A/N: Hello! This chapter is a birthday present for my super awesome online friend, TheSirSystemError! He deserves all the best in the world and has always been there for me over the past few years, and I'm really thankful to have met him. Anyway, here's chapter 60!
Chapter 60: I'm Home
Looking back, Julia never thought she'd ever have the guts to travel all over Johto. But here she was, on Route 46, walking alongside her friends, on their way back to New Bark Town, her home. It had only been a week since she saw Amara get arrested, but to Julia, it seemed like it happened only yesterday. The kids made their way down glossy, grassy meadows, feeling refreshed as the air was scented with frigid earth and dew. Tree-lined paths greeted them with their abundant patchwork of vivid colors, and the clouds speckled lavender and pink from the morning sun added to the area's majestic beauty. Julia didn't think it was as nice as seeing the world from atop Ho-Oh's back, but it was still beautiful regardless.
As the kids walked, some of their Pokemon were out and about, relaxing and having fun. Baloo was chasing Karin around, and the two of them were laughing happily. At one point, Baloo jumped on Karin's back, sending them both to the ground, but the two Pokemon weren't one bit fazed, and they kept laughing. Fuwari was floating right next to Perrine with a smile on her face, the yellow flower on her head spinning like a top, catching the autumn breeze and allowing it to carry her into the sky. Mushi was riding on Perrine's back, watching the world around him with curious eyes, but they fixated on the egg nestled in Caiseal's arms.
Mushi extended one of his claws to try and touch the egg. But before he could reach it, Perrine's hand blocked it. "Careful, Mushi. I know you want to touch it, but your claws are sharp. I don't want you to break the egg by mistake," She gently told him.
The mushroom Pokemon gave a defeated sigh as he pulled his claw back. Perrine frowned. She wasn't trying to actively discourage him, but she did feel bad for taking a dump on his mood. "Don't worry. Once the egg hatches, you can play with Caiseal's new Pokemon whenever you want. How's that?"
Liking the thought, Mushi nodded in agreement.
"So how much longer until we get to New Bark Town?" Caiseal asked as he shifted his arms a bit to carry the egg easier.
"Not too much longer," Julia answered, pointing further down. "There are some ledges we can jump down not too far from here. I'm starting to recognize the area now, so I have a better idea of where we're headed."
Perrine raised an eyebrow. "You've been here before?"
"Just a few times," Julia said, stopping at a small tree. "There's a road nearby, and Mom and I often drove on it whenever we wanted to go the mall. It's mostly a shortcut, though."
In the distance, they could hear the subtle roar of cars and the screeching of tires against the concrete pavement of a street. Julia was quick to hop down one ledge without difficulty. Perrine and Caiseal followed soon after. But as Caiseal made his way down, he felt something wiggle against his arms. "Wha?" He looked down and only saw the egg. Last time he checked, eggs didn't move.
"What's up, Cash?" Perrine asked.
"I think the egg moved just now-"
Caiseal was right. As soon as he said that, the egg gave a slight wobble. "Whoa! It really did move!" Perrine exclaimed.
"The egg moved?" Julia rushed over to them upon hearing Perrine yelp. "Is it gonna hatch?"
"I'm not sure," Caiseal mused. "Maybe it will."
The kids couldn't wait to see what kind of Pokemon would hatch. They were sure it would be some kind of electric Pokemon, as the egg shell was yellow and had black stripes on it. Most electric Pokemon happened to be yellow or had black stripes in some way. A plausible guess, but again, they didn't know for sure what could possibly hatch from it. Still, the thought of guessing what was inside made for a good thrill.
By this point, Julia was still a little ways ahead of them, looking to see if she was any closer to New Bark Town. All she saw before her was a tree lined meadow and a sky that went on forever. Then she stopped, as something caught her eye. Poking out from a set of trees further down was what looked to be a silver pole. Julia hopped onto a nearby rock to see if she could see it better from higher up. The silver pole was attached to a red dome on top of a cylinder-like structure. Wait a minute...was that what she thought it was? Julia beamed. She recognized that tower-like structure anywhere.
"Guys! Look!" Julia cried out, pointing further down. "I can see Professor Elm's lab from here! We're almost there!" She hopped off the rock and sprinted down the meadow with enthusiasm. "Come on, you guys! Hurry!"
"Hey, wait up!" Perrine, Caiseal, and the Pokemon struggled to catch up, but they managed to do so not too long after.
They all raced through the meadow, letting the October breeze flow through their bodies as their legs carried them closer to their destination. Finally, after so many months, Julia was finally at the home stretch. It didn't take long for lines of houses to come into view, the familiar streets and buildings still the same as they were before. As they made the transition from the wilderness to civilization, they raced right past Professor Elm's lab, knowing where Julia really wanted to go first. They decided to save going to the lab for later, but Julia did make a mental note to tell Professor Elm all about her adventures once they found time to stop by.
But finally, Julia stopped to catch her breath. Her lungs burned from running so much, but her green eyes were dewy and bright with joy as she locked her gaze on one house in particular, the one she had yearned to return to for months now. A bright yellow house with a snow white roof, though Julia could see some fresh shoots coming out from the gutters lining the front. The six-foot-tall white fence that circled the massive expanse of land behind it had turned a slight gray hue, probably from use and the passage of time. The dark blue mailbox was still standing, and Parisa was still written on the side in white marker. The stone porch was still the same as ever, with the reddish orange flower pots her mother loved so much still standing on both sides of it, even though they were currently empty save for some old soil.
Her house. Her beloved home.
Now she was back.
"You guys," Once Julia caught her breath, she turned around, facing her friends, and spread her arms akimbo, like she was showing them a treasure she found. "This is my house! Welcome to la casa de Parisa!" She announced, voice bouncy and abounding in enthusiasm.
Perrine and Caiseal gazed at the house in awe, as did some of the Pokemon, namely Baloo and Karin. Karin had been there before, but she had never seen the front of the house before. Julia took a moment to put her key in the lock and see if it still worked. When she turned it, the lock was undone and the door opened from the inside.
"Come on in!" Julia invited them inside as she walked in, stopping for a moment to marvel in her beloved home and take everything back in.
Because she had been outside for a while, everything seemed a little dim at first, but she knew it'd take a bit for her eyes to adjust to the change in lighting. Even with that, though, Julia smiled as she reveled in the sights and smells of her old home. The living room looked just the same as she remembered it. The green couch pushed against the wall, the big flat screen TV on a mahogany credenza, the big window overlooking the front yard, the pale white curtains framing said window on the inside, the beige carpeting, the big framed painting on the wall that depicted some water Pokemon playing in a pond on a beautiful spring day…Julia exhaled a happy sigh. Things barely changed a bit since she was gone.
There was someone occupying the couch. A certain Espeon was curled up on the left side of the couch, sleeping contentedly, her body rising and falling in tune with silent breaths.
"Lucretia!"
Lucretia woke up in alarm, her large ears standing up as the enthusiastic voice roused her from sleep. She stood right up, her once relaxed state kicked to the curb. But when she saw her trainer looking right at her, any irritation she could develop was nipped right in the bud. Lucretia bounded off the couch and nuzzled against her trainer's legs, squealing happily. Julia bent down and ran her hands through Lucretia's soft fur, showering her with affection.
"Hey, girl! I'm back!" Julia greeted her furry friend with a smile just as bright as Lucretia's. "Sorry you had to wait so long!"
"Espeee!" Lucretia crooned, which told Julia she didn't mind a bit.
"Your house is pretty nice, Jule," Caiseal mused out loud, but at this point, his friend had dashed into the kitchen, so she didn't hear him.
Even the kitchen looked the same as before. The island, the black refrigerator, the dishes carefully packed on the dish drying rack next to the sink. The only noticeable change was that the walls had been painted white instead of the pale, daffodil yellow they were before. Her mother had always mentioned wanting to paint the kitchen, as she felt the yellow paint was garish and ugly. The dining room was also the same as before, with the table and chairs being in the middle of the room. Julia noticed some new pictures had been hung on the walls. One of them showed her smiling and holding a tiny diploma, signaling her graduation from elementary school, before she went to Cherrygrove City Middle School.
She put a hand on the edge of the dining room table, gazing soulfully at the sunflower-themed place mats.
"I'm home," She murmured in a voice so soft hardly anyone could hear it. Only now did it really dawn on her that she was home. In her house. In New Bark Town.
"Furret!" "Azu!" "Freeee!" "Chokiii!" "Bella!" Familiar voices pulled Julia out of her reverie. Out from the den came a Furret, an Azumarill, a Togetic, a Bellossom, and a Butterfree, all five bounding right towards Julia.
"Neji! Aqua! Papillon! Tokiko! Blossom!" Julia opened her arms without hesitation, letting her Pokemon jump all over her and welcome her back. Neji curled his whole body all around his trainer like he was a blanket. Julia marveled in the softness of his fur, and it smelled like sunshine. If he had been standing up straight, he would have dwarfed her in size or toppled her to the ground. Papillon simply rested on top of her head, making herself comfortable in her trainer's hair. Aqua, being only half Julia's size, hugged Julia tight, though her stubby hands could only grip her hips. Blossom did the same. Tokiko buried herself underneath Julia's chin, almost closing her mouth for her. Julia put one hand on Tokiko's back, stroking it gently. All five of them laughed and cheered as they reveled in their reunion.
"Gosh, it's so great to see you all again!" Julia cried out, stroking Aqua's head with one hand and Neji's side with the other. "Sorry I haven't been around for so long. I bet you must have been lonely."
A part of her was worried that since she hadn't called upon the three of them in particular for a while, especially Papillon and Neji, they might have been angry with her or assumed she was neglecting them. Lavinia had thought as such and didn't like Julia at first until they managed to get to know one another. Before they evolved, Rino and Rina thought that way as well before Julia reconciled with them. It had only been a short while since Tokiko and Blossom were sent here, so she wasn't too worried about them. Still, anything could have happened, and the last thing Julia wanted was to make her Pokemon feel like they weren't loved and appreciated. Thankfully, Aqua, Papillon, and Neji made no mention of it, and were showering her with affection. As far as she was concerned, this told her all she needed to know, and relief washed over her like a wave.
Even Hikaru came to greet them, and the five Pokemon freed Julia from their embraces, welcoming Hikaru back with just as much zeal. Lucretia came to greet her not long after, and the two of them started chatting amongst themselves right away.
"Are Rina, Rino, and Ladybug outside with the other Pokemon?" Julia asked.
"Furret!" Neji answered with an enthusiastic nod, pointing towards the door that led to the backyard.
Perrine raised an eyebrow. "Other Pokemon?" She asked, looking a little confused. "Aren't these guys and the Nidos the only other Pokemon you have?"
"I was talking about my parents' Pokemon and the ones they're taking care of," Julia reminded them. She had told them that her parents owned a Pokemon ranch a few times, but the last time she mentioned it was so long ago. They probably forgot about it, which was understandable. Now that they were here, she couldn't wait to show them her other friends. "Come on! I'll show you!"
She wasted no time taking Caiseal by the hand and dragging him outside, with Perrine and the Pokemon following after them. Admittedly, it took everything Caiseal had to keep a good grip on the egg with just one free arm. The kids were greeted by a big, green expanse of land that stretched on for miles. One part of it was kept in by the white fence, while the rest of it was held in by wire fences, which the kids knew was to keep Pokemon from running away. If they stood on the tips of their toes, they could see a cluster of trees way in the back, leading to a forest. Only one tree stood right in the meadow, completely stripped of all of its leaves, all of which blanketed its section of the meadow in a lovely patchwork display of vivid colors.
"Wow! Your backyard is huge!" Perrine exclaimed, in awe of the expanse of land before her.
Julia cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted into the distance, "Heeeeeey you guuuuuuuys! It's me, Juliaaaaaa! I'm baaaaaaack!"
In no time at all, the meadow began to rumble beneath them. One would think a small earthquake had hit New Bark Town. Perrine and Caiseal exchanged slightly frightened glances, wondering just what was happening. Julia didn't look the least bit scared at all. Instead, she waved one of her arms into the air as a whole group of Pokemon came running towards the trio. Ursaring, Blastoise, Ninetales, Blissey, Ampharos, Sunflora, Sentret, Sandshrew, and many other Pokemon sprinted towards Julia, their faces beaming with smiles bright as sunshine. Even Rina and Rino joined the happy stampede. As soon as the Pokemon stampede got close enough, they all slowed down and welcomed Julia back. Sentret, Sandshrew, and Sunflora all danced around her, with Sentret nuzzling against her legs. Julia wrapped her arms around Blissey, who was only too happy to return the hug. Ampharos jumped up and down, cheering with delight. Ursaring wrapped its arms around both Julia and Blissey.
"It's been so long, you guys! How've you been?" Julia exclaimed, releasing Blissey from her embrace and kneeling down to greet some of the smaller Pokemon. A Rattata came bounding towards Sentret, chasing it around like they were playing tag. Sandshrew found an opportunity to snuggle up against Julia's leg. Julia returned the gesture by stroking the mouse Pokemon's head. Sure, the texture of Sandshrew's head was rough and gritty, but she didn't mind a bit. Sunflora wrapped a leafy arm around Julia's head, and the girl smiled at the affectionate gesture. Julia opened her eyes to see a big, red bug Pokemon with sharp pincers approach her bashfully.
"Hi, Scizor! I came back to visit!" Julia warmly greeted the big bug Pokemon.
"Wow…" Caiseal found himself speechless for a moment. Perrine was completely speechless. At least Caiseal had found his voice. "You and your family take care of all these Pokemon?"
"Yep!" Julia answered, cradling the Rattata in her arms as she stood back up to meet them at eye level. "Some of them are my parents' Pokemon, like Blastoise, Scizor, Ninetales, Blissey, Ampharos, and so on. Some of the others they rescued from bad situations or were just dropped off here for some reason. Other times, Mom and Dad let people leave their Pokemon here for a while if they need certain help they can't get anywhere else, or if they're just busy or going on vacation and can't leave them at a normal daycare," She explained further.
She pointed to the Sentret, who was currently playing with Sunflora. "See that Sentret? Her trainer died a month before I left on my journey, and Mom brought her here herself before making her one of her own Pokemon," She told them. "Sunflora's been with us since I was eight. He was attacked by a bunch of Houndour and was close to dying before one of Mom's friends brought him to the Pokemon Center. After all of his surgeries, he needed a quiet place to heal, so Mom brought him here. We have a bunch more Pokemon around here, but they're probably further in, playing or something."
Before she could elaborate further, Rina nuzzled against her leg. Julia leaned down to scratch the poison pin Pokemon's ear. "Hey, girl. Did you miss me?"
Rina nodded affirmatively.
"This is a huge property you have here," Caiseal said. "By the way, where are your parents? Aren't they supposed to be here?"
Come to think of it...Caiseal was right. She didn't see her mother or father. Julia looked back towards the house. "Maybe they're inside and didn't hear us come in? Let's go check," Julia suggested.
The kids swiftly went back inside. It was then that Julia happened to see a notepad on the kitchen counter. Had that been there before? Julia took a closer look, seeing that something had been written on it.
Julia
Dad and I are at the courthouse today. Won't be back until about three or four at the latest. Pokemon were fed at six thirty this morning. Already gave some of the others their medication. Feed them again at noon or later, at whatever time you get here. You and your friends have fun.
Mom
So that was it. Julia sighed. They were at the courthouse, probably for Amara's case. She wasn't surprised. Earlier today, she did inform her parents by phone that she would likely arrive today or a little later, and it wasn't like a court case could just be postponed at the drop of a hat. She checked the time on her phone and it read 1:12 PM. They had a few more hours before her parents would get home.
Caiseal peeked over her shoulder to read the note. "That's understandable. Good thing they let you know."
"Yeah," Julia's voice was a little further away this time. "I wonder what's gonna happen to Amara?" But just as quickly, her train of thought went to other places. "Oh! Hey, guys? Do you want to help me feed the Pokemon?" She asked.
"Sure!" Both Caiseal and Perrine agreed.
The Parisas had a specific system for feeding the Pokemon they kept on their ranch. There were two large, concrete troughs in the backyard. One was for the big Pokemon, and the other one, shorter in terms of height, was for the smaller Pokemon. Each morning, usually one or two of the adults would put huge bags of Pokemon food on a cart, wheel it out to the troughs, and fill them up. Julia pulled the carts out from the side of the house, while she had Perrine and Caiseal both place the bags of Pokemon food on it. Since they were both kids, and the bags were fairly heavy, they needed to use all their strength just to be able to put them on the cart. It did help that the cart and the bags were right next to each other, but both kids felt like their arms were being torn apart just by holding them.
Once that was done, Julia opened the bags, and she, with Caiseal and Apollo's combined help, poured the food into the troughs, filling them up. Perspiration began to turn Julia's forehead slightly damp, though no sweat dripped into her eyes, thankfully. It wasn't long before both troughs were filled up, and all the Pokemon gathered around, enjoying their afternoon lunch.
"Phew!" Julia wiped sweat off her brow with her arm. "I forgot just how hard that was."
"Do your parents do this every day?" Caiseal asked.
"Pretty much. I started helping them out with it when I was eight."
"Lediiii!" Not long before that, a Ledian came flying towards Julia, blue eyes gleaming with delight. Knowing who this was, Julia opened her arms and let the Ledian trap her in a warm, tight hug.
"Ladybug! Hey, girl!" Julia greeted her old friend with the same enthusiasm as with her other Pokemon. "Sorry I've been gone for so long! I hope you weren't too lonely."
Ladybug shook her head before nuzzling into Julia's chest, happy to be reunited with her trainer. As far as Julia knew, she hadn't used Ladybug since Ecruteak City. She hoped she didn't make Ladybug angry by not summoning her since then. But she could see Ladybug was happy to see her, so maybe her worries were unfounded.
She turned to Caiseal and Perrine. "Do you guys want to see my room?"
Once again, her friends said yes, and she escorted them into the house, up the stairs, and into her bedroom. Julia sat right down on her bed, reveling in the softness of her favorite pink and blue comforter. All of her books were still in her white bookshelf, having been untouched since she left. Her army of stuffed animals stood at the top of her bed, as if guarding it for her until she came back. The curtains had been pulled open, so the light gave her room a warm, atmospheric glow. Many toys and figurines were lined up on her computer desk, and her computer was turned off, having been so for months. The walls were still white, and the green and yellow rug still covered the wooden flooring. Julia smiled, soaking up the image of her room and the idea that she was back home. It was just the way she remembered it.
"You have a cute room. I think you have way more stuffed animals than I do," Perrine mused, scratching Mushi's back with one hand. Ladybug sat down next to Julia, nuzzling against her arm, whereas Hikaru got down and rolled around in the comforter, savoring its softness. Tokiko pulled out one of Julia's stuffed animals, a Clefairy doll, and showed it to Hikaru.
"Man, I forgot just how much I missed my room," Julia said, lying right down, spreading her arms akimbo as she gazed up at the ceiling.
Her bed was just as soft as it was the last time she slept in it, before she went on her journey. But lying in her bed now seemed a little jarring. She had spent most of her journey sleeping in Pokemon Centers or in sleeping bags in the tents they set up when they couldn't find any lodging. Then she realized she couldn't spend all her time just lying around reveling in being back home for the first time in forever. Perrine and Caiseal were her guests, and she needed to be a good host for them. She sprung right back up like a jack-in-a-box.
"Do you guys want anything to eat or drink?" She asked, sliding off her bed.
"We had lunch, remember?" Perrine reminded her.
"Oh. Right," She stole a glance at her DVD collection on her shelf. "Do you want to watch a movie, maybe? I have some good ones I'd love to show you!"
After a brief discussion, the kids decided on a movie and went down into the living room. They still had a couple hours before Julia's parents returned home, so they figured this would be a good way to kill some time. But Julia didn't get the chance to turn on the TV, as the soon was suddenly aglow with a flash of white light.
"Whoa!" Caiseal yelped. The girls swiveled in his direction, and the source of the light was the egg in his hands. "I...I think it's about to hatch!" He exclaimed.
"Stay calm," Julia told him, gesturing for him to take the egg out of the container. "Perrine, get some of the pillows off the couch and put them on the floor in a pile."
Perrine nodded and completed the task without a word. Once she threw the pillows on the floor, Julia gingerly took the glowing egg out of Caiseal's hands and placed it on the pillow pile. By this time, Hikaru, Tokiko, and Ladybug all came downstairs, mesmerized by the light coming from the egg. The kids and the Pokemon all gathered around it in restless anticipation. Julia kept her eyes covered, as the light was proving to be too bright for her sensitive eyes.
The egg grew bigger, and a let of arms, legs, and horns grew out from it, with the body keeping its ovular shape. Not too long after, the light dissipated, materializing into a new Pokemon. The Pokemon was a bright yellow color with black stripes coiling around its body, stopping at its chest, which had a black lightning bolt shape in the center. Two horns protruded from atop its head, shaped to resemble the prongs of a plug. Its legs were black, but it's ovular feet were the same shade of yellow as its body. Its arms had two black stripes each, ending with three white claws on each hand. Its slanted eyes took in the crowd surrounding it, looking rather curious.
"Bibibibi?" The Pokemon had a scratchy, nasally voice.
"Hey! It's an Elekid!" Perrine exclaimed, clasping her hands together.
"He's so cool!" Julia crooned. "Welcome to the world, little Elekid!"
Caiseal was silent as he opened his PokeDex to examine it.
"Elekid, the electric Pokemon. Elekid are able to rotate their arms to generate electricity, which makes tje prongs on its head glow light blue, but they cannot store the energy they make, so they tire easily as a result. Elekid is still capable of storing energy in its body, and if it touches any metal, it accidentally discharges all of its built-up electricity. When their prongs shine a bluish white, this means Elekid is fully charged, and it's wise not to touch Elekid when its in this state, lest you be electrocuted. Elekid love to go out and play during storms, especially when they hear thunder rumbling. It's been proven that if you record the sound of thunder with a tape recorder and play it, an Elekid's mood will improve. A weak electric current runs between its horns, and the area should not be touched under any circumstances."
Down in the bottom right corner of the screen, a pink female sign materialized next to the picture of Elekid. "Elekid's a girl. I wonder what I should call her?"
Elekid stood up on her short, stubby legs, eyes fixated on the blonde youth before her. Caiseal smiled sweetly as a warmth lurched in his chest. He wondered if this was what a father felt when he saw his child be born into the world. "Hi there, Elekid. I'm Caiseal, your new trainer. Nice to meet you," He extended a hand out to Elekid.
"Bibi!" Elekid squawked, taking Caiseal's hand with her tiny claws.
All of a sudden, a sharp jolt ran through Caiseal's fingers, nearly singing them from the inside. Caiseal let out a yelp as he drew his hand back. Some sparks of electricity crackled around Elekid's claws as Caiseal pulled his hand away. "Did you just electrocute me?!" Caiseal yelped.
Elekid simply smirked and let out a proud giggle. "Bihihihi!"
Julia and Perrine exchanged worried glances. Was this going where they thought this was going to go?
Undeterred, Hikaru greeted Elekid warmly and extended her hand out as a show of friendship. Elekid took it, and electricity danced over their hands. Thankfully, Hikaru wasn't bothered, as she was an electric Pokemon, so she could handle it.
"I guess Elekid can't quite control her powers yet?" Julia suggested. Elekid was a freshly hatched baby, and baby Pokemon often don't have a good hold on their powers upon being born.
"How about we take her outside?" Perrine piped in. "Maybe playing with the Pokemon will help her let off some steam?"
"Good idea!" Caiseal agreed, nodding.
Not wanting to risk getting electrocuted again, he had Hikaru hold Elekid's hand as they all walked back into the backyard. All of the Pokemon were now scattered around the backyard, minding their own business and enjoying themselves. Elekid let go of Hikaru's hand and looked all around, taking in her new surroundings. Fresh air caressed her body, and the grass beneath her tickled her feet. Elekid could only stare at the vast expanse of land before her, in awe of just how big this new world was.
"Are you gonna name her, Cash?" Julia asked.
Crossing his arms, Caiseal flashed a smirk in her direction. "Yep. I even have one picked out already: Electra."
Electra...no other name could ever be so perfect for this Elekid. The girls nodded at Caiseal's suggestion, agreeing that it was a great name for Elekid.
But their happiness was short lived when they heard a cry nearby. Even more so when they saw lightning dancing all over one part of the yard. Blastoise let out a pained yelp as electricity ran through its body. "What the?!" The kids ran over to see what was going on, and the answer was in plain view. Elekid-now Electra-was spinning her arms rapidly, unleashing a Thundershock attack on Blastoise.
"Hey! Stop that!" Caiseal scolded, putting both hands on Electra's sides and pulling her away. The electricity immediately dissipated, and Blastoise was left panting. Julia was quick to check on him and see if he was okay. Thankfully, the attack was rather weak, and Blastoise didn't take too much damage, but since water was weak to thunder attacks, she still pulled a potion out and sprayed some of his wounds just to be on the safe side.
"You okay, Blastoise?" Julia asked, stroking Blastoise's arm. The giant turtle Pokemon gave a low, reassuring growl, thanking her for her help.
Caiseal put Electra down on the grass and glared right at her, his expression hardening when he saw the smug smile on her face. "Why were you doing that to Blastoise? That's not nice. Don't do that again!" He scolded with the same stern, authoritative tone he used with Abby way back when.
Electra paid him no heed. She ran across the field, spinning her arms like they were windmills, sending electricity all over the place. Sunflora and Sentret were nearly hit by it had they not managed to run the second they saw it coming. Blissey was quick to escort some of the smaller Pokemon to another part of the yard, getting them out of harm's way. Sandshrew was struck by the attack, but being a ground type, it didn't feel a thing. The electricity crackling on its hide was little more than a light tickle.
"What are you doing?!" Perrine yelped.
"Oh jeez! I think we have a new Tsubasa on our hands!" Julia exclaimed, immediately running towards Electra.
Caiseal thanked his lucky stars he kept Electra's new PokeBall on him, having taken it off the container as soon as she had hatched. He pulled it out and shouted, "Electra! Return!"
The red light shot out from the PokeBall, but Electra kept hopping and running around, so the beam kept missing. At one point, Electra hopped on a big rock, turned around to face the kids, used one of her fingers to pull the bottom of her eye socket down, and stuck her tongue out, blowing a raspberry at them.
"That Elekid's totally messing with us!" Julia yelped, her face turning red as a beet from the anger rising in her chest.
Caiseal's palm met his face. "I think Dad gave me a monster…" He groaned.
"Bihihihihiiiiii!" Electra stood on the rock and gave a loud, roaring laugh, like she had won a Pokemon battle.
Suddenly, Julia felt one of the PokeBalls in her bag open. A white light shot out from her bag, turning into Tsubasa. The bird Pokemon flew over to Electra with confidence, squawking and trilling like she usually did. Oddly enough, Electra actually stopped to listen.
"What are they saying?" Perrine asked.
"Tsubasa's like, 'Hey there! You're pretty strong for a little thing! Wanna battle me?' and Electra says, 'Sure! I'll take you on!'" Julia translated.
Before long, Electra was shooting thunderbolts at Tsubasa, who gracefully dodged them by flying in circles. The kids exhaled big sighs of relief. Leave it to Tsubasa to curb a freshly hatched Elekid's mischief despite being rather mischievous herself. Then again, if she could handle Twilight just fine, then a baby Elekid would be a piece of cake for her.
"It looks like Electra's a little prankster," Perrine said, crossing her arms. "I think you've got your work cut out for you, Cash."
"Don't remind me," Caiseal retorted. But in all honesty, he did genuinely like Electra. Plus, he still had his other Pokemon, who were much bigger and stronger than her. Perhaps they could teach her a thing or two, maybe even train her. It helped that Flippy and Mallow were ground types, so Electra's attacks wouldn't have much of an effect on them.
"Oh my. What's all this?"
A new yet familiar voice made the kids swivel towards the house, locking eyes with Kassia and Truman, Julia's parents. Their eyes were large like saucers, and the two of them could only stand just a few feet from the kids, looking very bewildered.
"Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad! Sorry about the mess…and all the lightning," Julia ran right up to them. "Caiseal's egg just hatched into a…rather naughty and mischievous Elekid."
"We can see that," Truman said.
"Did you guys come in just now?" Julia asked.
"Only about ten or so minutes ago," Kassia replied, using one hand to smooth out part of her coat. "Do you kids want to come inside? I bet you're all hungry after having traveled for so long."
At about four thirty, Kassia started dinner, and since there were six people here, making a big meal for six was going to take more time than usual. Kassia settled on making meatloaf and heating up white rice and some bags of broccoli. Dinner was a lively affair, as most of it was taken up by the kids telling Julia's parents about Electra's antics early. Everyone chatted and laughed, having a merry time. Even Kassia's Vaporeon came to join them, nuzzling against her leg and staring at her with his big eyes, not so subtly begging for some broccoli. He had been sleeping up in her bedroom the whole time the kids had been home, so nobody had noticed his absence until just then. The kids got a good laugh out of Vaporeon's deliberate use of his cuteness.
Even Julia, who normally didn't like making small talk and preferred to eat during dinner, was happily conversing with everyone. Here she was, with her family and friends, and she felt safe, secure, and sure of herself here. This was what she had always wanted, to be with the people she loved who she knew loved her as she was, and didn't try to make her feel insecure or change her into something she wasn't for their own convenience and comfort, as many others had attempted. The whole dining room was awash with warmth and light, and Julia wished every day would be like this. But now that her parents were home, Julia had plenty of questions for them swimming in her mind, dying to get out into the open.
Questions about Amara.
Kassia and Julia were the first to finish their meals and were quick to rinse their plates before putting them in the dishwasher. Julia offered to put them away, as she figured her mother was tired from the long day she had. As she bent down and looked up, she saw that her mother had a distant look on her face. Kassia stared out the window blankly, like she was lost in the wisp of a new daydream. Julia heard the flick of a match and saw the flame light up the end of a cigarette at the corner of her vision. Kassia puffed out a thin cloud of smoke that filtered through the screen window right in front of her. Julia waved her hand as some smoke floated in her direction.
"Mom? So…how's Amara?" Julia asked sheepishly, closing the dishwasher. "You guys were at the courthouse today, right?"
"Well…" Kassia paused for a moment to smoke again before continuing. "In light of Amara's crimes, we had to meet with a judge and our lawyer to discuss what to do with her. Our lawyer recommended that Amara be sent to a correctional center in Violet City that specializes in helping troubled kids with their behavioral problems and getting them off the blacklist," She explained.
"Do you mean, like, actually helping her and not just keeping her there forever?" Julia asked. As much as she wanted Amara to take responsibility for her crimes, she didn't want her sister to be in jail forever.
"Yes. Nothing's quite set in stone just yet, but her overall sentencing will be on December 1st at ten in the morning," Kassia explained further. "Amara's staying in another juvenile detention center in Cherrygrove until then, as the judge doesn't think having her home is the best idea at the moment."
December first. A little over a month in jail, and Arceus knows how long afterward. Julia frowned, and her heart felt heavy, like someone had dropped a cinderblock in an empty potato bag. "Is she gonna be okay?"
"I don't know, sweetie," Kassia told her, stroking her daughter's hair with one hand. "Personally, I like to believe she will, but Arceus only knows what the future holds."
She went on to explain that unlike before, Amara was very remorseful at the meeting, genuinely wanted to atone for what she did, and was willing to cooperate with the authorities this time. Julia chalked it up to Amara finding out the truth about J's involvement in the Gyarados attack and realizing she needed to stop being miserable and hating the world for wanting to move on after Chanel's death. Their lawyer thinks Amara's remorse might actually turn things around, as the judge was genuinely interested in giving her one final chance to redeem herself, but again, there was a lot that needed to be done before the sentencing. The only thing they knew for sure was that there would be no trial, since Amara admitted to everything and pled guilty to a huge number of crimes, and that if Amara had any chance of getting off the blacklist in any fashion, she absolutely needed to follow the rules and restrictions placed upon her this time, without fail.
"I see…" Julia looked out the little window that overlooked the backyard. She could see streaks of pink in the sky just above the woods. It was still light out, so the sun wasn't quite setting just yet, but was about to, and she always liked the beautiful colors the sunset would make as it dipped into the horizon. The cluster of trees, both leafy and leafless, almost looked black against the vast expanse of sky.
Kassia smushed her cigarette into a white ash tray on the mantle, though some smoke still lingered. "Amara talked a lot about you at the meeting."
Julia looked up. "Huh? She did?"
"Yeah," Kassia flashed a warm, gentle smile in her daughter's direction, but the faraway look in her eyes still lingered. "She said you're the reason she finally came to her senses. If you hadn't chased after her all over Johto and accidentally helped her find out the truth behind Chanel's death, things could have gone very differently."
Could they? Julia found that hard to believe. She was sure all she did was make things worse and completely fracture their family. It didn't change the fact that Amara was in jail, and would probably stay there for months, maybe years. For all she knew, she might never be able to get off the blacklist and become a Pokemon trainer for real. Julia hated that her mind always seemed to want to focus on the bad things rather than any good that might have come out of…well, everything in life.
"She's really changed, Julia. It's like she's her old self again," Kassia whispered. "And we have you to thank for that."
"I don't know…" Julia murmured, unsure. "I feel like all I did was drive everyone apart."
Kassia walked over to her and kneeled to her level. "Don't sell yourself short, Julia," She told her with confidence. "You became a Pokemon trainer. You traveled all over Johto, and you never stopped trying to help Amara see the error of her ways. You made so many amazing friends and experienced so many wonderful things. You've really grown up since you left the house, and I couldn't be more proud. Besides, no matter what you and Amara do, you'll both always be my daughters."
Julia didn't have it in her to contradict her mother. All she could do was smile sadly. She wanted to believe Amara still had a future ahead of her. But what good was a future in jail? At this point, Julia decided she had all the answers she needed for right now.
Seeing her discomfort, Kassia changed the subject. "Saoirse's remains are in the living room. Want me to show you?"
Instead of an answer, Julia ran into the living room without a word. Right as she glanced over at the fireplace, she saw it immediately: A small, bronze urn deliberately carved to resemble a Snubbull. It looked exactly like Saoirse, only without her dress and bows. Julia walked over to it to get a better look, but she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Saoirse was here! Her mother kept her word about cremating her and bringing her back here. Sure, Julia knew she'd never be able to hug Saoirse, dress her up, or be with her the way she used to ever again, but knowing her ashes were in that little urn…that was enough. Saoirse was still here, just in a different form, her mind reassured her.
But she sharply inhaled when she saw something else right next to Saoirse's urn. Another one, only a milky white color and shaped like a Meganium. A possible answer struck her with all the strength of a Thunderbolt attack.
"Mom? Did…did your Meganium die, too?"
Kassia gave a slow nod. "Yes. He passed away a few months ago from old age," She explained, her voice low and somber. "His organs were failing, and we had to put him down."
Julia's fingers slid across the smooth, white material of the Meganium-shaped urn, and her heart ached with sorrow for her mother. "He was your first Pokemon. Your best friend…"
"He was. But he's in a better place now. He lived a good, happy life, as did Saoirse," Kassia put a hand on Julia's shoulder and pulled her close. Julia closed her eyes, basking in her mother's warmth and the soft knitted fabric of her tan sweater. In doing so, she silently prayed that her mother's Meganium was doing okay in heaven, and was sorry for not having been able to say goodbye. But maybe that was for the best. After having seen Saoirse die in her arms, she wasn't sure if she could handle watching yet another beloved friend pass on before her eyes.
"I'm gonna miss him."
"Me too."
"I miss Saoirse, too."
"I know."
Mother and daughter stared at the urns in silence for a brief moment, praying their beloved friends were in heaven. Then, Kassia gave a low yelp. "Oh! That reminds me!" She inclined her head towards the entrance to the dining room. "Caiseal! Perrine! Can you come in here please?"
The kids ran right inside, and Kassia took a moment to rummage through her large, orange purse. "I almost forgot. I have something for all of you."
"All of us?" Julia asked.
It took a short moment, but Kassia pulled out a small but thick brown paper bag that had been rolled up. She handed it to Perrine, who gingerly opened it with both hands. When she opened it, Perrine's eyes shrunk in awe. "Whoa! Look at these!" She exclaimed. Caiseal and Julia put their hands inside to pull whatever it was out of the bag. In their hands were six, greenish gray crystals that had some yellow and purple streaks going across them here and there. One singular stone fit right into their palms. The kids' jaws fell open in awe at the shimmering stones.
"Oooh! These are all Moon Stones!" Caiseal cried out.
"Are these really for all of us?" Julia asked.
Kassia nodded. "A friend of mine gave them to me, as she had no use for them. Since you kids told me you were stopping by, I thought these would make a nice gift, in case you had any Pokemon who could use them to evolve," She winked in Julia's direction. It didn't take much for her to figure out which Pokemon she was referring to in this case: Rina and Rino.
Perrine let out a jubilant cheer. "Thanks, Mrs. Parisa! In fact, I know one Pokemon who would love this!" She shoved one Moon Stone into Julia's hand and kept the other one as she pulled out a PokeBall. "Come on out, Baloo!"
Baloo the Jigglypuff appeared in front of them, her wide, teal eyes as charming as ever. "Jigglypuff!"
"Hey, Baloo! Guess what I have?" She presented the Moon Stone to her pink friend. "It's a Moon Stone. You can use this to evolve! Do you want to evolve?" She asked. "If you don't want to, it's okay."
Baloo eyed the pretty stone in her trainer's hand curiously. This would help her evolve? Baloo had always wanted to evolve for a while, but never paid it much mind. She had always been strong in battle, and never worried too much about battling, even when she lost. But seeing this stone in front of her eyes made the balloon Pokemon stop to think. She could use this to finally evolve further and be as strong as she could possibly be. Who said she couldn't?
"Jigglypuff!" Without any hesitation, Baloo crooned happily as she took the Moon Stone into her stubby hands.
In an instant, Baloo's body was engulfed in white light, illuminating the entire living room. Julia covered her eyes with both hands, as the light was too blinding for her eyes to handle. Gradually, Baloo grew taller, stopping at Perrine's height. Her ears grew longer and thinner, the tuft of hair on her head thinned out at the top, and her body became more ovular. Soon, the light dissipated, and out came a Pokemon that didn't look too different from what Baloo originally looked like. The only real differences were her more oval-shaped body, her height, her longer, thinner, white tipped ears, longer limbs, and a big white tummy.
"Wigglytuff!" Baloo's voice was slightly lower pitched than it had been, and now she was exactly the same size and height as the kids.
"Yay!" Perrine wrapped her arms around her newly evolved friend, though because of Baloo's larger size, Perrine couldn't wrap them all the way around. But neither of them minded a bit. "You're a Wigglytuff now!"
Caiseal pulled out her PokeDex to examine her. "Wigglytuff, the balloon Pokemon, and the evolved form of Jigglypuff. Wigglytuff's body is very soft, rubbery, and elastic, allowing it to inhale large amounts of air and expand like a balloon, especially when angry. Some have been able to grow to over twenty times their normal size. Their fine fur is very soft to the touch, said to feel so good that if someone were to touch it, they can't stop doing so. Often times, when two Wigglytuff snuggle together, they won't want to be separated. They shed their fur when the seasons change, which can be gathered and spun into a luxurious yarn. Many Wigglytuff often compete to see who can inflate themselves the most."
True to form, Perrine found herself snuggling against her friend, unable to let go. Her smile was big and languid, and her eyes were already closed. It didn't help that she was making weird noises as she nuzzled into Baloo's fur. "Wiggly?" Baloo scratched one of her ears, looking somewhat confused.
Everyone sans Perrine burst into laughter. Well, the PokeDex was right about Wigglytuff's fur being irresistable. Julia made a mental note to stroke Baloo some time in the future. If someone as strong willed and fiery as Perrine couldn't resist its allure, Julia was sure she'd fall victim to it as soon as her fingers grazed Baloo's fur, and she wouldn't mind it one bit.
"Do you want your other Moon Stone, Perrine?" Julia asked, holding out the Moon Stone Perrine had shoved into her hand earlier.
"Nah. You can keep it. I only wanted one anyway," Perrine replied, finally letting releasing Baloo.
So Julia now had three Moon Stones. Two was all she needed, so she wasn't sure what she'd do with a third. She shrugged and shoved all three of them into her bag. Perhaps in the future she would catch another Pokemon that could evolve with a Moon Stone. That'd be nice, she thought. As the night went on, the kids readied themselves for bed, as they decided to stay for just a few days in order to rest, train, and relax before heading to Tohjo Falls, as the Pokemon League was still a ways off. Truman had Caiseal sleep in his room, while he himself decided to sleep on the couch in the living room. Perrine and Julia decided to sleep in the latter's room, and thankfully, the bed was big enough for the two of them. They had already taken their showers and changed into their nightwear by eight thirty.
"Hey, Perrine!" Julia said, sitting on her bed stroking Neji's fur.
"Hm?" Perrine sat on the floor brushing her hair with a brush she had kept with her. "What's up?"
"I was thinking...I'd love to show you and Cash around my neighborhood. Both here and in Cherrygrove City," Julia explained, scratching behind Neji's ear. The long body Pokemon gave a delighted purr as his trainer's fingers lovingly stroke his ear. "There's so much I want to show you guys! Like my school, this ice cream place Mom and I go to, the bookstore, the movie store…"
"Sure. That'd be great," Perrine agreed, putting her brush back in her bag. "I have wanted to see more of Cherrygrove, so count me in."
Julia looked down at Neji. "Hey Neji! Do you want to come with me?" She asked. "We haven't spent much time together in a while, so how's that?"
"Fuuuur!" Neji crooned with delight.
"Great!" Julia held out two fingers. "I'll bring Papillon and Ladybug with me, too. I'll leave Tsubasa and Twilight here at home for the time being. They'll probably appreciate having time to themselves...and they'll likely spend it fighting and sparring."
Perrine let out a giggle. "I can imagine."
The girls settled into Julia's bed, draping the coverlet over themselves, and their bodies filled with calm, tingling warmth. Their eyes grew heavy as the soft embrace of darkness overtook them. Neji coiled at the foot of Julia's bed, with Hikaru, Tokiko, and Karin snuggling up against him, also basking in the warmth of his fur. Julia relished in the sensation of her favorite comforter protecting her from the frigid November air, even though her windows were closed. Julia wasn't quite used to sharing her bed with someone else, especially since she hadn't done so since she and Amara were toddlers. But she wouldn't trade this for the world: Sleeping in her comfy bed, with her friends, both human and Pokemon by her side, lost in the loving haze of a happy dreamland.
Tonight, as she finally fell asleep, she was truly home at last, and she couldn't wait for tomorrow.
A/N: Alright, another chapter is done! I wish I had gotten this out sooner, especially since this one was mostly a breather chapter meant to let the characters unwind. Anyway, just so you guys know, there's gonna be a bonus chapter, which introduces a totally new character, who will appear in the chapter that takes place immediately after this one, and the bonus one will be the set-up for said chapter. Look forward to it! Also, I have great news: I've been at my new job for almost six months now, and I absolutely love it, and my boss is giving me a raise! Not a big one, but still a raise regardless! I'm so happy! Hopefully the next chapters won't take so long to churn out, but knowing me and my new schedule, I doubt it. See you guys later!
Julia's Party:
Hikaru (Shiny Pikachu, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thunderbolt, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle
Papillon (Butterfree, Female, Calm Nature)
Ability: Compound Eyes
Attacks: Confusion, Bug Buzz, Air Slash, Quiver Dance
Neji (Furret, Male, Bashful Nature)
Ability: Keen Eye
Attacks: Dig, Hyper Voice, Sucker Punch, and Quick Attack
Karin (Smoochum, Female, Impish Nature)
Ability: Forewarn
Attacks: Pound, Confusion, Powder Snow, and Sweet Kiss
Lavinia (Scyther, Female, Rash Nature)
Ability: Steadfast
Attacks: Quick Attack, Fury Cutter, Wing Attack, and Agility
Ladybug (Ledian, Female, Timid Nature)
Ability: Early Bird
Attacks: Bug Buzz, Swift, Drain Punch, and Reflect
Perrine's Party:
Kitsune (Ninetales, Female, Quiet Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Heat Wave, Extrasensory, Confuse Ray, and Faint Attack
Florian (Meganium, Male, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Overgrow
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Vine Whip, Body Slam, and Grassy Terrain
Baloo (Wigglytuff, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Cute Charm
Attacks: Hyper Voice, Wake-Up Slap, Disarming Voice, and Body Slam
Mushi (Paras, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Effect Spore
Attacks: X-Scissor, Stun Spore, Growth, and Giga Drain
Fuwari (Skiploom, Female, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Leaf Guard
Attacks: Bounce, Giga Drain, Fairy Wind, and Energy Ball
Chirin (Ampharos, Male, Adamant Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Discharge, Cotton Guard, Power Gem, Signal Beam
Caiseal's Party:
Mallow (Marowak, Male, Lax Nature)
Ability: Lightning Rod
Attacks: Bonemerang, Bone Rush, Headbutt, and Rock Smash
Apollo (Typhlosion, Male, Bold Nature)
Ability: Blaze
Attacks: Flamethrower, Flame Charge, Rollout, and Smokescreen
Ravenclaw (Murkrow, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Super Luck
Attacks: Wing Attack, Steel Wing, Dark Pulse, and Roost
Heracles (Heracross, Male, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Moxie
Attacks: Brick Break, Megahorn, Aerial Ace, and Endure
Flippy (Quagsire, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Damp
Attacks: Water Pulse, Mud Bomb, Ice Beam, and Slam
Electra (Elekid, Female, Naughty Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thundershock, Low Kick, Quick Attack, and Leer