Bright light filtered through the blinds within the Pokemon center. I blinked my eyes multiple times as I realized that I had overslept quite a bit. Sitting up in the Pokemon Center with a giant smile plastered on my face. The smile faded heavily as it came to rest upon a furious Primarina and Gardevoir who stood idly by.
"YOU SAID IT WOULD BE SAFE!" Lula shouted, her eyes narrow slits that seemed to spit fire.
"Lu-Lula…Look-"
"Don't Lula me Master! She told me everything that happened. Sure you got her out safely, but you returned with THREE instead of one Pokemon. You fought eight enemies and almost got shot to death. You can't be trusted to be careful in combat!"
I hung my head in shame as the weight of what she said hit me. I had been reckless only because of who it was. My ideas and side plans had all gone to shit in the heat of the moment.
"Your safe now, which is all that matters," Gardevoir spoke softly trying to defuse the situation.
"What-should I call you?" I asked, glancing to the Psychic Fairy type.
"Delilah. The Fennekin goes by Chris," she said, glancing at my Water type who was still fuming.
"Don't change the subject! What if your mother was here? How do you think she'd react?" Lula demanded moving in until we were eye to eye.
"I-I-"
"Exactly!" Lula stated, huffing. She pulled away, moving several strands of hair out of the way.
"She would say that she was proud of him. And that he should have been more careful but that she's grateful you survived," Delilah spoke up. Both of us turned to her incredulously as she beamed softly at us.
"What? I'm actually a mother as well. My little boy is currently with a trainer on his first journey. I let him go so he could get strong and be treated well," she said proudly.
Lula facepalmed as I smiled.
"So what will you do now?" I asked, her swinging out of the bed. Outside of the mildest of aches, I was feeling refreshed and healed. Ready to keep the day moving on.
"I don't want to return to Lopunny Garden, when there is a chance to start a new life. If you'll have me that is. I'm sure Chris after his examination wouldn't mind coming with either, as he doesn't know what to do."
I nodded in agreement. It would be unfair to force them out onto the streets with nowhere to go.
"You don't want to be a wild Pokemon though?" I asked confused a little.
"I don't think I could. I'm so used to being taken care of, I couldn't imagine fending for myself," she said.
"My mother would be a little upset if we just brought you guys home, but I'm sure she'd be willing to work out an arrangement with me. Welcome to the family…I guess?"
"Glad to be called that," she replied. Staring at my water type she sighed heavily before snorting a single small bubble.
"Don't scare me again like that. No more reckless behavior, please. I was so worried for you. I couldn't help but imagine you not coming back to my-…room. I just kept waiting by the door and pacing all night long. I couldn't sleep or eat without knowing you were safe," Lula spoke, leaving the chair to come lie down on the bed.
"I can't promise. I may not be able to keep it," I said, throwing her sentence back at her.
"Then try to keep it. That's all I ask, Master," she said, rubbing her paws against her bloodshot eyes.
"I will do my best, Lula. Now onto Katherine."
Almost on cue the sliding door opened and Nurse Joy entered with Chansey in tow.
"She's ready to see you now," Nurse Joy notified me. I was relieved to know I had found my friend. She had been somewhere very dangerous and I didn't want to imagine the amount of torture and suffering she had been through. Nonetheless she was now in my arms safe and sound. We could go home and live the rest of her days out in peace. As I stood up, Gardevoir grabbed my wrist.
"Don't go pushing yourself too hard. You just got out of a pretty bad scuffle yourself." My eyes rolled involuntarily even as she pushed me away gently.
"You sound like my mother," I called back following the bubblegum haired lady down a winding corridor away from the motel service and into the medical facility. As I walked, she spoke up catching my attention.
"Just so you know she's going to be a little weak for a couple of days but is capable of light travel. We've taken care of her as best as we can," she stated, stopping at the door to room 308. I stood in front of it for a moment, steeling myself for what I would see before pressing the button. As we opened the door I was shocked by the appearance of my dark type. Her horn was covered in gauss and tape with multiple wires leading to several screens. Her eye met mine, and almost immediately she cowered, trembling away. Her body was thin and she appeared ready to fall apart at any minute.
"Hey there. You okay?" I asked in soft tones, approaching her.
"K-kyle. I'm sorry! I didn't…I wasn't able to…please…KYLE!" she wailed, bawling. My heart melted and I felt ashamed that she had been through such an ordeal. Moving to her side, I pulled her close to my chest. She shook violently and refused to meet my eyes despite our current relationship.
"Kat. Shhhh. I'm here. You didn't do anything wrong,"I assured her, petting her back gently.
"I-I was so…slutty in front of you. It's embarrassing. I-I didn't want to act like that. The d-drugs…"
After the word drugs she fell back into hysteria headbunting me over and over again, and weeping harder. My shirt quickly grew damp as her tears flooded my shirt.
"Katherine. Talk to me. Are you okay? I know you weren't treated well there. Did they rape you?"
She looked away from me and shook her head.
"I couldn't call it rape. Despite all the drugs I was one hundred percent aware and cooperative," she whispered, her eyes widening as memories of what had happened flashed before her eyes.
"It's okay. It's not your fault," I said smiling. "I'm only sorry I couldn't protect you little one."
"You did p-protect me. I-I just wish-"
"All that matters to me is you are safe now. I promise to not let you go until we get home," I stated, kissing her forehead tenderly.
"Okay, but…I have a request Kyle," she said.
Nodding I stared at her ready to do anything she could ask of me. At this point I blamed myself and was more than willing to take care of her needs.
"I want to visit my sister."
Silence filled the air as I contemplated her question. It was a big one to be sure as Kat rarely alluded to or acknowledged that she had family. The last time I had asked about her sister, she had told me not to bring it up. It was a sore topic and one that I never broached. I considered that perhaps there had been bad blood between the two.
"Why?"
She shook her head.
"I feel guilty. I know I told you I'd rather not speak about her, but she's always been good to me. Even when I was a kit she looked out for me and made sure that I was fed and safe. Every time we speak she always ask if I'll come home to the pack. She wonders why I keep refusing."
"Why do you refuse?" I asked curious.
"Y-you should know why!" she said, smiling slightly.
"I don't," I smirked. I watched her carefully as she fought over telling me before she blurted it out.
"You."
"Me? What do you mean? You could always go home to her. You don't have to stay here with me. It's not like I'm holding you here hostage."
She giggled as I grabbed her paws gently giving her a light tickling.
"Ouch!"
Her exclamation made me stop immediately, withdrawing to myself. I watched her shift, wincing slightly before lying back down.
"Give me a moment will you? Also could you send in Gardevoir and Lula? I want to talk to them real quick. I owe them some gratitude for helping me get free."
I acquiesced getting up quickly and giving her space. I felt guilt fill my stomach. I hadn't intended to hurt her. If anything I was just happy she was safe now. Closing the sliding door, I turned around bumping headfirst into Gardevoir and Lula.
"H-hey." I greeted them surprised.
"Read your mind and just waited our turn. You two are funny together. Anyways, I'll come get you when she tells us to. For now go rest. You're still worn down from the fight aren't you?"
I nodded although it was only partially true. Wiping my eyes clean of any crustiness and letting out a long yawn, I made my way back to my hospital room. Her request wasn't unreasonable but if Eon needed my help I would be out of the way. I considered the different regions. Unlike Unova, Kalos was smack dab in the middle of the other six regions. Going to Hoenn was no different than returning to home. I shook my head and ran multiple reasons as to why going was more important than not going. I kept thinking on the decision until my head hit the pillow. At that point, I stopped thinking altogether and began to have lucid dreams.
I woke up to find myself in Absol's room again. She lay on the bed watching me her eyes boring a hole into my forehead. I shifted uncomfortably and stretched getting up fully.
"You sometimes snore when you sleep, Kyle."
"Is that so?" I asked, yawning mid-sentence.
She nodded enthusiastically, before placing her head back on her crisscrossed paws.
"How long was I out?"
"Only an hour. I asked Delilah to bring you here. I hope you don't mind," she said. I casually waved her off. Rolling over I stared into her eyes, searching for any sign that she wasn't okay.
"Are you okay? Really Kat? You don't know how I worried I was about you."
She blinked slowly before responding.
"I'm not okay. I wish I could say I am but I'm just at a lost. M-mewtwo tortured me. He wanted me t o give up on and there were periods I almost did. I-I-I feel ashamed to even admit it. Will I be okay? I- do-don't know," she stuttered, her teeth grinding together. I watched her eyes refill with water, as she tried to come to terms with how she felt.
My eyes watered and she shook her fur a little bit.
"I-"
"It's not your fault. I chose to save you and I'd do it again. All of the pain was worth it since you lived," she said. She seemed to wrestle with words for a minute before just letting out an exasperated sigh.
"Katherine. Thank you," I said, solemnly. "
Her lips trembled at my words, as she fought to hold her emotions back but eventually she gave in. She sobbed into her paws, and I moved forward, petting her head. I stared at the missing appendage and felt my gut roll. When we got home, she would not be able to fight. She was done when it came to that part of my life, and I didn't care. I just wanted her to be here. I was happy I had found her. Thanks to Eon my friend was safe. And nothing would take her from me.
"I was so worried I would never see you again," she whispered her head pressed against my chest. Holding her tighter, I squeezed tenderly, wanting her to feel how much I cared.
"Every minute that I was in that dreadful place, I only prayed that Arceus had spared your life. It was the only reason I could keep breathing."
"It's only thanks to you," I replied brushing her neck fur slowly.
"K-kyle?" she asked, pulling slightly free from my hold.
"Yeah?"
"Do you think I'm w-worthless now?"
My eyes widened at the comment. Had my emotions been that clear on my face? It was as if she had read me like an open book. Quickly, I shook my head placing multiple kisses around her wound.
"No! You are not worthless! How could you even-"
She interrupted me, by placing a claw on my lips.
"I can't live with the idea I wo-won't be able to fight alongside you. Without a h-horn. Without my horn-"
She struggled to get the words out, as she choked and wept at what she spoke of. It had been a part of her and I felt her pain as if it were my own. My stomach filled with red hot shame as I remembered the scene. How she had shoved me out of the way of Mewtwo's attack. If I had simply taken the attack she would still be fine and-
"-You're not listening!"
I had been so caught up in my thoughts I had missed almost the entire conversation. Before she could speak again, I spoke up easing some of her concerns.
"Horn or not, I never needed you to fight for me. I wanted a friend more than anything. A companion and you've been there as close to me as Lula herself. I couldn't ask for much more than that," I replied making sure to stare into her eyes as I said it.
She sighed heavily turning away. Despite my best efforts she and I both knew that she wasn't satisfied with my words. When I became a Pokemon Ranger she would need to feel relevant and necessary to my dreams.
"I am though. You'll have to replace me-"
"Nothing could EVER replace you!" I yelled emotionally. Her eyes widened as I trembled at the thought. She was one of a kind. At this point I realized nothing I said could fix her perception. I wanted to give her something. Anything…
"We will go see her, Kat."
Her expression changed as her eyes met mine. From surprise to relief.
"T-thank you, Kyle!" she exclaimed.
I smiled before I stood up.
"I'm going to go get the others ready. Do you know where your sister might be at?" I asked, stopping at the sliding door.
"Can I borrow your Pokewatch?" she asked.
I nodded and unlatched it from my wrist before tossing it to her. She caught it in her teeth deftly by the bracelet before dropping it in front of her.
"I'll do my best to see what I can find. No promises though," she said.
Closing the door behind me, I stretched my body out ridding myself of the cricks in my neck. After a minute I walked forward to the other room, adjacent Absol's and opened it. Inside I found my Lula was being shaken awake by Gardevoir and the shy fox who sat behind her legs. As I entered, he dashed to my side, his tail wagging enthusiastically.
"Hiya," the crème colored fox blurted out. Reaching down he flinched away from my touch, and I reminded myself it was purely out of instinct. As my hand found the backside of his ear, he began to kick and let out a groan of appreciation.
"Did Nurse Joy get a chance to look at everyone?" I asked Gardevoir who turned and faced me. I kept scratching, as was now my current job to fulfill. Nonetheless Chris accepted it without argument.
"The little one will be fine. Your Primarina's in tip top shape and I haven't been fighting so we are all good in this room. You on the other hand could do with some more recovery time."
I rolled my eyes again, only to get wacked by a psychically thrown piece of newspaper.
"Hey!" I called out.
"No eye rolling, mister."
I shook my head and rubbed the spot she hit before breaking the news.
"I hate to do this but we will need to make a slight detour before we head home. Kat wants to visit family."
I glanced to Gardevoir who rubbed her face gently before nodding.
"It's an acceptable scenario. How long until we reach your home though?"
Given that we didn't know where they were, travelling would be quicker if we forked the money over for someone to Fly us where we needed and back. Going via water, would take days back and forth. I considered all possibilities before deciding on a flight.
"Two days max. If we get a flight on the way back we should be fine. Is that okay with you Fennekin?"
He closed his eyes thoughtfully before giving a quick nod.
"Alright. Let's get-" I trailed off as an alarm went off in the hall.
"NURSE JOY TO ROOM THREE OH EIGHT! CODE RED! NURSE JOY TO ROOM THREE OH EIGHT! CODE RED!" the loudspeaker blasted down the hallway. My heartrate skyrocketed as I recognized the room as Kat's room. I turned around, putting a foot down, only for the earth to seemingly disappear. As my foot kept going for what seemed forever, my eyes closed and I passed out midstep.
LULA POV
Gardevoir had been quick to put Kyle to sleep as the alarms went off. Before he could even comprehend it, he was falling downwards. To her credit, she was quick to catch him with telekinesis, and hold him gently in the air.
"What do we do?" she asked, staring at the room.
"Kat is the one who wants the trip. If Master can get us there in the timespan he said, then there's no reason to doubt him. I say we push forward." I stated.
A few moments later, Nurse Joy approached our small group, her eyes calm as per usual. It always surprised me how she remained bubbly despite any chaos that surrounded her.
"She's going to be just fine. I'm sure she already spoke with you guys. That being said, any travel is going to be a bit hard on her body. Make sure she doesn't fly for three days." Her eyes wandered over to the floating unconscious human body, and let out a low giggle.
"Lastly, and this most important. The meds we are going to provide will only suppress the pain. That's about the most we can do at this time. I wish I could offer better news," she said, bowing slightly.
"Thank you for your assistance Nurse Joy," Gardevoir said, bowing in return.
"We should probably get Master up and about. The alarms have died down," I said, glancing down to the scared Fennekin who huddled my side. The sound must have been excruciating considering his larger ears.
"Makes sense," Delilah replied, before letting him down and tapping his shoulder.
KYLE POV
I awoke, mid step, tumbling forward and onto the slick glossy tile beneath me.
"Ugh." I groaned grabbing at my head. My mind reeled and tried to remember what I had been doing.
"Kat!" I cried out, jumping up. Before I could even rush to her room, my Absol stepped out from behind Nurse Joy. She smiled at me, before walking regally to my position. Nurse Joy followed a step behind, as we were reunited.
"Good as new, Kyle," Nurse Joy said simply.
"B-but the alarm-?" I asked, befuddled.
"False alarm. Her sensor's had picked up an anomaly. She's all good."
As she closed the final steps, she leaned into me. Kneeling down I held her tight, feeling her nuzzle my chest.
"S-sorry to keep you waiting," she whispered.
"Not at all, little one. Shall we be on our way?" I asked, turning around. As I faced Delilah I noticed she was holding a small white paper bag, rolled up. She hadn't been holding it before, but I shrugged it off.
"Pain suppressants for the trip. No worries there," she stated, answering my unasked question. I walked with the group to the front, and noticed Officer Jenny was there waiting with a broad smile on her face.
"Hello, Kyle."
"Officer…"I replied concern about yesterday hopping to the forefront of my mind. If the Mienshao was going to put an APB out for my Absol I would lose her again.
"Are you feeling okay? I heard about your scuffle with the two Grunts outside. Poor Houndoom shot by its own master. Damn shame," she said turning to her Arcanine who barked happily.
"Much better thank you!" I replied trying to keep my emotional state indiscernible.
"Glad to hear it. Be careful out there. Those guys cause quite a bit of trouble. If you run into anymore issues, don't hesitate to call us up. Have a good day!"
"You too!" I replied, heading out the door with my four pokemon in tow. I glanced to my Absol who limped slightly as she walked.
"If you want I can give you a piggy back," I responded kneeling down. I watched her debate it for a bit only to cry out as Gardevoir picked her up gently with Psychic. Using the ability she placed my partner on my back. Shifting my arms to lock around her legs, I held her tightly as we walked down the street. The overcast weather was the anti-compliment to my current emotions, as I was riding the biggest win I could possibly have.
"Th-thank you Master," she sighed contently into my ear. I nodded as I held her legs tightly and moved leisurely with my team down the street. Glancing to Lula I noticed she seemed troubled about something. I was going to ask, however she quickly turned away and returned to speak with Gardevoir.
"Sir Kyle?"
My eyes drifted downward to the pup who walked on my left heel obediently but had his gaze fixated on me.
"Just Kyle, Chris. What's up?"
"I wanted to thank you for saving me. I never got around to it, and-"
"I'm just glad I got the chance to. Speaking of which are you okay?" I asked. He was young and impressionable. If the experience ruined people for him it would be terrible.
"I'm fine! Actually, I cannot wait to meet your family. Do you have any siblings?"
"He has one," Lula called out, only for me to bring my troupe to a stop.
"DANGIT! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" I shouted, shaking my head.
"What-" Kat started bewildered.
"You forgot about your sister didn't you?" Lula spoke up.
"No he didn't."
It was my turn to be confused as I whirled to face Gardevoir who was smiling broadly.
"There's a reason I asked for your help. I usually don't have the strongest grip in the room, but being able to read people's intentions helps with picking my clients and satisfying any scratches I have. You had Absol on the mind, but underneath that was you constantly thinking about what to get your sister," she said, holding a digit up.
"And?" I asked sagging as I waited for the answer.
"Chris is the answer. Duh," she responded, pointing at the fox.
My eyes brightened as I had totally forgotten that my sister had wanted a Fennekin fox for as long as she could say Fen. Which was about two years old.
"Right," I affirmed, feeling as if the weight had been totally lifted. I shifted Kat for a second, lifting her higher before continuing to stride down towards Route 13.
"Any leads on your sister?" I asked, glancing over my shoulder. My Dark type nodded before responding with further information.
"So apparently the pack is in Sinnoh. I followed a couple stories last night, and it appears that a couple of natural disasters have been cropping up in a few spots, mostly the South. I'd say our best bet would be to start on Route 213. Then from there move upwards."
A reasonable request, and one that I was more than happy to oblige. I considered cost and sighed. I wasn't completely opposed to flying however such a long journey by flight would not be okay with the others. Which meant a PC transfer until I landed. It would be painless for them, but grueling all alone.
"How do you guys feel about a PC transfer?" I asked, walking backwards.
"It's a good idea," Delilah said, glancing to Lula who bobbed her head in agreement. Chris was just eager to keep moving. I turned to Kat who pushed her head against my shoulder.
"I-I'm not okay with that."
Everyone turned to her, except me. I listened for her reasoning, ready to change plans if need be.
"I-I'd rather be with you, Kyle. I feel safer that way. I don't care if I have to be in a Pokeball. Just please don't-"
Her eyes misted up and I quickly rubbed my hair against her cheek trying to comfort her as best I could.
"Then you stay. It's that simple. I promised not to let you go and I'm keeping it," I said seriously. Her eyes lit up as I said that.
"Are you sure that's advisable, Master?" Lula spoke up, from her floating bubble.
"Let me worry about the logistics. For now, let's get to Couramarine City. Instead of flying, let's-"
GURGLE GURGLE GURGLE.
I stopped midstep and glanced around to figure out who it was. My eyes came to rest on Fennekin. The fire type hid his face abashedly.
"Chrissss. Was that you?" I asked, smiling.
"N-no! It was Lula!" he cried out pointing to her.
"Me? Master, I'm not hungry. It'd have to be Kat!" Lula denied, pointing to my back.
"K-kyle! I ate a big hospital meal earlier today. The Gardevoir hasn't eaten anything since yesterday," she cried out.
"Kyle. I'm the most mature here. If I'm hungry I'd tell you or at least figure out something to eat," Delilah said smirking broadly. She knew who it was and refused to say.
GUUURGGGGLLLEEEEEE
All eyes shifted to the fox, who shook as his stomach rumbled again loudly. The Fire type hid his face under his paws ashamed, as I knelt down.
"I-I'm sorry! Please don't hit me!" he cried out. His sentence disgusted me and yet I remembered where he had come from. As much as I wanted to scold him, I understood exactly where his fear was coming from.
"Why would I do that? If you're hungry we get you food. Punishing you wouldn't have any effect in solving the problem. Besides, I'm pretty starving myself. I think we all could do with some good food," I said patting his head. Almost immediately his muzzle broke back into a smile, as I looked around for a restaurant.
"Just do me a small favor in the future, bud?" I asked, homing in on a bakery down the street.
"Yeah? Name it!"
"If you get hungry say something in the future. My mom would kill-"
My Pokewatch took that exact moment to go off. Unable to reach it, Lula quickly grabbed the device and accepted the vid chat. Tapping one of the side buttons on its screen the image was projected into the air giving us both a window to chat and speak on.
"Hello Sweetie! Your sister's still sleeping but I thought I'd check on you!"
"Hey Mom! Doing good over here," I replied, awaiting the onslaught of questions.
"How's your arm feeling? How goes the search? Are you eating well? Did you make any new friends? Do you have enough money? Did you forget to get your sister something? Please tell me you aren't stirring up too much trouble!"
"My arm healed up pretty well. As for the search…" I adjusted my head out of frame so Kat could say hi.
"H-hello, Mommy," Kat spoke up. My mother had always preferred Kat as she had always been eager to help out in kitchen when it came to cooking. Granted it meant she got scraps more often than not, but they remained close.
"Awww! It's good to see you again Kat. Hope you are feeling okay! Has my son been causing you grief?"
"N-not at all. He's been a prince," she said rubbing my head with her paw.
"As soon as you get home, us girls will go out and have a nice spa day. Unfortunately I've got work the next couple days but after that, we should see each other again!"
"I-I look forward to it," Kat responded.
Leaning back into Frame, I promptly answered the rest of her questions one by one.
"We're about to hit this bakery up for Breakfast. About the friends…we'll discuss it when I get home. Suffice it to say our family may have grown by two. Money's holding out. Yes and No."
She chewed on the information for a bit before shaking her head.
"You worry me sometimes you know that?" she said, playfully sticking her tongue out.
"I knoowww," I said with an exaggerated groan.
"Anyways, when should I expect you guys home?"
Her question was one I was reluctant to answer but I knew that she'd find out sooner or later.
"We gotta make a quick stop in Sinnoh. Katherine wants to see her sister real quick," I said quickly. I watched her consider it momentarily before sighing.
"Do what you got to. Just be safe and call me when you are on your way back," she said, wagging her finger at the camera.
"I promise," I said, as she hung up the call. Returning my attention to the party, I noticed that Lula looked upset.
"What's wrong?"
Almost as if she had been in a trance, she brightened up as I spoke to her and shook her mane out a little.
"Nothing. Shall we go eat Master?"
"Let's!" I stated enthusiastically.
We made it to the bakery in record time, and waited behind a few patrons, in line. I was only standing for a minute before I was ambushed from behind.
"Oh my gosh! It's you again. Of all the places to run into you!" a female voice exclaimed right in my ear. As I turned to acknowledge it, two hands secured themselves over my eyes to hide my ability to see.
"Guess who?" she joked, leaning in.
"Ummmm…"
"Don't tell me you forgot me already!" she stated, letting me see. As my vision returned, I was greeted with the black and red haired girl who had flirted with me in the Unova Pokemon Center.
"Elaina?" I said, shocked at her appearance in Kalos.
"Ding ding ding. I'm a little hurt you didn't even give me a call!" she said, placing a hand on her hip. She titled her head, circling a single strand of hair around her finger.
"I'm sorry! I just didn't know what to say," I said blushing coyly.
"Awww. That's cute. What's with all the Pokemon?" she asked staring around me.
"Oh! Just some extended family I came to visit," I said with a smile. "This is Lula. That is Chris and Deliliah and she is Katherine."
Turning around I noticed everyone seemed tense, save Gardevoir who moved forward gracefully to greet the girl.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Elaina. Tell me…what brings you here?" she asked shaking hands with the girl.
"Oh nothing much. I'm actually here to challenge Clemont for a gym badge," she said, pulling out a pink case from behind her back. She held it up exposing the other two badges which gleamed solidly in the case.
"Wow!" Chris cried out examining the shiny metal pins.
"I started off in Unova, but I wanted to see Kalos sooo badly, I decided to take a break from training and see how far I could get here. My team is currently recovering in the Pokemon Center. Anyhow, how are you doing Kyle?" she asked, her eyes half lidding seductively. A warm sweet scent filled my nose, leaving me distracted and confused. I felt like I was in a haze
"SOLLLL!"
The growl from Katherine knocked me out of my daze, and I struggled to remember what she had asked.
"Kat! Be nice!" I hissed, glancing back to the girl. She shrugged apologetically before nuzzling the back of my head.
"It's okay! I'm sorry to have bothered you during lunch. I just thought I'd stop by real quick before I went to my fight," she said, smiling broadly.
"Not a problem at all. I'll give you a call when I get home and see how your battle went," I replied, blushing harder as she leaned in.
"See ya around," she whispered, giving me a peck on the cheek before dashing off.
"Good luck," I called out in response.
For a few moments, we sat there awkwardly in line. Silence filled the group before Gardevoir and Kat spoke simultaneously.
"I don't like her Master," Kat spoke firmly.
"I agree. Something doesn't seem right. She's a little too interested in you for my tastes," Delilah said, tapping a digit to her chin.
"She came onto me pretty strongly in Unova. Lula was there for that," I stated, taking another step as it almost became time to order.
"Yeah. However, she was completely in character either way. She wasn't ashamed of her actions and was extremely flirty with Kyle," Lula said.
I glanced to Kat to notice she was moping. Her eyes were downcast, and she appeared saddened.
"What's wrong?" I whispered.
"I'm just worried she's going to steal you from me, Master," she replied softly. I shook my head and let out a low laugh.
"I'm here to stay Katherine. Just cause I find a girl I like, doesn't mean I won't care about you or Lula," I said with a hint of disbelief.
"I know but- never mind," she said turning her head away.
My heart sank as she looked away, only to be called forward for lunch.
"Good afternoon, sir. Is this for takeout or in house?" the young male waiter spoke with a heavy French accent.
"In house please," I replied.
"This way, sir," he responded. Leading us around the bakery counter, we followed him to a marble stone table with wooden chairs around. As we sat down, a young waitress in a teal apron approached our table. Her blonde hair was tied into two ponytails and she wore nice dress slacks.
"Can I take your order?" she asked in a bright voice.
"What's available for drinks?" I asked, as everyone got seated. Tenderly, I let Kat go, but moved my seat next to hers. I stroked her fur watching as she enjoyed the attention. The bright sun filtered in from the side.
"Fresh Juices, Coffee, Moomoo Milk, Lemonade and Sodas. We also have a variety of teas and fresh water produced by the Pokemon of your choice!"
My eyes widened as I sat there contemplating my options before settling on a Moomoo Milk. The young waitress went around jotting down our orders before walking away with a smile. My eyes wandered to the table, noticing that the menu was part of it. The stone rose up several inches in the center, and a list of fresh foods covered it from left to right.
"K-kyle?"
"Hmmm?" I asked, homing in on the Oran Poffins which sounded refreshing this early in the morning.
"I'm sorry to have caused you so much trouble…I wish there was some way I could repay the favor," Kat stated, placing her head on the table.
"Repay? Katherine. You know I'd do anything for my family," I said, as the waitress returned with several berry drinks and my milk. As she placed the tall glass in front of me, I smiled, before turning to the Dark type. Ruffling her fur, I let out a low sigh.
"What am I going to do with you? You're a little troublemaker, but I still love you. Don't worry about it. Just grab a bite to eat, let's visit your sister and head home. Easy peezie," I said, taking a sip of my drink. The cool beverage and sweetness was accented by the berries they had fed the Milktanks. Refreshing nonetheless I swallowed more down in one gulp.
"Hey! Hey! Kyle!"
I turned to Fennekin who was bouncing in his seat as he stared at me.
"If I'm going to be your gift to your sister, what's she like?"
The question fully blindsided me and it took me a minute to recuperate. I was still trying to think of the proper way to respond when our waitress returned.
"Have we decided?" she asked.
Glancing around the table, I waited my turn. The orders were varied from a berry salad, to Magikarp, to a stuffed waffle, and finally eggs, bacon and my Oran muffins. She wrote it down steadily before bowing and walking away.
"Well?" Delilah piped up. Glancing to my team they shrugged, preferring to let me answer it.
"Emily is a mess. I love her and all but sometimes she's too energetic, ya know? Actually that's not exactly right. She's high maintenance and knows what she wants. Hmmm…"
I watched as his face turned sour, and realized the picture I was painting. It wasn't a good one and coming from the older brother's perspective she could be annoying at times. She definitely wasn't a burden though and I loved every moment I got to hang with her. Especially when she beat me at video games. Which was very often.
"She's determined. Strong willed. A little geeky but overall sweet. She's affectionate and cute. Things changed on the day our dad died. She grew more mature from the experience. She has her moments of childishness however it's only ever with me and Mom. Around the Pokemon, she's down to earth and relatively easy going," I finished.
He bobbed his head as the words I said encouraged him. He seemed intrigued and curious to meet her which was different from the mild discomfort he had expressed earlier.
"She also loves to sneak us treats when- OOOPS!" Lula cried out, placing a paw over my mouth.
"You've been cheating on your diets! That little runt!" I exclaimed, angrily.
"She said it wouldn't hurt to have a little fun," Lula tried to fix her mistake.
"K-kyle. It was only a few times," Kat spoke up, touching my shoulder. I exhaled forcefully, taking another long swig of my drink.
"So what do you wish to do with your life?" Delilah asked speaking up from her side of the table.
"A Pokemon Ranger," I replied glancing down embarrassed.
"That's an interesting career path. Why exactly?" she leaned in curiously, placing her head in her hand.
"Well, I want to do good in the region. I'm not trying to be the best there ever was. I'm not exactly competitive. I was going to start on my Pokemon journey but got burnt out after the first week. All day battling, and hurting other people's friends didn't suit me. Mom and I spoke often about what role I could fulfill. When Ranger came up we looked into the requirements. I have to be 16, take the Ranger's Exam, and have a single level 50 Pokemon who I selected to be my partner. If I pass the exam, I go through a six month long training regimen. Usually only a few apply. Like 20 -30 a year. Of those only 3-4 ever succeed. I want to give back to this world, much like it has given me so much. I get to explore the different regions and police them, just like Officer Jenny. It'll give me a chance to spend time with the ones I care about along with helping others out," I said. As I finished, I watched the waitress return with piping hot plates of food. As our respective meals were placed in front of us, I glanced to Katherine, noticing her gaze had turn extremely sorrowful. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she stared at the rock slab in front of her.
"What's wrong, little one?" I whispered leaning in. She ignored me entirely, her jaw tightening as I spoke. Concern filled my mind, and my appetite departed just as quick.
"Kat. Kat! Talk to me,"I demanded, urgently. I reached for her, yet she pulled away swiftly. Before I could say another thing, Delilah came around from her side of the table and picked up the Absol. I glanced up as the Fairy type patted my shoulder.
"She just needs some space for a minute. We'll be right back," she said, with a sad smile. I watched them leave, with Kat's eyes closed. Each step away from me, only hurt that much more. Turning back to my meal dazed I scooped some of the eggs into my mouth. Something wasn't right but I couldn't place my finger on it. Did it have to do with her not being able to help? I could only sit and wonder for the next fifteen minutes as I continued to force feed myself. As they made their way back to the table, I noticed that Kat was shaking slightly, but seemed in an overall cheerful mood.
"S-sorry. I was feeling a little nauseous," she said, rubbing her head against me.
"Not at all. Why were you crying?" I asked, finishing the last piece of salty bacon with a single bite.
"W-was I? Didn't notice. Sorry," she said dismissively.
The rest of the meal was finished swiftly as we all enjoyed ourselves. Our group stood up walking to the front and paid the measley 530 pokedollar meal. Cheap considering the high quality and flavors of our meal.
"Alright. Let's get going. We don't have all day to waste. First things first though. Delilah and Chris. Are you absolutely sure you want to be part of my home? I'll deal with repercussions and difficulties when I return, but I need to know your answer now."
They both nodded an affirmative, glancing from each other to me.
"Okay then. I have a special ball with your name on it Chris. As for you Delilah do you have a preference?" I asked, as I pulled my backpack off.
"I'd ask for a luxury ball, but a simple one will work out just fine for me."
Pulling out the premier and a single red and white Pokeball, I lobbed them at the Pokemon one after the other.
"Thank you," Delilah called out as she was pulled into the device in a flash of red light. Chris disappeared into his ball with a smile. The two orbs hit the ground simultaneously. Shaking. Shaking. Shaking. Ding. Each Pokeball let out a small fanfare letting me know I had successfully captured both Gardevoir and Fennekin. Retrieving my new friends from the ground, I held them close to my chest.
"I promise to take good care of you guys," I said loudly. Inside the balls their consciousness was awake, and aware of the worlds. However they weren't material so they could only sit inside, or breakout when an emergency came. Turning to Lula I reached behind me and grabbed her Pokeball, aiming it at her.
"I'll see you on the other side, kay?" I said, watching as she nodded. "Return!"
The ball sucked in Lula with little effort encapsulating her in the third ball. Securing them onto the side of my backpack, I turned to face the final member. Kat. She sat obediently awaiting my decision to kick off our walk.
"Shall we?" I asked, proceeding down the street. She followed in step, as we proceeded to sprint down the street.
"So Kyle?"
"Hmmm?" I asked as we picked up the pace. I wanted to be Sinnoh come nightfall, that way we would have all day tomorrow to search for the pack.
"When you become a ranger, where do you want to operate out of? You get your pick of all seven regions," she said.
I contemplated it for a minute as we continued up the street hanging a right and passing a couple and their Scyther.
"I don't know. As much as I'd love to stay close to home, Mom told me that she only really needed me in case she got sick. So with that being said I'd want to be somewhere warmer. Perhaps, Hoenn," I said, as we reached the Pokemon Center in record time. We stopped next to a small device attached to the outside of the center. Recently created to expedite travel, it allowed you to drop off Pokeball's and the mons would be transferred to the Pokemon center of your choice digitally. When you landed, everyone would be awaiting you. Real high tech stuff, and Lumiose city's gym leader was the creator of it. Pressing in my 10 digit identification, I placed three spheres into a case before slotting the tray into the tube. A vacuum started, and it was pulled up and away. Heading inside, with Absol in tow, I noticed that the lines were non existent, and Nurse Joy was tending to a burned Sligoo with attentive focus. Before I could speak Chansey appeared at the desk, ready to attend to our needs.
"What can I do for you?"
"I'm trying to get a non stop flight to Sinnoh,"I replied, pulling the card out of the back of my wallet.
"I see. Let me see who I have available-"
My mind immediately returned to the Charizard from earlier. Wasting not another moment, I thought on the code on her harness. 597.
"Ma'am. If possible could I get a flight on 597?" I asked, crossing my fingers. Chansey tapped away on a screen, glancing to Nurse Joy before replying to my question.
"It appears you are in luck. She's been awaiting a customer the past thirty minutes. I've sent her the call and coordinates. I have feeling she won't be too happy about it but best of luck."
"Thank you!" I cried out, tapping Absol and taking my card back. Turning around I raced to the front of the building. Within 30 seconds a huge gust of wind brushed past us as the female Charizard landed hard. As our eyes met, recognition filled her. I was pulled up off my feet as she hugged me tightly.
"It's good to see you again! I heard about the fight you got into with those grunts. Nasty assholes who don't treat us right. You're not injured are you?" she asked, looking me over.
"I'm good! I swear. It's good to see you too. This here is Katherine," I said, kneeling down next to my girl. Her cheeks flushed red as the Fire/Flying type looked her over.
"Not bad. She looks pretty strong. Thank you for the meals. So I hear you have a trip to Sinnoh. Any chance it might have to do with the group of bandits recently spotted? I assume you're from them," she said staring directly at Kat.
"W-what? No. My sister leads them!" she exclaimed hiding behind my legs.
"You've got a really skittish one following you. Well then, shall we get going? It's gonna be a little stormy on the way into Sinnoh, but I should be able to get you pretty close to Route 213."
"Will the money be enough?" I asked, reaching down to grab the gloves and helmet.
"More than. They usually charge a little more for non stop trips and besides, I need the exercise. I haven't attracted any decent males in a little more than a year. I'm worried that perhaps I'm no longer attractive. What do you think?" she asked, snaking her head downwards. Her tongue rolled over a canine before she winked playfully.
"Ummm, I-I-"
She laughed heartily which came out as a loud roar, shaking the concrete.
"I jest. I'm glad you saved your friend. Must have taken a lot out of you to get out, but you did a good job. Isn't that right, Absol?"
"H-he's amazing. That's for sure," she said, beaming up at me. I placed the helmet on me, before unclipping her black and gold Luxury Pokeball with my left hand.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay Kat? I'd rather not risk hurting you over some little travel…"
"Let's goooooo! I don't care how long the flight is, I want to be with you right now. I'll be listening to you as you travel," she compained. I nodded understandingly before returning her to the sphere. I hopped up strapping my legs in an effortless motion before patting her back twice.
"Hold on tight!" she warned, as she took two large steps before bounding into the air. We rose swiftly, before taking our time to aim towards Sinnoh.
"So tell me shorty. It's been a minute since we saw each other last. What's going on? Last I know you were going to Lopunny Garden to 'save a friend'." she put major emphasis on the last words making me feel like I had done something wrong.
"Katherine is that friend. You might have heard about the dead Houndoom the next morning. Officer Jenny wasn't too happy about it," I said solemnly.
She nodded her head.
"Yeah. Heard about it. Let's get the full story though. I'd rather you tell me everything, before we land. And it gives us something to do in the meantime. By the time we land, it'll be nightfall. I need to stop a couple times for a snack and some water but we'll get you there as soon as possible. My name is Brittany by the way."
"Kyle. Kyle Bredeson," I replied, scratching several of her scales.
"Oooh! You got the magic touch. Stories first. Petting later," she said, glancing back at me. Turning my head out towards the clouds I noticed several wingull floating in the sky.
"Alright. It all started about six days ago…"
Hey all. These final chapters have been extremely hard to get out, and I've noticed some issues with the previous chapters. expect me