Author's note: First of all, I apologise for being late with this chapter. I also apologise for the short length. I know I said this one would be longer again, but after the delay I wanted to give you guys something and I tried a new pov for this one, so yes. I swear that the next chapter will in fact be longer!

Thanks to the following reviewers: Pen-Woman; PinkiePieParty122894; leighd1314; JaiJayce

Warnings: Vaporeon's pov; angst

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Kishimoto owns it. I also don't own Pokémon, that belongs to Satoshi Tajiri and The Pokémon Company.

I hope you'll like it, in spite of the shorter length!


Chapter 42

It shouldn't sting so much, hearing Master say that, especially when Master clearly said it would only be temporarily. Yet hearing those words had Vaporeon's stomach twisting violently and the food he had just eaten threatened to come back up again, leaving a sour taste behind when he forced himself to swallow.

He didn't dare to look up, not wanting to see that look in Master's eyes. That look that said Vaporeon would be the first one to go. He wasn't stupid, he knew very well that he would be no good in the next Gym. No matter how hard he would train or how much, he couldn't defeat his own innate weakness against Electric Types. Out of everyone present here, Vaporeon was truly the weakest link for the next Gym.

The others didn't have an advantage either, but they didn't have a born weakness against Electric Types that would hold them back from the start. Mimikyu had become a lot better in evading attacks and tanking them and was a veritable opponent with his amazing Dazzling Gleam and ferocious Shadow Ball. Ninetales was a true force to be reckoned with, with her powerful fire moves and her tenacity, her sheer willpower to keep fighting until she won. Lucario was quite strong as well and while Toxtricity's partly Electric Typing made him neutral in the next Gym, his Poison attacks could still make a difference. Even Pidgeot with his own weakness against Electric Types still had more of an advantage than Vaporeon did simply because he could fly away.

Vaporeon couldn't fly away. He could try to be as quick as possible to evade the attacks but he would be bound to the ground, unable to use the air to avoid the dangerous attacks. He would be the first one to be sent away, he was certain. Even if it was only meant to be temporarily – what if Master decided that Geodude or Zweilous made for much better companions? What if all that hard work Vaporeon had done would ultimately prove to be useless? What if after all this time he had failed to show Master just how strong he could be if he tried?

He had already been left behind once before by his previous Mistress when he had been unable to meet her expectations. What if Master would no longer want him either once he started training Geodude and Zweilous? Vaporeon supposed that being left behind with a Professor was still a lot better than being left injured on a road, but …

He had trained so hard, had pushed himself to prove to Master that he hadn't made a mistake in offering Vaporeon a spot on his team … Master had been so proud every time Vaporeon had managed to win a battle or learn a new move … Would all that attention, all that pride go to Geodude and Zweilous from now on? Would Vaporeon no longer be able to bask in Master's smiles and enjoy his cuddles? Would he once more be nothing but pathetic, useless Vaporeon; two things he had thought he had left behind when Master had chosen him?

His stomach twisted even further and his eyes started to burn, making him blink rapidly. It was stupid, feeling so upset when he knew he wouldn't be able to do anything in the next Gym, but …

He didn't want to go.

Even if it would just be for a little while – he didn't want to leave. He had carved a spot for himself in their team, had become friends with everybody from shy Mimikyu to bold Ninetales and standoffish Toxtricity. For the first time since he could remember he felt at home. This team was his home, his family; he didn't want to leave them behind. He didn't want to stay with the Professor, hoping that he wouldn't be forgotten again.

He wanted to stay with Master.

He wanted to show just how much stronger he could become, prove to Master that he hadn't made a mistake when he had opened his team to Vaporeon.

Why did he have to be so weak still? Why did he have to be pure Water with no other Type that could help as a buffer? Why was he still so useless, even after all this time?

'You want to bring those two back?' Ninetales questioned, sounding somewhat wary.

It was understandable. While Geodude hadn't posed much of a threat or an issue, that Zweilous was enough to give Vaporeon nightmares still. His ferociousness had not been the same as Ninetales' at all; his pure desire to devour everything in sight almost blood curling.

Ah, but if Zweilous was brought back, that meant Vaporeon wouldn't be here to deal with him …

"Honestly, not really," Master sighed to Vaporeon's utter shock.

His head shot up and he stared at Master wide-eyed. Master didn't really want to bring Geodude and Zweilous back? Traitorous hope started building up within him.

"While Geodude would have the Type advantage, I would have to train him all the way up to Graveler at the very least because having the Type advantage doesn't mean squat if he can't battle," Master said and pursed his lips, playing absently with one of Mimikyu's shadowy limbs. "Frankly in order to really secure a victory it would be best if Geodude evolved all the way to Golem, but that would be incredibly hard to do. Just like you, Ninetales, needed a stone to evolve, Graveler would need a special Cord to evolve – and those aren't exactly dropping down from the trees."

Master shifted slightly, adjusting Mimikyu better on his lap. Vaporeon longed to curl up tightly next to him and feel that soft hand petting his head, but he didn't dare to move yet; fear freezing up all his limbs.

"As for Zweilous …" Master grimaced, echoing the grimaces on all of their faces. "I think the Badges I have now should be enough to make him listen, but I'm not certain if I want to take that risk. Last time we tried to train with him, that didn't really go well."

'He was being mean,' Mimikyu muttered darkly.

Master nodded. "Yeah, he wasn't exactly easy to deal with and if he goes on a rampage this time … Red and Blue were the only reasons why he couldn't do more damage last time and now they aren't here to help."

Master sighed heavily. "Logically, it would make sense to bring back at least Geodude, but training him would take a really long time and overworking him doesn't seem fair either. Plus …" He nibbled on his lower lip, casting a look at Mimikyu before looking at all of them. "I don't want to separate you guys," he admitted.

That traitorous hope dared to grow even bigger within Vaporeon. Was he going to stay with his family after all? Could it be …

"Maybe I should just check the Pokédex, look through all of your pages and see if there aren't any moves you could learn that might help us out," Master muttered and started rummaging through his bag.

'We're staying as one team?' Toxtricity hissed apprehensively.

Master looked at him before smiling self-deprecatingly. "I probably should switch some of you out, if only to make it easier to win, but … What's the point in winning if that means separating our team?" He sighed and started typing something into the Pokédex with one hand, keeping the other one resting on Mimikyu's back. "I'm not sure if this makes me a good Pokémon Trainer, but I hate the thought of pulling you apart, even if it's just for this one Gym."

'You're a very good Master,' Ninetales reassured him, fluffing up her tails for him. 'We can beat the Gym, we promise.'

'We train hard enough and we will manage,' Lucario stated, because he was always confident like that.

'We managed the other times,' Pidgeot agreed, flapping his wings.

"I admire your confidence," Master chuckled, but it sounded weak and he was biting down on his lower lip, almost gnawing down on it.

Vaporeon felt bad. If he was a better Pokémon, a less selfish one, he would reassure Master that he would be okay with being sent to the Professor so that someone else could take his place. After all, didn't other Pokémon also deserve to have a place in their team? But he wasn't a better Pokémon, he was a selfish one, and so he said nothing, carrying the futile hope that somehow, in some way, Master would come up with a plan that would allow them to stay together and win the next Gym as well.

Even if it meant that Vaporeon would be kept within his Pokéball for the foreseeable future, he wouldn't mind, as long as he could stay with Master. As long as he could stay with his family, in this team, it didn't matter what he had to do or couldn't do. He wouldn't complain. All he wanted was to stay with Master for as long as possible.

"I guess it might be easier to first check the moves you naturally learn," Master muttered, but it sounded like he was talking more to himself and not to the others.

'You're quiet,' Toxtricity hissed softly to Vaporeon, who twitched and hunched his shoulders in surprise, not having expected to be addressed by the bigger Pokémon.

'Just … have nothing to say,' Vaporeon said in a small voice.

'You're worried Master will dump you at the Professor's?' Toxtricity asked bluntly while Master was absorbed in reading whatever the Pokédex was currently showing him.

'Toxtricity, don't say it like that!' Ninetales scolded him immediately, but he merely shrugged.

'Well?'

'I'm the weakest link,' Vaporeon said helplessly.

'You're not weak, you're strong,' Mimikyu instantly retorted and Vaporeon smiled weakly at him.

'Not for this Gym.'

'Doesn't matter,' Ninetales said brusquely as she adjusted her head on her paws. 'I didn't fight in the Water Gym either and I'm still here. Not fighting in a Gym doesn't say anything about your strength.'

Vaporeon opened his mouth, but a strange vibration in the ground had him tensing up instead. All the others noticed it too and immediately went on high alert; their bodies stilling in response to the threat.

"Hm, what's going on?" Master asked confused and lowered his Pokédex.

Another vibration went through the earth as if something heavy and huge was stampeding nearby, causing the ground to tremble as if a huge earthquake was about to rip through it.

Right as Vaporeon shot to his feet, an agonising howl of pain tore through the air and something came hurtling through the air, flying straight past several trees.

Aiming right at Master, threatening to hurt him severely.


AN2: Again my apologies for the short length; I just wanted to give you guys something already. Now I'm off to bed because my eyes are starting to burn from the late hour here =_=

Please leave your thoughts behind in a review; should you spot any mistakes, please point them out to me.

I hope to see you all back in the next chapter! Please stay safe and take care of yourselves!

Cuddles

Melissa

P.S. For more information about my upcoming and posted stories, please visit my profile.