It was dark.

                  

                   

It’s always dark down here…… He thought to himself. Whenever there wasn’t a guard or someone down here to deliver food, they kept the lights to a minimum.

And right now. It was just himself and a few other Pokémon who were sleeping down here in cages with him.

There was several people here a few days ago. Many of them had been brought in and then subsequently taken away. But he paid no mind to them.

             

They weren’t important anyways… they all smelled so……… weak.

              

The only thing that was important to him. Was getting out to find his master again.

But it seemed to him, that he wasn’t going to get that opportunity.

He had been locked up for months now. And even he was beginning to think that he was forgotten and abandoned.

             

*DING*

             

He heard the chime of the elevator. His ears perked up as he wondered what it was this time.

Feels a bit to early for dinner to be here… what could it be?…

As soon as they entered, lights came back on. Filling his dark world with shining illumination once again. He blinked against the harsh light, that momentarily blinded him.

As his vision came into focus, he saw a tall dark figure doused in bright orange colors.

“Grrrr!…. WHO’S THERE?!” He barked at the figure.

But just a he barke at them, he heard the intruder speaking.

        

“Ah! Hi Mightyena! How have you been since I’ve last been seen you?” A mezzo voice asked him.

“Who?!—“ His vision cleared up and he didn’t recognize the speaker at first, which threw him off guard. But then her scent found its way into his olfactory, his eyes shot open wide.

      

“YOU!” He growled and lunged at the bars of his cage.

He kept barking at her as she approached him.

“Aw!~” She made a fawning sound as he barked at her. “You must remember me!~” The trainer put her hand over her heart. “I’m touched.” She told him with a smile.

“Spare me your false sympathy and familiarity!” He growled at the trainer. “I will not tell you another thing about Damien!”

But the woman only smiled sadly at him.

“It’s a shame,” She told him with a sad smile. “I really wish I could understand you right now.”

He stopped growling at her and tilted his head as he looked at the human in confusion.

What is she blathering on about? He thought perturbed

                            

“I’ve recently been in an accident, where I’ve lost my abilities to use my psychic powers at the moment.” She informed him. “So I won’t be able to communicate with you directly.”

She then stepped back and ushered a young Kirlia forward towards him. He watched as the Kirlia nervously wrung her hands together as she walked up and stood in front of him.

“I… I—……” The Pokémon stammered nervously before taking a breath to steady herself. “My-My mistress has asked me, to c-communicate what you say to me back to her-“

“Wait?!” Mightyena growled at the Pokémon in front of his cage. “Are you that Ralts I stalked back to your nest in the forest?”

He watched as the Kirlia gripped the front of her skirt while staring at the floor; he watched as she trembled in fear as she stood there in front of him.

“Kah! Kah ha ha ha ha!~ Oh! This is hilarious!” He barked out a laugh as watched the Emotion Pokémon tremble in terror. “Oh! This is too precious!” He smirked while chuffed out pants of laughter.

        

“You’re telling me?! That you’re going to tell you’re pathetic trainer, what I say have to say?! Hahaha!” He growled in laughter at Kirlia. “LOOK AT YOU!” Mightyena roared out, which caused Kirlia flinch at the volume. “You are nothing but the same pathetic baby, that you were back when I first found you!” Her told Kirlia. “Don’t think for a second that you’re any different than you were back then, just because you’ve evolved.” Mightyena stated before continuing his monologue.

“When I was hunting in that woods that day. I chased you all the way back to your den, where you hid behind that pathetic excuse of a Gardevoir, you called a mother to come save you.” He chuffed out a laugh as while he watched as her eyes filled with tears.

“And now it’s repeating again!” He barked snidely. “You stand on the other side of these cage bars, taunting me from a safe distance. But you would turn to run and hide from me, the moment I came out from this cage!” Mightyena taunted. “You think your strong enough to stand there and tell my words to your trainer’s?! HA!~” He barked out a laugh. “Isn’t this why you’re clinging to this trainer now? Because despite her being a human, she can protect you?” He asked snidely. “She was willing to put herself in harms way for you; and despite being human, she is still braver and more powerful than you’ll ever be!”

       

“Boy you’re pretty chatty today,” The trainer behind the Kirlia spoke up after Mightyena had finished speaking, as the two Pokémon stood there looking at each other. The human looked down at her Pokémon in front of her with a smile on her face. “So? What did he say? He wasn’t being mean to you was he?” She asked with genuine concern.

Mightyena laughed at the human’s show of sympathy and consternation.

“Yes!” He backed at Kirlia. “Tell her!” He goaded. “Tell her everything I said! Tell her how much of a coward you were as you stood by and did nothing while your mother fought and died for your sake.” He told her with a sinister smile. “Tell your new mother, what a pathetic welp you truly are!”

           

But to his surprise, the Kirlia welp before him didn’t turn or say anything to its trainer. He watched her closely and noticed that the shaking that she was exhibiting before, had greatly reduced.

“Hey, Kirlia? Are you alright?” The trainer asked as she got down on one knee behind Kirlia, lowering herself to be near her head as she talked with her. “What’s wrong?”

Mightyena smirked as he watched the Emotion Pokémon intently, waiting for her to be inevitably buckle and seek shelter from behind her master.

While her trembling had reduced, she was still gripping the front of her skirt tightly; he could still smell the fear coming off of her.

             

But to his great shook. He watched as the Kirlia’s head snapped up to look him straight in the eyes; her eyes showing no fear whatsoever.

            

W-What is with her all of a sudden?!

          

He saw her turn towards her trainer before speaking.

“Mistress… He is just being obstinate.” She looked at him with a smirk on her lips. “He just doesn’t know his place yet.”

“W-What?! WHAT WAS THAT?!” He howled loudly at the Kirlia as he heard this.

“Yeah?” The trainer asked. “Well, we should fix that.” The trainer looked behind her towards the blonde human standing behind the other two. “Can I borrow your phone to show him that video?”

The blonde haired human nodded her head in reply, before handing the Kirlia’s trainer a rectangular piece of technology.

He watched as she did something with it, then turned it around to point at him.

        

“D-Damien?!” He questioned as he saw his master on the screen.

“Just watch Mighty,” The trainer told him.

He quietly did as he was told, as he watched the encounter this trainer had with his master from start to finish.

He watched in despair as not only did his master never deny a thing this young human female said, but also tried to kill her immediately as soon as she entered his home. He watched as she battled his master with grace and trounce him soundly; watched as he brought out the Pokémon he stole and was subsequently subdued.

But it was the end of the video he was most shocked by.

“So hey, Damien?” The female trainer was looking up at the screen in the video that was facing her and his master. “What is it that you and your father trying to do by sending dark types into the wild?” She asked him.

Mightyena swallowed done a gulp of nervousness as he watched his master sit on the floor, tied up and restrained by this female trainer and interrogated.

“I—… We… We were using dark type Pokémon to cause trouble in the wilds of Hoenn… so that Hoenn would have trouble and accidents. By hurting it Hoenn this way, we hope it would making the government have to restrict tourism to Hoenn and make it harder for trainers to start their journeys, which would lead Hoenn to borrowing more money from my mother’s financial conglomerate: leaving Hoenn in-debt for years……”

“Thank you so much Damien!” The trainer said to the screen. “Is there anything you’d like to say to Mightyena before I go rescue him from the police station?”

                

Mightyena watched the screen with hopefulness and joy at what would be him hearing his master speak to him for the first time in six months.

        

He watched as Damien looked up at the screen with a glare.

“Yeah… You stupid worthless Pokémon!” Damien shouted, which caused Mightyena’s ears to fall flat and pin to the back of his head. “Why couldn’t you have just finished her off! You had one job to do in the forest when I got rid of you! And you failed at even doing that! You sack of—“

*THUD*

“GAH!—“

“Okay… that’s enough of that.” The trainer said after punching his master; punching Damien in the stomach. The trainer looked back at the screen with a smile. “As I said to you before Mighty: I’m going to prove to you Damien was a bad trainer; And I think I’ve done that,” She said before waving at the screen. “See you soon!” The video then cut out at that point.

        

Mightyena watched through tears as the trainer handed the device back over towards other female behind her.

“And… As you can plainly see Mighty,” The trainer said to him. “I’ve kept my promise and I’ve proven it. And now that I have,” She told him. “I’m here to free you.”

       

Mightyena chuffed out a dismissive breath at the female trainer’s words.

“Come to free me? It sounded like you’ve just come to imprison me again, but just as your Pokémon instead of my—… instead of Damien’s…” Mightyena barked at first, then trailed off into a whimper.

He watched as the Kirlia and the trainer silently communicated with one another, before the trainer turned back towards him.

“I’m not,” She assured him. She then pulled out a very familiar looking black PokéBall. “Not unless you want me too.”

He then watched as she placed it on the ground in front of her, and then stomped on it.

            

*SMASH* *SHATTER*

        

Mightyena stared with wide eyes as what the trainer had just destroyed his PokéBall.

“There,” She declared while smiling at him. “Now if you want to, you can just be a Pokémon out in the wild and be free again: no strings attached… but I do ask that you don’t cause problems out there after you’re freed, alright?” She added at the end with a playful smirk.

Mightyena stared down at the destroyed PokéBall, then back up at the trainer, before looking back down at the PokéBall remnants again.

     

“…Why are you doing this?…” He asked her?

       

He watched as the two communicated on what he said before the trainer nodded her head.

“It’s because I think Pokémon deserve to be free; I think every single one of you is there own individual person and deserves every right to be treated as any other person in the world.” She told him. “And… while I would like you to travel with me, and I would love it if you’d be my friend for a while: and we did the whole you be my Pokémon and I be your trainer shtick, But I wouldn’t do it just to capture you or to own you.” She told him sincerely. Which his instincts told him were true, just by the tone of her voice.

       

Mightyena chuffed dismissively yet again, right before spinning in his cage and laying down facing her.

“What makes you think I want free… What makes you think I want another master… I’ve already been used by one human already. I’m not a fool to trust another one so easily.” He whined from within his cage.

Mightyena watched as the trainer and Kirlia discussed something between each other.

          

The trainer then stood up with a nod of her head.

“Okay then,” She then nodded towards the Pokémon at her side.

He watched as the Kirlia lifted her hand and in the next moment,

     

“-Woah woah woah WOAH! Hey! Wait?!-“ Mightyena panicked as he and his cage were lifted up into the air.

“Just hang on for a second Mighty, we’re going outside.” The trainer told him.

Mightyena protested with yips and whimpers as he was hauled away in his cage without his consent.

It was about ten or so minutes later, that they all found themselves outside, near a forest’s edge.

“Okay Kirlia, rip it open.”

Mightyena watched as the front of his cage was forced and pulled apart. The bars which were imprisoning him, now no longer existed.

        

Mightyena took a cautious step out from the mouth of his destroyed cage.

           

It was bright…

          

So bright… Mightyena thought to himself. He looked down and felt the dirt and grass from beneath his feet. When was the last time I had felt the grass beneath my feet?

He heard a chuckle from behind him. Which made him turn his head towards the side, so he could look at the trainer who stood just behind the cage and in front of her Pokémon.

“How does it feel? To be free again.” She stated, just as much as she asked him.

Mightyena huffed at her before turning away from her.

“I thought I told you, that I didn’t want to be freed; that I was fine on my own. I don’t trust human’s anymore, and I definitely don’t need your help.” He groused an indignant condescending bark.

He turned to see the trainer and Pokémon conversing with each other and decided to walk forward towards the forest away from them a bit, just to stretch his legs. He shook his fur out and stretched his front legs, letting his claws dig into the dirt and scrape against the coarseness of the earth.

             

This is nice… He thought to himself. I missed this.

               

He looked back, only to notice that the two behind him had both taken a pose of crossing their arms with satisfied looks on their faces.

He frowned at that.

“You still haven’t answered my question really? Why are you doing this? What is it that you get from releasing me, if you don’t wish to capture me?” He questioned her.

The trainer looked at Mightyena confusion at first, before chuckling and taking a deep breath. She then points towards him with an open palm face upwards which she swept towards him.

“This,” She breathed out in a satisfied sigh. “I get this,”

“Huh?” He yelped in confusion.

        

The trainer shook her head and smiled brightly at him.

“You obviously don’t get it, which is understandable after having been jaded to humans, because of your trainer and having been caged up for so long; but this right here, this moment right now; watching you stretch and gain your freedom: This is one of the most fulfilling moments of my life,” She told him. “I got to rescue you from a bad trainer and now you’re free to live your life and make your own decisions.”

Mightyena bowed his head, staring at the ground in distraught confusion.

“I just!—……… I don’t understand………”

                

                            

Jennifer smiled sympathetically at the Bite Pokémon’s distress. Even without the ability to read his mind right now. She could tell he was perplexed and disheartened.

She then took slow cautious steps towards Mightyena.

≈Mistress! Be careful…≈ Kirlia warned her softly.

Jennifer smiled at Kirlia’s caution.

<It’ll be fine.> Jennifer assured her. <I can tell he won’t do anything now.> She assured her Pokémon partner.

         

Mightyena’s ears picked up the fact that the trainer was coming closer to him. But he couldn’t smell any malicious intent from her: so he allowed her closer.

He watched as she stopped to kneel down in front of him from about a foot away.

         

*pat*

         

He felt her hand touch the back of his neck and caress his fur with her fingers down to his pelt. He stiffened under her touch for a moment, but then relaxed.

After which, Mightyena looked back up at her, seeing the compassionate smile on the trainer’s face.

“Look Mighty,” She reached behind her and pulled out a red and white object and held it in her hand. As soon as he recognized it. He started making a low growling noise at her. But against his expectations. All the trainer did was lower it to place it on ground in front of him. She then pressed the button after, unlocking and expanding it to its maximum size. “I’m not like other trainers… I don’t enjoy battling or watching Pokémon get hurt fighting each other.”

This quieted Mightyena as he listened to the girl’s speech.

        

“I also decided, that I’m not going to just capture Pokémon like a normal trainer either.” Jennifer told him before standing back up and walking away backwards from him and the PokéBall she laid on the ground.

“As of right now: you’re free. And no one is going to take that from you, unless you get yourself capture out in the forest by another trainer again.” She smiled fondly at the Bite Pokémon as he tilted his head at her statement. “I’m not going to try battling you, or capture you with a PokéBall.” She gestured towards the ball on the ground.

“I only will bring Pokémon with me on my journey, for those who wish to come with me; for those Pokémon who want to be my friend: and I promise you, that if you journey with me. I’ll not treat you like a servant, but as an equal person: as a friend.”

           

After that, Jennifer watched as Mightyena stared at her as he pondered and contemplated everything she had said to him.

        

Jennifer eyes steadily tracked his movements as he looked from her, back down to the ball at his feet, several times in a row. She watched as he bent down and sniffed at the ball for a moment.

Despite everything Jennifer had said to him. She really did hope that he would decide to join them.

        

Mightyena growled at the ball in disdain before turning around. He kicked the ball, sending it sailing back towards Jennifer.

Jennifer reached up with her hand, catching the PokéBall right before it smacked her in the chest.

She looked towards Mightyena, who scoffed at her with chuff of breath. My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined. Jennifer thought disappointingly.

        

“Aaauuooooo! Arrr aawwwooo!” He howled as he turned back to face Jennifer while growling at Her.

       

Jennifer tilted her head in confusion at Mightyena’s actions.

<Why isn’t he leaving? Didn’t he reject me?>

Jennifer felt a tug at her shorts and looked down to see Kirlia trying to get her attention. Kirlia was shaking her head while looking at her.

≈That’s not it mistress.≈ She told her. ≈What he said just now was: “Do you really expect me to believe you on any of this?!”.≈ Kirlia explained.

“Huh?!” Jennifer looked back up at Mightyena. “B-But I have no reason to deceive you!” She offered him in confusion. “Why would you think That I’d be lying at this point?—“

     

“AARRRFFFF! RRRUUUFFFFF RUUFFFF AAAAUUUUOOOOO!” Mightyena shouted with a howl.

Jennifer looked back to Kirlia.

≈He said: “How am I supposed to believe a couple of weaklings beat my previous master with his strongest Pokémon, when you two couldn’t even beat me previously!”≈

Jennifer stared at Kirlia with wide eyes.

“GRRR— RRUUFFFF RUFF!”

≈”Prove it to me!”≈

“AAAUUUUWWWWOOOOOO!”

≈”Prove to me that you’re not a weakling: that is the only way I’ll follow you.”     

            

Jennifer watched as Mightyena crouched and got into a readied stance as he prepared for battle.

“Y-You!—… You can’t be serious right now?! Are you?” Jennifer asked him.

“AARRRFFF!”

≈Dead serious!≈

Jennifer felt another tug at her shorts and looked down at Kirlia.

≈Mistress, I think he really wants to go with us.≈ Kirlia informed her.

Jennifer blinked in surprise at what she heard Kirlia tell her.

“Well if he wants to go, why does he want to battle?!” Jennifer whispered in distress.

Kirlia looked from Jennifer to Mightyena, then back to her mistress again.

≈I think that this is his way of bonding with people mistress… I think he is just naturally aggressive: he wants to know if we’d be good as friends together…… at least… that is my take on it…≈ Kirlia explains in an unsure manner.

“Are you sure about that?” Jennifer questions as she stares at the Mightyena once again.

≈I just feel… so many mixed emotions flowing from within him, Jennifer… He was excited when you asked him to come with us. He was terrified and confused when you petted him earlier… I think he—… I think he’s just lonely, mistress; I think that he’s just lashing out, because of what happened with him; at what happened with his previous master.≈ Kirlia looked up at Jennifer with pleading eyes. ≈I also think this is the only way to earn his trust, Jen. I think he wants you to beat him, so that he can know that he can trust you with his life; so that he’ll know, you’ll raise him well.≈

              

Jennifer wasn’t even sure what to say about all this. Let alone what to think about this sudden challenge.

But she did know, that if she wanted Mightyena to come with them. Then she would need to convince him she was serious.

                            

Jennifer let out a long drawn out sigh as she stood up.

“Okay Mighty,” She called out to the Pokémon in front of her. “Is this the only way to convince you I’m serious?”

“ARF!”

≈”Yes!”≈

“I told you already, I’m not a trainer that likes battling; I don’t want to fight you if I don’t have too.”

“Arooo! Arf arf! BWOOO! Grrrr ruff!”

≈”Yes, but not all “people” will shy away from fighting with you. Prove to me, that you two are strong enough to fight your own battles from now: then I’ll acknowledge your ways.”≈

             

Jennifer realized that she was inviting a Pokémon, whose fundamental thinking was very different from her own.

This might set him up to be at odds with me at times…

≈Or he could be the newest partner we need to teach us how to battle, mistress.≈

<Ralts?!> Jennifer exclaimed in her mind in shock; completely not realizing she used the wrong name. <Are you saying you want to fight?!> she questioned.

≈I don’t want to fight mistress.≈ She told Jennifer honestly, which made her mistress sigh in relief. ≈But I’m also not afraid to fight, if I need too. I don’t want to; but that doesn’t mean that I’m unwilling or can’t.≈ Kirlia looked up at Jennifer with a sad smile as tears escaped her eyes. ≈I failed at protecting you before mistress. I’ll never let that happen again: I’ll do anything I have to, to protect you mistress.≈ 

Jennifer looked down sadly at Kirlia as well.

“Ra- Kirlia…” Jennifer called out to her Pokémon companion soft strained tone as she got down on her knees, to wrap her arms around Kirlia. “Thank you… and I’m sorry I couldn’t protect us either… So I promise to work hard to be a better trainer.” She whispered to Kirlia.

           

“BARK!”

≈heheh, he’s impatient. He’s asking if we’re ready.≈ Kirlia tells Jennifer with a smirk on her face as she enjoys her mistress’s embrace.

Jennifer chuckles softly as she separates and stands.

“Well then,” Jennifer say to Kirlia. “Let’s get to work.”

Kirlia nods her head as they face their new friend in battle.

“≈Let’s do this Jennifer!≈” Kirlia sends to Jennifer while shouting it out loud for Mightyena to hear.

              

“If you two lovely-dovey fools are done with your foolish little fool’s show of foolish affection for your fellow fools! Then let this battle commence!” Mightyena taunts as he begins his opening attack.

He jumps and burrows underneath the ground.

“He used dig!” Jennifer shouted in surprise. “Holy Arceus he’s pretty well trained!”

≈What should we do Jen?≈ Kirlia asked, even though she already knew what Jennifer wanted her to do.

Jennifer smirked and nodded her head.

“Do it!” Was all she ordered.

Kirlia nodded and casted her move in front of her.

       

A moment later, a large black and gray fur colored Pokémon bared it’s fangs as it emerged from the earth with a shower of dirt launching from the hole with him.

      

“DIIIIIIEEEEE!— BLAH!—“ He screamed then was subsequently halted right in mid air. As if he had seemingly smashed into an impenetrable wall; the dirt and gravel from his attack had pelted him from behind, pressing him harder against the wall. “No!… Way?!…”

          

Jennifer smirked at the suspended Pokémon who was sliding down the Protect barrier in front of Kirlia.

She gave him a decisive nod.

“Way!” Jennifer told him smiling. “You’re well trained yourself; but Ralts and I aren’t slouches either!” Jennifer declared with the wrong name of her Pokémon. “We practiced this one, just for the occasion we might get attacked by some, would be kidnappers or evildoers.” She slashed her hand through the air with the flourish of an experienced trainer. “Hit him with Draining Kiss R—Kirlia!”

“Kirli! A!” Kirlia shouted as she launched a beaming pair of energy lips towards the now buried Mightyena under his own ground attack.

      

“Gah!”

      

Mightyena yelps in pain after he’s hit, then goes limp.

Jennifer blinks at his response.

“That’s it? Surely you’re not finished after one little attack, are you?”

“Hah hah hah…… It actually hurt quite a bit, I’ll have you know.” Mightyena said as he stood from the dirt that had covered him. Seemingly almost unfazed by the previous two hits he had endured. “But I could go on if need be…” He said with a shake of his coat. Spraying dust and dirt everywhere.

“H-Hey! Watch it!” Jennifer complained as pebbles, sand and dirt sprayed her and Kirlia.

“But I also realize that it would be pointless,” He spoke to them, then waited for Kirlia to finish her translations to their master. “Plus you’ve already stated you don’t like fighting much, and you’ve already more than proven yourself to be a capable trainer. So I offer myself up with no more resistances.” He told her. “Do it master: throw your PokéBall; capture me.” He instructed.

                 

Jennifer nodded her head after hearing what he had to say from Kirlia. She looked down at Kirlia with a smile, who was looking at Jennifer with her own.

            

Jennifer pulled out the PokéBall from earlier and wrenched back her arm.

        

“PokéBall! Go!”

               

————————————————-

                    

                                   

Aviary was smiling happily as she skipped home to go get the last of her things.

“Hehehehe!~ Arceus I’m so happy! I can’t believe how great everything is turning out!”

She walked up the stairs to the condo of where she and her lovely girlfriend were staying.

After getting inside and into their home, Aviary shouts out the clichéd line.

“Honey! I’m home!~”

She skips her way with bags of supplies they’d need for the trip, towards the bedroom.

“Have you finished packing yet?”

          

But as soon as she opened the door. Her Joy was sitting there on the bed with a solemn look on her face.

Instantly, Aviary was on guard.

“Honey? Babe? What’s wrong?” Aviary asked as she walked up and sat next to Joy. “What’s the matter Audrey?” She called her girlfriend’s first name. Something she did, only when the two of them were alone.

“*SIGH* ……. Aviary……. We need to talk……”

Aviary knew at this moment. That she didn’t like the fact that her girlfriend said those equally clichéd words to her.

Nothing good comes after hearing those words.

         

Aviary stared distraught at Audrey as she waited for her to speak.

Joy looks over towards her girlfriend, who looked on the verge of tears.

She tsked and smiled at Aviary.

“Please don’t look so sad my love…” Joy reached over and cupped Aviary’s cheek. “It’s……. *SIGH*……” She leaned forward and kissed Aviary’s lips gently. She pulled back to stare into her gold-hazel colored eyes. “It’s not so bad… I mean… it is bad, but it’s not like a super bad thing!— no, wait it is! I— *SIGH*”

Joy dropped her hand from Aviary’s cheek and brought it up to cover her face as she cried her own tears.

“B-Baby!” Aviary called out in a soft strained voice. “W-whatever— *HIC* —…. whatever it is. Please just t-tell me. The anticipation is worse than just hearing it, and knowing what is c-coming.”

        

Joy sighed once more after sobbing for another minute.

“I-I-I—I!—…. I can’t come with you……”

       

Aviary felt stunned and broken when she heard what Audrey had told her.

“C-Can’t?!…” She asked in a quiet voice of disbelief.

“……….Won’t……….” Joy corrected. “I….. I love you……. But I can’t and won’t go to Kanto with you………..”

“B-But why?!” Aviary asked in a petulantly sad manner. “Why can’t!— *HIC* —Why won’t you?!”

“Aviary… I’m so happy that you’ve hit a high note with your career…… I couldn’t be happier for you……. But I…. I can’t just pack up and leave like this…… I have to many responsibilities here to take care of.”

“Like what baby?!” Aviary demanded in a pleading manner. “What is it that you can’t just take care of or we can’t find a solution together.”

“It’s my job for one,” Joy tells her. “I can’t just pick up and leave the PokéCenter I work at…. And I also have the lease on this condo to consider.”

“But I would help you with those things!” Aviary pointed out. “I make more than enough money now, that I could pay for this and a new place at Kanto while Jenny and I are on assignment.”

         

“It’s not just that…… I also have my whole life here… my friends… my family… my career… I just… *SIGH* *HIC* *SNIFF* … I’m scared Avi…..” She whispered her love’s name.

Joy looked up into Aviary’s eyes with panic in her own.

“I’m scared!…. To take a chance to leave everything that I know behind!….. What if I fail in Kanto? What if there is no Center open for me to work at? How long would I have to work there to be at the position I’m at now?!” Joy said in raising panic.

“Hey! Hey hey hey!” Aviary called out to Audrey with a gentle voice. “Hey… we don’t have to decide these things right away.” She assured her. “W-We can just t-take things slow! Yeah, that’s it!” Aviary decided. “I-I’ll get an apartment or another nice condo o-over there. You can come visit on vacations, or holidays or weekends off—“

“Sweetheart-“ Joy called out to Aviary.

“We can c-call and talk and try the whole long distance thing!-“

“Honey-“ Joy tried again.

“Just until you find another job, or something just as good—“

“Aviary!” Joy shouted to get her pacing girlfriend’s attention.

        

*TH-THUD*

        

Aviary dropped to her knees hard, then she started walking on them, scuttling her way towards Audrey, who was still seated on the bed.

Aviary placed her head on her girlfriend’s lap before circling her arms around her waist.

        

“P-P-P—Pl-Please Joy! *HIC* Pl-Please Audrey!” She cried into Joy’s skirt. “P-Please! I-I-I—I’ll try anything! I’ll do anything so we c-can be t-to-together! So please! Please! Don-Don’t say those words to me!” Aviary begged.

      

“D-Don’t break up with me! I— I love you! I— I want to!—“

Joy reached down and put a finger to Aviary’s lips. Silencing anymore words from her.

“I’m not…… *SHAKY INHALE* ……. I’m not breaking up with you because I hate you…. You know that right?……..” Joy asked her girlfriend who was sobbing on her skirt.

“B-Bu-BUT! Y-Y-*HIC*-You won’t even try! You’re not trying! Please Audrey! *HIC* P-Please don’t leave me!”

          

But Joy was already shaking her head, tears fell from her eyes and landed in Aviary’s hair.

“I— *SNIFF* —I can’t… I won’t leave my home…….. I can’t take this chance with you Aviary…….. I’m… I’m s-sorry….”

“ERK! *HIC* WAAAAAAHHHH!” Aviary buried her head full on into Joy’s lap and started crying in full.

            

Joy held Aviary in her lap as she cried away her sorrow.

“I… I love you Aviary.” Joy whispered to her in a strained voice. “And I always will.”

“-T-T-Th-That’s!— *HIC* — UUUooo!” Aviary whimpered as she tried complaining.

“I—… I know… that isn’t fair of me… But I just want to tell— *HIC* —Tell you my side of things……. I love you Aviary…. Ever since you asked me out on that first date after chatting me up for a month……. Remember that?” Joy said reminiscing about how they met.

Joy felt rather than saw a sad smile form on Aviary lips as she pressed her face into Joy’s lap.

“You had brought your Pokémon into my center after just coming off the boat from Kanto.” Joy chuckled at the memory. “After that…. Whenever your Pokémon even needed their nails trimmed or just if they needed fed, you came to my center to seek me out…….. for the life of me, I still don’t know why you sought me out…… I’m not…… I’m not that special……. I look like any other Joy….” She lamented.

Aviary shook her head in Joy’s lap.

“You are not!” Aviary argued with a shout. “You— *HIC* —You’re totally unique!” Aviary looked up and stared into Joy’s blue eyes. “If I had to find you in a sea of your extended family! I would find you! I promise I could! I love you Audrey!”

      

More tears leaked out of Joy’s eyes as she stared down with a watery smile at Aviary, the love of her life.

“T-T-That’s what I love about you the most Aviary!” She said in a strained voice. “I’ve… I’ve never thought of myself as different before I met you. I—… *HIC* —… I always thought I was just another Joy in my whole family; just another nurse at the center….. I never thought! *HIC* I never thought of myself as unique; I never would have thought I would get to experience such love in the way you’ve shown me. Truly, you’ve changed my life forever Aviary.” She told Aviary through her tears.

“And we can still have that!” Aviary pleaded! “Forever! Please Audrey Joy! Will you!— UMMM?!” Joy had cut off Aviary with a kiss to her lips. Their mouths meeting in a wet and sad longing kiss of parting.

        

After they separated, Joy looked down at the tear streaked face of Aviary with what she hoped was a smile on her own face.

Aviary stared up into a lip quivering Joy’s face as her tears fell freely down on to her own cheeks.

“I- I can’t…….. I’m sorry……”

        

Aviary felt her vision leaving her at Joy’s words as she fell to the floor and began sobbing uncontrollably.

                         

———————————————-

                 

*BURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR*

        

The horn sounded on the pier as Aviary sat there on her luggage, looking out at the waves despondently, as she thought about the last twenty-four hours.

               

…...I have never felt so miserable in my life……

              

She sat there, fiddling with a tiny palm sized black velvet box in her hand. Aviary thought about the last few things Audrey.

What Nurse Joy and she had talked about before she left for the pier.

     

After they calmed down. They discussed what was o  their minds.

Aviary snorted at the thought.

“More like she told me what was on her mind, and how she wouldn’t change it…….” Aviary said as she played with the box in her hand absentmindedly.

          

                 

“T-Then if my job is the issue! I-I-I’ll just quit it!” Aviary declared to Joy.

“Aviary…” Joy said tiredly. “I can’t let you do that for me.”

“You can’t let me?! Joy?! Listen to what you’re saying! I’m willing to quit a secret agent job I had just got to stay with you!” Aviary shouted in frustration. “You’re more important than just some job!…… Why does it feel that you’re just trying to find an excuse to push me away?!” Aviary asked in desperation.

Joy shrugged with a vacant look on her face and a tired expression.

“I suppose I am……. I just……. If I’m the one who’s responsible for you quitting an opportunity with working with the G-Men Detective group. I would feel like nothing but a ball and chain…. especially since I won’t….—…. Since I’m also not willing to give up my job for you either…….. I would rather you leaving cursing my name, then I would have you stay and feel regret: this is basically every officer’s dream.”

“Fuck the dream!” Aviary said. “If you’re not in it! Then it’s meaningless!”

Aviary took a step back after saying this, as she received a glare from Joy.

            

“And what would you have me do if we go with your plan?” Joy asked her with frustrated voice.

“Audrey?” Aviary called out to her maybe girlfriend at the moment, wondering to herself if she ever heard Joy use that tone of voice.

“Huh? Answer me? What would I be doing, while you and Jenny are out galavanting around Kanto or whatever, chasing bad guys and who knows what else the G-Men do! While I stay at home! Waiting for a call from you that I’m not sure would even come, depending on your situation!”

“Joy?! You’re scaring me…”

“And your job scares me!” Joy shouted in frustration. “I hate not knowing if you’ll be alright. And that was when you were a regular police officer… now that you’re this special super cop or whatever! And that we’ll only be in touch whenever you weren’t on assignment!….. I—… the thought terrified me, Aviary…. And I don’t like it…. I don’t like being scared and worried for you……..” Joy said quietly, before wrapping her arms around herself; her expression on her face growing tight with frustration. “…… And if I’m being completely honest….. I’m also really jealous too…….. “

          

Aviary didn’t see that one coming.

“J-Jealous?!” Aviary stammered her question in disbelief. “Why in the world would you be jealous of me?”

Joy shook her head.

“Not of you……… of Jenny………”

Aviary couldn’t believe her ears at this one.

“Of Jenny?! That straight as a bean pole, teal haired potty mouth? Her?!”

Joy nodded her head without saying anything.

“Why on Arceus’s green earth would you,—“

              

“Because she’s with you all the time!” Joy shouted at Aviary, more tears of frustration poured from Audrey’s face.

Joy realized what she just blurted out and looked away from Aviary.

“I—…. I know it’s juvenile… but I can’t help it…… I think……. I think that, if I went with you; went to Kanto…. Went there and looked for a job and waited around for you to come back or call….. knowing you were out there risking your life and limb, and all while hanging around another woman for days on end…….. I think I might just go insane…….. and….. and all of these emotions you’ve given to me, they frighten me, Aviary…. They scare the shit out of me.”

Aviary’s eyes went wide, since she knew Audrey didn’t swear like that often.

Or at all really! Aviary thought to herself.

          

But before she could say anything, Joy continued on speaking.

“You— You’ve filled my life with so many firsts Aviary: ……. You’re the first to fill me with the feeling of happiness, other than fulfillment or family. You’ve made me laugh, rather than me having to pretend it’s funny. You’ve made me feel a deep sadness, after your Gulbat died… I’ve seen hundreds of Pokémon die before…. So more brutally than others…. But him passing away…. It was hard to see you so distraught over it. You also were responsible for me falling in love for the first time: after I kept rejecting your advances, because I just didn’t understand what two woman being together would even do with one another…. And after you rescued me from those men that night……….. I…….. I couldn’t say no to you after that. It was the first time in my life, that I ever felt loved and in love with another person before……….. I just………… you were all my first Aviary…” Joy confessed to her. “You quickly became a light in my life, that I coveted more than anything else; that I realized how much I was just existing before, until you came into my life…….. you gave me a reason to start living and loving life…….. and it’s one of the reasons I can’t go with you….. I can’t go and leave this place I love so much: where my family is; where my work and career is. But I also can’t just ask you to give your job and career for me either…. That wouldn’t be fair, especially since I’m not willing to do the same.” Joy told her as she stood up from the bed and walked up to Aviary. Whose face looked distant and her eyes hollow.

Joy leaned in and laid a kiss to Aviary’s cheek.

“I-…… I’m going to wait in the living room………… take your time and get everything you need to get ready for your move back to Kanto.”

                              

                     

Aviary walked and did thing mostly on autopilot after that.

She couldn’t even remember what Joy said to her last before she left the condo.

Did she say anything at all? Aviary couldn’t remember.

               

She looked down at the ring box in her hand.

           

Guess what they say is true…….. always ask the ring size directly, rather than guess or measure it yourself, lest you be surprised by a “No.”

Aviary sighed once again as she tossed it up into the air before catching it in one hand.

      

I can’t believe I spent the whole lot of money from the settlement from the police force for this……

          

I must have been crazy. Aviary thought as she lifted her hand backwards, ready to throw the parcel into the ocean.

      

*CLAP*

       

“Woah there!” Came a familiar voice from behind Aviary as a hand gripped her wrist that was about to throw the ring away. “Can’t you read those signs?!” She berated. “No littering! Geez! And you call yourself a police officer.

Aviary pulled her hand down to her side and bit her lip.

She was so glad to hear her friend’s voice right then. It was music to her ears.

       

Jenny?!

             

She turned around her mouth opening to speak.

Then dropping open as she looked into amber eyes and some not so teal colored hair.

      

“J-Jenny?!” Aviary nearly shouted in surprise as she looked at her friend from top to bottom.

She was wearing some casual denim jeans, which hung slightly loose to allow movement, but still somehow hugged the features of her calves, things and hips extremely well.

She was wearing a tan button up shirt, with the sleeves rolled all the way her arms to her shoulders. The top button on the shirt was loose. And while the whole shirt was tucked into her pants and pulled tight to her body, to still hug loose enough that Aviary could see any sort of defined shape of Jenny’s waist.

Her chest was defiantly the most defining part of the shirt, as it pushed and stretched it around and hugged her breasts in place firmly.

I can almost see the outline of her bra……  Aviary thought wispily.

Her gaze travel up still to the most striking change to Jenny’s appearance. Which was her hair.

          

It was golden blonde, bordering on platinum blonde. She had a large section of her hair though at her bangs left still teal, which added to the contrasting change in appearance.

                

Aviary was for lack of a better word, stunned and flabbergasted being all belief at what she saw.

Jenny had a shy and coy smile on her face as she stood there being inspected by her friend.

“S-So? What do you think?” Jenny asked Aviary. “How do I look?”

           

At first Aviary didn’t say anything, just sat there with her stunned expression on her face. Mostly staring at Jenny’s hair.

Then she shook her head quickly to clear her thoughts.

        

“GREAT!” Aviary said loudly by accident. “I-I mean, *COUGH* *COUGH* …… Y-You look great Jenny. W—What brought on this sudden…. You know? Drastic change?” She asked her friend.

Jenny reached out and started fretting with her ponytail at Aviary’s words.

“You think it’s drastic?!” Jenny asked with worry in her voice.

“N-NO! I didn’t mean!— That wasn’t what I!—

     

“Hahahahahahaha!~” Jenny started laughing loudly as Aviary started panicking. “You should have seen the look on your face!~ Hahahahah!~” Jenny said as she wiped away some tears from her eyes from laughing hard.

Aviary stood there stunned that Jenny had made a joke like that.

      

I mean, it’s not unusual for her to joke around, but I’ve never seen her act like that before to pull off a joke like that…. It was pretty darned—

But she shook her head to stop herself from finishing that thought.

           

Jenny stood there and twirled the teal lock of hair on the front of her head with her finger.

“Yeah, it is pretty drastic. But I was thinking of what you said the yesterday, and what Lance told and the Chief told me before: how I’m not like other Jennys. And I’m not, if I’m honest. I thought about it, and I realize I do act  differently than my other cousins do, and I think I know why that is.”

Jenny then pulled something free from her back pocket, before handing it over to Aviary.

Aviary looked down at a photograph of what looked to be of a young Jenny and a woman with wavy platinum blond hair. Aviary’s eyes went wide as she realized who was in this picture with Jenny.

“Is this your?!—…” Aviary trailed off, not able to complete her sentence.

Jenny nodded her head.

        

“Yeah,” Jenny confirmed. “That’s my mom.”

          

Aviary smiled as she looked at the woman in the picture again.

“She’s beautiful!…” Aviary said stunned by the picture perfect beauty in front of her in the photograph.

“Yeah… She was,” Jenny said solemnly.

Aviary cursed herself as she realized the faux-pas she just inadvertently said.

“I—… I’m sorry—“

But Jenny held up her hand while smiling at her friend.

“It’s fine,” She said as she took the photo back from Aviary. “It’s in the past now, and you’re right.” Jenny agreed. “She really was a beauty: she was know as the platinum star of the force in Mauville city.”

“Ah! That makes sense.”

               

“Yeah,” Jenny said as she played with her teal locks again. “I decided I wanted to emulate my mom a bit. Since I’m leaving Hoenn for only the second time in my life…”

“As like a reminder?” Aviary guessed.

“Yeah,” Jenny confirmed. “I figured it would grant me courage and help me to take my first steps out of Hoenn in over seventeen years.” Jenny told her. “Plus, I figured, It would help me remind me of her, and make me less home sick while we travel.”

Aviary chuckled through her nose hearing this.

“Taking a little bit of Hoenn with you as you go, huh?” Aviary smirked.

Jenny laughed as she continued to twirl her hair.

“I suppose I am, yeah.” She agreed.

            

Aviary couldn’t help but point out the part Jenny was twirling and busying with her fingers.

“Why’d you leave that part teal then?” She asked Jenny curiously.

“This?” Jenny said with a tug on her curly teal locks. “This was also a reminder to myself,”

“What kind of reminder?”

“To not forget about my mother,” Jenny told Aviary. “To remind myself of where I’ve come from, of who I am originally.”

            

Aviary smiled at all the thought and sentiment Jenny put into her new looks.

“Well! I think it looks great on you!” She told her Captain. “You pull off the blonde rather nicely.” Aviary complemented.

Jenny laughed nervously at the Aviary’s complement of her appearance.

“T-Thanks,” She replied. “It- *sigh* -It means a lot to hear you say that.” Jenny said gratefully.

Aviary smiled at her and patted her on the shoulder.

“No problem partner!” Aviary encouraged with a smile. Jennifer then raised an eye brow at Aviary’s words. Which made Aviary think she misunderstood. “I-I mean! Partner: as in partner in crime. But not crime, obviously!— what I meant was partners, as in—“

        

Jenny chuckled at Aviary’s nervous stammering, as she reached over to the shorter woman and patted her on the back.

“Relax Sergeant,” Jenny told her with a smile.” I knew what you meant,” She emphasized her words with a playful hip bump into Aviary’s own. “Partner.” She replied with the same moniker. She then turned and started heading towards the boat.

“Come on,” She told Aviary. “We don’t want to miss the boat to Kanto, do we? I doubt that Lance would approve of us being late.”

Aviary smiled at her Captain, before reaching down to pick up her bags and rolling luggage and following after her.

“Right behind you Captain!” She said enthusiastically.

                  

“Oh hey? By the way?” Jenny asked Aviary. “What was that in your hand that you were about to throw in the ocean?” She asked curiously.

“Oh umm!-“ Aviary panicked and stuffed the velvet black box back into the pocket of her skirt. “N-Nothing!” Aviary told her. “J-Just a…. *sigh* ….Just a keepsake now… I suppose.”

Jenny could sense that she wasn’t ready to talk about it quite yet. So she just shrugged and wrapped an arm around Aviary’s shoulder.

“Ca-Captain?!” Aviary stammered in surprising shock at Jenny’s skinship.

“Just accept it Sergeant…” She told Aviary. “I don’t know what’s wrong,” She lied. “But I can tell you’re upset and sad right now…” She informed Aviary while looking straight ahead. “So take all the time you need Aviary, I’ll be here for you, partner.” Jenny told her.

        

Aviary said nothing, as she bit her bottom lip and worried it as tears spilt from her eyes.

Aviary looked down as she cried silently, as the crossed the pier towards their destination.

                             

Jenny looked up at the clear orange colored sky as they walked ahead.

“……looks like rain……” She whispered to Aviary softly.

                   

                    

————————————————-

                

                     

“HHHMMMMMM!~ PHAW!~” May said as she stretched her arms and limbs out. “You ready for the time of your life and the greatest adventure you’ve ever had?!” She asked Jennifer.

This only made Jennifer chuckle at how relaxed and carefree May was taking this trip.

“You know, we are sort of on the run from a group Pokémon terrorist group.” She reminded May.

“Well yeah?!” Mat groused at Jennifer. “If you put it like that, then of course it’s going to sound bad.” She told her. “But think of all of the fun things we’re going to do in the mean time! We’ll go to beaches! See resorts! I’ll show you off to all of my friends I’ve met and made who’re from Kanto region! It will be great!” She told her enthusiastically.

Jennifer just chuckled once again at May carefree attitude.

“Still though, we shouldn’t draw attention to ourselves……. And I was thinking May,” Jennifer began saying to her. “Is it such a good idea to do any sort of contests or things where I could leave a trace or become famous? Maybe we should just… I don’t know? See the sights and take in Kanto or some other region.” Jennifer wondered aloud.

        

“Actually?” May interjected. “I think it’s a great idea to get you famous.”

         

“H-Huh? You do?!” Jennifer asked surprised by her friend’s response.

May nodded her head.

“Sure I do,” She told Jennifer before looking over at her. “As far as we know, they don’t know where you are or what you look like now, thanks to this brilliant idea you had,” May pointed towards her friend with a wave of her hand. “So maybe this is the perfect opportunity to make you into a famous Pokémon contest coordinator!” May said excitedly.

“How do you figure?” Jennifer asked May as they walked up the pier towards the boat.

“Because!” May drawled the word like it should be obvious. “I’m not sure this is what your parents had in mind when they suggested this, or that you go out and start your Pokémon journey. But I think it would be perfect if we made you famous because of it.”

“Why’s that?” Jennifer questioned. “Not that I don’t trust you or anything,” Jennifer said with a raised hand to forestall any sort of argument of her supposed pessimism. “But I just don’t see how drawing attention could be beneficial.”

“But don’t you see?!” May said to her. “If we make you as famous as like me, or some other star trainers, it will put you in the limelight, and then you’ll be so famous that everyone knows who you are.”

Jennifer raised an eyebrow at her friend’s line of thinking.

“Still lost here,” She informed May. “Still don’t see how this helps.” Jennifer told her.

“What I’m saying is!—“

       

“That you need to become so famous, that you become virtually untouchable.” A familiar monotone mezzo-contralto voice said from just behind the two of them.

“YES! Exactly!” May agreed. “And I can help with that by sponsoring you—“

         

Then it clicked in May’s head that it wasn’t Jennifer who answered her.

May, Jennifer, and Kirlia spun around in place to see who it was that had spoken.

“Who is!—… Oh! What?!” May shouted in surprise at who was behind them.

Jennifer blinked in equal surprise at who was there.

       

Standing there in a smart dusky pink overcoat, with her long dark-green hair spilling out, and piercing pink eyes was none other than the most famous psychic in the world.

“”Sabrina?!”” Jennifer and May exclaim at the same time. “W-What are you doing here?! May asked her. “I thought you had already left?!”

Sabrina shrugged her shoulders.

“Don’t get the wrong idea. Lance just asked me for a favor: he asked if I would watch over you guys for your trip to Kanto; so that if anything goes wrong, I would be there to protect you two. So because of that, I was forced to delay my departure.” Sabrina then flipped her hair back behind her head. “So this gave me a couple more weeks to play around here on an extended vacation.” She smiled at the two of the slacked jawed trainers in front of her.

                    

Both Jennifer and May couldn’t believe their ears at what Sabrina had informed them.

“I don’t believe it….” May whispered in shock. “You mean to say we’re going to be traveling buddies?!” Her voice increased in octaves at every word as her excitement grew.

“Tsk,” Sabrina made a displeased noise at May girlish reaction. “Spare me.” Sabrina told her coldly. “This is a mission, not a friendly day trip for me.” She told May curtly. “I’m just here to watch over Jennifer for the trip there, plus monitor the progress of her psychic lobe, and see if it is healing properly, so that drastic measures don’t need to be taken.” She told them in a dignified manner.

“Aw!~ don’t be like that Sabrina-chan!~” May said with a crooked smirk on her face. “Why don’t you just be honest and tell us you were worried about Jennifer and decided to come with us?!~” May teased in a playful voice.

Sabrina scoffed at May’s rebuttal.

“I-I’ll have you know! That I’m not going on this, so call Pokémon journey with the two of you!” Sabrina told the two of them in an indignant manner. “I-I’m only traveling with you as far as Pewter City.” She informed them.

        

This had May cackling at the mention of Pewter City.

“Oh man! Are you saying that there’s no way you’ll come see him with us then?” May asked with a smirk.

Sabrina scoffed at May’s question.

“You must be joking. That man is insufferable.” Sabrina retorted.

May laughed loudly at Sabrina’s comment of the said person in question.

“Oh man! That is so cold Sabrina-chan! His feeling would be devastated if he heard you say that.”

Sabrina huffed as May’s playful provocative.

“First off; I do not care for that man’s feelings,” She told May. “And secondly;” Sabrina said with a glare at May. “Don’t add chan to my name.” She growled.

“But isn’t that what Lance calls you—“

“And that man will receive his punishment for saying that in front of others!” She groused in a low menacing voice to May. “Would you also like to receive some divine punishment along with Lance?!” She threatened.

May laughed nervously as Sabrina drew closer to her with every emphasis of her words, as she stared dagger into May own eyes.

“S-Sabrina! Just calm down! I-I didn’t mean anything by—“

     

“Umm?” Jennifer spoke up and interjected as the two were playfully arguing.

“”Hmm?”” The two famous trainers in front of Jennifer turned to look at her.

“I think,” She pointed towards their boat. “That the boat is leaving.”

May and Sabrina whipped around to look at the boat, as a few dock workers made their rounds to untie the boat.

      

“”AAAAHHHHH!””

               

May and Sabrina shouted as they both grabbed Jennifer by an arm each and dragged her towards the boat.

“”Why didn’t you say so sooner?!”” They complained.

“I tried!~” Jennifer told them while laughing and being dragged along.