"Speech"
"Flashback thoughts or emphasized.
"Speech"
"Thoughts"
["Pokémon speech"]
["Thoughts coming from the Pokémon"]
["Flashback thoughts or emphasized speech from Pokémon"]
Alright my readers, the select few whom actually read and review this... *cough mumble *cough. Anyways sorry about delays. chapter was hard to plan to even though i have the Entire story already pre-planned. right up until the end. Yes it is there just need; one people to read, two, a consistent beta reader, three some feed back from more than one person, and four some more time to actually write this damn thing! alright now that the rant is done, prepare for a good long read (55 pages to be exact) so get to readin' and let me know if you have any spots that you need further explanation into.
Chapter 30: The Ties that Bind
*Pokémon center door opens to a still dark and very quiet forest plain.
A dark four legged figure approaches the long dark super car parked outside, the door opens and the beast starts up.
"[Enter cruise mode and return to deployment location via autopilot.]"
Command received and understood.
The car door closes and the vehicle takes off at a slow pace 'til it reaches its cruising speed of 100 kph (62 mph).
As the trees 'slowly' pass by, the events that had transgressed over the past few days had begun to fill Nick's mind...
Flashback
"...Nurse Joy I know it's a lot to ask this, but please?"
"No absolutely not, I am not flying in a plane with your daughter to that island just so I can drop her off!"
"Even if I pay for the tickets, first class and everything?"
"No! Not even if you paid for the time that I would miss out on work!"
"But why not?"
"Because you need to take care of her HERE, not over THERE!"
"I know, but..."
"No buts, this is your daughter we are talking about. What was it you were always telling me? Family comes first, right after religion! No ands, ifs, or buts about it!"
"I know, but..."
"And yet still you..."
"Will you just listen to me?"
Joy stops talking immediately.
"There is someone who is now part of my life, and soon to be hers...but something happened while she was on a journey with her friends..."
"And..."
"And... she got hurt very badly and is now unconscious, and we don't know if she will wake up anytime soon..."
"Alright..."
"Huh?"
"But as much as I hate it... alright... I'll bring her up there you'll just have to give me some time to get things settled, on my end and I'll bring her along."
"Just tell me when and what time and I'll have your tickets and rooms ready."
"And?"she replies with a questioning tone to make sure she got what she wanted.
"And a basket of those chocolates you love with a lunch and dinner specially made for you when you get here."
"Thank you."
"No, thank you Joy...for everything you've done..."
The screen shuts off, and he pulls out his laptop to begin to prepare for her arrival.
End Flashback
*sigh* "[Now that was hell...]"
shoop!
A/N: just picture it this way; it's a sound that usually happens when a suddenly transformation or teleportation occurs.
"Oh wow that felt really awkward, I guess you just sorta start to grow a custom to the new body that when you go back, it feels like a whole new look on life has befallen you." he says to himself
Several minutes later he arrives back at the parked rig, and picks up a few things puts them into a large briefcase and places it in the trunk at the front of the vehicle.
"Computer." he says aloud as he sits back down in the driver seat
*an acknowledgment beep is heard.
"New destination planned, return to cruise speed, and switch to manual control."
...
Nick arrives on site at the meeting place to which he had told Joy to meet him at, the day she left from Unova.
As the location begins to come into view, the vehicle begins to slow down to a softer pace.
A small Japanese style inn begins to come into view, located about 30 minutes away from where Nick had his truck parked.
He parks the car, and steps out into the parking lot. He begins to approach room number 265, the room which he had reserved for Joy and for Hikari.
He quietly knocks and waits for an answer.
Moments later Joy is at the door, but still in her nightgown.
"Oh...*yawn... good mourning Nick. It's a little early don't you think?"
"No its actually a little later than what I told you, here put on your glasses and look at the time..."
Joy grabbed her specs off the dresser and groggily looks at her clock, until it clicks.
"Oh crap its already that late! Must have slept through the alarm, here let me wake up..."
"No let her sleep she will see me before we hit the barrier."
"Barrier?"
"Yes, I'll explain on the way... meanwhile you go ahead and get dressed, and gather your things, I'll load everything into the car."
"Thanks..."
Joy steps into the back so she can change, while Nick steps back outside to get the car ready.
"Computer equip configuration 745862."
"Command received..."
"Understood."
Just as Nick turns back around to return inside Joy stops him, to hand him her bags.
"So when do you plan on telling her?"
"I'll tell her when the time is right, if I expose it to soon she will reject it, and it will probably tear her emotions in half."
"Yeah, but don't wait too long or she will reject you and her."
He looks down with a slight depressive look and silence is his only response.
"Alright Joy, I'll get your things into the car, you just take a seat in the passenger side front seat and relax."
"Okay, but what about Hikari?"
"I guess she will have to sleep in your arms at least until we get there."
"I think I'll join her at least until we get there... at least with the sleeping part"
"No need to Joy unless you want to be woken back up in about an hour..."
"Alright, but I will stay with her, better yet just show me where it is and I'll carry her myself, she was holding on rather tightly last night as if she was scared of something..."
"Scared... it must have been..."
"No… it was of you, she was mumbling in her sleep, and I managed to make out a couple of the words and every one of them was in some form or fashion... daddy..."
"Daddy?"
"Yes... daddy, I think she is scared of losing you just like your wife and is having nightmares about it..."
"Well we shall find out soon..."
"Daddy?"
"Hey there sweetie you should be asleep right now..."
"I can't daddy, I had another bad dream..."
"Oh, come here sweetie and give daddy a hug..."
The small figure drags her sleepy body along with the luxio stuffed animal he had given her just before he had left for work last summer, over to her father and hugs his neck as he picks her up and kisses her lightly on the cheek just before handing her to Joy.
"Alright you two go on and get in the car, I have to get us back before sunrise, at least that way we can at least try to have a proper breakfast with everyone."
"Everyone?"
"Oh yeah, some traveling trainers that are going to participate in the league here. I'm staying in the same Pokémon center as they are for the time being..."
Nick turns around and begins escorting Joy and Hikari to his car.
"Now Joy, before we get going there is one question I wanna ask you..."
"It's not anything perverted is it?"
"No... goodness no, Why do you always think that every time I would like to ask you something, it's just more of a random question..."
"Because, that is all you ask about when your wife is not around!"
"I'm ashamed…I do not ALWAYS ask about perverted things when I'm asking people about certain things, why just last week…"
"So you wanted to ask me something…"
"Oh, If you could become any Pokémon in the known world what would it be?"
"That's random?"
"Just answer it..."
"Well, hmm... give me a few minutes and I'll let you know..."
Nick heads for the front desk of the hotel to check them out; meanwhile Joy and Hikari take a seat in the front of the now extended Bugatti.
As he arrives back, Nick sits on the driver's side, while Joy gets comfortable with Hikari asleep in her arms, and after a few minutes they depart from the hotel like a shadow in the night.
"Nick?"
"Yes?"
"Do you have your virtual Pokédex still around?"
"Yes, yes I do... just a moment. Computer activate virtual desktop on hud passenger side, user Joy, no prompt."
A beep quietly goes off and a desktop screen appears right in front of Joy. As she begins browsing through the database, within moments she finds her target of inquiry.
"Lilligant?"
"Yes, it looks very pretty and it's a grass type, I absolutely love grass types. Especially when I'm examining yours, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside."
A quiet warning message plays*
"Alright Joy, in about 5 miles we are going to pass through the barrier that I told you about earlier."
"What is it gonna do?"
"It's going to change us."
"Change us? What do you mean?"
"Into Pokémon", he replies bluntly yet mystically.
Her face simply goes from one of concern to one of horror.
"What, what's wrong Joy, you look like you just saw a ghost…"
"How... how is that possible?"
"I don't know Joy it just does, but the effects are only temporary, and any Pokémon you have on you I would recommend releasing out of their Pokéball's."
"But I didn't bring any with me..."
"Oh well that makes things easier then..."
"Warning, barrier crossing in less than a mile."
"Let me out..."
"Huh?"
"I said let me out!"
"Alright Joy... just calm down..."
The car slowly comes to a stop and Joy nearly breaks the door hinge trying to get out.
"Joy!"
Joy is sprinting out of the car with tears in her eyes, and Hikari still fast asleep in her arms.
"Joy!"
Nick is now sprinting after her, trying to stop her from getting too far from the car.
He quickly catches up to her and grabs her arm before she gets lost in the forest.
"Let go! Lemme GO!"
"Joy, just what has gotten into you?"
"There is a brief moment of silence between the two."
"I... I... I had a dream last night that you had turned into a Pokémon and had gone rampaging attacking everyone you loved and cared about in a blight."
He stops holding her back and takes a few steps back in a petrified state
"Joy what Pokémon was I?" he replies still in shock
"What does it matter?"
"Just answer the question!"
"Well... you were a Rapidash..." she replies hesitantly
"Oh... phew* that's alright it won't happen here. Plus it was only a dream right?"
"Yeah... but why do you say it like that it's like you know for sure you know you won't turn into one."
"You have to remember Joy I've been over here for the past few weeks so I know what I'm going to turn into,"
"Oh…"
"Yeah, I'm positive at least about the rapidash part that is unless someone has found a way to forcefully alter a person's DNA and force them into an enraged state, that's unlikely to happen."
"How do you know it won't happen?"
"Well I'll say this much when we get to meeting point, we will meet up with pidgeot, Raichu, and espeon you will understand everything."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You will see shortly, now please... let's get back to the car so we can get there safely."
"Alright if you're certain..."
The three arrive back at the car and continue driving until they get to the meeting point where a lone shiny pidgey is waiting for them.
"Hey is that?"
"Yes it is the shiny pidgey my son caught before he died."
"What's he doing here?"
"He's here to meet us, pidgeot and the others are on the other side."
"Where are they I don't see them?"
"Oh you'll see them in just a moment, just whatever you do don't freak-out when you see them."
"Okay..."
"Sweetie, time to wake up..." Nick says softly to the young sleeping figure in Joy's arms.
"Hmm..."
The little one starts to stretch as she is awoken up from her deep slumber
"Alright sweetie come here and sit with daddy."
"Okay..."
She sleepily hops out of Joy's arms and sits in her father's lap placing her little hands onto the steering wheel.
"Alright sweetie you ready?"
She nods rather quickly after rubbing the sleepies out of her eyes
"Here we go!"
"Okay!"
The Pidgey places himself on top of the car as it slowly drives in
The car slowly pulls forward and passes through the barrier proceeding with their transformation.
"[Ack!]"
"[So that's what you were talking about earlier!]"
"[Yeah at least your guess was right...]"
"[What?]"
Joy looks down at herself and notices she has now taken the form of a Lilligant and Nick had re-taken the form of a Luxray.
"[What about Hikari?]"
"[See for yourself...]"
Hikari was now on the floor board running around like a chicken with its head cut off chasing her new 'tail'.
As she has now become an over the top energetic shiny Eevee.
"[Daddy wookit, Hikari is an eevee!]"
"[Yes sweetie, yes you are.]"
"[Alright now, Joy if you will step out we can let Pidgeot take over.]"
"[How will he know what to do?]"
"[Here let me show you.]"
Nick places his 'paw' on his neck and gives out a few commands, suddenly the door's open and pidgeot appears on one side and Raichu on the other allowing them passage out of the vehicle.
"[Alright Joy we are going to walk the rest of the way to the Pokémon center from here, Espeon will be walking with us while I explain a few things along the way.]"
"[Okay...]"
Before they depart Nick gives one final order to Raichu before heading towards Joy, Espeon, and Hikari
Raichu nods and proceeds to open the trunk and take out the briefcase that was placed in it before hand.
About 20 minutes later the four of them arrive at the Pokémon center and enter in through the double doors.
"Nick!"
Nick is suddenly glomped by an awaiting Latias and pulled into a tight hug, literally off the floor and in her arms.
"[Hello to you too, Lati... and... you can let go now... I can't breathe...]"
"Oops sorry..."
"Welcome back Mr. Nick it is a pleasure to see you back..." Lady Kagome says approaching the group gracefully.
"[Yes, Lady Kagome It's a pleasure to see you again as well... I trust everything has been going smoothly...]" Nick asked after deeply bowing to her and catching his breath.
"Yes, other than a few annoyances everything has been peachy."
"[That's wonderful, oh forgive me where are my manners... Lady Kagome this is Nurse Joy from Cestalia city and the little one at your feet is my daughter Hikari.]"
The little Eevee can been seen running figure eights around Lady Kagome's feet.
"[No more of that now Hikari, come over to where daddy is, and take a seat please...]"
"[Hai!]"
"So her name means light huh. Interesting choice for a name..."
"[Yes it was my wife's idea to name her that soon after she was born due to some of the circumstances that had taken place during her birth...]"
"[...speaking of which, might I inquire to Lady Dawn's whereabouts?]"
"You may...she is in the cafeteria, about to have breakfast with everyone else...shall we?"
"[We shall... Hikari come here please...]"
Nick picks up his daughter by his teeth and places her on his back.
"Oh and to answer your question Ms. Joy... the one you are wondering about is a Lopunny."
"[Oh...thanks...]"
Joy squats down a bit to talk to Nick quietly, but before she can say anything he already has an answer for it.
"[She's psychic.]"
"[Oh... that makes sense...]"
"[...and if Lady Kagome will allow it, I will tell you who she really is.]"
Lady Kagome simply remains silent, but looks at him with her face forward and nods.
"[Ho-oh...]"
"[Wait... seriously...]"
"[Yes and the girl that glomped me earlier, is Latias...]"
Joy is simply continues walking dumbfounded.
"Ah here we are; the cafe..."
"[Oh good everyone is here.]"
"[Hi Nick!]" May shouts.
"[Hi guys! Be over in just a moment!]"
"[Now Joy when we get over to the table... under no circumstances must you freak out... is that understood?]"
Joy simply nods hesitantly.
"[Alright, and Hikari no jumping on people alright?]"
"[Hai!]"
"[And one more thing...]"
Nick is seen whispering into Hikari's ears so not even Joy could hear what they were saying unless she tried to get closer. When he finishes a simple nod and a look of determination is seen from her.
"[I wonder...he wouldn't do that now would he...Nah...]" Nick and Joy think to themselves looking at each other out of the corner of their eyes.
A/N: Joy is worried about Nick and he in turn is worried about Brock
"[What is it, Nick?]"
"[Oh, it's nothing... I hope...]"
The three of them walk over to the booth where Ash and company had occupied while having breakfast.
"[Hi guys sorry I'm late...]"
"[It's ok Nick, we understand, but that means lunch has to be even better.]"
"[Alright Mrs. Misty, no need to tell me twice...]"
Joy slowly looks at the girl speaking and just stares
"[Whoa she must me almost ready to deliver, but I promised Nick I wouldn't...]" Joy thinks to herself before nick interrupts her thought process with a nudge from his tail.
"[...and this, my friends is Nurse Joy from Cestalia city in the Unova region.]"
"[Hello Nurse Joy!]"
"[Hello children, but please calling me that while I'm off duty is too formal, call me Sheryl.]"
Nick looks at her with a raised eyebrow and she smirks back.
Hikari slowly walks off of Nick's back and onto his head accidentally putting one of her paws on his eye closing it and introduces herself.
"[...and I'm Hikari!]"
"[Oh how cute!]" The girls all say at once.
The little Eevee smiles and leaps off Nicks head into Dawn's arms.
And with the largest most darling puppy dog face she ever saw...
"[Will you be Hikari's new mommy?]"
If outta nowhere Dawn looks up in confusion and stares at Nick. He simply places one 'paw' behind his head and laugh's nervously.
The whole table is quiet... until if outta nowhere...
"[Wow! I can't believe I get to call...]"
"Enough excitement there Romeo that's the last thing we need right now this early in the morning." Latias shouts approaching the group of Pokémon and pacing Brock in a psychic hold.
"[Oh my goodness is that the Brock from Pewter city?]"
Lati stops moving and drops Brock from here psychic hold.
"[Yes, madam yes it is Brock the love machine is here to mend that aching heart of yours...]"
"[Wow I've been looking all over for you, ever since that day when my sister sent me a message about some Kanto region gym leader that hailed from Pewter city I've just had to meet him!]"
Within nano-seconds, Brock has her hand in his and he is about ready to confess love for her like never before, but Latias catching her emotions stayed at her side leaning on Misty's mallet, almost ready to plow into Brocks mind like never before.
Next thing we know the shades close for a split second and Brock disappears …
And there is a person sized imprint on the ground and hole in the ceiling...
"[Wow...must have run him out of the room and... oh wait never mind...]" Nick thinks as he allows his eyes to refocus after the mini blackout
Several seconds later Brock falls back into her grasp and is still barely conscience
"[If you ever hit on any of my sisters or cousins again, I will come personally find you and...mmph]"
"[Please Joy not in front of the kids...]" Nick whispers in her ear placing his paws over her mouth before she can say anything else too graphic.
She snaps out of her evil trance and replies, "[Oh sorry... I just kinda got carried away...]"
But as everyone turns around to return to breakfast, she stares at him with a look that would send even the meanest Gengar running home to his mommy...
"[Daddy?]" Hikari calls from Dawn's arms completely oblivious the last few minutes of action
"[Yes my little princess?]"
"[Hikari is hungry...]" she replies with a slight pout look on her face
"[Oh she is, is she... well lets go up to the counter and see what there is to eat...]"
Nick puts his little Eevee back onto his back and walks towards the counter to order something,
"[Wow... that was interesting...]" Dawn replies to no one in particular
Moments later Nick and Hikari return with a tray full of food and begin to sit down and eat in the booth next to Ash and company.
Egg, potatoes, ham, bacon, sausage, you name it...
As the two of them sat down and said their grace, the food almost disappeared in an instant.
Ash, Misty, May and Dawn just sat there and watched them both put every last spec of food away.
Within half an hour the entire table is clean as if no one had even sat in that very spot for a good long time.
"[Wow... and I thought Ash and his kids had an appetite...]" May says nervously
"[Tee...hee...hee...]" Hikari replies jumping in the chair that separated the two booths
"[Hikari and daddy always eat like this when we are together.]"
"[Even Hikari's older brothers!]"
"[That's why mommy married daddy because of the way he could eat all that much food and then just burn it all up!]"
"[Burn it up?]" Misty asked rather confused
"[Yeah!]"
"[It's my high metabolism... had it ever since I was a kid... and never lost it once... but it does come with a drawback...]" Nick replied squeezing into the conversation, before Hikari can get into more personal matters.
"[Drawback?]"
"[Yeah regular food I can pile away, but when deserts come in. one slice of cake, one ice cream cone anything of that nature, after that I'm pretty much done... so it's like my body loves normal food, but when deserts come in no matter how fast or slow I eat it... my body just can't eat it any more. Although it's only limited to once a day so I can still enjoy stuff whenever I want, I just have to wait.]"
Everyone except Joy and Hikari just stare at him.
"[Alright daddy, time for our walk...]" Hikari says from the other side of the cafe
"[Alright princess here I come...]" Nick replies with a melancholy tone
"[Walk?]"
"[Yeah when he told her she was coming over here several weeks ago he promised her that they would go for a walk and talk about some things.]"
"[Oh...ok then...]" Dawn replies as she begins to look down with a bit of a depressed look on her face.
"[Nick?]"
"[Yes, what is it Joy?]"
Joy simply looks at him and points a clue at Dawn to him, with her eyes.
He replies with a nod.
"[Dawn?]"
"[Yes?]" She replies with a jolt
"[Would you like to join us?]"
"[But daddy…]"
"[It's ok Nick, I really don't want to intrude on your alone time with Hikari…]"
"[Daddy!]"
"[What is it sweetie pie?]"
She motions him lean closer and whispers into his ear.
"[Oh you do don't you, well why don't you go and ask her then?]"
"[Yay!]" she replies jumping around in a little circle before walking up happily to Dawn still sitting in her seat
"[Ms. Dawn would you like to come walk wif us?]" she asked with another puppy dog face.
As Dawn begins to stare into those puppy dog eyes, her body begins to loosen up, and she takes a deep breath.
"[Sure Hikari, I'll come with you and your daddy.]"
"[Yay!]" She replies while bouncing around on the floor again.
Then within seconds she sees her tail again and becomes slightly mesmerized by it, with a sudden urge to run she begins to chase her tail until Dawn steps up out of her seat and stares at her with a slight laugh.
A few minutes later Hikari had become dizzy from her little activity, and Dawn had picked her up and let her rest on her shoulder.
"[She's a wild one isn't she?]"
"[Not so much, this is usually one of her 'daddy' days, so when she sees me for the first time in a long period of separation, she all of a sudden get this massive burst of energy, and sometimes it will last her all day, that night she will sleep like a rock.]"
"[Kinda like she is now?]"
"[Yep, and held in the exact spot by either me or her mother that you have her in.]"
A small blush appears upon her face.
"[Ya know you are going to make a great mom, you know that?]"
The blush suddenly darkens on her face, until the little bundle of joy on her shoulder decides to wake up from her mini nap, just as they exit the pokemon center and return outside
"[Thank you mommy…that was…oh Ms. Dawn I sorry.]" Hikari replies getting up off her shoulder a bit, still a bit sleepily trying to rub her eyes.
Dawn takes her off her shoulder and holds her up in her arms.
"[Don't worry about Hikari, I didn't mind.]"
"[Can you put Hikari down pwease, Hikari wants' to walk next to daddy for a bit…]"
"[Alright then.]" Dawn replies as she puts the little Eevee on the ground to continue walking.
The group continues to walk in silence for a few minutes as they come across a jogging path that was used for exercising.
As they continue walking, they walk past the Pokémon centers front doors where Joy was waiting for them to return…
"[Daddy?]"
"[What is it sweetie?]"
"[Why is Ms. Dawn and Ms. gwaceon fat?]"
Both Pokémon fall anime style.
At the display Joy takes cue to walk outside, and see if anyone was hurt.
"[Sweetie, Ms. Dawn and Mrs. Misty are not fat.]"
"[Yes they are, see her tummy is bigger than my tummy is, or Ms. Joy's is, or yours is.]"
At that Joy takes a fall anime style, as she approaches the group, trying to figure what was done to cause that reaction.
"[Uh…Joy, perfect timing, um… you wanna um… explain this?]" Nick asked as he helped Dawn get back on her feet.
Dawn falls anime style again, as Joy tries to explain the situation to the nine year old.
"[Sweetie remember when Ms. Nagisa had a big tummy and then several months later there was a baby in the house crawling around begging for attention?]"
She nods very quickly in response with her index finger touching her mouth.
"[Well that's the same with Ms. Dawn and Mrs. Misty here, they are going to be mommies just like, Ms. Nagisa used to be.]"
"[Oh…]" she replies rather cutely with her index (paw) finger in her mouth.
"[Daddy, where do…]"
"[Not right now sweetie. When you get older I will explain it to you.]"
"[Ok, how many does Hikari need to be before you'll tell her?]"
A/N: yes I know that it's not good grammar, but she's nine people get with the times!
"[Tell you what sweetie, when you turn twelve I'll tell you.]"
"[But that's…]"
"[Don't worry little Hikari I'll even be there to help.]" Dawn reassures
"[Ok…]" she replies with pout.
"[Alright how about we head back inside and check on Ash's training…]" Nick says trying to change the topic
"[Oh… I'm afraid that will be a problem…]"
"[Why's that Joy?]"
"[Ash left for his match about 20 minutes ago…]"
"[Oh darn… well we can still make it, if we leave now… girls get on my back!]"
"[A-are you sure?]" Dawn asks
"[Yes, I've carried a lot more than this before.]"
Both Pokémon nod and slowly mount Nick with Hikari in Joy's arms.
"[Hang on girls!]"
Both Pokémon grab a hold of his fur and brace themselves as Nick takes off in a mad dash. Within minutes the four Pokémon are right outside the gym.
"[Go on in girls I'll be in right behind you…]" Nick says as they dismount him and he tries to catch his breath.
As they hop off and pass through the door, he collapses on the ground exhausted…
"[Now…that… was…overkill…]" he continues still trying to regain his composure
After a few minutes, he catches enough of his breath to enter the gym and make it to the arena where the girls were standing in the entrance hallway waiting for him.
"[So what did…I…miss?]"
Joy, Dawn, and Hikari just continue to stand in shock.
"[Hey girls what's so thrilling that you have to stare?]"
Both point to the crowd sitting in the stands, watching the match.
"[Please tell me those aren't all your Pokémon Nick…]"
"[Well you were bound to find out soon enough…]"
"[So that's what you brought in that suitcase!]"
"[Yeah, I dropped by the truck before I picked Joy and Hikari up, and had Raichu release them when we arrived.]"
Joy knock's Nick upside the head and he falls to the floor with starly's floating above him.
"[Daddy!]" she cries jumping out of Joy's arms and standing in front of him with concern plastered on her face
"[Don't worry Hikari, he's ok, he'll just be asleep for a few minutes.]"
Come here little Hikari and well go sit down to watch the match until daddy wakes up…
"[Ok…]" she replies leaping onto Ms. Dawn's waiting arms.
"[So all of these guys behind us are all of Nick's Pokémon?]"
"[Yes Ms. Dawn as he has quite a collection, but he treats every single one of them like family.]"
"[Wow… that must be really hard.]"
"[Not reawy, daddy just knows how to read into everyone's emotions, so everyone always get their fair share. And the nice man Mr. Don allows them to spar and train whenever they want to at his battle arena.]"
"[Wow Hikari, that's really interesting, who's Mr. Don?]"
"[He's one of the many fine gentlemen that own a battle arena in each city, see Mr. Don is just like me and my sisters and cousins, along with Jenny and her sisters and cousins.]" Joy cuts in.
"[Oh… that's interesting…]"
"[So Ms. Dawn where are your Pokémon?]"
"[Well they are actually sitting right below us.]"
"[All six of them?]"
"[Yep, Piplup, Lopunny, Pachirisu, Mamoswine, Togekiss , and Quilava ]"
"[Wow, they are really well behaved, and they look so pretty...]"
"[Yeah, with all the poffins I feed them for our contests I would expect nothing less.]"
"[So you're a contest coordinator?]"
"[Uh-huh, just like my mom... although I haven't been able to achieve the same things as my mom, but I'm so close I can taste it.]"
"[And what's that?]"
"[To be top coordinator, of course!]"
"[Well it might be a while now, before you can do that you know...]"
"[Yeah, but that still doesn't mean that I still can't prepare for performances later on, at least after the kids have gotten a bit older.]"
"[Just don't expect any miracles from that man...]"
"[What do you mean by that?]"
"[Well... let's just say between you and me, he wouldn't be caught dead in a contest...]"
"[Seriously?]"
A simple nod is seen from her.
"[I never thought he would hate them so much...]"
"[Daddy doesn't hate them.]"
"[What do you mean Hikari?]"
"[Daddy watches them all the time with Hikari.]"
"[Contest's hikari?]"
"[Well not just contests, but also the Pokémon musicals that show up on T.V. every once and a while. And occasionally when mommy was away daddy would turn on one of the sinnoh channels and we would watch a Pokémon contest... I think the last one we saw was the Wallace cup a few years ago...]" replies Hikari not taking her eyes off of the match in front of her.
"[So he does watch them...]" Joy replies with a sigh
"[Wait you said the Wallace cup a few years ago? I was in that one... I still have my ribbon from that contest too...]"
"[You can't be serious Dawn; that was a joint contest with coordinators from both Johto and Sinnoh...]"
"[No it's true, I still have the winner's picture they gave me when I won...]"
"[Wait your serious, let me see.]"
"[Hang on a sec I think I still have a copy of it in my bag...]"
Dawn pulls off her bag and begins rummaging through it, trying to find the desired picture.
"[Ah here it is!]"
"[Let me see!]"
"[Here you go, this is of me and Piplup when we beat May and her Glaceon for the Wallace cup ribbon.]"
"[Wait May was in it too?]"
"[Did someone say my name?]", May says looking at the stands in the middle of the battle.
"May eyes in front!" Blaziken yells back down
"[Oh right! Yikes!]" She replies dodging another attack that came her way.
"[Wow excellent hearing…]" Dawn comments
"Yeah a little too good..." Blaziken remarks
"[Wow... so you did win the Wallace cup...]"
"[That's what I've been saying… hey Nick!]"
"[Hi girls, what have I missed?]" Nick replies trying to hide the fact that he was still a bit hung over, from Joys punch.
"[We haven't really been paying attention just talking about how you and Hikari have been watching Pokémon contest's…]"
"[Heh…heh… yeah you got me…speaking of which Dawn, I've got all your performances recorded and…]"
"[You do…]"
"[Yep, any time a battle or contest is broadcasted I usually record them, and watch them at a later time… because of work or other reasons… but there was one that I went to personally…]"
"[Well when, were, what time, who were you with? Give us the juicy details!]" Dawn replies ecstatic
"[Alright Dawn calm down, it was about 5 years ago and it was actually my first time even being in that town…]"
"[I had actually just made it to watch the final match between two young ladies at the time… see I was originally there to make a delivery, but since again I had some time and Hikari was with me at the time, (she wanted to come because she wanted to see the grand festival since I was going to be there). We managed to find some seats near the front just as the final match started, and I had my camcorder with me. I remember that battle like it was just yesterday…]"
Flashback
The red head had a beautiful glameow and magnificent Gallade, while the opposition had… as Hikari described and cute Piplup and a darling togekiss.
After a wondrous battle between the two, young bluenette lost due to time running out and a slight points difference by a narrow margin, and the young red head had become the winner.
As we were about to leave Hikari insisted that we go meet up with the co-ordinator that lost in the final round, but when we arrived she was already with her friend's, so before Hikari managed to get to far ahead of me, I put her up on my shoulders and took her over to get ice cream to take her mind off of it… eventually she did and we left that afternoon for home. She was still a bit depressed not being able to at least see her, but she got over it…
End flashback
"[Wow… if I woulda known…]"
"[Shh… it's ok, at least she'll get something better than an autograph now won't she…]"
"[Yeah…]"
"[Hikari?]"
"[Hai?]"
"[If you want before we leave you can play with piplup and the others before you go home with daddy, I'm sure they've been begging for a little fun time over the past few weeks…]"
Hikari takes her eyes off the match and just stares into her eyes with a happiness of the likes Nick had never seen.
"[Yay!]"
"[Match over! The challengers are victorious, and have defeated the gym leaders.]"
"[Yeah!]" Blaziken yells
"[Oh…we missed it…]"
"[No need to worry Dawn, got it all on tape.]" Nick replies smoothly
"[Really?]"
"[Yeah had Raichu and espeon took care of it, see there they are packing up.]" Nick replied pointing down towards the opposite side of the field.
The two ladies stare at the opposite side of the battlefield at the two pokemon packing up the recording equipment.
"[Well girls… shall we?]" nick replies startling the girls from their mini trance.
"[Oh... Um, yes we shall.]"
"[Alright my guys you are free to relax for the next twenty four hours, so enjoy this time off and no fighting outside of matches.]" Nick shouts from the edge of the arena towards his group of pokemon
"[Yeah!]"
"[Daddy?]" Hikari asked walking down the dark hallway
"[Yes my little princess?]"
"[Can Hikari go and play wif the Pokémon now?]"
"[Sure you can, but you have to ask Ms. Dawn first. They are her Pokémon…]"
"[Ok…Ms. Dawn?]"
"[Of course you can sweetie… Piplup…]"
Piplup just keeps walking as if he hadn't heard anything
"[Why didn't he answer me… PIPLUP!]"
Still no reaction…
"[I'm gonna…]"
"[Wait Dawn, remember he can't understand you right now, so let me try…]"
"[Oh…oops…]"
"PIPLUP!" Nick called through the translator on his neck
"Yes who called? Oh Master Nick…what can I do for you?"
"[Hikari wanted to ask you something, but seeing as you can't…]"
"Eh…don't worry about it I have a pretty good idea about what she wants…"
"[Wait…you do?]"
"Yeah…eh…heh…Latias kinda told me what you guys were talking about earlier…so I kinda figured later on she would want to play with us…"
"[YOU IDIOT PIPLUP!]" Dawn screamed while giving Piplup a punch to the face knocking him down to the ground cradling his now tender cheek.
"What, what did I do wrong Dawn?" Piplup replied in an almost near petrified state.
"[Calm down Dawn, it's ok…]"
"[No it's not ok, him listening in on our conversation…]"
"[And not sticking up for me…]"
"[But you have to remember it was Latias who translated for him, as he could not understand us on his own… he also had his full attention on Ash's battle… and besides it wasn't all that important anyway…]"
"[Yeah but…]"
"[DAWN…that is not how you should be acting ESPECIALLY in front of Hikari just look at her… she's petrified now… it's alright Hikari she's not going to hurt you or anybody else…]" Nick reprimanded before trying to calmly south Hikari from out of a nearby darkened hallway.
"[Oh…I'm so sorry… Piplup are you ok?]"
"[Yeah I'm fine guess I kinda deserved that…]"
"[No you didn't and neither did little Hikari… please come on out Hikari… I'm calm now…I won't hurt you…]"
Hikari just sat there staring petrified at Dawn, trying to stay away from her in any way possible.
"[Dawn I think you should go… at least until I can calm her down…ok?]"
"[Alright…again I'm really sorry Hikari for scaring you…]" Dawn replied with a glum look and a bow.
Dawn begins to step away from Nick and Joy, and headed towards where Ash was just exiting from the gym arena, and without taking notice she runs into him accidentaly and they both take a plunge to the ground.
"[Hey Dawn…why don't you watch where you're going huh?]"
"[Sorry Ash…]" Dawn says almost in tears.
"[Hey Dawn… what's wrong?]"
"[Oh it's…]" Dawn replies trying to return to her room as to not let anyone see her crying but was stopped by Ash's strong arm.
"[Dawn for you to be spacing out like this is not nothing, so spit it out already and stop acting all depressed…]"
"[Well it's just that…]"
And Dawn replays they events that pertained the past few minutes.
As she finished little droplets of tears fell from her eyes in distress, until she started crying into ash's shoulder.
"[Aww…Dawn it's ok…it just your hormone's are well… let's just put it this way you're having a mood swing due to your well… kits and your body is adapting and it's taking it time for it to handle it, so your emotions are being taken on a roller-coaster of sorts… and your mind doesn't know how to deal with it.]" misty explains sympatheticaly
Dawn looks up at Misty still teary eyed.
"[So how did you put up with it?]"
"[Well…it differs between people so what may have worked for me may not work for you…]"
"[Oh…well thanks anyway…Misty I think I'm gonna go lie down and take a nap until Nick comes back…]"
"[Alright Dawn…just take it easy…]"
And with that Dawn slowly heads for the Pokémon center.
"[Guys I think I'm gonna go with her at least till she falls asleep…]"
"[Alright Lati…]"
"[I will join you…]" Lady Kagome agrees almost instantly appearing and dissappearing
"[Thank you lady Kagome…]"
"[I'll go see Nick for a bit Misty… why don't you go lay down…]"
"[No…I wanna stay with you, and don't even try and get out of it!]"
"[Alright…]"
Meanwhile with Dawn, Lati, and Lady Kagome...
Moment's later Ash and Misty find Nick, Joy and Hikari resting underneath a tree a little distance away from the Pokémon center.
"[Hey Ash…]"
"[Hey you …]"
"[So I take it Dawn is gonna be alright?]"
"[Yeah…she going to take a nap for a bit…]"
"[She's had her mood swings too, huh?]"
"[Yeah…I could tell from the way she was crying so hard into Ash's shoulder… she was so upset…]" Misty commented
"[Yeah…I trust she already told you right?]"
"[Of course she did…she knows we will always be there for her when she's down…]"
"[Well during the time she's been away I've been able to calm my little one down…]"
"[That's good…]"
"[Yes…last time she was yelled at, even though it wasn't directly at her and at someone else, was by me just before my eldest kids left for their journeys… she didn't even want to see me for a whole week… she was so petrified…]"
"[Wow…that long?]"
"[Yeah…but she got over it and she's loves me just as much as she did then… and I've never yelled at her ever again fearing that might happen again.]"
"[Wow thats definitely something to worry about.]"
"[Yes it is and I've already had Joy look her over many times...]"
"[Woah...is she really that skilled in medicine?]"
"[Sheryl has studied both human and pokemon medicine and psychology, and from what she can tell, it just a mental stability that her mind is locked into and until she can grow out of it, anytime she experiences emotional distress from anyone shes knows and is in close proximity to... her brain starts to think that it is directed at her and tries to comprehend what she did wrong.]"
"[But the problem is it can't handle it so it scares her to the point where she has to stay away from everyone, until her brain can stabilize.]"
"[Oh... well that makes sense, has she been able to figure out what mental disorder it is?]"
"[Truthfully I...]"
"[No I haven't, so for now there is no way to cure it until we know more about it. By the way, how is she?]"
"[She's asleep, for now...]"
"[Let me examine her, I'm glad I brought this...]"
"[What is it Sheryl?]"
'[Its my personal, all purpose first aid kit. Speaking of which how did you get her to trust you this time?]"
"[First the person in question left, and second I did exactly what you taught me to do. Keep her calm, and approach her slowly.]"
"[Good, now I need to examine her thought process... but i don't have my equipment...]"
"[Ms. Sheryl shouldn't the pokemon center have it?]"
"[No... only certified nurses can use it, and I'm the only one in the family who is... wait there is another way though...]"
"[What? How?]"
"[Telepathy.]" She replies rather bluntly
"[Wait you mean...]"
"[Yes do any of you children have any psychic pokemon?]"
"[No, but I'm sure Mr. Hotshot does...]" misty bluntly ratifies
"[Wait me?]"
The girls nodded.
"[I do but none of them are strong enough to do what needs to be done for this...]'
"[Wait I know someone who is!]"
"[What, who?]"
They all look at each other in the same fashion.
"[Latias!]"
"[Did someone call me?]" Latias questionly asks approaching the group rather quickly
"[Latias, you can use telepathy right?]"
"[Yeah... why?]"
"[Wait...]"
"[What now Sheryl?]"
"[She may not be strong enough to do so either.]"
"[Why's is that?]"
"[Nick remember when I tested all of your telepathic pokemon and none of them passed, do you remember what I said?]"
"[Yeah something about training in some particular area of expertise...]"
"[Correct... well for the most part, what I said was that, they can converse via telepathy but they can't project one's thoughts.]"
Ash and Misty, enter a deep train of thought.
"[Wait, I can do that.]"
"[Show me.]"
"[Well I kinda did it but that was with...]"
"[Latios]" Lady Kagome says appearing before the group
"[So she can but need a medium to perform it...]"
"[I can do it but will also require the help of another, and Latias is not strong enough to hold a mental bond with me yet. If we where to attempt and fail my mind could turn hers to mush...]"
"[Wait you said a strong mind?]"
"[Yes.]"
"[I know that one of my sisters has a psychic Pokemon that can do it but she is to far to reach at the moment...]"
Ash and Misty look at each other with the same knowing expression.
"[Wait you mean the Joy that runs the pokemon center on the boat that brought us here?]"
"[Yes, the very one. She loves the ocean and very rarely leaves except for emergencies. even so it would still take more time than we have.]"
"[What if we met her at the pokemon center just outside this area?]"
"[That would work, but we will need to... never mind, Nick go warm IT up and pack your things we are heading to the outskirts.]"
"[Already on it, and if I remember correctly it is the only center on the island where I can refuel so we can all meet up there.]"
"[Good, you do that I need to make a call in the mean time.]"
"[Are you sure, I mean I know you two are not on the best of terms right now so I can...]"
"[No I need to do this, and we need to get over our little squabble anyway...]"
"[Sheryl looks down in a bit of a slump before Nick places the now sleeping Hikari into her lap.]"
"[Here call her on mine, at least that way she will at least answer the phone...]"
"[Thanks...]"
"GALLADE!"
*teleport sound*
"Yes, father."
"[Gallade stop bowing in front of me like that every time i summon you, yes you are 'one' of my 'sons', but none of them bow or even knell...]"
"Please forgive me father, what would you ask of me?"
"[First take; me, Hikari, and Sheryl here back to the Pokemon center..."
"and second?"
"[And then second inform the rest of the group that they will need to remain on alert for the time being as I will be departing for a bit until we figure out what is wrong with Hikari, which may take some time...]"
'Sir! your order is my..."
"[Oh, will you stop that!]"
"My apologizes..."
"[Sheryl, come if you will please]"
"[Sure...]"
"[Alright Gallade teleport!]'
"Sir!"
*teleport sound*
"In front of the Pokemon center..."
*teleport sound*
"[Alright Gallade, thank you. Now go tell the others if you will...]"
"[Yes, father!]"
*teleport sound*
"[Ok, Sheryl go make your call, and put this where it can be seen. Meanwhile I will get us ready to depart.]"
"[Sure...]"
"[Papa...]"
"[Hey sweetie... you should be asleep right now.]"
"[I know but...]"
"[No buts little one, once you finish your nap then we can talk.]" Nick replies looking up at her on top of his head
"[But I had a bad dream papa...]"
"[Oh come here...]" he replies before Sheryl picks her up, gives her a hug and re-places her back on his head so she can drift back to sleep
"[Papa...]"
"[Do you want me to sing it, sweetie?]"
"[Mmm...]" she replies quietly nodding her head
A/N; a cookie to who can guess the song AND the anime it resides from.
"[Blue runs up and passes me from behind]"
"[The storm of time strikes my cheeks]"
"[Always, I love you, I love you]"
"[Take a breath; let's go to the future and make our choice]"
"[VALKYRIA]"
"[I rendezvous with the wind, VALKYRIA]"
"[Someday I'll bid it farewell, VALKYRIA]"
"[Before daybreak, there is no glittering life]"
"[I'm alive]"
"[Wearing armor of light on this body, soaring towards the sky]"
"[VALKYRIA: wings of goodbye]"
"[I love you...]"
And she falls back to sleep comfortably on his head.
"[Aww... she looks so peaceful...]"
"[Yeah that she does, her mother sang that song to her many times when she was young...]"
"[Your family just loves music don't they?]"
"[Hey, we're your family too!]"
"[Just saying...]"
And at the outburst the little eevee starts to shift briefly.
"[Oops...shh...]" the two of them say to each other.
"[Hey what's in this anyway?]"
"[Just something I was meaning to tell Dawn, if this ever approached at a later time... good thing I had it already written...]"
"[Ah crud...]"
"[What, what is it?]"
"[I can't do what needs to be done...]"
"[Well, can't one of your pokemon do it?]"
"[Ahh... your right!]"
"[Gardevior!]"
While Nick contacts his psychic type Sheryl heads inside the pokemon center to make a call and fulfill a certain task...
*teleport sound*
"Yes, father?"
"[Two things; one thank you for doing as you were supposed to, and second can you call 'the twins' two do something for me please?]"
"Of course..."
After a few minutes of silence, a brief but distant motor rev can be heard and a confirmation from gardevior.
*ding*
"[I got a hold of her Nick, it took some convincing , but she will meet us at the pokemon center we passed on the way in.]"
"[Wow that was fast...and did you...]"
"[Yes I did and...well drastic times call for drastic measures...]"
"[Alright, then... Latias!]"
"I'm here no need to yell, what is it?"
"Where are you and Dawn?"
"We are in the pokemon center in the same room trying to get some rest, what is up?"
"Good, you are together. I'm about to take Hikari here to get looked at; when Dawn wakes up, can you inform here of the situation and if she so desires bring her here."
"Sure, I can do that... for a price..."
"Oh come on Lati..."
"I'm just playin', in fact why don't I just wake her up now and you can tell her yourself?"
"NO! You will do no such thing..."
Lati sits against the bedroom wall in pure unaltered fear.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to yell or get angry at you, its not your fault. Please forgive me...it just..."
*sniffle
"No Lati please don't cry! Come here... please...don't..."
*loud sobbing can be heard from within the thought room, and felt by those around; with Lady Kagome approaching Nick and Sheryl, also with Dawn drearily waking only to find one of her best friends crying right before her eyes.
"[Lati? Lati! whats wrong?]"
Upon clutching her as if for dear life she is brought into the 'thought room' only to find Lati on the floor crying and Nick trying his best to apologize for what he had done.
"Lati?"
"Dawn? What are you doing here?"
"I should ask you the same thing and why is she on the floor crying?"
Meanwhile back in the 'real' world...
"[Um Nick...]" Sheryl asks waving her hand in front of his face only to find his mind in it's own little dimension
*sigh "[Well then I guess I'm driving then...]"
Nick's body subconsciously put a thumbs up and Sheryl leads his subconscious body to his car, that Raichu had just pulled up in.
"Nick? I asked you a question, why is Lati on the ground crying?"
Dawn had on the same face she had worn when she hit Piplup earlier, and Nick new that if he didn't give her an answer soon...
*smack!
Oops to late...
"That is for not answering me when I ask you something, and this *smack is for making her cry."
Nick is plowed further into the ground, after her first punch made an indention into the thought room floor, now with x's for eyes.
"Lati are you ok?"
*sniffle...
"Yeah I'll be fine..."
"Oh... I need to tell you that..."
"No... Lati... I'll tell her myself... can you give...us... like 5... minutes...please?" Nick replies struggling to pick his mental self up from the 'floor'
Lati looks back at Nick with fear, expecting him to go into rage at her again only to have that idea shattered when he finally gets up and hugs her passionately in the best way he can for the moment.
"So, what is it that's so important that you had to wake up and upset...no fracture any hope you have of ever being able to speak with her again..."
Nick looks down at the 'floor' as he rises from where Lati was sitting as she disappears from view.
"The same reason, you are in your room to begin with..."
"Oh... is she going to be alright?"
"Yeah...for now she's asleep, and hopefully Sheryl's cousin and her pokemon can help us. After shes done you can come by if you like, to apologize properly and hopefully mend the bridge you have torn down between you and my daughter."
It is then Dawns turn to stare at the floor for once...
"Yeah I think I will..."
"Good, then I guess I'll talk to you as soon as..."
"Hey just get on kiss and make up already its very hard to hold a message like this especially when you are moving away from us Nick!" Lati shouts trying to stifle any more crying from earlier
"Sorry Lati, I'll also apologize to you when I get back ok?"
"Ok!"
"See you in a bit Dawn..."
"Goodbye..."
And Nick disappears from her minds eye and she wakes up still sitting next to a cheerful Latias.
"[Wow Lati that was quick...]"
"Well I kinda read into what he was going to do for us when he got back, or if we met up with him and its enough to forgive... and it was not so much a mean as I thought, but more like a protective anger in wanting to shield Hikari from another incident..."
"[Incident?]"
"Well I read that too without permission so you'll have to ask him what happened..."
"[Ok... thanks Lati...well I certainly will...wait what's that?]"
"It looks like a letter... Who's it from?"
"[Its from Nick!]"
Credits: Thanks goes to olihmajor for assistance in beta reading, perfect_oblivion for some of the ideas, and anime lyrics for the translations.
And this is now going to have two new additions to it! One a prequel consisting of the sinnoh tournament and ash vs. Tobias match. And and sequel, at around chapter 34, so there will be three parts to this little series of mine! Now R & R people! I don't know what you thought about it unless you review or critique. I'm not psychic here people! And even if I was I would still need some help here as it would be hard to read the mind of a person half way across the planet from where i reside. Later!