Chapter 10: Weak finale
The finale of the 'Weak' arc has arrived. Get dem tissue boxes ready because this'll be one emotional ride.
After this, 'The Bonds We Share will be on hiatus for a few days (2-3) so I can focus more on my next story (see right after this sentence).
On a brighter note, 'Be At My Side' won by a metaphorical landslide, almost getting thrice as much votes 'To Thaw A Cold Heart' had!
I'll be posting its next chapter tomorrow.
And don't worry for those who chose the 'To Thaw A Cold Heart'! I'll be uploading it's next chapter once a week, starting next Monday!
That's all I have to say,
Enjoy the finale.
Rai stood outside the back entrance, motionless.
He hated Bonnie for everything she's done to him. Yet, somehow he still cared for her.
He wanted to harm and punish her for her actions, but then he'd just become Lucy's former owner.
He wanted to apologize to her, to say sorry for what he said.
But why did he have to?
She broke his heart, it was only logical for him to break hers.
But was it really right? Could he have done something else than this?
Feelings of regret and hate clashed in his battered mind. He didn't know what to do.
Lucy and Jessie stared at their owner.
His head drooped down low. Teams streamed down his face, his eyes were obscured my his unkempt spiky hair. He was clutching the pokeball on his left, Tracy's ribbon on his right, all the while trembling in his spot.
They wanted to cheer him up, but they didn't know how. Jess rubbed his back as he stood still as a statue.
"Master, come inside. We can sort this out in our room." Lucy pleaded. She tried tugging his trousers, to no avail of course.
"She's right. As much as you'd like to, we can't stand out here all night." Jessie said.
Rai silently turned to the back door and trudged back to his room, Jess and Lucy followed suit.
He closed the door once everyone had gotten in.
Lucy removed Rai's cloak off her, whilst Rai removed his jacket, leaving his trousers on. He placed Tracy's ribbon and her pokemon on the desk beside the bed.
He sat on the bed, head facing down like before.
Lucy jumped on his lap, she moved her paws to his face, angling them to her muzzle
"You did what had to be done." Her ruby eyes locked with his.
Jessie sat beside her trainer and rested her head on his shoulder.
"We don't blame you for it."
"We really don't."
The two pokemon nuzzled him softly, Lucy rubbing her cheeks on his as Jess rubbed her soft skin on his shoulder.
"I could have done something else." Rai finally spoke.
"..."
"..." The two pokemon awaited for their owner to continue.
"I could have interrupted her speech, I could have saved myself from all this...heartbreak."
"But I didn't, I left her continue, I let her reveal her true self, the one she's been hiding ever since I got her."
"I could have dealt with her hating me, since I'd know for certain that she'd eventually warm up to me the longer we travelled together."
"But...what she said...broke me, you know." His voice cracked mid-sentence.
"Everyone has their reasons; she just simply hadn't gotten over her trainer leaving her." Jessie replied.
"We'd never leave you,master."
"Neither would I, Rai."
At that moment, Rai finally broke down the waterworks, vocals and all.
He wrapped both his arms around Lucy and Jessica, bringing them to a tight embrace.
Rai spent a good half hour before he finally got himself properly positioned on the bed, still holding Lucy and Jessica in his chest.
The two pokemon sandwiched him, Lucy's legs and arms wrapped around his whilst Jessie pushed her chest against Rai's side, her breasts squeezed a little as she pressed them, prompting her to stifle a moan as her Topaz horn was applied pressure against Rai's side.
'I guess my horn is sensitive.' She thought.
Rai lifted Lucy and placed her on his bare chest. She immediately felt his raging warmth and purred with content as she nuzzled him lovingly.
Jessie, not wanting to be beaten, pushed herself more on Rai's side, making her moan quietly as her horn was pushed deep inside her bosoms.
"At least I still have you guys." Rai sniffled. He closed his eyes, waiting for the dream world to snatch him away.
Jessica was waiting for the dream world too, feeling slightly aroused as to how she can 'cheer up' the Rai in her dreams.
Lucy had already fallen into a deep sleep as she melted within Rai's embrace, content with just his skin pressing against hers.
"Love you gals."
"We love you too." They both mumbled.
Soon, the moonlit room was filled with silent snoring and light moans from a certain individual.
Oh what a night.
Noon approached the trio as they slept peacefully, still in the same position as last night.
They had overslept, but they didn't mind, all of them needed it, to sleep off the events of last night.
Rai left to take a shower, leaving Lucy and Jess alone in the room as they stirred from their sleep.
Lucy opened her eyes to see a sleeping Gardevoir in front of her.
Mesmerised at her beauty, she placed one of her paws to feel her breasts. They felt rather squishy.
She then noticed a small orange horn sticking out from the middle of her breasts; she tried to lightly pull it out, only to get a quiet moan in response from Jessie.
Her eyes widened in surprise and a blush formed on her cheeks as she realised what her actions caused.
Jessie slowly opened her eyes to see a Riolu staring at her.
"Good morning."
"Umm...Good morning." Lucy said before looking down her dress.
"Your dress is wet..."
Jessie's face turned crimson as she observed the results of her 'dream'.
A rather large, damp patch was situated down her cut dress, located where her nether-regions would be.
If her dress flopped down to reveal herself, she would be presenting Rai and Lucy her twitching flower.
Luckily it had not been the case.
"Oh! sorry! I...uh...drank some water and it dripped there!" Jessie said, grinning sheepishly.
"But there's no cup her-"
"Rai! Where are you! Hurry up in there!" Jessie stormed out of the room before Lucy could finish.
Shrugging, she returned to sleeping while she waited for her master's return.
An hour passes by, and Rai has readied himself, along with his Gardevoir and Riolu.
To them, he seemed to have returned to his normal state. But deep inside, he has still not gotten over last night.
Her words...they left a hole in him.
But he was not going to ruin his pokemon's day by sulking indefinitely. He had to stay strong, for them.
As Jessie and Lucy conversed about today's activities and plans on where to go next, Rai stared at the pokeball on the desk.
Memories about last night came back in a flash, and so came the feelings.
He motioned towards the bed and grabbed the ball.
Jessie and Lucy halted their conversation to observe Rai.
He stared at the ball, unaware about the veil of silence that had fallen upon them. He grabbed the ribbon with him and placed it in his pocket as he turned towards the duo.
His face was blank, but his eyes were bloodshot.
"Let's go."
Not much was said after the group's departure from the pokemon center.
The emerald trees swayed their leaves as they walked along route 202.
The Sun shone its amber rays at the group as they silently travelled.
Rai was in front of the duo, his cloak flowed gracefully as he walked. Lucy held hands with Jessie as she waddled behind Rai.
Rai finally broke the silence as they walked through the forest.
"What do you think of Bonnie?"
Unaware of whom he directed it to, Jessie spoke first.
"Well, while she's not the friendliest person here, I understand the reasons for her behaviour, what with being abandoned by her own trainer, who only cared for her appearance. Had we spent a bit more time with her, she could have opened up to us a bit more. And maybe, maybe she would come to terms with her past problems and live in the now."
Lucy, had a rather short answer.
"She called me a mutt, I don't like her."
Rai took their answers, silently processing them.
"Rai, what do you think of Bonnie?"
"..."
What did he really think of her?
Did he hate her?
Or was it just all in the moment?
Did he care for her?
Or was it just pity for her past?
He was her trainer, even through unconventional methods.
She may hate him, but he's still her trainer.
Maybe she could learn to appreciate him, as Jessica said.
Or maybe she would never get over her past.
Maybe, she would never open up to them.
"I..."
"I, see her as my pokemon, like I do with you two."
"Even through all the pain she put me through, I still care for her."
"I regret what I did last night."
"If anything, I had turned into Tracy, or Lucy's former trainer."
"NO! That is not who you are!" Jessie screamed.
She grabbed Rai's shoulders and turned him around to face her and Lucy.
"You are nothing like Tracy, nor Lucy's trainer."
"Then tell me why I shouldn't have shut Bonnie down with my words."
Jessie gave no answer. She couldn't give a reason.
He was right, in a sense, that he was acting like Tracy, maybe even Lucy's trainer.
"If you were like my other master, then you wouldn't be hugging me at night and give me rides on your back!" It was now Lucy's turn to back up Jessie.
Rai looked at the floor.
"Then tell me, what am I going to do with Bonnie now?"
Both females gave no answers, the silence constricted their mouths.
"I can't pretend that none of this has happened, nor can I keep treating her like this!" Rai's eyes began to water.
"I've ruined her chance to be with her trainer, I'm just an obstacle in her way."
"She doesn't care about me, she never did. All she wants is to be with her former trainer."
"Maybe...maybe I can do one last thing...one last thing that could give her happiness...one last thing that can make her forget about me."
"She never cared about me...so maybe she'll appreciate what I'll do."
Boy, was he so wrong.
-POV switch: Bonnie in her pokeball-
I'm alone.
I'm stuck in the dark as my thoughts controlled my mind.
He was never my trainer, Tracy was. She, fed me, played with me...made me happy.
But...
It was all a facade.
She only cared about how I looked; our friendship was based on her attraction towards me.
Somehow, everything that she's done for me felt...fake.
6 months, 6 months I spent as a Torchic. 6 months of constant berating from other pokemon. They called me weak, as if my battle prowess was the reason that I had not evolved. I enjoyed destroying them.
But...
The way I watch others evolve make me die a little inside. Knowing my own fate, I'll probably stay as a Torchic forever, never being able to evolve to my final form. I felt caged, like something that should never be changed, going through countless contests, going through worthless compliments about my appearance. I never wanted that life, but Tracy did.
I wanted to break free, to fully experience life outside all the battling and contests.
So I purposely lost my everstone.
And that's when things fell apart.
She no longer trained me, she used me less and less. Eventually she had enough of me. I was like deterrent to her. She no longer wanted me, due to her perfectionist personality. She started to abandon me. Leave me in pokemon centres early in the morning when we sleep over. She even bound me by rope to run far enough away so that I couldn't follow.
I could feel her hatred.
Then I met...him.
Rai was his name. The idiot in the cloak.
No, he's not an idiot.
He's stubborn, but not an idiot.
There's just something about him. The way he treats his pokemon.
He's different. I've never seen someone else transform into...whatever he was that night.
He tried to desperately prove that I'm not what Tracy thinks of me.
And he did. He proved it.
But at the same time. He didn't.
I was the one who was knocked out. And somehow he won. And since that tutu-girl looked like she evolved, she must be the reason.
Arceus, look at me, I'm useless.
I didn't even get to see tutu-girl evolve; it must have been amazing for her, to become more powerful naturally.
I wish I could feel what she felt.
My own evolution was rather bland. I evolved during my sleep due to months of delayed attempts because of that bastard stone.
That's no way to evolve.
Maybe...
Maybe if Rai kept me, I could finally experience it.
To finally feel the power surge through me as I turn.
I doubt that he'll even look me in the eye after what I've done to him.
I want to say sorry, say sorry that I lashed out at him.
I misinterpreted things, let out feelings that I've kept for such a long time.
I've been hated by my own trainer so much, that I let it out on the only one who accepted me.
I had my doubts, about whether he is what he seems, and frankly, he's everything that Tracy had been before I knew about the truth.
He cares about others, and is willing to go through great lengths to make them happy.
That night after the battle against Lucy's trainer...
When he held me close...
I felt...happy.
And here I am, finally realising that I've been a complete asshole to him after he opens my eyes.
I deserve everything that he called me. I deserved it all.
I just hope...
...He can give me another chance.
-POV switch: Narrator -
After an unknown time of walking, Rai stopped in his tracks.
Jessie and Lucy knew.
It was time.
He made his decision, and they begrudgingly accepted it.
Rai held out Bonnie's pokeball in his hand and released her.
The yellow chicken materialised in front of their eyes.
The fur below her eyes had matted, she had been crying for quite a while.
Her feathered crest drooped down low as she faced the floor.
She lifted her face to look at the cloaked idiot, eyes bloodshot.
"Rai..."
He then did the inevitable.
"..."
He held out her hand and gave her the pokeball that she was trapped in.
Tears streamed his cheeks as he carried out the action.
Bonnie's eyes widened, her pupils shrunk.
"No..."
He turned away; his cloak faced her, flowing madly at the winds.
It was Sunset.
The rays splashed across his face, his tears glimmered in the light.
"I know that I've not been the best trainer to you..."
Don't do it...Don't let her go!...
"And you've made it very clear to me ever since last night."
She hates you...She only sees you as something she can use to get to Tracy again.
"And...I've made a decision..."
"Dont..." Bonnie's eyes welled up, enabling the waterworks.
"It's for the best..."
"It's not!"
She had only realised her true self and now her chance to live a new life is slipping right in front of her.
"I've always wondered what would happen if you stayed, the things we could've experienced, but I know it's not meant to be."
You know it's meant to be! you just don't give her a chance!
Lies, she hated you from the start. What makes you think that she'll ever appreciate you, after all she's done!
"You can live free now...you can experience life once more. You can evolve, maybe even start a family."
Stop it! You can still go back!
"Or...you can find Tracy once more. If I'm right about her having one badge, then she's probably heading to Floaroma town for the contest there."
That's it, give her what she truly wants...
"I can only hope, that no matter whether Tracy or another trainer captures you...
Rai tried his hardest not to break down into a crying mess, it took all of his willpower to just not cry, and he could feel himself faltering.
"That they could give you the compassion...and care that I failed to give you." His voice broke mid-sentence.
Bonnie felt him, his feelings, she knew that this isn't what he wanted, but he was doing it for her sake.
If only she told him her feelings sooner.
"Please...don't leave..."
"I know it's hard on you, but you'll forget me. Forget that I ever existed. So any insults you want to say to me, go ahead."
Lucy and Jessica watched them with tear-filled eyes. Bonnie might have not been the bestest friend to them. But she was their friend nonetheless, regardless of what she's done.
Bonnie rushed to Rai and wrapped her arms around his back.
"Please...no...I didn't mean it! Please!"
Rai did everything in his power to not hug and apologize right then and there, despite his thoughts saying so.
GODDAMMIT RAI! SHE DOESN'T MEAN IT! PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ARCEUS TAKE HER BACK!
Rai clenched his fists as he prepared his departure.
"Jess,use psychic to hold her."
Hesitantly, Jess got Bonnie in her grip.
Rai looked at her, and gave her a nod.
She knew what to do next.
Jessica held Rai and Lucy's hand as he said his goodbye.
He turned to face Bonnie again, bloodshot eyes locked with each other
He took out Tracy's ribbon from his pocket and tied a neat bow along Bonnie's neck.
"Good bye...Bonnie."
And with that, The Rai that Bonnie wrapped in her arms disappeared, leaving a pink mist where her trainer once stood.
She collapsed to the floor and let it all out, bawling on the earthy floor as the sunset coated her fur.
Isolation took her once more, abandoned by both her trainers, all because of her own doing.
"Don't leave me...Raijin."
And The 'Weak' arc comes to a close.
Whether Bonnie returns to Rai or not is up to me.
Reviews are much helped, criticisms are appreciated too.
This story will be on a little hiatus (3 days) so that I can progress with another story.
You know, like season finales where they take months for the next series, except with stories, and the wait is exponentially shorter.
Check out my other story which I'll be working on during the hiatus: 'Be At My Side'
Other than that.
Stay tuned.
Bai
