Jennifer was depressed.

More so than usual. She realized.

She flopped back down onto the bed, stretching out her newly freed arm. She looked at her left hand, curling it into a fist. Finally glad to have the mobility to move the arm freely again.

Thank Arceus! I am sick of being injured…

≈I too, am glad mistress has recovered.≈ Ralts said telepathically to her from across the bed.

Jennifer looked a the blue head of hair that stared back at her.

                     

*BA-THUMP*

            *BA-DUMP*

                    

Jennifer rolled onto her side, away from Ralts.

             

She felt Ralts heartache from the rejection, as much as her own heart ached, for doing it.

≈Go to bed Ralts… We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow…≈

             

≈………………≈

           

≈…Yes mistress…≈

                 

                 

I feel like such a bitch for pushing Ralts away.

This is going to suck… this is going to hurt a lot… Jennifer realized.

                 

                   

                

For Ralts’s part, she knew something was amiss. Ever since she was attack and they came back from the healing center. Her mistress had started showing her less attention.

She didn’t out right ignore Ralts, or her siblings.

But she could also tell, that the little fervent glances, the longing to play together, the want to just talk to each other. Her mistress was suppressing these desires.

Any time it looked like mistress Jennifer was about to touch me, or pet my hair. She pulled away, or kept it very brief and chastened.

        

“…*SIGH*… Ralts……” She sighed longingly.

She and her siblings were having fun while at this new place. They enjoyed the new places to explore, along with the new things to do.

And mistress was always with us now… but! She wasn’t always playing with us anymore… she is… just letting us play by ourselves…

Ralts was tempted to find out what was wrong with her by reading Jennifer’s mind.

But I don’t want to do that to mistress…. I… I…— I can’t… not unless she allows me too……..

         

She sighed again as she turned over, to cuddle back up with her brother and sister.

       

I wonder what’s going to happen… mistress…….. I’m scared…

                  

               

———————————————————————-

                         

Jennifer was miserable.

        

She hated having to put distance from her and Ralts like this.

She felt like, almost at any moment, that she was about to just grab her phone to call May, to tell her to forget this whole plan of theirs.

I’m so pathetic…

I want whats best for Ralts… I want her to have the best trainer and life possible… May made sure that she picked someone out, especially for Ralts… I just…

Jennifer had to stop thinking about it.

Lest she break down and start crying again.

     

It will all be over soon…

We’ll have breakfast, go play… then go to the meeting room in the hotel… then… then the Raltses will meet their new trainers…

Jennifer knew she couldn’t be selfish at this moment. She didn’t want to hold back Ralts. She didn’t want to just throw everything May had done for her away like that.

But, to be fair… I suspect that May would have no problem with it if I broke down and held Ralts hostage and never let her go…

        

*SIGH*

               

Jennifer leaned back into her chair from the table she was sitting.

ARCEUS! This is awful!…… I just… I want to run away… I don’t even want to be here for this…

But she knew she had to be.

Ralts; all three of them. But especially the shiny. She had formed a bond with all of them, which allowed them to trust her.

They’ll be scared if I chicken out and hide in the bathroom.

            

It’s been a long two weeks… She thought as she rubbed her face of the stress that was building up and making her frown.

                      

I hate this…

                

I just want it to be over.

       

She sat up right in her chair.

She looked out to see the Raltses at their table, eating and chatting away with the other Pokémon who were with their trainers here at the hotel.

She looked towards the trainers at the other tables. Who were looking from their Pokémon, to Jennifer, then back to talking with each other while Pointing at the Ralts.

They’re so lucky… they have no idea… She thought dryly.

If I could be like them… if only I could be—

She shook her head.

      

No… enough of that Jennifer! Snap out of it! She berated herself. Didn’t you already convince yourself that it was better off for Ralts to be with a real trainer. One who would bring out her full potential. Rather than a Pokémon enthusiast who hates to see Pokémon get hurt. Who is so cowardly of causing Pokémon pain, that she even felt sorry for putting one into a ball!

Yeah… that person is a wimp… she doesn’t deserve a Pokémon…

       

I just….

           

*SIGH*

       

*BANG*

            

Jennifer dropped her head, letting it bang against the table.

         

What am I even doing anymore?

          

Jennifer felt lost at the moment.

Like, honestly? What am I even trying to convince myself for? I hate Pokémon battles. I hate people OWNING Pokémon. I hate how people treat their Pokémon most of the time.

She looked over at the trainer with their Pokémon, some were grooming them. Some were just petting them.

Others had Pokémon just resting in their laps, or resting by their sides.

But all of them made Jennifer jealous.

                         

I used to have morals and principles before I came back home… I used to think that people who were trainers, were just selfish slave owners… 

          

But now… I see it’s a whole lot more than that…

      

Was I wrong?…… Am I wrong?…..

               

*BA-DUMP*

                  *BA-THUMP*

                   

Jennifer reached up to clutch at her clothes over her heart.

“Why is this so hard?! She…— *HIC* —She be better off— *HIC* —…….”

“Ralts?”

         

Upon hearing her voice, Jennifer sat up.

“H-Hey, there!” She greeted the Shiny Ralts. “How are you?” She reached down to stroke her hair.

          

But she stopped her hand halfway towards Ralts.

             

She looked at her hand in betrayal, at the fact that her body had already grown accustom to showing Ralts affection.

She sighed and dropped her hand back to the table.

        

*BA-THUMP*

      

She felt the disappointment emanating off of Ralts for Jennifer’s lack of affection.

           

But yet she did show it on the outside.

Ralts was only staring up at Jennifer, with a look of concern. She walked up closer and wiped a hand across Jennifer’s face.

“Ralts alts?” She asked her.

Jennifer realized she had been crying as Ralts wipe away tears off of her face.

She quickly wiped her face clean with the back of her sleeve of her shirt.

“I’m fine Ralts, Really! N-No need to worry about me. A-Okay!” She tried assuring her.

But Ralts still stood there looking at Jennifer with concern.

          

Really…. Just what am I doing?

       

Jennifer reached over and picked up Ralts with both her hands.

She then brought her to her chest and held her.

“R-Ralts?!”

                   

“Ju-Just let me hold you… let me be selfish for a minute Ralts…..” Jennifer whispered to her.

           

Ralts at this time, felt the profound sadness emanating off of Jennifer. She had felt a despairing sadness coming from her, ever since they had gone to this new place to stay; to be away from Eevee, after what happened.

She felt her mistress’s sadness and loneliness as if it was her own. She knew Jennifer was on the verge of tears, and she only wished she could do something to help her.

I’m so confused?…. Mistress? What is happening?

          

Jennifer must have read Ralts mind, because she shook her head, as if she was saying she refused to answer.

≈Please Mistress!≈ Ralts pleaded with her. ≈I’m…—I’m scared! Please let me help you, please tell me, what is wrong?≈

        

At first, Jennifer didn’t answer her or reply at all.

It made Ralts sad, she had thought that this meant that she had done something really bad to make Jennifer displeased with her.

       

≈Oh Ralts! I’m so sorry for scaring you. That was never my intentions.≈ Jennifer spoke into her mind.

≈I… Ralts I don’t think I can do it… I’m not strong enough to raise you, or your siblings.≈

      

*BA-THUMP*            *BA-DUMP*

                          

“M-Mistress?!”

            

“……Ralts…… we’re…— We’re going to meet some people today… May…—“ Jennifer stopped speaking to shake her head; retracting her statement. “I—I… I arranged it. Arranged a meeting for you guys… to meet some nice people: to meet some trainers.”

                  

                       

             

Ralts couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

*BA-DUMP*

Jennifer was planning to give her to some one else.

*BA-DUMP*

Another trainer.

*BA-DUMP*

Her mistress.

*BA-DUMP*

                   *BA-DUMP*               *BA-DUMP*

        *BA-DUMP*                   *BA-DUMP*                        *BA-DUMP*

                        *BA-DUMP*                    *BA-DUMP*

            

            

“Ralts?” Jennifer called out as she felt Ralts’s heart skyrocket. “Are you okay? What’s wro—“

Jennifer’s words were cut off in her throat as she saw Ralts’s distraught face.

She was crying large wet tears as the streamed down her face. She looked as if she was in pain.

“Ralts?! “RALTS?! H-Hey?! What’s wrong please tell me?!”

Jennifer realized she was making a scene, but she didn’t care. What she wanted more than anything, was just to make sure Ralts was okay.

        

“Do?!— *HIC* —Do you?!— *HIC*”

“What is it Ralts? Please tell me?”

        

Ralts sniffled and cried for a minute more before she was able to speak again.

“D-D-Do Y-You hat—… Hate me mistress?”

       

Now it was Jennifer’s turn to feel as if the floor had fallen out from under her.

      

“Hate you?! No! NO, Ralts! Never! I could never hate you!” She told Ralts what she meant from the bottom of her heart. “I…— I love you Ralts!… I love you with all my heart!”

      

Ralts raised mitts to wipe at her tears.

“Then why?!— *HIC* — Why are you getting?!— *HIC* —sending me?!— *HIC* —Why?!”

                  

“Because Ralts!” Jennifer told her. “This is for your own good!” She said to her as her own tears streamed down her face.

“My own— *HIC* —Own good?!” Ralts shouted back incredulously. “But I— *HIC* — I thought you wanted me too— I thought that we were?!—“

“Ralts! Please understand!” Jennifer pleaded with the Pokémon in front of her. “I love you dearly! As much as a human can love a Pokémon.” Jennifer told her. “But it wouldn’t be right for me to keep you. You’re strong, and amazing, and courageous. You deserve the world and someone who will turn you into the best Pokémon you can be………”

Jennifer dropped her head.

Not daring to look at Ralts in the eye.

         

“I’m a coward Ralts.” Jennifer told her. “Pokémon battles scare me… watching Pokémon fight each other… it scares me… feeling your guys’ pain, it hurts me. I—… I felt everything that was happening to you Ralts… When Eevee was attacking you… Every hit he hit you with… it felts as if I was being dragged across shards of metal! The impacts to your beautiful face,” She reached down and stroked a finger along Ralts’s cheek. “I just couldn’t stand it…… And I also… I also thing that Pokémon are to intelligent to be kept as pets, or as things to just serve humans and do battles with each other for our amusement or to satisfy our needs…”

“Ralts…” Ralts whimpered softly.

“I just…— I can’t do that Ralts… I don’t want to be one of those people Ralts… And I would be! I would be keeping you, not because I can turn you into something great. Not because I want to be some sort of great trainer, or to be a Pokémon collector.”

She looked at Ralts Lovingly.

“I would only be keeping you: just so we can be together; so that we could be friends for the rest of our lives Ralts… just to keep you selfishly, all to myself…  that isn’t fair to you… I don’t…— I don’t want to be the thing to hold you back from your true potential… not when I know you can get stronger, with a better person than I am: someone who will actually take the time you need to make you stronger. So that what happened with Eevee, or even that Mightyena, will never happen to you again.”

           

Ralts was realizing that Jennifer had all but made up her mind.

Is this why? Is this you’ve been pushing me away? So that it would be easier for you to say good bye?!

Her mistress winced at her thoughts.

“There is no way… nothing is ever going to make this easier Ralts… I’m only realizing that just now.” Jennifer informed her.

                

“Mistress! Please! Don’t do—“

“Please stop.” Jennifer said to Ralts. “Please stop calling me that…… I…— my name is Jennifer… I’m not your trainer… or your mistress… Y-Y-You’re your own person Ralts… not some slave or someone who needs to be owned by someone.” She smiled at Ralts for the first time.

“So please, for the time being, and the time we have remaining… please call me Jenny, okay?” She asked Ralts.

Ralts blinked out a few more tears at her mistress’s request.

No.

At Jennifer’s request.

       

“Okay… Jenny…” Ralts whimpered moroesly. “I-… *GULP* … if that is what you want?”

                    

“I—…” Jennifer hesitated.

Is that what I want?……

Jennifer knew that it should be what she wants. She didn’t want to be a hypocrite and be a Pokémon trainer.

I don’t want to own someone… to dictate over someone’s life… to make the be confined to a prison for the rest of their lives…”

Jennifer quieted her thoughts and closed her eyes. She centered herself as she tried to strengthen her resolve.

        

“Yes.” She finally answered.

         

“This is what I want…” She told Ralts.

            

        

Ralts looked down at the table, her eyes hollow and down cast in despair.

        

           

“Yes…. Mi— Jenny……..”        

        

Jennifer felt the overwhelming sense of hopelessness she just caused in Ralts at this moment.

She took a breath was about to encourage Ralts that everything was going to be okay.

                

*RING* *RING*

                   

But just then, her phone rang.

               

Jennifer sighed.

She took her phone out from her pocket. She saw it was May calling her, so she answered it.

“Hey May, what’s up?”

“Hey Jennifer!” May replied. “Hey, bad news! We’ll be there in about ten minutes.”

“What?! Already?” Jennifer asked panicked.

“Yeah, that is why I said bad news, now you have less time to spend with Ralts before we get there. Sorry!” May apologized.

Jennifer put on a brave face and smiled, so that May could see she was fine.

“W-Why would that be bad news?! T-T-That’s great! The sooner you get here, the faster we get this over with.” She told her.

May frowned as she heard this though.

She could tell her friend was putting up a front.

“Are you sure?”

Jennifer nodded for her friend to see.

“P-Positive.”

           

“……………………” May wasn’t so sure. But she decided not to press it and just let what happen, happen.

“Okay,” She intoned in an indifferent tone of voice. “If you’re sure?” May asked her friend to confirm.

“I’m sure.”

“Okay, see you soon. Bye.”

        

               

             

As May was driving, her indifferent passenger and friend raised a questioning eyebrow towards May at the conversation she had over heard.

“There won’t be any trouble, will there?” The woman intoned curiously.

May swallowed at the woman’s cold tone of voice.

“N-N-No! Of course not!”

       

“Hmph, good… I would have hated to make this trip, all the way from Kanto, just to find out, that it was a complete waste of my time.”

“H-Hey! Who do you take me for?!” May fained a mock outrage. “I told you, I was going to introduce you to a Shiny Ralts line today, so believe me! You’re going to see a shiny Ralts today.”

         

“Hmph, I sure hope so. For your sake anyways.”

S-Scary!

“Hmph… scary huh?”

“GAH?!” May choked as she realized she had been caught.