"Saying I know, I know, I know, I know; I know, I know my love can be... "

I had no idea what it was that I liked. I wasn't even sure how I felt about the jumper Yuna seemed determined on buying and, after around ten more minutes of browsing, she settled on a pair of black-and-white running shoes. After buying them she had me head into the changing rooms, putting everything on to replace the dirtier outfit I had been wearing before. Was the person in the mirror really me?

It looked like a total stranger. Sure, she had my eyes and hair… but the clothes were so bright. The girl didn't even look her age; she more closely resembled a child than a young teen. It was no wonder everyone kept acting so skittish around me, uncertain how to behave. It really would be easier to just blurt out demands than questions. I tucked the dawn stone into the pocket of my new jumper, holding it for a moment before tugging at my braids. I felt so… strange.

Silly.

I stared at mirror and observed my face, truly looking at myself for the first time in ages. Being called little or young one… hm. I wonder how old everyone thought I was. I brought my hands up and rested them on my cheeks, pulling at my bottom eyelids and taking note of the dark bags under them. It felt wrong being here. Not in a bad way, but… unfamiliar. I had stuff I needed to do. How much longer can I allow myself to hang around these strangers?

I lowered my hands and grabbed my crooked wrist, flexing my fingers before. Still not much feeling. My lips tilted into a small frown and I sighed, bringing my right sleeve up and feeling the bandages. I winced a little, arm not too keen on movement because of the new burn. It didn't hurt as bad as I had expected it to, which I guess is in part to the medical treatment I was given by Yuna. I was so used to receiving the minimum effort from Team Rocket that I normally took care of injuries myself.

When my wrist broke out of my hand so many years ago and Rich took me to the infirmary the most they did was twist the bone back into my arm and stitch it up. I had to make-shift a splint and wrap it around my hand myself, hoping it would get it back to normal. It failed, of course, but at least I could still move it. Being taken care of properly… was strange.

I was so used to being the one to care for others. It never happened the other way around.

"You done changing, sweetpea?" I heard Yuna call out from outside the changing room, snapping me out of my darker thoughts. I jumped, startled by her voice, and hurried to pick my clothes up off the ground. Was it cowardly of me to hide behind these people as I recovered? I wasn't sure. With a sigh I pushed the curtains back, all the clothes from before and the dirties boots tucked inside a shopping bag. "Oh…"

Yuna quickly caught sight of the scars running along my legs. She had seen several of the cuts before when she patching me up, but not the thin white lines running along my knees and across my thighs. Whether they occurred from the obstacle course or from pōkemon battles I could not remember, but wearing these shorts made me feel rather exposed. Even with the long socks covering the majority of my skin. It just felt weird.

The woman decided not to comment on my scars and pressed a hand to her cheek, quickly throwing on a smile. "I just knew they'd look cute on you! All we need to do now is catch up with Professor Oak and Blue at the cafe! Sound like a plan?"

All my plans typically went down the drain, so sure. Whatever she decided was surely the best thing to do. I nodded at her words, not pulling away as she grabbed my hand and walked out the store. I glanced around the outside once more, taking in the sights of pōkemon and people living quite happily together. The wind brushed my face and I closed my eyes, unused to the breeze. It happened so frequently, too; it was a sign the earth was moving, spinning slowly in a rotation.

"Oooh, there they are! Look!" Yuna pointed at her companions. They were sitting outside on a cafe platio, casually talking about research. Oak had a single mug of coffee in his hand, but Blue was sipping away at a soda. They hadn't ordered food yet. They looked deep in conversation, interrupted only by the woman's voice and turning to see her wave at them. "We're here!"

"Hurry over! We've saved your seats!"

It was such a calm, quiet cafe. Everyone around seemed to be enjoying meals with the people they were with. Children, parents, friends… even the occasional pōkemon. I watched them eat, turning away only when they glanced over upon feeling my stare. Was this what was considered normal? Living in a small town like this, behaving willfully and speaking as loud as one wished. I could hear their laughter, the words they spoke.

They were unconcerned with those around them.

Growing up the way I had… I knew it was wrong. Unlawful. The children and pōkemon were cruelly kidnapped and forced to act under harsh ruling; we were made to behave in an unnatural way. Becoming people we were not meant to be… yet never knowing who we truly are as a result. Blue said this town was small, that the city was better, but I can't help feel that wasn't true at all.

This place was wonderful.

I hoped, after I return to Hoenn and free the others, and find the boy I was looking for, I could someday live in a peaceful town like this. If I would even be permitted to… have something as simple as that. A place to call home. They were so lucky; I don't think Blue realizes how nice this place really is. Or maybe that's me being naive… an opinion brought forth from a selfish desire. I don't really have the right to say such things.

"Is there anything you want to eat?" Yuna asked, picking up a piece of paper that was on the table. She held it out to me, pointing at the words written on it. "See anything you like? The kids menu is right here…"

I shook my head slowly, reading what was on it before seeing the top of the page. "I… I'm not twelve."

The woman was confused. "Well, obviously not… but you can still pick something to eat from it. It's says twelve and under, silly. You're young enough to choose from it; maybe not in a few years, but for right now-"

"No, that's not…" I hesitated. They really had no idea how old I was, did they? This confirmed it. "I'm… thirteen, ma'am."

"What?"

Professor Oak did a double take, nearly choking on his coffee as he looked at me. "I thought you said you were nine?" My eyebrows furrowed and I stared at my hands, wondering where the misunderstanding came from. I thought I had been fairly clear when I answered his questions earlier, but then again I wasn't doing too well when he found me. I could have screwed up.

"I… I was with them for nine years, but I turned thirteen not long ago."

At least, I'm pretty sure I did. I had no date to go by except from the estimate the nurse had given me so long ago. Believing I was four years old when she found me, she gave a rough guess of when I could have been born and that placed me somewhere in September. Using that month as a placeholder I always waited until the last day to claim myself a year older.

"And if I'm not twelve… I can't order off that menu. It would be lying."

They stared- to the point it began to grow uncomfortable. I resisted the urge to shift in my seat, despite recalling the way Oak had told me it would be alright to move about and ask questions. It was something I was unused to and I found myself unable to behave in such a way, even if the urge to was strong. There was that lingering fear in my mind that I would be scolded if I did- that this entire thing was somehow a trap.

"I see. Thirteen, huh? You don't look it." He laughed. "You're almost my grandson's age! But unlike him you're a very conscientious child, aren't you?"

"What?" Blue made a face. "Are you making fun of me?"

Professor Oak chuckled and shook his head, taking a sip of his hot drink. "You know full well what I meant. You weren't exactly the nicestkid on the block growing up. Oh, look, the waiter is coming this way!" He set his glass down and rubbed his hands together excitedly, grinning. "I know what I'm going to order! Some cakes are sounding quite good!"

"Your teeth are gonna rot." The boy retorted, scowling, picking up the menu and giving it a quick once-over. "Alright. What about you two?"

Yuna tilted her head to the side, humming. "I'm thinking about trying one of the new salads- with with the lemon tea. Did you find anything yet, sweetie? If not off the kids menu, then…"

I stared at the list again, saying nothing. When she tried to suggest a drink I told her plain water would be fine; it wasn't like my tastebuds worked anyway. I would eat whatever she picked- though she didn't have to do that at all. I felt bad for causing so much trouble. Several times I stated that they didn't have to go so far, that I would be fine, but they completely ignored me. Blue watched me as I sat in silence, listening as Yuna and Oak gave the waiter everyone's orders. Once the employee took our orders and left, he spoke up again.

"You have a favorite pōkemon or something?"

That was a random question- where did that come from? Eyebrows knitting together at the question, I thought about it. Then I shook my head. The frowned and raised a hand, pointing at me- or, more specifically, my pockets that could not be seen from the other side of the table.

"Then how come you're always clinging to that dawn stone? From the looks of it, it might be too damaged to ever evolve any pōkemon!" He propped an elbow on the table and waved his other hand, pointing a thumb over his shoulder as he spoke. "Why not just trash it? I doubt it'd be hard finding a new one- just go to Evolution Mountain or something. If you ever become a trainer and get a special pōkemon, it'll-"

"No."

The words came out before I could stop them. My lips spread into a thin line and my shoulders tensed, anxiety rising as I thought about the possible threat towards the stone. It was an important keepsake; I would never toss it away. The boy had no malice in his tone, questions driven by meer curiosity, but I did not like it. Not at all.

My hand flew to my pocket, feeling for the hidden item. "I don't… plan to use it."

"Then why keep it? There's no sense in carrying a faulty evolution stone!"

The stone curled into my palm as I pulled it out of hiding, fingers curling around it tightly and feeling for its presence. I had to remind myself that it was still there- that it wasn't going anywhere. I was going to keep it safe. "It…" My voice quieted, shaking a bit as I struggled to shut down the emotions. "It belongs… to someone. I-I'm going to return it to him."

Blue blinked. "Who?"

I did not answer, ducking my head down. It was all I could do to hide the shame I felt, the guilt and humiliation of not remembering that person too much to bear. I spent everyday thinking of him, using that promise we made to keep going, but every day he faded a little more from memory. First it was his name, then it was his face. I'm scared that… if I stay still any longer I'll forget the rest of him.

Even the hand that had once held onto mine and guided me through a building full of injured pōkemon, cheering me on and handing me this stone. I cared for that boy so dearly and I don't even remember what he looks like. What kind of person does that make me? This stone was the only thing keeping me from forgetting he ever existed at all. How on earth could I ever think of throwing it away?

No. I won't.

My knuckles had turned white from how tightly I was gripping the stone, hands shaking and airways closing up, a lump heavy in my throat. Nine more years can pass, maybe ten or twelve, twenty even! I'll still be holding onto this dawn stone. "Someone I met… before everything." This brilliant cerulean stone, shining with all the colors of the ocean and sky. "We… made a promise. S-So… I'm going to keep it."

I want to meet him again. To travel with him, to be friends with him.

It was selfish and greedy, and I know I don't deserve it after all that I've done. It wouldn't surprise me at all if he were disgusted with me after finding out the truth- about how I doomed those poor pōkemon to experimentation or the way I ended up causing Mewtwo to blow up all the people inside of headquarters. He would be so upset. But I was scared… and he was what gave me the determination to go on.

I wonder if he knows that? Probably not.

I'll have to tell him when we next meet.

"It doesn't matter if it can evolve pōkemon or not." I settled on saying, taking a shaky breath. "I-It just… needs to go back to him."

Yuna pressed her hands against her face, astonished by my words. Before anymore could be said the waiter returned, a half hour having passed during our conversation, the man setting our food down on the table alongside mine and Yuna's drinks. I took my water after a moment of hesitation, uncertain if it would be alright to go ahead and start, and greedily drank the liquid. I was so thirsty. My headache still hasn't gone away either.

The pasta was as tasteless as I expected it to be. It was soft and warm, and the cheese made it a bit stringy, but it was edible. When I was asked how I liked it I could only give an awkward shrug, twisting my fork around the noodles and watching the cheese melt. It looked like it could be good, but it just tasted so bland. It was upsetting.

"Gramps said you had a pōkemon before." Blue abruptly commented, taking a big gulp of his soda after he finished eating his meal. "What kind was it?"

Oak wasted no time in smacking the boy upside the head, earning a shout in protest. "Blue! I told you not to say anything to her! It's a sensitive topic!"

"Everything is sensitive with her!" He retorted, scowling. "If she ain't gonna talk to us, how is she gonna talk to the police? Besides, there's a difference between owning a pōkemon and having a favorite one! We know nothing about this kid, okay? I'm curious."

I set my fork down, tiredly gazing at my food as the question sunk in, listening to the two relatives argue. Being here really was such a nuisance for them. I need to leave, to focus on getting strong so I could return to Hoenn. But how can I do that- by obtaining a new pōkemon? How? I lacked any pōkeballs and it wasn't as if I wanted to just abduct a poor innocent creature from the forest. They could have families.

Even a villain like Giovanni had children… so anything was possible. I closed my eyes and sighed, raising my head to look at them. Yuna was worried, glancing between us nervously as she feared the worst. "The… pōkemon I used to have was… was a Skitty."

"Wait, really?" Blue blinked. "But… that doesn't make any sense. Skitty is from Hoenn."

I fiddled with the stone, concentrating only on it and nothing else. Oak sat up in his seat, wrinkles creasing as he frowned. He had found me in the woods outside of his hometown, but that did little to explain the origin of how I actually wound up there. "Child, just how far did you travel…? Did you escape from there to come here?"

"Skitty was… the pōkemon I was assigned after I began training in how to battle." I told them, inhaling deeply and closing my eyes as I thought about how to best explain things. Going into detail was something I wished to avoid, but whenever I was given the chance to talk freely I always tended to keep going. As someone who found it difficult to remain quiet it could only be expected that I go into depth about events. "Everyone hated him. They always made fun of me for having such a… weak... pōkemon. But he always tried his hardest a-and he had the prettiest voice when he used sing on the others."

He fought so hard for me even when there was no chance of winning. That pōkemon withstood hits because of his hardy nature and fought through the pain until we obtained victory. However the moment he got a status affliction by the opponent Skitty was down for the count and had to rest, and I would always carefully feed him several berries to nurse him back to health- even when it went against the orders of those in charge.

"Belle was… my Skitty was a strongpōkemon." My trembling hands curled into fists, gripping at my shorts tightly. "N-No matter what they said… he worked hard! He always did what I told him to during battle! But because I… didn't push him around th-they… took him. He was scared of the other pōkemon for a reason and they thought that made him weak! A-And now he…"

I squeezed my eyes shut and stopped speaking, knowing full well anymore words about the matter would end up garbled and unintelligible. Exhaustion washed over me as I opened my eyes, emotions steadily growing more detached as the hollow feeling in my chest grew. When I spoke my voice was devoid of emotion, quiet and cold, and I was left speaking with a logical tone to keep the feelings from rising back up.

"He's gone. I was... forbidden from having anymore pōkemon as a result and, unable to defend myself during battles, I had to find ways to convince the other pōkemon not to attack me. It normally worked, b-but… only when I was fighting the other kids or the Team Rocket goons. When it came to… the teachers…"

I couldn't bring myself to say their names. Not after what I did.

Rich and Velga were gone because of me.

"Pōkemon just like me." I said, not offering much explanation at first. I waited for them to process everything I told them before continuing, twisting the stone in my grasp and rolling it across my palms, as if hoping it would absorb some of the negativity that was trying so hard to swallow me whole. Some people that were eating could hear our conversation and glanced over with disturbed expressions, not understanding the context of what I was saying. "Team Rocket steal pōkemon and… the balls they use force them to stay inside regardless of if they actually wanted to be caught. And it's painful for them! They hate it. But they can't do anything about it otherwise... bad things will happen to them. That's why they normally do what the adults want."

"That's awful." Yuna gasped, hands covering her mouth in horror. "Every pōkemon they steal are put into those things…"

"You said normally." Blue observed, narrowing his eyes. "So what happens to make them not do as told?"

My hands stopped moving, eyes growing half-lidded as I recalled all the times pōkemon have gotten hurt. "When someone is scared… their behavior changes. Animal, human, pōkemon… it's all the same. So when a pōkemon is forced to work for someone that they're scared of… it can be hard to break out of their grasp. But… it's also easier for me to convince them to help me. Yet if that pōkemon has a strong bond and actually cares for its human… they'll attack no matter what. Nothing I say or do will work. Pōkemon are emphatic creatures, so they know what others are feeling. They know I'm not a threat and when I talk to them they don't attack me because of it. Team Rocket is full of evil people, so they don't seem to realize that this is normal… which caused one of the adults to talk to the boss about me. He thought what was something normal amongst pōkemon was something special with me. S-So… the boss wanted to meet me. They moved me from Hoenn… to here in Kanto."

"So you were from Hoenn." Blue said, blinking as understanding dawned. "That explains some things, but how did you escape Team Rocket?"

They were going to find out sooner or later. No matter how painful it was or how it felt like these feelings were going to suffocate me, I had to speak the truth. There was no point in hiding it any longer; with any luck they can be the ones to inform the police later instead of me. I planned on leaving this town very soon after all. "The boss wanted to meet me. But… afterwards I… found a pōkemon he had been keeping locked up."

My hand curled around the stone and drifted over to my crooked wrist, pressing against the scarred limb.

"In freeing the pōkemon, the building it-" I hesitated. "-it blew up."

"...What?"

I nodded grimly, vision blurring for a few seconds before I blinked the tears away. They were terrible people; there should be no mourning them. Team Rocket hurt others for their own villainous goals and I was not going to show sympathy for them. I hated them with all my heart.

So why, despite everything I told myself, did it feel like my heart was being crushed beneath the weight of the lives that had been taken?

"I… I wanted to escape and go back to Hoenn, but everyone kept bringing up that hidden pōkemon." I hurriedly explained, choking on the very words I spoke. "Th-The boss offered to show me where he was keeping it since he thought I… I could learn more about it, what with them thinking I had a special ability for communicating with pōkemon. And I figured if… maybe I knew where it was at then I could make a plan! F-Figure out how to make things work. But when… I actually got there and I saw the pōkemon… I did something really stupid."

The stone was such a dark shade of blue now, shadowed by the darkness. So much negativity was pouring into it, draining it of its beautiful spark.

"The boss got mad and the pōkemon… when it learned it was only being used- Mewtwo snapped. H-He destroyed everything; the headquarters, the pōkemon, the people. Everyone inside was…" I had to stop, struggling to breathe. Oxygen was making its way to my lungs the way it was supposed to and I was starting to grow dizzy again. "Th-The only reason… he didn't destroy me too was because… I was the one who told him what Team Rocket was doing."

He had thought about killing me; I knew that for certain. The look in his eyes had been a cruel one, filled with rage and heartache, but then something changed. I wasn't sure what it was, but that single thought he had in that moment when he was about to end my life did something to change his mind.

"I-I was… injured from the explosions." I forced myself to continue, determined to finish the story. Misunderstandings were something I held a deep dislike for, which is saying something because I hardly knew myself at all. "He… He almost killed me, but he didn't. Mewtwo saved me at the last second. That was… when I met you all."

"Mewtwo…" Professor Oak hummed, bringing a hand up to his chin in thought. He frowned. "I've never heard of that pōkemon… and you almost gave your life to free him? To think such a pōkemon could be so powerful as to devastate an entire building; I wonder how far it carried you to reach Pallet Town like it did. But why save you only to abandon you?"

"Because," I said, refusing to look at them, drowning in my own guilt, "humanity is evil."

We left the cafe shortly after that heavy discussion.

Not even Yuna seemed able to break the tension in the air, the woman rambling on about how delicious the food was and that she couldn't wait to get back to studying all the interesting pōkemon they had in the lab. The very mention of the word lab had me sink into an even darker mood, recalling all the horrific things I had seen in the past. When we arrived back to Oak's building there was a motorcycle parked out front, a young woman talking with the man from before.

What was his name again…? Did I ever learn it? He was the one with the green hair. Hrm. This is going to bother me until I can figure it out. My memory could be so unreliable sometimes. What a pain. I watched as the man caught sight of us and waved a hand in the air, the woman turning in surprise. "Oh! Is that her?"

We kept walking and she met us halfway, resting her gloved hands on her hips.

"Officer Jenny here, reporting for duty! I obtained a phonecall at the station from a Mr. Oak?"

The old man smiled at her. "That would be me. I suppose the last Jenny I met was a sister or… cousin of yours, seeing as you don't recognize me. Anyway! This is the young girl I told you about over phone, Officer." His words confused me, though I took it to mean that she shared a strong physical resemblance to a relative of hers. "She's the one I found in the forest."

She glanced down at me, brown eyes stern. The woman had turquoise hair pulled back in a spiky ponytail, bangs falling over her forehead. A dark blue police uniform adorned her figure, though I had to question how she managed to run in that miniskirt and those black heels. Jenny tugged on the hat she wore on her head, moving to stand in front of me. "Is that so? What's your name, girly?"

I fixed my composure upon hearing the tone of her voice, automatically pressing my arms to my sides. This was a person of authority; I could not show disrespect. A part of me wished I hadn't tucked the stone back into my pocket when we left, wishing more than ever to hold it again. "I… I am called Grunt, ma'am."

"Grunt?" She blinked. "That's an odd name."

"...It isn't a name."

"What? Then what do your parents call you?

Professor Oak stood, stepping over and raising a hand in the air. "Officer Jenny, this young girl… was raised without parents- or so it appears. She was one of the children that had gone missing due to Team Rocket; I believe I may have mentioned this earlier?"

"Y-Yes! You did, I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure." The woman knelt down, trying to stand at my level. I did not move or relax my stance, waiting for permission to either move or speak. "That look in your eye- you really must be her… it's so hard to believe. To think you're the first lead we've gotten in all these years…"

"We got her some new clothes." Yuna explained, waving a hand awkwardly between us to try and diffuse the situation. "Her's were all dirty and covered in blood, so we-"

"Blood!? I understand she was injured, but how badly!? Why are you even standing, missy!?" The officer moved forward and I flinched, letting out a startled yelp when I was suddenly lifted into the air by her arms. She carried me as if I weighed nothing, which considering my stature I could only be around eighty to ninety pounds. I was a very small thirteen-year-old. "Into the lab right now!"

The green-haired man moved out of the way and watched as the officer kicked the door open with her heels, storming in and startling all the other scientists that were inside. The pōkemon that were being observed were quickly returned to pōkeballs by the researchers, and the woman marched over to the backroom where she set me down on a lab table.

"There we go!" She nodded her head triumphantly. "Now! Back to the matter at hand; you said you go by Grunt? Is that correct?"

"...Yes, ma'am."

"Where all were you hurt?"

My head tilted to the side at that question, uncertain of how to answer it. After a moment I turned in my seat and stuck out my legs, pulling down my socks to show off the bandages, and rolled up the sleeve on my right arm. I tried not to flinch when she reached out, the officer carefully grasping my wrist and observing the medical treatment I had been given. Her eyes trailed down to look at my leg scars, then focused on my left hand.

"How did this happen?" She asked, pushing my sleeve back to get a better look. The scar from where the bone had jutted out and was poorly stitched afterwards could be seen clearly. It was rather disgusting. Officer Jenny tapped her fingers against my wrist, trailing them down to my palm and then bending my fingers to test their flexibility. "Can you feel any of this?"

"...No. A lot of my arm and hand are numb, ma'am."

"I see. An osteotomy could be in order if we wanna get that fixed, but… your nerves might already be permanently damaged. Hmm." She frowned deeply. "I don't like this. This injury looks old, too. Did Team Rocket do this?"

It wasn't really them. The bone only broke because some of the other children pushed me into a pitfall. I was the one who kept going afterwards and completely snapped it. I don't even remember how old I was when it happened- I think it was shortly after I joined. Maybe a year or two after? Hmm. I've really only paid attention to the years; I gave up counting days when the first few months passed.

"We were training," I finally answered, voice quiet, "and I fell."

Officer Jenny pulled away, standing with a dark shadow over her face. I could sense her anger without even looking at her, having felt that aura of hatred many times before. As such I began to brace myself in preparation of some kind of outburst, knowing full well things were not going to end prettily. Before she could say anything Professor Oak stepped up again, tapping her on the shoulder to get her attention. He pointed at the other room and she nodded, following after him to speak privately.

Yuna let out a loud sigh of relief and walked over, Blue beside her. "How scary that was!" She said, ruffling her hair. "Don't you think so, sweetie? Hopefully that's over with and you can go with her to the police station soon! They'll take care of you from there, maybe find you a good home to stay in! Isn't that exciting?"

"...No."

"It'll be- wait, what?" She paused, blinking and looking at me in shock. "Did… Did you say no?"

My hands gripped the edge of the table tightly, shaking at the confrontation. "I… I'm not going with her. I have things to do."

"But… sweetheart, it's too dangerous! You're injured!"

"I don't care."

Blue turned, hands shoved in his pockets, an eyebrow raising at my behavior. This was the most willful I had acted all day, the fiercest they've seen of me. I was so quiet and obedient, talking only when given permission, but this was different. I was no longer going to allow myself to cater to the demands of others. I can't. My teeth grit together and I looked up, determined.

"I'm not going to stay here."

Yuna looked ready to protest again. Blue held a hand out before she could, the boy stepping forward with narrowed eyes. "And how will you do that?" He asked. "It won't be easy and we can't just let you leave this town without some way to defend yourself. There are a lot of wild pōkemon out there that are more than happy to take a bite out of you. We won't be going with you to keep you safe."

As if I had expected them to. "I'll survive."

"On your own? Yeah, right. You would have died today if my Gramps didn't take you in." I didn't respond to that. The teen rolled his eyes and pulled a hand out of his pocket, running his fingers through his bangs exasperatedly. He faced me, walking over until we were eye-to-eye. "If I really have to… I guess I can do one thing for you."

My head raised and I blinked, confused. A smirk spread across his face and he reached into the fannypack he was wearing across his torso, pulling out a small object. He held it out to my face, leaving me stunned when I saw what it was. Pressing the button with his thumb, the pōkeball grew bigger in size until it was larger than his hand.

"I'll help you catch a pōkemon. That way you can become a real trainer and make it to Hoenn without any worries. I'll even hook you up with a backpack, too, just to be nice. Don't want you dying after we put in all this effort to make you feel better, after all. Right, Grunt?"

He dropped the item and I fumbled to catch it, staring at the red-and-white pōkeball in shock. It looked so similar to the one I had seen years ago when the boy had summoned forth his pōkemon. "Wh… What?" His words had me in shock; they were the exact opposite of what I wanted. Yet if I were to leave I would have no choice but to go along with it. What am I to do? I stared at the pōkeball, its light weight somehow growing heavy in my hold.

There was no way I could use this. It would be too cruel.

Maybe I… can release it directly after catching it once the others leave me alone? Yes. That would work perfectly. I won't force it to remain with me. I held the ball and I nodded my head at the boy's words, deciding to go along with his plan for now. "Yeah…"

"Great! Knew you'd see it my way." He looked over his shoulder at the room Oak and Officer Jenny were speaking in. "Wonder what they're talkin' about?"

Yuna paced around the room nervously, waiting for the other two adults to finish conversing. She was making me even more anxious than I already was and Blue kept tapping his foot, muttering about how annoying it was that we were still waiting. Twenty minutes have already passed. The boy finally took off, patience reaching its end, and barged into the room where the two were at. I could hear arguing, voices raising in volume, and I shivered at the sound.

Jenny really didn't like whatever it was the teen had said. I ignored Yuna rambling in the background, focusing on the pōkeball and observing it. Was it really meant to keep pōkemon comfortable? It looked just like the ones Team Rocket used- only red in color. How strange. The technology here was so advanced.

...Advanced? Was there a time where it wasn't?

My thoughts confused me. Officer Jenny finally re-entered the room with Oak and Blue, frustration written all over her face. She walked over, stopping a few feet away in front of me. "So the professor and his grandson informed me about the situation… and how you got away. I must say- I'm pretty impressed; you aren't even a real trainer! To risk everything just to save one pōkemon… you're pretty brave, you know that?"

I stared at her, eyebrows knitting together. I had to disagree with her words- my actions were brought forth out of cowardice. My plans fell apart due to my fear. There was nothing brave about them at all. Jenny continued, placing a hand on her hip,

"Anyways, seeing as the headquarters was destroyed and you don't know where it was located… we can't really rely on you for information. The best thing to do from this point on is to take you to the station, but I've been told you don't really want that. Is that right?" My eyes flickered to Blue and Oak, who glanced at each other and then nodded at me. They were still helping me, but why? I didn't understand it. "I can't just leave a young orphan girl like you out here… unless you do one thing."

"...What's that?"

Officer Jenny stepped forward, raising an arm up in the air dramatically and pointing at me. "You have to become a pōkemon trainer! Kids are normally granted permission to leave home and travel the world upon reaching ten years of age, obtaining a starter pōkemon from their region's pōkemon professor! Unfortunately for you, Professor Oak already gave away all the starter pōkemon- so you're going to have to catch one yourself! Considering your past with Team Rocket I was a little reluctant, but he seems to trust you! And anyone who risks their life for a pōkemon…"

She lowered her hand, closing her eyes and smiling warmly at me.

"...well, they can't be all bad, can they? Especially a kid as cute as you!"

I should be appreciative of this, but her logic was dumbfounding. From behind the officer, Blue grinned broadly and gave me a thumbs up, smug at the victory. Oak shook his head at his grandson's behavior, but remained smiling nonetheless. The old man reached up and ruffled the teen's hair.

"You hear that, little one?" He said, speaking to me. "You'll be able to head to Hoenn now!"

"After she catches a pōkemon!" Officer Jenny corrected. "She'll also need a pōkedex for identification. Do you have any of those in storage, professor?"

"Hm? Ah, yes… well; I have one left." Oak pulled away from Blue and walked over to a nearby desk, rummaging through it. "I've had it ever since my grandson began his journey… thinking there was going to be another child starting his pōkemon training. Turns out I was mistaken, so its been resting in here collecting dust. Poor thing… I have to program a few more things into it before it'll be ready, as it's been several years since then, but I'm certain I can have it ready by tomorrow morning."

"Great!" Blue marched forward, smacking his hand down on the table I was sitting on. I flinched. "That means Grunt and I can get started on catching her first pōkemon tomorrow!"

"O-Oh…" Yuna stammered, startled by the turn of events. "So she isn't going with the police?"

I was going to be permitted to head out on my own.

No one would stop me from returning to the region I was found in; I could save the others and find the boy I've been struggling to remember. For once everything was going according to plan; I can get stronger without worry now. All I have to do is catch a pōkemon, wait for the others to leave, and then release it. I'll head forwards after, becoming stronger alone.

All these years of training weren't for nothing. I'll use the skills Team Rocket forced upon me to bring them down!

There won't be any carnage or death; no, I'll set everyone free peacefully. Sneaking in will be easy so long as the base design doesn't change before I get there. I can do this. Feeling a bit more confident now that I had a decent idea of where to go from here, I did not protest when they decided to have me spend the night at Yuna's house. She was already a mother and was the best equipped to care for a child. Professor Oak was an option, but he was going to be too busy updating the pōkedex while his grandson got supplies ready.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Yuna cheered, pulling me along by the hand as we left the lab. "Mina is the sweetest and so is my Rapidash! You'll love them! We can wash all that dirt out of your hair, too! I can't wait."

Yuna was… a bit too enthusiastic. Her personality was so bright and bubbly; I had no idea how to handle it. I found myself being pushed along with her antics all throughout the night, even allowing her to braid my hair again after my shower. It was a terrible experience, one I found myself frozen stiff throughout, continuously reminding myself as she ran her fingers through my hair that she was not the villain.

Her daughter was the easiest to deal with; she was only a little older than Adrien himself by about two years. She showed me all her stuffed dolls and pōkemon action figures, and ran around in a Ponyta onesie for pajamas. It was quite adorable. She pulled out some paper and crayons and began to scribble, and the entire time Yuna cooked dinner I watched over the girl. At one point she offered a crayon to me, to which I tried to decline, but then she began to get upset and I had to take it.

I stared at the blank page, uncertain of what I was supposed to do. This was so weird and new, and I had no idea what the girl expected me to draw. Pōkemon? I've never drawn them before; I don't think I've ever drawn anything before. Animals would surely be harder than people. After several minutes I shook my head and decided to just do whatever, bringing the crayon down to the paper.

Adrien...

He was all that I knew; the person I was determined to save. I remembered his face best. The little girl stopped scribbling to watch me, eyes growing wide when she saw the drawing begin to take shape. Despite having not drawn at all during my time in either of the bases my hand seemed to move on its own, fingers flipping the crayon a couple times habitually as if it were a pencil and had an eraser at the end, and I had to stop myself from accidentally making more lines. It wasn't a perfect representation of the little boy, but it wasn't a bad one either.

"Wooow! You're really good!" Mina exclaimed, green eyes wide. "Who is that!? Momma, look what big sister drew!"

Big sister? What? I frowned at that, turning my head and watching as she yanked the paper from my hands and rushed to the kitchen. Yuna stopped and looked down, surprise flashing across her face. The woman said something to the girl, but I wasn't listening. I turned away, staring at my hand and noticing how my fingers had stopped shaking. I had the urge to draw again. For some reason it felt like… drawing was familiar to me.

Which… wasn't possible.

So how come it came out so well? I doubt I was a natural.

The rest of the night consisted of me doodling with Mina, the little girl throwing different colored crayons at me and even trying to color the people I sketched. Around eleven she wound up passing out, having eaten dinner and played herself to exhaustion. Yuna tucked her in bed. I got comfortable on the couch and the next morning played out pretty much as expected; we got ready for the day, I reluctantly allowed Yuna to braid my hair again, and she made breakfast.

What startled me most, however, wasn't the food that she made.

It was that I could almost taste it.

The flavor was faint, hidden beneath the texture, but for a moment there was something there. After I finished, disappointed that the bit of flavor was gone, there was a knock on the door. Yuna answered it and revealed Blue standing there with his grandfather, a backpack slung over his shoulder and a grin on his face. "Yo! How's it hanging? You ready to face the day, Grunt?"

Yuna glanced over her shoulder at me, looking rather upset. "It's time to go, sweetheart… Are you sure you wanna travel alone? It would be a lot better for you to be placed in foster care where a family can take care of you. There would be no danger."

I stood and pushed my chair in at the table, setting the dirty dishes in the sink. Mina was already at school for the day, probably falling asleep in class. She seemed like the type to get bored with studies. "I'm… sure. I need to get back to Hoenn."

She sighed heavily. "I won't stop you… but at least take this." Yuna reached into her pocket, pulling out a rolled up piece of paper. "It's a map of the region; that way you won't get lost. The best way to get to Hoenn is through the ocean surrounding Cinnabar island, but it's quite a ways to go and you have no means to get there. You'll need a pōkemon or some kind of boat to carry you across the water. Otherwise you'll have to walk all throughout the Johto Region. I don't like this at all, but if you have a companion with you to keep you safe… I'll allow it."

I took the map from her, unrolling it and observing the territories for a moment. Cinnabar was at the very bottom of the page, just below Pallet, but a large expanse of water blocked my way to it. What a pain. I rolled it back up, sticking it in my pocket, and looked up to meet her gaze. "Thank you." My head lowered for a moment, mind going deep into thought. I felt like there was more I should say to her than just that. "I… I don't understand why… you helped me or why… any of you are helping me."

Blue looked surprised by my words, while Professor Oak's expression softened greatly. Yuna began to tear up, hands curling against her chest and grabbing at her lab coat. "S-Sweetie…"

"But…" I raised my head, expression contorted from several conflicting emotions. "I… I'm glad… I got to meet you. So thanks. For…" I cleared my throat, knowing that if I didn't pause I was going to end up stammering like a fool. "For helping me."

"Of course we would help you!" She cried, rushing over and leaning down. I stiffened when her arms wrapped around me, the woman pulling me into a tight embrace. It was very similar to the way I would hold the younger children, but something seemed different about it. It was warm and gentle, yet somehow sad at the same time. Yuna pressed a hand to the back of my head, shaking, and I stood there unmoving with big eyes. My arms hung uselessly at my sides. "How could we just leave a little girl like you alone!? Anyone would have done the same!"

Would they? A part of me doubted it.

The woman finally pulled away and I tried not to wince her hands cupped my face, thumbs brush my cheeks gently before she tucked my bangs behind my ear. I blinked, eyes adjusting to seeing the other half of the room now that it wasn't obscured by hair. She gave me a shaky smile, sniffling. "You be good, okay? It must be so scary for you… but just know that you can always come back here, alright? Mina and I will take care of you."

"...Yeah." I nodded. Chances were I would probably never return, but if I was going to eventually travel with that one boy I could always visit. "Thanks."

Yuna stood, wiping at her face with her sleeves and forcing a smile. "Good luck! I hope you make it to Hoenn safely; make sure to call the Professor every time you make it to a new town! Got it? I want updates!"

Well, frick. That was going to make things more difficult if they wanted to know how my journey was going. I would have to be quiet and not mention pōkemon at all; if they ask about the one they'll be making me catch I'll have to lie. I don't want to do that. What am I supposed to do now? I hated lying. I was a brilliant liar, yes, but… I didn't like it.

It felt awful and I've been doing it all my life.

Wait… if I actually do manage to catch a pōkemon… doesn't that mean it wanted to be caught?

Is it really that cruel if it wanted to have a trainer in the first place?

"Okay, ladies," Blue began, shaking his head, "we better get going. Grunt, here- your backpack!"

He threw the large item at me and I fumbled to catch it, cringing when it hit my bandaged arm. Yuna had put new ointment and bandages on it this morning, the medicine helping it heal quickly, but it still hurt and was definitely going to leave a scar. At least it was a symbol of my survival, something to remind me of the sacrifice that was made in freeing Mewtwo. I would never forget as a result. I set the backpack down on the floor, startled by how heavy it was.

The material was clearly made out of some kind of brown leather, with a darker strap across the back to keep it shut. The bottom was colored black, giving it more depth in design. It was quite nice and… the texture was desirable. Almost like scales. Looking inside I was surprised to see a plastic jar filled with different candies and another that was empty. There was also a large box with different compartments, ten small pōkeballs resting inside them, and a plastic bag filled with a toothbrush, paste, and deodorant. There was even a box of band-aids inside one of the smaller pouches of the backpack.

These people… went all out in preparing this for me. Why? I don't understand. They're so nice to me. It… It doesn't make sense. They've just met me; I'm not someone they should be helping. People as kind as them aren't… frick. Frick. Oooh, my eyes are starting to burn now; I think Yuna and her tears are contagious. Ack.

I blinked rapidly, bangs falling back to cover my eye, and I closed the bag shut. I slid the straps over my shoulders, stumbling a little at the weight, before catching myself and standing straight. "O-Okay. Ready." Blue grinned, raising a hand up and waving it through the air to gesture outside.

"Follow me then! To the tall grass we go! Smell ya later, Yuna!"

"Be careful!"

The journey is about to begin~! Mwahahaha!

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