Hello again everyone, welcome back to this story, this chapter will finally be the last part of the introduction of the new member of the crew, like always, hope ye like it.
"Last thing I remember is that I bandaged yer arm and went to sleep" this morning I woke up with a letter in my hand, which was weird because I was on the middle of the forest, I was discussing with my Pokémon about how that appeared on my hand, "Zoro" Zoroark said, "No, it had to be when I was sleeping" I still don't completely understand them completely, but I am making progress, and assuming what they said helps too, "I think, I should open it" I opened the envelope and took the paper inside, I immediately recognized Stephen's letter.
Hey there Red-Eyes
Hope you are doing good, I am sorry for not getting back when I had too, but I am working in something very big with dad, but I am sure you will be fine, you dealt with those kids quite good, just be careful with who you are messing.
I looked around, but there was no one around, the letter made me extremely nervous, so when Lycanroc woke up I almost had a heart attack, we tied him to a tree, just to make sure he couldn't try to kill us while we were sleeping. He was probably hungry, I would be after all what he did trying to break free from the rope, I took one of the berries we collected last night and put it close to him, he just growled when I got close and carefully smelled the berry but didn't ate it, "That's all I can give, if ye don't like it that be not my problem" I told him, he growled again but ended up eating the berry, that done I gave another look to the letter to verify if what I read was right, how could he know that, on option could be he is following me in secret, but why would he do that, and he is still occupied, probably someone is following me and informs my brother abouts what happens to me, or I am just too paranoic, I keep thinking on it, but then a sound behind me called my attention, I turned around but there was nothing there, "I think I am getting paranoid" then my Pokémon tried to call my attention, "What is it now", I slowly turned around just to be met by a white dressed figure, not other than my mother, "Mom, what be ye doing here" I asked her, "I don't need an excuse to see you" she answered, "Now came here and give me a hug" I got close and hugged her, "Sailer, you stink".
She helped me set up a campfire and collect some more food, then after that was done, she gave a look to all my Pokémon, "So you won't present me the new member of the family?" I stood up and began with the presentations, "Ye already knew Raichu and Gible, Zorua and Snivy evolved, they are now Zoroark and Servine, and finally, Lucario, Stephen and I found it as a Riolu, I helped him evolve and ended up joining the crew, that would be it" I said, "And what about him?" she asked and pointed towards Lycanroc, "About that one, he isn't my Pokémon, he was with a group of teen doing illegal battles" her expression changed from happy to a more disappointed one, "I see… was any well-dressed man around when you found them?" she asked with a serious tone, "Not that I have seen" I responded, "That are good news then" after saying that she stood close to Lycanroc, "This is not the way to treat a Pokémon" she said and without thinking it released him, "Mom wait!" I said scared of what the Pokémon could do to her, but to my surprise, he just stood there, without making any sound, he was probably as confused as us, "It is ok dear, I am not going to hurt you" she said in a tone I only heard once when I was young, the same day I got attacked by the Zoroark, I would describe it as an extremely calming voice, that doesn't matter how scare you could be, after hearing it, all that fear would get away.
She talked to Lycanroc until he calmed down completely, "Such a beautiful creature" she said while petting him, "Come here" she told me, "Mom, I…" she just looked at me like saying, it's and order not a question, she took my hand and put it on top of Lycanroc head, "You just have to show him that you won't hurt him" Lycanroc wasn't evil or something like that, he just had a rough life, "Let's get moving if we want to arrive to Icirrus city before night time" my mom commanded, I picked up all of my things and with Gible in my arms began headed towards Icirrus city, Lycanroc followed us he mostly stayed nearby my mom, "Who of the family have you seen during your trip so far?" she asked after walking for a while "I saw dad, uncle Jose, Stephen, and obviously ye" I answered, "Do me a favor and next time you see your dad tell him to call me, or else tell your uncle to tell him" she said, "And where was the last time you saw your father?" she asked almost immediately, "I don't know the place exactly, but it was in the mountains near Mistralton city" I responded, "So there is where that bastard has been hiding all this time" she just said, "Mom?!" I exclaimed "Sorry for that, but your grandfather, your father's father I mean, he doesn't have a good relationship with the family" she answered, "So that is why I have never met him?" I asked, "Believe, you don't want to meet him, I committed that mistake long ago, all you need to know is that he is not a good man" she firmly said, "And what about dad?" I was intrigued now, "He used to be like him, but changed, or at least that I what I want to believe" she said "Mom, I think I'll need some explanation" I said, "I guess you are old enough to know…"
"The bates are family of gangsters original from the Sinnoh region, the police there was about to catch them so they decided to move here, your father is no less than the leader of all of that, and with the help of your uncle they manage all the operations of the organization, but before your father it was his father the one in charge, and he was a ruthless boss, I heard of people that disappeared after mentioning his name to anyone not related to the organization, but he is smart, he knew that one single rumor could lead to their true identity to be discovered, so to keep appearances he began helping the community, giving money to charity, and visiting kids in hospitals, he once had the nerve to donate money to restore the museum that he ordered to burn in the first place, the only thing that stopped him was time, he grew old, so your father took his place, and he would be just like his father, but before he raised to power he received the received the best present the world could have given him" she said, "What?" I asked still with some questions, "You" she answered, "He already had your brother with us, but when he was born your dad was busy with a lot of things, with saying that he wasn't present the day of his birth… he raised Stephen like his father did to him, and he would have raised you like that, but when you were 5 one of his family enemies send a warning in the form of a Zoroark, his intentions were to take the thing the your cared for the most, you, it luckily failed, but Ivan realized that the life of a gangster wasn't the want you or your brother deserved, for Stephen it was too late, so he tried his best to keep you out of all of that, he succeed, that is why we never told you before" I had more questions than answers, but it looked like she didn't like to talk about the theme, "Thanks for explaining it mom" I said, we stayed silent for the rest of the trip, "We arrived" my mom said, her normal tone of voice was back, "Now mom, I normally go to the Poke center to rest and then to challenge the gym, could ye stay to see me or are ye busy?" I said, "Of course I can stay, there is nothing more important for me than the family, so let's go get some rest because you have an important battle tomorrow"
This was chapter 22, hope you like it and see ya in next chapter.