The Kanto country side flew past as Quenelle galloped, full speed, along the paths and through the meadows, leaping over fences and ledges with an athletic ease. "I'm getting motion sick," Arden complained.

"Tauros!"

"Quen says that's your own fault," Gaius said. "I think he's right—he's trying very hard to make this ride as smooth as possible. Least you can be is grateful, baby brother."

"I'll show my gratitude by trying not to vomit on him," mumble Arden woozily as he leaned back against Gaius.

"That's all he asks," said the older brother.

"Aur aur aur!" said Quenelle, leaping down from a ledge. He landed hard on the ground, causing little fissures to spread out from where his hooves impacted it, and kept right on running. "Aur-auros!"

"Well, you don't say," Gaius responded to Quenelle. "That's somethin'…"

"What? What are you talking about?" said Arden.

"Nothing, nothing," said Gaius. "Don't worry about it."

Arden frowned. "I don't like it when you and your pokemon have secret conversations," he mumbled. Gaius roughed up his hair.

"Whatever, baby brother," he said, smiling. "How about you just focus on not vomiting, hm?"

Far behind them, Dixie followed. He'd lost sight of Quenelle long before, and had been following them by the marks left in the dirt by the charging tauros' hooves. However, as he reached a meadow north of Pallet Town, the trail disappeared. "Good thing I put that tracker on him last time we met up," mumbled Dixie, kneeling down atop a small ledge. He reached into his boot and pulled out a small screen with a collapsible antenna attached to it. Turning it on, he pulled the antenna out and titled the device upwards. "What he must think of me kissing him like that to do it, though…"

The display on his screen lit up with a beep. "Not too far," he muttered, starting off with the device as a guide.

Quenelle's hooves pounded over the streets of Cherrygrove Town. As they passed, people stopped in the street and waved, and little children raced after them, shouting, "Gaius! Gaius! Show us more of your pokemon!"

Arden blushed with jealousy and looked away. He had a hard time admitting it—even to himself—but it always got to him how Gaius seemed to be beloved every where he went. He'd complained about it once, only to be told by the older boy that his love was the result of his deeds, and that anyone could be loved if they devoted their lives to helping those around them. "When people's lives are made better," Gaius had told him then, "It fills their hearts with love, to the point of over flowing." Arden had never quite understood that, himself, so the whole thing remained a sore point with him.

"I just love the smell of Johto air," Gaius said, taking a deep breath. "Don't get me wrong—Kanto's an alright place and all, but there's just something innately better about Johto. Huh, baby brother?"

Arden shrugged. "I dunno," he said. "The air here kinda smells like iron and oil to me."

"I know," Gaius said. "Isn't it great?"

Arden sighed. "Do you think you could untie me?"

"Are you going to try to run away?"

Arden hesitated. "No."

"Yeah you are," said Gaius. "I'll untie you when we get home."

"Can't you untie me before then?" asked Arden. "I'm going to need my arms free to protect my face."

The tall buildings of Goldenrod City came into view as they turned around a wooded bend, a deep gold against the red sky of late afternoon. Arden could identify the radio tower, with the blinking light at its top, and the department store, towering above the rest of the sky scrapers and apartments. Arden frowned deeply. "Cheer up, baby brother," said Gaius. "Smiling makes everything easier, you know. You'll feel better if you smile!"

"Maybe that works for you," Arden mumbled.

"I hope that pokemon of yours is still training," said Gaius as they came up closer to the city. The street lamps were flaring to life ahead of them as night was settling in. "I told him he'd better keep at it while I went to get you…"

Arden's eyes widened. "What? You just left Cruelty here?!"

"Relax," said Gaius. "I left him with Mom."

"You left him with Mom?! What were you thinking? That pokemon is dangerous!"

"Well, so's Mom," said Gaius. "Ah, speak of the saint! She's outside waiting for us. Hey, Mom!"

Outside of a dinky house at the edge of town, a woman stood with her arms crossed, a rolling pin in her hand. She was a heavy woman, with her hair pulled back tightly. They had barely come within sight of her when she drew back her arm and threw her rolling pin, striking Arden right in the forehead. With a yelp, Arden tumbled down off of Quenelle's back.

Gaius looked down at Arden, and then back at his mother. "Good arm."

A/N: As always, I just want to thank all my readers. You guys are amazing, and I feel loved that anyone has read this far. If you think there's anything I can do to improve this story, please don't hesitate to drop me a line about it. You guys are the greatest.