-Author's FYI

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10 More years later….Kate is ALMOST 18…..

Chapter 2: Father knows best.
-Grovyle's POV-

"There it is guys, feast your eyes on this beauty!" I stared down at the shinning time gear form the hole in the cavern ceiling.

"How we suppose to get it." Ashlee, the chikorita, asked.

"Yeah, we have no rope or anything. And how are we going to get past the trio guards." Bubbles, the squirtle, pointed out.

"Like this." I smiled and extended the buds of my vine whip. I wrapped the vine around a nearby rock and slowly lowered myself into the hole. "You two stay here. DO not make a sound."

"Yes sir!" They both saluted.

I eased my way down the hole and was just within inches of the time gear. Sweat dripped on my forehead.

I finally reached the time tool and grabbed it with my claws. I smirked to myself as I held tight to the time gear.

Mespirt, the guardian of the time hear, turned and saw me and began to shout. "THIEF! THIEF! A THIEF IS TAKING THE TIME GEAR!"
I immediately began to pull myself up the vine to the top where my comrades were waiting.

"Did you get it?" Bubbles asked, all excited.

I held up the time gear. "Does this answer your question?"

"Good going Grovyle!" Ashlee cheered.

"Let's go! Before the guild comes after us!" I said, serious.
"Right!" They both nodded.

I put the time gear in my satchel and the three of us took off. Running for our lives into the forest.
"They're coming." Ashlee became scared, looking behind her.

"Great." I looked behind me. The guild members were not far behind. And they were hot on our trail.

We ran and eventually came to a cliff.
"Here boost me up!" I said, frantic.

"What? No!" Bubbles looked annoyed.

"We have to get out of here!" I yelled.
"Fine," They looked at me annoyed and helped me up.

"Now help us up!" They both became frantic.

"Sorry but I got my hands full." I showed them the time gear and ran off.

"GROVYLE!" They shouted after me!
I ran and ran. Somehow some of the guild members caught up with me.
"DON'T LET FRIENDLY FRIEND ESCAPE!" The guild master shouted.

I hid behind a tree and waited it out.

Soon the sounds of them chasing disappeared.

A tower loomed in the distance.

"I wonder what that is." I looked up at is curious.

Then they were back.

With no time to ponder, I raced toward the tower and began to climb using my claws to find foot and hand holds.

I finally reached the top and climbed into the open window.

I shut the shutters behind me and let out a sigh.

"Alone at last…." I stared at my treasure in my satchel.

And then something hit me in the back of the head and everything went black.

-Kate's POV-

It was a normal day I guess. Father had left before I woke up so I was left alone with Celebi, again. But I don't mind. I know he has too much work to do.

But the day started off with Celebi and I's usual game of hide and go seek. Of course I won, like I always. By the time the game ended only ten minutes past.

"Now what do we do Celebi?" I asked, completely bored out of my mind.

"Sing?" She suggested.

"Fine." I let out a sigh. Singing was like the only thing I could do when I got really, really bored. "What do you want to sing?"

She shrugged.

"Eight am, the usual morning line-up." I strolled across the room and pulled out a mop from the supplies closet.

"Start on the chores, and mop till the floor is all clean!"I put the mop away and pulled out other tools.

"Polish and wax, do laundry and sweep, and shine up."I put all the tools back only left with a broom.

"Sweep up again and by then its, like , eight fifteen." I sighed, looking at the clock.

"So ill read a book or maybe two or three. Ill add a few paintings to my gallery."

"Ill play guitar, and knit, and cook. And basically just wonder, when will my life begin?"

"Then, after lunch, its puzzles, darts and baking…"
"Paper-Mache, a bit of ballet and chess."
"Pottery, and ventriloquy, and candle making…"

"Then I'll stretch, maybe sketch. Take a climb, sew a dress?"

"Then I'll re-read the books, if I have time to spare, ill paint the wall some more, I'm sure there is some room somewhere? Then ill brush, and brush, and brush, and brush my hair."

"Stuck in the same place I's always been, and ill keep wondering, and wondering, and wondering, and wondering. When will my life begin?"

"Tomorrow night… The lights will appear, just like they do on my birthday each year. What is it like? Out there where they glow. Now that I'm older, Father might just let me go…." I let out a sigh and gazed out the window. Then turned around and admired my freshly painted mural. I sat in a high treetop, watching the floating lights light up the sky.

"KATE! LET DOWN YOUR HAIR!" Father called from the dark gray ground below.

I gathered up as much hair as I could and tossed it out the window. Making sure to put some wrapped around the hook just out the window so I could lift him up.

After a while of pulling, my father appeared at the window. When he saw me he climbed in.

"Hi." I greeted. "Welcome home Father."

"Uh. Kate, how you manage to do that every single day without fail, it looks absolutely exhausting darling." He brushed his hand against my face and caressed my snow white hair.

"Oh, it's nothing." I bluffed, trying not to let him hear my heavy breathing.

"Then I don't know why it takes so long." He poked my nose and smiled.

I was certainly confused.

At the sight of my confusion, father laughed. "Darling, I'm just teasing!" He turned away from me and look out the window.

I laughed somewhat. "Father, you know. Tomorrow is a very big day."

"Ah, yes." Father smiled, then turned to me. "But dear. Father is feeling a little worn down. Wouldn't you sing for me dear?"

"Oh." I bounced back. "Of course Father." I raced to the other side of the room and pulled up chair. I ran around the room trying to get everything ready.

Father sat quietly in the chair as I shoved the brush into his hand.

"White of yin and yang. Let your fire burn bright. Guided by the ones of truth. Defeat the ones that dim your light. Heal the hearts of dark. Bring in the light. Vanquish the dark. Defeat those that dim your light. Dim your light" I sang as fast as I could.

"Kate. Kate! WAIT! STOP!" Father commanded, and quickly brushed my hair. "Kate."

"So." I jumped off the stool I was sitting on. "You know, how I was saying tomorrow was a really big day, and you sort of agreed with me? Well, it's my birthday!" I leaned onto him, and held onto his shoulder.

"No, no." Father replied, pushing me off of him. "I distinctly remember, your birthday was last year."

"That's the funny thing about Birthdays Father." I answered. "They're sort of annual, as in every year."

I sighed and sat on the floor in front of him. "Father, I'm turning 18. And I wanted to ask you. Is, for this Birthday, I want you to take me to see the floating lights!"

"Oh, you mean the time gears." Father smiled.

"No," I replied. I jumped up and showed him my paintings that were close to the ceiling. "I've charted the time gears, and they're always constant. But these, Father, they only appear on my Birthday. And sometimes, I think. They're meant, for me."

He looked away and strode toward the window.

"I need to see them, Father. And not just from the window. But in real life. Please. I have to know what they are."

"You want to go outside? Why, Kate." Father slammed the shutters close on the windows.

"Look at you, as fragile as a flower." He strode back towards me and grabbed my hands, swinging me around. "Still just a sapling, just a sprout. You know why you stay up in this tower."

"I know." I interrupted.

"That's right, to keep you safe and sound." He brushed past me and stroked my long white hair. "Guess I knew this day was coming." He pulled the curtains, blocking out the light source. "That soon you'd want to leave the nest. Soon, but not yet."
"But-" I tried to explain.

"Shh." He shushed me. "Trust me pet. Father, knows best." Father blocked out all light and I was in complete darkness.

I silently grabbed a candle and lite it.

"Father knows best, listen to your father. It's a scary world out there." Father scared me half to death, by sneaking up on me from behind.

"Father knows best." He tugged at my hair, I pulled back and fell to the ground. At the last second, he was there to catch me. "Something will go wrong I swear! Rescuers, thugs. Poisoning, paralysis. Quick sand. Legendries, starters. The Dark."

"No." I cried, trying to process it all.

"Yes." Father smirked. "Also, large bug types. Pokémon with pointy teeth. And stop, no more you'll just upset me."
I curled myself in a ball and wrapped my white hair around me like a big cocoon.

"Father is right here." He pulled me to my feet, and patted my hand in reassurance. "Father will protect you. Darling here is what I suggest."

I hugged him, but it wasn't him. It was just a mannequin with his cloak around it.

"Skip, the drama. Stay with Papa. Father, knows best." He stood on the stairs with candles lite on each step. He twirled around and caused all of them to go out. I slowly behind him relight them, only for him to blow them out. "Father knows best, take it from your papzy. On your own, you won't survive."

I looked around the room looking for where he went, then I saw a mirror.

Father appeared from behind the mirror and leaned it forward so I could see my feet. "Sloppy, and undressed. Immature, clumsy." I tried my best to hide my feet with my white and gray dress. Then Father pulled my hair and I went tumbling down. "Please, they'll eat you up alive!" He pushed me against the ground, making me roll up in my long white hair. "Gullible, naïve. Positively, grubby. Ditzy and a bit vague. And plus I believe, getting kind of chubby. I'm just saying because I love you. Father understands, Father is here to help you. All I have is one request."

He disappeared again after squishing my face. I sighed in relief when he appeared again.

I raced towards him and hugged him tight, not wanting to let go of the sense of security.

"Kate." Father stroked my hair.

"Yes, Father?" I asked, curious of what he had to say.

His face immediately became serious when I looked up at him. "Don't ever ask to leave this tower, again."
I sighed in defeat. "Yes, Father."
"I love you very much dear." Father confessed, tilting my head so I looked at him.

"I love you more." I said, trying to one up his simple comment.

"I love you most." He replied, and kissed the top of my head.

"Don't forget it." He sang, patting the top of my head, making me feel like a lillpup. "You will regret it. Father. Knows. Best."

I sighed in defeat as he walked away from me, pulling my long hair in his hands.

No floating lights for me this year. There always is next year, I guess.

-Author's FYI

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