It was about three days later, after Jennifer woke up from being admitted at the hospital, that she discharged and allowed to go home.

This time however, it was her Dad taking her home directly from the hospital.

“You know?” Jennifer protested. “May could have gotten me home just fine, you didn’t need to take the day off because of me.”

Johnathan Chuckled at his daughter response of him taking her home.

He closed the door to his truck after getting back in it, after helping Jennifer inside.

“You’ll see her enough through your recovery, and besides, I also heard she is in her own heap of trouble over what happened.”

Jennifer winced at hearing this.

“Shoot, I didn’t mean to get her in trouble…” Jennifer said despondently.

He chuckled at his daughter’s disposition.

“It’s not as bad as what your punishment is: she just has to wash her father’s dojo for a month and do his gym challenges for him.”

She winced again.

“Great! So not only did I get her in trouble… but I got her Pokémon involved in this as well……”

“Hahahaha! You know? I get that you don’t like to watch Pokémon fight and get hurt,” Johnathan said as he reached down between them to pet at one of the three tiny heads between him and his daughter.

“Ralts!~” Cooed the youngest at Johnathan’s affection.

“But that doesn’t mean everyone does. Even Pokémon battle each other for food or dominance out in the wild. Some of them even like the thrill of battle; it’s in their very nature. That is why they have all these fantastic and amazing abilities: Some of which we haven’t even begun to tap into or understand.”

Jennifer scoffed.

“Thanks Professor Yew, I’ll keep that in mind.” She groused.

“Hahahaha! Smartass,” He quipped at his daughter’s lovingly snide remark. “But on the subject of Pokémon, have you and May talked about what it is you’ll end up doing with these little guys?”

Jennifer nodded.

“Yeah, I thought about running it in the paper—“

“Oh honey, no! That is a terrible—“

“Yeah, I realize that. May already gave me an earful why.” She was feeling jealous of her father, that she couldn’t pet the Raltses with her good arm while she was in the passenger seat of the truck.

“…… I didn’t realize just how rare a Ralts actually is, or how rare variants are.”

“Very.” Johnathan agreed. “Lots of people dream about finding and getting a Ralts of their very own: they are a particularly prized and coveted Pokémon to have. Hardly any people even get a chance to see a Ralts in person in the wild. Let alone capture one: it’s said that they only come out to trainers if they even want to be found. On top of that, when they finally evolve into a Gardevoir, they become so emotionally attach to their trainers, that it becomes seconded nature for a Gardevoir to give their lives in place to save their trainers own life.”

Jennifer rolled her eyes.

“Thanks for the entry mister PokéDex.” She quipped at her PokéNerd father.

“Hahaha! You’re welcome, glad to be of assistance! I always thought it would be neat to be a PokéDex, then I can see the world and catalog all the neat Pokémon trainers get to see…… maybe I could be reborn as a Rotom, then I can inhabit a PokéDex! Hahahahaha!”

“Arceus! You’re such a PokéNerd!”

“Ack! You too my daughter?!” Johnathan exaggerated his hurt by clutching at his chest. “Why do both of you call me that?”

Jennifer rolled her eyes playfully this time.

“Because you are, dad!” She smiled at him, then did her best to lean over and kiss his cheek. “But you’re mom and I’s nerd.”

“Aawwww! Little Spearow!”

“I told you not to call me that!”

“Hahahahahaha!”

                                    

——————————————————

                                     

As soon as they had parked the truck, Johnathan got out to run to the other side to assist Jennifer in getting out.

She had four things restraining her body and restricting her movements: A neck brace, cast for her upper arm, a swathe and a sling to keep her arm and shoulder immobile.

“AGH! Mother of Dialga! Broken ribs suck!” Jennifer groaned painfully.

Her dad chuckled at his daughter’s plight.

“Yeah? Maybe you’ll think twice about taking on a Mightyena’s Quick Attack.”

“Ugh! It wasn’t a Quick Attack dad! It was a Sucker Punch.”

“Oh wow! That is a high level technique, that Mightyena must have been extremely strong then! No wonder his Bite did so much damage to your shoulder and arm.”

“Actually… it was Crunch dad.”

“Oof! Glad I’m not you right now.”

Jennifer rolled her eyes at her father.

“Thanks for your concern, means a lot!”

“Anytime sweetie!” He told her, oblivious to her sarcasm.

He then reached in to help the Ralts into his arms.

“Hey dad? Let me carry them.”

“Honey, you’re injured. Let me—“

“Please dad?! I wanted to be the one to walk them inside and introduce them to their new home!” Jennifer pleaded.

                    

*BA-DUMP*

                            

Huh? There is that thing again? The not my emotion emotions… what is that?

Jennifer shook off the foreign feeling mentally, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand.

“Well!… I shouldn’t, but… Ah! What the hell! If you think you’re up for it kiddo?”

Jennifer nodded the best she was able.

“Definitely!” She then walked up to her dad and held open her arm.

“Come on guys! Come to me!” She said to them with raising excitement rushing through her.

The Ralts happily jumped over into her arm, as she held them tightly against her chest.

“Alright guys!” Jennifer announced. “Take a look at your brand new home!”

           

The three Ralts siblings stared at the giant human home in-front of them. Jennifer watch with excitement at their wonder as they stared at her house in amazement.

She looked back up at her house; the house she had grown up in while she stayed here.

To her, it was just a normal two story house, through their eyes: it was a castle.

She looked upon her house with a new appreciation for it. It wasn’t just a two story house, with faded sky-blue siding, white shutters, and a white door.

                     

It was home.

                                  

                              

                         

A safe refuge.

                            

                          

Something I think I really needed actually… She thought to herself as she thought back on the past year.

She had already been in-and-out of the hospital twice this very same year.

I can’t keep doing this to myself, putting myself in danger… I’m going to die if I don’t start being more careful.

                                     

“Sooo?~ What do you three think?~” Her dad asked the siblings.

“Amazing!”

“Cool!”

“This?… This is our new home?! B-Beautiful!”

Jennifer felt the cackles of her heart bleed out with warmth of the Raltses words and adoration of her house.

“So you like it then?” He asked them to be sure.

“”RALTS!”” They said in unison.

                              

Jennifer and her father smiled at the Raltses, before looking at each other with a smile.

Johnathan chuckled.

“Alright everyone! Let get going and show them the inside—“

*KA-CHAK*

                               

“LAIRON!”

                                        

“GAH!

“D-DAD?!”

“”RA-RALTS?!””

                                                  

                           

“OOO-OOF!” Johnathan landed on his back with a large Lairon lying on top of him.

“Lai ron! Ron La!” Lairon started licking at Johnathan’s face.

“No! Please! Lairon! Get off of me!”

                                

“Wow! He’s a big one!” Jennifer murmured in surprise at the Pokémon licking his face. “Is he new?”

“Lai?” The Lairon turned to look at Jennifer, tilting his head at her quizzically. “Lai ron Lai?!”

“Umm? Do I know you?” Jennifer asked back.

“Hahaha! Come on Jennifer! Can’t you tell who this is? This is little Aron.” Johnathan reintroduced to his daughter with a pat on the side of Lairon’s body.

“Lai! Ron!”

                 

Jennifer’s face fell as she realized who this was.

“Oh my Arceus! Dad?! What did you do?!”

“W-What do you mean, what did I do?!”

“You made poor little Aron lose all his cuteness!”

“L-Lai-ron!” Lairon stammered in shock by Jennifer’s words.

“Urk! I didn’t! Mean!— what I meant to say was!—“

Lairon got up and off of his Trainer, moving over to the ground to lay down on his side in the dirt.

“It’s okay Jen… I know I’ve lot all the cuteness you loved so much… it’s no wonder you didn’t recognize me…” Lairon mumbled in sadness.

“H—Hey now! I’m sorry Lairon! I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you. But there is no need to be sad. You’re still the same Pokémon I knew and loved right?” Jennifer tried unsuccessfully to make Lairon feel better.

“Am I though?!” He argued back in a crying voice. “I-I can barely fit through the door anymore! Soon I’m not even going to be able to get into the house anymore! Now that my small cute form is gone, I am worthless! Waaa!~”

Jennifer gave a sad chuckle at the way Lairon was acting.

I guess it’s like they say, like Trainer, like Pokémon…

“Hey now, listen to me Lairon,” Jennifer put the Raltses down next to her father, then walked over to put a comforting hand on Lairon, petting him to make him feel better. “it’s true that you may have lost your cuteness and small size, but you’re still amazing.” Jennifer assured him.

“Waaa!~ Y-You’re just saying that!~”

“I’m not! Honestly! In fact, I think this form of yours is super cool!”

“Y— *SNIFF* You think so?” Lairon asked distrustfully.

Jennifer nodded her head.

“Absolutely. Sure you lost your cuteness, but you gained something else, study dependability and a sure strong form! You’re also super cool looking now.”

“*SNIFF* Well, if you say so then.” Lairon jumped up and posed with one leg bent like a show Rapidash. “I’m glad you like it! And if you think this form is super cool, just wait until I become an Aggron! Then I will be the most cool Pokémon you have ever seen!”

“I’m sure you will! You are going to make an eventually great Aggron, I have no doubt about that—“

“What in the world is going on out here?” Called a voice from the door.

Jennifer turned to see her favorite Pokémon her father had standing in the doorway.

“Eevee?”

“Hmm?” Eevee tilted its head at the girl’s calling its name.

“It’s me, Jennifer.”

“Jenny?!”

“Yes, Its me! Jenny!”

“Jenny!” Eevee called out then ran towards Jennifer.

“Eevee!” Jennifer doing the same.

Eevee jumped into Jennifer’s arm and snuggled up to her.

“Oh Jenny! How I missed you!”

“Oh my adorable cute Eevee! Your little sister Jenny’s back, and she is back for a good long while probably!”

Lairon looked on in despair as Jennifer abandoned him just as quickly as she had comforted him.

Then he saw his rival look over Jennifer’s arm, giving him a smirk of superiority at how her was now resting in Jennifer’s arm.

“W—WAAAAA!~ *THUD* Jennifer!~ WAAAA!~” Lairon fell back down into the ground, crying his eyes out at having lost to his rival Eevee, once again.

                      

The eldest Ralts watched next to her siblings, who were busy helping Jennifer’s dad get back up and recover from being knocked over: Ralts watched Mistress run up to that Eevee with no hesitation and lift him up into her arms to pet him.

She puffed out her cheeks in annoyance out how much affection her mistress had for this Eevee,

Even though Jennifer supposedly doesn’t want to be a Trainer or for me to be her Pokémon! She sure does treat that Eevee kindly enough!

Ralts was jealous of that Eevee holding onto and clinging to her Mistress. She did not approve of this.

“…Ralts…” She grumbled as she crossed her arms while staring at the two.

                         

She watched as her Mistress talking with the Eevee. But she wasn’t able to hear what they were saying with how loud the Lairon was crying. She then saw her Mistress turn their way, looking right at Ralts.

                    

*BA-DUMP*

                                         

Ralts clenched her slip tightly.

That is not fair Mistress, looking at me like that… Ralts thought sullenly.

                                         

Jennifer walked up to her Father who had just sat up onto his but after having the wind knocked out of him.

Lairon noticed the serious smiling expression on Jennifer’s face and sat up as well.

“So guys,” Jennifer began. “Let me introduce some very important guests that will be staying with us in our home for the time being.” She pointed down at the three Ralts sibling standing next to her father’s leg.

“These are the three Ralts siblings I saved the other day after beating up a Mightyena. Say hi Raltses!”

“Ralts!”

“Ralts!”

“…Ralts…”

             

“Lai, Ron!”

“Eevee!” Eevee said with a big smile that oozed superiority while he looked down at the Raltses from Jennifer’s arm.

                     

But then next thing he knew, his feet were touching the ground.

“Eevee?”

Jennifer put him down, then walked up to the Raltses and picked them up.

“Eck?!— Eevee?!” He said in disbelief.

“This here is the youngest brother of the three.” Jennifer said with a nod towards him while he was in her arms.

“Ralts!” He affirmed with a raise of his hand.

“And this here is the Beautiful younger sister, whom I think is absolutely as stunning as Eevee here.”

“E—Eeeee?!”

But Jennifer continued on, obvious to the stress that she was causing Eevee.

“And this one here, is in a league of her very own! The oldest and shiny variant: one of the cutest Pokémon I have ever seen!”

“Eeeeeeevvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeee!………………” Eevee whispered in despair, as he felt like he had become stone, petrified by Jennifer’s words: words alone, he thought were meant for him, not this Ralts.

Ralts looked down to hide her blushing face from her Mistress.

              

You really don’t play fair Mistress… Ralts thought sullenly, but was also happy, as her heart beat faster while she heard her Mistress’s words, snuggled deep with in her hold.

While she was looking down, she spotted the shocked Eevee, whose expression said it all. She lifted her hand up to her mouth and smirked down at the lesser life form.

“Eeee?!—…..” This was the final blow for Eevee, who lost all his strength in his legs and fell to the ground, resting on his belly, looking despondent.

Jennifer turned and looked at her father, not noticing Eevee’s disposition.

“Need help getting up dad?”

“Hahaha! I’m fine, a little winded, but alright. If I need help getting up the rest of the way, I will get Lairon to help me, not some crippled teenager.”

“ACK! Honestly dad! I know you meant to say to me that I shouldn’t strain myself, but your word choices suck!” She said in a huff before walking to the house.

“H-Hey! Where are you going?! Don’t leave me alone outside!” Johnathan got up quickly and followed after his daughter.

Lairon watched as his master followed after his spawn. He then turned and smirked at his rival.

“How does it feel? To be second sting in the line up of Pokémon for battle?”

The hackles raised on the back of Eevee’s fur at Lairon’s defiant words.

“You shut up! Nothing has changed! Like she said! They are just guests! They won’t be staying here! And eventually, I will become Jennifer’s Pokémon partner!”

Lairon smirked gave a chuckle at Eevee’s confidence.

“Yeah? Hasn’t happened in four years, so I don’t see it much happening now.”

Eevee growled at Lairon’s words, as they struck a cord in Eevee that he just did not want to admit.

“Although, as I say that,” Lairon went on to say with a ponderous expression.

“Eevee?” Eevee tilted his head at Lairon’s sudden shift in demeanor.

“If I had to make a guess, young Mistress Jennifer, does seem pretty taken with those Ralts,” He then smirked at Eevee again. “Maybe they might be the ones to finally change our young holdout’s mind: especially that blue haired one.” Lairon turned to walk towards the house.

“What did she call it? The cutest Pokémon in the world? Hey? Isn’t that what she used to say about you? Ah-h! Ahhahahahahahahaha!”

                    

Eevee stood there, gritting his teeth in anger at Lairon’s words.

I will show them! There is no way some wild Ralts is going to steal away my Jennifer! Nobody is! Do you hear me!