Sorry everyone about the late updates, I'm being plagued by a disaster called school and an overwhelming need for sleep.


The next morning, I sat my team down in the backyard and shooed away Ben's.

'Ok guys, there are a few things we should discuss.' I told them. 'Firstly, Dawn, Neo. You are not going to evolve naturally, so –'

'Scy, scyther scy.' Neo cut me off before I could finish my sentence.

I realized that maybe I should've addressed the translator issue first.

'The insect said that he doesn't want to evolve into a Scizor,' Luckily, Estelle came to my rescue.

'Why not?' I was surprised.

I thought Neo of everyone will want to be a stronger version of himself, seeing as how competitive he was.

'Scyther scy scy scyther ther scy ther scyther scy,'

'He said he wants to be able to fly. And he does not want to lose his speed.'

'Alright, that settles that then. Dawn?'

'Growlithe, growl growlithe,' She said.

'She is also happy as she is right now.'

'Ok, that's great. There's the issue of getting a translator for you guys. Estelle doesn't need one. And while she's doing a wonderful job of translating, we can't always use her. I have made some money as a Trainer, but I don't have enough to cover two of the expensive ones that Lexy has. I can only get the older model, the one that Bullet has.'

'Scyther scy.' Neo said shortly, folding his scythes

'He does not want to wear a translator.'

'Why not?'

'Scyther scyther scy scyther.'

'Growl growlithe growlithe lithe growlithe.'

'The insect said he will eat any translator you put on him. The cub says she doesn't see Trainer Ronnie's white cub wearing it, so she doesn't see why she should need it. Erekas! I will not be your translator!'

The last sentence was directed at my two newest members with a glare. Neo pretended not to see it.

'Ok, so, we'll figure out some way to communicate.' Neo nodded, seemingly saying now I get it. Or maybe he just doesn't want me to hear what he says about me. 'Ok, lastly, do you guys feel I am neglecting you?'

'No,' Came the reply from Lexy, seeming puzzled by my question.

'But… Yesterday you said that I wasn't spending enough time with you?' I asked him, surprised.

'No, I said you used to spend more time with us,' He seemed to struggle with his words.

'I believe what the lizard means is that he noticed that you had started spending a lot of time with Trainer Ronnie. He did not necessarily mean you were neglecting us.' Lexy nodded eagerly at Estelle's words.

'Scyther scy scyther scyther scy scy scyther ther scyther scy scy ther.' Scyther added in with along speech, complete with scythes waving and a lot of charades.

Estelle did the psychic equivalent of an eyeroll and seemed to resign herself to being a translator. 'What the insect said, and I agree, is that if you like Trainer Ronnie, and you should, what is the term he used, go for it. If you two were to…'

'Fuck?' Lexy suggested when Estelle seemed to struggle to find the word.

'Oh Arceus NEO!' No wonder he didn't want a translator. I shouldn't give him one, or all the gym leaders are going to have words with me. Or worse. Mum.

'Trainer, what is fuck?' Lexy asked.

I stared at Lexy. Oh Arceus am I actually going to have the Pidgeot and the Beedrill talk with my Pokemon?

'It is when two people have sexual intercourse,' Estelle, who now took on the role of being the mother of my team on top of a translator, explained to Lexy patiently.

'Yes, but fuck is a bad word,' I told Lexy. 'Please do NOT use it.'

'Ah. So like when Papa and Mummy love each other and they have me.' Lexy nodded. 'But you are both girls!'

Oh dear Arceus please give me strength. I have to explain pride now?

'That does not matters.' Estelle told him firmly. 'Love is love.'

'Scyther Scy Scy ther Scyther!' Neo added.

'Growl? Growlithe,' Dawn spoke up.

Sighing, Estelle told Dawn gently. 'You'll understand when you meet the one.'

'We have moved from the point. The point is, if you decide to become romantically involve with Trainer Ronnie, we will all support you. You ARE a good trainer, Master. Do not fret.' Estelle rustled her dress.

'You are not like bad poachers. You fight them!' Lexy nodded.

'Yes. You eat with us, you play with us, and you take care of us. You make sure that we are all on track during training, and that none of us are over exhausted. You make us stop as any sign of exhaustion or small injury. Not all humans do this. We are lucky, and honoured, to be training with you. And we will always be with you.'

Neo and Dawn nodded. I swallowed down a lump that was forming in my throat. What did I ever do to deserve such an amazing team? 'You will tell me? If I was neglecting you. Or if anything was wrong?'

'Of course, Master. But I believe in you. You will always take good care of us.'

Blinking back tears, I hugged Lexy and Estelle who were right beside me. Dawn barked eagerly, jumping onto all of us, knocking me flat onto my back with three Pokemons on me. I laughed as I buried myself into Dawn's soft coat.

'Come here,' I looked at Neo.

With an exaggerated sigh, he walked towards us. I tugged him in and gave him a squeeze, carefully avoiding his sharp arms. And that was how Ronnie found me a while later, a pile of fur, scales, silk and shape scythes.

'All good then,' She leaned over us, a half grin on her face. Gareth the Lucario was beside her, peering at us with interest.

I untangled myself from my Pokemon. 'All good. Ready to go?' I reached for my bag, only to find the pocket where I kept my team's Pokeballs empty.

'Looking for these?' She held out the minimized balls to me casually, one hand slinging her bag over a shoulder.

'I, yeah. How did you get them?' I asked suspiciously, maximizing Dawn's Pokeball to return her.

Then I noticed the glittery letters that weren't there before. I maximized the others and sure enough, C.R.Y. was engraved in the same elegant font as Lexy's Pokeball.

'Oh sweet Arceus,' I muttered.

'Nope, just me,' Ronnie sounded pleased with herself for coming up with a joke.

'Ronnie!' I admonished. 'You shouldn't have!'

'No, but I did. Did you like it?' She asked worriedly. 'I didn't know what to put but seeing as you have a slight OCD, I decided to just go with C.R.Y.'

'I don't have a slight OCD – '

'Your bookshelves?' She was referring to the fact that my books were placed in alphabetical order of the author's last names, which many people also do!

'But you shouldn't have done this! It must have cost a bomb!' I exclaimed.

'Nah, it's nothing,' She waved off the cost and I vaguely wonder how rich she was. She must have a good chunk of money, a trainer of her caliber. 'But do you like it?'

'Yes,' I sighed. 'And you're right. I would have wanted them all to have the same engraving.'

'Great,' She shrugged on her bag, now both strap on her shoulders. 'Will you now tell me what R is for?'

'What is Ronnie short for?' I shot back.

'Ah, guess I have to continue using my imagination then,' She hooked her thumbs under the bag straps. 'Shall we, Cara Bear?'

'Cara Bear?' I returned my Pokemon, leaving Estelle out.

'Yes?'

'Hmm,'

On that note, we set off for Route 111.