A/N: So...as it turns out, the previous chapter was the last one of 2018. Oh well! Better late than never, right? Welcome to 2019, and with that, I present the first MarJour chapter of 2019! Here's hoping this new year will be great.

Chapter 51: His Other Family

Today sucked.

It had only been ten minutes since Caiseal lost a battle against his father, and he still felt like complete garbage. Everyone felt like garbage. Any motivation they had to do anything was knocked right out of them. The kids found a bench and sat down, figuring they needed some time to calm themselves and give their legs a break. It was easy to see that Caiseal had taken the loss really hard. He hadn't said a word since his defeat and barely moved much, except once, when he put Mallow back in his PokeBall. Even as the kids found some time for themselves, all he did was just sit there and cry...and as far as the girls were concerned, he had every right to do so. His father utterly humiliated him, disowned him, and is forbidding him from seeing his little sister. If the girls were in his position, they'd be sad and angry, too.

"Rrrrgh! This whole thing is so stupid!" Julia growled, still frustrated from the awful scene earlier. "I've never wanted to punch someone so badly in my entire life!"

"You're telling me," Perrine agreed. "I'm honestly surprised he and his wife haven't gotten arrested yet, even before all this."

Caiseal lifted his head just a bit. "...Nollaig already was," He finally muttered, his broken voice barely above a whisper. "She was arrested at one point, but she got out on bail," He explained.

"Wait, what?" Julia raised an eyebrow. "What does get out on bail mean?"

"It means she needed to pay a huge amount of money to get out of jail," Perrine explained. "If they don't have the money, then they serve their time until the court sentences them. At least, that's what my dad told me once. I don't know if that's entirely right, though."

Julia didn't know much about jail or police, except for some of the things she watched in shows. Police would catch someone, arrest them, and throw them in jail unless the court declared them not guilty for their crimes. She was sure there was a lot more to it than just that, but at this point, Julia didn't care. Her friend was at rock bottom right now, and she wished she could make all of his pain and hurt go away. But what could she do? She couldn't make Nollaig and Fergus magically see the error of their ways and convince them that Caiseal deserved their love. Or send them back to jail, where they definitely deserved to be. Nobody ever changed their minds on the flip of a dime. Life wasn't simple like that, but she wished that it was.

Then, Caiseal stood up from the bench. "Let's go to my house. There's no point in staying here."

Good point. They had been on their way to Caiseal's foster family anyway, so why bother delaying? But the girls did exchange worried looks.

"Are you sure you want to go right now?" Perrine asked, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to force yourself to do anything."

"I want to go home," Caiseal told her, his voice far away. "I told my foster parents I'd get there today. I don't want to keep them waiting."

Another good point. The kids really didn't want to stay here.

Back on the road they went. Julia glanced at Caiseal as they walked, and his legs moved at a slow, sluggish pace. He hunched over a little bit, like he was about to fall over, and his gait was like that of someone trying to helplessly push through thick piles of snow. It was like every step he took was heavy and wracked with pain. Julia looked down at her feet. Caiseal was really at the lowest point of his life right now. Maybe even worse than when his mother disowned him all those years ago. Julia found herself wishing she had done more than just throw dirt at him and scream at him. But there wasn't much point in dwelling on it now.

It didn't take long for them to stop in front of a big, bright orange house with lots of windows on the front, a gray slanted roof, and a teal colored front door. Little gardens filled with colorful flowers-mostly pansies and daisies-lined the front of the house, greeting the children with their vibrant, cheery petals. Julia could spot a tall, grey wooden fence lining the backyard. Caiseal put his finger on the doorbell as soon as he stepped on the front porch.

"Wow. Your house is really nice, Cash," Perrine said, in awe of the house's stark, vivacious color.

"It's nicer than my old one," Caiseal replied, his tone unchanging.

Not even three seconds passed before a merry, bronze-skinned woman answered the door, her black hair arranged in a neat, smooth bob cut. She beamed at the sight of the trio of children on her front porch. "Caiseal! You're back! Welcome home!" She cried out with joy as she wrapped her skinny arms around the boy, trapping him in a warm, comforting embrace. Caiseal didn't return the gesture, but he smiled as his nose rubbed against the fabric of her cashmere sweater. The scent of fresh baked cookies greeted his nostrils, and the warmth of her arms alleviated some of the frustration from earlier. Here, at least, was someone who loved him.

"...Hi, Mom."

"Oh! You've gotten tall!" The woman exclaimed, letting him go. "Did you grow a few more inches?" She noticed the two girls behind him. "And you two must be Julia and Perrine! It's so good to meet you both!" She took Perrine's hand and shook it. "I'm Yvette Asher, Caiseal's adopted mother. He's told me so much about you girls!"

"Hello, Mrs. Asher," Perrine greeted her. "It's nice to meet you, too."

As much as Julia wanted to greet her as well, the anger and frustration from earlier still simmered, and she was in no mood to pretend to be happy. Stuff like that was impossible to just push to the wayside for her. Julia simply waved at her, hoping she wouldn't be offended. Thankfully, to her relief, Yvette barely noticed.

"Come on inside! I'm sure you're all tired after so many months on the road!" Yvette escorted them inside with a smile. "I just got some cookies out of the oven. Do you like chocolate chip?"

Chocolate chip? Julia immediately perked right up. "It's my favorite!" She exclaimed.

Yvette sat them down at the dining room table, wasting no time putting food out. A plate of warm, fresh chocolate chip cookies, some sandwiches, some bananas, and a few other things. "Would you girls like anything to drink? Water? Tea? Lemonade?"

"Just water, please," Julia replied.

Within seconds, Yvette sat down three glasses full of water. "Sorry, Caiseal. Geoffrey's at work today, so he won't be back until about eight or so," Yvette told him. "He really wanted to see you when you arrived."

Caiseal shook his head slowly. "It's alright. There's no rush. Thanks for the food," Although he appreciated the spread before him, he had no appetite. Not after that crushing defeat.

That was all it took for Yvette to notice. "What's wrong, sweetie?" She asked, eyebrows furrowed in concern. She sat down next to him. "Is something bothering you? You sound sad," Some lingering tear tracks reflected the sunlight coming through the window. "Goodness. Something must have happened."

Instead of answering right away, Caiseal pulled out all of his PokeBalls, handing them to his foster mother. "Can you put them in the machine, please? They've been through a really rough battle."

"Machine?" Julia asked, having finished munching on a cookie. "You guys have one of those healing machines? Like the one Professor Elm has in his lab?"

Yvette flashed a smile at her as she gently took Caiseal's PokeBalls into her hands. "As a matter of fact, we do."

She went into the living room and put the PokeBalls into a healing machine, similar to the one Julia had seen in Professor Elm's lab months before. Julia leaned down to whisper towards Perrine, "Mrs. Asher is a way better mom than his real mom by miles."

Perrine silently nodded in agreement. There was certainly no denying that. Just from the stories they heard about Nollaig and from watching Yvette, the differences were like night and day. She was definitely better than Fergus. Fergus never smiled at Caiseal or showed any concern for his well being. Considering that he made no effort to comfort Caiseal when he had that breakdown during their battle, that cemented him as unfit to be a parent in their minds.

When she came back into the dining room, she wasted no time cutting to the chase. "Caiseal. I can tell something's wrong," She said. From her tone, she didn't say it in a harsh, urgent way that implied that she wasn't going to let Caiseal leave until he told her what happened. Instead, her voice was soft and warm, and she kept her distance. "Would you like to talk about it?"

At first, he said nothing. Then he stole a glance at his friends, giving them a pleading look. "Can you...tell her?" Caiseal's voice was small and weak, like he barely had any energy to talk louder than a whisper. "I'm too tired."

Understanding what he wanted, Julia decided to take the initiative. "Yeah. Just a few minutes ago, something bad happened," She went on to tell Yvette about Fergus and his challenging Caiseal to a battle.

"What?!" Yvette's mouth fell wide open, and she almost screamed. "You ran into your father?!" Julia winced. "Caiseal, did you really challenge him to a battle?!"

"Correction: Fergus challenged him," Julia pointed out. She knew Yvette was just shocked and still processing what she was telling her. But the girl did take some offense when Yvette implied that Caiseal challenged his father on purpose. Yes, he accepted the challenge, but it wasn't like his father gave him the option to back out. "He practically forced him to battle, saying he'd let Violet see him if he won."

The girls told Yvette everything, from how they ran into Violet to Fergus' callous confession when he left. This time, Yvette was silent as the girls relayed everything that had happened. All throughout, Caiseal didn't say a word, not that they could blame him. He had a terrible day. Why stress him out? Yvette's heart sank the more she heard.

"Goodness...I had no idea," Yvette's voice softened to a more sympathetic tone. "I wish I had known about this. Believe you me, if I had him in my sights, I'd have made an effort to put a stop to the whole thing, for more reasons than one," She said. To think this had happened mere minutes ago, and really close by, no less. It was easy to see the regret on her face plain as day.

Caiseal stood up from his chair, still despondent. "I'm gonna head to the backyard and say hi to Stacey and Geo. Sorry. I'm just...tired," He mumbled before turning a corner and walking out the back door.

Julia's heart felt heavy. This sad person was not the Caiseal she knew and loved at all. "I wish there was something we could do for him," She said. "I can't stand seeing him like that."

"Me too," Yvette agreed. Still, she flashed a grateful smile at the girls. "But it's better if we leave him be for now. He'll talk to us on his own time. I'm sure he needs time to sort everything out in his head. Besides, I think you two have done a lot more for him than you think."

The machine let out a beep in the other room. "Oh! Looks like Caiseal's Pokemon are healed," Yvette exclaimed, running back into the living room and coming right back in, PokeBalls in hand. "Alright, then. You girls should probably rest up. I bet you're tired after your long journey."

As far as the girls were concerned, they were more sad than tired. Julia grabbed another cookie and ate it.

When Caiseal walked out into his backyard, a wave of nostalgia overwhelmed him as he sat down on a nearby chair. It hadn't changed much since he left. The big dogwood tree was still there, way in the back, having been stripped bare of its leaves just a few months before. It seemed like only yesterday it was draped in green leaves and the snow white petals of dogwood flowers. The tree had been in full bloom on the day Caiseal left. Now it was just a giant hunk of wood with branches reaching out in all directions. An orange, six-foot high fence lined the property in a perfect square. On the left side of it was a small patch of soil only about three feet along, adorning bundles of lively purple aster flowers, their petals thin and delicate. Some large, flat stones made a path that led to a gate, which stood parallel to another street. Twelve, total. Caiseal counted them once on his first day here, when he had been first adopted.

Most children would be happy to be back home after a long journey. Caiseal wanted to be happy, since Yvette and her husband had welcomed him into their home with open arms. But he couldn't find it in himself to smile or rejoice his return. A heaviness weighed down on his heart. He wanted to come back here with a smile and tell his adopted parents all about his adventures. Too bad his battle with Fergus completely ruined everything. He hated greeting Yvette looking so forlorn and desolate. Actually...did he even want to come back here at all?

"Golem!" "Kiiiii!" Upon seeing their trainer, Geo and Stacey ran right up to him with open arms, welcoming him with delighted enthusiasm. Stacey wrapped her skinny arms around him, pulling her trainer close, taking care not to puncture him with her horns. Golem simply smiled and put a clawed hand on his shoulder.

"Hey guys," Caiseal murmured. "I'm back. You miss me?"

Geo and Stacey warbled cheerfully, their excitement bubbling over them like soda fizz. But it fizzed out just as quickly when they saw Caiseal's forlorn expression. Both Pokemon exchanged confused looks. Why was Caiseal so sad?

Seeing that they noticed, Caiseal made no effort to hide his sorrow. "Sorry. Today's been a really rough day," No. That was a gross understatement. As far as Caiseal was concerned, today had been absolutely crushing. His ex-father's callous final words echoed in his mind. To think he had no intention of honoring the deal that he himself had set up. Or maybe he only proposed it because he knew Caiseal would lose due to the experience gap. Regardless, it was still so cruel to kick him while he was already down. Then again, what did Caiseal expect? It wasn't like he was much different back when he still lived at that house. From what he had heard, Fergus didn't even make an effort to search for him when Nollaig left him at the Ice Path.

Figures. Fergus didn't change back then, and he certainly didn't change now. Why expect anything different? Still, even though he somewhat saw this coming, it did nothing to alleviate the pain lingering in his heart. For what it was worth, his Pokemon were here with him. They didn't care about where he came from or the circumstances of his birth. Geo and Stacey were happy to see him. Yvette, Julia, Perrine, and all his other Pokemon loved him. He wondered what he might have become if he didn't have them in his life? Caiseal shook his head. No way did he let his imagination get that far.

"Cash?" Julia poked her head out the door. "Mrs. Asher says your Pokemon are healed up now."

Caiseal smiled. "Thanks. I'll be inside in a minute," He told her. "I oughta show you girls my collection of bad horror movies."

Without another word, Julia went back inside, giving Caiseal his space. He stroke Geo's head. "I'll tell you more about it later. I'm gonna hang with the girls. Is that okay?"

Both Pokemon nodded in agreement.

Once inside, he retrieved his Pokemon and showed the girls his room. Mallow and Ravenclaw had come out of their PokeBalls, mostly because Caiseal felt it'd be good for them to wander around the house a bit. It was a pretty typical boy's room as far as they knew. The walls were a rich deep blue, but the ceiling and carpet were both white. A Snorlax-themed clock hovered over the doorway, and a big silver shelf stood on the left side of his bed, filled to bursting with books, DVDs, and various other nick-nacks. His bed had a quilted comforter in all shades of blue, with matching pillows, and a lamp stood on a wooden night stand, the shade dark blue with stars cut into it on all sides. Julia walked over to get a better look. If it was turned on, she was sure the light would cut through the holes and make stars appear, like a starry sky was right inside his room. She always wanted one of those lamps for herself, even as a kid. Some sneakers lined up against a wooden night stand. A silver scooter and a gray striped skateboard with flaming red wheels were stuffed into another corner of the room.

"Your room's really nice," Julia mused out loud, still finding herself fixated on Caiseal's starry night lamp.

"I know, right?" Caiseal agreed. "I think it's way better than my old one. It's bigger and I actually have a place where I can put my skateboard and scooter."

Ravenclaw fluttered onto Caiseal's bed and began using her talons to adjust the comforter a bit, taking care not to rip it. After pushing it around, she sat down and closed her eyes, letting herself relax. Perrine found herself looking at a row of DVDs lined up on the second shelf.

"Jeez, Cash. I didn't know you were a horror movie buff," Perrine said, counting the DVDs with her index finger. "You have some obscure ones, too! The Silent Place, The Glowing, Shout, Ghostly Activity, The Band, The Silence of the Mareep, Mary, The Nightmare on Sudowoodo Street, goodness!"

"I find the bad ones to be pretty hilarious," Caiseal said, stifling a chortle. "I admit it, bad horror movies are my guilty pleasure. Sorry I never told you. I wasn't sure if you'd like this kinda stuff."

"Eh, they're not really my thing," Julia told him. "But if you like them, that's cool. I did see The Shaman when I was little, though. My mom told me she saw it when she was a teenager, back when it first came out."

Before Caiseal could ask her about it, a shriek from Perrine silenced them. Julia's hands flew to her ears. "No way! You have Stand With Me?! I've been looking for this movie for years!" Perrine exclaimed, her voice having risen an octave or two, her blue eyes gleaming at a DVD she held in her hands. "I could never find this anywhere! I saw it at a friend's house once and I loved it and wanted to see it again but I had no luck!"

An idea flashed in Caiseal's head. "If you want, we can watch it down in the living room."

Perrine wasted no time giving him her approval. "Heck yes!"

"Cool! I haven't seen any new movies in a while," Julia added, liking the idea of sitting down to watch a movie with her friends.

With that in mind, the kids gathered into the living room and spent the next two hours watching the movie. Sometimes they'd laugh, either at genuinely funny scenes, parts that they felt didn't quite work, or were just plain bad. Sometimes they would gasp in shock at the trials that the characters had to endure. Julia didn't find herself liking the movie, so after an hour, she opted out and went to the bathroom for a bit. Thankfully, Caiseal and Perrine didn't make a big deal out of it, understanding that this particular one wasn't her cup of tea and didn't force her to stay and watch. After that, Caiseal let all of his Pokemon out in the backyard and let them play. When the movie was finished, he pulled out a board game, and the kids played that for a while.

But throughout the board game, and the movie, Julia could tell everything Caiseal was doing came off as forced. His voice quivered a few times when he tried to feign enthusiasm. His eyes still had that far away look that still lingered from earlier today. Obviously, the battle and its aftermath still weighed heavy on him. She wished she could alleviate his pain in some way. But what could she do? She didn't have magic powers, and she was sure anything she could do would just make things worse. If Caiseal didn't want to talk about it, there was no point in pushing it. But the Donphan in the room needed to be addressed some time, and the thought kept gnawing at her mind like a hungry Rattata. It wouldn't stop bugging her no matter how much she tried to push it to the side for Caiseal's sake.

"How are you kids doing in there?" Yvette asked, popping her head into the living room. "Who's winning?"

"I am!" Perrine exclaimed, throwing her hand into the air.

Julia barely had her mind on the game, but from what she could see, Caiseal was losing. "We're fine, Mom," Caiseal reassured. "It's all good in here."

Yvette flashed a grin in his direction. "That's good. I'm getting some laundry done, but let me know if you need anything," She told them before disappearing into the other room.

Another fifteen minutes passed before the board game ended. As she proclaimed, Perrine won, which wasn't much of a surprise. "Man, you guys suck at this game!" She boasted, brimming with pride. Of course, Caiseal and Julia knew she was just happy, so they didn't take the loss personally. It was just a board game. "Do you know where the bathroom's at, Cash?"

"There's a little one right in the kitchen," Caiseal told her matter-of-factly. "But the big one's upstairs."

"Good, because I really need to go. Be right back!" Perrine said, wasting no time running up the stairs.

Leaving both Julia and Caiseal alone in the living room. Not entirely alone, as Mallow was sitting on the living room couch, his skull and bone almost blending in with the beige fabric. Now was time to bring up the battle. But her vocal chords shut down. How could she even hope to bring it up, and in a way that didn't offend him? Great. Her chance to talk to him was here and any words she had on the tip of her tongue dried up just like that. The silence weighed heavy in the air. Thankfully, it didn't last for long.

"Hey, Jule?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember when we first met back in Goldenrod City?" Caiseal asked, his voice low and still far away. He fiddled with the dice on the board game, rolling it around with his finger. "How I yelled at you and called your reasons for going on a Pokemon journey stupid and pathetic? And called you weak and a joke?"

The scene played back in her mind faster than an Agility attack. "I do! Man, it was so long ago," Julia exclaimed. She remembered it all very clearly: Caiseal's angry eyes, his venomous words, his yelling ringing in her ears, not helped by the fact that just before, Amara had evaded them after stealing a Plain Badge from Whitney. She hadn't thought about that in months. "You were pretty rude back then."

"Yeah. Not gonna lie, it was stupid of me to do that," Caiseal continued.

"I already forgave you for that, so it's all water under the bridge."

"I know. But..." A brief silence. Then he spoke again. "I never did tell you why I went on my journey."

Julia raised her eyebrows. "Didn't you say you wanted to get into the Pokemon League?"

"That, and...something else…" Caiseal let the sentence drift away for the moment. He stopped fiddling with the dice. Another brief silence. "After I got adopted, things got better for me. Yvette and Geoffrey treat me well, I got good grades in school, and I finally got to learn what life was like without constantly getting yelled at all the time."

As far as Julia was concerned, he absolutely deserved to get adopted after what he went through with Nollaig. Still, Caiseal's voice was somber and distant. "I thought that since I was away from her now, all my problems would go away. But they didn't," He picked up one of the plastic figurines from the board game, staring at it as he continued on. "I get nightmares about it every night, and even when I'm doing something normal, or nothing at all, I still hear Nollaig yelling at me over every little thing."

Caiseal's explanation continued on, and Julia could only listen. No, she wanted to listen, and she didn't say a word as she allowed her friend to talk. Caiseal tried to make the most out of his new life, and he was genuinely happy to finally be out from Nollaig's thumb. But no matter what he did, or how nicely Yvette and Geoffrey treated him, he still felt out of place. He felt like a stain on a white cotton shirt. Every day, Nollaig's angry voice would continually echo in his mind, berating him over just about everything, as if mocking him for thinking he deserved any semblance of happiness. It made him constantly question his own existence. Did he deserve to be happy? Did he have any right to live like a normal kid and be treated as such? Was Nollaig right about him being a monster who only brought misfortune to everyone around him?

Things that didn't used to bother him before suddenly became extremely significant to him. When he was eleven, he overheard one of his classmates-one of his own friends in school at that-make a tasteless joke about homeless people. He claimed that homeless people were lazy and gross, or were actually faking it so they could receive free money from people. Something had snapped inside him. What did he know about being homeless? Caiseal had been there. He had experienced it first hand. The pain of not having access to good food or clothes. Spending months out in the cold, without anything warm to wear to protect him from nature. Constantly being rejected because of how he looked no matter his reasons. Trying everything he could to get through the day, continually wondering if he was going to even survive. Before Caiseal knew it, he was on top of the kid, punching him in the face over and over, screaming at him.

He was suspended for three days after that. The incident resulted in his adoptive parents deciding to put him in therapy. Caiseal was okay with the idea, figuring it'd help fix everything once and for all, and he did genuinely feel bad for attacking his friend. The therapist he spoke to every month was a nice lady, and she always let him talk without judging him or making him feel scrutinized. But talking didn't solve things. It didn't put an end to the nightmares, the flashbacks, the worry he had for Violet, and the pain he always felt. After several months of thinking and soul searching, he came to a potential solution for himself: Leave Blackthorn City. Go on a Pokemon journey.

"I thought that maybe if I left Blackthorn City entirely, things would work themselves out," Caiseal said, fiddling with the figurine on the board game. "To be honest, I wasn't sure if I wanted to come back at all. Why go back to the place that holds so many bad memories for me?"

When he told Yvette and Geoffrey he wanted to become an official trainer, they supported his wish without any hesitation. They helped him apply for a license, bought him some PokeBalls, taught him some things he needed to learn while out in the wilderness (Some of it he already picked up from being on the streets for two months), told him about the potential dangers and what to do in preparation for them, and many other things. He didn't dare tell them he was thinking about leaving permanently, only telling them he wanted to try his hand at traveling, since he wanted to be a trainer from the start. Things went pretty well when he set off. But the nightmares and the flashbacks returned, plaguing him every day, even when something good happened.

"Nothing I did fixed anything," Caiseal choked out, putting the figurine back on the board game. "I tried everything, and the nightmares and flashbacks won't stop," Stray tears trickled down his cheeks. Julia looked away. Seeing his tears would only make her cry, and she didn't want to cry right now. Not when Caiseal was opening up to her like this. "So...I claimed you and your reasons for traveling were pathetic...but I was really describing myself."

Caiseal? Pathetic? No way were those two words meant to go together. Not in her mind. Julia put her hand right on top of Caiseal's, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "That's not true!" She wasted no time telling him exactly what was on her mind. "You're absolutely not pathetic or weak or any of those things! I meant what I said to you in the Ice Path, and that hasn't changed, even now! I don't think your reason for traveling is pathetic at all! I mean, I don't think just traveling in and of itself would have fixed anything, but you still made lots of friends and experienced so many new things! That has to mean something, doesn't it?"

In all honesty, Julia wasn't quite sure anything she said would really work. Simply reassuring him wouldn't make his problems go away. But seeing her friend look so down and heartbroken hurt her heart.

"She's right, you know."

Another voice suddenly inserted herself into the conversation. Julia and Caiseal swiveled towards the entrance to find Yvette standing there. She walked into the living room and sat down right next to Caiseal. "Sorry for eavesdropping. I was going to ask about your journey, but you two were already talking and I didn't want to interrupt."

Caiseal shook his head. "It's fine," He said that, but inside, he felt like he had been hit upside the head. He didn't want his adoptive mother to know his reasons for going on a journey. Caiseal feared that if she knew, she wouldn't let him go. Or maybe she might have. He didn't know. Guilt weighed heavy on his heart in that moment. He hated the fact that he repaid her kindness by basically trying to ditch her, even his reasons for wanting to go had nothing to do with her and her husband personally. The sadness was in her eyes plain as day.

"I'm sorry I never told you any of this, Mom," Caiseal whimpered. "I didn't want you to think I was just being an ungrateful brat."

Yvette's expression didn't change. She simply placed a gentle hand on Caiseal's shoulder. It was warm and full of love. "Of course I don't think that. I know you've been going through a hard time. In a way, I had somewhat suspected you had deeper reasons for going on your journey. I wasn't sure how to bring it up," She told him. "But everything your friend is saying is true. Everything Nollaig and Fergus did to you is not okay, and they're wrong about you."

Another hand gripped his shoulder. The two were face to face now. Julia slowly crept out from their personal space to get out of their way. "Caiseal. I don't ever want you to think that you don't deserve any happiness or joy or love in this world," Her voice was firm, leaving no room for nonsense. But Caiseal could sense the overwhelming kindness in it just as much. "Remember, you're not alone in this world. You have wonderful friends. You have Mallow and all of your other amazing Pokemon. You still have Violet, and she still loves you. You have Geoffrey and I. No matter what happens, we will always, always care about you. And I know you have had to put up with years of trauma, that can't just be erased with kindness. We both know that just doesn't happen. But that doesn't mean we care any less about you."

A fresh pang settled in Julia's heart right then. Geraldine came back into her mind. Yvette's words were true. If someone went through a lot of bad experiences, merely saving them and giving them love alone wasn't going to magically make their problems go away. Geraldine needed professional help, something Julia just couldn't give her. But that didn't mean saving someone and showing them love didn't do anything at all.

"Am I going to stay this way forever?" Caiseal couldn't keep his voice steady. Tears were beginning to well up in the corners of his eyes. "Am I going to have these nightmares and flashbacks all the time? Are they ever gonna stop?"

Just hearing that made everyone wince. After a moment's thought, Yvette pulled Caiseal into a tight hug. "I don't know, Cash. But whatever happens, Geoffrey and I will always be with you every step of the way," She whispered, stroking his hair with one hand. "We'll do anything for you. You can always talk to us, especially about the bad things. You can always come to us if you need help, and we'll see that you get it, even if we don't really know how to address your problems. It's okay to not be okay. Don't ever forget that, because you're our son, and we love you."

Those three words he never heard from Nollaig or Fergus hit him like a Take Down attack, in all the best ways. Who cares about them? He knew in his heart that Yvette loved him and always will. But hearing it was still like music to his ears. The miracle he never thought he'd experience, even though she told him such many times before. In three short years, she showered him with more compassion and love than his real parents ever did in the first nine years of his life.

It was then that Caiseal broke down. He wailed into Yvette's-his mother's-shirt openly, wrapping his own arms around her. She rubbed her son's back, gently reassuring him. "It's okay. You can let it all out."

Julia found a chance to slip out of the living room unnoticed, partly because she wanted to give them their space, and partly because Caiseal's crying hurt her ears. It hurt her heart as well. She didn't want to cry, and if she stayed, she might have. But she could tell he had wanted to open up to Yvette for a long time. She just knew. Doing so was a big step on the long road to healing. She didn't dare try to imagine what Caiseal's life would have been like if he didn't have any support.

"Hey!" Perrine finally came out from the bathroom, running towards Julia when she heard Caiseal's wails. "What's going on? What's-?"

"Shhh!" Julia was quick to shush her, holding an index finger to her own mouth. Wordlessly, she shook her head and gestured behind herself. Perrine glanced over Julia's shoulder, seeing Yvette holding Caiseal tight. For the briefest of moments, her blue eyes creased with worry. She had never seen Caiseal look so desolate and vulnerable before. That was all it took for Perrine to realize that it was better if they were left alone for now. Caiseal obviously needed this. Nodding to each other in silence, they decided to head to the backyard and let their Pokemon run around for a while.

Neither girl was sure how much time had passed since they left Caiseal and Yvette alone. It seemed to go on forever. But after a while, Caiseal seemed to be back to his old self again. They all sat in the backyard, showing Yvette their Pokemon, telling her all about their journey and the time they spent together. Yvette delighted in all of it, but the girls could tell Caiseal was the one who benefitted the most from it. Compared to how he was with Fergus, he was much more open here. Much more enthusiastic. Free. Unrestrained. He was himself here. The girls could only smile when they saw Caiseal blossom under Yvette's loving smiles and warm kindness. Yes, this was the Caiseal they knew and loved. The Caiseal they knew he deserved to be.

At about seven thirty, Yvette started on dinner. A big one fit for five people, so she had a lot to do. Caiseal and Perrine even offered to help, though she told them that was unnecessary. They were kids. They deserved to play and have fun as far as she was concerned. A few minutes after eight, the door swung open, and someone new came into the Asher house.

"Yvette, honey! I'm back!" The deep, burly voice of a man announced his entrance, as though he were walking down a red carpet fit for a movie star.

"Hey, Dad!" Caiseal ran to greet his adopted father.

"Welcome home, Geoffrey!" Yvette called out from the kitchen. "Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes."

Geoffrey sat down on the couch, taking off his pale brown work boots before removing a deep green jacket, revealing a long sleeved, black sweater underneath. Caiseal could see one rip on his blue jeans, but it was barely bigger than the tip of his pinkie finger. When their eyes met, Geoffrey pulled Caiseal into a hug, the latter giggling from the short, itchy beard rubbing against the side of his face. Julia and Perrine exchanged smiles. Just from one single glance, they could tell Geoffrey was way better than Fergus by miles.

"Well now, if it isn't Caiseal! I haven't seen you in months, boy! How ya been?" Geoffrey laughed as he hugged his adopted son, his voice deep but warm and friendly. "Sorry I couldn't come sooner. You know my truckin' keeps me on the road a lot."

"It's okay!" Caiseal told him with just as much zest. "I'm just spending the night here, so I won't be staying long myself. By the way, these are my friends," He extended his arm out, pointing towards his friends. "Julia and Perrine."

Perrine said hi while Julia just waved at him in silence.

"So these are the girls you've been tellin' us about all the time!" Geoffrey exclaimed, his brown eyes gleaming with joy. "It's nice to meet you two, finally! Caiseal tells me you've been real good to him. I'm mighty glad he has great friends like you on his side."

"It's no big deal, really, sir," Perrine said. "He's great."

"Are you a truck driver?" Julia asked shyly, peering out from behind Perrine's back. She definitely liked his bubbly, cheerful demeanor, but at the same time, it was also a little overwhelming.

"Yes I am, missy!" Geoffrey answered without losing a beat. "I go around Johto and Kanto transporting all kinds of stuff all over. Except on the weekends, though," A familiar scent wafted into the air. "Mmmm! Is that meat loaf I smell? That's some good stuff!"

It wasn't long before dinner itself was ready. Meat loaf, chicken dumplings, an assortment of vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, and lettuce, and white rice. Everyone gathered at the table, happily chatting and sharing stories as they ate their meals, making it a lively affair.

"So tell me," Geoffrey began after he started on his meat loaf. "How many badges do you all have?" He asked.

Caiseal was the first to answer. "We each have seven badges total."

"Wow! That's wonderful!" Yvette exclaimed with a big smile that showed off her dimples. "You're all one badge away from getting into the Pokemon League!"

"We tried going to the Blackthorn gym to battle Clair yesterday," Julia found an opening and took the chance to explain things. "But she wasn't there, so we weren't able to. We don't know when she'll be back."

Geoffrey finished some dumplings and flashed a grin. "Well kids, you're in luck!" He pointed to them with his fork. "Earlier today, I was drivin' by the main part of Blackthorn City, and I saw Clair herself walkin' into her gym! So that tells me she's back in business!"

All three kids exchanged shocked expressions. Clair was back already? That was quick. They had expected her to be gone for a lot longer. Maybe she had been gone a while before they even arrived at Blackthorn City. They didn't know for sure. Still, their excitement was about to bubble over like soda fizz. After this, they could go to the gym and battle her, finally!

"Yay!" Perrine cheered, throwing her arms into the air. She didn't have any utensils in her hands in that moment, so she didn't accidentally throw any of those or food into the air. "Tomorrow we are definitely going back and challenging her!"

Both Julia and Caiseal agreed, liking the idea.

"Clair Van Drak's one tough cookie," Geoffrey advised. "Try not to get overconfident with her. She's the toughest gym leader in all of Johto."

"Thanks, Dad," Caiseal said. "We'll do our best."

Yvette and Geoffrey smiled with pride. Geoffrey put a hand on Caiseal's shoulder. "No matter what happens, we'll always be proud of you. You know that, right, Cash?"

"Of course."

As far as the girls were concerned, Yvette and Geoffrey were definitely way better parents than Fergus and Nollaig. There was no contest.

"Girls?" Yvette said. "You two can sleep in the guest room tonight. Is that alright with you?"

"Sure. We don't mind," Julia replied.

The rest of the dinner went by quickly. The kids finished first and they each went to do their own thing, whether it was take a shower or feed the Pokemon. At one point, Yvette asked Caiseal if he'd like to tell Geoffrey about the battle with Fergus, his meeting with Violet, and everything he told her earlier. Caiseal said yes and found some time to sit down with him while the girls were busy preparing for bed. Caiseal didn't want to hide any of this from Geoffrey forever, especially since he had been so good to him. Although Geoffrey was understandably appalled by what happened, he was just happy things didn't turn out worse and that Caiseal was alright.

When night fell, the kids and their Pokemon were sound asleep, tired from the exhausting, eventful day they've had. Yvette and Geoffrey couldn't blame them for falling asleep the second their bodies hit the beds. This was actually a good thing. Yvette blew a goodbye kiss to Caiseal, gently closing the door to his room shut before walking back down to the living room. Geoffrey was still in the dining room, his hands folded together as he stared down at the sunflower-themed placemat. His thin eyebrows were creased in worry. Yvette pulled out a chair and sat down next to him.

"Hearing about this must have really gotten to you, huh?" Yvette rubbed her husband's back with one hand. It didn't do anything to ameliorate his conflicting feelings, but she could tell he appreciated the gesture.

"I can't say I'm not mad about this," Geoffrey hissed. "First they treat him like dirt, then that woman abandons him at the Ice Path, outright disowns him right before his eyes, and now her husband had the nerve to do what he did…" He squeezed his hands tightly. "Hasn't Caiseal been through enough? He doesn't deserve this!"

Yvette continued rubbing his back, but guilt weighed heavy on her heart. She wished she had been there to put a stop to the battle. Fergus had no right to not only string Caiseal around, but kick him while he was down and put Violet in the middle of it all. Sure, she was treated better compared to Caiseal, but that didn't make the situation any less horrible for both of them.

"I agree," Yvette said. "I'm going to make a few phone calls. I think I'm starting to understand what Caiseal really needs."

It was here that Geoffrey finally lifted his head up. "Will we be able to make it work, though?"

His wife stood up and flashed a confident smile. "I don't see why not. Besides, I'm more than willing to fight for him. I'm sure you are, too."

Geoffrey couldn't argue with her there. She wasted no time picking up the phone and dialing some numbers. After a couple rings, someone answered.

"Hello? Blackthorn City CPS? I'd like to make a report."

The next morning was uneventful but relatively peaceful. It helped that today was a nice, sunny day, with only a few white clouds spotting the sky. The kids planned to leave the Asher house at about eleven thirty, and at the moment, it was seven thirty, so they had plenty of time to get ready. Caiseal decided to take Stacey with him and have Ravenclaw stay at home for the time being, which she didn't mind. Julia was in the living room brushing Saoirse's ears, and Yvette was next to her, grading some papers. A knock at the door pulled them both out of their reveries.

"I'll get it," Yvette put her papers aside and quickly rushed to the door. Julia wasn't too bothered, and she kept brushing Saoirse's ears. She was able to hear what was going on. "Hello?"

"Greetings, Mrs. Asher," A womanly voice nobody recognized answered. Perrine and Caiseal came rushing into the living room. Standing at the doorway was a young woman with short black hair wearing ovular glasses and a simple grey suit. Who was she? "Is Caiseal Brownstone here by any chance?"

She knew his name? Caiseal stepped forward. "Yes I am," He told her. "What's going on?"

Yvette politely invited her inside, and she sat down on the couch. Everyone gathered into the living room to hear what she had to say. "Sorry to drop in on you like this. I'm Haven Anderson, a social worker for Blackthorn City Child Protective Services," She raised her hand up. "Don't worry, I'm not here to take anyone away. I actually have some news for you, Caiseal."

"For me?" He asked. What did this have to do with him?

She wasted no time telling him. "Your biological parents Nollaig and Fergus Brownstone were arrested last night."

Everyone's jaws dropped. They were arrested? Nobody had any words. They had all but dried up. Caiseal almost let himself cheer, but the rational part of his brain kept him from doing so. Nollaig had been arrested before, but she got out of jail by paying a lot of money. What was the point of arresting her again when she could easily get out? As far as Caiseal was concerned, Nollaig should have been stuck in jail forever, what with having abandoned him at a dangerous place, but apparently whoever was in charge of the proceedings didn't raise her bail high enough.

"How come?" Caiseal asked, raising an eyebrow with suspicion. "You better not be trying to jerk my chain."

"Trust me, I'm not," Ms. Anderson told him.

It was here that she explained everything. Apparently, new evidence had come to light about Caiseal's abandonment three years ago, which was further confirmed by reports that told her section of CPS about Fergus challenging Caiseal to a battle and using Violet as a bargaining chip. She wasn't allowed to explain what this new evidence exactly was, but it was substantial enough to give authorities reasonable cause to not only arrest Nollaig and Fergus, but remove Violet from their custody. Furthermore, it's against Johto law to use Pokemon battles as a means to settle a custody dispute, even more so to use a child as a prize in said battle, for obvious reasons.

"Is she okay?" Caiseal's voice rose an octave, his eyebrows creased with worry. "Nothing bad happened to her, right?"

The social worker smiled at him warmly. "She's safe, Caiseal. She's in one of our facilities right now," She told him. "Speaking of her, there's actually more I want to discuss."

Ms. Anderson went on to explain that Violet was the one who made the original report by not only confirming that Nollaig's abandonment of Caiseal was premeditated, but telling her about the battle and that her parents were forbidding her from seeing her brother. By Johto's laws, access to family members is the child's right, even if they're underage, not the parents, so the Brownstones broke the law by preventing Violet from seeing Caiseal.

"Wait a minute!" Julia exclaimed. "I thought kids who went into foster care were never allowed to see their family members ever again once they were separated, even the ones who like them."

"That's not always the case," Ms. Anderson clarified, adjusting her glasses a bit. "While it is true that we don't normally disclose where our clients live, mostly to assure their safety, if siblings want to see each other and spend time together, it is possible to make arrangements to ensure that they remain in contact. If the arrangements come into effect, the parents aren't allowed to interfere with that."

For a moment, Caiseal thought he was in heaven. What he thought had been impossible was actually happening. There was a chance he could be with Violet? See her? Be there for her? And Nollaig and Fergus wouldn't be allowed to do anything about it? In that instant, he felt light as a feather. He looked down at his shoes, hoping nobody would see him looking like he was about to cry. But boy, did he want to! It took everything he had to not explode into a paroxysm of unrestrained joy.

"If it's alright with you, Mrs. Asher, I'd like to ask for your cooperation on this matter," Ms. Anderson said. "From what Violet told me, she is very adamant about wanting to see her brother. I was hoping we could discuss making some arrangements to fulfill her and Caiseal's wishes."

Yvette didn't waste any time shaking the woman's hand. "You didn't even need to ask. I'd be more than happy to make this happen."

Cheers broke the tension in the air. Perrine and Julia threw their arms around Caiseal, overcome with happiness, their excitement bubbling over like soda fizz. "You're gonna see Violet again!" Julia shouted loud enough for everyone to hear. "This is awesome!"

"I know! I know!" Caiseal didn't mind that the girls were squeezing him on both sides and hugging him way too tight. After the awful day he had yesterday, he gave up on hoping for any kind of miracle. Now it was happening right before his very eyes.

"Alright, alright," Yvette gestured for them to calm down. "Quiet down now. Ms. Anderson and I have some things we need to discuss in private for a little bit," She told them. "So would you-?"

Before she could finish her sentence, the trio of kids had stormed out into the backyard, jumping and cheering like they were at a football game. Yvette smiled. She knew they'd be happy, but she certainly didn't expect this. But she didn't mind one bit. Not long after, Geoffrey came downstairs and also spoke with Ms. Anderson for a while. As much as the kids wanted to hear more, they knew some things were best left with the adults, so they tried to stay out of the conversation by hanging out in the backyard. After about an hour, they saw a black car pull out of the driveway. Perrine barely saw Ms. Anderson's face in the window, and the kids watched as she drove away, disappearing into the desert. They raced back inside and hounded Yvette and Geoffrey the second they met eyes.

"Well? What's gonna happen?" Julia asked.

"Can I really see Violet?" Caiseal inquired.

Geoffrey decided to speak this time. "Things are just getting off the ground, so nothing's really set in stone yet," He answered, keeping his voice calm and matter-of-fact. "Violet's safe for the time being, but from what Ms. Anderson was telling us, getting these arrangements set up is a long, tedious process. There's a lot of paperwork, court hearings, and meetings with lawyers involved, so it's not going to happen right away."

Everyone sighed. They figured as much. Still, it was something. There was still hope.

"She also told us she'll do whatever it takes to make sure they stay in jail and ensure that you and Violet can see each other," Yvette assured. "Plus, she knows your PokeGear number, and Ms. Anderson gave her permission to call you any time she wants."

As far as the kids were concerned, this was better than nothing. Especially better than the awful battle from yesterday. Without a word, Caiseal wrapped his arms around Yvette, trapping her in a hug. She returned the gesture with a smile, and Geoffrey joined in. The girls fist bumped each other. It was early in the morning, and already, great things were happening. It was too bad they had to leave later on. Yvette and Geoffrey further explained that Caiseal didn't need to be present for the court hearings or meetings with lawyers. From what Ms. Anderson told them, Violet's testimony was good enough, along with the supposed new evidence that put her parents in jail, so he could still go on his journey.

With that, the kids prepared for their departure with light hearts. Caiseal, especially. As much as he wanted to stay for longer, he was still on his journey, so he couldn't just sit back and relax. He didn't want to stop now. Not when he'd come so far and won seven badges. The Pokemon League was closer than ever, and he didn't want to miss it. At eleven o'clock, the kids were ready to leave.

"Sorry we can't stay longer," Caiseal told them ruefully, giving his parents quick hugs.

"It's alright. We understand, Cash," Yvette smiled, running her fingers through his hair. "You have one more badge to win, and you know Geoffrey and I will definitely visit you at the Pokemon League!"

Caiseal grinned at the thought.

"Oh!" Suddenly, a realization struck Geoffrey. "Hold on! I have somethin' for ya!" He dashed back into the house for a few seconds, then came back out. In his bulky hands was a glass container, which itself had a deep yellow egg inside, with black stripes going across it in all different directions. "I want you to have this."

The kids' eyes shrunk in awe. A Pokemon egg! It had been a long while since any of them had seen one. Caiseal took the container gingerly, taking care not to shake it too hard or drop it. It was a little heavy on his arms, but his heart skipped a beat. He already felt a connection to it.

"An egg? Really? Where'd you get this, Dad?" He asked.

"While I was on my trip, a friend of mine gave it to me," Geoffrey explained cheerfully. "I'd love to raise it myself, but with how my job is, I don't have a whole lot of time to spend on taking care of an egg. They're pretty high maintenance. Then I thought it'd be better off with you, since you love Pokemon so much," He kneeled down to Caiseal's level and put a strong, firm hand on his shoulder. "I know you'll take good care of it, my boy, and don't forget: No matter what happens or where you go, you'll always have a home here with us."

Caiseal could only smile back, giving his father-his true father in his mind-another quick hug. "Thanks so much."

"Now you go out there and be the best Pokemon trainer you can be!" Geoffrey added with zeal, tapping his son's shoulder once more.

"So...are we ready to go?" Julia asked.

Perrine flashed a thumbs up. "Do you even need to ask? Come on! We better get to the bus stop, pronto!"

Before they left, they all waved back at the Asher family. "I'll see you later! Bye!" Caiseal called out, waving with all the strength and love he had.

Yvette and Geoffrey waved back. "Take care of yourselves!" Yvette cried.

"We'll support you all the way!" Geoffrey called back.

As the kids ran up the dirt-studded streets, a fresh autumn wind blew through the area, frigid but invigorating. Caiseal cradled the egg in his hands, wondering what kind of Pokemon would hatch. But more than that, he felt lighter than ever before, now that he knew for sure that things were going to be alright. He didn't regret going on his journey one bit. It didn't make his problems and issues go away, but in his heart, he figured they wouldn't go away at the drop of a hat. Still, the future seemed brighter. Julia, Perrine, Yvette, and Geoffrey all loved and supported him. Soon, Violet would be joining their circle as well. He had a family again.

This was his real family.

A/N: Whew! Another chapter done! The next one is the long awaited battle with Clair the Blackthorn gym leader! I'd like to give some mad shout-outs to Canada Cowboy and TheSirSystemError for helping me with parts of this chapter, the former with educating me on how certain laws regarding children and the separation of siblings works, and the latter on Yvette's speech before that. You guys are awesome, along with the rest of my readers!

There is another thing I'd like to add: I figure this chapter would offer some much needed positivity after how serious and heartrending the previous one was. It is a lot to take in. But don't think I'm trying to oversimplify the issue here. I don't want it to seem like Caiseal opening up to everyone and resolving to be better than Nollaig and Fergus makes all of his mental issues go away. That's not how real life works. No one really knows what he needs, or if there even is an answer. There isn't always closure in life. Sometimes scars just don't fade. But that's also why I wanted to wrap up this chapter with everyone being there for each other. Talking through these things with each other. Letting each other know it's okay to vent, and that there'll be no judgment. Offering some much needed positivity. Because while we may never fully recover from the events of our past, it's important to remember we're not alone. Someone out there can relate to your struggle and wants to see you happy. Whether it's someone immediately present like a sibling, friend, or partner, or just one of the folks you chat with online everyday.

Yeah, this sounds cheesy, I know. But remember: You're not alone. You are not a burden, and it's okay to not be okay.

Also, the Pokemon in Caiseal's new egg is the last one he'll receive in the entire fic. The same goes for Julia and Smoochum.

Random Fact: Nollaig's name is an ironic one. It's an Irish name that means "Christmas," which is a holiday we all associate with kindness, joy, generosity, giving, and all sorts of happy things. Fergus's name is also ironic, meaning "Man of vigor" in Irish. Considering the type of people she and her husband are, the names are intentionally unfitting.