I soaked my fur and battle worn body in the cool, clear waters for several more hours. Just savoring the sight of the wooded area around me, the smell of the lush greens and ripe fruits around the stream, the sound of all sorts of Woodland critters running around and the wonderful sensation of the clean water running over me.

I sighed heavily, it's time to get back to the tree and see if that male trainer is still there. Hopefully not though, this day has been stressful enough as is.

I slowly heaved myself out of the water and got to my still faintly sore paws. Jokes on me though, I should be able to live up to my name, Fleetfoot. Can't really blame me at same time either, I was just in two strenuous and unfair battles in the same day.

With another remorseful sigh I get my paws to move out of the water and onto the mossy bank.

I take my time walking back to my tree, more enough time for that pesky male trainer to run off. I hate trainers. They always think that they are better than us Pokemon because of their technology, but take that away and they have nothing more then we do. And even worse, they put us in Pokeballs were we are forced to battle for them and become compliant. Makes me sick to think of it.

Dreary thoughts, but really there is nothing else to do on my walk back, yes, my walk. Not running, not jogging, not even speed walking. Just walking. I'm in no rush to get back! The apple tree will still be there when I get back, only real thought is will they be there when I return.

The woods begin to thin as I reach the edge of the forest. I carefully peek out past the branch's to see if the Male trainer had followed me.

Thankfully, all I see is the grass swaying gently in the breeze and the warm sun lighting up the place. After taking a few more moments to make sure that I am truly alone, I step out into the field and cautiously start walking in the open field.

Minutes dragged by almost unbearably slow, it seemed that every step I took was really getting me no closer to my tree. I keep my ears pricked and my eyes peeled. This fear of being captured is very real to me, it did happen to pokemon I know and care about, and guess what? I never saw them again...

Flashback

Riolu ran with all his small might to where his mother was, his brothers and sisters close behind him. Tears were streaming down his face, he and his siblings had heard that a trainer was battling their mother from a Starly nearby. Riolu knew what this meant, if his mother won then they could go on to hide together, but if she lost... Riolu heard his youngest sister called after him "Fleetfoot! slow down!" Fleetfoot ignored her and pressed on, soon leaving his siblings behind him.

Riolu skidded to a stop and quickly dove under a thick bush as soon as he saw the trainer battling his mother. He watched, careful not to make a sound, he didn't divert his attention for even a second, not even as his siblings dove under the bush with him.

Fleetfoot watched the battle closely, it was a male trainer with a Camerupt. Not good for mom.

Riolu had to struggle to keep his mouth shut as the Camerupt was forced to deal a critical blow. Some of his sisters whimpered as they saw their proud mother fall to the ground, nearly dealt unable to battle. Riolu felt tears slipping down his muzzle as he saw the tainer throw a Pokeball.

FleetFoot felt his hope get blown out like a strong wind as the Pokeball clicked shut. The emptiness inside him turned to unmatched, unequal rage pouring through him like blistering lava as he saw that Trainer pump his fist in the air in victory and excitement.

With a squeaky roar, FleetFoot jumped out from the bushes and threw a weak focus blast at the trainer, not caring in the least that he was supposed to attack the Camerupt. To his disappointment, the focus blast did very little except send the trainer stumbling back.

The trainer looked incredulously at the Riolu, but was even more surprised to see 4 other Riolus jump out of the bushes, their faces wet and powering up focus blasts as well.

FleetFoot could see the revelation on the trainers face as he looked at his Pokeball to the Riolu. With wides eyes and no small amount of horror mixed with guilt, the Trainer returned his Camerupt to the devilish pokeball and started racing away from the furious yet devastated Riolu

FLASHBACK OVER

That was the last time FleetFoot ever saw that trainer or his mother. And slowly one by one, his siblings were also captured by trainers, some of them using dirty tricks to capture his brothers, until only he and his youngest sister remained.

As Riolu they trained hard together until they naturally evolved into Lucario, but from there, things only got worse.

Many trainers sought after them because they had evolved and were strong enough to defeat most Pokemon. And Fleetfoot tried his damned best to protect his sister, but in the end, it didn't even matter.

She chose to go on an adventure with some trainer who she deemed nice enough. Fleetfoot had fought like a Pokemon possesed to keep Teara away from trainers and slavery, and she betrayed that! She willingly left him for a stupid, naive, childlike, heartless TRAINER who tricked her into thinking he was oh so nice and caring!

But who cares anymore? He was now alone, but he liked it that way. If his brothers and sister were not strong enough to resist the trainers or their foul tricks then so be it, that was their fault that they hadn't devoted themselves to training and staying free like he had.

By the time I returned to my special tree, the trainers were nowhere in sight and the sun was starting to sink beneath the horizon. I smiled slightly. FINALLY, it was about time these pests got lost, But when I thought about it, I had'nt minded the Female trainer that much, but I decided that even if I was starving, had nowhere to go, and was near the point of death, I would never join a trainer. Well maybe if I was dying, could always just ditch them after they healed me.

With a groan, I sat myself down back in my spot underneath the tree. The fruit I ate earlier was delicious, but not very filling. I thought about climbing up the tree to grab some wild apples, but exhaustion and the driving need to be lazy got the better of me.

As I thought about it, I knew I couldn't just live underneath this lovely apple tree. Not without encountering Trainers as this tree was dreadfully close to the main path.

As the sky turned from a azure blue to a dark purple, I thought about perhaps finding a new tree like this one but farther away from humanity. I yawned, my sharp teeth glinting on the setting sun that cast a sleepy haze over the region.

My last thought before I closed my eyes was that tomorrow after having some apples, I would set off to find a new tree. But even if I couldn't, I could always return here and become so strong that not even Pokemon masters themselves wouldn't dare to battle me.

My mind began to drift of into a dreamless haze as the stars began to wink from the heavens and the noises of nocturnal Pokemon filled the quiet air.