Hey there guys! Sorry I haven't updated much this month. I had a family emergency and was away for about three weeks. But I should be back on a regular schedule again.

Thanks for all of the support like usual. I really appreciate you guys keeping with my crazy Pokemon fic. This is going to be another character development chapter, and you're going to get back stories.

So you know, Magnus Weilschmidt is Germania/Gilbert's father.

Yes, I did make Ludwig older than Gilbert in this fic.

I have a new poll up on my profile page. Please take a look at it especially if you're a fan of my other works.

The chapter title is a play on Shakespeare.

Reviews!

~themagnificent ME: Matt might have bad ass Pokemon, but he doesn't really know how to use them. Gilbert and Sadiq are going to help toughen Matt up and make him stronger.

~FluffDucklings: PERV! Just Kidding! Trust me. I was considering it. If Sadiq didn't already have a Kirlia, I probably would have given Francis a Gardevoir.

Onwards!

Matthew pulled on his shirt and carefully buttoned it up. Last night had been fun. His traveling companions mixed well with his family, and dinner was full of laughter and new inside jokes. Afterward, Alfred headed out to his apartment in Canalave telling Matt to visit soon. By the time they had fed all of the Pokemon, given them good baths, and showered themselves, the trainers were ready to hit the sack. Francis and Arthur insisted for Gilbert and Sadiq to stay at the house. It was better to save money for the travelers. They graciously accepted, and Sadiq slept in Alfred's old room while Gilbert took the guest room.

Sitting on the bed, Matthew jostled his napping Shinx. She yawned and looked up to him with bleary eyes. "Come on sleepy head," he scratched her behind the ears. "Everyone is already up and about. You and I can't sleep in all day." She mumbled to herself, stood, and stretched. Matthew bent down and slipped on his converse. As he tied them, he glanced over to his open closet. Absol laid perfectly still, his eyes glowing from between the hanging pants.

"Absol, I know you're shy, but I would like you to come down and get to know everyone," Matthew stood up and kneeled in the closet beside him. Reaching out, he stroked Absol's head careful not to hit the sickle. The Pokemon smiled to Matthew and nuzzled his hand back. "Take your time," he said gently. "I know you'll make friends with everyone on your own." Standing back up, he picked up Shinx and headed downstairs.

The house was abnormally quiet when he entered the living room. Apparently everyone was outside, including all of the Pokemon. Strolling into the kitchen, he spotted Sadiq sipping coffee and standing in the doorway.

"Good morning!" Matthew called to him.

"Morning."

"Where is everyone?"

Sadiq pointed out the door, "Watching this awesome practice battle. Arthur and Gilbert are going at it."

"What?" Matthew scooted past him outside and almost dropped Shinx at what he saw.

Arthur and Gilbert squared off on opposite sides of the field. Between them, Arthur's Umbreon and Gilbert's Buizel matched each other move for move. It didn't last much longer. Buizel slammed into Umbreon with an Aqua Jet, knocking the dark type to the ground.

Arthur threw out a hand, "Okay, okay! That's enough. Umbreon and I aren't what we used to be." Hurrying over, he helped his Pokemon back to his feet and rubbed his head. "You battled hard. Go take a good nap with Espeon."

"Umbreon!" the dark type bounded over to the shade and lay down with his partner.

"Buizel," Gilbert scratched his Pokemon behind the ears. "Good job. Go cool down in the lake."

"Bui bui!" Buizel dashed off and dove into the water with Milotic and Gyarados. All the Pokemon who had been watching the battle returned to their playing or resting.

"You certainly are a tough trainer," Arthur shook Gil's hand. "It's been a while since I had to break a sweat in a battle."

"Thank you for the practice. I haven't had Buizel as long as some of my others, so we're still getting to know each other." Gilbert walked back towards the house with Hitmonchan. Spotting Matthew awake, he hurried over and shot him a huge smile. "Morning there! Sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you. I hope you had plenty of rest." Matthew stepped aside for Arthur and Gilbert to come back in.

Arthur went over to the kitchen window, pulling it open, "We're only going to have a few more warm days before winter sets in. You all should spend the day outside."

Gilbert and Hitmonchan thrust their fists in the air, "We will! My gang and I are getting in some important training before the gym battle on Monday!"

"Hitmonchan!"

Matthew hugged Shinx tight, "And I was going to start working with Shinx and teaching Spoink new combos."

"Shinx! Shinx shinx!"

Sadiq smiled and sat down at the table to sip his coffee. His companions sure had a lot of energy, especially so early in the morning. Though it was a bit exhausting at times, it was nice to have people to talk with.

Noticing a brown paper bag full of food on the counter, Arthur rolled his eyes, "Damn. It looks like Francis left his lunch. I'm going to run it to him. I'm sorry for this, boys."

Matthew waved him off, "It's okay, Arthur. I think we have things under control here."

The Brit smiled and picked up his keys and the lunch. "I'm going to leave my Pokemon here. If there's any trouble, just use Empoleon."

"Will do. Be safe."

"I will." Arthur smiled to Gilbert and Sadiq before heading out to his car. A few minutes later, he drove away.

"Your family is very nice," Sadiq washed out his cup and laid it in the sink. "And this house is beautiful. Your family must be very proud of it."

"We are."

Gilbert and Hitmonchan stood just inside the living room and stared at pictures on the walls. They showed various photographs of the family throughout the years. There were several pictures of a younger Alfred; one was of him with a Piplup posing with his first badge. A small number of articles on the wall were of Matthew earning his few ribbons. But there were several articles and pictures of Arthur winning various Grand Festivals. In one photo, a much younger Arthur posed with his Empoleon and a Honchkrow. Gilbert scrunched his forehead. Didn't he meet all of Arthur's Pokemon last night?

"Hey Matt," Gilbert pointed to the photograph. "Does Arthur have a Honchkrow?" His friend's reaction made Gilbert wish he had never asked the question.

The blonde's features drooped, and he stared at his shoes. The room grew quiet as if all of the Pokemon—no—the world realized the somber situation. Even Shinx being so young stared up to her trainer with silent worry. Matthew licked his lips, "He did. Honchkrow passed away a little over a year ago from old age. It hit Arthur really hard. He was the first Pokemon Arthur ever caught. They won several Grand Festivals together and were very close. We all buried him out back near the tree line. Sometimes, Arthur and Empoleon will just sit out there for hours in silence. Alfred and I grew up with all of Arthur and Papa's Pokemon. They were our playing companions. It was like losing a member of the family."

Sadiq rested his hand on Matt's shoulder but said nothing.

"Damn," Slowly turning away, Gilbert looked to Hitmonchan and rubbed his shoulder. Hitmonchan flashed a kind smile back and rubbed Gil's arm. "I'm sorry to hear that, Matt. I can't even imagine something like that. I would be devastated is something happened to Hitmonchan or any of my Pokemon for that matter."

Sadiq, spotting an opportunity to change the subject, spoke up, "Was Hitmonchan your first Pokemon?"

"Yep, and he's my best friend," Gilbert lightly slapped his Pokemon's shoulder before they came back into the kitchen. "It's super nice outside. Let's get out there."

As the four of them walked back out, Matthew seemed to brighten being out in the sun. "You're from the Kanto region. Hitmonchan isn't one of the normal starters out there."

"No, he's not."

The trainers lounged out in the grass as Hitmonchan jogged into the field to be with the other Pokemon. Sadiq hoped to keep the conversation pleasant, "So, how did you two meet?"

"It's a long story." Gilbert shook his head enjoying how Matthew's hair shimmered in the pale sunlight. "But I do have plenty of time to tell it. When I was a kid, I guess you could say I was a bit of a trouble maker.

"Please forgive my son for this."

Eight year old Gilbert stood behind his father, watching him bow to the shop owner. The boy didn't see what the big deal was. All he stole was a magazine, a soda, a few candy bars, and a lighter. He really didn't need the lighter; it had a cool picture of a Machamp on it. This wasn't the first time he stole from this store. It was just the first time he had been caught.

The store clerk glared at Gilbert, "Word has it around town that your boy is stealing from all the stores in the area. If this keeps up, Magnus, he's going to be sent to juvie."

"It won't happen again," Magnus turned back to his son and narrowed his eyes.

On the walk home, Gilbert strolled just behind his father and watched him closely. He knew he would be lectured at home, but at the moment he didn't care. Magnus' full attention was on him, and Gilbert was glad to be alone with his father.

A crash sounded nearby, and they both stopped. A Tyrogue, with arms full of fruit, turned the corner and sprinted towards them. An irate store owner ran after him waving a broom and screaming. Magnus pulled Gilbert to the side as they passed. The young boy glanced into the eyes of the Pokemon. Something deep inside him struck. The Tyrogue had wild, feral eyes and, like Gilbert, couldn't be tamed.

Gilbert propped himself up on his elbows, "You see, my father is a famous Pokemon researcher. He spent most of his time in the lab after my mom left us. I think it helped distract him."

Sadiq nodded his head looking very impressed, "I've heard of your father. He specializes in the evolution of Normal types and the Eevee evolutions."

"Yep," Gilbert pointed out to where his Jolteon was tumbling around with Arthur's Umbreon and Espeon, "That's where I got my original Eevee."

Matthew sat up and stretched. Gilbert reached out and plucked some grass from the coordinator's hair. They both paused for a moment and smiled to each other. Licking his lips, Matthew asked, "So, what happened next?"

"Well, I always had to deal with my brother, Ludwig. He's five years older than me and was the golden child. He had tried to be a Pokemon trainer for about three years, but decided he wanted to be a researcher with my father. The two of them got along really well. I always felt like my father loved him more than me. As I got older, there had been news of a rogue Tyrogue running around Saffron City. No one was able to capture him, and he would steal food from vendors and start fights with trainers. It was when I was twelve that I 'formally' met him."

Gilbert trotted down the stairs for dinner. It had been a tense day. He had been suspended from school once again for fighting, and his father hadn't said a word since they came home. Peaking into the kitchen, he saw Ludwig and his father discussing their work for the day. They laughed together over some science joke, and Gilbert frowned. Ludwig's Poochyena, who laid by her trainer's feet, glanced up to Gilbert. Ludwig followed her gaze over to the door and frowned at his brother.

Gilbert just pursed his lips and stepped cautiously over to them, "What's for dinner?"

"Chicken, potatoes, and salad," Ludwig turned away to stir the boiling potatoes.

"Can I help at all?"

Ludwig snapped back, "We have this under control!"

"Ludwig," Magnus had a calm but firm tone. "He can help." Picking up a bag of cherry tomatoes and a colander, he handed them to Gilbert. "Will you wash those off for the salad?"

"Yes!" Gilbert hurried over to the sink and turned on the water.

A long silence settled over the family as they worked together. Ludwig kept shooting glares at his brother, but never said anything. Apparently, Magnus had missed a breakthrough in their work while he had picked up Gilbert. God forbid they can't have a nerd moment together!

After setting the table, they all took their seats and began eating. Gilbert tried his best to ignore his father watching him with concern. He never knew what his father would think.

"Gilbert," Magnus spoke softly to his child. "You know that you're going to be thirteen in a few months. When you put your energy and strengths towards positive goals, you can really accomplish a lot of great things. You're a bit of an innovated thinker. You might not do things the traditional way, but you do achieve great results."

Gilbert knew where this was going. They had this same conversation since he was ten. Almost every time Gilbert got into a fight at school or had Officer Jenny drive him home, they would talk about it. "What are you getting at, Dad?"

"Have you considered starting your journey as a trainer? I think that you would be great at it. This life of research and staying at home is just not for you."

Gilbert knew his father was thinking of his son's best interest. But at this moment, it pissed Gil off, "Really? So just because I don't want to play with beakers and chemistry sets all day mean that I don't belong at home?"

"Father didn't say that, you punk!" Ludwig stood up and leaned towards him. "Maybe if you listened to him for once, you could stay out of trouble and make something of yourself!"

Magnus tried to keep control of the situation, but as always, it slipped away from him. "Ludwig-"

Gilbert jumped out of his seat, "Sorry I'm not some kiss ass like you!"

"Gilbert-"

"Why don't you just get out of here or go to jail and leave us alone!"

Magnus was up now and jumped between his kids, "Calm down both of you!"

"Fine!" Gilbert stormed away from them. "If you both want me gone so bad, I'll leave! Screw you guys!" Shoving open the kitchen door, he ran down the driveway. He passed out of their gated home and sprinted towards the city. Only once did he hear his father screaming after him.

Matthew balanced a tray with three glasses of ice tea on it. Sadiq and Gilbert jogged over to help out their friend. Once each of them had a beverage, they strolled towards the lake for a walk. Sadiq laughed and lightly shoved Gilbert, "You would be a little delinquent. Let me get this straight, you beat up kids in school and stole their milk money?"

"Other way around," Gilbert sighed as he plopped down on a rock.

Matthew sat beside him, "What do you mean?"

"FAG!" one of the boys screamed before slamming his fist into Gilbert's cheek.

"Um," Gilbert licked his lips unsure how to answer. He didn't know these people long enough to confide secrets in them.

Sadiq gave Gilbert a knowing glance. "You do look different than most. Being albino is enough to make children point and stare." It was at that moment that Gilbert realized that his friend was much more perceptive than he thought. He also appreciated that Sadiq wasn't judging him.

"Yeah, what Sadiq said," Gilbert hopped up on a rock and sipped his tea.

Matthew sat by his feet and looked up to him, "So you ran away?"

"Honestly," Gilbert watched as Shinx tried her best to chase Jolteon, but the Eeveelution was too quick. "I didn't get too far before I ran into trouble."

It had been raining for about an hour now, and Gilbert shivered as he ducked into an alley. He wasn't sure where he would go. Truly, he wanted to be home with his father, but he would never admit it out loud. Taking shelter under an awning, he leaned against the brick wall. Maybe if he waited until later in the night, he could sneak back into his bedroom window. His father would ground him and lecture him in the morning, but it seemed worth it.

In the alley across the street, he heard faint yelling. A gang of four older boys surrounded something, but Gilbert couldn't tell what. He hustled across the street and pressed himself against the corner. Peaking around it, he bit his lip.

The gang surrounded the wild Tyrogue and waved pipes, chains, and bats as a threat. One guy, who Gilbert assumed was the leader, tapped his bat on his hand, "So you think it's okay for you to come into our town, ransack our stores, and steal for your own wealth? I don't give a damn if you're anywhere else in this town. But when you come on our turf and steal our shit, you're dead."

As tuff as the Tyrogue was trying to appear, Gilbert saw the fear in his eyes.

This had to stop.

The gang leader lifted the bat high above his head. Gilbert sprinted forward and tackled the guy. In the moment that the gang froze in shock, Gil whirled around and screamed, "Tyrogue! Run!"

Tyrogue gawked at him, unsure whether or not to go.

"What are you waiting for! Get out of here! Now!"

Squeezing his eyes shut, Tyrogue turned his back on Gilbert and sprinted away from the scene.

"Well, well, well," the leader sneered as the gang surrounded Gilbert. "I've seen you around town. You're the kid of that researcher guy. Word has it you stole from my uncle's store a few weeks back. Looks like we have to teach you that being a hero gets you killed."

The guy to the right swung his pipe. The last thing Gilbert heard was metal connecting with the bones in his skull.

Hitmonchan sat somberly beside Gilbert and stared at the grass. This obviously was a touchy subject for him.

Matthew reached out and patted the Pokemon's leg, "It's okay, you know? You and Gilbert are together now. I'm sure you've made it up to him."

"He has," Gilbert nudged his Pokemon. "More than he knows. Dude, there's a reason I say you're my best friend."

Hitmonchan smiled weakly and lightly punched Gilbert in the arm, "Monchan…"

Kirlia sat in her trainer's lap while Sadiq brushed her hair. Shaking his head, Sadiq looked at the albino, "I can't believe you survived being attacked by a gang. You have to be made of steel or something."

"I didn't turn out so lucky," Gilbert gently touched the back of his head. "There's still a few knots in places where there's scar tissue. According to the doctors, I was in a coma for several weeks. Apparently I almost died a few times."

Gilbert thought he heard his father's voice. It might have been a dream. At this point, he wasn't too sure of anything anymore except the beeping. The constant beeping echoed through him. Any other circumstance, it would have annoyed him. This time though, he knew it was a good thing. Finally, he felt the urge to wake up and see what the noise was.

Only one of his eyes peeled open; the other one was still swollen shut. Something was crammed in his mouth, but Gilbert could feel air whirling in and out of his chest. He rolled his eye to the side to make out where he was. Most of the room was blurry though he could tell it was a hospital room.

He had been here one too many times to ever forget what it looked like.

A man was sat back in a chair, slumped against the wall asleep. It was his father. Magnus didn't appear too comfortable in the plastic covered furniture as the paper thin blanket slipped from his lap. From Gilbert's right, Ludwig emerged and bent down to pick up the blanket. He tucked it around their father and turned back to the bed.

Even though they had fought, Gilbert was happy to see his brother. He tried to form a word, but only a gurgling moan left his lips. It was enough to catch Ludwig's attention.

He hurried to the side of the bed and gently slipped his hand into Gilbert. In a broken voice, Ludwig weakly smiled to him, "Hey there. Good to see you awake."

Gilbert rolled his eye back to Magnus and tried to lift his arm. Only his fingers twitched.

Ludwig rubbed his thumb along his brother's hand, "Don't try to move. You see father, don't you? He's resting too. He's been up here every day since the accident."

With a watery grunt, Gilbert stared back to his brother. He wished he didn't have this damn tube in his mouth. There were too many things he wanted to say at this moment. In case he took a turn for the worse, Gilbert wanted to at least apologize to Ludwig about the fight.

Scooting his chair closer to the bed, Ludwig sat beside him and clutched Gilbert's hand once more, "Can you still hear me? Grip my hand if you can."

Gilbert twitched his fingers.

"Good. Gilbert, I just… please don't ever do something like that again. I don't think father… or I would ever recover if something happened to you." Ludwig's sniffled and his hand began to shake. "You might be a hooligan and cause trouble, but we love you. I… I love you. I don't care if we fight all the time, but I don't want to lose you."

This was weird, but comforting to Gilbert. He thought Ludwig hated him and the air he breathed. Trying once more to hold his brother's hand, Gilbert rubbed his fingers along Ludwig's palm. He might not be able to speak, but he hoped it would show the feelings were mutual.

Roughly two weeks later, Gilbert ate his chocolate pudding with ease. He was recovering well. So far he was able to walk around the room and hallways. The gang luckily didn't beat him longer than a few minutes, but they left him with a severe concussion, a broken arm, a few broken ribs, some internal damage, and bruises everywhere he could see. The pain medication kept Gilbert mumbling like a loon, but like right now, he had moments of clarity where there was no pain and he knew where he was.

A knock rapped on the door before his father came in. Magnus smiled to his son and went to the bedside table. He held a bouquet of new flowers and change out the dying ones in the vase. "How are you feeling today, son?"

"Honestly, I don't feel much of anything. I can only taste this pudding," Gilbert placed the spoon on the table and rubbed his bald head. There were several staples holding together his skull as it healed, and the nurses shaved his head every few days to have access to the wounds. "Where's Ludwig?"

"He's working in the lab," Magnus pulled up a chair. "The doctors said that you should be out in about two weeks."

"I'll be happy to get home. This place smells like shit."

"Gilbert, language."

"Sorry, Dad. This place smell like shitty stuff," Gil grinned like a cat.

Magnus wasn't paying attention anymore. He stared out the window and scrunched his forehead, "He's back."

"Who's back?" Gilbert looked too. Down the hill, a large oak grew by the wall surrounding the hospital. On one of the lower branches was the wild Tyrogue. The Pokemon stared back at Gilbert and watched him. "What's he doing here?"

Magnus stood and walked to the window, "He's been here every day since you've been here. He watches from the tree for hours on end."

"I must have been too drugged up to notice."

Opening the window, Magnus leaned on the pane, "Tyrogue! You can come in and see Gilbert if you want."

Tyrogue pursed his lips considering the offer. He shook his head and hopped over the wall vanishing back into the city.

Gilbert shifted in his bed, trying to get comfortable again. Why would Tyrogue come see him every day? Did the Pokemon feel guilty about what happened? He sighed before smiling to his father, "Can we leave the window open? That breeze feels great."

Two weeks later, Gilbert strolled down the sidewalk between Magnus and Ludwig. It was nice to be able to go home, but his arm was still in a sling. His hair covered his head in a thin fuzzy layer since he could let it grow back out again. More than anything Gilbert wanted to sleep in his bed especially since he was still heavily medicated.

"Father," Ludwig glanced over his shoulder then back to Magnus. "That Pokemon is following us. Should we do something?"

Gilbert looked back and saw Tyrogue stopped in his tracks watching the family. He was a couple blocks behind them and waited to see what they would do.

Magnus stepped forward, and like he did weeks before, called out, "Tyrogue, you can walk with us."

The Pokemon shook his head, but didn't run this time.

Magnus smiled to him, understanding what was going on, "Alright then. Take your time."

"Father?" Ludwig observed the situation, confused. "What's going on?"

"Tyrogue doesn't trust humans yet, but he seems to have plenty of concern for Gilbert."

"For me?" Gilbert stared at Tyrogue before grinning. He waved with his good arm at the Pokemon and cried out, "You can come over to our place anytime!"

With a nod, Tyrogue sprinted away.

Matthew lay on his stomach while he listened. He couldn't believe everything Gilbert had gone through. In comparison, Matthew had lived a shelter, cushy life. He had never been in a fight—actually, he hated senseless violence. It's why he became a coordinator. He wouldn't have to watch his Pokemon get hurt for more than the five minute contest battle round. Matthew hated arguing, making people upset, and yelling.

Gilbert was the opposite of him. The trainer was strong, confident, and had full trust in his Pokemon. During the practice battle that morning with Arthur, every command Gilbert called out had power in his voice. Not once was there a moment of weakness. From the sound of it, he didn't seem like the type to let a challenge go by without fighting with everything he had in him.

Looking over to his playing Pokemon, Matthew wondered if he could ever be that strong. He hadn't won any ribbons in over a year and wasn't highly respected in the coordinator class. Most people assumed since he was Arthur's stepson he would be good. He had yet to prove them right.

"Matt," Gilbert flopped beside him and poked his side. "You okay there?"

"Just thinking about things," Matthew blushed a little realizing how close Gil's face was to his. The albino's eyes were piercingly beautiful. It was like Gilbert could see into Matthew's soul. "You still haven't told us how you captured Tyrogue."

"I'm getting to that! So a few weeks later I got my cast off and was close enough to being healed so I could go back to school. After I turned ten, I had a hard time there. Most of the other kids who decided to stay and study at least had Pokemon partners. Since I didn't, it just added another target on me. My third day back, I got in a fight again."

It was the end of the school day, and Gilbert trudged through the courtyard towards the back entrance. While in the hospital, he had forgotten how much he hated this place. The teachers acted happy that he was back. He knew they despised him.

At least at home the atmosphere changed. Ludwig and he got along much better, and Gilbert felt comfort sitting in the lab watching his family work. Before it had been boring, but now just being in the same room with them put him at ease. He guessed that near death experiences did that to a person.

Turning the corner to the back of the school, he stopped in his tracks seeing two boys waiting for him. He recognized them as older students, and both had their Pokemon outside their Pokeballs. One guy had his Charmeleon out while the other stood poised beside his Machop. The first guy pointed at Gilbert and sneered, "Hey you! Kid! Come here."

Gilbert knew where this was going, but wasn't sure if he was still healthy enough to run, "Why?"

The second boy snatched Gilbert's bad arm and yanked him behind the building away from the eyes of the teachers, "Because we said so!" He slammed Gilbert into the wall. Both of them blocked any means of escape.

The first one leaned in, "Word has that you were checking out my little brother during gym today while he was changing. A little faggot like you is just a waste of air."

Gilbert shifted his messenger bag to a more comfortable position. Just in case he needed to fight, "I hate to break it to you, but your brother looks like a Jynx. I'm not into ugly girls."

"Say what! You little punk!" He back handed Gilbert before turning to his Charmeleon. "Teach this guy a lesson. Use scratch on him!"

The Pokemon gawked at his trainer, looking to Machop for an answer.

Gilbert shoved the guy, glaring at him, "How dare you! Pokemon are not tools for you to beat up younger kids! Look how confused your Charmeleon is. They're not born to do your dirty work. If you're going to beat me up, then fight me like a man, you pussy."

"Say what?" The second guy's face turned a deep shade of purple.

"You heard me! I called you guys pussies!"

"We're going to kill you kid!" The first guy drew back his fist.

Gilbert squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself.

Nothing came.

Gilbert opened his eyes and gasped. Tyrogue clutched the attacker's arm, holding the guy in place. With a mighty cry, he picked up the bully and threw him at the Charmeleon knocking them both over. The second guy helped his friend to his feet, and they gaped at the Pokemon.

"Tyrogue," Gilbert smiled and stood beside him. Together they crouched into fighting poses, ready to take on the bullies.

The two guys exchanged glances before turning tail and sprinting off, "We'll get you next time, you faggot!"

Relaxing, Gilbert grinned to Tyrogue, "Thanks for coming. I appreciate it."

Tyrogue beamed and shook his hand.

"GILBERT WEILSCHMIDT!" His teacher stalked around the corner. "Starting fights again I hear!"

"Uh-oh," Gilbert moaned and ran a hand through his hair. "Tyrogue, get out of here or you'll be going to the principal's office with me."

The Pokemon nodded and dashed over the school wall. The teacher clicked her heels on the cobblestone and glared down to him. He was in for it now.

That night, the Weilschmidt family ate dinner as Gilbert explained why he had been suspended on his third day back.

Magnus wiped gravy from his lips, "I didn't used to think it, but maybe your teachers are against you. You didn't start that fight, but still got in trouble. I'll call the school tomorrow and dispute it."

"Don't worry about it," Gilbert cut into his steak. "Honestly, I don't even want to be in that hellhole."

Ludwig smirked, "Gilbert, language."

"Sorry, shithole." Resting his head on his hand, Gilbert lazily glanced out the kitchen window. Tyrogue sat on their fence, watching over the family.

Magnus followed his son's gaze and spotted the Pokemon. He crossed to the door and opened it, calling out, "Tyrogue! You can come have dinner with us!"

Gilbert tumbled out of his chair and rushed to the door, "Yeah! We're having steak and potatoes and green stuff!"

The Pokemon reluctantly hopped down and crept towards the door. Seeing his uneasiness, Magnus stepped away and sat back down while Gilbert waited. When the Pokemon was close enough, Gil snatched his arm and drug him in.

"Brother, don't be so rough," Ludwig rolled his eyes getting Tyrogue his own plate of food. He placed it in front of the spare seat.

Gilbert practically shoved the Pokemon in the extra chair before sliding back into his own, "Eat up! It's delicious! My dad's an awesome cook."

"Thank you, son."

A slight blush crept across Tyrogue's face at the attention. Finally, he flashed them a small smile before munching on the food. "Tyrogue ty!"

"And thank you too!" Magnus laughed as they settled into a new conversation.

The next morning, Gilbert lay in his bed staring at the ceiling. Tyrogue left shortly after dinner, but being around the Pokemon made Gilbert comfortable and safe. He needed to leave and get out of this city. He also needed a Pokemon partner.

Rolling out of bed and dressing, Gilbert trampled down the stairs and found his father in the kitchen still sipping coffee. They smiled to eat other as Gilbert sat down.

He wrung his hands together and looked to Magnus, "Dad, can I talk to you?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"I've been thinking about it, and I think I'm ready to start my Pokemon journey as a trainer."

A proud smiled beamed on Magnus' face, "I was hoping you were coming around. If you want, this weekend we can go visit Professor Oak in Pallet Town and pick out your starter Pokemon."

Gilbert frowned and glanced at the table, "I don't want a Bulbasaur or a Squirtle or a Charmander."

"I was hoping you would say that too," Magnus placed his cup on the table and stood up. "Follow me, Gilbert." He opened the kitchen door and stepped outside.

Gilbert trailed after him outside and spotted Tyrogue waiting in the backyard. Magnus pulled an empty Pokeball from his pocket and handed it to his son.

Gilbert gawked up to his father, "How did you know?"

"I had a hunch," Magnus ruffled his hair, "You're my son, Gilbert. I know more about you than anyone else. Go on now." He nudged the boy towards the Pokemon.

Gilbert approached Tyrogue and held out the Pokeball, "Tyrogue, I want to start my trainer journey, and I would like you to be my partner."

Tyrogue grinned and nodded to him. Tapping the Pokeball on his head, a beam of light shot out and pulled Tyrogue inside. The ball felt warm in Gilbert's hand as it shook. A few moments later, he had captured his first Pokemon.

"Alright!" Gilbert thrust the Pokeball in the air. "I got a Tyrogue!" The ball burst opened, and Tyrogue appeared again in front of him. The two of them hugged and laughed, happy about their new partnership. Magnus quietly watched in proud approval.

The next morning, Gilbert and Tyrogue stood with their supplies before Ludwig and Magnus. Handing Gil a Pokedex and a map, the father did his best to not get weepy, "Alright, just make sure you phone us and let us know how you two are doing."

"We will."

Ludwig crossed his arms, "Where are you two heading to first?"

"We're going to Lavender Town. See what all those ghost Pokemon are about. I would like to take on Sabrina first here in town, but since she's a psychic type trainer, we're going to need more friends. Plus, Tyrogue and I need to train and get to know each other better."

"Tyrogue!" They high fived each other.

"Be careful you two. Look out for each other," Magnus sighed realizing his baby boy was growing up faster than he liked. "See you later."

"Bye guys!" Gilbert and Tyrogue waved and strolled out of the gate. Once they were a bit away, Gilbert glanced to his partner. "Hey, did I ever tell you the one about the Miltank?"

Tyrogue rolled his eyes and groaned. This was going to be a long journey.

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