Time Lapse: Reluctant Hero

by AvionVadion

She remembered nothing. Where she came from, who she was, if she had any family; all the girl knew now was that something was wrong. There was no way she was meant to be raised like this- treated like a grunt and tormented along with the rest. Pokemon were worth more than what Team Rocket claimed. They weren't tools... and neither was she. OCs

36. An Ever-Changing Reflection

"No, I- I never really panicked! No, I never really panicked.

You inhale 'till your lungs get sore, but that's not who I am anymore."

There were… a lot of clothes. I felt a little dazed looking at them all.

Blue, on the other hand, seemed to know exactly what he was doing, marching over to the clothing racks and pulling aside hanging shirts and jackets and button-ups, gazing at the options with a scrutinizing eye.

He tossed a couple shirts over his arm, humming to himself, and occasionally turned to look down at Umbreon, holding a top up over his torso. "Whattya think, bud? Yay or nay?"

"Umbreee!"

"Yeah, I think so too. Let's see if they have it in purple or green." He went back to walking down the row of hangers, smacking at some tops before getting distracted by the jeans and dress pants nearby.

I stood there absolutely lost, not even knowing where to begin. It felt as if I were standing in a maze. There were far too many options, and I had no idea of how to start looking. The only thing I really knew was that I definitely did not want to wear shorts again. Unfortunately, there seemed to be quite a lot of them- not to mention dresses and skirts. They all seemed so uncomfortable and revealing in my eyes.

I shrunk down into my scarf, wondering if I'd really be able to find something to wear here.

Daisy seemed to notice the stupor I was in. "All the clothes here are good for traveling," She informed helpfully, walking over and pointing at a nearby clothing rack, "so why don't we start trying to find clothes in your size?"

Clothes in… my size…

"Do you have any specific colors you like?"

My gaze snapped up to meet hers, alarmed by the sudden question. I did have a color I liked, but her younger brother- my friend- had the exact same name as it. It was kind of weird. Granted, that weirdness did lead to a lot of bantering and jokes with him, but she might view it different.

A sudden shyness washing over, I ended up stammering, curling my hands close to my stomach and fiddling with my fingers. I found it incredibly hard to speak, worried she might take what I wanted to say out of context. "I… um…"

Daisy looked concerned, tilting her head with the tiniest of frowns. "Do… you not have a favorite color? Grandfather told me you had amnesia… I know! What about patterns? Something that catches your eye."

I hid deeper into my scarf, practically ducking my head down as the burning in my face worsened. It really shouldn't be this hard to say it. "I… I do have a favorite color! I-It's just…"

"Just?"

From three rows down, Blue peered over the clothing racks. He could hear the conversation taking place. A pair of green capris tossed over his shoulders and a pair of purple cargo pants over his other, he frowned- only to soon smirk, holding a hand up and calling out, "Yo, Daisy! El's favorite color is blue!"

Daisy blinked. She turned back to look down at me.

The heat had spread to the tips of my ears. My lips were trembling as I scowled in my embarrassment, grabbing at my scarf and tugging it up to cover the lower half of my face. "L-Light blues! Darker blues are… scary. Besides, it's… just a good color…"

"The best color!" Blue piped up again, and I closed my eyes with a cringe. "Ain't that right, kid!?"

I hate everything about this right now. I could feel Daisy's eyes boring into me.

When she finally spoke, it was with a giggle and a voice full of amusement. "Then let's go find something blue in your size."

Resting one of her hands gently behind my back, I tensed, repressing a flinch, and let her guide me away to some clothing racks on the right end of the room. Ansem pawed at my hair, attempting to comfort me, and I stood there in uncomfortable silence as Daisy began to walk along the hanging clothes, searching for something I might want to wear. "These dresses are quite cute! Oh, this flower-patterned one is lovely… and look at this flannel skirt! What do you think?"

It was really hard not making a face at the sight of them.

Daisy seemed to notice this, and carefully put them back on the rack. "Now that I think about it, they do seem a little too… big for you. How about…" Her fingers hovered over a few other choices, before picking up a blue button-up. That one caught my attention. "This?"

Ansem barked in approval, and I found myself staring at it, the visions I would often see coming to mind. In those visions, in my nightmares, and even when I first woke up in Rustboro… I had been wearing a button-up. It had been black in color, unlike this one, but the style was similar. I also remember the jacket I wore being green.

I reached out to take the shirt, holding it up and staring at it closely. "Maybe…"

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it.

In a strange way, it… definitely felt like something I would wear. But… I'm not so sure it's something I want to wear.

Suddenly, Ansem jolted from atop my head. "Eva?"

I reached a hand up to brush his fur, concerned what was going on with him. "Hey, what's up?

"Eva!" The pokēmon leapt off my head, startling me, and he landed on the floor in front of me. His tail began to wag. Ansem looked back at me, his ears twitching. "Eva vee! Evoi!"

He took off running. "Ansem!?"

I had zero qualms about leaving Daisy behind to chase after my little gremlin of an Eevee. The young woman whirled her head around, alarmed by our behavior. I heard her call out to me. Ignoring her, I focused on dashing through the clothing aisle to try and keep up with Ansem. He swerved right, turning the corner, and as I followed I realized he was heading towards a wall full of accessories, scarves, and hats. There were beanies and straw hats, and even little wearable Diglett-shaped caps. I caught sight of several bracelets and bows and sunglasses, and adorable little flower pins.

Wheezing a little, I came to stand behind him. I looked up to see he was staring rather intently at a crimson bandana. I knew he was jealous of Ruby and Sapphire's little blue bows, but I didn't realize it was to this extent.

I reached out to grab it.

Ansem began to bark again, excitement glittering in his matching red eyes, and I carefully pulled it off the hook, holding the bandana up for him to see with a small amused grin. "This one?"

He jumped up, standing on his hind legs, and waved his front paws at me. "Evaaaa!"

That's a yes, if I've ever heard one. Gods, he's so cute.

"He must want to match you." Daisy commented as she walked over, and seeing my confusion she pointed at my scarf with an amused smile. Realization quickly dawned when I looked down at myself, and inside my heart I felt a twinge of aching warmth. He really wanted to match me? Even though I'm hardly the best trainer to be with? "Here, why don't you give me the bandanna and I'll go ahead and pay for it? Consider it my thanks for being such a good friend to Blue."

Wait, what? It was surprising enough that Bill said he would pay for all our clothes, as I had no doubt they would be expensive, but now Daisy, too? And solely because I'm friends with her kid brother? "Y…You sure?"

Daisy just flashed me a smile. "Of course! It's not every day my brother has friends he wants to take shopping."

Ah. I suppose that makes sense.

I remember Blue saying that… he didn't know how to be a good friend. That he doesn't know what he's doing. He's probably never had friends before, given Daisy's reaction when she first met us. He had been so angry when I ran off, shouting at me yet not hurting me. Demanding I not do something so stupid again. That… I don't get to decide whether or not they want me as a friend. He said I was stuck with him, that there was no escape, because he had made his choice.

Before meeting Blue and Brock, I only ever had a single friend- one whom I only knew for a day. That itself… didn't really equate to a proper friendship. It was just a promise. A memory that's kept me alive. It was nothing at all like what I've experienced since meeting them.

As such, I'm not really sure if what I had with that person could truly be called a friendship.

Blue's never had a friend before. Neither have I. Brock hasn't either.

The three of us have never had friends before finding friends in one another.

"El…" Daisy's eyes were brimming with emotion as she gazed down at me. "Thank you."

At her words, I froze. I snapped my gaze up to meet her own, stunned. "...What?"

"I've always been worried about Blue." She confessed. "Ever since he was little, he's always had a hard time opening up to people. He's always pushed them away. He pushed… me and our grandfather away. Even after he came back and started being a little more honest, he still had trouble letting others into his heart. Seeing him now, with you and Brock and all your pokēmon, I… feel like I can rest easy now."

Daisy took a deep breath, then flashed me a teary-eyed smile.

"Thank you, El. Thank you for being there for Blue."

But… I've never done anything for him.

I only ever got him into trouble. I only ever got him hurt. There's absolutely nothing to thank me for. If anything, I should be apologizing. It's because of me that her little brother was almost killed. "I-I got him hurt, though."

"What?"

I bit down my hard on my bottom lip, hesitant and confused and so very afraid. My voice sounded pathetic to my ears, quiet and shaky. As I held tight to the red bandana in my grasp, Ansem barked and brushed against my legs, trying to distract me from the anxiety that was starting to well up inside me. "I-I got… him trapped in the S.S Anne. After it sunk. A-And before… he fell into Team Rocket's trap… b-because he wanted to help me. I got him hurt. I-I nearly killed him. I don't… y-you shouldn't be…"

Daisy stepped forward, and I inhaled sharply- flinching upon feeling her rest a hand atop my head. Her touch was far gentler than I had been expecting.

After a few seconds, having braced for pain yet discovering I felt none, I blinked and looked up at her again, my eyes wide as could be.

Daisy smiled sweetly at me. Her voice was soft. "Then that's all the more reason why I should. Blue rarely goes out of his way to help anyone that isn't family. Choosing to stay with you, to travel with you and Brock; it shows how much he cares. You mean something to him. Both of you- he truly does view you as friends. Just as much as I can tell how much your pokēmon adore you, Blue does, too. He might not admit it, but… it's true."

But he did. He did admit it.

I stared at the red bandana in my hand, my brows furrowing as the confusion settled in. Daisy's hand gently ruffled my hair. "And I don't blame you for what happened, El. Blue isn't weak of heart; he'll face any challenge head on, no matter how dangerous it is. It's… worrisome, I'll admit, but it's how he is; once he has his mind set on something, there's no stopping him."

A moment's pause, and I curled back my trembling lips, feeling them shift upwards in a pained, and somewhat bitter, smile.

I remembered how he came running to find me, how he scolded me for being reckless. How tight he had hugged me. How he had been willing to cut my hair for me- and wouldn't take no for an answer. I remembered how he protected me back on the S.S Anne when Richard had been about to abduct me. He had Aerodactyl snatch him away, and followed after me when I foolishly chased after my precious stone. When we woke up inside the sinking ship, he determinedly declared we would make our way out of that mess alive- and that once we found my abusers, we would punch them all in the face.

Even… in the hideout beneath the Nugget Bridge, he had been incredibly fierce and stubborn despite the severity of his wounds.

Blue was a force to be reckoned with, and a friend I truly did not deserve. "That's true…"

Daisy blinked at my words, surprised I had agreed with her, before a light giggle escaped her lips. "Isn't it? I have no doubt that whatever it is you three are planning; with Blue on your side and you on his, you'll be able to get through anything."

Yeah. Yeah, we can get through anything. No matter what it is, it won't stand in our way.

We'll fight our way forward, and continue until victory.

Nothing will stop us.

What she said had me wondering just how little I know about Blue, though. It was a pure accident that I learned so much about Brock, having stumbled into his family drama when I was just trying to get my first gym badge, but with Blue… I had met him on day one, but didn't know nearly as much about him.

He was rough and rude and mischievous and blunt, but he was kind and caring and took care not to hurt me. He helped me train my pokēmon, teaching them new moves to help with one of the gym leaders, and even tried to offer some advice.

He was Professor Oak's grandson, who once became the Champion of Kanto.

I know he quit that Champion profession because he didn't care for the job once he had it, finding himself pulled towards pokēmon research instead, which led to him helping his grandfather out a lot. He'd rather spend more time with his pokēmon than battle again-and-again like a lifeless drone. To him, pokemon battles- while exciting- weren't something he wanted to spend his whole life doing. And while he still greatly enjoys travel, he doesn't do it as often as he'd like unless it's to gather more information on new pokemon.

Blue wanted more.

He just wasn't entirely sure what that more was yet.

I didn't really know how to describe him, honestly.

Holding the bandana with one hand, I tapped a finger to my chin, going deep into thought. "He's kind of like a… Cacnea. I think."

Daisy sputtered. "A C-Cacnea!?"

"Yeah!" I beamed up at her, deciding that I liked that comparison. "Prickly, but overall nice to be around! Cacnea have thorns, but they release this really nice scent! Granted it's to lure in prey, but… with Blue, while he's a little rough around the edges, you can't help but like him! He's a good person."

"Blue as a Cacnea…" She held a hand up to her mouth, doing her best to stifle her laughs. "I hate to say it, but that might actually be an accurate description. Pfft… o-okay. Sweet Arceus, I would've loved to see his face if he heard that. A-Ahem. Anyways… we still need to pay for that bandana."

In a much better mood, and having little in the way of courage to refuse her generosity, I gave the red bandana over to Daisy and followed her to the counter.

The cashier looked surprised to see her, striking up some small talk- stating how it isn't often Daisy comes shopping here, and Daisy saying it's because Blue finally has some friends he can go shopping with. The cashier looked shocked at this information, and asked if she really meant Blue, which Daisy confirmed, before shaking their head and informing her the price of the bandana.

Once it was paid for and the price tag was removed, Daisy handed it back to me.

I awkwardly thanked her, then turned around to kneel down and face Ansem. He was practically vibrating with excitement. I don't think I've ever seen him look this happy before. "You ready?" I asked, thoroughly amused.

Ansem barked.

Holding up the bandana, I carefully tied the red cloth around his neck above his mane, making sure it was loose enough that he'd be comfortable. Once done, I held my hands up with a grin. "Tada~! How'd ya feel? Now we match!"

"Evaaaa!" He squealed.

Ansem jumped in the air and began to chase his tail, running in circles as he barked happily. I could hear Daisy and the cashier giggling at the pokēmon's antics, and I couldn't stop the fond smile that painted across my lips. I could hardly believe I had such an adorable Eevee, nonetheless the fact that he had chosen me. That he was still continuing to choose me, even to this day, after all that we've been through and all that I've put him through.

Just like Blue… and just like Brock… I truly did not deserve him.

He was so precious.

Once he was done running in circles, I held my arms out and laughed when he leapt into my chest, catching him and hoisting him up into my arms. I nuzzled my face against his as I stood, pressing my lips to his forehead and cheeks, and earned several joyous barks in response.

Ansem had been very jealous of the attention I had been giving Ruby and Sapphire recently due to them being newborns. It's only right that I take this time to smother him with his own very much needed affection. "You're such a good boy! Aren't you? Aren't you~?"

"Evoi!" He giggled, and I grinned when I felt him lick my chin. "Eva vee!"

I've always wanted to smother my pokémon in affection. To hug them and hold them and give them kisses after kisses. I wanted to let them know they were loved and appreciated, but… I had always held back. I had made myself hold back.

I had been using them- at the start. I needed their help to grow stronger. I was determined not to lose them, but I was so scared that I would lose them anyway that I repressed how much love I could allow myself to give them.

I wonder… if they knew that. If they could sense it. Probably. That might be why they've been so patient with me- able to use their empathic abilities to sense the affection I was shutting down due to my fear and cowardice.

But now things are going to be different.

I'm not going to lose anyone. I'm not going to run away. Not from Brock and Blue, and… not from my past. I'll face Team Rocket head on, and I'll do that as me.

I'll become who they tried to strip away, and reclaim my humanity in the process. I'll avenge all the pokēmon and children who died to their negligence and abuse, and avenge my sweet Skitty. I won't allow them to force their will on me. Their lingering presence, my unstable emotions… I won't allow them to control me anymore.

I am no Grunt.

My name is El.

And I love my adorable pokēmon.

Giving in to the intense urge, I gave Ansem a few more kisses, mumbling about how cute he was into his fur. Hearing footsteps to my left, I turned and looked to see Brock, Susie, and Remedy heading my way.

Glancing behind me, I saw Daisy was watching from at the counter, still chatting away with the cashier- but she kept her blue-green eyes on us all the while.

Facing Brock once more, I saw he had several dark green jackets slung over his arms, as well as various cargo pants that varied from shades of brown to tan to a green as dark as the jackets. In his free hand were several tops- all of which were blue, yet looked way too small for him. "El! Have you found anything yet? I saw these and thought you might like to try them."

Ansem and I both blinked, and Brock gasped when he saw our matching scarves.

"Awww, look at you two!" He gushed. "So cute!"

Ansem beamed, and I gave a shy grin as I held my pokémon close. The pokēmon's mane tickled my face. "He really wanted the red one, so…"

"Just shows how much he likes you." Brock grinned. He held the handful of blue shirts out to me. "Here! Why don't you look through these, El? I think Blue's already picked an outfit for himself, since he's just browsing the accessories right now. Last time I saw him, he was giving Bill an earful and making him carry his clothes."

Oof. Poor Bill. "He really doesn't want Daisy to work for him…"

"It's less that and more, uh…" Brock paused. He made a face. "Actually, I'll wait to explain until you're a little older."

"Huh?"

"Here!" Rather than say anything else on the matter, he just held up the blue shirts he was holding by their hangers, a large grin on his face. "Come on! Try them! I did my best to pick out some cute ones, but I don't really have the best fashion sense."

"O-Okay…" Lifting Ansem up onto my shoulders, the Eevee maneuvered around so he was using my head as a pillow again, his paws buried in my hair as he stood up and leaned his belly against the back of my skull. I reached out to take the clothes from Brock. "Thank you…."

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about wearing anything else cutesy, but it can't possibly be as bad as my white sailor uniform or my old blue and green romper. I did appreciate Brock's attempt to help me find something to wear, though.

It's not like I had any idea what to look at, and I… really didn't like what Daisy tried to pick out.

Not nearly as strong as Brock, I had to hold the clothes with both arms. Trying to get them situated, I ended up staring down at the fabric, something strange flickering across my features as a… strange sensation washed over me. Everything- all of this- didn't feel quite real to me.I was being given a choice of what to wear, but I didn't even know how to begin choosing.

And once I found something… who would I even be, then?

"Chansey?" A tug on my shorts, and my attention was snatched once more by Remedy. She looked concerned. I noticed she had a new egg in her belly pouch. "Chansey, Chanse…?"

"I-I'm okay." I told her, flashing her a weak smile. For some reason, memories of when I was little and had tried to cheer up the other abducted children with bad jokes came to mind. "Y-You could even say I'm… egg-cellent! I guess."

Susie let out a small mew, approving my bad pun, while Brock snorted and let out a laugh. "It's been a while since any of us told a joke! Or perhaps I should say… a yolk?"

Ansem was not impressed. "Eva…"

From the far corner of the store, we could hear Blue let out a loud and very dramatic groan. "Stooooop! I can hear you from all the way over here!"

Sweet mother of Arceus, he really could.

We stared in the direction Blue's voice came from, baffled that his hearing was so good. Or maybe it was just that we were that loud. I wasn't really sure. Either way, it was ridiculous.

Remedy didn't seem to mind, though. She just giggled and bounced, clapping her hands together, before running a small circle around the four of us. "Chansey~!"

She must have really liked the bad jokes.

Squatting down, I shifted the clothes I was holding so my hands were free, and I held my arms out with a painfully large smile. "Remedy!"

She paused in her running, stumbling to a stop, before spinning to face me. Her blue eyes widened.

Then her face lit up. "Chansey!"

Remedy dashed forward, carefully hugging me without injuring her egg. I laughed and pressed a couple kisses to her cheeks, earning several bashful giggles in response. "You're such a sweetie, aren't you? Yes, you are~! Mwah! Mwah, mwah, mwah!"

"Chansey~!" She squealed, backing away when I loosened my grip, the round pokēmon bringing her hands to her cheeks with a large grin. "Chansey, Chansey, Chanse!"

"You're the sweetest!"

She bounced from foot to foot, waving a hand as if to shyly tell me to stop with the compliments. I just gave her another forehead smooch. Her cheeks were as red as could be beneath her pink fur. "Chansey~!"

Seeing this happen, a grin spread across Brock's lips- and he moved to kneel down beside Remedy, resting a hand on her head and giving her a small kiss of his own. "Isn't she, though? I can't believe our luck in meeting her!"

"Eva!" Ansem agreed, and Remedy blinked, looking up in surprise at the Eevee. His tail was wagging behind him quite happily.

He may be jealous of Ruby and Sapphire, but he definitely approves of Remedy's addition to the group. Most likely because she's not only helped us and fed me some of her highly nutritious eggs, but also because she's Brock's pokēmon and not mine- which meant there was no threat to his position as team leader.

Oh, Ansem…

I sincerely hope my fear wasn't contagious. Maybe dealing with all my negativity put a damper on his own self-confidence. Gods, please say that isn't the case.

I really hope I'm not giving my pokémon anxiety…

Brock smiled warmly at Remedy, and she leaned into his touch with a happy cheer. "I never once imagined a wild Chansey would be lured by the smell of my cooking and want to stay with me… but maybe it wasn't just the food that did it. Remedy did want to help you and Blue recover, after all. Heh. Isn't that right, Remedy?"

She threw a hand up, beaming brightly up at the trainer. "Chansey!"

The pokēmon leaned forward, nuzzling his chest, and Brock let out another laugh. He started petting her again. "Thanks! Seriously. You were a real lifesaver back there in Lavender Town with those ghost pokēmon, too! It could have seriously hurt us if you didn't intervene."

"Chansey?" She stared up at him, before bursting into another giggle and standing up on her tiptoes. Brock froze, his eyebrows rising high on his forehead, when she pressed a kiss of her own to his cheek. "Chanse~y!"

"R-Remedy, you…" He choked, tears welling up in his eyes, before suddenly falling forward. I jumped back with a small yelp, nearly landing on my rear as I tripped over my feet. Brock had landed right on his face, and Susie let out several alarmed mews as she moved from his shoulder to his back, pacing around on him nervously. "You truly have the Sweet Kiss down pat, don't you…? I'm so touched… but so… dizzy…"

Remedy held a hand up with a small gasp, having not realized her kiss would momentarily incapacitate her trainer. She looked deeply apologetic as she looked down at him. "Chansey…"

Uh-oh.

Dropping the heavy shirts on my lap, I reached out and poked at Brock's forehead, deeply concerned and wondering if this is what I had been like after Remedy saved me from the Haunter's curse. "A-Are you okay?"

"One day~ some day…" He dazedly sang. "My true love will come to me… hehe…"

Okay, yeah, no. Brock is totally out of it.

From behind us, Daisy called out, "Clefairy, use Aromatherapy!"

I whirled my head around, alarmed by the abrupt shout, only to have my eyes widen upon a most soothing and lovely scent filling the area. A pastel pink-furred pokēmon, similar to a Chansey but much smaller and with tiny ears, was doing a little dance, holding her hands out and emitting a sweet aroma.

The longer I sat there, the calmer I began to feel, and I felt Ansem slump against my skull as I hunched over, all the stress seeming to fade from my body. I've never felt so relaxed.

Aromatherapy… is quite the move.

It's a grass-type move, too, so I'm a little surprised that a Clefairy knows it. It's so effective that it's actually making me feel a little…

Sleepy.

The scent was like the first breath of sunshine after years of darkness and dust. Flowers blooming in a brilliant green field, beautiful and breathtaking in every sense of the word. A clear blue sky, with petals fluttering in the wind.

It felt as though I were being enveloped in those flowers, their petals wrapping around me in a gentle breeze, flashes of blue and purple filling my sight.

I ended up falling sideways onto the floor besides Brock, exhaustion washing over me as the calm became all I knew. The boy groaned, slowly pushing himself up, recovering from the confusion of Remedy's unintended Sweet Kiss, but while he grew better I just grew tired.

It was so… nice.

We needed to hurry, to finish up this little shopping spree, but a short nap couldn't hurt, could it? The aroma smells so nice, and I feel so sleepy. Team Rocket isn't in any hurry. They'll take their time tormenting everyone. It'll be a while before they try and get rid of Cubone.

Blue and Brock are safe here, and I… I don't think… I can keep… my eyes…

"That's enough, Clefairy!"

Footsteps. The scent began to fade.

"Oh, my goodness! El!? El, wake up!" Daisy's voice was loud and frantic. She was kneeling beside me, lifting me up and gently patting my face to try and snap me out of the daze. A wide-awake and greatly alarmed Brock was beside her, Susie on one shoulder and Remedy standing at his side. Ansem was on my lap, making biscuits and staring up at me worriedly. "Are you alright, sweetie!? Aromatherapy shouldn't have had such a strong effect on you…"

Such lovely flowers. I could have laid in that flower field for hours. I wanted to. I wished to.

I never wanted it to end.

But it did, and I found myself groaning as I was slowly brought back to my senses. I felt Brock resting a hand on my forehead, brushing my bangs out of my face as I blinked and looked up at him groggily. His face was twisted with dread. "El? El, hey; can you hear me? Are you awake?"

A small nod. I pulled away from Daisy's grasp to sit up, holding a hand up to my forehead. I grimaced. "What just… happened?"

"I asked my Clefairy to use Aromatherapy to cure your friend of his confusion." Daisy explained, frowning deeply as she curled a hand close to her chest. "But it's calming side effect seemed to have been… too strong for you. It nearly put you right to sleep."

Oh. "That's… not good…"

She shook her head solemnly. "No. It isn't. You should all go buy a few Awakening potions when you go back down to the second floor, okay? If Team Rocket hits you with a move like Aromatherapy, it might just knock you out. Of course, the same could be said for moves like Yawn and Sing and Sleep Powder, but… Aromatherapy is meant to be calming- healing. The fact that it nearly put you to sleep means…"

Daisy hesitated.

"Well, it means that…"

That I'm still not totally healthy.

A pit pooling in my stomach, I glanced down at myself- at my hands and arms, tiny and broken and scarred, and my body which should be bigger than it actually was. I looked down at the pokēmon in my lap, my brown eyes gazing deep into Ansem's concerned red ones. I turned to stare at the clothes that had fallen off my lap when I collapsed.

I've come so far in just a few weeks, but… I was still only at the beginning.

My fingers curled into fists. Biting down hard on my bottom lip, I tried to bury the frustration that was bubbling up. To suppress my anger towards myself. It wasn't my fault I was like this. Team Rocket was to blame.

And yet… it's still so hard.

"El…" Brock grasped my shoulder, his touch gentle and pulling me out of my darkening thoughts. When I lifted my head to look at him, I could only imagine how pitiful the look on my face was. "It's gonna be okay. We'll get through this. You have me and Blue, remember?"

Fighting against the pain bubbling up my throat from my chest, I gave a shaky nod. Brock offered me a consoling smile.

"We just have a little more to go until Hoenn." He promised. "There, we'll defeat Team Rocket for good- and you won't ever have to worry about things like this again. But before we can do that…"

Seeing my brows furrowed in confusion, his smile turned into a grin, and Ansem barked loudly- jumping onto my shoulders- as Brock grabbed my hands and tugged me onto my feet with a light yank.

I yelped, stumbling at the unexpected move, and he laughed, catching me when I nearly crashed right into his chest. Brock steadied me and moved to pick up the clothes we had dropped before. Slinging them over his free shoulder and right arm, he walked over to stand beside me, resting a hand in my back. "We need to finish shopping!"

He charged forward, carefully maneuvering my stunned self over to the clothing racks.

"Let's find you some pants or shorts or something to try on with all those tops! We don't know what all you like, so now's the best time to figure it out! We need to develop your style! That's the next step to becoming truly human, El!"

"H-Huh!?"

Chansey giggled and waddled after us, a jolly look on her face. Still a bit shaken from the recent events, I could only go along with Brock's whims, watching in utter dumbfoundment as he released me to peruse the articles of clothing.

Blue shirts, red shirts, purple shirts, green- so many different colors, and all in different styles.

He passed by the dresses without a second thought, as if already knowing I would detest wearing them, and turned away from any shorts he came across. "Let's see~ la da da… aha! What'd you think about these?"

He held up a pair of black cargo pants, spinning around to face me with a grin.

"Too dark? Not enough pockets? The fabric seems good for traveling. Of course, you can never go wrong with a good pair of jeans!" He tossed the black cargo pants overtop the blue shirts he had hanging over his one arm, and grabbed a pair of dark blue jeans. "These look pretty durable. Why don't you try them both and see which you prefer?"

"Uh… s-sure." I guess I just walk into the changing room and try them on. Man, I'm glad I took a shower when I did. The clothes I'm wearing now are still absolutely filthy, though.

Going deep into thought for a moment, I paused- and then lifted my head, yet right as I was about to speak, to ask Brock where the changing rooms actually were, a familiar voice called out and Blue was marching his way over, his Umbreon following loyally by his side. When we both turned to look at him, we had to do a double take, amazed by the clothes he was wearing. "Oi, punsters! Find anything yet?"

Blue was dressed in the fanciest clothes I've ever seen.

He was wearing an insulated jacket with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, the shoulders and collar black in color. A long golden strip zig-zagged across his chest and biceps, and down the middle of his torso was a marching zipper. The bottom half of the jacket, including his sleeves, were a bright shade of blue with a lighter blue pattern across the fabric that I… didn't quite understand.

Beneath the jacket was… either a black tanktop or a short-sleeve shirt. I couldn't really tell. But his silver necklace, identical to Daisy's, was plain for all to see.

She had said before that Blue doesn't like helping others, or admitting that he cares, but he wears a matching necklace with her… so I think it's safe to say that he loves his older sister a lot. I think, with Blue, his problem was that he loved too deeply- and wasn't comfortable admitting it. Not only because it could be deemed a weakness, or that it could make him seem soft, but because he was like me and didn't really know how to handle such strong emotions.

We had jokes sent at us before- about us being alike, but… it's kind of scary. I don't want Blue to be like me. I'm always afraid and paranoid of every little thing; it was hard holding my head up during times I needed to be strong. I wasn't brave like him. I wasn't confident. I wish I was more like Blue.

It's weird.

For as much as we're alike, we're still so vastly different.

"I like your wristbands." I stated, tone a bit blunt as I leaned to the side to peer over Brock, getting a closer look at Blue's new outfit. He had a black wristband on each arm, and his pants- compared to his jacket- were incredibly simple. A bit poofy near the bottoms, but it was pure black save for the golden stripes on his giant pockets. He also had a silver fanny pack hanging from his hips, and a new pair of sneakers that matched it.

Overall, Blue looked amazing. He still held reign over the prettiest-guy-I-know title.

"I always knew you were a fashion over function kind of guy." Brock joked. "But wow. I'll admit, not what I was expecting. Think you can give me a few pointers?"

"Eh, I suppose I can." Blue shrugged nonchalantly, but the smirk on his face said it all. "I had Bill buy me a simpler outfit for emergencies, but this is more than just style. The fabric is sturdy and the jacket is insulated, so it'll protect me from any cold weather. Plus, if I get hot, I can take the jacket off and chill out in this tanktop. It's plenty functional. It just… also happens to be fashionable."

He ran his fingers through his hair, resting one of his hands in his pockets. Blue was greatly enjoying the attention and compliments.

It kind of reminded me of Ansem.

"Show me what you picked out and I'll style you a few outfits to choose from. I'm feeling prettygenerous today."

Brock's gratitude was plain to see. "Thanks! Maybe with your help I'll actually manage to get a date!"

"Save the flirting for after we put an end to Team Rocket." Blue deadpanned, snatching a few of the clothing items hanging from Brock's arm. He glanced at the smaller ones in the taller boy's hand, as well as the blue shirts across his arms, and realized that they were for me. Blue gestured with his chin for us to follow. "This way. There's some tables we can lay these on. While I do that, you two can explain what all that shouting I heard earlier was about!"

Not feeling very inclined to argue with the stylish and quite possibly most accomplished member of our group, we followed him and his partner pokēmon over to the table- Brock explaining that Remedy had accidentally used her Sweet Kiss on him and that Daisy had her Clefairy use Aromatherapy to cure him of his confusion, but that the scent was so calming it nearly knocked me out.

Blue glanced back at me in mild alarm, but said nothing and merely nodded along to Brock's words, allowing him to continue.

I kept my head hung low, fiddling with my fingers and tugging at my nails, still very much upset with myself for not being able to resist the allure of Arometherapy's promised sleep.

Was it the stress of dealing with Team Rocket? Of feeling like I always had to hurry? To be moving? To be getting things done?Is it because my body's always going back-and-forth between highs and lows in terms of emotions that it still hasn't gotten proper rest? Am I that unhealthy? Was it…

Was it because of my anxiety and depression?

There were so many possibilities, and I'm terrified it might just be all of them rather than one. It would make sense. It's not like I only have one thing wrong with me, after all.

So many things have built up over time; while I've been able to talk to Brock and Blue and even Misty about them, and… begrudgingly to Lorelei and that Steven Strange guy, it's not like I've really processed any of it. Most of it still feels… distant. They're just bad memories- distant memories- unless I focus on them, which is… when the panic usually sets in.

I can keep going because I distance myself from them to a certain point, but they were still there.

How did Kōga describe it? He said I was… reckless and foolish, with scars that run jagged and deep, serving as a poison to torment me.

There had been a bottle once; a fragile bottle filled with cracks. I taped those cracks shut again and again, even as the glass bottle threatened to burst. It had been the emotions I had shut down and repressed, unwilling to let myself feel them. I stuffed them all inside, filling the bottle to the brim, and tried to keep it together through sheer will and desperation. Yet those emotions came back to bite me, for the glass bottle eventually exploded- and the shards slicedme deep.

This fear, this disgust, this shame; they're all a poison to me.

But they're emotions… I can't stop myself from feeling.

Not if I want to get better.

"Well, damn." Blue finally said as Brock finished the story. Having reached our destination, the auburn-haired boy draped the large clothes across the table. "Guess we'll wanna pick up some Awakening potions later. Just… y'know, to be safe."

Brock snorted, and I made a face. "That's what Daisy said."

Blue blinked. He snapped his fingers and pointed at me with a smirk. "Great minds think alike, kid! You'll learn that soon enough."

Uh-huh… "What ever happened to Bill?"

"Oh, him? After I got him to fork over the money for my clothes, he went off to look at the backpacks and stuff. Said he'd need one to help carry everything home, since he got more than expected."

I suppose that makes sense. I almost wondered where Daisy was, too, but since she didn't follow us she was probably still at the counter talking to the cashier- or maybe left to go chat with Bill. It wasn't really my business. "How much did your outfit even cost…?"

Umbreon snorted at my tone, while Blue just flashed me a devilish smirk. "That's between me and the man who bought 'em."

Dear gods, he tried to bleed him dry, didn't he? "Blue!"

"Ahaha!"

Not saying anything more on the matter, Blue got to work putting together outfits with the clothing pieces Brock had picked out for himself. There were a lot of orange shirts. Some were red, others black, but those were few and far between. I saw a couple of tank tops and long sleeves. I wondered if orange and green were Brock's favorite colors.

Blue hummed to himself as he looked at the different cargo pants and jeans Brock laid out, moving them around and seeing how they looked with certain tops and switching them out. Brock and Susie watched with great intrigue as he did so, and Ansem, Remedy, and I stared with wide eyes when Blue began to mess around with the jackets. Umbreon sat on the ground, licking at a paw, as if used to this kind of thing. I could hardly believe all the different types of jackets.

Long-sleeved, short-sleeved, sleeveless…

"So many." I murmured, absolutely stunned by the amount of clothes and how many options there were.

Blue paused and glanced back at me over his shoulder, something strange flashing in his gaze, before he turned back to the task at hand. Once he was done, Blue brushed his bangs back and nodded, stepping back to appraise his work. "Take your pick, mama hen! Six whole outfits! We can go shoe and accessory shopping afterwards."

I seriously hope Bill has a huge wallet…

Brock was left in utter awe as he gazed over at the choices he had. "These all look amazing! They look completely different from what I had in mind. You really know what you're doing, huh?"

"Ha!" Blue scoffed. "This is the second time you've doubted me! Keep it up and there won't be a third."

"Sorry, sorry!" The taller boy waved a hand at him, flashing him a grin. "I'm just impressed! Forrest picked out the outfit I'm wearing now, since I don't really have an eye for fashion. I can pick clothes out for my baby siblings easy, but for myself? Usually ends in disaster. Yolanda was not happy. She and Forrest practically tag-teamed me."

I found myself actually fighting a grin at that, amused by the thought. "To be fair, your siblings really care about you. They… probably just wanted you to look your best."

"This is true." He mused. "Though they could have just been worried about me embarrassing the gym."

Blue raised a brow, resting his hands on his hips. "Well, lucky for you I'm here. I'm gonna go take the kid and find something for her to wear now, so you have fun figuring it out. Later."

"Thanks, Blue!"

"Yeah, yeah." He waved a hand dismissively, but despite his frown he looked quite happy to have been of help. His brown eyes were bright. Blue took the black cargo pants and blue jeans from Brock, tossing them to me, before snatching the shirts and making me follow him to another table. Once there, he tossed them down and looked at me. "Wait here, squirt. I'll be back."

I blinked, watching as he took off.

Leaning my head back, I looked up at Ansem- who leaned forward to look down at me. Brown eyes met red, and he twitched an ear at me, scrunching his little black nose in confusion. "Eva?"

I shrugged. "Guess we wait?"

Taking a seat at the table, I lifted Ansem off my head and set him on my lap- giving him some much needed pets and scritches. He basked in the attention, mewing rather than barking in his joy. He began to purr loudly when I rubbed his belly, and squealed when I pressed kisses to his adorable little toe beans. "Eva~!"

Gods, he's too cute. "Mwah, mwah, mwah! Who's the cutest? You're the cutest! Yes, you are! Yes, you are!"

"Evoi~!" He giggled.

As I played with Ansem, I decided to let my other pokēmon out of their balls, deciding that they've been in them long enough. Basil squeaked and looked around with big red eyes, while Belladonna squealed and bounced about, hopping in circles around Basil as she took in the sights with sparkling eyes, her leafy arms raised up to press against her face.

"Weepin!? Weepinbell~!"

"Saur!" Basil agreed, and she giggled when he nudged her side with his snout.

Meanwhile, Ruby and Sapphire were crawling on top of each other, trying to get a better look at everything, before realizing they could just hop up onto one of the other tables for a better view. "Vulpix~!"

"Vulpi…!?"

"Cool, right?" I grinned, keeping my left hand on Ansem's belly, unable to feel his fangs digging into my flesh as he nibbled playfully on my numb fingers, his hind legs pressing against my arm while his front ones kept my hand from moving. "This place is huge!"

There weren't even this many clothes back at that store Yuna took me to in Pallet Town.

All my pokémon made noises in agreement, awed and stunned and highly impressed by everything, before Basil suddenly took notice of Ansem's new bandana. "Ivy!?"

Ansem paused in his chewing. Ear twitching, he turned to look down at his friend, before releasing his fangs from my hand and rolling onto his side, looking down at Basil curiously. "Eva!"

"Ivysaur, Ivy!"

"Eva vee!" Ansem jumped down off my lap to join the others, and I watched in fond amusement as they began to talk. Ansem was sitting tall and proud, puffing out his chest as he showed off his red scarf. "Eva!"

"Weepin!" Belladonna reached out to touch the fabric, and let out a small gap. She glanced up at me and then back at him. "Weepinbell!"

"Vee."

She squealed, bouncing in her excitement, and Basil glanced at her with amusement. Ruby and Sapphire watched the scene take place from atop their table, before turning their attention to Blue when they heard his footsteps. "Vulpix, Vul!"

"I'm back!" He called, and I looked up with a slight jolt to see him approach.

Blue was carrying several pairs of jeans and cargo pants, as well as several jackets and… coats? What, did he think I was going to catch another fever? It wasn't like it was very cold out or anything; we were still in the middle of summer.

"Watch and learn, squirt!" He exclaimed. "I'm gonna lay these out and you'll tell me which pieces you like best. After that, I'll start mixing and matching."

Uh, "O-Okay…"

Blue smirked. "By the time I'm done with you, Team Rocket won't even recognize you."

That caused a small surge of excitement to grow within me, bubbling deep in my belly before rising to my chest. "Really?"

"You bet."

It took quite a while for me to sort through everything, not having much familiarity with fashion or even the privilege of choice. After about ten minutes, I had found a couple shirts and sweaters I could see myself wearing, and Blue got work to sorting them out. Once done, he had me try on the different outfits.

Oddly enough, I actually really liked how I looked and felt in them- so long as I didn't pay too much attention to the pressure garment on my right arm, the horribly bent left wrist, or the scars you could see poking out beneath my sleeves.

I felt… particularly fancy in the royal blue button-up and black dress pants Blue handed me, and fiddled a little with the black suit jacket he had me try on after.

"You know…" He mused after I walked out, awkwardly showcasing the outfit as I tugged at the lapels. "If you ever decide you wanna give pokēmon contests a try, that could totally work. Or if, y'know, you just wanna look professional while you punch Team Rocket's boss in the face."

I sputtered, nearly choking on air at the mental image. "I-I don't- I don't think that's… um…"

"No?" He teased. "Don't wanna punch him all fancy-like?"

"Uh…" I gave an uncertain shrug, tugging on the jacket once more. I did greatly enjoy the suit, but I didn't necessarily feel like fighting Giovanni in it. I was worried it would get ruined. "I-I dunno. Besides, I don't… think these'd make very good travel clothes."

"Eh, fair enough."

The next was a baggy pastel blue sweater, the sleeves and hem poofing out. It had multiple different colored stripes- starting from a slate blue at the top, to a white, to a dark navy, and a bright blue. It was a little cutesy, but I found I preferred it over the ones Daisy and Brock tried to pick out. It was both casual yet serious. A nice balance between cutesy and stern. Wearing a black tanktop under it, since it was large enough part of my right shoulder was exposed, I found that the sweater went nicely with one of the black cargo pants- and even a pair of leggings Blue had found.

I… was a little worried about this outfit getting destroyed, too. Maybe it could be something I'd wear after the journey is over. I stepped out of the changing room, arms up as I did a slow spin, listening to my pokēmon bark their approval and waiting for Blue to give his opinion. "What'd you think?"

"It looks good on you." Blue mused, hand to his chin thoughtfully. "We should get that, too. It wouldn't hurt to have extra clothes on you."

"I-I don't wanna drain Bill of all his money…"

"Pfft! It'll be fine." He waved a hand dismissively. "He offered."

Yeah, but it… feels like we're taking advantage of him. "I-I guess so…"

"Here, I'll pay for the suit. How's that sound?"

I sputtered at his suggestion, stammering nonsense as my brain processed what he just said. "Wh-What do I need the suit for!?"

He shrugged. "Maybe you'll wanna dress fancy tomorrow. I dunno."

"We're just wasting money at that point!"

Blue blinked. He stared at me, furrowing his brows, and folded his arms over his chest. "What'd you mean? Money's money. It's meant to be spent."

Oh. My. Gods. I can't with him.

We are truly from two different worlds.

Shaking my head at Blue, absolutely baffled by his mindset, I went silent and just grabbed the next set of clothes, turned back around, and headed into the changing room. There was absolutely no getting through to Blue. For someone who once complained about being used as a piggy bank, he had absolutely no qualms about using other people as one.

I decided to try on a pair of dark slate blue jeans next, the pants legs rolled up and stitched in place. It felt so nice not having my legs bared to the world. I put on a bright blue long-sleeve and tugged on a short-sleeved black jacket, but decided I didn't care for it and went for the three-quarter sleeved sweater next. It was a darker blue, a bit muted in color, with a lighter stripe going across the chest and biceps.

The right sleeve hung perfectly over my pressure garment.

Standing there in the changing room, I stared into my reflection via the long mirror hanging against the door. I certainly did look older; I looked much different than I did when I first saw my reflection after escaping. With my short hair, fuller cheeks, and clothes that actually fit and covered me… I really could probably be mistaken as someone else- even with my unsightly black eye.

But I didn't feel covered up enough.

"Hey, um… Blue?"

"Yeah?" He called out from the other side of the door, waiting for me to get done changing. "What's up?"

"...C-Can I have that, um… trenchcoat? And… my scarf?"

The boy sounded baffled by my request. "You still wanna wear that thing? It's covered in blood!"

Maybe, but… "I-It's not like you can really see it!"

Besides, I'm not sure why- especially since red is one of my least favorite colors- but I found myself rather attached to it.

Kōga didn't have to give me his scarf, but he did, and he had done it to cover me. To shield me. He was an adult, an authority figure, someone I would have never been able to bring myself to trust a few days ago. He had just been a gym leader I needed to defeat. Prior to today, I never even really gave him much thought.

But… he saw me.

He saw through me. He knew who I was the second I walked up to him. He knew what I was planning, that there would be no stopping me from going through with it, and accepted my challenge. I was a child, and he took me seriously.

I was a child, and he… scolded me for getting myself hurt.

Professor Oak, Yuna, Nurse Joy, Bill, and even Daisy…

They were all adults who worried. Who cared. Yet Kōga was the one who scolded me when I hurt myself, and upon seeing the back of my shirt torn and my scars out on full display he proceeded to give me his scarf to try and cover them up. Like several others before, he told me to rely and trust in my pokēmon instead of trying to protect them. But unlike anyone else, he had told me to be a child.

To… stay a child, while I can still be one.

He wasn't going to stop me from seeing my mission through, but he… didn't want me to lose myself in it. Is that weird? I feel like I'm interpreting it all wrong. But when I think back on it, the way he spoke and the face he had made… it felt like that was exactly what it was.

There was a strange warmth from this scarf as a result, a warmth… far different than the one that came from the dawn stone. A warmth I felt like I must have once known, but had lost all those years ago.

He said I was nearly the same age as his daughter…

Fiddling with my longer sleeves, I worried my bottom lip. I gazed into my reflection almost pathetically, searching my mind desperately for the memories that were lost to me, yet only recalling the horrors of my nightmares. Of the people I had seen die. I wanted so badly to know if I had a family.

A father.

If I did, and even if he's dead now, having one must… have felt a little like this, right?

A gentle touch, a scolding that didn't stem from rage but concern, and a piece of cloth to shield you. A gift. A kindness. Warmth. It felt a lot like what I felt with Brock and Blue. Like I was being treated as family. Maybe I'm just overanalyzing things, or maybe I'm just that desperate for affection, but it truly felt that way.

Because of it, I… can't bring myself to get rid of the scarf.

In such a short amount of time, I've become attached to this piece of fabric. "I-I like it…"

"…Okay, well, in that case," Blue let out a defeated sigh, knowing there was no dissuading me, "I'll grab the coat and the scarf. Hold on."

I heard his footsteps leave. About ten seconds later, they were back and he knocked on the door. I cracked it open and took the items from him. "Th-Thank you!"

"'Course."

Alright. Moment of truth. Just breathe.

I held the heavy black fabric in my hands, shaking a little for reasons I couldn't quite discern. I really shouldn't be getting this emotional over a bunch of clothes. I felt so silly. I felt like I was living a fantasy. After nine years, I've not only grown but now I'm also choosing something to wear. I get to wear something that's… my choice.

I get to make a choice.

Biting down hard on my bottom lip, I pulled the sleeves of the trenchcoat on and fumbled with the lapels and buttons for a moment. The sleeves were a lot like the jeans in that they were stitched in place, rolled-up and covering my hands. It was still my size, but the design made them come off much larger than they actually were.

I felt bigger than I actually was.

Inhaling deeply, I wrapped my scarf around my shoulders, carefully twisting the cloth so the excess hung in the back. When I looked back at the mirror, I felt a strong wave of emotions wash over me, my shoulders growing tense and my chest tightening as I choked up.

I can't see them.

The scars. The crooked wrist. The pressure garment.

My sleeves nearly covered my hands completely. Before I knew it, my fingers were brushing against the face in the mirror- brown eyes staring into brown. I was not the same person I was three weeks ago. This is my proof.

I am no longer what Team Rocket made me.

This… is where I cut my ties to them completely.

"Kid?"

Swallowing thickly, I pulled back and took a deep breath, resting a hand against my chest. When I opened my eyes again, having closed them just momentarily to calm myself, I startled- having thought I saw something in my reflection. Something… wrong.

For a split second, it looked as though a pair of crimson eyes had been staring at me through my own, the white sclera of my eyes having gone black, but when I blinked they were gone.

Disturbed, I tried to shake it off, deciding it was just my anxiety getting the best of me again. I picked up the discarded clothes- the ruined sailor uniform and the other outfits I had tried on- and stepped out. Blue's eyebrows rose with intrigue as he eyed my chosen appearance. "Hey, that doesn't actually look half bad on you. The scarf really does add a nice touch to it, huh?"

I puffed my chest out a little at that, trying to stand a bit taller as I mimicked his pose, resting my hands on my waist. "Of course it does!"

He laughed, walking over and getting my hair a rough yet affectionate ruffle. "Yeah, yeah. Come on; let's go find you some new shoes. Actually, what do you think about gloves? There were a few cool fingerless ones on the shelves near the entrance."

Gloves? I was quick to jump on the chance to cover up more scars. "Sure!"

Rather than smirk, Blue surprised me with an actual smile. He tucked his hands into his pockets and began to lead the way. "Then let's go. Maybe we can find something that'll match you and Ansem even more."

"Eva!" The pokēmon in question barked in glee, chasing after us excitedly with Basil, Belladonna, Ruby, Sapphire, and even Umbreon hot on his tail. As he ran, Ansem jumped up with all his might to land on my shoulder, and I stumbled a little from his weight before letting out a small laugh, reaching a hand up and running my fingers through his fur as he got situated atop my head.

We went to the shoes first.

It didn't take that long to find a decent pair; Blue seemed intent on either getting me good travel boots or sneakers. We settled on sneakers; a pair of slip-on black ones with a white tip. The hardest part was just finding a version that fit me, as I apparently had annoyingly small feet. This became the same problem with gloves, and it was difficult trying to find a pair small enough that would fit. They mostly just had the sizes medium to large.

Basil ended up having to grab a pair from high up a shelf with his vines. They were a shade of dark brown, close to the inside color of an Eevee's ears. Ansem was very pleased by my decision.

Tugging them on, I wiggled my fingers and held my hands out in front of me, staring at them with sparkling eyes. With these, my arms- if I should remove my trenchcoat- would be almost completely covered.

This felt so surreal.

Observing the accessories hanging on a nearby wall, I heard Blue call out. "Yo, El! You said forget-me-nots were your favorite flower, right?"

"...Huh?" I blinked at the abrupt question and turned my head, looking at him from over my shoulder. He was staring at something in his hand. "Y-Yeah, why? What about it?"

"One sec." He walked over to me, snatched the tags off my new clothes, grabbed the extra clothes from me, and charged off in the direction of the backpacks where I could vaguely make out a head of red hair, leaving me standing there utterly stupefied.

"O-Okay…." That wasn't weird at all. What was he looking at?

Glancing up, I saw it was the same accessory wall as the one where I got Ansem's bandana. From the looks of things, Blue had been standing in the flower pin section. Going by his question, he had probably found a forget-me-not pin amongst the horde of them.

Daisy said… Blue doesn't like helping people outside his family or even admitting that he cares.

So why does it feel like he's spoiling me?

Standing there for several minutes, I observed the flowers- taking note of the different colors and types. I wondered if maybe I should get a bow or something for Belladonna. A tiny flower hat for Basil would be really cute, too. But… they'd probably be really expensive.

"El!" Blue's voice snapped me out it and I whirled around, surprised to see him running over with an awkwardly smiling Bill standing behind him, ruffling his orange hair as he held the extra clothes in his arms. Blue was grinning ear-to-ear, a large two-toned brown and tan fanny pack hanging from one arm and a hand curled into a fist with his other. He held his fist out to me. "Here."

A bit dumbfounded, I held my hands out and watched as he dropped something into them. My eyes widened as he pulled his hand away, for I saw there wasn't just one flower pin, but two. "One for you and one for Ansem! You can put them on your scarves!"

They were so tiny.

Flowers of a light blue, with white streaks and yellow centers. Petite and ever-so-sweet. The forget-me-nots held a bittersweet meaning that felt incredibly personal to me. They promised remembrance.

And Blue decided that Ansem and I should each have one.

I could feel the paws atop my head before Ansem made a sound, the pokēmon making biscuits against my hair as he buried his muzzle into the dark chocolate strands. He could sense the wave of emotions, the heart-wrenching and overwhelming way this made me feel, and it affected him just as strongly. "E-Eva…?"

"B-Blue…" I looked up at him, choking back the lump in my throat. "You…"

"What?" He grinned at me. "Just go ahead and put them on! Bill's already paid for them."

"And that." Bill gave a tired smile, pointing at the two-toned fanny pack Blue was holding. "And your clothes."

"Unimportant." Blue huffed, waving him off.

I looked down at the flower pins in my hands.

Swallowing thickly, I carefully moved to pin one to the lapel of my trenchcoat. Once done, pressing on it and making sure it was in place, I lifted Ansem up off my head and held him with one arm, balancing his weight against my shoulder as I carefully pinned the accessory to his scarf. The light blue stood out against the dark red of the fabric, and made a rather lovely contrast against his eyes.

He beamed at me, barking happily at the unexpected present, and I gave him a soft smile and another kiss to the forehead- this one firmer and lingering longer than the others. When I pulled back, I held Ansem close and flashed Blue and Bill as bright a smile as I could muster, ignoring the strong urge I had to cry. "Thank you!"

I…

"I love them."

Blue's never looked prouder."Figured you would. Now put this on."

He tossed the fanny pack to me.

"There's a little surprise in it, too- something you can put your stone in so you can wear it around."

Intrigued and perhaps just a little confused by his statement, I fumbled with the fanny pack for a moment to tie it around my waist before unlatching the pack lip itself and reaching inside. Feeling my fingers brush against something small yet… almost akin to a glass bottle, I pulled it out and stared, eyes growing wide at the sight. "I-Isn't this…"

"A necklace?" Blue grinned. "You should be able to fit your dawn stone in it easily with it's size."

Sliding my backpack off, I took out the dawn stone and fumbled with the bottle cap for a moment- grimacing when I had trouble untwisting it- before gasping when I popped it open. Blue and Bill were both greatly amused as they watched me tuck the dawn stone in, the object fitting perfectly inside due to both ends being so badly chipped.

I awkwardly tied the chain around my neck and tucked it under my scarf. My face felt unbearably warm, and I had to blink away some tears that were trying to form. My throat felt a bit tight. "Th-Thank you… again."

Blue snorted, and Bill let out a chuckle. The redhead waved a hand at me. "Aw, shucks, don't worry about it! I'm just glad to see ya smilin' for once, lil' lady! You were all frowns and scowls when we last met."

Y-Yeah. That… wasn't a good time for me. Mentally.

"Yo, guys!" Brock could be heard calling out to us as he made his way over- and while he wasn't dressed nearly as impressively as Blue, his new clothes did look rather good on him.

He was wearing a three-quarter sleeve orange shirt with black accents along the hems and collar, and had a short-sleeved green cargo top with black lapels over it. To match the jacket, he was wearing dark green cargo pants, and a pair of orange sneakers. Susie was still on his shoulder and Remedy was giggling by his side, clapping her hands with glee at the sight of us all dressed up. His backpack was hanging from his back. "You all ready? …Wait, El!?"

I jolted, startled by the abrupt shout, and took a small step back when he rushed over to stand in front of me and leaned forward, his eyebrows rising high on his forehead. An ecstatic laugh escaped his lips, and he smiled as wide as could. He held his arms out, almost as if he were about to go in for a hug.

"You look great! Congrats! How do you feel? Any different? More confident? It's amazing what a new set of clothes can do for a person, right?"

"U-Uh, I-I mean, um, yes?" I stammered incoherently, not at all prepared for the barrage of questions. "I guess? Kind of? It's… nice."

I felt more human than I've ever felt before.

"Haha! I knew it! Aw, you and Ansem are just adorable! Team Rocket's not gonna know who you are at all unless we tell 'em!"

"That's…" I cleared my throat, shifting and trying to stand a bit taller. I could feel all the pokēmon staring at me. "That's the hope."

Brock just beamed, and I closed my head instinctively when he reached out to ruffle my hair. "That's the reality! Anyways," He turned to look up at the man standing next to us, "I'd hate to ask you, Bill, but is it alright if we go ahead and pay for my clothes?"

"Yer a lot nicer on my wallet than that brother of Daisy's." Bill joked, though the sound of his voice made it sound like his wallet was in fact still in dire straits after Blue's spending spree. I still felt incredibly guilty about the extra outfit. "Sure thing."

"Great! Seriously, thanks a ton." Brock flashed him a smile, before turning to look at me and our auburn-haired friend. "El, Blue, why don't you guys wait for me on floor two and start grabbing supplies? I'll catch up as soon as we're done."

Blue squinted at him. "Don't hit on my sister while I'm gone."

"I-I won't!" Brock held his hands up defensively, mildly offended by the implication. "I already promised!"

Blue just gave him a look, pointing a finger at him. "And you better keep that promise."

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you all think in the comments, and have a wonderful day/night wherever you are! Stay safe! 💕