"Come on warrior! I know you can do better!" I chuckled at Primeape's shouting, which has become a norm in the past few days. "Raise that defense! Strengthen your attack!"

Another month of arduous training has passed. Luckily for Espeon, both Houndoom and Myghtyena had calmed down after evolving. Still fixed on getting stronger, but no longer fighting at every turn… they preferred to fuck the tension away. Unluckily for him, a couple of weeks later both Swablu and Trapinch evolved into Altaria and Vibrava respectively, making Tyrogue, Honedge, and Froakie the only ones who have not evolved yet, and wanted to, since the training regime had started. Ever since, not wanting to be upstaged, Primeape has been pushing Tyrogue to his limits.

The thing is that he decided to evolve into a Hitmontop, the most difficult evolution form he could achieve. So, getting the training regime right and raising both his defense and attack so they would be equal… was hard and time-consuming. Primeape could deal with hard, he was a Fighting Type after all, but being patient? That's something he could not do even if you paid him with a thousand berries!

Luckily Honedge was more like me, a noble pokemon and someone who took her time without rushing. She understands that our trainer is new to ghosts and still doesn't know the best way to train them. She is also enjoying being Ash's weapon during his training sessions. Oh, yes, Ash did not only train us during these two months, but he also trained himself. Primeape and Heracross quite enjoyed finding out about that plan, taking him as an apprentice alongside Tyrogue. Whenever he decided to train his swordsmanship Honedge claims the position as his weapon. From all the new pokemon those two and Froakie seem the closest to Ash. Not that he loves them more or that the others don't get along. It's simply that the three of them formed a bond as fighting kindred spirits.

Talking about Froakie…

"Shouldn't you be fighting alongside them?" I asked the blue frog pokemon by my side, as I pointed with my vine at our trainer fencing against Heracross with Honedge next to Primeape and Tyrogue.

"My species needs to learn to meditate early," he answered me, his eyes kept closed. "We are from the ninja pokemon line. We need to possess an inner focus more advanced than normal pokemon, even if we could never reach the level of a psychic's mind. As we become a Water/Dark dual-type by the end of our evolutionary line, is better to learn it in our early stages." Froakie explained, calmly. "It was Master's idea and I agree. Espeon has been of great help."

I chuckled, lying down on the grass, enjoying the sun. How much has our trainer grown? I still remember the kind and good meaning but inexperienced and naive trainer I decided to join. It is kind of lonely seeing him all grown up and responsible, but then I think of Kingler, Muk, Squirtle, Primeape, and Pidgeot and I can't do anything but smile. Then came all these new, unusual, and powerful pokemon and I thought I would be forgotten, the small Bulbasaur that will not evolve. But Ash looked at me and put me in charge, Pikachu's second in command, and promised me a battle on the first gym in Sinnoh.

When all these pokemon kept on evolving I thought he would want me to evolve as well, adding up another new powerful member on his team. But he then came back from Celadon City and brought us, Squirtle and me, each a collar with an Everstone. I felt all the weight I've been feeling from preventing myself from evolving disappeared, making it easier to train and grow in strength without worrying about evolution. He then kneeled before us and apologized, saying he should have done this a long time ago. It was then I realized Ash might have matured, but he was still the same Ash he has always been.

The same trainer who would never force any of their pokemon to evolve, even if it meant a secure victory. He could have easily had the three Kanto Starters final evolution by the time of the Indigo League, maybe even advance until the semi-finals, but he still put our needs before his dreams. The same boy who can't see what kind of treasure he is and would rather blame himself as a trainer than any of his pokemon.

"Nee, Froakie, why did you decide to stay?" I asked the newest member of our family, finally startling him out of his meditation. "You had never stayed with one trainer before, but you chose Ash."

"I… I believe that you can understand my reasoning, the same way any of Master's pokemon would," he replied, slowly, his gaze turning towards the smiling Ash. "As you said, I chose him. I once thought that all I wanted was an experienced trainer who could bring the best out of me and help me evolve. That's why I always left those newbies the black-haired Professor kept giving me too. Then I got traded here as a result, not even an explanation, just a Poke Ball exchanged. Not that I expected anything more, my last trainer is a good kid who loves pokemon, but a boy that only just started his training, so I never bothered to listen to him. Not to mention, that when I was released by Master, I found myself surrounded by so many strong pokemon, got told about all the adventures and achievements from my new trainer… I had finally gotten my wish. I was only thankful for my previous trainer." He continued, eyes wandering off deep in thought. "At first, I only stayed because of all the strong pokemon around. I wanted to be one of them. Especially, when everyone kept on evolving after only a month of training. That's when things started to piss me off. Everyone kept on evolving but me. I could not understand why I was not able to evolve, I wanted to be stronger… I believed that strength came with evolution. So, I could not understand why Master Pikachu was the first in command after Master rather than someone like Master Charizard or Master Sceptile. Or why, he chose you as the second in command. Then one day I wandered off and saw the mock battles Master held between the original team members. It was then that my eyes were open.

I saw Master Pikachu take down Master Charizard, Master Squirtle defeat Master Primeape and you defeat Mistress Pidgeot, even with the type disadvantage. It was then that I started listening to the stories the rest told about their journeys with Master. How he had saved most of them from unfortunate fates, how he had released his Butterfree so he could go off with his mate and Lapras to go with her family. How he had let Squirtle, Primeape, and Pidgeot leave so they could fulfill their dreams before returning to him. Even if it meant that he would lose very strong pokemon and most likely put off his dream a couple of years behind schedule. How it was you and Master Squirtle that had decided not to evolve, and he had allowed it. It was then that Master Charizard visited me and told me his story. He had noticed me… moping as had called it."

I chuckled at Charizard's comment but kept quiet, his meddling was surprising.

"He told me that he had once thought the same as I did. He had wanted to evolve to become stronger so that he would never have to suffer the same fate as he had once suffered. That he had looked down on the rest of his teammates because they did not hold the same power as him… how he had caused Master his first League loss because of his pride and cockiness. How Master still never gave up on him and nursed him back to health during their Orange League Adventures, the same way he had done when he used to be a Charmander. The story of how he turned his back to the trainer that saved him and treated him as an equal to then only realizes his mistake too late and losing his precious treasure a few months later when Master left him on the Charizard Valley."

I looked at Froakie in shock, I had never expected it to affect Charizard so much. But he had truly taken it personally, even Ash leaving him at Charizard Valley so that he could be with his mate felt like abandonment for being a bad pokemon. I'll have to talk with Pikachu and then have Espeon translate, we can't leave things like this.

"He wanted me to learn the lesson early, so I would not make the same mistakes. I did. I learned that there is no need to rush into evolution and that evolution does not mean you won't be defeated, that power is not the same thing as strength. To never underestimate anyone because of their appearances. I learned that Master doesn't choose his pokemon, but they choose him. That we are equals and if I want to put an input in my training Master will listen… and that's the kind of trainer I want. I want to stand beside Master not because he chose me, or because my previous trainer traded me off, but because I chose him. I will defend him and fight his enemies at his command until my last breath." He swore.

"Good to know we are on the same page," I smiled at the frog pokemon, who nodded back and returned to his meditation.

My gaze went back to my trainer and smiled at the happy picture he made, smiling and cheering with the Fighting Types and Honedge. This is the trainer we would give our lives for. And everyone understands that, even the new guys. Ash deserves the world and we are going to give it to him.

My smile dropped when I saw Pikachu jump on Ash's shoulder, the usual image tainted by the presence of the Jolteon by Ash's heels. Don't get me wrong, we all love the new member of the family, she is so much like her dad that it's impossible not to love her. Her mom on the other side…

I glared towards Professor Oak's ranch, wishing I could tear her apart for what she did to kind, sweet, loving Pikachu. Even if she hadn't wanted him as a mate, keeping their daughter a secret was crossing a line we will never forgive her. I still hear his sobbing late at night, when think it's only Ash and him. She broke his heart and danced all over it. The bitch still hadn't apologized!

Fucking prideful dark bitch, I scoffed in my head.

What's worse Gary had decided to spend the summer in Pallet Town, trying to learn what he can from his grandfather's ranch. Blackie simply can't get a clue and leave Pikachu alone. I get that she wants to stay close and keep her daughter company, but why does she keep on trying to talk to Pikachu? We had all made sure that she doesn't get one hundred feet from Pikachu. Her teammates don't bother stopping us, even they are disappointed in her. Her own daughter is angry!

It doesn't matter now. Luckily, Gary accepted to share custody over Jolteon and she is coming with them for the while Sinnoh journey. That will give them enough time to bond.

We will not only keep Ash safe but Pikachu too.