Chapter 6: nacrene city

A/N: Not much to say really except enjoy.

Chapter 6 START

"Finally." Theodore said, looking at the gates holding Nacrene City. "FINALLY!"

After an unbelievable, excruciating, painstaking 20 hours of walking, the team finally arrived at Nacrene City, the city known for its famous museum that remained a beacon of its cultural heritage for centuries since it was first built.

Theodore had thrown his furry companion right off his back as he ran past the gates and practically hugged the concrete floor. He'd never thought he would miss the city atmosphere after only being away from it for 20 hours. It reminded him of that time he'd gone camping a decade ago just to prove to himself that he could survive in an unfamiliar atmosphere then threw himself to the nearest hotel once he completed the 60 day challenge. He almost forgot that he did that since he'd immediately move on to the next thing that would hopefully provide him a hard challenge.

The rest stared in awe as they entered the city. It was huge. It made Striaton City look like an ant. There were many buildings that were actually warehouses lent by the city to artists. As they walked pass, they saw them being used as shops to sell souvenirs, jewellery, and miniature artifacts or were used to display the various artwork the artists made. There was one currently using a power sander to carve a foam statue of a Gyarados. It was a magnificent sight to see.

The streets varied in colour as it was like a rainbow wonderland. There were drawings of people and Pokemon in various styles drawn on anywhere where there was space. If that was happening on Earth then it's either a pride parade or some dudes trying to piss off the government.

The two beside her were as ecstatic as children could be at a huge tourist attraction, but Sarah saw everything differently. To her, it felt like freedom tinged with a bit of regret. She was a shut-in who kept her little-girl attitude until she left Accumula Town, wasting her years inside her home. Don't get her wrong, it wasn't because she was held by her parents or she feared the outside, she just wasn't interested in what was out there despite her parent's insistence. However, after she strayed from her mother during a small shopping trip, she entered the forest and saw many Pokemon for the first time. She felt a deep curiosity and happiness seeing them interact with their families and living their lives in strange ways.

She knew she had to see more. Her nights after that day weren't the same as she kept wondering about what was out there. So when she turned 12 and became eligible for the Unovan Circuit, she picked up her bags and left. She knew it was the best decision she made when she felt the peaceful atmosphere upon reaching the gardens of Striaton City.

Theodore wasn't paying attention to the sights around him. He was just glad they finally reached the next milestone after the distraction of the Dreamyard and the nursery. He remembered how Nacrene City had its famous museum which also contained a library. He was feeling giddy at the idea of sitting there with a stack of books about Pokemon anatomy. It would be dick-raising if he found out the workings of the organs responsible for breathing fire or shooting ice beams. He was already drooling from the thought. He walked in front of the team, stopping them in their place.

"Alright you cunts. We're finally in Nacrene City, so we all know the first place we're going to." Sarah caught on from his enthusiasm that they were thinking the same thing.

"You're right Theodore." She pulled out her pokedex and went to the map feature before smiling in glee. "The first place to head to is the mall."

"Library... wait what?" His smile faded to dread when he saw the young girl shaking in anticipation. Oh no, not another distraction.

He kept waving his hand to her. He wouldn't go on her stupid shopping trip.

"Come on Theodore, it will be fun. I can buy you something if you want."

"Nope, ain't happening." He picked from her pocket a small notepad and pen they thought would be useful for communication.

THIS WASN'T PART OF THE DEAL. IT'S NOT RELEVANT TO THE JOURNEY, SO I DON'T HAVE TO GO.

"But isn't buying supplies essential for a journey? What will happen if we run out of food or water or how are we going to stop getting drenched from the rain again without an umbrella?" She smiled victoriously as he tried to write something but nothing would come out. He sighed in defeat and wrote.

I CAN'T ARGUE WITH THAT. YOU GOT LUCKY THIS TIME.

"Yay! To the mall we go." She said, pointing to a colossal building in the distance that towered over the rest. He had a bad feeling about this.

Aaaaaaaaaaaand he stood correct. All those times he disregarded Nathan's complaints about his girlfriend's shopping trips, he had thought they were just him complaining of having to carry 2 bags of clothes around the mall, but now he knew he wasn't exaggerating in the slightest.

He was carrying with his small stature bags upon bags of fashionable clothes. They kept on piling as they walked around the shop even with his new Pokemon strength, he was finding it difficult to hold them. He couldn't see in front of him anymore as Sarah threw another cardigan on top of the red dress. Who wears clothes like these anyway they're too exotic as if they were trying to cosplay anime characters. If you look like this in my world it would be cringe.

"Oooff!" He bumped into a manakin and fell on his ass, the clothes scattering all around him. He deadpanned at Sarah while she looked at him with a sheepish smile.

"P-perhaps that's too many clothes. How about I pick only 2 pairs instead." She decided to be reasonable and kept a knee-length purple dress with a pair of pink wellingtons. She loves those colours, doesn't she.

He sat there with a pair of trousers hanging off his head. He was about to take it off, but that was when he realized something he should have noticed a long time ago. Something very VERY important. Something integral to his very humanity; he was NAKED. This entire time he didn't notice at all as his now Weavile body kept his privates covered up and his fur felt like clothes that were glued to his body. However, it didn't matter now that he was self-conscious of his naked self. He was wide-eyed and looked around himself in instinct, wondering if anyone was watching.

"Are you okay?" Athena asked, sensing his anxiety. He didn't answer as he tried to fight the instinct to cover himself with the clothes scattered on the floor. He gave a slow shaky nod. He gathers the fallen clothes and hands them back to Sarah to put them back in their appropriate place. While heading to the checkout, many thoughts were going through his head as he couldn't leave this issue alone. It felt wrong and it was constant.

I can't exactly wear a shirt and trousers around in public, it would be outlandish. Even a robe would be too much and how would I prevent them from being ripped in battle.

The store member was scanning the clothes. He saw, over her shoulder, the few rows of manakin heads wearing scarves fit for different climates and occasions such as a feathery one one would wear at a fancy party. His eyes widened at the idea. Yes, I can wear a scarf! Sure it doesn't cover my whole body but it will give me some comfort knowing I'm not an animal. I want to be left with at least some dignity while I get around this world like this. Just some.

"You can buy it if you want, Sarah won't mind." Athena said. "Thanks to you in the Striaton Gym, she got a whole lot of cash. That's why she's in this clothing shop as she has a lot of expendable money. She said it herself remember, she was happy to get you something."

He didn't reject the offer as he had to get one of those scarves. It would look normal and wouldn't get in the way of a battle, but it felt humiliating to ask a little kid to buy something for you. He was a grown man and ever since his younger years, he's always tried to be independent even when it came to providing for himself. He reluctantly pulled on her dress and pointed to one of the scarves.

"You want me to buy you that one? Good choice, the colours fit you perfectly." He didn't realize it until she mentioned it, but the scarf was for winter, it was grey and had red tips. What a crazy coincidence that it matched his Weavile form perfectly. The only reason he picked it was because it was similar to the one he had before and could be used as a reminder of home... when did he get this sentimental about his home?

After a quick stop at a camping shop to better prepare them for their long treks, Sarah thought it would be a great idea to go to the cafe for ice cream. Athena was delighted while Anubis was confused about what ice cream was. Theodore, on the other hand, just smiled as he walked through the mall with his sexy self and his new scarf.

They arrived at the cafe and it was huge! There were a lot of people filling the tables. They walked to the front and instead of a person to take their order, there were tablets with the various options offered.

Suddenly, The boys felt a strangling sensation around them. Theodore quickly glanced around as he thought it was one of Shinigami's shenanigans but no. Anubis hid behind him as he felt the aura of the two responsible. He never imagined the sisters who were always bubbly to have this menacing aura to them. Sarah sent a narrowed side glance to the small fairy Pokemon.

"As you know Athena, ice cream has existed for many centuries, first made in Persia to be enjoyed by royalty. Ever since then, it has spread across the world to be enjoyed by many. It has always been the pinnacle of dessert since that time and now has many different flavours."

"But Sarah, we both also know that only one flavour can reign supreme as the best and unfortunately for you, that throne belongs to strawberry." Their fingers dug into the tablet with such intensity that small cracks began to form under the pressure.

"No it's not, it's vanilla!"

"Strawberry!"

"Vanilla!" they were butting heads at this point, pushing each other back and forth.

"Why don't you pick bo-"

"SHUT UP!" They both shouted, making the ice type shrink back awkwardly. He looked at the options ranging from mango to mint and even mixed ones. He contemplated which was the best flavour. I know.

They stopped their pushing competition when they heard the tablet printing out a ticket which Theodore gladly took.

"Chocolate." The ticket said the ice cream cost $10 dollars which is around £8 and to go to table 9 for their order. He wondered how money worked in the Pokemon world as the anime didn't show any transaction whenever a character bought something... Ah who cares, Sarah can deal with that crap. Anyway, as long as we keep winning battles like Athena said then we should be fine.

The sister dejectedly walked to their table slumping into their seats. Heartbroken, they gave Theodore who smirked, the stink eye. But coming from them it only made him laugh.

"Never imagined I'd catch you without that radiant smile. You're usually the epitome of cheerfulness. Perhaps it's in a Ralts's genes," he remarked to Athena. His surprise peaked as she swiftly did a 180 and flashed her trademark bright smile once more.

"Yes, the chocolate ice cream will be great for my tongue. I can't wait for it to melt into my mouth." He sighed and turned away from her. It was annoying how she always remained positive, looking for the best in every situation. He said it could be part of a Ralts's genetics as a joke, but now he considered it. It was disgusting as he never found the point of being positive all the time. It was a weakness; only the desire for victory can bring him happiness.

He says that yet studies have shown that the positive people are the ones who live the longest. If evolution was about survival and giving your genes to the next generation then his point of view would be wrong.

The waiter arrived with the bowl of ice cream that came from heaven. Only $10 dollars for this! There was no time to describe it as he picked up his spoon and dug in with the others. Anubis held his scoop in front of him, inspecting all the different details from the smooth surface to the rainbow sprinkles. He slowly ate it, making sure to get all his taste buds activated. He stiffened. This is amazing. How can humans create such a delicious treat. He made sure to eat as much as he could before the sugar lovers could ravenously empty the bowl. He noticed the curious stare his friend was giving him.

"Am I doing something wrong?" He asked which made Theodore chuckle.

"Nah it's just that chocolate is usually poisonous for canines. Their bodies metabolize theobromine- a compound found in chocolate- much more slowly than humans do, leading to toxicity even at lower doses. I guess you Lucarios and Riolus have the sufficient amount of enzymes to digest it perfectly fine."

"This ice cream is made from poison types, woah." He said adorably, digging deeper into the remains of the bowl. Theodore too took a few spoonfuls, the taste being more apparent than ever.

After dropping off the shopping bags at their room in the Pokemon Centre, they rushed, at his assertive suggestion, to the famous Nacrene City museum. He was excited as he wanted to see all the different artifacts, read many books on Pokemon anatomy, and finish it off with a gym badge. What more can one man ask for. Too bad for him that there was a sign on the door saying 'Sorry but the museum is closed due to the new artifact delivery'.

"What?" Sarah exclaimed. "That can't be right. I booked a gym battle for 2:30 and they didn't tell me they were closed."

She checked her pokedex and it said she was pending for her gym battle. Maybe the battlefield is a separate part of the museum and is still available.

She knocked on the door a few times awaiting a response. Theodore seethed in anger. What kind of service is this. Back at home, this would be the immediate downfall of any tourist attraction after getting swarmed with negative reviews. They better have an answer for this or they'll have to face a shadow claw to the face, better yet, I'll steal their artifacts.

The door swung open, unveiling a middle-aged man sporting short brown hair and soft green eyes. He was clad in a neat sleek grey suit, perfectly complemented by a neatly knotted tie.

"Hello, may I help you?"

"Yes hi. My name is Sarah and I have a gym battle at 2:30, but apparently, your museum is closed." The young man looked at his watch before his brows rose.

"I'm so sorry ma'am, but we will have to move your appointment to a different time. Unfortunately, our shipping arrived earlier than it was supposed to. Lenora, the Gym Leader, had no choice but to sort that out so she'll only be available this evening. Again I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but if you want you can use the library as that section isn't closed.

"Yes!" Theodore yelled. "Library library library."

He kept bounding on his feet with a large smile she hadn't seen on him before. He looked so happy that it would have felt as if she committed a crime if she didn't accept the offer.

"Alright, we'll go." She said with a smile but the man knew it was forced. It looked wrong for a young girl like her to have anything other than a true smile.

"Tell you what, just for you, I'll also give exclusive use of our private training room to train your Pokemon." Now that got her smile to reach her eyes.

The boys went to the library while the girls, who were more interested in preparing for the upcoming gym battle, went to the training room.

"Why don't you go with them? Some exercise would help your condition." He asked the shy Riolu.

"I d-dont really trust Sarah. I'm okay with Athena b-but not her."

"You're an idiot." He said bluntly, making him almost trip over. "Sarah has no bad blood in her. She's naive, kind and too innocent to have any ill intentions toward you. You've read her aura. What's the difference between her and Athena... exactly, nothing."

"Yeah, but still she's a human. I've already been abandoned by one, so why should she be any different."

"Humans are incredibly unpredictable creatures. One can be a tyrant while one can be charitable. You won't find in her what you found in your previous trainer I can tell you that, but if you don't want to trust her then suit yourself. Just so you know, I can spend days in the library reading, so I better not hear any whining if you're bored."

The library was small, about big enough for a secondary school. It was pretty standard with rows of shelves filled with thick and thin books. He wanted to orgasm on the spot. This is what he's calling is. With no time to waste, he grabbed a random book, sat around the small table in the corner and opened the front page of the glorious bank on knowledge. Anubis sat on the chair next to him, narrowing his eyes at the tile, but couldn't make out the letters. There were some he hadn't seen before and there were a lot more.

Pokemon moves from 3000 years ago

Chapter 1: Introduction

Everyone in the current generation assumes that the world has always been a happy dandy place where one could simply become allegable to be a Pokemon trainer at the age of 12. Where one could travel to most parts of the world without worry of wild Pokemon. This was never the case during ancient times back when war was always prevalent around the world. During these times Pokemon who were the most powerful weapons at the time, were constantly being bred to replace their parents on the front lines. However, there was no time to teach them the original Pokemon moves.

Back then, Pokemon were able to learn more than 4 moves that had advanced versions of themselves, although, they would take a long time to learn. So over time, they had evolved parts of their brain to instantaneously learn a basic version of a move. Scientists still aren't sure what the requirements to be met are for a Pokemon to learn a move, but it seems to revolve around using all the individual's senses.

Since the constant wars kept causing detrimental damage on the planet, the Great Pact was formed between all nations of the world 434 years ago where it was sworn that humans will never engage Pokemon in a grand scale conflict nor abuse them for any extreme cause. This is why it is illegal to do either for even a small scale reason other than a type of police force. So now, human-Pokemon partnerships are celebrated via an honourable battle representing-

"Blah blah blah. No one gives a shit about that." He skimmed the rest of the introduction which talked more about the species' relationship till he got to the good part.

Luckily, using their biographies written by scientists at the time. We've been able to identify how some moves looked and functioned. Unfortunately, we and top trainers have been unable to find a way for any current species to perform these original moves. We've recovered the information of 16 moves. On the rest of the chapters, we'll be going into them in detail.

Chapter 2: The Forgotten Move 'Cadence Illusion'

There were pictures of an unrecognizable bipedal Pokemon, long extinct, performing the move.

In battle, the user enters a state of heightened focus and concentration. They move using precise steps in a pattern which creates a mesmerizing rhythm that echoes around them. As they move they create a subsequent trail of afterimage illusions that disorient their enemy.

The move capitalizes the opponent's senses by exploiting all vision, hearing, touch, and smell. So if the opponent sees these afterimages, they will quickly experience horrible nausea and will be rendered from using any of their own moves until recovered. While in this state, the user will use this opportunity to deliver a precise, decisive blow.

This move is the original version of double team, but unlike it, can form continuous illusions as long as the user is moving so it can't be broken with a quick AOE attack. It can also cause some serious temporary effects on their opponent's brain.

It was found in a few manuscripts that those who master this technique can create a fake clone during their movement to confuse stronger enemies who can overpower the nausea. For example, if the user dodges to the right of an ice blast then as long as he has made those precise movements earlier in the battle then they can create a clone who dodges to the left.

Chapter 3: The Forgotten Move 'Techtonic Fist'

This move could only be used by a rock and ground type. The user wou-

When everything was going well, Theodore was interrupted by his small reading session when he heard his unwanted brother rubbing his knees and groaning in pain. He was pissed at how he told him not to whine yet he does it anyway. A weak creature like this should only be disciplined through an appropriate measure. He was about to slap him across the face, but then he remembered the deal he made to Sarah that he wouldn't be a pain in her journey.

Stupid dog. He groaned, but maybe it would be a good idea to help his mobility otherwise he'll be carrying him everywhere. He can also try the original move, sure even champions have never gotten their Pokemon to do it but he is THE Theodore Nieoldiek. No one can be compared to him. He looked back at the images of chapter one and ingrained the demonstrator's movements into his head.

"Alright, let's go to the training area since you wanna be a baby. You'll need some strength training to help your muscles not rest."

He was stunned after opening the door at all the different equipment. Some he recognized as they were either ones you could find at a normal human gym or ones he's used in animal tests, but some he hadn't seen. They were specialized to train different Pokemon types and many types of attack, ranging from ranged to close combat. They walked past the other two, who were doing their own thing, to the dumbells.

"I know how dog and human muscles work and you seem to be the combination of both, so I'm the perfect trainer. Your knees were hurting earlier so to help the patellar tendon you'll start with some wall sits." He moved his back to the wall and put him in the proper position. "There now stay there for 50 seconds then take a small break. Afterwards, do it again another 4 times."

Anubis found the first 3 sets pretty easy but struggled on the last 2. His knees were feeling a searing pain as he kept counting down the seconds, wishing the exercise to be over. He made sure to complete it though as he didn't dare to make himself look like a failure in the first task given to him. Theodore then showed him a couple more exercises- some needing dumbells- and let him get on with it while he was going to try to do Cadence Illusion. Sarah saw them at the edge of her eye, smiling at them working together. They both had issues, but as long as they have each other then hopefully those issues will go way before they know it.

Remember what you saw. Moving to a space, he vividly saw the starting position of the extinct Pokemon. Based on the description, the move could be used in any type of movement including running. but the images were showing a baseline to how to do it. He went to a basic stance before walking incredibly slowly. This move needed precision which he knew he could do. It was meant for assassins which a Weavile was so this should be a piece of cake for him. Slowly and slowly, he was going in a circle around a pretend enemy. Slowly and slowly, the walking seemed more like a recording put on loop as he kept making small adjustments so the opponent would see an echo in his movements. After 20 minutes of walking non-stop, sweat was beginning to fall as the training was frying his muscles and his brain. It took a shit ton of concentration to get his steps to be absolutely the same as the last where even a minute detail would count.

Anubis had completed his exercises and rested on a bench, wondering why his saviour was so focused on walking. When he was taking his last few steps he could have sworn he had seen a blurry copy of him right behind him. After blinking a few times it disappeared. It must have been a sweat falling from his eyebrow.

Theodore moved onto stretches with him which were even more painful, ranging from his calves to his back, but afterwards, he was shocked by how different he felt. By how free he was. He was able to stand perfectly upright like a Riolu should.

"See, you're no longer hunchbacked anymore. Try going through that square thingy." He said pointing at a simple climbing frame in the shape of many cubes. When he tried, he was able to vault through, easily climb, and softly jump down without any issue. Sure, his muscles weren't completely activated yet, but it was a huge improvement compared to an hour ago. There was an increase in respect he had for his friend and his knowledge. He already knew he was smart, but now he thinks he may know everything.

"Good again." Athena blasted another psybeam at the training dummy designed to take impact from psychic type attacks. She wanted to focus more on her moves instead of physical conditioning as she didn't have the body for that yet. The most she could do was work on her evasion.

After the hype of her strategy working in the Dreamyard, it fell apart in the end due to her ignorance of psychic type moves not working on dark types. It was so embarrassing, so this time she checked what type this gym specializes in; it was normal types. She also found out that fighting types were supper effective against normal types. She eyed Anubis as he was sitting on the bench. She didn't want to use Theodore this time as he seemed to be doing everything for her. No! She wanted to do this herself with the Pokemon she caught.

"Athena you carry on. I'll be using you for the gym battle so that psybeam needs to be stronger." She nodded and carried on sending them one after the other. They were noticeably larger and faster than before.

"Anubis Theodore. I have an announcement." She gained their attention. "Later on I'll be using you, Anubis, and Athena. Sorry Theodore, but I have to do this on my own. I wanted to prove myself and show that I can do this."

He whistled at her boldness and respected it. He would always respect someone going over an obstacle for self growth. He could see fellow Pokemon looking at him nervously, wondering what to do.

"Actually, it's a good idea. Those exercises have left you with complete mobility, and you Pokemon have a lot of endurance, so a big stimulant should help your muscles regain their remaining strength. And don't start having those thoughts of self-doubt, only losers have those. Trust me when I say you can do this." He wasn't trying to make it sound like words of encouragement, he was simply saying the facts. A Riolu- a fighting type- going against a normal type is an easy win, but to Anubis, they were. So, ignoring the small whisper at the back of his mind that threatened to grow larger, he pumped his fist into the air.

Sarah took out her pokedex to scan him before the same thing would happen like in Striaton Gym.

"This Riolu is male, 2 months old, and has no special abilities. His moves are quick attack, detect, and brick break. Warning! Weight is under the average amount; suggested to feed healthy Pokemon food in small amounts consistently t-"

"Yes, we already get that part. So with these moves how should I use you in battle?" She hummed to herself in thought. Based on that book and his species' fighting style, I should only use him in close combat. His moves prove that too. I can bring him close to his opponent using a quick attack then use his other attacks to inflict damage.

The closing of the door broke her out of her stupor. Came in a large black woman with a simple white shirt, and loose blue trousers. She had a large blue afro and wore a smile that radiated strength. She knew immediately that this was the gym leader of Nacrene City, Lenora.

"Well well, hard at training I see. That's good, I always like to see trainers hard at work. Hi, I'm Lenora and you must be Sarah." She stuck out her hand which she took.

"Yes, that's me. I came here for a gym battle, but it got cancelled." Lenora's smile slightly fell as she crossed her arms.

"I'm very sorry about that. I told the guys yesterday that the delivery for the extinct Pokemon was meant to be tomorrow, but they still somehow mucked that up and I had to push forward my schedule. Luckily, it didn't take as much time as I thought so if you want we can have our gym battle now, but looking at your Pokemon, I don't think it would be wise to do so." She said before Sarah saw the 3 of them slightly huffing in exhaustion. "Tell you what, I'll open the museum early tomorrow morning so I can have a battle ready just for you. It will be at 7:30 sharp. Will you be able to make that?"

"Yes!" They officially organized the time before Team Sarah left for the Pokemon Centre. Sarah left the boys in the room as she wanted to talk to her parents like she'd promised she'd do when reaching this city. She was in front of a video booth wearing a nervous smile while clenching her dress as she didn't know what their reaction would be. She felt a small hand on top of hers. Athena gave her a small nod, telling her it would go okay. The booth showed an image.

"OMG! Dear, come quickly it's Sarah. She's reached Nacrene City." Exclaimed a woman with gentle eyes and a warm smile that lit up her face. Her hair, usually styled in a practical yet stylish manner, frames her face in soft waves or a tidy bun. She wore a soft, oversized sweater paired with faded jeans, giving off an effortlessly casual vibe.

Swiftly came a man who beamed in excitement. Dressed in sturdy jeans and a faded t-shirt, he embodied the resilience of the everyday worker striving to provide for his family.

"Woah my little orchid I didn't think you'd be there that quickly. How are you so far on your journey, it must have been quite difficult."

"Thanks dad, it's been quite the trip. I didn't expect half the stuff I've encountered so far. I guess you were right when you said it will be difficult, but it's okay because I'm a big girl." She said placing a fist on her chest. Her parents though didn't share the same enthusiasm.

"Are you okay, do you need more money or a new bag?"

"Or did you lose your pokedex. Dang it, I knew we should have put a GPS in her bag." They both yelled.

Her smile faltered before she sighed. She knew they would react like this, they always did when she suggested going on her journey. What did he say about a GPS? It was hypocritical how they were the ones who insisted she leave her home to do something else other than watch TV yet now they're acting like this. They tried to discourage her from entering the circuit and become a normal traveller, but with her resolve, she refused and left through the door of their house.

"Guys relax, I'm fine. I've got Athena here to protect me and I've got two new Pokemon to join my team. They're not here right now as they were tired from their training, but they're super cool. One of them is a Riolu, like an actual Riolu can you believe that! He was abandoned by some trainer and got hurt real bad, so he doesn't trust me much, but he'll eventually overcome it. It's a work in progress. And the other is a species I've never seen before, and he's so smart. He was able to read my camping manual and turned the stove on. And guess what, he can write in English. I've never seen a Pokemon able to do that before."

Everything she said didn't help her parent's anxiety. They just wanted her to at least have a normal journey, and with a small desire, have her fail the circuit and come home, but this... this sounded like something else. For now, they'll carry on supporting her and see where she goes.

"Alright dear, but always remember that if you ever need anything, we're right here."

"Mooooom I'm not a baby. I can take care of myself."

"Yes but still, you'll always be our little baby, and Athena dear, your parents are here too if you want to talk to them."

"Ra Ralts!" Her parents, a Galade and an Audino showed up. She was excited to see them again. Her mother was a doting character whereas her father gave a cool stoic look but she knew he wanted to see her too. He just didn't want to look like a softie. They had asked her how she was and if she was training right.

"Trust me, when we come back home, we will come as champions. It'll be the strongest Gardevoir ever, that's a promise." They were glad to hear that; a fighting Pokemon should always aim to be at the top. With everyone's final goodbyes, Sarah and Athena went back to their room.

"Alright misters, we all smell like trash after that trip so it's bath time." She said getting out the bodywash, conditioner, and other stuff. "What are you guys waiting for, let's go in."

There was no way Theodore; a grown ass man was going to jump in the showers with a little girl. For the other two it wouldn't matter as they were kids, actually, no Pokemon would care but he wasn't an ordinary Pokemon now was he. He got his notepad out from underneath his scarf; it was a convenient place to put small objects in without them falling out.

I ONLY SHOWER ON MY OWN

She stared at the words in confusion before shrugging.

"Alright then mister privacy, I know you like to sing in the shower and are too shy for us to hear your beautiful voice."

"That's no-"

"But I'll respect it. It's not like we're going to have to pay for it. Come on Anubis, I really want to see how you'll look all groomed and stuff." She picked him up by the scruff of his neck before he could resist. She was already daydreaming what the end result would be.

She locked the door on all three of them before getting undressed and shoving them into the shower cubicle. He didn't like this at all. His arms were shaking in fear. Having the door locked, getting stuck in this small room, and having a human reaching for him. It was a replica of that day.

"Huh, your fur has a lot of dirt in it." She said as his now wet fur was still stiff from the dirt. He didn't realize there were droplets of water falling on him. He was breathing slightly quicker as his muscles tightened He looked over at Athena who was already washing herself with bodywash as she knew what she was doing. Honestly, how can she be in this encased space and not find it imprisoning. When she noticed his stare, she could only smile like how she always does, oblivious to his inner thoughts. He then remembered what she said to him in the nursery.

If you want to be part of the family then you have to let us treat you like one.

This was not something he liked. He didn't want to take the leap but screw it. He'll take the risk of falling into despair again if it means he can live a better life. Relaxing his muscles, he let himself have the bodywash put on him by Sarah, who was happy to encompass him in the whole thing. He knew what Theodore said about her that she'll never hurt him or make him do something he doesn't want to do.

"It's a good thing I bought the one that helps muscles relax, perfect for fighters like you."

Ooooohhh that feels good. It was pleasurable as she rubbed the muscles aching from training. Also, his fur wasn't getting pulled every time he moved and was now as smooth as that time he got groomed in Conner's mansion; back when he was first born but he'll not think about him for now. Right now, it was just this.

After drying off and leaving the shower, Sarah got out her special unknotting comb and began doing her thing to Athena. Theodore couldn't care less of her treatment and took some of Sarah's toiletries to the shower, taking a spare towel from her bag.

It only took a few minutes with how small Athena was for it to be his turn. He had to say, he was impressed by how smooth her dress turned out to be. He could hear all sorts of giddy sounds from behind him as he was getting brushed. She brushed everywhere from his face to his tail. He looked down at his torso where his fur wasn't sprouting in random directions. He was excited to see the final result.

The move to the mirror. His jaw dropped as he saw his reflection. He was absolutely majestic, more than any Riolu to had seen before not that he has, but he knew that they were nothing compared to him. He looked complete. He turned to Sarah with a smile. It seems like the risk to let his guard down around her paid off. There was still some anxiety at the back of his head, but it was still a step forward to happiness.

"Alright, I'm out. What the hell you look so happy. I've not seen you smile like that before." He snatched the comb from her hand and began grooming himself as he looked at her handiwork. It was a different sight to see a Riolu how they should be. He didn't want to admit it but the word adorable was in his mind. Although he was still skinny, it was way better than 2 days ago. It amazed him how quickly he was recovering. It should only take about a week for a full recovery. These Pokemon may have some genes he would want to look into.

Anubis POV:

After we ate, we all tucked in together early. We wanted to be ready for tomorrow's battle. Everyone else had fallen asleep before me as I looked up to the ceiling and wondered about my time with these guys so far. They were interesting and not what I expected. From my experience in Conner's team, I was at first treated about the same as I was now, but after the losses started to pile up, that was when things changed. I got dirty looks from him and his other extravagent Pokemon constantly bullied me.

It definitely was surprising how these guys didn't abuse me when I first met them, they actually helped me improve and it's only been two days. Athena was fun to play with, she always exuded this cheerful aura. Sarah felt like a mother figure; always being protective. Theodore was cool, he was smart and strong and always knew what he was doing. Although, he was strange for a Pokemon, but that might be because I'm still 3 moon cycles old and haven't seen enough of the world yet. This is how I feel about each of them even though I haven't experienced what a family feels like since I was bought as an egg.

This can really be my new family.

I closed my eyes with a relaxed smile on my face.

Tomorrow, I'll win. Not just for them, not just for approval, but also for myself.

For the first time in my life, I felt a resounding confidence well up in me. It was a nice sleep that night.

Chapter End

PurelyHilarious: Thank you very much. This fanfic is a combination of many things like science, character, etc. I wanted to add my own input into the transformation fics.

Ralmon: I've looked into how to make a better villain introduction and there were some changes I could have made. I won't change what I've done since we'll be seeing more of his character later on.