Me: Sorry this took so long, but we all had major writer's block concerning this, and we were also concentrating on our other stories.

Firethroat: And… umm… yeah. What she said.

Me: *Glares at Vurso and Firethroat. * You're lucky I'm letting you help at all, after that stunt you pulled.

Both: Eep.

Vurso: Umm, anyways, we don't own Pokemon.

Firethroat: *Sees me getting mad now. * ON WITH THE FIC! *He and Vurso fly away very fast. *

*********************

Vurso groaned and stopped, nearly pitching Hope on the ground, because she didn't stop fast enough.

"What is it?" She asked tiredly. She had given the translator back to Professor Oak before she left, so she didn't know what Vurso's reply was.

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand…" Vurso sighed and handed her one of his forepaws. She turned it over to see that it was red and swollen.

"I'm guessing you want to stop to rest…" Vurso muttered something that even Hope could translate as *No shit, Sherlock. *

Hope snorted and replied, "No need to get all mad about it."

Vurso replied with something that Hope guessed was *Then what do you suggest I do, genius, if you're so smart! *

"I never said I was smart, and how should I know what you should do!"

*YOU'RE MY TRAINER! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO KNOW! * Even Hope couldn't mistake the meaning of that.

"I'VE NEVER TRAINED A POKEMON BEFORE! I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT TO DO!I ONLY DID THIS TO…" Hope decided that this was the right point to shut up.

*Do what? Make a Pokemon's life miserable? * Vurso said bitterly. Hope didn't stop to think about how she could understand him.

"No… I would never do that… that's just cruel."

*My former trainer seemed to live by that saying… * Vurso said, sitting down with his back to Hope.

Hope's fists clenched, and she shuddered at the thought… and at her memories of what she herself had gone through…

"Vurso…"

*What? * Vurso asked bitterly.

"If I ever meet your former trainer, I swear, there will not be enough of him left to fill a Pokeball after I'm through with him…"

*Why the sudden ferocity? * Vurso asked, turning his head towards the general direction of his new trainer.

"I… I have my reasons…" Hope didn't feel comfortable telling him, or anyone for that matter, about her past.

Vurso snorted in disgust. *Okay, fine, be that way. I tell you about my past, and you don't even tell me why you seem so eager to toss my former trainer into the mouth of the nearest Gyarados. *

Hope sighed sadly, and turned away. Vurso heard her footsteps fade a bit, then the noises of her sitting down on something. And then, silence, or so he thought.

A soft, almost inaudible sound reached his sensitive ears. He turned his head, trying to locate it, and found that it was coming from the direction of Hope. Once he found where it was coming from, he discovered what it was.

Crying… Hope was crying… and Vurso knew that he was the reason… or, at least, he thought he was.

He stood unsteadily on all fours, and slowly walked over in Hope's direction, testing the ground carefully before putting a foot down. He stopped when his nose bumped softly into Hope, so softly, in fact, that she didn't notice.

*Hey. * He could feel Hope jump, and he winced. *I'm… I'm sorry about what I said earlier… *

"No… it's not your fault." He heard her sniffle. "It's mine…"

*How is it your fault? * Vurso asked.

Hope opened her mouth, then closed it again, almost saying Because I was born. Instead, she said, "I wasn't able to answer you…"

*Hey, I told you, it's okay. * Vurso heard Hope whimper softly in response, and awkwardly pulled her into a hug. He felt her clutch at him and cry even harder into his chest scales. He made what he felt were soft, soothing sounds in his throat.

Finally, Hope's sobs subsided, and she fell into an exhausted sleep. Vurso curled about his trainer, and laid a wing across her. He laid his head over the tip of his tail, and kept nervously sniffing at the air and raising his head to listen.

During their talk, a bond had formed between the Dragonite and the human girl. They were so much alike, that they couldn't help but become friends.

The two abused souls had found kindred spirits. And, although they didn't know it, they would be joined by others like them along their journey to greatness.

*********************

Vurso: Aww…

Firethroat: I'm gonna be sick…

Me: *Glares at them. *

Both: *Scram. *

Me: Okay, reviewers, could you please name some disabilities in your reviews? I really need physical ones. Now, with that said, please review, and the next chapter should be out within a couple of weeks. Again, sorry for the delay, and the short chapter. Firethroat should come in as Pyro in the next chapter.