Blastoise sat beside Lopunny once her surgery was finished. She was still unconscious and not even the doctors were sure if she would make it. Her injuries were bad. Broken bones. Torn muscles. Massive blood loss. All on top of the exhaustion of awakening a mega evolution.

His head was buried in his head. Eyes watering. Every breath came out shaky and raw. What he had been through would bring most men to their knees, and yet seeing his daughter in such a state rattled him in a way he hadn't felt in years. For the first time in years, decades even, he felt true fear. He turned on the news in an attempt to take his mind off things.

"Today, the Dristovian government has backpedaled parts of their claim of the island of Nomanishima. The Dristovian president, Urakov Yevgenievich, has stated that he doesn't want start an outrage or a potential war. The Nihoneran government has questioned why they haven't moved Dristovian oil plants. Political scientists believe this may have a significant effect on the election. Already, Rida-"

Blastoise turned the television off. Politics pissed him off. Looking back towards Lopunny, he sighed. Despite her being a fully grown woman, he saw that little Buneary he had found all those years ago. How long had it been?

20 years ago…

There had been reports of disappearances in the forests of Sinnoh. While they seemed like the usual lost campers, one of them was a diplomat. As such, the Senshi feared it was the Black Masks, then known as the Violet Heads and led by Nobunaga Yubitsume. A Hydreigon with frightening power. The potential severity of the situation warranted Blastoise being sent out on his own. This was him in his 40s. Most didn't even stand a chance against him. Hence, here he was in the heart of Hakutai Forest. The evening sun barely cut between the leaves around him. Around him was an ever growing oppressive darkness. There was a reason Hakutai also went by the Forest of The Lost Souls. The number of people that went missing in this forest was truly staggering.

At this point, the trail had run cold. Nothing. Not. A. Thing. Perhaps the Forest had sided with the Black Masks or had simply claimed another victim. Whatever the case was, all he had found was how deep this Forest could go. He pulled out his WristOn and talking to command,

"It's getting dark out and I haven't found anything. Requesting Evac." The response wouldn't come quickly. All of these trees weakened the signal so it would be a minute or two.

"Mommy! Daddy!" yelled a scared voice out from the distance. Immediately, Blastoise turned to look into the heart of the woods. He told command,

"Standby," before walking cautiously into the forest. He couldn't afford to take a risk. In a world where people can mimic and possess others, placing your trust in the wrong person is a death sentence. Alas, the voice slowly began to melt away that cautiousness.

"Mommy! I'm hungry! I wanna go home!" she said. It sounded like a little girl. She spoke Galarian, hinting that she was perhaps foreign. Blastoise felt a lump in his throat. How did she get here? What happened to her parents? Given this forest's reputation, that second question probably had a horrifying answer. As he got closer and closer, her crying grew louder and louder, tearing into his soul. This wasn't an act.

This was a scared child.

As the sun disappeared over the horizon, Blastoise finally found her. A Buneary was walking through the forest with tears in her eyes, calling out for her parents. Suprisingly, her fire was white and cyan rather than brown and cream. Blastoise called out to her,

"Hey!"

The Buneary turned around to see the turtle Pokémon. She squeaked before attempting to hide herself in her own fluff.

"D-D-Don't hurt me! You're a stranger!" she screamed. Blastoise got onto one knee and softly told her,

"I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm one of the Senshi. A hero, if you will." Upon hearing this, Buneary peeked out from her fluff at the older man before her. She gulped and asked through the tears,

"You promise?"

"I promise," answered Blastoise without hesistation. With this reassurance, the little rabbit stopped hiding, looking to him for hope.

"What are you doing here all by yourself?" asked Blastoise. Buneary tried to control herself and explain,

"Mommy," she sniffled, "and Daddy, wanted to play. They took me here and then we played and I turned around and they weren't anymore!" Once more, she broke into tears. Blastoise gently embraced the little girl. She was incredibly lucky. Even if the Black Masks weren't here, this was still one of the most dangerous forests in the world. His more cynical, battle-hardened side told him that they were already dead, but he couldn't be sure. He certainly couldn't say that to this child. Not until he was 100% sure of their fate.

"How long have you been out here?" he asked. Nothing could've prepared him for the answer he would get.

"Since breakfast," said Buneary. Blastoise's heart nearly stopped. It was twilight. This poor little girl had been here for hours. Starving. Lonely. Desparate for the warm embrace of her parents. Blastoise placed a hand on her shoulder,

"I'll get you something to eat," he said.

"Blastoise, can I get an update please?" asked his transceiver.

"There is a little girl here. I can't find any sign of her parents. Requesting back-up for a search," he explained. Then, Buneary began crying once more. Seeing this, Blastoise embraced the girl in a gentle hug. He picked her up and walked back the way he came. It was getting dark and he couldn't afford leave this little bunny alone in the heart of Hakutai Forest.

By the time Blastoise had left the woods, dozens of Senshi and volunteers had already converged on the forest. A search for Buneary's parents as well as the other missing folk had properly begun. However, Blastoise had nothing to do with it. His priority was making sure that Buneary was okay. This started with getting her something to eat. He brought her some fast-food and ice cream from a local place. She was sitting inside an Ambulance as paramedics quickly performed come checks to make sure everything was okay. Blastoise arrived just as Buneary finished up with her final little exam.

"Hey. I got you some food," he said as he handed her some chicken and fries. Buneary didn't react. Worried, Blastoise sat down next to her and told her, "You said you were hungry. You need to eat." Still, Buneary didn't move. She hugged her own legs, telling him,

"I want my mommy and daddy," Blastoise frowned but tried to remain positive.

"We'll find them," he said. Once she heard this, Buneary asked him for the ice cream. He gave it to her and she began to eat it. For the first time since they met, she smiled. Blastoise's heart felt like it was wrapped in a blanket next to a fireplace. A cozy and much-welcome warmth. Even if this moment wouldn't last long, Blastoise wouldn't care. All he wanted was to see this little girl happy.

Blastoise hadn't noticed the smile on his face until he felt it fading away. Sighing to himself, he recalled the days immediately after.

The Senshi wouldn't find them. They couldn't even find the bodies. That left the Senshi in a bind. What were they going to do with Buneary. The only she knew about was that her parents were a Lopunny and Alolan Ninetales, and that her name was Jessica…something. She didn't even know her last name. DNA testing wasn't allowed on people under 15 and even if it was, privacy laws prevented anyone from knowing who they were. It was a dead end. That was when some news came in. News that the doctors chose to tell Blastoise and only Blastoise about.

"She's a hybrid. An extremely rare form of Pokémon that inherits the type of her parents if they have different types," said the head doctor of Hakutai, the city Hakutai forest was named after to Blastoise and Blastoise alone. Buneary had been taken to the hospital to wait until they could find her parents.

"A hybrid?" asked Blastoise. He had never seen one before, believing it to be myth. Then, he questioned the doctor,

"Why are you telling me this? What about patient-doctor confidentiality?"

"Given the circumstances of this situation, I felt the need to tell you. She's four and she's a hybrid. If someone with ill intent finds about her, she'll be hunted down for the rest of her life. As a doctor, I cannot stand idle. I need you to take care of her," requested the doctor.

"What?!" Exclaimed Blastoise in shock, "Why me? I'm a Senshi, not a parent." The head doctor simply nodded before gesturing for Blastoise to follow. The two walked the hallways of the hospital until they arrived at the children's ward. Opening Buneary's door just a peak, they saw Buneary fast asleep in a little room just for her. Around her were crayon drawings of what looked to be her mom and dad. However, they were also pictures of what looked to be Blastoise. A crudely drawn portrait of the man titled, "Mr. hero." A picture of him chasing away shadow monsters. Another one of him holding ice cream. Blastoise's jaw was agape. Such a sight left an impact he didn't quite know how to articulate.

"She's a fondness for you. The nurses have told me that she wants to see you again. Until we can figure who her biological parents are, you are the closest thing she has to a father figure. You have the strength to protect her. Please. I beg of you! I know this is a huge ask but-"

"I'll do it," said Blastoise. The doctor was surprised by the quick response.

"Really? Thank you sir, but, why the change of heart?" asked the doctor. Even Blastoise himself was surprised by that answer, but as he thought about it, it made all the sense in the world.

"No child deserves to go through what she has. One's childhood should be a time of learning. A time to discover who you are. Who you'll be in the future. Most of all, it should be a time of fun. No one should lose that opportunity. I'll make sure of it. But only if she's okay with this," he insisted. The head doctor smiled,

"We'll tell her tomorrow. Don't worry. It should be a temporary arrangement."

20 years later…

That four-year-old girl he discovered had become a fully grown woman. The fear that consumed her back in that forest was gone. Replaced with an unmistakable confidence. He was a proud of her, even if she threatened to give him a heart attack. However, he felt shame. There was one thing he could never do for her. One promise he had failed to keep. Staring into the ceiling, that guilt weighed down heavy on him. With her chances of living being dubious, he feared he may never get the chance to fulfill his promise.

A faint groan grabbed Blastoise's attention. His eyes were drawn to the unconscious rabbit. He smiled. That's his girl. Fighting until the bitter end. Her eyes flicked opened. Lopunny, unable to sit up, looked at Blastoise and apologized,

"Sorry for the scare, Grandpa." Blastoise could only smile back at her,

"You're forgiven."

"Where's…Where's Lee?" She asked.

"I'm not sure. Did you need something from him?"

"I…I need to tell him something," she admitted, "Something private." Blastoise raised an eyebrow. She looked uncharacteristically wistful. Staring up into the ceiling, her eyes were lost in thought. Perhaps being so close to death had humbled her. Regardless, Blastoise stood up,

"I'll find him for you," he said before leaving the room.

Lopunny lightly grinned to herself. Despite it all. Despite nearly dying to Pangoro. Last night was the best night of her life, and it was all thanks to Infernape. When they met face to face, she knew what to say to him. A blush grew onto her face, which made Lopunny laugh to herself.

So this was what that L word was like.