The Vulpix looked up at him blankly, then her eyes went wide as realization dawned on her face.

"Fifteen years…" she repeated. "Are you serious?"

Jack shook his head. "I wish I wasn't…"

The Vulpix lay down on the floor and went silent, obviously struggling to wrap her head around what this all meant for her. Jack just sighed and rolled off of his bed-mat. He hated to leave the little fox alone, but his stomach was telling him that it was time for breakfast.

"I'll just be downstairs if you need me," Jack told her. "Otherwise, you should probably stay in here until I get back. I won't be long."

The Vulpix nodded. "Alright then."

Jack opened the door. "I'll bring you back something to eat," he said, glancing back at her. "Is there anything you'd like in particular?"

The Vulpix's ear twitched, and she glanced up at Jack. "Well… maybe chicken if you have it…"

Jack nodded. "I'll see what I can do." He turned to leave, then paused and shot one last question back over his shoulder. "Raw or cooked?"

The Vulpix huffed. "Cooked, of course. I'm not a wild animal."

Jack couldn't help grinning a little. He liked this little fox already.

Jack headed down to the dining room, where Maylene was already waiting for him. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, during which Jack assured Maylene that he was no longer depressed, they sat down for breakfast with the other residents of the dojo.

Moments later, Nova and Razgriz entered the room as they sensed that Jack was up and about. They sat down next to Jack and looked down at the table. Their eyes scanned over the food displayed before Nova looked up at Maylene.

"So… where is the food?" Nova asked, refusing to accept the display in front of her.

Jack and Maylene chuckled. Breakfast, true to form, consisted mostly of 'healthy' food. There were fried eggs, but they were mostly unseasoned. It seemed that the guests would no longer be given special treatment in terms of nutrition. Jack quickly snagged an egg for himself, as did Maylene and most of the students of the dojo.

Nova looked at the food for a moment, as if contemplating if she wanted to try it. However, after a few seconds of inhaling the smell from the food, she decided against it. Razgriz simply crossed his arms under his chest spike and didn't show the display of food any interest.

Jack glanced at Maylene. "Well, looks like I'll be taking them out for breakfast today."

"You know we can get breakfast ourselves," Razgriz said as he glanced over at Jack before his eyes glared around at the other humans filling the room.

Jack shrugged. "True, but the question you have to ask yourself is this. Would you rather go out and hunt something down, or have food delivered to you on a platter?"

"Hunt for it," both Nova and Razgriz replied in unison.

"Well, have fun then," Jack said with a wave and a grin. A moment later, he blinked out of existence.

Jack reappeared in Veilstone City and made a beeline for the nearest restaurant. He ordered fried chicken, paid, and left with a take-out box. He then returned to the dojo, and walked into his room.

"I'm back," he said as he opened the door. "And I brought something for you."

The Vulpix was lying on his bed, and she looked up quickly as he entered the room.

"I smell chicken," she said, her eyes wide.

Jack chuckled and sat down on the ground. "Yep. It's hardly what I'd call breakfast, but oh well."

"I don't care if it's breakfast or dinner," the Vulpix said, walking over to him. "It's food, and I'm starving."

"I figured you'd say that," Jack replied with a grin, opening the take-out box to reveal a few sizeable pieces of fried chicken and a few fries.

The Vulpix took one look at the food, and her mouth started to water. She grabbed one of the pieces of chicken and practically inhaled it. Jack meanwhile, having only had an egg thus far, took a piece of chicken for himself and picked at the fries. By the time he had finished his piece, the little fox had polished off the final one. She then rolled over onto her back and sighed contentedly.

"Ahh… that was good," she said, her fluffy tails wagging back and forth. "Thanks, mister Jack."

Jack chuckled. "Wow, now you're making me feel old. Just Jack is fine."

The Vulpix grinned mischievously. "Okay, Just Jack."

Jack facepalmed, but he couldn't keep himself from chuckling. He just hoped that the little fox and Nova never joined forces. Speaking of which...

"By the way," Jack commented. "You never told me your name."

The Vulpix shrugged. "Never really had one."

Jack nodded. "I see. Well, would you like one?"

"Sure, I guess," she replied with another shrug, not looking at him. From the way her ears perked up however, she wasn't quite as apathetic as she'd have him believe.

Jack thought about it for a moment, then he snapped his finger. "I've got it. Katia."

The Vulpix seemed to mull it over, then she nodded. "I guess it'll do."

"So," Jack asked. "Have you decided what you're going to do now?"

'Katia', as she was now to be called, was silent for a moment. "Well," she said eventually, "If it really has been fifteen years, then finding my old home will be almost impossible. They probably wouldn't even remember me…"

Jack sighed. Katia was right of course, it would be all but impossible. As he'd learned from Hunter J, Katia's previous home had been with a travelling circus in Hoenn. She had been their mascot. He had no idea what her life had been like, but it was far too late for her to go back to it now.

"I'm sorry," Jack said.

Katia snorted a little. "For what? Rescuing me? Don't be silly. If it weren't for you I'd still be asleep."

"I guess you have a point," Jack replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Well," Katia said with a sigh, "You're not perfect, but at least you can be taught. I suppose you'll have to do."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Does… that mean you're still coming with me?"

"Of course I am," Katia affirmed imperiously, leaning her head back. "I don't exactly have anywhere else to go, and as owners go you're… passable. So, I might as well."

Jack chuckled mischievously and scooted over to her. She was still lying on her back, so he placed a hand on her belly and started to gently stroke her soft fur. Katia let out a little yip of surprise at first, however she soon started whining happily as Jack rubbed her belly. Her tails swished from side to side eagerly, and she panted slightly.

"Okay, I take it back," she exclaimed after a moment. "You're definitely a keeper. Ooh, yeah that's the spot. Ahh…"

Jack snorted as he held in his laughter. "I take it you like belly rubs?"

"No," Katia shot back without hesitation. "Whatever gave you that idea…"

"I think that she is lying," Nova interjected, much to their surprise, a wide smirk plastered on her muzzle. She was currently hanging upside down from the roof with her blue and black mane hanging behind her and looking through the small window.

Katia looked up at Nova, and seemed a little annoyed. "He's my human," she yapped before Jack could say anything. "Get your own."

Jack looked back down at the little fox and raised an eyebrow. "Really now…"

Nova was laughing hysterically as her auric grip on the roof faltered and she fell. The sight of Nova falling flashed by the window before she flipped mid air and landed on all four of her paws. She the leapt back up and used her aura to cling onto the wall before he head poked back through the window.

"So Jack, you going to tell Maylene you got a new girlfriend?" Nova teased with a mischievous grin.

Jack looked up at her, a smirk on his face. "I once gave a lucario a black eye for making jokes like that."

"Well, you surely wouldn't hit a woman would you?" Nova asked.

Jack cracked his knuckles. "I believe in gender equality."

"You uncultured barbarian," Nova then stuck out her tongue at Jack.

"Says the one peeking in through other people's windows," Jack shot back without hesitation.

"I'm spying, totally different," Nova countered.

Katia snickered. "You know what? Let's just share him."

Jack blinked. "Do I get any say in this?"

"Nope," Nova and Katia said simultaneously.

Jack sighed. His worst fears had been realized. "You might as well come in and introduce yourself properly," Jack told Nova.

"Sure why not," Nova said with a shrug. She then dropped back down to the ground, landing gracefully on all four of her paws before going inside and up to Jack's room. She knocked on the door and waited for Jack to answer it.

Jack flicked his finger, and the door clicked open. "Come on in," he said.

Katia sat up and examined Nova. The smaller fox tilted her head curiously, her fluffy tails swishing from side to side behind her.

Nova walked in and closed the door behind her before sitting on the ground with her legs crossed. She looked at the small fox Pokémon and tilted her head to the side as well.

"So, who are you?" Nova asked curiously.

"My name's Katia," she replied. "At least, it is since five minutes ago. How about you?"

"Nova," the Azorian Zoroark replied. "You look a lot like I used to."

Katia looked up at her for a moment, then the smaller fox got up and walked over to Jack. Before he could say anything, she hopped into his lap and curled up. She then looked back at Nova, seeming extremely satisfied and somewhat smug. Jack just sighed and scritched the tiny fox behind the ears.

"So, Jack, are you like her servant now?" Nova teased with another mischievous smirk.

Jack glanced down at Katia, who grinned back innocently.

"Yeah, pretty much," Jack deadpanned, looking back at Nova.

Nova smirked before her entire body glowed blue, then in a flash she turned into a black and red Zorua that she used to look like.

Jack blinked, momentarily taken aback. He reached out to touch the Zorua's nose. Nova snickered in response walking onto the opposite end of Jack's bed.

"No comment from your new lady friend?" Nova asked as she laid down.

Katia shrugged. "We've already agreed to share him, so there's no point in competing with you. I'm totally cuter though, right Jack?" she added quickly.

Jack assumed the look of someone who had just been handed a death sentence.

"What is there to compete with?" Nova asked, slightly confused as to what Katia was going on about.

Katia rolled her eyes. "Nothing, forget it."

Jack breathed a sigh of relief at being let off the hook. "So anyway," he asked Nova, "Where's Razgriz?"

"He's out in the forest meditating," Nova replied as she got rid of her illusion and leaned back.

"Alright then," Jack said, scritching Katia behind the ears as the little fox lounged in his lap.

Jack was silent for a moment, then he sighed. He might as well tell them now and get it over with.

"Nova," he said plainly. "I've decided that I'm going to leave the dojo tomorrow and travel to Kanto."

"Kanto?" Katia asked in confusion.

"I'll fill you in later," Jack replied. "It's a long story."

"How do you plan on getting us there?" Nova inquired, sitting back up and looking at Jack.

"Well, I was going to…" he paused, furrowing his brow in confusion. "Wait, 'us'? Does that mean you're coming with me?"

"We promised to help you get your friends back. Seeing that hasn't been accomplished yet, of course we are," Nova replied.

Jack chuckled. "Well, that's a weight off my shoulders. Although knowing you, I suppose I shouldn't have expected any less. To answer your question, I was going to travel by plane. I don't know the limits of Razgriz's portals, but I know I can't teleport to anywhere I haven't been before."

"I am pretty sure that Razgriz has the same limitation," Nova said.

Jack nodded. "So yeah, a plane is our best bet. Travelling by ship would take way too long."

"Never been on a plane before…" Nova responded, rubbing her chin with one of her paws.

"Same here," Jack shrugged.

Katia blinked. "What's a plane?"


That night at dinner, Jack broke the news of his imminent departure to Maylene and the other residents of the dojo. They were all sad to see him leave, especially Maylene. However, the gym leader understood why he had to go and she wished him the best of luck.

After dinner, during which Katia once again stayed in his room, Jack said goodnight to everyone and went straight up to bed. He wanted to get up bright and early the next morning. No sooner had he laid down on his bed, than Katia curled up on his chest.

"Really?" Jack deadpanned.

Katia gave him a smug look. "Well, you are my human now; which also makes you my bed. So, goodnight."

With that, she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. Jack sighed, then decided to just accept it. It wasn't like he really minded anyway, it was just… it reminded him a little too much of the times when Lucy used to crawl into bed and snuggle with him...

Jack closed his eyes as well, turning his head to hide the dampness on his cheeks. "Goodnight."

It didn't take Jack long to drift off to sleep, and his rest was peaceful. His dreams were, for once, blissfully normal if a little bittersweet. He dreamed of his friends, and all the good times they'd shared. When he did finally wake up, just as dawn broke, he was not surprised to find his cheeks still damp.

"Rise and shine, Katia," he said, as the little fox was still fast asleep on his chest.

Katia blinked a few times, then stretched out on top of him; her paws padding at Jack's face. She yawned widely, then looked Jack in the eyes.

"So," she said sleepily. "What time is it anyway?"

Jack chuckled. "Time to get up. We need to get ready and head out."

Katia yawned again. "Can't we wait five more minutes…"

In response, Jack picked Katia up in both hands and then sat up. He placed Katia gently on his pillow, then got up and started getting ready to leave. He didn't really have much to pack, so that didn't take long.

"Alrighty Katia," he said when he was finished. "Now we really have to go."

He retrieved a Pokéball, which Katia eyed curiously. "What is that?" she asked, evidently having never seen one before.

Jack furrowed his brow, trying to think of the best way to explain it. "Well… trainers use these to 'capture' Pokémon. It's sort of like its own little world inside. Once you go inside one, it marks you so that no one else can capture you. I just want to do this as a precaution."

Katia blinked, obviously not understanding a word he'd just said. She shrugged though. "Okay, whatever."

Jack tapped the ball lightly on Katia's forehead, and the Vulpix disappeared in a beam of red light. Jack then plugged the Pokéball into his pack and transferred Katia over. He waited a moment for her to pop out on her own, then he remembered that she couldn't. Not without Thomas.

Jack sighed, and punched in Katia's number to let her out. She appeared in a flash of white light, looking utterly awestruck.

"I was… and there was…" she stammered.

Jack chuckled. "Yeah. It's pretty amazing in there, isn't it," he said, to which Katia nodded quickly.

Jack picked up the pack and, with Katia trotting along at his heels, went over to the door and stepped out of his room. Guessing that Nova and Razgriz were already outside, Jack headed downstairs to look for them. On the way, he ran into a few students of the dojo who bade him farewell. He didn't run into Maylene however.

Stepping outside, Jack saw Nova and Razgriz meditating in the courtyard of the dojo. There was a faint glow of aura around the two of them and neither of them showed much movement. Once Jack was closer, Razgriz opened one of his eyes and glanced over at the human before opening the other and standing up. Nova did the same a few seconds later before the two of them walked over to where Jack was waiting.

"Good morning," Nova said in a cheerful voice.

"Morning," Jack replied.

"Hi!" Katia yipped.

"You guys are up early, as always," Jack commented wryly.

Razgriz shrugged in response, not denying that the two of them were usually up early in the morning.

Jack rubbed the back of his head. "So, are you two ready to head out? Or would you rather stick around for breakfast?"

"Depend on where breakfast is…" Nova replied, not wanting anything to do with the food at the dojo.

Jack chuckled. "I take it you'd rather not have tofu and eggs… which I can understand. So in that case, how do you feel about heading to Hearthome City now and getting breakfast there?"

"Please, anything other than the food here. I don't know how you can even stand it," Nova pleaded.

"Agreed… That tofu stuff is a pitiful substitute for meat," Razgriz added in.

Jack busted up laughing at that, although he was inclined to agree with them. Only the fact that he'd gone through the tofu torture before had allowed him to survive it this time. Still, he too was eager to put the white, tasteless putty behind him and binge on junk food three meals a day for a week or two.

"Alright then," Jack agreed once his laughter had died down. "In that case, let's…"

He never got to finish that sentence, as Maylene suddenly seemed to materialize behind him. "Leaving so soon?" she said, a hint of mischief in her voice. "You haven't even had breakfast yet."

Jack jumped a little. "Oh, Maylene! Didn't see you there. I was going to come say goodbye, but I thought you were asleep."

Maylene snorted. "You know full well I get up at sunrise. I don't blame you though," she added, her tone softening. "I know breakfast isn't the only reason you're eager to get back on the road. Just promise me one thing. When you finally get your Pokémon back, make sure you stop by and say hi. Okay?"

Jack nodded solemnly, his expression full of a determination he didn't feel. "Deal. We'll see you then."

Katia nuzzled at Jack's leg reassuringly, and he bent down and picked her up. He then turned to Nova and Razgriz and nodded.

"Alright," he said. "Let's go."


Me: *cheers* We're not dead!

Jack: That's right everybody, we're finally back; and we're back to stay. Our authors have finally decided to take a break from exploring the vast reaches of deep space, and blowing stuff up, and are putting their noses back to the grindstone.

Osean: I resent that. I had a hard class and a job over the summer.

Me: Yeah, me too!

Jack *shrugs* Well, now you've both got even more classes; and you're both still holding down jobs. So… yeah.

Nova: yeah, but now they can no longer explore space and blow as much stuff up, cause Osean is now separated from his X51.

Razgriz: so therefore, less distraction and more time for writing.

Jack: And you guys are actually going to exercise that time wisely, right?

Me: Well…

Osean: no promises...

Jack: *le sigh*

Razgriz: I say we threaten them pain and suffering without end if they don't.

Jack: I don't like that plan… but yeah, that'd probably work.

Nova: if not, we just hack their gaming accounts.

Me: You wouldn't…

Jack: *grins*

Me: Jack…?

Jack: *cackles maniacally*