Deception Chapter 8: Wishes and Fulfillments, a pokémon fanfic

Took much longer than I expected this time haha, but as long as it's out!

W.R. Winters - Aww, thanks! Seeing your reviews always make my day, and your observations are always very interesting to keep an eye on. Yea, for a moment I did juggle a bit on Chase and Warren's relationship, as neither of them would generally open up about themselves. But I wanted them to build up character relationships with someone other than Aster and Kaitlyn, so I'm really happy with how that segment turned out (I actually was rather unsure at first with how it would've played out, but was pleasantly surprised!). As for him and Aster, let's just assume Warren has a certain "reputation" so to speak. I'm also very excited to build up Aster and Warren's relationship.

Stepter6 - And thanks so much! I'm aware this is quite a long read for now, but I'm glad you gave it a shot. I still consider myself rather new to writing (with me starting this up on a whim), and I actually didn't fully expect myself to actually keep writing. And crap, yea, sometimes I read through these chapters and discover errors, to which I really cringe at myself for. No matter how many times I edit these chapters over, there's always a few errors that escape my eye. As for your character, well, you already know what I said haha

2043

6 years ago

"Here. Take this egg."

A small boy blinked up at the older man before him. A kind smile spread across the man's face as he nudged the Pokemon egg closer to the boy's arms. It had a strange-colored pattern that surrounded it, and the boy almost dropped it when he realized how heavy it actually was. How can such a fragile egg be this heavy?

The man laughed at the boy's confusion and grinned. "Normally we'd have incubators for Pokemon eggs, but we'll have to make an exception for now."

The boy only stood there, fiddling with the egg in his hands. "What do you even want me to do with this?"

"You asked for a Pokemon a year or two ago, didn't you?"

The younger frowned. "Yea, but I asked for a Pokemon, not an egg. I can't help you against raiders when I don't have a Pokemon to use in a fight."

He only received an laidback smile in response, which only caused his frown to worsen. As fond as the boy was with the older's airiness, sometimes it just annoyed him. As if mirroring the boy's chagrin, the Jolteon next to the man perked one of his ears up and let out a similar sigh of exasperation, but soon settled back down to the sandy shore with a grunt. The man pat the Jolteon's head, letting the younger boy's statement sit for a while until he finally spoke up.

"Look, it's not about fighting. All I'm asking for you to do is to raise this egg, hatch it, and take care of it. I found it just a few days ago on the route we just passed. Whatever Pokemon that's still in there though, it's still fighting. And out of anyone that can take care of it, I know you can."

The boy ignored his praise. "But what about survival skills, or fighting, or learning more about herbs? I can't waste my time with this."

As much as he sympathized with whatever Pokemon was in that egg, the world wasn't going to wait for them. Time was an essence. Despite the boy's young age, even he knew this. He wasn't about to risk losing yet another person he cared about, especially with how hopelessly optimistic his mentor was.

"I always find that there's always room for love and compassion even after everything that's happened. They're traits that are seen as weaknesses right now, yes, but they're values that have been widely underestimated and forgotten. It's a testament of a person's character, and I do wish that people were more willing to open themselves up now."

The boy scoffed. "Yea. Like anyone would be willing to do something like that now."

"You'd be surprised," the man said. He ruffled the boy's hair, musing up the mess of dirty blonde curls. The boy squawked when the man removed his hand. "After all, you would know this trait better than anyone else. Didn't you do the same for me?"

The boy was at a loss for words. The memories of that time a long time ago rushed back into his brain. Heat furled up to the back of his neck. "It was just one time, that's all." His grip on the egg tightened and he could've sworn he felt the Pokemon inside there moving before settling back down.

The man only glanced knowingly at the egg and then let out a chuckle. "Of course. Now come on, take the egg. Just reconsider what I said, promise?"

The boy then looked up at the sky, and watched a flock of Swellow swoop past the clouds. Reconsider what he said? He looked back at the egg in his arms. A feeling of responsibility washed over him, and the 10-year old boy was briefly reminded of how new and young it was. But instead of feeling overwhelmed, he felt… comforted. Perhaps…

And before he knew it, he responded. "Okay. I promise."

Chapter 8: Wishes and Fulfillments

2049: Present

Launa always enjoyed meeting new people.

Whether it be old, new, it never really mattered to her. So to speak, she'd always been known as a "people person," with many people acknowledging how infectious her bubbly personality was. Even with how hard life was now, she always tried to look at the bright side, looking towards the future rather than back at the past. She always believed it was better to stick close to people and support them. After all, everyone could use a little help, right?

So when she came across these two people who were obviously arguing amongst themselves, she just had to say hello.

Of course they weren't that appreciative over her presence. Hell, she couldn't exactly blame them with the many jerks that still roamed about the region, but she wanted them to at least trust her enough to help. It turned out that they had two other traveling companions as well, which just meant more people to get to know!

And once she caught wind of that injury, she knew just who she wanted them to meet.

Connor was a very interesting guy. He was always curt and to-the-point, a guy who never liked to beat around the bush. He was very strong-willed and wasn't afraid to lay all the facts down, hurt feelings aside or not. But even then, he was also strangely dependable, and almost acted as a caretaker. He knew how to find the right berries, produce the right herbs, scavenge the right supplies. Yet, while Connor had all these skills in his arsenal, he never did anything about it. And she never understood why he refused to do so.

It was one of the few mysteries that grinded on her gears. And it made her more jealous than she was willing to admit.

But nothing about that.

Currently, Connor was working in silence, digging through the dirt to pluck out the necessary herbs for Chase's injury. Launa had followed after him, wanting to stick around with him rather than deal with that obvious tension around Warren and Chase. She was oblivious, but she wasn't that oblivious, she at least did have some semblance of awareness.

Launa rocked on the balls of her feet as she continued to watch Connor work. Jealousy aside, she still considered him as a good friend, but even she could admit she didn't know enough about him. While the silence between them was comfortable, she was itching to get some words out of him.

A smile broke out of her face. "Sooooo…."

She waited for a response from him, but he didn't reply. The only thing he let out though, was a very disinterested grunt. She didn't let that deter her.

"It's been a while since you've gotten yourself visitors, huh," she said instead. Connor stiffened, and his movements seemed to be more rigid than usual. His grip on the garden trowel tightened. It didn't go unnoticed by her.

"I didn't even invite them in myself, Launa. You brought them over here yourself," he replied.

Her smile only widened. "Well, you didn't have to. I'm just saying."

He stared at her for a moment, and then shook his head. He continued on working. She laughed.

From over the few years she'd known Connor, she'd picked up on a few quirks of his. It was obvious he was a bit flustered.

The two had met under strange circumstances, and it definitely wasn't one of her most brightest moments. She had met him around the Mauville City area a year or two ago while she was with her Absol. There had been a group of raiders that were hanging around the route above the city area, to which she thought she could've taken on. However, with her team of two versus their giant group, she stood no chance and had to flee.

It had taken a while to get to Mauville City, with her injuries and her tired Pokemon, but she had made it nonetheless. For a brief moment, she remembered how the city was actually undergoing construction, but seeing the buildings right then, it was obvious that construction hadn't continued. It was actually right there under some debris that she came across Connor. Or, so to speak, how Connor came across her.

"You don't look like you're doing too well."

From the ground where she was crouched at, Launa looked up to see a boy that was leaning against the wall. He was dressed casually, with an almost too small blue cardigan and a pair of dark pants. He didn't look too intimidating, but after her little skirmish, she was not going to take any chances. She tried to get back up, but was only shoved back down by Absol, who was still eyeing the stranger warily. "What do you want?"

The boy merely raised an eyebrow at her. "You don't seem to be in the position to ask questions here."

It was then that she noticed the Jolteon to his side, whos haunches raised up when it saw Absol tensing up as well. Not wanting to instigate it, she brought her palm down onto Absol's fur in an attempt to calm him down. Normally she would be a lot more open to meeting strangers, but after dealing with those raiders and her current injuries now, she was much more cautious than she usually was.

Her broken ankle began to throb. She steadily ignored it.

The boy then sighed, running a hand through his dirty blonde hair. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered to himself. The Jolteon yipped in reply to the boy's mutter. After that the boy shook his head. "Look, we saw you while you were traveling through here, and you looked like you needed help. You gonna take it, or not?"

Well that was a sudden shift in attitude, she thought. Normally she wouldn't be too aversed with it, talking to new people, that is, but she didn't like how vulnerable she was at the moment. "I think I'm good, thanks. You can be on your way."

A Pokeball that was latched onto the boy's waist began to shake, which strangely enough, made the Jolteon calm down a bit. The Pokemon then began to nudge at the shaking Pokeball and let out a whine. The boy unlatched the Pokeball from his waist and enlarged it. "I'll rephrase, it was Cadence who saw you and wanted to help. Ace and I could care less. Just let her heal you before we can be off on our way."

Whether he was referring to the shaking Pokeball or the Jolteon, she didn't know, but she did have an inkling that it was the shaking Pokeball. Unexpected as it was, she supposed it was a safe option to let this "Cadence" heal them, seeing as Absol had settled to lie back down (the lazy lug). Milotic was beginning to shake in her Pokeball as well. So, Launa nodded her head.

Immediately, the Pokeball in the boy's hand burst into life, and out of it came a Togetic. The Pokemon let out a loud trill before landing directly on his head. The boy then moved the Pokemon onto his shoulder, his voice softer than before. "You couldn't have waited for just a few more moments now, couldn't you Cadence?"

The Togetic let out another squeal, before the boy turned back to Launa. "My Togetic knows how to use Heal Bell and Wish, so she can heal your and your Pokemons' wounds. You wanna heal your Absol first?"

Launa blinked. She didn't expect to see a Togetic out of all Pokemon, especially with how rare they usually were. Though then again, Jolteons were rare Pokemon too. To her side, Absol got himself up first, probably checking to see if the Togetic was dangerous or not.

The Togetic hopped off of the boy's shoulder, hovering over midair right in front of Absol. He gave her a small sniff, before nodding his head and presenting her his shoulder. Launa held back a wince at Absol's injuries; he had gotten paralyzed by taking a hit that was supposed to be for her when she had broken her ankle, and there was also a giant slash marred across his side. Milotic, on the other hand, was in her Pokeball due to the burns that was inflicted on her own body. A part of Launa still couldn't believe that a water-type Pokemon like Milotic could have burns that bad.

A blue-green light slowly started to emit from Cadence's body as she let out another trill. Before Launa knew it, the slash on Absol's shoulder started to close up, and his paralysis began to fade out.

Honestly, she was in awe.

Cadence then began to move toward her, settling onto her knee. She seemed to be asking for permission to start healing her as well. Launa smiled, and grabbed the Pokeball from her side, before sending her Milotic out. "Yea, you can go for it. Could you also heal Milotic while you're at it as well?"

The Togetic gave a small jump in reply, a cheerful smile spread on her face. The blue-green light was back again, and Launa held back a sigh of relief when the pain on her ankle started to disappear. The cuts and scrapes on her own body were closing up too. It was obvious Milotic was feeling that same relief as well, which made Launa more than thankful. She didn't know how long it would've taken to find a large body of water to heal Milotic, so Cadence's help was much appreciated. Absol trotted over to Milotic to rub at her side, checking on to see how she was doing. Milotic let out a happy cry.

That was good to see.

The boy's Togetic then rubbed her head into Launa's hand, to which she gave a small pat. Cadence then hopped off, flying back up to the boy's shoulder. Embarrassingly enough, she had forgotten that he was still there. "Will that be all?" he asked.

She looked at her Pokemon, before nodding. "Yup! I think that'll be it!" she grinned, much more enthusiastic now that she knew he wasn't a threat.

He didn't look too impressed. "Yea, ok. I'll be off then." He turned back around before pausing mid turn, staring blankly back at Launa. "What do you think you're doing?"

She paused. "What are you talking about?" She was in the middle of standing up too.

He seemed almost frantic, the Jolteon to his side seeming unimpressed as Cadence snickered. "Are you stupid!? Don't just stand right up after healing a broken ankle! It still needs time to readjust and recover or else it'll get worse!"

"Oh, this?" She gave her ankle a kick and rolled it. "It feels fine."

He winced at her careless actions. "I thought you'd have at least enough common sense to wrap up that ankle before standing up, but clearly, I gave you way too much credit." He forced her to sit back down and took out his backpack. Much to her shock, there were quite a bit of first aid supplies in there. He took out a roll of rolling tape and began to unwind it.

"Give me your foot."

She rolled her eyes and complied. As he began to wrap up her foot, she smirked. "You know you don't have to do this, right?"

"Whatever."

After their first meeting, she quickly found out that he was heading to Rustboro City. It had been a while since she had a traveling companion of sorts, so she decided to tag along behind him, refusing to budge when he tried to leave her much to his annoyance. And yet, he always made sure he didn't head out too far ahead of her just to let her catch up if she lagged behind.

It was actually her who helped him set up his little base in Rustboro City. The only reason why he was headed there was because of its easy access to Petalburg Woods and the lake that was nearby it. Add onto the large amount of debris in Rustboro and the collapsed Silph Co. building, and Connor would've had supplies for days.

Of course they had stopped traveling together once he settled down, with him preferring to stay in one place while she liked to explore around still, dangers aside, but she always made sure to meet up with him. And possibly drag around visitors to his place if she deemed them to be safe.

She had an inkling he knew why she always dragged visitors to see him, but she'd never willingly admit it to him. Whether she was willing to acknowledge it or not, a small part of her felt resentful of him. Here was a boy who had such good skills, who knew how to cook, knew first aid, and had survival skills. And while he could've went out there and helped so many people, he never did anything about them.

It frustrated her. He never put his skills to good use. And yet, while she aspired to do the same, she didn't have the necessary skills to do so.

She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Connor get up. He must've finished picking at the plants.

Her conclusion was only confirmed when he started wiping off the dirt on his pant legs. "There that should do it," he mumbled to himself. He started to walk back to the door that was still half open before he paused and turned back around. "Would you get a move on? I'd rather lock this up and get back inside as soon as possibl - "

" ...lly though, I'm sorry for what I said."

Oh, that must've been Warren and Chase.

As she mentioned before, she knew there was some underlying tension between them that she wasn't willing to overstep. But she didn't think they would make up so quickly. Warren and Chase both seemed to be very closed off (Warren more so than Chase) people, so them actually talking was the last thing she expected.

But this was a good thing! Now that they apologized, maybe she could finally talk to either of them without them being snappy. Maybe they could all become friends! She really liked the sound of that, she thought to herself as she skipped toward the door. That was, until Connor grasped at her arm and pulled her back. She let out a quiet yelp before regaining her footing.

"What is it? You wanted to go back inside, didn't you?" she whisper-yelled.

Much to her dismay, he didn't answer her, and only gave her a shake of his head.

She opened her mouth to speak before she heard Warren's voice then from behind the door. "I'm not gonna say it was alright, since that was really thoughtless of you, but…" his voice trailed off until she heard a huff. "I, erm… I can understand where you're coming from. Kinda. Your dad is everything to you, isn't he?"

Launa froze.

Chase's… dad?

Huh. It had been a while since she'd ever heard of that word before. Or since she ever referred to anyone as "dad" themselves. To be fair, it was rare to have family members still alive after all these years, unless they were just extremely lucky. Unfortunately, Launa wasn't one of those lucky people.

To be honest, it had been so long, she had almost forgotten what he looked like. The only thing she could remember now was all of that blood. And the sound of her screams.

Her hands began to involuntarily shake and she fought to contain her shivers. She didn't know how her legs hadn't collapsed yet, but she could feel her breathe start to hitch.

It was then that she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Just focus on breathing," she heard Connor mumble quietly. He kept his gaze on the door, still half listening to Warren and Chase's conversation. "Count backwards from ten. Deep breaths," he finished.

Under normal circumstances, she would've shrugged his hand off and plastered on a fake smile in an attempt to convince him (and possibly herself) that she was alright. However, she knew he was well aware of her past. There wouldn't be any use denying it. Instead, she listened to his advice and took in a gulp of air, and before long, her shaking had steadied. She focused her gaze on the door, until she heard bits of Warren and Chase's conversation again.

"It just... really sucks."

There was a pause in their conversation, and then Warren spoke. Launa didn't get to hear that much, but she caught something among the lines of a sister that Warren really missed. From behind her, she felt Connor stiffen when Warren bluntly said his sister was dead, but he soon calmed down himself.

Sometimes, even under Launa's mask of false cheer, her own memories of her past would haunt her. But she supposed that other people were the same too. Whether it be Warren, or Chase (perhaps even Aster and Kaitlyn), she truly didn't know what anyone's past experiences were unless they shared them. And even still, Connor was mostly a mystery to her, despite them knowing each other for such a long time.

Perhaps Warren and Chase talking to each other was a step in the right direction. She could only hope that Connor could do the same one day as well..

She snapped out of her musings when she heard Connor shuffling beside her. "You're fine right now, right?" he asked.

She bit back a smile. "Yea, I'm good. Wasn't anything too bad."

He didn't reply to her once again, and instead moved closer to the door. They didn't seem to be talking anymore, so he nodded. "Ok, looks like they're done. Come on, I just want to fix that injury already." Without another word, he walked inside, leaving Launa by herself.

There were many words Launa could've used to describe Connor. He was curt and to-the-point. Very strong-willed and was never afraid to lay all the facts down. He never revealed too much information about himself and still remained an enigma in her eyes and always complained about how annoying people were.

Despite this though, under his constant complaints and jeers, she knew he cared very much of the wellbeing of others.

She just wished he was more aware of that himself.

It didn't take long for Connor to fully clean the cut.

He wasn't kidding when he said it was messily done, it was almost as if it was done by an amateur. The moment he had set eyes on that hastily bandaged arm, it mocked him, and once he was done dressing the wound, he had to force himself not to dote on it anymore than he usually would have. Seriously, some people were idiots…

However, even with all of this, Connor didn't know what to think of the people that were currently residing in his shack now.

To start off, was Warren and Chase. Despite Launa's enthusiastic giggles, judging from her body language when they all first arrived, there was obviously some tension between the two. The other girl, whose name was apparently Kaitlyn, he hadn't recognized at all. However, she seemed to be very hesitant, and obviously tried to go about unnoticed.

And then there was Aster.

Connor was no stranger to the other boy's reputation. And his nickname was infamously known around the region of Hoenn. However, it had been a while since he'd last seen (or even heard) of him, so it was strange to see Aster show up completely out of the blue. And to see him being accompanied with such a strange group was also mind-boggling as well.

Currently, the sun had finally set and Connor could hear the sounds of wild Pokemon cries scavenging around the city grounds. Everyone had finally split off into little groups once Aster and Kaitlyn came back inside from doing who knows what. And all of the Pokemon were let out of their Pokeballs.

To be honest, under the dim light from Connor's torch that was propped up at the wall, with the faint sounds of murmuring voices and scuffling feet, it was strangely serene. It was nice to see the Pokemon getting along with each other too, and it had been a while since Connor had seen so many Pokemon together at the same time.

Cadence seemed to be enjoying herself as well, as she fluttered around above Kaitlyn's Petilil and Launa's Milotic (who somehow managed to squeeze in). Sometimes she would swooped down to be at close reach with the Petilil, and when the grass-type would snap back at her she would hop away leaving him with an annoyed pout on his face. It was almost funny to see such an expression, Connor didn't even think Petilils could pout in the first place.

It didn't help when Warren's Zoroark joined in on the fun, leaving the Petilil to try and squeeze underneath Milotic's serpentine body. It didn't prove to be very effective though, as the two Pokemon continued to harass the poor grass-type, and Milotic only laughed at their antics.

However, what was more shocking was to see how relaxed Ace was. Normally Ace would seemingly hover around Cadence, being the troublemaker she was. Ace was basically her own personal caretaker. Instead of hastily following after Cadence though, he was instead taking a nap with Absol and Mothim. Mothim was sat on top of Ace's back as he flapped his wings every once in a while and Ace only let out a loud yawn in response. Despite only knowing each other for just a brief while, the Mothim didn't seem to be concerned at all, even with their type differences.

It was nice to see them so carefree. It made him reminiscent of…

Well. Then again, Connor shouldn't dwell too much in the past.

It was then that he took note of what their Pokemon's trainers were doing. Warren and Chase had split off, as Warren was in deep conversation with Kaitlyn instead. He seemed to be troubled, as he leaned closer and mumbled something to her. The girl only nodded in return, giving him a nonchalant smile as she squeezed his hand briefly. After that, Warren stilled, and grasped at her hand more tightly before letting go.

Chase, on the other hand, was dealing with Launa. For whatever reason, Launa had made it her mission to befriend the other girl. Connor definitely knew the reason why, but he knew it would take a lot more than a shared backstory for Chase to open up to Launa. Launa was a force to be reckoned with after all, and sometimes, she never knew her boundaries. Connor could only wish Chase the best of luck.

And then there was Aster, who was sitting alone by himself. He didn't seem to mind too much, playing around with his steel rod instead. Connor must have stared at him a bit too long though, as before he knew it, Aster had looked up and sent him a smirk.

Why don't you come join me?

Connor sighed to himself. The implication behind Aster's smirk was already clear as day. He could either leave and give up Aster's provocation, or swallow his pride and sit next to him. Choosing the ladder, Connor promptly made his way over and sunk to the ground next to him.

They were quiet for a little while, and judging by Aster's nonchalant look, he wasn't planning to speak any time soon. Connor fought the urge to roll his eyes at Aster's childish antics, but then shook his head. "So." He kept his voice short.

"Hmm…?" Aster hummed. He let his hum draw out a little.

"I didn't think I'd see the Devil of all people amongst such common folk."

The humming stopped. "... And? What's it to you." Aster asked as he raised an eyebrow. He seemed to be wary.

Not wanting to start a confrontation, Connor leaned back against the wall. "Ehh, nothing really. Just wanted to point that out. From what I've heard, you're usually off on your own doing your own things, so seeing you with people for once is just unexpected is all."

At Connor's reply, Aster relaxed. He then shrugged. "I guess I just needed a change of pace."

"Wha- why?" Connor blurted out. "It's not like you really need some of these people anyways. What's making you stay?"

"Y'know, after years and years doing the same thing over and over again, like I said, this is just a nice change of pace. Besides, this group is actually kind of amusing. I might as well overstay my welcome. I already know what I wanna do anyways."

Something about Aster's statement felt different from anything else he had said before. Something that seemed resolute, and almost even a bit content. It made Connor wonder where Aster ever got his confidence or conviction. Connor wasn't stupid, he already had a feeling he knew bits and pieces of Aster's past from what he had heard from other travelers over the years. But that quiet assurance that was hidden behind Aster's voice and his coolness was unexpected.

That… actually makes me kinda jealous.

"What the- Dumbass, what's there to even be jealous of?"

Oh. Had he just spoken out loud?

Connor glanced back at Aster who only merely raised an eyebrow back. The other boy rolled his eyes. "Yes, you did speak out loud." He then adjusted his posture, crossing his legs as he looked back at Connor. "Now on with it. What do you want?"

It was a rather embarrassing really. Connor hadn't expected to have this type of conversation with Aster of all people. With Launa, perhaps. But Aster? Despite this though, he still found himself speaking. "I don't know. Just the fact that you already know what you want to do. Or how you're satisfied with what you have."

Aster scoffed. "Dude, you already have a stable home with all the shit you need. What more do you want?"

Connor held back a wince. Did I really sound that whiny? He could feel his leg begin to fidget from his anxiousness. Nevermind, this was a bad idea from the start. There wasn't any use to this. However, when he got up to leave, Aster grabbed his arm.

"I didn't tell you to leave," Aster bluntly said as he dragged Connor back to the ground. "If you're still worried about something even if you've got good living conditions now, it's probably something big even if you think otherwise. So, out with it."

Connor bit back a snarky retort that was just begging to come out of his lips, but he bit it back. Instead, he let out a large huff and leaned back against the wall.

The worst part was that, Connor didn't even know why he was so jealous. Just the fact that…

"Sometimes I feel like I'm doing the same things over and over again."

Aster nodded. Connor took that as a cue to continue on. "Like, it's safe, and I like having a daily routine. But I feel like I don't have a… a purpose? An end goal? I feel like I've done nothing for myself, or for any of the people that I've let down myself-"

Aster interrupted him. "Do you owe anything to them? These people that you've let down?"

"Owe anything?" Connor's mind reverted back to a past scenario he had shoved into the back of his brain. He avoided Aster's gaze, and settled onto the Pokemon in front of them. "I mean… nothing much. I don't think so."

"So what about their hopes and dreams? Did they have any of those?"

Connor clenched his fists. "I… I guess there was. Or is."

"Then fulfill those."

Aster said that so simply that Connor had to do a double-take. He stared incredulously at him.

Aster groaned and covered his forehead with his palm. "Ergh, you're not Kaitlyn, this should be easy for you to understand. Just fulfill whatever hope or wish they had. And stop mulling around, it doesn't fit you."

Connor blinked. "You barely know me. We just met."

"Does that even matter? You just don't seem to be the type to just sit around and do nothing."

He let his words replay once again in his head, until it rang again and again and again and soon enough it was the only thing left he could hear. Fulfilling a wish? Was the solution really that simple? Had the answer been right in front of him the entire time? Instead of doing the same mundane routine over and over again, was there really a chance that he could actually do something on his own terms?

For a moment, he suddenly remembered sandy shores, a comforting breeze, and a warm, airy smile.

"Are you done thinking now? Did I make everything clear?" Aster asked.

While Aster's words sounded impatient and rushed, with an edge of snark on the side, it also seemed like an attempt to comfort him. To check up on him to see if he was still there. Wordlessly, Connor nodded, but he could feel the side of his lips quirking up into a amused grin.

It didn't go unnoticed by Aster, who then glared at him. "Why are you smiling like that? Are you laughing at me?"

Somehow, Aster's offended reaction was even more humorous. Connor tried forced back a snicker and turned to face away from him. "N-no, of course not. I'm just coughing."

"Liar, I can totally see that. You're laughing at me," Aster deadpanned.

No use of trying to hide it now. Connor finally let out a few chuckles, though still muffled a few through the palm of his hands. "Sorry, it's just kinda funny," he started. "Just a few moments ago I was under the impression that you were some uncaring, skeevy broker, and yet here you are giving me actual advice."

Aster mock gasped. "Excuse me? I'll have you know that I am a very uncaring, skeevy broker. Ask anyone in this room and I bet you they'll say the same."

With that said, Connor then glanced around the room to see… that everyone was asleep. Including the Pokemon who must've tired themselves out. Kaitlyn was snuggled up on the ground using her backpack as a pillow near the simmer embers with her Vibrava by her side. Warren was also near her, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, but also asleep. From the side, both Launa and Chase were knocked out as well, with Chase on his bed and Launa on the ground.

Connor's grin only widened. "Aster. Everyone's asleep."

"I-I know that, we'll just have to wait until the morning." Despite this, Aster's reaction, especially with his own uncharacteristic stutter, told otherwise.

"You totally didn't realize until now didn't you."

Aster blushed in embarrassment. "Shut up."

Seeing Aster also redden up like that was an amusing sight to see, and it didn't make the moment any less humorous. It was just so unlike the previous image Connor had conjured up of Aster before that when Aster shoved at Connor's shoulder, he fell right over onto his side. Aster then added a small kick for good measure, but he also had a smirk on his own face, clearly seeing the humor in the situation too.

They then settled into another silence, much more comfortable than the last. Connor still lied on the ground, not feeling much of an urge to get back up for some reason. Though he was unwilling to admit it, it had been a while since he had such a nice talk. He strangely missed it. And though a part of him longed to talk just a bit longer, he knew it was getting late. With a long sigh, Connor got back up. "Seriously though, we should go get some sleep. You guys are probably gonna set out early tomorrow morning."

"Yea, you're not wrong. I'll be off then," Aster said as he stood up on his feet.

Aster began to walk to his sleeping Azumarill when Connor suddenly opened his mouth. Before he knew it, he spoke. "Hey Aster?"

The older boy stopped mid-stride. "Hm?"

"Thanks."

With that, Connor laid back down, facing the wall and closed his eyes. From behind him, he could hear Aster let out a breath that seemed almost exasperated but also warm, and then his fading footsteps.

Morning came by surprisingly quickly.

Connor didn't know how late he and Aster had stayed up talking, but it was weird waking up to people bustling around in his place. One moment, it was dark and his eyes were closed, but the next moment the sun was rising once again.

Obviously, he was still groggy, and wanted nothing more than to curl back on the ground and knock out for a few more hours, but he still had some activities to attend to. The rest of his visitors were already beginning to pack up and leave, and most of the Pokemon were shaking themselves awake. With a yawn, Connor went by to give Ace a pat, who only blinked sleepily back at him. It didn't look like the Jolteon was going to get up anytime soon, but was ready to get up when Connor needed him.

From aside, he could hear Launa chattering to Chase, who looked exasperated but still indulged her. Connor walked over to them. "How's the injury going? I can see that Launa's been keeping you company."

Chase scoffed. "She hasn't stopped talking. Honestly, I don't get how she can do that so much so early in the morning."

"Oh come on! It's a new day, which means more things to do!" Launa chirped.

"Right…"

Seeing their personalities play off of each other was a bit mind-boggling, especially with how different they were. It also didn't seem like Chase was a morning person either, which Connor definitely sympathized with (he could only shudder at the amount of times Launa herself had forced Connor to wake up too early). He then shook his head. "Anyways, how's your injury?"

Chase swung at her arm, testing to see its strength. Connor almost scolded her for being so harsh on it. "It's feeling better. Most of the ache that was here before is gone."

He nodded. "Okay, hold on. Let me just check on it again real quick."

She held out her arm and he unwrapped the bandages. When her arm was fully exposed, he checked up on the skin. The cut was still semi-exposed, but was looking a lot less irritated than before. It was a wonder that it didn't need stitches. He let his fingers trace down the cut's side before he let out a soft whistle.

Cadence was back at his side with a flutter of her wings. She affectionately rubbed her head into his hair and chirped cheerily. "Hey you," he grinned as he gave her a pat as well. "You think you can put on the finishing touches?"

With a skip in her step, the Togetic used a quick Heal Bell on Chase. The girl gasped when the bright aura emitted from her wound and finished patching up, and while then, Connor took out a new string of bandages to wrap around her arm. "This should do for the rest of the time. Once you don't feel any pain anymore, I think you're good to unwrap this."

"Where did you get that Pokemon?" Warren asked from the door. It look like he was just getting ready to leave, with his backpack hitched up over his shoulder and cloak furrowed around him.

"Just an old friend of mine," Connor said dismissively. From the corner of his eye, he saw Aster lifting up an eyebrow. The other boy probably put two and two together just then, but it wouldn't matter too much. "Come on, just pack up your stuff. I'll see you guys out."

With that, everyone started to wake up their own Pokemon. Some people like Warren returned them into their Pokeballs, while others like Kaitlyn decided to leave hers out. Probably because of size or something of the like. Instead of watching them, Connor went out to his garden to pick out some herbs. Perhaps he could pack up some food for them too, he certainly had much to spare and wouldn't be able to finish some of the foods himself before it started to spoil. Cadence lingered by his side while he did so, and he noticed that Ace had finally gotten up himself as well. The Jolteon trailed behind them with a slow, yet deliberate stride, until Cadence flew back down to his level to tease him.

When Connor got back to the main room, most of the people there were outside. Chase still lingered around, finally being able to grab at some of her stuff with the help of Meowstic and Mothim. He saw Kaitlyn there too, who seemed to think about hovering over her, but deemed not to in the end. Instead, the older girl called for Kit and Leo and walked outside. Surprisingly Launa wasn't there, so he assumed she was going to say goodbye to the rest of the group out there as well.

"You ready?" he asked Chase. Her Mothim flew up to Cadence, and they started to circle around each other. Meowstic jumped right onto Chase's shoulder, now that her head wasn't occupied by Mothim anymore.

"Yea, just making sure I have everything," she replied. She then hesitated, before asking, "Walk out with me?"

He rolled his eyes. "I was already planning that from the start."

She scoffed, but didn't say anything else as he held out the door for their Pokemon. He then followed after them, as he saw everyone else waiting outside. The food and herbs he had in his hands started to feel a bit heavy when he prepared himself to hand it out. A small part of him wondered if they would take it the wrong way and assume he was doing this out of pity, but he shook it aside.

Chase herself had already moved up ahead of him, and was now making small talk with Warren. He didn't know exactly what they were discussing, but he didn't want to be too nosy. Perhaps the easiest person to give these supplies to would be Kaitlyn, as she seemed to be nice enoug-

A palm nudged at his side. And when he whirled around, he saw that it was Launa. "What is it? I was just about to-"

"I'm planning on going with them," she announced.

What?

He blinked and stared at her incredulously. Sensing his confusion, her blue eyes softened. "I don't know, I just feel like I have to. Let's face it, I've been doing nothing lately, and I want to actually do something for myself."

Since when had Launa been feeling like this? For all Connor knew, Launa always seemed like she was on the move, and everytime she visited him she would always tell him stories about her exploits. The fact that she felt like she was doing nothing for herself… He shook at his thoughts. Thinking about his own insecurities was pointless.

Instead, he questioned her. "Do something for yourself? Isn't laying down on the low and staying safe enough?"

"For you, it may be. But sometimes I feel like I can do so much more. I don't have that many skills, and there's not enough people out here that's willing to help. Everyone nowadays thinks for themselves, and I want to do something about it, even if it's just by a little bit. And besides…" She glanced off to the side where Chase stood. She held her gaze on Chase's figure for a while, before she turned back to Connor and lowered her voice. "Chase is looking for her dad. You know what that means for me. And they're heading up north too!"

"Okay, fine. I get that. But that doesn't mean you can just up and follow them. Have you even asked them to come along?"

Her voice then picked up from its previous state and she grinned. "I'm sure I'll be fine. I asked Warren just this morning. He's a bit of a grump, but he means well too!"

Well, he should've known Launa wasn't going to stay forever. Though he wasn't her keeper, and a small part of him was jealous that she could just up and leave so easily without a thought. But at the same time, there was a small bit of pride he had for her as well. "I'm not gonna stop you Launa. You're free to make your own choices anyways, if it really means that much to yo-"

She interrupted him with a shout. "You should come with me!"

Immediately, everyone else heard her suggestion and eyed them both. Connor rubbed at his temples, trying to quell down his embarrassment from suddenly being put on the spotlight.

"Wait, who said you were coming with us!?" Chase screeched at Launa. Launa shrugged, but didn't answer her, focusing in on Connor instead.

"Look Launa, I can't just leave!" Connor babbled. "I already have plans and I'm not even that much of a physical fighter myself. If anything, I'm just a guy who knows how to treat wounds an-"

"We could use a healer y'know."

Aster stepped up toward Connor, and a familiar knowing smirk was stretched across his face. "Your Togetic and supplies would be very useful, as well as your skills. And come on, you're already halfway ready to go with those packed supplies you're holding."

"Wha-" Connor stuttered. "I was going to give these to you before you left! This isn't for me!"

"Well, too bad. It's yours. And by extension since you're joining us, these will be ours too," Aster stated.

"I don't even have anything packed! Or my own personal kits and tools and extra food and water an-"

Aster placed a hand on his shoulder. "Connor."

He stopped in the middle of his ramble and his throat hitched. Aster's grip on his shoulder tightened a bit. "Who was it that said that they didn't feel like they had a purpose themselves last night?"

Connor didn't answer, but both of them knew what the answer was.

"You wanted to fulfill that wish, didn't you? As your own purpose?" he asked. Connor could feel everyone staring at them. From Aster's words, Ace looked up at him, and it took the Jolteon a few seconds, but he knew exactly what Aster was implying.

Connor sighed. "I mean, I did but… It's gonna be hard."

Aster didn't miss a step. "And who said it was ever going to be easy?"

Of course, in the heat of the moment when Connor talked with Aster the other night, it seemed like a plausible and realistic goal. Now that he was more awake and at a crossroads, Connor felt like he had his doubts.

As if she was hearing his thoughts, Launa went up to stand beside Aster. "Come on, Connor!" she laughed. "You're not gonna be by yourself. If it helps, I'll look after you!"

And for some reason, those words from years, years ago echoed in his head.

Was this what he would've wanted?

Connor looked at his Pokemon. Both Cadence and Ace had been alongside him for so long. A part of him didn't know what he would do without them, and this was a choice they would all have to make together. Cadence seemed to have her mind made up though, as she flew up into his arms, settling next of the supplies in his arms. Ace only sat down next to his feet, and Connor crouched down next to him.

Was he really giving himself this chance? Did Connor even deserve this?

Out of everyone, Ace would be the one to understand why Connor was so reluctant. Perhaps he could have some answers. But when he looked at the Jolteon, eye to eye, there was a sense of vulnerability in the Jolteon's form. The Pokemon let out a purr, and rubbed against his arm, as if asking, begging, Connor to at least reconsider.

It was uncharacteristic. Unexpected. And yet, Connor found himself smiling fondly. You really do think so too, don't you.

"So? How about it? Will you come along?" From above, Aster reached out a hand to him.

And before he knew it, Connor grabbed his hand.

Ernest. I hope you'll watch out for me. Thank you.

Kaitlyn Brooks - Leo (Petilli) and Kit (Vibrava) - SnapshotSilica

Warren Monger - Vex (Zoroark) and Vera (Braixen) - W. R. Winters

Aster Drake - Celestine (Gardevoir) and Echo (Azumarill) - PBComplexion

Chase McCloud - Meowstic (Meowstic) and Mothim (Mothim) - ShadedLyht

Launa Everett - Absol (Absol) and Milotic (Milotic) - maycontestdrew

Connor Winchester - Cadence (Togetic) and Ace (Jolteon) - atrt7900

Holy shit this was a monster to write. This chapter was a lot more Connor-centric than I expected. I was actually originally planning for this chapter to be 50-50 Launa and Connor, but I just kept adding and adding scenes until I ended up with this mess. Actually, this chapter was originally supposed to be combined with the last one, but even then I kept adding scenes to the last chapter too.

Speaking of which, I think I finally managed to plan out for the next chapters without making it too much of a mess. I didn't expect it to take this long, but then again, I've been adding so many extra scenes in here that just makes this thing seem so much longer than expected haha

But oh well, what's done is done. Let's hope I don't take too long with this next chapter (I have a feeling I'm gonna start to struggle a bit from here on out). Until then!