Author's Note: It's here: the 50K word mark. Yeah! This is a major milestone for my stories. This chapter also reveals a lot about a character. Also, I'm sure this is the longest chapter I've written so far.

Light's Adventures

Chapter 19: Lineage

Light sat up, accidentally awaking Cream next to him. He smiled as he remembered how he had convinced Nurse Joy to let Cream stay with him the whole time of his healing. He had refused treatment unless they let her.

Cream got up and stretched beside him on the medical bed, "Morning, Light. Do you feel better?"

"Yeah, thanks for staying with me," Light said.

"You're welcome. You should be let out today. I can't believe they healed you completely in one day," Cream said, checking him over again to make sure he was fully healed.

The door opened and Nurse Joy entered. He came up to Light and started to check him herself. Once done, Nurse Joy announced he could be checked out and led him to the front counter.

Light definitely wasn't going to wait for Nick to wake up on his own. He reached out to Nick's consciousness and said, Wake up, I'm ready to be checked out.

Light heard Nick mutter to himself in his thoughts and knew he was awake. Light stopped the channel and waited. Soon, Nick came into the common room, still half asleep. "Next time, let me sleep in," Nick said.

Nurse Joy looked up from the paperwork she was looking at. "You're Umbreon is ready for pickup, sir."

"Thanks. Come on, Light and Cream. Let's get back to the room," Nick said.

Actually, we were thinking of a walk out in the forest. Can we? We can get back in through the window, Light thought.

Nick scratched his head, trying to think in his condition. "Umm, alright, here," he said, opening the front door for Light and Cream. They moved outside and Nick shut the door. Nick slunk back toward his room.

I didn't know we were thinking of a walk, Cream thought.

So does that mean you don't want to? Light asked.

Of course I want to go on a walk with you, Cream thought back.

They headed toward the forest, Light leading Cream. They went straight into the forest. Cream wondered where they were going, but Light wouldn't give up the location.

Light stopped as the reached a clearing. It was a flat, symmetrical little clearing with soft grass covering it. It was the place. Light led her into the middle and laid down. She laid down next to him and he pulled her close and licked her forehead. "This is the place. A quiet, little clearing where we can be alone," he said.

Cream nuzzled against Light.

"Here, Cream, I got you something," Light said, reaching back. He brushed back some grass and picked up a black collar.

"What is it?" Cream asked.

"This is a collar. This used to be mine until I evolved. I had Nick engrave your name on the other side of the tag. I would like you to have it," Light said.

Cream bowed her head and Light slipped it over it. The tag swung from its ring on the collar as it settled around her neck. "It's great, Light. Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," Light said.

"Now, I . . . I want to . . . tell you something," she said.

"What is it?" Light asked.

"It's . . . it's about my family," she started, tears starting to form.

"Cream, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I understand if you don't want to," he said.

Cream shook her head, "No, I want to tell you. I . . . I need to tell you. Not only are you my mate and that you deserve to know, I need to tell someone. I need someone to confide into."

"Thank you. Take your time, though," Light said, lick her on the head.

"Thank you. Okay," she started, taking a deep breath, "I . . . I was born in the wild to my . . . my parents. I had no other family that I knew of. My mother was a beautiful Umbreon. My father was a powerful Espeon, able to take out almost anyone with his Psychic powers. They were wonderful parents.

"I was a week old when it happened. A Mightyena appeared at our den. He said my mother had to go with him. I don't know what he meant by that, but my father was enraged and attacked him. Unfortunately, the only move he knew that wasn't a psychic type was his Protect. He was no match for the powerful Mightyena. My mother tried to help, but she wasn't strong. She hadn't even mastered the moves she knew. The Mightyena was angry for her attacking and decided she was too much of a bother.

"He beat my father and then held my mother down with one paw. He reached down and . . . he . . . he . . . punctured her throat," here, Cream started to cry into Light's shoulder. Light comforted her, petting her back with his tail and resting his head on hers. Soon, her sobbing died down and she pulled away. She quickly continued, "My father cried out as though he himself was dying as the Mightyena did this. He yelled for me to run. I wasn't going to until I saw his whole body start to glow white. I had only gone a little bit before a giant explosion happened behind me.

"I . . . went back and saw the Mightyena impaled against a limb of a tree twenty feet away and fifty feet up. Where my father had been was a blackened crater. That's when I realized that I was now an orphan. A few days later, after searching for food and a shelter since ours was destroyed, the Nidoking came by. Then you came," Cream said, leaning against Light for comfort.

Light heard a bush rattle nearby, but it stopped when he looked at it. He reached with his mind and found nothing. It must have run away when it made the noise. It was probably just a Rattata. Light turned his attention back to Cream.

"I'm sorry for your lost. I never knew my parents. I was found in my egg on Nick's doorstep inside the Pokemon Center. Nick was sure someone left me there for him," Light said.

Cream calmed down and they stayed as they were for a little, enjoying each other's presence. The sun was about at its pinnacle at this point. Light enjoyed this time greatly. Her soft fur was pressed against him and her smell comfortably surrounded him. He even felt a little drowsy as he lay next to her.

However, he was instantly alert as a lithe, blue creature came out of the undergrowth a little to their right. It had fins as a mane and a long tail with a blue fin like spine going down its back. It was a Vaporeon. Both Light and Cream tensed, but the Vaporeon was slowly approaching them and didn't seem to have any aggressive motives. Light and Cream relaxed, realizing this Pokemon didn't mean them any ill.

The Vaporeon slowed more and more as it approached. As it got close, it said, "Is it, really? It is!"

As it said this, it lunged at Light. Light's instincts immediately took effect and as he fell back from the lunging, he shot his paws out, sending the Vaporeon over him and into the ground past him. Light paused for a second. He had smelled something that was vaguely familiar. Light scrambled up and faced the Vaporeon, berating himself for underestimating it.

Cream came up to his side, "Are you-"

She was cut off as a yellow creature appeared out of the undergrowth, shouting, "How dare you!"

The creature was rushing at Light. However, Cream had moved next to him, unintentionally putting herself in the path of the attack. Cream was too stunned at the new opponent to move out of the way and instead pushed herself against the ground. It wouldn't matter as the yellow blur was coming so fast, Light thought it had been using Quick Attack. However, as it came, it started to glow white and it rushed at them. Light didn't recognize the attack, but he did recognize that the attack was definitely a powerful move.

Light knew it might even be powerful enough to break a Protect, so Light did what instinct told him, having no time to plan. He got over Cream and made sure her cowering form was between his legs. He then stood his ground and prepared himself for the impact.

The creature hit Light hard. The attack was definitely was a powerful one. It took everything Cream could do to stop from moving. He couldn't let Cream be left unprotected. The attack did extra damage since he refused to move. He was sure he even heard a pop, though the pain was too much for him to make sure. The attack left his legs weak. Only the thought of protecting Cream allowed him to continue standing.

The creature stopped moving, also stunned by the move, though not injured. Light realized that the creature had used Giga Impact. While the Pokemon was recharging, Light grabbed it with Psychic and threw it against a tree within his sight.

Seeing the creature fully without moving allowed him to realize what the Pokemon was. It had a yellow and white coat that was sticking up like needles. It was a Jolteon.

The Vaporeon was starting to get up and Light realized he needed to protect Cream quickly. He finally banked on an idea he had been forming recently, though he hadn't tried it out yet. Using Psychic, Light grabbed dirt in a circle around him in about a five feet diameter and pulled it out of the rest of the earth. He pulled it over them and made a dome of dirt completely surrounding Light and Cream. It had worked.

Cream darted out from under Light's legs and started to check Light out. "A-are you o-okay, Light?" she asked, starting to cry.

"I . . . think I can still walk, but I probably can't fight. I definitely . . . won't be able to defeat that . . . Jolteon, though," Light said between deep breaths to slow his heartbeat and ease his pain.

"I-I can u-use Dig," she said.

"Oh, good, then dig a tunnel," he paused sensing where Nick and the Pokemon Center was, "that way."

Cream nodded and Light moved over so she had room to dig. She dug at a ferocious rate. She was slightly slowed, though, for she had to make a larger tunnel than normal in order to accommodate Light's size. After a few moments, Light followed. It was a short jump to the bottom where Cream made a horizontal turn in the direction Light had pointed. Once Light was fully in the horizontal part of the tunnel, he collapsed the vertical part of the tunnel with psychic, making sure to leave no evidence of them using Dig.

Cream dug without talking, though Light could hear her quietly sobbing still. Cream was an amazing digger, though. She quickly made it back to the Pokemon Center. Light guided her to outside their window, using Ace as a guide. They came up right outside the window. Ace started as they suddenly appeared out of the hole.

Nick, I . . . need you come . . . here and . . . let us in . . . the front, Light thought, exhausted with his rapid uses of Psychic.

Light? Hold on, I'm coming! Nick thought.

Light and Cream limped over to the front. They reached it shortly after Nick, who rushed them inside. Nurse Joy took him quickly, not trying to stop Cream from coming this time. Light passed out as they entered the medical area.

(0)

Light opened his eyes and saw only brown. He was confused and reached out with his mind. He realized that it was Cream, curled around him. She jumped up as he touched her mind. "Light, you're okay!"

"Yeah, but what happened?" Light asked as she moved, allowing him to breathe normally.

"You passed out as Nurse Joy brought you in here. Your injury was really serious. The attack did internal damage since you didn't let the force carry you away. Oh, Light," she said, starting to cry into his chest.

"What's wrong, Cream?" Light asked.

"You . . . you almost got a permanent injury trying to protect me," she cried.

"I would take that and more to make sure you're safe," Light whispered into his ear.

"Oh, Light," she said, starting to cry happy tears.

Light soothed her until she calmed down. She was just finishing when the door opened. Nurse Joy came in followed by Nick. Nick knelt beside him and hugged him.

"Don't worry; we've tested him and he has no permanent injuries. He should be okay to be checked out, but he needs to take it easy for a while," Nurse Joy warned.

"Okay, thank you," Nick said as she left the room. "Now Light, what happened? Cream tried to tell me, but I need your telepathy to understand."

Light recounted the fight between him and the Vaporeon and Jolteon. He explained the attack and how they got away. Nick stayed silent until Light was done.

"Well, that's certainly an interesting story. That sounds like a powerful Jolteon. I wouldn't be surprised if it was actually a trainer's Pokemon," Nick said.

Light shook his head. That Jolteon was definitely a wild Pokemon, at least during that fight.

"Oh, okay. Anyway, I'm going to have a training section with Blaze, Red, and Ace in the park. Would you like to come and watch? You won't be allowed to train, but you can watch," Nick said.

If Cream can come, Light thought.

"Of course. Come on, let's go," Nick said.

They jumped off the bed and followed Nick back to the room. Nick got the others and they went to the park. While Red, Blaze, and Ace started to train, Blair, Light, and Cream sat on the sidelines. Blair was only not participating because Blaze had asked her not to. Nick begrudgingly allowed it.

Light was watching the others train, his side brushing up against Cream's, when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He glanced over and saw come blue among the undergrowth of the nearby forest. The park was set right against the forest so that wild Pokemon could enjoy the park. The rules stated that Pokemon could not be caught if it was inside the park, so wild Pokemon often came into it.

However, this blue was slightly familiar. Then he had it: it was the Vaporeon. Light quickly moved over to Nick, sending out, The Vaporeon is here.

Cream kept close to him, while Blair stayed on her other side. Ace, Blaze, and Red stopped as they realized what his statement meant. They all came over to Light. Nick studied the area Light had mentioned.

"I think you're right. We-" Nick started.

Suddenly, the Vaporeon came out of the undergrowth, the Jolteon right behind it. They all tensed as they saw the Jolteon. They stopped about ten feet away. The Vaporeon looked like it was ready to cry, while the Jolteon looked ready to take them all on if need be.

After a moment of silence, Cream spoke up, "Get out of here. You're not going to hurt Light again."

The Vaporeon hit the Jolteon's back with its tail and spoke up, "I'm sorry for what he did. He wasn't supposed to attack you."

"What about you. You lunged at him. Get out of here," Cream said, anger starting to show. Light as slightly surprised at her anger. He put his tail on her back, trying to calm her some.

"I-I'm sorry . . . I . . . I lost control. I just hadn't known I was ever going to see you again," it said.

"Um, excuse me, but I don't think we've met before," Light spoke up.

"Not in person, no, but I did care for you until we gave you to him," the Vaporeon said, pointing its tail at Nick.

"What?" Light asked.

"Um, Light, could you start translating now?" Nick whispered. Light quickly repeated everything that they had said so far through telepathy.

The Vaporeon took a deep breath, "You . . . you're our kit."

Light was too dumbfounded to translate, as everyone else was too dumbfounded to speak. Cream finally broke the silence, "Wait, Light was found in his egg on Nick's doorstep."

The Vaporeon nodded, "Yes, we left him there for the trainer to take care of."

"Umm, guys, besides needing a translation, I think we would be more confortable inside. Let's go back in the Pokemon Center. Is that okay with you two?" Nick asked the Vaporeon and Jolteon.

The Jolteon hesitated, but the Vaporeon nodded quickly.

"Then let's go in," Nick said. He herded them to his room. Light and Cream jumped up onto the couch. Blaze and Blair sat next to the couch, while Red jumped into a padded chair. Ace perched on the windowsill, while Nick took the other padded chair. Jolteon and Vaporeon sat together in front of the couch.

After Light explained the claim to Nick, he asked, "If you're my parents, why did you give me up?"

The Vaporeon looked away, taking deep breaths and looking slightly distressed. Instead, the Jolteon answered, "It's my fault. I was a caught Pokemon for a while. After I had evolved, I had an accident. A spray bottle my trainer had was sprayed on me and some also got into my mouth. The spray was supposed to attract wild Pokemon. I became sick, but healed. However, the spray affected me. Now, wherever I go, wild Pokemon attack me. I was quickly released when my trainer found that out. When I met your mother, we wouldn't let our kit grow up trying to avoid being attacked by wild Pokemon every day of its life. So we studied a few nearby trainers and finally decided on the best one we could find. We then followed him and left you, still in the egg, on his doorstep."

Light took the information in silently, only repeating the story to Nick through telepathy. Cream touched Light's cheek with her snout. "What's wrong, Light?" she whispered, though it could be heard clearly in the silent room.

I . . . I've never really thought about my parents. Now I'm here with them right in front of me. How am I supposed to react? I've never had any family before besides you and I've never seen how anyone else reacts to their parents. This is a completely new experience for me, Light thought to her.

What does your instinct say? Cream asked.

It's . . . it's telling me to . . . hug them and rejoice, I guess, Light thought.

Well there you go, Cream thought, giving him a lick on the cheek.

The Vaporeon was starting to get uncomfortable in the silence. She hadn't heard the private conversation going on between Cream and Light. For a second, she thought he had finally rejected her. She was about to turn to leave, when she saw Light start to stir.

One more test, Light thought.

Test? Cream thought.

Light jumped down from the couch and slowly approached the Vaporeon. She tensed, waiting for what he would do. Light stopped in front of her and closed his eyes to concentrate. He took a deep breath and his guess was confirmed. He had smelt something like her somewhere. It took him back to the beginning of his life, to when he had first seen Nick. That smell had been there. It had been on . . . Nick's hands. But it was stronger on . . . the eggshells. Her smell had definitely been on the eggshells.

Light opened his eyes and saw the Vaporeon watching him, waiting for his decision. He smiled, "Hello, mom." For some reason, tears were coming to his eyes. He embraced his mother.

She started when he said this, but quickly reacted and embraced him, too, tears of her own running down her face. "Oh, honey, you remember."

Light pulled away from his mother and nodded, "Good to meet you dad."

He nodded back, his tears on the verge of falling.

"So, do I get to learn the names of my parents?" Light asked, laughing a little while still crying happily. Cream jumped down and approached Light.

"Yes, I'm Ripple, and your father is called Bolt," his mother said.

"Your name matching your attack, dad," Light said, laughing a little more.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't know what Ripple was doing and then you started to battle. Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes. Are you okay? I kind of overdid my Psychic attack," Light said.

Bolt laughed, "Yeah, it will take more than that to defeat your old father."

"Well time for my introductions. My trainer is called Nick, while the Pidgeotto is Ace. The Vulpix is Red. The two Flareon are Blaze and Blair. And this," Light said, putting his tail on Cream as she came up next to him, "this is my precious Cream." He licked her on the head after he said that.

Ripple smiled, "I see you two are more than just friends, am I right?"

Light grinned, "Yes."

Bolt gave a sigh of relief, "Good, I was starting to think my son was a stupid fighter. I had thought you were not moving from the attack, taking double damage, because you didn't know how to fight. Now I see why you did that. You saved her from the attack."

Light pulled Cream a little closer and nodded. "So, where are you going now? Would you like to come with us?"

Ripple's eyes had a longing look in them, but she shook her head, "Of course I would like to stay, but we can't, not with Bolt's condition. I would never put you in unneeded danger, son. But . . . you could come with us."

Light's heart wanted to, but shook his head also, "No, I couldn't leave this life. You chose well when you chose Nick. I love this life."

Ripple sighed, but looked happy nevertheless, "I didn't think you would. I'm glad you were able to have a good life. I hope we meet again."

"Me, too, mother," Light said. He licked her on the cheek. He opened the door for them and they left.

Cream pressed against him and whisper, "I'm glad they did leave you with Nick. I got to be with you."

"Thank you, Cream. I needed that," Light said, pressing against her, too.

"I know," she said.