appear. “Squirtle! There you are!”

Julia tensed up. Out from the bushes came none other than Aldric. He walked over to Squirtle and picked him up. “Man, I’ve told you a million times not to wander off while you’re out of your PokeBall!” He scolded the tiny turtle.

Not fazed by the well meaning scolding in any way, Squirtle simply laughed and pointed to the Pokemon. “Squirtle squirtle!”

So Squirtle was Aldric’s Pokemon. Julia immediately hid behind Perrine, right as Aldric saw them. “Oh! You’re the kids from before!” He exclaimed, his amber eyes bright. Just as quickly, his expression softened. “Hey, uh...Julia. Right?”

What was he doing here? Julia mentally prepared himself for in case he might do something weird. Was he going to scream and yell again? This time, she wasn’t going to let this guy walk all over her.

“I want to apologize for earlier.”

“Huh?” Where did that come from? The girls exchanged confused looks. Gradually, Julia’s body relaxed.

Aldric ran a hand through his flaming red hair. “Listen...I’m sorry for freakin’ out at you earlier. I admit, I got waaaaay too excited when I saw you,” He explained, his voice calm for once. “Your friends told us about what happened, and I should have been more considerate and respected your boundaries. You didn’t deserve to have me yellin’ in your face and shakin’ your hands all fast like that. So...yeah. I’m sorry.”

Julia sure didn’t expect this. She was so sure he’d start yelling and screaming again, or claim that it was her own fault for some stupid reason, like not minding her manners or not telling him off more politely. It helped that she didn’t hear any callousness or trickery in his voice, like she heard in some of her female classmates in school. He didn’t try to make it out to be her fault, nor did he dismiss it like it was no big deal. He actually acknowledged his error! That told her that he meant what he said. Slowly, she walked out from behind Perrine, still bashful in his presence, but better than before.

“It’s okay. I’m not mad anymore,” Julia replied sheepishly. Any anger she had earlier had dissipated, so she no longer held any resentment towards him. “I’m sorry for interrupting your band practice.”

“That? Naw, don’t worry about it,” Aldric said, waving his hand dismissively. “It’s all good! Although...I am curious,” He raised an eyebrow. “Why exactly did you approach me and my band to begin with? You a fan of ours?”

“Huh? No. I’ve never heard of you guys before now.”

“Seriously?!” Aldric yelled, flabbergasted. “You’ve never heard of the Dark Nightwingz?!”

“Not until just last night,” Perrine replied.

After a brief pause, Aldric scratched his hair again. “Eh...I guess I’m not surprised. We’re still kinda new to the music scene, so I guess it makes sense that you never heard of us.”

Julia steeled herself. Now was the time to come clean. “Umm...sir! I...I overheard you say that you’re...you’re autistic. Is that true?!” She found herself yelling that last part without meaning to. At this point, she had to know. Was it true or not?

Perrine could only raise a quizzical eyebrow. “I don’t think that’s the kind of thing you should ask someone direct--”

“Yeah, I’m autistic.”

This time, the girls could only stare at him in shock. He just answered her question so casually, like it was no big deal. But to Julia, it was a big deal. “Really?! You are?!” She exclaimed.

“Of course! Everybody knows it,” Aldric explained, counting on his fingers. “My bandmates, our manager, our fans, my fan club...it’s not some big secret.”

If Julia had been told he was secretly a legendary Pokemon in a human form, she would not have been more astonished--better yet, absolutely ecstatic--in all her eleven years of living. Aldric really was autistic! She had actually met another autistic person in real life! Ever since she had learned of her diagnosis, she had always wanted to meet someone similar to herself. But as far as she knew, nobody in any of her classes was autistic, and she was always shunned for...well, being weird. Having always craved friendship, she would have been fine if anyone had liked her. For a while, she had thought meeting someone similar to herself was a mere pipe dream, never to be fulfilled, and yet...here was another autistic person standing right in front of her! In that magical moment, any thought of the incident was forgiven and forgotten, like it had never happened in the first place. Her eyes shone bright and her smile was so big, her cheeks hurt, but she didn’t care. Right now, it was like she had received a gift from heaven.

She threw herself on him, wrapping her arms around him as though she had reunited with a long lost lover. “EEEEEEE!!” She screeched, unable to contain her overwhelming happiness any longer. Perrine and Aldric’s jaws dropped. “Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!! I’ve always wanted to meet another autistic person who was like me but I never did! You’re the first one I’ve met in my whole entire life!!” She finally confessed.

“Wait, what?” Aldric just stared down at her, completely thrown off. “Are you serious?”

Julia gave a passionate nod.

“Oh, come on! That can’t be right!” He shot back, unconvinced. “You had to have met at least one or two autistic people before me! Last I checked, one in every 66 people are diagnosed every year!”

Julia shook her head. “I really haven’t, I swear.”

Aldric gave a smirk. “You probably have and just don’t know it. It’s more common than you think.”

“Uhh, Jule?” Perrine said. “I think you can let go of him now.”

“Oh!” Realizing she was still hugging him, she let go and backed off. “Sorry!”

“Hey Aldric!” Just then, the rest of the band walked into the clearing from the other side of the bushes, regrouping with Aldric. The black haired man from earlier, Ben, crossed his arms. “You find Squirtle yet? Oh…” He immediately scrutinized the two girls. “It’s you two again.”

“Yeah, found’em,” Aldric replied. “He just wandered off, that’s all. Back into the ball with you!” Afterward, he put Squirtle back in his PokeBall, if only to make sure he didn’t wander off again. Turning back to the girls, he said. “Sorry if he bothered you or anything. He’s still a baby and is still learnin’ a bunch of stuff.”

So that was what happened. Squirtle had simply wandered off. The girls figured that was the case. Julia shook her head. “It’s fine! He was playing with my Pokemon here, so he wasn’t any trouble at all!” She explained, more cheerfully this time.

“That’s good to hear,” The tall man with the blonde ponytail said. “I don’t think we’ve introduced ourselves, have we? I’m Enzo Zunino, the bassist for the Dark Nightwingz.”

Aldric used his thumb to point to himself. Flashing a mischievous grin, he announced, “I’m Aldric Everhart, lead singer, lyricist, and guitarist!”

“The name’s Benoit Daniau,” Ben said a little tersely. “I play the drums. You can call me Ben.”

Unlike the rest of his bandmates, the younger man with the short, blonde hair didn’t speak. Paying this no mind, Aldric wrapped an arm around him. “And last but not least, this here’s Gervasius Hughes, keyboardist, pianist, and everything else! We call him Little G for short.”

Gervasius waved his hand at them without a word. Julia sheepishly waved back, happy that he didn’t try to shake her hand.

“Do you talk?” Perrine asked.

“He can,” Ben chimed in. “He prefers not to.”

Gervasius nodded in agreement.

“Anyway,” Enzo said, brushing some hair out from his face. “We just finished up our practice here, so you won’t hear any music blasting from our amps any time soon. By the way...we are curious, what exactly are you kids doing here?” Enzo’s voice was suave and silky, and he had a kind, mature air about him.

“It wasn’t to chase after you guys, in case you were wondering,” Perrine clarified, shaking her hands back and forth to ease any tension lingering in the air. “We were just trying to get some training in for when we battle the gym leader. When she comes back, that is,” She added quickly.

“Oh?” Ben’s eyebrows flew up, and he put a hand on one of his hips. “You kids’re trainers? So are we!”

Considering that Aldric had a Squirtle, Julia wasn’t surprised. She could see some PokeBalls on Aldric’s and Ben’s belts. She was sure Enzo and Gervasius had Pokemon, too, though she had no way of confirming it solely based on sight. Hikaru had crawled back on her shoulder by this point, and Saoirse was standing by her leg.

“You know…!” Aldric exclaimed, clapping his hands together once. “We have some time on our hands before we move on to our next gig! What do one of you kids say to a battle with me?”

The girls exchanged looks. A battle? With the lead singer of a boy band? They did have some time on their hands and wanted to get some training in. Why not? Julia raised her hand. “Sure! I’d love to battle you, Mr. Aldric!”

“Pikachu!” Hikaru chirruped, imitating Julia’s gesture.

Aldric flashed a confident smirk and pushed his fist into his palm. Perrine shivered. She was sure she could see flames dancing all over the man. “I should warn you, little girl,” Aldric’s voice lowered into a faux growl. Julia could tell he was just doing it for dramatic effect. “By daring to challenge me, the great, ever burning Crimson Flame of the Dark Nightwingz, you’re setting yourself up to get your soul erased!” Then, he pointed his index finger right at her with melodramatic flourish, now shouting at the top of his lungs. “I’ll reduce you to cinders with the red hot flames of my burning soul!!”

“Whaaaaaa?” Just then, Caiseal had arrived on the scene, completely stupefied. “The heck did I just walk into?”

***

Perrine explained everything to Caiseal when he arrived. Shortly after, Julia and Aldric found themselves on opposite sides of the clearing. Perrine, Caiseal, Ben, and Gervasius sat on the grass nearby, and Enzo offered to be the referee. Julia had to admit, this was the first time she had battled an adult man. Most of the trainers she battled were kids her own age, with some of them being in their mid-teens at the oldest. Yet here she was, battling an adult man--scratch that, an autistic man. Someone who was just like her. As happy as she was that she had met someone similar to herself, she knew better than to let personal feelings cloud her judgment. This was a battle, and she needed to focus. Plus, she knew this battle wasn’t going to be easy. He was likely to have been a trainer for far longer than she, and had more experience under his belt.

But she accepted his challenge, and there was no going back now.

“Take your positions, trainers!” Enzo announced in the most authoritative voice he could muster. “This will be a one-on-one match, so each trainer is only limited to one Pokemon only! Whoever is left standing is the winner!”

One on one...Julia was fine with that. She had fought one on one battles before.

Aldric wasted no time sending out his Pokemon. “Houndour! Unleash your black flames of everlasting darkness!!”

A black, canine Pokemon materialized from the PokeBall, its muzzle and underbelly red like fire. Its dark eyes gleamed with determination, even with the white, skull-like object on its forehead. White bands wrapped around each of its ankles, and two rib-like cages curled over its back. As soon as Houndour stole a glance at its opponent, it let out a low, eerie growl.

“I’ve never seen a Houndour in person before now,” Caiseal mused as Perrine pulled out her PokeDex.

“Houndour, the dark Pokemon. Houndour are very skilled hunters, always operating in a coordinated pack. They communicate with each other using a variety of cries to convey their feelings or corner their prey. This Pokémon's remarkable teamwork is unparalleled. Their barks are also used to give away their locations if far away or in the midst of hunting prey. When dawn breaks, you can hear Houndour’s howls echoing in the area, which is their announcing that you’re on their territory. If captured, they are very loyal to their trainers and will always obey their orders depending on the situation.”

“You’d best not underestimate Aldric,” Ben told the kids, watching his bandmate with interest. “He may be an obnoxious goofball, but he’s a skilled trainer, and much smarter than he lets on.”

Houndour was a fire type. That much Julia knew. On one hand, she wished she still had Aqua with her. She could take Houndour down easily. On the other hand, she did have a few Pokemon who could still take it on, even without an obvious type advantage.

“Alright! I choose--”

Before she could pick, one of her PokeBalls opened on its own. Out came Tsubasa, who announced her entrance with outstretched wings and a loud trill.

“Ugh!” Julia facepalmed. “Tsubasa!! Seriously?!”

“Pijooooo!” (“I’m battling right now, whether you like it or not!”) Tsubasa shot back.

Knowing she wasn’t going to relent--Tsubasa being as stubborn as she was--Julia figured she’d best let Tsubasa fight. For what it was worth, Tsubasa hadn’t battled in a while, so maybe this would be a good thing. Julia smiled. “Okay. You can battle, girl.”

Tsubasa let out a victorious squawk before staring right at her opponent. As far as Tsubasa was concerned, this battle was going to be a piece of cake.

“Ready?” Enzo held both arms out. “Begin!”

“Houndour! Use Headbutt!” Aldric ordered.

Houndour lowered its head before charging right at the bird, full speed ahead.

“Dodge and use Wing Attack!” Julia commanded.

With a single flap of her wings, Tsubasa flew upward, allowing Houndour to plow right past her. Then, her wings glowed pure white as she descended downward, throwing herself right into the dark Pokemon. She only managed to push Houndour across the field, and the force of the attack wasn’t enough to knock it right out.

“Headbutt again, then Smog!!”

Houndour pushed its head right into Tsubasa’s sending it rolling across the grass. Before the bird could get up, Houndour opened its mouth and spat out a cloud of ghastly purple smoke. Tsubasa was able to cover her beak before the purple cloud reached her, so she wasn’t able to inhale it. Julia clenched her teeth. Smog could poison a Pokemon sometimes. No way was she going to let that happen, though she did have antidotes just in case.

“Blow it away, then use Quick Attack!” Julia yelled. Tsubasa flapped her wings to force the Smog out, then charged right through it. This time, she managed to hit Houndour right on its side. Not enough to knock it out completely, but she did manage to send it back at least a few feet.

“Come on, boy!” Aldric shouted. “You can do it! Use Flamethrower!”

With a piercing roar, a stream of flames spilled out from Houndour’s mouth. Tsubasa was quick to dodge, flying all around the flames in another attempt to charge at it. She had to admit, Aldric’s Houndour was strong, especially in terms of its endurance. That didn’t mean Tsubasa wasn’t strong in her own way.

“Wing Attack again!”

Pure white shone from Tsubasa’s wings as she charged right toward the dark Pokemon, gaining speed the lower she descended. She was going to beat this cocky canine Pokemon no matter what! But neither Julia nor Tsubasa saw Aldric smirk.

“Catch it with Crunch!”

Houndour leaped onto Tsubasa’s wing and bit down on it hard. Searing pain shot through her wing in that moment, and Tsubasa yowled when she and Houndour hit the ground. Both Caiseal and Perrine stood up in their shock. Houndour managed to subdue Tsubasa without even trying! Even Julia couldn’t stifle a gasp. Tsubasa writhed and struggled against Houndour’s teeth, but every movement sent shock waves throughout her wing. What could she do? How could Tsubasa get out from Houndour’s maw? Those teeth were sharp, and from the way Tsubasa was howling and squawking, they must have hurt. She wondered if they felt like a bird’s talons if they dug into someone’s skin.

Wait a minute...talons...that’s it!

“Tsubasa! Scratch it with your talons!” Julia cried out.

Knowing what she was up to, Tsubasa threw her talons into Houndour’s face and scraped them across his muzzle. The force of the scratches finally made Houndour release Tsubasa. Her wing still hurt, but she was back in the air in no time at all.

“You ain’t gonna take my buddy down that easily!!” Aldric yelled, balling his hand into a fist. “Use Flamethrower, boy!”

“Hurry and use Twister!”

Another stream of flames hurled towards Tsubasa in a blaze of heat. Tsubasa nimbly dodged the fiery blast, spinning all around Houndour. Gradually, her spinning generated a gusty tornado that sent wind blowing all over the place. Houndour found itself being lifted off the ground, its feet no longer touching the grass. Flashes and wind battered the dark Pokemon in all directions. Everyone watched the tornado in awe, even Ben, Gervasius, and Enzo.

“You go, Tsubasa!” Perrine cheered, throwing a fist in the air. “Beat that Houndour!”

“Keep it up! Don’t give in!” Caiseal added with just as much vigor.

“Aldric! Do something!” Ben shouted, paying no attention to the kids sitting beside him. Gervasius continued to stare at the twister with an insouciant look on his face, like it didn’t faze him one bit.

“Ha! I’m just gettin’ started!” Aldric snarled. “Houndour! Use Foul Play!”

At one point, Tsubasa flew out from the tornado, speeding right toward Houndour. Then, the dark Pokemon found an opening and headbutted the bird so hard that she couldn’t find any energy to fly. Just as quickly, Houndour pushed its paws onto Tsubasa’s head and beak as they both fell onto the grass. The tornado dissipated, and Tsubasa was pinned to the ground, unable to move. Julia’s hands flew to her mouth. Tsubasa kicked her legs and wings up and down, but Houndour’s body weight kept her pinned, so her movement was restricted. If Julia didn’t think of something soon, Aldric and Houndour were going to win.

But then!

“Pijoooooo!” (“I am NOT going down like this!!”) Tsubasa let out a shrill squawk before letting her wings glow white. In that instant, she threw Houndour off of her back and flew into the air. Julia smiled when Tsubasa danced in the sky. Of course Tsubasa would come through. She was a stubborn Pidgeotto. No way was she going to let this get her down.

Tsubasa flapped her wings once again. That was when it happened. A blade of air cut through the sky, hitting Houndour right in the face, sending it rolling across the grass. Everyone’s jaws dropped at the sight. Tsubasa had never used that attack before. When did she learn that? Just now, maybe?

“What was that attack?” Julia asked no one in particular. But from the confident smirk on Tsubasa’s face, she was feeling pretty proud.

“Pidgeotto, the bird Pokemon,” Her PokeDex blared to life, ready to answer her question. “Special attack: Air Slash.”

“Air Slash…” Tsubasa learned a new move. The gears began turning in her head. This was their chance to turn things around! “Tsubasa! Use Air Slash again!”

“You ain’t foolin’ us!” Aldric shouted back. “Houndour! Flamethrower again!”

Tsubasa’s wings generated another blade of air, and another stream of fire spilled from Houndour’s mouth. Both attacks collided, and they were evenly matched, even as Tsubasa kept adding more Air Slashes to the pile. But Houndour held strong and kept firing Flamethrower. Finally, the flames broke through the air blades, heading right toward Tsubasa. She attempted to fly away, but the flames hit her before she could react. Before long, she was trapped in a sea of fire.

Caiseal clenched his fists. “Man! Tsubasa’s done for!”

“Like I said: Don’t underestimate Aldric,” Ben told them.

“Brute force,” Gervasius added. His voice was low, but the kids were able to hear him just fine, though they were too preoccupied with the battle to notice.

“Come on, Tsubasa! You can do it!” Julia tried encouraging her, but her voice took on a pleading tone. This wasn’t good. Even with her new move, Tsubasa was close to losing. They couldn’t give up now! “Try Wing Attack again!”

“Fire Fang this time!! Let your soul burn BRIGHT!!” Aldric barked.

Houndour let out a roar, flames bursting on its sharp teeth. Unafraid, Tsubasa’s wings glowed once more as she descended towards the dark Pokemon. Once they made contact, an explosion of flames spread out over the field. Julia, Aldric, and everyone else shielded themselves with their arms, hoping the rain of embers wouldn’t get on them. For a moment, they heard nothing. Julia was the first to take her arms down and see what happened. Both Tsubasa and Houndour were still standing, even though their bodies were covered with burns and scratches from all of their attacks up to this point. She crossed her fingers, hoping Tsubasa would remain standing.

The girl’s prayers went unanswered. Tsubasa wobbled sideways before finally falling to the ground, unable to continue. Enzo walked closer to get a better look. Her legs and talons trembled, and Tsubasa let out a pained squawk. “Tsubasa the Pidgeotto is unable to battle!” He announced, pointing towards the winner. “The winner is Houndour, and the victory goes to Aldric!”

“YEEEEAAAH!! We did it!!” Aldric cheered, jumping up and down with glee. Houndour only managed to walk over to his trainer and smile, reveling in the victory.

Julia found herself downcast. They lost. In a way, she had seen this coming. Aldric was far more experienced than she was, so of course he would win. His Pokemon were stronger as well. She shrugged. It wasn’t the end of the world. They battled hard and they had fun, which was all that mattered. She walked over to Tsubasa, cradling the tired bird in her arms.

“You did great, Tsubasa,” Julia crooned softly, taking care not to make any sudden moves lest she make Tsubasa howl in pain. She made a mental note to take Tsubasa to the Pokemon Center after this. “I’m proud of you.”

The same couldn’t be said for Tsubasa herself. She yowled and flapped her wings, determined to keep going. “Pijooooo…!!” (“Noooo!! I’m not done yet!! Lemme at’em!!”)

Not wanting to let Tsubasa have her way, she called her back to her PokeBall.

“Hey, Jule,” Aldric’s voice pulled her out of her reverie. He kneeled down to meet her at eye level, though they both averted each other’s gaze. “That was a great battle. I haven’t had that much fun in a while, and your Pidgeotto’s real strong!”

“Indeed,” Enzo added. Both Aldric and Julia stood up in that moment. “It’s not every day we get to watch a Pokemon battle, what with our tight schedules.”

Ben flashed a thumb’s up. “You should be proud of yourself, kid.”

Even Gervasius flashed a kind, encouraging smile in her direction.

An unfamiliar warmth sprung up in Julia’s heart in that moment. She wasn’t used to receiving this much praise from complete strangers. Did she really deserve all of this, and just from having a battle with the lead vocalist in a band? But she knew it was all genuine, especially from Aldric himself. It was like she had truly gotten to know him just from the battle in and of itself. His passion, his determination, his bond with Houndour...it all blazed brightly, like flames in a dark night, and she felt every moment of it. She clutched Tsubasa’s PokeBall in her hand.

“Thanks guys. I really enjoyed spending time with you all,” Julia wished she had a better way of expressing her gratitude. Something simple like that didn’t seem to cut it.

“Look on the bright side,” Perrine chimed in, putting a supportive hand on Julia’s shoulder. “Tsubasa learned a new move, and she might just be ready to face the gym leader! So you got a little training in!”

Julia nodded in agreement. “I guess you’re right.”

From then on, the kids and the Dark Nightwingz just hung out for about a few hours until it was time for them to get back to their van. They needed to prepare for their next gig, after all. They were going to leave first thing tomorrow morning, so they had to get ready and quick. The kids returned to the PMC, got Tsubasa healed, and did some more training before the day ended.

***

When the sun was high in the sky, the kids met back up with the Dark Nightwingz. They found their van right near the PokeMart, and the window was open, so the guys were able to talk with them.

“So where are you guys going next?” Caiseal asked.

“We’re heading to Kanto,” Enzo answered kindly. “We’re on tour right now, and we have a concert in Viridian City in a few weeks, so we have to get back on the road.”

Aldric stuck his hands out from the window. “Yeah! It’s our job to convert people to the dark side!” He exclaimed, happily waving his hands back and forth.

“Dude. Save the dramatics for the big show,” Ben chastised him tersely.

“Awww. I’m sad you guys are leaving,” Julia said. She had only known them for a day, but she had wanted to talk with Aldric more. It wasn’t every day she met another autistic person, and she had so many questions she wanted to ask him. She wondered if it was possible for them to be friends. Could an eleven-year-old girl and an adult man be friends? “I hope we see you again.”

“You will! Don’t worry!” Aldric reassured. “You’ll be hearing our glorious melodies all over the airwaves soon enough! Oh! We do have a present for you!”

Gervasius pulled out three CDs, handing them to the trio. The kids each took one, and it showed the Dark Nightwingz in all black clothes, posing against a crimson red background with black feathers falling all around them. The album was titled Crimson Despair.

“Since you’ve all been such good sports, you all get free copies of our latest single!” Aldric told them, jovial and cheery.

“We don’t do this often, so this is the only time you’ll get any freebies from us,” Ben retorted, crossing his arms.

The CD was light in Julia’s hands. It was just a CD as far as she could see, but it was a gift from someone similar to herself. She held it close to her heart, intent to cherish this CD for all time. For all she knew, she might not like their music, or maybe she would. She wasn’t normally into heavy metal or rock music, but she decided to give it a listen on her own time.

“Thanks so much, guys,” Julia told them, her voice barely above a whisper, but full of gratitude.

The van slowly pulled away. All four members of the Dark Nightwingz stuck their hands out the window, waving goodbye as the van grew smaller in the distance. “See yaaaaaa!!” Aldric cried out one last time, putting every ounce of passion in his voice before the van turned the corner, disappearing entirely.

Just like that, the kids were all alone. “So...what do you guys want to do now?” Perrine asked.

“I already checked the gym and it’s still closed,” Julia answered. “So that’s still a no-go.”

Caiseal raised his hand. “Actually...if you guys don’t mind, do you want to come over to my house?” He suggested sheepishly, scratching his cheek with one finger. “My neighborhood is close by, and my adopted parents are expecting to see me, so…we can kill some time that way. How’s that?”

He didn’t need to do much convincing on his part. Perrine and Julia exchanged looks and smiled before turning back towards Caiseal. “I think that’s a great idea!” Julia exclaimed.

“I say we leave right away!” Perrine pointed towards the road leading to the suburban part of Blackthorn City with melodramatic flourish. “Onward!!”

***

A/N: Jeez, this chapter took much longer to write than I thought. Well, it’s finally finished, and the next few should be smooth sailing from here! Here’s a light-hearted filler chapter to take a break from all the seriousness the previous chapters offered. Also, I have some wonderful news: I HAVE A NEW JOB!! I work as a part-time processing associate at my local HomeGoods store! It doesn’t pay as well as Lowe’s, and I don’t work as many hours, but that’s okay! If I put in enough time and work, I might be able to stay there permanently! I’m gonna make the best of it! Oh, and I’m learning how to drive now. Yay for adulting! But I’m still gonna write, because it makes me happy and makes you guys happy, so look forward to more! Speaking of, more Caiseal chapters coming up! Finally, I can work on those, and hopefully they won’t take as long to write! I really need to get my writing mojo back.

Spoiler: Pokemon Parties

Julia’s Party:

Hikaru (Shiny Pikachu, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thunderbolt, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle

Tsubasa (Pidgeotto, Female, Naughty Nature)
Ability: Keen Eye
Attacks: Quick Attack, Twister, Air Slash, and Feather Dance

Tokiko (Togetic, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Serene Grace
Attacks: Extrasensory, Headbutt, Dazzling Gleam, Ancient Power

Saoirse (Snubbull, Female, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Intimidate
Attacks: Ice Fang, Bite, Fire Fang, and Scary Face

Blossom (Bellossom, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Stun Spore, Giga Drain, Petal Blizzard, and Acid

Twilight (Ponyta, Female, Lonely Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Flame Wheel, Solar Beam, Hypnosis, and Stomp

Perrine’s Party:

Kitsune (Ninetales, Female, Quiet Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Heat Wave, Extrasensory, Confuse Ray, and Faint Attack

Florian (Meganium, Male, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Overgrow
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Vine Whip, Body Slam, and Grassy Terrain

Baloo (Jigglypuff, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Cute Charm
Attacks: Hyper Voice, Wake-Up Slap, Disarming Voice, and Body Slam

Mushi (Paras, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Effect Spore
Attacks: X-Scissor, Stun Spore, Growth, and Giga Drain

Fuwari (Skiploom, Female, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Leaf Guard
Attacks: Bounce, Giga Drain, Fairy Wind, and Energy Ball

Chirin (Ampharos, Male, Adamant Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Discharge, Cotton Guard, Power Gem, Signal Beam

Caiseal’s Party:

Mallow (Marowak, Male, Lax Nature)
Ability: Lightning Rod
Attacks: Bonemerang, Bone Rush, Headbutt, and Rock Smash

Apollo (Typhlosion, Male, Bold Nature)
Ability: Blaze
Attacks: Flamethrower, Flame Charge, Rollout, and Smokescreen

Viole (Vileplume, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Sludge Bomb, Sleep Powder, and Sweet Scent

Ravenclaw (Murkrow, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Super Luck
Attacks: Wing Attack, Steel Wing, Dark Pulse, and Roost

Heracles (Heracross, Male, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Moxie
Attacks: Brick Break, Megahorn, Aerial Ace, and Endure

Flippy (Quagsire, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Damp
Attacks: Water Pulse, Mud Bomb, Ice Beam, and Slam

 

[Robert Ketchum]

You're learning how to drive? Wow. Im in college and I have to be driven there and taken back home by my mom. My problem is that Im not sure if I even want to learn how to drive. I mean do you even see how some of the people on the road are? One time, a car was pulling into the lane my dad was driving on... while being beside my dads truck. He honked his horn and that driver only stopped for like, a second before continuing to go into the same lane my dad was in. My dad had to drive on the grass for at least 5 seconds just to prevent a crash. Now that's some scary stuff when driving.

 

[Juliko]

Bonus chapter 3: Violet Seeks The Truth

All her life, Violet Brownstone thought her big brother Caiseal was the best brother in the whole wide world.

He wasn’t a superhero by any means, but if Violet had anything to say about it, she’d say that he was definitely one, even if he didn’t have superpowers. Sure, like normal siblings, they had their squabbles, but for the most part, they were extremely rare. In Violet’s eyes, he was just a cool big brother. He would show his little sister his books on Pokemon, teaching her how to say their names, their type advantages and weaknesses, their natural habitats, etc. He’d help Violet with her homework every day, even on subjects they both hated, sit on the couch and watch TV together, and play whatever games in the backyard they could think of. Pretend sword fighting was a particular favorite. Six-year-old Violet and nine-year-old Caiseal would wear cardboard boxes on their bodies and whap each other with blow-up swords. Good times.

Her earliest memory was when she was three years old. Using her chubby hands, Violet stacked block after block onto a big pile of them, giggling as she watched the tower get bigger and bigger. Caiseal, who was only six at the time, was sitting just three feet away, drawing a picture. Occasionally, Caiseal would turn his head and see if Violet was okay. As a big brother, he had to look after her and make sure she didn’t wander off somewhere or get hurt. But Violet barely paid him any attention. She waddled over to her toy blocks, grabbed another one, and practically slammed it onto the tower.

Of course, that clumsy action resulted in the block tower tumbling to the ground.

The crash pulled Caiseal’s attention away from his picture. “Violet! You okay?” He ran over to his sister, hoping she didn’t hurt herself. He didn’t see any visible injuries, so it was safe to say that she was alright. But Violet’s face scrunched up, and tears pricked out from her eyes.

“My bwocks all fall down go boom…” Her squeaky voice was low and sad. She had put so much work into the block tower, and now it was destroyed.

Knowing what would happen, Caiseal immediately sat down next to her. “It’s okay, Violet! I’ll help you make a new tower! We can make it bigger and better!”

Her desire to cry vanishing, her desolate expression immediately brightened into a hopeful smile. “Really? A new one?”

“Yeah!” Caiseal cheered, gathering some blocks so they could start. “We’ll make it so big it’ll touch the ceiling!”

Touch the ceiling...to a three-year-old, getting something to reach as high as the ceiling was like trying to grasp Heaven itself. But such a lofty goal was good enough for her. She plopped back down on the floor and began stacking blocks onto each other, this time with Caiseal’s help. It didn’t take long for the wobbly block tower to get taller than Violet had originally made it. It reached just a little past Caiseal’s head. It didn’t reach the ceiling, but it was tall enough. Just looking at it made Violet’s eyes sparkle with delight.

“It’s all big!” Violet squealed, clapping her little hands cheerfully.

“If we had more blocks we’d make it even bigger,” Caiseal said, crossing his arms. But he was satisfied with it nonetheless. Violet certainly liked it, so seeing her happy was good enough for him.

He loved Violet, and Violet loved Caiseal.

But she wouldn’t realize until later that she was the only one in the Brownstone family who loved him.

***

One time, when Violet was six years old, she realized something was very, very wrong. It had started off innocently enough. She was running around the house, pretending to be her favorite TV show character, Magical Fancy Amy. She waved a cardboard cylinder around as if it were a magic wand, chanting nonsense words and flaunting her poofy pink tutu as she ran through the halls.

“I’m gonna purify your evil heart!” Violet shouted at the top of her lungs. Nobody was there to listen, but she didn’t care. She was lost in dreamland, and too happy to keep on pretending she was Fancy Amy. “Super Magical Lovebeam!” She waved the cardboard cylinder all around, pretending she was shooting light beams at evil monsters. She was so absorbed in her whimsical fancies that she stopped paying attention to what was around her.

She accidentally bumped into a small table. “Ow!” Violet felt the impact, and a jolt ran through her hip. Her eyes shut from the pain, but a crashing sound pulled her out from her mind. She turned around. Pale blue shards scattered all over the floor, with some right near her feet. Violet’s blood ran cold. Oh no! She had knocked over her mother’s new vase! Any joy she had conjured up had been knocked right out of her. Her mother had bought that vase just two weeks ago, and from what Violet heard, it had cost a lot of money. Now it was broken, and it was all her fault! What could she do?

“Violet?!” Caiseal came running into the hall, right up to Violet, looking over her. “What happened? Are you okay?” He asked, gently moving her away from the shards. “Don’t go near those. They’re really sharp.”

Unable to take it anymore, Violet hid her face with her hands and cried. “I’m sorry, Caiseal! I didn’t mean to break it!” She wailed, not even bothering to wipe away the tears that cascaded down her red cheeks. She was so sure Caiseal would get mad at her. Her parents always got mad at Caiseal when he did something bad. The last thing she wanted was to get yelled at.

Instead, Caiseal flashed a sympathetic smile. “It’s okay, Violet. I know it was an accident,” He told her reassuringly, in a soft, caring voice. “But you do have to be more careful, even when you’re playing pretend.”

Wordlessly, Violet nodded. She was definitely going to be more careful from now on.

Unfortunately for them, the happy moment was put to an abrupt end.

“What in the world was that?!” Their mother came running into the hall, blonde hair defying gravity in every direction. She stopped to observe the damage, and her eyes suddenly blazed bright. Knowing what was going to happen, Violet braced herself, squeezing her eyes shut and holding the cardboard cylinder up as if it were a shield. She was sure her mother would yell and ask, “Who did this?!” Oddly enough, her mother didn’t. Instead, she glowered right at Caiseal, not wasting any time in accusing him of the act in question.

“Caiseal! I don’t believe this!! What is wrong with you?!” She screamed.

Violet looked up. Why was she yelling at him? He didn’t break her vase, Violet did. Didn’t she hear them talking just now? But her mother just kept going.

“I go out of my way to put food on the table and a roof over your head, and you straight up break my vase?!”

“Mom, it was an accident--” Caiseal tried to reason with her, but she wasn’t having any of it.

“I don’t want to hear your excuses, you dumb brat!!” Their mother just kept on yelling, her voice almost bordering on hoarse and animalistic. “I spent $200 on that vase and you had to go and break it!! Do you enjoy making my life miserable?!”

Violet shrunk the more she heard her mother yell. She couldn’t understand why she was yelling at him. He hadn’t done anything wrong. She could see his eyebrows furrow in frustration, and he kept facing the floor with a sad, abject look on his face. He didn’t deserve to get yelled at like that. It was then that she remembered something one of her teachers in kindergarten had told her: If you’ve done something bad, it’s better to tell the truth than to lie about it. Caiseal didn’t do anything, but their mother was yelling at him, treating him like some kind of troublemaker. Clenching her fists tightly, Violet plucked up her courage.

“Mommy, stop!” She finally cried out. “It’s not his fault! I broke your vase!” There, she said it. For a moment, everyone was silent, even her mother. But Violet wasn’t done yet. “It really was an accident! I was playing and I hit it and it fell and broke! I’ll clean it up, I promise!” Violet finally confessed. Maybe now her mother would stop yelling at Caiseal. Sure, Violet knew she’d probably get scolded, but better her than Caiseal. She was the one who broke the vase, so it seemed fair. Right?

Unfortunately, Violet’s confession did nothing. Their red-faced mother glowered right back at Caiseal, continuing her vitriolic tirade. “You must have put her up to this! Do you have any idea what you’re doing?! You’re setting a poor example for Violet!” Her tone of voice didn’t change, and her eyes were still blazing red hot with anger. “Do you honestly think you can just do whatever you want, ruining my life and wrecking my things?!”

The little girl couldn’t believe what was happening. She admitted to doing something wrong, and she was still yelling at Caiseal! Why didn’t telling the truth work? But more than that, why was she so intent on blaming Caiseal for the whole thing? This didn’t make any sense at all. Wait...now that she thought about it, she had seen her mother yell at him before. In fact, that was all she ever did when it came to Caiseal. But why? She couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

In time, the vase incident was forgotten, but her mother’s treatment of Caiseal didn’t change much. She noticed more and more that her mother seemed to have something against Caiseal, but couldn’t put her finger on what. Whenever they would go out, their mother refused to even speak to him or acknowledge him in public. On birthdays or holidays, Violet received everything she wanted in huge piles, and Caiseal didn’t get a thing. No birthday presents or Christmas presents under the tree. This one was particularly confusing. Shouldn’t everyone in the family get presents?

She had asked her father about this during one of the rare times he was home. “Daddy? Why doesn’t Caiseal get any birthday or Christmas presents?”

The only response she got was, “Don’t worry too much about it.”

She asked her mother the same question. She simply smiled and said, “It’s complicated, sweetie. Don’t worry too much about it. Why don’t you try on the new dress I got you? Isn’t it lovely?”

Not very satisfying answers. In fact, that just made her think about it even more. What did Caiseal do to deserve not getting any birthday or Christmas presents? This just didn’t seem right.

That Christmas, Violet woke up early in the morning, turned on the lights, and worked tirelessly on drawing a picture. She knew she wasn’t the best artist, but Caiseal liked anything she drew for him. This one was going to be special. She drew a crayon picture of herself and Caiseal standing in the grass, smiling under a blue sky and sunshine. Next to them were two Pokemon, whom Violet labeled Teddiursa and Cyndaquil. Caiseal had mentioned once that Cyndaquil was his favorite Pokemon, and the one he’d pick if he became a Pokemon trainer someday. After about an hour, her drawing was done! Sure, it was just crayon scribbles, but as far as Violet was concerned, she didn’t care how good or bad it was.

When Caiseal woke up, bleary-eyed and dressed in his favorite T-shirt and camo pajama pants, she raced right up to him, drawing in hand. “Merry Christmas, Cash!”

“Huh? Violet? Wha…?” He looked down, seeing the drawing she labored over. Taking it in his hands, he took a good, long look at it.

“It’s your Christmas present!” Violet told him straight out.

This wasn’t the first time she had given him drawings. But upon realizing he never got any birthday or Christmas presents, why couldn’t drawings suffice? She wished she had some money to actually buy him something, but she didn’t have any, so drawings had to do. Caiseal’s hands trembled as he clutched the drawing in his hand. Violet’s smile turned into a frown when she saw tears streaming down his face. Why was he crying?

“Don’t you like it?” Violet asked. Wasn’t he supposed to be happy to receive a present?

Instead of answering right off, Caiseal wrapped his arms around his little sister. “Of course I like it. I love it. Thanks, Vi. You’re the best little sister ever,” He told her through his sobs, unable to keep his voice steady. Violet returned the gesture by rubbing his back with one hand. She realized right there that not being given any Christmas or birthday presents really affected him greatly. From then on, she vowed to always make or give him something on his birthday or holidays. She didn’t see why he didn’t deserve any.

***

On another day, Violet came to another realization. It seemed like her mother loved her more than she did Caiseal.

Violet had always gotten everything she had ever wanted, even when she didn’t ask for it. Pretty dresses. Johto Girl dolls and the cute outfits that came with them. A computer. Stuffed animals. Books. Her mother always bought her stuff, so her room was practically a paradise of toys. Not only that, sometimes Violet would see her mother talking to other adults at school, and all she would talk about was Violet, Violet, Violet.

“My little daughter’s getting prettier every day! I bet she’d win a beauty pageant with her looks!”

“Violet’s just so sweet. Her teachers always tell me she’s a delight to have in class, and I couldn’t be more proud!”

“Just last week, Violet helped me wash the dishes and even raked the leaves, and she really lit up when I gave her five dollars as an allowance!”

As much as she liked that her mother talked about her so much, all the excessive praise she was getting everywhere she went was starting to get a little annoying. She also noticed something else. Not once did her mother ever talk that way about Caiseal, even when he did good things like get good report cards and help with the chores. She couldn’t recall a single time when her mother praised Caiseal for anything. Even when he did what he was asked, like clean his room or do his homework, it was never acknowledged, or if it was, her mother would focus more on finding flaws and yelling at him all the time. One time, she was at a friend’s house, and she watched her friend’s older brother accidentally knock over a glass of milk. She had braced herself to hear their mother yell at the brother, but instead, she just smiled and gently asked him to clean it up. Later on, she had asked her friend’s mother about it.

“How come you didn’t yell at Terrence when he spilled the milk?”

“I knew it was an accident, so there’s no point in getting angry over stuff like that. Why do you ask? Did you...want me to yell at him?”

“No. My mom always yells at my brother when he does stuff, even when it was an accident. She even yells when he doesn’t do anything bad.”

“Really? Does this happen all the time?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I’m not sure why you’d think everyone yells at their kids over trivial stuff like this, because that’s not normal. It’d be one thing if Terrence actually did something bad on purpose. Then I’d scold him. Does your mother yell at your brother a lot?”

“Yeah. She calls him mean names and says he’s worthless and a bad kid. She doesn’t give him birthday or Christmas presents.”

“Oh. That’s not good at all.”

Seeing the worried expressions on the woman’s face told Violet that whatever was happening in her own house wasn’t normal. Other kids didn’t have moms who yelled at them all the time and never gave them birthday and Christmas presents. It also looked like moms loving one kid more than the other wasn’t normal either. The pieces were gradually coming together, and she knew, without trying to work it out in her head, that what her mother was doing was wrong. Did that mean...her mom’s love for her was fake? It was no wonder her mother’s excessive praise for everything Violet did and said started to get annoying. Was it all even real? It did explain a lot, like how her mother never acknowledged Caiseal whenever they went out in public, or why she only talked to him if he did or didn’t do something. She never hit him or anything, but there was hardly a day that went by when Violet didn’t see her mother yell at Caiseal over some perceived slight.

On one occasion, Caiseal was watching a movie he saw on TV. It was about a group of people trying to survive a zombie apocalypse. Caiseal thought it was cool and didn’t freak out at the sight of blood flying everywhere. Violet happened to come in and watched it with him, also thinking it was cool. The zombies looked scary, people actually died, and Violet really wanted to know what happened next. But just as they got to the part where one of the guys was trying to save his sister from falling into a ditch, they heard the door behind them creak open. They turned around, seeing their wide-eyed mother right at the entrance. Glowering at Caiseal, their mother stormed over to the TV, shut it off, and wasted no time going off on a tirade.

“How dare you!” Her mother shouted as soon as the TV was off. “You have the nerve to show Violet these violent movies?! What are you trying to do?!”

“Mom! Wha--?!” Even Caiseal couldn’t fathom what she was so mad about. “I didn’t even know Violet was here, honest! I--”

She paid him no heed. Instead, she just kept on going. “I can’t even say I’m surprised! All you ever do is cause trouble and mess up my life, and now you’re trying to corrupt my darling Violet!”

Violet winced the more she heard her mother yell. What was she talking about? She was making it sound like Caiseal forced her to watch the movie, which she knew wasn’t true. Violet just thought it was cool and wanted to watch, that’s all. She knew it wasn’t real, and she certainly wasn’t going to turn into some psycho just from watching a movie about killer zombies. Caiseal and some of her teachers had taught her all this. Movies weren’t real, and they didn’t make people turn evil. Why was her mother so convinced of the opposite, and that Caiseal was supposedly in on it?

It didn’t stop there. Their mother went on and on, calling him all sorts of mean names, including some Violet knew she wasn’t allowed to repeat. But her heart fell to the pit of her stomach when she saw Caiseal just standing there, taking it all in silence, with tears streaming down his face. Never before had she seen Caiseal so...desolate. Violet’s vision blurred. He didn’t deserve this at all. He hadn’t done anything wrong and she knew it. She just couldn’t understand why her mother was like this. This was just too frustrating. Violet clenched her fists, and closing her eyes didn’t stop the tears. But more than being sad and frustrated, she was straight up livid.

“Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to be outside with you?! The neighbors are always gossiping about me behind their back! Whose fault do you think that is, huh?!”

“STOP!!” Violet shouted at the top of her lungs, hoping she was louder than her mother was in that moment. Both their eyes were on her in that moment, and Violet didn’t care. She was done listening to her mother treat Caiseal like dirt! “Stop yelling at him!! He didn’t do anything!! Why are you always so mean to him?!”

The answer to that question wasn’t given in that moment. With just a grunt, Violet’s mother stopped and left the room, leaving brother and sister alone. A silence hung over them like a heavy fog, and even though their mother was gone for right now, they still felt like garbage. Caiseal flashed a sad smile and put a hand on his sister’s shoulder. She still trembled from the frustration of it all.

“Thanks, Vi.”

Violet nodded.

A second later, their father poked his head in, looking none too pleased. “Kids. Would you please stop yelling? I’m trying to read the newspaper.”

The little girl pressed her teeth together. Where had he been all this time? Anger rushed back into her. Their father had been home this whole time and heard everything, and he couldn’t even be bothered to do anything except scold them? Violet couldn’t believe what was going on.

She was in no way prepared for what would happen next.

***

Four days after the incident, Violet woke up one morning, hoping to find Caiseal...but he was gone.

She looked in his room and saw that everything else was where it should be. All his books and comic books were on the shelf, his skateboard and scooter were by his bead, some of his clothes were strung across the floor, folded higgledy-piggledy in all different directions, and all of the drawings Violet made him were taped to his walls. But no Caiseal himself. Violet looked all around the room, wondering if maybe he was hiding. Where was he? She looked and looked, but there was no sign of him.

“Caiseal?” She looked all around the house. The kitchen, the living room, the basement, the laundry room, the backyard, everywhere she could think of. Still no Caiseal. At breakfast, she asked her parents about it. “Where’s Caiseal?”

Her father, sipping his coffee and reading his newspaper, only said, “Dunno. He’s probably at a friend’s house.”

Violet eyed the clock. It was 7:16 AM. Caiseal at a friend’s house that early in the morning? That didn’t sound right. There was no way he’d go to a friend’s house unless it was much later than that, like eleven or noon. “Mom? Do you know where he is?” She asked.

Instead of answering, her mother simply handed her a big batch of pancakes, smiling sweetly. “Here you go, Vi. I put on extra maple syrup just for you!”

“Where’s Caiseal?” She repeated.

“He’ll be home soon,” Her mother finally replied, her sugary voice unchanging. “Don’t worry.”

But that just made her worry even more.

Violet waited the whole day for him to come back. Surely he had to come home some time! But he didn’t. The day changed to night, and the day became two, three, four days. Caiseal was still gone. Where was he? She knew her parents’ claim that Caiseal went to a friend’s house was a complete lie from the start, but to be gone for four days? Something was wrong. This was confirmed when she saw her mother cleaning out Caiseal’s bedroom. His possessions were being thrown into big black trash bags. Violet was so shocked, she didn’t even have it in her to ask why she was throwing everything away in that moment. His shelves were empty, and his drawers had been cleaned out. When her mother had taken a break, Violet took the chance to go right in. She couldn’t just sit there and let her mother throw everything away!

Much to her relief, the drawings she made for him were untouched. She knew her mother would come back and throw those away as well. Well, she wasn’t going to let that happen. Shr gingerly removed every single drawing from the walls, making sure to remove the tape as well, but not so much that it’d rip the paper in the process, lest she ruin the drawings. She piled them up neatly and hid them under her bed. Nobody ever looked under there, so for now, they’d be safe. Once she was finished with that, she rummaged through some of the open bags and pulled out whatever books, comics, figurines, photos, and sports memorabilia she could salvage. She knew she wouldn’t be able to save everything lest her mother find out, but a few of his things was better than nothing.

Two weeks had passed. No sign of Caiseal anywhere. His room had been completely cleaned out, with no trace of him left behind. Violet found herself afraid. What happened to him? Was he kidnapped? She needed answers, and she needed them NOW. Unable to take it anymore, she marched right into the kitchen, where she found her mother washing the dishes.

“Mom! Where’s Caiseal?” Violet demanded.

“Stop asking about Caiseal,” Her mother replied.

‘Stop asking about Caiseal,’ Those callous, heartless words hung all around Violet, as though they were taunting her. She shook her head. This was not the time to give up. “Why? Why can’t I ask where he is? He’s my brother, and he’s been missing for two weeks and I’m worried about him! Why won’t you tell me where he is?!” Violet’s voice rose several octaves, unsteady with frustration and anger that had amassed in her for a long time. It was a simple question. Why won’t her mother answer? “I’m not leaving until you tell me where he is!”

“I don’t know!”

“Yes you do! You say it’s bad to lie, but I know you’re lying to me!”

All Violet could hear was the sponge squeaking against a china plate. But her mother’s silence spoke volumes.

“Aren’t you worried about him?! Even a little bit?! I want to know where he is!”

“Rrrgh!!” Her mother growled, slamming the plate into the sink. Violet winced upon hearing it shatter in the water. “He’s gone, Violet! He ran away!” She whirled towards Violet and glowered at her, baring her teeth like a hungry Houndoom. “He ran away and doesn’t want to be found! He doesn’t love us, Violet! He never has, and he never will! There! You happy now?!”

No. Violet wasn’t happy. She knew in her heart that her mother was telling her yet another lie. Ran away? Because he doesn’t love the family? Of course that wasn’t true. Caiseal loved Violet. He taught her right from wrong, appreciated her gifts, stood up to the bullies who picked on her, taught her about Pokemon and all of their names and types, and played with her. His love was real, and she knew it. He never turned his back on her. Violet pressed her lips together, determined to keep from saying something she’d regret and risk getting yelled at again. Her mother’s answer was yet another lie. Lie upon lie upon lie piled up. At this point, Violet could tell she wasn’t going to get any real answers from her. Talking to her mother was like talking to a stone wall. She was never going to budge.

“Violet. Just forget about him,” Her mother said, returning to washing the dishes. She gathered the plate shards she broke earlier and threw them in the trash. “It’ll be best for all of us if we do. Besides, you need to get ready for your piano lesson.”

Forget about him? Violet stomped away from the kitchen, face red like a Growlithe’s fur. Her mother seriously wanted her to just forget about him? Just like that? Pretend like he never existed? Violet threw herself onto her bed and screamed into her pillow. It was all too clear: Her parents didn’t care about him at all!

And she hated them for it, even more so when she learned the truth.

***

For months, Violet never stopped thinking about Caiseal. She told her teachers that he was missing and how worried she was about him. They filed missing person reports, and some policemen had talked to her parents, but nothing came of it. Every chance she got, she looked all over for Caiseal. At school, in her yard, around the parts of Route 45 she was allowed to access...like before, she came up empty. She asked anyone she saw if they saw him, and they all said they hadn’t. But Violet was just a little girl, and there wasn’t much else she could do. Eventually, she had to get back to focusing on her life as of right now. But Caiseal always remained on her mind.

The afternoon was calm, and snow was beginning to fall. Grey clouds darkened the skies, even though the clock on Violet’s night stand said it was 2:45 PM. Violet sat on her bed, reading a book on Pokemon. She had been reading a page on the Pokemon named Teddiursa, and it detailed how it liked to hoard large quantities of food before winter. If Violet ever became a Pokemon trainer, she decided she would definitely catch a Teddiursa. It was her favorite Pokemon, and she wanted more than anything to have one as her best friend. Her seventh birthday was coming up, but she needed to be ten years old in order to apply for a trainer license.

She had just closed the book when she heard it.

“Mom? Violet?”

That voice...Violet thought she was hearing things at first. But her door was open, and she heard it. Was someone in the house? Was it...him? She stood up, walking right out of her room. She hadn’t heard that voice in months. But was it really him?

“Hello? It’s me, Caiseal!”

Caiseal...her brother! Caiseal was back?!

“Caiseal?!” Violet couldn’t control herself. She sprinted downstairs at the speed of light, only stopping at the front door when she finally saw two figures in the living room. One was a pretty, dark skinned lady who was well dressed. The other was a young boy with shaggy blonde hair, wearing thick clothes that looked too big for him, including a big orange jacket. But the boy smiled at her, his hazel eyes warm and kind. Violet felt her heart lurch. She knew those eyes and that smile all too well.

It truly was her brother! He really had come back!

“BIG BROTHER!!” Overcome with joy, Violet leaped on him like a stampeding Ponyta, wrapping her arms around him so tight, she didn’t want to let him go ever again. Finally, Violet’s prayers had been answered! Her brother was back! She knew he’d come back, and her parents said it was better to forget about him. She didn’t care that he smelled bad and that his clothes were wet, dirty, and soggy. This was the best early birthday present she could ever ask for. “I thought I’d never see you again! Mom said you ran away and never came back!”

“Well, I’m back and a-okay.”

Violet’s cup of happiness was not only full, but overflowing. Caiseal really was back, and this time, she thought, he was going to stay. She finally released Caiseal from her hug, her blue eyes sparkling with joy.

“I gotta tell Mom about this!” She announced before dashing into the hall.

“Wait, Violet! Don’t--”

She didn’t hear, as she was too lost in her excitement to heed his warnings. She burst right into her mother’s bedroom, not caring that she had only just gotten dressed. “Mom! Mom! Caiseal’s back!” The words spilled from her mouth right as she burst inside. “Isn’t this great?!”

Instead of answering right off, her mother simply sped right past her, sprinting towards the entrance like the house was on fire. Before long, Violet heard noises coming from the living room. Screaming. Objects shattering against the walls. Caiseal and the woman pleading. A door swinging open. What was going on? She ran back to the living room, and it was a mess. Throw pillows and a tissue box scattered all over the floor. Glass shards from one of her mother’s vases made a fragmented puddle on the rug. The door was wide open, allowing the frigid air free passage into the house. She looked outside, seeing her mother’s back and a frightened Caiseal sitting on the snow.

“Mom! Why did you leave me at the Ice Path?!” Caiseal cried. “Why do you hate me so much?! What did I do that was so bad?!”

Her mother did what? Violet’s jaw dropped. Did he say their mother left him at the Ice Path? All the way on the other side of town? But her mother said that he ran away! No, she knew that was a lie. She knew it all along. But leaving him at the Ice Path? Was that what had happened? Everything started coming together in that moment, confirming everything Violet had suspected all along. Her mother really did hate him, going so far as to abandon him in some icy cave full of ferocious Pokemon that would probably hurt him. But why? What had Caiseal done to deserve years of being treated like some monster? Was that why she preferred Violet over him? Tears started to flow, and Violet couldn’t suppress her sobs any longer, not even as she heard her mother’s cruel answer.

“I was...pregnant with twins...but one day I wasn’t! The doctor said...that one fetus...consumed the other.”

Violet didn’t understand what those words meant. All she could hear was her brother’s wails, her mother screaming like a crazed madwoman, and her own wild crying. This was just too much. Nothing made sense, but at the same time, everything made sense, as crazy as it sounded. Everything she heard her mother tell Caiseal just sounded so crazy and farfetched, especially the parts about him being a murderer. But...in her heart, she knew her mother was telling the truth for once. She just knew it. She knew that this was the end of everything. No more Caiseal. No more spending time with her favorite big brother. Everything she thought she knew had all been a complete sham.

And it was all her mother’s fault.

***

The years that followed were a blur in her young mind. Her mother had gone to court a few times, but had come back home. Her father worked less often, so he was around more. Things were slowly getting back to normal...except for one, huge thing. No Caiseal. The police had taken him away, and from what Violet had overheard, he was sent to a foster home. She heard her mother tell some people that they could have Caiseal, like she couldn’t get rid of him fast enough, along with other things she didn’t dare repeat. This time, Caiseal wouldn’t come back. He was gone forever. But her mother’s reason for why she hated him still echoed in the far reaches of her mind. Something about twins and a fetus consuming another. What was a fetus, and what did consume mean?

When she was eight, she went to the internet for answers. She typed in ‘feedus consoom other’ on the search engine, and it corrected her spelling. It was there that she discovered the fateful three words: Vanishing Twin Syndrome. Apparently, the website she found said that sometimes, while twins are in a mother’s womb, one will suddenly stop developing and die for some reason, while the other twin survives. Consume was a big word meaning to eat or absorb, and a fetus was the name for an unborn baby. Violet stared at the webpage, her mind blown. Caiseal was supposed to have a twin and didn’t? Gradually, the pieces came together. It all made sense now! The revelation swept over her like a tidal wave, but it did nothing to appease the simmering anger that swelled in her heart.

She could only come to one conclusion: This was why her mother hated Caiseal so much. Was she convinced Caiseal was some killer out to hurt them? Her tiny hand squeezed the computer mouse tightly, and her knuckles turned white. This was it? All that time, her mother hated her brother over something that wasn’t in anyone’s control? She was only eight, but even she could tell this was just completely unfair. The injustice of it all made her want to explode. Caiseal didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve any of this! She was seeing red. Without knowing she was doing it, she let out a scream, yanking her computer mouse off of the motherboard and threw it with great force. The mouse crashed against the wall, and pieces of it fell to the floor, with the rest of it coming down soon after.

Trembling, she fell to her knees, buried her face in her hands, and sobbed openly, not for herself, but for Caiseal. Her beloved brother who was wronged by the very people who should have loved and protected him no matter what. If her parents were going to yell at her for breaking the mouse, fine. Let them yell at her! She didn’t care anymore. She didn’t care what they thought. It was just a mouse. Stuff like that could be replaced. Caiseal couldn’t. Nothing could ever replace Caiseal in her mind, not even a Pokemon. He wasn’t fake. Everything else in this house was, even her parents’ love for her. Now, she would never see Caiseal again, or at least until they were adults.

The whole thing sucked.

Her mother sucked.

Her father sucked.

Everything sucked.

But she had answers. Real, genuine answers for once. This time, she was going to let her parents know that she wasn’t stupid. No more buying into their lies.

A few weeks after her ninth birthday, she found her mother cutting coupons in the kitchen, preparing to go grocery shopping. “Violet, honey? We’ll be leaving in about an hour, so get yourself ready.”

Violet pressed her mouth into a thin line and clenched her fists. She was prepared. “I’m not going.”

Her mother looked up, meeting her eyes. “What?”

“I don’t want to go. I can stay home by myself for a while,” She kept her voice steady, refusing to show weakness.

A coupon slipped out from her mother’s hand. She stood up straight and a worried look came over her face. “I don’t think you’re quite ready to stay home by yourself yet, Vi,” She told her. “Your father won’t be back until five, and we’ll probably be at the store for about--”

“I can handle staying here for two hours,” Violet asserted. “I’m not a baby, Mom.”

Her mother frowned, and her eyebrows furrowed in frustration. “What’s going on with you, Violet? First you decide you don’t want to take piano lessons anymore, you donated all of the Johto Girl dolls I got you to charity, you’re walking to school all by yourself, and now you suddenly don’t want to go anywhere with me anymore?” She crossed her arms. “Violet, I don’t understand.”

Violet glowered at her mother, her blue eyes blazing with rage. “Actually, I’m the one who doesn’t understand you! You treat me like I’m some kind of royal princess, even when I haven’t done anything to deserve it!”

“I’m your mother!” She exclaimed. “It’s my job to--”

“Oh, like it was your job to treat Caiseal like garbage and throw him away because you hated his whole existence?!”

Neither girl spoke for just a brief moment. “Violet...it had to be done. I had to protect you--”

Protect her? That was her excuse? “Protect me from WHAT?!” She screamed. “My brother? My brother who actually loved me?! Don’t you dare lie to me, Mom! I know why you hated him so much! You hate him because he absorbed his twin while he was in your stomach!!” There, she said it. What was her mother going to say to deny this? Her mother’s jaw dropped, and her daughter’s announcement took her breath away. But Violet didn’t care. She kept going. “He didn’t do it on purpose!! It just happened!! It’s nobody’s fault!! And you have the nerve to say you threw him out to protect me?!” She held her index finger up. “Name one time he hurt me! Name ONE TIME he ever, EVER, hurt me in any way!”

Her mother was silent. To Violet, her silence spoke volumes.

“...I didn’t think so!” She continued her tirade. She wasn’t done yet. “How could you treat your own kid like that?! Caiseal didn’t deserve anything you did to him, and I know you prefer me over him! Parents are supposed to love all their kids, not just one and hate the other over something that’s not their fault!!”

“Violet, we’re not having this conversa--”

“Oh, yes we are!” No way was Violet going to let her mother worm her way out of this one. “You basically erased Caiseal from existence! He’s my brother and I love him, and you took that away from me! Do you have any idea how much you hurt us?!”

Finally, her mother walked right past Violet and went into the next room without another word, leaving Violet all alone. That told the girl all she needed to know. She sat down on a chair and cried into her hands. Her mother was never going to love Caiseal or change her ways. She hated Caiseal with her whole being and didn’t want him back, nor did she even want to acknowledge his existence. Violet hated herself for not having realized this sooner. Talking to her mother was a lost cause. Violet walked back to her room and pulled one of the drawings she made for Caiseal out from her bed. It was the one she made that showed Caiseal, herself, a Cyndaquil, and a Teddiursa. They were all smiling.

Caiseal’s smile flashed in her mind. She clutched the drawing in her hand. That was it! She could become a Pokemon trainer! She could leave the house and find Caiseal all on her own once she turned ten! Caiseal had to know that someone in the Brownstone family still loved him. If not her parents, why not her? They couldn’t tell her who she could and couldn’t love, especially not her own brother. She held the wrinkled drawing close to her chest.

“Big bro…” Her voice was barely above a whisper. Good, since she didn’t want her parents to hear what she had to say. “I promise I’ll never, ever, EVER treat you the way Mom and Dad did. When I become a Pokemon trainer, I’ll find you, and you’ll never be alone again.”

It would be a while before she could try to fulfill it, but it was a promise she intended to keep.

 

[Juliko]

Chapter 50: The Worst Possible Family Reunion

“Ugh! How much longer until we get there?” Perrine groaned, leaning against her seat as she stretched her legs outward.

“It’ll be another few minutes or so,” Caiseal told her. “We’ll be there soon.”

Julia looked out the window in silence, watching as houses raced past them as though they were really moving. They were on the bus heading towards the more suburban part of Blackthorn City, where Caiseal lived, and it was going to take at least forty five minutes to get there by bus. Even from inside the bus, she could tell that this neighborhood was very different from New Bark Town. Her neighborhood was surrounded by lush trees and clear lakes. In contrast, Caiseal’s neighborhood was surrounded by tall mountains, with practically no grass or trees in sight. The ground mostly consisted of hardened dirt and rocks, bright in the early morning sunshine. At one point, she saw two kids sitting on the ground making a little tower entirely out of rocks. Julia wasn’t sure if she could ever live in a place where there wasn’t any grass, trees, or forests.

Finally, the bus stopped. The kids hopped off and found themselves in the middle of suburbia. Perrine held a hand over her eyes as she marveled at the scenery around her. “Wow! It’s beautiful up here!” She exclaimed.

Upon closer inspection, all of the houses were lined up perfectly on the freshly paved streets, though Julia couldn’t help but notice that they were all some very light shade of yellow, brown, or beige, with some white houses here and there. There was some greenery around, such as some round shrubs and single trees, but no grass as far as the eye could see. There were some gardens that had plenty of flowers on them, like red orange pansies and hibiscus. Not only that, the mountains in the distance towered over everything, reaching farther the kids could possibly imagine. Perrine was right. Despite the lack of obvious greenery, it was still beautiful.

“It sure is,” Julia affirmed, glancing at some purple flowers on the sidewalk. “So is this your neighborhood, Caiseal?”

Caiseal nodded. “Yeah. I used to live in this part of it, but my house is another fifteen minutes away from here.”

“Awwwww!” Perrine groaned once more. “We’re still not there? Come on!” Her legs still felt stiff and rigid from sitting in the bus for less than an hour.

“We’re closer than we were before, so let’s go!” Julia reassured. Now that they were outside, they could look at the scenery and linger around a bit, so she didn’t think the extra time was bad.

The kids walked for a short while until Julia’s stomach started growling. It was almost eleven, so they decided to take a break and have an early lunch. Julia let Saoirse out of her PokeBall for some extra company, and the two of them ate peanut butter sandwiches along with bananas and chocolate chip cookies she had packed last night. As Perrine and Caiseal were caught up in another conversation, Julia looked behind herself. A stretch of tall grass was just ten feet away, in an area that didn’t have any houses on it. So there was grass here after all! Just as she finished her cookie, she noticed something brown moving around in the grass. Saoirse heard it as well. The bulldog Pokemon turned around, watching one patch of grass rustle.

Could it be a Pokemon?

Julia stood up. “Guys? I’m gonna go over there real quick and see if there’s any Pokemon I can catch,” She told them before running off. Saoirse trotted shortly afterward, having finished her lunch as well.

“Snubbull snubbull!” (“Wait for me, Jule!”)

Perrine waved to them with a smile. “Okay! Don’t go too far!”

Caiseal snickered. “You sound like you’re her mom,” He chortled.

The orange haired girl raised an eyebrow. “I do?”

Julia and Saoirse gingerly trekked towards the grass, keeping their eyes open for any Pokemon that might be nearby. The grass stretched far into the horizon, and several tall rocks dotted the premises. So even mountainous regions like this had some greenery here after all. Saoirse sniffed the air with her small nose, on the hunt for any unfamiliar scents.

“I wonder if there’s any Pokemon out here?” Julia wondered aloud.

“Snubbull,” Saoirse chimed in.

Right then, the grass rustled again. “It came from this way,” Julia said, pointing to an area just a few more feet away. Saoirse nodded and the two of them made their way towards the source of the sound. It helped that there was a big rock nearby, so they hid behind it in case whatever they heard saw them. Julia poked her head out from behind the rock to see what it was they saw.

Sitting in the middle of the grass was one Pokemon, a small bear about Saoirse’s size, with bright, orange brown hair, a yellow muzzle, and a tan crescent moon mark on its forehead. The little bear Pokemon was happily munching on some Pecha berries without a care in the world, and Julia could see its round, circular tail wiggling up and down. She melted at the sight of the Pokemon, clasping her hands together.

“Teddiiiii!” The bear Pokemon finished its Pecha berry and placed the leaves on the ground.

“Ohhhh, it’s a Teddiursa!” Julia squealed, keeping her voice low so she wouldn’t scare it. “It’s sooooo cute!”

“Snubbull,” (“It sure is,”) Saoirse agreed with a nod.

She pulled out her PokeDex, even though she knew what it was. “Teddiursa, the little bear Pokemon, and the pre-evolved form of Ursaring. This cute, cuddly Pokemon is easily frightened and frequently lick their paws, which are continually covered with a sweet-tasting honey that they let soak onto their paws. Every set of paws taste unique. When they find honey that is already made, the crescent mark on their forehead glows brightly. If they can’t find any, they make their own by blending fruits and pollen collected by Beedrill. When winter comes and food begins to get scarce, Teddiursa hoard as much food as they can in many different locations. Because of their sweet, friendly, innocuous nature, they are very popular among women and children. But if you find one in a forest, approach with caution, because their mother might be nearby, and Ursaring react violently to anyone who approaches their children.” A male sign appeared in the bottom right corner of the screen.

A Teddiursa...one of the cutest Pokemon to ever exist, and she managed to find one. Julia put her PokeDex back and pulled out a PokeBall. This was her chance to catch one for herself! “Hey, Saoirse?” Julia said. “You want to battle Teddiursa?”

Although Saoirse was averse to fighting, she nodded once again. “Snub!”

“Cool! Let’s do thi--”

But before she could do anything, she saw a lone PokeBall fly towards Teddiursa, and it wasn’t her own. The PokeBall hit Teddiursa, turning it into red light and sucking it in. Shortly afterward, the PokeBall landed on the ground, swaying back and forth, with the red light in the center blinking every second. Was someone else here besides her? Julia looked to her left. Standing behind another rock was a girl, a little younger than she, with blonde hair tied into a curly ponytail with a purple ribbon. Her light blue eyes focused solely on the PokeBall, and Julia could see she had her fingers crossed, as though she was praying for it to stay closed. Julia and Saoirse exchanged looks. Who was she? How long had she been there? After a few sways, the PokeBall broke open, and Teddiursa popped right back out.

“Urrrr?” Teddiursa simply cocked its head to one side, wondering what the heck just happened.

The younger girl’s eyebrows furrowed in frustration, and she let out a noise of disappointment. “Nooo! Not again!” She cried. The girl rummaged through the pockets of her light blue skirt and pulled out two more PokeBalls. “Urgh! I only have two left!”

‘So she’s trying to catch Teddiursa. Is she a trainer? She isn’t using any Pokemon,’ Julia thought. All thoughts of wanting to catch Teddiursa herself were kicked out of her mind. From what she could see, the girl didn’t look like she was old enough to officially be a trainer. But it was clear that she wanted to catch that Teddiursa no matter what. Maybe she could benefit from a helping hand. Smiling to herself, Julia walked over to the girl.

“Hello there. Having some trouble?”

The girl whirled around, her light blue eyes wide like saucers as she took in Julia’s entrance. “Whoa! Where’d you come from?” She yelped.

“Just over there. Sorry if I scared you,” Julia told her, pointing to the rock nearby. “Are you trying to catch that Teddiursa?”

The girl glanced back towards the bear Pokemon. Teddiursa sat back on the grass, helping itself to another Pecha berry. “Yeah. I’m not old enough to really be a real trainer yet, so I don’t have any Pokemon I can battle it with,” The girl confessed. Julia nodded, listening. “But Teddiursa don’t come out very often, and it’s my favorite Pokemon ever. I really want to catch one, and I’m scared that they won’t come out again if I leave.”

Julia crossed her arms. On one hand, she knew that trying to catch a Pokemon all on their own was a very reckless move. This girl was clearly not old enough to be a trainer, and didn’t have any Pokemon of her own. If the Pokemon she was trying to catch had been something like a Houndour or a Beedrill, the girl’s life would be in serious danger. There’s a reason Johto only lets kids ten and older be eligible for trainer licenses. On the other hand, Julia could tell this girl had her reasons for wanting to catch that Teddiursa. Plus, Teddiursa were very friendly and docile, so they didn’t really pose much of a threat. Still, one had to be careful. Good thing she had come by when she did. A potential solution popped into her mind right then.

“Umm...if you want, I can help you,” Julia suggested.

Immediately, the girl’s eyes lit up. “Really? You will?!”

“Sure. I’m a trainer, and Saoirse’s with me right now,” Julia said. “Alright. How about this? I’ll have my Snubbull battle Teddiursa, and once it’s weakened, I’ll give you the signal, and you can catch it yourself,” She explained. It was perfect. Julia could have Saoirse weaken Teddiursa, and the little girl could watch the battle and avoid any danger. Win-win for both parties. “How’s that?”

The girl nodded vigorously. “That’d be perfect! Thanks!”

“I’m Julia, by the way.”

“My name’s Violet!”

After their introduction, Julia sent Saoirse out into the clearing. “Saoirse, use Headbutt!” She cried out.

“Snubbull!” Saoirse lowered her head and charged right at the bear Pokemon. Since Teddiursa was still chewing its Pecha berry in peace, it didn’t notice the Snubbull running towards it until Saoirse’s head collided with its body. Teddiursa let out a cry as it rolled across the grass, but managed to get back on its feet not long after. Then, the bear Pokemon charged right back at Saoirse, scraping its claws across her ears. Saoirse flinched and covered her ears with her arms, though all that did was allow Teddiursa to scratch her face.

“It’s using Scratch!” Violet exclaimed, clutching the PokeBall in her hand.

“Don’t worry! We got this!” Julia reassured her with confidence. “Saoirse, Headbutt it again! Then use Scary Face!”

On cue, Saoirse slammed her head against Teddiursa, sending it reeling before giving it an intense glare. She bared her teeth like a hungry Houndoom, her floppy ears swiveled back against her head, and her face pulled into an intense snarl. Upon seeing it, Teddiursa shivered, its eyes wide with terror. “Ursaaaaa!” It cried piteously.

“Now, use Bite!”

“Snubbull!” Baring her fangs, Saoirse went after Teddiursa again. This time, the bear Pokemon held her off with both paws, pushing her away before using its claws to swipe Saoirse’s face. Unlike the Scratch attack from before, Teddiursa’s swiping was quicker, more rapid fire. Julia knew right away it was using Fury Swipes. At one point, Saoirse found an opening and dredged her teeth into Teddiursa’s arm, stopping it from swiping at her any further. Teddiursa let out a pained yelp, desperately using its other arm to push on Saoirse’s mouth in an attempt to push her off.

Then, Saoirse felt something wet and slimy drag itself across her muzzle. The slithery feeling made a jolt run right up her spine, and she found herself releasing her teeth from Teddiursa’s arm. Teddiursa had slid its tongue over Saoirse. The bulldog Pokemon sat down, covering its face with its stubby arms. Teddiursa rolled on the ground, laughing at the sight of Saoirse looking so grossed out.

“Ewww!” Violet cried out. “Teddiursa just licked your Snubbull!”

“We’re not done yet! Use Headbutt one more time!”

Saoirse raised her eyebrow in a quizzical manner. Why was she suggesting using Headbutt for a third time? Then she noticed Teddiursa was still laughing. It’s guard was down! Having caught on, Saoirse wasted no time. Lowering her head, she sprinted right towards Teddiursa, ramming it so hard and the bear was sent rolling across the ground. This time, Teddiursa was unable to move right off. It tried to get on its feet, but a sharp pain ran through its leg, and it couldn’t move.

Julia looked down at Violet. “Alright, now’s your chance!”

Violet nodded, pressing the button on the PokeBall. “Nngh! Go, PokeBall, and catch it this time!” She exclaimed, throwing it with all the strength she could muster. The PokeBall hit the bear on the head, turning it into red light and sucking it right in. Then, the capsule wiggled back and forth, the red light in the center blinking. Violet crossed her fingers again, praying that it’d hold.

Then, the PokeBall stopped wiggling with a ding noise. It worked! Violet smiled so big, her cheeks hurt, and she let out a cheer before jumping up and down. “Yay! I caught it! I really caught it this time!” She shouted to the heavens, overcome with joy.

Julia walked over to Saoirse to cradle her in her arms, holding her close. “Great job, Saoirse. You were amazing.”

The Snubbull averted her gaze sheepishly as she rubbed one of her long ears. “Snubbull snubbull…”

Violet was quick to take the PokeBall into her hands before running back to Julia with a smile. “Thanks soooo much for helping me with this!”

“You’re welcome, Vi,” Julia said. “Be sure to take good care of him,” She advised.

Violet rubbed her PokeBall against her cheek, nuzzling it. “You bet I will!”

It was then that Julia remembered something. Violet...where had she heard that name before? Wait a minute, wasn’t that Caiseal’s sister’s name? It was. But Violet was a very common name. Surely there were lots of girls in Blackthorn City named Violet. Running into Caiseal’s sister right off the bat seemed very unlikely. Julia shook her head, pushing the thought out of her mind.

“So you’re a real Pokemon trainer?” Violet asked.

“I am.”

“Wow!” Violet beamed. “I bet you’ve been to lots of places! Tell me all about your adventures!”

The kids found a nearby stump they could sit on, and Julia told the young girl about some of the places she’d been and the Pokemon she found. Saoirse sat down right next to Julia, taking a well earned rest and leaning against her trainer’s side. Violet listened to the older girl’s tales in awe. To think someone not even a few years older than her had traveled all over Johto over the course of a few months.

“So how old are you, Violet?” Julia asked.

“I’m nine!”

“So you still have a year before you can become an official Pokemon trainer.”

“I know that! But now I have my own Pokemon, so the second I turn ten, I’m gonna put in an application for a license and go on a journey right away if I get approved!”

Something about the way she said that took Julia aback a little. It might have just been excitement on Violet’s part, but Julia could hear something else in the way she said it. Was she implying that she wanted to leave above all else? Like she had to at any cost? It would explain why she wanted to catch a Pokemon herself and not wait to get one from Professor Elm.

“Will your parents let you go?” Julia asked. “Even if you do get a license in the mail, it still depends on whether your parents will let you or not.”

Violet’s smile immediately turned into a frown, and she looked down at her purple shoes with furrowed eyebrows. “I don’t care about what they think. I don’t like them,” Violet sneered, putting particular emphasis on the word don’t like she wanted Julia to know that above all else. Julia winced a bit. She could feel the anger in Violet’s statement like a slap to the face. She meant it. Whatever happened between them, it couldn’t have been good.

“Can I ask why? Do you guys not get along?” Julia’s line of questioning continued, though she hoped she wasn’t prying. “If you don’t want to talk about it, it’s fine.”

“No. I want to,” Violet said after a while. “They’re not mean to me or anything, but...they really hated my big brother. My mom, especially. She was always mean to him for no reason.”

Julia raised an eyebrow. She said her mother hated her brother. Violet was treated just fine in contrast. Caiseal’s sister was named Violet, and he was hated by his biological parents. Were this Violet and his sister one and the same? Was she even talking about Caiseal at all? Julia needed to get to the bottom of this.

“So...what’s your brother like? Is he nice?”

Just like that, Violet’s frown turned right back into a smile. “He’s super nice! He’s the best brother in the world! He always helped me with my homework, protected me from bullies, he always played with me, and he taught me everything I know about Pokemon!” Violet enthused, continuing to go on and on about her brother and how awesome he was.

Normally, Julia didn’t like listening to certain people talk. Sometimes, it was just too draining to sit there and listen to people palaver on and not be able to hear herself think, especially when she needed to concentrate, like on homework. It didn’t help that most people she had to deal with preferred to gossip or talk trash about people they didn’t like instead of doing something more productive with their time. In contrast, she listened attentively as Violet exalted her brother at every opportunity.

“You really love him, don’t you?”

“I do!” Violet exclaimed. But just as quickly, she frowned again as she looked away from Julia, staring down at her shoes. Julia knew that look all too well. It was the look of someone who tried so hard to do something, only to fail every single time and feel like giving up forever, discouraged by the injustice of it all. “But Mom and Dad don’t, and I wish they would. He didn’t do anything wrong,” Her voice lowered to a downtrodden squeak. “He’s so nice, and they don’t see that at all. They kicked him out of the house, and I found out he lives with a new family now.”

A new family? Kicked out of the house? The signs were blaring right in front of Julia’s face now. Violet’s story was definitely way too similar to Caiseal’s, though she didn’t mention certain details. But what little details she gave was enough to paint the whole picture completely.

“I really want to see him again…” Violet buried her face in her hands. “But for all I know, he’s probably really far away…”

The heartbreak in her voice made Julia’s stomach sink. Here was a young girl who desperately wanted to see her brother again and isn’t able to. In contrast, Caiseal wants to see the only member of his family who loved him and can’t...and it dawned on her in that moment: Caiseal was a few feet away. If she let this chance slip away now, for all she knew, it’d be a long time before the siblings could ever see each other again. What was the point in prolonging their pain?

A spark of courage flared right up. Violet had a right to see her brother again, didn’t she?

“Y’know…” Julia put a gentle hand on the girl’s shoulder. “I think your brother’s a lot closer than you think,” She gave Violet a playful wink.

Violet raised her eyebrows. “Huh?”

***

“Man, Jule sure is taking a while,” Caiseal pointed out as he finished his lunch. He checked the time on his PokeGear. It was eleven o’clock, and half an hour had passed since Julia left to go catch a Pokemon she saw. What was taking so long? Caiseal kept glancing towards the tall grass, hoping to see her pop out. Slowly, the monster called worry began to gnaw at him. “I hope she didn’t get hurt.”

“I’m sure she’s fine,” Perrine reassured, adjusting her shoes a bit. “She’s a lot stronger than she gives herself credit for, so I wouldn’t worry too much. But if she’s not back in another hour, then we can worry.”

Good point. Her Pokemon were with her, and Caiseal knew the area pretty well. Unless some knuckleheads disturbed the wild Pokemon too much, it was a pretty safe area. He had played here plenty of times when he was younger and nothing bad had ever happened to him. Caiseal nodded in agreement as he ate the last of his sandwich.

“I guess you’re right.”

“Hey guys!” Julia popped out from the tall grass.

“Oh! There you are!” Perrine exclaimed. Her friend’s sudden entrance made her heart jump a little from the surprise. “Did you find that Pokemon you were talking about?”

“Ehehe...unfortunately, I wasn’t able to catch it,” Julia confessed nervously, then perked right back up again. “But I did find something else!”

Caiseal smirked, crossing his arms. He hadn’t seen her this excited in a while. Now he was curious. “Well, what is it?”

Julia turned toward the grass. “You can come out now!”

On cue, a young girl darted out from the grass. Perrine could only raise an eyebrow. But Caiseal’s eyes locked right onto the girl’s as soon as they met each other’s gaze. Both their jaws dropped, and their eyes shrunk from the shock of it all. For a brief moment, all was silent, and Perrine and Julia could instantly feel the change in the atmosphere around them. Then, Caiseal stood right up, unable to look away.

“Who’s this?” Perrine asked.

“...Caiseal?!” The girl choked out, her voice unsteady. “Is that you?”

“Violet?!”

Perrine and Julia exchanged glances, only the latter was smiling. So this Violet really was Caiseal’s little sister! No further words were exchanged, but Julia could see Violet’s face scrunch up, and tears started to trail out from her eyes. Then, Violet stormed right over to Caiseal and hugged him, wrapping her arms around him so tight, she clutched the fabric of his shirt while burying her face in it. Caiseal couldn’t believe his eyes. His little sister was here, hugging him, and the warmth of her embrace told him this was all real. All he could do was stroke her ponytail with one hand, reveling in its softness. Shock morphed into joy. He hadn’t seen his sister in so long, and now she just appeared out of nowhere. Everything else around them seemed to disappear.

“Big brother...I missed you!” Violet whimpered, her voice muffled by Caiseal’s shirt. “I never stopped thinking about you!”

“I know, Vi. Me too,” Caiseal whispered back, his entire being weak from the boundless weight of her love on him in this moment.

Just as quickly, Violet broke from Caiseal’s embrace and swiveled towards Julia. “You’re actually friends with my brother, Julia?!”

“Wait, wait!” Perrine held her hands up. “How exactly did this happen?”

“Well…” Julia took a moment to explain to Caiseal how she ran into Violet just now. Once she finished with that, she told Violet about how she met Caiseal and that they’d been traveling together.

“That’s so awesome!!” Violet shrieked, jumping up and down from the revelation. “So you really became a Pokemon trainer, big bro?!”

A lump stuck in Caiseal’s throat, and his head was still spinning. He was so sure he wouldn’t see her again until they were much older. Possibly never, if his biological parents had anything to say about it. But here she was. His lips curled upward. “Yeah. I did. Want to see some of my Pokemon?”

He wasted no time letting Apollo out of his PokeBall. To nobody’s surprise, Violet squealed at the Pokemon in front of her. “Wow! A Typhlosion! You got a Cyndaquil just like you wanted! Can I pet him?” Violet exclaimed, her entire being an explosion of joy.

“Sure. Go ahead.”

Apollo lowered his head to let Violet pet him. His fur was warm and soft under her palm, and Julia could hear her making contented noises from the contact. “He’s soooo cute!” Violet crooned. The volcano Pokemon’s face heated up, and not from the flames in his body. “Oh! That’s right! Hey, Cash!” Violet stopped petting Caiseal and showed him the PokeBall. “I have a Pokemon now, too! Julia helped me catch a Teddiursa!”

Caiseal stole a glance at his friend. “You did?”

Julia could only let out a nervous laugh, scratching her head as she confessed. “Yeah. She saw it first and was having some trouble catching it, so I decided to help her out.”

A memory flashed back into his mind. Violet had given him a drawing she made for Christmas. It was a crude crayon drawing of himself, Violet, and their two favorite Pokemon, a Cyndaquil and a Teddiursa. It had seemed so distant, but hearing this, it had rushed back with the force of a speeding Magnet Train. Violet had always wanted a Teddiursa. She had often told him that if she ever became a trainer, she’d catch one right away. Now here they were, both having their desired Pokemon. But Caiseal was just happy they were together again.

Once again, Caiseal ran a hand through Violet’s hair with a tender smile on his face. “Did you tell her thanks?”

“Of course I did!” Violet made a mock pouty face at him. “I’m not a little kid, y’know!”

All three of the big kids laughed. “I know. But it’s my job to make sure you remember your manners!” Caiseal said through his laughter.

Eventually, the laughter died down. Violet’s expression changed from merry to solemn as she looked straight at Caiseal. “Cash...I know what really happened,” There was no mistaking the sad quiver in her voice. “I know now why Mom hated you so much and did what she did. But it wasn’t your fault! I know it isn’t!”

Knew what? Did she refer to Caiseal having absorbed his twin in his mother’s womb? Caiseal’s eyes shrunk again from the shock of it all, not just from her knowing about it, but the fact that even now, she still stood by him. Even after he had been kicked out of the house and sent away, Violet still loved him after so many years apart. He could tell she was serious. The determined, passionate gleam in her eyes gave it all away. A lump appeared in his throat, silencing him. He couldn’t find it in himself to ask her how she knew about it. For all he knew, she must have looked it up on the internet.

Perrine put a hand on Julia’s shoulder. “We should probably give them some space.”

Julia nodded. After what these two had gone through, they deserved some time alone together to catch up on old times.

“Wait,” Caiseal finally spoke. “It’s fine. I don’t mind you guys being here,” He told them, gesturing for them to sit back down.

The girls stopped, their jaws falling open. He actually wanted them to stick around? “How come?” Julia asked.

Caiseal flashed a grateful grin in Julia’s direction in particular. “You did bring her to me, and you guys kinda know what’s been going on.”

Good point. The girls decided to stay, though Julia still thought it’d be better if Caiseal and Violet had some time alone. But if Caiseal wanted them here, who was she to go against his wishes?

“I heard you live with a new family now,” Violet said. “Are they nice to you?”

“Of course!” Caiseal told her reassuringly. “They’re super nice to me.”

“Where do you live? Are you really far away?”

“Actually, I live about fifteen minutes from here. Right near my middle school,” Caiseal pointed to an area just a little farther off. “The girls and I were actually on our way to my house right now.”

“WHAT?!” Violet shrieked, loud enough that Julia had to cover her ears. “You lived that close by and I never knew it until now?!”

Violet’s voice ripped through Julia’s ear drums, and the sharp pain was too much, though she did understand the girl’s shock. She had no way of knowing that Caiseal was so close by, and even if she did, for all she knew, Caiseal’s biological parents probably wouldn’t have let the two visit each other. It wasn’t like kids’ foster homes and their addresses were disclosed to their biological families. Still, the realization that Caiseal was close by even though she hadn’t seen him for several years was like being hit by a speeding Magnet Train to Violet.

“What’s your address?” Violet bounced on the balls of her feet, shaking her fists up and down as she got right in Caiseal’s face. “I really wanna know! I can probably walk there from school and visit you!” Nobody could blame her for wanting to know his new home address. After being apart from him from so long, why wouldn’t she take the chance to see her brother more often?

Caiseal frowned. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” He told her, his voice lowering to a more somber tone. “If Nollaig and Fergus were to find out, they’d probably get mad at us. Knowing her, she’d probably think--”

Fergus? Perrine and Julia exchanged looks. Who was Fergus? His dad, maybe? They weren’t sure. But it said a lot that Caiseal referred to his biological parents by their names rather than just mom and dad. Considering the way they treated him, he probably decided that they didn’t deserve to be called mom and dad anymore. It wasn’t like they had won any Parents of the Year awards.

His sister wouldn’t let him finish the thought. “I don’t care if Mom and Dad get mad! I stopped caring about what they thought long ago!” She announced, her voice clear and unmarred by anything. “Besides, I’ll be ten next year, and I’ll be able to apply for a trainer’s license! If I get one, I can be a Pokemon trainer and I can go wherever I want! It’ll be perfect!” Violet raised both arms in the air to empathize that last statement.

The weight of conflicting desires sat in his chest, and he kept his lips pressed in a thin line just to keep himself from saying something he’d regret. One part of him told him to give Violet his new home address and PokeGear number. They were siblings, his conscious reasoned. They had a right to see each other. Who cares what their parents would think or do? Violet loved him and never stopped loving him even after they had been torn apart. Why add to the pain she’s been living with for years? Not only that, Caiseal could imagine all the great possibilities that came from keeping in contact with Violet. If Violet became a trainer, she could go wherever she wanted. Maybe, when she was old enough, they could travel the world together and be trainers, just like they dreamed. It helped that his foster parents knew about Violet and how much they cared for each other, so it wasn’t like they’d disapprove of her stopping by every now and then. She was still his family.

Another part of him reminded him of the potential dangers of giving Violet his contact info. If his biological parents were to find out, they’d probably either outright forbid Violet from seeing him or do something to prevent any meetings, like move somewhere far away. Or worse, maybe they’d claim Caiseal was trying to kill her or do something bad to her and file a restraining order against him despite there being no evidence of Caiseal being violent. Nollaig did abandon him in the Ice Path, so Caiseal could definitely see her doing whatever else she could to keep him and Violet from meeting up. Besides, it wasn’t like becoming a Pokemon trainer would automatically grant her freedom. It was true that being a trainer gave someone special privileges that a normal person couldn’t have, but that didn’t mean they were completely independent. Nollaig and Fergus were still her parents, and they still had power over her.

“Please, big bro!” Violet pleaded. “I promise I won’t let Mom and Dad find out! Really! A group of wild Rapidash won’t be able to drag it out of me, I swear!” She clasped her hands together tightly, like she was praying. “Besides, I’m a big girl now! I can go to lots of places by myself, and Mom and Dad don’t need to know!”

That was all it took for Caiseal to make his decision. He pulled out a notepad and a pencil, scribbled on some paper, and gave it to Violet within seconds.

“Here,” He lowered his voice. “It’s my address and PokeGear number. But don’t tell anyone about this,” By anyone, he meant Nollaig and Fergus, the girls figured. “I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me, and I know they’d flip if they know you have a Teddiursa. Promise?”

Violet slid two fingers across her mouth in a zipping gesture. No way was she going to let this secret get out. “Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a Twineedle in my eye,” She whispered back, right as she stuffed the paper in her skirt pocket.

Caiseal turned to Julia. She didn’t look right at him, but she could feel his gratitude. “Jule. I really should thank you for bringing her to me,” There was no mistaking the sincerity in his voice in that moment. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“Me too!” Violet added with more enthusiasm than her brother. “I’d never have known where he was if I hadn’t run into you! So thanks so much!”

Julia felt her cheeks burn. Just seeing their smiles and their glimmering eyes was too much all at once. She looked down at her sneakers. Did she really deserve all of this praise? “Y-Y-Y-You’re exaggerating…” She stammered, a little taken aback by this turn of events. Even so, she was genuinely happy that the Brownstone siblings were reunited. In this moment, how could anyone not be happy? The siblings got to see each other again after so long, and after all they went through, the girls knew they absolutely deserved it.

Unfortunately, the happiness was unceremoniously cut short.

“Violet!”

A gruff, male voice cut through everyone’s laughter, and all was silent. Everyone swiveled around, only to come face to face with an adult man walking towards them. His hair was short and neatly cut, a darker shade of blonde than both Caiseal and Violet’s hair. Julia didn’t dare meet his eyes, and she didn’t have to look at them to know that they were scrutinizing her and everyone else, even though they were hidden by a pair of glasses. A brown suede jacket protected him from the cold air, and his blue jeans and clean black dress shoes made him look fairly normal. But both Violet and Caiseal’s jaws dropped, and their eyes shrunk as the man walked closer, like they had seen a Haunter.

“Dad…!” Violet stammered.

Perrine and Julia gasped. This man was their father? Fergus? From the looks of it, he didn’t look the least bit happy. But Julia could see his eyebrows furrowing. Was it out of anger, exhaustion, or frustration? She couldn’t tell. She did see dark circles under his eyes, and a slight stubble on his chin that hadn’t been shaved in a while. It was a blank mask.

Apollo shot a glare at him. He had heard plenty of stories about how this man made no attempt to love Caiseal in any way. Seeing him now, the volcano Pokemon could tell everything Caiseal had told him so long ago was true. He didn’t sense any spec of love in him.

“You’ve been gone for over two hours now. You need to get your homework done before--” Fergus said, his voice low and tired. It didn’t take but a second for him to see the three older kids with her. “Who are these people? Didn’t I tell you not to talk to strangers?”

“They’re Pokemon trainers!” Violet exclaimed, waving her arms up and down. “I was watching them battle with their Pokemon, that’s all!”

The girls exchanged fearful glances. Fergus wasn’t falling for it one bit. Even Violet could see it despite her attempt at covering for them. Caiseal felt a shiver run up his spine when his father’s eyes immediately locked onto him. Caiseal could only glare right back, seeing the same cold, apathetic expression as he always did before getting kicked out. He wasn’t surprised. He never could recall a time in his life when he saw his father smile or be happy about something.

“Caiseal…” His father hissed the name out like it was poison. “Why are you here?”

Julia glared at him. Why was he making it sound like Caiseal was some burglar intruding on his property? Like he had no right to come back to his hometown?

“I’m just passing through. That’s all,” Caiseal replied sternly, keeping his voice firm and stone hard.

“I hope that’s all you’re doing,” Fergus said. Then he took Violet by the hand and pulled her away from the group. “Don’t come back here ever again. You’re just going to make trouble for everyone.”

Make trouble? Julia couldn’t keep quiet anymore. What right did this man have to talk to Caiseal like he was nothing more than some low life delinquent? She knew why, but that didn’t make the whole thing any less horrible. Her warring emotions finally burst forth. “What is wrong with you?! He’s your son! You can’t treat him like that!” She yelled, completely aghast. “He isn’t even doing anything wrong!”

All she got in return was a cold stare. Good thing she hated eye contact, so she barely noticed it, nor did she care. Violet struggled against her father’s grip, squirming and trying to free herself from his large hand.

“Dad, let me go!” Violet exclaimed.

“You’re not seeing him again. I forbid it,” Fergus hissed at his daughter with renewed fervor, his words leaving no room for nonsense.

“He’s my brother!” She protested. “I actually love him, unlike you!” Finally, she pulled her hand out from his, running right back to Caiseal.

Violet had never talked back to her father like this. She had always been too afraid to do so, and even if she did, he barely ever listened. He never cared much about anything. But enough was enough. She and Caiseal both were sick and tired of people--their own family, no less--trying to keep them apart. No way was she going to let her father tear them apart again. Caiseal put his hand on his sister’s shoulder, pressing his lips together tightly to keep his own warring emotions at bay.

All Fergus did was stand there, long-suffering annoyance written across his face.

“We’re not doing this, Violet. Come here now.”

“Why should I?!”

“I said come here.”

“No!”

“He has no right to see you.”

No right? Caiseal’s face lost its color as he stomped towards his former father, hazel eyes gleaming with hate. “No right?! Who are you to decide that?!” Caiseal barked. “Unlike you and Nollaig, she actually cares about me, and I care about her! I have every right to see her!”

“Not if your mother and I have anything to say about it, and you forget that Violet lives under my roof. You don’t.”

“She’s my sister, by Arceus! What’s it gonna take for you to realize that I’m not the heartless killer monster you and Nollaig are so convinced that I am?! Violet knows the truth, so she’s not stupid!”

In all honesty, Caiseal wasn’t even surprised that Fergus would do this. His father was barely around much anyway. Always going to work, working late into the night, continually making excuses to get away from the house even on his days off. Never bothering to stop his wife from treating his son like garbage, except to quip about how the kids need to stop making so much racket and do their chores. Always taking Nollaig’s side in everything. At this point, Caiseal had long been beyond done with his incessant apathy and spinelessness.

“Does your mother know you’re here, Violet? That he’s here? You can’t afford to do anything that’ll make her upset. You know that, right?”

“No, she doesn’t!” Caiseal snapped back. “Oh. I’m sooooo sorry! You guys are allowed to treat me like I’m some psycho murderer despite all evidence to the contrary and accuse me of all kinds of horrible crap, but nobody’s allowed to make poor widdle Nollaig saddy-sad! Way to set your priorities, Dad.”

“Cash! Come on, this isn’t worth it,” Perrine pulled on his shirt sleeve. She could tell this was going to get ugly quick. “Let’s just go,” She whispered. “We don’t need to start a fight. You gave her your number, so she’ll be fine.”

Then, Fergus rummaged through his jacket pocket and pulled something out. Upon closer inspection, it was a PokeBall. The girls’ eyes grew large. He was a Pokemon trainer? He held it in front of Caiseal. “If you really want to see Violet so badly, why not fight for it?” He said. “Battle me. Six on six. If you win, I’ll let Violet see you, and Nollaig and I won’t interfere. If you lose...I don’t think I need to repeat myself on that one.”

A battle? Just for Caiseal to see his sister? Just from hearing this challenge, Julia could tell it wasn’t going to end well. “Caiseal, don’t battle him!” Julia protested, shaking her fists up and down. “You shouldn’t have to battle your own father just to be able to see your sister!”

“She’s right!” Perrine agreed. “You’ll only be fighting a losing battle! For all you know he’s super strong and more experienced than we are!”

“Rah rahhhh!” Even Apollo was against it, pushing on his trainer’s shoulder in an attempt to get him to stand down.

Unfortunately, their pleas went unanswered.

“I accept your challenge, and you better hold up your end of the deal!”

Everyone facepalmed. “Caiseaaaaal!!”

***

Father and son found themselves on far ends of a barren part of the clearing. Julia, Perrine, and Violet could only sit on some rocks nearby, worried out of their minds. Why did Caiseal accept Fergus’s challenge? They knew he could be a bit reckless at times, but not like this. Of course, they knew the whole thing would boil down to whether Fergus was a strong enough trainer or not. Not every adult was a super strong trainer, but you never know. The whole thing seemed completely pointless.

Without a word, Fergus sent out his Pokemon first. Said Pokemon looked as though it was made out of shapes and prisms, consisting of a pink polyhedral body and head, with a blue stomach, beak, feet, and a prismatic tail. “Porygoooon!”

“Porygon?” Perrine asked out loud. “I’ve heard of them, but this is the first time I’ve seen one in person!”

“Me too!” Julia exclaimed, pulling her PokeDex out.

“Porygon, the Virtual Pokemon. It is the only Pokemon in the entire world to be made entirely out of programming code, allowing it to travel freely through cyberspace with its ability to convert itself into digital data. It is also one of very few man-made Pokemon in existence, having been artificially created by scientists with advanced technology about twenty years ago. All Porygon have been infused with copy protection, so as to prevent others from duplicating it. Because of its artificial origins, it has no need to breathe or eat, though Porygon are capable of eating despite an obvious lack of a mouth. Although parts of this Pokemon have become obsolete because of technological advancements over the years, it has become popular among trainers for their friendly, loyal nature.”

Caiseal smirked. “A normal type,” He pulled out a PokeBall. “Go, Heracles!”

Out came Heracles, his horn high in the air, flexing his muscles for batte. “Heracross!”

Perrine stepped forward, raising her hand. “I’ll be the referee!”

“Don’t bother,” Fergus hissed. “I’ll end this battle quickly.”

“I’d like to see you try!” Caiseal barked. “Heracles, use Brick Break!”

The big horn Pokemon’s hands glowed in a white light as it flew towards Porygon..

“Dodge, and use Tri-Attack,” Fergus told it.

“Poooor!” The virtual Pokemon swiftly floated towards the side, evading the cloud of dust that came from Heracles’ Brick Break hitting the ground. Three orbs--red, blue, and yellow--floated around Porygon before transforming into beams of light that fired in Heracles’ direction.

“Hold it off with Pin Missile!”

“Cross!” Waving his horn in an arc, a flurry of white needles shot out, putting the tricolored attack at bay. Thankfully, none of the Tri-Attack beams managed to hit Heracles, and they faded after a short while.

“Discharge.”

Porygon’s body trembled as an onslaught of yellow sparks surged from its body, firing off lightning in all directions. Despite Heracles’ efforts to evade it, a good majority of the thunder attack struck him, electrocuting him from the outside in. Caiseal held a hand to his teeth, hoping that Heracles would be able to stand it. Thankfully, the attack dissipated and Heracles managed to land back on the ground, still standing. Sensing his trainer’s distress, Heracles winked at him and flashed a thumbs up, telling him he was still okay.

“Use Megahorn!”

Heracles charged at Porygon once again, his horn glowing in a lime green light.

“Use Psybeam,” Fergus growled.

Before Heracles could land a hit, a purple ray of light shot out from Porygon’s beak, hitting the big horn right in the face. Heracles couldn’t keep steady as he found himself rolling backwards on the ground, the purple energy beam searing his face. Eventually, the attack dissipated, and Heracles got back up, wiping the dirt off his face with one hand.

“Oh man,” Perrine winced. “That Porygon’s strong.”

Caiseal clenched his fists. “We’re not giving up yet! Heracles, use Aerial Ace!”

A move that nobody could evade. Caiseal was glad Heracles knew that move, at least. Knowing what his trainer was planning, Heracles flew into the air, his translucent wings fluttering, before making a quick descent onto Porygon. The virtual Pokemon tried to float away, but Heracles was too fast, and his horn knocked Porygon into the ground as soon as it made contact. “Porygooon!” Porygon bellowed out in pain despite its robotic voice with the successive smash.

“Great job!” Caiseal cried out. “Use Brick Break before it can get back up!”

“Psybeam again!”

Like before, Porygon fired a purple beam of light aiming right at Heracles. Thankfully, the big horn Pokemon dodged it by swaying to the side, using the opportunity to jam its claw right onto Porygon’s side, sending it rolling across the dirt. The girls all cheered as Heracles delivered the harsh blow. He was getting the upper hand! But Porygon quickly recovered as it floated back onto its prism-shaped feet.

“Brick Break one more time!”

“Use Protect!”

Heracles charged at it again, its claws glowing white with renewed fervor. But before they could make contact, Porygon’s eyes glowed blue, and a dome-like barrier materialized around it. Heracles slammed his claws onto the dome, surprised when they didn’t make so much as a dent. It didn’t help that afterward, his claws trembled from the blow. It wasn’t enough to hurt both claws completely, but the numbness was like needles pricking his hands.

“Porygon, use Tri-Attack!” Fergus ordered.

Three glowing orbs floated from Porygon’s body before turning into three beams of light. They all hit Heracles before he could even react, sending the big horn flying across the clearing. Heracles finally stopped just in front of Caiseal, lying on the ground in pain. But it didn’t take long for him to pull himself back up and dust himself off.

“Use Sharpen,” Fergus ordered again. Porygon’s body glowed in a white light for a brief moment, and its body looked sharper, more jagged, afterward.

Caiseal’s eyebrows were creased with worry. Even with a type advantage, Heracles wasn’t able to do much damage to Porygon. It didn’t help that the virtual Pokemon had quite an arsenal of attacks up its sleeve. Caiseal put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Heracles. I can switch you out. You don’t have to--”

Heracles shook his head.

“You want to keep going? But that thing’s tough!”

The big horn smirked, as if saying, ‘Yeah? Well I’m tough, too!’ Knowing his Pokemon wasn’t going to back down, there was no point in arguing. Caiseal smiled.

“Alright then. Get back out there!” Caiseal shooed him back onto the field with renewed vigor. “And pummel it with Aerial Ace!”

“Predictable,” Fergus sneered. “Porygon, use Psybeam.”

Porygon fired its Psybeam attack, but Heracles dodged by flying upward. He ascended into the sky with a loop, then dove straight down towards Porygon, ramming his horn into its side, sending it into the ground with a bang. “Use Brick Break again!! Don’t let it get back up!!” Caiseal cried. On cue, Heracles wasted no time slamming his claws into Porygon, keeping it pinned into the crater he created. Porygon gave a robotic screech as every blow battered its hexagonal body. Every time it tried to escape, Heracles would grasp its leg and pummel it with more punches to its face and body.

“Use Headbutt!”

“Brick Break again!”

Both Pokemon slammed their heads and claws into each other, intent to knock each other down one way or the other. Finally, Porygon found an opening and rammed its head into Heracles’ faces, floating out from the crater. But pain wracked its body from the inside, and it found itself unable to float around as fast as it used to. Fergus clenched his teeth.

“Now’s our chance! One more Brick Break, and make it count!” Caiseal yelled.

“Heraaaaaa!” Porygon tried one last time to float away. Unfortunately for it, Heracles was much more agile and caught up to it quickly. Without stopping to breathe, Heracles slammed his claw on Porygon’s head, sending it back into the ground, along with generating a big cloud of dust that covered a good part of the field before dissipating. Once it cleared, all that was left was an unconscious Porygon lying on the ground, with X’s covering the white on its eyes.

Unable to resist, Perrine marched onto the side of the field. “Porygon is unable to battle!” She cheered with renewed enthusiasm as she pointed towards the victor. “Heracles in the winner!!”

“Yay!! You did it, Caiseal!!” Both Julia and Violet cheered. Sure, they knew he had only won the first round, with and Fergus still had five more Pokemon left. That didn’t make the victory any less sweet and ripe for celebration.

Heracles flew over to Caiseal and wrapped his buggy arms around his trainer, chittering and screeching with vigor. “You were awesome!” Caiseal exclaimed before putting Heracles back in his PokeBall. “Great job, buddy. You’d best take a good rest for now.”

When he glanced toward Fergus, any confidence he had wavered. Fergus had cradled Porygon in his arms, also giving it sweet words of praise and encouragement. The look on his face was tender and full of love and affection. He actually smiled. Caiseal’s breath hitched for a brief moment. Was that man...really his father? Not once had he ever seen his father smile, and so sweetly at that, in his entire life. Fergus Brownstone, the man who was always complaining about noise and spent most of his time at work, actually smiling? It was like that single expression of love had changed him into a different person...and his Pokemon was on the receiving end of it.

A hand melded into a fist. Why didn’t his father ever smile at him like that? Did he really consider his own Pokemon more worthy of his love than his own child?

“Good job, Porygon,” Fergus whispered before putting it back in its PokeBall. “I’m proud of you.”

“...You really love them, don’t you?” Any attempt at hiding the breaking in his voice was futile. Julia’s heart broke from hearing it. That voice could only belong to a sad child who was desperate for love.

Just like that, Fergus’s expression went back to normal. Stony and without any trace of affection.

“I don’t understand,” Caiseal pulled another PokeBall out, keeping his eyes on his shoes. “I’m your son, but you were never there for me. You never said you loved me or you were proud of me. You didn’t even try to save me from Nollaig or call her out on her crap! Why?!” His voice rose, and he slammed his hands on his chest. “I don’t get it! What is it about me that you hate so much?!”

Fergus said nothing. But as far as everyone was concerned, his silence spoke volumes. “Slugma, I choose you.”

Out from the PokeBall came a red slug whose body was made entirely of boiling lava. The only part of it that wasn’t lava was its big, yellow eyes. “Slugmaaaa!”

Once again, Julia examined it with her PokeDex. “Slugma, the lava Pokemon. Slugma have intensely hot magma circulating through their bodies, which carry nutrients and oxygen to their organs. They are the only Pokemon in existence who don’t have blood. They often live in volcanic areas, and those who don’t always search for warm places to live. As a result of their body being made solely of magma, Slugma are always moving, and cannot stop because doing so will cause them to cool and harden, resulting in their body turning brittle, immobilizing it or reducing its size when chunks of it fall off. It’s because of this that Slugma never sleep.”

Caiseal smirked. “Heh. Piece of cake!” Slugma was a fire type, and he had the perfect Pokemon to deal with that. “Go, Flippy!”

The second Flippy was sent out of her PokeBall, she let out a big yawn, like she had woken up from a nice nap. She didn’t do much else except smile when she saw Slugma in front of her.

“Oooh, a Quagsire!” Violet exclaimed, in awe of the water fish Pokemon. “It’s so cute!”

The girls definitely agreed with her on that one, but Julia kept her eyes focused on the battle before her. An uneasy feeling made her chest tighten up. This whole battle seemed entirely meaningless. Why was Caiseal’s father trying to make his son fight for the right to see his sister? They were siblings by blood. Wasn’t that enough? Or was he trying to set Caiseal up for failure and show Violet that if he lost, he wasn’t worthy of anyone’s love? Was this some sick way of trying to drive the siblings apart? She wasn’t sure. But the whole thing seemed wrong. Her emotions were at war, and continued to lock themselves in conflict even as Caiseal called his attack.

“Use Water Gun!”

“Quaaag!” As ordered, Flippy fired a pressurized jet of water at the sentient magma.

“Amnesia,” Fergus said.

“Sluuuug!” Slugma’s eyes glowed purple, and its body was enveloped by a thin aura of light. The spout of water hit Slugma right in the face, but the lava Pokemon stood its ground, letting the water soak it from head to body. When the attack stopped, Slugma simply shook off the excess water.

“What does Amnesia do?” Violet asked.

“It raises a Pokemon’s special defense,” Julia explained. “Even though Slugma’s a fire type, Amnesia lets it withstand special attacks, even ones that are strong against it.”

“Slugma, Rock Throw.”

“Use Mud Bomb!”

A ring of glowing white rocks circled around Slugma before firing themselves at Flippy. In turn, the water fish spat out a big ball of brown mud. Both attacks collided, creating another cloud of dust. Before Flippy could do anything else, some of the rocks came flying at her, pounding on her face. She used her hands to cover her face and block them, but the shooting pain ran through her slimy hands.

“You can do it, Flippy!” Caiseal encouraged. “Use Water Gun again!”

Ignoring the lingering pain in her hands, Flippy fired another spray of water. Like before, Slugma didn’t dodge. Instead, it was soaked in water.

“Body Slam!” Fergus commanded.

Pushing its weight on the ground, Slugma leaped high into the air. Everyone watched in awe as Slugma made its way into the sky. Even though it wasn’t a flying type and didn’t have wings, it certainly looked like it was flying in that moment.

“Use Mud Bomb over and over! Don’t let it hit you!” Caiseal yelled.

“Quaaag!” Knowing what Caiseal was planning, Flippy fired off a multitude of muddy bombs, sending them right at Slugma. Since Slugma was still in the air, it had no time to dodge. Mud flew into its face over and over, obscuring its vision. As a result, Slugma couldn’t keep steady and found itself falling to the ground.

“Yeah! Go Caiseal!” Violet cheered, throwing a fist in the air.

Caiseal flashed a smirk and a thumb’s up in her direction.

“You haven’t won,” Fergus sneered, watching as the lava Pokemon stood back up. “Use Recover.”

“Sluuuuug…” Slugma stood still, allowing its body to glow in a rainbow hue.

Slugma was healing itself. Caiseal clenched his teeth. He needed to think of something. This Slugma was tough. Not agile like Porygon, but it had its own strengths, and it was just a fire type Pokemon. Flippy was both a water and a ground type, so she should have beaten Slugma easily.

Wait a minute...mud and water. Caiseal remembered the way Mud Bomb obscured Slugma’s eyes. If Flippy could utilize both of its water and ground moves...Caiseal pulled out his PokeDex. “She might know it! I just need to check…” He searched through Flippy’s attack directory. His eyes widened.

There it was!

“What’s Caiseal doing?” Violet asked.

“Thinking of something,” Julia added. “I know that look on his face.”

The glow around Slugma’s body dissipated. Caiseal knew what he had to do now.

“Flippy! Use Muddy Water!” Caiseal cried.

“Slugma, use Body Slam again!”

Both Pokemon found themselves attacking simultaneously. Slugma leaped into the air once more, but Flippy had the upper hand. A swirl of brown, gross-looking water materialized all around her. Paying no mind, Flippy simply pointed towards Slugma with one of her hands. As if it understood her, the torrent of muddy water raced across the battlefield. Slugma flailed around, trying to get back on dry land, but its efforts were futile. The muddy ocean drowned it, and the lava Pokemon was unable to move or breathe. Fergus and the girls stepped out of the way, avoiding the muddy water. Julia kept a tight grip on Violet for extra safety.

It didn’t take long for the water to subside. When Fergus opened his eyes, the field was wet and soggy, with some puddles of water still lingering on the ground. Slugma was completely unconscious, its eyes closed.

“Slugma is unable to battle!” Perrine announced. “Flippy is the winner!”

Caiseal ran over to his slimy friend and wrapped his arms around her. “Aw yeah! Way to go, Flippy!” He didn’t care that Flippy’s skin was gooey and making his clothes wet and sticky. He had won his second match, and wet clothes were the least of his problems. Flippy simply smiled and put a hand on one of Caiseal’s in gratitude.

In contrast, Fergus simply recalled Slugma without another word. He glanced at his PokeBall with a fond expression, his eyes full of tenderness before holding it close to his chest. As far as he was concerned, Pokemon were easier to deal with than people. Easier to take care of. Easier to connect with. Pokemon didn’t have impossible expectations, nor did they expect their trainers to live up to them. Julia’s mouth fell wide open. She could see him smiling at his Pokemon, but not once did he smile at Caiseal. Sure, he had pointed it out before, but seeing it twice...did he maybe care more about his Pokemon than his own children? She loved Pokemon too, but she’d never do so at the expense of her family. Favoritism and nepotism was wrong. Her parents had taught her and Amara that from day one.

She clenched her fist. What was the point of this battle?

“Think you can keep going, Flippy?” Caiseal asked.

Flippy gave an assuring nod. “Quagsiiiire!”

On the other side of the field, Fergus wasted no time sending out his next Pokemon. “You’re next, Politoed!”

The white light that shot out from Fergus’ PokeBall materialized into a green frog Pokemon. It stood on its hind legs, its hands and toes bright yellow against its slimy green skin. Its chin and belly were also yellow, but the latter had a green swirl on the center. Pink cheeks and big brown eyes greeted its opponents with a strange, dissonant kind of innocence, and the single strand of blue hair on its head curled inward.

“Politoed politoed politoed!” The frog Pokemon croaked cheerfully, flashing a big smile, clapping its hands as though it were watching a fun show.

It was Perrine’s turn to pull out her PokeDex this time. “Politoed, the frog Pokemon. It can evolve from Poliwhirl with the aid of a King’s Rock. This cheerful, amiable Pokemon is able to expand its throat to croak out tunes and cries that can echo far and wide, which allow any Poliwag and Poliwhirl who hear it to gather towards it. When three or more Politoed get together, they sing in loud voices that sound like bellowing. Politoed use their curled hair to determine their status among their peers. If their hair is longer and more curled, it is deemed king of the tribe, held in high esteem by its disciples. Politoed frequently gather on moonlit nights to form a large chorus. Their cries sound like angry screams, not at all pleasant to listen to, but in the year 1780, famous composer Amadeus Vivaldi created a beautiful ballad influenced by the noises that Politoed make.”

A water type. “Looks like I can’t use water type moves on this one,” Caiseal muttered to himself. For all he knew, Politoed might have the ability Water Absorb, rendering any water types Flippy knew completely ineffective. Good thing Flippy knew some physical attacks as well. He’d have to improvise for this one. Plus, Politoed’s water attacks wouldn’t work too well on Flippy either, so on that front, they were evenly matched.

Fergus made the first move. “Politoed. Mega Punch.”

“Politooooed!” The green frog propelled itself towards Flippy with blinding speed, its fist glowing in a white light. Flippy sidestepped just in time, evading the punch with ease.

“Use Yawn, Flippy!” Caiseal yelled.

“Quaaaaag,” Opening her mouth wide, Flippy spat out a big pink bubble that floated towards Politoed.

“Yeah, right,” Fergus sneered. “Politoed. Pop it with Bubblebeam.”

Politoed wasted no time firing off a spray of bubbles at the Yawn attack, popping it right in an instant. Both Flippy and Caiseal found their jaws falling open. How in the world was this possible? Better yet, how was Politoed so strong?

“Mega Punch again.”

Caiseal growled. No way was he going to let his father take him down. “Oh, no you don’t! Flippy, use Mud Bomb!”

As ordered, Flippy leaped into the air and fired off a barrage of mud balls, sending some right at Politoed. Unfortunately, Politoed kept dancing all over the field, evading every single Mud Bomb attack. As Flippy landed back on the ground feet first, Politoed charged right at the water fish, slamming its fist into her cheek and sending her flying across the field. Caiseal held his arms up to protect himself from the cloud of dust and dirt that came out from Flippy sliding across the ground.

“Flippy! Are you okay?!” Caiseal yelped. Flippy attempted to stand back up, but Caiseal could see plenty of scratches on her body. The water fish grimaced when she put her weight on one of her legs, a jolt of pain searing right through it. This wasn’t good at all.

“Hyper Voice,” Fergus said.

With practiced ease, Politoed inhaled a huge gulp of air, closing its mouth shut, before unleashing a wave of white circles across the field. But more than that, the deafening, horrific, angry screech Politoed let out made everyone’s ear drums tremble. Julia in particular fell to her knees, letting out a pained scream even as her hands uselessly shielded her ears from the awful roar. Perrine and Violet followed suit, protecting their ears from the Hyper Voice attack, though the attempt was useless at best. Flippy stood firm, even as the shock wave of sound assailed her. She kept her head low, protecting her more vulnerable spots, but the attack seared her body from the outside in. Her limbs tensed up, and she couldn’t move.

“MAKE IT STOP!!” Julia screeched, her fragile ear drums close to exploding.

Unable to hold on any longer, Flippy was lifted off the ground, blown away by the wave of sound. Again, she skidded across the ground on her side, not given any reprieve or time to reorient itself. Caiseal’s hazel eyes shrunk, and his heart was racing. If Fergus kept this up, Flippy was going to lose for sure. But looking at his friend, she didn’t look to be in the best condition to keep going, her body still adorning fresh scratches from when she was Mega Punched into the ground earlier. It didn’t help that the majority of her moves were water and ground attacks, all of which Politoed was resistant against. His options were severely limited.

“Quagsire!” Against all the odds, Flippy got back on her feet, putting herself in an attack stance. Her body still trembled from the flurry of blows she endured, but all Caiseal could see was her determination to keep fighting.

“Caiseal! Switch Flippy out!” Julia yelled from the sidelines. “She’s too weak to keep going! Let her rest!!” She pleaded. Her hands were still on her ears, and her whole body was still rattled by Hyper Voice. But she still managed to reorient herself somewhat, and just looking at Flippy was enough to tell her this battle wasn’t going to end well.

But Caiseal couldn’t give up. Not now. “Flippy! You can do it! We are NOT losing to this guy!” He countered.

“Think again. Use Bounce.”

With a great spring, Politoed kneeled down, putting extra weight on its legs before propelling itself high into the sky.

“Flippy! Use…!!” Caiseal was about to call out an attack...but quickly realized he had nothing that could help Flippy withstand Bounce. She only knew one normal type attack. Water attacks would just heal Politoed’s health, assuming it had the ability Water Absorb. At this point, Flippy was too weak to move. Unfortunately, before Caiseal could think of anything else, Politoed plummeted down to the Earth, landing right on top of Flippy. Politoed crashed into her with such great force that the ground underneath her shattered, as though an Earthquake cut through Blackthorn City, generating a large cloud of dust.

When the cloud dissipated, Caiseal looked over to see if Flippy was still there. She was, but she lay on what was left of the ground, eyes closed, completely unconscious.

“Oh jeez…” Perrine winced. “Uhh...Flippy is unable to battle. The winner is Politoed!” She exclaimed hastily.

Caiseal returned Flippy to her PokeBall with a sad smile. “Thanks, girl. Sorry for putting you through that,” He whispered. “You take a good long rest.”

If Fergus felt any elation from his victory, he didn’t show it. He simply stared at Caiseal, his expression still as stony as ever. On the other hand, Politoed clapped its hands cheerfully, warbling and croaking with a big smile on its face.

As Caiseal took time to process his loss, another solution came to mind. Wait a minute...he did have a Pokemon who could stand up to Politoed! He mentally kicked himself for not switching Flippy out for him before, but wasted no time pulling his PokeBall out.

“You haven’t won yet!” Caiseal hollered. “I choose you, Viole!”

Viole popped right out of his PokeBall like a flower in bloom. “Vilepluuuume!” He announced his presence with a determined cry as he went into an attack stance.

Fergus just crossed his arms. “Type advantage alone won’t guarantee victory,” He said. “Politoed, use Ice Beam.”

Everyone’s jaws dropped. Ice Beam? An ice type attack was strong against grass. Politoed wasted no time firing a turquoise hued beam of light at Viole.

“Dodge and use Petal Blizzard!!” Caiseal yelled, pointing with an outthrust arm. Viole sidestepped and laid his big flower on the ground as it glowed in a purple light. A storm of pink flower petals surged out from the base of its head, blasting everything away in a floral wind. Politoed had no time to dodge and could only cover its face with its arms in a feeble attempt to protect itself. Dust flew and flowers obscured its vision, the petals cutting its damp skin in every direction. Fergus gasped in shock.

It was working! Caiseal smirked. “Great job! Now use Sleep Powder!”

The storm of flowers dissipated quickly, and Viole warbled before producing a thick, heavy cloud of green, sparkling powder. If Politoed was asleep, it wouldn’t be able to do a thing, giving Caiseal the perfect chance to completely decimate it, along with his ex-father’s chances of winning. Even the slightest chance of winning was enough to make Caiseal’s enthusiasm return ten fold.

“Water Sport.”

Politoed opened its mouth to spray a fountain of water right above it. The stream of water rose into the air and rained down on the battlefield, completely drowning out the Sleep Powder attack. Viole barely felt the water on his head, what with him being a plant Pokemon, but even he couldn’t help but be dumbstruck as his Sleep Powder cloud was watered down to nothing.

“The heck?!” Perrine yelped, her hand close to covering her mouth. “I thought Politoed couldn’t learn Water Sport, and isn’t that supposed to make it stronger against fire attacks?! I mean, more than it already is?!”

She was right. Water Sport wasn’t an attack Politoed or its evolutions could learn through traditional means. Julia knew some Pokemon could learn moves they would never normally learn, whether through more unconventional training methods or by inheriting them from parents by breeding. Hikaru knowing Disarming Voice, a fairy type move, was a shining example of this. Maybe Politoed learned Water Sport from a parent that knew the move? Who knows. It didn’t make the battle any less intense...or aggravating, if Julia had anything to say about it. It was like Fergus prepared for potential type advantages and had a way to get around them at any turn. And status moves, if using Water Sport against Sleep Powder was any indication.

“Grrrrr!!” Caiseal gnashed his teeth. “Viole, use Mega Drain!!”

“Vilepluuuume!!” Viole got back on his feet and fired off a rainbow hued light from the flower on his head. The light headed straight for Politoed. The frog Pokemon sidestepped a few times, but the rainbow light still chased after it. Eventually, the beam caught up, and Politoed found itself hoisted into the air. The light coiled around its body, and a green phosphorescence flickered to life, eerily beautiful in its strangeness. Politoed could only croak as the life seeped out from its body, flailing its legs in an attempt to break free. Needless to say, it didn’t work. The green phosphorescence traveled down the light and into the flower on Viole’s head, re-energizing him.

Once the process was finished, the rainbow light dissipated, and Politoed plummeted to the ground. But it did reorient itself enough to land on its feet.

“How do you like that?!” Caiseal bellowed boastfully.

Fergus didn’t move an inch. “Politoed. Use Ice Beam.”

“Sludge Bomb!! Don’t let it freeze you, boy!!”

“Pluuuuu!” Viole lowered his head and fired off a barrage of inky black sludge. At the same time, Politoed fired off yet another turquoise beam of light. The attacks collided, and the Sludge Bomb barrage held off the ice. Perrine crossed her fingers. Violet tightened her grip on Julia’s shirt. Could Caiseal actually stand a chance against Politoed? He had the type advantage and was doing a good job of landing some decent hits on the frog, but Julia knew this could only go so far. Eventually, the Ice Beam broke through the Sludge Bomb assault. Knowing what was coming, Viole stopped his attack and tried to run, but his stubby legs were unable to carry him fast enough. The Ice Beam hit him from the back, and the flower Pokemon found itself little more than a body trapped in a large chunk of ice.

“Viole, NO!!” Caiseal cried.

“Mega Punch, and make it count!”

Swiftly, Politoed’s fist glowed as it propelled itself towards the helpless Viole, slamming its fist into him with such force that the ice completely shattered, leaving pieces all over the place. But the ice did nothing to soften the blow against Viole, as the flower Pokemon blacked out from the force of the punch. Even after he was freed from the ice, Viole was unable to move.

“At this rate, Viole’s done for!” Perrine exclaimed.

Caiseal shook his head. “No! We can win this!” He announced. “Viole, use Sweet Scent!”

A cloud of pink, sparkling dust mushroomed into the air, spreading all over the field. Politoed caught one whiff, and its senses were dulled, muscles and stance relaxing. Viole got right back on his feet, shaking off the leftover ice from when he was frozen.

“Now finish it with Petal Dance!! Give it all you’ve got!!”

“Viiiii!” Viole spun around like a top, with the flower on his head glowing more brightly than before. This time, a whole tornado of flower petals surged through the field, swallowing nearly everything. Politoed’s head was still fuzzy from Sweet Scent, so the frog was unable to evade the onslaught of flower petals coming its way. However, the first few petals cutting into its skin did wake it up from its reverie, making it painfully aware of what was going on. But they all came so fast and seared through his body, Politoed couldn’t think of anything else but the pain.

“Yeah!! You go, Cash!!” Julia cheered, throwing both fists into the air. “Take him down!!”

Fergus clenched his teeth. Caiseal was quickly turning the battle back in his favor. He couldn’t go down like this, losing to a kid. “Politoed! Use Hyper Voice!”

Hyper Voice? On instinct, Julia’s hands flew back to her ears. “Not again!”

Ignoring her sensitive ears, Politoed let out another deafening screech, the sound waves blowing through the area with such force that it knocked away all of the petals. All that was left was a cross-eyed Viole, who was unable to remain steady on his feet.

“Viole!” It was then that Caiseal remembered. Once a Pokemon used Petal Dance, it became confused afterward. Viole was seeing double. One minute there were two Politoed, the next minute the fuzzy images seemed to blend together, but not entirely. If Viole couldn’t snap out of his confusion soon, Fergus and Politoed could turn this battle around.

Basically, Caiseal was in deep trouble.

“Finish it with Ice Beam!”

Wasting no time, Politoed fired another ray of pale blue light towards Viole. Since the flower Pokemon was confused and woozy from using Petal Dance, he was completely at the mercy of Ice Beam, unable to dodge as the ray of light made contact. But instead of freezing him from toe to petal like before, the Ice Beam simply made him slide across the ground helplessly. Finally, the beam dissipated, and Viole plopped to the side, one of the big petals on his head drooping toward the ground.

“Viole’s unable to battle! The winner is Politoed once again!” Perrine announced, figuring there wasn’t any point in not acting as the referee, since this battle was going on longer than Fergus wanted.

Politoed stood as the victor, but unlike before, it didn’t clap its hands or ribbit in its merry manner. For what it was worth, Caiseal could see lingering marks and cuts on its body. It had still taken a lot of damage. Politoed even took a few heavy breaths, like it was taking every ounce of energy it had and using it to keep going. That itself proved to be some consolation. Viole did a big number on it, and as far as Caiseal was concerned, it was enough. Caiseal walked over to Viole and stroke one of the petals on his head with a pitiful but grateful smile.

“You did great out there, Viole,” Caiseal told him.

“Vile…” Viole could only warble a pained whisper in response. But as he lay on his side, he met eyes with Violet. Caiseal’s sister. The flower Pokemon had heard many stories about her from his trainer, as far back as when he was an Oddish. “Vileplume vileplume…?” Using the last of his energy, Viole lifted one of his arms, pointing to Violet. Even if he didn’t understand his words the way Julia did, Caiseal knew what his friend was referring to with that gesture.

“Yeah. That’s my sister, Violet. I named you after her,” Caiseal said softly, but still audible enough for everyone to hear.

Julia’s breath hitched. Did she hear right? Caiseal named his Vileplume after his sister, even though Viole was a boy? The dots connected in her head quickly. Viole was Violet without the T at the end, and pronounced differently. Her heart went out to Caiseal in that moment, and she could tell from the flabbergasted look on Violet’s face that her brother’s gesture reaffirmed that he truly did care about her. Why else would he name one of his own Pokemon after her? She was the only person who truly loved him and recognized him as part of her family.

“You deserve a good rest,” Caiseal put Viole back in his PokeBall before returning to his place on the field and sending another one out. “Ravenclaw, let’s win this!”

A lone Murkrow came flying out from the PokeBall within seconds. “Murkrow!!” She squawked, flapping her wings once even as she landed on the ground. She meant business, and everyone knew it.

“Politoed. Are you able to go on?” Fergus asked.

The frog Pokemon turned its head towards its trainer and gave a reassuring nod. “Poli!”

Caiseal crossed his arms, closing his eyes. Julia knew that look anywhere. The cogs in his head were whirring. He was definitely planning something. But what?

“I’d recommend quitting while you’re ahead,” Fergus told him in a low, unsympathetic voice. “You can’t win against me easily. Politoed, use Mega Punch.”

“Don’t do anything yet, Raven,” Caiseal advised. “Let it come to you.”

“Krow?!”

“Just trust me on this, please.”

Everyone waited with bated breath, except for Politoed, whose fist glowed white as it made its way towards Ravenclaw. She was practically a sitting Psyduck, and Politoed got close enough to deliver a hardy blow…

“Sucker Punch!!”

“Poli?!” Before Politoed could land an attack, Ravenclaw sprang up from the ground and used her talons to whack the frog right in its face. In that instant, Politoed’s fist stopped glowing. The frog found itself rolling across the ground, only stopping just five feet from Fergus. Politoed attempted to stand back up, but a jolt of pain shot through its back, and he fell to its knees. Julia and Perrine both smiled when they saw sweat on Fergus’s brow. Not even he could deny that Politoed wasn’t strong enough to keep going at this point, what with everything Viole put it through.

“Darn it!” Fergus hissed, having pulled out Politoed’s PokeBall. “Return!!”

“Oh, no you don’t!! Pursuit!!” Caiseal ordered.

Fergus pressed the button on his PokeBall, and the red beam shot out to retrieve Politoed. Before the red light could reach Politoed, Ravenclaw flew towards the frog with remarkable speed and rammed herself right into its abdomen, cutting off any means of breathing. At this point, the red light reached Politoed and pulled it back. Fergus looked down at his PokeBall in worry and sent Politoed back out again, just to see if it was okay. Politoed lay on the ground, eyes closed, completely out cold.

“Politoed is unable to battle!” Perrine cheered, with an arm pointed towards her friend. “The winner is Ravenclaw!”

“FINALLY!!” Caiseal jumped up and down. After several failed attempts, he somehow managed to defeat his ex-father’s Politoed after it had given him such a hard time. His excitement bubbled over like soda fizz. But he knew the battle wasn’t over. Both he and Fergus were down to three Pokemon each. Still, who would have thought a cute frog Pokemon would be such a pain to deal with?

With a frown, Fergus recalled Politoed, holding the PokeBall close to his chest. “Sorry, my friend. You did great,” He whispered tenderly, in stark contrast to how he spoke to Caiseal the entire time. Something even Violet was picking up on.

‘Why does he talk to Caiseal like he’s some stranger, but treat his Pokemon like they’re his babies?’ Violet asked herself, her mind awhirl with both confusion and anger. She clenched the fabric of Julia’s coat tighter as her lingering anger continued to simmer.

Fergus pulled out another PokeBall. “Slowking, I choose you.”

The white light from the PokeBall changed into a pink, bipedal Pokemon with a gray, horned shell on its head, and said shell had a red jewel in the center. It had the face and yellow muzzle of a Slowpoke, but the lower half of its belly had yellow scales on it. It’s neck had a white and red spiny ruff around it, like something a circus clown would wear, but not as freaky-looking.

“Slowking,” The Pokemon simply waved at Ravenclaw like it was greeting an old friend. Ravenclaw could only cock her head to one side, giving it a quizzical look.

“Oooh, a Slowking!” Perrine exclaimed, pulling out her PokeDex yet again. “I’ve always wanted one!”

“Slowking, the royal Pokemon, and one of two evolved forms of Slowpoke,” The PokeDex informed. “Slowpoke can evolve into Slowking with the aid of a King’s Rock, or a Shellder biting it’s head. Slowking, along with Alakazam, is considered one of the smartest Pokemon in the world, famed for its intelligence and intellect on par with award winning scientists. It always remained calm and collected, no matter the situation. When a Shellder bites on a Slowpoke’s head, the toxins it released into its brain unlocked a power that somehow increased its intelligence a thousand fold, which increases even more whenever Slowking yawns. However, when the Shellder comes off of it’s head, Slowking forgets everything it ever learned. Many people from over several millennia have worked with Slowking to solve the mysteries of the world, and continue to do so today.”

“Tch. A water and psychic type,” Caiseal sneered. Ravenclaw was part dark type, so she had an advantage over Slowking. Sure, he knew type advantages alone wouldn’t guarantee a win--Viole’s defeat being an example of that--but he still had something. “Alright, Ravenclaw! Start it off with Dark Pulse!”

“Murkrow!!” The crow Pokemon opened her beak and fired off a river of rings made from black energy.

“Use Power Gem.”

“Slooooow!” In turn, the red jewel on Slowking’s shell glowed, generating six white orbs of white. Before the Dark Pulse could hit, Slowking moved its hand outward, and the shining gems collided with the other attack, holding it off.

“Dark Pulse again!”

“Dodge, and use Power Gem again.”

Once the previous attacks dissipated, Ravenclaw fired another Dark Pulse. Slowking sidestepped, making the stream of black rings hit part of the ground right next to it. This time, Slowking made eight orbs of light appear, and they all aimed right at Ravenclaw. Seeing that they were heading right for her, Ravenclaw tried to fly away from them. But whichever way she went, the glowing rocks kept following her, not intent on letting her get away. Then, when she tried to make a sudden turn, one of the rocks pelted her on her wing, with many more raining down on her right afterward.

“Raven!!” Caiseal yelled in fear. Had she lost already?

Much to his relief, Ravenclaw got right back up, flapping her wings to cushion her landing so she wouldn’t get hurt. “Krooow!”

“Alright then! Use Quick Attack!” Caiseal ordered.

“Nasty Plot.”

Slowking stood in place, enveloped by a dark red light. It didn’t move, even as Ravenclaw threw herself right at it. The force of the blow was strong, but Slowking endured it without making a single sound, not even a grunt of pain.

Julia gasped. “Oh no. This isn’t good.”

“What’s wrong?” Violet asked.

“Nasty Plot. It makes Slowking’s special attacks stronger,” She explained, unable to keep her voice steady. Caiseal was in trouble. Big time. She could tell Slowking would be even harder to deal with than Politoed, and the battle had only just started.

Caiseal didn’t hear his friend, as he was too focused on the battle. “Use Wing Attack!”

Ravenclaw’s wings glowed white as she ascended into the sky and dove towards Slowking, her speed accelerating the further down she went.

“Power Gem, one more time,” Fergus said.

“King!” Slowking spread its arms akimbo, and ten orbs of light appeared, firing themselves right at Ravenclaw.

“No! No!!” Realizing what was going to happen, Caiseal’s eyes widened in horror, his cheeks turning red from so much yelling. Ravenclaw needed to get out of there. “Raven!! Get out of their way!!”

But she was going too fast and couldn’t stop herself in time. She attempted to fly out of their way, but a Power Gem flew right into her. Unable to move, many more pelted her in all directions. All Caiseal could see was Ravenclaw helplessly falling to the ground soon after, sharply descending into the dirt and sending off a billowing cloud. Speed didn’t stand much of a chance against Slowking’s ingenuity and power.

Everyone looked down into the hole. Ravenclaw lay unconscious, her beak wide open, as though trying to scream.

“Ravenclaw is unable to battle. The winner is Slowking,” Perrine announced with zero enthusiasm.

Violet teared up. “She didn’t even stand a chance,” She whimpered.

Julia looked down at her shoes, gnashing her teeth. Her worst fear was coming true. Caiseal really was trapped in a losing battle. But the question that remained on her mind still lingered. What was the point of this battle? More followed soon after. Did Caiseal really deserve to be put through this? By his own father, no less? More than that, what about Violet? What was she getting out of this?

Caiseal recalled Ravenclaw and yanked out another PokeBall, his eyes bloodshot. “I’m not done yet! Heracles, use Megahorn!!”

As ordered, Heracles flew out of the PokeBall, his trusty horn already glowing green as it accelerated towards his opponent. Oddly enough, Slowking looked completely unfazed. A giant beetle was ready to cut it to ribbons, but the royal Pokemon stood there, smiling.

“Flamethrower,” Fergus ordered.

“WHAT?!” This time, everyone found themselves completely flabbergasted. Slowking opened its mouth and a stream of red hot flames spilled out, hitting Heracles head on. The intense heat was too much for Heracles, and he couldn’t drive his horn into his opponent. Unable to handle the fire burning his skin, Heracles found himself rolling on the ground to get the flames off. A searing, burning sensation ran throughout his body, and it lingered even as Heracles managed to put the flames out. Caiseal’s eyebrows furrowed in worry. Burn marks completely dotted Heracles’ navy blue shell, and the big horn Pokemon could barely put any weight on his arms to hoist himself back up.

“Heracles, get up!” Caiseal’s encouragement was overcome with fear, making it come off more like desperate pleading. “Come on! We can’t afford to lose this battle!!” He cried.

“You’re wasting your time,” Fergus hissed. “Finish it with another Flamethrower. Make it count.”

“Slowkiiiiing!” The royal Pokemon fired off another stream of flames. Heracles’ whole body was wracked with pain, rendering him unable to move. Red hot fire consumed Heracles, threatening to roast him whole. Caiseal put his arms over his eyes to protect them from the scorching heat, but he could hear Heracles screeching and howling. Then, nothing. He opened his eyes and found the big horn Pokemon keeled over, completely black from horn to toe.

“Uuuugh!! Return!!” Caiseal roared, recalling Heracles and yanking out another PokeBall just as quickly. “Apollo, get out there!!”

Apollo stood on the field, the back of his neck already in flames. Julia shivered. Caiseal’s voice was more frantic, more desperate. She could see his chest rising and falling in tune with his unusually fast breaths. He gnashed his teeth like he was a hungry Houndoom stalking its prey, and his eyes were bloodshot. Caiseal was backed into a corner, losing control mentally. He only had two Pokemon left, both of whom were weak against water types. Apollo turned to face his trainer, looking just as worried and concerned as Julia. He watched the whole battle play out, and he could sense Caiseal’s distress. The volcano Pokemon tried to walk towards his trainer.

“No! Don’t worry about me!” Caiseal barked. “Just beat that darn Slowking!! We need to win this!!” His voice rose with every word he shouted. Julia kept a hand on her ear to shield her hearing from it, but by this point, his yelling was the least of everyone’s concerns.

Reluctantly, Apollo turned back to face Slowking. “Now use Swift!”

“Graaaahh!” Apollo gave a roar and a fluffy of glowing yellow stars rained down on Slowking, who made no effort to dodge the onslaught.

“Power Gem again,” Fergus said.

“Use Rollout!”

Apollo curled into a ball and began rolling towards Slowking at a high speed, barely noticing the Power Gems pelting it in all directions. It didn’t take long for Apollo to ram right into Slowking and sent it skidding across the ground. After that, Apollo rolled right back toward Caiseal and uncurled himself, back in an attack stance.

“Slowking, use Water Gun.”

“Hold it off with Flamethrower!”

Both Pokemon fired their attacks simultaneously. The spout of water collided with Apollo’s stream of fire. Steam fountained out from the attack collision in a billowing cloud, filling the air with a white haze. Unfortunately, Slowking’s Water Gun managed to push through the flames, and the water spout soaked Apollo from his head down to his neck. He did manage to run from the attack once he found an opening, so the damage he sustained wasn’t too bad.

“Knock it out with Quick Attack!” Caiseal cried, his voice bordering on panicking.

The volcano Pokemon gave a howl as his body glowed in a white light before propelling himself toward Slowking.

“Jump, and use Water Pulse.”

Once Apollo got close enough, Slowking leaped into the air, causing Apollo’s attack to completely miss. Then, the jewel on Slowking’s forehead glowed. It opened its mouth, allowing a large, blue sphere of water to form in front of it. After that, Slowking fired the watery sphere towards Apollo.

“Dodge it!! Don’t let it hit you!!” Caiseal screamed, waving his arms up and down in panic.

Apollo jumped backward two steps, which made the watery sphere hit the ground. Unfortunately, the sphere exploded into a mighty wave that consumed nearly everything. The girls ran towards a set of trees nearby to protect themselves from the ensuing tsunami. Apollo had no time to jump, as the water came at him too fast for him to react. The volcano Pokemon gave a shriek as he was swallowed up by water. Like before, Caiseal held his arms above his face, shielding it from the water. It didn’t take long for the water to subside. When Caiseal put his arms down, his heart stopped.

His partner was on the ground, completely out cold. On the other side of the field, Slowking just stood there, staring blankly at his fallen opponent.

“Apollo is unable to battle. The winner is Slowking,” Perrine said, with even less enthusiasm than before.

At this point, Caiseal had one Pokemon left. Mallow. But he knew this was a losing battle. His heart raced, his head spun, his breaths came short and fast. Too fast. Any control he had left was slipping away from him. His legs felt like they were going to collapse under him. He found himself back at his old house on that awful winter day, completely helpless as his own mother publicly disowned him and told him how she really felt about him. The only consolation he had was that Violet still loved him.

Now he was going to lose his only chance to be with her. Forever. Just when they had finally seen each other again after all these years.

You can’t win. He’s stronger than you, and always has been. He’s been a trainer longer than you have. You should have seen this coming.

Both of his hands clutched huge clumps of his hair as he let out a bloodcurdling scream. It echoed all throughout the battlefield. Violet winced at the awful scene. Tears swelled and rolled from her eyes. Julia didn’t cover her ears this time, but it hurt just the same. It was the same scream he screamed back in the Ice Path, when she saved him from that icicle. The sound was both familiar and frightening. Hearing it told her that Caiseal had lost all hope. She looked towards Fergus to see if he had any inkling of concern. Here was his son screaming, possibly having a complete breakdown. Surely he had to be a little bit worried about him!

He wasn’t. Fergus’s expression was stony and indifferent. It reaffirmed what she had been thinking from the very beginning, and the lid on her anger was finally blown right off.

“This whole battle is MEANINGLESS!!” Julia shouted, unable to keep silent anymore. She foisted Violet on Perrine and made a mad dash towards Fergus.

“Julia! Wait!” Perrine shouted, but the girl didn’t hear her anymore.

Her face scrunched up in anger, Julia dashed towards Fergus and shoved him on his arm. She wasn’t strong enough to knock him down--or anyone, since she was never physically strong--but she wanted his attention, and she wanted it now. Fergus swiveled towards the angry girl, eyes wide from the sudden push.

“You need to call off this battle right now!!” Julia screamed. “He doesn’t deserve to be put through this, especially not from you!!” She pointed over to Caiseal. By this time, Perrine and Violet had rushed to his side to comfort him and help him through his episode. “Your son is having a freaking breakdown! Go over there and help him!!”

Finally, Fergus’ stony exterior crumpled. His eyebrows furrowed in frustration, and he clenched his teeth, as though wanting to say something but refraining from doing so.

“I...I can’t…”

“WHY NOT?!”

“My wife...won’t allow it…”

Caiseal’s mother again. Of course. No surprise. Everything tied back to her. But not allowing it? What was he, five years old? Nollaig wasn’t his mother. “Screw her!! You don’t need to suck up to her!!” She yelled. She knew nothing of how Fergus’ marriage with his wife was and how they got along, if they even did. But she didn’t care. As far as she was concerned, it was no excuse for his complete lack of empathy for his own son. “Caiseal’s your child!! What do you plan on getting out of this battle?! Showing your kids that their feelings don’t matter?! That the only person she cares about isn’t allowed to be anywhere near her because of your wife and her stupid delusion that he’s some murderer out to kill them?! That your son doesn’t deserve any love over something that was never his fault?!”

In her heart of hearts, she knew this wouldn’t change anything. Just shouting random speeches at someone she hated wasn’t going to change his way of thinking. But she didn’t want to just sit there and do nothing while her friend was suffering so much. She hated how helpless she was. Surely, she could do something. Anything to possibly get through to him in some capacity.

“Is that really the kind of message you want to send to your kids?! That your wife and her feelings are more important than them?!” Her frantic voice rose with every word she yelled. She didn’t care if he wasn’t going to listen. If she had to, she’d make him listen. “Do you even love Caiseal at all?! Or do you really love your Pokemon more than your own flesh and blood?!”

For the very first time, Fergus’ eyes glazed over. What was it? Guilt? Or was it sorrow? She couldn’t tell. Julia was never good at reading expressions unless the changes were blatant and sudden. His shoulders hunched, and she could see his fist clenching. She wished she knew the Mind Reader move so she could read his mind and learn what he was thinking.

“I have...no choice…” Also a first, his voice caught in his throat, less steady than before. “I can’t survive without her…”

Survive? What did that even mean in this context? Julia had no idea. But in her mind, this was still bullocks. “That’s not a valid excuse!! You don’t need to do any of this! Caiseal doesn’t deserve this! Violet doesn’t, either!!”

“I can’t...do anything else!” His voice rose an octave.

“Of course you can! Go over there and show Caiseal that you’re his father!!” Julia pointed to Caiseal again. He wasn’t screaming anymore, but the ringing in her ears still rattled her brain. Nothing was making any sense. But she knew one thing for sure. “None of this is right!”

Fergus let out a growl. “Get away from me!!” With a roar, his hand struck Julia on the face. The force of the blow was enough to knock Julia off her feet, sending her to the ground. Her cheek roared, like she had been hit with a thousand Beedrill stingers, and her side trembled from hitting the dirt. Her hand scraped against a rock, cutting a part of her hand, but not enough to make it bleed. Her other hand flew to said stinging cheek like a startled Pidgey. The air around him crackled, and Julia didn’t dare look at him. He was angry and he made no effort to hide it this time. His yelling rattled her ears, completely uncontrolled.

“You have no right to just come in here and tell me what to do, especially whatever it is you say is the right thing!!” Fergus bellowed. “Some people have to survive in this world! People do the things they do because they can’t do anything else! None of you know anything about my life and what I’m going through! You’re not the ones constantly walking on eggshells around a wife who you only stay with because she’s the sole reason you’re not dead on the streets!! It’s my job to keep my family safe, and if catering to her whims can get me through every day, then so be it!!”

Julia couldn’t move. Her hands flew to her ears again, Fergus’ yelling coming dangerously close to making her eardrums explode. But she heard everything he said, and still, nothing made sense. How was staying with Nollaig and catering to her any justification for everything they did to Caiseal and Violet? Maybe he was just as much a victim of her as his kids were, maybe he wasn’t. Maybe Nollaig had more power over him than she realized. Whatever it was, she didn’t know. She just wanted this whole thing to end. But more than that, Caiseal needed help. Serious help. Prolonging this battle wasn’t doing anything for anyone. She staggered to her feet and walked back to her spot on the sidelines. Perrine and Violet were still trying to help Caiseal through his breakdown, along with trying to convince him to bail.

“Cash. This battle is pointless,” Perrine told him. “Screw his stupid deal. You don’t need to go through this. He’s not worth it.”

“She’s right,” Violet whispered. “You gave me your PokeGear number. I can still call you. Whatever happens, I don’t care what he says. You’re still my brother. I can’t…” Her voice broke. “Bear to see you like this…”

“No…” Caiseal growled, standing up. “I will finish this,” He pulled out Mallow’s PokeBall. The only one he had left.

Violet grabbed his arm. “Don’t! Cash, please! You know you’re not gonna win! It’s not worth it!!” She pleaded tearfully.

“Mallow! Get out there!” Caiseal cried.

Mallow popped out of his PokeBall, but was quick to swivel back towards his trainer, having noticed Caiseal’s duress for a while. So this was Caiseal’s father. Mallow shot a cold glare in Fergus’ direction. Like all of his other Pokemon, Caiseal told him all about Fergus and how he was hardly ever around. Seeing him now was almost surreal. The figure he heard about in Caiseal’s stories, right in front of him, with a Slowking serving him. Mallow readied his bone, adopting an attack stance.

By this time, Perrine had helped Julia up. “Jeez. You okay? He really got you good.”

“No!” Julia hissed. Of course she wasn’t okay. A grown man slapped a child across the face. It wasn’t much different from the way Mrs. Amoretto used to slap her around back in second grade. Violence knew no gender, indeed. Any sympathy or thoughts of there being any sliver of good in Fergus were gone.

“Use Bone Rush!” Caiseal yelled.

“Marowak!” Mallow’s bone glowed in a white light before extending two feet on both sides. With a growl, Mallow charged right at Slowking, wielding his bone like a sword.

“Nasty Plot.”

Dark red light enveloped Slowking, and it lost itself in its concentration. Mallow struck Slowking with his bone multiple times, howling and grunting with every strike. But even then, Slowking didn’t move an inch. The girls exchanged confused looks. How was Slowking so strong?

“Now use Headbutt!”

“Wak!” Mallow lowered his head and rammed right into Slowking, sending it skidding across the ground, only stopping after about eight feet.

“Water Gun.”

“Kiiiing!” Like before, Slowking fired off a stream of highly pressurized water.

“Spin your bone to hold it off!” Caiseal cried.

Without hesitation, Mallow stood his ground, spinning his bone in a fast moving circular arc just as the water gun attack came close to soaking him. Water cascaded around the field, sent spiraling in all directions thanks to Mallow holding it off by spinning his bone. In doing so, Mallow took a second to shoot a glance in Caiseal’s direction. Sweat clung to his brow, and his fists were so tightly clenched that they were turning white. It told him that his trainer was desperately trying to think of some way to win, even though he knew this was ultimately a losing battle.

Just then, the pressurized water coming at him doubled in size. The water pushed through Mallow’s spinning bone, sending him skidding backwards, soaking him to the skin. The attack didn’t last too long, and Mallow got back on his feet just seconds later, but his arms trembled. He couldn’t afford to lose, even though it was inevitable. This battle was so important to Caiseal. If he won, Caiseal and Violet could see each other any time, and his former parents wouldn’t be able to interfere. He saw how badly Caiseal was hurt by his mother’s cruelty firsthand, and how it still affected him to this day. Caiseal was clearly the better person in terms of his overall personality and how he treated others. Caiseal deserved to win this battle. They both had to win!

“Use Rock Smash!” Caiseal bellowed.

Mallow held its bone out into the sky, channeling all of his energy into it. The tip of his bone glowed in an orange light, forming a spherical shape. Once it was about as big as Mallow’s hand, the bone keeper rushed towards Slowking with a mighty battle growl, intent to wipe that placid look off its face once and for all.

“Psychic,” Fergus uttered.

“Slooooow…” Both Slowking’s eyes and the red gem on its shell glowed light blue.

Suddenly, Mallow stopped in his tracks, and not intentionally. Mallow tried to move his legs, but they were frozen. He tried moving his arms next. They didn’t move either. His body refused to listen to him. Then, Mallow’s feet weren’t touching the ground anymore. An eerie blue glow outlined his body, and he found himself ten feet in the air. He just knew this wasn’t his own doing, but that Slowking’s. Before Mallow could try to struggle his way out from Slowking’s control, he fell to the ground with such force that his whole body rattled. He didn’t have any time to process what was going on before he was up in the air again, then down in the ground. Up and down. Up and down. The pain in the bone keeper’s body worsened with each fall.

“Mallow!!” Caiseal cried. At this point, tears started rolling down his cheeks.

Slowking telekinetically slammed Mallow into the ground a total of ten times. He stopped soon after, seeing that Mallow had sustained plenty of damage. The bone keeper’s body was covered with fresh scuffs and dirt marks from the continuous attack, and he gave a frustrated grunt as he attempted to stand back up. His legs buckled and he immediately fell to his knees. Mallow cursed himself for not having been able to do much to leave any sort of dent on Slowking. He couldn’t lose. He had to win. For Caiseal. For Violet.

“Slowking! Finish this with Water Pulse!” Fergus swung his arm outward.

“NO!!” Caiseal screamed. His worst fear was coming true right before his eyes. “Mallow, dodge it!! Come on, please!!”

It was futile. Slowking shot a sphere of water towards Mallow. The bone keeper’s legs were too injured to support his weight, leaving him unable to move. The watery sphere exploded into a wave that expanded in all directions, drowning Mallow without any mercy. Mallow gave a wild, strangled screech as he flailed in the tsunami in a futile attempt to escape. His lungs filled with water and it hurt to breathe. Caiseal shut his eyes, as did everyone except Fergus and Slowking. Eventually, the waves disappeared. A brief silence hung over the battle like a heavy fog. Caiseal opened his eyes.

Mallow was on his knees, swaying from side to side, ready to pass out. Caiseal’s heart sank. Mallow was technically still standing! How could he still be conscious after sustaining that attack? One that was beefed up by Nasty Plot, no less? Then he saw the state he was in. Mallow was using his bone as a support, leaning on it, but his legs were too tired to support his weight. His skin was soaked from head to toe, and he looked ready to pass out at any moment. The girls were right. This battle was pointless, and continuing it was only going to make both Mallow and himself suffer more than they already were. Why force Mallow to continue fighting a losing battle? And in the state he was in? There wasn’t any point in forcing Mallow to keep battling.

“Mallow. That’s enough. You don’t have to go on,” Caiseal whimpered, his own legs buckling underneath him.

As if mirroring his trainer’s movements, Mallow finally collapsed, falling on his side. Violet buried her face in Julia’s shirt. Nobody needed to call it out at this point. It was obvious who was the winner. Caiseal could only hang his head as Perrine made the announcement.

“Mallow is unable to battle. The winner is Slowking, and Fergus still has two Pokemon he can use, so...he’s the winner,” Perrine’s enthusiasm dwindled to zero, her announcement little more than a whimper.

Caiseal didn’t move. He sat on his knees, his hazel eyes wide as he processed what had happened. He lost. He didn’t have it in him to return Mallow to his PokeBall. He and his Pokemon battled so hard--against his father, no less--and he lost. In a way, he had seen it coming, since from what he had heard, his former father was a trainer long before he married Nollaig and had him and Violet. But he wanted to win so badly. So, so badly. For Violet, for himself, for the chance to be with the only person who acknowledged him as family and loved him...Caiseal made no effort to stop the waterfalls of tears rolling down his cheeks. All he could do was stare at the ground beneath him and cry in silence. The whole thing was unreal. He found himself back on his front porch on that snowy day, staring in horror as his mother disowned him and kicked him out of the house, cursing his very existence.

“Caiseal…” Julia and Violet were the first to approach him, kneeling down to his level to console him. Violet wrapped her arms around him without a second thought. He didn’t react. Julia kept her distance, hesitating on whether she should console him or leave him be. She wanted to at least rub his back, but would he even want that?

Perrine helped Mallow to his feet. “Come on, Mal,” She gently escorted him over to his trainer, figuring it’d be best to get him out of the field.

“I...I’m sorry…” Caiseal mumbled to no one in particular. Julia winced. The desolate sorrow in that short statement hit her like a Brick Break attack. His utterly heartbreaking breakdown in the Ice Path entered her mind. Now it was happening again. Julia pushed aside her worries and rubbed Caiseal’s back with her hand. She knew it wouldn’t do anything, but she hated not being able to help him. She couldn’t sit here and not do anything for him.

“I couldn’t win...I can’t…”

“It’s okay,” Violet reassured him with a soft whisper. “I don’t care if you lost. No matter what happens...you’ll always be my big brother. Nothing can change that.”

“Marowak,” Mallow agreed, putting a hand on Caiseal’s. Weak as he was, the bone keeper still found it in him to console his trainer. No matter how badly he was hurt, nothing would stop him from being by Caiseal’s side in his time of need.

A large shadow cast over them. The kids and Mallow looked up to find Fergus standing over them, his expression back to being cold and insouciant. Caiseal didn’t dare meet his father’s eyes. He knew what was coming. In contrast, Mallow cast a fierce glare in Fergus’ direction and pointed his bone at him, as if daring him to come closer lest he get hurt.

“Now that you’ve lost, leave, and don’t come back here ever again,” Fergus told him sharply, his voice devoid of any sympathy or remorse. “You’ll just upset Nollaig. It’s better if you’re not around.”

Nollaig and only Nollaig. Julia wanted to punch this guy in the face. Why did he continue to put his wife before everything else? Including his own children? Caiseal didn’t need this. He didn’t need to be told by his own father that it’d be better if he wasn’t around. Violet didn’t deserve him for a father, or Nollaig as a mother. She deserved better.

“Violet. It’s time to go home,” Before she could protest, Fergus pulled her up by the arm and dragged her away. Violet was so stunned, she didn’t have it in her to protest or wriggle her way out of his grip.

“Sorry, Caiseal,” Perrine told him as she and Julia helped him up. “Hey. It’s not the end of the world,” She whispered shortly after. “Violet has your number. She can still call you, so the whole deal he set us is completely bogus.”

Caiseal could only nod.

“Oh,” Fergus suddenly stopped in his tracks. “One other thing.”

The kids froze in anticipation. What else did he want?

Nothing prepared them for what came out of his mouth.

“I wasn’t planning on letting you see Violet anyway, even if you had won.”

What?

Everyone’s mouths hung open faster than an Agility attack. Did they hear that right? It was like the ground had collapsed underneath everyone, sending them falling down a bottomless pit that swallowed them whole. Did he just claim that if Caiseal had won the battle, he wasn’t going to hold up his end of the deal he set up? He would have kept Violet from seeing Caiseal regardless of the outcome of the battle?

Tears of rage poured down Caiseal’s face. His vocal chords had completely shut down, his fists shook, and he still didn’t have it in him to move. In contrast, the color rose flaming to Julia’s cheeks, and she found herself seeing red. She couldn’t believe what his father was saying. Caiseal didn’t deserve this. Neither he nor Violet deserved this. Any of this! How dare this man kick his own son while he was down? Wasn’t defeating him in battle enough? Something snapped inside of her. Before she knew it, she grabbed a chunk of dirt from the ground and threw it right at Fergus. The ball of earth struck him on the back, and he swiveled backward to face the culprit with wide eyes. Perrine all but gasped upon seeing her friend do what she did.

Julia threw all of her anger and hatred into that throw. She wished the dirt had hit his head or face. That would have been satisfying. She didn’t care that he was an adult. He couldn’t get away with everything he and his wife had done to Caiseal. If he was going to yell at her for throwing dirt at a grown man, fine. Let him yell at her. She could handle it just fine.

“You’re horrible!!” Julia screamed as loud as her voice could rise, and it was already hoarse from the yelling she did minutes before. “You can’t just make a deal and then turn your back on it regardless of the outcome!! You’re awful!! Absolutely awful!!” Any shred of sympathy or pity she had for the man was thrown in the proverbial garbage. “You’re the worst parent I’ve ever seen!! You completely ignore your son, don’t bother to help him when your wife is treating him like garbage, and then you have the nerve to humiliate him and make every bad thing that happened out to be all his fault!! Fine! Go be with Nollaig for all we care!! You two don’t deserve to be Caiseal and Violet’s parents anyway!! They deserve way better than you and her!! You shouldn’t even be having kids if you can’t be there for them and love them no matter what!!”

Fergus gave her no response, disappearing into town with Violet beside him against her will. Julia’s fists trembled at her sides, and shuddering breaths dominated her breathing, both to control whatever rage she had left and to fill her lungs back up after that loud rant. She knew yelling at him wouldn’t make him change his ways. Life wasn’t simple like that. She knew that. But she had wanted to say this stuff ever since the battle had started. By Arceus, it was utterly heartbreaking to watch this man utterly destroy Caiseal and whatever dignity he had left the way he did. No reason he could come up with would ever be a good excuse for all the pain and trauma he and his wife inflicted on Caiseal--their son--who had done nothing wrong.

All throughout, Caiseal didn’t say a word, his mind still reeling from his ex-father’s statement. He did know one thing for sure.

He never wanted to see Fergus and Nollaig Brownstone ever again.


A/N: Well, that could have gone better. But man, I am SO happy to have finally gotten this chapter out of the way. Jeez, almost 20,000 words and 40 whole pages. Here’s hoping the payoff is worth it. Next chapter, we meet Caiseal’s adopted parents and see how the kids try to cope with everything that happened here. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Look forward to the next one!

 

[diamondpearl876]

Hi there! I'm your Secret Santa! I hope your holidays have been good to you. Sorry this is so late in the event; I know long running fics like to have readers that are, well, past the first few chapters, lol, so I tried to read as much as I could with the time I had. I only got up to chapter 15 with how massive the chapters are, but hopefully, I still have something useful and good to say. Let me know if I can elaborate on anything or if you have questions!

So, right from the beginning, we get a good sense of who Julia is, what her family life is like, and where she's coming from when she sets off to go on her journey. I always appreciate getting to see family used as a theme in Pokémon fics, since it's so often tossed aside, and especially here, it's nice to see it be a consistent theme. Kassia and Truman stand out as their own characters, and they show up often enough, even if not in person, to the point where I don't really forget about them... and it's clear that Julia has an overall good relationship with them, a stark contrast to Amara's hostility toward them. Related to that, the only thing that struck me as weird was how Kassia kept lamenting her regrets about Amera to Julia. For example, Kassia and Julia have a conversation a few times about how Kassia should've done something more and that she's failed as a parent. It's a dangerous thing for kids to get wrapped up in shouldering their parents' intense emotions like that; it's too easy for Julia to turn into a caretaker, even at such a young age, when Kassia should be playing that role, realistically speaking. Julia doesn't feel particularly burdened in the story, here, but it still rubbed me the wrong way a little bit.

I don't have much else to say about Truman, since he mostly just played the role of having Julia set out on her journey prepared with money and such. But still, I enjoyed seeing him and Kassia have private conversations about what they should do and how they're raising their kids. Truman raising so much money for Julia without Kassia realizing seemed... kind of strange at first, but it makes sense if he handles all the financials, which it seems he does. Besides, it's a good thing he was doing with the money, not anything illegal or skeptical, so! Money's another thing in a Pokémon trainer journey not often covered, so I'm glad it was here. I'd say it's a little too convenient to have all of Julia's money handed to her, but with her autism, her sheltered lifestyle up until the events of the story, and her age, it makes sense she'd have mostly parental support at this point.

I think it'd be cool to get a better idea of what all the Pokémon ranch stuff is like. Why do they have so many Pokémon? How do Kassia and Truman take care of them now that Julia and Amara aren't around to help as much? That said, the children's chores and overall family life come off as really realistic to me; these little details really help to establish what Julia's childhood was like and why she acts the way she does in the present story, especially regarding Pokémon battles and her ex-close relationship with Amara.

The Pokémon characters are handled interestingly in this fic. I can't fathom yet as to why Julia can understand Pokémon while, supposedly, no one else in the world can... but barring that mystery, the character dynamics brought on by that are a treat to read. It's completely understandable, and well written, about how upset Julia gets when they call her a liar or have that simple look of disbelief on their face. Yeah, she gets it, but that doesn't make it hurt any less - an all too human feeling you bring into the fic, as well as many others and with all the present characters. Each Pokémon has their own little quirks, and I'm not sure I've been able to follow a large cast of non-sentient Pokémon so easily before; that is, I don't forget the species easily, or get their names confused, et cetera. That's an especially nice feat when you're having Julia switch out her Pokémon from home. One, it makes sense because her parents are well-equipped to take care of Pokémon, and two, they're not discarded and forgotten once they're traded, emphasizing just how caring and considerate Julia is as a character, and three, it brings a breath of fresh air because you're suddenly not limited to six Pokémon for battles or in your general cast.

My only complaint regarding Pokémon characters is the excessive use of Pokémon speech, with them saying their names. Only sometimes is their speech translated... I think I'd choose one or the other, really. No translation would make more sense if you were writing in third person limited, but with third person omniscient, translating a Pokémon's speech even when they're in the presence of someone who doesn't understand it is a-okay. At any rate, I've always been of the mindset that dialogue with the Pokémon just saying their name doesn't add anything to the fic. It helps a little if there's some speech tag like "she agreed" or "she said angrily", which you do use a fair amount, too.

My favorites are Tsubasa and Hikaru. Tsubasa's exactly the kind of troublemaker, I think, that helps her become a better trainer. Her personality makes it so that she tries to rectify his bad behavior from the get-go, understandably... but even, as time goes on and Tsubasa attacks the bad guys, going so far as to pop out of his Pokéball without permission to do so, you can tell that Julia cares more about her morals than she does being polite to everyone and letting them walk all over her. For someone rather naive to the world, that's important for her to learn on her journey.

Hikaru's interesting, particularly his relationship with Raikou. Raikou being his adopted father implies there's family hierarchies that Pokémon acknowledge and adapt to, like humans do. In other words, your Pokémon are sentient, although I imagine that it's hard to tell with no one being able to understand their speech. It's a kind of thing I'm exploring in my own fics, so it was a pleasant surprise to bump into it here.

As for other characters... I love Perrine and Caiseal. They're both just as fleshed out as Julia, which is nice for supporting characters, or secondary main characters, however you want to view them. Perrine's background isn't exactly original, but her personality is distinct: she stands up for what she wants, she's got a bit of a temper, and she tries to emphathize/sympathize with others whenever possible. The strength of the trio's dynamic really comes into play when Julia facing her fears, then inspires Perrine to confront hers. Now, I see a lot of character development that just kind of happens without a lot of self-initiative, so this was nice to see on Perrine's part. I generally appreciate and love self-awareness and a growth mindset in people, I guess, but anyway, you handled her character development well there, especially with her having a hard time convincing her dad at first but eventually helping him come around after he saw things with his own eyes. Her dad's situation is definitely understandable... and I like that he's portrayed sympathetically, too; everyone's got their own good and bad traits, and I think that's a highlight of your character cast.

I'm sure a similar turn of events will happen for Caiseal eventually. Your character cast - for humans, anyway - also highlights how people keep secrets for each other and are reserved at first but eventually learn to trust each other. Caiseal might not have told Julia and Perrine about his family situation yet (as of chapter 15, anyway), but it clearly is eating him up, and despite his jealousy and anger toward Perrine and Julia for having good families, plus Julia's autism, he tries to work past these biases to be friends with them - another admirable, realistic trait handled nicely within the story's events and pacing. It speaks to your characterization well, I think, when I say I got angry at him quite a few times for yelling at Julia so much, heh. And even though he's still got a rude personality of sorts, he's at least trying.

I wonder if Amara knows about Julia's autism? Well. Something tells me she wouldn't care either way, seeing her behavior, but. You can tell she's in a lot of pain. You can tell it's not all malicious; it's a byproduct of her grief. That's no excuse, Julia and everyone is right, but you do a good job painting her in a sympathetic light sometimes. At her young age, losing someone so close to her... it's not surprising she holds an intense grudge toward all Pokémon and that she's shutting everyone out. It's harder, even, to deal with grief on your own, but she's incredibly stubborn and in a deep mental rut.

I don't see a lot of proof for her assertion that Julia gets treated better than her. Maybe Julia gets treated differently, because parents usually don't raise all their children the exact same way, and this may or may not be related to her autism. Methinks it's just another byproduct of her grief and anger, but I wonder if there's more to it.

Related to the autism theme... Disclaimer: I don't have autism. I was trained to work with a child with autism for a year, and I have quite a few friends on the spectrum, but that's the extent of my experience with it. Still, having a mental illness with a similar stigma that autism does, I think you portrayed really well how much it hurts when people are dedicated to misunderstanding you and constantly judging you. Mrs. Amoretto's situation seemed especially extreme, but it wasn't that surprising to me, and it's clear how that's effected Julia throughout the years, understandably. Morty's reaction to her and not wanting to battle her seems more like the everyday judgmental meanness you'd see, and I wanted to punch him. But. I don't normally care for canon characters in fics, yet Morty was handled well, I think. I was glad to see things from his point of view, and to see him come around to battle Julia after all. It was fitting to see Julia's first gym battle loss happen there, and fitting for him to report himself. The idea of Whitney and Morty being BFFs is adorable, by the way.

I have a question about the autism aspect of the fic, though: have Perrine or Caiseal or her mother or anyone ever... asked Julia if it's okay to just tell strangers she has autism? Like, if someone went around telling everyone I had bipolar disorder without me knowing, or without my permission, I'd be kinda mad. I've had people tell me about others' anxiety and depression issues and whatever, and my first reaction always is, "That wasn't your place to tell me, was it?" I'd rather hear from the person suffering themselves. Maybe that's just me personally, but I kinda cringed a little whenever Perrine freely gave away the info of Julia having autism. Still, it's clear they care about her, and learning more about the disorder is an extremely nice gesture and cements their friendship.

As for your writing style, it flows well from one thing to another. You know, I didn't even realize this fic was following the events of G/S/C until Amara stole Professor Elm's totodile, and really, I've forgotten that a lot, reading these first 15 chapters. I'd say that's a good thing. It means you're diverting from the games' plot far enough that it makes your own plot and subplots stand out. As you could probably tell from my struggle to read past chapter 15, your writing style is also very wordy. There's a lot of information that could be cut out, like peoples' appearances, the Pokédex entries, and some of the random Pokémon speech, all of which I could safely skip without missing anything of importance. There's not a lot of repetition in your chapters, though, which is the more troublesome pitfall of a wordy writing style... though to be clear, I have no problems with long chapters or gigantic fics, really. But I did think the aforementioned parts of the fic broke the flow of what was actually happening.

Before I go... One of my characters from Survival/Phantom Project has close ties to Team Rocket - and not in a good way, lol - and I thought a lot of times that he and Julia would get along really well! Like, my character would be totally floored and thankful to Julia and co. for being so sweet and standing up to Team Rocket when he's not had the guts to do so for years. I don't know when I'd write it, but maybe could I cameo Julia in the fic sometime? Let me know! And again, happy holidays!

 

[Juliko]

Oh wow! This was a really nice thing to wake up to! It's okay if it's a little late. Better late than never, I always say! And wow, you really went all out here. I'm so glad you like my story so far! I admit many of the early chapters are kind of rough, written in 2015-2016, so I know it's not perfect by any means. Again, what is in this universe?

Related to that, the only thing that struck me as weird was how Kassia kept lamenting her regrets about Amera to Julia. For example, Kassia and Julia have a conversation a few times about how Kassia should've done something more and that she's failed as a parent. It's a dangerous thing for kids to get wrapped up in shouldering their parents' intense emotions like that; it's too easy for Julia to turn into a caretaker, even at such a young age, when Kassia should be playing that role, realistically speaking. Julia doesn't feel particularly burdened in the story, here, but it still rubbed me the wrong way a little bit.

Crap. I had no idea it could be interpreted that way. I originally wrote that scene to establish that Julia and her mother communicate openly and talk to each other about their problems, to show that even though Julia's still young, her mother doesn't want to completely keep her out of the loop and talk to her as an equal. But now that you've brought up your concerns with it...yeah, I think now I can see how that can be kind of weird. Come to think of it, I did read someone's review of a really bad book that also brought up a similar criticism. If I ever redo some parts of chapter one, I'll re-adjust that scene in particular. Thanks for pointing that out for me!

I can't fathom yet as to why Julia can understand Pokémon while, supposedly, no one else in the world can...

It won't be explained until two sequels later, just so you know in advance. I don't want to spoil anything.

It's completely understandable, and well written, about how upset Julia gets when they call her a liar or have that simple look of disbelief on their face. Yeah, she gets it, but that doesn't make it hurt any less - an all too human feeling you bring into the fic, as well as many others and with all the present characters.

Oh good! I'm glad you feel I was able to convey this! I'm sure this is common for everyone, but for autistic people especially, their concerns, needs, and desires are often either ignored or not taken seriously, even without Julia's ability to understand Pokemon. For example, if someone hates the feel of beans or the sound of them rattling against a bucket, it can be a terrible sensory experience for that someone, and they'd either want to suggest using something else or leave the room to get away from the noise, but others or authority figures will either interpret that as either them being rude, impertinent, inflexible, a brat, force them into the activity, further causing them distress, or ignore them altogether without intent to understand why. Trust me, it happens, and what seems insignificant to others can be very important for some people, and it can be really discouraging when you want someone to take something seriously but are ignored or told you're being difficult. I've been there myself.

But even, as time goes on and Tsubasa attacks the bad guys, going so far as to pop out of his Pokéball without permission to do so, you can tell that Julia cares more about her morals than she does being polite to everyone and letting them walk all over her. For someone rather naive to the world, that's important for her to learn on her journey.

Indeed! In addition, many autistic people have trouble seeing the nuances and gray areas in certain situations, myself included, so everything is either black or white. This usually means they have a strong sense of what's right and wrong, even if what they think is right or wrong isn't so to neurotypicals. It can also mean they have a strong sense of justice and morals, to the point of trying to do right on impulse and not realizing the complexities and complications in certain situations. In Julia's case, she's gradually becoming more open-minded and confident in speaking out against injustices because, one: Her parents aren't around to tell her she needs to be polite and conduct herself in a mature manner, though she does know when to reign in when possible, and two: She doesn't see the point in trying to be polite and walking away when something obviously bad is happening, even if in her heart she knows walking away would be the better solution. Plus, Amara's not around to yell at her and tell her to mind her own business. I'm sure lots of people feel this way on some occasion, autistic or not.

Hikaru's interesting, particularly his relationship with Raikou. Raikou being his adopted father implies there's family hierarchies that Pokémon acknowledge and adapt to, like humans do.

Gotta point something out here you missed: Hikaru's a girl, not a boy. Tsubasa is a girl, too.

I wonder if Amara knows about Julia's autism? Well. Something tells me she wouldn't care either way, seeing her behavior, but. You can tell she's in a lot of pain. You can tell it's not all malicious; it's a byproduct of her grief. That's no excuse, Julia and everyone is right, but you do a good job painting her in a sympathetic light sometimes. At her young age, losing someone so close to her... it's not surprising she holds an intense grudge toward all Pokémon and that she's shutting everyone out. It's harder, even, to deal with grief on your own, but she's incredibly stubborn and in a deep mental rut.

Thank you! Someone actually gets it! And yes, Amara does know Julia is autistic, but she's still young, so she doesn't really understand various parts of it and is too wrapped up in her own pre-teen/teenage angst to really care right now. Furthermore, I wanted to portray Amara as a confused girl who doesn't know what she wants and doesn't know how to deal with her grief in a healthy way. I love villains who are sympathetic but aren't always shown as being in the right, even if they do have valid reasons for doing what they do, and I try hard to make it clear that while Amara does have understandable reasons for being the way she is, said reasons are ABSOLUTELY NOT a justification for the crappy way she treats people and Pokemon, even her own family and friends, along with all of her other actions. Many people try to use a villain's tragic backstory as a way to handwave away their evilness, which just doesn't work. One example of this being done poorly is with the villain Nakago from this manga called Fushigi Yuugi. I don't know if you've read it or not, but I hear he's pretty infamous on this one.

I have a question about the autism aspect of the fic, though: have Perrine or Caiseal or her mother or anyone ever... asked Julia if it's okay to just tell strangers she has autism? Like, if someone went around telling everyone I had bipolar disorder without me knowing, or without my permission, I'd be kinda mad. I've had people tell me about others' anxiety and depression issues and whatever, and my first reaction always is, "That wasn't your place to tell me, was it?" I'd rather hear from the person suffering themselves. Maybe that's just me personally, but I kinda cringed a little whenever Perrine freely gave away the info of Julia having autism. Still, it's clear they care about her, and learning more about the disorder is an extremely nice gesture and cements their friendship.

Oh jeez. I completely overlooked that. I'll have to rectify that in future chapters and stories. Although I guess part of this is kind of based on my own experiences. All my life, I've always known that my parents told others I'm autistic, mostly for the sake of preventing misunderstandings, bringing awareness, and inquiring about accommodations, whether it's at school or going to a friend's house for a fancy dinner. I've just been used to others mentioning my disability to other people that I never really thought about how it could potentially be a problem. Plus, with Julia being a kid and still in the stage of her life where she still doesn't really understand certain things and how they work, you could argue that she's simply used to it as well, not realizing the ramifications behind people she knows off-handedly mentioning her disability to total strangers. Hmmm...you've given me some good food for thought here. Thanks!

Anyway, thanks so much for reviewing my fic! I know it's not perfect, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless! You can read the rest of it if you want, at your leisure. Happy New Year!

 

[diamondpearl876]

Crap. I had no idea it could be interpreted that way. I originally wrote that scene to establish that Julia and her mother communicate openly and talk to each other about their problems, to show that even though Julia's still young, her mother doesn't want to completely keep her out of the loop and talk to her as an equal. But now that you've brought up your concerns with it...yeah, I think now I can see how that can be kind of weird. Come to think of it, I did read someone's review of a really bad book that also brought up a similar criticism. If I ever redo some parts of chapter one, I'll re-adjust that scene in particular. Thanks for pointing that out for me!

It's a pretty complicated thing that can have a lot of disadvantageous effects on people as they grow up, particularly a lack of identity and a tendency to people-please. Basically, feeling responsible to take on the burden of caring for your parents' intense emotions can make it much harder to have your own needs met, and all you end up worrying about is others at the expense of yourself. The proper term for it is called enmeshment, if you ever wanna look more into it. O:

Gotta point something out here you missed: Hikaru's a girl, not a boy. Tsubasa is a girl, too.

Oops. I knew that. xD

Oh jeez. I completely overlooked that. I'll have to rectify that in future chapters and stories. Although I guess part of this is kind of based on my own experiences. All my life, I've always known that my parents told others I'm autistic, mostly for the sake of preventing misunderstandings, bringing awareness, and inquiring about accommodations, whether it's at school or going to a friend's house for a fancy dinner. I've just been used to others mentioning my disability to other people that I never really thought about how it could potentially be a problem. Plus, with Julia being a kid and still in the stage of her life where she still doesn't really understand certain things and how they work, you could argue that she's simply used to it as well, not realizing the ramifications behind people she knows off-handedly mentioning her disability to total strangers. Hmmm...you've given me some good food for thought here. Thanks!

It makes sense when kids are really young and it comes from parents. But with Julia trying to branch out and get worldly experience, it makes a little less sense. Though everyone's different! So maybe Julia here doesn't care, but I'm surprised there was no scene with her being asked or whatever, that's all.

I don't have much else to say to your other responses, just wanted to clarify these things. Good luck with your fic!

 

[Juliko]

Alright. I think I get it now. Thanks so much for clarifying! I really appreciate it! *hugs*

 

[Juliko]

A new year, a new chapter! Hit it! Also, mad shout-out to @System Error for helping me with a part of this chapter. You're the best!!!

***

Chapter 51: His Other Family

Today sucked.

It had only been ten minutes since Caiseal lost a battle against his father, and he still felt like complete garbage. Everyone felt like garbage. Any motivation they had to do anything was knocked right out of them. The kids found a bench and sat down, figuring they needed some time to calm themselves and give their legs a break. It was easy to see that Caiseal had taken the loss really hard. He hadn’t said a word since his defeat and barely moved much, except once, when he put Mallow back in his PokeBall. Even as the kids found some time for themselves, all he did was just sit there and cry...and as far as the girls were concerned, he had every right to do so. His father utterly humiliated him, disowned him, and is forbidding him from seeing his little sister. If the girls were in his position, they’d be sad and angry, too.

“Rrrrgh! This whole thing is so stupid!” Julia growled, still frustrated from the awful scene earlier. “I’ve never wanted to punch someone so badly in my entire life!”

“You’re telling me,” Perrine agreed. “I’m honestly surprised he and his wife haven’t gotten arrested yet, even before all this.”

Caiseal lifted his head just a bit. “...Nollaig already was,” He finally muttered, his broken voice barely above a whisper. “She was arrested at one point, but she got out on bail,” He explained.

“Wait, what?” Julia raised an eyebrow. “What does get out on bail mean?”

“It means she needed to pay a huge amount of money to get out of jail,” Perrine explained. “If they don’t have the money, then they serve their time until the court sentences them. At least, that’s what my dad told me once. I don’t know if that’s entirely right, though.”

Julia didn’t know much about jail or police, except for some of the things she watched in shows. Police would catch someone, arrest them, and throw them in jail unless the court declared them not guilty for their crimes. She was sure there was a lot more to it than just that, but at this point, Julia didn’t care. Her friend was at rock bottom right now, and she wished she could make all of his pain and hurt go away. But what could she do? She couldn’t make Nollaig and Fergus magically see the error of their ways and convince them that Caiseal deserved their love. Or send them back to jail, where they definitely deserved to be. Nobody ever changed their minds on the flip of a dime. Life wasn’t simple like that, but she wished that it was.

Then, Caiseal stood up from the bench. “Let’s go to my house. There’s no point in staying here.”

Good point. They had been on their way to Caiseal’s foster family anyway, so why bother delaying? But the girls did exchange worried looks.

“Are you sure you want to go right now?” Perrine asked, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to force yourself to do anything.”

“I want to go home,” Caiseal told her, his voice far away. “I told my foster parents I’d get there today. I don’t want to keep them waiting.”

Another good point. The kids really didn’t want to stay here.

Back on the road they went. Julia glanced at Caiseal as they walked, and his legs moved at a slow, sluggish pace. He hunched over a little bit, like he was about to fall over, and his gait was like that of someone trying to helplessly push through thick piles of snow. It was like every step he took was heavy and wracked with pain. Julia looked down at her feet. Caiseal was really at the lowest point of his life right now. Maybe even worse than when his mother disowned him all those years ago. Julia found herself wishing she had done more than just throw dirt at him and scream at him. But there wasn’t much point in dwelling on it now.

It didn’t take long for them to stop in front of a big, bright orange house with lots of windows on the front, a gray slanted roof, and a teal colored front door. Little gardens filled with colorful flowers--mostly pansies and daisies--lined the front of the house, greeting the children with their vibrant, cheery petals. Julia could spot a tall, grey wooden fence lining the backyard. Caiseal put his finger on the doorbell as soon as he stepped on the front porch.

“Wow. Your house is really nice, Cash,” Perrine said, in awe of the house’s stark, vivacious color.

“It’s nicer than my old one,” Caiseal replied, his tone unchanging.

Not even three seconds passed before a merry, bronze-skinned woman answered the door, her black hair arranged in a neat, smooth bob cut. She beamed at the sight of the trio of children on her front porch. “Caiseal! You’re back! Welcome home!” She cried out with joy as she wrapped her skinny arms around the boy, trapping him in a warm, comforting embrace. Caiseal didn’t return the gesture, but he smiled as his nose rubbed against the fabric of her cashmere sweater. The scent of fresh baked cookies greeted his nostrils, and the warmth of her arms alleviated some of the frustration from earlier. Here, at least, was someone who loved him.

“...Hi, Mom.”

“Oh! You’ve gotten tall!” The woman exclaimed, letting him go. “Did you grow a few more inches?” She noticed the two girls behind him. “And you two must be Julia and Perrine! It’s so good to meet you both!” She took Perrine’s hand and shook it. “I’m Yvette Asher, Caiseal’s adopted mother. He’s told me so much about you girls!”

“Hello, Mrs. Asher,” Perrine greeted her. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

As much as Julia wanted to greet her as well, the anger and frustration from earlier still simmered, and she was in no mood to pretend to be happy. Stuff like that was impossible to just push to the wayside for her. Julia simply waved at her, hoping she wouldn’t be offended. Thankfully, to her relief, Yvette barely noticed.

“Come on inside! I’m sure you’re all tired after so many months on the road!” Yvette escorted them inside with a smile. “I just got some cookies out of the oven. Do you like chocolate chip?”

Chocolate chip? Julia immediately perked right up. “It’s my favorite!” She exclaimed.

Yvette sat them down at the dining room table, wasting no time putting food out. A plate of warm, fresh chocolate chip cookies, some sandwiches, some bananas, and a few other things. “Would you girls like anything to drink? Water? Tea? Lemonade?”

“Just water, please,” Julia replied.

Within seconds, Yvette sat down three glasses full of water. “Sorry, Caiseal. Geoffrey’s at work today, so he won’t be back until about eight or so,” Yvette told him. “He really wanted to see you when you arrived.”

Caiseal shook his head slowly. “It’s alright. There’s no rush. Thanks for the food,” Although he appreciated the spread before him, he had no appetite. Not after that crushing defeat.

That was all it took for Yvette to notice. “What’s wrong, sweetie?” She asked, eyebrows furrowed in concern. She sat down next to him. “Is something bothering you? You sound sad,” Some lingering tear tracks reflected the sunlight coming through the window. “Goodness. Something must have happened.”

Instead of answering right away, Caiseal pulled out all of his PokeBalls, handing them to his foster mother. “Can you put them in the machine, please? They’ve been through a really rough battle.”

“Machine?” Julia asked, having finished munching on a cookie. “You guys have one of those healing machines? Like the one Professor Elm has in his lab?”

Yvette flashed a smile at her as she gently took Caiseal’s PokeBalls into her hands. “As a matter of fact, we do.”

She went into the living room and put the PokeBalls into a healing machine, similar to the one Julia had seen in Professor Elm’s lab months before. Julia leaned down to whisper towards Perrine, “Mrs. Asher is a way better mom than his real mom by miles.”

Perrine silently nodded in agreement. There was certainly no denying that. Just from the stories they heard about Nollaig and from watching Yvette, the differences were like night and day. She was definitely better than Fergus. Fergus never smiled at Caiseal or showed any concern for his well being. Considering that he made no effort to comfort Caiseal when he had that breakdown during their battle, that cemented him as unfit to be a parent in their minds.

When she came back into the dining room, she wasted no time cutting to the chase. “Caiseal. I can tell something’s wrong,” She said. From her tone, she didn’t say it in a harsh, urgent way that implied that she wasn’t going to let Caiseal leave until he told her what happened. Instead, her voice was soft and warm, and she kept her distance. “Would you like to talk about it?”

At first, he said nothing. Then he stole a glance at his friends, giving them a pleading look. “Can you...tell her?” Caiseal’s voice was small and weak, like he barely had any energy to talk louder than a whisper. “I’m too tired.”

Understanding what he wanted, Julia decided to take the initiative. “Yeah. Just a few minutes ago, something bad happened,” She went on to tell Yvette about Fergus and his challenging Caiseal to a battle.

“What?!” Yvette’s mouth fell wide open, and she almost screamed. “You ran into your father?!” Julia winced. “Caiseal, did you really challenge him to a battle?!”

“Correction: Fergus challenged him,” Julia pointed out. She knew Yvette was just shocked and still processing what she was telling her. But the girl did take some offense when Yvette implied that Caiseal challenged his father on purpose. Yes, he accepted the challenge, but it wasn’t like his father gave him the option to back out. “He practically forced him to battle, saying he’d let Violet see him if he won.”

The girls told Yvette everything, from how they ran into Violet to Fergus’ callous confession when he left. This time, Yvette was silent as the girls relayed everything that had happened. All throughout, Caiseal didn’t say a word, not that they could blame him. He had a terrible day. Why stress him out? Yvette’s heart sank the more she heard.

“Goodness...I had no idea,” Yvette’s voice softened to a more sympathetic tone. “I wish I had known about this. Believe you me, if I had him in my sights, I’d have made an effort to put a stop to the whole thing, for more reasons than one,” She said. To think this had happened mere minutes ago, and really close by, no less. It was easy to see the regret on her face plain as day.

Caiseal stood up from his chair, still despondent. “I’m gonna head to the backyard and say hi to Stacey and Geo. Sorry. I’m just...tired,” He mumbled before turning a corner and walking out the back door.

Julia’s heart felt heavy. This sad person was not the Caiseal she knew and loved at all. “I wish there was something we could do for him,” She said. “I can’t stand seeing him like that.”

“Me too,” Yvette agreed. Still, she flashed a grateful smile at the girls. “But it’s better if we leave him be for now. He’ll talk to us on his own time. I’m sure he needs time to sort everything out in his head. Besides, I think you two have done a lot more for him than you think.”

The machine let out a beep in the other room. “Oh! Looks like Caiseal’s Pokemon are healed,” Yvette exclaimed, running back into the living room and coming right back in, PokeBalls in hand. “Alright, then. You girls should probably rest up. I bet you’re tired after your long journey.”

As far as the girls were concerned, they were more sad than tired. Julia grabbed another cookie and ate it.

***

When Caiseal walked out into his backyard, a wave of nostalgia overwhelmed him as he sat down on a nearby chair. It hadn’t changed much since he left. The big dogwood tree was still there, way in the back, having been stripped bare of its leaves just a few months before. It seemed like only yesterday it was draped in green leaves and the snow white petals of dogwood flowers. The tree had been in full bloom on the day Caiseal left. Now it was just a giant hunk of wood with branches reaching out in all directions. An orange, six-foot high fence lined the property in a perfect square. On the left side of it was a small patch of soil only about three feet along, adorning bundles of lively purple aster flowers, their petals thin and delicate. Some large, flat stones made a path that led to a gate, which stood parallel to another street. Twelve, total. Caiseal counted them once on his first day here, when he had been first adopted.

Most children would be happy to be back home after a long journey. Caiseal wanted to be happy, since Yvette and her husband had welcomed him into their home with open arms. But he couldn’t find it in himself to smile or rejoice his return. A heaviness weighed down on his heart. He wanted to come back here with a smile and tell his adopted parents all about his adventures. Too bad his battle with Fergus completely ruined everything. He hated greeting Yvette looking so forlorn and desolate. Actually...did he even want to come back here at all?

“Golem!” “Kiiiii!” Upon seeing their trainer, Geo and Stacey ran right up to him with open arms, welcoming him with delighted enthusiasm. Stacey wrapped her skinny arms around him, pulling her trainer close, taking care not to puncture him with her horns. Golem simply smiled and put a clawed hand on his shoulder.

“Hey guys,” Caiseal murmured. “I’m back. You miss me?”

Geo and Stacey warbled cheerfully, their excitement bubbling over them like soda fizz. But it fizzed out just as quickly when they saw Caiseal’s forlorn expression. Both Pokemon exchanged confused looks. Why was Caiseal so sad?

Seeing that they noticed, Caiseal made no effort to hide his sorrow. “Sorry. Today’s been a really rough day,” No. That was a gross understatement. As far as Caiseal was concerned, today had been absolutely crushing. His ex-father’s callous final words echoed in his mind. To think he had no intention of honoring the deal that he himself had set up. Or maybe he only proposed it because he knew Caiseal would lose due to the experience gap. Regardless, it was still so cruel to kick him while he was already down. Then again, what did Caiseal expect? It wasn’t like he was much different back when he still lived at that house. From what he had heard, Fergus didn’t even make an effort to search for him when Nollaig left him at the Ice Path.

Figures. Fergus didn’t change back then, and he certainly didn’t change now. Why expect anything different? Still, even though he somewhat saw this coming, it did nothing to alleviate the pain lingering in his heart. For what it was worth, his Pokemon were here with him. They didn’t care about where he came from or the circumstances of his birth. Geo and Stacey were happy to see him. Yvette, Julia, Perrine, and all his other Pokemon loved him. He wondered what he might have become if he didn’t have them in his life? Caiseal shook his head. No way did he let his imagination get that far.

“Cash?” Julia poked her head out the door. “Mrs. Asher says your Pokemon are healed up now.”

Caiseal smiled. “Thanks. I’ll be inside in a minute,” He told her. “I oughta show you girls my collection of bad horror movies.”

Without another word, Julia went back inside, giving Caiseal his space. He stroke Geo’s head. “I’ll tell you more about it later. I’m gonna hang with the girls. Is that okay?”

Both Pokemon nodded in agreement.

Once inside, he retrieved his Pokemon and showed the girls his room. Mallow and Ravenclaw had come out of their PokeBalls, mostly because Caiseal felt it’d be good for them to wander around the house a bit. It was a pretty typical boy’s room as far as they knew. The walls were a rich deep blue, but the ceiling and carpet were both white. A Snorlax-themed clock hovered over the doorway, and a big silver shelf stood on the left side of his bed, filled to bursting with books, DVDs, and various other nick-nacks. His bed had a quilted comforter in all shades of blue, with matching pillows, and a lamp stood on a wooden night stand, the shade dark blue with stars cut into it on all sides. Julia walked over to get a better look. If it was turned on, she was sure the light would cut through the holes and make stars appear, like a starry sky was right inside his room. She always wanted one of those lamps for herself, even as a kid. Some sneakers lined up against a wooden night stand. A silver scooter and a gray striped skateboard with flaming red wheels were stuffed into another corner of the room.

“Your room’s really nice,” Julia mused out loud, still finding herself fixated on Caiseal’s starry night lamp.

“I know, right?” Caiseal agreed. “I think it’s way better than my old one. It’s bigger and I actually have a place where I can put my skateboard and scooter.”

Ravenclaw fluttered onto Caiseal’s bed and began using her talons to adjust the comforter a bit, taking care not to rip it. After pushing it around, she sat down and closed her eyes, letting herself relax. Perrine found herself looking at a row of DVDs lined up on the second shelf.

“Jeez, Cash. I didn’t know you were a horror movie buff,” Perrine said, counting the DVDs with her index finger. “You have some obscure ones, too! The Silent Place, The Glowing, Shout, Ghostly Activity, The Band, The Silence of the Mareep, Mary, The Nightmare on Sudowoodo Street, goodness!”

“I find the bad ones to be pretty hilarious,” Caiseal said, stifling a chortle. “I admit it, bad horror movies are my guilty pleasure. Sorry I never told you. I wasn’t sure if you’d like this kinda stuff.”

“Eh, they’re not really my thing,” Julia told him. “But if you like them, that’s cool. I did see The Shaman when I was little, though. My mom told me she saw it when she was a teenager, back when it first came out.”

Before Caiseal could ask her about it, a shriek from Perrine silenced them. Julia’s hands flew to her ears. “No way! You have Stand With Me?! I’ve been looking for this movie for years!” Perrine exclaimed, her voice having risen an octave or two, her blue eyes gleaming at a DVD she held in her hands. “I could never find this anywhere! I saw it at a friend’s house once and I loved it and wanted to see it again but I had no luck!”

An idea flashed in Caiseal’s head. “If you want, we can watch it down in the living room.”

Perrine wasted no time giving him her approval. “Heck yes!”

“Cool! I haven’t seen any new movies in a while,” Julia added, liking the idea of sitting down to watch a movie with her friends.

With that in mind, the kids gathered into the living room and spent the next two hours watching the movie. Sometimes they’d laugh, either at genuinely funny scenes, parts that they felt didn’t quite work, or were just plain bad. Sometimes they would gasp in shock at the trials that the characters had to endure. Julia didn’t find herself liking the movie, so after an hour, she opted out and went to the bathroom for a bit. Thankfully, Caiseal and Perrine didn’t make a big deal out of it, understanding that this particular one wasn’t her cup of tea and didn’t force her to stay and watch. After that, Caiseal let all of his Pokemon out in the backyard and let them play. When the movie was finished, he pulled out a board game, and the kids played that for a while.

But throughout the board game, and the movie, Julia could tell everything Caiseal was doing came off as forced. His voice quivered a few times when he tried to feign enthusiasm. His eyes still had that far away look that still lingered from earlier today. Obviously, the battle and its aftermath still weighed heavy on him. She wished she could alleviate his pain in some way. But what could she do? She didn’t have magic powers, and she was sure anything she could do would just make things worse. If Caiseal didn’t want to talk about it, there was no point in pushing it. But the Donphan in the room needed to be addressed some time, and the thought kept gnawing at her mind like a hungry Rattata. It wouldn’t stop bugging her no matter how much she tried to push it to the side for Caiseal’s sake.

“How are you kids doing in there?” Yvette asked, popping her head into the living room. “Who’s winning?”

“I am!” Perrine exclaimed, throwing her hand into the air.

Julia barely had her mind on the game, but from what she could see, Caiseal was losing. “We’re fine, Mom,” Caiseal reassured. “It’s all good in here.”

Yvette flashed a grin in his direction. “That’s good. I’m getting some laundry done, but let me know if you need anything,” She told them before disappearing into the other room.

Another fifteen minutes passed before the board game ended. As she proclaimed, Perrine won, which wasn’t much of a surprise. “Man, you guys suck at this game!” She boasted, brimming with pride. Of course, Caiseal and Julia knew she was just happy, so they didn’t take the loss personally. It was just a board game. “Do you know where the bathroom’s at, Cash?”

“There’s a little one right in the kitchen,” Caiseal told her matter-of-factly. “But the big one’s upstairs.”

“Good, because I really need to go. Be right back!” Perrine said, wasting no time running up the stairs.

Leaving both Julia and Caiseal alone in the living room. Not entirely alone, as Mallow was sitting on the living room couch, his skull and bone almost blending in with the beige fabric. Now was time to bring up the battle. But her vocal chords shut down. How could she even hope to bring it up, and in a way that didn’t offend him? Great. Her chance to talk to him was here and any words she had on the tip of her tongue dried up just like that. The silence weighed heavy in the air. Thankfully, it didn’t last for long.

“Hey, Jule?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you remember when we first met back in Goldenrod City?” Caiseal asked, his voice low and still far away. He fiddled with the dice on the board game, rolling it around with his finger. “How I yelled at you and called your reasons for going on a Pokemon journey stupid and pathetic? And called you weak and a joke?”

The scene played back in her mind faster than an Agility attack. “I do! Man, it was so long ago,” Julia exclaimed. She remembered it all very clearly: Caiseal’s angry eyes, his venomous words, his yelling ringing in her ears, not helped by the fact that just before, Amara had evaded them after stealing a Plain Badge from Whitney. She hadn’t thought about that in months. “You were pretty rude back then.”

“Yeah. Not gonna lie, it was stupid of me to do that,” Caiseal continued.

“I already forgave you for that, so it’s all water under the bridge.”

“I know. But...” A brief silence. Then he spoke again. “I never did tell you why I went on my journey.”

Julia raised her eyebrows. “Didn’t you say you wanted to get into the Pokemon League?”

“That, and...something else…” Caiseal let the sentence drift away for the moment. He stopped fiddling with the dice. Another brief silence. “After I got adopted, things got better for me. Yvette and Geoffrey treat me well, I got good grades in school, and I finally got to learn what life was like without constantly getting yelled at all the time.”

As far as Julia was concerned, he absolutely deserved to get adopted after what he went through with Nollaig. Still, Caiseal’s voice was somber and distant. “I thought that since I was away from her now, all my problems would go away. But they didn’t,” He picked up one of the plastic figurines from the board game, staring at it as he continued on. “I get nightmares about it every night, and even when I’m doing something normal, or nothing at all, I still hear Nollaig yelling at me over every little thing.”

Caiseal’s explanation continued on, and Julia could only listen. No, she wanted to listen, and she didn’t say a word as she allowed her friend to talk. Caiseal tried to make the most out of his new life, and he was genuinely happy to finally be out from Nollaig’s thumb. But no matter what he did, or how nicely Yvette and Geoffrey treated him, he still felt out of place. He felt like a stain on a white cotton shirt. Every day, Nollaig’s angry voice would continually echo in his mind, berating him over just about everything, as if mocking him for thinking he deserved any semblance of happiness. It made him constantly question his own existence. Did he deserve to be happy? Did he have any right to live like a normal kid and be treated as such? Was Nollaig right about him being a monster who only brought misfortune to everyone around him?

Things that didn’t used to bother him before suddenly became extremely significant to him. When he was eleven, he overheard one of his classmates--one of his own friends in school at that--make a tasteless joke about homeless people. He claimed that homeless people were lazy and gross, or were actually faking it so they could receive free money from people. Something had snapped inside him. What did he know about being homeless? Caiseal had been there. He had experienced it first hand. The pain of not having access to good food or clothes. Spending months out in the cold, without anything warm to wear to protect him from nature. Constantly being rejected because of how he looked no matter his reasons. Trying everything he could to get through the day, continually wondering if he was going to even survive. Before Caiseal knew it, he was on top of the kid, punching him in the face over and over, screaming at him.

He was suspended for three days after that. The incident resulted in his adoptive parents deciding to put him in therapy. Caiseal was okay with the idea, figuring it’d help fix everything once and for all, and he did genuinely feel bad for attacking his friend. The therapist he spoke to every month was a nice lady, and she always let him talk without judging him or making him feel scrutinized. But talking didn’t solve things. It didn’t put an end to the nightmares, the flashbacks, the worry he had for Violet, and the pain he always felt. After several months of thinking and soul searching, he came to a potential solution for himself: Leave Blackthorn City. Go on a Pokemon journey.

“I thought that maybe if I left Blackthorn City entirely, things would work themselves out,” Caiseal said, fiddling with the figurine on the board game. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to come back at all. Why go back to the place that holds so many bad memories for me?”

When he told Yvette and Geoffrey he wanted to become an official trainer, they supported his wish without any hesitation. They helped him apply for a license, bought him some PokeBalls, taught him some things he needed to learn while out in the wilderness (Some of it he already picked up from being on the streets for two months), told him about the potential dangers and what to do in preparation for them, and many other things. He didn’t dare tell them he was thinking about leaving permanently, only telling them he wanted to try his hand at traveling, since he wanted to be a trainer from the start. Things went pretty well when he set off. But the nightmares and the flashbacks returned, plaguing him every day, even when something good happened.

“Nothing I did fixed anything,” Caiseal choked out, putting the figurine back on the board game. “I tried everything, and the nightmares and flashbacks won’t stop,” Stray tears trickled down his cheeks. Julia looked away. Seeing his tears would only make her cry, and she didn’t want to cry right now. Not when Caiseal was opening up to her like this. “So...I claimed you and your reasons for traveling were pathetic...but I was really describing myself.”

Caiseal? Pathetic? No way were those two words meant to go together. Not in her mind. Julia put her hand right on top of Caiseal’s, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “That’s not true!” She wasted no time telling him exactly what was on her mind. “You’re absolutely not pathetic or weak or any of those things! I meant what I said to you in the Ice Path, and that hasn’t changed, even now! I don’t think your reason for traveling is pathetic at all! I mean, I don’t think just traveling in and of itself would have fixed anything, but you still made lots of friends and experienced so many new things! That has to mean something, doesn’t it?”

In all honesty, Julia wasn’t quite sure anything she said would really work. Simply reassuring him wouldn’t make his problems go away. But seeing her friend look so down and heartbroken hurt her heart.

“She’s right, you know.”

Another voice suddenly inserted herself into the conversation. Julia and Caiseal swiveled towards the entrance to find Yvette standing there. She walked into the living room and sat down right next to Caiseal. “Sorry for eavesdropping. I was going to ask about your journey, but you two were already talking and I didn’t want to interrupt.”

Caiseal shook his head. “It’s fine,” He said that, but inside, he felt like he had been hit upside the head. He didn’t want his adoptive mother to know his reasons for going on a journey. Caiseal feared that if she knew, she wouldn’t let him go. Or maybe she might have. He didn’t know. Guilt weighed heavy on his heart in that moment. He hated the fact that he repaid her kindness by basically trying to ditch her, even his reasons for wanting to go had nothing to do with her and her husband personally. The sadness was in her eyes plain as day.

“I’m sorry I never told you any of this, Mom,” Caiseal whimpered. “I didn’t want you to think I was just being an ungrateful brat.”

Yvette’s expression didn’t change. She simply placed a gentle hand on Caiseal’s shoulder. It was warm and full of love. “Of course I don’t think that. I know you’ve been going through a hard time. In a way, I had somewhat suspected you had deeper reasons for going on your journey. I wasn’t sure how to bring it up,” She told him. “But everything your friend is saying is true. Everything Nollaig and Fergus did to you is not okay, and they’re wrong about you.”

Another hand gripped his shoulder. The two were face to face now. Julia slowly crept out from their personal space to get out of their way. “Caiseal. I don’t ever want you to think that you don’t deserve any happiness or joy or love in this world,” Her voice was firm, leaving no room for nonsense. But Caiseal could sense the overwhelming kindness in it just as much. “Remember, you’re not alone in this world. You have wonderful friends. You have Mallow and all of your other amazing Pokemon. You still have Violet, and she still loves you. You have Geoffrey and I. No matter what happens, we will always, always care about you. And I know you have had to put up with years of trauma, that can't just be erased with kindness. We both know that just doesn’t happen. But that doesn’t mean we care any less about you.”

A fresh pang settled in Julia’s heart right then. Geraldine came back into her mind. Yvette’s words were true. If someone went through a lot of bad experiences, merely saving them and giving them love alone wasn’t going to magically make their problems go away. Geraldine needed professional help, something Julia just couldn’t give her. But that didn’t mean saving someone and showing them love didn’t do anything at all.

“Am I going to stay this way forever?” Caiseal couldn’t keep his voice steady. Tears were beginning to well up in the corners of his eyes. “Am I going to have these nightmares and flashbacks all the time? Are they ever gonna stop?”

Just hearing that made everyone wince. After a moment’s thought, Yvette pulled Caiseal into a tight hug. “I don’t know, Cash. But whatever happens, Geoffrey and I will always be with you every step of the way,” She whispered, stroking his hair with one hand. “We’ll do anything for you. You can always talk to us, especially about the bad things. You can always come to us if you need help, and we’ll see that you get it, even if we don’t really know how to address your problems. It’s okay to not be okay. Don’t ever forget that, because you’re our son, and we love you.”

Those three words he never heard from Nollaig or Fergus hit him like a Take Down attack, in all the best ways. Who cares about them? He knew in his heart that Yvette loved him and always will. But hearing it was still like music to his ears. The miracle he never thought he’d experience, even though she told him such many times before. In three short years, she showered him with more compassion and love than his real parents ever did in the first nine years of his life.

It was then that Caiseal broke down. He wailed into Yvette’s--his mother’s--shirt openly, wrapping his own arms around her. She rubbed her son’s back, gently reassuring him. “It’s okay. You can let it all out.”

Julia found a chance to slip out of the living room unnoticed, partly because she wanted to give them their space, and partly because Caiseal’s crying hurt her ears. It hurt her heart as well. She didn’t want to cry, and if she stayed, she might have. But she could tell he had wanted to open up to Yvette for a long time. She just knew. Doing so was a big step on the long road to healing. She didn’t dare try to imagine what Caiseal’s life would have been like if he didn’t have any support.

“Hey!” Perrine finally came out from the bathroom, running towards Julia when she heard Caiseal’s wails. “What’s going on? What’s--?”

“Shhh!” Julia was quick to shush her, holding an index finger to her own mouth. Wordlessly, she shook her head and gestured behind herself. Perrine glanced over Julia’s shoulder, seeing Yvette holding Caiseal tight. For the briefest of moments, her blue eyes creased with worry. She had never seen Caiseal look so desolate and vulnerable before. That was all it took for Perrine to realize that it was better if they were left alone for now. Caiseal obviously needed this. Nodding to each other in silence, they decided to head to the backyard and let their Pokemon run around for a while.

***

Neither girl was sure how much time had passed since they left Caiseal and Yvette alone. It seemed to go on forever. But after a while, Caiseal seemed to be back to his old self again. They all sat in the backyard, showing Yvette their Pokemon, telling her all about their journey and the time they spent together. Yvette delighted in all of it, but the girls could tell Caiseal was the one who benefitted the most from it. Compared to how he was with Fergus, he was much more open here. Much more enthusiastic. Free. Unrestrained. He was himself here. The girls could only smile when they saw Caiseal blossom under Yvette’s loving smiles and warm kindness. Yes, this was the Caiseal they knew and loved. The Caiseal they knew he deserved to be.

At about seven thirty, Yvette started on dinner. A big one fit for five people, so she had a lot to do. Caiseal and Perrine even offered to help, though she told them that was unnecessary. They were kids. They deserved to play and have fun as far as she was concerned. A few minutes after eight, the door swung open, and someone new came into the Asher house.

“Yvette, honey! I’m back!” The deep, burly voice of a man announced his entrance, as though he were walking down a red carpet fit for a movie star.

“Hey, Dad!” Caiseal ran to greet his adopted father.

“Welcome home, Geoffrey!” Yvette called out from the kitchen. “Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes.”

Geoffrey sat down on the couch, taking off his pale brown work boots before removing a deep green jacket, revealing a long sleeved, black sweater underneath. Caiseal could see one rip on his blue jeans, but it was barely bigger than the tip of his pinkie finger. When their eyes met, Geoffrey pulled Caiseal into a hug, the latter giggling from the short, itchy beard rubbing against the side of his face. Julia and Perrine exchanged smiles. Just from one single glance, they could tell Geoffrey was way better than Fergus by miles.

“Well now, if it isn’t Caiseal! I haven’t seen you in months, boy! How ya been?” Geoffrey laughed as he hugged his adopted son, his voice deep but warm and friendly. “Sorry I couldn’t come sooner. You know my truckin’ keeps me on the road a lot.”

“It’s okay!” Caiseal told him with just as much zest. “I’m just spending the night here, so I won’t be staying long myself. By the way, these are my friends,” He extended his arm out, pointing towards his friends. “Julia and Perrine.”

Perrine said hi while Julia just waved at him in silence.

“So these are the girls you’ve been tellin’ us about all the time!” Geoffrey exclaimed, his brown eyes gleaming with joy. “It’s nice to meet you two, finally! Caiseal tells me you’ve been real good to him. I’m mighty glad he has great friends like you on his side.”

“It’s no big deal, really, sir,” Perrine said. “He’s great.”

“Are you a truck driver?” Julia asked shyly, peering out from behind Perrine’s back. She definitely liked his bubbly, cheerful demeanor, but at the same time, it was also a little overwhelming.

“Yes I am, missy!” Geoffrey answered without losing a beat. “I go around Johto and Kanto transporting all kinds of stuff all over. Except on the weekends, though,” A familiar scent wafted into the air. “Mmmm! Is that meat loaf I smell? That’s some good stuff!”

It wasn’t long before dinner itself was ready. Meat loaf, chicken dumplings, an assortment of vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, and lettuce, and white rice. Everyone gathered at the table, happily chatting and sharing stories as they ate their meals, making it a lively affair.

“So tell me,” Geoffrey began after he started on his meat loaf. “How many badges do you all have?” He asked.

Caiseal was the first to answer. “We each have seven badges total.”

“Wow! That’s wonderful!” Yvette exclaimed with a big smile that showed off her dimples. “You’re all one badge away from getting into the Pokemon League!”

“We tried going to the Blackthorn gym to battle Clair yesterday,” Julia found an opening and took the chance to explain things. “But she wasn’t there, so we weren’t able to. We don’t know when she’ll be back.”

Geoffrey finished some dumplings and flashed a grin. “Well kids, you’re in luck!” He pointed to them with his fork. “Earlier today, I was drivin’ by the main part of Blackthorn City, and I saw Clair herself walkin’ into her gym! So that tells me she’s back in business!”

All three kids exchanged shocked expressions. Clair was back already? That was quick. They had expected her to be gone for a lot longer. Maybe she had been gone a while before they even arrived at Blackthorn City. They didn’t know for sure. Still, their excitement was about to bubble over like soda fizz. After this, they could go to the gym and battle her, finally!

“Yay!” Perrine cheered, throwing her arms into the air. She didn’t have any utensils in her hands in that moment, so she didn’t accidentally throw any of those or food into the air. “Tomorrow we are definitely going back and challenging her!”

Both Julia and Caiseal agreed, liking the idea.

“Clair Van Drak’s one tough cookie,” Geoffrey advised. “Try not to get overconfident with her. She’s the toughest gym leader in all of Johto.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Caiseal said. “We’ll do our best.”

Yvette and Geoffrey smiled with pride. Geoffrey put a hand on Caiseal’s shoulder. “No matter what happens, we’ll always be proud of you. You know that, right, Cash?”

“Of course.”

As far as the girls were concerned, Yvette and Geoffrey were definitely way better parents than Fergus and Nollaig. There was no contest.

“Girls?” Yvette said. “You two can sleep in the guest room tonight. Is that alright with you?”

“Sure. We don’t mind,” Julia replied.

The rest of the dinner went by quickly. The kids finished first and they each went to do their own thing, whether it was take a shower or feed the Pokemon. At one point, Yvette asked Caiseal if he’d like to tell Geoffrey about the battle with Fergus, his meeting with Violet, and everything he told her earlier. Caiseal said yes and found some time to sit down with him while the girls were busy preparing for bed. Caiseal didn’t want to hide any of this from Geoffrey forever, especially since he had been so good to him. Although Geoffrey was understandably appalled by what happened, he was just happy things didn’t turn out worse and that Caiseal was alright.

When night fell, the kids and their Pokemon were sound asleep, tired from the exhausting, eventful day they’ve had. Yvette and Geoffrey couldn’t blame them for falling asleep the second their bodies hit the beds. This was actually a good thing. Yvette blew a goodbye kiss to Caiseal, gently closing the door to his room shut before walking back down to the living room. Geoffrey was still in the dining room, his hands folded together as he stared down at the sunflower-themed placemat. The light coming from the fixture on the ceiling reflected off of his deep brown skin, showing his thin eyebrows creased in worry. Yvette pulled out a chair and sat down next to him.

“Hearing about this must have really gotten to you, huh?” Yvette rubbed her husband’s back with one hand. It didn’t do anything to ameliorate his conflicting feelings, but she could tell he appreciated the gesture.

“I can’t say I’m not mad about this,” Geoffrey hissed. “First they treat him like dirt, then that woman abandons him at the Ice Path, outright disowns him right before his eyes, and now her husband had the nerve to do what he did…” He squeezed his hands tightly. “Hasn’t Caiseal been through enough? He doesn’t deserve this!”

Yvette continued rubbing his back, but guilt weighed heavy on her heart. She wished she had been there to put a stop to the battle. Fergus had no right to not only string Caiseal around, but kick him while he was down and put Violet in the middle of it all. Sure, she was treated better compared to Caiseal, but that didn’t make the situation any less horrible for both of them.

“I agree,” Yvette said. “I’m going to make a few phone calls. I think I’m starting to understand what Caiseal really needs.”

It was here that Geoffrey finally lifted his head up. “Will we be able to make it work, though?”

His wife stood up and flashed a confident smile. “I don’t see why not. Besides, I’m more than willing to fight for him. I’m sure you are, too.”

Geoffrey couldn’t argue with her there. She wasted no time picking up the phone and dialing some numbers. After a couple rings, someone answered.

“Hello? Blackthorn City CPS? I’d like to make a report.”

***

The next morning was uneventful but relatively peaceful. It helped that today was a nice, sunny day, with only a few white clouds spotting the sky. The kids planned to leave the Asher house at about eleven thirty, and at the moment, it was seven thirty, so they had plenty of time to get ready. Caiseal decided to take Stacey with him and have Ravenclaw stay at home for the time being, which she didn’t mind. Julia was in the living room brushing Saoirse’s ears, and Yvette was next to her, grading some papers. A knock at the door pulled them both out of their reveries.

“I’ll get it,” Yvette put her papers aside and quickly rushed to the door. Julia wasn’t too bothered, and she kept brushing Saoirse’s ears. She was able to hear what was going on. “Hello?”

“Greetings, Mrs. Asher,” A womanly voice nobody recognized answered. Perrine and Caiseal came rushing into the living room. Standing at the doorway was a young woman with short black hair wearing ovular glasses and a simple grey suit. Who was she? “Is Caiseal Brownstone here by any chance?”

She knew his name? Caiseal stepped forward. “Yes I am,” He told her. “What’s going on?”

Yvette politely invited her inside, and she sat down on the couch. Everyone gathered into the living room to hear what she had to say. “Sorry to drop in on you like this. I’m Haven Anderson, a social worker for Blackthorn City Child Protective Services,” She raised her hand up. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to take anyone away. I actually have some news for you, Caiseal.”

“For me?” He asked. What did this have to do with him?

She wasted no time telling him. “Your biological parents Nollaig and Fergus Brownstone were arrested last night.”

Everyone’s jaws dropped. They were arrested? Nobody had any words. They had all but dried up. Caiseal almost let himself cheer, but the rational part of his brain kept him from doing so. Nollaig had been arrested before, but she got out of jail by paying a lot of money. What was the point of arresting her again when she could easily get out? As far as Caiseal was concerned, Nollaig should have been stuck in jail forever, what with having abandoned him at a dangerous place, but apparently whoever was in charge of the proceedings didn’t raise her bail high enough.

“How come?” Caiseal asked, raising an eyebrow with suspicion. “You better not be trying to jerk my chain.”

“Trust me, I’m not,” Ms. Anderson told him.

It was here that she explained everything. Apparently, new evidence had come to light about Caiseal’s abandonment three years ago, which was further confirmed by reports that told her section of CPS about Fergus challenging Caiseal to a battle and using Violet as a bargaining chip. She wasn’t allowed to explain what this new evidence exactly was, but it was substantial enough to give authorities reasonable cause to not only arrest Nollaig and Fergus, but remove Violet from their custody. Furthermore, it’s against Johto law to use Pokemon battles as a means to settle a custody dispute, even more so to use a child as a prize in said battle, for obvious reasons.

“Is she okay?” Caiseal’s voice rose an octave, his eyebrows creased with worry. “Nothing bad happened to her, right?”

The social worker smiled at him warmly. “She’s safe, Caiseal. She’s in one of our facilities right now,” She told him. “Speaking of her, there’s actually more I want to discuss.”

Ms. Anderson went on to explain that Violet was the one who made the original report by not only confirming that Nollaig’s abandonment of Caiseal was premeditated, but telling her about the battle and that her parents were forbidding her from seeing her brother. By Johto’s laws, access to family members is the child’s right, even if they’re underage, not the parents, so the Brownstones broke the law by preventing Violet from seeing Caiseal.

“Wait a minute!” Julia exclaimed. “I thought kids who went into foster care were never allowed to see their family members ever again once they were separated, even the ones who like them.”

“That’s not always the case,” Ms. Anderson clarified, adjusting her glasses a bit. “While it is true that we don’t normally disclose where our clients live, mostly to assure their safety, if siblings want to see each other and spend time together, it is possible to make arrangements to ensure that they remain in contact. If the arrangements come into effect, the parents aren’t allowed to interfere with that.”

For a moment, Caiseal thought he was in heaven. What he thought had been impossible was actually happening. There was a chance he could be with Violet? See her? Be there for her? And Nollaig and Fergus wouldn’t be allowed to do anything about it? In that instant, he felt light as a feather. He looked down at his shoes, hoping nobody would see him looking like he was about to cry. But boy, did he want to! It took everything he had to not explode into a paroxysm of unrestrained joy.

“If it’s alright with you, Mrs. Asher, I’d like to ask for your cooperation on this matter,” Ms. Anderson said. “From what Violet told me, she is very adamant about wanting to see her brother. I was hoping we could discuss making some arrangements to fulfill her and Caiseal’s wishes.”

Yvette didn’t waste any time shaking the woman’s hand. “You didn’t even need to ask. I’d be more than happy to make this happen.”

Cheers broke the tension in the air. Perrine and Julia threw their arms around Caiseal, overcome with happiness, their excitement bubbling over like soda fizz. “You’re gonna see Violet again!!” Julia shouted loud enough for everyone to hear. “This is awesome!!”

“I know!! I know!!” Caiseal didn’t mind that the girls were squeezing him on both sides and hugging him way too tight. After the awful day he had yesterday, he gave up on hoping for any kind of miracle. Now it was happening right before his very eyes.

“Alright, alright,” Yvette gestured for them to calm down. “Quiet down now. Ms. Anderson and I have some things we need to discuss in private for a little bit,” She told them. “So would you--?”

Before she could finish her sentence, the trio of kids had stormed out into the backyard, jumping and cheering like they were at a football game. Yvette smiled. She knew they’d be happy, but she certainly didn’t expect this. But she didn’t mind one bit. Not long after, Geoffrey came downstairs and also spoke with Ms. Anderson for a while. As much as the kids wanted to hear more, they knew some things were best left with the adults, so they tried to stay out of the conversation by hanging out in the backyard. After about an hour, they saw a black car pull out of the driveway. Perrine barely saw Ms. Anderson’s face in the window, and the kids watched as she drove away, disappearing into the desert. They raced back inside and hounded Yvette and Geoffrey the second they met eyes.

“Well? What’s gonna happen?” Julia asked.

“Can I really see Violet?” Caiseal inquired.

Geoffrey decided to speak this time. “Things are just getting off the ground, so nothing’s really set in stone yet,” He answered, keeping his voice calm and matter-of-fact. “Violet’s safe for the time being, but from what Ms. Anderson was telling us, getting these arrangements set up is a long, tedious process. There’s a lot of paperwork, court hearings, and meetings with lawyers involved, so it’s not going to happen right away.”

Everyone sighed. They figured as much. Still, it was something. There was still hope.

“She also told us she’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they stay in jail and ensure that you and Violet can see each other,” Yvette assured. “Plus, she knows your PokeGear number, and Ms. Anderson gave her permission to call you any time she wants.”

As far as the kids were concerned, this was better than nothing. Especially better than the awful battle from yesterday. Without a word, Caiseal wrapped his arms around Yvette, trapping her in a hug. She returned the gesture with a smile, and Geoffrey joined in. The girls fist bumped each other. It was early in the morning, and already, great things were happening. It was too bad they had to leave later on. Yvette and Geoffrey further explained that Caiseal didn’t need to be present for the court hearings or meetings with lawyers. From what Ms. Anderson told them, Violet’s testimony was good enough, along with the supposed new evidence that put her parents in jail, so he could still go on his journey.

With that, the kids prepared for their departure with light hearts. Caiseal, especially. As much as he wanted to stay for longer, he was still on his journey, so he couldn’t just sit back and relax. He didn’t want to stop now. Not when he’d come so far and won seven badges. The Pokemon League was closer than ever, and he didn’t want to miss it. At eleven o’clock, the kids were ready to leave.

“Sorry we can’t stay longer,” Caiseal told them ruefully, giving his parents quick hugs.

“It’s alright. We understand, Cash,” Yvette smiled, running her fingers through his hair. “You have one more badge to win, and you know Geoffrey and I will definitely visit you at the Pokemon League!”

Caiseal grinned at the thought.

“Oh!” Suddenly, a realization struck Geoffrey. “Hold on! I have somethin’ for ya!” He dashed back into the house for a few seconds, then came back out. In his bulky hands was a glass container, which itself had a deep yellow egg inside, with black stripes going across it in all different directions. “I want you to have this.”

The kids’ eyes shrunk in awe. A Pokemon egg! It had been a long while since any of them had seen one. Caiseal took the container gingerly, taking care not to shake it too hard or drop it. It was a little heavy on his arms, but his heart skipped a beat. He already felt a connection to it.

“An egg? Really? Where’d you get this, Dad?” He asked.

“While I was on my trip, a friend of mine gave it to me,” Geoffrey explained cheerfully. “I’d love to raise it myself, but with how my job is, I don’t have a whole lot of time to spend on taking care of an egg. They’re pretty high maintenance. Then I thought it’d be better off with you, since you love Pokemon so much,” He kneeled down to Caiseal’s level and put a strong, firm hand on his shoulder. “I know you’ll take good care of it, my boy, and don’t forget: No matter what happens or where you go, you’ll always have a home here with us.”

Caiseal could only smile back, giving his father--his true father in his mind--another quick hug. “Thanks so much.”

“Now you go out there and be the best Pokemon trainer you can be!” Geoffrey added with zeal, tapping his son’s shoulder once more.

“So...are we ready to go?” Julia asked.

Perrine flashed a thumbs up. “Do you even need to ask? Come on! We better get to the bus stop, pronto!”

Before they left, they all waved back at the Asher family. “I’ll see you later! Bye!” Caiseal called out, waving with all the strength and love he had.

Yvette and Geoffrey waved back. “Take care of yourselves!” Yvette cried.

“We’ll support you all the way!” Geoffrey called back.

As the kids ran up the dirt-studded streets, a fresh autumn wind blew through the area, frigid but invigorating. Caiseal cradled the egg in his hands, wondering what kind of Pokemon would hatch. But more than that, he felt lighter than ever before, now that he knew for sure that things were going to be alright. He didn’t regret going on his journey one bit. It didn’t make his problems and issues go away, but in his heart, he figured they wouldn’t go away at the drop of a hat. Still, the future seemed brighter. Julia, Perrine, Yvette, his Pokemon, and Geoffrey all loved and supported him. Soon, Violet would be joining their circle as well. He had a family again.

This was his real family.

***

Random Fact: Nollaig’s name is an ironic one. It’s an Irish name that means “Christmas,” which is a holiday we all associate with kindness, joy, generosity, giving, and all sorts of happy things. Fergus’s name is also ironic, meaning “Man of vigor” in Irish. Considering the type of people she and her husband are, the names are intentionally unfitting.

 

[Juliko]

Chapter 52: Dragon On and On

“Yay! We made it back!” Perrine leaped off the bus steps the second the doors opened. Her feet slammed on the ground with a thud, kicking up some dirt. But she couldn’t contain her excitement. The day was here. Today was the day she or one of her friends would challenge the Blackthorn City gym. Julia and Caiseal stepped off the bus soon after, and it drove away, disappearing into the mountains.

“Should we head to the gym now?” Julia asked.

“Do you even need to ask? I say let’s do it!” Caiseal exclaimed, pointing towards the gym with enthusiasm. It helped that it was relatively close by on foot, so they figured it was better not to put it off any longer.

When they got to the gym, the sign Clair had put on the front door was gone. This told them that the gym was likely open. Perrine took the initiative and walked through the automatic doors. In the middle of the gym was a battlefield with a large pool of water in the very middle, with plenty of solid ground surrounding it. Chairs lined the sides of the gym, intended for spectators to watch. Squinting her eyes, Julia could make out a maroon door all the way in the back of the gym.

“How come the battlefield is half dirt and half water?” Julia asked. The kids had seen plenty of battlefields before. Some were made of earth, and others simply had a big pool of water underneath them. Never one with both on different sides.

Perrine crossed her arms. “I think it’s because she has some water types on her team,” That was the best explanation she could come up with. She had done some research, finding out that two of Clair’s Pokemon were water types that probably wouldn’t thrive too well in a non-aquatic environment. Or maybe this was a deliberate move to throw off challengers and increase Clair’s chances of winning.

“By the way…” Caiseal looked around the gym. They were the only ones in here. “Where is Clair, anyway?”

Julia pointed to the door in the farthest part of the gym. “Maybe she’s in that room way in the back?” She suggested.

It didn’t hurt to try. The kids walked over to the maroon door, and Caiseal knocked on it three times. After a few short minutes, someone came out from the other side. An elderly man opened the door, his bushy eyebrows obscuring his eyes. He was bald aside from a receding hairline around the back of his head, a thick mustache covered his mouth, and he had a long, bushy beard that cascaded down to his chin. The man’s face was a whirlpool of wrinkles, and he wore a black kimono and deep red sandals. The kids exchanged confused looks. This old man certainly wasn’t Clair.

“Hmmm? Why, hello there!” The old man greeted them with a smile. “What can I do for you kids today?”

Julia decided to speak. “We’re sorry to bother you, sir. We’re here to challenge the gym leader to a battle,” She told him as politely as she could. “Is Clair here by any chance? We heard she returned to the gym.”

She could see the man’s mustache move up and down a few times. “I’m sorry. Clair’s not here at the moment,” He told them.

The trio sighed. Clair still wasn’t here? How could that be? The sign on the gym’s doors was gone, and Geoffrey had told them he saw Clair enter the gym. Could he have mistaken her for someone else? It was possible, but Clair was a famous gym leader. It’d be difficult to mistake her for anyone. The excitement they had was quickly dissipating.

“I do know where she is, though. I can take you to her if you’d like,” The old man told them.

“Really?” Julia exclaimed, clasping her hands together. “We’d love that! Thank you so much, sir!”

The old man shook his head. “No biggie. If you can wait right there for just a moment,” The old man went back inside his office. The kids saw him rummaging through some drawers. He stopped at a third one and pulled out a key. “There we go! Why do I always put it in the third drawer instead of the top one? Anyway...follow me, kids!” The old man gestured for them to come inside. The kids followed him and he opened a door in the back of the office. It led outside, probably the back of the gym, and they found themselves nearing a dock, with a small boat next to it.

“See that cave way over there?” The old man pointed at the very end of the lake. The kids leaned closer and squinted their eyes to get a better look. Just then, they saw a cave at the very back of the lake. “That’s the Dragon’s Den, home to the Dragon Tamer Clan. That’s where Clair is right now.”

“So you’re taking us there?” Perrine asked.

The old man nodded. “This here boat’s good for going across lakes,” He gestured for them to get on. It wasn’t a big boat by any means, but it was big enough to hold four people just fine. The kids sat down in the boat while the old man undid the rope around the dock, put his hands on the oars, and began rowing.

Slowly, the boat traversed across the water, the oars sending ripples across the surface. The kids remained still and steady, so they didn’t rock the boat or topple themselves over. But they had to admit, the lake behind the gym was beautiful. The old man made sure to move the boat slowly so as to not overwhelm the kids. Julia clutched the straps of her backpack. She had never been on a boat ride like this before. The only time she had been on a boat was when they had to go to Olivine City, and that was a boat where she could go in and out of a walled room that blocked the outside except for the few windows it had. Here, she saw everything, from the bottom of the mountain looming ahead to the clear sky above. As she turned to her left, something caught her eye, something so wonderful she couldn’t contain her excitement.

“Look, guys! There are Dratini sitting on that big rock!” Julia cried out.

“What?! Really?!” Perrine and Caiseal turned to look.

Lying on a large, flat rock a few feet away were three serpentine Pokemon with light blue bodies and white undersides. Their round snouts were also white, as were their three-pronged fins and the dots on their foreheads. Upon hearing Julia’s joyful shout, one of them lifted its head up to look in their direction. Its eyes were a deep, reddish purple color, like wine.

“Oh my gosh! Look at them!” Perrine squealed, clasping her hands together. “Aren’t they gorgeous?”

“They’re soooo cute!” Julia flapped her hands in her excitement. She had seen pictures of them in books before, but had never seen one in person. Dratini were rare Pokemon, and to see one was like a miracle. But three! All in one place! That rarely ever happened. “I wish I could catch one right now! But I don’t think I can throw my PokeBall far enough!”

Caiseal pulled out his PokeDex to examine them. “Dratini, the dragon Pokemon. In ancient times, Dratini were considered very rare Pokemon, so much so that they were referred to as mirages, or considered little more than a myth. Their existence hadn’t been confirmed until fifty years ago, when a fisherman caught one after enduring a three hour struggle to catch it. After that, colonies of them were discovered underwater, and they began to appear in the public eye more often. Dratini’s body is brimming with a mysterious life energy which only grows throughout its lifespan, often reaching uncontrollable levels. Because of this, Dratini shed their skin on a daily basis, allowing them to grow longer and larger, although even newborn Dratini can be as long as six feet, six inches.”

The three Dratini were all lying flat on the rock, smiling and enjoying the sunshine on their skin. The one Dratini that looked at them laid its head back on the rock, yawning as it did so.

“They don’t appear too often, so I guess today’s our lucky day,” The old man said, smiling at the sight of the three Dratini on the rock.

“Man, they sure are cool,” Caiseal marveled at the sight of them, even as he put his PokeDex away.

In that moment, everything around them seemed to melt away. Julia kept her gaze locked onto them for as long as she could, knowing that in a little while, she wouldn’t see them after this. She thought that if she looked away for just a moment, they’d leap off the rock and dive back into the water. Even the boat underneath her seemed to disappear. Not long afterward, one of the Dratini slid off the rock and went back into the water, leaving the other two alone on the rock. She didn’t know how much time had passed, but not once did she look away from them. She didn’t want to look away. She wished she had a camera so she could take pictures of them.

“We’re almost to the cave, kids!” The old man announced.

The big rock Julia watched grew smaller and smaller, even though the boat was moving at a Slugma’s pace. The Dratini started to look like blue and white lines on a big brown rock. Blue and white lines. Rare, beautiful blue and white lines that would disappear into the vast lake, probably to hide from the world and not come out for a while. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed since she first saw them, but the boat eventually docked, and the entrance to the cave was right in front of them. Everyone exited the boat one at a time, and the cave entrance was taller than they had thought. It reached six feet, and on both sides of it were two men, also wearing black kimonos.

“Welcome, Master,” They respectfully greeted him, putting their hands together and bowing.

“Master?” Caiseal asked.

The old man turned around, facing the kids. “Oh! Did I forget to introduce myself? I guess I must have. Anyway, I am Uraku Van Drak, the leader of the Dragon Tamer Clan. Clair happens to be my granddaughter.”

Everyone’s jaws dropped. This old man--Uraku--was the leader of a clan? Then again, upon looking at him, he did have a sort of wise, sagely air about him. The kids hoped they hadn’t done anything to offend him.

“Don’t look so surprised, kids,” Uraku reassured, waving his hand dismissively. “I don’t expect you all to be formal or anything. Anyway, now that we’re here, let’s go inside.”

With his head held high, Uraku walked straight into the cave, with the kids following from behind. Torches lined the cave walls, illuminating it from the inside. The orange flames danced on the torches, making the shadows flicker along the walls. The cave wasn’t very big, but there was enough room for four people to walk inside in a single file line. Uraku and the kids walked on for another few minutes, then the cave opened up into a massive room, with most of it comprising of a large, underground lake. The kids smiled in awe. Some Dratini were playing in the water, splashing each other with their heads and tails. Other Pokemon, who were much bigger, were either resting on some rocks or sparring with one another. A wooden bridge crossed the lake, leading to what appeared to be an ancient shrine made of red wood, with a teal roof.

“So this is the Dragon’s Den…” Caiseal mused. “Wow! Look at the Dragonair and Dragonite!” He pointed to some Pokemon on the right side of the lake. “Aren’t they cool?”

“The Pokemon that live in the Dragon’s Den are very sacred to my people,” Uraku told them. “It’s against the rules to capture or harm them in any way. Understand?”

Wordlessly, the kids nodded. Julia did let out a disappointed sigh. She had wanted to catch one of those cute Dratini. She shrugged. Oh well. Maybe she could find one somewhere else. Rules are rules.

“See that wooden shrine over there?” Uraku pointed to the wooden establishment in the middle of the lake. “That’s my house. Before any of you can battle Clair, it’s my duty to put you trainers through a test.”

Test? Julia shivered. She hated that word so much. Math tests and spelling tests ran through her mind. “What kind of test? A written one?” She asked, her voice shivering. “I stink at tests no matter how hard I study.”

Uraku smiled. “No no no. Nothing like that,” He reassured her. “All I’m going to do is ask each of you a series of questions and see if any of you are worthy of facing her.”

A sigh of relief escaped her throat. “Thank goodness!” She exclaimed, her shoulders relaxing.

“There is one rule in regards to this test,” Uraku explained, holding up an index finger. “Only one of you may enter at a time. Now, since you all wish to battle Clair, which one of you would like to go first?” He inquired.

Julia put a hand on Perrine’s shoulder. “I think you should do it first,” She suggested. “You’re the strongest trainer and the most devoted to the gym challenge out of all of us.”

“Yeah. Why not go first?” Caiseal added in agreement. “You’re way more passionate about this than any of us.”

After a brief moment, Perrine nodded. “Sure. Alright then. I’ll go first.”

“Right this way, miss,” Uraku opened the door and led Perrine inside, leaving Caiseal and Julia alone.

It seemed fitting for Perrine to go through the test first. Julia had no aspirations to win the Pokemon League or become the champion. Why not give the chance to someone who really wants it? There wasn’t any reason for Julia to go first, not that she minded too much. She was okay with going last. Still, she wondered what this whole test business was all about. Did they really need to answer some questions just to battle Clair? Why couldn’t they just ask her nicely?

“I wonder what questions he’s asking her,” Julia mused to break the silence. “I hope it’s nothing too hard or complicated.”

Caiseal shrugged. “I doubt it. Maybe they have something to do with Pokemon battles. If that’s the case, Perrine’ll pass with flying colors,” He answered with confidence. “They probably don’t let just anybody battle Clair.”

“I guess. She is the strongest gym leader in Johto, after all.”

“Do you hear anything in there?” Caiseal asked, pointing towards her ears. Julia raised an eyebrow. Why would she hear anything? Then she remembered her sensitive hearing. It was quiet, other than a few splashing noises and some Dratini squealing in the distance. Julia walked up to the door and strained her ears. Nothing.

“Nope. I don’t hear a thing,” Julia replied. “It is weird, though. This house looks like it’s made of wood,” She walked back to where she stood before.

Second later, the door swung open, and out came Perrine. The kids looked at her expectantly. Did she pass or not? Perrine flashed a smile.

“Guess what? I passed!” Perrine exclaimed, putting her hands on her hips.

“Awesome! Congrats!” Julia and Caiseal were quick to shower her with praise. Then again, they knew she’d pass. “What kind of questions did he ask?” Julia asked.

“Just simple stuff, really,” She replied. “Mostly about how trainers feel about Pokemon and such.”

Just then, Uraku poked his head out from the door. “Whoever wants to come in next is free to do so.”

“Do you want to go in next, Cash?” Julia suggested.

Caiseal crossed his arms, adopting a confident stance. “I don’t see why not. Sure, I’ll pass this test easy,” He said, walking right inside. Uraku closed the door behind him in silence. This time, Julia was alone with Perrine. She fidgeted with her sleeve for a bit before talking to Perrine again.

“So...what questions did he ask you?” Julia asked.

“Mostly stuff like ‘What are Pokemon to you’ or ‘Is there such thing as a weak Pokemon.’ Stuff like that,” She replied matter-of-factly. “He only asked five questions, so I don’t think you’ll have much trouble with it either.”

Julia’s jaw dropped. That was it? Her initial shock turned into joy. This was going to be the easiest test ever! The cogs in her mind were turning right away, already forming answers to the questions Perrine mentioned. She found herself tapping her feet on the stone floor beneath her, unable to contain her anticipation and excitement. Now that she knew what two of the questions were, she used the remaining time to think over her answers and solidify them in her mind, happy that Perrine told her about the questions in advance. But she did secretly hope that Uraku didn’t decide to change the questions on her and throw her off. She always hated it when that happened in school. She’d spend lots of time studying certain things, only for the teachers to change things around and she’d wind up at a complete blank as to how to even answer the questions.

It didn’t take long for Caiseal to skip out from the house. “Alright! I did it!” He cheered, jumping from the steps, throwing his fists in the air.

“Awesome! Congratulations!” Julia and Perrine exalted him as soon as he came out, with the former jumping up and down like he had already won a Pokemon League. Now she was next. She wasted no time walking up the steps and approaching Uraku.

“So you’re the last one. Come on inside,” Uraku motioned for her to walk inside.

“Good luck!” Caiseal told her. Perrine flashed a thumbs up.

When she went inside, Julia glanced at her surroundings. The inside of the house was fairly quaint, with the walls being made of solid wood. But there was also very little furniture, with a tiny stove built way in the back, a table and two chairs in the middle of the room, and a small bed off to the side.

“Is this really your house?” Julia asked. “It’s really tiny,” A hand flew to her mouth the second she said that. Had she said something rude? The last time she commented on someone’s house, nice or no, her mother had gently scolded her on saying things that others could construe as being rude, even when she wasn’t trying to be. She winced, bracing herself for a scolding.

A chuckle escaped Uraku’s lips. “Yes, it is small, but it still fulfills its purpose, and I don’t need much,” Uraku told her. “As master of the Dragon’s Den, it’s my duty to stay here and look after the Pokemon,” He gestured towards one of the chairs. Julia sat down without a word, as did Uraku. She kept her eyes on her hands, feeling the older man’s gaze on her. Just knowing someone was looking at her made her feel uncomfortable, even if she knew he wasn’t doing anything mean.

“Now, I’m going to ask you a series of questions in regards to your relationship with Pokemon, and it is important that you tell me the absolute truth,” Uraku said, his voice low but still gentle. “I can sense when people are lying.”

The absolute truth. That was easy enough. But she raised an eyebrow. “How can you sense when I’m lying?” She found herself asking out loud. Then she remembered something her parents always told her. One way of knowing someone is lying is when they don’t look you in the eyes. Julia hated looking at peoples’ eyes, not because she wanted to lie to them. But since she wasn’t looking at him right now, could he interpret it that way? “Is it because I’m not making eye contact with you? I--”

Uraku shook his head. “No no, miss. Eye contact has nothing to do with it. Alright, let’s begin,” He assured, folding his hands together. “My first question is...what are Pokemon to you?”

What were Pokemon to her? Julia smiled. She didn’t need to think too hard about this one, since she had practically grown up with them. She did find herself thinking about all of the Pokemon at the ranch at the ones she owned, which made her smile more. They loved her, and she loved them. They had always been there for her, during the happy times and the sad times. Especially the sad times. They never made her feel inadequate or unwanted, like kids at school did. They never made a big deal about her being autistic, nor did they freak out when she made the occasional slip-up.

“To me, Pokemon are my friends,” Julia answered with confidence.

Uraku flashed a faint smile. “I see. My next question is... what does it take to win a Pokemon battle, and why?”

If he had asked her this question before she went on her journey, Julia would have said she didn’t know, since she hated battles with every fiber of her being and wouldn’t think of putting her Pokemon through something so violent and barbaric. Now that she had actually participated in Pokemon battles, she thought about the wins and losses she endured. Whenever she had won a battle, it was because she planned her strategies out, worked with her Pokemon as a team, and believed in them. Winning wasn’t everything, and just because she had lost some battles didn’t mean she didn’t learn anything or didn’t love her Pokemon any less. They always gave it one hundred percent no matter what.

“I think teamwork, good strategy planning, and the bond you share with your Pokemon are what it takes to win a battle,” Julia took an extra minute to try to compose her answer in a cohesive form. Good thing Uraku didn’t mind her taking a little long. She had to admit, she was taken aback by how calm he was. Most people she knew would get mad at her for needing extra time to talk or give an answer to a question out loud. “I mean, if you don’t actively work together with your Pokemon and make the effort to be in sync with one another, you’ll never stand a chance. Battling isn’t about calling out attacks or beating up another person’s Pokemon. I used to think it was like that long ago, but I don’t anymore. Winning Pokemon battles takes a lot of training and teamwork.”

There was a brief silence, then Uraku broke it with a hum. “I see. Next question: What is the most important thing when raising Pokemon?”

Julia’s confidence shot right up into the stratosphere. This was the easiest question ever!

“I know this one!” She announced, her voice a little higher than she intended it to be. “You always gotta raise them with love and care, no matter what!” She exclaimed proudly.

Uraku winced, finding himself taken aback. Julia’s smile faded. Had she frightened him?

“Oh dear. Was I too loud? Sorry!”

“It’s alright. Think nothing of it,” Uraku assured, smiling again. “Alright. My final question is…” He pressed his lips into a thin line, and his voice dropped to a lower volume, adopting a stern tone. “Is there such thing as a weak Pokemon?”

And her confidence dwindled right back down to pebble size. This was a tricky one. It didn’t help that his expression completely changed, from friendly to strict-looking within seconds. Oh dear. Maybe some people got this question wrong. Julia really needed to think about this one. She technically had an answer, but she knew she had to make it coherent and concise, conveying exactly what she wanted to convey. If she got this question wrong...Julia shook her head. She didn’t dare think about it.

“I don’t think so, no,” She answered.

“Why is that?”

The girl straightened her posture. “Just because a Pokemon isn’t as strong as other ones, it doesn’t mean they’re bad or not important, or that winning battles with them is impossible. A lot of my Pokemon started out as weak, but I didn’t catch them because I wanted a super strong team of Pokemon. I caught them because I loved them and wanted to be their friend. My parents own a Pokemon ranch and they take care of Pokemon with a lot of physical and mental health issues. They tell me most people don’t want to deal with them because they think it’s a hassle or prefer Pokemon that are easy to take care of. I mean, just because a Pokemon is weak or has a lot of problems, that doesn’t mean they can’t be treated like partners or friends just like all your other Pokemon. Even if a Pokemon never becomes strong or super powerful, they’re still living beings that deserve to be treated with love and respect for what they are and who they are. Besides, doesn’t everyone start out weak at first? Nobody is born super strong right off the bat. We humans begin life as babies, and they’re weak and helpless. We get stronger as we grow up. Pokemon are no different.”

Another silence. Julia’s neck started to hurt and her throat suddenly grew dry. But more than that, Uraku’s gaze never left her. She looked away, cowed by the stern look he was giving her. For a brief moment, she felt like she was back in school again. Then, Uraku’s smile returned.

He stood up. “Based on the answers you gave me, I think I’ve figured out what kind of person you are,” Uraku told her. “You pass. You have my permission to battle Clair.”

Pass? Did he just say pass? Any anxiety and worries Julia had before were washed away. “Wait...I did?! I passed?! Th-Th-Thank you so much, sir!” She bowed before him.

“There’s no need to be so formal, dear,” Uraku waved a dismissive hand. “I can clearly see that you care deeply for Pokemon. I know you’re a fine Pokemon trainer. We can leave now.”

Julia wasted no time running out the door, cheering loudly, “I PASSED!!” She wrapped one arm around Perrine’s neck, and Caiseal’s with the other.

“That’s so great, Jule!” Caiseal exclaimed. “I knew you would!”

“Me too!” Perrine agreed. “Congrats! Now we can all battle Clair!”

The cheering died down shortly afterward. “Speaking of her...where is she, anyway?” Julia asked.

Caiseal looked around. There was no sign of her. “Yeah. Isn’t she supposed to be here? I mean, we all passed the test.”

“Grandfather!” A voice cried out from behind them. The kids turned around in silent shock as a young woman came bounding towards them. Her long, light blue ponytail swished in every direction as she ran, and her piercing blue eyes caught sight of the children, but they held no signs of hostility. She wore a one-piece navy blue outfit consisting of a sleeveless bodysuit with shorts that went a little above her knees. A black cape trailed behind her with a wine red under layer. “There you are! I was wondering where all that noise was coming from.”

Uraku didn’t react much to the woman’s entrance. “Hello, Clair! I was just putting these young trainers through the test,” He explained. “It seems they’re here to challenge you to a gym battle.”

The kids’ mouths fell open. This was Clair, the gym leader of Blackthorn City! They had finally met her face-to-face.

“All three of you?” Clair put a hand to her chin, a bit perplexed.

“Yes, ma’am,” Perrine decided to do the talking. “I’m Perrine, and these are Caiseal and Julia. We tried to challenge you the other day, but you weren’t here.”

“I see. Sorry about that,” Clair said, running a hand through her light blue locks. “My mother had to have emergency heart surgery, so I was away for the past few days.”

Her mother had heart trouble? The kids exchanged looks. That was definitely a valid reason to close the gym for a while. If a family member was in danger and had to get surgery, of course they’d want to be there for them. “Is she alright now?” Julia asked.

“The surgery went well, and she’s fine now. Thanks for your concern,” Clair told them reassuringly. “Although…” She crossed her arms. “Did you pass the test?”

“They sure did!” Uraku exclaimed.

“Wha?!” The woman’s mouth fell right open, like she heard aliens were coming to attack Earth. But just as quickly, she broke into a proud smile. “That’s amazing! Most trainers only get two questions right at most, so you must be pretty good trainers if you can pass it so easily!”

Julia looked down at her feet, abashed by the praise. Perrine and Caiseal exchanged grins.

“Still, it’s been years since three trainers have asked to challenge me at one time,” Clair mused.

Was she implying she wanted to battle them one at a time? Maybe all three of them asking to challenge her was a bit much. Julia opted to speak this time. “Sorry, Miss Clair! We can battle you one at a time if you want! You don’t have to challenge all three of us at once!” Julia stammered, worried that the suggestion might have been overwhelming or too much of a hassle to think about. She hoped she didn’t offend her in any way.

Thankfully, Clair didn’t seem offended. In fact, she flashed a thumbs up. “Actually, that’s an interesting idea!” She announced. “I say we have a triple battle! Me against all three of you!”

The kids were dumbfounded. Where did that come from all of a sudden? She actually wanted to challenge all three of them at once? Was that even possible? Julia’s mind was racing. How could they possibly make that happen?

“Are we even allowed to do that?” She found herself asking.

“Of course. Triple battles are a thing,” Perrine told her, raising an index finger. “They are one of the newer Pokemon battle styles. It got added to the Pokemon Association’s official rulebook about seven years ago,” She explained.

“Oooh, I get it,” That made sense. Julia never cared much for battling before her journey started, so she only knew about regular Pokemon battles. She only learned about double battles back when she and Perrine challenged Bugsy in Azalea Town. This was the first time she learned about triple battles.

A confident gleam glinted in Caiseal’s eyes when she finished her explanation. “We accept your challenge!” Caiseal exclaimed, beaming with confidence. “So what time do you want to battle?”

“I have a full day tomorrow, but I’m free all day today, so how about around five?” Clair suggested. “That’ll give you kids some time to get some training in, and it’s still early right now.”

“Yeah. We’d better get back to the Pokemon Center,” Julia piped in.

With that, Uraku offered to take the kids back to the mainland. Clair stayed behind, as she said she had some quick things she needed to take care of before the battle. As they sat in the back of the boat, Julia’s mind was a tangled knot of worries.

“We’ve never done any triple battles before,” Julia said, wrapping her arms around herself. “And a few measly hours might not be enough time for us to really train for something like this. Not only that, Clair’s the strongest gym leader in Johto. Will we really be able to stand a chance against her?”

Caiseal pulled his shoe off to rub one of his feet with one hand. All that standing was making his feet throb a bit. “You do raise some good points. But a few hours is better than nothing. We might as well make good use of our time. We did do some research on her and her Pokemon beforehand, so it’s not like we haven’t done anything.”

“I agree,” Perrine said. “I’ve already decided which Pokemon I’m gonna use. I say we just get back and start training right away. Whether we win against her or not, we’ve still gotta work hard and give it our best.”

Both Caiseal and Julia nodded in agreement. This was going to be their final gym battle. Even if they had a small time window to train, why not start right away?

***

As planned, the kids decided on which Pokemon they were going to use and started training right away. It was almost twelve when they got back to Blackthorn City, and the battle was at five, so they made a schedule for themselves. Two hours of training, then a half hour of rest, and another hour and a half of training. If they used their time right, they’d have half an hour before the battle started, which the kids would use to eat dinner and give their Pokemon time to recharge. They didn’t want to push their Pokemon too hard and make them too tired for battle. Clair did say she had a lot going on tomorrow, so she was probably going to be busy again. Who knows?

At precisely five, everyone gathered in the gym. Julia, Perrine, and Caiseal stood on their side of the battlefield, and Clair in the far side of it leading to the back of the gym. Uraku acted as referee, standing on the left side of the field with two flags in hand, a green one facing the kids’ side and a red one facing Clair’s side.

“This is an official gym battle between Clair Van Drak, the Blackthorn City gym leader, and three trainers; Caiseal, Julia, and Perrine!” Uraku announced, his voice having risen several octaves, enough for everyone to hear. “Today’s battle will be a triple battle, so each side will only be allowed to use three Pokemon! Clair will use three of her own Pokemon, and since there are three challengers, they will only be allowed to use one Pokemon for each person.”

That seemed fair, as far as the kids were concerned. It’d keep things from getting too overwhelming for both sides. “Trainers, choose your Pokemon!”

“Alright!” Clair pulled three PokeBalls off her belt. “Gyarados! Dragonair! Kingdra! Come on out!” She threw them high in the air, and three white lights dove into the water.

First, a fierce Gyarados ascended from the water, its maw wide, sharp teeth on display. On its left appeared a smaller, much more slender, serpent-like creature, with soft, ruby red eyes, a blue body and a white underside, with a clear blue crystal orb on its neck, along with two more on its tail. Little white wings fluttered on both sides of its head, serving as its ears, and a small white horn protruded from its head. On Gyarados’ right was a large, blue seahorse Pokemon with a long, thin snout and a yellow belly.

Julia wasted no time pulling out her PokeDex to analyze them. “Dragonair, the dragon Pokemon, and the evolved form of Dratini. Dragonair often live in large bodies of water, like lakes and the ocean. Dragonair don’t technically have wings, but its wing-like ears help it fly in the air up to a certain height. The crystal orbs on its neck and tail contain a divine power that allows it to change the weather patterns at will, and using said power makes an aura appear around their bodies. Because of their ability to alter the weather, people from ancient times worshipped it as a deity, often giving them food and offerings in order to appease it.”

She later had the PokeDex switch over to the other Pokemon. “Kingdra, the dragon Pokemon, and the evolved form of Seadra. Kingdra are capable of sleeping deep in the ocean floor, in areas that are completely devoid of life, as a means to preserve their energy. In the current era, Kingdra usually live in underwater caves. It is said that every time this Pokemon moves, or even yawns, it can cause whirlpools strong enough to swallow ships and destroy them whole. When storms make the oceans unstable, Kingdra use the time to wander about and search for prey, taking advantage of their vulnerability in bad weather conditions.”

“Two dragon types, and one water type,” Perrine mused out loud. Pulling out one of her PokeBalls. “We can handle this! Go, Chirin!” Out from the PokeBall came the light Pokemon, who puffed out his chest and adopted a confident battle stance.

“Ampaaaa!”

Caiseal sent his Pokemon out next. “I choose you, Flippy!” The second the Quagsire materialized onto the field, she let out a big yawn, not in any way frightened or surprised by the large Gyarados looming over her.

Julia rummaged through her bag for Tokiko’s PokeBall. After groping around her bag, she finally found it. “Alright, Tokiko! Let’s--!”

Before she could send Tokiko out, a white light burst from her bag, turning into Tsubasa. The bird Pokemon spread her wings and let out a battle cry. “Pijoooo!”

“What?! Tsubasa!! Come on!!” Julia bellowed, clearly not happy with the bird’s unexpected entrance. “We talked about this! I was gonna send Tokiko out for this battle!” To think Tsubasa had the gall to pop out of her PokeBall and completely throw a wrench in Julia’s plans for this battle. Sure, she knew Tsubasa was extremely competitive, very strong, and always hungry for a good battle, but she knew her over inflated ego could get the better of her. The last thing Julia wanted was for Tsubasa to get in over her head and cost them the battle.

Perrine stifled a laugh. Caiseal facepalmed. “Seriously?” He groaned.

Too bad Tsubasa didn’t share the same sentiment. The bird completely ignored her trainer’s scolding, holding her head up with an air of superiority. Julia knew she was saying, “Well, too bad! I’m battling and that’s that!” Once Tsubasa got an idea in her head, it was nigh impossible to talk her out of it.

Come to think of it...she did know a dragon-type move. Maybe this could work. Julia crossed her arms. “Alright, change of plans,” She said. “You can battle, Tsubasa. But you still have to do what I tell you. We all need to work together so we can win. Is that clear?”

Tsubasa waved a dismissive wing at her. (“Yeah yeah, I got it. Don’t be such a nag!”)

Caiseal leaned closer to Julia, whispering right next to her, “You sure it’s a good idea to have her out? This completely throws a wrench in our plans.”

“I know. Sorry about her,” Julia whispered back. “But we might be able to make this work somehow. We just need to trust each other. Okay?”

Knowing arguing was pointless, not that he had any desire to do so, Caiseal nodded in agreement.

“Ready?” Uraku raised both flags into the air. “Let the battle begin!”

“I’ll go first!” Clair threw one of her arms outward. “Dragonair, use Aqua Tail!”

The serpentine dragon raised its tail in the air. The orbs at the tip glowed in an ephemeral blue light, generating a pillar of water that raged around it. With a high pitched wail, Dragonair threw the attack down on the ground, ready to smack the Pokemon around.

“Everyone, dodge!” The kids all called out at the same time. Chirin sprinted to his left, evading the attack. Tsubasa flew into the air easily. Oddly enough, the Aqua Tail didn’t aim in Flippy’s direction, and the water fish Pokemon barely paid much attention to the attack.

“Chirin, use Thunderbolt on Gyarados!” Perrine exclaimed.

“Tsubasa, use Air Slash on everyone!”

“Flippy, Ice Beam on Dragonair!”

Tsubasa flapped her wings once, and air compressed into sickles shot right at the trio of Pokemon, landing direct hits. But the dragon trio didn’t react at all, taking the hits like they were nothing. The kids weren’t surprised, since Air Slash was a flying type move, and they were all strong against flying. But better to get some hits in, right? Flippy fired an ice blue beam of light at Dragonair, who swiftly swimmed to the side, successfully evading it. Chirin fired off a lightning bolt from his tail.

“Gyarados, hold it off with Hydro Pump!” Clair shouted. Gyarados fired off a large stream of pressurized water right at the Thunderbolt, stopping it from landing a hit. The two attacks collided, generating a cloud of smoke that almost covered the entire battlefield.

“Tsubasa, blow it away!” Julia cried. Tsubasa wasted no time flapping her wings, generating strong winds that made the smoke dissipate.

“Kingdra, use Dragon Pulse!”

The giant seahorse raised its snout into the air, and a sphere of multicolored energy materialized before it. After a short while, Kingdra let out a growl as it pulled its snout down, and the sphere shot into a wild, dragon-shaped beam that flew right towards its opponents. Tsubasa flew out of the way just in time, but both Chirin and Flippy had no time to react. They attempted to run, but their legs couldn’t carry them fast enough, and the Dragon Pulse landed a direct hit on both of them.

“You guys okay?!” Caiseal yelled.

True to form, Chirin and Flippy got right back on their feet.

“Dragonair, use Headbutt on Chirin!” Clair commanded.

Dragonair leaped out of the water, flying right towards Chirin. “Use Cotton Guard!” Perrine yelled. Chirin let out a cry as the orb on its head glowed red. A huge cloud of pure white cotton spilled out from the glowing orb, wrapping around Chirin like a shield right as Dragonair rammed its head into him.

Julia saw an opening. “Tsubasa, use Quick Attack on Dragonair!”

Tsubasa threw herself right at Dragonair, ramming her beak into the dragon Pokemon’s neck with all the strength she had. Dragonair let out a pained cry as it felt Tsubasa’s beak cut into its neck.

Caiseal started to see what was happening. The Headbutt from earlier must have dulled Dragonair’s senses a bit, and the barrage of attacks wasn’t allowing it to recover mentally. If they could defeat Dragonair first, that would leave Gyarados and Kingdra left. He smirked. “Flippy, use Ice Beam!”

“Gyarados! Hold it off with Dragon Pulse!”

The atrocious Pokemon wasted no time firing off a dragon-shaped beam of light, protecting Dragonair from the assault. Not only that, the Dragon Pulse cut through the Ice Beam and knocked Flippy off her feet, sending her rolling across the field.

“Now use Bite!” Clair exclaimed. As ordered, Gyarados took Flippy into its mouth, teeth digging right into her slimy skin. The water fish Pokemon let out a painful wail as she flailed her hands and feet up and down in an attempt to break free. Her struggle was futile.

“Chirin! Thunderbolt again, and make it count!”

“Kingdra! Dragon Rage! Don’t let them hurt Gyarados!”

“Duuura!” The giant seahorse let out a stream of purple blue flames from its thin snout. Lightning cut through the attack like it was cake, and one of the strikes managed to land a direct hit on Gyarados, shocking it enough to release Flippy from its mouth. Tsubasa was quick to grab Flippy’s tail with her talons, though the water fish’s weight was dragging her down some. She did manage to set her back down on the field safely, preventing any injuries.

“Gosh, they’re tough,” Julia said.

“She’s not a gym leader for nothing,” Perrine agreed. “But we’re not giving up.”

“As if!” Caiseal exclaimed.

“You kids have guts! I like that!” Clair told them with her arms crossed. “Dragonair, Slam!”

“Counter it with Wing Attack!” Julia cried out.

Dragonair raised its tail in the air, ready to slam it right down on Chirin. But the bird Pokemon flew right in between them, her wings aglow with white light. She held both wings in front of herself like a shield, and her body trembled as Dragonair’s tail made contact. She briefly lost altitude for a moment, but flapped her wings and stopped herself from falling to the ground.

“Flippy! You use Slam right back! Use it on Kingdra!” Caiseal cried.

Flippy leaped into the water and swam towards Kingdra, smiling as she readied herself to ram right into it.

“I don’t think so! Agility, then get it with your snout!”

A purple aura enveloped Kingdra’s body, and before Flippy could land a hit, the giant seahorse swam out of the way. It’s movements were a blur, and Flippy could barely keep her eyes on it. She turned around and saw Kingdra right behind her. But she couldn’t get out of the way in time. Kingdra threw its snout right onto Flippy’s head, knocking her deep into the water.

“This isn’t good!” Julia’s eyes widened when she saw that attack. Nothing they were doing was weakening them one bit. She needed to do something. Then it hit her. Tsubasa knew that one attack. Maybe now was a good time to use it. “Tsubasa! Use Twister on Kingdra, and quick!”

“Pijoooo!” With a piercing cry, Tsubasa flew in circles all around Kingdra. It didn’t take long for the fast flying Pokemon to be engulfed in a swirling tornado that reached all the way to the ceiling. Kingdra found itself lifted out of the water, caught in the cyclone. Gyarados dove into the water, but that didn’t help much, as most of the water was getting sucked into the funnel. Even Dragonair couldn’t keep itself on the ground, and the cyclone pulled it right in.

Julia flashed a wide grin. “It’s working!”

Caiseal noticed the water getting sucked into the funnel. Maybe this could work. “Perrine! Tell Chirin to use Thunderbolt on the Twister!”

“Wha…?” Perrine raised an eyebrow. Why do that? Then she saw the twister and the water. All of Clair’s Pokemon were in the Twister attack. The pieces came together, and a determined gleam shone in her eyes. “Chirin! Use Thunderbolt again, this time on the Twister!”

Chirin had no time to question Perrine’s orders, not that he wanted to. His tail fired off a wave of lightning bolts, all of which melded right into the tornado. Electricity traveled along the wind, electrocuting everything inside. Gyarados and Dragonair cried out in pain as the shock surged through their bodies. Knowing what this would entail, Tsubasa flew out of the tornado before the electricity could get to her. Flippy crawled out from what was left of the pool and flopped right onto the ground, closing her eyes. She barely noticed the tornado behind her, or if she did, she didn’t care. Clair covered her eyes with her arms, the blinding light from the electric tornado too overwhelming to look at.

Finally, after a harrowing few minutes, the electric tornado dissipated. Dragonair was sprawled out on the ground, its body covered with burns and charred spots. But it did have enough energy to lift its head and torso up. Gyarados’ upper body was on land, with the rest of it still in the water. Some sparks of electricity danced around its scales, making it twitch every now and again. Its tongue hung from the side of its mouth. Kingdra popped its head out from the water, not looking the least bit fazed. Flippy didn’t move from her spot. Chirin and Tsubasa were still standing.

“Oh goodness…” Clair’s jaw dropped.

Uraku held up both flags. “Quagsire and Gyarados are both unable to battle!” He announced.

Two Pokemon were down. One on each side. Now it was a double battle. Caiseal called Flippy back to her PokeBall. “Good job, girl. Now you get a nice rest.”

As if mirroring his movements, Clair recalled her Gyarados. “You were awesome, Gyarados,” She put her PokeBall away and flashed a smile at the kids. “I have to say, I’m impressed,” She crossed her arms again. “Never in my years of being a gym leader did I ever see any trainer do something as crazy as make an electric twister.”

Julia looked at Tsubasa’s tail, avoiding Clair’s gaze. “Ehhh, it’s not a big deal.”

Perrine gently elbowed Caiseal. “You were the one who thought of it.”

“You put it into action. I just thought of making use of Tsubasa’s Twister.”

Upon hearing that, Tsubasa started flapping her wings and squawking angrily. “Ah! Wait! Tsubasa, calm down!” Julia held her hands up, but the bird paid her little heed. “She says your idea almost electrocuted her.”

“Sorry, Tsubasa,” Caiseal apologized. The idea was a risky one. Had Tsubasa not reacted when she did, Chirin’s Thunderbolt could have hit her as well, and since she was a flying type, it would have easily knocked her out for sure. But he had to make a split second decision. He made a choice, the plan was executed, and it worked for the most part. Now one of Clair’s Pokemon was out of the battle.

He put a reassuring hand on Julia’s shoulder, smiling at her. “It’s up to you girls now.”

Both girls nodded. “Can you guys keep going?” Julia asked.

Tsubasa let out a loud trill, and Chirin simply raised one of his arms up in the air before turning back around.

“You’ve got guts. That’s an admirable trait in a trainer,” Clair said, brushing some hair out of her face. “But guts alone isn’t the key to victory! Kingdra and Dragonair! Use Dragonbreath!”

The two dragon Pokemon opened their mouths, and a blazing cloud of purple and green hued fire with white rings spilled out.

“Blow it away with Twister, Tsubasa!”

“Pijoooo!” Tsubasa wasted no time spinning around in a circle, generating a smaller tornado this time around. The raging winds formed a barrier against the multicolored fire, and the attack dissipated after a few minutes.

“Chirin! Use Signal Beam on Kingdra!” Perrine cried out.

The red orb on Chirin’s head glowed a bright green. Chirin let out a piercing warble before a green beam of light shot out from its head, charging right towards Kingdra.

Clair smirked. “Kingdra! Agility!”

Quick as lightning, Kingdra seemed to disappear right as the beam was about to land a hit. Chirin’s jaw dropped. Where was it? The seahorse’s movements were like a blur. One minute it was in front of Chirin, the second in the corner of his eye, the next it was right behind him. It was Julia who noticed something else.

Kingdra was moving fast. On land.

“What?!” She yelped without meaning to. But the shock of it all made her voice rise much higher than she wanted it to. “How can Kingdra move so fast on land?! Isn’t it part water type?!”

Perrine’s chest thundered. She clutched her vest as she found herself in awe of Kingdra’s speed. “Clair must have raised it so well that it’s able to move around!” Doubt began to take hold, like a Magnemite attaching itself to a fuse box. If Kingdra could manage to move around on land without any problems...the girls were in deep trouble.

“Tsubasa! Use Quick Attack! Go all out!” Julia shouted.

Tsubasa folded her wings in and propelled herself right at the seahorse.

“Dragonair, use Thunder Wave!”

The orb on Dragonair’s neck glowed in a yellow light before letting out a few waves of electricity from behind Tsubasa. Since the bird Pokemon was so focused on Kingdra, she didn’t notice Dragonair rising up from behind her. Before she could lunge right at Kingdra, her muscles suddenly tensed up, turning numb. She cried out as she tried to flap her wings to no avail. Her whole body convulsed, burning with an intense numbing sensation. She lost her momentum, and she found herself hitting the ground.

“Tsubasa!” Julia cried. This wasn’t good. Tsubasa was paralyzed. The bird Pokemon attempted to get back on her feet, but every movement resulted in pain shooting through every nerve in her body. Her talons couldn’t keep steady, and her wings suddenly felt heavier than normal. Chirin ran over to help her up, wincing at how much Tsubasa’s body convulsed in his arms.

“I got you now!” Clair edicted, her eyes shining with determination. “Dragonair! Kingdra! Finish it with a combined Dragon Pulse!”

The two dragons let out a cry before shooting dragon-shaped beams of light out from their mouths. Chirin tried to drag Tsubasa out of the way, but the bird weighed heavy on his stubby arms. Perrine could see he was unable to dodge right at that moment, and that he wasn’t going to leave Tsubasa there. But a combined Dragon Pulse attack was sure to knock them out. She had to do something.

“Cotton Guard!!” Perrine shouted.

Chirin attempted to set up a cotton barrier around himself and Tsubasa. But he only managed to gather a few clumps before the two Dragon Pulse attacks landed a direct hit on both him and Tsubasa. The barrage of energy sent the two of them rolling across the dirt. Chirin clung to Tsubasa the whole time, refusing to let her go, but his body ached from the blast. Julia clutched Perrine’s sleeve, paralyzed with fear. Both Chirin and Tsubasa had dark burn marks on their bodies, and the light Pokemon was taking in sharp, labored breaths.

“You’re gonna be done for at this rate!” Caiseal exclaimed, eyes wide in anticipation of what was to come. “You gotta do something!”

“They won’t be able to hold out much longer!” Perrine snapped back. “Clair’s Pokemon are too strong, and Tsubasa’s paralyzed!”

The odds were completely against them now. All the kids knew it. Tsubasa was the only Pokemon who knew a move that had a type advantage over the two dragons, and even that wasn’t enough to completely defeat them, electric tornado notwithstanding. Flippy had already been defeated, and Chirin’s attacks could barely do anything. Defeat was imminent. A faint trill pulled Julia from her thoughts. Tsubasa crawled out from Chirin’s arms, breathing heavily, but on her feet and wings outstretched.

“Tsubasa! Don’t push yourself!” Julia pleaded, seeing the sparks dance across Tsubasa’s fur. “You don’t have to keep fighting! You’re paralyzed!”

Ignoring her pleas, the bird shot an angry glare at the dragon duo. “Heh! This is nothing! I’m not finished yet!”

“You’re too weak to go on! There’s no shame in forfeiting!” Julia continued her effort to dissuade Tsubasa from hurting herself further. Even she could tell there was no way they could win at this rate. “Please, Tsubasa!”

Even Chirin tried to convince her to fall back, but the bird shook her head, having none of it. “No way! I’m gonna go down fighting! I’m not a quitter!” Tsubasa howled, fighting the paralysis wracking her body with every ounce of strength she had. Her wings glowed white and she threw herself into the air, lunging at Kingdra.

“No! Stop!” Julia cried, but the bird paid her no heed.

“It’s over!” Clair exclaimed. “Kingdra, Hydro Pump! Dragonair, Hyper Beam!”

“Chirin! Signal Beam again!”

A stream of pressurized water pummeled Tsubasa, completely drowning her. Dragonair fired a thick, orange beam of light, and Chirin had no time to even prepare his own attack before getting hit. The orange light struck him right on the chest, sending him rolling across the battlefield. When the Hydro Pump dissipated, Tsubasa was sprawled on the ground, wings outstretched, talons in the air, eyes closed. Her tail and left wing twitched slightly. Neither Pokemon moved.

Uraku leaned over to examine them for a brief moment. “Pidgeotto and Ampharos are unable to battle!” He announced, pointing a red flag towards Clair. “Dragonair and Kingdra are the winners, and since all of the challengers’ Pokemon have been defeated, the victory goes to Clair, the gym leader!”

The kids looked down at the fallen Pokemon. They lost. All that training for several hours straight, and they lost. But in the back of their minds, they somewhat knew they’d lose. Clair certainly didn’t hold back, and she wasn’t the strongest gym leader in Johto for nothing. They had anticipated the possibility that they’d lose their first battle, especially since they had never engaged in triple battles before now. This helped alleviate the pain of the loss somewhat. Julia and Perrine both called their tired Pokemon back to their PokeBalls.

“You did great, Tsubasa,” Julia whispered. “We’ll get you healed up right after this.”

“You too, Chirin. Awesome job,” Perrine held Chirin’s PokeBall close to her chest.

“Man. We really got our butts kicked,” Caiseal mused.

Footsteps pulled the kids out of their thoughts. They looked up to find Clair walking toward them with a smile on her face. “That was a great battle,” She told them, beaming with joy. “I gotta say, you had me on the edge of my seat. Most trainers who challenge me get wiped out in just two or three attacks. The fact you and your Pokemon managed to hold out for this long, and having had no experience with triple battles before this...that says a lot about you kids as trainers.”

Julia’s cheeks heated up. Maybe the loss wasn’t so bad after all. Still, Clair’s praise was a little overwhelming. She wondered if she really deserved all of these compliments.

“I won’t deny that you still have a way to go before you can defeat me,” Clair continued in her matter-of-fact but friendly tone. “But you should be proud of what you’ve managed to accomplish so far.”

“Thanks very much for battling us, Miss Clair,” Julia bowed before her. “We really appreciate it.”

“Can we battle you again?” Caiseal asked.

Clair put one hand on her hip. “I’m really tied up tomorrow, but I’m free the day after that, so you can battle me again then. Plus, you have a whole day you can use for training.”

The kids nodded in unison. Good points.

“Alright then. We better head to the Pokemon Center,” Perrine pointed out. “Chirin, Tsubasa, and Flippy need some serious TLC.”

Julia looked up at Clair, focusing on her long ponytail. “We’ll battle you again in two days. Next time, we’ll win!”

“I look forward to it.”

With that, the kids made their way to the Pokemon Center, leaving the Blackthorn City gym behind them. They really hoped to be able to win the next battle. Clair was one tough cookie. But they had all of tomorrow to train, so they had to put their time to good use. They made a mental note to start training first thing in the morning.

One more battle, and they’d get their final badges.

 

[Juliko]

Chapter 53: The Final Badge

That night, the kids went to the Pokemon Center to get everyone healed up. Once that was done, they all gathered in their assigned room. Caiseal and Perrine sat cross-legged on the floor, and Julia sat on her bed. Hikaru laid down next to her trainer, smiling contentedly as Julia stroked her head with one finger, reveling in the affectionate gesture. All three of them pondered their recent loss at the Blackthorn City gym.

“So we’re definitely gonna need to change our strategy for our next battle with Clair,” Julia began. “I know for a fact that if we try our electric tornado again, she’ll find some way to counter it.”

Perrine nodded in agreement. “For sure. We defeated her Gyarados, but Dragonair and Kingdra are the ones we need to focus on, since they’re dragon types. Well, Kingdra being both water and dragon,” She hastily added. “Since Gyarados is a water and flying type, we still need an electric Pokemon. Do you think we should use Hikaru this time around? Or should we stick to Chirin?”

Julia had given it some thought since their defeat. As much as she wanted to use Hikaru, she wasn’t sure if sending her out would be the best option. All of Clair’s Pokemon were big, strong, and had powerful attacks. As strong as Hikaru had gotten, she could only handle so much, and any non-electric attacks she had probably wouldn’t work too well on Kingdra and Dragonair. She did have Disarming Voice, but that wasn’t known to be a strong fairy type move. Tokiko was a potential option. Julia had planned on using her, had Tsubasa not popped out of her PokeBall.

“Actually, I was thinking of using Tokiko this time,” Julia told her. “Tsubasa put a wrench in that idea before, so would that be okay?”

“I don’t see why not,” Caiseal said. “For sure I’m keeping Flippy out of the battle this time. Ice Beam is strong on dragon types, but not when said Pokemon are both part water type as well, and Dragonair and Kingdra are exactly that. Plus, she mostly knows water and ground attacks.”

Over the course of the battle, Caiseal had come to regret sending out Flippy. She was physically strong and could handle a lot of attacks thrown her way, but relying too much on her Ice Beam attack and her small pool of non-water attacks didn’t do much in battle. It didn’t help that she was slow to move on land and wasn’t able to dodge most attacks when needed. Caiseal figured it wasn’t worth it to put her through a battle she wasn’t equipped to handle. But who could he use against Clair? Apollo and Mallow weren’t going to cut it, since all of Clair’s Pokemon knew water type moves, putting them at a big disadvantage. Would Ravenclaw, Viole, or Heracles be able to handle Clair’s Pokemon?

“I’m all for putting Tokiko in the battle. She’s practically immune to dragon type attacks,” Perrine raised her hand. “And I’m thinking of keeping Chirin in the battle. I forgot that he knows attacks like Light Screen, so I say we try and make use of that, since that can hold off special attacks.”

Light Screen. Both Caiseal and Julia exchanged rueful looks. Why hadn’t they thought of that before? Using defensive moves like that might have changed the outcome had they remembered. But there was no point in dwelling on it now. “I agree,” Caiseal said, crossing his arms. “So we’re gonna use Tokiko and Chirin this time, and making use of defensive moves more effectively. Now that just leaves who I’m gonna use.”

Unbeknownst to her friends, Julia quietly pulled Tsubasa’s PokeBall out from her bag. “Sorry, Tsubasa. I know you want to battle, but you’re gonna have to stay out of this one. Okay?” She whispered. “I’ll make it up to you.”

Much to Julia’s surprise, the PokeBall quivered in her hand, up and down, like she was nodding from inside. That was odd. Normally, Tsubasa would throw a fit if she wasn’t allowed to battle. Maybe she recognized her limits this time around. Julia smiled. Tsubasa was growing up a bit and showing some maturity on her part. She wondered if this was what her mother felt when she learned Julia wanted to go on a journey. Reassured, Julia slipped Tsubasa’s PokeBall back into her bag.

“You know what?” Caiseal suddenly announced, cutting Julia’s train of thought. “I’m gonna go with Heracles. He’s got good attack power and endurance, and he has a larger variety of attacks in general.”

Julia held three fingers up. “So to confirm, we’re using Tokiko, Chirin, and Heracles for our next battle. We start training first thing in the morning. We good?”

Both Perrine and Caiseal nodded. “We’re gonna win it this time!” Caiseal added, his voice firm with determination.

The girls hoped that the next battle would go better.

After a good night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast that morning, the kids left the Pokemon Center and went straight to an empty clearing in the woods to begin their training for tomorrow’s battle. For now, they just had the Pokemon focus on perfecting their attacks.

“Tokiko, use Fairy Wind!” Julia cried out.

Tokiko began beating her small wings, generating a sharp gale of glittering dust that shot right towards Chirin.

“Chirin, Light Screen!”

The orb on Chirin’s tail glowed yellow as the light Pokemon let out a cry. In an instant, a cube made out of light materialized from nothing, encasing Chirin in an enclosed space. The Fairy Wind brushed against the shining cube around Chirin, but didn’t do much else. Over time, the gust dissipated, and Chirin opened his eyes as the Light Screen he created melded into his body.

Perrine ran over to Chirin, beaming with pride as she stroked his head with one hand. “Good job, boy! You’re getting better at this!”

“Ampaaa!” Chirin cooed back in return, flapping his stubby arms.

“Do you guys want to keep going for a little longer?” Julia asked Tokiko and Chirin. As of right now, they had been going at it for two hours straight. Caiseal sat on a rock nearby, and Heracles was clinging to the base of a tree, helping himself to some juicy tree sap, paying no heed to anything around him. He had already spent quite a bit of time perfecting his moves and practicing, so the big horn Pokemon felt it was time for a well deserved break. Chirin and Tokiko held their hands to their mouths, stifling some giggles, as they found the sight to be pretty funny.

“Ampa!” “Chokki!” Even so, they both composed themselves enough to wave their arms at their trainers, eyes gleaming with determination. The training wasn’t too hard, and they weren’t even a little bit tired. Why not keep going?

“Alright, then!” Perrine pumped her fists. “Let’s try polishing some of their other moves, just in case,” She suggested.

As the girls talked amongst themselves for a brief moment, Chirin and Tokiko happened to meet each other’s eyes. But something flickered in the corner of Tokiko’s eye. The happiness Pokemon leaned closer to get a better look. “Chokki!” She chirped, pointing to Chirin’s tail. Surprised, the light Pokemon turned his head around to see what was up. “Paaa?” The red orb on his tail was glowing, but the light wasn’t red or white. Instead, the light on his tail was glowing a soft purple color, with a touch of blue and green mixed in. Chirin and Tokiko exchanged surprised looks. What was going on?

“Hm? What’s up, guys?” Perrine noticed their flummoxed expressions before her jaw dropped at the sight of Chirin’s tail. “Huh? Whaaa? Chirin!” She yelped like she saw a ghost. “Why’s your tail glowing purple?!”

“Whoa! You’re right, it is!” Julia exclaimed, more curious than anything.

Caiseal ran over to get a better look. “Has this happened before?” He asked.

Perrine shook her head. “No. Never.”

Just then, the light on Chirin’s tail finally dimmed, disappearing altogether. A warm rush of relief flooded over all of them. Still, their curiosity was piqued. “I wonder what that was?” Julia asked.

“Maybe he learned a new move or something?” Caiseal wondered aloud.

Chirin could only scratch his neck, just as confused as everyone else. “Ampaaaar…”

“Well, let’s just get back to training for now,” Perrine suggested once more, hoping to diffuse the tension a bit.

With that, Tokiko and Chirin returned to their positions on the clearing. Perrine decided to go first this time. “Chirin! Use Power Gem!”

“Deflect it with Ancient Power!”

Both Pokemon made an army of rocks appear out of thin air, lobbing them at each other like they were in a snowball fight. Rocks and stones collided in the air, breaking apart upon contact, with some disappearing just as quickly as they materialized. In that moment, Chirin’s tail glowed purple again. Something swelled and coiled deep in Chirin’s stomach. But what? What was this? All Chirin knew was that the swelling turned into a sharp burning sensation. It was rising up from his stomach and into his throat, setting it on fire.

“Now use--!!” Perrine tried to call out another attack, but the sight of Chirin’s tail glowing again stopped her from doing so. His tail shone purple again.

Then, Chirin’s mouth flew open, and a stream of purple, blue, and green energy sailed forward and struck Tokiko head on. The fairy had no time to react, as she was frozen with shock as the attack landed a direct hit on her. Oddly enough, she barely felt anything save for a strange warmth on her skin, and the energy around her didn’t hurt. The kids’ jaws fell right open, and still hung open even after the energy wave dissipated. Chirin landed on his rear and took in huge breaths, like he had run a marathon. His tail stopped glowing.

“Whoa! What in the world was that?!” Caiseal ran over as soon as Chirin fell down. Perrine, Julia, and Tokiko were quick to run to his aid.

Concerned, Perrine put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “You okay?”

“Paro!” Chirin warbled before letting out a quick cough. He held his hands to his neck, as the burning sensation still lingered on his throat.

“I wonder what that was?” Julia wondered. Then her eyes lit up. “Perrine, try checking Chirin’s moves on your PokeDex! I think he might have learned a new attack!”

Perrine wasted no time pulling her PokeDex out. She punched in a few buttons as Caiseal handed Chirin a bottle of water to drink. In an instant, all of Chirin’s moves were displayed on the screen, all of them she recognized...except for one at the very bottom.

“Dragon Pulse?!” All three of them shouted in unison.

Were they seeing things? The kids each looked over Perrine’s PokeDex, wondering if it had made an error. The new move that was listed didn’t change, even as they refreshed the page. How could an Ampharos manage to learn Dragon Pulse? And when did Chirin learn it? Just now, or a lot earlier than this? Gradually, their shock morphed into joy. Perrine flung her arms around the light Pokemon’s neck, beaming as she nuzzled his face with her own.

“That’s so awesome, Chirin! You learned a new attack just now! You know Dragon Pulse!” Perrine cheered, snuggling her electric friend like no tomorrow.

So that was what happened. Tokiko smiled and gave him a pat on the shoulder. Chirin’s yellow cheeks burned red, wondering if this whole thing was worth all the hubbub. He sheepishly scratched his neck, averting everyone’s gaze, abashed by the sudden attention he was getting. Julia stroked his head affectionately, and Caiseal flashed a grin in his direction.

“As great as this is, I don’t think Chirin’s got the hang of it just yet,” Julia pointed out. “It didn’t seem as strong as the Dragon Pulses Kingdra and Gyarados used. How about this? How about we spend most of the day helping Chirin with his new attack?”

Perrine and Caiseal nodded in agreement. “Good idea. If Chirin can master Dragon Pulse by the end of the day, we might be able to stand a chance against Clair and have another trick up our sleeve,” Perrine added.

Julia liked the idea. Suddenly, the cogs in her brain were turning. The electric tornado flashed back in her mind. What if they did something else with it? She gasped and slammed her fist on her palm. “Ohhh! I have a brilliant beyond brilliant idea!” She gestured for everyone to gather around, telling them about the plan she hatched in her mind just now. Tokiko and Chirin saw them nodding to themselves and giggling. What could they be up to? Hopefully something good. Heracles continued to eat tree sap without a care in the world.

With this new development, the kids were going to give Clair a run for her money.

***

After a whole day of training, the kids went to sleep, excited for tomorrow. Morning came, and everyone gathered at Blackthorn City gym once more. This time, the match was at nine, and everyone was wide awake. Like before, the kids stood on one side of the gym and Clair on the other. She wasted no time sending Dragonair, Gyarados, and Kingdra back out onto the field.

“I wonder what surprises you kids have for me this time,” Clair said. “Here’s to a good match,” She flashed a thumbs up.

The kids sent their Pokemon out in order: Tokiko, Chirin, and Heracles. Clair raised an eyebrow. “Hm. Switching your Pokemon around, huh? I can’t say I’m surprised.”

“You guys ready?” Julia asked. Again, Caiseal and Perrine nodded affirmatively.

Like the day before, Uraku was the referee, and he raised two flags into the air. “Is everyone ready? Let the battle begin!”

Caiseal called the first move. “This time, we’re going first!” He cried out with passion. “Heracles, use Aerial Ace on Dragonair!”

Quick as he was, Heracles’ wings beated quickly as he ascended into the air. Dragonair attempted to dodge by ducking under water, but before it could completely submerge, Heracles rammed his horn right into its neck. Dragonair let out a cry as the beetle removed himself from his position, his neck throbbing from the pain.

“Yeah!” Caiseal cheered. “The good thing about Aerial Ace? It never misses!” He thanked his lucky stars that Heracles managed to learn that move when he did. In his heart, Caiseal knew it wouldn’t be completely effective, but if it meant landing hits, then that was fine with him.

“Good choice! But see if you can handle this!” Clair waved her arm outward, pointing right at Chirin. “Gyarados! Use Hydro Pump!”

“Chirin! Light Screen!”

“Paaa!” On cue, Chirin let out a sharp cry as the light on his tail glowed white. In no time at all, walls of light encased all three Pokemon in transparent, cube like spaces. Hydro Pump landed a direct hit on Chirin, soaking him to the bone, but he stood his ground, enduring the attack with grace.

Now was a good chance for a surprise attack. “Tokiko! Fly in front of them and use Dazzling Gleam!” Julia commanded.

The happiness Pokemon flitted right in front of all three dragons, glowing in a harsh pink light, blinding them. Dragonair and Kingdra winced from the attack, recoiling backwards as the light caused a burning sensation to run through their bodies. Gyarados merely held its head down to avoid the light shining right in front of it.

“It’s working!” Julia exclaimed.

“Alright! Now’s our chance!” Caiseal cried out. “Heracles, Close Combat on Dragonair!”

Both of Heracles’ arms glowed in a harsh, orange light as he charged right at Dragonair. Once he got close enough, he began pummeling Dragonair with a flurry of hard hitting blows, punches, and kicks in all directions. Dragonair was still reeling from Tokiko’s attack earlier, so it didn’t compose itself enough to dodge or attack back. Heracles didn’t let up, even as Dragonair made no attempt to fight back.

“Gyarados, help Dragonair!” Clair yelled. “Use Thrash!”

As ordered, Gyarados began throwing its body all around. At one point, its tail knocked Heracles right off of Dragonair, sending him flying. Thankfully, the blow wasn’t so strong that it knocked him right out. Heracles managed to use his wings once he got high enough and quickly recovered from the blow. But Gyarados kept slamming his tail and waving his head in all directions. Even Dragonair and Kingdra had to keep their distance when its tail nearly smacked the latter on the snout. Tokiko attempted to fly away, but Gyarados threw his head outward, headbutting the happiness Pokemon.

“Tokiko!” Julia screamed in horror. Tokiko was knocked right out of the sky, and she was falling. If she hit her head or broke a bone...

Having seen the impact, Heracles flew towards Tokiko, arms outstretched. It took seconds for Tokiko to fall right into his arms, the impact of her fall softened. The blue beetle descended to the ground, with Tokiko in his arms, safe and sound. Julia let out a sigh of relief.

“Oh, thank goodness!” Julia said.

“Don’t relax just yet!” Perrine told her. “That Gyarados is still thrashing!”

“Kingdra! Use Bubblebeam!”

“Duuuuura!” Kingdra inflated its snout before firing a barrage of bubbles.

“Chirin, pop ‘em with Thunderbolt!”

Chirin wasted no time firing lightning bolts at the bubble barrage coming his way, popping every single one of them with his electricity. At one point Gyarados’ tail nearly slammed right on top of Heracles and Tokiko.

“Dodge it, boy!” Caiseal commanded. Heracles didn’t need to be told twice. He flew away right as Gyarados’ tail made contact with the ground, sending a brief tremor throughout the battlefield.

Tokiko fluttered out from Heracles’ arms, thanking him for saving her before getting right back into battle. “Tokiko! Are you okay?” Julia asked. The happiness Pokemon gave a chirp and a nod. “Alright then! Use Fairy Wind!” Tokiko’s wings glowed light blue for a brief moment. With a high pitched trill, she fluttered them at a fast pace, generating a gust of sparkling pink wind that blew right onto all three of Clair’s Pokemon.

“Everyone! Use Dragon Pulse!” Clair shouted.

All three of Clair’s Pokemon fired streams of purple and green hued flames at their opponents. Chirin attempted to run, but one of the attacks caught up with him, and he was swallowed up in the flames. Tokiko endured the attack, barely feeling a thing. Heracles attempted to fly away as well, but the Dragon Pulse consumed him with its flames. It didn’t take long for the attack to dissipate, but the kids could see burn marks on their Pokemons’ skin, sans Tokiko.

“Are you guys okay?” Caiseal asked. One Dragon Pulse attack was hard enough to deal with, but three at once? That was too much, even for Chirin and Heracles. The two Pokemon in question got back on their feet, giving their trainers reassuring nods before trotting back to the battlefield.

Julia gently elbowed Perrine, pointing towards Gyarados and Dragonair. Perrine turned to look. Gyarados kept swaying from side to side, and its eyes were crossed. On its left, Dragonair had bruises all over its body, and it kept taking labored breaths. It didn’t take long for Perrine to see it. Gyarados was confused from using Thrash so much, and Dragonair was getting tired, probably from all of the hits it took. There was a chance that they could take them both down. Perrine nodded right back. This was their chance to turn the tables on Clair.

One or two attacks were all they might need. Perrine knew they had to act fast.

“Guys. You better brace yourselves,” Perrine whispered to both Julia and Caiseal before shouting at Chirin. “Chirin! Use Discharge! Give it all you’ve got!”

“Paaaaa!!” With a loud, shrill cry, Chirin raised his head into the air, firing off a flurry of lightning bolts in all directions. Heracles crouched on the ground, and Tokiko hid behind a nearby rock to keep from getting hit by Chirin’s lightning. Kingdra ducked into the water. The only ones who couldn’t dodge the attack were Dragonair and Gyarados. Electricity shot through their already battered bodies, and with every movement they tried to make, their muscles tensed right up. A burning sensation wracked them from the inside out, and the pain overwhelmed the two giant serpents.

Clair held her arms up in front of her face, blinded by the onslaught of flashing thunder that raged through the battlefield. Gyarados was the first to go down, its upper body slamming onto the ground, with the rest of it still in the water. Dragonair followed suit, unable to stand upright anymore. The dragon Pokemon landed right on top of Gyarados, its whole body supported by the atrocious Pokemon’s body weight. Uraku walked over to their position and examined them briefly. Both Pokemon were unconscious, their bodies rising and falling in tune with their silent breaths. In that moment, Kingdra popped back out from the water.

“Dragonair and Gyarados are unable to battle!” Uraku announced before returning to his position. “The gym leader Clair now has one Pokemon left!”

“Yes! It worked!” Perrine exclaimed, throwing her fists into the air.

Julia crossed her arms. “I have to admit, that was rather reckless, but I can understand why you had Chirin use Discharge,” She said. Discharge was an attack that could hit every Pokemon on the field, even allies. Julia wished Perrine had given a better warning, or at least mentioned it during their training yesterday. But it was an all or nothing shot, a risk that needed to be taken, even if it meant potentially losing one or both allies in the process. It worked out, so Julia wasn’t particularly angry about it.

The battle was still going on, so they couldn’t rest on their laurels just yet. Caiseal called the next attack this time. “Heracles, use Megahorn!”

As ordered, Heracles charged right at Kingdra, his large horn glowing in a pale green light.

“Kingdra! Agility!”

Like before, when Heracles tried to land a hit, Kingdra swiftly dodged the attack. The giant seahorse turned into a blue blur as it sprinted across the battlefield--on land again, no less. It seemed like Kingdra disappeared and then reappeared, like it had turned invisible, moved to one spot, and made itself visible again. Heracles tried to keep up, but the seahorse never stayed in one place, and the big horn couldn’t land a decent hit on it.

“Now use Dragonbreath!”

Kingdra wasted no time. It spat out a green beam of light right from behind, hitting Heracles on the spot. The big horn was blasted across the battlefield, only landing right in front of Caiseal’s part of the trainer box. The attack dissipated right afterward.

“You okay, Heracles?” Caiseal got down on one knee to see if his friend was alright.

Heracles got back on his feet right away, but Caiseal could tell he had been hit pretty hard. Dirt marks speckled the big horn’s body, and he could see his legs were shaking. Should he have Heracles forfeit? He was standing, but Heracles didn’t look like he could take much more. The big horn Pokemon shook his head, knowing Caiseal was having his doubts. Heracles attempted to run back towards the field, but a sharp, numbing pain shot through his legs. Unable to carry his own weight, the big horn crumpled to the ground, laying face down.

“Heracles!” Caiseal cried.

This didn’t make sense. How had Heracles gotten hurt so bad? Julia squinted her eyes to see if there was anything she missed. Then it hit her. “I think Dragonbreath must have paralyzed him!” She exclaimed. It explained Heracles’ inability to move after the attack hit him.

Clair smirked as she held one of her arms akimbo. “The show’s over for you! Kingdra, finish it with Hyper Beam!” She announced.

An orange ball of energy formed in front of Kingdra’s snout, slowly growing larger with each passing second. The kids’ eyes widened. If Heracles was hit, he’d be out of the battle. They had to do something.

“Chirin! Hold it off with Signal Beam!” Perrine shouted, her voice rising several octaves in desperation.

Before Julia could make Tokiko call out an attack, the Hyper Beam shot out from Kingdra’s mouth, so fast that the kids and Pokemon had no time to react. Chirin wasn’t able to produce his Signal Beam in time, as he barely jumped away from the oncoming blast. The orange, pressurized beam of light soared across the battlefield, landing a direct hit on Heracles. An explosion of light and smoke covered the field. The kids covered their faces with their arms in an attempt to keep debris from getting into their eyes. Chirin pulled Tokiko into his arms and curled into a ball, protecting her from the aftershock. Eventually, the smoke dissipated and the kids opened their eyes. Heracles was on the ground, covered in burn marks, completely unconscious.

“Heracross is unable to battle!” Uraku announced, pointing a red flag in Clair’s direction. “The winner is Kingdra!”

Without another word, Caiseal put Heracles back in his Pokemon. All he could do was flash a sad smile at the PokeBall in his hands. “Good job, Heracles. You were awesome. After this, I’ll let you eat all the tree sap you want.”

The girls sighed. Just like the day before, Caiseal’s Pokemon was the first to go down. Still, there was a silver lining. Chirin and Tokiko were left, and they had managed to defeat two of Clair’s Pokemon. That was much better than their previous battle. All they had to do was defeat Kingdra and they had a Rising Badge on their hands. Of course, Kingdra by itself had proven how strong it was. Taking it down wasn’t going to be easy. Julia and Perrine exchanged determined looks. If they were going to win this battle, they needed to put everything they had into it.

Clair crossed her arms. “Not gonna lie, you kids really have me on the edge of my seat,” She told them with a smile. “I haven’t been this fired up in months.”

“Dra!” Kingdra warbled in agreement, nodding.

Perrine balled one of her hands into a fist. “Well, we didn’t get this far for nothing! Here’s to a great battle!”

“A great battle, indeed!” Clair brushed some hair behind her before sending one of her arms outward. “Kingdra, use Hydro Pump!”

“Block it with Light Screen!”

The jewel on Chirin’s forehead glowed, producing a wall of light. Kingdra fired a highly pressurized stream of water that hit Chirin head on. Because of the Light Screen, Chirin wasn’t badly hurt, but the blast was strong enough that he skidded across the battlefield, his feet firmly planted into the ground, making lines the further he was soaked.

“Dazzling Gleam, Tokiko!” Julia cried.

Tokiko flew right in front of Kingdra’s face and let her whole body glow in a bright light. Kingdra recoiled at the blinding sight, hopping back into the water, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Now use Signal Beam!!” Perrine shouted.

Noticing that Kingdra was still reeling from Tokiko’s attack, Chirin’s chance to attack had presented itself. The gem on his forehead glowed green, and Chirin fired a green and red beam of light. Kingdra had only just opened its eyes before the attack hit it straight on its torso, as it had no time to react. Kingdra fell on its side, but it quickly hoisted itself back up.

“Don’t give up, Kingdra! You can do it!” Clair exclaimed. “Use Twister!”

“Duuuura!” Kingdra lifted its snout into the air, generating a fast moving cyclone that reached up to the stadium’s ceiling. Chirin wasted no time planting himself firmly into the ground, but cried out when he saw Tokiko get sucked into the funnel of air. Sure, she wouldn’t be physically affected by the attack, since fairy types are immune to dragon moves, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t in any danger.

Julia held her hands to her chest. She was sure she could feel her heart thundering from inside her. How was she going to get Tokiko out of this? There was no way a Pokemon as small as Tokiko could get out of that tornado easily. Tsubasa was one thing, being a flying type Pokemon who could adapt to situations like that easily. Wait a minute…if Tsubasa could go with the tornado’s flow and use it to her advantage, why couldn’t Tokiko? She wasn’t as fast or strong as Tsubasa, but at this point, there was no time to second guess herself. She needed to do something, and she needed to do it now.

No more wasting time.

“Tokiko! Fly with the tornado’s path and use Fairy Wind!” Julia cried.

Despite the roar of the wind that battered her from all directions, Tokiko could hear her trainer loud and clear. With a determined grin, Tokiko beated her tiny wings as fast as she could muster, following the wind currents and becoming one with the tornado. All the while, a pink, sparkling gust of wind trailed behind her, dyeing the draconic cyclone bright pink and white. Kingdra snorted in terror as it lost control of its Twister attack.

“Now ram it into Kingdra!” Julia commanded in an oddly authoritative voice, swiping her hand outward. “Show no mercy!”

With the tornado now under her control, Tokiko let out a shrill cry as she directed it towards Kingdra. The giant seahorse attempted to hop out of the water and across the land, but it tripped on a stray rock, falling flat on the dirt. Clair gasped as the sparkling cyclone swallowed Kingdra whole, spinning him round and round in a grand spectacle. Even Caiseal and Perrine found themselves in awe of the display. It was the electric tornado all over again, except with Tokiko’s Fairy Wind this time. Kingdra flailed its fins left and right, writhing in a pitiful attempt to break free, to no avail. Eventually, the fairy cyclone dissipated, and Kingdra fell to the ground, limp as a rag.

“Kingdra, no!” Clair cried, her eyes glistening with concern.

Tokiko fluttered back to her side of the field, beaming with pride. But it was short lived, as Kingdra got back on its curled tail, standing straight up despite being covered with dirt and scratches.

Clair’s smile returned. “Now that’s more like it! Think you can manage a Hyper Beam?”

Kingdra’s only response was firing an orange beam of light right at Tokiko.

“Dodge it, Tokiko! Hurry!” Julia pleaded.

But despite Tokiko’s best efforts, her tiny wings, weak from flapping so much, were unable to carry her out of the Hyper Beam’s range. The beam struck her from the front, and she was thrown into one of the left walls, leaving a circular hole far bigger than she. When the Hyper Beam dissipated, Tokiko simply fell to the ground, limp and unable to move any further.

“Tokiko!!” Julia cried.

Uraku raised a red flag in Clair’s direction. “Togetic is unable to battle! The winner is Kingdra, and now both sides only have one Pokemon left! Who will emerge victorious?” He announced.

Julia gave Tokiko a sympathetic look as she returned her to her PokeBall. “Thanks, girl. You take a good rest,” She put a hand on Perrine’s shoulder. “It’s all up to you now.”

Perrine’s determined look didn’t change. “You got it.”

“I admire your resolve. But this battle isn’t over yet!” Clair reminded them.

The orange haired girl got a good look at Kingdra. The giant seahorse was gasping for breath and his whole body was trembling, speckled with fresh cuts and scratches from Tokiko’s fairy tornado earlier. That meant Kingdra was getting tired. Plus, it needed to recharge after that Hyper Beam. On the flip side, Chirin was still on his feet despite having taken a few blows earlier. If Perrine timed it just right, they could win this together.

“Alright, Chirin! This is our last shot, so let’s do this!” Perrine exclaimed. Chirin nodded in agreement, ready to continue. “Finish it with Dragon Pulse!”

“Not if I have anything to say about it!” Clair bellowed. “Kingdra! Counter it with Hydro Pump!”

The burning sensation in Chirin’s stomach blazed in his stomach before climbing up his throat, making it sear in pain. Unable to keep it in anymore, Chirin let out a piercing howl as a purple, green, and blue beam of light soared from his mouth. The energy eventually sprouted a set of wings and the end of it morphed into a dragon’s head. Kingdra attempted to shoot water out of his snout, but all it could manage to spit out was a tiny sprinkle of it. The heavily damaged Kingdra attempted to spit more water, but none of it was strong enough to even be considered an attack. Clair gasped. Kingdra was a sitting Psyduck.

Not long after, the Dragon Pulse attack hit Kingdra head on, pushing the seahorse right into the water. The impact of the attack made an explosion of water billow out from the pool and then rain down in all directions, turning the earth around it into mud. It didn’t take long for the attack to dissipate, and Chirin could only fall down on his rear, taking in deep breaths, both from exhaustion and to soothe the burning pain in his throat. Everyone’s eyes widened as they waited for Kingdra to come back up. Would it be able to battle, or was it defeated? Julia shivered, hoping the attack didn’t kill it. That was the last thing she wanted. She hoped Kingdra was alright. Seconds later, an unconscious Kingdra floated back to the surface, completely out cold. That could only mean one thing.

Uraku raised a flag in the kids’ direction. “Kingdra is unable to battle! The winner is Ampharos, and the victory goes to the challengers!!” He announced.

The kids exchanged confused looks. Were their ears playing tricks on them? Did they actually win? Kingdra didn’t move an inch. The kids found themselves quite shocked. They won? Finally, their brains managed to register what had happened, and their faces broke into wide, goofy grins. They really did win this time! They had defeated Clair, the most powerful gym leader in Johto, and they did it together. Julia was the first to glomp both Caiseal and Perrine.

“WE WOOOOOON!!” She shouted loud enough to blow out her friends’ poor ear drums, her excitement bubbling out like soda fizz. She just couldn’t contain herself any longer. But nobody cared. They were all just as happy as she. The kids wrapped their arms around each other, jumping up and down with glee. Chirin joined them not long after. “We won we won we won we wooooooon!!”

“You did great out there, Chirin!!” Perrine freed one arm to wrap it around Chirin, who was warbling with joy. “You and everyone else, too!”

“Paaaaa!!”

As the children rejoiced in their glorious victory, Clair returned Kingdra to its PokeBall, giving it a sympathetic smile. “Good job, Kingdra. You battled hard. You can take a rest now.”

“We rock!!” Caiseal bellowed cheerfully. “We actually beat all eight gyms now!!”

“We sure did!” Perrine agreed.

When they saw Clair and Uraku approach them, they stopped cheering and celebrating, waiting to hear what they had to say. “That was an amazing battle,” Clair complimented them, smiling with pride. “My grandfather’s assessment was correct. You three really are not just great Pokemon trainers, but great friends to each other, too. You all worked together as a team, even when things were tough, and you treat your Pokemon with respect.”

“Indeed. Trainers like you kids don’t come around very often,” Uraku added, scratching his eyebrow with one of his fingers. “Don’t ever forget the qualities you possess as Pokemon trainers. It’s what helped you win this battle today.”

“We won’t,” Caiseal said. “Thank you both.”

Clair rummaged through her pocket and opened her fist. Three badges shaped like dragon’s heads rested in her palm. “These are for you. Three Rising Badges. Proof that you’ve beaten me. You’ve earned them fair and square, so you better wear them with pride.”

Each child took their Rising Badge gingerly into their hands. A deep black badge with menacing red eyes, like a dragon stalking its prey. How fitting for a dragon type trainer like Clair. But the kids knew these weren’t just badges. With this, they now had eight badges. This badge symbolized the kids’ friendship and all they had gone through just to get this far. Now that they had eight of them, they were now eligible to participate in the Pokemon League if they so chose.

“We got Rising Badges!!” Perrine cheered, jumping up and down.

But a thought crossed Julia’s mind right then and there, and it prompted her to stop cheering. “Oh! I almost forgot!” She quickly approached Clair with an inquisitive look on her face. “Thanks for battling us, Miss Clair. But can I ask you something real quick?”

“Sure. What is it?” Clair cocked her head to one side.

“You didn’t happen to see a girl named Amara around, did you?” Julia asked. If Amara was going to try and get into the Pokemon League, the chances were good that she’d try to battle Clair, or get a Rising Badge by any means necessary. “She has long, light brown hair in a ponytail and light blue eyes and is about this high,” Julia raised her hand just a few inches above her own head to indicate Amara’s height. She wished she could show Clair a picture of her, as that would be more helpful than just a general description, but she didn’t have one on her.

Clair shook her head. “Nope. I haven’t seen anyone like that, and the trainer who battled me before you guys was a boy with black hair,” She explained.

Curiosity turned into disappointment. Julia was so sure Amara would be here. Maybe she hadn’t come here yet? But she was way ahead of the other kids, so she should have gotten here long before they did. “Oh. I see. But if you do see her, don’t battle her. Report her to the police,” Julia told her. “She’s on the blacklist for abuse of Pokemon, and she’s been doing a lot of stuff she shouldn’t, like stealing gym badges and using Pokemon to beat people up.”

“Oh my,” Clair put a hand on her chin. “Thanks for telling me. I’ll definitely keep an eye out.”

Perrine put Chirin back in his PokeBall. “On that note, we should probably take Chirin, Tokiko, and Heracles to the Pokemon Center,” She reminded them. “They’re pretty zonked out after today’s battle.”

“Good idea,” Caiseal and Julia replied in unison.

Clair smiled again. “It was great to meet all of you. Take care on your journey, and I hope you all succeed at the Pokemon League,” She waved to them as they bolted out the door. But they did wave right back at her, happy to have finally won their eighth and final badge.

***

A vast blue sky greeted Pokemon Hunter J as she steered her airship through the clouds. Her visor blocked its beauty from the outside, which was good for her, since she had no interest in admiring the endless blue before her. Then again, she had never been one for appreciating nature’s gifts and bounties. Her steel eyes remained focused on the scenery in front of her. She only had one thing on her mind, and that was the thing she was searching for at this very moment.

“It should be out here by now,” She muttered to herself. “Where could it be?”

She had been planning for this for weeks. After months of research and planning, she finally found something she could really put to good use. It was her first lead in what seemed to be forever. Plus, today was the day of its appearance. She was careful to activate her airship’s invisibility cloak, so whatever she was looking for didn’t see her. There was no way she was going to risk ruining her great plans for today by doing something so reckless. After a brief moment, she saw a trail of sparkling yellow dust in the clouds. Orange, white, and green wings, illuminated by the afternoon sunlight, grazed the white clouds surrounding it. Yellow tail feathers produced the sparkling dust that trailed behind it like a daytime comet.

J smirked. “Ho-Oh...I finally found you. You will be mine! You and Lugia both!”

 

[Darkmaster006]

Review - Chapter 1 to 7

I'm up to chapter 7. I really love your writing, honestly at first I thought 'oh my i'm midway through a chapter and got like an hour left still' but that feeling left me really soon as I started enjoying the story a lot! I guess it was the first chapter where everything was introduced to us, but it's important to lay the background, how Julia lived in the barn and stuff. It's very slow-pace, and that's exactly my cup of tea (big watched of slice-of-life anime here hah). You take your time explaining and exploring every little thing, and I love that you describe the Pokemon, I found that very neat and inventive, instead of just naming them, which can get boring. Describing the myriad of Pokemon roaming around and what they are doing is also real fun to read about. I love that Julia is such an upbeat protagonist but also has times when she's down or worried and there's lots of faces to her, I found it was very balanced and well-done!

I don't know how much Perrine is going to stay in the fic, but I sure do hope she stays forever, though I guess they'll have to part ways sooner or later, to my dismay. She's a really nice counterpart to Julia and I love their interactions, they feel very natural and they are very fun to read!

I love how you describe Julia's Pokemon being intimate with her, she's really good with her Pokemon <3. The way you explained the 'battling is good/bad' and how Julia learned from books and from the sages was very well-done, and plausible. Also made more plausible because of the fact that she doesn't get that much into fighting either ways, and stays true to herself. I like this because some of my characters tend not to like battling either, so I found it interesting. What is pretty interesting about Julia is her desire to 'make friends and have fun' that she tells Perrine. I guess this struck out to me because it's basically what a character of mine's goal is, too.

Also, describing their appearance and the clothes they are wearing, I love that! Many people will tell you it's a waste of time and it's loses the focus of the story and stuff, but honestly for me, it just got me even more invested in the characters, helped me remember them more (for example Perrine wearing different clothes every day was a nice touch, as was her backstory of not liking that her parents had imposed being lady-like onto her, trying to mold her).

I guess many people could tell you you're being wordy, but honestly I loved exactly that about this fic, describing the different flowers, the different movements in the world that Julia, and later Perrine, were experiencing, their interactions with people, them staying over at PokeCenters (or camping, much to Julia's dismay), trying to solve problems like Team Rocket stealing Slowpoke, well, that just made it take a very real shape and made the world stand on its own. I feel like this fic is very integral, touching, and overall fun! Reading about whatever little thing Julia gets her interest in (be it shiny pokemon or battling or whatsoever) is great. The fic is slow, and that's good. It takes its own pace, and it doesn't rush it. I saw the notes to the chapters where worrying about them being too long, but I wouldn't worry so much, at least I loved them for what they were. Found your writing very engaging and, though sometimes repetitive in its words and structures, which is something to take into account and improve, integral. Oh, and good work making the characters girls, I see you placed emphasis on that too, and it's true that girls are considered eye-candy in many anime and also in the Pokemon anime, so it's good to see a great, nuanced portrayal like this.

Well, anyways, my review probably was a mess, and just saying 'I loved that' like 10 times doesn't really help, I guess? But I hope you find this review helpful! I'm excited to see where this story is heading in the next chapters. Hopefully the essence of the fic will be retained. And let's see what happens with Amara, too. Well, keep it up!!

 

[Juliko]

Thanks so much! I'm so glad you like it so far!

 

[Juliko]

Content warning: On-screen death of a Pokemon.

***

Chapter 54: Happiness and Tears

The day after their battle with Clair, the kids found themselves in one of their rooms in the Pokemon Center, wondering if the battle from last night was a dream. All three of them gathered round on the floor, badge cases in their hands, with intense looks on their faces. After a brief minute, they opened them up. Inside were eight badges. Zephyr. Hive. Plain. Fog. Mineral. Storm. Glacier, and finally, their recently earned Rising Badge. Julia gently grazed her fingers across their hard surfaces. They were cool to the touch, and felt real in her tender hands. Their intense expressions softened as wide grins spread across their faces.

“We actually have eight badges!” Julia exclaimed, setting her case down to flap her hands as the excitement overwhelmed her all over again.

Perrine slid hers back into her bag. “I’m still having a hard time believing it’s even real,” She said, beaming with pride. “Now my dream of becoming the champion of Johto is closer than ever!” She pumped her fists into the air. “I’ll be able to compete in the Pokemon League!”

For as long as Julia had known her, Perrine had always wanted to battle the gym leaders and get into the Pokemon League. She was as obsessed with it as Julia herself was with Pokemon in general. Julia could practically see a radiant glow around Perrine’s body as her orange haired friend was lost in her joy. She smiled, happy that Perrine’s dream was getting ever closer to finally coming true. She sincerely hoped that Perrine would win the Pokemon League. Caiseal, too, but she knew there could only be one winner.

Caiseal was flipping through the pages of a small book he found on a kiosk in the Pokemon Center just earlier. “Alright, so today’s October 26th, so the Pokemon League starts in…” Caiseal muttered to himself as he turned every page his fingers touched. After a brief moment, he finally stopped on one page in particular. “Aha! Found it! So, according to this, the Pokemon League officially starts on December 1st, so we have over a whole month until we can actually participate,” He explained.

Both girls’ jaws dropped. “Wow!” Perrine yelped. “That’s a lot later than I thought! I was so sure it’d be sooner!”

Julia found herself smiling again. She also thought the Pokemon League would be a lot sooner. But in a way, she was happy the Pokemon League was still a month away. There was a lot that she wanted to do in that time, and having a whole month to herself was absolutely perfect. “This might be a good thing,” Julia told her friend. “You guys can use the entire month to train really hard for the League.”

“That’s a good point,” Caiseal agreed, crossing his arms and nodding. “We wouldn’t want to start completely unprepared, now do we?”

Indeed they didn’t.

“Also,” Caiseal suddenly added, pointing to one of the paragraphs on one page. “According to this, we need to go to New Bark Town, cross the ocean east from there, and go through the Tohjo Falls in order to get there.”

New Bark Town...Julia found herself lost in thought. After all this, she would be returning home. Going back to her beloved house, her comfortable bedroom, all of her Pokemon friends, and everything else she loved. She could show Caiseal and Perrine around and watch movies with them. Maybe even have a pizza party or a sleepover party. She had always wanted to invite friends to her house, and always got jealous whenever Amara invited friends over all the time. Julia had barely any friends, and the few she did make never got to visit her house or have a sleepover. She grinned at the appealing thought.

Unfortunately, another thought made her bristle. If she went back to New Bark Town, she’d have to go back to school. Back to sitting at a desk. Back to teachers, homework, worksheets, and angry eyes watching her every move, judging her for not being normal like them or waiting for her to mess up so they’d scold or laugh at her. Back to the annoying girls who’d pick on her and laugh at her, either directly or behind her back. Back to feeling like a freak in a sea of normal people. She had already missed a lot of school work just by being gone since April, and she’d have to do a ton of work just to make up for it. Maybe even go to summer school. Oh, joy.

“I kinda don’t want to leave Blackthorn yet,” Perrine said out of the blue. “Since we all managed to win eight badges, let’s spend the whole day celebrating!”

“I’m cool with that!” Caiseal replied.

“Me too!” Added Julia.

A whole day in Blackthorn City, doing nothing but having fun and whatever else they wanted. Julia found the idea very appealing. The Pokemon could use a day of fun and relaxation as well, since they were the ones who worked so hard in all of the battles for those badges. Perrine threw her index finger into the air and announced with great enthusiasm, “I say we go shopping!”

Again, everyone agreed. Since this part of Blackthorn City only had stores all bunched together in one area instead of a mall, like Goldenrod City had, they did have to stay together a lot of the time, not that they minded too much. Julia figured the more time she could spend with her friends, the better. She didn’t want to go back to New Bark Town just yet. There was so much more she wanted to do. Their first stop was a local bookstore. It wasn’t as big as the ones Julia frequented in Cherrygrove City before starting her journey, but she found a lot of books that she wanted, so it was serviceable enough.

“Look, Hikaru!” Once Julia saw one book that caught her eye, she wasted no time yanking it off the shelf. Hikaru sat on her shoulder, watching her trainer flit around from shelf to shelf the entire time. Julia showed Hikaru the book she pulled out in question. The cover illustration depicted a young girl and a Pikachu by her side. “It’s A Girl Named Kat!” Julia squealed. “I’ve always wanted to read this! And guess what?” She pointed to the Pikachu in the corner of the picture. “The main character has a Pikachu for a partner, too! And she’s shiny!”

“Pikaaaaa?!” Hikaru’s eyes glimmered. A book showing a shiny Pikachu? Just like her? All her life, Hikaru thought she was the only shiny Pikachu on the planet. Well, she was sure there had to be more, but she hadn’t met any, and most normal colored Pokemon shunned her before she met Julia. Still, the thought that someone wrote a story with a shiny Pikachu as a main character set her heart aglow. “Pikapi!” Hikaru pointed to the book, shaking her index finger at it.

“Oh, I’ve been wanting to buy this for months, so you bet I will!” Julia cradled the book in her hands before going off to see if there were more.

“Yeeeeek!!” Only to wince and freeze when she heard Perrine shriek from the next shelf over. “Oh my goodness!” She bounced right over to Julia, squealing like crazy. “I found a new copy of The Jammin’ Ninja: The Solitary Sovereign! I didn’t think I’d be able to find it again! Now I can replace the copy that Abby ripped up!”

Of course. Julia bristled at the mention of the name Abby. She didn’t want to waste any time thinking about that unruly child. Today was going to be a day of fun and recreation, so no bad memories were allowed. Still, she was happy that Perrine found a replacement for the book she liked. “That’s good. I found some good ones myself. Where’s Caiseal at?”

Perrine pointed towards the movie section with her thumb. “Over there. Knowing him, he’s probably looking for some bad horror movies to watch,” The girls shared a laugh over that. Even Hikaru joined them in their laughter. Still, they were happy to see Caiseal smile again. After the whole ordeal with his biological parents, he deserved to have a good time, especially since there was a chance he’d be able to see Violet again soon.

“So what do you want to do after this?” Julia asked.

“Aw man, there’s so much I want to do!” Perrine exclaimed, stopping to ruminate after a bit. “But now that we’re here...I do want to get a good look at Mt. Silver. There’s a trail around here that goes high up, and if you reach the top, you can see Mt. Silver from there.”

Mt. Silver...Julia had heard of the place multiple times before. When she and her parents would go on car rides sometimes, she could see it from miles away if they were on a really high place. But she never had any interest in going to see it herself. From what she heard, it was full of strong Pokemon. Dangerous, even. When she was younger, she would never have wanted to go anywhere near Mt. Silver. Now, though? She was a different girl from when she was in fifth grade. She had her own Pokemon. She was stronger. Braver. Even if they weren’t actually going to the mountain itself, she did want to get a closer look at it. Her father always told her Mt. Silver had a great view, and seeing it up close was beautiful. Why not now?

“Sounds like fun!” Julia gave her approval. “I wouldn’t mind going! I’ll ask Caiseal in a bit and see if he wants to go.”

After paying for her books, Julia did just that. Caiseal lit up at the suggestion. “See Mt. Silver?! Awesome! I’ve always wanted to see it up close but never did,” He effused, his smile almost blinding to Julia’s eyes. “I say let’s do it! We can let our Pokemon out and they can get some good exercise out of it, too!”

“I wonder if we’ll find some cool Pokemon on the way?”

“There’s lots of cool Pokemon there. Maybe we can catch some while we’re there!”

And thus, their second activity was settled.

***

The trail wasn’t far from where the kids were, only about a thirty minute walk. The trail itself was said to spread out into different directions. One trail led directly to Mt. Silver, whereas others either led to higher areas where it could be seen from close by, or to lower ground, closer to where Route 44 was. The kids picked the second trail, as they weren’t planning on going directly to Mt. Silver. They let all of their Pokemon out so they could have some fresh air and walk alongside them. Tsubasa and Ravenclaw flew far ahead of the children, only stopping to perch on some tree branches every now and again to rest their wings and take in the scenery. Tall trees lined the rock-laden path, their leaves providing some reprieve from the sun. Withered leaves crunched under their feet, still lingering after having fallen some time ago.

“Phew! These trails are steep!” Julia exclaimed, her legs already burning from having walked for quite a while. She felt like she had to firmly plant her shoes on the ground just to keep from rolling back down, and her legs felt like cinder blocks. In contrast, Twilight walked right past her without even breaking a sweat, and the horse even had Hikaru, Tokiko, and Saoirse riding on her back. Julia couldn’t help but glare. Twilight sure was strong.

“Yeah, really,” Perrine stopped briefly to catch her breath, putting her hand on a nearby tree. “I like it, though. There’s so much to see up here.”

“Pupupu!” Fuwari floated right past Perrine with little effort, smiling and chirruping the whole time. Perrine smiled as she watched the flower on the Skiploom’s head spin like a top.

In the meantime, Baloo and Blossom stopped to look at some flowers on the edge of the dirt path. A cluster of white snowdrop flowers contrasted with the mountainous terrain they grew from. Their delicate, snow colored petals almost looked like lace on a dress. The two Pokemon stared at the flowers for a bit before rushing to catch up with their trainers. Baloo mostly floated, as she covered more distance by sucking in air and floating than using her feet to walk.

Caiseal scanned the scenery around him, marveling at the vast expanse of nature all around him. Mallow and Apollo walked on both sides of him, happy to see him smile after the awful experience he had just the other day. The egg that Geoffrey gave him was cradled in his arms, encased in a glass container for safety. Caiseal took care not to be too rough with the egg, and he did wonder what Pokemon would hatch from it. From the coloring of the egg, he assumed an electric type Pokemon might be in there. Yellow was usually associated with electric types, and some of the black stripes were shaped like Z’s or lightning bolts.

“What’s up there?” Julia exclaimed, pointing further ahead.

Gradually, the trees were clearing out the more they walked. They made their way towards the edge of the trail, and an amazing sight greeted them. A vast blue sky stretched farther than their eyes could see, with nary a cloud in sight. A sea of trees stretched out below the cliff face they stood on, though a bit of silver railing was there to keep them from falling off. Standing among the ocean of trees was none other than Mt. Silver. From where the kids and their Pokemon stood, it looked like a rocky triangle sprouting up from the trees. The knobby face of the mountain had a white sprinkle on the peak, darkening amongst the dirt brown rocks that made the apex kiss the heavens, making it look like gleaming silver. The kids could only stare in awe. Mt. Silver was only about six or seven miles away from them, but it looked so close that the kids could reach their hand out and touch it.

“Wow!” Julia’s green eyes glimmered as she took in the breathtaking sight before her. The only other mountain she had seen up close was Mt. Mortar, but Mt. Silver’s beauty dwarfed it by a landslide. “It’s so pretty up here!” Several of her Pokemon chirruped in agreement.

“Oh man! I am so taking pictures of this!” Perrine pulled out a camera and wasted no time snapping pictures.

“Mt. Silver sure is a beauty, isn’t it?” Caiseal asked in a low, wistful voice.

Julia smiled right back at him. “Of course it is! I never would have seen this if I had stayed in New Bark Town!” Twilight stopped to look, as did the three Pokemon riding on her back. The Pokemon all stopped to marvel at the glorious mountain before them. On the other hand, Twilight simply huffed and looked away.

“Eh, it’s nothing special,” Twilight disagreed.

“Hey, guys!” Perrine excitedly gestured for them to come closer. “Let’s take some pictures of us here!”

For a short while, the kids took pictures of themselves in front of Mt. Silver, along with whatever Pokemon wanted to join in. Most of the time, the smaller Pokemon wanted to be in the pictures. Saoirse in particular had a grand time, waving her bow-studded ears and striking poses in Julia’s arms like she was a famous model, beaming with a bright smile. At one point, Tsubasa swooped right into one picture, completely photobombing it.

“Yeeek!” Both Caiseal and Julia backed away as they saw Tsubasa fly right in front of them. “Tsubasa!!” Julia yelped, scolding the bird for ruining the picture. Tsubasa paid her no heed, smugly holding her head up like she was a rich person flaunting her wealth. Perrine held a hand over her mouth to suppress laughter.

Well, it wasn’t too bad. They took more pictures, this time without Tsubasa photobombing it. Suddenly, Caiseal found himself crying out with delight. “Guys! Look at that!” He pointed towards the mountain.

Something green was moving in the distance, but it wasn’t a tree. It had large, thick spikes all along its back, and it was walking along the mountain. Upon closer inspection, it was a big Pokemon that looked like a dinosaur covered in a thick green hide, though it did have a blue, diamond shaped patch of scales on its abdomen. The Pokemon was so big it was easy for the kids to see it on Mt. Silver despite being far away from it, and its green hide stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the majestic mountainscape.

“It’s a Tyranitar!” Perrine exclaimed. “Wow! They rarely ever come out from Mt. Silver! This is awesome!”

“I know, right?” Julia agreed, pulling out her PokeDex to examine it. She wondered if the PokeDex could even analyze a Pokemon from so far away.

The PokeDex’s robotic voice sprang to life. “Tyranitar, the armor Pokemon. Tyranitar’s hide is very thick, so much so that it is able to withstand even the most powerful attacks. Some say Tyranitar is unable to be harmed in any way whatsoever, though recent evidence has debunked that theory. However, Tyranitar are very eager to challenge strong opponents because of their strength and reckless nature. They don’t bother with opponents they consider unworthy of their time, but it is safer to avoid it or approach with caution. Tyranitar have such overwhelming strength that some have been shown to bring down whole mountains and bury rivers in order to make their nests, resulting in many a redrawn map.”

From here, Tyranitar was merely a green blip on the face of the mountain, but the fact that they were seeing one was enough to leave them awestruck. Julia was happy they decided to go up this trail. If they hadn’t, they wouldn’t have seen this beautiful scenery and that Tyranitar strolling up the mountain. But her lofty thoughts were interrupted by an undignified growl rumbling from her stomach. Julia’s hands flew to her abdomen, but the kids and the other Pokemon stared right at her, having heard the noise.

“Ehehehe...think it’s time we got back down?” Julia asked. “I think it’s almost lunch time.”

The kids smiled. “I don’t see why not. Besides, there’s this place I’ve always wanted to eat at,” Caiseal crossed his arms in agreement.

***

The place in question was a quaint little restaurant called Dragon’s Diner. It had been established only ten short years ago, but it gained a lot of popularity among young trainers for the intricate dragon designs on the walls, the quality service, and the good food. Even the tables had serpentine dragons etched into the wood, right on top. It wasn’t too crowded today, so there were still plenty of seats to be found, though Julia didn’t find herself fond of the generic pop song playing on the radio. She thought it a little too saccharine for her tastes. The kids decided on a small lunch here, as they didn’t want to eat too much as of right now, so as to leave room for dinner.

Once they placed their orders, their meals came quickly. Caiseal had ordered chicken tenders, Perrine ordered a grilled Wishiwashi sandwich, and Julia ate mozzarella sticks. She had them before and liked them, but didn’t eat them too often. Julia liked how her mozzarella sticks weren’t really sticks but shaped like little triangles. They were crunchy as she chewed on them, and the mozzarella was soft on her tongue, but not overly sticky, just the way she liked it. She did have a slightly hard time trying to cut it into pieces, since the cheese was so thick. Afterward, the kids ordered desert, since what kid doesn’t like desert? They all ordered the same thing.

“Whoa…” All three kids’ mouths dropped when they saw a particularly delectable chocolate cake placed on their table. Three big slices of three-layered chocolate cake, with dark frosting on top, lighter brown curled frosting on the edge, dotted with many tiny chocolate chips on the back. Within each layer was soft, dark chocolate fudge. But what really surprised them was how big each slice was, barely bigger than their whole hands, but very thick.

“It looks soooo good…” Julia couldn’t take her eyes off of her slice.

“My dad would kill me if he knew I ate something this big,” Perrine said.

Caiseal took his fork and pulled off some of the chocolate chips. “Well, we better not let it go to waste!” He wasted no time chowing down.

Julia dove right into the frosting, taking a huge glob of it and spooning it into her mouth. Her cheeks turned pink with delight as she savored the soft, melty, chocolatey frosting oozing on her tongue. She was in heaven. She wondered if she could get more so she could share it with the Pokemon. Hikaru and Saoirse in particular would love it, she thought. Julia made a mental note to order extras to take with her.

“Okay! This cake is awesome!” Perrine exclaimed, oblivious to the fact that her lips were speckled with chocolate frosting. “What do they call this again?”

“Death by chocolate, the menu said,” Julia answered, taking another bite. “If you guys don’t mind, I’m gonna order two more slices of this, mostly for the Pokemon in case they wanna have some.”

“Good idea,” Caiseal dipped some of the cake batter into the gooey ganache on his plate. “None of my Pokemon are big on stuff like this, last I checked. All Heracles cares about is tree sap.”

The girls laughed. “Oh, don’t we know it,” Perrine agreed.

Even so, the kids took their time and savored their food, delighted by just how good everything was. Afterward, they paid the bill and left, but not before Julia ordered two more big slices of cake for her Pokemon. Then again, the kids figured the Pokemon would like to get out of their PokeBalls and run around. Even if they had gone with them on the trail, they hadn’t been out for very long. They found a good spot by the lake behind the gym and released all of their Pokemon from their PokeBalls. Every single one of them went their own way, doing whatever they wanted. As Julia predicted, Hikaru, Saoirse, Tokiko, and Blossom enjoyed the cake she got for them. Tsubasa and Twilight were too concerned with sparring to think about food, not that they liked sweets anyway.

At one point, Saoirse was sitting on a bench, having finished her portion, as did Hikaru, Tokiko, and Blossom. Julia sat next to her, sitting back and enjoying the sunshine. Not long after, something poked her on her arm. She looked down to find Saoirse handing the plastic carton back to her. “Oh. You’re finished already?”

Saoirse nodded.

Julia smiled. “Okay. I’ll go throw this away,” She said, but a little laugh escaped her before she could get up. “Heehee! You have frosting on your face!” She giggled. Saoirse’s cheeks were speckled with chocolate frosting. Julia thought it was cute. She took out a napkin and wiped Saoirse’s cheeks with it, taking care not to rub it too hard. “Do you want some water while I’m at it?”

“Snubbull!” Again, Saoirse nodded.

“I’ll be back!” Julia ran to the nearest trash can, dropping the empty carton and used up plastic utensils in it. The last time she was here, she remembered seeing a vending machine nearby that had lots of tiny bottles of water in it. She looked around, hoping it was still there. Before long, a vending machine came into view. She put a one dollar bill in there, pressed a button, and watched as a bottle of fresh water, barely bigger than her hand, rolled right out with a clunk.

“That was quick,” She pulled it out and returned to the bench within seconds. “Here you go, Saoirse!” Julia handed Saoirse the palm-sized bottle of water. Saoirse unscrewed the cap all by herself and chugged it down right as her trainer sat next to her. Julia smiled upon watching her little friend drink. The red ribbons on Saoirse’s ears seemed to bounce every which way her ears swiveled. Why did Saoirse have to be so cute? Julia let out a sigh and let herself relax, happy to finally have some peace and quiet after an eventful day. Hikaru and Tokiko were sitting just five feet away, making a pile of rocks. Blossom was a little further away, happily making a flower crown for Baloo while Fuwari was still in the process of making her own. Mushi sat next to them, planting mushrooms into the ground. Pure bliss.

Julia rocked back and forth, allowing herself to enjoy the scenery around her. The tall mountains, reaching far into the sky, merely scraping the heavens in all their glory. The lake near the gym, with its shimmering blue waters reflecting the afternoon sunlight. She saw a lone Dratini leap out from the water and dive right back in, its graceful, slender body in a perfect circular arc. If she had stayed in New Bark Town, she would have never experienced all that she had seen and witnessed on her journey.

“You know...it’s kinda funny,” Julia said to Saoirse. “Before, I would never have gone on a journey like this,” Saoirse put the bottle down and used her paw to wipe her face, but Julia could tell she was listening. Her ears were up and alert. “I admit, I’m one of those people who’d rather be safe, avoid certain stuff, and take my time than go all out and take risks. Mom or Dad always drove me to and from school, I never went out by myself, and hardly anyone at school wanted to be friends with me. I never even walked away from the house or went farther than my front and backyard.”

“Snubbull,” Saoirse piped in.

“But here I am, so far away from home, and so much has happened, most of it good,” Julia continued on, smiling. “I made so many friends, saw so many great things, went through so many experiences, learned so much, and more! I don’t think I can put it all into words!” She spread her arms out, like a flower taking in sunlight. “I’m really happy I decided to leave home. If I hadn’t wanted to go after Amara, I would never have been able to experience all of this, or even meet you, Perrine, Caiseal, and all of the other Pokemon.”

Various events in her journey played through her mind. Battling Amara after she stole Totodile from Professor Elm’s lab and the fallout from it. Finding Perrine lost in the Union Cave. The bad first meeting with Caiseal. The battle with Whitney in Goldenrod City. Catching Lucretia in Ecruteak City. Her confrontation with Morty in regards to his unprofessional behavior. Riding on a boat from Olivine to Cianwood and back. Watching Tokiko hatch from her egg. The whole fiasco with Raikou and Pokemon Hunter J. Hikaru evolving after saving her from one of J’s machines. Everything involving Geraldine. Consoling Caiseal in the Ice Path after his breakdown and doing everything she could to keep him safe. Finally, she had defeated Clair, winning her eighth and final badge, right alongside her friends. There was no way Julia would have experienced any of these things had she stayed home.

Saoirse listened to her trainer as she drank more water. But she felt a slight pressure weighing on her chest. What was it? Was she drinking too much water? Saoirse stopped drinking and began to screw the cap back on.

“I wouldn’t trade my journey for anything in the world,” Julia said, stroking Saoirse’s head with her finger. “Hey! Here’s an idea, Saoirse! When we get back to New Bark Town, I’ll ask Mom if she can take us to this little boutique in our neighborhood. They have really cute dresses for Pokemon, and I bet I can find you a brand new dress with a bunch of cute new bows, too!”

Julia’s whole being radiated delight as she talked about getting a new dress for Saoirse, since the Snubbull really liked dressing up. But her train of thought was interrupted by a strange sound. Something was heaving and retching, like someone was throwing up right next to her. She looked to her right, and her joy was kicked to the curb. Saoirse had fallen off the bench and was on the grass on all fours, her water bottle having rolled to the ground. The fairy Pokemon’s breathing grew labored, and she made awful noises.

“Saoirse?!” Julia stood right up and bent down to her friend’s side. Her heart fell to the pit of her stomach. Something was very, very wrong. “Saoirse, what’s wrong?! Saoirse!”

It was like Caiseal’s breakdown all over again. This time, they were out in the open. Hikaru and Tokiko stopped playing, having heard Julia cry out. Even Twilight stopped to observe what was going on. Then, a stream of vomit poured out from Saoirse’s mouth, piling up on the grass, the repugnant smell filling the air. Julia put a hand on her own nose and used another hand to rub Saoirse’s back. Maybe she ate something that didn’t sit right with her stomach? That had to be it! Julia gently rubbed Saoirse’s back.

“It’s okay, girl. It’s okay. There there,” Julia lowered her voice to make it sound more soothing. But the pit in her stomach didn’t go away. What was wrong? She decided to take Saoirse to the Pokemon Center right after this. “You can let it all out.”

But it didn’t end there. Right after vomiting, Saoirse attempted to get back up, but she fell on her back the second she tried to stand on both feet. Julia caught her just in time, cradling the fairy Pokemon in her arms. All of a sudden, Saoirse’s whole body started shaking violently, like an earthquake was going off inside of her. The trembling increased with every second that passed, and when Saoirse looked up at Julia, her eyes were large, full of naked confusion and fear. Not long after, her pupils rolled behind her eyelids, leaving her eyes completely white.

No. This wasn’t a case of food poisoning. Saoirse was literally seizing in her arms. It was far more than Julia could stand. Alarm and fear swept over her like a tidal wave.

“SAOIRSE!!” She screamed loud enough for the whole town to hear. Any Pokemon within her vicinity ran right over, Twilight being the fastest. Julia knew she had to do something. She needed to take Saoirse to the Pokemon Center right now. There was no time to waste.

With Saoirse convulsing in her arms, Julia hopped right on Twilight’s back. Knowing what needed to be done, Twilight didn’t protest. She galloped as fast as she could, with her trainer on her back, running at a steady speed. Julia used one hand to cling to Twilight’s flaming mane, and another to keep Saoirse in her arms. Her vision blurred, and hot tears streaked her face. Nothing was making any sense. Saoirse was just fine a second ago. What was happening to her?

“Hang in there, Saoirse! We’re almost to the Pokemon Center!” Julia wailed, any attempt at keeping her cool failing miserably. “I’ll help you! You’re gonna be okay!”

All she got in response was another burning stream of vomit pouring down her shirt. It was wet, warm, and it felt absolutely gross as the fabric of her shirt absorbed what remained of Saoirse’s food and possible stomach acid that came with it. But she didn’t care about that now. Saoirse needed help, and Julia wasn’t going to let herself be bothered by puke on her shirt. Sensing her trainer’s despair and Saoirse’s deteriorating condition, Twilight accelerated her speed. She always took great pride in how fast she was. If getting to the Pokemon Center in time would save Saoirse, that’d be good enough for her.

She hoped Saoirse would be okay, but something in the back of her mind was telling her she might not be. She might...No! Julia pushed that thought out of her mind. Saoirse was NOT going to die. Not on her watch!

The minutes felt like hours, but they made it to the Pokemon Center. Julia leaped off of Twilight and burst through the Pokemon Center doors with a still convulsing Saoirse in her arms. “HELP!! Somebody please help!!” Julia howled and bawled. All eyes were immediately on her, both from the staff and other trainers. “Something’s wrong with my Snubbull!!”

A Nurse Joy was quick to take Saoirse from her. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know!” Julia cried, her face red from crying. “We were playing and she just fell to the ground and started throwing up and now she’s shaking and her eyes rolled into the back of her head and--!!” One word crashed right into the next on her stuttering lips.

As far as Nurse Joy was concerned, it was good enough information. “Doctor! Bring a gurney over here!” Nurse Joy called out.

Everything after that turned into a blur in Julia’s mind. She saw doctors in their white coats form a cluster around her dear friend, hooking her up to machines, sticking needles in her arms, and wheeling her right into another room. All Julia could do was sit on her knees and replay that moment over and over again. How did this happen? Saoirse was just fine one minute, and the next minute she got violently ill. Julia searched her brain for an answer, but there was none. She barely registered Nurse Joy still standing in front of her.

“We’ll take care of your Snubbull,” Nurse Joy reassured in a kind, friendly voice. “I’ll let you know how things turn out. For now, you just wait here,” Not long after, she put on a gown and went into the operating room.

Using what little strength she had left, Julia pulled herself off the floor and plopped down on a soft chair nearby. Everything around her was spinning, and it felt like the world was moving faster than she could keep up with. She didn’t even register harsh hoofbeats and footsteps scraping against the tile floors.

“Julia!” Perrine was the first to approach her. Caiseal trailed behind her, followed by all of their Pokemon. All of them had worried looks on their faces. “What happened? Hikaru and Tokiko got us and told us to come here. What’s going on?”

Her voice still shaking from the shock of it all, Julia once again relayed the events from the past few minutes. Their faces turned ghost white.

“So she just...got sick? All of a sudden?” Caiseal asked.

“I-I-I-I don’t know what happened or how it happened! She was just fine a while ago!” Julia cried, making no effort to wipe the tears drowning her cheeks. “I thought she ate something she shouldn’t have but then she started shaking and-and-and-and-and--!!”

At this point, Julia was a mess, and she knew it. Perrine sat down next to her, as did Caiseal. “Come on, Jule. Breathe. Calm down a little bit,” Perrine told her gently.

Julia didn’t want to calm down or breathe. The only thing she wanted was for Saoirse to be okay. As far as she was concerned, that was the only thing that would help her calm down.

“You and Twilight managed to get her here really fast,” Perrine reassured, putting a gentle hand on her friend’s shoulder. “That can make a huge difference. For now, we just have to wait and see how things go. Saoirse’s a tough little girl. She’ll get through this.”

As happy as Julia was that Perrine was trying to help, she couldn’t help but be rather offended. Perrine wasn’t there. Perrine wasn’t the one watching her Pokemon go from healthy one minute and convulsing to the point of looking practically dead the next. Perrine wasn’t rushing her sick, violently shaking Pokemon to the PMC in a race against the clock.

“It was awful…” Julia whimpered, holding her hands in front of her face. “It was so sudden, and I couldn’t do anything! I just grabbed Twilight and rode her here! What if...What if Saoirse dies?!”

“She’s not gonna die. We don’t know that,” Caiseal didn’t mince any words. “Let’s not jump to that conclusion just yet. For now, she’s still alive. Perrine’s right. There isn’t much we can do except let Nurse Joy and the others help her. We’re here for you. You know that, right?”

Agreeing with him, Hikaru, Tokiko, and her other Pokemon made encouraging noises. Julia gave a big sniff before nodding. “Alright. I just...want my Saoirse to be okay…” Julia sobbed, wiping her face with her arm.

“We don’t know how long this is gonna take,” Perrine said. “It might take a while before we hear anything. Maybe you should get some water, or...y’know...change your shirt,” She pointed to Julia’s shirt. Julia looked down, her face flushing red with embarrassment this time around. She had completely forgotten that Saoirse had vomited on her, and only now was the noisome stench and the wet, disgusting feeling of damp fabric against her skin hitting her.

“...Right. Eww.”

***

Julia wasted no time changing from her dirty shirt and putting on a fresh, clean one. Doing that was enough to alleviate some of her worries, but not all of them. For now, all the kids could do was wait. Wait for the light above the back room doors to turn off. At the moment, the light was shining bright red, illuminating some tiles on the ceiling right above it. The kids put most of their Pokemon in their PokeBalls, only leaving a few of them out, like Hikaru, Tokiko, Baloo, Ravenclaw, and Twilight. Being the stubborn horse she was, Twilight refused to go inside her ball, though Julia could tell she was just as worried about Saoirse as everyone else. Julia didn’t blame her. They were all worried about her. Grateful for her concern, Julia let her stay out. She did prove to be nice to lean on.

Time seemed to slow down, moving at a Slugma’s pace. Julia had no energy to do anything other than lean on Twilight or stare at the floor. She didn’t want to leave the Pokemon Center lobby. What if she left and the surgery ended? She wouldn’t be able to know until later whether Saoirse was okay. She didn’t care if she was bored to death sitting here. All she wanted was for Saoirse to be alright. She wanted to watch her friend come out from that back room alive and well. Or if she was still sick, stay by her side until she got better, no matter how long it would take. Come to think of it, Saoirse’s dress was still in her backpack. She was sure Saoirse would want to wear her nice red dress later on. She always loved that dress. She still had her little bows on her ears. Julia hoped the doctors didn’t take them off of her.

“Man. This is taking forever,” Caiseal said, pacing around in a circle with his arms crossed. Ravenclaw nested on his head, eyes closed. “How long has it been now? An hour and a half, maybe?”

“Yeah,” Perrine confirmed it for him. “It’s almost five o’clock. Do you guys wanna listen to the radio?” She suggested. “There’s a radio drama airing on the Variety Channel right now. Or we can listen to the Music Channel.”

Julia shook her head. “No thanks,” Caiseal replied. Perrine slid her PokeGear back in her vest. Nobody was in the mood for radio dramas and music. How could they be, when the situation was so serious? Perrine sighed. She herself wasn’t exactly in the mood for radio dramas or music, either.

Ping! The kids looked up. The light over the doors to the operating room had gone off. It wasn’t glowing anymore. Nurse Joy walked out. Was Saoirse okay now? The kids sprang up from their seats and ran right over to Nurse Joy. “How is she?!” Julia yelped. “Is she okay? What happened? She’s fine, right?”

Nurse Joy said nothing. Julia looked past her. No Saoirse in sight. Where was she? She had to be okay, right?

A feeling of dread washed over her. Even more so when she stole a glance at Nurse Joy’s face. Her eyes were dull, like she was in a daze, and she was frowning. Nurse Joy rummaged through a pocket in her apron and pulled out two red ribbons.

Saoirse’s ear ribbons.

Perrine’s hands flew to her mouth. Caiseal clenched his hands into tight fists. Julia’s eyes shrunk and shrunk until they were dots. The horrible realization hit them like an oncoming truck.

“I’m sorry,” Nurse Joy choked out. “She didn’t make it off the table.”

Didn’t make it? As her mind worked things out and processed what it meant, a heaviness weighed down on her entire soul.

Saoirse was dead? Gone? Just like that?

This wasn’t supposed to happen. Saoirse was supposed to get better! How could she be gone? Her legs gave out from underneath her, and she fell to her knees. The world completely disappeared. All she could hear was Perrine sobbing and Caiseal barking at Nurse Joy.

“How did this happen?!” He roared, his voice crumbling under his newborn grief. “What happened to her?!”

Nurse Joy kneeled down to Julia’s level. “Did you know that your Snubbull had a hole in her heart?”

Julia looked up. A hole in her heart? Saoirse had one? She shook her head. “No. I didn’t,” She choked out, her voice little more than a wretched squeak. But she wanted to know more. Was that why she died? “What happened?”

The nurse explained everything in detail. As it turned out, Saoirse had been born with a congenital heart defect that resulted in her having a hole in her heart. Nurse Joy asked Julia if Saoirse had displayed symptoms such as shortness of breath, fainting, frequent coughing, or not growing normally. Julia said no. Other than getting seasick on the boat to Cianwood City once, Saoirse had never been sick before, ever. Apparently, it’s a common birth defect in Snubbull, and some can go a whole majority of their lives without having symptoms until later. What happened was that the hole in Saoirse’s body grew surprisingly large, to the point that it was pumping blood that didn’t have any oxygen inside of her, and it, along with several coronary arteries being completely blocked due to the abnormal blood flow, caused a heart attack. Nurse Joy and her doctors tried everything they could to save Saoirse, but it was all for naught. The hole was in a place that the doctors had a hard time reaching. By the time they found a solution, it was too late.

Tears swelled from Julia’s eyes, rolling down her cheeks unchecked. How did she not know any of this? Saoirse had a hole in her heart this whole time, and she never even knew about it until now? Could this have been prevented? Could Saoirse have been saved? Her vision blurred. Nothing made any sense. All she could do was snatch the ribbons from Nurse Joy’s hand, clinging to them like they were the only thing keeping her alive.

“No! No no no! Oh dear God, no!” Perrine sobbed, having already burst into tears from the awful announcement.

Over by the chairs, Hikaru and Tokiko hugged each other, crying simultaneously. Twilight could only stare in bewildered silence. Ravenclaw looked away from everyone, holding the rim of her hat-like head down to obscure her eyes. Baloo simply sat there and cried. Blossom stroke Baloo’s back to console her, barely making any effort to hide her own tears. Julia covered her wet face, seeing only darkness.

“I’m sorry to spring this on you while you’re grieving,” Nurse Joy told her, kneeling down and pulling out a clipboard with some papers on it. “But when a trainer’s Pokemon dies, they can decide whether they want us to make arrangements to send their remains to your parents or other acquaintances in case they want them to be buried or cremated. Or you can leave your Pokemon with us and we can decide what to do with the body. If you want to take the first option, you do need to sign this form here,” Nurse Joy pointed to the papers on the clipboard.

Although Julia was still lost in her grief, she heard every word. In that moment, a memory flashed through her mind. When she was eight, one of her mother’s Pokemon had to go to the Pokemon Center in Cherrygrove City because it was really sick, but it died soon after. One of the doctors gave her mother a plastic bag that had the Pokemon’s body in it and told her to do whatever she wanted with it. Her blood boiled. That doctor just shoved it in her hands like it was trash, but not before telling her if she didn’t take it herself, they’d have thrown it away. If she left Saoirse’s body here, who was to say they wouldn’t do something similar? Throw Saoirse away like garbage. Treat her like she was little more than dead weight, like she didn’t even matter. She had been a living, breathing Pokemon!

No way was she going to let the PMC do that. Not to her precious friend!

Pursing her lips, Julia yanked the cap off the pen and signed the form. She knew her parents would take good care of Saoirse’s remains, whatever they’d decide to do with her. “Do you want me to call someone and let them know?” Nurse Joy asked. Julia wrote down her parents’ phone number on another line on the form. She also told Julia to put down her home address so she can know where to send the remains. Julia wasted no time doing so. “Alright, that’s all I needed. We’ll make sure she’s taken care of, and I’ll let your parents know what happened.”

With that, Nurse Joy turned around and left, leaving the kids and their Pokemon to grieve. Caiseal did suggest they return to their rooms, so they all migrated into the girls’ assigned room. Perrine’s sobbing had quieted down somewhat, but she was still wiping tears from her red face. Caiseal could only grunt and kick the side of the bed in his frustration.

“I can’t believe this!!” Caiseal bellowed, his shoe vibrating from the force of the kick. “This is bullcrap!! How did we even miss this?!”

“Cash, quiet down,” Perrine gently advised. “You heard what Nurse Joy said. Saoirse never displayed any symptoms. Plus, Pokemon Centers only check for this stuff if we specifically ask for it. It’s not like we have X-ray vision, so it isn’t like we could see into Saoirse’s body and see what was happening” She explained, her voice shaky but composed.

Caiseal could only hold back a sob in response. “I know...but this is so unfair!”

Unfair was the understatement of the millennium. To Julia, especially. As she sat on the bed, taking everything in, playing everything in her head over and over again, a realization hit her like a Giga Impact attack. Could she have prevented this? If she had known about Saoirse’s defect earlier, she could have gotten her fixed, that way she wouldn’t have died. It would have cost a lot of money, sure, but Julia would have been willing to shill it all out if it’d save Saoirse. But now she was gone. Saoirse, her precious, gentle Snubbull, who loved wearing her little red dress and ribbons, who hated fighting and wanted nothing more than to spend her days peacefully with her friends, was gone. Dead. Never to exist again.

This wasn’t the kind of world Julia wanted to wake up to. A world without Saoirse. Her friend. Her companion. In a way, Saoirse was practically her child. One of her many children who she loved with all her heart. And now she was gone. Gone! Like Darkrai had just swooped in and decided Saoirse didn’t deserve to live anymore and bam, away she goes. Saoirse deserved to live even longer. Saoirse could have lived the rest of her life. She could have learned new moves, gotten the chance to wear new pretty dresses or ribbons, pretending to be a fashion model and posing for the rest of the gang like she always liked doing. She could have eaten more blueberry pancakes, or evolved, or made new friends, or traveled to other regions with Julia and everyone else. Julia would never be able to play with her again, or hug her or cuddle her or console her when she was sad or decorate her ears with ribbons or introduce her to more new friends. She was gone forever and never coming back. Julia clenched her fists and let the tears fall harder. This whole thing was stupid, meaningless, and horrible. This shouldn’t have happened. Saoirse didn’t deserve to die.

The worst part was, it might have been preventable.

Which could only mean...Saoirse’s death was all Julia’s fault.

And she didn’t do anything to prevent it!

She screamed. A hard blow struck Julia’s face. And another. And another. Then a flurry of them bombarded her stinging cheeks. Her hands grew minds of their own and attacked her, flailing up and down like fans. But she didn’t care. She wanted to hurt. She wanted it to hurt so, so, so bad. She needed to hurt. To feel the pain Saoirse must have endured in her terrible final moments. Perhaps as punishment for not having addressed this sooner.

“Julia!! What are you doing?!” Perrine’s hands grabbed Julia’s wrists, preventing further movement. “Don’t hit yourself!”

Julia tried to wriggle free, but Perrine had an iron grip and wouldn’t let go. Why was she trying to stop her? Unable to take it any longer, all of the pent-up sorrow, anger, denial, and grief left her in a flood of screams, tears, and attempts to break from Perrine’s arms. “IT’S MY FAULT SHE’S DEAD!!” Julia bellowed, finally prying her arms out. “If I had known about her heart defect sooner...I could have helped fix it and she’d still be here!! IT’S ALL MY FAAAAULT!!”

“Jule! Please! Don’t hurt yourself like this!” Caiseal exclaimed. “How could you have known about it beforehand? None of us knew about it. I don’t think even Saoirse knew either!” He reasoned, taking care to keep his distance and give her space. “You shouldn’t feel personally responsible for what happened. There’s nothing any of us could have done. Don’t punish yourself for this. I know Saoirse wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself on her behalf.”

She didn’t want to believe him. She refused to believe there wasn’t a way this could have been prevented. She didn’t want to be told it wasn’t her fault. She didn’t want to be told this was just a part of life that nobody had any control over. As far as Julia was concerned, this shouldn’t have happened. This whole thing should never have happened. But she knew she couldn’t contradict him. Knowing about her defect probably wouldn’t have changed anything. Even if they did know about it, would surgery even have saved her? Julia rode Twilight to the PMC, and Ponyta are known for their speed. She got there in seconds, and Saoirse still died. People and Pokemon died in surgeries nearly all the time, even if the odds for survival were high.

Like in the lobby, she fell to her knees. Great, shuddering sobs wracked her fragile frame, and she kept crying even as she gasped for breath. “Pika…” Hikaru nuzzled up against her arm to console her. It didn’t do much, but the mouse didn’t want to sit here and do nothing.

Caiseal and Perrine exchanged confused looks. They wanted to console her, or give her a hug, but did she even want to be touched like this? Or would she appreciate being left alone better? They didn’t want to exacerbate her grief or do something they shouldn’t. Perrine turned around to leave until she felt something pull on her sleeve. She turned around, finding Julia’s hand clinging to her shirt sleeve. Suffice to say, she was a mess. Her face was red and contorted, her green eyes were glassy and drowning in tears, and terrible sobs escaped her. But both Perrine and Caiseal could see plain as day that she needed comfort.

She needed them. She wanted them here.

Without another word, they kneeled down to her level and wrapped their arms around her in a comforting embrace. Julia buried herself into their shoulders and let it all out, bawling and letting out all of her lingering grief. Tokiko and Hikaru joined in on the group hug not long after. The kids knew just saying pretty words or hugging her wasn’t going to bring Saoirse back. Nothing would. Knowing how she died wasn’t going to change things. But they shared their grief and cried together. Julia didn’t want to stop crying.

“I’m so sorry, Saoirse…” Julia whimpered, her throat dry and cracked. “I couldn’t help you...I’m sorry…!” She clutched the fabric of her friends’ shirts like they were her lifeline. “I hate this! I should have done something about this!! I would have!!”

“We know. We know,” Perrine crooned, her own tears blurring her vision.

“She lived a good life,” Caiseal told her reassuringly. “I know it’s not much to take comfort in, but Saoirse loved you very much. You have her a great life. For all we know, she might have died sooner if she had been in the wild. I’m not sure. She was happy and well loved.”

Julia buried her face deeper in their shoulders. He was right. Saoirse did have a happy life, and Julia made sure the life she had was the happiest she could ever have. It wasn’t a long life, but it was a good one. She hoped Saoirse’s spirit was happy in heaven. She hoped whatever place Saoirse’s soul went to would be a great place. But more than that, she was happy Perrine and Caiseal were letting her grieve openly like this. They didn’t scold her for crying out loud or telling her to shut up and get over it. Most people she met would chastise her for openly crying over a dead Pokemon, even if it wasn’t hers, telling her she was childish and needed to suck it up and quit being a brat. It was just a Pokemon, they said. Being completely dismissive about it like the dead or anything they provided didn’t even matter. But they did to Julia. She thanked Arceus above for giving her Perrine, Caiseal, and all of her other Pokemon. They never stomped all over her feelings and treated them like they didn’t matter.

The kids cried in that room for a long time. Finally, their sobs quieted down. Julia’s face was still red and puffy, but now she was calm. She slowly pulled herself away from Caiseal and Perrine, cradling Hikaru and Tokiko in her arms, holding them close. So close, she didn’t want to let them go.

“Thanks guys. For being here for me,” Julia whimpered. Her throat was dry, so her voice came out as little more than a Politoed’s croak. “Sorry for all of this.”

Perrine tilted her head. “You shouldn’t apologize for feeling sad and grieving. That’s normal. You just lost one of your best friends. Of course you’re gonna be upset,” Perrine told her, frowning. No, upset wasn’t a good enough word for it. Julia was far more than upset. But she couldn’t think of a stronger word to describe just how deep Julia’s grief for her fallen friend was.

“Ehehe,” Julia choked out a sad laugh. “You’d be surprised at how many people yelled at me when I wanted to cry or scream and grieve and for not keeping it all in,” She used one of her hands to wipe the sticky tear tracks off her cheeks. “This one time, when I was ten, one of Dad’s Pokemon died. It was an Octillery he had since he started out as a trainer. I played with him a lot, and I loved him so much. But he was really old, and I lost it when he died. I cried for the whole week, and stupid Amara got mad at me. She was all like, ‘Will you shut up and get over it already?! You’re so stupid for crying over a dumb Pokemon! This is why you don’t have any friends! Why can’t you be normal for once, you moron?!’ I’m not even kidding. Plus, Chanel had been dead for a while and Amara was still grieving over her, so I hated that apparently I’m not allowed to cry when someone died but she seems to think she’s the only one who can.”

Both Hikaru and Tokiko couldn’t prevent their jaws from dropping. Amara actually said that? To her own sister? Then again, knowing Amara, she would do something like that based on all they had seen.

“Wow. That was insensitive of her,” Perrine agreed, then smiled soon after. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that with us, Jule. If you want to talk or vent or let all your emotions out or cry or hop around the room, it’s totally fine with us.”

For the first time since that awful moment, Julia smiled. Her heart swelled with joy. She had longed for someone to not judge her for feeling what she felt and not hiding it because it wasn’t appropriate. She held Hikaru and Tokiko even closer.

“Pika!” “Chokki!” Both Pokemon nuzzled their heads against her chin.

“Thanks, you guys. You have no idea how much this means to me,” There was a brief silence until Julia broke it again. “Can we leave tomorrow? I don’t think I want to stay in Blackthorn City anymore.”

Caiseal shrugged. “We might as well.”

“You sure you’re gonna be okay?” Perrine asked, concerned. “If you still need to grieve, it’s okay. You don’t have to push yourself so hard, especially if you’re not ready.”

Julia shook her head. “It’s fine. I don’t want to stay here any longer. The sooner we get out of here, the better.”

Perrine and Caiseal exchanged looks before nodding. “Alright. We understand,” Caiseal said. “If you need anything at all, we’re here for you every step of the way.”

After that, Julia wanted some time alone, so Perrine and Caiseal let her and the Pokemon be, deciding to go grab some dinner by themselves. They did promise to get something for her in case she was hungry, but at this point, Julia had no appetite. She did appreciate their generosity, though. While they were gone, Julia did some more crying, letting everything out, burying her face in Twilight’s fur and holding onto the Pokemon she still had. By nightfall, she was dead asleep, with her remaining Pokemon all by her side. Hikaru’s ear twitched as she heard her distraught trainer mumbling in her sleep.

“Goodbye, Saoirse...I’ll miss you."

 

[Juliko]

Chapter 55: Julia Gets Bugged

That awful moment replayed in Julia’s mind all throughout her sleep. Saoirse convulsing in her arms, shaking like an earthquake had gone off. Saoirse’s eyes rolling into the back of her head, pure white and lifeless. The stream of vomit staining her shirt. It’s pungent aroma burning her nostrils. The despondent look on Nurse Joy’s face when she delivered the awful news. The knowledge that she would never be able to hold her or be with her ever again. Julia’s eyes flew open, and she felt tears streaming down the side of her face. Her room was still dark, but a line of light streaked across one of the walls from the slight opening in the thick curtains. Julia checked the clock on the wall. It was 9:32 AM. She had slept in that late? She always prided herself on waking up early. Perhaps all the activity from yesterday took more out of her than she thought.

Julia glanced over at the other bed. Perrine was gone. Blossom and Tokiko slept next to her, sharing a pillow. Hikaru was still on the foot of the bed, curled into a ball, clinging to her tail like it was a blanket. Julia squinted, reminding herself it was time to get up. She couldn’t let her grief stop her from living her life, she told herself. She rummaged through her backpack and pulled out a clean shirt and pants. But she did wind up pulling out another article of clothing without meaning to. She put her shirt to the side, and when she saw the crimson fabric, her heart stopped.

It was Saoirse’s dress.

The same one she bought for Saoirse way back in Olivine City. Only now she would never be able to wear it. Julia remembered seeing Saoirse looking so beautiful and radiant in this dress, her own heart leaping with joy when the bulldog Pokemon wore it. The smile she would give always made Julia’s heart fill with sunshine. Seeing her friend happy made her happy, and Saoirse was always happiest when she was in this dress. She loved it with everything she had, always wearing it whenever she felt like it. Her grief was still fresh, but seeing this made her flinch, like someone stabbed her heart with a spear. Saoirse was dead, and this was all that was left of her.

A sob escaped her lips. She didn’t mean to cry, as she didn’t want to wake her Pokemon, but she couldn’t hold it back. She thought she had cried out all of her grief last night. It seems she still had some left. She held the red dress to her chest and let the tears fall, mourning her loss once again. She had seen Pokemon die before, just not before her very eyes. Many of her mother’s old Pokemon, or some she rescued from bad situations, had died some way or another, so she did have some experience with Pokemon dying to some degree. But Saoirse was one of her own Pokemon. One of her precious friends she had caught all by herself. Practically her child. How does one survive losing one of their very own Pokemon? She did have an answer, but it did nothing to alleviate the lingering pain in her heart.

As far as she was concerned, Saoirse didn’t deserve to leave this world. How could she have missed the fact that she had a heart defect? Would she have been able to prevent it? A piece of her mind reminded her that there was no point in lamenting what had already happened. There was only so much one could do to help. Was Saoirse happy knowing Julia put in all the effort she could to save her?

She hoped she was.

“Bella?” A small voice reached her ears. She looked down, seeing her Bellossom looking up at her with a concerned look on her little green face. The flower Pokemon extended her green hand out, giving Julia a comforting pat on her arm. Her trainer could still see lingering tear tracks on her cheeks, thanks in part to the lone ray of sunlight filtering through the crack in the curtains. Without a word, Julia pulled Blossom close, clinging to her, along with Saoirse’s dress. Blossom closed her eyes and buried her face in Julia’s chest, savoring her warm embrace.

“Thanks, Blossom. Sorry I’m such a mess,” Julia whimpered. “I still can’t...believe it really happened. Just yesterday she was fine, and you were all playing together.”

“Bella…!”

Julia’s hand stroke Blossom’s back in a slow, comforting rhythm. “I know, girl. I know. She’s gone,” She whispered. The two stayed there for a few minutes, sharing each other’s grief. Then she remembered. She needed to call home and let them know what happened in case they didn’t get Nurse Joy’s message. She released Blossom and set her down. “Alright. I’m gonna go into the lobby and call Mom or Dad. Do you want to come?”

Blossom nodded. “Bella!”

She put Hikaru and Tokiko in their PokeBalls, only leaving Blossom out for the time being. She got dressed and made her way to the lobby. It was relatively empty, save for a select few people and Pokemon, and it wasn’t loud. Julia definitely appreciated the quiet. She found a video phone and dialed her house number. The screen flickered to life, at first only showing static until it morphed into an image of her mother.

“Hi, Julia,” Her mother’s voice was low and sympathetic. “It’s so good to see you this morning.”

Julia could only nod in agreement. She hadn’t wanted to talk to her via video phone since she first caught Geraldine. But her heart soared when she saw her mother and her kind face. Not long after, Kassia frowned. “I heard about what happened. I’m so sorry about Saoirse. You must have been so crushed.”

“Understatement of the millennium,” Julia answered back. Crushed didn’t even begin to describe just how huge her grief was. But she did appreciate her mother’s attempts at comforting her nonetheless.

“I wish I could be there with you right now,” Kassia told her. “It really breaks my heart to see you like this. I know you’ve been crying. Your eyes are all red.”

Julia could only manage a sad chuckle. “Am I that obvious?” She asked, shrugging.

“I’m your mother. I’ve raised you and Amara long enough to know when my daughters are sad.”

“True.”

A brief silence fell between them until Kassia broke it. “So how are you holding up?”

The girl wiped some lingering tears away with her arm. “I don’t know. I feel so horrible about the whole thing. I feel like if I had learned about Saoirse’s heart defect sooner, I could have gotten her surgery or something, and maybe she’d still be alive. I feel like I’m the reason she’s dead and I hate that I couldn’t do anything to save her,” Her voice grew unsteady with each word she spoke, and despite her best efforts, the tears came right back. “She was just fine yesterday morning, and all of a sudden she gets sick and she’s just...gone. Just like that.”

Kassia stayed silent throughout Julia’s explanation. After a bit, she spoke again. “I know how important she was to you,” She began, her voice calm and collected. “And I know how hard you tried to help her. After what Nurse Joy told me last night, I know you’re not responsible for what happened to Saoirse. You’d be surprised at how common that kind of birth defect is among Snubbull. Most of the cases are treatable, but as you’ve seen, some don’t always survive, even with attempts at surgery. It sounds like Saoirse’s was just particularly unfortunate, since hers was in a place that the doctors couldn’t reach without potentially killing her in the process already. She probably would have died on the table regardless of whether you knew about it or not. Sometimes things happen for no good reason.”

So Saoirse’s defect was that problematic, huh? Julia sighed. As much as she hated to admit it, her mother did have a good point. She remembered Nurse Joy explaining how difficult the operation was because of where the hole in Saoirse’s heart was. But was it really just bad luck? A single, unfortunate event?

“I won’t lie, Julia. There are some things in life we just can’t prevent or learn about beforehand,” Kassia explained further. “I’ve been there myself. When I was younger, I had caught a Pupitar, and I loved him very much. I had him for about two years. Then one day he developed a rash on his hide, and he progressively got worse. I took him to the Pokemon Center, and he died before he was even on the table. Nobody was able to figure out what killed him, even to this day.”

A Pupitar? Julia looked up at the ceiling to ruminate. “Oh yeah!” She exclaimed. “I do remember you telling me that story once or twice!” When was the last time she heard it? A few years ago? She couldn’t remember exactly when, but she definitely remembered her mother mentioning she had caught a Pupitar once.

“I know this probably won’t be much consolation,” Kassia said. “But what’s important is that you gave her a good life and loved her very much. I think Saoirse was very happy being your friend. She always loved playing with the Pokemon here at home, and she was very sweet with me and Truman. Don’t worry, Julia. We’ll take care of her remains when they get here.”

It was just like what Caiseal said last night. Julia did love Saoirse and give her a good life. She was happy. Julia flashed a sad smile at the thought. There was that, at least.

“I’ve been thinking, though...instead of burying her in our backyard, would it be alright with you if we cremated her?” Kassia asked.

Cremated? That wasn’t a word Julia had heard before. She raised an eyebrow. “What’s cremated mean?”

“It’s a process where dead bodies are burned down to ash, and ashes are placed in an urn that you can put in your house,” Kassia explained matter-of-factly. “I know a great crematory in Cherrygrove City that’ll take good care of Saoirse’s remains. I’ve used them before, and trust me, they’re wonderful. She’ll be in good hands, I promise. I’ll even ask if they have an urn shaped like a Snubbull.”

An urn shaped like a Snubbull. Julia did like the idea. Plus, if Saoirse wasn’t buried, they didn’t have to worry about leaving her grave behind, should they decide to move someplace else. Already, she was starting to feel just a little bit better.

“You can do that. Cremate her, I mean,” Julia said.

Kassia nodded affirmatively. “It hurts me to see you so sad. I wish I could give you a hug right now.”

“It’s okay,” Julia said. “Caiseal, Perrine, and my Pokemon have all been here for me, so their support has really helped a lot. Besides, they won eight badges, and since the way to the Pokemon League involves coming back to New Bark Town, I’ll probably see you and everyone else soon.”

It was Kassia’s turn to smile now. “I’m glad. I’ll be looking forward to it,” She replied wistfully. “I know it’s hard, but remember the good times you had with her. She’ll always be a part of you, and if you need anything at all or just want to talk, I’m here for you.”

“Thanks,” Julia mused, shrugging again.

“But there’s something else I want to mention as well,” Kassia said, her expression turning a little stern this time. “It’s better to allow yourself to grieve than to keep your emotions inside, but there is a right and wrong way to channel it. If someone wants to give you their support and comfort you, accept it, because people like that are pretty rare in this day and age, so I wouldn’t recommend rejecting them. Or if you do want to be alone, it’s better to tell them politely, ‘May I have some alone time for myself? I’d really appreciate it. I’ll come to you when I feel I’m ready. I just need some space for right now.’ Turning your grief into anger and lashing out at others only causes more pain than necessary. You can’t let your grief define your entire life.”

It took seconds for Julia to figure out what her mother was implying...or who she was referring to. Julia steeled herself. No way was she going to spend her days being angry at everyone over something that was out of everyone’s control. She refused to stoop to Amara’s level in that regard. Considering that Amara was constantly hostile towards everyone who even breathed the same air as her, even when it was unnecessary, and constantly complained about everything, Julia definitely didn’t need to be told that twice.

“You’re very lucky to have such great friends,” Kassia reminded her. “It’s clear they’ve been a great influence on you, and their support can do wonders for you if you’re willing to let them into your heart.”

“Yeah.”

“Bella!” Blossom chirruped, throwing one of her hands in the air. Both mother and daughter smiled sweetly at the gesture.

“Oh! That reminds me!” Julia exclaimed, remembering something she had wanted to ask her mother. “Do you mind if you send two of my Pokemon to me? Since Saoirse’s not here anymore, I only have five Pokemon with me, and I’m thinking about sending Tokiko to you for a while.”

“I don’t see why not. Who do you have in mind?” Kassia asked.

One answer had been itching at her brain for a while. Now she had the chance. “That Smoochum I caught a while ago. I never got to really interact with her just yet.”

Kassia’s smile returned. “Smoochum sure is cute. She gets along very well with your other Pokemon,” She told her. “Who else did you want?”

Her other Pokemon flashed through her mind. Rino and Rina were probably enjoying having some alone time together, so she left them out for the time being. She remembered she hadn’t gotten the chance to be with Papillon, Neji, or even Ladybug for quite a while. She hoped they weren’t angry at her for not spending time with them. Maybe one of them would work. But as she thought more about it, one Pokemon appeared in her mind that she had never spent time with even once. Not since she caught her way back in the National Park.

Julia held Blossom tight against her chest. She made her choice.

“Can you send my Scyther over?” Julia asked. “I never got to spend time with her, and I think it’s time I rectified that.”

Kassia nodded. “Alright. I’ll send Smoochum and Scyther over right away. But there is something you should know,” Kassia said, pursing her lips together in a thin line. “We haven’t had any problems with your Scyther, but it’s very aloof and doesn’t like to spend time with anyone. When Truman and I would give it food, Scyther would always point its sickle at us, like it felt threatened or didn’t want us anywhere near it. It’d always glare at us, too. I have a feeling Scyther doesn’t like humans very much.”

Doesn’t like humans? Julia put a hand to her forehead. Just like Twilight. Not only that, Julia hadn’t interacted with her once since she first caught her. Was that the reason? Or did her Scyther just not like humans in general? There was only one way to find out. After all, Twilight came around, even if she was still standoffish and stubborn.

“Just be careful around your Scyther. Alright?” Kassia suggested. “Don’t hesitate to let me know if anything’s happened, or ask your friends for help.”

“I understand, Mom. Thanks,” Julia replied.

Before sending Tokiko to her house, she released her from her PokeBall to ask her if she wanted to go there or not. Tokiko said yes, even offering to tell the other Pokemon about what happened. Julia looked down. No Pokemon should have to tell their friends that another friend died. How would they react? She was sure they’d be really upset. Aqua was definitely going to take it really hard, since she and Saoirse often got along well. Julia didn’t dare try to imagine everyone’s reactions. Thinking about it made her eyes blurry. Regardless, Julia sent Tokiko to her house, and a few minutes later, two PokeBalls materialized from the transfer machine, one after the other. Julia took them and put them in her backpack, making a mental note to label them with stickers later on.

“I have to go now. I have to give everyone their breakfast,” Kassia said, her eyebrows furrowing sadly. Julia could tell she wished she could talk more.

“It’s okay, Mom. I’ll manage. I think,” Julia reassured, but her voice turned unsteady for just a bit.

All of a sudden, several Pokemon appeared on the screen. Neji poked his head out from the bottom of the screen. “Furret!” He chirruped. Then came Aqua and Ladybug, who squeezed into the frame and waved their hands at Julia, sporting big smiles on their faces. “Ledii!” “Azu!” Even Papillon poked out from behind Kassia and waved hello. “Freeee!”

Julia smiled. She hadn’t seen them in so long, and her heart swelled with joy seeing how happy they were to see her, even after so many months apart. “Hey, guys! It’s nice to see you all, too!” Julia waved right back at them. “Sorry I haven’t been able to play with you all lately. I really miss you guys a lot. But guess what? I’m on my way back to New Bark Town, so I’ll be able to come and visit you guys!” Julia announced. To nobody’s surprise, the Pokemon cheered with delight. “It’ll be a while before I get there, but look forward to it!”

“Oh, I know they will,” Kassia said. Neji, Ladybug, Aqua, and Papillon all nodded vigorously, proving Kassia’s point.

“You guys take care, okay?”

“You do the same. I love you.”

“Love you, too, Mom.”

With that, Julia signed off. She looked down at the two PokeBalls in her hands. Even though Saoirse was gone, she still had her other friends, and she was sure Saoirse wouldn’t want her trainer to spend the rest of her life being sad. Julia steeled herself, resolving to remember the good times she had with Saoirse. She herself still had a life to live, and time wasn’t going to stop just because one of her Pokemon was gone.

“Jule! There you are!” Perrine’s voice pulled Julia out from her reverie. Her two friends, wide awake and sporting concerned looks on their faces, approached her. “We’ve been looking all over for you.”

“Were you? Sorry!” Julia scratched the back of her head. “I was on the phone with my mom.”

There was a brief, awkward silence until Caiseal broke it. “So...how are you holding up?” He asked sheepishly, like he didn’t know how to address the subject. “Y’know, with the whole...Saoirse dying thing.”

“I talked to my mom for a long time about it, and it’s helped. Somewhat,” Julia answered matter-of-factly, hoping her voice was steady this time. “She’s gonna help take care of Saoirse’s remains, and I trust her, so...yeah.”

“Hey. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to tell us about it,” Perrine said. “You don’t have to force yourself to do anything or keep it all inside.”

“I know, and I appreciate your concern. You guys have been a big help through all this,” Julia took a minute to put Blossom back in her PokeBall. “But I don’t want to sit around and be sad all the time. Besides, we’re on our way to New Bark Town, so maybe stopping by my house will help. I’d love to show you our ranch and all the Pokemon my parents have taken care of.”

Perrine and Caiseal exchanged looks. Julia’s eyes were still red and puffy, so they could tell she still did some crying. Her smile seemed forced, and her voice was still trembling a bit, but she was a lot calmer than before. They were worried that she was putting on a front for their sake. But she did let everything out last night. Maybe she was trying to move past this in her own way? They weren’t sure. They didn’t want to push her to open up if she still wasn’t ready, but they didn’t want her to suppress her grief for anyone else’s sake. Who knows? Maybe a trip to New Bark Town would help. It was her hometown, and they did want to see her house and her Pokemon.

“That sounds like a great idea,” Caiseal said. “We need to get through there if we’re going to the Johto League anyway.”

“Yeah. I’m about ready to leave, so the sooner we leave, the better,” Julia said, showing her friends the unlabeled PokeBalls in her hands. “Plus, Mom sent me two of my Pokemon, my Smoochum and my Scyther. I haven’t given Smoochum her name yet.”

Her friends nodded in agreement.

***

Route 45 was a long stretch of mountainous road that went on for miles, cutting through two different cities. The kids decided to take the bus to get through most of it, and since they weren’t stopping at Caiseal’s neighborhood this time, they stayed on the bus for a longer period of time. When they got to the end of the line, they hopped right off, finding themselves surrounded by tall cliffs and grassy plains. Julia definitely appreciated the greenery, as most of Blackthorn City had no grass at all. As they started walking, Julia found a question popping into her head.

“Hey, Caiseal? How come your neighborhood doesn’t have a whole lot of grass?” Julia asked. “Compared to where I live, your hometown doesn’t have any grass at all.”

Caiseal kicked a lone pebble to the side of the road as he pondered. “I studied that in school once. Apparently it’s illegal to grow grass in certain parts of Blackthorn City, because our government wants to save on water,” He answered. “It gets really hot around here sometimes, to the point where some years ago, we had some really bad droughts that sucked up all the water.”

“Oh jeez,” Julia mused. Droughts were definitely bad news. Months, even years, of non-stop heat and sunlight, with no rain to provide relief. Memories of history books in school detailing some bad years where people died from not being able to grow food due to non-stop droughts. People not being able to drink water, dying from dehydration. Grass did take up a lot of water, so she could see why Blackthorn City would want to save their water supply.

The kids walked for quite a while, taking care not to be in too big a rush. After about two hours of non-stop walking, they decided to sit down on some flat rocks and eat lunch. But instead of eating right away, Julia let all of her Pokemon out save for two, one of which she released a little shortly after.

“Smoochum! Come on out!” Julia cried as she released her most recent catch from the ball. Smoochum gave a happy chirrup, raising her arms into the air and letting her blonde locks take in the afternoon sunlight.

Julia kneeled down to her level, smiling. “Hi, Smoochum! Sorry you had to wait so long to be with me,” She told her. “But I’m so glad we can be friends from now on!”

“Smoochum!” Smoochum nodded in agreement.

There was one matter Julia wanted to address. “Hey. Now that we’re friends, would you like it if I gave you a name?” She asked.

Smoochum put a stubby hand to her mouth and looked up, lost in thought. Then she smiled, found a stick on the ground, and began drawing into the ground. Curious to see what was going on, Caiseal and Perrine walked over to them, leaning closer to get a better look. Smoochum finished drawing what looked like a big letter K. “Smoochum!” She pointed to it empathetically.

“She says she wants her name to start with a K,” Julia said. “And it has to be cute,” She clasped her hands together. “Okay! Let’s get to brainstorming! How about…Katherine?”

Smoochum shook her head. “Too grown-up.”

Perrine went next. “Maybe something like…Katrina?”

Smoochum crossed her arms and looked away before musing, “Too plain.”

Caiseal managed to come up with one. “Would Kim work?”

Smoochum puffed her cheeks out angrily. “Too short!”

Caiseal held his hands up in alarm. “Sorry! I’m not good at this stuff!” He protested.

“Karen? Kennedy? Kelly?” Julia threw some more names out. Smoochum shook her head at all three of them. They weren’t cute enough, Smoochum told them. All three kids groaned.

“Jeez. Smoochum sure has high standards, doesn’t she?” Caiseal said. Hearing this, Smoochum crossed her arms and nodded in agreement.

Then a light bulb went off in Julia’s head. “Oh!” She exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with inspiration. “I know the perfect name!” She gently took the stick from Smoochum’s hand and wrote more letters after the K. She spelled out Karin. “How about Karin?” Julia asked.

“Isn’t that the same as Karen?” Perrine asked.

“Nope!” Julia shook her head. “Karin comes from an old Sinnohan word, carino, which means cute and sweet. Karin is pronounced Kah-REEN, too, so it’s not the same as Karen,” She turned towards Smoochum. “Do you like it?”

The kiss Pokemon stopped to think. Karin…it had a nice ring to it, and the way Julia pronounced it did sound cute, just like she wanted. Her thick lips curled into a grin. It was perfect! Smoochum let out a coo, giving her approval.

Julia smiled and stuck her finger out. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Karin! Welcome to the team!” Smoochum—now Karin—tapped Julia’s finger with her hand, giving her a little handshake. It wasn’t much, but Julia didn’t mind. Karin’s hand was small, and she figured using her whole hand would be a bit much. Now her new friend had a name, so she was now officially part of their little ragtag group.

Of course, that left the other Donphan in the room.

Hikaru and Blossom invited Karin to play with them, and she joined them without any hesitation. As the three of them went on their merry way, Julia pulled out another PokeBall. Her Scyther. It had been months since she caught this Pokemon. She had never been able to use her earlier because she wanted to make sure her teams would be able to handle the gyms, and Scyther had a disadvantage against all of them. But now she didn’t have to worry about that. Still, she regretted not having her around sooner, if only just to have her for company. She wondered if Scyther was angry at her for not having used her right after catching her. Julia clutched the PokeBall in her hand. Well, now was the time to make up for lost time.

“Scyther! Come on out!” Julia wasted no time letting Scyther out of her PokeBall. She already had a name picked out for her, but since she heard her mother mention her behavior, she decided to refrain from using it. Why give a name to a Pokemon that didn’t trust her yet? She waited on giving Twilight her name, so she figured she could do the same with Scyther.

Out from the PokeBall came a large, light green mantis Pokemon, just as tall as she, with long, sharp sickles for arms and translucent wings. She looked just as regal and stately as she did when she first caught her in the National Park. Steeling herself, Julia approached the mantis.

“Hi, Scyther!” Julia greeted the bug Pokemon warmly. “I’m Julia, your trainer! I’m sorry I never got to hang out with you for so long. I don’t blame you if you’re mad about it. It has been months since I caught you, after all,” She held her hand out. “But I really do like you, and I hope we can be friends!” She put on a happy front, but inside, her stomach was doing backflips. She prayed to Arceus that this would go well.

Unfortunately, Scyther let out a shrill noise, raising one of her sickles and charging right at Julia. “Wahh!” The girl was quick to leap out of the way, her heart close to beating right out of her chest. Scyther actually tried to attack her! Granted, this wasn’t the first time a Pokemon she caught had attacked her after she caught it, but it didn’t mean she was used to it.

“Jule!” Caiseal was quick to run to her side, as did Hikaru. Caiseal threw an intense glare at Scyther, who had adopted a battle stance. “Hey! What’d you do that for?! She’s your trainer!” He yelled.

“Scyyyyyy!” Scyther still aimed her sickle at the kids, ready to cut them to ribbons.

Julia’s whole body trembled with fear, but she managed to translate what Scyther was saying. “She says, ‘I refuse to be made your slave, human scum! You don’t own me!’” Any hopes she had of befriending Scyther were immediately dashed. So she was like Twilight. Scyther doesn’t like humans. Julia mentally chastised herself for thinking this would be easy.

“It’s okay, Scyther! We’re not here to hurt you!” Julia reasoned. “We want to be friends with you! You don’t have to be afraid of us!”

Scyther’s battle stance didn’t change. She kept her sickle pointed right at them, daring them to make even the slightest move. Julia could tell this Scyther was definitely set in her ways. Maybe she was angrier about being stuck at the ranch than she thought? Or did she just not like humans in general? Julia found herself lucky that she refrained on giving Scyther the name she picked out. She definitely wouldn’t have appreciated that.

“Something tells me she’s not here to make friends,” Perrine said, having put a hand on Kitsune’s PokeBall in case things got ugly.

Thankfully, Scyther didn’t take things that far. She didn’t get the chance to. Having heard the commotion, Twilight and Tsubasa approached the mantis Pokemon, chirping and neighing at her as though they wanted to start a conversation. Slowly, Scyther lowered her sickles and found herself growling back at them, but not in a threatening manner. The trio of Pokemon exchanged noises back and forth, and the kids found themselves exchanging confused looks.

“So…what are they saying?” Perrine asked, both happy that things didn’t get worse, but confused as to what was happening.

“Oh. Twilight and Tsubasa are asking Scyther if she wants to spar with them,” Julia replied.

Caiseal’s jaw dropped. “Seriously? That’s it?! She doesn’t even like humans!” He yelped. “Why would she want to spar with them? Chances are she probably hates Pokemon who were caught by humans!”

Oddly enough, Scyther’s stance softened, and Tsubasa pointed her wing towards a nearby clearing. Tsubasa flew over to it, with Twilight and Scyther following from behind. Now everyone’s jaws dropped, even Hikaru’s. That turned out better than they had expected. Soon enough, Tsubasa was flying around Scyther, with the latter trying to hack at her with her sickles, but not in a way that meant she wanted to actually kill her. Twilight fired some light Ember attacks at them, though took care not to make them too hot or dangerous.

“Oooookay then…” Perrine finally broke the awkward silence. “Not sure how that managed to work so well, but I’m not complaining.”

Julia was about to say something in agreement but refrained. Just because Tsubasa and Twilight managed to resolve the situation didn’t mean Scyther was going to magically become friends with everyone. But it did give her some hope. Maybe there was a chance that they could bond. She managed to befriend Tsubasa and Twilight after some trial and error, so Scyther should be no different. If Scyther truly hated humans and didn’t want to be with her no matter what, why force her to stay? But she pushed that out of her mind for now. At this point, she figured she could try to get to know her better. She did make a mental note to ask Tsubasa and Twilight about how they managed to calm her down later on.

“Let’s leave them be for now,” Julia suggested. “Maybe she just needs to let off steam.”

“Yeah,” Caiseal sat back down, pulling a granola bar from his backpack. “Let’s just see how things turn out.”

The Pokemon played together while the kids ate their lunch. In the meantime, Twilight, Tsubasa, and Scyther spent a lot of time sparring with each other. At one point, Scyther nearly sliced Tsubasa to ribbons, but the bird Pokemon used her talons to hold them off. Twilight took the time to ram her head into her, pushing her off of Tsubasa.

“Scyyyy!” Scyther hissed. “Not gonna lie, you two sure are tough.”

Tsubasa puffed out her chest. “See? Told ya we could take you on!”

All Twilight did was roll her eyes. “Cocky brat,” She whinnied.

Scyther flew down to the ground and lowered her sickles, stopping to catch her breath. A lot of the pent up energy she had was gone now, and she found herself calmer than earlier. Still, she really didn’t like the idea of being stuck with a human. Sure, this Pidgeotto and Ponyta were cool, as she liked tough Pokemon, but they were under a human’s ownership. Why bother getting involved when she knew being stuck with a human could only spell doom?

“Look, you guys are cool and all, but I don’t wanna be stuck with some human,” Scyther told them without mincing words. “I’ve heard the stories. Humans starting fires in forests, killing Pokemon with no remorse, stealing our land, taking us from our homes, ordering us around like slaves. I’m not down with that. No way.”

Twilight was the first to approach. “I get how you feel. I was like that, too. In some ways, I still don’t fully trust people. Trust me, I’ve been stuck with some pretty bad people in my life,” The fire horse didn’t dare let images of her past plague her mind. That was behind her now. She no longer lived that mind of life, so what was the point of remembering it? But she could tell Scyther had concerns. Valid ones, at that. “But we can assure you, Julia’s not like other people. There are just as many good humans as there are bad ones. You can’t always believe everything you hear. Plus, trying to attack her like that is not cool,” Twilight shook her head to empathize her point.

“Did they mess up your leg?” Scyther asked, pointing to Twilight’s prosthesis.

“Oh. This?” She held it up to let Scyther get a better look. “Nah. I fought a Pokemon that turned out to be way too strong and it did a number on me,” She explained in a matter-of-fact way. “Yeah, humans can be jerks. But humans also saved me and gave me this new leg. Julia’s one of the first people that treated me with respect and didn’t expect me to be something I’m not.”

“Besides,” Tsubasa interjected. “One of our friends just died, and she’s been awful sad about it, so don’t you be givin’ her a hard time!”

Died? A friend? Scyther’s curiosity was piqued. “Who died?”

“A Snubbull. One of our friends,” Twilight answered. “She was real nice and sweet. But she got sick and died, and…” A brief silence fell between them. “It was devastating.”

Just like that, Scyther’s suspicions dimmed. So this Julia girl lost one of her friends. She did notice her eyes were red and puffy, but she was too angered with the idea of being caught by a human to pay much attention. She did sense that she was afflicted with sorrow. Was that what caused it? Scyther looked down at the grass.

“If you don’t want to hang with us or Julia, that’s fine. We won’t force you to stay if you don’t want to,” Tsubasa assured, flapping her wings up and down. “But we want you to know that Jule’s a good kid. She’s nice to us and she’s not cruel like other humans are. Plus, when she first caught you, some kid tried to steal you from her. She protected you, and I helped her with that, which was how I evolved!”

What? Scyther’s head flew up. Someone tried to steal her, and Julia protected her? One part of her mind told her that this might be a trick. For all she knew, the whole story might have been a lie. But another part of it told her otherwise. Why would these Pokemon lie to her about their trainer? They had no reason to do so. Plus, if they were lying, she would have seen something that told her they were. They would have averted her eyes, started shaking or stuttering, or their voices would be unsteady. Neither of them displayed these signs.

“Did that…really happen?” Scyther asked.

“Yeah, did it?” Twilight echoed, looking just as confused. Tsubasa remembered that Twilight wasn’t there when the incident in the National Park went down, so of course she didn’t know about it.

“Sure did,” Tsubasa pounded her chest once with one wing. “So you don’t have to worry about her being cruel or mean, ‘cause she isn’t. I’ve seen it all with my own eyes.”

Scyther crossed her sickles and looked away. “I think I’ll take my time to judge for myself, thanks.”

Twilight huffed. “Suit yourself. I’m gonna go graze. The grass is supposed to be pretty good around here,” With that, she trotted off deeper into the clearing. Tsubasa flew up into a tree and perched on a tall branch.

With that, Scyther was alone, watching as Hikaru, Blossom, and Karin rolled around in the grass together, laughing and having a great time. Scyther had seen this kind of scene for months, stuck on that farm, and was sick of it. She didn’t want to spend her life babysitting a bunch of weaklings and be stuck with a human of all things. But from what she heard and saw, these Pokemon seemed to like their human trainers, and Julia—the girl in question—hadn’t done anything bad to them. However, she didn’t want to let her guard down just yet. She needed to be absolutely certain that this girl wasn’t like the humans she heard about. For all she knew, the whole thing might have been a façade. She couldn’t afford to fall for any tricks, lest she wanted to survive. That was how it was in the wild.

In the wild, she was free.

***

“Hi, Scyther!” A little later, Julia approached the mantis Pokemon, holding a bowl filled with Pokemon food. “I brought some food for you. Would you like some?”

Scyther leaned against a tree, observing everything around her. She glanced at the bowl, but quickly returned to staring into the distance. Julia could only frown. Her second attempt to befriend Scyther was dashed in just seconds. But she put the bowl down by her feet.

“Well, I’ll just leave it here in case you’re hungry. You can eat it on your own time,” Julia told her before returning to Caiseal and Perrine, downcast. “Well, that didn’t work.”

Perrine had just finished her sandwich, so she found it safe to talk. “Don’t give up just yet. Just give it some time. She’ll warm up to you eventually,” Perrine said reassuringly. “Besides, you managed to win over Tsubasa and Twilight.”

Good point. At the same time, Julia didn’t want to push it. She didn’t want to force Scyther to be her friend and risk getting her angry. Since they were still having lunch for now, she figured she could kill some time. She pulled a sketchbook and pencil from her backpack and started drawing. Perhaps now was a good time to focus on something else for a while. A little distraction would do her some good. Caiseal and Perrine walked a few feet away to have some time for themselves and to let Julia have some space.

Hikaru, Blossom, and Karin were still playing, but Scyther stayed where she was, leaning against the tree, watching everything from afar. But she did steal some glances in Julia’s direction here and there, expecting her to make some move. She didn’t. She just sat on that rock all by herself, leaning over some paper. What was she doing? Curiosity began to sprout in her heart like a plant growing out from the ground. Against her better judgment, she walked over to the girl. She leaned over, glancing at what appeared to be a picture of a Snubbull. What was this? She had never seen something like this before. It was a Snubbull, but it wasn’t a real one, and its feet were still missing.

Noticing the shadow across her paper, Julia looked up, face to face with Scyther. “Oh! When did you get here?”

“Scytha,” The mantis Pokemon mused. Then she slowly pointed her sickle at the paper. “Scythaaa?”

“You mean this?” Julia held the paper closer to Scyther. “I’m drawing a picture. Do you know what this Pokemon is?” Scyther nodded, but Julia answered her anyway. “It’s a Snubbull! It’s not finished yet, though.”

Scyther, despite herself, was fascinated. To think humans could recreate the likeness of a Pokemon using some stick tipped with lead and paper. She had seen Snubbull before, and the drawing looked exactly like the Snubbull she had seen in the wild.

“If you want, I can draw a picture of you,” Julia suggested. “I’ve never drawn a Scyther before, though. It might not come out right the first time.”

Scyther shook her head. She did remember Tsubasa and Twilight telling her about the Snubbull they knew who had died. Was this that same Snubbull? “Scytha scythaaa?”

Julia’s eyebrows furrowed, and she looked down at her drawing. “Yeah. This is a picture of my friend. Her name was Saoirse,” Julia began. “She was really sweet, and I loved her a lot, and she loved me. But yesterday she got really sick. I tried to help her and get her to the Pokemon Center as fast as I could. Twilight even helped. But…” A pause. She sniffed. “It was too late. She didn’t make it. The doctors couldn’t save her.”

The mantis Pokemon looked away, recoiling at the sight of the girl’s despondent expression. Even hearing her unsteady voice broke her heart, and she had resolved not to feel anything towards a human. But here she was, feeling pity for a human. Was she not like the humans she heard about after all? From what she had seen, she hadn’t done anything Scyther had expected her to, like yell at her, order her around, or try to hurt her. Maybe there was some truth to what Tsubasa and Twilight had been telling her. A stray tear rolled from Julia’s eye, but she was quick to wipe it away.

“Sorry. I can’t seem to think about her without crying now, and I know Saoirse wouldn’t want me to be sad,” Julia whimpered, her shaky voice still unsteady.

So she was still grieving. Scyther mentally kicked herself for having tried to attack her before. This girl had been through a rough time already. She didn’t need some bug Pokemon trying to slice her to ribbons. A low rumble stirred in her thorax. Not wanting to get in her space, Scyther went back to her tree, sat down in front of the bowl, and began slowly eating one bite of food at a time. Julia looked back up, noticing Scyther wasn’t near her anymore. She turned to the side and saw Scyther eating from the bowl she put down. A smile returned to her face. This was the first step toward a potential friendship, and all she did was open up to her about Saoirse.

Of course Scyther wouldn’t replace Saoirse. Julia didn’t want to catch Pokemon solely to replace fallen friends. It wouldn’t be fair to them. She slowly put her drawing away, satisfied with how it came out for now. She decided to work on the feet later. It was time to eat.

After a while, the kids were back on the road, though Julia kept her Pokemon out so they could still run around if they wanted to, Scyther included. The mantis Pokemon still kept her distance, but the kids did notice a subtle change. Her posture was more relaxed, and the gleam in her eyes wasn’t as intense or predatory as it had been before. Still, trepidation seeped into Julia’s being as they traveled down the dirt road. This didn’t exactly mean Scyther was going to be buddy-buddy with her, she reminded herself. To take her mind off her still lingering worrisome thoughts, she kept her eyes solely on the road before her. One foot in front of the other.

Scyther’s eyes roamed elsewhere. A cluster of trees slowly came into view, and the mantis Pokemon saw some blue dots speckled on the leaves. Upon closer inspection, these weren’t blue dots at all, but thick, navy blue Bluk berries. Her eyes gleamed. Bluk berries! She hadn’t seen those in a while. In that moment, she found herself craving some. Her wings buzzed as she made her way towards the trees. The vibrations her wings produced made the kids stop in their tracks.

“What’s up, girl?” Julia asked.

Perrine pointed to the tree. “She’s probably interested in those Bluk berries,” She said. “I hear they’re supposed to be really good. They help make a Pokemon’s teeth shinier.”

“But they’re a pain to clean up, though,” Caiseal retorted, crossing his arms. “I had Bluk berry pie once, and the stain on my face was so thick, it took nearly a whole hour to get it off. Those things can be pretty messy.”

Paying no heed to Caiseal’s story, Scyther’s sickles glowed white as she sliced through the trees, cutting leaves to ribbons and sending Bluk berries falling to the ground in all directions. Thankfully, the Bluk berries didn’t break or splatter once they hit the grass. But there were still more, so Scyther cut and hacked at the tree, cutting the stems that bound the berries to the branches. Hikaru and Karin ran over to gather some Bluk berries, carrying them over to the kids. But one Bluk berry Scyther cut fell right behind a bush.

“Laaaar!” A shriek made everyone freeze.

“Whoa! What was that?” Caiseal yelped. The kids raced over to the bush and looked over to see where that cry had come from.

Behind the bush was a small Pokemon, about Hikaru and Karin’s size, with a thick, rock hard, olive green hide and a big horn protruding from its head. Said horn was stained with Bluk berry juice, thanks to the berry itself falling right on top of it. The juice trailed down the Pokemon’s face, avoiding its eyes but coming close to its mouth. The Pokemon had red eyes, black triangles right underneath them, a big red diamond on its stomach, and a cone-like tail surrounded by a ring of plate-like scales.

“Whoops,” Julia said. “Looks like that Bluk berry fell on that Larvitar’s horn.”

Scyther glared at the little Pokemon. Great, it had wasted a perfectly good Bluk berry.

Caiseal pulled out his PokeDex. “Larvitar, the rock skin Pokemon. Larvitar are born deep underground and have to eat soil around it in order to come up to the surface. It cannot completely emerge until it has eaten an entire mountain’s worth of soil. After it has done so, Larvitar fall asleep so they can grow. Larvitar are self-sufficient from the start, and most don’t meet their parents until they eat the soil around them to penetrate the surface.”

A Pokemon born in the ground, in total darkness, unable to meet its parents unless it eats all the soil around it. Julia found herself cringing at the PokeDex entry. That sounded like a pretty sad way to be born. Before she could think too hard about it, everyone’s ears were assailed by a loud, piercing cry. Their hands flew to their ears, but the protection did nothing to muffle the awful sound. Thankfully, it didn’t last very long, and the kids opened their eyes.

Only to find a whole army of Larvitar and several bigger Pokemon with hard, blue hides. Every single one of them glared at the kids with frightening ferocity.

“Oh no! An army of Larvitar and Pupitar!” Perrine cried. That Larvitar must have called for its family and friends with that screech just now.

“Lar!” Another Larvitar yelled, pointing straight at them.

The kids knew what they needed to do. “RUUUUN!!” Julia screamed.

Just like that, the kids and their Pokemon ran from the rock skin Pokemon army as fast as their already weary legs could carry them. Even Scyther joined them, as she knew there was no way she could fight them all on her own. One or two were one thing, but an army of them? That was a losing battle waiting to happen. But no matter how fast and far the kids ran, the Larvitar and Pupitar were still charging after them. At one point, the Pokemons’ eyes glowed white, and before long, large stones were being hurled at the kids from behind. They tried to avoid them, but the stones came at them within seconds of each other.

“I…can’t…run…any…more…!” Julia panted with every step, unable to form a sentence without gasping between each word. Her legs and lungs burned. She wanted to stop, but the army of Larvitar and Pupitar were right behind her.

Why not fight back.

“Ugh!” Julia stopped and pulled two PokeBalls out. “Blossom and Karin, use Petal Blizzard and Powder Snow!”

Blossom popped out first, sending a swift gale of flower petals in their direction. Some of them curled into balls to protect themselves from the attack. Others weren’t so lucky and the blizzard of flowers came at them so fast, they had no time to react. Karin followed up on Blossom’s assault by shooting a freezing breath of sparkling powder, further holding off the army. Many of the Larvitar and Pupitar conceded defeat and began running in the opposite direction. But that left three Pupitar and at least ten Larvitar. Once again, their eyes glowed white and rocks appeared out of thin air before being hurled at the kids.

“They’re using Rock Slide!” Caiseal yelped, pulling Perrine to the side to get her out of the crossfire.

“Scyther! Dodge them!” Julia cried out.

Scyther wasted no time flitting away from every rock that came her way. At times, she seemed to glow white when she flitted about. Julia pulled out her PokeDex and examined Scyther’s attacks. Since Larvitar and Pupitar were both rock and dark types…Julia gasped. She had an idea. But she was going to need Scyther’s help, and she was sure Scyther still didn’t acknowledge her as a trainer. Then again, these Larvitar and Pupitar weren’t going to go down without a fight.

“Scyther!” Julia exclaimed. “I know you don’t acknowledge me as your trainer, and that’s okay! But can you help us with this, please? We’d really appreciate your help, since you’re so strong!”

The barrage of rocks still came at them one by one. Scyther didn’t have to think twice. Her sickles glowed green as she sliced one rock into pieces with little effort. As much as she still didn’t like being with a human, she was definitely up for a good fight. Scyther nodded, joining Blossom and Karin.

“Alright, everyone! Let’s drive them away!” Julia cried out, though her voice was hoarse from so much running. At this point, she didn’t care. She couldn’t afford to run anyway. Now was the time to fight. “Karin! Use Powder Snow again!”

“Chuuuum!” Like before, Karin unleased a tiny gale of sparkling snow. The Larvitar and Pupitar attempted to run, but the frigid winter breeze cut through their rocky skin, sending them shivering to the ground from just one touch. It was working!

“Keep it up, Karin! You’re doing great!” Julia yelled. “Scyther, use Fury Cutter!”

Now this was more like it. Scyther let out a shrill cry as her sickles glowed green. She charged right at the army, her translucent wings fluttering fast, hacking and slashing at the rock skin army with all the power she could muster. She sent several Larvitar rolling across the ground. Even the three Pupitar couldn’t get away from her, since they were big, hard shells without feet, so any fleet movement was impossible on their part. But when Scyther approached one Larvitar, it had its mouth open. Before she could give it a good slash, Larvitar spit right in Scyther’s face. Something purple and boiling hot made contact with Scyther’s maw. She could still see, as she landed another Fury Cutter attack on that same Larvitar, but her mouth was boiling hot, and some of the strange substance was dripping onto her thorax.

“Good job, Scyther! Blossom, use Petal Blizzard again!”

“Bellaaaaaa!” Once again, Blossom unleashed a gust of wind speckled with flower petals with no mercy. Finally, seeing that they were outmatched, the Larvitar and Pupitar gave up and ran away.

Both Caiseal and Perrine came out from behind the rock they hid in. “Hey! That was great!” Perrine exclaimed. “You really handled yourself well out there!”

“You think so?” Julia asked, scratching her head.

But the kids couldn’t exactly rejoice in their victory. “Bella bell!” Blossom pointed towards the dirt road in alarm. The kids swiveled around to find Scyther on the ground, writhing in pain.

“Scyther!” Knowing something was wrong, Julia quickly ran over to the mantis Pokemon, cradling her upper body in her arms. She was hot to the touch, and Julia’s nose caught a pungent honey scent from Scyther’s mouth. She recognized it right away. “She’s poisoned!”

“Scyyyyy…” Scyther could only groan, her entire body burning from the inside out. But Julia knew exactly what she was saying.

“Scyther says a Larvitar spit some purple acid in her face,” Julia told her friends.

Caiseal figured it out right away. “It must have known Toxic. That’s the only explanation I can think of,” He said.

Toxic. An attack that doesn’t hurt a Pokemon outright, but it poisons them. Badly. If untreated, the poison saps a Pokemon’s energy and makes them violently ill. Julia’s hands started shaking. Saoirse flashed through her mind again. First Saoirse was sick, now Scyther. Was she going to lose another friend? So soon after losing Saoirse already? ‘Stop it!’ She told herself, shaking her head. Unlike with Saoirse, Julia knew what she was dealing with, and if she acted now, she could help Scyther get better. She even had the tools she needed to help Scyther with the poison. She couldn’t let her emotions get the better of her.

Now was the time to act.

Without a word, Julia gently laid Scyther down on the ground and rummaged through her backpack. She hoped she had some antidotes and Pecha berries inside. Her hand groped through her bag until she pulled out two pink, peach-shaped berries. “Yes!” She held one right up to Scyther’s mouth. “Here, eat this. It’ll help with the poison,” Julia told her in a low, soothing whisper.

Unlike before, Scyther didn’t hesitate. Every movement made her body burn like it was on fire, but she took the Pecha berry out of Julia’s hand and swallowed it whole. After that, Julia pulled out a yellow spray bottle with a gray tip. She checked the amount of liquid that was inside. It was completely full, so there was plenty to use. Julia gingerly held the spray up to Scyther’s mouth.

“This is an antidote,” Julia said. “I’m going to spray this in your mouth. It won’t taste good at all, but it’ll get rid of the poison.”

Scyther’s vision blurred, but she could see the concern on Julia’s face plain as day. Why was this human helping her? She could have easily just left Scyther there to die and go about her merry way. Scyther had been poisoned before, and often let it run its course naturally. She didn’t need medicine before. But her hands were soft and warm as they held her. So this was what the hands of a human felt like. Gradually, the burning sensation in her body dissipated, and her whole being relaxed. She closed her eyes, seeing only Julia’s face.

“So what do we do now?” Perrine asked.

“It’ll probably take a while before the poison goes away,” Caiseal replied. “Toxic is a pretty nasty move. I say we spend the night here and check on her every now and again to see how she is.”

Julia nodded in agreement. “I was just about to say the same thing,” She said before running a hand over Scyther’s head. “You’ll be better soon, girl. I’ll take good care of you.”

The kids decided to set up their tents and spend the night out in the wilderness. The sky was already turning orange by the time Julia gave Scyther the antidote, so they figured it’d be safer to camp out here for tonight. Caiseal got a fire started and they all ate their dinner, which mostly consisted of bread loaves and preserved vegetables they bought back in Blackthorn City. They kept Scyther out, since Julia wanted to look after her, and because she was too big to fit in a tent. Nobody said anything when Julia laid down right next to Scyther and fell right to sleep. After what happened with Saoirse, they didn’t think it’d be right to make her sleep in her tent. Blossom and Karin were already in there in case something were to happen.

Night finally fell, and the kids and their Pokemon were all asleep. Perrine and Caiseal in their tents, and Julia snuggled right next to Scyther, between her thorax and one of her sickles. Scyther woke up, her eyes gazing at a glimmering starscape that greeted her with unmatched beauty. But she felt something on her thorax. She looked down. It was Julia’s hand, right on her heart. That was when she noticed. Julia was sleeping right next to her,and a stray tear had trailed down to the side of her nose. Scyther then noticed something else. Her body didn’t burn anymore, and her vision was clear. The poison was cured.

Did she do this? Were Tsubasa and Twilight right about her after all? Scyther sighed. So this girl truly was a good, kind human. To think she had gone to all this effort just to make sure Scyther was healed. A warm sensation lingered in her heart. This human had no obligation to have anything to do with Scyther, but she took care of her and stayed with her. All out of the goodness of her heart.

Her lips moved, as if muttering in her dreams. But Scyther heard what she was saying. “Lavinia…don’t die…you’ll be…all better…”

Scyther didn’t move. She didn’t want to disturb her in her sleep. Maybe being with her wasn’t so bad after all. Maybe it’d be fun to be with a trainer. With that thought in mind, Scyther’s eyes closed once more.

***

“Mmmmnh!” As morning arrived, Julia sat up and stretched her arms out. But the bright blue sky and the blazing sun blinded her, and she rubbed her eyes to make them adjust to the light. Had she really slept outside the entire time? Outside the safety of her tent? Julia couldn’t believe she survived a whole night outside. She rarely, if ever, slept outside, always preferring to sleep in a tent, and for good reason. She looked to her left. Her tent was still there, as were Perrine’s and Caiseal’s. Then she remembered why she slept outside.

Scyther! Was she alright? She swiveled to her right. The ground next to her was completely empty. Scyther was gone! “Scyther?! Where are you?!” Panic began to set in. Saoirse’s death was beginning to happen all over again. She stood up and ran further down the road. Slicing noises made her stop in her tracks. Looking into the distance, there was Scyther, standing in a clearing, waving her sickles around, probably training. Just like that, the anxiety in her heart disappeared into thin air, and she smiled. Scyther was all better. The antidote and the Pecha berry worked their magic. Stray tears escaped her eyes, but she was quick to wipe them away. Scyther was alive, and that was all that mattered. At this point, Julia didn’t even mind if Scyther didn’t want to be with her anymore. She steeled herself and approached the mantis.

“Morning, Scyther!” Julia greeted her warmly. Scyther stopped slashing and turned towards her. “Looks like you’re all better! That’s so great!”

Scyther nodded in agreement.

Julia looked down, averting the mantis Pokemon’s gaze. “I’m glad. For a moment there, I was so afraid that I’d lose you, just like I lost Saoirse. I couldn’t save her no matter what, and I didn’t want to go through something that horrible ever again,” More tears trickled out, and she just as quickly wiped them away.

It was here that Scyther knew, for certain, that she meant every word she said. She wasn’t a bad human like she thought she was. Tsubasa and Twilight were right. She was a good person, not like the cruel humans she heard stories about.

“I’m so happy you’re okay,” Julia told her. “Listen, you don’t have to stay with me if you don’t want to. I know you’re not very fond of humans, so I won’t force you to come with me. I can release you back into the wild, and you can go back to your regular life. If that’s what you want, I’ll respect your decision.”

Scyther gave a low growl, but not a threatening one. “Tsubasa and Twilight said you saved me from a bad trainer once. Is that true?” Scyther asked.

“Oh!” Julia remembered the Bug Catching Contest in vivid detail. “I do remember! Yes, it’s true. Some kid named Lorenzo tried to steal you from me after I caught you, and it’s bad to steal someone else’s Pokemon. I had Tsubasa battle one of his Pokemon and she won. But he still wouldn’t listen and we told him off for being a jerk.”

Scyther’s eyes widened. That was what had happened? So Twilight and Tsubasa had told her the truth. She didn’t quite believe them when they told her. But having seen Julia take care of her and spend the night by her side…that told her all she needed to know about this girl. Before Julia could speak more, Scyther walked two steps closer, holding out one of her sickles.

“Thank you…for helping me. Both back then and now,” Scyther warbled. “I would like to stay with you, if that’s alright.”

For a brief moment, no words were exchanged between them. Julia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Just yesterday, Scyther wanted nothing to do with her. Even though it hurt Julia’s heart to know that, she was okay with releasing her. In fact, she had planned to do so right after Scyther woke up. But now, Scyther told her the opposite, and was offering her sickle in friendship, even thanking her for saving her. All she could do was smile so big her cheeks hurt. All of her efforts had paid off. Joy bubbled in her heart like soda fizz, and she couldn’t contain it any longer. With a delighted squeal, she threw herself onto Scyther, wrapping her arms around her neck like she hadn’t seen her in years.

“Of course it’s alright! I’d love to have you around!” Julia cried out happily. “I know we didn’t have the best start, since I never interacted with you for months after I caught you. So let’s change that, shall we?”

Scyther closed her eyes, marveling in Julia’s warm hug. She didn’t dare wrap her sickles around her out of fear of cutting her by accident. She just rested her chin on Julia’s shoulder, taking everything in. After a short moment, Julia let her go.

“By the way, would it be okay if I gave you a name?” Julia asked.

A name? Scyther had always been known as just Scyther, but she did find the idea of having her own name appealing. She wanted her own identity so she can stand out from other Scyther. Scyther nodded.

Julia clasped her hands together. “I have the perfect name for you: Lavinia!”

Lavinia? Scyther tilted her head to one side. That wasn’t one she had heard before. But she did remember hearing Julia utter that name in her sleep. Did she already have it in mind when she caught her?

“Oh,” Julia found herself stammering, suddenly unsure. “You don’t like it, do you? I can give you a different one.”

The mantis shook her head. “Scytha scytha.” (“It’s fine. I like it.”)

Her smile returned. “Alright! Lavinia it is! So…how about we start over?” She held her hand out. “Hi! I’m Julia Parisa, and I’m your trainer! I hope we can be friends!”

This time, Scyther—now Lavinia—didn’t attack her. She held out her sickle and let Julia shake it very slowly and gently. Julia didn’t want to accidentally cut herself on her friend’s sickle, so she touched the top of her arm instead. She then pulled Lavinia’s PokeBall out and made it pull her inside. Once Lavinia returned to the ball, Julia looked down at the PokeBall with a tender, grateful expression. Closing her eyes, she held it close to her heart.

“Thank you, Lavinia…I promise I’ll take good care of you,” Julia whispered before returning to the camp site with a light heart. By this time, Caiseal and Perrine were already awake and outside, as were Blossom and Karin. “Hey guys!” She waved her arm up and down as she approached them.

“There you are,” Caiseal said. “We were just about to go and look for you.”

“Sorry about that. Anyway, guess what?” Julia showed them Lavinia’s PokeBall. “Lavinia’s all better, and she decided to stay with me!”

Any worry the other kids might have had instantly disappeared. “Wow, that’s great! I knew she’d come around!” Perrine exclaimed.

“Bella!” “Smoochum!” Even Karin and Blossom congratulated her as they jumped up and down with joy.

“Did you just give her a nickname?” Caiseal asked.

Julia beamed. “Yep! Lavinia! That’s her name!” She exclaimed with pride.

Caiseal’s heart soared in that moment. That was what he wanted to see: Julia smiling. As far as he was concerned, she deserved to smile and be happy. Two days ago, she was absolutely devastated, and he hated that he couldn’t do much to help her. But maybe having Lavinia around could help her heal from Saoirse’s sudden passing. Obviously, Lavinia wouldn’t replace her. Julia didn’t want to replace her friend, and neither did he. But seeing Julia happy again filled his cup of happiness to the brim.

“That’s great,” Caiseal mused, rolling his tent up. “So how about we get back on the road?”

“Yeah!” The girls agreed in unison. Once they packed up, they went right back on their trip.

Julia didn’t know it, but she was going to find herself running back into another friend.

***

Spoiler: Author's Note and Team Listing

A/N: Hey guys. New chapter is up! I wanted to put this up earlier in the month, but allergies really hit me hard, to the point where I was coughing up a storm, and I even developed an ear infection from it. I’m currently taking three different medicines for them, and I’m feeling better, though I still cough every now and again. Anyway, I’m sure a lot of you were surprised by my killing off one of Julia’s Pokemon. I didn’t do it just for kicks and giggles or for just plain shock value. But sometimes, in life, unexpected things can happen to you which you’re just not prepared for. I’m sure all of us have experienced things like this in some way or another. Last year, I lost my beloved cat to cancer and a seizure disorder, and he died very suddenly. A month ago, I watched one of my coworkers fall to pieces after she received a phone call informing her that her son died, and pretty horribly, right then and there. It was…really overwhelming, to say the least. Just yesterday, one of my friend’s beloved pets (a parrot) died very suddenly, and the reason for it is still unknown at this point. I know this isn’t a good writing technique, to just randomly kill someone off, but in real life, sometimes these things just happen, and we have to cope with them and heal from them in the ways we know how. But Saoirse’s death and Julia’s ways of coping with it will be important in another chapter coming up.

Which also leads me to Julia’s Scyther. Remember her? If you don’t, I don’t blame you. Yeah, I never had the chance to write her into the story until now, and I feel kinda bad for just leaving Lavinia in the dust like that, so I decided to bring her in here. Late, I know, but I didn’t know when else to incorporate her into it. I originally had this chapter ending with Julia releasing Lavinia, as the latter refused to trust her no matter what, but I decided to change it. I figured having Julia release a Pokemon so soon after losing another one pretty horribly came off as rather mean-spirited. Don’t worry, the next chapter will be much happier, and a certain Pokemon will return, so look forward to it! Anyway, happy Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month once again, now that April is ended. Happy (belated) Easter, and my mom’s birthday was two days ago.

Also, don’t ever forget: Even if you lost someone you love, know that they always love you and they’re always in your heart. Whether it’s a family member, a friend, or a beloved pet, remember the good times you shared with them and the happiness they brought you. Their passing is always sad, yes, but the memories you shared with them will never fade.

***

Julia’s Party:
Hikaru (Shiny Pikachu, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thunderbolt, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle

Tsubasa (Pidgeotto, Female, Naughty Nature)
Ability: Keen Eye
Attacks: Quick Attack, Twister, Air Slash, and Feather Dance

Blossom (Bellossom, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Stun Spore, Giga Drain, Petal Blizzard, and Acid

Twilight (Ponyta, Female, Lonely Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Flame Wheel, Solar Beam, Hypnosis, and Stomp

Karin (Smoochum, Female, Impish Nature)
Ability: Forewarn
Attacks: Pound, Confusion, Powder Snow, and Sweet Kiss

Lavinia (Scyther, Female, Rash Nature)
Ability: Steadfast
Attacks: Quick Attack, Fury Cutter, Wing Attack, and Agility

Perrine’s Party:
Kitsune (Ninetales, Female, Quiet Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Heat Wave, Extrasensory, Confuse Ray, and Faint Attack

Florian (Meganium, Male, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Overgrow
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Vine Whip, Body Slam, and Grassy Terrain

Baloo (Jigglypuff, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Cute Charm
Attacks: Hyper Voice, Wake-Up Slap, Disarming Voice, and Body Slam

Mushi (Paras, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Effect Spore
Attacks: X-Scissor, Stun Spore, Growth, and Giga Drain

Fuwari (Skiploom, Female, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Leaf Guard
Attacks: Bounce, Giga Drain, Fairy Wind, and Energy Ball

Chirin (Ampharos, Male, Adamant Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Discharge, Cotton Guard, Power Gem, Signal Beam

Caiseal’s Party:

Mallow (Marowak, Male, Lax Nature)
Ability: Lightning Rod
Attacks: Bonemerang, Bone Rush, Headbutt, and Rock Smash

Apollo (Typhlosion, Male, Bold Nature)
Ability: Blaze
Attacks: Flamethrower, Flame Charge, Rollout, and Smokescreen

Viole (Vileplume, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Sludge Bomb, Sleep Powder, and Sweet Scent

Ravenclaw (Murkrow, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Super Luck
Attacks: Wing Attack, Steel Wing, Dark Pulse, and Roost

Heracles (Heracross, Male, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Moxie
Attacks: Brick Break, Megahorn, Aerial Ace, and Endure

Flippy (Quagsire, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Damp
Attacks: Water Pulse, Mud Bomb, Ice Beam, and Slam

 

[Juliko]

Chapter 56: Doing The Right Thing

The morning started out sunny and clear, with no cloud in sight. But after a few hours on the road, the sun was completely blocked, and the clouds were so thick and gray that not one sunbeam could get through. Their invasive entrance seemed to dim the entire world beneath them, turning everything a dull, dreary gray. The kids quickened their pace, kicking pebbles and dirt up as they looked up at the cloud-covered sky.

“Man, I hope it doesn’t rain,” Caiseal groaned, clutching the straps of his backpack with both hands.

Julia looked towards Perrine. “Is it supposed to rain today?” She asked.

Perrine pulled out her PokeGear, not stopping for a second. “I heard it’s supposed to be just cloudy today, but you know how the weather can be,” She replied. Back at the Pokemon Center, she did catch a glimpse at the weather channel, and a weatherman said today was going to be cloudy, with only a few light drizzles here and there. But the weather wasn’t always very predictable. Not only that, the kids didn’t have any umbrellas or rain coats on them, so they’d be soaked to the bone if it did rain.

“Well, in the event it does start raining,” Caiseal said, hoisting his backpack over his head. “I say we find some shelter for now. Maybe we can find a lodge or some cluster of trees that’s really thick or something.”

Just as he finished talking, they heard a low rumbling in the distance. Thunder. It wasn’t loud, but thunder didn’t have to be loud in order to spell rain. “Yeah, let’s find shelter,” Julia agreed.

All three kids ran as fast as they could, hoping and praying that rain didn’t come. The air around them started to get thick. Julia could smell the moisture in the air, and there was a certain solidity to it that wasn’t present when the weather was nice and clear. But something pulled her out of her thoughts. Peeking over one cluster of trees in the distance was the top of what appeared to be a building. It was slanted, and a gleaming silver color. As they ran closer, the trees parted, and they could see more of it.

“Look, guys!” Julia cried out, pointing to the structure up ahead. “There’s a building!”

Building. Shelter. The kids smiled jubilantly as they made their way towards the large, looming structure. Protection from rain was always a good thing. Since it wasn’t raining right now, they slowed themselves to a stop to get a better look at it. Silver roofs crowned a sharp, modern-looking building that had shiny white walls graced with generous, tall windows that were almost as big as the kids. Off to the side was a ramp with black iron railing next to it, obviously for people in wheelchairs. The building was large, spread out over several acres of land, about as big and wide as an actual hospital. Perrine could just barely see an expanse of green land just behind it. It was definitely an imposing structure.

“Will anyone even let us in?” Caiseal asked, suddenly hit with a dose of doubt. “This doesn’t look like the kind of place where we can just walk in.”

Julia was about to suggest they go inside and ask, until she glanced at a brass plate on one of the walls. Any words she had in her mouth instantly dried up. The plate read: Blackthorn City Institute of Pokemon Behavioral Health. She had seen that name before. Did she still have it? She pulled her backpack off her shoulders, zipped it open, and began rummaging through it.

“Huh? Jule?” Perrine swiveled behind her, confused by the sound of rattling items. “What’s up?”

Paying no heed, Julia found the card and read the name. It was the same as on the brass plate. A realization struck her like a Thunderbolt attack.

“...This is it!” Julia exclaimed.

“Huh?” Even Caiseal found himself confused.

“We’re at the mental hospital where Geraldine’s staying! Look!” Julia shouted, shoving the card Lance had given her into their faces. “The name on the card and on that sign are the same!”

Before Caiseal and Perrine could comment on it, Julia dashed right into the building, the doors opening up automatically, as if expecting her to come inside. “Wait! Jule! Slow down!” Perrine was quick to give chase, and Caiseal followed suit.

Julia couldn’t believe her luck. To think she’d wind up finding the very place where Geraldine was staying. She had assumed it would be really far away, or in some part of Blackthorn City that would be hard to access. But then again, if that were the case, hardly anyone would know it was here, and their Pokemon wouldn’t be able to get the help they needed. Julia gradually slowed her pace and made her way to the reception desk. A lady with long brown hair was using the computer, having not noticed the child on the other side of the desk.

“Umm...excuse me!” Julia called out.

The lady glanced toward the desk, finally seeing Julia. “Hello there. May I help you?”

At this point, Perrine and Caiseal had caught up with her, but didn’t say anything. They figured Julia wanted to be the one to ask to see Geraldine. The red Gyarados was technically her Pokemon. “Uhh…my name is Julia Parisa!” She reminded herself of why she was here and remembered the words she needed to use for a situation like this. Her parents had practiced this with her lots of times as a kid. “I have a Pokemon here, and I was hoping I could see her, if that’s okay. A red Gyarados!” She added hastily.

“May I see your trainer’s ID, please?” The woman asked.

Julia rummaged through her bag again and pulled out her ID card, handing it to the woman. She stole a brief glance at her name tag—Noel Griffith, it said. Julia watched as Noel’s fingers danced across the keyboard, her eyes staring at the computer screen in front of her, nothing else. Then, Noel’s eyes widened.

“Okay,” Noel handed Julia’s ID back to her. “So you’re Julia Parisa, and we do indeed have your red Gyarados here.”

“Her name’s Geraldine.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

Appointment? Was she supposed to have one? “No, I don’t. But my friends and I would like to see her. Is that okay?” She pushed the words out, not wanting them to get stuck in her throat.

Noel smiled at the other two kids. “Sure. I just need your friends’ IDs and I’ll make you some temporary visitor badges,” Noel told them kindly, in a reassuring tone. “Then once I’m done, I’ll have someone come down and escort you to where Geraldine is.”

Relief washed over Julia like a wave. She could see Geraldine, and she didn’t have to make an appointment! “Thank you, ma’am!” Julia bowed in front of the desk as Perrine and Caiseal handed the lady their IDs.

Once their visitor badges were made, Noel had them sit in the lobby to wait for someone to come get them. They found some chairs nearby and sat down, but they were bouncing with excitement the whole time and couldn’t quite keep still. Julia, especially. One of her legs kept bouncing up and down at a rapid pace. She didn’t want to sit here. She wanted to see Geraldine NOW. But she knew nothing about the place or its overall layout, so how could she know where in the building Geraldine was or how to get there? Julia steeled herself, resolving to be patient. Just a little longer.

“Isn’t this great, Jule?” Caiseal exclaimed, smiling so big his mouth threatened to break loose. “You’ll get to see Geraldine again!”

“I know, right? Nnnngh! I wish I could just see her right now!” Julia found herself shaking her fists up and down, her excitement bubbling over like soda fizz.

Perrine leaned backward, looking up at the high ceiling. “I’ve never been in a place like this before. I wonder what it’s like,” She asked nobody in particular.

For the moment, the kids kept themselves occupied as they waited. But in doing so, a roar of water pulled their gazes toward the windows. Rain came down in thick sheets, so thick that nobody could see anything past it. It was as if the dirt road they walked on before had just disappeared into thin air. The kids thanked their lucky stars that they made it here when they did. If they had been out there a minute longer, they’d have been soaked to the bone right away.

After a few more minutes, Julia noticed a lady in a white lab coat approaching them with a smile on her face. The lady had deep brown skin, matching eyes, and curly dark hair that reached down to her chin, bobbing with every movement. Resting on her shoulder was a small, round, green bird Pokémon, with a tiny yellow beak, a red feather on its head, red talons, small wings, and black eyes.

“Hello, kids!” The lady greeted them with a smile. “I’m Dr. Lianna Ruff. I take it you’re all here to see the red Gyarados?”

“Yes!” Julia stood up right away. “I’m her trainer, and her name’s Geraldine!”

“Right, Geraldine. Sorry about that,” Dr. Ruff corrected herself. “Anyway, if you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to where she is. She’s all the way in the back of our facility, so in a way, you’ll be getting a grand tour!”

“Natu natu!” The bird Pokémon on her shoulder chirped, flitting its little wings.

“Oh, a Natu! It’s so cute!” Julia crooned.

Natu simply started back at her, its eyes seemingly blank. But Julia didn’t mind. She could tell Natu was happy to see new people. Perrine pulled out her PokeDex to look up its information. “Natu, the tiny bird Pokémon. Natu’s wings aren’t fully grown, so it cannot fly. As a result, it has developed strong hopping abilities, so it usually forages food on the ground, though some have been known to hop on branches to peck at shoots forming on trees. Natu are always staring into the distance, so if you see one, it will just stare right back at you. If you move even slightly, Natu will hop away to safety. Natu that live in the desert can pick food from cactus plants, deftly avoiding buds and spines in doing so. Despite their eyes rarely showing much expression, Natu are perfectly capable of emoting through gestures, flapping their wings, or hopping around rapidly.”

“Tuuuu!” Natu trilled, nodding its whole body, as if agreeing with the PokeDex’s final statement.

“Is it yours?” Perrine asked.

“No, he belongs to one of my coworkers,” Dr. Ruff replied. “Natu’s a cheerful little guy, always wanting to meet new people and Pokemon and cheer them up,” She reached a hand up to stroke the red feather on Natu’s head. “Natu here has helped a lot of Pokemon emotionally thanks to his presence.”

Dr. Ruff led the trio down several corridors lit by fluorescent lights. One hallway was just that, whereas they walked into another one that was much bigger and showed Pokémon in various rooms. At one point, Julia saw a Jolteon lying on the floor, sleeping with a Pikachu and a Clefairy snuggling up against it. Two male doctors giving a Meowth a bowl of food. Another doctor shearing a Mareep’s fur with a set of clippers. One female doctor was cradling a crying Larvitar in her arms, trying to calm it down, but Julia couldn’t make out anything she was saying to it.

“So what exactly do you guys do here?” Caiseal asked.

“Well, we specialize in treating and rehabilitating Pokémon with serious mental disorders,” Dr. Ruff explained. “Depending on how serious their issues are, some Pokémon can be treated and released within a short time span, ranging from a few short weeks to two or three years. But we do have some Pokémon who are permanent residents here, who require a lot of long-term care.”

Permanent residents. Julia shuddered, hoping that Geraldine wouldn’t wind up being one of those Pokémon.

“Do you guys only take Pokémon who have trainers?” Perrine inquired.

“We do, but we do have some wild Pokémon as well,” Dr. Ruff continued on as they turned a corner. “Some trainers admit their Pokémon here so they can receive professional care that they themselves are unable to provide. But most of the time, we receive wild or abandoned Pokémon from various Pokémon Centers from all over the region, in case they are overcrowded or don’t have the necessary resources to care for them themselves.”

Julia glanced toward her right. A Marill with a missing left ear sat on a pile of pillows, crying piteously. Poor little Marill. What was it crying about? Her heart went out to it, and she hoped things would get better for it in the future.

A few minutes later, the four found themselves in another room. “This is a play room, where we let the smaller Pokemon socialize,” Dr. Ruff opened the thick double doors and escorted the kids inside. Unlike the halls they were walking in, which were mostly shiny, dull, and with very little decoration, the play room they were in had a much livelier, more animated atmosphere. It was a large, enclosed area that was bigger than four whole living rooms combined, with a big slide, a roundabout, a few long tunnels going up, down, and around the area, a set of monkey bars, and a set of obstacle courses. There was even a small pool of water in the far left corner of the room, where several water Pokemon were splashing each other. Many Pokemon were making great use of the playroom and the obstacle courses, laughing and enjoying themselves. Julia saw three adults--two women and one man--sitting on some chairs nearby.

Noticing her interest, Lianna spoke again. “We have some staff come in to keep an eye on things in case there are problems, like if some Pokemon get into fights or one of them has an episode,” Lianna explained.

“Do the big Pokemon have one?” Caiseal asked. “A play room, I mean.”

Lianna shook her head. “No. We have a designated area for them outside, but since it’s raining, they have to stay in for today. Speaking of which,” She closed the double doors and led them further down the hall. “We do have separate areas for large water Pokemon here in this facility. Geraldine’s room is just a few more corridors down.”

Julia’s hands clutched the shoulder straps of her backpack tightly, so tight that her hands were turning white. Geraldine was just around the corner. Now she’ll be able to judge for herself whether these people were treating her well or not. But other thoughts swam in her mind. Would Geraldine be happy to see her? Or would she be angry and not want to see her at all? Geraldine did say she wanted to come here and receive help for her issues, but that didn’t mean she’d like doing so. Would she be scared? Frightened? Angry? Happy? Were these people being nice to her, or were they mistreating her? Lance had faith in this place, so she didn’t want to jump to those kinds of conclusions too quickly. But she was here now, and she’d see for herself whether Geraldine was okay or not.

***

The kids walked down several more hallways, with little differences between them. The scent of gauze and bleach assailed Julia’s nostrils at points, and one of the fluorescent lights kept blinking rapidly. Gradually, the corridor opened into a wider area, and on their left, there was a glass wall dividing them, and inside the room, there was a large pool of water, large enough to hold four Gyarados give or take. The kids did see three of them in there, along with a Dratini and a Dragonair, swimming around and playing to their heart’s content.

One of them was red.

“And here we are,” Lianna stopped in her tracks, pointing to the glass wall.

Julia ran to the wall, looking inside. There was Geraldine, with her head and neck above water, smiling alongside another Gyarados that was in there. Her heart melted. It was her! It was really her! Her eyes were closed, and Julia could hear a strange, gurgly laugh coming out of her. Her red scales were as shiny and sleek as ever, and she looked like she was having a good time. So many questions raged in the confines of her mind, all of them at war with each other for freedom. So many of them weren’t so simply put into words.

“How is she?” Julia asked, her voice small and quiet. “Is she doing well?”

Lianna flashed a confident smile in her direction. “At first, she mostly kept to herself, shying away from other Pokemon and people,” She replied. No surprise there. Of course Geraldine would be terrified, being separated from her trainer and thrown into an unfamiliar place, with just as many faces she didn’t recognize. Julia wondered if she felt like she was stuck in Team Rocket’s lair again. “But she responded well to treatment, and she’s warmed up to us considerably. She’s made quite a bit of progress since coming here.”

The doctor went on to explain that while Geraldine still had nightmares in regards to her captivity, she no longer used her attacks in her sleep like she used to. Julia let out a sigh of relief. That was a good start. It helped that Geraldine herself was quite the docile Gyarados among her kind, as she never lashed out or attacked any of the staff in any way. She let them help her and never displayed any behavioral issues. Julia’s hands gripped her chest, her heart hammering from so much pent up joy. So Geraldine really was doing well!

“That’s good to hear,” Caiseal said wistfully, putting a hand on the glass. “She looks a lot happier, too.”

One question was dying to come out from Julia’s throat. She couldn’t keep it in any longer. “Is she well enough for me to possibly...take her back?” Dare she hope? Dare she imagine being able to take her friend with her?

Of course, her hopes were dashed in an instant. Lianna frowned. “Unfortunately, no. I’m sorry, Miss Parisa,” The doctor told her. “She still has a lot of issues that need to be addressed. She still gets terribly frightened whenever she sees Pokemon attacking each other or needles. We’ve been able to manage things whenever she has an episode, but as it stands, we can’t clear her as of right now.”

She figured as much. Julia sighed. Of course that would be the answer. Nobody’s trauma just goes away after a day or a month in a mental hospital. Life wasn’t simple like that. The rational part of her mind chastised her for being so naive to think it would be that easy. She knew Geraldine wasn’t going to be cleared after a short while, and guilt weighed her down in that moment. Julia wished she hadn’t asked a question she already had the answer to and hoping for something that was impossible to attain. Still, knowing Geraldine was making some progress was a good sign. There was hope for her yet.

“I understand,” Julia whispered, wanting to be a good sport about it.

“If it’s alright with you, I can let you go in and see her,” Lianna said.

See her? Go inside and see her? Julia’s head flew right up. Lianna unlocked the door and pushed it open. But as Julia made her way towards it, she found herself stopping in her tracks. Doubt snuck into her, freezing her in place. More questions sprang forth. Would Geraldine even want to see her after everything that had happened? Would her presence alone just hinder her chances at truly getting better? Would seeing her make things worse? How would Geraldine even react? Julia tried to force herself to move, but her legs wouldn’t budge, glued to the ground by treacherous thoughts overwhelming her entire being. She had waited so long to see her, and here she was, completely paralyzed and unable to go inside. She was half tempted to run away. What good would seeing Geraldine do for either of them? It wouldn’t change anything, she had thought. Maybe it was a mistake to come here, she thought.

A delighted roar pulled her from the abyss. “Julia!!” She looked up, having heard her name. Geraldine was looking her way, her big mouth wide open and creased into a big smile. The ugly doubts that had her in their grasp were suddenly destroyed, sent packing like they had never been there in the first place. All Julia could feel was immense relief. Geraldine was happy to see her! Unable to keep it in anymore, Julia ran right inside. Knowing what she was going to do, Geraldine lowered herself to her trainer’s level, and Julia threw herself right on her face, wrapping her arms around her cheeks.

“Geraldine…” Julia whimpered, burying her face into the red serpent’s shining scales. She didn’t care if they were wet and dampened her clothes. She didn’t care one bit. “I’m so happy to see you, girl!!” Julia cried out, her cup of happiness overflowing like a flooded river. Geraldine uttered a low growl. Never before had Julia heard such a sweet sound. After a bit, she let go of Geraldine and flashed a proud smile. “See? Told you I’d come and visit!”

Geraldine growled once again, and Julia heard every word. “I knew you would. I didn’t doubt you for one second.”

It was here that the tears came. Julia tried to keep them in, but she was just so overwhelmed with emotion that it was near impossible. She had been so scared of the possibility that things would be different, that Geraldine wouldn’t be happy to see her, or that Geraldine might have been mistreated, or even euthanized. But here she was, looking well and welcoming her with an open tail. Soon, she felt something gently push on her back, sending her right back into Geraldine’s face. It took seconds for her to figure out what was going on.

“Are you trying to cheer me up?” Julia laughed, appreciating the affectionate gesture. “You’re so sweet! You haven’t changed a bit!” Yes, indeed, Geraldine was still the sweet Gyarados she knew and loved. “Gosh, so much has happened! There’s so much I wanna tell you!”

But before she could do that, she turned to Lianna. “How long can I stay in here? When do visiting hours end?” She asked.

Lianna checked the watch on her wrist. Natu leaned in closer to get a better look. “It’s only about five o’clock, and visiting hours don’t end until seven, so you have two hours yet.”

Two whole hours? Julia’s jaw dropped. She thought visiting hours would be a lot shorter. With this, she could actually spend a decent amount of time with Geraldine. It had been so long since they’ve last seen each other. Two hours was just the right amount of time she wanted, and she was going to make the absolute best of them.

Knowing what she wanted, both Caiseal and Perrine flashed approving grins in her direction. “You can hang out here if you want,” Perrine told her.

“In fact, mind if we join you?” Caiseal asked.

Julia looked up at the red sea serpent, her eyes asking if it was okay. Geraldine nodded happily. “Yay!” Julia sat down at the edge of the pool, even letting some of her Pokemon out—Hikaru, Blossom, and Karin, the former two so they could see her again, and the latter so she can meet Geraldine for the first time. Oddly enough, the little Smoochum wasn’t even a bit afraid of the giant red serpent towering over her, and they were chatting away like they had been best friends for a long time.

But before that, she adopted a serious expression. “Geraldine? I have some questions I wanna ask you, and I really want you to be honest with me. Okay?” Julia said, her voice tinged with concern. Geraldine nodded. Julia wasted no time breaking into her line of questioning.

“Is everything going well here?”

Geraldine nodded.

“Are the staff nice to you?”

A nod.

“Nobody’s mistreating you or abusing you or making you uncomfortable or giving you a hard time, right? Human or Pokémon?”

Another nod.

“Have you been listening to the nice nurses and doing what they tell you?”

A third nod.

“Do you still have nightmares?”

Yet another nod.

“Is everything you’ve been telling me true? Are you absolutely sure everything’s been going okay? You can tell me if something’s wrong.”

A final nod, with Geraldine adding in a low growl. “Nothing’s happened to me, and I can assure you that nobody’s being cruel to me.”

With that, her line of questioning came to a close. Another sigh of relief escaped her. One reason she didn’t want to give Geraldine up at first was because she was sure whoever was going to take her would be cruel to her or not even try to understand her pain. Maybe even deem her aggressive and euthanize her right away. Julia would never forgive herself if that had happened to Geraldine. The last thing she wanted to do was put her precious friends in danger and leave them in the hands of a cruel stranger. But she could tell Geraldine was being honest with her. If Geraldine truly was upset or frightened, she’d let everyone know it. She had certainly done so back in Mahogany Town. What reason did Geraldine have to lie to her? The ugly thoughts that had been conjured up in her brain were kicked right out, never to return. Geraldine truly was doing well here!

“I’m so glad…” Julia murmured. “I was so afraid people would be cruel to you or not even try to help you. I’d never forgive myself if that turned out to be the case…!” More stray tears trickled from her eyes. She was quick to wipe them away, but they still flowed. The red serpent’s tail gently pushed on her back once more, not enough to push her into the water, but just enough to be equal parts comforting and soothing. “Thanks, girl,” Soothed by her friend’s comfort, Julia smiled so big, her mouth threatened to break loose from her face. “Where do I even start? There’s so much I want to tell you!”

The kids made good use of the next two hours, telling Geraldine everything that had happened since she was sent here, from defeating Pryce at the Mahogany gym to catching Lavinia just recently. As much as she didn’t want to, Julia did feel obligated to tell her about Saoirse’s recent passing. Even though Geraldine didn’t know the Snubbull very well, she felt she had a right to know. The red serpent could only give a low, sad growl, more out of sympathy for her trainer than any sadness on her part, but she did remember the cheery little Snubbull and did like her a little, as short as their interactions were. Geraldine was sorry that she didn’t feel as sad for Saoirse’s passing as her trainer did. But Julia didn’t stop there. She continued to talk to Geraldine about lots of things. She wanted to make the most out of every minute, every second she had with her. She didn’t even want to walk around or leave the room, even for a minute.

With every word that escaped her mouth, Julia felt as though a ton of bricks had been lifted off her shoulders. She had always worried about her dear friend and hoped she was doing well. She hated it when people tried to assure her that Geraldine was okay when Julia knew that they knew as little as she did. Julia hated uncertainty and vague, indecisive answers. She wanted the absolute truth from the very source. Nothing else could even hope to appease her. Now, she saw with her own eyes that Geraldine was doing well here. Sure, Geraldine wasn’t cleared to leave. For all she knew, Geraldine might have to stay here for years. But for right now, Julia was just happy to finally see her friend and confirm for herself that she had done the right thing in letting Lance take her here.

At one point, Julia leaned against Geraldine’s head and rubbed her scales lovingly, closing her eyes, letting herself be lost in her friend’s strong, comforting presence. “You have no idea how much I missed you, girl.”

It was here that Lianna stepped into the room. “I’m sorry, but it’s five minutes before seven, and I need to put Geraldine in her PokeBall so she can sleep,” She told her, her voice tinged with sadness.

Her time was up. But Julia still had more to say. She wrapped her arms around Geraldine’s face so tight, she didn’t want to let go.

“Sorry, Geraldine. I have to go now, but I’ll come visit you again next time,” Julia reassured, and she meant every word she said. “No matter what happens, no matter how far apart we are, don’t ever forget that I love you and always will love you forever and ever! I won’t be able to visit often, because I may have to go back to school after my journey’s over, but I’ll visit as often as I can, and I’ll never stop loving you! Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise!”

Geraldine knew she meant every word, and believed it with all her heart. Julia let go, giving Lianna permission to put her in her PokeBall. Geraldine was sucked inside without protest. Julia stole a glance at the PokeBall, wondering if it was her own PokeBall or one just for the institution. The sight took her breath away.

The PokeBall had a sticker on it with Geraldine’s name in marker. The same one she put on it when she first caught her.

“You…didn’t take the sticker off…”

“Of course,” Lianna said reassuringly. “She’s still legally your Pokémon, and Lance explicitly told us you didn’t want it removed for any reason. We are obligated to respect a trainer’s wishes if they have specific requests for their Pokémon, as long as they’re within reason and don’t negatively affect their treatment.”

“Natu! Natu!” The little bird Pokemon on her shoulder flapped its wings, trilling as if echoing Lianna’s statement.

Julia’s chest tightened up. The fact that they didn’t remove the sticker she put on Geraldine’s PokeBall spoke volumes about this place. Now she knew for sure that Geraldine was in good hands. “Thanks…for taking care of her.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s clear that you love her a lot, and that’s something I like in a trainer,” Lianna told her kindly. “When the time comes that we feel she’s ready to leave the facility, we’ll call your PokeGear and let you know.”

In a way, Julia knew she would say that. She did give Lance her PokeGear number just in case. Maybe he gave it to them so they’d know for sure who she belonged to. Julia would look forward to the day she’d be able to be with her friend permanently. But for now, she needed to stay here. The kids were escorted back to the lobby, since it was almost time for the facility to close for the day. Plus, the kids couldn’t stay the night because it’s company policy not to allow anyone other than authorized personnel into the building. It was mostly as a means to keep potential criminals out and keep the Pokemon safe from unsavory characters, which the kids understood. They said their goodbyes to Lianna and Natu before going out the automatic doors.

“Whoa, look!” Caiseal exclaimed as he ran outside. “The rain’s stopped!”

He was right. The ground was dotted with amber puddles that reflected the golden orange sunset. The sky was a bright vermilion hue, with streaks of violet, blue, and pink giving it a more animated flair, a sight that any lover of nature could always appreciate. The air was heavy with leftover moisture, but Julia inhaled a good portion of it, reveling in the sweet, earthen scent of soil and rain. It was like the air around her had come alive.

“Isn’t this great, Jule?” Perrine exclaimed. “We sure were lucky today. You got to see Geraldine again.”

Julia let out a sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of her hair with one hand. “Yeah. I was sure I wouldn’t be able to see her for a lot longer.”

Saying that it was great was a colossal understatement. After what had happened with Saoirse, Julia was sure she’d never be happy again. But seeing Geraldine renewed her spirit and love for her life tenfold. There were always going to be bad things happening in her life, but that didn’t mean there weren’t any good things in the meantime. Now she had something to look forward to. She still had her friends, human and Pokémon. Her conflicted feelings about Lance had changed. She was no longer angry with him for taking Geraldine away, even though she knew from the beginning that it was the right decision to make, both for herself and for Geraldine.

“So I take it we should camp out for the night, huh?” Perrine asked.

Caiseal had already pulled his rolled up tent out of his backpack. “Afraid so. But we should stay close to the facility, that way if anything bad happens, we can get help right away.”

“Good idea,” Julia agreed.

Before she started her journey, Julia balked at the idea of sleeping outside in any capacity. She always preferred the safety of her warm, comfy bed at her house. Sleeping outside meant exposing herself to a variety of troubles. Vicious Pokémon that could attack her in the night, bugs picking at her skin and leaving ugly, itchy bites, sleeping on the dirt if their tent wasn’t big enough, and so on. But at this point, Julia was too happy about having seen Geraldine again to let any of this stuff bother her. She had long since gotten used to it, but tonight, Julia slept with a light heart, happy that today had turned out the way it did, and looking forward to the days to come.

Geraldine was doing well, and that was all that mattered.

***

High above Ecruteak City, at the very zenith of Tin Tower, Zuki the Kimono Girl stood on the platform, her hands on the railing, gazing at the vermilion hued sky before her. Her thick, black kimono was warm enough to protect her from autumn’s frigid winds, not that she minded, for she liked the chilly fall breeze. Red and orange leaves danced across the sky, as if they were putting on a performance not unlike the ones she would put on with her siblings. She reached into her hair and adjusted one of the wire pins to make sure it stayed in place. Today was the day, and she couldn’t afford to make any mistakes.

“Zuki!” A voice called out to her, and a lady came bounding up the stairs to the roof. Like Zuki, her hair was primly done up in the Mt. Silver style, only her kimono was a deep, plum purple, with PokeBall designs on it in a lighter tint.

“Hello, Naoko,” Zuki greeted her warmly. “Are the others gathered?”

Naoko bowed before her sister. “Yes. Kuni’s bringing up the Clear Bell as we speak.”

“That’s good. We can’t perform our dance without it,” Zuki reminded her. “I wonder if Ho-Oh will be as majestic as the last time we danced for it?” She wondered aloud, looking up at the sky once more.

“It’s such a rare Pokemon, so of course it’ll be majestic,” Naoko told her.

Today was the day where Zuki, Naoko, and their sisters were to gather on Tin Tower’s roof and give a gift to Ho-Oh as it journeyed across the world. They would dance and ring the Clear Bell, calling for the rainbow phoenix. Once Ho-Oh arrived, they would give it an offering, mostly a pile of berries or food. Ho-Oh would accept the offering, give its blessing, and take to the skies again. It was a tradition in this family for girls to carry out this rite, ever since Ho-Oh first resurrected Raikou, Entei, and Suicune seven centuries ago. Although it was said that Ho-Oh never returned since the fire destroyed Brass Tower, that wasn’t entirely true. Only the Kimono Girls had the right to bear witness to Ho-Oh’s beauty, and even then, they were scarcely allowed to talk about it in the public eye, lest they risk unsavory characters attempting to catch it for their own purposes.

Three more girls traversed up the stairs, meeting up with Zuki and Naoko. One of them, draped in a sea blue kimono with periwinkle wave patterns, carried a large, crystalline bell in her hands. It was about the size of a basketball, but in her hands, it was light as a feather.

“The Clear Bell is ready,” The woman told her sisters.

“Thank you, Kuni,” Naoko told her before glancing toward the one in the yellow kimono. “Sayo? Do you have the Rainbow Wing?”

Sayo pulled something out from her obi. It was a thin bird’s feather, about the length of a pencil. The tip was a vermillion orange, the middle part white, and the bottom part green like a forest. When held to the light, it sparkled like a rainbow after a storm. “Here it is.”

“The offerings?” Zuki inquired.

Another girl, draped in a flame red kimono, held in her hands a large basket filled to the brim with berries. “Already prepared.”

“Good job, Miki,” Naoko said.

The Kimono Girls were quick to put everything in place. The basket of berries was set on the edge of the platform, just behind the railing, but safely outside the area where the girls would be dancing. Sayo and Kuni hung the Clear Bell from the bottom of the sourin, the vertical shaft that tipped the tower, on one of the curved petals of the ukebana. Afterward, Kuni gave the Rainbow Wing to Zuki, and the girls scattered to their positions on the platform. They all pulled fans out from their kimonos, holding them out towards the sky.

“Let us begin!” Zuki announced.

The sound of geta clicking against the floor echoed in the sky as the girls danced, twirling and spinning in all directions, the long sleeves of their kimonos flying. The girls’ eyes were closed as they let their bodies move in tune to the music in their hearts, their arms flying, their legs twirling, their feet tapping the floor with every step. Right now, they were all in sync, their hearts combined as one. The Clear Bell rang from the ukebana, with a chime so soft and gentle, it reminded the girls of a bird’s first chirps as it hatched from its egg. The Rainbow Wing in Zuki’s hands glowed in a majestic, multicolored hue that could dazzle the eyes of anyone who gazed upon it.

Clouds parted, and the girls stopped dancing. A golden light poured out from the opening, and a glowing phoenix descended from the sky, perching right in front of the platform. The vermillion hued avian had a long yellow beak, a matching crest of hair on its head, curled at the ends, and black rings around its cherry red eyes. Its prismatic wings boasted orange, white, and green colors, and seemed to glow in the golden sunset behind it. Its black talons clutched the side of the roof it was on, and it had no trouble keeping itself upright as it landed. The girls were struck dumb by its unearthly beauty. They had only seen pictures of Ho-Oh, in books and works of art. Only now had they ever seen this strange, heavenly creature up close, and Ho-Oh was just as majestic as they had heard, even more so up close.

Regaining her composure, Zuki ambled towards the basket and gave a polite curtsey before the phoenix. “Dear Ho-Oh, guardian of the skies, please accept the humble gift we bequeath to you on this day,” Zuki exalted the avian standing before her, keeping her eyes closed in doing so. “Your rainbow is the mother of all creation, to all life. Your incandescence gives hope and light in humanity’s darkest hours. Today we give thanks, now as ever before, and onward until the years take us.”

All Ho-Oh did was cock its head to one side, as if it was wondering just what was going on. Nevertheless, Ho-Oh lowered its beak and began swallowing the berries in big bites. They were all very small, so Ho-Oh was able to eat lots of them without the need to chew, seeing as its mouth and neck were so large. The girls opened their eyes, taking in Ho-Oh’s rainbow splendor, watching as the phoenix accepted their gift.

But the peace did not last. Sayo let out a scream. “What is that?!” She pointed to the sky.

Ho-Oh swiveled its head. Charging towards the phoenix was a large, black airship, and on top of it stood a long figure, with grey blue hair, draped in a black cloak, and her eyes covered with black goggles.

“You’re right where I want you, Ho-Oh!” The woman bellowed.

“It’s Pokemon Hunter J!!” Naoko cried out in horror.

Knowing what she was here for, Ho-Oh wasted no time flying away from the pagoda and shooting streams of fire in the airship’s direction. The airship swerved from side to side, deftly dodging the flames. Then, Ho-Oh’s wings glowed white, and it attempted to charge right at them head on, using the autumn wind to increase its speed.

J pulled out a communication device and shouted, “Fire the lasers!”

The airship fired a barrage of yellow lasers. Ho-Oh flew up and down, dodging every single one of them in its attempt to attack the airship. The bird was careful to remain solely in the sky, as it didn’t want to cause the humans down below any alarm, nor hurt them, should its attacks wind up hitting the ground. Finally, one of Ho-Oh’s wings made contact with the right side of the airship. It wasn’t enough to cause damage, as the airship’s armor was quite thick, but the force did make it swerve in the air for just a moment. J nearly lost her balance, but got down on one knee and clung to a bar that was nearby.

“Don’t let Ho-Oh get away!” J commanded.

As Ho-Oh readied another attack, a cannon appeared from the top of the airship, firing a gold light right at it. The phoenix was quick to dodge, flying leftward. No way was it going to be held captive by these fiends! But one of its feathers happened to graze the light that was fired at it. Suddenly, Ho-Oh found itself going numb. Its body began to tense up, like it was turning to stone. It flapped its wings with increased vigor, wanting to get away. But it was too late. Another laser hit its back, and its body turned into a dark gold statue. Before Ho-Oh could fall, a black sphere floated towards it, glowing in a purple light before encasing Ho-Oh in a glass sphere. Large, metal claws gripped the glass sphere, pulling it towards the bottom of the airship.

Just like that, Ho-Oh had been captured.

“Mission complete!” J announced into the communication device. “Set a course for our base in Mt. Silver!”

As ordered, the airship turned around and flew into the darkening skies. The Kimono Girls could only stare in utter shock. Ho-Oh, the legendary rainbow phoenix, had been captured by the notorious hunter J, and they couldn’t do a single thing about it! But they knew what they had to do. Zuki was the first to speak.

“We must inform the police!” Zuki exclaimed. “Ho-Oh is in grave danger!”

The rest of the girls exchanged worried, concerned looks. “Will the police even believe us?” Kuni asked. “They have never seen Ho-Oh. For all we know, they might dismiss its existence as a myth.”

“But Hunter J is no laughing matter,” Miki reminded them. “The police have been on her tail for years, and considering how elusive she normally is, I think they’ll be only too happy to finally catch her.”

“Yes!” Sayo exclaimed, putting a hand in the air. “I heard her say she’s heading for Mt. Silver!”

“All the more reason to report this!” Zuki said. “Sayo and Naoko, go inform Mother and Father of what has happened. Miki and Kuni, you will accompany me to the station to report this incident.”

But before they could make their way to the station, Kuni looked up and shouted, “Look! Up there!”

Flying across Tin Tower was another large, avian Pokemon. A silvery white bird with a periwinkle blue underbelly, long, shimmering wings, deep blue plates on its back, and golden eyes soared across the sky, heading right in the airship’s direction.

“Was that...Lugia?!” Naoko cried out.

“But Lugia never leaves the sea!” Miki yelped. “It must be trying to help Ho-Oh!”

They were right. Lugia was on the airship’s tail, its eyes shining bright with anger. How dare these stupid people capture its friend like that! First the three beasts, and now Ho-Oh! It had been right to keep an eye on Ho-Oh and accompany it to Tin Tower. It had suspected something like this would happen, only ceasing to intervene because it knew Ho-Oh could take care of itself. But it seems it had underestimated these particular humans. Now was not the time to sit back and let these humans do whatever they wanted! Lugia gave chase, firing Hyper Beams at the ship. By this time, J had gone inside her airship, so she was spared from Lugia’s onslaught.

Inside the main control room, J and two of her henchman kept watch on Lugia through a monitor showing it from behind. “Should we capture Lugia as well?” One man asked.

“Not yet,” J said in a cold, steely voice. “This might be a good opportunity. Head for Mt. Silver as we planned. If I can catch Lugia as well, I may finally be able to get the answers I need.”

She reached for an old, tattered brown book with yellowing pages. On the cover was a white, horse-like Pokemon with a long head, green eyes, and a gold, ring-like structure around its body.

 

[Juliko]

Chapter 57: The Sisters' Final Battle! Julia VS Amara!

As usual, Julia was the first to wake up. Needless to say, when she emerged from her tent, she was welcomed by a magnificent autumn morning. The sky was a pure blue, gradually trying to push away the remnants of the night before, with the clouds speckled purple and pink as the sun made its way up to this side of the world. The enormous elm trees in the hollow they camped out in stretched all across the dirt road, their leaves shining golden under the sunrise. The maples further down the bend boasted a deep, royal crimson that stood alongside the regal elms, adding to the road's earthly beauty.

Julia reveled in the world of color around her. She sat down on a nearby rock and treated herself to a banana and some crackers. Not long after, Hikaru and Karin came ambling out from the tent. Hikaru's ears were standing straight, and her eyes were wide awake and alert. In contrast, Karin's blonde locks were scraggly and messy, with strands defying gravity every which way, and her eyes weren't fully open yet.

"Morning, girls!" Julia greeted them with a smile as she finished her banana. She had let them out of their PokeBalls the night before, as she always liked their company, even as she slept. "Isn't today just lovely?"

"Pikachu!" Hikaru chirruped in agreement.

"Smooooch…" Karin groaned before stretching her mouth wide open to let out a yawn. She put one of her stubby hands over it to try and cover it, but it was too small. Julia stifled a giggle.

"I'll get breakfast ready for you," Julia said. She finished her banana before rummaging through her tent to get two bowls and a pack of Pokemon food. Once outside, she set the bowls down and poured them some food. Hikaru and Karin wasted no time chowing down, crooning and preening with joy as they savored their breakfast. Karin perked right up as soon as she started eating. It didn't take long for all three of them to finish eating, and since Perrine and Caiseal were still sleeping, they had time for themselves.

Julia stood up from the rock and crossed her arms, ruminating. She did want to start back on Route 45, since they were still a ways away from Route 46, but Perrine and Caiseal weren't awake yet. Should she wake them up? After the day they had yesterday, Julia didn't want to disturb them. Maybe they could just hang around here for a while. There might be some Pokemon around she could catch. Julia smiled, finding the idea rather appealing.

"Hey, Karin. Hikaru," Julia quietly called them over. "Do you guys wanna walk around here for a bit? I bet there's Pokemon here that we can catch or battle. Would you like that?"

Both Pokemon cheered with delight right away. Julia made a mental note not to go too far. She didn't want to get lost and wind up leaving her friends behind by mistake. She and her two Pokemon friends traversed into some tall grass nearby. Compared to Blackthorn City, this area was still rather mountainous, but it was much more green, with plenty of grass, trees, and bushes. It helped that they had actually gotten closer to Mt. Silver, since from here, it was about three or so miles. Julia had checked the map on her PokeGear last night in order to keep track of where they were. They walked a little ways, looking around and examining their surroundings.

"See anything?" Julia asked.

Hikaru and Karin shook their heads.

Julia shrugged. "I'm sure there are some around. We just need to keep looking," She told them reassuringly, glancing over at some bushes. "Maybe we'll find some berries or something."

The three trekked through the clearing, looking all around. Hikaru and Karin looked through some bushes, but found nothing save for a few stray Oran berries. Julia passed some maple trees and looked down at the red carpet of leaves beneath her shoes. One leaf in particular was quite big, nearly bigger than her whole hand. She bent down, picked it up, and held it up to the sun. It turned dark as the night against the sunlight, but to Julia, it was still beautiful nonetheless. But when she pulled it down, something caught her eye. A lone figure was shifting around, just about ten feet away. Was it a Pokemon? Curious, Julia crept closer to get a better look.

As she ambled towards the figure, taking care to be silent, the figure became clearer the closer she got. It was a person, with long, light brown hair tied into a ponytail.

Wait...a ponytail?

A twig snapped underneath her shoe. Julia took care not to gasp, but the snap drew the figure's attention. The person swiveled around, meeting Julia's eyes with a shocked expression.

Light blue eyes. Fair skin. A light brown ponytail.

"Amara?!"

Right as she shouted, Amara sprinted further into the woods. Without any hesitation, Julia gave chase. Hikaru and Karin followed suit, with the kiss Pokemon struggling to keep up, what with her short, stubby legs.

Julia couldn't believe her luck. She found Amara! Finally! She wasn't going to let her get away. Not this time! Amara ran like the wind, and Julia was just a few feet behind. But she was never very good at running, so Amara sprinted ahead.

"Amara!" Julia called out to her with all the strength her vocal chords could muster. "Amara, stop! I just want to talk to you!"

Despite Julia's pleas, Amara didn't pay her any heed. She kept on running. Julia just barely managed to avoid some gnarled tree roots sticking out from the ground and took care to avoid some fallen trees. But Amara was starting to get away. Desperation ran through her veins as she pushed her legs to keep going. No! She couldn't let her go! Not when she finally found her after so long! Her legs began to burn from the inside. It was times like this she wished she could fly.

Fly…? Wait a minute! An idea popped into her head. If she herself couldn't catch her, someone else could! Julia pulled out a PokeBall. "Tsubasa! Don't let Amara get away!" Julia shouted, throwing it into the air.

Tsubasa wasted no time flying out of the PokeBall. Having heard Julia's command, the bird Pokémon charged right at Amara, her talons gripping her ponytail. Tsubasa pulled on her hair, and a pained yelp escaped her throat. The roots on her hair burned as Tsubasa pulled on her. She tried to keep running, but the bird Pokémon wouldn't budge and kept squawking loud enough for the whole forest to hear. Finally, Julia threw herself onto Amara, wrapping her arms around her waist as the two girls fell onto the ground.

"Ow!" Both of them cried out as they made contact with dirt and rocks. Julia felt a flurry of hands against her face, pushing on her. "Get off me! Get off!"

"No! I'm not letting you go this time!" Julia shouted back. Tsubasa kept her talons around Amara's ponytail, squawking right in her face in an attempt to wear her down. But Amara wasn't going to give up. Before Julia knew it, she felt the same set of hands prying her fingers off her waist. She tightened her grip, but Amara's fingers were stronger.

Finally, the older girl crawled out from underneath Julia, getting back on her feet. The latter pulled herself back up, meeting Amara's eyes for the first time in months. Instead of running away, Amara stood in place, her pale eyes wide and mouth open in an O shape. Julia found herself stunned. Her sister looked a lot different from before. Amara was wearing a grey autumn jacket, skin tight navy blue jeans, and brown boots. Looking closer, her once light brown hair had been dyed blonde, but she could still see streaks of her original hair color peeking through here and there. Her skin had tanned significantly, but not so much that Julia didn't recognize her right off, as she had seen Amara get a tan before. Her sky blue eyes were still the same, and they glared right at her with just as much indignant intensity.

"Oh, great. Just what I need," Amara hissed, her face contorting into a snarl. Tsubasa kept her talons in Amara's ponytail, intent on making sure she didn't try to run. "What part of leave me alone don't you understand?!" She yelled.

Julia wasn't surprised by that greeting. She had pretty much expected it. This time, she wasn't going to be deterred. "No, Amara. This can't go on. You can't keep getting yourself in trouble and running away," She told her, taking care to keep her voice calm and composed. As much as Amara's yelling rattled her ears, she couldn't afford to let her emotions get out of control. "Come back home, please."

"Absolutely not!" Amara snapped. "If you think I'm just gonna let you throw me in jail, you're even stupider than I thought you were! I'm one badge away from getting into the League, and you're not gonna ruin this for me!"

"You think you haven't ruined your own life already?!" Julia shrieked. "You abuse your own Pokémon! You disobey basic battling rules and you haven't done anything to get off the blacklist! Don't you ever stop to think?! Haven't you ever considered that the League might not even let you in at all?! I'm sure the people running it aren't stupid!"

In that moment, Amara fell silent. She made good points. Amara had won all the badges through battling—any she didn't steal, that is—and she was banned from owning Pokémon and battling in general. Who's to say the people running the League wouldn't know about her crimes? She balled her hands into fists. She really hadn't thought about any of this. All this time, she never even gave the actual Pokémon League's potential rules and security measures a second thought.

"Amara. Please, turn yourself in," Julia pleaded softly. "It's not too late. It'll be better for you if you make the effort to do what the courts told you to do in the first place. The chances that you can get off the blacklist and fulfill your dream of battling in the League will be higher if you cooperate. I'm sure it'll take a few years before you get off, but I know it'll be worth it in the end! Mom and Dad miss you. I miss you. We just want you to stop all this. Please, come home."

Amara's glare didn't soften, but Julia didn't care about that now. She knew the sister she knew and loved was still in there somewhere. She just had to be. But at the same time, she knew Amara still committed serious crimes and needed to take responsibility for them. Just because she loved her sister didn't mean she could use that as an excuse to let her run wild and potentially commit more crimes. Julia cared about her, and if she let her go now, it would mean she didn't care enough to do the right thing. If forcing her to turn herself in meant ripping her family apart, then so be it. If she succeeded and Amara hated her for it forever, that was fine, too. But it was high time Amara faced the repercussions for all she had done since April.

No more running away.

As Julia expected, Amara took a step back. "And what if I say no?"

She expected that, too. Julia pulled a PokeBall out. "Then I'll turn you in by force! Battle me, Amara! If I win, I'm turning you into the police, and this whole thing ends once and for all! If you win…I think you already know the answer to that."

Once again, Amara was speechless. This was not the little sister she knew from a few months ago. No longer was she the timid crybaby who threw fits whenever she saw Pokémon battles, or if someone even mentioned them. Now here she was, not only demanding a Pokémon battle, but wagering Amara's freedom on it. She saw intense flames blazing in her sister's eyes, an unfamiliar sight that sent a shiver down her spine. Those weren't the eyes of a soft-hearted crybaby who threw tantrums over everything. This was a new person entirely. Someone stronger, more confident, and wasn't intent on letting anyone walk all over her.

Somehow, this was even more annoying than how she originally was, maybe even more so. Amara really wanted to get her off her back. Why not beat her down a little?

"Fiiiiine," Amara groaned, rolling her eyes. "Let's just get this over with."

***

The girls found an empty mountain clearing nearby, big enough to be almost the size of a whole battlefield. This time, Tsubasa had let go of Amara's ponytail and returned to Julia's side. Amara was the first to send her Pokémon out. "Beedrill, I choose you!"

Out from the PokeBall came a Beedrill, holding its stingers up in the air. Julia shivered. Of all Pokémon she could have picked, she just had to pick a poison type, the very thing she was afraid of. It was no secret in her family that Julia was terrified of poison types. Even Amara knew that. Did she do it on purpose, or was this some attempt to scare her into not going through with turning her in? Julia steeled herself, balling a hand into a fist. No way was she going to let this get her down. Besides, Beedrill, if they were alone, were relatively weak.

Plus, she had the perfect Pokemon to deal with it.

She grinned in Tsubasa's direction. "Hey, Tsubasa? Want to blow off some steam?"

Tsubasa gave an enthusiastic squawk and flew right onto the battlefield. She hadn't had the chance to battle since facing off against Clair. Now she was itching to fight, intent to go all out.

Amara swiped her hand in the air, giving the first attack. "Beedrill, use Poison Sting!"

Beedrill's stingers glowed white as it fired a flurry of needles in Tsubasa's direction. "Tsubasa! Dodge and use Wing Attack!" Julia called out.

With a loud trill, Tsubasa evaded all of the needles as she charged at the poison bee, her wings glowing in a harsh white light. She flew so fast that Beedrill had no time to react. Tsubasa's wings made contact, ramming into Beedrill's thorax, sending it into the air.

"Use Twineedle!"

Beedrill regained its composure, readying its stingers for another attack. This time, the poison bee charged at Tsubasa.

"Counter it with Quick Attack!"

Tsubasa wasted no time charging right at Beedrill again, overcome with the thrill of being able to battle and go all out against a foe. Unfortunately for Beedrill, Tsubasa was faster, and her beak managed to land a direct hit on the bee's head. The force of the impact was strong enough to send Beedrill to the ground, but the bee got right back up, it's clear wings translucent in the morning light.

"Use Double Team!"

On command, Beedrill flew through the air, glowing red as copies of itself appeared all around it. Tsubasa didn't even bother to stop flying. She rammed through every single copy without difficulty.

"Don't let it throw you off, Tsubasa!" Julia reminded her. "Cut through them with Air Slash!"

Figuring out why she wanted her to do it, Tsubasa found a moment to stop. Then she flapped her wings just once, sending several blades of air soaring across the sky. Each one of them cut through the Beedrill clones, with two of them managing to strike Beedrill head on. Once again, Beedrill couldn't keep itself steady.

Amara growled at the sight of her Beedrill losing. "Nnngh! You are NOT gonna beat me!" She yelled. "Beedrill, use Poison Jab! No mercy!"

Beating its wings, Beedrill regained composure, turning its stingers a bright purple hue. The poison bee charged at Tsubasa, repeatedly stabbing her in the back with its stingers. Not enough to draw blood, but still hard enough to make it hurt. Tsubasa cried out as a burning pain surged through her body. She kept flapping her wings in an attempt to throw off Beedrill, but this time, the poison bee didn't budge.

Even so, Julia had an idea.

"Tsubasa! Grab Beedrill with your talons and use Twister!" Julia cried out.

The bird Pokemon found an opening and grabbed Beedrill's leg with one of her talons. Even though her body burned from the lingering attacks, she was not going to go down easy. Not like this! With Beedrill caught in her grasp, Tsubasa began flying in circles, generating a huge funnel of air that completely swallowed them both. The swirling tornado reached high into the sky, and the force of the wind made both Amara and Julia hold their hands in front of their faces to keep dirt and debris out of their eyes.

"Come on! Get out of there, stupid Beedrill!" Amara barked.

Julia glared. Of course she'd continue to call her Pokemon names and insult them. She wasn't even surprised at this point. But that still didn't make it right. Hearing that only made Julia more determined to win, if only so she could turn Amara in and have her remember to treat Pokemon-her own Pokemon, at that-with love and respect, whether they won a battle or not. Despite Beedrill's best efforts to break free, Tsubasa's grip was too strong on its spindly leg. Not even pushing its stingers into Tsubasa's fur did any good. It didn't help that spinning so much was making Beedrill's vision blur, and it could feel a bad headache coming on.

"You go, girl!" Julia cheered. Now for the finishing blow. "Throw it down and use Wing Attack!"

On command, Tsubasa stopped spinning, threw Beedrill down to the ground with great force, and finally rammed her wings into its thorax. The two of them found themselves falling to the ground, and once they made contact, an explosion of dirt billowed into the sky, making the tornado dissipate. The dirt cloud faded soon after, with Tsubasa flying right out of it with only a few scratches and bumps. On the other hand, Beedrill was at the very bottom of a small crater, its red eyes completely dark, and one of its legs was twitching.

Everyone could see that Beedrill was in no condition to fight.

"Uugh!" Amara hissed, wasting no time recalling Beedrill back to its PokeBall.

"You did it, Tsubasa!" Julia cheered, jumping up and down with glee. She had managed to defeat one of Amara's Pokemon without much difficulty. Beaming with pride, Tsubasa stuck out her chest and folded her wings.

"Pijooooo!" ("I'm not the strongest Pidgeotto for nothing!") Tsubasa trilled.

"You haven't won yet!" Amara snapped, pulling out another PokeBall. "Go, Shuckle!"

Amara's next Pokemon was a yellow turtle with a round, red shell dotted with white rimmed holes. Shuckle popped its head out from its shell, looking around the battlefield. "Shuckle."

Julia could only stare in bewilderment. Of all Pokemon, Amara caught a Shuckle? Sure, Julia herself liked them. She always found them cute, but most of the Shuckle she met at the ranch were very docile and timid, preferring to hide than fight. Shuckle was the least threatening Pokemon one could ever encounter. Why would Amara want to catch something so cute? She always preferred strong looking Pokemon. But she knew not to underestimate it and judge by its looks. It didn't help that Shuckle was part rock type, so it had a partial type advantage against Tsubasa, assuming it even knew any rock type moves.

But standing here thinking wasn't going to end this battle. This time, Julia called the first attack. "Tsubasa, use Air Slash!"

Tsubasa's wings glowed white again. She flapped them once, sending blades of air that sliced through the sky.

"Withdraw," Amara uttered.

Shuckle retracted its head and limbs, hiding in its shell. The air blades struck Shuckle in all directions, disappearing on contact. Seconds later, Shuckle popped back out of its shell, looking no worse for wear.

"Alright then! Use Wing Attack!" Julia cried out.

Growing annoyed by the lack of damage on Shuckle's body, Tsubasa charged right at the mold Pokemon head on, slamming right into its shell. But Shuckle didn't move at all, not even to go back inside its shell.

"Use Wrap!"

The mold Pokemon wasted no time wrapping its slimy limbs around Tsubasa body, clinging to her like a parasite. Tsubasa wriggled and writhed in Shuckle's grasp, flailing her talons and flapping her wings with every movement she could make. But despite how soft and slimy Shuckle's limbs were, its grip on her was iron hard, and nothing Tsubasa did managed to make it let go.

"Tsubasa, get out of there! You can do it!" Julia cried out.

"Fat chance!" Amara hissed. "Shuckle! Power Trick, then Rock Slide!

For just a brief moment, Shuckle's body glowed in a blue light. Then, a white, ovular light appeared just above them, and a rain of large rocks came crashing down. Knowing what was to come, Shuckle retracted its head back into its shell. In contrast, Tsubasa squawked and made another futile attempt to free herself. But Shuckle's grip was too tight, and the rocks piled onto the both of them, neither Pokemon having made their escape. Julia's hands flew to her eyes, covering them. She didn't dare look. All she could hear was Tsubasa's pained pleas for help, and every blow was like a slap in the face to her. It didn't take long for the rocks to disappear. Slowly, Julia removed her hands from her eyes. Shuckle had let go of Tsubasa, who was completely unconscious at this point. Her leg and right wing twitched as she lay face up on the ground.

Tsubasa was out of the battle. She was too tired to even protest or get back into the fight. Julia was quick to call her back to her PokeBall. "It's alright, Tsubasa. You did great."

A loss on each side. Both were down to five Pokemon. Julia had to admit, she had severely underestimated Shuckle, especially now that she learned that it knew Power Trick, an ability that switches a Pokemon's attack and defense powers. Shuckle were known for having high defense and low attack. Switching them around could make this cute, innocent-looking turtle into a living nightmare.

Not only that, Julia realized she didn't have any Pokémon that could stand up to it. Blossom was a grass type, and with Shuckle's dual bug and rock typing, she wouldn't be able to do much. The same with Twilight, Lavinia, and Hikaru. The only Pokémon she had who could possibly stand up to it was Karin, and Julia had never used her in a battle before. She didn't know if Karin had any battle experience at all, and for all she knew, Shuckle might be really strong. She wished she hadn't transferred Aqua or Lucretia back to her house. Aqua had a type advantage, and Lucretia's special attacks could at least help get around Shuckle's high defense. But the more she thought about Shuckle—its weaknesses, lack of physical movement, and a potential strategy against it—the more she realized Karin was her only option. It was a risk she had to take.

"Karin! I choose you!"

Julia sent Karin out from her PokeBall. The kiss Pokémon looked around, looking rather bewildered. "Karin, have you ever battled with any Pokémon before?" Julia asked.

Karin nodded. "Smoochum smoochum!" ("Yep! I fought a few Pokemon! But I'm not super strong.")

Well, that confirmed she had some battle experience. Julia steeled herself. If she played her cards just right, she might have a chance at defeating Shuckle before it could become a real threat. But she didn't want to overestimate Karin's abilities and strength, either.

"Let's do this, then! Karin, use Sweet Kiss!"

Karin blew a kiss in Shuckle's direction, which took the form of a glowing red heart. "Hide in your shell!" Shuckle was quick to pull its head into its shell. The kiss made contact with its shell and disappeared.

"Well, that didn't work," Julia said.

"Tch! Pathetic," Amara hissed. "Shuckle, use Sludge Bomb!"

"Shuckle!" The mold Pokemon began firing a barrage of poisonous spheres in Karin's direction.

"Freeze them with Powder Snow!"

Karin took in a deep breath before exhaling a huge gust of sparkling powder. Once the attacks made contact, the sludge bombs all turned to ice, falling to the ground, completely useless. Not a single one shattered when they made contact with the dirt. Wait a minute…the cogs in Julia's brain were turning. Maybe she could use those.

"Karin, use Confusion to lift the ice balls, then throw them at Shuckle!" Julia called out.

While not quite sure what Julia was planning, Karin carried out the order. Her eyes glowed an eerie purple. The same light enveloped all of the icy spheres. Lifting her hands upward, Karin made the ice balls float into the air before throwing them in Shuckle's direction. Shuckle was still inside its shell, so it barely felt a thing. All of the ice balls shattered upon making contact. But Julia looked closer. Some of the smaller shards slipped into the holes in Shuckle's shell.

"Shuckleeeeeee!" A piercing cry echoed from inside Shuckle's shell. Not long after, Shuckle's head and appendages all popped right out, with Shuckle shivering and crying out from the sudden decrease in temperature. Amara's jaw dropped in bewilderment.

"What the heck did you just do?!" Amara yelped, her face crimson with indignant fury.

"I had Karin make the inside of Shuckle's shell a little colder than usual," Julia answered, beaming with pride. Now was the chance to attack. "Karin! Hurry and use Confusion again! This time on Shuckle itself!"

Once again, Karin's large eyes glowed purple, but only for a brief second this time. Then, Karin shot small, circular rays in Shuckle's direction. With Shuckle still reeling from the coldness in its shell, it was unable to compose itself enough to dodge the attack. The circular rays struck Shuckle head on, though the mold Pokemon's heavy shell kept it in place. But before long, Shuckle found itself seeing double, and it felt strangely lightheaded.

Noticing Shuckle's slowed movements, Julia grinned. "Yes!" She exclaimed, folding her hands into fists. "Shuckle's confused!"

"Rrrgh!" Amara growled. She couldn't believe this battle was turning in Julia's favor. "Snap out of it, Shuckle! You can't let yourself be beat by a puny Pokemon like that!" She shouted.

The mold Pokemon barely heard a thing its trainer was saying. Its yellow head kept swaying from side to side.

"Use Pound!"

As ordered, Karin ran up to the confused Shuckle and began whacking its head with her stubby hands. She pummeled the poor mold Pokemon without mercy, not giving it time to recover in between slaps. Julia smiled. Good. This way, Shuckle won't be able to compose itself enough to attack. If she kept this up, she could possibly beat Shuckle without having to deal with any devious tricks that might turn the battle in Amara's favor.

"Come on! Snap out of it!" Amara yelled. "Use Rock Slide!"

"Powder Snow!"

Julia prayed that Karin beat Shuckle to the attack. Karin was part ice-type, so she was still weak against rock-type moves. If Rock Slide hit her, she'd be out of the battle in no time. She knew ice moves weren't particularly strong against a rock and bug type, but any attack that could land a dent on it was better than nothing at all. Shuckle finally snapped itself out of its stupor and raised its limp arms into the air, readying its attack. Luckily, Karin unleashed another breath of fresh powder, letting it sweep across the mold Pokemon. Shuckle was hit with a blast of cold, the light above its head vanishing in an instant.

Eventually, the Powder Snow dissipated, and despite Shuckle's best efforts to stay up, its yellow appendages went completely limp. With the added flourish of a groan, Shuckle's head plopped right down to the ground, unable to move an inch. It had finally been taken down.

"Yay! You did it, girl!" Julia cheered, jumping up and down. Karin followed suit, hopping around her part of the field like she had too much coffee.

Amara's face contorted into a snarl as she called Shuckle back to its PokeBall. "Ugh. This guy was a weakling after all, and I heard they were sooooo strong, too," She complained, shoving the PokeBall in her jacket pocket before pulling out another one. "Don't get full of yourself just because you beat two of my Pokemon!"

Ignoring her sister's remark, Julia said nothing. Now it was two to one. "Fearow, you're up!"

Out from the PokeBall appeared a Fearow, at least two feet taller than Karin, but from the latter's perspective, the bird Pokemon still seemed to dwarf her in size. Fearow gave Karin the stink eye, and the kiss Pokemon backed away five feet. This bird sure was scary-looking. The cogs were turning in Julia's head once more. Even though Fearow was a flying type, therefore weak against ice, it was still much stronger than Karin. There was no way Karin could win this one.

Julia pulled out Karin's PokeBall. "Retu-!"

"No substitutions!" Amara yelled. "Nobody switches their Pokemon out!" She swung her arm outward. "Fearow, use Aerial Ace!"

Fearow wasted no time ascending into the air in a circular arc before diving back down. Karin attempted to run, but her stubby legs couldn't carry her fast enough. It took seconds for Fearow's beak to make contact, striking Karin with such force that she was sent rolling across the ground. Julia recoiled when Karin fell mere centimeters away from her, but more than that, her face blazed red as she shot an indignant glare back at Amara.

"What's with you?!" Julia shouted. "You can't decide what rules are in place in the middle of a Pokemon battle! If you wanted there to be no substitutions, you should have said so from the beginning!" If there was one thing Julia hated, it was unexpected changes. She didn't outright hate them, but she liked to follow the rules and know what was set in stone from the beginning. Having them not be mentioned until much later threw her off, both physically and mentally. Why was Amara suddenly deciding that nobody switch out their Pokemon now of all times? She hadn't mentioned it when Julia challenged her, and at least in official Pokemon battles, challengers were told of whatever rules were being enforced right before the battle started.

All Julia got in response was Amara waving her hand dismissively, as if she didn't want to bother. "Just shut up, will you? I am not taking orders from a brat!"

Karin staggered back to her feet, refusing to back down. But Julia could tell her friend was in trouble. Her legs were shaking, and she could see a big red mark on her abdomen. She wanted to switch her out right then and there. After all, Amara wasn't the one who challenged Julia, so she had no business trying to order her around and act like she was the one making the rules around here. Then again, when did she ever listen to anyone over the past year?

Screw it! Julia pulled Karin's PokeBall out. "Return, Karin!"

"Oh, no you don't! Pursuit!" Amara cried.

Before the red light from Julia's PokeBall hit Karin, Fearow jabbed her beak right onto the kiss Pokemon's head. Karin let out a yelp before she was returned to her PokeBall. Deja vu hit Julia right there. This was the stunt Caiseal had Ravenclaw pull on Fergus's Politoed in order to defeat it. Was Karin alright? She sent Karin back out again, only to find the kiss Pokemon lying face first on the ground, mouth hanging open, unable to move an inch.

Just like that, Karin was out of the battle. She put the kiss Pokemon back in her PokeBall just as quickly. "Sorry, girl. You get a good rest. You still did a great job," She whispered reassuringly, swapping her ball out for another one.

Amara crossed her arms, sneering at her. "You really need to get better at thinking on your feet."

Julia snarled right back. "Who are you to tell me what to do?! You're the one trying to throw me off! You can't just set a battle's rules right in the middle of it! There's a reason challengers don't battle until they're enforced at the beginning, y'know!"

Amara's hand hit her face at full force. "This is what I hate about you! You always want things to be a certain way! Can't you get a clue already?!" She hissed spitefully. "The world doesn't revolve around you!"

Leave it to Amara to do something she shouldn't, shift the blame, and then have the audacity to claim Julia was just bring a brat. Julia wasn't even surprised by this point. She had the perfect Pokemon to use for this one, and she was sure this one would be more than happy to let off some steam for the both of them. "Twilight, you're up!"

Twilight the Ponyta came bounding out from her PokeBall, giving a hearty neigh as she lifted her hooves in the air, ready for battle. Amara's eyebrows shot up.

"Whoa. Where'd you get a Ponyta with a prosthetic leg?" She asked, the bitterness and anger that tinged her voice replaced with genuine curiosity.

The younger girl was in no mood for answering. Instead, she called the first attack. "Twilight, use Flame Wheel!"

Hooves drummed on the ground as Twilight made her way across the path. Flames enveloped her whole being, burning as she picked up the pace.

"Dodge and use Aerial Ace!" Amara cried.

Fearow effortlessly flew into the air as soon as Twilight got close, flying in a circular arc, just like before. With a harsh squawking noise, Fearow readied itself and descended downward, charging right at the fire horse.

"Hit it right back!" Julia exclaimed.

Once Fearow got close enough, Twilight found an opening and rammed her blazing body right into the bird's face. Because Fearow was going so fast, it wasn't able to react in time to dodge, so it could only shriek in pain as Twilight's flames singed the whole front of its body as a result of the impact. But the bird Pokemon got back on the ground, quickly regaining its composure.

"Darn it! Fearow, use Drill Run!"

With a loud squawk, Fearow's beak turned orange, the bird began to spin around rapidly. Fearow took to the sky and charged at the fire horse Pokemon once more. Julia shivered. Drill Run was a ground type move, and fire was weak to ground. Thankfully, she did know one attack that could stop it in its tracks.

"Twilight, use Fire Spin!" Julia cried.

Twilight's tail flared up as she let out a swirling funnel of fire, trapping the bird Pokemon in a fiery blaze. The cone shaped light around its beak dissipated as Fearow's entire being was encased in fire. Any attempt to break from the fiery cyclone only exacerbated the burning sensations that wracked its body inside and out.

"Get out of there with Aerial Ace again!" Amara shouted.

In spite of the pain that overwhelmed it with every movement, Fearow managed to regain its composure and charged through the flames, finally breaking out from the fiery cyclone. Then, Fearow lunged right at Twilight, ramming its beak into her side and sending her skidding across the ground. Twilight's diamond hard hooves remained firmly planted onto the ground, keeping her from losing her balance. Despite the impact, when Fearow backed away, Twilight simply shrugged it off.

"You okay, Twi?" Julia asked, concerned. Twilight gave a reassuring nod. She wasn't going to back down to the likes of a skinny-looking bird.

"Hit it with Fury Attack!"

Fearow readied its beak and repeatedly pecked at Twilight, who dodged every move with grace, swiftly moving from side to side. Amara had to admit, this Ponyta was pretty impressive. Even with a prosthetic leg, it was still adept at dodging Fearow's attacks, and it wasn't even breaking a sweat in doing so.

"Tackle it, Twilight!" Julia called out.

Having found an opening, Twilight rammed herself against Fearow, sending it to the ground. But she knew Fearow had the advantage of flight. If she took to the sky again, things would get tricky. They both needed to keep Fearow from flying in the air. As soon as Fearow tried to lift its wings, Twilight pressed one of her hooves down onto its left wing, trapping it in place. Fearow retaliated by unleashing another Fury Attack on Twilight's body, but the fire horse wasn't taking the bait. As far as she was concerned, this attack didn't hurt at all.

"Now use Stomp!"

Twilight used her other hoof to stomp down on Fearow's back, further pinning it to the ground, only she lifted it up and pressed it back down. Up and down, up and down, repeating the same pattern multiple times. Fearow could only shriek as the sheer weight and hardness of Twilight's hooves weighed heavy on its body. If Twilight had stomped on Fearow any harder, she could have easily crushed its organs and broke its bones.

"Come on, Fearow! You're stronger than that!" Amara shrieked. "Use Roost!"

Roost? Julia's eyes widened. A healing move. If Fearow healed itself now…she had to act fast. The next attack might not work, but it was better than nothing.

"Hypnosis!"

Twilight's eyes glowed in an eerie purple color. Fearow met Twilight's eyes in that moment, and just as it was about to heal itself, its vision blurred and lethargy set in. Fearow couldn't keep its eyes open. Before long, it had no energy. Fearow's eyes closed themselves, and its head slumped to the ground. Amara could only growl and shake her fists up and down. She couldn't believe this was happening. This Ponyta had gotten the upper hand, when Fearow could have easily managed to beat this thing in two hits. Not only that, Julia was smiling. Amara had never seen Julia look so enthusiastic about a Pokemon battle before. What changed her mind about them?

"Alright! Let's finish this! Use Stomp again!" Julia called out.

Like before, Twilight pressed her hooves into Fearow, only this time she stomped on the bird's wings to make them immobile. Again, she was careful enough not to break any bones. After a while, Twilight ceased her attack, backing away. Amara could only watch as Fearow lay there on the ground, helpless, immobile, and dead asleep. There was no way Fearow could continue battling in this state. On the other side, Julia cheered once more, and Twilight followed suit, braying and raising her front hooves into the air.

"Great job, Twi! You really nailed that Fearow!"

Amara could only cringe as she called Fearow back to its PokeBall. Now she was down three Pokemon, with only half her team left. Julia still had four Pokemon to use. How was this possible? A strange feeling lurched in her chest.

"…You've really changed."

"Huh?" Despite how loud her cheering was earlier; Julia was able to hear Amara's low voice just fine. She saw Amara ball one of her hands into a fist, and, just barely, her lower lip quivering.

"I don't get it. When and how did you get so strong?" Amara asked, her voice shaky and unsteady. "Before all this, you'd completely freak at the idea of seeing Pokemon battle, let alone hearing people talk about them. What made you change your mind about them?"

For once, the hostility that normally permeated Amara's voice wasn't there. It seemed like the old Amara had returned. She was right: Before her journey, Julia would never have watched any Pokemon battles at all, much less participating in them herself. But she didn't have to think too hard about the answer.

"Do you remember that really bad day I had in second grade once?" Julia asked, countering Amara's question with one of her own. "When some kid let some Pokemon loose in a storage shed and locked me in there as they were battling? The one that was set on fire? I think Mom and Dad told you about it once. Right?"

Amara was silent for all but a few minutes. "Yeah, I do remember hearing about it. You were a complete wreck for weeks afterward," Flashes of a seven-year-old Julia doing nothing but cry and be afraid of absolutely everything, especially seeing Pokemon battles on TV, flickered in her mind. She hadn't thought about that incident in a long time. Amara hadn't been there herself, so she didn't see first hand what Julia had went through.

"To be honest, whenever I saw Pokemon battles, in real life or on TV, I always got scared," Julia explained. "Seeing them made me feel like I was right back in that storage shed, completely trapped and unable to escape. In the back of my mind, I probably knew Pokemon weren't battling for the sake of being violent and killing each other, just for sport. But no matter how hard I tried to remind myself that, the incident kept replaying in my head and I couldn't turn it off. Some days I could still smell the flames, even when there wasn't a fire."

Again, Amara said nothing. She could only take it all in one bit of information at a time.

"Then one time, when I was in Violet City, not too long after I left New Bark Town...someone lent me a book about Pokemon battles, and I decided to learn more about them. I even participated in some battles as a way to maybe finally tell that awful memory to shut up and stop tormenting me," She continued on. "It was then that I realized...I couldn't let what happened in that storage shed hold me back forever. If I were to eventually catch up to you, I knew I'd inevitably wind up having to battle you, since trying to talk to you never worked. I guess...in a way, you helped me finally face my fear of battles."

Despite her calm demeanor, even Julia found herself shocked by what she was saying. It hit her right then and there: Everything she said was true. Everything that had happened to her, and the choices she made, was all because of Amara. Amara was the reason why Julia left on her journey in the first place. Perhaps Amara herself was the boost Julia needed to finally get out into the world and see it with her own eyes instead of hiding in her comfort zone at home. How would Julia have turned out if she hadn't decided to go after Amara all on her own? Would she still be that scared girl who wanted to stay with her parents and spend her days at school being picked on by other kids? Would she even have met Perrine and Caiseal? Two people who gave her a chance and made an effort to see her for who she was and didn't dismiss her as just some weird kid who'd embarrass them with their odd ways?

She knew one thing for sure: She didn't regret her decision to leave one bit.

Amara clenched her teeth. "Well, let's see how you like battling when I beat you down!" She threw another PokeBall into the air. "Go, Gligar!"

A white light shot out from the capsule, materializing into a pink, bat-like Pokemon with long, triangular ears, large teeth protruding from its upper jaw, and with large, crab-like pincers serving as its hands. In between its arms were two blue wing membranes, each tipped with a pink claw. At the very tip of its tail was a small stinger.

"Gligaaah!" Gligar growled, holding its pincers up as if daring Twilight to attack it. The fire horse turned her head away from it, not falling for its ploy. Julia pursed her lips together as she pulled out her PokeDex.

"Gligar, the fly scorpion Pokemon. Gligar are capable of flying through the air without making a sound, as if it were sliding. They typically build their nests on steep cliffs as a way to spot prey from high in the air. When it happens upon prey, they spread their wings and glide downward to attack, attaching themselves to the target's face and then clamping down on the startled victim to inject them with poison, using the barb at the tip of its tail."

'I certainly don't want to get attacked by that kind of Pokemon,' Julia thought, still shivering just from looking at it. It technically wasn't a poison type, but the fact that it knew poison type attacks made her nervous. The stinger on its tail was certainly nothing to sneeze at. There was another thing to consider as well: Gligar was part ground type, therefore strong against fire. Twilight's Solar Beam attack wouldn't do much to it since it was part flying as well. The only Pokemon that even remotely could stand up to it was Karin, and she was knocked out.

"Can you go on, Twilight?"

Twilight gave a huff and a nod.

"I'm not letting you get the first attack this time!" Amara shrieked. "Gligar, use Slash!"

Gligar's pincers glowed white as the fly scorpion charged towards Twilight.

"Counter it with Flame Wheel!"

Encasing herself in fire, Twilight charged right back. The two attacks collided, and Gligar yelped when its pincer made contact with the flames. It didn't leave any burns, but the pain was still enough to make Gligar recoil backwards, as the heat nearly pierced its hide. This allowed Twilight the chance to ram right into it, sending it rolling across the ground. But Gligar got back on its feet just as quickly as it fell.

It was then that Julia noticed everything around her was darker than usual. Shadows blended into the environment as if they were part of it. She looked up. Thick, grey clouds traversed across the sky, completely obscuring the sun, and the air felt heavier than it did this morning. Was it about to rain? Julia hoped it wouldn't, but those dark clouds could be anything. She silently chastised herself for not having brought an umbrella or a raincoat with her. But she reminded herself to focus on the battle. If she let herself get distracted now, Amara could slip away again.

"Tackle it, girl!"

"Use Sand Attack!"

Once again, Twilight charged at the fly scorpion at full speed. Gligar dredged its pincers in the ground and began throwing dirt in all directions. Since the sand didn't fly too high, Twilight was able to avoid getting any in her eyes, and it helped that she was taller than Gligar. But before she could ram into it again, Gligar used its tail as a spring and hopped into the air, with Twilight running right past it.

"Screech!"

Julia's hands instinctively flew to her ears, shielding them from the awful shrieking noise Gligar made. The fly scorpion let out a shrill, ear-splitting cry that cut through to everyone's ear drums. Even Twilight couldn't find it in herself to move. The screech sent harsh vibrations all through her body, and she was sure she could feel the vertebrae in her spine shuddering. One of her legs buckled, and the fire horse found herself to the ground.

Amara smirked. "Oh yeah! It worked! Now latch onto Ponyta's face!"

Finally, the screeching noise stopped. Twilight managed to conjure up enough energy to shake her head, but the minute she stopped, something thick and purple suddenly latched itself onto her face. Pincers dug into her neck, sending jolts of pain through her, exacerbating her distress from earlier. Twilight gave a pained whinny as she flailed around miserably, hopping and jumping all over the place, shaking her head in a futile attempt to get Gligar off. Unfortunately for her, Gligar's grip was strong.

"Twilight!" Julia's hands nearly flew to her mouth.

"Now use Poison Jab!"

Gligar flashed a mischievous grin as it readied its stinger. The tip of its tail glowed in a harsh purple light. Gligar wasted no time stabbing Twilight's neck with its stinger. It didn't let go even as Twilight whinnied louder than she had ever done in this entire battle. Mission complete, Gligar finally let go, flying back to Amara's side. Twilight fell to the ground, the open hole in her neck turning the skin around it a nasty shade of purple. The fire horse could barely stand up. Stinging, burning sensations wracked her large, sturdy frame, and moving was near impossible. Any movement she attempted made her muscles tighten up.

"Twilight-!"

"Alright, Gligar! Finish it with another Slash attack!" Amara shouted.

In spite of the pain, Twilight staggered back to her feet, her dark eyes blazing with a determined intensity that told Julia that she was not going to lose. Not to this puny thing. Twilight was gonna beat this thing or, if she lost, take it down with her. Julia knew exactly how she wanted this to go down.

"Give it all you got, Twilight! Use Flame Wheel, full power!" Julia cried.

With another loud bray, Twilight exploded in a sphere of flames as she charged right at Gligar. The attacks collided, and fire flew in all directions. The girls were quick to get out of the way, taking care not to get burnt from the fall out. Eventually, the flames dissipated, and both Pokemon were lying on the ground, immobile and unconscious. A double knockout.

Amara fell to her knees, her light blue eyes wide as saucers and her mouth hanging open rather ungracefully. How in the world was this happening? She trained her Pokemon to be as strong as they could be, as hard as she could. She made no effort to ease up on the gas, and yet...she was losing to her kid sister! The same little sister who only months ago hated Pokemon battles of any kind. Amara was supposed to be the strong one. She had beaten her many times before. True, they were still somewhat evenly matched, with Amara having two Pokemon left and Julia still having three, but Amara was sure she could predict who would be the victor...and it made her blood boil red hot. Both girls recalled their fallen Pokemon.

"Amara?" Julia asked aloud, hoping her sister was okay.

Silently, Amara got back on her feet, wasting no time sending out her next Pokemon. "Feraligatr! Don't you dare lose! Do you hear me?!"

"Hikaru! Show her what you're made of!"

Hikaru readied herself as soon as she hit the battlefield. Feraligatr towered over the tiny mouse, maw open, displaying sharp teeth that looked as though they could cut through flesh and bone. But Hikaru couldn't sense any malice in this creature, who had once been a young Totodile. Something about its gaze and stance seemed...friendly, like it didn't really want to fight. But the yellow mouse steeled herself, knowing they'd have to battle regardless of their feelings on the matter.

"Let's finish this, Hikaru!" Julia exclaimed. "Kick it off with Volt Tackle!"

Hikaru made a mad dash across the craggy mountain ground, gaining speed with every step she ran. Electricity flared from her entire being, completely consuming her, creating a near blinding flash as she charged right at the big jaw Pokemon.

"Blow it away with Hydro Pump!" Amara yelled.

Feraligatr used one second to puff up its cheeks, then another second to fire a huge stream of pressurized water right at Hikaru. Thankfully, despite the force of the attack, Hikaru cut through the water with ease. Once she got close enough, she leaped into the air and rammed right into Feraligatr's abdomen. The impact took the air out of Feraligatr's lungs, rendering it unable to breathe for just a moment. Just as quickly, Hikaru was back on the ground with a large mark on her head. Recoil from the attack, but the mouse wasn't bothered a bit, even though her fur was sopping wet.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Julia commanded.

Once again, Hikaru sprinted towards the blue bipedal alligator, only this time, she didn't have electricity all over her. The speed at which she ran helped pull the moisture out of her fur.

"Counter with Slash!"

With a great roar, Feraligatr's claw glowed as it raised its hand in the air, ready to strike when Hikaru got close. Once she attempted to leap and ram into its stomach again, Feraligatr swiftly lowered its arm, its claws scraping Hikaru's body with such strength that it sent her flying across the ground. She was quick to regain her stance.

"You okay, girl?" Julia asked, her voice echoing with concern.

Hikaru shook off any dirt that got in her fur, looked towards her trainer, and flashed a thumbs up. "Pika pika!"

Amara gnashed her teeth again. "Use Slash again!"

"Dodge it, Hikaru!"

Feraligatr chased the electric mouse all around, slamming its claw into the ground whenever it was close. Being smaller and more agile, Hikaru dodged every attack, resulting in the big jaw Pokemon to leave big claw marks on the dirt. At one point, Hikaru landed on a rock. Feraligatr threw its claw down, and as Hikaru jumped away, the claw smashed the rock to smithereens, with pieces of it flying everywhere. Seeing an opportunity, Hikaru smacked some of the bigger pieces with her tail like it was a baseball bat, sending them right into Feraligatr's face. Unused to being pelted with rocks, Feraligatr let out a pained yelp, using its large hands to cover its face, recoiling from the barrage.

"Woohoo!" Julia cheered, jumping up and down. "You go, Hikaru! That was a good one!"

Unlike her little sister, Amara's face was beet red, and she bared her teeth as she yelled, "Get over it and attack that thing, you dumb alligator! Use Hydro Pump!"

Once it recovered from the onslaught, Feraligatr took a breath before firing another stream of pressurized water at Hikaru. Again, the electric mouse dodged the torrential attack by leaping on various rocks and outcroppings circling the mountain.

"Thunderbolt!"

Hikaru shrieked as she sent a flurry of lightning sparks towards the big jaw Pokemon. Because it was slow to put a stop to its own attack, the thunder managed to strike it head on, sending searing, burning pain throughout its body. Feraligatr's muscles convulsed, and black spots dotted its vision from the electrocution. Before long, the attack dissipated, and Feraligatr found itself swaying from side to side unsteadily, its limbs feeling like they were being poked with a million pins and needles.

"Come on!" Amara complained, stamping her foot into the ground. "You're way stronger than that little mouse!"

The big jaw Pokemon came to its senses upon hearing this, shaking its head to get back to the battle.

"Now, Ice Fang!"

"Volt Tackle again, Hikaru!"

Like before, Hikaru let out a shriek, running across the field as electricity sparked all across her body. Feraligatr opened its huge maw, teeth glowing light blue as it charged towards the mouse with vigor. But neither attack would make contact. Suddenly, a huge blast of white energy shot out from the sky, cutting through the ground with such force that it sent chunks of stones and debris flying everywhere. It cut right between Feraligatr and Hikaru, preventing their attacks from making contact. Hikaru stopped running, but the attack was enough to send her flying across the field. Feraligatr simply ran backward at least five steps, evading the blast's range. Julia managed to catch Hikaru with her arms just in time, preventing her from getting any injuries, but she kept her eyes closed to keep debris out of her eyes. Amara simply held an arm over her face as a great gust of wind blew in her direction.

After a few minutes, both girls opened their eyes. When they saw what was once their battlefield, their mouths fell wide open in shock. A huge fissure split the ground in two, with the opening bordering on at least six or seven feet long.

"...What the heck was that?!" Amara yelled, immediately sending a glare in Julia's direction. "Did one of your Pokemon do this or something?!"

Julia shook her head. "No way! None of them can do something like this, I swear!" She protested. She didn't even know what that was, so how could any of her Pokemon have done this?

Before the girls could argue further, a piercing, animalistic howl echoed in the sky. Down from the thick clouds came a large, silvery white bird with long, outstretched wings and dark blue plates on its back and eyes. Julia could make out a light blue underbelly and navy blue protrusions on its tail. The Pokemon soared right over them, faster than an Arcanine's graceful sprints. But the girls could only stare in awe of the majestic beast.

"Are you seeing this?!"

"I sure am!" Julia yanked out her PokeDex as Amara put Feraligatr back in its PokeBall.

"Lugia, the diving Pokemon. Lugia is considered one of the most powerful Pokemon in the world. Even the tiniest flap of its wings has been known to turn houses to rubble and cause storms that last for over forty days. Because of its overwhelming strength, Lugia prefer to spend their days in the deepest depths of the ocean, only appearing when storms are brewing. However, Lugia also has the power to calm these storms, and because of this, early Johtoans have worshipped it, calling it the guardian of the sea, alongside Ho-Oh, who is the guardian of the skies. Although Lugia are confirmed to be genderless, they are capable of reproducing, and researchers have confirmed the existence of Lugia nests containing chicks, hidden deep in the Whirl Islands."

Lugia...a legendary Pokemon. Julia couldn't believe her eyes. She had always seen Lugia in pictures or read about it in books, but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined ever seeing one in person. Now, both she and Amara were staring right at it. Was Lugia responsible for that attack earlier? Questions sprouted in her mind like a Frenzy Plant attack. What was a Pokemon like Lugia doing here? Didn't it usually live in the ocean? Why did it nearly kill them with that attack? It didn't take long for all of those questions to be answered. Just above Lugia was what looked to be a black airship. A shudder wracked Julia's body in that moment.

She knew that airship.

Just as it appeared, Lugia fired a beam of light at it. The airship swerved to the right, evading the attack with ease. Lugia let out a shriek afterward, and Julia the diving Pokemon loud and clear. "Give my friends back, you blasted Pokemon Hunter! Let them go!"

Julia sprinted across the battlefield and took Amara by the hand. "We need to run! NOW!"

Before Amara could protest, Julia yanked her from her position, making a mad dash towards Mt. Silver. They couldn't stay here. That attack from earlier must have been either Lugia trying to attack J, or J firing something-one of her lasers, probably-in an attempt to capture Lugia. Whatever the case, things were getting ugly, and the sooner they left, the higher their chances of getting out of here alive. Even Hikaru was sprinting ahead, running as fast as her little legs could carry her. Julia didn't dare look behind her. She was afraid that if she did, she'd stop in her tracks and put everyone, herself included, in harm's way. Her lungs burned with every step she ran.

A large shadow darkened the path before them. Rocks erupted into explosions of debris, sending chunks of stones flying in every direction. Lugia soared right over them, as if it didn't even notice them. The whirring of an engine and pressurized air flanking them spurred Julia into running faster. A flash lit up the mountainside, and a guttural roar escaped Lugia's throat, rattling Julia's ears from the inside. One of her hands clutched Amara's like a vice grip, and she was too focused on moving her free hand up and down to cover her ear with it. Another flash blinded her, pure yellow, incinerating the treeline on her right. Leaves, bark, and wood chips erupted into a dusty spume.

They needed to find some place to hide. But where? Julia risked a glance over her shoulder. Amara was still behind her, pale blue eyes so small they looked like dots. Her ponytail was swishing wildly behind her, and her legs carried her skinny frame. Julia turned back to the path before her. Just above her, the airship was still in hot pursuit of Lugia, who flew around in circles just above them. As the two girls ran, Julia spotted a hollow opening further down the mountainous path. A hiding spot!

"Come on! Let's hide in there!" Julia shouted, pointing towards what appeared to be a cave entrance leading into Mt. Silver.

Increasing their speed, Hikaru and the girls made a mad dash for the cave. But as they went into the darkness, something hot as fire grazed them, and their nostrils are attacked by the scent of sulfur. The deafening noises of Lugia's howling and their screams are drowned out by ringing. A hand pressed hard on Julia's back, and the ground beneath her feet crumbles. The ovular cave entrance suddenly shrunk smaller and smaller, with the last thing Julia saw being the silhouette of her hand, black against the flashes of light.

And just like that, they were all swallowed by darkness.

***

Spoiler: Pokemon Teams

Julia's Party:
Hikaru (Shiny Pikachu, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thunderbolt, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle

Tsubasa (Pidgeotto, Female, Naughty Nature)
Ability: Keen Eye
Attacks: Quick Attack, Twister, Air Slash, and Feather Dance

Blossom (Bellossom, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Stun Spore, Giga Drain, Petal Blizzard, and Acid

Twilight (Ponyta, Female, Lonely Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Flame Wheel, Solar Beam, Hypnosis, and Stomp

Karin (Smoochum, Female, Impish Nature)
Ability: Forewarn
Attacks: Pound, Confusion, Powder Snow, and Sweet Kiss

Lavinia (Scyther, Female, Rash Nature)
Ability: Steadfast
Attacks: Quick Attack, Fury Cutter, Wing Attack, and Agility

Amara's Party:
Feraligatr (Male, Lonely Nature)
Ability: Torrent
Attacks: Hydro Pump, Crunch, Ice Fang, and Superpower

Beedrill (Male, Hasty Nature)
Ability: Swarm
Attacks: Rage, Poison Jab, X-Scissor, and Double Team

Fearow (Male, Timid Nature)
Ability: Sniper
Attacks: Roost, Pursuit, Aerial Ace, and Drill Run

Gengar (Male, Impish Nature)
Ability: Levitate
Attacks: Thunder Punch, Hypnosis, Shadow Claw, and Dark Pulse

Gligar (Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Hyper Cutter
Attacks: Poison Jab, Fury Cutter, Slash, and Swords Dance

Shuckle (Female, Bashful Nature)
Ability: Sturdy
Attacks: Power Trick, Rock Slide, Struggle Bug, and Withdraw

 

[Juliko]

Chapter 58: The Terrible Truth

The first thing she noticed was that something round, cold, and rugged was rubbing against her cheek, pushing it up to her nose. Her eyes peeled open to see nothing but darkness. It wasn't pitch black, as a faint sunbeam came down through a hole in the pile of rocks, brightening it up to where she could at least see her surroundings. She picked herself up from the ground and sat upright. She grimaced, not liking that dirt was getting in her clothes and meshing with her skin. Cleanliness was important to her, and to her, not being clean was too overwhelming a feeling to think much about anything else. But...

Amara! Was she alright? She quickly turned around, eyes wide with worry. There was Amara, lying right next to her. Her chest was rising and falling in tune with her silent breaths, and her light brown hair mingled with the dirt underneath her head. Julia let out a sigh of relief, falling on her rear end. She was alive! She reached a hand out to try and hug her, as her joy at seeing her sister alive was just begging to come out. But as soon as she got close, she froze in place. If Amara were to wake up and find her sister hugging her, Julia assumed she would get mad and force her off, just like she always would. At the last second, she pulled her hand back.

"Thank goodness you're okay," Julia whispered in a low voice. Then she looked around, examining Amara's body. She didn't see any significant injuries, such as bruising or lacerations, nor was there any blood. The young girl couldn't help but wonder how Amara wasn't bleeding. Surely that fall could have sliced their heads open and spilled blood. Maybe they didn't fall as far as they thought? Or maybe something broke their fall? She looked to her right. Hikaru had just gotten up, shaking her body to get the dirt off. Even in the darkness, Julia smiled when she made out her friend's orange fur.

"Hikaru!"

"Pika!" Hikaru leaped into Julia's arms with a smile.

"You're okay!" Hikaru had survived the fall as well. Julia didn't know what she'd do if Hikaru had gotten killed. She lost one Pokemon already. She didn't think she could handle losing one of her best friends again.

However they survived, Julia knew they had to get out. She put Hikaru down, stood up, and reached up toward the pile of rocks to see if she could reach them. No go, as it was just a few feet away. She walked toward the wall and put both hands and feet on the walls, wondering if she could climb it. She had to be careful, as one wrong move could send her tumbling downward. Thankfully, she managed to reach the hole by just climbing three rocks.

"Can I get out from here?" She asked herself out loud. The hole was big enough that her head could get through. It helped that despite the dark clouds outside, a sliver of light managed to get through, illuminating the cave just a little bit. But when she tried to push herself out, her shoulders couldn't squeeze through. It didn't help that the rocks felt quite heavy. They would possibly require heavy duty machines that people would use to free people from being trapped under debris. Worse than that, they were loose. She tapped her finger on one rock, and another almost fell. For all she knew, there were more on top, ready to fall at the slightest touch if she wasn't careful.

If that had happened, the hole would have closed up completely.

"Nope. Too tight. Too unstable." She croaked before pulling herself back down.

What to do? She couldn't scream for help, as from what little outside she saw, there were no houses or people nearby. Nobody would hear her. Then it hit her. She could have Tsubasa fly somewhere and get help! Perrine and Caiseal had to be nearby. They were probably worried sick about her by now. Julia was quick to pull out her PokeBall. It helped that the hole was just big enough for her to put her hand through, allowing Tsubasa to get outside easily.

"Tsubasa, come on out please," Julia said as she released the flighty bird from her PokeBall.

"Pijo!" ("What happened?!") Tsubasa trilled, stretching her wings outward.

"Amara and I are trapped under here," Julia told her.

Tsubasa cocked her head slightly, examining the pile of rocks. "Wow. You're in a big pickle alright," She warbled in a deadpan tone.

"Listen, we need your help," Julia began, her voice urgent. It was enough to make even Tsubasa pay attention. "Amara and I can't get out of here. Please, go and find someone who can get us out. You're the only one who can do it right now," She explained. "I don't care who it is. Perrine, Caiseal, the police, some random stranger, anyone's fine! Just find someone who can call for help and get us out!"

For once, Tsubasa didn't give her trainer a hard time. The situation was just too urgent for her shenanigans. Julia was right. If she, her sister, and the other Pokemon were trapped in there, anything could happen. They could starve to death, die from being exposed to the elements if mother nature was angry enough, or the rocks could cave in and crush them. Tsubasa gave her a solemn nod.

"I'll try and find someone as fast as I can. Stay put, Julia. I'll come back for you! Promise!" Tsubasa trilled. With that promise in mind, Tsubasa flapped her wings and ascended to the sky. Soon, she turned into a silhouette and raced past the trees, leaving Julia unable to see her anymore.

Part of Julia was slowly beginning to be frozen by the hands of panic. She did not like the darkness, or being trapped in the same place for very long. She yearned to just get out of here already. Just get out and leave. But another part of her reasoned that if she did anything reckless, the rocks trapping them would probably cave in and crush them. Even if she were able to get out by herself, she couldn't just leave her big sister there. This was no time for crying or panicking. She needed to have faith in Tsubasa.

"It's dark in here," She whispered. "I wish there was some way we could light this place up a little."

Hikaru's ears stood up. Light this place up? The mouse closed her eyes, balling her little hands into fists. There had to be something she could do. Anything to calm her beloved trainer and make her feel somewhat secure. Suddenly, her orange body emitted a golden glow, brightening up the inside of the hole significantly. Julia's jaw fell open. What was Hikaru doing, and how did she managed to do that?

"Hikaru! You're glowing!"

"Pi?" Hikaru looked all around herself. She really was glowing! Julia pulled out her PokeDex to see what this was.

"Hikaru, the mouse Pokemon. Special attack: Flash," The PokeDex informed her.

Flash, an ability that allowed the Pokemon to glow in a bright light, illuminating caves. Julia beamed. "Wow, Hikaru! I didn't know you could use Flash!"

Abashed by the praise, Hikaru smiled sheepishly and scratched one of her ears. "Pikapi…" ("Me neither.") Just like that, Julia's nerves began to calm.

"Urgh…" A low groan made Julia's head whirl backward. There was Amara, hoisting herself up by her arms.

"Amara!" Julia ran to her sister and helped her up. "Are you okay?"

"Somehow...yeah...I think…Oww!" Amara croaked before grimacing from a shooting pain. Julia looked down and noticed a small laceration on Amara's arm. Fresh blood trickled out from it, going down to her hand. The younger girl saw a pointed rock with some blood on it, which told her that Amara must have cut herself by accident when she fell.

"You're hurt," Julia wasted no time pulling out a bottle of water and some gauze. "Hang on a sec. I'll take care of it," The younger girl undid the cap on the bottle, pulled Amara's arm up, and poured the water on the wound.

"Hey! Watch it!" Amara yelped, the cold water freezing both her arm and the laceration. After that, Julia pulled out a napkin and wiped the remaining blood off before wrapping the gauze around it. All Amara could do was glare at her sister, even as she tenderly tended to her wound. Finally, Julia tied the final knot, securing it in place.

"There we go. You might want to not use that arm a whole lot for a while," Julia advised.

Keeping her intense glare on her sister, Amara pulled her arm back. "I could have done that by myself!" She hissed.

Julia's eyes narrowed into almond-shaped slits. 'Would it kill you to say thank you for once?' Julia thought bitterly. As much as she loved Amara, she wished that she'd actually be nice and say thanks if she did something nice for her. It didn't help that Amara was usually the one to get on Julia's case about saying please and thank you, even when it wasn't needed. But this was not the time for a sister squabble.

"Where the heck are we, anyway?" Amara asked, already losing patience.

"I don't know, but we're trapped," Julia explained. She remembered that Lugia and Hunter J's airship had interrupted their battle. She and Amara tried to run into a cave for shelter, but something knocked them out, trapping them inside. At least for now, they were out of the danger zone. Julia couldn't relax just yet, though. Caves had their own share of danger, and since they were trapped, they couldn't get out.

"I already sent my Pidgeotto out to get help, so depending on who or what's nearby, we shouldn't be stuck in here for very long," She hoped with her whole heart that Tsubasa would find someone. It was the only thing keeping her from losing her composure. The whole situation was frightening and confusing enough as it is.

However, Amara didn't listen. She quickly stood up and yanked out a PokeBall. "I'm blasting us out of here!"

"Don't!" Julia lurched forward to grab Amara's arm with both hands. "Those rocks are extremely unstable! They could fall and kill us if we do anything reckless!"

Instead of listening to her little sister, Amara continued to writhe in her grasp, pushing Julia away by putting one hand on her face. The scowl on her face didn't change one bit.

"I am not gonna spend my entire life trapped in a hole with the most annoying, selfish little brat in the whole world!" She growled angrily.

Julia clenched her teeth together as tight as she possibly could to hide her bubbling rage. Was she still going on about that? 'You're the one being the selfish brat right now!' Julia screamed in her head, wishing she could scream it out loud. One had to wonder how skewed Amara's priorities had become.

"Amara, I'm serious!" She couldn't give up, though. This was her sister. "It's dangerous!"

"Just shut up!"

"I don't want you getting hurt!"

"Pikapi!" Hikaru piped in affirmatively, agreeing with Julia.

However, as soon as Julia said that, something snapped inside Amara. Everything just suddenly came spilling out. Finally, she used both arms to push Julia off, sending her falling on her rear.

Hikaru ran to her trainer, hoping the fall didn't injure her severely. Amara stared down at her little sister with such an intense glare that if it were any stronger, it could kill her. Good thing stares didn't kill and that Julia didn't look her in the eye. Her rear was throbbing from colliding with the rocks, but she helped herself up without any assistance.

"Since when did you care about whether I'd get hurt?!" Amara's yelling was like a barrage of miniature explosions in Julia's ears. Covering her ears didn't muffle it one bit. But Amara didn't care. In fact, seeing this made her anger burn even hotter. "When did you ever care about me at all?!"

Julia stopped to listen. What in the world was Amara saying? Scratch that, she knew that she was saying. But what made her come to that conclusion? Was she implying Julia didn't care about her?

"I do care about you!" She protested. "You're my sister! Sisters always care for each other!"

Amara's fists grew so tight, her fingernails dug into her palms. "Oh, REALLY?!" She shouted, making Julia grimace to the point of squeezing her eyes shut. Hikaru took on a defensive stance, glaring at Amara with her tail facing upward. As usual, Amara paid absolutely no heed, and Amara actually knew Julia was sensitive to loud noise. But at this point, she didn't care. She wanted to shout and scream. "You are such a freakin' liar!! You care way more about stupid Pokemon than you ever could any human being you meet!! I know how little you think of me!!"

What? Hikaru's ears pointed upward. The more Julia heard, the more confused she became. Where in the world did Amara get these ideas? "I don't think little of you! What makes you think that?!"

"This is what I freakin' hate about you!" Amara shouted, flinging her arms up and down. "You are soooooo convinced that Pokemon are all sweet, precious widdle angels who can do no wrong! Well, newsflash you little idiot: a Pokemon KILLED my BEST FRIEND!!" Obviously, Chanel was whom she was talking about. Everybody knew that. It was pretty much all she talked about. But even Julia knew that it didn't excuse everything that Amara had done over the past few months.

Now Julia was miffed. "Okay, that first thing you said is absolutely not true. I've almost gotten killed by a bunch of Pokemon since I started my journey!" Julia corrected in a sharp, terse voice. "Besides, Gyarados are dangerous a lot of the time, so even I know Pokemon aren't all good and nice, and just because one Gyarados killed Chanel doesn't mean all Pokemon are bad!"

No amount of reasoning could alleviate Amara's boiling hot anger. "Uuuuuurgh!!" Amara growled, like she thought Julia wasn't understanding a thing she was saying. Julia's hands flew to her ears once more. She hated it when Amara made that awful noise. But why? Julia gave her an answer. Why was she acting like this? "Are you seriously so stupid that you don't get it?!"

Hikaru clenched her teeth to stop herself from using Thunderbolt on Amara to zap her to her senses. Julia looked away, like she had been slapped. She hated being called stupid. She always did and always will.

"All you ever talk about is Pokemon this, Pokemon that, my Pokemon are sooooo wonderful, Pokemon are my beeeeeest friends, Pokemon abusers are sooooo bad!" She began in a mocking tone, her voice rising with every word she screamed. "It's no wonder you don't have any human friends, BECAUSE YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE BUT YOURSELF!!"

A brief silence fell upon the two of them, Amara with anger, Julia with absolute horror. The younger girl's pupils shrunk. Her mouth fell agape, shaped like an O. Tears almost came creeping out of the corners of her eyes, but in spite of her utter shock, she held them back. But if words could hurt, they definitely did here. It seemed as though a knife went right through her heart.

"That is not true…" That was all she could mutter at the moment. Even she knew it wasn't enough to satiate her. Why would Amara say that about her? Was this...really how little Amara thought of her?

"Stop deluding yourself!" Amara snapped. "You don't care about anyone! You never have and you never will! You spend all your time playing with Pokemon or drawing or playing those stupid games or whining about how nobody understands you!" By now, she was pounding her fist on the cave wall. "You think you're so much better than everybody else with your whole I-can-talk-to-Pokemon shtick! Get over yourself! The whole world doesn't revolve around you, y'know?!"

Julia couldn't believe what she was hearing. Did Amara truly believe all of this? Why? Every word Amara screamed was like a slap in the face, with each one hitting harder than the last. "No! Stop it! I don't think I'm better than anyone else! Why do you even think that?! Can't we just talk about this?!"

But Amara didn't stop. In fact, she kept going. She wanted Julia to be hurt. She wanted to twist that knife so hard, blood would come right out of her veins. It was time that she learned what it was like to not have anything go right for her. It felt good to finally put this girl in her place.

"Everybody talks about you like you're a perfect little angel, but I know you're no saint!" She continued on, refusing to back down. Julia was sure she could see the veins in her neck bulge. "You've never cared about me! You never comfort me when I'm sad, you're never happy when I actually take time off to spend time with you, you never want to do the things I want us to do together, you never smile or say thank you when I do something nice for you, you never let me talk to you about anything, you always act like my problems don't matter--"

'Who do you think constantly told me to leave you alone when I even TRIED to reach out to you?!' More angry thoughts cut through Julia's mind, but she kept them in check the best she could. "Calm down, Amara! Please!"

But Amara wouldn't calm down. That just made it hurt all the more. This was too much. Just too much. Too overwhelming. The yelling thundered in her ears, and the explosions got louder the more Amara shouted at her.

"None of that is true-!!"

"You didn't even cry when Chanel died!!"

That did it. Julia fell silent once more. But surprise soon began to morph into undiluted anger. Why would she say that? Why would she say all of those things about her? Was this really what Amara thought of her? All of it?

No, none of it was true. She knew it. They both knew it. But that particular statement shot through Julia like an arrow piercing through her soul. She had no right to say that. No right to say any of those things. Amara couldn't possibly be this...deluded. What was the right word for this situation? She had no idea. But it all made her blood run cold. None of this felt right.

Amara was on a roll, and she liked it. "That's right! I even know why! Because I think you can't feel anything!!" Julia's eyes snapped open. "You'll never know what it's like to lose someone you love with all your heart!! You're like a freaking robot! You can't feel anything!! Do you seriously have no empathy for anyone or anything at all?!"

Can't feel anything. No empathy. Robot. Never know what it's like. Julia could tell she meant everything she said. That she was convinced that Julia was nothing but a callous, selfish, spoiled little sister who was always wrong about everything, who did everything wrong, who wasn't normal, who made everyone angry and laugh with her stupidity. A stupid little sister who felt no human emotions, who could never do anything right in society's eyes, and who could never be like everyone else.

It was just all too much. The cage she kept around her emotions was finally destroyed with the whack of a knife. She couldn't bottle it up any longer. The volcano that was her anger was ready to erupt in all of its glory. It hurt. It really hurt. More than Amara could understand. All of this...all of those blatant lies just made her…

So

Gosh darn

Angry!

Immediately, Julia's hand came rising upward. Her heart told her to keep her hands to herself, but her hands wouldn't listen. In fact, screw the rules this time! Before Amara could say any more, a harsh blow struck her so hard across the face that she fell to the ground this time. Amara was sure she heard a cracking sound the moment she fell on her rear. When she looked up, the sight of Julia's contorted, angry face left her absolutely terrified. Her sky blue eyes grew extremely wide as a hand rested on her swollen cheek. Was this her sister?

Even Hikaru was shocked to the point of being unable to prevent her jaw from dropping. Amara might have been spared seeing her angry little sister if Hikaru hadn't kept using Flash. But the girl standing before her wasn't the sweet, submissive, always shy little sister she always knew. This was a different girl: one with green eyes blazing with rage, baring her teeth, the very picture of anger.

All Amara could blurt out was, "...Did you just HIT ME?!" Her voice almost bordered on hysterical.

"Yes! Yes I did!!" Julia shouted. Neither girl could believe what happened. Julia usually would never lay a hand on anyone. She never picked fights, nor did she hit anyone in her entire life, as she was not a violent person. Seeing her hit someone, or rather being the recipient of said slap, was as rare as seeing Pokemon aliens from outer space. For a brief moment, Amara was sure she was hit by a different person.

Julia thought differently. She had never hurt her sister before. The thought of hitting her sister always frightened her. But now...an odd feeling consumed her entire being, and she knew it. The sting of the slap, her hand shaking...it felt good! Good to finally give that delusional big sister the smacking she felt she so rightfully deserved! She was sure Amara would tell her that hitting someone was wrong.

Yeah, like Julia didn't know that already. She wasn't three years old. Then again, when DIDN'T Amara think her sister was still three years old in her mind? But at this point, Julia felt powerful. Amara couldn't order her around this time. Nobody could tell her not to hit Amara. Not Mom and Dad, not Amara, not even Arceus himself. This time, she wasn't even sorry. Why couldn't Amara be sorry for once? For doing all of those bad things over the past few months? For thinking all of those bad things about her and saying all those lies right to her face?

The word finally came to her mind: Amara was a big fat HYPOCRITE.

"Pika!" Hikaru chirruped, backing away two steps frightfully.

"...You're wrong!" This time, the tears came flowing right out, and she was helpless to stop them. "You're wrong...about everything!" She cried, her trembling voice a combination of both desperation and anger. "I can't believe...that's how little you think of me...how you feel about me…" Her voice trembled in tune with her body. "That you think I'm some evil robot with no feelings!"

It hurt. It hurt so much to be told that, and by her own older sister, no less! One of the many people she respected, loved, and looked up to!

This time, Amara was speechless.

"I can't believe you actually believe all of that!" This was her chance to tell Amara how she felt for once. No more being interrupted or told to shut up. She was going to talk, and Amara was going to listen, whether she wanted to or not. "You're a giant colossal hypocrite!" She screamed. "You say I don't care...but I do. We all do. Me, Mom, Dad...you're the one always pushing me and everyone else away!!"

(flashback)

"Julia…" Kassia sat a ten year old Julia down on the couch. Julia could tell from her frown and the tear stains on her eyes that her mother was clearly upset about something. What was it? "There's no easy way to say this. Chanel died."

Immediately, the girl's mind began to search for the definition of die. She found it right away. To die meant to no longer live. Whoever died would go to heaven. Or something like that. But it also meant that said person would never be seen alive again. They would be buried in the ground.

This one...was completely unexpected. Chanel died? Chanel, whom she just saw about a week ago? She couldn't be dead, could she? "She's...gone? How? What happened?" That was all she could choke out. Chanel? It was like she had entered a whole new universe. One where sweet, nice Chanel would never exist again.

Kassia squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could turn back time. "You see...a Gyarados destroyed most of Cherrygrove. Chanel got caught in the caught crossfire," Julia knew what caught in the crossfire meant. She had seen enough TV shows to know that if innocent people were caught up in conflict, they usually got hurt or even died. "That's why Amara's been crying all week. She's grieving. She's very sad about it."

The girl figured that grieving meant crying at Chanel's death. Some tears came out from her eyes, but she was quick to wipe them away. But Amara's crying could be heard all throughout the house. With Julia's hypersensitive ears, even closing the door and playing music wouldn't be enough to drown it out. She hated the sound of babies crying, or watching people cry. It always made her cry. But she did wonder if maybe Amara needed a hug. It wouldn't bring Chanel back. Everyone knew that nobody comes back from the dead. But she wondered if Amara would like someone to be there for her and cheer her up a little.

She walked up to Amara's room, noticing that her Totodile was standing outside the entrance, scratching his head like he was confused. Amara's wailing was piercing, and Julia covered her ears. It felt as though her cries were scratching her ear drums. But that wasn't the issue right now. Amara sat on her knees, crying onto her bed sheets uncontrollably. Never had she seen someone so sad, so upset, so...broken. Seeing Amara like this wounded the little girl's heart. But what could she do? Even the thought of giving her a hug seemed like it wouldn't do any good.

But she had to do something. Silently, Julia ambled over to her still crying sister. "Amara?" She called her name. No answer. Totodile came moseying inside, but didn't do anything, looking unsure. "Amara? Are...you okay?" Julia immediately regretted asking that. Of course she wasn't okay. Her friend just died. How could anyone be okay after that? The urge to hug Amara and tell her it'd be alright seized her.

Julia threw her skinny arms around Amara, wrapping them around her, hoping her love would reach her, even just a little bit. All of a sudden, a slender arm suddenly pushed the girl off, sending her stumbling backward a few steps. Amara whipped her head around, her matted hair and puffy red eyes telling Julia all she needed to know how she was feeling. The scowl didn't help matters.

"Go away! Just leave me alone!" Amara snapped.

"I...I was just trying to help!" Julia protested.

"Totodaaah!" Totodile added, swinging his arms up and down.

"Well, you're not helping! I don't wanna deal with you right now!" Amara went back to crying. Knowing it was futile to cheer her up, both Julia and Totodile left. "Just go away!!"

Kassia put a hand on Julia's shoulder the moment she came out. "Let's give Amara some space. She needs time to grieve."

"She didn't have to yell at me," Julia groaned. But she understood. Even big sisters needed time to themselves, just like Julia wanted time to herself sometimes.

(end flashback one, begin flashback two)

About two months after that, Julia had come home from school wearing a frown. She didn't say anything as her mother and father asked her about her day. She just bolted into her room, threw her book bag on her bed, and yanked her shoes and socks off. She had forgotten to close the door, but she didn't notice, nor did she care. As soon as she felt it was safe, she burst into tears with a howl, falling to the floor, not even bothering to cover her face or hold anything back.

It took all of five seconds for Amara to come stomping into her room, her face contorting with anger. "Quit your crying, you brat!" Amara yelled. "I'm trying to do my homework!"

But Julia didn't stop crying. There was no way anything could make her stop at the moment. "Ethan's...not my friend...anymore!"

Amara had no sympathy for the girl's plight, scowling at her like she saw her pick trash out from the trash bin. She didn't even ask what was wrong, or go inside to comfort her. "Get over it, you pest! One of my friends freakin' died!" Amara argued. "My problems are way worse than yours, so don't act like you've got it bad!"

"Amara! That's no way to talk to your sister!" Her mother scolded, firing a stern scowl at the older girl. This time, Amara left her sister's bedroom and went back into her own. But not before slamming the door so hard, it made a loud thud that, had it been any louder, it might have made the entire house shake. "And don't slam the door!"

Julia was in no mood to tell her mother about what happened at school. Or anyone, for that matter. Her mother did ask what was wrong, but the girl was crying so hard, she couldn't put two words together. Figuring she needed her space, Kassia gently closed the door and left, but not before telling her she was there if she needed her. It took the girl about twenty minutes to stop crying. Her chest eventually began to hurt from too much crying, but in a way, she was satisfied. Sometimes a good cry was enough to push the sadness out. But it wouldn't change the fact that Ethan was no longer her friend. Her stomach growled, begging for a meal.

She tried to leave her room and grab something to eat, probably cookies or her favorite blueberry flavored yogurt. The minute she cracked the door open, her sensitive ears were assaulted by yelling coming from Amara's bedroom. Her door was closed, but the voices were loud enough for her to hear.

"Amara. I wish you had told me about this earlier. I'd love to go to Parent's Day with you."

"Are you kidding me?! I'd rather slit my wrists than let you embarrass me in front of all my friends and the entire school!"

Slit her wrists? What did that mean? Julia had no idea, making a mental note to look it up on the computer or ask her mother or father about it later. But it didn't sound good in the slightest.

"Please, don't say stuff like that. Can't we just sit down and talk about this more maturely?" Kassia pleaded softly. "Amara, I want to help you. I want to be there for you."

"Well, don't! You ruin everything! Just get out! I hate you!!"

Having had enough, Julia bolted down the stairs, her emotions awhirl. Why was Amara talking to her mother like she was an alien monster out to kill her? Like she was some evil person out to ruin her life? She had no idea. Amara never said those things about her mother before. Surely she didn't mean it. Then again, lots of people say things they don't mean. She had hoped this would be the last of the arguments.

(end flashback two, begin flashback three)

Unfortunately for the entire Parisa household, the arguments didn't stop. In fact, they only grew worse and more volatile, especially so after Amara's conviction. Not even going to the court-mandated therapy helped matters any, if the phone calls to the house were anything to go by. She had heard snippets of phone conversations from time to time. Not on purpose, but her hypersensitive ears could pick up on almost anything. She heard her mother tell her father that Amara wasn't speaking to the therapist at all. From the tones of their voices, she could tell that that wasn't a good sign.

It was all so confusing and frustrating. She knew Chanel's death had hit Amara hard, and she understood that. But she had usually seen people move on after a few weeks, maybe a few months at most. That, or if they didn't, they usually kept a brave face in public or at the very least tried to maintain some normalcy after that. Amara just...stayed angry. Angry at everything. Even little things started to bother Amara that didn't before, like the way Julia used her eating utensils, classmates talking about Chanel in school, Truman making his silly jokes, the Pokemon running around the house, Julia singing to herself as she drew her pictures or danced around her room. Everything just seemed to set her off.

Amara had become a completely different person. But then Julia remembered: Amara's 13th birthday was coming up in a few days. Not only that, she knew exactly what she could get Amara. After all, she had heard Amara talk about getting a certain item for weeks on end. That was it! She could make Amara happy with that! She begged her father to take her to the mall to get Amara that present. He relented, but on the condition that she use her own money to buy it. She hoped it would be there.

Much to her relief, it was! She had stormed into a Gloria's Secret store, as much as she hated looking at all the lingerie, feminine undergarments, and all the big advertisements with half-naked ladies on the walls, and found exactly what Amara wanted: a small, dark blue tank top with the word 'AWESOME HAS ARRIVED' in sparkly silver sequin. When she went to the counter to pay for it, the young clerk looked at her like she had Krabbys coming out of her ears.

"Uhh...aren't you a little young for this?" She asked.

"It's not for me! It's a birthday present for my big sister! She'll be thirteen in three days!" Julia explained, hoping it'd clarify things. The clerk didn't say another word and let her buy it.

Those three days passed, and Julia was all too enthusiastic to give Amara the birthday present. "Amara! Amara! Happy birthday!" Julia wasted no time handing the box to her big sister.

"Jeez! Back off, will ya?!" Amara yelled as the box was practically forced into her arms. She was more surprised at how Julia suddenly popped into the living room so suddenly than receiving the present.

"Open it! Open it! You'll love it for sure!" Julia was jumping up and down, radiating excitement. Amara gave her a quizzical look before opening the box.

Julia could picture the whole scenario in her mind. Amara opening the box, pulling out the tank top and loving it, spinning around with it in her hands. Then she'd hug Julia and say in a kind, loving voice, "I love it! This is so awesome! Thank you so much, Jule! You're the best little sister ever!" Then Amara would be happy all day, and Julia would be happy that she made her big sister happy.

It's a shame nothing ever goes the way someone wants.

When she actually saw Amara pull out the tank top, she stared at it with…a look of disgust? What? Wasn't she supposed to be happy? Instead of being overjoyed, Amara looked at the shirt, and by extension her little sister, like she had just given her a big pile of pokemon poop. Even their parents stopped in, noticeably worried.

"Your sister bought that all by herself," Truman added, hoping it'd perk everyone up. But he could feel the tension in the room.

Finally, Amara found her voice. It wasn't pretty.

"...Is this some kind of sick joke?!" She didn't say it in a joyful manner like her sister expected. Instead, her voice took on a disgusted tone. Julia's smile was completely gone. Why wasn't she happy? "It's a freaking medium!!" With a growl, she threw the shirt at Julia's face. "I wanted a small, you idiot!"

"Amara!" Their mother wasted no time stomping in front of Amara, staring down at her with a shocked and disappointed look. "Julia worked hard to buy you that shirt! Didn't you say you always wanted it? And I've told you to stop calling names!"

Julia's smile turned into a frown, paralyzed by the scene unfolding before her. Why didn't Amara like it or say thank you? She remembered her social studies classes acting out scenarios of her classmates doing nice things for others, and she had participated in a few of them. If someone did something nice, the recipient would always smile and say thank you. That was what she had been taught, both from her parents and in school. It was basically a rule, and most importantly, it was just a nice thing to do to make someone feel good. Plus, Amara always liked all the presents Julia got for her before, on all of her other birthdays. She liked the Christmas presents Julia got her, too. But instead of being happy and saying thank you, Amara became indignant and was shouting in a loud voice.

Unfortunately for Julia, Amara looked at her with a hurtful scowl before yelling, "Why do you have to be so freaking stupid, you little brat?! I hate you!" Amara didn't even bother to take the shirt back to her room. With a grunt, she just stomped up the stairs and slammed her door shut.

"Amara! Amara! Come back down here!" Kassia raced up the stairs. Julia could see from the way her mother balled her fists and hear the harsh stomps on the floor that she was enraged.

She couldn't believe it. Julia did something nice for Amara out of the goodness of her heart, like she was taught, and Amara rejected her present and her gesture like Julia had given her Pokemon poop. The shirt she bought laid down on the floor, tossed aside like trash, and the price tag was still on it. Why did Amara act as though Julia's gesture was a bad thing? She never reacted this way when Julia gave her presents before. This was very unlike her. Then again, this wasn't exactly an experience alien to her. Even when people taught her the ways to do certain things, reactions were never what she expected. Some would follow the rule and say thanks, others would just take it without a word, others would look at her like she did something bad but take it anyway, and sometimes others, like Amara, would outright reject it.

This was all so confusing. Not just Amara, but other people around her, even her own parents, would say or do things they weren't supposed to or that they didn't mean. Their bodies would be all over the place, and conversations seemed to follow all kinds of rules, rules that Julia was expected to know but never told her, because they all said she was smart. Even everything Amara said just now seemed fake, and Julia knew it. Not only was it all confusing, but completely and utterly frustrating. She worked so hard...and it blew up in her face. Worse than that, Amara called her an idiot!

"Hey there, slick," Truman wrapped his arms around his younger daughter and pulled her close. Now, Julia was trapped in the warmth of her father's embrace. The thick hairs on his arms tickled her skin, and anytime she moved, the hairs would make her skin all prickly. But at this point, she didn't mind. "Sorry about that. I think it's nice that you got that shirt for her. She shouldn't have called you an idiot. That wasn't very nice of her."

"Why didn't she like it?" Julia felt it redundant to ask, but did it anyway, if only because she knew why Amara hated it. Amara said it was a medium, not a small. But all Julia heard was that she wanted that shirt no matter what. She never mentioned a size preference. Then again, Amara always expected people to know things that they clearly didn't. Lots of people did that.

However...in the back of Julia's mind, she couldn't help but wonder if there was some other reason why Amara rejected the shirt. Did she hate the fact that it was Julia who bought it? Would she have liked it to be from someone else? She hated feeling so confused and frustrated and...angry.

"I don't know," Truman crooned softly.

It was at this point that Julia realized that Amara was beyond reason. Nothing she did would ever make her happy. Nothing her parents did made Amara happy. Nobody could ever make her happy as far as Amara concerned. Nothing anyone did worked. As much as she didn't want to lose faith, she was out of options.

She finally gave up. Trying to get through to Amara was like using every battering ram available to break down a titanium wall that seemed virtually indestructible.

(end flashback three)

"...Everything you said just now is a lie and you know it!" Julia cried. All Amara could do was stare at this brand new Julia. Her sister, who in the past would barely ever say a mean word about anyone and would always cry at the littlest thing, was now screaming her feelings out, calling Amara out on everything she did. For once, Amara couldn't fire back.

Her sister continued on. "Mom, Dad, and I have tried everything to make you happy! Everything!" She stamped her foot, almost crushing a small rock on the ground. It was too thick and strong for her weak foot to crush, even with her sturdy sneakers. "We tried everything to make things easier for you! But all you did was reject us and treat us like we were aliens out to kill you! That's what you've been doing to us for the past year and a half!"

Everything Julia said hit Amara like a freight train. It was all true. Everything she said was true. Amara had always denied all of it, focusing more on herself and her own pain than anything or anyone else around her.

"We get it, okay?! We know how losing Chanel hurt you! Nobody said you weren't allowed to feel sad or bad about it!" Julia shouted, her weak fists shaking. "But...unlike you, I don't use Chanel's death as an excuse to hurt the people around me and do bad things!!"

She knew what she would say would hurt Amara. Hurt her in the worst way she thought possible. This time, she didn't care if Amara's feelings were hurt. In fact, let them be hurt! It was time that Amara receive a well-deserved reality check.

"This is what I hate about you! The current you! You always act like you're the only one who's hurt and suffering! You do nothing but yell at people you love and treat them like punching bags and act like your pain is so much worse than all the world!! You make up lies and twist things around to make everyone else around you into bad guys when all they wanna do is help you! Like you're doing with ME RIGHT NOW!! You're just not the same anymore, and I don't like this new you!"

There was truth to Julia's words. All Amara could do was look away, in a last ditch effort to deny everything she had been pushing back all this time. But the shame that came with it was instantaneous. Julia could see it. Good. Because Amara really wasn't the same as she was before, and nobody liked it at all. Not even Amara.

"And don't you DARE say I don't know what it's like to lose someone I love!" This time, the tears sprung forth. "One of my Pokemon freaking died from a heart attack!" Saoirse flashed through her mind. Saoirse, smiling, donning her little red dress. "I had to give another one of my friends to a rehabilitation facility so they could help her! I couldn't handle or help her no matter how hard I tried!" Geraldine returned to her mind. Geraldine, her red Gyarados, who was so traumatized by what Team Rocket did to her that she would lose herself and attack others despite not wanting to. She never wanted to hurt anyone. The fact that she wanted to go with Lance and get better, knowing that the separation would hurt them so, said a lot about her. Julia respected that about her friend.

"Liar-"

"And I DID cry for Chanel! But who was it that told me to get over it and said I was just being a baby about it and that I had no right to cry for her? You did!!"

Everything that she kept bottled up inside her, all because everyone around her said it was inappropriate to yell at someone or to let the adults handle it, came spilling right out. Boy, did it feel good to finally take charge for once! Julia didn't feel one bit bad about anything she said. Why should she feel bad? She was sick of just standing there getting yelled at all the time, being helpless to call her out or say anything back. No more little miss nice girl this time.

"How do you think we feel about all this?!" Her small hands slammed onto her chest to empathize her state of mind right now. "We never wanted you to feel like you weren't loved or being taken seriously! That's why Mom and Dad kept fighting for you back at the courthouse! That's why you got court-mandated therapy instead of jail, because Mom and Dad just wanted to help you! Heck, that's why I went on this journey in the first place! We all want to help you! But all you do is push us all away, and for what?!"

She went on to remind Amara of every bad thing she did since Chanel's death: treating her parents like burdens who leeched off of her. Willingly turning her back on all the friends she had, hung out with misguided, potentially dangerous older people who drank alcohol, skipped school, and did drugs which exacerbated not only her anger towards the world but her unfounded hatred. Abused her own Pokemon, stole a Totodile from Professor Elm's lab, caught and abused more Pokemon, and assaulted other people with them when they dared to call her out on her actions. All Amara had to do was calm down, listen, and maybe consider what everyone had to say to her, that maybe, just maybe, being angry all the time was only going to make things worse, not better. All she had to do was break those walls she put up for herself and let people in her heart. But no, Amara did the opposite and treated everyone around her like garbage, all because she felt like she was the only one who was hurt from Chanel's passing and that everyone else didn't care about anything or anyone but themselves and whatever was convenient for them.

Julia even went on to contradict everything Amara just said. Everyone in her family cared about her, appreciated the things she did for them, liked the time she took to spend with them, comforted her when she was sad, celebrated her achievements, let her talk to them about her problems, even crying when Chanel died. Julia was sure Amara deluded herself into believing the opposite so she could have a reason to continue to be angry. Amara didn't want to let anyone love her or accept their help. They both knew everything Amara said to Julia just now were nothing but lies. Amara just didn't want to accept it.

All everyone wanted was for her to be Amara again. The real Amara. The joyful, happy, outgoing, amiable, friendly Amara. The Amara who would always stick up for her sister if someone dared to bully her. The Amara who would spend hours chatting with her friends, sharing funny stories, and talking about Poka Poka Pretty. The Amara who loved her Totodile and treated him like he was her baby. The Amara who just loved life in general. The Amara who loved her family, friends, Pokemon, and everything life had to offer.

"All we want is for you to stop all this! That's all! Please...reconsider what you're doing! If you keep doing all this, hurting innocent people and Pokemon, you're not gonna be able to fulfill your dream or be the Pokemon trainer you want to be! You'll be on the blacklist forever!" Julia wailed.

Her voice grew hoarse from so much yelling. She had no idea she had so much to say about all of this. But the lid was already long ripped off, and there was no turning back.

"We know how much you want to be a trainer! We really do! We just want you to be happy again, like before! I...I don't know about you, but I'm sure...I'm sure Chanel would be really mad at you, knowing that you did and said all these things…" She made it very clear that everything Amara said to her really hurt. Amara could see it in her entire being. She knew it all along, but refused to believe it.

"You don't…"

"None of this is gonna bring Chanel back, and you're not the only one who's hurt by her death! And didn't it ever occur to you that you're only hurting Chanel's memory by doing all this?!"

Good thing Julia managed to finish that sentence. Anything else she tried to say was silenced when Amara finally snapped. All of the truths she tried so hard to deny, the accusations, the reality of everything she did, a shiver of uncontrollable rage ran up her spine, seizing her. In the course of a split second, her reflexes reacted. Like an angry Houndoom, Amara pounced onto Julia, sending a fist flying into her sister's face. Hikaru's ears twitched the moment she heard a sharp crack upon seeing the first strike. The girls were in a full-on catfight.

Soon, Julia was flat on her back. Months of traveling and dealing with wild Pokemon had prepared Julia for a situation like this. The moment Amara's fist met her face, Julia screeched as she threw one of her hands out, yanking on a good chunk of Amara's hair, pulling on it to the point of making Amara screech herself. Too bad that wasn't enough to make Amara stop punching her. At one point, Julia dredged one of her feet into Amara's abdomen, finally managing to push her off.

Not even that made Amara stop. As soon as Julia stumbled to run, Amara pounced on her once more, clawing at her sister's arms. Reeling from the pain of those long nails digging into her skin, Julia's knees buckled. She waved her skinny arms all around in a futile attempt to hold her off. Of course, that didn't work. Amara scratched Julia's cheeks twice before the latter finally threw a fist underneath Amara's jaw. It wasn't so powerful that she broke it or sent her flying, but it was enough to hold her off for a moment.

"Pikapi!!" Hikaru pleaded for the girls to stop fighting. Neither girl paid any heed. "Pikapika!!"

"Get off me!" Julia howled as Amara savagely pulled on her hair this time. Julia's hands locked around Amara's fists, but that wasn't enough to make her older sister stop pulling on her hair. Already, she could feel the roots about to be pulled right out.

"Stupid...little...miss...I-know-everything-about-nothing!" Amara growled like an Ursaring. All the anger in her heart finally consumed her fully. Julia made a fist and smacked Amara's cheek with it. The blow made Amara's grip on her hair loosen. But once again, as soon as Julia tried to bolt, Amara pounced on her once more. This time, Julia fell flat on her stomach, with Amara right on top, slamming her fists onto the girl's upper back in rapid fire speed.

"Stop it, please!!" Julia pleaded, her voice growing more shrill with every word she screamed.

"You always get everything handed to you on a silver platter!" Amara screeched, refusing to stop punching her kid sister. "Everything's always about you, isn't it?! It's always Julia this, Julia that! Julia's so smart and nice, Julia always gets good grades, Julia loves Pokemon soooo much, Julia's autistic so we don't need her to do anything important, don't be mean to sweet widdle Julia 'cause she's sooooo delicate and fragile!"

The condescension in her voice made Julia's blood boil even hotter. The old Amara never treated her like that. Not once had Amara ever treated her sister like she was a burden, an inconvenience, a simpleton who didn't understand the real world, a fragile flower that needed constant protection...Words from the past echoed.

"Julia! You're not hurt, are you? Thank goodness. Those bullies are dumb. You're way better than them."

"You're gonna have to stick up for yourself sometime, Jule. I won't be around to protect you a whole lot, so you need to start learning to stand on your own two feet. I know it's hard, but I know you can do it."

"You're my favorite sister! We'll always be sisters forever and ever!"

"Come on, Jule! Wanna hang out with my friends?"

"Julia...listen. Those boys didn't want to be your friends. They were tricking you the whole time. I've seen it happen with other kids. They were using you. But I'll give them a piece of my mind! Nobody messes with my sister!"

Where had those precious days gone? Where did the old Amara go? The old Amara she used to love and trust with her whole heart. Was this...how it was going to be from now on?

"Every single day I get compared to you!" Amara howled, her voice swelling up several octaves as she slapped her sister across the face. When she tried again, Julia managed to grab her arm with both hands, holding her off. But she knew her sister was stronger, and she wouldn't be able to hold her off long. "I'm not smart like you! I don't get good grades like you do no matter how hard I study! You always get what you want without even trying, but I had to work hard every single day, until my eyes bled, and none of it even mattered! You never get in trouble! You never got detention! You're always the good little girl! Everybody around me always made me feel like I had to be like you in order to amount to anything!"

Julia's eyes widened. So...this wasn't just about Chanel? Amara felt like she had to measure up to Julia? What happened to make her feel like that? Who convinced her to think that way? She honestly had no idea. She definitely knew her parents never treated her like that, and she was sure that she herself never intended for Amara to feel the way she did. She just wished Amara would stop yelling. The noise was too much for her ears to handle.

"You always did flaunt your successes to everyone who wouldn't listen! Well, here we are! Are you happy now?! Huh?!" At this point, Amara's sky blue eyes were completely bloodshot, likely from the gravel. "DOES THIS MAKE YOU HAPPY?!"

"That's not true, Amara! You don't need to be like me!" Julia pleaded. She knew it was pointless, but she had to get through to her somehow. "You're my sister, and you're just fine that way! Please, don't! Can't we just stop fighting?! I don't want to fight you!"

None of Julia's pleas did anything to stop Amara. Her hate-filled blue eyes and her gnashing teeth made her the very picture of rage. "It's too late!! I don't believe you anymore!! I'm so sick of always feeling like I don't matter compared to you!! I HATE YOU!!"

"PIKA!!" Finally, Hikaru had had enough of watching this pointless brawl. The shiny electric mouse leaped onto Amara's arm, baring her teeth before sinking them into her wrist.

"Ow!" Amara let out a pained yelp as Hikaru's sharp teeth dredged fresh holes into her skin. The pain was enough to make her stand back in alarm, giving Julia another chance to escape. Hikaru fought back the urge to electrocute this stubborn girl. Doing that would only make things worse. Julia made a beeline for the nearest wall, right as Hikaru finally let go, falling to the ground feet first. But Hikaru's stony stare made Amara freeze in place, her long ears arched back.

"Pika! Pikapika!" For once, Julia didn't translate. Amara didn't need to understand Hikaru's tongue to figure out what she was saying. "Don't you dare hurt my friend!"

"Hikaru, don't," Finally, Julia's voice swelled down to a soft, timid whisper. "That's not nice."

Amara found herself wide-eyed. Hikaru's anger still simmered, but she heeded her trainer's request. The shiny electric mouse's stance relaxed and she returned to her trainer's side. "You shouldn't have bit Amara like that."

Amara's mouth fell agape. "I…I thought...you'd allow it."

Julia crossed her arms. "You actually think I'd want my Pokemon to hurt you? Absolutely not!" The girl scolded in a terse tone. "Even I know that it's against federal law to made Pokemon attack another, unarmed human! Besides, Hikaru did that on her own. I didn't make her do that."

For a brief moment, a tense silence fell between them. Hikaru stood by her trainer's side, her eyes still scrutinizing the older girl. Amara took the intense glare as saying that Hikaru was not going to show any mercy, should she attack her trainer again. Soon, Julia's saddened expression morphed into one of despondent frustration. The tears came forth, stinging her already inflamed, reddening cheeks.

"...Where did you even...get that idea?" Julia accused, her voice trembling. "...That you had to measure up to me? I...I'm not even worth measuring up to! If anything...I wanted to be more like you!"

Finally, Amara fell silent. Even Hikaru's body relaxed as she dropped her guard, looking up at her trainer. Her tiny fists were shaking.

"Everything you say you felt...is exactly how I've felt since I was seven years old!" Julia confessed. "I don't know why you believe all of this...and I won't judge you...but...do you really think I get everything just handed to me?! Well, I didn't! I had to work hard too! I used to be jealous of you! In fact, I even used to hate you!"

Both Amara and Hikaru fell silent as Julia finally let her own feelings out. No one expected to hear what they heard. Julia used to be jealous of Amara. Amara was normal, while Julia wasn't. Amara made friends easily, lots of them, while Julia couldn't no matter how hard she tried. Amara was never made fun of for being who she was, but Julia was bullied by both kids and adults just for not being like everyone else. Amara had all the time in the world to make friends and do what she wanted, even in school, but Julia sometimes had to go to speech lessons, even during recess, just to learn social skills and basic communication skills, such as how to construct sentences in the proper way.

In fact, in her earliest years, Julia barely understood the concept of studying and taking school seriously, and even wound up getting two detentions in fourth grade because she either forgot her homework or couldn't finish it, even with Amara's help or her parents' help. Even when she did master studying and began ace-ing tests and all of her other assignments, she still hated school. She hated doing schoolwork, taking tests, talking to other kids, etc. The same kids who didn't want to be friends with her, who didn't like the things she did and liked what she didn't, who always made it a point to always tell Julia, no matter what, that she would never be normal, which in their eyes was more than enough reason to be shunned and made an outcast.

Even now, she hates taking tests and doing homework, and the only reason she studies, pays attention in school, and gets A's, B's, and even a few C's is because she has to. If she didn't get good grades, she would fail, and past experiences told her that failure was disgraceful, something to be openly ridiculed and ashamed of. If she failed at anything, she would never fulfill her dreams, do what she wanted, or even be considered a normal person. Mrs. Amoretto abusing her about it certainly didn't help matters. Plus, she didn't want to disappoint her parents, or even Amara. It was bad enough being hated by the world just because she was autistic, and therefore, "bad" in their eyes. She could barely understand anyone and how they felt, even if she tried as hard as she possibly could.

"I never meant...to make you feel that way…" Julia quivered. "If I did, I'm sorry. I never…"

Instead of seeing anger on Amara's face, it was replaced by a look of despondent surprise. Amara looked like she needed a hug. Badly. Oh, how Julia yearned to hug her older sister and tell her everything would be alright! But she refrained, remembering all the other times she tried to do so. She didn't want to make Amara angrier than she already was with affectionate gestures that she knew she would reject, no matter her intent.

"You keep chasing me, wanting to put me in jail…" Amara's voice kept cracking. "You report me to the police every single time you see me! Even Mom went on TV and told me to turn myself in!"

"I don't want you to go to jail!" Julia finally admitted. "I mean...I wanted to before...but not anymore!" She went on to explain that she only wanted to make sure Amara didn't do anything that would put her on the blacklist permanently and make things worse for her. Sure, Julia did want to put Amara in jail before, when she began her journey, when she was naive and still had a rather black and white view of justice. But all of her experiences and encounters with Amara over the past few months made her really reconsider what she wanted for her sister. Plus, as much as she hated to admit it, with everything Amara had done since stealing the Totodile from Professor Elm's lab, Amara going to jail was inevitable no matter what they'd do, since she technically brought all this on herself. She certainly didn't help her case by not cooperating with the court's rules and not talking to the therapist they assigned her.

"Amara...I do want to see you be a trainer, like you always wanted," Julia's voice was nearly gone. It was a wonder she still had any portion of her voice left from so much crying. "We all do. We don't want to stop you from fulfilling your dream. Your and Chanel's dream. But doing all this...it's just gonna make things worse for you. I won't say that I understand what you're going through. But...are you really okay with all of this?

Both girls were completely overcome with agony. The pain they bold held gripped their hearts and threatened to rip it out from their chests. Julia wondered if even saying all that she said was even worth it. Even Julia knew she couldn't possibly understand what Amara had been through. All those months on the run, with no friends to share in her joys, sorrows, pain, and victories. Going on a journey completely alone with a desire to fight the world for its lack of concern for Chanel. Still, she wanted to ease her sister's pain so badly. But for all she knew, she could already be failing even at that.

Amara cast her gaze downward. Regret washed over her. Now she wished she hadn't said all those lies and terrible things to Julia, her own sister. Right to her face, and things that were completely untrue. Amara knew it all too well. She knew none of what she said about Julia was true, but said it all anyway. She didn't even hate her. How could she hate her little sister? All of this anger was inside her, and it had to go somewhere. She felt like this anger was never going to go away no matter what. It seemed infinite, maybe even bigger than infinite, if such a thing was possible. But now her conscious was telling her that nobody around her deserved all of this.

Those gym leaders didn't deserve to be assaulted by some kid they didn't know. The Pokemon she caught and stole didn't deserve to be abused and used as little more than her sentient punching bags. Debbie and Emily didn't deserve to not only have their personal, most private secrets disclosed to strangers out of spite, but tossed aside like garbage just because they weren't as close to Chanel as she was. They didn't deserve to be cast aside because they didn't understand the depth of her grief. Her family didn't deserve all of the insults, yelling, and shouting she subjected them to, nor did they deserve to be vilified just because they wanted to help her in any way they could, even if they weren't necessarily good at it and sometimes went about it the wrong way. They certainly didn't deserve being completely sick with worry as Amara ran away from home, traveled all across Johto alone while being pursued by police at every turn, and continually put herself in possible mortal danger.

It finally hit her right then and there. Debbie was right. Amara didn't want to heal. She just wanted to be angry at everything and everyone. To stew in her anger and let it grow until it was as big as the universe, like anger was the only thing keeping her alive. She didn't care if other people were hurt. All Amara cared about was her own pain, her own hurt. Nobody else seemed hurt by Chanel's death...no, there were others. Chanel's mother and siblings. Chanel's mother lost a child. Actually, she lost two. Her other children lost a sister and a brother. How could she have forgotten them? Amara had thought she was the most hurt by Chanel's death, but the pain her mother must be going through...Amara couldn't bear to imagine it. And to think Amara had the nerve to tell Julia she had no right to cry over Chanel. Chanel was Amara's friend, not Julia's, she had told herself. Julia needed to find her own friends. But Chanel was nice to her. Chanel never teased Julia or was mean to her like other kids. Chanel actually treated her like a human being who deserved love and respect, like everyone else. Amara thought only she had the right to mourn Chanel and lashed out at anyone who even so much as looked at her wrong. Being sad over Chanel's death didn't justify all of the pain she had inflicted on everyone around her, especially her family, even complete strangers who knew nothing of Chanel.

She used to hate the fact that Julia was honest and matter-of-fact on just about everything, even when she shouldn't have been. Now, Amara thought that her being brutally honest and blunt was one of her better qualities. No, it had always been her best quality. At least Julia was being straight up with her, not mincing words even when she tried really hard with her word choice and often failing at times to put things nicely. Julia never did hide her feelings. She never made any attempts to sugar coat anything, even when it was necessary to do so. Amara squeezed her eyes shut. Why did she ever think she could hate her sister, and just for being herself, at that?

"...You've really grown up," Amara finally whispered.

"Huh?" Julia looked up, her vision still blurry.

Amara sat down, pulling her knees to her chest. "Look at you. You traveled all over Johto, made it all the way to Mt. Silver on foot, overcame your fear of Pokemon battles, and even fought gym leaders."

Julia wasn't sure how to respond to that. But Amara was right about all of those things.

"You did the same thing, y'know," Julia told her. "And you can do it again, if you come back home and do what you can to get off the blacklist."

Amara said nothing. In response, Julia held her hand out. "Let's go back home. Let's end this."

"Julia!!"

The girls lifted their heads up. A voice? Julia climbed back up to the hole to hear it better. Her name was called out again. Caiseal and Perrine were nearby!

"Heeeey!!" Julia cried out. "I'm in heeere!!"

To her relief, she could see Perrine's maroon skirt fluttering in front of the hole. Caiseal kneeled down to get a better look, and thanks to Hikaru's glow, she could make out his facial features perfectly. "Whoa! How'd you get stuck in there?" Caiseal asked.

"It's a long story. But Amara and I are trapped. Can you get us out, please?"

"No problem!" Perrine exclaimed.

"Be careful. The rocks are kinda loose and unstable," Julia warned them. Inside, her stomach was doing joyful backflips, and she wanted to jump up and down. Tsubasa pulled through, and her friends were here!

Thankfully, the process of getting them out proved to be easy thanks to Caiseal and Perrine. The latter had Florian come out and use his vines to remove some of the more unstable rocks. Caiseal had Apollo and Mallow move some other boulders, allowing the entrance of the cave to return to its original form. As soon as the hole was big enough, Julia crawled right out of there, with Amara following from behind. Of course, Julia did have to take her by the hand and pull her out. But with that, the girls were trapped. The sky was still marred by dark, heavy clouds, but it was much better than total darkness. Hikaru's body stopped glowing as well.

Julia wasted no time throwing her arms around Caiseal. "Nnngh! You guys are the best!!"

"Where the heck were you?" Perrine asked sternly, crossing her arms. "When we woke up, you had disappeared. We thought a Pokemon had snatched you."

Guilt settled in her chest. Her desire to catch Amara made her friends worry. "I'm sorry," Julia told them. "But seriously, you're not gonna believe what happened to me over the past--!!"

She wasn't able to tell them anything that had happened. Out from the sky came a yellow beam of light that flew right over them, landing a direct hit just above them. Rocks and boulders exploded from the mountain in a dusty spume. Perrine was quick to pull Caiseal away from the explosion, as did Amara with Julia. A guttural roar cut through the air, splitting their ear drums in half. Everyone looked up. Lugia soared overhead, with J's airship still in pursuit.

"Holy crap!!" Perrine yelped. "Is that--?!"

"We need to get out of here!" As awestruck as he was about seeing Lugia, he could tell from a glance that it was J's airship. This was not the time to be gawking at a legendary Pokemon. He took Perrine by the hand and made a mad dash for it. Similar to before, Julia took Amara by the hand and ran for her life. Hikaru leaped onto Tsubasa's back and the bird Pokemon flew on ahead of them.

Behind them, the airship fired a barrage of large, black rings that flew all around Lugia. The diving Pokemon fired off several beams of light behind itself to keep them away, but they managed to evade every attack. Lugia's body cast a shadow over Julia and Amara, who were struggling to keep up with Perrine, Caiseal, and their Pokemon. One of Lugia's wings brushed against the side of the mountain, taking out a huge chunk of boulders that fell all around the kids. At one point, the rings finally made contact with Lugia, coiling themselves around the silver avine, trapping its wings, preventing further flight. One of the rings flew towards Amara and Julia, blocking their path and dragging them towards Lugia, melding into one of the other rings. They found themselves restrained against Lugia's underbelly.

Perrine was the first to turn around and see it. "No!! Jule!!" She shouted. Caiseal stopped in his tracks, and his mouth fell agape. Julia and Amara were trapped.

The rings sent an electrical current, sending searing pain through Lugia, Julia, and Amara's bodies. All three of them screamed in agony before falling unconscious. Before long, the rings floated up to the bottom of J's airship, taking Lugia and the Parisa sisters with them.

Inside the cockpit, J smiled. "Mission accomplished. Let's see if we can get some information out of it."

"Master J," A male pilot exclaimed. "It seems we caught something else as well. Come see," He pointed to a screen in front of him.

With a grunt, J walked over to the control panel. The pilot zoomed in the image. J leaned over to get a closer look. Two girls were caught by one of their electrical rings, trapped against Lugia's underbelly, their heads drooping downward as their bodies were in a vertical position.

"I'll handle them," J answered. "In the meantime, turn on the invisibility cloak and get one of the Dark Balls and put Lugia inside. Our airship is too small to handle its weight. I'll have the others take the girls out and put them in the storage unit."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Outside, the airship turned invisible, blending right in with the sky as it turned around and made its way westward. Perrine and Caiseal could only watch as it disappeared.

"We have to do something!" Caiseal exclaimed.

Perrine nodded in agreement. "Tsubasa!" She turned towards the bird Pokemon. "Take Hikaru and follow that airship!"

Tsubasa gave a sailor salute before taking off with Hikaru on her back. The airship may be invisible, but Tsubasa was confident she could find it. Pidgeotto didn't have great eyesight for nothing.

Caiseal pulled his PokeGear out. "I'll call the police!"

***

The first thing Julia noticed was that she felt something hard and cold beneath her. Her eyes peeled open, and she was greeted by titanium walls that shined under fluorescent lights. Blurs of gold swept across her vision. Gold? Julia rubbed her eyes with her fists. Blinking, her vision began to clear up, and the gold blurs turned out to be statues of various Pokemon. Julia gasped. She was on J's airship! She swiveled around, finding Amara lying next to her, unconscious. Julia stood up, her legs trembling as she used the wall for support. How did she wind up here, on J's airship? But as she got a better look at the statues, she recognized them with just a glance.

Raikou. Suicune. Entei. Frozen in various stages of fear and surprise. Raikou had his claws in the air. Entei was crouching down, and Julia could see a visible gash on its side. Suicune's body was in a circular arch, like it was trying to jump away. All three of them were petrified in golden stone, just like Raikou was back in Olivine City. She looked around the room to see if anyone else was here. Other than herself, Amara, and the three legendary beasts, nobody else was here. Not even other trapped Pokemon. That was when she noticed. The room was completely empty, save for the five of them. But where were Ho-Oh and Lugia, and didn't J normally imprison more Pokemon than this?

Julia ran over to Raikou and pushed the lever down on the docking unit that held him. Raikou's body returned to normal, and the electric Pokemon looked around, bewildered.

"Raikou! Hi there!" Julia greeted it warmly. Raikou looked down, eyeing the girl with suspicion. But upon closer examination, this was the girl who took care of his ward Hikaru. Raikou's stance softened, and he gave a low growl in greeting. "Looks like you're in a pickle again, huh?" She stole a glance at Entei and Suicune. "What happened to you guys? What does J want with you?"

"Uuugh," Amara groaned, finally waking up from her unconscious state. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Julia, can you please keep it down? Arceus, you're so loud—whaaaaaaa?!" She complained before she processed the image of a giant electric tiger in front of her little sister, yelping like she saw an axe murderer coming her way. Of course, Julia paid her no heed; as she was too busy listening to Raikou telling her how they got here.

"She has both Ho-Oh and Lugia?" Julia repeated. "That's terrible! Do you know where she's keeping them?" Raikou gave another quiet growl. "I'm not surprised. Anyway, do you think you can get out of here? My sister and I will handle things here."

Raikou nodded. Julia stood back six feet, going back to where Amara was. Just then, Raikou let out a roar and fired a powerful lightning bolt at the ceiling. It cut right through the thick armor, leaving a hole just big enough for Raikou to jump through. Soon after, the electric tiger leaped to the ceiling and crawled out of the hole. Julia ran towards the petrified Entei, knowing what she needed to do. But before she could run any further, Amara's hand grabbed her shoulder.

"What are you doing?!" Amara scolded her on the spot.

"I'm gonna set them free, that's what!" Julia snapped back, writhing in Amara's grasp.

"No you're not! They'll kill you!"

"No they won't! I'm not gonna leave them here!"

"Whoever brought us here is gonna kill us! If you set them free we're dead meat!"

"We're dead meat whether we do anything or not, and I'd rather go down fighting than sit by and do nothing!"

After some struggle, Julia wasted no time setting Entei free. The volcano Pokemon looked up and saw the hole Raikou made before making a big leap towards it. Then, Julia pressed the lever on the mechanical dais Suicune stood on. Once Suicune was free and saw Julia, the north wind Pokemon backed away, snarling its teeth at her. Julia kept her hands up to show Suicune she meant no harm.

"It's okay. It's okay," She cooed in a dulcet voice. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm trying to help you."

Suicune took a moment to sense her intentions. There was no malice in her heart. Gradually, Suicune's pulse slowed to a steady drumbeat, and its expression softened into a calmer look. Suicune's stance relaxed as it walked closer to the girl. Amara's jaw dropped once again. Was she actually seeing her little sister attempt to calm a large, dangerous Pokemon? And a legendary Pokemon, at that? Suicune sniffed Julia with its muzzle for a brief moment.

"I already set Raikou and Entei free, so they're safe for now," Julia reassured the north wind Pokemon with confidence.

Suicune looked over to its left. Raikou and Entei were nowhere in sight. It looked up at the hole in the ceiling. That must be how they escaped. But before Suicune could act, a beam of light coiled around its neck, preventing movement. Two more followed, one around its muzzle, and another around its leg. Suicune staggered to the ground. Julia and Amara looked over to the entrance. Three Team Rocket grunts had guns aimed at Suicune, only they weren't guns as they fired laser-like ropes around the struggling north wind Pokemon. Julia didn't have a name for them. The girls bristled as Hunter J herself walked over to them with all the grace of a model walking down a runway, only she was frowning. Julia knew this wasn't going to be pretty.

J took a brief moment to size her up. "Huh. You're that girl who foiled my plans in Olivine City," J mused, her voice cold as ice. "And I see you're foiling my plans yet again."

"WHAT?!" Amara shrieked. "You've met her before?! And what's this about you foiling her plans?!"

"This isn't the time for that now!" Julia barked before turning back to J. "Let us go!"

J scowled. "And have you spill your guts to the world and put me in a compromising position? Not a chance, kid," She sneered.

Another Team Rocket grunt came running up to her, holding what appeared to be two small, black PokeBalls with red and purple markings on them. "Master J! Ho-Oh and Lugia keep acting up in these things! I can't get them to stop rattling!" He explained sheepishly.

Dark Balls? Julia stole a glance at them. The PokeBalls were shaking and rattling in the grunt's hands. Ho-Oh and Lugia were in them! Probably because they were both too big for the airship to carry, even if they were petrified, she hypothesized.

"Put them in my quarters," J told him tersely. "They can't possibly break out of them."

The hapless grunt hobbled away, balls in hand.

Julia bristled as an arm touched her shoulder. "Jule, this is really, really bad," Amara whispered, her voice trembling with fear. "We need to get out of here."

J looked over at the other grunts. "Get Suicune under control! I'll deal with these brats," J shouted as she came closer to the girls. She then yanked Julia up by the arm. The sudden force made Julia yelp from the pain. In response, the girl kicked J right in the shin, which was enough to make the woman release her. J only grunted from the kick, but scowled again as Julia ran right back to Amara.

"Jule! Stop this! You're gonna make things worse!" Amara hissed.

"You got any better ideas?" Julia retorted. "Things are gonna get worse no matter what we do."

The Pokemon hunter took her shades off and put two fingers to her forehead as she let out an exasperated sigh. "Oh, for Arceus' sake. You're even more difficult than that Gyarados I mind controlled in Cherrygrove City last year."

What?

The girls' eyes shrank. What did J say? Any concerns Amara had about the whole situation melted away as soon as J finished talking. A Gyarados? In Cherrygrove City? Last year? And she said she mind controlled it? Amara stood up in alarm, her ponytail nearly hitting her face as she did so. J's words hung suspended in the air before clattering down around the Parisa girls like raging, ice cold hail.

"That was...you?" Amara's voice softened to a low, pathetic whisper. "You...made that Gyarados...kill all those people?" Another revelation hit her like a Rock Slide attack. "You killed...Chanel, too?"

"Yeah, that Gyarados attack was my doing," J admitted with indifference. Julia cringed from the casual way this woman was talking about a terrible tragedy. No emotion and no remorse, like she was talking about having gotten a soda from a vending machine. "It was my first attempt at testing out the first version of our radio signal," She continued. Julia knew right away what she was talking about: the radio signal that was meant to forcefully evolve Pokemon or mind control them.

Julia bared her teeth at the woman. "That was you?! You made that Gyarados kill all those people?!" She screamed, letting loose the volcano of anger in her heart. "How could you be so cruel?!"

"Tch," J barely reacted to Julia's outburst. "They were but a small price to pay in my grand plans. I don't know why you're getting all worked up about it. Sacrifices are needed in order to make progress in everything."

Sacrifices? Julia's blood boiled red hot. She thought those innocent people she killed were little more than sacrifices? A means to an end? An inconvenience to be purged in order to achieve her own selfish goals? This was far worse than anything she could have imagined. The realization hit both girls right then and there. The Gyarados attack last year wasn't an accident at all, and everyone died because of her! Chanel died because of her! And here J was, confessing her horrific deed like it was little more than a trip to the store! The anger that simmered inside her exploded outward.

"What is wrong with you?!" Julia screamed as loud as she could muster. For once, Amara didn't scold her for it. Amara fell to her knees, unable to move, her vocal chords having completely shut down. Good thing Julia did all of the talking for her, and she made her opinion loud and clear. "You killed so many innocent people for your own personal gain!! Some of whom were our friends! Our neighbors! Our classmates! You...you...you're a monster!! A big, fat MONSTER!!" Julia's red, contorted face snarled as she yelled at J, not caring at all about the grunts who were giving her the stink eye for daring to talk to their boss in such a manner. Julia saw red, and in front of her was a criminal. Someone needed to give her a verbal lashing. Why not her? More than that, she wanted to give this evil woman a good punch in the face!

"Chuuuuu!" Lightning bolts shot through the hole in the ceiling, nearly striking the three grunts who held Suicune captive. Hikaru came bounding into the room, cheeks sparkling with electricity. Tsubasa zipped in right afterward, speeding past the grunts and knocking the rope laser guns out of their hands. The light ropes faded, and Suicune took the chance to bound right out of the storage room. Not long after, Hikaru leapt towards J and glowed in a harsh, white light. J winced, holding her arm in front of her face, blinded by the light even with her shades on.

"Come on!" Julia took Amara by the hand and sprinted out of the storage room.

Titanium corridors greeted them as the girls made their way through the airship. They needed to find a way out. But how, and where could they find one? Hikaru ran up next to them with a confident glint in her eyes. "Pikapi!"

"Hey, girl! You and Tsubasa were great!" Julia exclaimed, panting with each breath she took. She and Amara found a brief moment to stop and catch their breath. "Ho-Oh and Lugia are inside some black PokeBalls, and a grunt has them."

Hikaru smiled. In the distance, a young man screamed in agony, and a bird's squawking and howling bounced off the walls. Not long after that, Tsubasa came flying towards the girls, with black PokeBalls in each foot. The bird wasted no time handing them to Julia.

"Thanks, Tsubasa! You're the best!" Julia cradled the Dark Balls in her arms. Two legendary Pokemon who were revered as Gods, and here they were, trapped in tiny capsules against their will, and all because of some terrible woman's greed and malice. "Don't worry, guys. I'll set you free soon. I promise," She whispered, hoping they heard her. The Dark Balls wiggled in her arms, as if they were nodding. "Tsubasa. Can you drive away any TR grunts in case they come after us? We need to get out of here."

Tsubasa nodded, pointing further down the corridor before flying ahead. Julia put the Dark Balls in her backpack, took Amara by the hand, and ran, with Hikaru by her side. She needed to find an exit. They all did. Getting out through the hole Raikou made in the ceiling would be risky, and J was probably still on their tail. It didn't help that none of the Pokemon she had were big enough to fly and carry two kids at the same time. But she wasn't going to be stuck here and be J's prisoner. Not after what they learned about her.

As they made their way through the airship, Tsubasa and Hikaru both drove away any grunts that tried to hinder their escape. Tsubasa did most of the work, using Gust to throw them into walls or in general knock them out. Some of Julia's Pokemon weren't in good enough shape to handle Team Rocket since her battle with Amara earlier. Finally, Julia saw what looked like an exit: a big, square door. She placed her hand on one of the cracks. Air brushed through her fingers. But how could she get it to open? A card reader caught her eye. A little black card reader had been built into the wall, and a clear part of it was glowing red. She turned to her right. A female grunt was lying behind her unconscious. A black plastic card with a red R on it dangled from her neck by a lanyard.

Could that be what she needed to get out? Julia kneeled down and slowly removed the lanyard from the woman's neck, taking care not to wake her up. When she got it loose, she walked over to the card reader and placed the black card over it. The clear strip on the reader glowed green, and a hissing sound echoed in the airship. The hatch opened outward, revealing a vast blue sky and a sea of green trees before her. Julia didn't dare look down, as she was just two feet from the edge. One push would be all it took to make her fall to her potential death. How in the world were they going to get off? But Julia had an idea. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out the Dark Balls.

"Now we can-" Before Julia could finish, she saw a white web flying towards her. She leaped out of the way just in time, away from the entrance so she didn't fall backwards. J and an Ariados had the girls cornered. Julia stood close to Amara, clutching the Dark Balls tightly. Hikaru and Tsubasa adopted battle stances. Hikaru was on all fours, her tail in the air, and Tsubasa was airborne, ready to battle.

"I didn't spend months searching for the legendary birds just so you could steal them from me!" J bellowed.

"They were never yours to begin with!" Julia snapped back.

"You will give them to me right now!"

"No!"

J scowled. "Then you leave me no choice. Ariados, Poison Sting!"

"Aria!" The giant spider fired a flurry of poison stingers at the girls.

"Tsubasa! Blow them away with Gust!"

The bird Pokemon flapped her wings vigorously, generating a gust of wind that sent the poison stingers scattering in different directions. Julia was quick to get back on her feet, her arms protecting the Dark Balls like they were precious jewels. All Amara did was stand at the edge, wind thrashing her hair and face as she continued to process J's awful revelation. No words came out from her throat. Her entire being had shut down. She saw nothing but darkness, not even as Tsubasa and Ariados exchanged attacks and blows right in front of her.

Before J could call out another attack, the airship began to shake. The floor shifted sideways, and everyone fell to their knees, losing their balance. Something made the airship sway from the inside. Julia slipped, the lower half of her body hanging off the edge of the entrance by her torso. She grabbed Amara's leg with one hand, but all that did was pull Amara down with her. Amara shrieked as she attempted to grab the ledge, throwing both hands outward to grab something, anything, but the flooring was too smooth and slippery for her to get a good grip. Tsubasa and Hikaru could only cry out in horror as they watched the two girls fall. Amara shut her eyes as she and her sister were pulled downward by the forces of gravity, descending towards their deaths.

Was this how her life was going to end? How their lives would end? All these months, Amara had tried so hard to do something for Chanel. To make up for not being able to save her, and yet...it had all been for nothing.

"COME OUT!! HELP US!!" Julia shouted into the air.

Amara kept her eyes shut, resigning herself to her fate.

...But there was no impact.

Something soft cushioned her fall. What was it? It felt like fluffy down feathers, softer than even her comfy bed at home. Gathering her courage, Amara peeled her eyes open. She saw Julia right in front of her, lying face down on something...orange? Never before had Amara been so relieved to see her sister alive and safe. She was about to ask if she was okay, but Julia stirred and woke up not seconds afterward.

"Wha? What just…?" Julia was afraid of what she might see. But she could tell she and Amara were alive. Her hands felt something soft and warm. She and Amara looked up, and in that instant, they saw a sight that they never thought they would ever see. Or feel. Or experience in their entire lifetime.

Ho-Oh's yellow crest feathers glimmered like stars under the morning sunlight. Julia and Amara were laying right at the end of Ho-Oh's neck, on her back, high in the sky. They hadn't fallen to their deaths after all! Ho-Oh turned her head back to cast a glance towards the girls. Her red eyes were luminous and full of careful tenderness. Not at all like the godly beast spoken of in myths and legends. Ho-Oh's wings caught the sun's rays as they flapped, glowing in a rainbow of radiant color unmatched by anything else in this world. Julia swiveled behind her. A rainbow trailed behind them from Ho-Oh's yellow tail feathers, stretching far into the sky. J's airship was nowhere in sight, but she could see a small vapor of smoke coming from a pile of fallen trees down in the forest.

Amara looked down. Lugia soared just below them, its silvery wings outstretched, sparkling like sunlight reflected on a vast ocean. The girls couldn't believe what they were experiencing. They had just survived a fall from a wanted criminal's airship, and suddenly they were not only seeing two legendary Pokemon, but riding on one of them. Their eyes shrunk in awe, their bodies completely weak from the wonder of it all. The large avines flew slowly, with Ho-Oh in particular taking care to make sure the girls didn't slide off her back and fall yet again. Mt. Silver stood before them in all its glory, but Ho-Oh's wings reflected sunlight, which struck the mountain with a prism of wild, lively hues. Any words Julia could even hope to come up with to describe the world of beauty around her in that moment were stuck in her throat, but as far as she was concerned, they weren't needed. She and her sister were alive, riding a majestic phoenix alongside her shimmering silver friend, having avoided danger.

What more was there to say?

"Pikaaaa!!" Hikaru's voice pulled Julia out of her awestruck reverie. She turned to her left, seeing Tsubasa soaring right next to her, just above Ho-Oh, with Hikaru on her back. Awe melted into relief. Her friends were alive!

"You guys are okay!" Julia exclaimed, her eyes moist with tears. As soon as Hikaru jumped in her arms yet again, the tears spilled outward, trailing down her cheeks and melting into the orange mouse's fur. Then she opened her eyes and saw police cars down in a clearing. A familiar wave of orange hair stood out amongst the people below.

Perrine and Caiseal!

"Ho-Oh?" Julia called out. "You can drop us off down there!" She pointed to the clearing where Perrine, Caiseal, and various police cars were gathered. "Thanks so much for everything!"

The phoenix nodded affirmatively as she slowly descended into the clearing. Everyone cleared away as they let Ho-Oh land. When her talons met the earth, she extended one of her wings down, letting Julia and Amara slide right down. Tsubasa and Hikaru followed suit, and as soon as the girls got off, Ho-Oh quickly returned to the sky in all her rainbow majesty.

"Jule!" Caiseal was the first to glomp her, and Perrine followed suit. The force of their hugs were so strong that all three of them fell to the ground. Julia yelped from the fall, but the pain didn't faze her one bit. She was just so overwhelmed with joy and relief that she didn't care about anything else.

"You were actually riding on Ho-Oh's back?!" Perrine exclaimed.

"I know, right?!" Julia yelped right back. "It was soooo awesome! Never in my life did I imagine I'd wind up doing that!"

"I saw J's ship go down, and I saw Suicune escape!" Caiseal clamored. "You could have died! We were so worried about you!"

"Sorry, guys."

"But man, did you see Lugia?! It looks absolutely amazing! I can't believe we actually saw the legendary birds!"

"I know! I know!"

Once the kids sat up, they were so busy trying to process what they saw and experienced, laughing throughout the whole thing, that they completely forgot that Amara was even there. Amara stood up and hobbled into the forest like a drunk person, swaying from side to side as she made her exit.

"Excuse me? Kids?" An officer Jenny approached them. Her voice pulled the kids out of their excited chatter, and they all met her eyes. "Sorry to interrupt your reunion, but we'd like to talk to you."

Only then did Julia remember why she was even here in the first place.

She stood right back up in alarm. "Amara!! I found Amara!! She's right here--!!" She swirled around to point them towards Amara…

...Only she was nowhere in sight.

"Huh?" Julia's hand fell halfway down as she processed Amara's disappearance. Where was she now? "No! She was right here!" She couldn't have disappeared that quickly. "Amara! Amara!!" She called out as loud as she could, her voice growing hoarse from all the yelling she did today. But there was no answer.

But in her heart, she knew why Amara left just now.

"AMARA!!"

***

This couldn't be true. It just couldn't be true.

But she knew in her heart that it was.

Amara's lungs burned, her legs straining with every step she ran. Before long, they felt limp like noodles. She fell to her knees, and her hands met the ground, her hair obscuring her face as she stared down at nothing. Nothing but the awful truth that had blown everything she knew out into the stratosphere, never to return again.

That Gyarados didn't just randomly kill Chanel in a fit of anger after all!

J had mind controlled it!

Just as she finally let the gravity of that revelation sink into her soul, it brought a mountain of guilt down with it. Everything she had believed and done had turned out to be for absolutely nothing. All this time, she had yelled at and driven away so many people and Pokemon, under the notion that they were all somehow responsible for Chanel's death or just didn't take it seriously. She hated them, fought them, took her anger out on them, ditched them, and spited them every chance she had...and they had done nothing to deserve it. J admitted to having killed Chanel, merely dismissing her death as just a means to a cruel end, like she was little more than roadkill on the street. Now that she knew…where could she go from here? What could she do? How could she possibly face her family? Her friends? The very people she turned her back on for no other reason than misplaced hatred?

She had driven away her friends, family, and the Pokemon she loved for absolutely nothing.

A guttural scream escaped from her throat as waterfalls of tears cascaded down her cheeks. Remorse finally kicked her hatred to the curb as she let herself cry openly for the first time in what seemed to be forever. What had she been fighting against this whole time? She turned her back on her family, ditched her friends, broke several laws, assaulted complete strangers, abused the Pokemon she caught, and ran wild all throughout Johto. How could any of these crimes be forgiven? Amara cried even harder, realizing that she had no reason to have done any of it, especially towards the people she loved, who only did what they could to be there for her, support her, and help her, even as she rejected them and treated them like crap. For the first time in years, she felt sorry.

Overcome with contrition, Amara lay down on the ground, her hair mingling with scattered gravel. Normally, she wouldn't dare lie down on mud and dirt, as she was too conscious of her appearance to do so. Before this, she always took time out of her day to make herself look pretty, whether it was putting on makeup or taking a long shower. She hated being dirty in any fashion. At this point, she didn't care. Let me be dirty, she told herself. Considering how terribly she treated the people in her life, she considered it fitting. Amara hated herself, the person she had become, and worst of all, she hated the fact that she basically desecrated her and Chanel's dream to become Pokemon trainers together.

Chanel was gone, and the person responsible would be forever out of her reach. She wished she could tell everyone she ever hurt how sorry she was for treating them all so terribly. How she would take it all back now that she knew the truth. But she knew they wouldn't just forgive her just like that. How could they? She stole badges, assaulted people and Pokemon, and a whole bunch of other things. At this point, she was all but guaranteed to be stuck on the blacklist forever. Amara's sobs died down into sniffles. Maybe it was better that way.

As she pulled herself back up, she realized: There was one thing she could do. She pulled out her PokeBalls and threw them into the air. Instead of shooting out from the capsules in white lights, all of her Pokemon appeared as blue lights before materializing before her. Feraligatr, Gengar, Shuckle, Gligar, Beedrill, and Fearow. All of them froze in shock when they saw Amara's red, blotchy face, her tear stained cheeks, her glassy, sorrowful eyes, and her messy brown hair. This was not the trainer they knew.

"Everyone…you're all free," Amara whimpered, her voice little more than a pathetic squeak. But they heard every word. "I've released you all. You can go and do whatever you want now."

The Pokemon exchanged confused glances. Was she saying what they thought she said, or were their ears playing tricks on them?

"Just go!" Amara cried. "I'm sorry for treating you all like crap and beating you and yelling at you and…abusing you and everything! I know what I've done to you all is wrong, and…" She couldn't look them in the eye. "This is the only way I can make it up to you. Please go and be free. You don't have to put up with me anymore…"

Beedrill was the first to fly away. Fearow and Gligar followed suit. Shuckle trotted off into a bush, and Gengar disappeared into the shadows. Oddly enough, Feraligatr didn't move a muscle.

"Why are you still here?!" Amara cried. "Just go already!" Turning on her heel, she ran away, leaving Feraligatr behind.

She didn't want to be here. She wished she could just disappear. Crawl into a hole and die. Just as that thought ran through her head, she saw something about twenty feet away. It was an old, dilapidated shack of what used to be a little house. All of the wood had rotted with age, with many of the planks having turned orange or white, or both. The entrance tilted to the left slightly, and some stray two by fours lay in a haphazard pile nearby. Amara saw that the roof had caved in, leaving a hole big enough for a Feraligatr to crawl through. The windows all had a thick coating of dust, with one having a fist-sized hole in the glass. Shards lay scattered underneath it, crunching under Amara's boots.

This was perfect. Amara staggered inside, sat down on the floor, and cried until she couldn't cry anymore.

"I'm sorry, Chanel…I'm sorry, everyone. I can't…do this anymore…" Amara's voice was drying up, and at this point, she didn't care. She struggled to breathe beneath the weight of her endless sorrow pressing down on her from every direction. This was the perfect place to just lie down and die. Amara wished she could just disappear.

Amara had nothing left. Nothing but guilt and regret.