What is it we all search in life for? Is it fortune and fame? Is it for personal gain or the love of another? Or is it for the very meaning why we are placed here in the first place? Many including myself ask these question a lot, more then we could ever count.

"Don't fear suffering or blames others. According to the laws that govern the universe all sufferings are your labors of love to unveil your real self." My mother use to tell me this a lot before she died. I was 9 at the time, yet I still remember it to this day 10 years later. Unlike many of the kids back then I didn't think about becoming a Pokémon trainer. I was so engrossed into my self defense training that it didn't matter to me. Once I became really good I got involved in an underground fighting ring and got hooked. I trained harder and fought my way up the ranks. I lost more then I won, I messed up both my hands and I had my share of scars from many brutal beat downs I got in. But I didn't stop. It pushed away the suffering. It got rid of my pain and let me vent on other people. I know it was wrong to do so but I felt much better afterwards. But little did I know this is where my journey would begin. In the very ring I started in.

I walked into the underground ring in Sandgem town and looked around. Many people gave me my room due to the cold aura I put out to and from the ring, the "don't fuck with me" aura. At 18 I stood a good 5' 9" and was a solid 165 lbs of pure muscle. I knew I wasn't the biggest mother fucker in the ring but I was still hard to deal with on my worst days. I ran my hand through my short black spiky hair as I looked around. My ocean blue eyes scanned the room looking for trouble that might arise should I win but I didn't see anyone that may pose a problem.

"Oi! Aren! What brings you to the ring?" a short stocky man asked as he walked up to me and I groaned.

"Can it Max," I replied as I cracked my knuckles but he didn't bat an eye.

"Cold as always," he said as he sighed and he then looked up at me," you know the rules, if you want to fight pay up"

I grumbled and paid the entrance fee and made my way to the ring stripping off the tank top along the way. I hopped into the ring as the wall of muscle that was my six pack and chest rippled with every little move. I watched as a man about 6' 7", 220lbs climbed in chuckling as he popped his knuckles then his neck. I watched the way he moved as I entered my fighter frame of mind, my eyes hardened and dulled a bit from the lack of emotion and my entire body tensed, waiting for the ding of the bell. Then as quickly as I though about the ding it came and I was off. The ring was filled with the sound of flesh against flesh as the bidders yelled from the ring side. To me it was round by round, bell by bell. Bell would ring; I would rush in and fight my best, then retreat back to my corner when the bell rang again. The match was almost even, the both of us sported bruises, cuts, and were bleeding from the knuckles. Bell rang and I was back out throwing punches and taking them, then something happened I didn't expect, a badly injured Shinx entered the ring right in between me and my opponent. I rolled picking the poor thing up and held it in my arms as I dodged the punches from my opponent, taking ones that would have injured the Shinx even more. I let out a loud battle cry as I took three steps before I roundhouse kicked his ass knocking him out. I sighed as I got out of the ring and grabbed my winnings and made my way out of the basement of the abandoned house that the ring was under and shook my head at the state of the Shinx. It was badly beaten, bruises and gashes littered its small body and I sighed as it looked up at me weakly.

"Lets get you to a Pokémon center," I told it softly, and I shocked myself at how not me that was. Never in my life, after my mother's death and my father's abandonment, have I ever spoken so soft and gentle to anyone, let alone to a Pokémon. I sighed and shook my head as I walked to the Pokémon center and walked up the nurse Joy.

"How can I help you tonight," she asked in that sweet soft voice of hers and when I gently placed the Shinx on the counter she frowned.

"Found it that way miss Joy. Please take care of it," I said as I went to leave but she stopped me.

"Wait. It seems the little dear has grown attached to you. Please stay the night and I will take care of those bruises and cuts on you as well," she called out to me and I sighed and turned back around and followed her back where the examination rooms were. I didn't say anything as she took care of the Shinx first then she blushed when she realized I didn't have a shirt on. I winced as she poked and prodded at me and she shook her head.

"You have four cracked ribs and a concussion. You are staying here until I can do this," she explain then she poked me in the ribs again making me hiss," with out you doing that."

"Great…" I sighed as I jumped off the table and pulled my shirt on wincing. Nurse Joy then picked up the sleeping Shinx and put it in my arms making me raise an eyebrow.

"She does better with you then here alone. I bet under that tough exterior you put up there is a kind, caring heart that will take her in," she said waving a finger at me and I sighed as I dropped my head.

"Fine, if you have a pokéball then I'll take her," I groaned giving in, knowing all too well that Nurse Joy was a very stubborn person and when she got something in her mind it was hard to change it. She shoved a ball into my hand and I smiled just a little as I gently tapped the Shinx with the ball and it dinged right away. Nurse Joy led me to my room as I held onto the pokéball in my right hand gently. I looked around the room and chuckled a bit at how plain it was but I didn't mind. It was much better then I had been sleeping. I placed the ball down on the bed and started to undress and I stepping into a nice hot shower and sighed. It felt goon on my tired muscles and I let out a long deep sigh as I let it run over the top of my head and flow down my back. It was then I heard a faint purr like cry and I opened my eyes and looked at the door and watched as my Shinx limped into the bathroom looking for me. I turned the water off and got out of the shower, wrapped a towel around my waist and I walked over and ever so gently picked it up. She looked up at me with a pair of dull emerald green eyes and I smiled a little making them brighten a bit.

"Hey there little one, it is alright, I'm right here," I whispered making her purr gently and I chuckled," What to call you… Aya, that is a good name, what do you think?"

She smiled a little and licked my hand and I chuckled a little as I sat on the bed and placed her in my lap and I rubbed her head gently making her purr louder.

"I take that as a yes then. Well Aya I'm Aren, you new trainer it seems," I said as I watched her relax and close her eyes,' Who would think a Pokémon would relax around me… maybe nurse Joy is right… maybe I do have a kind heart behind all this muscle…'

I shook my head to clear my thoughts and I placed Aya aside so I could get dressed and I chuckled lightly when she moved as close as she could to me. Once I was in my boxers and tank top I laid down on the bed and Aya limped and curled up on my chest before she fell asleep.

'Maybe this is a sign I need to stop fighting and move on… I mean… it isn't covering the suffering anymore and most of my wins are by forfeit these days…' I looked at Aya and rubbed her head making her purr instantly,' she needs a good home and a lot of care it seems and how can I if I'm fighting all the time… I got a lot of money saved up so why don't I go and see the world. Hell what am I going to loose by doing so?'

With that I slipped off into my own peaceful sleep, and for the first time I didn't have any nightmares.