Chapter 22: Hold You Tight

No. It wasn't possible. There was no way. How? Why? He just got that wonderful, irresistible angel back, only to lose her again?

"Please tell me you're lying."

"I wish I was." Rio responded.

"What happened?" Bryce asked.

"Well, I didn't understand it until Violet told me."

Flashback

Violet walked up to her parents. "Hello dad. How've you been?"

"I've been well. It's been a while since I've seen you." He responded.

"Sorry, I've been with Bryce for most of the time."

"Violet, we need to talk." He said sternly. "Listen, you can't be with him."

Her face fell. "Why not? Bryce cares about me a lot. I can trust him with anything."

"I need to consider your future. He can't provide for you and Pokémon and humans can't have kids. There are plenty of other Pokémon out there…"

"I don't care. I know who I love, and it's Bryce…besides, love is so much more than kids. I don't think many Pokémon actually know what true love is."

"It's not about what true love is or isn't. Your future, what's best for you, is the priority for me. Where could your life go if you were with him? He abandoned his home, no job here, barely any food…"

"First, he didn't abandon his home, he NEVER felt at home on earth. Second, Bryce could find a job to afford food and anything else we need." Violet said, starting to get upset.

"Violet, I'm not allowing you to be with him. You can't start a family with him." Violet's father persisted.

"Why do you keep going back to kids? I don't care if…wait… I know what this is about! You just want me to keep our family line going!" She accused.

Her father didn't respond.

End Flashback

"Wait, Violet's only fifteen." Bryce said.

"Pokémon are fully developed when they're at their final evolution." Rio said. "The first stage in the evolution, we're kids. The second one, we're teenagers, and the final one we're adults. However, Riolu only evolves once. Even though mentally Violet is only fifteen, physically, she's an adult."

Flashback

"So that's it!" Violet yelled at her father.

"Enough! I already chose who will marry you." He scolded. Riowalked through the door. Violet was shocked and afraid at the same time.

"Rio? He's my best friend! I don't love him that way! I just want to be friends with him, not marry him!" She continued to yell.

"Wait, marry? That's what you called me for?" Rio asked.

Violet's father nodded. "Violet, I will not stand for this. You are a mature lady. You have no injuries or disabilities…this was about the time your mom and I got married."

Violet burst into tears. This couldn't be true. It was a dream, and any second she would wake up…but she didn't. "I HATE YOU!" She yelled at her father, running out the door crying.

"Violet! Wait!" Rio tried to stop her, but she was too upset. He followed her to where she always went when she was upset. He found her under a hollowed tree, curled up into a ball. She was sobbing uncontrollably. Rio walked up to her and put a paw on her shoulder.

"Violet…it'll be okay." He said comfortingly. She didn't stop crying. No matter what he tried to say, it didn't work.

"Do you want me to tell Bryce?"

At the mention of Bryce, she cried even harder. If she didn't feel bad enough, now she had to tell him they couldn't be together? After all the time they spent together? After all of those wonderful days together?

Rio decided to leave to tell Bryce. He was trying to comfort her, but he just made it worse.

End Flashback

Bryce was trying not to cry. "Is there anything I can do to prevent this?" he asked.

"No." Rio sadly said. "The whole village is guarded. None of the other Lucario want you and Violet together. Violet and I are the two that are getting married…but the only two who don't want this to happen…other than you, of course."

All Bryce could think of was Violet crying. He hated seeing her upset. "Could you tell Violet to come see me? I need to talk to her."

He nodded, standing up quickly. "Of course." He said, running off.

Bryce felt horrible, just like when Violet was about to leave him the first time. She was the most wonderful, incredible, beautiful person…no, Pokémon, he ever met. There would be no way he'd find someone else like her. He wouldn't want to. He leaned against the smooth rock, feeling horrible for him and Violet. Then he just cried. Bryce didn't even know completely why. He wanted Violet by his side forever…but it would never happen now.

A small gust blanketed the area. There was a noise right next to him. Bryce looked to see Staravia with a berry in its beak, looking at him concerned. "Star?" it asked.

Bryce continued to look at the ground, silently crying while his tears splashed into the soft earth. Staravia dropped the berry and bumped his head against Bryce's, trying to figure out why he was crying. Bryce turned away from it. All he wanted right now was to see Violet. Staravia took his hand in its beak, throwing it up onto its head. It knew now why he was sad. Losing the one who means the most to you is a pain no one can truly know unless it's happened to them. Staravia had lost its entire family when wild Spearow and Fearow attacked their nest.

A white light engulfed Bryce's mind. He saw the Staravia, still as a Starly, resting with its brothers and sisters while its parents watched. Then the Spearow and Fearow came. The parents tried to fight them off, but it was no use. They dropped to the ground almost instantly. They went for the next, mercilessly attacking all of the kids. Starly had played dead, and worst of all, had to lie in his sibling's blood to not be killed. The vision faded, and Bryce looked into the Staravia's eyes.

"You know… you know that pain."

The bird nodded sadly.

"It's horrible…" Bryce said. He hugged the bird's neck, still crying. Staravia picked up the berry and gave it to him. Slowly, Bryce grabbed it from his beak.

"Thanks." He smiled.

The bushes rustled, signaling that Violet was approaching. Staravia let out a small cry, rising into the sky, leaving Bryce to talk to her.

*Whatever happens Violet, I want you to know…you and I will always be okay…*

Author's Notes: So I hope that explained the whole marriage thing well enough. Also let me know if calling Violet's best friend Lucario is confusing. So will they get married? Was that even Violet approaching Bryce? Find out soon… IMPORTANT: I can make the rest of the story 1 or 2 chapters. Which do you want? With 2, you'll see the first one quicker, and the Bryce/ Violet story WILL NOT be over in the next 1 or 2 parts IF you guys want, but I'll get to that in the final part of Us Against the World.