"M-Mommy? Wh-whewe dad-daddy?" A three-year-old Kaleigh asked, her body trembled as she neared her mother. She had heard her mother talk about her father on the phone to someone and started to wonder where he was.
Kaleigh's mother turned to the child, her green eyes glared down. She had blonde hair that matched the child, all done up nicely as she slowly set down the pen that she was using to go over some documents that had covered the kitchen table. "Who told you that you had a father?" The woman questioned her eyes piercing through the child with disgust. The young girl diverted her eyes to the floor quickly, knowing better than to look her mother in the eyes.
"U-uh I hear m-mommy say o-on um uh the the um that." Kaleigh stuttered, having trouble getting the correct words to form. Her little hand slowly lifted to point to the phone beside her mother.
"You were eavesdropping?!" Her mother raged, swiftly raising her hand and brought it down to smack the little girl across the face. The force caused Kaleigh to cry out in pain and fall to the floor. "I-I sowwy!" Kaleigh wept.
"I'll teach you so you will remember!" Her mother roared pulling out a pokeball and released the Pokemon from inside. "N-NO I SOWWY MOMMY!" Kaleigh bawled. The white light quickly formed into Salazzle who used fire blast.
Kaleigh shot up from the bed gasping for air, her body soaked in sweat trying to calm herself from the nightmare. "I-I'm okay.." She thought as she got up from the bed and left the bedroom. The sun was just starting to rise as she walked down the hall and to the front door, pausing at it.
"I need to get back to Riolu…" She thought as her hand reached to open the door only to freeze. "How do I get back to that pokemon center?" Letting out a sigh she decided to wait for the Officer to wake up and take her. Walking around the house a bit she went into the kitchen and stumbled across a little item on the counter. Kaleigh walked over to it and picked it up. It was slightly thick with a zipper at the top. When she opened it she saw some cash inside, she quickly looked up and peeked out of the kitchen to make sure the owner wasn't awake before she pulled out the money and stuffed it into the pockets of the pants she was wearing. She closed the zipper, put it back before walking away, and sat in the living room.
Kaleigh watched out the window as she thought back to the cuts on her arm and her finger. "How are they healing? Why are they healing?" Her right hand started to rub the sleeve as she was lost in thought. "Did they do this?"
"Good morning!"
Kaleigh jerked up, startled by the voice. She looked over and saw Officer Jenny in her blue uniform, fixing her hair.
"M-morning." Kaleigh replied. "C-can I go get Riolu?" She asked as she stood from the couch. Officer Jenny nodded her head with a smile. "Let's go see how your pokemon is doing." Officer Jenny said walking into the kitchen for a moment before returning with her wallet. Kaleigh saw this and cast her eyes to the ground. She quietly followed the cop out of the house and went to the car. The two got in and put on their seatbelts before driving off. Kaleigh watched out the window, one hand in the pocket holding onto the cash tightly. A sick feeling sat in her stomach, guilty for taking it from someone who was being kind to her.
Once at the pokemon center Kaleigh flew open the car door and ran inside, not waiting for Officer Jenny. "Where's Riolu!" She called out at the desk, hopping up to lean on her tummy to look through the small windows on the doors to the back.
"Your Riolu is all rested and is healthy! I will go get him for you." Nurse Joy laughed at the child trying to climb the counter. She then disappeared behind the door to the back while Officer Jenny calmly walked inside. Kaleigh got back on the ground and looked up at Officer Jenny as she waited. When Nurse Joy returned, she held the door open and Riolu came running out. He jumped up onto the counter and down into Kaleigh's arms. The two hugged each other happily, small tears formed at the corner of Kaleigh's eyes, so happy Riolu was okay. But the reunion was short-lived, as Officer Jenny placed a hand on Kaleigh's shoulder.
"Okay Kaleigh, I need you to come with me to the station. We just need your statement and then you can go home with your mom." Officer Jenny promised. Kaleigh quickly took a step back away from the cop. "NO!" She shouted at her, which caused some confusion in Officer Jenny.
"Kaleigh, I promise it will only be a moment. I know you have been through a lot… We just want your story and we already let your mom know that you are safe so she is on her way but until she gets here I'm going to stay with you!" Officer Jenny tried to soothe the girl.
Kaleigh narrowed her eyes at the officer. "NO! I'M NOT GOING BACK!" Kaleigh yelled before she rushed out the door. "Kaleigh wai-!" Once outside Kaleigh ran around the building knowing she had to disappear. She returned Riolu to his pokeball, as she heard the door's the pokemon open and she stayed close to the wall.
Kaleigh overheard Officer Jenny set out a description of her. She looked down at her outfit and kicked the back of her right foot against the pokemon center. She watched as Officer Jenny drove away, waiting a moment before coming out herself. She looked around the street and quickly walked into a shop.
Looking around at the clothes and mannequins Kaleigh quickly grabbed a long-sleeved shirt and held a pair of pants up to her waist before finding one that looked like it would fit. She took them up to the cashier and pulled out the cash. She paid for the clothes and took the bag, pausing as she turned and looked out the big windows at the front.
"Could I-I use your bathroom to change in-into this?" Kaleigh timidly asked, only to be pointed to the changing rooms. She went to the changing rooms and quickly changed into the jeans and shirt, she left the other clothes in the change room as she rushed out.
Now in a new outfit, Kaleigh walked down the street. She glanced around as she made her way around the city. When she saw a police car she tried to walk into a shop or just stopped in front of a window display. She continued this, all the way out of HopHopHop City.