Quick Recap: Malik met Mawile's previous Trainer, Julian. Angered at the disrespect he showed to his partner, Malik challenged him to a battle with his Aggron but was defeated
We arrived at the Lilycove Pokemon Center and got Mawile checked in immediately. The twins sat in the waiting room in silence. I wanted to stay by Mawile's side but the best Nurse Joy could do for me was outside the operating room. I stared through the window and kept my eyes on my partner, barely taking the fraction of a second to blink
"Malik, you should take this as a learning experience" Julian's voice echoed in my mind
I balled my fists in frustration
"You won't go anywhere if you weigh yourself down with the weak"
Out of nowhere, I punched the window causing Nurse Joy and Chansey to flinch
"Sorry... I-I'm sorry..." I frowned and ran off
I passed the twins in the waiting room but said nothing to them. Taylor tried to catch me but Tyler stopped her. I ran out the building and into the forest. After a short while, I stopped and leaned against a tree to catch my breath. I took my time to calm myself down. When I got to a comfortable enough point I turned back towards the way I came but I couldn't move from the spot I was standing. Instead, I fell back onto the tree and slumped down to the ground. There was no strength in my body. I stared at the sky as the breeze hit me. My eyelids suddenly started to get heavier by the second. Before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep
"Bite!"
"That voice..." I thought
I opened my eyes and came face-to-face with an angry Sandslash
"Whoa!" I gasped
I tried to get away but I seemed to be going forward. When Sandslash swung it's claws, I was suddenly blown upward by a gust of wind. I landed behind Sandslash who had grown even angrier. I couldn't help but chuckle
"Why do I feel like this..? And where did that wind come from?" I questioned
I looked around and noticed I wasn't where I was a moment ago. Instead of the forest, there were wide plains and soot fell from the sky like a light flurry of snow
"I know this area... I'm near Mt. Chimney! How'd I get here?!" I thought "Not only that, why can't I talk or control my body?!"
"I said use Bite!"
I looked at whoever was yelling and gasped. Julian was glaring at me and repeating himself. Before I could process anything, I noticed there were sparkles remaining from when I jumped over Sandslash
"That glitter... That wind, it was Fairy Wind! But, I made that... How could I have—"
Without warning, Sandslash jumped into the air and aimed Slash at me. I jumped past Sandslash and blew it to the ground with a blast of wind
"These moves... I'd recognize them anywhere!"
Mawile landed on the ground and taunted the Pokemon to attack more
"I'm in Mawile's body?!" I gasped
Back at the Pokemon Center, Nurse Joy was just walking out into the waiting area
"Nurse Joy! How's Mawile?" Taylor worried
"Better, poor thing. I've done all that can be done. Rest is what she needs right now" Joy explained
The twins looked at each other, unsure on how to feel. Nurse Joy said it was okay for me to be with Mawile while she slept and asked where I had gone
"Malik... needed some air" Taylor answered
"I'll go find him. Taylor, you stay with Mawile" Tyler instructed
Taylor nodded "Okay"
The pair broke up. Tyler bolted out the front entrance and Taylor went into Mawile's room and sat next to her. She was sound asleep and softly tossing and turning about
"Okay... So, I'm IN Mawile's body... But she's with Julian. Did I time-travel or something?" I wondered
Unable to control anything, I just observed. Julian was telling Mawile to stay put and take the attacks much to her dismay
"What? Mawile doesn't fight like that. She's tricky and moves around a lot" I frowned
Everything suddenly turned white and the area changed. When I got a good look around, I immediately recognized the location
"Hey... this is the place Mawile fought that Mightyena after we met" I realized
"Mawile, let's get started! In the air!"
"It's me!" I gasped "I didn't time-travel, these are Mawile's memories! I'm not in her body, just her head! I'm seeing all this through Mawile's point-of-view. Is this an Aura thing?"
"Fairy Wind!"
Mawile blew Mightyena to the ground
I smiled "I remember this. This is when I first found out Mawile and I worked so well together"
Mawile was clearly more comfortable battling with someone who understood how she moved. I couldn't get a chance to fully enjoy the memory due to everything turning white again. This time, Mawile and Julian were standing next to a lake
"Mawile, for someone as strong as you, you're very disobedient. What's the point of putting a perfect strategy together if you won't follow it?" Julian complained
"Maaa..." Mawile yawned
"Fine, you can just stay in your Pokeball until you learn to behave" Julian glared and held out Mawile's ball
Mawile was sucked into the device. Weeks had past and Julian had yet to let Mawile out of the ball. When he finally did, Mawile looked weak and frightened
"Finally ready to listen?" Julian asked
"Mawile..." Mawile frowned and nodded
"You jerk! How could do such a thing?!" I growled
The memory changed again. Now we were in Professor Birch's lab. Mawile and I were officially becoming partners
"Mawile... You and I are going to the top"
As Mawile got sucked into the ball, I felt a terrifying shock fall over me before popping back out the device
"I don't think Mawile likes being in her Pokeball"
"Alright, you can stay out with me"
"Whoa..! That feeling... Is that what Mawile feels when she's inside a Pokeball?" I frowned "No wonder she hates it... Julian, that jerk"
The setting changed again. Mawile was being smacked around by a Crawdaunt Julian was aiming to catch. Crawdaunt opened its large pincers and rapidly fired glowing bubbles
"Move it!" Julian yelled
Mawile pulled herself off the ground and run into the attack, just barely evading it. Mawile got close and landed Bite on one of Crawdaunt's pincers. The crab swung Mawile around and slammed her into the ground
"Don't let go!" Julian demanded
Mawile tightened the her horns to assure she wouldn't release Crawdaunt. The Water-and-Dark type's free pincer was covered in water. Crawdaunt hammered Mawile, sending her flying into the air
"I said not to let go!" Julian scolded
Crawdaunt didn't waste a step, stomping forward and firing another Bubble Beam. Mawile gasped and vanished using Feint Attack
"Hm?" Julian glared
The crustacean carefully watched for Mawile but didn't notice when she appeared behind it. Mawile blasted Crawdaunt in the back with Fairy Wind
"DAUNT!" Crawdaunt roared as it was launched forward
Julian nonchalantly dropped a Pokeball onto Crawdaunt's head, catching it
"Ma... Ma..." Mawile panted
"Alright, Mawile!" I smiled
Mawile smiled as Julian walked up, ready for admiration for defeating Crawdaunt
"Wipe that look off your face, that was nothing to be proud of!" Julian glared "I had a plan and you ruined it. I warned you"
Mawile flinched and was sucked back into the ball. With that, the memory changed. Mawile was battling Roxanne's Geodude. Geodude used Rock Tomb and pushed Mawile back. She suddenly had an idea that could give us the advantage and sent one of the flying rocks through the ceiling. At the time, Mawile was thinking Seedot could use the sunlight from the hole for Solar Beam
"Don't think I didn't know what you did. Good job by the way"
Mawile was happy to be congratulated on something she was scolded for before. Everything went white again. The world was now set at Granite Cave as Julian released Mawile, insulted her and destroyed her Pokeball. He walked off after that
"Good riddance" I scoffed
The scene turned white once more, but when it stopped, nothing had changed. I realized it was the memory of the twins and I returning Mawile to Granite Cave. As we left, Mawile silently burst into tears as the only human that showed her compassion walked away. Even after we sailed away with Mr. Briney, Mawile just stood outside the entrance to the cave. Instead of stepping forward, Mawile spun around and ran towards the docks. There was a ship currently casting off and Mawile jumped onto the retracting anchor. She continued to climb onboard the ship. Instead of going the way we came, the ship went onto Routes 107, 108 and 109 then docked in Slateport City. Mawile came across a large map of the area and followed the path all night back to Littleroot Town before bursting into Prof. Birch's lab
"Mawile... You went all that... and came all that way for me..?" I smiled
"Malik! Malik! Hey, Malik!" a voice called out
"Huh?" I gasped
Mawile's memory blew away as Tyler shook me awake
"Malik! Hey!" Tyler pleaded
I looked at my friend "Tyler?"
"Dude, are you okay?" Tyler asked "You're crying"
"I am?" I felt my cheek and felt the tears on my face "Oh"
"Are you hurt?" Tyler worried
"No, I'm okay" I smiled and stood up "Where's Mawile?"
Tyler and I walked back to the Pokemon Center. Taylor was still sitting next to me and was glad I was back safely. I gently rubbed Mawile's head and she slowly opened her eyes
"Hey, partner" I smiled
Mawile smiled back "Ma..."
"Guys, can I have a minute with Mawile?" I asked
"Of course" both siblings said and walked out
I sat next to Mawile "Man, that Julian guy is a jerk. We got some serious work to do if we wanna beat him"
"Mawile" Mawile nodded
I hadn't notice but I was staring at Mawile with a couple tears falling down my face
"Mawile?" my partner questioned
"Sorry" I chuckled and wiped my face
Mawile got out of bed and jumped into my lap with a concerned face "Ma! Mawile!"
"I'm okay, really" I smiled "Mawile... I know I'm not the best Trainer but you're sticking by me anyway. That means a lot, y'know?"
Mawile smiled at me
I hugged Mawile and cried again "Thank you... Thank you for choosing me..!"
Mawile froze for moment before breaking down crying like me and hugged me back "Mawile..! Ma..!"
We stayed at the Pokemon Center for a couple more days so Mawile could heal. The twins walked out the front door. The ground wet due to the rain just stopping
"The sky's much more beautiful with no clouds in it" Tyler smiled
"I don't know, I like the rain" Taylor giggled "How about you, Malik?"
Mawile and I stepped out the front door into the sunshine
"Doesn't really matter to me either-or" I said
"Ma" Mawile shrugged
"Honestly, I'd be surprised if he said anything else" Tyler smirked and walked ahead with Taylor
"Come on. We got some catching up to do" I grinned
Mawile smirked, winked and stuck her tongue out
Sorry it took SOOO long to update the story. I just moved and have been trying to get my home together. On the bright side, even with this new schedule, I think I found a way to upload chapters more frequently. Well, there you go. Mawile and Julian's backstory. What did you think? Share your thoughts. Next time, Malik and Mawile shake off a little dust, but... I'll just leave it there. Questions, comments and concerns are expected and accepted. Thanks for reading!