Miles to the north of Viridian City, across plains and forests and tilled fields, lay a ranch that embraced another quiet evening. The soft light came down upon three red buildings, arranged in a horseshoe shape with the open side facing east.

On one of the wooden barns, a figure worked bare chested. With planks and hammer and nails the man worked home repairs across the roof as the sun set before him.

There was hardly a sliver of light in the sky when a slender brown haired girl came out of the red farmhouse and across the courtyard to the barn. She shivered and called out to the figure above her on the roof who had carried on hammering, oblivious.

"Lupo!" Ariel called. "Surely you can't see what you're hitting in the dark! Come on in. It will be still be there tomorrow for you to hammer at."

Stopping to wipe the sweat from his face, Lupo smiled as he looked down at her. "This is the last patch, I promise. Go back inside, I'll be with you soon. What's for dinner?"

"I'm not telling you that! Come in and see for yourself!" She spun on her heel as she said it, and made her leisurely way back to the house. She turned and shouted up as she walked.

"And put a shirt on! You'll catch a cold working like that!" She opened the door of the farmhouse and light cast her into a silhouette. Her shadow wavered as her little Growlithe sped out of the house and circled her twice before speeding inside the closing door.

Lupo hammered home the last few nails to secure the new wooden shingles the roof, then cast an eye over it from all angles to inspect his work. He smiled and collected his tools, shivering as he stood and allowed himself a stretch. Now he had slowed down, the sweat that covered him had already turned cold.

He walked across the ridge of the roof to the edge of the barn, stretched once more, then roared across the roof. "Away, bird!"

With that, he let himself fall backwards off the roof.

In a screech of fury, the 6 foot tall weather vane on the opposite side of the barn rood exploded into action. In moments Lupo felt himself gripped in two powerful talons and pulled forcefully sideways. When he opened his eyes, he was outside his front door. And upside down.

"Fear-row!" Fearow squawked her fury at Lupo and released her grip before flapping back to her perch on top of the barn. Lupo fell the short distance and collapsed into the dirt, grimacing at Fearow's displeasure rather than the physical pain.

He stood up and dusted himself off. Above him, his Pokemon eyed him coldly.

"Don't look at me like that," he told the giant beige bird. "You know I was in no danger when you're so quick." He turned away as he said that, more to let Fearow coo to herself in pride and not be seen. That bird had a vain streak as large as her temper, Lupo thought to himself with a smile.

Before he went in the door he went to the water trough just by the door, and after a few quick handfuls, dunked his head in up to his chest. It was for the Pokemon of the ranch, but as he had been taught by Arial's father, any water that was good enough for his Pokemon was good for humans, too.

He pushed himself quietly in through the door and stole his way to the kitchen.

It was warmly lit, with both the candles and the stove giving a cheery light to the room and Ariel serving up food in large white bowls whilst deftly manoeuvring around Growlithe and Raticate dancing circles around her feet, competing for any dropped morsels.

Lupo wasted no time. Before Ariel could so much as look up, Lupo had picked her up in one arm and put the bowl she held down with the other and spun her around, grinning the fool all the while.

"Stop that!" She screeched. "You're wet and filthy! You'll-" Lupo grinned as he kissed her and he felt Ariel's arms reach around him as she kissed him back. Without a word, Lupo walked them both out of the kitchen, Growlithe and Raticate screeching and woofing around them. "No, don't," Ariel muttered into his mouth feebly. "The food will go cold. Raticate will eat it." It was a terrible excuse and she knew it.

The food did in fact go cold. And when they came back to it, it was delicious.

That evening saw Lupo and Ariel on the deck at the back of the farmhouse. The farmhouse's front faced east and the sunrise, and the deck faced the sunset. It was late autumn but there was no electric light this far from Viridian City. No artificial device obscured the view of the setting night and the slim crescent of harvest moon rising in the distance.

Three small oil lamps hung from the eaves above their heads as Lupo sat with Ariel on the large bench. Growlithe had wormed his way through the blankets and lay all four paws up in between them both, snoring puppy snores and acting as their personal heater. The Fire-type was still young, but one of the finest of the Growlithe breed Lupo had seen. The heat he gave off and the blanket had Lupo's back prick out in beads of sweat, but it was hardly a discomfort. He drunk the last of his tea and gently set it on the little table in front of them without disturbing his sleeping blanket mates. He sighed and leaned back, trailing his hand through Ariel's long brown hair.

This was good. He was comfortably tired from working each day. His hands were rough, coarse with the work he enjoyed. He was surrounded by his Pokemon and the Pokemon of the ranch. The only other company he wanted was Ariel, and her company he got every day. He was warm. The night was quiet. He was at peace.

He kept trailing his fingers through the sleeping head on his chest as he looked out into the evening, at the small flies that whispered in lazy circles around the lamps.

He still thought of Primeape, his partner. He still thought of his mother. He didn't think he would ever stop. He fervently hoped he wouldn't stop. The idea of not thinking about them felt wrong to Lupo. How could they still matter to him if he didn't still hurt?

"Think about me instead," Ariel said softly to him beneath the blanket and her curtain of hair.

Lupo froze, about to protest, and sighed in defeat before he started. He didn't even ask how she knew.

"You stopped playing with my hair," she said, answering his unasked question. Lupo looked down at his own traitorous hand and had to smile. "You know me too well."

"I do. Think about me instead." She said. "I can see you. In my mind. Looking into the dark, thinking about the past. Think about me. Think about the now. Think about being happy."

"I am happy," Lupo promised to the mop of brown hair. He meant it.

"I know you are. I'm reminding you."

For a while, they sat together in comfortable silence. Growlithe's paws kicked out little puppy dreams. Lupo steathily moved the blanket away from Growlithe's nose and jaws, in case the sleeping Pokemon let out an ember while he slept. That was how the last blanket had gone.

"I like this," Ariel said, just as Lupo thought she was asleep. "We are closer."

"We are." Lupo agreed, leant down and kissed the top of her head. He leant back on the chair, running one hand over Ariel's hair and one across his own tightly- shaved scalp. He didn't give a single thought for his looks while he was travelling. While he was firmly rooted at home however, a white canvas shirt, short hair and shaved face was always preferable. It felt right.

A delicate hand, coarse as his was but no less lovely for it, appeared from the blankets and stroked his stubble. He looked down with a smile, and gently picked up blanket, Pokemon and young wife as he stood up.

"Time for bed."

There was no objection from either tenant under the blankets. They all slept together, and there were no more dark thoughts of lost parents and partners as the insects completed their circuits across the lamps on the deck, and the night rode on.

Since Lupo's last job, the days and months had passed in a similar way. Work at an expanding Pokemon ranch was never completed, and Lupo gave his days to the endless days of maintenance and admin of the ranch with Ariel. Pokemon needed sorting, stock selected and sold, new ranch hands trained and buildings and grounds kept well. It was never completed, so much as keeping the work list as small as possible.

Nearly every day he trained with his Pokemon. Dawn would see sparks of lightning, ice fire or pure energy erupt from the training field near the ranch house as Lupo put his team through their paces. Out on the Routes or any built up area, it was policy from the League for a Trainer to have a maximum of 6 Pokemon at any time. On their own licensed ranch however, Lupo was able to keep all his Pokemon well tended.

Seventy- five Pokemon were his as the League counted it, licensed to him. In reality, most of those Pokemon were caught for the purpose of enhancing the numbers of the ranch, and adding new blood and stock to the existing lines they bred and sold to Trainers. Some of the offspring Lupo also kept for himself, which was why he owned four Sandslash- two were caught wild and two born to the ranch, raised from Sandshrew. Of all his Pokemon, he counted around twelve to be of a combat level he could depend on and swapped into his team depending on the situation, and another twenty were still in training. This training he committed himself to nearly every morning.

On the rare days where work could wait or be delegated to the other ranch hands, Ariel and Lupo made their way to the local markets, or flew to Viridian City on Fearow. Twice since his return from his mission to find the Bagon they had gone as far as Fuschia City, partly for a beach holiday and partly to talk to the Warden about possibly providing Pokemon for the Safari Reserve there. The Warden was slow to commit to anything however, and still they waited on word for that particular business deal.

Still, work went on. Lupo committed himself to a routine of training, labour and love, and working beside Ariel. They were happy.

One morning at the end of autumn saw a different day. Lupo was on the training field, facing down a young deck hand. They were both on their last Pokemon. Lupo was using his Pokemon in training rather than his Gym badge- level team. She had a powerful Victreebel, bright yellow and green, eyeing him from under his own leafy shade, which had just taken down his Rhyhorm with ease. Lupo had done it on purpose. His Ryhorn was powerful but arrogant. He knew if it continued to train itself and evolve into Ryhdon without Lupo's guidance, it wouldn't be controlled by anyone.

Lupo smirked. Control was the wrong word. It took two to battle- Pokemon and Trainer. All Pokemon wished to become stronger in some way- the competitive nature of Pokemon was almost universal. A good Trainer was one that could deal and cope with the different nature of every Pokemon and build them to their full.

Ryhorn was powerful, but like many of his breed, simple. The beating down from the type advantage Victreebel provided was a harsh but necessary step to teach Ryhorn that Lupo knew better than charging forward in a straight line.

"Lupo, are you here today or what?" Kirsty shouted him from the other side of the field.

"Treee!" Victreebel trilled alongside its Trainer.

Lupo grinned and whipped a dark and well- worn Poke-ball from his bandolier. A broad flash of dark red, and Nidorino appeared, head down and at the ready.

Nidorino was far more advanced in his training that he had been when he had helped face down Salamence back in the Star Peaks. His skin was hard now, dark purple and plated in a thick hard and sharp spikes. His sides rippled in muscle, each stomp of his short clawed feet a challenge to its new foe.

Lupo couldn't help but smile as he watched Nidorino stand on his hind legs and roar a challenge at Victreebel. It filled him with pride that the little Nidoran he had helped birth at this ranch had grown into a serious and intelligent warrior. Lupo had drilled him endlessly. He was confident no other Nidorino could think as well as his did.

Nidorino's long diamond shaped ears twitched back, waiting for Lupo's signal.

"This is your fight, Nidorino. I give you the reins. Victreebel is confident. Use it to your advantage. Fight as you see fit!" Lupo shouted the last part as his order, loud enough for Kirsty and Victreebel to hear. He wanted to give Nidorino no advantage.

Nidorino barked and sped off in a storm of dust, and looked set to simply spear Victreebel with the large horn on its head. Lupo knew Kirsty wouldn't let that happen.

"Victory, use Stun Spore!"

"Tree!" Victreebel trilled, and the large flytrap opened its leafy head and belched a fine yellow powder in Nidorino's path. Lupo nodded, knowing he would do the same. Kirsty knew in this matchup both Nidorino and Victreebel had similar typing, with Victreebel being Grass/ Poison as opposed to Nidorino being a solid Poison type. But with Nidorino having access to Fighting Type moves like Double Kick, they had the advantage- Kirsty would use every trick Victreebel had to keeping Nidorino away.

Lupo knew that. But Nidorino figure it out for himself?

Nidorino had limited options for technical or trick- moves. They mostly involved beating the opponent with his horn. Lupo watched on.

Nidorino started to veer to one side in his charge, avoiding where the dangerous cloud would fall. With a screech Victreebel ejected a more forceful Stun Spore that sped to intercept Nidorino.

Nidorino's body tensed and flashed as he stopped immediately on the spot. A great growl ripped from the Poison Type's throat as he raked the hard ground with his claws and his eyes narrowed to slits as he focused on his target. Lupo recognised Focus Energy when he saw it.

So did Kirsty. "Victory, Razor leaf!"

Immediately a volley of shuriken- shaped glowing leaves sped towards Nidorino in a flurry. Sharp shapes whipped across his form, but left just minor cuts in his thick hide. Grass Type moves into Poison. Lupo tutted. Nidorino was vulnerable while he focused. Kirsty hadn't used her time well.

"Nawr!" Nidorino roared and sped off for Victreebel. He ran straight through the yellow powder, kicking it back up into dust as he charged. In the time he had stood still most of the cloud had gone past, but even a little would take effect now it cloaked his feet and sides.

"Victreebel, Vine Whip!" Kirsty yelled. "Trip him into the spores!"

"Tree!" The Grass Pokemon trilled as two long green vines whipped into life around it. Nidorino dodged one and then another as they came lashing round, until one grabbed his hind leg and flipped him into the dirt. Yellow powder kicked up everywhere.

Lupo was tense but didn't grimace. He watched on.

As one vine cemented its hold on Nidorino's rear leg, the other vine raised itself higher, ready to hammer down from above. "Tree!" Victreebel shouted triumphantly.

Before the vine had begun to hammer down, Nidorino was moving. He barked and kicked hard, rolling not away from the vine but directly away from Nidorino. The vine that trapped him pulled taught and Victreebel was thrown forwards towards the rolling Nidorino. The vine that was swinging down was diverted to the ground to act as an anchor for Victreebel now rather than a weapon.

Now Victreebel was pulling away from Nidorino, he roared and leapt. With nothing pulling away from it, Victreebel stumbled. And Nidorino applied a Double Kick. The first kicked himself free of the entangling vine. The second Nidorino applied to Victreebel's face.

Victreebel squealed and Nidorino snarled. The kicks kept coming until Victreebel turned into a sharp red light that retreated into the Poke ball in Kirsty's outstretched hand.

She shook her head as she put her Poke ball to her forehead. "You did great Victory. We'll get them next time," she spoke to her Pokemon before she placed the ball on her belt.

Lupo had jogged into the field to greet his Pokemon. He knelt down and rubbed Nidorino down, keen to avoid the venomous spikes.

"Great work, Nidorino. You truly are fierce!" Lupo grinned as he said the words. He meant them.

Under his hands, his giant purple beast practically grinned with the praise. Under that fierce shell was still the Nidorino that simple adored praise. Positive reinforcement was easy when Nidorino always made sure it was deserved.

"I just don't get it," Kirsty said as she walked over. She leant over without hesitation and also pat Nidorino down, brushing off the yellow stun spores as she did so with a gloved hand. "Nidorino charged through enough of the Stun Spore to have had him on the floor in a ball. How could he still attack?" Kirsty put on a defeated air, but Lupo knew better. She was young but she was a good Trainer. She wasn't asking because she was sad she was beaten. She wanted information for the next battle.

Lupo was happy to answer. "Nidorino knew he had to time it right, charge in-between the clouds of Stun Spore attacks. So he spent his time using Focus Energy."

Kirsty's brow knitted together, then ceased creasing as she opened her eyes wide.

"... And with his focus up, he could probably force himself to keep going?" She guessed. "But how did you know he used it? And how did Nidorino know to use it?"

Lupo grinned at his partner. Nidorino grinned up at Kirsty. Kirsty smiled confusedly back down at the purple monster.

"Nidorino is smart. That's all there is to it. As for seeing it, well, I've seen Nidorino use that move hundreds of times. Same as you could probably guess each of Victreebel's moves with your eyes closed."

Kirsty nodded, waiting for more. Nidorino pushed his nose into Lupo's hand and he acquiesced into scratching his head as he spoke. In the span of a second he had gone from triumphant Pokemon to desperately needing petting and attention.

"He's a cunning one. You couldn't see it, but he did try to use Take Down a couple of times, as he charged. The Stun Spore prevented him, So he simply used his force to take advantage of Victreebel while there was a vine connecting them. You can't win a tug of war of Nidorino. This boy wins every time." The last was a direct compliment to Nidorino, who was practically purring in Lupo's hands now.

Kirsty smiled, amazed. "What a great lesson. Thank you, Lupo. And thank you, Nidorino." She knelt down and patted him more. Nidorino was loving being petted by two people at once. Over his spiked back, Kirsty asked Lupo. "Is he ready to evolve into Nidoking do you think?"

Nidorino looked up at Lupo too, the both of them waiting on him as he mulled his thoughts over on Nidorino's final form.

"A good question," He sighed as he inspected Nidorino's hide.

"The easy answer is, there is no correct time. If one had a Moon Stone, you could theoretically evolve Nidorino the very moment it had finished evolving from Nidoran."

Kirsty looked shocked. "But wouldn't that-"

"It wouldn't be without serious implications, no, you're right," Lupo cut her off. "For starters, Nidorino wouldn't be physically developed. He would become a small, infantile Nidoking. He would take years to build up to the physical level of a typical Nidoking. Though that is a method to build a very powerful Pokemon. With years of work.

"Then there's the more serious concern of Nidorino's emotional state. He wouldn't be adjusted to changing forms so quickly. He would be unstable for years." Nidorino's ears pricked at that.

Lupo continued. "But in my opinion? My Nidorino is ready. He's trained hard, he is confident in himself. He would make a fine Nidoking, I intend to see it happen." Nidorino beamed at Lupo's words. Kirsty was smiling too.

"There you are!" Ariel's shout carried over the training field. Nidorino was the first to respond and charged off in a cloud of dust to greet Ariel.

"There's someone here to see you!" She cried with a wave, before kneeling down to fuss over the giant poisonous Pokemon.

And that was the day that Lupo's newfound routine of peace was ended.