Julie opened her eyes to early noon sunlight shining through her window, her arm still hugging Midnight and his cheek resting against it. He was asleep and as adorable as always. "I can't believe I have you…" she whispered while tracing her fingers over his ear. It twitched in response, making Julie smile and stifle a giggle.
She wanted never to lose him again, not under any circumstance— not even to Yveltal's unforgiving grasp. It made Julie want to squeeze Midnight. It dismayed her to know that those she loved and even herself could lose their lives in an instant. She could do everything right, make the best possible decisions for years to come, and die in a freak accident or be killed in a wrong place wrong time scenario.
The mere thought shook Julie for the time she thought of it. It had always been difficult for her to accept just how fragile everything was. She would cherish every living moment with Midnight, Alyssa, and her mother as much as possible like she had invariably.
She left for Unova this evening and had to say goodbye to them soon. She would be there for two weeks, which wasn't enough time to enjoy even a small portion of the region, but she would still get to see and experience a lot if she managed time correctly. Julie hoped not to run into trouble while there, which reminded her that she forgot to ask Mr. Willam if Midnight knew how to use attacks.
He pulled her out of her thoughts after stretching under her.
Midnight lifted his head and groggily looked at Julie.
"Hi... hope you slept well." She rubbed his back and smiled. It was still difficult to believe Midnight was hers. Life felt complete for now, and her other half would forever be.
He sat up by her chest and turned to face her, glancing at her bare thighs and rear. She was still lying on her side, so he had a height advantage. He leaned down to nuzzle her cheek.
Julie looked up at him and hugged his waist with her arm. "We're leaving for Unova today, just you and me for a while. Region I've never been to." She sat a bit and leaned on her elbow. "And I meant to ask… do you know any attacks?"
Midnight nodded while yawning.
The umbreon knew how to use them effectively, too, but never had a reason to outside of living in the wild, where he fought and hunted for a short period after separating from his parents upon coming of age. Midnight had secured himself his first territory shortly after, which was a small clearing in a route after attacking and chasing off another umbreon that had previously owned it. To mask that umbreon's scent, Midnight then sprayed a poisonous sweat over the trees and bushes that all umbreon had stored in their pores as a defense mechanism or to mark territory.
However, his victory was shortlived, as the principal himself captured him a day later, so that was Midnight's biggest accomplishment in the wild.
"Maybe you can show me them soon, but we should start getting ready. I've got to shower." She got up and gathered a new pair of panties, blue jeans, and a tee. Julie had procrastinated and held off on packing until the day she left; the fact that she had focused on graduating for the past week didn't help.
After showering, she started gathering clothing and necessities, putting them in a medium-sized black suitcase she went to pull from her closet. Julie had found an affordable four-star hotel and had a good amount of pocket money to spend, so she wasn't worried about being unprepared.
She did everything in a couple of hours since she often got sidetracked by Midnight and her phone. It was now 3 p.m., and Julie had to leave in an hour to get to Olivine City and board the ferry by six in the evening. "I'm nervous, but I'm way more excited… or maybe it's the other way around." Julie sat on the floor by her zipped-up suitcase while Midnight sat with her. "I'd be more nervous if I was going alone, though." She took Midnight's cheek into her palm and ran her thumb over the top of his head.
He pressed his cheek to her palm and perked his ears.
Her phone vibrated, and she checked the message she received with her free hand. "I'll be back. Alyssa should be here in five." Julie patted his head and went downstairs but was stopped before reaching the front door.
"All set to go, Jule? You have your passport and I.D., right?" her mother asked from the couch, turning the volume down on the TV with the remote.
Julie nodded. "All packed."
"New pokémon, by the way? I saw you napping with an umbreon when I came home yesterday."
"Oh, yes, I meant to tell you about him." She took a few steps toward her.
Julie told her mother everything in summary— excluding the sexual aspects of their relationship, of course. She told her about him previously belonging to the school and what had happened between her and Mr. Willam.
"That's… quite an amazing story, Julie, and you said you're taking Midnight with you?"
"Yes. My first real adventure with a pokémon… My pokémon."
"Well, I'm glad you'll have some extra protection by your side. I'm going to miss you."
After her mother said that, Julie went to give her a tight hug. "I will too, Mom. I really appreciate you supporting and paying for my trip." She looked behind at the door. "Alyssa's been waiting out front..."
"Of course. I want to see you prosper out there and find your joy." She patted her back. "Get the door."
Julie pulled away after her mother let her go and jogged to open it.
"It's not the warmest out here." Alyssa had been standing on the porch for several minutes after a long bike ride.
"Just come inside. I don't have on shoes." Julie left the door open and walked back inside.
Alyssa followed and shut it, wiping sweat from her forehead.
"Hello, Alyssa. You look beat. Want some water?" Julie's mother asked.
"Hi. No thank you, Miss Lenita. I just pedaled harder than I usually do to keep warm. I'll be fine," Alyssa replied with a grin, then went after Julie, who had gone upstairs. "Probably packed the galaxy into that suitcase." She entered the room and sat on the edge of Julie's bed, looking at Midnight lying by the pillow. "Taking good care of your trainer?" She reached to rub his head.
Julie rolled her eyes at Alyssa's jab. "He helped me sleep last night." She stood her suitcase up. She was glad it had wheels so she wouldn't need to carry it.
"What's this?" Alyssa saw a piece of white fabric sticking out from under the blanket and pulled it out. "You two got busy last night, I'm guessing?" Alyssa giggled at how flustered Julie looked when she saw what she was holding.
"Uh…" Julie froze. She'd forgotten about those panties. "It was… nothing." She went and took them from her, tossing them into the hamper in the closet.
"C'mon, you know I don't mind… Guess you are taking good care of your trainer." Alyssa smirked and glanced at him.
If Midnight didn't have fur, the probable blush on his cheeks would be visible.
"So, you're heading out in less than an hour, huh? It'll be weird not having you around." Alyssa stood and scanned the room.
"It'll be weird for me too, but I've got to do this. I really want to see what Castelia's school is like." Julie walked and hugged Alyssa, feeling slight dampness on areas of her shirt from sweat. "Thank you one hundred times, over, Ali, and that's for helping me get through soo much of high school." She rested her chin on Alyssa's shoulder. "I know I say it a lot, but it means the world to me."
Alyssa embraced her as well. "Loved you too much not to be there for it all."
She held it for almost a minute, but it'd be 4 p.m. soon. Julie broke it. "I have to go…" She checked her phone for the time and sighed.
"Be safe out there. I'll go so you can focus more on gathering." Alyssa shared one final hug with Julie before leaving her room. "Oh yeah, and I should have like… three pokémon by the time you get back." She stopped to add that.
Julie raised her eyebrow and grinned. "Can't wait to meet them, then. I know you'll train them well."
"Duh. Now see you soon." Alyssa left for real this time, not to take up any more precious minutes.
"Ready to go, cutie?" She got up and pulled the handle out of her suitcase, slipping into her boots.
"Breon." Midnight hopped down from the bed and flicked his tail while looking up at Julie.
"Ah, nearly forgot." She hastily bundled up her bedsheets and blanket and tossed them into her hamper. Her mom would likely wash the set. If not, Julie would upon return.
She went downstairs and said her temporary farewells to her mother, then she and Midnight were off to Olivine. She'd take a single bus through Goldenrod to ensure they were on time.
When they got to the massive city, it was thirty minutes from six, which would give Julie enough time to check in with the ticket she'd ordered and board the ferry.
"Made it." She glanced at Midnight while he walked by her side north down a sidewalk full of people, busy grocery stores, and marts full of shoppers. Apartments and towering businesses in congregation encompassed them as they strolled through the commercial district.
People sat in lines in restaurant drive-thrus, and some street performers did tricks or played instruments on the sidewalk that Julie would donate to if she weren't going on a trip.
She had her navigation app open and checked her screen occasionally so they didn't get lost. Olivine wasn't as big as Goldenrod, but it still sprawled for hundreds of miles and held a busy society with just as many cars and people filling the walkways and streets. The climate was also just as cool.
Julie had stopped on the way after a stand selling various jewelry made from pokémon stones caught her attention. They veered off-path temporarily, and she bought a cute water stone bracelet she stored in her suitcase for now. Julie was prepared to buy many more collectibles in Unova but would try not to go crazy.
They reached the docks shortly and stood inside the welcome center at its front desk. Julie put her phone away and paid for her claimed ticket after giving the male receptionist the confirmation number she'd received in her email. She also gave him her passport and I.D. she momentarily grabbed from her suitcase and wallet.
He let her through afterward, and she and Midnight stood at a distance with other passengers and accompanying pokémon, staring at the still ship for a couple of minutes and smaller boats docked beside it, rocking against waves that stirred underneath and splashed against the sides. The climate was cool and windy, making her shiver with every breeze. "Last time being home for a while..."
Julie looked behind her, back at the building she had just left. She didn't want to turn around, though. She wanted to bond with Midnight and try to grow more independent. She wanted a fresh start after enduring school and finally— finally, having the pokémon of her dreams. The vast region of Unova was waiting for her. All Julie had to do was get on the ferry that would take her there.
Midnight watched ships trudge across the ocean and glanced at docked ones.
After the ship began boarding, Julie got on with everyone else after getting her ticket validated by the crew, standing on the deck at the railing with Midnight and gazing at a road before the docks within Olivine, at the continual passing of cars and people leading busy lives. She leaned down and scooped him into her arms, holding him against her chest while a breeze whisked by.
::
End part 1. :]