Chapter 12
Void's POV
I blinked a few times, not understanding what Abby was talking about, but by the way she was acting, I had a feeling it was bad. "Power up Punch...? What is a Power up Punch?" I asked, feeling confused. She took a deep breathe, trying to calm herself down. "Well, you see Void, a Power up Punch is a move that can be learned by pokemon. Every time said pokemon uses this move, their attack goes up. I'm really worried now that you are able to use it." She said, bringing me into a hug, resting her chin on my shoulder. I was silent for a few seconds, before I remembered something. "What's the problem, have you forgotten that I'm half Lucario? Shouldn't being able to use pokemon moves be somewhat expected?" I asked, looking at her in ever growing confusion. She shook her head, still looking worried. "That's the thing, even being half pokemon, your human half should have kept you from using moves. Something's not right." She said, her voice quivering due to her nerves. I gulped, starting to understand her panicking. "I think I know who can explain what's going on." I said, feeling the weight of the situation like a boulder being balanced on my back. She gave me an inquisitive look. "Who, Void?" She asked, looking up at me. I remained silent for a few seconds, trying to decide whether or not Arceus would mind if I told Abby about communicating with her. After awhile, I shook my head.
"N-never mind, I was just thinking out loud." I said, not looking her in the eyes. For a second, Abby looked sad and hurt, then her features straightened and she placed a hand on my shoulder. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" She asked, smiling softly. I placed my hand over hers, and returned the smile. "I know, there's just some times I can't say what I want to." I said, leaning in and giving her a kiss. When we separated from the kiss, She was blushing deeply. "We haven't done that in awhile." She said, her eyes slowly opening again. I smiled, walking back into our room, her leaning against me. I untucked the sheets, allowing Abby to slide underneath, then I slid next to her, wrapping my arms around her, pulling her close to me so her back rested against my chest. "Goodnight Abby, see you in the morning." I said, laying a small kiss on her cheek, earning a quiet pur from her. "Goodnight, Void." She mumbled, slipping off to sleep. With a silent prayer, I let my eyes close, her steady breathing lulling me to sleep.
After what seemed to be only a few seconds, I opened my eyes and looked around, realizing I was no longer in bed. "Hello again, Void." A voice from behind me made me jump. Slowly turning around, I saw Arceus, sitting on her marble throne. Taking a few deep breathes, I slowed my heart beat. "Why are you acting so shocked to see me, Void, didn't I tell you I say I would answer if you prayed?" She asked, looking very confused by my reaction. I slowly nodded, bowing to her to show no disrespect. "Y-yes, sorry, I just wasn't expecting you to answer so fast!" I said, only to hear her chuckle. "Well, what can I do for you, Void?" She asked, looking at me with a smile. I took a deep breathe, looking at her. "Apparently, I somehow used Power up Punch, which according to Abby, should be impossible." I said, noticing her features change from a smile to a frown, her looking as if she was deep in thought.
"I'm afraid she is correct, Void. You shouldn't be able to use any pokemon moves, your human side should have kicked in, blocking your pokemon side from using anything of the sort. Tell me, did anything happen when you used the move?" She asked, looking at me questioningly. I nodded, thinking back to when I had saw the man in the cave, attacking Mitsuki and Hikage.
"I think so, but I don't know if it was because of my incompatibility with pokemon moves, or if it was my anger, but I blacked out when I supposedly used Power up Punch, is that what you mean?" I asked, as she thought for a few seconds. "Yes, that sounds a lot like you overloaded your mind when you used the move." She said, nodding her head. "I have an idea of what might be going on, but I need to check first." She said, her eyes giving off a bluish green glow that dimmed after a few seconds. Arceus frowned, looking at me for a few seconds, then began speaking.
"Well Void, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that you are fine, using Power up Punch didn't cause any negative effects." She said, making me sigh with relief. Then I remembered that there was still more. "W-what about the bad news?" I asked, nervously clearing my throat. When I looked up at her face, I saw sadness and weariness on her features. She silently sat there for a few minutes, then took a deep breathe.
"Do you remember when I was able to give you more time to return to Abby and your friends?" She asked, looking at me with a bit of pity. I looked at her and nodded, wondering what could be so bad about me going back. She looked away for a few moments, then turned back. "Well, the power I used was something I have never tried before. I expected there to be some side effects, but nothing like... this." She said, catching my attention as I looked at her expecting her to continue. When she said nothing else, I spoke up. "What do you mean by that, is something wrong?" I asked, starting to feel worried. After a few seconds, she sighed. "The power I used to keep your body in a sort of stasis seems to have spliced your DNA. From what I can see, I may have accidentally combined some of your Lucario and human DNA. Being more Lucario would explain how you used Power up Punch." Arceus said, making my breathe catch in my throat and causing me to choke for a few seconds. She looked away, not meeting my eyes. After a few minutes of silence, she looked at me sadly. "I didn't mean for this to happen." She said, causing me to sigh. "Why didn't you tell me that what you tried was experimental?! Don't you think that's something I should of been told about?" I asked, looking at her in disbelief. She only sat on her throne, looking at reflections in the Pool of Beginnings. Slowly, she turned away from the pool.
"You never really asked." She said, a hint of sorrow in her voice. I looked at her incredulously, but before I could speak, she cut me off. "I know, I still should have warned you, but you seemed so happy to be going back, I didn't want you to doubt whether or not it would work. You would have been nervous about returning. This is one reason why I hardly have contact with humans, no matter what I do, I always upset someone." She said, her attention once again focusing on the water in front of her throne. I was silent for awhile, watching her with my anger dissipating. With a deep breathe, I began to speak once again. "F-forget it, it's all in the past, but I do have one question, does this mean I will be turning into a Lucario?" I asked, dreading the answer. Arceus shook her head. "No Void, but you may want to keep in mind, Power up Punch isn't the only move Lucarios can use." She said, keeping her answer somewhat cryptic.
"I have to send you back now, it's morning, and you'll have some important company soon. Is there anything else I can do for you before I send you back?" She asked, opening a small portal like last time. I thought for a few seconds, before the question I was wondering about came to mind. "J-just one thing. Am I able to tell the others about these meetings, or should I keep them secret?" I asked, feeling bad about keeping secrets from Abby. Arceus seemed to mull it over for a few seconds, looking nervous, before nodding. "I don't see any problem with that, but be careful, make sure you fully trust who you tell, as having contact with me can put you in a lot of danger." She said, a serious look on her face. I nodded, walking towards the rift, turning around at the last second and looking her in the eyes. "Thanks again for helping me, I really appreciate it." I said, smiling and walking through the small rift, opening my eyes to the ceiling of the pokécenter room. I laid there for a few minutes, enjoying being so close to Abby. After a few seconds, I sat up and shook her awake.
Abby jumped up, her eyes wild and her breathing heavy, she looked around, as if to find some invisible enemy. After a few minutes of calming down, her gaze fell on me and softened. "W-what is it Void, did something happen?" She asked, looking at the bedside clock, looking confused when she saw it was only four thirty in the morning. I looked back at her, trying to compose my thoughts. After mulling it over for awhile, I decided that I would only tell Abby, Rose, and Mitsuki about my meetings with Arceus. Taking a deep breathe, I began to speak.
"Abby, do you remember the conversation we had last night, where I said there were some things I just couldn't tell you?" I asked, my voice quiet. She nodded, looking at me expectantly. I took another deep breathe, then continued. "Remember when I said I knew who could help me with my strange ability to use a pokemon move? I have been having meetings with Arceus. So far, I have only seen her twice. Last night, she told me what's happening." I said, stopping when I saw her face of disappointed. "You know, I get that you don't want to tell me, but you don't have to lie to me. I was hoping you would at least tell me the truth!" She said, starting to walk away. Placing my hand on her shoulder, I turned her towards me.
"I'm being completely honest, why won't you believe me?" I asked, looking at her, feeling hurt that my own girlfriend wouldn't even believe me. "Fine, even though I'm telling the truth, you don't have to believe me, but can you at least trust me? After all, before this journey started, you told me that no matter what I did, I would always have your trust." I said, looking her in her eyes. Abby stared at me for awhile, seemingly thinking about it, before her gaze softened. "Ok Void, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, what did she say was happening to cause you to be able to use Power up Punch?" She asked, still looking skeptical. I sighed, still upset that she didn't believe me.
"She told me that when she sent my spirit back to my body, the power she used was something entirely new. While it worked, it spliced my DNA to the point where I am now even more Lucario then before. She also said that Power up Punch might not be the only power I can use." I said, before noticing her slowly shaking her head. "I'm sorry Void, but you can see how unbelievable that sounds, right? In any case, Nurse Joy took some tests on you, so let's go see if what you say is true." She said, walking towards the door. "Wait, before I woke up, Arceus told me that I'll be getting some important company." I said, rubbing away the sleep that was still under my eyes. Abby looked as if she was about to say something, but before she could, there was a knock on the door, causing her to look at me in shock. Looking at her, I gave her a smirk. "So, believe me now?" I asked, getting up and answering the door.
Opening the door, I saw Officer Jenny standing there. When she saw me, she smiled and tipped her hat. "I'm sorry to wake you up so early, my husband just arrived, I thought you would want to be there to oversee the examination of your Zoroark. He's about to start." She said,starting to walk down the hall. I shook my head, looking at her in shock. "N-no, Mitsuki isn't part of my team, she's the mother of the Zorua we found caught in the poacher's trap, but I definitely want to be there to see if she's ok." I said, rubbing the back of my neck. Officer Jenny just nodded, continuing to walk. After a few seconds, she started talking again. "So, Joy told me a lot about you, is it true you're part Lucario?" She asked, no hint of malice in her voice. When I didn't answer, she smirked. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." She said, chuckling at the look of worry on my face.
"Y-yes, but doesn't that bother you? I thought cops didn't like that kind of stuff." I said, shocked by how willing she was to accept that my mother was a pokephile. She gave me a knowing look, as if she knew what I was thinking. "What, do you mean pokephillia? To be honest, it's actually legal. We've just received so many cases like Mitsuki's that it's not the most popular thing with the police department. In my opinion, if it's consensual like the love you and Abby have, people shouldn't be punished." She said, giving me and Abby a smile. I blushed, realizing that we had been caught.
Arriving at Mitsuki's room, I noticed a man with brown spiked up hair. His eyes looked to be closed, and he looked like he had been at the beach. When I walked into the room, Mitsuki waved at me, causing the man to look up from the clipboard he was holding. He walked over to me, setting the clipboard on a desk. "Hello, you must be the boy who stopped that man in the cave. I'm Brock, I'm here to give Mitsuki here a checkup to see if anything came from what happened to her." He said quietly, holding out his hand. I nodded, shaking his hand and introducing myself. "Hello Brock, I'm Void, if you need any help, let me know, Mitsuki's a little untrusting of humans." I said, giving him a smile. He nodded and smiled back. "In that case, can you please try to keep her calm while I use the ultrasound on her?" He asked, grabbing the device when I agreed.
I walked over and stood next to Mitsuki's bed, smiling at her when she looked over to me. She looked back over to Brock, her eyes going wide with nervousness when she saw him holding the ultrasound device. "W-what's that thing?" She asked, looking back at me and shuffling away from him. I lightly placed my hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. "That's an ultrasound, he's just going to take an X-Ray of your stomach to make sure you're ok." I said, noticing her start to calm down. She took a deep breathe, then scoot back over to the center of the bed. "O-ok, but will it hurt?" She asked, starting to whimper as the doctor got closer. I shook my head, smiling at her. "Of course not, you have nothing to worry about. I'm right here, so don't worry." I said, as Mitsuki finally allowed Brock to use the ultrasound. He put a small glob of gel on her stomach, causing her to jump, then sigh and relax as he rubbed it in using the device. He continued to slide it around her stomach for a few minutes, watching the screen next to her bed, then he removed the device and wiped off her stomach.
"Well, I don't see any signs of pregnancy, but since it's still pretty early, I would highly suggest you take one of these pills." Brock said, reaching into his bag and taking out a small box, opening it up and taking out a small white tablet. Before he could hand it to her, I interrupted him. "Hold on, before you hand Mitsuki some random pill, please tell me what it is." I said, looking at him expectantly. "I'm glad that you are so protective of her, no matter who I am. That shows how much you care. To answer your question, this is a morning after pill, it's designed to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex. There may not be anything showing up on the ultrasound now, but like I said, it's still pretty early, this is just a precaution." He said, once again holding out the pill for Mitsuki. I grabbed a cup from her bedside desk and filled it with water. Taking a sip, she then popped the pill into her mouth and swallowed it, shuddering slightly at the taste.
After Mitsuki took the pill, Brock pulled me aside. "Void, there's nothing else I can do for her, so I'm going to head out. Make sure she takes it easy for these next couple days, no strenuous activities for her for at least the next two days." He said, before picking up his bag and heading out the door. I stood there for a few seconds, watching Mitsuki get comfortable before an idea came to mind, and I quickly turned to Abby. "Hey Abby, I want to talk to Mitsuki for a minute, why don't you ask Nurse Joy about my results. Just don't say anything about Arceus, I was told to be careful who I told." I said to her, causing her to sigh and roll her eyes before walking off. When she left, I walked over to the side of Mitsuki's bed, and she smiled at me. "Thank you again for being there for me, I don't know what would have happened if you didn't show up." She said, slowly sitting up and hugging me. I took a deep breathe and prepared for what I was about to say.
"Mitsuki, I know you don't really trust humans after what happened with your old trainer, but I have a proposition for you. How would you like to come with me, Abby, and Rose on our journey?" I asked, waiting intently for her answer. Her eyes went wide, but a couple seconds later, she sadly shook her head, causing me to frown. "I'm sorry Void, you've already done so much already, I don't want to take advantage of your hospitality and become a burden." She said, looking away from me.
"You will NEVER be a burden, Mitsuki. Don't you talk like that!" A voice from the doorway said, causing both me and her to jump. When I looked to see who was there, Rose walked in and hopped onto the bed. I nodded, petting her head. "I agree, I would love it if you and Hikage would come with us, and I promise, if you came with us, I would make sure you had food, shelter, and the safety you deserve." I said, smiling at her. "I would also love it if you came with us. If you're worried about Hikage, I could help you take care of him!" She said, blushing furiously at the mention of Hikage. Noticing the blush, I looked at Mitsuki, seeing her smirking at Rose. I cleared my throat and turned to her. "hey Mitsuki, we'll be right back, I have to talk to Rose for a second!" I said, bringing her into the hallway and closing the door.
"Rose, why are you blushing so hard... did something happen between you and Hikage?" I asked, giving her a smirk. She only blushed more. "W-well, shortly after you and Abby fell asleep, I went in to check on Hikage, and noticed him crying. I went and asked him what was wrong, and he told me what happened to Mitsuki, so I gave him a hug. Well, one thing lead to another, and I may have kissed him. Sure it was only on the forehead, but Void, I think I may be falling for him!" She said, still blushing. I looked at her for a few minutes, then sighed loudly. "If it was up to me,I would say congratulations and good luck, but it's not up to me. You have to talk to Mitsuki and get her permission." I said, opening the door and entering the room, Rose right behind me. We both sat on the bed. "Mitsuki, Rose has something she wants to ask you." I said, getting her attention.
Rose's POV
I fidgeted nervously, sitting on the bed not looking at Mitsuki. After awhile of sitting there not saying anything, she cleared her throat and gave me a smile. "What is it Rose, what did you want to ask me?" She asked, slowly sitting up and scooting over next to me. I looked at her, taking a deep breathe. "I-I really like your son. I know you don't really know me that well, but I was wondering if I could get your permission to be with him." I said nervously, before noticing her smile start to fade, causing my mood to plummet. She gave me a hard, calculating look, seemingly in deep thought. We sat there for a few long silent minutes, each one making me lose more and more hope. After a couple more minutes, she finally broke the silence.
"If you don't mind me asking, what is it about Hikage that made you fall for him?" She asked, looking me in the eyes. I sat there for a few seconds, relieved that she was at least giving me a chance to explain myself. "H-he has everything I would look for in someone to be with. A good personality, a kind heart, extremely caring." I said, blushing more and more as I listed off his traits. Mitsuki nodded, looking thoughtful. "Would you be there for him, even if I was one day not?" She asked, looking questioningly at me. I nodded, looking her straight in the eyes. "Of course, I would always be there for him, no matter what." I said, smiling softly. She looked satisfied, smiling kindly at me. "Well, if that's the case, I don't see any reason to say no, but keep in mind, if you do anything to upset or hurt Hikage, you'll have me to deal with me!" She said, giving me a hard stare. "T-thank you! I promise you won't regret it!" I said, giving her a hug, then running off, heading for Hikage's room, leaving Mitsuki and Void shocked.
Void's POV
I sat on the bed in silence for a few minutes, sitting next to Mitsuki and reflecting on what just happened. A couple seconds later, I turned to her. "Thanks for giving her a chance, it means a lot to me to see her this happy." I said, giving her a smile. She just shook her head, looking away. "No problem Void, but is that the reason you wanted me and Hikage to come along with you?" She asked, a note of uncertainty in her voice, as well as a frown. I looked at her for a few seconds. "Of course not, to be honest, I had no idea Rose felt like that about him. I wanted you both to come along with us because I wanted you to know that you aren't alone. I can't stand to see anyone go through what you and Hikage have, and I would do anything to see you both live a happy life!" I said, wiping away some of her tears.
She smiled, wrapping me in a tight hug. "T-thank you Void, but can I have time to think about it?" She asked, sniffling slightly as I gently pat her back. I slowly stood up, being released from the hug. "Sure Mitsuki, take as long as you need, and whatever your answer is, I'll understand." I said, walking out the door, giving her one last smile before shutting the door. As I exited the room and walked towards the lobby, I passed Hikage's room and peeked inside, seeing him and Rose snuggled together, asleep. Smiling to myself, I closed the door and continued on my way, looking for Abby. When I arrived at the lobby, I saw her sitting near the window, her back turned towards me as she looked outside, watching the people go by.
I made my way over, sitting next to her. When I sat down, she looked at me and pulled me into a hug with a few tears in her eyes, a look of fear and worry on her face. Seeing her in so much distress, I wrapped my arms around her and rocked her back and forth. "What's wrong Abby, why do you look so sad?" I asked, wiping away her tears, causing her to nuzzle into my shoulder. A few seconds later, she looked back at me. "Y-you were right, Nurse Joy showed me your results, and it looks like your DNA really did get spliced, and if you were right about that, you must really have been telling the truth about talking to Arceus." She said, more tears falling from her eyes. I looked at her confusedly. "So? She said that there were no negative effects, so why are you so sad?" I asked, not understanding the problem. She looked at me, the sadness still present. "I-I'm worried about you. The fact that you can talk to her whenever you want scares me, it reminds me that you could die at anytime, and I would never see you again." She said, breaking down again.
I looked at her, my eyes going wide. "What are you talking about, I'm not going anywhere, not if I have anything to do with it!" I said, hugging her tighter. She sighed, melting into the hug. "Now Abby, like I said earlier, Arceus told me to expect being able to use more then just Power up Punch, could you try to teach me some more moves?" I asked, smiling at her when she looked at me. She nodded, giving me a small smile back. "S-sure, but when would you want to start?" She asked, wiping away her remaining tears. I hugged her once again, making her smile and blush slightly. "How about we start the training tomorrow, I have to go into the city for a little bit, I'll be back." I said, taking her away from the window and giving her a kiss, shocking her. "See you when I get back!" I said, walking out the front door, leaving her standing there with a bright blush.
After walking a fair distance from the pokécenter, I stopped walking and opened my bag, taking out the crystal that Mitsuki had given to me for Abby. I decided to get it made into a necklace for Abby to wear, thinking it would look beautiful on her. Placing it back in my bag, I looked around the city for a jeweler. Walking around for nearly an hour and still not getting anywhere, I decided to ask for directions. Seeing a blonde haired woman sitting on a bench, I walked up to her. "Excuse me, but do you know if there's a jeweler in Hearthome, I've been searching for the last hour, but I can't find one, in fact, I can't seem to find a lot here." I said, giving an annoyed sigh. The woman stood up, smiling at me. "Sure, there's a jewelry store farther in the city, I could take you there if you want. My name is Christa by the way, nice to meet you." She said, holding out her hand and shaking mine.
"Thank you Christa, my name is Void. I'm sorry to bother you, I'm still pretty new to Hearthome, so I have hardly any idea where anything is." I said, following her as she headed down the road. "Oh? Where did you grow up then, if you don't mind me asking?" She asked, looking at me inquisitively. I gave her a smile, shaking my head. "I don't mind, I was born and raised in Emeragrove Town, I just started my journey a few days ago." I said, continuing to follow her as she lead me to the jewelry store. "So, what's the occasion? I mean, people don't normally go to jewelers for no reason." She said, smirking at me when my face turned a deep crimson color.
Reaching into my bag, I gently pulled the crystal out and held it in my hands. "I-I wanted to turn this into a necklace for my girlfriend." I said, causing Christa to turn her head to see what I had. When she saw the crystal, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "W-where did you get this, it's beautiful! Are you sure you want to get this cut into a necklace?!" She asked, holding it in her hands when I handed it to her to look at. She handed it back to me, and I put it back in my bag. "A friend found it in a cave and gave it to me to give to my girlfriend." I said, not exactly lying. "I agree, it's beautiful, but I think it would look even better as a necklace, as it would definitely compliment her beauty." I said, my blush still ever present. She smiled as we turned on to another road, arriving at a small, quaint building with a neon sign saying 'Chimecho Jewelers' in blue letters. "Well, here we are. You know, your girlfriend must be really lucky to have someone who would get jewelry made just for her." She said, wishing me luck before walking away.
I made my way into the shop, a Chimecho calling out a greeting near the door as it opened. Smiling at it, I walked over to the front desk, where a short looking man with a friendly face sat. "Greetings, welcome to Chimecho Jewelers, would you be interested in buying any of our jewelry? We have a fine selection of rings, necklaces, bracelets, and watches, all at very affordable prices." He said, smiling and showing some of their jewelry. I smiled, but shook my head. "Not today, but I would like to get a necklace custom made for my girlfriend, if that's ok." I said, watching the man put away the jewelry. "Sure, do you have the material you want made into the necklace?" He asked, waiting as I opened my bag and gave him the crystal. His reaction was much the same as Christa's. He looked at the crystal for a few seconds, then looked back at me. "I-I haven't seen diamond this pristine in years, are you sure you don't want to just sell it, I could give you big money for it!" He said, looking shocked.
"W-wait, diamond?! I thought it was just crystal!" I said, but then I sighed. "As much as the idea of money excites me, I think it would look beautiful on my girlfriend as a necklace." I said, causing him to nod. "As much as I hate cutting up such a beautiful diamond, it's my job. I'll start right now!" He said, taking the diamond into a back room. As the man went into the room and closed the door, I sat in a chair near the door and the Chimecho. I sat there for a few minutes, before my eyes grew heavy. I laid my head back and closed my eyes, deciding to sleep off the wait. I slowly drifted off to sleep, listening to the soft chiming noise the Chimecho was making.
I was awoken by a soft poke to my shoulder. "N-no Abby, I don't want to get up yet, five more minutes..." I said, trying to go back to sleep, but another poke made me open one eye, only to see that I was still in the jewelry store, and the man from before was standing in front of me. Slowly sitting up, I started to stretch, enjoying the warmth my scarf was giving me, only to stop when I realized that I didn't have a scarf. Seeming to pick up on my confusion, the man gave a small chuckle. "You know, in all my years as owner of this place, I have never once seen that Chimecho so comfortable around anybody!" He said, reaching out to rub it's head, only for it to shy away from him, peaking out at him from behind my shoulder. I looked at him in confusion. "Wait, what do you mean by that Chimecho, doesn't it belong to you?" I asked, looking between him and the Chimecho, but the man only shook his head.
"No, she's been here since I bought the place. I let her roam around here, since I technically stole her home. I even named this shop after her, but no matter what I do, she doesn't trust me, as you can see." He said, sighing as a sad look flickered in his eyes for a few seconds, but it was gone in a flash. "Anyways I finished making the necklace, I used half of the diamond on it, the rest is right here." He said, walking behind the front desk and picking up a small felt bag and handing it if me. I looked inside, only to see a big chunk of the diamond still left. "Thank you Mr..." I started to say, before I realized that I had never learned his name. "Jones, Jones Rockwell" He said, shaking my hand with a smile. I smiled back. "Well, thank you Mr. Rockwell, I'm Void, but where's the necklace you made?" I asked, looking at him questioningly. His eyes widened and he ran behind the desk. "Oh, of course, it's right here, is this to your liking?" He asked, handing me a silver keychain with a beautifully carved diamond in the center in the shape of a heart, which was surrounded by smaller diamonds died blue. I looked at the necklace, entranced by it's beauty, and couldn't help but imagine how cute Abby would look wearing it.
"I-it's amazing, but can I make one more request?" I asked, looking up at him. He looked slightly confused. "Sure, what is it Void?" He asked as I handed it back to him. "Can you engrave the name 'Abby' into the back?" I asked, causing him to smile. "I can do that. Is Abby your girlfriend?" He asked, looking at me with a smile. I nodded, smiling back. He took the necklace into the backroom, coming out five minutes later and handing me the finished necklace. "Thank you Mr Rockwell, so how much is this going to come out to." I asked, pulling out my wallet. He looked thoughtful for a few seconds. "Well, a request like yours would originally cost around 800 pokédollars, but I have a favor to ask you." He said, causing my eyes to go wide at the price. "W-what's the favor, because I don't have that kind of money!" I said, starting to sweat. He looked at me and the Chimecho for a few seconds. "I can see that Chimecho really trusts you. If you could possibly take her with you on your travels as one of your pokemon, I'd be willing to wave the cost. I feel bad keeping her with me if she doesn't even trust me." He said, once again looking sad.
Before I could say anything, Chimecho launched herself into the air, flying around me, chiming with excitement. I chuckled, smiling at her antics. "It looks like she's already made up my mind for me." I said, shaking Rockwell's hand. He smiled, placing the necklace into a small white box with an etching of a Chimecho on the front, then wrapping it in wrapping paper before handing it to me. "Thank you Void, I'm glad she's going to be traveling instead of being cooped up in here." He said, waving goodbye to me and Chimecho as I walked out, Chimecho wrapped lightly around my neck. As I walked, she gave a little squeal. "Oh this is going to be so much fun, I wonder what we'll do first!" She said to herself, her voice sounding like it belonged to a kid. I chuckled, smiling. "Well, first we need to go to the pokécenter, as we are getting ready to start the real journey." I said, causing her to jump, slightly tightening around my neck.
"Y-you can understand me? How are you able to hear me?!" She asked, looking at me in shock. I pointed at my neck, as she was unintentionally cutting off my oxygen supply. She quickly let go, apologizing. After taking a few deep breathes, I started to answer her. "W-well, there are two reasons I can. First of all, now that you're part of the team, I think you should know a major fact about me, I'm part Lucario. Finally, understanding pokemon apparently runs in the family." I said, as the Chimecho listened. "While we're on the topic of understanding each other, what's your name? I don't want to have to call you 'Chimecho' every time I talk to you, it doesn't seem right." I said, giving her a smile. She thought for a few seconds, then gave me a sad look. "I don't have a name. I've been by myself for so long, I never really needed one." She said, a frown on her face.
"Well, how would you like it if I gave you one?" I asked, seeing her perk up slightly at my offer. She smiled at me, her eyes full of hope. "I-I would love to have a name, what did you have in mind?" She asked, looking excited at the chance to get her own name. I looked at her, trying to get inspiration for her name. "Hmmm, what about... Kazumi!" I said, snapping my fingers as the name came to mind. I looked at her, only to see a blank look on her face. "W-what does it mean?" She asked, looking at me in confusion. I smiled at her, rubbing her head while she was wrapped around my neck. "It's a name that I feel fits you very well. It's Japanese, it translates to 'Harmony'." I said, causing her to squeal and smile. "I love it! Thank you Void!" She said, giving a small twirl in the air, causing me to laugh.
"So Kazumi, why didn't you trust Mr. Rockwell, he seemed like a pretty nice person." I said, noticing her suddenly look very subdued. "That old rundown building was my home. The one place I could be alone and sing freely. I felt safe there. Then came the day he opened his business there. I was fine with it at first, but then he started changing the whole place. Soon after that, many people started coming in day after day. Sure I helped greet the customers, however with each and every new customer, I lost hope that I would ever truly have someplace to myself. I know I could have left to find a new place, but that was the only place I knew." She said, sighing sadly as she replayed that memory for me. I sat there silently listening to her story. Sometimes I hated my ability to understand pokemon, as everyone I talked to seemed to have some kind of traumatic event in there life. Sometimes I wished that I could just be normal, but the thought of not being able to understand Abby or my friends made me reconsider that wish.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that. From what Mr. Rockwell told me, he never meant to take your home away from you. He even named the place after you." I said, causing her to snuggle into my neck even more and wipe away her tears with her tail. "I'm sorry for being a disappointment, I'm sure you were hoping for a strong pokemon who can battle and be tough, but that's not me." She said with a sad voice, suddenly going quiet. I looked at her in disbelief, not believing my ears. "Hey, you're not a disappointment! I didn't agree to let you come along because I wanted you to fight, I let you come along with me because of how excited you were to. If you wanted to help me in battles, that's cool, but if you didn't, I would be fine with that! You don't have to be strong and battle savvy to be part of our team, you just have to want to join! So don't let me ever hear you talk down about yourself." I said, going into a rant. When I finally took a breathe, I heard a small sniffle from her. "T-thank you." She said, sighing and closing her eyes, snuggling into my nape and falling asleep with a small smile.
We had been walking for what seemed like hours when we arrived back at the pokécenter, Kazumi still fast asleep. I gently tapped her head. She slowly opened her eyes, letting out an adorably squeaky yawn, causing me to chuckle, before yawning as well. She looked around, trying to see what was going on. "W-what is it? Where are we?" She asked, looking at me with her bright yellow eyes questioningly. "Sorry to wake you up, but we're at the pokécenter and there's some people I want you to meat." I said, rubbing her head, gaining a contented sigh. When she nodded, showing that she was ready, I walked up to the front door and walked inside. As soon as we entered, Nurse Joy waved me over. I walked over to her and she handed me a sheet of paper. "Hey Void, Greg wanted me to give this to you. I don't know what happened, but he had all his bags packed." She said. I unfolded the paper, seeing that it was a note.
Dear Void,
I'm sorry for leaving so unannounced, but there have been so many accidents over the last couple of days that I thought it best if me and Hikari went on our own journey. I also wanted to thank you again for the PokéTranslator, as it has brought me and Hikari closer together. We wish you luck on the rest of your journey, and if you ever want to talk or battle, I've added my pokégear number to the bottom of this page. Hope to see you later.
~Greg
As I finished reading the note, Kazumi leaned over my shoulder trying to read it too, catching the attention of Nurse Joy, who quickly made her way around her desk when she saw her. "Aww, aren't you that cutie over at 'Chimecho Jewelers'? What are you doing here, are you hurt?" She asked, looking closely at her. When Nurse Joy got close, Kazumi hid behind my neck, peaking out at her. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" Joy said, looking at me questioningly. Taking a deep breathe, I started to explain.
"It's not your fault Nurse Joy, you're right about her being from 'Chimecho Jewelers' though. This is Kazumi, she used to live in the building before Mr. Rockwell turned it into his store, she didn't trust him very much, so he asked me to take her with me on my journey." I said, smiling at her and nudging her towards Joy. "Come on, Nurse Joy's one of the nicest people you could ever meet, give her a chance." I said, giving her a reassuring smile. Kazumi looked at her, then back to me. "Are you sure she's nice?" She asked, looking at me with fear. Nurse Joy shuffled a little closer. "Aww, of course I'm nice, I wouldn't hurt anyone if I could help it." She said, her eyes showing nothing but kindness. Kazumi looked shocked for a few seconds, looking right at her. "Wait, y-you can understand me to?!" She said, floating closer to her.
"Yes Kazumi, I can understand you, just not the way Void can do it. I'm using a device called a PokéTranslator, it allows me to hear what you're saying." She said, smiling sweetly at her. Kazumi floated even closer, now floating in front of her. "S-so you won't hurt me?" She asked, still looking quite nervous. Nurse Joy didn't answer, she just slowly reached her hand out and gently started petting her head, causing her to start to relax. "So Void, what were you doing at the jewelry store in the first place?" She asked, still petting Kazumi. I looked around, making sure Abby wasn't around, then held up the box wrapped in wrapping paper. Nurse Joy looked at it in interest, moving on to pet Kazumi's stomach, making the pokemon giggle. "Ooh, what did you get her" She asked, her eyes full of mischievousness. I smiled, putting the box back in my bag with a smirk. "You'll just have to wait until she shows you." I said, sticking my tongue out at her. "Come on Kazumi, we still have to introduce you to the others." I said, getting a disappointed sigh from her, as she floated out of Joy's reach. "Boo, you're no fun!" Nurse Joy said, pouting at me as I refused to tell her what I got Abby. "That's not what Abby says" I said, chuckling as we left the lobby and headed for Mitsuki's room, Kazumi on her usual spot behind my neck.
As we walked, Kazumi gave a contented sigh. "Are the others as fun as Nurse Joy was?" She asked, cuddling up to my nape again. "Well, I'm not sure about that, but they are just as nice!" I said, giving her a smile as we came to the door to Mitsuki's room. Knocking on the door, I entered when she said I could. "Hey Mitsuki! How are you feeling?" I asked, sitting beside her on the bed. "I've been better, my legs feel as stiff as a board from not moving them." She said, flinching when she tried to move them. I was about to offer to help her when the sound of a ringing bell filled the room. When it stopped, Mitsuki looked shocked. "M-my legs, they're no longer stiff, W-what happened?" She asked, looking around. I had an idea of what happened, but before I could say anything, a small cough came from behind me, startling Mitsuki. "W-who's there?!" She asked, trying to see behind me. Kazumi slowly floated out from behind me, looking very tired all of a sudden. "Kazumi, are you ok? What's wrong?" I asked, becoming concerned. "I-I'm fine, just a little tired." She said, her floating becoming a little shaky. "Was that you, did you fix my legs?" Mitsuki asked, also looking concerned. Kazumi simply nodded, landing in her lap and curling up, falling asleep.
Mitsuki looked up at me, her eyes brimming with the compassion of a mother caring for her child. "W-who is this? She's so precious!" She said, gently petting her head, causing the little Chimecho to smile in her sleep and cuddle closer in her lap, causing her heart to melt. Mitsuki looked up once again, begging for an explanation. I sighed, then started to tell her what happened. "This is Kazumi, in a way, she lost her home. She was living in a old rundown building before. She said it was the one place she could be alone and sing. One day, a man by the name of Jones Rockwell bought the place and converted it into a jewelry store, realizing to late that she was living there. Even though she had no trust in him, she still greeted his daily customers. When I went there earlier, he asked me if I could take her with me on the journey, since he still felt bad for her." I said, finishing the story when I noticed Mitsuki slowly rocking her back and forth. "That's some motherly instinct you've got there!" I said, teasing her and making her blush. "I-I can't help it, she reminds me so much of when Hikage was a pup!" She said, before shaking her head. "Wait a minute, why were you at the jewelry store?" She asked, grinning when she just realized she had flipped the tables on me.
This time, it was my turn to blush, as I reached into my bag and grabbed the small bag of the remaining diamond. "D-do you remember that 'crystal' you gave me back in the cave?" I asked, gaining a nod from her. " Turns out it wasn't a crystal at all! They're diamonds!" I said, tossing her the small bag. When she looked inside, her jaw dropped. "S-so what did you do with the rest?!" She asked, her eyes going wide. Again making sure Abby wasn't around, I told her about the necklace. She grinned when I described the gemstone. "Damn! you sure know how to spoil a lady!" She joked, causing us both to laugh. Our laughing fit went on for another minute and a half before we were finally able to calm down. Sighing, I turned and faced her. "I was meaning to ask you, I know I haven't given you a lot of time to think about it, but have you decided if you would like to join us?" I asked, sitting next to her. She sighed, looking away. "Y-yes, I thought about it, and I would really like to come along, but... Are you sure there's enough room for me and Hikage? I don't want to put to much strain on you from taking care of so many pokemon." She said, giving me a sad smile.
"Of course there's enough room, what kind of question is that?" I joked, giving her a hug. She sat there for a few seconds, just going stiff, then she hugged me back. "T-thank you Void, I was afraid it may have been too late." She said, hugging me tighter, accidentally waking Kazumi, who was still in her lap. Kazumi yawned, blinking and looking around, before her eyes fell on Mitsuki, causing her to cuddle farther into her lap, making Mitsuki smile. "H-hey Kazumi, I didn't really get a chance to introduce myself. I'm Mitsuki, me and my son Hikage are the newest members of Void's team. I wanted to thank you for healing my legs! If you need anything, please feel free to ask me, and I'll be happy to help in any way I can!" Mitsuki said, gently petting Kazumi on her head, causing her to sigh in contentment.
I smiled, seeing both Mitsuki and Kazumi enjoying themselves. I sat there watching them for the next five minutes before getting Kazumi's attention. "Hey Kazumi, I know you're having fun, but there are still others I really want you to meet." I said. "Ok Void, I understand." She said, looking sad to be leaving. "Don't worry, you'll see Mitsuki later tomorrow." I said, causing her to nod, cheering up slightly. She slowly floated up and took her spot around my neck. As we made our way to the door, Mitsuki suddenly called me back. "Hey Void, d-do you think I could come with you? I've been laying in that bed all day, and I would really like to see Abby when you give her the necklace." She said, sitting up in bed. I gave her a weary look. "I don't know, Brock said for you to stay in bed." I said, before looking into her eyes. "Fine, you can come, but you have to promise me you'll be careful." I said, giving into her pleading gaze. "Thank you Void, and I promise I will." She said, giving me a hug, causing Kazumi to float over to her, landing on her shoulders.
Walking through the hallway, we arrived at Hikage's room. Knocking on the door, I opened it and we entered, only to find both Hikage and Rose snuggled together, watching TV. "Sorry to interrupt you lovebirds, but I wanted to introduce you to a new member of the team!" I said, causing them to blush at what I had said. Rose looked like she was about to defend the both of them, but before she said anything, she caught sight of Kazumi, immediately rushing over to greet her. "HI, I'm Rose, and this is Hikage... my boyfriend." She said, both her and Hikage blushing when she said the last part. Rose held out one of her ribbons, waiting for the Chimecho to introduce herself. "H-hi, I'm Kazumi." She said, using her own ribbon to shake Rose's, then going to Hikage and shaking his paw. Kazumi floated over to Mitsuki and cuddled into her lap, satisfied with knowing them.
"So Hikage, your mom decided to join the team as well." I said, smiling when I saw how excited he became at this bit of news. He looked at me, his eyes wide. "Does this mean I'm part of the team as well?!" He asked, not being able to sit still. "Of coarse you are, Hikage, there wouldn't be a team without both of you!" I said, ruffling the fur on top of his head, making him growl playfully at me, giving me a smile. We continued to play for awhile, Kazumi and Mitsuki even joining in. A few minutes later, I stood, picking up the tired Chimecho, placing her on my shoulder, where she curled up with a smile. "Well, I'll let you guys get back to watching TV, I still have to introduce Kazumi to Abby. What do you say, are you ready to meet my girlfriend?" I asked, gaining a small smile and a nod from her. Starting to walk, I realized that Mitsuki wasn't following me. "Are you coming? I thought you wanted to see Abby." I said, looking back at her. She gave me a smile. "Yes, I am, just please give me a minute." She said, turning back to Rose and Hikage.
I watched as she walked up to them and tucked them in, giving them each a peck on the forehead, making Rose smile. She then walked up to us, following me out the door. "Thank you for treating Rose so kindly, I really do appreciate it." I said, smiling at her. Mitsuki just shrugged. "Why wouldn't I, She has made Hikage SO happy, to me, she's already family." She said, returning the smile. We finally made it to mine and Abby's room. I slowly opened the door. Abby was sitting on the bed, reading a book, being bathed in the milky white glow of the moonlight seeping through the window, making her look stunningly beautiful. I must have caught her attention, for she looked up from the book. Seeing me, she immediately dropped the book, rushing over to me, about to tackle me into a hug, stopping herself as she noticed Kazumi.
"O-oh hello you little cutie, who are you?" She asked, confused, looking at me for an explanation. I took a deep breathe and began to tell her what happened. "This is Kazumi, she used to live in a old rundown building before it was purchased by a man named Jones Rockwell, who turned it into a jewelry store, not realizing that she was living there. He felt really bad about taking her home, so when I was at the jewelry store, he asked me if I could take her with me on our journey, and I agreed." I said, before noticing Kazumi's confused look. She floated off of my shoulders, getting closer to Abby, confusing me. Abby seemed equally confused by the Chimecho who was getting closer. Finally, after a long awkward silence, Kazumi appeared to snap out of her daze. "S-sorry! So you're Void's girlfriend?" She asked, blushing slightly at her actions. Abby nodded and chuckled. "It's ok, and yes, I'm Void's girlfriend." She said, giving her a smile and a pet on the head. Kazumi pushed against her paw, causing Abby to giggle.
"So Void, why were you at a jewelry store, is there something I should know?" She asked, grinning and snickering at my flustered expression. "Ha ha, very funny, I guess you don't want the present me and Mitsuki got you. Mitsuki looked at me in shock, surprised to be given credit. Abby stopped laughing suddenly, looking at me surprised. "Y-you actually got me a present?" She asked, her eyes going wide. I nodded, reaching into my bag and pulling out the small wrapped box, placing it on the bed. She slowly picked it up, shifting the box around and looking at the logo on the paper. "You got me jewelry." She said, blushing slightly, tears welling up in her eyes. "Well go ahead, open it." I said, urging her forward. Showing no more hesitation, she ripped the wrapping and opened the box, immediately dropping it and covering her mouth. A couple seconds later, she looked at me in disbelief.
"I-is... Is that..." She stammered, her eyes wide with shock. I simply nodded, smiling at her. The next thing I knew, she jumped me, sending me landing with my back against the bed with her lips pressed against mine in a passionate embrace. Mitsuki quickly covered Kazumi's eyes and herded her out of the room, much to the young Chimecho's confusion. I couldn't help but notice how different this felt. Before, our kisses had been filled with lust, being driven by our rampant hormones, but this, I could feel the tender love and passion behind this moment, and just as I started to enjoy it, it ended, as the need for air forced us to separate. I stared into her love filled gaze, not being able to look away. "C-can you help me put it on?" She asked, handing me the necklace. I gently placed it around her neck, fastening the hook. She slowly turned towards me and looked me in the eyes. "How does it look,Void?" She asked, sounding somewhat nervous.
The necklace complimented her eyes, making them appear to be on fire, as if holding all the passion that I was just shown in our last embrace. I slowly and carefully leaned in, pressing our lips together for another magical moment full of fireworks. I slowly pulled away, a strand of seliva still connecting our lips. Opening my eyes, I saw her beautiful scarlet orbs staring back at me, reflecting my love for back at me one hundred percent. "It looks beautiful, but not as beautiful as you!" I said, making her smile. We laid there, gently caressing each other. "I love you Abby." I said, pulling her even closer to me. She smiled, giving me a peck on the lips. "I love you too Void, and don't you ever forget that." She said, snuggling into my chest and closing her eyes, soon she was fast asleep, a smile left on her face. With a yawn, I carefully got out of bed and opened the door, flipping the little sign to 'Do Not Disturb', then got back into bed, snuggling closer to her, trying to once again get comfortable. Slowly closing my eyes, I relaxed into the warmth of her body close to me, soon feeling myself follow her into the land of dreams, as sleep finally overtook me, and I closed my eyes for the final time that night.
I finally completed one of my personal goals, not including this author note, this chapter is exactly 10000 words long. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, as I added what I hope are good 'cute moments'. If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a review. Not only do they help tell me if my story is good, nothing makes me happier as a writer, then logging in to see what you all think about the story. See you next chapter.
~spudbud16