(6/25/2019)

So, long time, no see. Well, time for me to write this once more. No reviews I guess. Let's just make the choice to do so.

(Jovi's POV)

Five days can pass by easily by just reading. Generally, most people would go nuts if they could only read during that time. But for disabled patients, it's the only thing that can pass the time as they recover. For Jovi the Snivy, this was no different at all. There was a brace attached to his tail after that tree during the white storm fell on top of him, limiting his movement. And there was another problem. He couldn't figure out how to read. The explanation was simple. The lack of education that was within the underground world of the facility. Oh, the hell of the nightmares he got from that place. After successfully escaping it, he almost died in a white storm and from a shelf in a clinic.

But all of that was in the past five days ago. At least he made it somewhere that wasn't there. But he still couldn't read. The issue was brought up when he was trying to figure out a name to get rid of C-15 with Sophie the Fennekin. As far as he knew and trusted, she was his only friend according to his definition for it. Since he couldn't read, she had to manually read out every word until she read one that he accepted. Thankfully, it didn't take long for them to find one. And soon enough, he adopted Jovi as his official name. Even though Sophie was willing to help him, he didn't really want her to read everything every single time, even if that was the only day she showed up. So, he decided to figure out the craft of reading to himself.

Over the days, he had managed to figure out how to read every letter in the alphabet and being able to read simple sentences. Most children would've taken weeks to figure it out, but when you have 10 hours each day that you have no idea what to do, that seems like a logical idea to do. To which he kept at it, and over time, he could read short stories. He still felt a bit disadvantaged compared to others, but at least he felt like he was slowly bringing himself to where he wasn't a burden to others.

But yet, he was still oblivious to the outside world as he went through the books today. For example, he didn't what day was it. Did it matter to him at all? For now, he didn't really need the time, but what if someone asked him for the day and he didn't know? Would he be looked down upon for not knowing basic facts? No, no time to worry about that yet. He was still recovering with a broken tail still. No worries for that yet, hopefully.

Today was just peaceful as the few days before. He was just sitting there with the small book in his hands, with the support of his vines. Nurse Chauncey felt like it would be easier for him to reach the bookshelf by moving it closer to him. And it definitely helped him due to his broken tail, so he appreciated it, despite what happened on the first day. It seems like the chaos was finally dying down at last in his life after escaping them. The clouds finally cleared up after the white storm, allowing for him to see the sun for the first time in his life. But when he was in the sunlight that morning, his skin felt very tingly, then he felt a brace of energy within him. It eased his pains, which he found calming for him. This allowed him to concentrate more on his reading, which seems to slightly get easier for every book he read. Today finally felt a bit more normal for him. But over in the distance, on the mountain that he definitely remembered running from that night, a lone tower stood there on the top.

It was about 2/5 of the height of the mountain, so definitely tall. It leaned in to the middle to the core, then a long piece of metal extended up to it's maximum height. It was such a strange object on that mountain that it seems that no Pokemon could've built it. Only… oh no. He now knew what exactly it was. Two months ago, when he was being transported to a different area for experimentation, he saw two of them overlooking some sort of blue paper. He couldn't read it at the time, but there was a drawing on it that looked strikingly similar to the tower on the mountain. They likely built it a long time ago, but what purpose did it served? They always said that everything had a purpose, so what did that tower do?

Jovi decided that it wasn't worth his time. He faced down towards the book he was reading currently. As he continued reading it though, he got a nagging feeling that something was happening up there on the tower. He couldn't pinpoint it at all what it was. But why was he concern about it at all. And then, his mind just totally collapsed.

The pain immediately let him collapsed to the ground, due to it being unbearable. But that wasn't the only thing that he had to comprehend with this. He felt that his eye was twitching, like it was scanning for scanning. He tried resisting, but his eye continued. What the hell was going on?! He tried lifting himself up, but that was no good. His body was just so weak right now to do anything. His eye just continued twitching out until at last, it stopped. Seriously, what was happening to him. How was he losing control of himself?

"We are always here..." that voice spoke again in his head. It was the same one that downplayed him those days ago. But that sentence... it made no sense. Who is always there? That voice was always in his mind, everywhere he go. He had heard it before back within the facility, and it always downplayed him no matter what. Was he losing it? Wait… What if it wasn't him that wasn't doing it? If it wasn't him, then who was doing it? Could it be them? At that moment, the puzzle piece clicked in his damaged mind. But at the same time, he collapsed again, consuming his mind into the black void once more. And the dreams welcomed him back to hell.

For this hell of a dream, he was inside of some sort of chamber along with six others, crowded together. He remembered this one seven years ago. This was the One. There in the gray chamber, he stared competently at them, who were at the other side of the chamber, watching them to see what would result. For a minute, nothing happened as the Pokemon walked across the crowded chamber. But the fun was about to begin for them.

"Begin," he heard the one in the white laboratory suit, with the blonde hair. As soon as the dark haired girl flicked the levers across, there began hell. A giant swarm of invisible gas began filling the inside of the chamber. He took one whiff of it, and it was enough to began corroding his lungs. Immediately, he held his breath along with the others. But everyone's limits could only go so far. The first one to fall was the Eevee. Shortly after, the Totodile fell along with the Braixen. They all fell one by one. And Jovi was the one who witnessed them all. But when he began slowly breathing it in, he was still standing up, but he didn't know. His mind began panicking, wondering if the gas was attacking something else. But at last, the experiment ended as the gas was vented out. He remembered the scientists grabbing all before he lost unconscious. He remembered that the next morning, he tried speaking to others, but he could barely speak anything without feeling a great deal of pain in his throat. He will always remember that day when he was cursed by the inability to speak. Jovi remembered that his first reaction was to cry, before they pushed him away back into where everyone else was. Only three others left the chamber alive.

As his conscious slowly came back to him, he was crying on the floor, remembering that day. He always tried to forget that day, but that memory would always be a part of him forever, no matter what as long as his vocals remained damaged to him. But then, he felted a paw touch him before he was lifted up. And then as soon as he was lifted up, eh saw who it was. Sophie the Fennekin came back…

"Jovi?" she asked him, concerned. But as soon as Jovi saw her face, he immediately hugged to try coping with his tears. Sophie was confused for a bit, but then remembered about his current emotional state. So, she hugged back in return. "It's okay. I'm here for you," she said in her gentle voice. And it was true she came back for her. The search and rescue around Serene Town only cleared up once all of the snow melted, to which she decided to visit the only person they ever found. Eventually, Jovi decided to let her go, to which she did the same.

"Have you been doing okay alone?" she asked him, concerned about his state.

"Yes, until now," he signed to her, to which she understood. She tried giving him another hug, but he refused, to which she obeyed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked him. Jovi's eyes were just filled with sorrow at that moment.

"It stills feels too personal," he answered back in hands, while expressing that he is definitely not ready.

"Then is there anything you can share with me?" she asked, hoping that there is a bit of information that he is willing to disclose. She just want to see if she can begin helping him out of where he came from.

Jovi nodded to her, for there was one detail that he felt okay to share with her. She turned her head around to the window and he pointed to the outside world, while focusing on the tower on the lonely mountain.

"The Kelbo Tower?" she asked, for his hand was a bit shaking as he was pointing there. He nodded in return. "What about the tower? Is it where you came from?" she continued asking, wondering if the location would help him start things off.

Jovi heard the words of where. He didn't feel like wanting to give the location, for what his answer would be something totally bonkers to most people. He was hesitant a bit, wondering if Sophie would accept this as an answer. As he decided whenever or not to saw, Sophie put her paw on him.

"It's okay if you don't speak. I know you are not ready yet," she smiled at him as she spoke. That was reassuring for him, knowing that he wasn't force to say the answer. He could do it under his own terms.

"Thank you. Also, it's underneath the tower," as he used his hand to point it down. It felt like a weight was finally removed from his mind. It made him less stressful at least. Sophie would probably never understand, but only he would know what went underground.

"So you come from the unknowns?" Sophie finally asked, for there was a unique case of a different Pokemon coming from there all of those years ago. She refused to say anything, but her brother managed to describe some things about there. As far as she knew, it was a terrifying place down there. Most Pokemon that traverse there never return, so that Pokemon's and Jovi's case were extremely unusual for the Society. But they were willing to help out all of them, no matter what.

"Whatever that means, yes," he signed back as an answer, though a bit quivering. At this point, he felt a bit overwhelmed by the questions, but at least one of the major ones got answered. Also, by the way she described it, this means this wasn't the first time this has happened. Were there other Pokemon that had managed to escape the same hell he did? He could only recall one other breakout they had, a few days before the incident. Only an Umbreon and two Charmanders escaped that day. If there were more out there, then could he meet them possibly? But at this point, he was sort of stuttering.

"You may stop now," Sophie said to him. Jovi complied, for he felt that that was enough information he could get out before he constantly thought about that place. But yet at the same time, he felt like that wasn't enough information. But, it seems like Sophie knew a bit more about that place, so at least she knew where to start.

"Was there anything else you want me to show?" she asked. Jovi actually nodded, for there was one more thing he did. He grabbed the nearest book and pointed at it.

"So you learned how to read?" she asked. He nodded in response. "You are a fast learner then, and smart also," she complimented him. He knew what they meant, but he had never been called them, for they always talked down upon him. But Sophie was the first that actually said something positive about him. He sort of blushed in response.

"Thank you?" he responded sort of embarrassed, while trying to cover them up. Sophie just gave him a smile as Nurse Chauncey walked over.

"Okay, it seems you are strong enough to leave today. Just try to not get into combat for the next week, okay?" She gave him the news before walking away to someone else. To Jovi, it signals the end of being safe for a while. Now, he will have to return to the wilderness and try to survive in there. He didn't have to deal with the storms anymore, but he didn't know how to fight at all. He was stammering, with nowhere to go at all. No, he will have to make the best of it.

"You have anywhere to go?" Sophie asked her, becoming concerned of his erratic movement. To her, it seems like Jovi was trying to figure what to do next, now that he no longer needed to be here to recover. But, it seems like he had nowhere to go. From what he said he came from, he didn't want to return there. Either he was kicked out, or he left.

"No," he basically answered with his hand before going back to his erratic actions. Well, there was a reason she came down here. She wanted to see how he was doing, but it seems like his life is going to go downhill again.

"Well, you can accompany with me and the others, since we are about to leave," she gave him an offer. As soon as she said that, she felt a hug from the Snivy. She definitely saw a smile on his face, so guess it worked. He spoke with his hands once more once he let go.

"Why are you always nice to me?" he had tears of joy in his eyes.

"Well, I'm just trying to jump-start your new life," she answered. Even though she barely knew what happened to him in his previous life, she knew it was definitely a place where he felt unwanted. She felt like if she provided him with opportunities to grow, then eventually, he would forget the past and move on. And it seems to have started doing its work. His mood had obviously started improving and this was the first smile she had seen on him.

"So… should we leave?" Jovi signed to her. She just nodded to him. It was indeed time for them to leave. Jovi, despite being weaker, opened the doors for them to leave. But once they stepped outside, it felt cold to him. It wasn't exactly cold, but he had never experienced this temperature before. Once outside, Jovi started shivering within the strange climate. He was definitely uncomfortable underneath the strange weather. But then, he felt a strange feeling of warmth, but outside? This didn't make any sense. He looked down, and he saw Sophie was placing a plain, cyan scarf around his neck.

"There, better now?" she asked him. The scarf definitely wasn't his cursed old, red one. That one was his identification back in the facility. He only used it to survive the storm a few days ago. He definitely didn't want to go back to that hell. Although, he still felt embarrassed that he had to be helped through all of this stuff, due to where he came from. He still had a lot to learn from this world and Sophie. Thank goodness this isn't a kill or be killed world. Once she tied up the scarf, they continued on. Jovi reminded himself of how to much to appreciate Sophie.

The forest was more beautiful without the snow. Even though none of the life had grown on there yet, it was at least better than what he had to deal with. It was perfectly calm, with nothing ready to take the small Pokemon. The only thing that Jovi focused on was the mountain in the distance. The mountain with the Kelbo Tower. Now he was getting a headache just from staring at the mountain. He kept trying that he was trying to adjust to his new life, but every time he tried to think of something different, it brought him back to the tower, and the place underneath. Sophie noticed Jovi in distress again.

"Is it the tower again?" she asked him. He just plainly nodded, though he didn't really feel like disclosing any information right now. Although, he would listen to what she would say.

"I know it will be hard, trying to let go of all of those memories, but I know that eventually, once you had a grasp of happiness in this world, then you can let go of all of it." Jovi reflected upon what she said. The only happy memory he would ever remember was the time a Pokemon went by his identification number, C-15. The other Pokemon just called him names worse than any swore he had heard them say. He hated his identity, but not being called that was something, because he had gained the respect of a Pokemon. The next day was the first break-out, the one where he couldn't escape. He never heard from her again. It would be a while before he could adjust to everything here, but with someone willing to help him through the process, he would be able to create some happy thoughts quickly.

"You're not the only one that had to experience the pain," immediately, her tone went a sharp turn. Immediately, she was silent. Sophie was hiding something also. Despite how strange that went, at least he wasn't the only one that had to go through pain. But, now he felt a bit concerned for her. As soon as she said that, she stopped and started shaking. It seems like she was going through her own vicious cycles. When he went through the same cycle, he at least was alone, with no one watching him suffering. But, watching someone else suffer was a whole new level. He was actually terrified of her for a second, but then realized this was her, just going through the same thing as he did before. Though after a minute of her stuttering, he decided to wave at her to see if she was alright. Eventually, she noticed him.

"Oh, sorry about that. It rarely happens," she acknowledged before she began walking off. That definitely questioned Jovi. She was trying to deal with a flashback, and yet she just shrugged it off? Wonder what she had been through then. But to Jovi, it was best if he didn't speak of it yet. He didn't feel comfortable confronting her about it, especially when he just became a friend with her. But thankfully, he would take that off his mind very quickly, for the yelling of an Brionne became familiar on both of there minds.

"Sophie! Where are you?" Hope yelled out for her in the barren woods. Sophie was quick to respond.

"Coming! I brought Jovi with us!" Sophie yelled back at her from the distance. She then began running. Jovi had to continue walking due to his tail brace, but he didn't mind. Sophie of course reached Hope first.

"Hello there Sophie! Where is he?" Hope asked her.

"He's walking over here, since he can't run," Sophie told her. As she was saying that, Jovi was visible in the distance, with his cyan scarf on his neck. And he was actually smiling for once. Even better was the absence of the Emolga.

"Hello Jovi!" Hope waved to him. Jovi waved back at her, knowing that he couldn't talk to her normally. Jovi didn't trust her exactly yet, but he was fine with Sophie around. He looked at everyone in the group, which consisted of him, Sophie, Brionne, and Rowan the Toucannon. It was interesting, knowing that he would likely be with them for a long while. "I apologize for my behavior that day. I just... have never dealt with the behavior like yours before, not that you are a problem. So this time around, I will make things right, okay?" She definitely had remorse in her eyes. Jovi never really got an apology before, but he had seen them being beaten up by others, despite them apologizing. They were the only times he felt remorse for them. Since most of the Pokemon he have met so far were friendly, guess he would take it.

"It's fine. I don't know what was going on anyway," he signed as the truth. The Fennekin gave her his answer and she just smiled.

"Alright then. Ready to head down to Lively Town?" she asked him. That place he had never heard of before. Concerned, he asked Sophie.

"Lively Town?" he signed the question to her.

"You'll see," she answered with a smile. After that, they began walking off.

This was definitely a big change on his part. For once, he was actually afraid of it. But yet, he had come so far. He had finally escaped that hell, got aid, and made his first friend ever. All of this were beneficial to him, and he actually liked Sophie as a friend. Was he ready to enter a new life? Yes. He readjusted his scarf before he joined the others.

AND FINALLY, I got a new chapter out exactly one month from the previous one. Sorry for the long wait, I was busy recovering from a stressful May and June, but at last, it is done. See you next time.

(7/9/2019)