Thank you all so much for your support. And of course, this chapter's title comes from the old boy band, not that I've ever listened to them much.
If you wish to contact me off this site, my Discord tag is SnowLabrador#7822. But before you do that, enjoy this chapter!
Although Zen would have preferred to still have his parents with him, he was also grateful that Valentina was true to her word. She treated him as though he were her own child. It didn't even matter that he was a different species.
This isn't to say that the Riolu boy was perfectly happy. Just like in anyone's life, there were good days and bad days, but that's just the way life went. Zen didn't blame Arceus for his lot in life, but some nights it was very tempting indeed.
Every evening, when he climbed into bed, he thought of his parents once more, and his nose ran. He would grab a dusty tissue from the bedside table, but that would only cause him to sneeze.
Some nights, he would dream about that horrific day. It's said that time heals all wounds, but that was a lie, at least in Zen's view. The pain did not go away; it just became easier to push aside, to ignore.
But he would never ignore that memory, because he had to keep on living. He knew that the best thing to do would be to live in a way his parents would be proud of. So that's what he tried to do.
Even amidst all the anguish, amidst forlorn memories, life went on. It didn't take long for his existence with Valentina to settle into a routine.
Each morning, Zen would wake at the crack of dawn. He was used to sleeping inside a cave, where only a clock could tell you what time it was. Sleeping next to a window required a major adjustment, to put it mildly.
After that, he would eat breakfast in the kitchen with Valentina. Her table manners were impeccable, which only made Zen feel more self-conscious about his own. They were imperfect, to say the least.
The Riolu boy didn't ask his new caretaker about this, but he noticed that whenever she looked at him eating, Valentina's expression turned into a wistful one. It was as though she were longing for a day that no longer existed, one that could never come back.
Zen figured there was a story behind that, but as stated above, he didn't enquire about it.
Once breakfast was over, the Riolu boy would shadow Valentina as she did her farm chores. First, she would milk the pair of Miltank (unlike the first time, no such incidents happened again), and then she would sweep some of the excrement off the ground. Then, she showed Zen how to do the same.
The brooms Valentina used (there were two, for some reason) weren't built for a Riolu. However, Zen was able to get the hang of this job without too much trouble, although the smell could be overpowering at times.
After feeding the Miltank and Combusken, Valentina would lead Zen over to a shack near the barn. There, she'd show him the way she churned homemade butter in a barrel, and also made cheese out of the milk. She explained that she sold both of these goods in town, and once more told the young Riolu that he'd get to visit the market when he was older.
The afternoon was mostly spent around the house, reading various books from the woman's library. For someone who seemingly didn't have much in terms of material possessions, books were clearly an exception.
When Zen first stepped into Valentina's library, he was startled by just how many volumes were contained within the shelves. There were books about farming, books about milking cows, novels, books about…parenting?
The Riolu boy frowned. Why would Valentina own such a book if she wasn't a parent herself? If she wasn't even married? Was it just because she fantasized about raising a child of her own?
That question made Zen's brain hurt physically, so he didn't ponder it any further. Instead, he thumbed through the collection until he came across a novel that looked interesting, then returned to his bedroom to read it.
Valentina was more than encouraging of the young Riolu's desire to read. She always seemed thrilled when Zen would pick up a new book, and would congratulate him whenever he finished one.
Of course, it's not like there was much else to do here. Unlike how things had been in his former home, Zen wasn't allowed to venture off of Valentina's property. He was to remain within sight of the house at all times.
He didn't complain about this, though it could be quite hard to resist. It was ultimately for his own good, after all; who knew where the hunters might be now? They might not be ready to give up on finding him.
The weeks went by, and then fall turned to winter. The Hisui region, being as far north as it was, was no stranger to snowstorms, and blizzards occurred with regular frequency. Zen's fur made him warmer, but it wasn't armor. Sometimes he was reduced to cuddling with Valentina in bed; her home was far less insulated than the cave had been.
During winter, of course, chores still had to be done. The pair would still walk down to the barn almost every day, unless the snow was so deep that they literally couldn't open the door. The Combusken didn't produce as many eggs as usual, and it was the same way with the Miltank and milk; although Valentina evidently tried to hide this, her frustration was palpable whenever there was less of the product than she'd expected.
For the most part, when he wasn't cuddling with Valentina, sleeping, or helping her with farm chores, Zen spent his time engrossed in a book. It was almost as though the volumes took him to faraway nations, lands where it didn't matter that he'd lost his parents.
It gave him a certain level of escapism, and, at the end of the day, that's all he really needed. He needed something to distract him from the fact that he was an orphaned Shiny Riolu who was likely still being hunted.
Once winter finally ended, and the blades of grass poked through the snow cover one by one, Zen could feel the cabin fever truly kick in.
Valentina had given him a house, but it wasn't truly a home. To Zen, "home" meant being able to roam freely outdoors. It meant being able to live without fear.
To her credit, Zen's new caretaker was clearly doing her best to make him feel safe. If anything, she went overboard sometimes.
One day, as the flowers started to bloom, the Riolu boy finally worked up the courage to ask the question. He figured he'd probably be denied, but if he didn't try, he'd never know.
"Valentina?" he asked, looking directly into her eyes.
"Yes. What is it, Zen?"
"Can I play around outside today? I promise I won't go too far away from home - I'll stay within a mile of the house! Please?"
Valentina pursed her lips. "I don't know if that's a good idea, Zen. You might get lost - the area around this property is pretty heavily forested."
"Okay, then I'll just stay within the property" Zen promised. "I won't go too far away. This I promise, one hundred percent."
The lady chuckled, moving her white-blonde bangs away from her turquoise eyes. "That's fine. But if someone comes, please go back inside. Can you promise me that too?"
When Zen looked into Valentina's eyes a second later, he noticed that they had subtle purple circles underneath them. He didn't know how he hadn't noticed this before, but he'd seen these circles before on Lucario - his parents, for instance, whenever he got sick and they were forced to care for him. Yeah, they didn't mind doing it, but it was still stressful.
"I promise", the Riolu boy replied, "but I don't understand. Why do you seem so worried?"
Valentina sighed again. "I won't say right now. I don't want to worry you. So don't worry about it, and just play outside. Isn't that what you want?"
Zen still had a mountain of questions, but he'd just been offered a chance to frolic around outside like the good old days, and he wasn't going to pass it up.
So the Riolu boy, full of energy, scampered outside and leaped over the fence into the small enclosure Valentina used for grazing her Miltank. He did jumping jacks, a couple push-ups, and just generally skipped around, celebrating his (admittedly limited) freedom.
He was practically drunk with happiness as he twirled around without a care in the world. The feel of the spring sun against his fur, the smells of the blooming flowers, the sound the wind made…it was a joyous experience.
This joy was ground to a halt when the sound of an engine could be heard in the distance.
His sensitive ears picked up the noise long before the pickup truck became visible through the trees. The smell of diesel and vehicle exhaust was one Zen hadn't known before this, but he already knew he didn't like it.
Someone's coming. Valentina told me that if someone came, I had to go inside. But I'm really curious - what's going on?
On the other side of the thicket of trees, there was a small house, roughly the same size as the one Zen lived in with Valentina. The truck swerved into the driveway for the other house, and once it ground to a halt, one human and one Pokémon came out.
The trees obscured his vision somewhat, but Zen could still see the man. He was a tall, lean figure with a bushy, dark gray mustache and a beige hat. He wore an excited expression as he motioned for his Pokémon to follow him.
The Pokémon was small and dark gray, a similar color to his owner's mustache. He resembled a fox-like creature of some sort.
I know she told me to go inside, but is he really a threat? He looks about my age, and I'm sure we could be friends if I tried to get to know him. Is there anything stopping me from going over right now and asking his name?
As hard as it was to talk himself down from that proverbial ledge, Zen elected not to pursue the other Pokémon. Instead, he turned around and headed back inside.
There was a spring in his step as he stepped back into the house. He was quite eager to tell Valentina about their new neighbors, and to explain that he wasn't a threat. He would beg for what some called a playdate.
Valentina was in the kitchen, preparing lunch. The delicious smell wafting from the oven confirmed this, and the cook seemed to be happy as well. She smiled as she stirred the pot.
Zen couldn't help but smile as well. If Valentina was in a good mood, she'd likely be easier to persuade. She'd be more likely to let him hang out with the other Pokémon, and he'd finally have a new friend.
"Hey, Valentina?" he asked, trying to project as much confidence as possible.
The cook nearly dropped her wooden spoon into the pot; Zen saw her grab it right before this happened. Then, she turned around to face the Riolu boy.
"I'm making meatball soup right now, so this has to be important. I can't leave the pot unattended for too long."
"I promise you, it is," Zen replied, again doing his best to sound confident. "Besides, can't you stir while you talk?"
Valentina chuckled slightly. "I'll do my best."
Zen found himself taking deep breaths. He might have felt brave enough before to ask for a playdate, but now that he was actually going to do it, his courage fell apart. As he tried to figure out how best to word the question, he heard more stirring and simmering of the soup.
Finally, he said the following: "There's a new Pokémon who moved in today."
"And?" Valentina replied. "What species was it?"
Being that Zen was only seven years old, he didn't know the name of every Pokémon species out there; there were literally hundreds of them. He was pretty sure he'd never encountered the fox-like creature he'd seen with the mustached man.
"He was dark gray, and small. Smaller than me. He had four legs, and he looked kind of like a fox."
Although Zen couldn't see all of Valentina's face, as he moved over to view her profile, he saw that she was frowning. Her eyes had seemingly grown in size.
Something about what I just said worried her. But why?
"What's wrong?" the golden Riolu asked. "He seems cute and fun."
Valentina let out a deep sigh. "I'll tell you more when we're at the table. You should go read a book or something until it's time for lunch."
That's exactly what Zen did, although it was hard to absorb himself in the book. The book posed questions, yes, but their importance seemed vanishingly insignificant compared to the questions the young Riolu found himself asking.
Why did Valentina seem so "triggered" by the mention of this other Pokémon? He didn't pose a threat to her at all! So far as Zen was concerned, there was nothing to worry about.
Come to think of it, she sounded a bit scared when she said I could play outside. It's almost as if she expected something bad to happen today, of all days. But why?
Answers would come soon enough, it turned out, because it wasn't long before Valentina called Zen back into the kitchen for lunch.
The two of them sat down at the table in front of piping-hot bowls of meatball soup. The scent of the carrots, meat, and broth made his mouth water, but he wasn't as excited about it as he could have been.
"So, Zen, I feel as if I owe you an explanation" Valentina said softly in between spoonfuls of broth.
"What about?" the Riolu boy replied, even though he fully knew what she was about to say. Or, at least, some of what she would say.
"Well, the Pokémon you saw in front of the other house? Based on your description, he sounds like a Zorua to me."
Zen had heard that name before; his parents had told him stories about other species. That being said, he hadn't seen a picture of a Zorua, which is why he didn't recognize the species at first.
"How much do you know about Zorua, Zen?"
The Riolu boy perked up. "Well, they can make illusions, can't they? And they evolve into Zoroark at a certain point."
"Both are correct," Valentina replied, as though she were a teacher congratulating a pupil in her class for giving the right answer. "Some call them masters of illusion, because that's what they are."
"But why were you so worried earlier?" Zen blurted out. "You seemed very afraid to let me play outside today."
Valentina sighed again. Suddenly, she didn't look so happy.
"That's the explanation I owe you. About that Zorua…I've known that he was going to move in there for some time now. I might be a simple woman, but I still keep up with the news enough to know things like that."
"So they tell you when someone's going to move in?" Zen replied.
Valentina nodded. "Indeed they do. In this case, I learned that our new neighbors, who were moving in today, were a Zorua and his owner. That's why I told you to stay on the property and come inside if anyone else showed up. It's for your own protection."
"I don't understand," Zen said, although on the inside, his dread increased. "What is so threatening about the owner?" He was casting about for any reason not to be alarmed.
The lady sighed again. She looked at the floor for a few seconds, then back at Zen.
"His name is Cedric Nale. He's from Jubilife Town, but decided to move into the countryside in order to have more time for his favorite sport. At least, that seems to be what the realtor told him when he purchased the house."
The young Riolu's heartbeat quickened. He thought he already knew the answer, but he still wanted to come up with any reason, anything at all, to convince himself that it might not be true.
"What is his favorite sport?"
Judging by the new tears in Valentina's eyes, as well as the way she seemed barely able to look at Zen, he knew that he'd been right.
"Hunting" Valentina sighed. "His favorite sport is hunting. As far as I know, he doesn't know about you, but if that changes…".
Zen didn't need her to finish that sentence. The concern on her face was palpable.
They returned to eating their soup after that, and from an objective standpoint, it was one of the best soups Zen had ever had. His biological mother might have been an excellent cook, but Valentina was giving her a run for her money.
Of course, with what the woman had just told him, the Riolu boy found it hard to enjoy the soup. The meatballs might as well have been made of sawdust, and the noodles cardboard.
The man who moved into the neighboring house is a hunter. Just like the hunters who killed my parents. And, even if it is illegal, I'm sure this Cedric Nale guy wouldn't mind having me as a trophy somewhere.
As horrifying as that prospect was, the thought of being trapped inside more or less indefinitely might have been even worse. He'd already spent much of the previous winter indoors; spending the entire summer that way would be unbearable.
"So what happens now?" Zen asked Valentina. "Do I have to stay cooped up inside forever?"
The lady shook her head. "I don't know if that's necessary. But from here on out, I'll lay down another ground rule: If you're ever outside of the house, I have to be able to see you. And Mr. Nale will have to be able to see me."
"Why is that?" Zen asked innocently.
"It's technically illegal for him to poach you - indeed, that's what the word poaching means, illegal hunting - but without witnesses, it can't be proven that he did it. I would hope that prison time is a sufficient deterrent, but that'll only happen if he's caught in the act."
"So he's less likely to shoot me if he thinks he'll be punished, basically" the Shiny Riolu responded.
"Exactly. Don't sneak off on your own; even if you were used to it in your previous life, you just can't do that anymore. Things are different now. I hate to say it, but it's true."
Zen sighed, looking down at the floor. He knew that Valentina was right. In the eyes of Cedric Nale, he was probably just a potential award to show off, not a live Riolu with actual thoughts and feelings.
If he thinks he can get away with it, there's absolutely nothing to stop him. And then I'm dead, aren't I?
The rest of the meal passed in near-total silence. Although no one had died recently, the mood was akin to that of a funeral. Neither of them spoke, because neither of them had anything to say that wasn't totally depressing.
Once both of them had finished eating, Zen helped Valentina do the dishes. Although the lady was clearly focused on the task at hand, at least for the most part, she would occasionally give the Riolu boy a look he couldn't stand. She was clearly trying to appear empathetic, but it didn't shine through the way she wanted it to.
It was a look that suggested one thing, and one thing only: She thought he was a dead 'mon walking.
Zen would look away from Valentina's face, focusing on washing his dish. Fortunately, this chore didn't take very long, and then Valentina excused herself to go work in the barn.
The Riolu boy, meanwhile, went back to his room. Sitting on his bed, he looked outside the window at the gorgeous spring day.
He saw Valentina make her way over to the barn, in a shirt that had clearly seen better days. It was a shirt that she probably didn't mind getting dirty.
And Zen sighed. He would have loved nothing more than to get back outside and meet the Zorua. They'd run around in the woods and have adventures together, and get to know one another's stories.
Of course, that was only a fantasy. It would never happen, because Valentina would never let it happen.
The worst part, however, was that Zen suspected she was right to keep him inside. But he didn't have to be happy about it.
