A Gardevoir and her Trainer

by latiasfan1

Jason sets out from Kanto with his partner, a Shiny Kirlia. During this journy they must face danger, fights, excitement... And love. But their's is a dangerous love, for in Kanto Pokephilia is illegal. Can they over-come the law, and stay together... Coupled with the problem of Team Rocket rising again, it's gonna get hectic. JasonXAngela-Gardeshipping. JessieXJames-Rocketshipping

11. Chapter 11

A Gardevoir and Her Trainer

Well, here we are people! Chapter 11! So, now that Angela has finally evolved, and the Pokémon Centre has been destroyed, Jason will be able to continue his journey; and head towards Vermilion City, where his third badge awaits him! But first, he must wait for a newly-evolved Angela to recover and heal, after a meat grinder of a battle with Team Rocket… Now enjoy, and remember, R&R please!

Angela/Gardevoir-Lv.30-Confusion, Growl, Teleport, Psychic

Caesar/Butterfree-Lv.19-Gust, Poison Powder, Confusion, Stun Spore

Abby/Magikarp-Lv.17-Splash, Tackle

Eevee/Eevee-Lv.10-Tackle, Sand Attack

"Speech"=talking

*Speech*=thought

-Speech-=telepathy

Speech=translated Poke-speech

(Speech)=my thoughts

(Jason's POV)

I drew more ragged breaths into my lungs, looking down at Angela. She was cradled over my arms, her head resting on my shoulder. I pushed myself harder, looking at the Police Station down the road. I'd been sprinting for almost ten minutes, and my legs were ready to give out on me. I staggered, my feet catching on each other, before I righted and kept going. Eevee curled up slightly, his eyes drifting closed. I looked over at Daniel as he ran up next to me, carrying Aqua. She'd fallen asleep again, resting in Daniel's arms.

"Hey, Jason. We'll make it. I promise." I shot a glance at Daniel, before looking back at the Station.

"I know Dan. I get you're trying to keep me going, but I'm fine. I'll get Angela to safety. And the others can get healed. But… She's never fought that much. Never… I want her to be fine." I pushed myself harder than ever, my pace devouring the distance to the Station. Daniel dropped behind me, as I approached the doors. The slid open as I approached, and jumped. My feet hit the floor, and I started to slide sideways. A dust cloud peeled up behind me, as I skidded towards the main desk. I looked up, seeing Officer Jenny and my cousin standing there, shock written over their faces. I slowed to a stop in front of the desk, lungs heaving as I panted from exhaustion.

"Cousin… Need help. Angela… Exhausted self… Battling… Ran here…" I gently placed Angela on her back on the desk. She slowly relaxed as her legs straightened out. I looked down at her, as I leaned against the desk.

"Jason, I'll do what I can… I promise." Cousin lifted Angela up, as I nodded. I groaned, leaning against the desk more and yawned.

"Damn… Waking up at midnight… Battling… Running from the Centre to here… I'm exhausted." I yawned again, as I heard the door open behind me again. I slumped to the side, as Daniel grabbed my shoulder. I jerked to a stop as my slide down the desk's side was abruptly halted. I nodded at Daniel, sighing.

"Geez, I'm not used to late nights… OR battles at this time…" Daniel nodded as he helped me to stand. Jenny came around the desk, taking my other arm and slinging it over her shoulder.

"He's exhausted, Officer. Waking at midnight and such a tense battle with running afterwards isn't good for such a new trainer." Jenny nodded, as my eyes slowly drifted closed.

"I heard. He did well though; we could see the end of the fight from here. He can have a bed in one of the cells; it's the closest place with a bed. Otherwise we go knocking on doors for a spare bed, and that's not really welcome at this time of morning." Daniel and Jenny began to help me walk, before I finally fell asleep on my feet. I didn't really know what happened after that.

(Eight hours later, Station Cell #3)

I groaned, and slowly opened my eyes. I felt tired, and over-worked. I sat up, wincing, before looking around. I was in a smallish square room, with a single barred window set near the ceiling. I looked over, seeing a solid iron door. I groaned again as I saw the door, realising where I was.

"I'm in jail..? Great, now I'm following the path of my dad and getting myself arrested… Just SUPER…" I looked over as the door opened, seeing Officer Jenny there. She smiled as she saw me sitting up and awake.

"Good, you're awake. Come on Jason, Angela's been very excited to see you again." I slowly stood up, following her out of the cell. I looked around as we headed towards the main reception, looking at the posters of criminals.

"Jason, you might be a little surprised when you see Angela, but relax; she's perfectly fine now your cousin's treated her. Just be ready, OK?" I nodded, walking past her and opening the door. The first thing I noticed was that there was a woman with cerulean-blue hair standing in the middle of the room, wearing a ball gown and what looked like a masquerade mask, judging from the points jutting over her hair. She turned around as I walked in, before gasping.

-Jason! You're awake!- She lunged forwards, wrapping her arms around my neck. I blinked as my face was pressed into soft hair, before I finally returned the hug.

"Angela..? Is it you..?" She pulled back, nodding. I grinned, as she simply hugged me again and nuzzled my neck. I hugged her tighter, before releasing my hold and stepping back.

"Seeing as we were… distracted… and you were unconscious last time, can I get a better look at you?" Angela nodded, a light blush spreading across her cheeks. She stepped back as well, smiling slightly. I grinned at her, as she twirled before me, balancing on one foot. Her body had thinned out slightly, giving her a lithe build. Her ball-gown was actually composed of five over-lapping segments that spanned out as she spun, hovering just below waist level. Her torso was encompassed by a dress, which had a light blue colouration to the sides that spread up and along her arms down to her hands. I noticed her eyes were not just orange, now; there were small flecks of gold in them, catching the light. The underside of her gown was blue as well, before she stopped. I finally noticed the last change, too; her spikes were now on her chest and back, opposite each other. The one on her back was a little smaller than the other one, which was on her chest and right in between her-

*Uh-Oh… Don't look…* I thought, quickly thinking of Angela not reading my mind; hopefully, it would block off her seeing that thought.

-Well, Jason? What do you think?- I jumped slightly, startled by her voice, before I smiled and stepped towards her, the edges of her gown fluttering to a stop as they continued to move in the direction she had been spinning. I placed my hands on her shoulders and smiled at her; a nervous smile crossed Angela's face as a response.

"I think, Angela… That you're much cuter than when you were a Kirlia." I grinned, as a large blush spread across Angela's cheeks. She simply hugged me, when I groaned; a mix of pain and sadness. She pulled back worriedly.

-Jason? What's up?- I sighed and shook my head, stepping close to her again.

"You're taller than me… And you just stabbed me with your chest spike…" Angela giggled, as she nodded. She quickly lifted a hand, placing it on top of my head and moved it to her face, measuring my height compared.

-You're right, Jason. I'd say I'm an inch taller. And… Sorry about the spike… I guess I have to get used to it now…- I sighed, before lifting a finger to stop Angela as she began to say something else.

"No more riding on my shoulders now, Angela. You're too large and grown for that." Angela sighed, before nodding.

-Well, I suppose it isn't too bad… I can levitate now.- Angela slowly lifted another few inches above the floor, her feet angled down. Angela smiled as I noticed that her feet simply came to points that hung just above the ground.

-I have toes, Jason… I think that I evolved some sort of clothing that covers my feet. What is it, a pair of stockings..? Either way, it's great. It's like socks which can't be cut by anything.- I nodded, just smiling at her. She grinned back before suddenly catching a small brown object as it cannoned into her. I smiled more, as I saw Eevee nuzzling Angela's neck, purring. Angela simply nuzzled him back, hugging him closer.

-AWW, I missed Eevee… I wonder where he was-…- I frowned as Angela trailed off her sentence. She carefully stroked Eevee's back, before I realised what Angela already had; he wasn't excited to see her, something had scared him.

-Jason… What do you think it was..?- I sighed, shrugging my shoulders.

"It could be anything; what can you tell, Angela? You'll probably get more than I do." Angela nodded, before lifting Eevee up and looking him in the eyes. She soothed him with gentle strokes and shushes, and slowly he calmed down.

"Garde… Gar, voir..?" Angela asked of Eevee, who simply let out a small whimper.

"V-Vee…" Angela's eyes hardened, before gently handing Eevee to me. I took him, and placed a hand on Angela's shoulder. She glanced at me before turning towards the entrance of the Station.

-I know what upset Eevee so… He's coming right now.- I turned to face the door as well, seeing them open again as Kilo dashed into the room. His fur was on end, crackling with electricity as he growled angrily, pacing towards Eevee. Eevee whimpered again, before pushing into my more as he tried to hide from Kilo.

"Jolt! Jolt, olte teon!" He shouted something, while Angela simply slashed her arm through the air horizontally, shouting back.

"Gar! Gar arde, voirde!" Kilo glared at Angela, and refused to back down. Her eyes narrowed, before suddenly glowing. Kilo shot into the air with a cry of surprise, before writhing frantically as he tried to break free of Angela's mental grip. Angela shouted out in rage, as she flung Kilo back through the open doors, where he hit the floor and skidded for several feet.

"Angela… What was that all about..?" Angela turned to me, while Eevee slowly peeked out from under his tail; he'd curled up in my arms while Angela dealt with Kilo. He slowly straightened out, lying in my arms as Angela spoke to me.

-He was threatening Eevee; apparently he wanted to play tag with Aqua and didn't realise she was sleeping. Kilo didn't take kindly to his sister being woken by Eevee…- I nodded, as Eevee jumped across to Angela, who caught him. He leant upwards, eagerly licking her chin, as Angela giggled and hugged him.

-It tickles, but he looks so cute-GAH!- Angela cried out, as one of Eevee's more energetic licks spread across her lips. She quickly wiped her mouth, while Eevee curled up in her arms. I just grinned at her, before looking at the doors.

"Think Kilo's getting up from that and going back to Dan, or is he gonna try and beat you in a fight now?" Angela shrugged, as we both began to walk towards the doorway. We exited the building, seeing Cerulean City bustling with everyday activities from various people.

-I don't know Jason. He might try to fight; but then again he might show common sense and go back to Daniel to lick his wounds.- I looked around, taking a deep breath, savouring the varied scents of a busy city street. Eevee closed his eyes, and quickly fell asleep as we began to walk. I looked further around, enjoying the city life, when I froze. There was a small crowd of people in front of the Pokémon Centre, and I could hear them talking from where I was stood.

"I heard that there was a huge fight here last night, and Team Rocket got beaten again."

"There's supposed to be a real powerful Psychic Pokémon from Hoenn involved; what do you think it is?"

"I heard that it was a team effort; two against the Rocket…" I grabbed Jason's arm, turning him so he could see the crowd. He stared for a few seconds, before shaking his head in amazement.

"Wow. That's… A lot of people. What are they saying?" I frowned as I looked at Jason; he couldn't hear them?

-You can't hear them? Really? It's crystal clear to me…- Jason shrugged, before looking at me. He smiled slightly, before pointing at my ears.

"There's the answer; remember you said, the points help your hearing? Maybe when you evolved, you got more sensitive hearing. But then again, wouldn't that mean that you'd hear me louder than I am now? Because it should seem like I'm shouting at this close…" I nodded thoughtfully, absently running a finger over my left ear's points as I shifted Eevee into the crook of my other arms elbow.

-Yeah… I suppose… But it still is kinda weird… Uh-oh. I think they saw us…- I let my arm drop to my side, as I saw several people looking in our direction. Me and Jason stepped backwards; and immediately the crowd began to run towards us. I groaned, while Jason facepalmed.

"Why is it always US, Angela..? What did we do to deserve this..?" I smiled slightly, before looking up at the sky. I grinned as I sensed a familiar mental signature draw close.

-Well, we don't have to run that much… Guess who's here Jason.- Jason just looked at me, not in the mood to play along. I sighed, pointing up, at a cloud.

-There. He's using the sun to hide.- Jason immediately looked up, and froze-before grinning and raising his arms so they were parallel to the floor.

"You might want to do this as well, Angela…" He quickly returned Eevee, as I lifted my arms as well. I looked at the crowd, who were drawing closer to us. I looked upwards nervously, finally seeing a darting form; just what we needed!

-Your dad's taking his time, isn't he..? Wouldn't it be easier just to, I don't know, say Teleport?- Jason nodded, before laughing as a Pidgeot slashed through the sky towards us.

"It would be. But then, where's the fun in tha-!" Jason was cut off as the Pidgeot flashed past, and in a second he was gone. I spun around, seeing the Pidgeot had him held in one foot. I glowered at her as the Pidgeot wheeled around.

HEY! You forgot me, you over-grown Pidgey! Get back here before I ground you! The Pidgeot immediately angled towards me, shouting out in anger. A sweatdrop rolled down the back of my head, as I realised what I'd just angered.

Me and my big mouth… This is gonna hurt… I braced myself, as the Pidgeot slammed her other foot into me; unlike with Jason, she hadn't slowed down before grabbing me. I gasped as I had the wind knocked out of me, a small part of my mind noticing the irony of this being caused by a Flying type. I looked to my right, seeing Jason next to me. He grinned, before shouting over the rushing wind to me.

"I told you this would be fun, right?!" I nodded, struggling to get my breath back. The Pidgeot banked around, before gasping Jason's shirt in her beak. She quickly tossed him upwards, letting his shirt go, and caught him on her back. Jason leaned over, looking down at me.

"Ready to get up here, Angela..?!" I nodded back at him-as the Pidgeot let me go. It flew ahead, and I froze as I hung there for a few seconds. I sighed, before suddenly dropping like a stone. I shrieked and rapidly flapped my arms, the motion blurring together, looking like I had dozens of arms.

Work! Work! Why didn't I evolve damn wings?! Stupid, stupid, Pidgeot! Can this GET any worse..?! A few seconds later, I was hit by a gust of wind that sent me spinning. I finally stopped, still screaming, before realising I was the right way up.

Well, at least THAT was good- I was cut off as my dress billowed up around me, completely exposing me from the waist down. I screamed again, curling my legs up and pushing down on my dress at the front to try and make it flat again.

"Angela! Hold on!" I looked over, seeing the Pidgeot flying at me-and Jason's arm wrapped around my waist. I quickly pulled my arms free, and wrapped them around him. He grunted as he tried to pull me up, and instead he started slipping off of Pidgeot's back. With a cry of surprise, he suddenly lurched to the side-and a strong grasp wrapped around his wrist as his father grabbed Jason's arm.

"Hold on, Jason; let's get you up. Incidentally, how are you and Angela? I heard she evolved, but this is the first time I saw her new form." Jason shrugged as much as he could; I had slipped at the sudden stop, and was hanging from his hand.

"Oh, we're not too bad… Except we're hanging from your arm, a few thousand feet above the ground, flying at what, a couple dozen miles an hour? Could we kinda, you know… Get back on..?" Jason's father laughed slightly, before slowly pulling Jason and me upwards.

"Angela, grab a handful of Pidgeot's feathers. She won't miss a few." An angry squawk greeted his comment, and he sighed.

"Fine, she WILL miss them. But she'll have to make do… Come on girl, let her do it. I'd rather you were missing a few feathers than Angela fell and hit the floor." I shuddered as a mental image of that came unbidden into my mind; me falling, and the impact-My eyes widened as I realised what would happen, and I immediately pulled myself up, wrapping my arms around Jason and my legs around his waist.

-Don't let me go! Please!- Jason groaned, as I tightened my grip and several things cracked in his body.

"Angela… Ribs snapping… Dad… Hand slipping…" Pidgeot stopped dead, dropping below us. As we all fell, she snapped her wings open, halting her descent-and me and Jason landed on her back. I was still wrapped around Jason, who landed with a leg on either side of Pidgeot's back. He went as white as a piece of paper, and he let out a low groan. His father drew in a breath, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Bad landing, Jason; you'll be feeling that for weeks… Personal experience says so. But anyway, let's land. It's almost nine in the morning, so… Who wants breakfast?" He was greeted with silence; Jason was still unresponsive, and I was too busy clinging onto Jason in fear of falling.

"O…K… Well, I think we should eat, so… Pidgeot, land in a clearing large enough for us all, OK?" Pidgeot nodded, before angling downwards, towards a nearby large clearing. Pidgeot descended in a large, spiralled arc, before flaring her wings and stopping herself. She settled onto the floor with a soft thump, as Jason's father vaulted off of her back. He turned around, helping Jason and me to the floor.

"OK, here we are! SO… What shall we eat? We can have sandwiches, fruit, berries… What do you two want, exactly?" I slowly released Jason, gingerly stepping to the floor. Jason blinked, before buckling to his knees. I quickly grabbed his arm, holding him off of the floor.

-Jason! Are you OK..?!- He shook his head slightly, before his father took his other arm and helped him sit down cross-legged. He smiled slightly, before turning to me.

"He's not going to speak for a few more minutes, Angela; his… How do I put it… You're aware of what men and women have there, right..? Well, men are more likely to get hurt… And that landing… Well, he smashed into Pidgeot's back hard enough to really hurt his-" I gasped, before waving my hands in front of his face, stopping him. I blushed bright red, feeling it spreading over my cheeks.

-No! Wait! I-… I get it… Erm… Thanks for explaining it, Mr. Ketchum… I think…- Jason's father just laughed, before slapping me on the back, jarring me forwards. He turned around to Pidgeot, climbing onto her as he called out to me.

"Angela, just call me and my wife by our first names; we're Ash and Anni to you. You don't have to be so formal! Now, I'll be a few minutes; I'll return with food and drink! Now, Pidgeot… Let's go!" Pidgeot crooned at Ash, before crouching. She flared her wings, before taking off in one swoop. She continued to flap her wings, easily gaining height and speed. As I watched, she soon shrank into a small speck, before disappearing entirely. I sighed, as I sat next to Jason, my legs folded beneath me.

-Jason… I hope you feel better soon-… You know, we could take a little… time off here… I mean, we could practice your Psychic powers right? If it goes wrong, then you won't be accidentally harming any other people.- I leaned my head against Jason's shoulder, sighing. I blinked slowly, my left hand working around to rest across his back and on his left shoulder. I hugged him gently, breathing deeply; taking in his scent.

-It's so… peaceful here, Jason. I could just stay here, forever… With you, and the others… It's nearly perfect. Jason… Should I let the others out? They might want to get out and about, stretch and play…- Jason looked at me, his face still just as pale. He smiled weakly, gently nodding.

"Y…Yeah… I… Should let them… out…" I froze, slowly turning to look at him-his pale skin, taut smile, pain-hazed eyes, soft brown hair-before quickly pulling my hand off of him. I clutched my hands together, forcing them into my lap, blushing slightly and looking away.

-I… I didn't know you were able to speak… Sorry, Jason… I was talking to myself, really…- Jason's hand slowly rested on my leg, before moving closer. He placed it over my hands, gently squeezing them as he smiled at me.

-A… Angela… It doesn't matter… I still liked hea… hearing you… It's nice…- I looked up at Jason again, as he gently rubbed his hand over mine. He was blushing as well, though very slightly; just enough to show, now the colour was coming back to his face. I stared at him, and in a way through him; I was seeing a Jason I'd never seen before. He's always been kind, calm, caring… But this time it seemed more… I couldn't quite place it… I quickly pulled back, looking up as I sensed Ash returning. Jason pulled his hand back as well, both of us blushing were it rested upon my thigh for a few seconds as he leaned away from me; before Pidgeot landed. Ash jumped from her back, carrying several bags of shopping.

"OK! Let's eat! Jason, I also bought food for your entire team; why not let them out?" Jason nodded, slowly standing. He reached down to his belt, before throwing three Balls into the air. Soon, Caesar, Abby and Eevee were in front of us. Abby flopped around, but quickly settled down; she was used to being out of water by now. Caesar turned around, staring at Pidgeot; Eevee spun around and dashed towards Ash, sniffing his legs and shoes curiously. Ash just laughed, as Eevee slowly circled him.

"He's certainly a curious little guy, huh Jason- You'd better keep a sharp eye out, huh- Where'd he go..?!" Ash quickly spun around, looking for Eevee, who'd managed again to move without anyone seeing him.

-How does he DO that, Jason?- Jason shrugged, looking around as well.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Angela-Why… is the bag moving… Dad, you didn't let a Rattata get into your food again, did you..?" Ash scowled as Jason, as he stepped towards the bag and stuck his hand in it, rooting around.

"That was my first day as a Trainer! It wasn't my fault-AH!" He quickly pulled his hand out; clutching Eevee around the scruff of his neck. Eevee was purring, and nuzzling a small bag of dried leaves that had a tear in a corner. I frowned, as Eevee nuzzled the bag. What was that..?

"Dad, what's in there?" Ash pulled the bag away from Eevee, who whined and reached out for it, whimpering. He quickly pulled the puppy eyes trick, widening his eyes as they teared up and began to sparkle. Ash turned Eevee around so he wasn't looking at him.

"This, Jason, was a mistake to buy; it's Pokénip. Remember how we used to have that pet Meowth? And there was that plant in the garden it LOVED to roll in? That was a wild Pokénip bush; it secretes a scent that no Pokémon can resist. For example-" He quickly pulled a few leaves out, crushing them in his hand. Without a word, he threw them in my face. I pulled back, startled-

Oh, wow. That's amazing… I… I LOVE this stuff..! I grabbed the leaves out of the air, quickly curling up around them and pressing them up against my face, taking deep breaths as they crumpled and released their smell. I began to purr, rubbing my cheek into them as my eyes closed.

So nice… Mmmm… I continued to purr, before the leaves were pulled away from me. I opened my eyes, sitting up and growling-before I realised it was Jason. I blinked in shock, as we both stared at the leaves.

"These… Can do that to Angela..? Why did you buy it..?!" Ash shrugged, taking the leaves and throwing them to Eevee, who began to roll in them and chew the odd leaf. Weirdly, my mouth began to water as I saw him do that…

"Why? These things are great for dealing with young, energetic Pokémon. It keeps them within one place, and keeps them happy; see? He hasn't run off at all!" I gestured towards the bag, teleporting one of the leaves into my hand. I held it up, examining it; it was a plain, dry leaf brown, a little rumpled. I could already smell it, feel it tugging at my mind; that… need… to bury my face in it.

-Wow… This is strong stuff… I really want it, and this is a single leaf…- I slowly lifted it up to my face, gently nibbling the point of the leaf. The second my teeth broke part of it off, I gasped; it tasted like all the best things in the world, combined into one super-good thing. It was super sweet, and salty enough to balance it, with small darts of spice and sourness; and enough bitterness that my mouth watered more, only making it taste even better.

Oh. My. Arceus. If this is a tip of a leaf, then Eevee must be really high on these right now… I popped the rest of the leaf into my mouth, and my eyes widened in bliss as I bit into it. I purred again, easily loosing myself in the taste and what remained of the scent that was a Pokénip leaf.

I sighed, swallowing what was left of the leaf. It was brilliant, but- My eyes widened as I looked around.

-Jason. How long was I hopped up for?- Jason turned towards me, grinning. He took my hand, pulling me towards the red-and-white chequered blanket that had several bowls of food, two plates and five bowls, as well as enough Pokéfood pellets for everyone to eat. I slowly sat next to the untouched bowl of food, picking it up. I grimaced slightly, before choosing one of the pellets and tossing it up into the air, catching it in my mouth as it fell.

"You were out of it for about fifteen minutes; Dad gave everyone a leaf, and they're only just 'waking up' from it right now. You're the first." I nodded, sighing.

-It's… Odd… Normally, I'd love to eat this stuff, but… Now..? It tastes like ash on my tongue…- Ash walked over, grinning at me. He sat down, leaving Jason to finish filling to bowls with food.

"Judging by your face, you're not enjoying that, are you? It happens sometimes when a Pokémon eats Pokénip; it's only intended to be smelt. Here, try this then. It's potato salad. Brilliant stuff." I cautiously took the offered fork, looking at what was on the end with a mix of interest and revulsion; It looked like some small cubed thing covered with thick, slick and slimy white… stuff… covering it.

-This… Is food..? It looks, well… kinda second-hand, Ash…- He just laughed, taking a forkful of it himself and quickly eating it. He gestured towards me with his fork, speaking with his mouth full.

"Jussh try i'! Yoo migh' jussh like i' Angela..!" I shuddered slightly, as Jason slapped the back of his father's head.

"Dad! Table manners! Don't speak with your mouth full! Besides, Angela, close your eyes of you want; sometimes, that helps with new foods. Basically, potato salad is cooked potato-a vegetable-in some sort of creamy sauce." I nodded at Jason, smiling gratefully. I closed my eyes and opened my mouth, slowly moving the fork closer. I flinched backwards, as I accidentally poked myself in the cheek. I shuddered slightly as I felt the… sauce… leave a patch on my cheek. I opened my eyes, before Jason sat next to me. He took the fork from me, wiping my cheek with a napkin.

"Just close your eyes, and open up Angela. Trust me… OK..?" I hesitated, before nodding. I shuffled around so I was once more sat with my legs folded beneath me, and closed my eyes. I opened my mouth, feeling slightly stupid for doing this.

"OK, Angela… Close your mouth." I did so, feeling the cold metal of the fork between my lips, before Jason pulled it free. Immediately, this amazing taste sensation spread across my tongue; it was creamy, and slightly sweet and bitter; the two tastes balanced out, along with a strong, but not overpowering, taste of earthy vegetables. My eyes flew open, as I hesitantly bit down. If anything, the taste improved..!

-Jason… This is delicious..!- He smiled at me, as I continued to chew. He took my bowl away, before pulling a third plate out of the bag. He quickly pointed to each of the foods around us, naming them as he went, while I listened.

"Well, here's a plate… So, you know what potato salad is like. We also have coleslaw, which is like a salad in the same sauce as potato salad. There's pickled onions-you might not like those, they're quite strong… We also have beetroot, and several sandwiches; there're three things to go in them, which are the cucumber, bacon, and chicken." I nodded, looking at it all.

-It doesn't seem like much… But there's so much taste in it all…- Jason nodded, before pausing. As he looked down, I followed his gaze, to see that Eevee was standing next to him, staring at the food as well. He was drooling, and some of it had dripped onto Jason's hand. He sighed, lifting Eevee into his arms.

"I guess you heard me, huh..?" Eevee nodded, still staring at what looked like thick strips of dried leather. Jason sighed, while Ash just slapped him on the back.

"Well, Jason, looks like you'll be feeding your whole team now… So, good luck with that!" Ash quickly pulled back, biting a chunk out of the leather-like stuff-that's it, that was the bacon- before Jason turned around. Almost immediately, Abby flopped over towards him, while Caesar just flew over. He sighed, as they all stared at different things.

"Well, great… OK… Abby, wants potato salad… Caesar would probably like the… pickled onions, or beetroot… Eevee wants bacon-" Ash cut off Jason, as he grabbed the bacon plate and lifted it into the air.

"No! Bacon isn't for Eevee! It's for me!" Eevee yipped excitedly, jumping up at Ash and clinging onto his arm.

Yay! We gonna play keep away?! Ash quickly moved the plate to his other hand, holding Eevee away with his arm. Eevee simply climbed up and onto Ash's head, before lunging forwards, snatching a piece of bacon off the plate with a quick snap of his mouth. As Ash cried out, Eevee quickly ran away, hiding behind Jason. He quickly sat down, laying on the bacon as he gnawed on it.

"Well, Dad, looks like you're going to have to share that bacon after all… And Eevee's definitely enjoying it." Eevee mumbled something, as he struggled to bite through his food. Ash simply sighed, before putting the plate down and picking up some more plates.

"Well, let's get this all dished up Jason… Who gets food first?" A small chorus of exited cries answered him, as everyone crowded forwards.

I placed my plate on the blanket, sighing in content. The food had been wonderful, and we'd all enjoyed it as much as we had talking to each other. Ash sat back, stretching, before he looked at me.

"Well, Angela, I still haven't had much of a look, but I can tell that you're certainly a strong, healthy Gardevoir. It looks like Jason's certainly been keeping you all working hard. And I've never seen a Magikarp so full of energy..! Where did you find her?" Jason smiled, as he looked over at Abby. She was leaning against a tree, talking to Eevee.

"Some guy sold her to me. I got her for almost half price, but really I just wanted to get her free. Why bother selling her; Magikarp are plentiful in the wild… Besides, she's turned out as a great team member." Ash nodded as he listened, absently stroking Pidgeot's back, making her coo gently.

Mmm… That's wonderful, Ash… Pidgeot nuzzled him slightly, while Jason frowned.

"Hey, dad..? Where's Raichu? Normally he's always with you." Ash sighed slightly, before chuckling to himself.

"He's with your mother; she needed his help while cooking. Apparently only a Raichu's ThunderBolt is powerful enough to roast an Aspear berry and remove the sourness… Or something like that, the best cooking that I can do is easy meals while travelling." Me and Jason smiled slightly, as Ash simply sighed.

"I suppose I've brought food, and stuff. Now I need supply the other side of being a host… In a way, seeing as we're out here… SO, how's life been for you all?" Jason shrugged, looking over at me before grinning.

"Well, it's certainly been eventful… And I've definitely learnt some stuff. Like, how women drain a lot of money when shopping… But it's not all too bad. Team Rocket was a surprise, I admit… I didn't think they were still active…" Ash frowned, before shaking his head.

"They weren't. They only re-surfaced a few months before you left home; back then they weren't much, just left-overs trying their best. We quickly put the groups down, but… After a while, someone started co-ordinating them. We- That is, the League- Are helping and fighting back, but… A lot of them are surprisingly tough. I'm sorry, that you got caught up in it." Jason smiled before shaking his head.

"It's fine, dad; it doesn't matter anymore. What's done is done, and we're all fine now. Can't be that bad then, right?" I frowned at Jason as he said that.

-Sure, not that bad… We've only ended up in hospital three, four times in one month all together, and you were almost Arbok food. OH, and there was the Onix that attacked us… What else… Oh yes, the most recent one; that full-out assault from Team Rocket. Yes, Jason, we're DEFINITELY not in that bad a situation.- Jason rolled his eyes at me, smirking as he shrugged.

"Hey, we're still walking; I consider that a victory…" Ash laughed slightly as he watched us, whilst I simply shook my head sadly. He leaned towards us, a cheesy grin plastered over his face.

"You two must be getting on well; from what I can see, you're arguing like an old married couple! I guess you're definitely in safe hands, huh Jason?" Me and Jason stared at him in shock, before Jason stammered out a reply.

"Wh-What? But- But us? A-An old… m-married couple..? S-Seriously..?!" I just glowered at Ash, before he froze and turned around. Pidgeot groomed her wing nervously, before looking at Ash. He nodded, before Pidgeot took off, circling overhead and staying low to the treeline. Jason looked back at Ash, who had stood up. One of his hands drifted down to his belt.
"Dad? What's up? Is… Something wrong..?" Ash shook his head, as he traced Pidgeots flight with his eyes. He scowled as Pidgeot suddenly came to a stop a couple of dozen feet away, before turning around and flying back to us.

"Nothing. It's something that I've learnt to deal with by now… You two might want to get somewhere safe. I know Angela can teleport. You'd better leave as soon as I do." As he spoke Pidgeot landed, gently but firmly nudging his arm. She sounded nervous as she spoke to him.

Come on… Ash we have to go… These two are OK… Come on..! Ash nodded, rubbing Pidgeot's head before he climbed onto her back. She looked at me, before nodding towards Jason.

He might be Ash's chick, but still… I watched him grow up… If ANYTHING happens to him then you will answer to ALL of us… Am I clear? I sighed, nodded slowly. I looked behind them as several dozen minds suddenly became detectable.

I get it Pidgeot… Now fly away and take Ash away from whatever's coming. Pidgeot nodded, glaring at me slightly before taking off for the final time. As the two of them headed off to the south-west, Jason smiled slightly.

"Looks like dad's gonna visit mum… He's going to have SUCH a black eye, when she hears that he didn't get me to visit her as well. He's gonna get it even worse, since he didn't try in the first place…" He looked towards me, the smile slowly fading from his face.

"Angela. What's wrong..?" I shook my head, grabbing his hand, trying not to blush. Jason started, before I Psychically activated his Pokeballs. As everyone but me returned, I looked towards the group of minds I could sense. They'd be here soon.

-Jason, something scared off your dad. What's he afraid of?- Jason paused as he thought about it, answering me in a few seconds.

"Apart from playing shooter games with my mother? The only other thing would be what he mentioned once or twice. The groups of fans who keep trying to track him down." I froze, panicking slightly. I looked at where the horde roughly was, before looking back to Jason.

-We need to leave. Now.- I closed my eyes, focussing for the teleport coming up-when suddenly several dozen people burst into the clearing. Most had autograph books, while one or two held Pokeballs in challenge. They slowed down before realising that Ash had finally left. One of them sighed, before spotting us standing there.

"Hey, that's a Gardevoir-those are really rare, and from Hoenn… And a Shiny..?! How'd you get it..!? I'll trade you my Haunter for it!" I glared at the guy, before Psychically throwing him into a tree.

I am NOT an it! I'm a SHE! The guy groaned slightly, as he slid to the floor. Jason tugged my hand, as I looked at him. He looked nervous, especially as several people pulled out a Pokeball with a grin on their face.

"Angela..? Teleport..?" I nodded slightly, quickly thinking of what the safest area would be. Immediately, I thought of the Station, and focussed on the main lobby; I'd only seen it once, and I fervently hoped I hadn't missed out anything at all…

Hold on tight, and don't open your eyes… I sighed, making a quick prayer that this would work-and teleported us both. After the flash faded, I slowly opened my eyes. I looked around, and down, sighing in relief that we were both in one piece. As I looked at him, Jason cracked open an eye. He sighed as well, grinning at me.

"Well, that was close. We should probably meet Daniel now, right?" I nodded, as Jason stepped forwards-and dragged a table with him. We both froze, before slowly looking behind him. The sleeve of his jacket had reformed inside the table, and was dragging it with him. Jason paled, while I simply thanked Father for his guidance in my not-quite-perfect teleportation.

"That was real close, huh Angela..? So, how do I get out of this?" I smiled at Jason before simply cutting the fabric Psychically. As his arm came free he lifted it up, examining the perfect rectangle of missing fabric.

"That works… We should probably leave now though, before Jenny sees us here…" We both jumped as the sound of a slamming door sounded from deeper in the Station.

-Agreed. Let's get moving!- We both ran from the Station- well, Jason ran, I levitated besides him-Before we slowed down several streets away. I looked behind us, while Jason bent over, catching his breath.

"Dan's… Somewhere outside the City… Which Route..?" shrugged, before looking around. I grinned suddenly, as I had an idea; I closed my eyes and calmed my breathing, expanding my senses. It was easy at first, but soon I began to slow down. However, after a while I finally found what I was looking for; the mental signature of Daniel. I smirked, as I looked at Jason, recalling my senses.

-They're in Route 5, just past the main entrance. We can meet them in a few minutes, seeing as we're near the outskirts anyways.- Jason smiled at me as he stood straight again, before starting to walk. I quickly followed him, hanging back slightly.

"I wonder what Kilo's gonna do when he sees us…" Jason wondered, as we turned a corner and the exit of the City appeared at the end. I shrugged, mentally checking any ways that I could stop, block or deflect his attacks.

-Odds on, it's not good for us.- Jason laughed, nodding. He flashed me a wicked grin, his mind full of excitement and adrenaline-based ideas.

"Of course not Angela. But where's the fun in that..?!"

(Five minutes later, just before meeting Daniel)

Me and Jason cautiously headed down Route 5. I couldn't tell if Kilo was near, but I'd know it when he did approach. Jason looked up as me, then back to the trees on the side of the path.

"Anything yet, Angela? I can't see him, and I don't know how to do that thing where you know I'm there without looking…" A small smile crept over my face, as Jason almost tripped over a stone.

-Look where you're walking. And as for that, it's just keeping an open mind, and knowing what you want to sense- LOOK OUT!- I pushed Jason away, as I threw myself backwards, planting my feet and stopping myself as I skidded across the path. A second later, a ThunderBolt arced into the floor where we had been. The ground where we had been standing before was now completely vitrified; I could almost see a reflection in the metre-deep cone of super-heated, sandy earth-now solid glass.

"Angela! Where did it come from?!" Jason ran over to me, as I cast my gaze around. I quickly looked for where Kilo would most likely be hiding, and where he could attack from.

*Trees… No, too hard to escape without notice. Bushes… No, movement would make them rustle. So then…* I spun around, flinging a hand up. Immediately, I threw up a Psychic shield, which shuddered as a ThunderBolt hit it. Jason whirled around, as he saw Kilo; on top of some rocks, his hackles raised. His fur was standing on end, as his attack died off.

You! What are you doing here!? I glared at him, before using Psychic. Kilo zipped past us, slamming into a tree. He slowly peeled away, leaving a perfect imprint of his body behind. I levitated him, immobilizing his body and holding him just in front of us.

Explain why you attacked us! He growled at us, before looking to the side and spitting on the floor. Instinctively, I tightened my grip on him, as Kilo wheezed and fought to draw breath. After a few seconds I relaxed my grip.

I said… Explain why you attacked us! Kilo gulped nervously, before wheezing out an answer. I was vaguely aware of Jason next to me, concerned about my actions. But all I knew was that someone had insulted my pride, and that I needed to account for it…

I… I was told to guard them. The others. If anything I think is a threat gets too near, repel it. And you… I definitely think that you're threats. You, your trainer… And that Eevee. He's a threat to Aqua. I could smell it; he doesn't have the scent of his father with him, not like his mother. I don't want her to know a ba- I slammed Kilo into the floor several times, before levitating him to eye level. He groaned, before slowly looking at me, his eyes unfocussed. I bared my teeth as I spoke, glaring at him as I slowly compressed my Psychic hold. Kilo writhed slightly, trying futilely to break my hold as his fur compacted against his skin, his ribs showing through.

You… If you EVER call Eevee that… Even THINK it… You'll pay. I'll leave it to you; whatever you think of subconsciously; your greatest fear-I. Will. Do. Now get Daniel. We should have been there five minutes ago. Kilo nodded, the smallest motion allowed. I let him go, watching as he hit the floor and drew in a hacking breath. He coughed several times, before slowly standing. He looked up at us with pure hatred in his eyes, before slowly limping away. Jason slowly placed a hand on my arm, his eyes full of worry and concern.

"Angela… What was that about..? You… You could have really hurt him…" I stood there for several seconds, looking away. Slowly, I turned to look at Jason. I ran my eyes over him, judging him.

*He's still new. He can't know… But he has too… I need to tell him…* I took a deep breath, before slowly pulling Jason towards me. As he drew nearer, I angled him so that my chest spike passed between his arm and ribs, so I could truly hold him close. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and back, resting my head next to his on his shoulders. Jason slowly returned the embrace, as I sighed.

-Jason… I'm sorry. You don't know much about how Pokémon work… At least, socially… Kilo attacked us, so I defended us. When he spat on the floor, it was… Well, it was two things… First, he insulted me. He was saying, he thinks I'm not a strong enough fighter. Secondly, it was a challenge. To see if I would react as a fighter or not. He lost that contest of strength… But I did get mad at the end. He… He insulted Eevee. I won't tell you what it was he said, but… He basically claimed that Eevee doesn't deserve to know Aqua because of his parenthood.- Jason frowned, looking down at Eevee's ball. He gently rested a hand on it, before looking back at me.

"Why is that? It shouldn't matter, should it?" I sighed again, looking down at the floor. After a brief pause, I spoke again.

-You're thinking like a human, Jason. To Pokémon there's more than you think about parenthood. Who the father and mother was can carry many affects. In clans, it can determine what your role is, and where you are on the hierarchy of a clan. With Eevee… As you grow up, your parents scent marks you. Eevee doesn't have the scent of a father on him, so he was raised by just his mother. He never knew his father, so most male Pokémon wouldn't like him being around females. It's long, and complicated… Basically, the idea is that if he didn't know his father, then he was never raised as a male.- I paused as I tried to think of a way to explain it so that Jason would understand it easier. After a few minutes I got an idea and quickly implemented it.

-OK, basically… It's like he was raised without a father. So, he wasn't raised as a male, but as a female. So, it's like he isn't seen as a male..?- Jason nodded, as he wrapped his mind around it, trying to get to grips with the idea.

"So… Because he never knew his father… Most male Pokémon won't like him near females..?" Jason ventured a guess. I nodded slightly, before looking at the trees as a rustling sounded from them. As I looked on, Daniel and Kilo stepped out and towards us. Once they came to stand in front of us, I moved away from Jason. Daniel looked down at Kilo, before directing his gaze towards me.

"I see that you and Kilo didn't get on well… Care to explain?" I nodded, as Kilo glowered at me and Jason.

-Of course. I didn't tell Jason the exact words; he doesn't need to know. But in effect, Kilo called Eevee a… well, he said that he never knew his father, and that he wasn't allowed near Aqua.- Daniel knew what I meant almost immediately, and he looked down at Kilo, who shrank back slightly.

"You said that? Kilo, I raised you better. Don't forget, you and Aqua might have the scent of a father, but you still didn't know him… In what way are you different from Evan?" Kilo growled, before moving his gaze towards Jason.

Just keep that furball away from my sister… I've already had to deal with him. Kilo turned around and began to walk towards the trees before I called after him. He stopped and looked back over his shoulder to me, his ears flicking in annoyance.

Kilo..! I threw you out before. Next time I'll just hurt you… And badly. Leave Eevee alone, Kilo. Remember, you can't bully him forever… Kilo glared at Angela, before continuing into the trees. Daniel looked at me, frowning, before simply turning around to face the trees.

"If you do wish to journey with us, then come this way. I need to let my team know. And also… It would be best if your Eevee didn't go near Aqua… I don't want Kilo to attack him and hurt him in any way." Jason nodded, before we both followed Daniel into the trees. After a few minutes of walking, we entered a smallish clearing. Jason came to a stop, while I slowly looked around.

…Wow… I murmured under my breath, as Daniel's team continued to carry out their actions. Amy and Aqua were talking to Kilo, who was saying something angrily. I noticed that Aqua had eight water canteens slung to her body and was dragging them over the floor, while Amy had none. Heinz was using Psychic to empty out some bags full of dozens of smaller, sealed silver packages and pack them into Daniel's backpack, while Sifer and Izzy were putting out the three campfires that were still burning. Daniel walked over to them and crouched next to Izzy. After a few seconds she nodded, and walked over to Kilo, who was audibly crackling with electricity. Daniel knelt next to a half-collapsed tent and began to finish packing it away. Jason looked over at me, before we walked over to Daniel.

"So, Dan… Is there anything we can help with..?" He looked up at Jason before nodding, as he made the final fold. Grabbing two lengths of string, he began to tie it securely.

"Keep Eevee away from Aqua. The last thing I need is him making Kilo get angry. He's very over-protective, and doesn't like anything that could be bad for her…" While Jason replied, I glanced over at the Eeveelutions. Kilo was still bristling, but it seemed that Izzy had calmed him enough that he was listening to Amy speak.

I know eight water canteens are heavy, but these are all empty. I thought Aqua could carry the empty ones, and I could carry the full ones; she did want to help, after all… Kilo frowned at her, before finally nodding.

OK… But if she gets tired, take them from her. No excuses, Amy. Now get going. He gently nudged Aqua, who nuzzled his snout.

Behave yourself, sis… And take care… Kilo waved to Aqua, as she and Amy left towards some sort of water source. Kilo turned around, before laying down at the base of a tree. I sighed, before looking over at Jason. He was standing beside Dan, helping him to pack the tent into a small carry bag. I smiled slightly to see them both getting on so well, even if they do seem like complete opposites. I slowly walked around the edge of the clearing, finally sitting down on a fallen tree, laden with soft moss.

I looked around at the clearing, and the forest in general. It seemed so peaceful out here… Like time was standing still just for us, and that this area was being preserved… I smiled slightly, as a small thought drifted across my mind.

A forest green, with air so still, the smell of trees…

The soft, gentle caress of the winds wandering breeze…

I smiled as I mumbled the small couplet, before jumping as Heinz spoke up behind me.

That was very nice Angela. Short, to the point, and simple. A wonderful little rhyme. I blushed slightly, as he sat on the tree as well, leaving a gap between us. He looked around as he absently began rubbing an old piece of cloth on his spoon.

Thanks… I didn't think anyone would hear me if I said it quietly… Heinz chuckled, before shaking his head in mirth. He paused to look at the spoon, before breathing on it and beginning to polish it more.

Angela… Even the largest of Pokémon, or the smallest, has excellent hearing. I think most of us here heard that. You're too used to being around humans; it's not a bad thing, far from it, but you do need to remember they're far too different from us to be treated the same. And vice versa. I nodded, looking at my feet slightly in embarrassment. Heinz looked around us again, taking a deep breath, visibly relaxing.

I can see why this spot inspired you Angela. It's peaceful, and almost serene… I nodded again, before looking at him curiously.

Heinz… Why are you polishing your spoon? It looks perfect already… Heinz smiled at me, before looking back at his spoon. He rubbed it once more, before setting the cloth to the side.

Angela, you understand that Psychic powers are based on your mind. If you believe you can do it, then you can do it. That's how it works… I believe that if I keep my spoon polished, then I can amplify my powers through it at a greater level. And if it gets dirty, or twisted, then I cannot use my powers as much.

He picked up the cloth once more, looking at it and his spoon. Heinz calmly lifted it up to his face, examining it.

By doing this action once a week, I am able to meditate. I find peace of mind, and calm of soul. It is good, to relax and think upon one's life sometimes some-times… After all, without meditation, we cannot learn to improve, can we?

I nodded as Heinz began to polish once more. He closed his eyes, as he continued the motion with cloth and spoon. Almost immediately, I could sense that Heinz was calming down, and a peaceful contentment began to permeate the area around him. I relaxed slightly as it washed over me in a gentle wave.

It does seem quite relaxing… But I don't really have anything to do myself. I used to read a lot, but we didn't bring any books with us when we left… I've been a little at loss for passing the time in a way. Heinz nodded at me, before gesturing towards Daniel. I looked over to see Daniel was shouting at Jason over the tent, which was now somehow mangled and broken in places. A small smile tugged the corners of my mouth, as I watched them.

But, considering how I have to baby-sit Jason, perhaps it doesn't matter that much… He keeps me busy enough, without any other distractions. Heinz nodded, watching as Jason tried to help remove the tent from the bag, only to slice his hand open on the broken metal. I sighed, as Jason reared back clutching his hand and shaking it about. I watched him spot blood around before finally standing and looking at Heinz.

Excuse me a moment… I need to see to him again… As Heinz nodded at me, I walked over to Jason and took hold of his wrist. I pulled his arm from where it was curled up, so I could see his palm. Immediately I saw that it wasn't that deep a cut, and it was mainly a reaction to the pain. I sighed, before placing my hand over his, pressing my palm against his.

-Oh, Jason… What am I going to do with you? Every time I stop watching you, you end up getting hurt or put into hospital…- A light blue glow emitted from my eyes, as I Psychically stimulated his hand. After a few seconds I pulled my hand away, gently wiping the blood off his palm. Jason looked at his hand, gently touching a finger to the thin strip of pink skin that covered his cut.

"Wow… How did you do this, Angela..?" I shrugged slightly, gesturing to the cut as I spoke.

-It was easy… Psychic stimulation of the cell division… I just compressed the cycle stages down, supplied my Psychic energy to fuel them, and then forced replication of the cells. I only did it with the skin, though, so if you put too much pressure on it then it'll just break and you'll start bleeding again.- Jason nodded, grinning at me as he cautiously tightened his hand into a fist and relaxed it.

"It's great, and it barely hurts… Thanks, Angela..!" I smiled at Jason, as he turned around to help Daniel again with removing the ruined tent from the bag. I looked down at my hands, sighing slightly, before walking over to a tree with large, broad leaves. I quickly removed a couple and began wiping my hands with them, glancing towards Jason every now and again.

Afraid he'll re-open his cut? I looked down at Heinz, who was beside me. He'd polished his spoon, and it glinted in the sunlight. I shook my head as I balled up the leaves and threw them into the treeline.

Nope. Afraid he'll cut himself worse if I stop watching him. Skin I can heal; arteries, veins, capillaries, that's a bit too much for me right now… At best I can just stop his bleeding and then just wait for him to heal naturally… And believe me, I've had practice. He's incredibly accident-prone. Heinz nodded, as Daniel pointed to a tree. Jason slumped slightly, before walking over and sitting down beneath it.

The worst thing is he only tries to help. He's hopeless, bumbling and good-natured and yet hopeless at anything without personal injury. And yet somehow… It's funny. Heinz looked over as Jason went to sit down before looking up at me. A twinkle entered his eyes, as he gestured towards Jason. With a small flash of blue light, Kilo suddenly appeared. Jason flinched, before grabbing the tree. He sighed as he stopped, before slipping. He landed on Kilo with a thump, before Kilo shot awake hissing. He instantly shocked Jason, who glowed yellow as he cried out in pain. Kilo pulled free, spitting at Jason, before curling up at a different tree.

What… Why did you do that..?! I asked Heinz, shock weighing my voice down. He slowly died down from his laughter, wiping a tear from his eye before looking up at me. His smile peeled away, before he sighed.

I may be serious, Angela, even dour at worst. But I do have a deeply buried sense of humour. As he went to sit down, I saw an opportunity. Yes, it probably was just overkill. But I did find it funny. I'm sorry if it upset you or Jason in any way. I nodded at him, when Daniel called Heinz over.

He looked up at me, before he nodded and levitated, heading over to where Daniel was. I smiled slightly at his antics, glancing over my shoulder as I sensed Amy and Aqua approaching. In a few seconds, Aqua bounded back into camp, with Amy following her, all of the water bottles slung from her body.

Aqua, don't run around so much. You might need your energy later. Especially when we start walking for Vermillion City. Aqua looked back at Amy, nodding at her. Amy smiled at Aqua, who grinned and ran over to her elder brother. She gently nuzzled him before nestling up to his side. Kilo opened one eye, glancing at her, before smiling and resting his foreleg over her, pulling Aqua closer.

Aww… So cute… Amy spoke, as she walked over to Daniel with the water. He nodded in thanks, taking the canteens and scratching Amy between the ears, before stringing them onto his backpack, four on each side. He double checked them, before lifting his backpack and walking over to the bag that Heinz had packed. He laid the two bags side by side, and quickly attached them with some clips on the top and bottom. He detached the shoulder straps, and attached them to the top of the other bag. When he lifted it, there was one large backpack instead of two small ones.

"Hey, that's a pretty neat trick… Where'd you get that backpack..?" Daniel looked up at Jason, who was crouching next to him with an eager look on his face. Daniel frowned, looking back towards the tree Jason had been slumped against seconds ago.

"Weren't you electrocuted..?" Jason shrugged, grinning as he looked at Daniel.

"I've had worse from dad's Raichu… That wasn't much." Before Daniel could reply, Aqua raced past them chasing a leaf that was blowing in the wind. Daniel reached out but Aqua slipped under his hands, running into the trees. He sighed, looking at Amy.

"Go after her and get her back. Be quick, OK?" Amy nodded, running into the trees. I leant forwards to watch her go, when suddenly Eevee burst out of his ball and ran after the others. Immediately Kilo surged to his feet, growling, but a sharp glare from Daniel stopped him from moving. I walked over to Jason, resting a hand on his shoulder.

-I'll go find him, OK..?- Jason nodded at me as I levitated slightly, floating into the forest.

"Good luck, Angela..!" He called after me, as the trees closed up between us. I looked around at the trees, wondering where he'd gotten to. I sighed, before spotting a flash of red ahead of me. It had to be Amy; I quickly darted after her, moving between the trees with ease. Finally I came up behind her, where Amy was sniffing the floor.

Amy? What are you doing? Amy jumped, startled, and scrambled up a tree. She cautiously looked down at me from one of the branches, hyperventilating.

Angela..? What was that for..!? There was no need to make me jump like that! I could have roasted you! I sighed, scratching the back of my head as Amy slowly crept to the end of her branch. It sagged beneath her, bending until she was at eye level with me.

S-Sorry… I thought you knew I was there… I didn't know you could move so fast, Amy… Amy scowled at me before jumping to the floor. She sniffed again, before nodding to herself. She quickly started to move ahead, following something I couldn't see. I followed her, watching for Eevee.

So… Amy… What are you doing..? Amy didn't look up, instead keeping her nose to the floor. She skirted around a tree, frowning.

I… WAS… Following Aqua's scent trail. But there's another Eevee here… I nodded, as Amy continued to follow the trail. My ear twitched, and I looked to my right, through the treeline.

That's Eevee… He ran after you both. But how did he get ahead… Also, Amy… Didn't you go to a river with Aqua..? I hear water on our right. Amy's ear twitched as well, tilting slightly towards the water. She nodded, looking back at me.

Yeah. Aqua's always had something for the water; the first thing she did after hatching and nuzzling Daniel was swim. She's got an affinity for it; it's where her name comes from. Most likely she's at the river right now. I nodded, as we both hurried towards the river. As we approached, the sound of running water increased. After a few minutes, we reached the edge of the treeline. I moved behind a tree, peeking around it, while Amy struggled underneath a bush and looked out from below it. In front of us were Eevee and Aqua. Both of them were staring into the river, while Aqua was idly floating a paw in the current.

I always loved water… It's pretty, and hard to keep hold of… Aqua lifted her paw out of the water, watching as rivulets ran down her fur and into the river again. She smiled as she lowered her paw, while Eevee nodded.

-Amy, they don't know we're here… Do we get them, or watch..?- Amy stayed silent for a few seconds, before whispering to me.

We stay hidden… And watch… I nodded, keeping an eye on the two Eevee. Aqua pulled her paw up again, this time flicking water at Eevee while giggling. Eevee pulled back, startled, before leaning over and splashing Aqua back. She laughed, shaking the water from her fur. She ran away from Eevee, who chased after her. I smiled slightly as they quickly entered a game of tag.

Hah! Got you! Aqua shouted, as she lunged forwards and tackled Eevee. The two of them went rolling before stopping, with Aqua laying on top of Eevee. He cried out in protest, struggling beneath Aqua.

Hey, wasn't I chasing you..? That's not fair..! Aqua giggled as she tapped Eevee's nose with a paw, sticking her tongue out at him. She rolled off of him, as Eevee stood up, before he tackled her. Aqua laughed as Eevee nuzzled her stomach, tickling her.

S-… Stop it..! Th-That tickles..! Eevee smirked, before nuzzling even faster. Aqua's laughs resounded around the river, and I looked at Amy. She looked back at me with a smile, nodding towards the two Eevee's, who were now rolling around again as they began play-fighting.

They're gonna be great friends, aren't they… I just hope Kilo doesn't over-react like usual. Aqua's friends don't usually hang around, after meeting Kilo and seeing his anger. I nodded, watching as Aqua gripped Eevee's ear in her mouth and pulled on it, rolling him over, before jumping onto him again. Eevee rolled over, and soon he was pinning Aqua down. He grinned at her, before pulling back. Aqua sat up, nipping his nose playfully.

That was fun, Eevee… I don't really get to play much, brother always stops us… Eevee nudged Aqua, as he sat next to her. She sat down as well, looking out over the river.

Aqua… Why is your brother so mean to me..? I haven't done anything wrong… Have I..? Aqua shrugged, turning her head to look at him.

I… I don't know, Eevee. I've tried to say something, but he doesn't listen much… Sorry… Eevee sat there, looking Aqua in the eyes. For several seconds, not a sound passed between them, except for the gentle burbling of the river. Eevee leant forwards hesitantly, pausing just in front of Aqua. She flinched slightly, before Eevee gently nuzzled her cheek. A heavy blush spread across her face, as Eevee pulled back, blushing as well.

It's OK, Aqua… I don't mind that he doesn't like me… Although, he can be really scary… Aqua didn't reply, she simply raised a paw and touched her cheek gently. She blushed even harder, before replying.

O…OK then… But, are you sure..? He might really hurt you… Eevee grinned at Aqua, his blush visibly fading away. As she saw his cocky grin, Aqua's blush also decreased, and a small smile flickered across her face.

He might. But I'll get better; besides, you're a friend. I do anything to help friends, even if I have to fight crazy older brothers. Aqua giggled slightly, before leaning against Eevee. He quickly blushed again, stuttering slightly as he spoke.

A-Aqua… What are you d-doing..? A sly grin crossed Aqua's face, as she suddenly pushed Eevee into the river. She immediately jumped in after him, paddling over and pulling him beside her. Eevee thrashed about, panicking, blind to Aqua's attempts to help him.

Angela, stay here… I'll go help them out… Looks like Aqua wanted to swim with Eevee, huh..? I nodded, as Amy walked out from her bush and stopped beside the river. She looked down at the two Eevee's, frowning at Eevee in particular.

Eevee, stand up. The river is only chest-deep here. Eevee froze, slowly opening his eyes, which he'd clenched shut. He cautiously looked down, as he stopped thrashing around, seeing that sitting down his head was above water level. He slowly climbed to his feet, looking embarrassed, while Aqua let go of his scruff.

S-Sorry, Amy… I didn't realise… Amy shook her head, sighing, before looking at Aqua, who'd crouched lower in the water in an attempt to hide behind Eevee.

Aqua, you could at least have told him how deep the water is here. He could have hurt himself, or you… Aqua sighed, gently nudging Eevee's shoulder in apology.

Sorry, Eevee… I didn't mean to scare you... Amy nodded, before leaning over and grabbing Eevee's scruff. She stood up and deposited him, wet and dripping, onto the bank. She repeated the action with Aqua, before sighing. She pushed down on their hindquarters so they were sitting lose together.

You'll catch your death of cold… Stay still. Amy nudged them together, before carefully laying down behind them and wrapping her tail around them both, obscuring all but their ears from view. She smiled slightly, before closing her eyes. Eevee and Aqua squirmed slightly, judging from ear movement. A cloud of steam slowly wafted upwards, as Amy's body heat began to evaporate the water on their fur.

Wow… Th-This is incredible… I heard Aqua say to Eevee, who was simply purring. After a few seconds, Amy opened her eyes and uncurled from the now dry Aqua and Eevee. She nodded, before gently cuffing them round the head as they stood up.

I won't say anything about this to Kilo, OK? And neither will you, if you value Eevee's life… Somehow, despite her addressing Eevee and Aqua, I felt that she was warning me as much as them. Eevee nodded, before Aqua slapped a paw down on his shoulder, laughing. She sprinted into the trees with Eevee quickly catching up to her, who was also laughing. Amy smiled slightly as she watched them disappear into the trees, before walking over to me.

They get along very well, don't they? I nodded, gently picking Amy up. She nestled into the crook of my elbow, four paws in the air, purring. I smiled and tapped her nose gently, as I replied.

Yes, they do… However, I've never seen anyone like Aqua act like that with just a friend. Amy sighed, as she rubbed her nose. She looked up at me, then in the rough direction towards the clearing we'd left the others in.

She's never actually had a friend stay this long. Normally Kilo would terrorize them and they'd flee. So Eevee's quite brave to try and stay as a friend, but he's also playing a dangerous game with Kilo… I nodded, sighing as I remembered Kilo's reaction to us in the City and on the Route.

He's cruel, and self-absorbed, but he does love his sister very much so… He just over-does it as an older brother… Amy nodded, as I closed my eyes and focussed. After a few seconds, we Teleported into the clearing, just in time for the two Eevee's to barrel out of the trees, rolling around together. Amy jumped down to separate them, while I grabbed a raging Kilo with Psychic as he sped towards them both.

You! Get away from my sister, you little runt..! I scowled at him, glancing at Amy, who'd separating the playful Eevee's. Aqua was glaring at her brother slightly, while Eevee was crouched behind her, whimpering.

B-… Brother… S-Stop picking on him, he didn't do anything..! Everyone apart from Jason stared in awe at Aqua, even Daniel; he might not fully understand us but Aqua's never stood up to her brother before. Kilo stared at her, shaking his head sadly.

Aqua… Look at this, he's a runt… You could easily just find a better friend somewhere, one who's actually able to tell you who his father is..? Aqua stared at he brother, shaking. At first I thought it was fear, but then I realised it was actually anger. She glared at him even harder, tears beading in her eyes.

Y-… You think you can just… Control me..? I'm fed up, brother..! I want to be me, not some… some… not what you wish you'd been, because of a hurried evolution..! I'm happy with Eevee as a friend and you can't change that..! Kilo flinched at her words, looking visibly hurt. He stared at her, his ears drooping, before slowly nodding.

I know… I just want what's best for you, Aqua… And, he isn't that… Aqua hissed at him, her fur raising on her back.

I just want to control my life and not be your sock..! Several seconds passed in confusion, before Heinz cleared his throat to get our attention.

Aqua, do you mean puppet, per chance..? Aqua nodded, grinning at him. Kilo almost seemed like he was crumbling away, now that his sister was standing up to him.

Yeah, that's what I meant… I just want to control my life and not be your sock puppet..! Heinz sighed, before smiling and shrugging at me. He gestured towards Aqua, who was avoiding her brother's gaze be apparently grooming herself.

She means, I'm not your puppet… I don't think she quite grasps some of the more human sayings, just yet… But she's learning well. I nodded, slowly setting Kilo down on the floor. He walked over to Daniel without a word, and tapped a paw on his Pokeball, recalling himself. Daniel looked down at his belt with a troubled expression, before sighing and shouldering his backpack.

"OK, everyone, time to go back. We're leaving now. I'll let you out when we get a room at the Centre, or if we end up camping again and the tents are set up." He lifted up five Pokeballs as his team nodded towards him, and he recalled them before re-attaching the balls to his belt. Jason lifted up a single Pokeball, looking at Eevee. He was sitting where Aqua had been, looking sad.

"Come on, Eevee. Time to return. I'll let you out later, and you can play with Aqua then… OK?" Eevee nodded, yipping excitedly, as he was recalled in a beam of red light. Jason put the ball on his belt, looking at Daniel.

"Should we start walking now?" Daniel nodded, glancing at the sky as we began to walk onto the Route again. I took a deep breath, smiling as I scented all the different things about night-time; the cool air, a crisp sharpness to it not in the day's warmth, a faint spiciness as well, and dozens of other things, separate and blending together, creating something unique…

"It's getting late. I don't hold much hope of us reaching even a quarter of the way there by midnight… We'll walk a while and set up camp. We'll need the time for setting up tents, and campfires and cooking dinner as well, so we'll only walk for a few hours. Far enough from the City, and where not many people would notice us…"

Jason glanced at Daniel, who was looking away from Cerulean. The three of us started to walk down the Route, a silence that wasn't at all quiet filling the air; the faint rustle of grass, occaissionally a soft clatter as small rocks were scuffed, and the night-time cries of nocturnal Pokémon waking up. Jason looked over at Daniel, frowning slightly. During the day he'd bought a pair of sunglasses at some point and now he was wearing them still.

"Hey Dan, don't you wanna take off the glasses? You must be as blind as a Zubat with them on…" Daniel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he took a deep breath. He continued walking, stepping to the left as he went. A second later, Jason tripped over as his foot caught in a hole in the path, stopping when I grabbed the back of his jacket.

"Does it look like I need to remove my sunglasses, Jason? And for the last time, my name is DANIEL, not DAN… Get it right, already." He continued to walk, as me and Jason hurried to catch up to him. I scowled slightly at his back as Jason grinned at me, before frowning slightly.

-He's a bit of a… …ous, stuck-up guy, huh..?- I frowned slightly at Jason, as I telepathed back.

-Say that again. You died out halfway through. He's a bit of a..?- Jason sighed, before smiling at me and whispering into my ear.

"He's a bit of a pompous, stuck-up guy, huh..?" I nodded, a small smile showing for a second as Daniel continued walking, oblivious to our conversation.

-I suppose… But hey, maybe that's how he is. I mean, remember that he's been travelling for a longer time than us. Maybe this is what solitude does to you…- Jason nodded, looking at Daniel. He sighed slightly, glancing towards me sadly.

"Maybe… I'd avoid solitude if that's the outcome… I guess it's a good thing I have you, huh, Angela..?" I blushed, thankful that it was hidden in the dark. I was about to telepath him, when Daniel looked back over his shoulder at us.

"This isn't the result of solitude, Jason, Angela. This is the result of seeing how the REAL world is; not what we're spoon-fed by parents, teachers, and adults. The world is a harsh place, and not a world for innocence and ignorance. You'll learn this, Jason; otherwise the world will swallow you up, and you'll be forgotten…" Daniel came to a stop, looking at the sky. The moon was starting to rise, and it was silhouetting Cerulean, a couple of miles behind us.

"I was hoping we'd have made further progress, but this will do. We should go into the woods a little way, find a clearing." A burst of red light revealed that Daniel had opened a Pokeball. I heard a yawn, before seeing that it was Izzy.

Daniel, wus goin' on… I sleeeepy… Daniel crouched down, gently rubbing Izzy between the ears in apology.

"Sorry, Izzy, I know you're tired… Can you help us find a clearing to camp in..?" Izzy nodded sleepily, wandering into the treeline. After a few seconds we heard a 'thunk' from within. I walked over to Daniel, looking in. Izzy had walked into a tree and was slumped against it, snoring lightly.

"I guess she's really tired… More than I thought. Return Izzy; I'm sorry I woke you." The red light speared towards her, before Izzy pulled away slightly, the beam just missing her. She shook her head slightly, looking at Daniel.

N-No… I can do it… Jus… Jus' gimme time… Izzy yawned, before rubbing a paw over her eyes. Daniel slowly walked over to her, and knelt beside her. He scratched her between the ears again, smiling slightly.

"Izzy, you don't have to do this… I don't mind if you want to sleep." Izzy pulled away from Daniel, stifling another yawn. She turned around, slowly walking into the trees again. Jason walked over, watching her as she occaissionally bumped into a tree and staggered a few steps.

"She shouldn't be doing this… But then, she's always tried to do her best for me… Almost like…" Daniel shook his head, closing the subject.

"Come on; we need to keep up with her." The three of us followed Izzy, who was moving slower as time went past. After about a quarter of an hour, she collapsed onto her side. Daniel was immediately next to her, gently placing a hand on her side.

"Izzy… I'm proud that you kept going for this long. But you need to sleep… Thank you for trying, Izzy… Rest well…" Daniel recalled her, before standing again. He sighed, as he placed her ball back on his belt.

"She fell asleep. I guess she pushed herself too hard… But I know this area, we camped here before. She must have been looking for it…" Daniel stepped past a tree, smiling as he nodded to himself.

"Yes, here it is. Hurry up you two. We're losing what little light is left." Me and Jason walked around the tree, looking in towards the clearing. There was easily enough room for three tents to be set up, and even a small boulder in the middle. It was flat on top, but a faded, glass-like stone; it was obviously not natural. Around the edge it was roughly patterned; a ring of what looked like stone had liquefied and run down the side of the boulder. There was a slight slant to it as well.

"I remember this stone… Amy melted it to a flat top for us to eat from, almost a year ago… Kilo lost most of his face fur pushing a nosy Aqua out of the way…" A small, sad smile crossed his face before he looked away. His hand lingered for a few seconds, before slipping back down and hanging at his side. He reached back and unclipped his tent, catching his backpack as it slipped off of his back.

"You two might want to set up your tent. I'll start with mine. Don't set up too close to me either; I prefer space…" Jason nodded, as Daniel unpacked his tent and started to set up the poles. Me and Jason walked around so that the stone was in between our tents, and Jason grinned at me.

"I didn't bring a tent when we left, but I did find this in my backpack. I guess mum got it for me, huh?" He lifted a fabric bag, before opening it. He up-ended it onto the floor, as a large mass of fabric, metal pegs, metal rods fell out. Jason shook the bad again, and a small mallet fell out, landing on Jason's foot with a crunch.

"Gah! OW! Damnit!" Jason lifted his leg, grabbing his foot in both hands. I smiled slightly, before poking him gently. He tilted to the side, before beginning to hop as he tried to stay upright. I smiled giggled, before looking towards the tent. I picked up the bag, looking inside and pulling out a small sheet of paper.

Instructions on how to assemble your new tent… Huh. I guess these are helpful… Step one, connect the rods to form a large cross… I glanced at the mess at my feet, sighing. I quickly sorted through the pile, separating most of the components mentally. I Psychically lifted the four long metal poles, before connecting them together.

Step two, place the ends of the poles into the holes in the tent, and secure them. Then stretch the tent over the frame, forming a hemisphere… I glanced towards the tent. I quickly stretched the material out with Psychic, threading the poles into small holes in the corners. After about two inches, the poles widened enough that the tent couldn't fit anymore. I bent the poles more to flit the tent over them, before it sprang back to its slightly curved shape.

Step three, use the metal pegs and lengths of rope to anchor the tent securely to the floor and to support it. There are holes along the base of the tent in order to peg it down… I set the tent down, forcing the exposed pole into the ground. I quickly lifted the pegs and sank them into the floor, before tying the rope to t/he loop at the top at the tent. I frowned, before Jason stepped up next to me.

"Wow… You did a great job, Angela..!" I nodded, the rope idly levitating as I re-read the instructions. I sighed, casting them aside in anger.

-What on earth do I do with this rope..? How do I anchor it to support a tent..?- Jason looked up, pointing towards a tree branch hanging over our tent.

"You tie it to a branch, and it pulls the tents top up. It keeps it tight and stops water draining in front of us. You wanna tie it so that water slides backwards and behinds us. That way we get out onto dry-ish ground if it rains in the night." I nodded, quickly tying the rope to the tree. I stepped back, looking at it. The tent was large enough for two people and it looked like you could easily sit up in it. The sides were taut, and it was angled forwards slightly, lending it a slope towards the back of the tent.

-I guess we did it, huh, Jason?- I looked over towards Daniel. His tent was already set up, despite having to do it manually, and he was rolling out his sleeping bag inside it. There was a small, electric lamp hanging in his tent, supported by a small length of string running the length of his tent. He glanced over, nodding at me before zipping his tent up. The light from his lamp dimmed, before I looked at Jason.

"I guess we should get ready, huh Angela?" I nodded, as Jason pulled out a dark green sleeping bag. We paused, before sweatdropping.

"This… This was bought when you were a Kirlia… S-So, we… Have to share…" I nodded slowly, sighing sadly.

-And… I-I don't fit my pyjama's any more…- We both stood there for a few seconds, before Jason crouched and looked into the tent.

"I suppose we could unzip the bag and just lay on it… And zip the tent up…" I nodded slightly, before looking down at my dress.

-But… What will I wear..?- We both blushed bright red, before something hit Jason in the back of the head, knocking him sprawling. I turned around, just in time to be hit in the face by a mass of fabric myself. I reached up and pulled it down, looking over to see Jason was standing up and lifting a light blue sleeping bag up. I glanced down, realising that I was holding onto a pair of pyjamas. I lifted up the top, immediately pushing it down when I realised there was underwear beneath it as well. We looked over to see that Daniel was leaning out of his tent, wearing a pair of black, full-length pyjamas.

"The bag and pyjamas are for Angela. I thought that you would have forgotten about her size change. I also took the liberty of supplying you with fresh changes of underclothes. Good night, you two." He returned to his tent, zipping it up, before turning off his lamp. Me and Jason stood there for several seconds, not sure how to respond.

Th… Thank you..? I stammered, looking at Jason. He shrugged, before putting both sleeping bags in the tent. He gestured towards it, looking away awkwardly.

"Y-You can change first…" I nodded slightly, crouching as I entered the tent. I quickly zipped it up behind myself, and laid out my pyjamas on the floor. My eyes glowed for a second, as I unrolled both sleeping bags, and finally took a closer look at my new clothes. I had a matching pair of pyjama top and bottoms, with red and white chequered pattern. There was even a sizable slit in the front and back, at the perfect place for my spikes.

These are perfect… How did he know to get me these..? I moved my new top, blushing slightly as I saw what else Daniel had bought me; generic, white, panties and a bra. I looked around before sighing, and reaching up to my dress. Grasping the top of it, I began to pull it over my head, shivering at the cold as it left me without its warmth.

(Ten minutes later…)

I looked down as Jason unzipped the tent, smiling slightly as he looked up at me.

"You can come in now, Angela. I've sorted out the sleeping bags as well." I nodded at him, as Jason moved back into the tent. I looked over at Daniel's tent one last time, wondering where he managed to get me these…

"Those pyjamas are the perfect size. How did he know what ones to get you?" Jason asked from inside the tent. I shrugged, deciding I'd ask Daniel tomorrow. I crouched down and entered the tent again, seeing that Jason was already zipping up his sleeping bag. I crawled into mine, pulling it closed but leaving it un-zipped. I looked up, noticing two little pocket torches hanging up there.

-THAT'S how you're illuminating the tent..?- Jason shrugged, as he laid down and shuffled about slightly. He was looking towards me, grinning.

"Hey, it works, right? Don't complain…" A few seconds passed, before a torch flickered and died. I looked at Jason, who sighed. He pointed to the one remaining light, before opening his mouth to speak.

-"Don't say anything and it will last.- Jason rolled his eyes, smirking at me before removing the dud torch and putting it on the floor.

"Sure, and Diglett can fly…" Almost immediately, the second torch flickered into darkness. We laid there for a few seconds in pitch black, before I smacked Jason round the back of the head. I laid down as he cried out, before closing my eyes. Jason laid down as well, shuffling around to get comfy.

"Night Angela…" I smiled slightly, closing my eyes. I relaxed, sensing Jason's calming presence all around me…

Night Jason… I yawned slightly, before slowly drifting off into sleep, happy that we'd gained a new friend and travelling companion in Daniel.