II-Where's My Dad?

Rowen had turned from trainer to breeder and had a little Pokemon ranch consisting of a two-story bungalow beside a stone barn with a wide backyard witha small pond. The ranch was surrounded by a simple wooden fence, the kind with two planks horizontally equidistant and vertical posts to keep it then in place. He wasn't a very confining person; anyway, any danger would be handled by his trusty Pokemon. This was their place, their turf; some place to take it slow. He had accommodations with other breeders in Hoenn and a few in Jhoto (he was still making a name for himself) but this place was special. It was exclusively and equally taken care of by his Pokemon who had been with him through his training time. Especially Blaziken...

Thoughts of those times flew in Rowen's head as he settled Sly in the backyard. Hero was there, playing with her litter and the pups all yelped and rantowards him. Hero barked and tackled him to the ground, sending the puppies scrambling again. They raced to shady tree next to the pond.

"I'm very glad to see you too," Rowen laughed and stroked her glossy fur.

Torchic usually joined the rough and tumble play of the little poochyenas but today they were just sitting, wagging their tails excitedly and barking to each other.

"Hey guys, what're you talking about?"

"Guess what! Our dad's coming!" barked out a poochyena who had dark paws and a light tail.

"Our ultra cool Mightyena dad is coming! Awright!" His dark grey brother affirmed.

"Your dad?" chirped Torchic.

"Yeah, we're waiting for dad to come," said a lighter shade sister. "Rowen said dad's owner wanted to see us personally."

"He wanted to see us because we were special."

"We're special because we're purebreds!" sang out a tumbling dog. It was getting hard to tell which one was which with all running they started.

"Purebreds?"

"It means our mom was a Mightyena and our dad was a Mightyena."

"Is Sly a purebred?" asked the curious sister.

"No way! His dad wasn't a Mightyena!"

"You got it all right and all wrong, stupid!" Dark Paws bit the tail of another brother and pinned him down, glaring at the rest of siblings. "Sly isn't a purebred but it's because...he doesn't have a father!"

Torchic didn't know why but the heat rose deep within him. "Not true!"

"Hah! Where is he then! Guys, we can only play with purebreds!"

They howled and scrambled towards their mom. All except one poochyena, the one with the beautiful light grey coat. She leapt towards the despondent Torchic and laid a paw to his wing.

"They're just dumb. You're the funnest friend I've had since we were born."

Torchic spirits went up a little. "Thanks."

There was a flash of light and a Gardevoir materialized behind Rowen.

"Rowen."

"Aaaagh! Psyche! Don't scare me like that!" Psyche, being a psychic Pokemon, just mentally sounded out her thoughts to Rowen and her friends.

"Sorry, but someone's here to see you."

"Oh. Must be Charles and his Yena. We better let them in."

A heavyset young man in a sweatsuit holding a Mightyena appeared from thin air. It took a sec for them for the panic to register before crashing to the ground. Luckily (or not), the fall was broken for the man by his whimpering Mightyena.

"I didn't mean psychic-ally!" Rowen sighed exasperatedly.

"Sorry." Psyche lifted up the young man while Rowen helped the Mightyena. All the pups went crazy at the new arrivals, and Hero shyly followed suit, leaving Torchic by himself. For the next half hour, Torchic curiously watched as the newcomer examine each pup and tell something to Rowen. Meanwhile, Hero kept giving shy glances at the male Mightyena, who was acting nervous around her. The young man then pointed to some pups while Rowen nodded, staring hard into each pup. When Gardevoir finally led them out (this time by walking), Hero looked dejected while the other Mightyena made no other expression. The pups followed him and only then did the male Mightyena give a playful grin.

"Sorry, girl." Rowen kneeled and hugged his Mightyena. Torchic scrambled up to her. Rowen released her to retrieve the pups.

"Aunty Hero?"

"Oh, darling." Hero nuzzled him, feeling the warmth that radiated from him. "They're going to take some my pups away. It's just...so hard for me."

"Why? Why're they leaving?"

The Mightyena stepped back and shook the tears out her eyes. "That was part of the deal. The owner of the father of the pups will get his pick of the litter. I already knew from the start but it's still so hard!"

"What about me, Aunty? Will I get taken away too?"

"Of course not, darling! It's bad enough to have some of my pups gone." Mightyena licked the side of Torchic's face. "Nobody's gonna take you away!"

"Because I don't have a father," he thought sadly.

"Something's wrong with Sly." Rowen remarked to Psyche as he looked out the window. They were upstairs in the library which also served as his bedroom. It was early evening and Rowen had just finished putting Torchic in the room across his.

The Gardevoir looked up from her reading. She closed it and with little effort, sent it flying to the bookshelf. She floated next to her master and gazed out to the sunset.

"Yes, something is troubling his heart..."

"Where's Soleil?" Gardevoir noted the tender of use of the nickname.

"She is still out. Shall I go and get her?"

"No...No. Thank you, anyway." Rowen sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead. "I just worry extra when it comes to her. She's hurt...and it's all my fault."

Gardevoir felt the heavy sadness weigh down on her. She reached out and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. He placed his own gloved hand on top and all his burdens seemed to lift from shoulders.

"Thank you, Psyche."

When Rowen had bought the house, he was pleasantly surprise to find a luxurious bathroom in the second floor. (It did annoy him a bit that it was more decorated than any part of the house.) A Jacuzzi was even situated in the thankfully wide balcony and a circular marble bath tub was placed in the bathroom proper. Along one wall were a long mirror and three ornate sinks. There were three separate stalls: two showers, one toilet. Since this was house was his Pokemon's too, he let them pitch in their preferences. There were lots of plants and assorted toys, special lotions and bath products. The floor was covered with sand at the insistence of Rowen's Lombre, who loved the beach. Never mind that he practically spent his life out in the pond or in the ocean.

Psyche had let the hot tap fill a little of the vast circular tub and turned the cold tap on then off. She felt the temperature and added more hot water. She did this from across the room, while taking out a bottle of bubble bath and shaking out the sand from a flame-themed towel. Even if she never had to step on the sand, she was fairly annoyed. That idiotic Lombre had to make life hard for everyone, especially for their poor master.

She cleared her negative thoughts, attempting to reach balance. That guy always got to her even if not physically present. Ridiculous...

She felt a rush sadness all of the sudden. By her volition, the doors flew open and in came shuffling a small red chick. When it was time for his night bath, he usually came running, spraying the sand and making such noise. His vibrant energy causes Psyche to feel joyous. There was no such reaction today.

The warm water did not go past Torchic's body but the mountains and mountains of bubbles did. Psyche waved her hand and the bubbles floated, creating a fantastic ambience. The bubbles changed colors and shapes and sometimes even collectively formed figures. Torchic kept his eyes down as his aunty Psyche scrubbed him with a soft bath brush.

He was still downhearted. The psychic tapped her brush and a sudden burst of inspiration sent Torchic flying in a geyser of water. The chick shouted as he accelerated downwards but Psyche deftly caught him with the towel. The little chick giggled at the exhilarating trip, knowing there was never any danger as long as his "magical" aunt was around.

She drained the soapy water and filled it with the tub again for rinsing. The orange bubbles remained and floated all around them. Torchic was cuddled between the crook of her arm and followed the never popping bubbles form a Dragonite.

After feeling the right temperature, she set him down and began rinsing him. She always looked forward when it was her turn to give him a bath. She closed her eyes as she massaged the Torchic's head. There was a calming thing about this task, a meditative form of exercise. And it was always a pleasure to use her gifts to have Sly happy.

"Aunty?"

"Hmmm..." coming out of her deep thoughts

"What's that you're doing?"

"Meditating."

"Why?"

Psyche massaged the little chick's cheeks. He was such a curious little thing.

"It helps me achieve a calm mind."

"I saw Mommy doing something like that today." He turned sad again and lamely struck the water. "It looks peaceful. Maybe I should try it."

"Oh? Did something bad happen today?"

"Well...You know about Aunty Hero, right?" She nodded as she raised the warm water and poured it down his back. Behind her some bubbles turned pink and combined into a circle with a small puff.

"I know that! That's a Jigglypuff! Um...but about Aunty Hero..." He spun and looked directly at her red eyes. "Do I have a daddy!"

"Of course." Her voice was a matter-of-factly. "Everyone has parents who bore them to this world." This was over-simplifying matters but Sly was still a child.

"But the Poochys said I had no father. And that I wasn't a purebred. Is it that important that I have to be a purebred?" Hot tears poured from his now shiny blue eyes. Gardevoir touched and lifted his chin and gazed lovingly into his eyes.

"The reason the pups hold purebreds in high esteem is because they heard Charles—the owner of their father—arguing that purebreds are stronger than mixed-breed. Their father also firmly believed in it and thus it was ingrained in them that being a purebred would result in greater love from their father. This argument does have its merits because traits are passed down and strengthened by the same and exact kind of breed."

Apparently, Gardevoir thought he was suited to understand this.The torchic blinked at the overload of information.

"Purebreds are believed to be stronger than other types of breeding customs. For example: a Poochyena will be naturally stronger if it has two Mightyenas for parents than let's say—a Furret. This isn't necessarily true though."

"What's a Furret?"

It looks like this." The Jigglypuff disassembled and changed colors. They formed something long, white and brown. Torchic thought there was something familiar about...

"Rowen countered that it'll take more than just pure breeding to produce really strong Pokemon."

"What does it take?"

Psyche's eyes twinkled, as if giving a cryptic smile. "A great heart."

Torchic was confused again. He knew those words but they confused him more than Aunty's speech about breeding.

"Just hear this: Hero would've loved her pups whether or not they were purebreds. She only wished that her mate feels the same way she does for him."

"Their daddy don't love Aunty Hero?"

"Attraction? Yes. Affection? No. But he truly feels proud of his children. As is your mother of you." Psyche's thoughts had drifted now; this talk of emotion triggered numerous memories and her own emotion. The bubbles turned to yellow and red and formed a kicking chicken. Along side a human-like figure of red.

"But I saw their daddy!" His voice dropped and trailed off. "I never saw mine. Maybe I don't have one..."

Psyche mentally lifted Torchic and wrapped him in the towel. She held him close to her cheek, feeling the warmth emanating from him.

"Your father was a fine young Pokemon who loved your mother." She laid one slender arm on his forehead.

"You seen him! Aunty! What...did...he..." Torchic's looked up then suddenly his eyelids drooped and his voice became drowsy. "Look...like..." He was soon breathing soundly. The blue light faded from Psyche's eyes and she took away her arm. She drained the bathtub, floated out of the bathroom and towards the room that served as Torchic's nursery.

The bubbles dispersed and turned into white and brown ones. They swiveled into a long shape and were joined by two blue bubbles for eyes. Then all the bubbles popped.

(A/N) The Gardevoir's name is pronounced like "sigh-key".