Banette always seemed... empty, like something was missing from her. I had caught her on a deserted road, where she was wandering aimlessly around alone. She seemed so... pityful, so lonely.
At first, she was happy to have a partner by her side, sharing her adventures, her moments of happiness and sadness, and taking care of her. But soon enough, she started ignoring me, as if I wasn't enough anymore.
I did not understand. Had I done something wrong? I couldn't recall...
I tried my best to make her happy, but she didn't seem interested anymore. The only thing she still liked to do was travelling by my side.
One day as we were visiting Slateport City, she was attracted to a little girl playing outside her house. She kept looking at her with wide and shining eyes; the child was laughing, playing, having fun, and simply being happy... all what Banette was longing for. When the girl saw banette, she smiled and opened her arms wide to welcome her with a hug. For the first time, I saw Banette with a smile of true happiness. The child's playful personnality seemed to soothe Banette so much... and she seemed to like the pokemon as well.
I smiled too and kneeled before them both, asking Banette if she would be more happy living with the child than me.
She nodded.
I asked the child if she wanted Banette by her side and if she would take good care of her.
She also nodded.
My heart aching, I traded Banette to the girl. I was sad, yet happy as I knew it was for the best.
The girl thanked me and hugged me before I left.
...and as I returned home, a Yamask flew above my head, carrying a mask that strangely looked like the face of the little child I had just traded a pokemon with.
Banette: "A doll that became a Pokémon over its grudge from being junked. It seeks the child that disowned it."
Yamask: "Each of them carries a mask that used to be its face when it was human. "
- Pokedex, Black version.