The next morning, Kaleigh woke up and stretched out her arms, back and legs making the egg in her lap roll off. She looked down at the egg and picked it up to move it beside her. She got up and started to gather up fallen branches and leaves. Once she had all the materials, Kaleigh got to work setting the branches up in a cone formation at first but they kept falling.

"Augh!" Kaleigh shouted while throwing the two sticks in her hands onto the ground. She plopped onto the ground, placing her elbows on her legs before resting her head in her hands. Her eyes narrowed at the pile of sticks as if her glare would make them work the way she wanted. She glanced back over to the egg and sighed heavily.

"This is harder than I thought," Kaleigh complained to herself, only to notice a glow that came from the egg.

Kaleigh gasped jumping onto her feet and ran over to the egg. The glow only lasted a short moment before it stopped and went back to normal. She quickly picked it up when the glow stopped, turning it around with her eyebrows pulled together. Nothing had happened, it was still an egg.

"What Pokemon are you?" Kaleigh pondered, taking a moment to stare at it before setting it back down. Kaleigh walked back to the sticks to work on building a shelter.

She worked on the shelter every day for almost a week. Kaleigh would take the egg with her when she searched for more materials for a reason that one day she came back to Rattatas pushing the egg away.

But now the shelter was up and just in time too, a rain storm had come in. Kaleigh held the egg quietly while she watched the storm. "We'll be safe and dry in here." She soothed the egg.

Kaleigh had grown quite attached to the egg, caring for it and protecting it from harm. She started to talk to it more and sing to it as well. Her stomach growled as the apples she had picked were gone and so were the berries.

"Mmm, so hungry…" Kaleigh complained as she laid her head on top of the egg. Listening to the rain she closed her eyes, being lulled to sleep by the storm.

The next morning Kaleigh was woken up by a paw pressing her nose. She wiggled her nose slightly as she slowly opened her eyes. Once her eyes focused she came face to face with a blue and black Pokemon.

"AHHHHH!" Kaleigh screamed as she pushed herself up and away from it. The Pokemon jumped and tilted his head to the right. He slowly reached its right paw out towards Kaleigh, but she moved as far away as she could in the shelter.

"L-Leave m-m-me alone!"

Kaleigh's body shook violently as she stuttered out her words. With the limited space in the shelter, the Pokemon stayed where he was, giving Kaleigh space and time to calm down. When she caught her barrings she then noticed the Pokemon egg was gone.

"W-where is the eg-egg?" Kaleigh questioned. The Pokemon then used its paws to gesture to itself.

"Wh-what?" She blinked a couple of times, her head tilted to the left.

"You? Did the egg hatch into you?" The Pokemon gave a closed-eyed smile while it nodded his head.

"Lu!" The Pokemon barked. Kaleigh kept her distance as she let out a sigh, she ran her fingers through her hair while she tried to think of what to do with the Pokemon. At that moment both the Pokemon and Kaleigh's stomach growled. Kaleigh glanced over to the opening of the shelter.

"Ah, l-lets go find some food." The Pokemon nodded his head before he left the shelter first, letting out a breath Kaleigh crawled outside. Once outside she started to walk to search for more food. As she walked she felt like she was being followed, and with a glance behind her, she confirmed it was the newly hatched Pokemon. She stopped and turned to the Pokemon quickly.

"Why are you following me?" Kaleigh questioned, the Pokemon stopped a little ways away from her.

"Ri ri lu!" The Pokemon started only for Kaleigh to sigh heavily and shook her head.

"Never mind, I can't understand you…"

Kaleigh then kept walking. She didn't get too far before something took hold of her hand and pulled her to a stop. Quickly Kaleigh looked down at the culprit. Upon seeing the Pokemon holding her hand with both his paws she swung her arm with all her strength sending the little Pokemon into a tree. She took a deep breath in while her body shook. After catching her bearings she looked over at the Pokemon before closing her eyes tight and tilted her head down while her hands came up to grasp some of her hair.

"I-" Kaleigh started but quickly lost her voice. A new fear was slowly rising in her as her action continued to sink in.

"I-I'm so sorry… I-I didn't, I don't want to-to hurt anyone!" Kaleigh stammered while her hands slightly pulled at her matted hair. The Pokemon, once recovered from the attack, came running to Kaeigh's side. Sensing all of her emotions the Pokemon was concerned. he gave her some space now fully understanding Kaleigh's anxiety towards Pokemon.

"Lu ri lu ri." The Pokemon said slowly as he sat down. Kaleigh looked at him, tears falling from her eyes. She closed her eyes again and sat down as well.

"I'm so sorry." She repeated. "I know you want to be my friend, but I-I can't… And I don't want to hurt you like that again."

"Ri! Ri ri lu ri lu lu!" The Pokemon started with determination while putting a paw out to her. Kaleigh looked at the Pokemon again and gave a soft smile as she sniffled looking at the paw.

"I wish I could understand you." Kaleigh's stomach, at that moment, decided to remind her of what she was doing. The noise made the Pokemon laugh lightly before he jumped up onto his feet.

"Lu!" This made Kaleigh smile as she too got up.

"I guess that means let's go."

As the two walked Kaleigh glanced at the Pokemon who was very keen on staying with her. She frowned slightly while she looked away before an idea popped up.

"If we split up we might find something faster," Kaleigh explained putting a soft smile back on. The Pokemon smiled back and nodded his head, putting one paw on his side while the other pointed at himself.

"If you find anything just cry out and I'll come find you! I'll do the same if I find something too."

The Pokemon nod his head before running off. Kaleigh watched for a moment before leaving herself. She made sure to go in the opposite direction.

"It should be okay on its own, now that it hatched.." Kaleigh tried to convince herself as she searched for food. She stayed clear from any Pokemon that she found near berry bushes or apple trees, but as she continued to look for food she started to feel hopeless.

"How am I going to survive like this?! "Kaleigh rubbed her face before taking a breath in. A moment later she heard the Pokemon's cry and smiled to herself.

"Good. It found food for itself…" Kaleigh touted as she looked in the direction of the sound before turning away and kept walking. That was until she felt a wave of fear wash over her like when she ran into the egg.

"Th-that's not good…" Kaleigh turned around and ran towards the cry. "Please be okay!" She prayed as she pushed herself, she felt the burn in her chest. Her body cried for air to her lungs while she ran, but that didn't stop her or slow her down.

"I'm sorry! I won't leave you again just PLEASE be safe!" Kaleigh pleaded to herself. As she came around a tree she saw a couple of odd blobs of colours that didn't look like trees or bushes. Once she was close enough she realized it was the back of a Pokemon trainer and a Rattata. She watched as the trainer threw something from their hand. Kaleigh ran passed the trainer only to watch as the Pokemon she hatched was hit by what she guessed was a pokeball and was sucked inside.

"NO!"

As the pokeball shook Kaleigh turned to the trainer her eyes narrowed as she shouted.

"That's my Pokemon!"

This made the male trainer scratch his head and looked at his Rattata. The rat Pokemon shook its head at its trainer.

"If the Riolu was yours why did it go into the pokeball?" The trainer questioned, crossing his arms.

"Uh-well, I um." Kaleigh stammered trying to think of what to say. She glanced back at the shaking pokeball and watched in horror as the pokeball opened letting out a very injured blue and black Pokemon. She turned back to the trainer who already had another pokeball in his hand ready to throw.

"It's because I don't have any pokeballs!"

The trainer paused his raised arm and gave Kaleigh a raised eyebrow.

"Well, that still doesn't mean the Riolu is yours."

"Yes, it does! I hatched it from an egg, but I don't have a pokeball for it. We were planning on getting one but we have been lost and hungry!" Kaleigh lied.

The trainer lowered his arm thinking it over. He then sighed while switching the pokeball for another. He returned his Rattata to its pokeball.

"Fine. You know, you're lucky Riolu are not from this region."

"Its name is Riolu?" Kaleigh inquired as she turned to the little Pokemon and picked it up. The trainer nodded his head and walked over.

"I'll take you to the closest Pokemon center." He offered. Kaleigh nodded her head and she followed him. She held Riolu close to her worried and ashamed of leaving him. The trainer looked back at Kaleigh as they walked and rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry about hurting your partner."

Kaleigh slowly nodded her head as she looked off to the side. The two were quiet for the rest of the way. When they got to the Pokemon center, Kaleigh handed Riolu to Nurse Joy who took him back to heal and rest up.

"Thank you," Kaleigh uttered a moment after Nurse Joy left. She turned to the trainer who was surprised by the gratitude. "No! It was the least I could do for attacking your Pokemon. Again I'm sorry but I know Nurse Joy will have it back up in no time. Until then, here." The trainer took her hand which made her tense up but relaxed when he let go and left some money in her hand.

"Go get a pokeball for it so no one can take Riolu from you."

"I will." Kaleigh nodded before the trainer left the center. As she waited she walked around the center, not wanting to leave in case something more happened. While she walked, she paused at a bulletin board and looked at some of the pictures on it.

"No…" She breathed as she saw her own picture. She assumed it was from her mother trying to take her back. She quickly pulled it off and ripped it up before tossing it into the trash.

"Riolu is feeling much better now!"

Kaleigh turned around to see Nurse Joy and Riolu behind her. Riolu smiled and jumped up toward Kaleigh. This made her reach out her arms and catch him. She smiled at Riolu and held him close. Kaleigh bowed slightly to Nurse Joy, thanking her before she left the center.

"Riolu… Do you really want to stay with me?" Kaleigh asked the Pokemon in her arms once they were outside. Riolu smiled and barked at her before he leaned in to hug her.

"I'll take that as a yes."