Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, or the concept of trading, blah blah blah... Ya hear me? I'll probably forget to write it on other chaps, so don't sue me.

Claimer: I own... this story. Yeah. Anyway, read this and review, please.

There was nothing much to say about the room. Aside from its location behind the Mauville Gym, it was almost the same as any of the other one-room houses. Inside was the standard wooden bed, table, two chairs, and TV. Posters portraying rare and exotic Pokemon added a touch of originality to the walls. In the corner leaned a pair of metal crutches, and a walking stick rested in the cane stand near the door.

In the middle of the room, the inhabitant, a young teenaged girl, sat nestled in the confines of a wheelchair. Impatiently and a little nervously, she ran her hands through her shoulder length blond hair and kicked her feet. Or, to be more accurate, foot. Though her left limb was whole and perfectly shaped, her right leg ended in a loosely bandaged stump.

Suddenly her pet entered from outside. It was short, barely two feet tall, and had light, almost lime, green fur. Its snout and ears were tipped in a lighter yellow hue, outlining its flat head against its back.

It bounded across the room and leapt into the girl's lap. Laughing, she stroked it and picked it up. "Hey there, boy," she said in a near whisper, looking the Electrike in the eyes. He licked her face appreciatively, and she replaced him on her lap.

"Hey, Jacques," she said, pronouncing the name in a way that sounded like 'Shock', "There's something I need to tell you…"

The Pokemon noted that its mistress' voice sounded sad. He nuzzled her in consolation, then twitched an ear to signify that he was listening.

"Grandpa got you for me a couple of months ago. We used to make a good pair, you and I… You were energetic and playful, and I was, well… hotheaded and active. We took care of each other. But then -the accident-" She paused, as the pup had whimpered and looked away. "Don't be like that. There's nothing you could've done. That was a level 40 Crawdaunt; you are just a level 10 Electrke. All you could do was make him let go. Which you did nicely,"

The canine puffed out his chest in mock pride.

"But I lost my foot. Now I'm… crippled…? Yes, crippled. I can't take care of you anymore. You like to run. It's in your nature. You need exercise, training. Things I can no longer provide as your master. So, next week when the Trade Fair opens up, I'm going to find you a new owner."

The electric creature looked- excuse the pun- shocked.

The girl shifted in her seat. "Now don't look at me like that," she said, pointing playfully at him, "Even Grandpa says it's best. I'll find you a good trainer and get me something more suited to my sedentary lifestyle. …I was just letting you know. I didn't want you to think I was… you know… abandoning you. I still love you…"

Jacques shook his head. He jumped off his lady's lap and dashed out the door. He needed time to mull things over. He didn't see the girl hobble to bed, or the tears that glinted in her gray eyes.

BTW, does anybody know whether an electrike has ears? I'm just going to say it does, okay?