Hello, all!

Finally starting on my new fanfic. It's great to be back. ^-^ I've been looking forward to writing some of these scenes for a long time, I can tell you. I hope all of you enjoy this next installment.

Polaris–Ponyta, Tsuki–Snivy, Mamoru–Oshawott, Tlaloc-Braviary

Freedom Speeches

"Scruff!" The little girl cried, joyously flinging herself forwards and catching Lillipup up in a hug. Lillipup whined happily and licked the girl's face.

"Thank you so much," the girl exclaimed, looking up at us, here eyes glistening.

"Yep!" Hari said, nodding and grinning.

"Franny, right?" I asked. She seemed to be about seven years old, and her Lillipup was obviously not yet strong enough to look out for them. "Keep Lillipup close for a while. And don't go playing alone. There might be some strange people around, and you don't want to lose him again."

The little girl stood up, holding Lillipup. But her eyes were downcast.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

She hesitated. "Well, the man that took Scruff away, he said that Scruff would be happier if I let him go. Do you think that's true? Do you think Scruff would be happier if he didn't live with me and my parents?"

Ben, Hari and I exchanged glances.

"Well," I said, "You tell me. How does Scruff look right now?"

Franny looked down at Lillpup, who wagged his tail, and let out a yap.

"Um, I think he looks happy to see me."

"Yep," Hari said, nodding and grinning. "But he looked really scared with that man."

"If you ever worry about that," I continued, "about whether your Pokémon is happy with you, ask your Lillipup. He'll find a way to let you know what he thinks. And if you really care about him, you'll find a way to understand. Okay?"

Franny beamed and nodded.

"We'll walk you back to Accumula Town," Ben offered.

"Good idea." In case anyone else tried anything funny.

Gro, Hari's Grovyle who had waited behind with Franny, jumped up onto Polaris's back and lay down with his arms tucked behind his head. I set Mamoru in front of Grovyle, and he took a seat. Our group started towards Accumula Town again, now that we'd gotten through our unexpected side-trip to rescue a Lillipup.

"How old are you?" Franny asked me as Lillipup frisked around her feet.

"Seventeen."

Franny's eyes widened. "Seventeen? I thought you were maybe fourteen." She turned to the brown-haired, green-eyed Ben next, who towered above her (he kind of towers above me too). "Does that mean that you're twenty?"

Ben laughed. "Nope. I'm seventeen also."

"Are you seventeen too?" she asked Hari.

Hari shook his head. "I'm eleven. I think."

Franny looked at all of us again, taking in the differences in height and age. Hari was almost as tall as me, which amazed me every time I thought about it. He was still scrawny, and Ben's shirts were big and baggy on him. He continued to wear shorts all the time, and his dark brown hair was still long and untidy. But he was starting to look a little older than the hyperactive wild kid I met three years before.

Like Hari, my eyes were blue and my hair was rather bushy and untidy. My hair was a dark blonde, and I usually kept it confined to a ponytail, so it wouldn't turn my head into a tumbleweed. Hari seemed to like his hair going every which way. Or at least, he never did anything about it.

"Did you start your Pokémon journey when you were ten?" Franny asked.

Ben and I nodded.

"Yep. And Polaris here was my first Pokémon." I patted her cheek, and Polaris nuzzled my shoulder.

"I don't really do much Pokémon training anymore though," Ben said.

"I don't train at all," Hari added. "I only have Gro, without a Pokéball."

"Are you thinking of going on a Pokémon journey?" I asked Franny.

"I don't know yet."

"Well, you've got a few more years to plan, huh?"

We stepped into Accumula Town.

"My home's right over there," Franny said, pointing across the town square. "Thank you so much!"

"Take care. And take care of Lillipup too." I waved as she headed off across the square with Lillipup bounding beside her. She waved back before disappearing around a small group of people, who seemed to be setting up for some sort of event.

We moved over to the side of the park and I pulled out my Pokéballs. I decided not to let Braviary out in the middle of town, but I did let out my still-sleeping Snivy. I set Tsuki on Polaris's back. There was barely enough room to fit her next to Mamoru and Gro.

"She looks okay," Hari said as he looked Tsuki over. "No real injuries or anything."

"That's good. I'll drop her off at the Pokémon Center tonight, just to be safe."

A few people walked past, and I noticed that a small crowd was starting to gather. The group had finished setting up speakers, and is seemed as though they were ready to begin with a speech of some sort.

"I wonder what's going on."

"It's looks like they're ready to start. Why don't we go check it out?" Ben suggested.

Polaris cleared a path for us so we could move a bit closer to the raised area where the group was standing. One of the people moved up to a microphone. He was wearing a strange purple and gold cloak with large red eyes patterned on the front. There was some sort of symbol printed on the chest piece of his cloak.

"That's a creepy cape," Hari whispered, under the chattering of the crowd.

The sound of voices woke Tsuki, who sat up and glanced around.

Then the man started to speak.

"My name is Ghetsis. I am here representing Team Plasma. Today, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to talk to you about Pokémon liberation."

"I wonder what they mean by that," Ben muttered, as other people in the crowd mumbled similar questions.

I shrugged. "Sounds interesting though. Some Pokémon would benefit from being liberated." I was thinking about those Pokémon used by organizations like Team Rocket. Although there were plenty of common thugs that didn't deserve to use Pokémon either.

Ghetis paused a moment until the noises of the crowd died down. Then he paced along the platform. "I'm sure that most of you believe that we humans and Pokémon are partners that have come to live together because we want and need each other. However, is that really the truth? Have you ever considered that perhaps we humans only assume that this is the truth?"

What a thing to say, Polaris huffed, pawing her hoof against the street. I patted her neck, somewhat confused myself.

"Pokémon are subject to the selfish commands of trainers. They get pushed around. Can anyone say with confidence that there is no truth in what I'm saying?"

The crowd murmured again, and Hari fidgeted, glancing around at me. "Are a lot of people like that?" He whispered.

"Only sometimes," I replied quietly. "It's definitely not true of everyone." I'd missed part of the speech, so I turned my attention back to Ghetsis.

"That's right! We must liberate the Pokémon! Then, and only then, will humans and Pokémon truly be equals. Everyone, I end my words here today by imploring you to consider the relationship between people and Pokémon, and the correct way to proceed. We sincerely appreciate your attention."

Ghetsis turned away, and the group around him began to gather the microphone and the flags they'd set up.

The crowd buzzed with mixed emotion.

"Is it really so bad keeping Pokémon?"

"I could never let Woobat go."

"Joltik never really did like to follow my orders…"

"Do you think Pokémon would be happier without us?"

I stared around, bewildered. "I don't believe it. So many people are actually considering releasing their Pokémon because of one speech?" There was truth in what that Ghetsis guy said. Yeah, some people don't deserve to be with Pokémon. And some Pokémon would be better off without people. But that's not always true. People shouldn't blindly trust what's told them. They need to figure out the answer for themselves!

"Hey," Hari said, "I think that guy is releasing his Pidove."

"Seriously?" I exclaimed.

"Well," Ben said slowly, "maybe the Pidove will be better off?"

"I'm not sure," I said, glancing around the dispersing crowd. "It's selfish people that tend to be the worst towards Pokémon. And it's selfish people that are the least likely to release a Pokémon just because he thinks it might make the Pokémon happy. Like Team Rocket would never release their Pokémon."

"That's true," Ben said, "But there may be other circumstances going on. Maybe that guy has a reason to think his Pidove would like to be free?"

"Maybe," Hari said uncertainly, "he doesn't' understand his Pokémon enough to know if it wants to stay with him. If he doesn't understand his Pokémon that much, would he not deserve to be with the Pokémon?"

"I don't know." I unintentionally moved closer to Polaris, as if someone would try to take her and the other Pokémon away from me. I looped my arm under her neck and patted her cheek. She pressed her head against my shoulder.

We won't leave you, Cara, Polaris promised.

Yeah! Mamoru stood and puffed out his chest. No one's going to take us away.

You're just smarter than those other people are, Tsuki added. You wouldn't let anyone talk you in to something like that.

I smiled. "Thanks, guys."

"Your Pokémon…" The unfamiliar voice made me turn to see a boy standing behind me. He had on a white shirt and gray pants, and seemed to be near my age, or a little bit older. A black and white cap on sat on a head of green hair, which was pulled back in a ponytail. He was looking at Polaris and the three Pokémon on her back.

"Huh?"

He glanced at me. "Your Pokémon were saying some interesting things just now."

"Interesting?" I repeated, not quite taking in what he had said.

"Hmm. I suppose you don't hear it either."

"What? No, I did hear it. I just don't know what you mean by interesting." The significance of his words finally clicked in my head. "Wait… you're saying you can understand Pokémon too?"

I could speak to Pokémon with my telepathy. And Hari, having grown up with Pokémon, could understand their spoken language. But I had only met a couple other people who shared gifts like ours.

The boy's face lit up. "Do you can hear the voices of Pokémon?"

I nodded. "And so can this one." I gently shoved Hari's shoulder.

"You talk to Pokémon?" Hari asked eagerly.

The guy nodded. "Yes. My name is N."

"N what?" Hari asked.

"I just go by N," he replied.

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, it's nice to meet you, N. My name's Cara."

"I'm Hari."

"My name's Ben."

Hari laughed. "Heheh. Ben and N."

Yes, it does rhyme, Grovyle said dryly.

N glanced at Grovyle. "Do you use Pokéballs?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I do if I need to. I like to leave my Pokémon out when I can though."

"So you're trainers?" N asked.

"I am."

"I as well." N continued to look at my Pokémon, as if confused by them. "Though I wonder whether Pokémon are happy when they are trained like this."

I cocked my head. Did that speech get inside his head too? "Well, you can talk to Pokémon, can't you? Why don't you ask them?"

"I have spoken to many Pokémon … but still… Hmm. Would you battle me? If I can hear you Pokémon during a battle, perhaps I can learn something."

"A battle? Yeah, sure. Sounds fun!" The square had cleared enough to leave us room for a battle. I lifted Oshawott to the ground.

"This is Mamoru," I said.

N nodded and stepped back to leave room for the battle. "Then I will use this." He tossed out a Pokéball, and a Purrloin appeared.

N pointed, and Purrlon sprang forward.

Mamoru quickly shot out Water Gun, but Purrloin leapt out of the way and pranced in using scratch. Mo pulled out his shell and blocked Purrloin's claws. The two tumbled to the ground, and Mamoru tried to block Purrloin's scratching. He winced as her nails caught his shoulder. He cuffed her on the side of the head and finally managed to push her off. He used Water Gun, which drove her further away.

But Purrloin countered with Sand Attack, and dust from the streets got in Mamoru's face, blinding him. He stumbled backwards, rubbing at his eyes.

Purrloin sprang.

Mo! I called, Water Gun at two o'clock, a little higher than eye level!

Mamoru tilted his head upward. He sent out a jet of water that hit Purrloin squarely in the chest. Purrloin skidded to the ground.

N nodded and returned his Pokémon. "I see. I think I learned something. Even so, Pokémon can't achieve their full potential when kept inside Pokéballs." He looked sadly and the ball containing his Purrloin.

"I know what you mean." I knelt to help Mamoru get the dirt out of his eyes. "Some people just leave Pokémon in their Pokéballs all the time. That's okay sometimes, but they shouldn't stay inside all the time."

"Gro has never been in a Pokéball," Hari said proudly.

N nodded. "Still. I wonder if it wouldn't be better for trainers to free their Pokémon altogether."

I sighed and stood up again. "As long as the Pokémon enjoys traveling and battling, I don't think there's any problem with people keeping Pokémon. Pokémon and people… complete each other. You shouldn't let that speech get to you too much. Yeah, that Ghetsis guy did have a point, but you need to decide if what he says is relevant to you. Listen to your own Pokémon, and don't just take the word of some random guy."

N looked at me oddly. "Hmm. I guess you and I are quite different after all."

"Huh?"

"Hi, Cara!"

I glanced around to see Franny running towards us.

"Cara, and Ben and Hari! Mom says I should invite you guys to dinner as thanks!"

Ben and Hari eagerly accepted. I turned back to N, wanting to ask what he meant by his last comment. But he was gone.