"We'll be together forever, won't we?"

"I'll always love you..."

"I'm fine, you don't need to worry about me so much!"

"I guess... I'm just bored of it. It's all so... repetitive."

"All those things I said? Come on, you can't honestly expect me to have meant them!"

Icy blue eyes snapped open at the sudden lurch of the carriage hitting a particularly bumpy patch of dirt. The Rapidash duo pulling them forwards apologised for their lack of awareness, earning a few murmurs of "No problem" and "It's okay" from the passengers. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, the Glaceon looked around the dismal interior of the prison he'd been trapped in for the past 3 hours. Families of Pokemon heading towards "the future" with bright eyes and bushy tails, mumbling among themselves of all the things they'd do when they arrived in the new frontier town being spearheaded by the Explorers Guild.

A scoff broke past the boys lips. They'd given it all so much thought. His only thought had been to flee. To run as far away from his "home" as he possibly could.

"Papa...?" A small voice broke the young Glaceon from his reverie, turning his gaze down to the small bundle of fluff curled in his lap.

It was ridiculous, in some sense. He, a young man of only 22 being the tiny Eevee's father. And yet, fate had set him down that path. He'd been disbelieving the day they'd met. She couldn't have been any older than 3 days, and yet he found her there. Curled up in a hollowed out tree stump that'd been long abandoned by the (most likely) wild Rattata that had created such a dingy little den. She was shivering, soaked tip to tail in the pouring rain, and was covered in bruises and scratches. He'd almost believed he was still asleep, dreaming up an insane meeting like this.

That idea had left him almost immediately when a peel of thunder ripped through the stormy skies, eliciting a shriek of fear from the tiny creature before him.

He'd taken her back home with him after that. He couldn't possibly leave her out there in the storm, knowing she'd have frozen to death long before it ended. Telling himself it would just be until he found her parents, he set about bathing the young kit, tending to her wounds and getting some proper food in her. He'd taken care of her for the full duration of the storm, keeping her warm, fed and happy until finally the clouds parted and the (albeit not very strong) sunlight returned to the frozen north.

Taking his chance, the boy had immediately headed into to and begun asking around, checking wherever he could think to, and with everyone and anyone who would lend him an ear in the hopes of finding the kits family. He'd gone shop to shop, house to house, even went as far as putting up posters and fliers asking, begging for the family to step up and reclaim their lost child. But if they had been there, they never came forward. And the cold truth settled upon the Glaceon like fresh snowfall.

She had been abandoned, just like him.

When all his searching proved fruitless, when he found out the Eevee was truly alone, he'd decided there and then he'd keep her safe. A promise he held to for three long years, and one he wouldn't back out of until she was good and ready for the world and all it's hardships. Perhaps he was overprotective. He preferred the term "full of love".

"Morning, Sweetpea..." the Glaceon lazily stretched his legs out, grinning as the fluffball giggled in response to her pet name before burying herself under the crook of the ice type's neck.

"We're almost there, Papa! We're nearly to our new home!" Right... She'd been so excited to learn they were leaving the cold, unforgiving northlands he'd always called home. She wasn't a fan of the weather there. Not that he could blame the young kit, her first few days of life had been her tiny frame pelted by freezing rain and hail with little to no shelter to protect her from the raging storm.

He may have loved the rain, but she adored the sun. It was where he'd gotten the idea for her name. And while he wasn't much of a fan of it in excess, he was more than willing to make that sacrifice if it meant she would be happy. "Unconditional love", indeed.

"That we are, Sunshine. Remember, when we get there, Papa's got to head for the Guild to sign up as part of their expedition teams. But once that's done, we're free to go explore all we want. We'll have to familiarise ourselves with the lay of the land eventually. And, I guess, get to know the people..." The Glaceon's face dropped into a scowl at the mere mention of social interaction. He was never much of a people person, much less now after...

The boy shook his head, slapping himself on the cheeks, much to the confusion of the young kit beside him. 'No. You're here to get away from those thoughts. Not bring them with you. That stops now, Kaguya.'

"Papa? Why are you hitting yourself?" The Glaceon's eyes drifted to his (adoptive) daughters. Large hazel orbs stared up into icy blue ones before the ice type cracked a bright smile.

"Sorry, Sweetpea. Papa just had to chase away the demons." The Glaceon leaned down with mischievous grin, whispering into the Eevee's ear. "They don't like when Papa's cheeks get slapped, it's their one weakness!" The Eevee's eyes sparkled as she reached up, gently swatting at her father's cheeks.

"Leave Papa alone, you nasty demonds! Go on, shoo!" The boy couldn't help but chuckle softly. She still couldn't grasp some words, young as she was. But bless her if she didn't try.

"Oh, no! I think you've aggravated 'em! I can feel their influence over me! They're taking over!" The Eevee shrieked and giggled as her the older Eeveelution's paws lunged for her belly, tickling the child as she giggled and squirmed under his onslaught.

"P-PAPA! STOOOOOP!" Several Pokemon dropped their conversations at the sudden commotion, glancing over to see a squirming Eevee, giggling and kicking her legs around as she tried in vain to escape the elder Glaceon's paws, tickling around her belly and sides as he grinned. Noticing the other passengers staring, the Glaceon chose to listen to his young charge, letting off on his assault with a soft smile before leaning down to kiss the young girls forehead comfortingly.

"Alright, alright. But only because I love you so much, little one." The Eevee let out a happy giggle, wrapping her tiny paws around his much larger one.

"Love you Papa... You won't leave me behind, right?"

The Glaceon's heart twinged with deep seated guilt and sorrow. He could never replace them, no matter how much he wanted to. Her biological parents. She knew he wasn't her real father, and he knew that the thought that someday, he'd leave her too kept to poor kit awake at night. "Never, my little ray of Sunshine..."

The carriage ground to a halt, causing the Glaceon to look up from his beaming daughter.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we apologise for the delay, but we've finally arrived! All passengers, please disembark the carriage and make your way towards the Guild Headquarters due north from here. Thank you for choosing to travel with us today, and we wish you good luck with your new lives here in Sunrise Peaks!"

Stretching out one last time, the Glaceon hopped out of his seat, bowing his head to allow his young charge to climb upon his back, giggling as she wrapped herself up in her fathers cloak. Taking the time to check she was comfortable and safe, the Eeveelution strode out into the harsh sunlight, briefly reaching a paw up to block the sun in order to give his eyes the time to adjust before gazing out onto the framework of the frontier town that would soon be home.

"We're here, Sweetpea... Welcome to our new home. To our new start... Our new chance."