"—and don't forget to change your underwear every day," Delia finished.
"I know, Mom, I know!" Ash said, blushing furiously. Misty and Brock laughed at him.
Delia grabbed her son in a hug. "You be careful, okay, sweetie?"
"Okay!" Ash said, sounding exasperated. "I'm not a baby, you know."
"You'll always be my baby boy," Mrs. Ketchum said with glistening eyes. She bent down beside Pikachu, who was still mad at Ash for his decision to take the Houndour along with him. "Goodbye, Pikachu," Delia said, patting him on the head.
"Pika," the mouse said reluctantly, still sulking.
"Bye, Mrs. Ketchum!" Brock and Misty said.
"Bye, Mom!" Ash sent.
"Have fun!" Delia called, smiling.
They had been moving along the path away from Pallet Town for about fifteen minutes before Ash decided it was time. He stopped walking (getting curious looks from Misty and Brock and an angered look from a knowing Pikachu), pulled a Pokéball off his belt, and enlarged it.
When the Houndour materialized, Brock stood open-mouthed and Misty gasped, "You brought her with you?"
"Hound?" the canine said, looking nervous and out-of-place. She was glad to be out of the Pokéball, but she was not happy that she was surrounded by three humans.
"Guys," Ash said, "I'd like you to meet Flamekist."
Brock (who was still speechless) and Misty (who felt uneasy) both looked at the Fire- and Dark-Type skeptically. Pikachu refused to look at her.
Misty was the first to speak, though it was somewhat unsurely. She thought it was dangerous that Ash had brought the Houndour with him, but she knew intuitively that it was necessary to help Ash heal, and she wanted to be supportive of him. She looked into Ash's hopeful eyes, and she just couldn't bring herself to reprimand him for his decision.
She didn't know what possessed her to want to say what she did next. "Can I touch her?" Her hand went to her mouth in shock.
Ash felt his heart leap up in his throat. What if Flamekist decided that this was all nonsense and changed her mind? What if Ash's stupid kindness got Misty hurt? Was this all a big mistake?
He looked into the canine's eyes, and he saw the fear, unease, and worry that were reflected by his own eyes. He had to trust her. That was all he could do.
"Flamekist," Ash said quietly. "Will you let Misty touch you?"
Her throat tight, the Houndour stared back at the dark-haired trainer. She was beginning to think that coming with him was a mistake. She wasn't meant to be with humans, right? Hadn't that been what her time with Ash's father had taught her? Humans were evil, weren't they?
They all hurt Pokémon, didn't they?
...But looking into Ash's deep brown eyes, the Houndour wasn't sure if she could believe that. There was such acceptance in there of whatever she would do. If she chose to run off, she knew he wouldn't blame her. If she chose to go back into her Pokéball and never come out, he wouldn't stop her. He was leaving the decisions up to her. He wasn't pushing her like his father.
She shifted her gaze slightly to take in the female trainer. Her eyes spoke of fear and worry, but also of concern. Concern not only for Ash, but also for all Pokémon...For Flamekist, a Pokémon the trainer had every right to hate.
The other trainer's jaw was no longer hanging down, and he seemed to be waiting...Waiting for Flamekist to respond, as they all were. He was a little harder to read, but the canine thought she could sense a sort of trust in him for whatever it was his friends decided to do. If they were willing to trust her, he would, too.
Flamekist took in a deep breath, her body rigid. Her emotions were battling within her...She hoped she wouldn't regret what she was going to do.
"Hound," she said softly, inclining her head in a 'yes.'
A small smile came on Misty's face, and the girl slowly bent down. Her hand tentatively reached out and gently moved from the back of the Houndour's head, down her neck, over the bone protrusions on her back, and at last off her tail. Flamekist relaxed. She'd never been petted like this before. It felt better than she had expected. A little more confidently, Misty moved her hand down the canine's neck again.
"Dour," Flamekist whispered, her normally angry-looking face now looking content as she closed her eyes.
Ash gave a laugh which relieved most of his tension. "That wasn't too bad, was it, Flamekist?"
The Houndour opened one eye, stuck out her tongue at him, then closed her eye again.
Misty and Brock both laughed at Ash, who sweat-dropped.
Ash looked at the Houndour for a moment, his nervousness returning. His knees became a little shaky, and he felt a bead of sweat on his forehead. "Can I pet you, Flamekist?"
The Fire- and Dark-Type opened her eyes and gave him a long stare. Finally, she spoke, Of course you can. Ash began hesitantly petting her, and, after a moment, Flamekist added, "Hound-houn."
Author's Note: "Revealing the Past" is the sequel to this story.
