Chapter 7 – Fond Farewells
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. That right is reserved for Game Freak, Nintendo, Chunsoft and the Pokémon Company. I can only claim responsibility for my OC's.
Lucien's POV
For the Pokémon of this world, you have about five years from hatching from your egg to get sick of being around your parents and/or guardians, get a decent education, and graduate; proving that you now have the knowledge necessary to go forth and thrive in modern society. I had less than two months, and I had to make every minute count.
The wounds that Gallade gave me took most of those two months to heal properly, but that certainly didn't slow mom down when she put me through hellish training. (She said that was my 'punishment' for going off to the Amberfield Forest without supervision.) Most of our time together was spent with her teaching me proper stances and counters used by 'our people.'
My time with dad was far more relaxed. We started making me a cookbook that I could use once I left the village, and he walked me through the meals he made for me and mom whenever I finished training early enough. I took those lessons to heart. As days turned to weeks here, the school food, though decent at first, quickly paled in comparison to the meals he prepared. He made the odd joke here and there about me just wanting to impress the ladies with my culinary prowess, but I found the idea of courting a Pokémon with a body I was barely acquainted with… off-putting.
Not all our time was spent prepping for my graduation. They were few and far between, but we did have a few days off just spending time together. As it turns out, dad leads the security team here in Basin, so he had plenty of say in who had how much downtime. So, when mom said we were going to spend the day at the lake or go hiking along the crater's walls, he made sure he took the time off. Despite just wanting to be a fully realized nuclear family, they also made sure I learned from the experiences to the point that I even learned a new move.
I had to rely on Lyca for my history and economic studies. A major injury like a hole in my arm excused me from the likes of Adventure class team exercises, so to get extra studying time, I asked Excadrill to let the Eevee sit them out as well under the guise of leveling the playing field for two teams of four. I knew she didn't care for those activities, so I knew she wouldn't complain.
More local information was gleamed through the small amount of time I had with Bella during lunch. My grounded state meant that I didn't have a lot of spare time to socialize. I couldn't tell why, but I think she actually preferred it that way. Maybe she liked spending time with others in short bursts?
Graduation day had come at last! It was the standard fare of all ten members of our class sitting in a row in front of a podium for certificates to be distributed. I managed to place fifth in the standing. For starting only a couple months ago with barely any knowledge of my surroundings, I'd say I didn't do too bad. Though I may have done better in Lit if my paw-writing wasn't ass…
In ascending order, our class rankings passed mine were Plusle, Bella, Bellsprout, and Lyca. As Valedictorian, Lyca was charged with giving our grade a parting speech about making our own way in the world and contributing to society. As passionate as the vixen is about education, her speech was… okay.
The few who knew her personally would be shocked at how, for lack of a better word, plain her speech was. They would be shocked, if they didn't know of some of the other things that were going through our little group's minds at the moment…
At Greninja's behest, Lucario and I showed up at Lyca's place the day after our outing to the apiary and I knocked on the door. While we were apprehensive about following through with his invitation, he had proven to be… well, 'trustworthy' was a strong word…
I rapped on the door a few times with my good paw and waited for a response. The door opened slowly, and I heard Jolteon's voice beckoning us inside. I managed a whole two steps past the threshold before a yellow paw blocked my progress.
A toothy grin adorned the electric-type's muzzle as she leered at me. "Looks like my little suitor found his way back to me~" She removed her claw from the wall only to begin running a claw through the fur on my chest in a circle. "To what do I owe the… pleasure...?"
She trailed off as I felt mom lean down until her lower jaw rested atop my head and my cranium felt the rumblings of a protective, maternal growl.
The bright yellow canine's advancements deflated in a heartbeat as she withdrew from my personal space with her metaphorical tail between her legs. "R-right, well… I'll just… be over here now." She mumbled as she adopted a placating smile, withdrawing deeper into the living room.
Lyca as seated on one end of the large couch on the far side of the room from the front door with her older sister jumping up to join her, leaving the other side open for Lucario and I. Bella sat in the far corner in the large, comfy-looking chair, an Empoleon stood beside her.
As I made my way inside, both Bella and Lyca looked at me and Lucario in utter shock. They weren't there for my encounter with Gallade and Gardevoir, so they were probably surprised by our various states of injury.
I felt like they would feel guilty for leaving me behind while they went home, so I blurted out some line about a training accident and Lucario hesitantly went along with my lie. They were skeptical at first, but Greninja's timely appearance as he emerged from what I can only assume to be the kitchen based on the tall glass of water he was toting stopped their interrogation before it could begin.
The amphibious ninja placed his cup on the coffee table in front of the couch as he took a seat on the windowsill just a few feet away from the entrance. We all sat in silence before he coughed into his hand to clear his throat. "Erm… Right, well, glad everyone could make it on such short notice." He stuttered nervously.
The rest of us looked at our respective parents/guardians with awkward looks, causing Greninja to sigh. "Yeah, public speaking was more of Al's thing… Look, I don't have any clever way to beat around the bush here, so I'm just gonna come out and say it! I've been watching you three kids for some time now, and I wanted to make you a proposal."
Jolteon piped up. "You may wanna find a better way to phrase that than 'I've been watching kids.'" The Empoleon's stoic visage broke as he hid behind a flipper to giggle to himself.
Greninja's eyes rolled. "You know that's not what I meant. I'm talking about giving them jobs. Respectable ones at that." He followed up by casting glances at Bella, Lyca and me. "I saw you three take down Abomasnow and his crew despite barely even knowing each other. I stacked the deck out of your favor when you and your class played capture the flag. You even did good with that job you did for Vespiquen just yesterday-"
My legal guardian already knew about yesterday's excursion. It appeared, however, that Jolteon and Empoleon weren't as well informed. The electric-type slowly turned her head to leer at her sister with a murderous smile. I could have sworn I heard her neck pop a couple of times as she looked to her side… The large penguin merely smirked at his daughter (niece? cousin?) and moved in for a fist-bump.
Our prospective employer looked apologetically at Lyca before moving on. "And in every one of those situations, you demonstrated a good amount of qualities our group looks for in new recruits."
"I thought you were just some mercenary?" Mom asked. She had pulled me closer to her side on the couch. Had this happened just twenty-four hours ago, I would have been struggling to escape.
"In a sense, you're right. But I'm not some freelance thug scrounging for jobs, no." With a profound look of pride, he stood up straight, placed a hand on his chest and tilted his chin up high. "I am a proud member of Team Nightfall, an A-rank team of Cobalt Security, or 'CoSec' for short."
"Cobalt Security? Never heard of it." Lyca prodded.
"Greninja made to answer, but the Empoleon next to Bella responded with a tired tone. "Cobalt Security is one of the most well-respected private military companies in the world. They adhere to the law of every country their operations are sanctioned in to such an outstanding degree that most local law enforcement practically treats them as deputies." The way he spoke almost made all of that seem rehearsed.
The dejected amphibian slouched forward with his arms hanging limply in their sockets. "Yeah, that. Thanks…" He growled. The large emperor penguin resumed his stoic persona.
Lyca shyly spoke up again. "So… what would a PMC want with small band of school children like us?"
Greninja crossed his arms as he straitened his posture. "You kids are due to graduate before long, so you'll probably be needing to decide on a career path. Like I said, you three show a lot of potential, and Cobalt's been needing some new blood for some time."
Lyca, Bella, and I exchanged a few uncertain looks muttered concerns were exchanged between our elders before the aquatic shinobi put up his hands to gesture for us all to calm down. "Alright, alright! Everyone cool your jets! I'm not demanding that you all make your decision here and now."
We all put our attention back on him as he took a quick swig of his water and leaned against the back wall. "Look, I won't lie to ya. Runnin' jobs for Cobalt ain't exactly easy, but the benefits are definitely worth the hassle, especially once you hit the higher ranks. Trust me.
"How 'bout this? I need to start getting back to our headquarters to get back in touch with my team. Why don't I just swing by the day you lot graduate and pick up whoever decides they want to give it a shot? And if you don't wanna go, you don't gotta show. Sound fair?"
Without any other prompt, he down the last of his drink before place the empty glass on the table and making for the exit. As he cracked the door open, he looked over his shoulder to us. "If you do decide on coming with, grab your essentials and say your goodbyes. I'll be waiting at the North entrance at about two in the evening."
The door closed behind him and left me and the other five occupants of the room in a contemplative silence. Before long, Bella, Empoleon, mom and I made our exit as well…
We haven't talked about that evening since. Mom's training regimen got even more severe, I guess as a precaution in case I decided to take the mercenary up on his offer. It didn't help that a good deal of that training was done with only one arm for a good bit.
The weighted feeling of having to make a life-changing decision was really beginning to bear down on me. I clenched my paw subconsciously from the stress when I felt something crumple in my grasp.
…Ah, it was my diploma. I must have been called up while I reminisced. The amount of time I had to decide on joining Cobalt was running out.
There were pros and cons for each side. It's a fair assumption that being in a PMC will yield one a lot of enemies, and I've already had a hit squad called on me while I was still considered a minor. However, there was also a high probability that I would grow stronger doing jobs for the company than I would on my own. Not to mention an increase in available resources and allies.
A paw tapped me on my back, prompting me to turn and find that both of my fellow 'hopefuls' had huddled around me. We were standing outside, so the graduation ceremony must have closed. Bella had tucked her diploma into her tail while Lyca had to cradle hers in one of her front legs while she hobbled along on the other three.
The brown vixen looked like she was on the verge of having an episode while the yellow one was uncharacteristically giddy with a chipper smile and a wagging tail. "Today's the day!" She cheered. I nodded solemnly while Lyca's mood seemed to decline further into anxiety. We had agreed not to talk about our decisions before we graduated, but now that we had our diplomas, the armistice was coming to an end.
None of us spoke. We were about to split off when the front door of the school was kicked open and my mother stormed out. She was comically dragging the larger body of Typhlosion by one of his rear paws while his belly scrapped across the ground.
"H-hey! I know we're pressed for time, but shouldn't we at least go congratulate the other parents before we-" He mumbled as he fought to keep dirt out of his mouth.
"No time!" She shouted. As she passed us, her free paw grabbed me by my scruff, and she hauled me off alongside dad. "We've got less than two hours and I'm usin' 'em!"
I knew better by now than to try and keep pace with her when she's like this, so I just accept my fate while dad waves goodbye to the girls as he was dragged passed.
Fifteen minutes later, mom kicked open the door to the cabin and unceremoniously deposited me and Typhlosion on the welcome mat. We got up and dusted ourselves off as my adopted mother rummaged through a cabinet. I could hear various objects being rifled through; some being ejected over her shoulder as she tossed them out of her way.
"Ah hah! Found it!" She cheered, dragging out a rather small film camera and tripod. With her prizes securely tucked under her arm, she stormed passed dad and I, and proceeded to set up the tripod and mount the camera.
I gave her a bewildered stare. "You literally dragged us home for a picture?" I was more amused than annoyed.
Once she finished setting everything up, she stood up and shuffled around nervously. She pulled one of her aura sensors over her shoulder and began tugging on it with both paws in embarrassment. Her smile faltered slightly, and she refused to meet my eyes. "W-well, I may have gotten just a teeny bit carried away over the last couple of months, and I may have forgotten to get any pictures for the memories…"
I couldn't help but chuckle. A warm paw rested itself on my shoulder, and I looked up to find Typhlosion smirking as well but urged me to comply regardless. "Does the timer still work on that old thing? We haven't had to use it for a while." His deep, growly voice called to his mate.
Her awkward statement from before forgotten, she nodded eagerly as she resumed the process of adjusting her equipment. "Yup! I tinker with it from time to time, so we should be good. You boys stand in front of the cabin and save a spot for me, I'm almost done…" She trailed off, her tongue sticking out slightly to the side as she fine-tuned the settings.
Without further prompting, dad plopped himself down on his ass in front of the door and picked me up with his arms. Gently, I was placed on his right thigh, clearly leaving that side exposed for Lucario to seat herself for the photo.
I accepted my position and presented my diploma for the picture. Seconds later, she barked "All set!" and jogged over to the available spot. She got down on her knees, wrapped her arms around my torso, and nuzzled my cheek as a flash briefly blinded me.
Bella's POV
I was quick to break away from Lyca after Lucien was dragged off by Lucario. It was good that they had found each other. I'd never interacted with her or her mate in my time at Basin, but I'd seen them so infrequently that I just assumed they preferred solitude. Their lodgings being at the edge of the crater as opposed to somewhere in the main settlement only reinforced the assumption. But with Lucien involved, they became more active within the village.
Empoleon was lounging on one of the chairs in the kitchen back home while he read another of his crummy novels. I know he heard me enter, I hadn't exactly been subtle as I tackled the door open and hummed as I trotted it, but he continued reading. Leaping onto the table, I nabbed an apple and began to munch on it softly. If I remember correctly, Cobalt made its home in Confluence, so the extra energy would be needed for the long hike there.
A page turned, and our silent stalemate was ended. "Everything packed?" I asked before continuing to nibble on my snack.
"The essentials, yes." He folded a page corner to mark his progress in the book before softly closing it and setting it down. "Sleeping bag, grooming kit, that small box you told me about…" He droned on as I threw away the apple core.
"Great! And my mother?" I asked, turning back to him.
"She's been told that you decided to go to Gale University to study law and that you were too invested in your education to visit her on your time off." It was the best cover I had to prevent her from coming to track me down. If I went back home now without a plan that mother approved of, she would just keep grooming me to take over as head of the family.
"And the money she'll be sending to cover tuition?" I asked.
Empoleon grinned. "Being laundered out the ass. It's being funneled into a dummy account you can dip into when you need it."
I found my bulging, brown backpack (though it functions more like a saddlebag) and quickly slid it on. "That about covers everything then. I'm gonna head out now and pick up a few things from the shop before we leave." With that, I turned and made my way back to the front door. As I was about to reach up and twist the knob, I stopped. "So, this'll probably be the last we see of each other for a long time…"
I didn't need to turn around to know that my butler had followed me to see me off. "Yup, your family doesn't own any property around Gale, so you'd have to stay in the dorms, which means no attendants to wait at your beck and call." He prodded, just as I expected him to. Even as we said our goodbyes, he wouldn't be able to resist one more chance to try to get under my fur.
A part of me wanted to respond in kind. With how long we've lived together, our tit for tat exchanges were second nature. So, when I spun on my back legs and ran into him, he had a pleasantly perplexed look on his beak. I was standing with my hind paws on top of his webbed feet, and my front ones were wrapped around his fluffy stomach. Or, trying to wrap around him at least.
"Thanks, Empoleon. For everything." I murmured against his blubbery belly.
The blades adorning an Empoleon's flippers are as sharp as they look. They're designed for cleaving through glacial ice, after all. To most, having a set wrap around the back of your head and neck would make them at least a touch uncomfortable, but I haven't felt so safe in a long time.
As muffled as it was while I lightly nuzzled his abdomen, I could still clearly make out his soft cooing. I broke away, looking up at him one last time with an appreciative smile on my face. "Go give 'em hell, kid." He said with a smirk as I ran back out the door.
Away from my mother, no responsibilities relating to my family, no longer limited by my age, this was as free as I would ever be. And I'm gonna make the most of every minute!
Lyca's POV
Legendaries above, what am I gonna do!? I've spent so long putting this decision off, and now I have to choose! I asked around, got opinions, dug up facts, I know a good deal about Cobalt's foundation and accomplishments, but I still don't know if I actually want to join.
I would be expected to fight, that is my biggest hang-up. After watching them both in action at the forest, Lucien and Bella could handle it, no problem, but I can't handle the thought of slowing them down or getting in their way.
Thankfully I can get home without putting much thought into where I'm going. I opened the door and made my way inside, not bothering to announce my return to Jolteon, assuming she beat me home. 'Maybe it's in everyone's best if I just stayed here. Better that way. I can't say I'll miss Bella too much, but it's a shame to lose touch with Lucien…'
A pair of white tendrils appeared in my peripheral, and I was bound and bodily dragged to the other side of the living room before I even had time to yelp. Whatever I was expecting to happen after I landed on the chair, it certainly wasn't the smooth, silky white fur coving my vision.
"Ooooohhhh my baby…!" M-mom?!
Her ribbons weren't the only things she wrapped around my torso, her forelegs were also helping her cut off my ability to breathe. "Momma's sorry she didn't come by to visit more often! Now you've grown up and graduated, and top of your class, too! I'm sooooo proud of you!" Her hold on me somehow tightened. "And you've gotten so big…!"
"Can't… breathe…!"
"She's turning blue, mom, and I don't mean she's evolving into a Vaporeon." Jolteon chuckled from the couch.
"Whoopsie!" She released her grip on me and I toppled over off the chair. Now freed from my restraints, my lungs took a large swig of air while my heart settled.
Mom was a Sylveon and considering her career as an actress for a theatre group, she was a surprisingly strong one at that. It was rare that she came to visit. I think the last time she came down was… a year and a half ago?! Had it been that long? Where's she been?!
"I was just telling your sister about what I've been doing since I couldn't come over as often as I'd like."
Jolteon spoke up, bringing our attention to her. "I figured you'd be off celebrating with your friends before you left. Did you forget something?"
I looked at my paws as shame washed over me. "'Left?'" Mom asked, her gazing turning down to me. "Heading somewhere already?"
Before I could offer an explanation, my 'beloved' older sister stepped in. "Yeah, she got a job offer a couple months back from this security company. Cobalt, I think?"
"Like… THE Cobalt?" Mom looked incredulous as she snatched me up once again with her ribbon-like appendages. "The mercenary company based in Confluence? The one that's owned and operated by a famous Magnazone researcher? THAT Cobalt?"
A Sylveon's eyes were typically entirely sky blue, and my mother had her face pressed so close to mine that they were all I could see. "Y-yes?" My vision suddenly went from nothing but blue eyes to the flawless, white expanse of mom's chest fluff as her forelegs drew my head in to her neck.
"That's my girl! I hear getting into Cobalt is a real hassle these days. And you got invited before you even graduated!" Her grip on me slackened once again, and I broke free for air. "You're leaving already, huh? I'll have to try and get my group to head over to Confluence for a visit so we can celebrate properly!"
Guilt and indecision caused my blood to run cold as I lost the ability to meet my mother's proud gaze. "I… still haven't decided on joining." I murmured.
"Wait," Jolteon exclaimed. "Greninja and your classmates are leaving in just a few minutes, and you're still on the fence?!"
My neck popped as I twisted my neck to scowl at her. "It's not a simple decision to make on a whim! What if I'm not cut out for it? What if I get hurt? What if someone got hurt because of me?! So many things could go wrong, and I don't want to be the cause of them…" The heat in my words gradually faded into cold despair as I accepted that my reason for not going was meager cowardice at being a weak link to be severed.
My big sister's look of pity certainly didn't help the feeling.
"Lyca, look at me." The flighty tone was absent from mom's voice as it took a more authoritative quality. It wasn't said harshly, but it was said in a way the demanded one's cooperation. Instead of finding a disciplinary glare on my mother's face, I was met with a small, serene smile. "For whatever my opinion is worth on the subject, I think you should give it a shot. After all, momma didn't raise her girl to live a life of regret."
I could hear Jolteon deadpan at our mom. It wasn't uncalled for since she, technically, was the one to raise me these last couple of years.
When I gave her a questioning look, she elaborated. "Sweetie, you're young. You've still got your whole life ahead of you! If it's not the job you hoped it would be, I doubt they would force you to stay. And if you have teammates who can trust each other to have their backs, they'll take care of you." She nuzzled me softly on the snout with her eyes closed as she continued. "And if you truly just don't want to go, that's fine. Just as long as you don't find yourself constantly wallowing in regrets over opportunities you didn't chase."
A soft purr from my chest broke the silence following mom's speech as I basked in maternal affection. Legends… Here I am, joining a private military and getting a pep-talk from my mommy. No one must know of this. Thank Arceus for her being here today, though, or I probably would have done something irredeemably stupid.
I broke away from mom's embrace as I made for the door. "I'm running late. Thanks for coming Mom" I glanced at Jolteon. "and for talking some sense into me. I'll try to visit when I can!" I was well past the threshold for the last bit. I weaved my way through busy streets as I made my way to our meeting spot. Anxiety still clawed at my reasoning. I wasn't a born fighter, I would need to work twice as hard just to keep up with my comrades, but I'll do whatever I have to be an asset to the team!
Sylvion's POV
My eldest daughter and I watched as little Lyca faded from view while we remained seated. After a full minute of waiting, it became clear she wouldn't be coming back. "She forgot to pack."
Jolteon nodded. "She also forgot to close the door." With a sigh, she rose and walked across the room. "You wanna help me pack up her stuff?"
Lucien's POV
"Is three Kings and two eights good?" I asked, presenting my paw-full of cards on the stump Greninja and I were using as a table.
"Yup, that's a full house." Bella said as my frog-like opponent slammed his face into the stump. When Bella and I showed up at the entrance to the cave leading out of Basin, Greninja offered to teach us how to play Poker while we waited to see if Lyca would show.
Well, teach me how to play. Apparently, Bella was already privy to rules and hand strengths. This was the fifth hand we played, and my fifth win… "And I finally got a decent hand, too." Greninja lamented, presenting an ace, a queen, and three sevens. "How am I supposed to measure up to a kid with a poker face like he just stepped in something?" He finally pulled his head away from our makeshift table and collected the cards again to re-deal.
Bella's and my ears perked as we heard someone rushing toward us. Seconds later, a familiar brown vixen was panting a short way away. "Huff… Sorry… I'm late…"
It may have just been my imagination, but I could've sworn I heard Bella faintly mutter "Damn…" under her breath.
Seeing that the whole group had assembled, the water-type across from me leveled a glare in my direction and jabbed a finger at me and whispered. "This isn't over!" He replaced the cards in the satchel strapped to his left thigh and addressed us. "Now that the gangs all here, we should get a move on. There's a cargo train that passes through the area frequently this time of year. We hitch a ride on that, we'll have a quick, easy trip to Confluence!"
"Is that.. even legal?" Lyca wheezed.
"Let's move out, recruits!"
"Guess not." I sighed, falling in line with the rest of our procession.
After an exhilarating half hour of relative silence from our group, we begin to see the literal light at the end of the tunnel. It was a straight shot from entrance to exit, held up by supports that lead me to believe that this road was excavated for the sake of traveling or trade rather than a natural occurrence.
Being right behind Greninja in our marching order, I was treated to a face full of his ass as he made an abrupt stop at the exit.
"What gives!?" I growl as I rub my snout. Bella and Lyca coming to a stop at my sides.
Our escort turned, giving us a smirk as he pointed ahead. "Looks like someone wanted to see you guys off."
The girls and I angled ourselves to see past his legs and let our eyes adjust to the sunlight outside. We were greeted to the sight of a simple dirt road lush with trees about a foot away from the path on either side. At first, the only thing that really stood out was a grayish blob a few paces ahead, but as we finished adjusting to the light, that blob began to look familiar.
"Machop?!" Lyca yelped.
Sure enough, the grayish blob turned out to be that obnoxious fighting-type with the nasally voice leaning against a tree, smirking at us from the shade. "It's about time you wimps got here."
Autor's Notes: Heheheheheheheh… HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! It's ALIVE!
…The 'it' is me.